Lord to tell him of his fault that if hee be curable he may amend And because thou knowest not but that it may please God to ease thy burden of domesticall troubles making them of short continuance by reforming the troubler it is a speciall point of casting this burden vpon God to pray for the amendment of thy neighbour and to put thy helping hand thereto by gentle and neighbourly admonitions But this liberty of telling thy neighbour his fault giues no allowance of rayling and reproaching and publique disgracing of men by casting their infirmities and faults in their teeth A christian man must abhorre all such bitter courses remembring what the Apostle Peter saith Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes That is a right charitable man though hee seeke to reforme his neighbour by telling him of his sinne yet he will not disgrace or shame his neighbor by publishing his sinne It may please God to ease thee of the burden of thy domesticall trouble by weakening the power and crossing the malice and abating the pride of thy troubler that either hee shall not dare or shall not be able to proceede any further in thy vexation as he daunted the Pride of Laban when he pursued Iacob for hee meant euill to Iacob but by the way God came to Laban the Arnmiteâ—… a dreame by night and said vnto him take heede that thou speake not tâ—… Iacob aught saue good And by this threatning of the Lord Labans stomake was taken down as hee confessed to Iacob the next day saying I am able to doe you euill but the God of your Father spake vnto mee yester night saying Take heed that thou speake not to Iacob aught saue good And GOD crossed the fury and violence of Saul when hee thought to haue slaine Dauid Saul intended to sâ—…ite Dauid to the wâ—…ll with the speare but he turned asiâ—… out of Sauls presence and he â—…ote the speare against the wall but Dauid siâ—…d and escaped c. In this case it is not lawful foâ—… thee to pray vnto God for the death the sickenesse the impouerishing or any way the hurt of thine enemy leaue him to the iudgement of God and pray vnto God to forgiue him his wicked malice Yet is it lawfull for thee to pray vnto God that hee will be pleased to confound the deuices and to crosse the attempts and to scatter the prepared power of thine aduersaries So we reade that Dauid in the time of Absoloms treason when he vnderstood that Ahitophel that great politician tooke part with him he feared his counsell and first prayed vnto God saying O Lord I pray thee turne the councell of Ahitophel into foolishnesse And afterward sent his wise and faithful friend Hushai the Aâ—…chite to bee an opposite vnto Ahitophel by whose meanes indeede Ahitophels counsell was reiected to the danger of Absolom and safetie of Dauid and many like prayers wee haue in the Psalmes In one place Vp Lord let not man preuaile In another place Let not them that are mine enemie vniustly reioyc ouer mee neither let them winke with the eâ—…e that hate mee without a cause And in another place Let not the wicked haue his desire O Lord performe not his wicked thought lest they be prowd Thus wee see that the Saints haue made their prayer vnto God against the malice power and cunning of their aduersaries that God would be pleased to abate their pride to asswage their malice to confound their deuices and delude their cunning that they might not preuaile to doe the mischiefe that they intended And so far it is lawfull for thee to pray for their disappointing And because sometime the seruants of God haue made request vnto him against the persons of their enemies praying for their destruction as Eliâ—… did against the messengers of the King of Israel saying If that I be a man of God let fire come downe from heauen and deuoure thee and thy fifty As Dauid in diuers places of the psalmes let them bee confounded and put to shame that seeke after my soule let them be turned backe and brought to confusion that imagine mine hurt And in another place set thou the wicked ouer him and let the aduersarie stand at his right hand when he shal bee iudged let him be condemned and let hâ—… praier be turned into sinne As Peter tâ—…e Apostle praied against Simon Magus thy mony perish with thee that is both thou and thy mony perish And Paul the Apostle against Alexander the Copper-smith saying Alexander the Copper-smith hath done me much euill the Lord reward him according to his workes Let none of vs thinke that for the procuring our ease and deliuerance from our neare troubles it is lawfull for vs to bend the force of our pâ—…aiers against the persons of our aduersaries and to desire their destruction or hurt For those whose examples are before remembred were the Prophets of God and Apostles of the Lord Iesus Christ who knew the reprobation of those against whom they praied and so rather pronounced the knowen iudgements of God then the priuate affections of their owne hearts and if they pronounced their owne affections they were affections conformed to the known iudgements of God not contending to guide moue Gods iudgements So doth S. Austin affirme of all such praiers saying those things which are spoken in the forme of wishing are things opened by a spirit of prophecying and when they say let that be done and let that be done it is no other then if they had said such and such a thing shall come vnto them Noâ—… we haue no such knowledge of any mans reprobation he may prooue a sheep of Christ whom as yet by his fruits we find and therfore esteem a wolfe And we haue no such spirit of prophecy by which we can foretell what wrath from God shall fall vpon them And also our Sauiour hath giuen vnto vs this rule which we must follow Pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Therefore if God be pleased to ease vs of the burden of our troubles by weakning the power asswaging the pride and malice and by disappointing and scattering the purposes and counsel of out enemies we in seeking this grace at his hands may pray against their deuises but not a against their persons And therefore by this rule is no countenance giuen to the dire imprecations and bitter curses that many vncharitable men powre out against their troublers Perhaps it may please God to ease thee of this burden of domesticall troubles making them short either by remoouing thy troubler from thee or by remouing thee from thy troubler And this remoue all may be made either by death or by some other course And thereto some rules pertaine in the right obseruation whereof a wise man for his ease casteth his burden vpon God If the remoue be to be made by death this is a thing
is most profane and his Armour-bearer was not vnlike 〈◊〉 for commonly such as the master is such wil the seruant be such as the King 〈◊〉 such wil the Courtier be As for Achitophel he was a great states-man but he was also a great traitor hee was very wise in matters pertayning to rule but he was also very wicked He assisted the subiect against the King that was treason he assisted the sonne against the father that was vnnaturall treason he assâ—…sted a wicked sonne proud and bloudy 〈◊〉 against a godly father euen against religious and holy Dauid this was impious treason Zimri likewise was a traitour against his Master Elah whom he â—…lew in the second yeare of his reigne and inuaded the kingdome of Israel Such were the men with whom the ancient murderer preuailed in three and twenty hundered yeeres few in number and men of most wicked hearts and liues And shal our afflicted sinner thinke to match himself with such forlorne meÌ„ In wickednesse so rare will he be so forward and with men so vile will hee ioyne for the time after the comming of the Lord Iesus in the flesh wee haue record in holy Scripture onely for seauenty yeares In these yeares we read of much wickednesse of the rage of the Iewes in crucifying the Lord Iesus of the persecution of Saul wherein Steuen was stoned of the persecution of Herod wherin Iames was slaine with the sword Of the malice of the Iews in euery place forbiding the Apostles to preach the Gospell to the Gentiles And of their endlesse malice against Paul being now conuerted and become a witnesse of Iesus And among all the inraged sinners of this time in whom the prince of this â—…orld exercised his power most impeâ—…ously