GOD'S WISDOM JUSTIFIED, AND MAN'S FOLLY CONDEMNED, Touching all manner of Outward Providential Administrations, IN A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable House of COMMONS, jan. 31. 1648. By John Cardell. Matth. 11.19. Wisdom is justified of her children. LONDON: Printed by John Field for Henry Cripps, and are to be sold in Popes-head-Alley. 1649. HONORATISSIMO CELEBER RIMO QUE SENATUI DOMUI COMMUNIUM IN SALUTEM REI-PUBLICAE ANGLICANAE FOELICITER IN PARLIAMENTO CONGREGATAE. Concionem hanc suam Publicâ Jejunii solennitate nuper habitam, Exile quidem & perexiguunt, obedientiae tamen suae & observantiae Testimonium, D.D.D. JOHAN: CARDELL. Die Mercurii, 31 januarii, 1648. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That Mr. Millington do give the Thanks of this House to Mr. Cardell, for his great pains in his Sermon preached before this House this day; and that he be desired to print his Sermon, wherein he is to have the like privilege of printing it, as others in like kind have usually had. Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parl. Dom. Com. GOD'S WISDOM JUSTIFIED, AND MAN'S FOLLY CONDEMNED, Touching all manner of outward Providential Administrations: In a Sermon Preached at the late Fast before the Commons House of PARLIAMENT. PSAL. 73.21, 22, 23. 21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 23 Nevertheless, I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. THis Psalm ( * De Psalmi authore non auxtè disputo, quanquam mihi verisimile est, quia ejus canen di Provincia mandata fuerit ipsi Asaph, Nomen ejus Poni, praeterito Davidis nomine, sicuti res per se notae saepe taceri solent. Calv. in Loc. composed by David for Asaph) contains a Declaration of David's being under a very sore and grievous Temptation; together with the way or means of his deliverance from that Temptation. David tempted, and upon what ground. The Temptation itself arose from the great Prosperity that he saw amongst wicked men; for so he says at the 3. ver. I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked: for there are no bands in their death; but their strength is firm: They are not in trouble, as other men; neither are they plagued like other men, etc. v. 4, 5. The greatness and danger of the Temptation. Upon this occasion he was so mightily perplexed and troubled, and so exceeding hard put to it, that he was even almost quite lost: My feet were almost gone, says he, Ver. 2. my footsteps had well-nigh slipped; I was even ready to say, Ver. 13. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain. and washed my hands in innocency. This was the sore Temptation that the Psalmist was here under. The way of his deliverance from the Temptation, two ways propounded. The way or means whereby he did recover himself from under this Temptation, that's here propounded, or set down two ways; 1. More generally, and then more particularly. 1. More generally, ver. 16, 17. More generally in the 16 and 17 verses; 〈◊〉 I thought to know this, etc. that is, when I tho●●● to out wrestle this Temptation, to unfold this mystery, concerning the prosperity of the wicked, and the adversity of the godly, by my own strength, I could not do it, says he, It was too painful for me, until I went into the Sanctuary of God; and then I clearly saw the end of these men, and how God is pleased to set them for a while in slippery places, etc. This he lays down in the general. 2. More particularly in the▪ Text. But then in the words of the Text, he tells us more particularly of his Trouble, and of the way or means whereby he came to relieve himself; Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins: So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee: Nevertheless, I am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. In which words you have three things notable: Wherein three parts. 1. David's trouble. 2. The ground of his trouble: and 3. The relief that he had against his trouble. His trouble in the first words of the Text, 1. David's trouble. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. The ground of his trouble in the next words, 2. The ground of his trouble. So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. And then the relief that he had against his trouble, 3. His relief against it. that follows in the last words, Nevertheless, I am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. To begin first with the trouble that was here upon 〈◊〉 spirit, My heart was grieved, says he, 1. Of David's trouble, together with that which did at the first occasion it. and I was pricked in my reins: But upon what occasion? What was it that troubled him on this manner, but his poring too much upon the outward prosperity of wicked men? And from thence ye may observe, Doctr. 1 That Temptations arising from outward worldly occasions, may very dangerously seize upon the spirit of a godly man. As here ye see, that which troubled the spirit of David, and that went to the very heart of him; that which pricked him in his reins, it was not any inward trouble about his own estate and condition, or any thing that did any way respect, the good of his soul; but it was something from without that did it: The outward Prosperity of wicked men was that which dazzled his eyes, and that which occasioned all this trouble to him. Use. I shall not stay upon this, only make this Use of it, and so proceed unto that which follows, as that which I mainly intent. Because we are so apt to be ensnared by outward worldly objects, therefore we should take heed of giving ourselves too much liberty that way, to gaze upon every vain foolish object that presents itself unto us. Especially our care should be, to keep our hearts and our affections at a due distance from the things of the world; Psal. 62.10. Abraham Dives, Dives Job, David Dives, & quid Abraham beatius? Quid Job fortius? Quid David sanctius? Chry. fol. Serm. 28. and not think ourselves ever the better, because we have them, or ever the worse, because we want them, by reason of that extreme vanity or emptiness that is in them. It's a dangerous thing to plod too much, to poor 〈◊〉 vehemently upon earthly things: How many men have been undone that way, by looking too much after worldly Profits, and worldly Pleasures, and worldly Preferments, and by fantastical imaginations of a greater Happiness in these things, then is to be found in them? Ye see David here, a choice man, a man of an excellent spirit, 1 Sam. 13.15. the man after Gods own heart, when once he was engaged upon this study, what ado he had to wind himself off again; and though he did get off at the last, yet ye see how near he was to a fall, what a deal of trouble it cost him, and what a mighty storm it brought upon his spirit, before he could get off: Therefore I say, Let us be sure never to meddle, never to engage upon earthly studies and contemplations, without being sufficiently fenced and armed aforehand, with very Spiritual and heavenly considerations. And thus much briefly concerning David's trouble here, together with that which did at the first occasion it, namely, The outward Prosperity of wicked men. From this remote cause of his trouble, The nearest cause of David's trouble. let us in the next place come to consider of that which the Text here mentions as the nearest cause of it; Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins: So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. Ye see David here lays himself very low before the Lord, Note. and so have the servants of God been always wont to do, upon the discovery of their failings: But I pass that also. And from David's acknowledgement here of his own ignorance, and folly, and bruitishness, to have been the cause of all that trouble that was upon his spirit, you may observe from thence in the next place, Doctr. 