receive whatsoever God shall teach you With such a heart came Cornelius to heare Peter Act. 10.33 We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God It is the suit of Christ to his Church Cant. 5.2 Open to me my sister my love my dove shut not thy heart against me and my Word To this also a promise is made Ps. 24.7 Lift up your heads ô ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in And Revel 3.20 If any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Certainely if men would come to the Word with such open and teachable hearts ready to receive and learne whatsoever God shall teach they would profit must more then they do But alas most that heare us come with prejudicate and forestalled hearts they have certaine imaginations and errors of their mind which they are resolved to hold concerning the Sabbath and recreations and even this point that I have now so largely handled touching the necessity of living under a sound and profitable ministery and diverse other things And these imaginations and errors of their judgement serve as strong holds to keepe Christ and his truth out of their hearts 2 Cor. 10.4 5. With this mind many a one comes to heare us I know the preacher well enough he differs from me in judgement in sundry things but it is no matter I can heare him and hold mine owne well enough I like his gifts well and will receive his doctrine so farre as I judge it to bee true but if once he fall upon his owne conceits there I will leave him And do so still in Gods name if any preacher teach his owne conceits though he had the gifts of an Angell beleeve him not Gal. 1.8 9. But take heed thou count not that his conceit which he teacheth thee by good warrant of Gods Word For in that case if thou receive not whatsoever he teacheth thee I will assure thee that that which thou seemest to receive will doe thee no good For certainely these men that in their hearing do thus limit and gage the Word and spirit of God would if it lay in their power as those wicked men mentioned Esay 30.10 Say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things speake unto us smooth things And those that did so the Lord calls despisers of his Word verse 12. Sixthly come with a heart resolved to obey and practise whatsoever God shall teach and command thee With such a heart came David to the Word Psal. 119.33 34. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it unto the end give me understanding and I shall keepe thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart To this the promise is made Ioh. 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Such shall attaine to a setled and certaine knowledge of the truth And Luk. 8.15 They that with an honest heart heare the Word keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Mica 2.7 Doe not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly And how can they then profit by the ministery of the Word that in their hearing seeke nothing but knowledge intend nothing lesse then to practise ought they heare like those Ezek. 33.31 They heare thy words but they will not do them But rather resolve before hand they will be still as they were they will do as their neighbours doe as Zeâ—echia did 2 Chron 36.13 He sâ—iffaed his worke and hardned his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel No preacher shall alter them they can heare them they trow and ver do still as they list What Wee were wise men indeed if wee should practise what we heare leave our good fellowship bring religion into our families so should we be counted Puritans God forbid we should ever become such fooles Oh take heed God forbid it not indeed When Pharaoh had hardned his owne heart against the meanes God had used to soften it Exod. 8 15. ye read oft in that book afterward that God hardned his heart Exod. 9.12 O therefore take heed of this Heb. 3.7.8 If ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts Seventhly come in faith to the hearing of the Word and in a certaine expectation to receive that good from the Lord in this his ordinance which he hath promised to doe and worke by it We should thinke and meditate of the promises God hath made to this duty and expect by faith the performance of them Christ hath promised he will be with his servants in their ministery to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Beleeve this and expect his gracious presence to make his ordinance effectuall in thine heart He hath said Luk. â—1 28 Blessed are they that heare the Word Consider who spake this beleeve him of his word and expect a blessing from him in thy hearing The Lord hath said Psal. 