Sermons on Psalm 119

Doctr. In deep distress we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose for his people's relief.

• I. I shall open the Notion of a Surety.
• II. Shew, Why we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose.

1. For the Notion of a Surety. Symmachus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 receive me into thy protection for good. Septuagint, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , suscipe servum tuum. 'It is a Phrase taken from men when they are Sureties for a Debtor, to take him out of the hands of a cruel Creditor, who is ready to cast him into prison. And thus the Prophet speaketh to God, when he was in extreme danger, and could think of no help but God's. First, It implieth the danger imminent, when a Sergeant hath attached a man, and he is ready to go to prison, and there is no means for him to escape, unless somebody be his Surety to answer all the challenges and demands of the Law. In this sense Hezekiah used it, Isai. 38. 14. I am oppressed, •… dertake for me. He spake it when he was summoned to the Grave, to pay the debt we all owe to Nature, I am like a poor Debtor called to pay my debt speedily; therefore, Lord, be my pledge, deliver me out of this danger. So doth David here, when the proud were cruelly set upon his destruction: we are driven to God alone, and beat to the Throne of Grace by our miseries; yea, God lets the affairs of his people run on to loss and ruin, till we be in the condition of a Debtor, going to prison; he reserveth himself for such occasions, till brought nigh to utter ruin, and all other inferior reliefs fail. And we must be content it should be so; for there is no use of a Surety, till we are attached. Imminent danger giveth notice that the Lord is coming.

Secondly, That this distress and misery cometh as a debt respecting God's Laws and the higher Court, where all things are decreed and sentenced before they are executed in the world; so it is a Debt that must be paid, and distress is God's Arrest. God is compared to a Creditor, Luke 7. 41. therefore the miseries of God's people are expressed by Chains, Stocks, Prisons, Fetters, words that relate to a judicial proceeding. To Chains, Lam. 3. 7. He hath made my Chain heavy. To Stocks, Job 13. 27. Thou puttest my feet into the Stocks. To a Prison, Psal. 142. 7. Bring my Soul out of Prison. To Fetters, Job 36. 8. And i •… they be bound in Fetters, and holden in Cords of afflictions. To a Debt that must be paid, so is sin considered with respect to its punishment, Matth. 6. 12. Luke 11. 4. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. God puts the Bond in suit, the instruments are but as Sergeants and Officers, to demand of us satisfaction for breach of Covenant with God. They think not so, neither doth their evil heart mean so; but so it is in God's purpose. When you are in trouble God hath committed you to prison, and there is no coming out without submission and humiliation, urging the satisfaction of Christ. You are sent thither by God's authority, and there is no getting out without his leave.

Thirdly, That the party is insolvent and is undone, unless some Course be taken to satisfy the Creditor: he cannot help himself by his own wisdom and strength out of the danger. The Debtor in the Gospel had not to pay, Matth. 18. 25. why else should we look after a Surety, Job 17. 3. Put me in a surety with thee: who is he that will strike hands with me? Man is not able to stand alone under the weight of his afflictions, 'tis a burden too heavy for us to bear. We have no might, 2 Chron. 20. 12. God's people are often brought into such a Case; when the principal is not solvendo, the Surety answereth: we are weak, but he is strong; we are not able to subsist. They exceed us in carnal advantages; if force be to be resisted by force, they will easily overcome us, unless another that is stronger than we undertake for us.

Fourthly, That the Surety taketh upon him the Debt of the principal person, and is to be responsible for it. God hath taken our obligation upon himself, to pay our Debts, to oppose himself against all our wrongs. He will take our Cause as his own, Psal. 9. 4. For thou hast maintained my right, and my cause, and in his own time and manner will show it to the world, and justify us against our enemies. Oh how should our hearts rejoice in this, that he will be the party responsible, make our Cause his own, and be liable to the Suit as a Debtor is to the Creditor! He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye, Zach. 2. 8. He that despiseth you, despiseth me. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Acts 9. 4. And Isai. 63. 8. And he said, Surely they are my people, Children that will not lie; so he was their Savior.

Fifthly, God is a sufficient Surety. Here we may consider two things, The satisfaction of Christ, and, The power of God's Providence: in respect of both which he is a Pledge and Surety every way sufficient for our comfort, safety, and deliverance.

1. I would not leave out Christ's satisfaction, though it lie not so full in this Text; for as God hath a hand in all our sufferings, and all our affairs are determined in an higher Court, this satisfaction is necessary to answer the Controversy and Quarrel of God's Justice against us. Thus Christ the Second Person is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 our Surety, Heb. 7. 22. Christ is the surety of a better testament. There is a double sort of Surety, by way of caution and satisfaction, as Sureties in case of Debt, and Sureties for good behavior; the one for what is past, the other for what is to come. The example of the one we have in Paul for Onesimus, Phil. 18. If he hath wronged or owed thee ought, put it upon my account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, and I will repay it. An example of the other we have in Judah. for Benjamin, Gen. 43. 9. I will be Surety for him, at mine hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever. In both these respects Christ is a Surety, he is our Surety as a Surety undertaketh for another, to pay his debt; and he is our Surety as he hath undertaken that his redeemed ones shall keep God's Laws, be carried safe to Heaven. Of his Suretyship by way of caution we speak now. Though Theodoret understand that in the Text, undertake for me that I shall keep thy Laws; but 'tis more proper to consider the Speech as it referreth to the payment of our debt, by virtue of this Suretyship. Solomon hath assured us, Prov. 11. 15. that he that is Surety for another, shall smart for it, or be broken and bruised. The same word is used concerning Christ, Isai. 53. 10. he was our Surety, and was bruised and broken, suffered what we should have suffered; we have a right to appear to God's Justice, but our Surety having made a full satisfaction for us, God will not exact the Debt twice, of the Surety and the Principal. When the Ram was taken, Isaac was let go. Job 33. 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit, for I have found a ransom. Well then, as our punishment is a due Debt to God's Justice, the Lord Christ undertaketh or is become a Surety for us; not only our Advocate to plead our Cause, but our Surety to pay our Debt; from a Judge become a party, and bound to pay what we owe, Isai. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs.

2. The power of God's Providence. If God undertake for us, his Bail is sufficient, none of our enemies can resist his Almighty power, surely he is able to deal with our enemies, Isai. 23. 4. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? they are matter to feed the fire, not to quench it. He rescueth us just as going to prison. If he put himself a pledge between us and our enemies, he will defeat all their oppositions and machinations against us, and stand between us and danger, as an able Bail or Surety doth between the Creditor and poor Debtor. Well then, Suretyship as it noteth our necessity, so God's engagement, and his ability and faithfulness to do what he undertaketh. We must set God against the enemies, Isai. 51. 13. And forgettest the Lord thy Maker; he hath stretched forth the Heavens, and laid the foundation of the Earth; and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy; and where is the fury of the oppressor? Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace. We have the Almighty to be our Savior and Protector, why are you afraid of a man? God against man is great odds, if we had Faith to see it: man is mortal, God is immortal; man is a poor, weak Creature, but God is Almighty; what is he not able to do for us? Surely he will not leave his friends in the lurch; his power is such that he is able to keep us safe and sound.

II. The Reasons, Why we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose.

1. From God's Covenant, where in the general there is a mutual engaging to be each others. In our several capacities we engage to stand by God, and own his Cause, and God is engaged to stand by us. We make over ourselves, Bodies, Souls, Interests, all to God. God, quantus quantus est, as great as he is, is all ours; therefore if he be ours, we may pray him to appear for us, and own us in our distress and trouble. Our friend is a friend in distress. A gracious heart, by virtue of this mutual and interchangeable Indenture, appears for God, and taketh his Cause, though never so hated, as its own, The reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me, Psal. 6. 9. We are his Witnesses, Isai. 43. 10. Surely it is too high a word for the Creature, but God taketh our Cause as his, is Surety for us, by virtue of the general tenor of the Covenant he is our God, jure venit in auxilium nostrum, his Covenant engageth him to undertake for us. More particularly, God undertaketh to defend and maintain his people, as to be a rewarder, so to be a defender, Gen. 15. 1. I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Psal. 84. 11. For the Lord is a Sun and a shield. This defense is sometimes expressed with respect to the violence of assaults in the world, by the Notion of a shield. So with respect to the process of the Law, by the Notion of a Surety, Isai. 52. 3. we have the term of a Redeemer. So that we have leave to pray him to fulfil his Covenant Engagement.

2. God's affection is such, that he will refuse no office that may be for his people's comfort. We are often dissuaded from Suretyship, especially for strangers, by the wise man, by great vehemency and instance, Prov. 6. 1, 2. My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth. Prov. 11. 15. He that is surety for a stranger, shall smart for it. Prov. 17. 18. A man void of understanding, striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend. Prov. 20. 16. Take his Garment that is surety for a stranger. Prov. 22. 26, 27. Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts: if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take the bed from under thee? And in other places. Our pity is stirred towards a man that is like to be undone and ruined; therefore there is such dissuading from suretyship: and hath not God a greater pity over the afflictions of his people? He pities the afflictions of them that suffer most justly, yea far below their desert, Judge. 10. 16. His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 2 Kings 14. 26. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. How much more will he pity them, that are unjustly oppressed of men! Acts 7. 34. I have seen the afflictions of my people, which is in Egypt, and have heard their groanings, and am come down to deliver them. His bowels worketh, God loveth his people better than they love themselves, fide-jube Domine pro servo.

3. Our relation to him, I am thy servant, and I know thou art a good Master; and he is our Sovereign Lord, and therefore hath undertaken to provide for us: the master was to be the servants Patronus; God hath found us work, and he will find us defense. This is the Argument of the Text, Be Surety for thy Servant. We are employed in his work, engaged in his Cause. If a rich man set a poor man at work, as to dig such a Ditch, if he be afterward troubled for it, the rich man is concerned to bear him out, Psal. 116. 16. O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the son of thy Handmaid. Whilest we are engaged about our masters business, and in his work, he is engaged to protect us, and bear us out in it.

4. Our very running to him, and committing ourselves into his hands, is an engaging God, Psal. 86. 2. Preserve my soul, for I am holy, O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Psal. 10. 14. The poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. Employ God, and find him work, he will not fail to do what he is entrusted with, Psal. 57. 1. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in the shadow of thy wing will I make my refuge, until these calamities be over-past. God taketh it well that we should make bold with him in this kind, and tell him how we trust him, and expect relief from him. Nothing is so dishonorable to God, nor vexatious to us, as the disappointment of trust. An ingenuous man will not fail his friend that doth trust and rely upon him, much less will a faithful God fail those that look to him, and depend upon him for help.

Use Is advice to us, what we should do in our deep distresses and troubles, when able to do nothing for ourselves, God will be Surety; that is, make our Cause his own.

1. As your matters depend in an higher Court, and with respect to your own guilt and sin, which hath cast you into these troubles; acknowledge your debt, but look upon Christ as your Surety, who gave himself a ransom for us. The Controversy between God and us must be taken up by submission on our parts, for God is an enemy that cannot be overcome, but must be reconciled. The way is not to persist in the Contest, and stand it out, but beg terms of peace for Christ's sake, 2 Chron. 6. 38, 39. If they return to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, then hear thou from the Heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayers and supplications, and maintain their Cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee. Job 5. 8. I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my Cause.

2. As your danger lieth with men, acknowledge your impotency, but consider who is your Surety, and will take your part against the instruments that have had a hand in your trouble.

First, God, who hath such a pity over his suffering servants, is ready ever to do them good, Psal. 35. 1. Plead my Cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me. He is in such full relation, and so fast bound to them, that they may not be weary and impatient, and swallowed up of despair, he will interpose. God seeth our sufferings, heareth our groans, suffereth together with us, and is afflicted in all our afflictions; believe it assuredly that he will take the matter into his own hand, and be the party responsible, Psal. 140. 12. I know that the Lord will maintain the Cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. Woe be to them that would not have God for their party, joined in the Cause of the afflicted. God hath given assurance of his protection not by words only, but by deeds, Prov. 22. 23. The Lord will plead their Cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. He hath past his word, and he will do it, Prov. 23. 11. For their redeemer is mighty, he shall plead their Cause with thee. 'It is his title, Isai. 51. 22. Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God, that pleadeth the Cause of his people; not by a verbal or local, but a real and active Plea, Ezek. 38. 22. And I will plead against him with pestilence, and with blood, and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and the people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hail-stones, fire and brimstone. And Isai. 40. 8. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together; who is mine adversary, let him come near to me? that is, let him join issue with me, commence his Suit in Law. We should be confident upon God's undertaking, Ier. 50. 34. Their redeemer is strong, the Lord of Host is his name, he shall thoroughly plead their Cause, that he may give rest to the land. 'It is a great ease in affliction to commit our Cause unto God, and put our affairs into his hand.

2. God, who hath such power, we need not fear any opposite, if God be our Surety, Psal. 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? Psal. 46. 1, 2. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore will not we fear; though the Earth be removed, and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea: a resolution to adhere to God and his truth whatever cometh; if they be mighty, God is mightier; if they be crafty, God is wiser. 'It is a great crime to fear men, so as not to trust in God; 'tis a great sin to fear men, so as not to fear God; when we comply with them in things displeasing to God: this is to set men above God.

Secondly, We come to the limitation, end, or fruit of this suretyship, For good. There are three Expositions of this Clause, as noting the end, the cause, the event. 1. Undertake for me, ut sim bonus & justus, so Rabbi Arama on the place, be surety for me, that I may be good; Theodoret expounds it, Undertake that I shall make good my resolution of keeping thy Law. He that enjoineth, undertaketh; though we have precepts and promises, without God's undertaking we shall never be able to perform our Duty. 2. In good, so some read it, God would not take his part in an evil Cause: to commend a wrong Cause to God's protection, is to provoke him to hasten our punishment, to make us serve under our Oppressors. But when we have a good Cause, and a good Conscience, he will own us; we cannot expect he should maintain us and bear us out in the Devils service, wherein we have entangled ourselves by our own sin. 3. For good; so 'tis often rendered, Psal. 86. 17. Shew me a token for good. Jer. 14. 11. Pray not for this people for good. So Neh. 13. 31. Remember me, O my God, for good. So here, Be surety for thy servant for good.

Doctr. We should only desire the interposing of God's Providence so as may be for good to us.

I shall first give you the Reasons, and then give you some Rules concerning this good here mentioned.

Reason 1. Because then we pray according to God's undertaking, Psal. 34. 10. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing; they may want food, want raiment, want many things, but they shall want no good thing, Psal. 84. 11. No good thing will he withhold. He may keep us low and bare, withhold many temporal mercies from us, feed us from hand to mouth, and short Commons may be sweet and wholesome, and deny to give us larger revenues and incomes. If they were good for us, we should have them: God withholds these things so as our need and good doth require, Ier. 24. 5. Whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. Their Captivity was for good.

Reas. 2. Because then we pray according to the new Nature; old Nature would have ease, the new Nature would have Grace; the flesh would be pleased, but the spirit would be profited; and God hears not the voice of the flesh, but spirit in prayer, Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints, according to the will of God.

2. Let me give you some Rules.

1. This good is not always the good of the flesh, not always the good of prosperity. Sometimes the good of prosperity may be good, Prov. 24. 25. But to them that rebuke him, shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. A good blessing shall come upon them that plead God's Cause against the wicked. There is the blessing of prosperity-good and adversity-good. All good is more or less, so as it cometh near or less near the chiefest good: therefore that is good that tendeth to make us spiritually better, more like to God, and capable of Communion with him, Lam. 3. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the Yoke in his youth. That is good which conduceth to our everlasting good.