2 That in difficult cases about Divine and heavenly Dispensations, it is merely our own ignorance and folly that troubles us, and that frequently causes us to miscarry. And therefore David lays all the blame upon himself here, he does not any way accuse God, Clear from the Text. or charge him foolishly, as the manner of too many is, job. 1.23. in such like cases; but he does accuse himself, and condemn himself of too much ignorance, and folly, and weakness, that he should be so mightily puzzled, and so excessively troubled about such a poor thing as this, The outward Prosperity of ungodly men: And it must needs be so, that it is nothing else, but our own ignorance, and folly, that troubles us in cases of difficulty about Providential Administrations. Because we may be sure of this, The reason of it. That God cannot be unmindeful of his Covenant with, or of his several Promises and Engagements unto his own People: This is as sure, as that which is most sure, and as clear, as that which is most clear, That God will certainly order all the great Affairs of the world in that way, which may chief tend unto the advancement of his own Glory, Prov. 16.4. Rom. 8.28. and the good of his own People; and therefore though this present Temptation here had cast David into a very sad distemper, and bereft him for a while of his right understanding, yet as soon as ever he had recovered himself again, he presently starts up, and the first words he speaks are these, Yet God is good to Israel, Verse 1. and to such as are of a clean heart before him; as if he should have said, Though I in my foolish distemper was apt to think otherwise, and to speak otherwise; though I was ready to say, That God dealt hardly with his own People, in keeping them low, and in setting up the right hand of their Adversaries; yet, Now that I am come to myself again, and, Now that I have been in the Sanctuary of God, to be taught there, and to be instructed there, now I perceive, That this may be done without any the least impeachment or violation of Heavenly goodness: And so from divers other instances, and by divers other Arguments, I might easily make it evident, That nothing in God, or from God, can justly occasion any trouble or grief of heart to those that are his People. Ten several Cases, wherein our own ignorance and folly discovers itself about Providential Administrations. But yet notwithstanding there are ten special Cases, wherein our own ignorance and folly does either cause miscarriages, or else groundlessly occasion very much sorrow, and trouble, and grief of heart unto us about Divine and Heavenly Dispensations. Case. 1 First, in Case of outward Prosperity, we'll begin with that first, Of outward prosperity propounded. job 10.3. and 29.6. because that's the Case of the Text here. When we see God at any time shining upon the Counsels of the wicked, and washing their steps with butter, as Job speaks of himself; when we see God casting a great deal of Wealth, and Honour, and secular Preferment upon them, and in the mean time denying such things unto his own People, this we are apt to stumble at, and to be offended by reason of it, and to think that God is herein more kind to others, and more indulgent over them, then over his own People. David's Case here This was the ground of David's trouble here in this Psalm; at the 12 ver. V 12. The ungodly they prosper in the world, and they increase in riches: They are not in trouble, as other men; V 5. neither are they plagued like other men: But says he, As for my part, all the day long have I been plagued, V 13. and chastened every morning; and thereupon he was even ready to say, the words were at his tongue's end, and he had much ado to refrain from saying, That he had cleansed his heart in vain, and washed his hands in innocency. But now it is merely our own ignorance and folly that causes us thus to misconstrue these deal and dispensations of the Almighty. For I pray consider, Resolved. is it any prejudice to Believers, that God keeps them low in this world, purposely to wean them from it, and to fit them thereby for a better world? Or is it any privilege to others, to be put into large Pastures here below, on purpose to be fitted, and fatted thereby for the day of slaughter and destruction? joh 21.30. Consider of it, and then tell us whether the former be any prejudice to Saints, or the latter any privilege to sinners. Besides, we know that a little in love (from God especially) is better than a great deal in wrath, and in anger; Artabazus apud Xenophon: as he said in the Story, That the Kiss the King gave to another, was better than the Golden Cup that he gave to him: And as we know that a small quantity of Silver, is better than a far greater quantity of Copper, or Brass, or Iron; So says the Psalmist, even A little that a righteous man hath, Plus percipit boni justus unicus, quam omnes simul improbi, ex cunctis facultatibus suis. jun. in Loc. Justus facultatibus exiguis contentus, faelicior est improbo ditissimo. Vat. it is better than the riches of many wicked, Psal. 37.16. Case. 2 Secondly, Another Case wherein our own ignorance and folly discovers itself, Of Inequality. and troubles us, and causes us to be much offended, it is in case of disproportion, Prop. or very much inequality: As when we see the Adversaries of Judah to be many, very numerous and many, Isa. 11.13. Ephraim against Manasseh, and Manasseh against Ephraim, 9.21. but both against Judah; When we see whole multitudes plotting, and combining against a few, and those multitudes appearing in themselves, and in outward respects, to be far bigger, and broader, and wiser, and stronger, than such as do withstand them; When we see a multitude of Lions, as it were, intending themselves against a few silly Lambs, this frequently causes fears, and faintings, and despondencies, and many miscarriages in the world. Res. But this also discovers too much weakness, and folly, and incogitancy; for they that have God with them, although they be never so few, they can never be too few: for its all one with God to save with many, or with those that have no might; 2 Chro. 14.11. and he once complained in gideon's case, judg. 7.2. Etiam cúm vincitur multis militibus victoria est a Deo: At id non ita fit perspicuum sicuti quando cum PARVA MANU hostes Profligantur: Pet. Mart. in Loc. That there were too many for him to give Israel the day; but he never complains that he hath too few: God can never be at a loss, or any loser that way: for the less of the creature, the more of himself still in all great erterprises, whose Grace is sufficient for us, and who delights to show forth his own great Power, in our great weakness; My Grace (says he to Paul) is sufficient for thee; for my power is made perfect in weakness, 2 Cor. 12.9. Case. 3 Thirdly, Another Case, wherein our own ignorance and folly discovers itself, and troubles us, and is apt to cause miscarriages, it is in case of some very great Extremity: Of some great extremity. Prop. As when Pharaoh had gotten the poor Israelites at that mighty advantage, that they had nothing but the Red Sea before them, Animo & corpore anxii propter hostem propinquum ejularunt potius quam invocarunt fide. jun. in Loc. and him and his Host behind them, than they began to be very much afraid, and to cry out unto God, and to say unto Moses, Because there were no Graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away, to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us? It had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, etc. Exod. 14.11, 12. But now this also bewrays too much Ignorance and folly amongst us, too much weakness a great deal, Res. Murmur adversus Deum, non excusatur periculis imminentibus ubi potissimúm Divinae Bonitatis memoria vigere debcat. Muscul. in Psal. 106. Gen. 22.14. to be inordinately fearful in case of any great extremity; for God by his Providence brings his People into straits, and difficulties and dangers, on purpose many times to take occasion from thence to magnify his own great Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness towards them in their Deliverance. Saint's extremities are Gods opportunities, and in the Mount of Straits will he be seen. And evermore ye shall observe amongst them among the People of God, Note. That when there is but A little danger, then there's but A little Deliverance, and when there is A great danger, then there's A great deliverance in the womb of that danger: And God hath more ways than one to save his People by, he can do it either by means, or without means, or above means, or contrary to means, as ye have been often taught and told. Case. 4 Fourthly, Another Case wherein our own ignorance and folly discovers itself, Of very much unworthiness. Prop. and troubles us, it is in case of very much unworthiness felt and apprehended by us. Thus many poor creatures reason against themselves, and think, That Mercy belongs not to them, That Freegrace cannot save them, because of that infinite unspeakable vileness that they are now experimentally made acquainted withal: And this also causes much diffidence in other respects, amongst many, when they have prayed for mercies, they know not how to believe that ever they shall receive those mercies, because of that infinite disproportion that they find, between the great mercies of God, and their own present temper, of very much unworthiness. Res. But here also we are to note, That although it be very good, and very necessary for people to be sensible of, and experimentally acquainted with, their own great unworthiness, yet this is but a very weak pretence; yea, to say the truth, it is but a very ignorant plea against the workings of God, for the good of his People: For when God hath a full intention to work, and to save, or to do any great thing for his People, it is not any unworthiness of theirs that can possibly disappoint, intercept or hinder him. Neither is God any way moved to pity, or to show mercy by any such matter, as the creatures worthiness, which indeed is not; or if it were, Etiam in meritis nostris nulla fiducia collacanda, quia nulla planè sunt, propriè loquendo. Polan. Syntag. Theol. l. 9 c. 8. Gratia non est Gratia, nisi sit omni modo gratuita. Solus Christus pro nobis suscepit fine malis meritis paenam, ut nos per illum sinc bonis meritis consequerentur gratiam. Aug. contr. 