surely he that wanteth it is like a man that standeth trembling in the field without his Armour because euery one can strike him and he can strike none againe The least push that is of disgrace or of losse or of sicknes or of pouerty or of paine doth trouble those persons more which haue not patience to beare the same then forty tryalls can moue such as are armed with patience to vndergoe them like a golden shield in their hand to breake the stroke of euery crosse and to saue the heart though the bodie suffer For while the heart is whole all is well A sound spirit saith Salomon will beare his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can sustaine it l Prou. 18.44 Lastly considering the afflictions of the godly are many we that are godly must neuer promise to our selues peace quietnes here but after one trouble we must still looke for another saying with the Poet Finis alterius mâ—li gradus est futuri the end of one euill is a step towards another Many do deceiue themselues with vaine hopes in this respect They thinke that all shal be well with them that they shal haue the Sunne euermore to shine vpon them if they can but rid themselues out of their present troubles But let them marke it well it shall not be so oh my brethren suppose you were as wise as Salomon as strong as Sampson as warlike as Dauid as meeke as Moses as louely as Ionathan as beautifull as Absalom as rich as Croessus as great as Assuerus as swift as Asahel as free born as Paul as noble as Foestus as big as Goliah as patient as Ioh and as wise as Christ himselfe yet you shall haue troubles still during your liues so long as any of you shall breath with any life As the life of Christ your Lord and maister was a warfare vpon the earth so your liues that are Christians must be a warfare vpon the earth Here we liue in a sea of troubles The Sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anchor is hope the sailes are loue the Saintes are passingers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot. Now when the Sea can continue without waues the ship without tossings and passengers not be sicke vpon the water then shal the Church of God be without triall but not before Therefore I beseech you beloued in the Lord promise your selues no security in this world but look still for troubles and when you haue slaine a lyon look for a beare and when you haue killed the beare looke for a Goliah and when you haue ouercome Goliah looke for a Saul and when Saul is wounded to death looke for the Philistims that is when you haue ouercome one trouble or vanquished one enemie looke still for an other trouble and for an other enemie and that vntill you die and the spirit returne to God that gaue it Obiect True it is that God hath not appointed to all his children a like measure of troubles but to some more and to some lesse to some after one manner and to some after an other Yet all must haue them all must continue in the hauing of them without starting from his Maiestie For none must look to be more nicely or daintily handled then the very naturall Sonne of God himselfe was who was the onely darling and the best beloued of his Father Yet for all that his whole life here vpon the earth was nothing else but a continuall crosse And therefore let this be our daily meditation that when we haue borne one trouble wee doe prepare our hearts to beare an other euermore to looke for new troubles so long as we liue here in this world like new men And so I leaue the miserie of the righteous and come to his deliuerance from his miserie But the Lord deliuereth him out of them all Here are two points to be stood vpon The person who doth deliuer the righteous and the thing from which the righteous is deliuered But because the time is well neere spent Idfrustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora That is done in vaine by more things which fewer to perfection brings I will conioyne them both together and from thence deliuer vnto you this doctrine IEHOVAH that there is no trouble which the righteous haue but the Lord doth deliuer them out of the same This you may see by Ieremies words when he saith For the Lord will not forsake for euer but though he send affliction yet wil he haue compassion according to the multitudes of his mercies ô Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and hast redeemed my life m Iam. 3.31.32.58 This you may see by Esayes words wheÌ„ he saith I will not contend for euer neither will I be alwayes wroth I haue seene his wayes and will heare him I will leade him also and restore comfort vnto him and to those that lament him I create the fruites of the lippes to be peace peace vnto them that are a farre off to them that are neere saith the Lord for I will heale him n Esai 57.16 This you may see by Dauids words when hee sayth Beholde his eye is vpon them that feare him and vpon them that trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death and to preserue them in famine o Psalm 33.18 This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles p Psal 34.6 The Lord preserueth the simple I was in miscrie and hee saued me Returne vnto thy rest ô my soule for the Lord hath bene beneficiall vnto thee because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I shall walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing q Psalm 116.6 The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in Truth hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Hee also will will heare theyr crye and saue them The Lord preserueth all that loue him r psal 145 14.18 Then they cryed to the Lorde in their trouble and he deliuered them from their distresse and led them forth by the right way that they might goe to a Citie of habitation s psal 107.6.7 This you may see by Pauls words when hee saith But thou hast fully knowne my doctrine maner of liuing purpose faith long suffering loue patience persecutions and afflictions which came vnto me at Antiochia at Iconium and at Lystra which persecutions I suffered but from them all the Lord deliuered me t 2 Tim. 3 10.11 Finally this you may see by many particular examples Abraham was in exile Lot was in captiuity Iob was in bodily extremity See more for this in my Sermons on the second psalme page 24.
