had put his hand to the Plough Alexanders opposing because it sprung from extremity of malice towards the profession of godlinesse him he curseth The Lord reward him c. Weaker Christians who failed him from want of some measure of spirit and courage tetaining still a hidden love to the cause of Christ their names he conceales with prayer that God would not lay their sinne to their charge But whilst Paul lived in this cold comfort on Earth see what large encouragement had hee from Heaven Though all forsooke me yet sayes he God did not for sake me but stood by me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion And the Lord will deliver me c. In the words wee have in Pauls example an expressing of that generall Truth set downe by himselfe Rom. 5. 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope c. So here affliction breeds experience of Gods mercy in our deliverance experience breeds hope of deliverance for the time to come and both his Experience and Hope stirres him up to glorifie God who was his deliverer so that here offer unto us to be unsolded 1. Pauls experience of Gods loving care of him in his deliverance past 2. His assured hope built upon his experience for the time to come set downe in two Branches 1. The Lord will deliver me froÌ„ every evill work 2. He will preserve mee to his heavenly kingdom 3. The issue hee maketh of both as they flow from Gods grace so he ascribes him the glory of both To whom be glory for ever and ever Amen For the first I finde that most both Ancient and Moderne writers by Lion understand Nerâ— that cruell Tyrant thirsty of blood especially of Christians Some also understand it to be a provetbiall speech to expresse extremitie of danger both which are true but if wee take the words in the just bredth of the Apostles intent we may by Lion understand the whole united company of his crull enemies as David in many places hath the like and by the mouth of the Lion the present danger he was in by reason of their cruell malice Whence observe 1. That enemies of the truth are oft for power alwayes for malice Lions 2. That God suffers his dearest children to fall into the mouthes of these Lions 3. That in this extremity of danger God delivers them For the second his hope built upon his experience both Branches thereof hath its limitation and extent The Lord shall deliver me not from evill suffering but from evill workes this hee could boldly build on he could not conjecture what he should suffer because that was in the power of others but he could build upon this what God would give him grace to doe and so he limits his considence He will deliver me from evill workes and he will preserve me from what from daâ—ger from death no here is the limitation He will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome He will not preserve me from death and yet he will doe that whilst I can doe his service by my life but sure I am hee will preserve me beyond death to a state of security and happinesse He will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome And then for the third after his experience confidence and hope wel built as his fashion is when his heart was once warmed he breakes our into thanksgiving in the consideration of Gods favours past and to come his tongue is large thereupon and God hath the fruit of it To whom be glory for ever and lastly he seales up all with the word Amen I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion c. Beloved by nature we are all Lions and nothing will alter us save the effectuall knowledge of Christ Education may civilize but not subdue A Sound knowledge of Gods Truth hath a changing power for when the spirit becomes tender and when the heart which lyes in a cursed estate under and in danger of the wrath of a iust God whose eye cannot spare iniquity unrepented of is cited and affrighted effectually by the spirit of bondage it will cast downe and pull sorrow from the strongst spirit making it melting and tender Againe in this estate when the soule hath felt favour shining upon it when the eye is opened to see the high prerogatives and exceeding riches of Christ when we finde ourselves that we are delivered from the Lions mouth wee cannot but shew that pity to others which wee felt from God our selves Paul thirsts as eagerly after the conversion of others now as ever he did for their blood before The Iaylor also a man by nature custome and calling hardened in the practice of cruelty yet after hee had felt the power of Gods blessed truth shewed forth those bowels of pitie hee felt from Christ which were shut before Let us then be thankfull that God hath changed us from being Lions and with meeknesse submit our selves unto Gods ordinances desiring him to write his Law not onely in our understandings but in our very hearts and bowels that wee may not onely know that we should walke harmelesse and full of good but be so indeed resembling him by whom we hope to be saved in a right serviceable plyablenesse to all duties of love And because our impersect measure of mortification in this life hinders us from a full content in one anothers communion let this make us the more willing to be translated to Gods holy Mount where being purged from all such lusts as hinder our peace and love we shall fully enioy one another without the least falsenesse or distrust then shall wee see totall accomplishment of these promises which are but in part fulfilled in this life That God suffereth his children to fall into the mouth of Lions or into some danger proportionable where in they shall see no helpe from him is a truth cleare as the Sunne The History of the Church in all ages shewes as much Was not Christ in the mouth of the Lion so soone as borne when Herâ—d sought to kill him Did not satan and all the spirituall powers of Hell daily come about him like ramping roaring Lions And hath it not been thus with Gods Church from Abel to this present as appeares by the children of Israel in Egypt at the redsea and in their iourney to Canaan being invironed round about with cruell enemies and dangers on every side like Daniel in the midst of Lions So farre God gave them up to the power of their enemies that the wisest of the Heathen iudged them a forlorne people hatefull to God and men For particular instances see Iob and David so neare as there was but a step betweene them and death Besides God often awakens the consciences of his children and exerciseth them with spirituall conflicts their sins as so many Lions stand up against them ready to teare their
no matter God will pardon all I care not so I may have my wish this is the heart of many gracelesse persons that are not led with heavenly respects But take a Christian and he had rather beg doe any thing in the world than doe a thing unworthy his profession unbeseeming the Gospell or that high calling whereunto hee is called Shall such a man as I doe this hee will not and therefore his care is to take heed of ill workes for then he is sure to have God his friend who hath riches and honour enough for him because the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof this is the care of a judicious wel instructed Christian But marke the Extent from every evill worke Saint Pauls care is not for one or two but that God would keepe him from every evill worke Why so Because he that truly hates one sinne will hate all the kinds of it both come from the same love of God he that loves God as he should will hate whatsoever God hates and have respect to all Gods Commandements as the Psalmist speakes partiall obedience is indeed no obedience at all for he that obeyes one and not another obeyes not simply because of the Commander to yeeld obedience unto him but onely to satisfie his owne corrupt nature picking and choosing what pleases himselfe which belongs not to an inferiour but to a superiour to doe And therefore such make themselves gods in that they single out easie things that doe not oppose their lusts which are not against their Reputation c. and therein perhaps they will supererogate and doe more than they need onely because they will have a compensation with God that he should quit with them for other things I have done that and therefore he must beare with mee in this Oh but there is no compensation here a man is never so straitned but he may escape without sinne there is no pretence will serve but we must abstaine from every evill worke Satan keepes many men in his snare by this and so he hath them safe in one sinne hee cares not therefore he will suffer them to heare read and pray c. holding them fast in one raigning sinne wherein hee will let them alone till the time of some great affliction or death and then he will roare upon them Oh beloved wee cannot provide worse for our owne soules than to cherish a purpose of living in any one sin for that is enough for the devill to hold his possession in us by and at the houre of death to claime us for his owne If wee regard any iniquity in our heart the Lord will not heare our prayers I beseech you therefore let us labour to have cleare consciences freeing our selves from a purpose to live in any sinne that in all our slips and failings we may say with an honest heart My purpose was not to do this but to refraine from wickednesse Againe he speakes of this for the time to come the Lord will deliver me from evill A true Christian is as carefull to avoide sinne for the time to come as to bee freed from the guilt of sinnes past Iudas may desire to have his conscience freed from former sinnes but Indas cannot desire to be a good man for the time to come Nothing argues a good conscience more than this The most wicked wretch that breathes may desire to have his conscience stilled and yet never have any purpose or power to abstaine from sinne but like a dogge after he hath disgorged himselfe returne to his vomit againe True Repentance is a turning from former evills to a contrary good Our griefe no further yeelds comfort of sound repentance then it hath care attending for prevention of sinne according to that which Christ said to the woman taken in adultery Goe and sinne no more and as David prayes Purge me O Lord and cleanse me but withall establish me with thy free spirit for the time to come As if hee should say Lord I know it is not in man to order his owne wayes I desire not the forgivenesse of my sinnes that there by I might with more liberty offend thy Majesty but with pardoning grace I begge preventing grace No false heart can move such a desire as this to God A gracious heart that prayes aright prayes as well that God would preserve him from future sinne as forgive him his former sinnes It is a ridiculous thing of the Papists to make confession of a sinne which they meane to commit as some late Traitors confessed such and such things which they were to act were straight absolved for it So your cursed duelists that will pray and repent when they meane presently to fall one upon another Is this repentance when a man is inveigled with the sin hee meanes to commit and cannot overcome himselfe in the case of revenge Doe these men thinke they repent No certainely repentance is of sinnes past and the carriage of every true Christian is to avoide evill for the time to come Againe it is here a perpetnated Act the Lord will deliver me still from every evill worke whence you see that In every evil worke we are tempted to we need delivering Grace as to every good worke assisting Grace Indeed our whole life if we look upwards is nothing but a deliverance but if we looke to our selves it is nothing but danger and a warfare and therefore wee have need of a deliverance How little a temptation turnes over a great man as sometimes a little winde turnes over your mighty gallies We see this in David and Salomon and if God leave us to our selves even the strongest man in the world how soone is he overturned in the midst of sinsull occasions how ready are wee to joyne with them and betray our owne soules But from the whole take it as it comes from God altogether the truth is thus much that a Christian who is privy to his own soule of good intentions to abstaine from all ill for the present may presume that God will assist him against all ill workes for the time to come I say a Christian that hath his conscience telling him that he meanes to be better and is not in league with any sin may beleeve this for the time to come that God will keepe him from evill workes I speak this because many who are yet sinners thinke it in vaine to strive for they shall never bee better What doest thou talke man hast thou a minde to be better God will meet thee one time or other is thy will at liberty he that gives thee the will will also give thee the deed is not this the Promise that God will deliver thee from every evill worke and therefore away with all discouragements O but There are sonnes of Anak mighty Giants that molest mee my sinnes are as so many Giants to stop my proceeding I shall never beâ— better Say not so nay rather
