consider three things First The guilt of sinne whereof the q Rom. 3. 9. Apostle witnesseth that all the World is subiect to the iust punishment of God And againe r Heb. 2. 15. that all men naturally and in themselues considered out of Christ are subiect vnto bondage Secondly As before whilest they stood in their integritie inioying the comfort of a good conscience they had peace and quietnesse of minde so man had no sooner falne but feare and terrour came vpon him As wee see in Adam Gen. 3. 10. I heard thy voyce and was afraid And as it may be seene in all the sonnes of Adam who in respect of sinne Å¿ Heb. 2. 15. are in a perpetuall feare of death all their life long Wherefore the t Rom. 8. 15. Apostle noteth it the generall condition of all Mankinde before they be renewed to be possessed with the spirit of bondage vnto feare The fruit whereof is the drawing vs from God and to make vs flye from him as from our Enemie as Adam u Gen. 3. 8. fled from the presence of God and hid himselfe among the Trees of the Garden Thirdly The particularities of this cursed miserable estate which all the sonnes of Adam doe welter and lye in all their life are manifold and of diuers kindes comprehending x Deut. 28. 61 and 29. 20. all the plagues and punishments that may be thought of written not written but the chiefe and principall of euery sort as they lye in order opposite to the happie and blessed estate before described are these that follow First The wrath of God for so the Holy Ghost saith y Iohn 3. 36. He that beleeueth not the Sonne the wrath of God now abideth vpon him But this is not the full cup of his wrath So farre that all things not blessings onely but his very graces turne to their ruine the dregges whereof the wicked shall drinke hereafter for that no man can indure and liue but qualified and mixed that it breaketh out yet no further then this to turne all things to their ruine not onely outward blessings wherein God lifteth them vp that hee may with a greater force cast them downe but euen the good graces of God and gifts of his holy Spirit which all through their owne fault worke vnto their euill Christ is to them a Rocke z 1. Pet. 2. 7. of offence and set a Luke 2. 34. for a stumbling blocke all b Esay 28. 13. the wholesome instructions which he vseth his chastisements and corrections to reclayme them by their wickednesse are to make them fall to bee snared and in trapped the c 2. Cor. 2. 6. Gospell is a sauour of death vnto death vnto them the d Ro. 2. 4 5 c. bountie and long suffering of God serueth to the hardening of their vnrepentant heart And this is contrarie to that loue wherewith God before imbraced man Secondly Separation from the fellowship of God as 2. Separation from his presence Adam was cast out of Paradise the visible testimonie of his presence In regard whereof the Apostle e Ephes 4. 18. saith We are estranged from the life of God are f Ephes 2. 19. strangers and forainers and g Ephes 2. 17. farre off from him Thirdly Losse of our soueraigntie and consequently 3. Losse of our former soueraigntie and consequently of our power insomuch as both the creatures are become our enemies of the power wee had to rule and to command In so much as the Creatures that before were subiect to vs shaking off the yoke of their obedience are through Adams fall armed to our destruction the wilde beasts of the field readie to deuoure vs and all the creatures to rise vp against vs. Wherefore the h Iob 5. 22 23. Holy Ghost noteth it a fruit of our reconciliation vnto God Not to bee afraid of the beasts of the Earth but to bee in league with the stones of the field and to haue the beasts of the field in peace as being otherwise at warre and at defiance with vs. More then that a thing most opposite to our former and we Slaues to Satan soueraigntie and dominion Satan himselfe the most vilest and most basest of Gods Creatures and the same our vtter Enemie is become our Lord and Master insomuch as hee ruleth and raigneth ouer vs after his owne pleasure haleth and pulleth vs which way it pleaseth him and holdeth vs fast bound as it were in chaines to doe his will being therefore called The i 2. Cor. 4. 4. God of this World that blindeth the mindes of the vnfaithfull the Prince k Iohn 12. 31. and 16. 1â— of this World the l Ephes 2. 2. spirit that worketh effectually in the children of disobedience in m 2. Tim. 2. 26. whose snares wee are and holden captiues of him Whereupon the Apostle saith that by the ministerie of the Gospell Wee n Col. 1. 13. are deliuered out of the power of darknesse and freed o Heb. 2. 