THe words are a peece of a Letter sent from Jerusalem, by the Pro­phet Ieremiah, to the Jewes, both Elders, Priests and Prophets, all captivated in Ba­bylon: the same God, that to fallen man vouchsafed to send [Page 2]his scriptures, he is pleased now by his Prophet to send a Letter to his poore fallen, broken, peo­ple of the Jewes: he that per­mitted them to bee in the dark­nesse of Captivity, could not en­dure to see them in the darknesse of sin: they shall have light sent after them, though they were re­moved out of Canaan; our God may as soon cease to love him­self, as cease to bring forth love tokens from himselfe, to, and for his people, though in sad afflicti­ons: His people were now in Babylon, yet they shall be diffe­renced from the Heathens of Ba­bylon. They may live together in the same place, they shall not enjoy the same mercy: God will have the desolate Jewes written to, whilst the flourishing Baby­lonians shall be overlookt: Gods people when they be at worst, at lowest, enjoy such priviledges, as the Wicked Babylonians when they bee at highest shall not so much as tast of. Our God [Page 3]is love, but tis to his own: 1 Iohn. 4.16. Deus no­ster in re­latione ad fideles est mer [...] cha­ritas, sic enim in­telligenda est illa Phrasis, & non de Deo abso­lute con­siderato. Ames. de Cons. cas. to­wards the world of the wicked [...]e is a consuming fire.

This letter was occasioned by [...]he dreames, and the lyes of the [...]lse prophets, who speaking to [...]is captivated people, did goe [...]bout to deceive them in re­ [...]ect of the continuance of their Captivity, they prophecie lies, [...]d dreame dreames in the [...]ame of the Lord, telling them [...]ey should not be long in Ba­bylon: This is cleered: First by [...]e very voice of the false pro­ [...]hets, which was this, within [...]wo full yeers (saies Hananiah [...]penly, and it was the vote of all [...]he other false Prophets) Sayes [...]e Lord of Hosts the God of [...]srael, will I bring again into this [...] lace all the vessels of the Lords House &c. for I will break the [...]oke of the King of Babylon, Ier. [...] 8 1.5.

Secondly, tis cleered, that this was the drift of the false pro­phets by Ierimiahs owne letter, [Page 4]that he sends to them: and that these particulars touching th [...] letter will easily discover. First the prophets Charge to th [...] Iews in Babylon of building houses and dwelling in them; Ier. 29.4, 8. o [...] planting gardens and eating th [...] fruit of them: of taking wive [...] and begetting sons and daugh­ters: of taking wives to their sons: of giving their daughters t [...] husbands, that they may bea­sons, and daughters: of seeking the peace of the City, when they were captives; and praying for it, in all which he give them to know, that their capti­vity should not be so so soon end­ed, but it should last long and they tooke it so, 28. v. for thus i [...] their writing back to the peo­ple and priests at Ierusalem they testifie that Ieremia had se [...] unto them in Babylon, saying the captivitie was long, build y [...] houses, &c. Oh this stung them that the prophet Ieremiah should flatly contradict their false pro­phets; [Page 5]that hee should cry down, what they cryed up; and and so give them the lye:

Secondly, the Prophets cau­tion, 8. and 9. he gives them warning (from the mouth of the Lord) saying let not your prophets and your diviners (they bee yours, they be none of mine, sayes God) that be in the midst of you, deceive you, &c. for they prophesie fa [...]sly unto you in my name: I have not sent them saith the Lord: no disciaifie, them, he tels them, by this, thus much plainely, they do not say as I say; they be of another mind, con­cerning your captivitie, then I am.

10 Thirdly, the reason brought in, in the 10: verse. for to prove these prophesied falsely, and that they did deceive the people: for thus saith the Lord (whatever your Dreamers say) after 70. yeares be accomplisht in Baby­lon, I will visit you and perform, my good word towards you: he [Page 6]saies not after two yeares, but after 70. wherein the Lord pro­claimes thus much, that their false prophets knew not his mind, spoke not his will, decla­red not his Message, but all was from their owne hearts.

Fourthly, Ier. 25.30. because Ieremiah must be reproved, stockt, and imprisoned for sending such a message to them in Babylon, this is Shemajabs will, and the rest in captivitie, sent in writing to the people and priests at Ierusalem, especially to Zephaniah the priest. Truth will not down with them that are given to lyes: this is an hard saying, Iohn 6.60 Doctrina vora est carni a mara aegrè (que) digeritur. who can hear it: twas spoken of his doctrine, who spake, as never man spake.

By this time we may easily see what put Ieremiah upon writing to the Iews in Babylon: their Prophets deceived them concer­ning the time of their Captivitie, and hee writes to undeceive them againe, (if it were possible) [Page 7]true Prophets will take any paines, use any good meanes, to preserve a people from erring or to recall them from their wan­drings; Ieremiahs zeal will not let him rest to see a people (though now in Babylon) to mis-carry.

First, observe; These false Prophets deceived them before they were in captivitie and now they do no better: times and troubles will not mend false Prophets, they can finde the way to lye in Babylon as well as in Judaea Coelu [...] non animum mutant. They are in another Country, but not of another minde: Surely these were resolved concerning lying, as he was concerning Phi­losophying, [...]. who said he would never cease as long as he lived.

2 Israel was now in captivitie, yet he was ready to be carried away from God still: nay more, they themselvs caused the dreams of the false Pr [...]phets to be drea­med, as its said, vers. 8. Cor­rupt [Page 8]man can easily be naught be deceived, be carried away from God, yea run after lyes even under the afflicting hand o [...] God.

3 These false Prophets ha [...] caused them to erre, and so lea [...] them into captivitie; yet they have not done Israel harm e­nough; they will spoyl them farther in their afflictions: Sa­tans instruments are ever work­ing, till they have fully and ut­terly cast away a people: they will not leave their work a [...] halves; and should Gods instru­ments do so then?

4 These false prophets could no [...] but see (one would think) tha [...] they had spoken lyes, in speaking of peace, before the warre, th [...] judgement, the captivitie cam [...] to this people: the Lord had by his divine hand of justice give [...] them the lye; yet these will o [...] in their lying trade; and put o [...] a bold and impudent face on i [...] too: the Divell himself may [...] [Page 9]soon put off himself, his lying nature, and lye not; as corrupt man can (of himself) cease from [...]hat sin: even in this regard they may be well stiled [...], Di­ [...]els they are, 2 Tim. 3.3. not onely in their falsenesse of accusing, but of de­ceiving and lying.

5 These false Prophets, no que­ [...]tion, were in some danger of [...]osing their lives, when the Ene­my came so terribly against Je­ [...]usalem; yet they are preserved [...]hilst better then themselves are [...]aken off: God hath his own [...]imes for the judging of Wicked [...]en: they shall escape and live, [...]ill he sees them fully ripe for [...]udgement, and then wo unto [...]hem: these shall dye in Babylon, [...]hough they fall not in Judaea: [...]hese are not so much preserved, [...]s reserved.

6 Israel had suffered much by [...]earkening to these false Pro­phets: Gods judgements were [...]ut, they were now in captivi­tie; yet these false Prophets are [Page 10]still loved, and the people are ea­ger to follow them: Ungodly men once bewitched by fal [...] Prophets, they will after them though they drink nothing but dammage by them: they will stick to them, though they dy [...] with them, and by them, by their poyson, dreams, deceits.

The occasion of the words i [...] cleer, and being so, it gives ligh [...] enough to the drift of the spiri [...] it shews what is aimed at in th [...] Text, and in 4. verses more [...] namely from the 10. to the 15.

First, the Spirit of God by Ieremiah goes about to pro [...] their Prophets Lyars, of whom they said the Lord had raised them up Prophets in Babylo [...] and that in a glorying way too vers. 15. However an ungodly seduced people will highly ad­vance and foolishly ex [...]oll their seducers; yet God hee give them their own, and will dis­own those of whom they blind­ly brag that God had sent them [Page 11]God loves not that false Pro­phets should get them a name by false titles, or win authority from the hearts of others by [...]are pretence, of Gods sending them.

2 For the Comforting of [...]hose, that were willing to hear­ [...]en to God, who, when they [...]ad heard all these false Pro­phets with one consent, even [...]fter two yeares, the yoke of [...]he King of Babilon should be [...]roken, and the Captivity over, were ready to enquire with the [...]ood King, (as being altoge­ther unsatisfied, and not per­waded, that what they spake was truth) is their not a Pro­ [...]het more? Ieremiah he comes [...], and tels these, that this is the Word of the Lord, after 70 years [...] not after two, or a few, that [...]as false) be accomplisht, at Ba­ [...]lon he would visit them, and [...]erforme his good word toward [...]em, and cause them to returne [...] Jerusalem: and was not this [Page 12]a sweet word too? the Lord him­selfe tels them their captiv [...] shall end, though he is determi­ned for a longer time then t [...] false Prophets talkt off.

These five verses point [...] these four speciall things: whe [...] in we may see the very s [...] ­stance and marrow of them.

1 That God would not ce [...] ­tainly put an end to their C [...] ­tivity, after seventie yeares [...] would visit them to purpo [...] he would so come, that th [...] captivity should not stay: [...] would draw out his good w [...] of deliverance into act, and [...] promise should fall into a ble [...] Performance.

2 The proof of this endi [...] of their captivity, in this [...] verse, and it is drawn fr [...] Gods thoughts and determi [...] ­tions to doe such a thing for [...] people, he hath pitcht upon [...] and who can alter him?

3 The meanes which [...] will have his people vse, to [...] [Page 13]delivered by: the instances in one, and that is prayer, earnest praier, continued prayer, prayer, that should hold out, till the thing prayed for be obtained: then (sayes God in the 12.13 vers. shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto mee, and ye shall seek me, and search for me, with all your heart: then, that is, when this 70 yeares be even out, and the time of the fulfilling of the promise drawes [...]igh, this shall be a praying time with them: now their hearts shall be hot for deliverance, [...]ow their spirit shall hunger to be out of captivity, more then ordinary: now they shall call upon God, nay they shall take paines to do it, they shall go and [...]ray, they shall flocke toge­ther to pray, they shall go to heaven by faith, and pray as they that are both restlesse without this mercy, and also confident that God would give [...]t them: nay they shall seeke, [Page 14]and search after God, with [...] their hearts: none but God w [...] serve their turne now: they wi [...] have none of Idols: they wi [...] not seeke themselves most i [...] their prayers, but God mo [...] they will now search after Pr [...] ­mises and Gods time (as Dan [...] did in this case Cap. 9. beg [...] their hearts now begin to e [...] ­quire after God, and to ask where is he? How may we fi [...] him? what is it, the parts b [...] ­twixt us and him? now th [...] search after him for communi [...] with him and blessed enjo [...] ­ment of him: here is prayer, a [...] diligence, and self deniall, a [...] love and confidence, and co [...] ­stancy of Spirit towards G [...] all meeting in one, all togeth [...] in these poor souls, now t [...] time of their delivery drew [...] ­neer: the most wise God th [...] fits his meanes, his ends m [...] sweetly together, he makes th [...] to be when he stirres in th [...] hearts at his season, and ro [...] [Page 15] [...]owses up a dull people, to looke [...]fter him, for their promised de­ [...]iverance: when the spirituall [...]nd blessed meanes of the Saints [...]eliverances are once set on foot [...]y the Spirit of God, in the [...]eart of his people, insomuch [...]hat faith goes out much and prayer is held up without ceas­ [...]ng, and there is great search a [...] ­ [...]er God, know ye that their di­ [...]iverance is very neer it is even [...]t the dores: the Jews Captivity [...]asts not, it is soon off when once they do thus bestir them­selves at Gods throne, misery [...]anot stand up long against pray­ers, it will vanish like a mist [...]efore the Sun: Then, and not [...]ill then will deliverance ap­peare, then and no longer, will God stay, but Salvation shall [...]ome unto them.

4. The prevailing of this meanes, it shall do the deed: God will answer them, his loving [...]eart will pittie them, his Gra­ [...]ious hand will worke for them: [Page 16]this the spirit delivers in th [...] 12.13, and 14. verses, and h [...] speakes it thrice for failing, h [...] will be sure to speake full in th [...] thing: I will hearken unto you (sayes God) now they shall have the listning ear of God [...] he heares and observes now [...] what they say, as one glad t [...] heare them make such request [...] to him: they shall finde me (sai [...] God) I will not hide my self [...] from them now: they shall find [...] me in my mercy, finde me in [...] might, finde me in my wisdome finde mein my countenance, the [...] shall finde me to be for the [...] to save, to comfort them: I wi [...] be found of you, saith the Lord and will turne away your Cap­tivity, &c. This is a finding in­deed, to some purpose: now th [...] Lord would bee seen in answe­ring them, they should find him, and he would be found [...] them: that is, look wherein and for what, they did seeke [...] ­to [Page 17]him, God would answere them, and say, behold, here am I; what is your request, it shall be granted? You shall have to the full what you beg for, and so desire to have: however hereto­fore I have hid my face from you, now I intend to appere for you: you shall see me again to your joy, you shall finde mee again to your full content: What can God say more? how can he speak sweeter and more to the heart of his people then thus.

In this verse the Lord brings proofe of what he had spoken before, concerning his recover­ing Israel out of Captivitie at the 70. yeares end: wherein we may see the Lord guiding of his Saints even to know the great deep of his own purpose, as tou­ching their comming out of Ba­bilon: his purpose indeed was revealed in his promise, made in the former verse, but this will not suffice the Lord to say, I will visit you, I will cause you to re­turn [Page 18]to this place; but he will give in ground for it: for I know the thoughts that I think to­wards you, &c. We seldome read of a promise thus backt: usually God delivers his promises without such a bottome as this: when God told Abraham he would be his God, and the God of his seed: Gen. 17 7, 8. he gives no such rea­son there as this; he does not say for I know my thoughts to­wards thee Abraham: I remem­ber not in all the Scripture the like instance, that God should give a reason, and such a reason as this, why he would visit his people with love, with salvati­on. Certainly there is somewhat in it more then ordinary, it is not because Gods bare word of promise is not sufficient for the faith of his people: neither is it because God would now che­rish or satisfie any curiositie o [...] nicenesse, that might be in the hearts of his people, touching prying into his own secrets [...] [Page 19]but God does this most freely and lovingly; tis his mercy to his people, that makes him give in this over-plus to his promise, and heaps up to them this great measure, good, pressed down, and running over into their bosoms. The Lord does this,

1 Because he would the more affront, beat down, and shew himself openly and directly a­gainst those lying Prophets, who did belye the Lord, and tell the people, that this was not Gods minde, that they should stay so long in captivitie, but the Lords thoughts, his minde was for two yeares only: tis for more (sayes God) I know my thoughts, they do not: believe me, not them.

2 Because he would the more ascertain the thing in the eyes and to the hearts of his people, he brings in an evidence most cleer, and that which none else was able to produce: my thoughts have pitcht upon your release, your deliverance, this I am sure [Page 20]of, sayes God, for I know the [...] do not doubt my people of you returning back, because you a [...] to abide in Babylon so long, an [...] to build and plant there, at su [...] a time I will visit you, beleeve i [...] I have already concluded upon it, my thoughts are immovable set upon your release; therefore what ever mountaines be in the way, beleeve, they shall be di [...] down, rather then their standing shall hinder the accomplishment of my will in this thing: G [...] shewes them here not onely [...] promise of salvation under h [...] broad Seal (thus saith the Lord but he shewes them his very heart and minde, even the very originall and root of the thing and sayes, thus the Lord think [...] thus he purposes towards you did God ever lay open his heart his counsels more? Did he eve [...] more sweetly go to work, t [...] prop up the weak faith of hi [...] people, or to stop the mouthe [...] of his Enemies, that they might [Page 21]be silent, and leave objecting.

1 Sayes God, you shall come out then, for my thoughts are already pitcht upon it, my pur­poses are for it, and who can al­ter them?

2 You shall come out then, sayes God, for my thoughts be towards you, they be loving, they be full of mercy, they be not against you for evill, they be for you for good: I love your souls, your persons, your bodies, your peace; you have my thoughts, my intentions, my considerations at worke for you.

3 Sayes God, you shall come out then, for my thoughts bee peaceable and bountifull thoughts, thoughts of peace, thoughts to give, and to give you an accepted end: They be not thoughts of will, of paine, of trouble, of adversity: I thinke not how to do you an ill turne, how to watch over you for evill; but how to give, and to give you [Page 22]somewhat that shall be worth receiving, an happy end of your troubles: to give you that which you so much, so earnestly expect, an end, and epxectation, both a [...] once: you shall have such an end, as you desire, expect, wish for [...] waite for.

4 You shall come out the [...] saies God, for I know my thoughts are thus towards you: thus peaceable, thus mercifull, thus bountifuull, thus to give, thus to reward, thus to let you have double, twice as much mer­cy as ever you had: the thoughts I have towards you I can easily understand, clearly see, quickly read them every one: tis impossi­ble for meeither to be unacquain­ted with my owne vowes, with the holy movings of my owne minde; or not to approve of my owne thoughts: I cannot either be ignorant of them, or deceived by them: you men think you know not what sometimes, your thoughts bee gone from [Page 23]you as Nebuchdnezzars dreame was gone from him, hee could not tell it, no more can ye many times, but I know every thought of my heart, every motion of my minde? My thoughts (saies God) as they be neither vaine, nor light in themselves, so they bee not darke to me: I fully know who I pitch upon, to what end, upon what grounds: they be not thoughts against, my will, such as I cannot consent to: the Motions of my heart, as they are guided by the perfection of my Wisedome, so are they filled with the strength of my affecti­on, of my love: I know my thoughts towards you: I love you, therefore do I mule, cast in minde, purpose for your good: and these purposes, these thoughs are also deare unto me, as the issues of mine owne love.

This text speaks thus much, even the blessed language of the tender bowels of God towards [Page 24]his own, it holds forth m [...] sweetly the tender thoughts [...] the mercifull God towards hi [...] people in evill times: here are the thoughts of God, set out to open view, in a most lovely way, they are set out to life, and bespangled with most rare and precious Iewels. God hath thoughts, thoughs of his owne thoughts, that he knowes, thoughts towards his people, that way their faces looke, thoughts of peace, not of trou­bles: thoughts to give, not to take away: thoughts to give out a full good, mercy, full big enough for their expectation: thoughts of seasonable, speedy, and welcome mercy, to give his an expected end.

These words we might branch forth particularly, and then, see what fruit every branch would beare: but we will not take them in sunder: that which we will do, is, to gather thus much in the grosse, as the maine [Page 25]that lyes in the text, under which most of the particulars will kindly come in, and it is thus much.

That our God, Doct. even when his people be in an evill condi­tion under sore pressures, hath precious purposes full of mercy and good towards them, busie and thinking thoughts to give out that deliverance and Salva­tion, his people stand in need of: or thus: Our God hath his thoughts of mercy for vessels of mercy vnder misery; Micah. 4.9, 13. when Zion was in Pangs and cryed out, when Israel was in Babylon, when she dwelt in the fields when she was in the enemies hand, when many nations were gathered against her to undo her, and longed to see her defi­led that their eye might looke upon Zion: God pesently comes in and gives a cooler to the ma­licious flame of the enemy: but they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand [Page 26]they his councell: those poore creatures bloody enemies to Gods People, they knew not how God did think, did devise or purpose, either for his people o [...] against them: what his intenti­ons were, and his purposes in letting them run on in their ma­lice against his, they lookt not at; they knew not at what God did drive in all their pro­jects against Zion: this wholly takes them up, how to vnd [...] Zion, how to trample her in the dirt: but this takes up Gods thoughts, how to deliver, to save his, and to pay them.

