the Almighty and to see the deepe things of the Lord. For tell mee I pray you is not hee a Conquerour yea more then a Conquerour that doth so subdue his enemies that they can no more rise vp against him A man may vanquish his enemie and beate him cleane out of the field yet afterward hee may gather a power against him againe and put him to the worst But heere Satan the world and all our enemies are so beaten downe and troden vnder foote by all such as suffer and dye for the truth that they can neuer assault them any more to stirre either tongue hand or foote against them to doe them any hurt for they goe immediately vpon that their death and passion to Heauen and vnto all that happinesse which is prouided there for them as Iohn doth shew Apo. 14.13 saying Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes do follow them Christ a powerfull Sauiour stronger thē Samson yea then that strong one Iudges 16.1 O wonderfull worke Surely the weakenesse of God is stronger then man he is that strong one indeed stronger then Sampson when the Philistians thought they had him sure within the ports of Azzah Hee rose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the Citty two Posts and carried them away with the bars thereof on his shoulders vp to the top of the mountaine which is before Hebron But our mighty Conqueror and deliuerer the Lord Iesus hath in a more excellent manner magnified his power for being closed in the Graue clasped in the bands of death and a stone roled to the mouth of the Graue the Sepulcher sealed and guarded with souldiers hee rose againe the third day before the rising of the Sunne hee carried like a victor the bars and Posts of death away as vpon his shoulders and vpon the mount of Oliues he ascended vpon high leading Captiuity captiue 2. King 18.35 Let Satan boast like Rabsecha that the Lord is not able to deliuer Ierusalem out of his hands Deut. 26.29 hee is a blasphemous lyer the Lord will rebuke him and will shortly tread Satan vnder our feet It is the curse of the wicked he shall bee oppressed and there shall bee none to deliuer him Psal 143.12 But blessed bee the Lord who hath prouided a strong deliuerer for vs who certainely shall set vs free glory therefore bee vnto him for euer It is good for vs to know this as also to thinke oftentimes vpon it for first by it we may learne to take heed we goe not about any thing which may be hurtfull or pernicious vnto Gods children for if we doe we see heere our labour shall bee in vaine wee shall not preuaile against them but they preuaile against vs. Hee is a very foole that will attempt a thing which he knowes for certaine hee cannot bring to passe and which hee is sure will bee his bane and destruction but wee know that wee cannot preuaile against the faithfull and wee are sure that our plots against them will turne to our ouerthrow and therefore let vs beware that wee lift not vp our selues against them at any time Againe from hence wee learne euen so many of vs as doe truely serue the Lord and feare him from our hearts that there is no cause vvhy wee should feare Man or vvhat hee can doe against vs. Oh wee may reioyce and be glad as it is required of vs in which places you may reade at your leasure feare not beloued bee of good comfort Zeph. 3.14 though that you haue enemies in euery Corner yet be not discouraged you shall haue the conquest And the Lord your God shall deliuer you 1. Pet. 3 14. out of all your troubles according to the saying of Dauid Psal 34 9 Great are ihe troubles of the righteous but ihe Lord deliuereth them out of them all he is wise he doth know how to do it and he is omnipotent he is able for to do it and as for his willingnesse he is ready at all times to accomplish it wherfore be I say of good comfort and feare not but trust in the Lord and commit your wayes vnto him and he shall bring all things to passe according to your hearts desire in the end he that deliuered Noah from the floud Lot from Sodome Iacob from Esau Ioseph from Potiphar Moses from Pharaoh Israel from Egypt the three Children from the Fire Peter from Herod Mordecay from Hamman and here Christ and Dauid from all sorts of enemies He euen he will deliuer you out of all trouble If you say that your enemies are many and that the whole world is against you I will say againe to you with Elisha the Prophet 2. Kin. 6.16 2. Chr. 32 7 and Hezechiah the King that there are more with vs then are against vs for God and all the Hoast of Heauen is for vs if you say againe that your enemies are wise and politicke and they are able to ouer-reach you by their craft and cunning considering that you are but simple and ignorant like Doues I will answere you with the Apostle 1. Cor. 1.25 That the foolishnesse of our God who is on our side is wiser then their best wisedome and that he will destroy their wisedome and bring their vnderstanding to naught to doe vs good If you say in the third place that your enemies haue hemmed you in and compassed you about that it is vnpossible for you to escape them I will answere you with the Angell Gabriel 1. Cor. 1.19 that with God nothing shall bee vnpossible and with the three Children Shadrach Meshach and Abednego that GOD both can and will deliuer you Dan. 3.17 when they say Behold our GOD wee serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fierie Furnace and hee will deliuer vs out of thine hand O King If you say lastly that your Enemies haue already taken you and doe put you dayly vnto death I will answere you with Paul in Romanes the eight verse the seuen and thirtieth which place was touched before and with Iohn in the Reuelation the twenty two chapter the twelfth verse that by this meanes you do ouercome your enemies most of all For when you resist thus vnto bloud and dye for the truth you giue your enemies such an ouerthrow that they neuer rise vp against you any more and as for your selues you enter presently into Heauen the onely place which you striue for Euen as hee hath the victorie most in this vvorld who doth enter into the Cittie and take all the spoyle thereof and doth confound his aduersaries that they can neuer stirre any more against him In consideration of all which things cleaue fast vnto Christ I beseech you and feare no danger or perill but reioyce in the Lord and be glad alwaies fighting for the Crowne of righteousnesse which shall bee giuen
names to be enrowled among his Souldiers and seruants swearing binding and oblieging our selues to reounce the seruice of the diuell the world and the flesh And this oath of resignation we haue renued so oft as wee haue communicated at his holy table whereof it is euident that they who haue giuen their names to Christ and yet liue licentiously walking after the flesh are forsworne Apostates guilty of perfidie and of foule Apostasie and desertion from Iesus Christ And thirdly Not onely are wee bought and sworne but we haue receiued wages and payment in hand Thirdly wee haue receiued wages before hand of seruices to be done which should make vs ashamed if wee haue so much as common honesty to refuse seruice to the Lord whose wages wee haue receiued already It may be sayd to euery one of vs as Malaciah in the name of the Lord spake to the Leuites of his time Mala. 1.10 Who among you shuts the dore of the Temple or kindles a fire vpon my Alter in vaine And who among vs can stand vp and say that he hath done seruice to the Lord for nought Consider it when you will for euery peece of seruice ye haue done to the Lord ye haue receiued wages more then ten times who hath called aright on his name and hath not beene heard who hath giuen thankes for benefits receiued and hath not found Gods benefits doubled vpon him who hath giuen almes in the name of the Lord and hath not found encrease I speake not of rewards which God hath promised I speake of that onely which we haue receiued already the least of all Gods mercies shewed vnto vs already doth farre exceed all the seruice that wee poore wretches haue done vnto him as therefore wee are content to receiue the Lords pay so let vs neuer refuse to giue the seruice of our bodies and spirits vnto him This is the couenant which wee haue made euery one of vs in our Baptisme and entrance into the Church of God before the presence of God and his Angels before the congregation and Church of God but alas we breake it dayly and haue no care nor consciēce to keepe it Well let vs know this for a certaine that the Lord will one day require our couenants vowes made vnto him for hee lookes wee should aswell keepe them as make them Well then wouldst thou bee loth to breake thy vow couenant or promise made to an honest mā especially it being in thine owne powre to keep it and such a promise as the keeping whereof may procure thee much peace liberty and happinesse I know you would Oh then let vs bee as carefull to keepe promise with God to renounce the world the diuell and our sinfull lusts so shall wee bring much honour to Almightie God and eeuerlasting good vnto our owne soules If the Lord himselfe had not bene on our side when men rose vp against vs c. We learne hence Publicke thankesgiuing after deliuerance required that it is the dutie of euery Christian man and woman to pray in publicke and priuate for the safetie and good estate of the Church So likewise it is our dutie publikely to render thankes vnto God for deliuerance bestowed vpon the same We must not be like the nine Leapers who haue wide mouthes to beg but no heart nor mouth to giue thankes for benefits receiued It hath euer beene the care and religious custome of Gods Church and people after great and notable deliuerances from apparant and common Iudgments to render heartie and earnest thankes vnto God in solemne and publike manner Gen. 8.20 When Noah and his Sonnes and family were newly deliuered from perishing in the flood he did the first thing builde an Altar offer sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord so Moses and the Children of Israel after their deliuerance out of Egypt when they were safe and their enemies drowned doe deuoutly and publikely sing praise and thankes vnto the Lord. Iudg. 5.1.2.3 Deborah and Barake doth the like And the Iewes being deliuered from Hamans treason Hcster 9.19 20. reioyce and keepe a solemne day to sing praise vnto the Lord. Well then let vs apply this vnto our selues we are by Gods blessing the true Church and people of God professing the Gospell of Iesus Christ truly hating all superstition and Idolatry and for this cause cannot want many enemies the Papists the most subtill cruell and malicious enemies of Gods Church haue often set vpon vs assaulted vs sought to haue inuaded our King and Countrey as in eightie eight by sundry treasons to kill our late Queene of famous and blessed memorie And to destroy our gracious King Queene and all his posteritie But amongst the rest and aboue all the rest none comparable to that last treason which was most close and cunningly wrought a long time in contriuing most bloudie and deuilish most barbarous and sauage threatning and seeking to destroy and roote out our King Councell Spirituall and Temporall Magistrates ayming at the vtter subuersion of our English Nation both Church and Common-wealth And surely if we consider well of it I doe not see in all the Bible the like deliuerance so wonderfull and admirable First being so long a time in hatching and contriuing with such secresie and concealement Secondly being vnder the ground in hell as it were in a place vnder the earth desiring darkenes more then light because the deede was euill Thirdly being brought so neare the execution of it and neuer knowne nor suspected before Fourthly being disclosed so strangely euen by one of the traytors themselues one of the chiefe Actors in the tragedie Being so generall so fearefull and so monstrous that it should not haue bin onely to the destruction of one or two but of the chiefe of the whole land King Queene Prince Iudges Bishops in a word the flowre of the whole kingdome the want of any one whereof were a blemish to a State and would bring a ruine to a kingdome Now doe as Ahashuerosh did Hest 6.1.2 cause the records to be read and chronicles to be searched ancient and moderne diuine or prophane amongst the Turkes or Painims yea if hell keepe any records search there and see if yee can patterne this conspiracy or match this danger But there is no councell against the Lord mans wisedome is foolishnesse vnto him his greatest strength but weakenesse his life but a breath and his honour but a blast So then we see we haue as great cause to render thankes vnto the Lord as any people or nation vnder heauen that fifth day of Nouember is a day to be remembred and neuer to bee forgotten a glad and ioyfull day and we ought euery one in publicke and priuate to stirre vp our hearts in thankesgiuing vnto the Lord For it was the Lords doing and it is maruelous in our eyes It is the day which the Lord hath made for the glory of his Name let vs reioyce
deliuered This will make vs to hate and abandon all sinne which are the cause for the most part of al his punishments Lam. 3.39 this will make vs afraid to displease God by any one sin fearing lest he should iustly giue vs ouer vnto the wil of our aduersaries this will make vs to fly to him for help succor to depend vpon him to seek by all meanes to come into his loue and fauour Least his wrath be kindled and so wee perish from the right way in a word this will be a speciall meanes to quicken vs to the performance of all dutifull obedience vnto our good God who hath been so gracious and mercifull to vs thus to deliuer vs. Secondly we must call to minde often our perils by land by water by fire at home and abroade our danger in sickenesse and diseases how many wayes God could plague vs with strange and grieuous visitations as the stone and chollicke the frencie madnesse and manifold destructions frō all which the Lord hath graciously preserued vs. We must remember Gods mercy in preseruing of vs in our conception in our birth in our infancy youth middle age old age and how he hath continually prouided for vs all things necessary whereas hee might iustly for our sinnes haue sufferd vs to starue and and famish for want of foode infinite are Gods works in preseruing of vs which neuer ought to slip out of our mindes but to be treasured vp in faithfull memories acknowledging that God and none but he doth all things for vs and who therefore would abuse this bounty and goodnesse of God and not rather as the Apostle Paul sayth Be moued by these to forsake our sinnes and turne to God by true repentance Rom. 2.4.5 being led as it were by these to returne the more speedily vnto God Here first wee are to consider how great things God hath done for our soules how he hath kept vs from the spirituall famine in giuing vs his word to bee so plainely and plentifully taught how hee hath kept vs from the powre and snare of the diuell how hee hath pulled vs out of the dungeon of hell and hath deliuered vs from Sinne Death Hel and Condemnation how he hath made vs to know his Wil to vnderstand his Word how he hath inlightned our vnderstandings informed our Iudgements in Truth Psal 24.2 sanctifying our affections renewing our wils rectified our reasons pacified our troubled consciences asswaged the maledy of our minds how hee hath kept vs from the power and dominion of sinne of children of wrath he hath made vs heires of heauen he hath not onely giuen vs his Sonne to be our Sauiour but his spirit to assure vs and his Sacraments to seale the assurance of our saluation in our hearts he hath elected called iustified and sanctified vs and many gracious promises hath hee made from which he will neuer go back that vndoubtedly he will glorifie vs he gaue vs power ouer sin and Sathan in our conuersion he hath giuen vs strength from time to time to withstand the temptations of the world the flesh and the diuell so that wee may truely say What could the Lord haue done more for his Vineyard the Lord hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither had the Heathen such knowledge of his Lawes O that men would wisely consider these things it would make them leaue sinning moue them to exercise themselues meditating day and night to liue so and to please God O my people saith God What wrong haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I wearied thee Micah 6.4 5 6 testifie against mee I haue deliuered thee redeemed thee and sent before thee Moses Aaron and Meriam i. Minister and Magistrate O my people remember now c. and this with Dauid this will make vs cry out and say Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soule Secondly we must remember the manner how God hath thus preserued vs both in body and soule and that hath beene extraordinarily for the most part on Gods part and vndeseruedly alwayes on our part extraordinary on Gods part as in those manifold treasons and treacheries beyond all expectation when there haue beene no way as we might thinke for vs to escape when they haue beene ready to put in execution their wicked deuises then hath God awaked as one out of sleepe to rescue and deliuer vs and that miraculously discouering their hidden treacheries as wee haue shewed before which the world knew not of Psal 107. O that men would therfore remember to praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare his wondrous workes to the Children of men Againe all this is vndeserued on our parts for we haue deserued iustly to bee cast off from God for wee diserue nothing but damnation and when we haue done all wee can doe yet still wee are vnprofitable seruants Luke 17. and therefore with Dauid wee may iustly say not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 Rom. 5. but to thy name giue the praise for thy mercy and truths sake Yea when wee were enemies to GOD yet did he looke vpon vs all which as it aggrauateth our misery and Gods mercy so it should aggrauate our hatred to all sin and loue to God and goodnesse Thirdly wee must remember the end of our preseruation that is to leaue vs so much the more without excuse at the latter day if we remember not these things to make aright vse of them Secondly to make our punishment so much the greater hauing abused Gods mercy Thirdly that we may be moued by the sight and consideration of Gods great mercy to yeeld him all possible thanks and praise expressing the same by all dutifull obedience to his commandements Fourthly that wee may hereby see our owne inabilitie weakenesse and insufficiencie how soone wee might perish were not God our good God to helpe vs and do for vs. Fifthly to make vs depend vpon his fatherly prouidence in the vse of all meanes Lam. 3.38 for out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth both euill and good That is both prosperitie and aduersitie Sixthly to make vs humble suters to Almighty God for euery good we stand in need of If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side they had then swallowed vs vp quick for it is only Hee who preserues vs and euery good and perfect gift comes from aboue Iam. 1.17 Seuenthly to attribute nothing to chance and fortune but all to Gods mercy in Christ Iesus Lastly to deny our selues with all that wee haue acknowledging that not for any merit in vs but only because God had a fauour vnto vs he hath shewed such wonderfull deliuerance vnto vs both in soule and body for had it not beene Gods endlesse mercy wee had long since beene swept away as the Prophet Esaiah hath it Esay 19 Except the Lord of of Hosts had left vs a small remnant we
