Of FEARE The CAUSE The VSE The CURE OR Strong Consolations The Consolations of God Cordiall at all times but most comfortable now in these uncomfortable times To fixe quiet and stablish the heart though the earth shake and make it stand stil To see the salvation of The Lord. Taken from GODS mouth And Penned by HEZEKIAH VVOODWARD That all His Servants may have assured confidence for ever PSAL. 56. 3 9. What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee When I cry unto Thee Then shall mine enemies turne back this I know for God is for me He will save me because I Trust in Him Psal 37. 40. Nil terribile nisi ipse timor LONDON Printed for Thomas Underhill and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible in Woodstreet 1643. To the Right HONOVRABLE Isaac Pennington LORD MAjOR Of the City of LONDON BY the Blessing of God upon this treatise containing His own directions there it can heale the heart and the hand palsied with feare It will be no dishonour then to take it into your hand and to lay these directions if it can be yet closer to your heart whereby the City of God have been a quiet habitation (a) Esay 33. 20. when as now The blast of the terrible ones have made the earth to shake and tremble under us And you now with such as you that love feare trust GOD doing your duty and maintaining your watch doe maintayne PEACE and at such a time (a) Ezra 4. 17. Peace is good at all times but ever best in the worst times perilous and feirce as are the times of Reformation troublous evermore when hands and * Dan. 9. 28. Jer. 20. 3. Tongues are bent to make the City of GOD MAGOR MISSABIB terrour on every side Then peace is good Then cordialls are so indeed strong consolations they are the consolations of GOD at such a time Peace in and with the world is good if it could be had upon good termes But that it not possible The world will love their own And they shall have peace such as the world can give They who can comply with the world can give out unto them the right hand of fellowship to thrust Christ from His Throne and out of the world these shall have peace for they are the worlds first born and right hands of the times but you cannot do so Such a peace peace without truth is of vile esteeme with you you abhor it at such a price and upon such termes as the world bids for it and doth purchase the same You follow peace with all men and Holynesse That is a point of the highest wisdome without which no man shall see the LORD you pursue (c) Heb. 11. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this peace as others persecute it your zeale cannot boile higher then to their As as they persecute it Pursue it so still and if you overtake it not for it flees from you else you should not need to pursue it if you cannot establish peace in the City yet in that you have done your office you have peace in your soul a peace which passeth all understanding for whatsoever things are true (d) Phil. 4. 7. 8. are henest are just are pure are lovely are of good report these things you have done and will doe you have assured confidence now in this which follows and the peace of ver 9. GOD shall be with you What a good word is this and at such a time when the Adversary doth as in all times he hath done it is no new thing when the breaches of Jerusalems walls are making up he sends and writes and lies and rayles and blasphemes what doth he not after his manner to make the work to cease d Nehe. 4. and 6. You know your charge concerning him Answer him * 2 King 18. 36. not you look to the answer from a good conscience That in zeale to you LORD The Cities peace and crown of rejoycing you have done and spoken hitherto And you are resolved so to do still To stand up for Christ still To shoulder up His Throne still And you have made up your reckoning you know what it will cost you possible as much as it hath cost All His faithfull servants in all ages at such a time And having so wisely counted your Cost you can mock at feare and laugh at your Adversaries as the LORD doth seeing their day is comming (e) Psal 37. for their rage riseth high and their rising by steps that way are but steps and degrees to utter destruction which shall rise as their rage doth unto heaven and be lifted up even to the skies * Jer. 51. 9. You cannot be deceived now as we thinke good Jeremiah was He heard the defaming of many fear was on every side and he heard a cry nay he cryed out himselfe and said Violence and spoile Then sayes Jeremy Jer. 20. 8. 10. â—â— O LORD Thou hast deceived me and I was deceived He was indeed but GOD did not deceive him He had set up Jeremtah and made him so strong for Himself and for such a time as that when the adversaries deeds and words would be as hard as iron against the Truth and him but Jeremiah should be hard enough for them The Adversary might to as good purpose strike his hand against a rock as strike Jeremiah shall iron breake Jer. 15. 12. the Northern iron and steele No no the Adversary was hard and cruell and violent against Jeremiah but God made Jeremiah too hard for them all as He will all His faithfull ones standing up for Him a defenced City and a strong brazen ver 20. wall That was the promise to Jeremiah and in him to all faithfull ones many thousand yeeres agoe and you have the comfort and your fast standing from it at this day The blast of the terrible ones what can it doe It was answered long agoe As much as a blast of winde against a brazen wall so the Spirit slights what flesh can do against Him (a) â—â—â—say 2â— 4. They shall sight against Thee The Adversary will make an experiment what mettal you are made of so you must expect but they shall not prevaile ser 1. 1â— against Thee There is the comfort and it is yours who wil stand up for God and at such a time As your expectation from the World cannot deceive you after the experiences of all the faithfull that have stood up for God All hath been done against them All shall be done against you that Angry Nations can doe Atheists and Papists swelled with wrath and big with rage So nor wil The Lord The Hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in time of trouble He will not deceive you Then you shall see your strength presently that you are better bottomed then are the perpetuall Hills and everlasting Mountains a sight worth the beholding and at such a time And because your work is