2. God knoweth what is better for us than we do ourselves. We ask a Knife wherewith to cut ourselves. It would be the greatest misery, if God should always carve out our condition according to our own fancy, we would soon pray ourselves into a snare, if our will were the rule of our prayers, and ask that which would be cruelty in God to grant. I will give you an instance in Lot, Gen. 19. 17, 18. Make haste, escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed: I cannot, saith he, escape to the mountain, behold now this City is near, it is but a little one, and my soul shall live. Lot presenteth his own fancy to God's counsel and choice for him; this little place was in the Plain; he was persuaded the shower of brimstone would overtake him before he got thither. Often 'tis thus with us, though God should command and we obey, we lift up our will above his, and doat upon our own fancies, and will prescribe to God, think 'tis better to live by sense than by faith. This mountain was the weaker Border of the Plain. Now this was weakness in Lot surely! God that had took him out of Sodom by the hand of the Angels, stricken the Sodomites with blindness, which was an instance of God's great power and goodness to him. Now compare the seventeenth and eighteenth Verses with the thirtieth Verse, And Lot went out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, he and his two Daughters with him, for he feared to dwell in Zoar; and he dwelt in a Cave, he and his two Daughters. Mark here, when God biddeth him go to the mountain, then he goeth to Zoar; when God gave him leave to tarry in Zoar, then he goes and dwells in the mountain: he was afraid in Zoar, when he saw the horrible desolation of all the Country about it. Now see the ill success of his own choice, and how badly we provide for ourselves. A little time will show us our sin and folly, his abode in the mountain drew him to incest. Another instance, Hos. 13. 11. I gave them a King in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. God may let things succeed with us to our hurt. If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us, 1 John 5. 14. God is a God of wisdom, he knoweth certainly what will be good for us. He is a God of Bowels, and loveth us dearly, and will certainly cast all things for the best; therefore God is to be Judge both for time and kind of our deliverance, otherwise we may meet with wrath in every condition, whether we want or have our will; but if we refer it to him, we shall never want what is best for us. The Shepherd must choose our Pastures, whether lean or fat, bare or full grounds; the Child is not to be governed by his fancy, but the Fathers discretion; nor the sick man by his own fancy, but the Physicians skill; our will is not the chief reason of all things.

3. That which is not good may be good, and though for the present we see it not, yet we shall see it, though not good in its nature, it may be good in its fruit, Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God; a little faith and a little patience will discover it. As poisonous Ingredients in a Medicine, take them singly, and they are destructive; but as tempered with other things by the hands of a skillful Physician, so they are wholesome and useful, Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seemeth joyous but grievous. The Rod is a sour thing for the present, but wait a little, this bitter root may yield sweet fruit: God can so over-rule it in his Providence. So Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. Ask a man under the Cross, Is it good to feel the lashes of God's correcting hand? No, but when he hath been exercised, and found lust mortified, the world crucified, and gotten evidences of God's favor, then it is good that I have been afflicted.

4. This good is not to be determined by feeling, but by Faith, Psal. 73. 1. Yet God is good to Israel, and to such as are of a clean heart. God is good to his people, however he seem to deal hardly with them; sense judgeth it ill, but faith saith it is good; it seeth a great deal of love in pain and smart. There is such a difference between faith and sense as there was between Elisha and his Servant, 2 King. 6. 15, 16. the Servant saw the Host of the enemies, but he did not see the fiery Chariots and Horsemen that were for his help, Elisha saw both; so Believers see not only the bitterness that is in God's chastenings, but the sweet fruits in the issue. Faith can look at the pride and power of wicked men as a vain thing, when they are in the height of their power and greatness, Job 5, 3. I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation: that is, prophetically, not passionately; foretelling evil, not wishing it. When they were taking root, as themselves and other worldly men thought, I judged him unhappy, foretold his end and destruction. There is much of the spirit of prophecy in faith. When others applaud, make little gods of them, he looketh through all their beauty, riches and honor, Psal. 92. 7. When the wicked spring as the Grass, and all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed forever. Grass will wither and dry up of its own accord, especially when there is a Worm at the root. Their very prosperity, as it ferments their lusts and hardeneth their hearts, is a means to draw on their destruction, Psal. 39. 5. Man in his best estate is vanity. Then when they seem to have all things under their feet, who could harm them? So that none dare open the mouth, move the wing, or peep; yet God can easily blast and whip them with an unseen scourge.

5. Good is of several sorts, temporal, spiritual, eternal.

First, Temporal Good. Cross accidents conduce to that, Gen. 50. 20. Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good; to bring to pass as it is this day, and to save much people alive. The Egyptians and themselves had wanted a preserver, if Joseph had not been sold and sent into Egypt. If a man were to go to Sea, in a voyage upon which his heart was much set, but the ship is gone before he cometh; but after he heareth that all that were in the ship are drowned, then he would say, This disappointment was for good. As Crassus 's Rival in the Parthian War, was intercepted and cut off by the craft of the Barbarians, had no reason to stomach his being refused. Many of us have cause to say, Periissem nisi periissem, we had suffered more if we had suffered less. In the Story of Joseph there is a notable scheme and draught of Providence, He is cast into a Pit, thence drawn forth and sold to the Ishmaelites, by them sold into Egypt, and sold again; what doth God mean to do with poor Joseph? He is tempted to Adultery, refusing the temptation he is falsely accused, kept for a long time in ward and duress. All this is against him; who would have thought that in the issue this should be turned to his good? that the prison had been the way to preferment? and that by the pit he should come to the Palace of the King of Egypt, and exchange his particoloured Coat for a Royal Robe? Thus in temporal things we get by our losses, and God chooseth better for us than we could have chosen for ourselves. Let God alone to his undertaking, and he will manage our affairs better than we looked for.

Secondly, Good spiritual, Heb. 12. 10. For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. What do we call profit? The good things of this World, and the great Mammon which so many worship? No, some better thing, some spiritual and Divine benefit, a participation of God's holiness. Then we profit, when we grow in Grace, and are more god-like, when we are more concerned as a soul than a body. It is a good exchange to part with outward Comforts for inward holiness. If God take away our peace, and give us peace of Conscience, we have no cause to complain. If our outward wants be recompensed with the abundance of inward Grace, 1 Cor. 4. 10. and we have less of the World, that we may have the more of God, and be kept poor that we may be rich in faith, I am. 2. 5, 6. if we have a healthy soul in a sickly body, as Gaius had, 3 John 2. if an aking head maketh way for a better heart, doth not God deal graciously and lovingly with us?

Thirdly, Our eternal Good. Heaven will make amends for all that we endure here. This mainly is intended in Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God. And then in the 29 ^th and 30 ^th Verses he presently bringeth in the golden Chain, Whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, he justified; and those whom he justified, them he also glorified. So 2 Cor. 4. 17. This light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight▪ of Glory: it shall either hasten or secure our glorious estate. A man may lose ground by a temptation, his external good may be weakened, his soul suffereth loss; but this warneth him of his weakness, and quickeneth him to stand upon his watch, and to look up more to Christ for strength against it. Or it may be cut off, and perish in the affliction; but then his glorious estate cometh in possession.

6. That may be good for the Glory of God, which doth not conduce to our personal benefit; and the Glory of God is our great interest, John 11. 27, 28. Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour; but for this Cause came I unto this hour, father to glorify thy name. Then there came a voice from Heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. There was the innocent inclination of his human Nature, Father, save me from this hour; and the over-ruling sense of his duty or the obligation of his office, But for this cause came I to this hour. We are often tossed and tumbled between inclinations of Nature, and Conscience of Duty; but in a gracious heart it prevaileth above the desire of our own comfort and satisfaction: the Soul is cast for any course that God shall see fittest for his Glory. Nature would be rid of trouble, but Grace submitteth all interests to God's Honor, that should be dearer to us than anything else; were it not selfishness and want of zeal, that would be our greatest interest.

Doctr. Oppression is a very grievous evil, and often deprecated by the people of God.

1. I shall show you what oppression is. It is an abuse of power to unjust and uncharitable actions. That it is an abuse of power, appeareth by the object of it, who are those that are usually oppressed; that is, either the poor and needy, Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy; whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers within thy Gates; the fatherless and the widow are mentioned, Ier. 7. 6. Ye shall not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow; the stranger, Zach. 7. 10. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and Exod. 22. 21, 22, 23. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless Child; if thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry.

2. The Subject or Agent by whom 'tis practiced, The proud; the mighty, rich, great man; at least comparatively, in regard of the wronged party, Eccl. 4. 1. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but the oppressed had no comforter. Job 35. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressors they make the oppressed cry, and by reason of the arm of the mighty. Secondly, The base and mean, when they get power into their hands, to oppress the rich, noble and honorable, Isai. 3. 5. And the people shall be oppressed, everyone by another, and everyone by his neighbor; the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable. It is commonly more insolent and cruel and contemptuous and despightful, Prov. 28. 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor, is like a sweeping rain that leaveth no food. When men do unjust and uncharitable actions, as when men bear it proudly or insolently towards them, throwing them out of their riches, denying them the liberty of their service because 'tis in the power of their hands, or taking advantage of their low Condition to run over them, or making an advantage of their necessity and want of skill, Hos. 12. 7. He is a merchant, the balance of deceit is in his hand; he loveth to oppress; or prejudice their testimony to the truth by our credit and esteem in the Church, rendering them so weak or wicked, factious or foolish, as not to be regarded.

2. This is a grievous evil; it is so in itself, and may be specially aggravated as to Cases.

First, 'It is grievous in itself, as 'tis so odious to God, as being a perversion of the end of his Providence. Those that excel in any quality, are appointed for the protection and support of the weak and indigent. God gave them their Wealth and Parts and Power and Credit and Greatness, to the end they might comfort, counsel, defend, and do good to those that want these things. Now when they make no other use of their power than Lions and Bears do, to mischief others by it, they do evil because 'tis in the power of their hands, Mic. 2. 1. Power, if men have not a great tenderness of Conscience and fear of God, is an unwieldy willful thing, degenerates into oppression, Isai. 10. 14, 15. There was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Shall the Axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the Saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the Rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the Staff should lift up itself as if it were no Wood. Therefore he went on to oppress and tyrannize in the world, because none durst to oppose him. Power needs much balance to temper and allay it.

Secondly, 'It is so offensive to his people, and burthensome to them, Eccl. 7. 7. Oppression keth a wise man mad; it shaketh and discomposeth those of the best temper, makes them pray and weep, and cry before the Lord, Eccl. 4. 1. So I returned and considered all the oppressions under the Sun, and beheld the tears of such as are oppressed. When you lay such heavy loads upon them, that they are not able to bear it, but cry to God to right them.

Thirdly, The evil itself, Oppression. 'It is not only theft, but murder. These expressions we have Isai. 3. 14, 15. Ye have eaten up the Vineyard. The spoil of the poor is in your houses. What mean ye, that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? that is, Cause them by your hard usage to pine away? So Mic. 3. 1, 2, 3. And I said, Hear, I pray you, O Heads of Jacob, and ye Princes of the house of Israel, Is it not for you to know Judgment, who hate the good, and love the evil, who pluck off their skin and their flesh from off their bones? Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the Pot, and as flesh within the Caldron? 'It is in God's account, human Butchery and Murder, beyond simple Slaughter, as they make them die a lingering death.

2. 'It is especially aggravated, if they be God's Servants oppressed for Religion, Psal. 12. 5. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy: Now will I arise, saith the Lord, I will set them in safety, from him that puffeth at him. The proud Persecutor doth little think of the Godly, that any power he hath can do anything to help him; therefore mocketh at all his hopes: therefore when God hath exercised the Godly for a while, he will arise, &c. I say the sin is aggravated by the innocence, the holiness, the usefulness of the party oppressed; when fitted to glorify God, and do service to the Public, and disabled to the prejudice of both.

3. 'It is the highest impiety to fetch power and advantage from any Ordinance of God to commit it, John 19. 10, 11. Then said Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above; therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. Courts of Justice, that should be Sanctuaries and places of refuge to oppressed innocence, they make Slaughter Houses and Shops of Cruelty. When pretexts of Laws and Justice are used to color the oppression and persecution of innocent useful persons, this makes it more odious in the sight of God.

Use 1. O pity the oppressed! Job 6. 14. To him that is afflicted, pity should be shown from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. The men of Keilah thought of delivering up David, because they feared not God, 1 Sam. 23. 11, 12. But men have no fear of God, but too much fear of men. When God is angry, God will suffer none to help, Psal. 88. 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. Job 12. 5. He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. Sensuality will make us forget the afflictions of others, Amos 6. 4, 5, 6. They lie upon Beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their Couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and Calves out of the midst of the Stall; that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music like David: that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments, but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph. Scruples of Conscience through difference in Religion, John 4. 9. How is it that thou being a Jew, askest water of me? Therefore we should pity others; we have God's example, 2 Cor. 7. 6. God that comforteth those that are cast down.

Use 2. Keep from oppression, let us be far from this sin. Samuel professeth his innocence, 1 Sam. 12. 3, 4. Behold here I am, witness against me before the Lord, and his Anointed: Whose Ox have I taken? or whose Ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And they said, Thou hast not defrauded nor oppressed us.

Motives.

1. God will right the wrongs of the oppressed, Prov. 22. 22, 23. Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the Gate; for the Lord will plead their Cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. Prov. 23. 11. For their Redeemer is mighty, he shall plead their Cause with thee. It belongeth to him as supreme Judge and mighty Potentate, Eccl. 5. 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province, marvel not at the matter, for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there be higher than they. Who can break the power of the greatest? The poor and indigent have none to own them, to resent the things done unto them, but God who is the supreme Lord will not fail to own them.

2. Consider, The injustice of such dealing, as being contrary to that rule of Reason, Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris. Every man should do as he would have others do to him. Put yourself in their case. Take this rule quite away, and there is nothing so false, bad, cruel, that you would not be drawn to think or say or do against your Brother. Uncharitableness, and want of sympathy with us in our troubles, much more insulting over us in our miseries, we look on it with detestation; and shall we oppress and afflict others when we have power so to do? Those that profess themselves Christians should be far from this sin.

Means.

1. The fear of God should bear rule in our hearts, Job 31. 23. For destruction from God was a terror to me; and by reason of his highness I could not endure. Levite. 25. 17. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another, but thou shalt fear thy God, for I am the Lord your God. We should be afraid to do them injury, as if a strong party able to repay injuries were ready to be avenged upon us for it.

2. Take heed of envy, covetousness, pride, revenge, these are ill Counselors. Ahab envies Naboth 's Vineyard, and covets it, and that put him upon oppressing him. So Hos. 12. 7. He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress. So take heed of pride, Psal. 10. 2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor. So when persons are of a revengeful temper, it will put them upon oppression and persecution for every fancied or supposed affront offered to them: the enemy and avenger go together, Psal. 8. 2.

3. Think of Changes, that pride may not be without a Curb, nor affliction without a Comfort. 'It is the proud oppress, who are drunk with their wealth and outward prosperity. The Lord's people are not troubled by humble Souls, that are sensible of their mutableness and frailty; but by those who little think of these things, and how hard it fareth with them that fear God.

II. Here are the persons to inflict it, The proud.

Doctr. The proud are they that especially persecute the Godly.

Who are the proud?

1. Generally those that obstinately stand it out against God and the methods of his Grace, Neh. 9. 16. But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not unto thy Commandments: and Verse 29. Yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not to thy Commandments. Jer. 13. 17. My soul shall weep in secret for your pride.

2. More especially those that are too well conceited of themselves, seem by their affecting to meddle with things too high for them, Psal. 131. 1. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, nor in things too high for me; murmur under crosses, quarrel with Providences, finding fault with all God's sayings and doings; trust in themselves that they are righteous, Luke 18. 14. scoff at others for their godliness, Psal. 119. 51. The proud had me greatly in derision. Psal. 10. 2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor; ready to brawl on all occasions, Prov. 23. 10. Only by pride cometh contention; would have all to stoop to them, are stiff in their opinions, boasters, lessening the gifts of others, impatient of admonition.

3. The particular pride here mentioned, when men are high minded, and trust in uncertain riches, drunk with their prosperity. So oppressing in their Honor and Greatness, as if they would trample all others underfoot, and crush them at pleasure. These are merciless and pitiless, disdain the poor, whatsoever presence of God they have with them; we are filled with the scorning of them that are at ease.

Doctr. That God's word, wherein he hath promised deliverance to his suffering servants, is a word of righteousness.

