So did Daniel here ; he went to one of them that minis- tered before the Lord to be acquainted with his will, other- wise thoughts and contrivances will but farther perplex you ; like men in the mire, whilst they pluck one leg out, the other sticketh faster in; whilst you relieve yourselves in one thing, you will be more hampered in another. Yea, he that in- creaseth wisdom, increaseth sorrow ; the larger the visions are, the greater will be their troubles ; until being consumed in your own fears, cares, and contrivances, you grow useless in your generation; those who see only the outside of your affairs, sleep securely; those who come nigher to look into the spirits of men, rest is taken from them; and many are not quiet, because they will not ; the great healing of all is in God.
Observation III. When God makes known the interpre- tations of things, it will quiet your spirits in your walking before him, and actings with him.
This was that which brought the spirit of Daniel into a settlement. How God reveals his mind in these things, by
490 cukist's kingdom and
what means, how it may be known by individual persons, for their quiet and settlement, how all God's revelations are quieting, and tend to the calming of men's spirits, not making them foam like the waves of the sea, should be handled on this observation.
But I begin with the first observation.
Observation I. In the consideration of God's marvellous actings in the world, in order to the carrying on of the gos- pel, the hearts of his saints are oftentimes filled with per- plexity and trouble.
When John received his book of visions in reference to the great things that were to be done, and the alterations that were to be brought about, though it were sweet in his mouth, and he rejoiced in his employment, yet it made 'his belly bitter ;' Rev. x. 9, 10. It filled him with perplexity, as our prophet speaks, in the midst of his body; he saw blood and confusion, strife and violence ; it made his very belly bitter.
Poor Jeremiah, upon the same account, is so oppressed, that it makes him break out of all bounds of faith and pa- tience, to curse the day of his birth, to wax quite weary of his employment; chap. xv.
Our Saviour describing such a season, Luke xxi. 26. tells us, * that men's hearts shall fail them for fear, and for look- ing after those things that are coming upon the earth :' they will be thinking what will become of them, and what will be the issue of God's dispensations ; fearing that the whole frame of things will be wrapped up in darkness and confu- sion. Hence our Saviour bids his disciples not be troubled when they hear of these things. Matt. xxiv. 6. intimating that they will be very apt so to be.
Now the causes and occasions (which are the reasons of the point) arise,
1. From the greatness and astonishableness of the things themselves, which God will do ; ' even great and terrible things which men looked not for;' Isa. Ixiv. 2, 3. When he comes to make his name known to the nations, that his adversaries may tremble at his presence, and doth terrible things, quite above and beyond the expectation of men, which they never once looked for; no wonder if their hearts
THE magistrate's POWER. 491
be surprised with amazement. It hath of late ^een so with this nation ; all professors at the beginning of these days, joined earnestly in that prayer, Isa. Ixiii. 17 — 19. Ixiv. 1. God in answer hereunto, ' comes down and rents the heaven, and the mountains flow down at his presence,' according to the desire of their souls ; yet withal he doth terrible things, things that we looked not for. How many poor creatures are turned back with astonishment, and know not how to abide with him ? When our Saviour Christ came in the flesh, who had been the desire of all nations for four thousand years, and most importunately sought after by the men of that generation wherein he came, yet doing great and unexpected things at his coming, who was able to abide it ? This, says Simeon, will be the issue of it, ' He shall be for the fall and rise of many ; and the thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed ;' Luke ii. 34, 35. Hence is that exclamation, Mai. iii. 2. ' Who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth V His coming is desired indeed, but few can bear it; 'his day will burn as an oven, as a furnace,' chap. iv. 1. some are overheated by it, some consume in it; blessed are they that abide ; this is one cause of the perplexing of the spirits of men. The consideration of the things themselves that are done, being above and beyond their expectations ; and this even many of the saints of God are borne down under, at this day; they little looked for the blood and ba- nishment of kings, change of government, alteration of na- tions, such shakings of heaven and earth as have ensued ; not considering that he who doth these things, weighs all the nations in a balance, and the rulers of them are as the dust thereof before him.