CONFIDING ENGLAND under CONFLICTS, TRIUMPHING IN THE midst OF HER TERRORS. OR Assured comforts that her present miseries will end in unspeakable lasting mercies to the whole Nation. First preached in Bengeo, and Hitchin in Hartfordshire, and now published for the common comfort of the Nation. By John Bewick, Minister of Bengeo, near Hartford. LONDON, Printed by I. D. for Andrew Crook, and are to be sold at his shop at the green Dragon in Paul's churchyard, 1644. TO HIS Excellency ROBERT Earl of ESSEX, Viscount Hereford, Baron Ferrars of Chartley, Lord Bourchier and Louvain, one of His majesty's most Honourable Privy council, and general of the Army raised by the Parliament, in defence of the true Protestant Religion, his majesty's person, the laws and Liberties of the kingdom, and the privileges of Parliament. IT is a lovely thing (saith the Philosopher) to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Arist. benefit one, but to do good to a nation, it is a thing divine. Your excellency's love to England, in not counting your blood, your life dear to preserve it; the eminencyes in your person of virtue and valour, of courage and courtesy, of greatness and goodness, of mercy and meekness, of admirable prudence, and unwearied patience, the worthy deeds already done unto this Nation, by your providence; all these obligeth all true English hearts, to bear a part in the National acknowledgement of your worth, and in accepting what is done by your excellency with all thankfulness. Your noble candour may be pleased then, to pardon this presumption of dedication, in a stranger to your knowledge, but an honourer of your virtues; the rather, because the obscurest clot upon the fallow, reflects something of the sun beams, as well as the mountains, as the whole globe. These ensuing meditations are now mustered, to attend the camp: and if the banner of your protection overspread them, he shall be comforted, who by them desires principally to comfort the Natio, yea the world. For if it be true as Saint Augustine writes, that if one drop of the joys of heaven should fall into hell, it would swallow up all the bitterness of it: Tanta est dulcedo caeleslis gaudij, ut si una guttula difflueret in infernum totam amaritudinem inferni absorberet, August Rom 5. 3. Rom. 8 37. Heb 10 35. Deut. 33. 26. 27. it may be hoped then, that a few drops of heavenly joys, here presented [under your excellencies countenance] to my Countrymen, ingulphed in an hell of outward miseries, may avail to allay their bitterness, and clear their eye sight (as Jonathan's was after his tasting honey) to see through an hell of horror, their heavenly recovery. It is England's present duty, to rejoice in tribulations, to triumph under terrors, to confide under conflicts, to expect salvations, to view God by the eye of faith, as a refuge, as interwining us in his everlasting arms of preservation, as healing our breaches, as staunching our wounds, as preparing all ranks among us, to enjoy a perpetual unity, peace, amity, joy and jubilee, in despite of hell and Rome. All this God will do for us in righteousness, but by terrible things. And during his pouring vials of wrath upon the Antichristians, the English Church (with the other reformed) must stand on a sea of glass mingled with fire. She shall apparently see (as in a glass) Antichristian Rev. 15. 2. 3. tumults, rising like wave after wave, yet Christ calming them, and causing all attempts ebb into emptiness, come to nothing. She shall stand on a sea mingled with fire: enduring hot service from inward contentions, and outward afflictions: these a while shall heat her, but not fire her; scorch her, but not roast her; bruise her heel perhaps, in some losses, but they shall not break her, nor crumble her, into a total desolation: for the ten kingdoms must stand by an unalterable decree, to undo Antichrist, Rev. 17. from the 12, to the end. though they a while may seem to favour and fight for him. And she shall stand with the harps of God, singing the songs of Moses songs of judgement, praises; for every new judgement upon her troublers, and destroyers: and singing too, the song of the lamb, songs of mercy, praises, for every new deliverance, vouchsafed her from on high. All blessings from the omnipotent lamb (who warreth against Antichrist, and will conquer) are craved for your Excellency, by all the real lovers of this Nation, among Minimorum minimus Tertul. ad Trallian. whom I rest the meanest of Christ's ministers, and to July. 20 1644. Your excellency most humbly devoted in all Christian service, John Bewick, CONFIDING ENGLAND under CONFLICTS; triumphing IN THE midst OF HER TERRORS. PSAL. 65. 5. By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, oh God of our salvation: who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are a far off upon the sea. THis psalm is eucharistical. It is a form of thanksgiving penned by David for those mercies, which God bestows on mankind. The first verse calls on the Church of God to Vers. 1. praise him, for the things afterward recited. Others will take no notice of them; or if they do, yet they will not so freely acknowledge God's kindness in them: and therefore the Saints, the children of Zion must do it. The rest of the psalm is spent in recounting the benefits, both spiritual and temporal which are conferred. The spiritual blessings which properly belong to the Church and faithful people of God are four. 1. God's hearing of their prayers. In the want of defence, counsel, relief: in the midst of afflictions and troubles, when they are straightened, and upon the verge of any extremity, he heareth their prayers: Oh thou that hearest prayers to thee shall all flesh come. 2. Remission of sins Vers. 2. is another blessing here recounted: though sin hath raised the storm of afflictions, trouble, and adversaries; yet God will purge away sin: and the cause of these storms removed, there is a calm. As for our transgressions thou shalt purge them Vers. 3. away. 3. The collection of a Church is another blessing here rehearsed. And 4. The saving and preserving this Church in a Vers. 4. wonderful and admirable manner, so as others shall be driven to join themselves to the Church: this is another favour from God. And these are the blessings spiritual which this psalm doth mention. The blessings temporal are common to the Saints with others: yet they are such, that none but Saints will take Vers. 5. notice to praise God for them: and therefore for these also, Praise waiteth for God in Zion. These blessings temporal are. 1. The erection of kingdoms, and Governments in the world. It is from the mighty power of God, that commonwealths are set on their foundation. He by his strength set fast the mountains. Vers. 6. By mountains, commonwealths are here to be understood, as they are in the latter part of the first verse of the second of Isaiah. It would be a terrible sight to see mountains tumbling and rolling, ready to close and break one another in pieces: and yet such are all the commonwealths in the world, they would totter and tumble and destroy one another, but that God hath fastened them: their bounds are set; and that is one blessing. 2. The repression of tumults, seditions, and conspiracies in kingdoms, which would utterly ruin them; is another blessing Verse 7. which God grants, and for which he is to be praised. And this is amplified by the terror seizing on the wicked and profane, when they shall see the power of God, curbing and crushing seditious men: when these are crossed and crushed, then shall all others in all places, believe, and fear and tremble. The uttermost parts of the earth shall be afraid of thy tokens that is of thy judgements executed upon the rebellious, and upon the destroyers Verse 8. of people. 3. The restitution of peace and plenty to a people in a firmer and more established manner than they had before, is another blessing. Thou makest the outgoings of the morning, and evening to rejoice. Men shall in the morning go out to their labours with joy and in security; and at evening they shall have songs of joy and rejoicing in the night: they shall have no more terror by night, nor fear and trembling in the day, as in the time of former troubles, by the tumults of such who sought to dissolve their kingdoms and commonwealths: God will fill them full of peace and comfort, and make the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. And then he will abundantly blessed with plenty, so as neither the Church, nor the world shall complain of scarcity; when God hath wrought these great things for his people: as the rest of the psalm sets out. This is the sum and From vers. 9 to the end. scope of the whole psalm: being a psalm of thanksgiving for mercies, vouchsafed the Church both in spirituals and in temporals. The fift verse whereof contains a description of the wonderful manner, how God saves and preserves his Church. And here are three things remarkable. 1. The means of its preservation. It is by things terrible. 2. The manner of its preservation. 1. In respect of God. It is in righteousness. 2. In respect of the Church: By answering it. 3. The Author thereof, who is here described 1. By what he is and hath done: he is the God of salvation. 2. By what he is, and will be to his people in all places; The confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of those that are a far off upon the sea. These three parts affords us these five observations. 1. God's preserving his Church or people is by terrible things. 2. God's deliverance of his Church or people by terrible things is in righteousness. 3. The deliverance of the Church by terrible things, is God's answering his people. 4. God is the Author of his people's salvation. 5. God is the confidence of all his people in all places. 1. God's preserving his Church or people is by terrible things. In handling this point we will consider. 1. What these terrible things are by which God preserves his his people. 2. Why he will by these preserve his people. 3. What practical conclusions may hence be deduced. First. The word here rendered [terrible] signifies also things wonderful and things reverend; and its signification gives a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. good light to understand that the things whereby God delivers his people are terrible. 1. In respect of the terror, which they work in the adversaries of his people. 2. In respect of the wonder and amazement which they procure both in the adversaries and in others. And 3. Terrible in respect of the reverence and awful regard which they work or should work in all sorts towards God. Of these in order. First, God delivers by things which strikes terror and fear into adversaries: and these things may be reduced to seven heads. 1. God sometimes preserves his people by terrible imaginations, wrought in their adversaries: so he delivered Israel by filling all Egypt with fear and terror. Egypt was glad when they departed for the fear of them fell on them. And so Israel Psal 105. 38. was saved from the Midianites, the Lord put fear into the heart of their Army, when Gideon and his soldiers blew the trumpets. Iudg. 7. 20, 21. 2. God sometimes causeth the adversaries of his people to hear of some terrible, yet true and real relation, what he hath already done for his: and that weakens them. Your terror (saith Rahab to the Spics) hath fallen on us, and all the inhabitants Iosh. 1. 9, 10, 11. faint because of you; for we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the red sea for you, when you came out of Egypt, &c. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any because of you. 3. God sometimes strikes terror into the adversaries, by some terrible machinations, which they hear is attempted against them: and by this means he sometimes saves and preserves his people. Thus when Philistines are against Philistines, it is terrible to them, because they cannot invade Israel. When the Philistines invaded the land, it was terrible to Saul, to be thereby took off from pursuing David. The Lord filled the heart of Julian 1 Sam. 23. 27 28. (who was resolved to destroy all Christians in the Empire) with terror from the Persians: and therefore out he goes against Nazian. orat. 4. in Julian. them, and fell in battle: and so the Christians were delivered. 4. God oft delivers and preserves his Church, and people, by striking terror into their adversaries, through terrible frustrations, or disappointments in all the adversaries agents and means, making them ineffectual. Pharaoh was hot in the pursuit of Israel, but the chariots wheels were took off, and that was terrible Exod 24. 25. to the Egyptians. When God shall drown a navy, an Armado, coming with full sail to destroy: when he weakens at any time the strength, and infatuates counsellors, and makes adversaries to fall on ways, and counsels destructive to themselves: these are things very terrible to them, and yet means of the church's deliverance. 5. God sometimes raiseth up terrible oppositions against the adversaries, and that terrifies them, and stops their rage and fury from working bitterly against the Church: and the Church thereby hath deliverance. Thus God called for an angel, who destroyed Senacharibs' Army. He called for a wind and split and 2 King. 19 35. Psal. 48. 7, 8. sunk the ships of Tarshish. He called to lice, to frogs, to flies, to hail, to locusts, to his sore and terrible judgements, and they devoured Egypt. The least creature when God arms it against an adversary is very terrible: and by such terrible things many times God strikes fear and terror into the adversaries, and works safety for his people. 6. God sometimes preserves his Church and people by terrible revelations: when he discovers the closest plots and conspiracies and counsels of their adversaries, when they carry on things subtly, hoping that nothing shall be known: but a bird Eccles. 10. 20. of the air tells it; a letter reveals it: one thing or other brings all to light; and all mouths are filled with talking of the horrible attempts. The plot of Haman for destroying all the Jews. The plot of the Irish for massacring all the English. The plot of the Jesuits for rooting out all Protestants in all kingdoms. These and many such being discovered, are terrible to the adversaries: and yet by such terrible revelations God doth often preserve his people. 7. And so he doth sometimes by terrible destructions: when either God destroys the adversary; or shows his judgements on them, in some horrible manner, so as they shall never be able to lift up the heel, and kick and spurn his people. When the Zach. 1. 21. Lord pleases to knock off all the horns that pushed, it will be very terrible: and yet thus he often times saves his Church. Pharaoh is drowned; Haman is hanged; and his people escape. Thus the things by which God delivers his people are terrible, in respect of the terror which thereby befalls the adversaries. Secondly; The things by which God preserves his Church are terrible in respect of the wonder and amazement, which they produce both in the adversaries, and in God's people: filling them both full of astonishment and amazement when they are seriously considered. For; 1. It is wonderful that the Lord oft saveth his people by weak means, God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. It was a thing wonderful, 1 Cor. 1. 