Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
— Psalm 4:4
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
— Psalm 46:10
I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
— Genesis 49:18
I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
— Isaiah 43:11
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised;
— Hebrews 10:23
The Saint’s Duty in Times of Extremity, by Jeremiah Burroughs. The following contains an excerpt from his work.
To the Parliament’s forces in the West, 21st of August, 1644.
Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD.
— Exodus 14:13 c, d
What the certainty is of the cause of those fears that are upon the hearts of people, is not yet apparent; but that there are many disquieting fears in their hearts, that is apparent to the full. And therefore, though I prepared for that ordinary course as formerly; yet for this time, I desire that you turn to that Scripture, so that I might speak a word in season.
The beginning of the verse is thus, And Moses said to the people, fear not, stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord. In the previous chapter, we have Pharaoh dismissing Israel out of Egypt. In this chapter, we have him pursuing Israel with a newly heated fury, against all common sense and reason. His malice and rage besotted him, because God intended to destroy him. Though God’s hand appeared gloriously for His people before, yet Pharaoh would not see the majesty of the Lord; but he will see it. He gathers all the strength he possibly can, and seems too rash in his way. He overtakes; and he overtakes them in a place of the greatest advantage that could possibly be. For the text says that they were before Pi-hahiroth, in the first verse, between Migdol and the Sea, against Baal-zephon — and that was by God’s appointment too. Migdol signifies a tower; so that, in that place the Egyptians had likewise built a tower. Besides the advantage of the rocks, and of the hills, there was a tower built for their further strengthening. And there the people of Israel were an unarmed people. Not only were they by the Tower, but they were against Baal-zephon.
I remember in the last sermon, I showed you what Baal was, and what several Baals there were that the heathens worshipped for their gods. It is a general name that is sometimes used for any other idol. This Baal-zephon was a god they worshipped on this ground; they had an idol set in that place, upon going out of Egypt, that was to watch those who were going out. For so zephon comes from zuri speculatus est — the god who was to watch, who was to stand and watch for any runaway servant, or any people who left Egypt without leave. They were trusting in the Baal, that he would stop them, and keep them; and he was set in that place for that very purpose.
Thereupon, his name was Baal-zephon. By their magic arts, conjurers would have their spells and spirits stop men in such a place, so they won’t go out of an orchard, or a yard they enter. So the Egyptians, by their magical arts, had as it were a spell there, a Baal zephon, a god to stop people in that place where they would have them stopped. That is the meaning of this name of the idol Baal zephon.
So that, you see what a strait Israel was in upon going out of Egypt. The sea was before them, the Egyptians had all their strength behind — in a hole of rocks, and a tower, and their god to stop them altogether — so that they themselves made sure of them, and said they were entangled in the land of the wilderness. Being in those great straits, their hearts began to fail them; they began to be extremely troubled, and in a most grievous distemper of spirit. They were coming and chiding with Moses, and said to him in the 11th verse, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us to die in the wilderness? Why therefore have you dealt this way with us, to carry us out of Egypt? We would rather have continued in Egypt still. What! Brought to these straits! These extremities! Such a perplexity as we are now in! We would to God that we had been in Egypt. This was the baseness of their spirits; they would rather be under vile bondage, than endure any hazard, than to be put to any straits and difficulties. It is the baseness of the spirits of many today among us, because they see that those ways that have been taken by the Parliament bring some trouble from difficulties, some straits. They cry out about the times. I would to God that we were as before; we were well enough before; we were quiet enough before; we never knew what such stirs as these meant before; but now we are brought into these perplexities. They have brought us into this; and thus they are ready to murmur and repine. Oh unthankful, unworthy generation — men and women of vile spirits who will do so.
It was a speech of Cyrus, speaking to his soldiers. The historian has this expression of his. It is the part of a true valiant man, either to live honorably, or die honorably, as one of them. But that is the part of a base coward — to be under any base servitude, rather than to be in any hazard of their lives, though perhaps their lives may be saved too. I remember Philo tells us, even of women for in our times, the public cause of the Kingdom suffers exceedingly by the timorousness 2 of the spirits of women, that being in danger of being brought into bondage by their enemies, they took their children and threw them into the rivers, with these words, You shall not serve; we would rather see you die than be slaves. I don’t commend the fact that it was done well, but to show what a spirit the heathen women had to see their children die, rather than have them bond-slaves.
