Page:Last publick sermon, being a faithful and free one, preached by Mr. Hugh Mackaile ... upon the Sabbath immediately preceeding that 8th of September 1662, the day affixed for the removing of the ministers of Edinburgh from their kirks.pdf/17

( 17 ) Compaſs of the Curſe, Jer. xvii. 5. Curſed be the Man who truſteth in Man, and maketh Fleſh his Arm. Ah ! theſe broken Ciſterns can hold no Water; theſe are not Wells of Salvation but Confuſion. 2dly, This may diſcover, how unreaſonable it is to turn aſide even in the Midſt of Tribulation, that no Affliction cometh upon the People of God but by his ſpecial Provi- dence, therefore he can aggravate, limit or remove it at his Pleaſure : Even as the Sun is fixed in the Firmament of Heaven, and the Influence thereof directed, by his Provi- dence; to warm or ſcorch, nouriſh or corrupt Things in this inferior World, according to his Pleaſure, ſo, like- ways, Enemies have no Power, nor can they actuate the Power that they have, to the Prejudice of his people, with- out his Permiſſion. That which Chriſt ſaid to Pilate may be accommodate to all Powers on Earth, Thou can have no Power over me, except it be given thee from above. He commandeth the Sun and it riſeth not, he ſealeth up the Stars. True it is, the Wicked are a raging Sea, caſting forth Dirt and Mire, but he alſo ſets Bounds to the Rage- ing of the Sea, ſaying, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further. As how hidden are the Goings of the Lord in his Diſpenſation towards his People, in nothing more than in this may it be ſaid, that he dwelleth in thick Darkneſs; though Enemies ſhould wrap up their Deſigns in deepeſt Secrecy, doth not God diſcover deep things out of Darkneſs; and bring to Light the Shadow of Death? Why then ſhould the People of God be amazed at the Ap- prehenſions of Tribulation? Were it handſome for a Child to weep to the Whip that ſtrikes him, and not to the Fa- ther in whoſe Hand it is. 3dly, Conſider that the Tribulations of the Children of God will certainly come to a Period, and the more violent they be they are nearer to an End; therefore they be here emblematized by the Sun, who, as he hath bis Times B3 of