IN my Text you have three things that are most re­markable. Preached in March and A­pril, 1675.

First, you have Paul's commemoration of that singular experience that he had of the favourable pre­sence Acts 23. 11. of Christ with him, and of his strengthening of him. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, or [...], 1 Tim. 4. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 15. by me, and assisted me; though I was deserted by men, yet I was ayded and assisted by Christ; though all men left me to shift for my self, yet the Lord stood by me, and strengthned me with wisdom, prudence, courage, and constancy, in the want of all outward encourage­ments, and in the face of all outward discouragements.

Secondly, here is the end for which the Lord stood by him, assisted; strengthned, and delivered him, viz. Rom. 11. 13. Phil. 4. 22. That he might preach the Gospel to the Nations. That he might have more time, and further opportunity, to spread abroad the everlasting Gospel among the Gen­tiles, whose Apostle he was. Rome at this time, was [Page 4] the Queen of the World, and in its most flourishing condition, people from all parts of the World flockt to Rome. Now when they should hear and see Paul's prudence, courage, constancy and boldness, in profes­sing of Christ, and in preaching and professing the Go­spel; even before that grand Tyrant, that monster of mankind Nero, they could not but be wrought upon, and the fame of the glorious Gospel could not but by this means be spread all the World over.

Thirdly, here is the greatness of the danger, from which he was delivered; viz. From the mouth of the Calv. In. Esti [...]. &c. Lyon. Some Authors do conceive these words (and I was delivered from the mouth of the Lyon) to be a Proverbial speech, noting some eminent, present, devou­ring danger; I was delivered from the extremest ha­zard of death, even as a man rescued out of a Lyons Beza. A Lapide. Vide Euseb. hist. l. 2. c. 22. mouth, and pull'd from between his teeth. Others more genuinly and properly by the mouth of the Lyon, do understand Nero's rage and cruelty, who for his potency in preying on the flock of Christ, is here fitly compared to a Lyon, which devoured and destroyed the flock of Christ. This cruel Lyon Nero put a world of Christians to death, and made a bloody Decree, That whosoever confessed himself a Christian, he should with­out any more a do, be put to death as a convicted ene­my Dedicator dam­nationis Christi­anoru [...]. Tertul. of mankind. Tertullian calleth him, The Dedica­tour of the condemnation of Christians. This bloody Monster Nero raised the first bloody Persecution. To pick a quarrel with the Christians, he set the City of Rome on fire, and then charged it upon the Christians, under which pretence he exposed them to the fury of the Peo­ple, who cruelly tormented them, as if they had been common burners and destroyers of Cities, and the dead­ly enemies of mankind; yea Nero himself, caused them to be apprehended and clad in wild beasts skins▪ and torn in pieces with Dogs; others were crucified; some he made bonefires off to light him in his night-sports▪ To be short, such horrid cruelty he used towards them [Page 5] as caused many of their enemys to pity them: But God found out this bloody Persecutor at last, for being ad­judged by the Senat an enemy to mankind, he was con­demned to be wipt to death, for the prevention where­of he cut his own throat.

The words being thus briefly opened, the main point I shall insist upon is this, viz.

That when the People of God, are in their greatest trou­bles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then the Lord will be most favourably, most signally, and most emi­nently present with them.

The Schoolmen say that God is five wayes present. 1. In the Humanity of Christ, by hypostatical union. 2. In the Saints, by knowledge and love. 3. In the Church, by his essence and direction. 4. In Heaven by his Majesty and Glory. 5. In Hell, by his vindi­ctive Justice.

Hemingius saith, There is a fourfold presence of God. 1. There is a presence of Power in all men, even in the Reprobates. 2. A presence of Grace only in the Elect. 3. A presence of Glory in the Angels and Saints de­parted. 4. An hypostatical presence of the Father with the Son. But, if you please you may take notice, that there is a sixfold presence of the Lord:

First, there is a general presence of God, and thus he Psal. 139. 7. N [...]; quam est Deus, &c. ubiqu [...] est. C [...]rysost. in Col. 2. H. [...]. 5. is present with all Creatures; Whither shall I flee from thy presence? Empedocles the Philosopher said well, That God is a Circle, whose center i [...] every where, and whose circumference is no where. God is included in no place, and excluded from no place, saith another, Non est ubi, ubi non est Deus. They could tell us that God is the soul of the World: and that as the soul is Tota in tot [...], & tota in qualibet parte, so is he; his eye is in every corner, &c. To which purpose they so pourtrayed their Goddess Minerva, that which way soever one cast his eye, shee alwayes beheld him. Though Heaven be Gods Palace, yet it is not his prison. Diana's Temple was burnt down, when shee was busie at Alexander's [Page 6] birth, and could not be at two places together, but God is present both in Paradise, and in the Wilderness at the same time. 1 Kings 8. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the Earth, behold the Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens God is higher than the Heaven, deeper than Hell, broader than the Earth, and more diffuse than the S [...]a. Bern. cannot contain thee, how much less this House that I have builded. By the Heaven of Heavens is meant that which is by the learned called the Empyreal Heaven, where the Angels and the Saints departed do enjoy the glorious and beatifical vision of God; and it is called the Heaven of Heavens, both because it is the highest, and doth contain the other Heavens within its orb, and also by way of excellency, as the most holy place in the Temple Isa. 66. 1. Prov. 5. 21. Heb. 4. 13. Job 26. 6. is called the Holy of Holies, because it far surpasseth all the rest in splendour and glory. Jer. 23. 24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth? saith the Lord. Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, be­holding the evil and the good. God is [...], All-eye. The poor Heathen couly say, Deus intimior nobis intimo nostro. God is nearer to us than we are to our selves. Repletively he is every where, though inclusively no where. Job 34. 21. For his eyes are upon the wayes of man, and be seeth all his goings. V. 22. There is no dark­ness, nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Sinners shall never be able to shroud themselves, nor their actions from Gods all-seeing eye. The Rabbins put Makom, which signifies Place, among the names of God. Bith [...]er brings them in expounding that Text in Esther 4. 14. Deliverance shall arise from another Place, that is from God, they called him Place, because he is in every place, though in the Assemblies of his Saints more eminently and gloriously. God is Math. 5. 45. Acts 17. [...]7, [...]8. Psalm 33 13, 14. present with all his Creatures. 1. Via productionis, by raising them up. 2. Via sustentationis, by staying of them up [...] they are his Family, and he foods and clothes them. 3. Via inclinationi [...], by giving unto them power of mo­tion, man could neither live nor move unless the Lord were with him. 4. Via observationis, by taking notice of [Page 7] them, he observeth and marks both their persons and their actions, he sees who they are, and how they are em­ployed. 5. Via ordinationis, by governing and ruling of Acts 4. 25. to 29. them, and all their actions, to the service of his glory, and the good of his poor People. But this is not that presence that we are to discourse of.

Secondly, there is a miraculous presence of Christ, Mat. 7. 22. Mark. 3. 15. and this some of the Prophets of old had, and the Apo­stles and others had in Christ's time, and by vertue of this miraculous presence of Christ with them, they cast out Devils, healed diseases, and did many wonderful things. But this is not the presence that falls within the compass of that main point we purpose to speak to.

Thirdly, there is a relative presence of Christ, and See Psalm 46. 4. 5. Cant. 7. 5. Joel 3. 21. Zach. 2. 10. 11. cap. 8. 3. Ps. 135. 21. that is his presence in his Ordinances, and with his Churches. Of this presence the Scripture speaks very largly. Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. Exod. 25. 8. And let them make me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell amongst them. Exod. 29. 45. And I will dwell a­mong the Children of Israel, and will be their God. Levit. 26. 11. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you, and my soul shall not abhor you. V. 12. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my People. Psalm 76. 1. In Judah is God known: his Name is great in Is­rael. V. 2. In Salem also is his Tabernacle; and his dwell­ing place in Sion. Isa. 8. 18. From the Lord of Hosts which dwelleth in mount Sion. Psalm 9. 11. Sing praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Sion. The Churches are said to 1. Cor. 3. 16, 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rev. 2. 1. be the Temples, in which the Lord doth dwell, and the House of the living God, and the golden Candle­sticks amongst which he doth walk. O how much do's it concern all the Churches to prize their Church­state, and to keep close together; and to walk sutable to that gracious presence of God, that shines in the midst of them! But this is not that presence that falls under our present consideration. But,

Fourthly, there is a Majestical and glorious presence [Page 8] of Christ, and thus he is said to be in Heaven. Psalm 2. 4. Job 16. 19. 2. Thes. 1. 9. Psalm 16. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 14, 15, 16. Rev. 3. 21. He that sitteth in the Heavens will laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. Heb. 1. 13. But to which of the Angels said he at any time, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Cap. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the boly Pl [...]oes made with hands, which are the figure of the true, but into Heaven it self, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Not that Heaven is circulus concludens, a place wherein Christ is shut up, but Pala­tium resplendens, the Court (as it were) where his Ma­jesty in acts of wisdom, and power, and mercy, and conjunction of grace and glory doth most of all appear. As the soul of man, though it be in every part of man, yet it doth principally appear and manifest it self in the heart and brain, so here, &c. Manica, Austin's Mo­ther, standing one day, and seeing the Sun shine, raised this meditation, Oh if the Sun be so bright, what is the light of Christ's presence in glory! But this is not the pre­sence we design now to discourse of.

Fifthly, there is a Judicial or wrathful presence of the See Exod. 9. 14. Isa. 6., 9, 10. cap 64. 1, 2, 3, 4. Psal. 81. 12. 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12. Psalm 68. 2. Jer. 4. 26. Eze. 38. 20. Hab. 1. 12. Lord, and thus he is present with wicked men, some­times blinding of them, sometimes hardning of them, sometimes leaving of them to their own hearts lusts, sometimes giving them up to their own hearts lusts, sometimes filling their faces with shame, and their Con­sciences with terrours. He is Judicially present with wicked men, by a particular observation of their per­sons and wayes. Psalm 33. 13, 14. Job 34. 21, 22. He sees who they are, and how they are employed against his honor, his interest, his Saints, his wayes, and by a special detestation of their persons and wayes, &c. But this is not that presence that at this time falls under our consideration, and therefore

Sixthly and lastly, there is a gracious, a favorable, a The compassio­nate Parent is most with the sick child so here. signal, or eminent presence of the Lord with his faith­ful People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, as the Scriptures do every where evidence; Take a tast of some, Gen. 39. 20. And [Page 9] Josep [...]'s [...]aster took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the Kings prisoners were bound, and he was there in the prison, Verse 21. But the Lord was with Joseph, and shew'd him mercy, and gave him favour in the Acts 16. 25. sight of the keeper of the prison. A prison keeps not God from his, witness the Apostles and Martyrs, whose prisons by Gods presence became Palaces, and their stocks a Musick-school. Bradford, after he was put in prison, Act. and Mon. f. 1489. ibid. 1457. had better health than before, and found great favour with his keeper, who suffered him to go whither he would, upon his promife to return, by such an hour to his prison again. If men knew by experience the sweet that is in suffering for Christ, they would desire with Chrysostome, if it were put to their choice, rather to be Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ, than Paul rapt up in the third Heaven. Basil in his Oration for Barlaam, that fa­mous Martyr, faith, He delighted in the close prison, as in a pleasant green meadow, and he took pleasure in the several inventions of tortures, as in several sweet flowers. Luther reports of that Martyr S. Agatha, that as she went to prisons and tortures, she said, she went to Banquets and Nuptials. The Sun enlightens the World, saith Cyprian, but he that made the Sun is a greater light to you in prison, &c. Fire, sword, prisons, famins are pleasure, they are all delightful to me, saith Basil. Paul rattles his chain, which he beares for the Gospel, and was Eph. 6. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 16. Act. 15. 26, 29. Phil. 1. 7, 13, 14, 16. Colos 4. 3. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 9. &c. as proud of it, as a woman of her ornaments, saith Chry­sostome. Paul and Silas in a prison found more pleasure than pain, more joy than sorrow, and when they were whipt, it was with Rosemary branches, as I may say, Paul greatly rejoyced in his sufferings for Christ, and therefore often sings out, I Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ, not I Paul wrapt up in the third Heaven; Christ shew'd his great love to him, in wrapping him up in the third Heaven, and he shew'd his great love to Christ in a cheerful suffering for him. Eusebius tells of one that writt to his Friend from a stinking Dungeon, and dated his Letter from my delicate Orchard. Mr. Glover the [Page 10] Martyr wept for joy of his imprisonment; An [...] God for­give me (said Mr. Bradford, when a prisoner) my un­thank fulness for this exceeding great mercy, that among so many thousands, he chuseth me to be one in whom he will suffer. I was carried to the Cole-house, saith Mr. Philpot the Martyr, where I with my fellowes, do Act. & Mon. fol. 16 [...]3. rouze together in the straw as chearfully, we thank God, as others do in their beds of down. Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, being a long time prisoner under Charles the Fifth, was asked what upheld him in his long imprison­ment? He answered, that he felt the divine consolations of the Martyrs. Gen. 49. 23. The Archers (or as the Hebrew here hath it the Arrow-masters) have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him. These Ar­rowmasters were his barbarous Brethren that sould him, his adulterous Mistriss, that harlot-like hunted for his precious life. his injurious Master, that without any de­sert of his imprisoned him, the tumultuating Egypti­ans, that pined with hunger perhaps spake of stoning of him, and the envious Courtiers and inchanters that spake 1 Sam. 30. 6. Jun us. Mercer. Not that his arms were adotned with bracelets & gold, as the Chal­de saith, &c. evil of him, before Pharaoh, to bring him out of favour; but by divine assistance, and Gods favourable presence, he proved too strong for them all. Ver. 24. But his bow abode in strength, and the armes of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, &c. Joseph is likened to a strong Archer, that as his other enemies as archers shot at him, so his bow was stedfast, and his armes strong by the signal presence of God with him. Such an eminent presence of God had Joseph with him, that he never wanted courage, comfort, or counsel, when he was at the worst. The divine presence will make a man stand fast and firm under the greatest pres­sures; 2 Cor. 1. 9, 12. it made Joseph use his bow against his adversaries. As David did his sling against Goliah, he slung, saith one, Eucholc [...]r. as if he had wrapt up God in his sling. Psalm 23. 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. The prefence of the Lord with his [Page 11] People in the most deadly dangers, fills their souls full of courage, confidence, and comfort. That darkness which comes upon a dying man, a little before he gi­ves up the Ghost, is the greatest darkness; and yet let a Christian then have but God by the hand, and he will not fear the most hideous and horrid representations of death. Dan. 3. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was astonied, and rose up in hast, and spake and said unto his Counsellers, did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the King, true O King. Verse 25. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. The presence of the Son of God turn'd the fiery Furnace into a garden of delights, a gallery of pleasure. This di­vine presence in the midst of fire and flame, kept them from fainting, sinning, and shrinking, and sill'd their souls with comfort, peace, ease, and heavenly refresh­ing. One of the Ancients rhetorically speaking to Nebu­chadnezzar, Augustin. who said, He saw one like the Son of God, whence came this (saith he) who told thee that this was the Son of God, what Law, what Prophet? he is not yet born into the world, and the similitude of him, that was to be born, is known to thee; whence came this? who told thee this, but the divine fire enlightening thee within, that whilest thou beholdest these three as thine enemies in the fire, thou mightest give testimony to the Son of God. This heathenish Prince look't upon the fourth person, as one like a Son of the Gods, or like some young God, most bright and glorious, exceeding fair and excelling in beauty, as if he were not of humane but of divine off-spring. But what ever notions or ap­prehensions Nebuchadnezzar had, we may very safely understand this fourth to be, as the words do literally bear, the very true Son of God, our Lord and Saviour, who is signally present with his People, in their greatest extremities, and most deadly dangers. Zach. 1. 8. I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red Horse, and [Page 12] he stood amongst the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom and behind him were there red borses, speckled and white. The man riding upon the red Horse, is the Man Christ 1 Tim. 2. 5. Josh. 4. 14. Heb. 2. 10. Among the Ro­mans the Crown, or Garland of those that did shout for victory, or ride in triumph was made of myr­tle, Plin. lib. 15. cap. 29. Jesus, 'tis the Captain of the Lords Host, and the Cap­tain of our Salvation: Christ is here represented in his Kingly state, under the Type of a Man riding on a red Horse, and having his Royal Attendants; for under the Type of red Horses, speckled and white behind him, is represented his having Angels for Ministers, and all Creatures ready for every dispensation; whether sad, represented by red; or comfortable, represented by white; or mixed of mercy and judgment, represented by speck­led Horses. Christ is here represented as a Man on horseback, ready to make out, or sally forth for the good of his People, when they are at the lowest: The low, afflicted, and suffering state of the Church, is fitly com­pared to Myrtle-trees, that grow in a shady grove, in vallies, and bottoms, and by waters sides: now when his People are in a very low condition, then Christ ap­pears on horse-back, for his Peoples protection, and their Enemies confusion. Christ will be sure to lodge with his People when they are at lowest; when the Church is in danger Christ is not asleep, he is alwayes ready upon his red Horse, watching all opportunities and advantages, to shew his zeal and courage for his People, and his severity and fury against their Enemies. The Man that stood amongst the Myrtle-trees, Verse 10. is that Man Christ Jesus, whose special residence is with his People when they are in the most low, dangerous, and forlorn condition; no troubles, no distresses, no dan­gers can banish Christ from his People, or make him seek another lodging, Isa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. The Israelites went thorow the red Sea and were not drowned; and the three Children walked up and Dan. 3. 27. down in the fiery Furnace, and were not so much as [Page 13] singed: By fire and water we may well understand the various troubles, distresses, and [...]ngers that may attend the People of God; now in all these various troubles, &c. the Lord will be signally present with them, to protect and defend [...] to secure and deliver them out of all their various troubles, their deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, 2 Cor. 4. 9. Persecuted, but not for­saken; cast down, but not destroyed: Persecuted by Men, but not forsaken by God; the Saints may be shaken not shivered; persecuted, not conquered; cast down, but not cast off. Luther speaking of his [...]nemies, saith, They may thrust me, but not throw me; shew their teeth, but not devour me; kill me, but not hurt me, &c. be­cause of that favourable and signal presence of Christ that is with me. Now this is that presence of the Lord, that falls under our present consideration.

But for the further opening of this important point, let us a little enquire, how the Lord does manifest his favorable, his signal, his eminent presence to his Peo­ple, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers? Now to this Question I shall give these twelve Answers.

First, The Lord does manifest his favorable, signal, 1 and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses and most deadly dangers, by raising their Faith to more than an ordinary pitch at such a time, Exod. 14. 10. And when Pha­raoh drew nigh the children of Israel lift up their eyes; The faithful cry unto God in their extremities, but the unbelievers became mad, Pel­lican. and behold the Egyptians marched after them, and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out un to the Lord, Verse 11. And they said unto Moses, be­cause there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth of Egypt? Verse 12. Is not this the word, that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? for it bad been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. Thus you see their great troubles, deep di­stresses [Page 14] and most deadly dangers, they having a Red Sea before them, an [...] a cruel, bloody, and enraged Enemy just at the heels of them. Now in this extre­mity see to what a high pitch Moses his Faith rises; Verse 13. And Moses said unto the People, fear ye vide Joseph. lib. 2. cap. 6. not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. He saith, they shall never see the Egyptians again, that is, in that manner as they saw them that day, insulting a­gainst them and p [...]rfuing after them, as the Septua­gint do well interpret it, [...], after what sort ye have seen them, for they saw them after­ward, Exod. 14. 30. but drowned, and lying dead upon the shore, Verse 14. The Lord shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace. A strong Faith will help a Christian at a dead lift, though Moses had received no particular pro­mise how the Israelites should be delivered, yet he re­sted upon Gods general promise, before that he would get himfelf honour upon Pharaoh and his Host. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall be still; as if he had said, ye shall be meerly passive, and do nothing at all towards the subduing of your Enemies, neither in words, nor deeds, the Lord shall fight against your Enemies, and defeat them himself by a strong hand, and an outstretch­ed arm, compose your selves, act faith and hope in God, withour doubting, murmuring, grudging, fainting, or fretting; for God deferreth his chiefest aid, un­til mans greatest need, when the Enemy is high­est Salvation is nearest, when the danger is greatest, the help of God is readiest, as at this time they found it.

2 Chron. 13. 3. Abijah set the battel in aray, with an Army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the Battel in aray against him, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour: Jeroboam had two to one; Verse 7. And there were gathered unto him vain men, the children [Page 15] of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Reho­boam the Son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them. Rehoboam was no warriour, he was no expert Prince in the use of 2 Chron. 12. 13. He was one and forty years old when he came to the Crown. Arms, he was but young (not in age) but in expe­rience, policy, and valour, he was hen-hearted, he had no courage, no mettle: Jeroboam takes hold of these ad­vantages and gathers eigth hundred thousand Racha's, brainless fellows, light and empty, yoakless and master­less persons, men of no piety, civility, ingenuity, or common honesty. Now see what a mighty spirit of Faith God raised in the children of Judah, verse 17. And Abijah and his People slew them with a great slaugh­ter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. A monstrous and matchless slaughter, the greatest number that ever we read slain in any battle: far beyond that of Tamerlan, when he took Bajazet, or Aetius the Roman Prefect, when he fought with Atti­las and his Hunnes in the Fields of Catalaunia, where were slain on both sides one hundred sixty five thousand. Verse 18. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, be­cause they relied upon the Lord God of their Fathers; Faith at a dead lift never miscarrieth: God never has nor never will fail those that place their confidence up­on him in their greatest dangers.

Esher 4. 14. For if thou altogether hold thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy Fathers house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this. Their great trouble, their deep distress, and their most deadly dan­ger you have in that 3. Esther 13. And the Letters were sent by the posts into all the Kings provinces, to destroy, to kill Here are great aggravations of his cruelty, in that neither sex not age are spared; Rage and mallce knows no bo [...]nds. and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, lit­tle children and women, in one day, even upon the thir­teenth day of the twelfth moneth (which is the moneth Adar) and to take the spoil of them for a prey. Haman that grard [Page 16] Informer, with his wicked crew, would have spoiled them of their lives and goods, but that they were pre­vented by a miraculous providence as you know; now in this deep distress and most deadly danger at what a rate doth Mordecai believe. [For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement (Heb. respiration) and deliverance arise. (Heb. Stand up as on its basis or bottom so as none shall be able to withstand it.) This Mordecai speaketh not by a spirit of prophecy, but by the power and force of his faith, grounded upon the precious promises of Gods defending his Church, hearing the crics of his People, arising for their relief and succour, and grounded upon all the glorious attri­butes of God, viz. his power, love, wisdom, goodness, and allsufficiency, &c. all which are engaged in the Covenant of grace, to save, protect, and secure his Peo­ple in their greatest troubles and most deadly dangers. Mordecai's faith in this black, dark, dismal day, was a notable faith inde [...]d, and worthy of highest commenda­tion. Faith can look through the perspective of the pro­mises, and see deliverance at a great distance, salvation at the door; what though sense saith, Deliverance will not come, and what though reason saith, Deliverance cannot come: yet a raised faith gets above all fears, and disputes and sayes; Deliverance will certainly come, Re­demption is at hand.

Num. 13. 30. And Caleb stilled the People before Mo­ses, and said, let us go up at once, and passess it, for we are well able to overcome it. Cap. 14. 9. Only rebel not ye a­gainst the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the Land, for Num. 13. 32, 33. they are bread for us; their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us, fear them not. The Spies by their lyes did what they could to daunt and discourage the People, by crying up the strength of the Anakims, and [...]um. 13. 23. to the 28. the impossibility of the conquest, these hollow-hearted hypocritical Spies blow hot and cold almost in a breath; First, they make a narrative of the fruitfulness of the Land, and presently they conclude, that it was a Land [Page 17] that was not sufficient to nourish the inhabitants, yea, a Verse 32. Land that did devour the inhabitants. Liars have no Iron memories. But now behold to what a mighty pitch Caleb's faith is raised. [Let us go up at once, and possess it, for we are able to overcome it.] Or nearer the Hebrew, Marching up, march up, subduing subdue. Let us, saith believing Caleb, march up to the land of Canaan cou­ragiously, resolutely, undauntedly, for the day is our own, the Land is our own, all is our own. [They are bread for us,] we shall make but a break-fast of them, we shall easily and as surely root them out, and cut them down with our swords, as we cut the bread we eat. [Their defence is departed from them.] In the Hebrew it Psalm 91. 1. Ps. 121. [...], 6. is, Their shadow is departed from them; the shadow you know guards a man from the scorching heat of the Sun. Caleb by faith, saw God with drawn from them, by the eye of his faith he lookt upon them as a people without a fence, a shadow, a guard, a covert, a protection, and therefore, as a people that might easily be subdued, and destroyed. His faith told him, that it was not their strong Cities, nor their high walls, nor their sons of Anack, that could preserve, shelter, secure, or defend them, seeing the Lord had forsaken them, and would be no longer as a shadow or a shelter to them [And the Lord is with us,] to make us victorious, to tr [...]ad down our ene­mies, and to give us a quiet possession of the good Land.

So Dan. 3. 16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the King: O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. Ver. 17. If it be so, our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O King. In the fiery Furnace they are protected by Josephus Antiq. p. 259, 260. a divine providence, they escape death beyond all mens expectations, for the fire touched them not, neither could it burn during their aboad in the Furnace, for God so fortified their bodies that they could not be con­sumed by fire; which accident made them in great esti­mation with the King, for that he saw, that they w [...]re [Page 18] vertuous, and beloved of God, and for that cause they were highly honoured by him. Here is a fiery Furnace before them, and a proud, boasting, tyrannical, enra­ged Prince domineering over them, for not obeying his Idolatrous will. Now to what a mighty pitch is their faith raised? [Our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us, and he will deliver us.] Their faith was bottomed up­on their propriety in God. [Our God,] and upon the po­wer, providence, and all-sufficiency of God. [Is able to deliver us,] and upon the gracious readiness, and will­ingness of God. [And he will deliver us out of thy hand, O King.] When dangers are greatest, then God com­monly raises the faith of his people highest, faith doth most and best for us, when we are at a dead lift. It Heb. 11. 34. quenches the violence of fire, as the Apostle speaks, pointing at the faith of these three Children, or rather Champions; though now the fiery Furnace was heat seven times hotter, then it used to be at other times, yet such was the strength, and might, and power of their faith, that it so quenched the flames, that they had not one hair of their heads singed, nor their coats changed, Dan. 3. 27. nor the smell of fire found upon them; and thus the blessed Martyrs may be said by their faith, patience, and constancy to quench the violence of the fire, though their bodies were consumed to ashes in the fire. So Dan. 6. 16. Daniel is cast into the den of hungry, enraged Lions; innocent Daniel is exposed to the cruel paws, and hungry jaws of Lyons. This Kind of capital punish­ment, was not unusual among the Babylonians, the Me­des, and Persians, and among the Romans also, with whom it was a common saying in Tertullian's time, Let the Christians be cast to the Lyons. The faces of the A [...]os [...]. 8. Lyons are stern, and their voices are terrible, they are roaring and ravening, they are greedy of their prey; they are vigilant and subtil, lying in wait to get their prey, they sleep little, and when they sleep it's apertis Psalm 17. 12. oculis, With open eyes; they mind their prey much, and are cunning to catch it; the Lyon hides himself, and [Page 19] when the prey comes near he suddenly surprises it: they are proud and stately, they go alone, they eat not with the Lyonness, much less with other creatures, they will not stoop to any, or turn away from any, they do what Prov. 30. 3. Nah. 2. 12. 2 Kin 17. 6. Prov. 28. 15 1 Pet. 5. 8. they list; they are most cruel, bloody, devouring creatu­res; they have terrible claws, sharp teeth, and are strong and mighty to crush and break the bones; and it is very dangerous to meddle with Lyons. Num. 24. 9. He layeth down as a Lyon, as a great Lyon, who shall stir him up? Lyons if offended and provoked, are very re­vengful; in the hunting or taking of Lyons, the Lyon observes who wounds him, and on him if possible he will be revenged. Aelian tells of a Bear that came into a Lyons den, and bit the whelps she found there; the Lyon returning, the Bear to shift for her self got up into a high tree, the Lyoness watch'd at the foot of the tree: the Lyon ranged abroad in the woods, and meets with a man that had an axe, and us'd to fell trees; this man the Lyon brings to the den, shew'd him the wounded whelps, directs him to the tree where the Bear was, which he cut down; the Bear being torn in pieces, the man was safely dismist. By these hints we may guess at the deadly danger, that Daniel was in. Some Writers tell us, that if a cloth be cast upon the eyes of a Lyon Aristot. Pliny, Pererius. to cover them, he will not hurt a man. 2. Or if he be full. Josephus, to illustrate the History, saith, that these Josephus Antiq. pag. 262, 263. Princes pleaded before the King, saying, that the Lyons were full and gorged, and therefore they would not touch Daniel; which he hearing being displeased with their injurious malice, said, that the Lyons should now be sed, and then they cast in to see, when they were gor­ged, whether they could likewise escape; but this being done they were suddenly destroyed, before they came Dan. 6. 24. to the bottom of the d [...]n. To what a fatal end came these Informers? as to their wives and children, that were cast into the den of Lyons; it is most probable, that they were accessary to that wicked conspiracy against Daniel, by stirring up and provoking their Husbands [Page 20] and Fathers, to engage all their power, interest, and po­licy against him, and never to suffer a poor captive to be advanced in honor and dignity above them; and how just and righteous a thing was it with God, that they who had plotted together, and contrived together, the ruine and destruction of a holy innocent person, that these should suffer together, and go to the den together, and be torn in pieces together. Sinners look to your selves: if you will sin with others, you must expect to suffer with others. 3. Or if a man hath been beneficial to him. 4. Or if a man lyeth prostrate before him, in the manner of a supplicant; but Daniel was not safe, he was not secured by any of these meanes, but God secured him in the midst of these dreadful dangers by the mini­stry of an Angel. [My God hath sent his Angel, and hath shut the Lyons mouths, that they have not hurt me, Dan. 6. 22.] Others say, that God secured Daniel, by taking away the Lyons hunger from them, at that time, and by causing in them a satiety. And some tell us, that God secured him, by raising such a phantasy in the Ly­ons that they looked upon Daniel, not as a prey, but as on one, that was a friend unto them. But now in the midst of this dreadful danger, how doth Daniel's faith sparkle and shine, Ver. 23. Then was the King exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den; So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he be­lieved in his God. Daniel in a fiery Furnace, looks upon God as his God, in the midst of the flames he acts faith upon the power of God, the promises of God, &c. Of all living creatures Lyons are most fierce, cruel, and irre­sistible, and yet such was the strength and force of Da­niel's faith, that it stopped their mouths; though Da­niel See Heb. 11. 33. Judg. 14. 6. 1 Sam. 37, 34. was but one man, yet such was the power of his faith, that it stopt the mouths of many Lyons. As Lu­ther says of prayer, so may I say of faith; it hath a kind of omnipotency in it, its able to do all things, est quae­dam omnipotentia precum. Thus you see by these fa­mous [Page 21] instances to what a mighty pitch the Lord has raised the faith of his People, when they have been in the greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers; And this is the first way wherein the Lord doth manifest his favourable, his signal, his eminent pre­sence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. But,

Secondly, the Lord doth manifest his favourable, his signal, his eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dan­gers, Feri Domine, feri, said Luther, strike while thou pleasest Lord, only to thy correction, Add in­struction, ut quod noceat, doceat. by his teaching and instructing of them, Psalm 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law. This divine presence turns every lash into a happy lesson. In this Psalm the holy Ghost useth six arguments to prove, that a man is blest who is chastened; First, because he is instructed by being afflicted as here. 2. Because the end why God layes af­fliction on his People is to give them rest; from the dayes of adversity, Verse 13. 3. Until the pit be digged for the wicked in the same Verse, until the cold grave hold his body, and hot hell hold his soul. 4. Because God will support them under all their afflictions, when God casteth his People into the Furnace of afflictions, his everlasting armes shall be underneath them; though God may cast down his People, yet he will never cast off his People. 5. Because there shall be a glorious restauration, Ver. 15. Judgment shall return unto righteousness. 6. Because all the upright in heart shall follow it, in the same Verse, viz. in their affections they are carried out after it; earnestly desiring that dear day, when God will unriddle his providences, and clear up his proceedings with the sons of men. Jerom writing to a sick friend, hath this ex­pression: I account it a part of unhappiness not to know adversity, I judge you to be miserable, because you have not been miserable. Demetrius saith, nothing seems more unhappy to me, than he to whom no adversity hath hapned. Impunitas securitatis mater, virtutum noverca, Bern. Religionis virus, tinea sanctitatis; Freedom from punish­ment [Page 22] is the mother of security, the stepmother of virtue, the poyson of Religion, the moth of holiness. It was a speech of Gaspar Olevia­nus. a German Divine in his sickness, In this disease (saith he) I have learned how great God is, and what the evil of sin is, I never knew to purpose what God was [...]efore, nor what sin meant before; Gods corrections are our Schola cru [...]is, schola lucis. Isa. 26. 9. Prov. 3. 12, 13. cap. 6 23. instructions, his lashes our lessons, his scourges our schoolmasters, his chastisements our advertisements; and to note this the Hebrews and Greeks both express chastening and teaching by one and the same word [...] musar [...], because the latter is the true end of the former, according to that in the Proverb, Smart makes wit, and vexation gives understanding. Job 36. 8. And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction. Verse 9. Then be sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. Verse 10. He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. Sanctified afflictions open mens ears to discipline, and turn them from iniquity, which is a piece of learning that a Christian can never pay too dear for; Affliction is verus Scripturae commen­tarius, An excellent comment upon the Scripture; Af­flictions make way for the word of the Lord to come to Affliction sancti­sied, is Lex pra­ctica, a practical Law. the heart. Bernard had a brother of his, who was a rio­tous and prophane Soldier; Bernard gives him many good instructions, and admonitions, &c. but his bro­ther slighted them, and made nothing of them; Bernard comes to him, and puts his hand to his side, One day (saith he) God will make way to this heart of yours by some spear or launce: and so it fell out; for going into the wars, he was wounded, and then he remembers his brothers instructions and admonitions, and then they got to his heart, and lay upon it to some purpose. Job 33. 16. Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction. Oculos quos peccatum claudit, poena ape­rit, Greg. The eyes that sin shuts, afflictions open. The cross opens mens eyes, as the [...]asting of honey did Jonathan's. By correction God seales up instruction, God sets on the [Page 23] one by the other, as when a Schoolmaster would have a lesson learned indeed, he sets it on with a whipping. As Gideon taught the Elders of the city and the men of Succoth with the thornes and briars of the wilderness, so Judg. 8. 16. God teaches his People by affliction many a holy and happy lesson. By afflictions, troubles, distresses, and dangers, the Lord teaches his People to look upon sin as the most loathsome thing in the world, and to look upon holiness as the most lovely thing in the world. Sin is never-so bitter, and holiness is never so sweet, as when our troubles are greatest, and our dangers highest. By afflictions the Lord teaches his People to sit loose from this world, and to make sure the great things of that other world. By affliction God shewes his People the vanity, vexation, emptiness, weakness, and nothing­ness of the Creatures; and the choiceness, preciousness, and sweetness of communion with himself, and of in­te [...]est in himself. Christ though he knew yet learned he obedience, by the things which he suffered, that is, he Heb. 5. 8. [...], N [...]cu­menta documenta. shewed obedience more than before; Not as if Christ were to go to School to learn, or as if by certain acts he were to fit himself for obedience; he did not learn that which he knew not before, but did that which he did not before; he that was put upon the tryal of his obe­dience, he came to know by experience, what a hard matter it was thus to obey God. By Gods favourable presence a man comes to learn many lessons in a time of adversity, which he never learned in a day of prosperi­ty: for we are like idle boyes and bad scholars, that learn best when the rod is over us. Hezekiah was better Isa. 39. 1, 2, 3, 4. 5. upon his sick bed, than when he was shewing of his trea­sures to the Ambassadours of the King of Babylon; and David was a better man, when he was in his wilderness Psalm 30. 6, 7. condition, than when he set upon his Royal throne; the Jews are ever best, when in the worst condition; the Athenians would never mend tell they were in mourn­ing. When Munster lay sick, and his friends asked him how he did, and how he felt himself? he pointed to his [Page 24] sores and uleers (whereof he was full) and said, These are Gods gems and jewels wherewith he decketh his best friends, and to me they are more precious than all the gold and silver in the world. Here, as that Martyr phra­sed it, we are but learning our A. B. C. and our lesson is never past Christs Cross, and our walking is still home by weeping cross. Usually men are worst in a prosperous condition; in a prosperous condition God speaks to us, Je [...]. 2. 21. and we mind him not. I spoke to thee in thy prosperity, but thou wouldest not hear: and this hath been thy manner from thy youth upwards. Pope Martin reported of him­self, that whilst he was a Monk, and lived in the Cloister, he had some evidences for Heaven, when he was a Car­dinal, he began to fear and doubt, but after he came to be Pope, he utterly despaired. The Lord never shews more of his favourable, signal, and eminent presence, than by teaching of his People many gracious and Go­spel lessons by their great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers. But,

Thirdly, the Lord doth manifest his favourable, his signal, his eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by raising, strenthening, and acting, their suf­fering graces, viz. their faith, hope, love, patience, pru­dence, courage, boldness, zeal, constancy. Thus in the Text, The Lord stood by me, and strengthened me. He put new life, and strength, and vigour into all my graces; although there are habits of grace alwayes resident in the Isay 64. 7. hearts of the Saints, yet those habits are not alwayes in exercise. The habits of grace cannot act of themselves, there must be renewed strength imparted to set them on Psalm 119. 35. Christ is the divers winds, both cold & hot, moist and dry, bind­ing and opening, North & South, and therefore what wind so ever blowes, it shall blow good to his People. work. Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments, for therein do I delight. Though David had a spirit of new life within him, yet he could not actually walk in the path of Gods precepts, till by an additional force he was set a going. Cant. 4. 16. Awake, O North wind, and come thou South wind, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. By the garden we may safely [Page 25] understand a sanctified soul, and by the spices in this garden we may understand the several graces planted in the soul; now these spices can never flow out, and send forth their fragrant smell, till the North and South wind blowes upon them. Habitual grace cannot operate and dilate, and put forth it self into exercise, till by the con­current presence and assistance of Christ it is educed into act; no Saint can act that grace he hath received by his own strength, without the presence and assistance of Christ, 1 Cor. 15. 16. But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain, but I labour more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me. He does not say, the grace of God which was in me, that habi­tual grace which I had: but, The grace of God which was with me. So then it is not the strength of habitual grace, that will carry a man through doing or suffering work, but the auxiliary, the assisting, the conquering grace of Jesus Christ; it is his grace with us, more than his grace in us. So John 15. 5. Without me ye can do [...], sepa­rate from me, or apart from me. Erasm. sine me. Beza, se [...]rsim a me. Members divi­ded from the [...]ead, cannot live, so here. nothing. Ye that are my Disciples, ye that have the spi­rit of Jesus Christ, Without me ye can do nothing; the habits of grace, the actings of grace, and the perfecting of grace are all from Jesus Christ. It is more emphatical in the original, for there you have two negatives, cannot, do nothing; He do's not say, without me ye cannot do many things; but, Without me ye can do nothing; nor he do's not say, Without me ye can do no great thing; but, Without me ye can do nothing; nor he do's not say, Without me ye can do no difficult thing; but, Without me ye can do nothing; nor he do's not say, Without me ye can do no spiritual thing; but, Without me ye can do nothing. What ever a Saint may do, by the power of gifts, or habits of grace received, yet he can do nothing in a lively spiritual acceptable way, without the presence of Christ, without a con­stant dependence upon Christ, without a sweet and spe­cial communion and fellowship with Christ; if we can­not [Page 26] put forth a natural action without him, for in him, we live, move, and have our being; how much less can Acts 17. [...]8. we perform a spiritual action, in a spiritual manner, without his presence and assistance? Let the King sit Cant. 1. 12. but at his table, and then our spicknard will send forth a sweet smell; that is, let Jesus Christ be but present with us, and then our graces, which are compared to spicknard will send forth a sweet smell; sitting at the table with King Jesus, intimakes the sweetest friendship 1 Kings 10. 8. and fellowship with him. It was held a great honour and happiness to stand before Solomon, what is it then to sit with Christ at his table? [My spicknard sendeth forth the smell thereof,] that is, My faith is actuated, and all my other graces are exercised and increased; Christs pre­sence puts life into all our graces. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will Isa. 41. 10. Luke 21, 14, 15. strengthen thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak then am I strong. When I am weak in my self, then am I strong in Christ. If the Sun shine upon the Mary-gold, Mal. 4. [...]. how soon do's the Mary-gold open, so when the Sun of righteousness do's but shine upon a Christians graces, how do they open and act! To shew how the presence of Christ has acted the faith, love, courage, boldness, and patience, &c. of the Saints in the Old and New Te­stament, the primitive Christians and the Martyrs, in the latter ages of the world, when they have been in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most dead­ly dangers, would take up more than a little time, be­sides in my other writings, I have opened these things more fully to you, and to them I must refer you. And therefore.

Fourthly, the Lord doth manifest his favourable, signal, and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by laying a Law of restraint upon every wicked man, and by bridling and checking their fury and inso­lency, that they shall not add afflictions to the afflicted [Page 27] as otherwise they would; as he did upon Laban, Gen. 31. 24. And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, take heed that thou speak not to Jacob, either good or bad. Verse 29. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your Fathers spake unto me yester night, saying, take thou heed that thou speak not to Ja­cob either good or bad. See what a law of restraint God laid upon Esau, Gen. 33. 1, 2, 3, 4. and upon Abimelech, Gen. 20. 6, 7, 8, 17, 18. and upon Benhadad, 1 Kings 20. 1, 10, 29, 30. and upon Haman, as you may see by comparing the 3. and 6. chapters of Esther together; and upon Pharaoh, Exod. 15. 9, 10. and upon Senacherib, Isa. 37. 28, 29, 33, 34, 35, 36. and upon Herod, Acts 12, Maximinus set forth a proclamation engraven in History of the Council of Trent pag. 417. brass, for the utter abolishing of Christ and Religion: he was eaten up of lice. Valens, being to subscribe an or­der for the banishment of Basil, was smitten with a sud­den trembling of his hand, that he could not subscribe the order; afterwards he was burned to death by the Goths.

Domitian, the author of the second persecution against the Christians, having drawn a catalogue of the names of such as he was to kill, in which was the name of his own Wife, and other Friends; upon which he was by the consent of his Wife, slain by his own houshold ser­vants with daggers in his privy Chamber; his body was buried without honour, his memory cursed to po­sterity, and his Arms and Ensignes where thrown down and defaced. Julian vowed to make a sacrifice of the Christians upon his return from the wars, but in a Battel against the Persians, he was deadly wounded, and throw­ing his blood in the air, in a high contempt of Christ, he dyed with that desperate blasphemous expression in his mouth, Vicisti tandem Galiaee, Thou Galilean [...] overcome me.

Faelix, Earl of Wurtenburg; was a great persecutor of the Saints, and did swear, that ere he dyed he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of the Lutherans; but [Page 28] the very same night, wherein he had thus sworn and vowed, he was choaked in his own blood.

The Judgments of God were so famous and frequent upon the persecutors of the Saints in Bohemia, that it was used as a proverb among the Adversaries themselves, That if any man were weary of his life, let him but attempt against the Piccardines (so they called the Chri­stians) and he should not live a year to an end. By these short hints you may see, that all along God has made good, that Word, that is more worth than a world: Psalm 76, 10. Heb. Gird, that is, keep it with­in compass as with a Girdle. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remain­der of wrath shalt thou restrain. Heb. Shalt thou gird, that is curb, and keep within compass; or as the Greek hath it, It shall keep holy day to thee, that is, cease from work­ing, or acting outwardly, how restless soever it be with­in. [The remainder of wrath shall thou restrain,] that is, those that are left alive of thy wrathful enemies, that have still any malice against thy People, thou wilt curb and restrain, and not suffer their wrath to be so great as formerly; or if they go about to recruit their forces, and to set again upon thy People, thou wilt set such bounds to their wrath, that they shall not accomplish their desires, nor shall they proceed one step further, than shall make signally for thy glory and thy Peoples good, so some carrie the words. The more eager and fu­rious the enemies are against Gods People, the more ho­nour and glory will God get in protecting and securing his People, and in girding, binding, and tying up their enemies: were it not for this favourable, signal, and e­minent presence of God with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. Wicked men would still be a multiplying of their sor­rows increasing their troubles, and adding of burden to burden, 'tis this favourable presence of God, that binds wicked men over to their good behaviour, and that chaines them up from doing that mischief, that they design and intend. But,

Fifthly, The Lord does manifest his favorable, signal [Page 29] and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by guiding and leading them into those paths and wayes, which make most for their own peace and quiet, safety Exod. 13. 21, 22. Isa. 63. 12, 13, 14. Psalm 5. 8. The Apple of the eye is the tender­est piece of the tenderest part. Heb. Ishon of Ish, as pupilla of pu­pa, because there­in appears the likeness of a little man, or because a man is to be pri­zed above all o­ther Creatures, as so God esteem­eth his people a­bove all the world, Heb. 11. 38 and security, contentation and satisfaction, happiness here and blessedness hereafter. Deut. 32. 10. He found him in a desert land and in the wast bowling wilderness: he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the ap­ple of his eye. A Wilderness condition is, you know, a condition of straits, wants, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers; now when his People were in this con­dition, he instructs them by his words and works, and he takes them by the hand (as I may say) and leads them with all care, tenderness, gentleness, and sweetness, as a man would do a poor helpless Infant which he should find in a desert, in a wast howling wilderness. God never left leading of his People, till he had brought them at last through the wilderness, to the land of Ca­naan. Ah this leading presence of God turns a wilder­ness into a Paradise, a desert into a Canaan: let a Chri­stians troubles, distresses and dangers be never so many or never so great, yet as long as he has the guiding pre­sence of God with him, he is safe from dangers in the midst of dangers; the fire shall not burn him, nor the wa­ters overflow him, Isa. 43. 2. Psalm 107. 4. They wandred in the wilderness in a solitary way, they found no City to dwell in. Verse 5. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them: Verse 6. Then they cried unto the Lord, in their troubles, and he delivered them out of their distresses. Here you see their great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers; and now God gives them his hand, Verse 7. And he led them forth by the right way; that they might go to a City of habitation; that is to a state of set­tlement say some, to Jerusalem say others, or to that City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is Heb. 11. 10. God, saith another. In that 32. Psalm you may see Da­vid's great troubles, deep distresses and most deadly dan­gers: Verse 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old, [Page 30] through my roaring all the day long, Verse 4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, my moisture is turned into the drought of summer, Selah: But will God be his guide now? O yes, Verse 8. I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Let the hand of the Lord be never so heavy upon a person, yet the presence of God guiding and in­structing Isa. 30. 21. Psalm 73. 24. of him, will keep him from utter fainting and sinking under that hand. When the People of God are Psalm 25. 9, 12. Psalm 5. 8. in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, he leads and guides them, 1. into super­natural wayes, Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the Wise. He hath his feet where other mens heads are, and (like an heavenly Eagle) delights himself in flying high. 2. Into good wayes, Jerem. 6. 16. 3. Into strait and strict wayes, Mat. 7. 14. Hence they are called right or straight paths, which lie betwixt two extremes; or if you will, which directly lead you to the view of Heaven: they are paths which lie level with the rule, and with the end, a man may see Salvation and Heaven at the end of them. 4. Into pleasant wayes, Prov. 3. 17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace; such as were those of Adam before his fall, strawed with roses, and paved with peace; some degree of com­fort, pleasantness & peace follows every good action, as heat accompanies fire, as beams and influences issue from the Sun. 5. Into right paths, Prov. 4. 11. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom: I have led thee in right paths. Hosea 1. 9. The wayes of the Lord are right and the righ­teous shall walk in them: The wayes of his will, the wayes of his Word, and the wayes of his worship are all right wayes, they carry us on in a straight line unto a right end. 6. Into old and ancient wayes, Jer. 6. 16. Ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest to your souls, Jerem. 18. 15. They have caused them to stumble in their way from the an­cient paths. The wayes of holiness are of the greatest, highest, and ancientest antiquity; the first wayes of A­dam [Page 31] were wayes of holiness; the wayes of sin are of a later Edition, than the wayes of holiness; God stampt his Image of holiness upon Man, before ever Satan as­sayed to tempt him: holiness is of the ancientest house, of the greatest antiquity, sin is but an upstart, holiness is the first born: the way of holiness is the eldest way, the way of holiness is gray-headed, and of ancientest in­stitution, all other wayes are but of yesterday, they are but new wayes to the wayes of holiness. The stamp of Antiquity upon many things is a praise and an honour to them, as old gold, old friends, old manuscripts, old monuments, old scars, and old holiness; the stamp of Antiquity upon the wayes of holiness, is the praise and honour of the wayes of holiness. 7. Into paths of righteousness, Psalm 23. 3. He lead [...] me in paths of righ­teousness for his names sake; or in plain, smooth, easie paths, or in sheeps tracts, wherein I may walk un­weariedly and unblamably; herein he alludes to the Shepherds care in leading his sheep gently, in fair and and plain wayes, and not through deep mire, brambles, and briars, or over craggy wayes, that must needs be hard and troublesome for them to go in: The word here used is Metaphorical; sometimes respecting the blind, who cannot walk without a guide; sometimes little or weak children, who cannot go without a leader; and here the weak and wandring sheep, which stand in need of the Shepherd, to go in and out before them. 8. Into paths of Salvation, Acts 16. 17. Th [...]se men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 9. Into wayes of truth, 2 Petr. 2. 2. And many shall follow their pernicious wayes, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken off. [The way of truth] that is the true Christian Religion reveiled from heaven, which shews the way to true happiness, to Eternal salvation. 10. Into wayes of uprightness, Prov. 2. 13. Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk-in the way of darkness. Now when the People of God are in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most [Page 32] deadly dangers, the Lord by leading them 1. Into su­pernatural wayes. 2. Into good wayes. 3. Into strict and straight wayes. 4. Into pleasant wayes. 5. Into right wayes. 6. Into old and ancient wayes. 7. Into righ­teous wayes. 8. Into wayes of salvation. 9. Into wayes of truth; and 10. Into wayes of uprightness does glo­riously manifest his favourable, his signal, and his emi­nent presence with them. There is nothing below a migh­ty presence of God, that can enable a Christian (espe­cially when he is under great troubles, and in deep di­stresses, and most deadly dangers) to do these five things: 1. To approve of the wayes of God. 2. To chuse the wayes of the Lord. 3. Highly to prize them. 4. To delight and take pleasure in them. 5. To walk in them and to keep close to them; and yet in all these five things the Lord doth greatly and graciously help his poor People, when they are as it were in the very mouth of the Lion. But

Sixthly, The Lord doth manifest his favourable pre­sence, 6 his signal and eminent presence with his Peo­ple, in their greatest troubles; deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by encouraging, imbolding, ani­mating and heartning up his People, in the midst of all their troubles, distresses and dangers, and by putting new life, spirit, and mettle into them; when they are 2 Chron. 13. 12. Numb. 13. 32. 33. compared with 14. 9. even in the very mouth of the Lion: Josh. 1. 6. Be strong and of a good courage. Verse 7. Only be thou strong and very couragious. Verse 9. Be strong and of a good cou­rage: be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest. Joshua was a sword-man as well as a book-man, he had his name changed from Oshea to Joshua, from Num. 13. 16. let God save, to God shall save. Christ will never want a Champion, tostand up for his Church; if Moses dies Joshua shall stand up: There shall be a succession of swor [...] men, and book-men, of Rulers and Teachers, to ca [...]y on Christs work in the world, till the top-stone Zach. 4. 7. M [...]iach. 2. 15. be laid, with grace unto it. The residue of the Spi­rit [Page 33] is with the Lord, and therefore he can and will put such an anointing of his Spirit upon one and another, as shall fit them to carry on his works in the World. Joshua was very valiant, and a man of singular good Moses had a spe­cial command from God to charge Joshua to be couragious, Deut. 1. 38. cap. 3. 28. God himself also layes the same command upon him, Deut. 31. 23. mettle; yet because he was sure to meet with such trou­bles, deep distresses, and dealy dangers, as would put him to it, therefore he is prest so frequently to be cou­ragious, Verse 6. Be strong and of good courage. Verse 7. Only be thou strong and very couragious. Verse 9. Be strong and of a good courage. Verse 18. Only be strong and of a good courage. Deut. 31. 7. And Moses called unto Joshua and said unto him, in the sight of all Israel, be strong and of a good courage, &c. And why all this? not be­cause Joshua had discovered any faint-heartedness or cowardise, but because the work he was to under­take was so weighty and perillous, in regard of those many and mighty Nations, whom he was to destroy, and plant the Israelites in their room: the work that Joshua was to undertake was attended with many great difficulties and dangers, in respect of the Enemies he was to encounter, as being men of vast and Giant-like statures and strength, and dwelling in Cities with high walls and strongly fortified. Now the main Argument to raise his courage and mettle, is drawn from Gods special presence and assistance, Joshua 1. 9. For the Lord thy God is with thee, whither­soever thou goest. We are not to understand it of Gods general presence in all places, but of his special, favou­rable, signal, and eminent presence, which God would manifest in his preservation and protection, notwith­standing all the difficulties, enterprises, dangers and E­nemies that he was to encounter with. So 2 Chron. 32. 7. Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed, for the King of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him. Verse 8. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battels, &c. At this time the King of Assyria was the greatest Mo­narch [Page 34] in the world, and the most formidable Enemy Israel had: he had a mighty Army, for there was a hundred fourscore and five thousand of them slain in one night. Verse 21. Now the great thing they were to mind and attend was, to look narrowly to it, that the favourable, signal and eminent presence of God with them, did raise all their hearts above all discouragements, fears and dismayed­ness, what is the chaff to the whirl-wind? what are thorns and briars to a consuming fire? what is an arm of flesh, to the arm, strength; and power of a God? what is weakness to strength, and the nothing Creature to the Lord of Hosts? Now if the special, signal pre­sence of God with his People in their greatest troubles, and most deadly dangers, won't put singular courage, life, and mettle into them, what will? Acts 23. verse 10. And when there arose a great dissention, the chief Captain, fearing l [...] Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the Souldiers to go down, and take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the Castle. Verse 11. And the night following the Lord stood by him, [namely in a vision, or in a dream, or in an extasie,] and said be of good cheer Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. The favourable, signal presence of the Lord with him, turned [...]is Prison into a Palace. Mr. Philpot being a Act. and Mon. 1663. prisoner for the testimony of Jesus, writes thus to his Friends: Though I tell you, that I am in hell, in the judgement of this world, yet assuredly I feel in the same the consolation of heaven, I praise God: and this loath­some and horrible prison, is as pleasant to me, as the walks in the garden of the Kings-Bench. When Paul was in See Act [...] 27. [...]3. 24. great danger the Lord stood by him, to cheer, comfort, and encourage him: Now God claps him on the back, and puts new life, and mettle into him.