7. that Sisera should be sold into the hands of a woman: That deliverance should come by Esther: That Samson should slay a thousand with the jawbone of an ass: That a few Protestants in Ireland should yet remain there, notwithstanding the whole kingdom be full of Popish rebels. It is wonderful that true Christianity, and the true reformed Religion, should get ground and win upon the world, daily increasing and spreading, notwithstanding all opposition which it hath had from the beginning. Though Emperors, Kings, Princes, Nobles, great ones, and men of all sorts have combined against the purity of Religion; yet that it should prevail, and find multitudes of professors in all kingdoms, this is wonderful. It is very marvelous in our eyes, that the stone which the builders refused, should become the headstone in the building: and so it is that Antichrist should be destroyed daily by the breath of the Lord's mouth: that by the preaching of the word the Man of sin should be at length fully revealed. That a few Rammes-hornes should break down the walls of Ierico. These and a thousand such are wonderful things: terrible in respect of the amazement, into which they may put all sorts. 2. It is terrible, that is, a thing wonderful, causing astonishment, that God should save and deliver his Church under the unlikelihood of means: when all means & instruments of its help seem to be insufficient. Moses a weak man is sent to deliver Israel; and when he was sent their burdens were greatened: and yet Israel was then upon the point of deliverance. God many times is working deliverance for his people when the means of it is crossed, seems to be frustrated, disappointed, to work backward, and altogether unlikely: and this is to the amazement of the adversaries, and to the wonder of his own people. It was a terrible, that is a thing wonderful; that when all the European world was in a manner, filled in all places with agents for Antichrist; Luther should arise, and carry on the cause of the gospel against Leo the Pope, Charles the Emperor, against Cajetan the Cardinal: against Rome, Italy, Europe, the world, and Hell. This was a terrible astonishment to the Pontificians, and a wonderful though comfortable amazement to God's own people, who had long groaned for a Reformation. And so when Germany Camiltons discovery. mourned under the pride and oppression of the Emperor, and house of Austria: and when the Jesuits (the Pope's factors) had devised and contrived its utter ruin; yet than God raised up the Gustavus Adolphus. King of Sweden, who landed in Germany, but with ten thousand men at most; and God made him an instrument to curb the Imperialists; this was a terrible thing the amazement of the world. The Papists bragged, let us beat the Sweede, and then all Germany is ours, but God made the Sweede a rod to whip, and lash So Til'y vido Swede Intelligeucer. the Pontifician Nation in those parts unto this day: this is so terrible to them that they gnaw their tongues for vexation of spirit. And so likewise who would have thought, that the troubles in Revel. 16. 10 the North, should have procured a pacification between the two Nations of England and Scotland, and give a light to the whole Island to look to its security. And who would think, that. God is at this time bringing about the peace and security of England, though all the Agents, and instruments of it, should be slighted, contemned, and despised: but God is he who worketh wonders, effecting by unlikely means the Salvation of his Church; and when this cometh to pass, it will be a terrible astonishment to all the enemies of the Land, and a wonderful comfort to all Saints. 3. It is a thing terrible, that is wonderful, causing astonishment, when God preserves his people without means, in a miraculous way and manner: this strikes terror into the adversaries, and wonder into his people. When the sea was made a passage for Israel, and therein the Egyptians troubled, they were afraid: when Jordane was dried up for the people to pass over, the hearts of the Canaanites melted in them. It was terrible when God rained down stones on the Kings which Iosh●a 10. fought against his people: terrible, when he suddenly cut off many of the persecuting Emperors; & gave thereby his Church rest, and a breathing time from trouble. And so when the Lord shall have effected miraculously (I believe he is now working it, though most think otherwise) the peace and security of England, though all the prime wits of Christendom (among the Antichristians) have been employed to undo it: I say when it shall be seen that all their labours are miraculously quashed: and England's fears are suddenly hushed; and that England's Troublers shall but trouble, and undo themselves, in their attempts against her, and that their now warring against her peace, doth but lay ground work for the utter ruining of the Papacy in all Europe: when the Lord (I say) shall miraculously effect all this, then shall the enemies be ashamed and confounded together: it will be their terrible astonishment, and then shall all the righteous be wonderfully comforted. Thus the Church is delivered by terrible things in respect of the terror wrought thereby in the adversaries: and the wonder they work in his servants. Thirdly the things by which God preserves his Church, are terrible things in respect of the reverence, and awful regard which they work, or should work in all sorts towards God. Therefore some translate the word here, reverend things: understanding Tremellus. thereby things which should cause us reverence, & dread that mighty God, who hath done them, and who is for them to be feared. Thus if God deliver by some actual judgement, and vengeance she wed on the adversaries; this should make us fear and dread him. I am afraid of thy judgements (saith David) Psal 119. 120. Isa 26 9 Psal. 21. 11. And when thy judgements (as it is in the Prophet) are on the earth, the inhabitants thereof will learn righteousness. Or if the Lord deliver his Church by overthrowing only the plots and conspiracies of the wicked, disappointing them in bringing to pass their mischief: yet this also is a thing Reverend, it should cause us to reverence him, because he is able to confound the wise, and to befool the wicked with the works of their own hands: or lastly, if the Lord relieve his Church by small means, or by unlikely means, or by no means; yet all this should work reverence in us, to fear that God, who doth so great things in so great, and wonderful, and unexpressible manner; doing for his Church above all that we can imagine and think of. Thus every way God delivers and preserves his Church by terrible things: we now see what these are. Secondly that God will thus preserve his people by terrible things (that is) by things striking terror into adversaries, and working wonder in his children; and which works, or should work reverence towards him from all sorts, three reasons evince. 1. God delights to meet with his church's adversaries in their own way: he will out shoot them in their own bow. They desire to appear terrible and formidable to it: if they can but put men into fear, they think they shall have the day: they Neh. ● 10, 11 12, 13. triumph if they can raise a terror and fear in people: and therefore God will serve them, as they would serve others: he will meet with them in a way of terrout, searing them, and making Prov 28. 1. them sly when none pursues. Adoni-bezek confessed that seventy Iudg. 1. 7. Kings by him had their thumbs and great toes cut off: as I have done so God requited me, saith he. Haman prepares a gallows for Mordecai; and the same gallows hangs him. God will be terrible to those who delight to be terrible. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast Psal. 57 14. down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation: their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. cruel terrible men shalt be dealt with cruelly at one time or other. Ebedmelech showed kindness to Jeremiah in prison, and therefore God preserved him. But the Ier. 38. 7, 8, 9 10, 11, 12, 13. Je 39 16, 17 18. other Princes (which had incensed the King against him) were given up into the hand of their adversaries. God will be terrible to those, who seek to put his people into horror and amazement. Pashur smote Jeremiah, and put him into the stocks all night, he thought to have terrified the Prophet, but the Lord threatens him to be terrified. The Lord (saith Jeremiah from the Lord) hath not called thy name Pashur, but magormissabib: Ier. 20. 2. for thus saith the Lord, behold I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends. 2. God will save his people by terrible things: because he will show to all the world, how terrible a God he is, whom his people so dreadfully and reverentially adore. All shall thereby understand, that he is a God working wonderfully. Thou art great, and dost wondrous things, thou art God alone: saith the Psal. 86. 10. Psalmist. He himself challengeth his creatures to do as he hath done: Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the world Job 38. 4. Job 40 9 &c. Hast thou an arm like God, and canst thou thunder with his voice. The great ones of the earth, which cause others to trimble, and fear, are hurled up and down as piles of dust, in a whirlwind by the smoke of his nostrils. God will have the world to know, that he is more terrible, than any thing which the world accounts terrible. Wicked and sinful men are many times a great terror; But who art thou (saith the Prophet) Isa. 51. 12, 13 that are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass, and forgets the Lord thy maker. They may destroy the body, but when they have done, they can do no more: but fear God, who can destroy both body and Luk. 12. 4. 5. soul in hell fire. again death is the terrible of terribles, saith the Philosopher; adversaries of the Church are so terrible, because they come as it were armed with death, and are ready to destroy: but yet God is more terrible, for he only can instict death. It is not the rage, fury, and malice of adversaries which can cause any to die: as God gives life, so he takes it away; he makes alive, and he kills. Now God will show himself to be more terrible than they, though they come armed with death by turning their own terror (death) upon themselves: He shall bring on them their own iniquity and shall cut them off in their own wickedness: yea the Lord our God shall cut them Psal 94. 23. off: And 3. God will save his people by terrible things, that all the earth may stand in awe of him, and fear him, and know him only to be God: Who would not fear thee oh thou King of nations Ier. 10. 7. and 10. verses. there is none like thee &c. (saith the Prophet) The Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be Rom 9 17. able to abide his indignation. God would be terrible to Pharaoh in his judgements to get himself a name in all the world: and so he will be to the enemies of his Church, that the world may know that he is a terrible God, and that the adversaries may be Heb. 12, 28, 29. compelled to cry out, who is able to dwell with the everlasting burning: and likewise that his own people may thereby learn to serve him acceptably, with reverence and godly fear: because our God is a consuming fire. Wicked enemies may kindle a fire to scare a Nation, and fill thereby a Landfull of terror and trembling; but yet God can keep his own, so as there shall not Isa 43. 1. pass the small of fire on them: for he will be with them when they pass through fire and water. How ever; the adversary's fire shall not be a destroying fire to God's Church: for when he begins to show himself terrible to them, he will be unto them a consuming fire: and will quench all the fires, which they have kindled, and so free the Land from all their fear: but yet all will be with a terrible destruction, to the most terrible ones, (continuing unrepentant) among the adversaries. Behold all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with Isa. 50. 11. sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that you have kindled, this ye shall have of mine hands, you shall lie down in sorrow. Thus the point is cleared: Because God will show himself to be a God of terror, a God of vengeance, a God to befeared, respected, reverenced, and dreaded: therefore he will execute terrible things on the wicked; and thereby preserve his Church and people by terrible things. Thirdly, We will now see what for practice may hence be learned; And briefly. 1. Seeing God will preserve his Church and people by terrible things; then surely the world must expect no other, but terrible things, before the quiet of it, and of the kingdoms in it, can be established. If you should hear at any time of terrible battles, of terrible Sea-fights, of terrible conspiracies, of terrible treasons, of terrible persecutions, of terrible massacres; yet as our blessed Saviour said, so say I; Let not your hearts be troubled, joe I have told you all these: these things must come, but the end is not yet: these things must be expected, and so looked on, that we may see and perceive, how that by these and the like things, the Lord is working the peace of the world, and of all his Churches in it. We must therefore still look for terrible things, and prepare for them; and a better preparation cannot be made, then to make God our fear and dread. Fear him, and not any terrible thing need to affright us; because he will not suffer those who fear him to miscarry spiritually, through any trouble. If you would not then be afraid of evil tidings, get your hearts fixed, trusting in the Psal 112 7, 8 Lord. 2. If God will preserve the Church by terrible things: then the enemies of it may know, that they can expect nothing, but what is terrible. Indeed the Church herself must look to hear, and perhaps to feel in some measure things terrible. A whale may swallow Jonah awhile, and afterwards restore him. Troubles may (for aught I know) swallow us deeper, though not for destruction, but for a better restitution: the Church must expect to feel less or more things terrible; but her enemies must expect to feel the utmost destroying-smart of all things terrible. The cup of fury is begun to be drunk, and it must go round about the nations: It began at Jerusalem, and thence past on to I●r. 5. 15. &c. the Churches of God, in the primitive ages of the gospel, who did drink of it under the Pagan and Arrian Persecutions: it passed along to the faithful servants of God, who did drink of it at sundry times under the tyranny of the Roman Antichrist; and it is now passing the reformed Churches, going from people to people, as we see at this day; It hath gone about Germany, Bohemia, Palatinate, the reformed parts of France; it is come into Ireland, and into England too: and it must about to other kingdoms. And in their due time Spain, and Italy, and other Nations, must also drink thereof; and by that time it hath gone through the kingdoms, the Kings and Rulers of these people (whether the cup hath gone) will be all awaked to consider, Isa. 51. 