Bethesda wherein lay many sicke and diseased there was wayting on euery side and happy was he that could step in first for he that stept in first after the stirring of the water was healed of what disease soeuer he had We haue a better poole theÌ„ the poole of Bethesda for the word of God is water of life and able to cleanse the soule body too if we step into it wheÌ„ it is stirred by the Angell of the Lord how often hath y e Lord by his Ministers stirred vp this water that we might be healed by it no small fauour no doubt But who waiteth for it who steppeth into it Nay who steppeth not from it rather who is cleansed by it and yet who hath not néede of it For none caÌ„ say his hart is cleane Now if we make no more reckoning of Gods loue and his loue tokens then thus shall not those sicke and diseased men of Bethesda rise vp in iudgement against vs no doubt they shall We thinke that whatsoeuer we want yet we are sure that God doth loue vs neuer make any reckoning of his loue tokens but we may be deceiued Dauid was not alwayes so sure for sometime he thought that the Lord had forgotten him sometime he thought that God had geueÌ„ him ouer to him selfe hereupon he cried out at one time how long shall thy wrath burne like fire for euer at another time he prayeth O take not thy spirite from me restore vnto me the ioy of my saluation by which pitifull cries it may appeare that he was halfe afrayde Therefore he was glad to take a loue token when it was offred him for when he was not sure of Gods loue towardes him he thought that God was angry with him and that was of all things most terrible vnto him and intollerable So must we if we wilbe sure that God is not angry with vs we must be sure that he fauoureth vs. If Gods people must be sure of Gods fauour towards them in Christ as Dauid teacheth then we must not stand in doubt of it as Papists do teach we haue no reason so to do For doth he call vs his sonnes and we call him our father that we should doubt of his loue Doth he call vs his friends his brethren his spouse his loue his doue and by all the names of loue that we should doubt of his loue Hath he kissed vs with so many kisses of his mouth hath he sent vs so many pledges of his loue hath he renewed his couenant so often hath he sealed it with the Sacraments and bound it with an oth and al this that we might doubt whether he doth loue vs or no Thus you sée one point of poperie ready to soune at the hearing of this doctrine If there be any Papist here that hath a mind to it let him take it vp make much of it for Gods people you sée care not for it they had rather know for a certaintie that God doth fauour them then to stand in doubt thereof To loue God and to be loued of God is all that God requireth of vs and all that we desire of God For if we loue him then we feare him we worship him we trust in him we heare him we obey him c. If he loue vs then he prouideth for vs all good things and preserueth vs from all that may hurt vs c. Our loue to him hath marks and so hath his to vs. God doth not loue vs and kéepe it from vs but he maketh it knowen that he loueth vs as Ionathan made his loue knowen to Dauid and as the father of the prodigal child made his loue manifest to his sonne when his affection was towards him By this I know that thou fauorest me saith Dauid because mine enemie hath â—ot triumphed against me When God doth deliuer vs from the haÌ„ds of our enemies or any trouble else we may perswade our selues thereby that he hath a fauour vnto vs as Dauid did But then it may be demaunded If God doth loue his Church why doth he suffer his Church to be troubled and molested with enemies The reason is this because by this meanes his loue may be made more manifest in sauing and deliuering them For as a sure friend is not knowen but in time of néede so Gods goodnesse and loue is neuer so well perceiued as it is in helping of vs wheÌ„ we cannot helpe our selues As Adams fall did serue to manifest Gods iustice mercie the one in punishing the other in pardoning of sinne which otherwise we had neuer knowne so the troubles of the Church serue to manifest 1. our desertes by reason of our sinnes 2. our weakenes and inabilitie to helpe our selues and 3. the louing kindnes of the Lord our God in sauing and defending that so we might be truly thankfull returne all the praise and glorie to God and none to our selues So that the Church of God may haue enemies and yet be still the beloued of God as Lazarus was beloued of Christ although he was sicke for whom the Lord loueth he correcteth and therefore he correctech them because he loueth them Now some men will say Oh I thankâ— God I am in prosperitie and I liue well out of all danger and trouble and I want nothing therfore I am sure God loueth me