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule And Rom. 1. â—6 â—t is the power of God unto salvation Thou feelest sundry corruptions which thou wouldest faine have power to overcome and thy heart converted from them unto the Lord beleeve this which God hath said of his Word and expect to finde this converting power of God in this his ordinance So the Lord hath said of this ordinance Acts 20.32 that it is able to build his people up and to persit the worke of grace begun in them and thou wouldst grow and art troubled that thou growâ—st to better come in saith to it and looke to receive this benifit by it So the Lord hath said Esa. 57.19 that he createth and ordaineth the fruit of the lips to be peace peace to them that are nâ—are and to them that are a far of And thou wâ—ntest peace in thy conscience beleeve what God that cannot lie hath said and look verily to have peace wrought in thy heart by this meanes In a word God hath said of this his ordinance Esa. 55.3 Heare and your soule shall live And Iam 1.21 That it is able to save your soules beleeve this then and expect life and salvation by it How should the most of our hearers then receive any good by this ordinance of God when few or none come to it in this faith They never stirre up themselves to thinke of these promises or to expect any such good by it As it was with them that desired to receive good by Christs divine power in working miracles they must bring faith with them Marke 9.23 Iesus said to him that came to have his sonne dispossessed If thou canst beleeve all these things are possible to him that beleeveth And still according to their faith so they sped Matth. 9. â—9 So
lest ye be condemned behold the Iudge standeth before the doore See two notable examples of this in David The one Psalm 38.12 13 14. When they that sought after his life laid snares for him and they that sought his hurt spake mischievous things and imagined deceits all the day long yet was hee as a deafe man that heard not and as a dumb man that opened not his mouth hee was as a man that heard not and in whose month there was no reproofes The other example of his is that in Shemeies case 2 Sam. 16.10 11. O how meeke was hee towards that wretched man hee would not be revenged of him hee would not suffer him to be chidden or reproved for that hee did And what was the cause of this his mildnesse of spirit towards such enemies Certainly his patience and humble submission of heart to the will of God in these judgements was the only cause of it They therefore that pretend they acknowledge God to be righteous in all their afflictions and patiently submit themselves to his hand in them but they can beare nothing at the hands of men they are apt to breake out into choler and wrath into rage and fury against men that shall doe them the least wrong they give themselves liberty to nourish in themselves desire of revenge and implacable hatred towards them these men I say doe miserably deceive their owne soules if their hearts did indeed patiently submit themselves to the will of God in any of the crosses that are upon them they would then bee more patient towards men who are but the Lords instruments and rods whereby hee afflicteth them Thus spake David of the worst enemies he had Psal. 17.13 14. Deliver my soule from the wicked which is thy sword from men which are thy hand O Lord. Certainely it is the rebelliousnesse of our hearts towards God that wee cannot stoupe to him nor humble our selves under his mighty hand in his judgements that are upon us that maketh us so froward and impatient towards men so desirous to bee revenged of them that have done us any wrong And these are the properties whereby true patience may be knowne and discerned these are the notes whereby we may try whether wee have yet obtained this grace whether wee have yet learned to cleare the Lord when hee judgeth us Lecture LI. On Psalme 51.4 March 6. 1626. NOw for motives that may perswade us to submit our selves patiently to the will of God in all things that may befall us there be very many but I will insist but upon these three considerations onely 1. The unavoidablenesse of affliction 2. The hurt we doe our selves by impatiency and the good that commeth to us by patience 3. The hand that God hath in all our afflictions For the first Every child of God must looke for affliction even for much affliction it should not seeme strange to us when it commeth upon us it should rather seeme strange to any of us that wee have beene so long free from any great affliction This motive the Apostle Peter useth 1 Pet. 4.12 Beloved thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall as though some strange thing happened unto you It cannot be avoided but if we belong to God we must endure affliction at one time or other in one degree or other This was the Doctrine that Barnabas and Paul taught in all Churches and whereby it is said they did confirme the disciples soules that is prepare them for trouble and arme them with patience to beare it when it should come Acts 14.22 that wee must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdome of God 1. The way to heaven is through tribulation 2. Yea through much tribulation 3. Yea wee must a necessity is laid upon us either that way wee must goe to heaven or wee shall never come thither And why must wee doe so 1. Because it is the immutable decree of God it should be so 1 Thess. 