Indeed, what were our lives worth? Were they worth having, if we return to our bondage again? The utmost of the danger is our lives, the killing of our bodies; and yet we hope God will preserve them too. But suppose the worst, it is but death. But if our lives should not be hazarded now, and if through base cowardice we should decline the cause of God, surely our lives would not be worth taking up. Living in that manner, is to live in bondage to these Cavaliers,3 notorious wretches, blasphemers of God himself, which would make our lives worth very little — no, it is your children perhaps to be brought up in popery, and to hold a candle to a mass priest at the altar. That may be the employment of your children if so be that they live.
But these people the Israelites, now being in this extremity, and manifesting so much passion, being in a distemper, Moses as the Captain of the Lord, comes to the people and speaks bravely to them, encouraging them. Says Moses, Fear not, but stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Stand still; the Hebrew word is yatsab — state; it signifies to settle and compose, to be in a settled condition. It is a reflect word upon ourselves; so the learned know that it is to work upon ourselves, to form; it signifies so. It is the same as if he said, Work upon your own hearts, to get your hearts to stand still; work upon your hearts to do that; work arguments upon your spirits, and never stop working until you have wrought your hearts into such a frame that you may stand still, and be quiet. At first, even the dearest servants of God will find their hearts shake in time of hazards and extremities. But once they come to work upon their spirits, to bring arguments to lay to their hearts, they get some advantage there, so that their hearts grow quiet quickly.
For that, we have a notable text in the example of David, in Psalm 62. David says there, in the 1st and 2nd verses, Truly my soul waits upon God; from Him comes my salvation; He only is my Rock and my salvation; He is my defence, I shall not be greatly moved. Mark that he begins to exercise faith; and he says he shall not be greatly moved, as if he had said, I confess, I cannot say but that my heart is somewhat stirred; I am somewhat afraid, and I feel some working in my spirit. But I hope I shall not be greatly moved. He falls to working more upon his heart, and considers his innocence, and the mischievous device of the ungodly. How long will you imagine mischief against a man; you shall be slain, all of you v. 3. Then again, in the 5th verse, My soul, wait only upon God, for my expectation is from Him; He only is my Rock. And then he repeats the words again, after he had been rubbing upon his heart the same meditation. Then he fetches the words again that he had in the 2nd verse: He only is my Rock and my salvation.
But mark now, what advantage he gets of himself, in the 6th verse. He only is my Rock and my salvation, and my defence; I shall not be moved. After he had been working further on his own heart, he then gains and says now, He is my Rock, and my salvation, and my defence; I shall not be moved. I have overcome these distracting fears; I’ve gotten the advantage and the victory; blessed be God, I have overcome them! God is my salvation and my glory. Now he begins to glory and triumph after he had worked upon himself. So that, in this he did indeed stand still in this phrase, by working upon his own heart. Though he was little stirred at first, yet he got the victory. So indeed, not to be moved, the seventy 4 render this word stand still, stete only.5 Yet in their notes on it, they say it is likewise read stetite; that is, standing fast, or stand fast. It is a word taken from soldiers in their ranks. Soldiers who are in their ranks, when they apprehend danger, know it would cost them their lives to step out of line; they must stand; they must stand still. However much danger there is, they must stand still in their ranks. That is the meaning of the word. I will open more what is meant by the Holy Ghost by and by, what kind of stand still this should be. But as for this word itself, it is such a stand still as the soldiers have in their ranks, not to go out of their ranks for fear.
The word is used in Scripture at various times for standing fast, as in Philippians 1.27, that you stand fast in one spirit. Now, the word fast is not in the Greek text, but only the other word. And so you have the same word in the other Scriptures. In 1Corinthians 16.13, Watch, stand fast in the faith — the word is stetite; it is only two words in the Greek, as it is in the English: stand fast. So that, this stand means not only standing, but standing fast; stand still in your ranks, fast. Don’t be in a hurry up and down; and don’t be in confusion. If upon danger, soldiers in the army were quickly put to confusion, what would become of them? And so the truth is, in a city, in any place where there is danger, if people grow into confusion, they are gone; they are lost. You must stand still in your ranks; stand still.
There are several stand stills; some very vile and naughty, and others very good. Here is the first.
