^ i? • 1 J - ■ i «c £ ft' , «■«*• 13 * s * Cti *§> * 5 * £ S o J3 En CL ^ g o g £ ^ : ^'* «* M . o ,Q> M ^S « ~+j •5 -^ S . ■: ■+* ft o _CD 1 •%v* "o o U ^ % & tf>. « Sc IB nzio ■ LJZJFLUS REDIV1VVS: V OR, A DISCOVERY O F T II E Trials and^TRiuMPHs that accompany' the Work of GOD in and about his People ; Tending to dear up thofe Miffatfces men have about it. Being the Subject of feyeral SERMONS. By N. B L A K I V, Minifler of the GofpeL THE SECOND EDITION. J*hydead men Jhatl iive\ awake and Jing, ye thai dwell in duji, Ifa. xxvi. 19. By faith they received their dead raifed to life again | lieb, xi. 35. EDINBURGH: Printed by E, and J. ROB E R T S O N S« MDCCLX. The AUTHOR'S E P I S T L E TO THE JUDICIOUS READER,. Courteous Reader, IF, in the entry, I fhould accofl: thee witii empty compliments, and unneceflary a- pologies, thou mightft juflly fufpeci my ferioufnefs, and expeft nothing but the wind of vanity in the following difcourfes ; which would be things mod unluitable for a mourn- er in Zion, that would gladly, in the i/Tue, approve himfelf to thee a Benjamin, a fon or' confblation. Therefore, as 1 hope thy ib— briety will not permit thee to expect the politenefs of words ; fo I promife myfelf thy candid conftrucHon of this my bold enter- prife, to prelent thee with a light of a dying work in its grave clothes ; not with its attire on its head, not with its fhoes on its feet, (be- caufe dying) but in its filthy garments, Zachu iii. 4. among the pots, and as going down to the duft ; and therefore the more fubjeel to receive prejudice, while Ihnt out to travel through the valley of Baca, and the ragged rocks, before the ftones be gathered out, that offend the unwary and unarmed traveller. If I ihould tell thee that this work (as a 2 the iv The AUTHOR the author) is as one born out of time ; how contrary this way of edifying thee is to my genius; how much I dreaded any fuch thing, though I had been attended with the greateffc encouragements, which the prefent time doth not allow me; how much befide my intenti- on, when firft I had cccafion to. think on thefe things; and how many diftraftions I have had pulling me away from waiting on ray Matter, either when going to Jairus's houfe, to re- vive the child, or when going to Judea to raife Lazarus, or when difputing the cafe- with his unbelieving difciples, or when plead- ing with Jacob's God for his return to revive bis people : if, I fay, I fhould teil thee what of this kind I have met with to difcourage me, you would rather wonder that, with A- gar, I have not thrown away this child, than* cenfure me , for not having that dexterity in clothing it with- thefe comely ornaments that fuch as come on the fiage,. and have to- do with iuch a conceited and feverifh genera- tion, find neceffary. If thou judge me too myftical in my expofition on fome of thefe texts I treat upon, or that I (train the hifto* ry ; know that I have defence to fly to, both upon the account of the antient fathers para- phrafing on the hiftory of Lazarus, and upon the account of modern divines, that did go- before and prepared my way. For Augu- (line, in his 49th traft, on John xi. Matth. ix. and Luke yii. examining the caufe why Chrilt to the R E A D E R. y Chrifl: wept, cried out, and was troubled in Ipirit, before the raifing up of Lazarus, whereas he railed up others with greater fa- cility; he concludeth the myftery to have been, for that now Lazarus was dead four days, and alfo buried ; which fignifieth the four degrees of a (inner: the firft, in volun- tary delegation of fin ; the fecond, in con- fent; the third, in fulfilling by work; the fourth, in continuance or cuftom thereof j wherein, whofoever is once buried, faith this antient father, he is hardly railed to life again, without a great miracle of God, and many tears on his own part. Where you may fee he doth more than I do, in making ufc of this inftance, by perufing what I have faid, and comparing the fame with his paraphrafe on the text. If it be faid, that I refer it to the work of God in general, thou mayft anfwer thyfelf, by a fober making ufe of that phi- losophical maxim, Oucd ccnxenit unl tally com ven'tt omni tali. And if this rule be not tranf- grefied, then I hope thou wilt forbear to cen- fure, and look on thylelf as particularly con- cerned in this thing. I might inftance to you feveral modern divines that do (ay, by Laza- rus is holden forth the poor, low, and abjeft condition of the people of God. Thefehave pafled through thy hands without thy cen- lure, (for ought I know) ; and 1 ihall hope thou wilt not make a nevv law for condemn- ing of that in me, that hath been juitified and approved in others* But vi The A U T H O R But expe&ing the beft of thee, or (at Jeaft) being refblved to bear the worll thou canft fay of me, or of this enterprife (till God make thee of a better mind by reviving his work) ; I fliall make bold to give thee fome foretafte of the fubjeft matter of thefe following difcourfe?> . And, firft, Thou haft here prefented to thee a difcovery of the wonderful wifdom of God, in his providence about his friends; where you may fee a work happily begun, pitifully marred in the progrefs, and yet crowned with Ioving-kindnefs in the end ; and that not- withstanding of all the nnftakes of perfons* concerned about it, as you may clearly fee in your confidering what is faid as to Jairus's child. Secondly, You may fee the match- Iefs love of a Redeemer, that cannot forget a fick, dead, and {linking Lazarus, nor be ter- rified from going down to Judea to fee and raife him, notwithstanding of his difciples difputing to the contrary, and his own hazard - r together with what is commendable or dis- commendable in the faints carriage at fuch a time, and when called to fuch trials, and to wait on Chrift in the performance of fuch' a a very helpful companion to the Ibrrowful,-— till their ibrrow be turned into joy. The matter which it contains, and the method of handling the fame, will indeed be treated with ridicule or contempt -—by what is now the faihionable tafte, as if it were fome pitiful kind of jargon : but when the Lord' ihall arife to build Zion, to revive his work, — he will put to death, with de^- ferved ignominy, all thefe corruptions that now pafs for elegancies and refinements in matters of religion ; and then the good old way fhall be reftorcd to its due credit. In the mean time, " wifdom is juftified of her " children C r ' " children:" and it is prefumed, that both rhe matter and method of this book will fuf- ficiently approve themfelves to all fuch as are exercifed to godlinefs; yea that none fuch who fhall once read it, will think one reading of it enough. The fermons run much upon metaphors ; and thefe, it is hoped, will be found delight- fomly improved, without being over-ftrained; The whole is very pra&ical, coming clofe home to the ufe of the Lord's people, — for corre&ing their miftakes, diredting their ex- ^ercile, and comforting their hearts about all heavy cafes of his work in or about them. The whole is alfo very plain, of remarkable fimplicity, — fufficiently levelled to the ordi- nary capacity of Chriftians. And there is a- nother property, which very feldom meets with thefe juft now mentioned ; that fome- thing uncommon and unexpected runs thro' almoft every page of it, fb that the fe-* rious reader^ while he is profited, will, at the fame time, be pleafantly entertained : yea, there is fuch a peculiarity in the (train and compofition of thefe fermons, that he will find an engaging newnefs in them,- — after all that he may have formerly read or heard upon the lame fubjeft. , It was very rarely that any copies of this book were to be met with ; and I have long, wifhed to fee it re-printed, being forry that fo few were acquainted with it. I have the fiitisfa&ion to think, that my private recom- mendations mendations of it have had fqme-hand^ at leaft, in railing fuch demands for it at fome auftions where it lately occurred,— as have encouraged to fet about the prefent edition. And this open recommendation of it, to tji'c perufal of all thofe who are lamenting after the Lord, is freely made, without any fear of their cenfure, and without any regard to that of others, — by Their well-wiflier, Edin. April 30th, t 7 6 cu ADAM GIB. LAZ4RUS REDIVirUS, &c Mark v. 35. While he yet /pake, there came from the ruler of the Jynagogue's houfe certain ivhich faid, The child is dead, -why troublefl thou the Mafler any further ? THERE are three things that feem too won- derful for us ; the firft is, that a work fhould die in Chrift's hand, who is the 'prince of life, all whofe faints are lively, becaufe in his hand, Deut. xxxiii. 3. The fecond thing that feems too wonderful for -us is, that death that does fall on ChriiVs work, cannot, by its ftrong bonds, detain the work, when Ch'rift hath a mind to revive it : then the earth /hall no more cover his flain, his dead fhall live and muft arife; the faith of which makes his people fing in the dull. The third thing that feems too wonderful for us is, that all thefe deaths, by his appointment, haften towards the reviving of his people : when he kills, reviving is within two days march to his people, Hof. vi. 1, 2. " After two days he will revive us a- M gain, and we fhall live in his fight." All ihefe three you may fee in this inftance that my text pre- sents yon with. I (hall, before. I enter upon the words, premife . e three things. Firft, While it is going very with one patient under cure, it may be going fad with another. The poor woman being cured, fhe is dif miffed in peace; and while he it A fpelki *V the flate of it is not now lefs melancholy, though in a different form. It continues to be very much a dead and buried work ; even with a great- aggravation of guiltinefs and wo, as the lad cafe proceeds not from the violence of rulers, but from a grievous degeneracy of all ranks. And therefore the following fermons may be no lefs ufeful and favoury to the mourners in Zion now-tharv formerly ; as they lead to a kindly lamentati- on over the Lord v s dead work, to a proper exercife of faith concerning it, and to hope- ful views of its revival : the whole bearing a fweetand ready applicablenefs, not only to *he public woes of the church, but likewife to the private woes of every true Chriftian.< The church's night, the Christian's night, is a time, for weeping y and this book may be a very pleafant, a very helpful companion to the Ibrrowful, — till their lorrow be turned into joy. The matter which it contains, and the method of handling the fame, will indeed be treated with ridicule or contempt -—by what is now the fafhionable tafte, as if it were fome pitiful kind of jargon : but when the Lord fiiali arife to build Zion, to revive bis work, — he will put to death, with de~- ferved ignominy, all thefe corruptions that now pafs for elegancies and refinements in matters of religion ; and then the good old way fhall be reftored to its due credit. In the mean time, " wifdom is juftified of her " children.;" " children:" and it is prefumed, that botti the matter and method of this book will fuf- ficiently approve themfelves to all fuch as are exercifed to godlinefs; yea that none fuch who fiiall once read it, will think, one reading of it enough. The fermons run much upon metaphors ; and thefe, it is hoped, will be found delight- fomly improved, without being over-ftrained; The whole is very pra&ical, coming clofe home to the ufe of the Lord's people, — for corre&ing their miftakes, direfting their ex- ^ercife, and comforting their hearts about all heavy cafes of his work in or about them. The whole is alfo very plain, of remarkable fimplicity, — fufficiently levelled to the ordi- nary capacity of Chriftians. And there is a- nother property, which very feldom meets with thefe juft now mentioned ; that fome- thing uncommon and unexpe&ed runs thro' almoft every page of it, fb that the fe-* rious reader> while he is profited, will, at the fame time, be pleafantly entertained : yea, there is fuch a peculiarity in the ftrain and compofition of thefe fermons, that he will find an engaging newnefs in them, — after all that he may have formerly read or heard upon the fame fubjeft. ;, It was very rarely that any copies of this book were to be met with ; and I have long, wifhed to fee it re-printed, being forry that fo few were acquainted with it. I have the fatisfa&ion to think, that my private recom- mendations w mendations of it have had fome hand, at leaft, in raifing fuch demands for it at fome au&ions where it lately occurred,- -as have encouraged to fet about the prefent edition. And this open recommendation of it, to tHe perufal of all thofe who are lamenting after the Lord, is freely made, without any fear of their cenfure, and without any regard to that of others,-- by Their well-wiflier, Edln. April 30th, t 7 6 a. ADAM GIB. AZAKUS -REDiriVUS, 6-c Mark v. 35. ll'hile he yet /pake, there came from the ruler of the Jynagogue's houfe certain ivhich faid> The child is dead, why trouble/l thou the Mafter any further P THERE are three things that feem' too won- derful for us ; the firft is, that a work fhould die in ChrifVs hand, who is the prince of life, all whofe faints are lively, becaufe in his hand, Deut. xxxiii. 3. The fecond thing that feems too wonderful for -us is, that death that does Fall on ChriiVs work, cannot, by its flrong bonds, detaia the work, when Chrift hath a mind to revive it : then the earth fhall no more cover his flain, his dead fhall live and mull: arife; the faith of which makes his people fing in the dull. The third thing that feems too wonderful for us is, that all thefe deaths, by his appointment, haften towards the reviving of his people: when he kills, reviving is within two days march to his people, Hof. vi. 1, 2. " After two days he will revive us a- ; work, call the city a rebellious city, and fo obtain . an order raHNife them to defift from the work. This interruption was a darkening cloud that pafied over the concerns of God at that time. And what fhall I fpeak of Ch rift himfelf ? They highly efteem him, they wonder at what he does, they will make him ^jfeg ; and anon they crucify him. And as it fare^F with the green tree, fo it fares with the dry. As to his particular Work in fouls, how is it like the difciples going to fea ? It is very calm "he beginning, for our Lord will not \$t fome go to war in the firft^year of their marriage ; but. when they are going on, and making progrefs, the* winds rife, the fhip fills with feas, and then they expect nothing but death. And this note, That fuch as are brought in to him by his ftiB voice of the fpel, and are drawn to him by his cords of love^ do ufually meet with fome remarkable humbli difpenfation,- after that the wcrk is happil in them. In profecution of this point I fhall fpeak unto thefe three things. ift, I fhall fliew you what good be there may be at ^Xir at our firft .putting a woj A 3 zdly, ( 6 )• ■ 2dly, I mall fhew you that it may grow worfc with this work, after all thefe good beginnings; it may grow worfe than ever it was before : " the child " ia dead." 3dly, Why it is that our Lord orders his con- cerns thus, that after they have had a good begin- ning, yet they grow worfe, and die. For the ift of thefe, What is that good begin- ning that a work may have in a church or nation ? For anfwer unto this I fay, i. It is a good begin- ning when perfons concerned about this work bring the work to Chrift's door. It is faid they brought all their fick and difeafed unto Chrift : and truly the difeafe is more than half cured when it is laid at Chrift's feet ; " R.ife, take up thy bed, and walk," may be Chrift's next word to fuch a foul. It were good if fo it were with us; if we could truft him with his work in our fouls, he would direft our thoughts, and in due time he" would bring it to pafs. A fecond excellent thing that is a good begin- ning is this, When a foul, upon feeking in to Jefus the Lord, does find him; u he that finds me, finds " life, and obtains favour of the Lord." Jairus finds Chrift, when feeking him. It is that which galls a crofs, and breaks the heart, when the foul,, under the perfuafion that help only is to be had in him, cannot find him. Job xxiii. 3. " O that I knew •* where I might find him." verfes 3, 9. " Be- •' held I go forward, but he is not there; and " backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the " left hand where he doth work, but I cannot be- " hold him." So Song v. 6. " I fought him, but 4t I found him not; I called for him, but he made " me no anfwer." But O how fweet is it when ,the foul feeks him and finds him ! Luke iv. 42. and nrh< d it finds him, it will not let him go, till it bring ( 7 ) bring him into its mother's ho.ufe, Song Hi. 4. So Jairus here feeks him, and finds him. A third excellent beginning is this, When the foul is earneft in its addrefTes to him ; that is» much V in intreaties, as Jairus was here, verfe 23. and as ' that man, John iv. 47. He befought him to come down very earneftly, as you may fee, by doubling his requefl, verfe 49. Our Lord never opens the mouth to afk, and to afk earneftly, but he has an open heart to give in fupplies. As feeking is hope- ful in itfelf, fo, when attended with ardency and zeal, it is next neighbour to finding. When he is afked for of the houfe of Ifrael, then he accom- plices his promifes. A fourth excellent beginning that is here, and it is very hopeful, is this man's humility; it is faid, " He fell at his feet." Humility is the firft ftep to exaltation: humble yourfelves under the mighty hand of God, and he will exalt you in due time. There is a two-fold capacity in this excellent grace, in order to the obtaining of mercies: ift, It hides from ftorms, by keeping the Chriftian with a low fail : like the lower fhrubs, they don't meet with fuch a wind as the tall cedar. 2dly, It is that which has the promife : he faves all the meek of the earth, the meek he teaches his judgments, the meek he teaches his way ; "but pride goeth before deftruc- " tion." A fifth excellent beginning is this, There is faith y in the cafe : u If thou wilt but touch her, flie fhall " be made whole," fhe fhall live. It is fad that that faith that fhould be Srft at work in our employing of Chrifl comes laft ; we exercife not faith for ob- taining of ftrength to prevail with Chrift, when we are very ready, at leaft for the fafhion, to bring in faith in the clofe, to obtain the pardon of things both omitted, and committed againft the Lord. Note, Wherever faith begins, and puts work in Chrift's ( 8 ) Chrift -is hand, loving-kindnefs heals weakneffes, and crowns all with bleffednefs. A fixth excellent beginning that you have here is this, Chrift welcomes Jairus, and willingly and readily undertakes the work. None more welcome to Chrift than the man that comes to employ him about his work, and there is nothing he more wil- lingly undertakes than work that belongs to his of- fice as Mediator; and there is no fear when Chrift welcomes you, and undertakes all your works in you and for you: come to him at midnight, lie is the friend at midnight that w r ill open to you, and fupply your wants. A feventh excellent beginning here is this, That Chrift gives Jairus a promife that he will cure the child : not that the child (hall not grow worfe or die ; but that, die it or not, he will cure it. ChrifVs promifes always leave a latitude for his power and wifdom to carry out the accomplifhment thereof as . it feems moft conducing to his holy end and pur- • pofe. An eighth excellent beginning that is here is this, That Jefus Chrift prefently goes about it ;- he is on his way to Jairus's houfe. And truly it is a brave" beginning when Chrift is on his way to Jerufalem, and making hafte, fo that all the difciples are made to caft their garments, (Mat. xxi.) and ftrow them in the way before their triumphing King. Buyers and fellers may look for turned-over tables, and turning out at doors, when Chrift's hafte makes difciples caft their clothes. It is lovely to fee Chrift « foipping over the mountains like a hind and like -a roe. A ninth excellent beginning here is -this* He gives a frefh proof of his power and virtue in curing the ^X woman with her bloody iffue. This Jairus fees, for confirming of his faith. And truly it is a great ground of encouragement to thee, 'when thou fccil as ; ( 9 ) as bad, as fkk and as hopelefs fmners as thou art, cured by one touch of the hem of drift's garment, A tenth and laft- excellent beginning is this, That Jairus is kept at his duty till his mercy comes : he never parts with Chrift till he performed the pro- mife ; nor does he challenge him for preferring of others that accidentally met with him in the It is our fafety to adhere to our duty; and his people are tender and conscientious in doing their part, then Chrift (hall be found faithful in do- ing his in his time, Ifa. Ix. lair. - Thus much for the iffc thing propounded, which is the bleiTed beginning that Jairus met with when he came to Chrift about his daughter. I come to the 2d thing propounded to be fpo- ken to, viz. That notwithftanding of all thefe excellent beginnings, the child grows worfe, and dies. Where, 1. Take notice of this, that now Chrift feems to break this bruifed reed, by doubling his burden: before he was bowed down as low as he could itcop, even to Chrift's feet, under the weight of a Tick child ; now he has a hopelefs-iike burden of a dead child : " the child is dead." And truly fometkr.es our Lord, when he intends to take off thy prefent burden that tho:; doft ca.ft over on him, lays on thee another that is more prefling and finking, that he may have the more mer- cy on thee. 2. Now, it feems„ the poor man's expectation is frufirated; he expected news of a cure wrought by Chrift," but now, in the mi.dft of his expecta- tion, the child dies. And this is very fad, when the expectation of the poor fupplicant fails him; but it (hall not be for ever, if it be of God, that faves the upright in heart, and grounded on a pro- mife, as this is here. 3. Now it would feem that his great befeech- ing of Chrift is iu vain, as the people of the houfe judged. ( io ) judged. And 'tis a fad death to the people of God, when all their prayers feem to be flighted, and when providence gives a check to them all. What might fome now fay, but, as in the 22d pfalm, «' He trufted in God that he would deliver him; let " him do it now, feeing he delighted in him ?" De- lays are not denials: the child may die, and, to thy fenfe, all thy prayers may die with it ; but you fhall find your miftake in the clofe. 4. Upon the growing worfe of the work, and the' child's death, this; is very fad, that now Chrift is not fo good as his word; he promifed to cure the child, and now ftie is dead : what is now come of the promife i this providence feemeth to deftroy it. Note this, Many fad trials may fall out betwixt the giving of a promife and the performance thereof; Ifaac muft be facrificcd, before the feed of Abraham be as the fand of the fea-fhore for mul- titude. 