15. by Christ from the bondage which through feare of death wee were all our life subiect to And hereof it followeth that the Reprobate hauing beside the sinfulnesse of their nature the Deuill by whose swindge and sway they are wholy led so readie to kindle the coles and to blow the fire of their owne corruption can doe nothing else but sinne Fourthly A heape and multitude of all manner of euill 4. All kind of calamities and calamities of all sorts which the Holy Ghost p Deut. 28. Deut. 28. doth reckon vp as fruits of sinne first in body to be q Verse 25. smitten before the enemies r 25 48. captiuity seruing of the enemie in famine and in thirst in nakednes and want of all things in Å¿ 50. great disgrace and to be t 64. dispersed and scattered into the furthest parts of the earth In mind a u 65 66 67. trembling and heauie heart In the morning to say I would it were euening To bee x 28 29. smitten with madnesse and with blindnesse and with astonishment that they shall grope at noone day as a blind man gropeth in darknesse Then foraine in our possessions first wife and children and then in our goods A y 30. wife shall bee espoused and another shall lye with her sonnes z 32. and daughters giuen vnto a strange people and goe a 41. into captiuitie Touching goods in the Land first and the fruits thereof to b 30. build a house and another to dwell in it to plant the Vineyard and another to eate the fruit the c 23. Heauens to bee brasse that no rayne shall fall and thereby the Land to bee Iron that no fruit shall grow the seed d 38. that shall sowe the ground to bee consumed by the Locust the e 39. Vineyard by the Worme all the f 42. Trees and
and of edification one towards another Destroy not for meates sake the worke of God All things indeed are cleane but it is ill for the man that eateth with offence It is good not to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor to doe any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or made weake To set downe therefore the cautions that are to bee giuen heerein and how and in what cases wee are so to bridle our Christian libertie The first caution is that it bee in things which GOD hath once restrayned for no Law of God nor rule of Charitie bindeth to forbeare meates or drinkes or other things which neuer were vnlawfull by the Commandement of God but by the vaine superstition of men that being but to giue strength and countenance to the doctrine of Deuils with which name the Apostle brandeth them 1. Tim. 4. 1. Secondly It must bee but to beare with our weake Brethren and for awhile t Act. 15 28 29 till they may be better informed of the libertie they haue in Christ it must not bee to nourish or strengthen men in euill nor when it tendeth not to edification but destruction So did u Act. 16. 3. Paul circumcise Timothy not as the Sacrament that God had once ordayned but as a bare Ceremonie and thing indifferent which he had free power to vse for the edification of the Church till the abolishing of Ceremonies by the comming of Christ were better knowne But x Gal. 2. 4 5. Titus he would in no sort circumcise when he saw he could not doe it without betraying the Truth of the Gospell and giuing occasion to the aduersaries against him The second step of our Soueraigntie renewed is the and deliuerance from the bondage of Satan setting vs free from the bondage and slauerie of Satan vnder whom we were held before in thraldome in a continuall feare of death as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 2. 14. 15. that by death he might abolish him that hath the power of death that is to say the Deuil and might set free from his tyrannie and dominion as many as through feare of death were all their life long subiect vnto bondage This was the first promise made in Paradise y Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman Christ and in him and by his power all those that are his shall bruise the head of the Serpent The third last is a noble priuiledge and prerogatiue This also as a noble accesse added thereunto that the holy Angels themselues are made Ministers for our good to Gods children ouer aboue all that Adā had that the holy Angels themselues are made Ministers for our good whereof there bee many most glorious promises in the Word Psal 91. 11. Hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes A fauour principally meant to Christ the Head of the Church and after him to all the faithfull Generally the Apostle to the z Heb. 1. 14. Hebrewes saith They are ministring Spirits sent forth for their sakes that are to inherit saluation And in the Psalme a Psal 34. 