cut downe he flyeth also as a shadow and continueth not Wherefore a Esa 2.22 cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of that ye should put your trust in him XIIII Must we not trust in men which are living and which are with us to helpe us Much lesse should we trust in them which are dead b cles 9.6 Their love their hatred their envy to mee to thee severally is now perished neither have they any more portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sunne c Iob 14.21 Their sonnes come to honour and they know it not they are brought low but they perceive it not of them I except not those even those blessed soules which enjoy a perfect felicitie in the vision of God for d Rev. 14.13 they rest from their labours and e Esa 57.1 are taken away from that which is evill their felicitie consisting in this that their minds are filled with the perfect knowledge of God their hearts with his love and all the powers of their soule are ravished with a perpetuall meditation and contemplation of his infinite goodnesse which is never distracted with the disquieting cares of things which goe to and fro in this valley of miseries and world of vanitie XV. In whom then shall we trust In whom but in the Lord f Psal 128.8 9. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in Princes David speaking of the forefathers of Gods people saith of them g Psal 22.4 Our fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them Of himselfe hee saith h Psal 4.9 I will both lay mee downe in peace and sleepe for thou LORD onely makest mee dwell in safety Thou onely not Abraham Isaac Iacob not any Angell any Archangell not any living among men i Psal 18.27 28. Thou wilt save the afflicted people but wilt bring downe high looks Thou wilt light my candle the LORD my God will lighten my darknes And therefore k Psal 25.15 mine eyes are ever towards the LORD not towards the Saints nor the Angels for he shall plucke my feet out of the net l Psal 42.11 he is the health of my countenance the helpe whereunto l Psal 42.11 looke and my God m Psal 73.25 whom have I in heaven and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee And therefore hee saith againe n Psal 121.1 2. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hilles from whence cometh my helpe Say not that these hills are the Angells or Saints for headdeth My helpe cometh from the LORD which made heaven and earth from the LORD alone o Psal 62.11 12. God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth unto God also unto thee O LORD belongeth mercy Power and mercy two qualities required in our Redeemer Deliverer and Saviour and belonging to God alone who may deliver us because power is his will deliver us because mercy also is his p Psal 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a very present helpe in trouble Therefore let worldlings q Psal 20.7 trust in their chariots and in their horses let Papists trust in Saints in Angels in Monks cowles in merits we will remember the Name of the LORD our God that we may be blessed For r Ierem. 17.7 blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD and whose hope the LORD is XVI Let us onely take heede that wee bee of those whom the Lord delivereth Å¿ Pro. 13.10 The Name of the LORD is a strong tower The righteous runneth unto it and is safe The righteous man hath many evills but the LORD delivereth HIM I taught you in my first Sermon the characters and true markes of a righteous man If when thou art afflicted thou saiest with David that t Psal 9.9 10. the LORD will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble consider and marke well how hee describeth these oppressed to whom the Lord is a refuge Read these words following And they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou LORD hast not forsaken them that seeke thee I have seen many in their affliction bragging of Gods predestination and saying that Gods Elect cannot perish That which they say is true for Gods Angell forewarning Daniel of the great troubles wherewith the Church was to be vexed by the Tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes said unto him v Dan. 12.1 At that time thy people shall bee delivered every one that shall be found written in the booke And ye reade in the Revelation that x Rev. 20.15 whosoever was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire as also on the other side that those onely enter into the holy City y Rev. 21.27 which are written in the Lambes booke of life But this predestination is hid in the unsearchable secrecy of Gods breast and many bragge of it which have no part in it Therefore David will have us to enter into our owne breasts and to search there the markes of our predestination which God hath shut up in the unmeasurable and infinite depth of his own breast a Rom. 8.30 for whom he did predestinate them he also called giving them an effectuall and sanctifying knowledge of his most blessed and holy Name so that when he saith to them b Zech. 13.9 Thou art my people they answer presently The LORD is my God This is to know God and to seeke God and David saith that the Lord is a refuge to the oppressed which know his Name and seek him This is the knowledge of faith which taketh the blood of the Lambe of God and c Heb. 12.24 1. Pet 1.2 besprinkleth our soules with it that k Exod. 12.13 as when God saw the blood of the Paschall Lambe upon the houses where the