1. Stand still out of amazement. This is when a man through fear is at a standstill, and dares not stir any further. Now, this cannot be meant in this text, for Moses says, Fear not, but stand still. Therefore it isn’t standing still out of fear because we’re astonished shocked.
2. There is standing still out of ignorance. It is because we don’t know which way to take; but this is not in the text either. Thus many in our time, standing still, plead ignorance. They stand still, and will take no side, pleading ignorance. They don’t know what to do, for one says one thing, and another says another thing. The King commands one thing, and the Parliament another. They don’t know what to do. To go against the King, isn’t that rebellion? And so they stand still because they plead ignorance, and their consciences are not informed.
It has been the work of various Ministers who have hazarded themselves in this, to open to you the Counsel of God, and to set your consciences at liberty. I have said diverse things in this place, but certainly men blind their own eyes, and are willing to stand still, to plead ignorance after so much light is revealed. It is strange that any rational man should speak of rebellion now, when as we know, the King himself sent aid to the Rochellers, and we know in the case of their liberties and religion, they took up arms to defend themselves against their own King. And he sent help to them. Surely he didn’t himself take them to be rebels. And King James in his answer to Byron that inveighs against the Protestants in France, serves to justify what the Protestants in France did — even King James himself in that book of his, in his answer to Byron.
And besides, we would have to acknowledge that all the Protestant churches in the world are rebels, if it is rebellion merely to take up arms. Don’t we know that our own King has matched his daughter to the young Prince of Orange? 7 Now, we know the Prince of Orange is the General of the States in their fields, just as the Earl of Essex is the General of our forces here. And it was their business against the King of Spain to their praise to defend their liberties and religion; and they still maintain the same quarrel.8 And the Prince of Orange is their General, and he undertakes it.
We desire nothing but the maintenance of our liberty and our religion, though things have not gone so far yet, as to have our estates taken. Yet the cause that they began with, is our cause. And what the General was there, is the same in kind here there is not a great difference. And certainly, if it were a rebellion, our king would never have matched his daughter 9 to the son of such a rebel — not if it were rebellion merely to take up arms to defend religion, and to defend the liberties of the country, which are liberties according to law. Indeed, we know further that the King himself has acknowledged our brethren, the Scots, to be loving subjects, to be his loyal subjects. And are we doing any more than they did? 10 Are we doing more in our cause? In fact, have we done so much in our cause, as they have done? How was it generally in their kingdom? And will it be acknowledged that they are loving subjects, doing so much as they did, and yet we be accounted rebels? Surely no man can plead to stand still through ignorance on that ground.
3. There is a third stand still. The truth is, though it isn’t through ignorance, it is through a worse principle, and that is of neutralizing. That is, when men, though they are informed well enough, yet they stand still to see which will be the strongest side. They are loth to appear yet, not knowing which side will most prevail. But they have such a principle in their spirits, to go to the strongest side whichever it may be, that they stand still till it becomes apparent. My brethren, certainly we can allow no Neuters in these times. The times have grown to a greater height than for any to be admitted as a Neuter — either for us or against us. Whatever is not for us at this time, now coming to this strait, may well be concluded to be against us.
4. There is a fourth stand still, and this is one of sullenness of spirit; and that is more particular. It is true of many men and women, especially those who are in some troubles of conscience, and when they are seeking of God, and performing duties that God requires of them. But not finding that encouragement that their hearts desire, they quit all, and have no mind to do anything except to stand still and die. They will even sink into a sullen discouragement, and go no further, quit their work, and quit duty. Why should I keep on doing my duty, for I get no good by it? I am never a whit better. And so they stand still out of a sullen discouragement. The devil himself is the most discouraged Spirit in the world; and yet he is the proudest Spirit in the world. And this standing still out of discouragement may come from pride, and a haughty heart, though you think it is out of humility.
5. There is a sluggish standing still, which is sinful and wicked. It is when people stand still because they are idle, and loth to risk themselves, or to put themselves to any trouble, to go forward in any work, for the work is tedious. And thus the sluggard stands still, and is ready to snatch at any arguments that may plead for his standing still. My brethren, this is not that stand still here in the text, that we should stand still and do nothing, and be sluggards. No, rather the stand still here is after we have gone on, and done to the utmost what we are able, that then we should stand still and commit the work to God, as if we had done nothing at all. There is the stand still that I will speak more about shortly.
