haue heard of the Patience of Iob and haue seene the End which the Lord made and that the Lord is very mercifull and full of pittie Hee that shall set himselfe to consider in his mind how poore Ioseph was handled and sold of his Brethren and how refusing to consent to the shamefull request of his Mistresse hee was cast into Prison and kept there two yeeres surely a man would take pittie on him as on a miserable person But let vs see the accomplishment of the Worke of God Let vs consider him by this meanes exalted to the Gouernment of all the Kingdome of Egypt and then wee shall count him happie aboue all If wee behold Iesus Christ mocked scourged crowned with Thornes crucified betweene two Theeues who would not be offended that the Prince of Glory and Sauiour of the World should be so handled But let vs behold him risen againe ascended into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God aboue all Principalities and Power and wee will admire and prayse the Worke of God Hee that neuer saw a Haruest seeing the Plough-man taking much paines to tyll the Earth to spread it with Dung and after to cast faire Wheat into the Field so tylled hee would thinke that this Man were mad and that a Child were to be whipt that should doe such a thing But seeing the Haruest hee would change his minde and acknowledge that the Husbandman had done an excellent Worke. Now this is the time to Tyll to Dung and to Sowe the Haruest shall follow Let vs not change the course of the Season neyther let vs separate them the one from the other but let vs ioyne the time of the Death with the day of the Resurrection and let vs assure our selues as wee haue it in the Psalme that hauing sowed in teares wee shall reape with ioy Hee that had seene poore Lazarus full of sores Luke 16.9 at the Gate of the Rich man and the Rich man at the Table in all Delights and Pleasures hee would not haue chosen to be Lazarus but the Rich man but if tarrying a while hee saw the Soule of Lazarus carried straight by the Angels into Heauen and the Rich mans Soule goe to Hell hee would change his minde and would desire to be Lazarus Let vs then derest the glistering state of cursed Riches and let vs account of the poore and afflicted Condition of the Lazarusses of our Time wayting to bee carryed vp into euerlasting glorie The wicked haue nothing in Heauen nor wee in the World Blessed is the man saith Dauid whom the Lord instructeth by the power of his Spirit and by the Doctrine of his Law to haue contentment and rest in the time of aduersitie while the Graue is digged for the vngodly for the end of his felicitie Not to feare death Yea if we were called to suffer Death for the Name of Christ what other thing is this Death but after a long Conflict the day of Victorie the Birth of a blessed Soule after a great Trauell the Hauen desired after so furious Tempests the end of a dangerous and troublesome Voyage the healing of all Wounds and Sicknesses the deliuerance from all feare and terror the accomplishment of our Sanctification the gate of Heauen the entrance into Paradise the taking possession of the Inheritance of the Father the Day of our Marriage with the Lambe and the enioying of our Desires Who is then among vs who feeling with Saint Paul the Bondage of sinne would not crye out with him Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this Body of Death And feeling the good that Death bringeth vnto vs will not also say with him I desire to bee dissolued Rom. 7.24 and to bee with Christ If Death vvherewith God threatened our first Parents is a feeling of the Wrath of God in the Soule and in the Body because of Sinne wee may well say that Death and Life are two Twinnes vnited and knit together vntill the separation of the Soule and Body and this separation which is commonly called Death is rather the deadly stroke of Death the Body being then exempt from paine and the Soule from vice and corruption wayting vntill the rest of Death bee swallowed vp in Victorie at the day of the Resurrection First therefore it is to be considered that there is no Creature more enemie vnto Man nor more able to hurt then the Deuill and indeed he is called the Enemie the Murtherer 1. Pet. 5.8 and the roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but the Historie of Iob sheweth plainely that God holdeth him bridled so as hee can attempt nothing nor goe eyther forward or backward more then God will permit him And this which is more hee hath not power to enter so much as into the Swine vvithout the leaue of Christ What is this then that we should feare Men Are not they also vnder the prouidence power and gouernment of God It is God said Hannah 1. Sam. 2.3 the Mother of Samuel who weigheth their Enterprises so as they cannot passe one Ounce of the Weight ordayned of God It is hee that killeth and maketh aliue againe which bringeth downe to the Pit and lifteth vp againe hee maketh poore and maketh rich hee abaseth and exalteth Psal 115.3 It is hee alone as Dauid sayth which doth whatsoeuer hee will Now wee doubt not but hee will doe that which hee hath promised vs yea and that hee hath taken vpon him to make vs happie If then the Doctrine of the Prouidence of God importeth that hee hath not onely ordayned in his eternall Councell the end and issue of his Worke which is his Glorie and the Saluation of his Elect but also the fit meanes according to his infinite VVisdome and requisite for execution and accomplishment of it Let vs be assured that there is no creature that can let or alter his VVill as Saint Paul sayth Rom. 8.30 If God be for vs who shall be against vs Let vs also be assured that whatsoeuer happeneth vnto vs it is the way whereby hee hath ordayned to leade vs to Life and euerlasting Glorie c. Secondly The end of our regeneration is that there may appeare in our Life an holy melodie and consent betweene the Righteousnesse of God and our Obedience Yee haue vnderstood here before that the desire of the heart to consecrate your selues to God is a marke of your election and adoption but see yee that this desire may shew it selfe by the workes of Godlinesse and Charitie If you make profession that yee know Christ know yee him according to the Doctrine of Saint Paul that yee haue not knowne him as yee ought if yee mortifie not the Old Man and put on the New walking in righteousnesse and true holinesse God hath drawne you out of the power of Darknesse and hath transported you into the Kingdome of his beloued Sonne Walke yee then as the Children of Light renounce this cursed
