Pestilence is here called a Snare or Net as giuing no warning more then the net doth when it is suddenly cast ouer the birds which it taketh The Doctrine that ariseth from hence is this as Christians ought in all their life to prepare for death so specially then when God sendeth so short warning to prepare for it in his Snare of Pestilence or some other peremptory visitation Hezekiah was at all times to expect death in a well ordered soule but then specially he was to put and keepe good order in it when he was sicke vnto death or so as he must die and not liue Esay 38.1 And if we must remember our Creator before the euill day come Eccles 12.1 much more must we so doe when it is come this euill day is the vncomfortable day and houre of some deadly sicknesse that we must in our good consciences bee readie for before it threaten vs how much more when it worketh and hath entred vpon vs In the booke of Prouerbs this is made the sure note of a Prudent man that he seeth the Plague that is seeth it by the eye of prouidence in a watchfull and well reformed life and hideth himselfe from it vnder the wings of the Almighty by a liuely faith And that which our Sauiour exhorteth vnto speaking of the last day shall be well thought of in our sicknesse and before our last houre that that day come not on vs vnawares or suddenly as the snare vpon the bird Luke 21.34 35. The reasons then as you would say the graue is readie for vs Reason 1 and the shroud wherein we are to be wound presented to vs and if it be intolerable that a childe should be wanton at any time it is vnseemely that he should be so vnder the rod or if wee should at all times watch the theefe should we be carelesse when he is broken in Mat. 24.43 we are sure of our life at no time for the Master will come in a day that we thinke not Mat. 24.50 and is there any certainty of it when death is in the pot 2 King 440. and the holds of life are shaken Secondly if we be not armed with repentance when God sendeth Reason 2 the Pestilence or other visitation we frustrate Gods ends of sending them and may well be called a naked people Exod. 32.25 for his purpose in sending these is by them to c 1 Cor. 11 32. cloth vs with repentance that sinne be not our destruction and that the forgetfulnesse of death may not bring eternall death But he peremptorily citeth vs when he sendeth the Pestilence so immediately and presently before him and shall we in such a case and at such a time tarrie till a contempt come and be serued vpon vs despising that terrible processe the quickest and smartest that his court sendeth or can send forth against our naturall life or life here if we will not come to the supper with the last Messenger when will we come Luke 14.17 if we will being in the middest of the sea sleepe in the top of the Mast Prou. 23.34 that is if we be careles when our danger is so neere and so great when will we be carefull and if wee sleep then when will we watch Vse 1 And now come wee to an issue should wee be prepared for death at all times and then specially when it worketh fearefully before vs in some generall Plague and mortallity of men it first conuinceth the carelesse in life and carnall in profession who at such a time vse to say let vs eate and drinke when considering the season they should rather say let vs fast and pray and repent for to morrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 So of Ierusalem horribly plagued it is said shee remembred not her last end that is neuer thought what might come and therfore she came down wōderfully Lam. 1.9 her glorious heauen of all pleasant things was turned into the darkest skie or night of bitter affliction that euer was heard of which is therefore put in a book of Lamentations And what did we but pamper flesh who should haue sacrificed flesh when God set our last end before vs in those desolate funeralls that the deuouring Pestilence had caused made so many and so grieuous in Townes and Cities some few yeeres since What did wee I say but minde our pleasures when wee should haue minded our end and turne after vanity when we should haue turned to God So did the Iewes not long before they were to bee carried out of their owne Land in the chaine of the King of Babel Esay 22.12 13. but this was in the eares of the Lord of Hoasts and the iniquitie could not be purged from them but by death verse 14. I pray God we haue not left as much also vpon the score by our impenitencie since the last great mortality wherein God spared not our soules from death and gaue our life to the Pestilence Psal 78. 