gj# - ; I m *# mH :rf*..^*/l ■2^ &TO *■£*. 4».fff i> PL * ^ * PRINCETON, N. J. Collection of Puritan Literature. Division Section Number Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/shepheOOsedg 7 -"*" . T7H fL*// <■:■£. SHEPHERD ISRAEL, O R God's Tajloral Care over His PlOPU. Delivered in Divers Sermons on the Whole Twenty- third Psalm. Together with The Doctrine of Providence Pra&ically handled On M a t t h. io. 29 3 30 j 31. By that Reverend and Faithful Minifter of the Gofpel M f . OBADIAH SEDGWICK, £. D. Perfected by himfelf, and Pcrufed by thofe whom He intruded with the publifhing of his Works. LONDON^ Printed by D.Maxwellfoi Sa.Gbllibrand at the Ball In S. Tattles Church-yard, 1658. y-Kf friW -■•>.& ^JJf rT*<£ 1 0"^ Tb the Ckriflian Read e r. AL L Books of worth relating to Chriftian Religion,after thatBook of books > w a 6iOTyivrofThe holy Scriptures,arebutCon- duit-pipesto conveigh unto particular ules thole moft pretious Truths which are in general com- priled in them- as a full Ciftern fupplyed imme- diately out of the One,True, Living Fountain of all illiveningTruth,the Onely,\ 7 ery 5 LivingGod. The higheft end of Scripture-bred Faith, in refe- rence to Believers, is the Salvation of their Souls- yet doth this Honey-comb likewife drop much fweetnefs unto them whilft they are in the body ; for it giveth them reft in perplexities/ecurity in dangers,advantage in lofles^abundance in wants, comfort in troubles,ftability in changes,content and quietnefs in all,even the moft diftra&ed con- ditions, enabling them to live continually upon that nv Ss that All-mighty ,All-fufficient God, who is ever flowing out in the oil of gladnefs to thole whole hearts are kept up ? open and empty, through Faith to receive of hisfulnels. Two fpecial Breftsof Confolationthe Lord afforded* to Believers, that they may by Faith fuck fweet- eft comfort from them^that is to lay Special Pro- miles , and Ipecial Providence, both which arc fo advantagioufly drawn out , and held out to A i Be- 7> the Chrifiun Reader believers in the two enfuing T rafts compiled by that man of Name Mr« Obadiah Sedg- wick, according to the wifdomand skill in the work of the Minrftery given to him, that he who fhall ftay the Reader with any long Pre- face from a prefent reaping thefruic of the la- bours of fuch an Author, on fuch a Subjeft, muft needs put himfelf upon an Apology \ which we chufe rather not to need, then to make ufe of in this cafe.And therefore Chriftian Rea- der we fhall oncly allure thee, that thefc. two Trafts upon Tfal. 2$. and Mat. 10. 29. are the genuine labours of the Reverend Author now with God -the care of whofeManufcripts is by his Witt committed to us: We leave the folio wing Trafts to thy ftudy, and thy ftudy to Gods ble£ fing, with heartieft defire , that through Gods blefling on thy ftudies , the Authors ends of thefe his labours may be attained in thee, which we.are. moll allured were T/^oo^and Gods glory. We would be glad in exchange for what is now by us handed to thee, to receive from chee hearty prayers for * March a£. itf 58'.. The unworthy fervants of the Lord JESUS, Huwfrj Chambirs. Simeon AJbe. JLdmmd Ca/amj , Aiwiram Bj$tid». A Table of the Contents. V E R S E. I. THE occafi«ftofthe r Pfalm^.z The Lord Jehovah is the Shepherd of his people ^.3 How the Title of Shepherd maj be taken, and the properties of a good Shepherd p.4. How we may kno'w that God is our fhepherd p.9. The happinefs of t ho ft who find the Lord to he their fhephc rd p. 1 3 . CoHnfelto the pwp p. IT- Thr people of God (hall not want, they are cared and well provided for 18 In whatfenfe this is to be underftood 18 Ho*? far this after tion extends , whether to foul and body 1Z The An- tics required of the people of Gods pafture 27 The evil inzonve- niences of not trusting on the Lord 31 And the good that wiU come by trufting on God for the (upfly of our wants 32 Means f« enable us to truft 37. Verse. II. God doth provide enough for his people 46 What, and When it is enough 46 Why the Lord provides enough for his people t neither too much nor too little 48 The qualities that will make us contented 54 (gracious con ft derations adjuvant to the fame end 57 Advice to thofe to whomGoa* gives enough 6i* God doth provide the beft of conditions for his people 62 0( what eftate and condition this is averred 63 In what rcfpetl their condition for temporals is beft 6$ Why doth God pre* vide the beft for his people 72 Hjw can their eft ate be best which is fo driven by afflitlions and (ufftrings 75 Eviien - tcs of mf judging our condition "7 Motives to efteem our con- dition beft 82 Means to enable us foto judg of them 84. God doth accord the hearts and conditions of his people to- gether The Co TENTS gerficr 91 what this quiet and comfort able ^oelUpleajednejswitk our temporal condition is pi How far fort hGod doth give this unto hi* people 9^ why god doth give unto his people aVeell-pleafednefs with their condition 95 The grtatnefs of the fin to be discontent- ed with our condition 97 The caufes of it 99 The dangers of it 102 The helps and remedies of it 106 ^Motives not to con* tent our /elves with earthly things 109 V I R s E III. Temporal mercies are not the Summa Totalis of all that God beftows on his fervants 1 1 1 tAdvicejiot to account our condi* ttons compltte in temporal enjoyments 112. God only is the author of all our blcflings, Temporal or Spi- ritual 1 1 2 The proud error of the Pelagians confuted 113. God doth comfortably revive,raife up,refre(hor cherifti the lan- guifhing & opprefledfouls of his fervantsi 1 $what are the [eve- T *l wayes therein the foul of aConvertedChriftian may be opprefm fed and made to droop 115 The fpecial methods of Gods reftoring or refrejhittgfuch a foul with comfort i\j why the Lord doth re- fiore comfort unto the fouls of his fervants 119 The advanta- ges of being truly holy 1 20 What things hinder the raifing of our languifhing fouls 1 24. Even converted and reftored perfons need a God to lead them 1 27 The matter or nature of Gods leading his people 1 27 The manner how he leads his people I 29 The reafons why his people need his leading 132 what we muft do if we would fol- low god 1 40 How Vce mud follow our leader 1 42. God leadeth his people in the paths of rightcoufnefs 144 What the paths of right eoufnefs are 145 W hat it is to be led in thofe paths 1 47 Why God leadeth his people in righteous paths, and caufeth them to walkjn them 147 The properties of righ- teous paths i%\ The qualifications of thofe per fens who do rca'\ %n paths of right eoufnefs 1 54 what a man muft doe to walk, in paths of right eoufnefs 1 5 7 How we Jhould order our fiefs in tht paths of right eoufnefs i6r>. V E R S I IV. G^eat calamities and terrible dangers, even the fhadows of death may befal the people of God 166 why the people of God are expofable to fuch dangers 167 None ought to taJ^efcandaJ at thefe dangers fo as to keep iff or fall off from paths of right eouf- nefs The Contbn TS. nefs 172 what to be f urni/hed Voitkat before dangers MM 177. jf *W r* do under dingers and trouble J TJQ. Righteous perfons arc fearlefs under the greateft dangers 180 Arguments to demonfirate the truth of the affertion I £2 Reaf$nt tf thu f ear leff nefs 1 84 The danger in g iving way to exorbitant fears 18S what ^e may do to prevent overwhelming fears in times of dinger 191. God is prefent with his peoplejin all their dangers and trou- bles , and that pretence ef his is the ground of their confi- dence 196 ff hat this pre fence of God with hi* people in their dingers is 197 Comforts from Gods prefence to righteous per- fons, what ever their dangers be 20 1 How to order our feives fo that we may find God prefent with us in our greatefi dan- gers 206 The word of God is of fingular comfort to the people of God in their greateft diftrefTes 214 How it appears th At the Word is of that fingular comfort indijfrejfe 217 what is to be done that we may find the Word our comfort and fl ay in the times of our diflre(fes 220 Even Gods a ffl 1 dions afford caufeof much comfort to Gods people 222 H>*> we are t$ demean our feives under afflitlions that they may afford comfort to hs 226 How we may k«9w whe- ther the Rodwitt prove a comfort 223 Gods watchful protection over his people is a ground of fin- gular comfort to them 232 what Divine protection is 233 Howie may yield comfort to the people of God 235 Motives totruft on the Lord for hts protetlion in times of greatefi dan- ger 240 Gods corrective Staff of the adverfaries of his people af- fords caufe of comfort unto them 243 How far forth and in What refpetls Gods judgments on the adverfaries of his ptople may afford them matter of comfort 245 When judgments on wicked men are neer at hand 250 Verse V. It is a fit duty with frequent gratefulnefle to acknowledge all the mercies aid bleflTings which God hath conferred upon us 254 Four Circumftances concur to the exact acknowledgment of mercie ',255 It is a comely thing to fee a man blejftag of GV, and the reafons of if 256 WoM it x n be thankful for mer- cies 261 God The Contents. God doth confer on fomc of his people fometimes a large portion and variety ©f outward bleffings 262 Reafons why he doth ft 263 How we are to ufe th* bounty and liberality of God, with reference to Godfiur felves and Others 26$ The Wajes by Vrhicb Gods outward bltffmgs are abufed 270 and the great fin and danger thereof 273 Notwithftanding all the evil diftaftes, and devices, and pradi- fes of evil men , God will plentifully blefs his people 277 Reafons of it 2%o The folly of tbofe who are enemies to Gods people 28 1 Encouragements to the people */ God to trufi on him in the midft of all their enemies 282 and to Wall^ carefully with God 284 Verse VI. Spiritual goodneffs and mercy (hall follow the people of God all the dayes of their life 286 GodfotloVves his people with Divine gracioufneffe^ Divine Graces t Divine comforts 287 Why God doth thus follow his people in refpetl of fpirituals 288 If God hath begun with you in fpiritual favours^ you may thence be confident he Will ftiH follow you in this goodneffe and mercy 291 Objeclions anfwered again fi our own Wcakneffe and Corruptions^ and Temptations from without 29Z Temporal mercy and goodnefs (hall follow the people of God all the dayes of their life 294 Arguments to evince this truth 296 Reigning infidelity and dislruft of Gods goodneffe and mercy for the future, how known 302 The caufes of this diftruft 306 After what manner we mitft eppofe them 311 What Motives fo to do 314 The manner hew we muft trufi on God for his perpetual mercy 320 The motives to excite us 324 The means to enable us 32$ The refold ion and ♦ removal of fome grounds which do refirain or diflurb our beauts from a per- petual trufiingon God 316 The Church of God isthehoufeof God 338 We muft joyn our felves for ever to the publtck worftvp and fervice of God 339 Reafons of it 340 Thofe that withdraw from the publicly places of Gods wcr/bip reproved 341 The excellency of publkk. Ordinances, and the advantages of publicly Af- femblies 342 Singular mercies muft lead us on to Singular Duties 344. An AN EXPOSITION ,Upon the 2$d. PSALM. r sal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd, I jhall not want. Hethcr the whole book of Tfaims, were penned by David, as S. Aufiin conje- ctures- or rather, fome by David, fome by Afapb, fome by Mojes, fome by JV /cwo», as Eufebitu, Atloanafim, HUU~ rj and Hierom conjecture, it is none- ceflity to argue •, fure we are that they are all of them dictated by the Ho/j- Ghcft , and then it matters not much whofe pen wrote them. Many of them ( qucftionlefs) ow thcmfclvcs to D*vid, of which (as Athtntfitu and others well obfcrvc) fome arc onely B *4r- the Lord is my Shepherd, &c. narrator) , others are monitory, others are prophetical or predi- &ory, others are petit ion al or precatory, others are laudatory or eucharifiical^ others are deprecatory, others are confolatory 9 andmoftof them are mixt, fometimes with petition and de- precation, fometimes with petition and praife • folweetlydi- verfe is the Spirit of God in this book of Pfalmes. This Pfalm (which by Gods grace and afllftance) I intend to go through, is a lingular Pfalm of David, as you may read in the Title nn S TD'O M.Kvtr le David k Song or Pfalm of "David. It is partly Euchariftical, praifing for blefiings received. Every mer- cy (bould be anfwered with a harmony of thanks. 'Prophetical, alluring himfelf (and under that the whole Church) of the perpetuity and continuation of mercies : The people of God are like a golden phrafe in a parenthefis, fhut ia both wayes with mercies. The eccafi n ^ IC isa ' itc ' c c *nvafedby Writers, whenand upon whatu* of the Pfalm. ca f ton ^ avi ^ penned this Pfalm ? Sol.i. Seme do conjecture that he penned it upon that fa- vour -which Achifh King of Gath Jbewed unto him when he refu- ged him with the city of Ziklag upon his flight and efcape from Saul. Upon the experience of which goodnefs from God 9 he wrote this comfortable Pfalm. 