Againe such a one serueth God well I warrant you for you sée how he doth thriue and prosper in the world he is come vp of noâ—thing c. therefore no doubt God doth louâ— him this is the corrupt iudgement of blind worldlings which take all for gold that gliâ—stereth and thinke there is no other heaâ—uen but earth but these men deceiue themâ—selues and so many as listen vnto them for when God shall neuer visite vs with anie crosse but shall giue vs all things at our pleasure and let vs haue what we lust for it is a signe that he is angrie with vs then we are nearest to our destruction For as the oxe that is stall fed waxeth fat and the fatter he is the fitter he is for the butcher and the nearer he is to the day of slaughter so it â—areth with the wicked worldlings which neuer come vnder the crosse whose necks â—ould neuer abide the yoke of the word of God they are set vp a fatting for the butâ—her of hell and made ready against the day â—f slaughter which is the day of Iudgement when all these outward commoÌ„ and geneâ—all blessings shall tend to their greater coÌ„â—emnatioÌ„ They liue at ease in this life that â—hey may feele payne in the world to come â—hey haue their heauen here that they may â—aue hell hereafter The greatest iudgemeÌ„t â—f God that can be in this world is to let vs â—iue in securitie and to geue vs ouer to our â—wne harts lust And this is witnessed by many places of Scripture Aske Iob and he will iustifie this to be true for these are
loue one another to teach vs that if we loue not one another professing all the same Gospell w◠loue not Christ for he y t loueth him which begat loueth him also which is begottē and he that loueth the head must néedes loue the mēbers Now if we delight still in quarrelling and contending one with another in censuring and iudging one of an other for toyes and trifles in spiting and vexing in mistaking and misconstruing in racking and rending of wordes and halfe wordes if we continue still in bitternesse and wrath in mallice an enuie and will not be contēt to be curteous and louing and in the bowels of tender cōpassion fréely to forgeue as God for Christ his sake forgaue vs we may be sure we loue not God Againe if you loue me saith Christ doe good to the poore which you shall alwayes haue with you and looke what you do to them I will take it as if it were done to my selfe now if we be so straight laced against the poore as we haue bene and do not exercise the workes of mercy towardes them according to our abilitie how can we say that we loue God I meane not to be a proctour for the idle and slouthfull which can worke and will not for they ought not to eate and in Gods name let thē be driuen to worke or be seuerely punished for if you shall maintaine such when time shall serue they will cut your throats for that you haue to make you amends like Hanun who cruelly and shamefully entreated Dauids messengers when of curtesie and goodwill they were sent to visite him but reléeue while you may those that are impotent aged sickly diseased and labour hard for their liuing would worke if they had it sée to such I beséech you on Christs behalf and encourage the vertuous and godly amongst you you vse to say God helpe you I haue not for you a cold almes God knoweth but if God had suffred our enemies to triumph ouer vs thē we should haue said God helpe vs we haue neither for you nor for our selues therefore while you haue wealth and are able doe good withall do not be-lye the Lord that hath giuen you both for your selues for them too for in such time you may speake it that your wordes may proue truer then you wot of as it did with Ananias his wife who said they had no more left when they had as much more as they sold. Furthermore if we be assured that y e Lord doth loue vs in Iesus Christ we may be bold to pray without feare and not doubting that he will heare vs. Last of all this assurance of Gods fauour should bréed in vs a resolution to leaue all our odd shifts and deuises which we vse to liue by and to rely wholy vpon his prouidence vsing no meanes but good knowing that he which loueth vs will not see vs want any thing that he séeth good for vs. These things may trouble vs but if they do not triumph ouer vs by ouerruling vs thē we are beloued of God striue we then by faith and repentaunce against our affections and in the end we shall surely triumph in heauen for the Church can not be triumphant in heauen vntill it be militant on earth Now let vs pray THE SECOND SERMON OF THE ASSVRAVNCE OF GODS LOVE Nouember 21. Sabboth day By this I know that thou fauorest me c. THe Prophet Dauid careth not what enemies he hath nor how many he hath so that God be not his enemy he regardeth not what the Lord doth vnto him neither how he doth handle him so that