9. The Angell of IEHOVAH pitcheth his Tents round about those that feare him Hereupon our Sauiour calleth them our b Mat. 18. 10. See you despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that their Angels in Heauen doe alwayes behold the face of my Father c. Angels for first thorowout the course of our life they watch ouer vs to keepe vs in all our wayes that no euill should come vnto vs as it followeth in that c Psal 91. 12 13 Psalme and as wee are taught not onely by the Example of d Dan. 1. 3. Daniel for whose sake God sent his Angell to stop the mouth of the Lyons that they should not hurt him And of Shadrach e Dan. 3. 28. Meshach and Abednego deliuered by an Angell from the fury of the flame which the prophane King himselfe was driuen to acknowledge and of diuers others whose liues are registred in the Scriptures but beside by the manifold experience that euery one of vs hath in our selues in so many so wonderfull and so strange escapes whereof no reason can be assigned but the Angels watchfull attendance and garding of vs. Secondly In the houre of death they are about vs readie at the last gaspe to receiue our Soule and by their Ministerie to conuey it vp to Heauen for when Lazarus dyed f Luke 16. 22. He was carryed saith our Sauiour Christ of the Angels into ABRAHAMS bosome The right whereby wee haue this is because being seruants vnto Christ who is the Head consequently they are to serue the faithfull which are his members The excellencie of their seruice the Scripture commendeth vnto vs by diuers arguments First By their nature qualified and made fit for it in that they are Spirits Secondly By their rule and soueraigntie being themselues called Thrones Dominions Principalities Gouernments Chiefe Princes c. And what a thing is it then to haue so great Princes attending on vs Thirdly By their power able to throw downe whatsoeuer doth withstand them Whereof among many other we haue a famous Example of one Angell that in one night slue one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand of the Assyrians Campe 2. Kings 19. 25. Fourthly By their Glorie to terrifie and amaze our Aduersaries as we reade in MATTHEW The g Mat. 28. 3 4. Angell of the Lord came downe from Heauen whose countenance was like lightening and his garment white as snow for feare of him the Keepers were smitten and became as dead men Fiftly By their Wisdome and Knowledge Sixtly By the place where they dwell being in Heauen and therefore haue all aduantages to doe vs good Seuenthly By the multitude and number of holy Angels which maketh not a little for the strengthening of our Faith for euen among men A h Eccles 4. 12. threefold cord is not easily broken When i Gen. 32. 1 2. Iacob went on his way to returne into his Countrey as God had commanded him the Angels of God met him euen a whole Armie and troope of Angels in so much as hee called the name of the place Machanaima a payre of Armies his owne and the Angels Armie So in k Luke 2. 13. Luke it is said that there was with the Shepherds a multitude of an heauenly Armie In the l Psal 68. 17. Psalmes They are named many thousands of Angels And to the m Heb. 12. 22. Hebrewes Myriades that is ten thousands of Angels n Dan. 7. 10. DANIEL also reckoneth a thousand thousand standing before the Ancient of dayes By this Argument o 2. Kings 6. 15 16 17. Elisha the man of God incourageth his Seruant when seeing the Companies and troopes of men that compassed the Citie and Horses and Chariots hee cryed out Alas Master what shall wee doe To whom ELISHA said Feare not for there
c Daniel 9. 14. Daniel vseth the Phrase of purging sinnes in stead of the pardoning and taking them away by Christs purgation and the price which he should pay But shall we then make Christ the Beloued and Blessed one of his Father to bee accursed Verily the Apostle as he called him Sin before so in the same sense feareth not to say that he was made a Curse * Gal. 3. 13. for vs by imputation of the curse due to our sinnes The curse that our sinne deserueth beeing of two both that of this life Kindes both that of this life and the fulnesse of it due vnto vs after death Christ indured both Touching those of this life generally the Apostle to the Hebrewes faith d Heb. 4. 15. 2. 14. He was tempted and had experience of our infirmities in all things like to vs without sinne But to number them in order answerable to our owne they are these that follow First Satan himself molested him with his temptations to whose halings and pullings carrying and recarrying he subiected his sacred Bodie if we follow the literall sense and vnderstand the Euangelists words properly and his holy and innocent Soule to his temptations Math. 4. 