IsrAelites were he passed over them and the plague was not upon them when he smote all the first borne in the land of Egypt so hee delivers us from the hands of our enemies and the evils of this life and of the life to come by the vertue of that blood according to the promise l Zec. 9.11 As for thee also by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water This faith m Act. 15.9 puristeth the hearts it is the mother of uprightnesse and sinceritie before God in the performance of all duties of the first and second Table and therefore if thou lookest for Gods deliverance cleanse thy heart in such sort that thou may bee able to say with David n Psal 7.10 11. My defence is of God which saveth the upright in heart for God iudgeth the righteous and God is angry every day against the wicked o 1. Tim. 1 5. From this knowledge and faith
THE RIGHTEOVS MANS EVILS AND THE LORDS DELIVERANCES By GILBERT PRIMEROSE Minister of the French Church of London PSAL. 129.2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevayled against mee LONDON Printed by H. L. for Nathanael Newberry and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre in Popes-head Alley Anno 1625. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND RIGHT RELIgious Lord IAMES MARQVESS of HAMMILTON Earle of Arran and Cambridge Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter Counsellor of the Kings most honourable privie Councell in both Realmes of England and Scotland Lord Great Steward of his Majesties houshold c. RIGHT HONOVRABLE WHat reading of holy Scripture and of Ecclesiasticall stories what experience hath taught mee of the Righteous mans Evils and the Lords deliverances that I preached to my Church at London in nine Sermons which in this booke I have dedicated to your Honour as an acknowledgement of the heroicall and Christian vertues which shine in your most Noble and Honourable person and as an homage due to them not as having any worthinesse and excellencie from their author whereby he should presume to offer them to such a Lord in whom all things excell in worth and shine in a most eminent degree of excellencie In Empires Kingdomes States Cities Families wee read and see the truth of the Oracle which said to ATTALVS King of Bithinia THOU AND THY SON NOT THE SONS OF THY SON His Maiestie who now holdeth the raines of this peaceable and flourishing kingdome is the onely King knowne in the world by stories who can reckon neere two thousand yeeres since his roiall Ancestors of whom he is lincally descended wore Crownes and Scepters In France they thinke it much if a man can prove his Nobilitie by foure Descents Since three hundred and odde yeeres that SIR GILBERT HAMMILTON came from England to Scotland was there advanced to all titles and degrees of honours of dignities of greatnesse among the most noble and honourable of the Realme by the HEROS of those dayes and King without peere ROBERT BRVCE who had knowne in England the antiquitie of his noble house and of all men then living could best iudge of his courage martiall actes and deserts and being preferred there to the mariage of the onely Daughter to my Lord Earle of Murray the Kings Nephew by his Princely Sister became the Stocke of the illustrious Race of the HAMMILTONS in Scotland whereof your Honour is the golden head how many Descents how many generations may be reckoned The fables tell of BELLEROPHON how after he had done many feates of armes not so much by his owne wisdome and strength as by the helpe of his winged Horse called PEGASVS he waxed proud and attempting with the same wings to mount up to heaven was flung to the earth and brake his leg whereby they teach us in a mysticall sense that many after they have beene borne upon the wings of their Princes favour and thereby have done good services conceive too ambitious and proud hopes and as if favour were desert aspiring to ascend into heaven to exalt their Throne above the rest of the starres and to be like unto their Maker are cut downe to the ground in an instant where all their pompe is laid in a grave of shame and dishonour as the Scripture speaketh of the King of Babylon under the name of LVCIFER In all the ancient stories hardly shall we finde any great man whose predecessors or himselfe have not beene stained with the blot of rebellion against their Soveraignes or of some negligence of their dutie towards them But your Honours forefathers had ever their affections so addicted to our Kings that King IAMES the third with the consent of the States and applause of the whole Realme thought them worthy to be rewarded with the mariage of his onely and deare Sister whom he gave in wedlocke to IAMES Lord Hammilton of whom your Lordship is come by many lineall successions This proximitie of blood to our Kings hath ever beene to your Ancesters and to your owne selfe a most attractive Adamant drawing and tying inseparably your hearts desires wills affections duties and services to their will and desires in all innocencie and uprightnesse according to Gods commandement the practice whereof is the stay of the State and the maintainer of peace in the Church and Common-weale FEARE GOD AND THE KING AND MEDDLE NOT WITH FACTIOVS MEN. So that this may be the Poesie of the Cognizance of your Honours most ancient and honourable Family FIDEET OBSEQVIO Of this fidelitie of these long profitable and acceptable services