Eben-ezer a memoriall of the deliverance of Essex, county, and committee, being an exposition on the first ten verses of the third chapter of the prophesie of Habakkuk in two sermons. The first preached at Colchester before his Excellency on a day of thanksgiving for the surrender thereof. The other at Rumford unto the committee who were imprisoned by the enemy Sep. 28. a day set apart unto thanksgiving for their deliverance. / By John Ovven pastor of the church of God which is at Coggeshall.

Great deliverances call for frequent Remembrances.

Thus were Rivers brought out of the Rocks: and with, or for these Rivers, God did cleave the earth, that is, either he provided channels for those streames to run in, that they might not be wast∣ed on the surface of that sandy wildernesse, but Preserved for the use of his people; or else the streames were so great and strong, that they pierced the earth, and parted channells for themselves.

Great Rivers of water, brought out of flinty Rocks, running into pre∣pared channells, to refresh a sinfull thirsty people, in a barren wildernesse, I think is a remarkeable mercy.

2. As it was eminent in it selfe, so likewise is it exalted in its ty∣picall concernment. Is there nothing but flints in this Rock? no∣thing but water in these streames? nothing but the Rod of Moses in the blowes given to it? Did the people receive no other refresh∣ment, but only in respect of their bodily thirst? yes saith the A∣postle, They drank of that spirituall Rock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 4. Was not this Rock, a signe of that Rock of Ages on which the Church is built? Mat. 16. 18. Did not

Moses smiting, hold out his being smitten with the Rod of God, Isa. 53. 4, 5? was not the powring out of these plentifull streames, as the powring out of his pretious Blood, in a Sea of mercy, abun∣dantly sufficient to refresh the whole fainting Church in the wil∣dernesse? latet Christus in petra, here is Christ in this Rock. Had Rome had wisdom to build on this Rock, though she had not had an in∣fallibility, as she vainly now pretends, she might have had an infailla∣bility (if I may so speak) yea she had never quite failed. Give me leave to take a few observations from hence: as

1. Sinners must be brought to great extremities, to make them desire the Bloud of Jesus. Weary and thirsty, before rock-water come. Thirst is a continually galling pressure. When a soule gaspeth like a parched Land, and is as far from self-refreshement, as a man from drawing waters out of a flint, then shall the side of Christ be opened to him. You that are full of your lusts, drunk with the world, here is not a drop for you. If you never come into the wildernesse, you shall never have Rock-water,

2. Mercy to a convinced sinner seems of times as remote, as Rivers from a Rock of flint. The truth is, he never came neer mercy, who thought not himself far from it. When the Izraelites cryed, we are ready to die for thirst, then stood they on the ground, where Rivers were to runne.

3. Thirsty souls shall want no water, though it be fetched for them out of a Rock. Panters after the blood of Jesus, shall assuredly have refresh∣ment and pardon, through the most unconquerable difficulties. Though grace and mercy seem to be locked up from them, like wa∣ter in a flint, whence fire is more naturall then water, yet God will not strik the rock of his justice and their flinty hearts together, to make hellsire sparkle about their eares, but with a rod of mercy on Christ, that abundance of water may be drawn out for their re∣freshment.

4. The most eminent temporall blessings, and suitable refreshment, (wa∣ter from a Rock for them that are ready to perish) is but an obscure repre∣sentation of that love of God, and refreshment of souls, which is in the blood of Jesus. Carnall things are exceeding short of spirituall, temporall things of eternall.

5. The blood of Christ is abundantly sufficient for his whole Church, to refresh themselves; streames, rivers, a whole Sea.

These and the like observations flowing from the typicall rela∣tion

of the blessing intimated, shall not further be insisted on, one only I shall take from the Historiall Truth.

God sometimes bringeth plentifull deliverances and mercies for his people from beyond the ken of sense and reason, yea from above the ordinary reach of much pretious faith. I mean not what it ought to reach, which is all the Omnipotency of God; but what ordinarily it doth, as in this very businesse it was with Moses.

I say plentifull deliverances, mercies like the waters that gushed out in abundant streames, untill the earth was cloven with Rivers: that the people should not only have a tast and away, but drink abundantly, and leave for the beasts of the field.