50. Since that time we haue made some recknings with the Lord by sundry strange and deare yeeres but Lord deliuer not thy power into captiuitie nor thy beauty into the enemies hand verse 61. Giue vs repentance for our senslesnesse then and security now that thy people be not giuen to the sword and thou be angry and wroth with thine inheritance verse 62. Then secondly let vs here learne a good and readie way to Vse 2 free vs from the snares of death and to preuent all those compassings with which it deceiueth where it is not looked for before it come To hide our heads in our owne shifts and carnall fetches is as we haue heard a vaine labour and rather to runne vpon the snare then to auoide it To prepare for it by the change of our liues from euill to good and from sinne to righteousnesse is to breake the snares of it by faith and thus to be readie for it is to get the better of it and to make it faiths captiue that otherwise is the worlds conqueror for then either it shall not come to vs in the fierie Pestilence or it shall not come to hurt vs and where others flee for feare wee shall not neede to flee or feare then it hath neither sting to wound vs nor poison to infect vs nor power to condemne vs and then preuenting it not preuented by it it shall but send vs thither whither but by it we cannot come Also where the wicked say to death as the Diuels to Christ art thou come to torment vs Matth. 8.29 wee shall say to death wounded to death by the power of the death of Christ ô death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15.55 Let the wicked feare death that cannot leaue sinne let vs cease to sinand we shall not feare the second death Let them say with Ichoram is it peace 2 King 9.22 not knowing if it be we knowing that it is and that the welcome day of death in our godly death prophecieth not euill but good to
and least thought of death euen then this infectious arrow pierced to the heart The summe of all is When God sends the Pestilence or any other iudgement in some haste to a land or priuate place it cometh as an arrow out of a bow Where we learne that Gods messengers and seruants sent in Doct. 1 this deadly sicknesse or any other visitation for sinne are swift and vnresistable For the Pestilence our selues do know how soone it is taken how small a matter brings it with how little a winde it comes and how suddenly it passeth to the head and pierceth to the heart Seuentie thousand in lesse then three dayes and in a land not very large died of it 2. Sam. 24.15 So Exod. 12.29 when God would shew his power by death vpon the great armie of the King of Ashur he smote by an Angell in one night an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand Esay 37.36 At another time he slue three and twenty thousand in one day 1. Cor. 10.8 And because Herod would not giue glory to God he was presently smitten by an Angell in all his glorie Acts 12.23 The reasons He that so quickly made man of the dust Genes 2.7 can as Reason 1 quickly turne man vnto dust and for the Pestilence or any other destruction if he speake but the word and how soone is a word spoken it presently comes He is the Centurion of this great hoast of all the creatures If he say to one go he goeth and to another come he cometh Math. 8.9 Psal 105.16.31.34 Secondly he can send by his Angels that swiftly execute his Reason 2 commandements and as it were flie about them Psal 103.20 or he can command the diuels who in an instant commanded by him can as well corrupt the aire with Pestilence as the riuers with bloud Psal 78.44.49.50 Thirdly God hath power and may command and commanding Reason 3 lackes not authoritie and will be heard An admonition speedily to turne to God who is able so speedily Vse 1 to turne vs to destruction Ioel 2.12 For should we not meete him with an armie of prayers who can come against vs so quickly and so strong with armies of death in the Pestilence and other innumerable diseases Luke 14.32 He can send to vs by flying messengers and shall we not seeke him by speedie repentance Amos 5.6 It is not long since his arrowes flew among vs and he yet hath his quiuer full of them to trouble our aires againe and with a fresh charge to shoote at vs by the contagious Pestilence in Towne and Countrie should we not therefore dread to make God our aduersarie or being made our aduersarie by sinne should we not agree with him quickly Mat. 5.25 who can so quickly destroy vs if we stand out proudly against him If he finde disorder and impenitencie in our houses or selues he can visit for it with flying arrowes and punish it when he is disposed with present death and should not this constraine vs to expell sinne and iniquity euery priuate person out of himselfe and euery faithfull publick person out of his familie and gouernment should it not moue the Christian housholder christianly to order both himself and others vnder him whether children or seruants by the word bringing them to Sermons more carefully and more orderly to prayers at home for how soone God can take vs away wee haue heard how quickly he will we know not also should it not perswade the publick Magistrates with the sword of his office not lightly to pare away but