3.3 No man should be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that wee are appointed thereunto 2. Because it is the way that all Gods people have gone to heaven by 1 Peter 5.9 Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world Yea the best and choisest of them and those that have bin most deare to God have gone to heaven through many tribulations Take my brethren saith the Apostle Iames 5.10 the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience So that indeed we have so small cause to be dismayed with our afflictions which be they what they can be are but flea-bitings in comparison of those that the choicest of Gods servants have endured that on the contrary side we should have just cause to doubt and suspect our owne estate if we were not subject to them If ye bee without chastisement saith the Apostle Heb. 12.8 whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes As they that desire to find Christ in this life where hee seedeth where hee lyeth at noone must goe their way forth by the footsteps of the flocke as our Saviour directeth his spouse Cant. 1.8 So they that would goe to heaven must goe also by the footsteps of the flocke they must goe in that way that Christs faithfull flocke and people have troden and beaten before them or certainely they shall never come there 3. and lastly Because this is the way whereby Christ himselfe our head and Saviour went to heaven even the Captaine of our salvation as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.10 was made perfect that is brought unto glory through sufferings And God hath decreed that all his members should be conformed and made like unto him in this point as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8.29 Whom he did sore-know he also did predestinate to bee conformed to the image of his sonne So that in these three respects it must needs bee that through much tribulation wee must enter into the kingdome of God The second motive is the consideration of this that we can no way ease or help our selves in any crosse by impatiency and fretting the way to make our crosse easie is to beare it quietly and patiently First Impatiency will not ease us at all but make our crosse more grievous unto us as striving and strugling doth with the foule that is in the snare and with the beast that is in the yoke There is no father but if he see his child shew stubburnesse and rebellion while he is in correcting him he will beate him the more and not give him over till he see him humbled And even so is it with our heavenly father No sin will provoke him more then our murmuring against his corrections When the people complained saith Moses Numb 11.1 it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them And ver 10. Moses heard the people
saith Elihu to Iob when he would perswade him to think and judge rightly of his sin Iob 34.31 32. that which I know not teach thou me It is fit and necessary we should cry unto God that hee would open our eyes and not suffer us to be deluded by Satan that he would by his holy spirit teach us to judge rightly of this matter to know how hainous and dangerous a thing sinne is Lecture CXX On Psalme 51.7 Iune 9. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second use of the Doctrine and that is for exhortation For if this be so that no man may hope to find mercy with God for the pardon of his sin but onely through Christ and his bloud then must we all labour to know that we have our part in Christs bloud that we are of the number of them that he did undertake for O this is the excellent knowledge when all is done This was the knowledge that Paul made such reckoning of as he professeth to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 2.2 He determined not to know any thing among them save Iesus Christ and him crucified Three points are to be observed in that speach of his 1. That though hee did so excell in knowledge as he durst without vaine-glory compare with the very chiefest Apostles as he saith 2 Cor. 11.5 6. Though I be rude in speach saith he yet not in knowledge but we have beene made throughly manifest unto you in all things As if he had said There was no point of religion needfull for you to be instructed in no difficult case of conscience that any of you had occasion to propound unto me but I was able fully and cleerely to resolve you in He had received that abundance of revelations from the Lord as hee was in danger to bee exalted above measure with them as himselfe confesseth 2 Cor. 1◠7 Yet doth he professe here that hee made no reckoning of all the rest of his knowledge in comparison of this To know Iesus Christ and him crucified was the onely knowledge the onely high point of learning that he made account of and gloryed in 2. That this was the onely point of knowledge that in his whole ministery in all his preaching among the Corinthians he laboured to bring them to To know Iesus Christ and him crucified this was the whole scope and drift of his ministery In which respect also he calleth his ministery 1 Cor. 1.18 The preaching of the crosse and verse 23. The preaching of Christ crucified as if he preached nothing but that all his preaching tended to bring them to this point of knowledge to know Iesus Christ and him crucified 3. Observe that hee saith hee did this advisedly and upon judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee I determined and resolved with my selfe before I preached among you that this should bee the onely point of knowledge that I would professe my selfe to have skill in and which I would in my whole ministery labour to bring you unto To know Iesus Christ and him crucified O that wee were all of Pauls mind ô that wee all that are preachers of the Gospell were of Pauls mind that wee would not so much affect and admire the knowledge of nice and intricate speculations and busie our owne and other mens heads with unprofitable controversies with oppositions of science falsly so called as the Apostle speaketh 1 Tim 6.20 that wee would not count it our glory to excell others in such points of knowledge and learning as are vaine and unprofitable