the most comfortable word that ever was spoken Well done good and faithfull servant This is the heritage of them that feare the LORD hard words and ungodly deeds cannot discourage you now for God is with you there is your security a Christum â—sse cum Paâ—â—â— summa secuâ—itas Paulum asse cum Christo summa foelicitas 1 Thes 4. 17 18. you shal be with Him anon there is your happinesse for ever with the Lord you can comfort your selfe in these words Heare me with patience one word more touching the successe of the great work in hand and the security of this great City where the Lord hath made you a Watchman and hath found you faithfull which is your glory but in The Lord. Surely surely the work shal prosper for it is wrought by God your City shall not be destroyed for it is GODS City Surely a work carryed on with so many hands and hearts so much life and spirit love faith patience cannot be disappointed of its end And for the City b Where are many thousands that cannot speak yet is their language very moving with their Lord. Jonah 4. 11. her filthinesse is in her skirts c Lam. 1 9. Ai and upon her forehead too But yet a righteous people are there and Gaius mine Host d Rom. 16. 23. and many such as he She is a refuge to the oppressed a great Sanctuarie at this * The day of Jacobs trouble Jer. 30. 7. time and much good is found there We doe not boast of her goodnesse but we boast in The Lord Who hath instructed her to discretion To stand up for Him and His Cause above all the Cities that are or ever were in the world and at such a time Surely the Lord will watch over her her Watchmen think so too pray for her night and day And because they be such as never sought God in vaine they are bold and confident That The Lord will watch over this City for good it shal stil be said The LORD helpeth them The North shall give in unto them the south shal not keep back the East and West shall confer unto them the blessings of the Land and of the Sea But this is the complement of all Salvations will God appoint for walls and Bulwarks I will conclude with the close of a Psalm Let Ps 48. 11 12 13 mount Sion rejoyce let the daughters of Judah be glad because of Thy judgements walk about Sion and go round about her tell the towers thereof A goodly prospect and at such a time Mark ye well her Bulwarks consider her palaces that you may tell it to the generation following What shall they tell or what is this strength wherein doth it consist or where is it for it is not visible It follows For This GOD is our GOD for ever and ever He will be our guide even Psal 41. 13. unto death Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting AMEN and AMEN By way of Preface to the Reader INeed not tell thee what the times are how hard fierce and perillous nor how we are distracted in them so much thy very looks can tell me The news now a-dayes is so legible that he who runs may read it and in most mens faces There is a passion now quick and stirring within us which may stand us in great stead at this time as it may be ordered and pointed if in a right way and to the right object nothing can doe us better service to stay and stablish us but if out of the way and from that object nothing works us more mischiefe nothing more unsettles us It will betray all our succour it will shake us as a leafe with the wind and make us flee as a Roe before the hunter It were seasonable now to reade a Lecture upon this passion of feare not as a Philosopher but as a Christian I cannot say so I have done but I have bestowed many sad yet quiet thoughts upon its uncomfortable and unquiet motions and here I have made them legible That though the adversary doth all he can to make us afraid yet he may not have his will 1 Pet. 3. 6. so farre as to make us afraid with any amazement for we have made three Conclusions are fixed thereupon and resolved to take the Product or Result therefrom That we will doe our Duty not disquieting our selves about what The LORD will doe hereafter or what our foes are doing now The first Conclusion 1. That things stand at as great a distance from an honourable 2 King 9. 22. Peace as Israel stood when the WITCHCRAFTS of their mother Jezebel and her whoredomes were so many If one man sin against another a third may take up the difference and make an agreement betwixt them d 1 Sam. 2. 