25. how they and their people have been made to drink of the cup of trouble, and to reel again with it: and out of indignation, they will cause the seat of the Beast, and the Papacy, in all their kingdoms (which was the cause of their bitter draughts) to drink up the dregs of it: for the King of Sheshach (a type of Hieron in loc. Antichrist, as some aver) must drink after them. The sufferings of Christ's Church for the present, in their fears and unsettlements, and other molestations, are as the purest wine: bitter (I confess) they are, because there is something of God's frown in them; and something of their sins to be discerned in them, as the cause of such sufferings: but yet these sufferings are nothing in comparison to the troubles, distresses, and perplexities, which shall fall on the Nations which are Enemies to the Church: for such must drink up dregs of wrath, which shall fill them with horror and astonishment, and make them reel and stagger, and no more keep footing to annoy, and trouble the Churches of the Saints, as they have done formerly. Enemies of God and his Church must therefore look for no other, but terrible overthrowings of their plots, terrible revelations of their treacheries, terrible consumptions of their designs and persons: and they are to look for a fearful expectation of judgement, and for some terrible destruction whensoever they come once to be high enough to be destroyed, and God's people low enough to be delivered. And all these temporal judgements, shall be but as a few drops, before the storm of terror; for God hath appointed a day, wherein the Church shall have a full deliverance, and the world a full riddance of all destroyers. In which day he will rain on such destroyer's snares, fire, and brimstone, and Psal. 11. 6. an horrible tempest, this shall be the portion of their cup. 3. If God will preserve his Church by terrible things: then let us all fear this great and terrible God. Consider that he can avenge himself with terror on those, who fear him not. The Ier. 5. 21. 22. &c. Lord chides his people, for not considering what he hath done, can do, and daily doth, that so they might be provoked to fear him. All of us are naturally prone to fear men, when they are terrible. We usually fear a man of power, who is able to do us a shrewd turn, to molest our estate, spoil our goods; who can restrain us in our liberty, or embitter any of our comforts: at the approach of such, men quake and tremble; Let us be much more ready to fear, and reverence the great God, who is able to do terrible things, above all that the most terrible of men can do: for men can do no more than what he permitts, but he doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth. He can soon Psal. 115. 3. blow on thine estate, bring thee to poverty, lay on thee sickness, exercise thee with pain, and fasten thee to a prison; he can scare thee with visions, and terrify thee with dreams; he can awaken conscience, and smite the soul, and make a man a terror to himself. Fear therefore this dreadful God; and considering how terrible he hath already been to Enemies, be persuaded the more to dread him. They have oft molested, and he hath as oft rescued his people; they have devised mischief, but he hath defeated it: they have rose in tumults, and he hath ever stilled the tumults, and the madness of the people; though they have been mighty, yet the Lord is more mighty: who will cut off the spirit of Princes, and who is terrible to the Kings of the earth. So Psal. 76. 12. terrible a God he is, that he ought to be reverenced, and therefore the Psalmist having related what combinations there are against Christ and his people, (though Christ will break them all in pieces like a potter's vessel) concludes with an exhortation to serve the Lord with fear, & to rejoice with trembling. kiss the son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Let therefore all that hear of the Lord's terror answerably Psal. 2. 12. fear him. 4. Seeing God preserves his Church by terrible things; then let us all be thankful, when at any time by terrible things he hath preserved his Church. Show your thankfulness by speaking of it, and by admiring his goodness in it; and by resolving to live in his fear: and as men knowing thereby the terror of the Lord, persuade yourselves and others to be faithful; this is true thankfulness. Bless then God, for not suffering wicked plots, wicked stratagems, wicked designs to prosper and take effect. If God at any time curbs wicked insolences, observe it. He sometimes breaks here, and sometimes there an arm, weakening thereby his church's adversaries: and this is to them terrible, but to his servants comfortable; and so much the more comfortable it will be, if it makes them trust and rely on him only for help. True thankfulness will not trust on men, nor on the sons of men, for they are vain. England perhaps may hereof so many thousand horse, and so many thousand foot, of such and such a great fleet of ships, which intend to have bout with her: but let us not be dismayed: for the Lord sure hath yet some terrible thing to show on the adversaries of England; and he will come riding on the chariots of salvation to help and relieve it. There are who confidently affirm, that by the Laodicean Church (spoke of in the Revelation) the lukewarm Church, Brightman in Apocalypse. the Lord means the English Church: though I will not peremptorily affirm it, yet thereupon I dare boldly make this inference; That if the English Church be the Laodicean Church, then if it will, but hear the voice of Christ, and open the door to him, if it will become an obedient Church, and repent of its sins; and if its children would once cordially and seriously reform their lives, than Christ will come in and sup with it. And we are told what the supper is, which the great God hath provided; It is in brief, what may be read at large; the utter destruction in it of the beast and false Prophet, and of such who combine with them to set up the tyranny of the Roman Papacy. So terrible Revel. 19, 17. 18. God will be to such, that the very fore-thoughts of it, should cheer up our spirits, and fill us full of thankful expectations of help from on high, that though all nations should compass us about, (and it may be they will before all be done attempt it;) yet repentant England, shall in the name of the Lord destroy them all. Christ will come and sup in it, and it shall sup with him; He rejoicing at England's amendment, and new obedience, and it enjoying his comforts and deliverances. The God of our Salvation will thus save and preserve by terrible things in righteousness, So much of the first observation. The Second is this. God's deliverance of his Church and people by terrible things is in righteousness. The meaning of the point is this. God in all the deliverances of his people by terrible things, doth therein manifest his righteousness. He doth therein nothing but what is righteous, according to righteousness and justice. To clear this, consider that there is a double righteousness. The righteousness of his word; which is the righteousness of his faithfulness: and the righteousness of his works, or his just acts of righteousness. And God doth manifest both these in his deliverance of his people by terrible things. First God in delivering his people by terrible things, doth it according to his righteous word. Now there is a double righteousness of God in his word. There is his righteousness of fulfilling his word of promise. And there is his righteousness of accomplishing his word of threatening. And both are manifest in the church's deliverance by terrible things. 1. God's delivering his people by terrible things is in righteousness; that is, it is according to the word of his promise. He is faithful to keep covenant with his servants. Heaven and earth Math. 24. 35. Iob. 5 19 Psal 50. 15. Psal. 92. 14 15. 16. shall pass, but not a word of his promise shall fall in vain. And God hath in many places promised to his people deliverance. The last of the quotations in the margin, is to be understood of Christ mystical: of Christ together with all his faithful members. God delivered Israel out of Egypt, and it was terrible, by over-throwing Pharaoh and all his host; and yet in righteousness too, according to his righteous word: as Moses shows. The word of promise is fulfilled, when the deliverance is by terrible Deut. 7. 8 9 things, it is therefore in righteousness. And 2. God's delivering by terrible things is in righteousness, that is, according to his word of threatening; that the word of his threatening might come on the adversaries, and be fulfilled. God in many places hath threatened them. He by Jeremiah gives a gracious promise to his Church, but a terrible threatening to the enemies of it. The words are these. All they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine enemies every one of them shall go into Ier. 30. 16. captivity, and they that spoil thee, shall be spoiled; and all that prey on thee will I give for a prey: for I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wound, saith the Lord, because they called thee an outcast, saying this is Zion, whom no man seeks after. And that the Lord will accomplish all this in the last day●● (it may be in our times or a very little after us) the 23. and 24. verses shows. So that when God delivers his people by terrible things, as by confounding and undoing their adversaries, and their forces; all is but a fulfilling his word of righteousness, his righteous threats. And thus God's deliverance is said to be in righteousness, according to his righteous word. Secondly, God in delivering by terrible things, doth it in righteousness; that is, he therein declares his righteous facts, that they are very righteous. There is a double act of God's justice or righteousness manifest in it. 1. His righteousness in righting a wronged world. And 2. His righteousness in revenging itself upon a wronging world; or on those adversaries of his people which wrong them. 1. God by delivering his people by terrible things doth righteously right a wronged world he thereby rights his oppressed wronged people, easing and relieving them. So the Prophet: As for my people children are their oppressors, and women rule over them: oh my people! they which lead thee, cause thee to err, Esa. 3. 12. 13. and destroy the way of thy paths: the Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. &c. and so the Psalmist. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise saith the Lord, and will set him in safety from him Psal. 12. 5. that passeth at him. An excellent description of a state wronged Church, which is a tree shaken, the winds from all corners conspiring to blow it down, it craks and shakes, and the enemies like wind puffes and blows, and makes a bustle: but the Lord looks from Heaven, he hears the groans and sighs at last of his afflicted people; and at length stills these winds and scatters them, and so the kingdom and Church stands, and is in safety. As when some honest traveller in his journey, falls among thieves; they unstrip him and riffle him and are searching him, when suddenly (while the poor man is in perplexity) some noble man rides by, seeing his distress, pities him, and comes in with power, and sets him free from such violence, and beats and smites those who molested him, giving them according to their deserts. So it is; the poor Church is a traveller to Heaven, beset with enemies of all sorts, who think to riffle her, and leave her poor, naked, destitute and wounded: but then the Lord comes riding in his excellency to her help: and rescues his Church. Thus Deut. 33. 26. he rights a wronged world and thus he shows his righteousness. 2. God by delivering his people by terrible things doth it in righteousness; because he doth thereby avenge himself on the wronging world. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. It is indeed a very 2 Thes. ●. 6. righteous thing for God to bring troubles on them. 1. It is a righteous thing to bring vengeance on them, for their wronging himself; for they fight against him, who war against the Acts 9 4. Isa. 37. ●9. Church, they persecute him, who persecute it: they rage against him, who rage against his people: and God will avenge the wrong done unto him by those, who attempt to root out such, who keep up his honour in the world. It is a righteous thing therefore to trouble such. And 2. so it is to take vengeance on them for the wrong, which they do unto his people. The wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hates. The Lord will be avenged on unmerciful men: There shall be judgement Psal. 11. 5. without mercy on those that will show no mercy. And therefore it is just with God, to render tribulation to those, who have James 2. 13. injured and unmercifully used his Church and people. Thus it is evident that the church's deliverance is in righteousness: the righteousness both of his word of promise, and of his word of threatening, and the righteousness of his justice both in righting a wronged world, and in revenging himself on a wronging world, is thereby made manifest. This truth serves. 1. To vindicate God's justice. 2. To terrify the church's adversaries. 3. To encourage all Gods faithful people. First let it serve to vindicate the Lord's justice from any aspersions. Men are ready (when things fall out otherwise then they would have them) to charge God foolishly, when they see terrible things falling out in the world [as terrible attempts, terrible massacres, terrible impoverishing of a nation, terrible executions of wrath] they are ready to say, that they see not how God should be just in punishing them, by these things, more than others, who deserves (in their apprehensions) as much yea more than they: but such murmurers should consider that God doth all in righteousness: he can and will do no other than that which is righteous. It becomes every holy man seeing things falling out otherwise then he would, to conclude with the Church: I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I Mica. 7 9 have sinned against him. If God cull thee out to scare thee from thy sins by terrible things; say thou (when these things happen) that God is righteous, and will deliver his people by terrible things in righteousness: for he brings terrible things upon the world, to keep the inhabitants thereof from sinning. When thy judgements (saith the Prophet) are on the earth, the inhabitants Isa 26 9 Psal. 52. 5. 6. Isal. ●9 5. 6. 7. &c. thereof will learn righteousness. And the Lord doth so thereby to work also the world, to an awful reverence of him and to stir up his own thereby, to a greater fervency, and importunity in praying to him for deliverance: and therefore never charge God with any kind of injustice in his saving and defending his people, or in ruinating his adversaries by terrible things, and by terrible means, but say as the Psalmist: I know Psal. 119. 75. oh Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou hast in faithfulness afflicted me. Secondly. God's delivering his Church and people by terrible things in righteousness, showeth unto us what the adversaries are to expect: namely no more (and that is enough) but that God should deal with them in righteousness, and recompense them according to their deeds. This Babylon of Caldea found, she spoiled, peeled, robbed, and subjected the nations, and God sent spoilers accordingly unto her, who dealt with her, as she had dealt with others: the Prophet gives the reason: for the Lord God of recompenses shall surely requite. The Western Romish Iere. 51. 