When Dionysius was given up by the Executioner to be beheaded, he remained constant and couragious, say­ing, come life, come death, I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth.

When Chrysostom had told Eudoxia the empress that for her covetousness, she would be called a second Jeze­bel she thereupon sent him a threatning message, to which he gave this stout and resolute answer: Go tell her, Nil nisi peccatum timeo, I fear nothing but sin.

When the Executioner had kindled the fire behind Jerom of Prague, he bad him kindle it before his face, for (said he) if I had been afraid of it, I had not come to this place, having had so many opportunities offered me to escape it; At the giving up of the ghost, he said▪ [Hanc animam in flammis offero Christe tibi,] This soul of mine in flames of fire, O Christ, I offer thee.

The Emperour coming into Germanie, sent for Lu­ther to Worms, but many of his friends (from the dan­ger they apprehended hanging over his head) disswaded him from going; to whom he gave this prudent, cou­ragious, and resolute answer, That these discourage­ments were cast in his way by Satan, who knew that by his profession of the Truth in so illustrious a place, his Kingdom would be shaken, and that therefore if he knew, that there were as many Devils in Worms, as there were tiles on the houses, yet he woul [...] go.

The German Knight in his Apologetical Letter for Luther against the Pontifical Clergy, saith, I will go through with what I have undertaken against you, and will stir up men to seek their freedom, I neither care nor fear what may befal me, being prepared for either event, either to ruine you, to the great benefit of my Country, of my self to fall with a good conscienee, &c.

William Flower (the Martyr) said, That the Heavens should assoon fall, as I will forsake my profession, or budge in the least degree from it.

Apollonius being asked, If he did not tremble at the sight of the Tyrant? made this answer, God which gave him a terrible countenance, hath given also unto me an undaunted heart.

When Gardiner asked Rowland Taylor, If he did not know him? &c. To whom he answered, Yea, I know you, and all you greatness, yet you are but a mortal [Page 36] man; and if I should be afraid of your Lordly looks, why fear ye not God the Lord of us all?

Basil affirms of the primitive Christians, that they had so much courage and magnanimity of spirit in their suf­ferings, that many Heathens, seeing their heroick zeal, resoluteness, and undauntedness, turned Christians.

When one of the ancient Martyrs was terrifyed with the threatnings of his persecutors, he replyed, There is nothing of things visible, nor nothing of things invisible that I fear, I will stand to my profession of the Name of Christ, and contend earnestly for the faith once deli­vered to the Saints, come on't what will.

By these instances (which may be of great use in this trying day) you may clearly see, how the Lord has ma­nifested his favourable, signal, and eminent presence to his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by raising up in them a spirit of courage, magnanimity, and holy gallantry. But,

Seventhly, the Lord doth manifest his favourable, signal, and eminent presence to his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by preserving them from troubles in the midst of troubles, from dangers in the midst of dang [...]rs. Dan. 3. 25. He answered, and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. The prefence of the Son of God preserves these three valiant Cham­pions from dangers in the midst of dangers; They fell down bound in the fiery Furnace (saith my Author) and Polanus. they walked loose in the midst of the fire without any hurt, for the Angel of the Lord descended together with them in the same moment, who shook the flames of the fire forth out of the Furnace, and preserved the Servants of God safe without any trouble, being cooled as it were with a de [...] coming upon them in a pleasant manner. But give me leave to say, that these words [One like the Son of God,] doth not argue that in this vi­sion there was not a representation of the Son of God to [Page 37] come afterwards in the flesh; but rather, that this great mystery was here shew'd for the greater comfort of the faithful, that they might couragiously bear all their suf­ferings, having the Prince and Head both of Angels and men present with them herein to mitigate their pains and carry them through with joy; this being a greater won­der of grace and love, then to have the protection of a meer Angel; concerning whose power also, whether he can change the nature of fire, that it shall not burn, is very doubtful and questionable, seeing this argueth om­nipotency, which is in God alone, and not communica­ble to any Creature. Where by the way you may observe a strong and solid argument, to prove that Jesus is the Son of God, against all gainsayers, thus: He whom Nebuchadnezzar saw in the fiery Furnace, was the Son of God in an humane shape; but he was typically Jesus, Verse 22. ergo, &c. The Major is proved, because he did that which none but God could do, viz. he qualified the most fierce and raging fire, which burnt up some, coming but near it, and had no power at the same instant of time, so much as to sing a hair of the heads of others; The Minor is proved also, because God appearing in a glorious humane. shape at any time, was not God the Father or Holy Ghost, but God the Son; for no man 1 John 13. 1 Tim. 6. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 12. hath seen God at any time, but the Son hath revealed him; both when in him appearing in a humane shape under the Law, and when, under the Gos­pel, shewing himself in the man Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, and hypostatically united unto him. Exod. 3. 2. And the Angel of the Lord (that is Christ Christ is called the Messenger or Angel of the Co­venant. Mal. 3. 1. the Angel of the Covenant) appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a Bush; and he looked, and behold, the Bush burned with fire, and the Bush was not consumed. Verse 3. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the Bush is not burnt. The Hebrew word Seneh which is he used, signifies a Dry-bush, a Bramble-bush, whence the Mount and Wilderness is called Sinai, of the store of brambles that grew there, or [Page 38] of this Bush or Vision. Now for a Bush, a Dry-bush, a Bramble-bush to be all on fire and yet not consumed, this must be a wonder of wonders: but all this is from the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush. Out of these two Verses we may briefly observe these few things:

First, the low, and weak, and brittle estate of the Church, represented by a Bush, a Dry-bush, a Bramble­bush; what more brittle, weak, base, low, and despi­cable, than a Dry-bush, a Bramble-bush? What is such a Bush good for but the fire, or to stop a gap, or some such inferiour use? A Bush is a black, deformed, and uncomely thing. Corruption and affliction, sin and suf­fering renders the Saints very uncomely. The Church is compared not to a strong sturdy oke, but to a we [...]k brit­tle Bush, and Elsewhere to a Vine, a Dove, a Lamb, a Sheep, &c. all frail weak Creatures. It is good for all Saints to have low and mean thoughts of themselves for here they are resembled to a Dry-bush, a Bramble-bush. But,

Secondly, a Dry-bush, a Bramble-bush pricks, wounds and vexes them that handle it roughly. This Bush is in Hebrew called Seneb, (as I have hinted before) which the Hebrews describe to be a shrub full of pricks, and without fruit, and so thick that a bird cannot enter with­out the ruffling and pulling off her feathers. Let the proud enemies of the Church look to themselves, for this Bramble-bush will vex, prick, wound, tear, and put them to the worst, when they have done their worst. In all the Ages of the World this Bramble-bush, the Church, hath been a cup of trembling unto all the Peo­ple Zach. 12 2, 3. round about, and a burdensome stone; so that all that burden themselves with it, shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the Earth be gathered together against it. But,

Thirdly, consider the cruelties of the Churches ene­mies is signified and represented by a fire; The Bush burns with fire: In this resemblance is shadowed out the oppressed, afflicted and persecuted estate of the Israelites [Page 39] in the Egyptian Furnace; and by fire here is meant the most painful terrifying and tormenting afflictions and miseries that should attend them. Great afflictions and persecutions are in Scripture commonly set out by fire, as the fiery tryal, the fire of affliction. Fire is very painful, 1 Pet. 4. 12. Lam. 2. 3, 4. Hab. 2. 13. and tormenting (in which respects Hell-torments are compared to fire,) so are great afflictions, miseries, and sufferings; they are very painful and tormenting; they put persons into sore pain and travel. Next to the pangs of Conscience, and the pains of Hell, there are none to these pains and pangs that are bred and fed by sore affli­ctions, by terrible tryals. It has been the lot and por­tion of Gods dearest Children, to be exercised with ve­ry great and griveous afflictions, and that in order to the discovery of sin, to the imbittering of sin, to the preven­ting of sin, and to the purging away of sin, and in order to the tryal of grace, the discovery of grace, the exer­cise of grace, and the increase of grace; and in order to the weaning of them from this World, and to the com­pleating their conformity to Christ, the Captain of their Heb. 2. 10. salvation, who was made perfect through sufferings; & to ripen them for Heaven, and to work in them more, bowels of pity & compassion to those that are in misery & that sigh & groan under their Egyptian task masters.

Fourthly, consider the eminence of their preservation, This fire was a super natural fire for, 1. It conti­nued without fuell to seed up­on. 2. It kept be­low & ascended not. 3. It burn­ed and consu­med not. All which shews it to be a superna­tural work. though in the fire yet unconsumed. The Church of God was hot, yea all in flames, and yet not consumed. Let the fire be never so hot, so fierce, so furious, so spread­ing, the Church shall have a being, and live and bear up in the midst of the flames. If the Church like the Sea loose in one place it gits ground in another; when the worst of men, and Devils, and Informers have done their worst, the Lord will have a name among his Peo­ple on Earth. The Church with the Lamp in the story laughes at all those winds, that would blow it out. Well may we stand amazed and wonder, that so flaming and terrible a fire, falling upon so contemptible a Bush, and so dry and despicable a shrub, should not presently turn [Page 40] it into ashes, for why is the fire too weak? O no. Is the Bush so strong, as to defend and secure it self against devouring flames? O no. Or is the Bush not apt to burn and consume by so fier [...]e a fire? O no. It is not from the impotency of the fire, nor from the strength or constitu­tion of the Bush; for a dry Bramble-bush in the matter of it is as combustible as any chaff, and as easily destroy­ed as any stubble; but because the natural force thereof was r [...]strained by the glorious power of God: for if God concur not with the nature of things, they cannot work nor shew their kind. There are two inseparable qualities of fire: 1. To give light. 2. To burn; And yet Divine power divides and separates these two: for this fire gi­veth light, but burneth not. O what a mighty, what an astonishing preservation is here! The afflictions and suf­ferings of the Church are not a consuming fire, but a try­ing fire, as the fire in a Furnace consumes the dross, but tryes the gold, and puts a new lustre, beauty, and glory upon it. Hesiod speaks of thirty thousand Demy-Gods, Psalm 121. 4, Isa. 27. 3. Mal. 3. 17. Zach. 2. 8. Psalm 31. 20. that were keepers of men; but what are so many thou­sand Gods, to that one God that neither slumbers nor sleeps, but day and night keeps his People as his Jewels, as the apple of his eye, that keeps them in his Pavilion as a Prince his Favorite. There is a Dialogue between a Heathen and a Jew; after the Jews return from captivity (all Nations round about them being enemies unto them) the Heathen asked the Jew, how he and his Con­trey-men could hope for any safety, because (saith he) every one of you is as a silly sheep compassed about with fifty wolves. I but, saith the Jew, we are kept by such a shepherd, as can kill all these wolves when he pleases, and by that means preserve his sheep. But,

Fifthly, consider how this eminent preservation of his People from dangers in the midst of dangers is effected and brought about, and that is by the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Angel of the Covenant; for Moses saith expresly of this Vision, that the Lord appeared unto Moses, and God calleth unto him out of the midst of the [Page 41] Bush, & said Moses, Moses, &c. This calling of Moses by his Verse 4. name, & the doubling of his name, in such a familiar & loving manner, was a sign of Gods singular favour to Moses. Choice Favorits God frequently called by name, as Scipio by way of favour call'd the Citizens by their names, and so Cyrus upon the same ground called his Soul­diers by their names. you may see in those instances of Abraham, Isaac, and Ja­cob, &c. and so our Lord Jesus Christ called Peter by his name, & Nathanael by his name, & Mary by her name, &c.) The same presence of the Son of God, that preserved the three Children (or rather Champions) in that furious furnace of Nebuchadnezzar from burning or singeing, pre­served the Bush, though not from burning, yet from consuming, by restraining the natural force of the fire, and strengthning the Bush against it. The Bush, the Church in the fire, came forth of the hottest Furnace that ever was kindled, not blacker nor worser, but brighter and better, & more glorious than the Sun in his strength; and all this from the presence of the Angel of the Cove­venant that dwelt in the Bush. Divine presence can preserve a flaming Bush from being consumed. Witness our preservation to this day, though we have been as a burning Bush. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be Psalm 46. 5. moved, God shall help her, and that right early. Heb. When the morning appeareth; that is, in the nick of time, when help shall be most feasonable and best welcom. The pre­sence of the Lord in the midst of his Church, will secure her from being greatly moved in the midst of all those great dreadful confusions, that are abroad in the world. Hence the Church is called, Jehovah shammah, The Lord is Ezek. 48. 35. there. His presence in Heaven, makes it heaven, & his pre­sence in the Church, makes it happy and safe; Nothing shall disturb or harm them, that have the presence of God in the midst of them. The Church is built upon Mat. 16. 18. a rock, she is invincible. Jer. 1. 8. Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee, to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Opposition is as Calvin writes to the French King Evangelii genius, the black Angel, that dogs the Gospel at the heels. Verse 17. Tho [...] therefore gird up thy loyns, and arise▪ and speak [...]nto them all tha [...] I command thee, be not dismayed at their faces, lest I [...] thee before them. Verse 18. For behold, I have made thee this day a defenced City, and [Page 42] an iron pillar and brasen wall against the whole Land, against the Kings of Judah, against the Princes thereof, against the Priests thereof, and against the people of the Land. Verse 19. And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deli­ver thee. Gods presence with his Messengers, is a guard, and a safe-guard, all-sufficient against all opposition whatsoever. Earthly Princes and Soveraigns are not wont to go with those whom they send on Embassage, but God always goes along with those whom he sends, & will by his powerful presence protect & defend them, a­gainst opposers, at all times & in all places; when all others f [...]il and forsake us, Christs presence is security sufficient, for If he be with us who can be against us? They must first prevail against him, before they can prevail against them, that withstand and oppose those whom he standeth by to back and protect. How comes this to pass, that In some cases a man were better loose his life, than be cowa [...]dly. Aristotle Eth., 3. cap. 1. Jeremiah a man, a man alone, should bear up so stoutly, and stand so strong against Kings, Princes, Priests & Peo­ple? 'tis from the signal presence of God with him. [I am with thee.] And what can all the great ones of the World, and all the wicked ones of the World, do against one Messenger of the Lord, that is armed with his glo­rious power? The Ambassadours of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, must not be terrified with the mul­titude of opposers, nor with the grandure or greatness of opposers; but set the presence of the Lord against them all, and say as that noble Souldier Paedarelus (in Eras­mus) did, to them that told him, of that numerous and mighty Army, which came against him, Tanto plus glo­riae referemus, quoniam [...]o plures superabimus. The num­ber of oppose [...] makes the Christian conquests the more illustrious. The more the Pharisees of old, and their Successors of late time have opposed the Truth, the more it hath p [...]evailed; and [...]is observable that the Reforma­tion in Germany was much furthered by the Papists oppo­sition, yea, when two Kings (amongst many others) wrote against Luther▪ viz. Hen [...]y the eight of England, [Page 43] and Ludovicus of Hungary; this kingly title being entred into the controversie (making men more curious to exa­mine the matter) stirred up a general inclination to­wards Luther's opinion. So, Jerem. 15. 20. And I will make thee unto this People a fenced brasen wall, and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, to save thee, and to deliver thee, saith the Lord. When the Messengers of the Lord go on con­stantly and couragiously in the faithful discharge of their duties, not relenting, or yielding, or complying with their greatest opposers, then they shall have such a signal presence of the Lord with them, as shall sufficient­ly protect them against all their enemies might and ma­lice, wrath, and rage. Verse 21. And I will-deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible, or violent ones. Though thou shouldest fall into the hand of the wicked (id est, power) and into the hand of the terrible, and violent ones, yet they shall not hurt thee, nor harm thee, they shall not have their wills upon thee; when thou art in their hands I will lay a law of restraint upon their hearts, that they shall not mischief thee, nor triumph over thee; I will be sure to secure thee, and rescue thee from dangers in the midst of dangers. A gracious Messenger of the Lord in the midst of all oppositions (as Chrysostome said of Peter) is a man made all of fire walking in stuble, he overcomes and consumes all opposition; all difficulties are but whet­stones to his fortitude. The Moon will run her course though the dogges bark at it, so does the Traveller, and so will the faithful messengers of the Lord hold on in their way and work, let men and devils bark & do their worst.

Moulin speaking of the French Protestants, said, When Papists hurt us for reading the Scriptures, we burn with zeal to be reading of them; he is a fool, we say, that will be laughed out of his coat; but he's a fool in folio that will be laughed out of his skin, out of his profession, out of his Religion, out of his principles, out of the wayes of God, nay out of his soul, out of his salvation: be­cause [Page 44] he can't endure to be, opposed, derided, or laughed at by lewd and wicked men. The Divine presence will make a man set light by such paper-shot.

A gracious spirit is raised by opposition; the more op­sition it meetes with in a way of duty, the more resolute he is for it: So far is he from being afraid of the threat­nings of men, of the frowns of men, or of losing this mans favour, or of incurring such a mans displeasure, that his spirit riseth far more for it. It is with such a man as it is with the fire in Winter, the fire burns the hotter, because of the coldness of the air; So it is with all the Messen­gers of the Lord, who are inflamed in the way of their duty. Come to David, and tell him, O there is a Goliah, and he is come out with a spear like a weavers beam, and 1 Sam. 17. 4. to the 11. compared with Ver. 26, 27. there is one that bears his target goes before him; where is he? saith David, I will fight with him, saith he. Dif­ficulties and dangers do but whet and raise his spirit, he is not afraid of any uncircumcised Philistin. Ah, my Friends, this is a true noble spirit! Holy greatness of mind lies in this, when a mans spirit is born up upon the greatness of his God, and the goodness of his cause; and if that will not bear me out, saith such a soul, let me sink in it. I am content to perish. That's a good word, more worth than a world in a faithful Ministers eye, Ezek. 3. 8. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forhead strong against their forheads. Verse 9. As an Adamant, harder than a flint, have I made thy forehead; fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. The Adamant is the hardest of stones, it is Lapis servabilis, because it keeps it self by its hardness from all injuries, no weather, no vio­lence of hammer, or fire will break it, or conquer it. God engages himself to give the Prophet such undaun­ted boldness, and invincible courage and constancy, as neither shame nor fear should prevail against. Divine presence, Divine assistance does alwayes accompany a Divine call; such whom God sends he seconds, such whom he calls, he encourages, against all difficulties and [Page 45] discouragements, such as are called by Christ, and sent by Christ, shall never want the strengthning, comfort­ing, coroborating, animating, and preserving presence of Christ: It is this Divine presence, that makes them stand it out, and shew themselves like men; like men of courage, like men of God, and that secures them from dangers in the midst of dangers; in the greatest storms the Adamant shrinks not, it fears not, it chan­geth not its hue, no not in the least; Divine presence will keep gracious men from shrinking, fearing, and changing their way, their work, their Lord and Master, in the worst of storms that can beat upon them; in all winds and weather the Adamant is still the same, and so will all the faithful Messengers of the Lord be, what ever wind may blow upon them: The signal pre­sence of God with them will keep them from fearing, fainting, flying, and preserve them from dangers in the midst of dangers. But,

Eightly, The Lord doth manifest his favourable, sig­nal and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by frustrating and disappointing the plots, de­signs, counsels and contrivances of their powerful, sub­til, secret, and malicious Adversaries, who would fain be multiplying of their troubles, sorrows, sufferings, The Thebanes had a band of men they called Sacra C [...]hors, consisting of such only as were joyned in bonds of love, and resolved to live and dye together: these Jews under Nehemiah's com­mand were such, and were there­fore insuperable. and miseries upon them, Nehem. 4. 8. And conspired all of them together, to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Verse 11. And our adversaries said, they shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst a­mongst them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. Verse 15. And it came to pass, when our Enemies knew that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsels to nought, &c. The craft of the Churches Ene­mies, is never but accompanied with cruelty, and their cruelty is seldom without craft; the Devil lends them his seven heads to plot, and his seven horns to push; but in the things wherein they deal proudly God is a­bove them, and by his presence with his People, he [Page 46] brings all their plots, counsels, and enterprises to naught: The Gunpowder Traitors betrayed themselves, and all came to light, though they had digged as low as hell, to hide their counsels from the Lord. The Enemies of the Jews in Nehemiah's time made great brags at first what they would do, but when they saw their plots dis­covered, and their purposes defeated, they are presently crest-fallen, and have no mind nor courage to advance at all; so that to these Plotters may be fitly applyed, that which Guicciardin saith of Charles the Eight, King of France, in his expedition against Naples: That he came into the field like thunder and lightning, but went out like a snuff; more than a Man at first,. and less than a Woman at last. In all the Ages of the World, the heads, the wits, the hands, the hearts and the tongues of the wicked have been engaged against the Just; they have been still a plotting and devising mischief against the favourits of heaven (as if Rebels could medle with none but the Children of a King) and yet Gods signal presence with his People, in point of affection and pro­tection has blasted all their designs, and frustrated all their counsels; as the rage of wicked Men against the Saints have been endless, so it has been fruitless, be­cause God has been in the midst of them. Haman Esther 3. 8.—ult. plots against the lives, liberties and Estates of the Jews, but his plot was timely discovered, and seasonably pre­vented, and the grand Plotter and Informer detected, debased, condemned and executed. Esther 7. 10. So they hanged Haman on the Gallows, that he had prepared for Mordecai, then was the Kings wrath pacified. The Kings of Persia had absolute and unquestionable power, to do whatsoever they listed: Quicquid libuit, licuit; all their Subjects, except their Queens, where no better than Slaves, whom they would they slew, and whom they Dan. 5. 19. would they kept alive: whom they would they set up, and whom they would they put down. Haman is here Esther 7. 9. without order of Law, more than the Kings command, adjudged to be hanged; the truth is, it was a clear case, [Page 47] and the Malefactor was self condemned: Hang him therefore, saith the King; a short and just Sentence, and soon executed. Ah how soon is Haman fallen from the Palace to the Gallows, from the highest Stage o [...] ho­nour, to the lowest stair of disgrace; from feasting with the King, to be made a feast for crows, and so lies wrapt up in the sheet of perpetual infamy: So let all thine Ene­mies perish, O Lord. It is a good observation of Jose­phus Ʋnde mihi conti­git mirari nomen Dei, & sapien [...]iam & justi [...]iam ejus [...]gnoscere, &c: Jo­seph. Ant. lib. 1. cap. 6. upon Esther 7. 10. I cannot (saith he) but admire the Lords wisdom, and acknowledge hi [...] Justice, in that he not only punished him for his malice to the Church, but by turning his own mischief upon himself, hath made him an example to all posterity; hanging him up in gibbets, that others may take warning. Let all Plotters and Informers beware of making a match with mischief, they may have enough of it in the end. Haman was a main stick­ler for the Devil, who paid him his wages at last, with a witness, or if you will with a halter; Let all the Ene­mies of the Saints tremble at such ends, and be careful to avoid them, by flying such like foul and flagitious practices. The bloody plot being thus laid by Haman, the Kings Minion, behold the footsteps of Gods favour­able, signal, and eminent presence for his People, and Esther 4. with his People, in their deadly dangers, and that in raising up in them a very great Spirit of faith, prayer, and mourning, and by raising an undaunted courage and resolution in Esther: And so I will go in unto the Verse 16. King, and if I perish I perish: This she speaks not rash­ly or desperately as prodigal of her life, but as one wil­ling to sacrifice the same for the honour of God, his cause and People; saying as that Martyr (can I die but once for Christ?) Esther had rather die than shrink from her duty; she thought it better to do worthily and pe­rish for a Kingdom, than unworthily and perish with a Kingdom: here was a mighty presence of God, in rai­sing Esther's heroical courage and resolution, above all those visible dangers, that did attend her attempt of going in to the King, against the known Law of the [Page 48] Land: (And the King held out to Esther the golden Cap. 5. 2. Scepter;) He did not kick her out of his presence, as some Cambyses would have done; neither did he com­mand her to the block, as Henry the Eight did his Ann Bullen, upon a meer mispr [...]sion of disloyalty; neither yet did he cashier her, as he had Vashti for a less of­fence, but by holding out his Scepter, shews his gra­cious respects unto her: This was the Lords own work, and a great demonstration of his signal prese [...]ce with her, in giving her favour in the eyes of the great King. (So Esther drew near and touched the top of the Scepter) with her hand saith the Chaldee; with her mouth saith the Vulgar translation; this she did either in token of submission, or as a sign of reverence and subjection, or for the avoiding of danger: For as Josephus saith, He that touched the Kings Scepter, was out of the reach of evil; or according to the custom of the times: Gods favourable presence is transparent; in the Kings ex­tended favour to her: (On that night could not the King Esther 6. [...]. sleep) Heb. the Kings sleep fled away; and like a shadow it fled away so much the faster, as it was more follow­ed▪ Crowns have their cares; thistles in their arms, and thorns in their sides: lo he that commanded one hundred and twenty seven Provinces, cannot command one hours sleep. The Kings head might perhaps be trou­bled, with thinking, what great request it should be that Esther had to make, that was so hardly drawn from her; but herein appeared the signal presence of God, in keeping the King awake, for Mordecai might have been hanged be­fore Esther had known any thing of it, (Haman being come early the next morning, Verse 4. to beg this of the King) had not God kept him from sleep, and directed him to read in that place of the Chronicles, were Mordecai's service was recorded, and so made way to his advance­ment, and Haman's ruine: Gods favourable presence shin'd upon his People, in keeping the King from sleep, for excellent ends, & in putting small thoughts into his heart for great purposes. God will appear for his poor People, [Page 49] [...], in the nick and opportunity of time, when there is but a step between them and death; and further, the power, providence, presence and goodness of God was made evident, in the behalf of his People, in dire­cting the Reader to that very place, where Mordecai's Esther 6. 2. singular service, in discovering the barbarous and mur­derous plot, that was laid against the Kings life and Crown, was recorded. That Mordecai should have no present reward, but that it should be defer'd till a fitter op­portunity, when God might be more glorified, in the sig­nal preservation of his People, & in the famous overthrow of their Enemies, was from that mighty hand of God, that was stretched out for the good of his People. In this great Story we may as in a mirrour see, how the Lord by his wisdom, providence, presence, and grace, brings about and over-rules the wills of men, the affairs of men, the counsels of men, the designs of men, the words & speeches of men, to the fulfilling of his own will and decree▪ and the pro­moting of his own honour and glory, and the good of his People, when vain men think least of doing his will, or serving his providence. Here you may see the wisdom, prudence, and courage of Esther, striking whilest the Iron was hot, charging the bloody decree upon Haman to his face, and that before the King: that thing [...] might the bet­ter stick and work, and painting him out in his own pro­per colours. (The adversary) Heb. the ma [...] adversary; the Lycanthropos, the man of might that distresseth us. (And Enemy) that is the cruel Enemy, the bloody Enemy, the Gen. 3. 15. utter Enemy, the worst Enemy, that sworn sword-man of Satan, from whom Haman hath drawn his ancient enmi­ty. (Is this wicked Haman) that is as wicked a wretch as goes [...]n two legs, a man of blood, a man made up of mis­chief and malice, a sink of wickedness, a very mystery of iniquity, a breathing Devil. Tiberius was rightly cha­racterized by his Tutor Theodorus Gadareus, dirt knod with blood; Haman was such another, if not worse; and now Queen Esther is plain and round with him, and calls a spade, a spade, though others stiled him, No­ble, [Page 50] Great, Serene, Magnificent, &c. Esther gives him his own with a witness. (The Adversary and Enemy is this wicked Haman) but what a mighty courage had Esther to speak at this rate before the King, and of his grand Favourite and before his face? Surely all this was from the signal presence of God with her Soul; this was a great work of Faith, and a singular fruit of prayer. And now Haman stood up to make request for his life,) O what a strange turn of things is here all upon a sudden! He that a little before was bowed unto by all men, is now upon his knees before a wo [...]an; he that was the very day before a professed Enemy of the Jews, is now suppliant to a Jewess; he that a few weeks before had contrived the death and ruine of the Jews is now beg­ging hard for his own life; he that had provided a Gal­lows for Mordecai, fears nothing more now than that himself should be hanged on it: Yesterday O the caps, knees, and bows that Haman had, and now the same Esther 7. 8. Man covers his face in token of his irrecoverable ruine. The Turks cast a black gown upon such, as they sit at supper with the Great Turk, and presently strangle them: Many of their Visiers or greatest Favourits die in this sort; which makes them use this Proverb, He that is greatest in Office, is but a Statue of glass. Plutarch wittily compareth great Men to Counters, which now stand for a thousand pound, and anon for a farthing; this was Haman's case: And so Sejanus, the same Sena­tours Courtiers shift their sails to the sitting of eve­ry wind: A cubit was half a yard at least, in those parts, they had trees very small, or they might piece one to an­other; but why so high a Gallows, but for the grea­ter disg [...]ace to M [...]rd [...]cai, and ter­rour to all that should slight the Kings grand Fa­vourit. who accompanied him to the Senate, conducted him to Prison; they which sacrificed to him as to their God, which kneeled down to adore him, scoffed at him, seeing him dragged from the Temple to the Gaol, from supreme honour to extreme ignominy. When once the Emperour frowned upon him, they shewed themselves most passionate against him; saying, that if Caesar had clemency, he ought to reserve it for men▪ and not to use it toward Monsters; this is Courtiers cu­stom to adore the rising Sun, and when great Favourits fall into disgrace, all about Princes will be ready to pluck [Page 51] them up by the roots; if the season be fair to clear the Court or Land of such noisom weeds. The Kings in­dignation being up, the Courtiers point at the Gal­lows fifty Cubits high, that Haman had set up for Mor­decai. All are now for Mordecai, there is not a Cour­tier that has one good word for Haman: Ah what a rare hand of God was there in all these things, for the good of his People, and the utter overthrow of their grand Enemy! To sum all up in a little room, the breaking of the Kings sleep, was the breaking of one of the most bloody designs that ever was laid against the People of God. Well, what though the King could not sleep, could he not lye still in his bed? No, he must have a book, and that book must be the book of Chronicles, and that book must be opened where accidentally (not by turning to that place purposely) yet surely by Gods Providence directing him that read, to that very story concerning Mordecai, where was registred his faithful­ness, in discovering and disappointing of a murther in­tended against the King; whereupon God sets this act of faithfulness so close upon the Kings heart, that he could not rest till Mordecai was nobly rewarded for it, and this reward must be Haman's ruine; his advance­ment, Haman's abasement, and this was the rise of Haman's disappointment. In this famous instance you may run and read, the favourable, signal and emi­nent presence of the Lord, in the miraculous preserva­tion of his Church from a total ruine and destruction, and in the disappointing the plots, designs, and coun­sels of their greatest Enemies, and in taking of them in the very snares, that they had-laid for others; sutable to that of the Psalmist: He made a pit and digged it, and Psalm 7. 16, 17 is fallen into the ditch which he made; his mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing upon his own pate. Henry the Third of France, was stab­bed in the same Chamber, where he had helped to con­trive the French Massacre: And his Brother Charles the Ninth, had blood given him to drink, for he was [Page 52] worthy; there is no end of Stories of this nature, so Psalm 9. 15. The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid, is their own foot taken. The wicked are compared to Hunters for their cruelty, and to Fowlers for their craft; but see their success, they are sunk down in their own pit, caught in their own net; thus it befel Pharaoh, Jabin, and Si­sera, Exod. 9. 15. Judg. 10. 4. 2 Chron. 32. Euseb. lib. 9. c. 9. Senacherib, Antiocbus Epiphanes, Maxentius the Tyrant, who fell into the Tiber, from his own false bridge laid for Constantine; the Spanish Azmado, and our Powder-plotters. Ver. 16. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgajon, Selah. Goliah was killed with his own sword: Christs justice hath two acclama­tory Notes, Higgajon, Selah, the like is not found in all the Scripture, as worthy of present admiration, and of deep and perpetual meditation. I have been the lon­ger a glancing at this famous Story of Esther, because of its seasonableness, and sutableness to the dayes and times wherein we live.

A further proof of this eight particular, that is under our present consideration you have in Isa. 8. 9. Asso­ciate Counsel is the ex­tract of reason, the result of seri­ous & sad debates, saith Ci [...]ero. your selves O ye People, and ye shall be broken in pieces, and give ear all ye of far Countreys: gird your selves, and ye shall be broken in pieces: gird your selves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Heb. And be broken in pieces, And be broken in pieces: And be broken in pieces. It is thrice repeated, to work it the deeper into the minds and hearts of those, that should either hear or read it; and to give the stronger assurance of the certainty of their being inevitably broken in pieces, who were ad­versaries and conspirators against the People of God: This speech is directed to the Kings of Assyria, and other Nations that combined with him against the Peo­ple of God; but especially against the City of Jerusa­lem: It is an holy Ironie, or laughing to scorn the asso­ciating Enemies of the Church. Well, saith the Pro­phet, proceed as unanimously as politickly, and as powerfully in your combinations, consultations, and [Page 53] preparations as you can, yet be assured, that all your associations shall be dissolved, and your counsels fru­strated, and your attempts returned back upon your selves, to your own ruin and confusion. Verse 10. Take See Isai. 7. 5, 6. Psalm 33. 3. counsel together. [Heb. consult a consultation, to wit a­bout invading Judab, and surprizing Jerusalem] and it shall come to naught: Speak the word and it shall not stand, for God is with us: Consult, conclude, determine, resolve upon what you please, you shall never be able by all your power and policy to prevail against the Peo­ple of God, for his favourable, signal, and eminent presence, is constantly with them, to assist, counsel, and protect them against all oppositions and assaults, Psalm 33. 10. God bringeth to naught the councel of the Nations; neither the Devil nor his Imps, nor any of their coun­sels, or inchantments, shall ever be able to stand before the presence of the Lord with his People. Charles the Fifth, and the French King, had upon counsel taken covenanted and agreed, utterly to extirpate the Luthe­ran Faction out of all their Dominions; but God found them other employment, and by his signal presence with his People, he gave them an happy Hal [...]yon. Let Men and Devils conspire, let them plot, consult and determine, all shall be in vain, because there is no counsel against the Lord, there is no possibility of car­rying of it against the presence of the Lord with his Peo­ple, his signal presence will be their greatest safety and security in the midst of all plots, designs, dangers, &c. The signal presence of God with his People, marrs and frustrates all the plots, counsels, and curious con­trivances of the worlds wizards, as might be shewed in those instances of Balaam, Pharaoh, Saul, Herod, with many others. But I must hasten, and therefore.

Ninthly, the Lord doth manifest his favourable, signal, and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by his sympathizing with them in all their troubles, try­als, distresses, dangers, as you may clearly see by con­sulting [Page 54] the choice Scriptures in the margin: So Isa. 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the An­gel Exod. 2. 23, 24, 25. c. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10. Isa. 37. 28, 29. Ez. 35. 7, 8, 9, 10. Mat. 25. 4. ult. Deut. 32. 9, 10, 11 John 14. 9, 10, Col. 15. Heb. 9. 24. Rom. 8. 34. of his presence saved them, in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them and carried them all the days of old. Christ is here in the Hebrew called, The Angel of his face, either because he doth exactly res­semble God his Father, or because he appeareth before the face or in the presence of God for us. This Angel took to heart their afflictions, he was himself grieved for them, and with them. This Angel secured and safe­garded them all the way thorow the Wilderness from Egypt to Canaan. This Angel did not only lead them, but he also lifted them up and took them in his arms, as Parents or Nurses are wont to do with such Children, that are young, and weakly, and in danger. And this Angel carryed them, as the Eagle doth her young ones, that are not fully fledged, or that are unable yet to fly on her wings. O the pity, the clemency, the sympathy, and admirable compassion of Christ to his People in their suffering estate! Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth Ishon of Is [...], it is here called Bath, the daughter of the eye, because it is as dear to a man as an only daughter. O [...]utus [...] fama non patiuntur je­c [...]s, The eye and the good name will endure no jests. the apple of his eye. The eye is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part; the eye is kept most diligently, and strongly guarded by nature with five tunicles. A man can better bear a thump on the back, the biting of his finger, the cutting of his hand, the pricking of his leg, or a blow upon his arm, than a touch on the eye. O that persecutors would be quiet, and let Gods People alone, and take heed how they meddle with Gods eyes. There is no touching of them, to wrong, or injure them, but you wrong and injure the holy one of Israel, who will certainly revenge himself upon you; they that strike at Gods eyes, do through them strike at God himself, which he will never put up. 'Tis a dangerous thing, to molest and trouble, to afflict or annoy the People of God, for God himself is very sensible of it, and accordingly he will certainly requite it. Acts. 9. 4. Saul, Saul, why perse­cutest thou me? They that persecute the Servants of Christ, they persecute Christ himself, who liveth in them, and [Page 55] is mystically united to them. Look as there is by virtue of the natural union a mutual sympathy betwixt the head and the members, the Husband and the Wife: so 'tis here betwixt Christ and his Saints, for he is a most Heb. 4. 15. c. 5. 2. Col. 1. 24. Heb. 13 13. Isa. 53. 4. sympathizing, compassionate, tender-hearted Saviour. Those that shoot at the Saints hit Christ, their sufferings are held his, and their reproaches are counted his. He that bore the Saints griefs when he was on Earth, (real­ly and properly) he [...]ears them still now he is in Hea­ven, (in a way of sympathy) Christ in his glorified state hath a very tender sense of all the evil that is done to his Children, his members, his Spouse, and looks upon it as done to himself. A great Lord said to another great Lord of the Council in King Henry the Eighths dayes, concerning Cranmer, Let him alone, for the King will See the first part of my Golden Key, p. 277 278. 279. more of this. not suffer his finger to ake. So say I to the persecutors of the day; Let the People of God alone, for if you do but make their finger ake. God will make your heads and hearts ake for it, before he has done with you. But,

Tenthly, the Lord doth manifest his favourable, sig­nal, and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by pouring out upon them a greater spirit of prayer and supplication, in their greatest troubles, deep­est distresses, and most deadly dangers, than formerly they have had. Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they vi­sited Before they would say a Prayer, but now they poured out a Prayer. thee, they poured out a prayer, when thy chastening was upon them. [They poured out their still prayer.] The Hebrew word Lachus, signifieth properly, a soft or low kind of muttering, which can hardly be heard. The Pro­phet hereby would intimate to us, that in their great troubles, and deepest distresses, they sighed or groned unto God, and prayed in a still and silent manner. Saints never visit God more with her prayers, than when he visits them most with his rod. Saints never pray with that seriousness, that spiritualness, that heavenlyness, that humbleness, that brokenness, that servency, that frequency, as they do when they are under the mighty [Page 56] hand of God; and all this is from that signal presence of God, that is with them, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, &c. When it was a day of great trou­ble, of great distress, of great danger to the People of God in Germany, God poured out a very great spirit of prayer upon Luther; at length he comes out of his closet triumphingly, saying to his Fellow-labourers and Friends: Vicimus, vicimus; We have overcome, we have overcome. At which time it is ob [...]rved, that there came out a proclamation from Charles the Fift, that none should be further molested for the profession of the Gos­pel. In dayes of [...]roubles and distress Luther was so warm, zealous, and powerful in prayer, that made one of his best Friends say, (Iste vir potuit, quod voluit) That man could have of God what he pleased. Being once very warm in prayer, he let fall this transcendent rapture of a daring faith, Fiat mea voluntas, Let my will be done; (and then falls off sweetly) Mea voluntas, Domine, quia tua, My will, Lord, because thy will. It is reported in the life of Luther, that when he prayed it was tanta reve­rentia ut si Deo, & tanta fiducia ut si amico, It was with so much reverence as if he were praying to God, and with so much boldness as if he had been speaking to his Friend. I have read of a fountain, that at noon day is cold, and at midnight it growes warm; so, many Christians are cold in praying, in hearing, &c. in the day of prosperi­ty, but yet are warm and lively in praying and wrestling with God in the day of adversity. Manasseh got more by 2 Chr. 33. 11, 12, 13. Jonah 2. Dan. 6. Ps. 84 Luke 23. 42. 2 Ch. 20. 1. to the 13. Isa. 37. 14. to the 12. Gen. [...]2. 6. to the 13. and from v. 24. to 3 [...]. now he oyles the Ke [...] of pray­ers with tears, Hos. 12. 4. prayer in his iron-chains, than ever he got by his golden Crown. Afflictions are like the prick at the Nightingals brest that awakes her, and that puts her upon her sweet. and delightful singing. A sincere Christian never prayes so sweetly, as when under the rod. One reports of Joa­chim, the Father of the Virgin Mary, that he would of­ten say, Cibus & potus mihi erit oratio, Prayer is my meat and drink. When a Christian is in trouble, then prayer is his meat and drink. O what a spirit of prayer was upon Jonah, when he was in the Whales belly! and upon Da­niel, [Page 57] when he was among the Lyons! and upon David, in his wilderness-state! and upon the Thief, when he was on the C [...]oss! and upon Jehoshaphat, when Moab and Ammon, and others, came against him to battel! and upon Hezekiah, when Sennacherib had invaded Judah! and upon Jacob, when his brother Esau came to meet him with four hundred bloody cut-throates at his heels! As there be two kind of antidotes against poyson, viz. hot and cold, so there are two kind of antidotes against all the troubles of this life, viz. fervent Prayer and holy Patience; the one hot, the otehr cold; the one quench­ing, the other quickning. When a Christian under great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers, prayes more for the sanctification of affliction, than the removal of affliction; when he prayes more to get off his sins, than to get off his chains; when he prayes more to get good by the rod, than to get free from the rod; when he prayes more that his afflictions may be a refining fire, than a consuming fire, and that his heart may be low, and his graces high, and that all his troubles may wean him more from this World, and ripen him the more for the glory of that upper World: It is a great demonstration of the signal presence of God with him in all his trou­bles, and deep distresses. But,

Eleventhly, the Lord doth manifest his favourable, signal, and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by drawing the hearts of his People nearer and closer to himself, by all the afflictions, troubles, distres­ses, and dangers, that do attend them in this World. Psalm 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I weut astray, but now have I kept thy Word. God brought David nearer to Chrysostom. himself, by weeping cross. Affliction is fire to purge out our dross, and to make virtue shine. It is a potion to car­ry away ill humours, better than all the benedicta Me­dicamenta, as Physicians call them. Master Ascham was a good Schoolmaster to Queen Elizabeth: but affliction was a better, &c. By afflictions God humbles the hearts [Page 58] of his People, and betters the hearts of his People, and drawes the hearts of his People nearer and closer to him­self, V. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. The Laced emonians of old grew rich by war, and were bet­tered by it, when all other Kingdoms were undone by it. The Saints gain by their crosses, troubles, and distresses. Their graces are more raised, their experiences are more Rom. 5. 3, 4. 2 Cor. 1. 3, 4. 5. Hos. 2. 14. multiplyed, and their comforts are more augmented, and their communion with God is more heightned. The waves did but lift Noah's Ark nearer to Heaven, and the higher the waters grew, the more the Ark was lifted up to Heaven. The troubles and distresses that the Saints Psalm 73. 13, 14, 28. meet with, do but raise them in their fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit. When Tyribazus a noble Persian, was arrested, at first he drew out his sword and defend himself; but when they charged him in the Kings name, and informed him, that they came from the King to carry him to the King, he yeelded willingly: So when afflictions arrest a noble Christian, he may murmur and struggle at the first; but when he considers, it is sent from God to bring him to the sight of God, the King of glo­ry, he willingly and readily subm [...]ts. to the rod, and kisses the rod. All the stones that came thick about Stephens ears, did but knock him the closer to Christ the Acts 7. 55. 60. Corner-stone. Tiburtius saw Paradise when he walked upon burning coals. If there be any way to Heaven on horse back, 'tis by the cross, said Bradford. Hos. 2. 6. Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. By afflicti­ons, difficulties, and distresses God hedges up his Peo­ples way. Well what then? Mark, v. 7. I will go and return to my first Husband, that is to God; I have run a­way from him by my sins, and now I will return to him again by repentance. The grand dessign of God, in all the afflictions that befal his People, is to bring them nearer and eloser to himself. The Church could have no rest at home, nor no comfort abroad till by affliction she was brought into the presence and company of her [Page 59] first Husband, Hos. 6. 1. Come and let us return unto the Hos. 5. 14. Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; be hath smit­ten, and he will bind us up. The great design of God in playing the Lyons part with his People, is to bring them nearer & closer to himself; and behold, how sweetly this blessed design of God did take [Come & let us return unto the Lord, &c.] The power of God, the presence of God, and the grace of God, is most gloriously manifested, by bringing the hearts of his People nearer and closer to himself by all the troubles, distresses, and dangers that do attend them. In the Winter-season all the sap of the tree runs down to the root, an [...] when a man is sick all the blood goes to the heart: so in the winter of affliction when the soul is running out more and more to God, and a getting closer and nearer to God; it is all most sure evidence of the signal presence of God with that soul. But,

Twelfthly and lastly, the Lord doth manifest his fa­vourable, signal, and eminent presence with his Peo­ple in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by rendering them invincible and un­conquerable under all their troubles, distresses, and dan­gers, Rev. 12. 11. And they overcame him by the blood of Rev. 14. 1, 2, 3, 4, 2 Chr. 32. 7, 8, 21, 22. the Lamb, and by the word of their t [...]stimony, and they lo­ved not their lives unto the death. By vertue of Christ's blood, the Saints are made victorious both over Satan and all his instruments, they set little by their lives in re­spect of Christ & his truth, yea they despised them in com­parison Sulpitius. Rupertus saith, that God did more gloriously triumph in Saint Low [...]ence his pa­tience and con­stancy, when he was broiled on the Gridiron, than if he had sa­ved his body from burning by a miracle. His faith and patien­ce made him in­vin [...]ible. of Gods glory, and the great things of the Gos­pel; they made so little account of them, that they ex­posed them to all hazards and dangers for the cause of Christ. In the dayes of that bloody persecutour Diocle­tian, the Christians shewed as glorious power in the faith of Martyrdom, as in the faith of Miracles. The valour of the patients, and the savagness of the persecutors, striving together, till both exceeding nature and belief, bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers. It was a good saying of Cyprian, speaking of the Saints [Page 60] and Martyrs in those dayes, Occidi poterant, sed vinci non poterant; They may kill them, but they cannot overcome them. Rev. 17. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings; and they that are with him are called and chosen, and faithful. The presence of the Lamb has and will make the Saints victorious in all the ages of the world. Modestus, Lieutenant to Julian the Emperour, said to Julian, While they suffer they deride us (saith he) and the torments are more fearful to them that stand by, than to the tormented; there is no end instances of this nature. There is nothing more clear in Scripture and in History than this, that the signal presence of the Lord with his People, in all their great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers, hath made them in­vincible and unconquerable. But now others that have been destitute of this favourable, signal, and eminent presence of the Lord, in times of great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers, how have they fled when none have pursued them! how faint-hearted, how greatly daunted, and how sadly discouraged have they been! how have they turn'd their backs, and quitted the field, and run from their colours, without striking one stroke. Many in Cyprian's time, were overcome be­fore the encounter, for they revolted to Idolatry, before any persecution once assailed them. In the Palatinat, when there was a warm persecution, scarce one Profes­sor of twenty stood out, but fell to Popery, as fast as leaves fall from the trees in Autumn. And so in the per­secution under Decius, many Professors that were rich and great in the World, they soon shrunk from Christ, and turn'd their backs upon his wayes. It is Gods fa­vourable, signal, and eminent presence with his People, that makes them stand to it in an evil day. Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us, who can be against us? That is, none; but this is a more forcible denying, Who can? Doest thou Paul ask, Who can? I'll tell thee: The Devil can, and Tyrants can, and Informers can, and Persecutors can, [Page 61] and the whole World can; but ridendus est furor inanis, They are as nothing, and can do nothing against us. Wicked men may set themselves against the Saints, but they shall not prevail against the Saints. What if all the world should strive to hinder the Sun from rising or shining, or the wind from blowing, or the rain from falling; or like those Pigmies, which went with their arrows and bows to repress the flowing of the Sea: Ludibrious acts, and meer follies. All that wicked men can do against the People of God, will be but as throwing stones against the wind. [If God be with us, who can be against us?] Me thinks these are words of great resolution; as if he should say, we have many enemies, and powerfulene­mies, and daring enemies, and malitious enemies, and designing enemies, and enraged enemies, yet let the proudest of them shew their faces, and lift up their ban­ners, I fear them not, I regard them not: Who can? who dare be against [...]? Let me give a little light into this precious Scripture [If God be for us, who can be a­gainst us?] that is none.

