Gods protection cannot but haue both the higher and better hand of all enemies and changes mortall But this hath bene much spoken of alreadie Vse 2 A terrour to those who by great impatience in their afflictions will needs be their owne deliuerers or who in them flie not to God as to their sure place or house of rocke to dwell in him till they be deliuered saying The Lord euen the most high is my habitation but trust in worldly refuges as hath bene said for such haue no promise nor hope by it that God will deliuer them which may be spoken also of all proud persons whose egge being hatched in a Pharises nest vse to say in their distresse because I am worthy or haue shewed my selfe wise I shall be deliuered These men when their troubles and sorrowes come to a head intangle themselues the more by their striuings as birds in a snare and for the aduersitie they are in their euill conscience cannot be perswaded it is Gods louing visitation but the hand of some enemie vpon them which they shall neuer be able either to auoyde or endure A iust recompence to all those who promise to themselues a larger Patent in comforts then God will seale and shorter in troubles then he meaneth to giue vnto them And what maruell then if that yoke which is easie to all that make the Lord their habitation bee full of straightnesse to all that will bee an habitation to themselues and if it gall the very necke of their sonles But is the Lord the deliuerer of all that make him their habitation Vse 3 then such also as serue him may come into trouble and bee afflicted by the strokes of God and men as well as they that serue him not In Luke we reade of a daughter of Abraham that was bound by Satan eighteene yeares in the chaine of a very lamentable infirmitie Luke 13.10.11.12 Dauid Hezekiah and Iob were visited this way as appeareth by their stories And God beginneth his anger sometimes at his owne house and visiteth first there but there is great difference betweene the righteous and the wicked in these visitations whether we respect the cause effects or end of this hand of God vpon them For in loue he layeth his rod vpon the righteous which he doth not when he breaketh the wicked and sinners with his iron rod. Also the tribulations of the godly bring forth patience which patience begetteth experience and experience the hope that maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.3.4.5 but no such things are to be seene in the tiring Plagues of the vngodly and for the end of God in this matter there is great difference to be put betweene the visitation of Sion to humble his children and the destruction of Sodom to plague his enemies A father may correct his child and seruant with one rod and after one manner yet he loueth his child as his child and his seruant as is fit or he loues him as his child though he chasten him as his seruant So in a common visitation by Plague famine strange diseases and deaths the Lord may and doth strike with the same rod of common visitation both his children and enemies yet his children hee correcteth in great loue and for their great good but consumeth the sinners and where are they and he taketh away his children but not as he cutteth off the wicked in the continuance of his anger Ierem. 15.15 His children he whipeth sometimes with death because by some vnpurged euill they haue prouoked him the other he punisheth with euerlasting death that he may be auenged of his enemies eased of them that hate him It is our dutie therefore when God begins any publicke visitation to submit presently and presently by repentance to purge for the disease that causeth it that is for sinne that aboundeth For if we striue with God by our prayers and conuersion to him as Iacob we shall then preuaile as Iacob who therefore was called Israel Genes 32.28 Thus we haue heard the deliuerance of Gods children largely the same repeated followeth VER 10. There shall no euill befall thee neither any Plague come nigh thy dwelling THe promise made to the righteous of deliuerance in all their dangers and feares is here repeated For by euill the Prophet meaneth though more specially the euill of Pestilence yet generally any other euill of smart caused by the euill of some And saith he this shall not befall either the person or habitation of the righteous His meaning is which must be vnderstood that God will so direct their heart and guide their way that they shall not stubbornly or maliciously prouoke him to plague them as do the vngodly Now where there is no euill of sinne so committed how can any euill of punishment come or come to hurt them that so vnwillingly offend punishments being ordained for wilfull sinners and euils for them that euill do This I conceaue to be the Prophets meaning in these words wherein a gracious promise is renewed first to the godly mans person and then to his house or Tabernacle To his person God promiseth by his Prophet that no euill shall befall it that is as hath beene said he shall so order his heart and direct his wayes by the grace that is giuen him and so auoyd the cause of euill with the occasion that he shall not runne vpon the sharpe of those plagues that so commonly runne the vngodly through to destruction but he must then auoide the occasion and take away the cause From whence we learne That to auoyd plagues the way is to auoyd those offences Doct. with the occasions that bring them And therefore Salomon telling the foolish and scornefull