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
can confesse But Sinne shall slay the vngodly Psal 34.24 As for the righteous the promise is though they fall they are not cast off Not that their sinne doth not deserue they should but because the Lord puts vnder his hand and reneweth his grace to rayse them to repentance Moreouer wee are here admonished of the great danger that followeth these Afflictions and Tentations which they that through impatience forsake the Word and Faith doe fall into Therefore the Lord here sheweth himselfe so carefull for his people lest they should fall into this danger for their state which haue once forsaken the Word is much more perillous then it was before and into such as our Sauiour Christ pronounceth in the Gospell doe enter seuen Spirits much more wicked then the first Luk. 11.26 Wee must therefore patiently suffer and perseuere in all Tentations and rather abide all extremities then once shrinke from the Word of Life lest wee bee possessed with seuen Spirits more wicked then the first And moreouer wee must assuredly trust as wee are taught in this Verse that so long as wee haue a desire and a purpose so to doe the Lord will neuer forsake vs or suffer vs to fall into this impietie For heere haue wee a manifest promise and a liuely description of the Lords singular care and prouidence ouer vs namely that hee is mindfull of the end of our tentations and afflictions so that wee onely continue constant and patient vnto the end And if that Heathen Poet sayd Endure and reserue your selues for more happie things Virgil. how much more should Christians diligently stirre vp themselues with mutuall exhortations to patience and perseuerance whether they outwardly suffer in things pertayning to the Bodie and to this present Life or inwardly in Conscience For wee haue a God which euen in Death in Hell and in the middest of all our Sinnes can saue and deliuer vs. A Christian therefore must bee readily prepared not onely with strength to stand against the enemy but with stedfast purpose also to continue vnto the end For he runneth not in such a race wherein there is any end of his course during this life but he runneth as it were in a circle in the which hee must haue a continuall recourse thither where he first began Our course and race is as it were in a circle which hath no end therefore our Sauiour Christ saith He that continueth to the end he shall be saued We must not be then discouraged by the importunitie of our enemy or ouercome with tediousnesse and long continuance but wee must fight not onely against the power and subtiltie of our enemie but also against our owne weaknesse and wearinesse for as in them who wrastle with any equall strength sometimes the one is aboue and sometimes the other till at length one bee ouercome So is it in this combat in the Christian somtimes the power of nature othertimes the power of grace preuailing but this comfort we haue that at the length grace shall preuaile and the power of corrupt nature shall bee captiued vnder the obedience of Christ Hence we learne that it is not enough for a man or woman to begin well or to take some liking of religion as to reuerence Gods Ministers to desire to heare them to ioyne with the people of God in prayer to bring forth some good fruit in outward reformatioÌ„ of life c. vnlesse he perseuere persist and go on vnto the end He that endures to the end shal be saued Mat. 24.13 Reu. 2.10 And be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life If a righteous man leaue his righteousnes c. he that puts his hand to the Lords plough Eze. 18.24 Luke 2.21 and looketh back is not worthy of the kingdome of heauen Againe It had beene better for them that they had neuer knowne the wayes of godlinesse then afterwards to fall away 2. Pet. 2.21 And therefore in the Scriptures such as haue had some beginning and after fallen away are noted to haue bene exceeding wicked men as we see in Iudas Math. 27. First a Preacher and an Apostle a man well esteemed that had excellent gifts to preach pray and cast out Diuels afterward an hypocrite a theefe a traytor a reprobate Herod had many things in him at first reuerenced Iohn Baptist heard him gladly did many things at his request yet afterwards a bloody persecuter Demas once a sound professour as it seemed and one that was deere vnto Paul but afterwards left his profession and fell in loue with the world c. and therefore it is a speciall dutie required of euery Christian to continue stedfast Be thou faithfull vnto the end 〈◊〉 2.26 and I will giue thee a Crowne of life Hence we see that it is a dangerous thing to reuolt and goe backward in matters of religion to lose our first loue It is a fearefull signe of a reprobate and cast away when men slacke hand and slip necke out of chollar grow carelesse in the seruice and worship of God for a man to grow there is some hope though hee doe but creepe in religion but for a man to goe backeward or to stand at a stay is dangerous for it is