THis story which you here read of the Disciples going to Sea, &c. S. August. de verbis Dom. Serm. 14. S. Angustin makes a kinde of propheticall hi­story of the state of GODS Church from the ascension of Christ in­to Heaven, till his comming againe, the end of all things. His going into the Mountaine to pray, is his going into hea­ven to make intercession for us: his sen­ding the Disciples to sea, was the com­mission [Page 2]he gave them to go preach the Gospell: the sea is the world, the ship is the Church: the contrary windes and stormes they met withall, are the trou­bles and persecutions, the errours and heresies the Disciples had, and their fel­lowes have, to conflict withall in the car­rying on of the Gospell. The fourth watch when Christ came to them, is a little before the end of all things, as that was a little before the morning. At which time, in regard of the troubles, persecu­tions, heresies, that shall be in the world. Men shall look upon Religion, as the Disciples upon Christ; Res Christia­na phantasma] [...]sse videbitur. Aug. either as a ghost fearfull to own it, in respect of the many troubles and persecutions which may at­tend it; or as a phansie in respect of the multitude of opinions that shall arise.—I will follow him no further.

The resemblance that this story did hold forth with the Church of God, both in this kingdome, and other parts of the Christian world, was the great induce­ment to me to enter upon it.

The Ship of our Church and State, in which is imbarqued so much of our com­fort and happinesse, was set forth by Gods warrant, and had with the Disci­ples [Page 13]here, a prosperous and faire gale for a time, the prayers, desires, well-wishes, of all. But being now come into the midst of the sea, even the midst of their work, they meet with contrary winds. A storm is risen, the windes blow, the waves arise, the floods of ungodlinesse doe lift up their voice, and threaten to swallow them up.

In this tempestuous storme, wee may look upon them, who still abide in the ship, as upon the Disciples toyling and rowing; fo they conflicting and labou­ring with oppressing difficulties in their indeavours to bring this tossed ship of the Church and State to safe harbour.

It is all our comfort, that whilest wee are conflicting upon the Sea; Dum Disci­puli in mari Christus in monte. Isti remigan­do laborant, ille intrece­dendo implo­rat. Christ is praying upon the mountaine: And in the fourth watch his appoynted time, will come downe, take a view of our troubles upon the shore, and then come forth to helpe us, enter the ship, cease the winds, calme the seas, and at last bring this torn and tossed ship of the Church to safe and quiet harbour.

The whole story doth branch it selfe [...]n these particulars.

• 1. The dismission of the Disciples to sea, verse 22. after which.
  • 1. The discharge of the mul­titudes to their hemes.
  • 2. Christs withdrawing of himselfe into a mountaine to pray, 23. verse.
• 2. The danger the Dis­ciples were in at sea: they were
  • 1. In the middest of the Sea.
  • 2. Tossed with waves.
  • 3. The Windes were con­trary. 24. verse.
• 3. Christs addresses to help and relieve them, in which
  • 1. The time: the fourth watch.
  • 2. The manner: walking on the sea, 25. verse.
• 4. The Disciples apprehension of him, together with the effect of it.
  • 1. It is a ghost.
  • 2. They cryed out for feare.
• 5. The way Christ went to settle them and save them.
  • 1. He speaks to them, it is I.
  • 2. He incourageth them, Be of good cheere, &c.
• 6. We have Peters in­terposing tryal, wherin
  • 1. His request, Bid mee to come to thee upon the waters.
  • 2. Christs grant, Come, 29.
  • 3. His feare and sinking, 30.
  • 4. Christs succouring and helping of him, 31.
• 7. Wee have the fruit of Christs comming to them, two great miracles.
  • 1. Cessation of the storme.
  • 2. The ship at the shore, 32. v.
• 8. Wee have the effect of these miracles.
  • 2. Wonder.
  • 2. Worship, 33. v.

This I thought good to premise, be­fore we came to the particular handling of the words.

Wee will now fall upon the words themselves: where first you see we have to deale with the dismission of the Disci­ciples to Sea.

22. ‘And straight-way Jesas constrained his Disciples to get into a ship, &c.’

‘[And straight-way.]’

That is immediately after Christ had fed them, and refreshed them: after re­freshment hee pnts them upon imploy­ment, from meat he sends them to work; we must not eate to be idle, but eate to la­bour: labour that we may eate, and eate that we may labour.

Doct. Gods refreshments must quick­en us to Gods imployments: whether you eate or drinke, or what ever you doe, doe all to the glorie of God: make all your refreshments serviceable to the ad­vancements of Gods worke, of Gods glorie.

‘[Jesus Non libenter patiebantur discipuli se a Magistro suo divelli. Chem. Cogere enim opportuit, quia se ab illo di­velli invite patiebantur. constrained his Disciples.]’

Whats that? sure he did not use any extreame violence upon their bodies, nor any extraordinary workings upon their spirits: sometimes constraint is op­posed [Page 6]to freedome, and willingnesse, and then is as much as forced, used violence on them.

Hoc vocabulo ostenditur in­vitos eos a domino re­cessisse. Hier. Sic accipio [...] Co­egit. Com­putit. Non quod inviti a­vellerentur a Christo ut ali­quibus vide­tur, neque e­nim credibi­le est eos volu isse esse refra­ctaros vel in­vitos Christo paruisse; coe­git inquam pro justit, sine mora redire in navim; eo quod nox in­grueret, &c. Pareus in loc. Somtimes to un-perswasion: & then it is as much as moved and perswaded, as 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Christ con­straines, that is, effectually moves, and strongly perswades.

And so it may be taken here, he per­swaded them.

And yet there seems to be something thing more in it, his Authoritic came in, as well as his Arguments, they went out of obedience to the command, they de­nyed their owne will, which no doubt was either to abide with Christ, or to have him with them, and subjected them­selves to the will of Christ.

Nead punct­um temporis voluerunt ab eo seperari Nolebant dis­cipuli a Chri­sto divelli, sed vi seperaban­tur. Theoph. Cum dicet E­vangelista, Compulit, de­clarat quod magno suoe a more presentiae discipuli tenebantur. Chris. No doubt but they wer loth to leave Christ, they were unwilling to part with him, both in respect of Christ, out of the love they bare him, loath to leave him a­lone, and out of love to themselves they were unwilling to goe without him: Compulit, hoc est jussit e vestigio redire in navigium, at (que) precede [...] re in ripam ulteriorem. Pareus in loc. But Christ commanded them, and out of obedience to Christs commands they went. As it was said of Joab, 2 Sam. 24. [Page 7]when hee was so unwilling to number the people; It is said that notwithstanding the Kings word prevailed against Joab. So here the command of Christ prevailed against them, and therefore they went out of obedience.

There are many things might be obser­ved. 1. From their unwillingnesse to go from Christ, which is implyed:

Doct. Qui semel Christi dulce­dinem gustave ri [...] desicile ab illo seperari sustinèr. Barz. Men that have once tasted the sweetnesse of Christ, are hardly drawne away from Christ. The Disciples had here tasted the sweetnesse of Christ, and no marvaile if they were unwilling to part with him.

But this was their mistake; they had par­ted with Christ, if they had not gone, the way to keep Christ is to follow the coun­sels, and be obedient to the commands of Christ. What had it been for them to have enjoyed the fleshy, and have lost the spirituall presence of Christ.

Men that will not follow the com­mands, shal want the comforts of Christ; if you will not follow the light of dire­ction, you shall want the light of conso­lation; works of darknesse, and walking in darknes go together. See David, 51. Psal.

But yet more, from their obedience in [Page 8]going, though they were so desirous still to stay with him. We learne,

Doct. Where God hath a will to com­mand, man must have a will to obey.

Discamus i­taque nos sim­plici obedien­tia Dei man­datis parere. That is the best obedience, which hath most self-denyall in it. You see in Abraham, in Moses, &c. Peter went without gain-saying, if you read there that act of obedience was done upon a great conquest of himselfe. If you read the Scriptures you shall see, that hath been esteemed an act of greatest obedi­ence, wherein was an act of greatest self­denyall. Abraham.

But further, though they went, yet they went not without a warrant, they had a parent and Commission from hea­ven to carry them out.

Doct. It is good in all our underta­kings to get a Warrant from heaven, a Commission from Christ for the doing of it.

The Disciples went, but they had their warrant, they had the word of Christ to provoke them to it, and incourage them in it. The like had Moses, Aaron, Jere­mie, &c.

In the 4. Col. 20. we have this phrase, Be filled with all the will of God. 4. Col. 20. It is a [Page 9]Metaphor taken from a Sayle filled with wind: if the Saile have no winde, the Ship stands still and is becalmed: but if the wind once come, and fill the Sailes, then is it carried amain. Gods command to the soule, should bee like the wind to the sailes: if no command from above, a Christian should stand still, as a ship be­calmed; but if a command come, wee should be carried amain. Goe with cou­rage, be the difficulties what they will; Have not I commanded thee? will beare us out in all.

Vse. Labour then for a word of Di­rection from Christ in all your under­takings: you may follow the guidance of flesh and bloud, the direction of your owne reason, and miscarry at last, and there is no surer way to miscarry than to follow the guidance of your own spi­rits: you see it in Balaam, in Saul, concer­ning the Amalakites, in the Jews, 42. Ier. But he that shuts his owne eyes, and goes by Gods light, he that denyes his owne wisedome, and followes the guidance of God shall be sure to goe aright: 91. Psal. Hee will keep us in all our wayes. he shall goe safe in the middest of dangers. You see it in Moses, in Hester, &c.

Gods warrant is enough to put us on a work, Quando viae nostrae, sunt viae domini, tune sumus sub conditione divinae prote­ctionis. Rei. and will be our security in our un­dertaking. Where our obedience lyes, there our safety lyes. He runs into the greatest danger that runs out of Gods way of obedi­ence. No safety but in Gods way. Art thou in Gods way? and do stormes arise? doe tempests threaten? Yet assure thy selfe, God will never be wanting to thee while thou art in a way of obedience to him. The Disciples met with stormes, but Christ leaves them not in the storm; their obedience to Christ, brought the presence of Christ to them. Never man wanted comfort long, that went in a way of obedience. The Martyr went far up­on meer obedience, but before he came to the journies end, before he came to the stake, God gave him Coelum ex­tra Caelum. in a piece of his reward before his work was done. But should thou dye without comfort, thou dyest in the ship, and not in the sea, thou dyest in Gods way, and there is safety, though thou never reach the apprehensi­on of it.

Jesus constrained his Disciples (to go into the Ship).

Christ had a journey for them to go, and here he provides them a ship.

Doct. If God have a work for us to do, he will provide us with necessaries to the doing of it. Necessary counsell, neces­sary strength, necessary comfort and assi­stance, and all this proportionable to the worke. Moses was troubled at first for want of elocution, and Jeremy for want of courage, but he that set them on work provided them necessaries. Exod. 3.11, 12 Exod. 4.10, 12 Jer. 1.6, 7, 8. Moses did not want a tongue, nor Jeremy courage.

We are sometimes troubled at the want of means for the bringing of a work about, how shall this thing be? but if the work be Cods, he will want no in­struments for the effecting of it: Nay in the want of all he can work alone. Infi­nite wisdome, and infinite power was ne­ver at a stand.

But further. (To get into a ship.)

When we are to do Gods work, we are not to have our tooles to seeke; the ship was ready when they had a com­mand to go to sea. All creatures stand like them in the market place, ready to be hired into Gods Vineyard. All crea­tures they are ready to execute Gods wil. Let not man alone rebel.

[And to goe before him unto the other side.]

Here is a plaine proofe against the Vbiquitarians, who hold Christs body, his humane nature to be in all places. And here is also the errour of Transub­stantiation confuted, who take away the dimensions of a body, making the body of Christ in so many places as bits of bread at the same time: if Christs hu­mane nature had beene in every place, Christ could not have said, Goe before him to the other side.

There is something more in it. [Goe before him.]

If you read before, you shall see the occasion of Christs withdrawing of him­selfe with his Disciples was the newes of Johns beheading. They had told him that Herod had beheaded John Secessir Christus, non praepostero metu, sed pru­denti consilio, 10. ne ma­nedo tenta­ret Deum. 2. ut exemplo doceret, teme­ritatem vitan­dam & peri­cula non ne­cessaria decli­nanda, juxta illud. Mat. 10.23., whereupon Christ withdrew himselfe, and here to preserve his Disciples, he sends them first away.

It suits well with Christs love to his Church, and his end of comming into the world, to take more care to preserve them, then to save himselfe, to looke to their safety more then his owne. You know what he said, John 18.8. If you seek me let these go free.

Hee came to interpose himselfe be­tweene [Page 13]God and us, he came to beare our scourges to undergoe our stripes. As Re­becca to said Iacob: on thee my son be the blessing, on me be the curse. So Christ to us, like Ionah, he was content to be cast into the sea, even the sea of wrath, that there might be a calme, a peace between God and man: he came not to save him­selfe, but to be our Saviour, and therefore was content to lose himself that he might save us; to undergoe all, that we might be free.

We are more deere to Christ, then he was to himself; & therefore he doth here, as we do whē things are in danger, seek to preserve that which we esteeme most, which is most precious to us; to save us was more desirable to Christ, then to preserve himselfe. He sees himselfe in us, oh that we could see our selves in God, and that the preservation of the glory of Christ might be more in our eyes, then the saving of our selves. As Christ was more tender of us then he was of himselfe; so let us be more tender of his glory, then of our own safety: if we can but hold up his glory, though we suf­fer in his glory, yet we shall be glorified.

He that seeks himselfe in opposition [Page 14]to God, doth lose himselfe and God: but he that seeks himselfe in subordinati­on to him, findes both; even himselfe in God.

Here is that Riddle expounded, Hee that will save his life shall lose his life, but he that will lose his life for my sake and the Gospell, shall finde it.

Dignus pla­ne enim mor­te qui tibi do­mine recusat vivere, & qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est, & nil est. Bern. in Cant. Propter te­met ipsum do­mine fecisti omnia, & qui esse vult sibi, & non tibi ni­hil incipit esse inter omnia. Bern. 2. Ser. in Cant. It is lownesse of spirit to seek how we may preserve our selves, and not how we may hold up Christ.

That life is forfeited and lost, which is either gained, or kept with the decli­ning or losse of Christ.

Vix quaeri­tur Iesus pro­pter Iesum. Aug. Principes viri regionem quaerunt, po­tius quem re­ligionem. Chem. I have read it was the speech of a Henry of France, who when he was per­swaded to do something for the advance­ment of the Protestant Religion; he an­swered, He would lanch no further into the deepe, then he might returne safe againe to shore. Such spirits have most men: They look upon the wayes of God as we do upon an Ignis Fatuus, which we dare not follow, for feare it lead us into bogs and pits. I shall say no more to such but this, that life, that honour is forfei­ted and lost, which is either gained or kept, by declining or renouncing the cause of Christ.

We proceed.

‘[While he sent the multitude away.]’

This seemes to be another reason why he sent his Disciples before him; Aliquantis­per detinuit, donec preci­bus, & bene­dictione redi­re jussit. Pareus in loc. here was a multitude with him, hee had new­ly refreshed them, and would not suffer them to go, till he had dismissed them, blessed them, &c. or the like. And the day was farre spent, the night was com­ming on, the ship was going, for its pro­bable it was a passengers ship; should they have stayed till Christ had dismis­sed them, the ship might have been gone.

And therefore while Christ was send­ing the multitude away, he constrained his Disciples to take the opportunity and go before him. The words may be consi­dered as a reason of Christs stay behinde, and of sending the Disciples before.

But yet that which is expressed was the least of the reasons wherefore Christ dismissed them. You may see greater rea­sons than that in the history. 1. Because he would goe to pray: 2. Because hee would now exercise the graces of his Dis­ciples alone: 3. Because he had a pur­pose to discover his divine power in their deliverance.

But this may be one: while he sent the multitude away:

Doct. That though a bare command of God be sufficient to challenge our o­bedience to it, yet so graciously doth God often condescend to our weaknesse, as to give us a reason of imposing of it.

It was so here, hee doth not onely command his Disciples to goe before him, but gives them a reason why he doth.

Indeed when God commands, it is the reason of reasons to obey, because God commands. The commands of God, though they may bee above reason, yet they are not contrary to right reason. The obedience of faith, is farre above reason, but it is not against reason, because it is all reason to believe what God saith, and to obey what God commands.

In obedience to man, we are to look for a reason of obedience, or a rule of obedi­ence, which is according to right reason.

It is to put off man, and to divest our selves of reason, to obey against reason. As the Pope who commanded the Monk to goe and water a dry stake for three yeares together morning and evening. Abrahamus a patria e­gredi justus, paret, licet, quonam iturus esset ignora­ret. Chem. Caeca obedientia, is proper to God alone, not that our obedience is a blinde obedi­ence: but sometimes wee are to follow [Page 17]him blind-fold: It is said of Abraham, Gen. 12.1. that he went & knew not whi­ther; God calls, he comes, and shuts his eyes, and goes by Gods light, he followes God as the blind man doth his guide: mens commands are subject to bee scan­ned, whether they bee according to the supream rule, the Law of God, or in Common-wealths governed by Lawes, whether they be according to Lawes.

Mandata Dei non adra­tionis nostrae examen reve­canda. Chem. Discamus nos simplie; obedientia Dei manda­tis parere: absque nostrae rationis exa­mine. But Gods commands must not be scanned, here we must obey because God commands, 2. Ioh. 7. What ever he bids you to doe, doe. If Abraham had exami­ned that act of obedience, viz. The sa­crificing of his sonne, either by rule, the Law, or by reason, or by the principles of nature, they would all have cryed downe that act of Abrahams. It is true, the case was extrordinary, and it was alone for tryall too: God doth not com­mand such things as are contrary to his Law, his revealed will, or right reason; yet he commands such things as are con­trary to corrupt reason, and above right reason, and therefore his commands are not to be scanned: it is our reason, and the reason of reasons to obey Pareamus itaque man­datis Dei, licet illorum ratio nobis non constet, sufficit enim ea ipsi c [...]n­stare; nos commendat obedientia, quae in oculis Dei, melior quamvictimae. 1 Sam. 15.22. because God hath commanded.

But there is something more observe­able, from these words, while he sent the multitude away.

Mark the order, first Christ refresheth them, and after dismisseth them. First he feeds them, and then he sends them away. And the word seems to import some­thing of consequence. Marcus ver­bo ut tur in dimissione populi quod usurpatur de iis qui valedi­cunt alicui, [...] them, [...] valdico. 18 Acts 21. 2 Cor. 2.13. Mark useth a word which signifies valediction, or ta­king leave with one.

It may be he did pray with them, blesse them, Illos dimit­tit blandis verbis, eo con­tentus, quod in. praesenti co­rum illicitum conatum re­preshslet. Chem. or exhort them, or instruct them in the nature of his Kingdome; for these would have made him a King, as Iohn hath it, 6. Ioh. Something extraor­dinary there was. Whence this,

Doctr. None come to Christ, or have to doe with him, but hee ever sends them better away.

He refreshed their bodies here, and that was the least any had, they did all eate, and were filled, 20 v. Nay hee refreshed their soules, that was the benefit many had.

When Moses had been communing with God, his face shone: God stamps a glory upon those who doe converse with him: The Jewes said of Peter, he lookes like one of those who had bin with Iesus. [Page 19]The bloud loseth nothing by comming to the heart, it sends it away with spirits. God makes every one better who have to doe with him. To whom comming, as to a living stone, you also as living stones are built up, 1 Pet. 2.4.

Vse It speaks incouragement to us, to have much to doe with God, to love, con­verse with him, you shall have something left upon your spirits worth your la­bour. Indeed there is reward in the work, there is fruit in the labour. The Rabbins say, Every good worke is meat in the mouth, Praemmium ante praemi­um. there is reward in the la­bour.

But that is not all the fruit you shall finde, you shall not onely finde fruit in the worke, but fruit of the worke; either you shall bee dismissed, more humbled, more quickned, or more comforted: some impressions of glory God doth use to stamp upon the spirits of them who have beene conversing with him, something he leaves upon their souls worth owning. 2 Cor. 3. &c. 2 Cor. 3.18. While loo­king upon him, and beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord, we are chan­ged into the same image from glory to glory.

It may bee you may see little, you may discerne of little in the time, there may be the acting of many corruptions, much deadnesse, coldnesse, formality may discover it selfe, yet some impressions will bee left upon our spirits afterward, which perhaps you were not aware of in the time.

If God doe not discover himselfe to you, yet if God do further discover your selves to your selves; it is worth the while of wayting upon God.

It is good to be in Gods way: the blind man found this to be true, who lying in the way where Christ came, was cured of his blindnes, and recovered his sight. It is good to lye at the poole side, though thou stay thirty eight yeares, and receives no benefit as thou thinkst, yet a Christ will come at last and work thy cure.

Though the Miller is not able to com­mand a winde, yet hee will set his Mill, and spread his Sayles, that if a wind come he may have the benefit of it. Though you are not able to command the Spirit, which like the wind bloweth where and when it listeth, yet set your selves in his presence, spread your Sayles, that if a wind come you may have the benefit of [Page 21]it.— But this all of God.—

Here is a multitude here this day, if your hearts be right, know this, Christ will not send you away without some refreshment.

Had he respect to the bodies of men, when a multitude were come together, that he would not send them away after their long continuance with him in his Ordinances, without some refreshment, lest they fainted in the way; certainely he will have more regard to the soules of men: What are the faintings of the bo­dy, to the faintings of the soule?

But further— [While he sent the multi­tude away.]

It may be here demanded, why Christ should send them away? had it not been better for them to have continued with Christ, to have followed him in his temptations, to havn attended upon him in the work of his Ministery; why doth he send them away?

There is good reason:

1. He would not over-drive them, hee would not continue their exercises above their strength, he would lay no more wood on than there was fire able to kindle, hold them no longer in duties than there was [Page 22]strength to carry them on. Jacob slac­ked his pace, because of the weaknesse of his little ones, Christ proportions the ex­ercises of duty, to the strength of the people.

2. Or secondly, Christ sends them a­way, would not suffer them to continue and goe with him, because he would not put them to difficulties, above their strength to goe through: he knew, if they were to follow him, they might quickly be weary: 8 Matth. 20. for the foxes had holes, and the birds of the ayre had nests, but the sonne of man hath no place where to lay his head.

When the children of Israel came out of Egipt, God would not lead them by the way of the hills, which was the nea­rest way, but by the way of the plaines, which was much about. And upon this ground, because of the Philistims, lest the difficulties they met withall in their first setting out, might discourage them, and make them think of their re­turnes again to Egipt.

And upon the same ground God doth spare men for a time in the wayes of grace, and doth not exercise vong begin­ners, as hee doth those who are growne [Page 23]Christians. Till the Disciples were got from the shore, till they were got to the midst of the sea, they met with no storms. As I shall shew, &c.

3 Or else Christ would have them now go home, having fed their bodies, and refreshed their soules, to meditate upon those things which they had heard.

One Sermon wrought downe to the Spirit, is worth many heard: too many who are great feeders, [...] di­cuntur qui ex­alimento quod assumunt, non augescunt, nec nutriuntur. but little nou­rishers, they want digestion. This is not to feed upon Sermons, but to devoure Sermons, when they are not digested in­to nourishment: our nourishment doth not so much lye in feeding, as in dige­sting. You may by that increase the big­nesse of your heads, your knowledge; but not nourish the leannesse of your hearts, your affections. It is monstrous in na­ture, to have the head bigger then the bo­dy; so in grace, to increase knowledge only, and not practise. If all time were spent in feeding, where were the time for working? you feed, to work.

Your present affections that are exerci­sed & raised in hearing, wil vanish & fall againe, if you do not work all downe in meditation, and digest them into your [Page 24]nature, or your nature into them, the good word; whereby the stocke chan­ged into the nature of it. Too many that neglect the hearing of the word at all, and some that think that this is all that is re­quired, when this is but a preparatory service, a service subservient to another; hearing to obeying, preaching to pra­ctise. I will not cast water upon your affections, quench any spark of Gods kindling: Folia haec sunt non fru­ctus. Aug. you do well to heare, you do well to heare often: oh, but adde me­ditation to hearing, practise to preach­ing: when you have heard a Sermon, then go live a Sermon.

4. There may be another reason yet, why Christ sent them away; that they should now go about their lawfull occa­sions, take care of their families, and be­nefit their relations, make their house­holds better for that they had received. Two things hence observable.

1 The duties of our generall calling; though they are far to be preferred, yet they must not altogether justle out the duties of our particular. Christ sends them away to their homes after he had refreshed them.

2 Absolute duties towards God, must [Page 25]quicken us to, and in our relative duties towards man.

It is said of Jacob when he had beene conversing with God, that he plucked up his feet, and went cheerefully on in his way.

The duties of godlinesse are no hinde­rance, but a furtherance to us, and an in­ablement of us in our particular duties towards man. When we have beene with Christ in a day, we must labour to re­turne home better husbands, better wives, better parents, better children, &c. Ab­solute duties towards God, must quick­en us to, and inable us in our relative du­ties towards man.

After Christ had been in the Temple, saith the Text, he went home, and be­came obedient to his parents; the being in the Temple was no cause why Christ was obedient: it is said after, not by way of causality, but in order of time. But our being with God, and converses with him, do inable us to performe these du­ties to man which God requires. So much for the 22 Verses.

We come to the next.

23. Verse. And when he had sent the multitude away, he went into a Mountaine [Page 26]to pray, and when the evening was come, he was then alone.

And here now appeares one great rea­son why Christ dismissed his Disciples, and the multitude, concealed before, he went to pray. You have three things con­siderable.

1 The order, when he had sent the multitude away.

2 The place, he went into a Moun­taine.

3 The end, to pray.

1 We begin with the first, viz. The Order.

[When he had sent the multitude away.]

First Christ dismisseth the multitude, and then goes to be alone, Christ had no need of his helpe: Ipse Chri­stus non la­boravit illo vitio, ut avo­camentis vel impediretur, vel langues­ceret illius o­ratio sicutnos, & tamen no­bis in exem­plum seces­sum quaerit. Chem. in. loc. he could be alone when he was in company, he could con­verse with God without distractions, ei­ther sinfull or naturall. But this Christ did to teach us,

Doct. That when we are to have to do with God, to dismisse the multitude, you are to discharge your selves of the mul­titude of your affaires, the multitude of your imployments, cares, thoughts, &c.

If you dismisse not these before you enter the duty, you will find they will be [Page 27]like the birds to Abraham, that will eat up and devoure your spirituall sacrifice.

Men cannot doe their owne work in a crowd of people, nor Gods, in a crowd of thoughts.

Discharge your thoughts. It is unseem­ly to have your tongues conversing with God, and your spirits conversing with the world. But we come to the second. The place,

[He went into a Mountaine.]

A Mountaine. That's high above these cumbrances here below; and its solita­ry; Christ chose it, he desired to be a­lone, and chose a Mountaine for the fit­test place. Preces in solitudine ar­dentiones, quando mens curis & obje­ctis minus d [...]strahitur. It speaks thus much to us.

Doct. That helps and advantages for duty, are to be sought and imbraced by Christians. Adminicula quibus men­tes ad precan­dum expeditae redduntur, non sunt neg­ligenda Chem. in loc.

Christ when he went to pray, he got into a Mountaine; not so much for his own need, as to teach us when we go upon duty, to take all the furtherances and ad­vantages we can for the doing of it. But yet remember: Media natu­ralia, instituta Haec adeo vel abhomini [...]us. though naturall helps are good, and to be sought; yet institu­ted helps, such as are of mens devising, are to be avoided. We must not go to the Philistims to sharpen our tooles, nor [Page 28]to the inventions of men, to sharpen and quicken our devotions. Those cannot be good affections, which are either kindled or blowne up by the meanes of our devi­sing, and not of Gods commanding.

Of these kindes are our significant ce­remonies as themselves call them; the whitenesse of the Surplice was to put you in mind of the purity of the Church, and to stirre up our affections after the desire of purity. The decking of Altars, the coping of Ministers, the pargelling of wals, the painting of the windowes with Mosaical devises, the use of Organs, &c. were all set up and instituted of men, for this end, as they say, to quicken the dull affections of man. But being with­out warrant from God, they are no bet­ter then the superstitions of men; and be­ing flesh, too short to beget, kindle, or fewell, any spirituall and holy affections.

Upon the same ground the Papists have the use of Images, Crucfixes in pray­er, to stirre up and quicken their Devoti­ons, to bee incentives of worship: these are condemned, and how can the other be allowed, when both plead the same ends, and are set up on the same grounds.

Assure your selves, will-worship, in [Page 29]regard of prescription, will never inable you to render the worship of the will in respect of performance. If the will be an instrument of devising worship, it wil ne­ver be an instrument of performing wor­ship: The Propet tells us so, 29 Isay. 13. This people draw neare with their lips, but their hearts are farre from me. And why so? he gives the reason; their feare towards mee is taught by the precepts of men.

We say the greater the body, the lesse is the spirit of a man: So the greater the body and bulke of humane ceremonies, the lesse is the life and spirit of true de­votion.

The Spirit of God will only blow with his own bellowes, worke with his owne tooles, & not by instruments, and ways of our devising. And though our adversaries have cast us out with scorne, as those in 66. Isay. 5. Isay 5.66. Saying let God bee glo­rified, by these additaments of ours, these incentives of devotion, adornments of outward service: yet wee hope God will appeare to our joy, and they at last shall be ashamed.

There is yet something more offers it selfe in these words:

‘[He went into the mountaine.]’

Doct. A good heart seek occasions and meanes of conversing with God. Christ had a mind to pray, and he finds a moun­taine.

The mountaine did not put him to prayer, to seek prayer, but prayer sought the mountaine.

It is the complaint of many: Oh, they want time, they want a convenient place, and therefore they are hindred in their converses with God, they cannot pray.

I tell thee, if thou hast a praying heart thou wilt find a praying place, Non inopes temporis su­mus, sed pro­digi. and a praying time.

I hope thou art not superstitious, that thou thinkst prayers more acceptable in one place than in another. Si quis lo­cum ad oran­dum eligat, quasi gratiam orationi con­cilietis errat. Chem. in loc. Indeed this would discover a great deal of blind­nesse and ignorance in thee. Prayer makes the place, not the place prayer accept­able.

Time was, that God had appoynted one place for prayer, which was then called the house of prayer: The Temple. But now that is layd low: the use of that be­ing done, Christ the true Temple being come, and now the Apostle bids us, 1 Tim. 2.8. I will therefore, that men [Page 31]pray in every place, lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting.

The Apostle doth not say, I desire you, or it is good to doe so, But I will, and in every place, id est, in all kind of pla­ces, house and Church, Closet, In cubicu­lum Christus nos secedere jubet, ut ar­dentiore zelo preces pera­gete queamus, nec ostentati­onem querere videamur, &c. Chem. i n loc. Cham­ber, and as Christ saith, 6 Mat. 6. when you pray goe into your closet, &c.

I have seen men sometimes in the passa­ges through a Church, to fall downe up­on their knees, [...] &c. Aristip. apud Laertium. where often a stone up­on a stone, here prayer doth not find the mountaine, but the mountaine findes prayer, the place surpriseth prayer: pray­er doth not seek the place. I hope you are not thus superstitious, to thinke one place better than another, one place to make prayer more acceptable than another.

And if not, thou needs not to want a mountaine, thou needst not to want a place, if thou dost not want a heart. A good heart cannot want a place to con­verse with God.

There is yet something more observe­able. Look upon the place in an Allego­ricall sence: and see thus much.

Doct. It is good when you converse with God in duty, to get upon a moun­taine.

I speak not of a naturall mountain (if any have such vaine thoughts, that the higher they get, the nearer to God; I must tell them the way for them to draw neare to God, is to get into the valley, be humb­led for your folly, seeke to get low in heart, rather than high in place) I speake not of a naturall mountaine, but of a mountain in an allegory. When you goe to converse with God in duty, get upon the mountain.

1 Get above the world, above men, a­bove imployments.

2 Get into Christ. Christ is the Moun­taine whereon you must stand when you go to pray. Set me on the Rock which is higher then I. Get into Christ. The Temple it was the place of prayer, it is called the house of prayer; from thence would God heare them. The Temple was a type of Christ, and speakes thus much, that if ever you would have your prayers acceptable, if ever you would have God heare your prayers, get into Christ. We come to the third, the end: He went into the Mountaine to pray.

‘[To pray.]’

It is the speech of one upon this place. Maxime op­tarem novis­se argumen­tum precum. Chem. It were very desirable to know the ar­gument [Page 33]of Christs prayer here: what he prayed for. Though we cannot infalli­bly conclude, yet we may give some pro­bable conjectures what was here the ar­gument of Christs prayer: and that 1, if you look backwards, and 2, forwards.

1 Look backward, 10, 11, 12. Verses, and there you shall reade the story of Iohn Baptists beheading, which was the next occasion of Christs Non pre­postero metu sed prudenti [...]nsilio seces­sit. Pareus in loc. withdraw­ing himselfe with his Disciples.

And this may give us some insight. Hic orat Christus ut pater pusil­lum suum gregem tue­atar, neque cum tyranni­de mundi, aut malitia Sata­nae opprimi patiatur. Chem. Isay 59.15. Christ might be now praying that God would preserve his little flock from the malice and cruelty of bloody men. Whence this.

Doct. That when wicked men stretch forth their hand against the Church of God, it is high time to get into a Moun­taine to pray.

When the Enemie comes in like a flood, strongly, swiftly, &c. then should the Spirit of the Lord lift up a Standard against them, that is, say some, powre out their soules in prayer; to repell their violence and put them to flight.

Then should we say, We lift up our eyes to the hils, whence comes our helpe; our help stands in the name of the Lord, who made [Page 34]Heaven and Earth. You know this hath ever beene the Churches practise, and should be ours.

And the reason why we get no more into the Mountaine, it is because we have, and make Mountaine of our own: we rest in the arme of flesh. We have been ready to say with David, Psal. 30.6, 7. I shall never be moved, thou hast made my mountaine so strong. Marke you there; David had a Mountaine, and it was strong; and though he acknowledged it was all from God, for he saith, Thou hast made my Mountaine so strong; yet he tru­sted in it, as appeares after by Gods pu­nishing of him; thou hidst thy face, and I was troubled: and now his Mountain was nothing. We have had means, and those meanes of Gods gracious bestowing. We acknowledge that God hath made our mountaine strong, it is all from God, that strength and concurrence we have: but yet for all this we rest upon our mountaine, and not upon God.

And this is our way to turn our Moun­tain into a Mole-hill, this is the way to turne our strength into weaknesse, and to make those things w ^ch otherwise would be usefull to us, to be unusefull and un­profitable.

This is one ground, why we go no more into the Mountaine, why we are no more in prayer; because our Mountaine is so strong, because we rest upon the means afforded to us. Davids Mountain might have strengthned his faith, but his moun­taine becomes his faith and confidence.

It is a sad thing, when that meanes which should quicken our hearts to seek, doth dead our hearts in seeking: and that which should incourage us to trust in him, doth take off our hearts from depen­dance on him. This is the cause, why God doth often lessen our mountain, that he might increase our faith, and deprive us of other comforts, that he might be all our confidence: weaken the ar [...]e of flesh that hee might strengthen the arme of faith.

God often makes us fatherlesse in re­spect of creature reliefes, that we might be fatherlesse in respect of creature reli­ance. God blasts that meanes whereon we doe relye, that he might be the alone relyance of his people; he makes us no­thing, that we might be all in him, and strengthen our selves in God.

2 The argument of Christs prayer may be ghessed at, if you look forward upon what followes.

The Disciples were sent to sea, Christ foresees the storme, he would not hinder it, Tempestas haec non for­tuito exorta, sed divinitus immissa, ut fides navi­gantium ex­erceretur. Pa­reus. but suffers it for the exercise of their graces. Yet he gets into a Moun­taine to pray, and no doubt for them, that in this exercise of their faith, their faith might not faile them. As he prayed for Peter, when Sathan desired to winnow him, that his faith might not faile him: if not, Sathan had not only winnowed him like wheat, but blowne him away like chaffe. So Christ doth here pray for his Disciples, that in this great exercise, in this great storme, their faith might not faile them.

Doct. That in all our difficulties and troubles, Praevidit Christus fu­turam tempe­statem eam non praevenit sua omnipo­tentia, sed se convertit ad praeces, ne in tempestuoso mari pereant, neve ipforum fides, quae tempestate il­la probanda erat, deficiat. Chem. Christ is praying and interce­ding for us, when we are on the sea con­flicting with troubles and evils, Christ is then upon the mountaine praying and interceding for us.

He is gone to Heaven for this end, and this is his worke in Heaven. If Christ had not sent succours from the Moun­taine to the sea, they had not only beene tossed, but drowned; not only exercised, but destroyed. So, if Christ did not pray for us in our troubles, temptations, no affliction but would be too big for our little hearts.

Another thing is suggested to us.

Doct. That the outward providences of God towards his Church in the world, should furnish his people with matter of Prayer unto God. So here it did Christ, Herods beheading John, the Disciples go­ing to Sea.