5. There feems to be partiality arid unequal dealing in the cafe, in that one that is in no inch hazard, and picks him up by the way-fide, without intreaties, or any fuch wreftlings as he had about his daughter, fhould be cured inftantly, and in the mean time his daughter dies. Grace may aft in a way of fovereignty to fome, and yet in the ordinary way of duty to others ; they muft be firft whom he will have firft. Though Chrift cure one that makes not half of the buftling that thou makeft, nor is not, in fuch a dangerous cafe, yet thou muft not of- fend, but wait upon him, acknowledging this, that he may do with his own what he pleafeth, and im- proving his mercy to others, for ftrengthening thy faith about thy own crofs, and thy deliverance out of it. 6. That now there is no probable ground of a delivery; " the child is dead;" nothing now can be done, all probable ways difappear. This death ( « ) death hides the promife, hides Chrift, hides the duty, and hides the former gracious works that Chrift had done, and fills all the houfe with dark- nefs, crying and confufion ; only jairus himfelf, a perfon moft concerned, hath theleaft burden of his hopelefs cafe, becaufe in his duty, and with Chrift. And truly the more improbable things appear to be, we fhould adhere to Chrift the more, and hold our peace til' we hear what Chrift will fay, and fay the lame thing with him; he will work next. 7. This is very fad, that all the friends next to the work are under grievous miftakes, being thus clouded with this difpenfation ; they miftake even then when Chrift was neareft them, when their du- ty was mail: called for from their hand, and when the work was neareft the recovery. In violent fe- vers oft-times perfons rave moft when neareft to a cool ; fo is it often with the people of God, they fometimes never rave and fpeak more idly than when their mercy is within fight of them. I fhall name thefe few miftakes that thefe certain perfons were guilty of. ( 1.) They w T ere guilty of this miftake,in that they looked on all Jairus's prayers and faith that he had exercifed in employing of Chrift to be troublefome to Chrift ; " you have been troubling all this time," aa the words import: for why fhould they fay, " Trouble him no further," if they had not thought it. a trouble to Chrift to be employed as he was ? Truly we trouble him by flighting him, but never by praying to him, or believing in him. (2,) They miftake in this, in that they judge the cafe hopelefs and helplefs; "the child is dead :" there is no help, there is no hope, but dead it mult be ; there is no hoping againft hope here, this dif- -enfation makes them all to ftagger ; they confider he death that is on the child, but don't confider who ( H ) Tfho lias undertaken the cure, nor his promife a- bout it, and therefore they thus miftake and faint. (3,) A third miftake is this, that they judge that Chrifi can do nothing now, the child being dead : if there had been any life, he might have preferred it; but life being gone„ he cannot recal it. This feems to be their very fentiments upon the whole; and this is a very great miftake, for moft of our Lord's work is among the dead; he can as eafily revive them as he did create them, one word does both : oft-times he by death brings to life, by break- ing down builds up, and by wounding he cures; fo that it is neither in vain nor irrational, as this challenge imports, to employ Chrift about a dead caufe, a dead heart, or a dead child. The reviving of fuch God works oft-times with men. Thus much for the fecond thing propounded, viz. the growing worfe of the cafe and caufe now under- taken by our Lord. I come, in the 3d place, to the reafons why our Lord fuffers a death to fall on his own concerns, and things to grow worfe upon his undertaking of them, and that after fo good appearances at the be- ginning. The find reafon why our Lord fufFers things to die and grow worfe, and that after they have had an excellent beginning, is, that he may give them a proof of his wifdom and power, when all their wif- dom and power is gone, fo that they know not what to do, for lack of wifdom, and they cannot do what they know, for lack of power and ftrength. This Job acknowledges, Job xii. 13. " With him " is wifdom and ftrength, he hath counfel and un- " derfianding." Oft-times the people of God are difcouraged when they fee both wifdom and power upon the other fide ; yet our Lord, by fome fuch experience like this that is in my text, makes them fee that there is wifdom and power both on their ( i3 ) fide, Ifa. xxxi. 2. " Yet he alfo is wife, and will c< bring evil, he will rife againft the houfe of evil " doers;" he will (hew them that he is fo wife, that he knows how to advance his work by all the flops and deaths that it meets with, and how to enrich his people by impoveri (hing them, how to enlarge them by all their imprifonments,. and how to give them meat out of their eaters ;. and he will give them a proof of his power in fupporting t when their crofles are linking and difco 11 raging; yea, fometimes our Lord fmiles at t u .e trial oi the innocent when it is moft violent, becaufe thereby an occafion is offered him to make known his wif- dom and power in fupporting and delivering his people, and bringing them at laft to a wealthy place. This is the firft reafon. The fecond reafon of the point is this; when our Lord has happily begun his work in a nation, city, or particular foul, he fuffers it to grow worfe, . and to die in appearance, to check and reprove perfons that are employed and concerned' about that work. Now, there are thefe five things that need a rebuke in perfons concerned in Chrifr's un- dertakings. The ift is this; when his work pro- fpers, and when he grants his people abundance of encouragement, then his people begin to exalt themfelves; they forget the apoftle's exhortation, *' Be not high-minded, but fear;" and fo, exalt- ing themfelves in Baal, they die, this brings a death upon them, Hof. xiii. 1. It is a very omi- nous thing to the church of God when the daugh- ters of Jerufalem walk with out -ft retched neck, and play the wanton, till they provoke the Lord to kill them with thirft; * I will Hay her with f, 5^ M Abide in me." When we turn off from him, he turns out death, with a comrrriflion to feize on all our glory, as a fufHcient check to our unbelief than caufes us thus to depart from him. Sthly, He fuf- fers a death on his work to check the carnality and earthly-mindednefs that may be found among pro- feflbrs, which is the great eaufe of this untender walking and backfliding, that makes the name of God to be blafphemed among the heathen, Rom. ii. 24. Tit. ii. ; fo 2 Sam. xii. 14. Thou haft given occafion to the enemies of God to blafpheme, and to fay of the profeilbrs of this generation, Lo, fuch a people are become like unto us. Now, to vindicate his own name, thus reproached and blafphemed, he caufes a death to feize his work, and fo fanctifies his name in the fight of all the nations, that are aftonifhed at this, not knowing the thoughts of the Lord in all this. Thus much for the fecond reafon of the point. The third reafon is this, that by thefe deaths on his own work he may let them fee how much * 2 he ( i6 ) Jie is provoked, when, to correct: and chafHfe them, •he will give up his glory unto captivity. Let the child die, and foolifh men do what they can to diiiuade the honeit waiter on Chrift from having any more to do with him ; trouble him no more, for all is in vain. The fourth reafon is this \ thereby our Lord raifes the worth and efteem of his mercies in the hearts of his people, now he is gone. ", Did not *f our hearts burn within us while he talked with 44 us by the way?" They had but low thoughts ..of him while preient, but fo foon as he is gone they begin to exprefs their fenfe of the mercy they formerly enjoyed, but now are deprived of. We ufually never know the worth of a thing till it be dead, and then we would fcratch thptn out of the grave wherein they are buried, providing we might have them. again. The fifth reafon why our Lord is pleafed to per- mit a death to befal his undertaking is, to try his peoples refpect to their duty, and to try whether they will adhere to it even then when in the way of it they meet both with fad difpenfations and difappointments. You may hear this godly man's- praclice .f peaking thus ; when they tell him the child is dead, Well, fays he, be it fo, Chrift has- piomifed to cure him, he has admitted me to wait on him ; I have come thus far with him, and found a dead child, I will ftay with him till I 'find a li- ving ; for although -there be a dead child in the providence, yet there is a living child in the pro- mife ; I will hold that faf>, as it is my duty. I fay, it is promising then when a Chriftian r3 clofe and tender in his duty, and our Lord loves this very much. The fixth and tefl: reafon is, to. make us the more tender of thefe things when he revives them ag^.in. You fee, after they have made a good pro- grefs, ( 17 ) grefs, and Chriir hath given great ground of hope, death may overtake them; the child dies. It is a defireablepromife you have, Zeph. iii. 10. " They " fhall not glory any more, becaufe of the holy " mountain." We mult neither undervalue nor overvalue his external concerns; true tendernefs keeps off both extreams. And if, by undervaluing or overvaluing, you have provoked God to permit deadning difpenfations to befal the church of God, be fure now to be more tender in improving go- fpei ordinances and a gofpel-minillry than ever you have been. I come now to the ufe of this point. If it be fo that a work undertaken by Chrifr, countenanced and owned by him, may come under a death; then you need not think ftrange if any fuch thing hap- pen unto you in your progrefs to heaven : after you have been revived and enlightened/ and got the work in ChrifVs hand, there may a death pafs upon you. This is no ftrange tentation, but what* is common to men. Nov/ here I mall a little lay before you the hopefulnefs of your cafe, even then when it is helplefs as to you. As to the hopefulnefs of our condition, though it is worfe with us now than it hath been, confi- der, firft, That it is hopeful, tnough for the pre- fent helplefs, becaufe we have brought it unto him,- and put the work in his hand; nay more, he hath taken it out of all our hands, as he did in the cafe in my text. Did you not find, that when you committed your way to the Lord, that then he brought it to pafs ? Secondly, Was not this a hopeful beginning, to fee a people coming out of the fire, and from the plague, trembling and melted down at ChrifVs feet? Then you ipake trembling, and he exalted you, by feuding forth from thele flames the cool~ B 3 i»g ( 1« ) Ing waters of the fanctuary, that run plentifully towards you, when the gofpel had a free paflage, by the indulgence of the fupreme authority, for fever al years. Thirdly, There was this hopeful beginning, viz. a fpirit of grace and fupplication poured out upon minifters and profefTors, that made them befeech him greatly. Then every place you fought him in had this to teftify in your behalf, that you were there, and did greatly befeech him. O what a brave ground of confidence is this in your dealing with him, that fays, Afk what you will, and itihall be given to you. Fourthly, There was this hopeful beginning; that upon your feeking of him you did really find him. Sometimes, 'tis true, you have been put to a little more diligence and pains, before you found him : but is there none in all the church that can fay, I both fought, and found him not; and I -went a little further, and I found him whom my foul loves-? Believe me, it is-a. hopeful beginning ■ when you. find the. phyfician, and that giving you proofs both of his ability, and willingnds to do your buGnefs for you; Fifthly, There was this notable beginning,- when Chrift Jefus fweetly welcomed thee upon thy co- ining to him and finding- of him. Hath not Chrift Welcomed you by his great offers he hath made to you ? he ha3 offered you grace and glory at firft word ; and by his great promifes for the future, I will never, never.,, never leave you nor forfake you. Hath not he welcomed you,, when he hath fet you, down before him, and he hath flood, fo to fpeak, ferving you ? No fooner have you come in to the banquet of wine, but our Lord hath got up, and ferved you with the fined of the wheat; and with; Uoney from the rock, thy fill. And is not thjs.a; good ( '9 ) good beginning, and a door of hope for the tra- vellers to Zion ? Sixthy, Was not faith in exereife, that if he would come and touch the child, it fhould live? And truly it is an excellent beginning when faith hath the firft word, does the firft work, and turns back and tells the humble fupplicant that mercy (hall be built up for ever, Pfal. lxxxix. 4* " I had " fainted," or I had done worfe, " if I had not belie - " ved." It is well with the people of God, when they have faith to fet againft all the difficulties and discouragements that are in their way. Seventhly, and laftly, Is not this a comfortable beginning, that you have in fome meafure been kept at your duty, notwithftanding of all the grow- ing difficulties and difcouragements in your day ? ye have not wickedly departed from his command- ments, nor refufed the thing that pleafeth him, whether it be his pleafure that you fhould bear his crofs, or do him fuch and fo much fervice. Now all thefe, and many more, do witnefs how merci- fully our Lord begins with you again, after he had purged you by the peililence, fife and fword. But, What do I here > " the child is dead f it is worfe with us than it was before; the Matter hath been too long a-coming ; we mull not any more make mention of the Lord, or of the words of his holinefs; let all go, as Agar, to the wildernefe, with the fmall allowance allotted for them, an I let them die there. Why, what is the matter ? The child is dead, the work is dead, and all is dead with it. And here I would call you ferioudy to coniidcr the caufe of this, and mourn for it: before the Lord, in fo far as iuh a culpable caufe, and then adore it in fo far as fdvereigoty is to be 1 in it. Have minifters fallen dead? do they dag- ger and grope as at noon-dav ? are ordinances dead? ( *> ) dead ? and is the Comforter that relieves the foiK far away from them ? are providences, mercies, erodes, isc. all dead ? why, is there not a caufe ? And, lft, Are not all of us found out of the duft ? We have grown proud> and kicked at God's , ordinances and judgments; we have forgot that the root bears us, but not we it, and have faid,. " We are lords, we will come no more unto f* thee," Jer. ii. 31. Now when a people thus pro- vokes him, what can be done with them, but to bring them low by one fad death on them or ano- ther, that he may exalt them again in due time ? Let a people (hake ofF humility, they thereby break the precious box wherein all the reft of the graces are kept; break this, and fall proud, then inftant- ]y all the reft of your graces vanifh unto fmoke. Therefore my advice to you is that which you have Exod. xxxiii. 5. " Behold, I come up fuddenly «< and in a mordent, to confume you; therefore " put away your ornaments, that I may know what " to do unto you." No man can tell what can be done with a proud people, except k he to deftroy them ; yea more, they can defire nothing from God but what is deftruclive to them, either becaufe of the curfe, or becaufe of their abufe of the fame: therefore be not proud, left your bonds be made ftiong, left he cauft darknefs, and you ftumble upon the high mountains, when it is black dark- nefs, as the fhadowof death, Jer. xiii. 15, 16. 2dly, Is there not a dtath on that concernednefs of fpirit and ferioufnefs that was amongft the Lord's people at the beginning? where is that ear- neftnefs in your going about of duties ? who a- mongft us does greatly entreat our Lord to go down, and heal our lick, or revive cur dead ? are there not certain that proceed from our hearts every day, and tell us, that our conviaions are dead, that cur cenfdence is almoft dead, that the power of godlinefs is almoft dead, if not altogether \ altogether; and, which is wp*fl of all, do prefs os.ro . : a thing that is troublefome to the Ma/ler: and, :e it is trou- blefome to us, and to this- lukewarm and indif- ferent temper, that cannot endure painful diligence in the ways of God. 3dly, At our beginning we fought and found him; but now \v hat hath befallen usr may we not call out, with Eliiha, " Where is the Lord " God of Elijah ?" and with Job, O that we knew where to find him ? Or is it not worfe r the Lord hath hid him felf, and we are not troubled; our hearts do not break when we hear dead ordinances, dead providences, dead hearts, dumb and iV roads, calling thus, " He hath forfaken his ho i made every one of us walk like blind men, •■ becaule ot our iniquity/* Zcpk. 1 17. O that lay this to heart ! 4th •> entertain'd euspromife, and told h us while we were with him: ; grown worfe; we fpeak, but . or then it is a terrible an- . which is worft of all, .come fo dead, that we either care not for his anfwering of us", or I .it is by terrible things in his right* 5thly, Did we not enter on our duty with feme 1 .;re of faith, that if he would but put to his hand to thu Id be healed? but ah, what do I hear ! trouble him no more. This tells us that faith is gon. that love is grown cold; is not faith fcarce to be found, and hath not the love of ma ;ed cold? znd if fo, is it not fe with us than it v. .read may be t. Hik y, at beft, : all not be witneifes to his immediate aft in reviving of the child. 6thly, and ( « ) 6thly, and laftly, The day hath been when the people of God confulted their duty, and did keep clofe to it, as Jairus did, not regarding tentations and difcouragements; but now have we not fepa- rated our hearts from him ? and when we call for ordinances, do we feek him with the heart ? What fhould all thefe things do unto us, if we had them, feeing we fear not God, and are fo carelefs of our duty? A fecond ufe is this, To intreat you to take courage; mind the ways of old, and how fweetly Chrift welcomed you when you came to him ; mind his proinife, there is life in it for a dead work; re- member he is on his way, wait for him, and, what- ever be. the tentation, flight it, and keep clofe by Chrift till you fee the end of the Lord in all this. The Lift tking i (h.*n iccummena to you in the behalf of his dying work, fhall be, To call yoa to do what you can to ftrengthen what remains, Rev. iii. i. and to revive what is dead. Now there are thefe fix things I would plead for at your hand : the ill is, Attend ic with a mournful eye, Zeph* iii. " Mourn for the folemn afTemblies." If David did weep after the bier of Abner, and if Phineas's wife mourn'd for the departing glory, when it was vail'd over, and fmall; how much more fliould we weep for the departing of the glory of the fecond houfe that is far more glorious? Let us write down Ichabod upon all our enjoyments, and refufe to be comforted till the ark be returned 2dly, Let us attend it with a lively faith that he will revive it again, Pfal. cxxxviii. 7. " Tho' M I walk in the midft of trouble, thou wilt revive " me." Hab.iii. 2. " Revive thy work in the midft V of the years." Exercife faith on this, that he will appear to build up Zion, Pfal. cii 16. and Mic. vii. 8, 9. " Though I be in darknefs, yet the " Lord ( 2 3 ) 1 Lord will be a light unto me:' and aft as thofe hat have the faith of this refurre&ion and revi- ing of his work, as Jofeph did, Heb. xi. 22. 3afe. Our God will do his work fo as it may make 1 lafting impreilion on the hearts of his people ; md therefore die it muft, and then he revives it. 6. It advantages the work, becaufe thereby he loes difcover the enemies of the work, and what s in their hearts againft it. The two witneffes nuft die, Rev. xi. that fo our Lord may make a lifcovery what the wicked will do and fay, now when the two witneffes that perplexed them are jane. «' Let us break his bonds," Pfal. ii. 3. and T D as < 3« ) as for this man, we will not have him to reign o* ver us. Thefe are great heart-difcoveries. 7. It advantages the work in filencing all the enemies of it. Where are the difputers now? not one word in all their heads. 'Till this end be, it can hardly be expected that our janglings fhall t>e at an end. The curfmgs of Shimei, the railings of Rabfhakeh, and the unbelieving difpu tings of friends, (hall, at God's appearing to build up Zion, vanifti as the fmoke at the bright Aiming of the fun. 8. In that it tends much to the confirmation of Jairus, who now fees that it is not a vain thing to feekhim; that he is faithful that hath promifed, and hath alfo done it. 9. and laftly, It makes it a public work, and of public concernment to all about them, which o- therwife had lodged within their own family. It fhall be a rich advantage, when his appearing af- ter all thefe deaths fhall be for the advantage ol all the nations that fhall behold his glory at his rifing, and come bowing and bending to him, and fee and fay that he hath not done all this without a caufe. Now, all I will do for application of the twe former doctrines fhall be, ifl:, To give you a word of caution ; and, 2dly, To give you a word of di- rection how to carry as it becomes the faints under this or the like difpenfation. For the ift, I would caution you againft theft fix things. 1. Take heed that your faith fail not, when the wind and feas begin to rage. It is not the raging of the roaring lion, nor the fury of the oppredbr that endangers us fo much as our fainting, Pfal, &xvii. 13. " I had fainted unlefs I had believed.' There is a fweet ellipfis in the words ; I had don< 1 know not what, I had fainted, I had been over com* ( 39 ) come by tentations, I had turned afide to tfie ffock3 of ChrilVs companions, unlefs I had believed to fee the loving-kindnefs of the Lord in the land of the living. It was not the fwelling waves that made Peter begin to fink, but his unbelief: faith would have triumphed in feeing its King fitting on the floods and waves, Pfal. xxix. 10. and fing over that fweet fong, Pfal. xciii. 4. •* The Lord " is" mightier than the noife of many waters." And this you may be fure of, that if you give glory to him by. believing, he will give ftrength unto you, Pfal. xxix. 11. and enable you to wreftle with Him, and all* your tentations, till you obtain the bleffing. And truly, according to our faith he deals with us ; for if at any time you find a breach made upon you, upon trial you may find that un- belief hath made the firft breach, in at which his fatherly anger comes againft thee, and you may thank your unbelief for making a way to it. This is the firft word of caution. 2. A fecond word of caution is this; however things grow worfe with you in the way of duty, blame not yourfelf for doing of it ; you have e- nough to charge yourfelves with, tho' you charge not yourfelves foolifhly : and as it is not good to be overmuch righteous, fo neither is it good to be overmuch wicked. Neither blame your duty (o as to difown it, or caft it off; though others call it a troubling of the Mafter, yet you fhould not do fo too. It is a token for good, in reference to the reviving pf a good work, when thou art found lively in the duties that it calls for at thy hand. There is not a fader tentation, and none more dangerous, than when the devil or thy own heart take thee ofT from the ufe of promifing means^ This is the fecond caution. » 3. A third word of caution is this; beware of having low and ftraitening thoughts of Chrift D 2 when ( 40 ) when your cafe is fadeft ; and fee that you alter not your thoughts of him as oft as he feems to al- ter his method and way of providence towards you ; keep up honourable thoughts of him, believe he can do, and wait till you find that he will ; his Spi- rit i3 not ftraitened ; for your half faith he will work a great falvation. Mat. viii. 2, 3. "If thou ** canft." This man doubts of his power, and yet it does not hinder our Lord from curing him. We are all for our meafurcs : if I could believe fo and fo, then he would aft, (and trulylwifh more care were taken to add faith to faith) and yet I mould rejoice to fee faith as a grain of milliard -feed, that fays to this mountain, Be removed, and it is fo. Our Lord is fo liberal, that if he find true faith in his people, he works great deliverances for them, and by fo doing increafes their faith. Believeft thou that he will do fo ? then caft by the inftru- ments of the churl, and devife liberal things of him and for him. This for the third word of caution. 4. A fourth word of caution is this ; beware of clofing with the tentation till firft thou bring it unto Chrift. This good man will not hear the voice of the tentation until Chrift hath done. Oft- times, betwixt the time of our firft employing of Chrift and Chrift's finifhing the work, there falls out great tentations. Now, we muft take heed of them, put them in Chrift's hand, and anon he (hall filence them, and bring thee out of the many wa- ters. This for the fourth word of caution. 5. A fifth word of caution is this ; never regard the temptation that would make thee caft off thy promifed expectation. Jairus expects the cure of his daughter, becaufe Ghrift had promifed it. The tentation fays, Give over thy foolifh and irrational expectation, for " the child is dead ;" yet he holds faft the promife, and his expectation built upon it. - C 41 ) ir. May it not be faid to us, where is now your hope ? Ah ! we are drawn off from our expectation, and therefore do we fo much fhift about, to change our way. This for the fifth word of caution. 6. A fixth and laftword of caution is this; take heed left you judge it a trouble to Chrift to em- ploy him about his own work. Though thou hadft nothing to put in Chrift's hand but a dead work, brought hither to be buried in a dead man's place, yet take courage, it is not troublefome to Chrift : and it is your honour and happinefs that Chrift calls you to anoint his dead work with your faith and love, with your tears and prayers ; and then invites you daily to bring it unto him, who by one, word can revive it again. Therefore judge it not troublefome to him, neither let it be troublefome to thee, to employ him about it, or any thing elfe that concerns his glory, or his church's welfare. Thus much for this fixth word of caution. 2dly, In the laft place, I fhall give you fome few directions, to help you how to behave yourfelves in your attending upon our Lord with a dead work an your heart. 1. The firft direction is this; as Chrift does heartily welcome you, fo you fhould heartily wel- come him, come when he will, and as he pleafes. Oft-times our firft word to him when he is come puts him to the door, or at leaft difcovers new work for Chrift, that he muft do before he do that which he principally came for, and which may be to anfwer thy challenge for coming too late, or to cure thy unbelief, which looks for nothing now at Chrift's hand. I pray you welcome him in all his ordinances, and in all his providences, and fay, . " BlefTed is he that cometh to us in the name of "- the Lord ; we have blefled you from the houfe f every providence; open up this golden cabinet, and therein you fhall find the celeflial jewels of the jrpmifes; and, with our Saviour, fay, this ancj that ( 43 ) that promife is this day fulfilled, and I think our Lord is haftening his work, becaufe this wheel of providence runs faft about : O what hath God- done for us in a little time ! 