IN the words before my Text, we have the blessednesse of the Saints, enjoyed by them as dwellers in Gods House, Bles­sed is the man whom thou chusest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy House, even of thy holy Temple. The blessings frō God whereby his Saints are satisfied, are there­fore called the goodnesse of his House, because they are obtained by seeking God, w ^ch is the work and service of it. Mark 11. 17. Is it not written (saith [Page 2] Christ) my House shall be called of all Nations, the House of Prayer? His people are his House, Heb. 3. 6. therefore a praying people. The Psalmist therefore also in relation unto what he had to say of the goodnesse of his House, speaks to God un­der that title, vers. 2. O thou that hearest prayer, to thee shall all flesh come.

In my text we have the manner, how the Lord is pleased to answer the desires of his people: and that in two things.

• 1. In respect of the things obtained. God will answer them,
  • 1 By terrible things,
  • 2 In righteousnesse, how terrible soever the things are; that is,
    • 1 They shall not be without desert, Psal. 99. 8. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God, thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou too­kest vengeance of their inventions.
    • 2 His people shall not lose but gain there­by, for all is done in answer unto their petitions.
• 2. In respect of the giver of them.
  • 1 As a God of their salvation will he do it, By terrible things in righteousnes wilt thou ans­wer us, ô God of our salvation. They shal be as the morning cloud (saith God of his people Israel, Hos. 13. 3.) and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with a whirlewind out of the floore, and as the smoke out of the chimney; yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me▪ for there is no saviour besides me.
  • [Page 3]2 As such a God of salvation who is the con­fidence of all his people. Who art the confi­dence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea▪ How terri­ble soever his answer be, his people shall have cause to trust him still.

The words thus opened, I may give you the sum of them in these two conclusions.

• 1. That by terrible things the Lord answereth the prayers of his people.
• 2. That how terrible soever his answers he, yet all is done in righteousnesse, and he a Go [...] of their salvation still in what he doth, and the confidence of all his Saints and children.

I shall speak to both, chiefly I shall insist upon the former, in handling whereof I shall touch up­on the other.

The point of Doctrine then is this: That by terrible Doctrine. things the Lord answereth his peoples prayers. As the heavens heare the earth, and that as well by hasty Hosea 2. 21. showres and stormes, as by a gentle rain; and as 1 Cor, 15. the earth heare the corn, yet that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die: so the Lord heares his people, yet many times in wayes not pleasing to them at the present.

O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy pl [...], saith David, Psal. 68. [...]5. What are these [...]es, but where God is said to heare his people? Psal. 3. 4. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, he heard me out of his holy [...]ill. Psal. 18. 6. In my distresse I called upon the Lord, he heard my voice out of his temple. Now, as there is comfort from these holy places, so is he terrible [Page 4] from thence, & that not onely to his enemies, but also to his people. Thence is that speech of Mo­ses, Exod. 15. 11. that he is glorious in holinesse, fearfull in praises, doing wonders. A great return of prayer was his carrying Israel out of Egypt into Canaan. I have heard their cry (saith God) and am come down to deliver them, to bring them to a land flow­ing with milk and honey, Exod. 3. 7, 8. But he did it so, as many a time he made all their hearts to ake; witnesse their afflictions multiplied ere they got out, their sad condition by the sea, their bitter ex­postulations and complaints against Moses, Were there no graves in Egypt? &c. Exod. 14. 11. With reference to this, the Lords answering his people thus, Moses hath that passage in his song, Glorious in holinesse, fearfull in praises. Consider also his pro­ceedings with them afterward: he could have brought them to the mountain of his holinesse in few dayes; he leads them through a great and terrible Deut. 18. 15. wildernesse, where were fiery Serpents, Scorpions and drought; then caused many thousands of them there to perish. All this he did in answer unto prayer; Exod. 3. 7, 8. and upon the whole it was for their advantage. Deut. 32. 10. He led him about, instructed him, and kept him as the apple of his eye. Another most remark­able return of prayer, was the coming of the Lord Christ in flesh, Malac. 3. 1. The Lord whom yee seek, shall suddenly come into his Temple, but who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appea­reth? For he is like a Refiners fire, and like Fullers sope. Therefore is the day of his coming called a terrible day, Malac. 4. 5. Behold, I will send Eliah the Prophet, that is, John the Baptist, (Matth. 17. 12.) [Page 5] before the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. Called again, the great and terrible day of the Lord, Joel 2. 31. applied also to the first coming of Christ by Peter, Acts 2. 16. 21. so called, partly because his coming put his people to such hard things in the world; though Christ is sweet, his Refiners fire is very terrible. Would you have an higher instance yet? Then take that of Christ himselfe: he prayes his Father for his glory, John 17. 1. Father, glorifie thy Sonne. His Father grants it, gave him a name Phil. 2. 9. above all names, set him at his right hand, a Prince and Acts 5. 31. a Saviour, where is fulnesse of joy, and pleasures for ever­more. Psa. 16. 11. But ought not Christ to suffer, and so to enter in­to his glory? Yes; thus he answered the Lord Christ himselfe by terrible things: such things as made him cry so to his Father thrice, and that with teares, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me: and, why hast thou forsaken me? And as Christ is the pattern to which his brethren are to be conformed: Rom. 8. 29. so in answering them he makes them also many times cry out as forsaken; and Father, let this cup passe, let that passe from us.