farre better And is it much farre better to die that we may be with Christ than to live here a conflicting life Why should we then feare death that is but a passage to Christ It is but a grimme servant that lets us into a glorious pallace that striks off our bolts that takes off our rags that wee may bee clothed with better robes that ends all our misery and is the beginning of all our happinesse why should we therfore be affraid of death it is but a departure to a better condition It is but as Iordan to the children of Israel by which they passed to Canaan it is but as the red-sea by which they were going that way therefore we have no reason to feare death of it selfe it is an enemy indeed but now it is harmelesse nay now it is become a friend amicable to us a sweet friend it is one part of the Churches joynture death All things are yours saith the Apostle Paul and Apollos life and death death is ours and for our good it doth us more good than all the friends we have in the world it determines and ends all our misery and sinne and it is the suburbs of heaven it lets us into those joyes above It is a shame for Christians therefore to bee affraid of that that Paul here makes the object of his desire But may not a good Christian feare death I answer Not so farre as a Christian is led with the spirit of God and is truly spirituall for the spirit carryes us upward but as farre as wee are earthly and carnall and byassed downward to things below wee are loath to depart hence In some cases Gods children are affraid to die because their accounts are not ready though they love Christ and are in a good way yet notwithstanding because they have not prepared themselves by care as a woman that hath her husband abroad and desires his comming but all is not prepared in the house therfore she desires that he may stay awhile so the soule that is not exact that is not in that frame that it should be in saith Oh stay awhile that I may recover my strength before I goe hence and bee no more seene but as farre as wee are guided by the spirit of God sanctifying us and are in such a condition as we should be in so farre the thoughts of death ought not to be terrible to us nor indeed are they Beloved there is none but a Christian that can desire death because it is the end of all comfort here it is the end of all callings and employments of all sweetnesse whatsoever in this world If another man that is not a Christian desire heaven he desires it not as heaven or to â—e with Christ as Christ he desires it under some notion sutable to his corruption for our desires are as our selves are as our aymes are no carnall worldly man but hath carnall worldly aymes a worldly man cannot goe beyond the world it is his spheare a carnall man cannot goe beyond the flesh therefore a carnall man cannot desire heaven a man that is under the power of any lust can desire nothing but the satisfying of that lust heaven is no place for such none but a child of God can desire that For if we consider heaven and to bee with christ to be perfect holines can he desire it that hates holinesse here can he desire the Image of God upon him that hates it in others and in himselfe too can he desire the communion of Saints that of all societies hates it the most can he desire to be free from sinne that ingulfes himselfe continually in sinne he cannot and therefore as long as he is under the thraldome and dominion of any lust he may desire heaven indeed but it is onely so farre as he may have his lusts there his pleasures honours and riches there too if he may have heaven with that he is contented but alas brethren heaven must not be so desired S. Paul did otherwise he desired to be dissolved to be with Christ hee desired it as the perfection of the Image of God under the notion of holinesse and freedome from sin as I said before Which is farre better Againe we see that God reserves the best for the last Gods â—aâ—t workes are his best workes the new heaven and the new earth are the best the second wine that Christ created himselfe was the best spirituall things are better than naturall A Christians last is his best God will have it so for the comfort of Christians that everyday they live they may think My best is behinde my best is to come that every day they rise they may thinke I am nearer heaven one day than I was before I am nearer death and therefore nearer to Christ what a solace is this to a gracious heart A Christian is a happy man in his life but happyer in his death because then he goes to Christ but happiest of all in heaven for then hee is with Christ. How contrary to a carnall man that lives according to the sway of his owne base lusts he is miserable in his life more miserable in his death but most miserable of all after death I beseech you lay this to heart mee thinkes considering that death is but a way for us to be with Christ which is farre better this should sweeten the thinking of death to us and we should comfort our selves daily that we are nearer happinesse But how shall we attaine this sanctified sweet desire that Paul had to die and be with Christ Let us carry our selves as Paul did and then we shall have the same desires S. Paul before death in his life time had his conversation in heaven his minde was there and his soule followed after there is no mans soule comes into heaven but his minde is there first It was an easie matter for him to desire to bee with Christ having his conversation in heaven already Paul in meditation was where he was not and he was not where he was he was in heaven when his body was on earth 2. Againe S. Paul had loosed his affections from all earthly things therefore it was an easie matter for him to desire to be with Christ I am cruciâ—ied to the world and the world is crucified to me c. If once a Christian comes to this passe death will be welcome to him those whose hearts are fastened to the world cannot easily desire Christ. 3. Againe holy S. Paul laboured to keepe a good conscience in all things herein I exercise my selfe to have a good conscience towards God and men c. It is easie for him to desire to be dissolved that hath his conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ free from a purpose of living in any sinne But where there is a stained defiled polluted conscience there cannot be this desire for the heart of man naturally as the Prophet saith
touch some circumstances and then fall upon the point it selfe as 1 The time wherein hee was forsaken a time of darknesse the sixth houre in which there was a darknesse over the whole earth and in the land of Iudea especially Neither had hee darknesse without onely but within likewise his soule was troubled from a sense of his fathers displeasure two Ecclipses seazed upon him together the one of the glorious light of the Sunne the other of the light of his Fathers countenance Hee must needes be in a disconsolate estate and doubly miserable thaâ— is incompassed with such darknesse whatsoever was done to Christ our surety shall be done to all that are out of him blacknessâ— of darknesse is reserved for them As Christ wanted the comfort of light from heaven so those that are out of Christ shall have no comfort from any creature at at the last the Sunne shall not shine upon them the earth shall not beare them they shall not have a drop of water to coole their tongues they were formerly Rebels against God and now every creature is ready to serve the Lord against them when the King is displeased with a man which of his servants dare to countenance him This darknesse being in Iudea did likewise portend the miserable condition of the Iewes here and that eternall darknesse in the the world to come which should be their portion if they repented not Another circumstance may be this God was a great while ere he removed his heavy displeasure from Christ he was three houres in torment And though God delayed him long yet hee said nothing til now by way of complaint wee should beware of darknesse of spirit in trouble God may delay helpe to his dearest children as here he did to his onely Son to perfect the worke of sanctification in them therefore submit to his wil rest contented with whatever hee sends looke to thy Head and Saviour c. But of this more anone 3 His greatest griefe and conflicts were towards his latter end towards the shutting up and cloze of his life though a little after hee saith All is finished yet now he cries out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Afflictions are sharpest toward our Ends. I speake this for prevention of discomfort in those that finde extremities upon them when miseries are extreame helpe is nearest They will either mend or end then the darknesse is thickest a little before the morning appeares and Sathan raged most a little before his casting downe As also to prevent security from seazing upon people take heed of deferring repentance till thy last houres there may be a confluence of many extreamities then upon thee paines of body terrours of conscience Sathans temptations Gods wrath c when all these meete together and the poore soule in its best strength findes enough to doe to conflict with any one of them what an unhappy condtion will that be Oh put not off your repentance to this time But I passe these circumstances come to the point of forsaking it selfe In the unfolding whereof I wil shew 1 In what sense Christ was forsaken 2 In what parts hee was forsaken 3 Upon what ground And 4 To what end all this forsaking of Christ was For the first forsaking is nothing else but when God leaves the creature to it selfe either in regard of comfort or of grace and assistance I will shew you how Christ was leâ—t of his Father and how he was not leâ—t 1 Hee was not forsaken in regard of Gods love for my Father loveth me saith he because I give my life for my sheepe God never loved Christ more then now because hee was never more obedient than at this present 2 Nor in regard of Vnion for there was no separation of his divine nature from the humane there was a suspension of vision indeed hee saw no comfort for the present from God but there was no dissolution of Union for the divine nature did many things in this seeming forsaking that was it which supported his humane nature to suâ—taine the burthen of our sinnes and the wrath of God as also that gave merit and worth of satisfaction to his sufferings 3 Neither was this forsaking in regard of grace as if faith or love or any other grace were taken from Christ Oh no for hee beleeved before he said My God my God Would hee have committed his dearest jewell into the hands of God if hee had not beleeved in him How then was Christ forsaken 1 In regard of his present comfort and joy hee could not else have beene a sacrifice for as wee cannot suffer by way of conformity to Christ unlesse there be some desertion that wee may know the bitternesse of sin no more could Christ have suffered for our iniquities had there not beene a suspension of light and comfort from his gracious soule 2 He was not onely privatively deprived of all joy and happinesse but positively hee felt the wrath and fury of the Almighty whose just displeasure seazed upon his soule for sinne as our surety All outward comforts likewise forsooke him the Sunne withdrew his light from above and every thing below was irksome to him He suffered in all the good things he had body soule good-name in his eyes eares hands c. hee was reproached proached and forsaken of all comforts about him Hee had not the common comfort of a man in misery pity none tooke compassion upon him hee was the very object of scorne But in what part was Christ forsaken In all both in body and soule too as may plainly appeare First because hee was our Surety and wee had stained our soules bodies too offending God in both but in soule especially because that is the conâ—river of all sinne the body being but the instrument Some sinns we call spirituall sinnes as pride malice infidelity and the like these â—ouch not the body yet are the greatest sinnes of all other Secondly if he had not suffered in his Soule the sense of Gods displeasure why should he thus cry out when as the poor theeves that suffered by him made no such exclamation If he had suffered in body onely the sufferings of Paul and Moses had beene more for they wished to be separated from the joyes of heaven out of a desire to promote Gods glory on earth therefore it was hee saith in the Garden My soule is heavy unto death Some will grant that Christ suffered in soule but say they it was by way of sympathie for there are sufferings of soul immediately from God and sufferings by way of sympathie and agreement with the body when as the soule hath a fellow feeling of thâ— torments thereof and so Chrisâ— suffered in soule indeed That is not all beloved but there were immediate sufferings even of his soule also which he groaned under God the Father laid a heavy stroake upon that Hee was smitten of the Lord and when God
