guiltie soules though they haue beene full of boasting in the daies of their iolitie and haue vaunted what a notable faith they haue yet as Zephanie saith in that day the strong man shall cry bitterly Zeph. 1.14 Howsoeuer they imagine to put off these things yet let them know that their strength wil be found too weake and their skill too small to ward off the Lords blowes The thiefe that hath courage enough to rob and steale vpon the high-waies side yet hath hee little enough when his poore executioner is to deale with him euen so shall it bee with all wicked and proud men when the time of their execution doth approach their hearts shall faile them for the things that shall come vpon them and continue vpon them for euermore Vse 2 2 Secondly this doctrine offereth vnto the godly matter of great consolation albeit their case many times seeme vncomfortable yet they must not iudge according to that which they see for God many times laies such afflictions vpon them that their case is thought both by themselues and others to be desperate and vnrecouerable and yet indeede it is happie and blessed As it fared with Paul who had the sentence of death past vpon him 2. Cor. 4.11 and died dailie almost so that when hee went out in the morning hee was in danger to be slaine ere he returned home againe and yet God did vphold him and made him hereby more confidently and comfortably to rest and relie vpon him So the good Prophets wife thought all help was gone 2. Kings 4.1 c. her husband was gone her goods gone her labor gone her children like to be gone and she had no meanes in the world to relieue her selfe yet euen then when she was almost past hope God prouided a competent estate for her So Hezekiah concludes that hee was gone he should neuer goe to the temple any more Jsa 38.10 neuer see man more among the inhabitants of the world his webbe was cut off c. with many speeches to this effect and yet wee reade how God restored him againe and prolonged his life for many yeares Say then that one haue great discomforts in his soule great breaches in his estate grieuous and dangerous sicknesse vpon his body c. yet here is his comfort that God that raised vp others can and will in due time raise vp him Obiect Oh but my faith faileth me and is it not said according to your faith it shal be vnto you Answer True if you haue no faith you can looke for no mercie but if you haue any faith at all it shal be with you according therevnto but how farre beyond it God tels you not for hee doth for vs many times aboue that that wee can aske or thinke But you imagine you haue no more faith than you haue feeling whereas it is farre otherwise there may be much faith and little feeling faith may be strong and yet strongly assaulted comfort may be departed and yet not vtterlie lost wee may feare wee are cut off and yet not perish for Gods strength and perfection is seene in our weakenesse and imperfection though wee cannot beleeue yet God is still faithfull though children will not credit their parents yet they will relieue their necessities and so will God ours albeit through weakenes of faith wee cannot so fullie apprehend and apply his promises to our selues He sees it is not maliciousnesse nor grosse infidelitie in vs and therefore he will pitie vs and beare with vs rather than in seueritie proceede against vs. FINIS THE SECOND SERMON Lamentations chap. 3. vers 55. c. 55 I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon 56 Thou hast heard my voice stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my crie 57 Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee thou saidst Feare not 58 O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and hast redeemed my life 59 O Lord thou hast seene my wrong iudge thou my cause 60 Thou hast seene all their vengeance and all their deuises against me 61 Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me YOu heard in the words immediatly going before The connexion the wofull distresse that the children of God were driuen vnto how they were cast into the dungeon and stript of all outward and inward comforts Now here he shewes what remedie they vsed they cast their burden vpon the Lord and hoped for succour at his hands and the reasons that mooue them so to doe are set downe in the text to be two First The diuision and meaning of the words one is taken from their present behauiour towards God which was that they prayed and sighed and cryed vers 55.56 And that they might bee so much the more regarded they declare that it was not without cause that they were so earnest with God for they called vpon him out of the low dungeon vers 55. that is out of great and grieuous affliction And yet further mischiefe was intended and their aduersaries did speake and plot all crueltie against them vers 60. Thou hast seene all their vengeance and all their deuices against me 61. Thou hast heard their reproch c. And that this might appeare not to be a false imagination and conceite of their owne he saith Lord thou hast seene my wrong c. Thou hast seene all their rage 59. 