but study this point better and strive to bring our selves and others to this skill To know Iesus Christ and him crucified To this end marke how that blessed Apostle doth further expresse himselfe in this matter Phil. 3.8 9. Doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe account them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him c. Foure things are worthy to bee observed in this speach of that holy man 1. That there is an excellency in this knowledge in the knowledge of Christ above all other knowledge in the world 2. That he himselfe had suffered the losse of all things for Christs sake the cause of all his losses of all his troubles and persecutions was the constant profession he made of his love to Christ and the high and account hee made of him that hee would not shrinke from him nor forgoe the comfort and sweetnesse he found in him 3. That he did not this out of a rash zeale and head-strong affection but advisedly and upon good judgement and mature deliberation I account all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord I account them but dung As if he should say I see good reason why I should be content to purchase this knowledge with the losse of all things yea that I should even loath all things as the filthiest dung and cry fie upon them when they come in competition with Christ and I cannot enjoy them but I must loose my comfort in Christ. 4. Lastly Observe what a kind of the knowledge of Iesus Christ it was that he made so great account of I count all things but losse saith he for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord and againe I count all things but dung that I may win Christ and may bee found in him As if hee had said To know Christ to bee my Lord and Saviour that hee did undertake for mee to win and weare him as mine owne to know that I am in him as the branch is in the vine and the sience in the stocke ô this is an excellent knowledge saith hee this is such a knowledge as a man should bee willing to purchase with the losse of any thing that is dearest to him in the world And this is the knowledge of Christ that I would faine perswade my selfe and every one of you beloved to make high account of and to give no rest to our selves till we have attained unto it And for the better enforcing of this so necessary an exhortation I will 1 give you some Motives to quicken and stirre up this desire in us 2 Because most men are too light of beleefe and confident in this point that Christ is theirs I will give you some signes and notes out of Gods Word how we may know this and not be deceived in it 3. Lastly I will shew you the Meanes that they who have not yet but would faine win Christ and be found in him must use to obtaine their desire And for Motives there be foure that may serve in stead of many that might be given First Till thou know that Christ is thine and that thou art one of them that he did undertake for thou canst have no assurance that any sinne that ever thou didst commit is pardoned but hast
it than ever could be in the tenderest hearted mother in the world Can a woman saith the Lord Esa. 49.15 forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe Yea they mâ—y forget yet will not I forget thee Yea he not onely loatheth them not for that sin that remaineth in them but delighteth and taketh pleasure in them neverthelesse for all that The Lord taketh pleasure saith David Psal. 147.11 in them that feare him in those that hope in his mercy Fiftly and lastly This pardon shall never be cancelled and revoked the Lord when he hath granted it will never call it in againe Of this mercy it is said Hos. 13.14 Repentance is hid from mine eyes Whom he hath once â—ustified and received into his favour he will never reckon with them againe nor reverse his pardon He forsâ—â—eth not his Saints saith David Psal. 37.28 they are preserved for ever In which respect the Apostle Heb. 13.20 calletâ— Christs bloud the bloud of the everlasting covenant The righteousnesse we have by Christ is an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 And from hence it is even from the consideration of this largenesse and fulnesse of their pardon and how perfect the worke of their justification is that the faithfull have borne themselves and rested much more upon their justificatioâ— than upon their sanctification as you may see in these three points First They have placed their happinesse in this and not in any inherent grace that was in them as the Apoâ—tle teacâ—eth Rom. 4.6 8. David thus describeth saith he the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities â—â—e forgiven c. Secondly They have also grounded their peace of conscience their spirituall joy their glorying and boasting in their owne estate not so much upon their sanctification or any goodnesse they found wrought in themselves which they knew was weake and unperfect subject to many changes and alterations as upon their justification by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them which they knew was most perfect and unreversible Being justified by faith saith the Apostle Rom. 5.1 3. we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ yeâ— we are not onely at peace but we rejoyce also and are chearefull and comfortable in hope of the glory of God yea we glory also in our estate even in tribulations as you know Paul did when he was in chaines Acts 26. â—9 