5 8. Then the Deuill tooke him into the holy Citie and set him vpon a pinacle of the holy Temple Againe the Deuill tooke him into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him c. Secondly the creatures were his enemies and armed to doe him hurt e Mark 4. 36 37 3â— the windes the stormes and the waues of the Sea did rise vp against him Thirdly he tooke vpon him the infirmities of our nature f Matth. 4. 2. Hunger g Iohn 4. 6. wearinesse weakenesse sicknesse c. Esay 53. 3 4. and Math. 8. 17. He hath indured our diseases and horne our sorrowes Fourthly Basenesse contempt abiection humbling himselfe who was Lord of Heauen and Earth and in the forme of God and equall with his Father not onely to come downe into the lower parts of the earth but emptying himselfe to become of none account and to take the forme of a seruant that is of a poore contemned person that the people and Rulers did abhorre him wherevpon worthily doth the Prophet call him h Esay 49. 67. Him whom euerie one despiseth whom the Nation esteemeth as abominable a seruant to the Rulers c. And againe i Isai 53. 2 3 4. There is in him no beautie nor comelinesse and when we looke vpon him there is no shew why we should desire him A contemptible person and an Abiect among men a man of griefe and acquainted with infirmity contemned so as we doe not esteeme him Fiftly Infinite calamities as Smitings Lyings in wait Spittings Scourgings Pouertie al kind of wrongs Contumelies Slanders Reproches Blasphemies Scoffings Esay 50. 6. My backe I expose to the Smiters and my checkes to the Nippers my face I hide not from contumely from spittle As in the holy Storie it is recorded they pittifully scourged him crowned him with Thornes scoffed and spit at him Particularly of Pouertie wee reade 2. Cor. 8. 9. Hee became poore for our sakes Insomuch that as hee k Mat. 8. 20. professeth of himselfe Hee had not where to lay his head Sixtly Bodily death and that a reprochfull one to be hanged Phil. 2. 8. He humbled himselfe vnto Death euen the Death of the Crosse All which were properly in him the l Esay 53. 34. Mat. 8. 17. punishment of our sinnes Touching the full cursednesse due vnto vs after death and the fulnes of it due vnto them after death which we affirme that hee indured the meaning is not that he felt the verie estate and condition of the damned but the whole and full seuere wrath of God due to sinne equall to the very Hellish torments in vehemencie of paines and sharpnesse which may appeare First because he suffered the very sorrowes and paines for sinne which else wee should haue borne as the Prophet saith m Esay 53. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He bare our iniquities and our very sorrowes hee sustayned neither could he otherwise haue beene the n 2. â—â—m 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price of our Redemption nor our o Heb. 7. 22. Suretie if hee had not paid the verie summe Secondly The sorrow and trouble of his minde before hee came to handie-gripes whereof hee himselfe saith p Iohn 12 27. Now is my soule troubled And what shall I say Father saue mee from this houre but therefore came I vnto this houre my q Mat. 26. 38. soule is euery way compassed with sorrowes to death his feare fright because of this bitter Cup being so terrible that r Mar. 14. 33 34. Angels were faine to be sent downe to strengthen and incourage him that his bodie as yet without all harme Å¿ Luke 22. 44. trickled downe with clots of bloud in stead of sweate which was neuer heard of in any man besides shew that it was more then bodily paines euen the whole Cup of Gods wrath which hee so t Heb. 5. 7. feared in fearing felt and feeling was deliuered from Else he had not beene so strong as ten thousand Saints and Martyrs that fight but by his strength Thirdly It appeareth by the mayne battaile fought three whole houres vpon the Crosse all which time tugging in the fearefull darke with him that hath the power of darkenesse to hide from the eyes of the World the fire of his Fathers wrath which in that hot skirmish burnt vp euery part and to giue to the Enemie full scope and aduantage he cryed out at the last in the extremitie of his anguish but yet as one that had now ouercome the vttermost of the brunt My u Mat. 24. 45 â—6 God my God why hast thou all this while forsaken me Fourthly The Apostle expresly saith that x Gal. 3. 