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
part of his glorie if he were not Doct. 2 able assoone as a sinner shall do euill to his dishonour to punish him for that cōtempt For were it not an indignity intolerable for a potent Monarch not to be able presently to set downe a Rebel in his owne Dominions yea to passe publike iustice vpon him to the taking away of his head But he that cast Adam out of Paradise as soone as he had sinned Gen. 3.24 lacketh not power to turne sinners into hell with all that forget God Psal 50.22 A conuiction of all notorious sinners who blesse that is flatter Vse 1 themselues in their talke saying They shall haue peace though they walke in the stubbornnesse of their heart adding drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 These would seeme to make question whether God be of any such strength or be able to bring any such troupes into the field against them or if he be whether he will vse them according to his threatnings in his word to their deserued ouerthrow sinning so against him These make falshood their refuge and haue their part in the drunken peace of that hypocrite who sayd My Master doth deferre his comming Math. 24.48 that is he will not come these many yeeres if he come at all either to account with sinners or to visit for sinne And what shall I say of these men but that they incourage themselues in an abominable thing promising peace where there is none Ier. 6.14 But if any dye of the Pestilence let such looke to be first and if any goe into captiuitie to be first that shall go captiue and if leannesse enter into any to haue it enter into them as soone as into any Indeed they often-times escape with life in such difficulties and straits of time when their betters do not yet they liue but to fill vp the iust measure of their certaine damnation that no torment may bee wanting to them when they shall suddenly and when they least thinke of death chop into hell Vse 2 But doth God set his plagues as his strong watch to obserue vs at all times night or day when we do euill then when we see his watch charged sometimes in the night-pestilence sometimes in the noone-plague sometimes in vnseasonable yeares by no raine or by raine in excesse sometimes in great scarcities of graine and fodder Let vs humble our selues in prayer and repentance standing with these in the gappe and breach that Gods hand hath made or may make by such calamities sent among vs for sinne and for iniquitie And let such Repentance and Prayer stand as Aaron with his holy Censer as in the case of Plague So the Lord may be intreated and his Iudgements may leaue vs. But for such as seeke no reliefe in the armory of these Christian exercises against the changes that come but behaue themselues in daies of mourning as when God maketh the hearts of men merrie with his chearefull countenance Let them goe whither they will Vengeance looketh for them at euerie doore the Plague by day and the Pestilence by night is ready for them day and night they are enuironed with feares at their tables and vpon their beds snares vpon their meate a curse vpon their sleepe and Gods anger in all their wayes And here let vs take heed how we prouoke the Lord by our stubbornenesse vnder his other roddes to bring the Plague againe I meane of Pestilence which while it kept some order among vs as his watch by night and ward by day how can it bee forgotten how many not by hundreds but by thousands a weeke in England it committed close prisoners to wormes and darknesse in the earth or if we haue forgotten that let those that go about their sinne closely remember the Pestilence that walketh in darknesse and such as sinne openly not forget the destruction that wasteth at noone day A reproofe of those who when this sicknesse is in a towne Vse 3 runne from it into the countrie as if God were impotent there as soone as the fire begins a little to burne in the deaths or infection of two or three they presently runne away by the light of it in their vnchanged liues as if they would giue more to their owne carnall forecasts then to Gods sweete prouidence But this hath bene spoken of and I adde that all going aside as hath bene said is not vnlawfull so these conditions in remouing be obserued First that the euill it selse be looked vpon as a messenger sent from God and messenger that is not auoyded by the change of the place simply without some other change Secondly that they remoue not with a doubtfull conscience but with good warrant to depart Thirdly that in such departure they breake not the bonds which should bee betweene man and wife the parents and their children Christian housholders and their Christian families And fourthly that they haue no publicke calling in the place from which they remoue as of Magistrates or Pastors For then they cannot depart with good conscience nor forsake their standings without sinne Thus farre hath the Pestilence bene described by some effects now the godly mans safelie in it and in other troubles comprehended vnder it followeth VER 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand c. GOds deliuerance of his children and their great safetie in such troubles as haue bene spoken of is propounded in this verse repeated in the tenth The first is affirmed simply here further proued in the two next verses as by a vehement asseueration verse 8. and infallible euidence verse 9. In the first there is a Prolepsis or preuenting answer to an obiection For some might say how can I bee deliuered when so many thousands are not who on euery hand of me fall vpon the edge of the Plague that destroyeth without mercie in darkenesse and at noone day To this the Prophet maketh answer saying Though thousands that is great numbers and ten thousands that is numbers without number so fall being cut downe with it or other diuers diseases and sundry kinds of death on the left hand and on the right of his seruants yet he can deliuer them For with him it is no more to saue his people when thousands die then when two and when tenne thousands perish then when ten onely are cut downe for the graue In a time of Pestilence he is able to passe by the houses of the faithfull as well when a whole towne is visited that is when no streete or lane is free as when a few houses are shut vp and as well if three hundred should die in a weeke as if onely three Now as God is able to do this so to aduance the credit of his power in the faith of his children he performeth it oftentimes in their outward safetie alwaies in their saluation which is best of all From whence wee learne Doct. that when the wicked are plagued Gods children shall haue deliuerance or comforts as
seas and runne from the Creator to creatures fixing all their senses vpon them and confidence in them for ease and remedie in such cases forgetting that great God who sheweth himselfe strong with all those whose hearts are found to him 2 Chron. 16.9 Psal 7.10 By this we learne what to iudge of wretched worldlings whose harts are earthly and affections on earthly things for where the faithfull come to God by faith in their afflictions and make his bosome their place of refuge from them such make not God their strength in aduersitie but trust in Man or in the arme of Man for helpe when any thing grieues them and rather complaine of God then to God in the day of euill But Gods defence is not onely our refuge in trouble but our continuall and permanent refuge and they that giue themselues to him to be kept are preserued by him not for some short time but for euer He is a shadow and continuall shadow other shadowes faile like the gourd ouer Ionah's head Ionah 4.6.8 but this abideth constant and sure or vnmoueable as God himselfe From whence learne Doct. that Gods defence neuer faileth his children for it is no slitting tent but standing castle to them This is shewed in the Psalme which is called Moses Psalme for there the Lord is said to haue beene the habitation or standing house of his people for euer euen from generation to generation that is from the beginning of the world to that day And Dauid saith that this is the blessing of the righteous the Lord will compasse him or goe round about him with his fauour and bee his shield before and behind against all assailants and at all times for else how should they that trust in him reioyce for euer if they should not be protected alwaies by him for whose continuall saluation they continually are glad Psal 5.11 for this cause the spirit is said by Christ to abide in the faithfull as in his standing house not where he Inneth but where he dwelleth Ioh. 14.16 To hypocrites he comes and goes to true beleeuers he comes and taries not for some short time but for euer for he dwelleth with them and is euer in them verse 17. The reasons of the doctrine the workes and calling of God are Reason 1 without repentance Rom. 11.29 and whom hee once loueth vnto the end he loueth them Iohn 13.1 Secondly He whose name is I am Exod. 3.14 and nature Reason 2 I change not Mal 3.6 doth his things by counsell and