There are three things in the promise, Veritas, Fidelitas, Iustitia, Fidelity, Faithfulness, and Righteousness.

1. Verit •… , Sincerity or Truth in making the promise, according to which God doth really intend and mean to bestow what he promiseth, For God is not as man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? To lie, is to speak a falsehood with an intention to deceive, this cannot be imagined of God. What need hath he to court a Worm, or to mock and •… ater us into a vain hope? what interest can accrue to him thereby? Yea, the purity of his Nature will not permit it, Tit. 1. 2. According to the hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. He will as soon cease to be God, •… s cease to be true; for his truth is his Nature, he is truth itself. Man, that is mutable, and hath an interest to promote by dissembling, may put on a false appearance, and speak what he never meaneth; but God cannot do so, for he is truth itself, essentially so in the abstract, can admit of no mixture, though Creatures may: Light itself admitteth not of any darkness, but as it is in Subjects, so it doth. But God is truth, and in him is no falsehood at all. Now of all lies, a promissory lie is the worst, it is greater than an a •… ertory lie. An assertory lie, is when we speak of a thing past or present otherwise than it is. A promissory lie, is when we promise a thing for time to come, which we never intend to perform. And this is the worse, because it doth not only pervert the end of Speech, but defeateth another of that right which we seem to give him, in the thing promised; which is a farther degree of injustice. Therefore we •… st take •… eed, how either directly or interpretatively we ascribe such a lie to God. The Apostle telleth us, 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth not, maketh God a Liar; which is the highest dishonor you can cast upon him, which in manners and civility we would not offer to our equal, and which even a mean man would scorn to put up at our hands. God hath made many promises, as that he will be with thee in six troubles, and in seven he will not forsake thee, Job 5. 19. that he will dispose of all things for the best to them that love him, Rom. 8. 28. that no good thing shall be wanting to them that fear him, Psal. 34. 10. Doth not God mean as he saith? and dare we trust him no more? Your diffidence and drooping discouragements give him the lie, and you carry it so, as if these were but words of course, without any intent to make them good.

2. Fidelitas. The next thing in the promise is faithfulness, and that referreth to the keeping of the promise. A man may be real in promising, he did not intend to deceive; but afterwards he changeth his mind: there may be verity in making the promise, but there is not fidelity in keeping the promise. But God is faithful; hath he said, and shall he not do it? All the promises are Yea and Amen in Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 20. God's Word is not Yea and Nay, but Yea and Amen; it doth not say yea today, and nay tomorrow, but always yea. So it is Amen, so it shall be, and this in Jesus Christ, on whose merit they are all founded, and who was the great instance of God's truth: for the great promise wherein God stood bound to the Church, was to send a Savior to redeem the World; and if God hath made good this promise, surely this is a pledge that he will make good all the rest, for if he spared not his Son, he will not stick at other things.

3. There is Iustitia, Righteousness: for this is righteousness, Ius suum cuique tribuere, to give everyone his right and his due. Now by promise, another man cometh to have a right in the thing promised; therefore Justice requireth that you should give him the right that accrueth to him by virtue of your promise. So God, promittendo se fecit Debitorem, maketh himself a Debtor by promise. 'Twas his Mercy and Goodness to make the promise, but his Justice bindeth him to make it good. This is often spoken of in Scripture, 1 John 1. 9. Faithful and just to forgive us our sins; 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. By his promise he is become a Debtor to us; he cannot go against his own Word; his Justice will not suffer him to change. 'It is a Debt of Grace indeed, but a Debt it is, which it is Justice for God to pay. Thus you see how 'tis a word of righteousness.

Reasons.

1. Because God hath in his promises pawned his truth with the Creature, and so given us an hold-fast upon him. Chirographa tua injiciebat tibi Domine. Promises, as in a Contract, are more than simple Declarations, and bare assertions of what good he will do to us. With man 'tis one thing to say this I purpose to do, another this I promise to do. A promise addeth a new Bond and Obligation upon a man for fulfilling his word. An intimation or signification of God's will and purpose, showeth the event will follow; but a promise doth not only do that, but giveth us a right and claim to the things promised. Scripture Prophecies will be fulfilled because of God's veracity; but Scripture Promises will be fulfilled, not because of his veracity, but his fidelity and justice. And the heirs of promise may have strong consolation by God's word and oath. Two immutable things, wherein 'tis impossible for God to lie, Heb. 6. 18. There is a greater Obligation upon God to make it good.

2. Because none that ever depended upon God's word were disappointed; not one instance to the contrary, Psal. 18. 30. The word of the Lord is tried; he is a buckler to all that trust in him. Search the Annals and Records of Time, and all experience hath found the Word of God exactly true. If any build not upon it, it is because they are not acquainted with God, and the course of his proceedings, Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will trust in thee. There is so little believing and trusting God upon his Word, because they are men of no experience; otherwise they would find God punctual to his promise, Not one thing hath failed of all the good things the Lord your God spake concerning you, Josh. 23. 14. He speaketh not only as his own Observation, and the result of all his experiences, and that in a time when there was no room for dissembling, I go the way of all the Earth, but also you know in all your hearts, and all your souls; and he repeateth it, Not one thing hath failed. Unless you be impudent, you cannot deny it, try him, you have found support and relief hitherto.

3. Because God standeth much on the credit of his word. Heathens have acknowledged it to be the property of the gods, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; certainly the true God hath shown himself to the World in nothing so much as doing good, and keeping promise, Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name, above all that is famed or spoken or believed of God, this is most conspicuous, as being punctual in keeping Covenant and fulfilling Promises. God hath ever stood upon that, of being tender of the honor of his truth in the eye of the world. Therefore we should build securely upon the word of his righteousness.

Use 1. To bless God that we are upon such sure terms. All people that know there is a God, wait for some good things from him; but they are left to uncertain guesses, it may be they may have them, it may be not: but we have it under hand and seal, and have God's Warrant for our hope, and so deal with God upon sure terms. Well may we take up David 's Song, In God I will praise his word, in the Lord I will praise his word, Psal. 56. 10. 'It is twice repeated in that Psalm; that's ground of rejoicing, that God will assure us aforehand what he will do for us. God might have dealt with man by way of Dominion and Command alone, without any signification of his goodness, and left us to blind guesses. Promises are the eruptions and overflows of God's love, he cannot stay till accomplishment, but will tell us aforehand what he is about to do for us, that we may know how to look for it.

Use 2. Is to exhort us to rest contented with God's word, and to take his promises as sure ground of hope. I shall show you how you should count it a word of righteousness; what is your Duty; and that first you are to delight in the promise, though the performance be not yet, nor like to be for a good while, Heb. 11. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , being persuaded of them, they embraced them. Oh how they hugged the promises at a distance, and said in their hearts, O blessed promise! this will in time yield a M •… siah, John 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and saw it, and was glad. Y •… hold the blessing by the root, this will in time yield deliverance, Heb. 6. 18. not only yield comfort, but prove comfortable, Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies I have taken f •… an heritage; for they are the rejoicing of my heart. For your Duty,

Secondly, You are to rest confident of the truth of what God hath promised, and be assured that the performance will in time be: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Heb. 11. 13. Faith is not a failable Conjecture, but a sure and certain Grace, Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God. So Psal. 140. 12. I know that God will maintain the Cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. There is a firm persuasion, I know I shall find this to be a truth. Men who are conscionable and faithful in keeping their word, are believed; yet being men, they may lie, Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true, and every man a liar. Every man is, or may be a liar, because of the mutableness of his Nature; from interest, he will not lie, but he can lie. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. Surely God cannot deceive, or be deceived. He never yet was worse than his word.

Thirdly, You are to take the naked promise for the ground of your hope, however it seem to be contradicted in the course of God's Providence; when 'tis neither performed, nor likely to be performed, 'tis his word you go by, whatsoever his dispensations be. Many times there are no apparent evidences of God's doing what he hath said, yea strong probabilities to the contrary. 'It is said Rom. 4. 18. That Abraham against hope believed in hope, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Abraham had the promise of a Son, in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed; but there was no appearance of this in Nature, or natural hope of a Child, both he and Sarah being old: yet he believed. 'It is an Antanaclasis, an elegant Figure, having the form of a contradiction, he goeth upon God's naked word. Then Faith standeth upon its own Basis and Legs, which is not probabilities, but his word of promise. Every thing is strongest upon its own Basis, which God and Nature have appointed. For as the Earth hangeth on nothing in the midst of the Air, but there is its place; Faith is seated most firmly on the word of God, who is able to perform what he saith.

Fourthly, This Faith must conquer our fears and cares and troubles, Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. He must fix the heart without wavering, Psal. 56. 4. In God I will praise his word, in God have I put my trust: I will not fear what man can do unto me. The force of Faith is seen in calming our passions and sinful fears, which otherwise would weaken our reverence and respect to God.

Fifthly, Above all this, you are to glorify God publicly; not only in the quiet of your hearts, but by your carriage before others, John 3. 33. Put to his Seal that God is true: 'tis not said, Believed or professed, but put to his Seal. We seal the truth of God as his Witnesses, when we confirm others in the faith and belief of the promises by our joyfulness in all conditions, patience under crosses, diligence in holiness, hope and comfort in great straits. Numb. 20. 12. God was angry with Moses and Aaron, because ye believe not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the Children of Israel. We are not only to believe God ourselves, but to sanctify him in the eyes of others; as when the Thessalonians had received the word in much assurance, in much affliction, and much joy in the Holy Ghost. The Apostle telleth them, They were examples to all that believed in Achaia and Macedonia, 1 Thess. 1. 5. The worthiness and generousness of our Faith, should be a confutation of our base fears, but a confirmation of the Gospel. But we are so far from confirming the weak, that we offend the strong; and instead of being a confirmation to the Gospel, we are a confutation of it.

Use 3. Is reproof to us, that we do no more build upon this word of righteousness.

1. Some count these vain words, and the comforts thence deduced, fanatical illusions; and hopes and joys, phantastical impressions, Psal. 22. 7, 8. All they that see me laugh me to scorn, they shoot out the Lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. Nothing so ridiculous in the worlds eye, as trust, or dependence, or unseen comforts. Ungodly Wits make the life of Faith a sport and matter of laughter.

2. Some, though not so bad as the former, they may have more modesty, yet as little Faith, since they are all for the present world, present delights, present temptations. With many, one thing in hand is more than the greatest promises of better things to come, 2 Tim. 4. 10. they have no patience. Afflictions are smart for the present, Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous. Yea, they do not deal equally with God and man. If a man promise, they reckon much of that, Qui petat, accipiet, &c. They can tarry upon man's security, but count God's nothing worth. They can trade with a Factor beyond Seas, and trust all their Estates in a man's hand whom they have never seen; and yet the word of the infallible God is of little regard and respect with them.

3. The best build too weakly on the promises, as appeareth by the prevalency of our cares and fears. If we did take God at his word, we would not be so soon mated with every difficulty, Heb. 13. 5, 6. Let your conversations be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me. There would be more resolution in trials, more hardness against troubles. Besides maintenance, there is protection in the promise. If we had Faith to believe this, it would effectually quiet our minds in all our necessities and straits and perplexities. Man can do much, bring them low, even to a morsel of bread; we need not much desire the best things of the world, nor fear the worst; need not be covetous, nor fearful. Where Faith is in any life and strength, it moderateth our desires and fears. 'It is an ill part of a Believer to hang the head.

II. Second Point, from that Clause, David 's eyes were to God's salvation, That God's word being past, his people do and must wait for the accomplishment of it. The lifting up of the eyes, implies three things, Faith, Hope, and Patience; all which do make up the Duty of waiting for help and relief from God.

1. The lifting up the eyes implies Faith and confident persuasion, that God is ready and willing to help us, 2 Chron. 20. 12. But our eyes are unto thee. Psal. 123. 1, 2. Unto thee I lift mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the Heavens. The very lifting up of the bodily eye towards Heaven, is an expression of this inward trust: so David in effect saith, From thee, Lord, I expect relief, and the fulfilling of thy promises. So that there is Faith in it, that Faith which is the evidence of things not seen. How great soever the darkness of our calamities be, though the Clouds of present troubles thicken about us, and hide the Lord's care and loving kindness from us; yet Faith must look through all to his power, and constancy of truth and love. The eye of Faith is a clear, piercing, Eagle eye, Heb. 11. 27. Moses endured, as seeing him that was invisible. A man is very short-sighted before, 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, can only skill in the things of sense and reason, see a danger near him, as Beasts; or a bait, while 'tis before him, a Brute thinketh of no other; or else goeth by probabilities, as it seeth things by the light of reason in their causes. But Faith seeth things afar off in the promises, Heb. 11. 13. at a greater distance than the eye of Nature can reach to; take it either for the eye of the body or the mind, Faith will draw comfort not only from what is invisible at present, but not to come for a long time: 'tis future as well as invisible; its supports lie in the other world, and are yet to come.

2. There is hope in it; for what a man hopeth for, he will look for it, if he can see it a coming, The earnest expectation of the Creature, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rom. 8. 19. the stretching forth of the head, Judge. 5. 28. They looked out at the window, and cried through the Lattice, Why is his Chariot so long a coming? So by spiritual hope there is a lifting up of the eyes, or a looking out for what God hath promised, or an intent observing all together, Our conversation is in Heaven, from whence we look for a Savior, Phil. 3. 20. Faith keepeth the eye of the mind fixed upon the promise, and is ever looking out for deliverance, Psal. 121. 1, 2. I will lift mine eyes to the Hills, from whence cometh my help: my help cometh from the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth. Thence they look and wait for succor, it must come out of Heaven to them. They see it, they can spy a Cloud a coming; that which a man careth not for, he doth not look for. David saith, I will pray and look up, Psal. 5. 3. Hope hath expectation of the thing or object hoped for.

3. There is patience in it, in persevering and keeping on our looking, till mercy come. With faith and ardency in expecting God's help. Looking and waiting is to be conjoined, notwithstanding difficulties, till it procure deliverance, Psal. 123. 2. Our eyes wait on the Lord, who will have mercy on us. This lifting up of the eyes doth not imply a glance, or once looking to Heaven; but that we keep looking till God doth help, Isai. 8. 17. I will wait on the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. There is a constant depending, and patient attending upon God, notwithstanding the present tokens of his wrath and displeasure. As a man withdraweth himself from a party, and will not be seen of him, nor spoken to by him, but the resolute Suitor tarrieth to meet and speak with him. So Mic. 7. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation: My God will hear me. Not give over upon every discouragement, as a Merchant doth not discontinue trading for every loss at Sea. Certainly 'tis not faith and hope, unless we can endure and bear out. Natural courage will bear out for a while, but not long. A little touch breaketh a bubble, and a sleight natural expectation is soon discouraged; but to hope against hope, to pray when God forbids praying, to keep waiting when we have not only difficulties in the World, but seeming disappointments from Heaven itself, when the promise and Christ seem to be parting from you, and refuse you; yet then to say, I will not let thee go until thou bless me, as Jacob said to the Angel, Gen. 32. 25, 26. when God saith let me alone!

Use. Let us turn ourselves towards God for help, and have our eyes on him, and keep them there, Psal. 141. 8. But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord, in thee is my trust, leave not my soul destitute. Let us not give way to discouragements, though God delay us so long till all our carnal provisions are spent, no Meal in the Barrel, nor Oil in the Cruise, and we are brought to the last Morsel of Bread; though brought to complain for pity to them that will show none, but pour Vinegar into our Wounds, yea, till our spiritual provisions be spent, faith will hold out no longer, hope can do us no service, patience lost and clear gone; we fall a questioning God's love and care: I say, Though we grow weary, let us strive against it, acquaint God with it, renew Faith in the word of promise. There is an holy obstinacy in believing.

To get this eye of Faith,

1. There is need of the Spirits enlightening. Nature is short-sighted, 2 Pet. 1. 9. A man cannot look into the other world till his eyes be opened by the Spirit of God, Ephes. 1. 17, 18. The Father of Glory give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. There needs spiritual eye-salve to get this piercing eye to look through the Curtain of the Clouds.