When a poore soule is in Spi­rituall distresses, and cannot be perswaded that God will par­don him, and yet he forsakes his wicked way, and his vnrighte­ous thoughts (either concern­ing his owne righteousnes, as if that would stead him for his justification: or concerning the righteousnes of Christ, as if either it could not be his, or be­ing [Page 27]his it could not bee enough, Isa. 55.7, 8, 9. and returnes to the Lord, and resolves to get the Mercy of God in Christ for a pardon; But yet still he is beaten backe, and knockt down with unbe­ [...]eeving thoughts, and harpes up­on this string, I cannot thinke I shall be pardoned: it will not enter into my heart yet, it will not sound well with me: Oh saies God of such a one, My thoughts are not like that mans thoughts: He thinkes he shall not be pardoned, my purpose is, he shall: His thoughts are, it is impossible, mine are; it is easie for me, not onely to pardon, but abundantly to parden, to multi­bly pardon: his thoughts bee [...]ow, and base, concerning me: mine be high, and such as be­come my selfe, such as sutes with the very nature of a mercifull God: How can God speake more in a few words, to shew what his thoughts be towards a distressed conscience? How does [Page 28]God strive with a poore sinne to bring him out of the snare?

1. He tels him, that he think thoughts against his thoughts and beyond the poor creature apprehension.

2 He tells the poore broke heart what his whole minde is and what he conceives toward him in his owne bowels.

3 He tells him he must no [...] compare his thoughts, wit [...] Gods, being there is no propor­tion betwixt them; and withal swetly imployes, that he takes [...] as an infinite disparagement, [...] put his bowels and his thought in the same ballance with man [...] as is if there were no such diffe­rence, but they might be we weighed together.

4 He tells him in and by a [...] this, the sweetnesse of his own purposes, the graciousnesse of h [...] owne bowels, the unspeakeable tendernesse of his heart, that cannot looke on and see a poo [...] soule miserable, and yet say no­thing, or do nothing; but he [Page 29]must, he will come in for the rescue; God here speakes of his thoughts so highly, to kill the thoughts of a poore creature, which were ready to kill him: the wound was made, is kept fore and widened, by mans owne thoughts: God comes with his thougts, to heale him: [...]e sets thoughts against thoughts, to set man free: God [...]ere hath a great disease in hand, when hee brings in his owne thoughts and purposes, for a [...]ure of it: and yet this will our God do, this secret concerning his owne good pleasure will God make knowne, rather then see a broken-hearted sinner perish, or passe his dayes with­out the secret or sollid comfort of the Almighty. Hence the faithfull soule is a proclaiming this so freely, after hee was brought out of an horrible pit, after his feet were set upon a Rocke, when his soule was strengthened, Psal. 40. and his goings [Page 30]established: Psal. 40.2, 5. many (sayes he, and he spakes it, as one wonderfully admiring it) O Lord my God are thy wonderfull worke [...] which thou hast don, and thy thoughts which are to us ward, they cannot be reckned up i [...] order to thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they a [...] more then can be numbred, a [...] if the soule should say, what purposes of good hadst thou to­wards us, when we were in the mire and clay? how many thoughts of Good: and how fruitfull and effectuall have tho [...] thoughts been, which have brought out so many wonder full workes, for our peace, f [...] our comfort, for our salvation. Oh those thoughts of God [...] these the poore soule eyes [...] these take up the heart of a be­leever: how precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God: how great is the sum of them? if I would count them, they are more in number then the sand: [Page 13] Davids soule did most highly honour these thoughts of God: Psal. 139.17.18. [...] Precious Glorious Oh they were most honourable and glorious in his eyes: of great value, very sumptuous and stately; he lookes upon them with more admiration then ever the disciples did vpon the build­ing of the temple: they cry ma­ster, what Godly stones be here? David cryes, O how precious are thy thought O God vnto me? there were three things especially that made David so wonder at these thoughts.

1 In that they were so pre­cious in themselves:

2 So many in their number, the graines of sand upon the Sea-shore, were not so many, and all these so precious too:

3 In that all these many precious thoughts of God were so to him towards him, and for him: there was not one thought amongst all these numerous, yea numerable thoughts of God that was against him, that was [Page 32]for his hurt, of which David could say, he was the worse f [...] all these thoughts, thine in Da­vids eye, are pleasant to David heart, and all bring profit in [...] Davids spirit. David could [...] could not expresse what the were to him: what they did f [...] him; and therefore he deliver it thus, How precious are t [...] thoughts.

In the farther handling of the truth, for the better order, [...] the more fruit, we must explain the termes in the Text.

2 Bring in the argument rationally to prove the conclu [...] on or Doctrine observed.

3 Gather up the speciall Use that arise thence for our spirit [...] learning, and blessed advan­tage.

First, for the termes in [...] Text: those that are to be [...] foulded are these foure.

In the laying open of all these wee shall see the goodlinesse, the glory of all these thoughts of our God, how pre­tious they are, as being Gods owne thoughts, as being thoughts towards Gods owne people alone: as being so known and approved of by God him­self, that cannot be deceived, that tryes out upon mans thoughts [...]ow vaine they bee: Precious [Page 34]thoughts, as bearing for [...] such precious fruit of peace, [...] bountie, of satisfaction unto h [...] poore servants, so that they sha [...] say, they have enough by th [...] time God hath brought for [...] all his thoughts of mercy, and put them forth into act fo [...] them.

For the first terme, what do [...] God meane, when he sayes, th [...] thoughts I thinke: how is God said to thinke thoughts? T [...] this we answer,

First, we must not imagi [...] God thinkes thoughts as m [...] does: For,

1. The thoughts of man [...] succescive, he being a finite crea­ture, he thinkes of one thing af­ter another, so as he hath ne [...] thoughts come into his hea [...] that he never had before, and [...] thoughts increase daily: God thinkes not so, all his thought are at once, they receive no ad­dition by time, or by the appre [...] hensions of new objects, or [...] [Page 35]any occasion whatever. Gods thoughts were ever as full as they be now, were ever the same and will be so still without any [...]teration.

Secondly, mans thoughts be [...]allow: 1 Cor. 2.10. [...]. The pro­fundities, heighths, depths. he cannot reach high [...]ings: there be deep things of [...]od that he cannot dive into: [...] an cannot think what glory [...]: what it is to be in heaven: [...]hat it is to see God face to [...]ce: there be deep things of the [...]ospel which teaches the onely [...]ay to glory which are hidden [...] him: he cannot tell how to [...]d out this narrow way that [...]ds to life, he thinks any way [...]ll serve as well as this, and [...]at there be more wayes then [...]e, to be saved by, more doors [...]en one to glory: he thinks a [...]ty will save him, or some [...]tward priviledge will stead [...]m, or some morall acts of [...]uity or mercy will do the [...]ed. There be deep things of [...]n that he cannot behold: a­nother [Page 36]mans thoughts are hid­den to him, another mans hear is as a deep Well to him, he can­not reach the bottome, there [...] the depths of Satan: Rom. 2.24. [...]. Rev. 12.9. these, ma [...] cannot discern; with these [...] can deceive the whole wor [...] he can lead men astray, a [...] they not aware of it: he c [...] turn himself into an Angel [...] light, and go for one too in t [...] worlds eye. Mans thoughts [...] soon overmatcht, even as t [...] eye is quickly dazled, beat [...] out, and blinded, by any int [...] looking upon the cleare a [...] bright body of the Sun: God thoughts can never be so: [...] Spirit searcheth all things, 1 Cor. 2.10. y [...] the deep things of God: th [...] depths, that be depths, beyond all depths, in comparison [...] which no other deserves [...] name of a depth, these the [...] ­rit searcheth: therefore obse [...] the Apostles gradation: he se [...] cheth all things, yea more th [...] all things that are or be d [...] [Page 37]here below, more then what Sa­tan, sin, the world, or the heart of man can do, more then all these depths: he searcheth the deep things of God, he hath such a reach with him: as this [...]he spirits eye hath every thing above and below in view: that which is darke cannot be hid from him, nor that which is most bright cannot dazzle him

Thirdly, mans thoughts be [...]ain, foolish, frothy, the Lord [...]nows they be so: Gods thoughts be most pure, holy, Psa. 139.17. [...]ise, heavenly, glorious. David [...]ould say of these, how precious [...]e they? they are thoughts, like [...]e pure streams of the fountain [...]f life, thoughts that arise from [...]e purity and holinesse of the nature of God, full of beauty, [...]ey shine with God, as it were: [...]ans thoughts be all vain, and [...]nking, as coming from the [...]ttennesse of his own sinfull [...]eart, the Lord said he saw that [...]hat ever went out of the heart [Page 38]of man, Gen. 6.5. [...] all the imaginations purposes, and desires of the thoughts of his heart, they we [...] onely evill, and every day so [...] he had never a good day: these evill thoughts were not like th [...] tertian or quartan ague, that comes now and then, and leave [...] well dayes betwixt: but like a [...] ill and poysoned fountain tha [...] sends forth her streams conti­nually: mans thoughts are not good now and then, and il no [...] and then, but they be ill, an [...] onely ill: vain, and onely vai [...] foolish, and never wise, the thoughts of man are so vile, and the thoughts of God are as glo­rious.

4. Mans thoughts they b [...] temporall: man thinks not be­fore he is, before he lives, before he acts understanding: Psal. 146.4. and his thoughts perish when he die [...] the thoughts of Gods heart and from eternity to eternity: from Generation to Generation: the Counsell of the Lord standeth [Page 39]for ever: Psa. 33.11. the thoughts of his heart to all Generations: to ge­neration and generation (as the Hebrew hath it) never was there a Generation in the world, but Gods thoughts were either for, or against the men of that Ge­neration, and still all his thoughts and his Counsels stood: they took place, what ever was thrown down: they stood, what ever fell.

Secondly, these thoughts that God hath towards his peo­ple, what are they, but the eter­nall movings of Gods mind to­wards and for the good of his people? To clear them yet more what they be, consider these five things touching these thoughts of God:

1. Consider the bottome of them: this we shall find to be the infinitely loving, gracious, and tender bowels of God: those are they that work upon God, and make him cast in his mind, what to do for his peo­ple, [Page 40]whom he so loves: had our God no bowels of love towards his, he would think no thoughts towards them.

2. The blessed issue of these movings of Gods minde: and these are his wise, strong, graci­ous, immoveable purposes and decrees of God, what he will most certainly do for his peo­ple.

3. The fruits of these mo­vings and purposes of God: these are his heavenly care, his holy plots, his blessed devises, his divine inventions: how, by what way and means to do his people good: 1 Pet. 5.7. he careth for you (saies Peter) and with such a care that is full and alsufficient, so that his children need not, must not take up some, and leave the rest to him: but they must cast all their care upon him: 2 Thess. 3.16. God gives peace to his people by all meanes, who is himself the Lord and Prince of peace.

3. Deut. 32.20. He finds his people when they be in a wildernesse: he sees them, in all their desolate con­ditions: their broken wals, Isa. 49.16. their crackt estates, their broken power, is continually before their God.

4. He leads them, he takes his people by the hand in the wildernesse, Deut. 32.20. he will not suffer them to wander out of the way in their straits: these shall be taught by him, whilest they are chastised by him: these are bet­tered, whilest they are scour­ged.

5. He compasses them about, to be a sure defence to them, he keeps them, and that in his own hand, and so, as the apple of his own eye.

Fourthly, there are the sweet companions of these blessed thoughts of God towards his: As,

1. The admirable delight God takes in these thoughts of [Page 42]his, and in the exercise of them: the Lord had a delight in thy fathers, Deut. 20.15. to love them (saies Mo­ses to Israel) he took pleasure in loving Israel: in bestowing his own mercy, he himself tasted as much sweetnesse in giving, as they in receiving: if they de­lighted in enjoying Gods love (as wel they might) so did God himself in giving out his love; the Nurse that gives out the milk to the childe upon the breast, she finds pleasure as well as the child nourishment. Mer­cie pleases him (saies Micah) he wils, desires, mercy, grace; he longs (as it were) to shew his bounty; Micah. 7.18. [...] Ipse est vo­lens de a­mans desi­derans be­nignitatem, misericordi­am, grati­am. Isa. 30.18. he waits to be graci­ous (saies Isaiah) that Phrase implies and couches in it. 1. Gods infinite desire to be graci­ous: 2. His most perfect wise­dome, so as, he will not bestow his love out of season; he will stay, till he may best do it: he will wait for the best opportu­nitie in his eye.

2. As there is a blessed de­light going along with these thoughts of God towards his, so there is a most wise, setled, and firm constancy in these thoughts of God towards his people: he is of one mind (saies Job) who can turn him? God is not as the son of man, that he should repent, Numb. 23.19. Job. 17.7, 11. (saies Balaam) Job complains, that al his thoughts were as a shadow; and that his purposes were broken off, even the thoughts of his heart: Gods thoughts be so far from being as a shadow, that they have not so much as a shadow of turning in them, who can breake off Gods purposes? who can unset­tle these thoughts of God? who can part or divide betwixt these thoughts of God, and the peo­ple of God? who shall separate from the love of God (saith the Apostle) and may it not as well be askt, who shall separate from Gods purposes of love? not man, nor devil; not any sin, nor [Page 44]any unworthinesse, in the peo­ple of God. The very nature of the blessed God must be destroy­ed, the very fountain of love dried, the most quick and the tender bowels of his grace deadned, before these purposes of God can be made unconstant that there should be yea, and nay with them, that they should be for and against in a short space; the Apostle will not suffer this imputation to be ca [...] upon him, 2 Cor. 1.17. that the things h [...] did purpose, he purpos'd accor­ding to the flesh, that with him there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay: that he should be ( p [...] and con) as we use to say: and will our God endure, that thi [...] should lie upon him, that the [...] is yea and nay in his purposes no, no: Gods purposes hold o [...] and stand, and never vary, bu [...] still shew the unchangeablene [...] of that nature, from whence they flow.

3. There are glorious aime [Page 45]of God, mixt as it were with these thoughts of God towards his. As, 1. To make himself a glorious name by them: when he lead his people out of Egypt, compast them about in the wil­dernesse, brought them into Canaan, the Spirit testifies, twas to make himself a glori­ous name, a name of ornament, a name that might become God himself, Isai. 63.14. [...] Nomen ornatus, gloriae, de­coris. a name of glory (faies the text) a name that might proclaim God to be the highest, the greatest, the wisest, the fullest of mercy.

2. To give his people rest: the Spirit of the Lord caused Israel to rest (saies the same Prophet in the same place) twas a bles­sed rest indeed which the Spirit of God caused: Israel was in many troubles, he went thorow many brakes, but at last the Spirit of God set him down, placed him, and planted him in that land of rest All indeed was not over in a moment, Israel [Page 46]must be in a wasting and howl­ing wildernesse for a time: and all this while the Spirit lead him, and his purposes were that Israel should rest; let his people but follow him, he will cause Israel to rest at last: he will prepare a Land for him roome for him, a seat for him an happy possession of the Land of Canaan, and there he shall feed and rest. Gods thought rest not in pitching upon half mercies: tis Israels rest his thoughts reach unto: and what God determined, he effected by a mighty hand, and when he saw his time, he gave Israel to sit down, and enjoy that good Land of rest, purposed and pro­mised long before.

Fifthly, the declaration and manifestation of these thoughts of God in their visible fruits: When Gods thoughts come a­broad, as it were, when they shine forth in the eye of the world, when Gods decree, [Page 47]bring forth, when that which lay in the womb of his purpo­ses is born, there is a time, and a set time too, when the Lords decree brings forth (as the Pro­phet Zephaniah tels us; Zeph. 2.2. & there­upon calls upon the people of God to gather themselves to­gether, to seek meeknesse and righteousnesse, ere the decree brings forth, ere the day of the Lords anger come upon them: These two the Prophet makes to be one, the comming of the day of Gods anger, and the bringing forth of the Decree: For, as soon as the decree of ju­stice comes forth, the day of anger is broke, it appeares: so his purposes and thoughts of anger towards the wicked, makes anger at length to goe forth; these send forth his wrath in strokes, terrible woun­dings, deadly consumings: These thoughts of wrath, break forth in the face of God by frowns, in the hand of God by [Page 48]blowes. Moreover, this execu­tion of his thoughts of justices holds proportion with his De­cree, is all out as full as his thoughts were: every blow he determins to strike, hewil strike, he wil not spare them a jot: The anger of the Lord (sayes Jer.) shall not return till he hath executed, Jer. 23.20. and till he hath performed the thoughts of his heart. In these Divine purpo­ses, God doth, as it were, secretly bind himselfe, promise to him­self, to his own justice, so much satisfaction upon those that provoke it, according as it re­quires: now God performing this to the full, and the anger of the Lord will not return till it hath executed thus far: he will ne­ver call back his anger from the pursuit of such, untill it hath pursued them long enough, far enough. So his purposes of good towards his people, they bring forth as plentifully: look what our God promises to his own grace, to his own bow­els, [Page 49]that he will perform to the full: look what good he purposes concerning his peo­ple, that, to a grain, they shall have from his gracious hand: he works freely in a way of mercy, till he hath performed the thoughts of his heart, that is, all his thoughts towards them, till there be a thought of God towards them, but beares his fruit, and brings it forth to them, and for them, till it be seen that there is not a thought of God barren towards them: never shall the purposes and thoughts of God return, till all this bee done. The thoughts of God are like Solomons Flock of Sheep, Sol. Song 4.2. every one bears twins, and none is barren among them: Our God who hates barren thoughts in his people, will not, cannot have them in his own heart: his purposes will all out in their time, and his hand will per­form what he hath pitcht up­on [Page 50]in his own thoughts: if his thoughts be for deliverance of his people, delivered they shall be, what ever opposes, these purposes of God will car­ry it away, these will beare all down before them, and make a plain way even amongst mountains, for their due and glorious performance.

The second term to be un­folded, is to have the next place, and it is this, [The thoughts I think towards you] wherein this question must be resolved, How and why the thoughts of God are said to be towards his people. For satisfaction in this thing, know first, the Spirit of God means that they were thoughts of love, of mercy, of peace, of good, as he expresses after­wards: In Scripture sense, this word [towards] when it is re­ferred to Gods will, mind, thoughts, Jer. 15.1. it alwayes notes mer­cy: as in that place, If Moses [Page 51]and Samuel (sayes God) stood before me, yet my mind could not be towards this people: that is, I could not love them, I could not ac­cept of them, I could not for­bear them, I could not hold an hand of Justice from them: And the word (against) joyned with Gods face, or will, notes divine justice: as in that place, Psa. 34.16. The face of the Lord is against them that doe evill, to cut off the remem­brance of them from the earth: the meaning is, these evill doers shall have and see and feele the terrible face of Gods justice: God will appear to them as one against them, as an enemy, and as an enemy most justly enraged by their sin, whose very nature puts him upon their destructi­on: Our God is a consuming fire: Heb. 12.29. 'Tis more then to say, Our God consumes and devours up the wicked: For it notes this, that [...]he very nature of God is a consumer of his enemies, he is [...]he fire himselfe. When the mer­cie [Page 52]of God is exprest in the highest strain, it is said, God i [...] Love: he is Mercy it self as we [...] as hath mercy: 'Tis infinitly more then to say, he doth love So here, to say God is a consu­ming fire, is infinitely mor [...] then to say, God doth consume so much is the face of the Lor [...] against his enemies, that hi [...] very nature is against them and their consumption shall be such as the very just nature [...] God shall lay upon them.