wherein troubles doe come are many and diuerse For sometimes they come in the morning sometimes at noone sometimes in the euening and sometimes in the night Sometimes in our infancie somtimes in our childhood sometimes in our youth sometimes in our middle-age sometimes in our olde-age sometimes in our dotage The sorts by which troubles do come are many and diuerse For some are the diseases of the bodie as the goute the stone the collicke the ague the feauer the toothach and the like Some are wants of outward things as of houses Cattell money Apparell Dyet Friends libertie and the like Some are losses of goods as when a man is robbed of his money of his plate of his clothes of his beasts of his seruants of his children and the like Some lastly to passe ouer other sorts are the cōmon plagues of the world as burnings by the fire as drownings by the water as infectings by the aire as deuourings by the Sword as destroyings by the pestilence as slanderings by the tongue and the like The parts to which troubles doe come are many and diuerse For somtimes they come vnto the soule somtimes to the bodie and sometimes both to the soule and body together Likewise in the bodie they come now and then vnto the head now and then to the bellie now and then to the backe now and then to the stomack now then to the arms now and then to the thighs now and then to the legs now then to the feete now then to the hands and now then in a word to all the ioynts and members of the body together The effects which troubles do bring forth at their comming are many and diuerse For somtimes they make men mery and sometimes againe they make them sad sometimes they make them pray sometimes againe they make them curse sometimes they make them quiet and somtimes againe they make them rage somtimes in a word they make them the worse somtimes again they make them the better Thus the troubles of the righteous are many Innumerable troubles saith Dauid haue cōpassed me i Psalm 40.12 The Church doth thus complain They haue oftentimes afflicted mee from my youth may Israel now say they haue oftentimes afflicted mee from my youth but they could not preuaile against mee The plowers plowed vpon my backe and made long surrowes k Psalm 129.1.2.3 And wee must saith Paul and Barnabas through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God l Acts 14.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through many compressions or twistings together of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import For this cause afflictions are compared to waters because as one waue falleth vpon another so one trouble commeth after another m Psalm 42.7 I might make this more manifest vnto you by manifolde examples out of Gods word as by the example of Iacob of Ioseph of Iob others but at this instant I will giue you instance only in two namely in Dauid and Paul wherof the one is in the old Testament and the other in the new n 1. Sam. 17.34 A lyon you know came to Dauid to deuoure him a beare to teare him o 1. Sam. 17.41 a giant to kill him p 1. Sam. 20. 21. a king to behead him q 2. sam 15.12 a sonne to vnthroan him r 2. sam 20.10 a subiect to reiect him many s 2. sam 8.10 out-lādish princes to captiue or conquer him These were troubles yea many troubles but yet they were not all For besides these you may reade how his wiues were taken by the enemies like prisoners t 1. sam 30.5 how his concubines were defloured openly like whores v 2. sam 16.22 how his children were defiled with incest and murder like pagans w 2. sam 13.14.32 how his subiects were destroyed with pestilence and famine like beasts x 2. sam 21.1.24.15 how his souldiers were vp in a mutinie for to stone him like rebells y 1. sam 30. how his friends were in a confederacie against him like traitors z Psalm 41.9 55.12 lastly how hee himselfe was strangely handled both in body and soule by God himselfe like a cast-away a Psal 38.2 and 32.4 But to leaue him and to come to Paul in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians and 11. chapter you may plainely see how manie his troubles were by his owne report who knew them best He had many labors many stripes He was often in prison he was neere vnto death many times Of the Iews he receiued 5. times 40. stripes sauing one He suffered shipwrack 3. times Night and day was he in the deepe Sea In iournying he was often in perill of waters in perill of robbers in perill of his owne nation in perill among the Gentiles in perils in the citie in perils in the wildernes in perill in the sea in perils among false brethren In wearines and painfulnes in warchings often in hunger thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednes Besides the things which are outward he was cumbred daily and had the care of all churches So that this is a cleere doctrine that the troubles wherevnto the children of God are subiect are many and diuerse Reas Now the reasons thereof are these First because they haue many sinnes For sinne is the generall and vniuersall cause of all troubles Man suffereth for his sinne saith Ieremy in the Lamentations b Lam. 39.3 And fooles saith Dauid by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted c Psal 107.17 You may see more of this at your leisure in Psalm 40.12 in Esai 57.17 in Lament 1.22 and Iohn 5.14 God doth knowe that we are like dogges who so long as they are hungry they fasten their eyes vpon their maister but he no sooner casteth downe a crust or a bone but they looke downward run after it little regarding him who feedeth them So is it with vs so long as wee are kept vnder wee looke vnto the Lord our maister and haue a respect to his commandements but when we are full and laden with fatnesse we spurne with the heele and regard not the strong GOD of our saluation d Deut. 32.15 For this cause doth the Lord oftentimes send a deluge vpon the face of our earthly pleasures and throwe vs downe into the floods of teares that so thereby hee might extinguish the heate of vnlawfull desires within vs clense the corruptions of our sinfull liues and all to this ende that wee might not be condemned with the world but might be saued at the day of iudgement as the Apostle doth well obserue in his epistle to the Corinthians according to that which was quoted before the first Epistle the 11. chapter and the latter ende of the same Secondly because they haue many enemies For all the world doth hate them and the diuell and his power is
martyrem It is not the punishment but the cause that doth make a martyr Some are like to Ismaell of whom it is saide He shall be a wilde man his hand shall be against euery man euery mans hand against him x Geneâ— 16.12 Because they trouble others therfore they haue many troubles themselues But if any be railed vpon for the Name of Christ they are blessed and all those who suffer not as a murtherer nor as a thiefe nor as an euill dooer nor as a busie-body in other mens matters but as a Christian they are happy need not to be ashamed but may glotifie God in that behalfe y 1. Pet. 4.14.15.16 The second is the manner of bearing their troubles For righteous persons doe quietly vndergoe the same and blesse the Lord their God in the midst thereof saying with olde Ely It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good z 1. sam 3.18 With valiant Dauid carry the Arke of GOD againe into the Citie if I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe and shew mee both it and the tabernacle thereof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee behold here am I Let him do to me as seemeth good in his eyes a 2. sam 15.25.26 And with patient Iob Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed bee the Name of the LORD b Iob. 1.21 But vngodly persons doe breake out exceedingly and not onely seeke vnlawfull meanes to helpe themselues in their troubles as Saul resorted to the witch of Endor c 1. Cor. 10.13 and many enquire at them that haue a spirit of diuination and at the Sooth-sayers which whisper end murmure forsaking the liuing to goe to the dead and the Creator to goe to the creature d Esay 8.19 But they also storme and rage now and then like mad-men and withdrawe all their trust from the Lord the fountaine of all happinesse not praying vnto his Maiestie for succour and helpe but rather blaspheming his glorious name with their leaud wicked tongues as was obserued a little before out of the Reuelations The third and last is the ende what fruit doth follow vpon their troubles For the godly are bettered by them but the wicked are not Dauid other righteous men receiued goodnes from them as was proued before but Saul and other vngodly wretches remaine still in their sinfulnes notwithstanding them yea by them they grow worse and worse according to Pauls words when he saith Yea and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution But the euill men and deceiuers shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued e Mi. 27.3.12.13 Whereunto agreeth that which the prophet Esay hath in these words they haue forsaken the Lord they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger they are gone backward Wherefore should you be smitten any more for you fall away more and more the whole head is sicke and the whole heart is heauy f Esay 1.4.5 Now to conclude this point if the cause be holy for which you suffer if it be for God and a good conscience and not for your owne defaults or foolishnes if secondly you take your troubles quietly and possesse your soules with patience in the midst thereof relying onely vpon God and vsing no vnlawfull meanes for your helpe therein if lastly you be amended and made better by such chastisements as are laid vpon you so that now you doe become more deuout and religious in the whole course of your liues then euer you were before you may assure your soules that your case is good and thinke the better of your selues for these your troubles and not the worse They must be so many pledges and seales to you of your euerlasting happines Secondly seeing the troubles of the righteous are many righteous persons haue neede of great patience a little part or portion therof will not serue their turnes And