2. When your eye is opened, you must keep your eye clear from the suffusions of lust and worldly affections. A mortified heart is only a fit Soil for faith to grow in. The world is a blinding thing, 2 Cor. 4. 4. While present things bear bulk in our eye, invisible things are little regarded by us. Dust cast into the eyes hindereth the sight, carnal affections send up the sumes and steams of lust to blind us.

3. The eye being clear, you must ever be looking up out of the World of temptations, into the world of comforts and supports, from Earth to Heaven, Heb. 11. 27. As seeing him that is invisible. And the nothing things of the World, by omnifying and magnifying God. There are the great objects, which darken the Glory of the World, and all created things. And there we see more for us, than can be against us, 2 Kings 6. 15. Pharaoh, a King of mighty power, was contemptible in Moses his eyes, because he saw an higher and a more glorious King; so glorious, that all the power and Princes of the World are nothing to him.

4. The less sensible evidence there is of the object of Faith, the greater and stronger is the Faith, if we believe it upon God's Word, John 20. 29. Because thou hast seen, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. It extenuateth our Faith, when the object must be visible to sense, or it worketh not on us. Faith hath more of the nature of Faith, when it is satisfied with God's Word, whatever sense and reason say to the contrary, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now you see him not, you rejoice, with joy unspeakable, and full of Glory. Whatever Faith closeth with upon sure grounds, 'tis spiritually present to the Soul, though few sensible helps. The less we see in the World, the more must we believe. To see things to come as present, and to see things that otherwise cannot be seen, cometh near to God's Vision of all things. God saw all things before they were, all things that may be, shall be, vision simplicis intelligentiae, Prov. 8. 31. rejoicing in the habitable parts of the Earth. So doth Faith eye all things, in the all sufficiency and promise of God, long before they come to pass, and affects the Believer with them, John 8. 52.

III. From the weakness and imbecility confessed, Mine eyes fail. The Doctrine is,

Doctr. That sometimes God's people wait so long, that their eyes even fail in waiting; that is, their faith, hope and patience is almost spent, and they are ready to give over looking.

For the Phrase intimateth two things, a trial on God's part, and a weakness on ours. First, A trial by reason of God's dispensations. Two things make our waiting tedious, the sharpness of afflictions, and the length of them, long delays of help, and great trouble: in the mean time, first, the depth of the calamity, or the sharpness of the trial may occasion this failing, Psal. 38. 10. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me, for the light of mine eyes is also gone. Secondly, The length of troubles, or the protraction of deliverance. As the bodily eye is tired with long looking, so doth the soul begin to be weary, when this expectation is drawn out at length, Psal. 119. 82. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? The delay is tedious.

As to the matter of this failing, there are three things.

First, That the sufferings of God's Children may be sometimes long. God ordereth it so, that faith, hope and patience may have its perfect work, Heb. 6. 12. There is an intervening time, between the promise and the accomplishment. Intervening difficulties, I am. 1. 3, 4. Rom. 8. 24. Hope that is seen, is not hope, 'tis but natural probability, natural courage. Those that have received a great measure of Faith, have a great measure of trials: their troubles are greater, that their Graces may be the more exercised, that many stubborn humors may be broken, Ier. 4. 3. God useth to suffer his enemies to break up the fallow Ground of his people, Psal. 129. 2. The Plowers plough upon my back, they make long their furrows. We have proud and stiff hearts, therefore the Plow of persecution goeth deep, that the seed of the word may thrive the more; till they have done their work, God doth not cut asunder the Cords. The Lord of the Soil expects a richer Crop. The power of the Spirit is more seen, Col. 1. 10, 11. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness. Not only patience, but longsuffering, which is, patience extended under continued troubles. Men may fret; 'tis not unwilling, extorted by force; but they are cheerful under the Cross. The length of sufferings, some can endure a sharp brunt, but tire under a long affliction. Some go drooping and heavily under it; Therefore joyfulness. For these and many other reasons doth God p •… mit our sufferings to be long.

Secondly, Why faith, hope and patien •… are apt to fail.

1. Because these Graces are weak in the best, and may fail under long and sharp •… yals, Psal. 125. 3. For the Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity. The strongest Believer may faint in trouble, therefore God will not try them above their strength; but as he sometimes giveth more Grace, so sometimes he abateth the temptations. Grace is not so perfect in any, as to be above all weakening by assaults. Who would have thought that a meek Moses could be angry? Psal. 106. 33. There are relics of sin unmortified, such as may be awakened in the best; who would have thought that David should fall into uncleanness? an old experienced man, who had many Wives of his own? when Joseph, a young man, a Captive, resisted an offered occasion? But especially do these Graces fail in their operation, when the temptation is more spiritual; for these are Mystical Graces to which Nature giveth no help. When things dear to us in the flesh and in the Lord, are made the matter of the temptation, and set an edge upon it, &c. Sins that disturb the order of the present World, are not so rise with the Saints, as sins that concern our commerce with God.

2. Because temptations raise strange Clouds and Mists in the Soul, that though they grant principles, yet they cannot reconcile Providences with them. As Ier. 12. 1. Righteous art thou, O Lord, yet let me plead with thee. 'It is not to be questioned, much less doubted of, that God is upright and just in his dealings; yet what mean those passages of his Providence? their thoughts are fearfully imbrangled, the minds of the godly are molested: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? So Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity; wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously? and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? God is pure and holy, they know, yet how can he bear with the enemy, in their treachery and violence against the Church! So brutified are they, that they know not how to reconcile his Dispensations with his Nature and Attributes; though they have Faith enough to justify God, yet Atheism enough to question his Providence. When the heart is over-charged with fears, Psal. 73. 1. Yet God is good to Israel; my feet were almost gone, my steps well nigh slipped. They hold fast the Conclusion, Yet God is good to Israel; yet cannot maintain it against all objections.

3. Carnal affections are hasty and impetuous, and if God give not a present satisfaction, they question all his love and care of them, Psal. 31. 22. I said in my heart, I am cut off. Isai. 49. 14. Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken, and my God hath forgotten me. Jon. 2. 4. And he said, I am cast out of thy sight. So that, did not God confute his unbelief by some sudden experience, as in the first instance; or the Word contain a suitable supply, as in the second; or the principle of Grace in some measure withstand; (but I will look towards thy holy Temple) the soul would be swallowed up in the Whirlpool of despair. Thus hasty and precipitant are we, while we hearken to the voice of the flesh, we are apt to count all our troubles God's total desertion of us. Such an hasty principle have we within us, that will hurry us to desperate Conclusions, as if it were in vain to wait upon God any longer.

4. Mutability in man. What a flush of faith and zeal have we at first! as Stuffs have a great gloss at first wearing. We lose, as our first love, so our first faith, Gal. 5. 7. Ye did run well, who did hinder you? There is a great forwardness at first, which abateth afterwards; and men grow remiss, faint in your minds, Heb. 12. 3. from one degree to another.

Thirdly, That this failing is but an infirmity of the Saints; though their hope be weak and ready to faint, 'tis not quite dead.

First, It is an infirmity of the better sort, not like the Atheism and malignity of the wicked. Some Diseases show a good constitution, and seize on none but such. This Distemper is not incident to carnal men, Isai. 38. 14. Mine eyes fail with looking up. It argueth a vehemency in our hope; they that do not mind things, are never troubled with such a spiritual Disease: for this failing cannot be, but where there is vehemency of desire and expectation. Those that desire little of the salvation of God's people, feel none of this.

Secondly, There is a difference between them and others; though they have their weaknesses, yet their faith doth not quite expire, there is a twig of righteousness still to trust to; they are weary of watching, but they do not give over waiting; and say, as he, 2 Kings 6. 3 •… . What should I wait for the Lord any longer? Fainting is one thing, and quite dead is another: they strive against the temptation: though no end of their difficulties appeareth, they attend still, keep looking, though the vigor of the ey •… be abated by long exercise. There is life in the Saints, though not that liveliness they could wish; for they do not fall, and rise no more, and are quite thrown down with every blast of a temptation.

Thirdly, They confess their weakness to God, as David doth here, acquainteth God with it, and so shame themselves out of the temptation, and beg new strength. 'It is an excellent way of curing such Distempers, to lay them forth before God in prayer; for he helpeth the weak in their Conflicts. When we debate dark Cases with our own hearts, we entangle ourselves the more.

Use 1. It reproveth our tenderness, when we cannot bear a little while, What! not watch with me one hour? Matth. 26. 40. David kept waiting till his eyes failed. Some their whole Voyage is Storms, Christ indents with us to take up our Cross daily, Luke 9. 22. who are all their life time kept under this discipline, and can we bear no check from Providence? We would have all done in an hour or in a year, can bear nothing when God calleth us to bear much and long; cannot endure to abate a little of our wonted contentment, when God will strip us of all.

2. Let us provide for long sufferings. All colors will not hold as long as the Cloath lasts. We need a great deal of Grace, because we know not how long our great troubles may last. Sometimes sufferings are like to be long. First, When the Cross maketh little improvement, carrieth little Conviction with it. While the stubbornness of the Child continueth, the blows are continued. God will withdraw, till they acknowledge their offense, Hos. 5. 15. When we eye instruments, and pour our rage upon them; or instruments are minded, and we hope to be delivered some other way, when we repent not. Secondly, When provocations are long, Deut. 28. 58, 59. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law, that is written in this Book, that thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name, THE LORD THY GOD; then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance; and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

Doctr. That God's best servants have no other and no better plea, than that God would deal with them in mercy.

1. Because there is and can be no merit on the Creatures part towards God, according to the rule of Justice. Adam in innocence could impetrare, not mereri; 'twas his Grace to covenant with the Creature, when innocence and purity did adorn our Nature; how much more since the Fall, and the distance between God and us hath been so widened by sin! What merits, must be indebitum and utile. It must be indebitum. When our righteousness was perfect, yet still due, by virtue of our relation to God as Creatures; and paying of Debts deserveth no reward. The Lawyers tell us, Nemo consequitur premium, quod facit ex officio debitum. We are bound, and do but our Duty; but God is not bound to us. All that the Creature hath, and is, and can do, it oweth to God, and hath received it from him: and God is in such a degree of excellency above us, that he cannot be obliged. Where there is so great a disparity of Nature and Being, there is no common right to make him obnoxious, to make it Justice to any action of ours, to reward us. Aristotle denied Children could requite their Parents, and merit from them; and that the obligation of merit is only between Equals. Certainly not between God and Men. There was nothing which bound him necessarily to reward his Creature, but his free Covenant. Again, that which merits must be utile, profitable to him from whom we challenge reward. If we be never so righteous, the benefit is ours, not God's: He is not beholden to us, useth us not out of indigence, but indulgence; not as if he needed anything, but we need his blessing, Luke 19. 10. When we have done all, we are unprofitable servants; and, Psal. 16. 2. Our goodness extendeth not to thee. God giveth all, receiveth nothing from us. The Beam oweth all to the Sun, the Sun nothing to the Beam.

2. Because since the Fall there is no claiming but by the Covenant of Grace and mere mercy. A Sinner cannot expect anything, but upon terms of mercy. The Covenant of works supposed us innocent and holy, and bound us so to continue, Gal. 3. 20. so that the Law knoweth not how to do good to a Sinner. Once a Sinner, and forever miserable; it leaveth no room for repentance. So that now there is no hope for the best, according to the Rule of strict Justice; but only according to the law of mercy. In the new Covenant there are these special differences from the Law of Works.

First, That there is not only Grace, but mercy and Grace too: In the first Covenant there was Grace, but no Mercy: Grace doth all things gratis, freely; but Mercy pitieth the Miserable: therefore till sin and misery entered, there could be no room for Mercy. There was Grace in that Covenant, for 'twas of Grace that God did enter into Covenant with Man at all, and of Grace that he did accept Mans perfect obedience, so as upon performance of it to make him sure of eternal life. But now in the New Covenant God doth show Mercy and Grace too; and Grace in the most rich and glorious manner. Mercy and Grace too in this way of salvation, in that there is hope for a sinner, a plank cast out after shipwreck. And Grace in the richest and most glorious manner: Partly for the design and end that was driven at, it was the glory of Grace, Ephes. 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his Grace; and partly the ground of it was founded upon the infinite Mercy of God, and the infinite merit of Christ. The infinite mercy of God: Mercy is the infinite goodness of God, flowing out freely to the Creature, without any moving cause or worth on the Creatures part to expect it, Rom. 9. 16. 'It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; but of God that showeth mercy. And the infinite merit of Christ, Isai. 55. 3. I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isai. 42. 6. And give thee for a Covenant to the people. And Isai. 49. 8. I will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant to the people. David, that is Christ, the seed of David; all the mercies of the Covenant are exhibited in and by him, in whom the Covenant is made with us, and made good to us, 2 Cor. 1. 20. And he is given for a foundation; that is, the foundation of a new and better Covenant. And partly because of the terms wherein it is dispensed, which is not unsinning obedience; but a sincere owning of Christ, unto the ends for which God hath appointed him. So that in effect a thankful acceptance of a free discharge, is all that we do for paying the Debt; or to make way for our acceptance with God, Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be of Grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed. And Ephes. 2. 8. Ye are saved by Grace through Faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. By the Grace of Faith we lay hold upon or apply to ourselves Christ and all his benefits; and that Faith God giveth us by his mere Grace, not exhibited by any work of others. The whole work of salvation, from its first step in regeneration to its last step in glorification, doth entirely flow from God's free Grace, and not from any worth in us. So that this being the end, grounds, terms of the new Covenant from first to last, mercy doth all on which our hope dependeth. We must claim by mercy.

3. As there is no merit in the best Saints, so there is much demerit; and as there is nothing to induce God to be good to us, so there is much to hinder him, much that standeth in his way: yet God will do us good, Isai. 57. 17, 18. I have seen his ways, and will heal him, I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him. He taketh motives from himself to pity, when he might take occasion to punish. There are many sins to be forgiven both before and after Conversion. We are not only un-deserving, but ill-deserving. 'Twas much that God would take us with all our faults, when he first drew us into acquaintance with himself, and intrust us with a stock of Grace; but after he hath done that, we 〈◊〉 are faulting and sinning, Rom. 8. 1. Yet now there is no condemnation to them that are 〈◊〉 Christ; notwithstanding the relics of corruption, and its breaking out.

4. From the temper of the Saints, their humility. None have such a sight and sense of sin as they have, because their eyes are anointed with spiritual eye-salve. They have a clearer insight into the Law, Ier. 31. 19. After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh. They are enlightened by God's Spirit: the least Mote is espied in a Glass of clear Water. None are so acquainted with their own hearts and ways, as they who often commune with their own hearts, and use self-reflection. Others, that live carelessly, do not mind their offenses; but they that set themselves, do more consider their ways, none have a more tender sense of the heinousness of sin. She loved much, wept much, because much was forgiven her, Luke 7. Some are of a more delicate constitution, the back of a Slave is not so sensible of stripes, as they that have been more tenderly brought up. The Beams of the Sun shining into a house, we see the Dust and Motes in the Sun-Beams, which we saw not before. They profess as Jacob, I am not worthy of all the mercy and truth thou hast shown me. They groan as Saint Paul, Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!

Use 1. Is information. We learn hence that we should not be discouraged, when our hearts are touched with a deep remorse and sense of our failings, and are desirous to break off our sins by repentance: that mercy which is freely vouchsafed in the Covenant; which all God's servants have so often experienced, which the best make their only plea and ground of hope, will find out a remedy for us. If you have an heart to give up yourselves to God's service, and so to get an interest in the promises and blessings of the Covenant, you may come and sue out this mercy; for God desireth to exalt his Grace. God saith, Return to the Lord your God, and I will heal your backslidings, and love you freely, Hos. 14. 'It is the delight of Grace to do good, notwithstanding unworthiness. The worst of sins do not hinder God's help, are not above his cure. There is hope for such as are convinced, and see no worth in themselves why God should do them any good: God needs not, will not be hired by the Creatures to do it.