vnto euery one who doth with patience waite for the appearing of our Lord Iesus and loue the same and therefore feare not be not any whit discouraged hold out vnto the end certaine it is thou shalt be blessed and in so doing thou shalt haue a Crowne of Life If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side the waters had drowned vs and the streame had gone ouer our soules This serues to comfort the godly in that the Lord sits vpon the flouds and that to this purpose to performe this gracious promise Whē thou passest thorough the waters Esay 42 3 I will bee with thee and through the flouds that they shall not ouerflow thee So Eliphaz telleth Iob In sixe troubles hee will deliuer thee Iob 5.19 and in the seuenth euill shall not come neere thee As if hee had sayd Though sixe and seuen troubles beset thee yet the euil of them shal not come neere thee This presence of God with his children makes them glory in their troubles as in a Crowne vpon their heads and the Apostle Paul gloried 2. Cor. 11. that he was more in affliction then all the false teachers Heb. 11.35 The Saints were in most deadly tryalls and would not bee deliuered namely vpon vnlawfull conditions because they found God as good as his word Therefore miserable men are they that withdraw their hearts from the Lord and seeke him not in his promises not in their prayers but trust to winde out themselues by other meanes some make falsehood their refuge and some embrace the world carnall meanes and leane vpon the arme of flesh these flye from their defence Ionas 2.8 wait vpon lying vanities forsake their owne mercy 'T is as if Noah for feare of the inundation should haue left the Arke and fled to the Mountaynes which had beene to haue throwne himselfe into the midst of the waters and thus doe they that to auoyd troubles feare and flye their Profession and so Apostasie and Idolatrie and corruption drownes them We must rather with the Church flye to the Rocke Psal 69.2 Saue me O God the waters are vpon me yea I am come to the deepe waters And then being deliuered wee must goe backe vnto him Psal 124 saying Saluation is the Lords if the Lord had not beene with vs Verse 3 the waters must needes haue drowned vs when they roared vpon vs. This serues to perswade euery man to become godly seeing this priuiledge belongs onely to such there is no man but desires safety in danger and yet no man but the godly man can assure himselfe of safetie therein If then thou wouldest haue assurance of this promise thou must practise pietie in these seueralls First Become an humble person How to bee safe in dangers repent and turne to God cry out of sinne sue daily for pardon as for life and death and then let all the miseries and calamities in the world come vpon thee thou shalt be safe onely sinne is as poyson cast into the Lords Cuppe GOD giues thee no poyson to drinke but that is of thy owne tempering pull the sting out of these Scorpions and the fight onely will be dreadfull but the danger is past 2. Pet. 2.7 Secondly As thou mournest for thine owne so for other mens sinnes God deliuered iust Lot vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked Thirdly Get thy heart washed with the bloud of Christ be a true Israelite a true beleeuer for God is good to Israel euen to the pure of heart Psal 73.1 and deliuer Israel O Lord. Fourthly Get innocencie and vprightnesse into thy life to bee able to say with Dauid Psal 18.24 Deliuer mee according to mine vprightnesse Fifthly Drawe dayly neerer vnto God and if God be with thee or thou with him thou needest not feare Psal 23.4 though thou walkest in the shaddow of death and doe this three wayes first get neere him by thy affection loue him in his Word and Image because hee hath loued mee Psal 91.14 I will deliuer him and exalt him that is set him out of the reach of trouble Secondly In obedience I am thine saith Dauid O saue thy seruant Thirdly Psal 91.9 In thy confident prayer for hee sayd to the Lord Thou art my refuge Verse 4. The deepe waters of the proud had gone ouer our soule HEe Incists still in his complaint against his enemies and describes them from the qualitie of their persons Enemies of Dauid described they were proud This is a stile commonly giuen to the wicked because as it is our eldest euill so is it the strongest and first that striues in our corruption to carry men to a transgression of the bounds appointed of the Lord. From the time that pride entred into Adams heart that he would be higher then God had made him hee spared not to eate of the forbidden tree and what else is the cause of all transgression but that a man in his ignorant pride will haue his will preferred to the will of God Neither is it without cause that wicked men are so commonly called proud men for pride is the mother of rebellion against God and man By pride Sathan and his confederate Apostates vsurped to bee like vnto God Pride an horrible euill and by the same sinne he drew man into the similitude of his owne condemnation so that now euery man by nature is a proud man which makes him shake off the yoke of God and without regard transgresse the limits of obedience appointed vnto him by God as Pharaoh would not let Israel goe till the Lord slew his first-borne so our nature now corrupted shall neuer render obedience to God nor loue to man till the first borne sinne that is pride be subdued by grace For grace on the contrary Grace worketh humilitie in the godly euer workes humilitie so soone as the eyes of Gods children are opened to see their sinnes they abhorre themselues the combe of their naturall pride is pulled downe and they abase themselues before God and man It was the humble speech of Abraham the father of the Faithfull Gen. 18.27 I am but dust and ashes It was the voyce of Iacob I am not worthie of the least of Gods mercies Dauid hath the like Who am I Lord c. Gedions voyce My fathers house is the least in all Israel And Iohn Baptist who receiued prayse that a greater Prophet was not among the children of women acknowledged in humilitie Ioh. 1.27 that he was not worthie to loose the latchet of Christs shooe The Centurian confessed hee was not worthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe Peters voice was Depart from me for I am a sinfull man Saint Paul I am not worthy to be called an Apostle yea he confessed plainely hee was the least of all the Apostles and the chiefe of all sinners Thus all the Children of GOD giue glorie to GOD by downe casting themselues
them downe to hell and deliuered them into chaynes of darkenesse to be reserued vnto Iudgement Secondly his iudgements on men Remember Lots wife Luk. 17.32 and how hee spared not the olde world 2. Pet. 2.5 bringing in a Floud vpon the world of the vngodly how hee turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an ouerthrow and all to make them an example vnto those that after should liue vngodly Euen so the Lord knoweth how to reserue the vniust vnto the day of Iudgement to be punished 2. Pet. 2.9 10. chiefely those that walke after the flesh in the lust of vncleanenesse and despise gouernement c. Thus when Pharaoh hardened his heart against God Psal 136. the Lord caused the Red Sea to ouerthrow him 1 Sam. 15. When Saul grew rebellious and disobedient the Lord reiects him Acts 12.23 When Herod waxeth proud the Lord caused the very woormes to deuoure him When Caine played the vile hypocrites part the Lord makes him of a Prince Gen. 4. a Vagabond and a runagate vpon the face of the earth Mat. 27. When Iudas playes the hypocrite and prooues a villainous Traytor the Lord suffers him to despayre and make away himselfe When Ananias and Saphira lye vnto the holy Ghost Acts 5. they are both smitten with present death Thus if wee will seriously remember Gods iudgements for such and such sinnes euery forewarning will be a good forearming of our selues against all the sinnes of wicked and vngodly men The consideration whereof should moue vs to hasten our repentance not to liue in sinne any longer but to walke circumspectly in this present world Ephes 5.15 16. and redeeme the time because the dayes are so euill and to cease from sinne by the example of our Sauiour Christ and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world 1. Pet. 4.1 and to shun the paths of the wicked Iam. 1.27 not communicating with them in their sinnes Reuel 18.4 least wee be partakers with them in their plagues We must take heede Ioh. 5.14 and sinne no more lest worse things happen to vs. We mvst preserue our selues from sinne and watch lest that day come vpon vs vnawares and so finding vs vnprepared wee perish in our sinnes for looke how the day of death leaueth vs so shall the day of iudgement finde vs. As Salomon speaketh Eccles 1.3 Looke how the tree falleth so it lyeth This is a dutie indeede both befitting the times wherein wee liue as also best beseeming not onely our Christian Profession but an holy conuersation also which appeares in nothing more than in ceasing to doe euill and rising vp to newnesse of life and therefore as being the onely and principall duetie required Paul perswadeth it chiefely saying Phil. 1.28 Onely let your conuersation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ Now wee cannot adorne the Gospell more then by preseruing our selues from the wayes of sinne and keeping our selues in the wayes of God neyther can we disgrace the Gospell more than by forsaking the wayes of God and liuing in our sinnes Verse 6. Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and wee are escaped THe Prophet amplifieth yet further by a third similitude the great perils and dangers of the faithfull being in the hands of their enemies as a bird that is taken in the snare is in the hands of the Fowler and yet notwithstanding they escape by the mightie power of God Euery tentation is a snare whether it be of the flesh or of the spirit persecutions torments imprisonment slander diseases and infirmities of the body bee snares which as they are permitted of God to exercise and strengthen our faith so by the malice of Sathan they are wrought to afflict and vexe Man that hee may bring them to infideltie and desperation and so into the snares of eternall death from the which snares but by the speciall grace of God there is no way to escape therefore saith Salomon Pro. 3.26 The Lord shall bee for thy confidence hee shall support and sustaine thy hope he shall encourage and establish thy heart and shall keepe thy foote from taking because it is an olde custome for the wicked to lay snares and spreade nets for the feet of the godly and as common a thing as for Fowlers and Hunters to set snares and traps for birds and beasts therefore the Lord doth graciously deliuer his from being taken in the same and when he himselfe doth lay his nets and his ginnes for the vngodly he will most prouidently take order that his owne be not intangled therein The like Allegory is vsed by the Prophet for the same purpose Psal 91.3 Surely hee shall deliuer thee from the snare of the Fowler and from the noysome pestilence True godlinesse will endure great tontations True godlinesse endureth great tentations euen as trees well rooted abides the blastes of strong windes and gold that is fine abides the tryall of fire Many wayes was Dauid tempted and among the rest the wicked by troupes and multitudes combinde themselues against him yet did he not forsake the Lawe of the Lord. Hereby may wee discerne a sanctified crosse from a cursed The crosse which makes thee better then thou wast how sharpe soeuer it bee if it worke a correction in thee thou mayst bee sure it is a blessing It is commonly in the mouths of many when they are in trouble we must thanke God for his correction But alas how can that be called a correction which corrects thee not if thou bee not corrected with Dauid thou hast matter of griefe in thy trouble but none of Ioy and so canst not say with Dauid Psal 119. it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted Affliction in it one nature is euill being a punishment of sinne but the Lord who changed the bitter waters of Marah and made them sweete vnto Israell hath also changed to his children the nature of the crosse that not onely they find comfort in it but most happy effects are wrought in them by it And this being a prerogatiue of Gods children namely that euill shall be turned to their good as good to euill to the wicked be be not dismayed in afflictions but comfort thy selfe in the Lord thy God and in this that the prsent affliction tendeth vnto and endeth in good because it brings foorth the fruites of vnfeigned righteousnesse 3. things we see in trouble better then in prosperitie In trouble we see three things better then in prosperity First how prouident mercifull true the Lord is Secondly how weake miserable our selues are Thirdly how false and changeable the world is besides all these it is an effâ—ctuall meanes whereby the Lord beates downe the pride of nature and humbles for our sins Hagar was prowde and blinde in Abrahams house but in the wildernesse shee is
humbled and beginnes to looke to the Lord. Israel learned not to mourne vntill they were sent to Babell Ionas 1.5 Ionas sleepes in the shippe but wakes and prayes in the Whales belly Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth therefore refuse not the chastisement of the Almightie for tribulation bringeth foorth patience patience experience Rom. 5.4 5. experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Thus our life lyeth open alwayes to the snares of Sathan and wee as silly byrdes are like at euery moment to bee carryed away notwithstanding the Lord maketh a way for vs to escape yea when Sathan seemeth to bee most sure of vs by the mighty power of God the snares are broken and wee are deliuered experience hereof wee haue in those which are inwardly afflicted and with heauinesse of spirite grieuously oppressed that when they seeme to bee in vtter dispayre and ready now as you would say to perish yet euen at the last pinch and in the vttermost extremitie commeth the sweete comfort of Gods holy Spirit and rayseth them vp againe when we are most ready to perish then is God most readie to helpe Psal 94.17 Except the Lord had holpen mee sayth Dauid my soule had almost dwelt in silence The vse of this is to comfort the children of God who are often discouraged with the sense and feeling of their owne wants it is one of Sathans stratagems to try those by the rule of perfection who are yet in the state of proficients and wee had neede to beware of it Shall I giue that vantage to the aduersary as to thinke I haue no faith because it is but in a beginning or I haue no loue because it is little No but I will so hunger and thirst for more grace that I will still giue thanks for the grace I haue receyued for here wee haue no fulnesse our greatest measures is as the first fruites in respect of that which is to come One the other side because euery comfort which is giuen to the godly is turnd by profane contemners and workers into an occasion and nourishment of sinne This comfort vainely abused by profane men they are to know this comfort belongs not vnto them it is a common thing to them to excuse the want of grace O it is but a small grace which in this life is communicated to the best and they thinke their sinnes are well enough couered by this that all men are sinners as if there were no difference betweene sinne tyrannizing in the wicked and captiued in the godly or as beginning of grace in the regenerate did not separate them in regard of conuersation from the vnregenerate who are voyd of all grace Let vs therefore know that the Spirit of God whom the godly receiue is not onely called the first the earnest and the witnesse of God but also the seale and signet of the liuing God As the seale leaueth in the Waxe the similitude and impression of the forme which is it selfe so the spirite of God communicateth his owne image to all those to whom he seales against the day of redemption hee makes them new and holy creatures and this conuinceth carnall professors of a lye who say they haue receiued the first fruits of the spirite notwithstanding that their workes bee wicked and vncleane they may rather if they would tell the truth say as those who beeing demaunded whether they had receiued the holy Ghost or no answered Act. 19.2 Wee know not whether there bee an holy Ghost or no so may they instead of bragging of the first fruites of the spirite say in truth wee know not what yee call the first fruite of the Spirits Why the Lord giues vs not in this life the principall as well as the earnest And thirdly out of this description wee may gather that albeit wee haue no more but the first fruites of the Spirite yet are they sufficient to assure vs that hereafter wee shall enioy the whole masse in two respects It is accustomable to men to giue an earnest penny in buying and selling either when the summe is greater then they are able to pay for the present or when the thing bought is of that nature that it cannot presently bee deliuered but betweene the Lord and vs there is no buying nor selling hee giueth freely vnto vs both the Earnest and the Principall but first the one and then the other Not that the Lord is vnable to pay presently all that hee hath promised but because the Principall is of that nature that it cannot bee receiued till wee bee prepared for it 2. Tim. 2.6 As the Husbandman must sowe and tarrie with patience till the Haruest come as the VVarriour must fight before hee obtayne the Victorie and the Wrastler receiues not his Crowne till he haue ouercome neyther doth hee that runnes a Race obtayne the Prize till hee haue finished it So must the Christian bee exercised in all these before that the Lord possesse him in the promised Kingdome of his Sonne Christ Iesus Christs meÌ„bers militaÌ„t and triumphant are not to be tried by one Rule And this againe doe we marke for the comfort of the weake conscience it is Sathans subtletie whereby commonly hee disquiets many that because carnall corruption is in them hee would therefore beare them in hand that they are none of Christs in this hee playes the Deceiuer hee tryes vs by the wrong rule when hee tryes vs by the rule of perfect sanctification this is the square that ought to be layd to Christs members triumphant in Heauen and not to those who are militant here on Earth Sinne remayning in mee will not prooue that therefore I am not in Christ otherwise Christ should haue no members vpon Earth but Grace working that new disposition which Nature could neuer effect prooues vndoubtedly that we are in Christ Iesus Let this therefore be our comfort There is fleshly corruption in the Christian militant but he followes it nâ—â— That albeit there be in vs a fleshly corruption yet thankes be to God we walke not after it that is wee follow not willingly the direction and commaundement thereof It is true and alas wee finde it by experience that the regenerate man may be led captiue for a time to the Law of Sinne hee may be pulled perforce out of the way of Gods Commandements wherein hee delights to walke and compelled to doe those thinges which hee would not Yet euen at that same time hee disclaymes the gouernment of the Flesh mourning and lamenting within himselfe that hee should bee drawne from the obedience of his owne Lord and Gouernour the Spirit Iesus 〈◊〉 seruice 〈◊〉 Christiâ—◠〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 is â—hrowâ—e not by Oppression like that Israel gaue to Pharoah Exod. 56. And indeede it is worthie to be marked That what euer seruice the regenerate man giues vnto Sinne it is like the seruice that Israel gaue to Pharoah in Egypt throwne out by Oppression and therefore
