THE goodwill OF HIM THAT dwelled IN THE BUSH: OR, The extraordinary happiness of living under an extraordinary Providence. A Sermon preached before the Right Honourable, the HOUSE of LORDS, in the Abbey Church at Westminster, on Tuesday, July 22. 1645. At their public Thanksgiving for the good success given to the Parliaments Forces, under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairfax in the WEST. By John Ward, Minister of the Gospel, in Ipswitch. EXOD. 3. 2. Behold, the Bush burned with fire, and the Bush was not consumed. DEUT. 33. 29. Happy art thou, oh Israel; who is like unto thee, oh people! saved by the Lord, the shield of thine help, and who is the sword of thine excellency. London, Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith, at the sign of the Crane in Paul's churchyard, 1645. Die Mercurij, 23. July, 1645. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament Assembled, That Mr. Ward, one of the Assembly of Divines, is hereby thanked for the great pains he took in his Sermon he preached yesterday before the Lords of Parliament, in the abbey Church, Westminster, being appointed a Thanksgiving-day, for the good success that God hath given lately unto the Parliament Forces, under the Command of Sir Thomas Fairfax in the West. And further that the said Mr. Ward is desired to print and publish the said Sermon, which is to be printed by authority under his own hand. Io: Brown Cleric. Parliamentorum. I do appoint Christopher Meredith to print this Sermon, JOHN WARD. TO THE RIGHT honourable the LORDS now Assembled in PARLIAMENT at Westminster. MY LORDS; I Have observed, that long Epistles are as little pleasing as long Sermons; and therefore shall not be troublesome by a tedious Dedication: only your Lordships may please to take notice, that this Sermon, which is now Printed in obedience to your Order, before it goes forth to public view, comes first to be Presented to your Honours. It is sufficient assurance of acceptance and countenance, that your lordship's pleasure is to have it published. If now this little spark, or rather almost dead coal; shall give the least light or heat to any heart, that shall vouchsafe to read it; and hereby any accession may be made, to the praise, or to the fear of This glorious and fearful Name, Deut. 28. 58. THE LORD our GOD: It is that which is desired, and as much as can be expected by, MY LORDS, Your honour's most unworthy Servant in the work of the ministry, JOHN WARD. Errate. PAg. 1. lin. 14▪ for memorandum, read memorial, lin. ult.. del▪ of God p. 2. l. 18. for state. r. start. p. 5. l. 5. ● if he will. p. 6. l. 〈◊〉. for both stakes, r. both estates p. 7. l. 21. for Jacob. ●. people l. 25. r. if we but imagine p 8. l. 3. for proofs, r. proof. l 7. for infinite 〈◊〉 infinity. r. in the margin against l. 29. 1. Chro. 4 10 p. 9 l. 23. del. these. in the margin by l. 23. r. B▪ reason and experience. p. 10. 19 for evidenci●, r. evidence l. 25. for up, r. as p. 14. l. 19 for in the valley r c●st into. p. 15. l. 22. for bond, r. hands. l. 23. for end, r. and. p. 18. l. 19 for priests, r. party. p. 19 l▪ ●3. r. but the Lord. l. 17. for watchfully▪ r. wickedly. p. 22. l. 34. for read, r. reach. p. 25. l. 5. r. right-hand. p. 27. l. 7. for 36. r. 33. p. 28. l. 12. for where, r. when. p. 34. l ●●… r. or the Covenant ●e rigidly▪ p. 38. l. 5. r and this present. A SERMON PREACHED before the Right Honourable the House of LORDS, at their public Thanksgiving, July 22. 1645. For the Routing of general Goring in the West, &c. DEUT. 33. 16. And for the good will of him that dwelled in the bush. THat song being published and left upon record in the former Chapter, which God himself had dictated, and commanded to be written, for a Memorandum and Item to the people, or witness against them: And now that great favourite of God, being the second time warned of his departure, the story whereof follows in the next Chapter, before he goeth up into the Mount, to take a view of the Land of promise, Isa. 8. ●. the land of Immanuel, in which prospect he had also the happiness to see afar off, and embrace the privileges and blessings to be there enjoyed by the people of God. He doth first in this Chapter take his solemn farewell of the Tribes, leaving behind him this other memorandum also, becoming a Prophet of the Lord, A summary of divine prophecies and promises, foreshowing and fore-assuring them sundry providences of God in favour of them: For this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. After a lofty stately preface, commanding attention, charming affection, be first lays his hands upon the head of every Tribe severally, dividing the blessing amongst them, to each according to the lot of God; and then embracing them all altogether, he blesseth God, and blesseth himself together with them, rapt in admiration of God's glory and their happiness, in regard of the goodness of God communicated with them; vers. 26. 28. There is none like to the God of Jesurun, who rideth on the Heavens for thy help, &c. Happy art thou, oh Israel, who is like unto thee, oh Jacob, saved by the Lord, the shield of thine help, and the sword of thine excellency. As for the first part of the Chapter, where the Text is found among the special blessings of the several Tribes, it were altogether impertinent, and would be an unprofitable waste of time, either to show the consent or the difference between this benediction of Moses, Deut. 33. and that prediction by Jacob, Gen. 49. or to state the questions, and guess at the reasons, why one blesseth whom the other curseth; or why Simeon should be left out and passed by, rather than any of the rest of the Tribes; or wherefore Moses should cross his hands, and prefer the younger before the elder when he comes to the sons of Jacob, by Rachel, Joseph and Berjamin, as the Patriarch did, when he blessed both the sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim. Neither will it be needful to contend about the reading of this particular Text, for even therein (though the gammer be not very difficult,) the translators do not all agree, but without any violence or wrong to the sense or the scope of the words. It is placed in the midst of this ample portion of Joseph, as the Tabernacle among the tents, the choice and chief of all: They are the blessings of prosperity in ordinary; this the happiness of adversity in extraordinary. For though Interpreters do generally no otherwise look upon it, then as the spring and fountain whence all the rest do flow, expounding it by Gen. 49. 25. By the God of thy father who shall bless thee, &c. and it must be granted a truth; that the blessings of the Heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breast and the womb (which are the other part of the legacy of Joseph) be all by the good will of God. Yet it may well be denied to be the truth held forth in this Text, doubtless something divers from all those, some singular thing in the failing of them, supplying their absence, recompensing that want, is intended by the Holy Ghost here, viz▪ deliverance in trouble, and deliverance from trouble, deliverance wonderfully and fearfully wrought out. 1. Else there were nothing here to answer that of Gen. 49. 23, 24. support and succour in times of danger and distress: The Archers sorely grieved him, shot at him, hated him, but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. 2. The word rendered good will, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Exod 40. 35. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may also signify any thing whereby God will manifest his grace and good pleasure, and so the Septuagint takes it here. 3. The other word also translated dwelling, may import such a dwelling, as when the cloud abode on the Tent of the Congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle: a residence in grace and power, testified by some open manifestation worthy the majesty of God, a neighbourhood or nearness for protection and safeguard in a glorious way, and is so interpreted by the Prophet, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Isa.▪ 4. 5, 6. And the Lord shall create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 4. It is a plain allusion to the miracle recorded, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Exod. 3. A Bramble (for such was the bush God made choice of, for the more apt expression of the mystery and manifestation of the miracle.) A Briar, a most contemptible and combustible shrub, all on a light flame, yet neither withering nor perishing, but green and flourishing in the very fire. A just emblem both of their low estate in miserable oppressions, nigh unto ruin, utterly unworthy to be beloved, and of the wonderful work of God by his great wisdom and power, saving them from the mischief of the Egyptians craft and cruelty, and redeeming them from under their hand by great judgements. Ye know the vision, Exod. 3. 2. and the interpretation thereof, vers. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. and the story that we read in the Chapters following: what was then showed, what was spoken, and what was afterwards done in pursuance and performance thereof. Unto that gracious providence figured and promised in that apparition, Moses hath an eye in this Text, praying the like for Joseph's posterity in like case of hazard and danger, and bequeathing it to them as the best part of their portion: for to strain it to the preservation of the virginity of Mary in the conception and birth of Christ, the triumph of our Saviour crowned with thorns, or the incorruption of his body in the grave under the dominion of death, as the Popish Commentators do; or to restrain it to the prophecy of Ahijah to Jeroboam, 2 King 11. 29. as some other expositors, because he had rule over the charge of the house of Joseph, is altogether unwarrantable, if not absurd. Having thus found the meaning of the Text, I believe your thoughts outrun me, and take up the doctrine before me. A peculiar extraordinary providence in favour of a wretched people, Doct. in whom is neither might nor worth, is an extraordinary peculiar blessing, both the whole series and web of such a providence, and every remarkable passage of it. Every overture of mercy and grace, in a time of trouble, every assay of deliverance, though the salvation be not presently perfected; nay though many cross providences intervene, that raise many difficulties, and make the present state more grievous, more perplexed; yet if God revive his work, and there be such things done by his hand as carry in them a testimony of his compassion, a pledge of his faithfulness, an evidence of his nearness to relieve and rescue, it is to be acknowledged a very great happiness. When a nation is not worthy to be beloved, and the rod of God's displeasure is put into the hands of bloodthirsty and deceitful men, and they help forward the affliction, and there be little or no probability of better condition by men or means; if then the Lord will make offer and tender of his good will, and one may discern in his works, in his ways a gracious propensity and purpose to redeem, though in the prosecution thereof there be such various and uneven dispensations of providence, as may give occasion to the enemy to be hardened and insolent, and the other side to be discouraged and dejected; yet if God so temper his judgements, as his own people shall feel the benign and comfortable, and the Adversary the hurtful and destructive effects thereof, he will step in, to restrain, or inhibit, or prevent the fraud or fury of the enemy, and take the advantage of their animosity and attempts; to glorify himself, in showing forth his wrath, and making his power known upon them; and the meanwhile continue to protect, and repeat, and multiply wonders in favour of his people, to the confusion of the adversary, it must be confessed a very great mercy, transcending the good of peace and plenty. Though that may be doubted which some have affirmed, Greg. Nissen. Lippomannus. that the brightness of the flame of the fire in the bush, did darken the brightness of the sun at noonday; yet this must be believed, that the blessing of adversity is better than the blessing of prosperity. What ever the opinions of vain men may be concerning this thing, yet all those who have stood on the same side, with the Spirit and word of God, have ever been of this judgement. Let us hear two or three speak for all the rest. 1. What else can we make of that expression of Ezra, Proof by Scripture. Ezra 9 13. words that come from the very heart root, and speak affection to admiration; And hath given us such deliverance as this? Why what was this deliverance, that he could not find words to express it? 