36. Babylon must, & shall find the like: God will bring upon her slayers and destroyers, and such who will undoubtedly reward her, Revel. 18. 5. 6. 7. 8. as she hath served the Saints. Yea all enemies shall be recompensed according to their dealings, with the Church, for God will deliver it by terrible things in righteousness. They may for a while plot, and project, and attempt, and some times seem to thrive: but their plotting will in the end ruin themselves. For the Lord will be known by the judgement which he executeth: and that judgement is no more but this: the wicked is snared in the works of his own hands. Adversaries of the Church must Psal. 9 16. look for no other, then to eat the bread of their own baking, and to drink of their own brewing. Their terribleness to the Church shall be measured out, in a full cup to them, in that which is terrible unto them; for God is righteous, and in his due time he will deliver his Church by terrible things in righteousness. Thirdly Gods delivering his Church or people by terrible things in righteousness, should encourage all the followers after righteousness: such who seek the Lord and delight to walk, and be found in a way of righteousness and holiness. All things to the outward appearance may seem to work ruin, and go cross; but they shall undoubtedly work in the end to the ruin of adversaries; for God will deliver but in righteousness. The Lord remembers the righteous cause of his servants; and though it may be a while oppressed, yet it shall never be suppressed, and destroyed; for he will again bring on the cause of religion: and will maintain in the world a people serving him, in despite of hell, and of Rome which he will destroy in righteousness. And though your own Persons may be took away, yet still be encouraged to keep faith, and a good conscience; because the Lord will preserve a seed of worshippers, and will repair the loss of his Church, by a more plentiful increase of terror Psal. 22. 30. 31. to the adversary, and of comfort to all those, who are faithful in the land. And therefore let us all from this point be encouraged. 1. To wait contentedly on God, till he work for his people in righteousness: so the Church did. In the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee. look for him as coming to rescue and deliver, for he will do so, when we are fully fitted for it. Isa 26. 8. 2. Be encouraged also to cry the more earnestly to God to come and save his people in righteousness: so did the Church. Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence Isa. 64. 1. 2. 3. &c. to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence when thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, &c. 3. Be encouraged to take notice of every particular act of God's helping any ways in righteousness: it is an excellent means to gain comfort in discomfortable times. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth, and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways. Isa. 64. 5. 4. Let us all be encouraged to put ourselves into such a condition, that we may be ready to be delivered in righteousness, when God will save and preserve us: and that is in few words: study righteousness, seek righteousness, thirst after righteousness, desire to be found in a way of righteousness. The more we look after and apply ourselves to the righteousness of sanctification or holiness, the fitter shall we be to be saved and delivered in righteousness. Let it be your prime and principal care not to be found in your own righteousness, (for that is very odious) but in Christ's. Labour to be found in him; and when God comes to deliver in righteousness he will espy your consciences sprinkled by the blood of Christ, and thereby purged from dead works: he will discern that your hearts are quickened by the spirit of Christ, the spirit of righteousness, and that your lives are conformable to the life of Christ who is the son of righteousness, and finding you thus, he will deliver you among his faithful people in righteousness, though he smites terribly the adversaries of his Saints: for by terrible things in righteousness he answers us the God of our salvation. And so much for the second observation. The third is this. The deliverance of the Church by terrible things, is God's answering his people. God's answering implies some things done by the people of God, and some things done by him. 1. It implies that his people prayed unto him for deliverance: and that he gives a gracious audience, and full-fillance of their prayer. I will look (as it is in the Prophet) to the Lord, I will Micah. 7. 7. wait for the God of my salvation, my God shall hear me, the Church speaks in prayer, and God hears her in granting her prayers. 2. It implies that his people expects mercies from him, and God's answering them is his affording help, his real contributing succour unto them. They looked unto him (saith the Psalmist) Psal. 34. 5, 6 and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed, this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles, his people expects mercy: and his answer, is the fulfilling of their expectation. I will (saith Habbakuk) Hab. 2. 1. stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me. So then God's deliverance of his people is an answering their prayers, and an answering their expectations. They pray for deliverance and he gives it: they expect it from him, and answerably it comes to pass. God's delivering of Israel out of Egypt was an answering of their prayers: I have heard (saith God) Exod. 3. 7. 8. their cry, by reason of their taskemasters for I know their sorrows, and I am come down to deliver them. When he delivered them at the red sea, it was an answer to the prayer of his servant Moses: The Lord said then unto him, why criest thou Exod. 14. 15. to me. When he gave Israel victory over Amaleck, he then answered the prayer of Moses on the mount while Joshua, and Israel fought in the valley. His deliverance of his people from Jabin, from the Midianites, yea from all their other enemies at any time, all was an answering of their prayers, and expectations. They prayed in faith for deliverance, and they waited in faith, until God had given a full deliverance; and so deliverance was but God's answering his people. Because God usually giveth not unto his Church and People deliverance, till they have sought and sued to him earnestly for it. Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; though he knows that his Church doth need deliverance, yet he will have his Church to be Ezek. 36. 37 apprehensive and sensible of that her need: for he will have from it, the honour of his mercy towards it: and of his providence and care over it, as also of his wisdom, power, and justice in confounding all its adversaries by terrible things. This point teaches. 1. To pray for deliverance that God with it may answer us: And 2. To observe God's several answers unto his people, by giving unto them the deliverances prayed for. First. If deliverance be God's answering his people: then surely it concerns all the people of God to put up prayers for deliverance. Prayer must preceded deliverance: and deliverance is the return of prayer in a gracious answer of it. We must be praying men, and men expecting deliverance as an issue and consequent of prayer; and that our prayers may be answered, we are to put up no other than such, which God will answer: as namely, 1. Let our prayers be prayers of faith, coming from a believing heart. Ask and doubt not; believe the promises of deliverance, Mark. 1●. ●3 and confidently rely on God's word to be accomplished, and from assurance that God will fulfil his word, put up prayers. Both the cloud of promises, and the cloud of witnesses, persons, families, kingdoms, Churches, which from time to time have been delivered, and the consideration that the Lord's hand is not shortened, should prevail with us not to doubt, but to pray for deliverance in faith: not doubting, but that God will answer us. 2. Let our prayers be in humility. A broken, and a contrite heart God will not despise. He hears the prayers of the humble Psal. 51. 17. destitute. Pray for deliverance in humility, and it shall be granted as an answer to an humble prayer. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Pet. 5. 6. 3. Let our prayers be importunately earnest without fainting. I have saith the Psalmist waited long and sought the Lord: oh my Lord (saith he) I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not, and in the night season I am not silent. The Lord sometimes Psal. 22. 2. delays deliverance, to make us importunately wrestle with him in prayer for it: and so it may be the answer of our earnest prayers. 4. Let our prayers be sanctifiedly performed: with hearts which are departed from iniquity. If I (saith the Psalmist) regard Psal. 66. 18. iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Sin causeth him hide his face that he will not hear. If we pray Isa. 59 1, 2. for deliverance, let us pray lifting up pure hands from an holy heart: and then God will give deliverance as an answer to our prayers, which are thus prayers of faithful, humble, importunate, sanctified petitioners. Secondly if the deliverance of the Church by terrible things be God's answering it: then let us observe God's several answers unto his people in his giving several deliverances from time to time. Indeed we must not look to see an answer to some of our requests at all in our own time; we must not think to live to see the accomplishing of the number of God's elect: or the putting an end to the days of sin or the making of the Church and people of God completely glorious. Again it may be, we may not live to see the answer, of many of our other petitions, which are put up, and for which we are to expect daily tidings, of some preparations, at least towards their accomplishment: as namely the calling of the Jews: the spreading of the gospel at once into all places: the joint profession of Christ publicly and unanimously in all kingdoms, and among all people: prayers for such things are put up by us (it may be) in our age, but the ages to come will see the fruits of them: only this know, that when the heart firmly believes the truth of these things, and that God will in his due time accomplish these, than there is some answer of our prayers: because the same spirit which inables a man to pray for these, works belief, and carries the eye of the soul, to look beyond all difficulties, and all times, and by faith to see them as certainly, as if they were already come to pass. Thus Abraham by faith saw the day of Christ and rejoiced: and so we by faith see the answer of all the petitions, we have put up: and we should rejoice John 8. 56. therefore; knowing that when they shall be granted, the grant of them will be every way answerable to that which we formerly believed and prayed for. But moreover there are some things which it pleaseth God to bring to pass in our times: as perhaps some particular mercies, for ourselves, or others, or for the whole Church: now after prayer, we must wait for an answer, thereby showing our dependency on God: so the Psalmist: As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her Mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord Psal 113. 2. our God until that he have mercy upon us. It may be God will not grant that very deliverance which hath been prayed for, but some other; yet than the prayer is answered, though not in the very particular which was desired. A man perhaps prayeth that God would root out and destroy all enemies: God pleaseth to cut off some, but he will not slay all, lest his people forget it, and therefore he scatters them by his power and brings them down. And though perhaps Psal. 19 11. God give not a speedy deliverance: yet he answers the prayer for the present, when the heart is afterward more humble; and more careful to walk with God; and is more dependent on him; and is still more earnest to seek and cry unto him: and is thankful for any favour though never so little: for any deliverance, for any safety vouchsafed from time to time, and still continued. Likewise God hears our prayers, and for the present giveth an answer unto them, or rather assurance, that he will in due time answer them; when he filleth the heart with content to be denied, and to magnify him however. Thus let us pray, but with an expectation of an answer to our prayers. When God gives deliverance, it will be an answer to the prayers, desires, wishes, longings, and expectations of his people: by terrible things thou wilt answer oh God of our salvation. So much for the third observation. The fourth is this. God is the Author of his people's salvation or deliverance. Salvation or the deliverance of God's people is every where ascribed unto God in scripture. God is styled the hope of Israel Ier. 14. 8. the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble: and the Church is styled a people saved by the Lord: as if the main care of God Deut 33. 29. were to save and deliver his people. Salvation belongs to the Lord, and his blessing is upon his people: and he only works Psal. 3. 8. salvation in the midst of the earth. I even I (saith he) am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour. Psal. 74. 12. Isa. 43. 1. For the better understanding of this title know: that there is a double salvation spoke of in scripture. 1. There is a spiritual salvation from sin and Satan, and the power of both, and from Hell. And 2. There is a temporal salvation, which is God's deliverance of his people, from outward temporal afflictions, calamities, and distresses under which they are. I take the temporal is chiefly intended in this title of God, as it stands in the text; yet the other must not be excluded. A word or two of both. First if we refer this title here given to God, to the spiritual salvation, than it may be very evident to us that he is the Author of it. 1. Because he calls us to salvation. He did ordain us to it, and 1 Thess. 5 9 he hath called us thereunto. Our souls were running headlong to Hell and perdition but God called us back from the pit. We were as sheep straying, but God hath called us by his word, and such who listen to it and obey it, return from the way of destruction, and are saved. Besides God's call to salvation. 2. He putteth men into it. The very entrance which any make into it is from him, Man is naturally averse thereunto; he is unwilling to pass through so many difficulties, to undergo so much mortification, self denial, crucifying of the world: and to aspire to so much heavenly mindedness as is requisite. It is the Lord only, who makes the heart, and soul overlook all this and a great deal more. It is he only who raiseth up the spirit, to a resolution to go through all, to follow him in all. My soul (saith David) followeth hard after thee. As a child Psal 63. 8. doth what he can to keep company with his father: so he still applied himself what he could to imitate his heavenly father. God only brings the spirit to this, that though it hath many discouragements, doubts, and troubles, and hath spent much of its time in by, and sinful thoughts, and ways; yet now being put into the way of salvation, it goes on in a way of holiness and righteousness, and is sure to meet with perfected salvation at the last. We have a strong City, salvation will God Isa. ●6. 