5 H The laft word of direction is this; that as our Lord defigns his own glory, and thy advan- tage, in all the methods and ways he takes; fo you mull be tender of his glory, and give unto him the glory that is due unto his name. It is the height of robbery to rob him of his glory; and therefore all I beg of thee is-, to render to him according to his goodnefs, and make the beft of all this thou canft for thy own. advantage; to his. mame be the glory. F / y 2 s. - John xi. 16. Let us alfo go, that ive may die with him* AS no privilege can exempt his people from common calamities, fo there is no affliction but what endears the believer unto -Guilt's affec- tion. Beloved Lazarus falls lick and dies, and fick and dead Lazarus is beloved and remembered. Love cannot lodge forg^tfulnefs, nor live at a di- ftance from the perfon beloved, efpecially when in mifery : therefore Chrift mult go to Judea to fee him. Love puts on courage, and will go in the face of danger; it arms power, and ftirs it up to adt in the dead man's behalf; and when at length it cannot be. prevailed over by reafon, it leads it, and the great malters of it, captive: "Let us go " down, and die with him." j§\ d. Seeing he will be fo wilful to go down, and, by fo doing, run on his own ruin ; then " let us go down, and die with him;*' and this fhall put an end to this wearied life we have, and finifh all our forrows. For our prefent purpofe, which is to hold forth the bell: and worft of things that are found in the refolutions of the people of God in the face of danger; I fhall, firft, fhew you what this precipi- tant zeal is, as it is found in them, ill, It is that which keeps the foul from a cordial clofing-with Jefus Chrift, and his defign, for a long time. They will not clofe with Chrift here, in that which he cal- led them to, but difputewith him for a long time. It makes even difciples of another mind from Chrift for a time. " Shall we pray that fire may come down, V from heaven?" " Ye. know not," fays, Jefus Chrift, ( 45 ) Chrift, " what fpirit ye are of." It is dull at pre- r ent duties that Chrift calls for, however it may "peak fwelling words in hypocrify. 2dly, This precipitant zeal is fuch a thing as nakes men do all in a pailion; it eats up confide- -ation, and fober reckoning, or acting in'' cold }lood. This man muft be taken when hot, or then le becomes as the fmith's anvil, that grows the larder the oftnerit be beat. "- Though all fhould * leave thee, yet will not I," fays Peter. It was oo paffionate and precipitant, therefore he gets :ime to confider, when brought low for his ini- juity. Cams feftinans % &c. 3dly, This precipitant zeal confifls in this, when nen (being at laft perfuaded to do that which thrift calls them to do) will over-do his com- nands : he calls them only to go down with him ; low they that could not be perfuaded to go with lim, will now go and die with him. Quantum mw* atus ab ilio HeEicre ! And this is molt ordinary, nen are either hard to be perfuaded to their duty, >r elfe over-perfuaded to that which is their lift md humour, rather than their work : either they vill not do what is commanded ; or, when in their its of paiTion and fooliih. zeal, they will do more ; le that will not go down at firfr, will now go down md die. Thus much briefly for the firfr. thing pro- Kmnded from the words. The fccond thing is, To enquire into thefe hings that were commendable, and real good hings, in this their refolution ; "we will go down, j and die, 6r." ift, Thefirfl commendable thing in this refolu- ion is this, that they are clear of ChriiVs mind, nd fully perfuaded that he would have them to ;o down, before they refolve it. x^nd this is an xcellent thing, i. When a ChrifHan hath the mind >t Chrifl; 2. When a Chriftian yields to the mind of ( 46 ) of Chrift; -3. When a faint builds all his refolu- tions upon clear light about his Matter's pleafure. Now they fee Chrift is determined to go down, and they refolve they will go with him. 2dly, There is much affedtion in it ; " we will " go down, and die with him." Love had made them quit all for him; love had made them refufe all, and chufe him; and now it makes them, in the face of dangers, cleave to him : love .knows not how to let the beloved either go alone, live a- lone, or die alone; " we will die with him :" and fometimes it would redeem the life of its beloved by its own death, or if not, it will go to the grave, with him. 3dly, This is commendable in their refolution, that they refolve on the greateft coft they might be put to; they fay not, Let us go down, and, be purfued with him, or imprifoned with him, or fined, or confined; but, " Let us go down, and " die with him.'' Death is the worft of it. " Let " us go down;" we are refolved Chrift fhall not die alone ; we have counted the coft, and are re- folved on the worft of it ; " Come, let us go down, " and die with him." 4thly, In this refolution of Thomas the twin, there is much zeal, in that he is not only free for it himfelf,'but he ftirs up all the reft to their duty : Let us go down with him ; let it never be faid that we would not follow Chrift ; others fhall ftumble if we draw back, our mafter will be offended, and weourfelves difgraced; come, let us therefore go down, and die with him. 5thly, In this refolution there was this com- mendable, that as they were not afraid of death, fo they had hope in it, that it fhould put an end to all their other crofTes; they eye the reward, and refolve on the worft, concluding that then it fhould be well with them, having ended all their battles, and "( 47 ) *nd being entered into their matter's joys, an hun- dred fold hcre,and life eternal in the world to come. 6thly, A fixth thing that is commendable in this their refolution, is that they put it in prefent prac- tice ; as they refolve it, fo they perform it inftant- ly, while ihe opportunity is offered. It is fad when refolutions die without performance of the thing refolved upon, efpecially when it is prefent duty, and the opportunity of it fuch as is halting away. Pqft eft occaf.o calva. 7thly, A feventh is their unanimity in the thing, notwithftanding of all their former diiputes and debates againft it, or the probable hazard that did appear in it: Let us all go down with him as .one man, come of us what will. Laftly, In that they thought it better to be with Chrift in the midft of danger, than to be abfent from him, and free of thefe, as they might fup- pofe. Our fecurrty is in our duty, and our princi- . pal duty, the duty of duties, is to be near to our Matter, and to keep near to him. To let Chrift -go alone is our fin ; our great hazard in going with him is of fuffering, which is none at all fo long as our day continues. " Is there not twelve u hours in the day, 6r. .- 9 " Thus much for the fecond particular propounded for clearing this their refolution. The third thing to be confidered is, The weak- nefTes or faults that are found in this refolution ; V Let us go down, and die with him." ift, The firft fault that you may find in it is this, that there is little faith in it. It is true there is forae affection, but little faith; their affection to him makes him look over infirmities, yet they are weak at the beft in faith, or then they mould have refolved to go down, without any apprehen- sion of dying. Chriftians may lodge much unbe- lief under the covert of honeft affections : Not fo, Matter, ( 4* ) Matter, may be where Even fo, (becaufe it plea- feth thee) is not to be found : and fometimes our Lord anfwers all this with a " get thee behind me, " Satan.'* The ftrongeft bafis of our refolutions is our faith: love is fometimes very fwift, but when it lacks the eye of faith, it ftumbles, and oft-times runs into a fnare. 2dly, The fecond fault you may obferve here is their ignorance : Come, let us die with him, is a fruit of their ignorance at this time; for, i. This was not the time wherein he called them to die for him. John xxi. 18. th]y, A ( si y !y, A ninth fault is this, that this refolutiorr carried not ChrilVs word along with it: he had told them there was no hazard; " Is there not " twelve hours m the day? and he that Humbles, u does he ftnmble in the day?" They either in the heat of their paflion forgot this word, or elfe did not confider it fo judiciouily as they fhould or might have done. And truly, when we flight ChrifVs word, i. It is but forry company we can be toChrift when he is going down to Judea. And, a. It is but a forry expectation we can have in him. And, 3. It is but a forry eftimation wc ' have of him, as is clear from what I have faid. Laftly, In that the thing refolved upon by them was fo contrary to ChrilVs defign in this whole bufinefs: they think (Thrift and they muft die, whereas our Lord's deiign in flaying fo long, in permitting Lazarus to die, and in his going down, was for their fake and advantage, that they might believe: verfe 15. " Lazarus is dead; and I am € * glad, for your fakes, that I was not there, to " the intent that you may believe. " There is no- thing lefs in ChrilVs deiign, in his difpenfatiocs about you, than what you fear; there is death in youf apprehenfions,. but none in ChrilVs defign. O for hearts to blefs him for this, and to ftudy his defign more than ever we have done ! Thus much for the third thing propounded. . I come now to the fourth, What were the grounds and caufes of this their refolution ? 2dly, What are the grounds and caufes of the weakneiles and infirmities thereof ? For the ift, What makes them fo refolute that they will go and dfce with him? Anf. 1. They had dedicated themfelves to him, they had left all to follow him, and they knew there was none but ke that had the words of eternal life. Now, de- ll 2 dication ( ja ) dication muft be without retraction or limitation ^ we muft go wherefoever he goes, as the wife does with the hufband. 2. They thus refolve becaufe of their love and affection to him ; they refolve nothing but death fhall part them, as Ruth faid to Naomi, u As the Lord liveth, nothing but death '• fhall part us." A man that hath no love to- Chrift may do much and fuffer much for him, but he cannot go down and die for him or with him, and keep up his heart when he fees both Chrift and he muft die. 3. A third reafon of this their refolution was this, becaufe they knew not how to live without Chrift ; and feeing he will go, we will rather go die with him than live without him. And truly it is a brave thing, when the Chriftian is fo much in love with Chrift, that he can chufe any lot or crofs with him, rather than a throne or .kingdom without him. Thus much for the rcafons or grounds of their refolution, " We will go down, and die with " him. 5 ' The 2d qucftion is, What 13 the caufe of all this weaknefs that attends fo honeft a refolution ? Anf. 1. They do not mind the word that Chrift .had fpoken to them. And truly one great caufe of our manifold failings is our flighting of the word that he fpeaketh to us.- 2. They did not confider that Chrift had an appointed time for his work, which none could fhorten or lengthen ; fo long as his twelve hours lafts there is no ftumbling, ver. 9, 10*. 3. They did not confider Chrift's call to work at that time, and in fuch a place, there- fore they did miftake; for if they had confidered his call, they would not have kept up difputes with Chrift, and in fine fall into fuch a paflionate refolution, fo full of reflection sagainft him. 4. They did not confider, that a man following his calling, (be the feeming difficulties what they will) he fleers. ( S3 y fleers a fafe couife, i Pet. iii. 13. Cl Who is He " that will harm you, if you be doers of that " which is right ?" Duty has a double fecurity in it; the (1.) is from its own nature; it is of a fe- cu ring and heart-keeping property; the word of his patience keeps thee, if thou keep'ft it. And then, (2.) Your duty hath apromife annexed to ir, which does ftrengthen thy ftrong-hold,- ci There- " fore will I keep thee," Rev. iir. 10. And there are four things that rafh profeffors are very doubt- ful about ; [ 1 .] The firft is, that if they go down to Judea, and follow Chrift to a crofs, they fhall not get their day finished, nor their work either. But allure yourfelf, fo long as you have a day yoa fhall have work, and fo long as you have work you fhall have a day, as Chrift particularly teach- eth, Luke xiii. 31, 32, &tC* u Go ye, and tell that " fox, Behold, I caft out devils, and I do curer " to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I fhall " be perfe&ed." [2.] They may be in doubt for whofe caufe this ftorm is : but a Chriftian in his - duty, however he be not kept' from difficulties, yet (following his calling) he is kept from the guilt of procuring them finfully ; it may be our fuffering toga down, but itis not our fin. [3.] One following his duty may be affured of a bleffing; r but if you run out to fuffer -without fuch a call, you can have no fuch affurance, [4.] A man in his duty may be affured of one that will make up all his loffes in following of him. So fays Chrift to his difciples, " Not one of you that hath, J Mat. xix. 27,-28. But a man that runs on fuffer- ing without a call, fhall fuffer-lofs, though hehinr- felf be faved, as through fire. So that the clear- nefs of God's call to go down, if well confidered, might have afforded them more peace than all the difficulties they could meet with in their calling E 3 ( 54 ) can make void. Thus much for the fourth parti- cular. I (hall come now to the application of all. Firft ufe. Here you may fee and be informed a- bont the cafe and condition of the poor people of God, that are here reprefented by Lazarus, who not only ficken'd, but died, and did now ly in the grave : and though there were fome to condole and lament the lofs of him, yet none there were that did, or effectually could beftir themfelves for his recovery. O how many of us are dead, and have no more but a name that we are living ! Rev. ill . i. Is not the holy flefh gone from us ? is there not Jeudnefs in our iniquity ; for when he would have purged us, we would not be purged J Ezek. xxiv. . 13. is not " the holy beauties from the womb of , " the morning" gone; and not only gray hairs iere and there, but pale death fitting as the king * of terrors upon our eye-lids ? is not the beating of the pulfe heaven-ward gone ; and inftead of thefe breathings for fo much of heaven every day,., and for fo much communion, is there not a beat- ing of the pulfe and breathing of the foul for fo much of the world? for otherwife, faith one, I cannot live, and pay fo much rent. My friends,, if there were fuch an intermitting pulfe amongft. the lick patients in London, and of fo long a con- tinuance, 'I fuppofe (with the confent of the befl- phyficians) many fhould be interred before they, were really dead* Our fainting fits are like theirs that go down to the pit. Is not our deep fo deep that nothing but death feems to parallel it? Shall I fay that our friend Lazarus Jleepeth* and not. be miftoktn, as Chrift was - ? I tell you plainjy he is dead; " and the dead of the Lord fhaU be ma- " ny:" and is it not fo. now ? You would think it fad if in every houfe the .fir ft -born, were dead ; : bu*> is. it not a far greater lamentation, that in the moti, ( 55 ) moft parr of houfes, hufband and wife, children and fervants are all dead ? and is it not yet fader when in one perfon, that was a pleafant lively- child, there be many dead, as dead faith, dead conviftions, dead refolutions, dead affe&ions ? O thou beautiful love, that waft fair as the moon, clear as the fun! what ! haft thou died with cold in the midft of a hot furnace ? hath not all the flames of London kindled thee again ? O precious tendernefs, what is become of thee ! didft thou die as a fooU by doating on paramours ? Oh en- riching painfulnefs and diligence in the ways of God ! haft- thou died ? And where now is the work ©f faith, feeing thou art gone? where now is the labour of love, feeing thou art gone ? where now is the patience of hope, feeing thou art gone ? Shall ever this generation be exalted to honour,, that are fo negligent in bufinefs ? You cannot ftand before a king. But ah, what fmell do I find ! Lazarus ftinketh. O, Sir, he hath been thefe four days in the grave ; nay, ten, twenty or more years in the grave, and there is none to anoint him, that his fmell may be as the fmell of Lebanon* and as of a green field that the Lord hath blefted. There are three queftions I /hall here propound, and anfwer them to you, about this prefent cafe. The ift is, Wherein does the cafe in my text parallel the prefent condition of the people of God ? 2dly, What are thofe things that in this cafe the people of God muft beware of ? 3" Ezek. xxxvi. 9, 10. 3. iThe third thing is this, that Chrift being badly entertained, he departs from Judea. And is it not fo with us ? hath not our ftrength depart- ed from us ? hath he not forfaken his houfe, Jer. xii. 7. and gone to his place? Hof. v. 15. hath he not torn us, and gone away ? It is long fince Chrift laid, " How long fhall I be with you, and ,€ that I am wearied wich holding in? I will de- " part from you, and wo to you when I depart " from you !" Are you yet ignorant of this? or will you command me to hold my peace, becaufe we muft not make mention of the name of the Lord ? If I fhould, thefe fpiritual woes of blind- nefs, obduration of heart, unperfuadeablenefs, deadnefs, dullnefs and ftupidity, atheifm and for- mality, fhould call aloud in your ears ; and thefe temporal woes on all your civil interefls, your trading, &c. fhould call aloud to you : for becaufe you were not fenfible of the fpiritual woes, God hath now fmitten you fo as you do feel it ; Jer. x. 18, " For behold I will fling out the inhabitant^ u of the land at this once, and will diftrefs them f 1 fo as they fhall feel it." But what fhall I fpeak of Ziou's barrennefs ? fhe hath not a numerous iflue, as when her hufband was with her : may fhe not fay, I have been in pain, and brought forth but wind ? The work of converfion hath been at 3 ftand. What fhall I fpeak of the many fpiritual diftempers X 5« ) diftempers amongft profefTors as to matters of opi- nion and practice ? and what fhall I more fay to the removing of the Spirit far from us, both in its influences and operations ? Time would fail before I could give you a compleat account of the many fad evidences of his departure; only this I fhall fay, that thus it is, and thus it will be, until " the Spirit be poured out from on high," Ifa* xxxii. 15. 4. The fourth thing is this, that when Chrift is gone, Lazarus fickens and dies ? And is it' not fo with us? hath it not gone very ill with us fince he departed ? have we not called, but he made us no anfwer ? have we not fought him, but could not find him ? hath he not been angry with our prayers ? hath he not anfwered them with terrible things in his righteoufnefs ? hath he not made us fick with fmiting of us ? and are not many things dead and buried, that ufe to be alive in our fouls i is not that lively confcience dead, that ufed to be fo lively in accufing or excufing, as the matter re- quired ? are not all our Lord's interefts, and the intereft of the gofpel dead ? Now if the cry of the living will not awake us, let the cry of the dead at the head of every ftreet : I fhall then look on it as a token for good, when thefe things fhall begin to be revived in the hearts of the people of God, by the pouring out of his fpirit upon them. 5. The fifth is, that our Lord and Matter per-* mits all this to fall out, and feems never to notice poor Lazarus's cafe, until it be altogether hopelefs to fenfe. Now he is dead when Chrift fays, Let us go down and fee him. And is it not fo with us this day? If I fhould afk fome of you, What are your thoughts of Chrift's carriage? I fuppofe it is fomewhat like this, " Matter, careft thou not * that we perifh ?" You think Chrift hath no care of his work and people : 'tis poflible you may think it ( 59 ) it ftrange that Chrift fhould let it come to this pafs, (Lazarus is dead) if he mind to do any cure on Lazarus. But what! is there any thing too hard for him ? and if it be marvelous in your eyes, muft it be fo in his ? As our Lord is God alone, fo fome- times he loves to work his work alone, Ifa. lxiii. 5. Amongft all the people there was none to help him : and when there is no interceHor, then his right- hand brings falvation. 6 When ChriiVs time is now come for his ap- * pearing for Lazarus's refurreftion, the chief men in the church, and thefe that were as doctors in comparifon of the reft of ChriiVs followers, op- pofe him, and difpute againft Chrift. There are two ways that friends do hinder and oppofe this -work now when Chriil's tune is come to do it; (1.) The fait is by difputing, as the difciples did ; If he fleep, it is well; he will awake a^ain. This comes in courfe : and fo it is with many; Let the dead work ly, it will revive again : and I hope fo * it will; falvation ftiall arife to the people of God, whether you be concerned or not : but take heed what may come of you ; ere thattime, you may for- fake him, and flee away. A fecond argument is this ; it is moft imprudent to run yonrfelves on danger and hazard. Truly I know no good work or great work that ever our - Lord did, but with its own hazard. One while he is in hazard they will make him a king, if they be with him; and at another time they ~ ill ftone him, if they be difpleafe . (2.) The fecond way that friends do hinder I :ir, when entered to work, is b] leir unbe- Martha by her unbelief keeps her bi . i he grave; for tiil Chrift cure her of her unbe- 3 not up Lazarus. O the unbelief of people of God ! it hath laid many in their grave, iftd kepi jer than they might have been in ( «o ) in it. Chrift lays Lazarus in the grave, becaufe o( his difciples unbelief; " I am glad, that you may M believe :" and he keeps him in the grave, be- caufe of Martha's unbelief. O^that I could per- fuade you of the virtue of faith, and of the hurt that unbelief does to a dead Lazgrus i 7. The feventh thing is this, that at laft Chrift engages all his difputants that were againft the caufe, to be for it, and they will now do more than Chrift for it, for they will die for it. Their refolution is not without weaknefs, as you have heard : and is it not fo amongft us ? Some men are fo unwilling to do any thing, that they would be content to die, to be free of all' thefe fears and dangers they are daily in. Could not our hearts fmile on a prifon, if we could get there with cre- dit, before we were at work in the heat of the day ? Now, put all thefe together, and you may have fome fmall difcovery of the.ftate of affairs this day. And thus much font-he firft queftion propounded. 2dly, I come, in the fecond place, to the cau- tkm ; What is it that the difciples of Chrift have need to beware and have a care of, when Chrift begins to aft for a dead Lazarus ? 1. The firft thing that the difciples of Chrift would caution againft is this, never to difputeduty after that Chrift hath declared his mind about it. The crofs fometimes produces two things as to out- duty : either, (1.) The crofs darkens us ; and it is not fo much becaufe of any thing in the crofs, as becaufe of our averfation to h; and it is not fo much duty we are in the dark about, as that we are feeking a duty withouf a crofs, that may carry fome refemblance to the duty of the day, and bear us out in our profeffion with fome ap- plaufe, that now of a zealous man thou art chan- ged to be a prudent man. Take heed unto this, for C 61 ) for our God will not be mocked. (2.) Sometimes the crofs makes us difpute (but very modeftly at firft) our duty with Chrift himfelf ; " If he ileep, ** Matter, dv." And now we muft confult about a moft clear thing, and this clear duty muft be debated. And this you may obferve, that clear duties debated upon the account of the crofs ei- ther fall in the difpute, or then are fent off the field mutilate and mank in one thing or another. O for a filent Amen to all Chrift's calls I and if he does not call, let us not go. 2. A fecond caution is, we fhould at fuch a time watch well that our refolutions flow not from a bad fpring, fuch as misbelieving fear. They have a milbelieving fear, and that is the guide of their refolutions. Ifa. viii.12. " Fear not their fear;" it will produce fome woful effect. This is but a poor thing, for a Chfiftiao, in Chrift's company, to fear what flefh can do unto him. Surely in this was their fnare ; and would to God we were free of Iti 3. We fhould beware of making our own ap- prehenfions the rule of God's providence about future contingencies. " I faid," fays Abraham, " the men of the place will kill me for thy fake/* This was a bad rule for him to judge by. * c One u day," fays David, " I rtiall fall by the hand of " my enemy." This was his miftake, not the rule. Ifa. xxxviii. 