all things in good order and therefore whom He deliuereth He deliuereth without repentance or change Thirdly if earthly fathers will neuer Reason 3 forsake their childrens defence shall we thinke our heauenly Father will Or if a kinde Host will protect those that come vnder his roofe Genes 19.18 Iudg. 19.23 will God leaue those to spoile who come to his house and take Sanctuarie in the castle of his helpe Vse 1 A reproofe of those who hauing the meanes of peace and health are confident but would be at their wits end if warre should be proclaimed or fearefull sicknesses should come For what is this but to call into question and doubt Gods immutable counsell concerning the protection of his children whom hee neuer forsaketh In all rumours of Pestilence and warre men are distracted as if God had no prouidence and feare shadowes because they make not God their shadow who hath promised to be their abiding place and who if they would trust him with their liues should see his saluation But because with Ionah they set more by the gourd of some present though fading shadow Iona. 4.10 then by the sauing shadow of the Almighty therefore doth the Sunne smite them and they wish rather to dye then to liue Iona. 4.8 being forsaken of all but of grieuous and despairfull sorrowes that will neuer leaue them Vse 2 A comfort to Gods seruants in all alterations for in a time of scarcity and when God taketh away their sustinance so that men cannot helpe them with the barne or with the wine-presse 2. Kin. 6.27 The Lord himselfe will be their all-sufficient feeder and from the store-house of his prouidence will send vnto them Psal 37.19 Exod. 33.19 If he be with them his prouision goeth with them and though they lacke bread hauing him in place who giueth the vertue of nourishment to all their bread Deut. 8.3 how can they but be fed So in a time of Pestilence though we haue no place of refuge nor shadow abroad in the Countrie such as the richer sort haue against that burning Sun of the plague that destroieth at noone day we need not to be troubled hauing in the Almighties protection a better shadow then those Ionahs haue of their gourd For then the Sunne shall not smite vs by day nor the Moone by night Psal 121.6 In times of perill whithersoeuer wee goe not going from God Gods shadow goeth with vs in prison to be our libertie in banishment our Countrie in warre our shield in necessitie our abundance in despaire our hope in death our life and that a long life for euer and euer So much for the proposition of the Psalme the confirmation of it followeth VER 2. I say In the Lord is my place of suretie THe Proposition spoken of is confirmed by the Prophets words to v. 14. and more properly as was said by the Lords owne words from thence to the end of the Psalme the Prophets words are in his owne example in this verse or by application to others in the rest In this Verse hauing in his owne person found the Lord his speciall Protector he speaketh thankfully of the same the rather to establish others by his experience in the like saluation of God as if he had sayd as I haue beleeued and found so I will speake in my heart before God and with lippes before men Rom 10.10 The Lord is my refuge and shall be my fortresse in whom I will trust to whom I will flye in all my troubles The word that is here translated his succour or place of suretie signifieth a couer or place of defence in some great tempest where his meaning is that when hee was wet or like to be washed with great showres of trouble at hand or in doing he retired himselfe to the Lord in his prouidence against all that tyrannous and stormy tempest of his cruell persecution Iob. 24.8 Esa 25.4 By fortresse the Prophet vnderstandeth a place of retire or some strong fort in warres As if he had sayd as it was sayd of Ioseph Gen. 49.23 When the Archers grieued him and shot against him the Lord being his Tower and strong Castle his bowe abode strong and the hands of his armes were strengthened by the hands of the mightie God of Iacob ver 24. But further where he sayth My God in whom I will trust He speaketh that plainly which before he spake darkly or lispingly in a figure and sayth that hee will set none
of his rest vpon second causes or helpes externall on which all fearefull and vnbeleeuers cast themselues wholly for their refuge in troublesome times but will depend only and perfectly on God whom he maketh his confidence and the castle of his soule in aduersitie Psal 40.4 And here the Prophers example may teach the Prophets Doct. 1 themselues that the best way to turne soules to God is to teach them by their owne experience faith and feeling the best teachers of others are men of experience and they are likest to conuert others that first haue bene conuerted themselues So Psal 51.12.13 the Prophet first prayeth the Lord to teach him and then promiseth to the Lord to teach others being first taught of him and he assumeth when God shall stablish him with his Spirit in the receit of that fauour by a teaching spirit to turne others to God The Apostle Saint Paul speaking of himselfe and his other fellow Apostles saith that they are first comforted of God that they might be able in God to comfort others in euery affliction 2. Cor. 1.4 as if he had said till God had filled their pits they could not be spouts to others and when their cisterns were full their conduits would go and so they would teach others the comforts that they had learned themselues Christ biddeth Peter being conuerted himselfe not before he was conuerted himselfe to strengthen his brethren Luke 22.23 and he that first had learned the feare of God saith Come children hearken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Psal 34.12 So it is plaine that the best conuerters of others are men of experience men that haue bene first conuerted themselues Pauls experience and doctrine put together wrought mightily to the edification of the bodie of Christ For as he that hath bene sicke and cured of an infirmitie being wise and tender hearted can better direct and will sooner helpe another to auoyd it or being visited with it to recouer of it then he that neuer knew the remedie of such a sicknesse nor eurer had occasion of the cure so they that haue bene cured of sinne themselues and haue felt the twitches of a sorrowfull heart wounded therewith and eased thereof are better able to preuent sinne in others or being in force to weaken it with teaching then they who liue still in their sinnes without all experience or desire of such a cure The reasons Reason 1 They who haue tasted how good the Lord is can best speake of his mercie and they can best preach his iustice that haue bene swallowed vp of his iudgements So the Apostle Iohn and the righteous Iob speaking of handling and seeing the word of life and God of life do say much more for our learning then if they had spoken of hearing onely 1. Ioh. 1.1 Iob 42.5 Reason 2 Secondly they that teach without experience and not in faith must needs teach coldly and faintly or if earnestly rather with a mind to preach themselues glorified then Christ crucified Now cold and faint exhortations die in the earn that onely or commonly pierceth to the heart that is earnest and experimentall I meane earnest not out of affectation but earnest indeed and out of a feeling heart for that gathereth with Christ the other scattereth from him An admonition to Ministers and in them to the Parents of Vse 1 the commonwealth and of priuate families to teach themselues if they meane profitably to teach those that are vnder them For how can they that haue no edge themselues cut into others and they must needs leaue much dulnesse vpon others that haue no whetting themselues Rom. 2.21 We must be followers of Christ if we would haue the people to follow vs to Christ 1. Cor. 11.1 We must make God our hope in trouble if we would not teach them by the doctrine of our ill example to leaue him in trouble for other Gods If God send pestilence among vs and we expresse our distrust in him by leauing our appointed standings forsaking the Lords watch how shall we perswade others to trust in God When the Captaines forsake the Campe what shall the common Souldiers do And when such flie that is distrustfully flie who shall tarrie The Leaders are as the partie coloured roddes at which they looke and their example is the colour by which they conceiue that are followers and therefore as those do so will these do Genes 30.29 A reproofe of those both publicke and priuate Ouerseers who Vse 2 in such cases neither teach themselues nor others For if Peter dissemble what shall Peters hearers do Galat. 