1. 2. appoint for walls and bulwarks: open ye the gate that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter. 3. The progress and perfecting in the way of salvation is from God. The God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a 1 Pet. 5. 10. while, will make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle you. God perfects, and God guides us to salvation: he guides with his eye, and after he will receive us up to glory. It is his Psal. 32. 8. work to make us persevere unto the end, and to bring his people to establishment, strength, settlement, and perfection in piety and goodness, salvation is of God. 4. The crowning of his people with everlasting salvation is from God. God will give heavenly salvation to those who by Rom. 1. 7. patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour, and immortality, eternal life. Thus in respect of the spiritual salvation of his people, God may well be styled the God of our salvation. But the text speaks most properly of such things, whereby we may more properly here ascribe unto him this title, as it hath reference to the temporal salvation, or deliverance of God's people: though in the application we shall make use of it both ways. Secondly than this title (oh God of our salvation) relates to his temporal salvation, of his people whereof we will consider 1. The parts of it: 2. The reasons of it. 1. Temporal salvation hath several parts: or rather it is represented to us several ways: and God is the Author of every one of them. 1. There is preventing salvation, when the Lord prevents his people's meeting with a danger, than he saves them. If a man upon the way in his journey were told that thieves did lie in wait for him, and thereupon he turns aside a little, and escapes them, this is a danger prevented. The Lord doth many thousand times thus save his people: thou preventest me (saith David) with thy Psal. 21. 3. goodness. God was then saving Jacob and his family, when he sent Joseph into Egypt: he then prevented their perishing in Gen. 50 20. Math. 2. 13. the famine. He prevented Herod's slaying Christ by sending an angel to forewarn the danger. God's people are oft ignorant that evil is devised, contrived, prosecuted against them, but God prevents it, and saves them, and afterward they come to understand so much. I will say of the Lord he is my refuge, and my fortress: my God in him will I trust: he shall deliver from Psal 91. 2. 3. the snare of the hunter, and from the noisome pestilence. 2. There is a preparing salvation which is from God. I call that preparing salvation whereby the Lord sits his people to meet with adversaries, dangers troubles and perplexites. The Lord's preparing his people to it, is his saving them from it. Thou hast (saith David) girded me with strength unto the battle. Thus the Psal. 18. 43. Lords establishing the heart with grace to bear a trouble, and the Lord's giving unto the spirit comfort and consolation in the midst of the thoughts within: and the Lords speaking peace to the soul, when all the world is in tumults, and the Lord's feasting the soul and spirit within with joys and expectations of comfort in himself in heaven; when the hail rattles on the tiles and there is no peace abroad: these & a thousand other ways are part of the salvation which God works for his people. It is his preparing salvation, or his preparing them for safety against the trouble which they encounter. 3. There is an upholding salvation, when any is kept from perishing in a danger or trouble: and this is also from the Lord. I was sore thrust at that I might fall, the Lord sustained Psal. 118. ●3. me. And so the Lord saves, when he upholds from perishing. If we were let alone the trouble would overmaster; the waters are perhaps so deep, they would drown: the fire so raging, it would devour. But if God upholds, holds us by the chin that we sink not: if he carrieth us through the fire and water, through all, and we be preserved; then he vouchsafes his up holding salvation, whereby we perish not. 4. There is an establishing or confirming salvation: whereby one is so strengthened, that no troubles, nor adversaries can out daunt them. My arm (as it is in the Psalmist) shall hold him up, and my arm shall strengthen him. When a man walks in slippery dangerous ways, and then is established that he Psal. 89. 21. treads confidently and slips not: here is salvation, troubles, crosses, afflictions, adversaries, are occasions of falling: but when the Lord notwithstanding this, keepeth up our feet that they slip not, it is his salvation and a deliverance, Thou hast delivered my feet (saith the Psalmist) from falling. The Church is described Psal. 116. 8. Cant. 8. 5. coming out from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved. God's people may be in many troubles and perplexities, in a wilderness, at a maze, not knowing what way to turn, but the Lord upholds, and establishes them, and brings them out of all, but leaning on their beloved. The Church partakes of establishing salvation. 5. There is also another part or manifestation of salvation; which we may call rescuing salvation: when the Lord suffers his people to come into danger, and trouble, and to be as it were in the enemy's hand, and yet then he snatches them out and rescues them. As David did strike in, and take a lamb out of the mouth of the lion and of the bear: so the Lord strikes in to rescue Psal. 44 4 his servants, commanding deliverances for his people. He suffers them sometimes to come to the mouth, but he gives them not up a prey to the teeth, but than delivers them. 6. There is a crowning salvation, or a compassing about with songs of deliverance: when God putteth his people into a state and condition of security, that no evil shall surprise them to their damage. And this is the highest pitch of temporal salvation: and God is the author of it. God is my King of old working salvation in the midst of the earth. And thus from all these parts, or degrees rather of temporal Psal. 74. 22. salvation, it is plain: that God is the God of our salvation. Thus of the parts of it. 2. The reason proving that God is the Author of his people's deliverance is this in stead of many others. In him are to be found all those things, which are effectual, to work the salvation of his people out of troubles. For in the salvation, which he grants to his people are to be seen these footsteps of God's glory. 1. His pity and compassion towards his people. There is in him towards them the sounding of bowels; and he will surely Ier. 31. 20. have mercy on them. Out of his compassion he stands (as it were) deliberating what to do: How shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee Israel? how shall I make thee Hosea. 11. 8. as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together &c. And we find that when the people confessed there sin saying do to us what thou pleasest, only deliver us this once: then the soul Iudg. 10. 16 of God was grieved for Israel, his pity moves him to help. 2. God is omniscient: he only knows how to deliver his, The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation: he is only infinitely wise, and knows all purposes, policies, 2 Pet. 2. 9 engines, instruments, which attempt any thing against his people: he knows what they can work to the utmost: and he knows how to defeat their working: to ensnare them in their own net. He sits in heaven, and sees, and laughs the enemies Psal. 2. 4. of his Church to scorn. He suffers them a while to busy and weary themselves in plotting and ruining his people; and then on the sudden he turns all upon themselves: having them all in derision. As when a man overlooks a company of boys busy in making clay walls and castles; and hears them talk that they will destroy hereby any who meddles with them: he laughs at them, and suddenly comes in, and breaks all their works in pieces, and sets them all on crying and lamenting, even so the Lord is wise to understand fully all the adversaries attempts: he laughs, at them, and suddenly breaks their power, and fills them with wailing. 3. God is all sufficient to rescue and save his people, and deliver them out of all their troubles. He only is able to save. So he is described by the prophet: Who is this that cometh from Isa. 63. 1. Edom with dyed garments, from Bozra, this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength, I that speak in righteousness mighty to save. Nothing can withstand his power, with a strong hand he brought his people out of Psal. 44. 4. Egypt. Deliverances are at his command. Knowest thou not (said our blessed Saviour to Peter) that I can pray to my father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions Math. 26. 53. of angels. All the armies in heaven, and earth are commanded by him. He is able to raise up, and fit instruments to be deliverers of his people from them, that spoil and distress them. The Midianites thought to overbear Israel with multitude, Psal. 47. 9 and mighty Armies; but the Lord raised up Gideon, and made him successful, that the Midianites helped to slay one another, and so he utterly discomfited them. 4. God is very watchful to do his people good, & to give deliverance. Behold he that keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep. He will let no opportunity slip to relieve. The Psal. 121. 4. Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people, the Lord will enter into judgement with the Ancients of his people, Isa 3. 13. 14. 15. and the Princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyards: 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 saith the Lord. These footsteps of God's glory: his pity, omnisciency, all sufficiency and watchfulness doth evidence, that the salvation of God's people comes from no other but God. He is the God of their salvation. From this double salvation of the Church, whereof God is the Author, and therefore is styled here the God of our salvation: we learn. 1. To ascribe both to him: 2. To seek for both from him: and 3. To labour to have an interest in the salvation which he works for his people. First let us ascribe all the salvation which is wrought, to God only. According to the title here given unto him, say as the Psalmist. Not unto us oh Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give the glory. And this we should do both in respect of the spiritual, and of the temporal salvation, whereof he makes us Psal. 115. 1. partakers. 1. We are to ascribe our spiritual deliverance to God only. The four beasts and twenty four elders, fell down before the lamb, saying: Thou art worthy, for thou wast slain and Revel. 5. 8. 9 hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and Nation, and hast made us unto our God Kings and priests, and we shall reign on earth. All the glory of man's salvation is only to be ascribed to God. He contrived the means of salvation by Christ, and he gave him to work salvation, and to brinng his people to it: let him therefore have the glory of it. By grace (saith the Apostle) we are saved: and Ephe. 2. 5. as if he had not said enough, he adds: by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any should boast. It was prophesied that when the temple should be built by Zorobabell, the people of God should with on joint cry say: Grace to it: and he shall bring Zach 4 7. forth the head stone thereof with shouting, crying Grace, Grace to it. It was a type of God's building his spiritual temples, by working grace in their hearts, and fitting them to be come holy temples, an habitation of God through the spirit. Indeed there Ephes. 2. 21. 22. shall be mighty oppositions, many difficulties, mountains to be removed. but the head stone shall be fetched out: Christ the corner stone (Which the builders once refused) should be laid in the heart, and they should all shout Grace, Grace to it. It is of free grace, that the work is begun, continued, and finished: the Lord must therefore have the praise of our salvation. He brings salvation into the heart, he causes it to persevere unto salvation: and he only will complete our salvation: and therefore every gracious man must confess that all of his salvation, is only from the God of his salvation. And so the Lord will count when he writes up the people, that this man was borne there, He will count that Christ was formed, and framed in the hearts of his Psal. 87. 6. people, living in this or that kingdom: the Lord keeps as it were a record, of all his glorious salvations, which he hath wrought in any, and he will be glorified by his people for it. The glory then of our spiritual salvation is only to be ascribed to God. 2. And so we must ascribe only to him our temporal salvation. If he at any time doth deliver, or preserve: let us say of this his salvation, as we did of the other: Not unto us oh Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give the glory. And with the Psalmist: They got not (this or that deliverance) by their own sword: neither Psal 44. 3. did their right arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Say not it was the valour, and strength, and wisdom of such and such which hath done thus and thus for us: but acknowledge that God only was the Author, and the other his instruments of the mercies enjoyed. Many a time Psal. 129. 1. 2 from my youth up have they afflicted me, may England now say yea many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me: the plowers ploughed on my back, and made long furrows: but it was the righteous Lord that cut asunder the cords of the wicked. It would be a great work to relate the bare heads of the mercies which from day to day God vouchsafes to his people; every day brings out new mercies, new kindnesses, new helps, new succours, new escapements, sundry sorts of deliverances in on kind or other. England had long before this have been as Sodom and as Gomorah, unless the Lord had saved her: let us therefore ascribe her salvation unto God only: and when at any time the Lord saves any part of it, or ourselves temporally: let this his kindness lead us on to repentance. Let us look to be partakers also of spiritual salvation, when he saves us temporally: otherwise his temporal salvation will prove, but a reserving of us unto eternal destruction. Thus we ought to acknowledge that God indeed is the God of our salvation. Secondly. Seeing God is the God of our salvation, then let all of us learn whether we are to fly for any succour in a time of need: even unto this God, entitled the God of our salvation. Thus did David in every strait, giving unto God such Psal. 18. 1. 2 titles and names, which intimate, that God was all kind of succour unto him. And this we must do in our need of either of these salvations. 