to our Kings continued in your Lordships familie from generation to generation and most effectually confirmed by your owne generous wise and good cariage in the Court and in the State the Kings Maiestie is a most glorious witnesse and a most magnificent rewarder For that affection which his Maiestie sheweth to your Honour those Dignities wherewith hee hath honoured you namely this last of LORD STEWARD of his royall House what are they but publike testimonies of the continuation of your good faithfull and well liked services to his Maiesties Royall person to our most excellent and hopefull Prince his Royall and onely Sonne and to the states of both kingdomes In the Court you are to his Maiestie that which IOSEPH was to PHARAO King of Egypt OBADIAH to ACHAB King of Israel MORDECAI to AHASVERVS King of Persia and ELIAKIM to whom God gave the key of the house of DAVID to the good King EZECHIAH and most like unto THEODORVS in the Court of VALENS Emperour of the Orient who being come of a most ancient and noble stocke and well brought up from the Cradle was not inferiour to any of the Imperiall Court in modestie wisedome erudition and good carriage ever seemed better than the charges and places whereunto he was advanced and was the onely man whose tongue was never licentiously unbridled never spake without consideration and foresight yea was never shut through feare of danger or hope of preferment and therefore was equally loved of great and small as your Lp. for the same vertues is much respected and loved of all states and degrees in both nations For by Gods speciall and rare blessing you carry your selfe in all your demeanour at Court and abroad so wisely that I may boldly affirme that to none if not to you doth belong that rare and wonderfull praise which Cicero giveth to BRVTVS and Marcellin to PRETEXTATVS saying that they did no thing to please yet whatsoever they did pleased and that other which all men gave to ANTHEMIVS Governour to the religious Emperour ARCADIVS HE SEEMED TO BE WISE AND SO HE WAS. The Royall Prophet David saith most truly in the twelfth Psalme that wicked men walke on every side when rascals are exalted among the sonnes of men Then DAVID fleeth and DOEG triumpheth But innocencie is protected oppression is repressed the states flourish
9. Eusebius who was an eye witnesse of these dolefull spectacles reporteth Then the persecution was so eager that in one moneth it consumed seventeene thousand Christians whereby yee may judge what havock and murther was made of them in tenne yeares together that it lasted being fostered by the divisions which were in the Church and secret treacheries of false brethren whereof Dioclesian the tyrant took occasion to undoe our Religion and had utterly overthrowne it if God had not opposed to his wicked sleights and raging furie the sword of Constantine the Great first redresser of the Church and defender of the true faith i Socrat. hist Eccles lib. 2. cap. 10.11.13 Iulian the Apostate depriving the Christians of all dignities promotions and honours forbidding by severe edicts their children to be taught in humane letters and received into the publike Schooles impoverishing them with great fines and exactions of money above their power did more harme to the Church in one yeare than Dioclesian did in tenne by his bloodie persecutions though his one yeares Empire was not innocent of Christian blood Who can expresse how manie Christians were put to death by the Emperours who were infected with the most abominable heresie of Arius I overpasse imprisonments relegations banishments which were called favours courtesies and workes of mercie by the tyrants for k Pro. 12.10 the tender mercies of the wicked are cruell I omit the drowning the hanging the mangling the rosting the broyling on Gridirons the scorching the burning with fire those who all the night were frozen with cold and a thousand moe cruell tortures whereby the Emperours and their people bent their minds to smother the Christian Religion as Herod sought to kill Christ in the cradle 16. In vaine goe we to seeke in antiquity examples of monstrous cruelties against the true Christians when the last age wherein our fathers and restorers of the true Christian Religion lived affordeth to us an huge number which cannot be numbred If yee have read the storie of the Albigenses ye shall finde there how some of them were not burnt but rosted faire and softly that they might feele their death some were burned quicke some tormented after a strange manner by beetles and such like wormes which laide upon their navills and covered with a dish gnawed their bellies and boaring them through even into their intralls caused to these poore creatures a languishing but a most sensible and dolorous death All the faithfull of Merindoll were murthered upon an arrest or decree of the Parliament of Aix in Province Fortie five of their wives which were great with child were shut up in a barne and burnt there thirty others were torne in pieces by the first Presidents commandement and the little children as they were thrust out of their wombes trampled and made to breathe in their first before they had leasure to breathe in their first ayre Florent Venot after that he was a great while racked in an engine sharpe-topped at the lower end which they called Chausse d' Hypocras was made an unchristian shew in the middest of a