2. Others rather, and the moft that I have ken, imagine it to be written by David at that time when God had given him *peJfeffion of the Kingdom, and much profperity and reft. In the which goodnefs of God he doth delight himfelf, and from much experience concludes by faith, an aflfurance of Gods con- ftant and everlafting providence over him. 3. Others yet go a ftranger way, imagining David here to blefr God for Chrift , his onely (hepherd , and who fed him with all forts of blefiings, fpiritual and temporal. The conjectures are feveral, for my part I rather encline to the middle. Xhc Parts of it. The Pfalm it felf contains in it three parts, 1. A general proportion of Gods providence aiad good- nefs,!/. 1. 2. A particular expofuion of it, and that by two Allegories Oj fimilitudes : One of a Shepherds \ care cxpreffed in - - ... _ ^ The Lord is my shcpbrrd,Scc. the four firft verfes of the Pfalm. Another of an Hoft or conrttow friend mod liberally and exadly entertaining his gueft in verfe 5. 3. A bJievhg conclufim in the laft verfe • that this bountiful goodnefs (hall be a continual goodnefs. Surely gooar,e/s and mercy {hall follow me all the dajes of my life. Inthefirftofthefe you have again obfervable, two things, 1. Afpecial relation [The Lordis my Sh(pherd.~\ 2. A fpecial j/Amcw [_I fkall not wantj] The Lord is my Shfpherd'J Jehovah is my (hepherd. He who is a moft perfed Eflence of himfelf. He who gives and The ^ nceof conferves things in their eiTence and being. He, laitly,who thcvvor s is moft faithful, true, fure, ftedfaft in his pi:omifes, who gives reallity or being unto them. This Jehovah ( faith DAvid here, both for himfelf and all the Church) is my Shepherd. This name Jehovah, is as I may (o fpeak, the moft eminent of all the names of Cod, it carries that in it which is all in all and as it were above all ; Fiz, the verity or fidelity of God, making good all his goodnefs to us. The Hebrewcs make it to be an invariable and ineffable name, and it hath no pronouns affixed unto it, nor doth it admit any demonftrating article be- fore it, and it wants the number of multitude, it is a name fin- gular and proper to God. And David addes (this Jehovah is my Shepherd) The Vul- gar Edition renders it thus, regit me govcrnes me or rules me, which is too loofe and general. The Septuagint better , woilAtv* \n , pafcit me, feeds me. The Hebrew goes rather to the participle of the prefent tenfe Jehovah pafc ens me, which we render^my (hepherd, or feeding of me. I will not infill: any longer on the Grammar of the text; the Proportion is this, That the Lord Jehovah himfelf is the P after or Shepherd tj 'his D. ftrvants. The Lord Jc- There is fcarce any one Metaphor in all the Scriptures hov?n himfelf through which God doth feem more delightfully to exprefs^ h ^[ r ^ himfelf then this of a fhepherd, fee at your lcifure, Efa.^o. 1 1 . fenum. £«t}4.23. Zuch.iiq. Pf.$o.i t Give ear Shepherd of Jf- rael. B 2 For The Lord is my Shepherd, &c. For the opening of this afiertion, know The Tide o£ i. That the title of Shepherd may be taken two wayesin fliephcrd, taken Scripture. Properly. ¥ improperly, Co it notes a particular calling or condition of life, which any perfon hath in looking to, caring for and watch- ing over ft} ecp,thofe the moft fimple, gentle, fruitful, innocent ©f all irrational creatures. Thus David at firft was a (hep- herd, and fofepbs brethren were ftiepherdf, and facob. Improperly. Secondly, It is taken improperly, when the moral parts of a fhepherd arc applied to any. Thus alfo in Scripture is it ap« plied. Applied to Sometimes to Gods Deputies -, who are of two forts, either Gods Deputies fuch as in office (hould look to the bodies of men, as Kings and M*gifcaccs Princes, whom God calls (hepherds j thus Cym is (tiled a (hep- herd, Thou Art my fhepherd, -E/^.44.28. and David, VMS fct up to be a [bepher d to feed bu people in facob, and his inherit una in Ifrael , 2 Chron.28.4. . .„ Or fuch whofe care is converfant about thefottts of men •, thus Mmiiters. thc minifters of God are ftiIed ftepherds in £^.34. they are in that one Chapter thirteen times called fit. See alfo fer* 3. 1 5.& 23 .^.Peter hath that charge of a fhepherd to feed the flacky thrice put upon him by Chrift, ^.21,15. andheearneft- ly preflfeth it on all Mmifters to feed the flocfyf God, r Pet. 5. 2. GoA Hmfelf. Sometime to God himfelf, as here in this Scripture and many .other above mentioned. 2. This title of (hephcrd is to be applied to Codonelyina right fenfe, not that he doth every thing which every fhepherd Who hath a u doth, (for there are (hepherds of whom the Prophet fpeaks che properties tnaC fad themfelves with the /beep and clothe them/elves with of a jood (hep- tht wool ttnd regard not the' flick \ fee their defcription and herd. their judgmc.it too in £^34 ) but becaufehehath all thofe properties which a good fhepherd hath. Ei^ht proper- lQ Scripture I fi n* Hireling who feeds the flock of ano- ther, but a (hepherd who feeds his own flock. There 8 Iht Lordis my Shepherd, &c. Vfe r. TherearefeveralUfestobemadeof this. The firft (hall be Information, for information. Is the Lord Jehovah the fliepherd of his people ? WUkcd men i. That Vcicksd men % t\iok evil Beafts (as the Scripture ftiles arc madly foo- them) are madly foolijb. *Tis true, they long to be worryingof llfll ' the flieep, and to be fleecing and fcattering of them,and to fuck the blood of them. And it is true again, that the (beep are unarmed, and weak of themfelves : What can a poor flieep do againft a ftrong Lion, or a fubtil Wolf f But then their Redee- mer is mighty , the Lord himfelf is the (hepherd of his flock : are you able to deal with the Almighty God? are je fironger then he ? are you mad ? will you never ceafe to wrong that flock whichGod hath gathered in mercy,keeps with Iove,watch- eth over with power 9 and hath profefled that he Veho toucheth them toucheth tke apple of his eje? will ye be found fighters a- gai»(t God } The jodly are 2. That good people they arc interejfedinthe bighefl affeftion Saterefffdin the an Ag re4te fi care of Qcd. This word Shepherd, doth compre- aftcction and hendin it xv\d % though in his Kingdom, though abounding \ though ftrengthned on all (ides, yet raife up his heart above all T . b with this, that the Lord u hit Jbepherd'. This was it which he reUtiorTGod* accounted above all, &c. Then let us carefully try in what r*- ftands to us, lotion Gcdftands to w % or rve to him : Can we fay with David, *nd we to hi®. The Lord is mj [hepherd, that we arc the flieepof his pafture. Pre- Ver. i . The Lord is my Shepherd, ice. 9 Premifc a few things with me. Five things 3. Alltht cattel in the world are not fheep : There are fubcil Premifed. Foxes,and there arc raveningWolves^and there are fierce Dog*, £| 3rc noc and there are filthy Swine and Goats. Satan hath his herd, as' * Cp * God hath his flock; the (beep of God are called a little Muck, in comparifon of the reft of people, very little. 2. If the Lord be not thy fhepherd^h, haft miferable and for- Th ^ ., lorn art thou ! What wilt thou do ? on whom doft thou rely? rableifGod be how canft thou expect any mercy from him? he is none of thy no: chy fheep- (hepherd j or defence from him? he is none of thy (hepherd hcr -'- &c. 3. Tott maj deceive your ft Ives : Perhaps you have but fieeps You mi T dc * f/of^,but are noc (beep: You feem to be the peopleof God, C:ivc y° ur ' elvc$ come and flock together to hear his Voice, but obey him not: look and fpeak gravely and demurely, but your hearts are rot- ten, full of all hypocrifie and filthincfs, &c. Or perhaps becaufe you find (ome refemblances in you of the fheep, that you are harmelefs, live quietly, do no body a~ ny wrong, therefore you conclude that you are (heep. Why ? Even a loft {heep may be this. Negatives in religion are like negatives in Law, of no force. 4. Do you not know that */ 700^*0* /2tf*p,thatatchelaftdaylf you be noc you W\\\be ranged among goats} and you (hall be for everex- |J ' C< P)' 0U «i; be communicated from the prefence of the Lord ? jJJJ™ •™M 5. You can inferno cm fort from God unlefshe be your fhtp. ^ comfort herd. T>avid having groundedly affirmed, The Lord is my can he interred (hepherd, then concludes, I (hall not want : All the excellen- frcm God, oa> cy and goodnefs in God is of no comfort to thee, if the Lord be f ls ? c ^f cur r.ot thy (hepherd. ihc ? he:d ' Objett. But how may we know that the Lord is our (hep-ib* mtJ wc herd? knowchv.Goi Sol. To refolve this, let us fee what are the choice properties isour fofplurd cf/heep^ni by thefe we may judg whether the Lord be our (hep- 7 '-^ Pl °P { ^ herd. tt$ lccp * 1. One property in them (which the Scripture doth ex preis ) Ob:dicnct. is obedience. This Chrift himfelf delivers in 'joh.i 0.4. Wbeo he putteth forth his (heep, he goeth before them, ar.d the flytcp fol- low him y for the j know hid Voice. The property of the (hepherd is to go before the fheep, to (hew thertubc way and path; and C the 10 The Lord is my Shep herd y &c. Ver.i.: the property of the fheep is to know the Voice of theihepherd, and to foliow him. The Lord as a fhepherd unto us goeth be- fore us, and (hews unto us the paths of Righteoufnefs, and the wayes of Salvation ♦, he faith, This is the ^ay^wall^ in it. And if we be his fheep, we will not onely credit his rules and directi- ons, but we will obey his voice, walk in thofe holy and heaven- ly paths. Now try your felves whether there is in you that obe- diential refped unto God, asthereisirtthefheep to the voice of the fhepherd. i. The fheep readily follow the fhepherd : There is not fucfi ado with them, but as foon as he whittles or calls they are apt to come in. 2. Let the fhepherd direct or lead them up to the moun- tains , or down to the valleys , tbej are ready fiill to fallow him. 3. whatfoeverthefeafonbe \ whether Summer or Winter , fair or foul s they fttllknow the voice of the fhepherd, and fol- low him. Why, is it thus with us } Brethren I I grant unto * you in fome fenfe you do know the voice of the fhepherd , you hear him often fpeaking unto you, but fheep follow the fhep- herd. Why now ? do you follow the leading voice of God > What do you ? There is the voice of Satan , and there is the voice of the World, and there is the voice of your own Luftsand Hearts • whofe voxe do you follow ? The voice of thy g-eat ; fhepherd is, Repent ^ and Believe • His voice is, w^k before me \*nd be thou per feci : His voice is, Redeem the time, do good, &c. Do you obey this voice of God ? do you tread . as it were, in his fteps, and walk in his paths > can it be faid of you as it was ofDawV,Pfal.40.8. I delight to do thy yviU, O mj God , yea, thy Law is within my heart. Or, ^soiCornclim^ Ad, 1 0.3$, We are all prefent bffore Cjod to htar all things that are com* manded thee of God. We can fay, That we are all here prefent s but God be merciful unto us r we cannot fay, That we are there • fore prefent to hear all things commanded of God : Perhaps we come to hear a voice, but not to obey the voice of God. But brethren 1 miftake not your felves, if you care not for the gui- dance of God • though he leads you by the voice of his Word, and of his Minifters,and of his Spirit, yet you will follow your owa wayes, be, live, do what you lift: alas for you I you arc : 'Vcr.i . The Lord is my Shcphcrd y Scc. 1 1 are ftubborn and rebellious creatures, you are far from the pro- pertieoffheep which know the voice of the (hepherd and fol- low it. 2. Another property of (heep is Meeknefs and Patience : Miner's and Of all the irrational Creatures in the world, a fheep is one of PaUcncc. themeekeftandpatienteft. Come near to a Dog and he will bark, defeat the Wolf and he will howl,&c. but the Sheep qui- etly pafTeth over all • give him rich or lean pafture , he feeds on both quietly •, Smooth or ftrikehim, he bears all-, yea, kill him, and cut the throat of him he ftirs little. And therefore the Prophet exprelTeth the wonderful patience of Chrift by this of a (heep, Ifa.