he may be sure he doth it in his loue fauour towardes him and not in his wrath and displeasure therefore he prayeth Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy displeasure as if he should say I care not O Lord what y u doest with me in this life so that I may be sure of thy fauour and louing kindnesse This serueth to teach vs that when any trouble or affliction shall come vpon vs we must not so much looke vpon that and séeke to be eased thereof as to looke whether we be in fauour with God or no. And being sure of his fauour in his sonne Iesus Christ to arme our selues patiētly to beare the crosse whatsoeuer it be because whatsoeuer it is outward or inward it is layed vpon vs in loue not to hurt vs but to helpe vs forward in the wayes of godlynesse We will take any thing well at his handes of whom we are perswaded that he loueth vs for the assuraūce of his loue swalloweth vp and swéetly sendeth downe all the rest if he teach vs we take it if he admonish vs we are contented if he reproueth vs we put it vp if he iest with vs we are not gréeued yea if he smite vs we are not offended all is taken in good part because they come frō loue who neuer did hurt his beloued So God dealeth with vs his children he teacheth vs when we are ignoraunt he correcteth vs when we goe astray he admonisheth vs when we are vnruly he reproueth vs when we transgresse he threatneth vs when we are stubburne and he smiteth vs when there is no remedy but is his fauor and mercy he teacheth correcteth reproueth threatneth and smiteth his children that they might not be damned with the wicked world If he woundeth vs his fauour is oyle to cure the wounde if he sendeth floudes and seas of troubles the assuraunce of his fauour is like Noahs Arke to beare vs vp from drowning If his wrath shall burne like fire his fauour is water to coole the heate whereof Diues in hell could not get a drop if he send sicknesse either of body or minde the assuraunce of his fauour is a present remedy like the brasen Serpēt if he sendeth sorrow ouernight his louing fauour shall bring ioy in the morning and a ioyfull tidings like Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes are forgeuen thee If he chide vs his fauour that he beareth vnto vs will not suffer him to chide for euer if his wrath be kindled against his children his fauour puts out all againe if he sets vs vp as markes to be shot at he sets his fauour before vs with the assuraunce whereof we are defended as with a shield When he punisheth his childrē he pitieth them for he doth not punish them as an enemy but as a father therefore Dauid saith As a father hath compassion on his childrē so hath the Lord compassion on all those that feare him A fathers anger is rather loue then anger and his correction is to be compted rather a loue token then a punishment So is Gods anger towardes his children which feare him and keepe his couenaunts and therefore his correction is a loue token and no punishment Aske Salomon and he will tell you so nay the Lord himselfe will tell you
not all things yet he knew that God loued him and so long as he knoweth that he passeth not greatly for other matters how the world goeth with him c. And to say the truth he néede not for he that is sure of that is sure of all God loueth all his creatures as a good God and hateth nothing that he made but he loueth his elect children with a more special loue then y e rest as a father in Christ Iesus he that is sure that God doth so fauour him is sure I say of al. For to him whō God loueth he wil denie no good thing no not his owne sonne and if he gaue vs his sonne because he loued vs how shall he not with him giue vs all things els When the child is perswaded that his father loueth him he is bold to aske this that of his father so may we be bold to aske any thing of God our heauēly father that is good for vs when we be sure that he loueth vs. As Mary and Martha put Christ in minde but of two things the first was that Christ loued their brother Lazarus the second was that Lazarus was sicke He whō thou louest is sicke it was no néede to tell him what he should do for they knew he would do what might be done for him because he loued him So we may say to the Lord when we are sure that he loueth vs Lord he whō thou louest wanteth this or that for his body or his soule we néede not then appoint him what to do or whē or how for looke what he séeth most conuenient for vs for his owne glory he wil surely do it Therfore whatsoeuer Dauid knoweth he will be sure to know this whatsoeuer he be ignoraūt of yet of this he will not be ignoraūt To teach vs y t whatsoeuer we séeke to make sure this must first be made sure or els nothing is sure Peter bids vs make our election sure Iob when he saith I am sure that my