vtterly to cut off all proud and rotten sinnes that abound yea soundly to correct to a reformation all publick and grosse both enormities and offendors as swearers drunkards fornicators prophaners of the Sabbath disobedient to Parents and authority with such like seeing he beareth not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 Vse 2 A terrour to those who haue no hope but in long life for death may come they know not how soon and it commeth suddenly to many and when it is come it will not be answered with an I pray thee haue mee excused Luke 14.18 If we be not ready it will take vs as we be and when it knocketh if we will not open it will cast vs open The godly preuent this hardning by liuing so that is so repentantly and holily during their short time here that when the flying arrow of death sent from the hand of their supreame Lord shall make toward them they are euer in fit state to meete their Sauiour To such present death is prepared death as it was to Simeon and Anna who waited for Christ in the Temple Luke 1 25.36.3â— and they cannot dye suddenly that dye so Contrarily the carelesse and they that put off death by turning these flying into creeping arrowes can haue no such hope in their death which commeth as a theefe to their house Matth. 24.43 and not as a Messenger to bid them to the Supper of the great King Luke 14.17 They will not vnclaspe with the comforts of their deare life for the toilesome life of mortification and precisenesse in Gods seruice for they are lustie and strong Therefore their death cannot be good nor comfortable but irkesome and violent of which they are ouercome not yeelding to it as the Saints but mastered by it as they who say with Iulian Galilean thou hast preuailed so hee spake of Christ and so speake they of God when they find he is stronger then they A reproofe of those who when God shoots the infectious Vse 3 arrow of Pestilence at a Towne or City promise to themselues safetie because they dwell farre off because that part in which they inhabit is free or because they dwell in the Countrie and not in the Towne For cannot God reach them wheresoeuer they dwell in the East or West Is his arme shortened Doth any arrow misse that he shoots and he that went progresse from Dan to Bersheba in a running plague and in lesse time then three dayes can hee not in few houres goe a little way and visite further from a Towne then fiue sixe or seuen miles where is their safetie then in such a case but in turning to him that threatneth them And how can they auoide this arrow but by watching still the fall of it in their penitent liues Neither is this only true in the arrow of the Pestilence but in euery arrow of his quiuer if he shoot at vs by enemies by mortalitie of men by murraine of cattell or by cleannesse of teeth and leannesse in all our quarters what can ward any of these arrowes but repentance and our turning to God He that will auoide an arrow must turne the face and not the backe vnto it and hee must looke toward God and not from him by impenitencie that will reconcile him A further description of the Pestilence followeth Verse 6. Nor for the Pestilence that walketh in the darknes VVEe haue in this Verse two effects more whereby this
the worst that these or any other troubles like these can doe is to preferre vs to our inheritance and liberty where here wee serue but a ward-ship and are incumbred daily These make our way for vs to saluation and when we duly consider this how can we be moued Vse 2 A confutation of that enuious Doctrine in Poperie which because it would haue the common people in the point of saluation to rest in an infolded faith beleeuing as the Church beleeueth that is contingently but not with knowledge nor certainty must needs breed dangerous offences in temptation for if wee shall stand suspitious of that which must bee our greatest comfort in troubles and which we haue vnder the seale of Gods promise what shall stay vs in the afflictions and crosses of our mortall life when the remedie is denied what shall cure vs and when wee see death and no saluation that is no assurance of it after death what comfort can wee haue to suffer here and hereafter for cuer Vse 3 A terrour to worldly minded men whose portion is in this life They neuer thinke of nor care for heauen but haue their hearts buried in the graue of worldly things what wil such do and whither will they turne them when affliction and anguish shall come vpon them Prou. 1.27 and their end draw neere the sight of saluation cannot comfort them for that cannot comfor them that they cannot expect and the feare of damnation must needs trouble them for that cannot but torment them that they must needs inherit as their portion for euer Doct. 2 Lastly it is called Gods saluation Mine saith the Lord that is that which is originally only from Me. Where we learne that that eternall life