10. "I faid in the cutting off of my v< days, I ftiall go down to the gates of death." This was his miftake. " We are cut off for our " parts," Ezek. xxxvii. 11. This was the caufe of it, they judged of future contingencies by the wrong rule. It is our great folly to make our ap- prehenfions the rule of God's providence; for it ih all not be fo becaufe thou think'ft fo, but be- caufe he hath determined and promifed that it ftiall be fo. When apprehenfions thus prevail, it pro- duceth much fin. F 4. Be- ( 62 ) 4. Beware of misjudging or condemning of Chrift, becaufe he will not follow your humours, that pafs with you for grave counfels. Mafter, pi- ty thyfelf, looks high with us, as favouring of af- fection ; when our Lord looks on it as a Satanical device ; wherefore he faith to Peter, " Get thee " behind me, Satan." That may feem to be a very wife and grave counfel to thee, that tends to the marring of that great work of redemption, and the undoing of all that work that Chrift had wrought, in order to the finifhing of it. And how good may 'ft thou judge that to be which is not only the fruit of thy felf-fceking, but deadly and ruining to the whole defign of thegofpel ? " It " is good to be here," fay they; and they would gladly have ftaid there; but they were miftaken, and dkl quickly find it was not a place to rave in, by a fudden cloud that covered the mount, that made it as terrible a place to them as ever it feemed plea- fant, fo that they all trembled, Matth. xvii. 6. Have we not then reafon to be jealous of our good things, left we change our mount of vifion into a mount of confternation a-nd trembling ? 5. Beware of judging anything unworthy of your hazard or pains that our Lord counts worthy of all his coft and travel. They thought it a poor bufinefs to undertake fo dangerous a journey, to awake one that was afleep, or to fee the grave of one that now ftinked Li it; yet Chrift thinks it worthy of his whik. And is it not for a lamenta- tion that we fliould think fo little of thofe truths that Chrift Jefus the Lord thought worthy of death, and did actually die for? He is a king, and hath appointed his own laws and ordinances ; but, alas! our love to himfelf hath decayed, and no wonder that we admit of that woful distinction of fmaller and.greater-truths, when truth is brought to the market to be fold. It is true indeed that there there are fmalier and greater truths, but none fc fmall as to be undervalued, not contended for, or fold, be the price above thirty pieces of filver. That was all that was given for the Matter. 6. Take heed that yon do not offer *yourfeIves to fufTer when not called to it. Chrift's call' is to go down. Now, they run themfelves on fafterings:; without a call. I fay, it is good for us to count the coft, and to be always ready on a call : but to run without a call may be of dangerous confe- quences. (i.) It may be the ready way to fome terrible apoftafy and falling away. Peter will fol- low afar off, when Chritt commanded them to be- gone; •' If you feek me, let thefe go their way :" and he tells them he would fee them again at Ga- lilee. Nay, but this refolute man, that the other day would die with him, now follows : and what comes of it? he denies his mailer with an oath. (2.) This makes fuffering comfortlefs, when men run without a call: for what is more comforting and encouraging than when you can read your Matter's call to endure what hardnefs the trial may put you to. (3.) This deprives you of God's pre- sence in your furTermgs. I will not fay, but God, out of pity, may give in fome teftimony of his prefence: but let him do, in his fovereign good- nefs, what he will, thou canft not expedt nor con- fidently plead for his prefence in the fiery furnace, or in the prifon, but when thou canft produce his call, and fay, that it is "for his name's fake you ** are killed all day long," Pfal. xliv. 22. 7. Take heed that, when called to it, your of- fering yourfelves to die with him be not out of wearinefs with your prefent condition, or the fruit of a fit of difcontentment, as it feems it was here. Sometimes our Lord will have us to do and furTer both at once; a minifter mutt preach with the pe* ril of his life, and the people mutt eat their bread F 2 with ( f>A ) with the peril of their lives. Now the filcnte and Security of a prifon is fweet unto them, they are fo out-wearied with their prefent condition, albe- it the Lord blefTes their work, and gives them a good go^rd, like Jonah's, to play them felves with : and yet, like him, they, are ready to fay, " Take M away my life, for it is better for me to die than " X.Q live;" or, like Elijah, " Take away my life, ** for what better am I than my fathers?" when their gourd is withered. This is a. moft fubtile ten- tation, and we have reafon to beware of it, and to watch againft it, and to be doing whatever our hand finds to do with all our might and courage, having learned to be content with whatever condi- tion the Lord puts us in, judging always our pre- fent condition to be our belt. 8. Take heed that you do not argue thus; Chrift and his interefts are, or mail be in hazard; there- fore he mull die, and all of us die with him. How many are the troubles of the righteous ? and yet the Lord delivers them out of them all: what a great hazard was Ifaac in, when the knife was lift- ed up to give the blow? yet he died not: and what hazard was Mofes in, when exppfed to the reverence of the waters, when a child ? yet he died not : and what hazard was the church in, in Eft- her's time ? and yet me did not die : was not the apoftle at perils by fea, at perils by land, and at perils by his own countrymen I yet God delivered him out of them all. You cannot do your work without hazard; but you maybe in hazard, and yet efcape with a king on your head, and the Lord Jehovah going forth before you, Mic. ii. lafh Don't fear ; thou may'ft find in theiflue that thefe hazards have been fo far from being thy death, or Chrift's, that they may be an ordinance for good to thee, that thou may'ft believe ii* Chrift better than ever before. 9. LQt ( «5 ) 9- Let never the fenfe of your prefent hazards make you ilight the word. Chrift had fpoken a word to them before, that might have prevented this miftake, ver. 15. " He is dead ; and I rejoice, ** for your fakes, that you may believe." But the thoughts of their hazard fwallows up all thoughts of what Chrift had faid to them. And I fear the hazard that many have apprehended they have been in, in following Jefus, hath made many a fa- voury word ufelefs and to be forgotten. O that we could truft God with our fafety, and make more eonfcience of our duty ! When hazard diftratts us with fear r and this fear indifpofes and unfits us for our work, then God is provoked, and that which we feared does juftly come upon us. 10. and laftly, Take heed of rafh refolving on tlie greateft of fufFerings in your own ftrength. M Let us go down, and die with him:*' they don't come and beg ftrength of Chrift to enable them to fuffer death with him; but " Let us go down, " and die with him." It is not good to refolve in your own ftrength ; you may be found fuddenly to break it by your own folly. The confequences of this way of refolving have been fuch, that fome have been frighted from refolving any more. Thus much for the word of caution. 3dly, I come, in the laft place, to commend to your ferious care and ftudy thefe feven excellent things for a difciple under the apprehenfions of hazard in the way of duty. 1 . The firft thing that from this inftance in my text I would call you to, is, to ftudy to be much in love in a time of danger and tentation. Love to Chrift at fuch a time will keep you from fix fad things that difciples are incident to in a time when danger and duty come together : (1 . The firft whereof is this; they are in dan- ger of felf-feeking: Their own things oft-times, for E 3 want C 66 ) want of that heat of affection which here you are called to purfue, get more of them than Chrifl does, John xvi. 32. And is it not thus with us this day? are we not turned to our own things, and left Chrifl to plead for himfelf ? is not our praftice like Ifrael's and Judah's ? " To your tents," fay they, and let the houfe of David, the houfe of God, and the intereft of Chrifl: fee to themfelves. Do we not in all companies, duties, and under all trials, turn to our own things, feek them more, mind them more, and are more affe&ed with them than with his. O Ifrad, is this the lovejhou bear* - eft to thy friend ! (2.) A fecond evil that it will cure is want of fympathy. If the Lord take fomeof us up, to the mount, we forget them that are in bonds, and at. the foot of the mountain, and call out, and the beautifying hangings of holinefs to the Lord, may much fofpeft whether ever the foundation was laid or not. [4.] There is this piece of necsflary coft that we muft be at pains for, and thai is, to get the north and fouth wind to blow on our fouls : work We muft, but our ftrength to do it depends on God's affiftance, and the influences of the Spirit ; u with- " out thee I can do nothing, but with thee I am cc able to do all things, all things through Chrift ' that ftrengtheneth me." The neglect of this is the ( 7° ) the canfe of our deadnefs, and difputi'ng agahff! our duty. It fti'buld make us as the chariots of Am- jniuadab, and make every day a day of his power : " but for this mine eye, mine eye poureth oui " tears, becaufe the Comforter that reliev£th oui " foul is far away from us." And this I jnuft fay that there is no hope of better days, of more fruit fulnefs and zeal for God, until his Spirit be pour- ed out from on high, Ifa. xxxii. 15. and till h< rain down religion and righteoufnefs upon th< earth, that of all commodities are the rareft, Hof x. 12. [5.] There is this necefTary piece of coil yoi muft refolve upon, and that is, to fetch wind fron all providences, to haften your journey home, anc to advance your building. Do the wicked profper then you muft fear the Lord, and fpeak often t( one another, Mai. iii. 16. Have fuch as turn afid< to them waters of a full cup poured out ? thei fay, it is good for you to draw near to God. An you killed all the day long ? then fay, " In all thi " we are more than conquerors," Rom. viii. 37 —-39. and that " neither death nor life fhall feparat< M you from the love of God in Chrift Jefus." [6.] Laftly, Take this piece of necefTary coft you muft go about the building with a circumfped eye, beholding your failings, and with a mourn- ful eye, lamenting over them; thou muflrwate: every ftone with thy tears of repentance, as thpi muft build up by thy faith. Now, if thefe thing: be in thee, be the danger what it will, thou fhal never fall, 2 Pet. i. 10. Thus much for the necef fary coft a believer muft refolve upon and muft b< put to. (2.) The fecond is that contingent coft; as, foi example, his being ftoned at.Judea, or going dowr thither again. This is but an accidental piece o expence ) ces that a Chriftian muft refolve upon: but it only poflible, but not always neceflary, that every Chriftian meet with them, fuch as fighting with beads at Ephefus; fuch as that, " at my firft " anfwer no man flood by me;" fuch as that, to have mafter-builders falling at difference about the building, as here, and Gal. ii. fuch as that, PfaU lxxiii. 25, 26. " My heart and flefh fails me," yet I muft follow Chrift notwithftanding it fall out fo to be; and fuch as thaf, " We fee not our figns, " neither have w T e a prophet that can tell us how Xi long ;" yet in the dark we muft follow Chrift, as in the clear day, Mic. vii. 8, 9. " I fit in dark- " nefs, yet the Lord will be a light unto me." We may be put to die for Chrift indeed, and it may be otherwife, we muft refolve it. : Sarmnwn crede nefas animam praferrc pudori ; Et, propter vitam, Vivendi perdere caufas. I only name thefe, [1.] Becaufe they are not e- ' very Chriftian's trial, and I love not to trouble you with that which you poffibly may never fee. [2.] Becaufe when fhey come, they come with fear enough, and I have no will to torment you before the time: only this I prefs upon you, that you would be refolute; come of you what will in Judea, count upon it, and it fhall make your crofs < when it comes, and your difappointment fweet if it don^t come. 3. The third thing that I call you unto, from .what is faid, is this; when you have counted what is the coft, then refolve on it. They count that it will be death to them ; Yet, fay they. " let us go " down, and die with him." What, die with him ! why not die for him, and keep him alive? if he i. , he can raife you again. Nay, fay they, it -will be -his death, and ours both; but, feeing he will die, he fhall not die alone, we will go and die with ( 72 ) with him. Arc you refolved to follow Chrifi: on any terms, at the deareft rate? you (hall never re- pent it. 4. From what is faid I would prefs you unto this, judge the lofs of Chrift's company, upon the flighting of your duty, as the greateft lofs of all. If we go with him, we may die with him; but if we don't, we fhall furely lofe his company and fel- low/hip; therefore, fay they, " let us go down, " and die with him." It is prodigious to fee for how fmall a trifle we lofe Chrift's company, and when we have done it, how little we are moved with it: though every thing fays, Thy ftrength is departed from thee, thou wilt not regard this, till thy dead be brought in in companies to thee, with this account of them, " My brother had not died> "if Chrift had been here;" my tendernefs, zeal, diligence, pamfulnefs and love had not died, if Chrifi: had been here. The lofs of Chrifi is a matchlefs lofs, you cannot lofe fuch another in hea- ven or in earth. 5. I pray you be much in ftirring up one ano- ther to known duties, efpecially when they are -dangerous: fo does Thomas here; " Let us go " down," fays Thomas to the reft of the difci- ples. It is not enough for us to ftir up durfelves, but we fliould ftir up one another, provoke one a- nother to love and good works : we muft look di- ligently, left not only we ourfelves fail in the grace of God, but left any man fail in the grace of God, Heb. xii. 15. When thou art converted, ftrengthen thy brethren. Oh for more of this amdngft the profeflTors of this generation ! But be fure to do it without vain-glory, or that fupercilious contempt of thefe to whom you owe that duty of love ; re- membering this, that one may rife many hours af- ter you that may go to bed before you ; for " fuch " as are firft fhall be hit,. Had the lail firft." 6. 6. I pray you confider, that the worfl: you cna fufFer in* following of Chrift is buc death, that puts an end to all your defcrtions, diftra&ions, af- flictions and tribulations ; it is that blefTed out-let from fin, and that in-let to glory. Well, this made the difciples willing to go down, when death look- ed them in the face, that if it came, and the mat- ter fell out fo that they fhould die; why then they fhould bid a farewel to all their other trials, fears, darknefles, tentations, wearyings and wanderings they were fubjeft to. Chriftians, why are you To moved at the approach of your friend and fervant ? Was Rebecca fo moved when fhe unierftood that Abraham's fervant was come for her, to the mar- riage of his mailer's fon ? and what a greater than Abraham or Ifaac is here ? What ! Chriftians, fhould we be fo afraid of the king's chariot, that is come to carry us home to that place he hath prepared for us ? No, let us be more acquainted with death, and underftand and take up the right notions of it, and then it ihall not be a difficult thing for us to go down and die with him. 7. Laftly, Whenever Chrift calls for duty, and you refolve upon it, make confeience of perform- ing your duty refolved upon without delay. They fay not, Stay till the heat of the fury go over, and then go down, or fend down; thou need'ft not go thyfelf ; or, if thou gocft down, we will ftay here, . and do feme work, and we will come to thee when we fee the danger is over: but prefently they put that in pradtice which they had refolved upon, and refblve they will take the firft brunt of the battle with Chrift. O how commendableis this in a Chri- ftian, when he doth not defer to pay ! Eccl. v, 4. M I was not," fays David, " as one that lingers ; " I made hafte to keep thy ftatutes." The more we fhift prefent duty, the more we grew indifpo- fed and unfit for it within, the more tenUtions we G have ( 74 ) have againft the performance of it from without, and the fmaller meafure of affiftance we have for doing of it from above. And therefore, as I would reconTmend to you the ftudy of your duty in your day, fo make confeience of doing that which is the duty of the day in its day. And by this you fhall find your work eafy, tentations few and weak, in- fluences ftrong, and God's prefence with you in it, preventing, prevailing, and fufficiently protecting you againft all thefe feared dangers that made you difpute againft Chrift's commands and promifes the other day. And thus much for this refolution of the difciples about their duty in the face of dan- cer.. Xet him that reads undetftand. N 2 S. - John xi. 23. -^ — Thy brother Lazarus Jhall rife again* HAVING in my former difcourfe fpoken to the feveral deaths that may befal Chrift's work and interefh, and that after he hath undertaken to heal the difeafe, and is found on his way to that effect, yet it may grow worfe on his hand ; I come now, from this place, to fhew you, that whatever befal a work in ChrifVs hand, he will finifli and perfect it. " Thy brother Lazarus fhall * arife :" that is, the poor afflicled people of God fhall be delivered from the prefent fad conditio/! they are in, and reftored to their former happinefs, whofe poor and low condition is here reprefented to us by Lazarus. Before I come to that which I principally intend, I fhall premife thefe five things from the context : the firft is this, That our Lord hath a different way of entertaining the friends of his work, ac- cording to their different exercifes about it, and the nature of their concerns in it. The difciples are only exercifed about a fleeping and dead Laza- rus, and our Lord entertains them with no other thing but with the news that Lazarus was dead, and they fpeak of nothing but death; fo that, firft and laft, death is the fubjecl: of their difcourfe : but you fee, when Martha comes, they fall on a more comfortable difcourfe, and they only fpeak of the riling and reviving of Lazarus. Thou may 'ft be one that can keep up conference with Ghrift a- bout a dead work, and in thy defpondency preach thy own death next, Let us die with him; when others are profitably converfant about the reviving G 2 of ( 76 ) m? it before the Lord. The caufe why moft of ns find little of him, or of his mind concerning our low and hopelefs-like condition, is the Jownefs'of our fpirits, and the lownefs of our exercife about it. The fecond thing I would premife Is this, That faith in its noble aclings always finds fuitabie en- tertainment at (Thrift's hand. She acts faith, ver. 22. " Whatfoever thou afkeft of God, God will u doit." What, may our Lord fay, doft thou thus believe? then, fays he, ver. 23. ** thy bro- " ther Lazarus fhall arife." It is a great favour to meet with a fpeaking God, in order to the par- ticular cafe we lay before hhr* ; and this is the fa* \ r our that here her faith meets with. Tea, fo great is our Lord's refpeel: to faith, that he bellows fa- vours upon it above the defire and expectation of the believer; " thy brother fhall rife." Our un- belief is the caufe of our bad acceptance when we come to him about his work. Senfe fays, it is dead; and there we leave it ftinking in the grave, but don't at all exercife one aft of faith about it: and this makes us come and go away wearied, in fear, and with great jeaioufy, becaufe there is no an- fwer from the Lord. The third thing I would premife is this, That however all the faints be excellent, yet their ex- cellencies are various; one may be excellent in mourning over a dead Lazarus, as Mary; the o- ^ ther's excellency may ly in wreflling wi'th Chrift * for the refurrection of a dead work, as Martha : one may run f after than the other while going to the fepulchre where their Lord was laid ; the other may have more courage to go down to the fepui- chre, to fee what hath come of h:m,V'and to know really that he is rifem This makes- a fweet har- mony in the body, ev^ry member having its pro- per excellency y and fhould revive that, charity a*id refpect; ( 77 ) refpeft that we owe to others, who want not thei? own excellency, though they have not fuch an ex- cellent eye as thou haft. The fourth thing I would premife is this, That^ one Chriftian may very far out-go another in his zeal and aftivity about a dead work when things are very low. Here Martha outftrips Mary, and anon Mary outftrips Martha : Martha refts not till fhe gets Lazarus up, and- when this is done fhe troubles herfelf with much fervice. It may fail out, that one much concerned about the reviving of others may fall carelefs of himfelf, or of that better part which is- mod of his concernment; Ma- ry, upon the other hand, is fo concerned about her brother, that fhe does not negleft her own- cafe, nor her principal duty to Chrift, who is " the " refurre<5Hon and the life." Laftly, I would premife this, That fuch as are moft concerned about his work and people meet with the earlieft difcoveries of its reviving : there- fore here you fee Chrift intimates this to her, viz. the reviving ^nd refur reft ion of her brother. Zecb. ii. 4. There is a young man much concerned a- bout Jerufalem: well, what is the favour which this young man (hall receive for his encourage- ment ? ver. 4. " Run, fpeak-'to this young man, ■• faying, Jerufalem (hall be inhabited as towns ** without walls : — ver. 5, for I will be to her a «• wall of fire round about, and will be the glory M in the midft of her/' Till we be more concern- ed about Jerufalem, it is not very like that we fhall either hear or fee great things about itr Thus- much for the connection of this purpofe in hand with what goes before and follows after. From the words themfelves I mail give you this one propofuion, That whatever work Chrift un- dertakes, and howfoever attended with invincible G3 difficulties,, ( 73, ). difficulties, yet he will finifh and perfect it, not- withftanding of all. For proof of this fee Deut. xxxii. 5. " As for God, his work is perfect." Pf. cxxxviii. laft. " My God will perfect that which €t concerneth me.." And it is that which the a- poftle encourages his hearers with, Phil, i 6. " He " that hath begun a good work in you will alfo " perfect it unto the end." And it is in confidence of this thar the apoftle Peter prays, 1 Pet. v. 10. * The God of all grace perfeft, fettle, ftrengthen *« and eftablifh you." If he undertake the re- demption of his people out of Egypt* he carries it on till he hath finished it, notwithftanding of all the difficulties that were in the way. Intends he to build his houfe ? and does-he undertake it, and put Nehemiah to work about it ? he carries it on, notwithftanding of the difficulties that were in the- way : does he undertake the delivery of his peo- ple in Efther's days ? he finifhes it: and does our Lord undertake the work of man's redemption, from fin and Satan ? why he finishes it, and that over all oppofition from men or devils. In f peaking, to this, I fliall enquire, firfr, When * may Chrift belaid to undertake any work in the- behalf of his people ? Secondly, What are the- difcourngementS' or dif- ficulties that do ufually attend. Chrift's underta- • king his work for his people? Thirdly, Wliy will our Lord undertake a work- attended with fo> many difficulties, and will not (until then) appear for it? Fourthly* What are thefe great things, he will: do, before a woik undertaken by him be not ac- complifhed and perfected ? Fifthly, What is the manner and way of Chrift 's acting when he comes to finifh his work, and to- raife up a dead Lazarus? Laftly,. Uhail apply it. For. ( 79 ) For the firft, which is this/ When may Chrift: be faid to undertake a bufinefs for his people ? Anf. lft, When he leads in hi* people to a for- mal bargain and covenant with him, wherein he promifes to them, and they engage to him, Jetv xxx. 21, 22, 23. " Who is this that engageth him- " felf to approach to me:" Thy engaging is as a chariot that Chrift prefently goes up unto, and therein manifefts himfelf an undertaker of thy 'work: when you are made a willing people, then, fays -he, I will be your God, and you fhall be my people. Pfal. 1. 