compelled them to sigh and cry vnto God but the seruice which the regenerate man giues to the Lord is voluntarie done as vnto his most lawfull Superiour with gladnesse ioy and contentment of mind Happie is that man who can make this reply to his spirituall Aduersarie when hee is challenged of his sinnes Augustine It is true O enemie that I haue done many things by thy inticement yet herein I reioyce whatsoeuer seruice I haue done to thee it is now through the grace of God the matter of my griefe but the weake seruice I haue giuen vnto God is the matter of my ioy The comfort of a Christian militant in this body of sinne is rather in sinceritie and feruencie of his affections then in the absolute perfection of his actions Hee fayles many times in his obedience to Gods Precepts in regard of his action but loue in his affection still remaynes So that both before the Tentation to sinne and after it there is a Griefe in his Soule that hee should finde in himselfe any corrupt will or desire contrarie to the holy Will of the Lord his God The Snare is broken and we are deliuered Wicked men are subtill in inuenting wayes to hurt and craftily lay manie Snares wherein to trap me but my defence is in thee onely Dauid was in many most desperate dangers yet still hee found the Lord prouiding vnlooked for Deliuerances The strong Citie of Keilah could not defend him the Lord warned him to come out of it and hee was a shield vnto him The solitarie Wildernesse of Maon could not secure him for euen there Saul and his souldiers had compassed him but God had a care of him and turned his pursuers another way These the fore-passed experiences of Gods louing care and fauour towards him doe now confirme him to rest in God how many wayes soeuer his enemies pursue him Hee will still make the Lord his refuge Psal 119. and shield and trust in his word c. Therefore Dauid sayth in the Psalmes Psal 4. Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse implying that hee was in a strait and as it were strongly besieged with enemies or dangers but the Lord inlarged him and so preserued him Psal 25.15 He will bring my feet out of the Net The godly may be in as great danger as a silly Bird in a Net but the Lord will breake the Net that the Bird may escape who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs 2. Cor. 1.10 in whom wee trust that hee will hereafter deliuer vs. First Gods care of his Children though it free them not from the exercise of Troubles yet it leaueth them not till hee haue deliuered them Can a Mother forget her Child shee may let it get a knocke and feare it with the sense of some danger but leaue it in danger shee cannot And who be they towards whom the Lord thinketh thoughts of peace or to whom he will remember mercy but Vessels of mercy Once haue I heard sayth Dauid yea twice Psal 72.11 that mercy belongs to God and therefore it is so true as it can neuer bee false once yea twice that is once by the Scriptures and another time by the Holy Ghost Secondly Gods promise is that he will not suffer his to be tempted aboue that they are able to beare and therefore at length they finde him Psal 73.2 As Dauid saith My feet were almost gone but not altogether The man of God may slip and slide and much adoe to keepe his feet but at worst his feete are but almost gone and this comes from Gods promise Thirdly Gods prouidence limiteth the times in which his Church shall suffer no longer sometimes a longer time as Israel in Egypt 400-yeares sometimes shorter seuentie yeares in the Babylonish captiuitie Reu 2.10 sometimes shorter then so ye shall suffer tribulation for ten dayes Sometimes three dayes as Ionas in the Whales belly and Christ in the graue sometimes but one night Sorrow may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning And sometimes there is but an houre for the power of darkenesse then Gods time is come and the godly see the saluation of the Lord. Lastly he deliuers them in their troubles by his presence First of power And so a 4. like the Son of God was in the furnace with the three children And it is sayd I will be with thee in sixe troubles and in seuen in fire and water Secondly of grace his right hand is vnder their heads he giues thē grace sufficient proportions their strength to the burthen mitigates their sorrow makes them possesse their soules in patience yea reioyce in sorrow which else would sinke them and at length recompenseth their light affliction with an eternall weight of glory Verse 7. Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made both heauen and earth THis is the conclusion of thankes-giuing containing a worthy Sentence of great comfort that against sinne The name of the Lord is our onely sanctuary and succour in all afflictions the horror of death and other dangers their is no other helpe or safetie but onely the name of the Lord if that were not sayth he wee should fall into all manner of sinne blasphemy errors and into all kinde of calamities but our helpe is in the name of the Lord which preserueth our faith and our life against the diuell and the world And as ye heare in the other verses before so he sheweth in this verse also that God suffereth his Saints to be tempted and in their temptaion to fal into great distresse onely the word of the Lord sustaines vs and assureth vs that our light and momentary afflictions shall cause to vs at the length an infinite weight of glory These prayers of Dauid are penned with such heauenly wisedome that they are conuenient for the state of the whole Church and euery member thereof The Church is the bush that burnes with fire but cannot bee consumed euery member thereof beareth a part of the crosse of Christ neuer without some affliction we know that in afflictions it is some comfort to vs to haue our crosses knowne to such How God is a spectator and partaker with in all our afflictions as of whom we are assured that they loue vs it mitigates our dolour when they mourne with vs albeit they bee not able to helpe vs but the Christian hath more solid comfort to wit that in all his troubles the Lord beholds him like a king reioycing to see his owne seruant wrastle with the enemy he looks with a mercifull eye pittying the infirmity of his owne when he sees it and with a powerfull hand ready to helpe but because many a time the cloud of our corruption commeth betweene the Lord and vs lets vs not see his helping hand nor his louing face looking vpon vs wee haue neede to pray at such times with Dauid
Psal 119. Behold mine affliction And notwithstanding godly men be full of afflictions sorrowes and sicknesses necessities molestations and disgraces yet al these or whatsoeuer other calamities vanish away in time and the hope of Gods fauor blessed reward from him shal out liue all these and take place when these are abolished Psal 37.37 Marke well the vpright man and hehold the iust for the end of that man is peace that which he desired hee shal enioy a faithfull man shal not be frustrated of his expectatiō nor defeated of that hee hopes for According as the Psalmes sayth The poore man shall not alway be forgotten Psal 31.29 the expectation of the poore shall not perish for euer for that is euer grounded vpon faith and faith is surely grounded vpon Gods promises Dauid was a godly man and dearely beloued of the Lord his God yet he was sore humbled by affliction Ioh. 15.2.1 for euen those branches which are fruitfull God will purge to make them more fruitful Our nature is so rebellious that without sore afflictions it cannot bee tamed and subdued Stones cannot bee squared for Pallace worke without strokes of the hammer gold cannot be purged and prepared for worke without fire neither is corn separated from the chaffe without winde we are Gods corne let vs abide the winde of temptation to clense vs from the chafe of our corruption wee must suffer the fire of afliction that wee may bee fined and made vessels of honour for the house of God and we must be content that the hammer of God strike vpon vs to beat away the prowd lumps that so we may bee squared and made readie like liuely stones to be layd in heauenly Ierusalem By the which examples we may learne to know the will of the Lord and to seeke our helpe and safety at his hands which suffereth his people to bee exercised in the furnace of Egypt not to their vtter destruction but onely to kill the old man with his vain hope and confidence which hee hath in his owne strength this is the cause why God suffereth his people so to be exercised For it is not hearing reading talking or teaching onely which maketh a Christian man but practise is that which is further required in a true Christian That is to say the crosse to plucke downe the flesh and bring it to nothing that man dispairing of his owne strength and seeing no succour in himselfe should resigne himselfe wholy to the Lord looking with patience and hope for helpe at his hands To know this doctrine is one peece of the victory for they that know it not when temptations assayleth them either doe dispayre or seeke other helpes Let vs learne then out of this Psalme that it is the will of God to exercise his Saints with troubles and afflictions Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man who endureth temptation for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them who loue him Therfore this is a necessary conclusion our helpe is in the name of the Lord it is a short sentence but it setteth foorth most worthy doctrine and consolation whereof especially in these latter dayes we haue great need seeing the Pope together with the greatest part of the world so cruelly persecute the doctrine of the Gospel c. In respect of these huge mountaines what are we small mole-hils yea though they were no force nor powe of man for vs to feare how are wee able to stand against not onely so many Diuels but euen the very gates of hell also and yet this experience wee haue of the great mercy and goodnesse of the Lord our God that when we are euen in the hands and neuer so much oppressed yet are we not forsaken but are safe through our confidence and trust in his helpe but to this wisedome it is impossible for vs to attaine without continuall afflictions The fruit of afflictions Whereby it is necessary that the confidence of all worldly succours should be beaten downe for vexation and trouble bringeth vnderstanding as Isaiah sayth whereby we are compelled to cry Helpe Lord for else wee perish So in the last houre when death approcheth there is nothing wherein mans heart can repose it selfe or finde comfort but in the helpe of the Lord there is rest and quietnesse there is perfect peace he that can then say my helpe is in the name of the Lord and lay hold on Iesus Christ by a true and iustifying faith dyeth happily and is out of all danger Thus we may learne what it is to haue and enioy God euen to rest in sure trust of his mercyfull helpe and succour in all dangers these are the words therefore of a triumphing and victorious faith our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord which made heauen and earth as if he sayde the maker of heauen and earth is my God and my helper Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse hee dispaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to finde reliefe and comfort rest thou also in this hope and doe as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should dispaire In the temptations of sinne and of the wrath of God what we ought to doe thinke not thou therefore that thy temptations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest bee swallowed vp with sorrow desparation if thou be brought downe to the very gates of Hell beleeue that the Lord will surely rayse thee vp againe If so thou be bruised and broken know it is the Lord that will helpe thee againe If thy heart be full of sorrow and heauinesse looke for comfort from him who said Psal 51.17 That a troubled Spirit is a Sacrifice vnto him Thus hee setteth the eternall God the Maker of Heauen and Earth against all Troubles and Dangers against the flouds and ouerflowings of all Tentations and swalloweth vp as it were with one breath all the raging furies of the whole World and of Hell it selfe euen as a little drop of water is swallowed vp of a mightie flaming fire and what is the World with all his force and power in respect of him that made Heauen and Earth Let the World fret then let it rage then so that this succour neuer fayle vs and if it be the will of God that wee shall suffer Trouble and Affliction yet in him wee shall ouercome at length Onely happie and sure is the estate of that man who is in Christ neither Life nor Death things present nor things to come shall separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Our helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord which hath made Heauen and Earth Hence I gather this Doctrine That no elect child of God that is truely regenerate and borne anew and a liuely member of Christs mysticall Body can perish and finally fall away Rom. 8.30 For whome hee predestinateth him hee calleth whom
hee calleth hee iustifieth whome hee iustifieth hee glorifieth The gift and calling of God is without repentance My sheep heare my voyce and follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish Iohn 20.27 28.29 neither shall any man take them out of my hands And the reason is we beare not the roote but the root beares vs our saluatiō depends not vpon our selues for then indeed we were in danger to fall away euery moment of an houre but it dependeth vpon him because we are in him through him we grow and increase yea the older we be in Christ the more do we fasten our roote and floorish they which are planted in the courts of the Lord shall florish in their old age and bring forth much fruite Vse And whereas other branches are many times pulled from their stocke either by the violence of the winde by the hands of men or at least consumed by length of time it shall not be so with them that are in Christ for they are kept by him as the root bearing branches Because I am not altered nor changed therefore are you not consumed O yee sonnes of Iacob and therefore right happy is the state of that man who is in Christ Iesus For neither life nor death things present Rom. 8.18 nor things to come shall separate him from the loue of God And this comfort is confirmed to vs by most sure arguments Arguments to proue a Christians perseueranee Phil. 1.6 The first is taken from the nature of almighty God he is faithfull which hath promised And I am perswaded saith the Apostle Rom. 6.9 that he who hath begun this good worke will performe it vntill the day of Christ Iesus The second is taken from the nature of that life which Christ communicateth to his members We know that Christ being raysed from the dead dyeth no more This life of Christ is communicated to vs so that it is not wee that liue in Christ but Christ in vs. The third is taken from the nature of that Seed whereof wee are begotten 1. Pet. 1.3 4. Wee are borne anew not a mortall Seede but of immortall Now as the Seed is so is the life that comes by that Seed Our life therefore must needes be immortall This confuteth a damnable Doctrine of the Papists who hold and reach That a man elected called iustified and sanctified may for euer fall away and bee damned that he which to day is the deare child of God to morrow may become the child of the Deuill to day a member of Christ to morrow a Limbe of the Deuill to day an heire of saluation to morrow an heire of damnation Now what Doctrine can be more deuillish and vncomfortable this is nothing else but to set vp a Gibbet to torment the poore soules of Gods children to ouerthrow the nature of Faith to make God feeble and weake 2. Pet. 1.10 Psal 15. or foolish and vnwise which is manifest Blasphemy But we see here the Word of God tells vs this cannot be Rom 8.1 8.35 for what shall separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Nothing This may serue to reproue another sort of men who are ready to abuse this Doctrine Tush sayth the carnall and loose Christian it skils not how a man liues whether well or ill he that is elected and is a member of Christ shall be saued and he that is reiected shall be damned though he liue neuer so well Therefore they take libertie to sinne and make no conscience of any sinne whatsoeuer But they must know that God decrees a man as well to the meanes as to the end and it is impossible a man should be elected and called but he must liue well so he that is not elected called cannot liue well And it is all one as if a man should neuer eate or drinke and yet hope to liue and like well or lying in the fire or water and vsing no meanes to come out should not perish But wee must know that the end and the means must goe together and for a man to neglect or reiect the means it is in vaine for him to hope to be saued for if thou belong vnto God thou shalt in time be called and sanctified and where this worke is not yet alreadie wrought that man is as yet in the state of damnation Our helpe is in the name of the Lord. Here is matter of endlesse comfort to euery child of God that truly repents beleeues in Iesus Christ that howsoeuer throgh the malice of Sathan the temptation of the Deuill the alluremēts of the world and the corruption of our flesh we may grieuously sin fall Rom. 8.1 yet there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ the gates that is Matth. 16.18 al the power of Hell shal not preuaile against vs. If euer thou foūdst the sound work of grace in thee thou foundst Iesus Christ to dwell in thy hart by faith so that thou hatest all sin desirest in all things to please God though Sathan rage storme and all the gates of Hel rise vp against thee yet thou mayest comfort thy selfe in the Lord and say with Paul There is no condemnation to me that am in Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thou mayest triumph with Paul and say Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen And if God be with vs who can be against vs. And againe I am perswaded nothing can seuer me from the loue of God in Christ Iesus no not sinne nor death it selfe Oh happie then and blessed is the estate of that man who is in Christ neyther life nor death things present nor things to come shall separate him from the loue of God PSALME 125. They that put their trust in the Lord c. THe Psalme going before is a Thanks-giuing The argument of the Psalme or a Sacrifice of Prayse because the godly see and by experience feele that the Lord is faithfull and helpeth them in the time of need This Psalme following contayneth also in a manner the same matter for it pertayneth to the Doctrine of Faith and exhorteth the faithfull likewise to a sure trust and affiance in the helpe of the Lord in all their necessities whereunto hee stirreth them vp with great and excellent promises It may also easily bee vnderstood by that which wee haue said before for like as God maketh all things of nothing and of Darkenesse Light so hee worketh by his Word that in Death there is nothing but Life They then which sticke to the Word and Promise of God and follow the same doe finde it true which Dauid sayth Hee spake the Word and it was done But before wee can come to this experience we must abide some trouble and therefore haue need of such exhortation as this Psalme here setteth forth Verse 1. They that put their trust in the Lord