60. They are all euident and apparant before thee how closely and couertly soeuer matters be caried in respect of men 2 The second reason is drawne from Gods former goodnes and gratious dealing towards them Hee had heard them and drawne neere vnto them he had considered of them and of their cause and they knew hee was still as good as he was wont to be and they vsed as good meanes as they were wont to doe and therefore they conclude that he that drew neere vnto them heretofore would now doe the like againe vers 57.58 These considerations doe reuiue their spirits and raise their hearts euen out of the pit of desperation And thus much for the meaning and order of the words Now let vs harken vnto such doctrines and instructions as are therein contained for our learning Vers 55. I called vpon thy name This is the speech of the whole Church who by reason that they are members of one bodie and temples of one spirit are brought in speaking throughout this whole booke as if they were but one person By low dungeon is meant desperate euils they were as it were shut vp in a dungeon where they had no hope of escaping yet out of the depth of miserie and anguish and horror they called vpon the Lord. Whence naturallie ariseth this doctrine Doct. 1. The faithfull can neuer be driUen from prayer That there is no distresse no breaking and crushing whatsoeuer that shall hinder Gods people from praying vnto him It may for a passion and a
these thoughts runne in his head while men sitte at his table This cost I might haue spared this would haue serued my familie all the weeke I had rather haue their roome than their companie that thus trouble and charge me And so his heart is euer full of discontentednesse Thus it is apparant that many haue their hearts sinfullie affected by meanes of their eye as Gods children haue them holily affected Vers 52. Mine enemie chased me sore By these similitudes here vsed it appeares how fierce they were and yet all was without cause as the text witnesseth Indeede God saw in them matter that deserued correction and affliction but their aduersaries had no occasion offered why they should behaue themselues so cruellie towards them Doct. 5. The innocēt molested Frō which this doctrine maybe collected That the more harmelesse men be Psal 35.12.13 c. the more they shal be molested This wee see in Dauid hee prayed and fasted and mourned for his enemies and yet they sought his woe and ruine Therefore hee saith in one Psalme the foundations must bee cast downe Psal 11.3 and what hath the righteous done there was great preparation and there must bee sore and mortall warres they would sweepe all away and not leaue a good man in the land but what hath the righteous done There must bee a great execution but where is the conuiction that is iust nothing Luk. 23.2 So they cryed against Christ Away with him away with him crucifie him crucifie him c. But what euill hath he done saies Pilate Oh Pilate must know that men so iust as they were would neuer haue deliuered him into his hāds except hee had beene a notorious offender whereas indeede hee was a lambe without spot and none iniquitie was found with him Agreeable to this is the saying of Dauid the wicked gnasheth his teeth against the righteous Psal 37.12 The more innocent and iust any one is the more hee shal be maligned and pursued And this stands with reason Reason 1 1 Because wicked men haue a quarrell against Gods image in the innocent as Satan their captaine hath and therefore will they be bitter against them This may be seene in Ieremie Jer. 15.10 hee had done them no wrong but brought vnto them the ministerie of saluation and yet euery one curseth him and cryeth out against him and why because God at that time shewed himselfe more cleerely in Ieremie that in any other Act. 7. Act. 22.22 The like violence they shewed against Steuen and Paul casting dust into the ayre and crying out vpon them that one would thinke them brutish creatures And why were they so full of rage against them but because they were full of grace and dealt faithfully in the worke that they were set about because they did helpe to raise vp the kingdome of Iesus Christ and to race the kingdome of Satan more than others But for Iesus Christ who was the ingrauen image of his father they had a greater quarrell against him than euer they had against any Young Bulls of Basan Psal 22. such as were full of might and malice Dogs and Lions such as were full of rage and furie did all beset and compasse him about their madnes was neuer so great against any as against him because none was euer so good as hee 2 An other reason may be because there is a contrarietie