From beyond the ken of sense and reason, by events which a rationally wise man, is no more able to look into, then an eye of flesh is able to see water in a flint: or a man probably suppose that divers mil∣lions of creatures should be refreshed with waters out of a Rock, where there was never any spring from the foundation of the world.

Now concerning this observe,

• 1. That God hath done it.
• 2. That he hath promised he will yet do it.
• 3. Why he will so doe?

First he hath done it. I might here tire you with presidents. I could lead you from that Mother deliverance, the womb of all o∣thers, the redemption that is in the bloud of Jesus, down through many dispensations of old, and of late, holding out this propositi∣on to the full. One shall suffice me, and if some of you cannot help your selves with another, you are very senselesse.

Look upon Peters deliverance, Act. 12. The night before he was to be slain, he was kept safe in a prison. A prison he had neither wil, nor power to break. He was bound with two-chaines, beyond his skill to unloose, or force asunder; kept he was by 16 Souldiers, doubtlesse men of blood and vigilancy; having this to keep them waking, that if Peter escaped with his Head, they were to lose theirs. Now that his deliverance was above sense and reason, himselfe intimates, v. 11. he hath delivered me from the expectation of the Jewes. The wise subtile Jewes, concluded the matter so secure, that without any doubts or fears, they were in expectation of his execution the next day. That it was also beyond the ready reach of much pretious faith, you have an example in those believers, who were gathered together in the house of Mary, v. 12. calling her mad, who first af∣firmed

it, v. 15. and being astonished when their eyes beheld it, v. 16. The whole seeming so impossible to carnall Herod, after its ac∣complishment, that he slayes the keepers as false in their Hellish trust. A just recompence for trusty villaines.

The time would faile me to speak of Isaac and Joseph, Gidron, Noah Daniel & Job, all presidents worthy your consideration. View them at your leisure, and you wil have leisure, if you inend to live by faith.

2. He hath said it. It is a Truth abounding in promises and per∣formances. I shall hold out one or two, It will be worth yourwhile to search for others your selves. He that digges for a mine, findes many a piece of gold by the way.

Isa. 41. 14, 15. Fear not thou worme Jacob, and yee few men of Israel, be∣hold I will make thee, a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth, thou shalt thresh the Mountaines, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaffe, thou shalt fan them, &c.

To make a worm a threshing instrument with teeth, to cause that instrument to beat Mountaines and hills into chaffe, that chaffe to be blowne away with the wind, that, that worm may rejoyce in God, to advance a small handfull of despised ones, to the ruine of Mountanous Empires, and Kingdomes, untill they be broken and scattered to nothing, is a mercy that comes from beyond the ken of any ordinary eye.

Eze. 37 3. The Prophet professeth that the deliverance promised was beyond his apprehension. Son of man can these bones live and I answered O Lord God thou knowest. The Lord intimates in the follow∣ing verses, that he will provide a means, for hisChurches recovery, when it seemeth as remote therefrom, as▪ dry bones scattered upon the face of the Earth are from a mighty living Army. This he calls opening their graves, v. 12, 13.

Because he would have his people wholly wrapt up in his All∣sufficiency. Not to straighten themselves, with what their faith can ken in a promise: much lesse to what their reason can perceive in appearance. In the application of promises to particular trials and extremities, Faith oftentimes is exceedingly disturbed, either in res∣pect of persons, or things, or seasons. But when it wil wholly swal∣low up it selfe in All-sufficiency, the fountaine of all promises, there is no place for fear or disputing. Have your souls in spirituall trials never bin driven from all your outworks, unto this main fort? Hath not all hold of promises in time of triall given place to temptati∣ons,