Let us not only enquire for newes, how it fares with the Church of God, but when you know it, with Ezekiah, Hoc Chri­sti exemplo nos movea­mur, ut ocu­los in mundo circumferen­tes, ex iis an­gustis, quas undequaque videmus, an­sam capiamus & materiam desumamus piis precibus cum Deo Col. loquendi. Chem. spread the Letter before the Lord, unbosome your hearts to him in com­plaint and mourning, if things goe not well, in prayses and thankfulnesse if things succeed well. We now come to the last clause in the verse.

[And when the evening was come hee was there alone.

There seems to appeare some difficulty in the word [Evening] Iohn saith, when the evening was come, his Disciples en­tred the ship, 6. Ioh. 16.

Mark saith, when the evening was come, the ship was in the middest of the sea, 6 Matth. 46.

And here our Evangelist saith, when the evening was come, Christ was in the mountaine alone, so that there seemes some ambiguity. But this difficulty is ea­sily [Page 38]cleared, if we doe consider the Jewes had two evenings. Notum est Ex. loco 12. Exo. 6. v. He­braeos duas vesperas nu­merare, unam quando fel jam occidit alteram quan­do absorbetur Sub terram quod cunque ergo est intra istud tempus illud ab ipsis vespera dici­tur. Chem.

1. The first was from three till the Sun-setting; and whatever was done in that time was said to bee done in the eve­ning.

2. The second was immediately after the Sun was set, while there remained yet any brightnesse in the ayre.

And thus we then reconcile this seeming difference. The Disciples went to Sea in the first evening, which was about 3. a clock. Discipuli in­clinante sole, circa horum tertiam nostri Horologii, Christo im­pellente, de­scendissent, ad mare, postea vero post occasum folis, dum ad huc aliqua e­jus irradiatio erat in nubi­bus, in medi­um maris per­venissent. Chem. in loc.

And in the second evening Christ was in the mountaine, and they in the midst of the Sea: in the very nick of time, when they were in their danger, Christ was in the mountaine interceding for them. From this appearing diffe­rence wee are taught to compare Scrip­tures, and to acquaint our selves with the custome of the Jewish nation.

Ignorant men look upon many places of Scripture, perhaps to them at the first view they do appear like Ptlates servants accusing Christ, none of them in the same tale, one contradicting another: but if wee looke throughly on them, wee shall see them like Nathen and Bathsheba, both [Page 39]speaking the same things. A sweet agree­ment between them. We will now come to the last words.

‘[He was there alone.]’

Indeed it might be said the Disciples were alone, they were now in the middest of the Sea, a storme is risen, they are tos­ed with waves, in the darke of the night, and Christ was absent too. Here was an alone indeed. Those must neede bee a­lone who have not Christ with them, though they enjoy ever so many crea­ture comforts. But what were they that were separated from all, and Christ ab­sent too? It may bee said they were a­lone.

But how can Christ be said to be alone? can hee whose absence makes us alone, though we have all the comforts and suc­cours in the world, and whose presence makes all, in the want of all, can hee bee said to be alone?

We are to consi­der Christ,

• 1. In respect of his di­vine nature.
• 2. In respect of his humane nature.

• 1. In respect of his divine nature, and so he could not be alone any way, he was in heaven with the Father, with the Dis­ciples [Page 40]on the sea; his presence fills hea­ven and earth.
• 2. In respect of his humane nature, Christ in some respects might be said to be alone.
  • 1. There is an alone in respect of comfort.
  • 2. There is an alone in respect of as­sistance.
  • 3. There is an alone in respect of com­pany.

In the two former respects, Christ could not be sayd to be alone, he was ne­ver so alone in the saddest houre, he never wanted comfort, never assistance. As he himselfe saith, 16. Joh. 22. The houre will come, and now is, when you shall be scat­tered, every one to his owne house, and shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, be­cause the Father is with me. Hee was with him to comfort him, to support him in the darkest houre. Indeed he trod the Wine-presse of his Fathers wrath a­lone, 63. Isaiah 3. Alone if you looke downward, hee had no comfort, no assi­stance from man, no not their company, all left him. But not alone, if you look upward; He had the supports of the Fa­ther, and was heard in that thing hee [Page 41]feared. And what ever hee had in that dismall black houre, that houre of dark­nesse, as hee himselfe calls it, when hee was to conflict with the wrath of God, to wrastle with the terrours of Death, the the powers of Darknesse, yet afterward heaven ministred to him.

3. But alone in respect of company, so Christ might be, and so Christ was here: And so hee said hee was in that 16. Iohn 32. When yet in another re­spect he said he was not alone.

So Christ was here alone. Hee that is all was now alone. The Disciples were gone to sea, the multitude were dismissed to their homes, and Christ was here alone. It tells us this,

Doctr. That Christians are to seeke and take occasions to bee alone: if you would not bee alone in respect of com­fort, you must seek to be alone in respect of company. The way not to be alone, 1 Matth. 39. is to be alone. Nunquam minus solus quam tum so­lus. Christians are never lesse alone, than when they are alone. It a sad thing to be alone in respect of com­fort, and so Gods people have bin by neg­lecting to be alone, in respect of cōpany; Gods withdrawing from us, are often­times the chastisements of our with­drawing [Page 42]from God. Gods people have been alone in respect of comfort, but ne­ver alone in respect of assistance. His grace shall be sufficient for you. Wic­ked men they are alone indeed, alone in the abundance of all things, they are without God in the world, without Christ, without the Spirit; and woe be to them who are so alone; though these things may doe something to beare up their Spirits, and hold them up by the Chin here for a time, yet they will leave them, or they shall them, and then they shall know what it is to bee alone. But we must leave them, either to seek God to be their God, their company here, or to know the misery of the want of him hereafter.

We proceed: for as yet we are but a­bout the shore: Let us lance forth into the deep, and now hasten to the Disciples who were alone indeed.

• 1. Alone in respect of comfort, for they were at their wits end for feare.
• 2. Alone in respect of assistance, for ought they saw, either from God or man.
• 3. Alone in respect of company, for all were in the same condition with them, they may bee said to bee alone in [Page 43]the midst of company, when there is none that is able to reach forth a hand to keep them, when those that are with them, are involved in the same misery, and insteed of being a comfort, are a trou­ble and burthen to them.

Let us therefore hasten to the Disci­ples; poore men! they were alone in­deed, the next verse tells us so.

But the ship was now in the middest of the Sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary.

IN this Verse wee have three things observable.

• 1 The danger the Disciples were in.
• 2 The time when they were in this danger: Now.
• 3 The unexpectednesse of this danger: But.

We shall begin with this last; it is first in the Text, the unexpectednesse of their danger: [But.]

And indeed, here may well be a But: Is it not strange that the Disciples shold go in Gods way, nay, by Gods direction upon Christs errand, and yet that they should meet with stormes, such difficul­ties; yea, oppressing difficulties? Here may well be a But.

Descendunt ad mare non ex curiositate aliqua, aut recitationis ergo, sed jussi a Christo do­mino, sicque expressum verbum voca­tionis habent. Chem. in loc. Had it beene said that they went forth upon their own inclination, or out of curiosity, or for recreation. Or had they done as Jonah did, over-run their masters? Vbi pecca­tum ibi pro­cella. Then no wonder if a storme had been sent after them, if he had fetch­ed them back with a tempest. Men that go in wayes of sin, must expect stormes. But when they went on Christs errand, had Christs commission, went by his di­rection, and out of obedience to him, and yet meet with stormes: this was strange. Here may well be a But.

Doct. A man may have Gods warrant for the doing of a worke, and go on in Gods way, and yet meet with oppressing difficulties in the prosecution and carry­ing of it on.

You see this true here; the Disciples they went in Gods way, Exod. 3.9, 10. Exod. 4.10, 11. they had Christs warrant, and yet meet with difficulties: Moses went into Egypt by Gods com­mission to bring Israel out of bondage: God sent him, yet you see what difficul­ties he had to conflict withall, in the car­rying on the work, their burthens were increased, the tale of brick was doubled. Sometimes Pharaoh would let them go; sometimes he repented, & recalled them, [Page 46]their cruell usage was increased, &c.

Insomuch that the beginnings of their deliverance, Exod. 5.5. Exod. 5.20, 21, &c. Exod. 12.31, &c. Exod. 14, &c. did appeare worse then the lowest of their sufferings.

At last, when God by a strong hand brought them out of Egypt, you see what difficulties they met withall at the Red Sea, and after in the wildernesse, hunger, thirst, drought, fiery Serpents, &c. And when they vvere to enter into Canaan, vvhat opposition did they meet withall, Josh. 9.1, 2. Josh. 10.3, 4, 5.6, &c. five Kings combind together to destroy them. So that men may go on in Gods wayes, and yet meet with oppressing dif­ficulties in them. The like you have in the building of the Temple, which was Gods work too, and they had Gods com­mand; yet see what abundance of oppo­sitions they met withall in the carrying of it on, what threatning, plotting, scof­fing enemies: Nehem. 4.1, 2. &c. 7.8. verses their Nobles were wrought off from the work, and proved treache­rous to them, Nehem. 6.17. Neh. 3.5.

Sometimes it went forward, and then cast aside againe for many yeares, Ezra 4.19, 20, &c. they were accused for a seditious, factious people, treason, and rebellion: and dif­ficulty upon difficulty they met withall, in the carrying on the work; which pro­tracted [Page 47]it a far longer time then they had indured in their captivity.

Take but another instance among ma­ny; Judahs war against Benjamin, Judg. 20.85.25. Iudges 20.18. Iudah went out against Benjamin, and they went out, not only by Gods per­mission, but by his approbation too, by his speciall lisence and commission: they took councell of God, and God bid them go; yet you see, the first battell they lost two and twenty thousand of their men: they went to take councell againe, God bids them go forth, at that time they lost eighteene thousand more, went to the worst far, Verse 25. though at last, upon their humiliation and reformation, God appeared for them. So that you see, a man may goe in Gods way, undertake a worke by warrant and commission from Heaven, and yet meet with oppressing difficulties in the carrying of it on.

And this for divers reasons, to exercise our graces: our

• Faith.
• Courage.
• Patience.
• Perseverance.

to purge out corruptions, &c. to magni­fie his owne glory and grace, &c.

Vse. Let us not then judge of the war­rantablenesse [Page 48]or unwarrantablenesse of any action, either by the difficulties, or by the present successes in the carrying of it on.

It is our common fault, to judge of things according to the present successes of providence.

1 If things go on well, and successes be according to our hearts, we then judge the cause is just: here may be an undoing mistake. A man may do wickedly & yet prosper, as it was said of Nebucadnezzar, Dan. 8. Reade Ier. 12.1. Iob 21.7, 8.

I have read of one, that having a faire gale of wind after he returned from rob­bing of a Temple, he concludes, surely God loved sacriledge. Lege Titul­lum, [...], You have an excellent Story sutable to this in the Greek Anthologie, by Titullus: One ha­ving committed murther, and being pre­served from a present death, in which he was in danger, went the next morning to sacrifice, thinking God favoured his mur­ther, when alas he was preserved from that death, to be taken away by a worse, &c.

Of this spirit they seeme to be in the Psal. 50.21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silent, and thou though [...]st I was [Page 49]altogether Scelerum patronum & approbatorem tollerantia vos me existi­metis moler. in loc. such an one as thy selfe: they thought, because of Gods patience, because they met with no evill in their evill wayes, that they had done well, God was of their minde: therefore it followes, But I will reprove thee, and set thy deeds [...] Iti s a milita­ry word, signi­fies, to set a battell in ar­ray. Aliem disponere hinc, Muscu­lus reads it. ex radice [...] ordinavit dis­posuit, apta­vit significat quasi distin­cto ordine ca­talogum om­nium scele­rum propone­re, ut velint nolint, lege­re & agnosce­re ea cogatur. Moler. Et resistam tibi in faciam. Musc. in order before thee. Senties quando in ju­dicium vocave ro an ista mi­hi placuerint nee n [...]. Musc. in loc. 1 Hab. 13.14.15. God would make them to know that they did evill, he would punish them: seeing they would not learne by the word, they should be taught by workes.

2 Another mistake there is, if things go crosse to their thoughts, if successes be not answerable to their expectations, then they judge that all is naught.

This may be false reasoning; the Dis­ciples met with difficulties, yet were they in Gods work: so Iudah, &c. Iudg. 20.18.

The best wayes, may for a season be strewed with the greatest difficulties. God would have his people judge of the lawfulnesse of their undertakings, not by works, but by word, not by providences, but by precepts: and this, that we might learne to live by faith and not by sence. Thus Habakkuck, when things went ill, he gets into the watch-towre, &c. Hab. 2.

Vse. Let not this weaken our faith, or slacken our indeavours in any work, be­cause wee meet with difficulties in it: cleare the work to be Gods, and then if [Page 50]his, assure your selves he will carry it on, though there be never so many appearing difficulties in the way.

It was said to Luther, when he attemp­ted that great work against the Man of Sin, which was the greatest that ever man had to do since the Apostles dayes: Abi in cel­lam, & dic misererë mei Deus. Go into thy Cell, poor man, and say, Lord have mercy upon me.

But yet, though were never so many difficulties in the carrying of it on, and though never so many attempts against him, yet he effected the one: and which is the wonder of the World, having a world of enemies, dyes in his bed. Majestas non fracta And therefore be not discouraged, if difficulties rise, let your spirits rise with them: you are above all things, whilest you are above your selves. Audere ad nomen Chri­sti periculum vitae, & fortu­narum adire, spiritus prin­cipalis est. Luther. It is a magnanimous spirit to dare to meet all dangers, to undergoe all difficulties in the cause & work of Christ. You know what Luther said when he went to Wormes. Bu­cer endeavoured to disswade him: he re­plyes, Verbum dei in juriam pa­titur, & ego qui literis eo vocatus sum, me conferam. Haec est dies quem fecit dominus, vo­catus ego ve­nio, vocatus ingredior in nomine domi­ni nostri lesu Christi etiam­si scirem tot esse diabolos Wormaliae quot sunt te­gulae in aedi­um tectis. The word of God doth suffer, and I being called thither by Letters, will go, being called, I come, being called I will thither, in the name of our Lord Je­sus Christ, although I should know [Page 51]there were as many Devils at Wormes, as there are Tyles upon the houses. Here was a Prinee-like spirit, that was above the world, and therefore could not be daunted with all the evils of it, &c.

He who saith, there is a Lion in the way, that feares to go in a good way be­cause of difficulties, he is not fit to be a souldiour of Christ. Fear is both unwor­thy religion which is the cause of Christ, Malus miles qui imperato­rem gemens sequitur. Sc­nec. and a Christian who is the souldier of Christ.

Vse. If those who walk in just wayes, that have Gods warrant for their under­takings, may yet meet with stormes; then tell me, what may they expect, who go on in the wayes of sin? if the wayes of Saints be strew'd with crosses, with dif­ficulties, what shall be the end of swea­rers, of wicked and prophane men? if thus it fare with the green tree, what shall become of the dry tree; if thus with the wheat, what with the chaffe? if judge­ment begin at the house of God, vvhere shall the sinners and vvicked appeare? it is a question beyond your ansvver.

And so much for the first, The unex­pectednesse of their danger.

2 We novv come to the second, and [Page 52]that is the time of their danger, vvhich is expressed in this vvord, Novv.

‘ [The ship was now, &c.]’

This points at the time of their dan­ger, [now,] that is, in the evening, vvhen Christ vvas on the Mountaine Initio satis feliciter pro­cedit naviga­tio, ita ut tri­um vel qua­tuor horarum spatio medi­um maris at­tigerint. Chem.. So that it seems hitherto, they had had a prospe­rous voyage, vvho in three or four houres vvere gotten into the midst of the Sea, at the first evening they vvent to sea, that vvas about three of the clock; in the se­cond evening they vvere in the midst of the sea, and that vvas something after six of the clocke; so that in three or foure houres space they vvere gotten into the middest of the sea: but novv ariseth a storme. Whence this.

Doct. That comfortable and promi­sing beginnings, may yet afterward finde sad and sorrow full proceedings.

It was so here, the Disciples had a prosperous and promising setting forth, but afterwards they met with stormes.

The stories of Moses in the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, and of the Jewes second building of the Temple, tell us this plainly, they had promising begin­nings; insomuch, that they thought the work would have been done out of hand: [Page 53]but the stories tell you what obstructi­ons, whar interruptions they met with­all, before the worke was finished, &c. Though the clauses and conclusions of Gods people are good, as the Psalmist saith, Mark the upright man, observe the just, for the end of that man is peace; yet the beginnings and the proceedings may be sad and troublesome. Though God will bring the ship of his Church to safe harbour at the last, yet they may meet with stormes and tempests on the sea. Vt maresic mundus sem­per forvet, nunquam quiescit. So long as there be contrary windes, men of contrary spirits looke for tem­pests, expect stormes.

Vse This doth admonish us to beware of vaine and fleshy confidence, because of promising beginnings; Nescis qusd serus vesper vehit. The fai­rest morning may be over-cast, the clea­rest day may bee over-clouded, the most promising beginnings, may meet with sad and sorrow full proceedings.

It was the best speech that ever Ahab had, 1 King. 20.11. Let not him that girds on his Armour, boast himselfe as he that puts it off.

It is a great argument of lightnesse and vanity of spirit, yea and of carnall fleshy confidence, to bee puffed up upon [Page 54]promising beginnings; a thing the world is apt to: but when God sees his owne people in the same way, they must then expect that God should hedge up their way with thornes, and lay unpassible mountaines of difficulty in their way.

The case seems to bee ours, it lookes like it.

Had not our ship, in which was imbark­ed so much of our good and happinesse, a prosperous gale at their first setting forth? had they not a prosperous begin­ning? did they not a long time goe with­out any contrary wind, without any op­position? had they not the Prayers, the desires, the countenance, and well-wishes of all to carry them on? were not the beginnings very comfortable, and ve­ry promising? you all know. But how have they met with contrary winds? sad proceedings! what difficulties, what mountaines of difficulties have they met withall in the carrying on of this work? you all know.

The case is ours: what must be the cure? what is our work now in rhis case?

1. There is something that wee must not doe.

2. There is something that must bee done.

1. We must not be discouraged. God is able to make these troubles that are a­risen in the way, to help forward his own end. Doe the billowes rise, let the Ark, let the ship rise with them: do the winds blow, let them but kindle and inflame your zeale and courage.

Assure your selves, God will both bee your Pilot in the ship, and your defence on the Sea; That which you carry shall never miscarry; nay it shal be your safe­ty too: Perga con­tra tempesta­tem forti ani­mo Caesarem vehis, & for­tunam Caesa­ris. So I, Christ. vehis, & gloriam, & benedicti­onem Chri­sti. Nemo nos laedit, nisi qui Deum vincet. you carry Christ and all his glory, that can never miscarry, nor you whose safety is imbarqued with it.

And therefore bee not discouraged, though stormes arise, though the flouds of ungodlinesse doe lift up their voyce, he that sits in heaven shall laugh them to scorne; and he that sits at the sterne will bring all safe to harbour at last.

2. We are not to forgoe the cause. This were to forsake the Arke because the waves and billowes rise, to jump into the Sea, because the wind blowes, the Sea is, stormy.

You see the Disciples they did not for­sake the ship because of the storme.

Nor did any of them let down a Cock­boat, and labour to secure themselves.

In personall persecutions there God permits us to seek our preservation by flight: if we be persecuted in one Citie, we may flye to another. But when per­secution is generall and nationall, we are to seek our preservation in the whole.

3. Wee are not to slacken our indea­vours; tempests arising in our way, should quicken us more to working: in a ship­wrack that Iu naufra­gio iste rector laudandus quem obruit mare, clavum tenentem. Senec. ad pe­li. cap. 6. Pilot is to be commended, who is swallowed up of the sea with his Rudder in his hand.

Non navem deserunt sed remigando la­borant. The disciples here fel to rowing, they forsook their Cabins, but not the ship; they forgot their particulars, & eve­ry man to the general work. They did not look every man to secure himselfe, but e­very man to secure the whole, every man to secure the ship, in which their safety lay. They saw their personall security to lye, in the securing of the whole, their Cabins could not bee safe, if their ship were in danger.

qui amissa republica pis­cinas suas fo­re salvas spe­rare videntur. Epist. ad At­tic. 15. lib. 1. Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam. Omnes omni­um charitates patria comple ctitur. Cicer. Offic. l. 1. qui curat esse nisi propterte, pro nihilo est. Bern. Tully laughs at the solly of those men which in his time had such thoughts, that their fish-ponds should bee safe, though the Common-wealth were lost. Such windy conceits have too many with us, and therefore seek not their preservation [Page 57]in, but from the whole; with, but in se­paration; nay in opposition to the whole.

How farre are such from a noble spi­rit? Valet maxi­mus l. 5. c. 553 I have read of one Publius De­cius, that when the Roman Army was re­duced to great straits, hee couragiously (forgetting himselfe for the publike good) ran into the midst of his enemies, demanding safety for his country, death for himself, & by that means occasioned an unexpected victory: the publikenesse of his spirit did carry him above the thoughts of private safety. Every man should bee nearer to Religion, nearer to common interests than to himself. Dicitur de Alvanio ille propior publi­cae religioni, quam privatae charitati. Va­ler. Maxim. li. 1. c. 11. So Alvanius was.

It is a shame that Heathens should doe that which Christians can not do. Non pre­stet fides, quod praestitit infi­delitas. Jerom. As Hierome in another case complaines, oh that infidelity should be able to doe that which faith cannot doe. It was used to be said by Christians to Heathens, Non mag­na loquimur, sed magna vivimus, we doe not speak great things, but wee live and doe great things, but we speak much, and doe little, happy were wee and the Kingdome too, if the practise of our lives, did come up to the professions, and pro­testation of our mouthes, &c.

That is the first, what we must not doe: Now,

Secondly, what we must doe.

1. Search out the cause, why God hath obstructed our promising, and hopefull beginnings. Is there not some Ionah that lyeth under Deck as yet asleep, some sin unseen, unhumbled for? Is there not some old sins, that God comes now to reckon for? old sins raise new stormes; former sins a present tempest. See what sin is the cause, the Jewes in every judge­ment that was inflicted on them, did use to say that God weighed out an ounce of the golden Calfe to them. Though an old sin, yet they saw God might reckon with them for it. And there seems something to bee implyed that speakes for these thoughts, hee is said to forgive, yet hee would remember them at the time of vi­sitation, 31 Exod. 34.

Is there not some Achan, some wedge of Gold, some Babalonish garment, that hath thus disturbed our prosperous be­ginnings? Have not some fresh issues of lust and corruption broken forth now in the expectation of healing?

Have we not been unthankfull for, un­fruitfull under all the incomes and re­ceits of mercy?

Did we not grow secure, proud, selfe-confident upon the hopes of mercy and deliverance?

What is that hath caused God to strew our wayes with difficultie? to hedge up our way with thornes, to increase our throwes, to multiply our pangs, when the children were brought to the birth, when in our thoughts deliverance was so neare?

Secondly, when you have found it out be humbled for it.

You have an advantage this day unto these duties, such a one as our fathers never injoyed. An ordi­nance for the solemn humb­ling of our soules for na­tinall sins. You have here sent you a list of the sins the nation is guilty of; and there is nothing required of you, but that you should lay them to heart this day, that God may never lay them to your charge.

This seems to be the day-starre, the har­binger of mercy to us: As the Apostle saith of another duty, it is the first Com­mandement with promise. So this, it is one of the first duties that speakes deli­verance, not to persons onely, but to the whole nation. Oh that we could in ear­nest this day draw water as out of a well [Page 60]and poure it forth before the Lord.

A floud of teares would now prevent a deluge of wrath: Nationall repentance might yet procure a nationall pardon, if we have once made our peace with God, then will not God onely be at peace with us, but cause our very enemies to bee at peace with us also.

This is a soul-humbling, a soul-afflict­ing day. Other dayes are humbling dayes, this is a heart-breaking day; other dayes are afflicting dayes; this should be a soul­melting day; oh that Englands teares might prevent Englands bloud!

3. When you have found out the cause, & humbled your selves for it, your next work is to reforme it.

What is it to lament sin, Non nocent praeterita pec­cata, si non placent pre­fentia, Aug. if you doe not leave sin? what were it to weep our eyes out of our heads, if we doe not weep our sins out of our heaats?

It is not humiliation is enough, nor hu­miliation and supplication, unlesse to these you joyne reformation, 2 Chron. 7 14. If my people shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turne from their evell wayes, then will I heare from hea­ven, he mercifull to their sins, and heale their land. Marke you, it is not one of these, [Page 61]but all of them: the words are not to be read disjunctively, as if one would serve the turn, but copulatively, all or nothing.

You read this in 10. Iudg. 10. &c. that Israel humbled themselves & prayed too, yea and prayed earnestly, but for all this, God was giving them up into the hand of their enemies, till they set upon the work of reformation too, as you see 15, 16 verses, and then the Lord was grie­ved for the misery of Israel.

4. Be mighty in prayer with God this day. Mighty necessities doe cal for migh­ty strivings & wreslings with God. These are speciall times of seeking.

And special times of seeking, should be times of speciall seeking of God: But seek him humbly, seek him fervently, seek him cordially, &c. And God will be better to us than our prayers; he will doe for us above what we aske, or think.

5. Enter into solemne Covenant with God against them. This is the great duty of the day, and proper for it, when you have bin humbled for them, then covenant against them. But be sure you covenant with God, as he doth with you, that is, co­venant with him in Christ, desire him to be surety for thee, otherwise thy bond is nothing worth.

There is yet another thing observable from the time of their danger. It is not presently upon their setting forth, they had for some time a prosperous voyage, but now the storme ariseth.

Doct. That God doth not use to exer­cise such as are but young beginners with difficulties.

I told you in the beginning: it is said of the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt, that God would not lead them by the way of the hils, though the nearest way, but by the way of the plains, though much about; and he himselfe gives this reason. Because of the Phili­stims: that is, lest the difficulties they met withall at their first setting out, might have discouraged and disheartned them in the way.

It is said of Iacob, that he slackned his pace because of his little ones: God will not over-drive his people, and put them to exercises above the strength of grace received. Upon this ground is that speech of Christ, Old bottles will not beare new wine, &c. That is, he would not exercise young beginners with austerities of reli­gion, but would forbeare them till they had gotten more strength: the dayes will [Page 63]come when the bridegroome shall be ta­ken away, & then they should fast, when the bridegrome was taken away: he will then give them in those dayes a more plentifull and abundant measure of his spirit, and then they should be able for these works.

Vse. And what a comfort is this to the Saints, though God do exercise you, yet he will not put you to exercises above the measure of grace received.

You doubt now, how you shall be able to undergoe difficulties for Christ, how you shall lye in prison, how dye for Christ, and you perplex your hearts with this from day to day; you seare if you should be called upon difficulties, you would recoyle and fall back, you are ne­ver able to go through such conditions.

And indeed those of Gods souldiours which have beene most fearfull in garri­son, have been most valiant in the field; those who have suspected their hearts most, who have been most humble, fear­full, and jealous of themselves, have pro­ved most resolute and valiant when God hath called them upon service. Where others who have been selfe confident be­fore, have shrunk in the dayes of tryall. [Page 64]As the story of Dr. Pendleton will tell you, who when Saunders a Minister came to him and told him his feares, the jea­lousies of his own heart to undergo Mar­tyrdome, to burne for Christ, he answe­red, that he would rather lose every drop of grease he had, being fat, then deny Christ, but yet the poor man stood to it, when he renounced it, &c.

But besides, take this for thy comfort, in the middest of thy jealous and mis-gi­ving thoughts, that either God will not bring thee upon trials, upon sufferings, or if he do, he will give thee strength to go through them.

And therefore, though I would have thee to maintaine an humble jealous feare, such a feare as makes thee go out of thy selfe, yet beware of sinking discou­raging feares, such as dis-inable for ser­vice: seeing God hath undertaken, if he call thee forth upon difficulties, to give thee a spirit & strength to walk through them.

And so much for the second particu­lar, the time of their danger. We now come to the third. The danger it selfe. And that is set out in four particulars.

• 1 They were in the midst of the sea.
• [Page 65]2 They were tossed with waves.
• 3 The winde was contrary.
• 4 Christ was absent.

We will begin with the first. They were in the midst of the sea.

[But the ship was now in the Navis in me­dio mari jam erat hoc e­nim, in altum jam conscen­derat pro fundissimum, fluctibus & ventis gravio­ribus obnoxi­um. Pareus. midst of the sea.]

There were two great ends for which Christ sent his Disciples to sea.

1 To exetcise their graces. 2 To de­clare his power. And the middest of the sea was the fittest place for these: Christ chose the middest of the sea, as the fittest place to exercise their graces and to de­clare his own power.

Doct. That when Christ doth intend to exercise the graces of his people, hee plucks them from the shore, he brings them into the deep. You see here, Nihil nisi pontus & aether. Christ suffered them to be pulled from the land on one side, and a contrary wind to blow on the other side: In medio mari signifi­cat periculi magnitudi­nem. Brugen [...]. so that they were now in the midst of the sea: and here he exer­ciseth them, when faith hath nothing to do but look upwards, when none but God to relye upon, then it looks fully and rests firmely upon him. Faith cannot act till it act alone.

When men are in the deepe, there is [Page 66]no way but to cast anchor upwards, there is no bottome, but in heaven, which is the best bottome, when it is the only bot­tome.

We say the Loadstone will not draw while the Adamant is neare it, nor faith rest fully on him, while it hath depen­dancies here below. Optimi su­mus cum in­firmi sumus. Its hard to make that man all in God, who is something in any thing here below.

The reliefes of creatures do often hin­der us in our relyance upon God: and therefore God is forced to weaken the arme of flesh, that he might strengthen the arme of faith. 2 Cor. 1.9. 1 Tim. 5.5. Zeph. 3.12. You know what the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 1.9. We had the sen­tence of death in our selves, that we might learne not to trust in our selves, but in God that raiseth the dead. 1 Tim. 5.5. The widow that is left alone trusteth in God.

It was that which God said, Zeph. 3.12. I will leave in the midst of thee a poore distressed people, and they shall trust.— Therefore doth God break in pieces the reeds whereon we leane, that we might rest our selves upon the rock, himselfe, who is the rock of ages: a rock so deepe, that no flouds can undermine, and so high that no waves can reach.

And there are three main reasons why God when he doth intend to exercise the graces of his people; doth pluck them from the shore, bring them into the deep.

Reas. 1. That he may the better de­clare his owne wonders, Deus angu­stias suorum auget, ut eo­rum fidem probaret, & suam vertu­tem declaret, Jansen. we reade in the 107 Psal. 23, 24. That those who goe downe to thesea in ships, that do businesse in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, his wonders in the deep. It is true in a spi­rituall sense. The deepe is a fit place for God to do wonders in, and that he might declare his wonders he brings us into the deepe.

There are the wonders of foure Attri­butes which God declares to them whom he brings into the deep.

1 He doth declare the wonders of his power: in rebuking the stormes, laying the tumultuous rage of the proud waves.

2 He declares the wonder of his wis­dome, in finding a way to helpe his peo­ple in such straights, the Lord knowes how to deliver his.

3 He declares the wonders of his truth and faithfulnesse in supporting of us, in relieving of us, that we are not swallow­ed up of the waves: as he promiseth, Psal. 45. When you passe through the water, I will [Page 68]be with you, that the flouds shall not drowne you, &c.

4 He declares the wonders of his mer­cy in delivering of us, who when we are at the end of our thoughts, and know not what to do, yet he knowes how to de­liver his people.

None know how powerfull, how wise, how faithfull, how mercifull God is, so well as those who are brought into deeps, these have experience of all God.

And that God might declare his won­ders, therefore doth he bring his people into the deepe.

Reas. 2. Because this is the fittest place for the tryall and discovery of what is in our hearts, both for matter of sinne and grace.

As God led his people forty yeares through the barren wildernesse, to prove them, Deut. 8.16.17. and discover what was in their hearts: as he tels us, Deut. 8.16, 17.

So God doth still lead his people through a sea, through a wildernesse, through many straits, and great difficul­ties for the same end, to discover what is in their hearts; both for matter of sinne and grace.

First; For matter of sin. The deepe [Page 69]will try us, will discover the depth of our hearts, such corruptions as our false glo­zing hearts will not discover, while we are on the shore, will be now discovered when wee are brought into the deepe.

Then will your pride, your infidelity, your impatiency, &c. discover it selfe: while nature is pleased, while all things go well with us, corruptions lye hid: Natura vexata, pro­dit se ipsam. but when nature is provoked, when God brings us into the deepe, these tossings will discover our hearts.

You know when God brought Iob and David into the deepe, upon those sad tryals and exercises; it put them to the utmost of their faith and patience to be­leeve and be quiet, though the one was a mirour of faith, & the other of patience.

Secondly, to discover, what is in our hearts for matter of grace.

A counterfeit piece will shew as well as the best, till it come to the touchstone, but the touchstone quickly discovers.

There are three great graces which are tryed to the back in difficulties; for the tryall of which, God doth often bring us into the deepe.

1 Faith, 1 Pet. 1.7. You are in heavi­nesse through many temptations, that the [Page 70]tryall of your faith might be found to the glo­ay of God. Deus ali­quando suos in periculo relinquit, ut suas vires ex­periantur. It is no tryall of faith when all things smile upon us, when God, when conscience, when the world, when friends and all smile, that there is not so much as the least wrinkle upon the face of the wa­ters. Permittit Christus suos quandoque adversis tem­pestatibus jactari, ut fi­des eorum ex­ploretur, in­firmitas diffi­dentiae nostrae se probet, &c. Parous. But now when God frowns when the world frownes. When a man shall be brought into the deepe; 1 either the depths of desertion, or 2 the depths of temptation, or 3 the depths of outward trouble; here is the tryall of faith indeed.

When a man is cleane plucked from the shoare, and hath nothing to leane up­on but God, but a promise, nay, and God seems to frown too; if he look above him, there is a stormy sky, within him, there is a stormy conscience, without him there a stormy world.

And yet in all this, faith can venture it selfe upon God, runne into his bosome, when he seemes to be arm'd against him, hange the weight of its soule upon God, upon a promise, when nothing to sense appeares, here is faith indeed; faith in its glory under a cloud; faith in its strength, under this appearing weaknesse: here is faith tryed to the back.

2 The 2 ^d grace here tryed, is our love. Virtutes quaedam ut Stellae, quae inter diu la­tent, noctu lucent. Bern. in Cant. Ser. 27. Apparet virtus, argui tur (que) malis. Ovid.

There is no tryall of love, while we have such dispensations from God as are fewell and attractives of love.

While God smiles on us, our estate is prosperous, all things speake love and good-will from God; these are attractives to beget, and fewell to increase love. But now when God shall bring a man into the deepe, exercise him with difficulties, seeme to overwhelme him with all his waves, as Iob complaines; and yet for all this the soule can cleave to him, love a frovvning God as vvell as a smiling God; a correcting, as vvell as a comforting God, as Iob saith, Though thou kill me, yet will I trust in thee. Or as the Church, Psalme 44.9 to the 19. All this is come upon us, and it vvas a great all, as you may see, 19.10.11.12.13, &c. thou gi­vest us as sheepe to the slaughter, &c. Yet have we not forsaken thee, nor turn'd our back from thy covenant.

3. The 3 grace he tryeth is our patience.

Patience is such a grace as is not tryed but by difficulties: where there is nothing to provoke or occasion impatience, there is no tryall of patience. While Jonah had the Goard hee was calme enough: but when the Goard was gone, hee grew [Page 72]as hot as the Sun which shone upon him.

It was the Devills argument concern­ing Job, Job 1. and it was true in the maine. God said that Job was a holy man, a patient man: Why but saith Sathan, What thanks to him for that? he must needs be patient, who hath nothing to disturbe his patience.

As he is the patientest, so he is the hap­piest man of all the children of the East; hast not thou laden him with blessings, given him what his heart can wish or de­sire, Children, riches, possessions, &c. Nay, and hast not thou made a hedge a­bout him too, and fenced in all happi­nesse by thy providence, so that nothing can break in, to annoy and disturbe him in his happinesse.

Alas what tryall of patience is here, where there is nothing to disturbe, or an­noy him?

Do but let me deale with him a little, and I will quickly sound him, give mee but commission to take away his Chil­dren, his goods, and to smite his body, and then wee shall quickly see his patience. This man who now seems so patient, will curse thee to thy face.

The mayne of his argument was this, [Page 73]and it was true in the mayne: That while all things which are fuell to patience are injoyned, while a man is in ptosperitie, and hath what his heart can wish, here is no tryall of patience. But when a man is brought into the deep, plucked from the shore of his injoyments. When a man is brought into straits and difficul­ties here will bee the tryall. And there­fore doth God often carry his people in­to the deep as he did him, and raise storms & troubles there, that he might discover his peoples patience. And when a man can now lye downe in the dust, kisse the rod, justifie God, cleare him in all his dealings, and sweetly accept of the pu­nishment of his iniquity, when a man can by the power of Faith lay all the insurre­ctions in his soul, silence all murmurings, 26. Lev. 41.3. Lum. 32. and give God the glory of his owne pro­ceedings with him. Here is patience in­deed, patience in strength. That is the second.