$ 3 .7* He Was eppreffed and he was afflitled , and yet he opened not his mouth, he is brought as a lamb to the fljugh- ter, and as a jh If there be any eonfolat ion in Chrift, if any comfort of hve y if any fellow jhip of 'the Spirit , if any bowels and mercies ,^e like minded, have the fame love^VhW.2 t,2; Where is this Uni- ty in affeelion ? How I pity the divifions, the fcatterings, the tearings- what of Pagans? no, of Chriftians ^ "what of titular Chriftians? nay of thofe who would be real Chriftians, who tear the names, the wayes, yea, the fouls, yea, the everlafting eftates each of other. One Table cannot hold them, one fa- mily cannot, one Church cannot. If one heaven fhall hold you hereafter, why fhall not one (heepfold hold you now ? Well, 1 fay no more: Thus did not Chrift do,thus did not the Apoftlcs of Chrift do;dogs do thus,fhccp do not ufe thus to do^. "~ . ~ There,: Ver. i • The Lord is mj shepherd, Sec. x $ There may be many other allufions which I cannot 7iow~m~" fift on, onely thefe are thechiefeft. Try your felves by them, if you can upon due examination find that your hearts do obe- diently hear the voice of God, can patiently fubmit to God, are profitable to Gods glory, canarTe&ionately knit and con- fore with the reft of the flock of God becaufe they arefheep, you may be confident the Lord God is your (hepherd. The next Vft (hall be for comfort and fupport unto thofe ^r who upon thefe, or any other good grounds do find that thecomforuo* Lord is their (hepherd: the comforts appertaining to them chofc who find are many, I (hall but mention fome. the Lord :ob: i. In general, thus, you have i. thechiefeft Shepherd to fo r Mr Shepherd. yours, even the Lord of heaven and earth, and is the great Go- ^kf ft^^hm! vernor of aU things, and is the moft excellent in all glorious h c " to b: CP " perfections, to whom none of the gods may be compared. You yours. are the choiceft flock of the chiefeft God, 2. The beft Shepherd. Some fhepherds do abufe, and injure, The b«ft Shep- and fcatter the flocks, and the moft exquifite of deputed fhrp- fav-rd. herds fail exceedingly in their care, or love, or diligence, for they are but men^ but your Shepherd is not like them, he ex- cels them all, and will not fail towards you in any one Article' or point which the (hepherd is to perform to his flock. 2. But more particularly thus , you have i . a moft wife A moft ., Shepherd t One who is able to difcern the eftateof his flock, Shepherd and likewife the particular eftate of every fheep to know what isbeft for it, and when to adminifter to it. As God can dif- cern between the precious and the Vile, the good and theevil, fo can he diftinguifh twixt the ftrong fheep and the weak lambs He knows how to confider of age and time, of ftrengthand we.iknefs, and how to make ufe of his ftaflPe or of his rod, &c. 2. You have a moft good Shepherd: You fh ill have paiture A ft A enough all your dayes , he will withhold r.othirg that is shcpb ; good from you: the (hepherd will provide for his fhe:p, and fee that nothing be lacking unto them. They that fejr the Lord, pva J l Uck^ no good thing • the Lord i( my Shepherd, I fhall not xvtnt, faith D.ivid here : Jehovah is my Shepherd, i.e. He who is a moft perfect Bsingof Himfelf, and will accomp!(h all Wis promifes, &e. J, You have a moft tender Shepherd j One who will not J^JJ* 14 the Lord ismySbepberd^Scc* Vcr.i. rigoroufiy exad upon you, nor be fowre nor ftrange unto yon- if he doth fend out his dog after you, it is onely to reduce you from wandring, and as foon as ever the fheep looks towards the flock he rates him off prefently- you fhall have no more, nor no longer afflictions then are needful . And as he is tender in corretlicnsjo in his directions, fa cob faith of his (beep, The flocks and herds rvith jeng are with me, and if men flould over-drive them one day^all the flockj -will die, I will drive onfoftly as the cattle flail be able to endure, Gen.33.13. Whyl thus icis witrrthe Lord to his fervants : He will not overburden them, he layes on them but an eafie yoke, and onely things ncceflary, and leads them a gentle pace, £fa.qo. 1 1. From one degree of grace to another, ftep by ftep, he Hands not upon fulnefs, but faithfulnefs • and if he difcern any of his fervants to be more weak, he doth gracieufly take them up into his arms, and carries them along with more con- izations ^ he gathers the lambs with his arms, and carries thtm in his bo j 'erne , Efa.40.71. A moft faithf 1 4* ^ 0U ^ ave a mo fi f a ^f u ^ She f herd ; One who will ne-| Shepherd. ver intermit his care over you. He doth continue with gentlc- refs to look unto you while you are lambs, and ftedfaftly looks after you while you are fheep. Other (hepherds may either through vanity ftep away ,or through neceflity be called home, or through jinjury be pre- vailed upon, or through fleepinefs forget their care, but the Shepherd of Ifrael is akfayesprefent, and is alwayes vigilant. He will never leave his flock, and alfo take care that his flock fhall never leave him , none fhall take them out of his hand. 5. You have the moft loving Shepherd-, He loves you with She^hfrd 1 ™^ the higheft degrees of love in all kinds. He is yours in the love * of frienaflip, you are in a fort , one with him, (that they may be c*f, faith Chriit,d/ thou and I am one). He is yours in the love of complacence, you are his He pbzib ah, tht onely people of his delight, and in whom his love doth reft, as the Prophet f r eaks. He is yours in the Uve of benevolence, He wifheth you that good as to none the like : whereas you deferved to be facri- hced to his wrath, he gave a lamb, his own Son to become a fa- crif ce, thereby to fpare and fave the fouls of all his fheep. He is Ver. i. The Lord is my Shepherd, & 15 is yours in the love of beneficence) He doth beftow upoH you thegreateft good that may be- moft of your eftatehes infpi- rituals -, your graces, your comforts, your paiture, yourrefrefh- ings are holy, heavenly, which of all good are the moft excel- lent good. 6.Laftly, you have the moft rtwardful Shepherd • Alas ! when A moft rewsrt j. you after feeding a long time in the fullcft and fweeteft paftures f u i shepherd, bring forth perhaps but a fleece,and a lamb,a little good, yec he lovingly accepts it, and beftowes on you eternal life. Fear not little fisc^ faith Chrift,tV i s your Fathers pleafure to give j on a Kingdom. Thus have you the comforts ,but then I pray you with them ^r takealfo feme diretlions. Have youfuch a Shepherd as Jeho- Counfd to the vah? then be coun felled in a few particulars, (h -ep. 1. Be contented with his pafture. If the Shepherd think it R# conurrcd good to fhift the (heep from lees to Ices, or from the Vales to „\& his pt« the Hills, the (beep are contented to go. fturc. God is pleafed to feed us fometimes in the Vallies with much plenty, variety, eafc, delight ^and fometimes again he is pleaf- ed to drive us to the mountains, to a fhorter, (harper condition of life •, if we be his fheep we mud be ftill contented with his pafture. He knows that though feeding on the mountains be more fhort, yet it may be more wholfom ^ cattel alwayes fed int'ie Vales, are either for difeafe, or death: our conditi- ons never change but either to prevent , or to recover an evil. 2. Carefully regard his voice. You cannot make the leafr c ,11 ftray but his whittle is at your ears, his Word or his Spirit & J^hi s voiced beats at your confeiences. Now hear his voice, feed onely in his pafrures, wander not after any paitures beiides, though they ftem more plentiful or more delightful; my meaning is, keep onely in his wayes, ac- cording to his directions, and be not withdrawn or wander , through any enticements of fin or the world Though other paftures feem more plea ant, yet they are full of thorny bufhe^. You cannot feed long on them, hut you are cached and Scratch- ed, and fhall Inrdly efcape without much lofs of your fleece: you may a while delight in a finful way, but your confeiences will pay for it,and your graces. You cannot return without a Brett 1 6 The Lord is my Shepherd, &c. Ver.i« great diminution of the one, and a ft range vexation of the o- ther : he who will wander for to getfome pleafant evil, rouft neceflarily be lefs good and more troubled. And what de- fence have you when you hearken not to your (hephcrd , but warder? you are the filly (beep alone upon the mountains of Gilead. Admit that thou haft more delight, yet what de- light can be taken in a delight unprotected and unwar- ranted l Ohjetl. But I (hall come back again.- Sol. But is it not better for thee to be kept in by the (hep- herds whittle, then to be brought back in the Lions mouth ? to be alone in thefatteft paflure amongft Lions and Wolves, and no (hepherd near, here can be nothing but continual fear and danger. Thrive under 3# Thrive under his feedings. It is true, that for the fub- his feeding ftartia j pam of pflu^ a n t h c ft ecp of God fpced alike> but yet there are differences in grounds, fome are more rich then o- thers. And ifany people in the world have enjoyed a diffe- rence, you of London are the people. Ah ! the foyl that you fcavelivedinallyourdayes; how thick are the piles of grafs ? how full of rivers? how watred with (bowers ? what variety of gifts? what excellency of ftudies? what diligence of pains? what conftancy of Word and Sacraments ? what golden op- portunities publick and private ? If God feeds us in a more plentiful pafture, Oh let us take ' heed we wrong no t his goodnefs by barrerfnefs I that we yield no fleece or very poor, but ftrive to grow, not from knowledg to pride, and from pride to carelefsnefs, and from carelefsnefs to diflblutenefs • but from knowledg to faith , from faith to love, from iove to obedience, from one degree of obedience to another. Clcate toee- 4- Cleave together as the flock of one [hepherd : The Wolf, thcr as the flxk it is his property to fcatter the flock , and then to. make a prey ofonc (beep- of one after another. It is Satanswileandhisinftrumentsif it berd. be poffible to divide the flock of (Thrift, to caufe divifionsjea- loufief,feparations,that fa what could not be obtained by their unity, might be effected by their differences : But of all things ftrive againft divifjon. Remember how earned I y your Shep- herd the Lord Jefus at hisiaft laboured with his Difciples for Love y cr ,i. 1 jlull not want. 17 Love and Unity. You have enemies enough , you need not fharpen your tongues one againlt another. ]s it truth which you would f let it be maintained wich Unity • pluck not down the houfe, though you do difpute about the flowers in the gar- den. Jf there were more humility among Chriftians, and chari- ty, and wifdom, there would be more affectionate Unity, they would love each other better, fpeak better each of other, inter- pret e, ch other better, &c. 5. Laftly, If God be your (hepherd, Then be not difcjuieted at hit dealings rvithjou : Sometimes the (hepherd will handle ™ ... t .^ his fheep to try how it proves • fometimes he doth cutthe ctc j atGo 5 fheep very dofe, fometimes he lets his dog out which nips the dealings with fheep fharply, and fetcheth blood again, but all is for the good you. of the fheep-, afflictions which thou complained of fo much, this is all their work , they preferve thee from being aloft fheep. P S A L. 23. I. / jhall not want YOu have heard of the Relation 'twixt God and David, The Lord i6 my Shepherd. Now I proceed to touch upon the Il- lations, or that which David infers from thence [_ I Jb:iil not y?ant7\ The words in the Original are iDnN Hi LoEthfar, which fome render, I fiaM not fail, or breaks Non deficiam. Others, Nothing fhall be wanting unto me. Nihil mihi deerit ; icn Chafar ( from whence the word comes, fignifies both, not on- ly deefje and deficere, but alfo carer?, indi^erejenuriam fsti t ir.- cpi.t Uborare-. q. d. I (hall have enough. The Lord is my Shepherd, and I am fure he will take care for me,he will alwayes provide for me. There are fome who are very nice in their obfervations. Da- vid faith not, Nihil deeft, nothing is wanting j this, lay they, is Vex bentorttm inpatria, but Nihil mihi deerit, nothing (hall D be 1 8 I frail not want. Vcr.i. be wanting, or Khali be fupplied- this is Fox fan&orum in via. But to leave nicities you fee the proposition dear- ly. Dotl That the foc\ or people of God /hall not Want ^ they are cared The Bock or and well provided for. people of God The Scriptures are abundant to give teftimony to this, Pfal. (hall not wane. 34.IO. The jong Lions do lacl^ and faff er hunger, but they that feel^the Lord [hall lack, no good thing. Jer.32.40. I will not turn aW ay from them to do them good.VidX.^.n.TheLordU a fun and (hie Id, the Lord mil give grace and glory and no good thing will he with- hold from them that wa>\uprightly* Mat. 5. 3 ^.Ali theft things fbal! be added to you, he fpeaks of meat , and drink, and clothing, ^.25. But for the better explanation of this aficrtion thefe things are to be difcufTed. 1. In what fence it it to betaken, when David faith, I Jhall not want. 2. How far it u to be extended, whether to his foul or body, or both ; whether to Temporals or to Spirituals. 3. How it may appear that the flock of God fhail not want, and why. 4. Then the ufeful application &f all this unto ourfeSves. In whit fenfe Jg^ In what fenfe the Affertion is to be underftood, \_I Jhall this is to be m t rpant~} The reafon of the Quaere is, the many miferies , and underftood. {freights, and erodes, and calamities unto which the Saints of Godareexpofed. C'eared by df- For the refolution of this Queftion, there are divers Anfwers vers diftin&i given by Divines : °n*. 