certaine Not to go forward in Gods matters is to goe backeward not to increase is to decrease not to grow better is to waxe worse it is a hard matter to make a good beginning Wee are not easily brought to set one foote forward in the waies of godlinesse but then to trip while we are in our iourney and to waxe weary of wel doing This is a fearefull sinne Let this admonish vs all Mat. 24.13 as wee doe loue our owne soules to labour for constancie and perseuerance that we may hold out vnto the end that our workes may bee more at last then at first Râ—â— â— that we be sure to dig so deepe that we lay the foundation of our faith vpon the rocke Christ and for want of this godly care and circumspection â—forehand many haue at the first giuen their names to Christ who afterwards when they were to take vp the Crosse of Christ haue gone out and turned their backes vpon Christ Saul began well but afterwards he waxed worse and in the end became an open persecutour Ioash behaued himselfe vprightly of the Lord. But after his death he fell into Idolatrie What did it profit Lots Wife to goe out of Sodome insomuch as afterward she looked backe and was turned into a pillar of Salt So then wee see here that it is not enough to begin well neither is it enough to proceede well It is required of vs to perseuer well and to continue in a constant and setled course euen to the end So that if wee looke to partake of eternall life and happinesse for euer with God Reu. 2.10 We must be constant in the profession of his truth in all
had long since beene like Sodome and like Gomorrah for the Lord our God hath not set his loue vpon vs for any thing in vs but because hee loued vs Deut. 7.7 8 hath hee deliuered preserued and redeemed vs and done all good vnto vs. Heere wee are briefely to consider of these things First how graciously God bestoweth his blessings and benefits dayly vpon vs especially how he continueth the gracious liberty of the Gospell amongst vs encreasing dayly the number of faithfull Preachers Who breake vnto vs the bread of life this is a blessing of blessings without which the soule may the sooner starue yet indeed of the wicked of the world no more esteemed of then their old shooes and therefore they seldom heare it lightly regard it but neuer practise it this is that pearle to attaine which wee ought to sell all that wee haue rarher then to want it if this meditation of the price of this word were truely in our hearts it would not bee that so many could suffer their people to starue for want of it Secondly let vs remember our health wealth peace and liberty our dayly protecting vnder so gracious a gouernment which wee enioy by God It is in Acte 17.28 Verse 25. and through him that we liue wee moue and haue our being hee giueth vs life and breath and all things wee cannot liue one minute of an howre without Gods prouidence hee dayly prouideth for vs foode and rayment and no good thing doth he withhold frō vs he defendeth vs day and night from all dangers he maketh men to be of one minde and liue together in vnity he blesseth our corne our cattell and all our substance he prospereth all our handy worke our meate might be our bane did not God continually blesse it vnto vs wee might haue our Throats cut in our beds were nothe watchful ouer vs by his fatherly prouidence he sendeth raine to moysten the earth Hee giueth grasse for the Cattell Deut 11. and Hearbs for the vse of man he causeth the Corne and oyle to come to perfection that man may eate and haue all manner of fruit in aboundance he neuer forsaketh his inheritance he blesseth our going out and comming in On foote on horseback in company and out of company in publike and secret at home and abroad sleeping and waking hee is all in all vnto vs. This meditation will make vs to receiue nothing without thankesgiuing to liue circumspectly to looke to our wayes and to study to please God to giue our hearts vnto him and to make him our treasure First this serues to put vs in mind of all those gracious promises that God hath made vnto vs either of temporall blessing or spirituall grace which we are to beleeue that in Gods due time they shal be performed and so we shal not lose our reward The not beleeuing of this truth is one maine cause of sinne and the continuance of it and no one thing doth make the wicked so desperate in euill courses as this to thinke it is altogether in vaine to liue a godly life We must therefore remember and beleeue that God is a plentifull rewarder of all those that seeke him Heb. 11.6 Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 1.28 that whatsoeuer we aske in Christ his name shall bee giuen vs. That whosoeuer commeth to Christ Ezec. 18.31 laden with the burden of his sinnes shall haue refreshing and finde rest to his soule That whosoeuer doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart shall bee forgiuen Ios 1.5 that hee will neuer faile nor forsake his and infinite such which God hath made to all his children Heb. 13 5 But especially wee ought to Meditate and often call to mind That maine promise of life eternall Mar. 26.16 which God hath promised to all beleeuers and most surely will performe it whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued So God loued the world that hee gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Ioh. 3.16 And herewithall to ioyne the meditation of the certainty of the future resurrection after death and the full fruition of euerlasting glory described at large 1. Cor. 15. and if any thing in the world will moue vs to forsake our sinnes and returne to God this will The want of this is the cause of all manner of sinne in the wicked they say and beleeue that it is in vaine to serue God Mal. 3.14 and what profit it is that wee haue kept GODS