3. Reas. God doth bring us into the the deep, as to discover, so to exercise our graces. The deep is the fittest place for exercise: the exercise of our faith, love, hope, patience, the grace of prayer, &c.

Men will never cast themselves upon [Page 74]God, so long as they have any bottome to stand upon here below.

Therefore he brings us into the deep, that when we have no other bottome, he might be our onely bottome.

The exercise of faith is called a stand­ding still, 14 Exod. 13.2 Jer. l. 30 Ifai. 1. to beheld the salvation of the Lord. But a man will never stand still, so long as he hath any friend to gadde unto. You see that in the Jews, 2 Jer. ult. Isai. 30.1. &c.

And therefore God doth bring us in­to the deep, into such difficulties, wherein we can neither goe to others for succour, nor others come to us, that now in this time our souls might find the way to hea­ven alone. So the exercise of faith is cal­led a resting upon God: but we will not rest fully on him, so long as we have any thing else to rest upon here below.

And therefore God doth break in pie­ces the Reeds on which we rest, or makes them helplesse, and comfortlesse to us, that we might depend alone on him.

Againe, the exercise of faith is called a retiring our selves to him, a sheltering of our selves in God, flying under his sha­dow, running to him as our Tower. But this we shall never do, so long as we have [Page 75]any Bulwarks of our owne: The tower is the last refuge: and therefore God doth beat us out of our own Bulwarks, out of our owne meanes of provision, that wee might alone flye to him for security: So the excercise of faith is called an Ancho­ring of our selves on God: But so long as we finde a bortome here below, wee will never cast Anchor upwards.

And therefore God doth bring us into the deep, the mid'st of the Sea, where the soule can find no bottome to anchor on, that so the soule might cast anchor up­wards, and rest alone on God, who never fayled them that trust in him. Psalme 9.10.

Thus you see Jehosaphat, 2 Chro. 20.12 We know not what to doe; here was no bottome for him to anchor on below, a great enemy, and small strength to withstand, and therefore hee anchors upwards: But our eyes are upon thee—.

To conclude, the middest of the Sea, it is the fittest place for God to trye and exercise his people, and for God to suc­cour and help his people, wee shall bee most thankful, God wil get himself most glory, and the deliverance of his people will be most conspicuous. If God should [Page 76]help us on the shore, while we are among our other succours and helps, these per­haps would either obscure, or take away the glory which belongs to God in a deli­verance.

But when God doth pluck us from the shore, bring us into the deep, above the reach of creatures to relieve us, then if God help us, he doth inherite his owne glory: we will then say the finger of the Lord is here.

None but a God could have disap­poynted such plots, none but a God could have layd such stormes, none but hee could have wrought such deliverance for us.

1. Use Thinke it not much to goe downe into the deep; It is a place God chuseth for the demonstration of thy graces, and declaration of his own mercy.

Wee had never knowne Abrahams faith and love, Davids piety, Jobs pati­ence, Pauls courage and constancy, if they had been ever upon the shore, if God had not sometime brought them into the the deep.

Nor should we know either our sinnes or our graces, if God did not sometimes bring us upon exercises.

Hast thou been in the midst of the Sea? hast thou been in the deep. 1. The depth of temptarions. 2. Of deserti­ons. 3. Of outward trouble? And hast thou cleaved noto God? hast thou justi­fied him? hast thou loved him? hast thou had experience of thy graces? have they abidden tryall? Here is something to e­vidence the truth of thy graces to thee. Difficulties are exercises, and abiding difficulties are experiences to us of the truth of our graces. Thats surely ours which hath abiden temptation. There is no judging while you are on the shore, the tryal is when you come into the deep, one experience fetched out of the deep, will tend more to thy establishment, than many promising evidences never put to the tryall: The deep demonstrates, the truth of thy graces.

And it declares the riches of Gods mercy. God takes delight to put forth himselfe in desperate cases. In such ca­ses his mercy will be most visible, his peo­ple most thankfull, and deliverance most welcome.

We should never have the experince what God can doe, if we did not see what man cannot doe: you should never know [Page 78]the mercy of God, if you had not experi­ence of necessities above man.

Faelix cul­pa quae talem meruit re­demptorem. Bern. And as Bernard saith of sinne, I may better say of our necessities, happy necessities that occasions the reliefe of such a God, who takes occasion, not only by trouble to helpe us, but by the inlarg­ing of our trouble, to inlarge our delive­rance. If greatnesse of sinne might be u­sed as an argument for mercy, 25 Psalme 11. Pardon my iniquities, for they are great, much more greatnesse of trou­ble.

But we come to the second particular, wherein their danger is expressed, as yet this is the least. The second is in these words.

‘[Tossed with waves.]’

Vita nostra, [...] 91 Pslm. 10. Christianus Crucianus. A perfect Embleme of the Church of God. A ship upon a trouble­some sea tossed with waves. Vt Mare sic mundus semper fervet Chem. Ut Dis­cipuli, sic Christiani habent sua turbida & Lu­cida interval­la. 2 Cor. 7.5. The world is fitly compared to the Sea, for the most part stormy, (n) though some­times it is more quiet and calme, as the Apostles for some hours sailed on a calm sea, yet alas these are but respits, some Lucida intervalla, Interdum breves indu­ciae piis conce­duntur, sicut Apostol. hic ad pauculas ho­ras tuto mari navigant sed brevis tempo­ris seculita­tem, mox in­gentes adver­sitates exci­piunt, Chem. Some few hours breathings; their constant sayling is on a troublesome sea, tossed with waves.

‘[Tossed with waves.]’

Their condition set downe in briefe here, is more largely set downe in the 107 Psalme 26. verse. When he raiseth stormy winds, and lifteth up the waves, they mount up to heaven, they goe down againe to the depth, their soule is melted because of trouble, they reele too and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end: here is the com­ment upon these words; tossed with waves.

But yet the [...] word here, is a word of large expression; some read it Syrus in­terp. vexata cruciata. A­rab. agitata respondet Hebraeo [...] vex­ed and afflicted with waves, [...], huc illue raptatum, me­taphora ab [...]is sumpta, a qui­bus per tor­menta aliquid extorquetur; qua etiam ra­tione Gailice tempestas ma­ris tormente dicitur. Beza. Annot. in loc. some rac­ked, and tormented with waves, (s) some as we render it tossed with waves.

It is a word used for the most exquisite torments and paines.

12 Revel. 2. [...]. Sometime for the throwes and pangs in travaile.

Hee aeas delivered up, [...] For the torments inflicted on the wicked servant.

[...]. 16 Luke 23. 14 Rev. 10.20 Rev. 10. Nay, for the torments of hell, and hell it selfe.

All which sets out the greatnesse of the trouble & danger they were in, which speaks thus much to us.

Doctr. That there is not so much e­vill in the greatest trouble and affliction, [Page 80]as there is good in the least tryall, and ex­ercise of our graces.

The Disciples underwent a great deale of trouble upon the sea: but had all this been a greater evill, then the exercise of their graces a good, Christ would ne­ver have fuffered the one for the other.

We wonder sometime that God should bring his people, such as hee loves, into straits and difficulties: But you see God may do it for the exercise of your graces, the least exercise of which will weigh downe all your trouble, 1 Pet. 1.7.

If God did not exercise our graces, we should suffer them to rust; and grace is then most lovely, when it is most in mo­tion and exercise; God suffers us often to be tossed, because wee doe not tosse our selves; he suffers others to ransack and rifle us, because wee doe not rifle our own hearts; he suffers Sathan to winnow us, because we neglect to sift our selves.

Therefore doth God exercise us with variety of difficulties, that we might ex­ercise our selves. Againe it sayes thus much to us:

2. Doct. God doth sometimes put his people to a lesser trouble for their grearer good.

The Phisitian makes his Patient a little sick for his greater healh: The Chirur­geon puts us to a little paine for a greater ease. God takes liberty with the out­ward man, to doe good to the inward man. 1 Cor. 11.22. You are chastised of the Lord, that you might not be condem­ned with the world.

That you might not love the world, he suffers the world to hate you: that you might be crucified to the world, he suf­fers you to bee crucified in the world: therefore doe you meet with many affli­ctions in the world that you might not be condemned with the world. As there is a curse hid in the best things to wicked men, a curse in their health, their gold, silver, &c. so there is a blessing hid in the worst things to Gods people; a blessing in poverty, sicknesse, death it selfe. 25 Psalme 16 32 Jer. 40. Hee hath said, All his wayes are wayes of mercy; and hee will never depart from us from doing us good.

As God makes one evill the punish­ment of another to wicked men, so hee makes one evill the cure of another to his owne people. The Physitian orders poysons to usefull purposes: So God those things which are evil in themselves, [Page 82]to the good of his owne people.

The Leprosie on Naamans body, was was an occasion of the cure of his Le­prous soule: if his body had not beene Leprous, his soule had not been washed. How many that can say, I had not been so rich in grace, if I had not been so poor in gold? I had not been so sound in soul, if I had not been so infirme in body? If I had not lost so much of the Creature, I had not got so much of Christ.

Use. And this should teach us a lesson of patience under all Gods exercises, it is but the putting of thee to a little paine for thy greater ease; a little trouble for thy greater comfort; a little sorrow for thy greater joy. All Gods sad passages of providence to you In mede­lam non in ruinam, in sa­lutem non in mortem. Aug. Unde plangis castigatio non damnatio, &c. Nihil in faelicius faeli­citate peccan­tum qua pae­nalis nutri­tur impunitas. Aug. they are for medicine, not for ruine; they are for health, not for death. Happy that sick­nesse which occasions health, that sorrow which bringeth joy, those crosses that end in comforts, &c. for our light afflictions which are but for a moment, we have an eternall weight of glory.

Thus is there an expedite in all Gods sad passages of providence to his owne people: as he said to his Disciples, It is expedient for yet that I goe away. It was [Page 83]strange that the best of Creatures should stand between man, and the best of com­forts: So it did there, the humanity of Christ was the best Creature that ever God made; yet this was the vayle, the Cloud, that hindred the better comforts: If I goe not, the comforter will not come.

Miserecor­dia puniens justitia par­cens. There is a chastising mercy, and a sparing Iustice. God doth exercise one to wicked men, when they goe on in sinne and he doth Deus irra­scitur cum peccantem non punit. not punish them for it, as you see in the 4. Hos. 14. Vae iilis quorum ul­tio reponitur infuturum ubi non est virga, ibivenit maleus. And by this they are hardned, they are blinded, they grow desperate in sin: Because sen­tence against an evill worke, is not execu­ted presently; therefore the hearts of the sons of men, are fully set to doe evill, 8 Eccles. 11.

Unus filius sine peecato, nullus sine flagello. But the other, viz. his chastising mercy, he doth exercise towards his owne People: They are chastized of the Lord, that they may not bee condemned with the world.

quamvis non bonum, tamen in bo­num, & in majus benum. This is our comfort, when God puts us to a lesser trouble, it is for our greater good.

There is yet something more doth offer it selfe to us.

‘[Tossed with waves]’

He doth not say the ship was drow­ned with waves; but it was rossed with waves: It was tossed, but it was not drow­ned: whence, in an Allegory,

Doct. Ecclesia quam vis potest tur­bari, tamen non potest mergi. premi non supremi, &c. Though the Church of God may be tossed with waves, yet it shall never be swallowed up of the waves.

Christ may suffer the ship of his Church to be tossed upon a troublesome and tempestuous sea, yet hath hee care of its safety, it shall never be swallow­ed up of the waves: Tossed it is often, never drowned; It was in danger, tossed if you will in Ahabs dayes, when they digged downe the Altars, slew the Pro­phets, set up the worship of the Sidoni­ans; insomuch, that Elisha though he had been alone. But yet though tossed, it was not drowned, God had then seven hundred in Israel that had never bowed the knee to Baal. I might instance in the times of Antiochus, who entred the Temple at Jeru­salem, burned up the Books of moses and the Prophets, proclaimed feasting aad ryot in the Temple of God, and put to death all that would not renounce their Religion.

It was tossed in the times of the ten bloudy Persecutions, began under Ne­ro, when Peter and Paul were beheaded; [Page 85]and continued under Dometian, when John was banished into Patmos, and so carryed on for divers Emperours more. Quo tem­pore univer­sus orbis sacro martyrum eruore infe­ctus. When the whole world did swim with the bloud of innocent Martyrs: yet at that time God did not only preserve, but Sanguis Marty rum semen Eccle­siae. increase his Church; insomuch, that Julian lest off to persecute Christians as his predecessors had done, Non ex mi­scricordia sed ex invidia. not out of mercy, but out of envy; because he saw the more they were afflicted, the more they grew.

And from him wee might goe downe, and see the Church still upon a trouble­some stormy sea, but tossed, not drowned. It was but like Noah's Ark on the waters; or Moses Bush on fire, not consumed; like the Sun under a cloud, all its glory vay­led and hid under troubles and persecuti­ons. But our hope is, that God is making his Churches glorious in the earth, that he will give inlargements for our straits, comforts for our troubles, & that he will make the inlargements of his people, as visible as their straits have been.

Vse. If so? Let wicked men cease to attempt any thing against the Church and People of God: Impellere possunt, sed in totnm pro­sternere non possunt, cru­deliter me tractare pos­sunt, sed non extirpare, dentes nuda­re sed non devorare, oc­cidere me pos­sunt, sed in totum me per­dere non pos­suut. Luther. It is but la­bour in vain, they shall never attain what [Page 86]what they seem to ayme at, the ruine of the Church of God. Hee hath said 12 Zach. 3. That hee will make his Church a a burthensome stone, they that lift at it shall be crushed by it, though all the Nations of the world should bee gathered together a­gainst it. St. Jerome on this place saith, that in Jerusalem they had at the gates of the City a great stone, which men, to trye their strengths, did lift at; and if they attempted it, & were not able to lift it, they hurt them­selves thereby. Such a stone wil God make his Church. We know the Peece over­charged, strikes not downe that a man ayms at, but rather he himself is strucken down with its own recoyle: Hee that shoots against the Church, shoots in a Peece o're-charged, and shall be sure to be struck downe with its own recoyle.

Pharaoh followed the children of Israel so long, till at last hee was over-whelmed in the waters.

Jnlian lifted so long at this stone, till at last it fell upon him, and crushed him to powder. Assure your selves you shall but make rods for your owne back, you shall but pave a way to your own destru­ction; you shal but dig pits to bury your selves in, twist cords to bind your selves [Page 87]wituall. No weapon formed against thee shall prosper; and whoever riseth up against thee shall fall for thy sake. Again, they shall bee covered with shame that warre agasnst Sion, &c. Read 4. Mic. 11, 12, 13. 4 Mic. 11, 12, 13. 43 Is. 3, 4. &c. And 43. Isa. 3, 4. I will give men for thee, and people for thy life.

And therefore as Pilates wife said to her husband, Have nothing to do with that just man; so I to thee, have nothing to do, by way of injury, with the Church of God, &c. But we will now come to the third particular of this danger.

‘[The wind was contrary.]’

Here is the next cause of their troubles; The wind was contrary.

Doct. Contrariety is the ground of all storms. Contrary spirits will ever cause tempest.

That which raiseth stormes betweene God and man, between man and him­selfe, between one creature and another, it is contrariety. Take away contrariety and take away stormes. The way to have a calme sea is to cease the winds: so the way to have calmnesse in the Church, in the state, is to take away contrariety. The Decisions of the hand, are but the fruits of the differences in the heart. The diffe­rences [Page 88]of mens judgements, doe ever raise differences and troubles without.

If men were all of one mind, they might be all of one heart, and all would row the same way: but this is a happinesse not to be expected, though prayed for, till the fourth watch when Christ shall enter the ship; but yet allowance for differences, may prevent stormes. A faire Latitude for differences may procure love, prevent troubles, where the contrary indangers tē ­pests, &c. But why should this cause stormes? me thinks if wicked men will not goe to heaven themselves, yet they should let them alone that would go. In­deed they say they would goe to heaven too, but they would not goe your pace: they will not overgoe the world, their pleasures, profits, this is too fast: what needs such haste: and therefore rather than mend their owne pace, they would take them away that goe before them.

When they see others to walk in a more spirituall and holy way than themselves, they are cast and condemned in their own thoughts, that their way is not good, and having no desire to come up to them, and to the rule, thereupon they hate and per­secute those that goe before them.

And if I mistake not this was the cause of the first Murther that ever was, 1 Iohn 3.12. Caine was of that wicked one who slew his Brother, 1. John 3. and wherefore slew hee him? Why saith the Apostle, Because his owne Workes were evill, and his Brothers good. It was not because God respected one, and not the other: for God tells him, 4. Genesis 7. That if hee would doe well, he should be accepted too: but it was be­cause his owne workes were bad, and his Brothers good. But could this be a good reason? were his Workes bad? Why did hee not mend them? was this any cause to kill his Brother? This was the cause: His Workes were bad, and hee was convinced of that, both by A­bels proctise, and Gods different accepta­tion: And because hee had no mind to mend them, therefore he would kill A­bel, hee would murther him that vvent before him, that his Conscience might not bee continually condemning and tor­menting of him, for that vvhich he had no mind to mend.

And you have the like in the Scribes and Pharasees, set out in the Parable of the Vineyard and Husbandman, they [Page 90]had Gods Vineyard, were the husband­men in the Church, but they would yield no fruit: Luke 10.16, 11, 12. God sends to them over and over, they beat and mis-used the Messengers. At last God sends his Son, with this sweet expectation; Sure they will reverence my Sonne, though they have persecuted and killed the Prophets, 13. verse. yet my sonne shall find other acceptati­on of them; sure they will receive my Sonne. 14 verse. But marke now their Spirits, This is the Sonne, say they, come let us kill him, that the Inheritance may be ours.

You know it is a Parable, the Vine­yard is the Church, the ordinances and the fruit which God expected, was ho­linesse, and sutable obedient walking: The messengers that God sent to call to them for it; were the Prophets, who called them to obedience and holinesse. But because they desturbed them in their way, and would not suffer them to live as they list, therefore they misused them, persecuted, killed them: Last of all, God sends his sonne, and then they say, This is the heire, let us kill him, and the Inheritance is ours: Then the day was theirs, they might sinne without check, [Page 91]controule, they should bee disturbed no more, they should doe their will and none should check them, here was the reasoning of their heart.

To these heights in sinning doth a sin­full heart carry men at last.

Sinne will never rest, till it hath tur­ned a man all into sin, devilished men; you see how many there are that sin a­way, not onely a forme of godlinesse, but their moralities, nay even their naturall Consciences; sinne will spend at last up­on the main stocke, and eate out the very naturall principles of men.

There is yet another thing which offers it selfe to us from this.

HAd Si maturius ventus con­trarius exor­tus fuisset mox se ad portum recipere po­missent, &c. Chem. the winde been contra­ry before, either they would not have set out to sea, or if they had, yet they might have returned back: but it is not contrary till they come into the midst of the Sea. And indeed there seemes to be a mercy in it.

Hic lacus juxta Plin. l. 5. latitude. 6. mil. longitud. 16. mill. juxta Joseph. l. 3. 100 sta­dia in longi­tud. 40. stad. in latitud. stadium est [...]ctava pars miliarii, &c. These seas were narrow and strait, being but a few miles over, and the night was darke, and had they had a wind for them, it might have hazarded them, and dashed them against the rocks: and there­fore it was lesse for their danger, that the windes were contrary, though it was more for their exercise.

It is better to be in a tempest upon the midst of the sea, then to have too strong a gale for us to drive us on the shoare. A mans harbour may sometimes be more [Page 93]dangerous then the sea. A man may as well come too soone into his harbour, as be kept too long upon the sea; many have been lost at harbour, who have been safe at sea. A tempestuous sea is not so dangerous, as an unsafe harbour. It speaks thus much.

Doct. God may be working our pre­servation, when we think he is working our destruction: or that which we some­times think to be in judgement, may yet be in greatest mercy. It was so here —

The Whale that swallowed up Jonah, was a meanes to bring him to shore; and that trouble which we think oftentimes will swallow us up, may be a meanes to bring us to our harbour.

There is no judging of Gods heart and purposes, by his outward proceeding of providences in the world. By thus judging, wicked men undoe themselves, and Gods people afflict themselves.

Gods outward proceedings may be good, when the purposes of his heart are evill to a man; againe, they may be sad, when his purpose is good, Jer. 29.11. Ier. 29.11. I know the thoughts I think to thee, they are thoughts of peace and not of trouble, to give thee at the last an expected end, [Page 94]but yet at this time they were in captivi­ty, his present proceedings were sad to them.

It is our wisdome to shut our eyes to works, and look to the word, to look up­on promises and not upon providences, this is to live by faith, and not by sense. But of this more afterwards—

We are now come to the fourth par­ticular, wherein their danger is expressed, and their trouble heightned.

Christ was absent.

We reade in Matth. 8.24. Mat. 8.24, 25. that the Disciples were on the sea, a tempest a­rose, and they were in great danger; but then Christ was in the ship, who pre­sently rebuked the storme: but here Christ was absent: well might they think had Christ been here, he would not have suffered this storme to have risen; if he had suffered it, yet he would quickly have laid it. But what shall we do now Christ is absent? Give me leave to com­mend two or three instructions from this. One is Zuinglius.

Doct. There is nothing but stormes to be expected, where Christ is not in the ship. Absente Christo, nil nisi turbatio, Christo pre­sente omnis motus seda­tur. Zuing. in loc.

If Christ be not in a Family, in a Ci­ty, [Page 95]in a Kingdome, Christ in his grace, Christ in his truth, in his worship, in his ordinances, you must looke for stormes.

It is said in Iudges 5.8. They chose new godi, and then was war in the gates. Where there is sin you may looke for a storme. Sin like vapours, sent up into the middle Region of the Aire, which though you heare nething of it for a time, all is quiet; Vbi non est gratia, ibi non est pax. yet at last it comes downe in a storm.

Where on the contrary, The fruit of righteousnesse shall be peace, and the effect of righteousnesse shall be quietnesse and as­surance for ever, Isay 32.17. Isay 32.17. As many as walke according to this rule, Peace be up­on them, and upon all the Israel of God, Gal. 6.16.

Christ is a Prince of peace, but he is a Conquerour first: Pax non habitat ubi Christus non regnat. Ber. where Christ doth not conquer and reigne, there looke for no peace; no peace with God, no peace with man, no peace with consci­ence; Conscientia quadruplex. 1 Conscien­tia bona, non quieta. 2 Conscientia bona & qui­eta. 3 Conscientia neque bona, neque quieta. 4 Conscientia quieta, non bona, &c. unlesse such a peace as wicked men injoy, which is the peace of the de­vill, not the peace of God; the strong man keeps the house, and all is at peace, but it is the peace of the devill; not the peace of God.

Vse. Let it teach us then as ever we [Page 96]desire peace, peace in conscience, peace in the Church, &c. to get Christ into the ship, and he will allay all stormes. Assure your selves these stormes will ne­ver be laid, till Christ be admitted into the ship, till Christ reigne; till Christ in his truth, worship, grace, doe reigne among us. Fluctibus agitantur conscientia­rum, & ventis contrariis tentationum vexari neces­se est, qui Christum in­navi secum non vehant. Pareus.

A second thing which is observable.

Doct. That the absence of Christ from the soule in trouble, makes sufferings un­sufferable, and troubles intollerable.

As the presence of Christ in his grace, in his comforts, doth inable the soule to undergoe the greatest calamities, Malim pre­sente Christe esse in infer­no, quam ab­sente Christo in caelo. Lu­ther. in Gen. cap. 30. e­ven to smile upon the face of dangers, and check the terrors of death: Beati foli sunt cum illo, qui beati esse non possunt nisi in illo. Sern. It gives inlargement to the soule in straits, com­fort in trouble, liberty in prison, ease in bonds, life in death. You see in Daniel, the three Children. Paul and Silas, Ste­phen. So the absence of Christ will be in­tolerable in any sad-condition. Oh what a misery is it for a poore soule to be in sicknesse, danger, death, and for Christ to be absent from the soule!

Vse. Let us then in all our sad condi­tions get Christ present with us; get him but present with you in his grace, and he [Page 97]wil never be absent from you in his com­forts in the time of need. Who is able to comfort us in the midst of all discom­forts; Quid si sine domo, & non sine domino, sinc veste, si non sine fide, sine cibo, & non sine Christo. Ful­gent. Christ is more able to give comforts without creatures, nay, in the opposition of all created comforts, then the Sun to give light without Stars. Can the Sun give light without Stars? and cannot Christ give us comfort without creatures, nay in opposition of all crea­ted comforts.

Againe, Christ was absent; yea, but Christ was with them in Spirit, though he was absent from them according to the flesh: had they had faith enough, they had seen Christ present, even in his absence.

Doct. When Christ is absent to the eye of sense, yet a beleever may conclude him present, and see him by the eye of faith.

He hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us, [...] 13 Heb. 5. There are five negatives to make it firme to us; I will not, I will not leave thee, neither not, not, forsake thee; or, neither will I by any meanes forsake thee. He hath said, when we passe through the waters, he will be with us, that the flouds shall not drowne [Page 98]us; when we passe through the fire he will be with us, that the fire shall not burne us.

He will be with us, 1 To counsell us in our straits; 2 To support us in our sorrowes; 3 To comfort us under crosses; 4 To sanctifie all our troubles to us; 5 And at the last to deliver us out of all. Vidimus Chrisium in promisso lu­mine spiritu­ali, quando non in pre­sentia lumine sensibili. and thus we may conclude him by faith, when we are not able to discerne him by sence.

If the Sun were here below, we should be deprived of the benefit of it; every mountaine, every hill, every house, would deprive us of the light and comfort of it. But being now above all these, we enjoy the comfort of it.

While Christ was here in the flesh, he was as the Sun here below, every thing did hinder us of his presence and com­fort, if he were present in one place, he was absent from another; but now being in heaven, he can display the rayes and beames of his gracious presence into all places.

Vse. Christians learne to see Christ by the eye of faith, when you cannot be­hold him with the eye of sence; labour to see him in a promise, when you can­not [Page 99]behold him in his presence; when the eye of sence is put out, go to a promise and behold him there.

Thou art in temptations, in deserti­ons, and thou canst not see Christ by the eye of sence, but thou maist conclude him present by faith, present I say in his grace, though thou want the presence of his comforts.

The cloud may hinder the light of the Sun from our eyes, but it cannot take the Sun from the sky, it is there though it do not appeare. Christ may seeming­ly be gone, when yet he is really there; and it must be your wisdome to live by faith, when you cannot live by sence, to see him with you by his grace, when you cannot behold him in his comforts.

But we will passe this.— There is one thing more that I would present to you from the whole tryall, which you see is heightned by severall gradations; they were in the midst of the sea, and in the darke of the night, nay and tossed with waves, the winde was contrary, & Christ himselfe was absent: here is wave upon wave, trouble upon trouble. It tels us thus much.

Doct. That God doth not only suffer [Page 100]his people to be brought into straights, but he doth heighten their straights, and raise up their difficulties higher and higher, before he do deliver them.

It is plaine here, and also in the sto­ries of Israels troubles in Egypt: their troubles were great before, Quo pro­prior est sa­lui, eo magis pericula cres­cere sinaet. Chem. but they were heightned before God delivered them. Insomuch, as they looked upon the beginnings of their deliverance as bad as the worst of their sufferings; and were rather content to be in their former sla­very, then to indure the paines of a deli­verance. But yet though they were high­er, they were not at the height, till they came to the Red Sea, when a sea before them not to be passed, an inraged enemy behinde them, not to be resisted & moun­taines on each side them that they could not tell what to doe, whither to betake themselves, which was the rise of their deliverance. Quando ad [...] per­ventum est, tum Christus salvator a­dest. Chem. God useth to take a rise of deliverance from the lowest step of his peoples sufferings.

Read but the stories of David, of the Jewes in re-building the Temple, and you shall see the truth of this; that God doth heighten the troubles of his people before he do deliver them. And this God doth,

Reas. 1. To heighten our graces: your faith, not your feare, your hope, not your discouragements. In veris Christianis crescit amor fidei, quantum ipsa pericula crescunt. Chem. As difficulties do arise, so should the faith of Gods people rise too. As it was with Noahs ark, the waters rose higher and higher, and still as the waters arose, the Ark arose; the waters never arose above the Arke. Non cogi­tan lum quan­tum sit peri­culum in quo agim (que) aut quid virēs no­strae possint sed quid is cui fidemus potest. Cartw. So should it be with a Christians faith, as troubles arise, so our trust should a­rise, no difficulties should arise above our faith: if God have weakned the arme of flesh, we should strengthen the arme of faith; if he have shortned us in the re­liefe of creatures, we should strengthen our selves in our relyance and rest upon God.

It is our sin, we are too high in succes­ses, and too low in losses; we are too big when things go well, and too little when things goe ill; and it must needs be so; men that are proud in successes, will be as base in losses.

This is the nature of faith; it makes us nothing in our selves when things go well, and it makes us all in God when things go ill. Nothing should pose our faith, but what poseth God; if there be any thing too great for God to doe, then [Page 102]there might be something too big for us to beleeve: but so long as there is nothing above his power and love to doe for his people, why should there be any thing a­bove our faith, to beleeve God will doe for them? It is better to dye over-hoping, then over-fearing; though we had no in­couragements from below, yet we have enough from above.

We have incouragements, 1 From Gods name, [...] nomen mag­num, glorio­sum appropri­atum, existen­tiam o [...]nibus promissis suis adhibens [...] ex [...] fortis & pronom [...] qui, & [...] sufficiens hinc [...] De­us omnipo­tens, suffici­ens ad omnia praestanda, in se, & a se, suf­ficientiam, & abundantiam omni modum habens, Sufficiens absque alicu­jus ope, Ad opem con­ferendum, ad suos prote­gendum▪ ad promissa ser­vanda & ex­plendos defe­ctus omuium. every name of GOD speaks incouragement. 2 We have in­couragements from Gods Attributes, his Power, Wisdome, Mercy, Justice, &c. Every thing in God speakes incourage­ment to faith, because every thing in God is for the good of his people. 3 We have incouragements from his covenant, his promises to us: where can you look and not finde something to speak incourage­ment to you. 4 You have incourage­ment from the experience of Gods dea­lings with others of his people, nay from the experience of his dealing towards our selves. Enough, enough, to hold up our hearts. Though there be weaknesse be­low, yet there is strength above, though a famine on Earth, yet there is no dearth in Heaven, as the Nobleman thought. [Page 103]Infinite power and infinite love cannot be posed. It is a kinde of limiting Gods power, and taking away the Almighty, not to rest upon God in the greatest of difficulties.

He is not only the God of the Vallies, but of the Hils also. He is not only able to helpe in the lesser, but in the greatest difficulties. You can never swell a diffi­culty above the power of God; you can never be so low, Deut. 33.2 [...] but everlasting armes are able to relieve you.

You read in Zach. 8.6. God had pro­mised them deliverance, but it was almost above their faith to beleeve it; they thought it almost impossible, that ever those dead bones should live. But saith God, Because this is marvellous in your eyes, is it marvellous to me, oh house of Isra­el: things wonderfull to you, are famili­ar to me; things marvellous to you, are yet easie to me: My thoughts are not as your thoughts.

God would not that any difficulty should rise above our faith; this were to raise a difficulty above God himselfe: he would have our faith rise as the trouble riseth. And therefore he doth heighten our troubles, that he might highten our [Page 104]faith; which indeed if it once worke and bottome on God, there is no difficulty can rise above it, &c.

Reas. 2. God doth heighten our diffi­culties before hee doth deliver us, to heighten our duties; hee heightens our troubles to heighten our prayers.

Quo pro­fundiores an­gustiae, eo profundiora suspiria. Mol. in 130. Psal. The greater our straights, the greater should be our inlargements; the greater our difficulties, the more earnest and fervent should be our prayers.

Difficulties doe mightily quicken the soule to duties; God saith so, Hosea 5.1. In the time of their affliction, then they will seek me early, me diligently. Then will the soule wrestle with God, by the strength of faith, of Christ, of promises, &c. Ja­cobs prayer in his great straight, is called a wrestling with God.

See the stories of David, of Hezekiah, of the Church in Hesters time, Jehoso­phat, &c. they were in great straits, and their prayers were wrestling prayers.

Difficulties are to grace as the bellowes to the fire, to intend it, and make it burn more vehemently; then will the foule pray more fervently, with more extensi­on and intention of spirit; and will joyn teares with prayers, humiliation with [Page 105]supplication, as you see in Hesters time, Nehemiah, Ezra. And now doth the soule gather up arguments from God, from his pr [...]nises, attributes, from the miseries of the Church, &c. and the strength, insolency, and pride of the ene­my to wrestle with God, &c. Therefore doth God heighten our difficulties, that he might heighten out duties.

Reas. 3. God doth heighten our diffi­culties, that he might heighten our deli­verances. So much as comes into a trou­ble to heighten that, so much shall again come into a deliverance to increase that. Aqua [...]in quantum de­scendit, in tantum ascen­dit. The water ariseth as high as it doth fall low: we say, The lower the ebbe, the higher is the tyde. God will make the rises of his people proportionable to their castings downe. The lower the foundation, the more high and eminent will be the structure; a shallow founda­tion will serve the turne for an ordinary structure; but he that goes about to raise an eminent structure, layes his foundati­on low. The same proportion God ob­serves in difficulties before, the same will he observe in deliverances afterward. The darker the morning, the cleerer will be the day; the sadder the Week, the more [Page 106]joyfull the Sabbath. When the Chil­dren of Israel came out of Egypt, you see how their difficulties were inlarged; but if you read the story, you shall find, what ever came in for an addition to their trouble, came in also as an addition to their deliverance. The power, greatnesse, rage and malice of the Adversary in pur­suing them unto the Red Sea, was a great heightning of their difficulty, and you see it was a great inlargement of their de­liverance, by this meanes they were rid of all their enemies at once. If their straits had not bin so great, their inlarge­ments had not been so glorious. God de­lights to make the inlargements of his people as visible as their straits have bin. The like you have in the story of the five Kings, Josh. 9.1.2. Josh. 10.3, 4, 5, 6, &c. whose hearts God hardned, sayes the Text, to come out against Joshuah: it must needs be a great heightning of their difficulty, when five potent Kings of Ca­naan united all their power and forces together against them; but you know, it was as great a heightning of their delive­rance, for by that meanes they had all their enemies slaine at once, strook off at one blow. [...] 4.11.12, [...].

You may reade the like in Micha 6.12, [Page 107]13. And now many Nations are ga­thered together against thee, O Sion, that say, Let her be defiled, let our eye see her glory, but they know not the thoughts of the Lord, for he shall gather them to­gether as sheaves unto the floore: Arise and thrash oh Daughter of Sion, &c. Where you see Nations, and many Na­tions, and all these gathered together a­gainst one Sion. Here was a difficulty heightned: but you see, though their thoughts were the ruine of Sion, Gods thoughts were the ruine of themselves. And God inlarged the difficulty, for the inlargement of their deliverance.

Reas. 4. God doth heighten the diffi­culty of his psople, to heighten his owne glory, the glory of his wisdome, power, mercy, faithfulnesse.

As Christ answered concerning the blinde man in Iohn 9.9. When they as­ked, whether it was for his sins or his pa­rents, that he was borne blinde, Christ answers, For neither, but that the workes of God might bee made manifest in him, that is, that the power, mercy, & glory of God might be made conspicuous in the healing of him. And for the same reason doth he raise the difficulties of his Church.

You reade an excellent passage to this purpose in the Iohn 11.4, &c. Lazarus sisters sent to Christ, to tell him, that their brother was sicke, and intreat him to come downe and heale him: Christ answers, This sicknesse is not unto death, but that the glory of God might be revealed, and manifested. And mark now the way that Christ takes to advance his glory, Verse 6. When hee had heard, saith the Text, that he was sick, he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was. One would thinke this a strange passage; hee should rather have gone presently, and have recovered him. But this was now the way Christ took to advance his glo­ry; he doth not only suffer him to be sick, but to dye of his sicknesse, nay, to be bu­ried, and to lye in the grave foure dayes: and thus lets the difficulty go beyond the power of man, that the power and glory of God might be more visible and mani­fest: as he tels us in the 15. and 40. Verses.

You have the like also in Luke 8. from the 41. to the 49. Verse.

Speciall cures wins more glory to the Physitian, then many ordinary cures: so speciall deliverances brings God more glory,— &c.

God is lost in smaller Deliverances, when yet he is visible and conspicuous in greater. In such men wil be forced to say, none but a God could have done these things for us.

Thus doth God heighten our difficul­ties, to heighten his own glory.

5. Reas. God doth heighten our dif­ficulties before deliverance, that hee might heighten our prayses, our thank­fulnesse for a deliverance.

God is very desirous of the prayses of his Saints: as he doth bathe himselfe in their teares, so he doth delight himselfe in their joyes: hee loves to heare their praises as well as their prayers.

And therefore doth God bring us into straits, and heighten our straights, that being delivered, we might be more inlar­ged with thankfulnesse.

Moses difficulty at the Red Sea, did furnish him with matter of prayses, when hee was come to the shore, 15 Exodus Who is a God like to thee? glorious in ho­linesse, fearefull in prayses, doing wonders, 11 verse.