As that worthy divine said, he would labor to preach as if he expected no assistance, and then he would expect assistance as if he had not labored at all. So warriors and people in danger, should prepare in the use of all means, as if they expected no further help; and then they should expect help from God, as if they had used no means at all; so we must use means. Neh 4.9 As that brave speech of Joab, Come let us play the men, let us fight for our cities, and the people of our God; and then let God do what seems good to Him. 2Sam 10.12 Then he stood still and looked for his salvation from God. This is a speech even of Joab himself; it is not then a sluggish stand still. It is no hindrance at all to any preparations that may be used: therefore all these are nothing.
6. There is an obediential stand still; that is, for the hearts of men and women to stand still, to wait, to know further of God’s mind. What God reveals, our hearts are willing to yield to. And we will listen to hear what the mind of God further is, what God would have us do — to stand still in order to hearken to what the Lord would have us do, with hearts resigned up to Him, and resolved to walk accordingly. This is good, and that is something of it; but that is not all.
7. There is a stand still out of Faith, a believing stand still. And that is when even in the greatest extremity, having used whatever means we can for helping us, we yet see ourselves wrapped up in extremity. I will now exercise Faith.
1. First, to quiet my heart; to get out of my spirit those distracting thoughts of that hurry and tumult that there is in the heart, and to silence it all — all murmurings, all distractions, all giddiness of spirit, and the uproar that many times is in the hearts of men and women in time of danger. So by Faith I come to quiet these, and to get my heart to be still within me. Be still O my soul; and therefore the Scripture expresses this waiting upon God out of Faith, as a word of silence. See Psalm 62 at the beginning, and verse 5, My soul waits upon God; it is silenced — so the Hebrew word signifies: silence in God. Many times, there is in the hearts of men and women when they apprehend any danger a great deal of hurrying and noise in their hearts. All is a combustion in their hearts; it is a grievous thing to see a city in combustion, enflamed and in a tumult. There are many men and women whose hearts are in as great a tumult upon the apprehension of danger, as many times a whole city is in tumult. There is a rising in their hearts, and a mighty noise there. Sometimes they keep their tongues silent perhaps in private or public exigencies; but their hearts boil within them. But your hearts must be silent. You must cry out to your heart, Be silent there! My heart is now in mutiny, and a great deal of stir: Cry Silence! to your heart, that your heart and thoughts may be composed. That is the meaning of the word, that there should be a settled composed frame of spirit in the hearts of men and women in times of extremity. That is the first.
2. Secondly, When standing still is done out of Faith, we should keep our stations till God calls us out. We are not to run up and down, this way and that, and to think of nothing but shifting courses, to shift for ourselves. As in time of danger I truly believe if we could look into the thoughts of many men and women, they scarcely have any thought, but merely of shifting their place or house. They think to shift for themselves. Now, we should not busy our thought so much about shifting, as about quieting our hearts in believing. For my brethren in times of extremity of danger, God calls for courage more than discretion.11 Though it is true, discretion is not excluded, yet that is not the explicit and special work that is called for in times of danger; I mean discretion to shift for yourselves, but discretion so far as it may improve courage. The main work that God now calls for at this time, is courage, and discretion, and prudence, only so far as to manage courage, and to drive it on further; and to improve and not abate it — this is certainly not the discretion that is called for now, but to keep our station.
Question. But you may say, In time of danger, may we not flee? Must men keep their stations? Is it not lawful to avoid danger and to flee? Then we will accuse many of our brethren who before now have fled in time of danger.
Answer. My brethren you are to know that the case now is far different from the case that existed before. The case before now was especially for the present directed against particular men, not against the general populace, though there were plots against the general. But the hazard and the danger was against such and such particular men, especially your Ministers, who were most faithful and conscionable. They were the forefront; they bore the brunt of it, and it was aimed especially against them. Now the case is far different. When the aim of the Adversary is against particular men, they may use all lawful means, by avoiding and fleeing. When it is against the body in general, then everyone should stand still, and keep in their ways and stations; to come in and add whatever strength they can to the public cause. And certainly those who shift then, and think to flee then, God may justly meet with them.