Secondly, the Spirit mea [...] such thoughts as were toward none but his: these alo [...] had the smiling face of the thoughts, they were not to­wards wicked men at all: th [...] adequate and ful object of the [...] thoughts were the people [...] God: 'Tis as much as if Go [...] should say, towards you [...] people, my redeemed ones.

Thirdly, such thoughts [...] naturally and most freely d [...] stream towards his: God w [...] [Page 53]not compelled by any cause out of himself: who did ever move God, or counsell him, or bid him think such thoughts to­wards his: he sets his owne thoughts to work by his own nature. This is for the (How) [...]ow for the (Why) the thoughts of God are said to be towards his.

First, because every thought of Gods heart is full of good will towards his: it is for their [...]dvantage, for their profit: it [...]arries in it a full blessing: it is [...]ke the Cluster of Grapes in Esay, Isa. 65.8. [...]here is new wine in it: new wine found in it, new wine [...]ound to be good too: a bles­ [...]ing was in it: So we may say [...]f every thought of God to­wards his people, there is wine, [...]ew wine, and such new wine [...] hath a blessing in it: oh, it [...]es down sweetly! it feeds, Sol. Song 7.9. [...]crishes, makes glad the soule [...] a poore creature: These [...]oughts being towards them, [Page 54]they are then for their prospe­rity, their peace, their sanctifi­cation, their salvation: the [...] are towards them for their ex­altation, deliverance, and con­solation: Who can name th [...] blessing that these bring not i [...] when they come & visit a po [...] soul? who ever was in that ev [...] ­condition, strait temptation [...] that was not delivered in enjoy­ing the blessed fruits of the [...] thoughts? These they co [...] cloathed with salvation: Luke 2.14. the [...] tune out the Angels song in t [...] eares of Gods people, Glory [...] God in the highest, on earth pea [...] good will towards men: the bless [...] expressions of these though [...] what do they prove lesse to h [...] then mercies, embraceme [...] on every side? The Lord thi [...] a man good, thinks a man a [...] leever, thinks him a penite [...] thinks him yeelding and ob [...] ­dient: for when he manife [...] his thoughts of good to hi [...] the man is a new creature, he [...] [Page 55]thus, he is all this, and more then this. A man in a sinfull condition he hath an ill eye to­wards himself, ill thoughts a­gainst his own soule in all he does: he is a self-destroyer, Psal. 85.8. these are the fruits of his owne thoughts: but Gods thoughts they are all for good, for life, for peace to a poore soule: Hee that speaks peace to his people, purposes peace first, thinks thoughts of peace towards his before: Gods good pleasure of his will which he purposes in himself, Eph. 1.9. goes before the saving revelation of the mystery of his will to his.

Secondly, his thoughts may well be said to be towards them, because they tend so much to advance and honour them: My heart (sayes Deborah) [...] towards the Governours of Israel, Judg. 5.9. that offered themselves willingly a­mong the people: as if she had said, Oh! how I love and ho­nour such? Oh my heart is [Page 56]much taken with them! Oh [...] what commendations do the [...] deserve? Oh these be nob [...] Governours indeed! So wh [...] God sayes, My thoughts are to­wards my people, it is as muc [...] as if he should say, These a [...] they that I intend to honou [...] yea, delight to honour: if a [...] my purposes of good will do i [...] they shall have it: if all [...] mercifull thoughts will [...] them up, they shall be advan­ced: Now they are base, mea [...] in captivity under the hands [...] their cruell enemies, but I wi [...] set them aloft again: [...] thoughts run for their recove­ry, for the regaining of their name, for to make them [...] name, and a praise: they shal [...] be the head, and not the taile: [...] have set my heart upon them [...] deliver, redeem them, crow [...] them.

Thirdly, because in thes [...] thoughts of God, there was [...] mixture of the evill of punish­ment, [Page 57]they were onely, they were purely for good: thoughts not of evill, not of afflictions, (sayes the Text) these thoughts were wholly made up of mer­ [...]y: they be all towards you, (sayes God) none against you.

Fourthly, because these lo­ [...]ing thoughts of God, were [...]eer the birth: when few years (viz. 70.) were over, they would break forth and shine, and scat­ [...]er away the darknesse of their condition: these thoughts were comming directly towards [...]hem, and that apace too.

Fifthly, because all these thoughts of God towards his, were united (as it were) for [...]his one thing, even to deliver [...]hem: Gods thoughts were not divided, they did not set them­selves one against another: some thoughts were not for them, and some against them; [...]ut all went this one way, and not with a major vote, but with [Page 58]a generall one, cried up the prosperity of Gods people: they all agreed in one (nemine contradicente) as we use to say, not a thought gainsaying.

Sixthly, because all these thoughts of God towards hi [...] people, continue so: they re­main fresh and strong and live­ly in the breast of God: these are not like Ephraims goodnesse which was like the mornin [...] deaw: these passe not away, b [...] they abide in Gods heart, ti [...] they bring forth their good [...] My thoughts towards yo [...] that is, so, as that they will ne­ver turn their faces from you: shall think still towards you, til [...] I work fully according to my own thought, according to th [...] purpose of my own will: they be so towards you, that the [...] will come to you in the fulnes [...] of their blessings: my heart i [...] so on you, that I shall not re [...] till I am at work for you.

Seventhly, because in thes [...] [Page 59]thoughts God aimed at this, what mercy to give them: he (that by his owne perfect wis­dome, knew most exactly, the fittest mercy to bestowed) now sayes, my thoughts are to­wards you: as if he should say, I am thinking, yea I have alrea­dy in my thought what mer­cy, what kinde of mercies, how many mercies, and at what season, I shall bestow them: I will fit you with right mercies, helpe you with saving mercies: come to you with sea­sonable mercies: fill you with [...]atisfactorie mercies.

8. Because that in all these [...]houghts, God next unto him- [...]imselfe aymed at them, at their [...]ood: God thought what mer­ [...]y to give, but that was not all, [...]or the main of all: my thoughts (sayes God) be towards, you: [...]he thing I ayme at is, that you [...]ay be blessed, that you may be [...]riched, that you may be com­ [...]rted: you are in my thoughts, [Page 60]in my eye, above, more, then all the gifts I give: tis for your sakes I thinke thus: my thoughts are towards you: Hee that thinkes what to give to one he loves, his thoughts bee not so much to­wards the gift, as towards the person to whom he intends to give, and for whose sake he hath such thought-contrivings: so God he thinks indeed what to do for his own people, but hi [...] thoughts be alone towards these for whom he so thinks, upon thi [...] on the thoughts of God center, and they rest not, thy are not to­wards any blessing, so as to wa [...] those whom he loves to blesse.

Thirdly, for the unfolding [...] the next terme: I know th [...] thoughts I thinke towards you the Spirit of God in this Phra [...] speaks much, & most excellently for the consolation of his ser­vants, to make them assured, th [...] this was his determination, th [...] these were his thoughts indee [...] towards them: for I know th [...] [Page 61]thoughts I thinke towards, you: That is,

1. No man can tell my thoughts, but my selfe: Who can search into my decerees, my [...]urposes? Cheere up your selves my people, your owne hearts may rise, and tell you, this is [...]ot, this cannot be Gods minde, Gods thoughts towards you: do [...]ot you see the sad pressures you [...]re under? the cloud over you is [...]arke, and when is the storme [...]ke to blow over? Well, well, (sayes God) comfort your selves [...]oore hearts: flesh and blood [...]nowes not my thoughts: Cor­ [...]uption is none of my Counsel­ [...]urs, is not acquainted with my [...]inde: a fleshly minde is with­ [...]ut light, it understands not my [...]ounsell: it is enough for you; [...]hat I know my owne thoughts [...]wards you: tell your corrup­tions, ye take too much upon [...]ou: cheere up your selves my people: your enemies may in­ [...]t over you, as a lost, an undone [Page 62]people, and run to gaze upon your misery with joy, yea, to sharpen their eyes upon you, as such as blesse themselves in your sorrowes: they may thinke we [...] shall now have our will upon them, now wee shall have o [...] lusts satisfyed, Micah. 4.12. and our mali [...] pleased: no (saies God) th [...] shall not: feare not my people [...] they know not the thoughts [...] the Lord, they understand n [...] his Counsell: these speake with­out book: they utter the dream and deceits of their own hearts I sent them not: they are no [...] of my privie Counsell: I inte [...] not as as they: I thinke not [...] they: my thoughts are of ano­ther nature, run or other end [...] to other purposes: and I wi [...] make way, and worke for [...] owne ends; to shape thing [...] persons and actions to my ow [...] minde.

Secondly, I know [...] thoughts: that is, I understand my self, my secrets, and all [...] [Page 63]waies perfectly: I can read in this secret book of my Counsels, which is sealed up, and to deep for finite creatures to reach un­to: I can, not onely enquire af­ter the Consultations, and the determinations of my owne bowels; but I can, and do most fully know what I have there set downe to a tittle: the same Lord that searched Davids heart, Psal. 139.1, 2, 3. and knew it, and that so, that he understood all his thoughts a­farre off, and was acquainted perfectly with all his wayes; hee is ignorant of none of his owne waies: the Lord writes not in this booke of remem­brance such strange Characters, Mal. 31.16. that he cannot understand him­selfe, that he cannot read them, when hee comes to look them over: God is light, and he that is light it selfe, what can bee darke to him.

Thirdly, I know my thoughts, that is, I look over them: all I per [...]se every leaf of this book, every [Page 64]word, tittle, syllable of this wri­ting: I lay not this booke of mine by me: I let it not ly, and gather dust: I am still a reading still cying, what I have purpo­sed, what I have promised to do for my people.

Fourthly, I know my thoughts: that is, I acknow­ledge my thoughts are towards you: I prove and try them, an [...] still I so confesse, yea am glad, that this is my minde: it is un­changeable, it is one and th [...] same towards you: yo [...] thoughts are so foolish, so varia­ble, you are of so many minds that you doe not know you own minds: but I know my thoughts, they are united, they run one way: you may be dis­stracted in your thoughts, I can­not in mine: you may bee de­ceived in yours, I cannot bee [...] in mine.

4. The fourth, thing is what the thoughts of God pitch up­on, as they be towards, and loo [...] [Page 65]towards his people: this the spirit of God sets downe in four heads.

1 They are thoughts of peace:

2 They are purely and onely so: not of evill: that is, not of such an evill that is opposed to peace, not of the evill of trouble, war, misery; and therefore are all peace.

3 They are bountifull thoughts: thoughts to give: and therefore are both loving and enriching.

4 They are bountifull to sa­tisfaction: satisfying thoughts: thoughts to give an end, and a most welcome one too: an end, and expectation too, (sayes the Text) that is such an end, that shall answer all their longings, and expectations of good: their desire shall come, as well as an end shall come; and when that comes tis as a tree of life, for sweetnesse to the tast; Pro. 13.1. for beauty to the eye: for joy to the heart: [Page 66]for life to the spirit: O how sweet ly God doth breath out mercy! Here his very thoughts be (as it were) turned into peace, here be no thoghts of evill, trouble, paine, misery: not of evill (saies God) what then? These thoughts of mine (saies God) are all for mercy: they have no mixture of evill in them.

I am all upon giving good: upon answering prayers; fulfilling desires; sending deliverances to my people: here is nothing sounded out, but the language of mercy: never did the bowels of God appear more fruitfull, more render, or make a greater shew then now: Our God is now in a few words, teaching his peo­ple the fulnesse, the tendernesse of his owne bowels: he calls to the pit to them; and tells such poore soules now deep in di­stresse, what he thinkes towards them, that they might both mor­tifie thier own thoughts, and know how to look upon Gods.

You thinke (sayes God) but you doe but thinke so; thoughts of trouble, of paine, of punish­ment: Oh (say you) wee shall never see good day more: Object. no­thing but sorrow may we looke for: we are in so that wee shall never get out: we think it im­possible to be delivered.

Yea, Answ. but you deceive your selves (sayes God) I have thoughts of peace towards you.

Yea, Object. but thou hast had thoughts of evill heretofore, and we still lye under the smart of the fruits of those thoughts.

Yea, Answ. but I have laid downe these thoughts, (sayes God) they are come to an end, and I have taken up thoughts of peace to­wards you.

Yea; but we lack so much, Object. our wants be unspeakable, our pressures exceeding burdensome, and unlesse this and that evill be removed, and our wants supply­ed, we shall still be in paine. Answ.

I will give you (sayes God) [Page 68]doe you want this, & want that to make you prosperous, and your condition comfortable? le [...] not that cast you downe, yo [...] shall have from me, from my fulnesse: and would you have this and that evill removed? [...] shall be done, they shal not trou­ble you long.

Yea; Object. but we have large expe­ctations, wide desires.

What if you have; Answ. yet I can I wil satisfie you (sayes the Lord) you shall have your expection to the full: I wil fill you, though your mouthes be opened wide.

Yea, Object. but we have expected [...] great while already, and no good comes: we have looked for ligh [...] and behold darknesse; for peace, and behold trouble.

Why yet tarry (sayes God): Answ. will come in its appointed time you shall have your end and ex­pectation too: my thoughts o [...] peace will speak at last; nay they will speake by working, by bringing forth peace unto you: [Page 69]Let a poore soule raise up carnall Objections as fast as it can for its owne disconlation: why here is answer enough to stop their mouthes; water enough to quench their fire; vertue enough to take away their stings: and reason enough to silence all of them: the very language of these expressions of the love of God, it carryes this voyce in it: be si­lent, Zac. 2.13 O all flesh, before the Lord: What can flesh and bloud speake but here it is answered, and its mouth stopt: let us take asunder the particuler expressions, wher­in God sets forth the beauty & the sweetnesse of these thoughts of his, and wee shall the more clearly see which way these thoughts tend; and what God himselfe intends to doe for his owne people.

First (sayes God) they bee thoughts of peace: he that said before, hee knew his owne thoughts; now hee shewes that hee would have his people to [Page 70]know them: and for the unfol­ding of his owne thoughts, for the revealing and laying open of his owne bosome, hee calls them thoughts of peace.

1 Here two things must be en­quired into. First, what is meant by peace. Secondly, what by thoughts of peace: Phil. 4.7. for the first, peace is a sweet word, and a sweater thing, [...]. it comes from God; tis the peace of God: it is more sweet, excellent, and glorious, then mans mind can reach to, it is above the minde, above the capacity of any man: It hath more in it then the lar­gest understanding can behold: the word used by the Apostle, notes a having more, when a man hath gone farthest, when he hath apprehended most, still he comes short in knowing what this peace is: it denotes all the blessings God gives to his peo­ple: Hee will blesse his people with peace (sayes the Prophet David) that is, Psa. 29.11 with all that is [Page 71]good: When the Lord Christ is setting out his Name, his Love, his mercy to his Saints, in a pure Gospell way, (like as God pro­claimes his Name to Moses un­der the Law) he calls himselfe the Prince of Peace; Isa. 9.6. [...] and stiles his Government, the govern­ment of Peace: and (observe it) this title of Prince of Peace, is the last title and the sweetest, the very summe and quintessence of all the rest: in this Title Christ discovers the very life of his gra­cious Name: and whither his Name Wonderfull, Counsellour, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, doe all tend: and what he aymes at in all these Titles he puts upon himself, they even run all at last into this one, the Prince of Peace; they all set him up upon the throne, as the Prince of Peace, and proclaim his go­vernment to be full of Peace, as flowing from the wisedome and heart of him that is the wonder­full Counsellour, the everlasting [Page 72]Father, the Prince of Peace: for as the Prince is, so is his govern­ment: as his heart is, so is his reigne: this peace is that which as it is freely given, so it is rare­ly; every one hath it not, nor shall have: the voice of God to the wicked is like Iehues voice to the messenger of that wicked King, What hast thou to doe with peace? Let the wicked en­quire and aske after peace; there is no peace for thee (sayes God) never dreame of it, Isa. 5.7.21 Psal 11.6. doe not de­ceive thy selfe; thy portion is fire and brimstone, storme and tempest, this is thy cup: I will raine downe snares: I will raine downe troubles: I will raine downe destruction upon thee. This peace is a large thing, it rea­ches farre. The Hebrew word is wide, yet it is narrower then peace it self. It notes, first quiet. 2. safety. 3. Liberty. 4. Plen­ty, Prosperity. 5. Strength, Soundnesse, intirenesse, whole­nesse. 6. Freshnesse and flouri­shing: [Page 73]put all these together, they will make a brave peace, a full one indeed: and we shall see what the Lord meanes by thoughts of peace, that is, hee intended to make them a quiet people, holily secure: a safe peo­ple, fully protected from fears and enemies: a free people, full of liberty: a prosperous people, full of plenty: an able people, full of strength: a beautifull people, full of freshnesse, sweet­ly flourishing. 1. Inward peace. This peace it looks two wayes; either to the inside, or to the outside of a man: the first we call peace of Consci­ence; this is the peace indeed: a peace full of glory: to make up this peace, the soule must first live in CHRIST: soules dead in sins cannot have a dramme of this peace, which alone is the gift of Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace. 2. The soule must be set in order by the spirit of God, ere this peace can come: there must be a frame of holi­nesse, [Page 74]ere there can bee the joy of peace. 3. The soule must have living and right-grounded apprehensions of the totall re­movall of all the guilt of his sin, and the full purchase of the fa­vour of God by the bloud of Jesus Christ: the guilt of sin must be taken off from burdening the Conscience ere this can be: for the guilt of sin wil let flye in the face of the soule, and cause such troubles, such terrors, that there can be no rest till these devils be laid, till they be cryed down in the soule by the loud voyce of the bloud of Jesus Christ. Hence the vote and the voyce of all the soules that knew peace, is this, Christ is our peace. Lastly, where this peace is, there is power, and a ruling power too: Eph 2.14 Col. 3.1. Let the peace of God (sayes the Apo­stle) trule in your hearts: The word notes a chiefdome, [...]. aruling by absolute Conquest: let it car­ry away the victory, beare a­way the Bell: let it overcome [Page 75]all your unbeliefe, your disquiet­ments, your troubles, all that party Satan and sinne make in you, or raise against you: let this peace in you be chief, and fit at the sterne, all will be well then: things will goe in the soule of a Beleever in such a way as may make for the soules peace, as may feed that, increase that. Hence it is, that when the peace rules, such a soule cannot sinne as he did, he will not, the the seed of God (and this seed of his peace amongst the rest) remaines in him; 1 Ioh. 3.9 and that in such power, This peace ru­led in Mo­ses his heart, and put him upon that blessed choyse. Heb. 11.25. that he will not ex­change the sweetnesse of this peace for all the gaine, pleasures, profits of sin: nay more, this blessed peace alwayes sits Senti­nell in a holy watchfulnesse, lest the soule should both trouble & grieve both his Father and him­selfe; dishonour his God, and interrupt his owne peace. Now the Lords thoughts towards his owne, are chiefely and mainly [Page 76]for this peace, this inward, l [...] ­ving, ruling, comforting peace. You shall have that peace (say [...] God) that is mine, that peace that sutes with my thoughts that goes beyond yo [...] thoughts, the reach of yo [...] mindes, of your understanding This peace which is my peace, think to give to you: nay, o [...] Saviour saies more, Ioh. 14.27 I doe gi [...] to you.