25. The case is not so here Man hath sinned against The Lord and we have provoked Him to His face by our Idolatries and bloud-shed Man shall not determine this case a case of bloud and betwixt GOD and Man There may be essayes and overtures that way to scab-over the matter but it cannot be the wound is deep much venome in the hottome it hath layne festring there these by past yeeres three or foure and now The Lord is searching into it making inquisition for bloud and before He hath done for that is His manner He will find it out and His sword shall not rest till He hath required and avenged it That is the first Conclusion The adversary makes a second That as 2. He hath done all he can by fraud so he doth and will doe all he can by force not to waste and destroy onely not to out Israel short but cleane off from being a Nation So the Psal 74. Adversary hath concluded now And now the Church makes a third Conclusion and thereon she will fixe and be established for ever 3. That God will make His Church a cup of trembling in the adversaries hand as a burdensome stone upon his Zach. 12. 2. shoulders as a torch of fire in a sheafe or amidst stubble The ver 6. Lord doth open His eyes upon His people He doth plead His owne cause So the Church hath concluded I could set downe some Premises whence she draws her Conclusion but it is her LORDS promise so and that is enough given long since but written for the generations to come Psal 74. 22 23. The Result from hence is That we do our duty as the Church doth not trouble our selves with unnecessary quaeres what how or when GOD will work He works wonders every day and let Him work as He pleaseth He will work all for good and all in the fittest season Let us doeour duty that is our work work out our salvation for the salvation of Israel by all such means wherein GOD Nature Grace have given us a capacity and power of working We must lye on our face
GODS worke and in His way that made him bold and confident and so he would have Melanchthon then to be strong in The Lord his incouragements are notable he did live amongst Lions his soule lay amongst those that were set on fire that kept him waking and watchfull but thus he did encourage himselfe in The LORD he was in Gods way and upon His work A marvellous comfort and which commands an holy security his heart might meditate terrour but it commands watchfulnesse too even to doe as the Builders or Reformers did in ancient dayes Make your praier unto God and set watch against them day and night because of them For as the Adversaries said then so they say now and therefore what the servants did then so they must doe now Set the people in their courses with Nehe. 4 89. their swords their speares and their bowes and the builders every one gird his sword by his side and so build And though they doe put off their clothes which the builders then did not saving that everie one put them off for washing yet they must keep a strong watch and their sword under their pillow Read M. Nâ—wcemens Sermon upon Neh. 4. 11. wherein by the good hand of God with him he hath discovered the adversaries skirts upon their face he hath shewn the Nation their nakednesse and the 3. Kingdoms their shame he hath cast abominable filth upon them made them as they are vile This is watchfulâ—nesse and as needfull now as then for now the breaches are stopping up now the enemy saith The builders shall not know neither see till we come in the midst amongst them and slay them We are assured that all the enemies in the world are now setting themselves against this way and consulting how they may hinder this worke It is temple-worke the restoring and building Ierusalems walls There is need of watchfullnesse then mighty cause to maintaine a continuall watch over this Legion for he is many and full of wrath as great cause to watch as David had when Saul sent and they did watch the house to kill him * title of the 59 Psal It is observable That where the servants of The Lord have their warrant for their greatest security there they may observe cause enough why they should be exceeding watchfull A vineyard of red wine is My Church My people unto Mee most pleasant and most Delightfull I The LORD doe keep it I will water d Rev. 18. 13. it every moment lest any hurt it I will keepe it night and day ver 3. There is security Observe now what a mighty Adversary the Church hath not to speake of the little foxes and other grievous Beasts wherewith Gods vine-yard is annoyed Leviathan ver 1. the peircing serpent even Leviathan that crooked serpent The spirit meanes All the divells in hell and all his servants on earth their force and fraud both And how prevailing by these wayes This Adversary is we may collect by the instrument The LORD brings forth against him His sore and great and strong sword very comfortable to the Church all this but it is very stirring and commanding to keep their watch strong their garments white and close girt unto them Bee sober bee vigilant because your adversary the divell as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom 1 Pet. 5. 8. he may devoure The conclusion is The Righteous must be full of eyes They had need to set a Thousand eyes over this Adversary rather that is first And then Secondly Then thousand eyes over themselves even that every man maintaine over himselfe now a double watch considering they are the souldiers of Jesus Christ engaged in the warre with the Lambe and going out against the Lambes enemies and must keep themselves according to the charge from every wicked thing therefore had they need as the devout Spaniard said to Deut. 23. 