2.12.13 It the high Priest be against Christ will the high Priests seruants be for him Math. 26.73 Luke 22.56 57 58. If the father be a thorne will his children be grapes Math. 7.16 If he be a swearer will they feare an oath and if he keepe no Sabbath will they keepe any Math. 12.33 Such haue spilt much Christian bloud which if their owne vessels had beene sound they might haue saued The same may be said of carelesse Magistrates who because they will amend no euill in themselues nor correct any in others with the sword of their authoritie prouoke the Lord to reuenge the breach of his couenant in the middest of vs sometimes by pestilence sometimes by warre by deaths by mortalitie of men and cattell by strange yeares by diuerse diseases and sundrie kindes of death The Prophet saith I will say as if he had said whatsoeuer others shall thinke or speake this will I say or thus am I resolued It was in the matter of his confidence in God when others in their troubles forsooke him And so when worldly men sought other resuges he made the Lord his house of rocke in aduersitie The doctrine is Doct. 2 Christians must runne to God in all extremities when multitudes tunne from him and though the many in sinne forsake him yet the few in Christ must cleaue fast to him in all alteration We must follow in good but not follow a multitude to do euill Exod. 23.2 and when many walke in the broad way of diuers distrusts we must keepe the narrow way of hope and faith in God distrusting nothing Math. 7.13.14 when foure hundred false Prophets flattered the King Micaiah Gods Prophet would not depart from the Lord by saying as they said to haue the fauour of two Kings 1. Kings 22.6.12.13.14 He trusted in God sitting sure in the good way of his word and neither the King on his throne verse 10. nor the many in another way could vnsettle him Choose you faith Ioshua to the many thousands of Israel whom ye will serue Ios 24.15 as if he had said your numbers shall not make me to digresse nor if ye serue other Gods to do so with the companie and to serue them but I and my house I and my companie and small number will serue the Lord. When many went backe and walked no more with Christ Iesus said to the
her wings and this similitude our Sauiour himselfe vseth speaking of the like affection to his people Math. 23.37 the meaning is that God is to his Church as a Hen to her chickens when any danger is neare For then he spreadeth the feathers of his fauour ouer her and then he carrieth his tender Church on high vpon the wing of his prouidence from troubles at hand Deuter. 32.11.12 Esay 46.3.4 The Hen when any danger is toward her yong brood by some sharpe tempest or aires or deuouring birds of the aire casteth her wings abroad for their preseruation So when any thing is threatned to Gods little ones by the tempests of the time by boisterous aires and by Satans outrage in wicked persons those impure not fowles of the aire but beasts of the earth God very presently and most graciously draweth them into a secret couer as it were some broad wing of safetie from all iniuries of men and diuels And this he doth by an extraordinarie worke or ordinarily by his word in the mouth of his seruants which is the wing that hee spreadeth ouer them and call by which he clocketh them to himselfe in this world The Doctrine that ariseth from hence is God still watcheth his Church to hide her in his prouidence against all troubles and harmes Doct. And what can the raine and flouds do against her whom hee hath builded vpon himselfe Math. 7.24.25 But the people that trust in Iehouah are so builded and he attendeth them with his eyes Psal 32.8 and at euery turne helpeth their wandrings He goeth in and out before them himselfe and knoweth all his owne by name Ioh. 10.3.4 He hath grauen them vpon the palme of his hands that is he can no more forget them then a man can forget that which he hath continually in hand and their walls are euer in his sight Esay 49.16 that is he alwaies looks vpon them to remember them with some turnes of his fauour and how can they be better watched or surer kept Men that watch a Citie must sometimes sleepe But hee that keepeth Israel will neither stumber nor sleepe Psal 121.4 The Reasons Reason 1 If birds can do this to their yong much more God if they that haue but receiued this tendernesse much more God that gaue it Or is not God nearer to vs then yong ones are to their damme We being members of his owne bodie and the apple of his owne eye Zachr 2.8 Reason 2 Secondly this text that compareth the prouidence of God I meane that by which he watcheth ouer his Church and peculiar people to the eye and wings of the Hen that are euer readie to succour her young doth proue that as his care is alway watchfull for their safetie so his power doth neuer sleepe while their safetie is in question Vse 1 A reproofe of fearefull persons who crie out and faint in light troubles as if they had no helper and who tye the prouidence of God to the things they see drowning their best eye sight in floods of vnbeliefe because they see not their hope The little finger of that heauy hand that was vpon Iob in the top of Gods fauour and losse of all outward things doâ—h more wring them and more vnsettle them then the whole did him who yet yeelded to God when the storme was at the worst saying though he kill me I will trust in him Iob. 13.15 that is in God who hath broken me almost vnto death Some binde the helpe of God so to one friend that if they loose him they count all lost with him some so limit his stoâ—e to one yeeres crop that failing of that they fare and take on as if his whole store-house were emptied some so rest in these vncertaine things of health beauty riches worldly credit and fauour this and that childe which thy loue rather aboue God then in him that if he take away one or more as they be affected to one or many they dispairefully giue vp all and neuer looke for merry houre againe and some if God cast them downe by sicknesse that hee may take them vp by his gift of health fret and charge God as if there were no heauen hereafter These and the like fearefull and vnbeleeuers both discredit Gods prouidence and falsifie his truth for how can they that be thus minded beleeue that God hath a continuall eye of care ouer them and large wing of defence for them when changes come A comfort to good Christians teaching them to expell distrustfull Vse 2 feare in all alterations though their enemies bee neuer so mighty yet he who is their defence on their right hand is mightier and they shall stand inuinsible against all men and diuels that would hurt them Mat. 16.18 Wisdome hath builded her house vpon so many and sure pillers of Gods defence that the whole and euery stone in it standeth as mount Zion Prou. 9.1 Psal 125.1 that is euery Christian as well as the whole Church of Christians is partaker of the safeties of Sion Euery true Christian is a liuing stone in this house 1 Pet. 2.5 and therefore if any such Christian as it were stone should be pulled downe the whole would come after Quest You will say but they are wronged Quest and sore thrust at and sometimes slaine Answ To which I answer first for their wronges Answ that it is not meant that no man should wrong them but that no mans wrongs should quell them and for assaults it is certaine they haue been and shall be assaulted daily but God will put vnder his strong hand that they shall not be ouercome 2 Cor. 4.8 9. and Christ denieth not but Men may kill their bodies yet the comfort is they that kill their bodies cannot damne their soules when they haue gone so farre they can goe no farther Mat. 10.28 Wisedome foresaw all this and therefore did she build her Castle so strong Prou. 9.1 If then the world be thy enemie because thou shewest thy selfe in a good cause feare it not nor all that it can make against thee for he that is in thee is greater then he that is in the world 1 Ioh. 4 4. his power is alwaies exercised for thy preseruation hee that set thee on worke will helpe thee and who is so mighty as the Almighty If God send sicknesse say it bee that of the Pestilence which is alwaies fearefull and for the most part deadly and if this sicknesse so sent light vpon thee thou hast no reason to cast away thy confidence in the greatest terrors of it for if with Dauid when by Absalom his rebellious sonne he was banished from the Arke and Tabernacle thereof at Ierusalem thou resigne vp all into Gods hands thy life or death as pleaseth him 2 Sam. 15.25 26. thou haft as good assurance as may be being kept by that visitation as by a chaine from the Arke of the publick Ministerie and from the Tabernacle thereof the great congregation either to bee restored