Ordinances and walked so mournefully before the Lord c. It profiteth a man nothing to delight himselfe in God Iob. 34.9 They say vnto God depart from vs and what can the Almighty doe for vs they take the Timbrell and Harpe and reioyce at the sound of the Organ Iob. 22.17 They spend their dayes in wealth and mirth and in a moment goe downe to the Graue therefore they say vnto God Iob 21.12 13 14 15 Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that wee should serue him thus as the godly are stirred vp by Gods gracious promises to serue him the better so the wicked by not being perswaded of the truth of his promises for time to come abuse Gods goodnesse and spend their dayes in all manner of sinne to their owne destruction Lastly in a word our remembrance of Gods fauour toward vs must bee constant without wearines and certaine without change as Dauid saith Psal 119.93 I will neuer forget Gods Word It must bee thankefull for all Gods mercies spirituall and temporall Psal 63.5.6 My mouth saith Dauid shall praise thee with ioyfull lips when I remember thee It must be fruitful prouoking vs to al good workes quickning vs to euery good duty I wil meditate in thy precepts Psal 119-1 5 and haue respect to thy wayes It must bee chearefull in affliction and victorious in time of trouble that we may say as Dauid Vnlesse thy law had beene my delight Psal 119.9 2 I had perished in my affliction And thus much of the remembrance of Gods workes of mercy in preseruing of vs both for time past present and to come Verse 3. Yea the waters had drowned vs and the streame had gone ouer our soules TErrible is the rage of fire but much more terrible is the violence and rage of water for that no power cannot resist Now saith Dauid like as huge mighty streams of water carried with great power and violence doe suddenly ouerthrow and beate downe whatsoeuer they meete withall euen such is the rage of the enemies of Gods Church which no power of man is able to with-stand Therefore let vs learne to trust to the Lords defence and succour for what else is the Church but as a little Boat tyed by a Riuers side and by violence of the water soone carried away or as a Reede which by
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
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
them as wee may see most apparently Where it is sayd Mat. 25.32 that he will gather all nations before him and that he will separate them one from another as a Sheapheard separates the sheepe from the Goates sending some to hell and carrying others with him into heauen Let vs then neuer feare in any perill or danger whatsoeuer whether of war famine plague or the like lest wee should perish with the wicked hand ouer head we see he hath a care of his own and what he will doe he can doe if it be good for vs to escape these worldly woes we are assured wee shall as we are sure we liue And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs with others in the outward punishment yet shall we euer bee sure to be distinguished from them in the eternall payne and those outward griefes shall bee but meanes to leade vs to euerlasting ioyes Now therefore saith he like as mount Sion or our holy city Ierusalem is neuer moued but remaineth sure and safe by the mighty protection of the Lord in all extremities so he that trusteth in the Lord shall be defended against the furious rage of the world and the gates of hell for euer pronouncing this to bee chiefest anchor of our saluation onely to hope and trust in the Lord To hope and trust in the Lord is the greatest seruice that we can doe to him and that is the greatest seruice that wee can doe vnto God for this is the nature of God as I haue sayd to create all things of nothing therefore hee createth and bringeth forth in death life in darknes light this to beleeue is the very nature and most speciall property of faith when God then seeth such a one as agreeth with his owne nature that is which beleeueth to finde in danger helpe in pouerty riches in sinne righteousnesse and that for Gods owne mercies sake in Iesus Christ alone The nature of faith him can God neither hate nor forsake for he worshippeth God truely which putteth his whole trust in the mercy of God With this seruice God is highly pleased because he delighteth of nothing to make something so hee made the world of nothing so hee raysed the dead who so then consenteth to Gods nature and obeyeth his will there hoping for something where nothing is he it is that pleaseth God and shall neuer be remoued That is they shall neuer be remoued from Gods fauour they shall neuer bee remoued from the constant graces of the spirit in their soules or hurtfully in the way of a curse frō outward good estate nor vnseasonably bee cut off from the earth Now because some of these iudgments seeme sometimes to fall on some righteous persons who for a season being separated from the comfortable sight of Gods kindnes and fauor towards them and their estate in appearence is wholly ruinated Therfore the word doth well beare it agreeing with that of Salomon that the righteous shall not be remoued for euer though they seeme to be cast downe for a time yet they shall be restored againe Therfore godly men must needs be in safety because they be Gods childrē whō he in Christ hath begotten to himself by the immortall seed of the word Wee see here the constancy of Gods children The constancy of Gods children no winde of tempration can remoue or ouerthrow them they are like rockes in the sea enduring euery waue like trees planted by the riuer side Gods owne plantation they may be shaken but not ouerturned they abide rooted and stablished by the Lord such is the nature of faith that it carryeth vs out of our selues into the Lord and makes vs leane vpon him