Secondly, 2. Out­ward peace. Ier. 30.21 Is. 33.20. Ier. 30.10 Zech. 1.17 for the outward peace: this is a freedome fro [...] oppression: they shall bee [...] themselves, and no slaves to o­thers, sayes God, a freedom [...] from troubles and disquiet ments: they shall be in a quiet condition, and in peaceable ha­bitations; a freedome from w [...] and danger, they shall be in safe­ty, they shall lye down safely, [...] none shall make them afraid: [...] freedome from want and penu­ry, they shall be in prosperity and enjoy abundance. Th [...] (sayes God) shall bee the out­ward [Page 77]portion of my people: it [...]s in my thoughts thus to deale with them, thus to change their condition, and bring them forth [...]nto light; yea to be a light my selfe unto them. I doe not in­tend (sayes God) that my peo­ple shal alwayes be in captivity, alwayes bee under oppressing hands; but I will breake those [...]oaks and bring them out, I will save, I will deliver them, they shall flourish by me, and I will be glorified by them: look how farre peace can reach, ex­tend it to the utmost, my peo­ple shall enjoy all that, and more then can bee uttered: such a peace God speaks of here.

Secondly, by thoughts of peace, he means the firm and set­ [...]ed determination of God, tou­ching the giving of this peace in its season, to his people, tis as much, as if God should say, my decree is this, this is my purpose, to bestow these bles­sings upon my people after so many yeares.

1 For the second thing concer­ning these thoughts, as they are set downe in a negative way; thoughts not of evill: he means not of the evill of misery: my thoughts (sayes God) are not to shew my justice towards this people, to put them to pain, to make a voice of trembling, of feare, Ier. 30.5. and not of peace amongst them; to encrease their trou­bles, or to continue them, be­yond my appoynted time: in this Phrase God doth first an­swer what his people might ob­ject, and lay in against their own Comforts; as thus, why Lord, might they say, hast thou not brought evill upon us all this while? wee have beene under sufferings, under enemies, under captivity thus long: thy thoughts, have been thoughts of evill towards us, and little else these many years. Tis true (saies God) but now I have thoughts not of evill; cheere up your selves under all your smart; I [Page 79]thinke for your good, and not not for your evill: for your good, to save you, and not for your evill to plague you.

Secondly, God doth most sweetly set forth what his mer­cifull goings amongst his people shall bee when his time shall come: it imports mercie with­out mixture of sorrowes: it does (in a sense) exclude afflictions: they shal have mercy (saies God) and nothing but Mercy: peace, and nothing but peace: com­fort and nothing but comfort: there be three speciall things the spirit points at in this phrase, all tending to give a glorious luster to this love of God unto his people.

1 The purenesse of his mer­cy, how cleere the streame of love should run from the foun­tain of mercy, there should be no mud, but it should be a pure Ri­ve of water of life, Reve. 22. cleer as Chry­stall (like that which was shew­ed to Iohn in his Revelation) it [Page 80]should be mercy of that nature, of that beauty, of that purity, as should shew its originaall, 'its proceeding out of the Throne of God, and of the Lambe.

2 It sets forth the cleerenesse of his mercy: Isa. 33.20. tis mercy that shall be seen: mercy that a man may see the very face of God in: Looke, sayes God, Thine eyes shall see Ierusalem a quiet Habi­tation, a Tabernacle that shall not be taken downe, &c. Oh this was mercy indeed! Oh this was [...] goodly sight! Oh this was visi­ble mercy! 21. v. Mercy, set upon a hill by the Lords owne hand, that could not be hid: now, God does speake plainely, sweetly (by the workings of his love, by the exercise of his kindnesse) that his people, are a people beloved of him, Mich. 7.10 9. that he is their Judge to plead for them; their Law-giver, to guide them; their King to save them: Then they that be the enemies of God, and of his people shall see the mercies they [Page 81] [...]ave; these shall, and do carry [...]ch a light in with them, and in [...]hem, that the faithfull ones do [...]ll them by no other name but [...]ight, and Righteousnesse, so [...]eere, so visible, that they are [...]onfident, yea they conclude up­on it, that they shall behold it, [...]nd the Enemie shall behold it [...]oo.

3 It presents to our view, Ioh. 16. [...] the [...]ulnesse of mercy: ye shall have [...]our bellies full of peace: you [...]hall have comforts suting to [...]our desires; you shall have [...]he exercise of my love alone, [...]ny hand of grace alone stretched [...]ut for you, to bring you in all good: my ayme is, that your joy [...]ay bee full: that your peace [...]ay be perfect: that all stormes [...]ay bee over and you may bee [...]aved.

For the three things, they are thoughts to give: they are full of bounty: God opens his hand [...]nd gives, and what followes? [Page 82]he fils and satisfies the desire o [...] every living thing: Psal. 145.16. the Spirit o [...] God couples with an (and) Gods giving, and the creature filling; yea Every creatures sa­tisfaction: he opens his hand, that is his giving; and fills, their is the plenty, there is the store [...] he fils the desire too, there is th [...] infinitenesse of his good: ye [...] of every living thing; there i [...] the reach of his giving, and th [...] blessed fruit of it too: He by his gifts can satisfie that, which of all, is most hard to be filled the soule of man: Hee makes this (though an insatiable thing) say it is enough, I have enough, I am filled, I have all, I abound [...] Thus he gives, and so satisfies: now God hath this in his heart first, He hath giving thoughts ere he hath a giving hand: h [...] heart is ful of his bounty, ere th [...] expressions of his hands shew his bountie; and ever in this world the thoughts of God to­wards his people, are richer, are [Page 83]fuller then his hands: Gods thoughts, be thoughts to give: [...]he Devill and sin, they thinke too, but it is to take away, it is [...]o deceive, it is to kill steal & to destroy (like the thief in the Go­spel) it is how to blinde, Iohn 10.10. how to [...]arden, how to make a soule [...]oose it selfe, loose its glory. Man needs and (though ready [...]o perish by them) scarce thinkes upon his greatest needs: God [...]ees, and sees all his wants, and thinkes to give, and to give a [...]ull supplie to all his wants: man most what in his needs hath [...]carce thoughts to aske ( hither­to ye have asked nothing, Iohn. 16.24. you [...]now to whom it was spoken) [...]et God hath thoughts to give: God intends not that all (nay [...]hat any of his love) should be, should live and dye in bare [...]ords: He hath thoughts to give [...]ood, as well as to speak good: God, that would have man give, [...]nd give himself to him: Psalm 84.11. he hath [...]houghts in himself towards his [Page 84]to give himself, & then he thinks to withhold no good: here be­hold, the reality, & fulnes of love (both at once) Gods thoughts are not to dissenmble with man, to make him beleeve, to keep him in hand, and there is all: to make many professions of love, and yet let all vanish away, and fall to the grouund, without re­all expressions of any kindnesse, but this blessed sap of mercy is God, will bud blossome and beare forth fruit too: This li­ving spring will alwaies run, and and will not faile: God de­lights not onely in the thoughts of his mercy, Ier. 9.24. but in the exercise of his mercy, too.

Secondly, see here the fruit­fulnesse of his love: This is to be noted, the wombe of God [...] thoughts never have false Con­ceptions: Sol. Song. 4.2. they never prove bar­ren: they all bear twinns ( [...] tis said of the sheep of Christ and none is barren among them: Isa. 62.3. Gods thoughts run out i [...] [Page 85]to gifts, and most rich ones too. all that enjoy these, are made by these, as a royall Diadem and a Crowne of glory in the hand of their God.

Thirdly, the freenesse of these thoughts of God is here noted: God thinkes to give, where he sees no good, before hee gives, to those he thinkes to give, in whom hee sees no deservings, and from whom he might have withheld his mercy without wrong to them, had his will and pleasure beene so: God, where he blesses, hee blesses by giving: whom he rewards, hee rewards by giving: the soule that is made gracious, that be­leeves, that is patient, Phil. 1.29 it is given to him, he hath it this way, and no way else: a soule that is re­warded tis by way of gift: Revel. 22.12. Be­hold my reward is with me (saith Christ) to give to every man ac­cording as his worke, shall bee: when mercy rewards and saves, it is a gift: and when Justice re­wards [Page 86]and damnes, tis a gift of justice, or of debt that is due to evill workers, and that God dos freely, of his owne minde.

For the fourth thing: they are thoughts to give an end, and expectation: satisfying thoughts: you shall have (saies God) what mercy you do, will, or can ex­pect: God meanes this:

1 That they should have an end put to all their miseries: the dark cloud should be blown over: their sufferings should have a blessed end, God him­selfe would put a full period to them.

2 Such an end, an end so gra­cious, that it should answer their living and large expectations: Iam. 5.11. that it should satisfy all their longings: such an end as blessed, JOB had in his afflictions: the end of the Lord was gracious to him: the Lord did shew even in him, and by him, that he was very pitifull, and of tender mer­cy: so as the Lord might well [Page 87]instance in JOB, for to prove what tender bowels he had: he might well say to his children, go to JOB and see whether I am not gracious and of tender mer­cy: JOBS example may learne us both the graciousnesse, that God shewes, & the patience that Saints should shew. JOB had an end, and expectation too, so gra­cious was God to him, and so good will God be to his people now: I can shew the like againe (saies God) I can do as much for you, and so I purpose, my thought are for to walke in the same way of mercy towards you: you shall have as much as an ende and expectation will come too (that is as good an end as you can wish, desire, or long for) novv to make the mercy thus compleat, there must be in it these in gre­dients.

First, there must be a power­full bringing them backe from their Captivity, and an happie [Page 88]deliverance of them from all af­flictions: Ier. 30.10 God must save his Is­rael from afar, and his seed from the land of their captivity: Ia­cob must returne, be in rest, and be quiet, and none make him afraid.

2 A full performance of all the promises of the Lord to them: God must give them ac­cording to his promises, or else he could not give occording to their expectations.

3 A blessed giving in of spi­rituall graces, with spirituall en­largements for grace received, for the abounding of thanks gi­ving to wards God.

4 The shining of Gods face upon them againe, which brings with it sweet and spirituall peace: This the faithfull ex­pected.

5 All this must be done sea­sonably, in the best, in the fit­test time: when they were rea­dy when the full worke of God was done upon their hearts, when their expectations and [Page 89]wantings were at highest; Zech. 9.1. when they look most; when their eyes were most intentively pitcht upon God: When comes the burden upon- Hadrach, and the rests, upon Damascus, that is upon the cruell enemies of Is­rael, and the inflicters of all their miseries? but then, when the eyes of all Israel are as one man towards the Lord: and then comes all other mercies too that they needed, even a full supply from the Lord their God.

For the second thing, the Ar­guments to proove the truth now in hand: wee may reason thus.

1 Because God is Love, and this is much more then to say (God loves, 1 Iohn 4.8, 16. it notes thus much that it is the very Essence and nature of God: Man may pro­perly be said to love, but cannot be said to be love: God is so, tis affirmed from his own mouth: when this was said, twas a piece of Gods own minde, and tis re­corded [Page 90]twice in one chapter, twas a sweet argument it seems, the Apostle was now upon: he is incouraging Saints to love, and love so, as to dwell in it, and therefore he mentions this, that God is love, Ioh. 3.16. Rom. 5.8. if they would looke so high (as tis most fit they should) they might easily see a most glorious pattere of love, that they could never reach and that was love it selfe: wee read of Gods so loving the world, &c. And of Gods com­mending his love to us: but we read not (as I remember) of this phrase, that God is love, but in this place: Now the ser­vants of Christ (having not on­ly heard him, and seen him, and tasted him, but enjoyed abun­dance of glorious fellowship with him, wherein by most cer­taine and sweet experience, they had been so oft, so much satis­fyed with this River of his good pleasure) they come up to the highest expression that can bee [Page 91]to set out the love of God, when they say, God is love: surely those glorious Saints in heaven, that are at the Wel-head of hap­pinesse (as it were) and enjoy the fulnesse of love in the high­est degree, could not have spoken more gloriously of this love, then to say, God is love: now if hee be so; God will, First, be pity­ing his: Secondly, hee will bee contriving for his, and Thirdly, he will be overlooking all the unworthinesse of his.

1 He will be full of pity: as a fa­ther pities, so the Lord will (saies David) Gods bowels could not but be troubled for his repent­ing Ephraim, Ier. 31.20. and so troubled too, that God takes up this reso­lution, that he will surely have mercy upon him: God could quickly finde bowels, when E­phraim found his sins, and his mercy sayes now, Ephra­im is a deere son, Ephraim is a pleasant childe all is forgot alrea­dy, that Ephraim hath done his [Page 92]former Idolatrie, his former pro­phanenes, his former stubborn­nes, it is all covered all drowned already in the sea of his mercy: here behold bowels of com­passion indeed: here is pity that is infinitly tender: shining in the very carriage and language of God towards poore creatures full of sinns, and full of troubles, both at once: this is the very way of Gods bowels, let his children be in danger, in trou­bles, under sorrowes and suffer­ings, the heart of God cannot rest, it will bubble, it will be hot, it will boyle up twill run over to his afflicted children.

2 This love that is God it selfe, Gods owne nature, twill be a contriving: thoughts of love will flow from it: God is all act (purus actus) and so is this love, it is busie, hard at worke, plotting for, and pitching upon, some great good for those whom he delights to choose, to love, to honour: I will surely have mer­cy [Page 93](sayes God) I will surely do such a poore sovle good: his sould shall blesse me: his con­science shall enjoy me: his spirit shall rejoyce in me: his heart shalbe fild with my peac, with my comforts, with my blessings.

3 This love of God can tell how to overlook all the unwor­thinesse of his people: God stands not upon the poor crea­tures worthinesse: I will have mercy, upon whom I will have mercy, this is the voice of Gods bowels: to love freely, this is his way: Rom. 9.15 It was spoken to MO­SES, yet it was all Gospell. he will therefore think thoughts of good, because hee is good, not because the creature is good: if God beare good will to a poore soule, he will shew it, though it be to a raging, to a persecuting Saul; whiles he is a killing, God is a saving, whilst he is making ha­vocke of the church, God is bringing him in: Who more prophane then the Prodigall? who wasted mercies more base­ly [Page 94]then he? And yet the Love of the Father can call in such a whretch, can embrace him in his returne, can powre out it selfe most sweetly into his bo­some, Give him the title of this my Sonne, Luk. 15.24. and he hath all the welcome home, that mercy it selfe can make for him. Who more Idolatrous then Ephraim? he was joyned to Idols (so God testifies) his case was desperate: let him alone sayes God: Yet the Love of God darts upon E­praims heart, and then hee be­meanes himselfe, then he prayes, Turne me, thou art the Lord my God: Hos. 14.17. then he repents and smites upon his thigh for very shame and indignation: and what does God now when hee sees and heares thus, Ier. 31.18. of the worke of grace upon Ephraims heart? Why, the next newes we here is this, Ephraim is called a deare son, and a pleasant childe: who more unworthy: and yet who wore gladly received, who [Page 95]more surely blest, then Ephraim was?

2. Because the Lord by these thoughts of his dos so set up his owne name: tis no lesse then infinite glory that shines forth, and redounds to God by these purposes of his.

David, Psal. 33.1, 2, 3. when he carges the righteous to rejoyce in the Lord, and to praise him, marke upon what grounds and why he would have this duty done: he gives three speciall reasons.

1. The word of the Lord is right, 4. v. therefore rejoyce in him and blesse him.

2. The workes of the Lord they are such, so great, and all done in truth: therefore blesse him. 11. v.

3 The counsell of the Lord stands for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations: 10. v. He that brings the counsell of the Heathen to nought, that makes the devices of the people (hee meanes that are against him, his [Page 96]cause and people, for such were the counsells of the Heathen) of none effect: Yet hee makes his owne Counsell to stand, and his own thoughts to endure and take place, none shall frustrate them: therefore the righteous must to work, to blesse the Lord: these thoughts of his heart must worke the same effect in them, as they did upon himselfe, when he cryed, Psal 139.17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God: How great is the sum of them? These were exceeding honourable in his eyes: these took up his minde: these drew his heart even up to as high as admirati­on: and well they might, for what dos God himselfe com­mend to man, so much as his love, and what are these thoughts, but thoughts of love?

Thirdly, because the Saint stand in such need of these thoughts of love towards them.

1 Else they should have no [Page 97]mercy to save or comfort them: where there is no conception there can bee no birth looked for: God thinkes first, and workes afterwards: hee never gave any mercy to his, but he thought them that mercy first: What God does to, and for his, Ephes. 1.90. tis according to the good plea­sure of his goodnesse which hee purposed in himselfe.

2 Else what bottome would there bee for the Saints com­forts? How could they read be­fore hand (so as they do) how gracious God will be to them, if there were no promises made? And where would promises of good bee from God, if there were not purposes of good in God first? What are the Lords promises, but his speaking thoughts of love, his proclama­tions of that grace, which is in the breast and heart of God to poor beleevers? Now if no pro­mises, no props of faith, no grounds of incouragement, no [Page 98]not to saints themselves: take away then these thoughts from God, and what will there re­maine to support a saint? How can a soule looke either for pro­mises from God, or for faith­fulnesse in those promises, if God hath no thoughts of love to­wards his?

Thirdly, else what foundation can there be of the Saints wai­ting? What do Saints wait for, Lam. 3.26 but to see God bring out these thoughts of his to light (which they call the Salvation of the Lord, the very fruits that these blessed thoughts of God beare) if God have no purposes, tis in vine to waite; tis but lost time, and it could not bee good for any man so to do: Now the Lord enjoynes waiting: he tells his peopls (in the midst of all their troubles) tis good to wait, and upon this ground too, be­cause there is Salvation of God to come for his people: Psal. 130.7.8. because, with the Lord there is mercy, [Page 99](that fills his heart, there be his thoughts of love, that he alwaies poscesses) and with him is plen­teous redemption, and he shall redeem Israell, &c. Psal. 130.7, 8. Their is the exercise and blessed fruit of [...]is love: if God hath not done [...]t as yet, yet he intends to do it: [...]aell is not yet redeemed, that [...]s confest: God will redeeme Is­ [...]srael, that is profest: if any man [...]y, Israell is in trouble: that is [...]anted: if any will say, Israel [...]all not come out: that is de­ [...]ed: their is ground jnough [...]en for the patient waiting of [...]e soule upon God, yea to lift [...] the soules eyes (and that [...]ost earnestly, Psal. 123. with those holy [...]es, even under the sorest trou­ [...]es) unto him that dwels in [...] heavens: and if Saints may, [...] must waite, God hath [...]ughts of loue towards them, [...]ich he intends to manifest to [...]m, and for which he would [...]e them wait.

We have now run thorow [Page 100]the Doctrinall part of this tru [...] and text: the Applicatorie no [...] followes: wherein we are [...] shew what inferences may we be drawne hence for the spirit [...] all Prophet of poore sou [...] Gods thoughts being thus [...] wards his people in evill time [...]