redeemer liueth teacheth vs to make our redēption sure And here Dauid teacheth vs to make Gods fauour sure now if we make that sure thē our election is sure our redemption is sure our vocatiō is sure and our saluation is sure The suter desireth but the fauour of his beloued what doth the child desire of his father but fauour what doth the subiect séeke for of his Prince but fauour as Hester desired nothing but that the king would hold out his golden scepter to her in token of fauour what doth the prisoner craue but fauour And all these thinke thē selues in good estate if they may know that they be in fauour And shall not we thinke our selues sure whē we are sure that God doth fauour vs whose loue is aboue the loue of Princes aboue the loue of fathers and mothers yea aboue all loues Yea no doubt of it for if we make that sure then our Prince is sure our kingdome is sure our Cities are sure our bodies are sure our soules are sure and all is sure for who dare hurt or who can touch him whom God fauoreth they touch the very aple of his eye Shall we labour and trauaile to be sure of loue which is mutable not of that loue which is vnchaungeable mans loue is mixt with hatred and is commonly more like hatred then loue but Gods loue is perfect without any mixture whom men fauour they fauour for a while but whom God loueth he loueth to the end euen for euer Shal we then séeke for the scraps let the feast go shall we go the crickes whē we may go to the sea nay to filthy puddles when pure fountaines are by so we may soone proue as wise as Esaw that chaunged his birth right for right naught nay so we proue as foolish as Iudas that valued y e good-will of the Iewes aboue the loue of Christ but he gat nothing by it by that time he and the gallowes had reckned together Dauid makes more accompt of Gods fauour then of his kingdome yea then of victorie against his enemies as if he should say my foes do not triumph against me that is well for me but by this I know that thou louest me that is better We haue markes to know euery thing by sauing the loue of God but of that we thinke we are sure for we thinke so well of our selues that God must néedes loue vs whether we will or no as y t Papistes which set their good workes vpon the score make God indebted to them for their workes and therefore we regard neither the time when nor the place where nor the persons by whō nor the tokens by which the Lord doth offer to make his loue knowen vnto vs. When the seruaūts of Benhadad king of Aram went with ropes about their neckes to Achab king of Israel to entreat for their maisters life they gaue diligēt héede if they could catch any thing of Achabs mouth that might be a signe of fauour and when they heard him call Benhadad his brother oh how glad were they How did they play vpon that word how did they féede their hope vpon it they made hast and said Thy brother liueth The Lord hath greater aduantage against vs thē euer Achab had against Benhadad for he did flye from Achab so can not we from the Lord he did hide himselfe from Achab so can not we from the Lord Bēhadad had seruāts to send to king Achab but what spokesmen shall we send to the Lord we must come forth our selues Achab had power but against the body of Benhadad the Lord hath power against both our bodies and soules king Achabs power was subiect to the Lordes power but who shall withstand the Lordes power for his counsel shall stand If Achab had exercised his power vpō Benhadad it had bene but for a time but if the Lord should execute his wrath vpon vs if it were kindled yea but litle it would flame for euer now if we did consider these things well if we were asmuch afrayde of the king of heauen as they were of the king of Israell and if our miserable daungers and daungerous miseries did as nearely touch vs as theirs did touch them we would take as diligent héede to y e words of God as they did to the wordes of king Achab and we would be as glad to heare a word that might be as a token of fauour as they were but alas we do not consider we are not touched nor moued therfore when y e Lord doth by his messengers entreat vs to be saued wooe vs by all the names tokēs of loue we regarde not the Lord open our eyes to see in what a desperate case we stand and let vs make more reckening of Gods loue tokens then we do if not shall not the Aramites rise vp in iudgement against vs When the Angell came downe to stirre vp the poolé of