untill you have fallen down in All-sufficiency, and their found peace? God accounts a flight to the strong Tower of his Name, to be the most excellent Valour. This is faiths first, proper, and most imme∣diate Object: To particular promises it is drawn out, on particular occasions: here is or should be its constant abode: Gen. 17. 1. And in∣deed the soule will never be prepard to all the Will of God, untill its whole complacency be taken up in this sufficiency of the Almighty. Here God delights to have the soule give up it selfe to a contented losing of all its reasonings, even in the infinite unsearchablenesse of his goodnes and power. Therefore will he sometimes send forth such streames of blessings, as can flow from no other fountain, that his may know where to lie down in peace. Here he would have us secure our shallow bottomes in this quiet Sea, this infinit ocean, whither neither wind, nor storme, do once approach. Those blustering temptations which rage at the shore, when we were halfe at Land, and half at Sea, halfe upon the bottome of our own reason, and half upon the Ocean of providence, reach not at all unto this deepe. Oh if we could in all trials, lay our selves down in these armes of the Almighty, his Al-suf∣ficiency in power and goodnes, oh how much of the haven should we have in our voyage, how much of home, in our pilgrimage, how much of Heaven in this wretched Earth! Friends throw away your staves, break the arme of flesh, lie down here quietly in every dispensation, and you shall see the salvation of God. I could lose my selfe in set∣ing out of this, wherein I could desire you would lose your selves in every time of trouble.

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creatour of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint and to them who have no might, he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint. Isa. 40. 28, 29, 30, 31.

To convince the unbelieving world it self of his power, providence, and love to them that put their trust in him: that they may be found to cry, verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily he is a God who ruleth in the earth. When the Aegyptian Magicians see reall Miracles, beyond all their jugling pretences, they cry out this is the finger of God, Exo. 8. 19. profane Nebuchadnezzar beholding the deliverance of those three worthies, from the fiery Furnace, he owns them for the servants

of the most high God, Dan. 3. 26. Daniel being preserved in the Lyons den Darius acknowledgeth the power and Kingdom of the livingGod, Dan. 6. 26 Glorious appearances of God for his people beyond the reach of reason, wrests from the World amazement, or acknowledgement, and in both God is exalted He will appear in such distresses as that he will be seen of his very enemies: they shall not be able with the Phili∣stians to question whether it be his hand, or a chance happened to them, but conclude with the Egyptians, that fly they must for God fights for his people, Ex. 14. 25. If God should never give blessings but in such a way, as reason might discover their dependance on seconda∣ry causes, men would not see his goings, nor acknowledge his opera∣tions. But when he mightily makes bare his Arme, in events beyond their imaginations, they must vayle before him.

Consider whether the mercy celebrated this day, ought not to be placed in this series of deliverances, brought from beyond the ken of sense and reason, from above the reach of much pretious faith. For the latter I leave it to your own experience, to the former let me for the present desire your consideration of these five things.

1. By whom you were surprised and put under restrant. Now these were of two sorts: 1. The heads and leaders, 2. The tumultuous multitude.

For the first, some of them being dead, and some under durance, I shall not say any thing: nullum cum victis certamen et aethere cassis. I leave the streame from the flint to your own thoughts.

2. For the multitude, an enraged, headles, lawles, godles multitude, gathered out of Innes, Taverns, Alehouses, Stables, Highways, and the like nurseries of piety and pitty. Such as these having gotten their Su∣periors under their power, their Governors under their disposall, their Restrainers under their restraint, their Opressors, as they thought, under their fury, what was it that kept in their fury & their revenge, which upon the like occasions and advantages, hath almost always bin exe∣cuted? Seaech your stories, you will not find many that speak of such a deliverance. For a few Governors prevailed on, unto durance, by a godlesse rout, in an insurrection, and yet to come off in peace and safe∣ty, is surely a Work of more then ordinary providence.

2. Consider the season of your surpisall, when all the Kingdom was in an uproare, and the arme of flesh almost quite withered as to supply. The North invaded, the South full of insurrections, Wales unsubdued, e The great City, at least suffering men to lift up their hands against us▪ So that to the eye of reason the issue of the whole, was if not lost,

yet exceedingly hazardous: and so to the Eye of reason your captivity endlesse. Had they gone on as was probable they would, whether you had this day bin brought out to execution, or thrust into into a dun∣gean, or carried up and down as a Pageant, I know not, but much bet∣ter condition, I am sure rationally you could not expect.

3. The end of your surprizall. Amongst others, this was apparently one, to be a reserve for their safety, who went on, in all ways of Ruine. You were kept to preserve them in those ways, wherein they perish∣ed. Whether could reason reach this or no; that you being in their power, kept on purpose for their Rescue, if brought to any great straight, with the price of your Heads, to redeem their own, that they should be brought to greater distresse, then ever any before in this Kingdom, and you be delivered, without the lest help to them in their need, It was beyond your Freinds reason, who could not hope it, it was beyond your Enemies reason who never feared it, if you believed it, you have the comfort of it.