We read of this with Jeremiah and Urijah Jer 26.20-24. Urijah the Priest flees in public time of danger, and he was sent for, and caught, and put to death. Jeremiah stays and is saved. But when the case is the danger of particular persons, then it says nothing against this text in Exodus, to flee in times of danger, because they think they may shift from fleeing themselves. And if others who are in danger should not do so, they would be far enough from helping and assisting those in extremities, and yet they will be crying out against it. Peter Martyr 12 I remember has this answer to it:
It is just for all the world in this case. It is like a man with a dangerous sickness, and the physicians tell him there is no way to cure it except by taking such strong medicine, or by cutting off a leg or a limb. Now he comes and pleads, I will not so distrust God, and be so impatient of my present pain, as to take such a course to help me. I’d rather continue patient and quiet, and endure my present pain, and trust in God, rather than put myself to any such hazard.
Now, is this man more patient than another man who would take such strong medicine, or have a member cut off? Is it through the strength of his patience? No, it is rather through the weakness of his spirit, because the other is certain of great pain and hazard; and while he goes on in the use of ordinary means, he has a lesser pain, with the hope that he may be delivered from greater pain, and be preserved.
So this is the objection against fleeing a particular danger: because in fleeing, great suffering is certain. Those who have fled have found it so. Now, others would satisfy themselves to endure a little uncertain suffering, rather than endure a certain great suffering; that is the very ground of it. But to show that this is not against Faith at all — to flee in danger when it is particularly aimed at particular persons — I’ll give you but a Scripture or two to clear it up.
We might spend a great deal of our time in this case here, but have done with it. It is remarkable in Matthew 10.23, that Christ says, When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. He speaks of particular persecution of this or that body, and not of a whole kingdom. Now flee, they say, we will be more believing, and trust in God, and not be afraid; have we not a good cause, and isn’t God with us? This would argue too much fear. Note in the next words that Christ speaks after he gave them liberty, and commanded them to flee, he says verse 26, Do not fear them therefore though it is the next thing he speaks of in verse 28, and do not fear those who kill the body. You see these two can well stand together. There is no fear of those who can kill the body, and yet there is a fleeing. And so Christ himself flees in Matthew 12, when he but heard what Herod did to John when Jesus knew it, that was when the Pharisees sought him, when he knew it, he withdrew himself, verses 12-13. And when Jesus heard of it, he departed from there, etc. When he but heard what was done to John, Christ withdrew himself and went away. Therefore it may stand with Faith, to so avoid danger in particular cases. But now, when persecution is general, we are to stand still, and not avoid our station.
3. The third thing about standing still in Faith, is looking up for the salvation of God, expecting a good outcome one way or another. I don’t know how salvation will come, but that there be salvation, one way or another, is what my soul rests upon. I don’t stand still out of haughtiness of spirit, or because I think I have means enough to resist. Whether I have means or not, when I am put into the greatest extremity, I can yet stand still, and look for salvation. What!? Stand still, and look for the salvation of the Lord? Why do you talk of salvation they might say to Moses when there is nothing but destruction before us? True, if you look before you, behind you, and without you, and within yourselves, there is nothing but destruction. Yet, look up to Heaven, and there is salvation. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
I have done no more than the opening of the text, and what is contained in it. There are these four Doctrinal Conclusions in the text:
Doctrine 1. When God is in a way of mercy and salvation to His people, he many times brings them into great straits, even then, even when He is in a way of salvation.
Doctrine 2. In the time of these great straits, even the people of God are subject to have their hearts be overwhelmed with trouble, distracting fears, and to be disquieted.
Doctrine 3. It is our duty to stand still, keep quiet, and look for God’s salvation in the time of the greatest straits.
Doctrine 4. The sight of God’s salvation coming after straits, is a glorious sight to behold. Stand still, see the salvation of God.
These are the four. Take the first, then.