is the gift of God or his only worke and gift therefore is it called by Esay as here His saluation Esa 25.9 and of the Lord he saith He will saue vs Esa 33.22 hee and no other The most blessed Virgin calles him her Sauiour Let the Papists note that she must haue a Sauiour and this must be and be no other then God her Sauiour It is that grace of God that bringeth saluation saith Saint Paul Tit. 2.11 that is It is God who by grace or the doctrine of grace in the Gospel bringeth it And to spare further labour in a matter wherein both the Testaments are so plentifull the very words of the doctrine are the same Apostles owne words The gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ Rom. 6.23 where hee sheweth that saluation is a gift and what is freer then gift and giuen of God for Christ that is a gift whereof the authour is God and the purchaser Christ the Sonne of God The Reasons For when Adam was once falne from Gods image in Paradise and being driuen by guilty conscience had fledde to the weake succour of leaues and bushes for a hiding place against him and the storme of his iustice the good Angels could not but abhorre vs and the other creatures how could they but become enemies to vs and therefore no will in them to haue saued vs if they could onely the fountaine of mercy God the Father of Christ and our Father in Christ looked toward vs and his eye onely pittied vs in this blood of our pollution Ezech. 16.5.6 then he made his couenant of Saluation with vs in the seed of the woman by a person that should come of woman that blessed seed that should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 That is Christ that should destroy the deuill and hath already destroyed him In all this what haue the creatures done Nay what could they doe Secondly he onely is giuer of life that can raise from death to Doct. 2 life this can no creature Angel or other doe that is doe by his owne Name and power Acts 3.12.16 Acts 9.34.40 or hee that will giue life must deliuer from death but none can saue from death but he that hath the keyes of hell and death Apoc. 1.18 this is no creature Also none can saue from death but hee that can deliuer from sinne that causeth death But what creature can so doe what creature 〈◊〉 can deliuer from an infinite sinne Doct. 3 Thirdly if God onely did not giue life the Scriptures which speake of a Sauiour would not as they doe speake of him onely but of helpers with him in the point of saluation But the Scripture speakes of no Sauiour but the Lord nor Giuer of life but Him Esai 43.11 61.10 12.2 3. Ioh. 10.28 Act. 4.12 And surely if he did not saue vs who onely is the Sauiour our dayes would be short and cut off quickly for the torments of hell Satan and our owne corruption swaying vs thither but the the arme of Gods salvation able and only able to ouer-master Satan and our owne vnruly old-Man doth both stay vs from destruction and keepe vs in the path of life Vse 1 A confutation of that doctrine of the Papists which in the grace of life will haue godly men to bee takers with God or ioynt-purchasers making him but a Sauiour in part and them partly their owne Sauiours but is this because he is weake to saue by himselfe Zacharie in his Canticle calleth him the horne of Saluation in the house of Dauid Luke 1.69 That is the strong and mighty Sauiour in that house But they make Zedekijahs hornes 1. Kin. 22.11 hornes of iron and instruments of vanitie to ioyne them for the batterie of the Kingdome of Satan with this horne of our saluation To his good will they ioyne their free-will and their good workes to his great worke and to his intercession the intercession of Angels and Saints departed and set their posts by his posts Ezech. 43.8 putting their old cloth in his new garment wherein is no breach nor defect But hee that made this wedding dinner is a King Math. 22.2 3. And what want is there at a Kings Feast specially at the marriage of his elder sonne and what shot doe Kings take of their seruants when they haue feasted them therefore they pay nothing that sit downe at this Supper Esai 55.1 Apoc. 22.17 neither bring any dish vnto it that is dish of halfe purchase Eternall life as hath beene said euery part and whit of it is the gift of God Vse 2 But is saluation Gods and the gift of eternall life Gods gift then Christians must walke so and so behaue themselues that they may comfortably with their last breath expect this gift of eternall life being in the way of the same by a godly life and holy death For God doth not giue his saluation to those who neither care to liue in obedience nor prepare to die in faith And to lose saluation is to be in worse case at our death then the beasts that perish For when they die their misery ends with them but when reprobate man dies his misery begins that shall neuer haue end For hee hath millions of yeares without