9. set ten thousand eyes over themselves then againe consider A mans enemies are those of his own house enemies also and those the strongest within his own breast Thirdly Adde to this That we know not the day nor the houre but the comming of the Lord will be at midnight in the midnight of the world when they say all is peace and think they may be secure and so fall all asleep then He comes as a thiefe Put all this together and it will command watchfulnesse wee shall double our watch we shall make it strong That we may be in a readinesse with our loines girt our armour at hand for as we said we know not at what time danger and trouble may come We know not the houre when the generall Judgement nor when the particular shall be we know not the houre when we lye downe we know not how we may be awakened with what cry nor what noise we may heare at midnight What lyeth in the wombe of a day is darknesse unto us and what a night may bring forth lyeth in the same wombe of darknesse also Wee cannot see into an houre before us Happy is that man that makes his watch strong that fortifies himselfe in The Lord his God That keeps himself in His feare all the day long and night also That closeth his eyes with GOD and makes his Christ the end of his thoughts so sleeps as in the lap or arms of The Almighty This man is prepared and what ever the cry be with which he is awakened he is in a readinesse his loines girt his lampe burning and oyle for supply So he goes forth to meet and if he meet with enemies nay with devils he is in a readinesse and as bold as a Lion But if he goe forth to meet his LORD and CHRIST O how joyfull is he Him he served all his life long with Him his last thoughts closed when he fell asleep therefore in the morning of his awaking he is bold and confident joyfull and glad all his dayes he watched for this time as the Watch-man for the morning To draw to a conclusion Truly this Mother-City the City of God have done even thus as we heard and as we all should doe so they wait for GOD so they love GOD so they feare Him so they Trust in HIM so they obey And to make clear proof that so they do so watchfull they are over the Adversary And themselves And so they thank their GOD they have profited very much by all the hatred the hard words ungodly deeds from the adversary his violent dealing hath made their love the hotter their feare more refined and fixed their confidence better bottomed more setled upon the rock their obedience more pure more single and more hearty and their watch a thousand times stronger against their enemies and over themselves Thus all things tend to the advantage of His people and work together for their good which must be considered on now in the last place CHAP. VII We must not judge hastily of Gods works These are wrought in
in deep humiliation while the Joshuahs are searching the tents that the accursed thing may be cast out for so they have commanded us We must doe for the cause of Christ as the spirituall Lords Devils and men doe against Christ to shoulder Him out of His throne This is to doe our duty to doe As c. and so doing we doe our duty heartily and shall rejoyce in time to come that is very comfortable as we read it but there is more comfort in it then so we shall laugh at the time to come a Prov. 21. 2â— Ridet ad tempera seqâ—â—ontra Not care so much for the Army in the north as their fore-fathers did for an Army of frogs lice swarms of flies nor for any other mountain in the way for he shall be made a plaine Wee have and will do our Duty They that do so may laugh and sing too But these are but words the Lord knows not the speech but the power of our doing our duty And He put it into our hearts and keep it there for ever We can hardly set upon it though we are set upon by the hand of violence our gods are taken away from us I mean that we dote upon which quickned a man as dead in his body as we in our spirits For thus it was The Phisitians knew no way to quicken him out of his lethargy but by gingling his baggs before him upon the table then he awakened and stirred himselfe up for he would hold Hor. li. 2. Sâ— Satyr 3. his bags as long as he could hold his breath This god is takeÌ„ from us our liberty too and that is our god also Nay our LORD Christ is taking froÌ„ us Who gives all to us He is GOD indeed Now or never we will bethink our selves and lay out all we have are to keepe Him the LIFE of our lives and SOUL of our souls we wil keepe Him There is but this that can discourage us and it is the greatest encouragement in the world if we can contend for Him we may lose our estates and lives too That is true All may be lost most happily lost in such a contention Nay it is not lost it is gained and the greatest gain for He is worthy for Whose cause we do expend all this if it be our dearest blood and all He became poor for us to make us 2 Cor. 8 9. rich e nay a Curse for us to make us a Blessing If we think of this goods shal go and life too and blesse God with all our hearts that He put such a price into our hand to lay out our selves for Christ to suffer for Him Indeed it is as glorious a work as to beleeve in Him we cannot do the one without the other but suffering hath the preheminence that no man may be dismayed at his sufferings if called thereunto and for Christ for unto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeve on Him but Philip. 1. 29. also to suffer for His sake I have done prefacing The Lord give us understanding in the times and what Israel ought to do PROV 29. 