Nehemiah: On Divine Consolations

p. 1NEHEMIAH. OR, THE GREAT Consolations of GOD.

Are the Consolations of GOD, Small with thee?

IT is a Smart Question! And it is a Matter of no Small Sorrow, no Small Horror, that we generally afford so Great Reason, to be rebuked with such a Question. The Rebuke may be more justly given to us, than it was to Job, the Upright and Patient Servant of the Lord. A man enough to have made any Arabia the Happy, by his Illuminating of it; and yet a Man greatly Misconstrued, Censured, Reproached. We have the Story of him in a Poem, which had an Historical Foundation; whether Moses wrote the Poem or no, for the comfort of his Countrymen, while he was yet among the Midianites, cannot be determined. It may, that Senault sayes true, No Book in the World, is nobler in Expressions, richer in Descriptions, more generous in Conceptions, or more natural in Comparisons. The Friends of this rare man, too Angry & Froward ones! had been counselling of him, to Turn from the Impiety and Hypocrisy, whereof they would needs, upon cause little enough, suspect him to be Guilty. They had been comforting of him also with Hopes to find Favour with God upon his Turn. He endeavours his own Vindication from the Suspicion of his p. 2Friends: His just Vindication, does but add unto the Irritation. So tis, when men Resolve, that nothing shall satisfy them! They misinterpret him, as if he had Rejected the Encouragements of Returning to GOD, which they had set before him. The Expostulation on this occasion (made, as Mercer thinks, with State enough!) is this; Are the Consolations of God Small with thee? The Intention of it, is well expressed by the Incomparable Calvin; Si quid tale aliquis committerit, merito haberetur superbus, et Dei Gratiae contemptor non ferendus. In short, Intolerable the Pride and Ingratitude of doing so. Whatever mistake there might be in their Application to the censured Servant of God, I will see, that there shall be no mistake in my Application of the Words, unto the purpose of the DOCTRINE, which I am going to take into my Hands.

p. 2Tis this,

Very Great are the Provocations of Men unto GOD, when the Consolations of GOD are but Small unto them.

If the Consolations of GOD appear Little to us, our Indiscretion is more than a Little; our Iniquity more than a Little. When the Consolations of GOD are of Small Account with men, or make Little Impression on them, have Little Efficacy on them, tis a Sign and a Cause of no Small Evil in them; of more than a Little Folly and Evil in them.

There are Three Assertions to be advanced and maintained. When we have Established our Three Assertions, we shall be ready to bring on a very forcible Expostulation, with some Right words, wherein it will be well, if we don't find our selves all concerned.

I. There are Consolations of GOD, belonging unto all the People of God; offered unto all the Children of Men. Comfortable things are to be Enjoy'd by all Good Men; The Enjoyment of those Comfortable Things is tendered unto all men.

I will presently tell you What these Consolations are. But I cannot well come to thee until we first of all take Notice Whose they are.

Take Notice then, in the first Place, That all True Consolations p. 3are the Consolations of GOD. We read, 2 Cor. I. 3. He is the God of all Comfort. There are Comfortable Creatures; Comforts in Creatures: But they are no further so, than GOD shall please to make them so. All Creatures otherwise at the best, are but Miserable Comforters. The Great GOD has more Sublime, Celestial, Rapturous Consolations for us, than any of this World; Consolations of a Finer Composition, than any this World can afford Matter for. Indeed some Interpreters as old as the Vulgar Latin, thus carry the Sense of the clause, I am now Preaching upon; q. d. Is it not an easy thing with God to Comfort thee? And if we do find any Consolations in any Entertainments, which this World may afford unto us, they still are Gifts of GOD; the Things which GOD has graciously given to His Servant! They are Consolations, which GOD has provided; and they would not have the least Relish of Consolations in them, if GOD should not enable us to relish them. We read, Job XXXIV. 29. When He gives Quietness, who then can make Trouble? And when He hides His Face, who then can behold Him? I will say, If GOD withold Consolations, who is there that can Pretend to Comfort? Indeed the Best Things in the World, without GOD, are but as Luther Elegantly called them, Consolatiunculae creaturulae: Very Diminutive Consolations! Abundance of Duty, will immediately arise unto us from this Acknowledgment.

p. 3Would we be made Partakers of any Consolations? Go to GOD for them. Trust in GOD for them. Keep in Good Terms with GOD. O all you, who Desire Comfort; Do not Offend GOD, if you would have Him to Comfort you. All Comfort is lost and gone and Confiscated, when we ly under the Anger of GOD. Are we made Partakers of any Consolations? O Comforted Ones; Own them to be the Consolations of GOD. Give GOD the Glory of them; Glorify GOD, as the Author and Giver of them.

I am now ready to Proceed on my Essay, to declare, What are the Consolations of GOD?

Inexpressible Consolations! All that we can Express of them, is only in some General Heads, whereof we have been advised from the Lively Oracles.

p. 4First; There are Consolations of GOD, in the PROMISES, which the Covenant of GOD, has made unto the Godly. The Lord gave that order of old; Comfort ye, comfort ye my People, saith your God; Speak ye comfortably to them! Ah, Lord, Thou hast thy self in thy Word, most graciously, and marvellously done so! …