rest in him and liue in him They who abide in themselues resting in any thing that is in them either wisedome strength or merits shall be found to haue built their house on the sand which will not continue but such as goe out of themselues and trust in the Lord haue built their house on the rocke that shall neuer faile them Therfore cleaue ye fast vnto him and feare not be of good comfort though others be cursed yet you shal be blessed for you see the difference of being religious and being prophane of louing Christ loathing him this difference here will make a fearefull difference in the world to come when no man can helpe it had he the treasures of all the earth to purchase his ease with all and therefore remember your selues betimes turne to the Lord with all your hearts serue him in holines righteousnes all the dayes of your liues that so you may be blessed both here in this world and in the world to come First this may seeme to reproue that cursed yet common opinion of the world namely that of all men the godly man is most miserable We see here the Lord himselfe doth proclaime from heauen that he accounteth the godly man and him that trusts in the Lord a blessed and happy man but yet the world that is the wicked men in the world iudge and deeme the godly man wretched and miserable such a man as truely feareth God hates all iniquitie disliketh lewd company makes conscience of good duties as to pray in his family to instruct his seruants and children is diligent and carefull to frequent Sermons this man is an Owle among Birds whooted at and poynted at and of all men he most contemned But as Paul sayth thus it must bee We are brought vpon the Stage wee are made a gazing-stocke to wicked men and accounted as dung for Christs sake Secondly this may serue to stop their mouthes that say and thinke it is in vaine to serue the Lord that it is lost labour to bee religious that there is no good got by hearing of Sermons and leading of a godly life it is and euer hath beene the cursed thoughts of mans heart to thinke so as in the time of the Prophet Malachy Mal. 3.14 It is lost labour to serue the Lord and what good comes there by seruing of God So in these dayes it is cleare men thinke it is in vayne to bee religious to liue godly and in all thinges to labour to keepe fayth and a good conscience before God and men But it is manifest here that it is not in vaine to serue God nay it is that alone that bringeth a man to happinesse and true comfort here and eternall measure of glory in the world to come withall this may serue to cōfort euery child of God against all the discouragements of the world by Satan his cursed instruments Namely that whatsoeuer thy estate be Heb. 11.24.12.23 Psal 125. verse 1. neuer so poore in this world and subiect to neuer so many afflictions yet if thou be a godly man certainely then thou art blessed thou that art in Gods fauor thou that art reconciled to God in Iesus Christ and hast thy sins pardoned eternall life belongs vnto
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
things of nothing that he is carefull of vs and for vs whether we be afflicted in the flesh or in the spirit and that he is more mindfull of our deliuerance then we our selues can be Here haue wee then a singular promise and consolation as if he should say the rodde of the wicked grieueth you but be of good comfort my people and patiently endure it for I will not suffer the tentation so farre to preuayle ouer you that your confidence and trust in me shall vtterly fayle you stormes and tempests shall arise and your dangers shall seeme so great as though the waues should presently swallow you vp but I will not suffer you to perish I will bridle their rage and make an end of the rodde of the wicked If Sathan and your owne Conscience doe accuse you as most wicked and vnrighteous yet will I not leaue you destitute of my righteousnesse Thus doe Tentations teach vs the true vse and meaning of the first Commandement the which none without Afflictions and Tentations shall rightly know or vnderstand Hereby the Prophet will teach vs that our Afflictions are but short and endures but a while The rodde of the wicked shall not lye for euer vpon the backe of the righteous The time of our trouble in holy Scripture is called sometime a Day of Triall and sometimes an Houre of Tentation As our Sauiour said to the three Disciples Mat. 26.40 Can yee not watch with mee one houre so may he say to vs all as oft as wee faint vnder trouble Can ye not suffer with me one houre It was the comfort that Athanasius gaue to the Church in his time that Iulian should be but a stormie little Cloud that would quickly passe by And it is certainely true both of the troubles and of all the instruments thereof Let vs waite a while on our God with patience and wee shall see them no more Therefore seeing the vse of afflictions and sorrowes of the godly is but for a time to exercise their faith and patience and therefore cannot be perpetuall for when the tryall is ouer the burthen must bee remooued The time of Winter is bitter and barren and cold through Frosts and Stormes but besides that it is profitable for the Earth and Plants to kill Weedes and Wormes and to mellow and rot the Ground it is a forerunner of a pleasant spring and a fruitfull haruest such is the state of the godly often here Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse sometimes departs further off and leaues the beleeuer in a wintrous estate laid open to many stormes and sad showers but besides that all this winter prepares the soyle and kils the weeds and vermine of the soule it goes before an happie spring and haruest which wil bring in fruits of righteousnesse to those that are exercised I goe away for a while and ye shall be sorrowfull