thee and therfore feare not be not any whit dismayed hold out vnto the end and trust in the Lord for euermore Hence we learne that as many as desire to be truly happy blessed may here behold the way to bee happy blessed Wouldst thou be truely happy and blessed here in this life and hereafter in the life to come Wouldst be assured that thou art the child of God in his fauour reconciled vnto him in Iesus Christ Wouldst thou be assured of saluation of thy soule Oh labour then to become a godly and a religious man repent of thy sinnes past amend thy life walke before God in new obedience labour to keepe Faith and a good Conscience hate euery euill way cleaue vnto the Lord delight in his Word let it be the ioy of thine heart then certainly thou shalt be blessed and happy for euermore To conclude if the godly man and hee that trusts in the Lord be blessed then the wicked man must of necessitie be cursed if the estate of the righteous and religious man be so comfortable and blessed then the estate of the wicked and vngodly must needes be miserable and cursed According to that of Moses vnto the Israelites Deu. 28.15 If thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God as indeede Obedience is farre from a wicked man howsoeuer hee may come with Sauls painted Sacrifice what followes Thou shalt be cursed in Body and cursed in Soule Psal 119.21 c. Againe Thou hast destroyed the proud and cursed are they that erre from thy Commandements Verse 2. The Hills stand about Ierusalem euen so standeth the Lord about his people from this time forth for euermore WHere many hundred thousands of men are there are scarcely seuen thousand which know God or beleeue in God and yet for their sakes the whole multitude is called Gods people euen so was it in Ierusalem albeit the greater part was wicked and godlesse yet was Ierusalem called Holy not onely in respect of a small number of the godly but also because God had his abiding there So when there was not one iust person in Sodome but Lot Gen. 19.22 with his two Daughters yet could not the Angell destroy Sodome with Fire so long as Lot was in it Likewise where foure or fiue or tenne godly persons are to bee found for their sakes the whole Cittie is called Holy For these are the Elect Corner Stones these are the precious Pearles which GOD so highly esteemeth and for those sakes hee spareth the wicked Therefore sayth Dauid As Ierusalem is compassed about with Mountaines so doth the Lord compasse his people and mightily defend them on euery side In like manner Zacharie prophecyeth of a Citie whose Wall is of Fire These similitudes doe set forth vnto vs the safetie of Gods people that weake and little poore Flocke against all Dangers vpon this promise if wee also doe rest which at this day doe enioy the inestimable benefit of Gods Word wee shall be defended against the rage of Sathan and the whole World These things albeit we cannot comprehend yet should wee beleeue them so certainely as if wee did see them with our bodily eyes If wee should see our selues compassed about with brazen Walls wee should be without all feare and triumph against Sathan but it is a matter of Faith not to trust vnto that which the eyes see but which the Word offereth and promiseth This one thing therefore is lacking in vs that wee haue not the eyes of the Spirit but wee iudge according to the eyes and sence of the Flesh We must not doubt therefore but if we beleeue we are compassed about with fierie and brazen Mountaines that is to say wee abide for euer inuincible against the rage of Sathan and all the powers of Darkenesse Blessed therefore is hee that beleeueth These Mountaines are the Angels which compasse vs on euery side that Sathan with his Angels and Ministers cannot hurt vs as he would whose malice and power is such if they did not continually behold vs continually defend vs and watch ouer vs hee would destroy vs euery moment This can all they testifie which know that Sathan is a Murtherer and a Lyar which cannot abide to see the godly prosper and therefore he seeketh by all meanes to roote them out from the face of the Earth That wee are not then vtterly consumed it is the benefit of these Mountaines by whom wee are so compassed and defended Sometimes Sathan hurleth his Darts at vs as it were through the Window to destroy vs and worketh vs indeede some sorrow but he cannot hurt vs nor moue vs. This similitude seemeth to be taken out of the storie of Helizeus where the seruant of Helizeus saw the Hills about him full of fierie Chariots and Horsemen 2. Kin. 6.17 compassing Helizeus round about and mightily defending him This succour which the seruant of Helizeus saw and the Prophet beleeued when he saw nothing is sayth the Prophet round about all them which trust in the Lord The Angell of the Lord pitcheth his Tent round about them that feare him and haue a charge of them Psal 34.7 The Saints of Heauen and Earth are their fellow Brethren the Creatures of Almightie God are their Friends yea their Seruants to doe them good all their dayes The Deuils nor all the powers of Darkenesse shall not hurt them Psal 37.25 Psal 34.7 Psal 91.11 for Christ hath spoyled Principalities and Powers and hath made a shewe of them openly Hosea 2.18 and hath triumphed ouer them vpon the Crosse yea that which is more Col. 2.15 the Lord Iesus Christ to whom all Iudgement is committed is become their Lord and Sauiour so that they shall neuer come into condemnation Ioh. 5.24 but shall passe from Death vnto Life This Promise then will neuer deceiue vs onely let vs neuer deceiue our selues If therefore wee did beleeue no doubt wee should sleepe wee should liue wee should dye wee should suffer whatsoeuer Sathan and all the World can doe against vs without all feare for thus should wee thinke If I suffer any thing it is not without the will of God nor without good cause well knowne though not vnto me yet vnto God Therefore although Sathan breake through the wall in one place yet shall he neuer bee able vtterly to ouerthrow it altogether thus should wee thinke in our troubles and afflictions and comfort our selues with the good will of God The Lord will be a wall of fire round about Ierusalem and the glory in the midst of her he will keepe her as the apple of his eye and make Ierusalem a cup of poyson to all her enemies and a heauy stone which whosoeuer striueth to lift shall bee torne therewith though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it the weapons made against her shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise against her in iudgement shall be condemned this
is the heritage of the Lords seruants and the portion of them that loue him for the Church is that Arke which mounts vp mounts vp higher as the water increaseth but cannot be ouerwhelmed Mat. 7.25 the bush which may burne but not be consumed the house built vpon a rocke which may be beaten with winde and raine but cannot bee ouerthrowne Besides all this it is not enough that wee are compassed about with firy walls that is with the sure custody the continuall watch and ward of the Angels but the Lord himselfe is our wall so that euery way wee are defended by the Lord against all dangers Therefore in our greatest mutations our hearts shold not be moued from confidence in God All which should learne vs in the greatest changes and alterations that fall out in the world to rest assured that the Lord will worke for the good of his Church though the earth should bee mooued and the Mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea yea though the waters there of rage and bee troubled yet there is a Riuer whose streames shall make glad the Cittie of God in the middest of it Yea if they who should bee the nourishing Fathers of the Church doe forsake her and become her enemies they shall most assuredly perish but Comfort Ioy and Deliuerance shall appeare vnto Gods people out of another place the Lord for awhile may put the bridle of bondage in the Philistians hands for to humble Israel for their sinnes but it shall bee taken away from them at the length then shall his Church with Ioy draw water out of the Well of Saluation and prayse the Lord their God saying Though thou wert now angry with mee yet thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest me yea Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy for great is the holy one of Israel in the midst of her And therefore in our lowest humiliation let vs answer our enemies Reioyce not against mee O mine enemies though I fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darkenesse the Lord is a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he pleade my cause and execute iudgement for mee hee will bring me forth to light and I shall see his righteousnesse then hee that is mine enemy shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer him who sayd to mee Where is the Lord thy God now shall hee bee troden vnder as the myre in the streets yea so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. The hilles stand ahout Ierusalem euen so standeth the Lord about his people Therefore seeing the Lord doth thus compasse the godly with such mercies O then labour to be godly men And such as trust in God to whom all these precious promises are made O how excellent is thy mercy therefore the children of men shall trust vnder the shadow of thy wings Here is a great comfort for the godly who haue no small securitie hence that whatsoeuer their outward estate is or may bee Gods mercy compasseth them as the hills compasse Ierusalem First if Sathan assalt vs on euery side wirh temptation to vexe and disquiet vs with inward feares hee shall not haue so nimble eyes to spy our weakenesse as the eye of the Lord to spye meanes to strengthen vs. Let him obiect the greatnesse and infinite number of our sinnes yet hee shall but amplifie the great mercy of God which is greater and more large then all the sinne and misery in the World Thus Moses comforteth Gods people Deu. 4.31 The Lord thy God is a mercifull God hee will not forsake nor destroy thee nor forget the couenant of thy fathers which hee sware vnto them 〈◊〉 118. â—â— Secondly if vnmercifull men compasse them and come about them like Bees and sharpen their stings yet the mercies of the Lord are neerer them then that they can hurt them Thus Dauid comforted himselfe Psal 86.14.15 O Lord the prowde are risen against mee but thou Lord art strong and mercifull gracious and long suffering and a pitifull God Thirdly if a man should conflict with Gods owne hand by inward temptations or outward tryals of sicknesse pouertie persecution if he were so beset as hee could see nothing but troubles without feares within now is the time to mound fence himself with this comfortable doctrine that euen now Gods Mercies doe guard and compasse him seeing he cannot deny himselfe nor faile of any of his promises Dauid when hee was to chuse of the three rods of God the Sword Famine or Plague he chose to fall into the hands of God because he is mercifull He may afflict and chasten vs a while 2. Sam. 24.14 Isai 45.7.10 Psal 103.8 and for a moment seeme to fosake vs But with great compassions he will gather vs for he chides not alwayes neither retaineth he his wrath for euer Fourthly if a man were in the hands of death and the messengers thereof had already taken hold on him as on Hezekiah Yet euen then he need feare none ill seeing Gods mecrcies compasse him This is euer our couer though wee cannot alway see it as Elisha his seruant saw not the great mercies of God compassing him and his Maister Euen then when wee know not Gods mercy is all about vs. There are still more with vs then against vs our mountaine is alway beset with heauenly warriors Was Ionas euer more compassed with mercies then when he was in his owne sence cast off and compassed with waues and weeds Was Israel euer more coÌ„past with mercy then when they were compassed with Mountaines Sea enemies Death and deadly things these our extremities are Gods oportunitie Nay fifthly suppose a man were in the house of death in the graue yet euen this separates not from Gods mercyes which being eternal leaues vs not in death but when we are most compassed with dust and corruption shall then bee most abundant and mightie for vs. Oh therefore let so many as trust in God flye in all their straights to this sanctuary which can make not onely deaths fore-runners but euen death it selfe welcome which depriues vs of all things else but this mercy into the full estate of which it setteth vs. Let vs therefore labour aboue all things in the world to get part in this mercy by getting assurance of the pardon of sinne get this and thou gettest a mercy reaching vp to heauen a crowne of blessings a plentifull redemption Our Prophet here calls it a compassing mercie for a godly man thinketh not himselfe compassed with mercy when hee is compassed onely with outward blessings when God hath hedged about his house and he hath wealth to tumble in though the world breath after nothing else but when he hath a voyce telling him that God in Christ is merciful to his sin and hath couered his iniquitie oh now thinkes Dauid himselfe compassed with mercy and not before although he was a king and had
all outward things to his hearts wish Zacheus had mercy enough when saluation was come to his house hee neuer got so fast before as now he forgoes restores he was neuer compassed with mercy till now though he was a great rich man neuer so rich as now when he was impouerishing himselfe to entertaine Christ in his house and heart Iacob when he saw Iosephs face his best beloued Son now saith he I haue enough let me now dye seeing I haue seene my sonne Iosephs face how much more shall we haue enough to see the face of the well-beloued Sonne of God yea and God himselfe in that wel-beloued one appeased and fully pacified Simeon hauing seen Christ with his eyes and held him in his armes Now Lord said he let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seen thy saluatiō but to see christ by the eye of faith hold him in our hearts will make death much more welcome to vs we shal think we haue enough the sweet sense of it will frame the mouth to speake plentifully of it as our Prophet doth in this place neither can any good heart either lightly account or speake slenderly of such a mercy neither content it selfe with slight meanes to get it or with superficial phrases in holding it In a word if once wee can claspe hold on this mercy of God in pardoning our sinnes we could desire euen to liue no longer in this world were it not to come to a more full sense fruition of it Where hee addeth from henceforth and for euer by rhese words he sheweth that this vigilancy of the Lord our God ouer vs is not temporall but eternall according to that which he sayd before in the first verse of this Psalme they shall remaine for euer Let vs learne therfore out of this Psalme that our constancy and perseurance consisteth in this that we are defended by the power and prouidence of the Lord on euery side Verse 3. For the rodde of the vngodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put their hand vnto wickednesse HEre the Prophet plainly decalreth that the people which rest vnder this defence and protection are afflicted and subiect to all miseries and calamities as touching the flesh although they be compassed about with high and mighty mountaines as touching the spirit as Sathan can neuer surmount yet touching the flesh and the old man they lye open on euery side to the darts of Sathan and of the world for God by these means will afflict and exercise the flesh that sinne and the foolishnesse of the flesh may be mortified in them and that spirituall wisedome and the inward man may increase this is the cause why we are according to the flesh as a broken hedge and as a citie Whose walles are cast downe and so lyeth open to the enemy on euery side Hereof cometh intollerable blasphemyes cruell torments and bloody slaughters of the Saints of God for the flesh hath no walles no munitions to defend it but the spirite therefore the flesh is in danger to all stormes and tempests as the Prophet Esay sayth which haue sayd vnto thy soule bow downe that we may go ouer thou hast layd the body as the ground and as the street to them that went ouer These afflictions wee must needes suffer and by patience ouercome them and withall we must beware that by these outward afflictions the inward man be not weakened or ouercome resting in the assured hope and trust that the Lord will neuer forsake vs but that wee are in the bosome of the Father and are closed within most sure and strong holds so that now although our goods our Wiues our Children yea our liues also be taken from vs yet wee shall neuer bee spoyled of our Christ by whom we are so surely defended that in the middest of all our tentations