There shall be a crie as midnight the Bridegroome cometh Math. 25.6 at mid-day it would be fearefull it will be more fearefull at midnight the time when commonly all are asleepe but the godly shall be deliuered from these cries of the night at least from all the feares of them and of the night it selfe For the Pestilence it selfe is fearefull and the night maketh it more to bee feared From whence we may learne two things Doct. 1 First that the worke of this grieuous sicknesse is dreadfull but this hath bene proued before and shewed already Doct. 2 And secondly that the night considered in it selfe is a time of feare The places before alledged out of Exodus and Mathew proue the same and the godly are exempted from it For the Lord promiseth such that they shall sleepe viz. without feare Leuit. 26.6 and Dauid by this priuiledge of Gods children lies downe in hope and dwels in safetie Psal 4.8 Iob saith that then the godly shall not feare or that they shall sleepe without feare but the wicked shall so feare that their eyes shall faile and their hope be as the giuing vp of the Ghost or as a puffe that suddenly vanisheth Iob 11.19 20. And why should Salomon tell the Schollers of wisedome that if they slept they should not feare or be made to feare and that their sleepe should be sweete Prou. 3.24 if the night were not fearefull and the godly were not sure to be freed from the feare of the night or why should the godly man binde the commandement vpon his heart when he goes to bed that it may watch for him when he is in bed Prou. 6.22 If there were not feares by night or feares of the night that without such a watch about him might hurt his sleepes and hazard his soule To be short for this the wicked are said to lie downe in sorrow Esay 50.11 as the righteous lie downe in peace Psal 4.8 But the godly haue bene troubled and much shaken with terrours by night Obiect for euen Iob himselfe was feared with dreames and astonied with visions Iob 7.14 I answer where the godly are said to be exempt from the feare of the night Answ it is not spoken to exempt them from all feare but to free them from all cause of feare or inconuenience by such feare For it is not said in the text that they shall not feare but they shall not be frighted or made to feare by any such terrours and the meaning is that that feare shall not preuaile against them as it doth against the wicked who from the darknesse of the night passe to vtter darknesse or it may correct their mistrust in God but not ouerwhelme them with an horrible dread as it doth the vnrighteous The reasons of the doctrine are First the text calleth it the feare of the night or the night that Reason 1 causeth feare Secondly experience which is a sure teacher manifests as Reason 2 much both in men and women who ordinarily feare more by night then by day Thirdly then our enemies and euill persons are most readie to Reason 3 annoy vs and wee most vnfit and vnreadie to saue our selues from hurt An instruction at night before we go to bed by humble and Vse 1 faithfull prayer to commit our selues to God soules and bodies depending vpon the watch of his prouidence for their safetie For where are such feares there should be great care had for the hauing of his munition against them Psal 55.17 and what greater securitie then to sleepe in the armes that is keeping of our faithfull Creator 1. Pet. 4.19 but if the Lord keepe not the Citie and euery roome and person in it all other keepers and watchmen watch vainely Psal 127.1 If he watch not the bodie who shall keepe it and if he leaue the soule who shall giue good thoughts vnto it Let vs therefore in the day by well doing in the night by prayer commend our selues carefully to God for his protection and we shall haue good Angels for our keepers good rest for our bodies and Gods good Spirit for the guest of our soules Without this we shall sleepe in Satans bosome and become Satans husbandrie for execrable lusts Math. 13.25.26 For the watchman being departed the enemie will come into our field by night and sow tares of vncleane affections where that watchman had sowed good desires as it were good seedes in vs for the haruest of life A reproofe of those who for want of prayer leaue the field of Vse 2 the heart to the diuels husbandrie Such do little consider what feares the night bringeth with it that God may giue leaue to Satan and his vncleane spirits to haunt their chambers and sleeping roomes being kept with no better watch that theeues may come and robbers by night and kill them Obad. 5 that their dreames may fright them and their owne beds be raâ—kes vnto them that fire may take into the rafters of their very bed-roomes and burne them their house goods and dearest children with them to destruction That darknesse is clad with feare and that such feare is much strengthened with the priuatenesse of the night they little consider these dangers and a thousand more in which they sleepe who take not their sleepe at Gods hands by prayer for their safetie nor deliuer the key of the house to him onely who onely keepeth Israel If such complaine that they haue broken sleepes and much vnquiet rest where others sleepe soundly and without feare what maruell seeing by such brutish forgetfulnesse of God and neglect of themselues they sleepe not in his fauour who giueth his beloued sleepe Psal 127.2 Acts 12.6 7. Sometimes the best may find their sleepes vnquiet and dreames fearefull but in these outward discomforts they haue that peace that the wicked know not the light of Gods countenance is vpon them and they haue much ioy of heart where the other lie in darknesse and sorrow and can neither find rest in their beds nor comfort in their waies God being their enemie and themselues out with themselues Lo then the blessed fruit of those that get leaue of God by faith in his prouidence to vse his blâ—ssings in respect of their wofull estate who taking them in the nature of vsurpers without prayer lie downe in no peace Another description of the Pestilence followeth Nor for the arrow that flyeth by day THis sicknesse is further spoken of by comparing it with a flying arrow or arrow shot by the hand of a strong Archer which cometh speedily and pierceth deepely sometimes it killeth presently and commonly before it be seene So Gods swift arrow in this kind of death as it destroyeth terribly and without mercie so it killeth suddenly and without warning For some it hath taken away in the middest of their sports as they haue bene playing at the tables as they haue walked in the streets as they haue passed by the way and when some said peace 1. Thes 5 3.
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
comfort to good Kings and Christian states giuing them great boldnes in the darkest practises of al Popish hellish Mole-warpes whose bookes and other motiues to sedition walke as the Pestilence in the darke for where the Godly can see nothing his eyes behold his eye-lids consider Psal 11.4 That is God sitteh not idlely in heauen but seeth all that is done on earth either wit◠open eyes or as if he winked for sometimes he discouereth a secret presently as with open eyes makes vs see it somtimes not presently but at lesure as if he would take time to bring it to light but euen then his eye-lids consider or hee deferreth the matter as if he slept that is his bright eye is vpon their first thoughts that deuise this euill in their hearts There is a league and kindred of wickednesse among bad Subiects and they ioyne with Sampsons Foxes if it be to carrie firebrands to burne the corne-fields of the Church Iudg. 15.4 5. but the foundation shall bee cast downe that they haue laid craftily and in the darke Psal 11.3 or as the vntimely fruite of a woman that hath not seene the sunne Psal 58.8 so shall all their vniust counsels be their pollicies shall faile and their purposes come to naught and hee that sitteth in his Temple in heauen shall bring them out of their holes as he did Faux and the rest of that impious consort that wrought with him at the wall and in the celler that graue of powder made for the buriall of the Gospell an vntimely end shall meete them and the pit which they digged for others shall take themselues but the soules of the righteous shall escape as a bird out of the Snare for it shall be broken and they shall be deliuered Psal 124.7 Another effect of the Pestilence followeth Nor for the * The word signifieth a cutting or sore biting and such as maketh a common slaughter or vniuersall death destruction that wasteth at noone day FVrther this Plague of Pestilence is called the destruction that wasteth at noone day as before it was called the Pestilence that walketh in the darknesse because where God sends it it smites downe in death at all times and in all aires and seasons whether at midnight or at mid-day in an open or close skie in the purest aires or in the foggiest and most troubled Some Writers affirme that it is called the Pestilence that walketh in darknesse because in the darke it worketh more violently then in the day the aire being made groser and thicker by the coldnesse of the night that is apter to communicate it more fully and with more force and that it is called the destructiō that wasteth at noone day because at the time of the noone-sunne the pores of the body as they are more open in the day so they are most open and more penetrable at that time of the day but these two effects of the Plague of Pestilence walking in darknesse and wasting at noone-day are spoken of to let vs vnderstand that for this or any other kinde of warning that God shal giue vs by any of his roddes al times are a like with him night or day darknesse or noone-day also that in deliuering the righteous from the fearefull Pestilence or any other