but I will come againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy shall none take away Here is then first of all a notable ground of patience in sorowes The rod of the wicked shall not lye for euer vpon the backe of the righteous And seeing God hath set the time how long they shall last and shall not exceed the appointed time This should alwayes learne vs patience yea hee hath not onely set a time of duration but also of exchanging thy sorrowes into ioy Art thou in any trouble or vnder any molestation of Satan Are wicked men vnder reproch scandall hatred persecution c it is a storme too violent to last long nay it shall bee changed into a calme into a faire and comfortable season Suppose thou bee in the Night of disgrace blacked and darkened by wicked ones as Dauid was Suppose thou haue things layd to thy charge that thou neuer knewest and art forced to repay that which thou neuer tookest yet wait still the good time after thou hast endured a little scowring all the soyle will tend to thy brightnesse and the time comes that God will make thy innocencie to breake out as the light Art thou sicke in thy Soule or pained in thy Bodie and seest no way but present Death wait the time and thou shalt meete not onely with perfect cure but perfect health also onely see thou makest Christ thy Physician God had appointed a time of Abrahams tryall for three dayes but the third day turned his sorrow into ioy in which hee had the comfort both of his sonne and his owne obedience Ionas had his appointed time of sorrow in the belly of Hell in the bottome of the Sea when hee was cast out of sight but at the end of three dayes hee was cast on the dry ground and his sorrowes and feares were turned into ioy and prayses The Theefe on the Crosse was euen in the hands of death his paines and sorrowes encreasing as hee felt his life decreasing how did our blessed Sauiour comfort him and support him with patience but with this assurance that the end was comming and a time appointed which should instantly turne that shame and sorrow into glorie and ioy This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Lazarus was not onely in the hands but in the House of Death foure dayes yet a time was appointed euen the fourth day wherein the bands of Death were to be loosed and hee restored to his former life And thus shall it be with all the Disciples of Christ whose troubles shall not last alwayes the longest they can last is but for this life and while they doe last they haue the comfort of both those Petitions of Christ first That the Father would keepe them in the World and secondly that after they be safely passed through the World and the troubles and disgrace of it They may be where himselfe is Iohn 17.24 to behold his glory This serues to comfort the godly in their troubles that they shall be preserued in them and from them The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against them First Sathan the red Dragon may create them trouble so that they shall want no molestation that hee can procure them but hee cannot hinder their deliuerance nor without leaue hinder their peace no nor touch an haire of their head Secondly the wicked of the World will see they want no tryals or vexation but on the contrary God will see they shall not want seasonable deliuerance hee will not leaue him in his hand And although such is their inbred malice that they would neuer take off their Rods from the backes of the godly yet God will not suffer the Rod of the vngodly alway to lye on the lot of the righteous Thirdly Psal 37.8 if their owne sinnes beset them hard and so dismay them as though they should neuer get freedome And this is the strongest band of all which tyeth them to trouble and all other troubles were but a play so that the heart were perswaded of the pardon of Sinne as the Saints in sicknesse of Conscience
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
Nations that forget God For seeing they haue a heart of iron and as the Prophet saith A brazen forehead they must bee terrified with the thunderings of the Law that is they must bee brought to the feare of Gods Iudgement and filled with the terror of death as it hapned to the people of Israel at the Mount Sina when the Law was published by the voyce of the Lord. But they that haue a fleshie heart that is to say a soft and tender hart may not be killed with the Law but reuiued raised vp with another kind of Doctrine which the holy Ghost calleth here laughter and ioy that is to say the Gospell This is the right diuiding of the word which Saint Paul speaketh of to preach and set foorth to the impenitent and hard hearted the threatnings of the Law the wrath of God against sinne and the terrors of Gods Iudgements but to the weake and broken hearted the sweete comforts of the Gospel that they that are secure and without feare may now learne to feare the Lord and they that are to much oppressed with feare may bee of good comfort and now begin to trust in the Lord. This difference betweene the Law and the Gospell is well knowne but by experience and practise it is not so wel known for our infirmitie is such that we are rather touched with the sence of Sinne and Death then with laughter and ioy that is the sweet comforts and ioyfull promises of Gospell And here also we finde Sathan to be our deadly aduersarie which most subtilly disputeth with vs touching the Law and vseth such Arguments as wee cannot deny For when he layeth vnto vs our sinnes wee are constrayned to confesse â—hem which albeit sometimes wee couer them before men our Conscience as a thousand witnesâ—es pronounceth against vs and will not suffer vs to forget them or hide them Whereof sometimes ariseth also a doubting or mistrust euen in the dearest of Gods Saints I