hee will make a way for vs to escape or else giue vs strength to beare them Blessed is the Man who indureth tentation Iam. 1.12 for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Thus wee see what consolations the holy Ghost setteth forth vnto them which beleeue the word for vnto such as looke for a better life then this is all things are here full of calamities and miseries death followeth death as Saint Paul saith and we continually die one temptation followeth another vntill at the length by the death of the flesh all miseries shall cease and haue an end This verse therfore admonisheth vs that wee must suffer many troubles yet so that at length wee shall be safe and set at libertie from them although not in this life yet in the life to come as this verse full of consolation doth promise vs. Notwithstanding this promise seemeth incredible both to vs which suffer and also to them which persecute and aflict vs for if wee behold the same with our outward eyes what can be more false yea the contrary seemeth to bee most true behold our Sauiour Christ was hee not so forsaken hanging vpon the Crosse that the rod or scepter of the wicked rested vpon him did it not rest likewise vpon the Prophets the Apostles and orher holy Martyrs this matter then if we consider it with our outward eyes hath another meaning then the words doe import for they promise that the Scepter of the wicked shall haue no power ouer the godly and yet all Stories and examples doe testifie the contrarie therefore the holy Ghost calleth vs backe to the purpose and counsell of God reuealed in his word and commaundeth vs to weigh and consider not what we suffer but what is decreed with the Lord in heauen and he that can so sequester himselfe from the beholding of his afflictions and tentatfons and yeelde himselfe wholy to the will of God and there rest is a right diuine yea hee that is ignorant hereof in true diuinitie knoweth nothing at all for what knoweth he which is ignorant that God is such a God as will not suffer the godly to bee oppressed of the wicked For seeing he hath said I am the Lord thy God he will neuer suffer that which is his owne to bee wrested either by the world or by the gates of hell out of his hands if he then abide and continue they shall also continue for euer which are his Thus to beleeue and thus to lay hold on things inuisible is true diuinitie and true spirituall wisedome indeed Whereupon we may ground this proposition out of the inuisible counsell of God God hateth the wicked and loueth the iust ergo he will damne and destroy the wicked and will deliuer and saue the iust And heere we see that which is the chiefest thing in all Psalmes and Prophets to spring out of the first precept I am the Lord thy God Now haue we to learne how wee may apply this verse rightly and to our great comfort for
things labouring to approue our selues vnto GOD keeping faith and a good conscience which hath the promise of this life and that which is to come And wee must euer entertaine this holy resolution that nothing should draw vs from God and godlinesse 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our reioycing saith Paul the testimonie of a good conscience that is in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisdome c. This yeelds vnto vs much comfort that our hearts can witnesse with vs that wee haue done our duties in obedience to Gods will Verse 4. Do well O Lord vnto them that be good and true of heart THE Prophet saith not heere doe well Lord to the perfect and such as offend in nothing but to the good and true of heart The good and true of heart are they which are of a single sincere and vpright heart for these are they which are most accepted of God although they also through infirmitie doe some times offend Heere is matter of great comfort to the Children of God that fall of weaknesse and infirmitie into the same sinne after repentance and such is the depth of Sathans temptations that he tels them that the Children of God fall not into the same sinne againe after their repentance if they doe hee telleth them that there is no place for a second repentance but this is false for the promises of God are without limitation of times or consideration of sinnes or respect of persons he will receiue to mercy all repentant sinners whether their sinnes be committed before or after repentance whither once or often so that they renew their repentance according as they haue sinned anew This pardon Christ himselfe publisheth Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heauy laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11.28 Yea the Lord inioyneth vs sinfull men to forgiue our Brother seauentie times seauen times if hee turne againe and say it repenteth me So that wee see this is a maruellous comfort to all such as groane vnder the burthen of sinne that haue fallen through infirmitie into one sinne often let not such be discouraged but assure themselues that albeit with Peter they fall often yet with him if they repent truly and weepe bitterly for their sinnes the Lord is mercifull to forgiue them their sinnes not that wee should liue proudly presumptuously stubbornely and obstinately against him but if wee fall through frailtie Psal 103. Psalme 103. The Lord knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that wee are but dust The Child of God not alwayes at one stay Hence wee learne that the Childe of GOD is not alwayes at one stay but there is an entercourse in the estate of a Christian man or woman sometimes full of comfort ioy and peace of conscience and sometimes againe heauie and sad yea full of sorrow and perplexitie euen as a man in an ague sometimes sicke and sometimes well and as it is with trees sometimes winter and sometimes summer This is the state of all Gods Children as Dauid Ioseph Hezekias Iob c. and continuall experience prooueth this that the estate of Gods Children ebbes and flowes hath their change when as they walke directly and vprightly with God then they haue peace and comfort but when that they start aside and commit some wicked sinne then they finde torments of conscience and great griefe of mind This shewes vs what is the state and condition of the Childe of GOD in this life hee is not so heere sanctified as that hee feeles no corruption of sinne to hange about him but rather such a one as feeles the burthen of his corruptions hindering him in this his course of Christianitie vnder which hee grieuously sighes and groanes labouring by all good meanes to bee disburthened Indeede it is a matter of great comfort to feele the graces of Gods Spirit as Faith Loue c. but no Childe of GOD can alwaies feele the comfort of grace but as fire that is raked vp in the ashes it is hid from his feeling for a time but at the length it will breake out againe to his great ioy and comfort Well seeing this is the state of Gods Children heere they finde great peace and comfort sometimes griefe and sorrow let vs not bee to much discouraged but rather when as by our falls and slippes wee haue weakened our comfort let vs intreat the Lord to renew our comfort againe let vs doe as a poore traueller who if he misse his way and goe out of it he will hasten into it againe and trudge and plucke vp his heeles with all speed to recouer that which hee hath lost So let vs when we haue sinned and gone out of the way make hast to returne and as a man that hath beene long sicke and growne feeble and weake will vse all meanes to gather vp his crums and to recouer his former strength againe So let vs when wee haue lost some part of our comfort and heauenly strength let vs I say vse all blessed meanes to recouer our former health and comfort againe Let vs pray much reade much heare much and meditate much let vs bewaile our former sloth and make our steps more vpright in time to come to Gods kingdome c. A purpose not to sinne the marke of a sanctified Heart Note heere that it is the speciall fruite and marke of a sanctified Heart and of the Minde renewed to haue a purpose not to sinne but in all things to please God and to doe his Will to walke with God in all his Commaundements Whereas on the contrarie Psal 50.17 when a Man hath a purpose to liue in any knowne sinne it is a fearefull and a manifest signe of a naughtie and wicked Heart For when the Heart is truely sanctified then will bee brought this right Spirit not to sinne in any thing I doe not say that the Man sanctified and regenerate doth not sinne at all but hee hath no purpose to sinne no delight in sinne but beareth a constant purpose in all things to please God When hee can say with Dauid I haue refrayned my feete from euerie euill way Againe Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is Iohn 3.9 with full purpose of heart with delight in Sinne and as they purpose not to sinne so they endeuour it they are afraid and suspect themselues shunne the Occasions of Sinne Gen. 39.9 and striue against their owne Corruptions and Sathans Temptations This Doctrine doth euidently conuince the greatest number to bee such as neuer had the true Worke of Sanctification wrought in them Their Hearts bee not sanctified and their Mindes are not renewed Why Namely because they want this marke and fruite of a sanctified heart for though they heare of their sinnes bee told of them and the fearefull iudgements of GOD denounced against them yet they will not leaue them nor forsake them but will continue in them yea though it cost them the losse of Gods
fauour and the losse of their owne soules let vs not deceiue our selues Let vs try our hearts by this rule whether they bee sanctified or not dost thou finde a dislike of all sinne and an hatred of them Hast thou a constant and resolent purpose no more to sinne against thy GOD wittingly and willingly hast thou a resolute purpose by the grace of GOD to walke before him all thy dayes this is a signe of a pure and vpright heart and that it is sanctified But doest thou finde no such resolution no such purpose but rather contrarie a purpose to runne on in them let man say what he can in Lying Stealing Drunkennesse Whoredome Ignorance Contempt of the Word c. Say what thou wilt professe what thou wilt it is a cleare case thy heart is naught it is filthie not sanctified For it is impossible that a man should haue true repentance and an heart truely sanctified and yet keepe a purpose to liue in his knowne sinnes And therefore it conuinceth all such to be impenitent sinners and notorious hypocrites yea if they leaue many sinnes and yet purpose to liue in one Mark 6. it argueth the heart is not sanctified Herod left many yet liued in Incest c. Know this therefore whosoeuer thou art that if thou takest libertie to thy selfe to liue in any knowne sinne thou canst haue no assurance that thou art yet within the couenant of Grace Blessednesse is no part of thy portion Hee must become a new Creature that shall enter into the new Ierusalem For according to Dauids speech if wee regard any one Sinne in our hearts the Lord will not heare vs. The young man in the Gospell remembred many sinnes and iustified himselfe as cleare from the breach of the Commandements in the second Table but his Couetousnesse which was in his heart hee remembred not And therefore when our Sauiour bad him goe sell all that hee had and giue to the poore hee went away sorrowfull Matth. 19.21 22. for hee had great Possessions Wherefore wee must resolue our selues of the great necessitie of this point of generall reformation of all sinne condemning our selues for euery sinne for if wee liue and lye but in one sinne that one sinne is a sufficient weight to presse vs downe to Hell Let vs therefore cast euery sinne away which is as great weight Heb. 12.1 and lay aside euery sinne with which we are beset This Doctrine may serue for the comfort of Gods Children who are much grieued for their sinnes and infirmities when they fayle and come short of good duties and sometimes start aside as sayth Saint Iames Iam. 3.2 In many things wee sinne all and the iust Man falls seuen times a day but if thou canst truely say it is against thy purpose I hate the sinne I commit I condemne it I had no purpose to doe it my desire was to please God then thou mayest haue comfort thy heart is sound God will not condemne thee for it The Lord will spare his children as a father his onely sonne A child is going to Schoole and his purpose is so to doe in the way he falls into some companie and stayes there too long and playes the truant but it is against his purpose euen so the child of God purposeth to serue God and to please him in all things and hath no purpose to sinne but by some temptation of the Diuell or allurements of the World hee is ouertaken I doe the euill I would not I cannot doe the good I would hut I delight in the Law of the Lord concerning the inner Man This is Pauls comfort and this is the comfort of all Gods children if they can truely say I doe the euill I would not I delight in the Law of God that God will accept the will for the deed Therefore let this be thy comfort A prisoner that hath escaped out of Prison would fayne goe twentie miles in one houre but by reason of his Bolts and Fetters he cannot goe one mile It is thus with Gods children Here they would faine escape from the prison of sinne and shake off the Fetters of vngodlinesse that hang on so fast Heb. 12.1 but so long as the Fetters are on and they clothed with the garment of the flesh there will corruption leake out of them It is Gods great mercie vnto the godly that they haue freedome of Spirit that their Soules are at libertie and that they can sigh and grone and desire to be eased Phil. 3.4 Our perfection in this life is rather in desires thē in deeds Satisfaction shall follow desires and God shall giue vs more then we desired Mat 5.6 Our perfection in this life is rather in godly desires then in a full obtayning of things desired yet haue the godly this comfort that where desires goe before satisfaction shall follow for the Lord hath promised to fulfill the desires of them that feare him Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Yea sure it is how great soeuer our desires bee wee cannot desire so much as the Lord hath to giue vs for hee is rich in mercie able to doe abundantly aboue all that wee can aske or thinke Example hereof wee haue in Zaccheus Luk. 19.3 Hee desired but to see Christ and hee got not onely a sight of him but familiar speech of him yea Christ went to his House and dyned with him and made him by grace the Child of Abraham So shall the Lord doe to all his Children hee shall giue them more then eyther they desired or looked for at his hands For the heart of man cannot vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Oh the riches of Gods vnspeakable mercie Oh the endlesse comfort and felicitie of all those that truly and vprightly remember God and seeke his glory with their whole heart This comfort wee haue that if wee aske any thing in prayer wee shall receiue it Whatsoeuer wee aske wee receiue of him because wee keepe his Commandements and doe those things which are pleasing in Gods sight 1. Ioh. 3.22 If we reade the Scriptures heare the Word c. blessed shal we be if we keepe it according to that in the Reuelation Blessed is he that readeth Reuel 1.3 and they that heare the wordes of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein Our Goods Cattell Corne and all things belonging to vs Deut. 28. shall be blessed of God if we remember to obey his voyce and to doe as he would haue vs yea our children shall be blessed after vs Prou. 20.7 for Blessed is the vpright man and blessed shall his seed be after him Yea as Dauid speaketh Blessed is the man that meditates in the Law of God day and night comfort in the creature yet shall hee bee forced to acknowledge that all the labour vnder the Sunne Eccles 1. is but vanitie and
and the Deuill and to the redemption purchased by the death and bloodshedding of Christ and published in the Gospell for this kind of speech which the Prophet vseth here is of greater importance then that it may be applied onely to these particular Captiuities For what great matter was it for these people of the Iewes being as it were a little handfull to be deliuered out of temporall Captiuitie in comparison of the exceeding incomparable deliuerance whereby mankind was set at libertie from the power of their enemies not Temporall but Eternall euen from Death Sathan and Hell it selfe wherefore we take this Psalme to be a Prophesie of the Redemption that should come by Iesus Christ and the publishing of the Gospell whereby the kingdome of Christ is aduanced Death and the Diuell with all the powers of darknesse are vanquished This Psalme being thus generally vnderstood may afterwards be applyed to euery particular deliuerance Verse 1. When the Lord brought againe the Captiuitie of Sion wee were like them that Dreame BY Syon is signified that people which had the promise of the comming of Christ For Redemption and Saluation was first promised to the people of Syon and to the children of Abraham after the flesh This people was in bondage vnder the Law and by the Law vnder the Captiuitie of Death and Sinne. Now if this people complaine of their Captiuitie and sigh for their deliuerance what shall we thinke of the Gentiles which liued in Idolatrie and in their owne lusts without any Law without God he could not therefore haue signified a more generall and more grieuous captiuitie then when he saith That his owne people of Sion did long for this deliuerance which in outward appearance was most holy and vnder Dauid and Saul did mightily flourish But behold how liuely he setteth forth that ioy which should follow this deliuerance we shal be saith he like them that dreame By this kind of speech he expresseth the greatnesse of their ioy meaning that this ioy and gladnesse should be so great that the heart of man should not be able to conceiue it as if hee should say when he shall heare of Yea when we shall indeed feele and inioy this deliuerance from sinne and death so farre passing all that we could hope or look for the ioy therof shall be so great that it shall seeme to vs but as a dreame For so wee see it come to passe also euen in particular deliuerances when God suddenly deliuereth his Seruants out of any great trouble or affliction Acts 12.7 So it happened to Peter when he was deliuered by the Angell out of prison Likewise when it was said to Iacob Ioseph thy Sonne liueth Gen. 45.19 and ruleth ouer all the land of Egypt He was as one raised out of a dreame and could not beleeue it vntill that it was shewed vnto him by certaine tokens to be true indeede Heere then is set foorth vnto vs the inestimable grace whereby we are redeemed through the blood of the Sonne of God who did not spare himselfe and his owne life that hee might set vs free from the power of the Deuill the wrath of GOD