15. " Call on me, and I will de- * liver thee." Pfal. xci. 11, 12. " Becaufe thou ic haft fet thy love on me, therefore will I deliver " thee." Their engaged affec~rion doe? engage his power to appear in their deliverance. If Chrift fay, Go to the vineyard, and you fhall have what is convenient; it is a good evidence he hath under- taken the work. 2dly,.Then may he be faid to undertake a work, when he engages under-work-men about it. Chrift: here engages all the difciples about this affair. You know, whensoever a man not only covenants with one about fuch a houfe, but beipeaks his work- men that muft.be employed about the work, that is a good evidence he hath undertaken the work; and fo it is in the cafe in hand. 3«dly, Then may he be faid to, undertake the. work, when he gives his tender eye of infpeclion to the work, when his watchful eye is over it, in the ftorm and in the clear day, in the furnace and out of it. Ifa.xxvii.3. " J. the Lord do watch it; " I do water it every morning, yea every moment." 4thly, Then may our. Lord be faid to undertake his work, when his people and fervants have a mind to work. Neh. iv. 6. " The people have a " mind to work:" this* joins the wall together, • and makes it go up : Phil, ik 20. " I have none « fo ( 8o ) " fo minded," fays Paul, fpeaking to the com- mendation of Timothy, " that will naturally care 4< for the things of your fouls." Then the faints and' fervants of Chrift are of a noble mind, they mind the work, and they have a mind to all that work which it calls for. 5thly, When Chriil Jefus the Lord is affec- tionately concerned about the work, and the low condition of the friends of it. " Jefus wept." You may fee him engaged in his fympathy, Exod. iii. 7. " I have feen, I have feen the afflicYion of my " people ; I will come down and rave them." When, he faw their faith, he was prefently engaged, and to work he went, and faid to the poor man, •' Rife, u take up thy bed, and walk." It is a very fad thing when his fympathy is denied us ; or when the church grows jealous of it, Ifa. lxiii. 15. M Where is now thy zeal and thy flrength, the " founding of thy bowels and thy mercies ?" Or- dinarily then we fear casing off, and that he will not do our work for us; but, when his repent- ihgs kindle within him, and his bowels are not re- {trained, the people of God then do judge that he hath undertaken, and that if he can do any thing he will do it. 6thly, Then may he be faid to undertake a work, when he receives an earneft from his poor people ; , when he receives and accepts of a facrifice, there is no doubt but he. hath undertaken it. Ifa phy- fjcian or council receive your money, then you think that he. hath undertaken to cure, or confult and plead to. the belt, advantage for your caufe: fo here, Jttdg. xiiL 23, " If he had a mind to deftroy " us, he would not have accepted a burnt-offering.' " at our hands " And truly if.. God hath accepted prayers, fairs and fufferings in the behalf of his dying work, it feemeth he hath undertaken, and .. will finiih it in. a. bleiled refurreftion.. 7thly, There* ( *I ) 7thly, Therein doth one's undertaking a work appear, in his removing all things that hinder the advancement or carrying on of his work, as our Lord does here : he filences the great matters of reafon that difputeagainft his undertaking, he re- moves the unbelief of Martha and Mary, and com- mands them to roll aVay the Hone. And if you defpife this day of finall things, then, laitly, fhall you be convinced, when he fhall effectually do his work on mount Zion and Jerufalem, and caufe La- zarus to rife up out of the grave: Zech. iv. 10. " For who hath defplfed the day of fmall things ? M for they fhall rejoice, and fhall fee the plummet " in the hand of Zerubbabel, tic." Thus much for the firft particular propounded. I come now to the fecond, What are the disadvan- tages or difficulties that this undertaking of Chrift's is attended with ? Anf. ift, This undertaking of Chrift isat-tended with this disadvantage, he is now at a diftance from his work, there is diftance in the cafe: and this is very fad in itfelf, to be at a diftance from Chrifl: at any time, but far more fad is it when Chrifl: is at a diftance, when there is fo much work to be done, and when none can do it but himfelf. 2dly, Here is great danger in this undertaking: afk the difciples, and they will tell you this under- taking will prove ChrifVs ruin and theirs too, as I have fhewed you from their refolution to go down and die with him. And, truly, to fenfe there was no fmall hazard, feeing not long before they fpake of ftoning of Chrift there where now his work lyes, and to which place he refolves to go. 3dly, Here is death in the cafe. The work that Chrift undertakes is both hopelefs and helplefs in itfelf and to all friends concerned in it ; " Laza- " rus is dead :" what hope can there be of his re- viving, or what help can be made to him now when ( 82 ) when dead? Yet, notwithftancfing of this difad- vantage, the Prince of life, that hath the keys of life and death, undertakes the work, Ezek. xxxvii. 2, 3, 4. He was at a nonplus, and filenced with one quefYion about fuch a cafe ; " Can thefe dry " bones live? Lord, thou knoweft." He neither had hope, nor knew he of help, but turns over the cafe to be folved, and the work to be done by him that only was able ; and it were our wifdom to do fo without further difputing. 4thly, Here is rottennefs in the cafe: u by this u time he ftinketh," faith Martha; and I pray you, Mafter, don't difhonour yourfelf, by under- taking a work that will but bring a bad favour on all that meddles with it. We can only bring a bad favour on the great concerns of Chrift; and when he is ready to remove that, we ordinarily do what we can, through our weaknefs, to hinder him. 5thly, Here is continuation in a fad condition. It was not of a day or two, but he hath now been four days in the grave. To ly long in a fad con* dition is a great difadvantage to the undertaker of the cure; then phyficians dare promife nothing, their hopes are fmall, and, with Martha, they can fay, If we had come a little fooner we could have cured him ; but now the difeafe hath lain fo long on, that there is little can be done, death only is. to be made eafy : yet, notwithfranding of this, our bleffed Lord undertakes the work, and finifheth it. 6thly, There is divifion in the cafe. When Chrift undertakes this work, all the befl of the church are of a contrary mind, and divide in their opinion from Chrift^ they do not like his underta- king, judging it both rain and irrational to under- take a work of fo great hazard, where there is fo little hope to do any good to the parties principal- ly concerned: yet he undertakes it, knowing how to ( 8 3 ) to unite thofe in the iffue who /tumble fo much'' at his firft undertaking. And, truly, it is ufual that thofe that break amongft themfelves about the , means, do agree, when the end defired by both is attained, which falls out ordinarily about the revi- ving of a dead work. ' Jthly, There is hard cenfuring in the cafe. If Chrift fay, " Deftroy this temple, and in three days ■" Iwillraifeitupagain;" hemuft expect to be cen- fured by the fcribes and Pharifees: and if he fay, Let us go down and fee Lazarus, he muft expecT: the fame meafure from miibelieving difciples. This is a great difadvantage, for reproach is a heart- breaking thing ; only this undertaker cannot fail, *' nor be difcouraged, till he hath done his work/' Jfa. xlii. 4. 8thly, There is fingularity in the cafe; and this is no fraall difcouragement. There is none for the work, but Chrift alone. cc At my firft an- *' fwer," fays Paul, " none ftood with me." This was a great tentation ; yet his Mafter ftood by him, and ftrengthened him: but here not one of the difciples is found toftand by Chrift at this under- taking. Laftly, There is oppofition in the cafe. He not .only had none with him, but fuch as were not for the work. Though they would die with him, yet he meets with much oppofition from them: for, 1. The difciples eppofe him by their difputing, thereby labouring to difTuade him from underta- king the work. And, 2. Martha and Mary, by their unbelief, hinder him, till he hath removed this out of the way. And, as I have told you, it is very fad when minifters unbelief is the death of Lazarus, and provokes Chrift to permit him to die, that you may believe ; and when profeflbrs unbelief keeps Lazarus in the grave, now when Chrift is come to raife him : but he will do nothing in ( «4 ) in this, till firfl he hath cured their unbelief. Thus much for the fecond thing propounded, which is the difcouragement that does attend Chrift's un- dertaking. * The third thing propounded to be fpoken to, is, to give you the reafons why our Lord under- takes a work attended with fo many difadvantages and discouragements. ift, The firfl reafon I give you of Chrifl's un- dertaking of this work is his call to it. Mary and Martha calPd him ; and therefore came he in- to the world, to do fuch work as no other man could do: nay, the work itfelf did call for him ; every beating of the pulfe, every groan and figh of a deadly wounded work calPd him; the bad fa- vour that was now on Lazarus call'd him to work- Now, to teach us to follow God's call over all dif- ficulties, he obeys the call, and confiders not the difficulties, knowing that in following his calling thefe mould either vanifli or elfe be overcome. 2dly, A fecond reafon is this, becaufe the work now was taken out of the hands of all the difciples, *and was beyond the reach of ordinary means; he is dead and ftinking: they can do nothing but cry. And oh that there were more of this for a dead La- zarus ! Therefore he undertakes it, Ifa. xliii. 13. " I will work, and who fhall lett it?" neither dif- €tples difputing, nor Martha's unbelief c can lett him ; he will cure all in his own way. 3dly, A third reafon is this, becaufe this was a work he refer ved for his own hand, and for the ad- vancing of the great defign of the gofpel, which is, "that all men fhould honour the Son,"' John v. 23. " by believing , in him, as they believe in U God," John xiv. 1 . Now, our Lord will never flight a work, how hard foever, that lyes at his door; and therefore, Mat. xvii. 16. " I brought u him to thy difciples," fays the poor man, " but " they they. could not heal him." Well, fays Chrifr, ver. 17. " bring him hither unto me:" this is a work I have referved for my ov.n hand ; I will do it. The work is fafe when at Chrlft's door, and when difciples have done all they can, tho' they cannot revive it. 4thly, A fourth reafon why he undertakes a work attended with fo many difficulties is, becaufe it is for his friends, who ordinarily fall all dea^ with a i dead work. What will he not do for his friends, cfpecially when their neceiiity calls for it? he that gives himfelf, will he not work, and do all things for them ? And this is comfortable, to think that ■Chrill will undertake a work attended with fo ma- ny difficulties, and eipecially when his friends (for whofe caufe he undertakes it) are fo unworthy of any fuch favour. 5thly, A fifth reafon is this, becaufe thereby he gets himfelf a great name, and great praife, and thereby does much ftreng then the daggering faith I of the friends of the work. Neh. ix. 10. " So didfl c< thou get thee a great name, as it is this d And as he promifed to David, 2 Sam. vii. 9. " That : would make him a great name-" fo, by undertaking, he that was the antitype gets a great ifelf. It were good if we were plead- ing h more, to perfuade him to under; 1 the re iving of our Lazarus. 6th \ he may atteft the 1 - of his heart to the fons of men. We have .. ": 'ling and-unworthy thoughts of him, that he will not, or cannot do any thing about dry les, or dead- fouls. Now, he does this to con- ince us of the contrary. Ifa. xli. 17, 18. " The €I poor and need; uit water, and their tongue EaiU for thirfi/ > Now they muft die for lack of water. No, fays the Lord, ver. 18. "I will " open up rivers in the wilder nefs, and ftreams H "ia ( 26 ) u in the defcrt: I will hear them; I the God of u Jacob will not forfake them/' 7 thly, and laftly, Becaufe as he daily works, fo he hath fome one or other work that is called a ge- neration-work, that he does for reviving of that generation, and for the following, that when they fall under a death, they may remember his works of old, and fet their hope on him, Pfal. lxxviii. 7. ! ct that they might fet their hope on him." This fort of work, I conceive, that word efpecially holds forth, which you have Pfal. cxlv. 4, " One This our Lord will do before his work undertaken by him be not perfected. Thus much for the fourth thing propounded to be fpoken to. The fifth thing to be confidered is, ?ho manner,' and way that he takes in finishing his work thus undertaken by him. 1 ft, The firft way that I obferve he hath on earth, in doing great works, and in reviving Zi- cn's dead, after he hath undertaken this work, is this, by weak and contemptible means. Then rofe up Deborah, Judg. iv. and Jael the wife of He- ber muft do execution on Sifera. Sometimes by extraordinary means, "Then rofe upPhineas,and " mirU ( 8 9 ) idfe execution ; and it was counted to him for " righteoufnefs. " And fometimes by contrary means. He opens the eyes of the blind by dull: and fpittle : that was a means contrary to the cure that he wrought by the fame. But what (hall we fay? things are in their efFecl as he will have them, tho' they be never fo croft thereunto in their own na- ' rures : the turning of Jerufalem into chalk-ftones, by his appointment, will ferve to purge away Je- rufaletiTs fin. 2dly, In his doing of his work that he under- takes, he does it moil: compleatly ; he leaves it not half done ; when he begins, he makes an end, whether in his works of mercy or juitice. The wicked fcorn him, and fay, V> T ill he make an end in one day ? But whatever days he take to do his work, he is fure to compkat it ere he leave it, Deut, 3lxxii. 5. " As for God, his work is perfect." -y, By all the deaths upon his work and peo- ple he advances his great defign ; and if he kill, he quickens by killing; Hof. vi. 1, 2. " Ke hath " torn, and he will heal us; he hath fmitten, and " he will bind us up." If blood be fown about Jerufalem like water, it proves the feed of the church. And hence it is that the man that is ac- quainted with God, when he fees all this, fays. There is a building up, and that " he faves the rid of the innocent," Job xxii. lair. 4thly, He does it in his own time ; Ifa lx. lafr. it is in his time; " in an acceptable time have f old, in Egypt, and at the Red-fea. ^ 7thly, He ddes his 'wot k, but fo as to affeft his people firft with it. Jehofaphat muflf be concern- ed about his- work, and the cafe that all was in,, and fay, ," We know not what to do," before ever- the Lord do it, 2 Chron; xx. 12. Ezekiel muft be fet in the midft of the valley of dry bones, before they be revived. We keep too long about the bor- ders of them, but we muft get in to the heart of his affairs, and fee things in their bkuskeft colours; Here, you fee, Lazarus is not; only known to be. fick, but dead, and ftinking in the grave; friends weep, 1 and Jefus wept, before ever Lazarus is re? vived. 8th!y, Confider that God's glorious appearance for the help of his people is when things come to the mount, that is, when things are out of hope, if God himfelf do not appear. Hence, Gen. xxii. 14. " In the mount of the Lord it /hall befeen;" which makes a returning from the mount with fheaves. However it be f very meiancholious to go up the mount, yet it is very joyful to come down *gain, with your dead Ifaac reftcred to Kfe again. othly. Ha ( 9* ) 5FtH!y, He works in fuch a manner that he dis- appoints his peoples fears,, and his enemies hopes. I(a. xxxv. 3. His people are in great fear, his ene- mies have great hopes ; but what fays our Lord to his people ? ver. 4. " Be ftrong, fear not ; I will " come with recompence to your enemies, but I " will fave you." iothly, He works it after that rate, that in his way he makes many heart-difcoveries. And, 1 . He difcovers the difciples pride, that, would difpute with the Mafter- 2. Their ignorance ; they knew not that there was no hazard fo long, as day lafted. 3. Their rafhnefs, in offering. thernfelves to fuffer without a call. 4. Their difrefpeft and unhand- iome carriage to their Mafter : Nay, fay they, he will run himfelf and us alfo upon hazard. 5. Their unbelief, both in them and in Martha* 1 nhly, He does it after his own order ; that is to fay, he firft heals the difiempers that were in their fouls, and then heraifes up Lazarus. Laza- rus could not be the worfe by his delaying, to raife him; but Martha, if ihe had not been cured of her unbelief, might have fuftained a great pre- judice. Then Chrift is near to aft, when he cures the unbelief of his people, and ftrengthens their faith to lay hold on the promife. I2thly, and laftly,.He does his work not only eafily, fpeedily and irrefiftibly, but he does it fo as to leave room for your part of the work ; you muft roll away theftone, whatever it be, you muft remove impediments that ly in the way. We muft employ Chrift, and depend on him ; but it muft be in doing what he commands, though it were no more but to roll away theilone. I come now, in the laft place, to the application of the point. And, 1 ft, By what I have faid you may be help- to try how things ftand betwixt our Mailer and us, and ( r- ) and whether he hath undertaken onr work in us and for us. But how fhall I know this ? Anf. i. Hath Chriit fent and befpoke thee for hirnfelf, and the mefTage he fent is gone to thy very heart, fo that inftantly thou becam'ft willing, like Rebecca, to come to him ? can you fay, that when his law came, then you were made to run,. under the fenfe of your own deadnefs, and the re- viving of a body of death in you ? Rom. vii. 9. then be fure the work is undertaken by him. And this, you know, Was his way of old with his church : when they cried to him in their diftrefs* then, as an evidence that he had heard their prayers, and undertaken to deliver them, he fent his prophet unto them, Judg. vi. 8, 9. who de- clares unto them the mind and purpofe of God in order to his delivering of them. Thus he fent Mo- fes unto his poor people, when m Egypt, to tell I them that he had undertaken the work of their, redemption, and that he would do it with an out- irretched arm, E&od. ii. 7, 8. " And the Lord faid, , " I have furely feen the affliction of my people, . " and have heard their cry, by reafon of their tafk-- u mafters ; and I afci come down to deliver them." But ah, where is there fuch an one this day I 6 for a Mofes, with fuch a, comfortable mefTage ! then might We harden ourfelves againft our pre- fent forrows, becaufe of our expected deliverance. 2. Hath he contracted and covenanted with you abou.t the work of your eternal falvation ? is there a mutual paction betwixt him and us? If there. be, then he hath undertaken the work. Have we engaged ourfelves to him ? then he hath engaged himfelf to us, " and will remember his covenant " with Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, and will re- u member the land," Lev. xxvi. 42. ^ And albeit we do not keep the conditions of the contract be- twixt, him and us, as Ezek. xvi. 59. " Neverthc- " kfs/3 ( 93 ) the Lord, rev, 60. %i I will renu [x ber my covenant with thee in the days of thy 11th, and I will eftabliih with thee an ever- ftinff covenant. Then, ihalt thou remember o |C thy ways, and be afhamed, when thou (halt re- ' ceive thy filters, thine eider and thy younger ; ! * and I w r ill give them to thee for daughters, but ' not according to thy covenant." And fo he goes anfwer this objection in the 62d verfe. Where , That as his contracting with his people evi- iking of the work, and that he 1 pon this account carry it on ; fo his ilniihing >f his work puts his people in the dull, and makes men lat by repentance which they have ed by their pride. And all this our Lord does >f grace, not of merit; which makes them the nore afriamed of their former ways. ; You may know he hath undertaken a good vork in you, if he hath at any time accepted of i facrifice from you, and given the eameft of his Spirit unto you. This is not only a great ground >f confidence as to his undertaking, but a great >lefling to thee, and to the work, Pfal. Ixvi. 20. ' Bieifed be God, who hath not turned away my \ prayer, nor his mercy from me." When God ccepts of his people's prayers about his work, it token for good ; and when he continues the of prayer with them, for this end, that they nay be his remembrancers, then be fore he will rile, and make Jerufalem the praife of the whole arth ; but if this be retrained, or if God be an- ;ry with his people's prayers, it is a lamentation; nd " for thefe things I weep; mine eye, mine * eye runs down with tears, becaufe relief is gone," -am. i. 16. Again, when God turns not away his nercy from us, but gives unto us the earnelt of lis Spirit, whereby we are helped to employ him t his work, it is a good token he hath ynder- takea taken it; Ezek. xxxix. laft. " Iwill hide my face M no more from you ; for I have poured out my " Spirit upon you." Truly when God calls home his Spirit, it feems then there is little work for him or others to do. 4. You may know that he hath undertaken the work, by the coft and pains thar every day our Lord is at to hold up thy goings, Pfal, xvii. 5, to hold thy foul in life, and to keep thy feet from being moved, when men ride over your head, Pf. Ixvi. o, 10, 6r. to prove thee, and to try thee y as gold is tried, to bring thee into the net, and bring thee out again. He is at all this coft, be- caufe he hath undertaken that great work, ver. 12. which is to bring thee out unto a wealthy place; and, Deut. viii. 3. " He humbled thee, and fuffer- " ed thee to hunger." All this was, that he might do them good in the latter-end, which was his great undertaking for them. Therefore, I fay, if you fee him at great coft and expences every day about his work, (one minifter fpends iis ftrengtli about it, another is eaten up with the zeal of his houfe) take this as a fure evidence that he hath & work, and hath undertaken it, and will finifh his tower in due time. 5. You may know he hath undertaken by r this*. if his friends and fervants have a mind to work. When Zion's dull: is fweeter to all the faints than all the powders of the merchant, and when, on- this consideration, they have a heart to d'o whate- ver their hands find to do. Chrift fuffers none of his work-men to wprfc* but at his own work; if they meddle with the work of error, he breaks their works ; and if with the work of them that turn afide, there remains nothing but repentance^ But when he intends to work, then he fpii its up. his friends for his work ; whereupon " the wall " goes up, and is joined together," Neh. iv. 6. O ( 95 ) > for more of this mind, and that out of love to our work; for truly our work is our greatefr. and beft wages in time. 6. and laftly, Then you may know that he hath ■ undertaken the work, when you find him affec- • tionately concerned in what befalls the work : •' and I " Jefus wept." Oft times he weepeth alone over a dead work; " and when Jefus came toward the ; " city, he wept." They were all finging, he only weeping. And muft bleiTed Jefus weep, and weepa- ^ lone, and weep with the weeping friends of a dying work; and yet can you not believe that this work is on his heart ? It may be a great queftion whe- ther the hardnefs of our hearts, or the deadnefs of his friend Lazarus, is the greateft caufe of our dear Lord's forrow. Let us go down to the grave, and weep with him. And fo this leads me to the next word of ufe, Which is, 2aly, To call you to weep over your | -dead hearts, your dead work, your dead friends, I and over all the deaths that have paft on the in- tereft of our Lord. I have fpeken a little to this before : and what now I call you to w r eep over (hall be thefe: j. I call you to weep over the diftance that you tave caufed by your fins. Is he not far from us ? \s he not " gone to his placer" Hof. v. 15. hath he not hid his face from his minifters and people ? is he not fo far, and at fuch a diftance, that you c;;nnot fee him ? and there are none of us that can tell how long it (hall be fo. Is not the Comforter removed faraway from us? is not our (un gout down ? what mean? this chillnefs and coldnefs, this d knefs and drowlinefs? what is the language ; thefe long evening fiiadows of an empty profefiian, while the practice of godlinefs is dead ? why hear I the found of the groans of dying graces, gifts and ordinances ? All. this, as it is becauie of our dilbnee diftance from him, fo it is an evidence that we are at a diftance from him. And what ! my beloved, (hall mourners go about the ftreets ? and will you make merry when all this crying is for you, becaufe you are at a diftance from your head and huf band ? Bring forth that fon of the murderer, viz. (in;, and let it be facrificed. before the fun, that diftance betwixt our Love and us may be removed. 