'Twas but a deliverance in the shell, barely disclosed, deliverance in the blade, not the ear, in the spring, not the harvest, they could not then eat of the fruit of it; as the light in the twilight, not the noon, neither light nor dark, or rather both in a mixture and vicissitude. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah will inform you; or if it be too much to read the story, Psalm. 126. the psalm will tell us, Their captivity was turned, yet so, as they needed to pray still, turn again our captivity, O Lord: they were not restored to that from which they were fallen, either for number of people, abundance of wealth, or liberty, or beauty, of order in the Civil or ecclesiastical state; more persons had fallen in some one battle before the captivity, then were enrolled at their return from Babylon; David alone of his own proper good, had contributed more to the building of the first Temple, 2 Chron, 29. 4. than the whole Congregation together were able to offer towards the re-edifying of the second: Possibly one man had been owner of more cattle than all of them could number, when they were come up into their own land, they did not enjoy the liberty of an Israelitish subject, but were under the arbitrary power of a Tyrant, who bare rule over them at their pleasure; Nehe. 8. 36, 37. They were servants in their own land, and it yielded much increase to the Kings, whom God had set over them because of their sins: only they had found some favour with the Heathen Monarchs: Proclamations had been issued in their behalf, some liberty granted by Cyrus, some additional enlargement by his successors, some special providences had been dispensed in answer of their prayers, a door of hope was opened; but there were many adversaries, and they daily wrestled with many difficulties and discouragements, even among themselves were found many wicked and ill affected persons; at that very time there was cause of solemn mourning and fasting: Yet even this deliverance, this way of God in goodwill to them, the holy man magnifies with no little wonderment; hereof he was glad as they that dream, in an ecstasy of joy and admiration; he looks upon it as an over-excellent object overpowering his heart, that he cannot find words for it, And hast given us such deliverance as this. Secondly, Psal. 144. 15. The Psalmist speaks it plainly, though he cannot speak it fully; Happy is the people that is in such a case, yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord. He weighs both stakes, with the advantages of each one against the other, and in his judgement this casts the scales, and more than counterpoiseth the good of that: for if the former words, vers. 12, 13, 14. and part of the 15. That our children, &c. Happy is that people that is in such a case, be the wish and boast of the vain men mentioned, vers. 11th? then he opposeth those last of his own to theirs, nay happy are the people whose God is the Lord: or if he speaks his own thoughts, looking to the promises and blessings of the Law, yet than he correcteth himself, and preferreth this to the former, counting them happy who suffer affliction, if God be amongst them in good will, as when he dwelled in the bush; rather than those who spend their days in wealth, Job 21. 9, 13 whose houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them; whose soever the words be, without controversy he gives the precedencieto that for which he had first prayed, viz. an extraordinary providence towards him in times of trouble: Psal. 144. 12, 13, 14. Bow the Heavens, O God, and come down, send thine hand from above, rid me and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children, whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. And by the way it may be noted, how he can number and measure the blessings of plenty and prosperity, can gaze upon the pomp and glory of them, and find language to speak as much as heart can wish or think: but the privilege of protection and deliverance in troublesome times (while God teacheth the hands to war and the fingers to fight, ver. 1, 1. while God becomes the goodness, fortress, tower, deliverer and shield of his servants, subduing and scattering their enemies before them.) He rather admires than comprehends; he cannot grasp what he saw, nor distinctly express what he apprehended: affections swallow up words: Happy is that people whose God is the Lord. But why do we look so far, when we may find proof so near in the last verse of this very chapter: Happy art thou, oh Israel, who is like unto thee, oh Jacob, saved by the Lord the shield of thine help, and who is the sword of thine excellency? The rhetoric is very high, yet very intelligible, and its meaning easily discernible, an ordinary capacity will reach it, especially if but imagine the man of God now upon the mount of contemplation (as we find him in the next Chapter on the top of Nebo) looking round about him on the course of God's providence in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the land in times of distress, and giving liberty to his heart with contentment and gladness to feed upon the good things, the manifold good folded up in that blessed state, wherein the Lord did more immediately and openly interest himself in their cause, in every difficulty and against all opposition, either miraculously in the want and absence of means, supplying and saving-by himself; or marvellously in the insufficiency and disproportion of means, commanding an efficacy, and creating an issue beside their thought, beyond their expectation, to their advantage and privilege, especially in the hazard of war; else what means the mention of shield and sword? A short paraphrase will smooth and clear the abrupt and imperfect expression, if any thing may seem obscure in it, and lend much light to the proofs of the doctrine in hand; for the words do manifestly bear this sense: Oh the happiness of the people, the care of whose welfare the everlasting God doth take upon himself. The multitude, the variety, the world of mercies mingled with judgements, the abundance, the infinite of good put into their hands, dropped into their mouths by the gracious and glorious administrations of providence. Oh the excellence, the lustre of the prerogative of such a people above all other nations, outshining the seeming cloudiness and uncomfortableness of their unsettled distracted condition! They perhaps may sometimes think themselves in a worse estate than other men, because of the diminution and obstruction of their ordinary liberties, by the want of common accommodations and conveniences; but if they were taken off their prejudices, and knew their own happiness, there were none to be compared with them, the world's wonder and envy; having God so nigh them, so seasonably, so manifestly, so admirably preserving and providing for them: its impossible to set forth the excellency of their privilege, words will not express it, the mind cannot fathom it, admiration cannot reach it. Oh the happiness, &c. But we may well set aside particular witnesses, for there are three or four things in Scripture that we cannot lightly pass by without observation, which corroborate the testimony produced. First, This blessing is the blessing of the promises, mostly the matter of God's promises, special solemn promises, other things are the object of men's wishes and desires; Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me: but if God saw cause at any time to fore-acquaint his people with his good will, about the concernments of their outward temporal estates, the prophecy and the promise are usually of these, and of this kind, we find very many, very ample, and very remarkable discoveries and engagements in Moses and the Prophets. Secondly, God is more oft proclaimed by Names and Titles that are relative to such a providence, and the blessings of it, then by any other in another way. It's very observable; the Lord delighteth to be known, and godly men to acknowledge him; He frequently glorieth, and they glorify him in the notion, and under the names of Saviour, deliverer, redeemer, and the like. Thirdly, Many provisions were made by God and good men, for preserving and publishing the knowledge and remembrance of such providences and mercies: Anniversary festivals were instituted and solemnised, divers monuments erected, names given to persons and places, proverbial speeches taken up, records kept, Numb. 21. 14. Journals, Annals, Chronicles written of them; the History of the Bible (and a great part of the Bible is history) what is it but a web of such wonders, like a rich piece of embroidery, most pleasing to the eye, a light work upon a sad ground? of other matters it may be said, as of the story of those who gave themselves to mechanic and secular employments, 1 Chron. 4. 