Death and eternall Damnation but mans heart is not able as is said to comprehend these things The more feeling and taste he hath thereof the greater alacritie and courage hath he to goe through all dangers the lesse feeling he hath the more he is shaken with terrours and at the length looking backe to Egypt with the Israelites seeking other helpes Our heart therefore must wholy rest in this Redemption and wee must labour to haue some part of this taste and feeling which the Prophet rightly compareth to a most ioyfull and pleasant Dreame We see heere the Iewes were so glad of their deliuerance out of the Babylonish Captiuity and their returne thence that they scarce could beleeue whether it was not a Dreame Our Captiuitie was farre greater being vnder the Curse of the Law sold vnder Sinne Bondslaues vnto Sathan and Sonnes of Wrath Which Bondage could wee rightly acknowledge our Deliuerance would be farre more gratefull then it is Our Deliuerer was not Moses nor Ioshua nor Zerubbabel but the Sonne of God of whom they were Types both in the first Induction of that People out of Egypt into that Land and in their second Reduction backe againe He by putting himselfe into the Prison of our Flesh and in that Flesh by suffering that execrable Death and all the Sorrowes of it freed vs from the guilt of Sinne appeased the wrath of God abolished eternall Death and destroyed the Deuils Kingdome Now the Sonne thus freeing vs wee are free indeed Oh the greatnesse of this deliuerance should astonish vs whereby we auoid those great and insuperable euils which otherwise had for euer oppressed vs. This serueth to comfort all Gods Saints and all the Elect who can find this that they are redeemed a comfort of all comforts for what can comfort the Heart of Man more then to thinke of that glorious Victorie in Christ Iesus that whereas before they were in the state of damnation now they are restored into the state of saluation whereas before the Deuill held them bound hand and foot in bondage and in slauish thraldome yet now the Snare is broken and they are deliuered What can be more comfortable and ioyfull to the poore Prisoners that haue lyen so long in the Dungeon haue beene arraigned at the Barre condemned as Guiltie and the Sentence of Death denounced then to heare the King for such a Friends sake hath granted their Pardon How much more ought all the faithfull members of Christ to reioyce when as they see that there was no way with them but Hell there to haue perished and to haue beene damned Soule and Body for euer yet that good God of Heauen and Earth He for Christ his sake hath granted this Pardon that being redeemed they may liue for euermore Reioyce therefore and be glad ye which once were desolate and in heauinesse lift vp your heads with ioy be glad and comfort your selues together for the Lord hath comforted you his people he hath redeemed you his chosen as Isaiah breaketh forth into ioy Isaiah 52.9 and reioyceth For he that made thee is thine Husband whose Name is the Lord of Hosts and the holy One of Israel that mighty God of the whole world he is the Redeemer and with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Thus the Lord comforteth his people himselfe saying Feare not Isaiah 54.1 5. be of good courage for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name Isaiah 43.1 thou art mine Againe Reioyce ye Heauens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the Earth burst forth into prayses ye Mountaines O Forrests and euery Tree therein I haue put away thy transgressions like a Cloud and thy sinnes as a Myst Isaiah 44.22 I haue redeemed thee
themselues redeemed but those who are cleansed from sinne and haue a care to forsake sinne so it is as true that none doe more keepe themselues from sinne then those that doe dayly meditate of and remember their Redemption it being the speciall end of our Redemption to cease from sinne and to serue God in righteousnesse and true holynesse all the dayes of our liues Lu. 1.74 75. As our Sauiour Christ when hee had cured him that had beene sicke thirtie eight yeeres meeting him in the Temple hee like a good Physician giueth him wholesome counsell and bids him Sinne no more But first prepares him to this dutie by calling to remembrance his mercie and fauour towards him in healing of him Iohn 5.14 Behold sayth Christ thou art made whole Sinne no more So if we would seriously remember the loue and mercy that God hath shewed in redeeming vs by his Sonne and the vnspeakable loue and care that Christ had on vs to die such a cursed Death for vs it would make vs breake forth with a full resolution of heart and say by our selues Behold I am made whole I am redeemed I will therefore defile my selfe no more I will leaue all sinne I will sinne no more lest a worse thing happen to me and it would make vs practise the contrary vertues When Paul would haue the Ephesians not to haue any fellowship with vnfruitfull works of darknesse but to walk as children of the light he doth first put them in mind of their new estate and makes them to consider of it seriously as being a notable means against sinne saying Ephes 5.8 9 10 11. Yee were once darkenesse but now are light in the Lord walke as children of the Light approouing what is pleasing to the Lord and haue no fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reprooue them It is a manifest note of one redeemed Rom. 6.2 to be dead to sinne and if we are dead to sinne how shall wee any longer liue therein Forget not therefore this wonderfull benefit of Redemption Psal 103.2 3 4. sayth Dauid to his Soule And surely if this loue of Christ were truly remembred it could not be that we should sinne so commonly against him and so cruelly handle him by our sinnes euen by crucifying him afresh againe as wee doe First this Meditation as it is a notable meanes to preserue vs from all sinne so especially it keepeth vs from these and stirreth vs vp to the practise of the contrary vertues First it banisheth all vnthankfulnesse and stirreth vs vp to blesse and praise Gods Name who hath done so great things for vs. This was Dauids Meditation and practise Psal 103.4 Luke 1.68 1. Cor. 15.57 My soule praise thou the Lord and all within mee shall praise his holy Name and forget not all his benefites who redeemeth thy soule from destruction c. This did Zacharias thus did Paul and so will all doe that do finde and feele their part in this redemption Secondly this Meditation will keepe vs from fainting vnder the Crosse and make vs constant to vndergoe affliction and without this we cannot doe either Consider and remember therfore Christ Heb. 12.3 which endured such contradictions of sinners against himselfe lest yee bee wearied and faint in your minds Verse 1.2 and that we may cast aside euery sinne that hangeth on so fast and runne with patience the race set before vs let vs looke vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our Faith Heere we see this is a great meanes against any sinne as well as impatiency inconstancy and the like and holds vs in a continuall course of doing well and walking aright in our Christian race Thirdly this is a speciall dutie enioyned vs in the right participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper without which wee cannot receiue as fit guests but vnworthily eating and drinking our owne damnation And therefore Christ himselfe in his first Institution gaue vs this in speciall charge saying 1. Cor. 11.24.25 Doe this as oft as ye doe it in remembrance of mee repeating the same to shew vs the necessitie of it Fourthly this giueth vs comfort in sicknesse and at our death and stayeth vs against despaire of Gods mercy and at our death assure vs of endlesse mercy in the world to come besides al Gods blessings in this life temporally For if we remember that he dyed for vs and rose againe for vs Some shall also rise with him from the death of sinne vnto newnesse of life here and to immortall glory hereafter For where our head and member Christ is there also must we his members redeemed bee also And if when wee were enemies to him Christ died for vs Rom. 5.10 much more being now reconciled Rom. 8.1 shall we bee saued by him as Paul saith Now there is no condemnation to vs. Fiftly it maketh vs constant in all good duties stedfast and vnmoueable it maketh vs rich in all good workes when with Iob we can say I know that my Redeemer liueth Iob 19.25 This is that which Paul remembred with thankfulnesse and remembring it did stirre vp himselfe and others to abound in good workes which none can doe but those that cease from sinne 1. Cor. 15.57.58 Thankes bee vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ therefore bee yee stedfast and vnmoueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord. For as much as ye know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Sixtly in way of thankfulnesse beware of turning backe to the seruice of sinne and obey the precept giuen to the blinde man as hath bene shewed before Luke 7.47 Thou art made whole sinne no more Seuenthly loue him much who hath forgiuen so much Eightly studie to please him in all things Psal 116.8 Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling I will walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing Lastly magnifie and speake of this great deliuerance and saluation as the Church did Psal 126.1 Luke 1.49 The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce and say with Marie He that is mightie hath done great things for me and holy is his Name Verse 2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy THis Psalme hath in it a singular Maiestie and therefore the Prophet vseth here many figuratiue or borrowed speeches By laughter he signifieth the voyce of the Gospel for the Gospel should be to vs nothing else but ioy and gladnesse especially if we compare it with the Law for the Law terrifieth and killeth whose vse and office is to breake and mollifie the hard and stonie hearts of the impenitent as Ezechiel saith for they must bee broken with this iron Scepter as it were and beaten downe to hell as the Psalmist prayeth Let the wicked be turned into hell Psal 9.17 and all
magnifie this great mercy of God this deliuerance from Sinne and Death To this doe almost all the Prophets beare witnesse In the 8. of Zacharie 23. it is said That out of all Languages the Nations should take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew and say Wee will goe with you Which place of Zacharie seemeth to be taken out of this Psalme In the first of Isaiah likewise All Nations shall flow vnto the Lord and many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes O come and let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of his Saluation But the wickeds Come The wicked Come but farre different from the godly is to Conspiracie and Treason as wee reade in the second Psalme in which they are more diligent then the Children of Light are in their good for their Bodies meete their Heads meete their Hearts meete and they haue their Come alwayes for all their Plots Such a Come wee reade of against blessed Ieremie Come saith the Wicked Ier. 18.18 and let vs imagine a Deuice against Ieremie let vs smite him with the Tongue and not giue credite to any of his words Such another Come haue Ruffians and Theeues and swaggering Fellowes in the Booke of the Prouerbs Come Pro. 1.11 and cast in thy Lot with ours for we will haue all but one Purse Such another Come hath the Harlot to the young man Come Pro. 7.18 let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning let vs take our pleasure in dalliance for mine husband is not at home he is gone a Iourney a farre off c. But to such cursed Comes let vs neuer hearken according to the good counsell which Wisdome doth giue vs in the Prouerbes saying My sonne Pro. 1. walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foot from their pathes And let vs euer remember what the Psalmist sayth Blessed is the Man that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked Psal 1.1 2. nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the Seat of the scornefull but his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night These things doe make for our comfort which are not of the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh For albeit the Promise was not made vnto vs yet when it was accomplished wee were made partakers thereof but by the Iewes notwithstanding according to the words of the Promise In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed and Saluation sayth Christ commeth of the Iewes Thus doe we Gentiles pertaine to this Redemption although it was not due vnto vs for to vs it was not promised but came by the free mercie of God through this Laughter and Ioy which the Prophet speaketh of published and preached not onely in Sion but amongst the Gentiles also which doe enioy all the good blessings and benefites of God together with his holy people as followeth Verse 4. Yea the Lord hath done great things for vs already whereof wee reioyce HEre you see one Church gathered together of the Iewes and of the Gentiles and with one voyce magnifying the workes of the Lord That as Paul sayth yee may with one minde and with one mouth glorifie God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ For as the Church of the Iewes singeth The Lord hath done great things for vs so singeth the Church of the Gentiles also being both partakers of one Fruit both knowne by one true signe to be the People of the Gospell namely because they are the People of Ioy and Gladnesse as these words declare therefore wee reioyce Consider now the Kingdome of the Pope and the horrible abominations thereof in the which there was nothing heard seene taught read or exercised but mens Traditions mens Dreames which of their owne nature can doe nothing else but discomfort and afflict the Conscience for one Tradition bringeth forth another one obseruation followeth another and that worst of all is they are not onely burthens to the Body but are now become Snares to the Conscience Wherefore there was not one iot of this Doctrine in the Popes Kingdome that ministred any occasion of ioy or gladnesse to the poore Conscience Great cause haue we therefore to be thankefull vnto God for this inestimable benefit that wee now know the Doctrine of the Gospell to be the Doctrine of Consolation and Saluation through the which Doctrine looke how much Ioy thou feelest in thy heart so much thou doest enioy of Life and Saluation But if thou feele thy heart still oppressed with heauinesse the Deuill hath not yet giuen ouer to vex thee Wherefore thou must haue thy heart well instructed in the true vse of the Law and of the Gospell as wee haue said before that thou mayest know that the Law ought to be vsed onely against the obstinate and impenitent and that therein consisteth the true and proper vse of the Law But when it vexeth and terrifieth such tender Consciences as are too much feared alreadie it is not rightly vsed And therefore terrified Consciences may in no case hearken vnto the Law for to such pertayneth Laughter and Ioy the preaching I say of the Gospell or remission of Sinnes giuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus And to this effect wee must beware of the subtill sleights of Sathan who to the end that hee may spoyle vs of this comfort in Trouble endeuours by all meanes eyther to quench the Light of God vtterly in our mindes or at least to darken and obscure it by precipitation of our vnbeleeuing hearts Therefore sayth Dauid Surely the Lord will not fayle his People nor forsake his Inheritance Againe thy standing against so many assaults of the Diuell proues that the least sparke of Christs liuely Grace in a Christian is stronger then that the Gates of Hell are able to preuaile against it Bee therefore comforted O thou Man of God For if it had beene in Sathans power to haue quenched thy Life hee would haue put it out long ere now Bee assured thou shalt preuaile and obtayne the Victorie in the strength and might of that mightie Lord the Lord Iesus Christ Verse 5. Turne our Captiuitie O Lord as the Riuers in the South HItherto he hath entreated and prophesied of the Kingdome of Christ and of the Redemption to be wrought by Christ and afterwards to be published to all Nations that thereby might be gathered one Church of the Iewes and the Gentiles in the which should be preached nothing else but Laughter and Ioy Prayse and Thanksgiuing Now he proceedeth further to describe this Church and sheweth what followeth this fruit of Redemption and this communion of the Iewes and Gentiles namely the great necessitie of continuall and faithfull prayer like as the Prophet Zacharie also ioyneth with the