1. In our way spiritual to salvation. We desire to be freed from many of our lusts, passions, and disordered affections: for though perhaps God hath destroyed in his the dominion of sin, that it reigns not: yet much corruption remains, keeping them under, from thriving in godliness: and of this they would be rid: now in this case, we must do as Saint Paul did beseech God against the messenger of Satan: seek to him for salvation, yea for any salvation spiritual. If Satan tempt: it is God who must tread down Satan under your feet shortly, Rom. 16, 20. Satan is still a troubling, though a conquered enemy, seeking to espy all advantages: and therefore we must to God, who only inables us to resist, that he may fly from us. On perhaps complains of an unruly, unbelieving, yea dead heart: let him remember that it is God that quickens it, & therefore seek to him resolving not to cease till he leave a blessing behind: the more unbelieving, dead, dull, unruly melancholy, & dejected you find the heart, be the more importunate, doubling, trebling, yea multiplying suits: for God at length will hear and free thee from an evil heart of unbelief. He hath the hearts of Kings in his hand, and can turn them: he only can change the heart, and for this he will be sought, that such a deliverance and salvation may be only ascribed unto him. Another it may be is afraid, that he shall one day miscarry, yielding to the temptations which daily assaults him: one day he doubts he shall fall back, giving out from his Christian profession: let such a man seek to God, for he only establisheth, upholds, and strengthens in grace: he only guides his servants, making them persevere to the end, and afterward he receives such, so guided up to glory. Thus we ought to seek only to him for any thing needful unto our spiritual salvation. 2. Let us only seek unto him for any temporal deliverance or salvation. David, Asa, Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, yea all saints have done so, and so ought we to do, both for ourselves, for others, and for the Churches of God. The Church needs much salvation: it was David's prayer, and it should be ours; redeem Israel oh God out of all his troubles: not from one but from Psal. 25. 22. all: from its troubles from within, and from its troubles from without: yet seek to God, call in his help, and his salvation unto her: Our help standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth: let us depend on him for it, in a praying way: so the Prophet. Oh Lord be gracious to us: we have waited for thee, be thou their arm every morning, our salvation Isa. 33. 2. also in the time of trouble. The Church hath (blessed be God for it) many to fight for her; but unless the Lord be their arm, every morning, strengthening them to fight, all will for a certain miscarry: and though he do strengthen, yet she may come into trouble for all that: and then her duty is to pray that he may be her salvation in trouble. And thus God is to be sought unto, as to the captain of his people's salvation both spiritual, and temporal. Thirdly seeing God is the God of our salvation: let us his people labour to get assurance, that we have an interest, in the salvation which he works. As his people have interest in him; so they have in his salvation. To get this assurance: let it be our care to have an interest in Jesus, the Author of eternal salvation and the founder of all temporal deliverances: for all, and all manner of salvation is ratified, and confirmed to God's people in Christ. We may be assured that we have interest in Christ, and in the salvation which he hath wrought. 1. If we be lost in ourselves and sensible of our need of salvation. Christ was sent to the lost sheep, to such who in their Math. ●8. 11. own apprehensions, are lost, being not righteous in their own eyes. He came to call sinners to repentance: burdened sinners, such who call to Christ for help, lest they perish: such he will save: come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy laden and I will refresh you. Math. 11. 29. 2. If we yield obedience to him, from whom we expect salvation, it is evident that then we have interest in Christ and his salvation. For Christ is the Author of salvation, to all them that obey him. A saviour he is to such, to whom he is also a sovereign: Heb. 5. 9 for his saved people are saved to walk in holiness. I. Ephe. 1. 4. 3. If we willingly hear and practise his word, it is a sign that we shall be saved: For God will have all to be saved, and 1 Tam. 2. 4. come to the knowledge of the truth, and salvation (saith the Psalmist) is far from the wicked, because they seek not thy stat●●es, but I have longed for thy salvation, and thy law is my delight. Let Psal. 119 155. us make God's word our delight, and God will make good to us this his title, that he is unto us, the God of our salvation. And so much for the fourth observation, The fift is this. God is the confidence of all his people in all places. The confidence of the earth: of the ends of the earth, yea of all the ends of the earth: and as if that were not enough: he is the confidence of those who are a far of upon the sea. The confidence of those on sea, who are surrounded by sea, of islanders: and the confidence of those on land, in all lands, of the whole continent. In handling this we will consider. 1. How God can be called the confidence of all the world. 2. What this confidence is, which all his people every where have. 3. Why God is their confidence: or what are their grounds of confiding in him. And 4. What use may be made of this title, given unto God: who is here called the confidence of all the world. First how can God be called the confidence of all the world? This question may well be asked, that the doubts, which it affords may be removed. For if by the ends of the earth, be understood the inhabitants of the earth: or the nations on it: people dwelling on the earth, and in the sea: it will then be said, that it doth not appear that all these trust and confide in God. There are many nations which know him not. And therefore how is God said to be the confidence of the ends of the earth. To this we must answer, according to a double acception of these words, the ends of the earth. They may be taken either collectively or else distributively. 1. If we take these words collectively: for all nations in all places: then two things may be answered to the question. 1. Though many nations as yet know not God, yet in those nations there is sufficient means given from God, to let them know that he only should be their trust and confidence. In all nations there are such demonstrations of God's power, such declarations of his goodness, that he hath not left himself without witness, and that he only is to be depended on for all their good, and to be trusted, and confided in. Two scriptures proves this. We (saith Saint Paul) preach to you, that you should turn to the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein, who in times passed suffered all nations Acts 14 15. 16. 17. to walk in their own ways, notwithstanding he left not himself without witness; in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven. And fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. We see that God vouchsafed to all nations common outward temporal mercies, that very heathens (if they would but observe and take notice of it) might thence have sufficient proof, and witness that he only is to be trusted in. And so likewise God's severity, and judgements in smiting nations (as yet not knowing him) these are proofs, that such nations ought to know, that God only is to be confided in. The wrath of God (saith the Apostle) is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold Rom. 1. 18, 19, 20. the truth in unrighteousness: because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it to them: for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. So then, though many nations, do not actually make God their confidence, yet God hath witnessed to them, that he is or should be their only trust and confidence. 2. Though many nations do not as yet make God their confidence: yet all nations shall one day do so; and so for the present it is prophetically true, that God is the confidence of all the ends of the earth. David in spirit foresaw the great honour, and glory, which God should have in all nations: and therefore he being a prophet, and knowing what God would do in these later days, he seeing this before, spoke of the universal adoration of God in all nations, and of their taking him, for their only God, in a confidential reposing themselves on him. And because of the certainty of the fulfillance of all this, in due time therefore David speaks of it, as if it were already come to pass, and here he calleth God the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are a far off upon the sea. This is not only employed in this title here ascribed to God; but David hath so much in another place. ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Psal. 22. 27. earth for thy possession: And again. All the ends of the world Psal. 2. 8. shall remember themselves, and turn to the Lord, and all the kindred of the nations shall worship before him. And again. He Psal. 72. 8. 11. shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the end of the earth, all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him. Take then the words as prophetically spoken: of the time when God shall by terrible things shake the nations, being the desire of his people: and then it will appear, that he hath been the Saviour of his: from all their troubles and oppressions: and then all nations will come in, and choose him for their God and Lord: one nation after another, till all have made him their confidence: and so in time these words shall be fully accomplished, that God is the confidence of all the world: of all the ends of the earth. If the words were handled in this sense, according to this exposition: they would afford much instruction, touching the expectations, which we are to have of the conversion of the nations of the world: and concerning directions, to pray for it: that the arm of the Lord may be revealed to all people: according to that of David. God be merciful unto us and bless Psal. 67. 1. 1. us, and cause his face to shine on us, that thy way may be known on earth, thy saving health among all nations. It is a blessing and mercy from God on his Church, that for the present it knows him: but it will be a new glimpse of the light of his countenance on it, when the nations come thoroughly to understand and praise him aright with it, as their only confidence. We should expect this, and pray for it; and desire the Lord to remove all impediments of it: which for the present are very great. For every valley must be filled, and every mountain and Luke. 3. 5. hill must be brought low, the crooked must be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth. People of lower, and higher rank in all places, must be filled with grace; after they are brought into a state of humiliation: and whatsoever is crooked among them, must be made straight, brought to the rule, be squared by the word: and the ways which are rough, or offensive shall be smoothed: just offences, truly scrupling offences shall all be took away: and then after this all flesh shall see the salvation of God: all nations shall then come to know that Christ is the Saviour, and salvation, which God hath set out to the world: There being no other name under heaven, by which Acts. 4. 12. men can saved. These things might be prosecuted with much instruction, and comfort to all God's people, but I choose to leave the prophetical handling these words, to the ages to come, who shall experimentally find the things (now spoken of) to be very true. Let it suffice us to know, that these words are prophetically true. God is the confidence of all nations, because he will be so, when all nations shall come, to acknowledge him for their God. And so we may safely understand the words collectively: which so understood, they are a full answer to the question. 2. If we take the words distributively: for the several countries of the world in parts: and therein more particularly for the several inhabitants; for the particular persons, dwelling in the earth, and on the sea: yet then, the doubt remains still: How God can be said to be the confidence of every particular man in the earth. It seems otherwise: experience teacheth us, that there are very few who trust God and confide in him: how then is this true, that he is the confidence of the ends of the earth, and of those on the sea. To this I answer. When it is said that God is the confidence of the ends of the earth: we must not understand these words, of every particular individual person, or nation: but of some in all places, of some in all nations: and so it is very true, that his own people (where ever they be) make him their confidence. They trust in him, rely on him, depend upon him. So that the meaning of these words (The confidence of the ends of the earth &c.) is: God's people in all the earth, and on the sea: where ever they are, make God their confidence, though others do not. And so it proposes to us this doctrine. God is everywhere the confidence of his people. I say of his people: of those to whom he is the God of salvation, of those whom he answers: for whom he works terrible things in the earth. This righteous holy people make God their confidence. And that God is the confidence of his people in all places, not only this scripture, but also others prove. Some saith the Psalmist trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. And from the text let Psal. 20. 7. us take notice of the description of this sanctified confiding people. 1. They are called the ends of the earth: the extremity of the earth, as if they were a people, shut up in a corner, a people driven to the ends, or out skirts of the earth to serve God there. And moreover: 2. They are a people far off on the sea. A people exposed to as great hazards and dangers, as can be imagined, Toto divisos ●rbe Britannos, Virgil. as if they were a people cut off from others by the sea, and destinated to be a people afflicted, and continually to be tossed with waves and tempests. Yet this people in this condition as it were Isa. 54. 11. an outcast driven to all inconveniencies of earth and sea shall still trust in God: making him their confidence. I know (as I said before) that this description aims principally, at the universality of the Church; which shall extend and spread itself, far and near in all places on the earth, to the utmost bounds both of sea and land. But yet withal it will imply this that I say, that though God's people be a people, as it were shut out from the nations of the earth; not reckoned among them; though they were penned up in the utmost limits, not thought worthy to tread, and to live on the earth, and therefore contemned of all people, and exposed to a thousand miscarriages and hard usages: though they be tossed in name, in estate, in their persons: yet shall this godly people, this seed which serves the Lord: be accounted unto him for a generation. And they shall make the Lord their stay, and staff, their hope, and confidence. So saith the text, He is the confidence of all the ends of the earth, Psal. 22. 30. and of all them that are a far off upon the sea: all his people everywhere, in all places, in all business, in all hazards, in all straits, for all comforts do still make the Lord their trust and confidence. And thus the first thing, the question purposed is resolved, how God is said to be the confidence of the ends of the earth &c. Secondly consider what this confidence is which all his people everywhere make him: what doth it imply. The word here signifying trust or confidence: is sometimes put for an hopeful security. Ye shall do my statutes and keep my {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} judgements and do them, and ye shall dwell in the land in safety: that is in an hopeful confidential security. Now this confidence Levit. 