bone-fire to the Christian King at his first entrie into the Capitall towne of his realme Nicolaus Nail was first basted with hot scalding oyle and lead and afterwards burnt quicke The Tennis-Court-keeper of Avignon was kept in a cage hanging in the great street by night at the cold ayre by day at the burning heate of the sunne and so vexed a long time either singing Psalmes to God more harmoniously than the Nightingale or reprooving the superstitions and idolatries of the people which gazed upon him In the booke of Martyrs ye may read how Iohn Hooper Doctor in Divinitie was burnt at three times how Thomas Noris and a Priest with him was led bare-footed upon briars and thornes from the prison unto the place appointed for their execution that in them might be fulfilled the Prophesie of Hosea l Hos 2.6 Behold I will hedge up thy way with thornes how sundry were stiffe and frozen with extreame cold in the night and the next day after sent to the fire how the Arch-bishop of Canterbury did with-hold all kind of meat and drink from his prisoners while they starved and dyed of hunger If I should relate unto you the Tragicall Massacres of France in the yeare of Christ 1572. the slaughtering of an hundred thousand men and women like beasts the rocking of little babes a-sleepe with present death the stilling and pacifying of them with mercilesse destruction the incestuous defyling of chaste Virgins the despightfull using of grave Matrons the pittilesse regarding of old age the welcoming of infants as they came out of their murthered mothers wombs with sword and fire the pulling of others from the milke of their mothers breasts to sucke them with their owne blood If I should set out in true colours the principall townes of that great kingdome as they were then what should ye heare but blaspheming but roaring in the one part but weeping but lamenting but crying to heaven for mercy and helpe on the other What should'ye see but fire swords murder blood-shed dead carcases but roaring lyons but firie dragons but rayenous wolves but m 2. Kin. 8. v. 12. Hazael and his Courtiers killing slaying murthering young and old dashing little children ripping up women with child but great rivers stained and surrounded with innocent blood If I should but draw unto you the first lines of the calamities of the Palatinate and of the late desolation of the Churches of France if I should speake unto you of honest women first misused in that which is their most precious jewell and then murdered or blowne up in the ayre with gun-powder thrust and stopped in their wombes of young Virgins disguised in mens apparell with doublet breeches the Lackeys cap upon their close shaven heads the dagger upon their loynes and constrained to follow the armies neither daring neither knowing to whom to make their mone of sucklings pulled violently from their mothers breasts and murdered before the faces of their doubly-desolate parents of some of them throwne in the aire and received upon the points of pykes for a sport of others upon a wager who should cast them farthest off flung into the waters when the poore innocents were laughing upon their murderers and playing with their beards of many moe sold to these couseners which we are accustomed to call Egyptians at eighteene pence a peece of men and women inthralled to the Mahumetans for a little summe of money as it is written n Psal 44. v. 12. Thou sellest thy people for nought and doest not increase thy wealth by their price In a word if I should but report what things I have heard read or seene your minds would quake your hearts would start backe with sorrow neither should ye finde teares enow to bewaile nor I words sufficient to display and unfold unto you the crushing and bruising of Ioseph 17. Therefore let us lay
our enemies our evils b Psal 138.6 Though the LORD be high yet hath he respect unto the Lowly but the proud he knoweth afarre off Almighty without a peere in heaven among the Angels in earth among the most dreadfull creatures as the Church singeth c Psal 89. 6 8 9 11 13 For who in heaven can bee compared unto the LORD Who among the sonnes of the mighty can bee likened unto the LORD OLORD God of Hosts who is a strong LORD like unto thee or to thy faithfulnesse round about thee Thou rulest the raging of the sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them The heavens are thine the earth also is thine As for the world and the fulnesse thereof thou hast founded them Thou hast a mighty arme strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand When wee complaine and make our moane to God d Psal 93.3 4. The flouds have lifted up O LORD the flouds have lifted up their voice the flouds lift up their waves we are taught to comfort our selves and to say The LORD who is on high is mightier than many waters yea than the mighty waves of the sea All-righteous for e Psal 103.16 the LORD executeth righteousnesse and iudgement for all that are oppressed All-good and most willing to deliver us for he is the LORD our God f Psal 50.1.7 The mighty God even the LORD hath spoken saying I am God even thy God hee is appeased to wards us he is reconciled with us through the blood of the crosse of his deare Sonne Our cause is his cause We are persecuted for righteousnesse sake Righteousnesse is the daughter of God We are persecuted for the Gospel The Gospel is his word We are persecuted for Christs