Spirit of Grace the Spirit of Prayer that is with the redemption which was wrought by Christ the prayer of the faithfull and of the redeemed for although our redemption be fully wrought and we redeemed by the bloud of the Sonne of God yet it is necessarie that we should pray for this redemption as Christ also in his Prayer commands vs to doe that Gods Name may be sanctified Mat. 6. Which notwithstanding we know to be holy and sanctified alreadie That the Kingdome of God may come which is come and is within vs alreadie Also Christ sayth Father glorifie thy Name and the Father answered I haue glorified it and I will glorifie it againe Also Saint Paul sayth I count not my selfe to haue attained vnto it c. hee meaneth the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ and perfect taste of the power of his Resurrection This is it which I touched before that this benefit of the Gospell this inestimable gift of our Redemption and Life euerlasting is easie to be vttered with words but most hard to be beleeued with the heart For wee haue in this life not the Tenths Rom. 8.23 but the first fruits of the Spirit but the flesh liueth fully and wholly in a manner strong and lustie True it is that wee haue entred one foot into the Kingdome of God and haue thereby obtayned the assurance of the Promise Thess 4.1 but wee must not there rest wee must draw the other foot after that is wee must continually encrease and goe forward in the knowledge of Grace and of Faith And for this cause the Prophet Zacharie sayth That the Spirit of Prayer is powred forth vpon vs which Spirit requireth this encrease in vs. And S. Paul sayth Rom. 8.22 That the Spirit sigheth with sighes that cannot be expressed yea and that euery creature also groaneth for the deliuerance of the Children of God Wherefore whilest wee are in this Body which presseth vs downe as a heauie Burthen and hindereth vs that wee cannot fully apprehend these things wee haue not onely the Spirit of Grace but the Spirit of Prayer also that we might be assured of the grace and good will of God towards vs for Christs sake in whom we beleeue and yet should not cease to pray that God would make perfect in vs that hee hath begun Sathan neuer ceaseth to assayle our Faith Hope and other Vertues which God hath planted in vs. Sathans prerogatiue And this prerogatiue hath Sathan because the Grace which is begun in vs is not yet perfect therefore he fighteth so busily against these beginnings fearing lest they should come to perfection Such is the life of Christians which haue already receiued the first fruits of the Spirit who by experience doe learne that these things cannot be fully apprehended but that in the meane while they shall oftentimes slip yea and sometimes dangerously fall so that the sparke of Faith and of the Spirit may seeme in them to be vtterly quenched As it happened to Dauid in his Adulterie 2. Sam. 11. wherein they haue need of helpe to rayse them vp againe as Christ answered to Paul My power is made perfect in infirmitie The infirmitie is theirs and remayneth theirs whilest they liue but the power and strength is Christs alone one dramme of the grace of Christ in the soule of a Christian makes him more precious in the eyes of God then any remnant-corruption in him can make him odious Therefore is it that the Lord giues vnto them the Names of his Beloued his Seruants his Sonnes his Saints who are so onely in part Both these are true Those that are borne of God sinneth not and againe If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues the one wee haue of the fruits of the New Man the other of the remnants of the Old Man Let vs therefore be continually displeased with our inhabitant Corruption that wee despaire not nor be discouraged neither let vs so complaine of our Sinnes that we become false witnesses against the grace of God which is in vs. If there were nothing in vs but that we haue by nature our state were most miserable but seeing besides nature there is in vs a new workemanship of grace frō which the Lord accoūts vs new and spirituall men we haue God be thanked matter of cōfort Let vs yet further consider This testimonie of the Spirit is not alwayes perceiued in a like measure of them that haue it that this testimonie of the Spirit is not all times enioyed in a like measure for that were to enioy Heauen vpon Earth The Lord doth therfore in such sort suspence it that sometimes he lets his children feele it for their consolation and againe withdrawes it from them for their humiliation When they feele it they so abound in ioy that all the terror and threatnings of Sathan all his promises and allurements are despised of them and trodden vnder their feet they sing within themselues that glorious Triumph of the Apostle Rom. 8.32 Who shall seperate vs from the loue of God But this ioy proceeding from the fulnesse of Faith continueth not the voyce of the Spirit of Adoption waxing somewhat more silent feares and doubts succeeds in that same heart which before abounded in ioy And if hereby the weake Conscience be cast downe remember that the more thou art displeased with thy selfe the more thy Lord is pleased with thee for thy dayly pollutions hee hath appointed daily washings in that fountaine which he hath opened to the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleannesse sweepe out thy sinnes euery day by the beesome of holy anger and reuenge Cyprian and water the house of thy heart with the teares of contrition seeing we cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that with spirituall medicines wee may cure them Chastising our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening The first fruits of our heart and tongue euery morning should be offered to God And remember O man that thou owest euery day the first fruits of thy heart and tongue to the Lord our God shouldst thou thinke of any thing before that first thou remember him in the morning or should thy tongue speake of any thing before the first fruits of thy speech be offered vnto him by Prayer and praysing of his holy Name Thus we see the great necessitie of prayse and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull if not with the mouth yet with the heart and heartie sighes vnto God according to the words of S. Paul Colo. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell in you plentiously Signifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein not onely by teaching the same to others publikely and priuatly but also by earnest Meditation and Prayer when they sit at home in their houses when they walke by the way when they lye downe and when they
Persians thought it a peece of their silly glory not to grant accesse easily vnto their subiects yea not to those of most noble ranke therfore ye see how fearefull Hester the queene was to goe in vnto the king vnsent for but the Lord out God Ester 2.15 king of kings proclaimes vnto vs free accesse as oft as we are disposed to call vpon him reddy at all times to extend the scepter of his peace towards those who seek him in spirit and truth yea though with Dauid thou preuent the morning and rise at midnight to call vpon him thou shalt finde him euen then waiting vpon thee come whē thou wilt thou shalt finde him but canst not preuent him Let vs therefore vse our libertie well and see wee neglect not to begin in time our acquaintance with the Lord by frequent speaking vnto him if so be wee looke hereafter for euer to remaine with him Verse 6. They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Amongst other things which properly pertaine to the redeemed this also is one that they are subiect to many temptations according to the saying of Saint Peter By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen Therefore the profession of a Christian man is rightly called the profession of the crosse so it behooued Christ the head of his Church to suffer and the prophets through inspiration of the Holy Ghost did testifie before of his passion and of his glorification which should follow and how can it bee but that Christians must needs suffer behold now therefore the miserable image of a Christian which is redeemed notwithstanding hee is full of sinne full of discomfort full of death he is like vnto Lazarus lying before the rich mans gate he like to Iob oppressed with infinite miseries and calamities here then thou wilt say who would desire to be a Christian harken therefore what Peter saith Brethren 1. Pet. 4.12 thinke it not strange concerning the fiery tryall which is to try you as though some strange thing hapned vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ his suffrings that when his glory shall bee reuealed yee may bee glad also with exceeding ioy for this is the Image of Christ of his Church and of all the brethren that wee should suffer but looke not to the sufferings and tribulations onely but behold also the fruit that followeth name-by that they which sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Our nature obhorreth affliction It is not without cause that the Prophet takes so great paines to confirme vs against affliction because our nature abhorreth nothing more then it When Iesus went vp to the mount to preach all his Disciples went with him but when he went to mount Caluarie to suffer they all fled from him he hath many Disciples to follow him by profession but few to follow him by patient suffring It is Sathans voyce in Peter to our blessed Sauiour when he made mention of his suffrings Master pittie thy selfe And it is his dayly voyce in our corrupt nature so oft as wee are called to suffring O man pittie thy selfe but the answer giuen by the head were also good to be giuen by the members Goe behinde mee Sathan hee knoweth very well partly by the quickenesse of his naturall wit and partly by long experience being now very neere sixe thousand yeares olde that man now likes nothing worse then the Crosse Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath saith hee will he giue for his life etc. Iohn 1 4. Hee hath tolde vs himselfe wherein his strength lyeth to wit that by trouble hee preuayleth most to make man impatient and so driue him to blaspheme God and therefore most of all wee are to confirme our weakenesse against the crosse Here first we learn that sufferings must go before glory the husbandmen must labour before he receiue the fruits neither is he that striues for crowned except hee striue as he ought The Prince of saluation was consecrated by affliction it behooued him first to suffer and then to enter into his kingdome all that professe him are desirous with the sonnes of Zebedeus to sit some at his right hand and some at his left but are not so content to drinke of his cup and be baptized with his baptisme they would all enioy thee Barnard knowing that pleasures for euermore are at thy right hand but are not content to follow thee they all desire to reigne with thee but not so to suffer with thee but this is a prepostrous way it is to deuide those things which the Lord hath ioyned together except we first suffer with him we shal not hereafter reigne with him Secondly let vs marke here the different courses of the Christian and the Worldling the Christian by temporall trouble goes vnto eternall glory Different courses of the Christian worldling worth the noting c. the Worldling by temporall glory goes to eternall shame If you goe to the Schoole of Iesus the first A. B. C. of Religion taught you there will be this Matth. 10 38. If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himselfe take vp his Crosse and follow mee If you goe to the Schoole of Sathan the first A. B. C. of Atheisme taught there is this All the Kingdomes of the World will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee The Lord Iesus through light and momentarie Afflictions leads his Children to an infinite weight of glory but Sathan through the perishing pleasures of Sinne leads his miserable Captiues to euerlasting paine Therefore it is said by our Sauiour of the one Blessed are yee that mourne for yee shall bee comforted And of the other Woe bee to you that laugh now for yee shall wayle and weepe The end of a Christian better then his beginning As there is no comparison betweene these two so blessed shall wee be if wee make choyse of the best Moses esteemed the Rebuke of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures of Egypt because hee had respect to the Recompence of Reward Heb. 11.26 And shall not wee reioyce in our present Afflictions considering they are the way vnto our Glory If wee sowe in Teares wee shall reape in Ioy The end of the Godly is better then their beginning For the Light of the Righteous encreaseth more and more like the Sunne vnto the Noone-day They begin with Teares and they end with Ioy but the Light of the Wicked is like vnto the Light of a Candle it shineth for a while and incontinent endeth in stinking Smoake As Baltazars Banquet was concluded with a Cup of Wrath so all the pleasures of the Wicked ends in paine At that Banquet in Canaan Iohn 2. the Lord Iesus brought in the best Wine at the last But Sathan doth with his miserable Banquetters as the Gouernour of that Feast speakes hee presents his best first and after when they haue well drunke brings
wicked king Achab Wilt thou helpe them that hate the Lord Wee may turne to those in our time that are enemies to the children of God Wil ye hurt them whom the Lord helpeth The children of God in all their infirmities haue the holy Spirit for their helper it cannot then otherwise be but in the end comfort must â—e to them and confusion vnto their enemies 2. Chr. 19.2 onely let those who are troubled by the malice of the tongues of wicked men make sure to themselues that they haue the spirit of grace and of glory resting in them partaker with them of their afflictions then let them be assured that either their enemies shal become their friends or then the righteous Lord shall render vengeance vnto those that trouble them For euery cuppe of trouble which the wicked fill vnto vs they fill with their owne hand another cuppe of wrath vnto themselues which how euer for awhile they set by them yet as the Lord liueth they shall bee compelled in the end to drinke them out And as concerning the losse of worldly goods whosoeuer bee the instrument learne thou to take it as a cup out of the hand of thy heauenly Father after the example of Iob Iob. 1.21 who passing by the Sabeans and the Caldeans looked to the hand of God The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken sayth hee blessed bee the name of the Lord. It is not for lacke of loue that the mother withdrawes from the childe the vse of the Pappe but that shee may acquaint him with stronger meate and if the Lord take from vs these transitorie things it is not because wee are not beloued of him but that wee may set our hearts vpon those things which are more weightie and permanent which if wee doe then are our sufferings with him Who beeing rich became poore that in all things wee might bee made rich in him And the same are wee to doe in those troubles which wee sustaine in our bodyes Heb. 12.9 For if as the Apostle sayth wee haue had fathers of our bodyes who haue corrected vs and wee haue giuen them reuerence should wee not much rather bee in subiection to the father of spirits that we might liue And if wee can yeeld our bodyes to Physitions to be cut or burnt at their pleasure how much more should wee submit them to the Lord in all humble contentment to bee chastised as hee will seeing hee protests himselfe he doth it not but for our singular profit that wee might be partakers of his holinesse There is nothing that may comfort a naturall man but Duuid had it yet cannot all these keepe him from that heauinesse whereunto as witnesseth S. Peter the children of God are subiect in this life through their manifold tentations the men of the world are so farre froÌ„ this disposition that if they haue health and wealth they maruell what it is should make a maÌ„ heauy they are not acquainted with the exercises of a feeling conscience they know not the defects of the spirituall life and are not grieued at them being dead in sin they feele not that they want life all their care is to eate and drinke and make merrie but miserable are they for in their best estate they are as Oxen fed for the slaughter woe to them that laugh now they shal mourne Mat. 5.5.6 but blessed are they who mourne now for they shall be comforted Therefore there is a time appointed wherein mourners shall be comforted Pro. 24.26 The iust man falleth seuen times a day that is into distresse and trouble but riseth againe The state of the godly in the Sea of this World is like the Sea Euripus that ebbes and flowes seuen times a day it ebbes no oftener then it flowes againe so the godly haue as many comforts as sorrowes According to the saying of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 16.20 Ye shall indeed sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy It had beene a great comfort if Christ had onely promised that their sorrow should be mitigated and more to haue said it should be shortly ended but to say it shall be turned into ioy Comfort against contempt of men whereby they scorne the godly for sighing and teares ministreth abundant consolation and strength in the patient expecting of so happie a change And here because the prophane World makes a scorne of the contrite disposition of the godly laughing at their teares taunting them in their sighes and sobs let vs looke here to Dauid if it cannot alway be an argument to moue men to godlinesse yet is it forcible to moue God to mercy The broken heart for the griefe of Sinne and loue of Righteousnesse how euer the World despise it the Lord will not despise it yea it is the Sacrifice of God acceptable to him in Christ Iesus Seeing then that all they which will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution wee must hold fast this Consolation whereby we may as it were season these Afflictions namely that the Holy-Ghost doth here prophesie That wee must sowe in teares but biddeth vs be of good comfort notwithstanding for the more plentifull and bitter the teares be the greater laughter and ioy shall follow Like as he setteth forth also a contrary example The World soweth in laughter but afterwards it reapeth in euerlasting sorrow anguish and miserie But our Tentations and Afflictions doe here endure but for a little time Let vs therefore patiently suffer in hope that in stead of this painefull sowing for so small a time wee shall hereafter reape euerlasting ioy and blessednesse And this also bringeth great Consolation That albeit our whole Life be full of Sorrow bitter Afflictions and sowing altogether in Teares yet God will suffer no Tentations alwayes to continue but like as Stormes and Tempests haue their Seasons and afterwards commeth faire Weather as also after Labour followeth Rest and Quietnesse euen so experience doth teach vs that when our hearts haue beene vexed and oppressed with cogitations of Desparation Mistrust Impatience before God and the World for a day two or three or else longer God rayseth them vp againe with some Spirituall comfort therefore our afflictions are tempered with some consolations that we should know that God will not suffer vs to be altogether swallowed vp with sorrow He will correct vs as the Psalmist sayth but will not giue vs ouer vntill death Let vs learne therefore to know these things and that we must suffer Afflictions and sowe in Teares lest when Tentation commeth we be offended as though some new or strange thing were happened vnto vs and so flye from God and fall to dispaire and let vs hold fast this consolation that our Haruest is in Heauen euen Life euerlasting which we shall reape with ioy As the Wine fayled in that Banquet whereat Christ was present so oftentimes fayleth ioy euen in the heart where Christ dwelleth but as in the one