We neade but of one â—…hat 〈◊〉 â—…iolent â—…ands vpon himselfe euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle and hee is marked out â—…y the â—…nes of â—…â—…raitor a 〈◊〉 â—…nd 〈◊〉 child of perâ—…ion so 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 qâ—…itie in comparâ—…son of other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so incurably â—…nd not or 〈◊〉 â—…uill 〈◊〉 these men in comparison of other 〈◊〉 And shall our poore sinner 〈◊〉 to increase this number â—…nd to 〈◊〉 if not to 〈◊〉 these mâ—…n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the sinne wherein the 〈◊〉 â—…eemeth to haue some modestie 〈◊〉 â—…ring to all 〈◊〉 many to such 〈◊〉 wickednesse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquiâ—…e of the 〈◊〉 as if the 〈◊〉 thoughâ—… iâ—… 〈◊〉 to tempt any to a great wickednesse but such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out â—…unne his allurements by 〈◊〉 owne forwardnesse in sinne let 〈◊〉 things stay the resolution of our 〈◊〉 and make him feare to execute 〈◊〉 iniustice vpon himselfe In which fact to make al hearts deâ—… there is the extreamest height of all cruelty without all mixture of charitie on mercy the thiefe that murdereth by the high-way side is cruell yet in his cruelty there iâ—… mixture of some charity for â—…e intendeth his owne supposed good in seeking spoyle to to maintaine his life More cruell is the tyrant that sheddeth innocent bloud and presenteth vnto death Gods Saintâ—… As 〈◊〉 shâ—…d innocent bloud exceeding much â—…ill 〈◊〉 replenished Ierusalem from corner to corner And â—…s Herod stretched forth his hands â—…exe certaine of the Church and hee killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Greatâ—… this cruelty that is maintained by power and countâ—… by authoritie and false show of iustice Yet is there in this â—… mixture of charitie For such tyrants suppose them whom they kill to bâ—… enemies either to their religion or to their rule for defence whereof they vse their cruelty Greater is the cruelty when vnder pretences of loue peace murders are committed As when those two seruants of Ishâ—…oseth pretending trade as Merchants Rehab and Baanah his brother came into the middest of the house as if they would haue wheate and they 〈◊〉 him vnder the fift robbâ—… and 〈◊〉 For when they came into the house 〈◊〉 slept on his bed in his bed-chamber and they smote him and slew him and 〈◊〉 â—…eaded him and tooke his head and 〈◊〉 them away through the plaine all the â—…ght And when Ioab tooke Aâ—…er a side iâ—… the gate to speake with him peaceably 〈◊〉 smote him vnder the fift ribbe that he bed for the bloud of Asael his brother Heere was great treason heere was cruelty couered with pretences of loue and â—…eare Yet in this cruelty there was some mixture of loue For the two breâ—…ren that slew Ishboseth did it for Daâ—… sake as they affirmed For when they had slaine him They brought the head of Ishboseth vnto Hebron and said iâ—… the King behold the head of Ishboseth Sâ—…uls sonne thine enimy who sought after thy life and the Lord hath auenged my Lord the King this day of Saul and of his â—…ede And either they bare this loue to Dauid to free him from an enemy as they pretended or else they did it out of loue vnto themselues hoping to receiue some reward at Dauids hand for their seruice And the fact of Ioab in murdering Abner was out of loue tâ—… Asaâ—…l his brother whome Abner had killed before This their crueltie was exceeded by the murder committed by Cain in killing his brother Abel wherin it cannot be denied but there was loue vnto himselfe for this was the quarrell it grieued him that his brother was accepted in his sacrifice and hee refused Heerein hee held himselfe wronged and intended that way to doe himselfe right We reade of a crueltie exceeding this in a degree against nature aboue the murder of brothers For when Senacherib was returned from the land of Israel to Niniue on a day when he entred into the Temple of Misroch his god Adramelech and Sharezer his sons slew him with the sword The sonnes of his loines that should haue beene the staffe of his age and the guard of his person against his enemies became his mortall enemies they that receiued their life by propagation from him and had not beene if he had not first beene they vnnaturally requited him and spoiled him of his life and did to their vttermost extinguish his being What heart of man abhorreth not these cruelties and yet in all these there is a mixture of some loue I confesse a wicked loue yet some loue and some purpose they haue to benefit some by making their life more happy themselues at least and their owne life if no others But in the fact of Saul Achitophel and Iudas and such like persons that lay violent hands vpon themselues there is no intent of doing good to others no noâ—… of making their owne life more comfortable or happie they are no friends to other men and they are greatest enemies to themselues where no other loue remaineth in wicked men yet selfe loue remaineth and perswadeth them things beneficiall to themselues But in this finne where no loue to other men appeareth there is loue least of al to themselues while they worke their owne
destruction What could thy enimy desire to doe more vnto thee then thou dost vnto thy selfe What could iustice by the hand of the Magistrate in â—…nishing What could violence by the hand of the cruel in reuenging do more â—…nto thee then thou dost vnto thy selfe Could the Philistims haue done anie more to Saul then kill him to escape their violence he killed himself seeking no other remedy of the mischiefe then by throwing himself into the mischiefe could Dauid preuailing against Absolom haue done any more to Achitophel then to take away his life and to escape the stroke of Dauids iustice he tooke away his owne life himselfe preuenting the iudgemeÌ„t of another that he feared by pronouncing executing the same iudgement himselfe vpon himselfe If wee iudge of the affections by the actions of men and guesse what the heart desired by that which the hand hath done and there is no surer rule for the Lord Iesus saith By their fruits yee shall know them yea may we say that where hatred made the Philistims enemies to Saul and Iustice gaue power to Dauid in all seueritie to take away Achitophels life neither hatred in the Philistims nor iustice in Dauid could make them to be greater enemies and more dangerous then Saul and Achitophel were vnto themselues for they made haste to doe the euill vnto themselues that the others came more slowly to doe for though the Philistims made hast to kill Saul yet Saul made more hast to doe it then the Philistims could and whereas Dauid perhaps in his mildenes might haue bin intreaded to spare Achitophels life Achitophel like a cruell iudge hating himselfe made hast by speedy execution to preuent all pardon whom loueth hee that loueth not himselfe whose friend can he be that in this manner and measure is his owne merciles enemie Goe then and be more cruell then euer was murdering theefe oppressing tyrant bloudy Cain or Senacheribs vngracious impes goe and be more cruel then any cruel beast that though it be an enemie to the life of other creatures yet is a resolut defender of it owne life if thou striue for the name and shame of most cruel yea more cruel then man or beast I will ad also or then diuel for the diuels studie not to doe themselues hurt then goe and doe that violence that thou intendest against thy selfe but if thou be willing to let the cruellest of men the fiercest of beastes yea the diuels themselues to goe before thee in merciles crueltie then preserue 〈◊〉 owne life if thou or any for thee say thou doest it out of loue to thy selfe intending thereby to preuent future euils The vanitie of this speech shall be shewed when we come to the last reason whereupon thou groundest thy godles resolution There is not onely merciles crueltie in this sinne of selfe murder But there is also totall want of those two cardinal ChristiaÌ„ vertues that belong to the time of affliction namely of patience faith the Lord Iesus requirs no more in vs for our aduantage at that time then these two remembring faith before patience and saying Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and laden take my