First, None can be so against us, as to hurt us or harm us; therefore Aquinas well expounds that, Quis con­tra Dan. 3. 25. 27. Cap. 6. 22. nos? (i. e.) Quis efficaciter? and others, Quis lae­sivè & prevalenter? who can be against us, so as to hurt us? Acts 18. 9. Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, be not afraid but speak, and hold not thy peace. Verse 10. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee, to burt thee, for I have much people in this City. God had many Souls in this (ity to convert, and What said Justin Martyr to his murtherers, in the behalf of himself and his fellow-Mortyrs? you may kill us, but you can never hurt us. to bring in to Christ, and therefore he animates and encourages. Paul to preach boldly and to go on in his work undauntedly. I but Lord there be many in the City, that will set themselves against me. I but I am with thee. I but Lord there be many in the City, that will hate me. I but there is no Man that shall set on thee, to hurt thee. They may kill me, said Socrates of his Enemies, but they cannot hurt me. It was the speech of Anaxarchus a Heathen, when as he by the Ty­rant [Page 62] he was commanded to be put in a Mortar, and be beaten to pieces with an Iron pestel, he cries out to the Persecutors, you do but be at the vessel of Anaxarchus, you do not beat me, nor hurt me; you do but beat the case, the husk, the vessel that contains another thing: his body was to him but as a case, a husk, he counted his soul himself, which his persecutors could not reach nor hurt. Though there were many in the City of Co­rinth that would be ready furiously to set on Paul, yet there should not be a man that should be able to hurt Paul; God would be his life guard to protect him, and he would make void all the mischievous designs, and endeavours of his adversaries against him. When in a City the Lord hath those that are ordained to Salva­tion, he will bless the labours of his faithful Servants with happy success: so that faithful Ministers may not, yea must not, for fear of the invincible malice of some, neglect the Salvation of others. All the Arrows that Men of might and malice should shoot at Paul in the City of Corinth, should never reach him, they should never hurt him, nor harm him, 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? They may oppose you, but they cannot harm you; they may hate you, but they cannot harm you; they may plot and devise mischief against you, but they cannot harm you; they may persecute you, but they cannot harm you. I know Caesar told Metellus, that he could as easily take away his life, as bid it be done; but these were only bravado's, for that is a Royalty which belongs to God only (To whom belong the issues Psalm 68. 20. of death;) or the goings out from death, that is deli­verances from death and deadly dangers. It is an allu­sion to one that keepeth a passage or a door, that is God hath all the wayes which lead out from death in his own keeping. Christ hath the keys of death, the sole Revel. 1. 18. 2 Pet. 2. 9. dominion and disposal of it; the Lord knows how to deliver his People from the most desperate and deadly dangers, he can deliver them out of the mouth of the [Page 63] Lion, he can pull them out of the jaws of death, and so secure them from all harm or hurt, none can be so against the People of God as to harm their souls, as to hurt their happiness: But

(If God be with us, who can be against us?) I answer, Secondly, None can be so against us, as to prevail 2. Matth. 16. 18. Heb. 2. 10. Jer. 1. 19. Cap. 20. 11. over us; the Gates of hell may fight against us, but the Gates of hell cannot prevail against us: Christ is the Cap­tain of your Salvation, God hath made him General of the Field, and therefore you may be sure that he will stand by you, and bring you off with honour; you need never fear having the day, who have Christ your Captain for your second; though your persecutors are as so many roaring Lions, yet Christ who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judab, will make you victorious over Revel. 5. 5. Psalm 129. 2. them all. In all storms and tempests the Church will stand fast, because it stands upon a rock. God is on Zions side, and the Enemies of Zion must first prevail against Zions God: Before they can prevail over Zion her self, Zions God will be a wall of fire about her, and Zach. 2. 5, Dent. 33. 26, 27, 28, 29. therefore Zions Enemies shall never prevail over her: Were Zions shelter stones, these might be battered; were it walls of lead, these might be melted; were it a de­fence of waters, these might be dryed up; were it garri­sons of mighty men, these might be scattered; were it engines of war, these might be defeated; were it trenches, these might be stopped; were it bulwarks, these might be overthrown: But Zion is guarded with a wall of fire round about her, and therefore all her oppo­sers can never prevail over her: The Enemies of Zion 2 Chron. 32. 7, 8 Rom. 8. 37. Genes. 3. 12. Num. 14. 9. are weak Enemies, they are infatuated Enemies, they are conquered Enemies, they are limited Enemies, they are chained Enemies, they are cursed Enemies, and they are naked Enemies, and therefore they shall never be prevalent Enemies over Zion Pharaoh followed the Exod. 14. Israelites, but he and his mighty men were drowned, and Israel delivered, for God was with them. Saul 1 Sam. 26. 20. hunted David as a Partridge i [...] the Mountains, but Saul [Page 64] perisheth, and David was crowned, for God was with him. Haman hated Mordecai, and plotted against Mor­decai, Hesther 6. 7. but Haman is hanged and Mordecai advanced, for God was with him. The Presidents and Princes in­form Dan. 6. against Daniel, and plot against Daniel, but they are by the Lions torn and devou [...]ed, and Daniel is deli­vered and exalted, for God was with him. Herod kills Acts 12. James with the sword, and imprisons Peter, but He­rod is devoured by worms, and Peter is delivered out of prison by an Angel, for God was with him. Let A­theists, Papists and Persecutors cease from plotting a­gainst Zion, from persecuting of Zion, for it is utterly impossible to prevail against Zion. Let all Zions Ad­versaries remember once for all, that if any Policy, counsel, lying, cursing, strength or cruelty could have prevailed against Zion, Zion had been rooted out of the world long ago. If Balaam was at our Enemies el­bows, he would tell them roundly and plainly, That it is in vain to curse those whom God blesseth. It is hard to Num. 23. 8. Acts 9. 5. kick against the pricks: It is high madness for men to run their naked Bodies against a swords point. Let Zions E­nemies remember that God, who takes pleasure in Zion, sits upon the Circle of the Earth, and all the Inhabi­tants Isa. 40. 22. 15. 17. are as Grashoppers; yea all the Nations as a drop of a Bucket, and less than the dust of the Ballance, and therefore he can easily revenge all the wrongs and inju­ries Some observe that Fauls Stile is so beautified with wonderful Elo­quence and Rhe­ [...]orick, that not Tully, nor De [...]o­ [...]henes could e­ver ha [...]e so spo­ken, August. E­rasmu [...]. Some re­port of Augustin that he wished for three things: [...]. To see Christ in the flesh. 2. To see Rome in the pride of it. 3. To have heard Paul preach. that is done to Zion, by those that would fain pre­vail over her, and triumph in her ruin. But,

Thirdly, (If God be with us, who can be against us?) I answer, None can be so against us, as to be able to sepa­rate us from the love of God; and the love of Christ. Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distresses, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Verse 36. (As it is writ­ten, for thy sake are we killed all the day long: we are ac­counted as sheep for the slaughter.) Verse 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerers, through him that loved us. Verse 38. For I am perswaded, that neither [Page 65] death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Pow­ers, nor things present, nor things to come. Verse 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other Creature, shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus It is not the pleasures of life nor the pains of death, it is not evils felt nor evils feared, it is not the height of prosperity nor the depth of adversity, it is not bonds nor banish­ment, it is not power nor policy, honour nor base­ness, it is not violent persecutions nor multiplyed tribu­lations; it is not the scorns of men, nor reproaches of men, nor revilings of men, nor designs of men, nor any thing else, that can separate us from the love of the Father or the love of the Son. In the 35. Verse is a position, that no crosses nor creatures can deprive us of the love of God, which is set down in a double interrogation, that he might add the more force and life to it, and ravish the Readers: Who shall separate us? That is none can: But he speaks with contempt; Who shall? shall tribu­lation? as if he should say, I scorn it; As Goliah defied David, saying, Doest thou come to me with a staff? so Paul with a better Spirit defies all crosses, sufferings, trials, &c. as things not able to deprive sincere Chri­stians of Christs love; shall tribulation, &c. He had be­fore spoken of Persons, now here he speaks of things, because Satan and his sworn Slaves think by such things to separate between God and his People. Chry­sostome observes Paul's wisdome in three things: 1. That he saith not, Shall the love of riches, pleasures, honours, &c. which have a mighty force in them to be­witch us; but shall tribulation, distress, &c. 2. That he begins with the lighter, and so riseth to greater trou­bles, placing them in this order not casually, but, by sin­gular art. 3. That though these which he here rehcar­seth, consist of a certain number, yet every one as a General hath special Troops under it: As when he saith Tribulation, he saith, imsprisonments, bonds, slan­ders, banishments, &c. Shall tribulation, distress, perse­cution? &c. No: They are blessed which endure these Matth. 5 10. 11. [Page 66] things. Shall famine? He which feeds on Christ, shall never perish for hunger. Shall nakedness? Christs righ­teousness is my cloathing; I shall willingly follow him even naked, who when he was cloathed with infinit glory as with a garment▪ was content to be born naked, and to be stript on the Cross for my sake. Shall peril? I know the hardest. Shall the sword? Christ is to me in life and death advantage. But,

Fourthly, [If God be for us, who can be against us?] I answer, None can be against us so▪ as to bring us to their bow, their b [...]k, their will, their humour, their lusts. 1. Kings 19. 18. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Is­rael, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him: That is, I have Kissing was an outward token 1. of great and entire affection. 2. of submissive reverence. 3. of willing and rea­dy subjection. many thousands that have not worshipped Baal. Here a set number is put for an indefinite number; he means a very great number. Idolaters used not only to bow & kneel before their Idols, but also to kiss them, accord­ing to that Hos. 13. 2. Let the men that sacrifice kiss the Calves. Cicero saith, that the chin of the image of Her­cules was much worn, with the kisses of them that ado­red him. Now God had several thousands of true Israe­lites indeed, that had not in the least kind polluted them­selves with the Idolatrie of Baal. The denial of bowing the knee, and kissing with the mouth shewes, that Gods faithful Servants were so far from setting their hearts up­on Baal, as that they would not make the least shew of any affection or subjection to him. These good souls had too great spirits to be conformable to the Idolatry of the times. Jeroboam with his eight hundred thousand 2 Chr. 113. 3, 20. chosen men, his Popish Priests, and his golden Calves, could not bring Judah to his bow. Nebuchadnezzar nor his Princely Informers, nor his fiery Furnace, could never bring the three Children to his bow; the three Dan. 3. Champions would be Non-conformists, though Court, City, and Country were violent for Conformity. Nei­ther Darius, his Presidents, nor Princes, could ever bring Dan. 6. Daniel to their bow; Daniel would keep off from ido­latry, [Page 67] and keep close to his God, and close to his duty, let all his enemies do their worst. The Rulers and Elders of Israel charged the Apostles, and threatned the Apo­stles, and beat the Apostles, and commanded the Apo­stles, Acts 3. ibid. 4. and 5. that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus; but they could never bring them to their bow: For they Acts 5. 41. 42. departed from the presence of the Council, rejoycing that they were counted worthy, to suffer shame for his Name; and daily in the Temple, and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Pharaoh by all his oppressi­ons could never bring Israel to his bow; Nor Saul by all his persecutions, could never bring David to his bow; Nor Haman by all his plots and designs could never bring Mordecai to his bow; and Paul will rather dye upon the Acts 20. 21, 22, 23 24. cap. 21. 13. spot, than be brought to his enemies bow. The ten per­secuting Emperours could never bring the primitive Christians to their bow; Nor the bloody, fierce, and fiery Papists could never bring the Martyrs to their bow, as you may see through out the Books of Martyrs. A­mong the many hundred instances that are there, I shall only refresh your memory with this one: There were Endeavours to bring Hawkes to their bow, but all in Fox Acts and Mon. p. 1447. vain; at last some of his Christian Friends desired him for their encouragment and confirmation to give some token when he was in the flames (a strange time one would think to attend upon signs by Friends) whether pains were tolerable, or no. He was bound to the stake, fire put to the wood, it burns, it flames, it consumes his flesh, his eyes start out of his head, his fingers are con­sumed with the fire; and when every one thought him dead, expecting the fall of his body: lo, suddenly he lifts up his stumps, and thrice as a famous conquerour, he claps them over his head. In this he was more than a Conquerour.

In former times the sense of the love of God, made the Martyrs esteem Tyrants as gnats and fleas, and torments as the fleabitings. Tertullian speaking of his times saith, Acc [...]satio vo­tumest, & paena faeli [...]itas. Tert. advers. Gent. that to be accused was the wish of Christians, and pu­nishment for Christ they counted felicity, A certain Wo­man [Page 68] [...]unning in all hast with her child in her arms; being asked the cause, O, saith she, I hear a great sort of Christians are appointed to be martyred, and I am afraid lest I and my little one come too late. When the Em­perour Valens banished Basil, and the Tribune threatned his death, I would (said Basil) I had any thing of worth, I would bestow it on him that should cut Basil's wind­pipe; and when he had that night given him to delibe­rate, he answered, That he should be the same man to morrow, and wished that the Tribune would not be changed. Chrysostome being in banishment by the means of Eudoxia the Empress, wrote to a Bishop called Cyria­cus, and upon occasion, tells of his resolution before he was banished, I thought with my self (saith he) that if she will banish me, the Earth is the Lords; if she will saw me asunder, I remembred the Prophet [...]say; if drown me, Jonas came to my mind; if stone me, I thought of Stephen; if behead me, of John Baptist; if take away my goods, Naked came I out of my mothers womb. By all which you may clearly see, that let the wicked do their worst, they can never bring the Saints to their bow. But,

Fifthly, [If God be with us, who can be against us?] I answer, none, so as to hinder the operation of all things for our good. When men and devils have done their worst, all the great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers, that do attend the Saints, shall work for their good. Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all I have read of a Jewish Rabbin, who would still say, it was good what ever befel him, when he met with a cross, he would say, it was good, when he met with a loss, he would say, it is good. things work together, for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose. In this Verse there are two things observable. First, a proposition, or a glo­rious priviledge, All things work together for good; This word [...], Work together, is a physical expression; several poysonful ingredients put together, being tem­pered by the skilful Apothecary, make a soveraign me­dicine, and work together for the good of the Patient; they work together, not invicem, between themselves, but together with God; not of their own nature, for so [Page 69] they do not co-operate, but contra-operate, but being sanctified by God. And therefore one takes the verb passively, are wrought; for indeed take away God, and afflictions work for our hurt; but all Gods providen­ces [...]eing divinely tempered and sanctified, do work to­gether for the best to the People of God. When the worst of men have done their worst against the Saints, all things shall sweetly concur, yea conspire for their good; 2. The proof which is double. 1. From the experience of all Saints, We know, it is not a matter pendulous, or doubtful. The Apostle doth not say, We think; but, We know. Nor he doth not say, We hope; but, We know. Nor he doth not say, We guess, we conjecture; but, We know. Nor he doth not say, We desire that all things may work together for good; but, We know all things work together for good. Nor he doth not say, We pray that all things may work together for good; but, We know all Judg. 14. 12, 13, 14. things work together for good. The wicked know not this se­cret, as the Philistins understood not Sampsons riddles; but we know that all the world shall not hinder the cross from working for our good. 2. From a d [...]scription of them that love God; they are called according to Gods pur­pose: That is, God hath purposed the salvation of his People, he hath chosen them to salvation, and called them to it; and therefore it must needs be, that all these afflictions that befal his People, must work together for their internal and eternal good; otherwise he should do that which should cross his own purpose, which wise men will not do; and, O how much less will the most wise God act counter cross to his own purpose! So Jer. 24. 5. Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Like these good Figs so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Caldeans for their good. To be carried captive to Babylon was doubtless a very sore and match­less affliction. Dan 9. 12. And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our Judges that judg­ed us, by bringing upon us a great evil, for under the whole [Page 70] Heaven hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jeru­salem. This may be the abridgment of Jeremiah's Lamen­tations, Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by? Behold and see, If there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Cap. 4. 16. For the punish­ment of the iniquity of the Daughter of my People, is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. Sodom su­stained not any siege from forreign forces, they were not vexed and plagued with the Armies of the Chaldeans; there was no hand of man in the destruction of Sodom, but a hand of Heaven only. Sodom was not kept long in pains and misery as I and my People have been, but was suddenly overwhelmed, and in an instant dispatched; all which shews that their miseries and sufferings were in­comparable and matchless, and that they were so indeed will evidently appear, if you please but seriously to con­sider either the antecedents of it, or the consequents of it. The antecedents of it: what went before their cap­tivity, viz. blood, and slaughter, and dreadful devasta­tions. Or if you consider the consequents of it: as, 1. The enslaving of their persons, under a fierce and most cruel enemy. 2. The loss of their estates. 3. The leaving of their Country, and the Land of their nativity. 4. A deprivation of the ordinances and worship of God. 5. The scorns and reproaches, the exaltations and triumphs of their adversaries, that pleased and delighted them­selves in their captivity and misery. These were the See Psal. 137. 7. Obadjah 12. 13, 14, 15, 16. Ezek. 25. 6. Psal. 44. 13, 14. woful consequences of that captivity, and yet all the power and malice of men in the world could not hinder these amazing and astonishing tryals from working together for the spiritual, and everlasting Deut. 8. 15, 16. Psal. 119. 71, 75. Heb. 12. 10. good of his captive People. That God will do his Peo­ple good by the most terrible dispensations that they are under, you may see more and more evident by compa­ring the Scriptures in the margin together. As the A­pothecary of poyson makes Triacle, to drive out poyson: [Page 71] so can God make the poyson of afflictions (which in themselves are the curse of the Law) to drive out the poyson of sin. All the world can never hinder the af­fliction, troubles, and evils that befal the People of God, See my London's Lamentations, p. 34. to P. 53. See also my Mute Christian under the smarting Rod. from working for their good; for God do's and wi [...] [...]y these means, 1. Discover sin. 2. Prevent sin. 3. Im [...]t­ter sin. 4. Mortify sin. And God will by afflictions, troubles, &c. 1. Revive, quicken, and recover his Chil­drens decayed graces. 2. Exercise his Childrens graces. 3. Increase his Childrens graces. 4. Make a further tryal and discovery of his Childrens graces. Let the enemies of Sion storm and rage, plot and combine, &c. yet they shall never be able to hinder the greatest troubles, the deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, from working for the internal and eternal good of all the sin­cere lovers of God. I have read a story of one Pereus, who running at another with a sword to kill him, by ac­cident the sword only run into his impostume, and broke that; and so he was instrumental to save him, whom he design'd to have kill'd: And so all the afflictions and troubles that the righteous meet with, they do but serve to cure them of the impostume of pride, or of the im­postume of earthly mindedness, or of the impostume of self love, or of the impostume of hypocrisy. Look upon the revolution of the Heavens how every Planet moves in its proper orb; their motions are not alike, but va­rious, nay opposite each unto the other, hence those different conjunctions, oppositions, and aspects of the Planets, yet by the wheeling round of the primum mo­bile, they are brought about to one determinate point. The People of God have many enemies in the World, whose course and scope,. whose aims, and ends, and actions are not the same, yea divers, nay advers, one thwarting and crossing the other, yet the overruling providence so swayes all subordinate and inferiour in­struments and enemies, that in the midst of their mutual jars they conspire in a sacred harmony, as if they were entred into a holy-league, or some sacred combination [Page 72] for the good of his Chosen, where ever our Enemies be in respect of their places, whosoever they be in regard of their Persons, and however they are disjoyned in re­gard of their affections, yet all their projects and pra­c [...]s shall tend and end in the good of those that love God. But

Sixthly, (If God be with us, who can be against us?) 6 I answer, None; as to hinder our communion and fel­lowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit. 1 John 1. 3. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellow­ship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. Nun [...]uem minus s [...]lus, quam cum selus, never less alone than when alo [...]e, said the Heathen: and may not a Saint say so much more, that has commu­nio [...] with Father, So [...] and Spirit. My God and I are good compa­ny said famous Doctor S [...]s. Mans summum bonum stands in his Communion with God, as Scripture and experience evidences. A Man whose soul is conversant with God, shall find more pleasure in a desart, in a den, in a dungeon, in a fiery furnace, yea, and in the valley of the shadow of death, than in the Palace of a Prince. There is a sweet and intimate Communion which Believers have with God; hence they are said to walk with God, Genes. 5. 24. cap. 6. 9. and to talk with God, as Moses frequently did, and to dwell in God, 1 John 4. 15. And to sup with God, Rev. 3. 20. And to lodge with God, Cant. 7. 11. The nearness of this fellowship which we have with the Father, is represented by a gradation of allusions in Scri­pture, all which do excellently illustrate this truth. There is some kind of participation that a Servant hath with his Master, yet greater is that which one Friend hath with another, but yet greater is that which a Son hath with the Father, but greatest of all is that which the Bride hath with the Bridegroom. Now in all these relations we stand to the Father; we are his Servants and he is our Lord, Exod 12. 7. We are his friends, John 15. 14, 15. Jam. 2. 23. And he is our friend, Cant. 5. 1. an able friend, a sure friend, a faithful friend, a close friend, a constant friend. Plutarch's reasoning is good ( [...]) Friends have all things in common: But God is our Friend; Ergo we [Page 73] cannot want; a most rare speech from a poor Heathen: He is our Father, Isa. 63. 16. cap. 64 8. And we are his children, Isa. 63. 8. He is our Bridegroom, and we are his Bride, Isa. 61. 10. Hosea 2. 19, 20. Isa. 62. 5. And therefore it is no pride nor presumption for Belie­vers to say, our fellowship is with the Father: Our fel­lowship with Jesus Christ, is set forth by the Parable of Matth. 22. 1, 2, 3. Luke 15. the Wedding-Feast, and by the Entertainment of the Prodigal Son, and by such relations or various simili­tudes, as carry communion in their bosoms, as of the head and the members, root and branches, foundation and building, husband and wife. The head hath com­munion with the body by sense, influence, motion. The root with the branches, by leaf, sap, and juice. The foundation with the building, by support and strength. The husband with the wife, by love and consent: Thus it is betwixt Christ and the Believers, 1 Cor. l. 9. God is faithful by whom ye are called, to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ. All Believers have fellowship with Christ, whether they be strong or weak, rich or poor, Gal. 3. 28. 1 Pet. 2. 2. John 17. 20, 21, 22, 23. high or low, ripe and well grown, or new born babes, and very tender. The head hath conjunction with all the members, and an influence into all the members, even the little Toes, as well as into the strongest Arms; and the root (in the vertue of it) extends to the weak­est branches, as well as to the strongest limbs of the Tree. Communion is as large as union, all Believers are united to Christ, and all Believers have communion with Christ. Though one star exceeds another in magnitude, yet all are alike seated in the heavenly Orb; and though one member be larger in the body than an­other, yet every one hath an equal conjunction with the head: And as Believers have fellowship with the Fa­ther and the Son, so they have fellowship with the Spi­rit also; every Believers communion extends to all the Persons in the Trinity. 2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the commu­nion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. Now, no [Page 74] Men, no Devils, no wrath, no rage, no malice, no en­mity, no afflictions, no oppositions, do persecutions, no troubles, no trials, no bonds, no banishment, can inter­rupt or hinder a Believers communion with the three Persons in Trinity. But

Seventhly, (If God be with us, who can be against us?) 7 I answer, None, so as to hinder our private Trade to Heaven: All the world can never hinder a sincere Chri­stian from driving a secret Trade with Heaven, as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margin to­gether. Psalm 3. 2, 3, 4. Psalm 6. 8, 9, 10. Psalm 138. 3, Lan. 3. 55. to 59. A Christian [...]an as well hear without ears, and live without food, and fight without hands, and walk without feet, as he is able to live without secret Prayer. Secret Prayer is the life of our lives, the soul, the sweet, the heaven of all our enjoyments; of all the duties of Religion: Secret Prayer is the most soul-sweetning, soul­strengthning, soul-nourishing, soul-fatning, soul-refresh­ing, soul-satisfying, and soul-encouraging duty; in all the Ages of the world, the Saints have kept the Trade, in spite of all opposers and persecutors, in prisons, in dungeons, in dens, in bonds, in banishments, on racks, and in the very flames, the Saints have still kept up this secret Trade; as you may see at large in my Trea­tise on closet Prayer, called The privy Key of Heaven, to which I refer you. But

Eightly, (If God [...]e with us, who can be against us?) 8 I answer, None, so as to deprive us of the sweet Testi­monie of our renewed consciences, 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing (or boasting) is this the testimony of our conscience, [...], boast­ing or glorying. that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you­ward. They were in great and pressing troubles in A­sia, Verse the 8. and yet they boasted in the testimony of their consciences; they were under a Sentence of death in themselves, Verse 9: and yet gloried in the testimo­ny of their consciences. Joy of conscience is the great­est joy, as trouble of conscience is the greatest trouble: [Page 75] when conscience bears its testimony with us, and for us, how full of joy is the soul, even in the midst of the deepest sorrows, and greatest sufferings! Conscientia pu­ra semper secura, a good conscience hath sure confidence, and he that hath it, sits Noah like

Quiet in the greatest combustions; freed if not from the common destuction, yet from the common distraction. A good conscience is an impregnable Fort; it fears no colours, it will enable a man to stand against the fiercest batteries of men and divels. A good conscience will fill a man with courage and comfort, in the midst of all his troubles and distresses. Paul had enough to say for himself, when standing before the Council, he could say: Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience Acts 23. 1, 2. before God, until this day. And though as soon as he had said so, Anani [...]s commanded to smite him on the mouth, yet he bears up bravely, because his conscience did not smite him, but acquit him. That man can ne­ver want musick whose conscience speaks in consort, and is harmonious with himself. A good conscience is a Paradise in a wilderness, it is riches in poverty, and health in sickness, and strength in weakness, and liberty Isa. 38. 3. in bonds, and life in death. A good conscience will en­able a man to triumph over innumerable evils, yea over death it self: Death to such a person is not the King of terrors, but the King of desires. A good conscience Phil. 1. 23. will be a Christians best friend in the worst times; it will be a sword to defend him, a staff to support him, a pillar of fire to lead him, a Joseph to nourish him, a Dorcas to cloath him, a Canaan to refresh him, and a feast to delight him: He that is of a merry heart hath a Prov. 15. 15. continual feast; Now there is nothing that can make a man Divinely merry, below a good conscience. A good conscience (saith one) is Thalamu [...] Dei, palatium Aug. Ser. 10. ad Fratres in E [...]em. Christi, habitaculum Spiritus Sancti, Paradisus delitia­rum: [Page 76] The bed of God, the palace of Christ, the habitation of the holy Ghost, the Paradise of delights; and wherein every Tree yieldeth a Feast. Tranquillitas conscientiae, Ambros. Offic. l. 2. c. 1. & securitas innocentiae quaecunque mundus bona indicat ex­cellunt: The tranquillity of conscience, and the security of innocence, excell all the things which the world counteth good. He that hath a good conscience enjoyes a conti­nual serenity, and sits continually at that blessed Feast, whereat the blessed Angels are Cooks and Butlers (as Lu­ther hath it) and the three Persons in Trinity glad Guests. All other Feasts to this of a good conscience are stark hunger: the Feast of a good conscience is a full Feast, a noble Feast, a lasting Feast: not for a day, as that of Nabal's; nor for seven dayes, as that of Sampson's; nor of nine-score dayes, as that of Ahashuerus, but a dura­ble, continual Feast, without intermission of solace, or interruption of society: The best way in this world for a man, to turn his whole life into a merry festival, is to get and keep a good conscience. The Heathen Phi­losopher could say, [...], A good man keeps holy-day all the year about. It was the testimony of a good conscience, that made the Apostles rejoice Acts 5. 40. 41. 42. Cap. 16. 25, 26. when they were beaten and abused by the Council. It was the testimony of a good conscience, that made Paul and Silas to sing in the prison. It was the testimony of a good conscience, that made Moses prefer Christ's Cross before Egypt's treasures. It was the testimony of a good conscience, that made those worthies in that 11. of the Hebrews more willing to die than to live, to die than Heb. 11. 35. to dine. It was the testimony of a good conscience, that made the Martyrs to kiss the stake, to hug their Executioners, to clap their hands in the flames, and to tread upon burning coals as upon beds of Roses. Now it is not in the power or policy of Men or Devils, to de­prive a Christian of the testimony of his conscience; and as long as that bird in the bosom sings, no troubles, no trials, no oppositions, no persecutions, no dangers, no [Page 77] death can make a Christian miserable. The testimony of a good conscience will make a man triumph over the worst of men, and the worst of sufferings. But

Ninthly, (If God be with us, who can be against in?) 9 I answer, None, so as to hinder the help, assistance, and succour of God at a dead lift. Heb. 13. 5. Let your con­versation be without covetousness, (or without the love of silver, as the Greek word signifies) and he content with [...]. such things as you have. [Conten [...]i praesentibus, so Beza, Be content with present things.] The Hebrews had been plundered of all they had, though they had nothing, Heb. 10. 34. they must be content. If Men cannot bring their means to their minds, let them bring their minds to their means; a little will serve our turn till we get to Heaven, till we come to our Fathers house: For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. There are five Negatives in the Greek: I read not the like throughout the New-Testament. In that this promise is set down negatively. [I will never leave thee,) this makes the [...] promise to be of a larger extent; for it includes all times, all places, all estates, all dangers, all needs, all distresses whatsoever, as if he had more largely said, thou shalt never stand in need of any of my help & protection, but thou shalt be sure to find it. Affirmative promisses are not of that extent, as negative promisses are; for if a man should promise to assist, help, succour or counsel me, if he do it now and then, or upon some special occasions, he has kept his promise: But negatively for a man to say, I will not fail thee, I will never leave thee, though he should help, assist, succour or stand by me, a bundred, yea a thousand times; and yet fail me but once, that negative promise is not punctually kept; it is not perfectly kept. It is further considerable, that there is a great Empha­sis in doubling and trebling a negative particle in Greek: Doubling and trebling Negatives in Greek makes them much the stronge [...] the doubling of the Negative particle doth in this place carry the greater Emphasis, because in setting down the same thing, it is not only twice doubled, [Page 78] but in the latter place it is trebled; so as there are in all five Negatives, as I have already hinted. These two Phrases A general pro­mise compriseth all particulars of that kind. never leave nor forsake, are so general as they include all the wants, all dangers, all distresses, all necessities, all calamities, all miseries that can befal us in this world. These two Phrases, God's not leaving, God's not forsaking, implie all needful succours. It is more than if he had said, I will supply all thy wants, I will heal all thy diseases, I will secure thee against all sorts of dangers, I will ease thee of all thy pains, I will free thee of all thy oppressors, I will break all thy bonds, I will bring thee out of prison, I will vanquish all thine enemies, I will knock off all thy chaines, and I will make thee triumph over all thy sufferings; for these generals comprise all manner of particulars under them. Verse 6. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is Psalm 118. 6. my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. In this Verse there is an inference made upon the former promise of God's not leaving, nor forsaking his; the conjunction (so that) implieth an inserence, and such [...]. an inference in this place, as teacheth us to make a good use of the forenamed promise: The use here set down is double; the first is confidence in God (the Lord is my helper.) Secondly, courage against Man, (I will not fear what man shall do unto me.) Assurance of Gods presence to help at a dead lift, should raise us up above all base and slavish fears of the power of men, of the spoilings of men, of the designs of men, &c. God being with us, and for us, and on our side, we may boldly, safely, and confidently rest upon it, that he will freely, readily, graciously afford all needful help, assi­stance and succour, when we are in the greatest trou­bles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. The Greek word [...], (Helper) according to the nota­tion of it, signifies one that is ready to run at the cry of another: This notation implies, a willing readiness, and a ready willingness in God, to help and succour his People, when they are at a dead lift. You know the [Page 79] tender Father, the indulgent Mother, the careful Nurse, they presently run when any of them hears the Child cry, or sees the Child in any danger or distress; so when God sees his poor Children in any danger or di­stress, Exod. 2. 23, 24, 25▪ Cap. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10. when he hears them complain, and cry out of their sufferings, their bonds, their burdens, their oppressions, their dangers, &c. he presently runs to their relief and succour. Psalm 33. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. Psalm 49. 17. Thou art my deli­verer: God is the Lord of Hosts, with him alone is strength and power, to deliver Israel out of all his troubles. He may do it, he can do it, he will do it, he is wise in Psalm 9. 7, 8. Esay. 43. 11. Psalm 5. 12. Psalm 22. 12. 2 Kings 6. 26, 27 heart and mighty in strength; besides him there is no Saviour, no deliverer; he is a shield to the righteous, strength to the weak, a refuge to the oppressed; he is Instar omnium, All in all; who is like him in all the world, to help his People at a dead lift? when Friends can't help, when power can't help, when policy can't help, when riches can't help, when Princes can't help, when Parliaments can't help, yet then God can and will help his People, when all humane help fails. For the Lord shall judge his People, and repent himself for his Servants, when he seeth that their power (or hand) is Deut. 32. 36. gone, and there is none shut up or left. When Gods People are at the very brink of ruin, then God wil [...] come in seasonably to their help, their extremity shall be his opportunity to succour his People, and to judge their Enemies: no men, no divels, no power, no policy can hinder God from helping, aiding, assisting, and suc­couring of his People, when they are at a dead lift. But.

Tenthly, (If God be with us, who can be against us?) I 10. answer, None, so as to hinder the springs of joy and comfort, from rising and flowing in their Souls. Psalm 71. 20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore trou­bles shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the Earth. Verse 21. Thou shalt encrease my greatness and comfort me on every side. The Psalmist [Page 80] was in those desperate dangers, that he seemed to be as a man that was dead and buried, and yet he had faith enough to believe, that God would surround him with cordials, and supply him with comforts from all sides; there is no true comfort to be drawn out of the standing pools of outward sufficiences, but out of the living fountains of the all-sufficiences of the Lord Almighty. Thou shalt comfort me on every side. Psalm 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, (or of my careful, troubled, perplexed thoughts, as the word properly signifies) thy comforts delight my soul. As the Psalmist alwayes found God a present help, so he alwayes found him a present comfort in the day of troubles; God ne­ver did, nor never will want a cordial, to revive and keep up the Spirits of his people from fainting and sink­ing in an evil day; when the Psalmist was under many griefs, cares, fears, and perplexities of Spirit: God came in with those comforts that did delight his soul, and chear up his Spirits. The word of the Lord is never Psal. 119. 49, 50. more a word of comfort, nor the Spirit of the Lord is never more a Spirit of comfort, than when the Saints are in their deepest distresses, and sorest perplexities, John 14. 16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Verse 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my Name. Hudson the Mar­tyr being at the stake, he went from under his chain, and having prayed earnestly, he was so comforted and refreshed by the Holy Spirit, that he suffered valiantly and cheerfully. The Holy Ghost is called again and again the Comforter, because his office is to work con­solation in the hearts of Gods People, in all their trou­bles and distresses. Spiritual comfort is therefore cal­led joy in the Holy Ghost, because the Holy Ghost doth. Rom. 14. 17. create it in the soul. When a man suffers for righteousness sake, God comes with his cordials in the very nick of time, 1 Pet. 4. 13. when a mans suffering is upon the account of Christ, God seldom fails to send the Comforter for the refreshing and [Page 81] relieving of his Spirit. When a man is under bodily con­finement, Isa. 12. 3. cap. 66 11. for the cause of Christ, God will never fail to be a Spring of life, a Well of Salvation and breasts of conso­lation to him. When a Christian is brought to a piece of bread, then is the season for God to feed him with hea­venly Mann. I have told you of Mr. Glover, who found no comfort in the time of his imprisonment, but when he was going to the stake, he cried out to his Friend, He is come, he is come, meaning the Comforter. Hab. 3. 17. Al­though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls. Vers. 18. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. In these words you have these two parts: 1. A sad supposition. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, &c. 2. A noble and comforta­ble resolution, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Let me first hint a little at the sad sup­position, Although the fig-tree should not blossom, &c.

First, though there should be a famin in that Land, that of all Lands was the most plentiful & fruitful Land, yet Habakkuk would rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of his salvation. The Land of Canaan of all Lands was the fruitfullest; 'twas as the garden of God; 'twas a Land that flowed with milk and honey, a Land of vine­yards, the best of all Lands, as Moses describes it; A Land that brought forth to Isaac no less than a hundred fold; It was so rich a Land, that it was the granary of other Dent. 8. 7, 8, 9. cap. 32. 13, 14, Gen 26. 12. 1 King. 5. 11. Acts 12. 20. neighbouring Cities, and Countries, it had not only plenty for it self, but bounty for others. Yet now when God shall turn a Paradise into a Wilderness, Habakkuk will rejoyce in the Lord, and [...]oy in the God of his sal­vation. But,

Secondly; when the anger and wrath of God shall cause a dearth in those fruits, that naturally are most yielding and pleasant, yet then Habakkuk would rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of his salvation. The fig-tree of all trees is most fruitful, bringing forth of its [Page 82] own accord with the least care and culture, fructifying in the most barren and stony places, bearing twice a year, soonest ripening, and rarely failing; So the vine, thats a fruitful plant, 'tis made the emblem of plenty and fruitfulness. Now when there shall be a dearth upon these pleasant fruits, yet then Habakkuk will rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of his salvation. But,

Thirdly, another print of Divine displeasure in the scarcity threatned is, that it is a national famine, a gene­ral famine, an overspreading famine, usually if one part of the Land suffers scarcity, other parts abound with plen­ty; but when God calls for a famine, he turns a whole Land into a desart, into a barren wilderness: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon Psal. 107. 33. 34. Nahum. 1. 4. languisheth; these were the richest soyl of all the Country, yet these were parched up, and fruitless by his displeasure, and yet for all this Habakkuk will rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of his sal­vation. But,

Fourthly, another print of Divine displeasure is this, that the Lord makes it an universal scarcity-upon all kind of foods, and supports of life; here is the staff of bread broken, and the herds and flocks fail, and the refresh­ing of the wine press, the seed and the vine, and the fig­tree and the olive-tree, all become fruitless; such a desolation is more than ordinary, usually when one com­modity fails, another abounds; if corn be dear, cattel will be cheap, that weather oft times, that hinders one kind of grain, helps another: but here God blasts all the helps of the nature. Therefore God compares his judgments to a fire that burns all before it. The Land is Joel 2. 3. as the Garden of Eden, before it and behind it a deso­late wilderness, and this the Lord points at as a won­der, Joel 1. 2. Hear this ye old men (who can talk of dear years) hath this been in your dayes, or even in the dayes of your Fathers? that which the Palmer-worm hath left, hath the catter pillars eaten. When God begins in a way of judgment, he makes an end, he makes the decayes of na­ture [Page 83] excessive and violent; and yet Habakkuk will rejoy­ce in the Lord, and joy in the God of his salvation. In his resolution you have the first particle (although) Verse 17. Now this particle is an act of forecast, these miscries may befal us; And in the 18. Verse you have the particle (yet) & that's an act of preparation against these miseries. That particle (although) forecasts the misery and that par­ticle (yet) forelayes the remedy; he foresees sorrows in the first, and he provides against them in the second, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, and joyin the God of my salvation.