hotter then it was before yea they would haue sent vs Rehoboams message and his measure vz. that their litle finger should haue bene greater vpon vs then their loines were vpon them And whereas they did burthen them with a grieuous yoke they would haue made our yoke heauier and whereas they chastised them with rods they would haue corrected vs with scorpions if they had triumphed ouer vs as they made full accompt By this then we may know that the Lord loueth vs alas a nation not worthie to be loued because our enemies did not triumph against vs. Blessed be his name for euer But doth God loue none but those whom he deliuereth out of their enemies handes Yes surely that he doth for it is no matter how we be ouercome of our bodily enimies so that our spirituall enemies do not ouercome vs. For euerie Christian hath two sorts of enemies as Dauid had bodily and spirituall our spirituall enemies be our sinnes and the temptations of the world the flesh and the deuill which fight against the soule as S. Peter saith Now these do often trouble the children of God rebelling against them and many times leading theÌ„ captiues to the law of sinne yet finally they do not triumph against them because they do not willingly yéeld them selues to sinne with delight in sinne as the wicked do but they do coÌ„tinually striue against them by earnest prayer vnto God by hearing the word of God and by faith in Iesus Christ they are made more then conquerours in the end as S. Paule teacheth in his doctrine to the Rom. By this I knowe that thou fauourest me c. Without doubt the Prophet Dauid had néede of many blessings moe which the Lord did not bestow vpoÌ„ him but kept them back from him and all to humble him and yet he did not murmure against God for the want of them but gaue him thanks for those which he had alreadie receiued Although the Lord did not suffer him to take any rest because of his enemies yet he praiseth God because they did not triumph against him a good lesson for vs to learne WheÌ„ y e Lord shal afflict vs with any maner of affliction as losse of goods losse of friends losse of health or whatsoeuer else we should remeÌ„ber then what benefites we haue still which we are vnworthie of Then thus may Gods childreÌ„ say to God Though the Papists do molest vs and speake all euill of vs though our enemies séeke and sift vs yet they misse of their purpose and thou doest raise vp friends vnto vs. Though Athiests scoffers worldly beasts do â—out at thy preachers yet thou doest not let them discourage them whereby we know that thou louest vs. And hath the Lord taken away thy goods c. yet remember that he hath gâ—uen thée leaue to enioy thy sight thy spéech thâ— hearing thy vnderstanding thy wits his spirite c. all wich are more then thou deserâ—est and more then he doth for euerie one So we may say for matters of reformation although euery thing be not in all respectes as it should be and as if were to be wished yet let vs thaÌ„ke the Lord for these good things we haue Though the growth of the Church be yet hindred by many ignoraunt Ministers and idle nonresidents yet hath the Church many good Pastours and teachers to whom the porter Iesus Christ hath opened the doore and furnished with singular graces for the good of his Church Let vs thanke his Maiestie for them and not as some do which for the want of some things condemne all the things which we haue because the Church forsooth is not so purely purged as it ought to be therefore we haue no Church no Ministers no Sacraments c. as it please our schismatiques to affirme and therefore in a maâ— rage being carried with pride and tempestuous spirites whose glorie is altogether iâ— condemning their brethren they cry separate your selues come out from amongest theÌ„ as though we had nothing left amoÌ„gâ—t vs which might be a token of Gods fauoâ—r loue towardes vs. Ah my good brethreâ— is this to shew our selues thaÌ„kefull for that we haue receaued shall we acknowledge nothing good because all is not perfect we ought to striue orderly and lawfully I confesse vnto perfection if it may be that Zion may shine in perfect beautie But in y e meane while let vs feare that the Lord for our vnthankefulnesse and scornefull contempt will take away those good things which we haue before he giue vs any more If we should want nothing we should waxe waÌ„toÌ„ forget the Lord as Dauid did who thought wheÌ„ God had made him strong he should neuer be moued and therefore to humble vs and kéepe vs vnder the Lord still kéepeth somewhat from vs. But now let vs sée what vse we may make of all y t hath bene said we haue heard that y e Lord doth not onely loue vs but also that he maketh his loue knowen vnto vs by sauing vs from the cruell hands of our enemies this is no small matter for the Lord to bestow such loue vpon his enemies which deserue nothing but his hatred and heauie displeasure should not this make vs loue the Lord againe That we do will euery one be ready to say but if you loue me saith our Sauiour Christ kéepe my commauÌ„dements how is it now that we say we loue God and yet for the loue that he