22. These are ancient; or obsolete things, things held unworthy of memory, there were no memorials of them; but there was a law for the recording of these, and all means used to contribute an infinity, an eternity to their fame, and the glory of God in them. Lastly, If the affections of men and their expressions may speak any thing in the praise of this blessing, we find that also in the Scripture, for they otherways blessed the God of their mercies for these then for other blessings, they celebrated the praise of God in these psalms and songs of thanksgiving, with all largeness of heart and elegancy of speech: It's strange, what apprehensions the very Heathens seemed to have of the excellency and preeminence of this blessedness, and by what fictions they represented their fancies. But when the holy men of God made recognition of the wonders and advantages of an extraordinary providence, they spoke in such strains (not of fancy, but affection) as never men spoke; no not themselves, but at such times, and on such occasions. Beside the light we have by the testimony of Scripture, we may evince and persuade the truth of the doctrine, by evidence of reason and experience; and truly we need all manner light and proof, for it is a Paradox, like Samson's riddle, meat out of the eater, and sweet out of the strong: but we may easily find it out, if we will consider the ways of God in such a season, either in their reference to himself, or unto his people. These two things seriously pondered and without prejudice, will clear the truth, and persuade an acknowledgement. The works of God, in the way of extraordinary providence, do make most visible, most clearly visible, the invisible things of God, even his eternal power and God head: His works are wonders, Psal. 145. Mognalia Dei, Mirabilia Dei. wondrous works, mighty acts, terrible deeds, such as declare his greatness, as show the glorious honour of his majesty, the glorious majesty of his kingdom: He gives abundant evidences of his presence in dreadful manifestations, so that all eyes are made to behold him, and every tongue to confess to him We may read his Name in capital flourishing letters, written as with a sun beam, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. We may behold him as a man of war, in his complete bright armour, as a King in his royal robes, glorious in his apparel; He saw, Isa. 59 16, 17. and there was no man, and he wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore his own arm brought salvation to him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head. He put on garments of vengeance for a clothing, and was clad with zeal, as with a cloak. We may see that which Moses sings, The Lord triumphing gloriously, in the greatness of his excellency, overthrowing those that rise up against him. Psal. 15. 28. We may see him working all in all, a blessed sight, and which makes them blessed that have the happiness to behold it; as holding some proportion with that beatifical vision in Heaven, where God shall be all in all. And this fairly leads up to the other. Secondly, than he communicates his goodness with his people most eminently, than he rides upon the Heavens for the help of his beloved, and in his excellency on the sky; he discovereth himself openly, and seasonably, in a way befitting his unsearchable greatness, for their relief and help: He walks amongst them in paths of mercy and truth, both his hands full of blessing. First, In such times he deals out the blessings of the right hand, the most sure mercies, the light, the support, the supplies, and the comfort of his word and Spirit, the trial of grace, the increase of grace, 1. Pet. 1. 7. the fruit of grace; blessings much more precious than gold that perisheth, Isa. 48. 10. though it be tried in the fire: then he chooseth his people, Ezek. 20 5. avoucheth, challengeth, redeemeth, ransometh them, and avengeth himself upon their enemies. Isa. 50. 4, 50 Then he lifteth up his hand and maketh himself known to them: Isa. 27. 9 Isa. 4. 4. He wakeneth their ear, prepareth their heart, and fealeth their instruction: Then he convinceth and humbleth them, purgeth away their dross, takes away their sin, washeth their filth, their blood, and refineth them by the spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning: Then he gives a spirit of prayer and supplication, and is nigh unto them in all things they call upon him for: Zech. 13. 9 They shall call on my Name, and I will hear them; I will say, It is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God: Then he openeth the book of his remembrance, written before him for them that fear the Lord, and think upon his Name, and he maketh them up as his jewels or special treasure, Mal. 3. 16, 17. and spareth them as a father his own son that serveth him. Never doth the Church and people of God enjoy more of God, and more eminently, then in the times of their trouble, when he comes down to redeem them with great judgements. Secondly, In that time also the Lord dealeth out the best blessings of the left hand, the most beneficial mercies, deliverances: indeed all providence, in such a season, is deliverance; so Ezra looks upon it; Ezra 9 13. And hast given us such deliverance as this: So God himself interprets that to which my text alludes; I have surely seen their affliction, Ezod. 3. 8. and I am come down to deliver them. All the blessings received or possessed in such a season, are but the appurtenances and additaments to deliverance; and so the Psalmist confesseth, in Psal. 136. (a psalm that hath none like it in all the Psalter,) while he sums up all the story of God's extraordinary gracious providence in this acknowledgement, And hath redeemed us from our enemies, for his mercy endureth for ever. 1. Now redemption is a most manifold blessing from much evil to much good: ye cannot look upon deliverances as single kindnesses, they are pregnant mercies full of good, have many mercies in the womb, and bring forth abundantly. 2. They are the most acceptable, 1 Sam. 14. 27. refreshing, reviving mercies, like a bright shining after rain, hot gleams in uneven weather between showers, the brightest beams, and of strongest influence; like the honey Jonathan tasted in the wood; he put his hands to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened; like the water Samson drank in his faintness, when he had drunk his spirit came again, even as life from the dead: Grace hath been showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a reviving in our bondage. 3 The blessings of such a providence, are mercies of the best relish; as the fruits in Paradise, of God's own creating, far exceeding any at any time since produced by art or nature; as the water out of the rock, Deut. 32. 13. pleasant as honey and oil: He made them suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock: as the wine by miracle at Cana, Joh 2. the best wine, better than the purest blood of the grape, the master of the feast being witness, who, if any, was sober and able to discern: they are more immediately of God's working, and more immediately reached out of his hand, and therefore the good that is in them is more pure and heavenly, savouring more of his all sufficiency, and more universally answering and satisfying the desires of the soul: Wisd. 16. 20, 21. like the Manna which fell in the wilderness, bread from Heaven, angel's food: The Jewish tradition saith, it was able to content every man's delight, and agreed to every man's taste, serving the appetite of the eater, and was tempered to every man's liking, according to the desire of them that had need: And the canonical Scripture seems to favour it, Numb. 11. 8. The taste of it was as the taste of oil: now they that love oil, tell us, that pure oil is to the taste, as clear glass to the eye, it receiveth much of its favour from that wherewith it's mingled, as glass doth its colour from that by which it's laid. 4. They are the most present convincing testimonies of God's grace, such as bring along with them the clearest and fullest revelation of divine favour: for they are wrought out not only in great patience and long-suffering, but in tender compassion & abundance of goodness, and therefore more sweetened than other mercies: The Lord's portion is his people, he kept them as the apple of his eye; Deut. 31. 10, 11, 12. as an Eagle fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them, so the Lord alone did lead them, in a kind of sympathy and fellow feeling of their miseries: Isa. 63. 9 in all their affliction he was afflicted, in his love & in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. 5. They are blessings given in, in return of their prayers, in answer of their longing desires and earnest expectations, the harvest of their heaps, and therefore reaped in with great joy and gladness. 6. They are sent as messengers and witnesses of God's truth and faithfulness, in remembrance of his engagements, by relations, covenant or promise, and therefore speaks comfortably to the heart of those that hope in him; Exod. 3. 7. I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry, by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows, and am come down to deliver them 7. They are intended for pledges in earnest of others to follow them, good Osses or Omens of more to come, as we find in the end of the Chapter; Happy art thou O Israel saved by the Lord, thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places: like the signs which Moses and Aaron wrought before the Elders of Israel, Exod. 4 30. they are dispensed, to beget a confident expectation, and to keep life in the faith and hope of the poor of his people that wait upon him; and therefore make them rejoice in hope, encouraging to look forward with confidence and cheerfulness; 2 Cor▪ 1. 10. He hath delivered, he doth deliver, in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. 8. They are set off with such a foil as render them far the more amiable and acceptable, viz. the sense of misery, the fear of ruin, the unquietness and perplexity of a misgiving mind, held in continual doubt and suspense, a very manifold uncomfortable darkness, which prepares the heart (as the rubbing of a bladder) to receive good of God with more enlarged affections, and dispose the spirit to drink in the contentment more abundantly, and increase and multiply the joy and thankfulness in the acceptation. 9 Of all blessings these come the lest looked for, and therefore the more welcome; for though nothing is more desired, yet nothing is more despaired than preservation or deliverance in the needful time of trouble. 10. And lastly (which makes the measure heaped and running over) in such a season there are multitudes of these mercies of both kinds; as we say of stormy weather when the sun breaks out between clouds, there are many fair days in one: there is a repetition and multiplication of mercies: Psal. 103. 