25. 8. is nothing else, but a secure resting on God, for all manner of succour, and security in the good, and comfort which we would have. God is said to be the confidence of his people in these respects. 1. In respect that they hope for all good from him. Confidence is not only an expectation of the full fruition of himself, as our portion; but also of all things else together with him, and of all things else which are good from him. The Lord is my portion saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. The soul looks on all its good, and comfort in heaven and earth, as from the Lord Lamen. 3. 24. who is its portion: and as to be supplied from him, as out of its portion. It expects from him life; and health, and outward comforts, friends, good name, food, raiment, yea every thing: if these fail; it looks to be supplied from the Lord, its portion; yea and for all its good spiritual, temporal and eternal. Not only the pardon of sin, and things spiritual and heavenly, but likewise protection, provision, and things earthly, are hoped for from God. Whom have I (saith the Psalmist) in heaven but thee and in earth there is none that I require besides thee. Psal. 73. 25. 2. God is said to be the confidence of his people in respect of their secure relying on him for security, and safety, and repulsing all evil from them. David to show that he relied on him for all manner of safety, calls him, his rock, his for tresso his buckler, the Psal. 18. 1. 2 horn of his salvation, and his high tower. God was a rock to him, in the seas and waves of his trouble, when afflictions like billows came thick and threefold, he broke them, and secured him as on a rock. And God was a fortress to him in a siege, a a shield against a storm of darts: a shelter against a storm of inconveniences: an horn of salvation to push away adversaries, and an high tower where he was safe. Making God our confidence is a secure relying on him for safety, and security against all the evil, which is feared, or which hath seized on us. 3. God is said to be his people's confidence, in respect of their recumbency and dependency on him, in all businesses, and employments through which they go in this life. A contented acquiescence resting on God: relying on him, for the bringing to pass (according to his will) what we have to do, is a true making God our confidence. So David, Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. And so Psal. 37. 5. Solomon, Trust in the Lord, with all thine heart, and lean not to rhine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and Prov. 3. 5. 6. he will direct thy paths. Now this confidential trusting to God, in all that we have to do, is seen most eminently in one of these three particular acts. 1. When men make God their confidence, though they have most apparent means of effecting, or working what they are about: yet they will not rely on those means, but on God & his blessing upon it. So the Psalmist, I will not trust in my bow, neither Psal. 44. 6. shall my sword save me, but thou hast saved us from our enemies and hast put them to shame that hated us. And so men make God their confidence, when though they have happy success in their undertakings, yet look through all on God, as the donor and giver of it, and as the worker of all their works for them and in them. A man who though he hath bread, and sits down thereto; yet knowing that he is not fed by bread alone, but by God's blessing, by the word that proceedeth out of God's mouth, therefore he trusts in God: and though he watcheth and buildeth, yet still he looks to God, acknowledging that except the Lord keep Psal. 127. 1. 2 the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain: and except the Lord build the house, he labours in vain who buildeth it: and if he plow and tills his ground, yet confesses that it is God who gives him knowledge unto it, and that blesseth his labours: and therefore whilst he is about his ordinary employments, yet he hopes and trusts in God, even in ploughing there is hope: the man who doth thus; is one undoubtedly, who maketh God his confidence, and so also this is seen. 2. When men make God their confidence, though they have no apparent means of effecting what they are about or intend. Gideon saw no way whereby God would give deliverance by him, from the Midianites, yet he trusted on God, and relied on him. David going out against the Philistine, only with a staff and a sling, yet trusted in God. The Lord that kept me out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. The Apostles and Disciples 1 Sam. 17. 37 which went on Christ's message without money, and change of raiment, yet trusted on God for provision and lacked nothing. And so when men trust on God, for a blessing on their callings & labour, though they see no likelihood of their thriving therein: and so when a man (in the use of spiritual means) still trusts God, he will make use of the ordinances, he is attentive to the word, he reads, meditates, prays, comes to the Sacrament, and it may be he finds little comfort in all, his soul is nothing more quickened, nor at all settled by them: and yet out of conscience to God's commandments he useth these, depending not on them, but trusting to God, that at last he shall have comfort, settlement and peace by them, though for the present he find none. 3. When a man hath all means in appearance contrary to him: every thing seems to work against him, yet he doth put his trust in God, that God will still make good his promise, showing himself gracious, and being still the preserver of his people. This is trusting in God, and making him our confidence, here beyond all hope, is a believing in hope, against hope, against all that is seen. Thus when a man seeth all the world band together against the Church: when Kings, Rulers, Nobles, great mighty, powerful, Psal. 2 1. wise, and subtle ones, yea people of all sorts, combine and conspire to root out Christian profession, and to bring a licentious libertinism, and atheism, into the world: when he shall see the Church in distresses, and perplexities, as it were besieged on all sides; yet then to trust in God, and to be able to see as Elisha, moe for the Church, then against it, this is a making God our confidence, it is a relying and trusting on him. So when in great penury, in the want of food and sustenance, one yet relies on God, it is a great degree of confidence. Thus Eliah trusted to God for his feeding by Ravens, and afterward for his food from the meal in the barrel, and the oil in the widow's cruse. It was a great degree of confidence in the Prophet Habbakuk: that though the figtree should not blossom, nor fruit should be in the vine, Hab. 3. 17. 18. the labour of the Olive should fail, and the field should yield no meat: the flocks should be cut off from the fold, and there should be no herd in the stalls, yet (he saith) he would rejoice in the Lord, and would joy in the God of his salvation. It is an high degree of confidence, still to rely on God in the want of means and so it is to rely on him in the contrariety of means, so David trusted in God, when he seemed to be abandoned of all: if he hath a favour to me (said he) I shall see both the ark and this place. And 2 Sam. 15. 25. so in spirituals, when all seems contrary, yet then trust in God, the Law perhaps thunders out death, against the soul of a poor sinner; the gospel yields no comfort: godly conference adds nothing, holy exercises leaves him still, as it found him comfortless and troubled, yea perhaps more troubled, because we have used them; yet it still doth trust in God, looking beyond sense, peeping within the veil, and perceiving that God will at last, speak peace, and though he slay, yet (with Job) it will still trust in him: this is a very great exaltation of God, and making him our confidence. These and many like cases may be ours, when the means appointed to do us good seem to work contrary, and yet in conclusion they will do us good: it is our duty (how ever they work) to trust to God, making him our confidence. A man having a faithful friend, whom he knows to be trusty, and real in any thing, which he undertakes for him, though he perceives that things go untowardly cross, in his friends managing some affairs for him, yet he relies on him, and is confident, that he will do all to his advantage at the last: or as when a man hath a faithful counsellor to follow his cause, and plead it: he sees perhaps his counsellor much crossed, and thwarted: yet knowing him to be cordial and wise, and solicitous in his undertaking, and very careful to take any occasion, and to make use of any thing offered to promote his good: he will depend on him, for soliciting his cause to the utmost: such a thing is our trusting in God, though in a far more eminent way: we trust him as a friend, to manage all for us: and though we apprehend that things prove otherwise, than we expected; yet we still depend on God; knowing that he will at last cause all things to work for our best. We trust him also as our counsellor who will thoroughly plead the cause of his people: and though they seem a while to suffer yet he will at last give peace to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants Ier. 50. 34. of Babylon. In these respects God is said to be the confidence of his people in all places. Thirdly the reasons or grounds why God's people so confide in him: or why God is thus their confidence, are these two, to name no more.. 1. His people in all places, in all estates, in all conditions, desire to glorify him above all: and this they do most by confiding and trusting in him. For. 1. They glorify his providence: while they thus rely, depend, and stay themselves on him. Their trusting in him showeth, that they are a people at his disposal, to do with them as he sees fit: either to bring them into straits, or to enlarge them: to make them vessels of honour, and comfort: or to be made broken vessels, a people for misery and destruction. This trusting in God exceedingly gloryfies his providence, and sovereignty over them, Confidence in him, is a gracious submission to be ordered, and disposed of, as he sees fit. It is a yielding, that he may be glorified through us, whether he break us, or build us, wound us, or heal us, save us, or destroy us, make us glorious or miserable. Confidence in him ever implies in it an humble acknowledgement that we are but as clay in the hands of the potter: to be disposed of, as will best suit with his glory. 2. Confidence in God giveth unto him the glory of his truth: or the glory of his promises: it manifests our acknowledging of his faithfulness, and our depending upon the word of his truth. It is a great glory to God, that we account him faithful, a God keeping promise with his people, and this is done, when we confide in him. David prayed Let thy mercy come also unto me, oh Lord even thy salvation, according to thy word: and he professes Psal. 119. 41. that his soul fainteth for his salvation, but I hope (saith he) in thy word. And again: uphold me according to thy word, vers. 81. that I may live, and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Thus God hath the glory of his truth: when we confide in him. vers 116. 3. Confidence in God gives him the glory of his goodness, it is a real acknowledgement, that the Lord is good, and doth good, and that we therefore depend upon him, as children do on their Psal. 119. 68 parents for all our maintenance. 4. This our confidence in God, giveth unto him the glory of his Godhead. We then glorify him, when we make him the master of our affections: as when we love, and fear and joy in him and the like: but when we hope and confide in God, we then glorify him above the glory, which we give unto him by our other affections. For though in them all the principal stream runs to Godward; yet there are rivulets and by currants of these affections, permitted to run to other things. As for example: we love God, and glorify him by our love, when he only and chiefly is loved by us: but yet our love also runs out to other things: to his children for his sake: and to our neighbours: and to men: and to other things subordinately. And so we glorify God, when he is primely and principally our fear and dread: but yet he alloweth us to fear the magistrates who bear the image of his majesty, and to fear our parents, and to fear and reverence others. And so we glorify him when he is chiefly and principally our delight, and joy, and when our soul's cheer up themselves in his word: but yet he alloweth us to joy in other things: we may joy and delight in his saints, on the earth: and in outward mercies, blessings and deliverances: we may take pleasure in the creatures moderately. I might speak the like of all other affections. But now in confiding and hoping in God we only glorify him. The whole stream of our hope is to run to Godward, and to him only. When we make him our confidence, we trust not in any thing else, but surrendering up to him all our hopes, we then make him fully, and wholly our God: and we thereby give him the sole interest and command in our affections: and so we hereby glorify him. Thus the people of God being every way desirous to do so, they therefore make him their confidence: for confiding in him honoureth him as God. 2. God's people make him their confidence: because they see in God an all sufficiency, to supply their defects, to comfort them Reas. 2. in distresses, to relieve them in their wants, and to furnish them with all things, which they can desire and would have. The sight of this alsufficiency in God, to do all this, is wrought in them, from one, or from all these considerations which are the ground of hope and confidence, as. 1. They know that God himself is very powerful, able to help and save, and therefore they confide in him, they know that he is able to give all what they need, both in spirituals and temporals. He made and framed all, and all is at his disposal; and he can dispose of all for their good. This the Prophet acknowledges that he made heaven, and gives rain, and showers, and every comfort. Ier. 14. 22. Art not thou he oh Lord our God, therefore we will wait on thee, Lord thou hast made all these things. God's people know that he hath power to save, & deliver them, out of trouble, and yet though he do not, they will trust in him, because he can do it and none else. Shadrach Meseck and Abednego said so, Our God whom we serve Dan. 3, 17. ●● is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, & he will free us, out of thy hand oh King, that we will not serve thy, Gods, nor worship the image which thou hast set up. A man who hath a strong and powerful convoy for his safety, through the dangerous country he travels in, will be the more confident, knowing that he who conducts him, is of power to raise the country, for his defence: so a Christian in his travel to heaven, hath cause to con●ide in God, for his convoy thither, seeing he knows that God himself is powerful, and likewise able to raise the country to call in all the creatures, both of heaven, and earth, for his safe conduct, and to make all work together for his best. 2. His people know that God's only care provides for them and all the world, seeing he hath taken on him the care of all things. The eyes of all wait on thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season, thou openest thy hand, and satisfies the desires of every living thing: and therefore they make him their Psal. ●●5. ●5. confidence, knowing that they have no cause to distrust him. God takes care for oxen, much more for his servants, he hath (besides his general care, in providing for all creatures) a special care over those of his own family. He himself tells some men, that they are worse than infidels, because they provide not for their own: he himself therefore will both think on, and relieve 1. Tim. 5. 