Nothing doth so much swell a mercy, as our necessity of it: God is forced to make us the more misertble in pressures, [Page 110]that wee might be more thankfull in de­liverances.

These with many other might be na­named. To conclude this: Let us not bee cast downe, nor discoura­ged, Quando ur­gentia mala expulsurus sit, tum graviora inducat. Chris. though God doe bring us into straits, yea and heighten our difficulties too: It is the usuall way which God goes in the deliverance of his people.

All these are but the buddings and pre­sages of future deliverances. Gravissima certamina & pericula, sunt certissima nuncia libera­tionis, sunt veluti indices vicinae libe­rationis.

Let but the heightning of our diffi­culties, heighten our faith, our graces, our duties, and you shall see they shall be all the heightning, and inlargement of our deliverance. But we will reserve our selves for the further application of this till afterwards, &c.

We will now come to the next verse, which is the dawnings of the morning of comfort after a darke and stormy night.

25. Ver. 25 Verse. ‘ And in the fourth Watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, wal­king on the Sea.’

In the former verse you had the dan­ger and distresses the Disciples were in. In this we have Christs addresses to re­lieve and help them.

And this is set downe in foure parti­culars.

• 1. He takes a veiw of their danger and trouble.
• 2. He goes out to help them: He went unto them.
• 3. We have the manner: Walking on the Sea.
• 4. The time, and that is, In the fourth Watch.

We will begin with the first, though not expressed in the Text, yet you shall finde it in the 6 Mark. 48. He saw them on the sea toyling and rowing, he takes a view of their danger before he went out to deliver them.

Doct. Christ doth see and take notice of us in our greatest afflictions.

Christ here saw the Disciples in their great danger: had they known that Christ saw them, that hee tooke notice of them, it would have comforted their heart un­der their great affliction, this wee know, though it was hid from their eyes, that Christ takes notice of us in our great af­flictions. 5. Exod. 7. And the Lord said Penitas per­spexi. I have seene, I have seene: that is I have Deus bonos non negligit cum negligit. throughly seen the afflicti­on of my people in Egipt, and have heard their cry.

David had many afflictions on him, 56. Psal. 9. Fugas nu­meras. Illustre argu­mentum sin­guleris curae & proveden­tiae Dei erga suos. Musc. Singulos pas­sus exilii sui numerat deus. Mol. Thou tellest my wande­rings, and puttest my teares into thy bottle. God takes notice of every step which Da­vid trod in the wildernesse. 31. Gen. 42. God hath seen my affliction, and the labour of my hands,, said Jacob. 34. Psalme 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his eares are open unto their cry, &c.

Vse This may comfort us in all our troubles, that Christ takes notice of them, and therefore will not suffer them to be too big for our strength, nor Quenquam ad tempus do­minus viderur suos relinque­re nequa­quam tamen avertir ocu­los. sed eo­rum labores considerat. etiamsi illis non apparet. too long for our patience; he doth not defer, because he knowes not our Troubles, but because he will take the fittest time and season to relieve us.

Use If so? then let us behave our selves Christianly under all Gods corre­ctions: God sees you, therefore doe not you murmure, quarrell, bee not impati­ent, nor turne aside to unjust wayes, to get out of your troubles: God sees you, and he will come to you in his due time: and that is the next thing.

2. Chrsts addresses to help them.

‘[Iesus went unto them.]’

Doct. That when Christ sees the affli­ctions of his people upon the shore, he [Page 113]will not long be off the Sea: when hee once takes a view of his peoples troubles, he stayes not long, but goes forth to help them.

You see this in the 3. Exod. 7, 8. I have surely seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, by reason of their Taske-Masters, for I know their sorrowes. And thereupon it followes: And I am come downe to de­liver them out of the hand of the Egiptians. When God once sees, he presently helps. As he is said to come downe to see sinne, before he punish it; as of Sodome: and when he comes downe to see, hee doth assuredly come out to punish. So he is said to come downe, to see the troubles of his people, before he doe deliver them; and if once he come to see, he wil assured­ly come to helpe.

Use Let us then bespeak God to looke downe upon our afflictions: say with the Church. Look down, O Lord, from heaven, 80 Psal. 14, 15, 16, and visite thy vine; it is burnt with fire, it is cut downe, &c.—

God hath bowells of mercy, if once he look downe he will visit: our eye affects our heart, and moves our hand. Gods heart moves his eye, and when his eye is once moved to see, his hand and heart [Page 114]will be upward to help.

‘[Jesus went unto them.]’

Why but how did Christ goe to them, he had no ship, they were now upon the Sea. Veri simile est peraeramo mento tempo­ris, permeasse donec prope adesset eis. Brugens. in loc.

Doct. There cannot be want of means, if Christ have a purpose to relieve his peo­ple. I say the want of meanes can be no obstacle if Christ have a purpose to deli­ver: hee that can help with meanes can help without, if it pleaseth him. What though men and means be wanting, what though no boats nor ships, yet hee can walke upon the Seas.

Infinite wisedome, and infinite power can never be at a stand.

Use And therefore this speaks incou­ragement to trust in God in our lowest conditions: 2 Chron. 14.11. It is all one with thee to helpe with many or with few, &c. &c. sayes Asa. God hath made no promise to strength, but he hath to weaknesse, not to policy, but to simplicity.

You never knew self-confident strength to prosper, nor never read, that trusting weaknesse doth miscrrry.

God loves to joyne with weaknesse, [...] Judg. 2. when not with strength; with few, when not with many; Gideon. And where God [Page 115]joynes, there will neither bee want of power, nor of policy, of number, nor of skill: he can supply all defects himselfe. Yet further:

‘[Jesus went unto them.]’

It was not a stormy Sea that should bee able to seperate between Christ and his Disciples in trouble: though there was a Sea, and a stormy tempestuous Sea betweene Christ and them, yet this shall not part him and his Disci­ples.

Doct. Nothing shall bee able to sepa­rate Christ and his people in trouble. 8. Rom. 35. 8. Rom. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? not persons, not things: Shall tribulation, or distresse, or persecuti­on, or famine, or nakednesse?— No, all these shall not be able to separate. You read in the 8 Cant. 7. Many waters can­not quench love, neither can the flouds drown it. It is true heare: Here was many wa­ters; a Sea which is the gathering toge­thar of many waters; yet all this could not quench the love of Christ to his Dis­ciples, nor hinder him from going to them in their trouble.

Hee that would goe through a Sea of wrath to succour his people, that would [Page 116]drinke up the Sea of Gods wrath, Psalm. 110. ult. Hee shall drink of the brook in the way; which is taken for to be meant of his passion, where hee drunk up that Sea of wrath was between God and us. Hee that would goe through a Sea of wrath to his people, will not suffer any Sea of trouble to separate between him and his people.

Nothing shall hinder Christ from going to his people in trouble; no Sea, no sicknesse, no prison, nor any thing shall separate between him and us.

Use This might be a mighty consola­tionu to the people of God, you can never be in such a condition, as that Christ can­not come to you.

If our reliefes lay in men, many things might interrupt and hinder our succour. In many afflictions, or friends can but stand on the shore, see us, and pitty us at the most, but they cannot come to us, they cannot helpe us.

A Sea, a storme, a sicknesse, a prison, may part us and our friends, us and the best of our friends and succours: but no­thing can part us and our God. It is said when Ioseph was in prison God was with him. 39. Gen. 20, 21. He that was with [Page 107] Ioseph in prison, with David in the wil­dernesse, with Ieremiah in the Dungeon, with Ionah in the belly of the Whale, with Daniel in the Den of Lyons, with the three Children in the fiery furnace, with Paul and Silas in the stocks; that God wil be with his people in their grea­test straits and difficulties; Etiam hic meum eris bone Jesu, Christe tibi patiendum erit mihi. which made Dionysius say when he was going to the fire, Even here also thou wilt be with me oh sweet Christ. This is the promise 43. Is. 2. When you passe through the Wa­ters I will be with you, so that the flouds shall not drowne you; and when you passe through f [...]re I will be with you, that the fire shall not devoure you, &c. And what a comfort is this to the godly.

Many things parts us and friends here. It is said, afflictions parts friends: they part the affections of friends, where there are any who with Ruth will hold close to a Sun burnd Naomi: many with Orpah will fall off. Nay and many things parts the assistance of friends, though not the affections of friends, 5. Jud. 15. For the devisions of Ruben there were great thoughts of heart: There was a Jordan be­tweene Ruben and their brethren, that though they had the affections of breth­ren, [Page 118]yet they were not able to afford the assistance of brethren.

But now nothing can part Christ and the soule in trouble.

Though there be mountaines between Christ and us, yet these shall not part.

1. He can melt the mountaines, e­ven mountaines shall fall downe at his presence; mountaines of Iron shall dis­solve like mountaines of Snow. Isaiah 94.3.

2. Or he can levell the mountaines, and lay unpassible difficulties into plains. Zach. 4.7.

3. Or he can skip over the mountains; as he is described when hee comes to re­deem his Church from sinne, Cant. 2.8. So when he comes to deliver his Church from trouble, he can skip over the heads of all rising opposition. Nay, though not only mountains, but a Sea be between Christ and his people, yet this shall not part them.

• 1. He can dry up the Sea, as the River Euphrates. 16. Rev. 12.
• 2. Or he can devide the sea, as he did the red sea for his people.
• 3. Or he can walk on the sea, and make the oppositions of his enemies to bee [Page 119]the path to the deliverance of his people.

Nothing shall part Christ and his Church in trouble; much water cannot quench love. Yet further.

‘[Jesus weut unto them.]’

It is not said that hee went towards them, but hee went to them: men may onely goe towards us in trouble, but can­not goe to us; but Christ, if hee goe to­wards, he goes to them. Christ reliefes are full and perfect. Againe it is said he went to them, when yet he wes but going towards them: Indeed hee is as good as there already, as soone as hee sets out to goe.

Doct. What Christ doth purpose to doe, it is as good as done already; though not in effectu operis, in regard of executi­on it be yet to doe, yet respectu decreti, in respect of his purpose it is as good as done already.

Hence you read in the 8. Rom. 30. Whom he hath justified he hath glorified. Though glorification be to come in respect of the full possession of it; yet it is as sure as come already in respect of the stability of the decree.

So those places: Blessed are you when [Page 120]men persecute you, for great is your reward in the Kingdome of heaven: He doth not say, great shall be your reward: but great is: Here Christ takes a future medium to prove a present blessednesse, 6. Luke 22.32. [...] yee are blessed, for great is your reward in the Kingdome of heaven: which inference could not be sound; if that future medium were not certaine, in respect of the firmnesse of the decree, to faith, which gives to the promises of God a kind of presubsisting, and present being, though future in accomplishment.

Use. And this is a comfort to us, what e­ver God purposeth to doe for us, or to doe against our enemies its as sure as done already.

1. What ever God hath purposed to doe for us, it is as sure as done: blessed are they who are persecuted for righte­ousnesse sake, for great is their reward in the Kingdsme of heaven.

He hath made many glorious promises to his Church: and though in respect of execution of them, they are yet to come, yet in respect of the stability of the pur­pose, they are as good as performed. Je­hosaphat when he had a promise, sets the singers to praise the Lord in the beauty [Page 121]of holinesse, hee was as sure of it, as if al­ready done: It was his worke rather to believe than fight, and to shout a victory rather than to strike a stroke, 2 Chro. 20.21.22. He appoynted Singers to prayse the Lord in the beauty of his holinesse.

2. What ever God hath purposed against the enemies of the Church it is as good as done already.

He hath said that Anti-Christ shall down: and though all the world should contribute their power, and put to their shoulders to hold him up, yet they shall never be able.

Nay, God hath said, she is fallen alrea­dy, 14. Rev. 8. Babilon is fallen, is fallen: The word is doubled, to shew the cer­tainty of her ruine. Let all the world cry it up, if God cry it downe, it shal fall. The Peece hath struck dead, before the noyse be heard: So Anti-Christ is dead struck in the threatning, although the re­port of his fall be not yet come unto us.

Againe it is said that [Christ went to them:] hee doth not say delivered them, rebuked the storme, but Christ went to them.

It is a happy thing when Christ doth not only helpe us, but come to us, Christ [Page 122]helps many whom yet he comes not to: God out of his royall bounty doth ma­ny things for those, whom yet he will not owne.

Christ gives bread to many, and main­taines many a family, that yet he will not live in: many that partake of his mercy, that doe not partake of himselfe: many that he gives other things to, but he doth not give himselfe. Mea non prosuns sine me nec tua pro­sunt sine te. Bern. But happy and blessed are the people who enjoy mercy, and the God of mercy with it, that par­take of deliverrnce, and the comfort of it too, who have not only the help of Christ, but the presence of Christ; Christ comes to them as well as delivers them. Bet­ter to be in trouble than to bee delivered, and Christ not come to thee: better to have the presence of Christ in trouble, than deliverance, and want Christ. That man hath small comfort in a deliverance, who enjoyes not Christ with it. It is but a reprievall, not a dischrrge. It is a deli­verance in judgement, rather than mercy.

There are preservasions, that may bee called reservations to worser evills. Such are these.

Thus much for Christs addresses to helpe them: we now come to the man­ner.

3. Of his comming to them.

‘[Walking on the Sea.]’

To let passe the severall disputes about this, Hieroni­mus sentit a quas solida­tas fuisse corpus leve factum contra manichaeos. whether Christ did consoli­date the water, or attenuate his body; whether he made the water more earthy, and his body more ayry; wee will passe these niceties. Christ here walketh on the sea, the Text saith, and this as upon Tanquam insolido pa­vimento, Amb. solid ground: [...]. Just. Mart. Sine ulla mu­tatione cor­poris Christus ambulavit Super mare And this hee did without any change of his body; By his owne Almighty and divine power, by which he made Peter doe the like, with­out any alteration either in his body, or the sea. Christ ever in his lowest abase­ments shewed something of his deity. When he suffered upon the Crosse, which was his lowest abasement, then like the Sun he lets out the greatest lustre and brightest beames of the deity, when set­ting, even then he rent the rocks, opened the gravs, sealed up the beams of the Sun, &c. Which were all visible demonstra­tions of his deity. You read in the begin­ning of this Chapter; that Christ upon the hearing of John Baptists beheading, did withdraw himself and the Disciples, 13. verse. Now this might have occasio­ned a temptation, that Christ being God, [Page 124]should flye from the wrath of man.

And therefore it is observeable, that Christ doth here doe foure great mira­cles, to stablish their hearts against such a temptation.

• 1. He fed five thousand, besides one women and children with 5. loaves and two fishes.
• 2. Hee comes now walking to them on the Sea.
• 3. Hee makes Peter to walk on the Sea also.
• 4. He rebuked the stormes, calmed the Sea, and brought them to harbour.

By these declaring, that though hee went from Herod, yet it was not for fear, not that hee thought hee was not able to preserve himselfe and Disciples; he that could doe all this, might have done the other.

It is Gods great mercy that hee hath been pleased in his lowest abasements to give us withall some demonstrances of his deity.

When he hungred, he declared him­selfe to be a man, but when he fed thou­sands with a few loaves, he demonstrated himselfe to be God.

When he fled from Herod, he shewed [Page 125]himselfe to be man, but when he walked on the sea, hee declared himselfe to be God.

In his life he seemed to be man and not God, he was subject to our infirmities: but in his miracles, raising the dead, gi­ving eyes to the blinde, healing the sick, casting out Devils, he declared himselfe to be God as well as man.

When he hung upon the crosse he see­med to bee man, but when hee rent the vaile of the Temple, darkned the Sunne, shook the Earth, rent the Rocks, conver­ted the Thiefe, he declared himselfe God as well as man, &c.

But we will come to the words. Jesus went unto them,

‘[Walking on the Sea.]’

Why, but Christ could as well have helped them on the shoare, as to have come and walked to them on the sea. But then they had nor so cleerely knowne Christ helped them: either they might have attributed their safety to their own endeavours in rowing, or they might have thought the storme ceased by acci­dent, &c. And therefore Christ comes to them before he helps them, that they might see and acknowledge it was his do­ing.

Doct. It is the best part of a deliverance to see and acknowledge the deliverer.

As it is the worst part of an affliction not to see the hand which inflicteth it: so it is the best part of a mercy to see the author of it. There are too many, who like Swine do feed under the Tree, and never look up to the Tree; that drink at the streame, and never regard the Foun­taine. Many whose bellies are filled with hid blessings, Psal. 16. Not because they do not see the mercies, but because they see not the God of mercy.

Christians desire God in the bestow­ing of his gifts, that he would not con­ceale the giver, that all your mercies might be as cleere glasses, and not as thick clouds which hinder you from beholding God in them. It is the blessing of mercy to see and taste God in it.

Yet further, and that which is the maine.

‘[Walking on the Sea.]’

It was a strange way that Christ went in the deliverance of his Disciples, to walk on the sea, never was this heard of before, God hath delivered his people by deviding the sea, but never before by walking on the sea.

Doct. That God will goe unheard of untracted wayes, strange wayes to deliver his people, rather then his people shall not be delivered.

God is not tyed to any way, his paths are in the great waters, and his footsteps are not knowne. God wals in the wayes of the deliverance of his Churches, as a man that walks in the snow, who because he would not be tracted; he often chan­geth his shooe.

Whole Volumes might be writ of the many strange wayes that God hath gone in the deliverance of his Church & peo­ple. Sometimes he hath done it imme­diately by himselfe: as you see in the sto­ries of Herod, Acts 12.23, 24. Iulian, who when he went to warre against the Persians, he vowed to his Idoll Gods, that he would give them a sacrifice of all the Christians in the Empire when he tur­ned back: but he was prevented by death, being smitten with an unknowne blow from Heaven. So God delivered the Church in Maximinus his time:

sometime he hath done it mediately:

1. Either by making themselves as instruments to destroy themselves; as you see in the Assyrians, the Midianites, Iudg. [Page 128]7.22. And thus was Paul delivered, Acts 23.6, 7.

2. Or by arming second causes, put­ting strength into weak and contempti­ble instruments, for the deliverance of his Church. As Ieremy was drawne out of the dungeon with old rotten rags, thrown aside and good for nothing, Ier. 38.11. So the Lord doth deliver his Church of­ten by such instruments as the enemies thereof would before have looked upon with scorne, as despised and contempti­ble instruments. You see this in Cyrus, in Deborah.

3 Sometimes arming naturall causes, the Sun, the Moone, the Stars, Haile, Winde: the Starres in their course are said to fight against Sisera: the Lord slew Israels enemies with haile, the Moa­bites with the Sun shining on the water. And we read in Ecclesiasticall History, that the Christians being to fight against the Barbarians, & being in great distresse for water, upon their prayers, God sent abundance of raine, but incounter'd their enemies with thunder and fire from hea­ven; in remembrance of which, the Ro­mans called the Christian Legion [...] legio ful­minatrix. the thundring Legion. These we may take [Page 129]for a taste of those innumerable exam­ples that might be alledged, of the strange wayes GOD hath gone to deliver his Church. He walkes still upon the sea, goes untracted wayes in deliverance of his Church: how ordinary is it with him, to make those things which in themselves are distructive, to be helpe­full to the deliverance of his Church and people. He that can finde a passage on the seas, Mille mali species, mille saiutis erant. wants no wayes to deliver and helpe his people.

Vse. And therefore let us never distrust in our God, whose arme cannot be short­ned that he cannot save, who can never be brought to a non plus, never posed in the wayes of deliverance. He is not only able to raise deliverance out of the dust, but out of nothing he can create delive­rances; nay, he can not only out of no­thing, but out of contraries, he can make contraries serve his ends. Even his ene­mies serviceable to the purposes of his mercy and deliverance.

When God hath a purpose to deliver his Church, he can make those things which are in themselves distructive, to be subserviently furthering the delive­rance of his people; he can walk on the [Page 130]sea, he can make a way to his people in trouble, and in that a furtherance to a deliverance, which was in its selfe the greatest hindrance. As the Physitian can order poysonous and distructive ingredi­ents, to physicall and healthfull purpo­ses; so can God make those things for us which are used as engines against us, and make our enemies doe his work with their own hands.

God hath wayes enough, he cannot be brought to the utmost of his thoughts; and therefore when you are at an end in your thoughts: Learn to shut your eyes to things below, and turne your eyes up­ward to him that is above. Say with Ieho­shaphat. We know not what to do, but our eyes they are upon thee, who hath ever an eye to them, whose eyes are fixed upon him, and will in his owne due time work deliverance for them. And that is the next thing.

The time when Christ came to helpe them. In the fourth watch.

[And in the fourth watch of the night Iesus went.]

Where first we must inquire,

1 What is meant by the fourth watch.

2 Why Christ came no sooner to help them.

3 Why he stayed no longer.

1 What is meant by the fourth watch?

For the better understanding of this, you must know that the [...] Rab. Sol. Hebrewes divided their night, which consisted of twelve hours, into three watches, each of them containing foure houres a peece.

[...] principium vi giliarium. The first watch you read of in the 2 Lam. 19. and this was called the begin­ning of the watches.

The second watch you read of in Iudg. 7.19. [...] And this was called the middle watch, &c.

The third watch you read of in the [...] Vigilia matu­tina. 14 Exod. 24. And this was called the mor­ning watch, &c.

Afterwards, when the Jewes came to be under the dominion of the Romans, they left their own custome, and follow­ed the custome of the Romans, Nox in qua­tuor partes dirisa, & vi­giliae a lati­nis, custodiae a Grae. dictae. Bruge. in loc. 1 Contici­nium. 2 In tempestū 3 Gallicinium 4 Ante luca­num. who divided their night which consisted also of 12 houres into 4 watches, every one containing three hours a piece. Soliti sunt veteres no­ctem in qua­tuor vigilias partiri, & sin­gulis tres ho­ras attribuere Chem.

And they were called watches, because they used once in three houres to change their severall watches, and put in new men to watch.

So that this fourth watch was the last warch of the night, Quarta vi­gilia paulu­lum ante­quam aurora illuscescit. Chem. a little before [Page 132]the morning, Ad octo, — plus minusve, horas in ista colluctatione, laborarint. Chem. they had been full eight houres in this tempest, conflicting with their fears and dangers.

Doct. God doth not only exercise his people with troubles, but he doth length­en and continue their troubles also, be­fore he doe deliver them.

And therefore this doth preach pa­tience and Christian fortitude to under­goe pressures and calamities, and to wait with patience Gods time of deliverance, Lament. 3.26. It is good for a man to hope and quietly to wait for the salvati­on of God. But this will fall in the other questions.

2 Why Christ came no sooner to helpe them.

It was for divers reasons, for the tryall and for the exercise of their graces, as al­so for the advancement of his own mer­cy in deliverance. It was the time which he chose for their deliverance.

Doct. God hath a fulnesse of time to accomplish all his purposes, and to per­forme all his promises to his people. God hath a fourth watch.

Gods mercy moveth him to come in bond, and his wisdome pitcheth upon the day of payment. God promised A­braham [Page 133]a childe, but there was a time ap­pointed for the performance of it. He promised to deliver Israel out of Egypt, and to bring them into Canaan, but he had an appointed time for the doing of it: hee promised to set David on the throne, to bring his people out of Baby­lon, to send Christ into the world, but he took a fulnesse of time to accomplish all this in.

God hath a fulnesse of time to accom­plish all his thoughts of mercy to his people: and therefore doth he take time to quicken us to seeke, to prepare us for the mercy, to ripen our enemies for di­struction.

Vse. And therefore this speaks patient waiting upon God. God hath had ever some great promises on foot, upon pur­pose to exercise the graces of his people, their faith, patience, &c.

The great promises which God kept on foot in the Old Testament, was the promise of Christ, which was promised in Adams time, renewed in Abrahams, and every age after; and this he kept on foot to exercise their graces, their faith, their hope, expectation, Heb. 11.13. Luke 2.25.26.

And the great promise he keepes on foot now, is the down-fall of Antichrist; and this to exercise our graces too; our faith to beleeve it, our hope to expect, and patience to wait for it. How many Worthies of whom we may say, as of them in Heb. 11.13. that have dyed in faith, Saw the promise afarre off [...] Osculantes, salutantes complexi fu­issent: ver­bi promissi existentiam notat. and im­braced it: that did something in their dayes to prepare for her ruine, and left the rest to us to accomplish and hasten. It is our worke then to doe our duty and wait upon God for the issue.

1 Wait upon God in deferres, though it tarry, wait for it, Hab. 2.3. Though God do seeme to deferre Non est ju­dicandum de operibus dei ante quintum actum. the accom­plishment of his promise, yet wait up­on God for the performance of it.

2 Wait upon God in seeming deni­als; when all things seem to walke con­trary to the performance of the pro­mise, yet hold up your hearts to beleeve and wait the performance of it.

But 3 especially hang upon God when he seemes to come in and speake the per­formance of promises: slacknesse in du­ty, doth ill befit either the incomes or expectations of mercy.

But so wayt as to doe your duty. There are some promises which God doth bring about by his owne immediate hand. Some which hee will accomplish by meanes. In the former, our wayting doth extend no further than to supplication, and expectation, as you see the promise of Christ, to the performance of which, we could do nothing, it was to be wrought by God onely; and there all our worke was to pray and wait, as they did, 2 Luke 25.36. Where you shall read of Si­meon and Anna, and others who con­tinued in the Temple night and day pray­ing to God, and wayting for the consola­tion of Israel, that was all they could doe, pray and wait. But now in the lat­ter, viz. such promises as God will effect by meanes, here we must not onely pray, and wayt, but use our utmost indeavours to bring about the thing promised.

The great promise which God hath made to us of the downfall of Anti­christ, it is a promise that shall be effe­cted by meanes, 2. Thes. 2.8. and the 17. Rev. 16. It is said, The Kings of the earth shal joyne together, and hate the whore, and make her desolate, and eate her flesh, and burne her with fire, &c. Here meanes is to be used.

And if but three things were done throughly, it would greatly speed his ruine.

First, Cleare preaching, Secondly, Spirituall walking, Thirdly, joynt pray­ing.

1. Cleare preaching: He was borne in the darke, in the darkest times. and he lives in the darke, the darkest places. He is a Brat begotten between the devill and ignorance, the devill the father, and ig­norance the mother, and Idolatry and su­perstition his eldest daughters. Now clear preaching would discover this man of sin, the light of truth would discover the darknesse of errour. This is one way set downe, 2 Thes. 2.8. The Lord shall con­sume him with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy him by the brightnesse of his com­ming.

2. Spirituall and holy walking. All his religion lies in fleshy and carnall de­votion, hee is said ro bee the beast that comes out of the earth, 13. Revel. 21. Indeed the Romish Religion is out of the earth, it is an earthy worship, hath earthly grounds, earthly aymes, earthly ends. All the considerations that feed Popery are out of the earth, from such [Page 137]things as please the sences, and the out­ward man, &c.

Now if we were more spirituall in our worship, more holy in our lives, wee should blast al his painted pomp, it could not stand up under it: for it is not the strength of his cause, but the coldnesse and luke-warmnesse of our hearts which holds him up.

3. Joynt praying. When God de­livered his people from Babilon, hee stir­red up their hearts mightily to seek him. So when he delivers his people from mi­sticall Bahilon. Non tam ferro quam fide & votis. Aug.

I never read that ever God bestowed any extraordinary mercy and deliverance upon his people, but before he bestowed it, he mightily stirred up the hearts of his People to seek him. And I never read that ever God did mightily stirre up the hearts of his people to seek him, but some great mercy and deliverance was com­ming: prayer useth to bee the harbinger of mercy. He doth not say to the seed of Iacob, seek my face in vaine. When trou­ble sends us to prayer, deliverance shall send us to prayses: 45. Is. 29. God will make his people as thankful, as prayerful, as thank­full [Page 138]enjoyers, as earnest seekers.

And so much for the second, why Christ came no sooner: wee come now to the third, why he stayes no longer.

And that may bee because he would not overthrow the graces of his people; God loves to evercise grace, Deus per adversitates suos tentat, sed non dere­linquit. Cart. but hee will not destroy grace.

The Musitian hee will wind up his strings to the height, it makes then the sweetest musick, but hee will not over­wind them, lest he break them: So God loves to exercise the graces of his people, to wind them up to the height, Ubi plus pe­riculi, ibi plus auxilii. Chem. Christus pro­cujusque mo­dulo tentati­onem nuget. Musc. but hee will have a care of destroying their graces. As God hath a fulnesse of time to accomplish al the purposes of his mercy.

D. So Quamvis nusquam se dominus o­stendit, tamen curam illo­rum habet, in tempore oportuno sal­vabit. Jans. in loc. when that fulnesse of time is come, he will make good what ever he hath purposed. You see this in Abraham, in the Children of Israels bondage in E­gypt, hee had a fulnesse of time; but when that fulnesse of time was come, then God delivered them. You read Exo. 12.42. It came to pass at the end of the 430 years, eveu the selfe same day, God brought Israel out of Egypt: the like of Israels de­liverance from Babylon, God took a ful­nesse of time, 70 years were determined [Page 139]to finish transgressions: But when that fulnesse of time was accomplished, God deliuered them. Derelinquit Deus fuos ali­quando ad tempus, sed non usque valde, non omnino, op­portuno tem­pore fert o­pem. Greg.

The like of the promise of Christ, God took a fulnesse of time, and it was a long time between the first promise of Christ, and his comming into the world, but when fulnesse of time was come, then God sent his sonne made of a woman. 4. Gal. 4.

Celerita­tem non no­stro judicio definiendam, sed Dei, qui novit non tantum one­ris gravita­tem, sed quam diu id fera­mus, Cartwr. We are in trouble, and we wonder that God doth not help and deliver us, why but we must wait till the fulnesse of time, stay till the fourth watch.

The time between the promise and the performance of the promise, is cut out for our waiting upon God.

It is our fault, we are too short-brea­thed, we cannot wait: if deliverance come not in our time, wee are ready to give up and faint.

It was the fault of Moses and Aaron, 5. Evod. 22, 23. they were impatient, they could not wait.

It was Davids fault too, when he saw Gods outward proceedings of providence to seeme to walke so opposite to the per­formance of his promise, he breaks out into impatience, All men are lyers.— I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.

And this doth arise from a secret root of pride and unbeliefe: either pride, that we will not submit to Gods wisedome, Gods will, Gods time, Gods meanes, but will propound God away, and limit God to time and means: or else it ariseth from unbelief: as you see it plain in the case of David, his failing in wayting for the per­formance of the promise, did arise from a secret distrust of the truth of the pro­mise, first he sayd, All men are lyars, and then he sayes, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.

And yet it may arise from ignorance too: we are unacquainted with the wayes that God takes for the performance of his Promises. God may walke with his pro­mises, when to sence he seems to walke a­gainst them: as you see in Ioseph, God seemed in all to walke against his Pro­mise; but if you doe examine the story, you shal find in ail this, God walked with his Promise, and Iosephs Prison was the way for Iosephs advancement, the like of David, &c. And the Promise is often­times nearest to fulfilling, when to sence and reason it seemes furthest off. Looke but on she story of Scripture, and you shall see this truth, that when man hath [Page 141]had least hopes, and probabilities that the Promise should bee fulfilled, than hath been the time which God hath taken to accomplish his Promise.

You see in Abraham, there was never more improbobility that the Promise should bee fulfilled, than at that time when it was fulfilled, 4. Romans 18, 19. Sarah's wombe was dead, and Ahraham was old, his body dead too: they had out­lived the strength and hopes of nature, if he had but looked upon himself who was now dead, and upon Sarah, whose womb was dead also, every thought would have given a lye to the Promise, he could not but see an utter impossibility in the course of nature, that ever this Promise should be effected, if hee had consulted with flesh and bloud. And yet you see that then when the Promise seemed most unlikely to bee fulfilled, was the time God chuse for the fulfilling of it. The like of David, of Israel, Daniel, &c.

I will give you one instance more, 14. Zac. 6, 7. At evening time it shall be light: they expected it in the day, that was the most likely, the evening was most improbable, then is nothing but darknes to be expected, but at evening it shall be [Page 142]light, the most improbable time.

But the maine thing that this speakes to us is this: you see here the Disciples had beene in great danger, and they had beene long conflicting with these dan­gers, & were now ready to commit them­selves to the mercy of the Sea, much lon­ger it was not possible for them to hold out. As Job sayes, 6. Iob 12. Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh of Brasse. Certainly they could not much longer endure, they were now ready to give up. And when it was come to the Ad extre­mum [...]. last pinch, even to the utmost, Christ he comes in. Tritum hoc, tum Dei auxilium in­cipit, quando humanum de­finit. Whence this old truth,

Doctr. Mans extremity, is Gods op­portunity.

Neque pre­sentior est usquam Chri­stus, quam cum omni huma, na spe sumus destituti. Zuin. in 6 John It is the observation of Zuinglius upon this place: God is never more pre­sent, than when all humane help seems to be absent. Thou art a present help in trou­ble, sayes the Psalmist.

Quando ad­versitas sum­ma fuerit, tunc sciamus salu­tam adesse proximam. quando ad [...] per ventum est, tum Ceristus salvator adest Chem. 3 Exo. 7, 8. When trouble is at the highest, then is salvation the nearest. The depths of mans misery, cals in for the depths of Gods mercy: when the burthens of Israel were increased, when they cryed under their an­guish, then did God send moses to deliver them. I have seen the afflictions of my [Page 143]people, and have heard their cry by rea­son of their task-masters, for I know their sorrowes: as if he had said, I know they will not cry for nothing; I have heard, and I know, and then it followes, I am come downe to deliver them out of their hands. It is that which was promised in Deut. 32.35, 66. To me belongeth ven­geance and recompence, the foot of your enemy shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, &c. For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himselfe for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up and left.

It is observed in all Ecclesiasticall Hi­stories, then was deliverance the neerest, Quo citius finienda sunt mala eo ma. gis in graves­cunt. Ba [...]. when the persecution of the enemy was the hottest: the Scribes and Phari­sees blasphemed most, when nearest their ruine: the Devill rageth most when his time is shortest: this is that Saint Iohn saith, Rev. 12.12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, for the Devill is come downe with great wrath, Populus dei tunc max­ime affligitur, cum propin­qua est salus. Auget certa­mina quando liberabit. Chris. because his time is but short. The greatest darknesse is said to be before the morning watch, and the greatest troubles before deliverance.

The ancient Tragaedians, when things [Page 144]were brought to that passe, that there could be no possibility of humane helpe imagined they used to bring downe some of their gods out of the clouds: [...]. E­ras. Adag. thence was a phrase they had like to that the Jewes also used when they were brought into great straits beyond all hope of hu­mane helpe. In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seene: which is the same with our English. Mans exrremity, is Gods op­portunity: when the enemies are at the height of their rage and cruelty, when the people of God are brought to the lowest, when the arme of flesh is withered up; when the streame of second causes doth not runne, when the channell of creature reliefes is dry, Ne dubite­mus nos ser­vari, etiamsi Christus ab est aut tar­dius venire nobis videa­tur. Nam in­ [...]rescente for­midine & pe­riculo, ade­rit dominus repente. Zuing. then is the time for God to arise and have mercy upon Sion. But here may be demanded two things.

1 Why God suffers us to be brought into extremities before he help us.

2 Why God doth help us in extremities.

I will be briefe on them, being things frequently pressed, you are able to in­large them in your own thoughts.

1 God suffers us to be brought into ex­tremities before he help us, that his mer­cy might be more conspicuous.

If Christ had helped the Disciples be­fore [Page 145]they had used all meanes to helpe themselves, they might perhaps have thought that their owne industry would have helped; they could by their owne wisdome & strength have relieved them­selves. And therefore Christ staies Deus quos in aeternum diligit, ali­quando ad tempus relin­quit. Greg. in cap. 30. Job. till they were brought to extremities, lets them go to the utmost of their owne in­deavours, that the helpe of God might be more visible to them, Iohn 2.3, 4. Christs hour of helpe, is, when our glasse is out.

2 God suffers it, as to make his mercy conspicuous, so to make his mercy great in their eyes. The great designe that God doth drive, is the advancement of his own glory; and therefore hee suffers us to be brought into troubles, and to extremities in those troubles, that his glory, the glo­ry of his mercy, of his truth, wisdome, might be advanced by men.

3 To quicken us to prayer, necessities do mightily stir up to duties, and makes the soul earnest in it. You see the Church in Hesters time, &c. Hos. 5.50.

4 To inlarge his peoples hearts with Quia ex Dei beneficiis non satis ag­noscimus. il­lius bonita­tem, ideo de­us salutis cau­sa immittere adversa soler. [Page 146]thankfulnesse; things easily got, are as soone forgot, where a mercy in neces­sity will be set up as a living remem­brance of praises, &c.

These, with many others might be na­med, why God doth suffer his people to be brought to extremities before he help.

2 Why God doth helpe us in extremi­ties.

Reas. 1. Because God is ingaged to re­lieve us in straits.

There are foure mercifull ingagements of God, which moves him to relieve us in our straits.