why they lay vnder so many plagues and Gods storme was so vpon them giueth this reason they turned not at his reproofe Prou 1.23 that is they were plagued because they sinned or euill befell them because euill was in them If ye consent and obey saith the Lord by Esay to his people ye shall eate the good things of the land Esay 1.19 that is in your obedience good shall come and not euill or locke for good and not euill for there shall be none where ye giue occasion of none And the Prophet Zephanie exhorting the people to repentance biddeth them to search themselues before God make inquisition Zephanie 2.1 or to driue away the chaffe of occasion before his wind or fanne come which will purge them with iudgment because they haue not purged by repentance For this saith the Prophet ye must do before the decree as a woman with child Zeph. 2.2 or woman ready to trauell bring forth and what will it bring forth but a day of anger and great destruction from God which is the seale of his writing Therefore before this writing be sealed and the decree bring forth do ye driue out the cause of the Lords wrath saith he that his wrath do not driue you to destruction when it commeth as a tempest
against sinners The reasons God is a righteous Iudge who will send no Plague where is no Reason 1 cause of Plague nor visite with euill but where are euill doers And if a wise father will not punish where is no fault God onely wise will much lesse Secondly as afflictions come not by chance see Iob 5.6 So Reason 2 when man suffereth he suffereth for his sin Lam. 3.30 No suffering but for sinne that is for sinne vnpurged and vnrepented of and therefore no sinne no suffering A terrour to these dayes and manners in which we liue For Vse 1 what can this land standing not as it doth in tearmes of sinne with God looke for but the Lords comming in anger and with great Plagues against it And if the euill of sinne brought the last great Plague how can we but looke for a greater in the same kind whose sinnes are more and greater now then euer Or is it the best and onely way for the auoyding of Pestilence sicknesse famine warre and death with other notable iudgements and strange Plagues to auoide the cause with the occasions for which they are sent then what hope can we haue to be long free from all these whose hearts are so carnall and wayes without repentance by all kinds of sinne old and new we haue runne our selues into great debt to God and his iustice and what can wee looke for but that he should speedily and fearefully require it in our destruction one way or another the sinnes of all ages are deriued to vs and our land is the sinke of them all at this day For what contempt is there euery where of God his holy word in his seruice what disorder and negligence his blessed name how fearefully and commonly is it blasphemed in all tongues and mouthes how are his Sabbaths violated and how is Gods day made the diuels day by an vniuersall prophanenesse how is the land filled with outrages and strange slaughters what shedding of bloud openly by frayes and quarrels closely by extortion and cunningly by poysons Incest adulterie fornication with their In-mates go through the land and when was there greater or like excesse in apparell and building as now How much of the patrimonie of the land goeth away in smoke and fumes and how much do these smoke-mongers consume daily in that which doth them no good but great hurt theses are common so are robberies oppression and the spoyle of the poore lying is become a science and art of great gaine and for false witnesse in iudgement strengthened with periurie and bold swearing what is it but an office of friendship and filthie hire These and the like sins are the sinnes of our age and nation we keepe them in our bosome and hide them vnder our tongue and how can we thinke to be spared in such consciences and delight of sinning how can it be but that as one cloud followeth another till the Sunne consume them so iudgement should be after iudgement till we be consumed either by the comming of the last day of by an end of Englands best dayes except repentance that Sunne of our skie that expelleth where it hath a strong and right worke all mists nay clouds of sinne turne all into a cleare heauen vnto vs by other manners and a better conuersation in Christ there is small hope to auoyde a disease and not to forbeare the things that bring it and who can hope to be in fauour that careth not to please So how can we thinke to auoyde any Plague fostering the plague of sinne or hope turning against God which wee do by impenitencie to haue credit with him Therefore as I said in these manners and in this state of sinne we prepare our selues and are readie for any destruction that God shall send not to auoide it not auoyding the cause but to perish in it whether Pestilence sword famine or other death But must wee if wee will preuent the Plagues that are sent Vse 2 auoyde the cause for which they come the cause is sinne or the euill custome of sinne much desired and followed by vngodly persons then we must abhorre and forgo by speedie repentance all such death-threatning customes and courses of life that make carelesse sinners naked that is open to all the strokes of God Exod. 32.25 we must strangle our sinnes if we would not bee strangled in them by Gods iudgements hauing stained our vessels we must cleanse them by repentance and fauour nothing that may bring vs