speake nothing of those which are manifestly wicked with these darts Sathan pierceth and grieuously woundeth the soft and tender heart onely because this distinction is not so well knowne by practise as it is by speculation For if we had this practise indeed Speculation is a naked knowledge without experience practise we should rightly discerne betweene the Law and the Gospell also betweene the Disciples of the Law and of the Gospell and beate backe Sathan with this answer Speculation is a naked knowledge without experience practise that like a lying spirit he seeketh nothing else but to blinde and deceiue the heart with falshood and lyes for where as hard and stony hearts bee those hee doth not kill or terrifie but flattereth and filleth them with hope and fayre promises which doe not pertaine to such heartâ— contrariwise whereas such tendeâ— and timerous hearts bee as are too much terrified already and therefore should bee confirmed and raysed vp with the promises of the Gospell those hearts Sathan most of all not onely goeth about to afflict and terrifie but to beate them downe also to vtter discomfort wherefore the Christian man must learne and labour by feeling and practise to make this distinction in his heart and say vnto Sathan away from mee Sathan with thy lyes when I am voyde of the feare of God secure and hard hearted then come and pleade the Law against mee then will I heare thee for then that is the time to teach the Law but since thou commest now vnto mee with the Law A good answer to be giuen to Sathan whereas my heart is terrified already with sinne and death I will not heare thee for thy doctrine pertaineth not vnto mee but laughter and ioy not terrour and death So should Sathan bee answered when he goes about to terrifie vs but by experience wee feele that when most neede is our heart is not able thus to answer though wee haue heard these things before neuer so often the cause is this that albeit Heauen be ours and wide open for vs yet such is our nature and such is our infirmitie that all this doth not make vs so ioyfull as the gaping Gulph and horror of Hell doth terrifie vs so that our cogitation of our sinnes doth more afflict vs then all the teaching and preaching of the Merits of Christ can comfort vs. Therefore wee must earnestly endeuour to learne this practise or at the least to attayne to some knowledge thereof and rayse vp our selues with these words That the Gospell is nothing else but laughter and ioy which properly pertayneth to the Captiues that is to those that feele the captiuitie of sinne and death to the fleshie and tender hearted terrified with the feeling of the wrath and iudgement of God these are the Disciples in whose hearts should be planted laughter and ioy and which onely should heare the voyce of ioy and gladnesse in the Tabernacles of the Righteous and that by the authoritie of the Holy Ghost which this Verse setteth forth for it doth signifie that this people was in Sion and after the outward shew of the Kingdome and Priesthood did mightily flourish but if a man consider them according to the Spirit he shall see them to bee in miserable captiuitie and that their tongue is full of heauinesse and mourning because their heart is terrified with the sence of sinne and death This is Moses Tongue or Moses Mouth full of Wormewood and of the bitternesse of Death wherewith he ought to kill those onely which are too liuely and full of securitie but they which feele their captiuity should haue their mouthes filled with laughter and ioy that is the redemption and deliuerance from sinne and death purchased by the blood of Christ should be preached vnto them this is the sence and meaning of the holy Ghost that the mouth should sound and shew forth nothing else but great gladnesse and those inestimable consolations of the Gospell with voyces of tryumph and victory by Christ ouercomming Sathan destroying death and taking away our sinnes this was first spoken vnto the Iewes for this laughter was first offered to that people then hauing the promises now hee turneth to the Gentiles whom hee calleth to the partaking of this laughter Verse 3. Then sayd they among the heathen the Lord hath done great things for them THe Gentiles naturally hated and disdained the Iewes and could abide nothing lesse then their Religion yet these Gentiles sayth hee when this laughter this ioy shall be published and preached shall maruell thereat and shall prayse the great workes of the Lord now the Gentiles would not this doe or esteeme this worke of God as a benefit except they also should be partakers of the same therefore when the holy Ghost sayth that the Gentiles should publish praise and magnifie this benefite of the Iewes deliuerance out of captiuitie hee plainly signifieth withall that they should be partakers of this deliuerance and that they likewise should extoll and
297 Comfort See Crosse Affliction Temptation Trouble and Sinne. Confidence In our greatest Mutations we must put our confidence in God 162 Constancie The constancie of Gods Children 147 Consideration so necessarie that without it no state of our life can be well ordered 382 384 Contempt Comfort against contempt of Men. 84 353 Conuersation In our Christian conuersation there must be a continuall progresse 247 Conuersion A true signe of conuersion 256 Corruption See Flesh Couetousnesse Many walke in the ruggie way of Couetousnesse 247 Creator Euery Creature in their kind sends vs to the Creator 239 Creature It is a vaine thing to take pleasure in the Creature 240 Crosse How a sanctified Crosse is discerned 96 D. DAnger breedeth feare without measure 23. Past by dangers are to be cald to mind 44 Day how it should be spent 320 Death The godly need not feare it 168. It is a Victorie if we suffer for Christ 396. Life and it two Twinnes 397 Degrees See Psalmes Deliuerance Publique Thanksgiuing required after it 15. Application of this to our Times especially to the Powder-Treason 16 17 c. In what sort we should be thankfull for Deliuerance from it 20 c. Gods Deliuerances to be remembred 28. God still deliuers his 60 109 176. Depart How the wicked depart from God 233. Desire Our perfection stands rather in desire then deeds 222. God still giue vs more then we desire ibid. Determination an helpe to godly conuersation 382 384 Despaire Wee should not dispaire for our grieuous sinnes and falls 250 E. ELect No elect Child of God can finally perish or fall away 125. We must labour to be in the number of the Elect. 