our deepe destruction Psal 81.12 The deliuerer here is the Lord for it is said He that is the Lord will deliuer thee c. and the deliuerance is from a most grieuous stripe of Gods hand in a Pestilence of griefes The Doctrine is The Lords deliuerance is onely or chiefly to bee trusted vnto in most grieuous afflictions This was spoken of in the first verse the words shall abide vnder the shadow c. the first Doctrine there He is for a shadow against the burning heate and his Name a couert for the storme for the raine Isa 4.6 that is in all weathers hote or cold he will be our defence and hiding place For this cause Dauid giueth him the speciall name of a deliuerer Psal 18.48 and 144.2 and godly Iehosaphat made him and the tower of his name his and his peoples onely Shield and Sanctuarie against the vnited strength of Moah and Ammon with other their partakers 2. Chron. 20.4 5 6. c. He that keepeth all our bones is a good keeper not one of them is broken Psal 24 20 and who will not there put his treasure where it is sure to be kept and trust him with all whose administration saueth all Satan and his ministers like Hunters and Fowlers lay their snares and nets to entrap vs but God breaketh the snares of the vngodly and heweth all their cords asunder that seeke our hurt deliuering vs or vnder the lap of his prouidence in his secret place hiding vs Psal 32.7 The Reasons That God onely or chiefly is to be trusted vnto in most grieuous Reason 1 afflictions may further appeare First because all other refuges are vaine Psal 60.11 Nay vanitie 62.9 or as the house of a Spider Iob 8.4 Now what is lighter then vanitie and sooner gone then the Spiders house Such is all repose in Man when we go from God to him and from his word to mans helpe Hope is said to be the anchor of the soule Heb. 6.18.19 Cast wee this anchor on man and no sooner shall a storme rise but it falleth away Cast we it on any creature and it can be no surer then the creature it selfe Cast we it any where vnder the clouds and it will proue vncertaine as all things vnder the Sunne but cast we it on God and let it enter within the vaile And it standeth as mount Zion that cannot be remoued When therefore we go not directly and first to God nor to the key of the meanes by him taking all at his hands all helps of men are vaine and couers of men but Spiders houses And secondly it is no better then witchcraft to seeke the preuention Reason 2 or helpe of any sicknesse be it the most grieuous Pestilence or other disease from any person or meanes before or out of God who hath promised to turne vp our couch at all such times If we rest on his blessing 2. Chron. 16.12 2. King 1.2 3. For if we seeke to meanes and not to God or to God in meanes without repentance we put trust in them and not in God which is a kind of witchcraft and so shall be sure not to be deliuered hauing him and his hoste of the meanes against vs. Also where God is not reconciled and where meanes be vsed not to serue his prouidence but to crosse his power both God and meanes will worke to our destruction And so if our faith cannot teach vs the incounuenience of trusting to any for our deliuerance in dangers but to God onely or chiefly may and should Reason 3 Thirdly that onely or chiefly is to be trusted vnto in afflictions that God hath commanded to be rested on that is his deliuerance and him the deliuerer Psal 50.15 Vse 1 A reproofe of those who in affliction by sicknesse or otherwise make God their last refuge who should be first sought and who when they should come directly to him are taken by the way in the snares of worldly feares shifts and confidence as hath bene shewed alreadie Vse 2 A comfort to the righteous that put trust in God For when mans helpe faileth and meanes are wanting they haue a Deliuerer If God send the vncomfortable Pestilence and they be as men forsaken and helpelesse if the Physitian will not come neare them and their acquaintance may not yet in all this solitarinesse of visitors and sicknesse they neither want companie nor lacke comfort hauing God for their Physitian and Gods Angels for their visitors Where for a supply of worldly comforts they haue store of heauenly the promises of the old and new Testament are in bed with them and they haue in their keeping restauratiues of the holy Ghosts owne compounding the Lord draweth neare to their tabernacle and his word is neare in their hearts Also hee sendeth his Spirit and healeth them or he cheareth them with such a draught of his grace and so comforteth and is with them by spirituall supplies in corporall straites that they want nothing their faith is strong and their patience vntouched and in those comforts which they then and there receiue they walke with Elijah till they come to the Horeb of Gods presence by death passing thither with a ioyfull heart and head lift vp aboue all surges and waters 1. King 19.8 Whatsoeuer our