13. Christ was made a curse for vs. And it cannot be that hee meaneth that curse but of a shamefull and ignominious death only for he speaketh of the curse due to euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them from which Christ redeemed vs himselfe being made that curse for vs. Neither doth the reason which the Apostle rendreth As it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the Tree prooue that our Sauiour Christ was no otherwise accursed then as euery other Male factor is or as the Thiefe vpon the Crosse whose soule notwithstanding went to Paradise but his reason serueth for the contrarie to prooue that this kinde of death was by way of Type and Ceremonie accursed in the Law prefiguring the curse that was to light vpon our Sauiour Christ in whom all the Ceremonies of the Law had their accomplishment and perfection But how will you say could this feare in Christ be without sinne Because it grew not from weaknesse of faith much
our Sauiour sheweth how in that great Day of his most glorious Comming all flesh shall be iudged not by their Faith or vnbeliefe but by their Workes as sure Arguments to approue to all the World the righteous Sentence of God especially to our selues they seale vp Gods Election and make it sure to vs for whosoeuer findeth not that hee hath in some measure the Spirit of Sanctification the Grace of Addoption and Iustification hath not yet laid hold vpon him Hither tend those exhortations so common in the Scripture r 2 Pet. 1. 10. Make your Calling and Election firme by your Workes c. True it is as Å¿ 2. Tim. 2. 19. the Apostle saith that there is a double Seale one resting in God himselfe which is firme and sure and neuer can be shaken but the other resteth in vs who are by good Workes to set that Seale vpon our Soules and Consciences The foundation of God remayneth firme hauing this Seale God knoweth who are his And Let euerie one that nameth the Name of CHRIST depart from iniquitie Thirdly Good Workes in those that professe Christ stop the mouth of the Aduersarie who otherwise is readie to slander the Gospell and to speake euill of it as of a doctrine of libertie So saith t 1. Pet. 2. 15. PETER For so is the will of God that doing well you might stop the mouth of the ignorance of foolishmen as free and not hauing libertie as a couer of naughtinesse Fourthly By this meanes wee giue a good Example vnto other and winne many to the profession of the Gospell Whereupon the same u 1. Pet. 3. 12. Apostle exhorteth Wiues so to behaue themselues that by the beholding of their chaste and modest carriage their Husbands that beleeue not the Word may without the Word bee gayned vnto Christ Fiftly God is pleased and hath promised of his free Mercie and Goodnesse to bestow a reward vpon them which ought to quicken vs to this dutie 1. Cor. 3. 8. Euery one shall receiue his owne reward according to his owne labour 2. Iohn Verse 8. Take heed to your selues that we lose not the good things we haue wrought but that we may receiue a full reward And thus farre touching our Sanctification in this Hereafter wee shall haue an Angellike perfection life weake and imperfect which in Heauen shall be fully and wholy perfected and we when receiued vp vnto Christ shall bee made x Ephes 5. 27. glorious without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and y Mat. 22. 30. like to the holy Angels This absolute perfection and Angellicall puritie free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer is a thing that must necessarily be attayned vnto First Because else we should not haue by the Mercie of God in Christ as good and holy an estate as we had by our first Creation and lost by our owne sinnes in Adam Secondly So long as man is imperfectly holy hee can neuer bee perfectly happie by inioying the presence of God before whom no sinfull thing can come Now this I mean that in this estate we shal be perfectly righteous not onely by Christs obedience imputed vnto vs made ours but by a righteousnes also inhereÌ„t in our selues for in the life to come the Elect shal bee restored to that perfect inherent Holinesse wherein Adam was created but in a more excellent measure euen in the full height and top of all perfection and great reason there is why we shall then so much excell First Because the faculties of our soule and bodie shal then bee made spirituall and glorified in an excellent manner as wee shewed before whereby to bee more quicke and readie for the performance of euery good and holy dutie then Adam was Secondly In respect of the place where wee shall be in Heauen where z 1. Cor. 13. 