beareth to vs and we to him many will not leaue one iote oâ— their pleasure nor any vnlawfull gaine no nor a haire of their head by this we may be sure that we hate the Lord. The vsurer whoremonger will say they loue God so will the swearer and the drunkard say wheÌ„ their whole life is nothing but a warre against God You prophane y e Lords Sabboth and refuse to heare his word wheÌ„ it is preached and yet you will say you loue God a spitefull loue The scoffer at Religion and euery hypocrite will tell vs that he loueâ—h God or els it were hard when yet they will do nothing that God commaundeth them If you loue me saith Christ to Peter feede my flocke to shew that if Ministers féede not y e flocke of Christ with the foode of their soules the liuely preaching of the word they loue not Christ and yet both ignoraunt Ministers negligent Pastors carelesse non-residents will beare men in hand they loue God O cruell loue that suffreth meÌ„s soules to sinke downe to hell with their owne for whoÌ„ the Lord Iesus hath shed his bloud You Magistrats will say you loue God if you do so indéede let it appeare in couÌ„tenauÌ„cing his word when it is preached and encouraging his Ministers in reforming his Sabboth in suppressing of lewdnesse in vpholding of goodnesse and iudging iustly which if you do not by this you may be sure you loue not God If you loue me saith Christ
bring forth fruit in due season theÌ„ shall not our leaueâ— wither and that which we take in hand shall prosper vnto the full fruition and happy enioying of that his loue wherof he hath now giuen vs an assurance in his Sonne Iesus Christ. Read well and reape much poâ—â—esse your soules with patience and assist me with your prayers Your seruant for the Lord Iesus W. B. THE FIRST SERMON OF THE ASSVRAVNCE OF GODS LOVE Nouember 19. Psal. 41.11.12.13 By this I know that thou fauourest me because my enemy doth not triumph against me 12. And as for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and doest set me before thy face for euer 31. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel without end So be it euen so be it COncerning the author of this Psalme it was the Prophet Dauid who was both moued thereunto and guided therein by the holy Ghost and therfore we néed not doubt to receiue the doctrine thereof because he which is the spirite of truth neuer led any but to the truth The time when he made it was as it séemeth in y e 9. verse wheÌ„ Absalom aspiring to the kingdome like a monster in nature sought by the wicked counsell of that faithlesse counseller fained friend Achitophel to pull from his owne father the crowne vpon his head to lay his honour in the dust and his life in the graue No small teÌ„ptation either to blaspheme or to dispaire yet he did neither of both because God kept him from both but then eueÌ„ in that hard time of winter as we may call it bethought with him selfe how he might make his affliction an occasion of further profit to himselfe and the whole Church of God whereby it appeareth that no affliction is able to quaile the spirite of God in the godly but as oyle maketh the fire to flame out which before did but onely burne so with the godly when the outward man doth perish the inward man is renued and their afflictions doe make the spirite to flame out of theÌ„ to the good of others which before did but burne within them to their owne comfort Now for the matter of the Psalme In generall he sheweth 1. How great his afflictioÌ„ was 2. How greatly he profited by it But more particularly he recordeth 1. The blessed estate of such as did wisely consider of his distressed estate verses 1.2.3 2. He sheweth y e cause of his affliction to be his sinne ver 4.3 He setteth downe the greatnesse of his affliction and the daunger that he stoode iâ— for his enemies looked euery day for his death and destruction And of those his enemies he nameth thrée sortes The. 1. sort were flatterers of whom he complaineth and saith that they would come to sée him but they would speake lyes horde vp wickednesse in their hart as in a vessell and when they could get fit oportunitie they would emptie it vpon him vers 6. The 2. sorte were malitious whisperers which did nothing but priuily contriue his ouerthrow of whom he complaineth in the 7. 