therefore let all those who intend to be righteous indeede endeuour to the vttermost of their power to attaine to a good measure of patience which is like a priuy coate vpon the soule to saue it a marble pillar in the house to vphold it a strong post vnder the tree to stay it a pretious balme about the head to heale it and a two edged sword in the hand to defend it Doubtles Sampson neuer gained so much by his haire vpon his head and yet when his haire was on his head he did alwaies ouercome and was neuer ouercome as we shall gaine by patience to helpe vs in all our troubles For this will be a generall salue to vs for all our sores and as the lid about the eye is made to shut and open to saue the eye so this is placed in our soules by the Lord to guard and keepe our soules For as a light burden borne at the armes end weigheth heauier by much then a burden of treble weight if it be borne vpon the shoulders which are made to beare So if a man set impatience to beare his crosse which is not fit to beare it will start and shrinke and let the burden fall on his head like a broken staffe which promiseth to helpe him ouer the water and leaueth him in the ditch But if you put it to patience and set her to beare it which is appointed to beare she will vndergoe it and carry it away as nothing For she is like the harty spies that came from Canaan and saide Surely the Lord hath deliuered into our hands all the land for euen all the inhabitants of the countrey faint because of vs. g Ioshua 2 2â— Or like to Caleb that stilled the people before Moses and said Let vs goe vp at once possesse it For vndoubtedly we shall ouercome it h Numb 13.31 So patience doth euermore hart vs on against all troubles that may bee and perswade our hearts that wee shall ouercome them well enough in the end She doth tell vs that it is nothing to fast nothing to watch nothing to read nothing to labour nothing to be enuied nothing to be slandered nothing to be buffeted nothing to bee imprisoned nothing in a word to be racked or to be put to death for the Lords cause Shee doth assure vs that we shal be more then conquerorstherin according to Pauls words in his epistle to the Romanes i Rom. 8.37 Labour then I beseech you for patience and follow the Apostles counsell in this repect when he saith Be patient therefore brethren vnto the comming of the Lord Behold the husbandman waiteth for the pretious fruites of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill hee receiue the former and latter raine Be yee also patient therefore settle your harts for the comming of the Lord draws neere k Iam. 5.7.8 And
olde saying and a true one Crux pendentis Cathedra docentis the crosse of the hanged is the chaire of the learned The Crosse-house is the Schoole-house Surely Afflictions as they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so are they also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are passions so they are instructions they are not only burdens vpon vs but they are also good lessons vnto vs They are like the winde which doth cleanse the good graine though it doth blow colde and like the Fire which doth purifie the bad golde though it doth burne hote Hagar was proud and blinde in Abrahams house but in the wildernes shee is humbled and begins to looke to the Lord. r Genes 16.4 Israel learned not to mourne vntill they were sent to Babell s Psalm 137.10 Ionah sleepe in the shippe but walkes and prayes in the whales belly t Iona. 1. 2. chapt Manasses cares not for God at libertie but seekes him out in the prison v 2. Cron. 33.12 Dauid went astray before he was afflicted but then he learned to keepe Gods word w Psalm 119.67 In a word euery Christian is bettered by his troubles His knowledge is sounder then it was His faith is stronger then it was his hope is firmer then it was his loue is hotter then it was his humilitie is lower then it was lastly his goodnesse in generall is greater then it was greater towards God greater towards his neighbour greater towards himselfe and greater towards all the creatures both great and small As thus wee haue holinesse by afflictions so also haue we credit Vnto you it is grace For Christ saith Paul that not onely you should belieue in him but also suffer for his sake x Phil 1.29 In the second chapter of the Reuelation and 13. verse it is recorded as a thing of great honor that Antipas was slaine as a faithfull martyr in the Church of Pergamus where Sathan had his throne And the Apostles did take themselues highly credited of the Lord when he did count them worthy to suffer for his Names sake z Acts 5.41 So that honour and reputation comes to men by all such afflictions as they doe vndergo here in this world for Gods cause and the confirmation of the truth The other two profits which doth concerne the next life are these First an assurance of glorie to come For this is certaine that if wee doe here suffer with Christ wee shall heereafter raigne with Christ a Rom. 8.17 2. Tim. 2.13 1. Pet. 3.10 And therefore Iames doth say Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him b Iam 1.12 Secondly an increase of glorie to come For as Paul doth teach vs our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glorie c 2. Cor. 4.17 So that the more troubles that wee doe here endure for our God and his lawes the more and greater will our glory be at the last when we shall be rewarded according to our workes d 2. Cor. 5.10 The third and last meanes of preparation