punishment of his hand he cannot be restrained by any impediment of weaknesse in him or strength of the disease in vs be it day or night summer or winter for he can as easily and soone cure a grieuous as slight sicknesse and as presently saue a man from death as any sicknesse can bring him to it the rod is in his hand and the worke of it in his power to smite with it to a correction or to death and he that can doe what he will can doe the same when he will for his power is ouer time that made it Doct. 1 And now where we reade of the Pestilence walking in the darknesse and destruction wasting at noone-day that is of punishments ready at all seasons to come against vs when wee sinne against God we learne that as men offend earely or late night or day God hath Plagues at hand to send vpon rhem at all houres the darknesse shall not hide them nor the light shew them any way to flie from him if they escape one iudgement another shall be ready for them and the last if they continue stubborne ouertake them to destruction as the red sea did Pharaoh and his armies Exod. 14.28 Zophar in Iob sheweth that from what Plague soeuer such flee they flee but from bad to worse from iron weapōs that may strike them downe to a bowe of steele that will strike them through Iob. 20.24 Or if they flee from the sword that may cut them they shall meet with arrowes that will kill them Esay the Prophet sayth there is no escaping to such for if they flee from the noise of the feare they shall fall into the hole of the pit and they that come out of the pit that is that come out safely the snare shall take them or the snare of death that will hold them fast shall be vpon them So that here they are way-laid by three kinds of destruction Feare and the Pit and the Snare feare comming from enemies the pit from sicknesses the snare from the snares of death that shall compasse them so as they shall not escape Esa 24.17 18. The meaning is that the hand of God can no way be auoided by sinners in one destruction or another and the Prophet alludeth to the taking of wilde beasts who if they get from the dogges as it were the noise of feare may fall into pits made for them and there be taken or auoiding these runne into a snare and there be hampered and held till their throat be cut In Amos also wee read of such a matter for who would not thinke that a man escaping to his owne house from a Lion that followed him and from a Beare that met him should be safe and well But in that house there is a Serpent that bites him to death Am. 5.19 Therefore there is no security but in God or by turning to God in our comming home to our Father The Reasons of the Doctrine are One of the names of God is The Lord of Hoasts and the Lord who if he will haue an enemie to come vpon a Land need but to Lisse for him Esay 5.46 Or famine to afflict the Land need but to call for it Psal 105.16 If he do but send it comes be it Pestilence or Sword Leuit. 26.25 What shall I say He hath Armies of Iudgements and huge hosts of plagues to meet with sinners in their way till hee haue either humbled or destroied them He hath sharpe arrowes in his Quiuer a glittering Sword in his hand a reuenging hand in his wrath and noisome Pestilence among his treasures and therefore what hope to rebell without assurance to be destroied Luke 19.27 Secondly God should want a
good as it When the world was buried in a graue of waters Noah and his houshold went safely into the Arke Genes 7.1 and God set not Sodome on fire till hee had deliuered iust Lot Genes 19.16.22 2. Pet. 2.7 when the Lord terribly plagued the Aegyptians his enemies he mercifully spared Goshen where his people were Exodus 8.21.22 and 9.6.26 and 10.23 and 11.5.6.7 and when Ierusalem was taken Exod. 12.23 Ieremie was prouided for Iere. 39.11.12.18 So God dealt very mercifully with Daniel and his fellowes in the captiuitie Dan. 1.19 And when the Lord sent fiue men that is Angels in the shape of men to destroy the carelesse Citie He sent a sixt with a writers ink-borne by his side to set a marke of passeouer or speciall deliuerance vpon all those who mourned for the abomination Ezech. 9.4.6 And what hath he done lesse for his godly seruants in any age The reasons Reason 1 The righteous haue a speciall priuiledge or commoditie that common persons haue not and he that is the generall God of the world is the sauing God of his people Luke 1.68 He shewed his word to Iacob But did hee deale so with euery nation Psal 147.19.20 Reason 2 Secondly it is the glorie of the Lord to deliuer the righteous as it is the maisters credit to do for those that faithfully serue him Or if he should not honour those with deliuerances who honour him with affections the heathen or those without might say where is now their God Psal 115.2 Thirdly He numbreth their haires Math. 10.30 and will hee Reason 3 not regard their bloud Or if he will haue them will he not deliuer them Obiect But many godly haue bene taken away in the common destruction Obiect Answ Indeed Answ for these outward euils that come none can chalenge such a freedome from them as that they shall not enter into them at all and it is not denied but that the best hauing sin in them are in subiection to them and greatly deserue them Yet either they shall not come or they shall not come to hurt them as they do the wicked or they fall not so ordinarily to the share of the godly as they crush the vnrighteous and besides they feare not in them as do sinners that haue no hope For they haue faith in God from whose loue nothing can seuer them Rom. 8.39 and are not as the wicked who put all their faith in changeable things with the losse of which they loose God and all A comfort to the godly in the mortalitie of thousands seeing Vse 1 they know in whom they beleeue and for what for they shall not perish though neuer so many perish that haue faith in other things And this doctrine is now necessarie euen in our dayes of health for these good dayes may weare away the Pestilence may raigne as it did and another triall may come and then will it bee needfull to be well seene in these and such like mercifull promises that our faith may not faile vs nor our hearts faint within vâ— when the euill day cometh Neither would this be remembred onely in the case and dayes of Plague then to be armed with that faith and true boldnesse that putteth feare out of doores but it would bee remembred further in all other changes and troubles of our mortall life that God onely may be our feare and we may put all to him with full assurance in the wauerings of many As in the dayes of famine if there should come such a want of bread that thousands must pine to death yet that must not so discomfort any child of God as to make him to doubt how it can be true that in the day of famine he shall he fed Psal 37.19 For though God do not make windowes in the heauen 2. King 7.2 he can feede him When our handfull of meale is gone his truth remaineth who can feede without bread or with it miraculously 1. Kings 19.8.17.12.14 Ioh. 6.7.13 The like may be said of the miseries of warre and of all miseries and Plagues earthly For whatsoeuer temptations there are betweene heauen and earth from the flesh world or diuell as diseases of bodie rebellion of children losse of goods and of good name crosses in husbands wiues seruants with all other vexations and crosses of mind or bodie from the least to the greatest from the paine of the little finger to the pangs of death in all these though the vngodly know not what to do the godly haue hope and though the wicked fall by thousands the righteous are not shaken Is there not comfort to the righteous in all this And do they serue God for nought to whom the Lord maketh such precious promises Vse 2 An instruction therefore so to serue God in all our life with faith and repentance that when thousands fall we may stand fast For this light is sowne for the righteous Psal 97.11 But the light of the wicked shall be put out Prou. 13.9 that is this safetie is proper and belonging onely to godly and religious persons whose priuiledge it is when thousands fall not to stagger where the wicked contrarily because they will bee the children of darknesse by sinne shall be sure with the putting out of their candle to inherite the blacknesse of darknesse with sinners That it is the peculiar lot of those that loue God and follow his truth thus to be established Salomon is witnesse who speaking of a sinner that doth euill an hundred times that is doth sinne much and long saith that though God prolong his dayes or deferre his punishment yet he shall be as a shadow and what is more vncertaine then a shadow because he feareth not before God where it shall be well with them that feare the Lord that is where they that haue bene religious in their life shall be happie in their end and neuer be remoued Eccles 8.12.13 God maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the inst and vniust yet the shine of his fauour is vpon those that do reuerence before him and where the outward excellencie of the vngodly hath a speedie end as a light quickly blowne out the light of the righteous reioyceth Prou. 13.9 to wit as the Sunne to runne his course Psal 19.5 or is stedfast with increase as the light of the same Sunne That shineth more and more vnto the perfect day Prou. 4.18 A reproose of those who in a time of mortalitie feare vnseasonably Vse 3 when two or three die How would they haue feared if they had bene dwellers at London in the last great mortalitie when three thousand and a halfe died of the Plague in one weeke Anno 1603 and 1604. and for some weekes together not many fewer There is a profitable and sober feare in Gods children which is the feare of sinne and of these dayes of sinne but this carnall feare of worldlings who haue drawne little or no power from religion is rather the feare of death then of sinne