Vse. 1 1 It falls heavy upon the [...] who have evill thoughts, a [...] evill eyes to wards Gods de [...] ones in the time of their adv [...] sities: The Spirit of God, [...] Dauid tells us the garbe, Psal. 36.4. wa [...] and fashions of a Wicked ma [...] heart and how tis exercise when he testifies, that he de [...] seth mischeiefe upon his bed, [...] sets himselfe in a way that is [...] good: he spends his thought [...] so many evill arrowes, to sh [...] them up to the head, in [...] hearts lives, estates, names, [...] posterities of the people of G [...] Oh thinkes the wicked o [...] how may I doe such a [...] harme, Dan. 6.4, 5. how may I give hi [...] blow that hee may never [...] [Page 101] [...]ore? How may I both accuse [...]n and condeme him too? [...]ake as those wretches, those [...]godly great ones sought to [...]de occasion against Daniel, Dan. 6.4, 5 to [...] stroy him) When shall he dye, [...]d his name perish, was both the [...]quiry, and also the malicious [...]ngings of the ungodly, con­ [...]rning David? Psal. 41.5. they thought it [...]ng, ere his life, name, posteri­ [...] was rooted out: ere all his [...]od were gone, dead and rot­ [...]: And was not this the very [...]ult of the Atheists counsells [...]inst Ieremiah? Ier. 18.8. Come let us [...]ite him with the tongue (or for [...]e tonge) because he will not [...]ld his peace, but prophecy [...]ainst them and their evill [...]aies; they will smite him, and [...]ite him downe; they will go [...] it with Club-law rather then [...] Prophet shall be suffered to [...]nd:

If travelling with iniquity; [...] conceiving mischiefe; if [...]nging forth falshood; will be [Page 102]the overthrow of the servants [...] Christ; Psal. 7.14. they shall down: the malicious mischeiuous though [...] of wicked men, they are thogh [...] of evill not of good: thoughts [...] hatred, not of love: thoughts [...] trouble, not of peace: the thoughts are how to disturb [...] how to discourage, how to [...] voure and to destroy, may [...] God say to these as he did [...] those murmurers in the Parab [...] are your eyes, your thought [...] evill, because myne be good what do ye meane, to make Pits to distroy where [...] make promises to save! wl [...] have I here, Ier. 52.5. that my people [...] taken away for naught, even [...] your thoughts, in your imag [...] nations? what is this yo [...] workes, your way, your w [...] to imploy your thoughts in s [...] a way? Wo to you that devisesu [...] iniquity, Mich. 2.1. and worke such ev [...] upon your beds, the God th [...] sees and loathes it) speakes [...] And he that speakes it, will [...] [Page 103] [...] he sayes, will make good his [...]ord to the full: such thoughts [...] you thinike (sayes God) I [...]nnot endure: and such punish­ [...]ent as I inflict you shall not [...]dure: oh that Persecutors had [...]t eyes to see this truth! might [...]ey not here read themselves [...]trary to God, and God con­ [...]y to them? these are they, [...]t beare up their heads high [...]he world: oh how lofty are [...]ir hearts, eyes, and waies! [...] what will their end bee, [...] will they come down, [...]en the almighty hand of di­ [...] justice shall give them the [...] throw?

Secondly, are not they much [...] who dreame that there is [...] God to looke after his peo­ [...] when they be cast down? [...] (say the wicked) God hath [...]ken them, we shall have our [...] let us be upon the bones of [...], now shall they be bread [...] and a prey to us, persecute [...]ake them, there is none to [Page 104]deliver: the day is our own, [...] field is wone, let us arise up [...] the prey, let us devoure, ro [...] is the time, and thus they erc [...] ­rage one another in an e [...] matter, and tis a jolly time w [...] them now, to thinke that [...] Davids be downe, and shall [...] ­ver rise more: Reve. 11.10. Now they m [...] merry together, like these [...] dwelt upon the earth, when [...] two witnesses of Jesus Ch [...] was flaine; then they reioy [...] over them, as thinking wha [...] brave world twas now [...] them. Ior. 30.17. Sick Zion, Bruised Z [...] Wounded Zion, spoiled Z [...] heres no better from wi [...] men then the title of Out-e [...] They call her sayes the Prop [...] an Out-cast, saying, This is Z [...] (in scorne and derision, po [...] ­ing at her with the fing [...] contempt) whom no man [...] ­eth after: Now Zion in [...] apprehensions hath never friend: she is cast out of favour of God and men (as [Page 105]thi [...]inke) who seekes after her? [...] who cares for her? who lookes [...]ter her welfare? why God [...]oes, yee wicked ones: he is [...]ying her condition, he is grieu­ [...]d for her aflictions: he is con­ [...]iving for her deliverance: he [...]urposes her salvation: I will [...]store heatlh unto thee, and I [...] will heale thee of thy wounds; [...]aith the Lord: oh what a voice [...] this? this is the voice of my [...]eloved, may the poore soule [...]ey: this is none other but the [...]oice of my Father: and this is [...] the gate of heaven unto me: [...] Oh methinkes now I am in [...]eaven! Now (me thinkes) I [...]ould tread downe with con­ [...]empt all the spite and rage of [...]ell: Now (me thinkes) I could [...]ay with the Church, speake [...] with her confidence, mine ene­ [...]nie shall see my happinesse, and [...] name shall cover her wich said, [...]nto me, Mic 7.10 Where is the Lord thy [...] God? Mine eyes shall be hold her, [...] that is in a way of triumph, as [Page 106]one fallen to the ground) now shall shee be trodden downe as the mire of the streets: here is your portion may Zion say: this is the reward you shall have: you beheld mee with proud scornefull eyes, and with glad hearts when I was in mise­ry; mine eye shall behold you cut downe with a thankfull heart: you shall have treading dowe, for treading downe: Nay you shall to the myre, (where­as I when at worst, was upon a Rocke) you shall be troden as the myre of the streets: Who will pity you, when you fall? Who will lament when you are destroyed? and you are never in your place till ye be thus trod­den downe: Where should myre go but to the myre? and where should mire be, but under feet? you that dreame, wish, and long for, Gods forsaking of his owne servants; what thoughts have you of God, and against God the the while, but such as deny him [Page 107]such as make him a lier? Woe [...]o you when blindnesse and de­ceitfulnesse thus leads you, you may love it, you shall one day [...]ue for it.

3 Thirdly, see hence the un­changeablenesse and blessed constancy that runs parallell with the infinite, the pretious, the dearest love of God towards his, through all conditions: Gods love parts not from those [...] loves, what ever go away, [...]his stayes: God hath thoughts of peace for his in captivity, for his in Babylon: In this ever [...]o be admired love of God, [...]here is not (saith the Apostle) [...]ny shadow of turning; Jam. 1.17. [...]. it is so [...]ne and the same, that there is [...]ot any colour or likenesse, not [...]o much as any think obscurely [...]sembling the least variable­nesse in God; with God there [...] not so much as the rude [...]ranght of turning, (so the [...]ord notes) not so much as [...]y give the least ground for [Page 108]man to say, that God is in any degree variable or unconstant in this his glorious love, or i [...] the blessed gifts and fruits of it [...] When once the face of Gods love is towards a people, 'tis and 'twill bee, ever so: it is like the living creatures in Ezekiel, Ezek. 1.12 it turns not, but goes forward in most sweet expressi­ons of it selfe: it runs and streams through all the sad conditions of his people: it is as the tree of life, Rev. 22. it bears forth fruit, and that of all kinds, and that every month too; upon e­very occasion, in every trouble, sorrow, temptation, the love of God is nigh, his salvation is nigh them that feare him, s [...] the Saints professe: and what saves but the love of God? tha [...] is nigh first, and that is the cause that brings forth salva­tion: the love of God it f [...] hard at study (as it were) [...] muses and plots for good, when the people of his love a [...] [Page 109]brought exceeding low: it is a framing and devising how to save, when the ungodly are plotting how to kill: Creatures may look strange, they [...] may stand a far off (like Jobs friends) they may prove miserable com­forters (as he spake of them, as much as if he should have said, increasers of his misery, rather then easers of him) but yet God wil not: therefore is that expo­stulation of the Prophet, Why standest thou so far off, O Lord? Psal. 10.1. Why bidest thou thy selfe in times of trouble? This breeds even won­der in a Saint, to see God a farre off; so much as to apprehend God forsaking: as if God were not now in his place, where he would be, where he uses to be, where he hath promised to be. In times of trouble for God to be farre off, for God to hide his face, it is more then a wonder, since he hath promised to be [...]eerest then: Creatures they doe but their kind, when they [Page 110]prove fickle and forsake: vain things may be allowed to shew their vanity: they work but from their own nature when they fail: but for God to be variable, for this love to change it is im­possible, it is against the very na­ture of God, & of this love w ^ch is no lesse then himself: God can tell how to love, respect, and re­member his people in a low e­state: An Iron furnace in Egypt cannot put Gods love out of its way, Egyptian bondage, Pharaos tyranny, Israels slavery, drudge­ry, poverty, quenches not one spark of this fire of Gods love to­wards them: God will see for all this, how they be used: he will pitie them, respect & hear them, come down, Exod. 3.7.8, 9. deliver them; all their afflictions shall not dam up against his purpose of love, nor alter his course of kindnes towards them, no not when wicked men say, Zion is cast off: nor when Zion herself saies, The Lord, even Jehovah, hath forsaken [Page 111]me, My Lord hath forgotten me. Isa. 49.14. God complains of wrong, pleads w ^th her, draws Arguments from na­turall affection, and that in a mother too, (usuall the ten­derest lover) yet all this is not high enough, the Lord grants, that a mother may forget her child; yea, all mothers may do so; for it is possible they may put off nature in that thing and be without naturall affe­ction, as the Lord foretells of some,) but yet God sayes, it is impossible he should: he does not, nor cannot, he wills a­gainst forgetting of his people; and can that come to passe, that Gods will is against? who hath, or what can resist his will? No­thing in God will, nothing in the creature can: When he wils to love, to shew mercy to a poor creature; this will of his will make its way, and have its way, what ever lie in the way, or opposes: The Prophet might well say, The mercie of the Lord is [Page 112]from everlasting to everlasting to them that feare him: that is nar­row enough, short enough, a low expression enough for Gods love: time is no fit Channell to take up the mercy of God, it wil not, it cannot hold it: his purposes and thoughts for his, they must not, they will not be straitned: they will have com­passe enough, roomth and length enough, if infinitenesse, if from eternity to eternity, will give it them.

4 In the fourth place, let us take notice and eye this, That the mercies God gives to his, they are a contriving and framing in the bowels and thoughts of God, a long time; yea, from all eternity, before they are be­stowed, or appeare visible: our God carries mercies in his thoughts for them, he hath them written upon his breast, before the foundation of the world, and there he bears them in his heart till he brings [Page 113]them forth, and shews the good [...]n his own season: God never did, nor never will doe any thing for his on a sudden, (as I may say) that never came into his mind before: new mercies he may give, but what be these, but the bringing forth of old thoughts, the expressi­ons of his eternall purposes of love? The Lord thought, yea, declared his mind to A­braham concerning delivering of Abrahams seed, and his Is­rael out of Egypt, four hundred yeares before hand, and ma­ny yeares before they were born, or in bondage in that Land: How long did the Lord purpose to send Jesus Christ, ere he was sent into the world? 'Twas in the Lords thoughts before all time, Christ was a Lamb slain from the founda­tion of the world, 1 Pet 1.20. he was fore-ordained so, but was manifest (sayes the Apostle) in these last times for you. Jesus Christ was [Page 114]fore-ordained to be a Saviour before all time: he was promi­sed presently after the begin­ning of time; and yet ere he was exhibited, 'twas thousands of yeares, (welnigh four thou­sand, if not all out:) 'twas in the fulnesse of time that Christ comes in: the Apostle calls it ( [...]) which notes not onely the fulnesse of time, Gal. 4.4. but the perfection of it too, the accomplishing also, or finishing of time: the meaning is, Christ came not till such a time, was made up, filled up, accomplisht, which God himselfe had ap­pointed. Fulnesse of time then, if we referre it to God, then the sense is this: A full time, that is, in Gods account, will, de­cree, as it was fore-determi­ned of God from all eternity. 2. Referre it to Scripture, and so 'twas a full time in Scripture account, wherein those prophe­sies concerning his comming, must needs be fulfilled. 3. Re­ferre [Page 115]it to the Saints, and then 'twas a full time, in that the Saints were ready for this bles­sing now coming: 'twas the fulnesse of time in their faith, in their perswasions, in their wai­tings, who at that time are said in a speciall manner, to wait for redemption, and to wait for the consolation of Is­rael. Luke 2.25.38. Now the Saints looked hard for the rising of this Sun, like Travellers tired out with darknesse, (what from themselves and from the times) they long for the light: And thus even the holy ones of God, by their strong, raised, and raising expectations, did clearly and strongly point out to the world, the neer approa­ching of the blessed light of that Sun of righteousnesse, by whose beames the blessed day of the Gospel did soon appeare, and by the brightness of whose glory, the hearts of his did shine with heavenly light, & did [Page 116]rejoyce with exceeding joy, and sound consolation. God thought all good for his people ere he promised any thing, and his promises each one have a fulnesse of time to shew them­selves in: God purposes all at once, he acts not so; he brings out his purposes by degrees: God determined at once before any time, to make a world; yet when he does it, he will take six dayes to do it: he will not finish it with one word, but will use many; he will not perfect it in one act, but he will doe some­what in every of the six dayes: Gods thoughts of sending his Sonne, were from all eternity: yet he is not promised till the world and time are, till man is made, and hath made himselfe a sinner too: and when is this promise made good? Not till the world is even an aged world: not till thousands of yeares were over and gone: he was promised in the first dayes [Page 117]of the world, and 'twas the last dayes ere he was born: Our God loves to shew unto his ser­vants, his unfadomable wis­dome in his contrivances, his infinite power in his workings, his ancient & eternal love in all his compassionate passages to­wards his, & all these at once: the Lord intends to make them perfect, full, compleat works of love, he hath them so long in the frame: the Lord intends the patient, earnest, and long wait­ing of his people upon his bow­els, purposes and promises of love, (although for the present, they are encompassed with no­thing else but straits and mise­ries: the Lord intends to shew what need his people have of faith and patience, that after they have done the wil of God, they may inherit the promise: the Lord intends to make the fruit of his own bowels sweet enough, delicate and dainty to the taste of beleevers: the Lord [Page 118]intends to shew how his mercies shall suit with his childrens conditions, and how they shall fill up his peoples wants.

5 In the fifth place, see the glo­rious and ever blessed Spring from whence rivers and streams of mercy flow, Psal. 46.4. to the wondrous gladding of the hearts of Saints: we wonder sometimes at all the mercies Saints be cloathed with, and are rea­dy to make holy Elizabeths enquiry, Whence is this, and whence is that? Yea, Saints themselves, who partake of the mercy, who are refresh­ed with these Rivers of Gods good pleasure, are oft set at a stand, and with holy David, fall down, Psal. 31.19. admire, and cry, O how great is thy goonesse! Yea, he may adde this, and say, O how deep is thy goodness! The Prophet tells us in a certain place, that the judgements of God are as a great deepe; the Apostle sayes more of love, he speaks [Page 119]of the bredth, length & height, as well as the depth of the love of Christ: Eph. 3.18. and he speaks of all these dimensions as infinite: of such a length, of such a breadth, of such a depth, of such an height, as that which is incom­prehensible, no mind able to reach this mystery of love: this is as deep, that it reaches as low as the grave, as farre as hell; as high as heaven; and is every way as unsearchable as the ve­rie heart of God: dost thou see a little purling streame of mer­cie running to a Saint, an out­ward deliverance given to a Saint? why this had its begin­ning in the very bowels and breast of God: trace it up to the head to the first rise; thou shalt see it first ingraven in the breast of God, concluded upon in his heart, and stampt upon the ve­ry thoughts of God, lying and resting there first, and then bub­ling out in Gods season to them: dost thou see a soul cal­led, [Page 120]justified, sanctified through grace, conformed to Jesus Christ by the power of his Spirit; why all this precious love of God lay in his electing thoughts, t'was treasured, Rom. 8.29.30. t'was cabinated up there first: he was predestinated, and fore-ordained to this mer­cie, to enjoy this love in Christ ere the world was: so the Apo­stle witnesses.

6 In the sixth place observe the vast and infinite difference, be­twixt God and Idols: the true God, and false ones: Idols, what thoughts have they or purposes of good towards their follow­ers: can those determine or de­cree good, Rev. 9.20. concerning whom the Spirit bears record, that they can neither see, nor hear, nor walk? can gold, silver, brasse, stone, wood, the work of the crafts-man, decree good for those that trust in them? God, the true God, he is in the hea­vens, there he dwels, and there he rules, and there he blesses: [Page 121]Idols they lie in the bowels of the earth, Joh. 8.23. from thence they come: they are from beneath as Christ speaks and that every way, both in their originall, spirituall, as being from hell, and naturall too, as being in and from the earth: God he makes man, and does whatso­ever pleases him to man, and to all creatures: Idols, mans hand makes them, and a Devils heart together; they make nothing, unlesse it be destruction; God hath a mouth to speak to, and for his people: he can, does, and will speake comfortably to them: but Idols have speechles mouthes: mouthes that be very cyphers that cannot speak. God hath eyes, and eyes that can see, and that are open and most vigilant to see all his peoples wants, and what will supply them: Idols eyes, they are sight­lesse eyes, eyes, and no eyes, eyes without light, and full of dark­nesse: God, he hath ears to hear, [Page 122] Baal hath none, though Idola­ters cry, O Baal hear us, and cry aloud, and long, yea cut and launce themselves too: God hath hands that can order his people, govern, protect, blesse them: Idols hands they are wi­thered hands, they can do no­thing, they handle not, they have no use of them, and their followers shall have no comfort of them: they have no life, no strength, no motion in them: thus the faithfull ones in the 115. Psal. 115. Psalm do enter the lists with those Idolaters, and take this course to stop the mouthes of these wretches (whose usuall language unto the people of God in their affliction, was in this upbraiding way where is now your God?) by comparing together their God upbraided, and the Heathenish God served: what be your gods to our God (say his people) ours is in the heavens; where is yours? upon the dunghill, earth, dunghill [Page 123]gods, as they are (that answer is intimated by the faithfull) our God, he is all eye, all eare, all power, all mercie, all act: yours cannot stir, move, see, hear, do ought for you, or for themselves: thus they lay their Idols flat, and their Dagons on the floore, and will neither suf­fer Idols to be praised, nor their God to be contemned: Oh let us have our eyes opened, and our hearts incouraged to stand up, and both openly and ear­nestly to protest for God, and against all false gods, and false wayes: Oh let the considerati­on of this make our hearts speak truly and freely, and say, our God, with these holy ones! Let our hearts admire our God, own our God: plead for our God: stand for our God: let us not be ashamed to claim him: let us not be backward to exalt him: he is in the heavens, he is worthiest of all: he purposes good, speaks good, acts good, [Page 124]contrives and does, hears and delivers his, he is best of all: he lives for ever, and so shall his Saints in his glorious love, whilest Idols, and they that make them, and they that put their trust in them, are and shall be dasht one against another, and shall perish for ever like their own dung, this will be the end of these Gods, and these slaves; whilest the children of light enjoy for ever that God who dwels in light, and in that light that none can approach unto, or ever enjoy in any de­gree without the salvation of Jesus Christ: 1 Tim. 6.16. that God that hath immortality, hath all, and he onely hath this: Idols have none, they must perish them­selves: they can give none, their followers must to ruine too.