2. The fecond thing I call you to mourn over is, the prefent danger that his particular work within you, and his public work in the world, are in, and only through our means. How fo? By our (ins we have provoked God to deftroy the co- vert of it, to take down the wall that was about it, to let in wild boars, and to permit them to rage at their pleafure. Why, what is thecaufe? Ifrael only hath finned, andibr thefe fins is Zion- plow- ed from day to day, and is in danger of her life. What ! is it fo ? and fhall not this make you weep in fecret places, becaufe you have endangered the ark of God, the glory of God, the ftrength of the moft High, the graces of the Spirit of God, and all that is excellent and precious ? and yet will you not mourn? O for mourning women! Whatimuft we take you to Mizpah, and there draw water, becaufe all the fprings and wells in faints are run dry? 3. I call you to mourn over the deaths that you have a hand in by your unbelief, barrennefs and atheifm. Your faith was but in danger the other day;, now, man, thou haft kili'd it. Have you not been Chvift's death? Acts iii. 15. " You have " killed the Prince of life," and that afrefh, and put him to open fharne. I am fure thy fin is worfe than "the fin of the Jews who crucified him ; and therefore it is called a " trampling un- " der foot the Son of God," and a " putting ** him to op^n {hame." If you had done thus to yoar ( 97 ) your father and mother, the law would have jud- ged you. But feeing you have done what you can to caufe the work to ceafe, it is your concernment to mourn bitterly, as one does for his firfl-born; and that becaufe you have been Chrift's death, the death of the martyrs, the death of the work of God, and you will be your own death, if you do not repent. 4. I call you to mourn over the rottennefs and bad favour that hath befallen the work and people of God. Minifters have contracted a bad favour, as if we were rebels, and taught rebellion ; the or- dinances have contracted a bad favour, fo that no- thing can commend them to many, except they be perfumed with the fpices of human inventions; the whole practice of godlinefs is evil fpoken of. Why? what is the matter ? and is there not a caufe ? Yes, " you have made the enemies of God *' to blafpheme, and becaufe of you is the name 94 of God," the ordinances of God, and the ways of God, " evil fpoken of daily." And truly our fpot is not the leaft amongft them that have turned afide, that fhould go betwixt the living and the dead. 5.I call you to mourn upon the account of the length of time that things have been thus with us. Hath not the Lord hid his face from us for a long time ? hath not his work been in danger thefe ma- ny years ? have not ordinances and providences been dead, no ways quickening and reviving to us? and hath not a bad favour been on his work this longtime? Shall it be thus, notwithftanding -of our tears and prayers? and (hall we notfhut up ail with this, " But thou, O Lord, how long ?" 6. I call you to mourn over ail the divisions that are amonglt us about this work, by which it falls out that the friends of the work give the firil wound to the work, and then others have the I greater greater advantage in oppofing of it, while thus wounded by friends. May not all his concerns anfwer thefe that enquire, What be thefe wounds your miniftry, your church-ordinances and govern- ment-, have gotten ? Thefe be the wounds I have received in the houfe of my friends, by their di- Adfions and diflTentions, employing their parts and gifts againft the giver of them. O that our head was a fountain, ta mourn and weep for this ! 7. Mourn for the hard thoughts you have had of Chrift, for undertaking his work and carrying it on in fuch a way. You will be wifer than he, and holier than he, and this pleafes you well : but till we have better thoughts of Chrift, and learn fubmiffion to his will, and better obedience by our differing, there is fmall hopes of our recovery. ' 8. Laftly, We have reafon to lament over tli£ oppofition we have made againit him. Some of us are not only found out of our work, but are found a&uajly engaged as one of his enemies, difputing againft the work. You need not prove that it is dead, nor need you tell us that our Lazarus ftink- eth, nor that Martha is weak in the faith, nor of our ignorance what to do for the work, or what will be done for it. We acknowledge thefe things : and as we defire to weep with our Mafter, fo we have confidence that he will ftep over all thefe dif- couragements, and do his work. But what! In- trend'ft thou to be as one of them that opprefs thy brother Jacob? doft thou not hear them fay, Lo, fuch an one is become like unto us ? " Shall Ifrael * c be found amongft: thieves, or muft Ephraimmix " hirnfelf amongft the common people?" I pray you, lay by this weapon; difpute lefs, and believe more, that by faith you may have your dead re- . ftoredto life again. I will tell. you, that all you can fay by difputing or .misbelieving agayift Laza- rus C 99 ) ts will not alter Chrift's affection, nor his pup- pofe concerning the reviving of him. 3dly, Now, my third and laft word of life I would give you is, to- call you to rejoice upon the account of this, that Chrift- will finifh as he hath undertaken his work, notwithftanding of all dif- ficulties in the way, Joel ii. 21. "Be glad and re- • " joke, for God will do great things." I fhall name fix excellent grounds of joy and confidence to the people of God about this work. 1. The firft is this, that our Lord is infinitely concerned in his work of grace on your fouls, \a carry on and perfect it, as he hath begun it. And be fure Chrift will never lofe his intereft, lofe who --will. Thou may'ft meet with a ftorm, but fliah 1 never fufrcr fhipwreck ; becaufe Chrift hath a ven- • ■ in_the fhip, therefore it fhall afluredly conic ::.:\ to fhore/ -* 2. The fecond thing I would fay to you, to make you rejoice, is this, that Chrift will welcome you at midnight, when you come to him about his work. You can afk nothing but he will give it: 'and if ever the angel of the covenant does won- derfully, it is then, when his Lazarus is dead > and in the grave. God is faid to arife, and have mer- cy on Zion, becaufe her time is come, wherein love can no longer reflrain itfelf. I encourage you to come, becaufe he will welcome you with the glad tidings of this, that his Lazarus fhall rife a- gain. 3. Comfort yourfelves with this, that as Chrift is moft willing to take employment about his work, fo in his undertaking nothing can dlfcou rage, him, neid]^diilance^da_n^er nor deadnefs: nay, tho thuu wert (linking above ground, and with both 1 hands thrufting away thy own mercy, as the dif- ciples did/ yet he will do his work, and perfect it to hii.own praife. L 2 4. Rejoice 4- Rejoice becaufe all Chrift's methods are befl, and tend moft to the advancement of the work that is in his hand. Let him aft, and do not hinder him by your unbelief; let him take his own way,. his own time, and life thofe means he pleafeth; all will help and haften Lazarus out of the grave, and make him come forth with the greater advantage. 5. Rejoice, for God intends to make a feafl for churls, to fhame them out of their miferable fhait- tiing of his Spirit. It fhall not be the Spirit, or his do&rine, dropping as the dew;, Deut. xxxir. 2. but it fhall be a pouring out of the Spirit, Ifa. xxxii. 15. and a plentiful rain r whereby he 'will confirm his inheritance when wearied, PfaL lxviiu 9. " Lift up your heads, for the day of your plen- •* tiful redemption draweth near;" for he will not chide continually, he will perfeft what he hath be- gun, and will do this with a notable advantage to a dead Lazarus ; fo that all that heard of him fhall fee, and turn to the Lord. 6. and laftly, Rejoice becaufe he that removeth his people's unbelief will roll away the ftone of outward difficulties, be what they will. It is a blefTed token that outward impediments fhall eva- flifh, when the inward plagues of the heart are re- moved. I fhall fay no more, but as it is a mercy that Chrift is at work, and cannot be difcouraged in it ; fo then is the reviving begun, when the Spi- rit is p oured out, and thefe heart-plagues cured that profeffors have been tormented with, in the day of his hiding* and of his removing of the Spi- rit far from us. The good Lord return our cap- tivity as the ftreams of the foutb. FINIS. PSAL. lxXXV. 6. Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoke^ in thee ? WHOSE words thefe are y . themfelves do de- clare. That, i. They are the words of fuch that once enjoyed the favourable face of God, and now are deprived of it, the Lord being now turned away from them : 2. That once were revived and quickened in the enjoyment of him, and now are fallen dead, and difcouraged upon his turning away from tliem. 3. They are the words of fuch who are very fenfible of both the former two, viz. his turning away, and their own deadnefs upon his withdrawing. 4. They, are the words of thofe that now find, that nothing can revive them until he return to them, and gra- cioufly favour them with his prefence, as he ufeth to do to his land. 5. They are the words of fuch, whom nothing could fatisfy but his return- ing and reviving, and that now bend all their ftrength to wreftle with Jacob's God, to perfuade him to return and revive them. 6. They are the words of a people perfuaded of his power and abi- lity to revive the dead, dry, and Scattered bones of the houfe of Ifrael, and that none elfe could do it. 7. They are the words of a people that had their own fears and jealouiies that he would not return and revive them, as this expoltulation feeiieth to import; " Wilt thou not revive us :" 8. They are the words of a people that do not: give way to their unbelief and jealouiies \ they I 3 bxiag bring all their doubts anddifcouragements to God, and propound the queftion to him, faying, " Wilt ¥ thou not revive us ?" And it is good when we do not give place to unbelief, nor ftand to its ver- difr, efpecially when clouds and thick darknefs- cover the church of God. 9 They are the words of humble, and yet confident pleaders with God about their condition ; they wreftle by arguments, and plead powerfully with God for his returning to revive them. 10. and laftly, They are the words of fuch as refolve to improve his returning, and their own reviving, to his praife, whenfoever they fhould enjoy it. In a word, they were per- fons of a public fpirit, and that defigned the good: of all. the people of God ; " that thy people may ** rejoice in thee." I would premife theft fix things, thatferious- Chriflians fhould hatre upon their hearts, when God's work within and without them is very low; Firft, They fhould feriouily eonfider how -mat- ters ftand between God and them, whether things I be in tire or not, whether there be a breach .or not, , if there.be any difference betwixt him and them, , that caufeth diilance, and that fuch a diftance, . that God v/Wl not fpeak ta them, look 011 them,, or have any communion or fellowfhip with them. Secondly, The people, of the Lord fhould then 1 ferioufly enquire,. "where isthe Lord?" and what way he is gone-; whether he is behind our wall,, or gone to his place; Job xxiii. 3. " Oh that I; *' knew where. I might' find him \* It is a grie- vous fin when they that handle, the law. ask not \ for him- Thirdly,. The people of the Lord,' as they ahould be fenfible af his departure, fo they fhould 5 be very ferious about, and much long for his* re-- asm, 5. " But. thou, ,0 Lord, how long? O turn* ""thea: ( 103 ) c * thee unto me, and have mercy upon me," Pfal. xxv. 14. 15. " For lam defolateand afflicted. " Fourthly, The people of God fhould be very ferious to get their hearts fatisfied in this, that} while he is from them, he is for them, Ezek. 1 xxxvi. 10. " For behold, I am for you, and I ! " will return unto you :" that is, Though I be abfent from you, yet I am for advancing your in- -tereft, and the intereft of thegofpel, and will come home again in due time, and you fhall be wrought upon both by law and gofpel, you fhall be plow- ed and fown. O what a comfortable word is this ; I for you againft all, I for you to fweeten all your bitter,, and to fupply all your wants i Fifthly, The people of God fhould be very fe- rious, and fenfible of the deadnefs and difcourage- ment they fall under upon his turning from them, and fhould be much afFefted with the fame. Sixthly, and laftly^, External impoflibilities, and inward indifpofition to better their condition, fhould not only lead them unto him, but fhould animate and encourage them the more to come to him, and to put their cafe and caufe in his hand ; " Wilt thou not revive us, that thy people " may rejoice, in thee . ?" I come now to the words, u Wilt thou not rer f* vive us ?" or rather, Wilt thou not return, and revive us ? as in the original. Thus Ar. Montanus-, Nonnetaccnverterisivivijicabisnos ? Wiltnot.thou return, and wilt not thou revive us£ Molerus tran- flares it thus, An nan tu converfus vivificabis nos ? Wilt not thou, being turned to us, revive us ? wilt thou not turn thyfdf, when we. cannot do it, and quicken us ? It is an ufual kind of expoflulation, that the faints have ufed in their wreft lings under tentations ; and however they feem fometimes to favour of impatience, yet, becaufe they are mixed vith faith, God is not offended with fuch,. but rather v 104 ; rather is well-pleafed therewith; as Tertull. faith, Vis h#c eft Deo grata. The meaning then feemeth to be this ~; Thou haft been angry with us, good Lord, arid in thy juft indignation torn us, and turned from us, which we humbly acknowledge. Many rejoice; in it, and fay, that thou not only haft done fb, (and we adore and admire, becaufe it is not worfe) but they fay, and make this news run through the country, that thou wilt not return again, that thou wilt not revive again (which is all our hope and confidence in our bondage) : therefore let it not be prefumption in thy poor dead and de- ferted children to come, 'and thus expoftulate with thee about this matter, that now we humbly beg a determination about from thyfelf ; " Wilt thou " not return, and revive us again, that thy people " may rejoice in thee ?" wilt not thou bring near thy righteoufnefs, even thy falvation,. for Ifrael thy glory ? wilt not thou caufe thy face to fhine,. that wemay be faved ? and, wilt not thou make us glad, according to all the days wherein we have feen evil, " that thy people may be glad in: « thee?'* Iji the words you have thefe four things to be confidered. The firft is, Their crofs ; God is turned away from them* as is implied in thewords* Second* ly, Yon have their cafe under this crofs; they are in a very dead condition, and do not well know, if ever it (hall be better with them. Thirdly, You have their cure, that only can heal their difeafe, and that is God's returning to them, and reviving: of them. Fourthly, You have their crown, on excellent defign wherewith they intend to crown, all, viz. that if he wili return and revive thfrm," they will rejoice and praife him ; " that thy people. %i may rejoice in thee." The^ ( *°5 ) The iirft do&rine I draw from the words, thire [plained, is this ; That heirs of glory may fo provoke their God and glory, that he may turn away from them for a time. This is that which the prophet telleth us of, 2 Chron, xv. 2. " — The Lord is with yon, while " ye be with him ; and if ye feek him, he will be cc found of you : but if ye forfake him, he will «« forfake you." Hofea v. 15. " I will go and return * c to my place." Jer. xii. 7. " I have forfaken my •' houfe," viz. my ordinances, my people, and given all over to the will of my enemies. I fhall a little enquire into thefe two things. The ill is this, To fhew you what this turning away from his people is. 2dly, Why doth our Lord thus turn from them ? For the ift, What it is ; for anfwer unto this, I. Ilhall fhew you what have been the notions of the faints of old about it. 2. I fhall give you a v brief defcription of it, which I fliall endeavour to explain in all the branches of it. 1 . To fpeak unto the fir ft, which is, the faints notions about his turning from them ; they are fuch as have been attended with much weaknefs and jealoufy, yet they are of great ufe unto us. (1.) The firft whereof is this, they call it a ftand- ing afar of, Pfal. x. 1. " Whyftandeft thou afar * c off?" This points out thefe two : [1.] That he is gone from them ; like that of the fpoufe, Song v. 6. "My beloved is gone, is gone.'' [2.3 That now he is at a great diftance, and far away ; gone to the mountains, gone over mountains: and now mountains of feparation are got in betwixt him and them, fo that they cannot behold him, or come nigh unto him. (2.) They call it a hiding of his face, Ifa. Ixiv. **. " None ftirreth up himfelf to take hold on thee, " when tl when thou hideft thy face/* They knew him as it were by face, that is, by his divine gracious manifestations of himfelf, which now they are de- prived of; and find he is angry, an effeft where- of is the hiding of his face, and removing of his wonted favours from 'them. And indeed, this is one fad branch of his turning away from his peo- ple, when he fhews them the back, but not the face. (3.) They call it a forgetting of their affliction and oppreffion, Pfal. xliv. 24. " Wherefore hideft u thou thy face, and forge tteft our affliction, and " our oppreffion ?" Not that thereby they would attribute any fuch thing properly to him, who cannot be faid, in this fenfe, either to forget or remember : but, that he carried himfelf fo to them in his difpenfations, as one carrieth to another that he hath forgotten, in not fympathizing with him to his fenfe ; and in that he doth not that which may bring them out of their prefent afflic- tion ; fo Pfal. xiii. 1, "How long wilt thou for-' " get me, O Lord ! for ever V This is moft bitter to the people of God. (4.) They call it a calling off, Pfal. lx. I. " O " God, thou haft caft us off, thou haft fcattered " or broken us, thou haft been difpleafed." Pfal. lxxiv. 1. " O God, why haft thou caft us off for " ever ?" Lam. v. 22. " But thou haft utterly " rejefted us, thou art very wroth againft us."* This is more feared than felt. Their grounds^ whereupon they draw this conclufionj cannot bear it : but what is wanting in the premifes, is. fupplied by their fears and jealoufies. (5.) And laftly, They call it a forfaking of them ; Pfal. 22. 1 . *' Why haft thou forfaken me ?" Matth. xxvii. 46. " My God, my God, why haft " thou forfaken me?" And however we are not. troubled when we forfake him, yet there is nor- thing; ( xo 7 ) thing more terrifying to the people of God, than apprehenfions of his forfaking them. They know the fweetnefs of his prefence, the fad effedfs of his departure from them, and their own perplexi- ties, in reference to both ; which makes them dread the thoughts of his departure, while, in the mean time, they frand not in awe to commit thofe fins that provoke him to forfake them. Thus much for the firfl thing propounded, for your bet- ter underftanding of our Lord's turning away from his people. 2. The fecond thing I promifed to fpeak to, is, to give you a brief defcription of this, from all their former notions about it, which is this ; Gods turning from his people, is the hiding of his face from his people generally, and leaving them to be exercifed with great afflictions, and that for a very long time. This defcription is grounded on their notions ibout this difpenfation, excepting their weaknef- ~es and infirmities, which we are to watch againft. But, for further clearing of this defcription, I hall confider it apart, and clear it unto you. (i.) And fipft, I call it a hiding of God's face, which includes .thefe fix things in it. [i.] It acludes the ^vith-holding of light and coiHifel, thereby his people are helped to difcern time, nd judgment, and what Ifrael fliould do in refe- ence to both. It was .the commendation of Ifla- har, lhat they knew the times and feafons, and .vhat Ifrael ihould do. Now when, on the con- rary, we " walk like blind men," Zeph. 1. 17. when our prophets alfo find no vifion from the Lord," Lam. ii. 9. and w when we fee not our figns, neither is there any prophet, or any other among us, (pretend to what they will) that knoweth how long, ,; Pial. lxxiv. 9. it appeareth appeareth that now the Lord is turned away from us, in whom is the fountain of light and life. [2.] This hiding includes the with-holding of his nourifhing and cherifhing grace, whereby he cherifheth his people, as a hen doth her chickens; whereof you may fee, Deut. xxxii. ii. " As an " eagle ftirreth up her neft, fluttereth over her •< young, fpreadeth abroad her wings, taketh " them, beareth them on her wings, " So, ver. 12. cc The Lord alone did lead him, and there u was no ftrange God with him. ,> So, ver. 13, 14. as you may read at your leifure. When God turneth away, this is with-holden, and, in place thereof, he fendeth on them defolating ftrokes and judgments, Matth. xxiii. 37, 38. " Behold, ycMr " houfe is left unto you defolate." Ver. 39, " You (hall not fee me henceforth, till you fhall " fay, BlefTed is he that comet-h to us in the name " of the Lord." And this is the fecond fad thing that is in it. [3.] It includeth the hiding of thofe things from his people that he hath been often fhewing to them, as things belonging to their peace ; but then they would not fee ; and now they are hid from their eyes. Luke xix. 41 , 42. " But now " they are hid from thine eyes." She would not fee when fhe might, and now (he cannot fee tho* {he would. This is a dreadful confideration in this cafe, and raoft true. [4.] It includeth the delivering up of a people to ftrong delufions of their own hearts, 2 Thef. ii. 11. cc And for this caufe God fhall fend them " ftrong delufions, that they fhould believe a on the account] of I ( m ) of Achan's covetoufhefs, was not a turning from the land, becauie ir was of no continuance ; feeing that this turning away is for a long time together, I Sam. vii. 2. " And it came to pafs " while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the " time was long •, for it v/as twenty years :" HoC- iii. 4. •■ For the children of Ifiuel fhall abide u many days without a king, and without a " prince, and without a facrificc," ijc. which clearly fuppofeth length of time, and continuing long in that low and forfaken condition. Thus much for the firft thing propounded to you, viz. What is underftood by his turning from his land, that: he hath been favourable to in for- mer times. 2dly, For the fecond th!r,g, viz. the caufes of this turning away ; they are both many and known ; publilhed fo, that he that runs may read them,, and yet not repented of, though the- land periftieth under the weight thereof* God preferve Judah from being eaten up in the day of indigna- tion ! I (hall name but three tranfgrcilions, or four, for which God feverely puniiheth his people. 1. The firil is, apoflafy and defection from him, his caufe, truths, ordinances, ftatutes and judgments, 2 Kings xvir. 1 ;.. {the words of the text are thefe,) " And they rejected his ftatutes, M and his covenant that he made with their " fathers, and his teftimonies which he tefti- " fled againfl them," either by his judgments or theic own consciences " and became vain," verfe 16. u And they left all the commandments 4t of the Lord their God," What ! is he yet their God ? Yea, but w hat next ? " And they made thein- " felves molten images, even two calves ;" (fo Pfal. xvii.) But what cometh of this ? V^r(e 1 8. M There- u fore the Lord was very angry with Ifrael." Nay, fare, he will onlybe angry with the calve-makers ; K 2 yea, ( n: / yen, and with all them that truft in them, really, or iaterpretatively ; and that to the removing them out of his .fight. Now, the cafe being fo clear, it is but folly for men to look for a fight of his face, till \ they confider this head of guilt in this forfeited place. 2* A fecond^hing is, when men juftify them- felves in their abominations, and f?.y„ either they I are not polluted, though they have gone after Baal, Jer. ii. 23. or that they are delivered to commit all thefe abominations, Jer. vii. 10. "They " will come to his houfe, and fay, We are deliver- " ed to do all thefe abominations ;" or when they glory in it, Ffal. iv. 2. they glory in their fhame, or, with Solomon's fool, make a mock of fin. And what a pity is it to fee men befool themfelves with iiivl and then, when it hath befooled them, it breake.th forth in a £ery flying, ferpent upon them : and.yet men are fo mad, that nothing can fatif- fy them, except wickednefs go forth from them to all the land, Jer. xxiii. 15. ," Profanenefs is " gone forth 'from them to all the land." /This provoketh our Lord to turn away, and to give up with a people. 3. A third is, a land's incorrigiblenefs under all- the means that he ufeth for their recovery* Jer. viii. 4, 5. "Shall they fall and not arife f are " they gone back with a perpetual backlliding ?" Shall bellows be burnt, and lead confumed ; cities laid on heaps, and the land burnt up ; and ilia 11 not- the drofs be purged away? Jer. vi. 29, 30. fakih xlii. 24,. 