yoke on you and learne of me that am meeke and lowly in heart Hee requireth faith in the first words come vnto me He would haue vs come Non pede sed fide Not with our foote but with our faith And nonpassus sed precibus not with our shifting steppes but with our constant praiers His meaning is not that wee should set our feete within his courtes but rather that we should with hope present our desires before the throne of his grace for this is the work of faith to draw neere to Gods mercy seate And he requires patience in the next words Take my yoake on you Let there be no murmuring nor grudging against the yoake that God offreth to lay vpon your shoulders spurne not against it but take it meekely vpon you learn to submit your selfe vnto it And Saint Paul requires no more in time of troubles but these vertues of patience faith remembring patience before faith saying Let your patiente minde be knowen vnto allmen the Lord is at hand and saith in the next words be nothing carefull but in althings let your request bee shewed vnto God in praier and supplication with giuing of thankes He requireth patience in the first words plainely Let your patient mind be knowen vnto all men and he requireth faith in the next words describing faith by her effects and saying Bee nothing carefull but let your requestes in all things be shewed vnto God in praier Vnto these vertues of patience and faith continued and practised in the time of trouble when we are wearied with our long and laden with our heauie burdens both Iesus the Lord and Paul his minister doe promise and assure all deliuerance and case The Lord Iesus in these words I will refresh you and yee shall find rest vnto your soules And the Apostle Paul his minister in these words The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus What canst thou require more in thy hottest conflictes then to be refreshed by Iesus Christ What canst thou desire in the greatest load of thy soule but to be eased of thy burden what canst thou wish and long for more then this in thy greatest vexation that the peace of God that passeth vnderstanding should preserue thy heart and mind in Iesus Christ and this is promised by Christ the trueth and by Paul the witnes of trueth to them that in their troubles doe suffer with patience pray in faith But thou in this thy desperate resolution hast lost all patience and cast away thy faith for if thou hadst patience thou wouldst not bee vnwilling to indure Gods visitation and to suffer his good pleasure and if thou hadst any faith in God thou wouldest trust to his helpe and with much comfort waite for the day of saluation Consider the qualitie of this sinne and thou shalt see that it doeth more spoile thee of thy helps and makes the more naked of all good couering if more may be then were our first parents spoiled and made naked by the fraud of the serpent in the Garden For patience and faith beeing the couering of the soule for such stormie times thou hast lost all this cloathing thou refusest to bee refreshed by Iesus Christ while thou refusest to hold the course wherein hee promiseth to refresh thee thou refusest to be eased by the help of his strong hand whilst thou refusest the course in which he promiseth â—…ase Thou â—…stest from thee that peace of God of inestimable price by which thy heart and mind should bee preserued in Iesus Christ while thou refusest the meanes by which that peace is to be obtained how â—…comely is it for the creature to be impatient at the worke of his Creator how disordered
is proued not to be that sinne whereof God neuer giueth repentance and therefore neuer forgiueth it pag. 208. 17 Hence follow obiections made by his troubled minde And first he obiecteth that his sinne comes so neere that vnpardonable sinne that the angry eie of heauen can se no difference and though his sinne be pardonable yet it is punishable and lesse sinnes then his are punished therefore why not his The seauenteenth Chapter answereth this obiection pag 225. 18 His second obiection is the iustice of heauen cannot suffer such sinne as his to passe vnpunished and the holines of heauen will not admit such sinners as hee to enter The eighteenth Chapter answereth this obiection And addeth incouragements from the promise of God and commandement of Christ. pag 234 19 His third obiection is against Christs commandement as not pertaining to him he may not aske forgiuenes of sinnes because he cannot call God his father The nineteenth Chapter answereth this obiection pag. 247. 20 His fourth obiection is against Gods promise as not pertaining to him because it was Gods couenant with the house of Israell and he is no Israelite neither after the 〈◊〉 or after the promise The twenieth Chapter answereth this obiection pag 264. 21 His fift obiection is notwithstanding Christs commandement to aske and Gods promise to grant forgiuenes yet maâ—…y perish therefore why not he The â—…ne twentieth chapter answereth this obiâ—…ction shewing the conditions of obtaining forgiuenes to be repentant toward God faith in Christ and charitie â—…oward our brethren pag. 275. 22 His sixt obiection is There is in him neither repentance nor faith nor loue The two and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag 302. 23 His seuenth obiection iâ—… His heart is euen full of all euill thoughts If they riâ—…e out of his owne heart it is incurably euill â—…f the diuel thrusts them in his heart is irrecouerable in the deuils power The three and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag. 312. 24 His eight obiection is this The law â—…f God curseth 〈◊〉 hee is a transgressor therefore by the law of God accurâ—…ed the foure and twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag. 330. 25 His ninth obiection is He cannot pray alledgeth many impediments The fiue twentieth chap. answereth this obiection pag. 340. 26 His tenth obiection in an extreame fit of his disease is this He is forsaken oâ—… Gâ—…d hee is a child of perdition and lost and he is a reprobate The six twentieth chapter answereth this obiection pag 368. 27 His eleuenth obiection is the hâ—…ight of dispaire He saith he must and will diâ—… and must and will be the instrument of his owne death and alledgeth reasons for it some to proue from the iustice of the fact some from the aduentage The seuen and twentieth chapter in answere to the obiection sheweth the foulenes of the fact pag. 421. 28 The eight and twentieth chapter examineth and answereth his reasons both for the supposed iustice for the supposed aduantage of the fact shewing their weakenes and errour pag. 468. 29 Being driuen from his desperate resolution he maketh â—… twelfth obiection from his vnworthines of life and of the comforts of life concluding that hee must and will abstaine from them The nine and twentieth chapter anâ—…wereth thiâ—… obiection pag. 517. 30 A thirâ—…eenth obiection is from the â—…eare of death that either he shall die before this tenâ—…ation be ouercome or that it will be renewed after death as in the proper place for then sinnes are brought to iudgement The thirtieth chapter answereth this obiâ—…ction pag. 533 31 A fourteenth obiection is a matter of discomfort namely that all things that minister delight and comfort to others are vnto him mingled with griefe and feare The one and thirtieth chapter answerâ—…th this obiâ—…ction and conuerteth the precept pag. 559. 32 The two and thirtieth chapter beginneth the promise pronounced in words answer able to his owne presenâ—… estate pag. 569. 33 The three and thirtieth chapter handleth the first part of the promise in these words he will nourish thee pag 578. 24 The fower â—…nd thirtieth chapter beginneth the second part of the promise in these words He will not suffâ—…r â—…he râ—…ghteous to fall for euer Mens falles are here shewed to be either into sinne or into mâ—…serie and this chapter sheweth that God will not suffer the righteous when they fall into sin to lie in it for euer pag. 35 The fiue and thirtieth chapter sheweth that God will not suffer the righteous when they are â—…allen into miserie either inward or outward to lie in it for euer pag. 36 The six and thirtieth chapter gathereth the conclusion of all the whole treatise pag. Faults escaped in Printing Pâ—…g 19 line 7 read wight p. 23. l. 13. r. you p. 54. l. 12 for r. 2â—… p. 84. l. 8. â—… their burdeÌ„ p. 88. l. 17. 