2. Epist. Pelag. l. 4. c. 4. yet would it prove too weak a Loadstone to attract or draw the infinite love of Almighty God towards it; and therefore is the Scripture very clear for this, That whatever God does for his People in a way of love, he does it freely; and nothing more free than his Grace: I will, says he, heal their backslidings, loving them freely, Hos. 14.4. And not for your sakes do I this, be it known unto you, says God: And therefore whatever my ways are, in a way of loving kindness and tender mercy towards you, yet still be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel, Ezek. 36.32. Case. 5 Fifthly, Another Case, wherein our own ignorance and folly will be stirring to trouble us, and to cause miscarriages, it is in case of aggravated sinfulness: Of aggravated sinfulness. Prop. As now, that a person, or a people should provoke God to the very day, to the very time and hour of their deliverance; nay, after he hath saved them, and delivered them over and over, and done very great things for them, that still they should go on to provoke him publicly, privately, secretly, variously, frequently, and that God should still go on to do good to such a person, or to such a people, and complete their deliverances for them; This is it that staggers the knowledge, and the belief of many. But for the stating of this also, to say indeed, Res. That God might justly not save, or not deliver such a person, or such a people any more, that have thus highly provoked him; to say, judg. 10.13. Psal. 95.11. Heb. 3.11. That he might justly swear in his wrath against them, That they shall never enter into his rest, in regard of their own sinfulness and vileness, that's safe enough. But to say that God cannot, or that God will un save such a person, or such a people, that savours of too much ignorance, Rom. 5.20. Where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) superabundavit. Bez. magis exuberavit: Eras. Bonitas invicti non vincitur, & infinita miscricordia non finitur. Fulgent. Ais mihi; peccata peccatis adjeci, & qui jam cadens erectus fucram iterum cecidi: & conscientiae meae vulnus jam pene curatum exulceratione recruduit: Quid trepidas? Quid vercris? Idem semper est qui ante curavit medicum non mutabis: experimentum adjutorii non expectat, qui tanguoris tui novit originem: Unde dudum curatus fueras, inde iterum curaberis. Ambros. lib. de Paenit. cap. 12. ad init. Cogita scintillam si in mare ceciderit, non poterit stare, aut apparere▪ Quantum scintilla ad mare se habet tantum hominis malitia, ad Dei clementiam imò non tantum modo, sed & longè suprà: Nam & Pelagus tametsi magnum sit mensuram recipit: Dei vero elementia [sive miscricordia] mensuram non habet. Chrysost. de Paenit. Hom. 3. and that they know not the Scriptures that reason on this manner; for this of old was just the Israelites case, they had sufficiently provoked God, before they were delivered out of Egypt, and after they were delivered too, when Pharaoh pursued them to the very brink of the Red Sea, and put them to that great hazard there, which we spoke of afore to you; just there, at the very brink of the Red Sea, when God was about, and where he was about, to work out the greatest deliverance for them; Then, and There did they provoke him to his very face, and sin most desperately against him. So the Psalmist confesses, Psal. 106.7, 8 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt, they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; But provoked him at the Sea, even at the Red Sea: And what then? what followed thereupon? Did not God drown them in the Red-Sea, for this high provocation of theirs? No, says the Psalmist, though they provoked him at the Sea, and even at the Red-Sea, yet Nevertheless he saved them for his Names sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known: He rebuked the Red-Sea also, and it was dried up, and he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. Case. 6 Sixthly, Another Case, wherein our own ignorance and folly discovers itself, and troubles us, it is in case of outward meanness: Of outward meanness. Prop. As when we see God passing by those Instruments, that to us seem most likely, and most worthy to be used, and making choice of other Instruments, that to us seem most unlikely, and unworthy to be used, how apt are men in such cases to despise the day of small things? To scorn, Zech. 4, 10. reproach, and calumniate the great works of God in the world, upon this very ground, because maintained, and upheld, and carried on, by such Instruments as are to them so despicable, that they know not how either to think well of them, or to speak well of them; at this very day this lies as a very great stumbling block in the way of many. But let us herein also be ashamed of our own ignorance and folly, and know, Res. Tunc verò potissunùm clucet Dei Potentia illa omnem captum humanum superans, cúm vel agit ipse quidpiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, vel infirmissimis instrumentis ad res maximas perficiendas utitur. Beza in 2 Cor. 12.9. That God (the wise and the holy God) he delights to bring great and mighty things to pass, by very unworthy, and very unlikely Instruments, and such as men despise, to the end, that his own Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness, and Glory, may be so much the more conspicuous, and apparently visible in what he does. And therefore, O the severity, the great severity of that passage or sentence from the Apostles own mouth, 1 Cor. 1.26. Ye see your calling, Brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: But, says he, God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen; yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought the things which are, Quidnam eaquae non sunt appellat? eos scilicet qui nibil se arbitrantur propter nimian eorum exiguitatem. Sic incredibilem significavit 〈◊〉 cúm per eos qui nihil esse videbantur, magnos subigeret, Chrysost. in loc. that no flesh might glory in his presence, but that he that glories might henceforth learn to glory in that Christ alone, who of God is made and appointed to be, even All in All unto us (Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption) as it there follows in the conclusion of that Chapter. Case. 7 Seventhly, Another Case, wherein our own ignorance and folly is very apt to trouble us, and to cause miscarriages, it is in case of some carnal disappointment of ours: Of Carnal disappointment. Prop. As thus, when God is pleased at any time to stir up promising Instruments to do us good, men that we hope will act for us, and be a means to deliver us from all manner of base bondages, and unworthy slaveries whatsoever; in such a case, how apt are we to Idolise such men, and such means, and to put more confidence in them, then in that God that uses them, and that employs them, and without whom, they can of themselves do nothing. And when we have leaned so hard upon these Staves, that they begin to crack, and break under the weight of our Carnal Confidence, then, when The Staff of Beauty and Bands is thus far broken, Zech. 11.10, 11 our hearts begin to flag and to fail us, and the Staff of our Hopes that breaks too; and so foolish are we, and ignorant, as to conclude, That because we have not deliverance in this way, that therefore we shall never have it in any other way; or because God comes not just at our time, therefore we are apt to conclude, That he will also fail us at his own time, which he never does, and which is evermore the best time. God's time the best time. Res. And therefore our wisdom would be, patiently and quietly to wait upon God, and not to limit or confine him, either unto Times, or unto Means, Isa. 30. 1●. Lam. 3.26. Hab. 2.3. Heb. 10.36, 37 Psal. 27.14. Rom. 4.18. but to leave it wholly unto himself, and unto his own free disposition, to do us good both when he pleases, and how he pleases, and by what means he pleases; and so we shall both free ourselves from a great deal of trouble, and give God the Glory that is due unto his Name, upon all such like occasions. Case. 8 Eighthly, Another Case, wherein our own ignorance and folly is very apt to trouble us, and to cause miscarriages, it is in case of Humane Improbability: Of Humane improbability. Very apt we are to measure God by ourselves, Prop. and to conclude, That because we cannot do such a thing ourselves, nor the Creatures for us, that therefore God cannot do it neither: I might give you many Instances for this; Instances of this. You may see it first in Moses, an eminent Believer, Numb. 11. from the 18 ver. 1. In Moses. Num. 11. v. 18. etc. and so on; when God had told Moses there, That he would give the People flesh to eat, not for one day, or two days, or five days, or ten, or twenty days, but for a whole Month together: Says Moses to God upon this, The people amongst whom I am are very many, V 21. they are no less than Six hundred thousand footmen, and thou hast said, I will give them flesh to eat for a whole month together: But Blessed Lord, says Moses, How shall this be done? V 22. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the Sea be gathered together for them to suffice them? Here was unbelief now, & a measuring of God's power thereby, according to the Creatures power; a shortening of the Divine power, or a shrivelling up, as it were, of the Everlasting Arm of God, according to the rate of Humane Improbabilities; as may appear plainly by the words that follow, And the Lord said unto Moses, V 23. Is the Lord's hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee, or not. Inst. 2 And so when Elisha prophesied that great plenty in the gate of Samaria, 2 King. 7. That Lord there spoken of, In that great man spoken of, 2 Kings 7. on whose hand, the King leaned, He answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might this thing be? which thing ye know did afterwards come to pass, and he that questioned it, was trod to death, because he did not believe it, 2 King. 7.20. Inst. 3 And in like manner did they also reason, that are spoken of in Psal. 78. Psal. 78. Can God furnish a table in the wilderness, say they? Behold, he smote the stony Rock indeed, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; But can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? Thus foolish, and weak, and ignorant are we, in measuring God's strength by our own strength, and God's power by our own, when left unto ourselves. Res. Not considering, That what is Impossible with men, is possible with God; Matth. 19.26. and that what cannot be done by us, may yet very easily be done by him, who is not only Potent, but Omnipotent; not only Mighty, but Almighty. Case. 9 Ninthly, Another Case, wherein our own ignorance and folly discovers itself, it is in case of outward Impunity: Of outward Impunity. Prop. Men are apt to imagine, That because Divine Vengeance does not presently seize upon them, so soon as ever they have offended; because sin and sorrow do not immediately succeed one any other, take one another by the heel, Gen. 25.26. as Jacob did Esau, therefore they are apt to think, and to conclude. That they may still go on to do what they list themselves, and that they never need fear being called to a Reckoning, or to an Account for any thing: Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, says Solomon, Hoc magistratus Admonear nè paenam sceleribus Justam & debitam differant, nisi velint terram scelerum veluti diluvio obrui. Cartwr. in Loc. therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil, Eccles. 8.11. Whereas Divine Wisdom, Res. that would teach men otherwise, and make them to understand and know, That God's forbearance is no acquittance in case of Impenitency: Quod defertur non aufertur. But that he hath his times of Reckoning with all men, and those times are stated too, set, pray determined; and look what one Executioner either cannot do, or will not do, that another shall do: And therefore, though Agag thought, That the bitterness of death had been past, when Saul refused to meddle with him, yet he was deceived, Agag hewed in pieces by Samuel, though spared by Saul, 1 Sam. 15. for when Samuel comes to deal with him, he goes roundly to work, and hews him in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal, 1 Sam. 15.23. And although Joab and Shimei did both escape unpunished all the days of David, yet when David drew nigh to his end, he calls for his Son Solomon, that was to succeed him, & gives him a special charge concerning those two men; Thou hast with thee, says he, two such men, Joab and Shimei, Joab and Shimei cut off by Solomon, though both unpunished all the days of David, 1 K. 2. and thou knowest what kind of men they have been, how Bold they have been, and how Bitter they have been, and how Bloody they have been, and therefore, do thou unto them according to thy wisdom, and let not their hoar heads go down to the grave in peace, 1 Kings 2. And the Apostle speaks of some whose judgement now for a long time lingers not, Some under the Gospel whose judgement lingers not, neither does their perdition slumber. and whose damnation slumbreth not, 2 Pet. 2.3. that is, It always lies at the door, It is always awake, and never asleep; yea, he says, that it neither sleeps nor slambers, but is always in the greatest readiness to come and seize upon them, whensoever God appoints, or gives it a Command to do so. 10 Case. Of Divine Sovereignty. Tenthly and lastly, Another Case, wherein our own ignorance and folly discovers itself, and is apt to cause miscarriages, it is in case of Divine Sovereignty: Prop. As thus some argue against the very Decrees and eternal purposes of Almighty God, that would measure every thing that is said to issue from God, Sic de Dei decretis Philosophantur, ac si exigenda essent haec inscrutabilia, ad rationis humanae decem pedam: Atque hinc istae impactae Calvinistis Blasphemiae illos quodvis flagitium afonte Bonitatis arcessere: illos Deum Tiberio truculentiorem, & Diabolo (horrendum dictu) nequiorem efficere. Dr. Prid. de Abs. Dec. 1: Lect. by the Line of Humane Reason: what say they, Cast men away by absolute irrespective Decrees, before ever they had any being, before ever they knew how to do either good or evil; what a cruel unreasonable thing is that? Thus your Arminian Doctors are wont to argue in their Writings. Res. Voluit igitur Deus in hominibus quantum ad aliquos quos praedestinat suam representare Bonitatem per modum miscricordiae parcendo, Et quantum ad aliquos quos reprobat, per modum justitiae puniendo, & haec est ratio quare quosdam eligit, & quosdam reprobat & quare hos elegit in gloriam, & illos reprobavit, non habet rationem, nisi divinam voluntatem. Aquin. 1 part. Sum. Theol. Qu. 23. Art. 5. Ita Zanch. de Nat▪ Dei. lib. 5. cap. 2. Whitak. Tom. 1. oper. p. 693. & Alii. But foolish vain man, says the Apostle, who art thou that disputest against God on this manner? shall the thing form say unto him that form it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not God the same power over the creature, that the Potter hath over the clay, to make one vessel to honour, another to dishonour at his pleasure? Rom. 9.20, 21. And so in Gods disposing of men's outward Estates and conditions, Men not satisfied with the Divine Sovereignty of God in the disposition of their outward estates and conditions. how do they therein also murmur and repine at the Divine Sovereignty of God? If God give men abundance of outward favours, Peace, and Plenty, and Liberty, and Prosperity; if he still go on to heap Mercy upon Mercy, and Blessing upon Blessing, Victory upon Victory, and Deliverance upon Deliverance, than perhaps he shall have some small Thanks returned him, some Lip-labor service done him, then 'tis Bless God and live. But if God turn the stream, and carry things clean another way, then says Jobs wife to him, What dost thou still retain thine integrity? job 2.10. Is it necessary that thou shouldest still wait upon God? No; 'tis not Bless God and live then, but Curse God and die. Have we not seen a great deal of this wickedness within ourselves lately, among foolish, ignorant, An experiment of it among ourselves. brutish people, vexing, and fretting, and fuming at present Providential Administrations, and consequently flying in the very face of God himself, for not ordering things just as they would have him? Hath not this been a predominant piece of folly a long time amongst us, to be discontented at Instruments, and to neglect the chief Agent, in all our Troubles. In Matth. 7.6. Matth. 7 6. opened. our Saviour there compares graceless persons unto Dogs and Swine, saying, Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast pearls before swine: And truly they are like unto Dogs and Swine in nothing more, then in respect of Judgements and Mercies; for when Mercies come, than they are like unto the Swine, that feeds upon the Acorns, and never looks up to the Tree from whence they fell; and when Judgements come, they they are like unto the Dog, that barks, and bites, and snaps at the stone, and never regards the hand that threw it. And thus you see how marvellous apt we are to trouble ourselves, and in several Cases of this nature, dangerously to miscarry, through our own ignorance, and folly, and bruitishness, and not by reason of any the least defect or fault that is to be found in Divine and Heavenly Dispensations. God not unrighteous, or any way to be blame, however things frame in the world. Psal. 145.17. Zeph. 3.5. Psal. 92.15.5.4. For however things frame in the world,, we must still retain this conclusion, That the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works; a just God he is, and one that will do no iniquity, neither is there any unrighteousness in him: There shall no wickedness dwell with him, or so much as come near him; he is at an infinite distance from all unrighteousness, yea and he order All things here below, according to the exactest way of Righteousness, and Holiness, and Justice, and Wisdom; he is not only Righteous, and Holy, and Wise, and Merciful, and Faithful in himself, and of himself; but in those very deal and Providential Administrations, wherein men appear to be unrighteous, and unholy, and unwise, and unmerciful, and unfaithful, yet in those very ways, and actions, Magna laus videlicet Deo, ut ab informitate se vindicet, formâ unâ esse contentum. Bernard. de consid. l. 5. c. 7. Nihil in se, nisi se habet. Idem. ibid. and deal, God is still the same, he varies not one jot, but is what he ever was, and what he ever will be still, no variableness with him, nor so much as any shadow of turning: In the unrighteousness of men, God is righteous; In the profaneness of men, God is holy; In the follies of men, God is wise; In the cruelties of men, God is merciful; and In the treacheries of men, God is faithful. Nay more, In those very things, wherein men are left unto themselves, Cùm igitur Deus sit universalis provisor totius entis ad ipsius Providentiam pertinet ut permittat quosdam defectus esse in aliquibus particularibus rebus, ne impediatur bonum universi perfectum: Si enim omniae mala impedirentur multa bona deessent universo non enim esset Vita Leonis, si non esset Occisio Animalium nec esset Patientia Martyrum si non esset Persecutio Tyrannorum. Aquin. 