4. The refusall of granting an exchange, for such persons, as they accounted more considerable then your selves, and whose enlargement might have advantaged the cause they professed to maintaine, exceedingly more then your restraint, what doth it but proclame your intended ruine? This was the way of deliverance, which for a long Season, Reason chiefly rested on, the maine pillar of all its building, which when it was cut in two, what could in it be seen but desolation.

5. The straights you were at length reduced to, betwen your Enemies swords and your friends bullets, which intended for your deliverance, without the safeguard of providence, might havebin your ruin, peirc∣ing more then once, the house wherein you were. Surely it was then an eminent work of Faith to stand still, and see the Salvation of God.

The many passages of providence evidently working for your pre∣servation, which I have received from some of your selves, I willingly passe over. What I have already said is sufficient to declare that to Reasons Eye you were as dead bones upon the Earth. For our parts who were endangered spectators, at the best, we were but in the Pro∣phets frame, and to any question about your enlargement could Answer only, the Lord alone he knowes. And now behold the Lord hath chosen you out, to be examples of his loving kindnesse, in fetch∣ing mercy for you, from beyond the ken of Reason, yea from above the reach of much pretious Faith. He hath brought water for you

out of the flint. Reckon your deliverance under this head of opera∣tions, and I hope you will not be unthankfull.

You that have received so great mercy, we that have seen it, and all who have heard the Doctrine confirmed, let us learn to live by Faith. Live above all things that are seene. Subject them to the crosse of Christ. Measure your condition, by your interest in Gods All-suffici∣ency. Do not in distresse calculate what such, and such things can effect, but what God hath promised. Reckon upon that, for it shall come to passe. If you could get but this one thing, by all your suf∣ferings and Dangers, to trust the Lord, to the utmost extent of his promises, it would prove a blessed captivity. All carnall feares would then be conquered, all sinfull compliances with wicked men remo∣ved, &c.

Be exhorted to great f Thankfulnesse, you that have bin made parta∣kers of great deliverances. In great distresses, very nature prompts the sons of men to great promises. You have heard the ridiculous story of him, who in a storme at Sea, promised to dedicate a Wax-candle to the blessed Virgin, as big as the mast of his Ship, which he was resol∣ved when he came on shore to pay with one of 12 in the pound. Let not the Morall of that Fable be found in any of you. Come not short of any of your engagements, no greater discovery of an Hypocriticall frame, then to flatter the Lord in trouble, and to decline upon deli∣verance in cold bloud. The Lord of Heaven give you strength to make good all your resolutions: as private persons, in all godlinesse and honesty, following hard after God in every known way of his; as Magistrates, in Justice Equity and faithfull serving the Kingdome of Christ: Especially let them never beg in vaine for help at your hands, who did not beg help in vaine, for you at the hands of God.

Consider, if, there be so much g sweetnesse in a temporall deliver∣ance, Oh what excellency is there in that Eternall Redemption, which we have in the Blood of Jesus? If we rejoice for deing delivered from them, who could have killed the body, what unspeakeable re∣joysing is there in that mercy whereby we are freed from the wrath to come. Let this possesse your thoughts, let this fill your soules, let this be your haven from all former stormes, and here strik I sayle, in this, to abide with you, and all the saints of God for ever.

Notes

• Obs. 19.
• Preached at the Committee at Rumford.
• Gen. 22. 14. Gen. 39, &c.
• 3 Reas. 1.
• Rea. 2.
• Psal 58. 1. 1.
• 1 Sam 6. 10.
• Ʋse 1.
• e

  Idem huic ur▪ bi dominandi finis erit, qui parendi suerit: Senec. de Ro.
• Ʋse 2.
• Ʋse. 3.
• f

  Erunt Homi∣cidae, Tyranni, fures, adulteri, raptores, Sacri∣legi proditores, infra ista om∣nia, ingratus est. Senec. Benef. l. 1. Gratiarum ces∣sat decursus, ubi recursus non fuerit. Bern. Serm 50.
• g

  Si Tanti vi∣trum quanti Margaritum? Tertul.
• Vse. 4.