afflictions are if we make God our refuge in them they are but exercises that keepe away sicknesse and bring health euen that which maketh vs strong in God and we may say of them as Iosuah Caleb of the Anakims They are bread for vs Num. 14.9 that is they spiritually strengthen vs as bread doth the heart of man Psal 104.15 Hence it is that the godly lie downe in so great securitie when their enemies being men of great authoritie and meanes are in feare hauing their foure-hundred men with Esau to guard them Genes 33.1 Yea a poore seelie creature that hath no abettor nor deliuerer among the sonnes of men and is like a low hedge that euerie man goes ouer hauing this confidence which is to trust in God though he kill him is not dismaid with any thing and hath permanent and substantiall comforts when the Giants of the earth like that Giant of Gath. 1. Sam. 17.4 5 6 c. notwithstanding all the confidence which they haue in their worldly munition and other meanes of safetie haue not an houre of true comfort in all that thicke clay Habac. 2.6 more then Golijah whose Sunne went downe at noone vnto him after the Lord had stricken him in the forehead with a simple stone 1. Sam. 17.49 So much for the great affliction out of which God will deliuer his children The meanes by which he will do it follow VER 4. He will couer thee vnder his wings c. NOW the meanes by which God will deliuer his people in their affliction are the wing of his fauour and truth of his promise his fauour is here spoken of in a metaphore taken from the Hen which gathereth her yong ones vnder
to the earthly Ierusalem the house in which the publick Minister and people praise God together or by thy preferment in death to haue thy soule carried vp to the Ierusalem aboue where thou shalt praise him without ceasing perfectly in his owne presence with Angels and Saints innumerable Though men forsake thee God will tarrie with thee by his comforts in thy flesh and by his spirit in thy heart Iohn 14.23 when thy house is shut vp God that cannot be shut vp will prouide a large walke for thee in the pleasant gallery of thy good conscience when men write Lord haue mercy on the doore he will shew mercy within doores when men keepe thee darke he will giue thee light when they close vp the windowes of thy chamber he will set open the windowes of his Kingdome and when they go from thee he will come vnto thee sup with thee Apoc. 3.20 When God restraineth the fruits of the earth by keeping in his raine or by giuing it in excess with the breaking open of the flood-gates of his waters he hath his Boaz of secret prouidence as long agoe for godly Ruth Ruth 2.8 9. so still for his faithfull children that they may eate and their soules may liue And when the wicked who haue not God for their hiding place shall vpon the bruite of euery calamitie and crosse comming runne hither and thither as men without hope or distracted thou knowing in whom thou hast beleeued maiest hide thee with the feathers of Gods truth and faithfulnesse and goe to thy Father Luke 15.18 the words that follow are in effect the same that the words are which we lastly heard and the repetition is safe for vs Philip. 3.1 for therefore doth God speake twice that we might heare him once and because through our imperfect state of faith we come fearefully as vpon the waters with Peter to Christ in long and great troubles Mat. 14.29 30. therefore are the words doubled that we might haue the stronger consolation So much for the first of the meanes by which God will deliuer his people in affliction The second and more principall followeth His truth shall be thy shield and buckler BY the truth of God is meant the truth and faithfulnesse that is in all his promises or the truth of his promise and truth in his word He that hath promised is faithfull but if I would know how much he hath promised to whom and vnder what termes I must bring all my considerations to his word as to his onely or best seale and standard By it al his truth is allowed as vnder seale and measured truly as at a iust standard and this truth is one with the word or with Gods truth in his word Iohn 17.17 Also this truth is called the godly mans shield buckler because it is as a shield buckler vnto him against al the arrowe-heads thrusts of affliction so wardeth the blowes of those crosses that come in the Pestilence in sicknesses in malicious enemies in other troubles of bodie or minde that they shall not strike him to death or turne him to hurt taking in his defence by faith the promise and truth of God for his shield and buckler So the meaning is they that keepe within the compasse of Doct. 1 Gods sure word can neuer take hurt And it teacheth that the truth of God b Lam. 3.22 cannot faile and what he hath promised shall bee done Blinde Balaam in his Parable could say shewing how true God is alway of his word hath he said it and shall hee not doe it as if he had said may it be that Gods words and deedes should not meete or will any beleeue that he cau say one thing and doe another or if he lack not will doth he want power to doe as he saith for hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it shall any thing hinder his purpose or weaken his power So where by Hosea the Lord saith I am God and not man Hosea 11.9 what can his meaning be but that being God hee changeth not like one of vs and repenteth not like man In Malachi he putteth himselfe to the triall asking the sonnes of Iacob if it were not so for he saith I change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Malac. 