4. the father of mercies openeth his hands wide, and filleth plenteously with good; redeeming the lives of his people from destruction; He crowneth them with loving kindness and tender mercies; the God of their salvation, Psal. 68 1●. daily loadeth them with benefits: he dealeth out his blessings as Masons lay their tiles, Tegere beneficium beneficio. covering and binding down one with another, for he sees all their afflictions, and proportioneth out consolation, though not according to their fond or froward wishes, yet according to their infirmity and necessity, which, by reason of manifold tentations, require frequent, repeated and multiplied tokens of his dwelling amongst them in good will. All these things may be seen by the light of the flame in the bush, they may be all read in the story, whereof the vision, to which the Text refers, was the prelude: They fall with in the observation of those, who are so wise as to consider the works and ways of the Lord, and are found in the experience of them, who have the happiness to acquaint themselves with God, and to wait for him in the ways of his judgements. And by all these laid together, it's very evident, that if the good things of prosperity may be wished●, Bona rerum secunderum optabilia, bona rerum adversarum mirabilia. Sen. yet the excellent things of adversity are and aught to be admitted; and if there be any thing worth the name of a blessing to be found here below in the valley of change, it is then when we are in the valley of straits under a cloud, and God covereth us with his hand, and showeth his glory, making his goodness to pass before us, even in troublesome times, when the providence of God worketh extraordinarily in favour of us. Now what remaineth, but that we make improvement of this doctrine, for God's glory and our own edification. A doctrine most seasonable for this time and this day; a time wherein the Lord of glory dwells amongst us, as when in good will he dwelled in the bush; a day of public rejoicing and thanksgiving, for another pledge of his residence amongst us in grace and power, That bright shining in the West. Let us first bring our peace-offering, use 1. a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to the Name of the Lord. It cannot be denied, but the blessing of the Text is our privilege, that this promise is our story; for as the state of the Church and people of God, some years since, was not unlike to that which was figured in the smoking furnace which was showed to Abraham, Gen. 15. when horror and darkness had fallen upon him at the going down of the sun; so the late and present providences of God are not unanswerable to that which was shadowed in the vision which Moses saw, Exod 3. when God appeared to him in a flame of fire in the bramble; The good will of him that dwelled in the bush▪ hath come abundantly, come seasonably, come admirably upon the head of his people in this Island. The fury of the battle hath been poured upon us, and it hath set us on fire round about; and behold▪ by the goodness of our God, glorious in holiness, dreadful in praises, doing wonders, we are not destroyed, we are miraculously saved (for God worketh miracles in our preservation, though men do none) though not from all harm, yet from present, utter destruction: and though it cannot be said of us, as of the three children when they were in the furnace, where the fire had no power upon them, that the hair of our head is not singed▪ nor the colour of our coats changed, or the smell of fire hath passed upon us; yet (blessed be God) it may be said as of the Bush when it was all on a flame, Exod▪ 3. 3. we are not burnt; God is nigh unto us, and stands between us and our harms, to rescue us from ruin: troubles are moderated, mercies are mingled with judgements, we have more than our lives left us for a prey; and though we walk still in the fire, and are not yet called out of the furnace, yet verily God is amongst us, and there hath been a losing of our bond, an enlargement of our liberties, and we have received great deliverance in our trouble; and though the heart of the King be not effectually moved, either towards God or his servants, to make such an observation, acknowledgement and decree, as that heathen Monarch, yet be it known, our God is able to turn his heart as the streams of waters; and we are encouraged to wait the return of our prayers, and doubt not but the wrath of man shall praise the Lord, Psal. 76. 10. and the remainder of wrath will he restrain. God hath done great things for us already, in preventing, disappointing and disposing of counsels and force, besides and beyond the intendment and expectation of men, and we are alive to praise God for it, as this day. Let us, I beseech you, turn aside to see this great sight, this burning, yet unburnt bush: possibly while we draw near to behold it, God may speak to us out of the bush, we may receive an interpretation of the vision, and come to understand the good will of God in the open manifestations thereof amongst us. I may not now give you a Map of all the providences of God of late, and the things remarkable in them: therein I have been prevented this morning, and blessed be God I have been prevented, because the work by that hand hath been better done; Mr Sedgewick. only in allusion to the story pointed at in my text, give me leave not to strain to parallel every thing, but to observe before you some few considerable testimonies of the good will of God dwelling with us as when he dwelled in the bush, that our hearts may thereby be the better prepared for his praises. It is now more than manifest, that Rome and Hell had long since taken crafty counsel, by working wisely to extirpate all protestant Religion, to strangle all the male children of the Church at the very birth, to drown all masculine profession, and to leave alive nothing but a loose effeminate form of godliness without the power, that the Papal Monarchy might be absolute, that Babylon the great, the mother of fornications and abominations of the earth, that great Mistress of superstitions and wicked arts, to besot the spirits of people with her love, might again sit upon the waters, have dominion over the multitudes and Nations; Rev. 17. that the man of sin, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, and is worshipped, might as God sit in the temple of God▪ 2 Thes. 2. might lord it in the Church over the consciences of men, the people of God enslaved to do his drudgery, for his advantage. This was Rome's masterpiece. For as for that other (whereof we have more sense) the dissolving of our Laws, the introducing of an Arbitrary government, the divesting us of our liberties and privileges, and the attempts to disable us from ever getting the yokes from off our necks, it was but a design on the by, a device, a bribe wherewith to caiole and hire the Court to their party. Now while all these things were in the dark to us, Psal. 64. 6. and both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart was deep, by the piety of what mid wives were we saved alive in those times? what secret friends had we, that either counter-wrought their designs, or failed them in the trust or service? was it any other than the unsearchable wisdom of God, Job 5. 12. who disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise? Surely it was the Lord's doing, and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes. Who remembers not the flattery of Prerogative by the prelatical faction, and all to humour the royal power into an opinion of necessity of advancing the mitre for the support of the Crown? the artifices of the Prelates for the adulterating of the doctrine of the Gospel, by Arminianism and Popery; the introducing of Innovations, for the blending and polluting of the public worship and ordinances of God; the corrupting of the manners of the people, by the Law of liberty on the Lord's day; the discountenancing of all vigorous profession, by branding it with the term of Puritanism; and though they commonly coupled a Papist and a Puritan together in all their declamations; yet they did but as the Butchers, that drive up a lean beast among the fat ones, to get them into the slaughter-house, and then lets him go back again to pasture. We have not forgotten what snares they laid for tender consciences, by pressing the reading the book of Sports, by urging subscriptions to their new injunctions, by framing the Oath, &c. How rigorously our taskmasters exacted the burdens which they had imposed, the service they had increased; how insolently and with scorn they drove away those which came to complain, and how violently they pursued those which fled from under their jurisdiction; and how nigh we were brought to Rome ere we were aware of it. When these things were thus, were we able to have rescued ourselves from under the hands of those who dealt cunningly with us, and evil entreated us, and laid those sore burdens upon us? Were we worthy that the Lord should look upon our afflictions, and send to deliver us? Did we so much as understand the drift and depth of those designs then on foot? the methods, the arts and wiles of those powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places, with whom we then wrestled? Were we duly sensible of the dangers wherein we were, of the hazards which we ran? I beseech you let it not be forgotten, how unexpctedly, how seasonably, how marvellously, how graciously the God of our mercies prevented us, and visited us to redeem us. And as he, whose Name is wonderful, did wonderfully in the first turning of the wheel, in like manner he hath wrought gloriously for his Names sake, in the whole carriage and advancing of his great work of preservation and deliverance: When God began to work his signs among us, did we understand that he meant to give us such deliverance as this? did we imagine those things possible, which our eyes have been made to see? When the woman took up the stool to cast at the head of the Dean, when the Service-book was read at Edinburgh, did we dream that by that means (as was hinted in the morning) all the Bishops in the three kingdoms should be set besides the cushion? When our Brethren the Scots began to gather together to consult about, and petition against the invading of their privileges; when they were necessitated to take up arms for their just defence; did those Incendiaries, who blew that coal, intend to gather the people of these kingdoms to the battle of the Lord, against Antichrist and his Popish Priests? and when there was an appearance of war, was it probable that that little cloud in the North should have risen against the wind, and spread so far, and the storm fallen so heavily upon that party who first provoked them to it? In the beginning of this Parliament, when the manifold oppressions and grievances of the Church and kingdom began to be represented by petitions, who did imagine there had been such a blessing in that cluster? that that despised day of small things, should have been prolonged, and prospered into such a probability of reformation? In the beginning of this summer, at the time when Kings go forth to battle, what likelihood was there of so many days of rejoicing in so short a space; that the days of public thanksgiving should strive in number with the days of solemn humiliation? Let us draw yet a little nearer to behold this great sight, and see, if names and places, and such like circumstances being changed, the late and present ways of our God amongst us, be not like to those which Moses looks at in this prophecy: Or if I may not take the liberty (because the time is short) to compare particulars, yet give me leave to offer these remarkable things to your observation. In the general it must be acknowledged, that the Lord hath his way in the storm, and his fury is poured out like fire: but withal, this cannot be denied, nay it ought to be confessed to the praise of God: that even all that cloud hath been light to us-ward, and darkness to our enemies: we have found by the good hand of God upon us, a very great moderation of judgements, a marvellous mixture of mercies, and therein wide difference put between us and them: Isa. 27 7. Hath he smitten us as he smote those that smote us? or are we slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by us? They have been many times lift up for their greater fall, but we have been always remembered in our low estate▪ and redeemed from the hand of our enemies; we have been at our wit's end, by the difficulty and perplexity of affairs, the Lord hath made the storm a calm, and brought us out into unexpected enlargement; when we have stood on the brink and precipice of ruin, he hath sundry times snatched us off, and set us in more safe estate: what we have managed weakly, and what they have attempted confidently and watchfully, God hath overruled for great good and advantage to us: and while they