Prayer makes work for prayer, the Lord in an­swering one bespeakes many: he will be sought to for his blessings: and, because he loves to heare his Spouse, and saith her voyce is sweet, he will not suffer Cant 2. 14 a dispatch by one, but many wrastlings. Iacob had prayed for his return; in his return he prayes, Gen. 32. 9. yet was he put again to wrastle, vers. 24. And for a further proofe of the point in hand, observe, that when he gets the fullest answer, conquers God himselfe; yet so, as he was touched in the hollow of his thigh, and that put out of joynt.

Another place for this purpose is, Psalm. 18. which is to be understood not of David onely, but of the whole Church of God, Cum David typum gerat Christi & Ecclesiae, rectè etiam ad certamina & victorias Chri­sti, atque adeo ad totius Ec­clesiae militiam in hac vita, ac­commodatur hic Psalmus à Pau [...], & ab aliis interpretibus. Moler. in Psal. 18. as it is applied by the A­postle, Rom. 15. 9. where he cites those words of this Psalm, v. 49. Therefore will I give thankes to thee, O God, among the heathen, to prove that the Church of God among the Gentiles, should praise his name. Now for our purpose, see what David, or the Church of God saith, vers. 6. In my distresse I cal­led upon the Lord, and cried unto my God, he heard my voice out of his temple: then the earth shook and trembled, the foundation also of the hils moved, and were shaken, be­cause he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his no­strils, & fire out of his mouth devoured: he bowed the hea­vens also and came down, and darknes was under his feet. He made darknes his secret place; the Lord also thundred in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice. All these are metaphoricall Allegoricè hic locus de­bet necessario capi, quia (praeterquam quod hoc Davidi evenisse in scripturis non legitur) non a­gic hic prophe­ta de singula [...]i aliqua libera­tione seorsim, sed de omni­bus è manu omnium im­micorum suo­rum. vers. 1. A­ [...]san [...]. expressions, whereby is set forth what terrible things God doth in the world, in answer to his peoples prayers; so terrible, as that when the an­swer comes, the Saints themselves are in the dark as touching his proceedings, even when he bowes the hea­vens, and comes down amongst us, that is, shewes him­selfe in his glory in our deliverance, Darknesse Caligo sub pedibus ejus, id est, quod o­pera & viae e­jus cognosci non possunt. Luther. Reas. 1. is un­der his feet; as the Psalmist also saith in a like case, Psal. 73. 16. I thought to understand this, (i e. his dealing with him) but it was too painfull for me. The reason is given, because the Lord had answered him in such a dreadfull way; when the wicked prosper (sayes he) all the day long am I plagued and chastened every morning,

The reason why he answeres thus is,

Because what God doth for his people, take one [Page 7] thing with another, is still in order to the crucify­ing of the flesh: and what more terrible than such a death? We pray for pleasing things, as we imagine, but as we are flesh as well as spirit, so the flesh hath still a part in every prayer, & what we beg, is partly carnall, and upon the matter, in part, we begge we know not what. Now the answer as it comes from God, take all together, is spirituall, which is a cru­cifying thing to sinfull flesh; hence comes in all the terrour. The two sonnes of Zebedee desire of Christ preferment in his kingdome, Matth. 20. 20. this for the main was a good request; but see what Christ sayes to it, v. 22. You know not what you ask: not that in his kingdome are no proferments, or that they were altogether sinfull in that petition; there was a spirit of faith in Christ, and love unto him, breathing in it; but they were partly carnall, in what they begged, therfore they understood not at what rate it must be granted; our Saviour therefore addes, Are yee able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of? and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with? intimating clearly that they thought they beg'd a pleasing thing, but that the answer would be terrible to flesh and blood: you see the reason; they were partly carnall in their suit; the answer would be spirituall when it came. Many fastings and prayers have been in these our dayes, & formerly, for setting up the throne of Christ amongst us; God wil answer rhat request, it is his promise, Psa. 2. but in wayes, it may be, more spirituall then we are apt to think. This mkes his answer in that very thing, not pleasing even to [Page 8] those who beg'd it of him. You pray for pardon, that is a pleasing thing, yet rightly understood, not pleasing to the flesh; it mortifies corruption, breaks the heart, engages to an holy life: every an­swer from our God to us, one way or other, first or last, shall tend that way. God useth so to give good things unto his children, as withall to give himself, and shew to them his heavenly glory in what is done: Jacob by wrastling conquered not his bro­ther onely, he vanquisht God himselfe. David prayed, Psal. 18. God answered him, and so, as he Cherubinis significatum est, qui iisdem vehebatur do­minum fuisse & regem qua­tuor cohortum seu castrorum Israelis. Quem­admodū enim principum quadrigae do­minorum suo­rum fulgent insignibus; ita hîc Cherubini fignis Jehovae regis Tetr [...]r­chiarum Israe­lis. Mede in A­poc. p. 3. 2 Cor. 12. 10 bowed the heavens and came down, he road upon the Che­rub, and did flye upon the wings of the winde; i. e. he gloriously appeared unto David in his delive­rance. The Cherubims we find in Scripture are still used in setting forth this glory of Christ appearing in and to his Church, Esay 6. 1. Ezek. 1. Rev. 4. 7, 8. therefore called Cherubims of glory, Heb. 9. 5. Now God is terrible to sinfull flesh: so farre as he ap­peares, it dies: Jacob therefore, whilst he conque­red God in prayer, himselfe was overcome; signi­fied by that touch upon his thigh put out of joynt, where the chiefest stresse in wrastling lies: When we are weake, then are we strong; because as God ap­peares, we die unto our selves, and live in him. So when he bowed the heavens and came down to David, yet so, as darknesse was under his feet, and he con­strained to live by faith, and trust him still in dark­nesse, notwithstanding all which God had done in his deliverance. This therefore is one reason why he answers thus, because the things we beg, though notioned by us as pleasing; yet rightly understood, as in themselves, and as they come from God, are terrible to sinfull flesh.