So Paul comes with a Benedictus in his mouth (and [...], that is word for word Let God be well spoken off. God blesseth us really, signally, greatly; and we bless him verbally, mental­ly, practically. surely it was in his heart before it was in his mouth) 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God, even the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. Verse 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God. Verse 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation aboundeth by Christ. The Apostle begins here with thanksgiving, according to his accustomed man ner in all his Epistles; but contrary to his custom doth he apply this thanksgiving wholly to himself. The rea­son was (saith Beza) because the Corinthians did begin to despise him for his afflictions. (It being the common course of the world to d [...]spise the People of God when they are under sufferings) Therefore he answered confi­dently for himself, that though he had been much af­flicted, yet he had been much comforted, and rejoyced the more in his comforts, because God had comforted him for that very cause, that he might be able and wil­ling to comfort others. God is the God of all sorts and degrees of comfort, who hath all comforts at his dispose. This phrase, The God of all comforts, intimates to us, 1. That no comfort can be found any where else, he hath the sole gift of comfort. 2. Not only some, but all com­fort; no imaginable comfort is wanting in him, nor to be found out of him: Look as the air lights not without the Sun, and as fuel heats not without fire, so neither can any thing soundly comfort us without God. 3. All [Page 84] degrees of comfort are to be found in him in our greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. The lower the ebbe, the higher the tide; the deeper the distress, the greater the comforts; though the Apostle was greatly afflicted, yet his comforts did exceed his afflictions. 2 Cor. 7. 6. Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Ti­tus. This is a most sweet attribute of God a breast that we should be still sucking at. When the Corinthians were in a very low condition, when they were even spent with grief, and swallowed up in sorrows, when they were destitute of all relief and comfort, then the God of all comforts did comfort them. No tribulations, no persecutions, no grievances, no prison doores. no boults, no bars can keep out the consolations of God, from flowing in upon his People. God loves to comfort his People, when all their outward comforts fail them. Gods comforts are not only sweet, but seasonable; he never comes too soon, nor never stays too long. If one drop of the joy of the Holy Ghost should fall into Hell, it would swallow up all the tor­ments of Hell, saith Austin. The joy of the Holy Ghost will certainly swallow up all the troubles and sufferings that we meet with in a way of righteousness. None have 1 Pet. 4. 12, 13, 14. been more Divinely cheerful and merry than the Saints have been under their greatest sufferings. John Noyes took up a faggot at the fire, and kissed it, saying, Blessed be the time, that ever I was born to come to this prefer­ment. When they fastned Alice Driver to the stake to be burnt, never did neck-kerchief (said she with a cheerful countenance) become me so well as this chain. Mr. Brad­ford put off his cap and thanked God, when the Keepers wife brought him word that he was to be burnt on the morrow. Mr. Taylor fetcht a frisk, when he was come near the place where he was to suffer. Henry and John (two Augustin Monks) being the first that were burnt in Germany; and Mr. Rogers the first that was burnt in Queen Mary's dayes, did all sing in the flames. Thus you see, that it is not the greatest troubles, nor the deepest distresses, nor the most deadly dangers that can hinder [Page 85] the joy of the Lord, from overflowing the soul. But,

Eleventhly [If God be with us who can be against us?] I answer, none, so as to deprive us of our graces, which next to Christ are our choicest jewels. 1 John 3. 9. Who­soever is born of God doth not commit sin. That is, doth not give himself over to a voluntary serving of sin; he do's not make a trade of sin; he sins not totally, finally, ma­litiously, habitually, studiously, resolutely, wilfully, delightfully, deadly, [...], He does not make it his work to sin, he cannot follow his lusts, as a work-man follows his trade) For his seed remaineth in him, The seed of God, the seed of grace, is an abiding seed; grace in it self is certain and unchangeable, though the feeling thereof be uncertain; grace hath an abiding excellency in it; grace hath eternity stamped upon it; it is durable riches; other riches make themselves wings, and flye from us, but grace will keep us company till we get to Prov, 8. 18. cap. 27. 24. Heaven, our last step in holyness will be into happiness; grace is a blossom of eternity; it is an anointing that a­bides, 1 John 2. 27. John 4. 14. cap. 7. 38. that is the principle of grace infused into you, which was typified by the unctions, or anointings in the ceremonial Law, which was signified by the precious ointment, poured upon the head of Aaron, that ran down to the skirts of his garments; this principle will prove durable and lasting. Grace is a well of water, springing up into everlasting life; grace is a river of living water: Now this river can never be dryed up, because the Spirit of God is the constant spring that feeds it, and maintains it; grace is not a stream or a pond that may run dry, but a well, yea a springing well of inexhaustible fulness, sweetness, vertue, and refreshment; grace will still be springing up, and flowing out in all the carriages and deportments of a Christian; grace will be flowing out in all a Christians duties and services in his outward cal­ling and employments, in his tryals and sufferings; grace will break out at a Christians eyes, ears, tongue, hands, feet; where grace is a well of water, a river of living water, there that Christian will see for Christ, and hear [Page 86] for Christ, and talk for Christ, and do for Christ, and walk with Christ; grace is a well, a river, that will be springing up to everlasting life; grace and glory differ (non specie, sed gradu) in degree, not in kind; grace dif­fers very little from glory, the one is the seed, the other the flower; grace is glory militant, and glory is grace triumphant; grace is a beginning of glory, it may be compared to the golden chain in Homer, whose top was fastned to the chair of Jupiter; grace and glory are indi­vidual, and inseparable; the Psalmist joyns them toge­ther, Psalm 84. 11. The Lord will give grace and glory. Grace is a living spring that never faileth, a seed that never dyeth, a jewel which never consumeth, a Sun that never setteth; all other gifts of whatsoever kind, worth or excellency, are but like a cloud soon dispelled, a vessel of clay soon bro­ken, a sandy foundation soon sunk; grace is more excel­lent than gold: gold draws the heart from God, grace draws the heart to God; gold doth but enrich the mor­tal part, the ignoble part, but grace enriches the Angeli­cal part, the noble part; gold perishes, but grace per­severes; if grace were not permanent, it could not be ex­cellent; 1 Pet. 1. 7. if grace were not durable, it could not be plea­surable; if grace were not lasting, yea everlasting, it could not be a Christians comfort in life; his support in death and his glorious crown in the great day of account; grace in it self is permanent, incorruptible; it fadeth not away; it is a birth that shall never dye; it is a plant of renown that shall never wither, but grow up more and more till grace be turn'd into glory: upon which ac­count one of the Ancients had rather have S. Paul's coat Hierom. with his heavenly graces, then the purple of Kings with their Kingdoms: No troubles, no distresses, no dangers, can deprive us of our graces, can rob us of our spiritual treasure. But,

Twelfthly, [If God be with us who can be against us?] I answer none, so as to deprive us of our inward peace, rest, and quiet, though it thunder and lighten, and rain and blow abroad, yet a man may be at peace, [Page 87] and rest and quiet at home. A man may have much trou­ble in the world, and yet rest and quiet in his own spi­rit. John 14. 27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give As bonum Haere­d [...]arium. unto you, not as th World giveth, give I unto you; let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. No men nor Devils, no troubles, nor distresses, can deprive a Chri­stian of that inward and blessed peace that Christ hath purchased and paid so dear for. Peace with God and peace of conscience are rare jewels, that none can strip us Rom. 5. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. of. The world may wish you peace, but it is only Christ can give you peace. The worlds peace is commonly a dear bought peace, but Christ's peace is a cheap peace, a free peace. [My peace I give unto you.] The worlds peace is commonly a sinful peace, but Christ's peace is a holy peace; the worlds peace is a cursed peace, but Christ's peace is a blessed peace; the worlds peace is but an earthly peace, but Christ's peace is an heavenly Heb. 12. 14. Psalm 29. 11. peace, Rom. 14. 17. Some Christians thought that others could not come to Heaven if they did not eat such meates at they, but Paul tells them, that the kingdom of God con­sists not in meat or drink, but in righteousness & peace, & joy of the Holy Ghost. The worlds peace is but an ima­ginary peace, but Christ's peace is a real peace. The worlds peace is but a superficial peace, but Christ's peace is a solid and substantial peace. The worlds peace is but 1 Thes. 5 3. 1 Pet. 3. 11. Jam. 3. 21. Isa 9. 6, 7. Ps. 37. Isa. 26 3. c. 27. 5. a transient peace, but Christs peace is a permanent peace. The Worlds peace is but a temporary peace, but Christ's peace is an eternal peace; it is a peace that all the world can't give to a Christian, and it is a peace that all the world can't take from a Christian. When the tyrant threat­ned one of the Ancients, that he would take away his house; he answered, Yet thou canst not take away my peace. I will break up thy school, yet shall I keep whole my peace; I will confiscate all thy goods, yet there is no premunire against my peace; I will banish thee thy Coun­try, yet I shall carry my peace with me. All above a believer is at peace, the controversie betwixt God and him is ended, Christ takes up the quarrel betwixt God [Page 88] and a believer; (We have peace with God) All within a believer is at peace, a peaceable God makes all at peace [...]; Rom. 5. 1. when our peace is made in the Court of Heaven (which is upon the first act of believing) then follows peace in the Court of Conscience. Peace, which passeth all under­standing; and all below a believer is at peace with him, Philip. 4. 7. he has Peace with all the Creatures; when we are friends with God, then all the Creatures are our friends. The stones of the field shall be at league with thee, the beasts Job 5. 23. of the field shall be at peace with thee, &c. The peace that Christ gives, is the inheritance of Saints only, 'twas all the Legacy which the Prince of peace l [...]ft to his sub­jects, and this Legacy none can take from them. Perfe­cutors may take away my goods, but they cannot take away my peace; they may take away my estate, but they cannot take away my peace; they may take away my li­berty, but they cannot take away my peace; they may take away my good name, but they cannot take away my peace; they may take away my relations, but they cannot take away my peace; they may take away my life, but they cannot take away my peace. I grant that the best have no perfection of peace, because they have no perfection of grace. If there were a perfection of grace, then there might be a perfection of peace, but the perfe­ction of both is reserved for another world; and it must be granted that though sometimes a believer may want the sense of peace, the sweet of peace, yet the grounds of his peace are still fixt, certain and constant; they are like mount Sion, that cannot be remov'd. Now the grounds of a Christians peace are these, viz. Interest in Christ, recon­ciliation with God, justification, remission of sin, adoption, the Covenant of grace & peace, &c. Now these are always sure and everlasting, though the sense of peace may eb & flow, rise and fall in a believers breast, especially when he is a combating with strong corruptions, or high tem­ptations, or under sad desertions, or when unbelief has got the throne, or when their hearts are quarrelsom, for commonly a quarrelsom heart is a troublesom heart; or [Page 89] when they have blotted their evidences for Heaven, or when they are fallen from their first love, or when they have contracted eminent guilt upon their souls, or when they are declined in their communion with God, &c. Now in these cases though a believer may lose the sense of peace, yet the grounds of his peace remain firm and sure, and though he may lose the sense of his peace, yet in all these sad and dark conditions his soul is day and night in the pursuit of peace, and he will never leave the chase till he has recovered his peace, knowing that God Psalm 85. 8. 1 John 3. 9. will first or last speak peace to his soul; yea, though he has lost the sense of peace, yet he has that abiding seed of grace in his soul, that will in time recover his peace; do your enemies threaten to take away this or that from you, you may throw up your caps at them, and bid them do their worst, for they can never take that peace from Isa. 9. 6. you that Christ has given as a Legacy to you; when there are never so great storms within or without, yet then a believer may find peace in the Prince of peace; when his imperfections are many, a perfect Saviour can keep him in perfect peace in the midst of them all, though his sa­crifices Isa. 26. 3, 4. Heb. 7. are imperfect, yet Christ a perfect Priest can speak peace to his soul. Peace is that never-fading garland, which Christ will so set and settle upon the heads of the up­right, that none shall be able to take it off. A Christian can never lose his inward peace, either totally or finally; 'tis true by Sin, Satan, and the World, a Christians peace may be somewhat interrupted, but it can never be fi­nally lost. The greatest storms in this World that beat upon a believer, will in time blow over, and the Sun of righteousness, the Prince of peace, will shine as glorious­ly upon him as ever. Under this word Shalom the Jews [...]. comprehend all peace, prosperity, and happy success; when the worst of men have done their worst against the People of God, yet the issue shall be peace, prosperity, and happy success. [My peace I give unto you,] That is that peace with God, and peace with conscience, that I have purchased with my blood, I give unto you. And [Page 90] what power or policy is there, that can deprive us of this Legacy? surely none. The peace that Christ gives is bot­tomed upon his blood, upon his righteousness, upon his satisfaction, upon his intercession, and upon a Covenant of peace, and therefore it must needs be a lasting peace, an abiding peace. But,

Thirteenthly, [If God be with us, who can be against us?] I answer none, so as to hinder us from being hid, secured, guarded, and protected by God in an evil day, or in a day of greatest trouble, distress, or danger. Jer. 39. 11. Now Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, gave charge concerning Jeremiah, to Neburazadan the Captain of the Guard, saying: Verse 12. Take him, and look well to him, [Heb. Set thine eyes upon him] and do him no harm, but do unto him, even as he shall say unto thee. Here you shall see the admirable power, wisdom, and goodness of God, inclining the heart of this great Monarch & Conquerour to provide for the Prophets safety and security, he that was a dreadful scourge to punish the wicked, is made by God the deliverer and preserver of the Prophet. In the 12 Verse you have the Kings Royal Commission to the Captain of his Guard, to be as kind to him as tender of him, and to carry it as courteously to him, even as the Prophet himself should desire: Look well to him, do him no harm, but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee. Let him have all the content, all the satisfaction, and all the accommodation that himself shall require. Jer. 15. 11. The Lord said, Verily I will cause the enemy to intreat thee well in the time of evil, and in the time of affliction. Heb. If I do not cause, &c. A defective speech in the nature of an oath, as if God had said, Let me not be deemed a God of my word, let me not be accounted true, let none reckon me faithful in my promise, if I don't turn his suf­ferings into his advantage, and save him from danger in the midst of danger: If in the time of the enemies inva­sion Zach. 2. 5. I be not a wall of fire about him, if in the time of pu­blicke calamity I don't secure him; never trust me for a God more: If he don't find more favour at the hand of [Page 91] his enemies than he hath formerly found among his own Vide Jer. 40. 1, 2 3, 4, 5. and c. 26. 23, 24. Jer. 45. 4. People, never own me for a God more. Verse 20. I am with thee to save thee, and to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Verse 21. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terri­ble. God engages himself to protect him against all the might & malice of his most terrible enemies; and though he should fall into their hands, yet he would deliver him out of their hands. Psalm 33. 3. They have consulted a­gainst thy hidden ones. The Saints are, 1. Hid in Gods de­cree, 2. Hid in Christs wounds, 3. Hid in the chambers of Divine providence, 4. Hid in common dangers, as Noah was hid in his Ark, and as Lot was hid in Zoar, Isa. 26. 20. and as Daniel was hid in the Lyons den, and as the three Children were hid in the fiery Furnace, and as Jonah was hid in the Whales belly, 5. Hid with Christ in God, in Colos. 3. 3. times of greatest trouble the Saints are hid under the hol­low of Gods hand, under the shadow of Gods wing. Psalm 27. 5. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in Psal. 91. 1, 4. his Pavilion. The Hebrew Succoh is written with a little Samech, to shew, say some, that a little pavilion or cot­tage where God is, shall be sufficient to save-guard the Saints in the day of adversity. He shall hide me in his hut, as a Shepherd doth his sheep in a stormy day. [In the se­cret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me.] I shall be as safe, as if I were shut up in his holy Ark, Tabernacle, or Temple, whither they use to flee for shelter to the horns of the Al­tar, yea as if a man were hid in the most holy Place, where none might enter but only the High-Priest once a year, which is therefore called Gods secret place. A Ezeck. 7. 22. Shepherd should not be more careful to shelter his sheep in a Tent or Tabernacle from the heat of the Sun, nor a King should not be more ready to protect a Favorite in his pavilion, whence none durst venture to take him, than God would be careful and ready to shroud and shelter his People from the rage, madness, and malice of their enemies. How did God hide his Church in Ae­gypt! Exod. 3. 2, 3. the Bush was still burning, and yet was not con­sumed; [Page 92] and how did he hide seven thousand in Eliah's 1 Kings 19. 18. time, that had not bowed their knees to Baal. Though the Woman (the Church) be driven to flee into the wilder­ness, Rev. 12. 6. yet there she is hid, and there she had a place pre­pared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three-score dayes. Let our Enemies do their worst, they shall not hinder us of Divine prote­ction; no power, nor policy can hinder our being pre­served and secured by God, in the greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers that can at­tend us. But

Fourteenthly, (If God be with us, who can be against us?) I answer, None, so as to deprive us of our union with Christ, as to dissolve that blessed union that is be­tween Joh. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Christ and our souls. When Men and Divels have done their worst, our Mariage union with Christ holds good, this union is indissoluble; this union be­tween Christ & Believers is not capable of any separation, they are so one, that all the violence of the world, nor all the power of darkness, can never be able to make them two again. Hence the Apostle's triumphant challenge, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? If the question Rom. 8. 35. did not imply a strong Negation; the Apostle himself doth give us a negation in words at length, Neither death, Verse 38, 39. nor life, nor Angels, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heigth, nor depth, nor any other Creature, shall be able to separate us, &c. Here you have a long Cata­logue, consisting of a large induction of various parti­culars; But none of all these can dissolve the union be­tween Christ and Believers. None can untie that knot, that is tied by the Spirit on Christs part, and by Faith on ours. Christ and Believers are so firmly joyned toge­ther, that all the powers on earth, and all the united strength of Hell, shall never be able to put them asun­der or to separate them one from another, look as no distance of place can hinder this union, so no force or violence from Devils or Men, shall ever be able to dissolve this union, and herein lies the peculiar, tran­scendent [Page 93] blessedness of this union above all other unions, they all may cease, be broken and come to nothing, e­very one of them is soluble: The head may be separated from the members, and the members from the head; the Husband must be separated from the Wife, and the Wife from the Husband; the Parents must be separated from the Children, and the Children from the Parents, and bosom friends must be separated one from another. The foundation and the house may be separated, and the branches may be cut off from the vine, yea the soul and body may be disunited by death, but the mystical union stands fast for ever: Christ and a gracious soul can Matth. 19. 6. never be separated, God hath joyned them together, and no mortal shall ever be able to put them asunder; there is not only a continuation of it all our life, but also in death it self: Our very bodies sleeping in the dust, are (even then) in union with Christ. There are two abiding things in the Saints, their unction, and their union; their unction abides, But the anointing 1 John 2. 27. which ye have received of him abideth in you; and their u­nion abides, for it follows, and ye shall abide in him. Christ earnestly prayes, that we might be one, as he John 17. 20, 21, 22, 23. and his Father are one; not essentially, nor personally, but spiritually, so as no other Creature is united to Christ. There can be no Divorce between Christ and Malach. 2. 19. the believing Soul; Christ hates putting away: Sin may for a time seemingly separate between Christ and the Be­liever, but it can never finally separate between Christ and the Believer. Look as it is impossible for the lea­ven, that is in the dough, to be separated from the dough, after it is once mixed, for it turneth the nature of the dough into it self; so it is impossible for the Saints ever to be separated from Christ: for Christ is in the Saints as Rom. 8. 10. Coloss. 1. 27. 1 John 3. 21. John 17. 23. nearly and as really, as the leaven is in the dough. Christ and Believers are so incorporated, as if Christ and they were one lump: Our nature is now joyned to God by the indissolvible tye of the Hypostatical union in the second Person; and we in our persons are joyned [Page 94] to God, by the mystical indissolvible bond of the Spi­rit, the third Person. Our union with the Lord Jesus, is so near, so close, and so glorious that it makes us one spirit with him. In this blessed union the Saints are not only joyned to the graces and benefits which flow 1 Cor. 6. 17. from Christ; but to the Person of Christ, to Christ him­self, all the powers on Earth, and all the powers in John 1. 16. Rom. 8. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23. Hell, can never separate Christ from the Believer, nor the Believer from Christ, when all other unions are dis­solved, this union holds good.

I readily grant that the sense and apprehension of this union may (in this life) be much interrupted, and ma­ny times greatly darkned, but the substance of the union still remains: And I readily grant that a Believer may be much assaulted and tempted to doubt of his union with Christ, and to question his union with Christ, and yet nevertheless a Believers union with Christ, con­tinues and abides for ever. And I readily grant that the influences of it for some time may be suspended, but yet the union it self is not, nay cannot be dissolved. As it was in the Hypostatical union, for a time there was a suspending of the comforting influences of the Divine nature in the humane, in so much that our Saviour cried out: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Yet for all this the union between the two natures, was not Matth. 27. 46. in the least abolished; so here in the Mystical union, the sensible effects, comforts, and benefits of our union with Christ, may sometimes be kept in and not appear, but yet the union it self abides, and shall abide firm and in­violable for ever; 'tis an inseparable and insuperable u­nion. Look as no power on earth is sufficient to over­power the Spirit of Christ, which on Christs part makes John 10. 27. 31. 1 John 4. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Luke 22. 31, 32. the union, so no power on earth shall be able to conquer Faith, which on our part also makes the union: Satan and the world may make attempts upon this union, but they will never be able to break this union, to dis­solve this union; yea though death be the bane of all natural unions, yet death can never be the bane of this [Page 95] Mystical union, though death puts a period to all other unions, yet death can never put a period to this union; when the Believer is in his grave his union with Christ holds good. But

Fifteenthly, (If God be with us, who can be against us?) I answer, None, so as to deprive us of our crowns, there is no power nor policy on Earth or in hell that can deprive a Christian.

First, Of his crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 'Tis a Metaphor (say several) from the Estius, Sculte­tus, &c. custom in war, who used to crown the Conquerors with honour, &c. It is a similitude taken from fighters or Combatants, who for a prize received a Crown, when they had contended lawfully. The reward of Eternal life here, is called a Crown of righteousness. 1. Because 'tis purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ, by his perfect and compleat righteousness & obedience, dear Je­sus hath merited this for us, and so in Christ it is due to us by way of merit; though in respect of us 'tis of meer grace, of rich grace, of soveraign grace, of infinite grace, of glorious grace. 2. Because he is righteous that hath pro­mised Rev. 2. 10. Rev. 3. 21. 1 John 2. 25. 2 Thess. 1. 5, 6, 7 10. this Crown: Though every promise that God makes, is of free and rich grace, yet when once they are made, the truth and justice of God obligeth him to keep touch with his People; for as he cannot deny him­self, so he cannot do any thing unworthy of himself: Men say and unsay, they promise one thing and mean another; men many times eat their words as soon as they have spoke them, but thus God can never, thus God will never do; God can never [...]epent of his pro­mises, he can never waver, he can never go back from his word: God is not a man, that he should lie, nei­ther the Son of man that he should repent: Hath he said, Num. 23. 19. and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? All the promises that refer to this life [Page 96] and a better; are sure, firm, Faithful, unchangeable, im­mutable. All the promises are the word of a God, and given upon the honour of a God, that they shall be made good. O my Friends, the all-sufficiency of God, the Promissa haec tua sunt Demi [...]e, (saith Austin) & quis falli timet, cum promittit ips [...] veri [...]as. omniscience of God, the omnipotency of God, the loving kindness and faithfulness of God, yea, and the Oath of God may fully, yea abundantly satisfie us, and socure us, that God will certainly make good all his precious promises to us. We commonly say, when an honest man passeth his word for a little money: O it is as sure as if it were in our purse; but Gods word of promise is abun­dantly more sure, for as his Nature is Eternal, so his word of promise is unchangeable: the promises are a firm foun­dation Hab. 2. 3. Je [...]. 32. 41. Psalm 89. 3 [...]. to build our hopes and happiness upon; they are an Anchor both sure and st [...]dfast. Memorable is that saying of David, Psalm 138. 2. For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy Name: Which words are to be un­derstood (as David Ki [...]hi saith) Hysteron proteron, that thou hast by thy word (that is by performing thy word and promises) magnified thy Name above all things. 3. Because it is a just and righteous thing with God, to crown them with glory at last, who have been crown­ed with shame, reproach and dishonour for his Name and interest in this world; so that Eternal life is a Crown of righteousness, ex parte Dei, God hath promised it to such as overcome; and ex parte rei, 'tis just with God to give unto his suffering Servants rest and peace. 4. Be­cause it is given only to righteous men; all that wear this crown come to it in a way of righteousness; a righteous Crown cannot be had but in the use of righteous means. The Chaldean, the Persian, the Grecian, and the Ro­man Princes commonly gained their Crowns by fraud, flattery, policy, blood, &c. so that their Crowns were bloody Crowns, and not righteous Crowns. 5. and last­ly, The Apostle calls it a Crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge shall give him; the more fitly to fol­low the Metaphor taken from Runners and Wrestlers, for prizes at their solemn e [...]ercises or games in Greece, [Page 97] in which there were certain Judges appointed to ob­serve those that proved masters, and give just Sen­tence on the Conquerors side, if he strove lawfully, and fairly won the prize. Now this Crown is laid up, the Greek word [...], importes two things, 1. A de­signation of that which is laid up to some peculiar per­son. 2. A reservation and safe keeping of it, to the use of those it is designed to. Earthly Crowns have been often pulled off from Princes heads, but this Crown of righteousness is so safely laid up, that none can reach it, none can touch it, none can pull it from a Believers head. Xerxes [...]rowned his steers-man in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the same day. And Andronicus the Greek Emperour crowned his Admiral in the morning, & then took off his head in the after-noon. Rosse [...]sis had a Cardinals hat sent him, but his head was cut off before it came to him. Doth the Crown (saith Prov. 27. 24. Solomon) endure to every generation? It is a question which implieth a strong negation. O, no, there is nothing more uncertain than Earthly Crowns. Henry the Sixth was honoured with the Crowns of two Kingdoms, France and England: The first was lost by the faction of his Nobles; the other was twice pulled from his head. Princes Crowns are withering things; Earthly Crowns may be soon put on, and as soon be pulled off: Most Princes Crowns do but hang on one side of their heads. All the Powers on Earth, and all the Devils in Hell, can never reach this Crown of righteousness, though wicked men have long reaches, yet they can ne­ver reach a Believers Crown, which is his joy and Basi [...]. ad 40. Mar­tyr, &c. and comfort in the midst of all his sorrows and suffer­ings. Thus Basil speaketh of some Martyrs, that were cast out all night naked in a bitter cold frosty season, and were to be burned the next day, how they comforted themselves in this manner; The winter is sharp but Pa­radise is sweet; here we shiver for cold, but the bosom of Abraham will make amends for all. The Philoso­pher could say to the Tyrants face: You may kill me, [Page 98] but you cannot hurt me; you may take away my head, but you cannot take away my Crown. O Christians, let this be your joy and triumph, that the Crown of righteousness is laid up safe for you; no Tyrants arm is long enough to reach that Crown. But

Secondly, There is no power nor policy on Earth or in Hell, that can deprive a Christian of his Crown of life, James 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temp­tation, for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (The Crown of life) that is Eternal life whereby after P [...]seat. the fight and conquest he shall be glo [...]fied as with a Crown; as there was a Crown to him that overcame in their exercises among the Grecians. Blessedness is the general reward, the Crown of life is the particular reward: In these words as Chrysostom obse [...]ves there is a great Emphasis, they are both Emphatical; for life is the best of all natural things, and a Crown is the best of all civil things: Here is the best and the best, words are too weak to express what a rare blessing a Crown of life is. The Crown of life is in the other World, saith Gregory, this life is the life of conflict, that of crowns and wreaths; but you will say, what doth this Crown of life signifie. I answer,

First, The Crown of life signifies, solid and substan­tial, honour and glory; as a Crown is a solid and sub­stantial thing: Heaven admits of no honour and glo [...], but what is solid and substantial; the Crown of life is a massie Crown, a ponderous Crown, to shew that the glory above is a massie glory, substantial glory. That you 2 Cor, 4. 17. may see it is massie and substantial, observe what a word the Apostle useth: The weight of glory, the exceeding e­ternal [...] weight of glory: Such a weight as infinitely over­poyseth all afflictions. The Apostle alludeth to the Hebrew and Chaldee wor [...], which signifie both weight M [...]do emin [...]issi­m [...] & largissin [...]. and glory. The Arabick version renders it, Worketh for us a weight of glory in the most eminent and largest de­gree and measure. The Syriack reads it, Infinitam glo­riam, [Page 99] An infinite glory. Haymo reads it, Magnitudi­nem glorie supra omnem modum & mensuram, A great­ness of glory, beyond all bounds and meas [...]re. Beza reads it, Excellenter excellens, Exceedingly excellent. Yet none of these reach the height of the Apostle's Rhetorick, nei­ther is any translation able to express it. Glory is so great a weight, that if the Saints were not upheld by the infinite power and strength of God, it were impos­sible they should be able to bear it. To gold and pre­clous things the weight addeth to the value; as the more massie and weighty a Crown is, the more it is worth: The glory of Heaven is not only Eternal glory, but it is a weight of glory; yea such a weight as exceeds all expressions, all comparisons: The honour and glory of this world is but like the cracking of thorns under a pot; it is but like a blaze, a shadow, a dream, a vapour; it is but like a fading flower, or the picture of a Prince drawn upon the Ice, with his purple Robes, and his glorious Crown, &c. which melts away as soon as the Sun riseth; the consideration of which, made one Prince say of his Crown: O Crown! more noble than happy! A crown is the the choicest and chiefest of all humane re­wards: A mongst all terrene gifts none more honourable and glorious than a Crown; this is the heigth of hu­mane excellencies, and for the attainment of which many have made most sad, desperate and dangerous ad­ventures; but alas! what are all earthly Crowns for ho­nour & dignity, to the Crown of life? No more than sha­dows to substances, pebbles to pearls, or dross to gold. But

Secondly, The Crown of life signifies the greatest honour and glory; there is nothing higher in the esti­mation, and in the admiration of men than a Crown, it is the highest appendent of Majesty: A Crown is the Ps [...]lm 8. 7. Emblem of Majesty, and so it notes that Imperial and Kingly dignity, to which Believers are advanced by Ephes. 1. 3. Christ. There is nothing that Men esteem of above a Crown, oradmire than a Crown, or are ambitious off than a Crown. The Crown is the top of Royalty; all [Page 100] earthly Crowns have crosses hanging upon them; all earthly Crowns are stuffed with thorns; which made a Xerxes. great Prince say, You look upon my Crown and my purple Robes, but did you but know how they are lined with thorns, you would not stoop to take them up. Queen Elizabeth is said to swim to her Crown through a Sea of sorrow: And so many of the Princes of this world have swum to their Crowns through a Sea of sin, a Sea of trouble, a Sea of sorrow, and a Sea of blood. The Crown of life is an honourable Crown, and that is the reason why the Heavenly glory is exprest by a Rev. 3. 21. Crown; the Saints are heirs not only of Christs cross, but also of his Crown, that is of his honour and glory: The honour and glory of all earthly Crowns are greatly darkned and obscured by the cares and troubles, the temp­tations & dangers that are inseparably annexed to them; but no cares, no troubles attend the Crown of life, the Crown of glory; Eternal life is a coronation day. But

Thirdly, The Crown of life signifies the reward of victory, a Crown is the honour of those that strive; Crowns were alwayes the rewards of Conquerours. Gregory. Revel. 2. 10. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee a Crown of life. A Crown without cares, cor­rivals, envy, end; a Crown not of gold, silver, pearls, laurels, or such like fading, perishing, corruptible things, but a Crown of life, an everliving Crown, an everlasting Crown, a neverfading Crown. 'Tis an allusion to a custom that was amongst the Grecians, for such as got the ma­stery Dr. Raynolds a­gainst Hart p. 482 in their games of wrastling, or running, or the like, were crowned with a Garland in token of victory, 'tis not he that fights, but he that conquers, that carries the Crown: The Crown of life is for that man, and that man is for the Crown of life, who holds on conquering and to conquer, as Christ his head has done before him. The Heathens in their Olympicks had their Cups, and Garments and Crowns that were the rewards of the Conquerors, yea if a horse did but run a race and won, he had a Cup or a Crown; and thereupon Theocritus [Page 101] saith, See what poor things the world glories in, that bruit beasts are taken with, their conquerours are crowned, and so are their horses: But what were all their cups, garments, and crowns of ivy and laurel? &c. to this crown of life, that is promised to the overcoming Christian; you must first be conquering Christians, be­fore you shall be crowned Christians. Why do you re­quire that in one place (saith one of the Ancients) which Ambros. is due in another? why would you preposterously have the crown before you overcome? whil'st we are in our warring state fighting against the world, the flesh, and the Devil, a crown does not become us. I have read, how that upon a triumph all the Emperour Severus his Soul­diers, for the greater pompe, were to put on crowns of bays, but there was one Christian among them that wore it on his arm, and being asked the reason of it, he bold­ly answered (Non decet Christianum in hac vita coronari,) It becomes not a Christian to wear his crown in this life. That crown that is made out of the Tree of life, is a wreath of laurel that never withers, a crown that never fades, a crown that will sit fast on no head but the con­querours. But,

Fourthly, the Crown of life signifies a lasting Crown, a living Crown, to say the Crown of life is to say a li­ving Crown, and living Crowns are only to be found in Prov. 27. 24. Eze. 21. 25, 26, 27. Heaven. The word, Crown, notes the perpetuity of glory. A Crown is round, and hath neither beginning, nor ending, and therefore the glory of the Saints in Hea­ven is called an immortal, an immarcessible, incurrupti­ble, 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 9. [...]4. and never fading Crown. The Crown of life signi­fies the lasting honour and glory of the Saints in Heaven. I have read of an Emperour that had three crowns, one on his sword, another on his head, and then cries out, Tertiam in Coelis, The third is in Heaven, and my hope See my String of Pearls. (saith he) shall be in the everlasting Crown. The life to come is only the true life, the happy life, the safe life, the honourable life, the lasting, yea the everlasting life, and therefore the Crown is reserved for that life. King [Page 102] William the Conquerour was crowned three times every year, all his reign, at three several places, viz. Glocester, Winchester, and Westminster, but death hath long since put a period to his Crown. The Crowns of the greatest Monarchs in the world (though they last long) yet are Hackwel. corruptible, subject to wearing, cracking, stealing, they will be taken from them, or they from their crowns suddenly. Witness that pile of crowns (as the Historian speaks) that was piled up (as it were) at Alexander's gates, when he sate down and wept, because there were no more worlds to conquer. All Scripture and Histo­ries do abundantly tell us, that there is nothing more fading than Princes crowns. But,

Fifthly, the Crown of life notes a well entitled crown, a crown that comes by a true and noble Title. A Chri­stian has the best Title imaginable to the Crown of life. Eph. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Luk. 12. 32. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Heb. 1. 2. 2 Sam. 23. 5. Jer. 32. 40. 41. 1. He has a Title by Christs blood. 2. By the new Birth. 3. By free and precious promises. 4. By donation. 5. By marriage union, and communion with Christ, who is heir apparent to all the glory of Heaven. 6. By a sure & everlasting Covenant. King Henry the VII. of England, pretended a sixfold title to the crown, 1. By conquest, 2. By the election of the Souldiers in the field, 3. By Parliament, 4. By birth, 5. By donation, 6. By mar­riage; but what was his pretended Title to that real and full Title, that a believer has to the Crown of life? But,

Sixthly and lastly, the Crown of life notes the perfe­ction of the glory of the Saints in Heaven; as the crown compasseth the head on every side, so in Heaven there is an aggregation of all internal and eternal good. One of August. de Tri­plic [...] Habitu, c. 4. the Ancients, speaking concerning what we can say of the glory of Heaven, saith, It is but a little drop of the Sea, and a little spark of the great Furnace, for those good things of eternal life are so many that they exceed number, so great that they exceed measure, so precious that they are above all estimation. Nec Christus, nec Coe­lum patitur hyperbolem, Neither Christ, nor Heaven can be [Page 103] hyperbolized. Noscie quid erit, quod ista vita non erit. And (saith one of the Fathers) what will that life be, or ra­ther, what will not that life be, since all good either is not at all, or is in such a life? light which place cannot comprehend, voices and musick which time cannot ra­vish away, odours which are never dissipated, a feast which is never consumed, a blessing which eternity be­stoweth, but eternity shall never see at an end. Do you ask me what Heaven is, saith one, when I meet you there I will tell you. The world to come (say the Rabbins) is the world where all is well. I have read of one that would willingly swim through a Sea of brimstone to get to Heaven, for there, and only there is perfection of hap­piness. What are the silks of Persia, the spices of Aegypt, the gold of Ophir, and the treasures of both Indies to the glory of another world? Augustin tells us, that one day when he was about to write some thing upon the eighth Verse of the thirty sixth Psalm, Thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures; and being almost swallowed up with the contemplation of heavenly joyes, one call'd unto him very loud by his name; and enquiring who it was, he answered, I am Hierom, with whom in my life time thou hadst so much conference concerning doubts in Scripture, and am now best experienced to resolve thee of any doubts concerning the joyes of Heaven, but only let me first ask thee this question: Art thou able to put the whole-Earth, and all the waters of the Sea, into a little pot? Canst thou measure the waters in thy fist? and mete out Heaven with thy span? or weigh the mountains in scales? and the hills in a ballance? If not, no more is it possible that thy understanding should comprehend the least of the joyes of Heaven; and certainly the least of the joyes of Heaven are unconceivable and inexpressible. But,

Thirdly, there is no power nor policy on Earth or in Psalm 21. 3. Hell, that can deprive a Believer of an incorruptible Crown, 1 Cor. 9. 25. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things, now, they do it to obtain [Page 104] a corruptible Crown, but we an incorruptible. He alludes to the Olympick exercises; now, running and wrestling were two of the Olympick games; now, in these Olym­pick games the reward was only a corruptible crown, a crown made up of Laurels, or Olive-branches, or Oaken-leaves, or of Flowers and Herbs, or at the highest of Silver and Gold, which soon faded; but we run for an incorruptible Crown of glory. A man (saith Chry­sostom) would dwell in this contemplation of Heaven, and be loth to come out of it. Nay (saith Augustin) a man might age himself in it, and sooner grow old than weary. 1 Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and un­defiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you. Here are super-excellent properties of the Heavenly in­heritance.

First, it is [...], an incorruptible in­heritance. All earthly inheritances are liable to corrupti­on, 1 An incorrup­tible inheritance. Gen. 3. 18. Isa. 23. 9. they are true gardens of Adoms, where we can ga­ther nothing but trivial flowers, surrounded with many bryars thornes and thistles. O the hands, the hearts, the thoughts, the lives that have been corrupted by earthly inheritances! O the impure love, the carnal confidence, the vain boastings, the senfual joyes that have been the products of earthly inheritances. If a mans estate lyes in James 5. 2, 3, 4, 5. Mat 6. 19, 20. Job 1. 14, 15, 17. See my Londons Lamentation. money, that may rust, or the thieves may break through and steal it; If in cattle, they may dye, or fall into the hands of the Sabeans and Chaldeans; If in houses, they may be burnt, witness the late dreadful fire that turn'd London into a ruinous heap; If in Lands, a forreign enemy may invade them, and conquer them. All earth­ly inheritances are no better than the Cities which Solo­mon 1 King. 9. 13. gave to Hiram, which he called Cabul, that is to say, Displeasing or Dirty. Earthly inheritances they do but durt, laub, and dust the children of men; it is only the Heavenly inheritance that is incorruptible.

Secondly, it is [...], an inheritance 2 An inheritance undefiled. undefiled. There are few earthly inheritances, but some defilement, or other sticks close to them; many times [Page 105] they are got by fraud, oppression, violence, injustice, &c. and as they are often wickedly got, so they are as often wickedly kept; They that will but go to Westminster­hall may every term understand enough of these things. The Heavenly inheritance is the only undefiled inheri­tance; there is no sin, no sinner, no Devil to defile or pollute the heavenly inheritance, the incorruptible crown. The Greek word (Amiantos) signifies a precious stone, which though it be never so much soiled, yet it cannot be blemished nor defiled, yea the oftner you cast it into the fire and take it out, the more clear, bright, and shi­ning it is; The Apostle may probably allude to this stone, and it is as if he should say, The incorruptible Crown, that you shall receive, shall be studded with the stone A­miantos, which cannot be defiled; no unclean thing shall Revel. 21. 27. enter into Heaven to defile this Crown, this inheritance. The Serpent got into the Earthly Paradise, and defiled Adam's crown, yea he robbed him of his crown, but the subtil Serpent can never enter into the heavenly Paradise. But,

Thirdly, it is [...], an inheritance 3 An inheritance that fadeth not a­way. that fadeth not away. A Metaphor taken from flowers, the beauty of flowers, and the sweetness of flowers with­ers in a moment, and is quickly gone, and then they are good for nothing, but to be cast upon the dunghil: So it is with all Earthly inheritances, they soon lose their glo­ry and fragrancy. Where is the glory of the Chaldean, Dan. 7. 3. to the 8. Persian, Graecian and Roman Kingdoms? Sic transit glo­ria Mundi, hath been long since written upon them all; Isa. 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. yea all the glory of the world is like the flower of the field, that soon fadeth away; How many great Men, and great Kingdoms have for a time shined in great glory, even like so many Suns in the Firmament, but are now vanished away, like so many blazing Comets! How hath the Moon of great Mens honours been eclipsed at the full and the Sun of their pomp gone down at noon! How soon is the Courtiers glory eclipsed, if his Prince do but frown upon him, and how soon does the Prince [Page 106] become a peasant, if God does but frown upon him! The Greek word (Amarantos) say some, is the proper name of a flower, which is still fresh and green, after it hath hung up in the house a long time. It is, as if the Apostle had said, Your incorruptible Crown shall be garnished or adorned with the precious flower (Amarantos) which is alwayes fresh, and green, and flourishing; And indeed this is the excellency of the Heavenly inheritance, that it fadeth not away, that it is a flower that never wither­eth; all the glory of that upper-world is like God him­self lasting, yea everlasting. This never fading Crown is like the flower we call Semper vivens, it keeps alwayes fresh and splendent; the glory of Believers shall never fade, nor wither it shall never grow old nor rusty. Thrice happy are those souls, that have a share in this incorrup­tible Crown. When Alexander heard the Philosophers discourse of another World, in which he had no part, he 1 Thes. 4. 13. wept, to speak with the Apostle, as one without hope. None on earth have such cause to weep, as those that have no interest in that inheritance that fadeth not away. But,

Fourthly and lastly, there is no power nor policy on Earth or in Hell, that can deprive a sincere Christian of a Crown of glory. 1 Pet. 5. 4. And when the chief Shep­herd shall appear, ye shall receive a Crown of glory, which fadeth not away; as the garlands did, where with the conquerours at games, races, & combates were crown'd, which were made of herbs, leaves, and flowers. A Crown imports perpetuity, plenty, dignity; It is the height of humane ambition. The Greek word Amaran­tinon, cometh from Amarantus, which is a flower that fadeth not, of which garlands were made in former times, and wherewith they crowned the Images of the Heathen Gods. A Believers Crown, his inheritance, his glory, his happiness, his blessedness shall be as fresh and flourishing after he hath been many millions of years in Heaven, as it was at his first entrance into it. Earthly Crowns are like tennis-balls, which are bandied up and down from one to another, and in time wear out. When [Page 107] time shall be no more, when earthly Crowns and King­doms shall be no more, yea when the world shall be no more, a Christians Crown of glory shall be fresh, flou­rishing, and continuing; all the Devils in hell shall never wrangle a Believer out of his heavenly inheri­tance, nor deprive him of his crown of glory. The least thing in Heaven is better than the greatest things in this World; all things on Earth are fading, but the crown of glory never fadeth away: Thus you see why Heaven & the glory above is expressed by a crown; sometimes it is called a crown of righteousness, to note the grounds and rise of it; sometimes it is called a crown of life, because it is only to be enjoyed in everlasting life; sometimes it is called an incorruptible crown, to note the duration & continuance of it; and sometimes it is called a crown of glory, to note the honour, splendour, and eternity of it. Now let Devils, let oppressors, let persecutors do their worst they shall never be able to deprive the Saints of their blessed and glorious crowns. But,

Sixteenthly [If God be with us, who can be Psal. 89. 30. 35. Jer. [...]1. 31. cap. 32. 38, 39, 40, 41. Isa. 54. 10. Heb. 8. 8. 10. against us?] I answer, none, so as to make void our Co­venant-relation, or our covenant-interest, as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together. The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods free love, upon Gods everlasting love, upon Gods special and pe­culiar love, upon Gods unchangeable love, so that God can as soon cease to be, as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into covenant with himself, or cease to keep covenant with them: Those whom free-grace hath brought into covenant, shall continue in cove­nant for ever and ever, once in covenant and for e­ver in covenant. The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods immutable counsel and purpose. The foun­dation Heb. 6. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 19. of God standeth sure; that is, the decree and pur­pose of Gods election stands firm and sure. Now the purpose of Gods election is compared to a foundation, because it is that upon which all our happiness and bles­sedness is built and bottomed, and because as a founda­tion [Page 108] it abides firm and sure. The Covenant of grace is John 10. 28. 29, 30, 31, 32. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Jude 1. bottomed upon Gods glorious power, upon Gods infinite power, upon Gods supreme power, upon Gods invin­ [...]ible power, upon Gods independent power, upon Gods incomparable power, and till you can find a power that can overmatch this Divine power, the Saints covenant­relation holds good. The Covenant of grace is botto­med upon the oath of God; To perform the mercy pro­mised to our Fathers, and to remember his holy Covenant, Luke 1. 72. 73. the oath which he sware to our Fathers. Now to think that God will break his oath, or be perjured, is an into­lerable blasphemy. The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the precious blood of Christ; the blood of Christ Mat. 26. 28. Heb 9 15. [...]bid. 13. 20. is called, The blood of the everlasting Covenant. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant. Now by these hints it is most evident, that the Saints covenant-relation, their cove­nant-interest holds good at all times, in all cases, and in all conditions. It is not the indwelling power of sin, nor spiritual desertions, nor violent temptations, nor heavy afflictions, nor Divine delays, that can dissolve our co­venant-relation. Though sin may work, and Satan may tempt, and fears may be high, and God may hide his Isa. 8. 17. Lam. 3. 44. face from his People, and stop his ears at the prayers of his People, yet God will still maintain his interest in his People, and his Peoples relation to himself. God hath not cast away his People, whom he foreknew, Rom. 11. 2. I am the Lord, I change not, Mal. 3. 6. I will betroth thee unto me forever, Hos. 2. 19. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. 13. 5. It is not all the powers of Hell, nor all the powers on Earth, that can make null, or void our covenant-relation, our covenant-interest. But,

Seventeenthly and lastly [If God be with us, who can be against us?] I answer, none, so as to hinder our growth in grace, or the thriving and flourishing estate of our pre­cious and immortal souls. The troubles, afflictions, per­secutions, and sufferings that the Saints meet with in a [Page 109] way of holyness, shall but further the increase and growth of their graces; grace never rises to so great a height as it does in times of persecution; Suffering times are a Christians harvest times. Let me instance in that grace of Psalm 69. 7, 8, 9, 12. of zeal: I remember Moulin, speaking of the French Protestants, saith, When Papists hurt us, and persecute us for reading the Scripture, we burn with zeal to be reading of them, but now persecution is over, our Bi­bles are like old Almanacks. Michal's scoffing at David 2 Sam. 6. 20, 21, 22 did but inflame and raise his zeal; If this be to be vile, I will be more vile. Look as fire in the Winter burns the hotter (by an Antiperistasis) because of the coldness of the air, so in the winter of persecution, that Divine fire, the zeal of a Christian, burns so much the hotter, and flames forth so much the more vehemently and strongly. When one desired to know, what kind of man Basil was, there was presented to him in a dream (saith the Histo­rian) a pillar of fire, with this Motto (Talis est Basilius) Basil is such a one, he is all on a light fire for God. Warm persecutions will but set Christians all on a light fire for God, as you may see among the Apostles, primitive Christians, & the Martyrs of a later date. Grace usually is in the greatest flourish, when the Saints are under the greatest tryals; the snuffing of the candle makes it burn the brighter: God suffers wicked men to beat & bruise his links, to make them burn the brighter; and to pound & bruise his spi [...]cs, to make them send forth the greater a­romatical savour; fiery trials are like the Tezel, which though it be sharp and scratching, it is to make the cloth more pure and fine. Stars shine brightest in the darkest nights, and so do the graces of the Saints shine brightest in the darkest nights of affliction and tribula­tion. God does sometimes more carry on the growth of grace by a Cross than by an ordinance; yea the Lord will first or last turn all fiery Trials into Ordinances, for the helping of grace in his Peoples souls. Commonly the Saints spiritual growth in grace is carried on by such Divine methods, and in such wayes [Page 110] as might seem to deaden grace, and weaken it rather than any wayes to augment and encrease it. We know that winter is as necessary to bring on Harvest as the Spring; and so fiery Trials are as necessary to bring on the Harvest of grace as the Spring of mercy is. Though fiery Trials are grievous, yet they shall make the Saints more gracious: God usually by smart sufferings turns his Peoples sparks of grace into a mighty flame, their mites into millions, their drops into Seas. All the De­vils in hell and all the sinners on earth, cannot hinder the Lord from carrying on the growth of grace in his Peoples Souls. When Men and Devils have done their worst, God will by all sorts of Ordinances, and by all sorts of providences, and all sorts of changes make his People more and more holy, and more and more hum­ble, and more and more meek and lowly, and more and more heavenly, wise, faithful, fruitful, sincere, cou­ragious, &c. Though the Church of Smyrna was out­wardly Rev. 2. 9. poor, yet she was inwardly rich, rich in grace, and rich towards God. I think he hit the mark who said, it is far better to be a poor man and a rich Chri­stian, than to be a rich man and a poor Christian. Though the Corinthians were under great tryals and 2 Cor. 8. 7. sufferings, yet they did abound in every thing, in faith, & utterance & knowledge, & diligence, & in their love to Gospel Ministers. The storm beat hard upon the Romans, and yet you see what a singular testimony the Apostle gives of them. I my self also am perswaded of Rom. 15. 14. you my Brethren, that ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another. The Thessa­lonians were under great persecutions and troubles, and yet were strong in the grace that was in Christ Jesus; they were very growing and flourishing Christians▪ sin­gular 2 Thess. 3. [...] 10. 2 Thess. 1, 3. 8. Prophecies speak out the Saints growth and flou­rishing in grace. The Lord is exalted, for he dwelleth Isa. 33. 5. on high, he hath filled Zion with judgement and righ­teousness. The Spirit shall be poured upon us from on Isa. 32. 15. Cap. 35. 1. high, and the wilderness shall be a fruitful field. The [Page 111] desart shall rejoyce and blossom as the rose, it shall blos­som abundantly, the glory of Libanon shall be given un­to it: The excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. And as singular prophecies so choice, and pre­cious promises speak out the Saints growth in grace take a taste of some of them. But the path of the Just, is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the Prov. 4. 18. Job 17. 9. Psalm 84. 7. Psa. 92. 12, 13, 14. perfect day. The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. They shall go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree, be shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God, in old age they shall be fat and flou­rishing. I have read of an Old-man, who being asked, whether he grew in grace? Answered, I believe I do, for God hath promised that in old age his children should be fat and flourishing. So Isa. 46. 3. Hearken unto me O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb. Verse 4. And even to your old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made and I will bear, even I will carry and will deli­ver you. Zach. 12. 8. And he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them. Hosea 14. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel, he shall grow as the Lilly, and cast forth his roots as Libanon. Verse 6. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Libanon. Verse 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall return, they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine, the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Libanon. Malach. 4. 2. But unto you that fear my Name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings, and ye shall go forth and grow up as the calves of the stall. Psalm 1. 3. He shall be like a tree planted by the [...] of waters, that bringeth forth [Page 112] his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever be doth shall prosper. John 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up to Eternal life. The light and glory of the Church rises by degrees. 1. Looking forth as the Cant. 6. 10. morning with a little light. 2. Fair as the Moon, more light. 3. Clear as the Sun, that is come up to a higher degree of spiritual light, life and glory: By all which it is most evident, that all the powers of Hell, nor all the powers on Earth cannot hinder the Saints growth in grace, nor the thriving and flourishing estate of their precious and immortal souls.

But you will say, what are the reasons why God will be favourably, signally and eminently present with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses and most deadly dangers. I answer there are these ten great Reasons for it.