are left to themselves, to abuse the providences of God to the exciting and inflaming of their own animosity, the enraging of their spirits, and the hardening of their hearts, our God, whose dwelling is amongst us in good will, offers more grace to us; because he hath compassion on his people, he hath caused the trumpet to be blown to the solemn assembly, and he sendeth his messengers to preach submission and conversion to God, repentance and amendment of life; and we hope that the names are more than a few that learn righteousness, and mourn in Zion, and wait upon God in the way of his judgements. True it is, there is no such Prophet amongst us, to whom God speaks face to face, as he did to Moses, that can reveal the secrets of God's counsel, concerning the circumstances of the manner and end of this unnatural war; but great is the company of Preachers that interpret the revealed will of God, concerning our duty and the ways of our salvation▪ which is more necessary and more profitable for us to know; neither is there any one singular person, that is such an eminent mediator as Moses was, that can fall down before the Lord 40 days and 40 nights together, Deut. 9 18. and neither eat bread or drink water, because of all the sins we sin, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger; yet doubtless there be many that are afraid of the anger and hot displeasure of the Lord, and the spirit of grace and supplication hath been poured upon many, and there be many that step daily into the gap, and wrestle with God and prevail. The power and the wisdom of God, Isa. 28▪ 29. who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working▪ hath been very glorious in a world of providences in favour of us everywhere; we may behold with open face the glory of the Lord in a world of wonders; oh Lord, how manifold are thy works! in good will thou hast done them all: we may say with amazement, what hath God wrought? and what Nation is there who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? or at any time, since the Bible was written, hath God assayed to preserve and prepare a people for himself by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an stretched-out arm, and by great terrors, as the Lord our God hath done for us in our own land before our eyes? The compassions of God fail not, Iam. 3. 22, 23. they are new every morning, great is his faithfulness, else we should perish hourly in our divisions, distempers, and the provocations wherewith we tempt the Lord. We are filled with drunkenness, we dash one against another, and yet his eye pitieth, and spareth, and we are not perished: we are divided, divisions are multiplied, the kingdom divided within itself, the Church divided within itself, and yet behold we stand: We read in the word, that a kingdom divided within itself cannot stand: we read also (and who trembles not at the reading?) It is easier for Heaven and earth to pass, than one title of the Law to fail: What shall we say? hath God revoked his word? hath he repealed his sentence? surely he suspendeth it, and we hope it may pass away unfulfilled: England may be the instance of exception from that general rule, a kingdom divided within itself cannot stand. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, Rom. 11. 33. how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out? We are a froward and perverse generation, we do not receive correction, we are sick of our remedies, impatient of our cure, discontented with our mercies, murmuring at our deliverance, lingering back in our hearts to our former bondage, not believing the Lord for all the signs which he hath showed amongst us; yet the Lord bears with us in great patience, forbears to turn our enemy, breaketh not in upon us to destroy us, but gives us liberty to humble our souls and pray before him, and suffers himself to be entreated, Exod. 3▪ 4. and proclaims his Name, The Lord, the Lord gracious and merciful, slow to wrath, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, pardoning iniquity, transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty. Oh that we could make haste, and bow, and worship, and glorify God and be thankful: Truly if we bring all our story into view, we shall find nothing on the part of men but wickedness or weakness, madness and folly, and on God's part, nothing but wisdom and power, grace and patience, mercy and truth met together, and justice shining in an infinity of goodness. To gather the whole matter into a short sum: Confusion hath, or might have covered us; but together with the smoke of the furnace, a lamp hath been seen to walk between the divided pieces, many evident testimonies of the goodness of our God condescending in the remembrance of his Covenant, to walk amongst us in paths of mercy and truth. The fire hath broken out into a flame, and it hath taken hold upon us round about, and we are no better than a dry bush before it, and yet by the good will of God abiding among us, as when he dwelled in the bush, destruction is inhibited, intercepted and prevented daily. The presence of God in the glory of his majesty hath been so tempered, as to us, like the spirit moving upon the waters at the creation, it is refreshing, reviving, and we hope refining and reforming, or at least preparing for the production of order and peace with truth; Isa. 1●. 4. while to our adversaries, set as briars and thorns against him in the battle, our God is a consuming fire. Now what shall we say to these things? Psal. 107. 8, 1●, 21. ●●. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children of men: May I say it again and again, treble the repetition, as the Psalmist doth on like and less occasions; Psal. 107. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Oh that I could lift up my voice as the Angel his trumpet, at the opening of the seals, and persuade to come and see, that we may together magnify the work we behold, and exalt the praises of our God. Come and see the work of the Lord (what desolation shall I say, Psal. 46▪ 8. nay rather) what prevention of desolation, what preservation he hath wrought in the Land: There is desolation, I confess, and great terribleness in the desolation, but there is abundance of goodness outshining it, in the extraordinary ways and workings of deliverance by the good will of our God. Come and see the work of the Lord: Psal. 111. 2. The work of the Lord is great, done openly before us, as on a theatre, a manifold work of mercy, done in wisdom, fearfully and wonderfully done, and is worthy to be sought out and pried into, of all them that have pleasure therein; there is a mine of blessings folded up in it, and there may be a mint of pleasure and profit in the contemplation. How precious should the thoughts of God in all of it be unto us? Who so is wise will consider these things, Psal 107▪ 43. and he shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Let us make observation of that wherein our God is glorious, and we are advantaged; Psal. 9 16. of every thing whereby he makes himself known, Higgaiō Selah. Res meditanda summa. sunius. Oh rem perpetua meditatione dignam. Vatab. and we are, or may be made blessed in the course of his extraordinary providence over us for good, and pause and dwell upon the contemplation, with meditation, with deep and serious consideration, with all intention and elevation of the heart always. Let the work and praises of God be celebrated with admiration, praise him according to his excellent greatness; Psal. 145. indeed there is no praise comely, Optimorum non est laus, sed admiratio, proportionable to the transcendent excellency of God's majesty, but admiration, praise waiteth upon thee, Psal. 65. 1. saith the Psalmist; or as the Hebrew more significantly hath it, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} praise is silent, or silence before thee; it is impossible to comprehend, much less to express all that belongeth to his praise: Tacet laus ratione operum tuorum▪ sortium. Laus non potest attingere te Pagnin. our eyes can as well read and measure the greatness and brightness of the lights in the firmament of Heaven, as our hearts can discern and display the glory of God; Who can utter all the mighty acts of the Lord? who can sh●w forth all his praise? as the bright shining of the Sun beams in a reflection by a glass is far Psal. 106. 2. less than the lustre of the Sun itself; and the return by an echo is very imperfect and short of the voice, when much is said, and many speak together: so the glorifying of God by men, is infinitely disproportionable to the excellent glory that shines in his marvellous works; the best praise of his providence, is humble acknowledgement with reverence and adoration; Psal. 150. 2. Let us therefore praise him according to his excellent greatness. And let us publish his praises, and not hide them in our hearts, but together with the burning on the hearth, let there be light and heat shed abroad, that others also may be provoked to glorify God and be thankful; Ps. 145. 5, 6, 7. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works; I will declare thy greatness. They shall speak of thy glory, and talk of thy power, they shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness. And as much as in us is, let us propagate the glory of God to posterity and ages to come, one generation shall praise thy works to another, vers. 4. and shall declare thy mighty acts. And herein (my Lords) ye have the advantage of all that hear me this day; Ye may command these things to be written (even a book of the wars of the Lord) for the generations to come, that the people which shall be created may praise the Lord: Ye may appoint days of Thanksgiving, when remarkable passages of providence minister occasion thereto; and if the God of our mercies should make the wars to cease, and this miserable distration to end in an happy reconciliation and reformation, ye may ordain an anniversary remembrance thereof, as the Jews did their days of Purim, Esth. 9 18. that the memorial of the good will of God in this wonderful deliverance, may not perish from the land: and peradventure another age may find cause to make a Secular commemoration of the multitude of mercies which are forming in the womb of this extraordinary providence, and shall in time be brought forth for the advantage of posterity; for we hope the foundations are now laying for many generations, and the days come, Jer 16. 14, 15. when it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, no nor, the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North, at the least as to that which is already past, for we wait yet a further accomplishment of that prophecy: But the Lord liveth, that separated his people, and brought them up from under the papal bondage and servitude, Rev. 11. 