Besides what things are in themselves, the means Reas. 2 whereby they are accomplisht, many times, are ter­rible. Thus it was with Christ: God answered him in his ascension into glory; but the best and fittest way the wise God could chuse for this ad­vancement was by sufferings: Heb. 2. 10. It became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sonnes to glory, to make the Captaine of their salvation perfect through sufferings. When he had it in his choice, as having all things in his pow­er, because for him and by him are all things, this was the way that best became him in wisdome to take, as best and fittest for his purpose. Thus is his dea­ling too with us, he findes it many times the fittest way to bring what he intends for us to passe by suf­ferings. Thou prayest for the death of some cor­ruption; it may be to destroy that sin, he slayes thy first born, or dearest friend, ruines thy estate, or name, o [...] what is dearest to thee in the world; it may be those blessings were but fuell for thy lust to feed upon, or stole away thy heart from him. The greatest spirituall preferments of his people are by sufferings; the suffering Christian many times the richest: I know thy tribulation and thy poverty, but thou art rich, said Christ to persecured Smyrna, Rev. 2. 9. Our light affliction (sayes the Apostle) [...]keth for us a far more exceeding and eternall [...]aight of glo­ry; 2 Cor. 4. 17. Thus Haggai 2. 7. God sayes he will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: Prosperity and peace are the desire of all na­tions; the way whereby to answer that desire, it may be, God intends, and sees must be, a long and bloody war. Thus, I say, thoug [...] the things are sweet▪ [Page 10] the means sometimes are bitrer: this is another reason why his people are so answered by the God of their salvation.

Besides all this, another reason is, because in an­swering Reas. 3 his people, God hath more to doe, than barely to grant the thing desired: suppose the things we begge are sweet, yet what he hath besides to doe, puts him upon an answer by terrible things. As for instance:

1 God hath this to doe, either to make us wil­ling to receive his blessings, or to force the things upon us; either of which puts him upon his wayes of terrour. Christ was prayed for long, but who was able to abide his coming? The blessing of the promi­sed Malac. 3. land was prayed for long, but when the blessing came, they would not goe in and possesse the land, but speak of making Captaines to return to Egypt. Numb. 14. 4. We pray for strength against a sinne, yet are not willing it should die; sinne is our owne flesh, and every one by nature cherishes and loves it. We pray for pardon, but something to doe there is, to make us willing to be pardoned; the sinfull heart 2 Cor, 5. 20. would not be so engaged: His Oxen and his Fatlings are killed, but they who are invited, will not come, Mat. 22. 4. And how oft would I have gathered you (sayes Christ) but yee would not? Luke 13. 14. therefore what doth he? He breakes our hearts, strikes us with his poysoned arrowes, sets his terrours in ar­ray against us. We pray for liberty, for delive­rance, for reformation; when these are offer'd to us, we refuse them all, would be in bondage still, despise deliverance, and hate to be reformed: one man hath this end, another that, to keep up old [Page 11] wayes still; now therefore is he forced to admini­ster such physick to the kingdome, as makes it sick, whereby to purge out such corruptions; or if men will still have ends, to lay his matters so, as mens ends may serve for his; which is not done, it may be, but by turning things quite up side-downe; sometimes men goe right, because themselves are turned unto God; sometimes because things are turned, though they are still the same. Again, if that must be his way, to force good things upon us, as indeed what he bestowes, is seldome much estee­med till it be enjoyed; therefore, many times, he stayes not untill we are willing, but as it were with violence puts things upon us, so he gains our hearts, and we are made to say, We could not think that Christ had been so sweet. I say, if that must be his way to force a sinner in to Christ, or force a kingdome to be healed, you will grant, he must be terrible in what he does.

2 Besides his giving of the thing desired, this al­so hath he to doe, to sit his people for his blessings: should he bestow them presently, they would be curses, many times, not blessings to us, or cast away upon us. A man prayes for comfort, it may be he not sit for comfort; he prayes for such an earthly blessing, should it be granted, it might be his ruine: were the people of God altogether free from feare of enemies, it may be, they are now of such a tem­per, as to fall upon each other, and with as much eagernesse and vigor, as they have against the com­mon adversary; witnesse that bitternesse and envy still amongst us; and where strife and envy is, sayes James 3. 16. the Apostle, there is confusion, and every evill work. [Page 12] Those divisions which now hinder our procee­dings, would mischiefe us much more, had we ob­tained our desires against our enemies: therefore now is he forced to make delayes, and carry on his work by such steps, whereby to exercise his people with afflictions, thereby to bring them lower, to weare off such inordinate affections, to fit them for the mercy when it comes. Were we again in peace both from without, and with our selves, he sees, it may be, we should love the world too well; there­fore by lengthening out our trouble, he weanes us from the world: you may discern this hath a part in his delayes, because a worldly spirit is a cause of our distractions; were men more single hearted for God, and lesse for worldly ends, the businesse of the kingdome would goe on more smoothly: what God intends to be removed, he suffers to be cause of our afflictiōs. Thus was he forced to carry Israel into Canaan by the wildernesse, there to wander long, & suffer much, when as he could have carried them a nearer way in few dayes, to humble them, to Deut. 8. 2. 16. prove them, to doe them good in the latter end.