25. " Therefore. he hath poured 4 tiponl^im the fury of his anger, and theflrength ' of battle." Can any be ignorant of the caufe of this wrath, . that readeth the fcripture ? fo Ezek. xxiv. 13. " In thy filthinefs is leudnefs, * becaufe I would have purged thee, and thoi^ " wonldil not be purged." This is their inconi- J giblenef , ( »3 ) giblcnefs. But what follows ? " Thou /halt not ]t be purged any more, till my fury reft uponthee :" So, Iiaiah i. 5. " Why fhould you be fmitten " any more ? for ye will revolt more and more." . 4. The fourth and laft I name is, a land's [rupidity and fenfelefthefs under all this : they are burnt up, but they lay it not to heart ; they are fmitten, but they do not find it; or, if they do, it is but as the drunkard faith, Prov. xxiii. 35". r< They have ftricken me," faith he ; but when be awaketh he calleth for it again. The land perifheth for lack of knowledge ; yet, who is fenfible of it ? A ftupid unconcerned fpirit is that which doth highly provoke God to wrath, and incapacitateth thee to do any thing for the pre- senting, of it.- It is beyond "all queftion, that our careleffnefs and unconcernednefsof fpirit as to fin or duty, as to time or eternity, is that which liath brought us under much trouble, Ifa. xxxii. p, 10. which will never be removed until the Spirit be poured out upon us from on high, ib. ver. 15. I (hall not infill any more on this point, only ferioufly confider what I have faid ; and, by /What [ have faid on the firft queftion, you may under - ftand our condition, and God's way towards us ; . md by the other, you may know your own fin, md the caufe of God's wrath, manifeited in his turning from you. The fecond thing that I obferve is this, That upon our Lord's turning away, his land and peo- ple fall very dead and difcouraged. " Wilt thou ' not revive us ?" .That imports the deadnefs of their cafe ; " that thy people may rejoice in thee ;" this importeth the forrowfulnefs of it. I fhall not detain you here, by telling you what things fall dead in his land, when he removeth from it, fuch as thefe, viz. The principles of found do&rine and manners die ; whereupon error in judgment, K 3 and i ( ii 4 > and loofenefs in. mens pra&ice and converfatioi*, creep into his land, and pollute his land, thereby turning Immanuel's land into a wildernefs. The people become fick and weak, that, in the enjoy- ment of his countenance, were healthy and ftrong r Ifa. i. 5. " The whole head is fick, the whole " heart is faint:" and ver. 6- " from the fole f( the foot, even unto the head, there is no found " nefs in it, but wounds, and bruifes, and putrify* " ing fores ; they have not been clofed, neithe Ci bound up, neither mollified with ointment. t The exercife of all hjs peoples graces decay ; work is laid by ; men turn in from their labour,, and the wild beafts go forth to their prey, Pfalv eiv. 20. compared with 23. And it is fad wheiv thefe grey hairs are here and there, and Ephraira knoweth.it noty neither will he underhand. This, death " falleth on all the glory of his land :" theft 1 the glory of Ephraim is as a fading flower, li their "■ goodnefs as the morning cloud,, and as the early-. " dew it goeth away,"' Hof. vi. 4. You may now name your children Ichabod, faying to one. ano- ther,. V The glory is . departed from Ifrael; the. * c peoples joy is gone when he. removeth ;. thou.i "haft multiplied the nation, and not increafed ! '.*■- the joy, I fa ix. 3% u Joy and gladnefs is de-t. *- parted from the fiogfe of onrGod," Joel. i. 16* becaufe thofe that were fed are now ftarved, thofa that were healed are wounded,, and thofe that came to the facrlfices of the Lord, .as doves to thci windows, are now frighted away wkh the terribl fight and noifome llink of BetheL's calves, which they cannot kifs. The minifters and ordinances,' (thefe blefled rnftitutions of our King of kings), fill under contempt and difgrace. : being either, e'er-valued, by being refted upon, and put in the King's place, they die;, or under- valued below their worth, they die,, and are defpifed as light manna. ( i*S ) manna. As every thing liveth in its own orb, and being out of it, dieth ; fo thefe being either over- rated or under-valued r and confequently out of their orb, muft die. The praifes and vows that his land was beautified and ftrengthened with, are imprifoned,- Pfal. lxv. I. " Praife waiteth jl for thee in Zion, and unto thee fhall the vow " be performed" But why are not the praifes fung ? They are rmprifooed. Upon what occafion ? Upon theoccailon of his removal ; and they muft flay in prifon till he return. But may we not pay our vows? No: Why? Becaufe iniquities prevail ; iln- ftri, fad courfes prevail, thatrimprifon the vow; and it muft wait for him, before it can be performed. But to pafs all thefe, as having touched this fubjecl in my former difcourfe ; I fhall fhut up what I intend to fpeak of this doctrine, in laying before you thofe feven things, that concur to dead- en a land once much favoured by him* ift, The firfl thing which bringeth his land (or a particular member of it) under this deadnefs and difcouragement,. is the lofs* of the wonted fenfe of the love and favour of the God of rhe land. Thou haft been favourable^ and we did fenfibly perceive it ; but we have loft this fenfe,. and are become as dead, becaufe of it. Wilt not thou then revive us again ? O what a fad lofs is it, when a foul lofeth the raviflafng unfpeakable joys it ruid, in the apprehenfion of God's love, l Pet.. \. 3. "- In whom believing, we rejoice with " joy unfpsakable, and full of glory." There is now no fliedding abroad of^ the lgve of God in the heart ; the heart falleth dead and cold. And is it not a dcath-fad-fign enough, when thou haft I loft that dwelling, abiding perfuafion of hi* love, land of thy being at peace with him, Rom. v. i, J e not ? 6thly, The fixth thing wherein this death on he land confifteth is, the dreadful arrows that le (hooteth arus, by his furprifing and ftupendu- >us providences ; all which (as we judge) are a- jainftus, Job xvii. 8. by his (harp reproofs hew- ng us to pieces, and caufing our beauty to fade ike a moth, Pfal. xxxix. 13. and drinking upthe pints of his people, Job vi. 4. fothat there is no foundnefs ia their heart or flefli, Pfal. xxxviii. 3. jthly, ( 1 1 8 ) 7thly, The feventh and laft thing wherein th*< death confifteth is, the land's unfpiritednefs and difability, either to do or iuffer : there is no fpi- rit here, they Cannot help themfelves ; revlvec they muft be, but they cannot do it. So Pfal. xl 12. "I am not able to look up ; — therefore mj 11 heart faileth me." And indeed, as the king- dom becometh bafe when he removeth ; fo it! a&ivity is gone, when he is gone, Ifaiah lxiv. f* None ealleth on the Lord, none ftirreth up u himfelf to take hold on thee. Why? for the " haft hid thy face from us." We may then ftumble and -ftagger like a drunken man, we ma} then make long Shadows ; but we are wearied and cannot work, flothful and cannot watch, un- liable and cannot fuffer. Thus much for the death that faileth on the land upon our Lord's removing from it. Tha third doftrine that I draw from the word's is this, That while God is angry and removed from his people, there is no help nor relief for them againfl the deadnefs of their prefent condition. " Wilt not thou return, and revive us?" telleth us, that when God denieth to revive, or withdraw- eth his concurrence from means ordained to life, there cai} be no reviving. This you may fee the church of God lamenting over, Lam. i. 16 tf For M thefe things i weep : mine eye, mine eye runneth " down with water." Why, what is the caufe of her weeping ? " Becaufe the comforter that u fliould relieve my foul is far from me." q. d. Tentations aflault me, and there is no relief for me againft them ; corruption fpringeth- up ifi me, but no relief for me; grace faileth in me,, and in my children, and there is no relief for my foul : I faint in my fighing, and there is no re- lief for preventing it, or recovering me out of it. The crowo is fallen from my head, the glory is departed, ( H9 ) epaited, the day goeth away, a dark cloud of his oger covercth me, and my children are carried ato captivity; yet there is no relief. Why ? " Be- 1 caufe the Comforter that relieveth my foul is * far away." He is not gone altogether from me, >ut is far away from me, and is at a diftance: and long as it is thus, there is no relief for my foul. What! no relief? ift, Is there none in God? fea, btK none for me. Why fo? i. Becaufe he s angry, and fights againft me; Ifa. lxiii. io. 1 Therefore was he turned to be their enemy, and ' he fought againft them." O lamentable ! What ! lot only turned far from thee, but alfo turned to )e thy enemy, and an enemy fighting againft thee, rhen thou canft have no relief from him. 2. Be- ;aufe iniquity hath ieparated betwixt him and us; [{k. lix. 2. " But your iniquities have fepaiated * between you and your God, and your fin hath « hid his face from you, that he will not hear." Then he can revive you ; yea, his hand is not (hortened but it can fave, nor is his ear heavy but it can hear; but my iniquity hath feparated be- tween him and me, and he will not hear. There is no relief then here, till fin be removed, and wrath be appeafed. 3. Becaufe as " he hath cal- " led an affembly againft me, to crufh my young f* men;" fo " the Lord hath delivered me into " their hands, from whom I am not able to rife " up," Lam. i. 15. compared with verfe 14. And thus it muft be, becaufe he hath called and com- manded them, Jer. xlvii. 7. " How can it be quiet, " feeing the Lord hath given it a charge" againft us? " there hath he appointed it." Then, you Ice, when he is angry, and turned away, there is no reviving for the dead ; on this hand all refuge faileth. " From above hath he feat fire into my " bones," Lam. i. 13. But, ( 120 ) But, 2dly, Cannot angels, that he hath ma miniftring fpirits for the relief of his faints, he us in this cafe? Anf. There is no reviving or lief to be had here either: for, i. All the ange that we can expeft, while he is angry and turne away, are bad ones, Pfal. lxxviii. 49. " He ca * c upon them the fierce nefs of his anger, wrat c< and indignation, and trouble, by fending ev " angels among them." 2. Suppofe he wou fend good angels, yet thefe could not revive you when he hath turned from you; John xx. 1 " Woman," faith the angel to Mary, "why. weep' " thou?" They lance her wound, but cannot cur it. Angels company or fympathy fignifieth littl to a foul thirfting after Chrift, till Chrift hirnfei fpeak. 3. Suppofe they could do any thing this cafe, they would not. Might they not fay thee, as the devil faid to Saul ? " Saul cometh " him," (it is true he fought for Samuel) " an '" faith, The Philiftines are upon me, and Go " hath forfaken me." What is the anfwer? " See " ing God hath forfaken thee, why comeft tho « to me?" But, 3dly, Cannot one in this cafe find relief/a home in their own confciences ? Anf. None at al For, 1. Confcience, as God's deputy, accufet thee, Rom. ii. r 5. "And their thoughts, the mea " while, accufing, or elfe excufing one another. Now, when confcience doth challenge, what revi ving orrefrefhing canft thou find from it?-*- 2. Be caufe it not only challengeth, but fetteth all th fins, with their feveral aggravations, in order be fore thee, Pfal. 1. 21. u I will fet them in ordc " before thine eyes." And what relief canft tho find, when thefe troops do inviron thee? 3. Be caufe it is as a thoufand witnefTes againft tl : Rom.ii. 15. t; Their confcience witnefling." Tho canft: not deny the fa ft, neither (hall thy pleadio no ( 121 ) *t guilty, asjer. ii. 23. relieve thee: for thine liquity is marked before me, faith the Lord, •r. 22. and confcience faith, thy bacldlidiags »prove thee; fo that as yet thou canft have o help in this cafe from confcience. 4. Becaufe onfcience doth aftnally judge and condemn thee ; nd muft do fo of neceffity : what relief then an you promife to yourfelves from confcience ? t muft proceed according to law, which judgeth nd condemneth thee, becaufe thou haft rebelled gainft it. But, 4thly, Cannot one in this cafe find relief rom ordinances ? Anf. Not at all. Why fo ? Anf. iecaufe he is gone. Why, what then ? cannot they lelp us, when he is turned from us ? No. How 0? 1. Becaufe, when he is turned from hispeo >le, then the life and power of ordinances is gene; he word is but wind, all is but an empty, weak and ufignificant report, for the arm of the Lord is [lot revealed, Ifa. liii. 1. and how can that revive find quicken thee, that hath no life in itfelf ? 2. U- >on his turning away, there are dark clouds that ill the fan&uary ; fo that there is nothing but larknefs inftead of divination, and ftumbling at 10011-day, as in the night. u Thy prophets have feen vain and foolifti things for thee, and they 1 have not difcovered thy iniquity, to turn away c thy captivity: but have feen for thee falle bur- ■ dens, and caufes of banifhment," Lam. ii 14. Neither canft thou expeft any relief here, when le is turned out of his houfe. 3. Becaufe when God is wroth with his peo- )le, if they do yet enjoy the ordinances, lie giveth :ommifiion to them, in his righteous judgment, to nake ears heavy, and hearts fat, Ifa. vi. 10. ' Make the heart of this people fat, and make I* their ears heavy, andfhut their eyei." O ! how Ireadful is this ? Neither here then canft thou fiad ftnv reviving. t 122 ) 4. % Becaufe when God is wroth, and turneth a- way, he fometimes turneth out his people from the enjoyment of thefe ordinances, Pfal. lxxiv. 6. " But now they break down the carved work." Ver. 9. '* We fee not our figns, there is no more M any prophet that can tell us how long." Now fuppofe thofe could revive them, when enjoyed, yet now when they are deprived of them, what I relief can they expeft from them ? But, 5thly, I have goods laid up for many years, neceffity nor poverty (hall not pinch me, I fliall find reviving here. Anf. Thou canft not ; for, 1. In the day of his anger, he may take thee away in his wrath, Job xxxvi. 18. " Becaufe there is tc wrath, beware left he take thee away with his " ftroke ; then a great ranfom cannot deliver (< thee." Thefe, then, whofe fhall they be r 2. Thou may ft drink thy wine in bowls, yet this cannot help thee ; for thy cup is a cup of trem- bling, and one blow fhall break it, as a potter's veffel, and make it fall out of thy hand : thy bread *is by weight, and thy watter by meafure, and .thoii"eateft with aftonifhment and trembling, thy foulrefufeth every pleafant food. How canit thou .be revived by thefe ? 3. Thyxlofe places fhall not relieve thee, Pfal. xviii 45. " The ft rangers fhall fade away, and be u afraid, out of their clofe places." When he {hall fay this one word, " Adam, where art thou : " ail the bufhes fhall give thee up to the hands of a living Cod. Nor, 6thly, Can cfofTes revive you : thefe are all killing in their own nature ; and it is judgment, and burning with the Spirit, that maketh thefe purging, I fa -iv. 4. when the " Lord fliall hav " wafhed away the filth of the daughters ofZion, u by the fpirit of judgment, and by the fpirit d " burning." It is the fpirit of burning, and- of judgment, that purgeth away .the drofs. Nor Nor, hull}, Can magiftrates or minifters relieve you. For, i. Our hypocrify provoketh the Lord to do a marvellous thing on them, Ifa. xxix. 13, 14. " Their heart isfar from me, and their fear to* tc ward me is taught by the precepts of men/' What followeth on this? ver. 14. "Therefore I " behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work I " amongft this people, even a marvellous work and €t a wonder, (and indeed we may all wonder at it) *' for the wifdom of their wife men fhall perim; " and the understanding of their prudent men " fhall be hid.'* 2. When a people feareth not God, the belt of magiftrates and minifters can do them no good, Hofea x. 3. " Becaufe we feared " not the Lord ; what then mould a king do to € J us?'' It were good we had ferious thoughts a- bout this thing, that thereupon, being humbled for cur fin, he may exalt us in due time. Thus much for clearing to you my third doctrine pro- pounded ro you from the words. The fourth thing I obferve is their jealoufy and fear that he wiil not return and revive them : an ordinary infirmity the people of God fall into when he hideth his face from them, they think they fiiall fee him no more. The doctrine is this,. That when God tyrnetli away from his people, and flayeth away a long time, they fall ufually under a jealoufy and fear. that he will no more return to them or revive them, Pfal. lxxvii. 7. " Will the Lord call: off for " ever, and will he be favourable no more ?" ver. 8, " Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? doth his " promife fail for evermore?" ver 9. " Hath God " forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger /hut u up his tender mercies ?" This is our infirmity. There are thefe eight things that caufe the peo- ple of God thus apprehend, ift, The firfl: thing that makes them judge thus is, the fenfible with- L 2 drawing drawings of the good fpirit of promife from them, <| Lam. i. 16. compared with Lam. v. 22. The Spi- Hi is far removed, chap. i. 16. They conclude (chap. v. 22.) that he had utterly rejected them. This is not ground fufficient to prove that he had donefo; for he dcth pour out or withdraw his Spirit as he pleafeth: " the wind bloweth where M it lifteth;" and it is no argument of his rejec- ting a people, when he doth not take his holy Spi- rit away from them, as David feared he would do, Pfal. li. 11. though he be pleafed to reftrain the influences thereof. 2dly, The fecond thing that makes the people of God fo jealous and doubtful in this cafe is, his looking on when not only his enemies break the carved w r ork, but deftroy the men that are more upright than themfelves. Then they apprehend cafting off for ever ; " O God, why haft thou caft " us off for ever?" Pfal. lxxiv. 1. The reafon of their judging thus you have, ver. 6, 7. " But now ■' they break down the carved work; — they have (< call: fire into thy fan&uary, 6r." And there- fore, ver. 11. they fay, " Why withhoideft thau '* thyhand? pluck it out of thy bofom." And* ver. 22. " A rife, O God, plead thine own caufe/* Having overcome jealoufy, they mind their duty, s.nd plead with God about their caufe and his. 3 dry, The third thing that maketh the people of God judge and fear thus is, the many fad dif- penfations he exercifeth them with, whereby he fcattereth them, maketh the earth to tremble, fereaketh it, and maketh the people to drink the wine of his aftonifhment : Pfal. lx. I. " O God, " thou haft caft us off." Why fo ? "Thou haft " fcattered us ;" and ver. 3. '« Thou haft fhewed u thy people hard things." It is true he may fcat- ter his people, and fliew them hard things, and yet ( tzi ) yet not caft them off; but it is- as true, that the Lord's people do judge thus when they are under fuch dark and difcouraging difpenfations, though it be their infirmity, Pfal. lxxvii. 10. 4thly, The fourth thing that makes the people of God judge thus is, God's blafting ail their coun- fels, and the means ufed by them for their own relief out of their troubles: Pfal. xiii, i. they judge that he hath forgotten them for ever. The reafon is fubjoined in ver. 2. " I take counfel in " my foul, having forrow in my heart daily ;" q. d. All my purpofes are broke off, they but en- ereafe my fear and affliftion. And yet this is no ground to conclude thus, becaufe he crofleth your, humour, which pafleth with you for grave coun- fel. 5thly, The fifth thing that nouriflieth and ftrengtheneth this jealoufy is, his continuance in hiding from us. It is for fo long a time, that we think it will never be otherwife ; " Wilt thou " draw forth thine anger to all generations ? the " winter is paft, and fummer B come, and yet '* we are not faved." He can keep thee feventy years in the Babylonifh furnace, and yet not re- ject thee ; and whether he continue long or fhort, it is for thy advantage. 6thly, The fixth is, the manifold difappoint- ments that God,, in his fioly providence, exerci- feth them with, Jer. viii. 15. *' We looked for u peace, hut no good came ; and for a time of " health, and behold trouble." This- made their heart to faint in them. Ver. 18. u When I would " comfort myfelf againft forrow, my heart is faint cC in me/' So Ifa. xxvi. 17, 18. u We have been u with child, we have been-in pain ; we have, as *' it were, brought forth wind ; we have not " wrought any deliverance in the earth." Upon-, this they fall dead and difcouraged ; and, ver. 10. L.3 God Vc 120 ) God giveth them a promife for their encourage- ment, " Thy dead men (hall live, 6r. 7thly, A growing diftance between God and them, together with the difappearrng or removal of his mercy and falvation from them, makes them judge thus ; Pfal. x. i. " Thou ftandeft a- " far off;" therefore thou hideft thy face from us. He may ftand afar off, and" yet. (hew you his face, though thou canft not difcern it fo diftinftly at a diftance. The hiding of his mercy and falvation from thee may make thee fay, " Wilt thou not re- " turn and revive us V 9 and yet thy conclufion is falfe, which is this, therefore he will not revive us again. 8t-hly, and laflly, Their ignorance of, or not making ufe of the covenant of grace, made them thus jealous ; for it is inconfiftent with the ends : and promifes of thus new covenant, to reject utter-' ly one that hath been taken into covenant witli. Gdd; " I will not break my covenant, nor alter. fmite yoa very fore, to caft you off, to take his houfe down, and to^ lay it wafte, to forfake his ordinances* and to blaft them ; I fay, what might you have been, if thefe things had not been ; if thou hadft added faith to faith, retained God in thy knowledge, and hadft learned to walk with him, as a man doth with his friend ? Ah ! our work is like Penelope's web ; what fhe did in the day, fhe undid in the night ; and fo do we. And, if all this be true, then I appeal to you if you do not Hand in need of reviving. 7thly, To convince this misbelieving generati- on that it hath need of reviving, compare what yon have, with what the command of God calleth for, and with what the promife holdeth forth* The holy, juft, good, and fpiritual law of God calleth for much more fpiritual life than we have* enabling us to obey it. We are called to joy, not only in God, but in tribulations alfo* Rom. v. 3. to count it ail joy when we fall into divers tentations^ James i. 2. to glory iu our infirmities, when fadly buffeted by Satan j to take joyfully the fpoiling of our goods. But who amongft us have fuch revived; hearts, as are. capable to do fuch. duties ? And then for the promifes, therein are revivings to his work and people, that we do not understand ; " days of " loving-kindnefs," wherein he will reilore to his people a pure language, and they ihall ferve him). with one confent. What reviving Is in the pro- mifes relating to the downfall of Babylon, the breaking of the power of the Turk, and conver- fion of the Jews i I will not fancy a fifth king- dom, but this lam fure of, there is reviving in. the promife that (hall make fuch as dwell in the daft fing, and fuch as fit in darknefs fee a great light ; when the light of the moon (hall be as the fun, and the light of the fun feven times more. Now, if it. be thus, then doubtkfswe need reviving Stilly, ( *40 ) Sthly, and laftly, To convince you of this, that we ftand in need of quickening, coniider what one day ye /hall be, when ever with the Lord, when deaths, dangers* the caufes and fymptoms, effefts and fruits of all, fhall evanifh as the fmoke, and fliall be no more a trouble to thee. Thou that art become a ftranger to the high pr^ifes of IfraePs God, in your family and clofet, know thou mull fing over his fweet hallelujahs ; thou that now fel- dom approacheft his prefence, remember thoq muft be ever with him; thou that contentefr thyfelf with thy fmall meafures, remember thou muft be full of God, full of life, all life, all joy, all love; . <&c. And doth not this fay you ftand in need of re- viving ? I have not been at all. this pains, as one igno- rant of this, that this point is conceded unto by all the people of God, that they need reviving ; and, if fo, you may fay, I might have fpared this coft here, and beftowed it elfe-where ; and indeed,- I grant it is fo confeft by moft part : but my dc- figii is to imprint this deeper on the heart with this eight-fold impreffion, Lhave laid before you. 2. It is to give you a view of it in thefe diftinft . confiderations, that your eye may, the more afTe£t your heart. And, 3* For your fatisfaciion; I tell you, that if this parcel of my commodities, I have.fent to you by this bearer, do not pleafe you, and are found ufelefs, then at my coil return it again ; it is probable others will eat the grafs v that you tread under foot, and drink the water as wine that you foul with your feet, Ezek. xxxiv. i3, 19. Thus much for th» fecond thing pro- pounded, viz* that the people of God ufually Hand in great need of reviving. The third thing that falleth next under our consideration, is this, That the reftoring of a people (brought lew for their iniquity) to a flour ifk\ ( W ) flourifhing and lively condition, is a very hard and difficult thing. It is an eafy matter for Ifrael to defrroy himfelf, Hof. xiii. 9. bin he will find it a harder work to help himfelf out of this death and grave he hath brought himfelf unto. You may loon provoke God, but it is not fo eafy to flay the plague. that breaketh out on thee for provoking the Moft High ; any can do the one, but it is God only, out of his free mercy and grace in Jefus Chrift, that can do the other. For clearing of this to you, that this is a very ~ hard and difficult work, I fnall defire you to pon- der, in an even balance, thefe five things. 