8. his own, in due time, he provides both for their bodies, and for their souls: and he who gives to the body now a few crumbs, will never deny unto the soul the crown prepared for it. When God's people do seriously think on this, they see that they have just ground to confide and trust in God. 3. God's people know, that he is so powerful, that though for our good he often employs instruments, and creatures, or secondary causes, bestowing on them strength, and ability, to work for their good; yet that these can work nothing except he concur with them: they are without his concurrence like broken cisterns, or as the brooks of Tema, affording no comfort, but soon dried up. The Lord can do with them, as he did with the Egyptian chariots, if he take off the wheels they stand. The Apostle tells us, that in him we live, and move, and have our being: the Saints considering this, make God their confidence. Acts. 17. 18. Not any creature can hurt or help, unless God concur. A sword may be drawn and strike, but it wounds not, unless God doth give it a commission, and put strength into it. The Psalmist tells us, that God turns the edge of the sword. It may smite but if God blunts its edge, there will be no harm. Nothing likewise helps without him, clothes could not warm, Psal. 89. 43. friends could not help, or works could not prospet, unless the Lord give a blessing. Consider your ways saith the Lord, ye have sown much, and bring in little, ye eate, but ye have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink, ye Hag. 1. 5. 6. clothe ye, but their is no warm, and he that earneth wages, earneth wages, to put it into a bag with holes: ye have looked for much, and lo it came to little, and when ye brought it home Ver. 9 10. I did blow upon it. The heavens over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruits. Creatures are no further beneficial to us, than it pleases God to concur. Paul plants, Apollo's waters, but yet God gives the increase. The Saints knowing this, do therefore see, that they have a sufficient ground, to make God their confidence. 4. God's people know, that he is able to do alone whatsoever any secondary cause doth. God can do that thing, either with it or without it. And this makes them confide in God only. The streams depends on the fountain, but the fountain itself can send out its waters, some other way, by some other channels. The creatures depends on God, the great creator, and if he but speak a word, it is done, what he wills, he can work without his creatures, for his people, and will do so, if he see cause: and therefore his people see reason, to confide in him. 5. God's people know that he hath engaged himself by promise, to those that trust in him, he is their father, and careth for them: and though a parent forsake their child, yet he will not his people. When my father and my mother forsake me, than the Psal. 37. 4. Lord will take me up. Indeed God●●eople may see there are many improbabilityes of their safety, yet seeing God hath promised, Psal. 27. 10. they see no cause to distrust. Abraham knew that he had a dead body, yet believed, because his God was the living God. Sarah had a barren womb, yet God was able to make it fruitful. He can turn a wilderness into a fruitful field. Though your hearts should be naughty, unbelieving, misgiving: yet hope in God's promises: consider his infinite ability and his undoubted fidelity, in keeping promise with his servants, and you cannot choose but trust in him, and make him your confidence. Upon these grounds, or for these reasons, God's people make him their confidence. Fourthly: this title that God is the confidence of all his people, should make us try ourselves, whether we are such, to whom he is the only confidence. And here we will show. 1. Such signs whereby every one good, and bad, may know it: and 2. Such whereby they who are truly God's people, may certainly find that they do so, in some peculiar acts or other. 1. The trials whereby every on may guess at their own condition, in this respect are these. 1. He who truly maketh God his confidence, will above all things desire God's favour: and will part with any thing for it. No man would be pulled from the horns of the Altar, which while he holds, he is in safety: we cannot persuade a company of naked men to forsake the fort, wherein they are safe, and to commit themselves to the open field; they will desire to keep where they have confidence: thus the man who maketh God his confidence will do any thing for him, and part with any thing for his favour. Moses forsakes all the treasures in Egypt, and the glory in it for God. It is a sign that a man maketh God his confidence, when he renounces his sins and lusts; and is content to be disgraced, nicknamed, and to suffer the loss of all things gladly for God. It is sign that he seeth more in God, than others, and more in God than he can lose, he finds that Christ is all in all. But surely they as yet have not made God their confidence, who sell God for the world, as Demas; Christ or the cause of Christ for gain, as did Judas: who are content to let gospel, conscience, goodness, and all go, so they can thereby please such, on whom they depend. They never trusted God, who prizes their sins, lusts, and sinful pleasures before him: neither will they make him their confidence, if troubles should come. 2. He truly maketh God his confidence, who maketh him an universal confidence, and trusteth in him in all things, and for all things, He committeth his whole ways to him: his whole person, his whole business, his whole managing, he trusts in him in all places, at all times, in health, and sickness, for provision and protection, in times of trouble, and any danger, for Children, and for a blessing in every thing. He trusts on him, for earth as well as for heaven, for grace: as well as for glory. But that man hath not made God his confidence, who doth not trust him in all things. Some will not trust him with their temporals: they dare not believe in him to provide for them, and theirs after them: they depend not on him, for their outward estate, others will trust him for temporals, but not for spirituals; they are loath to rest on him only, for full salvation, and pardon. They would have something of their own to justify them before God: And this is all the trouble of many: but God will be the sole confidence of his people: trust in him, for with him there is plentiful redemption. He who trusts in God will make him his universal confidence. 3. He who makes God his confidence will be industrious in the use of the means which brings a blessing on him, and which God hath appointed. Thus he who confides in God for salvation, will diligently search after the means of salvation, harkening and listening after the word of salvation, he who confides in him for worldly things, will be industrious in an honest calling. They trust not God, who sit still, nor they, who set themselves into no good way. He trusts not God for salvation, who saith, if God hath predestinated me to life, I shall be saved, though I betake myself into no such ways, as the Preacher speaks of: he considers not, that God hath predestinated as well to the means, as to the end, and to the end, by the means: and that he saves only such, who betake them to his appointed means. It is a delusion to think to come to heaven, without walking in the way to it: it is as if men expected to reap an harvest, and yet never sowed a grain of seed. So likewise he never trusts God, for outwards who doth not apply himself, to an industrious way of obtaining them, why look ye (said Jacob to his sons) one upon another: I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, get ye down Gen. 42. 1. 2. thither and buy for us from thence. A confidential man will be industrious in the use of means. 4. He who makes God his confidence, will not put forth his hands unto unlawful means, for his help. David relied on God for the kingdom of Saul, but would not use unlawful means 1. Sam. 26. 10. to obtain it. Such never trusted God, who resolve to steal, oppress, defraud, lie and flatter, and use wicked means to gain a penny. They trust not God, who take a pension from Mammon. Nor they, who (when they miss a thing, or when any thing is amiss with them) will consult with witches and wizards, as once Saul did with the witch of Endor, and Abaziah sent to the God of Eknon. 5. He who makes God his confidence, will be undaunted in any condition. Confidence in God makes the heart invincible. It is true: an holy confiding man when evil comes, cannot but see it; and be thereof sensible, and troubled at it: but though he be troubled on all sides (as the Apostle speaks) yet he is not in despair: though he be sometimes afraid, yet with Psal. 17. 3. David he can say, in this will I be confident: in this he is confident, that God is his refuge, his present help in trouble, his preserver from the hurt of evil. Though I walk (saith David) thorough the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Psal. 23. 4. thou art with me. He may suspect his confidence; whose heart in troubles is wholly spiritless, and comfortless, drooping and dwining away, as nabals did: he may fear, he is not yet resolved to commit freely his soul into the hands of God, who is a faithful creator. The confiding man will not be heartless, though an universal death and desolation befall the land; because he knows that by death he shall be translated hence to see the goodness of the Lord. I had fainted (saith David) unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of Psal. 27. 13. the living. Thus every one good and bad may try whether they have made the Lord their confidence. 2. There are also some signs which may help all Gods truly faithful people, to gain assurance, that they have undoubtedly made him their confidence. Many of those (I know) complain of unbelieving and despairing hearts, that they cannot confide and trust in God as they should. To whom for comfort, I answer that true believers may know that they have really made God their confidence, if ever the Lord please to bring them to one of these temptations. 1. When the promises made by God, seem to be delayed, and there is no appearance of their fulfillance: then all such who have not made God their confidence will cease expecting and believing the word of promise, like that profane man: this evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer. But 1 King. 6. 33. if notwithstanding God's delays: the heart keep still to the word of truth; and is still confident that in time it will be fulfilled, it undoubtedly is then an heart confiding in God. A waiting heart is a confiding heart. So the Prophet: I will wait on Isa. 8. 17. the Lord, and look upon him. A Merchant who rests on his factor, for the return of some commodity, which he promised, finding that his factor defers, yet will account him faithful, knowing that he on weightier considerations, for his Masters greater profit, uses not to return commodities so soon as he expected. So the soul (which rests on God, for the accomplishment of such and such promises) will yet wait on him as faithful, though they be not presently, or so soon performed, as we desire: because it is persuaded that God delays for some further advantage to the soul: to humble it, or to exalt it more; or to make his blessings more acceptable when they come. A soul confiding in the delay and unlikelines of the performance of promises, that God can and will fulfil his word, when it shall be for the best, is a soul which hath made God its confidence. 2. If the Lord suffers you to be mocked by profane men: if at any time they ask, where is the promise of his coming, and 2 Pet. 3. 3. what advantage hath piety in these times: can your God save you out of the hands of murdering, destroying men, will you still retain your integrity: do not the most religious suffer, as much, if not worse than others: Now at this time, if notwithstanding all these scorns, and disheartenings, you are willing still to keep close to God, and to pass through good report, and evil report, and are content to be yet more vile, before these men, for God's sake; and in God's cause: you have undoubtedly made God your confidence: God's people thus proved that they had done so, as it is in the psalms: All this is come upon us, yet have we not Psal. 44. 17. forgotten thee: neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant. 3. If ever the Lord bring you into a state, that he seems to be an enemy, by visiting the soul, wounding the spirit, giving it as it were a sight of hell, as if he would have no mercy: yet in this case, you shall know, that ye have made God your confidence if you still will wait on God, boldly and trustingly reasoning with him, as the Psalmist did: hath God forgotten to be gracious will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure. A soul in the Psal. 77. 9 lack of mercy: being willing to stay itself on God, because he will show mercy: being resolved however; to die at the foot of majesty, to be crushed by his sceptre: this is a soul which confides in God. And the Lord who knows the anguish, and distress of this confiding spirit, will heal, and restore it, to strength, and comfort. It shall be established, when all the careless ones of the world, shall be terribly shaken, and shattered, in all their hopes. Consider what the Prophet writes. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest O Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is passed over from my God &c. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaseth strength: even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but Isai. 40. 27, 29. 30. 31. they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not be faint. Thus may every one try, and experimentally find, whither God is to them, as he is to others, the only confidence. For he is saith the Psalmist the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are a far off upon the sea. Let us therefore of these Western ends of the earth, be still confident, though we see nothing but things terrible: because by these the Lord worketh his church's deliverance; manifests his own righteousness: answereth his people's desires, and expectations, and declareth himself to be the God of all his servants salvation; and therefore worthy to be made the confidence of them all far and near, by land and sea, in all places. FINIS. July 25. 1644. Imprimatur Joseph Caryl.