25. The feare of man bringeth a snare but who so putteth his trust in The Lord shall be safe IT is ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing this 22. day of December 1642. that this booke Intituled The usefulnesse of Feare c. be printed John White Of FEARE The Just Cause The True Use The Soveraign Cure SECT I. The summe and scope of this Treatise The kinds of Feare The strange effects there from What the worst effect What the great designe of the Adversary How he prosecutes it His advantage if he can effect it His power and malice that way gives us just cause of feare CHAP. I. The Introduction to and purpose of this Treatise OUr Affections doe us the greatest service or disservice that well can be imagined and this they doe as wee master them or as they master us If we master them they are the winds of the soule carrying it so as it is neither becalmed that it moves not when it should nor yet tossed that it moves disorderly If they master us they raise storms there and we are storm-like sudden and violent carryed as a ship in a tempest If we master them they are the very wings of the soule A Prayer without them so we may say of any other performance is like a bird without wings (a) Oratio sine malis avis sine alis If I cared for nothing said Melancthon I should pray for nothing (b) Si nihil curarem nihil Orarem If they master us they are the clogs of the soule or if they be as wings it is to make us flee away from God and goodnesse from our selves and Duty Our Affections are the springs of all our services to GOD we are dry and cold and dead without them with them well ordered the soule is set on work and then the work will be done when the heart is upon it David had prepared much for the house of GOD himselfe gives the reason Because I have set my AFFECTION to the house of my GOD. (c) 1 Chr. 29. 3. Feare puts on the soule almost as fast as Love doth that great Centurion or puts it farther back I cannot doe this and sin I must doe this and why Because I have set my FEARE upon GOD and knowing the TERROR of the LORD (d) 2 Cor. 5. 11. I must perswade men In a word weare as a dead sea without our affections and as a raging sea if they exceed the bounds And no affection beats more strongly upon the soule and more like waves against the banks to exceed its just bounds and get over then feare doth and when it hath got over no affection sooner drowns the Spirits sinks Reason and so becomes a Passion indeed vexatious and troublesome for where feare is in excesse there is torment (e) 1 John 4. 18. This tormenting Passion the stilling its unreasonable motions is the subject of my Discourse now but GODS work To calme the Spirit to make it stand still when the earth shakes f Exod. 1â— â—â— Ne conâ—◠〈…〉 â—un and the kingdomes are moved I say His work Who chid the winds and commanded the seas and they obeyed Him and presently there followed a great calme Feare let alone to work its owne effects for like water it hath no bounds of its owne is g 〈◊〉 Math. 8. 20. in the heart as the tongue in the body kindleth a great fire (h) Jam. 3. 5. there from every little matter quickly raiseth that little to a raging flame which no man can quench onely GOD can And what way He commands and prescribes us for we must keep to His prescriptions the same which the whole City of GOD All His People have taken in all troublous times upward to this day To
put up against these tongues these fiery flying serpents Let the mischeife of their own Psal 140. 9. 10. lips cover them let burning coals fall upon them The Church seekes not her God in vain shee makes account it is done The hand is more rough and violent and put forth as farre as it could bee to make both Citty and Country MAGOR-MISSABIB 〈…〉 3. feare on every side What shall bee done unto thee thou violent and bloody man Man cannot answer that blood pursues him the Destroyer shall bee destroyed God hath sworne by His Holinesse utter destruction shall come unto them Hee will UNDOE all that asslict his people (a) Zeph. 3. 1â— Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feete and their eyes shall consume away in their holes and their tongues shall consume away in their mouth (b) Zeph. 14. 12. This is the portion of them that hate His Church they shall be utterly destroyed in the close of this work for there is a great work to be done upon mount Sion and about the close of the day they shall be utterly undon But first they shall bee made a terrour to themselves and round about As they thought to do to the Righteous so it shall bee done to them As they have determined so it shall bee unto them that shall bee their lot and portion of their cup from the Lord in his appointed Time But do wee not wrong these harmelesse people these innocent Lambs some of them were in sheepes clothing and they would Mal. 8. 15. bee accounted sheepe till their cloak fell off and the wolfe appeared what have they done or spoken to make the City affraid They will tell us Nothing at all We doe but fancie our feares we heare a rumour we scarce know of what or from whom and we are afraid we know not wherefore We conceit danger onely as they who took shadows for men or Judges 19. 36. as those who beholding at a distance a field over-grown with tall thistles thought verily they had been so many spearmen So the adversary saith and so say they too who should speakas the Oracles of GOD for they speak from the Pulpit And what said they As the Adversary before them That there was no cause of feare formerly nor any cause now A Phantasme a conceited thing a Panick feare the City is possessed with whereof they can give neither cause nor reason for neither is reall nor visible They have said and so they have forced themselves as unjust men doe Now we wil take leave to consider the matter and their words and give no more credit to them then we doe to such men who know no shame (a) Zeph. 3. 