Divine drops distilled from the fountain of Holy Scriptures: delivered in several exercises before sermons, upon twenty and three texts of Scripture. By that worthy gospel preacher Gualter Cradock, late preacher at All-Hallows Great in London.

Expositions and Observations on Isaiah 26. 1, 2, 3.

In that day shall this song be sung in the Land of Judah, We have a strong City, Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks, &c.

IN the Chapter before, you shall read, * 1.1 That the Prophet did pronounce sore judgments against the enemies of God and his people; to wit, against Moab. And the judgment should be so sore; that the Lord saith, He will come forth against them, just as a man spreds his arms abroad to swim: So God would open his arms (as it were) to smite them; and he would tread them down like straw for the Dung-hill.

And in this Chapter, the Prophet comforts the Saints, the believers: he gives them some comfort to support their Spirits, when the Lord should come in judgment against the wicked.

In that day shall this song be sung in the Land of Judah; we have a strong City, &c.

God will do two things for his people in the day of his wrath, against his enemies.

First, he will make them to sing: In that day shall

this song be sung in the Land of Judah. The world oft sing, when the Saints mourn; and therefore the world shall mourn, when the Saints shall sing.

And another thing is, In that day, when the Lord shall open his arms as a swimmer for judgment: The Saints shall have a strong City, or Garison, or Refuge to go to, where they shall be safe. We have a strong City (that shall be their song) Salvation will God ap∣point for Walls, and for Bulwarks.

Now, it shall not be an outward City, or an outward Garison; but the Lord will give them a spiritual Gari∣son: The salvation of the Lord shall be to them as Walls, and Bulwarks. So that beloved, in few words, this is the lesson that I would learn thorowly, and would have you to learn from this Verse, that

In all the troubles, and calamities that are in this world, * 1.2 the people of God have a sweet Refuge, or a safe Garison to go into.

Let the judgments of God be out upon the earth, upon the wicked and unbelievers never so much; and let the Kingdoms be never so miserable, yet the Saints have a Garison; they have a sweet place of shelter, of retreat, and refuge, and safety, in the worst of times that can be in this world. You shall see a blessed place to this purpose, Heb. 12. 25, 26, &c. See that you do not turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven (saith the Apostle) whose voice then shock the earth, but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I shake, not the earth onely, but also heaven. And this word, yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken, may remain: Wherefore we re∣ceiving

a Kingdom, that cannot be shaken, or moved; let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably. Be∣loved, not to open the whole place, this is that onely I would observe from it, That there are times in the latter end of the world, wherein the very heaven and earth shall once more be shaken: That is, there shall be such troubles, and calamities now in the latter end of the world, that men shall think that God is shaking, not onely Kingdoms and Nations, but Heaven and Earth, the whole Ʋniverse, and is ready to pull it down. There will be such times saith the Apostle, yet saith he, We receive a Kingdom which cannot be shaken. It is a blessed place, when all the Kingdoms in the world shall be shaken, all the Earth, and all the Heavens (as it were) shall be shaken too; yet we have received a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. The Saints are in a Garison, or Kingdom, that though all the world about them were shaken, and totter, they are safe, and stand still.

Truly, I have oft thought in my own apprehen∣sions, that the Saints differ as much from other men, as if you could suppose a man to live in the middle Region, where there is no wind, nor storms, nor tempest: And you know here in all the sublunary world, there is nothing but clouds, and rain, and storms, and all weathers. If one were above in the middle Region, lot it rain, or thunder, or hail, or be what it will here, he is safe, and quiet. Just so it is with the Saints, they are in the middle Region, in a Kingdom; that though all the Kingdoms of the world shake, yet they receive a King∣dom that cannot be shaken.

But, you will say, Where is this Garison, that

we may go into it? Where is this Kingdom?

Salvation (saith the Prophet) the Lord shall appoint us for walls and bulwarks.

That is, this Kingdom is not outwardly to be found, it is not an earthly garison; but it is a figurative speech, that they do finde in the Lord by the holy Spirit, such security, and such safety, as if they were in a garison that cannot be assaulted or taken.

But you will say, How can that be? This is a meer Idea, or Notion, which no body can under∣stand.