1 because wee are his people he is our God, we are his Spouse, he our husband; we are his children, he our father; we are his members, he our head: what will not a loving father do for his childe, &c. We are his by choice, his by purchase, his by covenant; and there is nothing he doth in the world with more delight, then those things he doth for his people. In­deed there is nothing to ingage him to make us his people before he did make us his people, as Moses saith, Deut. 7.7, 8. He loved us, because he loved us, &c. but there is something to ingage him to doe [Page 147]for us now hee hath made us his people, because we are his people. This is excel­lently set downe in the 2 Samuel 12.21. The Lord will not cast off his people for his great names sake: and why? what is the ingagement? nothing but this; Seeing it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.

2 Because he hath made many preci­ous promises to us. Promises of preser­vation: take that in Isay 33.16. A place speaks fully, He shall dwell on high; out of the reach of all his enemies, nay higher many heights: but is it not possible to reach him? if you did, yet not hurt him, he is in a place of defence, but that is not so strong but we may come to him? yea, his place of defence is the munition of Rocks: yea, but we shall starve him out; there is no plowing and sowing on rocks, but bread shall be given him. Yea, but what shall he doe for water? there is no getting of water out of the rock; but he shall have waters too: but though hee have they will faile: no, his waters shall be sure, never failing waters. And look downe in the twenty one Verse, there another; and Isay 43.3, 4. I gave Egypt for thy [Page 148]ransome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee: the Church of God was in bondage and cap­tivity in Egypt, and he gave Egypt for her ransome: how? That is, because they could not be delivered without the losse of Egypt; God would rather part with the whole land of Egypt, then his peo­ple should not be ransomed, he would sinke the whole land of Egypt if it stood between his people and deliverance. So in the fourth Verse, I will give men for thee, and people for thy life. I will not stick to give the lives of thousands to uphold thine, multitudes shall be destroyed, rather then that thou shouldest not be preserved.

3 A third ingagement is, because his people trust in him.

Trust is a kinde of ingagement upon a man although he had made never a pro­mise. But what is it when it is upon a promise. No man will deceive another that trusts on him; we use to say, I can­not faile him, he trusts upon me: and do you think God will. Assure your selves there was never any who trusted upon God, who devolved his soule on him, but he found God to be that to him that he expected: faith ingageth all the power, wisdome, mercy of God, to releeve you; [Page 149]and if all these can helpe, you shall not want succour in your extremities.

4 A fourth ingagement, because his people seek him. He doth not say to the seed of Iacob, Seek my face in vaine, Isay 45.19. Faith and prayer will remove Mountaines: nothing shall be too hard for that people to doe; whose hearts and spirits he holds up to beleeve and pray. There is a kinde of omnipotency in faith and prayer, because these two set the great God, yea, the greatnesse of the pow­er of the great God to work for us. Lu­ther used to pray, Let our will be done, Fi­at voluntas nostra. I have read of a story of him, that having been in his study ear­nest with God about the businesse of the Church, and having received a gracious answer, he comes downe and cryes, Vi­cimus, Vicimus, We have overcome, the day is ours: and so it fell out, saith the story, the Church prevailed.

Reas. 2. God doth helpe his people in extremities, that both we our selves, and the generations to come might be incou­raged to trust in him.

1. We our selves. We reade this, the fruit of Gods helping Israel in extremi­ty at the red sea, Exod. 14.31. They saw [Page 150]the great work God had done, and they beleeved God. David thus reasons, The God who delivered me from the Lion and Beare, &c. will. Psal. 63.7. Because thou hast been my helper, therefore under the sha­dow of thy wings I will roioyce. I have had experience of thy goodnesse, therefore will I depend on thee: where experience is the promise, assurance may be the conclusi­on. David was a man of many choice ex­periences of Gods goodnesse, and he was choice of them, he laid them up, and made use of them at every need. It is a passage not to be neglected, when he was forced to flye from Saul; comming to Abimelech the Priest, he desired him to lend him a weapon for his defence, hee told him he had none, save only the sword of Goliah, whom he had slaine; There is none to that, saith David, give it mee. 1 Sam, 21.9. This was a Trophie of Gods former goodnesse; it was both an expe­rience and a weapon; in carrying this, he tooke an experience with him, which might comfort him in straits. So 1 Cor. 1.10. &c.

2. That the generations to come might be incouraged to trust in him, Psal. 22.5. Isa. 51.9. Psal. 9.10. Thou hast not forsaken [Page 151]nor thou wilt not forsake them that trust in thee.

Reas. 3. God will helpe his people in extremity for the disappointment and torture of wicked men.

When Haman had prevailed so far as to get a bloody decree against the Church of God, no doubt hee joyed exceedingly, as one that promised to himselfe the ut­ter ruine of them: and he brought it up very high: there was mans extremity. But you see how God crosseth it; and who is able to expresse the vexation and torture of Haman for his disappoint­ment: He goes home, and vexeth him­selfe, he could not eat, nor drinke, nor sleepe, for very vexation that his designe did not take. The like of Achitophel, he hangs himselfe for very pride and mad­nesse. God hath wayes enough to make wicked men to gnash their teeth before they come to hell: and this is one way to bring his people into straits, and put the wicked in a kinde of hope of having their will on the godly: and then relie­ving his people and disappointing them, no man knowes what vexation and tor­ture this is to their spirits.

These, with many other reasons might be named, as because now deliverance will be most welcome, his people most thankfull, helpe most glorious.

Vse. But to conclude this. Let us not be cast downe and too much troubled, though God do bring us into extremities before he helpe us, you see it is Gods time of helpe. When the extremities of a people are above the reliefes of creatures, it is not only our time to seek, but it is Gods time to helpe us: You see it, Psal. 108.12. Give us helpe from trouble, for vaine is the helpe of man.

There are five speciall times when God will helpe his people.

1 When we know not what to doe; when we are brought to the utmost of our thoughts and know not what to doe: Such a strait was Israel in at the red Sea; they knew not what to do; the sea before them, the Egyptians behinde them. But this was the time of Gods help. Deut. 32.35. It is there said concerning the ene­mies of Gods people, Their feet shall slide in due time: but when is that? he shewes in the 36 Verse, when he seeth that his peoples power is gone, &c. when they know not what to do. Such a strait was [Page 153] Iehosaphat in 2 Chronicl. 20.12. Wee have no might against this great multitude that comes against us, neither know we what to doe, but our eyes are upon thee. This was Gods time of help.

Gods time of help is usually when mans time of help is gone. 31. Jerem. 36, 37. There is hope in thy end, when there was in a manner an end of all hope, when they had spent up all their stock of hopes, then doth God say, there is hope in thine end. You read in the 33. Isai. 7, 8, 9. verses, of a strange introduction to mer­cy and deliverance. Behold their valiant ones shall cry without, the Embassadours of peace shall weep bitterly, the high wayes lye waste, and the wayfering man ceaseth,— the earth mourneth and languisheth, Leba­non is ashamed, and hewen downe, Sharon is like a wildernesse. — Here is a sad Preface: what can be expected to fol­low, but as sad a story, Sic consuevit dominus ve­hementiones labores im­mittere, velu­ti indices vi­cinae libera­tionis. Et gra­virsima cer­tamiua sunt certissime nuncia libe­rationis. But God makes the pressures of his People to be Prefaces to his mercy: and therefore it followes, verse 10. Now will I rise, saith the Lord, now will I be exalted; now will I lift up my selfe. Indeed now God should get most glory, and for that end he stayed till now. As you see the like 30. Isa. 17.18.

2. When wee know not what God will doe, when God seems to forget his People, and in his outward Providences to walke contrary to his owne promises. When wee are brought to a stand, and know not what to think, then is there a time for God to step forth.

David when hee was brought to that stand by present providences to him, that hee begins to question, the truth of Gods promises: All men are lyars. He was now wound up to the height, it was time for God to come, lest all break assunder.

A third time when God will helpe: when we are brought to such straits, as

1. Wee must either sinne foully: Or,

2. We must suffer sadly.

In this strait was Daniel and the three Children, either they must sinne foul­ly, or suffer sadly: if they bowed downe to the Image they sinned foully; if not, they were to be cast into the fiery Fur­nace, and so were to suffer sadly. And now was the time that God took to deli­ver them.

4. When the enimies are carryed on with most rage, and promise to them­selves most successe, against the Church [Page 155]and People of God, then is the time for God to step into relieve us, when they are on the highest Pinacle once, then they are nearest their ruine, 14. Is. 13, 14; 15, 16. When men shew themselves ma­licious, then will God shew himself gra­cious. You see this in the 15. Exod. 9, 10. when the enemy said in his heart, I will pursue, J will over-take, I will divide the spoyle, my lust shall be satisfied upon them, I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them: then it followes: Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them, they sunk as lead in the mighty waters.

5. When God doth give and hold up a mighty spirit of prayer in his People to seek him: A cloud of Incense is a pre­sage of a shoure of mercy: 16. chapt. Levit. 13. ver. You see this in the deli­verance of Israel from Babylon: at that time God stirred up a mighty spirit of Prayer in them, 9. Dan. 23, Praecibus nostris Deus saepe se id tribuere te­statur, quod alioqui spon­te & ex pro­missione fac­turus est. Mol. in loc. And this was Promised in the 102 Psalme 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Argumen­tum redemp­tionis a pio­rum conjunc­te votis. Mole­rus. Populi re­stitutionem praecibus, fide­lium adscri­bit Deus. Thou shalt returne, and have mercy upon Sion, for the time to favour her, the set time is come.

But how shall we know that? he tels us in the fourteenth verse, for thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the [Page 158]dust thereof. That is, they mourn, (t) they pray, Tempus miserandi e­jus, &c. hinc. Musc. Tempus sup­plicandi, est tempus mise­rendi, quan­do corda con­trita sunt, tunc tempus miserendi. and it is thy time to help and deliver. As you see in the seventeenth ver. Thou shalt regard the prayer of the desti­tute, and not despise their cry.

As when the Lord hath an intent to de­stroy a People, he doth either expressely charge them not to pray for them, as hee did Ieremiah, 14. Ier. 11. Or hee doth secretly dead, and strayten their hearts, that they cannot Pray. So when he doth stirre up the hearts of his People to seek him, it is an evident demonstration that God will doe great things for a Peo­ple.

Prayer is the Harbinger of mercy; When God purposes to give, he stirres up us to begge: and this begging puts us into a frame for receiving. You read in the third Chap. of Ieremiah, 19. verse, God had promised to doe great things for his People; but at last saith, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land? As if hee had said, I have purposes of mercy to thee, I have thoughts of deliverance, &c. But what way shal I take to bring about this? How shall I doe with thee that I may bring about this purpose? Mark what [Page 159]followes; and I said thou shalt call me me Father: As if he had said, I have now bethought me of a way, I will poure a spirit of Prayer upon thee, thou shalt call me Father, and so I will put thee among my Children, I will give thee a pleasant Land.

Thus much for the 25. Verse Christs addresses to help them: the manner, the time: we shall now come to the 26. Ver. which containes the Disciples apprehen­sion of him.

WEE are now come to the 26. Verse. Hitherto our times have been so unhappy as to suit with this History: and I feare they will carry too great resem­blance with what followes.

Wee will come now from Christs addresses to help them, to the Disciples apprehension of him; they took their Deliverer to be a destroyer.

In which Verse you have,

1. The Disciples discovery of Christ, They saw him.

2. Their thoughts and apprehensions on hjm, It is a spirit.

3. The effect and fruit of these ap­prehensions, How they worked.

1. Ad intra, They were troubled.

2. Ad extra, They cryed out for feare. Here was

• Terrour,
• Clamour.

We begin with the first, The Disci­ples discovery of him:

‘[And when the Disciples saw him.]’

And yet I cannot say, it was the discovery of Christ; it is said they all saw him, but it is not said they saw Christ, they saw him, but they knew not who it was: if so, they could not have beene troubled: As for Christ they knew they left him on the shore, and therefore could not conjecture that it was hee that was now upon the Sea.

Doctr. Christ may bee comming to save his People, and yet they not able to discerne him.

Sometimes mens eyes are blinded with ignorance, and sometimes bleered with Passion. Hagar cryes for water, and yet the Well was neare her; her eyes were so bleered with present Passion, that she could not see the waters, though they were at hand.

So the Disciples were so clouded with [Page 162]present passion of feare, and trouble, that they could not discerne a deliverer, from a destroyer.

Here was their mistake: and that is the second thing.

2. The Disciples thoughts and ap­prehensions of Christ.

• It is a spirit.
• Or,
• It is a ghost.

Spectrum & terricula­mentum ali­quod, quale in nocte ap­parrere solet daemonis illu­sione. Jans. [...] Sy r. interp. visio mendax, visio fallax, il­lusio diaboli­ca terriculum diabolicum. [...] Visio vel res aliqua peram­bulans in te­nebris, homi­nes terrens Chem. It is a ghost; a lying vision, a Diabolicall illusion, &c.

We read in the 20. Iob 8. (x) Of a vision of the night, something walking in the night which terrifies men.

So they looked upon Christ as a ghost, Ad navim evertendam veniens. Chem. which came rather to overwhelme the ship, than to helpe them on the Sea.

And the Mariners they thought these kind of sights did Hujusmo­di visa presen­tis naufragii presagia. Chem. presage their present wrack, Hujusmodi visa, presens exitium portendere na­vigantibus. Brugen. that they did portend imme­diate ruine and destruction.

Dicuntur [...] Etiam [...] in aere, & [...]a quae somniantibus occursant, &c. Artius in loc. It is a spirit, or it is a ghost, &c.

Do. That men may sometimes think their deliverers to be their destroyers. I say they may sometimes look upon those [Page 161]who come to deliver them, as such who come to destroy them.

Christ comes here to help his People. he comes to deliver them, but they think him to bee a ghost, one that comes to de­stroy them.

Thus you see the Israelites looked upon Moses, God sent him to be their de­liverer, but when their taske of brick was doubled, when their burthens were in­creased, Moses then appeares to them as a ghost, as a destroyer, rather than a delive­rer. 5 Ex. 19, 20, 21. Such false apprehensions they had of him. You may read their own expressi­on in the 5. Exodus 19, 20, 21. And the Officers of the Children of Israel did see themselves that they were in an evill case, and they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh; and they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge, because you have made our sa­vour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. Here they looked upon their deliverers, as their destroyers.

How did Non tan­tum Herodes turbatur quan tum diabolus in Herode. Herod and all Ierusalem looke upon Christus non erat per se cuiquam formidabilis sed si fuisset agnitus, sum­me amabilis. Musc. Christ as a ghost as soon as borne? who yet came so to reigne, as not to unthrone any, but the Prince of Quid me­tuis talem re­gem qui sic venit regnare, ut te nolit excludere. Christi nati­vitas spectrum formidabile. Musc. [Page 162]darknesse. Ex ea re quae ad sum­mam consola­tionem insti­tuta erat, sum­mae excitan­tur angustiae. And the Scribes and Pha­rasees, how did they look upon him as a ghost; if we let him alone, all men will be­lieve on him: and what then; why then the Romans will come and take away our place and nation: Christ came to bee their deliverer, but he appears as a ghost, as one that came to Non solum inaniter me­tuamns quae nocere non possunt, sed perverse eti­am horrea­mus ea quae ad salutem fa­ciunt. Musc. in loc. destroy them. And thus men look upon Christ, and the wayes of Christ to this day: if they ad­mit of Christ in his Kingdom, worship, Discipline, oh then this will be the issue, or that will be the sad consequence of it, we shall be all undone; in the seeking of of our spirituall, wee shall hazard, wee shal lose our temporall Priviledges. And thus mens hearts doe act.

A sad thing it is when Christ shall ap­peare as a ghost any way, Christ in his Person, Christ in his Ordinances, Christ in his Lawes; Worship, Government, Amant. im­pii veritatem lucentem, o­derunt verita­tem redar­guentem. Aug. confes. lib. 4. cap. 26. Truth. And thus he doth to wicked men, he is as a ghost to them in his Ordi­nances, they cannot away with him, they flye from them, and cannot endure the faithfull dispensation of them: hee is a ghost to them in his Lawes, and therefore they cry depart from us, wee will have none of his wayes. Evangeli­um Christi­mundo sem­per spectrum fuit, sed incul­pa sunt noc­turnae tene­brae. Musc.

He is a ghost to them in his worship, they cannot brook with, and endure the simple single plainenesse of his govern­ment, &c.

There are three times Christ appears as a ghost to his owne People.

1. In time of humiliation for sinne; when he writes bitter things against us, and makes us to possesse the iniquities of our youth, as Job complaines. Adversa­rium tuum in sinu gestis, & tamen a­micum, Cypr. Now the soule is filled with the sad apprehen­sion of his displeasure, and looks upon God as a severe Judge, his bench set, a Ju­ry impannelled, evidence cleare, and his sword drawne, ready to doe execution on a sinfull soule: It was the speech of one who was in this condition, his conscience opened, and his sinnes set in order before him, and his soule bleeding under the sad apprehensions of a wrathfull displeased God: he said that he never looked up to­wards Heaven, but he thought hee saw e­very Cloud lined with thunder, and rea­dy to doe execution on him for sinne.

It would be endlesse to tell you the ghostly apprehensions that poor soules have had of God, and of all his dealings, even the best of his mercies to them in this condition. Conscience now arming [Page 164]all the faculties against it selfe. Faelix con­scientia in qua luctamen hujusmodi, &c. Bern in vig. nat. dom. Ser. This is the day of Jacobs trouble, but God will deliver them out of it.

Therefore doth he wound thee, that hee might heale thee, kill thee that hee might cure thee; Et si timet a judice, spe­rat a salvtao­re. Bern. 29 Ierem. 11. Cast thee downe, that he might raise thee up; terrifie thee, that hee might comfort thee in his due time. It is sweetly expressed by Christ, It is not the will of your heavenly Fa­ther, that one of these little ones should perish. Ludit sua­vissime, cum nos putamus omnia esse perditissima Luther in loc. I know the thoughts I thinke to thee, they are thoughts of peace, thoughts of good and not of evill, to give thee at the last an unexpected end, answerable to thy expectations: nay an end above all thy expectations. Assure thy selfe God will make thy comforts proportionable to thy con­flicts, thy joyes to thy troubles, thy rai­sing up, to thy casting downe: The same proportion that Gods spirit doth observe in the Law in humbling of thee, believe and wayt for the same proportion, in rai­sing and comforting of thee.

God is skilfull at all diseases, he heals all our infirmities. 103. Psalme 3. But he is most soveraigne at the binding up a broken heart. He hath fitted Christ for [Page 165]this work, It is his charge, 67. Esay, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Isay 61.1. because the Lord hath anointed me to preach glad ty­dings to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted.

A second time, when he appears as a Ghost to the Saints, and that is in times of temptation.

In temptation (saith Luther) we look upon God otherwise then in trueth he is, we doe not think him to be God, In tentationi­bus singimus Deum, alium quam revera est, putamus Deum tunc non esse De­um, sed phan­tasma, hoc est horribile spe­ctrum quod nos velit de­vorare. Luth. in loc. but a Ghost, one who will destroy us, & slay us.

The Devill doth now suggest false no­tions of God to you, he presents you with false Ideas, erroneous apprehensions of GOD, sutable to the darknesse of the condition, and the blacknesse of the tem­per the soule is now in. None know the Non pro­motus sed ex­pertus Doctor est. Luth. [...]. 2 Cor. 2.14. [...] Rev. 2.24. profundi­tates Satanae [...] machinatio­nes. 2. Cor. 3.2.14. methods, Non pro­motus sed ex­pertus Doctor est. Luth. [...]. 2 Cor. 2.14. [...] Rev. 2.24. profundi­tates Satanae [...] machinatio­nes. 2. Cor. 3.2.14. the depths of Sathan, but those who have been in depths, those know the wiles of this prince of darknes, the methods, machinations, devices of undoing souls.

A third time, when he appears as a Ghost to his own people, and that is in times of desertion, when God hath with­drawn himself, and seems to be an enemy to the soul, fighting against it with all his terrours, as Job complaines. And [Page 166] Heman at large, 88. Psal. 7.15.16. Verses. Psal. 77.3. Nay thus David looked upon him in the 77. Psal. where you read him in a deserted condition, and professing in the 3. Verse, that when he remembred God he was troubled; A strange Expression! the thought of whom did erst-while fill his heart with a confluence of comfort, far above all created Comforts, that now thoughts of God should be a terrour, a trouble to him. And why was he now troubled at the remembrance of God, but because he had false apprehensions, Deum in­spectum trans­formant & tunc timent. Musc. in loc. he had erroneous conceits of God now, ei­ther Sathan doth present him falsly to him, as he doth in these conditions; he represents God in a terrible manner to the soul, or else he looked upon him with a disturbed eye, Sathan hath disturbed the eye, he hath raised up corruption, and that cannot look upon him, but be disturbed. As those who have the Jaun­disse, all they look upon is yellow.

Or if the Organ whereby we should see God be not disturbed, yet the medium whereby he is represented, is a false me­dium, and that presents things like to it self, as if a man look through a red glasse, all he beholds is red.

And therefore it is well said of Luther on this place, Quando in Augustiis su­mus, non est Credendum nostris cogi­tationibus de Deo. Luth. in loc.) when we are in troubles, we are not to give credit to our owne thoughts and apprehensions of God, we are not to look upon God as our distur­bed imaginations doe represent him, but as he is represented in his Word.

We see Reason doth correct sense; if we put a straight stick into the Water, sence will give it to be crooked, the eye doth represent it crooked, but now reason corrects it, and concluds it straight, and if reason correct sense, why should not Faith correct Reason?

It will be your wisedome in these con­ditions, when sense and reason give in false apprehensions of God, To shut the eyes of sense, and look upon God only by Faith, not to think on God, as you for the present see him, and apprehend him, but as he hath revealed himself in his Word.

And though you are not able at present to evidence him such a God to you, as he hath manifested himself in his Word, yet by faith conclude him so, when you can­not cleer him so. Thus Job did; so Job. 13. These things hast thou hid in thy heart, Job 10.13. yet J know that this is with thee, though I [Page 168] cannot see it; yet I doe beleeve it, though I cannot cleer it, yet I doe conclude it. And thus the Church, 36. Esay, 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father; Isa. 63.16. She will not be rea­soned out of her faith, she will hold the conclusion of faith against all the evi­dence that sense and reason can bring to the contrary: This is with Ulysses, to bind our selves fast to the mast, and not suffer our selves to be charmed away, to the de­struction and undoing of our own souls.

And these are the three times that Christ seems to appear as a Ghost to his own people.

Now there are foure times Christ ap­pears as a Ghost to wicked men.

1. When he comes with his Fan in his hand, to purge and reform his Church; men look upon Reformation as their de­struction, And think Christ comes to destroy them, when he comes to reforme them, men may sometimes look upon that as the greatest evill, which yet is in­tended for their greatest good. It is the Speech of Augustine upon this place, That there shall be such troubles shall a­rise about the fourth watch, a little be­iore the end of all things, that men shall look upon Religion, shall I say, because [Page 169]of the troubles that it raises, when it comes to be setled in its Power and Glo­ry, Res Chri­stiana phan­tasma videtur. they shall look upon Religion as a Ghost: Not because Religion will hurt them, but hurt their sins.

How justly may that be applyed to us now, which was spoken of Israel, When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Israel did appeare. So it is with us, when the Lord would heale us, and reforme us, then doth the iniquity of men, the malice, the pride, the hatred of the purity of Or­dinances, then doe all these [...]ppeare. What is the ground of all this trouble a­mong us now? why are so many up in Arms, Vitia nostra quia amamus, defendimus. but to keep out Christ, in the Power and purity of his Ordinances. Reformation is now the Ghost, that hath frighted them into Arms, men that are afraid, they run unto their weapons; so they, frighted with the Ghost of Refor­mation, get up weapons, put themselves in armes to oppose it. So long as Refor­mation is looked upon as an enemy, it shall finde enemies enow, though in­deed it is an enemy to nothing but their sinnes.

A second time when he appeares as a Ghost to them Haec in est nobis perver­sitas, ut quae vere mala sunt non timea­mus, & ea quae nocere ne possunt formidemus. Musc. in loc. when he comes to re­form [Page 170]their Persons, then they cannot a­way withall, they fear holinesse, love sin, that which should be object of hatred, is object of love, and that which should be object of love, is object of feare, they can­not brook holy wayes, they will not sub­ject to the Lawes of God, they cannot part with their sins, take away their sins, & take away their best friends, they have been wicked, and will be wicked. They thank God, they are no Changlings, In­deed not to change in a good way is com­mendable, but to be unchangeable in a bad way, is damnable. To be unchangably evill, is to be as Divells are, for ever sin­full, and for ever miserable. First cleer your way to be good, and then glory in our unchangeablenesse.

A third time, when Christ appears as a ghost to them, and that is, when they lie upon the bed of sicknesse, the bed of death, Oh then Christ is terrible, when a man shall lye upon his death bed, Vadeo nes­cio quo, ens entium mise­rere mei. Animula va­gula biandula quae nunc Abibis in loca. de Adriau. dicitur. and connot tell what shall become of his soul to all eternity; when a man shall say, as once a great person did in the same condition. I cannot live, I dare not dye, he knows not what shall become of him to all eternity, when he shall behold his [Page 171]friends weeping over him, but cannot helpe him, his relations and comforts lea­ving him, his riches not able to relieve him, his sinnes presented and set in order before him, and a displeased and wrath­full God ready to destroy him. Oh here God appeares as a Ghost indeed. You made bug-beares, There shal come in the last dayes scoffers, [...]. Such as shall make childrens play of all the terrors of the Lord, 2 Pet. 3 3. childrens play, and scoffed at all the terrors of the Lord be­fore, but now they appeare reallities to you. The precepts of the Law were a ghost to you in your life, and the terrors of the Law are now a ghost to you at death: the comforts of the Lord were a ghost to you before, and just it is, the terrors of the Lord should be a ghost to you now.

4 A fourth time, and that is at the day of judgement, when Heaven and Earth and all the world is on fire; then shall Christ appeare as a Ghost indeed full of terror to every wicked and ungodly per­son. We reade, that the wicked at that day, 6 Rev. 16.17. shall call upon the mountaines to fall upon them, to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, for the day of wrath is come, and who shall be able to beare it? In their thoughts, they were better able to [Page 172]beare the weight of Rocks, of Mountains on them, then the sight of Christ: so ter­rible will Christ appeare to ungodly men at that great day.

Vse. Oh then, knowing the terror of the Lord, we perswade you; Christians! as you would not have Christ to appeare as a Ghost to you, terrible at the day of death, terrible at the day of judgement: let him not appeare as a Ghost to you now. Optima se­curitas [...]. Let him not appeare terrible to you in his word, in his worship, in his lawes, in his truth. If Christ be a terror to you now in these wayes, assure your selves he will be a terror to you hereaf­ter. Be willing then to receive Christ in his truth, in his worship, wayes, &c. Bid him welcome in your houses, your hearts: if Christ be not a terror to you now, if you can brook with strict and ex­act walking, if you can brook the power and purity of his ordinances, he will ne­ver be a terror to you hereafter.

This is all I shall say of the second: the Disciples thoughts and apprehensions of Christ.

We come to the third; and that is the effects of these apprehensions.

Which were two fold. [Page 173]

• 1 Ad intra. They were troubled.
• 2 Ad extra. They cryed out for feare.

We begin with the first, The effect of this apprehension in themselves.

‘[They were troubled.]’

But this was farre from Christs end, he came to helpe them, and not to terri­fie them, to relieve them, not to disquiet them; how came it to pass that they were troubled? Certainly they were not af­fraid of deliverance, that was that which they desired; but they were terrified at the manner of Christs comming to deli­ver them.

Doct. Christ may come to helpe his people in such a way, as yet the very means of helpe may be a terror to them. I say, Christ may come in such a way to deliver his people, as yet the appearance of Christ may be a terror to them. It is the speech of one upon this, Adest Chri­stus ut eos ju­vet, & t [...]men ipsi horrent venientem. Christ is comming here to helpe them, and yet they feare his approach.

Thus it was with the children of Isra­el in Egypt, Moses came to helpe them, and yet they were afraid of his comming, they saw things went worse with them then before, and therefore they desired him to be gone and let them alone; they [Page 174]would rather continue in their former bondage, then indure the pains of a deli­verance, Exod. 5.21.

God delivered Paul and Silas out of prison, but it was by an earthquake: a terrible way. So God doth sometimes come to deliver his Church, but yet by earthquakes, by land-quakes, by great commotions, as is prophesied, Rev. 11.13. and thought to be now in fulfilling.

This is a terrible way, though a way of deliverance.

We reade in Ioel 2.21. Fear not O land, bee glad and rejoyce, for the Lord will doe great things for you. It was a time of joy in respect of the deliverance God purpo­sed to work for them, but yet a time of feare, in respect of the manner and way which God might take to deliver them.

You have an excellent Scripture for this, Psal. 65.5. By terrtble things in righ­teousnesse wilt thou answer us, oh God of our salvation, who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth.

The Saints had been praying, and here they had some answer in their spirits, an assured confidence that God would an­swer them, yea, and answer them in righ­teousnesse, but yet by terrible things. By [Page 175]terrible things in righteousnesse wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation.

If you looke into the word, you shall finde the wayes of Gods deliverance of his Churches, have yet for the most part beene terrible wayes. Israel was deli­vered from their bondage in Egypt, but yet the way was terrible, the enemies pur­sued them, & they were to passe through the sea for their deliverance.

Daniel was delivered out of the hands of his enemies, but the way was terrible, he must be given into the pawes of hun­gry Lions, to be delivered from the hands of cruell men.

The Three Children were delivered, but the way was terrible, by fire, from fire.

Jonah was delivered, but the way was terrible, by a Whale which swallowed him up; his devourer, is his deliverer.

When Christ shall come to deliver his Church at the end of all things, you read how terrible the way is; Luke 21.25, &c. There shall be signes in the Sunne, and in the Moone, and in the Starres, and upon the Earth distresse of Nations; the Sea and waters roaring, mens hearts failing them for feare, and for looking after the things that shall come upon the Earth, for the pow­ers [Page 176]of heaven shall be shaken. A very terri­ble way; yet the way of deliverance, as followes: And when you see these things to come to passe, then lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. Here was deliverance you see to the godly, but yet the way of deliverance was a terrible way.

So that you see the Doctrine is plaine. Christ may come to helpe his people in such a way, that the very meanes of helpe may be a terror to them.

Vse. I shall make the application which one doth upon this place. Non de­spondeamus animum, ta­metsi quae no­bis auxilio fore promit­titur, quan­do (que) speciem quandam in­teritus affe­rant, &c. Cartw. in loc. Let us not be discouraged, or too much cast downe; though those things which are used for our deliverance, may carry the face of destruction with them. Who will reject a Potion because it is bitter, an Antidote, because there is poyson in it. As Physitians can order poysonous and distructive ingredients, to physicall and usefull purposes; so God can make those things, which in themselves are e­vill, for the good of his people.

The man-childe of deliverance is not brought forth without pangs: ill hu­mours long in growing, are not removed without paine. Sometimes the fiering of [Page 177]the prison, hath been a deliverance of the prisoner. A blow with a sword hath bro­ken an Impostume in the head. Those things which in themselves seeme hurt­full and distructive, God is able to use them as helpefull, and turne them to our comfort.

And therefore wee are not to bee too much cast downe. God would have us to see deliverance even through destructi­on, and comfort through confusion. God doth often put his people to suck honey out of the Rock, and oile out of the flinty Rock, Dout. 32.13. Gloria habi­tat in rupibus Ciem. Alex. Glory dwels in the Rocks, and deliverance in difficulties. And therefore let not your spirits sinke under the sad appearance of things.

But yet we have great cause to be hum­bled: though you are not to be cast down to desperation, yet are wee to be cast downe to humiliation: that God must take such sad wayes to do us good, that God should work us good by such terri­ble means, wee have cause to bee hum­bled.

Had it not beene for our sinnes, the de­liverance of his Church might have been brought about in a more comfortable way, reformation might have been setled [Page 178]in a peaceable way, without blood. But our sins have caused God to lay the foun­dation of Englands future good, in Eng­lands present misery.

And therefore we have cause to be hum­bled for it this day. We hope God is tra­velling in the greatest of his strength, to deliver his poore bleeding and languish­ing Church. But the way is terrible to flesh and blood. For this let us be hum­bled.

But yet, though the meanes of salvati­on and deliverance be so terrible, let us take heed that salvation it selfe become not a terror to us, though the physick be terrible, let health be desirable: though the way God takes to reforme us be ter­rible, yet let not reformation it selfe be­come a terror to us.

And so much for that doctrine, and for this time.

I Shall not carry you back to to the review of what I have spoken, Vnto all that I have said, Give me leave to adde this more. It calls in for as good a share of our paines, and of your attention, as any thing which hath yet been delivered —

‘[They were troubled.]’

Quid hoe est Domine? venis ut metus tol­las; & illis oc­casionem prae­bes, qua vehc­mentius ti­ment! Baez. What is this LORD? Thou com­mest to take away their feares; and gi­vest occasion of more fear! Timent Apo­stoli, &, ut sol­vat timorem vehementius auget. Baez. The Apo­stles feared; and that he might deliver them from fear, he augments their fear. was it not terror enough to be in the midds of the Sea; tossed with waves, the winde contrary; and in the darke of the night? But that CHRIST should adde fear to fear? It speakes thus much.

Quanda ur­gentia mala expulsurus sit tum graviora & teribiliora inducat. Chry­sost. Doct. GOD doth oftentimes en­crease [Page 180]our troubles, when he comes to re­move our troubles.

The Phifitian doth often cast his Pati­ent into a Fever to cure a Lethargy: He makes him a Little Sick, for his Greater Health. Wee often make the Patient more sick for the present, to Cure him of his sicknesse. The Chirurgion doth Cut and Lance, which is increasing of the pain for the present: But yet it is for the removing of the Paine for the future: Plagam sa­naturus, ali­am graviorem priori infliget. Cartwr. So God doth usually Increase the trou­bles of his People, When he comes to Remove the troubles of his People.

You see this in the Israelites: GOD had taken notice of the afflictions of his People in Egypt; and he came down to remove them; and for this end, he sent Moses and Aaron to deliver them. But if you observe the story, you shall finde, That their troubles were far more encrea­sed, before God did Deliver them. Their Bondage was made more heavy: The Task of Brick was Doubled: Insomuch that they were rather content to be in their former slavery, then to endure the paines of a Deliuerance. And therefore the quarrell with Moses and Aaron: Exod. 5.19, 20, 2 [...]. they grow weary of their Deliverers: any of [Page 181]their deliverance too; and desired rather to be as they were, even in their former bondage, then to be at the pains and costs of a Deliverance.

A story which runs parallell with our Times, and (which is worse) our Spi­rits too: Which of us, with them, doe not look upon the Beginnings of our De­liverance (because of the paines and costs of it) to be as bad as the Bottome of our sufferings? And doe not many of us, wish, There never had been a Parlia­ment? doe we not wish; That they had never sought to Deliver us? Are we not weary of our Deliverers? Nay, are wee not weary of our Deliverance? Rather content to be As we were, nay worse; then to endure the Paines, to be at the Costs, to run the hazard of a Deliverance? Thus God increaseth our Troubles, Signum est in propinquo a­desle consola­tionem a Do­mino, si quan­do tentatio ad supremum us­que crevisse deprehendi­tur. Muse. when yet he comes to Remove our Troubles.

Thus you see in Iacob; God inten­ded to Deliver him; and yet you see, be­fore God did deliver him, hee Increased both in his Fears and his Dangers; as you may see in the Story both of Lahan and Esau. Gen. 25, 26. Lahan followed him, and would be avenged on him, for taking away his gods. Gen. 32.6, 7.8. And Esau, he came out against [Page 182]him, for to be revenged for the taking a­way his Birth-wright. An Hard Father, And a Cruell Brother! And God was in the way now of Iacobs Deliverance.

So you see in David. God had a Pur­pose to Deliver him, as he had promised: But yet you i Sam. 23.26, 27, 28. 1 Sam. 24.3, 4 1 Sam. 26.2, 3. see how God did Increase his Troubles, before he did deliver him; Insomuch that he saith, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul. 1. Sam. 27.1. To such a height were his troubles ray­sed, that now they had overswelled his Faith, and in regard of the strange procee­dings of Gods Providence to him, he be­gins to doubt of the truth of the promi­ses made to him. I shall one day perish,— I cannot ever hold out, I have escaped this time miraculously out of his hands, as you see in the former Chapter, 1 Sam. 26. But I shall one day be a prey to his cruelty, certainly I cannot ever hold out, I shall one day perish — To this height did God raise histroubles, before he de­livered him.

So Iob. God intended to Deliver him. But yet you see, Quo magis sa­lus appropin­quit, eo magis acuit dolores. Baez. The neerer he grew to Deliverance out of Trouble, the more was his Trouble increased on him.

And if you should aske me, Why [Page 183]God doth increase our Troubles, when he comes to Remove our Troubles; I would tell you: God doth it to make the Increase of our Troubles.

1. The discovery of our hearts. So you see in the Eighth of Deutr. 16.17. where Moses tells them the reason, why God led them Fourty yeers through the Wildernesse: It was Timorem auget ut nostram fidem probaret, & suam vertu­tem declarat. To try them, and to Prove them, and Discover what was in their hearts. Not but that God knew it: But God would have them to know it. And this was one reason here, why he did send his Disciples to Sea, and suffered them to be tossed, To discover their Spirit, their Faith, their feare, their Patience, their Impatience, &c.