sake Christ is his Sonne his deare Soone his onely Sonne I say then that he is All-wise and can All-mighty and may All-good and will deliver us Whatsoever he is hee is it to us and for us because hee is the LORD our God Hee hath delivered all our fathers predecessors g Psal 22.4 Our fathers saith David trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them He will also deliver us And therefore every righteous man prayeth h Psal 106.4 Remember mee OLORD with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people O visit mee with thy salvation that I may see the good of thy chosen that I may reioice in the gladnesse of thy nation that I may glory with thine inheritance IIX Here is the comfort here is the consolation of the Church and of every righteous man in her that God heareth their prayers and delivereth them even then and namely then when they are forsaken of all men Iacob was alone when he fled from his fathers house because his brother Esau had vowed to kill him Then the Lord appeared unto him in a dreame and said unto him i Gen. 28.15 Behold I am with thee and will keepe thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee againe into the land for I will not leave thee untill I have done that which I have spoken to thee of David complaineth that k Psal 25.16 hee was desolate and afflicted yet hee seeketh comfort in the assurance of Gods assistance and saith l Psal 27.10 When my father and my mother forsake me then the LORD will take me up What extremitie was the Church brought into under the persecution of the cruell Tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes m Dan. 11 32 45. who corrupted by flatteries such as did wickedly against the covenant and afflicted those which were upright so cruelly and so puissantly that there was none to help them Then the Church prayed n Psal 74.1 O God why hast thou cast us off for ever why doth thine anger smoake against the sheepe of thy pasture Then Sion said againe o Esa 49. 14 15. The LORD bath forsaken me and my LORD hath forgotten me Then the Lord answered againe Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee For then was fulfilled that Prophecy of Daniel p Dan. 12.1 At that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the booke Who is this Michael who like unto God who but our Lord Iesus Christ the great Prince which standeth and fighteth for his people when they can neither stand nor fight for themselves Was it not hee which cryed from heaven to Saul q Act. 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me When an hoste came from the King of Syria and compassed the Citie of Dothan where Elisha was to take him his servant was affrighted and said r 2. Kin. 6.15 16. Alas my master how shall we doe But hee answered Feare not for they that be with us are moe than they that be with them After the same manner when the king Hezekiah was brought by Senacheribs army to such a pinch that he was constrained to inclose himselfe within the walls of Ierusalem for the safetie of his life all his kingdome being taken from him and having no power to resist fortified himselfe in the Lord his God and heartned his people saying f 2. Chron. 32.7 8. Be strong and courageous bee not afraid nor dismaid for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be moe with us then with him With him is the arme of flesh but with us is the LORD our God to helpe us and to fight our battells Yee see a good and godly king see also a good and godly people And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Iuda i.e. notwithstanding their weakenesse and fewnesse they leaned upon God and were delivered S. Raul with good reason did complaine of all his followers that at his first answer before Nero t 2. Tim. 4.16 No man stood with him but all men forsooke him Was he for that destitute and left alone Notwithstanding saith he the Lord stood with me and strengthened me And therefore when he saw all the powers of hell and all the malice of the earth uncoupled after poore Christians hee defied them saying v Rom. 8.30 If God be for us who can be against us Even as David said x Psal 27.1 3. The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The LORD is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid though an hoste should encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against me in this will I be confident and as Iesus Christ said to his Disciples y Ioh. 16.32 Ye shall leave
be ascribed but to the most wonderfull power of God I put in this ranke the confusion and disorder which God sendeth amongst his enemies when he will deliver his people The Midianites come to fight against Israel but h Ver. 22. the LORD set every mans sword against his fellow even throughout all the host When i 2. Chron. 