I shall shew presently, how it can be, by the help of God. The troubles of a man, the real troubles of a man, are in his minde, and soul, and affections. Now if you could finde a way to keep a mans minde, and soul, and heart, it were easie to keep the whole man: For our trouble is not a little imprisonment, or poverty: Paul, or Sylas, were in prison, and were to be hanged the next day, for ought they knew; yet they could sing. The man is as his minde is; if we can finde a way to fortifie, and garison the soul and minde, and affections, it will be easie to garison the whole man.

But now, how shall we garison the minde, or soul, * 1.3 or heart and affections? to use no critical distincti∣ons, how shall we garison the heart of man?

You shall see that in Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mindes, through Christ Jesus. There is (saith the Apo∣stle) a peace of God that shall keep you, or as the word in the Greek is, garison you, shall set up a garison in your hearts, and mindes through Jesus Christ.

What peace is that?

You shall see, if you compare it with the Gospel of John: When our Lord Christ was going to Hea∣ven, he told his Disciples, I will send the Comforter * 1.4 among you, and, My peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. My peace I give unto you, not as the peace of the world. It is a legacy that we have in the New Testa∣ment from our Lord Jesus Christ that is now in heaven; by the Holy Ghost there is a kinde of peace that comes into the hearts of the Saints, that passeth understand∣ing, not onely the understanding of wicked men, that they know it not, and apprehend it not, but it passeth the understanding of a godly man that hath it. As we see in Isaiah, there is a peace that comes, and quiets, and secures his soul; such a peace as he never understood, or did suppose could come into his soul, according to that, Neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath en∣tred * 1.5 into the heart of man to conceive what God hath pre∣pared for them that wait for him. That is, God sends this peace, (and many other blessings.) Such a peace as a man never conceived in his heart; and this peace comes in, and keeps the heart like a Castle, or sets up a garison in the heart, it keeps the heart and minde through Jesus Christ.

Therefore from that briefly you may learn a lesson or two, that so I may proceed to that which remains.

[Ʋse.] First, Learn, I desire, and beseech you, that pro∣fess your selves to be Saints; that you would make * 1.6 towards this refuge, or this garison here in all your troubles.

I am ashamed, and troubled, and have been truly, many yeers, to see Saints, and godly people, when trou∣bles come on them, to spend their wits, and beat their brains, in finding refuge in outward things. O, if I were here, or there, in such a Town, in such an Iland, in such a Country, in such a place, I should have it. Beloved, our song should be, Salvation God will appoint us for walls and bulwarks. Our way is, when all the Kingdoms of the world are shaken, to seek to get into that Kingdom that shakes not: That is, let England, and all the world shake, I care not, so I have the Spi∣rit of Christ, the comforter, to bring peace to my soul, that may set up a garison there, that nothing may assault and trouble me. Then let all the world, let heaven and earth shake, I am sure, I am safe; this is the way.

It is a common saying of many particular persons, Let a man not seek himself any where without, in the opinion of men: So let not Saints seek refuge, and shelter, and salvation, in outward helps; but if they should see the Kingdom of England (which God for∣bid) involved in more miseries and troubles, and deso∣lations, &c. Lay this down alway by thee; there is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. England, and Scotland, and Ireland are shaken; but there is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Such a garison is besieged, such a Town is in danger, such a place is stormed; but there is a garison, that the Lord hath put into the hearts of his Saints, that cannot be stormed or assaulted. There∣fore ply the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of the New Testament, by his holy comforter, that he would garison thy soul, and put peace there. And then what

shall be the issue? I will tell thee, that thou with a holy joy, and complacency, and delight of Spirit, when thou seest the very pillars of heaven shaken (as it were) shalt sollace thy self in thy own garison, and walk in the streets of it, and be safe; thou shalt triumph over all storms and troubles, and all that is here.

Not because that a Saint is able to encounter those things that are here: For a Saint is not able to answer, if you ask what he conceives will be the end of these things? he cannot answer these things; but onely he retreats to the middle Region, as a bird, he flies above sublunary things; he can say, I cannot tell what shall become of England, or Scotland, or Ireland, but I am sure I know a back door that leads into a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, to go into the middle Region, where no storms of the Air shall trouble me; and there I can rest my spirit.