Use 2. How inexcusable those are that reject the offers of Grace. If they have any liking to the blessings of the Covenant, they have no ground to quarrel and differ with God about the price, Isai. 55. 1. Ho everyone that thirsteth, let him come to the Waters and drink freely, without money and without price. You have no cloak for your sin, if you will not deal with God upon these terms. Nothing keepeth you from him, but your own perverse will.

Use 3. What reason there is the best of God's servants should carry it thankfully all their days. From first to last the mercy of God is your only plea and claim. No flesh hath cause to glory in his presence, there being no meritorious cause in the Covenant of Grace, no moving and inducing cause, no co-ordinate working cause, Not for your sakes do I this, Ezek. 36. 32. And in the 1 Cor. 7. 4. 'tis said, Who maketh thee to differ? We paid nothing for God's love, nothing for Christ the Son of his love, nothing for his Spirit the fruit of his love, nothing for sanctifying Grace and Faith the effects of his Spirit dwelling and working in our hearts, nothing for pardon, we have all freely, nothing for daily bread, protection, maintenance; and shall pay nothing for Glory, when we come to receive it, Jude 21. Looking for the mercy of God unto eternal life. 'It is all without our merit, and against merit: we should regard this especially when we are apt to say in our hearts, This is for our righteousness; as Haman thought none so fit for honor and preferment as himself, Esth. 6. 6. Haman thought so in his heart. So proud-hearted, self-conceited Sinners say in their hearts, God seeth more in them than in others. Alas! you are not only unworthy of Christ, the Spirit, Grace and Glory; but the Air you breathe in, and the Ground you tread upon. What did the Lord see in you to judge you meet for such an Estate? Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and all thy truth. Did not you slight Grace, neglect Christ, as well as others? and doth not sin break out, and make a forfeiture every day?

Use 4. That we should carry it humbly, as well as thankfully. The best of God's Children should most admire Grace, and glorify Mercy, set the Crown on Mercies head. Consider,

First, What was the first rise of all God's love, what set all a stirring in God's bosom, John 3. 16. There was no cause beyond this. In other things we may rise higher, from his Power and Wisdom, to his Love; but why did he love us? There is no other cause to be given, he loved us because he loved us. 'Twas love first moved the business in the ancient counsel of God's will. God's love is the measure of its self.

Secondly, When he came to apply it, he found us in our blood. 'Twas a great mercy that God would take us into his service with all our faults. We were his Creatures, but quite mar'd, not as he made us. We are not what we were when first his: as we came out of his hands, we were pure and holy; but since the Fall quite spoiled, Ier. 2. 21. I had planted thee a noble Vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me! Strangely changed and altered! If a Servant run from his Master, and is become altogether blind, deformed, and diseased; will his Master look after him, or care for him, or take him again? This was our case.

Thirdly, What is spoken already is common to others, you yourselves knew what you were, Tit. 3. 3. Every man is soundly affected, more sensible of his own case, seeth particular reasons why God should refuse him; yet you are as brands plucked out of the burning; who did resist such powerful means, such fair advantages; you dallied with God. You know the case of others by ghess, your own by feeling. You lay not only in the common polluted Mass, but had your particular offenses.

Fourthly, When taken in a fault, that God will pity our weakness and infirmities in his service, Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them, as a man spareth his Son that serveth him; that is, he will continue his favor and good-will to them that serve him. So surely they that have a Conscience, and are privy to their manifold infirmities and failings, will admire this.

Fifthly, Though for the main we give up ourselves to live according to the will of God; yet consider notwithstanding our sins, what constant humbling confiderations there are to keep us sensible of our defects. First, All that you do is not worthy of God; who can serve so great a Majesty as the Lord is, according as he should be served? Josh. 14. 29. You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy and a jealous God. Alas! such is the poverty of human condition, that they can never perform service becoming his Majesty; have you a due sense of his purity and holiness? Nay, how jealous he is of the respects of his people! Secondly, Not worthy of such a pure Law, which requireth such perfect service at our hands, Psal. 19. 6, 7, 8. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, &c. What doth that speculation produce? that a short exposition of the Law begetteth a large opinion of our own righteousness. Thirdly, Not worthy such great hopes, 1 Thess. 2. 12. That ye walk worthy of God, who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory. Since we have such great wages, we should do more work. Is this for Heaven? Is this for eternity? Fourthly, Not such as will answer our obligations. We are indebted to all the Persons of the Trinity, God himself for our portion, Christ our Redeemer, the Spirit for our Guide and Comforter. The Gentiles greatly obliged to God for fruitful Seasons. The Jews, though acquainted only with God's patience and forbearance, the Ceremonial Law was a testification of guilt, or a Bond that shown the Creatures Debt; this Bond was not cancelled. Fifthly, Not answerable to the new Nature in God's Children; they would be in a state of perfect conformity and subjection to God. A seed worketh through the Clods, so they groan under the relics of corruption and sin, Rom. 7. 24. longing for the time when they shall be more like God, when they shall serve him without spot or blemish; therefore are unsatisfied with their present imperfections. These things considered, we should ever keep humble and thankful, praising God's Grace, Isai. 63. 7. I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed upon us; and the great goodness towards the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them, according to his mercies, and the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

Use 5. Directeth us how to pray. Cast yourselves at God's feet, pleading his mercy. We have heard the Kings of Israel a •… e merciful Kings, 1 Kings 20. 31. you have heard so of the God of Israel; try wh •… mercy will do for you: say as David here, Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy: My prayers have no other foundation of hope, but thy mercy; I am nothing, and would be nothing, but what I have from thee; I have no merits, but thou hast mercy; all that I have, and expect to have, floweth and must flow from this Fountain: take heed of challenging Duty as a Debt, no, Lord, thy mercy is all my plea; as all thy servants before have done: Lord, temember me in thy mercy; if any have other things to plead, let them plead, I am resolved to use no other Plea, Psal. 13. 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy.

Second Branch, Teach me thy Statutes. This may be considered apart by itself, or with respect to the Context.

1. Apart, as an entire prayer in its self: So the Doctrine is,

Doctr. 'It is God must teach us his Statutes.

This will appear, if we consider,

1. What it is to be taught of God. There is a difference between Grammatical Knowledge, and Spiritual Illumination; or a literal instruction, and a spiritual instruction: a greater difference than there is between teaching a Child to spell and read the words, and a Man to understand the sense. Literal instruction is when we learn the truths contained in the Word by rote, and talk one after another of Divine things. But Spiritual Illumination is when these things are revealed to us by the Spirit of God; as we read of the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 4. Others have a form of knowledge, Rom. 2. 20. Some have only the report of Christ, have but an human credulity, or the recommendation of others, that reveal the Doctrine of God to them. Others receive a revelation made to their souls, their eyes are opened by the Spirit, Isai. 53. 1. Once more, there is a difference between the Spirits enlightening in a way of gifts and common Grace, and his enlightening in a way of special and saving Grace. Some that are enlightened by the Spirit fall away, Heb. 6. 4. Others are taught of God, so as to come to him by Christ, John 6. 45. This latter sort, that are savingly enlightened, have not only their minds opened, but their hearts inclined. So to be taught, as to be drawn to faith and practice, this is proper to God, who is the Sovereign Dispenser of Grace.

2. This will appear, if we consider the heart of Man, which is naturally full of darkness, and oppressed by the prejudices of customs and evil habits, 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 . 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of God. 2 Cor. 4. 4. The God of this world hath blinded their eyes. This Veil can only be removed by the Spirit of God. After Grace received, we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9. and much of the matter which becloudeth the mind still remaineth with us. And when our lusts are awakened by temptations, our old blindness returneth upon us, and we strangely forget ourselves and our Duty for the present. Therefore we have need to go to God to be taught, 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that wanteth these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.

3. If we consider the matter to be taught, 'tis the mysterious Doctrine that came out of the bosom of God. Every Art hath its mystery, which Strangers cannot judge of, 1 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration. This was a Secret which had not been known without a Revelation. God hath his Mysteries which no man knoweth, but by the Spirit of God, Matth. 13. 1 •… . To you 'tis given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven; but to them it is not given. Those that have Scriptures, yet have scales on their eyes, 1 Cor. 2. 14. they have not saving knowledge. How sharp-sighted soever graceless souls may be in things that concern the present World; yet they are blind in spiritual things, so as to be affected and engaged thereby seriously to turn to God. Yea, how accurately soever they can discourse in the Theory, and preach of Christ and his ways; yet they have no transforming light. God's mysteries must be seen in his own light, or they make no impression upon us, Psal. 36. 9. In thy light we shall see light. The Scriptures containing the sum of the Lord's mind, none can of themselves attain to the meaning of them. 'Twas not the device of man's brain. So none understand by their proper skill and invention. There are such knots as cannot be untied and loosed, but by imploring the help of the Spirit.

Use 1. To press us to be often with God for this teaching, and make it our great request to him. A gracious heart would fain learn the right way to Heaven, Psal. 43. 3. O send out thy light and thy truth. Direction •… how to carry ourselves is a great Blessing.

2. The blindness of our understandings should make us more earnest with God. We are apt to mistake our way, through the natural weakness of our understandings, especially when lusts and interests interpose, Ier. 10. 23. Lord, the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. As Man understandeth not events, so easily mistaketh present Duties.

3. Our present estate. The world is a dark place, 2 Pet. 1. 19. compared with the light of Glory; 'tis but like a light that shineth out of a Room where a Candle is; and a Room where a Candle is not seen, the glimmerings of the Anti-Chamber of eternity. Our own reason, the counsel and example of others, will easily misguide us. So the more we depend upon God, the more he will undertake to teach us, Prov. 5. 6. Those that make their own bosoms their Oracle, God is disengaged from being their Guide: they need him not: but the snares they run into will soon show them how much they need him.

4. How unapt we are to see Conclusions in the promises, and to apply general Rules to particular Cases and times; which most Christians cannot do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in their inferences, Rom. 1. 21. Are vain in their imaginations, have their foolish hearts darkened.

5. To bind all upon the heart, and to lie under the Conscience of our Duty, maketh the difficulty the greater; many imprison the truth in unrighteousness. Well then, beg the constant direction and illumination of God's holy Spirit, cast yourselves upon him in the sense of your weakness, and see if he will refuse you; say, I am blind and ignorant, Lord, guide me. 'It is dangerous to be left in any part of our Duty to ourselves.

II. If we consider the words with respect to the Context; And first the remoter Context, where David speaketh like a man under trouble and oppression, verses 121, 122. Let not the proud oppress me, &c. Lord show me what to do in this time of my oppression.

Doctr. Direction how to carry ourselves in trouble, till the deliverance cometh, is a great mercy, and should be earnestly sought of God.

Reasons.

1. From the parties oppressing. They that oppress watch for our halting, as Jeremiah complained, Ier. 20. 10. They accused the Prophet unto the Ruler, and so to work his ruin, if they could find him tripping in anything. Now when we are watched, we need special direction, that God would teach us to walk warily and safely, Psal. 27. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies; Or, those which observe me, they watch to get some advantage: therefore that they may have no advantage against us, we should not trust to our own single wisdom.

2. Because the danger of sin is a greater inconvenience than the danger of trouble. In times of trials and troubles, we are in danger of soul-losing and sinning, as well as bodily danger; therefore we have need to beg wisdom of God to carry it well under trouble, because we are so apt to miscarry, unless God guide us continually in our dark condition, and take us by the hand, and help us over our stumbling Blocks. There are many sins incident to our condition.

First, Uncomely passion and unadvised speeches; therefore David prayeth in his trouble, Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch before my mouth, keep the door of my lips. In our oppression we are under a temptation to hurt our own Cause by unadvised and passionate speeches: when we have too great a sense of the temptation, something or other breaketh out to God's dishonor.

Secondly, Some indirect course to come out of trouble, Psal. 125. 3. Men that make haste out of trouble carve for themselves, break prison before they are brought out. Necessity is an ill Counselor, and will soon tempt us to some evil way for our own ease, some sinful compliance or confederacy. The Devil tempted Christ when he was an hungry, Matth. 4. 3. hoping to work upon his necessity.

Thirdly, Private revenge, or meeting injury with injuries. We are apt to retaliate, 2 Sam. 16. 9. Why should this dead Dog curse my Lord the King? let me go over I pray thee, and take off his head. Revenge is soon up. No man is troubled if a shower of Rain falleth upon us; but if any cast a Bucket or Bason of Water upon us, we are in a rage presently. We can better bear any trouble from God, than injuries from men, Oppression maketh a wise man mad. A revengeful spirit is contrary to our heavenly Calling.

Fourthly, Waxing weary of our Duty, and quite tired and discouraged in God's service, Heb. 12. 3. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners, lest you be weary and faint in your minds. Weariness and fainting belong properly to the Body, and they differ gradually; weariness is a lesser, and fainting a higher degree of deficiency: as when a man laboreth, hungers, or travelleth, it abateth his strength, and abateth the active powers, or toileth the Spirits, the principle of motion. And from the Body, 'tis translated to the Mind, to a less or higher degree of defection; and is thus, When troubles are many and long continued, then we begin to grow faint, and wax weary of the faith and service of Christ, and sink under the burden. 'It is the Devils design to make us weary, and tire us out in the service of God.

Fifthly, Another evil, is despairing and distrustful thoughts of God. David after all his experiences of God, though he had conducted him up and down, 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul. He had a particular promise and assurance of the Kingdom, and had seen much of God's care over him; yet after all this, David doubteth of the Word of God, Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes, nevertheless thou heardest me. As if he should say, God hath no care of me, nor thoughts of me; and at that instant deliverance was coming.

Sixthly, Questioning our interest in God by reason of the Cross. Our Lord hath taught us to say, My God, my God, in the bitterest agonies, when he was upon the Cross; but few learn this Lesson. Judge. 6. 23. If God be with us, why hath all this evil befallen us? Sometimes we question the love of God, because we have no affliction, and anon because we have nothing but affliction; as if God were not the God of the Valleys, as well as of the Mountains. Well then, seeing all these Distempers are incident to an afflicted estate, we should the more carefully watch against them.

3. Because our enemies make a great advantage of our failings, and harden themselves in their prejudices, if we carry not a holy, good Cause, in a holy religious way, and will take the least occasion given from a questionable practice, to slander the truth, Neh. 5. 9. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies? If you should trip in anything, you shall soon hear of it, to the reproach of Religion. A holy and wise carriage in afflictions, is very honorable to the Gospel; otherwise your testimony is rejected and blasted.

Use. Well then, desire the Lord to guide thee in all thy troubles; yea, if God doth guide you, let this satisfy you before the deliverance cometh about. It is a mercy if you have direction, though you have not deliverance; for a godly man should not so much regard the ease of the flesh, as the performance of his Duty to God. If you carry your Cross regularly, with faith and patience, God may have more honor, and you more profit, by your affliction, than your deliverance. Yea, to be instructed in the Word, and be taught your Duty, is in itself a greater mercy than a deliverance, Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest, and teachest him out of thy Law. 'It is a blessed thing, yea 'tis a deliverance itself, for it delivereth you from the spiritual evil of the Rod, which is the Curse. Suffering doth not come as a Curse, when instruction goeth along with it. Yea, 'tis the means of our great deliverance from the present evil world, 1 Cor. 11. 32. as it is a pledge of our future deliverance in due time, for God is not unmindful of us, and will not leave us without the conduct of his Spirit.

Secondly, To handle the Words with respect to the nearer Context, in Verse 123. Mine eyes fail for thy salvation. This teaching is begged after he had complained of the delay of the promises, and so implicitly he complaineth not of the falsity of the Word, or the non-performance of the promise; but of the weakness of his own Faith.

Doctr. When the Lord suspends the promised deliverance, the Godly suspect not the truth of his Word; but the darkness of their own unbelieving hearts.