First, To awaken and convince the Enemies of his Peo­ple, 1 Reason. & to render his suffering children glorious in the ve­ry eyes and consciences, both of sinners and Saints, Dan. 3. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was astonied and Ponder upon these Scriptures, Micha 7. 8, 9, 10, 16, 17. Psalm 126. 1, 2. Exod. 8. 19. Isa. 60. 13, 14. Rev. 3. 8, 9. Acts 4. 13. Cap. 6. 15. John 7. 44, 45, 46, &c. rose up in hast, and spake and said unto his Counsellors, did we not cast three men into the fire? They answered and said unto the King, True, O King. Verse 25. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Now see what a majesty there is in this presence of Christ with his People in the fire, to convince Nebuchadnezzar, and to render the three Champions very glorious in his eyes. Verse 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the God of Sha­drach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his Angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the Kings word, and yielded their bodies, that that they might not serve, nor worship any God except their own God. Vers. 29. Therefore I make a decree, that every peo­ple, nation and language, which speak [...]ing amiss against [Page 113] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghil because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort, Verse 30. Then the King promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abed­nego in the Province of Babylon. The presence of the Lord with the three Children commanded favour, respect, re­verence and honour from this great Monarch Nebuchad­nezzar. The presence of God with his People is very Majestical, the greatest Monarchs have fallen down be­fore it; not only Nebuchadnezzar, but also Darius falls down before the signal presence of God with Daniel, Dan. 6. 20. ult. Mark 6. 20. 2 Kings 11, 1, 2. 1 Sam. 24 17. when he was in the Lions den. And Herod falls down before the presence of God with John. And King Joash falls down before the presence of God with Jehojada. And Saul falls down before the presence of God with David: Thou are more righteous than I, &c. And Ale­xander the Emperour falls down before the presence of God in Jaddus the High-Priest. In the signal presence of God with his People in their affliction, there is such a sparkling lustre that none can behold it, but must ad­mire it, and bow before the graceful Majesty of it: such has been the signal presence of God with the Martyrs in their fiery trials, that many have been convinced and converted. I have read of a Citizen of Paris, who was burnt for Protestantism, how the presence of God did so History of the Council of Trent. pag. 418. 2. Edit. shine in his courage and constancy, that many did cu­riously enquire into that religion, for which he so stoutly and resolutely suffered, so that the number of Sufferers was much increased thereby. I read that Ci­cilia a poor Virgin, by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom, was the means of converting four hundred to Christ. It was the observation of Mr. John Lindsay, that the very smoak of Mr. Hamilton converted as many as it blew upon. Alexandrinus cites Platu, expressing Clemens Alex. Strom. l. 4. p. 495. himself thus: Although a righteous man be tormen­ted, although his eyes be digged out, yet he remains a blessed Man. The same Plato could say, That no gold or precious stone doth glister so gloriously as the [Page 114] prudent Spirit of a good man. And the very Hittites could say of Abraham, who had a very signal presence of God with him: Thou art a Prince of God among us; Genes. 23. 6. not that he was a King or had any Authority over them, as the Septuagint reads, Thou art a King from God, a­mong us: But he is called a Prince of God, say some, be­cause Lyran. Tostat. he was as Gods Oracle (the Lord speaking to him by visions and dreams) unto whom they had recourse for counsel in difficult matters. Others say, he is called Prince of God, because God prospered him, and made him famous for his virtue and godliness. But the Hebrews commonly speak so of all things that are notable and ex­cellent, because all excellency cometh from God: As the Angel of God, the Mount of God, the City of God, Exod. 3. 2. Cap. 4. 37. Psalm 26. 4. Gen. 30. 8. the wrestlings of God, &c. Thou art a Prince of God, that is thou art a most excellent Person. Seneca saw so much excellency that Morality put upon a man, that he could say (Ipse aspectus boni viri deleciat) The very looks of a good man delights one. And why then may not the Sons of Heth call him a Prince of God, from that ma­jesty and glory that they saw shine forth in his graces, and in his gracious behaviour and conversation; and because they did observe a signal presence of God with him in all he did, it being no higher observation than what Abimelech had made before them. Chrysostom Gen. 21. 22. speaking of Babylas the Martyr, saith, Magnus atque ad­mirabilis vir, &c. He was an excellent and admirable man, &c. Tertullian writing to some of the Martyrs (who had a mighty presence of God with them) saith (Non tantus sum ut vos alloquar, &c,) I am not good enough to speak unto you. Oh! that my life and a thousand more such wretches might go for yours, &c. In Queen Marie's days (not of blessed but of abhorred memory) the People of God met sometimes 40. sometimes 100. sometimes 200. together; the fiery persecutors of that day sent in one among them, to spy out their practices, & to give informa­tion of their names, that they might be brought to Smith­field F [...]x Acts Mon. 1881. shambles: But there was such a presence of God in [Page 115] the Assembly of his People, that this Informer was con­vinced and converted, and cryed them all mercy. 1 Cor. 14. 24. But if all prophefie, and there come in one that be­lieveth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. Verse 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. It may be before they came to the Assembly of the Saints, they had hard thoughts of the People of God, they thought that folly was in them, or that disloyalty was in them, or that madness and rebellion was in them, or that plots and designs against the Government was in them, or that the Devil was in them. O but now such a Majestical presence of God appears in the midst of his People, that the Unbeliever is convinced and confesses that God is in them of a truth. Blessed Brad­ford had such a signal presence of God with him in his sufferings, as begot great reverence and admiration, not only in the hearts of his Friends, but in the very hearts of very many Papists also. Henry the Second King of Acts & Monum. page 1458. France, being present at the Martyrdom of a poor Tay­lor; who was burnt by him for his Religion, the poor Epist. Hist. Gal. 82. man had such a signal presence of God with him in his sufferings, that his courage and boldness, his holy and gracious behaviour did so amaze and terrifie the King, that he swore at his going away, that he never would be present at such a sight more. As the presence of God is the greatest ornament of the Church triumphant, so the presence of God is the greatest ornament of the Church militant. The redness of the Rose, the whiteness of the Lilly, and all the beauties of Sun, Moon and Stars, are but deformities, to that beauty and glory that the pre­sence of God puts upon his people, in all their troubles and trials. There is nothing in the world that will ren­der the Saints so amiably and lo [...]ely, so eminent and ex­cellent in the eyes of their Enemies, as the signal pre­sence of God with them in their greatest trials. Deme­trius Piutarch in the life of Demetrius. was so passing fair of face and countenance, that no [Page 116] Painter was able to draw him; the presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles, deepest di­stresses, and most deadly dangers, puts so rare a beauty and glory upon them, that no Painter can ever be able to draw them. But

A second reason, Why God will be signally present 2. Reason. with his People in their greatest troubles, deepest di­stresses, and most deadly dangers, is drawn from the Covenant of grace, and those precious promises that God has made to be with his People. Gods Covenant is, Jer. 32. 40, 41. Heb. 13. 5. that he will be with his People for ever, and that he will never turn away from them to do them good. That's a branch of the Covenant: I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. And that's a branch of the Covenant: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. The shield Genes. 15. 1. See Psalm 115. 9, 10. 11. is between the body and the thrust. So saith God, I will put in betwixt thee and harm; though those Kings whom thou hast even now vanquished, may rant high and threaten revenge, yet I will shield off all dangers, that thou maist be incident to. Though Gods People be in the waters and in the fires, yet his promise is to Isa. 43. [...]. Psalm 91. 15. Psalm 50. 15. Job 5. 19. Hosea 2. 14, be with them; so the Psalmist, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him. God will not fail to keep his People company in all their troubles, no storm, no danger, no distress, no fiery trial can keep God and his People asunder. God is immutable in his nature, in his counsels, in his Covenant, and in all his promises; though all Creatures are subject to change, Malach. 3. 6. yet God is unchangeable; though Angels and Men, and all inferiour Creatures are dependent, yet God is indepen­dent: He is as the School-men say (omninò immutabilis) Altogether immutable, and therefore he will be sure to keep touch with his People. Precious promises are Pa­bulum fidei, & [...]nima fidei, The food of Faith, and the very soul of Faith. They are a Mine of rich treasures, a Garden full of choice flowers, able to enrich a suffering Cristian with all Celestial contentments, and to sweeten the deepest distresses. God has deeply engaged himself, [Page 117] both by Covenant and promises, that he will be with his People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers; [...]nd therefore he will not fail them, Deut. 7. 9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God which keepeth Covenant, &c. or the God of Amen. God will never suffer his faithful­ness Psalm 89. 33. to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth: All his precepts, menaces, predictions, and pro­mises are the issue of a most wise, holy, faithful, and righteous will, and therefore they shall certainly be made good to his People. But

Thirdly, The Lord will be signally present with his 3. Reason. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, because it makes most eminently for the advancement of his own honour and glory in the world. God never gets more honour than by helping his People when they are at a dead lift. Gods signal presence with Israel at the red Sea, makes Moses sing a Exod. 15. Song of praise. A great part of the revenue of Divine glory arises from the special presence of God with his People in their deepest distresses, and most deadly dan­gers, as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Exod. 15. Judges 5. Psalm 23. 4, 6. Isai. 43. 2, 5, 7. Margin together. 'Tis the honour of a Husband to be most present with his Wife in her greatest troubles, and the honour of a Father to be most present with his Chil­dren in their deepest distresses, and the honour of Com­manders to be present with their Souldiers in the heat of Battel, when many fall on their righ [...] hand and on their left. Exod. 15. 3. The Lord is a man of war, (that is an excellent warriour) the Lord is his name; according to the Septuagint, [...], He breaketh bat­tels, and subdueth war. God like a brave Commander stands upon his honour, and therefore he will stand by his Souldies in the greatest dangers. The word Ish here used for Man, signifies an eminent man, a mighty man, a famous warriour, or as the Chald [...]e Paraphrast hath it, Victor bellorum, An overcomer of Battels. Now emi­nent warriours, mighty warriours, famous warriours, [Page 118] they alwayes stick closest to their Souldiers, in their greatest dangers, as all know that have read either Scripture or History. Now the Lord is such a man of war, such a famous warriour, as that he will be sure to Isa. 52. 12. God is both in the Van and in the Rear. stick closest to his People in the greatest dangers. And as th [...]re is nothing that more raises the honour, fame, and renown of great warriours in the world, than their pre­sence with their Souldiers when the bullets fly thickest, so there is nothing, by which God gets himself a grea­ter name, fame, and honour in the world, than by his signal presence with his People, in their grea­test troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dan­gers. But

Fourthly, The Lord will be signally present with his 4. Reason. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, because then his people stands in most need of his presence. A Believer needs the presence of God at all times, but never so much as in great trou­bles; deep distresses and most deadly dangers: For now Job 2. 9. Job 19. 13, 14, 15, 16. 17. Psalm 38. ult. Isa. 41. 17, 18. Satan will be stirring, he loves to fish in troubled waters; now earthly Friends, and earthly comforts, and earthly succours will commonly fail us; now cares, and fears, will be multiplied upon us; now unbelief which is vir­tually all evil, will be raising doubts, and cavils, and ob­jections in the soul; so that if God does not stand by us now, what can we say? what can we do? how can we bear up? how can we stand fast? What was Sampson that Judges 16. 19, 20. man of strength when his hair was gone, but as weak as water? and what is the strongest Christian when his God is gone, but as weak as weakness it self? all our doing strength, and all our suffering strength, and all our bearing strength, and all our witnessing strength lies in the special presence of God with our souls; all our com­forts, and all our supports, and all our ease▪ and all our refreshments flow from the presence of God with our souls, in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses, and therefore if God should leave us in a day of trouble, what would become of us, and whither should we go, and [Page 119] where should we find rest? When doth a man need a Brother or Friend, but in a day of adversity? A Bro­ther Prov. 17. 17. is born for adversity, though at other times Bre­thren may jar, and jangle, and quarrel, yet in a day of adversity, in a strait, in a stress, birth, and good blood, and good nature will be working. Adversity breeds love and unity. Ridley and Hooper differed very much about Ceremonies in the day of their liberty, but when they were both Prisoners in the Tower th [...] they could agree well enough, and then they could be mutual com­forts one to another; and when does a Christian most need the strength of God, the consolations of God, the supports of God, the teachings and quicknings of God, and the signal singular presence of God, but when they are in the greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers? When the People of God are in a low and afflicted condition, then the Lord knows that that Isa. 33. 9. 10. is the season of seasons for him to grace them with his gracious presence: When calamities and dangers break in upon us, and when all heads, and hands, and hearts, and counsels are set against us; now is the time for God to help us, for God to succour us, for God to stand by us. But.

Fifthly, the Lord will be signally present with his 5 Reason: People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, because he dearly loves them. God Deut. 7. 6, 7, 8. Amat qui [...] amat, Bernard. entirely loves his People, and therefore he will not leave his People; persons whom we entirely love we cannot leave, especially when they are in a distressed condition. Prov. 17 17. A friend loves at all times, saith Solomon; and God is such a friend. God loves not by fits and star [...], as many do, but his love is like himself sincere and stedfast, because he loves them, he won't forsake them when they are in the greatest troubles and most terrible dangers, 1 Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord will not forsake his People, for his great Namessake; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People; He chose you for his love, and he still loveth you for his choice, and therefore he won't forsake you; [Page 120] Chide you he may, but forsake you he won't: for it will not stand with the glory of God to leave a People, to for­sake a People of his love. Should I cast you off whom I love, the Heathen Nations would say, that I was muta­ble in my purposes, or unfaithful in my promises. Though David's Parents forsook him, yet God did not forsake Psalm 27. 10. him, but took him up into his care and keeping. It is the deriding question which the enemies of the Saints put Ps [...]lm 79. 10. to them, in the time of their greatest troubles, deep di­stresses, and most deadly dangers, Ʋbi Deus? Where is now your God? But they may safely and groundedly re­turn this answer, when they are at lowest, Hic Deus, Our God is here; he is nigh unto us, he is round about Isa. 52. 12. us, and he is in the midst of us: Witness that golden promise, that is more worth than a world, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. God is a God of bowels, a Heb. 13. 5, 11. Hos 8. 9. Mich. 7. 19. Jer. 31. 18, 19, 20. God of great pity, a God of tender compassion, and therefore he will not leave his People in a time of distress. Parents bowels do most yearn towards their Children when they are sick, and weak, and most in danger; it goes to the very heart of a man to leave a friend in mi­sery; but what are the bowels of men to the bowels of God! or the compassions of men to the compassions of God! There is an Ocean of love in the hearts of Parents 2 Sam. 19. 6. towards their children, when they are in distress; and this love makes them sit by their children, and sit up with their children, and not stir from their children: Gods love does so link his heart to his People in their deep di­stresses, Psalm 91. 15. that he can't leave them, he can't stir from them, Isa. 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee. Well, and what then? This love so endeares & unites God to his People that he can't leave them, he can't stir one foot from them, V. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. The Lord dearly loves his People, and he highly prizes his People, and he greatly [Page 121] delights in his People, and therefore he will be signally present with his People, both in the fire and in the water, both in the fire of persecution, and i [...] the waters of affli­ction. God loves the persons of his People, and he loves the presence of his People, and he loves the graces of his People, and he loves the services of his People, and he loves the fellowship of his People, and therefore he will never leave his People, but stand by them, and be signal­ly present with them in their greatest troubles & deepest distresses. Such is Gods singular love to his Covenant-People, that he will neither forsake them, nor forget them in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. The Jews were low, yea very low in Babylon, their distresses were great, and their dangers many, they looked upon themselves as so many dead Ezek. 37. 1. to 15. men, Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we are cut off for our parts; They looked upon themselves both as for­saken and forgotten by God. Behold, captive Sion la­mentingly saith: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord Isa. 49. 13. to 18. Psalm 84. 7. Isa. 1. 27. Heb. 12. 22. hath forgotten me. Sion is taken several wayes in Scrip­ture; 1. For the place properly so called, where they were wont to me [...]t to worship the Lord, but this place was long ago destroyed, 2. For the blessed Angels, Ye are come to mount Sion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of Angels. 3. For the congregation Psalm 87. 2. of Saints, of Believers, of which it is said, The Lord loves the Gates of Sion more than all the habitations of Jacob. The believing Jews being sorely oppressed & afflicted by a long captivity, and by many great and matchless mi­series, that did befal them in their captive state, they Dan. 9. 22. Lam. 4. 6. look upon God, as one that had quite forsaken them and forgotten them, but they were under a very high mis­take, and very erronious in their complaint, as appears by Gods answer to Sion, Verse 15. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child, that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not for­get thee. Verse 16. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. In [Page 122] these words as in a christal glass, you may see, how pa­thetically, how sweetly, how graciously, how readily, how resolutely God [...]oth engage himself, that he will neither forsake Sion, nor yet forget Sion in her captive state. Now let us a little observe how this singular pro­mise is amplified, and that, 1. By an emphatical illustra­tion, Gods compassionate remembring of Sion, far tran­scends the most compassionate remembrance of the ten­drest Mother to her dear sucking Babe. Now this is laid down.

First, interrogatively, Can a Woman (the most affe­ctionate sex) forget her sucking Child, from having com­passion on the Son of her womb? Can a Woman, can a Mo­ther so forget as not to compassionate a Child, which she naturally inclines to pity? A sucking Child that hang­eth on her breast, such as Mothers are wont to be most chary of, and to be most tenderly affected towards? her sucking Child, which together with the milk from the breast draws love from her heart? her sucking Child of her own womb, which her bowels do more yearn over than they do over any sucking Nurs-child in the world? and this the Son of her womb, which the Mother usually embraceth with more warm affections, than the Daugh­ter of her womb. Can a Woman, yea can a Mother for­get to exercise love, pity, and compassion to such a poor Babe? surely, very, rarely.

2. Affirmatively, Yea they may forget. Its possible that a Woman may be so unwomanly, and that a Mother may be so unmotherly in some cases, and in some extremities, as to forget her sucking Child, yea as to eat the fruit of 2 Kings 6. 24. to 30. Lan. 4. 10. her womb, as the pitiful Women did boil and eat their own children in the siege of Samaria and Jerusalem. Ex­tremity of hunger overmastred natural affections, and made the pitiful Mothers require of their children those lives, which not long before they had given them, lay­ing their children not in her bosoms, but in their bowels.

Thirdly, negatively, Yet will I not forget thee. God will be more constantly, unmovably, and unchangeably [Page 123] mindful of Sion, and tender of Sion, and compassionate of Sion, and watchful over Sion, than any Mother could be over her youngling, yea he would be more motherly to his poor captives in Babylon, than any Mother could be to her sucking Babe. 2. This precious promise is am­plified by a convincing argumentation, and that par [...]ly from his engraving of them upon the palms of his hands. This is an allusion, say some, to those that carry about with them engraven on some tablet, or on the stone of some ring, which they wear on their finger, the mark, name, or picture of some person they entirely affect; their portraiture, their memorial was like a signet graven upon his hand. God will assoon blot out of mind, and forget his own hands as his Sion; and partly, from his placing their walls still in his fight; the ruined demolished walls of Jerusalem were still before him as to their commisera­tion, and to their reparation, God being fully resolved in the fittest season, to raise and reedifie them. Look, as the workman hath his model, or pattern, constantly either before his eye, or in his thoughts, or in his brain, that he is for to work by: So saith God, Sion is conti­nually in my eye, Sion is still in my thoughts; I shall never forsake her, I shall never forget her. But,

Sixthly, the Lord will be signally present with his 6 Reason. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, because of his propriety and interest in them, and his near and dear relation to them. Isa. 43. 1. But now thus, saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have re­deemed thee, I have called thee by thy name thou art mine. Thou art mine for I have made thee, thou art mine for I Esa. 15. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. have chosen thee, thou art mine for I have bought thee, I have purchased thee, thou art mine for I have called thee, thou art mine for I have redeemed thee, thou art mine for I have stampt mine image upon thee, thou art Ph. 4. 23, 24. 36. 26, 27. mi [...] for I have put my Spirit into thee. Now mark what follows Verse 2. When th [...] passest through the Waters, I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they shall not [Page 124] overflow thee, when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. God will certainly keep his own People, his own Children company, both in the fire and in the water; that is, in those various tryals and troubles, that they are incident Isa. 54 5. P. [...] 103. 13, 14. Exod. 15. 3. Mal 4. 2. Mat. 9. 12. Psalm 23. 1. t [...] in this World. When should a Husband be with his wife, but when she is in greatest troubles? and a Father with his child, but when he is in deep distresses? and a General with his Army, but when they are in greatest dangers? When should the Physician be most with his Patient, but when he is most desperately sick? and when should the Shepherd be nearest his sheep, but when they are diseased, and the wolf is at hand? Now God you know stands in all these relations to his People, and there­fore he will not fail to be near them, when troubles, di­stresses, and dangers are growing upon them. But,

Seventhly, the Lord will be signally present with his 7 Reason. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers; because such times are commonly times of great and sore temptations; when [...]ods hand is heaviest then Satan will be busiest; the Devil is never Job 2. 7, 8. Mat. 9 4. Heb: 2, 18. more violent in his temptations, than when the Saints are under afflictions. Jam. 1. 2. My Brethren, count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations (that is, afflicti­ons.) Verse 12. Blessed is the man that endureth tempta­tion (that is affliction.) 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation (that is, out of affliction.) Now, affliction is called temptation, not in the vulgar sence, as temptation is put for an occasion or inducement to sin, but in its proper and native significa­tion, as its taken for probation and tryal; thus God is Gen. 22, 1. said to tempt Abraham, that is, he did try and prove the faith, the fear, the love, the obedience of Abraham. Af­flictions are called temptations, partly, because as affli­ctions will try what me [...]tle we are made off, so will tem­ptations, and partly because as afflictions are burde [...] me and grievous to us; So are temptations. But mainly af­flictions are called temptations, because in time of affli­ction [Page 125] Satan will be sifting and winnowing of the Saints Now he will make use of all his devices, methods, depths, Luk 22. 31. 2 Cor. 12. 7. 2 Cor. 2 11. Eph. 6. 11. Rev. 2. 24. Eph. 6. 16. darts, yea fiery darts, that he may vex, afflict, trouble, grieve, wound, torture, and torment those dear hearts that God would not have grieved and wounded, and therefore now the Lord steps in and stands by his People, and by his favourable, signal, and refreshing presence he bears up their heads above water, and keeps their hearts from fainting and sinking, under Satans most dan­gerous and desperate temptations. When a City is be­sieged, and the enemies have raised their batteries, and have made breaches upon their walls, and their provi­sions grow low, O then if ever there is need of succour and relief! So here. But,

Eightly, the Lord will be signally present with his 8 Reason. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, because he highly prizes them, and setts an honourable value and esteem upon them, Isa. 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee (Heb. In thy room, or in thy stead) and people for thy life; That is, for thy preservation and protection. God setts such a mighty price upon his People, that to preserve them from ruine and destruction, he makes no­thing of giving up to the sword and destruction, the most rich, strong, populous, and warlike Nations in the World. Now the high price and value that he sets up­on Verse 3. them, engages him to be present with them, Verse 2. When thou passest through the Waters, I will be with thee; and through the Rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, nei­ther shall the flame kindle upon thee. Them we highly prize, we won't leave in a day of distress; no more won't God: God prizes his People as his peculiar Treasure; Exod. 19. 5. As his Portion. Deut. 32. 9. As his pleasant Portion. Jer. 12. 10. As his Jewels. Mal. 3. 17. As his Glory. Isa. 4. 5. As his Crown and Royal Diadem. Yea, he prizes the poorest, the meanest, and the weakest Saint [Page 126] in the World above a multitude, yea above a world of Sinners. Heb: 11. 37, 38. Of whom the world was not worthy. Though they did not rustle in silks and velvets, but were clad in sheeps-skins and goats-skins; yet they had that in­ward excellency, as that the world was not worthy of their company; and though they did not dwell in cie­led Houses, nor in stately Palaces, but in Desarts and Mountains, and in Dens and Caves of the earth; yet the vile sinful persecuting World was not worthy of their presence, or prayers, or of their prudent counsels, or pi­ous examples, &c. God sets a higher value upon a Job, though on a Dunghil, than upon an Abab, though on Job 1. 1. cap. 2. 3. his Royal Throne. God values men by their inward ex­cellencies, and not by their outward dignities and world­ly glories: He sets a higher pr [...]e upon a Lazarus in his tattered rags, than upon a rich Dives in his purple ro­bes. Such persons have most of our company, whom we prize most. Job's three Friends did highly value Job 2. 11, 12, 13. him, and therefore in his deepest distresses, they own him, they pitty him, they weep over him, they accom­pany him, and they keep close unto him; because God highly prizes his People, he will be signally present with them in their greatest troubles and deepest distres­ses. But,

Ninthly, the Lord will be signally present with his 9 Reason. People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, because they won't leave him, but stick close to him, and to his interest, Gospel, and glory; and will cleave fast to his Word, worship, and wayes, Josh. 24. Jer. 13. 11. Acts 11. 23. in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, come what will on't: You may take a­way my life (said Basil) but you cannot take away my comfort, my head but not my crown; yea (saith he) had I a thousand lives, I would lay them all down for my Saviours sake, who hath done abundantly more for me. John Ardley profest to Bonner, when he told him of burning, and how ill he could endure it, That if he had as many lives as he had hairs on his head, he would lose [Page 127] them all in the fire, before he would lose his Christ, w [...] part with his Christ, It was a common thing among the Martyrs to make all hast to the fire, lest they should miss of that noble entertainment. Gordius the Martyr said, it is to my loss if ye bate me any thing of my suffer­ings. The sooner I die, said another, the sooner I shall be happy. Psal. 63. 1. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee, my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land, where no water is. Verse 8. My soul followeth hard after Dan. 9. 3. Psalm 119. 20. thee, &c. This notes, 1. The strength of his intention. 2. The strength of his affection. 3. The constancy of his pursuit; and all this in a dry and barren wilderness, and in the face of all discouragements, and in the want of all outward encouragements. What ever the danger or distress be, the Psalmist is peremptorily resolved to cleave close to the Lord, and to follow hard after the Lord, Psalm 44. 17. All this is come upon us, yet have we not See 2 Tim. 1. 11, 12. cap. 2. 8, 9, 10. Eph. 6. 19, 20. Col. 4. 3, 18. forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant. Verse 18. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way. Verse 19. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and co­vered us with the shadow of death. In the face of all dangers, deaths, distresses, miseries, &c. Gods faithful Servants will own the Lord, and cleave to his wayes, and keep close to his worship and service, let Persecutors do their worst. Verse 22. Yea for thy sake are we killed Rom. 8. 36. all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. It is a question when, and upon what occasion this Psalm was written; Some think that it was written upon oc­casion of the 70 years captivity in Babylon: but this can't Dan. 9. 11, 12, 13, 14. be, because that captivity was the fruit and product of their high iniquities, as the Scriptures do every where e­vidence. They could not say in Babylon: for thy sake, we are killed all the day long; but for sins sake, for our wick­edness sake we are killed all the day long. It is more probable that this Psalm was prenned upon the occasion of the horrible persecution of the Church under Antio­chus Epiphanes; unto which I guess Paul hath reference [Page 128] towards the latter end of that 11. to the Hebrews. In this 22. Verse you have three things observable, 1. The greatness of their sufferings, They were killed; amplified by a similitude, As sheep to the slaughter. 2. The cause, not for their sin, but for thy sake. 3. The continuance how long, even all the day long. Their sufferings are great and long; that Tyrant Antiochus made no more Dan. 11. reckoning of taking away of their lives, than a Butcher doth of cuting the throats of the poor sheep, and as Butchers kill the sheep without making conscience of the effusion of their blood, even so did that Tyrant Antiochus destroy the Saints of the most high, without making the least conscience of s [...]eding innocent blood; and as Butchers think well of their work, and are glad when they have butchered the poor sheep, so did this Tyrant Antiochus, he thought he did God good service in butchering of the holy People, and rejoyced in that bloody service; and yet notwithstanding all the dread­ful things that these blessed souls suffered, they still kept close to God, and close to his Covenant, and close to his wayes, and close to his worship▪ And Austin observes, Aug. li [...]. 22 de Civit. Dei. c. 6 Exod. 1. 12. that though the Heathen sought to suppress the growth of Christianity by binding, butchering, racking, stoning, burning, &c. yet still they increased and multiplyed, and still they kept close to God and his wayes. The Church was at first founded in blood, and it has thriven best when it has been moistned with blood; it was at first founded in the blood of Christ, and ever since it has been moistned or watered, as it were, with the blood of the Martyrs. The Church of Christ in all Ages hath been like the oak, which liveth by his own wounds, and the more limbs are cut off, the more new sprouts. O how close to God his wayes and worship did the Saints keep in the Ten Persecutions; they have followed the Lamb, whither ever he went; If they would have com­plyed with the wayes of the World, and the worship of Rev. 14. [...], 5. Heb. 11. 35. the World, and the customs of the World, they might have had case, honour, riches, preferments, &c. but [Page 129] nothing could work them off from God or his wayes, and therefore he will certainly stand by them, and cleave to them, and be signally present with them in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. But,

Tenthly, the Lord will be signally present with his 10 Reason. Mat. 5. 12. Lu. 6 23. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, that they may be joyful and cheer­ful under all their troubles, and that they may glory in all their tribulations. It is good to have a patient Spi­rit, but it is better to have a joyful Spirit in all our suf­ferings, troubles, distresses, &c. that we meet with in a way of well-doing, Acts. 5. 40. And to him they agreed, Gre. Rejoyce & leap for joy. 2 Cor. 12. 10. and when they had called the Apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go. Verse 41. And they departed from the presence of the Council, rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name. In the Original, [...], That they were honoured to be dishonoured for Christ. They looked upon it as a high honour, to be dishonoured for Christ, & as a grace to be disgraced for Christ. It was the Divine presence that made Acts 16. 20, 22, 23, 24. Paul & Silas to sing, when they were accounted trouble-towns, and when they were beaten with many stripes, and cast into prison, into the inner prison, and laid neck Beza. and heels together, as the word [...] notes. The Divine presence made Paul and Silas to glory in all Ephes. 6. 17. Rom. 5. 3. their stripes, sores, and wounds, as old Souldiers glory in their scars and wounds, which they receive in battle for their Prince and Country. The Divine presence might well make Paul and Silas to say of their stripes & sores, as Muncer once said of his ulcers, Hae sunt gemmae & pretiosa ornamenta Dei; These are the Jewels and the precious ornaments, with which God adornes his dearest Servants. It was the Divine presence that made Igna­tius say, in the midst of all his sufferings, [...], I bear my bonds as so many spiritual pearls. So 2 Cor. 7. 4. I am filled with [Page 130] comfort, Tam exceeding joyful in all our tribulations. Gr. [...], I do over-abound with joy. Verse 5. For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we wer [...] troubled on every side, without were fight­ings, within were fears. Verse 6. Novertheless, God that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us. It was the Divine presence that filleth the Corinthians with ex­ceeding comfort and joy when their fiesh had no rest; and when they were troubled on every side, this signal presence of God with them in all their tribulations filled their souls with such an exuberancy of joy, that no good could match it, nor no evil over-match it. It was the Di­vine presence that made the Martyrs, both ancient & mo­dern, so comfortable & cheerful under all their hideous sufferings. It was the Divine presence that made Francisco Soyit say to his Adversaries: You deprive me of this life, & promote me to a better, which is as if you should rob me of counters, & furnish me with gold. Oh how my heart leapeth for joy (said one) that I am so near the appre­hension of eternal bliss! God forgive me mine unthank­fulness and unworthyness of so great glory. In all the dayes of my life I was never so merry, as now I am in this dark Dungeon; believe me, there is no such joy in the world as the People of Christ have under the cross Act. and Mon. fol. 1668 1669. 1670. (said blessed Philpot) that went to Heaven in flames of fire. Let God but withdraw this fignal presence from his People in their sufferings, and you will quickly find their hearts to droop, their spirits to fail, and they over­whelmed in a sea of sorrows, as you see in Mr. Glover, the Martyr, and many others. It was this Divine pre­sence that made the primitive Christians to rejoyce more when they were condenmed, than absolved, and to kiss Magis damnati qu [...]m absoluti gaudemus, Tert. in Apol. the stake, and to thank the Executioner, and to sing in the flames, and to desire to be with Christ. So Justin Martyr, Apol. 1. Adv. Gent. Gratias agimus quod à m [...]l [...] ­stis Dominis liberemur, We thank you for delivering us from hard Task-masters, that we may more sweetly enjoy the bo­som of Jesus Christ. The Bee gatheres the besthoney of [Page 131] the bitterest herbs, and Christ made the best wine of wa­ter; certainly the best, the purest, the strongest, and the sweetest joyes spring from the signal presence of God with his People, in their greatest troubles, and deepest distresses; only remember this, that that joy that flowes from the D [...]ine presence, in times of troubles and di­stress, it is an inward joy, a spiritual joy, a joy that Prov. 14. 10. lyes remote from a carnal eye; The heart knoweth his own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. The joy of the Saints in sufferings is a Jewel that falls not under a strangers eye. The joy of a Christian lyes deep, it cannot be expressed, it cannot be painted; Look as no man can paint the sweetness of the Honey-comb, nor the sweetness of a cluster of Grapes, nor the fragrancy of the Rose of Sharon: so no man can paint out the sweet­ness and spiritualness of that joy, that the Divine pre­sence raises in the soul, when a Christian is under the greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. Holy joy is a treasure that lyes deep; and 'tis not every man that had a Golden Key to search into this Treasury. Look as a man, standing on the Sea shore sees a great heap of waters, one wave riding upon the back of another, and making a dreadful noise, but all this while though he sees the water rouling, and hears it raging and roaring, yet he sees not the wealth, the gold, the silver, the jewels, and incredible treasures that lye buried there: so wicked men they see the wants of the Saints, but not their wealth; they see their poverty, but not their riches; their miseries, but not their mer­cies; their conflicts, but not their comforts; their sor­rows, but not their joyes. O this blind World cannot see the joyes, the comforts, the consolations, that the Divine presence raises in the souls of the Saints, when they are at worst! Holy joy and cheerfulness under great troubles and deep distresses, is an honour to God, a glo­ry to Christ, and a credit to Religion; it stops the mouths of sinners, and it encourages and strengthens weak Saints, and therefore the: Lord will be signally present with his [Page 132] People in their greatest troubles, &c. that they may grace their suffering condition with joy and cheerfulness. And let thus much suffice for the reasons of the point.

But before I come to the useful application, to pre­vent the Objections, and to allay the fears and doubts, and disputes that may arise in the hearts of weak Chri­stians, concerning this signal presence of God, I shall briefly lye down these following propositions.

First, That Christ is many times really present, when 1. P [...] position. he is seemingly absent: Genes. 28. 16. And Jacob said, surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. Choice Christians may have the presence of Christ really with them, when yet they may not be kindly sensible of his presence, nor yet affected with it. God is present every Psalm 139. where, but especially with his Saints; and not only then when they are apprehensive of him, but when they per­ceive no evidence of his presence: Being awakened, he perceived that God had very graciously and gloriously appeared to him; and therefore he falls admiring and extolling the singular goodness, and the special kindness of God towards him: As if he had said, I thought that such strange and blessed apparitions were peculiar to the family of the faithful; I thought that God had only in this manner reveiled himself in my Fathers house: I did not in the least think or imagine that such an Appa­rition, such a Divine Revelation should happen to me in such a place; But now I find, that that God who is every where in respect of his general presence, he hath by the special testimonies of his presence, manifested himself to me also in this place. So Job. Lo, he goeth by me, Job 9. 11. Consult these Scriptures, Luke 24. 32. John 20. 13, 14, 15. Psalm 31, 22. Cant. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Cap. 5, 6, 7, 8. me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. So Jonah, Jon. 2. 4. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look again toward thy holy Tem­ple. In times of sore afflictions, Gods Children are very prone to have hard conceits of God, and heavy conceits of themselves: Unbelief raises fears, doubts, de­spondency, despair, and works a Christian many times, when he is under deep distresses, to draw very sad con­clusions [Page 133] against his own soul, I am cast out of thy sight: But this was but an hour of temptation, and therefore he soon recollects and recovers himself again: (yet I will look again toward thine holy Temple.) Here now Faith has got the upper hand of unbelief: In the former part of the Verse you have Jonah doubting and despair­ing, (I am cast out of thy sight;) but in the latter part of the Verse you have Jonah conquering and triumphing, (yet I will look again toward thine holy Temple.) When sense saith a thing will never be, and when reason saith such a thing can never be, Faith gets above sense and reason and saith: I but it shall be; what do you tell me of a roaring, raging Sea, of the belly of Hell, of the weeds about my head, of the billows and waves passing over my head; for yet as low as I am, and as forlorn as I am, I will yet look towards Gods holy Temple, I will eye God in the Covenant of grace, though I am in the Sea, though I am in the belly of hell, yet by Faith I will look toward thy holy Temple (toward which 1 Kings 8. they were to pray) and triumph over all those difficul­ties, which formerly I looked upon as insuperable, I will pray and look, and look and pray; all which does clearly evidence a singular presence of God with him, even then when he peremptorily concludes, that he was cast out of Gods presence, out of his sight, out of his fa­vour, out of his care, out of his heart. The Lord is ma­ny times really present with his People, when he is not sensibly present with his People. Judg. 6. 12. And the An­gel God may some­times appear terribly to those whom he loves entirely. Job 9. 34. of the Lord appeared to him, and said unto him, the Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour. Ver. 13. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord; if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles, which our Fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord bath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. God may be really present with his People, they may have his favourable presence with their inward man, when it goes very ill with their outward Man. Certainly we [Page 134] must frame a new Bible ere we can find any colour out of Gods afflicting us to prove that he doth not love us, or that he hath withdrawn his presence from us. Christ had never more of the real presence of his Father, than when he had least of his sensible presence, of his com­fortable presence: My God, my God, why hast thou for­saken Matth. 27. 46. me? Here is first a compellation or invocaton of God twice repeated: My God, my God. Secondly, the complaint it self, or matter complained of, touching Gods forsaking of him: Christ was forsaken of God in some sort, and he was very sensible of his Fathers with­drawing, though it was but in part, and for a time, Why hast thou forsaken me? This forsaking is not to be understood of his whole person, but of his humane na­ture only according to which, and in the which he now suffered on the Cross. Though the person of Christ suffered, and was forsaken, yet he was not forsaken in, or according to his whole Person, but in respect of his humane nature only. The Godhead of Christ could not be forsaken, for then God should have forsaken him­self, which is impossible. The personal union of the God head with the Man-hood of Christ, continued all the time of his passion and death, it was never dissolved, nor ever shall be; yea the Godhead did uphold the man­hood all the time of Christs sufferings, so that he was not forsaken, when he was forsaken; he was not forsaken wholly, when he was forsaken in part. The love and favour of God the Father towards Jesus Christ did not ebb and flow, rise and fall; for God never loved Jesus Christ more, or better than at the time of his passion, when he was most obedient to his Fathers will. (There­fore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life John 10. 17. for my Sheep.) Christ had never more of the support­ing presence of his Father, than when he had least of his comfortable presence; when Christ was in his grievous agony, and distress of body and mind, the Godhead did withdraw the comfortable presence from the manhood, and so far, and so far only was Christ forsaken. Though [Page 135] the union was not dissolved, yet there was a suspension of vision for the time, so as the humane nature did nei­ther see or feel any present comfort from God: Now so far as the Godhead did withdraw its comfortable pre­sence, so far our Saviour was forsaken and no further, that was but in part, and therefore he was but in part forsaken: God was really present with Christ, when in respect of his comfortable presence he was withdrawn from him. So here: The Husband may be in the house, and the Wife not know it; the Sun may shine, and I not see it; there may be fire in the Room, and I not feel it, so God may be really present with his People, when he is not sensibly present with his People. But

The second Proposition is this, That the favourable, 2. Proposition. signal, and eminent presence of God with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most dead­ly dangers, is only to be extended to his Covenant peo­ple, to those that are his People by special grace. Jer. 32. 38. And they shall be my People, and I will be their God. Verse 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Verse 41. Yea I will re­joyce over them, to do them good. There are many pre­cious promisses of the Divine presence, as I have al­ready shewed, but they are all entailed upon Gods Co­venant-people: We are all the People of God by Crea­tion, both good and bad, sinners and saints, bond and free, rich and poor, high and low; and we are all the People of God by outward profession. All that do make an outward profession of God, and perform external wor­ship to God; they are all the People of God in this sence; all the Carnal Israelites, are frequently called the People of God, as well as the spiritual Seed; thus Cain was one of Gods People as well as Abel, and Esau, as well as Jacob. Now such as are only the People of God by creation, or by profession, these are strangers to God, these are ene­mies Ephe. 2. 12. to God, and will he be favourably present with [Page 136] these. Such as are only the People of God by creation Eph. 2. 1. Col. 2. 13 and outward profession, they are dead in trespasses and sins, and can the living God take pleasure in being a­mong Gal. 3. 10. the dead; such are under all the threatnings of the Law, and under all the curses of the Law, even to the uttermost extent of them, such are not one moment se­cure; the threatnings of God and the curses of the Law Lev. 26. Deut. 28. may light upon them, when in the house, when in the field, when waking when sleeping, when alone when in company, when rejoycing when lamenting, when sick when well, when boasting when despairing, when upon the Throne when upon a sick-bed; and will God grace these with his presence? surely no. Such say to Job 21 1 [...], 15. God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes. What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? Such queryings as this carry greatest contempt in them, and would lay the Almighty quite below the required duty, as if Almighty were but an empty Title, and will God ever honour such with his favourable presence, who bid him be packing, who reject his acquain­tance, and are willing to be rid of his company? surely no. Such as are only his People by creation, and an outward profession, such are under the wrath Psalm 7 [...] 11. and displeasure of God. [God is angry with the wicked every day;] not with a paternal, but with a Prov. 3. 32. cap 1 [...]. 9. judicial anger; even to hatred and abhorment. [The wicked is an abomination to him, and he hates all workers of iniquity.] And therefore to these he will never vouchsafe his signal presence, such may well expect that God will pour on them the fiercen [...]ss of that wrath and in­dignation, that they can neither decline nor withstand; such wrath is like the tempest and whirlewinds, that breakes down all before it. It is like burning fire, and de­vouring flames, that consumes all. This wrath will break down all the sinners arrogancies, and strangle all his vain hopes, and mar all his sensual joyes, and fill him with amazing distractions, and make him drunk with [Page 137] the wine of astonishment. And will God dwell with these? will he keep house with these? surely no. By these short hints it is most evident, that the special pre­sence of God is entailed upon none out of Covenant; Joh 14. 21, 2 [...]. 2 Cor. 1. 16, 17. 18 God loves to keep house with none but his Covenant-People; he will grace none with his gracious presence, 1. Sam. 28. 15, 16, &c. but those that are his People by special grace. When wicked men are in great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers, God either leaves them, as he did Saul; or else pursues them to an utter over-throw, as he did Pharaoh; or else cuts them off by an invisible hand, as he did Sennacherib's mighty Hosts, and proud King He­rod; Ex 14. Isa. 37. 36. Act. 12. 23. or else he leaves them to be their own executio­ners, as he did Achitophel and Judas, &c. But,

The 3. Proposition is this, that a sincere Christian may 3 Proposition. Psal. 119. 117. enjoy the presence of the Lord in great troubles, deep di­stresses, and most deadly dangers, supporting and uphold­ing of him, when he has not the presence of God quick­ning, comforting, and joying of him, Psal 37. 24. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord up­holdeth This is the up­holding Psalm. him with his hand. [Somech Jado, Ʋpholding with his hand.] There is not one moment wherein the Lord doth not uphold his People by the hand. The root [Sa­mach] signifies, to sustain and bear up, as the Nurse or tender Mother does the little child, the weak child, the sick child. Gods hand is still under his, so that they can never fall below supporting grace. Psal. 63. 8. Thy right hand upholdeth me; or, Thy right hand underprops me. God never did, nor never will want a hand to uphold, a hand to underprope his poor People in their greatest troubles, and deepest distresses. Though the Saints have not alwayes the comforting presence of God in their af­flictions, yet they have always the supporting presence of God in their afflictions, as Christ in his bitter and Mat. 27 46. My Go [...], my God, &c. bloody Agony had much of the supporting presence of his Father, when he had none of the comforting presence of his Father with him; So the Saints in their deep distresses have many times much of the supporting presence of [Page 138] God; His left hand is under their heads, and his right Cant. 2. 6. hand doth embrace them, when in respect of his com­forting presence, they may say with the weeping Prophet Lam. 1. 16. The Comforter that should relieve my soul, is far from me. When the love-sick Spouse was ready to faint, Christ cir­cleth her with amiable embracements. His left hand is un­der her head, and his right hand doth embrace her. It is an allusion to their conjugal and mensal beds, on which the guests are so bestowed, that the first laid his left hand under the head of him that was next, and put him so in in his bosom, that with his other hand he might also, if he pleased, embrace him, which was a posture and sign of the greatest love, which the sick fainting Spouse here glories in. Christs two hands are testimonies and wit­nesses of his great power and might, who is able to pre­serve his People (though lame creeples) from falling, & also to lift them up again, when they are fallen never so low, and likewise to support and uphold them, that they shall never finally and utterly be cast down. When the hearts of the Saints are ready to faint and sink, then the Lord will employ all his power for their support, bearing them up as it were with both hands. He hath put his left hand under my head as a pillow to rest upon, and with his right hand he hath embraced me, as a loving Hus­band Eph. 5. 29. cherisheth his sick Wife, and doth her all the help he can. The best of Saints would fail, and faint in a day of trouble, if Christ did not put to both his hands to keep them up. In dayes of sorrow Gods People stands in need of a whole Christ to support them and uphold them. My head sinks, O my Beloved, put thy left hand softer than pillowes of roses, firmer than pillars of ma­rable, under it; my heart faileth and dyeth, O let thy right hand embrace me. But,

The fourth proposition is this, that all Saints have 4 Proposition. not a like measure of the presence of the Lord in their troubles and tryals, in their sorrows and sufferings; some have more, and others have less of this presence of God in an evil day. 1. All Saints have not a like work [Page 139] to do in an evil day. 2. All Saints have not alike tempta­tions to withstand in an evil day. 3. All Saints have not a­like testimony to give in an evil day. 4. All Saints have not alike burdens to bear in an evil day. 5. All Saints have Lam. 1. 12. cap. 4. 6. Dan. 9. 12, 13. 2 Cor. 11. 21. to the end. Heb. 11 25. to the end. not alike things to suffer in an evil day. There are greater and there are lesser troubles, distresses and dangers; and there are ordinary troubles, distresses and dangers, and there are extraordinary troubles, distresses and dangers: Now where the trouble, the distress, the danger is ordi­nary, there an ordinary presence of God may suffice; but Dan. 3. Dan. 6. where the trouble, the distress, the danger is extraordi­nary, there the People of God shall have an extraordina­ry presence of God with them, as you may see in the three Children, Daniel, the Apostles, the primitive Christi­ans, and the Book of Martyrs. Some troubles, distres­ses and dangers are but of a short continuance, as Atha­nasius said of his banishment, Nubecula est, citò transibit, It is but a little cloud, and will quickly be gone. Others are of a longer continuance, and accordingly God suits his presence. All Saints have not a like outward succours, supplies, reliefes, comforts, &c. in their troubles, di­stresses and dangers; some have a shelter, a friend at hand, others have not; some have many friends, and o­thers may cry out with him, O my friends, I have never a friend! some are surrounded with outward comforts, and others have not one, not one penny, not one friend, not one days work, &c. in a storm some have good Har­bours at hand, others are near the rocks, and in danger of being swallowed up in the sands: so here, and accor­dingly God lets out more or less of his presence among his People, some need more of his presence than others do, and accordingly God dispenceth it among his Saints. But,

The fift proposition is this, that none of the Saints 5 Proposition. have at all times in all afflictions, distresses and dangers, Some scores of Psalms do evi­dence the truth of this proposi­tion. the same measure and degree of the presence of the Lord, but in one affliction they have more, in another less of the Divine presence; in one affliction a Christian may [Page 140] have more of the enlightning presence of God than in an­other; and in another affliction a Christian may have more of the comforting presence of God, than in an­other; in this trouble a Christian may have more of the awakning presence of God, than in another, and in that trouble a Christian may have more of the sanctifying pre­sence of God, than in another; and in this distress a Chri­stian may have more of the supporting presence of God, than in that. No one Saint doth at all times, nor in all troubles need a like measure of the Divine presence. The primitive Christians and the Martyrs had sometimes more and sometimes less of the Divine presence with them, as their condition did require. God who is infi­nitly wise, does alwayes suit the measures and degrees of his gracious, favourable, signal presence to the neces­sities of his Saints. This is so clear and great a truth, that there are many thousands that can seal to it, from their own experience; and therefore I need not enlarge upon it. But,

The sixth and the last proposition is this, that many 6 Proposition. precious Christians in their great troubles, deep distres­ses and most deadly dangers, may have this favourable, signal and eminent presence of God with them, and yet fear and doubt, yea peremptorily conclude that they have Jo [...]ah 2. 4. Cant. 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Psalm 88. not this presence of God with them, Psal. 77. 7, 8, 9, 10. These sad interrogatories argues much fear & diffidence; but let me evidence the truth of this proposition by an induction of particulars; Thus, first: If Christ be not signally with you, why are you in your troubles so fear­ful of offending of him, and so careful and studious in pleasing of him? Gen. 39. 9, 10. Psalm 17. 3, 4, 5. Dan. 3. 16, 17. Dan. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13. Secondly, If Christ be not signally with you, how comes it to pass that under all your troubles, deep distresses and most deadly dan­gers, you are still a justifying of God, a clearing of God, a speaking well of God, a giving a good report of God? Psalm 119. 75. Ezra 9. 13. Ne [...]. 9. 32. 33. Dan. 9. 12, 14. Thirdly, if God be not signally with you, how come [Page 141] you to bear up so believingly, sweetly, stoutly, cheer­fully and patiently under your troubles, deep distresses and greatest dangers, Gen. 49. 23, 24. 1 Sam. 30. 6. Hab. 3, 17, 18. Acts 5. 40, 41, 42. Cap. 16. 25, 26. Acts 27. 22.—26. Heb. 10. 34. Fourthly, if Christ be not signally present with you, how comes it to pass that your thoughts, desires, hearts, thirstings and longings of soul, are so earnestly, so seriously, so frequently and so con­stantly carried out after more and more of Christ, and after more and more of the presence of Christ, and after more and more communion with Christ? Psalm 139. 17, 18. Psalm 63. 1, 8. Psalm 27. 4. Psalm 42. 1, 2, 3. Exod. 33. 13, 14, 15, 16. Cant. 1. 2. Fifthly, if Christ be not signally present with you, why are you so affected and af­flicted with the dishonours and indignities, wrongs and injuries that are done to the Lord by others? Psalm 69. 9. Psalm 119. 53, 136, 158. Jerem 9. 1, 2. Ezek. 9. 4, 6. 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. None but such that have the presence of the Lord signally with them, can seriously and sin­cerely lament over the high dishonours that are done to the Lord by others. Sixthly, if the Lord be not signal­ly present with you, under all you troubles and deep di­stresses, Job 15. 4. Heb. 10. 25. why do you not cast off prayer and neglect hear­ing, and forsake the assembling of your selves together, and turn your backs upon the Table of the Lord, and take your leaves of closset-duties? But, seventhly, if the Lord be not signally present with you, under your great troubles and deep distresses, why don't you say, with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? Exod. 5. 2. 2 Kings 6. 3 [...]. [...]. 7. 2. 1 Sam. 28. 15, 16 1 Kings 21. 20. 2 Chr. 28. 22. Isa. 51. 20. cap. 59 10, 11. And with the King of Israel, Behold this evil is of the Lord, and why should I wait for the Lord any longer? Or with that Noble Pagan, If the Lord would make windows in Heaven, might this thing be? Or with Saul, why don't you run to a Witch? Or with Ahab, why don't you sell your selves to work evil in the sight of the Lord? Or with Ahaz, trespass most when you are distressed most? Why don't you fret, and faint, and lye in the streets as a wild Bull, full of the fury of the Lord? Why don't [Page 142] you grope for the wall, and stumble at noon-day, and rore all like Bears? But, eigthly, if the Lord be not signally present with you in your greatest troubles and deepest di­stresses, why do you with Moses, prefer suffering before Heb. 11. 25, 26. sinning, and Christs reproaches before Egypt's treasures? Why do you scruple the sinning of your selves out of your Psalm 38. 4. Gen. 39. 9, 10. sorrows? Why do you look upon sin as your greatest burden? Why are you so tender in the point of trans­gression, and so stout in resistance of the most pleasing temptation? But, ninthly, if the Lord be not signally Psalm 16. 3, 4. Prov. 12. 26. Heb. 11. 38. with you in your great troubles and deep distresses, why do you set so high a price upon those that have much of the presence of God with them in their troubles and tryals? Why do you look upon them as more excellent than their Neighbours? yea as such worthies, of whom this world is no ways worthy? But, tenthly and lastly, Psalm 119. 67, 71 Hosea 5. 14, 15. cap. 6. 1, 2. Hof. 2. 6, 7. if the Lord be not signally present with you, in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses, how comes it to pass that you are some what bettered, some what amend­ed, some what reformed by the rod, by the afflictions, that have been and still are upon you; when the heart is more awakened, humbled and softned by the rod, when the will is more complyant with the will of God in do­ing or suffering, when the mind is more raised and spi­ritualized, when the conscience is more quick and ten­der, Eph. 5. 15. and when the life is more strict and circumspect: then we may safely and roundly conclude, that such per­sons do undoubtedly enjoy the signal and singular pre­sence of God with them, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. And thus I have laid down these six propositions, which if well weighed and improved, may many ways be of singular use to sin­cere Christians.