out of fauour with God And specially let vs thinke of this when any iudgement begins For if we put iniquitie out of our hand and let no wickednesse dwell in our tabernacle we shall lift vp our faces without spot to wit of shame we shall be stedfast and shall not feare Iob 11.14.15 and 22.23 The wicked thinke of nothing this way either when a Plague is begunne or hath long wrought but as a man ouercome with his wine careth not in what dangers he lieth downe Prou. 23.34 nor where he makes his pillow so they are indifferent so strongly doth the wine of sinne worke in their heads and whole man whether they be in a storme or calme whether God be with them or against them whether it be peace or destruction that comes from the Almightie But such in stead of preparing for God prepare for the curse of God to which they make haste and in stead of reuersing euils bring them Here we further see that sin is the onely cause as of the Plague Vse 3 so of all Plagues and miseries that lie vpon our bodies soules or consciences sin is the only thing that God burneth vp in the wicked and purgeth in his children by his corrections for take away sinne and ye take away the cause of all punishments which is onely sinne God drowned the old world in a sea of waters but first they were drowned in a sea of sinne Gen. 7.11.12.21 and Sodome burning in lust was burnt with fire Gen. 19.24 25. There is a Cup in Gods hand mixed with red wine and they drinke of it who haue made vp their measure with their scarlet or red sins yea the dregges of it are powred out but alwaies vpon those that are frozen in their dregges Psal 75.8 Zeph. 1.12 If God send a wasting Pestilence vpon a Land it is because that Land hath sinned against him and sin is though not the naturall yet the prouoking cause thereof so the Scriptures teach Exod. 5.3 Ier. 29.18 1. Chron. 21.1.14 Psal 106.28 Deut. 28.28 Ezech. 16.46.47 1. Cor. 11.30 Leuit. 26.14.15 If therefore we serue God coldly or not at all if wee bee rebellious to him and his Ministers if we trust to creatures in the streights of troubles if we serue God superstitiously after our owne waies not after his word if young and old in our streetes horribly sweare and blaspheme if our fulnesse of bread cause pride and contempt if we eate in the leauen of bitternesse and drinke
way Ioh. 10.1 Vse 1 A reproofe of all in the calling of the Ministerie that cannot shew their letters nor the seale of their calling with Gods hand thereat and who neither can draw their Pedigree from Aaron nor fet their license from Christ The like may be sayd of all corrupt intruders in the Common-wealth who take their places as a farme for monie and where God hath shut the dore open it with a siluer Key Paul could call himselfe an Apostle of Christ 1. Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1.1 But whose Apostles are these Moses and Gedeon were sent of God but who sends these Vse 2 A comfort to all that are lawfully called of God in the Church or Common-wealth For what discouragements soeuer they meet with by doing their duties therein the wrongs are not theirs but their Masters and he whom they serue will beare them out in any thing they shall doe after his mind in their lawfull vocation But for those that are not so called of him the troubles they beare in such a calling are properly their owne and not his If therefore an vnfit Minister goe to the wall the calling is not abused but one that hath vsurped the calling suffereth for his presumption Thus wee haue seene that what the Angels do in the safetie of the righteous they do it by a charge from God their manner of doing it followeth To keepe thee in all thy waies they shall beare thee vp c. THe manner of preseruing the Righteous must be by a kind of watch or keeping and by a nursing of them vp with the hand or a bearing of them in their hands In the first it is shewed vpon what condition they shall bee so watched and kept namely so long as they keepe themselues within the bounds of their calling and depart not from the wayes that God hath set them to walke in And in the second it is said but in a figuratiue speech that they shall beare them in their hands or hold them fast as Nurses doe their little ones For the Angels are not bodies neither haue hands And the Prophets meaning is that the Angels of God as Nurses hold the Faithfull in their hands as children and saue them as little ones from falling The kind of speech is taken from nursing Mothers or Nurses who hold their young children so fast in their hands or safe in their armes that they cannot fall It may also be taken from persons who haue things of worth in their hands and therefore will not neglect them but carefully look vnto them The summe of all is The Faithfull are by Gods appointment kept as with a watch in their waies and guarded with troops of Angels that haue not onely a generall care but a particular for them The Doctrine from hence is the godly cannot but be surely Doct. 1 watched and strongly kept hauing the Angels about them for their safety for these watchmen sleepe not and this guarde about the righteous is spirit and not flesh The guarde of Kings is a strong wall But what are men what are Kings or a guarde of kings to the Angels that keep the righteous and thē how strong is their wall Iacob a feeble person with a weake familie Gen. 32.11.31 was safe enough against warlike Esau his cruell brother comming against him with 400. men ver 6. say his