deales immediately with the soule himselfe fils it with his wrath no creature in the world is able to undergoe the same None can inflict punishment upon the soule but GOD onely Sathan may urge and presse arguments of discouragement and affright us with Gods displeasure but the inflicting of anger upon the soule issues immediately from the hand of the Almighty Wee must here therefore consider God as a righteous Judge sitting in heaven in his judgement seate taking the punishment of the sinnes of all his people upon Christ there was a meeting together of all the sinnes of the faithfull from Adam to the last maÌ„ that shal be in the world as it were in one point upon him and the punishment of all these was laid on his blessed shoulders who suffered for them in both body and soule But how could Christ bee forsaken of God especially so forsaken as to suffer the anger of his father being an innocent person I answer First the Paschall Lambe was an innocent creature yet if the Paschall Lambe be once made a sacrifice it must be killed though Christ were never so unblameable yet if he will stoope to the office of a surety he must pay our debt and doe that which we should have done If a Princes sonne become a surety though his father love him and pitty him never so much yet he will say Now you have taken this upon you you must discharge it Secondly as in naturall things the head is punished for the fault of the body so Christ by communicating his blessed nature with ours made up one mysticall body and suffered for us But upon what ground should Christ become our surety 1 Because he was able to discharge our debt to the uttermost hee was more eminent then all mankinde having two natures in one the manhood knit to the Godhead 2 Christ most willingly gave himselfe a sacrifice for us 3 He was designed and predestinated to this office yea he was anoynted set out and sealed for this businesse by God himselfe and is not this sufficient ground why he should become our surety especially if we consider 4 That Christ tooke the communion of our nature upon him for this very end that hee might bee a full surety that his righteousnesse being derived to us and our guilt to him Gods wrath might be satisfied in the self-same nature that offended You see in Societies and Cities if some people offend the whole City is oâ—tentimes punished though perhaps many are guiltlesse in it yet by reason of the communion all are punished so likewise a Traitors son that never had any hand in his fathers sinne but behaved himselfe as an honest subject should doe yet having communion with the person of his father being indeed a peece of him is thereupon justly dis-inherited by all Law But how could Christ take our sinnes upon him and not be defiled therewith He tooke not the staine of our sinnes but the guilt of them Now in guilt there is two things 1 A worthinesse and desert of punishment 2 An obligation and binding over thereunto Christ tooke not the desert of punishment upon him from any fault in himselfe hee tooke whatsoever was poenall upon him but not â—ulpable as hee was our surety so hee every way discharged our debt being bound over to all judgements and punishments for us Now wee owe unto GOD a double debt 1 A debt of obedience and if that faile 2 A debt of punishment And both these hath Christ freed us from First by obeying the will of his Father in every thing and secondly by suffering whatsoever was due to us for our transgressions Some Heretickes that would shake the foundatioÌ„ of our faith will grant Christ to be a Mediator to intercede for us and a Redeemer to set us at liberty from slavery c. but not to be a surety to pay out debt by way of satisfaction to God for us Let such remember that Gods pleasure to redeeme lost mankinde is not so much by way of power and strength as by way of justice and therefore Hebr. 7. 22. it is said Christ is become oâ—r sarety and Paul when he became a Mediator to Philemon for Onesimus a fugitive servant did it by way of surety If hee owe thee any thing I will discharge it And Christ Jesus our Mediatour blessed for ever so intercedeth unto GOD for us as that hee fully satisfies his justice for our offences But why was Christ thus forsaken of his Father To satisfie God for our forsaking of him Christs forsaking was satisfactory for all our forsakings of God beloved we all forsâ—oke God in Adam and indeed what doe we else in every sinne wee commit but forsake the Lord and turne to the Creature what are all our sinnes of pleasure profit ambition and the like but a leaving of the fountaine of living waters to fetch contentment from broken Cisternes But Christ was chiefly forsaken that hee might bring us home againe to God that there might be no more a separation betwixt his blessed Majesty and us Some shallow heretikes there are that would have Christ to be an example of patience and hâ—linesse in his life and death and doe us good that way onely Oh no beloved the maine comfort we receive from Christ is by way of satisfaction there must bee first grace and then peace in our agreement with God Sweetly saith Bernard I desire indeed to follow Christ as an example of humility patience selfe denyall c. and to love him with the same affection that he hath loved mee but I must eat of the Passeover Lamb that is I must chiefly feed oâ— Christ dying for my sinnes So every true Christian soule desires to follow Christs obedience humility patience c. and to bee transformed into the likenesse of his blessed Saviour Whom should I desire to be like more than him that hath done so much for me But yet the main comfort I receive from Christ is by eating his body and drinking his blood my soule feedes and feasts it selfe most of all upon the death of Christ as satisfying for my sinnes And what a comfort is it that Christ being our surety hath made full satisfaction for all our sinnes surely wee shall never bee finally and wholly forsaken because Christ was forsaken for us Now wee may thinke of GOD without discomfort and of sinne without dispaire Now we may thinke of the law of death the curse and all and never be â—errified Why Christ our surety hath given full content to divine justice for wrath and law sinne and câ—rse c. they are all linckes of one chaine and Christ hath dissolved them all Now sinne ceaâ—eth wrath ceaseth the Law hath nothing to lay to our charge deaths sting is pulled out how comfortabley therefore may wee appeare before Gods tribunall Oh beloved when the soule is brought as low as hell almost then this consideration will bee
for theÌ„ why did he cry out My God my God c. Sight was due to him from his Incarnation in himselfe considered not as our sâ—rety Now that which made a stopp of the influence of comfort to his soule was that he might fully suffer for our sinnes that hee might bee humbled and â—empted and suffer even death it selfe Therefore in regard of the state of humiliation there was faith in him faith of dependance thâ—re was hope in him and he made great use therof to support himselfe But what supported the faith of Christ in this woefull rufull estate he was in being forsaken of God as our Surety Christ presented to his faith these things The unchangeable nature of GOD My God c. Whom he once loves hee loves to the end therfore he layes claime to him Thou hast beene my God heretofore and so thou art stâ—ll Againe faith presented to the soule of Christ Gods manner of dealing he knew well enough that God by contraries brings contraries to passe Hee brings to heaven by the gates of hell hee brings to glory by shame to life by death and therefore resolves notwithstanding this desertion I will depend upon my God Againe Christ knew well enough that God is nearest in support when he is furthest off in feeling so iâ— is ofâ— where hee is nearesâ— the inward man to strengthen it with his love he is furthest off in comfort to outward sense To whom was God nearer than Christ in support and sanctifying grace and yet to whom was he further off in present feeling Christ knew that there was a secret sense of Gods love a sensible sense of Gods love he had a secret sense of God that hee was his Father because he knew himselfe to be his Sonne but he had it not sensibly Faith must bee sutable to the thing beleeved Now Christ in saying my God suites his faith to the truth that was offered to him he knew GOD in the greatest extremitie to bee nearest at hand Be not farre off for trouble is neare c. This should teach us in any extremity or trouble to set faith on worke and seed faith with the consideration of Gods unchangeable nature and the unchangeablenesse of his promises which endure for ever we change but the promise changeth not and GOD changeth not My God still The word of the Lord indureth for ever GOD deales with â—is people in a hidden maner hee supports with secret though not with sensible comfort and will bee nearest when he seemes to be furthest off his Children I beseech you acquaint your selves with these things and thinke it not strange that GOD comes neare you in desertions considering that it was so with Christ present to thy soule the nature of GOD his custome and manner of dealing so shalt thou apprehend favour in the middest of wrath and glory in the middest of shame we shall see life in death we shall see through the thickest Clouds that are betweene GOD and us for as God shines in the heart in his love secretly through all temptations and troubles so there is a spirit of â—aith goes backe to him againe My God my God for faith hath a quicke eye and seeth through contraries There is no cloud of griefe but faith will pierce through it and see a fathers heart under the carriage of an enemy Christ had a great burden upon him the sinnes of the whole world yet he breakes through all I am now sinne I beate the guilt of the whole world yet under this person that I sustaine I am a sonnâ— and God is my God still notwithstanding all this weight of sinne upon mee And shall not wee beloved say My God in any affliction or trouble that befals us oh yes In the sense of sinne which is the bitterest of all and in the sense of Gods anger in losses and crosses in our families c. let us break through those clouds and say My God still But you will say I may apprehend a lie perhaps God is not my GOD and then it is presumption to say so Whosoever casts himselfe upoÌ„ GOD out of the sense of sinne to be ruled by God for