Vse. 2 In the second place, this truth is very perswasive, it bespeaks us many wayes, it hath many voices, 1 To the bad. and cals us to do many duties: First it speaks to me [...] [Page 125]that are out with God, out of Christ, and in the rude sinfull and dead lump of the world: and first it cals after them with Davids voice, Psal. 4.2. O ye sons of men how [...]ng will ye love vanity, and follow after lies? How long will ye both resist, and brand, the glorious wayes of God, and the gracious wayes of his people, with your pride, and with your hellish [...]rands of malice? How long will ye seek after your own lies, your own wils, your own lusts? What do you mean to forsake a God so gracious, and to cleave [...]o your own Idols so dunghie [...]nd so vain? who deserves your [...]earts, if God do not? Weigh [...]hings in a right balance; and [...]ew your selves men: bring [...]rth your reasons: produce [...]our cause, your case, your way: [...]et us see, what can the Idola­ [...]er say for his wayes? what [...]eas can Atheists, and drun­ [...]ards, or worldlings have? must [...]ey not needs confesse, surely [Page 126]they are fools, what wisdom is in them? If they could see light, or speak truth; if sin would suf­fer them to open their mouthes for God; surely they would soon joyn with the Prophet, and say, Jer. 8.9. Lo, we have rejected God, lo we have rejected his Word, what wisdome is in us? How can we say we are wise? our counsels, our purposes, our practises, they all speak out our extreme folly: there is nothing makes the sinfull souls forsa­king of God, so unanswerable, as this infinite grace of God to­wards his: as Gods love where it is bestowed, opens the heart, and unlooses the tongue to­wards God; so this love where it is refused, is such a stop mouth, that a soul cannot but be silenc't, it is forc't to say, I have nothing to plead for my self: there is not a wicked man in the world, who hears and re­fuses this rich grace of God, i [...] his purposes and gifts, but thi [...] [Page 127]will cast, and sink him one day, and would for the present si­lence him, had he but a right or true apprehension of what he does: let unbeleevers therefore see, that though they depart from God, yet they have no cause: they transgresse without cause (as David speaks) and al­though they follow sin, pursue it, cry it up, and live it up, yet they have no cause; but unbe­leevers be unreasonable, and no marvell, when pride and blind­nesse sit at the stern to guide the soul: see then this truth puts down all carnall pleas, plucks up those hellish shifts, whereby sinners usually wave off all that [...]s good: can a sinner now say I shall have no mercy, if I do come in to God, to Christ? can [...]e now say I shall loose all, and [...]e undone, if I hearken; if I [...]urn? can he now say I shall suffer so much, t'will not be worth while to be one of Gods? [...]an he now say my own choice [Page 128]is best, my own wayes are best let me alone, I am well enough can he now go away sad from the blessed offers of Jesus Christ and the gracious armes of th [...] love of God stretcht out readi [...] to embrace him? can he now say God will leave me, if [...] should follow him; God will give me up if I should trust him. God will fail, he will forsake! No, no, what ever souls may speak under sin, or under tem­ptations; there will be no such language as this, if this blessed truth once take place: all quar­rellings against God, all wrang­lings, all carnall pleas are now taken away, and the soul look [...] now upon God and his wayes as without all exception, an [...] upon sinfull nature and i [...] wayes, as without all excuse and when once a soul comes [...] be convinc't and perswaded [...] this; oh how it blames it se [...] cries out upon, condemnes [...] self, and not God at all: it [...] [Page 129]now a find-fault in its owne wayes, not in Gods: hence it is we never read of a Saint, as a Saint, picking quarrels against Gods wayes, what ever they might do through infirmity: when grace works, when faith acts, and sends forth its blessed Scouts, these bring in such a good report of the Land of Pro­mise, of the way to it, and the giver of it; that a beleevers heart works another way, so that his spirit is enlarged, and his mouth is opened in speak­ing good of God, of Christ, and ill of himself, and of sin, how­ever he spake before this grace was given to him: and now may we not take up Davids words to the wicked, O ye fools, when will ye be wise? when will you learn to know where to pitch, which way to go, what to choose to bring in good to your selves? do not halt, be not froward: if Baal be God, follow him; if fin or the world be that God, that [Page 130]purposes love, shews love, saves by his love, then follow him; but if God be God; if he be one­ly a rock, if he onely do thus, then look after him; 'tis not for you to sleep, the Lord awake you: 'tis not for you to sit still, the Lord rouze you up out of your base security; t'is not for you to love your own, and your old wayes, you have done that too too long already: tis time to be honest, tis no season to say (with Solomons sluggard) yet a little while, Prov. 6.10 I would yet be, as I have been, Heb. 10.37. and do as I have done: God saies yet a little while, and he will come: thy judgement lingers not, and wilt thou loyter? thy damna­tion sleeps not, and wilt thou sleep? 2 Pet. 2.3. nay wilt thou be fast a­sleep, dead asleep, when Divine Justice slumbers not, takes no nap at all? tell me unbeleevers, is it not for you to know judge­ment, to know God in all his wayes? Micah 3. is it not for you (I do not [Page 131]say tis in you to seeke after God, after Christ and grace? do not thinke to put off God so? the Sun will not be darkned, he that is light it selfe will not, Eze. 2 33.11. cannot be blinded: he that is a most glorious Soveraigne will not be bafled he cryes to you, 1 Sam. 24.25.26.27. why will ye dy? why do not you answer him, and say, Lord give us to live, why do not you melt in your hearts, and with teares say, is this thy voice O our Father? what hast thou so much mercy, such multitudes of bowels? dost thou cry after us why will ye dy, when we chose such a death our selves? oh thou hast rewarded us good, whereas we have rewarded thee evill: thou hast shewed us this day, in, this voice of mercy, in these thoughts of mercy, how well thou dealest with all thine, and willest to save those, who have kild themselves: can God say more, then to cry returne, re­turne, my thoughts are towards [Page 132]you; come to me, my mercies shall be all yours, ah poore soules you have destroyed your selves, yet there is helpe in me for destroyed creatures; you have kild your selves, yet there is life in me for dead creatures; you have damned your selves yet there is salvation in me, for such damned creatures as you are; you have sinned, and so have infinitly displeased me yet there is mer­cy enough in me to reconcile you to me, say you bring sin, yet I can take it away; say you mul­tiply sin, yet I can tell how to multiply pardon, and so to for­give you all, Isa 55.7. as well as some, is not this Gods voice? does not God say thus much in effect by this gracious voice, if I did in­tend that sin should still part be­twixt you and me, why do I call upon you, why do I proclaime this great mercy to you? my heart (sais Christ) cannot rest, till those I dyed for, enjoy the fruit of my death: my love (saye [...] [Page 133]Father) will not keep in to­wards those I have purposed love unto: they shall have it (sayes God) I will be their God, I will be their portion, I will become their saviour. Oh that sinners had eares to heare his voice! Oh that they had such hearts in them that would beleeve! that would make them restles under all their false gods, and fly to the true.

2. This truth calls upon un­beleevers to come off from glo­rying over the people of God, when they are brought into a low condition by tyranny, op­pression, or any sad hand of re­buke from God: it is usuall with the world, then to trample upon the servants of Christ when they be afflicted ones: they will persecute where God smites, they will grieve those whom God wounds: The Church (in Micah) was no sooner down, but the world was glad, there­fore she thus gives the enemy a faire warning, she thus puts in a [Page 134]prohibition, Rejoyce not over me, O mine enemy, Micah. 7.8. When I fall, I shall rise agine, when I sit in darknesse the Lord will bee a light unto me: Shee speaks of rising again on purpose to make her enemy to know, that he should fall, and never rise, which was not her case, nor never should; shee grants she sits in the darke, but denies that this will be her con­dition still, the Lord will be a light unto me: She grants the worst, and beleeves the best: Tis as much as if she should say, O mine enemie doe I fall, Oh what a fall wilt thou have then? Does judgement begin at me, what then will thy end bee? When I sit in the darke I have the Lord to be a light to me, but what Lord hast thou to bring thee into light? He that will raise me, will judge thee: he that will be a light to me for my comfort, will be a terror to thee for thy condemnation: Shee thus replies for herself against the ungodly, giving them to know of her rise and recovery, as well as [Page 135]fall; and cleerly intimating their fall without recovery, their darknesse without light, their judgement without mercy, which shall fall upon them, and grinde them to powder: take heed then yee Wicked ones, tell not the people of God, they be out-casts, who seeks after them, who cares for them? they be now downe, they shall never up more, now they be in miseries, there is an end of them, they shall never rise againe: What, cannot Gods Ionahs live under the waves, and in the Whales belly? What, must his Daniels needs be bro­ken in pieces because they be in the Lyons den? shall an Iron fur­nace in Egypt consume all the Israel of God? or shall an op­pressig Babylon still keepe them under hatches? What, is there no sun rising? there is no deliverance comming? Be there no thoughts of peace in the heart of the great God toward his? Yes, yes, yee fooles and blinde, why then do [Page 136]you thus push with your hornes? Why then do ye thus pride up your selves (like Moab) and exalt your selves against those whom God will exalt? Ier. 48.26, 27. you will have for your pride one day, di­vine justice will see you paid: hear what it is: make ye him drunken for he magnified him­selfe against the Lord, &c. For was not Israel a derision to thee? Was he found among theeves? thou didst use him as if hee had been so, (even the very est villaine upon earth) since thou spakest of him thou skippest for joy: Oh how glad was Moab that Israel was broken, Israels affliction, was her melody; But Moab shall be broken for it: the horne of Moab (where with he pusht the people of God so) is cut off, and his arme is broken, saith the Lord: ye spirituall Philistines, ye may sport your selves with the sorrowes of Gods deer ones, it may be your mirth cannot go well forward, 25. v. till a blinded, [Page 137]imprisoned Sampson is sent for in, but what will you gaine, unlesse it be ruine to your selves, the losse of your own soules, of your own lives, and all that is truly good.

3. This truth may serve to call them in from persecution, from pursuing their bloody thoughts aginst the Saints: why boastest thou thy selfe in mis­chiefe O mighty man (sayes David to bloody Doeg) the goodnes of God endureth conti­nually: Psal. 54.1 Doeg thought hee had done such a chare when hee had told Saul where Dauid was, Oh how he boasted! Oh how fast he went on in pursuing him in his mischievous waies! but David both heartens himself, & checks his enemy, with this, the good­nesse of God endureth continu­ally: do what thou canst, thou hast not, thou canst not part ei­ther God from his goodnesse, or his goodnesse from me, or from his people: this will en­dure, [Page 138]this will last, when thy arrowes be all spent, when thy breath is gone, when thy life is lost, and thou art drinking the very gall of thy most deserved portion: tis as much as if Da­vid should say to Doeg, O thou e­nemie how art thou besotted that thinkest thy waies will prosper: thy vaine heart perswades thee, & thus thou sayst in thy self, now I shall have my lust and my will, I shall get the upper hand: Now now I shall see David & his fel­lowe stumble shortly: now Saul will meet with him, and he shall never escape his hands yea but (saies David) the goodnesse of God endures: thou forgettest thy selfe Doeg: our God hath purposes of love, hee hath fruits of love: his goodnesse endures; in it selfe it is so constant, that it is unchangeable: it endures in regard of Gods owne people, tis made over to them, God himself hath made it sure to them, tis so his, that tis theirs too in way of title, and they may challenge [Page 139]challenge the fruits and manife­stations of it in Jesus Christ: do not thou think Doeg, that there is no more ado but kill and slay Saints at thy pleasure (what ever God hath permitted thee to do hitherto) the goodnesse of God endures, it is not as yet come to an end towards the Saints not never will: thou deceivest thy self, yet God is good to Israel; he is good to David, he is good to all Anointed ones: thus Da­vid cooles persecuting Doeg: and certainly, if those that are thus bad against God and his people, could, were able, or would see God thus good unchangeably in himself, relatively towards his people, they would have little heart to persecute: it is a fond conceipt of having the fill of their own desires upon the peo­ple of God, that flushes wicked men so, that puts such wicked motions in life against the Saints: it is a vain hope of successe that claps them on the back, and [Page 140]bids them go on, and be despe­rately resolute.

Secondly, let the Saints know, here is a glasse for them to see many precious duties in.

1 Ye that believe, ye that by faith are brought home to Jesus Christ, and have the blessed fruits of these thoughts of his love powred out upon you, fall a wondring, let it work you to admiration, and to blessed ac­knowledgements: such a view should you take of the sweet wayes of Gods love towards you: think not with your selves we have mercies, and there is an end: Saints must not make such sinfull stops: you must go abroad to see mercy, and neither house up, nor hood-wink your selves.

1 Does not God minde you when you are in your greate [...] straits, under the heaviest clouds. He hath an ear to hear your groa­ning, when oppression hath a [...] hand to make you groan: Isra [...] [Page 141]though dis-respected in Egypt, yet hath respect in heaven; when Saints have the harshest, vilest, bloudiest usage from a proud Pharaoh, they shall have tender mercy from their God: God that heard the voice of a perish­ing Ishmael, Gen. 21.17. the bond-womans sonne, will much more hear the voice of a living and a faith­full Isaac the sonne of the free-woman: when tyrants be tram­pling Saints under feet, and wri­ting their names in the dust, yet then are they graven upon the palmes of Gods hands, and their broken walles, their broken conditions, Isa 49.16. are continually be­fore him: there was never a time as long as time hath been; never a strait, as many as Saints have had, wherein God hath forgot­ten them: God ever yet walkt with his children, though in the fiery furnace: he will be where they be when they be where he would have them to be: he will be with his mercy and his grace, [Page 142]where they be in their sorrows, and in their troubles: God hath many thoughts, and all precious thoughts of love towards them, what, do you thinke that God minds not his Saints in England, that could not, that would not, that was not unmindfull of his Saints in Egypt? do you thinke, that these onely are forgotten, or in this age alone God puts his people out of his mind? or do you thinke that God minds not the degree of their sufferings, how far they be gone, how low they be brought, the depth of their miseries; or the height of their extremities, or the rage of their adversaries? or will God now content himselfe with an everly looke upon his peoples case, with a cast of an eye, with a glaunce onely towards them? no, no: he hath them alwaies in his heart, upon his breast, he hath them alwaies in his eye, he hath them alwaies graven upon his hand: behold and wonder at [Page 143]such love: and yet this is not all:

In the 2. place, he is a forecast­ing God for them, he purposes deliverances long before [even from all eternity] his thoughts be a contriving (as it were) the time, the best time: the way, the sweetest way: the end, the hap­pyest end: the mercy, the great­est mercy for his owne people to have: in this way he is now walking with his people in this land: his thoughts have been long at worke upon these things, and now is our God a bringing forth his owne purposes to light, a shewing his owne thoughts, now he is a telling his Saints in England that he is a God that can love, can contrive, can take care for his people, can tell how to send them good, to give them mercy, to worke for their liber­ties, for their peace: blesse our God ye Saints: cause the voice of his praise to be heard: pub­lish and say, Who may be com­pared [Page 144]to our God? he alone is excellent in his thoughts, in his purposes, in his bowels, in his workings: there is none marve­lous but him: there is none like unto him:

And therefore yet more in the third place; these thoughts of our God, are they no full of wonders? do they not deserve to be sought out of all his Saints: see into this love that passes knowledge, that is so above the reach of the minds eye; see into the length and depth of this mercy of our God, which is so unfadomable: these purposes, these thoughts, they are the blessed issues of Gods own heart towards his: they are those pure and living streams, sweetly and immediately flowing from the fountain of life it self: and how can mercy be deeper set, then in the very nature, in the very heart of God? and can these be any o­ther then mercies of a full length? how can they have lesse [Page 145]then an infinite, an eternall reach with them? are these like to end that had never any beginning in the thoughts of God? shall man give a measure, or time put a pe­riod to such a love? no, no: this mercy endures for ever and e­ver, and here is ground enough for Saints to praise; yea, to call upon others too, and say: O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever: yea to speak it over and over as David did: Psal. 136.1, 2, 3.26. verses. who plyes this thing so that he doubles and trebbles it, yea four times he makes mention of it in that one Psalm: oh this pleads strongly for thanks, it cries mightily for an high strain of praise: his mer­cy enduring for ever, the Lords eternity of mercy puts on Saints hearts, sets them upon this hea­venly tune; O give thanks unto the Lord.

In the 4. and last place see, is not our God waiting to be gra­cious? is he not watching over [Page 146]his people for good, even to be­stow good? Isa. 30.18. he will not let one season passe: every mercy he gives shall have his own time: SALOMON tels us, man knows not his time, and therefore it is so ill with him: but God per­fectly knows his time, and there­fore it shall be well for those that fear God: we thinke, O if we had Peace now! O if we had a Reformation now! O how seasonable would it be? O if God would now send fire from heaven and consume his enemies! O if he would now put in the sharp shekel of his justice and reap them down! how well would it be with us? But stay, be not too hasty: God knowes his time better then thou: wilt thou instruct God? art thou wiser then him? does not he know when to let out his love, when to bring forth his purpo­ses, his thoughts? may not God say to thee, hast thou known my minde? canst thou instruct me? [Page 147]I tell thee God will not stay one hour too long, or come one hour too soon with any mercy: Psal. 1 he will take his own (now) now will I arise (sayes God) when it may be the poor oppressed ones thought God exceeding long ere he arose, and were ready to say God hath forgotten us, and so to cast away their confidence: God hath his (now) hundreds of yeares somtimes, after the be­ginnings of waitings, expectati­ons and cryes of his owne peo­ple: Israel groanes in Egypt hun­dreds of yeares ere Gods (now) comes, and yet it was not too late; it was soon enough; it was the best season of all: never then begrudge God his owne time; admire him rather for his own unfadomable depth of wisdome, that so cleerly shines forth in the very time hee chuses, to bring forth his owne thoughts of love in: be wise therefore ye Saints of the most high, blesse God a­bundantly in that he will go his [Page 148]owne way: in that he cannot, he will not learne any thing of any man: he would have men learne [...] all from him, and reason good: away then with those thoughts, now, it is too late: all is past re­covery: if God would have dis­patcht the work in such an year, in such a month, we might have been reformed; but now our case is desperate, now our strength is shut up and gone: and what then? Is not this the [...] time that the Lord sayes he will judge his people in, and repent himself for his servants: When he sees this that they have no [...] no hand, Deut. 32.36. no power, no strength left, but all is shut up and gone, when they are quite spent, and are (as it were) breathing ou [...] their last breath; Now (sayes God) it repents me for my ser­vants: I can forbear no longer: I cannot see them in all this mi­sery, and hold my peace: I can­not see them thus farre gone, an [...] with-hold my help: I cannot [Page 149]see them dying, and not revive them: I cannot see them lost, and not recover them: I cannot see them in the fire, and not pluck them out: God will never lose one of his own opportunities, wherein he may work for the glorifying of himselfe and the comfort of his: O that Saints would see who is their best friend! he that is your Father knowes not onely how, and why, to let blessings fall from him; but when too: Let him [...]ull the time, he will come when it is best: best, for his own glo­rious name: best for your own precious comforts.