1 ft, Conlider what the Spirit of God in the fcripture compareth it unto, and the elpreffions he ufeth in fpeaking of it. He compareth it to the work of creation, and fpeaketh fo of it : " I 11 create the fruit of the lips ; peace, peace to him " that is afar ofF, and to him that is near, faith " the Lord, I will heal him." Ifa. lvii. 19. " Who hath heard fuch a thing ? who hath feen " fuch things ? mail the earth be made to bring " forth in one day ? or fnall a nation 'be born at 4< once ? for as foon as Zion travelled, (he brought " forth her children." Ifa. lxvi. 8. " Shall the " dead praifc thee ? mall thofe that go down to " the pit declare thy righteoufnefs :" And, Ezek. xxxvii. 3. " Can thefe dry boneslive? Lord, thou " knoweft." And, indeed, none can anfwer this queftion but he that doth propound it. " The " dead fhall hear the voice of the Son of man, " and they that hear fliall live," John v. 25. Doth not all thefe expreffions prove, that it is a very difficult thing to revive a church,, a nation, or a particular foul, when dead and deflroyed ? 2dly, The fecond thing I call you to confider, for proving of the difficulty of this work is this, That our Lord fpeaketh fo of it, of purpofe to convince ( M. > convince us of the difficulty of it ; yea, he infinu- I stes as much as if he himfelf were ftraitened with this cafe, Jer. ill - 19. " But I faid, (this is an objec- tion made by God himfelf againft the former pro- mifes; i 4 how fhall I put thee among the children, 44 and give thee a pleafant land, a good heretag* (t of the hofls of nations V 9 q. d. How fhall I put: thee, who haft fallen from thy flrft love, who haft forfaken me, the fountain of living water ; who art polluted, and yet you will not acknowledge it ; that haft forgotten me, and haft faid thou wilt come no more to me ; whofe confidences I have, rejefted ; and who will not fay, My Father, thou* art the God of my youth ; that will not fo much as acknowledge your iniquity ; How (hall I put fuch among the children, or give you a pleafant land ? So Hof. vi. 4. " O Ephraim, what (hall I do " unto thee ! O Judah, what fhall I do unto thee IV all this fpeaketh out the difficulty of the cafe, Hof. xi. 8. " How fhall I give thee up; Ephraim I 94 how fhall I deliver thee, Ifrael !" Thus much for the fecond thing for proving the difficulty of re* covering or reviving a people when brought low. 3dly, The third thing that proveth the difficul- ty of it, is taken from the perfons employed about it ; the whole blefTed Trinity is at work in this affair. The Father giveth and draweth to the- Son ; " all that the Father giveth me fhall come 44 to me," John vi. 37, " No man can come to 44 me, except the Father draw him," ver. 44. Jefus Chrift, the fecond Perfon in the Trinity, is employed about the reftoring of a foul, Zech. i. 12. " Then the angel of the Lord anfwered (4 and faid, O Lord of hofts, how long wilt thou f< not have mercy on Jerufalera, and on the cities " of Judah, againft which thou haft had indigna- lc tion thefe threefcore and ten years :" And chap. xiii. 7, " Awake, O fword, againft my " Shepherd, ( M3 ) " Shepherd, and againft the man that is my M fellow, faith the Lord of hofts." Chrift inuft fuffer,>*jfe again, and live for ever to intercede for his people, that they may be reftored to life, and made to walk in his paths. The Spirit, the third Perfon of the glorious Trinity, is employ- ed about this work, and is fent forth by the Fa- ther and the Son, to illuminate, convince, convert, build up and eftabiifh poor fmners in a revived ftate and condition, John xvi. 7. All the ordinances of the houfe of God, all the providences where- with he executeth his word, all the croffes and comforts that are in the new covenant, they are employed about the reftoring of a lapfed church, or a backflidden Chriftian. Therefore, I fay, re- ftoring or reviving of his people, when low, is a hard thing. 4thly, The fourth thing I call you to confider for clearing of this, that his people's refloration is a very hard work, it is this, the improbability of the thing itfelf. Shall a nation be brought forth at once : " Can thefe dry bones live ?" fpeaketh out the improbability of the thing. A profane lord, (2 Kings vii. 2.) on whofe hand the king leaned, anfwered the man of God, and faid, u If 46 the Lord would make windows in heaven, might " this thing be :' ver. 2. Yea I tell thee, this thing may be done, and not a window opened ; but fucfa a profane atheift as thou art (hall not tafte thereof, but lhall be trode upon till he die. Jthly, The fifth and laft thing, I would have you to confider, for clearing the difficulty of the work, and to prove that it is hard work, is, the oppofition that is made to it, we hinder it onr- felves, Hofea vii. 1. " When I would have healeu M Ifrael, then the iniquity of Ephraim was dif- '* eovered," ifaiah lvii. 17 " I fmote him, yet he «« walked ( M4 ) « walked on the more frowardly," he oppofed and hindered his own cure. Then there is much oppofition from Satan, the world, and from one another. Now where a work meeteth with great oppofition, then, and in that cafe, you may be fure it fhall prove a hard matter to get it reftored to what it was, or revived again. I only obferve this for thefe fourends. i. To tell you, that it is God only that can revive and reftore his people to life again. He only hath life in himfelf, and of himfelf he is life, he is the fountain of it ; and, therefore there is abundance of it in him, Pfal. xxxvi. 9. " With " thee is the fountain of life." He is an over- Rowing fountain, life floweth out of him more eafily than water floweth out of a fountain ; life in him is a communicable thing, that he giveth to his people : let men communicate what they will, they cannot communicate their life, except they prefently die, but it is not fo here. This is not only communicable, but our God erTeftually applieth this, for the reviving of his land, fo that by one touch the land is revived. And as it is faid, 2 Kings xiii. 21. of the man that they were bury- ing, that, fo foon as he touched the bones of ElHha, he revived, and flood up on his feet ; fo may I fay of his land and people, fo foon as he but touched them, they are revived, and do fland up ia his fight, Hofea vi. 2. " After two days, he " will revive us, and we fhall live in his fight. " Yea more, if there be any means that prove ef- fectual for recovering a perifhing land, it is he alone that rnaketh the fame effectual, by his blef- fing on them, and his revealed arm with them. 2. I obferve, and take notice of the difficulty of this work, to tell you that it is more than time ye were minding it ; your work is great, your time is fhort, your day goeth away : the Spirit that 1 ( 145 ) that is your co-worker, and ftrengthens you to I work, is Far away ; will you not then, up, and to it ? Rife, and be doing, and the Lord fhall be with you. It is true, you may meet with dif- ficulties in praying, watching, and waiting for the Lord;. but your greateil difficulty is over- [ come, when you are rifen up out of your fecurity, and made willing to undergo whatever this difficult work may necefTarily call you to. 3. Hence fee, what a great mercy it is to be re- vived, and how much of God is to be feen in it. How fhould thou magnify his reviving, in the midft of the years ? though for the prefent thou canft not, yea, muft not be altogether delivered, till the forty days come that is appointed for the fettling of a toffed ark on mount Ararat. 4. And laftly, Hence you may fee what great : reafon you have to watch againft everything that is killing and deadning to thee or the land. Ye may foon provoke the Lord to frriite yon, and to ruin the tabernacle of David, but you cannot : get it fo eafily repaired again: and therefore, I would entreat you to watch and pray,' left at any time you make way tp his wrath ; then a great ranfoin cannot redeem you. Thus much for the third thing propounded to be fpoken to, which is to fhew you how hard a matter it is to reftore aland, or perfon, to wonted favour, that hath, loft it by its ingratitude and other lins. The fourth thing I propounded to fpeak to is ' this, That the people of God, in all their ap- proaches to God, fliould much prefs for and feek after a reviving: " Wilt thou not revive us again r v Reviving is that which is moft on their heart, aad moft in their defign, now when they find how low they are brought for their iniquity. Bab. iii. 2. •■« Revive thy work in the midfl of the years." Pf. l^xx. 18. "Quicken us." Plal. cxix. *j. " Q 1 ~ N " eu ( 146 ) « en mc according to thy word." v. 88. * 4 Quick- " en me after thy loving-kindnefs." verfe 149.. ftiine. upon them, Pfal. Ixxx. ialt, " Caufe thy M face to fhine upon us, and fo we (hall be faved." . Zecb. i. L2. compared with ver. 16. Ver. 12. the angel faith, " O Lord of hofts, How long wilt not' " thou have mercy on Jerufaiem ?" there is their low condition ; but fee ver. i6 r " Therefore thus • H faith- the Lord,. I am returned, to Jerufalem. with " mercies, ( 1*1- ) " mercies, mine boufe fhall be built up ia it." But when fhall this be done ? It is when he re- turneth, that thefe reviving mercies come, and that Jerufalem is built up. For clearing of this, I fhall propound thefe three things to be confidered. ift, The firft thing to be confidered, in order to his returning to revive his people, is what is antecedaneous unto* it. 2dly, The fecond thing is, What are the con- comitants of it ? 3dly, The third thing is, to confider what he doth, after he hath returned, for reviving of his people. For the i ft, which containeth the antecedents of his gracious returning to revive his people ; I fhall name (and but only name) to you thefe ele- ven things, that are as fo many reviving fore-rurr- i>ers of our King and Lord's returning to Jerufa- lem with reviving mercies. i. The firft thing thatgoeth before, and telleth the King is coming to revive, is a fenfe of the pre- fent dead and hopelefs condition that all is in. When he is to revive the dry bones of the houfc of Ifrael, he firft maketh Ezekiel fenfible how dry and dead they were, Ezek. xxxvii. 2, 3. return to revive and quicken his people, is his embracing his people, Song ii. 6. " His left hand "is under my head, and his right-hand doth em- u brace me," You fee it is -this which the people of God do expeft and perfuade ihemfelves of, upon his returning to revive them, Song viii, :>. Ct When I fhould find him, I would lead him, " and bring him to my mothers houfe." But .what then ? why then *' his left hand fhould be " under my head, and his right hand fhould em- «* brace me/* O how reviving is this, when your God appearing in his glory, and drawing nigh to you, doth embrace yea in the arms of his ever- jafting love ! Shall- not this-aftually revive, when, after the fmall moment is over wherein he hath forfaken thee, he, with great mercies, (I do not know how great) will gather thee ; and after, in a little wrath, he hath hid hrs face from thee, he, with everlafting kindnefs, will embrace thee ? This is the third thing that accompanieth our Lord's return to revive and quicken his land. 4. The fourth thing that doth attend or accom- pany our Lord's return is his wiping the faces of his people after he hath embraced them. There are two things that much ftain the faints faces, viz. O 2 tears ( i6o ) tears and fpots ; tears, I fay, of difcouragement and deep perplexity, when God's rebukes wafte their beauty like a moth: their fpots they have got by lying among the pots ; our Lord, upon his return, doth remove both thefe, and maketh them as the wings of a dove covered with fjlver, and her feathers as with yellow gold. And fliould not this prove reviving to thee, if God appearing in his glory, drawing near to thy foul, falling about thy neck, and embracing thee, would wipe all tears away from thine eyes, and wafh away all the fpots that flam thy beauty ? This is the fourth thing that accompanieth our Lord's return to revive his land, that proveth this, that on his returning he doth actually revive his people. 5. The fifth thing that accompanieth his return to revive his people is his cheriihing of them. He findeth, when he cometh, many things dead, and much more ready to die ; all which he recover- cth and preferveth by his tender cheriihing of them, Deut. xxxii. 11. O what fweet entertain- ment doth he give his friends ! O how tender are the mercies that he cherifhes them with ! how many cordials ! how many comforts ! who can tell ? every fight of his face is a cordial, every word of his mouth is & comfort, and all prove cheriihing to that little life that remaineth, and that was ready to die. Thus much for the fifth thing that accompanieth our Lord, and that maketh his re- turning to be actually reviving to his land, he nourifheth it. 6. 1 he fixth thing that doth accompany our Lord's return to revive and quicken his land is a prefent fenfe tfjeland hath of fome bleffed virtue that hath gone out of him, for curing fome bloody ilTues that undoubtedly would have ruined the land, if this had not been. It is like that paiTage you have Mark v. The woman found in herfelf that ( i6f ) it (he was cured, and Chrift found in himfelf virtue had gone out of him : he now giveth roof of this to his people, that to him belong le ifTues from death, Pfal. lxviii. 20. He " that is our God, is the God of falvation," and to God the Lord belongeth the ifTues from death." Lnd mufj: not that be actually reviving to the peo- ple of God, that bringeth along with it ifTues from death ? 7. The feventh thing that accompanieth his re- turn to revive his land, and is a&ually reviving to it, is divine intimations ; and that in reference to thofe four fubftantial things that the land was much perplexed about. The ift is, That he hath not utterly rejefted the land ; that he will not draw out his wrath againft it to all generations ; that his mercy doth not fail for ever ; and that he will . yet revive it again, that it may be glad and rejoice in him. The 2d is this, He giveth them divine intimation of this, that the land's guilt is purged away ; " I am he that blotteth out thine iniquity revive his people. I am neceffitatedto fhidy bre- vity, having fo much already fwelJed this difcourfe above what I intended ; and therefore I (hall only touch thefe fourteen things that follow in at our Lord's back (fo to fpeak), and that are reviving to his- people, when he returneth to his land. i. The firft thing thatfolloweth on his return- ing, and that proveth reviving to his people, is the removal of clouds of darknefs that either did hide him from them, or did hide their cafe from themfelves. And truly this is a reviving thing to the watcher that watcheth for the morning, to fee day break, and Shadows flee away. What won- der then the church pray, u Until day break, ** and fhadows flee away, turn O Beloved !" And it is far lefs wonder to fee the people of God re- vived upon the Beloved's return, and the flying away of the fhadows, Songii. laft. This is the firft thing I name that followeth on his return, viz. long fhadows of empty profeffion, and threat- ning clouds of God's indignation, then, and at that time fly away. 2. Upon his return to his- people* then "his cl * Spirit returneth to them again." You know, upon his with-drawing, the Spirit with-draweth, as to its influences and operations, Lam. i. \6. but upon . his return, O how chearful are his poor faints I how enlarged, confirmed and comforted in themfelves i This is one of the firft things God pro- mifeth in order to the reviving of his people. Zech. xiii. i. fi In that day will I openupafoun- " tain to the houfe of David, 6&" Thofe wells that were fealed before, are now opened^ and wa- ters are found in t^e wilder nefs, and rivers in the defert, Ifa. xli. 17, 18. This is a iecond thing that followeth on his return, and which is revi- ving to his people. 3. This I 104 ) 3. This followeth on his return, he maket known his mind to his people; he fpeaketh no more in parables, or in dark layings ; he keepeth no longer filent, but utter eth his voice ; and the poor of the people, that put their truic in him, know it to be the word of the Lord ; as you have it in the like cafe exprelTed, Zech. xi. 11. that which is fpoken of by cur God, as a fruit of the plentiful rain that he promifcth, Pfal.lxviii. 9. com- ( x68 ) p. compared with ver. 13. " Yet you fhall " wings of a dove covered with filver." 12. The twelfth thing that foiloweth on return to revive his land is the converfion of finners unto the Lord, Acts xi. 21. " And the " hand of the Lord was with them, and many " believed on Jefus, and turned to the Lord." Pfal. ii. 13. Sinners fhall then be converted unto thee ; they fhall come and fay, We will go with you, for we hear God is with you. And, as conver- fion-work is now revived, fo up-building and confirming-work now goeth on ; the plentiful rain confirmeth the inheritance that hath been long wearied. 13. The thirteenth thing that foiloweth on his return is this, he having fhewed mercy on his land, caufeth the enemy to the land to fhew mercy on it alfo, that before had no favour for it, but cried, Raze it, raze it to the very foundation, Jer, xlii. 12, " And I will fhew mercies to you, that he " may have mercy upon you, and ye fhall return " to your own land." There is no mercy can be {hewed to his people by others, when he removeth his mercy from them ; and none are able to deny them it, when he fheweth mercy upon them. To add no more, in the laft place, This ufual- ly foiloweth on our Lord's return to revive his land, he caufeth men to have better thoughts of his people, and place more confidence in them, Zech. xii. 5. " And the governors of Judah (hall "- fay in their heart, The inhabitants of Jeru- " falem fnall be my ftrength, in the Lord of hofte " their God." And truly, they are happy go vernors that are in fuch a cafe, I might further fpeak to that communion and fellowship that is now between him and the land, and of that joy that foiloweth upon his return to revive. But I mufc clofe. Thus much theiVfor this fifth thing propounded ( 169 ) propounded to be fpoken to, viz. that upon our Lord's returning, he doth a&ually pevive his peo- ple, asl have made to appear, from the considera- tion of the reviving antecedents, concomitants, and confequents of his glorious Majefty's return- ing. The iixth thing that is to be fpoken to, accord* ing to my method propounded unto you, is, that there is nothing more refrefhing and rejoicing to his land, than his returning to, and reviving of it. The feventh and laft thing is this, that a land, thus quickened and made glad upon our Lord's return, fhould rejoice and be glad in their God and King. I would have fhewed you the necef- fary connexion, between his reviving his people, and their rejoicing. 2dly, What it is to rejoice in him. 3dly, How hia land may be faid to re- joice in him. 4thly, Why his land, thus revived, mud glory in him the God of their falvation ? But fearing, if I fhould enter on thefe things, that they would lead me into deeper Waters, that I could not pafs through, and fo not only make this prefent ftream, that goeth forth from the fanchiary, a Rezin of contention, but alfo that which for its bulk and quantity would go over all the banks and limits fet unto it; and render your pafiage over it more difficult and dangerous ; therefore, reader, as I am willing (for thy fake) , to flop, and hold in, (though with pain) fo I ex- pett thou wilt exeufe this, feeing it is for thy fake. Therefore to conclude all with a few words -unto his land, from all that I have faid about it : The firft thing I would do (if I had not already done too much) would be to charge the land with its own deadnefs : * O Ifrael, thou haft deftroyed ,' That afl the deaths that are on the land do not de- ftroy that relation that is between God and the land '.: it is his land, though it be in a dead and defperate condition for the prefent : we would hold this faft, and plead with God to return to- the land, becaufe it is his. Thirdly, I would fay this unto you, That of all things we fhould beg of God a.fpirit to pray for his return to the land, tomourn for the land's fins and mifery, and to plead ''for the removal of. the land's deadnefs, that we may be. glad and re- joice in him. Fourthly, I would fay this unto you, That fuch as would have him returning to the land to • revive it would much . wreftle with their own* hearts to perfuade them to return to him ; for he hath promifed, if we will return to him, he will j return to us, and pour out his Spirit upon us. . Make ufe of your prefent crofs, and of your fu- ture hopes, to ftir you up the more to turn unto^ him : O that God would turn this generation to . himfelf again! then fliould we find him returned \ to revive us. Fifthly, I would call you to confider,% That Jiowever our Lord fometimes is like a hind, and ! like a roe, making hafte, yet ordinarily he car- rieth on his work by degrees ; and he hathhis fore- runners, fuch, or the like of them; I have laid ; before you f and cometh richly accompanied with great things, that declare hrm to be a great King, and followed with a great train, that iilleth the temple with glory, and his land with joy. Sixthly, C x 7 i ) Sixthly, I would have you adverting to this, That there is a great difference between his re- viving his people in the midft of the years of their bondage, and his reviving when he bring- eth them out from the pit, pot, or miry clay : it is neither day nor night under the one difpenfa^ tion ; it is a bright day of loving-kindnefs under the other. Seventhly, Confider, that whatever be the land's prefent deadnefs, yet the refidue of the Spirit is with him, and thou mayft have it, if thou feek for it as filver, and diggeft for it as for moil pre* cious gold: James i. 5. "If any man lack wifdom, 44 let- him ask of God, who giveth liberally, u and upbraideth not." Eighthly,I pray you pray to God, that what is yet alive may not die : O how much, and how many are dead already ! Do what you can to pre- ferve thefe things alive that do yet remain with us* and are ready to die. Ninthly, I would call you to look out, and fee how near he is to his land, to fee his land's af- fliftion, to hear his land's groans and iighs^ ta proteft and defend his land, and to avenge his , land on all its iins> that have brought it very low. Tenthly, r would call you to confider, that he is the land's friend, and hath mercy and falvatioi*. for it, and ' is willing to hear thee plead about the land, to put him in remembrance of the. land, and to ftand in the gap, to turn away wrath, that he may not deftroy the land ; he will work for the land, and who fhall let it ? Eleventhly, and laftly, I would conclude all with this confideration, that the reviving of his land is a great and difficult work ; it calleth for many hands employed about it; mine are not fufficient for it, that am as one born out of time; yet, as a friend k! to his land, I have (hewed my wlllingnefs to contribute to the reviving of his land : will you come into the fan&uary's waters, and ftudy to ba -more concerned about his land, and plead till he return and revive it ? If you will engage upon I it, that work (which I have engaged on in the cloudy and dark day, and whereby I have been made more fenfible of its deaths and more hope- ful as to its refurrection and reviving) may prove more eafy to you, more profitable to others, A more acceptable to thy unworthy fore-runner, and ] you may happily be admitted to fee what I only^am A helped to believe ; and fo thou mayfr be in a better capacity to exprefs the land's joy, and fi'ng over ; the Lord of the land's praife, upon his returning and reviving of his people. Now to conclude all, . I ihall end my work with lifting up weeping eyes* and a pre/Ted down heart under the weight of his dead work, unto our God in the heavens, and v pray in the words of my text, " Wilt thou not «« return and revive us, that thy people . may re- «' joice in thee ?" thus a little altered, as being compared with the 9th verfe, " Surely thou ar: * 4 nigh to return and revive us, that we may re- *' joice in thee, and that thy glory may dwell in " our land." Even, fo come Ltfrd Jefus, coine quickly, that thy^ead may praife thee; even fo turn, Beloved, that our lhadows may flee away * kt all the people fay, Amen, hallelujah; and lei. Jabvlou's fmoke flee up to heaven. Halkjujah, TNI