repentance to flee vnto when a floud is sent the wicked hauing no such consideration stand naked by sinne in the face of euery storme that is sent and perish in it The summe of all is this they that be Christians indeed must and will take a true inuentorie of Gods fauours and iudgements and set downe in their minds by deepe obseruation as with a pen of iron what he hath strangely done where Christians in face onely haue no such notes about them of his strange acts and forget all his workes as if they had neuer bene Let vs therefore not forget Gods acts his strange acts neither Gods workes his fearefull workes worthy to be had in remembrance And put it in your bookes what he did so lately one yeare in a spring of no raine and the next yeare in a sommer of so much raine take your bill or booke of tables and write what God did scarefully in that great Plague Luke 16.6.7 and strangely in remouing it Also what desolations he made by the sea in those West-country flouds or if we haue forgotten let vs remember how God set his heauen as brasse against our faces of brasse and made it to weepe day and night in raine of long continuance because wee would shed no teares for our sinnes Let vs not forget the signes which he sent among vs and which haue not bene few nor his tokens on earth nor his wonders in the sea nor what strange lights he hath set with his owne hand in the firmament nor what a graue was made for vs by Spaniards once and once by men of our owne nation and how we were at both times deliuered and they throwne in as our ransome nor how often the sword hath bene set to our very heart in practises against our mother in Israel and our father now Gods end in causing the righteous to see the Plagues of sinners is to assure them the more in their weake faith and patience that he will ratifie what he hath spoken and here we learne That the Lord knowing whereof we are made Psal 103.14 doth dispense with his owne right to beare with our infirmities So he did not onely burie the Aegyptians in the sea but did it his people looking on Exod. 14.30.31 who saw them to go downe quicke to those graues and Dauid saith When the wicked shall perish thou shalt see Psal 37.34 His meaning is that the wicked shall die strangely and that the godly shall see their strange death they shall perish as God hath said and the other see it that they may not doubt or they shall perish that God may magnifie his truth vpon his enemies and his people see it that he may be magnified in his children The smoke of Sodome mounted vp as the smoke of a fornace and Abraham must see it Genes 19.28 Sedome was wicked and destroyed and Abraham the friend of God beheld her destruction Likewise the fiue Kings of the Amorites appointed to the sword could not be hid but were found and brought out to be executed before all Israel that same day Ios 10.24.26 it must be done and Israel must see it done For the man of power shall be destroyed and the man of wisedome the righteous man shall see it Psal 52.5.6 The reasons Our graces of faith patience perseuerance spirituall fortitude Reason 1 and the like are very weake many times without the vphold of the outward senses and therefore hee that for our weakenesse hath added Sacraments as seales to his word to beare it vp is content to vphold his promise in other things with these sensible helps And now as there is no sense more helpefull and certaine then this of seeing none that imprinteth deeper affections in the passiue part of the soule then it So the Lord chuseth in such cases to confirme and settle vs rather by seeing then by heare-say He that is able to say that he is an eye-witnesse to a thing may better resolue himselfe and perswade another in that thing then he that can onely say he heard it Secondly if God did not thus to beare with his children by Reason 2 dispensation giuing them for the helpe of their weake faith in him proppes of sense to hold by they would quickly not stagger onely but fall downe in a despaire of his promises but God will not see the fall of his people and his people shall see the saluation of their God Reason 3 Thirdly beholding in others with our eyes the recompence of sinne it will make vs if we belong to God in a fright to forsake that way that casteth such troubles vpon those that trauell in it Now the Lord knowing that such frights are sometimes necessarie for his children to the helpe of their conuersion to him doth set the wicked before them in the recompence of their errour by some notable destruction that they may take heede in time Vse 1 This dispensation of Gods mercy to his children in a time Pestilence or other publick visitation bearing with them and not suffering them to come vpon the scaffold where others are cut off by death should teach them from such matter of his patience toward them and seuerity to others to gather benefit to their amendment and not boldnesse thereby to doe euill Rom. 2.4 If God be terrible in his works that is if he visit with a wonderfull Plague with strange sicknesses and yeares with disorderly springs and summers with dearths and death it is that the world the godly at least should worship him and sing vnto his Name Psal 66.3 4. or that they should turne to him and not turne wantons For they are not spared by chance or because they are worthy nor doe they ouerliue the calamities of those who in times of mortalitie come sooner to deaths house then they that they should flatter themselues in an euill custome because God hath beene more fauourable to them then to these but they see the destruction of others in their owne safetie that by such a sight they may be made more fearefull to offend and more carefull to please God in his commandements now then before And this good vse must all Gods children make of his sparing hand to them or theirs not carrying the grace of it into wantonnesse for God doth it in loue to their benefit and they must apply it in wisdome to the cure of their vnbeliefe and purging of their wickednesse Some as if the Lord did punish at aduenture in such cases and not directly for sinne hold on their prouocations neither changing their skinne nor altering their spots Ier. 13.23 And these are more sensles then the sensles beast for the Beast feareth exceedingly when hee seeth one of his fellowes knockt downe before his face and pitifully roareth out when he senteth his fellowes blood but these are sensles of Gods strokes lift vp vpon men like themselues and are not moued where the beast is so greatly moued neither pitie Christian blood It is said of
giuen and taken be neglected Thirdly their manner of keeping vs as it is set downe in the Reason 3 text cannot but promise great assurance For is not the little child safe while the Nurse carrieth it in her armes or beareth it in her hands So while these Nurses so beare vs can we be in danger but our Nurses on earth may fall these Nurses the Angels cannot Fourthly our protection is deliuered with a charge to the Angels Reason 4 that nothing be lacking as if the Lord should haue said I charge ye that ye looke well to all these little ones that I commit to your keeping see that none of them perish and vse your power in the safetie of them all First here is matter of thankfulnesse throughout all the Churches Vse 1 whose safetie is prouided for by so honourable a guard about them It had beene sufficient security to haue beene cared for by Gods prouidence and being to passe the seas of this troublesome world to haue had his Letters that is word for our safe conduct to our countrie but that God should giue vs besides his prouidence to keepe vs that hoste which is so glorious and neere himselfe to be alwaies about vs as if he should vouchsafe vnto vs not his princely Letters onely but his royall Nauie to bring vs safe to our heauenly Port and Land this must needes abundantly secure vs and expell all feare This is grace indeede and great riches of grace which should make his praise to bee heard his name to be excellent in al the places of his dominion If mens spirituall eyes were open they that are spirituall might see the Diuell and his Angels with a whole hoste of wicked men in continuall assault against them they might see themselues