the Oyle of Ioy for Mourning and the Garment of Prayse for the Spirit of Heauinesse Hee that now goeth on his way weeping If now wee mourne not wee shall not reioyce hereafter It is onely Mourners whom God hath marked in the fore-head to saue from the Wrath to come Such a continuall Mourner was Dauid who protests that in the Night hee watered his Couch with teares Psal 6.6 and in the day mingled his Cup therewith Iob. 3.24 And Iob in like manner sayth My sighing comes before my eating The Saints of God are not ashamed to professe that of themselues which the Mockers of this Age esteeme a Womanly affection there is nothing to be found amongst them but eating Luk. 6.25 drinking singing a contracting of one sinne after another with carnall reioycing Matth. 5.4 But woe be vnto them that now laugh for assuredly they shall weepe the end of their ioy shall be endlesse mourning and gnashing of teeth they shall shed teares abundantly with Esau but shall finde no place for mercie Gen. 27.38 And albeit the wicked laugh when the godly weepe and greatly insult when they which feare the Lord grone vnder heauie pressinesse the time will come when the one shall obtaine freedome from calamities and the other be compelled to take their turnes to fall into them Then he that mourned with griefe shall exult with ioy and he that triumphed with gladnesse shall howle with desperate woe and sorrow Let vs therefore goe to the house of Mourning with the godly rather then to the Banqueting house of the wicked reioycing in their sinfull pleasures Maries teares pleaseth Christ better then the Pharisies delicats Luk. 7.38.44 At one time Symon the Pharisie gaue our Sauior a Dynner and Marie who had beene a sinner brought him the Sacrifice of a contrite heart and the Lord esteemed more of her Teares then of the Pharisies Delicates No Banquet pleaseth the Lord Iesus so well as a Banquet of Teares powred from a heart truly penitent The Lord is said to gather the Teares of his Children and keepe them in a Bottle whereby to tell vs that they are precious in his sight For hee is not like the fooles of this world who gather into their Treasures things which are vaine and needlesse But alas how shall hee gather that which we haue not scattered Where are our Teares the Witnesses of our vnfained humiliation before God The deplorable hardnesse of heart in this Age that cannot mourne The hardnesse of heart hath ouer-growne this Age that albeit there bee more then cause yet there is no mourning The sonnes of Cain learned without a Teacher Gen. 4.22 to worke in Brasse and Iron and the wit of Man can make the hardest Mettall soft to receiue an impression but cannot get their owne stonie heart made soft Yea the Children of God finde by experience how hard a thing it is to get a melting heart The Rocke rendred Water when Moses strucke it Num. 20.11 at the second stroke but alas many strokes will our hearts take before they send out the sweet teares of Repentance Seeing wee haue so many causes of sorrow without vs our mourning the troblesome estate of Gods Church Nehemiah 1.4 For herein is our case so much pittifull that hauing matter ynough of Mourning yet wee doe not mourne Without vs should not the troublesome estate of the Church of God be a matter of our griefe though our priuat estate were neuer so peaceable Godly Nehemiah being placed in the honorable seruice of King Artashashte the Monarch of the World was not so much comforted with his owne good estate as grieued at the desolation of Ierusalem Decay of Religion and encrease of Idolatrie made Eliah wearie of this life The Arke of God captiued and the Glory departed from Israel droue all comfort out of the heart of the Wife of Phineas Amos 6.6 These and many moe may teach vs that the affliction of Ioseph should be matter of our sorrow The causes of Mourning within vs are partly our sinnes Causes of mourning within vs our manifold sinnes partly our manyfold tentations As our sinnes are contracted with pleasure so are they dissolued with godly sorrow It is the best Medicine which is most contrarie to the nature of the Disease Our sinne is a Sicknesse wherein there is a carnall delight to doe that which is forbidden and it is cured by Repentance wherein there is a Spirituall displeasure and sorrowing for the euill which wee haue done This mourning for sinne lasteth in the Godly so long as they liue in the Body Rom. 7.24 yea those same sinnes which God hath forgiuen and put out of their affection are still in their remembrance for their humiliaâ—ion So that with good Hezekiâ—h they recount all their dayes and their former sinnes in the bitternesse of their heart So long as sinne remayned in their affection it was the matter of their ioy but now being by grace remooued out of the affection it becomes the matter of their Sorrow And our manyfold Tentations The other cause of our Mourning is our manyfold Tentations For this World is no other thing but a stormie Sea wherein so many contrarie Windes of Tribulation blowes vpon vs that wee can hardly tell which of them to feare On euery side Sathan besets vs with Tentations on the right hand and on the left that the House being shaken at all the foure Corners may fall downe in one part or other No rest nor quietnesse for vs in this Habitation for the which it is best for vs with one aduice to conclude that wee will remoue and in the meane time send vp our Complaint to our Father in Heauen as the Gibeonites did to Ioshua Ioshua 10.6 shewing him how wee are besieged and enuironed for his sake and praying him to come with haste and helpe vs. Which who so doth shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him as we haue heard This teacheth vs not onely to sigh and mourne for our present miseries but also comforts vs with the hope and expectation of Deliuerance Though in this life wee haue trouble yet haue wee no trouble without comfort Blessed be God 2. Cor. 1.3 4. who comforts vs in all our Tribulation and besides that which wee presently haue it is yet much more which wee looke for The men of this World haue no ioy without sorrow euen in laughter their heart is sorrowfull pretend what they will in their Countenance there is heauinesse in their Conscience arising of the weight of Sinne. But it is farre otherwise with the godly for euen in mourning they doe reioyce and vnder greatest heauinesse they carry a liuely hope of ioyfull deliuerance Alway this difference of estates betweene the godly and the wicked should learne vs patience Let vs not seeke that in the Earth which our gracious Father in his most wise Dispensation hath reserued
vndefiled as the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that our Soules may be defended cherished and tendered as the apple of thine Eye Keepe vs Lord this Night from all euill which may happen eyther to our Bodyes or our Soules extend thy Goodnesse toward all those that depend vpon vs or wee on them Giue vs quiet sleepe and rest and when wee shall awake let all our thoughts and cogitations be holy Meditations on thee and thy Law Blesse vs O Lord all the Nights and Dayes of our Life and at the end thereof send vs a blessed departure and afterward a ioyfull resurrection vnto Life eternall Graunt vs these good things most mercifull Father and all other needfull Graces not onely vnto vs but vnto all thy deare Children throughout the whole World euen for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name we further call vpon thee as hee hath taught vs in his Gospell saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. ¶ A priuate Morning Prayer O Blessed Lord God great in Power fearefull in Iudgement and rich in Mercy which bindest and no man looseth and looseth and no man bindeth I yeeld thee most humble and heartie thankes for that of thy fatherly Goodnesse thou hast vouchsafed me this last Nights sleepe in peace and rest and againe loosing the bands wherewith I was tyed hast giuen me power to see this Morning Light Now O Lord I beseech thee powre vpon me this Day the Dew of thy Blessing that through the operation of thy gracious Beames I may bud forth and beare the fruits of true Faith in my life and conuersation Continue this goodnesse and mercie towards me and by thy power rayse me from the deepe sleepe of all vnrighteousnesse Discharge me from the works of Darknesse and cloath me with the armour of Light that I may walke honestly as in the Day and liue soberly righteously and godlily in this present World Mortifie O my God all corrupt affections in me pardon my innumerable sinnes Fill mee this day with thy grace that I may spend it to the honour of thy Name Set a watch before my mouth and order my lips that I may vtter nothing vnaduisedly eyther before thee or men Keepe my senses within their limits direct my will to that which is good and order my iudgement for the accomplishing of those things that appertaine to my Vocation O Lord I beseech thee preserue and keepe my senses safe and sound that I be neyther corrupted by prosperitie nor cast downe by aduersitie nor be too fearefull of thy Iudgements or too bold vpon thy mercy but graunt me grace O mercifull Lord that I may apprehend all things that come from thee with a Religious contented Minde and in the end of my dayes by a liuely Faith may ioyfully arriue in the Land of Promise the Kingdome of Heauen through the merites of Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Amen ¶ A priuate Euening Prayer O Most holy Father and my gracious God which giuest vnto all sorts of men the chearefull light of the Day that in thine assistance they may follow their honest Vocations and likewise sendest the silent Night that then they may rest their wearied Limbes and busied Mindes and so returne their due thankes for thy Goodnesse I sinfull Creature adore and prayse thee for the totall summe of all thy Mercies whereof I haue beene this Day partaker O Lord I am vile looke not vpon mine vnworthynesse folly and wickednesse but appease thy anger iustly conceiued against me and forgiue what hath beene amisse in me this day or at any other time euen for his sake who is thy welbeloued Sonne and my deare Aduocate Pardon the sinnes and offences which I haue committed this Day in thought word and deede eyther against thee or my Neighbour Giue me grace to water my Couch with Teares in vnfayned Repentance for all my former sinnes and grant that I may so passe the residue of my life as that in regard of thy Iustice I may retaine a holy feare to stand alwayes in awe of thee and in regard of thy Mercy conceiue sure hope neuer to despayre or distrust in thee O Lord keepe me this Night both in Soule and Body that I may with the next Light ioyfully rise againe bee thankefull vnto thee and carefully walke in my Vocation and Calling to the glory of thy holy Name and the good of my Brethren amongst whom I liue for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name I further pray vnto thee saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. FINIS A TABLE DIRECTING where to finde the chiefe Matters contayned in this Booke A. ACcesse The godly haue free accesse to the King of Heauen when they please Pag. 322 Accomplishment Wee must looke as well to the accomplishment and end as the beginning of Gods workes 392 Aduersarie See Enemie Aduersitie See Trouble Afflictions Turne to the good of the godly 97. They humble vs for Sinne 99. Gods Name a Sanctuarie for vs in them 115. The fruits of them 122. They are but short 190 196 355. God hath set a time how long they shal last 192. which should worke patience in vs 193. Impatience in them dangerous 198. We must endure them constantly 199. Our Nature abhorreth them 326. They are no testimonies of Gods anger 334. Comfort against inward affliction 340. and outward 341 Amendment The amending of our liues brings endlesse comfort 131 Apparrell The vanitie of Brauerie gay Attyre and Apparrell 78. Fashion followers therein taxed 80 B. BAckward It is dangerous to goe backward in matters of Religion 204 Baptisme What a solemne Vow we haue made in it 10. wherein wee are made sworne Seruants of God 10 11. And haue receiued Wages aforehand of seruices to bee done 12. which God will require at our hand 14 Beginning A godly beginning without going forward auayles vs nothing 202. The end of a Christian better then his beginning 330 Beleeue The endlesse comfort of those that beleeue in Christ 131. The separation Christ will make betweene Beleeuers and Vnbeleeuers 143. Where a few true Beleeuers are for their sake all the multitude are called Gods people 155 Blessing The way to true blessednesse 152. They are blessed that keepe Gods Commandements 224. The godly make least esteeme of outward Blessings 170 Body See Preseruation Brauerie See Apparrell C. CHild of God neuer at one stay 210 Christ a powerfull Sauiour 56 Christian Different courses of the Christian and Worldling worth noting 329 Church The Rage of the Churches Enemies described 45. To what the Church may be compared 46. Gods prouidence limitteth the time in which it shal suffer and no longer 113. None can hurt it 159. What the state thereof is 161. since the Apostles time there haue been deceiuers in it 241. The troublesome estate of the Church causeth mourning in the godly 370 Cittie See Beleeue Commandements They are blest that keepe Gods Commandements 224 Come The wicked come farre different from the godly
with fearefull Agonies of Conscience let vs looke vnto God who kills and makes aliue who casteth downe and rayseth vp Let vs for a while beare his indignation he abides but a moment in his anger if we find that by them wee are more humbled wakened out of securitie and stirred vp more feruently to pray and that the life of Sinne is weakened in vs let vs be out of all doubt that these inward Troubles are Sufferings with Christ Luk. 22.44 whose Soule for our sinnes was heauie vnto the death and his Body did sweat bloud through the vehement anguish of his Spirit And as for outward Sufferings Comfort against outward afflictions which we suffer they are either such as concernes our Name our Goods or our Persons As for those which concerne our Name it is a singular pollicie of Sathan to beare downe the children of God in the estimation of others that they who are glorious in the light of their owne Conscience may be made filthie by the false reports of others and so made vnprofitable to doe others the good that they would But let vs in such tentations learne from Dauid to looke vnto God 2. Sam. 16.1 and not to Shimei vsing the vndeserued Contumelies of Men as profitable meanes to worke in vs that inward humiliation which our manifold sinnes though not against Man yet against God requireth of vs. So shall we suffer with him who being the innocent Lambe of God sustained neuerthelesse great contradiction of Sinners reproched to be one possessed with a Deuill notwithstanding that hee was the very Sonne of God filled in his Manhood with the Holy-Ghost For sometime they accuse them publikely and in Iudgement Laban searched narrowly Iacobs Stuffe to see if he could get any thing wherewith to charge him but more narrowly doe Worldlings search the words and deeds of the Christian seeking whereupon to accuse them and where they can find none yet vpon shadowes of euill they seeke to disgrace them Moses a man approued of God yet accused as an Vsurper Ieremy the Prophet albeit he so loued his Countrey people that in secret his Soule mourned for their desolation yet did they accuse him of Treason alledging that he had made defection to the King of Babel Daniel a man beloued of God accused and condemned of Darius his Councellors as a Rebell to the King The Israelites who returned from Captiuity accused by Toby Sanballat of Sedition The Christians of the primitiue Church oppressed with horrible Slanders The first Weapon wherwith Sathan fights against the godly is the tongues of the wicked for hee looseth their tongues to speake euill before hee loose their hands to doe euill to thē Therfore said Augustine Augustine The tongue of the wicked is a dayly Furnace wherein the godly are tryed Let no man thinke to serue God in a good conscience but he must be purged in this Ouē Ye are not of the world saith our Sauiour therefore it is that the world doth hate you and speake euill of you Ioh. 15 19. And as for their priuate Surmisings Sometime they speake euill of thē priuately and that either maliciously charging them with sinnes they haue done but haue repented they are of two sorts sometime they charge Gods children with euil which they haue done indeede but whereof they haue repented them And herein they are malicious that the sinnes which God hath forgiuen they will not forget But this should not prouoke vs to impatience seeing they blame vs for nothing for which we blame not our selues Why shall wee be commoued Let vs not thinke shame to say with the Apostle It is true I was such a one but now I am receiued to mercy Augustine I will not so loue my selfe that I will hate him that reprooues me for that which I haue reprooued in my selfe of whatsoeuer mind hee doe it but looke how farre he accuseth my fault so farre will I prayse my Physician who healed me Sometimes againe their surmisings are most false Or else falsly charging them with things they neuer did they charge vs with things which wee neuer did but these backe-bitings should bee disdained of vs like the barking of beasts Who knowes with Iob that his witnesse is in heauen and can say with the Apostle that he hath a good conscience within him what needs he to care for the iudgement of men without him for God will not faile in due time to cleere their innocency according to his promise in the Psalmes saying Commit thy way vnto the Lord trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iust dealing as the noone day Iudge therefore of thy selfe and others with a righteous iudgement if heauen approue thee care not if earth cast thee out if God iustifie who can condemne if Christ will confesse thee let thy friends deny thee thou hast a sure word and promise of God by which thou mayest apprehend in sorrow ioy in trouble peace in nothing all things in death it selfe life eternall Get faith and thou shalt clearely behold thy happinesse if all the world should set it selfe to make thee miserable get faith and thou shalt thinke him onely happy whom God so esteemes although the world do disesteeme thee Let not therefore the detracting speeches of men interrupt our peace No speech of man can make vs any other thing then that which we are Mat. 5.11 remembring their tongues can make vs no other thing then we are it is the fanne of the floore of the Lord that can separate the chaffe from the Corne. Secondly their euill speaking commends vs to God blessed are yee when men reuile you and speake all manner of euill of you for my sake be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen Augustine Wtih this meditation did Augustine confirme himselfe against the detractions of his aduersarie who sought to empaire the credite of his name hee that willingly would empaire my name against his will encreaseth my reward And Dauid gloryeth in this that the rebukes of them who rebuked the Lord had fallen vpon him I haue spoken the more of this purposely partly because it is a common craft of Sathan to oppresse good men with misse reports and partly because our weakenesse is easily ouercome with this temptation seeing the Lord wil◠haue vs to sustaine the strife of tongues let vs then strengthen our selues Let vs so walke through good report that we be not puft vp and through euill report that we be not cast downe but that by weapons of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left wee may ouercome Miserable are those who band their tongs to speake against the godly Miserable therefore must they be who bend their tongs to speake against the godly and them whom the Lord approues of That rebuke which the Prophet gaue to Iehosaphat when hee went out to helpe