12. wee shall see God face to face and haue familiar conuersation in his presence This Celestiall Holinesse is all one with that which we haue in this World euen as our bodies and soules are the same but differing in the excellent measure of it That which followeth of this Angellicall perfection is First That there shall bee no more strife nor warfare against sinne Satan himselfe and all our spirituall foes being trodden vnder our feete and the Goale wee now striue for gotten and wonne whereupon the Church of God in Heauen is called The Church Triumphant for a Reuel 14. 13. they cease from their labours Secondly That there is no more Repentance no more sorrow and griefe for sinne b Reuel 21. 4 5 neither paine nor crying nor labour for all teares shall bee wiped from their eyes After the Doctrine of Sanctification order requireth Redemption whereby to speake of Redemption A double Redemption or to speake more properly Redemption in a double sence we find spoken of in the Scripture One the paying of the price by the sheading of Christs Bloud to free vs from the seruitude of sinne and death which the Apostle toucheth Ephes 1. 7. and Coloss 1. 14. and is the ransome or matter of our Redemption The other a fruit and effect of the former which in that place to the Ephesians c Ephes 1. 14. is also mentioned when by him wee are set free indeed And that is the Redemption meant 1. Cor. 1. 30. in the purting away of euill and the bestowing of freeing vs from the curse himselfe be comming a curse for vs all good Wherfore two parts here offer themselues One is the remoouing of our cursed estate setting vs free from Death Hell and Condemnation and from the Curse of the Law by his Death and Sufferings for by death hee hath abolished him that hath the power of death that is the Deuill and set them free who through feare of death were all their life long subiect vnto bondage saith the Apostle to the d Heb. 2. 14. Hebrewes And Gal. 3. 8. Christ hath redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for vs as it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the Tree The other is the making of vs blessed by the participation hee maketh vs blessed by the participation of his Blessednesse of his Blessednesse A reward that followeth our Iustification through Christ So wee are plainly taught Gâ—l 3. 8. The Scripture fore-seeing that by Faith God would iustifie the Nations published the glad tidings before vnto ABRAHAM that in thee that is in thy Seed Christ Iesus shall all Nations be blessed for being approoued of God as righteous in Christ consequently in him wee are to haue a reward Reuel 16. 6. They shall walke with mee in Whites for they are worthy The distinct degrees of Blessednesse come now to be Our Blessednesse in the estate we now are in standeth considered for truly may the Children of God be said euen in this life blessed meaning it in part as a step and stayre to climbe
vp vnto full and perfect Happinesse And thereof came those Phrases e Iohn 6. 47. He that beleeueth in me or as it is in another place f Iohn 3. 36. Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and commeth not vnto iudgement but is passed from death to life g 1. Iohn 5. 12. Hee that hath the Sonne hath life h 1. Iohn 3. 14. Wee know that wee are alreadie passed from death to life because we loue the Brethren That is the reason why the i Rom. 8. 29. Apostle speaketh in the present or time past not in the future when he saith Whom he hath iustified them he hath also glorified The particularities of this degree of Happinesse beside our Vnion with Christ and through him with God whereof wee haue spoken alreadie are these that follow First The loue of God k Heb. 12. 6. anew that now he vouchsafeth First in the Loue of God anew to call vs friends As we reade of ABRAHAM that he was called the friend of God Iames 2. 33. Whereof follow three excellent consequences First His generall goodnesse in the gouernment of the World doth after a more speciall and louing manner extend vnto the faithfull and that three manner of wayes First In an extraordinary bountie and goodnesse In which sence the l 1. Tim. 4. 10. Apostle calleth him the Sauer and Preseruer of all men but especially of the faithfull And m Psal 68. 20. Dauid saith The God of our Saluation lodeth vs with benefits day by day Secondly In a most fatherly prouidence ouer his Church and chosen people of whome hee letteth not so much as n Psal 34. 20. one bone to bee broken keepeth them in all their wayes that they should not o Psal 91. 22. dash their foote against a stone Nay the p Luke 12. 