comming had been with foure hundred thousand the reason was he had many Angels to keeps him ver 1. and one had bene enough to haue kept him and a whole countrie with him against foure hundred Princes with their Companies greater then Esau So when the King of Syria had sent a very great Hoste to haue compassed and taken a weak Citie where Gods Prophet Elisha was it would not be the Prophet telleth the cause why There are sayth he moe with vs then be with them 2. King 6.16 He spake of Angels who were and appeared stronger to saue the Citie then all that came against it The Mountaine was full of them ver 17. In the 34. Psal ver 7. Dauid assureth vs that these heauenly powers encampe round about all that feare God to deliuer them and that they keepe them that is safely keepe them and euerie bone in them ver 20. The men of Sodome came in no small companie to the house of Lot young and old compassed it and all people from all quarters made head against it But what could they doe vnto it or to him so long as his Keepers the Angells were in it and about him Gen. 29.4.9 10. They shut the dore and after Lot might goe in and out at his pleasure verse 14. This was Gods hedge and wall about Iob and all that he had Iob 1.10 and none could breake ouer it or breake it downe to touch him till God gaue leaue verse 11.12 While there was a fourth with the three seruants of God in the fornace that was made so exceeding hote the cruell fire could haue no power ouer their bodies no nor ouer an haire of their head to burne it or ouer their coates to change them and which was wonderfull the burning fire could not so much as leaue any smell of fire vpon them Dan. 3.25.27 This made Christ to admonish the wicked to take heed how they despised or sought to hurt the weakest seruant or child his Father had For though he be weake in himselfe he is not so in his keepers the Angels who alwayes behold his Fathers face in heauen Math. 18.10 that is stand readie looking when he will send them to strike with death the proudest aduersarie that that poore man hath And Christ is said to be that ladder of Iacob vpon which the Angels descend and ascend in the protection of his Church Ioh. 1.51 Genes 28.12 because for his sake they minister to the heires of glorie and by him the ladder descend to vs in our continuall saftie which is as sure as his owne seate in heauen and standeth like mount Sion against all stormes and windes of men The reasons Reason 1 One Angell armed with the power and glorie of God is stronger then a whole countrey Earthly Princes are subiect to many changes and great vnsuretie of life estate The reasons is their enemies may kill their watch and corrupt their guard But what men or kingdomes can touch the Churches watch what angels of gold are able to corrupt the Angels of God and then how can that perish that is committed to keepers so mightie and faithfull Reason 2 Secondly the charge of vs is giuen to these ministring spirits by parcels not in grosse and peece-meale not in a lumpe our members in a booke our haires by tale and number For it is vpon record and as it were deliuered to them in writing in one Psalme They keepe all our bones Psal 34.20 in this they keepe our very foote putting it in securitie ver 12. and else where our whole man and euery member And can a charge so precisely and so particularly
sinne as many let bloud to preuent sicknesse before they be sicke so wee are chastened of the Lord that wee may not be condemned of the world 1. Cor. 11.32 Many are hurt by fulnesse and God keepeth such lowe and needic Riches make many proud and therefore God denieth riches to all of his whom hee knoweth to bee subiect to this swelling Many that haue children cocker them vp to damnation making them Gods and God an Idoll that his children may not do so God oftentimes giueth them none or taketh those they haue and they that are blowne vp with vaine praises many times meete with a storme of slander vpon their names to humble them Sometimes God trieth vs by afflictions how much wee will suffer for him and how patiently when he dealeth in such rough manner with vs oftentimes hee setteth vs vp as his marke to shoote at that the arrowes of his quiuer may pierce into vs to proue what is in vs and as Peter was bound in prison with two chaines and shut vp as fast with a strong watch and iron gate as malice could deuise for the safe keeping of him till he should be brought out to the people the next day Acts 12 5. which was not in any displeasure to Peter on Gods part but to make his deliuerance more glorious verse 18 19. so the Lord may and doth sometimes shut vp by Pestilence and a persecuted life as with chaines in prison his dearest Peters and with troubles keepe them in as with an iron gate not because he loues them not but that he may shew his greater power either by deliuering them into the libertie of this life or of the Saints in the life to come Besides S. Peter speaketh of a fierie tryall or iudgement that beginneth at Gods owne house not to consume it like drosse but to purge it like gold not to destroy it but to build it with more glory and excellency 1. Pet. 4.12 17. Vse 2 A doctrine of patience in all crosses euen in the greatest that can come For what hurt is it to beare that that cannot hurt vs when it is at the worst Besides in bearing of troubles what doe we suffer but what God may iustly lay vpon and to be able to beare them or to beare them without hurt