Hence Troubles and Afflictions are called Gods Fanne, that will discover Wheat from Chaffe; and Gods Fining Pot, and Fire, that will distinguish be­tween drosse and Gold, Gods Touch-stone, that will discover Counterfeit and True Coyne.

Wee had never known Abrahams Faith and Love; Davids Piety; Jobs Patience; Pauls Courage and Constan­cy; If they had not been brought upon exercises. Nor should wee so well di­scerne [Page 184]either our sinnes or our graces, our strength, or our weaknesse, if God did not exercise us with troubles and difficul­ties.

If Gods children should ever lye in Garrison, neither their strength, nor their weaknesse; their sins, nor their gra­ces would be known. And therefore God doth bring them out into the field, doth exercise them with many difficulties and troubles, that so they might be discove­red both to themselves, and to others. Hence you read in 1 Pet. 1.7. You are in heavinesse, through many temptations, that the triall of your faith might be found to the glory of God.

And it was upon this ground, GOD brought Iob into so many difficulties, that his Faith and Patience might be discove­red, and Satan for ever confuted and con­founded. You know it wes the Devills argument concerning Job, (and it was true in the mayne) God said, that Job was an holy and patient man. Why but (saith Satan) what thanks is there to him for that? he must needs be patient, who hath nothing to disturbe his patience, or pro­voke impatience.

And the Argument was true in the [Page 185]main, when all things which are fewll for patience are enjoyed, when a man hath what his heart can wish: what tryall of Patience?

Therefore doth God bring Iob into the Field, exercise him with an hard Battell; wherein hee had not onely to deale with Satan, but his friends too, as enemies. Nay God himselfe seemes also to joyn with Satan; not only by withdrawing of him­selfe from him, but by possitive inflicting of displeasure upon his spirit. Thou figh­test against mee with all thy terrours, and o­verwhelmest me with all thy waves. Iob 13.

And all this while God increased his troubles to discover his heart.

When God brings judgements and calamities on a nation, he is said to sift a nation, Amos. 9.9. Troubles are Gods sieve. The greater the troubles, the smal­ler and finer is Gods sieve: smal troubles, they are but a course sieve; they will not bee able to discover the flower from the bran; much bran, notwithstanding this sifting will passe through. Orpha may goe farre with Ruth, but will not goe throughout. The Scribe came to Christ, and would have gone farre, if you will be­lieve him upon his solemne protestations, [Page 186] Master, 8. Matth. 19, 20, 21. I will follow thee withersoever thou goest: but when he heard it was a matter of paines and hardship, he must bee con­tent to lye with Christ in the fields,— The Foxes have holes, and the Fowles of the ayre have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head, then hee returnes home to his warme bed, Quid fine domo si non sine domino sine lecto, & non sine Chri­sto fulgens. rather con­tenting himselfe to have his bed without Christ, than Christ without a bed.

And as big professions the young man made also: 19 Matth. 16. he would follow him too, but when it came to the discovery, that it was a matter of cost to follow Christ, he was to goe sell all and give to the poore, then he leaves him, though sorrowing. While Peace and Plenty, Religion and injoy­ments go hand in hand together; so long many will be religious: but if once god­linesse comes to bee a matter of cost, if once Religion and riches shake hands and must part,; if the world goe one way, & Christ another, then with the young man they leave him, and follow that Ma­ster they love better.

The Stony ground went far too; 13. Matt. 20, 21. It re­ceived the seed aswel as the best; It sprang up, promised as much as the best. But the Sun scortcheth; in the times of persecu­tion, [Page 187]when troubles and persecutions arise because of the Word: by and by he is offended.

Many that are good, for want of temp­tation, like the Weather-Cock, they stand this way, for want of a stronger wind. It is a strange thing to see upon what slight and easie grounds many doe adhere, and more doe fall off from the cause of God.

Some there are that adhere to it as the Beare-bind to the Wheat, Hic est nos vulgi quod magno ex par te religionem ventris causa, & emolumen­ti colit hoc corruptum vulgi ingeni­um notat Pro­pheta. Chem. 2 Micac. 11. or as the Ivie to the tree, not because they love it, but because it nourisheth them, they can suck leaves and berries from it: these hold to it for matter of gaine: others againe, be­cause it is matter of cost, therefore they fall off from it; the more costly things, the lesss lovely.

Some againe that hold to it out of private and personal ingagements, Quicunque occupati sunt negotiis rei­publicae, de­bent hoc ipsum facere propter De­um. Rab. Ga [...] friend­ship, love, relations; and others upon the same ground, or else upon some personal grudges to some that appear in it, fall off from it: what dis-service we have had by such private spirits wee all know to our cost.—

It was the behaviour of Themistocles and Aristides, when ever they were im­ployed [Page 188]in the publike service of the state, they left all their private enmities in the borders of their owne Countrey, and did not resume them, till they returned and became private men: It had been well for us, if the publike affections to the cause, (in those who have appeared in it) might have swallowed up all personall, and pri­vate grudges and discontents.—

Thus you see the many slender grounds and ends that weak and deceitfull spirits have, and doe propound to themselves in their adhering to, and falling off from the cause of God: pitty it were that Re­ligion, so precious a thing, should have such assertors! to whose defence I know nothing so meane, but is too good to bee intrusted. Woe bee to us if Religion stands in need of such defenders.—

Men whose Morives are from without, are like unto clocks, carried about with waights, & have no principle of motion within & therefore Nullum vio­lentum est perpetuum, Simulata non diu durant. can never hold long to any cause: he that will serve God for outward respects, may be drawne to serve the Devill for the same, if hee may mend his wages: hee is unfit for a souldier of Christ who hath an eve to things visible, 11 Heb. 27. but wants an eye to see him that is invi­sible, 11. Heb. 27.

That which inabled the Apostles to goe through all those difficulties as true souldiers of Christ, which you may read at large in the 2 Cor. 4, 8, 9. &c. 2 Cor. 4.8, 9, 10.17.18. It was this, they looked not at the things that were seene, but to those things which are Eternita [...] pingo, better aeternitate pugno. not seen, verse 18. Christians, these times will uncase you; they will disco­ver the bottome of your hearts: they will not make them that are good bad, but onely discover mens badnesse. It is true what one saith, A hypocrite is but an Apo­state vayled; and an Apostate is but an hy­pocrite revealed. Had wee not had these times of tryall, wee had not had so many hearts discovered; As the Apostle saith, [...] Tim. 5.2 [...]. Some mens sinnes goe before them to judge­ment, some follow after: So here, though many had been discovered, yet some men had passed this life for Saints; whereas, now their sins goe before them, to judge­ment; their hearts are layd open, be­fore those bookes are opened. How many that in former times would have said, Come see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts, with Iehu, who would have sided against the corruptions of the times, who now with Iehu, doe march furiously against the Reformation of them? And as it was [Page 190]said of the Spaniards of Aldens Compa­ny in Germany: they fired the Castle of Lippa, which before they pretended to defend. So now they set themselves a­gainst that, which before they pretended to advance. Ficta Cito ad naturam redierint su­am. Luke 2.34, 35 And therefore to discover the bottome of mens hearts, and spirits, as it was said of Christ, Luke 2.34, 35. That he was set up for the fall and rising of many in Israel, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. So it may be said of our present troubles.— And we have seene enough, Treacheries and Apostasies enough, falenes enough. Oh! that God would now stablish the hearts of those, whose hands have undertaken the worke! that he would sift us no longer, but now make us up in one Loafe: At least thus far, To be of one undivided spirit for the publike good! And this is the first reason.

God doth often increase our troubles, when hee comes to remove our troubles; to discouver our hearts; that the thoughts of many hearts might bee revealed: that, as the Apostle sayes of Heresies, 1 Cor. 11.18, 19. 1 Cor. 11.18, 19. I heare there are devisions among you, Schismes, Sects; and I partly believe it: For saith he, There must be Heresies a­mong you, that they that are approved might [Page 191]be made manifest among you. That is, that those who are sound, whose hearts are up­right might be discovered: What the A­postle says of Heresies, I may say of these troubles: There must be troubles among you, and necessary that these troubles should be increased, that they who are ap­proved might bee made manifest. That the drosse might bee knowne from the gold. the counterfeit from the true, the corrupt from the sincere, the Chast from the Corne, the precious from the vile, the Tares from the Wheat.

Which though it be not yet fully ma­nifested; yet I feare God will heighten our troubles, and increase our difficulties, till hee hath made further discoveries. Our desire is rather, that God would use naturall Spirits for Spirituall purposes; stablish them we have, than to lessen the number of them. However, it shall bee my admonition to you all, which Christ gave the Churches in that day, when they are to fight the great battell against An­tichrist: (which some think hath beene begun these many yeares in Germany, and now in Ireland, whatever it is in Eng­land. You shall find it in Rev. 16.15. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his [Page 192]garments clean, lest he walke naked, and they they see his shame.

You have (many of you) had a good esteeme in your places; you have run well, as the Apostle saith; Gal. 5.7. you have been such as have sometimes appeared for God; you have had a gatment of Profession; frequented Sermons; holy exercises; given in some testimony against the corrupti­ons of the times formerly. Why this is my admonition; Keep fast your garments, lose not the things you have wrought, 2 Ep. Joh. 8. lose not that esteem you have had, keep fast your gar­ments, lest you walk naked, and your shame be discovered. That is, lest all your former professions be discovered nothing else but hypocrisie, lest all your former esteeme be lost, your nakednesse and your shame, the unsoundnesse and rottennesse of your hearts be discovered. And so much for the first reason. I have been too large.—

2. Reason. God doth increase our troubles, when he comes to remove our troubles; to make the increase of our troubles, the lessening of our sinnes. God doth bring Troubles on us, and by them doth lessen our estates, our treasure, our comforts, it may be our relations: And all this, that he might lessen our sinnes. [Page 193]He troubles us for sinne, because wee troubled him by sinne. He makes us bear a little for sinne, because we make him to bear much: He complaines under them, that he is pressed as a Cart is pressed with sheaves. 2 Amos 13.

Christ hath shed his bloud for sinne, and he desires not our bloud for satisfa­ction, hee would rather have our teares than our bloud. But because we will not give him teares, therefore hee requires bloud. Because we will not be humbled and reformed, therefore he threatens to humble us, to destroy us. Doth God af­flict us, it is because we have sinned: Doth God increase our troubles? it is because we have increased our sinnes: And if you would have God to remove them, you must lessen your sinnes. Are your trou­bles grievous? let your sins bee grievous. Would you have God to ease you? doe you ease him. There is no reason you should expect, God shall ease you, when you burthen him every day. Would you not have God to put more Cords into your whip, more Twigs into your Rod? would you not have God to increase your troubles? doe you lessen your sins, lessen your pride; let some plume fall off, or [Page 194]God will humble you, lessen your cove­tousnesse, or God will lessen your store: Lessen your drunkennesse, or God will pull the cup from your nose, and make you thirst for a drop: Lessen your abuse of creatures, or God will destroy the creatures. 2 Hos. 8. Hee will call for the corn, wine, and oyle, in the day thereof. Hos. 2.8. Lessen your Blasphemies, prophanation of the Sabbath: Let it never be said of us, as of that wicked Ahaz, that in the time of his affliction he yet trespassed more against the Lord, 2 Chron. 28.22. 2 Chr. 22.22. He is marked in that Chapter, and with this brand, This is that wicked Ahaz; Plectimur a Deo, nec flec­timur tamen, corripimur fed non cor­rigimur. Sal­vian. as if God would note him our for the vilest wretch in the world, who would grow worse by corre­ctions, who would sinne under all Gods lashings.

It is good when God humbles us, to humble our selves: Erudiri cupio flagellis non erui. Bern. in Cant. 33. when God lessens our Comforts, that wee should lessen our pride.

I will say thus much to you: God will make the increase of your trouble to be serviceable to the increase of your Deliverances; if you make the increase of your troubles to serve for the lessening of your sins.

3. Reason. God doth increase our troubles, when he comes to remove them, that we might increase our duties.

The louder God speakes to us, the lou­der should we speake to God. Ordina­ry duties will not serve for extraordinary times. When God doubles his strokes, we should double our strength to wrestle with God; when he multiplies troubles, wee should multiply prayers. The greater out straites, the greater, should be our inlargements. The greater our Difficulties, the more earnest and fervent our Prayers. Christians, ordi­nary Prayers will not serve for extraor­dinary pressures. Our present trou­bles are Gods Spurs and Goads in our sides to quicken our pace in our way to Heaven. God drives us from our homes to drive us from our sinnes: God fires us out of our houses, that hee might fire us out of our Formalities. Hee threa­tens to lay our outward condition low, that hee might raise our Spirits high, Difficulties should much quicken us to duties: God saith so, Hos. 5. ult. In the time of their affliction they will seek me ear­ly. i.e. Diligently. 5 Hos. ult. Then will they wre­stle with God in prayer. You reade, when [Page 196] Iacobs troubles were increased, Gen. 32.24. he went to Prayer: he first wrestled with God, be­fore he went to encounter with his Bro­ther; not doubting, but if he could over­come God, he should overcome his bro­ther. When Hezekiahs troubles were in­creased, then were his prayers also. The like of David, 2 Kings 19.14 Hester, &c. and should be so with us. The troubles below should send us to seek for comfort above. Diffi­culties are to grace as Bellowes to the fire, to intend it and make it burne more vehemently. It is said of Christ him­selfe, That being in an Agony he prayed more [...]. Ardentius o­rabat extensi­us, intensius orabat. Luke 22.44. fervently: not that he did not pray fervently at all times; not that there could be any coldnes in that breast, where heaven burnt so hotly: But he ex­prest himselfe with more fervency: or the expressions of Christ were according to the present condition he was then in. And so it teacheth us when we are in A­gonies, (as now we are) even in an Ago­ny of blood, not wrestling with the wrath of God indeed, but with the wrath of men, the powers of darknesse Qua fronte te audiria deo postulas, cum te ipse non audias? Cypr. de orat. dom.:) Then should we pray with all fervency; yea, Vult Deus rogari vult cogi, vult quadam im­portunitate vinci, bona haec violentia est qua Deus non offendi­tur, sed pla­catur. Greg. in Psal. 6. Poeni. and wrestle with God by faith and promises, Esay 27.5. by his own might, [Page 197]and joyne teares with prayers, humilia­tion with supplication. Therefore doth God increase our troubles, that we might increase our duties; both the number, and the weight of them, the length and the strength of them. Mighty necessities call in for mighty wrestlings: ingage that God who is stronger then the strongest, wiser then the wisest: interest that Christ, who can both over-plot and over­power all his adversaries; who is fuller of mercy, then they can be of wrath a­gainst us—

Reas. 4. God doth increase our trou­bles, when hee comes to remove them, that he might increase our deliverances. So much as comes into a trouble to in­crease that, so much shall come into a deliverance to heighten that. The same proportion God observeth in difficulties, the same he also observes in deliverances. God will make the rises of his people proportionable to their castings down: where he layes the foundation low, there he intends a proportionable structure of mercy, to raise the building high. They who sow in teares, shall reape in joy; & their harvest shall be as glorious as their seed time hath been uncomfortable.

You see the difficulties of the Chil­dren of Israel, (which were so much in­larged in Egypt, and at the Red-sea) did all come into the inlargement of their deliverance. If the strait had not been so great, the inlargement had not beene so glorious: if the trouble had not been so sad, the deliverance had not been so joy­full. Reade the story, and you shall finde that those things which were additions to their troubles, were also made additi­ons to their deliverance. By this meanes they had a fuller and compleater delive­rance, as I have shewed before. —

When so many potent nations joyned together against Iehosaphat, it did much increase the difficulty: when so many po­tent Kings united all their strength and power together. But yet looke, and you shall finde this also increased their deli­verance. By that meanes they were deli­vered of all their enemies at once, they strook them off at one blow, as you reade 2 Chr. 20.1, 2, 3.22, 23, 24, &c. If God had ruin'd them in the rise, broken in pieces their counsels, &c. neither had their destruction beene so grievous, nor his peoples deliverance so glorious. But now suffering them to bundle themselves [Page 199]together, and God delivering; as hee shewes his mercy towards his own, so he gets glory out of the other. Reade also Iosh. 9.1, 2, 3. and Iosh. 10.4, 5, 6, 7, &c.

Reas. 5. God doth increase our trou­bles, when he comes to remove them, that he might increase our thankfulnesse: therefore doth God bring us into trou­bles, Quo miseri­or in Angu­stiis, eo gra­tior in libera­tionibus. [...]anto jucun­dior confola­tio, quanto amarior ten­tatio. Mus [...]. that being delivered, our hearts might be more inlarged with praises.

Moses troubles were heightned at the Red Sea, that Gods praises might be al­so raised, when he came to the shoare. And so they were. Nothing doth more swell a mercy and deliverance, then our necessity of it. The greater the necessity the greater the mercy. And proportiona­bly as our thoughts are raised with the e­steeme of the mercy; so are our hearts raised in the returnes of praises. Men sen­sible of their wants to pray for mercy, wil be sensible of their injoyments, in praises to God for them.

It is a sad thing, when God must bee forced to make us miserable, that hee might make us thankfull. If we could be more thankefull under deliverances, God would not make us so miserable un­der pressures. If our hearts could be but [Page 200]more weighty in praises, Gods hand would not be so heavie in pressures. This is a sad thing, when God is inforced to in­crease our stripes, double our blowes, adde to our troubles when we are under them; that he might adde to our praises when wee are got out of them.

Christians! You have had experience of many mercies, of a late mercy; the de­liverance from that treacherous plot, and bloody designe upon this City. God bla­sted it.— Are you thankful? What are daies of praises, without hearts of thank­fulnesse? Do not your hearts dye under­the injoyment of this mercy?—

Well: take heed, lest our unthankful­nesse for this, occasion God to bring us into greater straits, that wee might bee wrought up to greater thankfulnesse: why should not preservation from trou­ble be as great a mercy as deliverance out of trouble? Had any of you been delive­red, Vita mercee though you had lost your estates, you would have thought your life a sufficient gaine. And hath God preserved you and all yours, not one haire of your head touched, and are you unthankfull?—

Beware, lest your unthankfulnesse for this, doe not cause God to make the next [Page 201]greater. God increases our troubles, to increase our thankfulnesse.

Vse 1. If so, then let us not judge of Gods purposes by his present proceed­ings of providence with us. God may in­crease the troubles of his people, when yet he intends to remove the troubles of his people: as God may seeme to heale, when he means to destroy; to speak peace and good in his works, when he intends evill and wrath in his word: so God may seeme to kill, when he intends to cure; to destroy, when he means to save; to wound, when he intends to heale.

You know what God said to his peo­ple, when they were in great troubles, un­der the cruell and unmercifull hands of their enemies: their troubles increased. Yet saith he, Ierem. 29.11. I know the thoughts I think to thee: they are thoughts of peace, and not of evill, to give thee at the last an expected end; an end answerable to thy expectation? What a strange thing was this? His wayes were warre, yet his thoughts were peace: his proceedings were evill, yet his purposes were good.

I have shewed you at large, that Gods outward proceedings of providence to­wards his people, are oftentimes contra­ry [Page 202]to the Inward purposes of his Heart to them.

Let us not then reason, much lesse con­clude according to Gods outward appea­rance to his people, Suffer not your selves to be reason'd out of your Faith and confi­dence, by any outward proceding toward you. When you see Evill in works, see good in the Word; when Death in the outward proceeding of God toward you, see Life in the Inward purposes of his heart to you.

If you put a straight stick into the wa­ter, sense renders it crooked, but reason tells you, is is straight. As Reason pre­vailes against Sense: So let Faith prevail against Sense and Reason: and let Faith conclude God for you, when yet Sense and Reason tells you, hee is against you. This is the life of Faith.

Vse 2. Doth God Increase our Trou­bles, when yet he intends to Remove our Troubles? Then this should incourage us to Lift up our heads under the greatest pressures. Si graves, breves. — When they are the Shar­pest, then they are the shortest.

In all the Stories of the Church, when Deliverance was neerest, then was Perse­cution the hottest. The Devill is said to [Page 203]come down with great wrath, because his time is but short. The shorter his Time, The greater his wrath.

Here then take a rise for Faith, from the lowest Condition you are in. When the Morning is darkest, Then comes the Day: when Trouble is Greatest, Then is Deliverance the Neerest.

You know who hath turned the sad­dest and sorest Perplexities, that ever the world shall see, into a Doctrine of Com­fort and Consolation to his Church and People: And upon this ground; Be­cause Then is their Redemption neerest when their troubles are highest. Luke 21.25, 26, &c. Luke 21.25. There shall be signes in the Sun, the Moon, and upon earth distresse of Nations, with perplexity; the Sea and waters roar­ing; mens hearts failing them for feare: the Powers of heaven shall be shaken. And, when these things begin to come to passe. Then lift up your heads: For your Redemp­tion Draweth Nigh. See how neer the day of Redemption is, to the day of destru­ction; Christ takes heere a Rise of Com­fort, from the lowest Condition that can be.

My Brethren; You see it is Gods way to increase our troubles, when he comes to remove them. Let us not be Too much [Page 204]troubled at our Troubles. I must confesse wee have sad and gloomy Dayes; and yet we fear they are not at the Darkest. The floods of ungodlinesse are risen high; and we feare, they are not yet at the highest: But remember this still. God doth Increase our Troubles, when he comes to Remove our Troubles. The greatest Darknesse is before the Morning watch.

It is the speech of one upon my Text, Quod autem Dominus suos magis terruit, priusquam li­beraret; mo­nemur; Cum adversitas summa fuerit, tum proxi­mam adesse solutem. That the Lord did more terrifie his Disciples, before he would deliver them, wee are admonished, That when Adversity is greatest, then deliverance is neerest. Sic consue­vit dominus vehementio­res labores mittere, velu­ti indices vi­cinae libera­tionis. Beza. Ano­ther, God is used to send greater Troubles, as the Harbengers of approaching delive­rance. Tunc ma­gis acuit do­lores, quando salus jam stat. in fo­ribus: & gra­viora certa­mina & peri­cula sunt cer­tissima nuntia liberationis, quo citius sini­enda sunt ma­la, eo magis ingraves­cunt, &c. Another. Great troubles doe e­ver usher in great Deliverances.— It is our hope, that as God hath increased our Troubles: so he will make all our Troubles subservient to our Deliverances.

Deliverance is the Birth of Mercy. As never was there birth without Pangs: So Deliverance without Opposition and Trouble. Satan opposeth, wicked men oppose: But as Throws and Pangs are subservient to the Birth: so will God make our Present Troubles to Delive­rance. The sharpest pangs and throws of [Page 205]the Church, have ever been the immedi­ate fore-runners of some Childe of Pro­mise.

As it was in the Waters of Bethesda. The waters were troubled, before they healed. The trouble of the water was sub­servient to the Cure in them: so that Op­position and trouble, which doth arise in the time and expectations of our healing; will God turne to our further healing; what the Apostle saith of his Bonds, I may say of all the troubles that arise; the things that have happened to me, Phil. 1.12. have fallen out to the furtherance of the Gospel, his Prison was the Gospels liberty, his bonds the Gospels inlargement, his abase­ments, the Gospels advancement. So here, all our troubles are subservient to the ful­ler deliverance: were you either well read in the Book of Providence, or in the book of Scriptures, either in the word or works of God, you would finde that the increase of your troubles would be a rise of hope, in stead of a ground of feare, of comfort, in stead of discouragement.

It is Gods usuall way in the deliverance of his Church and People, Auget cer­tamina quan­do liberabit. Chrys. Faestinente laetitia, acui­tur dolor. Baez. to heigh­ten their difficulties and troubles before he doth deliver them. It hath been so, as [Page 206]I have shewed you in many examples, And when indeed did God doe any nota­ble things for his Church in the world, But there hath been great tumults and commotions. Look upon the Stories of Scripture.—

And doe you think it will not be so? Is not the Devill as bad, wicked men as malicious as ever they were? and certain­ly, what power and policy can doe to in­terrupt God in his wayes of mercy to his Church, shall be done, Gaudeo quod Cristus Dominus est, alioqui despe­rassem. Micon. in jepist. ad Calvin. insomuch that we may say with him, If Christ did not reigne, we should quickly come to ruine. There are some great Promises, which God hath made, and will performe now at the end of all things. But none of these shall be accomplished without great dif­ficulties; He hath said that Antichrist shall downe, Rev. 11.13. But wee must look for earthquakes before, Such noting he hath in the Kingdoms of the earth, in States and Nations, as nothing but an earth­quake will loosen him, and throw him down. Revel. 16.17, 18. Esay. 11. Esay. 62. See the commotions foretold. Re­vel. 17.18.

He hath promised to make his Church glorious in the world, And these Promi­ses, He that is faithfull and true will per­forme; [Page 207]But when God doth this, you must look for Commotions, Joel. 3.16. looke for shakings. You read, Dan. 12.1. Dan. 12.1. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince that standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trou­ble, such as never was since there was a nation, And at that time thy people shall be Delivered,— Tunc maxi­me populus dei affligitur, cum propin­qua est salus. Baez. It is a time of Delive­rance, but a time of shaking: And there­fore this is that we must expect, that God should increase our troubles, when he comes to remove our troubles.

Object. Yea, but you will say, were our troubles at the height, then we could with more comfort bear them; but we feare, though high, they are not yet at the height, how should we therefore be satis­fied in that?

Ans. 1. When you are at the height of your graces, of your faith, hope, pati­ence, when you can believe no further, & hope no further; It is said in respect of the great trouble. Luke 8. Luke. 18.8. when he cometh he shall not finde faith in the earth, these were at the height indeed, if they had been wound any higher, they had crack't, the Musician will winde his strings to the height, but not overwinde them, so God, [Page 208]he will exercise, but not destroy our graces.

2. When our enemies are at the height of their sins, and at the height of their rage and cruelty. Exod. 15.9, 10. when wicked men are at the top of their pride, they are neerest ruine, when the ini­quity of a man is full, when sin is finished, it brings forth death, when the Epha is full, when the harvest is ripe, then will God put in his sickle, &c. Deut. 32.35.

3. VVhen we are brought to the lowest.

• 1. In Passive, Humiliation.
• 2. Active, Humiliation.

when mens eyes are bigge with teares, their hearts with sorrow, then is Gods mercy big with deliverance; God doth use to bring in a full tide of Comfort, when we are at the lowest ebbe of trou­ble, when the streame is dry, when the channell of second Causes doth not run, then will God arise, and have mercy on Sion, there is hope in thine end. Jere. 31.16, 17. when wee would have thought there was an end of hope, when the stock of hopes was spent, &c. yet then a time of hope, Esay. 33.7, 8, 9. In the mean time, it is rather our worke to doe our present duties, then to busy our selves, and indeed [Page 209]increase our present troubles, by seeking to take the elevation of them, our troubles are high, but how high God will rayse them before he doth deliver us, it is not in man to tell; It is our comfort, he will either lessen the burthen, or strengthen the back, either lessen our troubles, or in­crease our strength to beare, he will not suffer us to be rempted above measure, and he knows our measure, what wee are able to beare. For the present, let it be our work to lessen our sins, as God increa­seth our troubles, to heighten our duties, as God doth heighten our difficulties, to be healed by our troubles, healed of our pride, unthankfulnesse, &c. And you shall then quickly see, that God will turne all your troubles into healing. So much for that doctrine.

There is yet something more observe­able.

‘[When they saw him, they were troubled.]’

Timorem timori addit non pericu­lum periculo. Christ addeth feare to feare, but not danger to danger, They were in no lesse danger before, though now in more fear; Quanquam opinione, & errore deterio­res fuerint, tamen non reipsa. Cartw. There was now more feare, but before more danger, their dangers were [Page 210]lessened, though their feares were increa­sed.

D. Mens feares may be increased, when yet deliverance is neerest. Opinio mali affligit, ubi nihil est mali. Musc. in loc.

Again, D. God may be in a way of de­liverance, when yet he seems to be in a way of destruction.

But we have done with the first, the ef­fect of their apprehension of Christ, ad intra, they were troubled.

Wee will speak a word to the second, the effect, ad extra, Tantus ter­ror illos in­vasit ut velut impotentes facti. Excla­mant. Bru­gens. they cryed out for fear, heere was terrour, and clamor.

‘(They cryed out for feare.)’

For feare of what? why, 'twas for fear of Christ, Christus in spectrum transformant & tunc ti­ment. Musc. they thought him to be a Ghost, and therefore cry out for feare.

But admit it had been a Ghost, yet why should they feare, why should they cry, had it not been easier to have driven him away by prayers, then by feares, by beleeving, then by crying. Praecibus potius diabo­ [...]um pellemus, quam terrori­bus in dulgea­mus. Isay. 29.16. It is more easy to drive away Sathan by prayers, then by fears, It is said in the 26. Esay, 16. they powred forth a prayer, when their chastisement was on them, [...] In cantatio, mussitatio Submissa oratio Bux­torf. the word doth signifie a charme, as well as a Pray­er: [Page 211]prayer is the best charme to conjure down the devill.

It is our weaknesse to be afraid of Sa­tan, and our wickednesse too. Satan could not doe thee so much hurt, if hee killed thee in the place, (though indeed he can­not touch a hayre without permission) as he doth if he prevaile with thee to be a­fraid of him.

Many are afraid of Satan when they are praying, who yet are never afraid of him when they are sinning: Indeed when they sinne they serve the devill, and there­fore think he will not hurt them. But when they pray, they serve God, and then they feare him, because now they know they doe displease him. Nay, too many weak and timerous spirits of Gods peo­ple, who are too much afraid of him, if they be alone in their Chambers, Closets; and if it bee darke, they dare not stay, though they be in duty; if they doe, yet they stay with feare and trembling. And indeed thou hadst better to feare and tremble in duty, than to suffer thy feare to cause thee to leave off a duty. The best way to conquer the devill is to stand to it. He is the greatest coward, because the greatest sinner, resistance conquers [Page 212]him, he dares not stand out one charge; thou Rom. 7.37. [...] Super supera­mus. Wee over—over­come. over-over-comes, if thou doe but hold up weapons against him.

Art thou in duty, doth Satan trouble thee? art thou afraid? yet hold on pray­er. Satan is more afraid of thy prayers, than thou canst be of his feares: Thou tormenst him more by prayers, than he can doe thee by fears: And therfore hold up thy heart, thou runst into danger, if once thou goest out of duty; better thou hadst to dye in the place in believing and praying, than to preserve thy self (if this thou could doe) by flying and withdraw­ing. Certainly hee comes into Satans power, who seeks to escape it by flying, and not by beleeving, by fearing, and not by praying.

Let us then take heed of this— We are too apt to it, with the Apostles here, to act our feare, when we are called forth to act our faith.

There is yet something more from this second effect of their feare.

‘(They cryed out for feare.)’

Passion you see will have a vent, Terror argu­mentum dif­fidentiae cla­mor despera­ [...]ionis. Aret. They cryed out: — It had been well if they had cryed up, but they cryed out: Feare doth the one, but it must be faith [Page 213]which must doe the other. — But what a shame was this. It was a sin they should be afraid, but what a shame they should cry out for feare; — They who were the Disciples of Christ were in Gods way, went out upon Christs war­rant, doe they feare? nay, doe they cry out for feare? what may the Mariners say? Shall such a man as I fly, Mchem. 6.11. saith Ne­hemiah? what one under such protecti­ons? one under so many promises? one who had such a cause, & such incourage­ments from above, shall I flye? This he thought both Gods dishonour, his shame, religions scandall. So shall such men as these fear, nay cry out too? Such as were the friends and Disciples of Christ? such as were sent on Christs Errand? such who were under such protections? doe they feare?— What, I say, might the poore Mariners say? Ecce quales: sunt qui Chri­stum coluut? Sibona dis­cerent boni essent. Salv. What a dishonour was this to Christ? what a scandall to Religion, what a shame to themselves? You have an excellent expression in the 8. Ezra 22. Read it. See how tender Gods people are of Gods honour, they will rather venture themselves, then haz­zard Gods glory; he would rather goe in danger, than give occasion to wicked [Page 214]men to think dishonourably of God.

Doct. Certainly Christians should be careful, they should take heed of brin­ging an ill report upon the wayes of God, they should take heed of bringing a scan­dall upon religion. It is a great sinne with the bad spyes to bring an ill report on the good land; to cause the wayes of God to bee evill spoken of. Beware of fearing: Wherefore should I feare in the dayes of evill? saith David, the righte­ous should be as bold as a Lion: A good cause and a good courage should goe to­gether. But though you should fe [...]re, yet fight against your fears, pray against thē.

Beware of crying out— He that crys up wil never cry out; he whose heart hath found a vent to God, hee will never com­plaine to man: hee who is once open to God, is shut up to man, the more God hears of thee, lesse man shall hear; men cry downwards so much; because they cry no more upwards: if your hearts could once find a passage to God in your troubles, you would finde so much com­fort in it, as you would never complaine to man.

Christians! you are all publike per­sons, there is an universality in every [Page 215]one of you, one of you stands for many, a few for all: and that not onely for all Professors, but profession too. You had need therefore to be wary, to walk exact­ly, suffer not the Crosse of Christ, the ways of God to be ill spoken of for your sake, 3. Phil. 18. Christum legunt & im­pii sunt, Chri­stum audiunt & inebriantur Christum se­quuntur & rapiunt. Salv. de Gub. i. 4, 5. 1 Sam. 12.24. Matth. 18.7. Give not you oc­casion to wicked men to blaspheme Re­ligion, to cast dirt in the pure face of Pro­fession. It was Davids sinne, let it not be yours.— It lyes upon us to justifie the wayes of God by our unblameable walking; Woe bee to them by whom offences come; woe be to them who give just occasi­on of Scandall to wicked men, that put a stumbling block in the wayes of others, to hin­der them from entring the way of life.

But yet you that are without, suffer not the infirmities and sins of those that walke in the way of profession to bee a rock of offence, a stone of stumbling to you, to keep you from entring the way of life. The wayes are good, though all that walk in the wayes should be nought, you are to walke by precepts, not by the practises of others, by rule not example: their failings are not to be stars to sayle by; but rocks to shun: That which they should doe is thy Law, that which they [Page 216]doe (if they faile) is not thy patterne. It grieves me to see the unanswerable wal­king of professiors to profession; and it is an addition to our sorrow, to see how Satan makes use of our failings, and sins to be as stumbling blocks to hinder others from entring the way of life. But men whose hearts are set against the ways of God, shall bee furnished with matter enough to bring them into further dis­like.

If you be willing to be offended, you shal have offences enough to your further blinding and hardning: if the Word do not teach you, works shall blind you, if the word doe not soften you, works will harden you: if you stumble at the Word, and at profession, you are sure to fall at workes.

Men first take offence at the duties the Word commands, and then they streng­then that offence by the failings of those who walke in those wayes: This the A­postle shewes in the 1 Pet. 2.8. Christ was a stone of stumbling; but you see to whom, even to those who stumbled at the Word first; first the stumble at the word, then at Christ. Beware lest this be your condition, if it be; all the fay­lings [Page 217]of Professors shall serve for no other end to you, then for your further hard­ning, and strengthenning your dislike a­gainst Profession it self, to your utter un­doing.—

But we shall shut up this.—And will now come to the next Verse.

HItherto, you have had a black, a stormy and tempestuous night; and now the morning begins to appeare. Hitherto you have had nothing but troubles, fears, outcries; but now comfort begins to dawne. The beginnings of Gods people may be very sad and troublesome, but the end is ever comfortable and joyfull. Hence David, Mark the upright man, ob­serve the just, for the end of that man is peace, Psal. 37. The end, he saith, not the beginnings. The beginnings may be stor­my: but the end is calmy.

Noahs Ark was a long time tossed with waves; but at last it came to Mount Ara­rat, a place of rest. So the Church of God may be Tost upon the stormy sea of [Page 219]this world for a time: but at last God wil allay all stormes, quiet all troubles, and bring his poore tossed ship of the Church unto safe harbour.—There is a rest for the people of God, Heb. 4.9, 2 Thess. 1.7.

You have an Embleme of all this in this story of the ship on the sea; which Augustine makes to resemble the state of the Church from Christs Ascension, till his comming againe. As I have shewed you before.

You have seen their Commission and setting forth to sea: you have seene their danger, and the feares they were in. You have heard of Christs addresses to relieve them: and (upon a mistake) the increase of their feares, though not of danger.

And thus farre hath Christ exercised their graces, discovered their corrupti­ons: now begins the rise of their comfort and deliverance.

Christ can neither deferre their deli­verance, nor conceale himselfe any lon­ger. And therefore it followes, [But straitway Jesus spake unto them, saying; Be of good comfort, it is I, be not afraid.]

Quomodo solemus trepi­dos compella­ra, qui nos ex voce agnosce­re possunt, ego sum, Jansen. As the mother sometimes speakes to her childe in the darke of the night, [Page 220]when it is afraid; Peace child, do not cry, [...] it is I, thy mother. be not afraid. So doth Christ here speak to his Disciples, when they were in their childish feare of a ghost; Alloeutus statim cos, & voce illis non ignota fignificat quis sit. Chem. Peace, be of good comfort, It is I, your Saviour; be not afraid. They deserved reproofe, but he pitties their weaknesse.