the time to come shall obtaine mercy Now dost thou so doth thy conscience tell thee I cast my selfe up on God for better direction I would be ruled as GOD and the Ministery of the Word would have mee hereafter If so thou hast put this question out of question thou doubtest whether ther God be thy God I tell thee God is the God of all that seck him and obey him in truth but thy conscience tels thee thou dost this certainly then whatsoever thou wert before God is now before hand with thee hee offers himselfe to bee thy God if thou trust in him and wilt be ruled by him and not onely so but he intreats us we should beseech him but he intreates us such is his love nay he coÌ„mands us to beleeve in his Sonne Jesus CHRIST Now when I joyne with Gods intreatie Oh Lord thou offerest thy selfe thou invitest mee thou commandest me I yeeld obedience and submit to thy good word then the match is stricken and made up in doing so God is thy God and Christ is thy Christ and thou must improve this claime and interest here in all the passages of thy life long Lord thou art my God therefore teach me thou art my GOD I have given my self to thee I have set up thee in my heart above all things thoâ— art in my soule above all sinne above all profits and pleasures whatsoever therefore save mee and deliver mee have pitty upon me c. The claim is good when we have truely given our selves up to him else Goâ— may say Goâ— to the gods you have served 〈◊〉 were your gods for whom you cracked you consciences â—â—ches and pleasure were your gods goe to them for succour Oh beloved it is a harder matter to say My God in the middest of trouble than the world takes it there was a great conflict in Christ when he said My God when he brake through all molestations and temprâ—â—â—ons of Sathan together with the sense of wrath and could say notwithstanding My God there was a mighty strong spirit in him But no wonder faith is an Almighty grace wrought by the power of God and laying hold upon that power it layes hold upon Omnipotency and therefore it can doe wonders it overcomes the invincible God hee hath made a promise and cannot deny his promise hee cannot deny himselfe and his truth put case his dealing be as an enemy his promise is to bee as a friend to those that trust in him he is mercifull forgiving sinnes his nature now is such satisfaction to his justice makes him shew mercy I speake this that you might beg of God the gift of faith which will carry you through all temptations and afflictions yea even through the shadow of death as David faith
incouragement from him Indeed he was a man of speciall use and service and as he honored God in his life so God hath honored him in his death as you may see by this honorable assembly of worthy people met in love to him His death was as the death of strong men useth to be with conflicts betweene nature and his disease but with a great deal of patience and in his sicknesse time hee would utter Pauls disposition Oh saith he You keepe me from heaven you keepe me from glorie being displeased with those that kept him alive with conference out of love Hee had a large heart to doe good for though hee were fruitfull and studied to be fruitfull yet oft in his sicknesse in a complaining manner hee would say Oh I have not beene so wise for my owne soule as I ought to be I have not beene provident enough in taking opportunities of doing and receiving good Beloved shall such a man as he was so carefull so fruitfull so good shall he complaine thus what shall a company of us do Beloved those that have warmed their hearts at the fire of Gods love they thinke zeale it selfe to be coldnesse and fruitfulnesse to be barrennesse Love is a boundlesse affection hee spake not this from want of care but love knows no bounds therefore hee tooke the more opportunities of doing good Well I beseech you beloved let not this example Passe without making good use of it God will call us to a reckoning not only for what we heare but for what we see he will call us to a reckoning for the examples of his people therefore as wee see here what a holy disposition was in St. Paul and in this blessed man now with God so let us labour to finde the same disposition in our selves Paul hath now his desire hee is dissolved and he is with Christ that is best of all This holy man hath his desire he desired not to be kept from his glory and happinesse on which his mind was set before let us therefore labour with God in the use of good meanes to have the same disposition And in this moment let us provide for eternitie out of eternitie before and eternitie after issueth this little spot of time to doe good in Let us sow to the spirit account all time lost that either we doe not or take not good in opportunitie is Gods Angel time is short but opportunitie is shorter let us catch at all opportunities this is the time of working oh let us sow now shall we goe to sowing then when the time comes that wee should reap some begin to sow when they die that is the reaping time while we have time let us doe all good especially where God loves most to those that are good Consider the standings and places that God hath set us in consider the advantages in our hands the price that wee have consider opportunitie wil not stay long let us therfore doe all the good wee can and so if we doe beloved we shal come at length to reape that that this blessed Saint of God Saint Paul here in the text and this blessed man for whose cause we are now met doe enjoy Therefore if wee desire to end our dayes in ioy and comfort let us lay the foundation of a comfortable death now betimes To die well is not a thing of that light moment as some imagine it is no easie matter But to die well is a matter of every day let us daily doe some good that may helpe us at the time of our death every day by repentance pull out the sting of some sin that so when death comes we may have nothing to doe but to die to die well is the action of the whole life he never dies well for the most part that dies not daily as Paul saith of himselfe I die daily he laboured to loose his heart from the world and worldly things if we loose our hearts from the world and die daily how easie will it be to die at last he that thinks of the vanity of the world and of death of being with Christ for ever and is dying daily it will be easie for him to end his daies with comfort but the time being past I will here make an end Let us desire God to make that which hath been spoken effectuall both concerning Paul and likewife concerning this blessed man for whose cause we are met together FINIS CHRISTS SUFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE Laid open in a Passion Sermon at Mercers Chappell London vpon Good Friday By R. SIBBS D. D. Isay. 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are wee healed LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1634. CHRISTS SVFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE MATH 27. 46. About the ninth houre Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Ely Ely Lamasabac-thany that is to say My God my God wâ—y hast thou forsaken me THâ— dying speeches of men of worth are most remarkeable at that time they stirre up all their spirits abilities which remaine that they may speake with greatest advantage to the hearts of others and leave the deeper impression behind them These be some of the last words of our blessed Saviours uttered from the greatest affection with the greatest faith and to the greatest purpose that ever any words were spoken and therefore deserve your best attention In this Portion of Scripture you have Christs Compellation My God and his Complaint Why hast thou forsaken me A compellation with an ingemination or reduplication of the words My God my God to shew the strength of his affection and desire of help at this time A complaint by way of exposâ—ulation Why hast thou forsaken me I will draw all that I have to say into these foure propositions 1 That Christ was forsakenâ— 2 That hee was very sensible of it even unto complaint Why hast thou for saken me 3 His disposition and carriage in this extremity his faith failed not My God my God his present griefe tyed him the closer and faster to his God 4 Neither was it onely faith but a faith flaming in prayer wherby hee expressed that God was his God Hee not onely prayed but cryed to him My God my God c. This is the summe of what I intend Christ being in extremity was forsaken Being forsaken hee was very sensible of it and from sensiblenesse complaines powring out his soule into the bosome of his Father And not onely complaines but beleeves certainly that his Father will helpe him And to strengthen his faith the more he puts it forth in prayer the fire of faith in his heart kindled into a flame of prayer and that not in an ordinary manner but in strong supplications he cryed out My God my God why hast thou for saken me To come to the particulars Christ was forsaken I will briefly
sweete that Christ was forsaken as a surety for mee Christ overcame sinne death Gods wrath and all for mee in him I triumph over all these what welcome newes is this to a distressed sinner â— when ever thy souâ—e is truly humbled in the sense of sinne looke not at sinne in thy conscience thy conscience is â— bed for another to lodge in but â—t Christ if thou bee a broken-hearted sinner see thy sinnes in Christ thy Saviour taken away see what hee hath indured and suffered for them see not the Law in thy conscience but see it discharged by Christ see death disarmed through him made an entrance into a better life for thee whatsoever is ill see it in Christ before thou seest it in thy selfâ— and when thou beholdest it there see not only the hurt thereof taken away but all good made over to thee for All things worke together for the best to them that love God The Devill himselfe death sinne and wrath all helpe the maine the poyson and mischiefe of all is taken away by Christ and all good conveyed to us in him we have grace answerable to his grace Hee is the first seate of Gods love and it sweetens whatever mercy wee enjoy that it comes from the fountaine God the father through Christ unto us I beseech you imbrace the comfort that the Holy Ghosâ— affords us from these sweet considerations Againe in that Christ waâ— forsaken and not onely so but indured the displeasure and immediate wrath of God seazing upon his soul filling his heart with anguish at this time wee may learne hence 1 In what glasse to looke upon the ugly thing sinne to make it more ugly unto us Beloved if we would conceive aright of sinne let us see it in the Angelsâ—umbled â—umbled out of heaven and reserved in chains of darknesse for offending God see it in the casting of Adam out of Paradise and all us in him see it in the destruction of the old world and the Iewes carryed to captivity in the generall destruction of Ierusalem c. but if you would indeed see the most ugly colours of sinne then see it in Christ upoÌ„ the Crosse see how many sighâ—â— and groanes it cost him how bitter a thing it was to his righteous soule forcing him to weep teares of blood and send forth strong cryes to his Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee If sinne but imputed to Christ our surety so affected him that was God-man and lay so heavy upon his soul what will it doe to those that are not in Christ certainly the wrath of God must needs burn to hell he wil be a consuming fire to all such See â—inne therefore chiefly in the death of Christ how odious it is to God that it could bee no otherwise purged away than by the death of his beloved Sonne Al the Angels in heaven and all the creatures in the world could not satisfie divine iustice for the least sinne If all the agonies of al creatures were put into one it were nothing to Christs Agonie if all their sufferings were put into one they could not make satisfaction to Divine Justice for the least sin Sinne is another manner of matter than we take it to be see the Attributes of God his anger against it his justice and hâ—linesse c. Beloved men forget this they think God is angry against sinne indeed but