We shall now come to the application or useful im­provement of this great and seasonable Truth. Explica­tion is the drawing of the Bow, but application is the hitting of the mark, the white. Is it so, that when the People of the Lord are in great troubles, deep distresses, [Page 143] and most deadly dangers, that then the Lord will be favourably, signally and eminently present with them; Then let me briefly infer these ten things.

First, that the Saints are a People of Christs special 1 Inference. care. 2 Chron. 16. 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole Earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them, whose heart is perfect towards him. The words contain. 1 The universality of Gods providence, his eyes walk the rounds, they run to and fro through the whole Earth, to defend and secure the sincere in heart. Diana's Temple was burnt down, when she was busied at Alexander's birth, and could not be at two places to­gether: but God is present at all times, in all places, and among all persons, and therefore his Church, which is 1 Cor. 3. 16. cap. 6. 19. his Temple, can never suffer through his absence. The Egyptians had an Idol, called Baal-Zephon, which is by interpretation, Dominus speculae, Lord of the Watch-tower; Exod. 14. 2. his office was, to fright such fugitive Jews as should of­fer to steal out of the Country; but when Moses and the People of Israel past that way, and pitched their camp there, this drowsy God was surely fast a sleep, for they all marched on their way without let or molestation. Psalm 121. 3, 4, 5 Isa. 27. 3, 4. Whereas he that keepeth Israel Neither slumbreth nor sleepeth; he kept his Israel then, and he hath kept his Is­rael ever since; he made good his title then▪ and will make good his title still, he ever was and he ever will be watchful over his People for their good. 2. The effi­cacy of his providence, to shew himself strong; God fights with his eyes as well as his hands, he doth not on­ly see his Peoples dangers, but saves them from dangers Zach. 2. 5. in the midst of dangers. When the Philosopher in a starry night was in danger of drowning, he cried out, Surely I shall not perish there are so many eyes of provi­dence over me. King Philip said, He could sleep safely, Psalm 3. 5, 6. because his friend Antipater watched for him. O how much more may the Saints sleep safely, who have always a God that keepes watch and ward about them. God Prov. 18. 10. is so strong a Tower that no cannon can pierce it, and he [Page 144] is so high a Tower that no ladder can scale it, and h [...] is so deep a Tower that no pioneer can undermine it; and therefore they must needs be safe and secure, who lodge within a Tower so impregnable, so inexpugnable. Now this is the case of all the Saints, the fatherly care and pro­vidence of God is still exercised for the good of his Peo­ple. Deut. 32. 10. He found him in a desart Land, and in Isa 49. 16. c. 31. 5. and cap. 32. 1. 2. See my Heavenly Cordial after a wasting Plague, much of the spe­cial care of God. the wast howling wilderness, he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Verse 11. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spread­eth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings. Verse 12. So the Lord alone did lead him, &c. The Eagle carries her young ones upon her wings (and not between her talons as other birds do) openly, safe­ly, swiftly; and so did God his Israel, being choice and chary of them all the way, securing them also from their enemies, who could do them as little hurt, as any can Isa. 63. 4. 5. 6. cap. 59. 16. do the Eagles young, which cannot be shot but through the body of the old one: See at what a rate God speaks in that, Isa. 40. 27, 28. Observe how God comes on with his high interrogatories, Hast thou not known? What an ignorant People! Hast thou not heard? What a deaf Peo­ple! what keep no intelligence with Heaven! 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. I will now with you sing away care (said John Careless, Act. and Mon. fol. 1743. Martyr, in his letter to Mr. Philpot) for now my soul is turned to her old rest again, and hath taken a sweet nap in Christs lap. I have cast my care upon the Lord, which careth for me, and will be careless according to my name. It was a strange speech of Socrates, a Heathen, Since God is so careful of you (saith he) what need you be careful for any thing your selves? Gods providence extendeth to all his Creatures; it's like the Sun of universal influ­ence, but in a special manner it's operative for the safety of his Saints. In common dangers men take special care of their Jewels, and will not God, will not God take Mal. 3. 17. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. special care of his Jewels? surely yes. The Church of God is the house of God, and will not God take care [Page 145] of his house? surely that shall be well guarded, what­soever be neglected; his house is every moment within the view of his favourable eye, and under the guard of his almighty arm, his thoughts and heart is much upon his house: God hath a peculiar and paternal care over his Saints, that dis [...]ich of Museul [...]s cometh in fitly:

(His eyes run) implying the celerity and swiftness of God in hastning relief to his People, (his eyes run through the whole Earth.) implying the universality of helps there is not a Saint in any dark Corner of the world, under any straits or troubles, but God eyes him and will take singular care of him; God will alwayes [...] his care, to his Peoples conditions, to which his emi­nent appearances for them in dayes of distress and trou­ble, give signal testimony. It is our work to cast care; it is Gods work to take care, let not us then by soul dividing thoughts take the Lords work out of his hand. But

Secondly, Will the Lord be signally present with his 2. Inference. People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses and most deadly dangers, then here you may see the true rea­son why the Saints are so comfortable, cheerful and joy­ful, Acts 5. 40, 41. Cap. 16. 25. Rom. 5. 3. 2 Cor. 7. 4. Cap. 12. 10. 1 Pet. 4 12, 13, 14 these Scriptures are already ope­ned and impro­ved. in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers; it is because of that signal presence of God with them. It was this signal presence of God with the Martyrs, that made them rejoyce in the midst of their greatest sufferings, and that made them endure great sufferings, without any sensible feeling of their sufferings: As that young Child in Josephus, who when his flesh was pulled in pieces with pincers, by the com­mand of Antiochus, said with a smiling countenance: [Page 146] Tyrant, thou losest time, where are those smarting pains with which tho [...] threatnedst me? make me to shrink, and cry out if thou canst? And Bainam, an English Mar­tyr, when the fire was flaming about him, said: You Papists talk of Miracles, behold here a Miracle, I feel no more pain than if I were in a bed of down, it is as sweet to me as a bed of Roses. Surely their strength Job 6. 12. was not the strength of stones, nor their flesh of brass, that they should not be sensible of so great sufferings; but this was only from that signal presence of God, that made them endure grievous pains without pain, Heb. 11. 33. to 35. and most exquisit torments without torment, and sore sufferings without feeling of their sufferings; and other choice souls there were, who though they were sensible of their sufferings, yet by the Divine presence they were filled with unspeakable courage, comfort and alacrity. Laurence when his body was roasted upon a burning Gridi [...]on, cryed out, This side is roasted enough, turn the other. Marcus of Arethusa, a worthy Minister, when his body was cut and lanced, and anointed with honey, and hung up a loft in a Basket, to be stung to death by Wasps and Bees, he looking down cheerfully upon the the Spectators said, I am advanced, despising you that are below; and when we shall see poor, weak, feeble Creatures like our selves, defying their tormenters and their torments, conquering in the midst of their great­est sufferings, and rejoycing and triumphing in the midst of their fiery trials, singing in Prison, as Paul and Silas did; kissing the stake as Henry Voes did; clapping their hands when they were half consumed in the flames as John Noyes did; calling their execution day, their wed­ding day as Bishop Ridley did. We cannot but con­clude that they had a singular presence of God with them, that made all their sufferings seem so easie and so light unto them. Caesar cheered up his drooping Ma­riners in a storm, by minding them of his presence; but alass! alass! what was Caesar's presence to this Divine, this signal presence that the Saints have enjoyed in their [Page 147] greatest troubles, and deepest distresses. But

Thirdly, Will the Lord be signally present with his 3. Inference. People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers; then from hence you may see the weakness, madness, sottishness, and folly of all such as Isa. 8. 9, 10. Cap. 27. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 25. make opposition against the Saints; that affront, injure, and make head against those that have the presence of the great God in the midst of them. O Sirs! the weakness of God is stronger than Men. What then is the strength of God? 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie? are we stronger than he? Ah who knows the power of his Psalm 90. 11. anger! It is such that none of the Potentates of the world, who set themselves against the Saints, can avert or avoid, avoid or abide: That God is a mighty God, the Scrip­tures do abundantly evidence, and it appears also in the Epithet, that is added unto El-, which is Gibbor, im­porting that he is a God of prevailing might. By Da­niel he is called El-Elim, the mighty of mighties. Now what folly and madness is it for Dust and Ashes, for crawling Worms, to make head against a mighty God; yea an Almighty God, who can curse them, and crush Genes. 49. 25. Num. 24. 4. 16. Ruth 1. 20, 21. them with a word of his mouth. 2 Chron. 32. 7. Be strong and couragious, be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there be more with us than with him. Verse 8. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battels. The King of Assyria was at that time the greatest Monarch in the World, and the most formidable Enemy the Church had, yet the Divine presence was a soveraign Antidote to expel all base slavish fears, that might arise in any of their hearts, concerning his greatness, power, or multitude. What was that great multitude that was with the King of As­syria, to that innumerable Company of Angels that was 2 Kings 6. 17. Psalm 34. 7, &c 91. 11. Heb. 12. 22. Cap. 1. ult. Isa. 37. 29. 36, 37, 38. with Hezekiah? And what was an arm of flesh to Gods supreme Soveraignity; that had this proud Prince in chaines, and that put a hook in his nose, and a bridle in his lips, and cut off his great Army by the hand of [Page 148] an Angel in one night, and left him to fall by the sword of his own Sons. The Lord of Hosts can crush the great­est Armies in the world into Atomes at pleasure. When the Emperour Heraclius sent Ambassadours to Chosroes, King of Persia, to desire Peace of him; he received this threatning answer: I will not spare you, till I have made Diac. Cedren. you curse your crucified God, and adore the Sun; he was afterwards (like another Senacherib) deposed and murthered by his own Siroes: When the Divine pre­sence is armed against the great ones of the World, they must certainly fall. In Dioclesian's time, under whom was the last and worst of the ten persecutions, though then Christian Religion was more desperately opposed than ever, yet such was the presence of God with his Ruffin. People in those times, that Religion prospered and pre­vailed more than ever; so that Dioclesian himself ob­serving that the more he sought to blot out the name of Christ, it became the more legible, and to block up the way of Christ it became the more passable; and what ever of Christ he thought to root out, it rooted the deeper and rose the higher, thereupon he resolved to engage himself no further, but retired to a private life: This is a good copy for the Persecutors of the day to Acts 5. 38, 39, 40 Psalm 76. 12. Psalm 110. 5. 6. Rev. 6. 14, 15, 15. write after. O Sirs! what folly and madness is it for weakness to engage against strength, the Creature a­gainst the Creator, an Arm of flesh against the Rock of Ages? What is the chaff to the whirl-wind, stubble and straw to the devouring flames? no more are all the Enemies of Zion to the great and glorious God, that is signally present with his People in their greatest trou­bles, and deepest distresses, &c. There was not one of those persecuting Emperours, that carried on the ten bloody Persecutions against the Saints, but ca [...]e to mi­serable ends, yea Histories tell us of three and forty per­secuting Emperours, that fell by the hand of re­venging Justice; first or last the presence of God with his People, will undo all the Persecutors in the world. But

Fourthly, Will the Lord be signally present with 4. Inference. his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then from hence you may see the Lords singular love and admirable kindness to his People, in gracing them with his presence in their great­est Isa. 43. 2. 4. troubles; that is a Friend indeed that will stick close to a man in the day of his troubles, as Jobs friends did Job 2. 11, 12, 13, 1 Sam. 20. 30, 31. 32, 33. stick close to him in the day of his troubles, and as Jo­nathan did stick close to David in his greatest dangers, and as the primitive Christians did stic [...] close one to an­other, though with the hazard of their lives, and to the amazement of their Enemies: Behold (said they) how the Christians love one another, and stand by one another: The People of God in their greatest troubles are a People of his special love; when they are in distress he lyes them in his very bosom, and his banner over Cant. 2. 4. them is love. The love of God to his People is engra­ven upon the most afflictive dispensation they are under: when he smartly rebukes them, even then he dearly loves them. (Hear ye the rod.) Oh, the rod speaks love; Rev. 3. 19. Micha 6. 9. many of the Saints have read much of the Lords love, written in letters of their own blood; they have read love in Pri [...]ns, and love in flames, and love in banish­ment, and love in the cruellest torments their Enemies could invent. When a Christians wounds are bleeding, Mal. 4. 2. then God comes in with a healing plaster; when a Christian is in a storm, then the presence of the Lord makes all calm and quiet within. The presence of the Lord Matth. 8. 26. with his People in their troubles and distresses, speaks out the reality of his love, the cordialness of his love, the greatness of his love, and the transcendency of his love. The truth and strength of Relations love one to another, doth best appear by their presence one with another, when either of them are in the Iron Furnace, or in bonds, or in great straits or wants, or deep di­stresses. The Parents shew most of their love to their sick and weak Children, by their daily presence with them; and the Husband shews most of his dear and ten­der [Page 150] love, by keeping his Wife company when she is in greatest straits and dangers; so here. But

Fifthly, Will the Lord be signally present with his 5. Inference. People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then this may serve to justifie the Saints, and to encourage the Saints to write after this fair copie that Christ has set them: O visit them, O stand by them, O stick close to them, in all their trou­bles, distresses and dangers; let the same mind be in you one towards another as is in Christ towards you all: Phil. 2. 5. Job 11. 12, 13. Are there any Jobs upon the dunghil? visit them; are there any Pauls in chaines? find them out and be not ashamed of their chaines: 2 Timoth. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. Verse 17. But when he was in Rome, he sought me out diligently and found me. Verse 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well? [He oft refreshed me.] Greek, Poured cold water upon [...]. me. As that Angel did upon the wracked limbs of Theo­dorus the Martyr, mentioned by Socrates and Ruffinus in the dayes of Julian the Apostat; 'tis a Metaphor ta­ken from those, who being almost overcome with heat are refreshed by cooling. (And was not ashamed of my chain.) Learned Antiquaries observe, that the Apo­stle at this time was not in prison with fetters, but in the custody of a Souldier, with whom he might go a­broad, having a chain on his right arm, which was tyed to the Souldiers left arm: Paul at this time was not in prison, much less a close Prisoner, for then Onesi­phorus needed not to have made any great search to find him; but was a Prisoner at large, going up and down with his Keeper to dispatch his affairs, and therefore he speaks not of chains in the plural number, but of a chain in the singular, with which he was tyed to the souldier that kept him. It no wayes becomes the Saints to be ashamed of the bonds or chains, that may be found upon [Page 151] the Ambassadours of Christ in an evil day. The primi­tive Christians were not ashamed of the Martyrs chains, but owned them in their chains, and stood by them in their chains, and frequently visited them in their chains, and freely and nobly relieved them, and refreshed them in their chains: And will you, will you be ashamed to visit the Saints in bonds? O let not this be told in Gath, 2 Sam. 1. 20. nor published in the streets of Askelon, that the high­flown Professors and Christians of these times are a­shamed to own, relieve, and stand by the Saints in bonds. So Matth. 25. 36. I was sick and ye visited me: I was in See Exo. 2. 11, 12. compared with Acts 7. 23. to 29. only remember the case was ex­traordinary and his call was ex­traordinary. prison and ye came unto me. It is very remarkable, that the last definitive Sentence shall pass upon men, accord­ing to those acts of favour and kindness, that have been shewed to the Saints in their suffering state; and that the Sentence of absolution shall contain a manifestation of all their good works: In this great day Christ sees no iniquity in his People, he objects nothing against them, and he only makes honourable mention of the good that has been done by them. O, Sirs, all the visits you give to sick Saints, and all the visits you give to imprisoned Saints, Christ takes as visits given to himself: suffering Saints and you are Brethren, and will you not visit your own Brethren? suffering Saints and Christ are Bre­thren, Matth. 25. 40. John 20 17. Psalm 119. 63. 2 Cor. 8. 19. and will you not visit Christs Brethren? suffer­ing Saints and you are Companions, and will you not visit your own Companions? suffering Saints and you are travelling Heaven-wards, and will you not visit your Fellow-travellers? suffering Saints and you are Fellow-citizens, and will you not visit your Fellow-ci­tizens? Ephes. 2. 19. suffering Saints and you are Fellow souldiers, Phil. 2. 25. and will you not visit your Fellow-souldiers? suffering Saints a [...]d you are Fellow-heirs, and will you not vi­sit Rom. 8. 17. your Fellow-heirs? O never be ashamed of those that Christ is not ashamed of! O never fail to visit those whom Christ daily visits in their suffering state! O ne­ver turn your backs upon those to whom Christ hath given the right hand of fellowship! O be not shy of [Page 152] them, nor strange to them whom Christ lyes daily in his bosom! O be not unkind to them with whom one day you must live for ever. But

Sixthly, Will the Lord be signally present with his 6. Inference. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then never give way to base sla­vish Psal. 51. 12, 13. Pfalm 46. 1, 2, 3. Matt. 10, 2 [...], [...]. fears; there are as many fear nots in Scripture as there are fears; take a tast of some of them, Hebr. 13. 5. He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Verse 6. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my hel­per, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me: This Text is taken out of Psalm 118. 6. The Lord is on my side, I will not fear what man can do unto me. Some read it by The Earl of M [...]r­ray speaking of Mr. John Knox, said, Here lies the body of him, who i [...] hi [...] life time never fear­ed the face of any man. way of Interrogation; What can man do unto me? There is some difference in the Apostle's quoting the Text, be­twixt the Hebrew and the Greek. The Hebrew thus reads it: The Lord is with me, or for me; or as our En­glish hath translated it: The Lord is on my side. The Greek thus: The Lord is my helper; but the sence being the same with the Hebrew, the Apostle would not alter that translation: The alteration which is in the Greek, serves for an Exposition of the mind and meaning of the Psalmist; for God being with us, or for us, or on our side, presuppofeth that he is our helper: So as there is no contradiction betwixt the Psalmist and the Apostle, but a clear interpretation of the Psalmists mind, and a choice instruction, thence ariseth, viz. That Gods sig­nal prefence with us, for us or on our side, may abun­dantly satisfie us, and assure us, that he will afford all needful help and succour to us; the consideration of which should abundantly arm us against all base slavish fears: God is not present with his Saints in their trou­bles and distresses as a stranger, but as a Father, and therefore he cannot but take such special care of them, as to help them, as to succour them, and as to secure them from dangers in the midst of dangers, and there­fore Isa. 43. 2. why should they be afraid? The Greek word [...], that is translated helper in that Hebr. 13. 6. according to [Page 153] the notation of it, signifieth one that is ready to run at the cry of another. Now this notation implieth a wil­ling readiness, and a ready willingness in God to afford all succour and relief to his People in their greatest trou­bles, and deepest distresses; herein God shews himself like a tender Father, Mother, or Nurse, who presently runs when any of them hear the Child cry, or see danger near. Isai. 8. 10. God is with us. Verse 12. Fear ye not their fear, nor be afraid. The Divine pre­sence should arm us against all base slavish fears of mens power, policy, wrath or rage: Kings and Princes com­pared with God, or with the signal presence of God, are Isa. 40. 2 [...]. but as so many Grashoppers skipping, and leaping up and down the field; and does it become Christians that enjoy this Divine presence to be afraid of Grashoppers? Isa. 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee: be not dis­mayed for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with th [...]ht hand of my righteousness. God expects that his signal presence with us, should arm us against all base fear and dismayedness. [...]salm 23. 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. The Divine presence raised David above all his fears. Psalm 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Who is the Enemy that I should be afraid of? where is the Enemy that I should be afraid of? by what name or title is the Enemy dignified or distinguished that I should be afraid of? I look before me, and behind me, I look round about me, and I look at a distance from me, and I cannot see the man, the Devil, the Informer, that I should fear or be afraid of, for God is with me. Where God is (said King Herod in Josephu [...] lib. 15 a speech to his Army) there neither wants multitude nor fortitude, we may safely, readily, and cheerfully set the Divine presence against all our Enemies in the world. When Antigonus his Admiral told him, that the Ene­mies number far exceeded his: But how many do ye [Page 154] set me against, said the King? Look about you and see who is with you. Ah Christians! Christians, look a­bout you, look about you, and see who is signally pre­sent with you, and then be afraid if you can. But

Seventhly, Will the Lord be signally present with his 7. Inference. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then certainly there is no such great evil in troubles, distresses, sufferings, &c. as many conceive, fear, dream, think, judge; many men look upon troubles, afflictions, sufferings, in a multiplying glass, and then they cry out, there is a Lion in the way, Prov. 22. 13. Cap. 26. 13. a Lion in the streets: But, Sirs, the Lion is not alwayes so fierce as he is painted, nor afflictions are not alwayes so grievous as men apprehend; there are many who have been very fearful of Prisons, and have looked upon a Prison as a Hell, on this side Hell, who when they have been there for righteousness sake, and the Gospels sake, have found [...]ns to be Palaces, and the imaginary Hell to be a little Heaven unto them: Many fear affli­ctions and flee from afflictions as from Toads and Ser­pents, as from Enemies and Devils, and yet certainly there is no such great evil in affliction as they apprehend, for the Lord is signally present with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses. Now what evil can there be in that condition, wherein a man enjoyes the Divine presence, that makes every bitter sweet, and every burden light, and that turns Winter nights into Summer dayes, &c. yea many times the Saints enjoy more of the singular presence of God in their afflictions, in their day of adversity, than ever they did in the day of prosperity, or in the day of their worldly glory. What Bride is afraid to meet her Bridegroom in a dark entry, or in a dirty lane, or in a narrow passage, or in a solitary wood; and why then should a Christian be afraid of this or that afflicted condition? who is sure to meet his bles­sed Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ in every estate, in every condition; who is sure to enjoy the presence of Christ with him in every turn or change that may pass [Page 155] upon him. How many Martyrs have ventured into the Heb. 11. 34. very flames to meet with Christ, and that have many o­ther wayes made a sacrifice of their dearest lives, and all to meet with Christ. O the cruel mockings, the scourg­ings, Rev. 12. 11. Heb. 11. 36, 37, 38 the bonds, the imprisonments, the stoning, the sawing asunder that many of the Lords worthies have ventured upon, and all to meet with the presence of the Lord; and why then should any of you be afraid to en­ter into an afflicted condition, where you shall be sure to meet the singular presence of the Lord, that will cer­tainly turn your afflicted condition into a comfortable condition to you? The great design of the Lord in affli­cting of his People, is to meet with them, and to draw them into a nearer communion with himself; it is that they may see more of him than ever, and taste more of him than ever, and enjoy more of him than ever; in or­der to which he subdues their corruptions by afflictions, Isa. 1. 25. c. 27. 8, 9 Heb. 12 [...] 10, 11. Hos. 2. 14. and strengthens their graces, and heightens their holiness by all their troubles and trials. When ever he leads his Spouse into a wilderness, it is that he may speak friendly and comfortably to her, or that he may speak to her heart, as the Hebrew runs. The great design of the Lord in bringing her into a wilderness, was that he might make such discoveries of himself, of his love, and of his soveraign grace, as might chear up her heart, yea as might even make her heart leap and dance within her. Or as some sence it, I will take her alone for the purpose, even into a solitary wilderness, where I may more fr [...]ely impart my mind to her, that she having her whole desire she may come up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved, and so be brought into the bride-house with all Cant. 8. 5. solemnity. By all which it is most evident, that there is no such evil in a wilderness estate, in an afflicted condi­tion, as many imagin. But,

Eightly, will the Lord be signally present with his 8 Inference. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then what a high encouragement should this be to poor sinners to study Christ, to ac­quaint [Page 156] themselves with Christ, to embrace Christ, to chuse Christ, to close with Christ, to submit to Christ, Joh. 1. 12. Ps. 112. 2, 3. Ps. 2. 12. 2 Cor. 8. 5. and to make a resignation of themselves to Christ, and to secure their interest in Christ, that so they may enjoy his signal presence in their greatest troubles, deepest di­stresses, and most deadly dangers. O how many mercies are wrapt up in this mercy of enjoying the singular pre­sence of the Lord in all the troubles and tryals of this life. It is a mercy to have the presence of a Friend, it is Psalm 23. 4. a greater to have the presence of a near and dear relation with us, in a day of distress, in a day of darkness; But what a mercy is it then to have the presence of the Lord with one in a dark day! That's excellent counsel that the wisest Prince that ever swayed a scepter gives in that. Eccles. 11. 8. Remember the days of darkness for they shall be many. When light shall be turned into darkness, plea­sure into pain, delights into wearisomness, calms into storms, Summer dayes into Winter nights, and the light­some dayes of life into the dark dayes of old age and death. O now the singular presence of the Lord with a man in these dayes of darkness will be a mercy more worth than ten thousand worlds. To have a wise, a lo­ving, Psalm 71. 20, 21. a powerful, a faithful Friend to own us in the dark, to stand by us in the dark, to uphold us in the dark, to refresh us in the dark, to encourage us in the dark, &c. is a very choice and singular mercy: O then what is it to have the presence of the Lord with us in all those dark dayes, that are to pass over our heads! What David said of the sword of Goliath in another case [There is none 1 Sam. 21. 8, 9. like that,] that I may say of the Divine presence with a man in the dark, There is none like that. The Psalmist Psal. 73. 26. The Greek saith, The God of my heart, &c. hit the mark the whit, when he said. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. When his flesh, that is his outward man, and when his heart his courage, that is his inward man failed him, then God was the strength of his heart (or the rock of his heart, as the Hebrew runs,) at the very last gasp God came in with his soveraign Cordial, and [Page 157] revived him and recovered him, and brought new life and strength into him. When a Saint is at worst, when he is at lowest, when he is even overwhelmed with trou­bles and sorrows, and when the dayes of darkness so multiply upon him that he seems past all hope of reco­very, then the Divine presence does most gloriously ma­nifest it self, and display it self, in supporting, strength­ning, comforting, and encouraging of him. In the Rev. 4. 6. you read, that the world is like a sea of glass, [I saw before the Throne a sea of glass.] The world is transitory, very frail and brittle as glass, and it is instable, tumul­tuous and troublesome as the sea. Here the world is sha­dowed out to us by a sea of glass; and how can we stand on this sea, how can we live on this sea, how can we walk on this sea, if Christ don't take us by the hand, and lead us, and support us, and secure us? O Sirs, we can't uphold our selves on this sea of glass, nor others can't uphold us on this sea of glass, it is none but dear Jesus, it is no presence but his singular presence, that can make us to stand or go on this sea of glass. And if this world be a sea of glass, oh what infinit cause have we to secure our interest in Christ, who alone can pilot us safe over this troublesome, dangerous and tempestuous sea! Oh that I could prevail with poor sinners to take Christ into the ship of their souls, that so he may pilot them safe in­to the heavenly Harbour, the heavenly Canaan. No Pi­lot in Heaven or Earth can land you on the shore of a happy eternity from off this sea of glass but Jesus. When on this sea of glass the winds blow high, storms arise, and the bold waves beat into the ship, O then the sin­ner cryes a Kingdom for a Christ, a world for a Pilot to save us from eternal drowning. Oh that before eternal storms and tempests do beat upon poor sinners, they Ps. 11. 6. Ps. 9. 17. Hos. 2. 19, 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. would be prevailed with to close with Christ, to ac­cept of Christ, and to enter into a marriage-covenant, a marriage-union with Christ; that so they may enjoy his singular presence with them, whilst they are on this sea of glass. There is no presence so greatly desirable, so absolute­ly [Page 158] necessary, & so exceeding sweet & comfortable as the presence of Christ, & therefore before all, & above all, secu­re this presence of Christ, by matching with the person of Christ; & then you will be safe & happy on a sea of glass.

Ninthly, will the Lord be signally present with his 9 Inference. People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then let me infer that unbelief, in­fidelity and despondency of spirit in an evil day, does ve­ry ill become the People of God. Is the Lord present with you in your greatest troubles, and will you flag in your faith, and be crest fallen in your courage, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall? Isa. 25. 4. what is this but to tell all the world, that there is more power in your troubles to sink and daunt you, than there is in the presence of the Lord, to support and encourage you, when a Christian is upon the very banks of the Red Sea, yet then the Divine presence should encourage him, To stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. It would Exod. 14. 13. be good for timerous Christians in an evil day to dwell much upon the Prophets commission, Isa. 35. 3. [Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not.] Ah, but how shall weak hands be strong, and a timorous heart cease to fear and saint? Why? Behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a re­compence, he will come and save you; he is on his way, he will be suddenly with you, yea he is already in the midst of you, and he will save you. If you cast but Isa. 41. 10. c. 43. 2 Heb. 13. 5. Jer. 32 40, 41. cap. 31. 31 to 38. Gen. 41. 35 36, 48, 49. Col. 1. 19. cap. 2. 3. your eye upon precious promises, if you cast but your eye upon the new Covenant, which is Gods great store­house, there you will find all supports, all supplyes, all helps and all comforts laid up, and laid in for you, and therefore never despond, never faint, never be discou­raged in an evil day, in a dark time. As Joseph had his store-houses to give a full supply to the Egyptians in time of famine, so dear Jesus (of whom Joseph was but a type) has his store-houses of mercy, of goodness, of power, of plenty, of bounty, out of which in the worst [Page 159] of times he is able to give his People a full supply, ac­cording to all their needs; and therefore be not discou­raged, don't despond in a day of trouble. O my Friends, how often has the Lord hid you in the secret of his pre­sence Ps. 27. 5. Ps. 31. 20 from the pride of men, and kept you secretly in his pavilion from the strife of tongues! And therefore be strong, and lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees. When David was in a very great distress, Heb. 12. 12. he does not despond nor give way to unbelief, but encou­rages himself in the Lord his God. The Hebrew word is 1 Sam. 30. 6. derived from Chazack, which notes, a laying hold on God with all his strength, as men do when they are in danger of drowning, who will suffer any thing rather then let go their hold? When David was almost under water, when he was in danger of drowning, then by a hand of faith, he layes hold on the rock of ages, and en­courages himself in the Lord his God. What heavenly gallantry of spirit did good Nehemiah shew from that Divine presence that was with him in that great day of trouble and distress, when the remnant of the captivity were in great affliction and reproach, and the wall of Je­rusalem broken down, and the gates thereof burnt with Neh. 1. 3. fire! You know Shemajah advises him to take Sanctuary in the Temple, because the enemy had designed to fall upon him by night and slay him, and cause the work to cease: but Nehemiah having a signal presence of God Cap. [...]. 11. Cap. 6. 10. with him, gives this heroick and resolute answer, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there being as I am, would go into the Temple to save his life? I will not go in. Should I flee into the Temple like a malefactor to take sanctuary there? How would God be dishonoured, Religion re­proached, the People discouraged, the weak scandalized, and the wicked imboldned to insult and triumph over me! saying, Is this the man that is called by God, and qualified by God for this work and service? Is this the man that is countenanced and encouraged by the King to build the walls, and gates, and city of Jerusalem? Is this the man, that is the chief Magistrate and Governour Neh. 2. 5. to the 10. [Page 160] of the City? Is this the man, that is sent and set for the defence of the People, and that should encourage them in their work? O what a mouth of blasphemy would be opened should I make a base retreat into the Temple to save my life? This is a work that I will ra­ther dye, than do. I have found the face of God, the presence of God, in bowing the heart of King Artaxer­xes, to contribute his Royal aid, and commission me to the work; and in the bending of the hearts of the Elders of the Jews to own my authority, and to rise up as one man to build; and therefore I will rather dye upon the spot, than go into the Temple to save my life. Oh my Friends, it becomes not those that have the presence of God with them, in their greatest troubles, deepest di­stresses, and most deadly dangers, to sink so low in their faith and confidence, as to cry out with the Prophets Servant, Alass Master, what shall we do? Or with the 2 Kings 6 15. Mat. 8. 25. Ez. 37. 11. Lament. 3. 18. Isa. 49. 14. Disciples when in a storm, We perish; Or with the whole house of Israel, Our bones are dryed, and our hope is lost, and we are cut off for our parts; Or with weeping Jere­miah, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord; Or with Sion, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Oh 'tis for a lamentation when Gods dearest Children shall bewray their infidelity by a faint­ing, sinking, discouraged spirit in an evil day. But,

Tenthly and lastly, will the Lord be signally present 10 Inference. with his People in their greatest troubles, deepest distres­ses, and most deadly dangers; then let the People of the Lord be very thankful for his presence with them in their greatest troubles, &c. O Sirs, this Divine presence is Exod. 33. 13, 14, 15, 16. 2 Tim. 4. 22. Ps. 16. ult. a great mercy! It is a peculiar mercy, it is a distinguish­ing mercy, it is a big-bellied mercy, it is a mercy that hath many mercies in the womb of it, it is a mercy greatning mercy, it greatens all the mercies we do enjoy, it is a mercy sweetning mercy; it sweetens health, strength, riches, honours, trade, relations, liberty, &c. It is a soul mercy, a mercy that reaches the soul, that cheeres the soul, that lifts up the soul, that quiets the [Page 161] soul, that satisfies the soul, & that will go to Heaven with the soul: And will you not be thankful for such a mer­cy? will you be thankful for temporal mercies, and will Eph. 1. 3. you not be thankful for spiritual mercies? will you be thankful for left-handed mercies, and will you not be thankful for right-handed mercies? will you be thank­ful for the mercies of the foot-stool, and will you not be thankful for the mercies of the Throne? will you be thankful for the mercies of this lower world, and will you not be thankful for the mercies of the upper world? Ps. 103. 1. 2, 3. 4. To enjoy the presence of God when we most need it, is a mercy that deserves perpetual praises. O it is infinit mercy not to be left alone in a day of trouble. 'Tis very Eccl. 4. 10, 11. uncomfortable to be left alone. [Wo to him that is alone.] If a man fall, and be left alone, who shall help him up? If a man be in danger and alone, how miserable is his case! But this is the support and comfort of a Christian Heb. 13. 5. Ps. 37. 24. Ps. 31. 3. Ps. 73. 24. Exod. 33. 2. 14, 15, 16. in all his distresses, that he is never left alone, but his God is with him when he is at the lowest ebb: for God to afford us the presence of our Friends in a day of trou­ble, is a very great mercy. But what is it then, to enjoy the presence of God in a day of trouble? what is the presence of a Friend, a Favorit in a day of distress, to the presence of a Prince? yea, what is the presence of an An­gel, to the presence of God in an evil day? To enjoy the presence of God in an afflicted condition; is a more tran­scendent mercy, than to enjoy the presence of twelve le­gions of Angels in an afflicted condition. The Divine presence is the greatest good in the world, 'tis life eter­nal, 'tis the bosom of God, the gate of glory, the be­ginning of Heaven, the suburbs of happiness; and there­fore be much in blessing of God in admiring of God for his presence with you in a dark and trying day. There is no gall, no wormwood, no affliction, no judgment to Lam. 3. 19, [...]0 [...] that of Gods departing from a People, Jer. 6. 8. Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee, lest I make thee desolate, a Land not inhabited. When God departs, nothing followeth but desolation upon desola­tion; [Page 162] desolation of persons, desolation of peace, of pro­sperity, of trade, and of all that is near and dear unto us, Hosea 9. 12. Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left; yea wo also to them when I depart from them. All terrible threat­nings are summed up in this [Wo unto them, when I de­part from them.] Surely even wo to them, he puts a sureness upon this [Wo to them, when I depart from them.] As if the Holy-Ghost should say, What do I threaten this or the other evil? the great evil of all the rise of all evils is Gods forsaking of them. Hell it self, is nothing else but a separation from Gods presence, with the ill consoquents thereof, and were hell as full of tears as the sea is full of water, yet all would not be sufficient to be­wail the loss of that beatifical vision. How miserable was Gen. 4. 1 Sam. 28. 15 16. They that are out of Go is care are under his curse. Cain, when cast off by God! and Saul, when the Lord departed from him! it was a most dreadful speech of Saul [I am sure distressed, for the Philistins make war a­gainst me, and God is departed from me,] When God left the Israelites, though for a little while, the Holy-Ghost saith, they were naked, Exod. 32. 25. How naked? Non veste, sed gratia & praesidio Dei; Not for want of rayment, Jun. in loc. or weapons of war, but for want of Gods presence and pro­tection. When God departs from a People, that People lyes naked, that is, they lay open for all storms, tempests & dangers. Now if it be the greatest evil in the world to be shut out from the gracious presence of Christ; then it must be the greatest mercy in this world to enjoy the gracious presence of God, in our great troubles and de­sperate dangers: And therefore let all sincere Christians be much in thankfulness to the Lord, and in blessing and praising the Lord for his signal presence with them, in their low and afflicted estate. O the light, the life, the love, the holyness, the peace, the grace, the comforts, the supports, that alwayes attends the gracious presence of the Lord with his People, in their deep distresses, &c. therefore let the high praises of God for ever be in their mouths, who enjoy this signal presence of God. The [Page 163] 46 Psalm is called by some Luther's Psalm, that is a Psalm that Luther was wont to call to his Friends to sing, when any danger, trouble, or distress was near, when the clouds began to gather, Come (saith Luther) let us sing the 46 Psalm, and then let our enemies do their worst. Observe the confidence and triumph of the Church in the face of the greatest dangers, Verse 1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. We may trans­late it, He is found, that is, God is present at hand, as Gen. 19. 15. God is a pre­sent help. The Hebrew word in a secondary sence, signifies Tobe sufficient, Num. 11. 22. A sufficient help you need no o­ther. Verse 2. Therefore will not we fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea. Verse 3. Though the waters thereof rore, and be troubled, though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof, Selah. Verse 6. Though the Heathen rage, and the Kingdoms were moved, to remove and root out the Church with great force and fury. Now mark by the change of the Earth, and removing of the Mountains are often meant the greatest alterations and concussions of States and Polities, Hag. 2. 22, 23. Jer. 51. 25. Revel. 6. 14. Now saith the Psalmist, all these dreadful turns, changes, shakings, and concussions of States and King­doms shall never trouble us, nor daunt us, they shall ne­ver make us fret, faint or fear. Why, what's the ground? The Lord of H [...]ts is with us, The God of Jacob is our refuge, Verse 7. and so Verse 11. The same words are repeated again, God is not gone, God is not withdrawn, God is not departed from us, O no. [The Lord of Hosts is is with us, The Lord of Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge, the God of Jacob is our refuge,] And there­fore we are Divinely fearless, & Divinely careless, though Hell and Earth should combine against us, yet we will bear up, and be bold to believe that all shall go well with us, for God is in the midst of us, The Lord of Hosts is with us; Even the Lord, who commandeth far other Hosts and Armies than the enemy hath any. The God of Jacob is our refuge, Heb. Our high Tower. God is a Tower, so high, so strong, so inaccessible, so invincible, that all our enemies, yea [...]ll the powers of darkness, can never hurt, reach, storm, or take; and therefore we, that are [Page 164] sheltered in this high Tower, may well cast the gantlet to our proudest, strongest, and subtlest enemies. And let thus much suffice for the inferences.

The next use is a use of exhortation, to exhort all the 2 Use. People of God, so to order and demean themselves as to keep the Divine presence, as to keep the signal, the sin­gular presence of God with them in their greatest trou­bles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. Now that this may stick in power upon your souls, consider seriously of these following motives.

First, the signal presence of God with his People puts 1 Motive. the greatest honour, dignity and glory upon a People; imaginable. There are many titles of honour amongst men, but this above all is the truly honourable title, that Vide Isa. 43. 2, 4 Jer. 13. 11. Ezek. ult. and ult. we have God so near unto us, Deut. 4. 7. What Nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is to us? Whiles he vouchsafed his presence amongst them, how honourable, how renowned were they all the world over! But when he departed from them, they became the scorn and contempt of all Na­tions. It may be said of some men, they have large E­states, but not the presence of God with them, they are highly honoured and dignified in the world, but no pre­sence of God with them, they have great trades and vast riches, but no presence of God with them, they are no­bly related, but no presence of God with them, they have singular parts and natural accomplishments, but no presence of God with them; the want of the Divine pre­sence gives a dash casts a blot upon all their grandures & worldly glory, and like Coprice turnes all their wine (be it never so rich) into ink and blackness. What a deal of honour and glory did the presence of God cast upon Jo­seph Gen. 39. 19, 20. in prison! and upon Daniel in the Den! and upon the three Children in the fiery Furnace! and upon the three Children in the fiery Furnace! and upon David, 1 Sam. 24. 17. Mar. 6. 20. Acts 24. 25. when a persecuting Sanl could cry out, Thou art more righteous than I! and upon John, when a bloody Herod feared him, and observed him! and upon Paul, when a tyrannical Felix trembled before him, as if Paul had been [Page 165] the Judge and Felix the prisoner at the bar! Some write of the Chrystal, that what stone so ever it toucheth, it puts a lustre and loveliness upon it: The presence of God puts the greatest lustre, beauty, glory and loveliness that can be put upon a person. Now because the witness of an Adversary is a double testimony, let Baalant (who as some write of a Toad, had a Pearl in his head, though his heart was naught, very naught, stark naught) give Num. 24. 5. in his evidence. How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles, O Israel? He speaks both by way of interrogation, and admiration; their Tents are so comely and their Tabernaeles so lovely, that their grand enemy was affected & ravished with them. But whence is it that Israel is so formidable and terrible in his eye? how comes this about, that he who came to fight against them, thinks them beyond all compare, nay doth him­self admire their postures and order, their great glory & brave gallantry, why all is from the presence of their Lord-General with them? The Lord their God is with Num. 23. [...]1. them, the shout of a King is amongst them. It is the highest honour, renown and dignity of a People to have God in the midst of them, to have God near unto them; Thus Moses sets out the honour and dignity of the Jews, Deut. 26. 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People, Verse 19. To make thee high, above all Nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour. When God reckons up the dignities of his People, this is the main the top of all, Psalm 87. 5. And of Sion it shall be said, this and that man was born in her, and the Highest himself shall establish her. If you would keep your honour and dignity, keep the presence of God in the midst of you; when God is departed from Israel, then you may write Ichabod upon Israel, The glory is de­parted 1 Sam. 4. 21. 22. from Israel. But,

Secondly, To move you so to order demean, and 2 Motive. carry your selves as you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, and deep­est distresses, consider that nothing can make up the [Page 166] want of this signal presence of God; it is not the pre­sence of Friends, of Relations, of Ministers, of Ordi­nances, of outward comforts, that can make up the want of this presence; it is not candle-light, or torch­light, or star-light, nor moon-light, that can make up the light of the Sun: When the Sun is set in a cloud all the world cannot make it day, and when the presence of God is withdrawn, nothing can make up that dismal loss: Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled; that Psalm 30. 6, 7. is thou didst suspend the actual influence and communi­cation of thy grace and favour (the Chaldee calleth it Shechinah, the Divine presence) an [...] I was all-amort. It was not his Crown, his Kingdom, his Riches, his Dignities, his Royal attendance, &c. that could make up the loss of the face of God, neither is it the presence of an Angel that can make up the want of the presence of God. Exod. 33. 2. And I will send an Angel before thee. God here promiseth Moses that he would send an Angel before them, but with all adds that he would Exod. 33. 3. not go up himself in the midst of them. I but such a Guide, such a Guardian, such a Nurse, such a Compa­nion, such a Captain General would not satisfie Moses. Verse 14. And he said, my presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Verse 15. And he said unto him, if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. No­thing would satisfie Moses below the presence of God, because he knew that they were as good never move a foot further, as to go on without Gods favourable pre­sence. God engages himself that he will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Peri­zite, Verse 2. and the Hivite, and the Jebusite out of the Land. O but if thy presence go not with me, carry us up not hence. I will bring the necks of all thy proud, stout, strong, and subtle Enemies under thy feet: O but if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. I, but I will bring Deut. 32. 13, 14, 15, 16. thee to a land flowing with milk and honey: I will make thee to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will make thee to suck honey out of the rock, and oyl out of the flinty rock; [Page 167] and thou shalt drink the pure blood of the grape: O but if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. I will bring thee to the Paradice of the world, to a place of pleasure and delight, to Canaan a Type of Heaven: O but if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. O Lord, if I might have my wish, my desire, my choice, I had infinitely rather to live in a barren, howling wil­derness with thy presence, then in Canaan wihtout it. It is a mercy to have an Angel to Guard us, it is a mercy to have our Enemies sprawling under our feet, it is a mercy to be brought into a pleasant Land: O but if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Lord no­thing will please us, nothing will profit us, nothing will secure us, nothing-will satisfie us without thy presence; and therefore if thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence. I have read of the Tyrians, that they bound their Gods with chains, that they might not in their greatest need pass over to the Enemy; and among the rest they chained and nailed thier God Apollo to a post, that they might be sure to keep their Idol, because they thought their safety was in it. I am sure our safety, our comfort, our all lyes in the signal presence of God with us; and therefore let us by Faith and Prayer chain God to us, if we let him go, a thousand worlds cannot make up his absence. I suppose you have heard of the Palla­dium of the Heathens in Troy, they imagined that so long as that Idol was kept safe, they were inconquera­ble, all the strength and power of Greece were never able to prevail against them; whrefore the Grecians sought by all the means they could to get it from them. O my Friends, so long as you keep the presence of God with you, I am sure you are unconquerable; but if God withdraw his presence, the weakest Enemy will be too hard for you, yea wounded men will prevail over you. Jer. 37. 10. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up and burn this City with fire. The Bush, which was a Type [Page 168] of the Church, consumed not while it burned with fire, because God was in the midst of it. O do but keep God in the midst of you, and nothing shall hurt you, nothing shall burn you; but if God depart, nothing can secure [...]ou, nor nothing can make up his withdrawing from you. But

Thirdly, To move you so to order, demean and 3. Moti [...]e. carry yourselves as that you may enjoy the gracious pre­sence of God with you, in the greatest troubles, and deepest distresses, consider, that if you do not labour to demean, order and carry your selves so, as that you may enjoy the favourable, signal, and eminent presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, deepest di­stresses, and most deadly dangers, you have high rea­son to question, whether ever you have really enjoyed this favourable, this signal presence of God with you or no; for there are alwayes four things to be found in him that has really tasted, and in good earnest experienced the sweet, the life, the power, the vertue that is in the favourable signal presence of God: 1. Such a person sets the highest price and value imaginable upon it, he prizes it above all the honours, riches, dignities, delights, com­forts and contents of this world. Psalm 4. 6, 7. Yea he prizes it above life it self. Psalm 63. 3. Thy loving kind­ness is better than life; the Hebrew is plural Chajim, lives: The loving kindness of God, the presence of God in a wilderness is better than lives, than many lives, than all lives with the appurtenances: There is a greater ex­cellency in the favour of God, in the presence of God, than in all lives put together: There have been many Persons that have been weary of their lives, but there 1 Kings 19. 4. Job 7. 15. Jona 4. 8. Prov. 28. 14. never was any man that has been weary of the favour of God, of the presence of God. 2. Such a Person keeps up in his soul an humble fear of losing of it. The Divine presence is a Jewel more worth than all the world, and he that has experienced the sweetness of it, had rather lose all he has in this world than lose it. I have read of a Religious woman, that having born nine Children, [Page 169] professed that she had rather endure all the pains of those nine Travels at once, than endure the misery of the loss of Gods presence. 3. Such a person keeps up in his soul a diligent care to maintain this presence, his head, his heart is still a contriving how he may keep his God with him. Jerem. 14. 4. Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O Lord are in the midst of us, and we are called by thy Name, leave us not. This Person had rather that his dearest Friends should leave him, that his nearest Relations should leave him; yea that all the world should leave him than that his God should leave him: The daily, yea the hourly language of his soul is, Lord leave me not, though all the world should leave me, yet don't thou leave me. 4. Such a Person will do all he can, that all under his John 1. 40. to the end. Cap. 4. 28. to 43. Acts 10. 24. to 36. Judges 14. 8, 9. care and charge may partake of this signal presence of God, he will do his utmost that Children, Yoak-fellow, Kindred, Servants may tast the sweetness of the Divine presence. When Sampson had found honey in the Car­cass of the Lion, he did not only eat himself, but he gave of the honey to his Father and Mother, and they did eat also; of all sweets the presence of God is the greatest sweet, and when ever a poor soul comes to tast of this heavenly honey, he will do his best that all others (espe­cially those that are near and dear to him) may tast of the same honey. But