1. There are two forts of things: Some thirgs Some which do conduce to wake the condition good and make the coo- happy. dition good Others which do ferveto makj the condition fmooth and de- O bers mike it l&tful As about an houfe there are Pillars and Rafters, &c. Pviightful, which arethe bones as it were and abfolute ingredients- and there are the Varniftiing5 and Paintings which do fet forth the houfe. Or as in a Garden there are profitable fruits, and there are pleafant flowers only to look on and fmell. So it is with us, there are fome things which make our hearts truly good, and tend to our everlafting Salvation • there are other things which doonlyferveto.chear and refrefhus in our paffage. Now when Ver.i. / [hall not want. \9 when David faith, I [hall not want , they conjecture this to be the fenfe, fcit. Nothing (hall be wanting to me which concerns the making of my eltate truly happy,though delightfuls may be wanting, yet principals (hall not. i. Redundant. ^ c ^ i • ^ fi. Redundam z. Some things are | 2 Nm ^ Thofe things are Redundant without which a man may well Some things pafs over his condition of life. As a man may well ferve God arfRcdunJan:, though he have not an eftate of riches or honour comparable to "TV 1 [omz another, or alwayes equal to it felf. NwVflJry. Thofe things are Necejfary without which a perfon cannot well ferve God, as our daily bread, for which Chrift would have us to pray : Our bodies cannot be fitted to duty without thefe external and necellary fupplies of food and raiment. Even a good man, a David may want fuperfluities-, his Table may not be varioufly furnifhed, nor his garments gaudily embroydred, nor his coffers exceiTively fluffed and piled. But yet he fhall not want neceffaries, though he be not fure of plenty, yet of e- nough. The Prophet faith, That hit waters /ball be fure and his bread fhall not fail \ Ifa.33.1 6. He doth not fay, His Wines are fure, but 'ijs waters ; and he doth not fay, His Feaft, but his 'Bread fhali not fail. Though he hath not alwayes what he needs not, yet he fhall have alwayes what is needful. Though he hath not the Lace, yet he hath the Garment • though he hath not the Sawce, yet he hath the Meat-, though he hath not the Palace, yethehaththe Chamber-, though he hath not t'heSoftnefs,yethehath the Bed • though he hath not what he may Spare, yet he hath what he may life. 3. Of neceffary things, fome are 'Defecrahle, and feme afeofneafliry Stafonxble. Thole things are deferable which have any kind ofcbtogtj fome good in them. Thofe things wcfeafonable which have a kind vt Ddirrablc, of conveniency or fitnefs in them. It U granted, that there are ?V?'Jff? r€ many defierableGoods which a good man hath rot many times; Hez^ekiah may be in licle K «efs i and want health • fopph may be in prifon, and want 1 berty ; D ivid may be in tx'tft , and wane countenance. Health, and liberty, and favour are g)od things in their kind and order. D 2 Vet 20 I fball not want. Ver.i. Yet no Seafonable good [ha.il he want : When Health is good for him, HezekLih fhali recover- when Liberty is good for him, fo/eph {hall be loofed • when favour and dignity are good for him, then David (hall return and be ietled. Compare outward things among themfeives, fo we ftile fome of them good, and fome of them evil •, profpericy we call good, and adverfity evil • health we repute to be good, and ficknefs evil ; fruition we efteem to be good, and lofle to be evil. But compare all of them to the exigence of a good perfon, fo either of them are good ^ when he hath health, that is good • when he hath ficknefs, that is good; It u good for me y faith Da- vid, that I Vvas afflitled. A good man may want this thing and that thing, but he (hall not want any thing that is good , nor when it may be good for him. Gbodtbinjs a Again, Divines fay, That good things may be had two T^f n y way es, either, tcrprctarivcly" Explicitly, When a perfon en joyeth the individual or par- ticular things ^ fuppofe- health ,ftrength, liberty, friends and o- ther comforts. Interpretative!?, When a perfon enjoyeth that which is e« quivalent to thofe things. A Citizen may not have a Garden, a Farm , Sheep or Oxen, yet he hath thoufands in his purfe which are equivalent to all thefe. Thus do they fay of a good man, That either he enjoyeth the very particular good things which he needs, or elferhofe ' things which are equivalent to thermnay far exceeding of therm Though he cannot have much Lands, yet he hath many Graces; though he cannot have the countenance of men, yet he hath the favour of God •. though he cannot enjoy quiet abroad, yet he fetleth peace within his confeience, which are bleflings in- ftead of all ether bleflings , and can revive his heart infinitely beyond the prefence of all external things. He that hath but one Diamond, may have far more then he who hath a thoufand ftones digged out of the Quarry.So, &c. Diftirgijifli 5- Youmuft diftrnguiih 'twixt Ah fence , and'twixt lndi~ between Ab« ge nee. iA'o fence is when fomething is not prefent. Indigence fence and Jn-^ or want, is when a needful good is not prefent. If a man were %ence. t0 wa j^ anc j fat not a ftaff^ here were fomething abfent. If a man were to walk, and had but one leg, here were fomething where- Vet', i. I fhali not \v Ant. 21 whereof he were indigent. Tt is confefled Chat there are many good things which arc abient from a good pcrfon, but no r,ood thing which he wants or is indigent of. If the geod be abfcnt and I need it not, this is no want- he that walks without his cloak, walks well enough for he needs it not. As loag as lean walk carefully and cheerfully in my general or particular call- ing, though I have not fuch a load of acccflbries as o. her men have, yet I want nothing, for my little is enough, and ferves the turn. 6. There are two forts of wants, There are two In (ome fart of the condition , Torts of wants, In the heart and affetlion : In k™j P a . rc oi As a man may abound in his condition and yet want in that ° ur c " ndulon - /• 1 • m « . 3 . r 1 i 1 -i n In rnc heart of his affttltoM. He may have abundance in honour, in eltate, ancl a £f c ai> n . in wealth, and yet through an endlcfs covetoufnefs, and vain difcontent he may be in want, ft. 11 complaining, murmuring, craving. Solomon deciphers this man in Eccl^.S. Trerc is one alone and there is not afecond, yea he hath neither child nor brother , yet there is no end of all his labour, neither is his eye [a- tisfi d with riches, &c. So a man may want fomthingin his external condition and yet abound and not want in that of his inward afTeftion Though he hath not the outward thing, yet he wants it not, for he is contented with the abfence of ic, and cannowaspleafedly eat with a little, as formerly he did with much; and content himfelf with a plain and mean condition, as with a fwelling pompous eftate. So that a good pcrfon wants not, for either he hath the good, or elfe is as well pleafed snd contented, as if he had it • and to fpeak freely all a mans wants, or fulnefs,are rather in refped of his mind, then of the things themfelves. For a man may want what he hath, and what he hath not he may not want, if the mind be difcontent- edly unquiet •, the man who hath much, hath inJecd nothing . W>at do all thefe things avail me, faith Haman, as long us Mordecai the few fits at the Kings gate ? Efth 5. 1 3 . i e. they areas nothing tome. Soon thecontrary, if the mind be fram- ed and compofed to contentation, though a man hath not the thing,yethe wants it not, i.e. he feels not the want of it, he is as well as if he had it •, eats his drte bread, and lies on his hard bed, and walks as cheerfully as he that fvvimmes in all ex- Ktes. 7. Lai*. 22 / jh all not want. Vcr.i Diftinguilhbc- & Lailly, you mutt d-ftinguifh twixt real wants and iwagU twixt rcall * tf? 7 »*»'* • a want to the perfon, and a want to thecorru- wams *nd ima- ption : a child is fometimes clamorous for a knife, and fome* jinary wants, times he cries for bread ; when he cries for bread, his father a- rifeth and fetched* the loaf, the child (ball not want bread v but when he cries for the knife this he (hall n®t have, the fa- ther will not fatisfic his wantonnefs, though he will fupply his wants. Our corruptions are ftill craving and they arealwayes inor- dinate, they can rind more wants then God needs to fupply. As they fay of fools, they can propofe more qucftions then twenty wife men need to anfwer. They in fames- 4.3. did ask. but received not and he gives two reafons for it. 1. This ask: ing was but a lufling. V. 2.] Te In ft and have not : another, they did ask to confnme it upon their tufts, V. 3.] God will fee that his people (hall not want, but withall, he will never engage himfelfto the fatisfying of their corruptions, though he doth to the fupply of their conditions. It is one thing whac the (ick man wants, another what his difeafe wants. Your ig- norance, your difcontents, your pride, your unthankful hearts maymakeyouto believe that you dwell in a barren land, far from mercies (as melancholly makes a perfon to imagine that he is drowning, or killing, &c.) whereas if God did open your eyes as he did Ha^ars, you might fee fountains and dreams, mercies and bleflings fufficient , though not many, yet enough^ ' though not fo rich, yet proper and every way convenient for your good and comfort. And thus have you the genuine fenfe (fo far as I can Judge) of Davids zfertlon 1 fialt not want, I proceed to the fecond Querle. Q^2. How far the verity of this Affertion extends, whe« K °h o/thfs t ^ cr ' co f° ,J l anc ^ kody , to fpirituals and temporals. afler:bn ex- &d m * snivver briefly, it holds firm of both, both foul and tends. body are the obfeS of Divine Providence, and of Divine Love, and both of them are ferviceable to Divine Glory. 1 . That the (onljhdl mt want^ the Scriptures are abundant. T cf »ul (hall j c f^aii j iave Grace and Glory, there is redemption for it, righ- pocwant. teoufnefs for it, fan&ificat on for it, and falvation, there is the Word to help it, the Sacraments to help it, afflictions to help it. Vcr.i, iJhdllnotwAnu 23 ic, and the Spirit of God ftill to help it: all almoft that you can conceive the foul to ftand in need of for fpincuals may be referred, either 1. To j u ft if ying grace^but that the foul wants not, it is u- Juftifyinj nited to thrift and partakes of his righteoufnefs and of rcmifli- Grace, on in his blood. 2. To fanttifying Grace ■, and this the foul hath too, it (hall Sa ^^ • not want of fo much holinefs as (nail fave, and though the vef- Grace. fcl be not yet 'full, yet it is ftill filling, the God of peace will fan&ify throughout, and the righteous (hall be as the Sun which encreafeth more and more to the perfed day. He who hath little (hall have more, fo much every Saint (hall rife unco, as (hall make him fitted in his, place to glorihe God. 3 .To (irer.gthenir.g and affifting Grace, You (hall not want AflllVn* the eye of God to guide you, nor the hand of God to uphold Grace you, who did not want the love of God to convert you. 4. To comforting and refrtflnng Grace : You (hall never Co-nforrir^ want proper comforts norfeafoiuble. He who is the God of Grace, ail grace, will alfo be the God of all confolatipns unto you. Onely you mud go to the wells of falvation, and keep in the paths of righteoufnefs if you would not have your (ouls to want infpirituals. 2k', That the bed] fhall not xvar.t in refped of temporal : take The body them in any kind, and as fuitable, and necefl'ary, and feafen ibis, not warn. and in the ienfes above ex prefled, it is To cleer that it needs not further confirmation, yet to prevent all doubts and fcruples it flr.i 11 manifestly appear in therefolutionof the next inquiries, ziz . Q^ How it may appear that the people of God (hall not How i: may Wantandwhy. appear that they Sol. 1. It may appear by a feries of experimental ir.ftances.^^" '* * 3i y Go and enquire into their eftates, and you (hall find many of j^?,;^.^ them, that God hath fupplied them, not onely ad f*tn*it*ttm y hihr.ccs, but ad abcrtaicm, trey have had not onely for neceflity but for variety, not onely ad fkpplimentum but ad om*mer,t um, not naked but rich fupplies, not onely helps but ai(b delights : as you may fee in Abraham, If.mc, f^cob,Ju((p'o, ALr.**M n ct w*m* 2 5 you think of the graces of Go ds Spirit which infinitely exceed the rubies and the pearls, they arc the image of" God and uur cho celt excellencies. Or what think you of betvettlj giorj, is it not beyond all companion and expreiliun } Why now tell me, will God not fufler his people to want thegreareit, and will he be wanting in the leaft ? Will he freely give them many things worth worlds, and will he not give them bread and rai- ment ? If he gives us Chriit, how /ball he not with him give us Ml ether things faith the Apoitlc, Rem.8. 