yet his Justice is soone satified in Christ. Oh we must thinke of the Almighty as a Holy GOD separated from all staine and pollution of sinne whatsoever and so holy that he inforced a separation of his favour from Christ for becoming our surety and Christ underwent a separation from his Father because he undertooke foâ— us so odious is sinne to the holy nature of God that hee left his Sonne while hee strugled with his wrath for it and so odious was sinne to the holy nature of Christ that hee became thus a sacrifice for the same And so odious are the remainders of sin in the heaâ—ts of the Saints that all that belong to God have the Spirit of Christ which is as fire to consume and waste the old Adam by little and little out of them No uncleane thing must enter into heaven Those that are not in Christ by faith that have not a shelter in him must suffer for their transgressions eternally Depart yee cursed into everlasting fire so holy is God that he can have no society and fellowship with sinners Doe you wonder why GOD so much hates sinne that men so little regard not onely the lewd sort of the world but common dead-hearted persons that set so little by it that they regard not spirituall sinnes at all especially hatred malice pride c. cloathing themselves with these things as a comely garment Certainly you would not wonder that God hates sinne if you did but consider how sinne hates God what is sinne but a setting of it selfe in Gods room a setting the devill in Gods place for when wee sinne wee leave God and set up the Creature and by consequence Sathan that brings the temptatioÌ„ to us setting him in our hearts before God Beloved God is very jealous and cannot indure that filthy thing sinne to bee in his roome sinne is such a thing as desires to take away God himselfe Aske a sinner when hee is about to sinne Could you not wish that there were no God at all that there were no eye of heaven to take vengeance on you Oh I with all my heart and can you then wonder that God hates sinne so when it hates him so as to wish the not being of God oh marvell not at it but have such conceits of sinne as GOD had when hee gave his Sonne to dye for it and such as Christ had when in the sense of his Fathers anger hee cryed thus My God my God c. The deeper our thoughts are of the odiousnesse of sinne the deeper our comfort and joy in Christ will bee after therefore I beseech you work your hearts to a serious consideration what that sinne is that we cherish so much and will not be reproved for and which wee leave GOD and heaven and all to imbrace conceive of it as God doth that must bee a Judge and will one day call us to a strict account for the same If Christ cryed out thus My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as being our surety for our sinnes we may see what to conceive of sinne and of GOD the better But above all things I desire you to see often in this glasse in this booke of Christ crucified it is an excellent booke to study the mercy of God and the love of Christ the heighth and depth and bredth of Gods love in Jesus Christ which hath no dimensions What set God on worke to plot this excellent worke of our salvation and redemption by such a surety was it not mercy did not that awaken wisdome
yet they are as dead flesh unmoveable therefore Why should I smite them any longer c. saith GOD. This comes from 3 grounds 1 From pride when men thinke it a shame for such Romane spirits as they are to stoope Or from hypocrisie when they will not discover their griefe though their conscience be out of tune Or else out of stupid blockishnesse which is worst of all when they are not affected with the signes of Gods wrath It is a good thing to bee affected with the least token of Gods displeasure when we can gather by good evidence that GOD hath a quarrell against us you see how sensible Christ was and so will it with bee us if wee get not into him betimes we â—hal be sensible of sin one day whether we will or no coÌ„science is not put in us for nought you may stupifie and stifle the mouth of Conscience with this or that tricke now but it will not bee so for ever it will discharge its office and lay bitter things to our charge and stare in our faces and drive us to despaire one day sinne is another matter when it is revealed to Conscience than we take it howsoever we goe blockishly and stupidly on now It is sweet in the temptation and allurement but it hath an ill farewell and sting If wee could judge of sinne as we shall doe when it is past especially when we come to our reckoning at the houre of death and at the day of Judgement then wee would bee of another minde then wee would say that all sinners as the Scripture termes them are fooles But to goe on Christ we see expresseth his sensiblenesse by complaint My God my God why hast thou for saken mee Here some Cautions must bee rendred that wee doe not mistake Christ complaines notâ— of God but to God Was Christ ignorant of the cause of Gods forsaking him No hee knew the cause for his sufferings were intolerable but taking our nature upon him he takes our speech also and expresseth himselfe like to a miserable man having the greatest affliction that ever was upon a Creature The divine nature of Christ stopped the excesse of any passion he was turbated but not perturbated hee was moved with the sinnes of men but not removed hee was as water in a cleare glasse there is nothing but water though you stirre it never so much if there were mudd in it it would soâ—one bee uncleane wee cannot stirre our affections and complain but with a tincture of sinne it was not so with Christ hee knew when to raise and when to allay his affections and though there were much nature in these affections a naturall shunning of griefe and a naturall desire of Gods presence yet here was grace to direct and sanctifie the same for nature sometimes carries grace with a stronger winde more fully when they goe both in one current as here It was grace to have the love of GOD yea it was death to be without it and it was sinlesse nature to desire ease for without sinne nature may desire ease so it bee with submission of it selfe to God For the soule may have divers desires as there are divers objects presented to it when the soule apprehends releafe and ease it rejoyces and is glad but when upon higher considerations and better ends there is paine presented to the soule to doe it good the soule may desire that and upon deliberation chuse that it refused before A man may have his hand cut off and cast his wares into the Sea that hee would not willingly doe yet when upon deliberation he considers I shall save my life by it hee will doe it So Christ by a naturall desire without sin might desire release of paine but when it was presented to him what shall become of the salvation of man and obedience to God then Vpon these considerations that respected higher ends there might be another choice so in things subordinate one to another one thing may crosse another and yet all be good too But you must know this likewise that â—orsaking and to bee sensible of forsaking is no sinne especially when it is not contracted by any sinne of ours it is a suffering but not a sinne and to be sensible of it is no sinne it is rather a sinne to bee otherwise affected God allowes those affections that hee hath planted in us he hath planted feare and forrow in presenting dolorous objects If a man doe not sorrow in objects of sorrow he is not a man after Gods making GOD allowes griefe and seare in afflictions and trouble alwayes remembring it be with submission to him Not as I will but as thou wilt Againe consider Christ was now in a conflicting condition betweene doubting and despaire the powers of hell being round about him Sathan as he was busie about him at the entrance into his office so hee was now vexing his righteous soule with temptations God hath for saken thee and this and that wee know not the malice of Sathan at such a time but certainly the powers of hell were all let loose then upon him The truth is God had a purpose to finish his sufferings presently upon his complaint and because hee will have us all receive what wee receive even Christ himselfe by prayer and opening our desires to him God suffers Christ to complaine and powre out his supplication into his bosome that presently after hee might be released of all seeing hee had now fully satisfied for the sinnes of man The Use of it in a word is this That God having stooped so low to poore creatures to be a father and a friend to them will suffer them familiarly as there is a great deale of familiarity in the spirit of adoption yet reverently to lay open their griefes into his bosome and reason the case with his Maiesty without sinne Why Lord am I thus forsaken what is the matter where are the sounding of thy bowels where are thy former mercies c. There is another kinde of familiarity betweene God and his Children than the world takes notice of yet withall remember they are not murmuring complaints but seasoned with faith and love as here My God my God still whence you see that Christ in his greatest extremities had a spirit of faith There is a question between the Papists and us about Christs faith they will have him to bee a comprehender and a traveller c. indeed hee needed no justifying faith to apply any thing froÌ„ without him because he had righteousness enough of his owne but yet to depend upâ— on God as his Father so hee had faith neither was he alway in the state of happinesse for that distinction is a confusion of the abasemeÌ„t of Christ his exaltatioÌ„ howsoever there was the happinesse of union the humane nature being alway united to the Godhead yet there was not alway the happinesse of visiâ—n he did not see the face of God
but will bee ruled partly by carnall wisedome and partly by the Spirit it leaves them at last altogether 3. But some there are who give up themselves wholly to the government of Christ to be ruled in all things by his blessd Spirit highly esteeming the treasures of heaven and comforts of a better life above all the fading outward felicities which this world can afford who would not to gaine any earthly thing hurt their consciences or once defile themselves with unfruitfull workes of darknesse fearing lest they should in any thing dishonour Christ or grive his good Spirit and to such only hath the Gospell come in power Therefore I beseech you seriously coÌ„nsider of this truth if you would not disobey the Gospell disobey not the Spirit accompanying the same deale faithfully with your owne soules Which of you al hath not some time or other had his heart warmed with the sweet motions of Gods Spirit Oh doe not resist these holy stirrings within you give way to the motions of the blessed Spirit of God second them with holy resolutions to practise the same let them sinke deepe into your hearts roote them there and never give over the holy meditation of them till you make them your owne till you come to see Grace and the state of Christianity to be the most amiable and excellent thing in the world sin carnall courses to bee the most accursed thing in the world worse than any misery than any beggery tormeÌ„t or disgrace whatsoever Beloved til we have our spirits wrought upon to this high esteeme of good things to a base undervaluing of all things else we shal rebell against Christ first or last for untill such time as the heart of maÌ„ is overpowred with Grace hee cannot but disobey the Gospel either by shutting it out altogether or by making an evill use of what he knoweth thereby turning the grace of God into wantonnesse or else by revolting from the truth received altogether When times of temptation come unfound Christians wil do one of these three either despise refuse or revolt from the truth Therefore I beseech you let your hearts be cast into the mould and fashion of the Gospell of Christ let it bee soundly bottomed and ingrasted in you that so you may grow more and more obedient to the truth revealed and so your end shal not be theirs here which obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ. But how may I come