He answers us by terrible things, because in Reas. 4 righteousnesse he doth it. By terrible things in righte­ousnesse wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation. Such an answer David had, Psalm 18. (as you have heard) what sayes David thereupon, verse 20? The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, ac­cording to the cleannesse of my hands hath he recompen­ced me. With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy self mer­cifull; with the upright man thou wilt shew thy selfe up­right; with the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward. That is, in hearing praier he deales with persons [Page 13] much according as they deale with him. Three wayes he answereth us in righteousnesse by answering by terrible things. First, by this means in bestow­ing mercies, he takes occasion to chastise his peo­ple for their sinnes, Psal. 99. 8. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God, thou wast a God that forgavest them, although thou tookest vengeance for their inven­tions. A poore soule begges of God an enjoyment of himselfe, in the comforts of his Spirit; but, it may be, walketh not so close with Christ as ought to be; is carelesse of his service, eaten up with worldly cares and lusts; God answers that petition, yet so, as he teaches him another lesson, makes him see and feele with sorrow what it is to sinne, brings him un­to those enjoyments through bitter trials and affli­ctions. What he doth in answering p [...]titions, is a branch of the administration of the kingdome of Christ, who is a righteous King, A Scepter of righte­ousnesse is the Scepter of thy kingdome, Psal. 45. 6. True it is, that Christ hath fully satisfied his Fa­thers justice for his people; they are without Ephes. 5. 27▪ spot or wrinkle in his sight; therefore his afflicting them for sinne, is not to fill up any satisfaction un­to Gods eternall wrath, that was finished upon the Crosse, Col. 1. 20. but for his perfecting that work, wherein he is ingaged for their good; affli­ctions are a means whereby he trains them up, and fits them for that glorious inheritance which hee hath purchas'd for them: therefore this his justice in his dealings with them, is founded in his love, it is a Fathers justice; therefore also, is a part of what he answers unto their petitions. Suppose a Father by a price redeems his sonne, rescues him from [Page 14] the justice of the law; that sonne is liable to his fathers justice notwithstanding, is corrected by him, and the rather, because of his redemption. Thus is it with Christ, who by redemption frees us from eternall wrath, yet not to live in sinne, or as we list; no, when we are taken out of the state of nature, and delivered from the curse, yet are we put into a Kingdome, that a righteous Kingdome, there to be governed, if need be, to suffer too, under the Scepter of our king.

Onely take this in by way of caution; you must distinguish betwixt the justice of this Kingdome, and the justice of a Creatour to his Creature, and that two wayes.

1. First, in respect of the subject; the justice of this kingdome is the justice of a Father, the other of a Judge without all such ingagements. A Fa­thers justice is a rule, which he takes up in his pro­ceedings with his children, m [...]erly out of love to doe them good by his rewards and punishments; should a father punish and reward without some rules of justice, he should abuse his children and himselfe; and yet a father cannot doe, no not in ju­stice, that in punishing, which others can, lest he wrong himselfe and them; yet justice notwithstan­ding, but a fathers justice. The eternall pardon stands; yet God, as a father, hath another pardon, which sometimes he will not grant unto his chil­dren. Matth. 18. 35. He refused as to this worlds punishment to forgive that sinne of Moses at the waters of Meribah, Numb. 20. 12, 13.

2. In respect of the end; In the Creatours ju­stice, the end of punishments is onely the glory of [Page 15] the Creatours justice, in which case, summum jus est jus, and there is no sparing; therefore he stirrs up all his wrath against the wicked, contends for ever with them, will be alwayes wroth. But in the justice of this kingdome, the end of punishing is the glory of the justice of that kingdome, in which the good of the person punished is included; therefore Christ sometimes can have his end by sparing, then he spares, sometimes by lesse afflictions, then he takes a lesse, if not, he comes with seven times Levit. 26. 24. more; yet never to the full desert of any sinne: Thou Psal. 103. 10. hast not dealt with us after our sinnes, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Thus, I say, this cau­tion taken in, the Lord in his rewards and punish­ments amongst his subjects, deales according unto rules of justice, and answers all petitions still in righteousnesse, and that so, as I may adde, although he frees his people from eternall wrath, yet in his righteous dispensations in this life, he punisheth his people more severely, many times, than wicked persons; he hath rods for them, which those who are his enemies, seldom or never feel; afflictiōs that will not fasten on a rotten unbeleeving heart, the hidings of his face, woundings of the spirit with apprehensious of a fathers not displeasure: sel­dom have we found a wicked person suffering such things as Job, struck with such poysoned arrowes, the poyson drinking up his spirit, besides the losse of his estate and children, with sharp dis­eases on his body: or as David, when hee was wounded and sore broken, and roared by reason of the disquietnesse of his heart, no soundnesse in his flesh, be­cause of his anger, nor any rest in his bones because of [Page 16] his sinne, Psa. 38. Then here's the case, many things you begge of God, he heareth all; but in his an­swer he hath something to say to your sins, as well as unto you; something to your pride, your self­love, your unbeliefe, unfruitfulnesse, love of the world, want of love and tendernesse [...]nto his peo­ple; all which, and much more that he hath to say, must have a part in his answer to your prayers. Thus you see this is one way, wherein because he answereth in righteousnesse, his answer is by terrible things: should it be onely by things pleasing, this could not be.