1 Par. Sum. Theol. Qu. 22. Art. 2. and permitted to be most unrighteous, and most unholy, and most unwise, and most unmerciful, and most unfaithful, many times in those very things does the Righteousness, and the Holiness, and the Wisdom, and the Mercifulness, and the Faithfulness of God most eminently appear, for the good of his own People; only so foolish are we, and ignorant, and as so many beasts before the Lord, in our not being able to discern this: and that is it that grieves our poor hearts, and that troubles our spirits, and that pricks us in our reins, and that frequently occasions so many woeful miscarriages, and misdemeanours amongst us. Thus much for the Explication of the Truth propounded. The Application follows. Applicat. And according to the Nature and Exigence of this Service, I shall apply it both ways: Ad Populum, To The People. Ad Parliamentum, To The Parliament. To the People first. Since our own ignorance and folly is really the cause of all that trouble that comes upon our Spirits, Ad Populum. concerning all manner of present Providential Administrations, In all cases (of difficulty especially) God's wisdom to be admired, and our own folly acknowledged. and not any thing either in God, or from God; This than should teach us in all Cases whatsoever (and especially in difficult cases) still to admire the Wisdom of God, and to acknowledge our own folly; for that's the proper Character of a true Believer, to be still abasing himself, and lifting up God; to have high thoughts concerning God, and good thoughts concerning God, and low mean thoughts concerning himself; yea, though there be no apparent Reason sometimes above ground, Indè locum non habent contumacium murmurae querelarum, quia quod Deus fieri voluit, constat non aliter fieri debuisse quam voluit. Ambros. de vocat. Gent. lib. 2. cap. 1. or in open view, for that which God does, yet Wisdom is still justified of her children; and all that God does must needs be very good, even because he does it. And therefore ye see when David had perfectly recovered himself here, and clearly overcome the Temptation that he was under, he spends all the rest of the Psalm in abasing himself, and setting up God; I was foolish, says he, and I was ignorant, and I was as a beast before thee: But yet nevertheless, I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand; Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory: Whom have I in heaven, but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee: My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever: and, It is good for me to draw near unto him, etc. And this may we also do, look what David here did, the same may we do; it is not only lawful, but necessary for us, to do the same: we may blame our selves, but we must not blame our God; we may accuse ourselves, but we must not accuse him; we may utter complaints to God, but why should we mention any complaints against God, either directly or indirectly? When ye are sick, or when ye are weak, or when ye are poor, when ye are wronged, or when ye are oppressed, injuriously dealt with in any kind, ye may complain to God, that's very lawful; but ye must not complain of God, for that's very sinful, and indeed unreasonable, for he can do you no wrong: He is my Rock, says the Psalmist, and there is no unrighteousness in him, Psal. 92.15. He is and can be no otherwise, then Righteous in all his way, and holy in all his works: * Est autem Deus per suam essentiam bonus sicut & per candem lux est, ergo sicuti ita est lux ut tenebrae in eo non sint ullae sic ita est bonus, ut nihil in eo queat esse mali. Zanch. de Nat. Dei l. 4. c. 1. Thes. 4. As he is so light, that there can be darkness in him, so he is so good, that there can be no evil in him. Secondly, You may observe from hence likewise, That a man seldom or never knows the bottom of his own heart; he is seldom acquainted with the weakness, the folly, the ignorance, The Saint's advantage by Temptations. the bruitishness of his own Spirit, till he comes to be tried, and hard put to it, in one case or another. That hour of Temptation that was here upon David, that drew forth this humble Confeseion or acknowledgement from him, So foolish was I, and ignorant, and even as a beast before thee: Those hard Chapters, and dark Lessons, and obscure Texts, that the People of God meet with, sometimes in the Word of God, and sometimes in his Works, these things discover to them (and withal they put them upon admiring) the unconceivable depth of God's Wisdom, and the extreme shallowness of their own wisdom. And then in the third place, We see here likewise the ingenuity of holy men formerly, The ingenuity and faithfulness of holy men formerly. and how faithful they were, not only in keeping a Register themselves, but in giving us a Register also, even of their failings, which are a very great advantage to us, if rightly interpreted, in very many Respects; As in this very particular here that we are now upon, If such a man as David, when he came to be tempted, In David here. if he had cause to say, So foolish was I, and ignorant, and even as a beast before thee: And if such a man as Agur, In Agur, Prov. 30.2, 3. a man so eminent for wisdom as he was, if he found cause to say, as there he does, Prov. 30.2, 3. Surely I more brutish than any man, I have not the understanding of a man; I have neither learned wisdom, neither have I the knowledge of the holy; I say, if these men found so much fault with themselves, and if they saw so much defectiveness in themselves, in point of wisdom, then what may we say of ourselves, that are so far short of them? How much more ought we to be humbled, upon the very same consideration? But I pass that also, though very considerable by us at all times, and especially now at this time, wherein we are solemnly met, to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord; and I do not know any thing that can be mentioned, of a more abasing nature, than this very Consideration that hath now been suggested. But in the fourth place, We see likewise from hence how far even good men may sometimes fall short in their present Apprehensions, Godly men may sometimes fail, and fall short in their apprehensions, concerning Divine and heavenly Dispensations. concerning Divine and Heavenly Dispensations: If a man had gone to David here, before he received satisfaction himself, to have consulted with him, or to have taken his judgement concerning the estate of the wicked, and the estate of the godly, in all likelihood he would have given out very dangerous counsel; and such as Peter gave unto Christ, when he wished him by all means to decline his sufferings; when Christ spoke of suffering many things, and of being killed, and raised again the third day, Far be it from thee Lord, says Peter, this shall not be unto thee, Matth. 16.22. Mat. 16.22. How mightily was Peter mistaken in that Case, and David in this, until he went into the Sanctuary of God? But to leave that also and In the fifth and last place, since we see clearly from hence, what it is that troubles us, and that frequently causes us to miscarry, let us therefore consider of some way, whereby we may get above this ignorance, and folly, and bruitishness of Spirit, that the Text here speaks of; for certainly could we but do so, we should thereby ease our Spirits of a great deal of sorrow and trouble that now they are obnoxious unto, The way to ease our spirits of a great deal of trouble is to get above our own ignorances'. by reason of these things: what says David in the Text here? My heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins; and then he goes on with this as the cause of it, So foolish was I, and ignorant. Now for the avoiding of this amongst us, this ignorance and folly, the only way is, Ignorance and folly how to be avoided. to inquire after Wisdom, and to search for Understanding; according to that of Solomon, Prov. 4.7. Prov. 4.7. Wisdom is the principal thing, and therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding. Wisdom moved for upon a double Consideration. And this I do the rather move for, upon a double Consideration: First, because of that great defect or want of wisdom, 1 Consid. From that want of wisdom that hath always been in the world. that both hath