In this Text, Christ doth apply him­selfe to the cure of three severall distem­pers, under which they laboured.

1 They were in feare of a Ghost.

2 They were in feare of their danger; of being swallowed up of the waves.

3 They were even out of hopes of pre­servation and deliverance.

See here how Christ doth apply him­self to the cure of these three distempers.

1 To settle them aright in their mis­apprehension, that he was a ghost, he tels them,— It is I.

2 To quiet their hearts in the feare of the danger of the waves: He saith, It is I, be not afraid.

3 To comfort and strengthen their hearts, in assurance of deliverance; he saith, [...] Idem est con­solamiui & fiduciam ha­bere. —Be of good cheere, or beleeve, be of good confidence, It is I.

This in a more generall way is observa­ble [Page 221]in the Text. In particular; cast your eye upon these foure things.

1 Look upon the way, which Christ takes to settle, comfort, & incourage his Disciples, in their fears, dangers, & mis­apprehensions. [He spake unto them.]

2 Looke upon the incouragement it selfe, which is double.

• 1 Be of good cheere.
• 2 Be not afraid.

3 Looke upon the ground of this in­couragement, [It is I:] Be of good comfort, It is I, be not afraid.

4 Observe the time when: and that is in the first words: straightway.— But straightway Jesus spake unto them, &c.

We will begin with the first: The way Christ takes to settle, comfort, and incourages them. [Iesus spake to them.]

But to what Them? doth he meane to all in the ship? or only to his Disciples? If to all, that might have been as bad as a ghost to some, to tell them it was Christ. Guilty consciences, wicked men are rea­dy to say with their father, Art thou come to torment us before the time? At the best, it could be little comfort to those who had not an interest in Christ, who had not Christ their friend. Well might [Page 222]they thinke as Ahab sometimes said to Eliah,—Hast thou found me, oh my enemy.

1 It was spoken to the hearing of all.

2 But to the comfort chiefly of his owne.

Doct. The same word of God may be spoken to the hearing of all; but to the comfort of a few. Christ spake to the hearing of all in the ship, but yet to the comfort of his Disciples.

And yet we cannot but think, the rest of the Passengers and Mariners might re­ceive some comfort by it: so far as they understood who it was that spake. The newes of a Saviour to a man in misery is some comfort; though as yet the man is not able to cleere his interest in him. And it might be the more to them now, be­cause they were in the same ship with the Disciples, and therefore like to be sha­ters with them in their deliverance.

Doct. It is good to be in the ship with the people of God, though it be on a stormy and troublesome sea.

The Mariners found this to be true. They were in the ship with them, and therefore did partake of the common salvation. It is good to be in good com­pany in a good cause, though you meet [Page 223]with many difficulties in it. If any salva­tion come, you shall be sure to heare of it there.

It is better to be on a stormy sea with the people of God, then to be without them upon the shore: you see that here; They had not only their bodies, but their soules saved too, as you may conjecture charitably by the sequell of the story, Verse 33.

Againe, in that the whole ship was sa­ved for a few Disciples in it, we learne,

Doct. That God may have mercy up­on many for the sake of a few.

God would have spared Sodome for ten righteous persons; Ierusalem for one, Ier. 5.1.— Credit mihi. Pii homines sunt civita­tum sacre ful­cra, & colum­na, quibus se motis & sub­rutis, nihil nisi perditio. Aug. Beleeve me, (saith Augustine) holy men are the pillars of a Common wealth, which being taken away, we can look for nothing but ruine. Eliah was called Quia praeci­bus suis popu­lum non ali­ter ac curru ab inimicis liberavit. Aug. The Chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. Luther dum in vivis esset, multas preci­bus suis cala­mitates a pa­tria sua ad­vert [...]bat, & semovit. Luther is said to be the pillar of Germany, who by his prayers did keepe back and helpe off many mise­ries upon them. It is said, Numb. 14.9. Feare not the people of the land, for they are bread for you: their defence is departed from them. The Lord is with us; feare them not; [their defence is departed from [Page 224]them] It is in the Margin, [Their Sha­dow.] The Rabbins say, That this was Job; and as long as he lived, he was a shadow and defence to Canaan, that they could not enter: but now being dead, they might goe in, and enter, they were all bread for them, for their defence is de­parted from them.

Wicked men look upon Gods People as the Troublers of a Kingdome, of a Ci­ty, of a Parish: when yet God saith, they are the Defence the Shelter of them.

The whole Ship was saved for a few Disciples in it; nay, a whole Ship for one Paul. Acts 27. God hath oftentimes Mercy upon many, for the sake of a few, But wee proceed.

‘[JESUS spake unto them.]’

This is the way that Christ took here, to incourage and comfort the hearts of his people. [He spake unto them.] They were in a sad condition, before Christ spake: but now their souls revive.

Doct. A word from Christ is able to raise up and encourage the drooping spi­rits of Gods people in trouble. I say, Though the hearts of Gods People lie [Page 225]low in trouble and sorrow: yet one word of Christ is able to raise them, and revive them.

You see here, The Disciples were in a sad condition before; even at their wits end, for feare, Quantaris vocis Christi & verbi divi­ni. Musc. Plus uni cum verbum ani­mos. corobo­rat, quam exi­mium miracu­lum. Musc. but one VVord from Christ settles, them.

Are we in troubles of Conscience; la­bouring under the apprehensions of Gods wrath for sin! It's but One Word speak­ing, and thy soul shall be comforted. It's but one word from Christ, — Thy sins be forgiven thee.] And Conscience is at peace: all troubles are gone.

Are we in Desertions? Doth Christ withdraw himself from us? It is but one word from Christ, — It is I, and the soul is again Tranquil­lus Deus tran­quillat omnia, & eum quie­tum aspicere quiescere est. Bern. revived. As it was with Mary in the losse of his Bodily presence, She wept, and would not be comforted: Nay, though Angels did labour to com­fort her, yet they could not. It is not all the Angels of heaven, that are able to con­fort a drooping soul, Christ but speakes a word to her, — Mary. And her heart leaps. — Rabboni. My Lord: So is it with a soul that hath lost the spirituall presence of Christ. It is not all the com­forts in heaven and earth, can comfort the [Page 226]soul in the absence of Christ; what is Gold in the absence of God! What is the creature in the absence of the Creator! All the world is but like a Feast without an Appetite, a Paradice without a Tree of Life. Nothing can fill up Christs room in the soul; The Presence of no com­fort can make up the absence of Christ; yet one word from Christ, one smile from heaven, And the soul is revived. Speak but the word, and thy servant shall be whole, saith the man in the Gospel: So, Speak but the word, and this dead heart shall be raised: this dejected heart shall be com­forted, this broken heart shall be bound up, this sad heart shall be cheered, &c.

Are we in outward troubles and Cala­mities? why, it is the Word of Christ, that doth stay us, that doth cheare us, that doth support us, that doth comfort us. Psal. 94.19. In the multitude of my per­plexed thoughts within me, Thy comforts de­light my soul. Certainly the comforts from his Word. Yea saith he:— I had perished in mine affliction, but that thy Word did support mee. Psal. 119.50.92.

The Word is full of Counsell, full of Comfort, full of Support, full of Help to a soul, in all his Troubles. Therefore [Page 227]hath God left us a Word, that, it might be as a School to instruct us; a Star, or Sun, to guide us; a Rock to support us; a Cor­diall to comfort us; a Tower to secure us; and Armory to defend us in the evill day. The Word is as full of comfort, as the times are full of terror; the dayes are full of trouble: but the Promise is full of comfort. And it never speakes more comfort to the Saints, then when the times speak most trouble.

Vse. Let this then direct us, whither to flie for comfort now, in these times of Trouble: Even to the Word of Christ. Enquire what VVord of comfort, Christ speaks now to his Church, in this day of Trouble; and listen to it, live upon it.

It is our fault, that the Noyse of our Troubles and feares doe hinder us from hearing what Christ saith in his VVord to comfort us.

It is said of the children of Israel, Ex­od. 6.9. that when Moses came to speak Deliverance and Comfort to them, and told them, that God sent him to that purpose, to deliver them: yet saith the Text, The children of Israel hearkened not to Moses for Anguish of Spirit, and for cru­ell Bondage: So it is with us, Our Feares, [Page 228]and our Troubles, and Vnbeleevings, car­nall reasonings cry so loud in our eares, that wee cannot hear the Comfort that God doth now speak to us, out of his Word.

Object. But you will say, Did Christ speak to us, as hee did to his Disciples heere, then we might be comforted in our troubles.

Ans. Christ doth speak to us, as he did to them: VVhat did he say to them, but he saith to us also now, All we read was but this, — Be of good cheere; It is I? Be not afraid. He did not say, He would save them, Hee would helpe them, nor that hee would preserve their ship, cease the storme, deliver them out of Trouble and Danger; onely hee saith, Bee of good cheere (It is I) I, that am your Saviour, your Lord, your Master. I, that sent you out. All the rest was the work of their Faith. Their Faith made out the rest: even their Confidence in him. Now I say. This, and more then this doth Christ say to us now in our Trouble.

How many words of Christ have wee, for this [Bee of good cheer? Joh 14.1. Luk. 12.32. Isay. 41.13. Isay. 43.5. Let not your hearts be troubled.] Fear not little flock. [Fear not thou worme Jacob,] I. I, that [Page 229]am your God, your Saviour, your Deli­verer, in times of Trouble; your Rock, Re­fuge, Shield. It is I, whose cause you un­dertake; whose glory is concern'd. And therefore we may reason out the rest, as well as they: and where is now our Faith! That man is deafe, that heares not Christ say thus much now. And doth Christ say this? where then is our Faith, to rest upon him, oh that this word might beget faith, and this Faith might again strengthen it self in this Word!

Object. But you will say, Had wee a perticular Word of Christ, that God would now deliver England: wee could then finde a Bottom of Comfort, though our conditions lay farre lower then they are. But wee want that. Therefore are we oppressed with feares.

Ans. You have as much Word for the deliverance of the Church now, as the Disciples had for the Preservation of the Ship. Yet they beleeved the one, resting only upon the Nature of a Saviour, with­out a word: and why should we doubt of the other, though we had no word.

There may be a Resting upon Gods Name for a mercy, Though you have never a Promise for it. Isa. 50.10. Hee [Page 230]that walketh in darknesse, and sees no light: no light of any Promise, to tell him how things shall be: Yet let him trust upon the Name of the LORD, and stay himself upon his GOD. There is Trust without Pro­mise. He that Rests upon the Name of the Lord; that is, his Mercy, Goodnesse, Truth, Love, Rests upon that which is the spring of all the Promises: the ground, and foundation, whereon the Promise stands, and that into which all the Promi­ses are resolved, viz. The Name of God. Psal. 62.8. The Prophet exhorts to trust in God. And upon what Ground? He alleageth no Particular Promise; but tells you of Gods Generall Nature, Ver. 11. God hath spoken, that Power belongs un­to God. And Ver. 12.— And unto thee belongeth Mercy. And thereupon hee trusteth. God was Powerfull, and able to Deliver. And God was Mercifull, and ready to help, and thereupon he trusted.

And have not we as much for a Ground of our Faith, as This? You read, Psal. 33.18.19.— The Eye of the Lord is on them that feare him. and upon them that Hope in his Mercy: to Deliver their soul from death. Here is Hope; and that not exercised up­on any Promise in Particular, but upon [Page 231] Gods Nature in the Generall. (Hope in his Mercy.) And yet saith the Psalmist, The eye of the Lord is upon such; to Deliver them from death. Psal. 147.11. — The Lord delighteth in them, that feare him; in them that Hope in his Mercy. Mark you: There is the same again, though a Promise be wanting; yet God delights in those, that hope in his Mercy, in the Generall.

So; Though we had not a Promise, yet we have a Word to discover God to us: we have the Name of God; his Nature; his Properties, to rest upon for Delive­rance. And this is as good a Foundation, as the Disciples had now for their Faith upon the Sea.

What Promises had the woman of Canaan? What particular Word had she for her? Indeed she seemed to have one against her; I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel, Verrse 26. Nay, Matth. 15.22.23, 24. It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and cast it unto doggs. Verse 26. Triplex tentatio, 1. Ta­citurnitatis. 2. Particula­ritatis. 3. Indignita­tis. here was a great tryall, here was not onely silence, Verse 2.3. no word, but here was a word against her, yet her faith rest­ed upon his Nature, he had Power, and he had mercy, & therfore she rested on him.

2. But wee have yet more incourage­ment. [Page 232]Indeed, if wee had nothing but Gods nature, his Goodnesse, Mercy, com­passion to his people, to draw out our faith and Dependance upon him now, yet this would goe far with us. God is mer­cifull and gracious, wee are his people, First, we are his by choice, he hath chosen us out of the world, nay we are his, 2. By purchase, he hath [...] Christus nos redemit, pro­prie emerca­catus est, seu emendo exe­mit passor. bought us. So Gal. 4.5. Nay, wee are his, 3. By donation. God the Father hath bestowed us on Christ, he hath given us to him. Joh. 17.6.7. And wee are his 4. by Covenant, we have given our selves to him. And be­ing his in bonds, nay his in such neere bonds, choice relations, As wee have in­couragement to depend upon him; Christus non tam manu potenti, quam praetio dato nos redemit. So al­so in our dependance, to expect delive­rance and Mercy from him. —

1. Besides all this, we have a Book of Promises, wherein in the Generall, God hath made many gracious ingagements to us.

2. Nay, and we have a book of expe­riences that may be annexed to the Book of Promises, both of Gods dealings:

• 1. To other of his people.
• 2. To our selves.

which might Speak some incouragement, [Page 233]and afford some bottome for faith to rest upon.

3. And we have incouragement from the Cause which is undertaken, which as it speakes incouragement to us to under­take it; So it doth no lesse to us in our un­dertaking of it.

4. Yea, and wee have incouragement from the Consideration of our enemies. I say no more, but that it will be an unpar­ralell'd case, an untracted piece of Pro­vidence, if God doe not deliver us.

Object. But you will say all these may seem but to afford us probable conje­ctures: They may be, and may not be. How shall we know whether God will doe to us, as to others? succour his owne Cause, and not give us up to our enemies? except we had a particular word for it.

Ans. For the answer of this, therefore let us look, and we shall see that we have something that comes neer to a particu­lat word, that God will deliver us. Let our Enemies but shew as much for their confidence, as we may doe for ours; and wee will give up the Bucklers.

Wee will first lay downe two grand Rules, which Divines lay down, in the in­terpretation of Scripture.

1. Rule. What God hath done to o­thers of his people in distresse, is equiva­lent to a Promise to us, in the same con­dition.

Now God hath supported, Delivered others of his people in former times.

And this is Equivalent to a Promise to us, that God will support and deli­ver us.

Hee hath helped his Church in their straits, in Egypt, in Babylon, in Esthers time. And that, which God did to others of his People in distresse, is equivalent to a Promise to us; as our Divines say in their interpretation of Scriptures.

And this seems to have a foundation in Scripture too. Jobs Deliverance out of Trouble is made the Ground of our wait­ing upon God for Deliverance out of Trouble also. You shall see it. Jam. 5.7. to 11. In the seventh Verse, the Apostle exhorts them unto patience, under all their afflictions, and Crosses, upon this Ground, because God will deliver them, if they wait on him. Why, But how shall we know that? Why saith the Apo­stle: He hath delivered others of his peo­ple, in the same Cases: And so will he you. You have heard (saith he) of the pa­tience [Page 235]of Job, and what end God made with him. (i. e.) How God delivered him out Trouble: And therefore be you patient, and wait for the same Deliverance.

And hereupon the Psalmist reasons. Psal. 22.4, 5. Our Father j trusted in thee, and thou deliveredst them: they cryed unto thee, and were not confounded. And what is the meaning of that; but that the Church doth take up an Argument from Gods dealing with his Church in former times, To trust God for the like Mercy for themselves, being in the like con­dition.

Rom. 15.4. What ever things are writ­ten, (saith the Apostle) they are written for our learning; that wee, through Patience, and comfort in the Scripture, might have hope. Marke there (what things are writ­ten) not only Promises, but Histories of Gods dealings to his Church, were there­fore written, that we might have hope. (i. e.) That we might depend on God, in the like condition.

He relieved Iacob, David, Iehoshaphat, Iob, the Churches of God, &c. That all these might be in stead of promises to us, to inable us to depend on God, in the like distresses.

So Psal. 9.10.— They that know thy name will trust in thee. And why? He doth not say, because thou hast made them ptomises; though this be true. But he saith, Because thou Lord [...] Adverbum non derelin­quis. Graec. [...] sperabant, i.e. pollicebantur fibide te quod non sis ipsos deserturus, quoniam ali­os non dere­liquisti. Musc. hast not forsa­ken them that seek thee. Where he urgeth the experience of Gods dealings with others, to be in stead of a promise to them, to trust in God. Otherwise the argument were not of force. He never yet forsooke any that sought him: (m) And therefore we may trust in him, he will not forsake us.

And this is the first rule: what ever God hath done to others of his people in distresse, is equivalent to a promise to us, in the same condition.

2. Rule. What God promiseth to any of his people, he promiseth to all his people in an equall estate. What God promiseth to his Church in other ages, he promiseth to his Church in all ages, in equall estate. This is another rule that Divines lay downe. And this seemes to have a foundation in the word of God al­so. I will give you two places.

God, you know, had made a promise to Solomon at the building of the Tem­ple; that if the enemy besieged their Ci­ties, [Page 237]if he brought a famine, pestilence, or sword upon the land: if his people did humble themselves, and pray, and seeke his face, he would heare from heaven and for­give their sinnes, and heale their land. As you see at large, 2 Chron. 7.14. 1 Kings 8.37. to 40.

Here was a promise made to Solomon. Now if you look into 2 Chron. 20.8, 10. You shall see how Iehosaphat makes use of this promise, and sues it out.—

Art not thou our God, who hast said: If the sword, judgement, or pestilence come upon thy people, and thy people cry unto thee in their affliction, then thou wilt heare from heaven, and helpe, and deliver them. Why saith he, Behold now the enemies which are come against us, & judge them, Lord our God: for we have no might against this great company; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are up to thee.

Where you see the rule confirmed; that what ever God promiseth to any of his people in any age of the world; he promiseth to all his people in all ages in an equall state, i. e. in the like condition. Vpon this ground Iehoshaphat made use of this promise which was made to Solo­mon; being in the like distresse he goes to [Page 238]sue out the promise, and lookes for the performance of it.

I will give you another place, Ioshua 5.6. I will be with thee, I will not faile thee nor forsake thee. This you know was a particular promise made to Ioshua. Yet the Apostle, (who best knew the minde of the giver,) he brings this promise into the common stock, that seemed to be im­propriated; and shewes that this is part of the Saints riches, Hebr. 13.5. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse, for he hath said, He will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Yea, you may say: he hath said so to Ioshuah: but where to me? And indeed this could not be answered, un­lesse you grant this rule to be true; that whatever God hath promised to his Church, or any of his people, in other ages of the world; he hath promised to his Church, and all his people to the end of the world, provided they be in like state, in equall condition, whence we say, That generall promises may bee parti­cularly applyed: and particular, gene­rally. That is, what ever promise you find to one godly man, as godly: or to his Church, as to his Church. It is ap­plyable to all. God carrying himselfe to [Page 239]all alike, all of you being under the same covenant, and to deale with the same God, who is impartiall in the dispensa­tions of his love and mercy.

And now then bring downe this Rule, and see if it be not something to us. He hath promised to save the oppressed peo­ple, Psal. 12.5. He hath promised to de­liver his people out of trouble. The Scripture is full. He promised, that no Weapon formed against the Church should prosper: a promise to the Church of the Gentiles: He said, He would make Ierusalem a burthensome stone, that who ever lifteth at it shall be crushed to pieces, though all the Nations of the earth should be gathe­red together against it, Zach. 12.3. Reade Isay 43. v. 3, 4. I will give men for thee.— And Micah 4.11, 12.—

What shall we say of these places? are they usefull to us? Or of no use. Of no use we cannot say, for the Apostle tels us, that All Scripture is written for our in­struction; that we through patience and con­solation thereof might have hope. And if usefull, then they are to incourage us, to trust upon the same God, that God will be the same to us, that he hath beene to others. Psal. 78.7. The children of Isra­el [Page 240]were commanded to tell the won­ders, which God had done to his people in Egypt, at the Red-sea, in the Wilder­nesse; to their children, and they to their children, &c. And for what reason?— That they might set their hope in God, V. 7. Why what is that to them? Why, they were to learne to trust in God and hope in God for the like, if they were brought to the same straights. And certainly God would not have us hope, if he had not a purpose to do the like.

Two things there be that God will ne­ver disappoint.

• 1 Prayer.
• 2 Faith.

First Prayer. For so he saith,— When said I to the seed of Jacob at any time: seek my face in vaine? Isay 45.19. And there­fore, when he hath no purpose to give, he will not have his people to beg. You see he gives Jeremy a discharge, Pray not thou for this people, neither lift cry or prayer for them, for I will not heare thee., Jer. 7.16. And Samuel for Saul, Pray no more, mourne no more for Saul. Psal. 66. ult. Blessed be God, that hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from m. If God turne not away prayer, he will never turn [Page 239]away his mercy from us.

Secondly, Faith or Hope, Psal. 69.6. They shall not be ashamed that hope in thee: which they must if they faile of the thing hoped for, Prov. 10.28. The hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse. So the Apo­stle, Rom. 5.5. Hope maketh not ashamed.

So much for the second Rule. So that you see we have something comes neere a particular word for our deliverance. Give me leave to adde two more instan­ces to these Rules.

3 Incouragement. We have a particu­lar word for the destruction of Anti­christ: and I am sure that speakes no terror to us now. This doth no way wea­ken our faith for Englands deliverance at this time. He who believes and prayes for the destruction of Antichrist, shall not any way hurt or hinder Englands de­liverance now.

Well, we have a particular word that Antichrist shall downe, 2 Thess. 2.8. Rev. 18.2. Babylon the great, is fallen, is fallen. Indeed he is not yet down, but he is dead­strook in the threatning, and he hath be­gun to fall: he is weakned in the pillars whereupon he stood, Germany, Spaine, which is a great earnest to us, his end is [Page 240]comming. And now, he that rests upon a word for the destruction of Antichrist, shall not finde it any hinderance to his faith, in the believing the deliverance of England.—

4 Incouragement. We have a parti­cular word, that God will, before the end of all things make his Churches glo­rious, Isay 5.4. throughout: read 11, 12, 13, 14. Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempests, and not comforted! I will lay thy stones with faire colours, and thy foundati­ons of Saphir.—And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isay 62.1, 2. &c. For Sions sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest, untill the righteousnesse thereof goe forth as bright­nesse, and the salvation thereof as a Lampe that burneth; and the Gentiles shall see thy righteousnesse, and all Kings thy glory. And thou shalt be called by a new name,—Thou shalt also be a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord—Of which places I may say as the Eunuch to Philip,—Speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe, or of some other? So speaketh the Prophet, these glorious things of the Church past, or the Church to come. Of the Church past it cannot [Page 241]be; for hitherto it hath been (like Noahs Ark on the waters, like the ship on a stormy sea) conflicting with insuppor­table troubles and difficulties.

Though she hath had her respites and breathings, yet she hath still beene held down and humbled, tossed, and afflicted, under bondage and persecution. And therefore it cannot bee meant of the Church past, and if not must be meant of the Church to come.

And is it to come, that God will make his Church thus glorious, That her ene­mies shall fall before her.—Will God do this yet before the end.—

And is the end of all things at hand? Are we now fallen into the last sands? why this is something to speak incou­ragement to us. And this is from a word.

And thus you see, Christ speaks incou­ragement to us, as well as he did to his Disciples here. He speakes incourage­ment by his word, by his workes, by his promises, his proceedings: Every way he speaks incouragement: and if you die, die with this confidence; That God hath laid the foundation of the Churches de­liverance, though the oppositions swell never so high. God takes it well at our [Page 242]hands, when we do entertaine and main­taine good thoughts of him towards his people.—He delights in them, that hope in his mercy.—Though you have never a promise, yet to hope upon Gods na­ture, his love to his Church. And there is ground enough of hope from that, even his love to his Church.

If you looke but upon what hee hath done to compasse a Church, nay, what hath suffered, how he hath shed his blood for her; All this would afford us some­thing for our hope. Will he do so much to purchase her, and will he now lose her.

It is most sutable to the Gospell, and most sutable to our relations to God, yea, and expectations from God; nay, and most sutable to a Christian spirit, rather to dye over-hoping then over-fea­ring.

We can never over-hope Gods thoughts of love and mercy to his Church & peo­ple, nor his purposes and promises to them. And therefore let it be said of us, as twas of them, Heb. 11.13.— All these died in faith, not having received the pro­mises: but having seen them afarre off, were perswaded of them, and imbraced them. Let us doe our worke in our generation, and [Page 243]leave our hopes, and the remainder of the work (if any remaine) them that fol­low.

And thus much for the first thing. viz. The way that Christ took to comfort and Incourage his Disciples, against fears and dangers. — [He spake to them.] A word from Christ is able to raise up up the drooping spirits of his people in trouble.

WEE now come to the Second. Scil. The incouragement it it self; which is double.

• 1. Be of good cheere.
• 2. Be not afraid.

The Incouragement you see is doubled, because their feares were doubled.

1. They were in danger of drow­ning.

2. They were in feare of a ghost.

Against this double Fear Christ gives a double incouragement.

Against the first: Their danger in re­spect of the Tempest, he bids them, Bee of good cheare, be of good courage; believe. Against the second, their feare of the Ghost, he bids them— Be not afraid, it is I: one that comes not to destroy you, but to save you; It is I, be not afraid.

In the generall: from the double In­couragement observe: That

D. Christs help, and reliefs are not onely sutable, but they are proportion­able to the necessities of his people.

Their feares and troubles were doub­led, and so were his incouragements also: Single incouragement is too little for double feare: as the one is doubled, so is the other.

In the 68. Psalme verse 20. he is said to be [...] Deus salva­tionum, non frustra plura­liter loquitur, non uno tan­tum modo De­us, Saluiis est Deus sed & inu meris modis. Musc. Mille mali species, mille salutis erunt. Read the 80. Psal. 3. [...] The God of salvations; many troubles; and many salvations: as our troubles cannot over-swell his power, & be too great for him to help: neither can they be too many in number for him to help.

As the evills of his people are many, so the Salvations of his people are ma­ny. if wee have a thousand troubles, hee hath a thousand salvations. As hee hath more blessings than one, so hath he more salvations than one. He saves our soules from sinne; and there is mercy more than enough for the greatest of sinnes, 1 Tim. 1.14. and sinners. Hee saves our bodies from Troubles; and there can bee no Trou­bles above the safeties of God. He is not a Saviour onely, but an All-sufficient, an Almighty Saviour. Not onely a Redee­mer, but a perfect Redeemer; yea a plen­teous [Page 246]Redeemer.— With him is plen­teous Redemption, Psalm. 130.7. Full troubles, full redemption; Overflowing evills, over flowing redemption. The ne­cessities of the Creatures can never be a­bove the salvations of God. Nor men, nor devills can make us more miserable, than God is mercifull: nor lay us so low, but everlasting armes can raise us up.

Are men full of malice? God is ful­ler of mercy. Are they mighty to de­stroy? God is more mighty to save. Do they multiply our troubles? God can multiply our supports, our comforts, our deliverances. You can never bee in such a distresse; but God is able to proportion your deliverance to your distresse. With him is power, Psal. 62.

Gods reliefes are not onely sutable, but they are proportionable to the necessities of his people. And the grounds hereof are.

R. 1. First, Because they are the Re­liefes of God, the Helps of God: That which God doth he doth throughly, hee doth to purpose. Men may doe things overtly, slightly, but so doth not God: what he doth, he doth throughly. Gods Helps are through-helps, full-helps. Men [Page 247]may be too weak to relieve us; their helps may be too short: But so are not the helps of God.

2. The helps of Gods people doe a­rise from Gods Mercy; Bowells of Mer­cy. Now you know, what a man doth out of Love, he doth Throughly, he doth Fully. All that God doth to his people, is out of Love. Power and Love can doe all. Those two Attributes, which God doth chiefly exercise in the relieving of his people, doe speak the Reliefs of God Proportionable to their Necessities. What cannot Infinite Power, and Infi­nite love doe? Mercy alone would afford sutable helpe: But it must be Power with Mercy, that must afford Proportionable help. Gods Mercy suits helpe to our Necessities; and his Power proportions it. His Mercy is an Almighty-Mercy. Wee cannot separate them in God, though they are separated in Men. There­fore all his helps are proportionable, be­cause they come from infinite Power, and are the Issues of Infinite Love.

Vse. Then, when ever you are in trou­ble, look towards God alone for helpe in your distresses, lift up your eyes to the hills.

It's our sin, and our folly too, to for­sake [Page 248]the Fountain, and run to the stream: to forsake God, and goe to the creature. A sinne which God never fail'd to punish: And the punishment hath been sutable to the sin. In stead of succour, they have gotten shame; in stead of comfort, no­thing but confusion. You may read it. Ier. 2. ult. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way, thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria, yea thou shalt goe forth from him, with thine hands upon thy head, for the Lord hath reje­cted thy confidences, and thou shalt not pro­sper in them.

God loves to Blast men, in their Car­nall Confidences, we have had the sad experience of it. Disappointment and shame, are the Deserved ends of creature­trusts: It should now be our wisedome (out of conviction of the emptinesse of all Creature-Reliefs, and experience of the vanity of them) to goe alone to him, who can alone relieve us: And to say with them, Hos. 14.3. who never found succour till then — Ashur shall not save us: wee will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands: Yee are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse sindeth mercy. Or with the Psalmist, Psal. 108.12. [Page 249]— Give us help from trouble, for vaine is the helpe of man. Men may undertake to helpe us: But they,

1. Either want wisedome to contrive and bring about what they purpose, what you desire.

2. Or they want faithfulnesse to per­form what they undertake. Men are de­ceitfull.

3. Or they want Power, and so are not able to accomplish what they desired, or you expected.

But now, if God undertake to helpe, he will goe through with it.

Hee wants no Wisedome: hee's the Novit domi­nus & in promptu ha­bet varias, vi­as, & ration es quibus suos ex periculis edu­cat. etiam cum humano judi­cio nulla spes aut ratio ap­paret. Moles. in 68. Ps. 20. Alwise God.

Nor doth he want Faithfulnesse: he is true of his Promise.

Nor wants hee Power, to make good what he purposes to his people. If our re­liefs did lie in man, many things might come, to intercept and hinder, what you expected, and they desired.

Help cannot come so soon as wee ex­pected. Or there may be mountains of difficulties, that lie between us and them. Or their trouble may be too bigge for us to help. But it is not so with God. No distance of place; for he is in all places. [Page 250]Hence the Psalmist saith, — Thou art a present helpe in trouble; because he is ever present. No Iordan can hinder him. There was a Sea betwixt Christ and his Disci­ples here; yet this could not hinder, or keep him from saving them. It must have hindred the reliefs of men: They could but have stood upon the shore, and wept over them, pittied them, pray'd for them: but it could not hinder Christ. Though there be a Sea betwixt Christ & his peo­ple, yet he can either dry up, or divide the Sea; as he did the Red-sea and Iordan: Or he can walk upon the Sea: a Sea cannot hinder him; as I have shewed. Nor can Mountains neither: for hee can (though there be Mountains of Oppositions) mighty Mountains, lay them into plains. Zach. 4.7.

Though you be begirt and surrounded with enemies, yet can God give you suc­cours over the heads of your enemies.

Simson on the Church. Simson on the Church. It was the blasphemous speech of Martiques, a governour in France, (some­thing of the spirit of our Cavaliers) when he had strongly besieged a Protestant Town in France, and had thought all was sure, there could not be expected any re­lief from below, He scoffingly bade them, [Page 251]Now sing, Help Lord; for it is time. And so God did, saith the Story. Though they were shut up from the reliefs of men, yet God sent succours from above: he helped them, and at the same time ruined them.

Well then, let it be our wisedome, in all our straits and necessities. 1. To turn our selves alone to God for help. 2. To Rest in Gods help alone. Vse the helps of creatures, but rest in the helps of God. So did David. Psal. 108.12. Hee had provided help, as if there had not been a God in heaven: and yet so rested on God, as though he had not a man in the field. Vaine are Powers, preparations of Ar­mies. — Vain is the help of man, (saith hee) Through God shall wee doe valiantly: for he shall tread downe our enemies for us. Vers. 13.— The like you read of Jeho­shaphat, though his army was big enough, yet saith he, Wee knew not what to doe, but our eyes are upon thee. 2 Chron. 20.12. Christians! let us learn the same lesson, God hath weakned our arme of flesh, that wee might strengthen the arme of faith. He hath blasted us in our expectations from men, that our eyes and hopes might be altogether fastned on himself. And I hope, this hath been the fruit of it, in [Page 252]Gods people. The more we have been we akned in creatures, the more wee have strengthened our selves in God. I am sure, we have seen more of God in our weak­nesse, then ever we did in our strength.

What a wonder was it, that when our Armies were lost; Bristoll taken; none in the field to oppose them; they were in the top of their strength; and might in all probability, have come even to the Gates of this City. 1 Sam. 23.14. Et Jehovae sunt mortis [...]gressus. Psal. 68.21. Hoc est, in ip­sa morte cum nulla spes re­lique est, at­que adeo a­ctum videtur de salute pio­rum, ad est Deus & ex ipsis quasi faucibus mor­tis suos eripit. Moler. in loc. That then God should find them work in another place, and make that place (weak enough in it self, and farre from relief) as a Rock, a­gainst which they should spend and split themselves, and bring down their pride, and their glory? This was Gods doing, and it was wonderfull in our eyes. Psal. 118. 1 Sam. 23.14.

Oh! how should these things incou­rage us, to Rest more fully, more steadily, more solely on the helps, and reliefs of our good God! who hath remem­bred us in our low estates; and will at last proportion all our helpes to our desires, to our expectations, to our Straits.

And this you shall be able to doe, If you will learne to know God more: If [Page 253]you will acquaint your selves with his wisedome, power, mercy faithfulnesse, truth. Ignorance of the power of God, of the mercy & truth of God, is the ground of all our unsteadinesse in depending on him, Psalme 9.10. They that know thy Name, will trust in thee—

If you will eye God more, men lesse, converse more with Heaven, lesse with earth. If you will have to do more with his word, lesse with workes; if you will shut the eye of sense, and open the eye of faith? You shall be more able to depend on him.

Thus we come from the generall view to the incouragement it selfe in particu­lar, which you see is doubled.

‘[Be of good cheere; be not afraid.]’

Be of good cheere,] Thats the first.

It seemes their spirits were much sunk, their hearts cast downe. And there was great ground, if any thing below might be a ground to cast downe mens spirits.

They were first in the midst of the sea. 2 Tossed with waves. 3 The winds con­trary. 4 In the darke of the night, and 5 Christ was absent.

God may exercise his people with such oppressing difficulties, Doct. that their spirits [Page 254]may faile, and their hearts may even be ready to sink under them.

It was so here with the Disciples. It was so with David.—I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.—

And this ariseth, not so much from the greatnesse of our straits, as from the low­nesse of our spirits under them. We are too big in our successes, and too little in our losses: we are too high when things go well, and too low when things go ill. Men that are proud in successes, are sure to be as base in losses. We are apt to ex­treames. Hard it is to be nothing in our selves when things goe well; and all in God, when things go ill: but this lessen we must learne; otherwise we shall be as unstable as the times themselves; & live and dye according to successes of things. Labour for steadinesse of spirit, get to be setled in unsetled times; get to be fixed on God, be as a Rock in the Sea; Though the waves move, the sea rises and fals, yet the rock abides, that stands firme where it was. So let us—

It is said of a beleeving man: He shall not be afraid of evill tydings, his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord, Psal. 112.7. But we shail passe this. There is some­thing [Page]more offers it self from the words.

Be of good cheere.] The word is [...] which signifies three things.

1 Courage. 2 Forti ani­mo estote. Be of good courage.

2 Comfort, 2 Consola­mini. Be of good comfort.

3 Confidence, 3 Fiduciam habete. Juxta vulga­rem versic. [...], &c. Be of good confidence, Firmam a­nimi fiduciam requirit. Musc Beleeve.

Have faith in God. The same word, that signifies comfort, signifies confidence. To shew us, that all comfort in God in times of trouble, doth arise from confi­dence in God in the time of trouble. No more confidence then you have, no more comfort you have. We have so little comfort in our trouble, because we have so little confidence. We want comfort, the reason is, because we have misplaced our confidence. God hath blasted our carnall confidences, that he might be our only stay now in times of trouble. While we have others to go to, we will not go to God: whiles we have Bulwarkes of our owne, we will not take Towre in God: Whiles we have any thing else to rest on, wee will never anchor on the Rock. Would you have comfort from the Name, from the Attributes of God? Would you have comfort from the Pro­mises, from the Covenant of God? Let [Page 256]God have confidence from you, and you shall have comfort from him. Assure your selves, so much confidence as you lay upon God, so much comfort you shall have from God.