is it not the gift of God and one of our receipts from his bounty and goodnesse And if we haue receiued grace to beare and promise to ouercome in the hardest things we suffer why should wee despaire in any aduersitie or become clamorous in any If God smite vs with Pestilence why should wee not beare that is patiently beare the correction that cannot hurt vs or why should we like madde Dogges as some doe being our selues infected goe about desiring to bite others with an infected tooth some say this commeth from the disease but I say it commeth from a desperate vnquietnesse in men of crueltie or if the disease cause any such distemper it will bee corrected much by patience in Gods children Say the Pestilence could hurt the righteous is that sufficient warrant for them to hurt others by the same If God lay it vpon them iustly may they vniustly lay it vpon others And as in the stroke of Pestilence so in the stroke of the heart by anguish of spirit why should Gods mourners be impatiently cast downe when in their sharpest fits and hottest fornace they shall dash against nothing that can hurt them if a fourth be with them in all that fire whose forme is like the Sonne of God as there is alwayes such a Deliuerer with them in such fires Dan. 3.25 What doe they feare or are they impatient to sowe the seed of teares that they may bring their sheaues with them they mourne that they may be comforted Math. 5.4 Doth this trouble them their afflictions are the medicines that heale their sinnes Would they not haue their sinnes cured tribulation bringeth forth patience Rom. 5.3 This is the mothers owne child in Gods children and wil they by their frettings and impatiencie beget other effects as it were some monster vpon her Afflictions cause sorrow for sinne sorrow for sinne causeth repentance and repentance bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Rom. 6.22 Doth this gradation displease them and if this doe not what can for this is the worst that God intendeth to vs by our crosses And if wee beare the worst that is this what great thing doe wee the like may bee said of all other the like afflictions vnder beauen for to the righteous they are but fire to their gold to purge it and honour to their persons to set them in a higher roome Luke 14.10 and can it be any burthen to their patience to shine in their faith as in fine gold and being on the low ground to be bid to sit vp higher Whatsoeuer can come God will prouide for his little Church though the earth be moued and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea Psal 46.2.3 if her nursing fathers forsake her and her Nurses leaue her they shall perish but deliuerance shall come to her from some other place Hest 4.14 the day will come wherein with ioy she shall draw water out of the Wels of saluation Esai 12.3 and God will take the bridle of bondage from all her persecutors Is there not matter of patience yea of great thankfulnesse in all this So much for the first speciall proposition of Gods deliuerance by the Angels the second followeth VER 13. Thou shalt tread vpon the Lyon and the Aspe c. DAuid in this second speciall proposition of Gods deliuerance by the Angels speaketh of a further benefit by them to the righteous then he had spoken of before he said that they keepe them from harmes Heere he faith that they doe not onely keepe them from harmes but make them able to soyle all those that would harme them be it the Lion of the wildernesse or the roaring Lion of hell be it Man or Beast And this hee speaketh by his owne experience who by diuine assistance slew first a Lion and then a Beare 1. Sam. 17.36 neither preuailed onely against these but subdued in battell all his strong enemies and vanquished all powers against him on earth and in hell Hauing this experience himselfe he assureth all that walke in the way of the good Angels by a good and wel-ordered life that they shall walke in no dangerous wayes but euery step in the protection of God and so as no creature though otherwise cruell and venemous shall bee so to them but gentle and without offence Or if they will needs thrust forth their venome and in their fierce kinde set vpon them they shall be subdued to them by the Angels that keepe them And this speaking of the Lion the Adder the yong Lion and the Dragon hee setteth downe in a phrase of superiotitie saying They shall tread vpon them or insult ouer them as conquerors Some Writers restraine these
set the Lord alway before him Psal 16.8 that is committed his wayes in all matters to him or made him Arbiter of his pathes and his reason was he was at his right hand or his readie hand who alway hedged him in with his power against present euils and dangers to come When they that were humbled for their rebellion against the words of the Lord cryed with faith to him in their affliction they were instantly deliuered from their distresse Psal 107.12 13. God was within call and so neare that if they had in that case but sighed to him which is a lesser matter then to cry hee could not but haue heard of whom the Prophet saith My sighing is not hid from thee Psal 38.9 And when the three seruants of God were in the fierie furnace God was with them in it to preserue them Dan. 3.25 and in the Kings heart to bring them foorth for the King spake and said Shadrach Meshak and Abednego the seruants of the high God goe foorth and come hither Verse 26. Thus God as a partner in sort communicateth with