to goe continually in danger and euery step in death but that the strength of heauen goes with them and is there not matter in all this for the praise of God with heart and mouth In the yeere of our Lord 1588. the bragging power of Spaine could doe nothing against vs that came to destroy vs and to roote out our memoriall for the Lord kept our coasts by his Angels and what could they doe against such keepers should not this be remembred and should it not be remembred how the Angels haue encamped about defended this Realme against so many hostes of diuels diuels-children that more then 60 yeers haue sought by innumerable engines of Treason and threatnings of death to haue made it a Sepulcher of Christian carkesses for the Gospels sake that is yet among vs And let it not be forgotten what the Lord did so lately by his Angels in the mouth of our Soueraigne for the discouerie of the powder-plot Thus we haue been and are at this day kept safely by the Lord in the hand of his royall Angels for which grace of his what can wee giue to him lesse then praise in our mouthes and obedience in our liues continually Vse 2 A comfort to the righteous who in this that the Angels are their mighty keepers haue a spirituall preseruatiue of great vertue against all Plagues that come whether of sword famine or contagious Pestilence They that walke in the waies of the Lord when others runne out haue promise in a common euill of particular safety if it be expedient for them the Angels attend them for that purpose and the Lord knoweth how to deliuer them as he did Lot when he meaneth to turne a whole Sodom of filthinesse into ashes Gen. 19.16.22.29.2 Pet. 2.7.9 If God send Pestilence or famine or any other euill in the hotest Plague and greatest dearth that he sendeth they neede to feare nothing that haue reuerenced his truth and done his will keeping themselues vnspotted of abuses and sorrowing for the abuses they could not helpe for hauing such Leaders as the Angels are they shall not walke where the Plague walketh or if they doe they shall walke in the aire of it without danger hauing in these mighty ones about them so strong a counterpoison against it and when some dearth is sent the Angels will one way or other see them prouided for that the Scripture may be fulfilled which saith doe good and thou shalt be fed assuredly Psal 37.3 So when any other euill commeth God will not forget the loialty and good seruices of his people who hath put them all downe in a better and more lasting booke of record then was that which Assuerus kept for a remembrance of such Subiects as had deserued well of him Hest 6.1 2. but will defend such by his Angels as hee hath marked with fauour for speciall deliuerance in the euill day or else how should so many of the godly and few of the wicked escape in a towne visited with the Pestilence seeing the sicknesse is as infectious to one as to another and seeing that at the first beginning of it and before it was knowne or suspected both one and another went indifferently together into the house then infected with it The case is plaine the good Angles beare as many in their hands as God will haue them to deliuer from perill of death or common infection at such times Obiect You will say it often falles out otherwise Obiect in the visitation of God by Pestilence for the most wicked haue beene deliuered from it and the godly taken away Answ First it must bee remembred what was said before Answ which was that the godly shall be deliuered if it bee expedient for them and then not deliuered from that Plague they are deliuered from a greater by it euen a Plague of Plagues a most accursed life full of sinne fraught with miseries and dyings without end and number And for the wicked though they escape them they are not deliuered properly but repriued for a time to be more tormented hereafter either with that very death or with some other of a more horrible kinde or with euerlasting death in hell or they are reprieued till another visitation or to their day of assize in their deaths-day or day of generall iudgement But to make the ioy of the righteous full let it further be considered that the good Angels are stronger to saue then the euill are to destroy for are the euill great in power the good are greater then they the good hauing the fauour of God which the euill haue not are they old and subtle to inuent hurt the good are as old and more wise to preuent it can they cause Pestilence by venemous exhalations and dearth by some tempests the good can purge the aire that they haue poisoned and make a calme where they made a storme are they strong and full of might as they are full of might so they are fuller of feare and feare abateth strength also the good are stronger then they and voide of feare because without siune that causeth feare doe both worke from God yet they worke with great difference the good as voluntaries the euill as slâ—ues
enemie turne backe or giue ouer for a little A Christian must striue by the Scriptures against all carnall feares and distrusts and not giue way to them by cowardly yeeldings But some know nothing in the Word Such must endeuour to learne or looke to be confounded in the cuill day and some if they cannot presently see the drift of their affliction in a trifle take on as if a Lion were without Prou. 22.13 and they should dye no other death But must we walke vpon a Lyon and may we feare our destruction by a Mouse Must we trample vpon a Dragon and shall we feare a simple flie That which is full of poison shall not hurt and can that hurt that hath none Must we keepe the field against Diuels and shall we loose it against men or haue Christians entred into maine battaile with Satan in most grieuous temptations and shall we proue such weake Christians as not to endure a light skirmish with him in a few short encounters This concerneth not those pitifull soules which being greatly cast downe in griefe of spirit and hauing many breakings vpon them doe sometimes go aside and sometimes become fretting and tumultuous within for the very anguish and paine that so greatly presseth them For such impatience was in Dauid the man of God and such diuersitie of affections hath been found in the best during the present great affliction At one time they haue thought themselues verie strong in God and at another so weake and so cast downe that they could not possibly rise but in all this they had a smacke of Man in them and their flesh was weake yet their spirit was ready and waited on God not making haste but possessing their soules till hee deliuered them It is not so with these vnsetled Dastards and run-awayes who are ready to cast off all if Satan nibble but a little at their heele Gen. 3.15 If the Gospel of the Crosse begin to lay some restraint vpon them they will be zealous no longer and when a great man looks strangely or awry vpon them for their good wayes it is as if a Lyon met them therefore they presently turne out of those wayes to walke in a way that shall lesse offend These are the fearfull and vnbeleeuers that this Scripture censures who for euery little wrinch or foile goe lame of all courage in good things where the godly resist vnto blood neuer forsaking their weapons till death driue them out of the field imperious death that cannot be resisted Vse 3 A comfort to the faithfull for all things are conquered before them that would doe them any hurt Though the Pestilence when God sendeth it prey vpon one and other without respect like a roaring Lion and bring the strongest as soone as the weakest to the earth like a mighty Lyon though it bite like an Aspe making no great wound but procuring strange effects and though also as a fierce Dragon it crush shiuer in pieces the flesh and very bones of men of strongest constitution yet the crueltie of it is conquered to the godly by their prayer of faith which quencheth the violence of it in towne and Countrey If enemies threaten our coast by it they may stand in the hole and gappe where Gods hand hath made the breach and doe as much as all the Charets and Horsemen in a Kingdome Psal 106.23 If Satan himselfe rage and be vnquiet in neuer so many terrible and threatning obiections to the soule and conscience of a deiected sinner yet is Satan but as a Drone-Bee to him humming-without a sting that is without power to doe hurt in all his malice and deadly euill will Obiect Obiect But you will say Satan is still a Lyon of great force in his walkes among men of all conditions An. To which I answer that for the Godly it seemeth so Answ and for the wicked it is so for he liueth seemingly in the Godly and liuely in reprobats He hath but a kind of vanquished life in Gods children in whom as in his prison hee is kept in chaines not able to execute any thing and tormented that he cannot In the wicked hee liueth as at home or as in hell his owne place And so all life is not gone out of him which is to teach the Righteous to prouide against him and not to be carelesse neither wilfully ignorant of his enterprises for he