been and is apparently to be seen in the world: In all times and ages, a truly wise man hath been a very choice piece, a very rare commodity; Look among the Jews of old, that had the lively Oracles of God committed to them, and that had more helps, and means, and advantages to make them truly wise, than all the world besides: and yet it is even admirable to consider, what a foolish people they were, and even more brutish than the very bruit creatures: Isa. 1.3. The Ox knows his owner (says God by the Prophet there) and the Ass his master's crib; Sensus est perspicuus ego, inquit, eos adoptavi in silios, & feci populum peculiarem & partem meam, ac funiculum haerelitatis meae, appellavique eos primogenitos: illi autem ne hoc quidem fecerunt quod bruta faciunt animalia, ut beneficis vinceventur, & intelligerent Pastorem & Nutritium suum. Hieron. Com. in loc. but Israel does not know, my people do not consider: And again Jer. 8.6, 7. I harkened, and heard, but they spoke not aright; no man repent of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rushes into the battle; yea, the Stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed time, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgement of the lord [Mark,] My people; if it had been any body else, a man would never have wondered at it, but that God should say this of his own people, that was very strange. And in the New Testament, Jam. 3.13. there where the Apostle falls professedly and expressly upon this point of Wisdom, says he there, Who is a wise man, jam. 3.13. Vera sapientiâ, & scientià polleus, ostendat eam operibus honestae & mansuetae conversationis, tanquam ejus germanis & perpetuis fructibus. N. Herming. in loc. and endued with knowledge amongst you? As if he should have said, If there be such a one to be found amongst you, If ye can furnish me with such a man, let him now stand forth, and show his face, and let him show out of a good conversation his works, with meekness of wisdom; But the words do clearly hold forth thus much unto him that understands them, That it is not easy to meet with such a man, that is able to show out of a good conversation his works, with meekness of wisdom. 2 Consid. From the many mistakes that are in the world about wisdom. Secondly, Though there hath been, and is, so great a defect of this wisdom abroad in the world, yet few men think so; most men think they are wise, and that their wisdom shall die with them; and few there be that will own so much ignorance and folly as David does here assume, or take home to himself; but even they that are most foolish, would yet be reputed wise. It's a notable speech to this purpose, that Zophar hath in Job, ye must not take offence at the similitude, because the holy Ghost uses it; Job 11.12. job 11.12. cap. says Zophar there, Vain man would be wise, though man be born like the wild Ass' colt; that is, though man by Nature be not only like unto the beasts that perish, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 49.12, 10. but like unto the dullest of beasts, the Ass, and the dullest of Asses, the wild Ass, and the dullest of wild Asses, the wild Ass' Colt; yet for all that vain man would be wise, that is, he would fain be reputed so, though he be not so. In other cases men and women are content to be reputed as they are; they that are lame, and they that are blind, and they that are deaf, and they that are dumb, are willing to bear the burden of these Infirmities, and to be looked upon as they are: but no man would be reputed, or looked upon as a fool, every man would be wise, as Erasmus said in a Book that he wrote concerning the Praise of Folly (Moriae Encomium, 'tis called) Male Audit stultitia etiam apud stultissimos, Folly hath an ill name, Erasm. Mor. Encom. ad init. even among those that are most foolish: And this frequently hinders people from enquiring after wisdom, even their want of knowing that they want it; and therefore it was a sage speech of one of the wiser sort among the Heathens, Puto multo● potuisse ad sapientiam pervenire nisi putassent se pervenisse. Sen. de Tranq. An. cap. 1. That many might have been wise, if they had not thought themselves wise, if their own Wisdom had not stood in their light; and Professing themselves wise, they became fools, says the Apostle, Rom. 1.22. Now I say, Since there is so much want of Wisdom, and withal, since there are so many misperswasions in the world about it, and since the thing is in itself so excellent and so necessary, that the holy Ghost calls it The principal thing, These Considerations should stir us up to be so much the more diligent and curious in our Inquiries after it: How to attain wisdom. And for the Attainment of it, Means. 1 First, ye must all be content to tread that unsmooth, and unpleasant, and unbeaten path of Wisdom, which the Apostle speaks of, 1 Cor. 3.18. he speaks of it there, not without some seeming disadvantage as to his hearers the Corinthians, who had a great Name for Wisdom, who looked upon themselves, and were looked upon by others, as a very knowing people; Corinth being a rich opulent City, Vid. Alsted. Chronol. Vrb. Antiquis. Aul. Gell. Noct. At. lib. 14. c. 6. Itiner. tot. sacr. Script. by R.B. printed at London, An. 1629. full of Goods, and full of Gifts, and full of Parts, and full of Pride, (which things are very seldom or never asunder in such like places) but yet for all that, says the Apostle to them, in the place aforementioned, Let no man deceive himself, he means in point of Wisdom; but, If any man among you seemeth to be wise, or would be reputed wise, 1 Cor. 3.18. then here's his Rule, Let him become a fool, that he may be wise. Means. 2 Secondly, Pray for wisdom, Prov. 2.3, 4, 5. If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding: If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures: Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Solomon ye know took this course, he begged of God, A wise and an understanding heart; he made that the main of his desires, 1 Kings 3.9.4.33. and thereupon God gave him a large heart for wisdom, even as the sand upon the sea shore; he was able to discourse of every vegetable, from the Cedar in Lebanon, to the Hyssop that grew out of the wall. Means. 3 Thirdly, Look into the Word of God, Search the Scriptures; it stands upon Record, unto the perpetual praise and commendation of Timothy, That from a child he had known the holy Scriptures, which (says the Apostle to him) are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. 3.15. Means. 4 And this now brings me to a fourth particular, which I mention last of all, as the total sum of all; and here I shall desire both to fix mine own heart, and the Auditory also, making that the end of this Sermon, which either is (or should be at least) the end of every Sermon; namely this, The knowledge of God in Christ the end of preaching. 1 Cor. 2.2. 2 Cor. 4.5. Phil. 3.8.14. The knowledge of God in Christ. If in all such difficult Cases as have been already mentioned, ye would still understand the mind and will of God, and know what to do, than ye must of necessity have acquaintance with God, in and by Jesus Christ, who is called ye know, The Counsellor, Isa. 9 6. and, The wisdom of God: We preach Christ crucified, says the Apostle, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God, and Christ the Wisdom of God, Christum crucifixum vocat primum DEI POTENTIAM, id est, cum qui virtute suae Deitatis potenter dissolvit opera diaboli, Principem hujus mundi ejecit foras, mundum denique vicit, ac morti mors fuit, quum potenter ex morte resurrexit: Deinde cundem Christum crucifixum vocat DEI SAPIENTIAM, id est, cum qui sapicutissimum Dei de nostrá salute consilium non solum nobis patefecit, verùm etiam executus est. Piscat. in loc. 1 Cor. 1.23, 24. And as for all that wisdom that men possess out of Christ, there is, shall I say, a cloud upon it? yea and more, there is not only a cloud upon it, but a curse upon it, and it will appear to be no better then mere foolishness and madness in the latter end. God hath begun to do it already, and he will do it yet more abundantly, he will certainly find a time to convert or turn all that strength into weakness, Note. 2 Sam. 15.31. and all that wisdom into foolishness, that flows not out of the fullness of Jesus Christ the Righteous. john 1.16. The wisdom of Christ durable. But now the wisdom of Christ, that's durable and abiding, and not only lasting, but everlasting, and the longer ye have it, the better you'll like it still; and this is it that David was here possessed of, he could not outwrastle the Temptation he was under, until he went into the Sanctuary of God; and though he did go into the Sanctuary, yet if God had not met him there, and revealed himself to him there, he might have gone out, as wise as he came in, but he found God there, God was with him there to resolve him of his doubt; yea, he was with him continually: And that's his relief here, his Sanctuary, his Refuge, My heart was grieved, says he, and I was pricked in my reins, through mine own ignorance, and bruitishness, and folly; but then here he relieves himself, even