Fourthly, To move you so to order, demean and carry 4. Motive. your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, and deepest di­stresses, consider the excellent properties, or qualities of this favourable, this signal presence of God with his Peo­ple, this I can but hint at because I must hasten all I can to a close. 1. It is the best presence, Ps. 63. 3. 'tis better than the presence of Friends, of Relations, of Saints, of Angels, &c. 2. 'Tis the greatest presence, 'tis the presence of the 1 Kings 8. 27. Revel. 17. 14. Cap. 19. 16. Numb. 24. 4. 16. Ruth. 1. 20. 24. great King, 'tis the presence of the King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, 'tis the presence not only of a mighty, but of an Almighty God. 3. It is the happiest presence, 'tis a presence [Page 170] that makes a man really happy, presently happy, totally Psalm 144. 15. 1 Kings 10. 8. Deut. 33. 29. Prov. 3. 18. happy, eminently happy, and eternally happy; he can never be truly happy that wants this presence, he can never be truly miserable that enjoyes this presence; true happiness is too great a thing, to be found in any thing be­low this favourable, this signal presence of God; he that enjoyes this presence enjoyes all, he that wants this pre­sence enjoyes nothing at all, he that wants this presence may write nothing or nought, upon his honours, riches, Amos 6. 13. pleasures, dignities, offices, Relations, Friends, &c. All a man has are but ciphers without a figure, if he be not blest with this Divine presence: This Divine presence was Jacob's enough, yea Jacob's all, Li-col. Genes. 33. 11. I have all, Esau had much, Li-zab, I have much my brother. Verse 9. But Jacob had all. Habet omnia, qui habet habentem omnia, He hath all, who hath him that is Augnstine. Coloss. 3. 11. all in all. Omne bonum in summo bono, All good is in the chiefest good: Secure this Divine presence, and you secure all. 4. It is the most desirable presence, consult these Psalm 42. 1, 2. Psalm 63. 1, 2, 8. Psalm 27. 4. Genes. 28. 20. Psalm 84. Scriptures in the margin. Job 23. 3. O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat. Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Verse 16. For wherein shall it be known here, that I and my people have found grace in thy sight, is it not in that thou goest with us? Cant. 3. 1. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth, I sought him, but I found him not. The presence of bad men is never desirable; the pre­sence Jer. 9. 1, 2. Job 16. 1, 2, 3, 4. Cap. 19. 3, 4, 5. of good men is not alwayes desirable, for there are cases wherein their presence may be a burden to us, as Job and others have experienced. Job 16. 2. Miserable Comforters are ye all. Cap. 19. 2. How long will you vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? But the pre­sence of the Lord is very desirable, most desirable, and alwayes desirable, and the more any man has of this Divine presence, the more his heart will be inflamed af­ter more and more of it. A sound sincere Christian can never have enough power against sin, nor never enough strength against temptation, nor never enough weanned­ness [Page 171] from this World, nor never enough ripeness for Heaven, nor never enough of the presence of the Lord; enough of the Divine presence, he may have to quiet him, and cheer him, and encourage him, but whil'st he is out of Heaven, he can never have enough of the Divi­ne presence to satisfy him, so as not to cry out, Lord more of thy presence, O a little more of thy presence! Prov. 30. 15, 16. 5. 'Tis the most joyful, refreshing, and delightful pre­sence, Psalm 16. ult. Acts 5. 40, 41. Cap. 16. 25. This Isa. 60. 1, 2. Psalm 46. 7. Vincentius, and many thousand Martyrs, and suffering Christians have experienced in all the Ages of the world, but of this before. 6. 'Tis a peculiar and distinguishing Exod. 33 16. presence; this favourable signal presence of God is a choice Jewel, that he hangs in no breasts, a Bracelet that he puts upon no arms, a Crown that he sets upon no heads, but such whom he loves with a peculiar love, with an everlasting love. The general presence of God extends Jer 31. 3. Joh. 13. 1. Psalm 139. 7, 8, 9, 10. and reaches to all Sinners and Saints; Angels and Devils, to all, both in that upper and this lower world; But this favourable signal presencè of God, is peculiar to those that are the purchase of Christs blood, and the travail of his soul; 7. 'Tis an inflamming presence: Oh, how does it, 1. Inflame the heart to duty? Psalm 63. 1, 2, 3. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Isa 53. 11. Ruth 1 [...] 4. to 18. 2. How does it inflame the heart against sin? Job 31. 4, 5, 6, 7. Genes. 39. 9, 10. Rom. 8. 10. 3. To long for the Majestical and glorious presence of God in Heaven? Cant. 8. ult. Luke 2. 28, 29, 30. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22: 20. 4. How does it inflame their love to the Lord, his wayes, his worship, his interest, his glory? Cant. 1. 3, 4. Cant. 2. 3, 4, 5, 6. Cap. 8. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7. 5. It infla­mes against temptations, 10. 11. It was this Divine presence that did steel and strengthen Basil, Luther, and a world of others against the worst of temptations. 6. It Heb. 11. inflames the hearts of the Saints into great freeness, rea­diness and willingness to suffer many things, to suffer great things, to suffer any thing for Christ, his Gospel, his interest, &c. O how did this Divine presence make many Martyrs hasten to the flames! &c. 8. 'Tis a soul [Page 172] quieting, a soul silencing, and a soul stilling presence, Psalm 3. 5. Psalm 4. 8. Cant. 2. 3. Cap. 3. 4, 5. When Friends can't quiet us, when Relations can't quiet us, when Ministers can't quiet us, when Duties can't quiet us, when Ordinances can't quiet us, when outward com­forts can't quiet us, yet then this Divine presence will quiet us; when Babies and Rattles can't quiet the Child, yet then the breasts can, so here. 9. This Divine pre­sence is a sweetning presence, 1. It sweetens all du­ties and services, publick and private, ordinary and ex­traordinary. 2. It sweetens all personal afflictions, and tryals. 3. It sweetens all our sufferings for righteous­ness sake. 4. It sweetens all Gospel Ordinances, Exod. 20. 24. 5. It sweetens all a mans outward mercies and blessings, it sweetens health, strength, riches, trade, &c, 6. It sweetens all interchangeable providences, here pro­vidence smiles, and there it frownes, here it lifts up, and there it casts down; this providence is sweet, and that is bitter, this providence kills, and that providence makes a live. O but this Divine presence sweetens eve­ry providence. 7. It sweetens all other presences, it sweetens the presence of Friends, it sweetens the pre­sence of Relations, it sweetens the presence of strangers, it sweetens all Civil Societies, it sweetens all Religious Societies. 8. It sweetens the thoughts of death, the ar­rests of death, it turns the King of terrours into the King of desires, Job 14. 5, 14. Cap. 30. 23. Job 17. 13, 14. How does Job court the worms, as if he were of a fami­ly with them, and neare of kin to them! How does he look upon the grave as his bed, and makes no more to die than to go to bed. It was this Divine presence that made the Martyrs as willing to die, as to dine. But,

Fifthly, To move you so to order demean and carry 5 Motive. your selves, as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses, consider that in great troubles, deep distresses and most deadly dangers, you will most need the favou­rable signal presence of God with you. We alwayes [Page 173] stand in need of the Divine presence, but never so much as when we are under great troubles and deep distresses; For, 1. In dayes of trouble and distress mens affections are most apt to be greatly disordered, and their hearts discomposed, as you see in Job and Jonah. 2. Now their Job 3. Jonah 4. fears, doubts, and disputes are apt to rise highest; when the wind rises high and the sea roares, men are most apt Jonah 2. 2. to 7. to be afraid. 3. Now Satan commonly is busiest, Satan Job 2. 9. Jam. 1. 12. loves to fish in troubled waters; when the hand of God is heaviest upon us, then Satan will shoot his most dead­ly Gen. 34. 25. Deu. 25. 17, 18, 19. darts at us. The sons of Jacob fell upon the Sheche­mites when they were sore; and Amaleck fell upon Gods Israel and smote them, when they were weak, and feeble, and faint and weary; and Satan falls foul upon Christ, Mat. 4. 1. to 11. when he was in the wilderness, and when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights, and was a hungry; And as he dealt with the head, so he still deales with the mem­bers. 4. Now unbelief is most turbulent, strong, and mighty in operation, as you may see in the Spies, We be Num. 13. 31, 32. not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. The Land through which we have gone to search it, is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, and all the Verse 33. people that we saw in it are men of great stature; And there we saw the Giants, the Sons of Anak, which come of the Giants, and we were in our own sight as Grashoppers, and so we were in their sight. So 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is Vide 2 Kin. 7. 1, 2. 19, 20. of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? So David Psal. 116. 11. I said in my hast all men are lyars, the Prophets have all deceived me, and Samuel has de­luded me, they have told me of a Kingdom, a Crown, but I shall never wear the one, nor possess the other. So 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul; Thus his fear is got above his faith, and his soul wher­ried about with unbelief, to the scandal of the weak, and the scorn of the wicked, besides his own particular dis­advantage. 5. Now fainting fits will be most strength­ned, increased, and multiplyed. Now fainting fits like Jobs Messengers, or like the rolling waves, will come [Page 174] thick one upon another, Prov. 24. 10. Job 4. 5. Lam. 1. 12, 13. 6. Now conscience will be most startled & disquieted, Gen. 42. 21. cap. 50. 15. 1 Kings 17. 18. Great troubles and deep distresses are many times like strong physick, which stirs the humours and makes the Patient sick, very sick, yea heart sick. Conscience com­monly never reades the soul such sad and serious lectures as when the Rod lyes heaviest upon the back. By all which you see, what high cause the People of God have so to order, demean and carry themselves, as that they may find the gracious presence of God with them in their greatest troubles, and deepest distresses, for then they will certainly need most of the Divine presence. But,

Sixthly, To move you so to order, demean and carry 6 Motive. your selves, as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses, consider, this Divine presence will make you Divinely fearless in the midst of your greatest troubles & deepest distresses, Psal. 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 46. 2. We will not fear though the Earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea. Verse 3. Though the waters thereof rore, &c. Why? God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved, God shall help her, and that right early. Verse 5. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah. Vers. 7. Num. 14. 9. Neither fear ye the people, for they are bread for us, their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us, fear them not. Deut. 7. 21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them, for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. So Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Verse 6. I will not fear what man shall do unto me. There is no such way to keep down all base slavish fears of men, as to keep up the pre­sence of God in the midst of you; you will not fear the power of men, nor the policy of men, nor the threats of men, nor the wrath of men, if you do but enjoy this [Page 175] gracious, this signal presence of God that is under our present consideration, mens fears are never so rampant as when God withdraws his presence from them. 1 Sam, 28. 15, 20. But,

Seventhly, To move you so to order, demean, and 7 Motive. carry your selves, as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, and deepest distresses, consider, that there is in God a ve­ry great unwillingness to withdraw his presence from his Isa. 1. 2, 3, 4, 16, 18. Ezek. 18. 31. Cap. 33. 11. Jer. 3. 13, 14. People, when they are in great troubles and deep distres­ses, Ezek. 8. 6. Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my Sanctuary. Of all sins the sin of Idolatry drives God farthest off from his San­ctuary; when God goes off from a People, he goes not off rashly, he goes not off suddenly, but he goes off gra­dually, he removes not at once, but by degrees, now a step, and then a step, as Lot did when he lingred in So­dom, Gen. 19. 16. Lot was not more loth to depart out of Sodom, than God is loth to leave his People, he goes first to the threshold, Ezek. 9. 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house, Then over the threshold. Cap. 10. 4. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house. Here is a second step, this is the second time of resting before God departs. The Lord had his ordinary dwelling-place in the Holy of Holyes: Now Gods first remove was from the most Ho­ly place, his second remove was from the Holy place, 1 Sam. 4. 4. Psalm 8. 10. Isa. 37. 16. his third remove was higher towards Heaven, Verse 19. And the Cherubims lift up their wings, and mounted up from the Earth in my sight, then to the door of the East gate (or foremost gate) of the Lords house. To note Gods total remove from his house. Then to the midst of the City, Ezek. 11. 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City, and then he stood upon the mountain, which is on the East-side of the City. This is Gods last stop in his departure, by which is signified, that he was willing to [Page 176] make one try [...]l more, to see if the People would in this present danger call him back by invitation and lively re­pentance God is greatly troubled when it comes to parting, H [...]s. 118. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Ad­mah? how shall I set thee as Reb [...]im? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. This is spoken per anthrop [...]patheian and not properly, because di­verse thoughts and repentance are not incident to God, Jam. 1. 17. who is without all variableness, or shadow of change. The Lord seemeth here to be at a stand, or at strise with him­self about the destruction of this People. Howbeit God in the bowels of his mercy, yearning and taking pity of his Elect amongst them, spareth to lay upon them the extremity of his wrath, and is ready to save them for his mercies sake. Observe how fatherlike he melts and mournes over them, and how mercy interposeth her four several Hows. Here are four such pathetical interro­gations, as the like are not to found in the whole Book of God, and not to be answered by any but God him­self, as indeed he doth to each particular in the following words, My heart is turned within me, that is the first an­swer; The second is, My repentings are kindled together; The third is, I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath; The fourth is, I will not destroy Ephraim. And why? First, I am God and not man. Secondly, the Holy One in the midst of thee. God is mighty unwilling to break up house, and to leave his People desolate. Now is God so unwilling to withdraw his presence, and shall not we do all what we can to retain him in the midst of us? When dear Friends are unwilling to leave us, we are the more earnest in pressing them to stay and abide with us; God is marvellously unwilling to go, and therefore let us with the Church cry out, Leave us not, Jerem. 14. 9. But,

Eightly, To move you so to order, demean, and car­ry [...] Motive. your selves, as that you may enjoy the gracious pre­sence of God with you, in your greatest troubles and [Page 177] deepest distresses, consider, that troubles will be no trou­bles, distresses will be no distresses, dangers will be no dangers, if you can but secure the presence of God with you: Mountains will be mole-hills, stabs at the heart will be but as scratches upon the hand, if the Divine presence be with you; Gods signal presence will turn storms into calms, winter-nights into summer-days, prisons into pallaces, banishments into enlargments; The favoura­ble presence of God will turn sickness into health, weak­ness into strength, poverty into plenty, and death into life. It can never be night so long as the Sun shines, no afflictions, no tryals can make it night with a Christian, so long as he enjoyes the presence of God with his spirit. 2 Ti [...] 4. 22. That Courtier needs not complain that this man slights him, and that the other neglects him, who enjoyes the delightful presence of his Prince. When Sampson had the presence of God with him, he made nothing of car­rying the gates of the City with the posts and bars to the Judge 16. 3. top of an hill: So whil'st a Christian enjoyes the singular presence of God with him, he will make nothing of this affliction and that, of this trouble and that, of this loss and that; This presence makes heavy afflictions light, 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17. and long afflictions short, and bitter afflictions sweet. It Heb. 11. 33. to 19. was this presence that made the Martyrs set light by all the great and grievous things, that they suffered for Christs sake and the Gospels sake. Gods gracious pre­sence makes every condition to be a little Heaven to the believing soul. A man in misery without this gracious presence of God, is in a very hell on this side hell; there is nothing, there can be nothing but Heaven where God is signally present. But,

Ninthly, To move you so to order, demean and carry 9 Moti [...]e. your selves, as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deep [...]st di­stresses, consider that the worst of men cannot fasten a curse upon you, whil'st you keep the prefence of God with you. Num. 23. 21. The Lord his God is with him, Num. 23. 23. and the shout of a King is among them. There could be no [Page 178] enchantment against them, for the Lord their God was with them, & the shout of a King was among them; that is God reigneth as a King among them: Hereby also is meant the faith, joy, boldness, courage and confidence of Gods People in their King; as when a King comes amongst the Armies of his People, he is received with joyful shoutings and acclamations, and when he goes forth to battel with them, he goes accompanied with the sound of trumpets and shouts of the People, signes of their joy and courage: So it fared with the Israelites, be­cause of that signal presence of God, that was amongst them, which was evident by his protecting and defend­ing of them. 1 Sam. 4. 5. And when the Ark of the Co­venant of the Lord came into the Camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. Here is a valorous shout of a puissant People, encouraging each other to the battel, and a victorious shout as having ob­tained the victory in the battel. So 2 Chron. 13. 12: And behold, God himself is with us for our Captain, and his Priests with sounding Trumpets, to cry alarm against you, O Children of Israel. Num: 23. 23. Surely there is no en­chantment against Jacob, neither is there any Divination against Israel; That is, there is none against Israel that shall be of force, or that shall take any effect, to do the posterity of Jacob or Israel any hurt, any harm, any prejudice: But why? because the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a King is among them. The presence of God with his Israel blasts all Balaams en­chantments, and makes null and void all his Divinations; God is with his People to counsel them in all doubtful and difficult cases, and to defend them, and secure them, Num. 23. 1, 13, 28 29. Cap. 24. 1. 2 Sam. 16. 7, 9, 11 12. Jer. 15. 10. Cap. 1. 17, 18, 19. against all their enemies and opposers: Balaam had a moneths mind to curse the People of God, as his wea­ried endeavours to that purpose do abundantly evi­dence; But the presence of God with his People pre­vented all his mischievous designs. Shemei curses Da­vid, but his curses could not hurt him, for God was with him. The People generally cursed Jeremiah, but [Page 179] all their curses could not harm him, for God was with him. The Jews in their prayers daily curse the Chri­stian Exod. 20. 24. Churches, but all their curses can't prejudice them, because God is in the midst of them; And who will say that the reformed Churches are one pin the worse for all the Popes excommunications and execrations with Bell, Book and Candle? The signal prefence of God with his People is a most soveraign antidote against all the curses and cursings of cursed men, and therefore what ever you part with, be sure you don't part with your God, let him be but in the midst of you, and then no curses shall be prevalent against you. This age abounds with such monsters whose mouths are full of curses, but if e­very curse should stick a visible blister on the cursers ton­gue, as it doth insensible ones on the cursers soul, their tongues would quickly be too big for their mouths, and they would soon grow weary of cursing the People of God, the things of God, the wayes of God, the provi­dences of God, and the faithful dispensers of the myste­ries of God; but the best of it is, when they have done their worst and spit out all their curses, the curse cause­less shall not come, for the ever blessed God is in his Peo­ple, Prov. 26. 2. and with his People, and among his People, and a Zach. 2. 5. wall of fire alwayes about his People, and therefore they are safe and secure enough, when men and Devils have done their worst. But,

Tenthly and lastly, To move you so to order, demean, 10 Motive. and carry your selves, as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses, consider that the Divine presence will make up the absence of all outward comforts, this gra­cious presence will supply and fill up the place of a friend, a child, a father, a husband. Some of the Rabbies write, that Manna had all sorts of tasts, and all sorts of sweets in it: Sure I am, that the favourable presence of God has Psal. 4. 6, 7. all sorts of sweets in it, it has the sweet of all ordinances in it, it has the sweet of all duties in it, it has the sweet of Prov. 4. 23. all Church priviledges in it, it has the sweet of all Rela­tions [Page 180] in it, it has the sweet of all your outward comforts in it, and therefore above all keeping, keep the presence of God with you. Many in their distresses and mi­series are full of complaints; one cries out, he wants a faithful Friend; another cries out, he wants an active Relation; a third cries out, that he wants necessa­ries both [...]or back and belly; a fourth cries out, he wants the means that others enjoy, but he that enjoyes the gra­cious presence of God finds all these wants made up to him, Yea he finds the Divine presence to be infinitly bet­ter 1 Sam. 1. 8. than the presence of all outward comforts. As Elka­nah said to Hannah, Am not I better than ten Sons? So assuredly the presence of the Lord is wonderfully better than all other things to every soul that has tasted the sweetness of it. You know, that one Sun is more glori­ous, delightful, useful and comfortable than ten thou­sand Stars, so here. Seneca tells a Courtier that had lost his Son (Fas tibi non est, salvo Caesare, de fortuna tua queri, &c.) That he had no cause to mourn, either for that or ought else, so long as his Soveraign was in safety, and he in favour with his Soveraign, he had all things in him, and he should be unthankfull to his good fortune, if he were not chearful both in heart and look, so long as things stood so with him as they did: How much more may we say to every sincere Christian, that enjoyes the gracious presence of God with him. Let thy wants and thy crosses be never so great, thy afflictions never so pressing, thy necessities never so biting, thou hast no just cause to be troubled or dejected, so long as thou art in favour with God, and enjoyest the presence of God. All mercies, all comforts, all contentments, all enjoyments they meet and center in the gracious presence of God, as all lights meet in the Sun, and as all waters meet in the Sea, and therefore let not that soul mourn or complain of the want of any thing, who enjoyes that gracious pre­sence of God, that is better than every terre [...]e thing. Thus much for the motives.

But some may say, O Sir, what means should we use, [Page 181] that we may enjoy the gracious presence of the Lord with us in our greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers? I answer first there are some things that you must carefully shun and take heed off; As,

First, take heed of high sinnings, take heed of scan­dalous sins. High sinnings do greatly dishonour God, wound conscience, reproach Religion, stagger the weak, grieve the strong, open the mouths of the wicked, and provoke God to withdraw his gracious presence, Psalm 51. 11, 12. Exod. 32. 8. Cap. 33. 3. Isa. 63. 10. Turn to these Scriptures, and seriously ponder upon them. Great transgressions do eclypse the favour of God, as well as the honour of God; In great transgressions we turn our backs upon God, and God turns away his face from us. Gross sins will provoke God to withdraw his pre­sence, both in respect of vigour and strength, as also in respect of peace and comfort. But,

Secondly, take heed of impenitency. Next to our being preserved from sin, it is the greatest mercy in the world, when we are fallen by our transgressions, to make a quick and speedy return to God: When by your sins Hosea 6. 1. Exod. 3 [...]. 9. to 15. you have made work for repentance, for hell, or for the Physician, Souls, immediatly make up the breach, take up the controversy between God and your souls, humble your selves, judge your selves, and speedily return to the most high. Thus Peter did, and recovered the favoura­ble Mat. 26▪ [...]5. Mar. 16. 7. presence of God presently. But if men will commit sin, and lye in it, if they will fall, and have no mind to rise, God will certainly withdraw his favourable pre­sence from them, as you see in David and Solomon. This Psal. 51. 11, 12. 1 Kings 11. 9. Josh. 7. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is further evident in that case of Achan, Josh. 7: The Israe­lites they came to fight with the men of Ai, and fled before them, for the Lord was not with them. Why, what was the cause of Gods withdrawing himself? See Verse 11. Israel hath sinned. And Verse 12. Therefore the Children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs. Their sins having betrayed them into the hand of Divine Justice, and into their enemies hands also; Mark [Page 182] what followes, Neither will I be with you any more, ex­cept ye destroy the accursed from amongst you. If we will not stone our Achans, our sins, by the lively exercise of faith and repentance; If we will keep up our lusts in despite of all that God does against us, we must never expect to retain the gracious presence of God with us. But,

Thirdly, take heed either of neglecting Gospel-wor­ship, or of corrupting Gospel-worship. Omissions will damn as well as commissions, and omissions will pro­voke God to withdraw his presence, as well as commis­sions. When persons are careless in their attendance on Cant. 5. 2, 3, 6. Cant. 4. 1, 2, 3. Gospel ordinances, no wonder if God withdraw his pre­sence from them in their distresses. Cain went off from or­dinances, Gen. 4. 15, 16. and the Lord set a mark upon him. O the black and dismal marks of misery, that God has set upon ma­ny that have neglected Gospel-worship, and for profits sake, and for Diana's sake are fallen roundly in with the 2 Tim. 4. 10. Acts 19. 24, 36. worship of the world! O Sirs, the great God stands up­on nothing more in all the world than upon purity in his worship; There is nothing that doth so provoke & exas­perate God against a People as corrupt worship; corrupt worship sadly reflects upon the Name of God, the ho­nour of God, the truth of God, and the wisdom of God, and therefore his heart rises against such worship and worshippers, and he will certainly withdraw from them, and be a swift and terrible witness against them, as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin to­gether. Psal. 106. 39. to 43. Psal. 78. 58. to 64. 2 Chro. 7. 19, 20, 21, 22. Cap. 32. 16. to 21 Deu. 29. 22. to 29 Corrupt worship is contrary to the unity of God; Now deny his unity, and you deny his Deity, For the Lord is one, and his Name is one, Zach. 14. 9. 'Tis con­trary to the soveraignty of God, He is the only Ruler, the only Potentate, 1 Tim. 6. 15. 'Tis contrary to the all­sufficiency of God. The Heathen worshipped several Gods, as thinking that several Gods did bestow several blessings; they begged health of one God, wealth of an­other God, and victory of a third God, thus imagining to themselves several Deities, for several supplies; their God was but a Jupiter, a partial helper, an auxiliary [Page 183] God, but Our God is Jehovah, who is abundantly able to Eph. 3. 20. supply all our wants. Now if either we neglect his true instituted worship, or fall in with a false worship, with a devised worship, with a humane worship, with a world­ly worship, he will certainly withdraw his gracious pre­sence from us. Will-worship accuses and charges God with weakness and folly, as if God were not careful Heb. 3. 4, 5, 6. John 4. 23, 24. enough, nor faithful enough, nor mindful enough, nor wise enough, to order, direct and guide his People in the matters of his worship, but must be beholding to the wisdom, prudence, and care of man, of vain man, of sinful man, of vile and unworthy man, of weak and foo­lish man, to compleat, perfect and make up something that was wanting in his worship? Now assuredly, God will never keep house with them, who give in such severe accusations and charges against him. But,

Fourthly, take heed of a willing willful and presum­ptuous running cross to Divine commands, to Divine warnings. The disobedient child is turn'd out of doors, the disobedient servant shall have none of his Masters smiles, the disobedient wife has little of her husbands company; a willing willful presumptuous running cross to Divine commands speaks out much pride, Atheism, hardness, blindness, and desperate security and contempt of the great God; It speaks out the greatest disingenuity, stoutness, and stubornness that is imaginable, and there­fore no wonder if God turn his back upon such, and if he disdains to be in the midst of such, Num. 14. 42. Go See Deu. 1. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46. not up, for the Lord is not among you, that ye be not smitten before your enemies. Verse 43. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, (that is, on the top of the hill, lying in readiness to set upon you, and therefore are said, To come down, Verse 45) And ye shall fall by the sword, because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you, Verse 44. But they pre­sumed to go up to the hill-top, though they had not the presence of God with them, nor the signs of his grace & favour with them, nor the company of Moses with them, [Page 184] but mark, they paid dear for their presumption. Verse 45. Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them even unto Hormah. When men are without Gods presence, they are without Gods precincts, and so out of his protection. To act or run cross to Gods express command (though under pretence of revelation from God) is as much as a mans life is worth, as you may see in that sad story. 1 Kings 13. 24. We frequently deny our presence unto disobedient Persons, and so does God his; disobedience to Divine commands shuts the door a­gainst the Divine presence, and will not suffer God to come in to succour us, comfort us, or support us, under our greatest troubles, and deepest distresses. But

Fifthly, Take heed of carnal confidence, of resting upon an arm of flesh. Psalm 30. 6. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved; that is, when I was pros­perously Adam in Para­dice was over­come, when Job on the dunghil was a conqueror. settled in the Kingdom, I began to conclude within my self, that now there was an end of all my trou­bles, I should now live all my dayes in a prosperous estate. David having taken the strong Fort of Zion, and having vanquished his Enemies round about, and all the Tribes having submitted themselves to him, and ha­ving built a fair Palace, and being quietly settled in his Throne, he began to be puffed up with carnal confi­dence. Oh the hazard of honour! Oh the damage of dignity! how soon are we broken upon the soft pillow of ease? Flies settle upon the sweetest perfumes when cold; and so does sin on the best hearts, when they are dissol­ved and disspirited by prosperity. Oh how apt are the holiest of men to be proud and secure, and promise them­selves more than ever God promised them, viz. Immu­nity from the Cross: He thought that his Kingdom and all prosperity was tyed unto him with [...]ords of Ada­mant, he sitting quietly at Jerusalem, and free from 2 Sam. 11. 1. fear of all his Enemies; but God quickly confutes his carnal confidence, by giving him to know, that he could as easily blast the strongest Oak, as he could trample the [Page 185] smallest Worm under his feet. Verse 7. Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. God will quickly suspend his favour, and withdraw his presence, when his Chil­dren begin to be proud and carnally confident. Look as at the Eclipse of the Sun the whole frame of nature droops; so when God hides his face, when he with­draws his presence, the best of Saints cannot but droop, and hang down their heads. So Jerem. 17. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Verse 6. For he shall be like the heath in the desart, and shall not see when good cometh. But

Sixthly, Take heed of barrenness and unfruitfulness under Gospel Ordinances, turn to these Scriptures, Isa. 5. 1, to 8. Matth. 21. 34, to 42. 2 Chron. 32. 16. to the last. Of all spiritual judgments, barreness is the greatest; and when men are given up to this judgment God with­draws; Ezek. 47. 11. Matth. 13. 19. Hosea 9. 14. John 15. 2. Heb 2. 6. 7, 8. Jude 12. he has no pleasure to dwell in a barren soil; what are barren grounds, and barren wombs to barren hearts? he that remains wholly barren under Gospel Or­dinances, may well question his marriage union with Christ. For Rom. 7. 4. We are said to be married to Christ, that we may bring forth fruit to God. There is a double end of Marriage. viz. Cohabitation and propagation, and therefore there cannot be a greater and clearer evi­dence, that thou art not yet taken into a married union with Christ, than a total barrenness uner Gospel enjoy­ments. Christ's Spouse is fruitful; Cant. 1. 16. Our bed is green. Cap. 4. 1. Behold thou art fair my love, behold thou art fair: thou hast doves eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of Goats, that appear from mount Gilead. Verse 2. Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which come up from the washing: whereof every one bears twins, and none is barren among them. Christ hath no fur­ther delight in his People, nor will no further grace his Cant 7. 11, 12, 13 People with his special presence, than they make con­science, of weeping over their barrenness, and of bringing forth fruit to him. Now my Husband will love me, now [Page 186] he will be joyned to me, now I have born him this son also, Gen. 29. 34. said Leah, so may the fruit-bearing soul reason it out with Christ: Now I know dear Jesus will love me, now I know he will delight in me, now I know he will dwell with me, now I know he will honour me with his pre­sence, for now I bring forth fruit unto him. Barr [...]n­ness under the means of grace, drives God from us, and the Gospel from us, and trade, and peace, and prosperity from us, and one Christian from another. Ʋrsin observes, that the sins and barrenness of the Protestants under the Gospel in King Edward's dayes, brought in the perse­cution in Queen Marie's dayes; and he tells us, that those who fl [...]d out of England in Queen Marie's dayes, ac­knowledged, that that calamity befel them for their great unprofitableness under the means of grace in King Ed­wards dayes. Among other prodigies, which were a­bout the time that Julian came to the Empire, there were wild Grapes appeared upon their vines, with which many wise men in that day were much affected, looking upon it as ominous. Ah England! England! I look upon nothing to be so ominous to thee, as the barrenness of the Professors of the day! no wonder if God leave his house, when the Trees that are planted in it, and about it are all barren. The Nutmeg-tree makes barren all the ground about it; so doth the spice of worldly love make the hearts of Christians barren under the means of grace. But I must hasten.

Seventhly, Take heed of pride and haughtiness of Spirit: Hosea 5. 5. And the pride of Israel doth testifie to See my Un­searchable riches of Christ, p. 49. to 58. his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their ini­quity: Judah also shall fall with th [...]m. Ver. 6. They shall go with their flocks, and with their herds to seek the Lord, but they shall not find him, he hath withdrawn himself from them. Pride is the great master-pock of the soul, it will bud, and Ezek. 7. 10. Isa. 3. 16. to 25. blossom, it cannot be hid; it is the Leprosie of the soul, that breaks forth in the very forehead, and so testifieth to his face. Some have called Rome, Epitomen universi, An Epitome, or Abridgement of the whole world: So it [Page 187] may be said of pride, that it is the sum of all naugh­tiness, a Sea of sin, a complicated sin, a mother sin, sin, a breeding sin, a sin that has all sorts of sin in the womb of it; consult the Scriptures in the margin. A­ristotle Hab. 1. 16. Isa. 48. 9. Cap. 26. 12. Hab. 2. 5, &c. speaking of Justice, saith, that in Justice all vir­tues are couched, [...], summarily; so it may be tru­ly said of pride, that in it all vices are as it were in a bundle lapped up together; and therefore no wonder if God withdraw his presence from proud persons, [He hath withdrawn himself from them.] Heb. Hath snatcht [...] away himself; hath thrown himself out of their com­pany, as Peter threw himself out from the rude Soul­diers Mark 14. 72. into a by-corner, to weep bitterly. God will have nothing to do with proud persons, he will never dwell with them, he will never keep house with them; he that dwells in the highest heavens, will never dwell in Isa. 57. 15. Psalm 138. 6. a haughty heart. [The proud he knoweth afar of] He won't vouchsafe to come so near such loathsome Lepers, he stands of from such as odious and abominable, he can­not abide the sight of them, yea his very heart rises a­gainst Prov. 15. 25. Cap. 16. 5. them. James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud, [...], He sets himself in battel array against him, as the Greek word emphatically signifies. Above all sorts of sinners, God sets himself against proud persons, as invaders of his territories, and forragers or plunderers of his chief treasures: God defieth such as deifie them­selves; God will arm himself against them, he will ne­ver vouchsafe his gracious presence to them; and there­fore as ever you would enjoy the Divine presence arm a­gainst pride, watch against pride, and pray hard against pride. But

Eighthly, Take heed of a flothful, lazy, trifling Spirit in the things of God: Cantic. 5. 2. I sleep but my heart waketh; it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, say­ing, Open to me, my Sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. Verse 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? [Page 188] Christs head is filled with dew, i. e. Christ came to his Spouse, full of the dew of spiritual and heavenly bles­sings: Christ alwayes brings meat in his mouth, and a Ephes. 1. 3, 4. Revel. 22. 12. reward in his hand: Christ never visits his People empty handed; he is no beggarly or niggardly Guest, when he comes he brings every thing that heart can wish or need require; and now stand and wonder at the silly ex­cuse Cap. 3. 17, 19. that the Spouse makes for her self: Trouble me not for I am in bed, my clothes are off, my feet are washed, and I am composed to a settled rest: But are you so in­deed? (might Christ have replied) Is this your kind­ness 2 Sam. 16. 17. to your friend? is this the part and posture of a vi­gilant Christian? would it not have been much better for you to have had your loyns girt, your lamp burning, and you waiting for your Lords return? Is it so great a trouble? Is it such a mighty business for you to rise out of your bed, to put on your clothes, and to let in such a Guest, as comes not to take any thing from you, but to enrich you with the best and noblest of favours? Now mark how severely Christ punishes his Spouses sluggish­ness, lazyness, slothfulness, and delayes to entertain him when he knocked. Verse 6. I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake; I sought him but I could not find him: I called him but he gave no answer; or he was gone, he was gone, a most passionate complaint for his departure, or my best beloved was departed, he was gone away: By the iteration or doubling of this sentence, wherein the Spouse complains of the departure of her Bride­groom, is signified her great trouble, her hearty sorrow, her inexpressible grief, that lay as a heavy load upon her spirit, because by her unworthy usage of him, she had foolishly occasioned him to withdraw his presence from her. Spiritual desertions are of three sorts: 1. Cautio­nal for preventing of sin as Pauls seems to be. 2. Pro­bational 2 Cor. 1. 2, 8, 9. for trial and exercise of grace. 3. Penal, for chastisement of Spiritual sloth and sluggishness, as here in the Spouse; now this last is far the saddest and heaviest, [Page 189] and therefore as ever you would enjoy the gracious pre­sence of the Lord, take heed of a lazy, slothful, slug­gish spirit, in the things of God, in the concernments of your souls. That man must needs be miserable, that is lazy and slothful, and had rather go sleeping to hell, than sweating to heaven. But

Ninthly, Take heed of a covetous worldly spirit, un­der the smarting Rod, under the severe rebukes of God. Isa. 57. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth and smote him; I hid me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. Covetousness was the common sin of the Jews, this disease had infected all sorts and ranks of men, this Leprosie did spread it self over Isai. 56. 11. Jer. 6. 13. Cap. 8. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 10. Princes, Prophets and Prople, as you may see in compa­ring the Scriptures in the margin together. Now cove­tousness being the root of all evil, as the Apostle speaks, and the Darling sin of the Nation, God is so provoked by it, that he first smites and then hides himself, as one that in displeasure, having left one to the evil, and harsh usage of some other withdraweth himself out of the way, and having shut himself up in his closet, will not be seen or spoken with. A worldly man makes the world his God, covetousness is flat Idolatry: Coloss. 3. 5. Mor­tify therefore your members which are upon the earth, for­nication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is Idolatry. Now though it be true that what ever a man loves most and best, that is his Phil. 3. 19. Isa. 3. 16, to 25. God, be it his belly, or his back; yet in a special man­ner covetousness is Idolatry, so as no other sin is. Three things especially make a God: First, our judgement, when we esteem it in our serious thoughts to be our chiefest good, and that in which we place our happi­ness: Now the covetous man looks upon the riches of the world, as his heaven, his happiness, his great all. Pope Silvester placed so much happiness in riches that, to enjoy the Popedom for seven years, he sold his soul to the Devil. The People of Constantinople placed so much of their happiness in riches, and were so excessively [Page 190] covetous, that they were buying and selling in their shops, even three dayes after the Turks were within the walls of the City, and that was the reason that the streets run down with the blood of them, their wives and chil­dren. Secondly, Our confidence, that is a homage which makes a God, when we place our trust in any thing, make it our rock, our fortress, our all-sufficient good, this the covetous man doth: He saith to the wedge of Job 21. 34. gold, thou art my confidence. The rich mans heart dances about his Golden-calf, saying to his wedg of gold, thou art my confidence; and yet his wedge of gold shall prove but as Achans wedge; a wedge to cleave his soul in sun­der, Joshua 7. 21. to ult. and as that Babylonish garment to be his winding­sheet. [The rich mans wealth is his strong City.] Covetous Prov. 10. 15. See 1 Tim. 6. 27. persons do really think themselves simply the better, and the safer for their hoards and heaps of riches; but they may one day find themselves greatly mistaken. Fa­mous Herodot. lib. 1. is that story of Croesus among the Heathens, he was a great King, and tumbled up and down in his gold and silver, and Solon that wise man of Greece, coming into his Countrey, he desired to speak with him, and when he saw him, after Solon had seen and viewed all his wealth and glory, he asked him, whom he thought to be the hap­piest man in the world, imagining that Solon would have said Croesus: But Solon answered, I think Tellus was the most happy man. Tellus, saith he; why Tellus? Be­cause, said Solon, though he was poor, yet he was a good man, and content with that which he had; and having governed the Common-wealth well, and brought up his Child honestly and religiously, he died honourably. Well then, said Croesus, but who doest thou think the second happy man in the world? I think, said he, those two Brothers, that instead of Horses drew their Mother in a Chariot to the Temple. Whereupon said Croesus, what thinkest thou of me? I think, says he, thou art a very rich man; but a man may be happy though he be poor, and a man may be unhappy though he be rich, for he may lose all his riches before he dye; [Page 191] and therefore Ante obitum nemo, I think none truly happy, but he that lives well, and dyes well: Where­upon that Wise man Solon was dismissed the Court with neglect. But afterward this Croesus making War against Cyrus, he was overcome by Cyrus; and being taken cap­tive, he was laid upon a pile of wood to be burned to death, then lying on the pile of wood, he cried out and said: O Solon, Solon, Solon. Cyrus enquiring, what he meant? He answered, this Solon was a Wise man of Greece, that told me, that happiness did not consist in riches, for they might all be lost, and a rich man might die miserable: Whose words, said he, I then neglected, but now I find true; and therefore now I cry out, O Solon, Solon, Solon! Let us now tell the covetous man, the worldly man, that his happiness lyes not in riches, though he looks upon his riches as his strong City; he won't mind us, he won't regard. O but there is a time a coming wherein the worldling will cry out: O Solon, Matth. 6. 24. Solon, Solon! Thirdly, Our service, that is a homage which makes a God, when we devote all our pains, la­bour, and service to it, be it this or that, that makes a God: Now the covetous man his heart is most upon the world, his thoughts are most upon the world, his affections are most upon the world, and his discourse is most about the world; he that hath his mind taken up with the world, and chiefly delighted with the world's musick, he hath also his tongue tuned to the same Key, and ta­keth his joy and comfort in speaking of nothing else, but the world ard worldly things: If the world be in the heart it will break out at the lips; a worldly mind­ed man speaketh of nothing but worldly things. [They John 4. 5. are of the world, therefore they speak of the world.] The water riseth not above the fountain; out of the ware­house the shop is furnished; the love of this world makes men forget God, neglect Christ, slight Ordinances, re­fuse Matth. 19. 21, 22. Heaven, despise holiness, and oyles the tongue for worldly discourses: Ah the time, the thoughts, the strength, the spirits, the words that are spent upon the [Page 192] world, and the things of the world, whilst sinners souls lye a bleeding, and Eternity is posting on upon them! I have read of a griping Usurer, who was alwayes best when he was most in talking of the world, being near his end he was much prest to make his will, at last he was o­vercome, and then he dictates to the Scrivener after this manner: First, I bequeath my own soul to the Devil, for being so greedy of the muck of this world: Item, next I give my wifes soul to the Devil, for perswading me to this course of life: Item I give the Parson of our Pa­rish's soul to the Devil, because he did not shew me the danger I lived in, nor reprove me for it. O the danger of making the world our God, when we come to die, and to make up our accounts with God. Now when men make the world their God, and set up their riches, pleasures, and profits in the place of God, no wonder if God withdraws his presence from them, and there­fore as ever you would retain the gracious presence of God with you, take heed of a covetous spirit, a world­ly spirit. But

Tenthly and lastly, As ever you would enjoy the gra­cious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, take heed of See my Mute Christian under the smarting rod. a Cross, froward, and inflexible Spirit under the Rod: When the Child is froward under the Rod, the Father withdraws; so here, Isa. 57. 17. I was wroth, I smote him, I hid me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. Though I manifested my displeasure Isa. 47. 6. by giving them up to their Enemies, and by giving them under the tokens of my anger, they persisted in their own cross, crooked, and rebellious courses, refusing to repent and turn to the most High; and therefore God changes his countenance, hides his face, and withdraws his presence from them: Deut. 32. 20. And he said, I will hide my face from them, for they are a very froward ge­neration. Heb. A generation of perversnesses. When the sick man is froward, Friends withdraw and leave him alone, Psalm 18. ver. 26. With the froward thou wilt [Page 193] shew thy self froward. God will meet with froward per­sons in their own way, and make them reap the fruits of their own doings. God will walk cross and con­trary to the froward, opposing and crossing them in all they do. God has no delight to grace froward persons with his presence; when men begin to be froward un­der a Divine hand, God commonly hides his face, and turns his back upon them; Men sick of impatiency, are no fit company for the God of all patience; men that Rom. 15. 5. Prov. 11. 20. are peevish and pettish under the Rod, will alwayes see a cloud upon the face of God; and thus you see that there are ten things that you must carefully take heed of, as you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers.

But Secondly, As there are many things to be a­voided, so there are several things to be put in pra­ctice, as you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, deepest di­stresses, and most deadly dangers, let me glance at a few.