8. which spiritually is Sodom, and Egypt, Jer. 51▪ 45. and Babylon; and delivered their souls from the fierce anger of the Lord: Rev. 19 2, 4. The Lord liveth, which hath judged the great whore, that corrupted the earth with her fornications, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. Amen, Hallelujah. Surely the time approacheth, when the memory of those wonderful works shall be swallowed up in the celebration of this, and this deliverance, and the course of God's special extraordinary providence at this season in favour of his Church, shall be esteemed more miraculous than those of old, and the glory of this shall dim the lustre of those. The mean while, when God appears to us by such signals of his presence, as of late, and there is occasion, either to contemplate or to celebrate such wonderful manifestations of his good will, as this, for which we assemble to bless his name this day, let us not forget the admonition which God gave Moses when he turned aside to see this great sight, Put off thy shoes from off thy feet: a double caveat. One to deny ourselves, Caution. not only in curiosity and vanity of mind, but in all low, earthly, sensual reasonings and passions, such as are incident to brutish men who know not, Psal. 92 5, 6. and to fools who understand not the deep thoughts and mysterious ways of God in his judgements (so some allegorise the phrase, because the shoes go next the earth and gather dirt,) and to elevate the mind and heart above all that's common, and which a natural, carnal and politic wisdom, which is from below, would suggest; and as if we were in the mount of transfiguration, to have high, and spiritual and heavenly apprehensions and stirrings of heart, in all humble and holy reverence adoring the majesty of God, both in that which we behold, and that which we cannot yet comprehend, waiting till he further interpret himself. Verily God is with us, nigh unto us, else how is all this befallen▪ us? and whence are all these miracles? Judg. 6. 13. the miraculous victories beyond all expectation, so lately, so often given in unto us? The marvellous works done before us, are apparently wrought out, not by the heads or the hands of men, but by the finger of God, or rather his mighty hand and outstretched arm, and are none other then evident pledges of his nearness to us in good will, as when he dwelled in the Bush. The other is to lay aside all emulation, contention, & vain jangling about the merits of men, the praise or dispraise of the men of God's hand, and in all humility to resign up all pretences of claim or interest into the hands of God; Ruth 5. 7. for in this way of resignation of right we sometimes find this Ceremony used: & so some understand that expression in Exodus, Exod. 3. 5. and it may be applied to this purpose, viz. 1. That the parties themselves, whom God honoureth in the service, would give him all the praise, and let none of the fat of the peace-offering cleave to their own fingers, but cause it to be burnt on the Altar to the Lord: Levit. 4. 10. Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise. And to speak plainly for God; there is none other cause; for what is, or hath been praise worthy, besides the success; and who knows not, who sees not, that the event is of God? When Gideon and his servant heard the Midianite and his fellow tell one another the Dream, Judg. 7. 13, 14 15. and the interpretation thereof, how a Barley-cake tumbled into the Host of Midian, and fell upon a Tent, and smote it, and overturned it that the Tent lay along, and they saw the carriage of the business the next day in the battle to answer it: what could they do less than wonder and worship? well might their hands be strengthened to the war: but it had been extreme madness and impudence to have gloried in themselves, and would have been revenged, as on Herod. The spoils of a victory may be divided amongst men, but the honour of a victory, especially such as ours have been of late, belong to God alone. It is his glory, he is a jealous God, and will not give it to another. It is his Crown, he that will set it upon his own head, or will not lay it down before the Throne of God, and the Lamb; Deut. 25. 9 the Lord will lose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face. And secondly, That standers by, and lookers on do look off, look up above the instruments of Providence, to God who giveth victory in the day of battle; neither quarrelling, nor idolising men or means; both which are equally sacrilegious and abomination before the Lord. Do ye think the Israelites had done well, or would it have been accepted of God, if they had made odious comparisons between Moses and Joshua, if they had decried (as indeed they murmured at) Moses, because by his hand they were led about many years in the wilderness, and met with many difficulties and disasters, and their carcases fell, and they consumed daily, and came short of their hopes? and on the other hand had lift up Joshua, because under his conduct the enemies were overthrown, and their walled Towns and strong holds were gained, and they prospered in every undertaking. Had this been to acknowledge the hand of God, either in judgement, or mercy? Doubtless, God is not honoured where there is strife, and variance, and emulation in such a way as this. If there be a miscarriage at any time, and our Counsels or our Armies, either err, or prosper not; it is our duty to fall upon our faces, and humble our souls, and inquire of the Lord; and if any that offer themselves willingly be more successful, our hearts may be towards them, but bless ye the Lord, Judge▪ 5. 29. 3. I may add a third caution to the two former, viz. That all pomp and triumph be laid aside in the days of our rejoicing and thanksgiving; not that I judge it utterly unlawful, but altogether unfit and unseasonable; Ringing, and bonfires, and such solemnities, are for tearless and bloodless Victories over a foreign enemy, rather than in civil war; where they that get the day, Iudg. 24. 2, 3. must needs possess the victory, as the eleven Tribes did that over the Benjamites, with cries and tears: the conquerors cannot behold the slaughter of the enemy, but it must repent them for their brethren, because the Lord hath made a breach in their own Nation, perhaps their own families: nor look upon the gain of the Conquest, but as David did upon the water which the Worthies fetched from out of the Well of Bethlehem, which was by the gate; 2 Sam. 23. 17. Is it not the blood of the men that went in the jeopardy of their lives? It would be poured out before the Lord. Secondly, use 2. When all this is done, there is yet a further use to be made of this Doctrine; for we shall find, that where the man after God's own heart readeth upon the Law of thankfulness, Generally to all. He interprets it thus; He that offereth me praise, glorifieth me, and he that ordereth his conversation aright. Psal. 50. 23. So that God is not glorified, unless there be a care of composing or disposing our way, as well as a sacrificing of Confessions: and unto this also the Doctrine is an engagement. For if an extraordinary peculiar providence be an extraordinary peculiar blessing, then without controversy there is super-induced upon us at this season a very great obligation to walk worthy the Lord, to have our conversation according to the way of God in compassion of us, (For whom much is done, of them much is looked for.) Else we shall return evil for good, and may be sure to hear of it, as Israel also did, Deut. 36. 6. Do ye thus requite the Lord, oh foolish people and unwise? Is not he thy Father, that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? To say nothing of what we read to this purpose, almost everywhere in the Books of Moses; we may hear the Prophet preaching it very plainly, both the Duty upon this very ground, and the aggravation of the sin in the case of perverseness, and the recompense of the error, upon supposition of the provocation, Isa. 63. 8. He said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: So he was their Saviour. q. d. He took them into Covenant, he admitted them into the nearest relations: in this case less could not be expected, then that in all ingenuity they should have abhorred to degenerate into any false way, or fail to be an holy people. In all the reason of the world (one would think) they should have reckoned themselves bounden to answer the loving kindness and faithfulness of the Lord, in all holiness and righteousness of conversation before him all their days. Upon these terms he took upon him their protection, So he was their Saviour: Psal. 105. 45. That they might observe his Statutes, and keep his laws, Esa. 63. 8. for so the Psalmist expounds it; and if ye read on to the eighth verse, ye will find the rest; But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit, therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. The equity is so manifest, as nothing more needs to be said in it. Only if you desire to know what it is that God requires, and we ought to return, you may find it, if you look in the glass whereinto the species of the children of Israel's face is shed, I mean the story of their Rebellions. We may read our duty in their perverseness, and see where to wash ourselves, by their spots. Doubtless, ye have heard of their provocations, and the issues of them, they are gathered together into very short sum, psalm 95. ye may find them a little more enlarged and particularise in the 78, and the 106 Psalms. Or if ye please that I may run over the History before you, in a few words we shall the more readily discern what to amend. 1. They did not abide in that good disposition wherein they received the first tidings and tokens of God's good will to them. When Aaron had spoken all the words which the Lord spoke unto Moses, and had done all the signs in the sight of the people; The people believed, Exod. 4. 30, 31 and when they heard that the Lord had visited them, and looked upon their afflictions, than they bowed their heads & worshipped. But in the next chapter, they lightly depart from that acknowledgement upon the first discouragement, where they found themselves in an evil case, because of their tasks, they met Moses and Aaron, Exod. 5. 20 21. and said, The Lord look upon you, and judge, because ye have made our savour to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants, to put a sword in their hands to stay us. And again, at the Red-sea, when they saw the great work which the Lord had done upon the Egyptians; they feared the Lord, and they believed the Lord, and his servant Moses; but they soon forgot his works, Psal. 78. 11. 22. and his wonders which he had showed them, and trusted no more in his salvation. Secondly, They bare all difficulties with great impatience, and murmured upon every trial, at the increase of their burdens, the approach of the enemy, the bitterness of the water, the want of bread, the want of water, when they had not meat for their lust, when the Spies brought an evil report upon the Land, when the way was tedious, and they must go about: At every turn, & upon all occasions they complain, and rebel, and tempt the Lord. Thirdly, They quarrel their deliverers, while they were yet in the Land, and charge the injuries and oppressions done them by their enemies, upon their best friends. In the wilderness they are envious and mutinous, even Aaron and Miriam are drawn into the conspiracy. They misunderstand and misapply the judgements of God: the executions done upon the factious and seditious they impute to Moses and Aaron, as bloodshed and murder. When the earth had opened and swallowed up Corah, and his company; the next morning all the Congregation murmur, and tell them to their faces, Numb. 16. Ye have killed the people of the Lord. Fourthly, They repine at their deliverance, even when it was far advanced, and despise the salvation of God, and made an attempt to return into their old servitude; so base were their spirits, as they had rather have abidden under, nay, returned into their cruel bondage, so they might have had their fish, and their onions, then be saved by miracle, if they must be enstranged from their lusts: We remember (say they) the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely, the Cucumbers, and the Melons, and the Leeks, and the onions, and the Garlicks, Numb. 11. 