betwixt the good and euill though they be of the same countrey of the same towne of the same familie yea of the same parents yet are they not of the same world For so saith our Sauiour Christ to his disciples Iohn 15.19 yee are not of this world c. Esau and Iacob had the same parents and were both together in the same wombe and yet they contend one with another Rebecah their mother would faine know the cause of it the Lord tells her the cause Gē 26.22.23 Two nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shal bee diuided out of thy bowels c The one the seede of the serpent the other the seede of the woman There is not so great enmitie betweene a man and an adder as there is betweene the righteous and the wicked and therefore no faulkener nor hunter no hawke nor hound are more desirous and greedie of the pray and game than the outragious enemies of the church are of the destruction of Gods seruants because they are possessed with the spirit of Satan and violently ouercaried with hellish fiercenesse 3 Thirdly the carriage of Gods children doth disgrace them and therefore they maligned them because they ran not to the same excesse of ryot with them 2. Pet. 4 4. therefore speake they euill of them For impious persons reason thus They goe to Gods house I goe to the Ale-house They carrie themselues soberly I carry my selfe intemperately They are esteemed I am contemned I know they like not of mee as I doe not of them and therefore what mischiefe I can doe them they shal be sure of it Vse 1 This point ministreth vnto vs matter of instruction that whosoeuer would walke in a godly course should looke for troubles and that sundry waies yea and to haue his very life strucke at by such as are enemies to the Gospell of Christ or if they cannot take away that let him be sure his name shall pay for it and be iniuriously and shamefullie traduced Whosoeuer resolues to liue godly in Christ Iesus must looke for persecution It is impossible that there should be so many fowlers and hunters and not labor to catch somewhat Indeede they wil bee fauourable enough to grosse adulterers theeues and other malefactors and if any be more forward to punish and redresse such Oh it is great crueltie they deale hardly and seuerely they would bee very loath that breed should be taken away But if they be religious persons that are to bee punished no torture is too great no death too grieuous for them therefore let those that are christians looke to it they shall haue great men against them Psal 69.12 as Dauid had princes They shall haue meane men against them as he had drunkards on the ale-house bench to make songs of him There they will vtter their merchandise false tales and vile reports Those that are further off wil bee against them those that are neighbours nay some that are of their owne familie wil bee against them no bands of ciuilitie no bands of kindnes no bands of nature will hold where the bands of Christianitie are wanting Obiection But if the case be so will some say were it not better to let religion alone that one may keepe himselfe quiet with out such disturbance Answere Nay that will not bee a sufficient reason nor a warrantable excuse neither neede any bee so farre discouraged For as Christ saith in the world yee shall haue trouble Joh. 16.33 So he promiseth that in him wee shall haue peace
from the stroakes of God as the pestilence or the like yea from the furie of Satan and from the assaults of sinne All other towers are but poore weake cotages Let men dwell where they will whither can they goe but death wil finde them out They may flie from the Plague but God will pursue them for he is not an archer that hath but one arrow or such arrowes onelie as will reach those that are neere but though they should runne to the end of the world hee is able to shoote at them and the arrowes of his vengeance will finde them out No strength can defend them when he comes against them with his strength nay all the power of men is but a broken reede and all meanes of no force in themselues If wee onelie vse them in obedience they will bee as a staffe to leane vpon if wee rest on them they will be as a broken staffe that will deceiue vs and giue vs a fall Vers 56. Thou hast heard my voice stop not thine eares 57. Thou drewest neere c. Whence this doctrine ariseth Doct. 3 That Gods children in their prayers and seruices doe marke and know how they speed VVe must obserue how we speed in religious exercises so that they cannot onlie say I thanke God at such and such a time I prayed but O Lord thou diddest then heare my voice then diddest thou draw neere vnto mee at such a time I was put to it and thou deliueredst mee out of great danger This wee see in the spouse who when her beloued was departed from her saith In my bed night by night I sought him Cant. 3.1.2 whom my soule loueth and found him not Shee