for troubles is the consideration of the multiplicitie of those promises which God hath made vnto vs in his word about our troubles which promises are chiefly three The first is that hee will lay no more vpon vs then wee can beare according to Pauls words when hee saith There hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it e 1. Cor. 10.13 The second is that he will deliuer vs frō that which he doth lay vpon vs according to Dauids words whē he saith As the mountains are about Ierusalem so is the Lord about his people from hence forth and for euer For the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous least the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednes f Psal 125.2.3 The third and last is that hee will turne that which he doth lay vpon vs and from which he will deliuer vs vnto our good in the ende according to the Apostles words when he saith Also we knowe that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose g Rom. 8.28 Thus by the contemplation of the necessitie of troubles of the vtilitie of troubles and of the multiplicitie of the promises which God hath made vnto vs about our troubles you may make your selues strong and prepare your hearts against all your troubles And so I leaue the first branch of the miserie of the righteous which doth concerne the nature or qualitie of it and come to the second which dooth respect the magnitude or quantitie of it Many are the troubles saith the Prophet of the Righteous The word which is here translated Many Rabboth in the Hebrew tongue is Rabboth and it coms of the verb Rabab with signifieth to multiplie or to increase Some there are who read it thus Great are the troubles of the righteous True it is that the word Rab and Rabbah whereof come Rabin and Rabboth in the plurall doe signifie now and then that which is great but yet you must know that it is but seldome and that for the most part it is taken onely for that which is much or many and so is it here For the Prophets meaning is that there is a generalitie of crosses and a plurality of troubles that doe belong to the righteous Doct. Where hence ariseth this doctrine that the afflictions or calamities wherevnto the children of God are subiect are many and diuerse Many and diuerse 1. for the persons from whome they come 2. For the meanes through which they come 3. For the times wherein they come 4. For the sortes by which they come 5. For the ports to which they come 6. Lastly for the effects which they bring at their comming The persons from whom troubles doe come are many and diuerse First and foremost there is GOD the Father the Sonne holy Ghost Secondly there is the diuell and his angells Thirdly there is the world and all vngodly persons who are in the world that are almost infinite in number beeing as the sand of the Sea h Reu. 20.8 The meanes through which troubles doe come are many and diuerse For they come sometimes through the meanes of our Children somtimes through the meanes of our seruants somtimes through the meanes of our friends sometimes through the meanes of our enemies sometimes through the meanes of our Neighbours somtimes through the meanes of strangers and somtimes lastly to omit many other meanes through the meanes of our owne foolish or sinfull wayes The times
Ioseph was in prison Moses was in the water Ieremy was in the dungion Dauiel was in the Lions denne Ionah was in the whales belly Mordecay was in the power of Hamon Peter was in the Gaile the three children were in the burning furnace and Israel was in the bondage of Aegipt yet all these were deliuered and came out of their troubles euery one of them So that wee may conclude this point with the saying of Dauid in these words For the Lord loueth iudgement and forsaketh not his saints they shall be preserued for euermore marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the ende of that man is peace the saluation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord he shall be their strength in the time of trouble for the Lord shall helpe them and deliuer them he shall deliuer them from the wicked and shall saue them because they trust in him Ob. But here it may be obiected v psal 37.28.37.39.40 that the righteous are not alwayes deliuered out of their troubles but doe now and then continue in them still and doe rather miscarry by them then euer come out from them considering that they die and perish through them Ans For answere herevnto you must know three things The first is that God hath appointed times when to deliuer his out of their troubles as it is said in the Psalme Hee sent a man before them Ioseph was sold for a slaue They held his feete in the stockes and he was layd in irons vntill his appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him w psal 105.17 The second is that small and short troubles will not amend some and fit them well either for the worship of their God while they be here or for their owne actuall enterance into the kingdome of heauen hereafter they are so seated in their sinnes and so double died in their transgressions And therefore the Lord is compelled as it were for his owne glorie and their good to continue them still in their afflictions vntill hee hath renued them made them tractable to his voyce Read more of this in my 1. sermon vpon the second psalme The third and the last is that these that end their liues by their troubles are most of al deliuered from their troubles because then they are no more