1. fâ—…r mat man p 89 l. 23 r. bâ—… by the. p. 9â—… l. 5. r. Aramite p. â—…04 l. 12 r no meatâ—… and l 13 〈◊〉 no drinke and l. â—…7 r. â—…rieue p. 105. l. 1â—… r. repentance p 139. l. 8 r trieth p. 141. l. 15. r offices p. 1â—…2 l. 26. r. to 〈◊〉 p. 153 l. 6. foâ—… troubles r. burdens p. 160. l. 25. r. pntâ—…eth p 164 l. 6. r 〈◊〉 p. 172. l. 12. r. muster master p. 1â—…3 l 2. 6 r. louing p 20â—… l 25. for that r. no constancie p. 225. l. 14 r. to shew for p. 2â—…8 l. 13. r. but l. p. 290. l. 1â—… r. budding p. 315. l. 20. r. deriued p. 320. l. 12. r had couered p. 〈◊〉 l. 2â—… â—… scâ—…uethe p 367 l. 13. r. and of thâ—… p 36â—… l 12. â—… thou knowell whereof p. 392 l. 27. r and serue him p 424 l. â—… r dâ—…agon p. 427. l. 2â—… r. in minâ—… hurt p. 428. l. 3. â—… they â—…ocke thâ—…m p. 432. l. 28. r. coniecture vnto me p. 436. l. 8. r. peâ—…secu eth p. 442. l. 23. r. pasâ—…ibus p. 457. l. â—… r. limme p. 465. l. 11. r. arts p. 48â—… l. 20. r. hâ—… receaueth p. 490. l. 11. r. cut of p. 502. l. 16. r. vnexpected p. 527 l. 15. r. idlâ—…e p. 560. l. 13 r. without content Other letterall faults good gentle reader beare withall THE STRONG HELPER PSAL. 5â—… 22. Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and hee shall nourish thee he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer CHAP. 1. THE violence of Saul and â—…nuy of his courtiers had bred vnto Dauid trouble and danger This trouble and danger had affrighted his mind so that trembling feare and horror oppressed his heart as appeareth in the first eight verses of this Psalme His trembling feare and horror made him â—…e vnto God before whom he complaineth of the most perfidious falsehood of his enemies and at the hands of God he craueth in iustice their death and destruction This appeareth in the next seauen verses of the Psalme By this time his mind is somewhat
for reliefe This therefore is a speciall point of casting our burden vpon God in these and in all troubles that men do learne to make humble praier vnto God But from these generall rules let vs consider of the particular and here as I said before of domesticall troubles Iâ—… vs first consider of them that grow vnto vs from enemies that wrong vs. After of our griefe for friends Of these some bend their malice against our estate and by cunning and fraud in bargaining by violence 〈◊〉 power in oppressing by robbery in the high way and by aduantages offered to their couetous and mercilesse hearts seek to inrich themselues by tâ—… spoile or at the least to weaken and ouerthroâ—… thine estate and to scatter thy riches as a spoile Some bend their malice against thy good name and by railing and opeâ—… exclamations to thy face after the manner of Shemei and by slandering close tales behind thy backe after the manner of Doeg by misconstruing and mis-reporting thy iust doings and by imputing vnto thee those bad deeds that thou neuer hadst thine hand in seeke to blemish thy reputation in all places and to bring thee into disgrace Some bend their malice against thy life and either vow and attempt themselues to kill thee as Ioab did Abner or hire and sot on others to murther thee as Absolom set on his seruants to murther Amnon or accuse thee to men of more fury violence then themselues betraying thee into their hands to bee sacrificed to their wrath or stirre vp and arme by false accusations the Magistrate against thee that vnder shew of iustice thou maiest be vniustly ouerthrowne Let vs see how the burden of these troubles is to bee cast vppon God Consider heere first of all whence the occasion grew and if thou findest thy troubles prouoked by any priuate error of thine seek to satisfie them whom thou diddest wrong and be not of the stomacke of them that will maintaine what they haue done be it neuer so iniurious and acknowledge thy fault make reasonable amends seeke reconciliation and by all meanes assure vnto them thy resolution to abstaine from offering like wrongs any more Shemei though none of the honestest nor wisest men yet when hee considered that his wrong done to Dauid might breede him that enmity that might become a burden heauie and daungerous to his peace life for his ease safty his wit serued him to confesse his fault to seek peace submissiuely and to offer better seruice for the time to come when Dauid after the ouerthrow of Absolom came backe ouer Iordan to returne to Ierusalem Shemei came with haste to meete Dauid at the riuers side and hee fell before the King when hee was come ouer Iordan and said vnto the King Let not my Lord impute wickednesse vnto me nor remember the thing that thy seruant did wickedly when my Lord the King departed out of Ierusalem that the King should take it to his heart for thy seruant doth know that I haue done amisse Therefore behold I am the first this day of all the house of Ioseph that am come to goe downe to meete my Lord the King And this submission of his confessing his fault and crauing pardon preuayled with Dauid so that hee did not let his wrath fall as a heauie burden vppon the necke of Shemei though there were some men present that did much prouoke Dauid to reuenge But if thou be free hauing giuen them no occasion and onely sufferest wrong the fault being wholly in thine enemie I tell thee this very testimonie of thy conscience is a great easing of thy burden if thou suffer not for thy sinne but for their malice So did the Lord Iesus suffer among the Priests and Pharisies The greater half of the burden is by this meanes turned off when peace of conscience abideth with thee other griefs and wrongs may be the more easily indured Salomon saith in the Prouerbs A good conscience is a perpetuall feast This is no small pleasure to a good man that hath beene vrged and vexed with vnkindnesse abroad that when hee commeth home hee entreth into his closet and examineth his heart and findeth that hee is in no fault and can plead his innocencie before God it is a feast to him he sitteth downe boldly and cheerfully by the mercie-seate of God and despiseth with a godly scorne both the wrong done and the wrong doer saying in his heart by the mercie of God this wrong shall turne to my good and this wrong doer shall not preuaile against mee and with great confidence of heart he powreth out his desires before God Saint Peter hath a saying that agreeth well with this point that wee haue now in hand Let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thiefe or as a busie-body in other mens matters but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalfe Heere is right thy case hauing examined thine heart thou findest thaâ—… thou art no murderer nor thiefe noâ—… euill doer nor busie-bodie in the causes pretended by thine enemy as reasons of his violence against thee but thou findest that thou sufferest as a Christian that is thou sufferest without thy desert therefore thou hast cause to glorifie God thou hast no cause to be ashamed This innocencie of thine maketh thy burden to be much lighter And if God haue purposed to shorten thy trouble by conuersion of thine enemie though thou haue not such opportunitie to helpe him with wholesome councell beeing a remote enemy as thou hast to helpe a domesticall yet as opportunitie is offered remember and practise that precept of the Lord Iesus go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone And otherwise let it be the wish of thine heart and pray to God for it that God will be pleased to giue him a better heart Some haue obserued that Saint Stephens prayer helped much the conuersion of Saul after called Paul beeing one of those remote troublers to him a very furious one When Stephen that blessed Martire of Iesus Christ was put to death Saul was a busie doer against him The witnesses to whome it belonged to throw the first stone at the condemned person laied downe their cloathes at a yong mans feete whose name was Saul And Saul consented to his death and otherwise made hauocke of the church and breathed threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. It pleased the Lord Iesus in his wonderfull mercy to meete this persecuter in the heat of his fury neere to the Citie of Damascus and to conuert him and to make him a disciple And the effect of that conuersion was peace to the Church that had beene oppressed before with a heauie burden of troubles by means of that troubler As it is written Then had the Churches rest through all Iudea and Galile and Samaria and were