DOCTRINE 1. First, when God is in a way of salvation, He yet may and does at various times, bring His people into very great straits. Truly, this strait in the text is exceedingly remarkable. But I’ll show you what God further did when He was about to save this people Israel out of the Egyptian bondage, after they were delivered from this strait, from Pharaoh and all his host. This is the work God now has to do with us, to save us out of the Egyptian bondage that we were in, and that we were going further into. You’ll find in Exodus chapter 15, the very next chapter, that after they had come out of the sea, they presently wanted water to drink. But the waters were so bitter, they could not drink them Exo 15.15. They were ready to perish for lack of water. As soon as they were delivered out of that strait, note in the 16th chapter, they were in another strait as bad as that. You’ll find they lacked bread, and were ready to starve from hunger Exo 16.2-3. And all the assembly were ready to be killed for hunger the text says. Well, Moses cries to God, and God delivered them out of that strait too. In the next chapter, they were also in as great a strait. They pitched at Rephidim, and there they had no water to drink again. I might go through the story, and show you in the wilderness, what great straits God put them in, and yet God was working salvation for them. But I won’t; time will not permit.
When they came to possess the land, they have the Jordan to pass over, without any bridge. Whether the bridges were cut down, or there were none, I cannot tell. But it was more danger to pass over the bridges if there were any, because it was at the time the text says, Jos 3.15 that the Jordan flooded over all its banks. So then, it was at the worst time that could be, when the banks of the Jordan were all overflowed; and yet God delivered them out of that strait.
When they had gotten over there, I might show you many other straits. But I will mention only one, and it was this: the first enemy the people of God fought with in Canaan, they were discomfited; they were beaten back at the first battle they ever fought 13 — when they came to set upon the land of Canaan, and to fight with the adversary. The adversary comes out and gets the day, and makes them flee before them. That was at the fight at Ai. They fled before the men of Ai 7.4. Upon this, Joshua fell down upon the ground. Why Lord? What, have we come to this? After all these straits, now that we come to fight with the people of Canaan, and at the very first blow, they have the day, and make us flee before them? Now all the people will come out against us.
If these people have such distracting fears now, suppose there were a meeting of both armies, and you heard that one army fled before another — say that our men fled before those who come out against them, before the Cavaliers — what fear and distraction would there be then? Yet, so it was with the people of Israel, though God was coming in with such a mighty hand to deliver them, and to give them possession of Canaan. Still, at the very first blow, they had the worst, and the people of Ai overcame them.
It would take a great deal of time to show you the straits that David, and Josiah, and Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah were in. I’ll only give you a word or two about David, because it may be a very great help to poor troubled spirits in time of straits. David was in such straits sometimes, that he professes he was overwhelmed, Psa 61.2. You’ll find in Psa 77.4, that he could not speak. Many poor souls are in grievous afflictions, and when we urge them to do and open their heart to God and men, Oh I cannot speak they say. David was in such straits that he could not speak; indeed, he could not so much as look up, Psa 40.12 — not so much as look up to God, such grievous straits was he in.
And the people of Israel, in their captivity, there were mountains before them. What straits did God put them into? When they had come out of Babylon, in Zec 4.7, What are you O great mountain, that are before them? But examples will be needless to illustrate the thing, it is so clear that thus was God’s dealing with His people. As with wicked men, when God is in a way of wrath against the ungodly, He many times permits them to prosper in the highest way, with the most flourishing prosperity they ever had in their lives. So too, when He is in a way of salvation for his saints, He lets them be in the lowest ebb they were ever in, in all their lives. As in Job 20.22, the text says, In the fullness of his sufficiency, he will be in straits. In the fullness of his sufficiency — what a phrase is here! A wicked man will be in straits when he is full, when he has sufficient he thinks; in the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in straits. And on the other side, a godly man in his greatest straits, has a fullness of sufficiency.
I will show you this clearly in 2Cor 1.5, As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ. We have a fullness of consolation when we have a fullness of suffering. Yes, we not only abound, but super-abound, for so the word is found in 2Cor 7.4. I am he says filled with comfort; I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulations. We’re brought into tribulation, into great straits, and I have a fullness filled with comforts, and exceedingly joyful, more than abundantly joyful. So the word signifies. There is abounding in the other text, but here it has super added to it — a super-abounding, more than joyful, and not in prosperity only. Carnal hearts never know how to rejoice except in times of prosperity, when they can eat, and drink, and play; then they can be merry. But the saints know how to joy, how to be filled with joy, how to abound in joy, and how to exceedingly abound in joy, when they are in tribulation. Thus, just as wicked men are in straits in their sufficiency, so godly men, when God is in a way of comfort, may be in a way of great affliction. And the reasons for this may be,
Reason 1. Because God would humble His people when He is in a way of salvation. When God intends the greatest good to His people, and to raise them the highest, He is very careful to keep them very low. That has always been the manner of God’s administrations. You see the reason for the people having straits in the wilderness. God gives it here in Deu 8.2, You shall remember all the way, which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness — to what end? Why were they so long in the wilderness? It was says the text to humble them. I brought you into the wilderness, and it was to humble you.