32. 7. d. it cannot be otherwife, never imagine the contrary. 5. Fifthly, kuff.cUlajfitlion to his people. What are his HJs f pcc j a |i a f. people (think you to him) the Scripture calls them the people fedion co bis of his love, of his delight, his beloved j whatnot that, beto- people. kens love? he knows them above all the people of the earthy you fee that he clothes, and feeds,and fupplies his very enemies, thofe whom he calls the generation of his wrath and curfe •, he makes his Sun to rife upnn them, and drops many bleftings on them, the unkindeft vefTels receive of him many mercies . will any do for them that hate him, and not for them that love him? for enemies and not for friends ? 6. His /insular relations. The Lord is to his pcople,as a fa- His fin jub: ther to his children. 2 Cor. 6. 18. 1 will be a Father unto jc» relations. and ye fhallbe my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty. Again he is to his people as an husband to the wife.77?j UMaker is thine Husband, the Lord ef hofls is his name, Ifa.54 J. Why the Lord takes care of all the family of the earth : his hand opens it fclf and fills every living creature •, he feeds the Ra- vens that cry unto him, will not have the mouth of the Oxen to be be muzzled, clothes the grafs of the field. Can a woman forget her fucking child . ? yet will I not forget t 1 f/ 1 , I fa 49 15- And is it not more then probable that he will take care to pro- \idethat his wife, that his children fhall not want : woi-Ii any be careful that the fervant be fupplied, and be carelefs whe- ther :he child doth want or no? will any take care that all the family have provifion, and yet care not whether the wife hath ought ? 7. Laftly, take the acquittances and ackno^'eJgments of iff ~J"j Acauic- the fervants of God that they have made unto the Lord and^ e f rssnr$ f delvered under their own hands. The Lord hath bletfeAmy God. E Al after 16 I [hall not want. Ver.i. Mafter greatly, and he is become great , and he ha>h given him flocks and herds, and ftlver and gold, and men- fervants and maid- fervants, and camels and affes. This was fpoken when Abr&- ^wwasold, Gen 34.25. Compared with v. 1. Jacob , faith for himfelf, / am not Worthy of the leaft of all the mercies and all the truth which thou haft fhewen unto thy (ervant, for with my flaffe I payed over this Jordan , and now I am become t^o bands, Gen. 3 2. i. fofeph faith to his brethren^Hafteyou,and go to my father, and fay unto him, thus faith thy fon fofeph, God hath made me Lord of all Egypt, Gen 45.9. David is often at it in this Pfalm all over, and in Pfal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup, thou maintainefl my lot : .V.6. The lines are fallen to me in pltaj ant place s,yea I have a goodly heritage. Not that I fpeak^, faith S. Taul Phil 4. 1 1 . in refpett of want, but I have all and abound^ v. 1 8. Yea, perufe all the Scripture and tell me where you find any one Saint ( being himfelf) ever to complain in regard of want. Obj. But now it is obje&ed againft all this, that there arc no people in the world that are in fuch want as the people of God for outward things, none fo fleeced as they, and fo expofed,and fo fpoiled, and dcftituteas you may fe: in the Scriptures and all over the world. Sel.i. You know that all thefe outward things are promifed not peremptorily, but 1. With condition, if good for them : 2. With exception of the Crofs. I befeech you, tell me, whether it is better for a man to faft in a Feaver,then to eat ? eating is not good for him at fuch a time. So,&c Again , which is better to keep Chrift or a mans worldly ftate and comforts ? Til true, if a man may en- joy Chrift and the things of the world too, it is notneceffary to abandon either, but when thefe two ftand in Competition, that either the life muft be loft or the goods in the fhip • either my goods muft be forfaken,or Chrift : Why, a Chriftian judgeth not this to be a lofs, to be a want , fo that he may enjoy Chrift ftill. 2. You know what the Apoftle fpeaks i-n 2Cor.4-8. we are troubled on every fide 3 y et not di ft re fed-, Wi are perplexed, but not in defpair ; perfecuted, but not for[a\en ; cafl down % but not de- Jlroyed. Inlofies, and Perplexities f and dijirejfes for Chtiff. — - Thg 1 Ver.i. / [Ija/l not want. 27 The Chriftian may fay to the world as Chrift did to his Difci- ples, J have ment which you l^now net of, fo faith he. Comforts, fupr orts, fatisfaftions which the world knows not of. He hath more content in bonds and furTerings, then in liberty and con- fluences j he feels not the want which a fenfual and carnal heart imagins. ' Now I come to the Application of this point to our felves. Shall not the flock or people of God want ? then you who take T , ; V r your felves to be the people of his pafture, give ear and heark- Gods P p"ftjr°c en this day unto two things : mult hearken. { 1. Your Sixs % 2. Your c Dx:j, i. Tcur Sins : That you fuflfer your hearts fo to be crackt Tochelr Sin. w'uh fears t and your minds to be filled with cares. The Lord in their fears be merciful unto you, how dejeded your eyes are fometimes ? anci ca:es - how diftrefTed your thoughts are fometimes? how feaverifh your fpirits are and ready to (ink to the very duft and grave? you are at your wits end, why ! what's the matter ? doth fome lingular guilt lye upon your confeience ? No 1 Do you appre - hend in you the terrors of Gods difp'eafure ? No ! Have you flighted the wayes of God or voice of God ? No! Is a parent dead? a wife dead? a child dead? is the hand of God in any heavy meafure upon you? No! What is it then that thy coun- tenance is caft down.thac thou walkeft fo folitarilyjooks fo hea- vily, fpeaks fo mornfully • thatilghs multiply in thy brelt, and tears rife up in thy eyes, and trembling appears in thy joints, a^.d palenefs in thy face ? O I (hall want, I ftiall fail, my means and fupports will not hold out ; I (hall come to pover- ty, to penury, my eftate is (horr, the oil is almoft all run out , and the meal is even neer fpent, and the imaginations of it doe ven crufh my heart and foul. But as the Lord anfwered Job, too much complaining in Iu's condition, fo may I fay unto you thus deje&ing your fouls, Job 382. Who is thu that dark» f th council by wtrds rvith ut knoveledg. When Saul propVielied naked, but, fay they , ir u his father ? that fay I unto you, who by yourdifrruihul ima- ginations, and cxceflivc perplexities darken die intentions and E 2 the 28 I jhall not want. Vcr.i. the truths of the Almighty, and walk in thefhadowofyour own fears, but who is their father ? Haft thou not heard > and haft thou not known front ever lading tb*t ihe Lord fainuthnot ? nor doth he ever for fake his pccp/e : Lay afide thy vexing thoughts awhile, and fufpitious'imag; nations ,and folely regard what fhall be fpoken nnto thee, and judg how unjuftiy and foolifhly thou doft challenge God,and needlciTely encreafeft fears, and fadnefs, and bitterneffe, and dejections upon thy own Spirit. Thou haft no J. Thou hall: no reafon at all to conclude that thou {bait rcifon to con- Want . Confider, chide thou fhalc jyhat hath God been mto thee already} Hath he been unto What h h C ^ ce as a ^ anC * barren wildernefs ? Or as the Oft rich , that God been unto ^° ar ^ ens her f elf again ft her yong ems as though they were net hers % thee for time Job39.it?. Doft thou not hitherto live f and who hath been paft. the fountain of that life ? Haft thou not hitherto been fed? and who is it that gives us our daily bread ? Hitherto thou art preferved, redeemed, fufteined, fed, clothed, cared for, the Lord hath not forfaken thee^ nay, the teftimonies of his provi- dence are to be found upon thee and thine this very moment: thou canft not conclude on a future want, by the experience of any antecedent want •, from the womb to this day the accounts arc clear 'twixtGod and thee, he is not indebted at all, nor canft thou juftly challenge him for any negieft of thee. What is the What is the nature of God for the frefext : Is he like man 9 naturfofGod that he fhould change . ? or the fons of men, that he fliould caft for time prefent off? He is thefameyefterday, and to day, and for ever, and with him there is no fhadow of change. Was he God All-fufficient ? Is he not fo ftill ? thy loving and Companionate God? is he notfo ftill? thy Almighty God ? is he not fo ftill ? Is he deceitful ? or is his hand fiiort- ned? doth he ceafe to be God, or to be thy God? If the Foun- tain ftill lives and runs, why fhouldeft thou imagine to dye by thirft .? If the Sun ftill fliines,why (bouldeft thou fancy nothing but darknefs ? If the Lord ftill lives, and lives to be the God of thy mercies, Oh how unreafonabiy finful is it to kill thy felf with fears of want ? What is the what is the promt fe of God for the future ? hath he undertaken' promifes of thy fuftentation, preservation, fupports, neeeffary comforts and fimt fuu^ S 00 ^ for a week, or a moneth, or a year f arehispromifes - — u - e# (which Vcr.i. 1 fhall not want. 29 (which are the treafuries of all thy good, and the chambers of all thy mercies) clouds only which rain a while plentifully, an J thenfalloff? or are they not rather Wells of Salvation, Inex- hauft Springs, running from generation to generation. There is yet much in reverfisn, thou haft not all in pofTeffion, but the better part of thy portion is yet in thy fathers hand. When thou art dead and gone, and rotten , his word of promifc (hall be a faithful and effedual Word to fupport the children of ma- ny future years which thou fhalt never fee. And therefore how juftly blameable art thou to cry out and to fink with the fear of Want? when as thou haft a God who hath provided for thee, and bleft thee j doth provide for thee, and blefs thee • will pro- vide for thee, and blefs thee. 2. Thouhafi allthereafenin the world to conclude that thou Thou haft all [halt not Want, whether thou confidereft, Reifon to con - That Fftlnejs , infinite fuln^fs which is in God : Irs clu^e thou (halt goodnefs is unfearchable,the depths thereof are bottomlefs : He " ot "J*™*, is an All-fufficiency. The childs ftomach may be too large for jh" /uinef" S the mothers milk, and the fons fpending too high for the fathers : hx: is in God. eftate, and a mans occafions too many for his friends help. But Divine goodnefs is fuch a Common as cannot be overlaid : Though there be not Water enough for a few fhips in the Ri- ver, yet there is water and room enough for all the (hip? in the world on the Sea. That great God who feeds a whole world everv day, he is able enough to fuftain thee all thy dayes. That will in£ne/j that is in God to do thee good. I grant Th . pjjj^. that nower alone is not fufficient for confidence, but power and nf f s tn ac is in will both are. God. t)bj. Of that we doubt. Sol. Tell me what is imaginable to thy mind which may ^[? UI ^* ^ breed in thee a confidence f yea an undoubted afTurance that G " T* s wiling God is willing that thou fh3lt not want. to do us £ Firn\ Would ,'pcct l Relation J cwixt thee and him produce Special &dati< it? The wife is confident when the ftranger is not, the child 01, fears not vhen the fervant doth. Now God is tbj Fat her ^thou art his Child, he is thy Husband, thou his Spoufe. If any thing will make us careful and bountiful, it is Love- if any love will make usfo, it is chat love which is in fuch near Relati- ons. Second-- 5o I jh all not want. Ver Bkprcfs A flu- Secondly, Would affirmation^ Word or Speech of God af- maucn. f ure us thereof: When a father manifefts his care and intenti- on of good, now all fear is quieted: If he fhould take the child abroad, and fay, Son, be not troubled, thou haft hitherto had experience of my love and care , be confident a father hath na- tural affedions to a child, he oftentimes pincheth himfelf to help a child. My eftate is good , my affedions unto thee are great % take my word, I will take Angular care for thee as long as 1 live. Why ! this would fatisfie and chear up any rational fpirit. Thus the Lord fayeth to us in his Word, Be not difquieted, trouble not your felves in vain, fret not, vex not, fear not, hi- therto I have helped you, and I am an All-fufficientGod and your Father, never think that I will forfake you, I have faid , That I will nevir have jou nor forfake yctt^ whom I love % I love to the end ^ do not think of me worfe then an Injide I "toko f re- vises not for his own family. I have done you good, and I will never turn away from doing you good : I tell thee, I will with- hold no good thing from thee, but will be thy God and guide URto death. Doth not the Lord fay all this in the Scriptures, and fhould not this poffefs us of his willingnefs that we fhall not want. Singular Ob- ^ a Y' Thirdly, Will not an obUgein^ Tromife only , but an li^ion. Emphatical ferioufnefs in the manner of his promi(ing,perfwade us that he is willing, we fhall not want. Proteftations , AfTe- ifhmourable thing not to caft your care on the ^ rJ cn thc Lord You do dishonour It is D^oncr 1. Him exceedingly : What will people think of a Father whofe children cry out upon him, That he will not allow them food and raiment ? The father fufTers in the want of the child, as much as the child: what inglorious thoughts are hereby faftned on your God ? as if he had no merciful affections unto you, nor tender intentions, nor knowledg of your neceftities , nor compaflion to help you, nor faithfulnefs to perform his Word, nor wifdom to difcern what were good for you. 2. Your holy Prof iff} on \ How apt are people to fatten all Toyow holy mifcarriages of godly men upon Godlinefs it felf. You make Predion, the WayesofGod, and Practice of Religion to be blafphemed by your intolerable dejeftednefs, and fears and fadnefs. They will not imagine that there is that ftrength in grace to fatisfie the heart, nor that power in holinefs to comfort the heart • and that trufting in God is but a fond reed, which can no better enable the foul in ftrength erfupportir with any cheerfulnefs in wants. Yea, what dittinftion do you nuke in your behavi- our 'twixt a Believer, and an Unbeliever ? 