with that which follows, Nevertheless, I am continually with thee; and though I should chance to let go my hold of thee, yet thou wilt never let go thy holdfast of me, Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thus much to us All. Ad Parliamentum. Now to yourselves (Honoured Worthies) who are the Representative Body of this whole Nation, I shall humbly crave leave to suggest something from hence unto you. 2 Tim 3.1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tempora molesta sive difficilia. The God of Heaven, by his Providence (the Wise and the Holy God) hath called you to a very great Work, in a very difficult and dangerous time: And how will ye do to manage this great work, if the Wisdom now spoken of, be not eminently present with you, if ye be not as Angels of Light, 2 Sam. 14.17. to discern between Good and Evil? Surely no other Garment would so well become you at this time, as this of Wisdom; We could not have thought upon any thing more suitable to you, or more seasonable for you. To this purpose be pleased to observe, How the Holy Ghost itself preaches this Doctrine to you, how Wisdom itself does in a special manner call upon such as you are, To be instructed, and to be wise, etc. In the second Psalm, and at the beginning of it, 2 Ps. br. paraph. the Psalmist having there declared the Design and Plot of great ones against God, and Christ, The Design of great ones against God & Christ, v. 2, 3. in those words, The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us: And having withal declared the fruitlesness, The vanity of that Design, v. 4, 5, 6. and the vanity of that Design, in saying, He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision: He shall speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure; and yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion; that is, the Design of God by Christ, that shall still prosper, and take effect, and go on; and all those great ones that oppose it, they shall be most miserably shattered, destroyed and broken. Hereupon his * Counsel to such as are not yet privy to the design, to take heed of being drawn in, v. 10, 11, 12. counsel is, at the 10, 11, 12. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be instructed, ye Judges of the Earth: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; Kiss the Son, etc. Thus you see how he leads you from the Streams to the Fountain, from the Watercourses to the Wellhead; Be Wise first, and Be Instructed, and as a means to bring in Wisdom and Instruction, Kiss the Son, left he be angry, and ye perish from the Way, if his Wrath be kindled but a little: blessed are all they that put their trust in him. If his Wrath be kindled but a little, etc. and certainly, his Wrath is now kindled not a little, his heart is fully set, and engaged upon the business, and he will have All down that are implacably bend against him, High and Low, Rich and Poor, Noble and Ignoble, Learned and Unlearned, All must either bow or break, Zeph. 2.11. stoop or starve (For he will famish all the gods of the Earth) and therefore now, at this time especially, Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. And besides this general Consideration of Wisdom, as that which would now be very useful, and profitable, and seasonable; Give me leave to deal a little more particularly, Two things before the Parliament at this time, requiring much exactness in point of wisdom. and to observe, That there are two Things before you at this time, that will certainly require very much exactness in point of Wisdom, namely, Liberty and Justice. Touching the former of these, matter of Liberty, The Liberties of the People, 1. Liberty. and The Liberties of the Saints: I shall not therein take upon me to prescribe to you (for that's no part of my Work, neither is it any part of my purpose so to do) only this experimental observation I shall crave leave to make out from your former Proceed, and it is certainly very considerable by you, That so long as ye took those two things into serious Consideration, Godliness and Honesty, and told us plainly, 2 Tim. 2.2. That under your shadow they should live; Lam. 4.20. so long as ye held forth this in your Declarations, and went on accordingly, I am persuaded, That All that while ye had as much encouragement from God himself, and from good men, as could be expected or desired: But when once your motions began to be retrograde, & the people saw clearly, Dangerous to departed from just & honest Principles, upon any pretence whatsoever. That divers amongst you intended nothing less, than what was thus fairly pretended, than I pray consider what followed, Nothing but trouble upon trouble, and vexation upon vexation, and breach upon breach, until ye were almost even quite Broken all to pieces: and therefore whensoever any thing comes to be debated, that concerns either of these, or both these together, The Liberties of the People, and The Liberties of the Saints, then look up unto God for Wisdom, and for Counsel, and for Direction, (and the Lord give you Wisdom, and Counsel, and Direction in it) For certain it is, That there are hardly any Rocks more dangerous to break upon, than these two are. Then for that other work of Justice, 2. Justice. that hath been long expected from you, and that ye seem now to be fully engaged upon: I shall not therein prescribe to you neither, only point at some few things, Nehem. 6.9. that may (through the Blessing of Heaven) be a means to strengthen your hands in that great and necessary work. To this purpose be pleased to consider, Two things noted concerning justice. That Justice is both a very comprehensive Virtue, and a very curious Virtue. First, 1. A very comprehensive. It is a very Comprehensive Grace or Virtue. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Atist. lib. 5. Ethic cap. 1. Fr. Eustach. Tract. 3. de Virt. & vit. Sect. 2. Qu. 1. The Moralists observe, That all Virtues are contained in Justice; he that would be Just, He must be Prudent, and He must be Valiant, and He must be Temperate, and He must be Faithful: In a word, He must not absolutely come behind in any Excellency whereof he is capable; He must be a very exact man, that would be a just man. 2. A very curious virtue. Secondly, As it is a very Comprehensive, so it is also a very curious Virtue; you have seen, I suppose, Justice oftentimes pictured with a pair of Scales in her hand: and indeed, it is a very fit Emblem, or Resemblance of the business: For as in a pair of Scales (if the Beam be good, and the Balances even) it is, ye know, a very small matter that will turn the Scales either this way or that way, one way or another, and so here: Now to set and keep the Scales even, in this high point of Justice, that they may not incline too much on either side, upon any sinister indirect Principle, there are, I conceive, three things essentially requisite thereunto: Three things requisite to keep the scales even in point of justice. 1. Wisdom. 2. Courage. 3. The fear of the Lord. Wisdom to discern, 1. Wisdom. Sicuti est aliquando misericordia puniens ita & crudelitas Parcens. Aug. Maced. Epist. 54. Courage to execute, and The fear of the Lord to moderate. First, there must be Wisdom to discern, to see and foresee who are fit to be spared, and who are fit to be punished; for there is both misericordia puniens, and crudelitas parcens, as the Father speaks; there is both A punishing mercy, and A sparing cruelty: whilst ye spare some, ye may be very cruel to others; yea, let me tell you, That if ye take not heed, in sparing some, ye may be very cruel to yourselves: ye know what the Prophet said to Ahab, Because thou hast let go a man out of thy hand, whom I appointed to utter destruction; therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people, 1 King. 20.42. Secondly, As there must be Wisdom to discern, 2. Courage. The Parliament encouraged to do justice, upon a threefold consideration. so Courage to execute, and to carry on the work vigorously. And here give me leave to say, and not only to speak it, but also to prove it, That you have all the Reason in the world to take Courage in this business, since ye have for certain the highest Encouragements to it, that can be expected. For first, consider, 1. From the Alsufficiency of God, in his promise of being with those who are with him in this work. 2 Chron. 19.6 That the Work itself is God's Work, and that he hath engaged himself by way of Promise, to be with you in it; as Jehoshaphat said unto the Judges, when he gave them their charge, and it was very excellent counsel, even that of his, 2 Chron. 