of God and seeking to establish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God A single good intent without knowledge is the deuotion of fooles it hath no true comfort tied vnto it it saueth not from destruction it leadeth men blindefolde and sleeping into hell But when men haue learned out of the word of God what hee requireth and what is their duety vnto that knowledge ioyne a true desire to doe their duetie then vnfained desire is before God esteemed a perfect worke Therefore doth Saint Paul say That loue is the fulfilling of the Law And in another place The end of the Law is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith vnfained The Law requireth no more but loue which will neuer be idle and that obtained the Law hath attained his true end in vs. And to him that thus loueth as much is due as vnto him that perfectly fulfilleth the commandement Thirdly to him that thus in heart desireth while he liueth here full perfect and absolute holinesse being grieued that the lusts of his flesh should stand vp in his way with such strength as they doe that which hee desireth shall in due time be granted with increase of grace in the meane while For when death comes in which hee pulleth off sinfull flesh he shal put off sin al corruption togither with the flesh and thenceforth hee shall offend his God no more nor be in any danger of offending him For the Apostle truely saith He that is dead is freed from sinne both from the act of sinne and from all lusting after sinne And when he shall receiue his bodie againe in the resurrection hee shall receiue it cleansed and purged from that corruption that was in it before For so doth Saint Paul testifie saying The body is sowne in corruption and is raised in incorruption By which incorruption he vnderstandeth not onely an estate of strength and health whereby it shall be freed from that decaying that it was subiect to before in regard whereof we haue relieued it with daily food to repaire the daily decaies and also freed from sicknesse and paine that it suffred here before in regard whereof wee take much physicke to ease the paine of it and to maintaine the health of it but he vnderstandeth rather by incorruption an estate of purenesse holinesse whereby it shall bee freed from sinning and offending God and shall stand and remaine for euer purged and cleansed from all sinfulnesse and in as perfect sanctitie as the blessed Angels of God And our true holinesse begunne heere shall be consummated and become perfect holinesse there These are matters of comfort to cheere his heart that is grieued with the burthen of his owne corruptions not suffering him to serue God as hee would his defaults displeasing him shall not bee laid to his charge His loue and true desire shall be accepted as if his life were without fault and hereafter in due time he shall be wholly freed from all corruptions And these comforts are some ease of his burthen that though his lusts be still as strong as they were yet his g◅iefe for them is not so much as it was But let vs see further how a man may cast this burthen vpon God to be eased of it and get masterie ouer his lusts For the casting of this burthen vpon God these are good rules and profitable seruing to procure case and whereby strength against the corruptions and lusts of the flesh is obtained First let him be diligent in the study of the word of God which Dauid calleth A lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths Because in the spirituall darkenesse which ouershadoweth our souls in this world so that of our selues wee cannot see nor finde out the paths of righteousnesse wherein wee should walke if wee take vnto vs the word of God it like a shining light will reueale vnto vs the old way which is the good way that we may goe forward in it It will teach vs what to doe and what to leaue vndone and will guide vs aright against the dangerous seducings of our owne euill lusts And great force it hath to keep vs in our way euen in those men in whom their lusts and corruptions are most strong As for example in yong men in whom there is more pride of wit and more stubbornnesse of wil then in men of other ages in them the word of God is powerfull to make them aduised and to humble them Dauid asketh this question Wherewith all shall a yong man redresse his wayes and hee giueth answer in the next words saying In taking heed there to according to Gods word Such an excellent help against the seducing lusts of the flesh is the word of God for the redressing of our waies So that if a man burdened with his corruptues desiring to obtain strength against them doe giue himselfe to study the word of God and do take heed vnto it though he were as prowd witted and as stubbornely wilfull as were those yong men the sonnes of Iacob that cōmitted the outrage at Shechem yet the word of God will bring downe his prowd wit reclaime the forward wils of the very dissolute gallants of the world And this doth Dauid being yet but a yong man out of experience in himself affirme saying By thy commandements thou hast made mee wiser then mine enemies for they are euer with me that is I am a continuall student in thy commandements I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation that is my minde is alwayes vpon thy testimonies I vnderstand more then the ancient because I haue kept thy precepts that is age teacheth much by obseruation and experience but Gods word teacheth more So that while a man is carefull to study the Scriptures as Dauid was and maketh them his meditation hee shall soone become more wise then his teachers and more able to direct himselfe then the ancient that think themselues able to giue councell There shall not moue nor stir a corrupt lust in his heart attempting to draw him aside to sin but he being exercised in the study of Gods word shal presently be able with iudgement to checke that desire of his heart to oppose against it Gods owne will Secondly let him frequent the company of good men in whom hee seeth great power to subdue keepe vnder disordered lusts then is in himselfe and let him obserue imitate their behauiour this will helpe him much For if the word of God on the one side giue him a rule how to keepe vnder his raging lusts these men on the other side will be vnto him an example patterne shewing him how to doe it and a very simple workman when he hath not onely rules giuen him to direct his iudgment but a patterne also laid before him to direct his hand will very
fruitlesse to follow his direction When the Lord Iesus said to one that talked with him This doe so giuing him direction there followes a promise in these words And thou shalt liue assuring him of good successe in following his commandement And vnto all the precepts instructions and aduises of almightie God as noting the sure successe that followeth the keeping of them may the words of the Prophet bee added If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the land That is if ye will hatken to the voyce of God and do what hee commandeth he will prosper your wayes and you shall liue comfortably in the land that hee hath giuen you to dwell in For all the precepts instructions directions God giues are precepts instructions directions of holines iustice and wisdome that can not either hurtfully or fruitlesly mis-leade vs. The wicked say to God Depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies who is the Almightie that wee should serue him and what profit should we haue if we should pray vnto him and the Prophet Malachie chargeth the wicked of his time to haue spoken stout words against God in this manner Yee haue said it is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commaundements and that wee walked humbly before the Lord of hostes Therefore wee count the prowd blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered this is the opinion of the wicked that the commandements instructions and directions of God carry with them no assurance of good successe they can deuise and appoint more safely and