had not that ioy and refreshing as she was wont to haue from the vse of the priuate meanes and shee knew it and obserued it full well Then she went abroad and there found as little successe Afterwards shee comes to conferre with Gods Ministers how she might recouer her loue to Christ and the feeling of Christs loue vnto her and yet there shee had not that full successe as she expected Then she goes a little further that is as was before shewed waits patiently vpon God and then she found him whom her soule loued and tooke hold of him that is faster hold then euer she had done before She had paid so dearely for her negligence that she would be warie how she failed in her dutie any more So that when she sped well or ill she knew how it went with her This point is further proued vnto vs out of another verse of this Chapter of the Lamentation Lament 3.8 where these words are vsed VVhen I cry and shoute hee shutteth out my prayer Not but that God tooke notice of it and had a time to reward it but for the present he gaue them no answere They had hard hearts and God saw that one crie and shoute would not be sufficient to mollifie and soften them and therefore he lets them pray and cry againe and againe and yet still they had the repulse and they obserued to their great griefe Psal 66.18.19 Answerable to this is that in the Psalme where Dauid saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me But God hath heard me and considered the voice of my prayer Reason And there is reason why as they did marke how they sped so should wee also For vnlesse wee doe so it is impossible that wee should euer bee thankfull for that wee receiue or lay vp any store of comfort against the time to come If wee speed ill wee shall goe away without any care or studie to grow better if wee speed well wee shall depart without any desire of glorifying God or of confirming our hearts for afterwards Whereas diligent obseruation how God deales with vs would worke in vs great experience both for our humiliation and consolation For sometimes Gods seruants haue a comfortable answere to their sutes and then they come away as fresh and nimble and ioyfull as if their hearts had beene made glad by sweet and pleasant wine Ps 109.15 At another time they come limping and fainting away as if they had beene strucke on the head So for the Sermon now and then they depart from it as from some notable feast so merrie and comfortable as if they had made the best bargaine that euer they did in their liues at some other times they come out of the church hanging downe their heads and full of pensiuenesse as if they had receiued the sentence of death What is the cause hereof Profane persons thinke they are the melancholiest and vnconstantest people in the world But will not they themselues looke heauilie on the matter when they are crossed in things that are most deere vnto them And why then should they blame Gods seruants if they be sometimes merrie and sometimes heauie according as they are crossed or comforted in the worde of life which is more deare vnto them then all the treasures of the earth Howsoeuer they may charge them to be vnconstant yet indeede they themselues are more vnconstant For let them haue to deale with some great Iudge about matters of their estate and let them be told this day that they are likely to haue good and fauourable hearing that the Iudge likes well of them and of their cause how ioyfull and iocund will they be How will they talke of it and in a sort boast of it But let them come to the Iudge themselues the next day and let him frowne vpon them and tell them I vnderstand you are a leaud fellow I know your practises well inough looke to your selfe and acquite you well lest I strip you of your lands and life together Will not such a salutation cast them into their dumps and make them looke heauie and sad as if they were halfe dead And if one should aske them why are you so variable They would wonder why he should make such a question Haue wee not iust cause to bee cast downe would they say when the Iudge that gaue mee such good hopes before doth now looke and speake so wrathfullie against mee And wherefore then will you finde fault with Gods seruants who deale with the King and Iudge of heauen and earth in the matter of their saluation whose fauor they esteeme more than all things in the world and whose displeasure they feare more then all the mens in the world yea then death it selfe Why I say doe you finde fault with them if their comforts ebbe and flow as matters goe better or worse betwixt God and them Vse 1 This is for cōfutation of carnall hearers who are affected at all times alike They haue heard many hundred sermons but they were neuer more comforted at one than at another They are none of these changelings but the same men still But let such know that hee that doth neuer feele himselfe sicke it is greatly to bee doubted hee