'twixc a Chriftian , gsAi 3 a I (hall not want. Ver.i and a Pagan? Do not the Heathens after this manner? what can they do lefs then this? what do ye more then they ? Icissnll!*- 2 - It is an Vnpeaceable thing: You lofe all your peace until peaceable thing ye can reft upon God by faith for your fupplies. You lofe your tafte of God t of mercies received, of your felf by Unbelief. I he Stone never leaves running till it comes-to the Center, nor the Ship toiling till it comes to anAnchor,nor the foul difquiet- ing it feif till it comes to a reftingon God. If you will not truftGodfor your future fupplies, of neceffityyou muft bear your own burdens of imaginations and fears ^ either you muft be quiet in reftingon his care, or perpetually unquiet by yield- ing to your own carefulnefs. For there is nothing which can quiet the foul but God : You want the Creatures,and the Crea- tures wanted, will trouble you , you would fupply your own wants, but no man can be a God to himfelf. So that if you be far from Faith you will be far from Peace. Icisa Prcjudi- 3. It is a Prt\udicial thing : None want more then they cial thir j. who will not truft on God to fupport their wants : if you wane Faith, you muft want Mercies. Unbelief is the iron bar againft the mercies which we want, as unthankfulnefs is the grave of the mercies which we have received. You (hall go out with abun* dance of thoughts, labour with abundance of fears, come home with abundance of grief, lye down with abundance of difcon- ten^and tofs the n.ght with abundance of vexations ; all which « (hall be your torments, but not your helps- your additions of evil, but not minifters of any good unto you. It is i very fin- 4. It is a very Sinful thing : Of all fins Unbelief is one of ful thing. the greateft, and a caufelefs Unbelief is the greateft of all, The lefler the thing is, and the more able the giver of it is^ and the more faithful he is, and the more experiences we have had of his goodnefs and fidelity, the more vile is your unbelieving of that God: Now it is more offensive to him,more aggravated by circumftances. From the gocd Secondly ,From the G od tint will come unto you by truftiflg that will corre on q oc | f or t j ie f U pp|y f your wants. You ftTii be- T • You (hall be able hereby to Honour God very much. Un- nourGod much belief is a cloud over all his Attributes, but Faith gives glory to-. God, it doth exalt God, and it doth enable us in our callings xo Ver.i. / [hall not voxnt. 33 exalt God, and the more we advance bis glory, the more we advance our own mercies, and, thofe that honour me y 1 Vri/I ho- nour x 1 Sam. 2. The Chriftian fhould look at Divine glory more then at his own fupplies : How did Job advance him when he faid , Though he kill me^yct will I trufi on him } And Abra.* ham glorified him much when ag.unfl hops, he believed in hope ; This is like a Chriftian who hath a God and dares truft on him, live upon him, and in the midft of all evils and neccilicies can triumph with Faith, yet the Lord is my God, my Shepherd, I fhall not want j He will be my God and guide to death, he will never leave me nor forfake me. Yea, you fhall honour him in your callings, if you do believe on him, you fhall look up and pray, look up and trade, look up and hear, and read , and me- ditate, and do all your duties readily, chearfully, conftandy- whereas others can neither read, nor pray, nor work, nor dired , nor any thing elfe for want of Faith, and for fear of want. Two evils befal them about duties who do not truft on God Two Evils s- for their future fupplies ^ either inipatient Diver fions and Ab- bouc d " ties . iot flratlions. It is vain toferve god, and what profit u it that we ^q- F *L lh t*Vi k,ept hi* Ordinances ? Mai- 3.14. Or , violent Incur fions Y jd cncc , .and Dijiratlions. Our tongues are Praying, but our thoughts are Projecting ; our ears are Hearing, but our hearts are Mur- muring. We are not where we are, we do not what we do j our bodies are in one place, and minds in another ; they work one thing, and the foul another. So that God hath no Duty at all, or little in all duty, till we can truft in him- and confe- quently no Glory. 2. You engage the Lord to your help by fruiting on his You engage Pafloral care that you (hall not want-, as Faith honours God, fo the Lord :• it ingageth God. There are two things which engage God to y cur hcl P* the help of his people. 1 . His own Faithfulnefs ^ and therefore is he faid to remem- ber his Covenant and his Word, and to do it for his Names fake, becaufe he will not fuffer his faithfulnefs to fail. As the Apoftlc fpake concerning a fuller San&ification, god is faithful who wt/I alfodoit^ that may be faid of neceflary fupplies in externals, God will bring them in, he will give them becaufe he is faith- ful who hath promifed. F 2. Out 34 I jhall not want. Vera. 2. O fir faith in trusting on his faith f nine fs. So the Prophet, If a. 26. 3 . Thou wilt keep him in perfeft peace who/e mind is (lay- ed on thee, becaufe hetrufieth in thee. Our believing in God though it be not a Deferving Argument, yet it is an Jngaging Argument. If we be not behind with our Fatth, he will not be fhort in his LMercie s. The menofjudah prevailed becaufe they refiedon the Lord God of their fathers, 2Chr.1g.18. As water feccheth water • ftrength came becaufe they relied on ftrength : God will own our Conditions , if we do own his Pro- mifes. When you come by faith unto the Lord,and fay, Lord ! this is thine own Word of Truth, upon which thou haftcaufed me to truft, by reafonof it I withdraw confidence from allo- ther, and have committed all my comforts, all my fupplies, all my expectations into thy hands, and do depend on none but thee^truredly the Lord will be faithful and very good unto that foul. 3. Asytur merciful fupplies will come in the fooner, fo will Your fupplies thej relijh thefweeter upon believing : You (hall certainly en- wiJl reliih the joy, and comfortably enjoy. When you reft on God to get er * fupplies, the fupplies being gotten, reft is gotten with them^ you {hall not only handle his goodnefs, but delight your felves in the abundance of peace. Two things will befall us upon ourtrufting in God; Viz. Peaceable exemptions ., you (hall exped your helps without tur- bulency: And Comfortable poffejfions •, you {hall enjoy your < fupplies without bitternefs 4, Laftly, Supplies as they are more comfortable upon be- w* Ubc Uf>PllCS ' icvia £> *° the y ar€ m9re d HrMe * Faitn natn the longeft leafe durable? ^ t0 n0 ^ an Y buffing from God : of all mercies thofe are beft kept which are beft got- that which we believingly get from God, is alwayes moft carefully preferved by God. ThcMeansto Secondly, The Means to enable our hearts to t ruft on God enable us to f or tne f U pply of our wants , and to be perfwaded that he will. never fail you,are thefe , Take heed of 1 . Take heed of thofe things which beget and multiply fears of £h vV b i! n8S ***** y -s- fcar of wan" l • H norance °f Go ^ x M * n wn0 * a ' fc m tne ni § nt are moft Ijnorancc of a P c t0 ^ ear : an ignorant mind , and a troubled heart, or an God, hardned heart ufually are companions . For that which fetcleth the Vcr. i . * fodl no* want. 3 5 the affcftions and compofeth them is Kr.owled^. There are three things in God, whereof if a man be ignorant he will be much in cares and fears of want. One is Gods Fulntfs : If he apprehends not a fulnefs in all ofGodsFul- and every of Gods Attributes, his foul will fear and care. If ncfs. I conceive that God is fully able to fupply one want , and noc many, or many of my wants, but not all, or all my perfonal wants, but not my domeftical wants ; all my wants heretofore when I was a fingle perfon, but not all now, when my charge encreafeth and multiplies by children and fervants. He who thus conceives of God, no more then of a half God,of a God of the Valleys and not of the Mountains, one who can fupply low and mean, but not high and great wants . few and not ma- ny wants, former wants, but not prefent, present but not future wants, extremely miftakes the fountain of fupplies, and mull neceflarily be toiTed and crucified with perpetual waves and darts of rolling fears and cutting cares. And therefore if ever you would preferve your fouls from fears of want, know, ftudy to know by the Scriptures, how full and All-fufflcient that God is, who undertakes your help, that he is an Univerfal good and infinite, able to fatisfie the defire and need of every living crea- ture. Thy wants in comparifon of all the wants of the crea- tures in the world , is not fo much as a farthing to a thoufand pounds: That God who can fupply all, hath all fupplics in himfelf ^ yea, he can give bread alfo as well as water, and ex- tend his provident care to thine, as he hath continued it to thy felf. Multitudes may caufe difficulty, where the nature is finite and limited; many pails will quickly empty and fink a pond, but they make no diminution nor variation where the good- ncfs is infinite-, all the men of the world cannot draw the Tea dry. A Second is, Cods ^ffetlionater,efs : Though you know his of Gods At"- Power, yet if you be ignorant of his Love, you will tire out fcdionatcncis. your fpirits with fears of want. Forafmuch as we generally conceive that Love is the hand of Bounty which turnes the key and gives out all our fupplies : If the child queftions his fathers Love, he will quickly grow jealous of his fathers Allowance. So i< it with us, if we be doubtful of Gods afTeft on, we will be fearful of Gods fupplics : True, fay we, whom the Lord loves ke F z lovts 36 I {hall not want. Vcr.i. loves to the end •, them he will never leave nor forfake, but whe- ther he loves us or no we doubt, and therefore we can neither boldly go to him and ask, nor confidently reft upon him toex> ped A mifpcrfwafion of Gods love or a doubting thereof is a root of little love to God and of much unquiet fear in oar felves every way. : G , . A third is Gods immutability or uncharge xblenefs. It can- amiability, ""not be but that he ftiould fear much want, who doth fear and (u(pe& Gods conftancy. If we conceive of God, as of a crea- ture, that he is off and on, now he loves, now he hate*; one while who but we, and (hortly lookt on as never knowen •, one while the purfe runs, and within a few daies the door is (hut. I fay if we do thus ignominioufly think of God as of men, that though his geodnefs be fweet, yet it is but fhort, and though he can do enough for us yet his mind may be altered or his promife broken, no mervail our hearts be full of fears when they are fo empty of the true knowledge of God • who is as affedionate to his peoples good, as he is very much able, and as unchangeable in his intentions of their good as he is li- beral in the expreflions of it. Thou maieft juftly fav, what if my friend ftiould fail me ? what if my Parents fhould die ? what if my (hip (hould fplit ? what if the thieves (hould come in? what if my own life (hould change? but thou canft nevec fay, what if God (hould die? or what if God (hould lie? or what if God (hould break and fail I Confidence on ' 2 « Confidence on the creatures. You will never be exempted the creature t either from idolatry or trouble, if you place confidence on any creature , either you muft imagine the creatures to be infinite ihields againft all evil, or infinite Sunnes of all good and fo quiet your felves, but this is idolatry. Or you muft conceive the creatures to be mu'cable cloudy weak hands, withering trees, unable principles of your good, and changeable inftrumems • on which while you fix your thoughts, how do your thoughts beget thoughts, and fparkle up (ufpitions, and encreafe many fears? v. g. But if he dies, I have no other to provide for me • but if the (hip mifcarry, I am broken and undon •. but if 1bch a thing fail, I may run my countrey •, but if he (hould not con- tinue his love and bounty, I and mine may go a begging • write it down you loft your reft if you fettle on the creatures. There ''""'"■ '" is. Ver. i . Ijhall n$t tvant. 