5. Catholique men bloody Papists universally all the world over brawned in villanies these fellowes that hate the Lord make Tumults lift up the head and yet no ground of feare not any The neighbours house is on fire there the fire rageth and the wind blows the flame directly hitherward it began there to end here yet no cause of feare That our common-house may smell of the smoak or that it is time for every common man to look to his owne No reason for that none at all speaks the adversary but he is not so mad as to think any wise man beleeves him The vile Priests and the Treacherous Prophets that have polluted the Sanctuary have done violence to the Law (c) Zeph. 3. 4. These doe rage and are swelled with malice The brutish people almost as much make tumults and they that sung forth their requests roare like Beares and are as fierce as the she-beares fearing their sweet morsels may be taken from them and their service ordered according to Rule and yet no ground of feare The tumult of those that rise up against The LORD that would dethrone Him encreaseth continually and â—et no cause of feare Indeed there is not no cause we should be afraid when we look up to GOD for it is the Tumult of those that rise up against Him and He will look to His owne Cause and Glory That shall receive no losse no diminution at all but advantage a great deale But looking down to the Adversary there is cause we should feare after a godly sort so as to make provision against him and then secure our selves and the cause in GOD. This feare is a Godly feare The Godly mans feare is his humility and casting away of Pride his reverent care to walk in the wayes of God A feare which drives out security not a feare which takes away the boldnesse of faith More of this anon This here that there is just cause of feare but of such a feare that hath been described unto us which secureth the soule the godly man and his cause in God And great need of such a feare for whatever the Adversary saith no man that hath his eyes in his head will beleeve him though his words were as soft as butter and his deeds as smooth as oyle much lesse now when his words are as drawn swords violence is in his hands war in his heart The Adversary is so mad with rage now That he casteth firebrands arrows and death and cannot deceive his neighbour Pro. 26. 18. now saying 〈◊〉 not I in sport No sure no man is so senslesse as â—â— beleeve that for when he seemed to speak faire we beleeved 〈◊〉 not â— kâ—â—wing there were seven abominations in his heart Hee that hateth may dissemble for a time and lay up deceit within him for words which are wounds and lying lips and a wicked heart may be like a potâ—â—â—ard covered with silver drosse for a time But now his hatred as active as fire cannot be covered by dâ—ceit his wickednesse is shewne before the whole congregation These are Generalls That I may be more particular I will quarter out this Legion the Adversary I meane for he is many and behold him as a man of War in his Ranks and Postures doubtlesse if we so behold him and can look no higher he will seem terrible as an Army with banners or rather as Goliah before the Israelites I said not before David for he laughed him to scorne and despised him but this I may say truly just cause we have to be afraid for consider the Churches enemies how many they are CHAP. IV. Without number for multitude 2. Without reason for rags and cruelty 3. Boundlesse in malice mischievous in projecting and watchfull in executing thereof 1. HOW many adversaries hath the Church It were well with the Church if she could number her enemies tell how many adversaries she hath We say They are but a few that can be numbred The Shepherd can tell his sheep but hee cannot tell how many Wolves nor Foxes there be nor how many dogs which doe their office the contrary way hurrying the sheep and are as bloody as the wolse or foxe every whit The Church can say They are as in former
layne so long above ground in the street of the great Citty nor had the Adversary any Cause to rejoyce over them indeed he hath not but I speake with respect to the offence of a dead body lying uncovered or hinder their bodies to be put in the graves (c) Rev. 11. 9. They were mystically dead sure for such also is their resurrection their coming to life again I think thus it was and yet I cannot expresse it in words what Antichristian Rome far more cruel then heathenish Rome She was a Dragon fell and Cruell but not so Cruell as a Lamb with hornes as Shee is that looks like a sheepe and is so in her clothing but inwardly is a greevous wolfe O beware of her and her Religion she is MYSTERY BABYLON the GREAT The mother of Harlots And abominations of the earth Rev. 17. 5. and hath no more good in her then what can be found in the bottomlesse pit from whence her Power and Authority ascendeth Rev. 11. 7. I was saying That death there is not properly so called but mystically thus I thinke it was Rome with her sworne servants hath done and will doe all the indignities that are Imaginable against these witnesses suspending putting out of office Defaming Defacing Degrading Truly I know not what but what Rome that delights in proud wrath could doe shee hath done and will doe against these witnesses And how far doth their malice reach To the Body no farther And that was Dead in law before the Body is dead because of sin The Body It is GODS building we must thinke and esteeme honourably of it for it shall be a Glorious body but as it is here and in comparison the people of GOD put little or no account upon it and it is according to the Spirits allowance The Body is not mentioned in the Scripture but with this addition a Dead a vile a corruptible Bodie The Soule stands for All and indeed it is All that we might put esteeme upon it more then upon all the world We see Bodies and dead bodies there then the Adversary can but kill the Bodie their proud wrath can reach no farther They can but take downe that Tabernacle which had it stood a little longer would have fel of its self God has never given a man His security That his Body shall be kept from perishing The streame of the promise runs still towards the Soule I was in the very mouth of Danger sayes Paul almost swallowed up there I was delivered at that time Nero he was the Lyon had not power over me at that time And the 2 Tim. 4. 