20.2 22 23 25. the Moabites Ammonites and Idumeans with one consent sought to destroy Iehoshaphat and his people the Lord troubled them with the spirit of division after such a manner that the Moabites and Ammonites slew and destroyed the Idumeans and after that every one helped to destroy another so that Iehoshaphat and his people had no more to doe but to goe and take away the spoyle and give thankes unto the Lord. How often by such divisions God hath saved the reformed Churches in forrein nations and namely in France we all know IX When God delivereth against the nature of meanes he will teach us that he standeth not in any need of meanes when his pleasure is to deliver And therefore now and then he delivereth without meanes k Pro. 16.7 When a mans wayes please the LORD he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him He delivered l Gen. 33.4 Iacob from Esau changing his heart and appeasing his wrath which was suddenly turned into imbracements kissing and weeping He delivered David from Saul by many meanes but when the messengers which were sent by Saul to take him prophecyed and thought no more on him what helpe of man what visible meanes were there When he preferred Ioseph in the Court of Pharao Daniel and his fellowes in the Court of Nebuchadnezzar and of Darius Nehemiah and Mordecai in the Court of Artaxerxes by what means did he it The Psalmist saith that m Psal 106 46. he made them to bee pittyed of all those that carryed them captives Hee converted Saul and of a persecuter made him a Christian of a Captaine an Apostle of a Ring-leader of most cruell and bloody Wolves a most vigilant and faithfull shepheard of Christs flocke David speaking through his owne experience saith to the man which is persecuted wrongfully n Psal 37.5 6. Commit thy way unto the LORD trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe and he shall bring foorth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgements as the noone day Wee may wonder that he doth it but how he doth it who can tell How Saul knew Davids innocency we can tell o 1. Sam. 24.18 1. Sam. 26.21 because when he might he killed him not but it is wonderfull to consider by what unknowne wayes of Gods secret providence Saul fell twice into his hands Henry the third King of France spake of us at Tours as Saul spake of David and said that we were more righteous than hee because we had rewarded him good whereas he had rewarded us evill It was the wonderfull and immediate worke of GOD that hee could not bee saved but by them whose fathers hee had killed and was resolved to bee the protector of those whom he had persecuted if the Monks impoisoned knife had not cut too too soone for us the brittle thread of his mortall life God be praysed that amongst us there are no Clements no Barrauts no Chatels no Ravaillacs for p 2. Sam. 26.9 who can stretch forth his hand against the LORDS anointed and bee guiltlesse X. How often hath the Church beene afflicted stormed forsaken of all creatures destitute of all helpe of all counsell of all comfort and he he alone hath come on a sudden and both comforted and delivered her He prophecied by Daniel that under the persecution of Antiochus his people should be brought to such extremity that q Dan. 11.45 none should helpe them What then shall they perish for want of helpe It followeth in the next chapter r Dan. 12.1 And at that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall bee delivered every one that shall be written in the book Who is this Michael who but our Lord Iesus Christ called elsewhere Å¿ Iosh 5.14 15. the Prince of the host of the LORD If all the Angels of heaven if all the men of the world should stand still with their armes crossed if all the creatures should with hold their helpe from us our Michael saith unto us t Mat. 28.18 20. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth and loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Though he be v Phil. 2.9 10. highly exalted though he have a Name which is above every name though he x Psal 47.7 be king of all the earth and that at his Name every knee must bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth yet he is our high Priest and beareth us into the most high and inmost heavens yea weareth us as an ornament upon his shoulders and upon his breast and as the Apostle saith y Heb. 2.11 is not ashamed to call us his brethren When all things seeme to be desperate and past hope of recoverie when the faithfull are nothing but a skeliton but a carcasse a Ezech. 37.2 c. of dry bones as the people of Iuda was in the captivitie of Babylon if it please him to speak the word onely they shall come together againe bone to bone they shall live rise again and be a great Army Hee hath by his word done things greater and more wonderfull By his word he hath made heaven earth by his word he heaped plagues upon plagues while they had destroyed Pharao and his people they that are sicke cry unto him b Psal 107 7. he sendeth his word healeth them c Mat. 9.6 20 22. By his word onely he cured one sicke of the palsie and the woman diseased with an issue of blood By his word onely he quieted the winds calmed the roaring seas rendred sight and light to the blind raised the dead By his word onely he restored his people to the land of Canaan By his word he saveth the Church By his word by his onely power and good will without any visible and knowne meanes he hath given peace to the Churches of France for when we were betrayed and sold by sundry of our brethren forsaken of many pursued by a great armie he was for us and delivered us Then wee sung with thanksgiving the hundreth twenty and fourth Psalme XI There is yet another kind of deliverie which commeth immediately of God and is most wonderfull of all How he delivereth us by the ruine of our enemies how by death he giveeh us life wee shall heare in the next Sermon but that hee delivereth us when