273 End The end of a Christian better then his beginning 30. See accomplish men Enemies We are vnable of our selues withstand them 27. The faithfull still preuaile against their enemies 47. God preserueth hiâ— from all enemies 60. Dauids enemies described 70 F. FAith Not to trust to that which the eye seeth but to that which the word offereth and promiseth is a matter of Faith 157. The nature of Faith 148 Faithfull No force can preuaile against them 58. God hath a double care of them 186. Their state but weak being left vnto themselues 228 Fauour In what fort we should remember Gods fauour to vs. 44 Fall The child of God cannot finally fal away 125. What to bee done in our fals 249. We must not lye still in them 250. and must beware of falling againe 251 Flesh There is fleshly corruption in the Christian Militant but he followes it not 107 Sathans darts may afflict the flesh but cannot surmount the Spirit 173. He that walketh after the flesh encountreth with death 379 Fruits See Heart and Tongue G. GEntiles The Gentiles being pertakers of the deliuerance from sinne and death do magnifie God for it as well as the Iewes 295. 296. 299. They and the Iewes are become one Church 300 Gifts See Trouble God There is all things in God fit to be in one on whom we are to place our trust 140 Godly What the wicked are to the godly 87. They are esteemed in a miserable case by the wicked 149. Comfort for them when the wicked esteeme them not 179. What their state is in this world 353 Godlinesse True godlinesse indureth great temptations 96. It is great gaine 141. We must go on in the waies thereof vnto the end of our liues 385 386 Gospel Wee should comfort our selues with the Gospel when Sathan terrifieth with the law 292. The inestimable benefit of the Gosp 302 Goodnesse We must not trust to our owne power and goodnesse 231 H. HEart Who are the good and true of heart 207. The marke of a sanctified heart 214. We must offer the first fruits of our heart to God euery morning 313 Humilitie How humilitie is wrought in the godly 71 Hurt No hurt befals them whom Gods loue 86 I. IEwes and Gentiles are become one Church 300 Ignorance Many walke in the blind waies of Ignorance 243 Impatience See Affliction Ioy. The Ioy of the godly for their deliuerances 26. Especially their redemption by Christ Iesus 263. 264 c. The worldling hath no true Ioy 374. The ioy which God hath reserued for vs in heauen we must not expect to haue on earth 374. Ioy oftentimes faileth the most faithfull 357. The godly haue only true ioy 365 Iudgements Vpon the wicked to be remembred and taken heed of 88. 89. The remembrance of them hastens repentance 92 Iustification How to proue our Iustification 254 K. KIng The godly haue free accesse to the King of heauen 322 Knowledge Speculation a naked knowledge without experience and practise 289 L. LAughter See Gospel and Ioy. Law The office of the law of God 286 302. Sathan terrifieth with it 288. An answer fit to be giuen Sathan when he terrifieth with the Law 291 Life Our life lies open to Sathans snares 99. Three profitable helpes for a godly life 381. An exhortation to a godly life 401. Wee must prepare our selues for the life to come 377 387. Life and Death two twins 397 Lot The lot of the righteous what it signifieth 182 Loue. The vice of selfe-loue hard to be cured 404 M. MAn There is no cause why we should feare man 59. Because men cannot hurt vs vnlesse God permit it 399 Meanes See Saluation Mercy God compasseth his with his mercies 165. What mercies the godly doe chiefely esteeme 170. Gods mercies is with his Children in the house of death 160 Morning See Heart and Prayer Mortall Man is vaine and Mortall 79 Mourning The causes of mourning without vs 370. and within vs 371. Hardnesse of heart hinders it in this age 369. Reasons moouing vs to Mourning 358. The godly subiect to it in this life 360. If we mourne not now we shall not reioyce hereafter 366. The scoffers of Mourning reproued 366. 367 Mutations See Confidence N. NAme Our onely Sanctuary is in the name of the Lord in all our afflictions 115. Comfort against such as seeke to take away our good name 342 Nets See Snares O. OBiection See Question Occasion Wee must be carefull to auoid all occasions of doing euill 249 Office What the intent and office of Gods Law is 287 P. PEnitent A true penitent man walkes cleane contrary to his former course 237 People See Beleeuers Permission Without the permission of God neither the deuill 398. nor men can hurt vs. 399 Perils See Danger and Snare Persecutors We should not be dismaied though we see the Persecutors come to the end of their enterprises 390 Perseuerance Arguments to prooue Christian perseuerance 126. Confutation of the Papists in this point 128. We are constantly to perseuer in a religious course 202 252 Pope See Traditions Powder See Treason Prayer The Spirit of Grace and Praye must be ioyned together in the faithfull 306. The excellency and necessitie of Prayer 407. c. We must not bee weary or faint-hearted in Prayer though God deferre to make