They think, this failing is because they are no more enlightened, they are dull in conceiving, and misty and cloudy in their apprehensions, and therefore would have a clearer understanding of the promise, and a more quick-sighted Faith. Or have failed in the performance of the Condition required; therefore desire that God would teach them, and show them their errors, and cause them to profit in sanctification. Thus should we do in like Cases, when there is a seeming Contradiction between the Word and the Works of God, betwixt his promises and his Providence about us: His voice is sweet like Jacob 's, but his hands rough like Esau 's. Do not suspect the promise, but your understanding; go into the Sanctuary, Psal. 73. 16, 17. God will help you to reconcile things: otherwise the difficulty will be too hard for you. The Saints that have suspected or distrusted God, have found themselves in an error, Isai. 49. 14, 15. and Psal. 77. 8, 9, 10. First, You must not interpret God's promise by his Providence, but his Providence by his promise; and the promise is the light side, and Providence the dark side of the Cloud, Isai. 45. 15. Thou hiddest thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior. Psal. 77. 19. Thy way is in the Sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. We cannot trace him, a man cannot find out the reason of everything that God doth. Secondly, Thou must distinguish between a part of God's work, and the end of it. We cannot understand God's Providence, till he hath done his Work. In the last Act of the Comedy all the errors are reconciled. Tarry till then, Zech. 14. 7. At evening it shall be light. We view Providence by pieces, and we know not what God is a doing, rending and tearing all in pieces. But view God's work in its whole Frame and Contexture, and it will appear beautiful. Thirdly, We must distinguish between what is best for us, and what we judge is best for us, Deut. 8. 15, 16. Who led thee thorough the great and terrible Wilderness, wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions, and Drought, where there was no water, who brought thee forth water out of the Rock: Who fed thee in the Wilderness with Manna, which thy Fathers knew not; that he might humble thee, and prove thee, to do thee good at the latter end. Other Diet is more wholesome for our Souls, than our sick appetite craveth. It's best with us many times when we are weakest, 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak, then am I strong; worst, when strongest, 2 Chron. 26. 16. When he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his own destruction. Many times the buffetings of Satan are better for us, than a condition free from temptations: so is poverty and emptiness, better than fullness. Fourthly, We must distinguish between what things are in themselves, and what in their reduction, use and tendency. All things are for a Believer in their use, though they may be against him in their Nature, 1 Cor. 3. 18, 19, 20. and Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God. All their Crosses, yea sometimes their sins and snares, God will over-rule them for good; and the work of Grace sometimes goeth back, that it may go forward. Many such Cases there are, which look like a contradiction, which we shall not know what to make of them, unless we bring it to Christ an Interpreter, one of a thousand. But take heed in these confusions and toffings of thy Soul, how thou reflectest on God: a little experience will confute thy prejudices.

Thirdly, With respect to the nearest Context, the former Clause of this Verse. After an appeal to the Covenant of Grace, or a petition for mercy, he asketh direction to keep the Law.

Doct. They that would have mercy by the Covenant, must be earnest to be taught God's Statutes.

Mercy and teaching are David's 's two great requests, throughout this and other Psalms.

Reasons.

1. The Moral Obligation of the Law still lieth on God's Servants, that are taken into the Covenant of Grace. There is an eternal Obligation upon the Creature, to love and serve the Creator, which cannot be dissolved. We are not redeemed from the service of the Law by Christ, but the curse of the Law, Luke 1. 74, 75. Being delivered from the hands of our enemies, that we might serve God in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. The end of our redemption was not to destroy our service, according to the Law, but to fit and enable us to perform it, according to the image of God restored in us, Ephes. 4. 24. The new man is created, to restore in some measure those abilities we lost in Adam. God never yet gave man a liberty to be free from the obligation of the Moral Law; He would not pardon any sin against it without satisfaction made by Christ, and believed and pleaded by sinful man. Christ merited, and God restored the Spirit of sanctification, that men might keep it. He will not spare his own Children when they transgress against it by heinous and scandalous sins, as to temporal punishments, Prov. 11. 31. The righteous man shall be recompensed upon Earth; much more the wicked and the sinner. Psal. 30. 31. David and Eli both smarted for their sins. No man hath interest in Christ, unless he return to the obedience of this Law, 1 Cor. 9. 21. To them that are without Law, as without Law; (being not without Law to God, but under the Law to Christ) that I might gain them that are without Law. Rom. 8. 1, 2. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit: For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death. No interest in mercy else, Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule, peace and mercy be upon them. We cannot have full Communion with God, till we perfectly obey it, Ephes. 5. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but it should be holy and without blemish.

2. The great privilege of the Covenant of Grace is, To be taught God's Statutes; or, to have a real impress of them upon the heart and mind: which is the way of Divine teaching, Heb. 8. 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. He will cure us of our wickedness, weakness and carelessness, and enable us to keep his Law; 'tis God's undertaking to do so, and that out of free Grace and favor; for he is not indebted to us: 'tis to give us knowledge of them, and power to keep them. Much of the Law natural cannot be severed from it; and that is the reason why the Heathens have the Law written upon their hearts, Rom. 2. 15. But the writing is very imperfect, both as to knowledge and power to keep it. God will imprint them more perfectly, this is the true Notion of the Law. By the mind is meant understanding, by the heart the rational appetite: In the mind is the directive counsel; in the will the imperial and commanding power. There is the prime mover of all human actions, he giveth an apprehensive and perceptive power, whereby we apprehend things more clearly, and effectually desire and affect spiritual delights.

Use 1. Is to refute the claim of them that would plead mercy, but would still go on in their own ways, blessing themselves in their sins. Till our hearts and minds are suited to God's Law by a permanent tincture of holiness, we are not fit Subjects to ask mercy, and the promises of the Covenant.

2. If we would have this effect, we must go to God, who alone can work upon the immortal Soul, to reform, mould, or alter it; a new man or Angel cannot do it, they may by sense and fancy teach him many things: but to make these lively impressions, must be the work of the Spirit.

Doctr. That 'tis a good Plea, when we want any mercy spiritual or temporal, to be able to plead that we are God's servants.

• I. That there are a sort of people, that in a peculiar manner are God's servants.
• II. These may plead it when they want any mercy spiritual or temporal.

I. That some are in a peculiar manner God's Servants. The Saints of God are so called; 'twas Moses 's honor, They sung the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord. So Ios. 1. 1. Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord. So Paul asserts it of himself, Acts 27. 23. The God, whose I am, and whom I serve. Here is a true description of a Christian Man, he is God's, and serveth God: he is God's by special appropriation and communion with God. He serveth God, that is, walketh answerable to his relation, and is ever about God's work. Elsewhere he describeth himself by his service, Rom. 1. 9. My God, whom I serve in my spirit: 1 Tim. 1. 3. God whom I serve with a pure conscience. But to know who in a peculiar manner are God's servants, we must distinguish.

1. God is served actively and passively, by necessity of Nature, or voluntary choice. Passively, by necessity of Nature, all Creatures, even the inanimate, are his servants, Psal. 119. 91. They continue this day according to thine ordinances; for all are thy servants. But actively, to serve him out of Duty and choice; so do only Men and Angels, who were made immediately for his service; the brute and inanimate Creatures only ultimately and terminatively. They have a principle in their Nature to incline them to it; are not only over-ruled so to do by the conduct of general Providence. The water that driveth a Mill serveth my purpose, but otherwise than the Miller or Overseer of the work. Fire and water is my servant, much more he.

2. We must distinguish between those who are God's servants de jure, of right, and those who are so de facto, indeed; servants of right, and actually his servants. De jure all men are God's servants, God made them for himself, Prov. 16. 4. and Christ bought them for himself, Rom. 14. 9. For to this end Christ both died and rose again, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. He is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Lord and Master, where he is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Covenant-Redeemer, and Savior, 2 Pet. 2. 1. They deny the Lord that bought them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a master that bought them for service, and may challenge a right and interest in them, having shed his blood for Mankind. But de facto, those are God's servants who yield themselves up to God's dominion, to serve and please him in all things with cheerfulness and consent. The Covenant is represented under divers Notions, as a Covenant of friendship, I am. 2. 23. Abraham was called the friend of God; as a Conjugal Covenant, Hos. 2. 19, 20. I will betroth thee to me; as a Covenant between King and Subjects, Isai. 33. 22. as a Covenant between Master and Servants, Isai. 56. 6. that take hold of his Covenant, and join themselves to the Lord to be his Servants. The two former Notions imply the sociableness and intimacy we have with God in the Covenant, the two latter our inferiority and subjection. Both must be minded; that as on the one side we be not slavish and under bondage, so on the other we may not behave ourselves too fellow-like with God. We are such servants as are also friends, yea as sons, yea his spouse. The end of joining ourselves to the Lord, is not to be partners with him, but servants to him.

3. Some are servants by visible profession, and Baptismal engagement; others really and indeed, by conversion to God, or an actual giving up of themselves to his use and service. By Baptism we are professed servants and subjects to the God of Heaven, bound to be so; for it is the Seal of that Covenant of Service I spake of before, and so bindeth our service in it. We renounce the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and dedicate ourselves to the Lord. Justin Martyr saith, They did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And Ezek. 16. 8. And entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine. 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth now save us (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God.) By profession, all Baptized Persons are God's Servants; but in reality all converted persons are so, that are turned from Idols, to serve the living God, 1 Thess. 1. 9. Without this, Christ will not be contented with an outside acquaintance, and the flattery of empty titles; but will the more challenge us by virtue of our profession, Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father, where is mine honor? if I be a Master, where is my fear? Cui res subjecta nomini negatur, is nomine illuditur. It was no honor to Christ, but a mere mockery, to be called, King of the Jews, whilst they buffeted Christ and spat upon him. If God be a Master, he will have the honor, fear and obedience that belongeth to a Master, that we should be afraid to offend him.

4. There are some that are servants by general relation to distinguish persons, and some by way of special attendance. A servant in general relation, is every Christian Servant; by special attendance, are either Angels, and they are called his Ministers, Psal. 123. 21. as being in near and special attendance about their Masters person, Courtiers of Heaven, most in Grace and favor with God. A man may have one to do his business, that yet hath not one to attend his person. Among men, the Magistrate is the Minister of God for good, Rom. 13. 4. Ministers are Servants in special attendance, therefore Paul so often calleth himself the servant of Jesus Christ, Rom. 1. 9. Whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son. Ministers of God, not of the people, but for the people, because of their near service about and under God. David was both an holy Man, and a King, and a Prophet. David as a King might use this petition: it highly concerneth one in public rank and office to say to God, I am thy servant. Yea as private believers, I observe it not only to distinguish persons, but to distinguish the work of the same person. Christians have besides their general Calling, a particular Calling wherein to serve God. God hath given us all Talents to trade withal, Matth. 25. 14. Who called his servants, and delivered unto them his goods. Luke 13. 13. Occupy till I come. Dona Talenta. Everyone of us, as instruments of Providence, are to serve God in our Generations, Acts 13. 36. and so not only to mind the work of our general Calling, but that particular work which he hath given us to do in our way and place. The general and particular Calling do not cross but help one another. In your particular Calling, as instruments of God's Providence, you provide for your support during your service, and the relief of others: so that, as God's servants you are not to be idle, but to have a lawful Employment and Calling, that you may not cast yourselves upon temptations of using sinful shifts for your support and living. 'It is also a remedy against the evils that flow from idleness and too much ease, and that he may promote the good of Church, Family, and Kingdom. And then the general Calling helpeth the particular, by limiting it, and our endeavors therein, that so we may have time to save our souls; and directing us, that we do all things holily and justly as become the Servants of the Lord.

II. These may plead it when they want any mercy spiritual or temporal.

1. 'It is not a Plea contrary to Grace. Indeed, no such Plea can be allowed in the New Covenant; partly because 'tis the mere mercy of God to advance us to this honor, to make us his servants, and the fruit of his goodness, rather than our choice, Rom. 9. 16. 'It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; but of God that showeth mercy. Willing and running and working and serving are necessary afterwards, 1 Cor. 9. 24. as our way and qualification. Again, our service is mixed with many weaknesses. Mercy there needeth to interpret our best actions, Gal. 6. 16. Peace and Mercy, when we have done most exactly: yea the very plea of servant, excludeth all thought of merit; for a servant ipso jure Ministerium Domino debet, Luke 17. 9. Doth he thank that servant, because he did the things that were commanded? I trow not.

2. 'It is not contrary to humility. 'It is not, we are thy Children, we are thy Saints; but we are thy Servants. 'It is the meanest of relations, it speaketh duty rather than perfection, and pleads not property of the house, but propriety and interest in God. The best of us are but servants to the high God, and therefore should not carry it proudly either to our Master, or to our Fellow-Servants. 'It is an humble claim.

3. It speaketh comfort: for God will provide for his Family, and will give maintenance, protection, direction, help, and finally wages, where he requireth and expecteth service; for the present, necessaries by the way, for the future a blessed reward. For the present, we may depend on him as Servants on their Lord, Psal. 123. 2. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters, and the eyes of maidens to the hand of their mistress, &c. Servants had their Dole and Portion from their Masters, the Males from the Master, the Females from the Mistress; therefore is the expression of looking here used. First, God will give direction. In the Text, David, upon the account of being God's Servant, beggeth to know his will, as all good servants study what will please their masters; and will God appoint us work, and not tell us what it is? Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God; thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness. God doth not only show us what is good in his word, but teacheth us also by his spirit, and directs us in every turn and motion of our lives, and we ask it of him as he is our God and Lord. Secondly, Help and assistance. God is no Pharaoh, to require Brick and give no Straw; his Grace is ready to help the endeavoring Soul, Gal. 2. 12, 13. Work out your salvation; for God worketh in you both to will and to do. He exciteth the first motions, and still carrieth them on to perfection. Thirdly, Protection while he hath a mind to use us, verse. 122. of this Psalm, Be surety for thy servant for good; let not the proud oppress me. Under the Law, if a servant was hurt, the Master was to take an account, and satisfaction to be made to him for his servant, Deut. 21. 32. so God taketh an account of the wrongs of his servants, and will demand satisfaction. Fourthly, Maintenance, 1 Tim. 5. 8. Every man hath a care devolved upon him, to take care of his Family, and provide for them, as instruments of God's Providence; and will not God provide for his own? And then for time to come, God's servants have good wages, Heb. 11. 6. He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We need not seek another pay-master, there is a sure reward, Prov. 11. 18. But to him that soweth righteousness, shall be a sure reward. And a great reward, Psal. 19. 11. And in the keeping of them is a great reward. And a full reward, 2 John 8. But that we receive a full reward. No desire remaineth unsatisfied.

Use. Is to persuade us to become the Servants of the Lord.

1. I will plead with you upon the account of right; you ought to be so jure Creationis, you were created by him. As a man expecteth fruit from the Vine which he hath planted, so may God expect from the Creature which he hath made; yea, you were made for this end. If God had made us for another purpose, our living to that end and purpose had been regular. But this was his end, that he might be served by us. Let us lay these things together, consider what an absolute power God hath by Creation: no Lord hath such a right over his Slave or Servant, as God over us. The Slave or Servant is either taken in battle, or bought and hired with our money; but God made us out of nothing: he that made a thing at his own pleasure, hath a greater right than another can have by purchase, yea greater right than a master over his Beast. A master hath a greater right over his Beast than over his Servant: the dominion over the Beast is more natural to us than over a Servant: the Servant and Master have the same common Nature. When he gave us dominion over the Beasts of the Field, the one is founded in God's original Grant, the other is but a civil right founded in temporal accidents. Something is due, even to a Slave, as our own Flesh. Yet a man cannot absolutely do with his Beast as he will, the Law of God interposeth: a good man is merciful to his beast: God will not allow a cruel disposition, nor give us the absolute disposal over the Creatures which we made not. Nay, more than a Potter over the Vessels which he hath framed, or a Workman over his work; he only giveth external shape or figure, by art out of matter already prepared: But God giveth the whole Being out of nothing, nothing but what is his. A Potter hath power over his work to dispose of it as he pleaseth; here the Law interposeth not. Surely, if a Potter hath power to dispose of his Vessels, God hath an absolute power to smite or heal, lift up or cast down, save or condemn, none can say, What dost thou? He doth not fashion us out of matter prepared, but out of mere nothing. But this was his end, that we should love and fear and serve and glorify him. Our business was not to eat and drink, and please ourselves and others, and live a merry life. All things act to the end for which they were created, the Sun to shine by day and enlighten the World, the Moon and Stars by night; and they answer their end. Their ultimate end is to serve God, their next end to serve Man. All things in the World are either subjected to our dominion, or created for our use; the Heavens, though not under our dominion as Beasts, yet are for our use, the lower Heaven to give us breath, the middle Heaven to give us light and heat, the highest Heaven for our Dwelling Place: the Sun runneth and hasteneth to give us light. The Sun shineth for us, the Wind bloweth, and the Water Howeth for our use. The Earth and Air are for our use, the Earth to tread on, the Air to breathe in; and shall not we serve him, that made the whole Course to serve us? All the Creatures are at work for us day and night, for a poor Worm of six foot long! yea the Creator is at work for us, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. We complain if the Creatures do not serve us, and shall not we serve God who gave us those Servants?