First, Be sure that you are brought under the bond of the Covenant. This gracious signal presence of God Ezek. 20. 37. Psalm 25. 14. Psalm 50. 5. Jer. 32. 40, 41. G [...]nes. 6. 8. 18. with his People, under their greatest troubles, and deepest distresses, is peculiar to those that are in Cove­nant with God. Noah was in Covenant with God, and God was with him, providing an Ark for him, and preserving of him from drowning in the midst of drown­ing. Lot was in Covenant with God-, and God was with him, and secures him in Zoar, when he rained Cap. 19. 20, to 26. Hell out of Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Joseph was in Covenant with God, and God was with Joseph Ge 39. 20, 21, 22. Jer. 1. 17, 18, 19. Cap. 37. 15. ult. Dan. 3. 23, 24, 25. Cap. 6. 22, 23. in prison. Jeremiah was in Covenant with God, and God kept him company in the Dungeon. The three Children (or rather Champions) were in Covenant with God, and God was signally present with them in the fiery Furnace. Daniel was in Covenant with God, and God was wonderfully with him in the Lions Den. [Page 194] Job was in Covenant with God, and God was with him in six troubles, and in seven. David was in Covenant Job 3. 18, 19. Psal. 89. 33, [...]4. Psal. 23. 4. with God, and God was with him in the valley of the shadow of death. Take not up in a name to live, nor in a form of godliness, nor in common convictions, nor in an outward reformation, take up in nothing below a Covenant-relation, as you would enjoy the precious pre­sence De [...]t. 26. 17, 18, 19. of the Lord with you in your greatest troubles, and deepest distresses, if you chuse him for your God you shall then assuredly find him to be your God; if he be the God of our love and fear, he will be the God of our comfort and safety; if God be your God in Cove­nant, then in distress the cities of refuge are open to you; he will stick close to you, he will never leave you nor forsake you, you have a Father to go to, a God to flee Heb. 13. 5, 6, 7. to, a God that will take care of you, [Come my People, enter th [...]u into thy Chambers, and shut thy doors about thee, hide thy self, as it were for a little moment, until the in­dignation be overpast.] Here are Chambers (withdrawing rooms provided not open Chambers, but with doors, and doors shut round about, intimating that guard of pro­tection, which the People of God shall find from him, even in a common inundation. But,

Secondly, if you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, deepest distres­ses, and most deadly dangers, then look to the practi­cal 2 Chron. 15. 2. part of holyness keep up the power of godly­ness in your hearts and lives, Joh. 14. 21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self to him. Ver. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Fa­ther will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that frames his heart and life ac­cording This is evident throughout the whole Bo [...]k of the Prophet E [...]e­ki [...]l. See Cap. 2. 4. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. to Christs rule, shall be sure of Christs presence. Ezekiel was a man that kept up the power of holyness and godliness in his heart and life; And O, the glorious visions, and deep mysteries, and rare discoveries of God, [Page 195] and of his presence, and of the great things that should be brought about in the latter days, that was discovered to him! Daniel kept up the power of holyness and god­liness in his heart and life; And O, what secrets and my­steries did God reveal to him! Many of those great and glorious things, which concerns the destruction of the four last Monarchies, and the growth, increase, exalta­tion, flourishing, durable, invincible and unconquera­ble estate of his own Kingdom was discovered to him. Paul was a person that kept up the power of holyness and godliness in his heart and life; And O, what a migh­ty presence of God had he with him, in all his doing, suffering and witnessing work! And O, what glorious revelations and discoveries of God had he, when he was caught up into the third Heaven, into Paradise, & heard unspeakable words, or wordless words, such as words were to weak to utter, Such as was not possible for man to utter, and that either because they transcended mans ca­pacity in this life, or else because the Apostle was forbid to utter them, they being revealed to him, not for the publick use of the Church, but only for his particular encouragment, that he might be the better able to en­counter with all hardships, difficulties, dangers and deaths, that did or might attend him in his Ministerial 3 Cor. 1. 7, 8, 9, 10 work. Some of the Ancients are of opinion, that he saw Gods essence, for say they, other things in Heaven might have been uttered, but the essence of God is so great and so glorious a thing that no man or Angel can utter it. But here I must crave lieve to enter my dissent from these learned men, for the Scripture is express in this, That no man hath thus ever seen the Lord at any time, & that no man Joh. 1. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 12. Exod. 33. 20, 21, 22, 23. can thus see the Lord, and live. And as great a Favourite of Heaven as Moses was, yet he could only see the back parts of God, he could only behold some lower repre­s [...]ntations of God. Some say, that he heard the Heaven­ly singing of Angels, and blessed Spirits, which was so sweet, so excellent and glorious, that no mortal man was able to utter it; and this of the two is most proba­ble. [Page 196] But no man is bound to make this opinion an Arti­cle of his Faith; This I think we may safely conclude, that in this rapture, besides the contemplation of Cele­stial mysteries, he felt such unspeakable delight and plea­sure, that was either like to that, or exceeded that which Adam took in the Terrestrial Paradise; Doubtless the A­postle did see and hear such excellent things, as was im­possible for the tongue of any mortal man to express, or utter. John was a burning and a shining Light, both in John 5. 35. life and doctrine; he was a man that kept up in his heart and life the power of holyness and godliness, and Christ reveales to him the general estate of his Church, and all that should besal his People, and that from John's time unto his second coming; Christ gives John a true repre­sentation of all the troubles, tryals, changes, mercies and glories, that in all times, and in all ages and places should attend his Church, until he came in all his glory. About sixty years after Christs Ascension, Christ comes to John, and opens his heart, and unbosomes his soul, 'Tis the general opinion of the learned, that this Book of the Re­velation was penned about the latter end of the reign of Domi [...]i­an the Emperour which was about sixty years after Christs Ascen­sion. and makes known to him, all that care, that love, that tenderness, that kindness and that sweetness, that he would exercise towards his Church, from that very time to the end of the world. Christ tells John, that though he had been absent, and seemingly silent for about three­score years, that yet he was not so taken up with the de­lights, contents, and glory of Heaven, as that he did not care what became of his Church on earth, O no! and therefore he opens his choicest secrets, and makes known the most hidden and gloriou mysteries to John, that ever was made known to any man; as there was none that had so much of the heart of Christ as John, so there was none had so much of the ear of Christ as John; Christ singles out his servant John from all the men in the world, and makes known to him all the happy providences, and all the sad occurren­ces that were to come upon the followers of the Lamb, that so they might know what to fit for, and what to pray for, and what to wait for; Also he declares to John [Page 197] all that wrath and vengance, all that desolation and de­struction that should come upon the false Prophet, and the Beast, and upon all that wandered after them, and that were worshippcrs of them, and that had received their marks, either in their foreheads or in their hands. Thus you see, that they which keep up the power of ho­lyness in their hearts and lives, they shall be sure to en­joy the choicest presence of God, and the clearest, fullest and sweetest discoveries of God, and of these great things that concern the internal and eternal good of their souls. Nothing wins upon God like holyness, no­thing delights God like holyness, nothing engages the presence of God like holyness. He shews his salvation to Psal. 50. ult. Vide Muis in loc. him that ordereth his conversation aright; He that puts every piece of his conversation in the right order, he shall see and know that he shall be saved; He that walks accurately and exactly, that walks as in a frame treading gingerly, stepping warily, he shall have a prospect of Heaven here, and a full fruition of Heaven hereafter, Jsa. 64. 5. [Thou meetest him that rejoyceth, and worketh righteous­ness, those that remember thee in thy wayes.] He that works righteousness and walks in righteousness, shall be sure to meet with God, & to enjoy the precious presence of God in his greatest troubles & deepest distresses. But,

Thirdly, If you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, deepest distres­ses, and most deadly dangers, then keep close to institu­ted worship, keep close to Gospel ordinances, keep close to your Church state, Exod. 20. 24. In all places where Isa. 64. 5. Rev. 2. 1 Cant. 7. 5. Ezek. 48. ult. I record my Name, I will come unto thee and bless thee. Where God fixeth his solemn worship for the memorial and honour of his Name, there he will vouchsafe his gra­cious presence. Mat. 18. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them. The promise of Gods gracious assistance, pre­sence, and acceptance is annexed to his Church, whe­ther it be great or small, numerous or few. Mat. 28. 20, Lo, I am with you alway, according to my Godhead, [Page 198] Majesty, grace and spirit; Lo, I am with you to own Christ in his or­dinances doth as Mary open a box of oint­ments, which diffuseth a spiri­tual savour a­mong the Saints and this makes the ordinances precious in their eyes. you; Lo, I am with you to counsel and direct you; Lo, I am with you to cheer and comfort you; Lo, I am with you to assist and strengthen you; Lo, I am with you to shelter you, and protect you; Lo, I am with you to do all your works in you, and for you; Lo, I am with you to strengthen your graces, and to weaken your sins; Lo, I am with you to scatter your fears, and answer your doubts; Lo, I am wirh you to better your hearts, and to mend your lives; Lo, I am with you to bless you and crown you with im­mortality and glory. And what can the soul desire more? Such as have low thoughts of Gospel-ordinances, such as slight Gospel-ordinances, such as neglect Gospel-or­dinances, such as vilify Gospel-ordinances, such as de­cry Gospel-ordinances, such as oppose Gospel-ordinan­ces, such may talk of the presence of Christ, and such may boast of the presence of Christ, but all such are out of the way of enjoying the presence of Christ; Christ is only to be met with in his own worship and in his own ways. Ah how many in these dayes are there that are like to old Barzillai, that had lost his tast and hearing, and 2 Sam. 19. 35. so cared not for David's feasts and musick! How many are there that formerly were very zealous for ordinances, but now are as zealous against them! How many for­merly have made many great, hard & dangerous ventures to enjoy Gospel ordinances, who now won't venture a broken shin for an ordinance, no nor stir out of doors to enjoy an ordinance, &c. How many in our dayes upon neglecting and despising Gospel-ordinances, have grown from naught to be very naught, and from very naught to be stark naught! He shall be an Apollo to me, that can shew me one man in the world, that ever grew better or holyer by neglecting or slighting Gospel-ordinances. Ma­ny come to the ordinances too like the Aegyptian Dog, which laps a little as he runs by the side of Nylus, but stays not to drink. How many in this great City run eve­ry Sabbath to hear this man and that, and here they lap [Page 199] a little and there a little, but never stay to drink, never fix in this Congregation or that, this way or that. These persons are neither wise, serious, lovely nor lively in the ways of God. I think they are judicially blinded and hardned, that are indifferent whether they enjoy ordi­nances or not, or that can part with ordinances, with Zeph. 3. 18. dry eyes. Surely the Child is either very sullen, or very sick that cryes not for the breast. As ever you would en­joy the gracious presence of God with you in all your troubles and distresses, make conscience of sticking close to Gospel-ordinances. But,

Fourthly, If you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles, deepest di­stresses and most deadly dangers, then when you are not in troubles, distresses, dangers, &c. be sure you make much conscience of five things, 1. Of prizing his pre­sence above all other things, so Moses did; so Augustin Ex. 33. 13. to 17. would willingly go through Hell to Christ, and Luther had rather be in Hell with Christ, than in Heaven with­out him; and Bernard had rather have Christ in a chim­ny corner, than be in Heaven without him. 2. Of impro­ving this gracious presence against sin, the world, the flesh, oppositions and temptations, &c. 3. Of walking su­table to this gracious presence. 4. Of lamenting and mourning over those that want this gracious presence. 5. Of holding any secret intelligence or correspondence with the profest and known enemies of Christ; Princes will never vouchsafe their favourable presence to such subjects as hold any secret intelligence with their profest & known enemies, either at home or abroad, so here. But,

Fifthly, If you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then in all your troubles and distresses, &c. maintain uprightness and integrity of spi­rit Psal. 5. 12. with God, 2 Chron. 16. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him. Psalm 84. 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and shield, the [Page 200] Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will he with­hold from them that walk uprightly. This is the largest promise we find in the whole Book of God. The Crea­ture stands in need of two things, Provision and Prote­ction; for the first, the Lord is a Sun, as full of good­ness as the Sun is of light; He is a Sun, in that he doth enlighten and enliven his Church, when as all the world besides lye under darkness and the shadow of death; and in that he doth chear, and warm, and comfort the hearts of his People by his presence and lightsome countenance, and is the fountain from whence all external, internal, and eternal blessings are derived to them; For the se­cond, a Shield: Among all inanimate Creatures the Sun Psal. 18. 2. is the most excellent, and among all artificial Creatures a Shield is chiefest, and was of greatest use in those dayes; The Sun notes all manner of excellency and prosperity, and the Shield notes all manner of protection whatsoe­ver, Isa 60. [...]0. Psal. 3. 4. under the name of grace all spiritual good things are to be understood, and under the name of glory all eter­nal good things are to be understood, and under that phrase of, No good thing will he withhold, all tempo­ral good things are to be understood, so far as they make for his glory, and his Peoples real good. Now this choice, this sweet, this full; this large promise is made over only to the upright, & therefore as you would have any share in it, maintain your uprightness, Psalm 11. 7. His countenance doth behold the upright, Heb. His faces. Every gracious discovery of God to the upright, is his face; God will all manner of wayes make gracious dis­coveries of his love and delight to upright ones; No Father can so much delight to behold the countenance of his child, as God delights to behold the countenance of the upright, Psalm 112. 4. Ʋnto the upright there ari­seth light in darkness; Light commonly signifies joy, Job 30. 26. Esth. 8. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 10. comfort, peace, help, deliverance. The upright man shall have joy in tribulation, plenty in penury; liberty in bonds, life in death, as the Martyrs have frequently and gloriously experienced. Sometimes God turnes the [Page 201] upright mans adversity into prosperity, his sickness into health, his weakness into strength, his night into day, his stormes into calmes, his long Winter-nights into pleasant Summer-days. Sometimes God hides his up­right ones in the hollow of his hand, in his pavilion, in his presence-chamber; when his judgments are abroad Isa. 26. 9, 20. Mal. 3. 17. in the earth, he takes special care of his Jewels, and ma­ny times when the upright are in darkness and in great Psal. 94. 19. Psal. 71. 20, 21. distress, God chears their hearts with the consolations of his Spirit, and the light of his countenance. By all which it is most evident, that Ʋnto the upright there ariseth light in darkness. O Sirs, do but maintain your upright­ness in all your troubles and distresses, and then you will be sure of the gracious presence of God with you in all your troubles and distresses. God values an upright Job Job 1. 8. Cap. 2. 3, 7, 8, 9. Luke 16. upon a Dunghil, before a deceitful Jehu upon his Royal Throne; he sets a higher price upon an upright Lazarus in rags, than upon a rich Dives in his purple robes; And therefore when an upright man is in troubles and distres­ses God will be sure to keep him company. The upright mans Motto is semper idem, he is like the Philosophers Dye, cast him which way you will, and into what con­dition you will, he is still upright, and therefore of all persons God loves to grace the upright man with his gracious presence. But,

Sixthly, If you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you, in all your troubles, deep distresses and most deadly dangers, then you must be very earnest and importunate with God not to leave you, but to stay with you, to abide with you, and to dwell in the midst of you, Psalm 148. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him; (but to prevent mistakes, I mean) to all that call upon him in truth. There are many that call upon Prov. 1. 28 Isa. 1. 11. to 17. Deut. 4. 4. 2▪ Joh. 4. God, but not in truth, from these God stands at a di­stance; There are others that call upon God in truth, in plainness and singleness of heart, and these God are near, not only in regard of his essence, which is every where, but also in regard of the effects of his power, and [Page 202] the readiness of his will in granting their requests. Abi­jah prays, and finds an admirable presence of God with him, giving him a mighty victory over his most power­ful enemy, 2 Chron. 13. 3, 10, 11, 17, 18. Asa prays, & finds such a singular presence of God with him, as made him victorious over an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred Chariots, a huger host than that of Xer­xes; J [...]sephus saith, it consisted of nine hundred thou­sand foot, and one hundred thousand horse, 2 Chron. 14. 9. to the end. Jehoshaphat prayes, and had such a signal presence of God with him, that those numerous forces that were combined against him fall by their own swords, 2 Chron. 20. 1. to the 11. Verse, with Ver. 22. They were car­ried by such a spirit of rage and fury, that no man spared his Neigh­bou [...], but each one destroyed him that w [...]s next him. 23, 24, 25. The wrath of God wrought their ruin as by an ambuscado unexpectedly and irresistibly; Some un­derstand this ambushment of the holy Angels sent sud­denly in upon them to slay them; whereupon they mis­taking the matter, and supposing it had been their own Companions, flew upon them, and so sheathed their swords in one anothers bowels. Others say, that the Lord did suddenly and unexpectedly cut them off, as when men are cut off by enemies that lye in ambush against them, and that by sending some unexpected strife among those Nations, whereupon they fell out among themselves and slew one another, and so accomplished that which the Levite had foretold Verse 17. Ye shall not need to fight in this Battel, set your selves, stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you. O Judah and Jeru­salem, fear not, nor be dismayed, to morrow go out against them, for the Lord will be with you. It was the presence of God with his People, that was their preservation, and their enemies destruction; there is no power, no force, no strength, no combinations that can stand before the powerful presence of God with his People, and a spirit of prayer upon his People. Hezekiah prays and finds such a powerful presence of God with him, as bears up his heart, and as strengthens his faith, and as cuts off his enemies, Isa. 37. 14. to 21. with Verse 36. O beg hard [Page 203] of the Lord that he will stay with you, do as they did when Christ made as though he would have gone from Luke 24. 28. Equivocators a­buse this place greatly, but they must know, that Christ did not pretend one thing and intend another, but as he made an offer to depart so without question he would have gone further, if the importunity of the Disciples had not staid him. them, Luke 24. 29. But they constrained him, saying, abide with us, for it is towards evening and the day is far spent; and he went in to tarry with them. By prayer and impor­tunity lay hold on Christ; say, Lord night is near, the night of trouble, the night of distress, the night of dan­ger, the night of death is near, stay with us, depart not from us. They over-intreated him by their importunity, they compelled him by intreaty: Night is near, and the day is far spent. Some conjecture, that Cleophas observing Christ to be very expert in the Prophets, and to dis­course so admirable well-of Christs person, sufferings and glory, his heart burning in him with musing, who this should be! he is marvellous importunate with him to stay at his house, and at last prevailes. O lay a hand of holy violence upon God as Jacob did, and say (as he) Gen. 32. 25, 26. Hos. 4. 12. I will not let thee go; Jacob though lamed and hard laid at, yet will not let Christ go; Jacob holds fast with both hands when his joynts were out of joynt, being fully resolved that what ever he did let go, he would not let go his Lord till he had blest him. O be often a crying out with Jeremiah, Leave us not: Lord, though in our great Jer. 14. 9. troubles and deep distresses, friends should leave us, and Relations leave us, and all the world leave us, yet don't thou leave us, O don't thou leave us, Lord; though all Creatures should desert us, yet if thou wilt but stand by us, we shall do well enough: But wo, wo unto us, if God depart from us. O leave us not. But,

Seventhly, keep humble and walk humbly with your Mic. 6. 8. Psal. 25. 9. God. The highest Heavens and the lowest hearts are the habitation of Gods glorious presence, Isa. 57. 15. For saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose Name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy Place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spi­rit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. He that would in good earnest enjoy the gracious presence of God with him in his great troubles, deep di­stresses and most deadly dangers, he must keep humble, [Page 204] and walk humbly with his God; God will keep house with none but humble souls, there are none that feel so great a need of the Divine presence as humble souls, there are none that so prize the divine presence as humble souls, there are none that so love the divine presence & that are so enamoured with the Divine presence as humble souls, there are none that so thirst & long for much of the Di­vine presence as humble souls, there are none that so la­ment and bewail the loss of the Divine presence as humble souls, there are none that make such a singular and through improvement of the Divine presence as humble souls, and therefore no wonder that of all the men in the worl God singles out the humble Christian, to make his heart the habitation where his honour de­lights to dwell. Abraham is but dust and ashes in his own Gen. 18. 27. eyes, and what man on earth had ever more of the Di­vine presence of God with him, than he? Gen. 15. 12. Gen. 32, 10. to 19. Gen. 17. 1. to 10. Gen. 18. 17, 18, 19, &c. Jacob was less than the least of all mercies in his own eyes, & he had a mighty presence of God with him, Gen. 32. 24. to 31. &c. David in his own eyes was but a worm & no man; Psal. 22. 6. The word in the Original Tolagnath, signifieth a very lit­tle worm which bre [...]deth in scarlet, it is so little that no man can hardly see it or preceive it; and yet what a mighty presence of God had David with him in the ma­ny Battels he fought, and in the many dangers he was in, and in the many miraculous deliverances he had! See them all summed up in that 18 Psalm, it is his trium­phant song after many victories won, deliverances vouchsafed, and mercies obtained, and therefore worthy of frequent perusal. Paul was the least of all Saints in his 1 Cor. 15. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 15. own eyes, yea he was less then the least of all Saints ( [...]) this is a double diminutive, and signi­fies lesser then the least, if lesser might be; here you have the greatest Apostle descending down to the lowest step of humility. Great Paul is least of Saints, least of the Apostles, and greatest of sinners in his own eyes, and ne­ver had any mortal more of the gracious presence of [Page 205] God with him in all his services, and in all his suffer­ings, in all his afflictions, and in all his temptations, in all his trials, and in all his troubles, which were many and great. See Acts 16. 23, 24, 25. Acts 23. 10, 11. Acts 27. 23, 24, 25. 2 Cor. 1. 8, 9, 10. 2 Cor. 4. 8, 9, 10, 11. 2 Cor. 7. 4, 5, 6, 7. 2 Cor. 11. 21—ult. 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9, 10. Is your condition low, then let your hearts be low; he that is little in his own account, is great in Gods esteem, and shall be sure to enjoy most of his presence. God can dwell, God will dwell with none but those that are lowly in heart; and therefore as ever you would enjoy the signal presence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, and deepest distresses, be sure you walk humbly with your God. Many may talk much of God, and many may profess much of God, and many may boast much of God; but he only enjoys much of God, who makes conscience of walking humbly with God. But

Eightly and lastly, If you would enjoy the signal pre­sence of God with you, in your greatest troubles, deep­est Ponder upon these Scriptures, Isa. 58. 8. 9, 10, 11 2 Cor. 6. 16, 17, 18. Cap. 7. 1. Deut. 23. 13, 14. distresses, and most deadly dangers, then labour eve­ry day more and more after greater measures of holi­ness; the more holiness you reach to, the more you shall have of the presence of a holy God with you, in all your straits and trials. If the Scriptures be narrowly searched, you will find that men of the greatest mea­sures and degrees of holiness, have alwayes enjoyed the greatest measures of the Divine presence; witness Enoch, Genes. 5. 24. Noah, Genes. 6. 8, 9, 17, 18. So Abra­ham, Jacob, Joseph, Job, David, Daniel, John, Paul, &c. they were all famous for holiness, and accordingly they had a famous presence of God with them, as hath been shewed in part, and might more fully have been disco­vered, but that the press calls upon me to hasten to a conclusion; and therefore I shall now but hint at things, consider.

First, That the more holy any person is, the more excellent that person is, all corruptions are diminutions [Page 206] of excellency; the more mixt any thing is, the more a­based it is; the more you mix your wine with water, the more you abase your wine; and the more you mix your gold with tin, the more you abase your gold: But the purer your wine is, the richer and better your wine is; and the purer your gold is, the more glorious and ex­cellent it is; so the purer and holier any person is, the more excellent and glorious that person is. Now the more Divinely excellent, and glorious any person is, the Dan. 9. 23. more he is beloved of God; and the more he is the de­light of God, and the more he shall have of the presence of God. Consider

Secondly, The more holy any person is, the more that person pleases the Lord: Fruitfulness in holiness fills Heaven with joy; the Husbandman is not so much pleased with the fruitfulness of his fields, nor the Wife with the fruitfulness of her womb, as God is pleased with the fruitfulness of his People in grace and holiness. Now certainly the more God is pleased with any person, the more he will be present with that person; they com­monly have most of our presence, that most please us. Heb. 11. 5. Genes. 5. 24. The Hebrew word ' [...] from ' [...] is in Hithpael, and notes a con­tinual walking with God with­out ceasing. Enoch had this testimony, before his translation, that he pleased God, or gave God content, as the original word [...] imports. Enoch eyed God at all times, in all places, and in all companies, and this pleased God: Where ever Enoch was, his eye was still upon God. E­noch walked constantly with God, his whole life was but one continued day of walking with God, and this pleased God. Enoch kept himself from the corruptions and pollutions of the times, which were very great; he was not carried away with the stream of the times, he kept a constant counter-motion to the corrupt courses of the times, and this pleased God. Enoch maintained and kept up a clear, choice, and standing communion with God, and this pleased God. Enoch made it his business, his work, his Heaven to approve his heart to God, and his wayes to God, and this pleased God. E­noch was very serious, and studious to avoid every thing [Page 207] that might be a dishonour to God, or displeasing to God, and this pleased God. Enoch had great, and high, and honourable thoughts of God, and this pleased God. God was so pleased and taken with Enoch, that he translates God took him up in a whirl wind, say the Hebrew Doctors, as Elias was; he changed his place but not his company, for he still walked with God as on Earth so in Hea­ven. him from Earth to Heaven, from a gracious to a glo­rious presence. It was a singular mercy for God to be with Enoch on Earth, but it was a far more glorious mercy for Enoch to be with God in Heaven. The gra­cious presence of God is very desirable, but the glorious presence of God is most comfortable. Enoch pleases God, and God translates Enoch: We can never have those Friends near enough to us, who take a pleasure and de­light to please us; So here, Enoch was a bright morning Star, a rising Sun for vertue and holiness; and there­fore God could not satisfie himself (to speak after the manner of men) that he should live at so great a distance from him, and therefore translates him from Earth to Heaven. Well my Friends, the greater measures of ho­liness you reach too, the more you will please God; and the more you please God, the more you shall be sure to enjoy of the presence of God. Consider

Thirdly, The more holy any person is, the more like to God he is; and the more like to God he is, doubtless 1 Pet. [...]. 15, 16. Le [...]ir. 11. 44. Can. 19. 2. and 20. 7. the more he is beloved of God; it is likeness both in na­ture and grace that alwayes draws the strongest love: Though every Child is the Father multiplied, the fa­ther of a second Edition; yet the Father loves him best, and delights in him most, who is most like him, and who in feature, spirit, and action does most resemble him to the life; and so does the Father of Spirits also, he al­wayes loves them best who in holiness resemble him Heb. 12. 9. most. There are four remarkable things in the beloved Disciple, above all the rest: 1. That he lay near [...]st to John 13. 23. Cap. 18. 16. Cap. 19 26, 27. Mark 14. 50. Christ's bosom at the Table. 2. That he followed Christ closest to the high Priests Palace. 3. That he stood close to Christ when he was on the Cross, though others had basely deserted him, and turned their backs upon him. 4. That Christ commended the care of his [Page 208] Virgin Mother to him. Now, why did Christs desire, love, and delight run out with a stronger and a fuller tide towards John, than to the rest of the Disciples? doubtless it was because John did more resemble Christ than the rest, it was because John was a more exact pi­cture, and lively representation than the others were. Now the more any man in holiness is like to Christ, the more any man in holiness resembles Christ; the more that man shall enjoy of the presence of Christ, the more that man shall lay in the bosom of Christ. The Father loves to be most with that Child that is like him most: So here, As ever you would enjoy the presence of God in your great­est troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, be sure that you keep up holiness in your hearts and lives, be sure that you grow in holiness, and flourish in holiness, and then you shall be sure of the presence of God with you, in all your troubles, and deep distresses: A holy God will never leave the holy Christian; and thus much for this use of Exhortation.

The last use of all, is a use of comfort and consolation to all the P [...]ple of God, in their greatest troubles, and deepest distresses. Now here consider

First of all, That God himself hands out this as a rare comfort of his People, in all their troubles, distresses, and dangers, viz. That he will be graciously present with them, in the midst of all their sorrows and suffer­ings. Isa. 43. 2. Psalm 91. 15. Josh. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 5. Exod. 3. 12. Genes. 26. 3. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee. Cap. 28. 15. And behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, &c. Don't talk of thy loss of Friends, for I will be with thee; nor don't talk of thy Countrey, for I will give thee this Land, which is the Paradise of the world; nor don't talk of thy poverty, for thou shalt spread abroad to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South. Verse 14. Nor don't talk of thy solitariness and aloneness, for I will not leave thee. Isa. 91. 10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not [Page 209] dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Suppose a man was injuriously dealt with, by this man or that, would it not be a comfort to him that a just and righteous Judge stood by, and was an eye witness of all the violences that were offered to him? Suppose a man were in exile with David, or in prison with Joseph, or in a Dungeon with Jeremiah, or in the stocks with Paul and Silas, or in banishment (for the testimony of Jesus) with John, yet would it not be a singular comfort to him, to have the presence of a kind Father, a bosom Friend, a wise Counseller, an a­ble Physician with him? O Christian, be thou in what place thou wilt, and with what Company thou wilt, and in what condition thou wilt, yet thy loving God, thy kind Father, thy bosom Friend, &c. will be still with thee, he will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; and O! what a spring of comfort should this be to thee! But

Secondly, Know for your comfort, that there is al­wayes some special favours and blessings annexed to this signal presence of God, as I will be with thee, and bless thee. Genes. 26. 3. I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest. Genes. 28. 15. I will be with him in trouble, and honour him. Psalm 91. 15. I will be with him, and strengthen him. Isai. 41. 10. I will be with thee, and the flames shall not kindle upon thee. Cap: 43. 2. I will be with thee, and there shall not a man be able to stand before thee. Joshua 1. 5: I will be with thee, to de­liver thee. Jerem. 1. 19. I am with thee, to save thee, and to deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and out of the hand of the terrible. Cap. 15. 20, 21. Hushai's presence with David was a burden, Jobs Wifes presence was but 2 Sam. 15. 33. Job 2. 9. 10. and Matth. 8. 28. 34. a vexation unto him, and Christs presence among the Gergesens was a terrour to them, and the presence of talkative Friends is many times a trouble to us. O but this signal, this favourable presence of the Lord with his People, in their greatest troubles, and deepest di­stresses, [Page 210] is a sweet presence, a comfortable presence, a delightful presence, a blessed presence, yea such a pre­sence as has many singular blessings annexed to it. But

Thirdly, Know for your comfort, that you shall have mercy and kindness, and what ever good you need in due season, at that very instant, at that very nick of time wherein you most need mercy. God will time your Psalm 145. 18. Deut. 4. 7. Gen. 22. 10, 11, 12, 13. mercies, and your blessings for you, he is nigh and will not fail you at a dead lift. When Abraham had bound his Son, and bent his sword, and the knife was up, then comes a voice from Heaven: Abraham, Abraham hold thy hand. At that very nick of time when the four hun­dred and thirty years were expired, Israel was delivered Exod. 12. 41. 51. out of their captivity and slavery. Deut. 11. 14. I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain, and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oyl.] God gives rain to all by a Providence, but he gives rain to his Israel by vertue of Acts 14. 18. Job 38. 26. a promise: God engages himself not only to give rain, but to give it in due season; he will give the first rain af­ter the sowing of the seed, that it might take rooting in the Earth; and he will give the latter rain a little before Harvest, that the cars might be full: O my Friends! it is wonderful mercy, that God will time our mercies for us. When Jehoshaphat was put to a hard pinch, at that 2 Chron. 20. 12. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. very nick of time God ownes him, stands by him, and gives him a great victory. When David was at a great 1 Sam. 23. 26, 27, 28. Let him (saith Augustin [...]) chuse his own oppor­tunity that so freely grants the mercy. plunge, Saul being at his very heels, at that very nick of time, tydings were brought to Saul, that the Phili­stines had invaded the land, and so David escapes: When all humane help failed, God came in and help't at a dead lift. So Julian was cut of by the Persian War, at that very nick of time when he had vowed at his return, to make a Sacrifice of the Christians lives. And so Charles the Fifth was diverted from persecuting of the Protestants, by the Turks breaking into Hungary, at that very nick of time when his heart was set upon a [Page 211] warm persecution. And so Justice Gilford, a violent Pa­pist Acts and Mon. 1880. in Queen Marie's dayes, going up the stairs to Mi­striss Roberts her Chamber, to compel her, will she or will she not, to go to Mass, at that very nick of time he was suddenly taken with his old disease the Gout, and so grievously tormented, that he swore he would never trouble her more. When Faux was giving fire to the match, that should have given fire to the Powder, that should have blown up King, Lords, and Commons, at that very nick of time, he that never slumbers nor sleeps, Psal. 121, 3, 4, 5. prevented him; and so turned our intended Funeral into a Festival. O Christian! are thy troubles many in num­ber, strange in nature, heavy in measure, much in bur­then, and long in continuance, yet remember that thy God is near, whose mercies are numerous, whose wis­dom is wonderous, and whose power is miraculous. The nearness or remoteness of a Friend is very material and considerable in our troubles, distresses, wants, dangers, &c. I have such a Friend, and he would help me, but he lives so far off: And I have another Friend that has a great love for me, that is able to counsel me, and to speak a word in season to me, and that in my distress would stand close to me, but he is so remote. I have a special Friend, that did he know how things stand with me, would make my burdens his, and my wants his, and my sorrows his; but he is in a far Countrey, he is at the Indies, and I may be undone before I can hear from him. But it is not thus with you, O Christians! who have a God so nigh unto you, who have the signal pre­sence of God in the midst of you, yea who have a God alwayes standing by you. The Lord stood by me, &c. O my Friends, how can you want comfort, that have the God of all consolation present with you? How can you 2 Cor. 1. 3. Isa. 9. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Isa. 9. 6. want counsel, that have the wonderful Counseller so near unto you? How can you want grace, who have the God of all grace standing by you? How can you want Peace, who have alwayes the presence of the Prince of Peace with you? But.

Fourthly, Know for your comfort, that if God be with you, there is nothing, there can be nothing but weakness against you. Isa. 27. 4. Who would set the bri­ars God holdeth the Churches Ene­mies in chains, having his hook in their nose, and his bridle in their lips, Isa. 37. 29. he can easily rule and over­rule his proudest Enemies. and thorns against me in battel, I would go through them, I would burn them together? What are briars and thorns to a devouring fire, to the consuming flames? no more are all the Enemies of the Church to the presence of God with his People: God will be a burning and destroy­ing fire to all the Enemies of Zion; wicked men are chaff: Psalm 1. 1. And what is that to the wind, to the whirl wind? they are stubble. Job 21. 18. They are as driven stubble to his bow. Isai. 41. 2. They are as stubble fully dry. Nahum. 1. 10. They are as stubble before the flame. Joel 2. 5. They arelike dust. 2 Kings 13. 7. Yea like small dust. Isa. 29. 5. They are like a morning cloud, an early dew, a little smoak. Hosea 13. 3. The morning cloud is soon dispelled, the early dew is soon dried up, the rowling smoak out of the chimney is presently scattered. O the weakness of man! O the power of God! No Peo­ple on Earth have such a power on their sides as the Saints have, consult these Scriptures, 2 Kings 6. 16. 2 Chron. 32. 6, 7. Isai. 8. 9, 10. Numb 13. 28, 30, 31, 32, 33. Cap. 14. 9. No Christian can look upon the strong and mighty Enemies of Zion in a Scripture glass, but must behold them as weak and impotent Persons: Who could but smile to see weak Children to attempt to Zach. 2. 5. besiege a wall of brass, or a wall of fire? as great a folly and weakness it is for wicked men to make attempts, up­on the Saints, who have been to this day, and will be to the end, a trembling and a burdensome stone to all Cap. 12. 2, 3. that gather together against them. Sense looks upon the Powers of the world as strong, mighty, and invincible; but Faith looks upon them as poor, weak, contemptible, gasping, dying Men. Thus heroical Luther look'd upon them: Contemptus est a me Romanus & favor & furor, I care neither for Romes favour nor fury; I am neither fond of the one, nor afraid of the other. It is dangerous to look upon the Powers of the world in the Devils multi­plying [Page 213] glass; it is best and safest to look upon them in a Scripture glass, and then we shall never fear them, nor sinfully shift them. But

Fifthly, If God be signally present with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then know for your comfort, that none can be against you but they must be against God himself; for God is with you in all your troubles, as a Acts 9. 4, 5, 6. Father is with his Child, a Husband with his Wife, a General with his Army, and as a Confederate with his Allies, who is with them offensively and defensively; hence they are said to rage against God, Isa. 37. 28, 29. And to blaspheme God, 2 Kings 19. 3, 6. And to fight See Acts 23. 9. Prov. 21. 30. against God, Acts 5 38, 39. To fight against God, is labour in vain; who ever sought against God, and pros­pered? Some think that this Phrase of fighting against God, is drawn from the Fable of the Gyants, which were said to make war with the Gods. The Church of Christ alwayes flourisheth most, and increaseth most, when the Exod. 1. 12, 1. Tyrants of the Earth oppose it most, and persecute it most. Diocletian laid down the Empire in great dis­content, because he could not by any persecution sup­press the true Christian Religion; the more violent he was against the People of God, the more they increased and multiplied, and the more they were emboldned and encouraged; and therefore in a rage he throws up all. But

Sixthly, If the signal presence of God be with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then know for your comfort, that there is no presence like this presence, no presence to the presence of God; let me evidence this by an induction of six particulars bri [...]fly thus: For First, It is the presence of an Almighty God. Genes. 17. 1. I am the Almighty Genes. 49. 25. Numb. 24. 4. God, walk before me, and be thou perfect. Some derive the word Shaddai, here used from dai, that signifieth sufficiency. God is an all sufficient good, and a self­sufficient good, he is an Independent good, an absolute [Page 214] good, an original good, an universal good; some de­rive the word Shaddai from Shad, that signifieth a breast, a dug, because God feedeth his Children with sufficien­cy of all good things, as the loving Mother doth the Child with the milk of her breasts. God is the only sa­tisfactory good, and proportionable good, and sutable good to our souls; as the breast, the dug is the most su­table good to the Childs stomach: And others derive the word Shaddai from Shaddad, which signifieth to spoil, conquer, or overcome, and so they say; that God did here invert or overcome the order of nature, in causing the barren to bear: But most Authors do translate it Omni­potent; God then is called Shaddai, that is omnipotent and all-sufficient, for his omnipotency includeth also all­sufficiency. Secondly, you have the presence of a lo­ving God with you. Isa. 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee. But that this may the better stick and work, you must remember, First, that God loves you with a first See De [...]t. 7. 7, 8. love. 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us. Our love is but a reflex of his. God first cast an eye of love upon us, before we cast an eye of love on him, and therefore God is no way indebted to us for our love. Mary answers not Rabboni, till Christ first said unto her John 20. 16. Mary. The pure nature of love is more seen in Gods first love to us, than in ours to him; by nature we were Ephes. 2. 12. 19. Rom. 5. 10. Cap. 1. 30. without God, and afar of from God, we were strangers to God, and enemies to God, yea haters of God; and therefore if God had not loved us firstly, we had been undone everlastingly. Secondly, As God loves you with a first love, so he loves you with a free love. Hosea 14. 4. I will heal their back-sliding, I will love them freely: I know they are back-sliden, but I will heal their back-slidings; I know they have broken their bones by their fall, but I will make those broken bones to rejoyce; I know there is nothing at all in them that is excellent or eminent, that is honourable or acceptable, that is lau­dable or lovely, yet I will love them freely, Ex mero motu, [Page 215] of mine own, free, rich, absolute, soveraign, and inde­pendent grace. Thirdly, As he loves you with a free love, so he loves you with an everlasting love. Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Heb. I love thee with the love of perpetuity, or with the love of Eternity. My love and my affections continue still the same to thee, and shall do for ever; or as others carry the words, I love thee with an Ancient love, or with the love of Antiquity; I love thee still with the same affection, that in for­mer ages I bare towards thee. Fourthly, As he loves you with an everlasting love, so he loves you with an unchangeable love. Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Men change, and counsels change, and occurrences change, and Friends change, and Relations change, and King­doms change, and Common-wealths change; but God never changes, as Balaam confesses, who was the Devils Numb. 3. 19. Hackney, and who had a mind to dance with the De­vil all day, and then sup with Christ at night. God is neither false nor fickle, he cannot like men say and un­say, Psalm 89. 34. he can nor alter his mind nor eat his words. [The Eternity of Israel cannot lie nor repent, for he is not a man 1 Sam. 15. 29. that he should repent.] Men are so mutable and change­able that there is no hold to be taken of what they say; but God is immutable in his nature, in his essence, in his counsels, in his attributes, in his decrees, in his promises, &c. He is (as the School-men say) Omninò immutabi lis, Altogether immutable. Fifthly, As he loves you with an unchangeable love, so he loves you with a spe­cial P salm 146. 7, 8 love, with a peculiar love, with a distinguishing love, with a superlative love. The Lord executes judg­ment for the oppressed, he gives food to the hungry, he looseth the Prisoners, he opens the eyes of the blind, he raises them that are bowed down, he loveth the righ­teous, and this is more than all the rest. Sixthly, and lastly, As he loves his People with a special love, with a peculiar love, so he loves them with the greatest love [Page 216] with a matchless love. [O Daniel greatly beloved.] John 3. 16. God so loved the world, &c. Here is a sic without a sicut; there being nothing in nature wherewith to pa­rallel it: This sic without a sicut, signifies the greatness of Gods love, the vehemency of his love, and the ad­mirableness of his love. Now what an unspeakable comfort must this be to his Saints, to have the presence of a loving God, to have the presence of such a loving God with them, in all their troubles and deep distresses? If the presence of a loving Friend, a loving Relation in our troubles and distresses be such a mercy, O! what then is the presence of a loving God. Thirdly, It is the Psalm 18. 2. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Prov. 18. 10. Jer 32. 40. 41. Isa. 30. 18, 19. Isa. 27. 3. Jer. 31. 23. presence of an active God, who will be a defence to you, a Shield to you, a Sword to you, a Buckler to you, a Sun to you, a strong Tower to you, a Salvation to you; none can withstand him, none can equal him, none can out act him. Fourthly, It is the presence of a wakeful God, of a watchful God, of a God that never, no ne­ver slumbers or sleeps; God will be so far from sleeping that he will not so much as slumber. Psalm 121. 3, 4, 5. The Phrase is taken from watchmen, who stand on the walls in time of war, to discover the approaches of E­nemies and accordingly give warning; Now watchmen have been treacherous and sleepy. The Capitol of Rome had been taken by the Gaules, if the Geese had not been more wakeful then the watchmen of the walls. Iphi­crates the Athenian Captain visiting the Guards on the walls of Corinth; found one of the watch asleep, and presently thrust him thorough with his sword, saying: Dead I found him, and dead I left him; though watch­men slumber and sleep, yet that God that is present with his People doth neither, his seven eyes are alwayes open. Fifthly, It is the presence of a wise God, of an omni­scient Ezech. 3. 9. Psalm. 33. 10, 11. Isa. 46. 10. Cap. 40. 28. Rom. 11. 33. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Jonh 1. 5. 1 Kings 14. 6 Matth. 26. 24, 25 God; God fills all things, he encompasseth all things, and he sustaineth all things, and therefore he must needs know all things. God can find Jonah in the bottom of the ship; and Jeroboam's Wife in her disguises; and Judas inhis Treason, and Demas in his Apostacy: [Page 217] and the Scribes and Pharisees in their hypocrisie. The 2 Timoth. 4. 10. Matth. 23. Rev. 4. 6. Heb. 4. 13. whole world is to him as a Sea of glass: Corpus diapha­num, A clear transparent body; there is nothing hid from his eyes, so that he that can but find out a place where God sees not, there let that man sin and spare not. All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do; [...], naked, as when the skin is pulled of, and [...], opened as the entrails of a Sacrifice, cut down the back. The Apostle, say some, useth a Metaphor taken from a sheep, whose skin is ta­ken off, and he hanged up by the neck, with his back to­wards the wall, and all his entrailes laid bare and ex­posed to open view. He alludes, say others, to the A­natomizing of a Creature, wherein men are very cau­tious to find out every little vein or muscle, though they be never so close. They are naked, therefore God sees their outside, and opened, dissected, quartered, and cleft asunder through the back bone, so that he sees their in­side also. Opened is more than naked; naked is that which is not cloathed or covered; opened is that whose inwards are discovered, and made conspicuous. Some make it a Metaphor, from those that lie with their faces upwards, that all Passengers may see who they are. Is it of such a comfort to have the presence of a wise, and knowing friend with us, in our greatest troubles, and deepest distresses; what a transc [...]ndent comfort must it be, to enjoy the presence of an all-seeing, and an all­knowing God, in all our troubles and distresses. The eye of Heaven sees all, and knows all, and writes down all thy troubles and trials, thy sorrows and sufferings, Matth. 6. 32. thy losses and crosses; and accordingly will an all-know­ing God act for his own glory and his Peoples good. Sixthly and lastly, It is the presence of a God of Mercy, a God of Bowels, a God of compassions. Jer. 31. 18, 19, Exod. 33. 7. 8. 20. Hosea 11. 8, 9. Lament. 3. 22. His compassions fail not. Mercy is as essential to God as light is to the Sun, or as heat is to the fire: He delights in mercy, as the senses and faculties of the soul do in their Micha 7. 18, 19. [Page 218] several actions: Patience and clemency, and mercy, and compassion, and peace are the fruits of his bowels, the of­spring which the Divine Nature doth produce; Gods compassions are Fatherly compassions, Psalm 103. 13. They are Motherly compassions, Isa. 49. 15. They are Brotherly compassions, Heb. 2. 12. They are Friendly compassions, Cant. 5. 1, 2. O how sweet must the pre­sence of a God of mercy, a God of compassion be to the Saints in a day of trouble? the presence of a compassio­nate Friend in a day of distress, is very desirable and comfortable; what then is the presence of a compassio­nate God? Thus you see that there is no presence to the Divine presence, no presence to the signal presence of God with his People, in their greatest troubles and deep­est distresses. But

Seventhly and lastly, If God be signally present with his People, in their greatest troubles and deepest di­stresses, then let them all know for their comfort, that this presence will make up the want or loss of all out­ward 1 Sam. 1. 8. comforts, this presence will make up the loss of a Husband, a Child, a Friend, an Estate, &c. Look as all light meets in the Sun, and as all water meets in the Sea, so all our outward comforts meet in the God of all 2 Cor. 1. 3. comfort. When Alexander asked King Porus, being then his Prisoner, how he would be used? He answered in one word, [...], i. e. like a King: Alexander again replying, Do you desire nothing else? No, saith Porus, all things are in [...], in this one word, like a King; so all things, all comforts are to be found in this signal presence of God with his People, in their greatest trou­bles and deepest distresses; certainly the gracious presence of the Lord is infinitely better than the presence of all outward comforts, as you know one Sun is more glo­rious and comfortable than ten thousand Stars.

But how may a person that has lost this gracious Quer. presence of God, recover it again?

First, Observe how you lost this presence of God, and Respon. labour to recover it by a contrary course; did you lose it [Page 219] by sinful omissions, then be more active in a way of du­ty. Didst thou lose the presence of God by neglecting thy watch, or by not walking with God, or by an eager pur­suit of the world, or by closing with this or that tempta­tion, or by letting fall thy communion with God; take a contrary course, now keep up thy watch, walk close with God, keep up a daily converse with lively Christi­ans, Psal. 119. 63. Col. 3. 1. [...]. let thy heart and affections be set upon things above, keep thy ground in the face of all temptations, maintain a standing communion with God. After Christ had stood knocking and calling to his Spouse [Open to me my Si­ster, my Love, my Dove, my Ʋndefiled, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night, Cant. 5. 2, 3, 6.] but found no entrance, he retired and withdrew himself, because she would not arise, and put on her coat; but when she bestirs her self, she finds him whom her soul loved, Cant 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. Then Christ comes into his garden again, and returns to his Spouse again, and forgets all former unkindness, Cap. 6. 1, 2. But,

Secondly, Enquire where, when, and why God has withdrawn himself, as we do when dear Friends absent themselves from us, O the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land, and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Verse 9. Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy Name, leave us not.

Thirdly, Stand not with Christ for any thing, not for a right eye, or a right hand, nor for an Isaac or a Benja­min, don't say this work is too high, and that too hard, and t'other too hot, and the other too dangerous, in order to the recovery of Gods countenance and presence, thou must not think any thing in the world too much to do for Christ, or to suffer for Christ; thou wilt be a happy man if thou canst recover Christs lost presence, though it be upon the hardest termes imaginable. But,

Fourthly, Let your hearts lye humble and low under Psal. 51. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. 1 Pet. 5. 6. the loss of Gods gracious presence: For, 1. 'Tis the greatest loss. 2. 'Tis a loss-imbittering loss, it is a loss that will greatly imbitter all your worldly losses; I have lost my health, I have lost a hopeful Child, I have lost a gracious yoke-fellow, which was the delight of mine eyes and the joy of my heart, I have lost a fair estate, I have lost an intimate Friend, I have lost a brave trade: O but that which imbitters all my losses and puts a sting into them, is this, that I have lost the gracious presence of God, that once I enjoyed. 3. 'Tis a loss that all out­ward comforts can never make up; when the Sun is down, nothing can make it day with us. 4. 'Tis an in­visible loss, and no losses to invisible losses as there are no mercies to invisible mercies, so there are no losses to invisible losses. 5. 'Tis a loss that will cost a man dear before it will be made up again. O the sighs, the groans, the strong crycs, the earnest prayers, the bottles of tears, that the recovery of the Divine presence will cost a Chri­stian, upon all which accounts, how well does it become a Christian to lye humble at the foot of God!

Fifthly, Lift up a mighty cry to Heaven: Thus the Saints of old have done: consult these Scriptures, Psal. 51. 6. to 13. Lam. 3. 56, 57. Psal. 4. 6, 7. Psal. 27. 9. Psal. 38. 21, 22. Psal. 138. 3. Psal. 119. 8. O forsake me Suidas saith, Job was clouded and to his sense and feeling forsaken seven [...]ears; But you are not bound to make this an Article of your Faith. not utterly; Christ was forsaken for a few houres, David for a few months, and Job for a few years, for the tryal and exercise of his faith and patience; but then they all sent up a mighty cry to Heaven: Leave them, God did to their thinking, but forsake them he did in regard of vision, but not in regard of union. The promise is, that God will draw near to us if we draw near to him, Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God in duty, and he will draw nigh to you in mercy; Sanctify him, and he will satisfie you. Prayer is the only means to supply all defects, it gets all, and makes up the loss of all, as a gracious poor women said in her distress, I have no Friend, but I have prayer, [Page 221] that will get favour with my God, so long as I can find a praying heart, God will (I am sure of that) find a pit­tying heart, and a helping hand. It is not the length, but the strength of prayer; it is not the labour of the lip, Jer. 29. 12, 13, 14. but the travel of the heart that prevails with God; it is not the Arithmetick of our prayers, how many they are, nor the Rhetorick of our prayers, how eloquent they be; nor the Geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the Musick of our prayers, how sweet they be; nor the Logick of our prayers, how methodical they be, that will carry the day with God, it is only fervency, impor­tunity in prayer, that will make a man prevalent with God. Fervent prayer hits the mark, carries the day, and pierceth the walls of Heaven, though like those of Gaza Jam. 5. 16, 17. Luk. 18. Isa. 45. 2. made of Brass and Iron. The Child has got many a kiss, and many a hug by crying; if God has withdrawn his presence, the best, the surest, and the readiest way to re­cover it, is to send up a mighty cry to Heaven. But,

Sixthly, Be sure you don't take up your rest in any Jer. 50. 6. Creature, in any comfort, in any contentment, in any worldly enjoyment. When the presence of God is with­drawn from you, say as Absalom, What is all this to me, 2 Sam. 14. 24, 28, 32, 33. so long as I am banished my Fathers presence, so long as I can't see the Kings face. When the Mother sees that the Child is taken with the baby, the rattle, the fiddle, she comes not in sight: If you take up your rest in any of the babies, in any of the poor things of this world, God will certainly keep out of sight, he will never honour them with his countenance and presence, who take up in any thing below himself, below his favour, below his presence. I have read of a devout Pelgrim, who going up to Jerusalem, was very kindly and nobly en­tertained in several places but still he cryed out, O but this is not Jerusalem, this is not Jerusalem! So when you cast your eye upon thiis Creature, or that, O then cry out, This is not the presence of God, this is not the presence of God; & when you begin to be tickled & [Page 222] taken with this and that enjoyment, with this or that contentment, O then remember, this is not the pre­sence of God, this is not the presence of God! Here is a gracious yoke-fellow, here are hopeful Chil­dren, here is a pleasant habitation, here is brave air, here is a gainful trade, &c. but what are all these to me, so long as my Sun is set in a cloud, and God has withdrawn his presence from me? Remember this once for all, that the whole world is but a barren Psal. 63. 1, 2, 3. wilderness, without the countenance and presence of God. But,

Seventhly and lastly. Patiently and quietly wait upon him in the way of his Ordinances for the recovery of his Exod. 20. 24. Mat. [...]8. 20. Isa. 64. 5. Psal. [...]7 4. Psal. 65. 4. Revel. 2. 1. Psal. 40. 1, 2, 3. Isa. 8. 17. Mich. 7. 7, 8, 9. Isa. 26. 8, 9. presence. Consult the Scriptures in the margin: Here God dwells, here he walks, here he makes known his glory, here he gives forth his love, here he vouchsafes his presence; when God is withdrawn your great business is to prize Ordinances, and to keep close to ordinances, till God shall be pleased to lift up the light of his countenance, and vouchsafe his presence to you; you will never recover the Divine presence by neglecting ordinances, nor by slighting ordinances, nor by turning your back upon ordinances, nor by entertain­ing low thoughts of ordinances. He that thinks ordinan­ces to be needless things concludes, 1. That the taking a­way of the Kingdom of Heaven from the Jews was no Mat. 21. 43. Joh. 5. 2. to 10. great judgment. 2. That the bestowing of it upon o­ther People is no great mercy. If God be gone, 'tis good to lay at the pool till he returns: There are many dear Christians who have lost their God for a time, but after a time they have found him again in the way of his ordi­nances; and therefore let no temptation draw thee off from ordinances, say, here I will live, here I will lie, here I will wait at the pool of ordinances, till the Lord shall return in mercy to my soul.

I shall follow this Discourse of the Divine presence with my earnest prayers, that it may from on high be [Page 223] so signally blest, as that it may issue in the furtherance of the internal and eternal good, both of Writer, Reader, and Hearer.

Soli Deo Gloria in Aeternum.