Thirdly and lastly They have so borne themselves upon the assurance and comfort of their justification and pardon as they have been able to lift up their faces unto God and to go to him in their prayers with a holy boldnesse as it is strange to see what boldnesse and familiarity both David and other of Gods servants have expressed this way By him we have boldnesse saith the Apostle Eph. 3.12 and accesse with confidence and boldnesse through faith in him Now the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are three principally First Why doth not the Lord impute unto the faithfull any of their sinnes Why doth he not account nor esteeme of them as sinners that are sinners indeed Surely because he fully imputed all their sinnes with all the foule circumstances of them unto Christ their Surety The Lord laid upon him saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6 the iniquities of us all He made him to be sinne for us saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.31 who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Secondly How is it possible that the soule of any so foule a sinner as David was should be made so cleane in Gods eye as no one spot should remaine in it Surely because the bloud of Christ was the bloud of such a person as was God aswell as man God purchased us saith the Apostle Acts 20.28 with his bloud And therefore was of infinite merit and virtue sufficient and more than sufficient perfectly to cleanse the fowlest soule It is therefore compared by the Prophet Zach. 13.1 not to a cisterne or poole that may be drawne dry but to a fountain opened to all Gods people for sinne and for uncleannesse With him is plenteous redemption saith the Prophet Psal. 130.7 The ransome that hee paid was enough and enough againe to satisfie Gods justice for all our sinnes Thirdly and lastly But how is it possible will you say that the soule of any so fowle a sinner as David here was a filthy adulterer a murderer should ever become in Gods sight not onely cleane but whiter than the snow beautifull and glorious in the eyes of God Surely because to whomsoever the Lord doth give for Christs sake the pardon of his sinnes which is the first part of our justification to him he doth also impute the righteousnesse of Christ which is the second part of our justification before God Thus David describeth saith the Apostle Rom. 4.6 7. the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered To whom the Lord forgiveth his sinnes to him he doth impute righteousnesse also Take away the filthy garments from him saith the Lord of Iehoshuah Zach. 3.4 and be said unto him behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of raiment And what was that change of raiment Surely the perfect and more than sufficiently meritorious obedience and righteousnesse of the Lord Iesus which God doth impute unto us In which respect also we are said by justifying faith to put on the Lord Iesus Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 and to be cloathed with him as with a garment And no marvell if being so apparelled we appeare whiter than the snow beautifull and glorious in the sight of God To her that is to the Spouse and Church of Christ saith the Apostle Rev. 19.8 was graunted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen cleane and white for the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints This perfect righteousnesse of Christ which the Lord imputeth to us and where with as with a garment he cloatheth us is the onely righteousnesse that any of Gods Saints have to stand before God with and having that they may stand with boldnesse even before the judgement seat of God Lecture CXXIX On Psalme 51.7 Septem 29. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto And they are of two sorts First Such as tend to the informing and establishing of our judgements in this most weighty and fundamentall article of our faith and that is for confutation of errour that is maintained against it Secondly Such as tend to the working upon our hearts and directing us how we should be affected with it and of this sort there are two First for comfort and for exhortation secondly The use of the first sort that is to say the use of confutation though
speech of the Apostles unto Christ Luk. 17.5 where when they had heard our Saviour teach if a brother trespasse against us seven times in one day and what hope will you say can a man have of such a one yet upon profession of his repentance wee must forgive him and when they heard him presse this with such earnestnesse as Verse 3. he did take heed to your selves As if he should say I know well how heard and difficult a thing it is to flesh and bloud that I shall now require of you but take heed you doe so your case is wofull if you doe not this the Apostles all of them with one voice cry unto Christ Lord increase our faith As if they had said he had need have a great deale of faith that should be able to doe this and yet Lord if thou wilt be pleased to increase our faith we shall be able to doe it Why How can a mans faith helpe him in this case Surely two wayes First if a man would stirre up and exercise his faith by considering what the Lord for Christs sake hath done for him how he hath forgiven him a debt of tenne thousand talents and how apt he is still upon his repentance to forgive him though he trespasse against him more then seven times every day this will make a man able and willing to forgive his brother upon his repentance any wrongs whatsoever which are but as a debt of an hundred pence in comparison of that which God hath forgiven him and make him say to his owne heart as wee reade Matth. 