17. LORD shall deliver me there is his security from what from Nero No hee sayes not so for at length when Paul had finished his testimony he was given up to that devourer The Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke An evil worke a complying with the workers of iniquity and with their wicked wayes that is worse then the Devourers mouth a thousand times worse so nor Paul nor the witnesses did doe Now take all will preserve me to His heavenly Kingdome That 's all indeed and makes amends for all will preserve me to His heavenly Kingdom where the dead bodies now that have all the dishonours put upon them that are conceivable shall be glorious Bodies We have viewed the Bodies now we consider where they lie 2 Where lye they In the street All the disgrace that can bee imagined shall be put upon them that will doe their Duty if they come into their Adversaries hand and it shall be done against them in the openest place where the Adversary may glut his eye in the exercise of proud wrath wherewith his heart is filled To expresse it as we read The Adversary having made himselfe drunke with blood will make these witnesses a GAZIMG-STOCK by reproches and afflictions a spectacle to the world Angels and men (d) Heb. 10. 13. 1 Cor. 4. 9. Why then who is on Gods side who he that is resolved to take Gods part must expect such usage but then he may expect such an exceeding and superlative comfort as will countervail and make amends for all If all the comforts in the world were distilled into one elixir put into these witnesses hands it would not be so cordiall as this which follows All this villanous usage upon these Bodies shall bee done where where also our LORD CHRIST was Crucified That was without the Gates of Jerusalem True and without the territories too by a Law not their own for the Iews could put no man to Death but from Caesar Tiberius he was the Emperour in Rome It is very comfortable what follows There also our Lord was Crucified But rejoyce in as much as ye 1 Pet. 4. 13. are partakers of Christs sufferings that when His glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy Who would not rejoyce to be put to open shame for Christ where Christ was put to open shame for him A great Commander refused a Crowne of gold in that place where the Lord Christ had put upon him a Crowne of thornes There is a continuall spring of comfort from thence which abundantly makes amends for all the proud wrath put forth against these Bodies in the street of the great City There also our Lord was crucified They shall suffer no more but what their Lord hath suffered before them and in that He hath 1 Pet. 4. 13. suffered that shame He suffered it for them that their shame now might be their glory Truly there is a comfort contained in these words that is not expressible but by the mouthes of these witnesses And they felt it then even a joy unspeakable I say then when that wicked woman that abominable strumpet with her Rev. 11. 10. lovers were so jocund and joyfull over them making merry and sending gifts one to another for this is a conclusion of experience That GOD leaves not His Servants Orphanes comfortlesse John 14. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At such a time as this when they are in the eyes of man fatherlesse friendlesse helplesse in the hands of proud wrath exercising all the indignities that are imaginable upon them and glutting their eye therewith then they are orphans you will say for all have left them and there they lie as you see But now marke the promise I will not leave you Orphans comfortlesse I will come to you nay He is come it is in the present tense now He is come in for all the creature-comforts are gone forth then God comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in in that season and nick of time And if there be any comfort in His presence as sure there is for He is The God of comforts and God speaks to His people most comfortably in a Wildernesse The sweetest comforts come forth of the greatest straits the Father not of some but of all consolations then they are sure to find it
an excellent Method though they seeme confused to us and doe worke together for the good of them that love God whereunto the present time gives cleare evidence GReat are the works of The Lord Sought out of them that take pleasure therein SOUGHT OUT with diligent inquiry not with a curious prying into them much lesse with an over-hasty censuring and judging of them here we must walk softly taking leasure We must not judge of the acts of GODS providence by pieces here a part and there a part as we do not a peice of Arrace not halfe unfolded stay till GOD hath done His whole worke hath accomplished it upon mount Zion then unfold the work and behold a glorious symmeâ—try and uniformity all together workeing for the good of those that love Him If we looke upon GODS works apart and alone here one piece and there another they will be as unpleasing to the eye as are the members of a body divided and lying apart from