But yet there is something more obser­vable from the word. [Be of good cheere, be of good courage, be of good confidence.] You see before Christ wold allay the tempest without, he applies himself first to quiet the tempest within. There was as great a tempest in the ship, in the hearts of the Disciples, as there was in the sea, Isay 57.20. Their hearts were like the sea, cast­ing up nothing but mire and dirt; doubt­ings, feares, and unbeliefe. Here was the greatest tempest. Non pri­mum res ad­versas tollit, ut postea suos quietos red­dit, sed con­tra. Musc. Christ applies him­selfe to lay this; to quiet their spirits be­fore he did quiet the sea. And this for three reasons.

1 Because that this was the root of their troubles, even their lownesse of spirit; their diffidence and distrust in God. All the troubles without had not troubled them, if they had not had an unbelieving, distrusting heart within. Hence Muscu­lus upon this place. Timor non habet causam ex rebus ad­verfis sed ex diffidentia, & animi imbeci­litate. Musc. Feare doth not arise so much from troubles without, as [Page 257]distrusts and weaknesse within.

2 Because the greatest trouble was that within. The other did but in danger the body, this the soule. The minde was most oppressed: Mentes af­flictorum so­lumodo fidu­cia pacifican­tur. Musc. and therefore Christ ap­plyes himselfe, that the minde might be first relieved. Bono animo estote, Be of good comfort. Christ applyes himselfe first to succour that part, that doth chief­ly labour under any trouble: and that is the minde. If once the minde be set right, the heart cheered, & strengthned: troubles will easily be borne.

3 Because, till their hearts were raised up to believe they were not fitted to re­ceive mercy. God loves to put his people into a posture for mercy, before he be­stow mercy on them.

They were not in fit posture for God to work, till he had raised up their hearts to beleeve and expect.

Its an observation, that Nunc vero, etsi opportur num erat fe­rendi auxilii tempus, quan­do Christus apparuit, ta­men in illo­rū exercitati­onem, salutem distert quae in manu habuit. Calvin. Calvin hath upon this Verse.—Although it was now a fit time for Christ to helpe: yet the tempest is not laid, because his Disciples were not yet awaken'd to pray and beleeve in his mercy. Therfore (faith hee) wee must know, it is not without [Page 258]cause, that God doth often times deferre that helpe which he is ready to bestow. God loves to have his people in a posture of mercy, before he doe bestow it. Hee would lay the tempest within, the storme in their soules: he would lay their fear­full unbelieving thoughts, and put them on, to believe, to hope, to expect, to pray for mercy, before they had it. The mer­cies God bestowes upon his people, he is willing should come, in a believing, pray­ing way: therefore doth God shut his hand sometimes, and with-hold his help, that we might believe: And here is work for faith. And therefore doth hee make obstructions in the breast of the promise, that we should suck, that we should pray.

Hee bestowes mercy on wicked men without asking, hee feedes and cloathes them; causeth the Sunne to shine on the bad as well as good; but these are the mercies of a generall providence: not distinguishing mercies: of generall boun­ty, not of speciall love. But the mercies he bestowes on his owne, God is willing they should come in as fruits of prayer, and as performance of promises: And then are they mercies indeed. The way of comming in is a greater mercy then the mercy it selfe.

My brethren, we are in a sad condition: We expect mercy, we looke for delive­rance. But doe you pray? Doe you be­leeve? Doe you wait? Remember this. God will put his people in a posture fit to receive, before he will bestow mercy: in a frame fit for deliverance, before he will deliver them.

Mercy is never fit for you, till you be fit for mercy. Let the work of God goe better on within, in your spirits, & Gods work will go better on without, abroad in the land. Interruptions, obstructions, delayes abroad, are from hence, because that there are all these within. Let us not only expect, but prepare, 2 Pet. 3.12. — Looking for, and hastning the comming of the day of the Lord. Many will look for a thing which they will not hasten. Why, what is hastning? The day is determi­ned; How can we hasten it? The mean­ing is not, That we should hasten the day, but that we should hasten or prepare our selves for the day. Therefore let us not only wait for mercy, but hasten to it, pre­pare for it. Now that we may thus ha­sten the day, foure things are requisite. 1. That we humble. 2. That we beleeve. 3. That we be mighty in prayer. 4. That [Page 260]we be sincere in our reformings.

And so much for the first part of the incouragement: we now come to the second.

‘[Be not afraid.]’

Doct. God would not have the hearts of his people sink under any affliction or trouble.

They were in a great trouble: yet he incourages them; Be not afraid. Hence wee heare it ordinarily, Feare not thou worme Jacob, Isay 41.14. Isay 7.4.8.12 Isay 43.1.5. Rev. 2.10. Luke 2.32. Isay 41.14. Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer, Rev. 2.10. Feare not little flock, Luke 12.32. Thus GOD would steele the hearts of his people against base feares, though their troubles be great, yet he would not have their hearts to sink under them. And that first, Because this is offensive to God. It's a great wrong we doe to God, to suffer our hearts to be cast downe in times of trouble. You have a God who is able to relieve you, be you never so low; Nay, a God that is willing to helpe you: for he is a God of mercy; and all this mercy is for you; all this power is for you; you have a God who hath purposed to helpe you, he had purposes of good from all eternity to you. You have a God who [Page 261]hath promised to helpe you: how many promises hath God made to you.—

Nay; And you have had Experience of his Goodnesse, both towards others, and towards your selves; It hath been a Tryed Goodnesse, an Experienced good­nesse.

And therefore how doe wee wrong God, when we suffer our hearts to sinke, in the dayes of Evill? Christians should be tender of Gods glory: you have need to take heed of bringing an ill Report upon God, as if he should not have regard to to help his own People. This gives oc­casion of hard thoughts to the men of the World.

You have a tender expression in Ezra. 8.22. — I was ashamed to require of the King a band of Souldiers and horsemen to helpe me against the enmy; Because wee had spoken to the King, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good, that seek him: But his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

Mark you here. Hee was in a Great strait; There was great danger; He fea­red the enemy, yet he was asham'd to ask any helpe: Why? Because hee had said to the King,— Certainly God will [Page 262]preserve his owne. And the King thought so. And therefore, lest hee should any way Dishonour God, and give the King occasion to suspect that God would not Preserve them: he would rather venture all upon God in danger, then give the King such occasion of suspition. Chri­stians should bee tender of Gods ho­nour,—

2. It's unsutable to Christians. Chri­stians should be couragious.

1. It is unsutable to your calling, you are Christians; who should be more vali­ant then they that are most holy, Quis tam fortis quam qui Sanctus. Ber. ad, mil. Temp. c. [...]. The righteous should be as bold as a Lyon; greatnesse of Spirit, befits those who are Christians: your Cause is good, your in­couragements good, your succours good, your comforts good, your rewards are good; and why should not your courage, your hearts come up to all these. You read in the 51 Isay. 12, 13. God said to his people, Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of man? —fear not Worme Iacob.

Indeed one would think he should have said, who art thou, that thou shouldest not be afraid of a man? what is a worme un­der mens feet? thou art but a worme, Yet God saith, Who art thou? — as if [Page 263]he had said, Consider but thy self, and what relations thou stands in to the great God, under what mighty protections thou art, under what Promises, — And thou wilt think it a thing very unworthy, very unbeseeming thy self to feare.

Wherefore should I fear (saith David) in the dayes of evill? Wherefore should I? I that stand in such relations, I that have such dependances, such encouragements, such succours, such promises, such ex­pectations, wherefore should I feare? this were unworthy me. As Themistocles said to a Souldier, when he passed by the spoile of his enemies, Thou mayst ga­ther up the spoyle, for thou [...]. Plut. art not Themistocles. Esteeming it unworthy for him to doe those things which others did. Christians! God hath stamped a great deal of honour upon you in making you Christians, the Souldiers of Christ, and you are to be as farre above others of the world in courage, as they are below you in condition. See David. Psal. 27.1, 2, 3. Feares are their portion, not yours. Isay. 8.12. Fear not their fears.—

2. They are unsutable to your Cause; They are unsutable to a Christian, who is the Souldier of Christ, and to Re­ligion, [Page 264]which is the Cause of Christ. Pit­ty a good Cause should have low spirits, the Cause is sufficient bottome to beare up the Spirit, and put courage into the heart of a coward; None can defend it, but it will defend them, As your danger lies in deserting of it, so your security lies in defending of it.

The Grecian women commanded their sons, Either to bring back their Shields, or dye upon them. Epaminondas was so devoted to his Buckler, that he took up a resolution, either to defend it, or to dye for it; and being wounded to death, hee cryes out, Num salvus est clypius? Is my Buckler safe? estee­ming all well, if that were safe. It was their honor and safety too, to defend that which should defend them.

Religion is our great defence, it makes the great God the defence of any people, as you see, Deut. 33.29. Happy art thou O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people! sa­ved by the Lord. the Shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy Excellency, — That man runs into the greatest hazzard, that for any hazzard, shall desert the Cause of God; It is a fearfull thing to procure God a just enemy, by making man an unjust friend, He that maintains [Page 265]the best Cause, shall bee maintained by best God, Though thou suffer with it, yet thou conquerest by it, Duo in cruce affixi intelli­guntur, Chri­stus visibiliter sponte sua, ad tempus; diabo­lus invilibili­ter, invitus in perpetuum. Origen. Christ conque­red, when he seemed to be overcome; so a Christian. It was that which Cyprian said unto Cornelius, Scias hoinem Christo dedi­tum mori pos­se, vinci non posse. Cypr. thou may die, but thou shalt never be overcome, Quam glo­riosi revertun­tur victores de praelio, quam beati moriun­tur martyres in praelio. Ber. Serm. ad mil. temp. c. 1. It is the same Christ saith to his Disciples. Luk. 21.18. Though they kill you; you see, Vers. 16. yet a hair of your head shall not perish.—

Are wicked men couragious, or rather desperate in a bad Cause? what a shame then is it, that wee should Quid vel vi­vens vel mori­ens metuat, cui vivere Christus est, & mori lu­crum. Bern. be fearfull in a good? VVhat have they to hold up their hearts, and what have we not to hold up ours? ah! what a sin, to have a low Spirit, under mighty incouragements?

Ego miseri­mas curas, qui­bus te consumi scribis, vehe­menter odi, quod fic reg­nant in corde tuo, non est magnitudo causae, &c. Luth. Luther, when he saw Melanchtons Spirits to sinke under the sad aspects of the Church of God in his dayes, he fals to down right chiding of him; I vehement­ly hate, saith hee, those miserable cares wherewith thou writest thou art spent, It is not from the greatnesse of the danger, but the greatnesse of our feares and di­strust, if our Cause be false, let us revoke it, if true, why doe wee make God in his rich Promises a Lyar; Strive against thy self, the greatest enemy, why should wee [Page 266]fear the conquered VVorld, that have the Conquerour on our side: Fearfulnesse is unbefitting a Christian, who is the Soul­dier of Christ, and Religion, which is the cause of Christ.

3. It is unsutable to our relations; we stand related to the great God of heaven and earth; and a shame it is that such should feare: he is our God, our Father, our Shepheard, our Husband, our Head, wee his People, his Children, his Sheep, his Spouse, his members, — Every one of these speak incouragement to our fearful and unbeleeving hearts; what may not the Childe expect from his Father, the Spouse from her Husband, &c.

4. Nay, It is unsutable to our expecta­tions from God, and to Gods ingage­ments to us; God hath passed over him­self to us in many precious and gracious Promises, as I have shewed, and wee doe justly expect God to be that to us that he hath Promised, and what a sin and shame that we should so far betray all these suc­cours, which God hath tendred, make void all these Promises he hath made, by giving way to distrustfull fears.

To summe up all: Christians! you have incouragements enough (if your hearts [Page 267]be not fallen below. Men to fortifie your Spirits against any evill, and to bear up your spirits under the sence and burthen of any.

1. Every name of God. 2. Every At­tribute of God. 3. Every relation of God. 4. Every Word of God. 5. Every deal­ing of God with his Church and People, Speaks abundance of incouragement to You, against these sinfull sinking Feares; And so much for the Second; these Fears are unsutable.

3. It discovers Weaknesse and Low­nesse of Spirit. Prov. 24.10. — If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. It argues weaknesse of grace, weak­nesse of faith, of hope, of patience; and declares much unbelief.

4. It discourageth and disheartneth those that are weak, Nehem. 6.11. — Shall such a Man as I flie! Nehemiah was One stood for Many; Hee knew his Actions either of fear, or courage would have an Influence upon Many: And therefore would rather dy, then fly: such a one, if he fear, is like the dead Body of Amasa, that makes all stand still.—2 Sam. 20.12. It came to passe, that as they came to the dead body, they stood still: and left off to pursue their enemies. [Page 268]You know what a sinne it is, to discou­rage the hearts of your brethren: you may see it by the punishment of the bad Spies.—

5 Feare it betrayes the succours which God offers; it is a soule-infeebling-sin, a heart-disabling-sin: as it is said of na­turall feares, Feare betrayeth the succours which reason offers; so I may say of spiri­tuall feares, they betray the succours which God, which the promise offers. God, and all God, are too little to secure a fearfull unbelieving man. I will but give you two eminent places for it, which I had thought to have passed over, Isay 30.15. You shall see there the people were in some danger, and they let feare worke, when indeed faith, should have worked. And as it is the nature of feare, it turnes a man from God, and from the promise, so it did them, and they betook themselves to their owne forecasts and provisions: they would go downe to E­gypt for help, as you see in the first Ver. They trusted in the shadow of Egypt, Egypt was a well spread tree, the boughs were great and large, and they promised to themselves much security under the shadow of her boughes, they thought it [Page 269]would have kept out the storme. And though God now told them, that in qui­etnesse, and confidence, should be their strength, and that in returning and rest they should be saved: though God inga­ged himselfe to be their security, and set the security in himselfe, against all they feared, yet notwithstanding; all this was no security for them, their fears still worked above their faith, and all that God said, or was, was too little to be their security. Nay, though he tels them in the seventh Verse, your strength is to sit still, and it is worthy taking notice of; the word which God useth there for strength, [...] is used in Scripture to signifie Egypt; Your Egypt shall be to sit still: As if God had said, What ever you ex­pect in Egypt you shall finde in me: if you will quietly rest your spirits on me, what ever you looked for there, you shall finde me to be unto you.—But yet all this was too little to answer their feares, to satisfie their unbelieving hearts, their feares were above all the security God tendred, as you see in the sixteenth verse; and you see how God meets with them.—

Take another place in Isay 7. You may reade, of a confederacy between the King [Page 270]of Assyria and the King of Israel, to come up against Iudah and Ierusalem. And in the second Verse you read, how the hearts of the men of Judah were moved, even as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde. Now in this their feare and danger God sends a Prophet to them, to tell them he would bee their security if they would trust on him, the third and fourth Verses, Be quiet, fear not, neither be fainthearted,— I will helpe you,—Verse 7. But notwith­standing all this, their feare prevailed a­gainst their faith, whereupon God sends the Prophet againe in the tenth Verse, and bids the King Ask a signe, either in the depths below, or height above,—That is, if he desired to have his faith confirmed by any visible signe, either in Heaven or Earth, God would condescend so farre to the weaknesse of his faith to afford it to him; but yet his feares prevailed against his faith, and against all the security God offered, and he puts all this off very cun­ningly, Verse 12. I will not ask a signe, nei­ther will I tempt God. One would thinke he spake well, he would not tempt God in asking a signe, he would beleeve on his bare word: doth not Christ blame the Scribes and Pharisees for asking a signe? [Page 271]but it is one thing to aske a signe when God doth not offer it, and meerly out of temptation too; as the Scribes & Pharises did: another thing, to refuse a signe when God tenders it, and that for the confirming of their faith. That hee spake wickedly: The 13. verse tels you, Is it a small thing to weary men, but yor will weary God also; Indeed the meaning is, he will not tempt God; That is, he will not trust God, hee would not trust on Gods promise, Gods security; he would run to the arm of flesh, provide the best means for his own safety; for he would not trust on Gods security, hee would rather trust to the provision feare could make, then to the provisions faith could finde in God. In periculis non bebemus otiose pendere a divino auxi­lio, sed omnia facere quae sunt in nostra po­testate.— Quamvis cre­damus in De­um, faciamus tamen quae fa­cienda sunt ne praetermitten­tes ea Deum tentare videa­mur. Aug. Sometimes we tempt God in trusting upon God in the neg­lect of means, and sometimes we tempt God in the trusting upon means in the neglect of God, so did he: See 2 King. 16.5. to the 10. verse.

And so you see feare is a heart infee­bling sin, it betrayes the succours which God tenders; God, and all God is too little to secure an unbelieving man.

6. It doth gratifie the enemy, our feares are our weaknings, the enemies [Page 272]strengthnings, 1. Our weaknings I say, feare is an army in battalia against it selfe; the heart doth arme the head, and the head useth all its enginery to batter the heart, the heart makes use of the head to heighten a danger, and that againe layes battery against the heart to lessen that.

Hee needs no enemies without, who hath a fearefull heart within; how can he stand out against enemies from with­out, that is not able to stand against it selfe. This is the nature of fear, (where courage lessens difficulties, and makes great things conquerable; such a spirit looks through a lessening glass, and sees great dangers to be small; the heart still riseth above the difficulty.) This is the nature of feare it looks through a multi­plying glasse, and makes small dangers great, and unresistable. Assure your selves, feare will make a man weake a­midst all the provisions of strength, your forts are nothing, if you retaine your feares, you will be naked in the midst of armes, weak in the midst of strength; fear is an armory of weapons against it selfe. It is our weaknings: 2. And it is the enemies strengthening; your feares [Page 273]are their courage, and your courage their feares: It is said in Iudges 2. That Israels sin was Eglons strength: so our sin of feare, is the courage and strength of our adversaries; you weaken your selves and strengthen them, you disarme your selves, and arme them, you unweapon your selves, and put weapons into their hands to destroy you: It is a dangerous sin, and therefore God would not suffer such to goe to war, they were unfit for wars; Deut. 20.8. there were two qualities that were to be casheered, malitia, molities, wickednesse of life, and fearfulnesse of heart, the one makes our enemies wea­pons successefull, and the other makes our owne uselesse.—

7. It is a sin that indangers our for­saking of the Cause of God. Solomon saith, 29 Prov. 25. Prov. 29.25. The fear of man worketh a snare; if once base feare get the pos­session of the heart, what snares wil they not expose a man unto, I will name some to you:

1. They will make a man shie to ac­knowledge the Cause of God; You see Nicodemus, and many of the Iewes, of whom it is said, They believed, but durst not confesse him, for feare of the Scribes and Pharisees.

2. Fear will make a man-decline and bawk the Cause of God; the Rulers were afaid to acknowledge Christ, be­cause of the Romans, if they had done so, the Romans would have come and taken away their place and nation.

3. Fear will blind the understaning, & hinder us from decerning good from evil, and evil from good: It is a Maxime, Sin in the affection will breed Error in the understanding, a corrupt heart will cause a corrupt head; feare in the heart will cause darknesse in the minde; It is a hard thing for a man under the power of any sinfull passion, either by-assed with corrupt affections, or blinded with corrupt passions, to judge of the truth and justnesse of any cause, though it be never so evident; Men in feare are apt to judge those things good, which yet are evil, and they themselves would so acknowledge, if they stood upon even ground, if the feares and dangers had not got the hill of them.—

And I believe this is a great ground of mens judgings in these times; They think, if they should acknowledge things as they are, they should be at great costs for the present, and run great hazards [Page 275]for future, and therefore they will rather smother the Light and Evidences they have, then let in more, to their danger and cost. Thus our enemies make us drive their mills with our owne breath, and doe their worke with our own hands— a fair policie— Pyrrhus used to say of Cyneas, That he had gained more Cities with his eloquence, then he him­self had done with his sword: It is wis­dom to expect most venom where there is most Art; the Spider hath much Art— but — yet a great deale of poyson.

4. The fourth snare that this feare brings on us, it doth not only blind our eyes, that we cannot see the Cause of God, and when we see it make us shie to acknowledge it, nay, prevail with a man to bawk and decline it. But it will make us deny and forsake the cause of God too; and here might be examples enough: many there are, who have for­saken Christ, denyed his truth, truth professed, truth preached, truth in some measure contended for, and all for feare of men. You know the sad stories of Peter, Spira, of Cranmer— It is an easie matter to make him who is under the power of sinfull feares, any thing to [Page 276]preserve himselfe from danger, and any thing to recover himselfe out. —

There are foure sorts of men, who will never hold to any cause.

1. Ignorant persons, we must know and prove before we can hold fast, the Apostle bids us, Prove all things, and then hold fast to that which is good; 1 Thes. 5.21. That which was never proved is easily deserted. —

2. Unsound hearted persons; It is an easie matter to make him any thing, who inded is nothing: men that are car­ried in away onely by a byasse, and not by a principle, it is an easie matter if you either unbyass, or counter-byass them, to make them move as fast the other way, Qualitates Symbolicae fa­cilime trans­mutuntur. we say Symbolicall Elements do quickly slide one into another; A Hy­pocrite and an Apostate are so neer, that it's easie to make him an Apostate who was before an Hypocrite; hypocrisie is that vertually, which Apostacy is actual­ly, there is Apostacy in causis in hypo­crisie, and there is hypocrisie in effectis in Apostasie, and as times vary, looke for more discoveries. —

3. 1 Tim. 6.10. Wordly minded men: The love of Money will cause men to erre [Page 277]from the Faith; as the Apostle saith, When men are lovers of themselves more then lovers of God, when they are lovers of honour more then lovers of God, [...]. 2 Tim. 2.3, 4. lovers of pleasure, of pro­fit, more then Non amat te Domine, qui aliquid amat praeter qui non propter amat. Ang. lovers of God, there need no great baits, it will be a matter of no great difficulty to draw them from God. Such men will, if occasion serve, raise themselves upon the ruines of o­thers, make themselves great, by making others little; such men, they are for any service that may advance their corrupt desires. It is said of Demas, that he for­sook Christ, and imbraced this present world; he forsook the faith of Christ, and for gaine he became an Idoll Priest, at Thessalonica, as Dorotheus reports of him: So easie it is to take them from God, whose hearts are once taken with the world. There is no cause can be sure of those, whom honour or money can buy out. Such men are onely this way till they can mend their wages, and then they are gone, it's easie to intice him, who is led away by his own lusts.—

4. Fearfull hearted persons: Fearfull men will be unfaithfull men; It's all one to trust a coward, and a traytor; he [Page 278]that is one, will quickly be made the other; where there is ground to suspect any mans feare, there is no ground to trust his faith, his feare will make him unfaithfull, Terribilior cervorum ex­cercitus Leone duce, quam Leonum Ag­men ducente cervo. Plutar. Apoth. and infeeble the hearts of them who follow him: such dan­gerous snares, then you see, will base feares bring upon men, and therefore far unworthy those who are Christians.

Use. Oh, let us learne to banish these sinfull sinking feares, as unworthy men, much more unworthy Christians: It is a wonder to read and peruse that daring courage, that the very Heathens have had. I might here give you innumerable examples of their courage and valour, all which might be a shame to us, what though our troubles be great, our God is great, what can over-swell, either his power, or his love, there is nothing can be too big for God; and why should any thing be too big for faith, upon whom it depends? for shame, let faith work more, and sense lesse, heare the reasonings of faith as well as the rea­sonings of sense; when you see no help below, cast your eyes upwards as Iehosaphat did, 2 Cor. 20.12. We know not what to doe, but our eyes are up to [Page 279]thee, what though there be a famine on earth, there is no dearth in heaven, as the noble man thought; what though there be weaknesse below, there is strength above, — Well then, shut your eyes to things below, and open your eyes to God above, Converse lesse with Sence and Reason, and converse with faith and the promise. Look upward more, when a man hath been looking downward from the top of some high place, his eyes grow dim; the head growes weak. But when he lookes up­ward he recovers himself again. So it is with us, while we look onely down­ward our spirits fail, we are at the end of our faith and hope, but lift your eyes up­ward, look upon God and the promise and your spirits shall be incouraged.

What though the waves rise? The storm be great? Yet you have a Skil­full Pilot, a safe Bottome, a strong God, who is able to allay all storms, to hush all windes; or to make all commotions serve to bring you to Harbour, which is gods usuall way — Ita Solet Deus cum suis agere, ut prius eos inmortem mergat, atque omnem spem liberationis, quantum hu­mano consilio prospici potest, adimat, & praecidat, deindè vero gloriosè liberat, ut apareat non humana industria aut prudentia, sed Solius Dei potentia hanc salutem partem essc. Moler. Psal. 68.20. Gods delights [Page 278] [...] [Page 279] [...] [...] [Page 282]CHRIST: I am JESUS, whom thou persecutest. Haec formu­la loquendi (ego sum) du­plicem habet effectum u­num plenum consolationis apud creden­tes alterum plènum terro­ris apud in credulos, Chem. The same words were spoken to the Iews, and they Fell down backward, as if they had been strucken with a Thunderbolt, Iohn 18.5. The same words are spoken to the Goats, Matth. 25.44.

But though these words be Full of Terrour to the wicked and unbeleevers: yet are they full of Comfort to Gods people. The same words were spoken to Moses, when he went to deliver Israel out of Egypt. [...] ehjeh hath sent me to you, I Am hath sent me, — Exod. 3.14.

Haebraei te­stantur, hoc verbum tri­um temporum differencias inse continere, preteriti pre­presentis & futuri, fui, sum, ero, lege, Chem. [...]. A word of all Tenses, Past, Pre­sent, and to Come, Rev. 1.4. Peace from him, that Is, and that Was, and that Is-to-Come. It is a word CHRIST fre­quently used.— I am the bread of lise, Iohn 6.35. And it could not choose but be a great deal of Comfort to them. It is I. I, ipsum esse reputant quem locutum fu­isse ad moy­sen noverant. that Divided the Red Sea: I that made the World: I, that took your nature: I, that came down from heaven for you: I, that am your Saviour. It is the Voice one, who is

1. Your Saviour; Able to save in the greatest troubles and pressures, no trouble can be above my power or my skill.

2. Who not onely can: But Rejoy­ceth to bring Salvation to his people; It is my proper work, and my heart is in it; nay,

3. Who came on purpose, to save and deliver you. And therefore this must needs be Incouragemet to them. They knew his Power; they knew his Love, they knew his Nature: they knew him to be Tolle meum & Tolle De­um. their Saviour, and that was Comfort, And that they went out upon his errand, by his Com­mission: and therefore there was com­fort enough, Though he said no more, It is I,

CHRIST opposeth this against their fear of the Tempest, and against the thoughts they had of a Ghost, It is I) you think me a Ghost; i. e. One, who comes to destroy you: But, It is I, That is enough to settle you.

There are Three Doctrines, this holds out to us.

Doct. 1. Vnum idem. que verbum Christi, & cre­dentibus est salutiferum, & incredulis ver­git ad damna­tionem, aliis odor vitae ali­is mortis. Chem. The same word of God may be a Terror to some, and a Comfort to Others, A Saviour of Life to some, and of Death to another, 2. Cor. 2.16. To the one we are a Savour of life to life, to the other the Savour of death un­to death.

Doct. 2. The appearance of Christ to the Soul, in any sad Condition is a Resurrection from the dead.

Doct. 3. The presence of CHRIST in any trouble, calamity, or distresse, is Comfort and incouragement to the Soul. We cannot insist upon all these which we have named, we will therfore contract our selves, and give you these two in one.

Doct. The presence and appearance of CHRIST to the Soul, in any sad condition, is to the Soul as a Resur­rection from the dead.

We will shew the truth of this in four sad conditions, the Saints are exercised with. And then give you some short application.

1. In times of Humiliation for sin: When the Soul hath lien Bedrid in sor­row, been overwhelmed in the depths of Humilation for sin, and hath been [Page 285]even broken and shattered in peeces with fear and consternation of Spirit for sin: An appearance of Christ to the Soul now, is full of comfort. When CHRIST shall come Riding upon the wings of a Promise into the Soul: When he shall come, displaying all his Glory; the Riches of his Grace; And shall say to the Soul; as he did to Moses, Exod. 34.6. — The LORD, The LORD GOD Mercifull, and Gracious, pardoning iniqui­ty, transgessions and sins, &c. Exod. 34.6. Oh! It is beyond my power to expresse, or of us All to conceive, How much the Soul is now Enamored on him: How much the Soul is now Revived.

As before in this condition he appeared as a Ghost to terrifie: so now he appears as a Saviour to comfort them. And Lu­ther makes this appearance of Christ to answer to their former apprehension of him. The truth of this that I have said, you may read in Job 33.10. To the 27. ver. Where the Soul is in a sad condition for sin, in the 19.20.21.22. And upon the discovery of Christ, how is the Soul raised? 24.25.—

2. In Times of Temptation. When [Page 286]a poor soul hath been long buffetted with Satan, and Held down with his bloody Carnall reasonings. When the Soul hath been long on the stormy trou­blesome sea of temptations: And CHRIST shall at last apear Con­quering the strong-man, Rebuking the storme, overcoming Satan: Oh! who can expresse how welcome such a sight of CHRIST: Such an Appearance of CHRIST is to the Soul! This is a Resurrection from the dead, you have it typyfied in Abraham who after the battell with the four Kings, Melchize­deck comes to meet him with Bread and wine, strength and comfort, which shewes us, that our Melchizedeck after all our spirituall battels are over will meet us with the choycest of his com­forts. This is that he promiseth, Rev. 2.17. To him that overcometh I will give the hidden Manna and the white Stone and a name in it which no man knoweth but he that hath it. As after Christs temptati­ons were over, the Angels came to mi­nister to him, so will Christ after all our conflicts, meet us with refresh­ments, and proportion our Comforts to our Conflicts.

In times of desertion: when a man hath been upon the black seas of desertion, and hath long laboured under the sad sense of Gods withdrawments: and at last Christ comes in, walking upon the sea, breaking the dark and thick cloud, and shining in­to the soule: who can now expresse the heats, warmths, revivings, that this appea­rance yeilds to the soule! Oh, the clasp­ings! the imbracings! the loves! that passe betwixt the soule and Christ. Will you see this set downe, Cant. 3.4. Christ had withdrawne himselfe for a season. And ah! then what sadnesse! All the world was like a feast without an appe­tite: a Paradise without a Tree of Life. She makes inquisition; Heares not of him; Runs to Ordinances, and would be glad to have the least starre of direction to carry her to him, in this sad condition while she is in the pursuit of Christ.

At last Christ appeares to her soule. And read there, how her heart was revi­ved,— I have found him whom my soule lo­veth; I held him, and would not let him go, untill I had brought him into my mothers house.—The like you have of Iob, he had been a long time in a dark and deserted condition, you may read his complaints: [Page 288]every Chapter, Verse, &c. is but the sad pauses and pathyes, the afflicted breath­ings of his soule. At last God appeares, and who can tell his joy? who is able to expresse the ravishments of his heart? I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare, but now mine eyes see thee.—And certainely his heart was filled with as much soule-advancements as self-abhor­rence, Iob 45.5.

4. In the time of outward trouble: when we are in some sad, heavie, & close affliction, when we are upon beds of sick­nesse, when in prison, when in dangers: Oh! then a visit of Christ in prison, a discovery of Christ in danger, a manife­station of Christ upon the bed of sick­nesse; it is worth a world to the soule.

So it was to the Three Children in the fiery furnace, Dan. 3.24, 25. When the fourth appeared, the presence of whom was like the Son of God. So it was here to the Disciples, when they were in this danger on the sea, and Christ appeared to them: none can expresse how their hearts leaped for joy; what heights of re­joycings after those depths of trouble.

Thus you see the appearance of Christ in any sad condition is such a comfort to the soule.

It is true also of the presence of Christ, though there be not the appearance of Christ. The presence of Christ in grace, though not in comfort. His presence doth support, strengthen, quicken, incourage. 1. Because he is a Saviour. 2. A powerfull Saviour. 3. A mercifull and loving Sa­viour.

Vse. What incouragement should this be to Gods people? in the middest of the saddest calamities Christ is present with you, Isay 41.10.— Feare not, I am with thee, be not dismaied, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea, I will helpe thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the righthand of my righteousnesse. So againe, Isay 43.2, 3, 4. when thou pssest through the fire, I will be with thee that the fire shall not de­voure thee; and when thou passest through the water, I will be with thee, that the water shall not drowne thee.—This was Moses in­couragement, Jeremiahs, Josephs; of whō it is said, Joseph was cast into prison, but God was with him, Genesis 39.21. Who would not be in Josephs prison for Josephs companion?

He that was with Joseph in prison, with David in the wildernesse, with Paul and Silas in the stockes, with Daniel in the [Page 290]den, with the Three Children in the fire, Ionah in the sea; he will be with us, by his grace, by his comforts, by his supports, by his Spirit; Hee will be with thee to beare thee up, and deliver thee out of thy saddest conditions. Oh! Let us then beg the presence of God. Oh beg! Never more cause to beg. Say with Ieremy,—Why art thou like to a way fairing man that turnes aside to tarry for a night. Say with the two Disciples going to Emmaus, Abide with us, abide with us, the day is gone, and the night is approaching, the night of trouble, the night of afflictions.

Our conditions are very sad. We may cry with the Psalmist, Psal. 79. Oh God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy Temple have they desiled, they have laid Ierusalem on heaps. And Psal. 74.9. Which speaks our times to the full. And therefore now beg the presence of Christ in our Councels, in our Armies, in our Preparations, in our goings out. We have a promise Matth. 28. That Christ will be with us alway to the worlds end. Turne this promise into a prayer.

And as you desire Christ to Present himself to you: so doe you present your selves for Christ, as you desire he should [Page 291]appear for you; so doe you appeare for him.

Thus wee have briefly passed over three things.

1. The way Christ takes to incou­rage them.

2. The incouragement it self.

3. The ground of it.

We come to the fourth and last thing.

4. The Time, and that's exprest in the first word, [Straitway.]

[But Straitway.]

Doct. So full of Bowells is Christ to his Church, that he cannot long brook his people in trouble, when Dominus non deest cla­mantibus. Guid. they cry.

Joseph exercised his Brethren for a time: but he could not hold out long. His Bow­ells yearned. I am Ioseph. Non diu Si­net suos Chri­stus per erro­rem in ani­metu vexari sed statim vo­ce & verbo suo sese illis revelat, & anxios consu­latur. Musc. So heere Christ,—Though he had exercised, them yet now he can hold no longer, It is I. I that am your Saviour.

The Mother may hide her self for a time from the child: But when the child cries, she can stay no longer. God hath more Bowells to his People, then a Mo­ther to the Childe. Can a Mother forget her child,—Though shee should, yet I will not forget thee. Indeed he sometimes ap­pears long to them in trouble. — How [Page 292]long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever! How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee! saith David, so the souls under the Altar, How long Lord, holy, and true? But yet though it seeme long to us, it is not long. It is called but a day of trouble, an hour of Temptation, nay a moment, yea and a small moment, Nubeculae cito transitu­rae. Nubeculae cito transitu­rae. For a small moment have I forfaken thee. It seems long, be­cause we are in trouble; Sad houres are long houres, or it seems long to us, be­cause we mistake the day, God hath pro­mised, but we Antedate the Promises, as we post-date duties. We do as the man in the Gospel, whē the promise is to be per­formed a 100 daies hence, we take our pen & write downe fifty, this Spirit it seems Israel had, they thought God deferred, when he did not deferr; it was they which did hasten. And therefore saith Haba­kuck, Though it tarry, wait for it; that is, though it tarry to us; for it followes, in respect of the certainty of Gods decree, it shall come, and not tarry. Hab. 2.3.

Thus you see, though God exercises us, yet full of Bowells hee is, that hee will not stay long. And this

1. Because he loves us.

2. He intends to Exercise, not to de­stroy us.

3. He intends our Praises. Gods end is deliverance in all.

Indeed he may seem to stay, for many Reasons.

1. To exercise our Graces. First, Our Faith, in depending, beleeving. 2. Our Hope, in expectation of him. 3. Our Pa­tience, in waiting on him. 4. The Grace of Prayer.

2. To discover Corruption: To dis­cover what is in our hearts.

3. To fit us for Mercy.

4. To ripen the Enemies fo [...] destru­ction.

The Rod of the wicked shall not alway lie on the back of the Righteous.

It is as well Gods desire to come in with Mercy, as yours to expect it. Isa. 30.18. The Lord waits, that he may be gracious to you, — You wait when God will, and God waites when he may; when Mercy may be most welcome, and deliverance most glorious.

Vse. 1. This may rejoyce the Church in her saddest condition; When we are in Trouble, and the Enemies vaunt them­selves, say with the Church. Micah. 7.7, [Page 294]8, 9. Rejoyc not over me, o my enemy, when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darknesse, the Lord shall be a Light unto me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his Righteousnesse.

2. Let this incourage us to wait on God: wait in Defers; wait in Delays; wait in want of Meanes; weaknesse of meanes; opposition of meanes. Lam. 3.26. — It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord.—