5. were it not better for us to return into Egypt? and they said one to another, Let us make us a Captain and return into Egypt, Numb. 14. 3, 4. Fifthly, They did not understand the works of the Lord, nor trust on their God, nor depend upon his Word, or rely upon his Providence, nor waited for his counsel; but hardened their hearts through unbelief, yea, they spoke against God, tempting and limiting the holy one of Israel, for all the signs and wondrous works which he showed amongst them. Sixthly, Psal. 78. 8. They were a faithless and stubborn generation, a generation that did not set their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God. They had engaged themselves by solemn Covenant to Reformation, to depart from the customs of Egypt, and to keep themselves unspotted from the manners of the Nations, to receive a form of worship from God, Exod. 24. a Law of Ordinances, and to keep his commandments and be obedient: But they made a calf in Horeb, they worshipped the molten image, they committed whoredom with the daughters of Moab, and joined themselves to Baal Peor, and are the sacrifices of the dead; they kept not the Covenant of God, and refused to walk in his Law. Seventhly, They dissembled with God in their humiliations and professions of repentance, which they were frequently put upon: Psal. 78. 34. When his wrath was kindled against them, and he slew them, than they sought him, they returned and inquired after God, and they remembered that the most High was their Redeemer; nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouths, they lied unto him with their tongue; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his Covenant: Wherefore God was not pleased with them, for their carcases fell in the wilderness; of all them that were numbered in the Desert of Sinai, Numb. 1. 46. on the second month of the second year after their coming out of Egypt, all the Males from twenty years old and upward, Six hundred thousand, three thousand, five hundred and fifty; not a man of them was found alive upon the Muster in the plain of Moab, a little before they entered into Canaan, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, Numb. 26. 65. and Joshua the son of Nun, they were all consumed. Now these things are our examples, 1 Cor. 10 6. lively representations for instruction, to the intent we should not walk unworthily, unanswerably to the good will of God, in his peculiar extraordinary providence over us, (as they did) by levity and slightness of spirit, frowardness, discontentedness, malignancy, confederacy, and compliance with naughty men; unthankfulness, backsliding, regardlesness of God's works; unbelief, breach of Covenant, impenitency, hypocrisy, or formality in our Fasting and Praying, and pretence of Reformation, and amendment, and such like: but have another spirit with us, Numb. 14. 24. Iosh, 14. 6. and follow the Lord our God fully, lest we be destroyed of the Destroyer, as they all were; for all these things happened to them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, 1 Cor. 10 11. upon whom the ends of the World are come. The sins and the punishments of those Israelites are set before us, as in a glass, or image, that we may see in them what to expect, if we also provoke the Lord as they did: Let us behold our faces in this glass, but not go away, and straightway forget what manner of persons we are; but repent, and be zealous, and amend, so God shall be glorified, and we shall be blessed in our deed. This in general, and for all. Now give me leave, More particularly to the Lords. I beseech you, Right Honourable, in all humility, to offer a word or two more specially to your Honours, who are the great part of this Assembly. My Lords, ye are the chief of all the people of the Land, Rulers, and Nobles, Princes of the chief Houses among the families of our Nation, it is expected both by God and men, that ye should do more for God in the advancement of his glory, and in a more public way, than others that are of inferior rank, and stand at farther distance from him. Ye have the advantage by the eminency of your place to contribute more, and ye are more obliged, ye have a larger portion in the blessing, and ye are the first in the Covenant; Numb. 7. 2. 1 Chr. 29. 6. we noblemen, Barons, &c. It will be greatly to your Honour, if as God hath honoured you above others, ye shall honour him more than they: If ye shall offer first, first offer your own selves to the Lord, a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable; and then in your sphere, and according to your power, do honourably for God, who hath done gloriously for us all. My Lords, The matters of God are before you, as well as the affairs of the commonwealth: It is humbly prayed, that they may have the precedency and pass before, at least in a line parallel, and in even equipage with the concernments of men. The time was, and it was not long since, when all the heat and zeal of men burnt out on their own hearth, and the coals thereof, were as the coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame; their rage and their jealousy was cruel as the grave; A man was made an offender for a word, and drawn into judgement presently, heavy fines imposed, and executions done with cruelty. True it it is we cried out of the oppression; and the wisdom and the justice of this Honourable Parliament saw cause to remove those Arbitrary Judicatures of Honour, Star-chamber, and High-commission, and we rejoiced in the breaking of those yokes. But yet we see, there may sometimes happen occasions that may awaken Authority, to do something exemplary for the vindicating of the names and reputations of men, even there where something may be pleaded, if not in excuse or extenuation of the words or actions, yet in favour of the persons. My Lords, Ego certè vereor, ne nos quoque, cum alienas blasphemias iterum atque iterum repetamus, nostram mentem polluamus, atque ita condemnatione quoque participemus. Basil. 2 Tim. 3. 16. The name of God is blasphemed daily, He hath been charged to be the Author of sin, of the anomy of the wickedness of sin; Blessed be God, ye have showed your detestation of the blasphemy; He is denied to be that which himself saith he is, the mystery of the Holy Trinity, that other great Gospel-mystery of godliness or God manifest in the flesh, is openly decried, derided. I tremble at the most execrable blasphemies which have been belched out of the mouth of that Beast, and dare not mention them in the Pulpit, they would not be once named amongst Christians. The authority of the holy Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, is not only questioned and disputed, but peremptorily denied and gainsaid. The most sacred and fixed Articles and Principles of Faith are shaken, and lose their reverence. The Gospel is blended with errors of vain men deceiving, and deceived; not the seamless Coat only of our Saviour, but his very Body is divided and torn by schism and Factions: There spring up daily many roots of bitterness, and many are thereby defiled. There be scoffers, and profane persons, and Atheists, and many are daily made such, and great occasion is given to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, and to speak evil of the way of Truth, by those who privily bring in damnable Heresies, and by those who follow their pernicious ways, using liberty for an occasion to the flesh. These things, and the like, are done daily, to the great dishonour of God, and scandal of Religion. I beseech you, my Lords, stir up your jealousy, and take hold upon your power, for the punishing, the avenging, and the redressing of these things. Be very jealous for God, who is jealous for his people with a great jealousy; that there may be no colour of cause given for the renewing of the old complaint; All men seeks their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. Secondly, It is humbly desired, that the work of Reformation may be sped, and order in the Church established by Law, even now while the Lord is thus advancing the work of our deliverance; although there be many difficulties, and an appearance of some discouragements. Your Lordships may please to remember, how while the fire was yet on the Bush, two or three days before they were to pass out of Egypt, when the people must needs be in an hurry and confusion, in no fit disposition, scarce a capacity of receiving such a Law, and there was no time to teach them the interpretation of it; and (one would have thought) a fitter season was nigh at hand, and might well have been waited for the introducing of the use, and regulating of the manner of communicating in such a mystery: yet even in that juncture of time, and before God offered to show the whole pattern in the Mount, the Sacrament of the Passeover was instituted, and the rule thereof made public by an Ordinance, and the people commanded to observe it; Exod. 12. and they went, and were obedient thereunto. It seems to me, and I believe your Honours cannot think other, but that this was done, and written with special reference to this very season, and the great affair now in your hands; for instruction and direction to this present Parliament, to take into most serious consideration and affection, the humble advice and Petitions, that have so often, and with so great desire and expectation been presented to both Houses, in the matter of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; and to give a Law for the Administration thereof, and the regulating of the admission of Communicants, according to the Word of God, and the rules of discipline, in all the reformed Churches: That the Church of Christ may have the liberty of this Ordinance in the purity of it. (Than which nothing can make more for the unity and peace of the Church and Nation, and the defeating of the crafty designs of those cunning men, who lie in wait to delude and divide;) and to do this speedily▪ notwithstanding all objections, and obstructions, which politicians, or profane worldlings, or any Sectaries, may with fair pretence raise to the retarding hereof, being all cle●●ly▪ and fully anticipated and answered, by the light and encouragement of this very story. And when this is once settled, you shall with the more ease provide; and we shall with the more patience and consolation expect the setting up of the rest of the frame of Government, though the times should continue unquiet and hazardous, and we should still be put to depend upon an extraordinary Providence for subsistence. For your Lordships may also please to call to mind, how when the people wandered in the wilderness, near forty years before they possessed the Land, The Lord caused the Tabernacle of the T●stimony to be wrought and reared, and ordered the pitching of it, and marshaled the Tents of the Tribes about it, and gave the laws for his public worship; and in that unsettled time, and when they were newly entered into Canaan, while they were yet in war, set on foot all that belonged to the administration of it. And afterwards, how it was the care of Ezra and Nehemiah, in the most troublesome times, when they had many enemies, and there were many conspiracies and confederacies against them, and the distraction was great, and they were forced to hold a sword in one hand, while a trowel was in the other, yet made it their great care to re-edify the holy city and the Temple, and reform and restore the public service of God: and when they entered into a curse and an oath, Neh 10. 