2. A right of preservation. He is Lord alone, because he preserveth all things, Neh. 9. 6. Thou, even thou O Lord alone, thou hast made heaven, and the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the sea and all that is therein; and thou preservest them all. At whose Table are we fed? at whose cost and expense are we maintained? upon whom do we depend every moment, for being and operation? Acts 17. 28. In him we live and move, and have our being. Heb. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power, he doth every moment continue what he gave at first. Things were not made that they should act and subsist of themselves, as the house abideth when the Inhabitant is dead and gone. A daily influence is necessary: As the Beams depend on the Sun, so do we every moment upon God, every day we are bound to serve him. If God should turn us off for preservation to ourselves, how soon should we return to our original nothing! God is disengaged if we serve him not. If, out of indulgence, he continues our Beings, what vile ingratitude is it, not to serve him! Isai. 1. 3. The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters Crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Would you maintain a Servant to do his own work? Since we live upon God, we should live to him.

3. A right by redemption, 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. And ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which is God's. If a man had bought another out of slavery, all his time and strength and service belonged to the Buyer: Christ hath bought us from the worst slavery with the greatest price, and shall we rob him of his purchase? This was his end, he did not redeem us to ourselves, but to God; not to live as we list, to exempt us from his dominion, that is impossible: Saul promised to make him free in Israel, that would destroy Goliath, 1 Sam. 16. 25. But to be free from God's dominion cannot be, that was not Christ's end in redeeming us, but that we might be put into a capacity to serve God. Well then, when God hath such a right in us, we ought to obey him.

Secondly, Consider, what an honor 'tis to be God's servants. Servire Deo, regnare est. The meanest Offices about a Prince are honorable. No such honorable employment as God's service, both in respect of the person whom we serve, the Great God, and the service itself, 'tis a service of righteousness and holiness, Luke 1. 74. This is no drudgery, our Natures are ennobled; the liberty and perfection of human Nature is preserved by this service. And then for the quality of our reward, there is no such wages, no such reward in any service, John 12. 26. And where I am, there shall my servant be: If any man serve me, him will my father honor. Here is true honor, fitted for great spirits that will not stoop to trifles; and indeed God's servant is the only great spirit. The most eminent Servants in the Court of Kings have but a splendid and more gaudy slavery in comparison of God.

Thirdly, What an happiness, as well as an honor, both in respect of our present Communion with him, and future Fruition of him! The Queen of Sheba said of Solomon 's servants, 1 Kings 10. 8. Happy are the men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Happy those indeed that serve God, they are friend-servants, John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth; but I call you friends, for all things that I have heard of my father, I have made known unto you. In regard of intimate Communion, they are treated as Sons, though they be servants. Now 'tis very comfortable to be taken into God's bosom, and to have access to him upon all occasions. Besides the reward and wages in the life to come, God's Servants have great Vales: Our Earnest is better than the Worlds Wages. Consider,

Fourthly, What an hard master we were under before, Rom. 6. 17. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin. You have obeyed many masters, Tit. 3. 3. Ye were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures. You that were at the beck of every brutish lust, and were carried to and fro with so many contrary passions and affections, that have left so many wounds in your Consciences, alarmed by terrors every day, when you denied yourselves nothing, thought nothing too much or too dear to spend or part with in a sinful course.

Fifthly, If once we come to choose his service, we shall find a difference between the Lord and other Masters, 2 Chron. 12. 8. Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries. The sorrow of the one, the sweetness of the other; the misery of the one, the blessedness of the other; the bondage of the one, the liberty of the other; they that forsake or refuse God's service, shall soon find worse masters. God hath ways enough to punish our straggling from Duty, and slighting his service; either by putting us under hard taskmasters, some that shall turn the edge of authority against us, push with the horns of a Lamb, a barbarous enemy, making us to be mutual oppressors of each other, or by giving us over to Satan's power, or our own hearts Iusts.

Sixthly, Christ's service is not hard nor heavy, Matth. 11. 28. My yoke is easy and my burden light, notwithstanding all your prejudices against it. These men live as they list, they think this a sweet liberty to be guided by their own wisdom, and live according to their own wills, according to their own ends, and that it's better than to be curbed, Psal. 2. 3. But after a little while they have other thoughts, they will find the bitterness of such a Course. On the contrary, the more we try the service of God, the sweeter we shall find it to be, 1 John 5. 3. And his Commandments are not grievous. And Prov. 3. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Our work is wages, and our very work carrieth a reward in the bosom of it. So sweet and comfortable it is. Now for directions.

1. If we would be God's servants, we must sincerely, wholly and absolutely give up ourselves to do his will; and never more to look upon ourselves as our own masters, to do what we please; but wholly to study what will please God, Isai. 56. 6. they joined themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, and be his Servants. Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey; his servants ye are to whom ye obey? There is a solemn dedication made, we take up his service seriously; not upon example barely, or tradition, or fear, or constraint, or some base respects or sinister ends, or some sudden pang or motion: but after serious and due deliberation, out of judgment rightly informed, and affection thereon grounded, do engage themselves to perform humble service to God, without limiting or power of revocation, give up themselves wholly to follow his directions.

2. God's servants have work to do, none of them must be idle, Matth. 20. 6. Why stand ye here all the day idle? Luke 1. 74, 75. That we may serve him in holiness and righteousness all our days. Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise myself, to keep a good conscience, void of offense. We must not put hands in bosom, having so much work to do. Many presume of being God's Servants; but it is only in the Notion, they do nothing for him.

3. This service must not be done grudgingly, but heartily, Isai. 56. 6. And the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, and be his servants. Deut. 10. 12. To love the Lord thy God, and serve him. God will not be served but out of love, not by necessity and constraint. We must yield obedientiam Servi, but not servilent, we are delivered from a slavish spirit, Rom. 8. 15. We have not received the spirit of bondage again, to fear. God's service must be gone about with ready affection and good-will. The respect which we show to God is called service, in regard of our strict obligation to it; but obedience, in regard of our readiness of mind to perform it. Secondly, Not slightly; but with reverence and zeal, Mal. 1. 6. If I be a master, where is my fear? Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; and Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; and Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. God will not be put off with anything by the by, 'tis a lessening of his Majesty, I am a great King. Thirdly, It must be done constantly, not by fits. He that is God's servant never ceaseth from his work; their feasting, walking, sitting, sleeping, waking, hungry, thirsty, hearing or praying, 'tis all for God: He that doth any of these things merely for himself, to gratify the flesh, doth not act as God's servant, Acts 26. 16. Serve God instantly day and night. Fourthly, Orderly: All things in God's service must be regarded according to their weight, Rom. 14. 18. For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men; that is, the main things, not in contests about Ceremonies; if others carry these matters beyond their weight, let not us; 'tis not a pin to choose what party a man is of, if he doth not mind righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost: as if a servant should provide Sauce for his Master, and neglect to provide Meat.

4. Our great end and scope must be to please God. They are true servants that make it their business to please their master, Isai. 56. 6. They choose the things that please me, and take hold of my Covenant. John 8. 29. The father hath not left me alone, for I do always the things that please him. 1 Thess. 4. 1. I exhort you all by the Lord Jesus Christ, that as you have received of us how to walk and please God, so ye would abound more and more; and 1 John 3. 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his Commandments, and do the things which please him. So Heb. 11. 5. Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God. The property of a servant is not to please himself. They that set themselves to please God, observe his will in all things. There is a great pleasing in the world, but few make it their business to please God. All Inferiors please their Superiors on whom they depend, and shall not we please God, who is infinitely greater than man, and on whom we depend every moment for all that we enjoy?

Use. Are we God's servants? We all say so; but we speak out of Conviction of Conscience, rather than out of inclination of heart; not what de facto is, but what de jure should be: and 'tis well that we come so far as to own God's right. Professio ipsa (saith Hilary) habet Conscientiae necessitatem, non habet Confessionis veritatem.

1. If it be so, then God is our chiefest good, and highest Lord, whom we study to please and gratify. 'It is certain, that is our master which hath the greatest part in us, and power and influence over us, Matth. 6. 24. No man can serve two masters: Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Rom. 16. 18. They serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly. Phil. 3. 19. Whose God is their belly. 'Twas a speech of Luther, Venter in omni Religion est potentissimum Idolum. It doth all with men. Where the belly is served, Christ is neglected. So far as his service will comply with the interest of the belly, or a quiet, pleasureful life, so far they can be zealous; their Religion must feed them and maintain them, or else they care not for it. John 6. 26. they followed Christ for the Loaves, mind Religion for outward advantages. When our interest and Christ's service go contrary-ways, we can dispense with our Duty to God for the sake of this. 'It is clear, to be servants is to want a power and right to dispose of ourselves, our actions and employments. While any other thing hath an interest in us to dispose of us, we are not God's servants; but that thing that hath such a power with us, is our Master.

2. A Servant is chiefly known by obedience, Rom. 6. 16. To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey. Luke 12. 47, 48. And that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, &c. Men may talk high for God, know much; but whom do we ordinarily obey? When the Flesh bids us go, we go; come, we come: If pride bids us display the pomp of wit in our Duties, or to hang out the Ensigns of our vanity, we yield straight: If lust bid us pamper the flesh, we presently obey; if covetousness bid take the wedge of Gold, we do it. But when a man knoweth anything to be the mind of God, and prepareth his heart to do it, he is one of God's Servants.

3. A Servant of God is one that the sight of God's will is reason enough to him, 1 Thess. 5. 18. This is the will of God. The will of God must be the prime and prevalent Motive with a Christian; they are servants, not to do their own will, but his whose servants they are; they do nothing but what their master commandeth, and what he commandeth they see reason to obey.

Second Branch, Give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. This is subjoined to the former Plea, First, Because David would not be a servant in name and title only, but in deed and in truth; and therefore would fain know his duty. Secondly, To show the difference between God's servants, and the servants of other Lord's who command us, Prov. 14. 25. The Kings favor is towards a wise servant; they see them wise, find them wise, and then love them: but God must begin with us: his favor maketh us wise.

Doctr. God's best Servants think they can never enough beg Divine illumination.

David doth often enforce this request.

Reasons.

1. Our blindness in the matters of God is a great part of our spiritual misery, Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness. There is a Veil lying upon our hearts, not easily removed and taken away. All the mischief introduced by the Fall is not cured at once, but by degrees: as spiritual strength increaseth we grow up into it, so spiritual light. The maim of the understanding, as well as the will, is not wholly cured till we come to Heaven, for here we know but in part; till God give us understanding, we are utterly blind: the best of God's servants have cause to acknowledge it in themselves, the remnants of ignorance and incredulity. The Apostle biddeth them to add to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge; that is, skill to manage the work of our heavenly Calling.

2. None are so sensible of this blindness as they. 'It is some proficiency in knowledge, to understand our ignorance, Prov. 30. 2, 3. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. The most knowing see they need more enlightening. The best of our knowledge is to know our imperfections, 1 Cor. 8. 2. He that thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth nothing as he ought to know.

3. There is room for increase; for in the best we never know so much of God's ways, but we may know more, Hos. 6. 3. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. Prov. 4. 18. But the path of the Just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. True sanctified knowledge is always growing. If we sit down with measures received, 'tis a sign we do not know things as we should know them. Christ grew in knowledge, not in Grace; for the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily. Practical knowledge is never at a stand: though a man may see round the compass and light of saving truth, yet he may know them more spiritually and more feelingly.

4. The profit of Divine Revelation, as to these three things:

First, A clear discerning of the things of God, not a confused Notion: as the blind man in the Gospel saw men as Trees walking. So 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. And 1 John 5. 20. And hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true. Every degree of knowledge is God's gift. What other men see confusedly, we see more distinctly in this light.

Secondly, Firm assent, Then shall I know thy testimonies; know them from others that have not Divine Authority. 'It is the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that openeth our eyes to see the truth and worth of heavenly things contained in the promise, Ephes. 1. 17, 18. The father of glory may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your understandings being enlightened, that ye may know the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the Saints in light. And Matth. 16. 17. Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee. Human credulity we may have upon the report of others, the evidence of the truths themselves; but this firm assent is the fruit of Divine illumination.

Thirdly, Hearty practice, Let thy testimonies not only strike my ear, but affect my heart, command my hand, let me know them so as to do them, for otherwise our knowledge is little worth. God doth so direct, that he doth also enable us to approve our obedience to him sincerely and faithfully. There is a knowledge that puffeth us up, 1 Cor. 8. 1. which yet is a gift, and floweth from the common influence of the Spirit, Ier. 22. 16. Was not this to know me, saith the Lord? But there is a greater efficacy in practical knowledge, such as warmeth the heart with love to the truths known, John 4. 10. If thou knewest the gift, &c. Such a light as proceedeth from the gracious influence of the Spirit.

Use 1. Let us be often dealing with God in prayer, that our judgments may be enightened with the understanding of the word, and our affections renewed and strengthened unto the true obedience of it, beg for that lively light of the Spirit.

1. We need it. In how many things do we err in the things which know? how weak are we both as to sound judgment and practice? The Apostle saith, We know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9. We are but of yesterday, and we know nothing, Job 8. 9. Therefore we have need to go to the Ancient of days, that he may teach us knowledge, and kindle our Lamps anew at the Fountain of light. Alas! we take it in by drops, or by degrees, as a tender and sore eye must be used to the light. We have but little time to get knowledge in, and do not improve that little time we have.

2. We have leave to ask it, I am. 1. 5. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God; and why do we not, seeing we have a liberty to ask it?

3. God hath promised to bestow it, he will give his spirit to them that ask it, Luke 11. 13. And to beget Faith in us, If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your Children, how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him? Here is a notable Argument, he reasoneth and promiseth. And Prov. 2. 3. we must cry for knowledge. Well then, let us be earnest, that we may not miss that which is to be had for asking; beg for an heart to know, Ier. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord.

Use 2. It informeth us, That there is somewhat more than the Word necessary to give us knowledge. God must not only reveal the Object, but prepare the Subject. David having a Law, beggeth understanding that he might know God's testimonies. The literal sense and meaning of the words may be understood by common gifts and ordinary industry, unless men be exceedingly blinded and hardened by their own prejudices: But to have a spiritual understanding of them, so as to profit and increase in sanctification, that is from the Lord. These things may be drawn into a System, wherein there will be nothing that exceedeth the understanding of a man. But to understand it so as to be affected with and changed by it, that is from the spirit, 1 John 5. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true. And Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. He is the Purchaser and Author of that light.

Use 3. Is reproof to those that presume on their own wit to understand Divine Mysteries. Many think they have eyes in their head, and can see into a matter as far as other men, and conceive and judge of a thing as soon and as well as others can do; and so will not acknowledge their dullness and blindness in heavenly things, take it ill to be told of it, John 9, 40. Are we blind also? In a rage scoff at those that talk of the enlightening of the spirit, and being taught of God. Alas! you must be blind, and be fools, before you be wise, 1 Cor. 3. 18. in your own conviction and feeling.

Doctr. That when a flood of wickedness is broken out, we may put God in mind of doing his work, of punishing the wicked, and delivering his people.