2. He answereth in righteousnesse by terrible things, because by this meanes he allots to every one the fittest portion, most for his owne glory, and his peoples good; such things for some are best, and most for their advantage; therefore to some he gives more, to some lesse, to some nothing of that which is petitioned, designing unto them a fitter blessing; some he answeres by denying what is beg'd, which also in the issue proves the swee­test answer. He intended Joshuah and Caleb a dou­ble portion in the land of promise, others in the wildernesse to fall; therefore he tries the people, to see who was of such a spirit, to follow the Lord fully, Numb. 14. 2 [...]. as Caleb did, thence he took occasion, and found wayes to cut off many thousands; in all which yet he rejected not his peoples prayers▪ Moses and Aaron were in the number: hee carried many of them into heaven, though not into Canaan; and he saw it was for their advantage to be answered so▪ Thus, I say, he provides for every one the fittes [...] portion; so as all this is in righteousnesse, how ter­rible [Page 17] soever his answer be, and none shall have oc­casion to complain at last, but shall acknowledge, he is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works: Psal. 14 [...]. 1 [...] Psal. [...]7. 2. though clouds and darknesse are round about him, that righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of his throne, Psal. 97. 2.

3. In righteousnesse by terrible things yet further, because hereby his enemies, or false though seem­ing friends, are disappointed, and cut short of that which he intends for others; for whilst he an­swers thus, they are offended, they stumble and fall to back-slidings, and apostasies from God, and open enmity against him; which were before ordain­ed Jude [...]. to that condemnation, as the Apostle speakes up­on the like occasion. Should he answer still by pleasing things, they would continue in the work, and cause of God, and so be sharers in the blessings which he intendeth for no such. Thus in bestow­ing Christ upon his people, because of his Refi­ners fire, and Fullers sope, whom he intends for ruine, stumble at him, as a stone of offence, rejecting Luke 7. [...]. the counsell of God against themselves: therefore sayes the Prophet, because of his Refiners fire and Fullers sope, who shall stand when he appeares? the wicked else would stand in the judgement, I mean, in this life, and sinners in the congregation of the righteous. Now it is a righteous thing with God in answering his people, to doe it so, as such may be discovered, and receive accordingly, who are unsound and false; which is not done but by his answering by terrible things: at the same time, and by the self­same meanes, whereby his children are corrected, a pit is digging for the wicked, Psal. 94. 12, 13. I have [Page 18] stay'd the longer in opening this fourth Reason of the point, because it is the second observation from the words, which would not be omitted in handling the text, I suppose you see it was not a­misse to doe it here.

I come now to application.

Use 1 Learn from hence what great necessity there is of a new and [...]pirituall heart, in you who are in­trusted in the work of God, that you may prosper in it. That great work of his, which is to be the answer of his peoples prayers for this Kingdome for many ages, divine providence hath put into your hands ( Honorable and worthy Senatours): consi­der therefore what you have to doe; the work is in Gods hands still, more than in yours, his answer it will be as well as yours to the kingdome: the an­swer of God unto his people will be in terrible things; now therefore of necessity, if you miscarry not in this your service, you must be Saints, there must be a through work of God vpon your souls, and you not onely almost but altogether Christians: otherwise you'l meet with such rocks and stones of offence, as though you goe far in a good cause, at last you will stumble and fall, so as to forsake your true interest and felicity; each man according to his temper, and sinfull frame of spirit, will warp and turn aside to wayes destructive and pernicious both to himselfe, and to the kingdome. Were it a work of another constirution, so as the prayers of the Saints had no such influence upon it, a noble and heroick spirit, which an unregenerate man may have, might carry you on and through without [...]alting; but since the work is such, wherein the [Page 19] Church of God is so concerned, you'l meet so much of the Refiners fire, and Fullers sope, as that which is but drosse and stubble (the best of Natures excel­lencies, not sanctified, are no better) cannot stand before them; nothing but the integrity and up­rightnesse of a spirituall heart will carry you along without a fall. As for Natures gifts of wisdome & abilities of reason, wherein, through the goodnes of God, any of you most abound, so far as you are not renew'd and sanctifi'd by Christ, they are all in▪ grost by sinne, a most deceitfull thing, which will abuse the wisest; and by how much the stronger Heb. [...]. 1 [...] your reason is, when time serves that sinne is throughly provoked, so much the more desperate­ly will you fall; whereas a spirituall heart goes smoothly on, what ever provocation comes; it is not led aside by base and selfish ends, it lives and prospers in a fiery tryall, it shrinks not in the wet­ting, it knowes to dwell with everlasting burnings; that place, ( Esay 33. 14.) I suppose is meant of this worlds fire; a pertinent place for this our pur­pose. The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites: who shall dwell with devou­ring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppression, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill; he shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the mountainous rocks; bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure; that is, he shall have comfort in his condition, how sad soever to [Page 20] the eye of reason. Shal I give you an example in this case? Take that of Saul; he was the likeliest of all the people for abilities of nature; he miscarries, he pe­rishes in the work of God, for want of an holy heart. Take Jehu for another, hee was a forward man, his heart was naught, his ends corrupt, that ruin'd his posterity, and lost him utterly the comfort of all his actions done for God: what he did against the house of Ahab, though at Gods command, was by God himselfe return'd upon his head as mur­der: that I suppose to be the meaning of that place, Hosea 1. 4. Thus saith the Lord, I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu.