8. verses thus All that hate me whisper together against me euen against me do they imagine my hurt A mischief is light vpon him and he that is downe shall no more arise The 3. sort were a more trecherous brood who while they pretended kindnesse intended his subuersion like Iudas who couered his treason with a kisse Of these traiteroâ—s companions he complaineth in the 9. verse after this manner Yea my familiar frend whom I trusted which did eate of my bread hath lifted vp the heele against me And therefore being thus beset with open enemies on one side with flattering clawbackes on the other side with whisperers behinde traitors before his daunger must needes be great and his case in mans sight very desperate 4. He sheweth what meanes he vsed to preuent them all and that was prayer to God as appeareth in the 10. verse Therefore O lord raise me vp so shall I reward them But least Sathan might perswade him to doubt of Gods fauour towardes him in his affliction as he would haue done with Iob in his temptation and so make him either cold in prayer or distrufull in prayer that so he might also haue lost the fruite of his prayer therefore in the 5. place he proueth by two arguments y t all this notwithstanding God doth still fauour him The 1. is draweÌ„ froÌ„ his enemies person in the 11. verse The 2. is taken from the consideration of his owne person in the 12. verse Last of all because God had geuen him such tokens of his loue therfore he concludeth his Psalme with thankesgeuing vnto God in this sort Blessed be the Lord God of Israell world without end c. This Psalme was left vnto the Church of God doth teach vs. 1. To take héede how we do rashly coÌ„demne those that be in trouble and affliction and are beset with diuers sorts of enemies but wisely to consider and charitably to iudge of their cause if we looke for the Lordes helpe when we are in trouble our selues and not to measure Gods fauour by outward prosperitie nor his anger by outward aduersitie as blind worldlings commonly vse to do 2. That the vse of affliction is to worke in vs repentaunce for our sinnes to make vs flye to Gods mercy for succour as Dauid did 3. That Gods childreÌ„ while they liue shall liue in dauÌ„ger of open enemies of malitious whisperers and false brethren though they be as godly as Dauid was 4. That if we theÌ„ go to God by prayer we shall preuent all our enemies if they were as many as Dauids were 5. That in our prayers we must be assured of Gods loue in Christ to vs ward least otherwise we loose the fruite of our prayer 6. That when God hath heard vs we must with hartie consent prayse vnto him for it as Dauid did So much of y e Psal. in generall now to the text By this I know c. In this text we sée two things 1. How Dauid assureth himselfe of Gods loue towardes him 2. How thankefull he is to God for assuring him of his loue The .1 he doth by two arguments One takeÌ„ froÌ„ his enemies they were preueÌ„ted of their expectation therefore thou louest me The other is taken from his owne estate which was no whit hurt or impaired but bettered by them In his thankesgiuing we may note two things 1. To whom he giueth thankes namely to the Lord God of Israell 2. In what manner he geueth thankes with doubling of his speach in tokeÌ„ of his harty vnfained coÌ„sent to that which he spake as one afrayed that it was not wel inough when it was at the best he saith So be it euen so be it So much for y e methode now to the matter By this I know that thou fauorest me c. First here the Prophet speaketh of his knowledge and telleth vs that though he knew
owne glory and to the saluation of his children So God turned Adams fall to the manifesting of hiâ— owne glory and to Adams good for by thiâ— meanes had Adam experieÌ„ce of Gods greaâ— and infinite mercy and might say By this 〈◊〉 know that thou fauorest me because thoâ— forgauest me and didst not suffer the deuil to triumph against me so all the slippes and falles of Gods children are turned to their good in as much as by them they are made more fearefull of sinne and more watchfull ouer their wayes as the child is fearefull of the candle when he hath once burnt his finger in y e flame And S. Paule telleth vs from God that all things shall fall out for the good yea for the best to them that loue God Now of this point we may make a very holy vse It serueth first to confirme and vphold our faith in the prouidence of God and not to feare the endeuours of the wicked because we sée that God doth still dispose of theÌ„ to our good if we be his children Againe this may stand vs in good stead when our affeâ—tions begin to boyle in a burning desire of reuenge against our enemies would we be reuenged of theÌ„ The best way to be reuenged of our enemies is to pitie their case and to make that profite of them which Dauid did of his that is still to looke to God in theÌ„ theÌ„ shall we be sure to be no loosers but gayners by them whither they will or no. But here some may demaund and say Doth God vse to handle his beloued so or may a man be sure of Gods fauour being beset with so many enemies and ouerwhelmed with such heapes of troubles especially sinne being the cause wherewith God is prouoked to anger To which we may answere that sinne indéede is the cause of all our