more profitably for themselues But God saith to the righteous that hearken to his courses and follow his commaundements that when hee hath done according to justice and goodnesse both to the one sort and to the other then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Gods iudgement shall make a sensible difference betweene them while the wicked miscarry and perish that despised his counsel the godly prosper that follow his counsell For of all the counsel and of all the commandements of God the Prophet Dauid saith By them is thy seruant made circumspect and in keeping of them there is great reward For when a man doth honour GOD by his obedience as a iust commaunder and a wise aduiser then out of his goodnesse hee furthereth and strengtheneth that good successe that dependeth vpon his rule Hearken then vnto the voyce of God follow his holy direction and all things shall goe well with thee But let vs looke to the words of this promise And he shall nourish thee hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer The promise hath two parts The whole is deliuered by Dauid in such words as might most fittely answer to those burdens that at that time lay most heauie vpon his owne soule that as hauing recouered comfort to himselfe heâ—… structeth others to seeke the like so instructing others how to winne their comfort hee might together confirme his owne more and more Now the burthens that at that time were most heauy to Dauid were two first pouertie and want of necessaries for him and his followers secondly a great fall from the honour that he lately enioyed in Israel His pouerty appeareth plainely in the historie of his troubles When Ionathan by his arrowes gaâ—…e him warning to slie he left all that hee had and came in bare estate to the house of Ahimelech the Priest and of him obtained the sword of Goliah for hee brought not with him for haste so much as a weapon of his owne and certaine loanes of shew bread for him and for his men From thence he fled to Achish king of Gath but durst not staie there Then came he into the wild countrey of Iuda a place of no plenty there his number increased daily to the increase of his necessitie and the inhabitants became his enemies not relieuing his want but betraying him and his haunts to Saul Where while he stayed there fell out a notable thing that sheweth how pouerty pinched him There was a certaine rich man named Nabal that sheared his sheepe and prepared great cheere for his shearers To him Dauid sent tenne yoong men with this message giuen to them Goe to Nabal and aske him in my name how hee doth and thus shall you say for salutation Both thou and thine house and all that thou hast be in peace wealth and prosperitie Behold I haue heard that thou hast shearers now thy sheepeheards were with vs and wee did them no hurt neither did they misse anie thing all the while they were in Carmel aske thy seruants and they will shew thee Wherefore let these yong men finde fauour in thine eyes for wee come in a good season giue I pray thee what soeuer commeth to thine hand vnto thy seruants and to thy sonne Dauid This petition to beg from a churles dinner fauoureth of no great abundance and when he was repulsed of Nabal and his yoong men returned empty bringing nothing to him from Nabal but churlish words he became sodainly inraged and armed foure hundred men and went that euening with them with resolution to slay the churle and all that belonged to him before the morning which hee had certainely done if hee had not beene met and staied in the way by Abigail the prudent wife of Nabal Now wee knowe what maketh the lion to roare and the wolfe to be furious euen hunger when they seeke for their prey And had not Dauid beene at that time a hungry lion if his state without touch of want could haue borne that repulse of Nabal hee could neuer haue resolued vpon so violent and cruell a course This historie most clearely sheweth that at this time a heauy burden of a poore estate pressed his soule Therefore in setting downe this promise hee vseth words of incouragement to others that agree fittely with his own condition and serue conueniently to confirme his owne hope And as hee was poore so also he was fallen from the honour that hee lately enioyed in Israel and in a manner lay deiected at the feete of his enemies to be trampled vppon For hee had beene a great man in the Court of Saul and in the eyes of all Israel First in his Fathers house and in the middest of his brethren by Samuel sent of God hee was annointed to be King in Israel Secondly when the euill spirit sent of God to vexe Saul did inuade him and he was in the fits of his furie then Dauid was sent for to the Court and plaied on his Harpe before Saul and procured him ease and a ceasing of his fits for the euill spirit departed from Saul Thirdly when a battell was betweene Israel and the Philistims and there came forth daily out of the hoste
of the Philistims a mighty man named Goliah of the town of Gath and defied Israel from whom al the people fled then Dauid accepted the Philistims challenge and slew him and put away the shame from Israel for which honorable fact the women praised him in their Song sayâ—…ng Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his tenne thousand Fourthly Saul made him a captaine ouer a thousand men and whithersoeuer Dauid led them forth he behaued himselfe wisely and valiantly for the Lord was with him and made him to prosper and all Israel loued him Lastly Saul gaue him one of his daughters to wife and hee became the Kings sonne in lawe and hee did eate meate at Sauls Table and Ionathan Sauls sonne made a true league of amitie with him and all the gallants of the Court regarded him Such had beene the standing of Dauid in a loftâ—… height of honour And now from this height of honour he was fallen low into contempâ—… before his enemies For from his house his wife his deare 〈◊〉 Ionathan from the Court the Cittie and the Tabernacle from his honourable office companie and estate hee was glad to she and to slie into the wildernesse into woods and caues and holes to hide his head where the company that he had resembled the place in basenesse For besides those of his fathers house there gathered vnto him men that were in trouble for their euill deeds that brought them within danger of law men that were in debt and owed more then they were worth and durst not shew their heads men that were troubled in mind oppressed with sorrow affrighted with feares this was his companie as it were the skumme of the people a rout of lawlesse ones He was in the Kings displeasure and the Kings eares were euer open to all malicious and slanderous reports made against Dauid and vpon euery discouerie of Dauids abiding in any place Saul was euer running forth with his armie against him Thus was he fallen from that height of honour in which sometimes hee stoode And the promise of Gods helpe and of ease from God that hee giueth to them that cast their burden vpon GOD hee deliuereth and putteth downe in such words as are fitly answerable to his owne present condition fallen into such disgrace hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for â—…uer that while he giueth to other men a rule how to recouer comfort in their afflicted estate hee might withall confirme his owne conceiued comfort more strongly CHAP. XXXIII BVT forasmuch as he deliuereth this promise for the incouragement of others let vs so handle it as that others may see their interest in it And hee shall nourish thee he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer This promise falleth of it selfe into two parts the first is in these words And he shall nourish thee the seis in these words He will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer The first part of this promise meeteth with the burden of pouertie and want in this present world and therefore may be called the poore mans promise who doeth not looke high about the point of nourishment and doeth not complaine except he feele some want thereof In the poore mans house are not heard the complaint that great men make as that the King frowneth vpon him and hee is forbidden to come into his presence that his child is stollen from him and meanely maried against his liking that hee hath lost