is quite dead Rom. 7. Paul was once aliue before the Law came and so are all vnregenerate men in their owne conceite they can heare the word without feare and trembling they thanke God and bee neuer troubled in their consciences as some are Doe you thanke God for this senslesnesse Nay doe not so for that is a shamefull taking of his name in vaine but rather repent before God and craue pardon for the same For they that feare least are the most hard-hearted people of all other and they neuer succeed well The like may be said of them who are alwaies alike affected in prayer Pro. 28.13 they neuer yet knew what a faithfull prayer meanes Vse 2 Secondly this is for comfort to those that see how they thriue and marke when they speed well or ill when they come to the word to prayer or the Sacrament if they find a good effect they may bee assured that God loues them and so be thankefull for his mercie and confident thereof for afterwards If they goe away without an answere and without comfort as many times the Saints of God doe they shall gaine a greater measure of humilitie and bee more broken hearted and though they cannot end with thanksgiuing yet they may end with the prayer of the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto mee a sinner And there is as great gaine by humiliation at sometimes as by consolation and sweet feelings at other times For if wee should haue alwaies a present answere wee should grow secure and contemne these answers of God For such is our vile nature that when things grow common they grow by degrees out of reckoning and estimation with vs therefore God will not suffer vs alwaies to haue present hearing Question What is the difference then may some man say betweene the regenerate and vnregenerate sith both of them pray and neither of them haue hearing Ansvver Here is the difference that the one sort are not dead as the other are He that feeles an ague or any other disease and is vexed and pained with it any simple bodie will say surely such a one is aliue and so it may be concluded of euerie Christian that is troubled in his soule that his prayers finde no better accesse vnto Gods throne it is sure such a one hath the life of grace in him which is an euerlasting life But as for wicked men that neuer feele their sicknesse but grow to comparisons that they can pray as well as the best of them they are dead in sinne and without repentance shall perish in their sinnes Doct. 4 Vers 56. Thou hast heard my voice therefore stop not thine eare Whence this doctrine may bee gathered That those whom God hath once heard in mercie hee will alwaies heare preuaile with God once and euer VVhom God once heares in mercie he euer heares With men it is not a good argument to say Sir you paid such such a debt for me you holpe me out of prison such and such a time therefore doe it againe for it may be hee hath by that meanes so weakened his estate alreadie that he is not able to doe the like againe But it is otherwise with God all his former benefits are of so many bonds for new biessings if hee inclined his eare vnto vs such and such a time when wee powred out our prayers and teares before him wee shall finde the like successe againe vpon the vse of the like meanes Reason The reason hereof is drawne from Gods nature He is Iehouah yesterday to day and the same for euer Heb. 13.6 If hee haue receiued vs vesterday he can and will doe it in like sort to day yea and hence-forward for euer there is no change in him There remaines the same cause of mercie still in his nature hee had as much reason to loue Peter after his sall as before And when Christ prayed that Peters faith might not faile that proceeded from Christs goodnesse not from Peters If our prayers haue beene once a sweet smelling sacrifice in the nostrils of the Lord they shall neuer bee reiected by him once welcome to him and alwaies It is an argument that will surelie preuaile with God Heb. 12.2 Lord thou drewest neare once therefore doe it still To this purpose it is said that Christ is the author and finisher of our faith where once he hath laid the foundation hee will reare vp the building and bring it to perfection So is it said in the Psalme Psal 90.2 From euerlasting to euerlasting thou art our God If euer God should haue refused to shew vs fauor it would haue beene then when wee were dead in sinne but euen then hee sought to vs ere wee sought after him and before wee imagined any such matter hee was at the cost to bestow his sonnes bloud vpon vs that his spirit might bee shedde abroad in our hearts that wee might haue experience of his loue that wee might haue title to his sonnes death and merits and beeing once his sonnes and daughters might still bee fauoured relieued and succoured by him Let vs consider what wee doe and be thorowly grounded and perswaded vpon good