Ans. He doth it like a God, in wisdom. — 1. He doth it sometimes suddenly. As the angel was caused to fly swiftly, Dan. ix. 21., so God sometimes makes a deliverance fly swiftly, upon the wing, and on a sud- den he turns the shadow of death into the light of the morning. As God gives us mercies above what we can think, Eph. iii. 20., so sometimes before we can think of them, Ps. cxxvi. 1., " Wlien the Lord turn- ed the captivity of Sion, we were like them that dream ;" we were in a dream, we ne- ver thought of it. Joseph could not have thought of such a suddeli alteration, to be the same day freed out of prison, and made the chief ruler in the kingdom. Mercy sometimes does not stick long in the birth, but is broujxht forth on a sudden. — 2. God sometimes delivers his people strangely. Thus the whale which swallowed up Jonah was the means of bringing him safe to land. God sometimes delivers his people in that very way they think he will de- stroy ; in bringing Israel out of Egypt, God stirred up the heart of the Egyptians to hate them, Ps. cv. 24., and that was the means of their deliverance. He brought Paul to shore by a contrary wind, and upon the broken pieces of the ship, Acts xxvii. 44.
3<////, Quest. IVhen are the times and sea- sons that God tisualhf dclicers his people out of the bondage of' aJ/Ucliun 9
THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
235
Ans. 1. \^nicn they arc in the greatest extremity. When Jonah was in the helly of hell, then, chap. ii. 5., " Thou hast Drought up my life from corruption." When there is but an hair's brcadtli l)ct\veen the godiv ami death, then (Jod ushers in deli- verance. When the shij) in the gospel was rtlmo»t covered with waves, then Christ a- wokc and rebuked the wind. When Isaac was upon the altar, and the knife going to be put to his throat, then comes the angel, " Lay not thy liand upon the child." When Peter began to sink, then Christ took him by the hand. Cum (hipUcrnilcr /alcres, venit Muses, — ' when the tale of brick was dou- bled, then comes Moses' the temporal savi- our. When the people of God are in the greatest danger, then appears the morning- star (►f deliverance. When the ])atient is ready to faint, then the cordial is given.
J. 2. The second season is, when afflic- tion hath done its work upon them : when it liath cflFected that which God hath sent it for. As, 1. When it hath humbled them. Lam. iii 19, 20., " Remembering my af- fliction, the w(u-mwood and gall, my soul is humbled in me." When (iod's corrosive hath eaten out the proud flesh. 2. \Mien it hath tamed their impatience. Before, they were proud and impatient, like fro- v/ard children that would struggle with their ])arents, but when their cursed hearts are tamed, and they say as Micah vii. 9., " I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him ;" and as Eli, " It is the Lord ; let him do what Bcemeth him good:" Let him hedge me with thorns, if he will plant me with grace.
J. 3. When they are more partakers of God's holiness, Heb. xii. 10., they are more full of hcavenly-mindedness. When the sharp frost of affliction hath brought forth the spring -flowers of grace, now the cross s sanctified, and God will bring them out of the house of bondage. Ludus in Iceti- ti.im rvrtctur, cineres in atrol/as. ^^^len the metal is reflned, then it is taken out of the furnace ; when affliction hath healed us, then Ciod takes ott" the smarting plaster.
4//////, Quest. Il'/ii/ di)(li ih>d bring his peojilc out of (lie house of houd:i(je ?
Ans. llcre])y he makes way f<»r his own glory, (iod's glory is dearer to him than any
thing besides; it is a crown-jewel. God by raising his people, raiseth the trophies of his own honour; lie glorifies his attri- butes ; his power, goodness, and tr»th, do all ride in triumph.
1. His power. If God did not some- times bring his ])eoplc into trouble, how would his power be seen in bringing them out? He brought Israel out of tlie house of bondage, with miracle upon miracle; he saved them with an outstretched arm, Ps. cxiv. 5., " what ai!eth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?" ^c. It is spoken of Israel's march out of Egypt, " When tJie sea fled, and the waters were parted each from other." Here was the power of God set forth, Jer. xxxii. 27., " Is there any thing too hard for me ?" God loves to lielp when things seem past hope ; he creates deliverance, Ps. cxxiv. 8. He brought Isaac out of a dead womb, and the Messiah out of a virgin's womb. O Jiow doth his power shine forth, when he overcomes seem- ing impossibilities, and works a cure when things look desperate !