Now therefore, besides all other strong engage­ments to repentance, and turning unto God, the beauty and excellency of Christ, the comforts of an holy life, the sweetnesse of a pardon, the bles­sing of a quiet peacefull conscience, the glory of the life to come; see here is one, which in reason you cannot withstand. As you would the work of God should prosper in your hands, your selves be happy in it, your names of blessed memory to all posterity; as you would not be the builders, who refuse that stone which God will make the head of the corner, in stead of a blessing be a curse to this kingdome, and the Christian world; a­mongst all your labours and unwearied travell of your souls, labour also and take paines with your own hearts, that you may beleeve in Christ, and turn to God, so as there be a through work upon your souls, and you Christians not onely in profes­sion, but so indeed: you who have already done it, to increase and grow up into Christ, yet to a more [Page 21] spirituall and heavenly temper; you who as yet are strangers to the life of God, now to begin. And let not any be afraid of such a work; it's true, the God of your salvation will answer you by ter­rible things; pardon of sinne will breake your hearts; count upon it, if Christ comes into your soules, he brings fire with him; he shall baptize you Luke 3. 15. with the holy Ghost and with fire: you shall have try­als of all sorts; but all shall be in righteousnesse, and he a God of salvation still in all, and you shall say there is no cause you should complain against him: you shall dwell with devouring fire, dwell, that is, you shall have peace and quietnesse, and rest in all: therefore you see also, notwithstanding all his ter­rours, he is the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the Sea; those Seas which are the farthest off from shore, whose waves are highest, whose winds are most tempestuous and full of storms. Ask his people, see if ever any of them yet complained, he that brings two talents Matth. 2 [...]. to foure, or five to ten, only he thinks much and hard­ly of his service, that hath but one, and hides it in a napkin. And can any think so to escape the ter­rours of the Lord, by shunning of his service? if by terrible things he answereth his people, in what sort may you imagine will he answer such who are not his, who despise his counsels, cast his precepts be­hind Prov. 1. 25. Psa. 50. 17. their backes, and hate to be reformed? If the righ­teou [...]e scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly & the sin­ner appeare? how will he stirre up all his wrath against 1 Pet. 4 18. Psa. [...]8. 38. Prov. 1. 26. them, laugh at their destruction, and mock when their feare cometh?

Use 2 In pursuance of this work of God upon your [Page 22] souls, I shall adde a second use of this point, and it is this; The God of our salvation, you see, answereth Phil. 2. 12. us by terrible things; then work out your salvation with feare and trembling. Take heed (brethren) of a carelesse common and profane spirit in this work; Where God is terrible you must feare before him; therefore if that be wanting, what ever is attemp­ted or pretended in Religion, there is nothing done: if you advance one step forward in the new birth, it is an answer from God, and it is in things terrible to the flesh: his answer is a tearing of the soul up by the roots, and planting of it into Christ; a breaking of the heart in pieces by a sense of sin, a subduing of the soul to the power of his grace, a crucifying of the flesh; such things cannot be done in you, but you must feare and tremble in the work: therefore whilst you goe on in your profession of religion, with common▪ carelesse hearts, and what you doe is slightly done, as some­thing by the by, not much regarded, all such religi­on can be but little worth. Some men (sayes the A­postle) have a form of godlinesse, denying the power 2 Tim. 3. 5. thereof; that is, they doe as other Christians doe, there is the form, but with a common, carelesse spi­rit, so as there is nothing done in power. There­fore think upon it well, and be perswaded; if this will not awaken you, that all your godlinesse will be in vain, know also that the issue of it will be ter­rible at last; it shall not be in vain, as to that mis­chiefe that will follow: such profession of religi­on undoes thousands; it ends in fearfull back­slidings and apostasies from God: you'l rest in formes a while, untill at last you grow weary of [Page 23] your formes, and cast off all; having escaped the pol­lutions 2 Pet. 2. 20. of the world, that is, the grosser evils for a season, you'l be again intangled and overcome, and the latter end of such is worse than the beginning. A dan­gerous thing it is to be religious, and not through in the work. When Satan is cast out, and comes again Mat. 12. 44, 45. and enters, he finds his house swept and garnished; such halfe conversions are the sweepings, and garnish­ings of Satans house, whereby a soule becomes much fitter for his use; he can doe more mischiefe by apostates than by others, accordingly he comes with seaven Devils worse than himself, and dwels there, that is, hath that soul faster in possession than be­fore: all this for want of working out salvation with feare and trembling; when as it is not made a busi­nesse to save the soule, and what is done, is not with care Esay 63. 17. Those that wander from the wayes of God, are said to be such, whose hearts are har­dened against his feare: therfore also when the Lord would shew, how he would make an everlasting co­venant with his people, so as [...]e would not turn away from them to doe them good, he sayes he will put his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him. Jer. 32. 40.