Secondly, Saints, see your stay, your trust, your Rock, tis the Lord Iehovah in whose heart are these thoughts of loue towards his: he is the Rock, Deu. 32.4. his worke is perfect (sayes Moses) and what are his thoughts purposes, and decrees then? are no [...] these per­fect according to which the Lords worke is framed? when [Page 150]the Lord saves, he saves perfect­ly, he compleats his Salvation so, that he brings it up to a full worke: he leaves not his worke in the midst at the halfe: all his wayes are judgement, that is more then in judgement: they are judgement it self, they carry in them such a clear light, such excellency of order; such beauty and sutablenesse to the hand that workes them, there is such a ful­nesse of an infinite God upon them, Rev. 21.25. that (as it is said of the new Jerusalem) there is no night there: man when he workes his workes are imperfect like him­selfe, they fall from his hands halfe shaped or shapelesse: and no marvell, for his very thoughts as well as his life, are dying things: they can dy, they can perish, even under his hands ere he can finish and accomplsh them: Psa. 146.4 they breath out their last, and so not onely the worke un­derhand is left and fallen, but even forgotten too: mans very [Page 151]thoughts te [...]ding to it are all dea [...] and gone: there is no trust [...]herefore in man (sayes the Pro­ [...]he [...] because his breath goeth [...]orth, &c. his bodie dies, and [...]is thoughts dye too (he means [...]is thoughts of love, his advanc­ [...]ng & friend-pleasing thoughts, [...]nd contrivances) these perish there is not one of them to be [...]een: they are all winged by [...]eath, they are fled and gone: [...]ut, is it thus with our God? do [...]is thoughts perish? is all dasht [...]nd gone in a moment, what God hath been thinking to all [...]ternity? Man indeed in one day [...]y one stroke of death looses all [...]is contriving thoughts about [...]e world, that have been work­ [...]ng and plotting many yeeres before: but our God will ever [...]old up, & on his own thoughts: [...]hee will not lose one of these. Hee who will not lose one of [...]is owne Sheep, but mercy shall go for [...]b from his bowels to save him: will not lose one of his [Page 152]owne thoughts, but power shall go forth from himselfe to pro­claime them what they be: he [...] will never leave remembring [...] his till he hath fulfilld the good pleasure of his goodnesse to­wards them: till he hath brough [...] all his thoughts of mercy int [...] acts, and so made his worke per­fect: He is a Rocke indeed to bottome upon, whose worke i [...] thus perfect, whose wa [...]es ar [...] thus full of judgement: judge­ment is before him (sayes Eli [...] to Iob) therefore trust thou i [...] him: Iob 35.14 (as if he should have said) God knowes most perfectly what he does, in what way h [...] goes, how to quit a soule, or how to condemne it: there is n [...] blinding of God, no daubing up of his eyes, no darknesse to him but all is light before him: there­fore trust in him, refer thy self [...] to his mercy, let him honour that upon thee: Trust in him, he will do thee, no wrong, judgement i [...] before him: he is a God of truth [...] [Page 153]there is no iniquity in him. he [...] a God of mercy, there is no [...]ppression in any of his waies, [...]e is without iniquity, just and [...]ight is he: O the blessed, the [...]trong ingagements that lye up­ [...] beleevers to settle here! to [...]ttome and build upon this [...]ock, to get above themselves, [...]p to a God in Christ: Nay be­ [...]old yet more, if there is ground [...]ough of a (therefore trust in him) because judgement is be­fore him; what ground is this [...]en, and how much faith doth [...]his call for at our hands, in that mercy is before him; his thoughts of love are ever com­ming into his minde, and he is ever mindfull of his Covenant, that his Love and Grace hath made: He sayes to a poore be­leever, O what shall I doe unto thee? What shall I do for thee? What is thy desire, what is thy request; it shall be granted? what is thy need, it shall be suplied? Solomon tells us that the heart of [Page 154]an husband doth safely trust in [...] vertuous wife, Pro. 31.11.12, 26. for shee will d [...] him good and not evill and in her tongue is the law of kind­nesse: and is this enough for such a trust? O then! may we no [...] much more say, the heart of a be­leever may, must and doth trust safely in God thorow Christ [...] The heart of God is an heart o [...] kindnesse, as well as in his tongue is the law of kindnesse [...] What hath not God? What i [...] there not in God? to allure the soule to repose it selfe in him, to be his disciple, to lye in his bo­some, to leane upon his shoul­ders, to lye downe full of joy in his love? a poore soule that hath such an husband as Christ is, may well (shee hath ground enough) may without danger (there is safety enough) trust in him for all good, for all blessed dispensa­tions of his Grace and power to enhappy it: if the Husband may well trust, a vertuous wife with family affaieres, how much more [Page 155]may the beleeving soule trust Christ with all spirituall affaires: let that God, that Saviour, (will the beleeving soule say) be my trust, who purposes such love, such mercy to my soule in evill times; who is a Winters sun to my frozen heart, and a blessed springing shower to my chapt earth: I will trust him with my conscience: trust him with my family: trust him with my name: trust him with my estate: trust him with a Kingdome: trust him with glory, yea both mine and his own too: he will not faile me, that never failed any: he will not deceive me that cannot deceive one: hee hath thoughts of peace towards me in all my sufferings: he hath a gra­cious end for me out of all my sufferings: the Lord my God hath a fullnesse of good for mee, as well as I absolute need of his good: and he knowes his owne thoughts of love, better, infinite­ly better, then I the great want [Page 156]of his love: whither should my soule betake her selfe! but to this shelter: upon this ground I shall have firme footing: upon this Rocke I shall have good building: in this bosome I shall have glorious refreshings: under this shade I shall be received: by this hand I shall be delivered: O how excellent is that of David, who speakes experimentally too (for how did hee stand vnremo­ved against all Sauls, Psal 125.1. and Sata [...] batteries) they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever, a beleever i [...] not removed, nay cannot (and it is more) for Mount Zion can­not, and such a one is like this mount: those that beleeve they be like not the world (alas, that changes every moneth (with the moone) it hath many new faces, strange changes: 1 Iohn. 2.17. alas, that passes away) but like mount Zion: and what enemy so much as ever shooke this, much lesse removed [Page 157]it: beleevers they are like this [...]ount: they abide as long as the [...]ove of God himselfe abides, and [...]ey are as firme as the strength [...] this love can make them: [...]erefore tis that David puts a [...]etternesse upon this trusting in [...]e Lord, and tells us tis better [...]en trusting in men; yea then [...]o put confidence in Princes, Psal. 118.8. (a [...]ing so excellent, so precious, [...] practised in and by the word) [...]nd yet that is as high as our [...]ust can go, if it be placed in the world: what power is above [...]inces power, yea the conjoyn­ed power of all the Princes of [...]he world together? and yet all [...]his makes no rock at all: it is [...]ut as an heape of sand, there is [...]o building upon it in any case: trusting in God is better: it is a wise and a sure way whatever the cause bee: a man would thinke, if it were unsafe in any case, it were so in this: when a poore Soule walks in darknesse, and hath no light: is full of ter­rors, [Page 158]and hath no Comforter [...] is in great straits of of spirit, and hath no ease: is full of trouble [...] within, and hath no peace: thi [...] poore creature thinkes his case i [...] desperate, Isa 50.10. and that he is a lo [...] man: this is a strait: this is an [...] headlong condition indeed: ye [...] (sayes the Prophet) let that ma [...] trust in the name of the Lord: let that poore soule stay upon hi [...] God: as desperate as his case seemes to be; though in his own eye he is a damned man; though in the worlds eye, he is irrecove­rable; yet (sayes he) trusting i [...] the Lord, Staying upon his God will perfectly cure that man: he shall not miscarry in this case (as deadly, as it shewes to be) if h [...] can cast himselfe upon his God [...] his God hath thought of peace [...] promises of peace, a covenant [...] peace, blood of peace for him: God will raise up that soul; shin [...] into that soule: be a light to that soule: a Prince of peace, a father of mercy, and God of all com­forts [Page 159]to him, and whensoever God does this, hee does more, [...]en if hee should remove our word, our miseries, our troubles, [...]nd make all at peace in the Kingdome: O that God would [...]ay the hearts of Christi­ [...]ns here! Sol. Song. 2.14. O that they were how in the clefts of this Rocke (like Christs Dove) was there [...]ver a better time to rest in God [...]hen now? O let the name of [...]he Lord be precious to you! do not only try now, or taste what [...]one, how good God is; but be [...]onfident what hee will bee to you: can your case be worse then to be killed, yea that God him­self should doe it, an that in an­ger too (as one would thinke) yet Iob will trust in him: Iob. 13.15. hee cannot trust in a living God, that cannot trust in a killing God; Iob had so learned a God in Christ: and great cause he had, for where he loves, nothing can remove his Love: he will have thoughts of peace, and hee will [Page 160]have a desire to the worke of hi [...] hands, Iob 14.15 and who shall let him [...] the Enemie would, he shall not [...] What shall be able to separat [...] from this love, or so much as give a stop or check to the working of it.

Vse. 3 Thirdly, Saints, use your skill here are the wels of salvation draw out waters: here are the blessed breasts of Consolation [...] suck at them, draw hard, milke [...] out and be delighted with the abundance of Christs glorious mercyes, Isa. 12.3. God, even our God he hath mercifull purposes, he hath thoughts of peace towards you [...] beleevers, behold your Father clothed with his owne bowels, putting on his whole nature of love, conceiving for you, de­creeing for you, and reaching out mercy with both hands (as it were) to you: what must you do? lo here is for you: tis no time to sit still: you must be do­ing: your worke is before your eyes: draw out now, these water­pots [Page 161]be full to the bri, and full of excellent wine too: say what should hinder us, that we should not have the fruit of these mer­cifull thoughts of our God in these dayes? shall we starve when there is bread to be had? shall we have this rock before us, and not suck any honey out of it? when Ioab perceived that the heart of David was toward re­bellious and banished Absalom; marke, how he layes his trayne; how he plots, and projects to fetch out Davids heart, to bring it above ground, 2. Sam. 14 to make Da­vids soul (that longed to go forth to Absalom) to go forth indeed: he fetches a wise woman from Tekoa, and she must insinuate her selfe, and mask over the mat­ter with darke sayings, to get within David, and persawade him to fetch home his banished: and for this end, she hath her lesson from him; he puts words into her mouth, and all to fetch about the thing by such a forme [Page 162]of speech as was like to be most prevailing: beleevers see a pat­tern for your selves in this case: God he longs, and his Soule goes forth by longing, to his people, in their miseries, in their troubles, in their banishments, in this rageing time of the sword; his Soule is grieved for their af­fliction, Davids Ioabs, the Lords annointed are to take speciall notice of this: they are to send their Tekoas to their David, to use Gods owne instituted meanes, to draw out these bow­els of God, to make these thoughts visible, and to come abroad, did not once David long to fetch home his banished, and we not long to have these long­ings forth: let not God, let not Christ have cause to say (as he somtimes spake in the case of his sufferings) he looked, Isa. 62.5. and 64.7. and there was none to help; he wondred that there was none to uphold: what none to stir in such a case? what none to stir up himselfe to [Page 163]take hold of Christ? what none to draw out the love of God in Christ towards his people? what none to powre out their hearts, none to utter words before God, none to fetch this thing about, by the wisdome of the Spirit? where are our bowels of mercies which he (that hath put on such bowels himself towards us) cals us to put on? what shall we see a blessed treasury of divine love, and never go to the doore or use the key to open it? oh draw out Gods Soule, Christs heart unto thee! get out these purposes of love, that they may come abroad, that they may dwell in thy heart, and in the Saints more plenti­fully: O yet enough to make thy Soule an habitation for thee to dwell in! tis the surest, the glo­riousest habitation in the whole world! o if divine love, be a roof ouer thee, and a dwelling place for thee, who can enter in at these doores to harme thee? who can curse thee into wo, or thee [Page 164]from weale, from blessednesse? who can cast thee out of thy house, when thou dwellest in God? who can keepe thee from thy treasure of riches, Isa. 58.10 of honour, of Comfort and peace, when the purposes of thy God run for thy enjoyment of them all? some truths, and some necessities be­speaks us to draw out our souls towards others: this truth be­speaks our graces, our care, la­bour, endeavour, to draw out Gods heart to us: when we do the first we see and heare the needs of others; when we do the latter, then God will see and heare, and his thoughts will act forth to the greatest advantage for us: let beleevers therefore put forth themselves and their graces for this purpose to draw out more of God of Christ, they shall be satisfied, the purposes of Gods loue will come, and shine, and shine forth too: see then be­leevers your worke in a storme: what excellent handed creatures, [Page 165]how usefull in trying times you shoul be: how you should put on to worke to doe, that the thoughts of God towards you, may not only come to the birth, but may be borne, appeare, and come abroad: and the better to guide you, hearken to a few rules in this case which are the very high roade, the straite way to from out these thoughts of love draw our God.

First, longing soules after this mercifull appearing of God unto his, these will never miscarry: Psal. 107.9. Psal. 141.19. the Lord will satisfie the desire of e­very longing soule. God intends not that his Saints spirituall longings shall kill them: he in­tends satifaction, not confusion to them: he that gives these de­sires, will fulfill them: when the waies of a soule, is the way of Gods feare, that way cannot do lesse then prosper, where God is Alpha, he will be Omega: where he begins, he will end: where he workes to desire, there hee will [Page 166]satisfie to delight: 1 Chron. 11.17, 18. When David longed for water from the wel of Bethlehem, and said, Oh that one would give me to drinke of it! His friends would rather ven­ture their owne lives, then hee should not have his desire: they put their lives in jeopardie, they breake thorow the host of the Philistins, and fetch him water, not regarding their owne lives to supply him: Oh what will our God do, (may we well think to give) in the desires of his long­ing servants? surely he will break thorow all, to give them of the waters of the well of life: He will breake thorow the Host of their unworthinesse, through their enemies, through their lusts, through their unthankfulnesse, to fill them with good, to give them his refreshings: it is not a Philistine shall stand in his way of mercy to his people: nor yet whole hosts of them: Who art thou O great Mountaine saies God in this case, when he in­tends [Page 167]to reforme his people and to satifie them: in this case, Zech. 4.7. when any thing comes in the way to withstand him, who art (sayes God) thou great Moun-great Mountain of unbeliefe, thou great Mountaine of pride, thou great Mountaine of impati­encie? before my people you shall become a plaine; you shall downe: you shall be subdued. I will fulfill the desires of my peo­ple: I will replenish every hun­gry soul: I will satiate every weary soule: this is my will, Ier. 31.25. and this shall be done: Belee­vers, long not so for peace, Psa. 101.2. as for the God of peace: say with ho­ly David: Oh, when will hee come unto us? Oh when will his thoughts of mercy bee brought forth? you may have peace with a Plague: plenty with a Plague; you may have outward mercies sauced (as the Israelites quailes were) with vengeance: but you cannot have your God with a plague: you [Page 168]cannot have his face shining with such darknesse clouding: one misery may sad, and ano­ther (it may be a farre worse) may begin, which may include in it a seven-times more, in respect of sorrow and burden: but if wee long for the ap­pearing of these mercifull thoughts of God, and they come; there will be no such after claps: no such degrees or successions of evill: but this will be a sight worth seeing: this will be good worth enjoying: this will be rich mercy where ever it comes. Oh let it never be said, if we had longed for the gracious com­mings of our God, they had been ours: our God would have come, and would not have kept silence: the Gospell would have come, and would not have been stopt: a Reformation would have come, and that a pure one too: Peace would have come, and a sweet one too: let not our God long to have us thus to [Page 169]long, and yet have cause to com­plain, and say, oh that mine had hearkened! oh that mine had longed. What shall wee not thus love when we may satisfie Gods desire by our longing, and enjoy all the good we can desire too? The hungry after Christ shall bee satisfied: he fils the hungry with good things (sayes Mary) they shall have enough, Luk. 1.53 for they shall be filled, and that not with winde neither but but with good things: she speaks this by blessed experience too: God had filled her hungry soul with infinite good: insomuch that she proclaimes for joy, the usuall and most gracious dealing of God with all that be his; and tels us God fils them with good that be hungry: and what do these hunger after? Surely for the comming of Christ: their desires cried: oh when shall our Saviour come? when shall he be born? when shall we see the consolation of Israel? And did [Page 170]these long in vaine? did they hunger without filling? were they empty without satis­faction? No, no, he that sends the rich empty away, will not send the poor in spirit empty a­way: such as are full in them­selves, such as have no such hun­gring in them, they shall not be filled with Messes from the Lords own Table, they shall be turned off with a (go to the Gods whom ye have served) let them fill you, that have had you: you like none of my dainties, and you shall taste none of my supper: but to the hungry (sayes God) come ye shall finde food: come ye shall finde rest: you shall have your laps full, your bellies full, your souls full, from the fulnesse of Jesus Christ: Christ loves to powre his water upon dry ground, to sowe his seed upon good ground, to come where he is wisht for, where hee is ear­nestly desired; when the souls cry is, oh when will Christ [Page 171]come? he will quickly answer him and say, so I come: Isa. 58.9. behold here am I: poor soules you shall have what you long for, what you are so earnest for at my hands: O thou longing soul, be it unto thee according to thy longing: this thou wouldest have, this thou shalt have, even my salvation: it is none of Gods wayes to send empty soules, em­pty away, either from his pre­sence, from his hand, or from his dores: their longings be his, therefore his satisfying mercies shall be theirs: Gods promise to such a soul is, open thy mouth full wide, and I will fill it: let it be never so wide opened, God knowes what he can do: it is not out of his teach: it is in his power: it is his will: it is his love: it is his minde to fulfill such a soul.

Secondly, ye that would draw waters out of these wels of sal­vation, ye that would have these mercifull meanings of our [Page 172]God for your selves and his, look to it that you strongly expect the appearance of these thoughts of his love: oh let your expecta­tions be true, earnest, large: the Messias, the Lords Christ, was long expected ere he was exhi­bited: and more mighty then ordinary were the expectations of the faithfull, when the time drew nigh: their hearts were much more carried out after the consolation of Israel: Lu. 2.25. Simeons heart was not onely hot in devo­tion, but in expectation too: and there were so many that looked for redemption of Jeru­salem in Israel, that they made up (an all them) for Anna the Prophetesse spake of Christ (when he was brought to be presented to the Lord in the Temple) to all them that looked for redemption in Israel: Christ he was the desire of all nations, Hag. 2.7. Zach. 9.1. as well as the Saviour of all that did so desire him: the eyes of all the true Israelites [Page 173]were waiting eys this way: they their eys were toward the Lord: and it was to behold their King comming unto them: and it was not long after that God said to the daughter of Zion, behold thy King commeth: within the com­passe of 8. verses God gives him in to her; so successefull, so pro­sperous doth this way prove to the Saints of God: when does God in the way of his ordinary providence give unto his crea­tures? when doth he open his hand to them for their satisfac­tion, but even then, when the eyes of all things wait upon him? Psal. 145.15, 16. and 40.1. when had Daivd his God so inclined to him, as to heare his cry, but when he waited pa­tiently for the Lord? when Da­vids soule was so strongly set up­on the gracions answer that he should have from God, that he can wait in waiting, dwell upon the duty, double his patience, and never look off from the God he cried to, he shall quickly [Page 174]have the deliverance he cried for & be brought sweetly out of the miery clay, his feet shall be set upon a rock, and his goings or­dered: as he was ever looking towards the Lord, to give him the thing he wanted: to deliver him from the thing he felt or feared; so his God came accor­dingly: our God not onely to­wards his, purposes an end, but an expectation too (as it is in the Text) an end in respect of their miseries: an expectation in re­spect of faith and his promises: it is as much, as if God should say, I will then put an end to all the afflictions of my people: I will then give deliverances, peace, and all good, when my peoples expectations are strong for it: when they so expect, then I will do: when I give peace it shall be an expected peace: when I give good, it shall be an expe­cted good: when I give an end, it shall be an expected end: our God intends to have his mercy [Page 175]welcome when it comes; and therfore he will make the hearts of Believers work after it, look for it, settle upon it, ere it comes: our God intends to have his given, to be kept on foot, to have some springing of that he hath already sown, ere the remainder of mercy laid up in his promises shall come: he will see how his children will trade with that stock alroady given, ere he will trust them with more: he that knowes when is his season to give out his mercy, will never bestow it, till he can say, now it is seasonable: now is the right time: now behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come un­to me, &c. come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pha­raoh, Exod. 3.9.10. that thou mayest bring forth my people out of Egypt: See God hath his now, ere the cry of the Israelites comes to him: his now, ere he hears their cry: his now, ere he comes down to deliver: his now, ere [Page 176]he sends Moses to Pharoah upon this errand of deliverance: and this his now was not, till they had been under the Egyptian slavery many years: till all their male children had the black doom of death upon them: till their sighes and groanes broke forth into cries, and their cryes came up to God, which did ther­fore ascend so high, because they were mixt with so much faith & expectation, which spake thus much in Gods eares, that surely he that dwels in heaven, and was their God, would see their op­pressions with a pitying eye, would hear their groanes with a mercifull heart, and come down with his love, and with his pow­er, for to deliver them.