persecutions Know they not that she is e Gen. 8.4 the Lords Arke which as the water increaseth mounteth up higher and higher and cannot be submerged Vndertake they to beate her with stormie winds and with the violent streames of afflictions Experience might have taught them long agoe that she is f Mat 7.24 25. the Lords house founded upon the rocke and that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against her Have they dismantled her populous townes and laid her open to the violence of all her enemies I g Zech. 2.5 saith the LORD will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her Is she h Rev. 11.11 Rev. 13.7 overcome by the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit and thrust downe into the grave of death and of eternall oblivion As the belly of the Whale was a safe habitation to i Ion. 1.17 Ionah so the graves shall been most sure lodging and bed of rest to them till he who k Ion. 2.10 spake unto the fish and it vomited out Ionas upon the dry land shall speake to the earth to the sea to the fire to all the creatures that have the least bone of his faithfull servants committed unto them and l Esa 43.6 say to the North Give up and to the South Keepe not backe bring my sonnes from farrre and my daughters from the ends of the earth Thou the Church shall rise againe to the great astonishment of those that persecuted her and shall remaine upon the earth till her time be come to bee received into the glory of her spouse where she is already in many thousands of her members which now m Rev. 7.9 stand before the thrane and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands This is her hope this is her trust which shall not bee disappointed and therefore when the sharpe rods of affliction whizze with multiplied blows upon her back eares she comforteth her selfe and saith n Mich. 7.7 8 9 10. I will looke unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will heare me Reioyce not against me O mine enemie when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall bee a light unto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute iudgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be troden downe as the mire of the streets XXIV 1. Vse Let us all dearely beloved rest in this hope and possesse our soules with patience whereof we have a o Tertul. de Patientia c. 15. Satis idoneus Patientiae sequester Deus Si iniuriā deposueris penes tum ultor est c. Gardian most excellent most trustie most sure even God himselfe If thou commit unto him thy iniury hee is a revenger If thy dammage he is a restorer If thy payne he is a Physician If thy death he is a raiser up from the dead what cannot patience doe which hath God for debtor It will hope against hope when it is brought to the red sea and seeerh nothing before behind on all sides but present death it will p Exod. 14.13 stand still and see the salvation of the Lord knowing that he with draweth his healing hand till the wound be desperate that it is his glory to deliver out of danger 2. Vse when it is come to the height and cannot bee shunned by the wit and strength of man that his power is more conspicuous where there is no wine he turnes water into wine and raiseth Lazarus when he is dead buryed and stinking He hath said of the afflicted man who calleth upon him q Psal 51.15 I will be with him in trouble let us thanke him for his promise and chuse r Bern. in Psal Qui habitat serm 17. Bonum est in cammo habere te mecum quà m esse sine te velin coelo rather to bee with him in the middest of Nebuchadnezzars burning furnace than in heaven without him saying as David said ſ Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none in earth that I desire besides thee And because he is faithfull in all his promises and t 2. Cor. 1.4 comforteth us in all our tribulations let us looke with the eye of a stedfast faith for the sweet fruit of this bitter seed v 2. Cor. 4.17 for the eternitie of blessednesse which is hid in the moment of our afflictions for the exceeding weight of glory which these light wounds of weake and mortall mens hands worke in us O let us this day x Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 5.2 groane within our selves most earnestly and cry to heaven for the comming of the great day wherein y Rev. 20.14 15. death and hell and whosoever shall not be found written in the booke of life shall be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death and we z 1. Thes 4.17 shall be caught up in the clouds to meete the Lord in the aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord by a most fruitfull and glorious exchange For whereas he is now with us in the fulnesse of grace to shew us the paths of life we shall be then with him in the fulnesse of glory and living with him for ever shall with one heart and mouth sing this song of David Full many be the miseries That righteous men doe suffer But out of all adversities The Lord doth them deliver O Lord this is the desire of our hearts this is our request unto thee Heare us and answer us through the precious and infinite merits of Iesus Christ thy Sonne to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all praise honour and glory both now and for evermore Amen FINIS ERRATA PAg. 66. l. 8. for sent r writ p. 71. l. 28. r. cleannes l. 34. As. l. 35. d. they p. 95. l. 34. Caves p 97. l. 3. d. of p 104. l. 16. d. the. p. 107. l. 5. r. seale l. 28. inwardly p. 124. l 7. with you p. 130. l. 6. circuits p. 198. l 18. d. not p. 204 l. 6. a little p. 125. l. 2 d. of