warrant before we take comfort to our selues in Gods mercies but when wee haue a good foundation to build our assurance vpon let vs know that all Gods mercies are euerlasting mercies Vse 1 First this doctrine makes for the reproofe and terror of such men and women as hope that if the pestilence or death or any other heauie affliction should come they should bee in case good enough and doe as well as the best And why They will make many good prayers and desire God to bee mercifull to them and to forgiue them Well what wil they answere to this They haue made good prayers as they call them heretofore but what entertainement did they find with God They haue heard manie a sermon but what grace haue they gotten thereby They haue come to the Sacrament as often as their neighbors but what mortification haue they gained by it Nay surelie they cannot say much for such matters they are thigns that they neuer marked Then their case will bee hard when trouble comes If they haue no old store they will bee shut out as the foolish virgins were Math. 15. A Christian hath an old stocke which he liues vpon God hath heard him often hee hath giuen thankes to God as often or at least verie often hee hath gone through the pikes but still God hath beene at his right hand the remembrance whereof will much sustaine the heart But as for them that haue no experience of Gods former fauors in answering them in the daies and times when they haue called vpon him they can haue little hope that they shall finde any kindnesse from him when afflictions take hold of them If a prisoner that hath deserued death should say hee hopes well and lookes for fauor And why He hath euerie day put vp two or
of a happie issue out of all straites and difficulties as wee see in Dauid who hauing committed himselfe to God Psal 3. who was able and had promised to helpe him hee triumphs ouer all his enemies and saith he will not feare though ten thousand should compasse him round about That was some oddes and one would thinke he had little neede to vse such speeches but rather to runne away as fast as hee could at least hee should take little sleepe in the night so long as hee was in such danger or if hee did lie downe and sleepe hee should haue little hope to rise againe in the morning yet wee see vers 5. that hee laid him downe and slept and rose againe because the Lord sustained him and this he got by calling vpon God as it is vers 4. 2 Secondly if we would not be oppressed with feares labor to be righteous for wickednesse makes men dastardlie whereas righteousnesse makes men stout as Lyons 2. Righteousnes Pro. 28.1 that will not looke ouer the shoulder for the barking of euery dogge but walke on without all feare Indeede the child of God will not bee presumptuous neither will hee bee timorous though his enemies sinne Satan and the world bee strong yet hee knows God is stronger and that none euill can come vnto him without the Lord. Which if wee can thorowly meditate vpon and take this receite euerie morning to season our hearts with the feare of God and to wash our hearts and hands from vnrepented sins walke where wee will so it be in our waies nothing shall be able to hurt vs. Vers 58. Thou hast maintained the cause of my soule That is thou hast stood on my part and freed mee from death that was intended against mee For though my name and libertie and riches bee taken from mee yet my life is redeemed and that is thy mercie that bodie and soule are not yet parted Whence the doctrine is Doct. 8. God vpholds his Isa 44.23 That God is the maintainer and vpholder of his people Howsoeuer Kings and Princes bee nursing fathers vnto Gods Church yet that is not because hee needs them but because he would doe them a good turne in imploying them in his seruice And therefore may God be called the vpholder of his people because he saues them frō their firmes and from the punishments due to their sins which no man can doe He watches ouer them night and day and waters them euerie moment Jsa 27.3 and hee will contend with them that contend against his people This should strike a terror into the hearts of those that are iniurious vnto Gods seruants they are bold where the hedge is lowest euerie dwarfe aduentures to leape ouer But let them know that God is as a wall of fire about his Church and hee will maintaine the right of his children Indeede their props are and still haue beene so weake their enemies so strong the standers against them so shamefull and the oppositions so continuall that it is a miracle the Church stands to this day but God hath beene and euer will bee the vpholder of it and therefore it must needs goe ill with those that lift vp themselues against it Vse 2 Secondly here is a notable consolation for the afflicted people of God Howsoeuer they haue fewe meanes and few friends and where they should haue most helpe they haue