3.6 as if he had said I promised not to consume you and you can tell I haue kept promise with you for ye are not consumed to this day so I change not your selues being iudges Now as God repenteth not so his gifts and calling that is the peculiar endowments of his elect linked together vnseparably in their saluation are without repentance that is are neuer taken from them Rom. 11.29 And he that hath promised is faithfull I. Cor. 10 13. saith the Apostle his meaning is that he is not at times but alway so or alway iust in word and euer faithfull Mens promises are yea and nay his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 when it is said it is done if he speake the word but wee say and vn-say and so say and doe not The reasons Reason 1 It is sealed that God is true and Christ speaking of himselfe as God saith I am truth Iohn 3.33 and Iohn 14.6 that is to be true or rather to be truth is of his being and therefore to denie his word is to denie himselfe but God cannot denie himselfe and therefore God cannot but keepe his word Reason 2 Secondly God cannot breake by vnfaithfulnesse Rom. 3.3 for he is righteous nor be hindred by weaknesse for he is Almighty 1. Ruth 21. Apoc. 1.8 He promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and all the rebellions of his children could not make him to falsifie his word but at the time appointed they received the promises and inherited the land so he promised Israels deliuerance from Aegypt and returne from Babylon and hee brake not an houre with them and when the fulnesse of time came that God should send his sonne he sent him Gal. 4.4 and when it was time he should come he came as he kept touch with Abraham for a sonne Genes 21.1 so hee kept his word truly with vs for the sending of his owne sonne Reason 3 Thirdly God when he sweareth sweareth by himselfe not only cause he hath no greater to sweare by but because hee changeth not as an oath is immutable Heb. 6.18 An admonition not to distrust God any way where hee hath Vse 1 giuen his word for our safetie and welfare for if it be intollerable to discredit an honest man in his word how intollerable is it to call Gods truth into question If then God haue promised to those that feare him that nothing shall bee wanting vnto them Psal 34.9 let not such doubt in the wants of many to bee prouided for In the wildernesse he plowed the heauens for his children and fed them with the bread of heauen Psal 78.24 so they that followed Christ were fed by miracle in
that caused it Rom. 6.23 but this hath bene spoken 〈◊〉 This is the deliuerance propounded the same further proued followeth VER 8. Doubtlesse or onely with thine eyes shalt thou behold c. WHat was before propounded is here earnestly affirmed concerning the deliuerances of Gods people in daies of trouble when thousands fall For the Prophet saith Thou shalt behold these Plagues vpon others to wit with eyes of faith and seeing or God will lay them before thee and not vpon thee prouided that thou feare before his anger and loue his goodnesse And he speaks of seeing because the experience bringeth peace vnto the godly and many good things but then they must haue eyes to see his iudgements and an eye of faith to obserue his loue his iudgements vpon the wicked his loue to them Where the Doctrine is Gods children must not passe ouer Gods iudgements vpon others Doct. 1 with a carelesse eye nor be without eyes to behold his goodnesse vpon themselues When they meete with such an experience by day or night they must haue their day-booke and night-watches for a remembrance of it So Dauid marked diligently as it were with a Selah Gods proceedings in mercie to him and his Church Psal 32.4.5.7 for where he had done any notable thing for his people or for his King he as it were foulded downe a leafe at it and committed it to tables of memorie Neither lost he by the hand nay the obseruation was gainefull to him for it ministred great courage to him against that brauing monster Goliah 1. Sam. 17.37 Abraham also was comforted in God by the same obseruation of Gods former wayes when out of him he could haue but small comfort to offer to death his best sonne Isaac in whose bloud the whole world might seeme then to haue