19.6. says he there, Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgement; with you, not only to observe you, and to assist you, and to direct, and bless you, but also to protect and defend you; and if God be thus with you, than (as the Apostle says) Who can be against you? Rom. 8.31. What can the Creatures of God do, to hurt or hinder you, if the God of the Creatures will but undertake to shield you, and to protect you, and to carry on his own Work by you? 2. From the weakness of Adversaries, who are to be dealt with in a way of justice. Secondly, Consider the extreme weakeness of those who shall oppose you in this Work, and you shall find them to be All so weak, and so feeble, from Head to Foot, from the Highest to the Lowest, that it is not possible for any man of any Spirit, who hath to deal with them as Adversaries, to be afraid of their faces. And that this may appear to be so, Be pleased to observe, By what Metaphors or Allusions the Holy Ghost sets out those that ye are to proceed against in this business: Let me to this purpose but only mind you of two or three Scriptures briefly; Hos. 10.7. As for Samaria (says God by the Prophet there) her King is cut off, Discovered from three places of Scripture. 1 Pl. Hos 1 7. 2 Pl. Psal. 37.20. 3 Pl. Psal 62.3. Quemadmodum parier vitiosus intusque corruptus subito impetu cadens non modò scipsum frangit propriâ mole, sed conterit in minutas parts, ira hostibus suis David inexpectatam ruinam denuutiat & quâ prorsus conterantur. Calvin. in loc. like the foam upon the water: And again, Psal. 37.20. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume, into smoke shall they consume away: And yet farther, Psal. 62.3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you, as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. Now I pray consider, whether any of these things are in any measure to be feared by you: What? a Parliament afraid of a little foam upon the water? Afraid of a little smoke out of a Chimney? Afraid of a bowing wall, or of a reeling fence, that if ye do not pull them down the sooner, they'll break down of their own accord, and it may be break down you too? Do not ye know how dangerous a thing it is, to dwell in an old ruinous house, that is ready to drop down upon your heads, without repairing, or rebuilding? And do ye not likewise know this to be at present, the sad condition of the Kingdom? Hath not long experience taught some of you, how many decayed ceiling, and how many worm eaten beams, and how many rotten posts, and studs there are, that will never serve again, that must of necessity be removed, or else all will come down about our ears, and destroy us utterly, and it may be speedily too? I beseech you, consider these things. And then in the third place, 3. From former Experiences. job 5.19. yet farther to encourage you, consider what God hath already done for you; how he hath delivered you in six troubles and in seven. And take heed, I pray, of sinning against your own experiences: Consider the Fears, the Straits, the Plots, the Difficulties, the Dangers, that are already past and gone: Greater then which, you can hardly meet with again. Remember but the wonders (I had almost said, the miracles) of this last Summer, when the Sea began to roar against you, and when the Land threatened to bear you no longer; when the Malignant party in both Kingdoms were desperately enraged against you; And I know not how many thousands of them, a second time up in arms against you, and nothing to stand, between you and all this danger, but a poor despised, unpaid Army; and yet, what a wonderful, what a sudden, what an unexpected, what an unparallelled deliverance, did the Lord work out for you, even by that very Army: And what, after all this, and more than all this, that God hath done for you, will ye now despond, and grow faint in your mind? Shall your hands still hang down, Heb. 12.12. and your knees wax feeble, and your hearts whither like the Grass? Will ye still be like Ahaz in that case, Isa. 7.2. wherein it is said of him, That his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind? I beseech you take heed of faithless fears, and of unworthy despondencies, after all the mighty appearances of God for you, which have been so managed from time to time, as if they had been purposely given out, to encourage you unto this work, and in this work, that now ye are in hand with. 3. The fear of the Lord. There is yet a third thing requisite, to keep the Scales even in point of Justice; and that is, The true fear of the Lord: Consider but two or three places of Scripture for that, and I have done. That's a very considerable place to this purpose, 2 Sam. 23.1, 2, 3. 2 Sam. 23.1, 2.3. opened. Now these are the last words of David, The words of dying men ye know, they use to leave a very deep impression upon the spirits of those that hear them: Now (says that Text) These are the last words of David, David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet Psalmist of Israel. These were his last words, The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me. And the thing that he comes to at last, after all this holy Rhetoric, and Gallantry of expression, it is this, He that ruleth over men, must be just, ruling in the fear of God. Exod. 18.21. Jethroes advice to Moses concerning the choice of Magistrates. And says Jethro to Moses, Exod. 18.21. Thou shalt provide out of all the people, not only able men, and men of truth, and men that hate covetousness, but men that fear God also; And let them be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds; rulers of fifties, and rulers of ten; and let them judge the people, etc. But above all, me thinks, that case of Micaiahs', 1 King. 22. Micaiahs' case, 1 King. 22. is very considerable to this purpose; and I mention it the rather, because it is not ordinary to meet with such a case; I do not for the present remember the like in all the Book of God again, all things rightly considered: For if ye read that Chapter, The disadvantages that he there went upon. you shall find, That the poor man (one poor single despised Prophet) was there upon all manner of disadvantages, in what he was going about. For first, he was to appear before two great Kings, the King of Israel, and the King of Judah, whilst both of them were sitting upon their thrones in their Parliament Robes, as awful an outward appearance, Verse 10. as most ye shall hear, or read of. And then secondly, He was to deliver a message clean contrary to what no less than four hundred Prophets, had endeavoured to prepossess the minds, Verse 6. compared with 2 Chron. 18.5. and to forestall the judgements of those two Kings withal. And then in the third place, The messenger that came to call him, he told him what the other Prophets had done, and wished him by all means to do the like. Verse 13. The words of the Prophets declare good unto the King, with one mouth; Do thou so too, says the man to him, Do not thou by any means occasion any trouble, or breed any disturbance, say as they say, and then all shall be well. Yea, but all this would not stir Micaiah an inch from following God, His words are, As the Lord liveth, V 14. what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak: What those four hundred men have said, That's nothing to me, says Micaiah; Look what God would have me to speak, Duty belongs to us, events to God. that I must speak, and that I will speak, come of it what will, or let what will be the fruit on it. But now I pray observe, what it was that poized the spirit of the Prophet in that case, or that kept the Scales even; and you shall find it to be this, He saw those two great Kings sitting upon their thrones, and withal, He saw the Lord sitting upon his throne; Verse 19 and he was much more afraid to offend that one God, that he saw sitting upon his throne, then both the other Kings, that he saw sitting upon their thrones. And thus ye see, how the fear of the Lord did regulate and order the Spirit of that holy man, in a right manner before the Lord. And I beseech you consider, That this 〈◊〉 not only useful for us; It is not only written for our admonition, that move in a sphere below you, and under you; Rom. 15.4. but It is also written for your admonition, as well as for ours; and it is useful for you, as well as for us. What more useful for those that sit upon earthly thrones, then to see God sitting upon his throne? 1 King. 18.3. Neh 7.2. job 1.1. Prov. 23.17. Eccles. 11.13. Acts 10.2. Timor domini Janitor animae, Bernard. Quid est, quaeso, Sapientia Christiani? Quid nisi timor & Amor Christi? Salvian. ad Eccles. Cathol. lib. 4. Initium sapientiae est in timore Christi, perfectio in amore. Id. ibid. Fides facit formidinem. formido facit solicitudinem. Solicitudo facit perseverantiam. Tertul. contr. Martion. Let me humbly commend this as a remarkable meditation, from hence unto you, That certainly under Heaven, there is not a more excellent qualification, then for men in all transactions of an high nature, To have their hearts continually over powered, and over awed, with the true fear of Gods holy name and presence. And therefore, that ye may manage and carry on this great work of Justice and Judgement, according to the will of God: Besides Wisdom and Courage, see to this also, john 1.16. That out of the fullness of Christ ye be of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and then according to his example, who is your great Lord and Master, Ye shall not judge after the sight of the eye merely, nor reprove after the hearing of the ear; but with righteousness shall ye judge the poor, Isa. 11.3, 4. and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth. FINIS.