Does God my brethren bring us into straits now, in these times? Certainly He is in a way of salvation for England. He is in a way of salvation to do us good in the latter end; yet He is bringing us into straits. Oh! we may thank the pride of our spirits, that we have not been brought low enough to this very day. There has been indeed some humiliation of some of the people of God, in fasting and praying; they have humbled their souls. But yet, though there have been humble expressions, yet there are not humble hearts. For after those times, they have had many of them exceedingly froward spirits. And apparently it argues that their hearts aren’t humbled and broken, when their spirits, after days of humiliation, are still as froward and pettish as before. But it argues especially for the majority of the Kingdom, for how far we are from being a humbled people! We are not yet capable of whatever mercy God intends for us in this regard, because we are not humbled. Oh, the exceeding pettishness, envy, and pride and a great deal worse not only in many people of the land, but even in those who are godly and gracious!
How opposite are the spirits of men, of one brother to another! And that is because there is some difference in judgment in such and such a thing. O, they could be content many of them to have them rid out of the land; and if God did not prevent it whereas the persecution by Bishops is now at an end, who knows unless God humbles their hearts more whether many of God’s dear servants, who but differ in some point of judgment, might not meet with a great deal of suffering, even from those who are godly. And that is the worst suffering. It is better to suffer a thousand times from wicked men — it is not so hard on the spirits of godly men to suffer from however many Bishops and wicked men — as to suffer from one godly man. Oh! there lacks that charity and tenderness of spirit, one towards another, that there ought to be. We are not yet humbled and brought to our knees. And therefore it is just for God to lay us on our backs awhile, or that we should even be with our faces on the ground, and confounded in our own thoughts, before that great salvation comes that God intends for us. That’s the first reason.
Reason 2. God brings us to straits because He takes great delight in the exercise of faith. My beloved, faith is a most glorious grace; it is one of the most glorious things that ever God enabled any creature to do, and especially now, when there is so much guilt upon them. It is a more glorious work than Adam performed in Innocency. For a poor creature to believe upon God for his good here, and to rely upon Him in the midst of all extremities, is a most glorious work, and God is exceedingly delighted in it. And therefore the Scripture calls faith, precious faith, in the beginning of 2Peter 2Pet 1.1.
Now, God loves the acting of precious things. God loves to see the actings of all His creatures, every creature active in its way. But when God has put such a precious grace as faith into the heart, O how God delights to see the acting of that precious faith! And therefore it has been the way of God to go quite crosswise after the Lord has made a promise of mercy and salvation. He goes seemingly crosswise, only to exercise our faith. I think I have told sometimes about that with regard to Abraham, that there were but two promises made to him. First, that the country that God would give him, would flow with milk and honey Gen 12.7; Exo 13.5. And secondly, that his seed would be as the stars of heaven Gen 15.5. And mark which way God brings this about. As soon as he gets into Canaan, he nearly starved there Gen 12.10. Is this the country that flows with milk and honey? And then, for the other, his seed would be as the stars of heaven. He waited twenty years before he had a child; and Isaac waited twenty years before he had a child 14 — and yet his seed would be great. And Isaac must be killed too Gen 22.1. And then there was another thing that exercised his faith. God would give him the land; and yet notwithstanding this, during his lifetime he didn’t possess even one foot of the land, but only a burial place Gen 23.9. And what was the reason for all this? It was to exercise his faith.
And there is the promise God makes to his Son Christ, I will give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession Psa 2.8. Yet Christ did not have a hole to hide his head in; he didn’t have so much as foxes and birds have, to hide his head in Mat 8.20. Thus the way of God seems quite contrary, so that He might draw out that glorious work of faith that He so much delights in. And because this is the only time to exercise this precious grace, and there will be no such faith as this exercised in heaven, God therefore because He would have as much of the excellence of this faith as possible, even though He is in a way of salvation — He brings his people into straits.
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