3 7 is no retting upon a reftlefs object ; all the world is but tea, doth a man think to lie quiet in the fea ? did you ever fee a ftone fixed in the aire? There are natural principles of inabi- lity, and of inftability in the creatures, and though they may exceed us in duration, yet their operations and fcrvicesare fo under a fuperior reftraint and difpofal , that the mind and heart of man can never draw any certainty, either of power or readinefs to fupply its wants and neceflities. It hath not all our good in them, nor doth it give out all the good it hath, and when it doth, the cock may be turned and then the water (tops, God may difpofe the heart another way,& though a perfon hath many though:s of doing us good, yet man foon dies, fuddenly d es, gives up the ghoft and where is he? he periftieth and his thoughts perifh. with him. Man is fubjed to changes, Adive and Pailive. Yea every manisalwayes fubject to many unavoidable and pafiive chan- ges, ficknefle?, loflfes , deaths, and therefore he who leans on man muft necelTanly be hazarded with many a thought and fear, fuch an one is dead, and now there's an end of thy hopes, and a fpring of thy griefs and fears. Every man may be in a thoufand minds and therefore he who depends upon man nuy be (till under a thoufand fears. 3 Forgetfuliefs of mercies received and former experiences of Gods good hand unto us. The IfraeUtes had their mercies y r B c, ™»™ written in water, and therefore their hearts were drowned with c ., vc ^ murmurmgs and fears : they remembred not the high hand of God, how powerful it was, and how ready to work good unto them, and therefore they ftill lulled, and whined, and cried out, fliall we die for thirft, and can God (pread a sable in the Wi/a'er- refs > The Apoftle faith, that Experience breeds h*pe. A per- fon who hath had experience of Gods goodnefs and faithful- nefs, that when he was in fuch a ftreig'ic and exigence and fought the Lord, and trultcd on him, and he heard him • why ! if the fame or another exigence befall him, he will not be much dilmayed but w.ll remember the work? of old, and conclude future help from former experience. But if we bury our ex- perience*, we do then fupprefs our hopes and raife up our fears. jt we think not at all of any g>od which God hath already ^ .- done, or thinking of it do not ftir up our hearts upon that ex- perience- 3 8 Ijhall not want. Vcr.i. perience to blefs God and to rely our felvcs on him, now fears and doubts of want will encreafe and throng upon us. Oh. Oh 1 I (hall now perifti, mine muft now want, I have no friends now to fet me to work, or to drop in help, or to find out fupport. SoL But thou forgetteft the dayesof old, thou forgettcft him who clave the rock, in the voildernefs, and rained down Manna from heaven s thou remembreft not the day when the Lordfent infuchanhelp that thou never imagineft, and gave thee fuch a friend as thou never tboughteft on, and found out fuch a way and imployment for thy good to help thee and thine : and hence is it that thou art flow to believe on him, and art now fo opprefted with thy own imaginations and doubtful fears. The life of 4* ^ eii f e c f ! e »f e - This is a life of cares and fears when fcnff. men W 'M nvc by fig* 11 anc * not by ^h an< * J uc *g e °f God onely by what is before their eyes, and by the vifible probabilities of carnal means onely : as if God could do no more then their reafon can reach, or their fenfes can difcern, or then he makes (hew of unto them before hand. Now every wave will tofs our boat and every cloud will darken our heaven. One whiJe we will be cheerful becaufe we fee the means rifing towards us like the Sun in the morning • another while we will be fearful, becaufe the fame Sun is ready to fet and to decline us. When the creatures open themfelves then we will live, when they fhut themlelves (like the flower which depends on the Sun) our fpi. ritswill faint within us and we cry out, There is none to help us. All things in refpect of us, whether Spiritual or Temporal, are very variable to fenfe, capable of many and fudden changes and therefore are grounds of doubtfulnefs in the mind , and fearfulncfs in the afFedions. 5. Inordinate love and tffetiien. Whatfoever a manover- In !MF &/ ^ oves or overcravcs ^ breeds either much doubt that he (hall not an ac ,0. | iave j c _ or rnuch fear that he fhall lofe it. The covetous men are more fubject to fear then any, though they have much plen- ty, yet they eat, and work, and fcrape, as if they of all the people in the world, were moft neceflitous, and fliould come to poverty. Cares of getting, and fears of wanting , are the con- Vcr.i a I Jhall not want. 39 continual burthens andladings of their lives.In ail temporals this holds true, that much love is much trouble, and he who eager- ly enlargeth his defires, doth neceflanly encreafc his fears ; the naughty heart which will not truft God to provide, hath this judgment on him, that God lets a turbulent fufpition prevail upon him, that the creature will perhaps not bring in enough unto him,and his defires are far too wide for his fupplies.lt can- not but be a vexing torment when a greedy child fucks at a dry breaft, and a covetous fpirit draws hard at an infufficient and unfatisfyingobjed. Strong de-ires cannot be denied without much grief, and arc never fatisfied without much fear. That man to whom much is not enough, if he fhould enjoy never fo much, would yet want more. The very Heathens obferve that the covetous pcrfon is of all men the moft needy, what he hath, he wants, and he wants alfovvhat he hath not. Therefore if ever you would have hearts exempted from vexations of fear, endeavour firft to have them cleanfed from covetoufnefs of de- fire. If the foot did not fwell fo much the (hoe wonld fu you well enough : it is onely the corruption not the condition that wants. 6. Pride of hea^t is alfo another ground of fear of want. Tp ri j c r h . 3m confident that many complaints and troubles arife oncly from pride. If all things were duly examined there is bread to feed on, bed to lie on, houfe to cover them, clothes to warm them- yet tears break out, what (hall we do ? and how (hall weJivc? The Commentary of this diftruftful expoftulasion is but this, we have not enough to go in the fafhion, or to go fo high, and feed fo higb, and live fo high, as formerly we dio\ and what's this but pride? O '7. I would not go like no body, but in fome fa(hion live as others. Sol. Nay then thou art proud and childifh, that anothers coat is finer then thine, and thy piece of bread is not fo big as his Brethren, if our humility were more, our wants would be lefs ^ God doth not ingage himfelf for fuperfluities : every one of his children (hall have what is good and enough, though many thing; which belong to greatnefs and itate ( being necJ- ljefs) may be withheld. 7. The laft ground of fear of want (which I (hall mention) Unbelief. iii 1 40 I jh all not want. Ver.i. - is unbelief. This is the fin which is like death called in Scri- pture, the k}*>g of fears which withdraws the foul from the fountain of goodntfs, and from the fprings of peace The heart in (freights will not be quiet, unlefs it can fee the good ic wants or be afTured of it, but unbelief (huts the eye from look- ing on Gods Ail-fufficiency, and theearalfo from ered ting his affuranccor undertaking of our helps It withdraws us from our help and how then can we but be perplexed with the pre- fence or expectance of want. If I do not truft God, my confeience (mites me with terror - 5 and if ] would truft him, my unbelief withholds me by fear, Every way unbelief begets fear. 3f I deal with man I fufped: his conftancy, if with God his fidelity • the creature cannot, and God will not help me : either he makes no promife unto me ^ or if fo, why hath he not all this while performed it ? Had he meant me good, he would long ere this have done me good. Two things breed fear in man, inevidence of good, iwpro* b ability of good. Unbelief works on both thefe; take it at the beft, it looks on good from Gods gift and promife, onely as probable, per- haps I (hall have it, perhaps not, and now though there be fome hope, yet there is much fear : and take it at the worft, it looks on good as inevident, God will deny it, J (hall not have it, and now hope is peri(hed, and fean of want bre^k in like an armed man If by unbelief you fall off from your fuccours, you rhuft necefiarily fink down into your fears, extreme diftra&i- oes will be your companions where divine faithful promifes are not your ftaies and fupport. Secondly, Acquire and e xer xife fowe things , which mil en- ^n" which g ^ e ^ H t0 trti ^ on **od f or tise continual fupfly ef jour will enable yovi^auts. to truft onGod. i . The firfl; and principal thing which I would commend un- Make i: evident to you, is this, Be feriovfly and ft e ad fa ft Ij indubious to make that God and - ( g roun dedly evident to your fouls, That God and you a*e in venan? *" "" cove " aHt an( * this may breed in you a confidence that you (hall not want. ZX*t/*Wreafonethfoin this place. Jehovah is my Shepherd, I fhall not want , q.d. The Lord is my God, he hath undertaken for me all my life, therefore I am not follicitous. Chriftians are VcM. 1 fh all not want. 41 arc exceeding faulty in this, tomakefureof Cod, and yet ic is the way to make Cure all his mercies. The Mathematicians mult have fome principles granted unto them- and if once you afTent unto thole truthes, they will thence infer many infallible and undeniable conclufions. Among Chriftians this fhould be a principle made firm that God is their Cod, and then they may quietly fu down, and confidently conclude all comforts for foul and body. Come unto a perfon under want and bid him to be of good cheer, God is Allfufficient, and hath promifed to with- hold nothing that is good, and he is faithful who hath promifed and cannot deny himfelf. Why I this is the anfwer, but wc doubt whether the Lord be our God, the father will be good to his children, and God will be faithful to them who are in covenant, but we doubt of our relation, and therefore fear our ^., fupplies. Therefore at length be wife and induftrious, it is 2 thing poftible tocleer your intercft in God, and I allure you it is a thing that will be ufeful and comfortable unto you. They that know thy name, will truft en thte^ faid *David : He fpeaks (as I conjecture) of an experimental knowledge in fomeafts and fruits of Gods goodnefs. How much more if we knew that the Lord is our God, that Allfufficiency is ours, merciful- nefs it fclf is ours, faithfulnefs it felf is ours, (hall we both con- fidently and cheerfully repofe our felves on him > 2, Meditate much on tie promijes of God and on his nature M^"«e much ... „ -ii n . . of the Proml- and this may be a means to quicken your hearts to truft on him r f$j an a on hi$ that you fhall not want. nature. Give arguments and grounds for to excite faith and raifeit, A fheep cannot feed upon ftones, nor a man walk on the water, nor faith work without a foundation to ftand upon. Shew unto your fouls out of the word how good God is, and how ready to do good, how Allfufficient he is, and likewife how faithful to perform his word, how immutable God is and gracious. Then in your wants and occafions, work on thefe things, com- pcll your fouls to meditate on them and to draw out itrengch. It cannot be, that the Lord fhould leave me, or that I fhould want. He is an Allfufficiency , what (hall he lofe more now then ever by doing of me good? or wherein fhould he be lefs able to fupply me now then heretofore? if he gives not, his treafury is not encreafed j and if he give , it is not G there- 4* I fha/l not want. Vcr.iT thereby dim inifhed. Y\t\s 2. loving G*di a Father. Why! I my felf am a father, and would help my child i fhould I acknow- ledge affections in man and deny them in God ? I have given toftrangers^nd will not God give to children ? who fhould the Lord be ready to help, if not his own people ? He is a faithful Gcd, I have his ttW,that hath been tried fe~ ven times • all his people in all ages of the world have found him as good as his word; it isimpofiiblethathewho hath pro- mifed fhould lie. I would not break my word, and fhall I think that God , that truth it felf cares not what he fpeaks. He is an immutahle God. I die^ faith fofeph y but Ged will furely viftt you. The heavens may crack a/under, and the world be refolved into nothing , Parents may forfake , and friends may be weary, and eftate may Tail , my frfb may fail, and my heart may fail, but God whets the ftrength of my heart tvillbe my portion for ever. O my foul ! how can it be that thou fhouldftwant > if it were an empty, poor, weak, thin creature thou were to rely on, then &c. But it is a Full, an Alifufficient infinite God and Goodnefs : Or, if it were one whofe eftate were large, but affe&ions ftreight . one great in power, but flow in love and ktndnefs, then , &c. But it is thy Father, as well as thy God ; thy Husband as well as thy Maker < thy moft merciful God, as well as thy moft powerful God, on whom thou art to depend h or if it were one fufficient for ability, and enclineable in affe- ction, yet unfaithful of his word, carelefs of his promife , whofe words were fmooth complements, and deceivable flatte- ries, and meer pretence*, &c. But it is a faithful God, One whofe expreilions are his real intentions, and have ever been fealed up with feafonable performances. Or were it one who for a timeonely ha*h undertaken thy fupplies till thou were of age, and ftrength and trading, but then would defcrt thee to thy own skill and faculty of provifion, thou fhouldft be his penfioner no longer, then the future times might juftly be looked upon with prefent fear of want. But thou haft a great God, a good God, a faithful God, an unchangeable God to caft thy fupplies on and that hath under- taken Vcr.i. 1 fl) all not want. 43 t^- taken thy fupplies, therefore fear nor, nor be difquieted, tn-ft on the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is evtrL ft ifg ftrcHgth. 