troubles but yet whatsoeuer the Lord layeth vpon his children here it is not a punishmeÌ„t of their sinne for that was discharged by the hellish suffrings of the Lord Iesus Christ but it is a fatherly correction froÌ„ which we are no more fréed by the death of Christ then we are fréed from our naturall death And it is layed vpon vs by our heaueÌ„ly father for two principall causes first to preuent sinne which we might fall into as presumption contempt vnthankefulnesse forgetfulnesse of God and many moe Secondly they are layed vpon vs as Phisicke to cure and heale sinnes which we are already fallen into and this is that which Dauid confesseth when he saith before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word and therefore he saith It was good for him to be afflicted that he might learne the statutes of the Lord. And in both these endes of our afflictions the Lordes purpose is to stay vs that we runne not with the wicked world headlong to damnatioÌ„ whom he hath geuen ouer to them selues So that troubles and enemies are sent to vs the children of God as Phisicke and therewith all he sends a priuate messenger to tell vs that he loueth vs for all that it is because he loueth vs to that end y t we may be assured y t he loueth vs that messenger is his spirite of adoptioÌ„ which certifieth our spirites that we are the children of God And this being once made sure then all is sure But now the question is by what ordinarie meanes the spirite of adoption doth conuay this certificate of Gods fauour vnto the harts of Gods children in their afflictions for as God doth assure his children of his louing fauour in Christ Iesus so he doth it by ordinarie meanes which meanes being not vsed or neglected this assurance faileth and falleth from vs and nothing remaineth but either a bare faÌ„cie flotting in the aire in stead of a sure faith builded on a firme foundation and when trouble comes an impatient spirite to beare vp the burdeÌ„ and when death comes a heape of sorrow and a heauie waight of despaire to presse downe to y e lowest hells The meanes then by which the spirite of God doth worke this assuraunce in the harts of the godly is the preaching of the Gospell which is called glad tidings because it makes the harts of the faithfull to become ioyfull and glad And S Paule to put vs out of doubt that the spirite worketh not without the word of God calleth the word the sword of the spirite to teach vs that howsoeuer the spirite of God must beate downe Sathan and cut downe infidelitie impatiencie despaire presumption and all our vnrulie affectioÌ„s and howsoeuer it worketh faith patience ioy streÌ„gth courage c. yet all this it effecteth â—and bringeth to passe by the meanes of the word of God preached read heard marked and meditated vpoÌ„ for as the word without the spirite is but dead to the hearer so the spirite of God without the opening of Gods wil in hiâ— word doth not ordinarily giue this comfortable assurance of Gods loue Aske the Prophet Dauid himselfe who had this comfortable assuraunce of Gods fauour in affliction aske him I say how he came be it or how iâ— came to him and he will tell vs that by thâ— word of God he came vnto it for so he saith Except thy law had bene my delight I had perished in my affliction for therein he fouÌ„â— many gracious promises of his God both for the punishing of his enemies for the defending and rewarding of himselfe and all Gods seruaunts for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes which were the cause of all his troubles and therefore the promise of God he chalengeth at Gods hand RemeÌ„ber thy promise made to thy seruant wherein thou hast caused me to trust vpon this promise of God he resteth and stayeth himself It is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned me And when he looked into this booke of God the storehouse of his promises there he found also how necessarie affliction was for him he found the causes thereof and what vse to make of all his enemies so through the inward working of the spirite of sanctification he behaued himselfe at all times accordingly and therefore when he saith it was good for him that he was afflicted he addeth that he might learne the statutes of the Lord to shew that the godly doe not know how good their afflictions be vntil they haue learned the statutes of the Lord. And therefore at another time he said that he was much moued at the prosperitie of the wicked and had much a do to kéepe himselfe in an innocent and vpright life hearing seeing the wicked so farre out of square vntill he went into the house of God and when he came into that schoole once he was taught by the word and the spirite of God what vse to make of all and then he saw how wisely and iustly the Lord ordereth all things