a great estate by the wracke of such a ship by the breaking of such a tradesman and by the falsehood of such a seruant These â—…nd such like are the complaints of great men and neuer heard in poore mens houses but their complaints are commonly these I am not able to pay my debt I am not ready to pay my rent and I feare to be cast into prison for the one and to be throwen out of my house for the other I haue no prouision against the colde winter nor money in my house to make prouision the raine beates in at euery corner of my house and I am not able to repaire it my wife my selfe and children want both meate and clothes and winter comes on vpon vs and these hard times affoord much expence and little getting charitie is become cold and her benummed hands now giue no almes Iustice also is growen very sleepie and scarce holdes vp her head to reckon with the labourer and to giue him his hire and how wee shal be fed clothed and nourished I can not tell These are the poore mans complaints and this promise meeteth with these complaints and assureth nourishment and therefore it may very well be called the poore mans promise For the truth of this promise that God will nourish them that cast their burden of want vpon him that is attend reuerently in well doing vpon his hand for maintenance it appeareth plainely by the Lords bountie hee gaue vnto Adam and vnto his posteritie all the fruites of the earth and all the hearbes of the field hee gaue vnto Noah and to his sonnes all liuing things that breede and liue either in the aire or vpon the land or in the sea this large grant is registred by Moses saying The feare of you the dread of you shall be vpon euery beast of the earth and vpon euery foule of the heauen on al that moueth on the earth and vpon all the sishes of the sea into your hands are they deliuered euery thing that moueth and liueth shall be meate for you as the greene hearbe haue I giuen you all things Heere is prouision inough feare not want the great depths of the sea the spread plaines of the earth and the vast compasse of the aire are Gods store houses filled with foode and prouision of all kindes for thee so that there must be no fish in the sea no fowles flying through the aire neither hearbe fruit nor beast vpon the face of the earth if there be no foode for thee Yea all liuing creatures must want foode before man can want foode because euen all those other creatures are appointed and giuen to man to be his foode But thy present pouertie maketh thee to say thou fearest not but God will alwaies send inough for all but thou seest that craft couetousnes and oppression gather such superfluous aboundance into some mens hands that thou art afraid lest that out of that sufficient store that God doeth send for all thou shalt not be able to get a sufficient portion for thee and thine Thou confessest that God in this world as a great Lord in his familie maketh prouision and allowance fully and plentifully but men as vnfaithfull stewards make vnequall diuisions and some haue to much to serue euen their intemperate and immoderate lusts and others haue too little to serue euen their necessarie vses and therefore though thou fearest not but God will send yeâ—… thou fearest how thou shalt get sufficiencâ—… To
continue in health and that they may continue to deale iustly honestly and dutifully This triple imploiment for thy praier thou hast iâ—… the time of thy domesticall trouble for thy selfe that art troubled or grieued for them by whose meanes thou art troubled or for whose sake thou art grieued and for the rest This is the second common rule of casting thy burdon vpon God in domesticall troubles namely that thou fall to praier according to the saying of S. Iames is any among you afflicted let him pray Now let vs see what other rules as more particular are to be added to patience and praier CHAP. IX THese domestical troubles being of diuers sorts let vs first distinguish them into two rankes because it is either sicknesse death or some calamity that is happend to thy selfe or to some other neighbour 〈◊〉 â—…d kinsman or of thy family for which thou art out of thy loue and compassion to others and out of sence of thine owne euill greeued Or else it is some wrong offered vnto thee by others in their vnthankfulnesse disobedience vniustice or forwardnesse out of which springeth â—…vnquietnesse and vexation to thee with this latter member of wrongs let vs first begin and see what it is to cast this burden vpon God First here let the wronged person that beareth the burden consider whether the occasion of these burdens grew of himselfe or no. For so it oftentimes commeth to passe that the vnkindnesse of tâ—…e husband prouoketh the wife to some such course as turneth after to the husbands trouble And likewise the disobedience of the wife may driue the husband vnto that course that after becommeth her heauy burden Can the party that first did wrong without prouocation be offended with the party that in the second place did amisse being prouoked somtimes the fondnesse and negligence of parents that wil not instruct nor when needess correct their children nor in any thing restraine them of their owne will or else the euill example of the parents makes them become wanton disordered and euill conditioned as it fell out in Hell his children and in the end the parents see and heare things of their children that grieue their hearts and out of their disobedience and insolency they are wronged and it cannot be otherwise folly cleaning to the soule of the childe but that when the soule is not husbandly tilled by the discipline of the parents it must bring forth weedes of euill behauiour sometime the child that complaineth of the vnkindnesse of parents hath by his owne folly by his disobedience and riotous courses giuen vnto his parents of themselues tender and louing inough cause to be vnkind to change their countenance to shorten their allowance yea to shut the dore against him and to settle his inheritance vpon some other So likewise the mâ—…ster sometimes hath no care at home to teach his seruants to know and feare God and if he goe to the house of God himselfe he careth not to bring his seruants with him or if he bring them with him hee looketh not whether they stay there or no or if they stay whether they marke and learne any thing or no these are not the studies of his heart He suffereth them also to exceede decorum and comelinesse of seruants in their apparel and to be abroad at vnseasonable times with other yong persons and what youth and liberty wanting an ouerseer will doe wise men know also by his owne euill example of riot and vnthristinesse hee becomes vnto his seruants a plaine corrupter they thinking themselues out of danger of reproofe while they tread in the steppes of their masters and gouernours or else an euill master dealeth vniustly and vnkindly with a faithfull seruant and being so brought vp and so prouoked no maruell if at length they breed their Masters trouble Sometime the seruant being both well taught and well intreated and hauing no iust exception against the gouernment and vsage of his Master out of the lewdnesse of his owne euill heart or harkening to the counsell of ill company becommeth disobedient and vnfaithfull and prouoketh his master to take strait courses with him Sometime also an vndiscreet man dwelling by a neighbour of peaceable disposition presumeth vpon his neighbours softnesse and offereth him wrong in such manner as ouercommeth patience and makes the quiet man to stir againe and then hath he trouble in his habitation and feeles himselfe compassed with troubles more then he looked for in all these and like cases the grieued man is the occasion of his owne burden in these domesticall troubles When he findeth this then to cast his burden vpon the Lord for his case is to reforme the errours of his owne misgo uernment and to looke better to the waies of his family and to reforme the errours of his owne life that hee giue better light vnto his owne houshold and draw them backe to goodnesse by his example whom hee had corrupted before and to giue satisfaction to his neighbour whom hee had wronged and to abstaine from after-wronging of him Thus stopping the fountaine of cause giuen by himselfe the