to obey the Gospell Begge earnestly of God in the use of the meanes else prayer is but a tempting of God that thy soule may bee convinced of what evill is in thee and what evill is towards thee unlesse thou repent Labour for sound conviction for you shall not need to stirre up a man that is condemned to seeke out for a pardon or a man that seeles the smart of his wound to get balme to cure it oh no when our hearts are once truly humb'â—d and pearced with a sight of our sinnes then Christ will bee Christ indeed unto us mercy is sweet at such a time any thing for a Saviour then and not before Therefore labour every day to see more and more into the venemous filthy nature of sin make it as odious to thy soule as possibly thou canst hearken to the voyce of conscience give it full scope to speake what it can that so thou maist fly to Christ. Consider how God plagueth us in this world for sinne how it fils us with feares and horrors causing our consciences to torment us and fly in our faces consider what threatnings are denounced against sinne and sinners for the time to come Consider the fearfull judgements of God upon others for sinne how it cast Adam out of Paradise the Angels out of heaven being so offensive to God that it could no otherwise bee expiated then by the death and blood shedding of the Lord Jesus I beseech you let your hearts dwel upon these things and consider with your selves how bitter you have found it to offend God though now it be a time of mercy Secondly coÌ„sider how the Gospell layes open Christ unto us this is his coÌ„mandement that we beleeve in the Lord Iesus he that coÌ„mands us to doe no murther not to â—teale c. commands us likewise to beleeve in Christ Hee commands us to love our owne soules so much as to take the remedy which may cure them so that now it is our duty to be good to our poore soules and wee offend God if wee bee not mercifull to our owne soules Oh what a favour is this that God should lay a charge upon me noâ—â—o reject my owne mercy as it is in Ionah They who follow lying vanities forsake their owne mercies If I doe not love my owne soule and accept of mercy offered I make God a lyar and offend his Majesty Againe consider how God allures those that might except against mercy Alas I am laden with sinne will some poore soule say why Come unto mee all you that are heavy â—aden and I will case you But I have offended God I have broken my peace c. yet I beseech you be reconciled to God though you have offended yet there is hope do but consider how ready God is to helpe you how continuall his mercies are and how he stretcheth out his hands to receive us Consider further what a sweet regiment it is to be under Christ as a King and as an Husband will hee not provide for his owne family for his owne Subjects Beloved it is not meere dominion that Christ stands upon he aymes at a Fatherly and Husband like soveraignty for the good of his children and Spouse it is their welfare he lookes after therefore I beseech you be in love with the government of Jesus Christ and his blessed Spirit oh it is a sweet regiment the Spirit of God leades us quietly inlightning our understandings upon judicious grounds what to doe by strength of reason altering our natures and bettering us every way both in our inward and outward man it never leaves teaching and guiding of us till it hath brought us to heaven and happinesse To conclude marke what the Apostle saith here What shall bee the end of those that obey not the Gospell he cares not what they know Many say we have heard the Word and wee have received the Sacrament c. it is no matter for that how stands the bent of your soules what hath your obedience beene this is that God lookes after every man can talke of religion but where is the practice a little obedience is worth all the discourse and contemplation in the world for that serves but to justifie Gods damning of us if we live not answerably value not your selves therefore by your outward profess oÌ„ neither judge of your estate in grace by the knowledge of good things nothing but the power of godlinesse expressed in our lives will yeeld reall comfort
our selves generally well in all our sufferings 2. In particular Wee must doe well to them that doe us wrong First I say in afflâ—ction our carriage must bee generally good in respect of God by a meeke behaviour under his hand without murmuring against him 2. In regard of the cause of God that wee betray it not through feare or cowardise through base aymes and intentions c. but indeavour to carry it with a good conscience in all things when wee make it cleare by managing any thing that wee are led with the cause and conscience of our duty it works mightily upon them that wrong us 1. It winnes those that are indifferent and 2. CoÌ„founds the obstinate and stops their mouthes Therefore let us carry our selves well not onely before but in suffering we may not fight against them with their owne weapons that is be malicious as they are malicious and raile as they raile Beloved this is as if a man should see another drinke poyson and hee will drinke too for company he is poysoned with malice and thou to revenge thy selfe wilt bee poysoned too What a preposterous course is this Ought wee not rather to behave our selves as befits the cause of Christ as becomes our Christian profession and as befits him whose children wee are Wee should have an eye to God and an eye to our selves and an eye to others and an eye to the cause in hand so wee shall doe well Wee must not commit our soules to God in idlenesse doing nothing at all nor yet in evill doing but in well doing We must have a care if wee would suffer with comfort not to study how to avoid suffering by trickes so to hurt the cause of Christ this is to avoid suffering by sinne to leape out of one danger into another Is not the least evil of sinne worse than the greatest evill of punishment What doth a man get by pleasing men to displease God perhaps a little ease for the present Alas what is this to that unexpressible horrour and despaire which will one day seise upon thy soule eternally for betraying the blessed cause and truth of Christ How can wee expect God should own us another day when we will not owne him in his cause and his members to stand for them now thinke on that speech of our Saviour Whosoever shall be ashamed of me or of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when hee commeth in the glory of his father Therefore avoid not any suffering by sinne see how blessed S. Paul carried himselfe in this case The Lord saith he hath delivered me and will deliver mee from what from death no from every evill worke What will God keepe him from evill sufferings No for immediately after he was put to death what then why hee will preserve mee from every evill worke that is from every sinfull act which may hurt the cause of Christ or blemish my profession this was it Paul chiefly regarded not whether hee will preserve mee from death or trouble I leave that to him but this I hope and trust to that he will preserve me froÌ„ every evill work to his heavenly kingdome Thus should it bee with every Christian in the cause of religion or in a cause of justice c. for there is not any good cause but it is worth our lives to stand in if wee bee called to it It is necessary wee should be just it is not so necessary wee should live A Christians main care is how to doe well and if hee can goe on in that course he is a happy man But I cannot doe well but I shall suffer ill Labour therefore to carry thy selfe well in suffering evill not only in the generall but even in particular towards those persons that doe thee wrong endeavour to requite their evill with good there is a great measure of selfe-deniall required to bee a Christian especially in matter of revenge to pray for them that carseus to doe good to them that persecute us c. and so heape coales of fire upon our enemies heads How is that There are 1 Coales of Conversion 2. Coales of Confusion You know Coales doe either melt or consume if they belong to God wee shall heape coales of fire to convert them and make them better by our holy carriage in suffering If they bee wicked gracelesse wretches we shall heape coales of fire to consume them for it will aggravate their just damnation when they doe ill to those that deserve wel of them Some will say Christianitie is a strange condition that enforceth such things upon men that are so contrary to Nature It is so indeed for we must be new moulded before ever wee can come to heaven wee must put off our whole selfe and he is gone a great way in Religion that hath brought his heart to this passe None ever overcame himselfe in these matters out of religious respects but hefound a good issue at last It is a sweet evidence of the state of grace none better when a man can love his very enemies and those that have done him most wrong it is an argument that such a man hath something above nature in him What is above nature if this bee not for a man to overcome himselfe in this sweet appetite of revenge Revenge is most naturall to a man it is as Sugar as the Heathen saith and for a man to overcome himselfe in that it argues the power of grace and godlinesse in such a one As Christianity is an excellent estate an admirable advancing of a man to a higher condition so it must not seeme strange for those that are Christians to bee raysed to a higher pitch of soule then other men Sâ—e how our Saviour dealt in this particular Father forgive them they know not what they doe and so likewise Stephen being led by the same spirit of Christ desired God not to lay this sinne to their charge and so all the Martyrs in the first state of the Church when the blood of Christ was warme and the remembrance of Christ was fresh were wont to pray for their enemies committing their soules to God in well doing I beseech you let us labour by all meanes possible to bring our hearts hereunto if any thing overcome this will doe it to suffer well The Church of God is a company of men that gaine and overcome by suffering in doing good Thus the Dove overcomes the Eagle the Sheepe overcomes the Wolfe the Lambe overcomes the Lyon c. It hath beene so from the beginning of the world meeke Christians by suffering quietly have at length overcome those that are malicious and have gained eveÌ„ their very enemies to the love of the truth What shal wee thinke then of the greatest part of the world who never thinke of suffering which is the first lesson in Christianity but study their ease and