1 . Lflfake nfe cf experiences and this alfo may be a means to y^ t u f c f enable you to truft on God for your fupplies. I he experiences pericne s. cf ethers, who have trnftcd in God, and itill found his provi- dent care. Your own experiences, how ofc lie hath prevented you with mercies unthought,unfought. Wilt not thou trull on him (till whom thou hail found to be thy friend, and thy fathers friend ? hath he done thee all this good, that now thou ffcouldft queftion his goodnefs, and fufped his faithfulnefs } Try his word feven times , it will hold, fee Pfal. 12. 6. and 18. 30- 4. Be careful to Vpalk. uprightly. Unevennefs is the path Be careful co for fearfulnefs: our eye will fail us, asoften as our foot deceiv- * s Ikuprifchdy, ethus-,No man can be fo throughly confident upon God, who hath been adventurous to fin againit God. A good God and a good heart can well meet and embrace each other, but finful- nefs takes off boldnefs. fVall^ before me , and he upright t and I will be God Allmighty to you-, tbats the Covenanc. A guil- ty heart is afraid ©f prefence, or elfe of acceptance • either to look on God, or that God will not look on it. Faith cannot work but upon a Promife, now the Promife is, that Gcdnill withhold no good thing f rim t him that walk, uprightly, Pia!, 84. t 1 . Thou wilt never be able to outftand thy fears of want, if thou be not able to withftand thy delights in fin If (innings conquer our hearts, fears will conquer our faith. Cut he who cznvpjftj his hands in innocency^ may even go and corrpafs the altar. No man is fo quiet in conference, fo free in prayer, fo cheerful in living, fo able in believing as the upright per fon 5. *Be diligent our hands: but when we fit idly muling, then are we filled moftly with defires ofevil or wants of good ■, vain minds ha'ch nothing but vain fears or cares. G 2 6. I 44 / fhdl not want. Ver.u Thankfuliufs. Contentment. 6. Imiftht have added to thefe, more helps againft our un- believing fears of want, v.g. Th*nk,fulnt[s for what we have had, which is a method to, fetch in what we want ; no man rightly thanks God for a mercy, but ftores up another mercy by it. Contentment with our Condition : and earnefi And much frajer. S A L. XXIII. Verf. 2. He maketb me to lie down in green

aftures t waters. 2. Ar (wveniencj of good which he provides, the Paftures bit green, and the Water* are JH?L 3 . The Spring or caufe>of the one, and of the other. He mak*tk me to lie down T &c. He leader h me, &c. So then you have here all dm is requifite and defireable a- bput our conditions, vg. !" ^ i,Hero Ver.2. Htmakcth mc folic dorvr>)&:c. 45 1. Here is fulnefs [/Paftures and waters^ Failures alone are not enough for (beep, but they muft have Waters too. Waters alone are not enough, but they muft have paflures alfo, both are here conferred on David, ^pmfiurts^ and waters. 2. Here is Goodneft. Though there be Paftures, yet if they be not wholefora , the fticep are not &d t but deftroyed by them. Though there be waters, yet if they be not ftill y but violent and turbulent, the (beep are not refreshed but overwhelmed by them • but green Paftures are beft to feed on, and ft ill Waters are belt to drink at •, and thefe, both thefc,in the goodnefs of them, as well as in the fulnefs of them. Not mecr Paftures, but green Paftures , not mecr Waters, but ftill Waters are provi- ded here for David. 3. Here is rvell-pleafedtefs. Though we have Paftures, and fuch as are green •, and though we have Waters, and fuch as are ftill,yet if our minds, if our hearts be not ftilLbe not pleafed, be not delighted, be not content and quieted • if we have p'ea- fant eftates, yet not pleafed minds •, ftill waters, yet if not ftill hearts, &c. the barren Wildernefc is then all one to us, as the green Paftures ; and the dirty puddles, or violent torrents all one as the ftill and quiet waters ; if we cannot rc\ in the green. Paftures, nor drink at thefe ftill waters, where (hall we reft ? where (hall we dnnk ? But faith David, He maketh me to lie down, Ac cub are facit y quietly, thankfully, cheerfully to feed on thefe Paftures, and to drink ac thefe waters. I need not to murmur,nor yet to ftraggle, but God hach given me a good Eftate,and a fit mind for fruition of it. Out of all this there are thefe four Propofitions obferva- Proportions, b1e, viz,. 1. That God doth provide enough, or fufrtciently, for his people [fPaftnres and Waters."] 2. That God doth provide the beft of conditions for his people [green P 'a/I ures , and ftU 7 Waters .~\ 3. That God doth accord the hearts and conditions of his people together [ He maketh me to lie deivn in green Pa- fthres, &c. 4. That all the kinds of our good, wich the comfortable dc-. >: $6 Hemakctbmetolkdcwn^&tc Ver.2^ delights of them are from the Lord [ He mvkjth me. He leadeth me,~] For the firit of thefe I (hail but touch a little on it becaufe it is Virtually included in the laft Propofition which I obfervedouc of the former Verfe. Docl. That God doth provide enough , or Sufficiently for hi* pe^tli Gcd doth pro- Here David hath Pafmres and Waters . and they are as mnrh SSmk? the (heep doth need. Ifyou lock on copies of record orin- * ^ ftances in Scripture, you will fee the point fully cleared. Abra- ham, he had enough and enough, Gen i 3 . 2 .for he was very rich in cattel, in fiver, and in gold '. Ifaac the n>an waxed greit and went going (or went forward) and grew until he became very great • for he had poffeffion of flockj and potfefsicn of herds &c Gen.25. 1 3 ,t tfacob,hz had enough and to fpare,as you may fee in Gen 33.11. Take, I pray thee, my blefsing that u brought to thee, becaufe Gcd hath dealt gracioujly with me , and becaufe I have enough : who gives U4 all things richly to enjoy, 1 Tim 617 Many more inftances may be given, but thefe are enough at once. & For the better Explication of it, thefe particulars are inqui- rable. ^ 1. What and when it is enough, in refpeft of a mans con- dition ? 2. Why the Lord provides enough for his people ? & Wherein this may concern us. ? condition ? Sol. For the Apprehenfion and Decifion of that , premife a few things. Eiwuth is a l ' An Sm »&K 1S ( in rhc general)* Medium -or middle eftate MediUmbe- 'tmxttwoextreamti There is an eftate wherein a man may twixctwocx- have too little, and that's Icfle then enough- and there is an trcmes. eftate wherein a man may have too much , and that's mere then euough- and there is a middle eftate 'twlxt thefe, wherein a man hath conveniency or fufficiency, and that's enough. So- lomcn himfelf doth thus branch it in Frov.30.8. Give me nei* ther poverty nor riches (J.) Neither too little nor too much, feed me with food convenient for me . that was enough. So then Enough, is when there is no defect, and no excefs ; when there — *-— - — Vcr.2. Hcmaketh mctelic dorvn^fkc. 47 there is not more then our condition requires, nor yet lefs. Like the gathering of the Manna, he that gathered much, had nothing over, an\ he wio gathered Irjfe , had nothing under. A bird hath two wings, iffhe had more they wouldbeanhinderance, if lefs, a want. 2. Provifion may be efteemed enough, either to our Enoujb,is ci- 1. Nature • which being purged or diieafe , and cortfidered ^] cr as a meer appetite, is fatisfied with little. ° 3Curc ' 2. Grace 5 which qualifying and enriching the heart with fu- y Grace. pcrnatural excellencies and objects, enables a man to fay of leiTe then a little, it is enough. sj. Luft and Corrupt ten; of which we may fay as So/omonj Q ^ u ^ s did of the four things,The gr*vt y the barren ifmb\ the Earth and the Fire, they are never fatisfied, they fay not, It is enough, Pro.$o.i$ y i6. 3. Enough to our Conditions is not to be judged by the Enou ^ to ou: quantity or number, but rather by the quality and effectual Conditions, efficacy. Not fij the .Quantity, It may be enough, though a man hath jhis is nor crn eftate lefs then others, a man hath leggs enough, though not juiced by the fo many as an horfe. The mill may have water enough to drive Quantity, though it hath not the Se3. Thefhoe though it will not fit a gyant,yet it may be big enough for a child My eltate may not be fo high, fo pompous, fo abounding as another mans , yet it may be fuffkient for me. Nay, compare the eltate with it felf, it may be take« in much, it may be reftrained and fhortned, it may be much lefs t'r.en it hath been unto me, and yet it may be enough. If the cloke which hangs t© the ground, and the band which flotes down to the girdle were cropt and dipt, they may yet be fang enough. When Gideons thoufands were reduced to thr^e hundred, there were men enough for thefcrvice. So whenGodd th remit, or fink, or tap a mans condition, when he doth as it were, open a vein and let out iome of his abun- dance, yet t! ere may be blond enough, eftate enough left be- hind-, much ma} Le loll and yet enough ft; 11 remain. Bj , . . But by tile i Efficacy : And in this refpeft the ^usmyVnd fo ply or proviiior may be citeemed enough , when itisfuf-i-nWy. ficient. Whenfi! , i. TothePrefervAtiMGflife, of natural life: our Saviour : mcochc tails tift 48 Henukethmeto lie down ' 3 &c. Vcr.z. calls it enough, if it be daily bread s and the Apoftle expounds it if it be jood and rayment. To the orcec 2# To tne or £ er or yi ace f nf e : That m ay be enough for one and place ot man ^ which is too much for another. CounfellorSjGuards^va- riety of attendance and of creatures,all chefe are but enough for a King,a great perfon-a greater degree is required to make enough for one perfon, in an order or place oflife then for another, fee in a low or mean condition •, a leathern (hoe may be enough for the foot } when yet a more coftly thing is but fit and conve- nient for the head. To the <*<■ cu* 3 • T° the execution of our duties in the courfe of our life : If tion ofourDu- there be fuch a ftormytempeft that the mill may be broken to ti<-sin the cours pieces, or but a meer breathing of the air that the fails will not of our life. Jn r . w hy h ere ' s too much and too little ; but when there is fuch a blaft as fets the fails on turning, there's enough. If in my courfe of life I have not fo much as hoyfeth me off from ferving of God-, nor fo little as denyes me power to fervehim, but I have that by virtue whereof I may well honour him in a diligent and faithful and cheerful difcharge of duties without any juft diftra&ion, I have then enough. When it is fufficient for the duties of my place, it is enough. for ap«Cons 4. For a perfons ability rightly to ufe and manage : A. difh ability rij»bdy f m [\^ ma y b e enough for a child who hath but a weak flomach to ufe and ma- ^ digeft, abundance may be too much for fome fpirits which n8 * c# are better able to command thcmfelves under a narrow then un- der an enlarged eftate. Though a Tradcfman hath not all the money in the City, yet he may have ftock enough. A mighty flock to fome men is but as a mighty bow to a child which he cannot bend nor ufe. So then God gives enough to his peo- ple (j.) fufficient for their prefervation, fufficient for their par- ticular (tation, fufficient for execution of duties , and fufficient for their ability rightly to ufe and imploy. Why will Goi ^But why will he give them enough or fufficient (J.) neither V vc