7. very haires of their head are all numbred And q Zach. 2 8. he that but toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Whereupon wee are r 1. Pet. 5. 7. willed to cast our care vpon God for hee careth for vs. A Doctrine full of most sweet comfort the vse whereof is large and reacheth very farre all our life is subiect to an infinite heape of euils whether we looke vpwards or downe vnto our feet A thousand dangers compasse vs about at home and abroad rising vp and lying downe walking and sitting stil On euery side of vs how many things there be that threaten dāger yea to the verie taking away of life In the middest of these how were it possible for a man to bee quiet if hee did not rest assured that God had a speciall care of him which when once his heart conceiueth by and by all feare and perplexitie flyeth from him and casting all his care on God Hee saith boldly ſ Psal 27. 3. Though an Armie pitch against me my heart shall not bee afraid Though Warre rise vp against mee in that will I haue trust t Psal 3. 6 7. I will not feare for tenne thousand of people that haue set their Tents round about mee but will lye downe and sleepe and wake againe for IEHOVAH holds mee vp u Psal 118. 6 7 Heb. 13. 6. IEHOVAH is with mee and my helper I will not bee afraid what man can doe vnto mee And therefore also hee taketh as made vnto himselfe those golden promises mentioned in the Psalme x Psal 91. 3 4 5 6 7. He shall deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter from the plaguie pestilence with his feathers shall he couer thee when thou betakest thy selfe vnder his wing a shield and buckler his truth shall bee Thou shalt not bee afraid of the feare by night of the Arrow that flyeth in the day of the Pestilence that walketh in a mist of the Murraine that wasteth at noone day a thousand falling at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand it shall not come neere to thee In a word no open nor secret outward nor inward bodily nor spirituall euill no not at any time shall bee able to preuaile against thee Thirdly In all kindnesse and mercie comforting them in their distresses as hee hath promised To y Esay 25. 8. wipe away all teares from their eyes And againe z Esay 49. 15. Though a Mother forget her childe yet will I not forget thee Sorrow saith a Psal 30. 6. DAVID may come in the night but in the morning is singing And in the Prophet ESAY b Esay 54. 7 8. For a little time I haue left thee but with euerlasting Mercies will I gather thee with a little wrath did I hide my face from thee for a moment but with euerlasting kindnesse will I haue mercie vpon thee The second consequence is that all things turne vnto whereby all things our good We know saith the c Rom. 8. 28. Apostle to the Romanes that to them that loue God all things worke together to good In which respect he saith in d 1. Cor. 3. 21 22 another place All things are yours whether life or death or things present or things to come c. To declare this more particularly First The calamities and troubles of this life are not not the calamities onely and troubles of this life now any punishment of sin vnto vs which is all borne in Christ but fatherly chastizements for our amendment whereunto that sentence of the Apostle Rom. 8. 28. more specially driueth And this is the Couenant and promise of God Psal 89. 31 32 33 34. If his sonnes forsake my Law and walke not in my Statutes c. I will visit their transgressions with the Rod and their inquitie with stripes but my kindnesse I will not put from him nor falsific my faith Secondly Death it selfe hath lost his sting and the and also death it selfe Graue his victorie Being no more fearefull and terrible but the gate of hope and a sweet pleasant passage vnto life and immortalitie In so much as knowing the nature of it to be changed from a punishment of sinne which properly it is vnto a good and happie thing wee come now to desire it and to wish for it Phil. 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Wherefore 1. Cor. 3. 22. death is said to be ours and to serue for our good And to the e Heb. 2. 14 15 Hebrewes that Christ by his death doth set vs free from all feare of death Hence ariseth the f 1. Cor. 15. 55. Apostles holy triumphing ouer it O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Thirdly Our verie sinnes by the wonderfull Goodnesse but euen our very sins turne vnto our good of God and his admirable and vnspeakable Wisdome who bringeth light out of darknesse serue for our further strengthening and incouragement vnto good For first they tend to manifest our owne weaknesse and corruption and to make vs