molested with any trouble but presently doe enter into their ioy of rest as Iohn doth shew saying Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord euen so saith the spirite for they rest from their labours and theyr workes doo follow them x 1. Cor. 14.13 Reas But to passe the doctrine and the doubt which hath bene moued against the doctrine let vs now come to the reasons of the doctrine and search what are the causes why the Lord doth deliuer the righteous out of all their troubles who are subiect to many troubles In few words they are foure in number The first is because they loue him according to that which is in the Psalme in these words Because he hath loued me therfore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because hee hath knowne my Name hee shall call vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble and I will deliuer him and glorifie him with long life I will satisfie him and shew him my saluation y Psal 91 14 The second is because he doth loue them and is bound vnto them by his promise according to that which is in Deuteronomie in these wordes The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because you were more in number then any people for you were the fewest of all people But because the Lord loued you and because hee would keepe the Oath which hee had sworne vnto your Fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharach king of Aegipt z Deut. 7.7 8 The third is because he is touched with their grieuances and all their troubles doe trouble him according to that which is in Esay in these words In all their troubles he was troubled and the Angell of his presence saued them in his loue and in his mercie he redeemed them and he bore them and carried them alwayes continually a Esay 〈◊〉 9 Heerevnto adde that whith is in Iudges His soule was grieued for the misery of Israel b Iudg 〈…〉 The fourth and last is because he hath glory and honour by their deliuerance according to that which is in Ezechiel in these words But I fauoured mine holy Name which the house of Israel had polluted among the heathen whither they went Therefore say vnto the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes ô house of Israel but for my holy names sake which you polluted among the heathen whither you went And I will sanctify my great name which was polluted among the heathen whom you haue polluted and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes for I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all countries and will bring you c â—â— 16.22 into your owne land Herevnto you may well ioyne that which is in Esay where he saith For my Names sake will I deferre my wrath and for my praise will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not off Behold I haue fined thee but not as siluer I haue chosen thee in the furnace of afflictions for mine owne sake for mine owne sake will I doe it for how should my name be polluted surely I will not giue my glory vnto another d Esa 48.9.10.11 So that his loue his promise his feeling and his glory together with their loue goodnes doe stirre God vp to helpe the righteous and to deliuer them out of all their troubles The consideration whereof may afford vnto vs plentifull obseruations Vse The first is that God must haue the praise and honour of all these deliuerances which the godly haue at any time They must ascribe nothing to themselues or to others therin but all to God as Moses did e Exod. 15.1 as Deborah did f Iudg. 5.1 as Samuel did g 1. Sam. 12.8 as Dauid did h Psalm 12.4 as Iehosophat did i 2. Chro. 20.26 as Daniel did k Dan. 6.22 as Paul did l 2. Tim. 3.11 as all must doe m Psalm 107.16 Praised be the Lord said Dauid euen the God of our saluation which leadeth vs daily with benefits this is our God euen the God that saueth vs and to the Lord God belong the issues of death Againe he saith praise ye the Lord for his mercy endureth for euer Let them which haue beene redeemed of the Lord shew how he hath deliuered them from the hand of the oppressor and gathered them out of
the lands from the East and from the West from the North n Psalm 6.68.19 and from the South And he doth often repeate this saying in the same Psalme Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men That is euer true which is in Hoseah where the Lord doth say O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in mee is thy helpe o Hds 13.9 For this cause I beseech you beloued brethren let none of vs sacrifice vnto our owne net or burne incense vnto our owne yarne but whensoeuer any of vs are deliuered out of any danger or distresse let vs blessed the Name of the Lord our God for the same and put that in practise which is required of vs by the prophet Dauid when he saith Yee sonnes of the mighty giue vnto the Lord glory and strength giue vnto the Lord glory due vnto his Name worshippe the Lord in his glorious Sanctuary p Psalm 29.1.2 The second is that in all troubles the righteous must runne to God they must seeke him out and labour to haue his fauour and assistance They must not looke vnto themselues or rest vpon their owne strength for they are weake and vnable for to helpe themselues That which Christ said in one sense is true in this Without mee yee can doe nothing q Ioh. 15.5 Neither must they look to man for all the world is against them r Ioh. 15.19 But they must looke to the Lord their God saying with Israel Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord For he hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp after two dayes will hee reuiue vs and in the third day he will raise vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight s Hos 6.1.2 Saying with Iehoshaphat when the Moabites Ammonites and the Idumeans of Mount-Seir came to battell against him O our God wilt thou not iudge them For there is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that coÌ„meth against vs neither doe we know what to doe but our eyes are towards thee t 2. Chron. 