the righteous in their troubles being at hand to saue them from all aduersitie The Reasons Where God is said to be with them in trouble Reason it is spoken of God in Christ who by that spirituall vnion that is betweene him the Head and them his Bodie is said to be afflicted when they are in affliction Zach. 2.8 Acts 9.4.5 Zach. 12.10 Secondly when such are in trouble he remembreth that they Reason 2 are his children whom he cannot forsake and his weake children whom if he forsake he should leaue to perdition in their slipperie wayes And if the childes trouble be his fathers crosse how can we be in trouble and God our Father not troubled Psal 27.10 Esa 49.15 Thirdly the contrary would too much discomfort his people Reason 3 and comfort his peoples enemies but God will not doe so who will not break the bruised reed Esa 42.33 That is further grieue those that are much afflicted already A reproofe of the fearefull in religion who dare not be seene Vse 1 in a good cause though their conscience subscribe vnto it lest they should purchase trouble and get enemies for their forwardnesse that way Therefore that will not goe downe with them that will not go downe the narrow throat of the state and times in which they liue Acts 18.17 But what if thou be troubled for thy well guided conscience in good matters hath not God promised his presence in such troubles or will hee promise to be in place and faile thee and if hee come to thy helpe is not his goodnesse infinitely greater then mans malice and his arme stronger to saue then mans to destroy Many whom I cannot call ill men are vnreasonably afraid when God sendeth the Plague of Pestilence or a plague of raine and waters but who hath power in these Plagues and who hath promised to the righteous his comfortable presence in them Therefore put trust in God walke with him in thy good life and shrinke not from his Commandements and if Pestilence come feare it not for if â—â—ou miscarrie in it God will miscarrie with thee and if a Famine pinch the land care not for it for thou shalt bee fed or God will want power to feed thee Psal 37.3 Vse 2 A comfort to the righteous seeing that they are not singled out or exposed in troubles but haue God in company in all that they suffer suffering for his sake or by his will Such haue no cause to feare but rather they who in wronging them prouoke that God to his face who will put vp no contempt at any mans hands loseth the collar of Kings Iob 12.18 He hath builded his house strong as vpon seuen Pillars Prou. 9.1 that is the godly whom the wicked would pull downe are surely and strongly founded in his prouidence and so safely kept in his hand that none can pluck them from thence Iob 10.29 And as the righteous shall most certainly be deliuered so all that vexe them shall perish for looke what safety is to this house and them that be in it the like perill is to this hous's enemies and all that come against it God being as a wall of defence about his people so a wall of fire against all that molest them Zach. 2.5 When the Disciples were in the ship there was a great tempest in the Sea but Christ being with them in the tempest and ship immediately there followed a great calme Math. 8.26 So whatsoeuer tempests or seas of trouble come as long as Christ is with vs in them wee need not despaire of any calme of deliuerance be it from Famine Pestilence the sword of the enemy or any other noisome Plague I say so long as Christ is with vs and we deuoutly with him in the ship of our Church-assemblies calling vpon him and doing reuerence to his name But let vs be sure as he is with vs in trouble so to be with him by faith and holinesse in all our troubles he to deliuer vs we to serue him This sheweth that the best shall haue troubles yea great troubles Vse 3 for here a promise is made to the righteous of deliuerance in troubles not of freedome from them Many and great many times are the troubles of the righteous saith Dauid Psal 34.19 And how can they but feele trouble that haue many troubles Now what Dauid said that same said Dauids Lord for Christ speaking to and of his said in the world yee shall haue afflictions Ioh. 16.33 as if he had said this world is a sea and they whom my Father hath giuen me out of the world Ioh. 17.6 are as so many sloting Barkes or Boats tossed vpon huge waues of trouble hauing windes and sea against them till they put into harbour or there is no end of troubles till ye enter into the rest of God Also this that Christ said saith the faithfull witnesse of Christ Saint Paul All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 he saith all excepting none And if we shall but point to the opening of the fist seale and in the vnsealing of that mystesterie take a short view of the infinite number of the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and which therefore lye behinde the Altar crying night and day to God with the voice of the blood of Abel that hee would require all that blood at their hands that shed it Apoc. 6.9 10. how can wee be ignorant that it hath alwayes been the portion and lot of those that truely loued God through much tribulation to enter into his Kingdome Act. 14.22 If therefore being professors of the truth we haue not suffered some troubles and rubs for the same it is not sealed vnto vs that we are right professors and our profession is but as a Deed vnsubscribed For true godlinesse draweth troubles to it as the loadstone doth iron and