I alway, for my part (with submission to the wise) apprehend it as a thing too carnal, and too low for Saints to think to finde a resting place in this world; any place is heaven; in such an Iland, in such a Planta∣tion, and such a place, let it be what it will. But a Saint that hath this garison in his heart and minde, he is at peace. This garison David had, when his ene∣mies compassed him, and he had no walls, when there were 10000 about him, he lay and slept: For thou Lord sustainedst me, saith he; The salvation of God was walls and bulwarks about him.

If this peace of God be above understanding, how can it be otherwise, then be above expression? We can therefore give but a hint of it; but such a thing there is. The Saints walk in a green meadow by the

rivers of waters, Psal. 23. in the spring all the day, and all the night long, in beholding the love of God, and the Covenant of God made in Iesus Christ; the full for∣givenesse of all their sins, the everlasting union be∣tween them and Christ, and through Christ between them and God; and beholding the Spirit in its working within them, and beholding the glory that shall be re∣vealed at the last day, the Crown that Christ shall bring with him: they walk safely and sweetly, and securely, though all the Kingdoms of the world, and the pillars of heaven be shaken. As the heathen said, If the world break about his ears, he would undergo it without trouble. Not because he can answer these things, but withdrawing himself to his place from them; I cannot tell whether the Kingdom shall stand, but I can go to the middle Region, to Iesus Christ, where there is no storme. Learn that, and lay aside your great projects, like the men of the world, of building Castles in the air, for Garisons: but labour to get into this Garison. Salvation will God appoint for walls and Bulwarks; Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

This is a speech just alluding to a Garison; they use there to open the gates, and to shut them; and when any body comes they bid them stand, and ask them who they are for? What are they? One saith he is a friend, and then they bid open the gates, and let him come in; if not, to shut the gates against him.

Open ye the gates, saith the Lord:

But none must come in but a friend; but who is this friend? It is,

The righteous Nation which keep the truth, they shall enter in.

The word in the Originall, it is Truth, not Truth, not one, or two, or three, or four truths, but the righte∣ous * 1.7 Nation that keepeth the truths, let them enter in. That is the word, if you will passe this Court of Guard, he that shall come into this Garison, is he that keepeth truth with a good conscience, notwithstanding all the troubles that befall him in this world, he shall en∣ter into this Garison.

Therefore I beseech you look to your selves. Truly it is unconceiveable, and unutterable, what the joy, the comfort, the worth of that Garison is, where it is set up in the soul; yet there are no hypocrites, no partiall obeyers of Iesus Christ, and his laws, that shall enter into it. Therefore if I speak Hebrew, or Greek (as it were) to you, that you understand not what I mean by this Garison, look to your selves, it may be you have not the word, and therefore you cannot get in. It may be you walk not uprightly, you are not of the upright Nation, and people, you keep not the truths. It may be you pick one truth here, and another there that pleaseth you, that suits with your reason, or your lusts, and corruptions, or with the stream of the world; you honor and respect that, and for the rest of the truth, let you neighbours take it if they will, you will none of it, if it bring shame, and persecution, and reproch. That is the reason, when troubles come, you are at your wits end, you know not where to go, because you have not the word, you keep not the truth of God. The righteous Nation that keep the truth, let them come in, shut the rest out of doors, 2 Pet. 2. there are a

people that are cleansed from their sins by the know∣ledge of Iesus Christ, and yet after turn from the holy commandment. Beloved, there are common, generall com∣mandments (as I may speak) and holy, precise com∣mandmens: Religion in every age hath something in it that is feasable to carnall men: and in every age it hath some nicities, and preciseness in it; there is some∣what superfluous in the eye of the world in every age from the beginning. Now it may be it is ordinary with thee to look to truths that the world acknow∣ledgeth; to deal honestly in thy shop for the most part; to come to Church, and repeat a little of the word, or the like: these things the world commends; thou ob∣servest fast dayes, or thanksgiving dayes, or the like. But there are other truths that are more precise and spi∣rituall, that worldly men do not apprehend, and these thou leavest as nicities. And that is the reason many times when thou apprehendest miseries coming upon thy family, or thy self, or the Kingdom, thou art at thy wits end, and knowest not where to go; God shuts the gate against thee, thou hast not the word, thou art not a man or woman that hath kept all the truths of God.