free us from the hands of Sathan and bring us to an eternall estate of communion with himselfe in heaven for all the old heaven and the old earth shall passe away and the old condition of creatures and a new life shall bee given them God that made the new heaven and the new earth hath made us for them Considering therefore that God gave us our first being and when we were worse thaÌ„ naught gave us a second being in regard of our new creation how should it stirre us up to coÌ„mit our soules unto him especially if we consider that in him wee live and move and have our being that there is not the least thought and affection to goodnesse in us but it comes from God wee are what wee are by his grace What is the reason that love descends so much Because a man lookes upon that which is his owne and loves it now God lookes upon us as upon those into whom hee hath infused mercy and goodnesse and hee loves his owne worke upon us and therefore having begun a good worke will perfect the same Doe not men delight to polish their owne worke As in the first creation God never tooke off his hand till hee had finished his worke so in the second creation of our soules he will never remove his hand from the blessed worke of grace till hee hath perfected the same therefore wee may well commit our soules to him But suppose a man be in a desperate estate and hath no way of escaping Remember that God is the same still he hath not forgot his old Art of creating but is as able to helpe now as ever and can create comforts for thee in thy greatest troubles As in the first creation hee made light out of darknesse order out of confusion so still hee is able out of thy confused and perplexed estate to create peace and comfort Thou knowest not what to doe perhaps thy minde is so troubled and disquieted why commit thy soule to God hee can raise an excellent frame out of the Chaos of thy thoughts therefore be not dismayed consider thou hast God in covenant with thee and hast to deale with an Almighty Creator who can send present helpe in time of need Doest thou want any grace doest thou want spirituall life goe to this Creator hee will put a new life into thee he that made all things of nothing can raise light out of thy darke minde and can make fleshy thy sâ—ony heart though it be as hard as a rocke Therefore never despaire but frequent the meanes of grace and still thinke of God under this relation of a Creator and when hee hath begun any good worke of grace in thee goe confidently to his Majesty and desire him to promote and increase the same in thy heart and life Lord I am thy poore creature thou hast in mercy begun a blessed worke in mee and where thou hast begun thou hast said thou wilt make an end When thou createdst the world thou didst not leave it till all was done and when thou createdst man thou madest an end Now I beseech thee perfect the new creature in my soule as thou hast begun to inlighten mine understanding and to direct my affections to the best things so I commit my soule unto thee for further guidance and direction to full happinesse THE SAINTS SAFETY IN EVILL TIMES SERMON V. 1 PET. 4. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to him in well doing as to a faithfull Creator I Am now to treate of that other Attribute of GOD which should move us to trust in him namely as hee is a faithfull Creator Now God is faithfull 1. In his nature Hee is I AM alwayes like himselfe immutable and unchangeable 2. In his word Hee expresseth himselfe as he is the word that comes from God is an expression of the faithfulnesse of his nature 3. In his workes Thou art good and doest good as the Psalâ—ist saith God being faithfull in himselfe all must needs bee so that proceeds from him whatsoever Relation God takes upon him hee is faithfull therein As hee is a Creator so hee preserves and maintains his owne worke as hee is a Father hee is faithfull in discharging that duty to the full for his childrens good as bee is our friend hee likewise performes all the duties of that Relâ—â—ion c. And why doth God stoope so low to take these Relations upon him but onely to shew that hee will certainly accomplish the same to the utmost Whence is it that men are faithfull in their Relations one towards another that the father is faithfull to his childe is it not from God the chiefe Father That a friend should bee faithfull to his friend is it not from God the great friend All his wayes are mercy and truth they are not onely mercifull and good and gracious but Mercy and Truth it selfe If he shew himselfe to bee a father hee is a true father a true friend a true Creator and Protector as one saith Shall I cause others to feare and bee a Tyrant my selfe All other faithfulnesse is but a Beame of that which is in God Shall not hee bee most faithful that makes other things faithfull Now this faithfulnesse of God is here a ground of this duty of committing our selves to him and wee may well trust him whose word hath beene seven times tryed in the fire there is no drosse in it Every word of God is a sure word his truth is a Shield and Buckler wee may well trust in it therfore wheÌ„ you read of any singular promise in the New Testament it is said This is a faithfull saying c. that is this is such a speech as wee may trust to it is the speech of a faithfull Creator Considering therefore that God is so faithfull every way in his promises and in his deeds let us make especiall use of it Treasure up all the promises we can of the forgivenesse of sinnes of protection and preservation that hee will never leave us but be our God to death c. and then consider withall that hee is faithful in performing the same when we are affrighted by his Majesty and his justice and other Attributes then thinke of his mercy and truth He hath cloathed himselfe with faithfulnesse as the Psalmist saith In all the unfaithfulnesse of men whom thou trustest depend upon this that God is still the same and will not deceive thee When we have mans word wee have his sufficiency in minde for mens words are as themselves are What will not the word of a King doe If a man bee mighty and great his word is answerable This is the reason why wee should make so much of the word of God because it is the word of Ieâ—ovah a mighty Creatour who gives a being to all things and can onely bee Lord and Master of his word we know Gods meaning
feete carry me to such and such filthy places and abominable courses mine owne heart tels mee that I fight against thee my Creator with those very limbes and weapons which thou hast given me Beloved the conscience of this so stifles the voyce of a wilfull sinner that not withstanding he acknowledgeth himselfe to bee Gods creature yet hee cannot with any comfort plead for mercy at his hand in times of distresse But to a right godly man this is an argument of speciall use and consequence in the midst of troubles he may alleage this and it binds God to helpe him Wee see great ones when they raise any though perhaps there is little merit in them yet they call them their Creatures and this is a moving argument with such to polish their owne worke still and not to desert them Will it not be a prevailing argument with God then for a Christian to pleade with him Lord thou hast raised mee out of nothing yea out of a state worse than nothing I am thy poore Creature forsake not the work of thine owne hands We may see what a fearefull thing sinne is in Gods eye that the works of our hands should make God depart from the worke of his hands as hee will certainely doe at the day of judgement Depart you cursed c. though we bee his creatures yet because wee have not used those gifts and abilities which hee hath given us to serve his Majesty hee will not indure the sight of us in that day But that you may the better practise this duty of committing your soules to God take these directions First see that thou bee thy owne man it is an act of persons free to covenant our soules must bee ours before wee can commit them to God Naturally wee are all slaves to Sathan the Strong man hath possession of us and therefore our first care must bee to get out of his bondage to which purpose we should much eye the sweet promises and invitations of the Gospell alluring us to accept of mercy and deliverance from sinne and death as Come unto mee all you that are weary and heavy laden c. and so cast the guilt of our soules upon God to pardon first and then to sanctifie and cleanse that we may no more returne to folly but lead an unspotted life before him for the time to come It is therefore a silly course and dangerous which poore worldly wretches take who think Lord have mercy upon them will serve their turne and that God will certainly save their soules when as they were never yet in the state of grace or reconciliation with him nor never had any divorce made betweene them and their sinnes and consequently never any league betweene God and their soules to this day Beloved when once a man hath alienated his soule from God by sinne hee hath then no more command of it for the present it is quite out of his power Now when wee would commit our soules to God aright wee must first commit them to him to pardon the guilt of sinne in them when this is done God wil give us our soules againe and then they may truly bee said to bee our owne and not before It is the happinesse of a Christian that hee is not his owne but that whether hee live or die he is the Lords In the second place Wee must labour to finde our selves in Covenant with God that is to finde him making good his promises to us and our selves making good our promises to him For a man cannot commit himselfe to God unlesse hee finde a disposition in his heart to bee faithfull to him There is a passive fidelity and an active 1. Passive faithfulnesse is in the things that wee give trust unto as such a one is a sure trusty man therefore I will relye upon him 2. Active faithfulnesse in the soule is when we cast our selves upon a man that is trusty and depend upon him the more a man knowes another to be faithfull the more faithful hee will bee in trusting of him and thus wee must trust God if ever wee expect any good at his hands and our dependance on him bindes him to bee the more faithfull to us He is counted a wicked man indeed that will deceive the trust committed to him Trust begets sidelity it makes a good man the more faithfull when hee knowes hee is trusted Learne therefore to know thy selfe to be in covenant with God and to trust him with all thou hast traine up thy selfe in a continuall dependance upon him Hee that trusts God with his soule will trust him every day in every thing hee hath or doth hee knowes well that whatsoever he enjoyes is not his owne but Gods and this stirres him up to commit all his waies and doings to his protection esteeming nothing safe but what the Lord keeps He sees it is not in sinfull man to direct his owne steps and therefore resignes up his estate his calling his family whatsoever is neare and deare unto him to the blessed guidance and direction of the Almighty Oh thinkes he that I were in covenant with GOD that hee would owne mee for his and take the care of mee how happy should my condition then be He will likewise commit the Church and State wherein hee lives to God and strengthens his faith daily by observing Gods faithfull dealing with his people in every kinde How behovefull it is for Christians thus to inure themselves to bee acquainted with God by little and little first trusting him with smaller matters and then with greater how can a man trust God with his soule that distrusts him for the petty things of this life They that give to the poore are said to lend unto the Lord and if wee cast our bread upon the waters wee shall finde it againe Beloved hee that parts with any thing to relieve a poore Saint and will not trust God with his promise to recompence it againe but thinkes all is gone and hee shall never see it more c. exceedingly derogates from the truth and goodnesse of the Almighty who hath promised to returne with advantage whatsoever wee give that way Hee hath secret wayes of his owne to doe us good that wee know not of A man is never the poorer for that which hee discretly gives It is hard to beleeve this but it is much harder for a man to commit his soule to God when he dyes with assurance that he shall partake of mercy and bee saved at the last day Againe Take heed of these evill and cursed dispositions that hinder us from the performance of this duty as namely carnall wit and policy and carnall will and affection c. There is a great deale of selfe-denyall to be learned before wee can goe out of our selves and commit all to God ere we can cast our selves into his armes and lay our selves at his feet therefore take heed that wee be not ruled either by our owne