2.20 Saying with Dauid Haue mercie vpon mee ô GOD haue mercie vpon me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shaddow of thy wings will I trust till these afflictions ouerpasse I will call vpon the most high GOD euen to the God that performeth his promise towards me He will send from heauen saue mo froÌ„ the reproofe of him that would swallow me Selah God wil send his mercie truth v Psalm 57.10 Saying with Asa when the Aethyopians came against him with an Hoast of ten hundred thousand and three hundred charrets Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe with many or with no power helpe vs ô Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name are we come against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee w 2. Chro. 14.11 Saying with Herechia O lord God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth Lord bow down thine eare heare Lord open thine eyes and behold and heare the words of Sanacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God Now therefore ô Lord our God I beseech thee saue thou vs out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou ô Lord art onely God x 2. King 19.10.16.19 Saying lastly with the godly in the psalme I lift vp mine eyes to thee that dwellest in the heauens Behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their maisters and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the haâ—d of her mistris So our eyes wayte vpon the lord our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. y Psal 123.1.2 O my brethren there is much gadding abroad but I beseech you let vs not wander as others do therein We must not with Pharaoh relie vpon enchaunters Wee must not with Saul relye vpon witches we must not with Asa relye vpon physitions we must not with Israel rely vpon the Aegiptians we must not with Iezabel relie vpon Idols we must not with papists relie vpon the dead or canonized saints we must not with the worldling relie vpon the wedge of golde or earthly wealth we must not in a word with Goliah relie vpon our own strength or power But we must relye vpon the Lord our God We I say who are professors who are Christians who are the visible members of the Church who are the true children of God Gol. euen all wee I say must relie onely vpon the Lord our God whatsoeuer others doe besides Sother Ereptor Surely he onely must be our Goel our Soter our Ereptor that is our Redeemer our Sauiour our deliuerer Hee must bee our strength our refuge our shield our rock our fortresse and the horne of our saluation As Dauid doth speake in the 18. Psalme and 2. verse And therfore I pray let vs do euermore as that good man did who said Whom haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in the earth with thee My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer For loe they that withdraw themselues from thee shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee As for me it is good for me to draw neer to God Therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord that I may declare all thy works z Psalm 73.24 The third is a comfort vnto the righteous against all their troubels Reioyce ô daughter Zion saith Zophonie be ye ioyfull ô Israel be glad and reioyce with all thine hart ô daughter Ierusalem The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements he hath cast out thine enemie the king of Israel euen the Lord is in the middest of thee thou shalt see no more euill a Zeph. 3.14 Feare not said God vnto Israel his people for I am with thee be not affraid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and help thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish b Esa 41.10 Doubtles as Dauid gaue charge vnto the souldiers that they should not kill Absolom his sonne though he sent them against Absolom to stay his rebellion so God doth command crosses not to destroy his childreÌ„ though he send them against his children either to correct them or to trie them And therefore as the viper lept vpon Paul and lept of againe so troubles leape vpon the righteous and leaps off againe as though they had mistaken the partie and rapt at the wrong doore Looke then how all the accusers went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen to the last and left the