shall still bruise their heele not only by mouing them to commit sinne but by casting out of his mouth waters of trouble like a flood after them when they begin to follow Christ Apoc. 12.15 And here let no child of God looke for any long quietnesse for if hee seeke Gods face in righteousnesse Satans malice to God and enuy to the saluation of man will keepe him doing Besides there is a perpetuall lawe of hatred betweene the hell of Satan and the heauen of Gods Saints betweene the seed of the woman and the diuels seede and progenie and who hauing a Serpents head vnder his feet can hope to be quiet and without trouble For will he not though his head be fast fling about with his tayle So what peace so long and while we haue vnder our feet in Christ that compassing and winding Serpent the Diuell Will he not be still nibling at our heele and twyning about vs in one temptation or another Yet all this is but to exercise the Righteous not to hurt them which he cannot doe And therefore let no godly man for this be discouraged to proceed in the way and course of sanctified life for the Lord will either command the earth to drinke vp his afflictions Apoc. 12 16. or healing his plague cause his face to shine and glory to appeare in the darkest shadow of aduersitie So much for the first speaker the Prophet the second and next speaker followeth which is God who by immediate voice confirmeth the former proposition of his fauour to the faithfull VERSE 14. Because he hath set his loue vpon me c. THe Prophet hauing assured the faithfull of Gods fauour which extendeth to all those who make him by faith in him their confidence God himselfe now vouchsafeth to be speaker in the end of the Psalme and to loyne with his Prophet by way of Post script in the same for further confirmation Because or seeing he hath loued me saith the Lord c. that is as my Prophet hath said so I say they who desire in sincerity and with good affections to serue me shall haue good assurance from me that I will be their deliuerer in troubles by the Angels at my right hand and by all the creatures at my left I will remoue their feares heare their prayers bring their persons to honour and their soules to heauen where at last they shall bee glorified in soule and bodie This is the substance of that wherewith the Lord concludeth the Psalme in words spoken from heauen to faithfull men And they containe duties and promises made to
by regeneration Vse 2 But is all honour from God then they that receiue their honour otherwise that is by practising for it or by rising to it but not vpon the ladder of the meanes by which men may clime warrantably to preferment cannot be said to be honoured by God but to haue honoured themselues Such are theeues of Gods honour and great by vsurpation holding their honour in a wrong Tenor and not as the Lords pawne for their honour to come He that offered to Christ the honours of the world hath giuen them to these Mat. 4.8.9 and they haue bowed to him in all diuelish practises for a few vaine titles and a little vaine-glorie which shall not credit them but one day turne to their greater shame before God and his mighty Angels The like may bee said of all great Persons that honour not God in his word and righteous Commandements their honour is not sealed in heauen hauing not learned of Christ to receiue and giue honour Iohn 8.49.54 they haue stained their promotion to the pit of hell and they shall receiue the meete recompence of their errour that is for their short glorie shame endlesse Againe is all honour and degrees of place from God then Vse 3 they sinne against God who any way violate these in Noble Persons and Princes which both confuteth all Anabaptisticall confusion and teacheth how iniurious Papists are to those whom the Lord will honour for they make it an Article of their Faith to submit to Kings no longer then it shall please the Pope to let them haue their honour or to take it from them by dethronization But what hath that Antichrist to do with the honour which hee neuer gaue and with the authority which is by the Lords grant onely for all authority and consequently honour is of God Rom. 13.1 chiefly that which is kingly as all waters come from the sea specially the great riuers Dauid trembled to violate the skirt of Sauls garment 1 Sam 24.6 these prophane the blood of Kings and touch them as farre as their liues by their cruell Ministers as in the two French Henries and our English King Iohn and thinke they may lawfully and meritoriously so doe And therefore the late d In his answer to certaine scandalous Papers Earle of Saluburie said well speaking of Rome that she would play so long with the temporall Soueraignety of Kings that it would bee the glorious worke of Kings to breake downe her walles and strongest defence and let me adde to burne the Whore with fire The fourth promise followeth VERSE 16. With long life will I satisfie him c. A Fourth promise made to the righteous is that when it shall be good for him he shall be filled with dayes and liue to old age As Gedeon was buried in a good age Iudg. 8.32 and Dauid dyed full of dayes 1. Chro. 29.28 and Iob very old after he had seene his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes for foure generations Iob 42.16.17 It is like the Lord made this promise to the Faithfull at what time the Angel cut downe so many in Israel with the sword of Pestilence for the godly might then feare themselues very much that they also should returne to their dust in so great a mortalitie but the Lord healeth that feare with his promise of a long life to those that feare him and with faith call vpon him as if he had said ye shall not onely liue at this timer but when old age shall be a blessing to you liue long and goe to your graues in a ripe and good age your head being deckt with gray haires and your heart filled with righteousnesse This is spoken of the godly such as excell in goodnesse And therefore the doctrine is Doct. long life is a great blessing where it is garnished with grace not made vile by sinfulnesse So olde age was promised to Abraham for a blessing Thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace and be burted in a good age Gen. 15.15 That is thou shalt be satisfied with the multitude of many and good dayes and liue long and comfortably here When Salomon exhorteth Wisedomes scholler to heare and receiue his words that is to heare them with fruit and diligence he perswadeth it with no other promise then of a long life and comfortable estate in the yeeres of age and peace Prou. 3.1 2. and 4.10 And the Apostle by the promise of the life present 1. Tim. 4.8 must needes meane the promise of long life as the best being as is intended set in the best and most excellent way Obiect Obiect You will say then and why doe good men so commonly liue in trouble and die in youth as they doe Answ The obedience of the best is but in part Answ and what maruaile then if in part onely they be made partakers of outward things as of a long and confortable life and such other promises here Besides such promises are not absolutly but conditionally made to the righteous as if God see it fit and if it be good for them and necessary for the Church that God prolong their dayes otherwise what is wanting in length of dayes is made vp with the immortalitie of ioyfull dayes in heauen And though they liue but a short time yet haue they length of dayes in a sort euery day being a whole Summers day vnto them by the Sunne of Gods fauour that shineth vpon their soules more and more without any going downe Thus it is prooued that long life not abused is a blessing of God and may further appeare The Reasons Reason 1 Old Christians are old Seruitors in Gods family and a good old seruant is preferred before a new by a good master also such hauing liued righteously long must needes be stored with great knowledge and experience which will make them to bring forth more fruit in their age And is not olde age then which is a meanes of this a blessing Secondly length of dayes or long life considered in it selfe Reason 2 is a blessing Prou. 3.16 how much greater where age and goodnesse meet the worme would not die and they gladly would liue longer that liue miserably Yea the godly who of all others haue the greatest preferment by death are loth to lay downe this tabernacle And wherefore all this surely because life is sweet and to flie from death is naturall to man and beast Now if life be so sweet thus fraught with troubles how good and sweet is long life filled with the ioy of the righteous and flowing with riuers of peace Thirdly who weareth a more honourable ornament then he Reason 3 that hath a a Phile. 9. gray head crowned with vertue Christian graces and who is more richly clad then he that is clad in siluer haires of age with robes of innocencie and righteousnesse Esa 3.5 If the one be a blessing that is to weare a crowne and gorgeous cloathing the other is a double blessing that is to be apparrelled
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