Use 3 Let this beget in you a right understanding of the Lords proceedings, even when he exerciseth you with sharpest trials and afflictions; and learn to take things well from him what ever comes; by terrible things he answers you; will you think amisse of what he does in answering your prayers? were it an unnecessary trouble put upon you, there were colour for offence, but what he does in all such things it is for you; it is no more than what you [Page 24] begge of him with tears bespeakes; and all you see is done in righteousnesse and judgement. By terrible things in righteousnesse wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation. Suppose he makes you walk in dark­nesse, in a sad condition, and you see no light; yet trust Esay 50. 1 [...]. in the name of the Lord, and stay upon your God: trust not so much to what you see in things, as what you see in him; therefore that is the counsel of the Pro­phet, trust in his name, stay upon him. You, it may be, have been begging comfort, healing for your souls, assurance of his love; he answers you with terrours; yet trust him still, it is an answer notwithstanding. Long have you wrastled with him for the king­dome, he answers you by earthquakes, lightening, and thunder, as David hath exprest it, Psal. 18. as you heard before, The earth shook and trembled, the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken; the Lord thundred also in the heavens, the most high gave his voice, hailstones and coles of fire. Thus when you feele the very roots and foundatins of the king­dome to shake under you, all this is no more but towards an answer to those teares which he hath put into his bottle; your own prayers, so far as they have had a power with God, have been some cause of all these shakings; and you shall see at last, how terrible soever his answer be, in righteousnes he doth it, and that not onely as to your deserts but, as to your advantage, and the kingdoms peace: therefor [...], I say, learn from hence to take things well from him, and trust him still what ever comes; be confi­dent, though clouds and darknesse are round about him, P [...]. 97. [...]. righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of his throne: though darknesse be under his feet, and you [Page 25] not understand his way at present, yet he bowes the heavens and comes down amongst you, is the God of your salvation still. See what the Saints have done in such a case in former times. Moses in the wilder­nesse, in those afflictions which befell the people, speaks for himself and them, Psa. 90. 1. O Lord, thou art our habitation in all generations. Little cause was there in sight so to speake; they had not where to lay their heads but in a tent, that in a wildernes, the Lord who was their shelter, all they had, brake in upon them in his wrath, consumed many thousands of the people; yet see what faith will say to this; Lord, thou art our habitation in all generations: not only in times of peace, but in the saddest seasons. So David, Psal. 38. 15. when as he ro [...]red by reason of the disquietnesse of his heart, in thee, O Lord, doe I hope, sayes he, and thou wilt heare me, O Lord my God; as Iob sayes in a like condition, though he kils me, yet I'le trust him; and you see that neither of them trusted God in vain. The poore Canaanitish woman, she came begging unto Christ, and laid open her con­dition; at first he answered her not a word, this was terrible; when he spake it was in terrour, I am not sent (saith he) but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and, it is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it unto dogges; what terrible things are here? yet she goes on, Lord help me, the dogges have crummes, she speeds accordingly, all these terrours made but way, to that which was the sweetest answer that her soul could wish; O woman great i [...] thy saith, be it un­to thee even as thou wilt: you have the story, Matth. 15. 22. You must not take one piece of his an­swer, and say that is all, take all together, then you'l [Page 26] see the summe is this, be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Thus I say what ever terrours or afflictions come, what ever shakings or tremblings of the moun­tains, what ever lightnings or thundrings in wrath, take nothing ill from him, bate nothing of your thankfulnes, nothing in your confidence and trust, nor be discourag'd, you who labour in the work of God.

Use 4 Observe from hence where lies your comfort and security in your proceedings in the work; it lies not in a shifting off, or stepping over this or that crosse you find stil in the way; it lies in that the work you have in hand is Gods, and that you act according to his mind and will; as for crosses in his work, you see ye must expect them, and by shifting one, you soon may have another ten times worse. The malice and the wrath of men will swell against you, evill tongues if they have not one thing to say, will have another, they are set on fire of hell, no water upon earth will quench them; ene­mies Iames 3. 6. will multiply, & possibly renew their strength, after an ebbe there comes a flood; friends also will some be false, some angry, crosse and peevish; passe not for these things, your security stands not in ex­emption from them, in vain it is to seek it, such things must be, but here it lies, that you in upright­nesse and singlenesse of [...]eart, act for God, and for your countrey, in carrying on his work: therefore if any thing lie heavie upon your hearts in your proceedings, think not to bate your burthen by sin­full condescensions, or deserting of the truth, no, you shall goe on and prosper because of truth, & meek­nesse, and righteousnesse, even whilst your right hands [Page 27] teach you terrible things, against the enemies of God and of the kingdom, what ever falshood, injurie, or ingratitude you meet withall from others. And you must expect that those who serve and save a king­dome, where still are persons of all sorts, must ever act upon such terms: it is with you in this, as with the Lord himself, by answering in righteousnes, you shall not answer pleasing things to all; but here's your comfort, what you doe for God is under his protection, and he ingaged therein much more than you.

Use 5 Learn also hence, when things succeed not to your mindes, not presently to blame the instru­ments; the terrible things, you see, come from ano­ther spring, they take their rise from God, yea from his love to you who are his people, partly from your own petitions; fret not then so much at se­cond causes, the successe of things is ordered by an higher hand; I was silent, sayes David, because thou Psal. 39. 9. didst it, say you so too. As God hath laid his plot with circumstances put together, it is not this or that w ^ch you may think was il neglected, or il done, had it been otherwise, could shape out such an an­swer as the Lord intends for you at last: then mur­mure lesse at creatures, and look up more to God, the answer you expect is to be his as well as theirs.