and labour to improve our Talents that when we give any thing to God we may say Lord according to the grace I have received I have kept it and therefore now returne it to thee againe Beloved when trouble of conscience comes when sicknesse and death comes what will become of a man that hath not this sweete acquaintance with God hee was a stranger to God in the time of prosperitie and God is now a stranger to him in adversitie Saul was a prophane spirited man hee did not acquaint himselfe with God in the time of his happinesse and therefore in time of distresse he goes first to the Witch and then to the sword poynt So fareth it with all wicked wretches in their great extremities no sooner doth any evill beâ—ide them or the least danger approach them let conscience never so little fliâ— in their faccs c. but presently they goe to cursed meanes and runne upon desperate conclusions Therefore as we desire to die even in Gods armes yeeld up our selves into the very hands of the Almighty with comfort let us daily inure our selves to this blessed course of committing our selves and all our wayes to him in doing good Come and see saith the Scripture Beloved if you will not beleeve me make tryall of this course a while did you once taste the sweetnesse of it how would your drooping spirits be cheared up Let a man continually keepe a good conscience and hee shall bee satisfied with peace at last Suppose hee meetes with danger and opposition in the world this may seeme harsh at the first ô but he shall know afterwards what it is to part with any thing for Christs sake to commit his cause or whatsoever hee hath unto God as to a faithfull Creator Then wee â—aste of God to the purpose when wee put him to it for God will not be indebted to us wee never finde such sweete immediate comfort from him as when wee deny our selves comfort of the Creature for his sake Little doe wee know what times may befall us there is much danger abroad and wee have cause to feare not farre from us It may bee the clouds even now hang over our heads Oh if wee would be hidd in the day of the Lords wrath have no evill come nigh our dwellings let us above all things in the world make sure our interest in Christ and title to the promise Wee should seeke to know God more and then wee would trust him more They that know thy name will trust in thee saith David Oh the blessed estate of a Christian that now he may bee acquainted with God that through Christ there is a Throne of Grace to flie unto I beseech you improve this happy priviledge and then come what will come famine come danger of warre or pestilence c. God will bee a Sanctuary and an abiding place to you A Christian carries his Rocke and sure defence about him I will bee unto them a little Sanctuary in all places saith God What a comfort is it to have a wall of fire still compassing us about a Sheild that our enemies must breake through before they can come at us Hee that trusts in God shall bee recompensed with mercy on every side it is no matter what dangers compasse him though hee be in the midst of death and hell or any trouble whatsoever if he commits himselfe to God in obedience out of good grounds of faith in his Word he shall be safe in the evill day THE TABLE A ABsence of Gods Spirit discourageth us in the way to salvation Part 1. Pag. 111 Affliction necessary 1. 16 17 It happens in the Sunsnine of the Gospell 1. 25 Small ones not regarded make way for greater 1. 27 Our carriage therein must bee good 1. 140 God will deliver his out of all 2. 94 How 2. 95 96 Godly afflicted more than others and why 1. 18 This discovers false brethren 2. 93 Art aggravates sinne 2. 7 Assurance of Gods love is to bee sought betimes 1. 197 Atheisme brings judgement 1. 28 Attributes of God are to be applyed to our selves 1. 17â— B A Christians best things are last Part 1. Pag. 47. Part 2. Pag. 196 Brethren thâ—â— are false discovered by affliction 2. 93 C Calamity in the common calamity the wicked dare not appeare 1. 122 Christianity contrary to nature 1. 145 Children of God are knowne by Gods correcting them 1. 46 The Devill their enemy 1. 107 These must be committed unto God 1. 232 Church of God is his house 1. 5 Why 1. 6 He provides for it 1. 7 Whether the English Church bee Gods house 1. 13 Proved 1. 14 The Church needs purging 1. 15 God clenseth it when need is 1. 17 It should severely punish sinne 1. 23 It is Gods Spouse 1. 80 Impregnable 2. 31 Commonnesse of sinne is a signe that it is ripe 1. 30 Conception of minde is like the body 2. 2 Conscience good feares not death 2. 189 Constancy in sinne to be shunned 2. 7 Correction shewes we are Gods Children 1. 46 Covenant wee must bee in Covenant with God 1. 187 Creator comfort from God as a Creator 1. 168 180 184 D Death is a departing 2. 184 How Paul desired it 2. 186 Not to bee feared by a Christian 2. 192 It may be desired by a wicked man but for some by-ends 2. 194 Our ends must be considered 1. 58 The death of the godly to be lamented and why 1. 209 211 Their deaths a signe of judgment approaching 1. 28. 2. 23 Deliberation in what things to bee used 2. 179 Deliverance we have dayly from God should cause us to glorifie him 2. 151 Desire what 2. 182 Despaire to be avoided 2. 101 Devill an enemy to Gods Children 1. 107 Diligent we are diligent to sinne 2. 7 Disobedience against the Gospell the greatest sinne why 1. 68 How knowne 1. 86 Division 1. 44 in a land is a forerunner of judgement 2. 29 Doctrine we should keepe sound that doctrine which was left us pure 2. 162 Doubting Romish doubting disallowed 1. 198 E End our end must bee considered 1. 58 Enemies to be prayed for 1. 146 147 Enemies of the Church represented two waies 2. 68 Envy snarles at greatnesse when joyned with goodnesse 2. 13 Eternity our desire of Gods glory should be carried to eternity 2. 158 Evill we must not plot to doe it 2. 48 The difference betwixt evill done and suffered 2. 113 Manifestation thereof aggravates it 2. 114 Examination of the grounds of Religion a meanes to escape judgement 1. 40 Examples of Governours prevaile much 2. 163 Experience of Gods care and love exprest we may collect the future â— 201. 2. 1â—â— F Faith it 's efficacy 1. 119 It takes hold by a little 1. 182 Active and Passive 1. 188 It is strengthened by deliverance 2. 129 It is a signe of our interest in heaven 2. 147 Faithfulnesse of God to bee trusted to 1. 177 He is faithfull 1. 171 Wee
souls Nay rather then those that belong to God shall want that which will drive them unto him God himselfe will bee a Lion unto them as unto Ephraim Hosea 5. 14. which made David pray O Lord rebuke mee not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy het displeasure Of all the troubles which a child of God undergoeth in his way to heaven these bring him lowest when the body is vexed and spirit troubled it is much but when God â—rownes when neither Heaven nor Earth yeelds comfort to a distressed soule no evill in the world is like to this Imagine the horrour and straits of such a soule when all things seeme against it and it selfe against it selfe as neare to the paines of the very damned in hell The reasons of this dispensation of God are 1. because we are so desperately addicted to present things and so prone to put conâ—idence in the arme of flesh that unlesse God driveth us from these holds by casting us into a perplexed estate wee shall never know what it is to live by faith in God alone when all other props are puld away and when the streame of things seeme crosse unto us That God therefore may traine us up to live the spirituall life of the just which is by faith in him when all else faile he suffereth us to fall into the Lions mouth that so our prayers which are the flame of faith may bee more ardent and peircing rather cryes than words Why cryest thou unto me faith God to Moses when was this even when hee knew not what way to turne him It was out of the depths that David cryed most earnestly unto God and Christ in the dayes of his flesh cryed unto God with strong cryes and teares in a deepe distresse and was also heard in that which he feared strong troubles force from the afflicted strong cryes even experience shewes in prosperity and a full estate how faint and cold the prayers and desires of men are 2. Besides it is meet that the secrets of mens hearts should bee discovered for when all is quiet we know not the falsehood of our owne hearts Some over-value their strength as Peter others underprize themselves and of the gifts and graces of Gods spirit in them thinking that they want Faith Patience Love who yet wheÌ„ God calleth theÌ„ out to the crosse shine forth in the eyes of others in the example of a meeke and faithfull subjection The wisdome of God therfore judgeth it meet that there should bee times of sifting that both the Church and our selves may know what good or ill is in us what soundnesse or loosenesse remaines in our hearts When therefore we are wanting in fanning our selves God in love takes the fanne into his hand It is likewife behoovefull that false Brethren may be discovered Afflictions are wel called tryalls because then it is known what metall men are made of whether Pure of Reprobate silver thinke it not strange then when our estate seemes desperate it is but with us after the manner of Gods dearest ones why should we have a severed condition from them Remember this that God as he suffers his children to fall into the Lions mouth so he delivers them out and that hee never leaves his especially in extremity but in fit case of soule to receive the greatest comfort and to render him the greatest glory for then it is knowne to be Gods worke our extremity is his opportunity God will especially shew himselfe at such a time and make it appeare that the Church stands not by mans strength When Christians are at a losse and know not which way to turne themselves then is God nearest hand and careth most for them And this the Lord doth both for the greater shame of those that contrive mischiefe when they make themselves sâ—rest to bring their wicked plots and purposes to passe then their designes are most frustrated As also to draw on others not yet called that they seeing Gods immediate care over his Church and children may come in and obtaine like protection and deliverance The manner how God delivereth his children out of the Lions mouth is divers 1. By suspending their malice for the time as in Noahs Arke the fiercenesse of the wilde creatures was stopt by Divine Power from preying upon the tamer so the Lions mouthes were stopt from preying upon Daniel in the Lions Den. 2. By stirring up one Lion against another as the Persians against the Baby lonians Grecians against Persians Romancs against the Grecians and the other barbarous nations as the Gothes and Vandals against them so whilst Lions spit their fury one upon another the Sheepe are quiet Thus the Turke and other enemies have kept Popish Princes from raging and tyrannizing over the Church to the height of their malice 3. By casting something unto these Lions to divert them another way from their intended prey as when a man is in danger a Dogge is cast unto the Lion Thus when Saul was ready to devoure David the philistines made a breach upon him invaded the Land and turned his fury another way 4. By altering and changing Lions to be Lambes as when Paul was set upon havock and mischiefe God by changing his heart gave the Churches cause to glorifie God for him of whom before they were most affraid 5. God shewes himselfe a Lion to these Lions by breaking their teeth and Jaw-bones striking them with sudden and fearefull judgement as Herod and the persecuting Emperors and as in 88 when God with his foure windes fought for us against the enemies of his truth 6. By making them Lions to themselves witnesse Achitâ—phel Saul and other such like enemies of Gods children 7. Againe God maketh them friends without changing their disposition by putting into their hearts some conceit for the time which inclineth them to favour as in Nehemiah God put it into the Kings heart to favour his people Esau was not changed onely God for the time changed his affections to favour Iacob so God puts it into the hearts of many groundedly naught to favour the best persons 8. Lastly God maketh his owne children sometimes Lions to their Adversaries for the Image of God shining in his children hath a secret Majesty in it and striketh an awe upon wicked men so Pharaoh at length could not endure to see Moses and Aaron any more and Foelix trembled whilst Paul disputed of temperance and judgement Thus we see the Lord knows how to deliver his and can if he will and will doe it in their extremities when is most â—or his glory his peoples comfort and confusion of his owne and their enemies never despaire therefore of thy selfe or the Church of God it shall rather than faile breed in the Lions den Paul salutes the Philippians from the Church in Caesars house a place in appearance little fitter for a Church than hell it selfe what though things seeme