I shall give you the sum of this Doctrine in these four Considerations.

• I. That God doth for a while hold his hand, and bear with the wickedness of his enemies.
• II. Though he doth for a while bear with them, yet he hath his times to punish and proceed to execution.
• III. This time is usually when the impiety and insolency of wicked men is come to an height.
• IV. When 'tis come to an height, we may and must mind God of doing his work, or arising to judgment.

The first Consideration is implied in the Doctrine and the Text; the other three are express.

I. It is implied, That God doth for a while hold his hand, and not seem to mind his work: though the least sin deserveth the greatest plagues, even when it is first committed; yet such is God's patience and longsuffering, that he will not at first punish even the sins of his enemies, but will let them ripen, and come to an height, before he smite. This he doth.

1. To show his bounty and goodness to all his Creatures. He will not easily destroy the workmanship of his hands, even the provoking wicked; but giveth them time to repent and change their Course, Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornications, and she repented not. The worst have leave to repent, means to repent, time to repent, and if they have not the Grace to repent, they may blame themselves, Rom. 9. 22. He endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Reprobate taste of God's common goodness as they are Members of the World, are forborne for a long time, till they be fear and rotten through, fit for the burning: Nay, let me observe this, God that is very quick with his people, is very patient towards them that perish. God is quick with his own people, he will visit their iniquities with scourges, and will not suffer sin to lie upon them; and therefore they are chastened every morning. Yet this God is very patient to them that know no better, profess no better, have had no experience of his ways; and though they finally perish, 'tis long first, till their sins do even extort vengeance out of his hands.

2. To chastise, exercise, and prove his own people, he beareth with the wickedness of their enemies.

First, To chastise them for their sins, that they may be brought low, and their souls be humbled to the dust. Certainly, this God expects before he will appear for us, 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. And because his people are backward to this work, he permitteth such instruments as will not spare, but lay on to the purpose, Isai. 10. 5, 6. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical Nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. When God is angry with his people, he can easily find a rod for them; yea, not only a rod, but a staff, which is a more heavy instrument of correction: He can find instruments sufficiently exasperated, and full of malice, severe Executioners; and he lets them alone till they have done his work, though they manage his Controversy with cruel minds, and evil and destructive intentions. Sometimes God punisheth his people with Divisions among themselves; and though they are very troublesome one to another, yet a sheep cannot worry a sheep, as a wolf will; they do it to the purpose, in a most cruel and despightful manner. Now though he will reckon with wicked men for their violence, for transgressing their bounds, and going beyond his revealed will and approbation, Zech. 1. 15. yet not till his work be done upon Mount Zion and Jerusalem, Isai. 10. 12. When the Lord hath done his work upon Mount Zion and Jerusalem, I will punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria. He will not cast the Rod into the fire, till we have felt the smart of it, and be thoroughly humbled under his mighty hand.

Secondly, To exercise his people, that they may not contract Rust, and languish and grow idle in Heavens way. Alas! when we live at ease, and have nobody to trouble us, God is little owned, loved and acknowledged, the Throne of Grace lieth neglected and unfrequented; and therefore he permitteth enemies to keep us in breath, Psal. 59. 11. Slay them not, lest my people forget. Things in conceit do not leave such an impression upon us, as things in feeling. Scipio would have Carthage stand, to whet and exercise the Roman Valour. We need vigilant enemies as a Guard upon us, that we may be kept awful, serious, mindful of God, constantly in the exercise of faith and dependence. Wicked men have their ministry and service, to be as Goads in our Sides, and Scourges on our Backs, to whip us to our duty, and make us mend our pace heavenward, Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, and teachest him out of thy Law: chastened by the molestations of the wicked, for all along he complaineth of the delay of vengeance on the Persecutors; and in the next Verse he saith, Until the pit be digged for the wicked. As condemned men are suffered to live till their Gallows and Grave be made ready: if they trouble us in the mean while, 'tis to reduce us to a sense and practice of our duty; and that we may not securely go on in a course of vanity and sin. Till that be done, the Pit is not ready for the wicked and ungodly Oppressors, they dig their own Pit by their sin and oppression.

Thirdly, To prove his people, as well as to exercise them. To prove their faith and their patience; their faith, to see whether they can live by faith, and not by sense and present appearance; whether we are persuaded that there is a just and righteous God, that is the supreme Governor of the World, notwithstanding all the oppositions and confusions they groan under, Hab. 2. 3, 4. Because it will surely come, and will not tarry. Behold, his soul that is lifted up is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith: that is, the Lord's purpose in delaying to perform the vision is to try and discover who are the losty and unsound, and whocan subsist and hold out by faith on God's Being, and Providence, and Promises, and World to come; and so wait upon God in hard times without fainting. If God should smite as soon as his enemies provoke him, faith would be of no use, and the whole world would be governed by sense. To believe the justice and mercy of God, though for the time we do not see any manifestation of it, that's the trial of faith. We know there is one that sits above and seeth all. Though the World be in an uproar, and they that work wickedness are set up, and God's servants persecuted; yet we know that God will reckon with them in due time. And secondly, To prove their patience, in bearing the present difficulties, and tarrying the Lord's leisure, Rev. 13. 10. Here is the patience and faith of the Saints; that is, a sensible proof of it, when a powerful enemy carrieth all before him: there would be little use of such a Grace, but for such times. This is submission to God, when we are resolved to tarry for his season, though we know it not, and will wait as long as God will have us wait, when all human probabilities are taken away, and we have nothing but God's Providence to live upon.

II. Second Consideration, Though he bear long, yet he hath his times to punish, and arise to judgment. First, With respect to himself and his own Glory, Psal. 9. 16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth. Little of God would be taken notice of in the World, unless he did now and then give out sensible demonstrations of his power and justice, and mindfulness of human affairs. What strange conceits would men else have of God! as if no God, no Providence, no distinction between good and evil; but as if God were indifferent to either, and did favor good and bad alike: and therefore 'tis in vain to trouble ourselves about the Worship and Service of God, no reward nor punishment. These are the uses the wicked make of God's forbearance, either to deny God and Providence, Psal. 55. 19. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. If they be shifted from Vessel to Vessel, they corrupt and settle upon the Lees, Zeph. 1. 12. they say God will not do good, neither will he do evil, nor interpose; but suffereth enemies to trample upon his people and glorious name, or else pervert the interpretation of Providence, Psal. 50. 21. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thyself; as if he did favor their ways. They misinterpret Providence, and make the Sun go according to their Dial, or else ascribe the act of Providence to themselves, Deut. 32. 27. Lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this. When long permitted to prosper, they think they have mastered Heaven, that there is no power superior to theirs, and they can carry all before them at their pleasure. Therefore God must vindicate himself by his works, and give out some demonstrations to sense, that there is a distinction between good and evil. That God is differently affected to either, that he hateth the evil, and loveth the good, and accordingly there is a reward and punishment, Psal. 58. 11. Verily there is a reward for the righteous. God is fain to teach them by Briers and Thorns, or else the stupid World would not take notice of it, but think the World is governed by Chance, not administered by an Almighty Alwise and most just Providence: they knew not what to think of Providence, when they saw the Godly oppressed, and the Wicked high in power.

Secondly, With respect to his people. Surely God will not always chide, for God considers the weakness of man, Psal. 103. 14. He remembers we are but Dust. The hearts of his people would fail and faint, and they would be tempted to some forbidden course to ease themselves, Isai. 59. 16. He knows our spirits would fail, God would not have us utterly to be discouraged. We are liable to temptations, Psal. 125. 3. The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity. Therefore he hath his breathing times, and times of intermission from trouble. The spirits of a poor Creatures would soon be drunk up, if there were not some well days: therefore he will show himself to his people.

Thirdly, With respect to the wicked, who would grow excessive and outrageous in sin, Rom. 2. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath. Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil; grow bold, resolute, and settled in an evil way, go on without remorse, because they go on without trouble; and so grow to be Monsters in sin. 'It is only faith that can see afar off, but Infidelity and Atheism mind not what is to come, and look only to what is present. Well then, lest wicked men should thus continue themselves in sin, God hath his time to reckon with them; his Justice is not asleep all this while, but God keeps a petty Sessions in this World before the general Assizes. Now concerning this time, let me tell you four things.

1. There is a time appointed. There is an end of all things, not only an expected end, but also an appointed end, Hab. 2. 3. The vision is for an appointed time; things are not left to their own hazard and chance to work out their own end; but ordered and appointed by the wise God, Dan. 11. 27. Yet the end shall be at the time appointed: Verse 35. To try them, and purge them, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. There is a course of Providence set by God, which shall at length come to its end and period.

2. This is the best time, 1 Pet. 5. 6. That he may exalt you in due time. There is a due time, as well as a set time. There is nothing in the whole administration of God preposterous, unseasonable, or disorderly. Wait but a little, and you shall see the reason of all this course of dispensations: for God doth all things in number, weight and measure. If it had come sooner or later, it would not have come so sea •… nably, Eccl. 11. 3. He hath made everything beautiful in its time. When God's work is done, and all things are put together, you will see a marvelous beauty in it. 'It is just with the work of Providence, as with the work of Creation, every days work was good: But when God saw all his works together, in their frame and correspondence, All was very good, Gen. 1. 31. We would think that God should come sooner to our deliverance: God is not slack, but we are too hasty; if he should come sooner, it would be the worse for us. We would have thought God should have owned Joseph in the Pit: No, God stays till he be cast into Prison; and in Prison, Joseph would fain come out as soon as Pharaoh 's Butler was come out, but he forgot him. God would not have it so, he must tarry there till God's time was come; and then had not only deliverance out of Prison, but preferment. So many times we would be contented with half a deliverance, and would have it now, but God will give it us in the best season.

3. 'It is but a short time. Say sense what it will, 'tis but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a little little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10. 37. 'It is not so long as enemies would make it, for they would root out the memorial of God's Children. Not so long as sin would make it, or as fancy would conceive it. Suffering hours pass tediously; we count Quarters and Minutes when we are in pain or anxious expectation, we think an hour a week, a week a month, a month a year, and every year seven: Yea not so long as reason would make it, as to probabilities, and the course of second Causes; when things are fortified and backed with a strong interest, to reason 'twill be a long time. 'It is not so long as sense would make it, though we count the years, the winter is over, and the spring is come, and yet we are not saved, and can say 'tis thus long, yet this is not long in comparison of eternity, 2 Cor. 4. 17. 'It is not long to faith, for to the eye of faith things future and afar off are present, Heb. 11. 1. Not long to love, Gen. 29. 20. seven years are as a few days; they that believe an eternity, and have any love to God, will say 'tis short. But a short Walk is a long Journey to the sick and weak; the impatience of our flesh makes it seem long.

4. When the time is come, God will make speedy work, Isai. 60. 22. The Lord will hasten it in his time. Luke 18. 9. Shall not God avenge his own Elect? Rev. 18. 7. Her plagues shall come in one day. Isai. 66. 8. A Nation born in a day. All these places show (and 'tis a comfort to us) that no difficulty shall hinder when the season calls for it. He that produced Heaven and Earth at once, what cannot he do? We are dismayed when we consider an evil party fortified with combined interests, strength of opposite factions, force of Laws and worldly powers; but God can make a Nation be born in one day. 'Twill be quick work when God once begins.

III. Third Consideration, This time is usually when the impiety and insolency of wicked men is come to an height. Indeed there are other notes; as when his people's hearts are prepared to receive and improve deliverance, when God's Glory calleth for it: But this is the season mentioned in the Text, therefore I shall show you,

• 1. That this is a season.
• 2. Enquire when iniquity is come to an height.
• 3. Why then God doth usually interpose.

1. That this is a season, Gen. 15. 16. The sins of the Amorites are not yet full. God shown his patience to that wicked people, till the measure of their sins were filled up. So wrath came upon the persecuting Jews, when they had filled up the measure of their fathers, Matth. 23. 32. While the enemies Cup is a filling, God delayeth, and we must wait. So Dan. 8. 23. When the transgressors are come to the full. Once more, Joel 3. 13. Put ye in the Sickle, for the Harvest is ripe; come, get ye down, for the Press is full, the Fatts overflow, for their wickedness is great. The Lord compares sinners to a field of ripe Corn ready to be cut, full Fatts, and Wine-presses to be trod out. When sin is ripe, the execution of vengeance will not be long forborne.

2. When doth iniquity come to an height? I answer, Their iniquities may be considered as to the two branches of it, their rebellion and disobedience to God, and their injuries and vexation of the Saints.

First, Their disobedience and contempt of God. First, When this is general. All orders and ranks of persons have corrupted their way, as the Sodomites compassed the house, Gen. 19 4. both young and old, all the people from every Quarter. Usually in making a judgment upon the state of a people, you will find it thus, If any part be right, it keeps off the judgment from the rest; if a zealous Magistracy, though a corrupt people; or an unsavory Ministry, and a praying, mourning people; God holds his hand, and will not proceed to judgment. They are the Salt of the Earth, Matth. 5. 13. And Isai. 6. 13. The holy seed shall be the substance thereof. But when all join in one, in a neglect of God, and common enmity to his ways: then (I say) the Judge of the Earth will do his work, then wrath breaketh out.

Secondly, When it groweth impudent and outrageous, as if they would obliterate and extinguish the Law of God, or take away all force and authority from it by their perverse actions and pernicious examples. They do not obliquely, and under the show of divers pretences, break God's Laws, but openly set themselves against him, and break a Commandment without any shame, Isai. 3. 9. They declare their sin as Sodom and hide it not; yea they glory in their shame, Phil. 3. 19. as if they would out-face Heaven and Religion at once, and all honesty and ingenuity, by their debaucheries. Bold-faced sin doth not go long unpunished.

Thirdly, Desperate incorrigibleness. All remedies are unprofitable, and hope of amendment taken away, Ier. 6. 3. Ezek. 24. 13. When God would have purged them, they would not be purged. He trieth them with several conditions, he hath a love for them as they are his Creatures; Judgments and Mercies they had, yet they are no Changelings, but go on as wicked as ever. God trieth Key after Key, one Providence after another, yet not a whit the better or wiser; but are like men that have slept: still abuse his patience, and defeat all the methods of his Grace, show the same corruption they did before.

Fourthly, When they run into unnatural sins, and the corruption of human Society is endangered, Levite. 18. 27, 28. For all these abominations have the men of the land done, &c. When men are so wicked and filthy, that a man needs to be a Criminal to be acceptable to them; they think it strange that others run not into the same excess of riot, 1 Pet. 4. 4. Certainly then God needeth to strike in, that virtue may be upheld in some kind of reputation.

Secondly, Their violence and vexation of the Saints. 'Twas Bede 's observation, Odium in Religions Professores, &c. that hatred of the Professors of Religion, was that undid his Country. God is angry when his people are wronged; the world is kept up for their sakes: Were it not for the Elect to be gathered, time would be no more; for their sakes Kingdoms and Churches are preserved, they are the staff and stay, the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel. God is tender of them as the Apple of his Eye; therefore when they are wronged, and men are not only evil themselves, but haters of those that are good; and do not only break God's Laws themselves, but would force others to do so, God will hold no longer; as their violence increaseth, so doth their ruin hasten, Rev. 12. 12. When they abuse their power to such an end, though God may bear with them for a time, till they have done their work, yet he will reckon with them, Zech. 1. 15. I am sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease, for I was a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. God will not forget his relation to his sinning people, and will not suffer them to be abused out of measure. When they would destroy and root out whom God would only correct and purge, 'tis a sign of their approaching ruin. Now these things should be considered by us to a good end; not to feed an evil humor, or to increase our hatred and exasperation against a party, whom, it may be, we hate too much already with a carnal hatred: but to a good purpose, partly that we may not be too confident of carnal ease too soon. God will, it may be, have the enemies Cup yet fuller, and that they shall appear more in their own colors. And so our trials may be greater. We know not the bounds of the Lord's patience. We that are apt to extenuate our own sins, are apt to aggravate the sins of others, look upon them in the Glass of passion, and cry too soon, it is time. But of this by and by. And