Therefore will you now labour to be a righteous Nation to be upright? It is a word that hath ran much in my minde; saith God to Abraham, I am alsufficient God, walk before me, and be upright. I did not think there had been so much crookedness in the world as now I see. The world is like the word Isa. 7. young Saplings, as the wind goes this way, they go this way, and when the wind goeth the other way, they go the the other way. It grieveth my soul to see how

unupright people are; even professors: what a deal of daubing, calling darkness light, and good evil, that think one thing, and speak another, and go against their con∣science; it cuts my soul unexpressibly. Therefore it is just with God to leave those daubing people; they go with the stronger side, and say as the world saith, and do as the world doth, though it be contrary to their understanding, and conscience: be sure, they shall never be admitted to passe the Court of guard to come to this Garison.

And for their comfort, those that come not to this Court, or Garison in this world, they shall never come to that in the world to come; if they come not into this little Court of guard, they shall never come to the great one. It is a miserable thing for a man to be left without the works: a carnall man is left with∣out the works, and sin, and the devill, and men may come, and undo him. Therefore labour to be up∣right.

It is a principle in Religion that Christians should observe (and a principle, that is a generall grand rule) to call things as they are, to call a Spade a Spade: but men, they call evill good, and good evill, and frame their discourses according to the world, they speak according to the world though it be quite contrary to their understanding, and in spight of con∣science.

I am alsufficient God, walk before me, and be upright. What is that? Do not turn aside to the right hand, or to the left; If thou will be my servant, thou must neither be driven with fear, or drawn with favour a hairs breadth out of my Commandments. This is up∣rightnesse,

lay all the preferments, and honors in the world on the one side, you shall neither draw them an ace from the truth of Christ; and lay all the terrors, on the other side, you shall not drive them an ace: Why so? Because God is alsufficient, there is the reason; as the holy man Doctor Preston hath at large well shewed. Why should I be upright? Be∣cause God is an alsufficient God. What is that? Men naturally bargaine for gain, it is a principle, and God expects not that it should be otherwise; if any man offer me any thing to turn aside the breadth of a haire out of Gods wayes, honour, or preferment or the like, more then God will give, I had reason to turn aside, and God would not be angry: but I am alsufficient, keep in my wayes, I will give thee more honour, and wealth, and riches, and preferment, then all the world can. On the other side, could any creature do us more hurt then God, we had reason to fear that creature: but God is the best friend, and the worst foe, he can de∣stroy body and soul as Christ saith; therefore walk be∣fore me, and be perfect.

There is a sweet place in Eccles. 3. 14. I know that whatsoever God doth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it, and God doth it, that men might fear before him. I know that what God doth, shall be for ever, nothing can be added to it, or taken from it: that is, if God have a design to make you happy, all the world shall not take a dram of that happinesse from you; and if God have a designe to make you miserable, all the world shall not take one jot of that misery from you.

That men might feare before him,

That is, before him onely: for if the creature could do me any measure of good or hurt, it were but rea∣son that I should fear the creature, and God too, but whatsoever God doth is for ever, nothing can be put to it, or taken from it, that men might feare before him. All the world cannot do me a farthing worth of good or harme; God onely can, and he is alsufficient, therefore, let us be upright before him. These are the two words I would have you remember, Pray the Lord to stablish your hearts in his love, in his Garison, that you may be able to triumph over the world, That you may be able to say, Though all the Kingdoms in the world be shaken, yet I am in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. And when you walk in the streets, and see such factions of men, and there is not a man of a thou∣sand but he temporizeth, and wil say this week as the world saith, and the next week another way; Do not do so: walk wisely, and speak what you should, and as you should, but call not good evil, and evil good: but walk uprightly before the Lord, approve of that which is good in the eyes of the Lord: Walk in the truthes of God, and then God in distresse will bid open the gates; there is a man was upright in all the changes of the world, he called not good evil, nor evil good; Open the gates that the upright Nation may come in.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The cohe∣rence of the words.
• * 1.2

  Observa∣tion. God a sweet refuge.
• * 1.3

  How a man may be said to be secure and impreg∣nable.
• * 1.4

  John 14. 7.
• * 1.5

  Isai 64. 4.
• * 1.6

  To repair to this refuge.
• * 1.7

  Who have a right to Gods pro∣tection.