Use 6 If this be so, then dare not to be lifted up against each other, by any good successe which God hath given us; great things the Lord hath done for us against our enemies; from hence we take a libertie and boldnesse to despise, hate, persecute, and envie one another, take heed of this, that God who answereth by terrible things, who makes darknes his [Page 28] secret place, his pavilion round about him dark waters Psal. 18. 11. and thick clouds of the skies, may cause, for ought you know, these liftings up to be but for a season, and occasions of a greater fall; who then may dare from what the Lord hath done, to take a libertie to despise, or set himself against his brother? You have not had your answer yet; God hath more to say; ere he hath done, his answer may be quite ano­ther thing than you imagine; something he hath to say to your sinnes as well as unto you, (as you have heard) among the rest, to such divisions, strife and bitternesse amongst his children: when we were low, we loved better, then was no such noise of our contentions and invectives one against ano­ther which now fils our eares; and what follows? the best gifts for want of love are uselesse, men of good abilities are made unprofitable, like sounding brasse, or tinkling Cymbals, making a noise in the 1 Cor 13. 1. world to no purpose: God sees all this, & certainly will not be silent in it. He forgave to us a debt of ten Math. 18. 27, 28. thousand talents, in all his great deliverāces wrought amongst us, had he taken advantage at our sins, he had destroy'd us utterly; now if we take our fellow-servants by the throat for a few pence, will he not have somewhat to say to this? then feare thus to provoke that God who answereth his Saints by terrible things. You heard before what cause from hence you have, to work out your salvation with feare and trembling; give me leave here to renew that ex­hortation, the rather, because one main thing in­tended by the Apostle in that his counsell, Phil. 2. 12. is that in their working out salvation, they should travaile so in the way to life, as not to fall [Page 29] out by the way. He speaks to Saints, he calls them so, chap. 1. 1. sayes it was meat for him to think so of them all, therefore by working out salvation, he mea­neth not so much their labour after their first en­trance into Christ, but after those enjoyments of God which beleevers, in his service, in this life ob­tain, which is the work and busines of a Christian in this world; salvation beginneth here, therefore the Church is called Heaven. So Psal. 132. 16. I Matth. 13. 31, Matth. 16. 19. will cloath her Priests with salvation, which must be meant of something in this life. Now because he that in pursuance of a Christians work shall perse­cute his brother, worketh not with feare, but is in­solent, bold and proud, therefore the Apostle in opposition unto all such strife among brethren, bids them work out their salvation with feare & trem­bling: see what he sayes both before and after, you'l find that is his scope; be ye like minded, sayes he v. 2. that is, one towards another, Rom. 15. 5. having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, let nothing be done through strife and vainglory, but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteem others better than themselves, thus did Christ, sayes he, and lost not by it, by humbling himselfe he was exalted, wherefore, sayes he, work out your salvation with feare and trembling; he brings it in with a wherefore upon what he had said before of brotherly love and mutuall forbearance, and in the words following pursues the same subject, doe all things without murmurings and disputings: so as I say this feare and trembling in working out salvation, he opposes, as to a common carelesse spirit in reli­gion, as was shewed before, so to that liberty and boldnesse which they took, in despising, hating and [Page 30] striving with each other: the truth is, these two go still together, commonnesse or profanesse of spirit in a Christians work, and pride or bitternesse one a­gainst another. The Apostle puts them again toge­ther, Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men, that is op­pos'd to bitternes, & holines, that's opposed to pro­fanesse: therefore it followes, looking diligently lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble you, and lest there be a profane person like Esau: that man was emi­nently guilty in them both. A bitter spirit is al­wayes Jam. 3. 14, 15. 1 Tim. 6. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 3. in the same degree a common and profane spirit in religion, what ever zeale and forwardnesse may seem to be: there is much profession of reli­gion, not so much of the feare of God, that is the cause of so much gall & wormwood now-a-dayes. Look in what degree the true feare of God and ho­linesse prevails, so far they will not suffer it in any soule. The Apostles reason also which he addes, is most remarkable; For (sayes he) it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to doe of his good plea­sure; intimating that it was their pride and selfe­confidence, that was the cause of all their strife, for­getting who it was that made any of them to ex­cell; as if he should have said, Have any of you gifts, or graces, any strength or joy? God can cause those gifts to wither, he can withdraw and take away your joy and comfort, he worketh in you both to will and to doe, and that of his good pleasure; therefore feare and tremble to despise each one his brother. What we doe in all such bitternesse and strife, we think is in pursuance of the work of God in the way to life, Joh. 16. 2. they shall think they doe God service, sayes our Saviour; but if he be [Page 31] our Master, and we work for him, where is his feare Malac. 1. Rom. 14. if we despise or judge our fellow-servants? Be zea­lous for God, and so, as not to be bitter one against another; zeale, if not right, will turn into bitter­nesse, and bitternesse will soon kindle a false zeale. To conclude, if therefore now the Lord hath wrought for us deliverance, we take incourage­ment to sinne that way, besides what other dread­full things we may expect from him, loe this is one, profanenesse & commonnesse of spirit will grow upon us, and (as the Apostle sayes) our religion will be in vain, James 1. 26. God shall withdraw him­selfe, and we be short of our enjoyments of him; work we may, but no salvation will be wrought out by us; 1 Iohn 3. 14, 15. he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death; and whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer, and we know that no murderer hath eter­nall life abiding in him.