18.33 the wicked servant should have said Should not I have compassion of my fellow servant even as the Lord hath had pitty on me Therefore the consideration of that which God for Christs sake hath done for us is also used by the Apostle Col. 3.13 as the strongest motive to make us willing to forgive wrongs Secondly if a man would make claime to that promise that hee being in Christ hath just title to which we finde made Esa. 11.6 9. to all the subjects of Christs kingdome The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe c. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine The effect of which promise is this that all that belong to Christs kingdome shall have the spirit of meekenesse given unto them and though they were by nature like Wolves and Leopards and Lions and Beares and Aspes and Cockatrices that is fierce and cruell apt to doe hurt and mischiefe when once they beleeve in Christ their natures shall be quite changed all bitternesse of spirit shall be taken from them they shall have no desire to hurt to be revenged of any that have done them wrong If I say a Christian that findeth himselfe troubled with maliciousnesse and bitternesse of spirit would in humble and faithfull prayer make claime to this promise and challeng it at Gods hands doubtlesse hee might have more power over that corruption then he hath A third corruption that troubleth much the people of God is slavish feare which is indeed one of the greatest tormenters of the heart that can be Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18 And there is scarce any one corruption that the dearest of Gods servants are more subject to then to this slavish and distrustfull feare In which respect the Lord Esa. 35.4 calleth them such as are of a fearefull heart And upbraideth them with this as with a great sinne Esa. 51.13 Thou hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressour as if hee were even ready to destroy If they heare of any troubles approaching of any practises of the enemy either at home or abroad their hearts are surprised with strange feares continually every day as if the enemy were already entred into their houses and ready to cut their throates Alas my weakenesse is such saith this poore soule as I shall never bee able to abide such a triall I shall be apt to deny God or doe any thing when such a day commeth This is too true and this is my very case will many a one of you say and I know it is my great sinne to be so fearefull as I am but how should I helpe it How may I bee able to mortifie and subdue this corruption I answer get assurance by faith that thou art reconciled to God in Christ that thy sinnes are forgiven thee and that will free thee from thy feares and make thee strong against them See an experiment of this in them that endured as great tryalls as thou shalt ever indure and felt themselves before their tryall as fearefull and weake every whit as thou art I meane them that the Apostle speaketh of Hebr. 11.33 37. Observe these foure things distinctly in that example First How great their tryals were Verse 37. They were stoned sawne asunder tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Is it possible that thou canst ever be brought to greater tryals than they were Secondly How strong and resolute how void of feare they were even in this fiery tryall Vers. 35. not accepting deliverance they had deliverance and peace and freedome from all these miseries offred them upon condition that they would yeeld a little and forsake their Religion but they would not accept of it Thirdly Consider how weake and fearefull they had beene before the very time that they came to this tryall Vers. 34. Out of weakenesse they were made strong Fourthly Lastly What it was that made them thus strong Vers. 33. Through faith they attained to this strength The assurance they had of their reconciliation with God in Christ and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes was that that made them overcome their fearefulnesse and become so strong And no marvell for all the faithfull in this case have these promises of God to rest upon 1. That God will certainly have an eye to them and a care of them in the worst times that can come When he maketh inquisition for bloud saith David Psal. 9.12 when he commeth to visit a land for the murders and other horrible sinnes committed in it he remembreth them And 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints He maketh precious account of them The haires of their head are numbred as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 10.30 and therefore much more their lives They shall not lose their lives unlesse God shall see that will be most for his glory and their good 2. The Lord will certainly proportion their tryals to their strength and as their tryals shall increase so shall their strength increase to beare and get through with them The Lord will give strength unto his people saith the Prophet Psal. 29.11 Feare thou not for I am with thee saith the Lord Esa. 41.10 be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will helpe thee yea I will uphold thee with the