19, 30 31, &c. Reformation in matters of Religion, was the first and principal charge. And when they waxed cold, or forgetful, the Prophets put them in remembrance, they received the exhortation, and the Lord blessed the labour of their love: Then the Prophets prophesied unto the Jews which were in Jerusalem, Ezra 5. 1, 2. Hagg●i 1. & 2. in the name of the God of Israel; and the Elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the Prophet, Ezra 6. 14. and Zechariah the son of Iddo; and they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the Lord. There is my warrant for this motion, and there is your honour's pattern for the work, and there is great encouragement to us all. I move you, my Lords, to no more than what ye yourselves have obliged yourselves by solemn Covenant to do, and what you have engaged us all to endeavour and procure, by all good and lawful means to be done; and this brings to mind. A third thing▪ The keeping of the Covenant in the whole, and in every part, especially that which concerns the Reformation of the Church, according to the Word of God, and the example of the best reformed Churches. I suppose I may be bold, and that without offence, to transfer hither the speech of Peter to Ananias and Sapphira in another case, or at the least to allude to it; When the super-inducing of such a sacred engagement was first in motion, it was free to the high and Honourable Court of Parliament, to have forborn the framing of such a Covenant: And while it remained under debate and deliberation, was it not in your power to have abstained from the bringing of yourselves and the kingdoms into such an oath and a curse? but now ye have sworn before the Lord, how so great a part as the intended Reformation can be kept back, or be rigidly pressed for the advantage of the civil State, and neglected, or be proceeded in remifly, in the case of Religion and the Church, without tempting or provoking the Lord; that I may not say without sacrilege or a lie unto God, judge ye? Or how safe it may be, after vows to make inquiry? How sad a thing and destructive would it be, if the Land should after all this be made to mourn for breach of Covenant and perjury? I beseech you, my Lords, prevent it with all your zeal, and the Lord enable you to do worthily for God, to do something extraordinary for him, who hath done mervailously for the Kingdom, exceeding abundantly above all that we have asked, or thought: unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, world without end, Amen. There remaineth yet another Use to be made of this privilege and advantage of an extraordinary Providence; use 3. I will briefly dispatch it in a few words of exhortation. 1. To contentedness with cheerfulness under the mighty hand of God, that ye may possess your souls in your patience, and be able to cleave to the Lord without distraction. We may be happy in adversity: why should we make ourselves miserable by false fears, and false apprehensions? we cannot run from the fire if we would: why do we disquiet ourselves in vain? were it not better to walk with God, in it, and follow the Lord fully? It is an extraordinary privilege to live under an extraordinary Providence: there cannot be such an extraordinary Providence, if all things move in the ordinary way, there must be change and trouble; and how shall we hope to receive the good of it at the hands of God, if we be unwilling to receive the evil also? The work which the Lord hath begun to do, both in mercy and Judgement, is very great and manifold: upon what ground, or to what end can we think or wish it may be finished in a day? He that believeth, maketh not haste. God will certainly glorify himself, and make his power known, and get him a great Name; why should not we desire to see the glory of God, though we therefore must be set in straits, and under a cloud, and the hand of God be upon us? The Lord hath prepared his Throne, and hath begun to pull down Babylon, and to avenge the blood of his Saints, and of all that are slain on the earth. How shall their sin swell up to its fullness, and they be ripe for the Judgement, so as all the World shall confess, True and righteous are thy Judgements, oh Lord; if the mean while the people of God, and the kingdoms of the World suffer nothing grievous by them; who would not be glad to live when God doth this? The Lord is refining of his Church, as Gold is refined, it must be done in the Furnace of affliction: He is purging them from their filth, and he will do it by the Spirit of Judgement, and by the Spirit of burning. Esay 4. 4. Now we know that chronical diseases, must have long and tedious cures; where they have long been settled upon the lees, they must be often rolled from vessel to vessel, and when they hang upon the old haunt, they must be whip off: and if this may be the fruit of it to take away our sins, that we perish not in them; wherefore should we make it our fear, and not rather count it a mercy to suffer the trial? God is come down to redeem his Church, there must be time and occasion for him tobring forth all his great Judgements, & multiply his wonders, that his people may have many testimonies of his nearness to them, many pledges of his faithfulness, for the support of their confidence and hope, that they may be convinced of, and humbled under their weakness, unworthiness, wretchedness, and learn to depend on God alone, and give him all the glory, that they may have the proof of the grace of God working effectually in them▪ and their patience may have its perfect work, that they may be entire, and made fit for deliverance, their hearts prepared and established to receive, and wear it with all thankfulness, to the praise of the glory of the grace of God. And if this be the good of tribulation, why should we not be willing to choose, with Moses, Heb. 11. 25. to suffer affliction with the people of God? or to say with Peter, Matth. 17. 4. in admiration of the happiness, It is good being here? Micha 7. 9 Or at the least to resolve with Micah, to bear the indignation of the Lord? (If we will needs so look upon it) and with H●bakkuk rejoice in the God of our salvation; Hab. 3. 17. although we shall be brought into extreme desolation, and never so great affliction be prepared; if haply he will plead our cause, and we may be brought forth to the light, and shall behold his righteousness, and walk upon our high-places? rather than pray with Pharaoh, Exod. 9 28. Let there be no more thundering and hail. We have made many prayers and supplications, it becomes us now to wait (as the husbandman) for the harvest of our hopes, James 5. 7, 8. and have long patience for the rain, as well as the sunshine; that all things may be the more kindly ripened, and the more seasonably gathered in, and threshed out and said upon, to the more advantage of our blessedness; and in due time we shall reap if we faint not: Be patient therefore, and stablish your hairs, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Secondly▪ That we may attain to these things, suffer me to add another word of exhortation, and then I shall have done; it is to prayer, First, that the Lord would give us an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, while God dwells amongst us in good will; that we may have the happiness to find the honey in the carcase, the wisdom not to suck the poison of Malignity, and malcontentedness to our ruin, but to extract the sweet, the good, the righteousness that may be learned by judgements for our Reformation, and edification unto salvation. This would make us count that blessedness, that we now call misery; for not affliction, but the folly of him that suffers it, is evil. But we cannot find out the Riddle, unless we plough with God's heifers: James 1. 5. Wherefore, if any man want the wisdom, let him ask is of God, who gives to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Secondly, That while the fire taketh hold upon the Kingdoms, The good will of him that dwelled in the Bush, may come abundantly upon us, who are many ways separated from other people. A motion for prayer is seasonable in a day of thanksgiving; This is the day which the Lord hath made, Psal. 18. 24. we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now I beseech thee, oh Lord; oh Lord, I beseech thee send now prosperity. And truly we shall not pray before we have need. I know no reason we have to flatter ourselves with a golden dream of sudden or settled peace; I am sure our sins do multiply and increase, and so do our dangers too; If the sword of war were sheathed again, we are in hazard to be ruined by that drunkenness wherewith the Lord hath filled the Land, to perish by division, schism, and faction: in this distemper, if we had no war, yet there would be no peace; and if he dash us one against another, and not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy us, who can plead against him? The Lord knows how todeliver the godly out of temptation, Pet. ●. and to reserve the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement to be punished: Numb. 14. The Lord knows how to fulfil all his works in mercy▪ and truth to our posterity, which we say shall be a prey, and they may know that salvation, which we now despise, and the present froward generation perish by the way. I think therefore there is need to pray, and to pray daily, to seek the Lord, Amos 5. 6. that we live, lest he that now dwells amongst us in good will, as when he dwelled in the Bush, break out like fire in the Land, as he threatens the house of Joseph, and devour● it, and there be none to quench it. The Lord is an holy God, he is a jealous God, Josh. 24. 19, 20 and will not forgive our tranngressions: if we abuse the goodness of God, and seek liberty for our lusts, and forsake the Lord; He will turn, and do us hurt, and consume us, after he hath done us good: And it may come to pass, that as all good things are come upon us, cap. 23. 25. which the Lord our God hath promised us, so he may bring upon us all evil things, until he hath destroyed us from off this good land, which the Lord our God hath given us. Nay, if we knew the secrets of God concerning us, or could understand by books (as Daniel did) the set time of our deliverance, yet we ought to seek by prayer and supplication: How much more, while the fire is yet on the Bush, should we cry continually to our God, after the example of Moses, that we may behold his Salvation? And now while we are together, and the Lord hath put it into our hearts to pray before him; (for, blessed be God, we may now pray after the Sermon, and are not bound up to a doxology, no not on a day of thanksgiving;) Let us remember it in our Prayers. FINIS.