least where they looked for comfort they finde discomfort and where they thought to bee enriched they are impouerished yet if they can pray all shall bee well If money and friends and large reuenues and the like had beene the vpholders of the Church it would haue gone to the ground long ere this But what saith the Church here O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule There is our stay let vs bee sure wee haue a good cause and lay it before Gods iudgement seate and then though wee be ouerborne God will not bee ouerborne but hee will stand on our side euen hee that loues goodnesse and hates wickednesse and will be auenged on those that bend themselues and their endeuors to do mischiefe vnto his people Wee would willinglie haue him to bee our Iudge who is most iust who carries the greatest loue to vs and our cause and the hardest mind against our aduersaries such an one is God And therefore seeing we haue a good cause to stand in euen the matter of our saluation and enemies whom God hates with a deadly hatred the diuell the world and the flesh c. this should put life and heart into vs to goe vnto Christ Iesus our Iudge who hath so dearely loued vs as to lay downe his life for vs and for the destruction of all our enemies When wee are ouercharged with burdens and temptations let vs lay them vpon him and say Lord thou hast vndertaken to comfort thy children I am not able to vndergoe this that is vpon mee therefore doe thou maintaine my cause and helpe and deliuer mee from my miserie Vers 59. Thou hast seene my wrong From these words this doctrine may be collected Doct. 9. All vvrōgs knovvne to God That there is nothing done spoken or thought against any Christian but God takes knowledge of it there is not one practise slander or deuice of cruell beasts against the sheepe of Christ but God sees it and markes it And this must needs be so Reason 1 1 First because they are his flocke and therefore hee loues to looke vnto them especiallie sith hee hath paide so deerely for them 2 Secondly it is his nature to behold all things Psal 94. Eph. 4.6 For he that made the eye shall not he see c. He is aboue vs all and through vs all and in vs all Yea wee are as it were the apple of his eye Now it is a hard matter for one to come with thornes to put out anothers eye and he not take notice of it and 3 Thirdly God doth the rather obserue the indignities that are offered vnto his children because their profane aduersaries doe hate his image in them For when they were as bad as themselues they could liue with them twentie or thirtie yeares and be good friends with them but when once they renounce the seruice of Satan and of their owne lusts vnto which they are in bondage still then they oppose with might and maine against them Psal 69.7 and therefore it is said for thy sake haue we suffred rebuke shame hath couered our face 4 The fourth and last reason why God must needs take notice of the wrongs done vnto his seruants is because it belongs to him to reward euerie one according to their workes Reuel 20.12 Hee must and will giue them full pay and therefore hee keeps all vpon iust and due record As the workes of the righteous shall stand for them so shall the workes of reprobates be written in great capitall letters against them that all the world may take notice of them at the last day Vse This offers vnto vs matter of singular comfort Howsoeuer the aduersaries be busie and watchful to plot and procure the hurt of Gods Church they cannot be so vigilant for the hurt of it as God is watchfull for the good of it and therefore they may bee sure they shall haue a happie issue out of all their troubles if so be they can make their mone to God and waite patientlie for his mercie Obiection But what neede wee lay open our griefes before him seeing that hee knows them all before hand Answere Though he doe know them yet he would haue you to preferre your bill of complaint and that will be for the increase of your comfort and further experience of his loue and howsoeuer hee purpose to destroy the wicked yet would he haue you to go on in your suite against them still Neither is this to bee restrained onelie to corporall enemies but it holds much more strongly for spirituall enemies Say a man bee surcharged with sinne and Satan let him bemone his case before the Lord and it will be a marueilous ease vnto him If one of our children should but say father or mother I am exceeding sicke readie to saint vnder my paines c. hee neede say no more this would set their hearts and hands a worke to doe him good And is there not far more loue in our heauenly Father Yes surely and therefore in all such extremities let God be our refuge and let vs cast all our cares and sorrows vpon him who is able and willing to beare them and in due season to free vs from them and in the end to make vs gainers by them FINIS