the head They will seeme fearfull and terrible wondrous crosse to the marke they tend to Ioseph must be a prime and cheife man in Egypt look you how crosse all things goe he is sold for a servant and it was well he scaped so when he had gained no little favour and became a great master then his feet were put in the stocks Things went as crosse with David too How long To the very day I reckon within a few houres he was to be King that very day the people spoke of stoning of him 1 Sam. 30 6. GODS providence seemed as strange and as crosse towards Mordecai and as favourable to Haman That Enemy and Adversary Mordecai must ride in state through the city and Haman must lead the horse and lacquie by and so it was But before that day came Haman was very confident That he should see Mordecai set on high upon a gallows which he had provided for his purpose Truly the admonition is seasonable Iudge nothing before the time but remember these are GODS workes and He will work like a GOD His providences what ever they seeme to be now they wil appeare to be admirable exceeding glorious Little can we by the begining of any action guesse at Gods intention in the conclusion Now here is a piece of providence and it seemes terrible here is another piece and causeth distractions A third piece and that causeth a sword here is a fourth piece and Oh how crosse it is to the high marke it tends to for there be thoughts of accommodation of compounding the cause of Christ and that is a crosse way indeed so we judge before the time stay a little while and we shall see all these crosse wayes meet and kisse each other so as we shall say in the close of the work All was carried on in a curious Method things seeme to be carried very confusedly in our eye up and downe and then a crosse as upon wheeles But there is a wheele within the wheeles and eyes providences Ezech. 1. round about If we could see we would say All things are carried in an excellent Method The lines of Gods providence drawn in the circumference of the world seeme no lesse confused then the moaths in the sun But we shall see one day That not one line could be spared And that all tend Directly to the great center The Glory of the Workman and The rest of His people We think we see crookednesse an unevennesse in the lines and wayes of Gods Providence But we are deceived mans wayes are unequall Gods wayes are equall stay a little we shall say so too I said well stay a while as those that live by faith and do not make haste untill GOD hath wrought His whole worke till we can put all together Then we shall discerne plainly That all together worked gloriously for the promoting the great supreame and soveraigne ends GODS Glory and HIS Churches peace in the exalting His people plucking down and confounding the Adversary Nay GOD hath not wearied out His people with expectation Though He hath not yet accomplished His whole worke yet He gives His people leave to behold some pieces thereof And see how wonderfull and admirable they are what strange providences crosse wayes as was said hath he made to meet contrary natures and wills have wrought effectually towards the setling of Truth and Peace that these might meete in a sweet agreement Take a view of it at once and behold the poyson of Aspes viperous tongues embalming wounds healing weaknesse strengthening temptations fortifying straits enlarging perverse counsels ensnaring the perverse counsellours fears supporting distractions uniting troubles quieting stops pressures to beare down the spirits of men heightening the same Thus the LORD hath done in this short time What then may the people of GOD expect to see in after time when the work is done and they can put all together who have seen such strange providences and glorious workings thereof already He that hath wrought so gloriously and hath given His people such a discerning will worke much more and will be admired in the close of His whole work when His people can put all together Now we are to consider with more enlagement what The LORD hath done making crosse wayes meete in a good agreement and crosse spirits to stand in a posture for the safeguarding His Kingdome And what a good GOD do His people serve who would not feare Him who would not serve such a God who would not trust Him now Hee makes all work for good All that we call evil and to sense it is so is good to them never any thing in the world fell out to The people of GOD whereof they could not say this is good now for it works thereunto and which is yet more comfort they can say confidently it will be better anon within an hower a minute a little minute GODS Hand is with them and through Him they improove all good and evill all is good to them they find it so or they make it so or rather against the nature thereof it is made so to them things disagreeing are made to agree very well and impossible things to be possible for so we read if we read the History of these last months Can a man imagine who walkes by sense but that the noise of swords and staves would silence the lawes and daunt the spirits of men utterly yet it was not so This noise wakened the lawes and raised the spirits the higher would we not think that the sword would make divisions It was taken up for that end and so it works most naturally But so it shall not do It shall worke contrary effects it shall cement and sodder men together It shall make many to be as one man of one mind in a house and so to seek the peace of Israel Yea but the sword drawes blood makes havock in the Land It robbs and spoiles c. Very true but it had made more