Thirdly, Christians live by faith: put forth, and that to the life, this living grace: take need of despising promises, of stagge­ring at, or of being beaten back from these sweet words and pre­cious things of God, made and [Page 177]ratified, given and performed to us in JESUS CHRIST: hath our GOD said it, and will he not do it? hath he spo­ken any thing that he will let fall, and not bring to passe? What, are Iehovahs words but as winde? see to it that nothing beat you off from beleeving in Gods purposes, in his thoughts, so sweetly revealed in his promi­ses for you, and to you: if you will have God, (Now) come for deliverance, for Salvation, let God have his (Now) for beleeving: our Gods voyce is (Now) if ye can beleeve; (Now) if ye can­rest upon me; Heb. 3.7. To day if ye heare my voice of mercy, ye shall enter in­to my rest: the Israelites were brought into Canaan by faith, and unbeliefe shut the doore against thousands of them, that they could never enter in: if we stand and say, Heb. 19. v. there be Gyants in the way to our peace: there be sons of Anack: there be walls: there be Wars: there bee Ene­mies [Page 178]open and secret, betwixt us and our good: us and our Gospel: us and our peace: if wee suffer our selves to backslide from Christ (the Captaine of our Sal­vation) to fly off from promises, to sinke with discouragements, and to cry out in the midst we are all undone: we are past cure: we can never be reformed: We can never have a right, a blessed peace: what is this, but to say, with the unbeleeving Israelites, we shall never bee able to over­come the Gyants, to climbe up the walls, to possesse Canaan, and some indeed to shut the door of hope against our selves, turne the fruitfull Valley of Achor (which the Lord would give us into the stony and barren wildernesse of of our own unbeleefe? What is this but to stop up all, that might never enter in nor enjoy what God purposes for, and pro­mises to these that doe beleeve? Christians, if we can beleeve, we may conclude all things are pos­sible; [Page 179]let us not clip our owne wings, our wings of Faith espe­cially, Isa. 40.41. how shall we fly then? How shall we mount up as Ea­gles then, far above all below things, to Jesus Christ? How shall we be setled then, nay how shall we chuse but hover & flutter up and down, upon the earth of our own hearts, and of the times? Christians, see to it, unbeliefe is a bloody thing: it knits more, it kills worse then any sword: un­beliefe is the greatest plunderer: it takes a way all: it leaves no­thing, no not a promise of mercy, nor a God that promises it: do you not thinke the sword kills enough? do you not thinke the enemies of Christ plunder enough waste enough? Oh be not self de­stoyers by selfe-unbelieefe! Our greatest danger lyes here: if ever we miscary; if ever we be shut out of Canaan; if ever we be cut off and perish; the enemie and ad­versarie is this Wicked Haman: this accursed unbeliefe: it sels us and all we have, first over to [Page 180]sin, and then to misery: it makes a forfeiture of all we have into the hands justice, yee and keeps off all good that is comming into our hands: Oh beleeve and and we shall prosper! beleeve, and the streame will bee turned: God will bee found: Israel will be saved: the Canaanites will be bread for us, & God himself will be a portion for us: we are now like to gaine much, or lose much: if faith turne the Scales wee are made; if unbeliefe turne the Scales, we are destroyed. Our God is now laying a foundation for many generations, a founda­tion of such good, that not only his servants in this present age, but the children that are yet unborne might blesse him for these beginnings of such love, for the first stone laid in our daies: Oh! let not us remove such a foundation, let us not roll away this stone with the accur­sed hands of unbeleefe: What, shall we cloud the Sun from our selves, that it may not shine up­on [Page 181]us? Shall wee blast the blos­somes and buds of mercy by the East-winde of our unbeleefe? shall we blow away the sweet showers of blessing, with the rough winde of our own lusts? God forbid: beleevers this is all the burden the Spirit of God puts upon you: that which ye have (who have Christ, graces, light promises) hold fast till Christ comes: the zeale you have for the Lord God of Hosts, for Christ the Captain of Salvation and the King of Saints, against Rome, against sin, against the times, hold fast, the faith and confidence you have in Christ, in his promises, hold fast: the ti­tle you have to Christ to all good in him, hold fast: leave not a promise, no not the least title in a promise of a thousand worlds: deale with these (as Iob resolved and did with his integrity) hold them fast till ye dye: let no enemie remove you from these; hold these, when ye cannot hold your estates: when [Page 182]you must leave creatures, resolve upon it to keep these: let not fears affright thee, or allurements en­tice thee to withdraw thy selfe, and to returne from following after these: but say to promises (yea to Christ, who speaks in, and by them, to thee) as Ruth said to Naomi: Ruth. 1.16 where thou goest I will goe: and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: I will be where Christ is: I will live, where Christ lives: I will walke where he walkes: I will dwell were he dwels: No­thing shall perswade mee to re­turne from following after thee: from resting upon thy word: I wil not live in the hopes of men: I will not live in the successe of our Armies: I will not live in the overthrow of the Enemies: these things may alter, and the scales may soon turne: but I will live in the love, and in the light of my God: this turnes not: this is unchangeable: Oh! who but he is blessed, who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord [Page 183]is? Oh beleevers! Would you be planted by the waters of mer­cy? would you prosper? Would you spread out your viols by the River of his love? would you be still greene, would you be fruitfull, and not cease bearing? would you looke well, & thrive in these yeers of drought? Ier. 17.7, 8. Why trust in Iehovah: he can and will do all this, yea all things for you: well might the Apostle say, Heb. 10.38. the just shall live by faith: and put a (Now) to it too: for it was in such a (Now) in such a time wherein reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions were so rife, so hot against the Saints: Twas in such a (Now) wherein the saints were spoiled of their goods: twas in such a (now) wherein they were in a very fiery tryall, and endured a great fight of afflicti­ons, and wherein in all points (the Apostle saw) they had more then ordinary need of patience: Now (sayes hee) when even all things are at such a sad point, thus [Page 184]desperate: Now, when the world is thus mad, thus up in armes against the people of God: Now live by faith, this can live, and never better then now: Now this grace drives an excellent trade: now it hath a time of it: faith is up when other things be downe: it lifts up the head, is greene and flourishes even in the dead of Winter: Beleevers see to it; as you have need of patience to bear your burdens; so you have need of faith to fetch off your burdens: beleeve, and you shall see sun-shine thorow the clouds: liberties, thorow trou­bles: light thorow darknesse: peace, thorow war: the Gospel, thorow Rome: unitie thorow divisions: amity, thorow envie: and an happie reformation, tho­row an unhappie confusion; if your faith fail not, God will be with you, he will not faile: bles­sings will come, they will not faile: Curses will bee removed, they shall not stay.

Fourtly, and lastly you must wrestle, and with a prevailing wrestling too, ere these thoughts of good of peace be like to come forth to you: God purposed to deliver Iacob from his brother Esau that hee should smile upon upon him, rather then rage, Gen. 32.9, &c. Hos. 12.4. and smite the mother with the chil­dren; but Iacob must pray, and with God for it first: hee must weep and make supplication; he pleads the Covenant God made with his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and say the God of my fa­ther Abraham, & the God of my father Isaac: he pleads the Com­mission he had from God to re­turne to his Countrey, and to his kindred; he pleads that God had said, if hee did returne he would deale well with him; yea more, thon saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the Sea, which cannot be numbred for multitude; and now my brother Esau is com­ming, and I feare him least he [Page 186]will come and smite me, and the Mother with the children; 12. v. Ia­cob by his faith pitching upon the word of Gods promise wre­stles hard for deliverance: and ere he hath done, he hath a new name given him, and that so sig­nificant as tells him, that as a Prince he hath power with God and with men and hath prevail­ed: and upon this as God gives, Iacob a new name, 28. v. so Iacob gives the place a new name, and calls it it Peniel (the very face of God) for (saies he) I have seen God face to face, 30. v. and my life is prefer­ved: Now Iacoh hath such an an­swer; that he can say, he hath seen God: as well as that he hath sought God: and that his life is preserved though he hath so seen GOD, and that it shall bee preserved when ever he sees his brother Esau: From the sight of his God he saw preservation, and did absolutely conclude upon a sweet deliverance from his bro­thers rage: Gen. 33.4. Therefore when Esau mets Iacob in such a way of love, when hee runs to meet him: [Page 187]when hee embraces him; falls on his necke and kisses him: 10. v. Oh (saies JACOB) I bave seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God; and thou wast pleased with me: (as if he should say) I read thus much concerning thy kindnesse to me, when I saw my God face to face: and now in this thy brotherly carriage I am put in minde of the fountaine and bottome of it: tis not thy na­ture brother Esau: tis the face of my God towards mee: I have prevailed with God: and he hath prevailed over thee: thy countenance was clouded, and thy heart enraged: but the face of my God shining upon mee hath changed the fiercenesse of thy countenace against mee: and turned it so, as thou art pleased with mee; Beleevers know if ye can and doe wrestle as Iacob, you shall prevaile as hee: this you shall bee sure of, to see Esaues, as if ye had seen the face of GOD: this you shall bee sure of, to see [Page 188]the face of God in the sword, in the war: in all the troubles that befall us, and this will sweeten all, and give you to see your selves, as more then conquerors, thorough him that loves you. Daniel sets his face to the Lord God, Dan. 9.3. to seek by prayer and sup­plication, to have these thoughts of God, of good, drawn out to the poor captivated Jewes: he goes to it with fasting and sack­cloth and ashes, to get off the de­solations of Jerusalem. Believers, know not God will be sought to, enquired, and looked after: if you expect an expected end; know also the Lord expects the meanes tending thereunto: what, have you no teares, no groanes, no prayers to present the Lord withall? Have you no fire upon the Altars of your hearts for Christ, Rev. 8.5. and against sin? how should Christ come then, and fill his censer, and cast it into the earth, and so cause voices, and thundrings, and lightnings, and [Page 189]an earthquake, that may shake, remove and destroy all his Ene­mies? Stand, ye Saints, Jer 6.16. and see, and ask, which is the good old way, and walk therein, and yee shall finde rest for your souls: this hath been that good, that old way of drawing out purpo­ses of love towards his people: believers, know, ye must thresh ere the end and expectation will come: Mic. 4.13. the daughter of Zion must not now be delicate: shee must plow, and sow, and breake the clods, and expect with patience the former and the latter rain, and gather in her crop, & thresh too when shee hath done: and all this too, ere the end and ex­pectation can, or will come: ye must wrestle, ye must strive, it will not be else: oh be content, to be in many labours; in many agonyes, to travail with Zion: be content to endure hardnesse: much more to be oft with God: to be earnest with him: he hath bowels to pity: he hath an eye [Page 190]to see: he hath an hand to help: and therefore will have an ear to heare: hath our God given into our hands the blessed key of his owne treasury of love, and will you hide it, or pack it up rather then open the doore with it? what shall God, the same God, (who by his grace and Spirit makes the prayers, and makes them so prevailing, and perfect­ly knowes that hidden strength of the prayers of faith) shall he come and tell us they prevaile, and prevaile much (and that in the lowest and saddest state of the Saints too) and shall we lay them aside? what, do we looke, that either a Gospel reformati­on, or a mercifull peace should be so given to us, as to be put into our mouthes, whilst we are prayerlesse, sleeping, slothfull? have we wrestled against God, like froward ones, and shall we not wrestle with God, like be­lievers? have we given our hearts, our hands, our help, to [Page 191]make a land naked and waste, Col 3.12. and shall we looke after no co­vering, no clothing, no mercy for it? oh, put on bowels of mer­cy, and as the Elect of God too: naturall compassions, or some piece of Spirituall mercyes let not them serve your turne; but put on bowels in a way of love and tendernesse; as you have put on Christ in a way of faith: Phil. 2.1. if there be any consolation (yea salvation which is the cause of it) in Christ; if there be any comfort in love; if there be any fellowship of the spirit; if there be any bowels and mercies; ful­fill the joy of Gods people: an­swer their expectations: set in to GOD for them: (yea for your selves) in these needfull times: On let not a Land sink, becasue you will not pray: because your hearts sink from God! Oh let not A­malek prevail, because you will not hold up your hand! Oh let not the Goliahs still boast, dare, [Page 192]and defie, because there be no Davids to go forth against them! Why may not the prayers of Faith save a sick Land, a dying, a bleeding Kingdome, from the hurtfull sword? Why may not God accept of teares in Christ, the powrings out of the soul in him? Job. 22.30. Why may not the inno­cent (so are beleevers lookt upon in Christ) deliver the Island? Who knowes what a spirit of grace, and supplication can do, may do? He is faithfull that hath promised, he will do what ever he hath said: the Lord make his people earnest in pleading, and faithfull in applying his promi­ses, faithfull in suing to his throne by instant and incessant prayers: in working up and winding up their hearts to a strong, a patient, a joyfull depen­dance on him; and then if we perish we perish; we may then lose all lose-able things with comfort: and finde all saving and eternall things in God: oh thou [Page 193]beleeving soul, do but thinke what solid consolation thou shalt reapt; when thou canst call the salvation of God (Naphtali) my wrastling: when the soul can call the downfall of Idolatry; my wrastling: a right Reformation; my wrastling: an happy execu­tion; my wrastling: a putting up of the sword, and the com­mings in of a sweet peace; my wrastling: and can say concern­ing Gods deliverances, his salva­tions (as Rachel said sometimes in another case) with great wrast­lings have I wrastled with my God, and I have prevailed: for this, and for that, and the other mercy I prayed: 1 Sam. 1.20. and the Lord hath given me my petitions which I asked of him. Oh it will exceedingly rejoyce the heart of a Believer! to see all his mercies: and all the faithfull ones mereies too, to be as (so many Samuels) so many things asked of God; as well as given of him: Christi­ans let me bespeak you with the [Page 194]words of the Prophet, Isa 62.6, 7. and lay it close with the Lords own charge upon you. Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish (for that our God will do) and till he make Ierusalem a praise (though now it is made a prey) in the whole earth: You are not to keep silence now: you are not to sit still, sullen, cast down, or disquieted: you are not now to faint, but to bestir your selves, to work that God may work: you cannot build Jerusalem, or establish it when it is built, or make it famous, make a praise whilst it stands: it is not in your power; but you know a God that can: you love a God that can: up to him then: wrastle, strive to enter into his bowels of love; get but him to work: get but his right hand to save: get but the arm of his strength, of his salvation to be made bare for us, and we shall be saved: Zion shall be comforted, and all [Page 195]her Enemies troden down as the mire of the street.

Vse 4 In the last place, this truth shines bright, and reaches farre in way of consolation and divine encouragement for and to the Saints: it comes full of sweet joy and spirituall solace to the hearts of Believers, in these trying and troublous times: it answers ma­ny a sighing groaning burthened Saint (as the Lord answered the Angel (that is Christ) that talked with Zechariah) with good words and comfortable words: Zech. 1.13 we now have our eares fild with sad complaints: and how usual­ly and freely, do men take on for their losses? Thus it is with me (sayes one) and thus it is with me (sayes another) call not me (Naomi) call not me pleasant, but call me Mara; for the Al­mighty hath dealt very bitterly with me: I was full, Ruth 1.20 but now I am empty: I was worth so much within these few dayes, but now I have lost all; oh the Lord hath [Page 196]testified against me! oh the Al­mighty hath afflicted me! well grant all this, let there be even flouds of misery abroad; say, mans day of darknesse is begun; what then, is there no hope, no Saviour? Psal. 39.7. may not the Saints turn themselves towards God, and say Lord our hope is even in thee? what do we wait for? what is all our hope, besides this hope? states, names, friends, an arm of flesh, carnal contrivances, world­ly dependencies, are they not all Spiders webs? are they not sud­denly and easily swept down? Truly our hope is in thee: in thy love: in thy fulnesse: in thy thoughts: in thy blessed purpo­ses: here we can read peace in trouble: good, in evill, both things, and times: light in dark­nesse: comfort in sorrowes: Oh let us rejoyce in these thoughts of our God: rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous: and well they may, is there not cause? look not upon God through the false glasse of [Page 197]the times: look not upon this Sun, as in an Eclipse: he is ri­ [...]ing, he is shining: he is warm­ing those souls he looks and darts upon: who can make void, who can empty out Gods purposes of [...]ove: who can turn the course of the stream of his mercy? who can hinder God in the bringing forth of his own thoughts in his own time? who can make God either ignorant of what he knowes, or forgetfull of what he still remembers? he that knowes the thoughts of peace he hath to­wards his people: knowes also his people (all his sheep) for whom he hath these thoughts of his peace: rejoyce in it ye Saints! it is a portion, a glorious and full one too; a portion peculiar to your selves; there is not one shall share with you, but he that is like you; a childe of this fa­ther as well as your selves: Re­joyce in it, ye Saints, it is as cer­tain as God is; he hath as cer­tainly such thoughts towards [Page 198]you, as he is love and hath the nature of a God in himself. Re­joyce ye righteous; ye know not how soon these thoughts of peace may appear above ground; they have been sown long; yea and they will never dye under the clod; they have been in the breast of God from all eternity; Here is light sowen for the righ­teous, and do they not begin to peep forth? do you see no blade, no signe of such mercifull thoughts abroad now? may we not track the footsteps of these thoughts all along; through a Parliament in their proceedings; through an Army, in their fight­ings; through Christ his Messen­gers and Members, in their Li­berties? Stand up then by faith; lift up your hearts in the midst of troubles; if wrath be begun, yet mercy is begun too; if wrath be gone forth, yet thoughts of peace are abroad too: do not say I am under temptations, I have lost my friends, and my meanes, [Page 199]have me excused, I cannot re­joyce:

Obj. Who will excuse thee?

Answ. I know none, but I know who will accuse thee, e­ven this truth will, if thou do not rejoyce.

Obj. Yea, but Rome hath such bloudy thoughts, her instruments are now abroad, and they are for warre, plundering, spoiling, and cruelty.

Answ. What then, look up to heaven, here be thoughts of mercy; here is a pitying Christ, whilest below here is a raging Antichrist: and although he may be permitted to make a sea of bloud in the earth; yet God hath a sea of mercy in heaven, to drown all the miseries and sins of his servants in.

Obj. Yea, but I do not know what I may suffer.

Answ. What, suppose the worst: can these part betwixt thy God and thee? canst thou suffer the losse of him, or of the [Page 200]thoughts of his mercy? no, no [...] who shall seperate, in this case [...] is the bold challenge of all be [...] lievers? Rom. 8.35 why then guird up th [...] loynes of thy mynd: there i [...] hope and help enough: thou an [...] more happy then the world ca [...] make thee: and thou shalt neve [...] be miserable, let the world d [...] what it can to make thee so [...] there is grace to be revealed and brought to every believer by the hand and at the comming of Je­sus Christ: 1 Pet. 1.13. this is enough to keepe you above water, what­ever your present condition be there be thoughts of peace, and of mercy, the Lord make thy heart close with himselfe; these will be brought out for the en­riching and thy comfort in this day, and thy day, of his re­demption. Suck in then thy own consolation thou believing soule, and rejoyce in the Lord, whilst thou art sad and troubled in a sinfull and perplexed King­dome: and say in the Spirit, [Page 201]well all this storm will be over the Saints shall triumph: Iesus Christ shall be on the throne: his enemies shall be disthroned and fall: for God hath thoughts of peace towards his people: he knowes them all, and will bring them out, for he waits to be gra­cious: in the fulnesse of time then there will be a fulnesse of mer­cy: and in the meane time here remaines a rest for the people of God to enter into: a blessed Sanctuary of mercifull thoughts in the bosome of our God, for the succour of faithfull ones: here take up thy rest, enter in, dwell, and delight for evermore.