bene drowned Genes 22.3.8 Further it was the practise of that excellent Author of 119. Psalme who in like case of Gods speciall doings meditated in his precepts and considered his wayes that is carefully considered them or wrote them downe The flesh is dull in these matters therefore Dauid summons his soule vnto them saying O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits Or let no benefit of his be forgotten Psal 103.2 as if he had said write them vp in thy memorie and let not thy forgetfull sense keepe the booke of them or trust not thy senses with them but write them in thy heart In another Psalme the same Prophet for he was a great obseruer of things in his time doth not onely penne these mercies of God as in a booke for his owne memorie but calls others to the meditation as if hee would helpe their remembrance also by reading these things out of his booke to them and therefore saith Come and behold the workes of the Lord Psal 46.8 as if he should haue said I haue noted them and do you obserue them As if one of vs should say to another Come and see what times haue bene and how they be changed what sicknesse raigned once and what health raigneth now what want of fruites at some times and what abundance at other This yeare great stormes of trouble and the next a great calme of peace v. 9. The reasons Reason 1 Gods children must be thankfull for Gods benefits which cannot be long if they forget them nor longer then they be remembred therefore God hath commanded that his high Acts should not be forgotten as where he hath beene extraordinarily good to his people or seuerely sharpe to his peoples enemies Deut. 6.12 and 25.17.19 Reason 2 Secondly the Lord doth these great things that they might be remembred Psal 111.4 and shall we by our neglect of them frustrate his ends Reason 3 Thirdly if men threaten vs we remember our danger and count it a dishonestie if they do vs good to forget their loue and shall Gods threatnings not moue vs nor his loues make vs thankfull Shall a heathen Monarch keepe a Chronicle or day-booke of good turnes done to him by his subiects Hest 6.1.2 And shall Christians keepe no memoriall of so wonderfull things done to them by the soueraigne Lord of all worlds Lastly the faithfull consideration of Gods iudgements vpon Reason 4 others mercies to vs will make vs to feare his anger and to loue his goodnesse Habac. 3.2 Exod. 14.31 Iudg. 5.1 Psal 78.35.40.42 A reproofe of the slumbring multitude that passe no obseruation Vse 1 vpon Gods doings let him be angrie or pleased they are one kind of men still and neuer care to draw any thing from his anger or kindnesse for their amendment Let him thunder maruellously with his voice Iob 37.5 it is but a voyce that passeth by and when the earth is moued they are not moued If hee bring the sea out of his place as lately he did to punish our disorder what great thing doth he worthy noting His iustice in punishing with so long and fearefull a Plague is not in our minds and wee haue forgotten his maruellous goodnesse in the discouerie of the Powder-plot which is past as if God had done nothing The earth hath trembled vnder vs the heauens haue bene vnquiet and much distempered ouer vs our houses haue bene tossed and shaken with winds the staffe of our bread hath bene broken the enemie hath threatned vs at our doores and God hath taken away the wise man and the Counsellour yea the righteous perish and who hath considered Esay 57.1 Hath the Lord done any thing to wit in our opinion in all this or have we learned ought by it more then if nothing had bene done Haue not his wonderfull works lately done deserued the pen of a readie writer in euery of our hearts but we haue prepared them not as bookes of remembrance but as graues to burie his kindnesse An admonition to Gods faithfull Ministers the louder God Vse 2 is in his iudgements the louder to sound the trumpet of exhortation in their preachings Our admonitions must not runne alwaies in one tenour but haue the point put vpon them as the Lord is more or lesse prouoked Esay 58.1 For he hath placed vs in the watch-tower of his Church that wee might haue an eye to his iudgements The like admonition to all the faithfull to obserue Gods doings and to vse the eyes that he hath giuen them to see his workes and not to behold vanitie It hath beene said of the righteous that they see the Plague that is as they thankfully score vp blessings when they come so they dolefully record the curse when it commeth Prou. 22.3 Neither do they see it onely but hide themselues from it in a pure heart and innocent life where the wicked not fearing the shot of God neither the artillerie of his iudgements go on still to wit after one fashion and in their old way of impenitencie and hardnesse till they be destroyed Good men will deepely imprint Gods doings and be sure to haue an arke of prouidence builded by