poore adultresse woman alone onely with Christ there being not so much as any one left behinde either to condemne her or to stone her with stones c Iohn 8.9 So doe all troubles vanish away from the righteous one by one and leaue them safe and alone without one either to vexe them or to destroy them with destructions For be it that the lawier cannot deliuer his client but from his strife the Physition his patient but froÌ„ his sicknes the maister his seruaÌ„t but from his bondage the father his childe but from his pouerty the tutor his scholler but from his ignorance the captaine his souldier but from his wounds yet God can and will also deliuer his from all their troubles whatsoeuer And howsoeuer these their troubles doe come in a thousand waies like waters through many grates yet he can and will also meete with them all For hee can worke doth also often worke by meanes without meanes and contrary to all meanes By meanes yea by weake meanes he saued Israel when hee ouerthrew the innumerable army of the Midianites by Gedeons three hundred men d Iudg. 9.7 By meanes yea by weake meanes he saued Saul and his people when he slew a garrison of the philistins by Ionathan and his armorbearer e 1. Cor. 14. By meanes yea by weake meanes he saued Lot when he conquered Chadorlaomor three other kings with him by Abraham and his familie f Genes 14. Lastly by meanes yea by weake meanes he saued the nation of the Iewes when he destroyed Goliah by Dauid Sisera by Iael and Abimilech by a woman g 1. Sam. 17. Iud. 4. 9. Without meanes he saued Iehosophat and his people when hee himselfe did ouerthrow the Moabites the Ammonites and them of mount Seir which made warre against them h 2. Chron. 20. Without meanes he saued Moses and his people when he himselfe drowned Pharoah and his army in the red sea pursuing after them without meanes he saued Ezechiah and his people i Exod. 14. when he himselfe slew the huge army of the Assirians who came with a purpose to destroy them k 2. King 17. Lastly without means he saued Elisha and his man when he himselfe smote with blindnes the Syrians who besieged Dothan the city where the prophet was and came to take him l 2. King 6. Contrary to all meanes hee saued the three children from burning being in the fire m Dan. 3. Contrary to all means he saued Ionah from consuming being in the Whales belly n Ionâ—â— 2. Contrary to all meanes he saued Daniel from deuouring being in the Lions den o Dan. 6. Finally contrary to all meanes be saued the Isralites froÌ„ drowning being in the bottome of the sea p Ezod 14. Wherefore my beloued brethren faint not whatsoeuer your troubles be but be of a good comfort and cheere vp your harts in the Lord doubt nothing but all shall be well with you in the end Oh say with Dauid wheÌ„ your harts are disquieted Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God q Psalm 42.11 Doubtles he will come he will come waite but a little and you shall see your deliuerance And so I conclude this worthy obseruation with the prophets needful exhortation in these words Hope in the Lord be strong and he shall comfort thine heart and trust in the Lord. r Psalm 27.14 The fourth and last is an Instruction to the world to warne them in their euill courses that they goe not about to trouble the righteous and to qualifie them in their ioyfull mirth that they doe not exult too much in the misery of the righteous For seeing that the Lord will deliuer the righteous out of all their troubles it is a great folly for the world to goe about to trouble them and a greater vanity in them to reioyce at their troubles as though they should continue euer in their troubles and neuer see an end of their troubles Here here let the wicked remember what is in Zophonie when the Lord saith After a certaine time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee and them that beare the reproach for it behold at that time I will bruise all that afflict thee and I will saue her that halteth and gather her that was cast out and I will giue them praise and fame in all the lands of their shame s Zoph 3.18.19 Here here let the wicked remember what is in Esay where the almighty saith But thus saith the Lord euen the captiuity of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the tyrant shall be deliuered for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will saue thy children And will feede them that spoile thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne blood as with sweete wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy sauiour and thy redeemer the mighty one of Iacob t Esai 49.25.26 Here here let the wicked remember what is in the Prouerbes when Salomon saith The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his fleede v Pro. 11 8. Againe the wicked shall be a ransome for the iust and the transgressor for the righteous w Prou. 21.18 Here here lastly let the wicked remember what is in Micha when the prophet saith Reioyce not against me ô mine enemie though I fall I shall arise when I shall sit in darknes the Lord shall be a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause and execute iudgement for me Then will he bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnes Then she that is mine enemy shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer her which said vnto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be troden downe as the mire of the streetes x Mic. 7.8.9.10 Hitherto you haue had welbeloued in the Lord such things onely as concerned my text and which in a generall manner flowed out of the same for the good of vs all But now I pray giue mee leaue in a few words to make some particular application thereof vnto that honourable and most worthy person our most high and mighty king for whose sake we are here this day assembled together You are not ignorant how his troubles haue bene many neither are you ignorant how his deliuerances also haue bene manie Out of all doubt that which Dauid doth here say his Maiesty may truly say Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord doth deliuer him out of theÌ„ all For he hath had good experieÌ„ce of theÌ„ both in his own person But not to speake of al but only of one thing