streame of offence takeÌ„ by others wil soone drie vp the common rules of patience and harty praier to God withal not neglected If thy vnkindnesse to thy wise and thy bad husbandry made hir vnquiet vse her more kindly and proue a better husband and she shall be quiet So let the wife by more dutifull and modest behauiour recouer hir husbands loue If neglect of discipline with too much remisnesse in gouerning children and seruants and thine owne euill example among them were cause of their disorder vse thy fatherly and masterly authority better and giue a better example and thou shalt haue them in better obedience The child also and seruant becomming more obedient and more faithfull shall soone recouer the loue and fauour of their Parents and Masters And if thy neighbour were prouoked to vex thee because thou hadst first iniuriously vexed him make thy peace with him for the first wrong and abstain from offering a second and hee will liue in peace with thee Surely if the occasion of a mans domesticall trouble grew from himselfe this is to cast his burden vpon God for his owne ease in the feare of God to remooue the occasion to reforme the disorder in himselfe to giue satisfaction to seeke reconciliation and to hold a better course afterward and to doe this in patience ioyning withall praier vnto God that he wil giue both to himselfe and to them that were his troublers wisdome and grace that hee may no more giue and they may no more take any such offence But if a mans domesticall troubles grow not from himselfe giuing the occasion but onely from their owne euill heart that troubled him so that he can say as Samuel did Whom haue I done wrong to Or whom haue I hurt And as Dauid said O Lord my God if I haue done this thing if
there be any wickednesse in my hand if I haue rewarded euill to him that had peace with me yea I haue deliuered him that vexed me without a cause then let mine enemy persecute my soule and take it If the burdened man be himselfe faultlesse and the euill heart of the euill doer be the onely fountaine of his euill deede as the Scriptures testifie and daily experience shewes it to be most true that there are such neighbours and such domestikes that of themselues without cause giuen are troublesome as froward wiues with whom it is as vnquiet dwelling as with a Dragon and euill husbands that haue neither wisdome nor honesty to respect the weaknesse of the womans sex and to intreat them with due mildnesse and children riotous and disobedient that will be ruled by no counsell nor order of parents and parents so vnnaturall and carelesse that they haue no regard of their children and seruants so slothful vnfaithfull and murmuring that they will neuer be good and masters so vnreasonable and cruel that their seruants liue vnder them a miserable life and neighbours and companions to whom it is a pastime to doe euill according to Salomons words As he that faineth himselfe mad casteth fire-brands arrowes and mortall things so dealeth a deceitfull man with his friend and saith am I not in sport Thus falleth it out many times that the quiet man giuing no occasion yet receiueth iniury to his great molestation In this case this very testimony of his heart that he is falultesse glueth much quiet to his soule and giueth much boldnesse of heart to him to commend his cause vnto God and to craue his helpe that is the patron of all innocency And it is a goodly rule of casting his burden vpon God in this case to beare patiently his burden till God intreated by humble praier send releefe And this rule is commended vnto vs by the Apostle Peter saying If when ye doe well yee suffer wrong and take it patiently this is acceptable to God He therefore that hopeth for ease must quietly beare in the meane time according to the pleasure of God The trouble may be a present iniury passing away with the deede not to be continued neuer to be iterated as the rayling of Shemei vpon Dauid to beare patiently that which impatience cannot helpe giueth hope of ease and recompence from the good hand of God as Dauid said of Shemeis cursing it may be the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction and doe mee good for his cursing this day Therfore to suffer it patiently not rendring euill for euill no◅ rebuke for rebuke is to cast that burden vpon God If it be a wrong iterated or continued and prosecuted still patience with praier is to be vsed for by patience wee possesse our soules and by praier we obtaine helpe at the hands of God In this continuing and iterated trouble it may please God for thy triall thy exercise and thy good to continue it long or else in mercy to deliuer thee from it be times If he interpose his hand of deliuerance to make it of short continuance which is to be praied for then he will put an end to thy trouble either by changing the minde of thy troubler or by weakning and crossing his malice or else by remouing thy troubler from thee or thee from thy troubler wherein till his will be reuealed by his worke he is to be attended in patience and to be intreated by praier And because he may remoue the burden of thy domesticall troubles by reforming the troubler it is a maine point of the casting of thy burden vpon God to pray vnto him for the reforming of them And to put to thy hand to so good a worke By this rule if a man bee troubled with an vnquiet wife and would be eased by the good worke of God in reforming hir he must pray vnto God that he would be pleased to giue he◅ a better heart And hee himselfe must in all louing manner teach her what is comely for her to doe as a woman as a wife as a mother as a mistresse as a neighbour wheresoeuer he hath found he◅ to erre and by her errour to haue been the cause of his trouble So did Iob checke and reforme the errour of his wife when she prouoked him to curse God saying thou speakest like a foolish woman What shall we receiue good things at the hands of God and not receiue euill So on the other side if a woman be troubled with a bad and vnquiet husband and would be eased by the good worke of God in reforming her husband shee must pray vnto God that he will be pleased to giue her husband a better heart and she her selfe must in all dutifull manner helpe that change actempting it partly by gentle wordes in season spoken and partly by her owne louing and modest behauiour that is very forcible to reclaime euen a froward minde By words Abigail attempted to reforme the churlishnesse of Nabal her husband chusing a fit season to tell him of the danger thereof the next day after when he had slept away his drunkennes She obserued opportunitie so should all women doe Therefore doeth Bathsheba say of a vertuous woman Shee openeth her mouth in wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue And such words of wisdome from the tongue of his wife an honest man shold not refuse to heare and vnto wise words spoken in season let her adioyne her milde and humble behauiour by which much good may be done vpon him as testifieth Saint Peter saying Likewise let the wiues be subiect to their husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be won by the conuer sation of the wiues while they behold your pure conuersation which is with feare So ought the wife both both with milde words and good behauiour helpe the reformation of her husband These prescribed rules for the man to desire and helpe the reformation of his wife that is froward and for the woman to desire and helpe the reformation of her husband that is disordred when the one prooues the others burden by their errour giue no countenance vnto the disgracing complaints vnto the vnciuill taunts and checkes vnto the brawling words blowes and other euill vsage that passe now and then between man woman when one is offended with another surely God is not the author of such dealings neither do the married that vse such dealings cast the burden of their domesticall troubles vpon God os take ◅ny course to make burden lighter but they do increase it and make it heauier By the same rule parēts masters burdend with disobedient disordred children seruants and desirous to turn off their burdē vpon god are taught to pray to God for the reformation of their children seruants to put their own helping hand to the worke vsing their fatherly and