way Ioh. 10.1 Vse 1 A reproofe of all in the calling of the Ministerie that cannot shew their letters nor the seale of their calling with Gods hand thereat and who neither can draw their Pedigree from Aaron nor fet their license from Christ The like may be sayd of all corrupt intruders in the Common-wealth who take their places as a farme for monie and where God hath shut the dore open it with a siluer Key Paul could call himselfe an Apostle of Christ 1. Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1.1 But whose Apostles are these Moses and Gedeon were sent of God but who sends these Vse 2 A comfort to all that are lawfully called of God in the Church or Common-wealth For what discouragements soeuer they meet with by doing their duties therein the wrongs are not theirs but their Masters and he whom they serue will beare them out in any thing they shall doe after his mind in their lawfull vocation But for those that are not so called of him the troubles they beare in such a calling are properly their owne and not his If therefore an vnfit Minister goe to the wall the calling is not abused but one that hath vsurped the calling suffereth for his presumption Thus wee haue seene that what the Angels do in the safetie of the righteous they do it by a charge from God their manner of doing it followeth To keepe thee in all thy waies they shall beare thee vp c. THe manner of preseruing the Righteous must be by a kind of watch or keeping and by a nursing of them vp with the hand or a bearing of them in their hands In the first it is shewed vpon what condition they shall bee so watched and kept namely so long as they keepe themselues within the bounds of their calling and depart not from the wayes that God hath set them to walke in And in the second it is said but in a figuratiue speech that they shall beare them in their hands or hold them fast as Nurses doe their little ones For the Angels are not bodies neither haue hands And the Prophets meaning is that the Angels of God as Nurses hold the Faithfull in their hands as children and saue them as little ones from falling The kind of speech is taken from nursing Mothers or Nurses who hold their young children so fast in their hands or safe in their armes that they cannot fall It may also be taken from persons who haue things of worth in their hands and therefore will not neglect them but carefully look vnto them The summe of all is The Faithfull are by Gods appointment kept as with a watch in their waies and guarded with troops of Angels that haue not onely a generall care but a particular for them The Doctrine from hence is the godly cannot but be surely Doct. 1 watched and strongly kept hauing the Angels about them for their safety for these watchmen sleepe not and this guarde about the righteous is spirit and not flesh The guarde of Kings is a strong wall But what are men what are Kings or a guarde of kings to the Angels that keep the righteous and thē how strong is their wall Iacob a feeble person with a weake familie Gen. 32.11.31 was safe enough against warlike Esau his cruell brother comming against him with 400. men ver 6. say his comming had been with foure hundred thousand the reason was he had many Angels to keeps him ver 1. and one had bene enough to haue kept him and a whole countrie with him against foure hundred Princes with their Companies greater then Esau So when the King of Syria had sent a very great Hoste to haue compassed and taken a weak Citie where Gods Prophet Elisha was it would not be the Prophet telleth the cause why There are sayth he moe with vs then be with them 2. King 6.16 He spake of Angels who were and appeared stronger to saue the Citie then all that came against it The Mountaine was full of them ver 17. In the 34. Psal ver 7. Dauid assureth vs that these heauenly powers encampe round about all that feare God to deliuer them and that they keepe them that is safely keepe them and euerie bone in them ver 20. The men of Sodome came in no small companie to the house of Lot young and old compassed it and all people from all quarters made head against it But what could they doe vnto it or to him so long as his Keepers the Angells were in it and about him Gen. 29.4.9 10. They shut the dore and after Lot might goe in and out at his pleasure verse 14. This was Gods hedge and wall about Iob and all that he had Iob 1.10 and none could breake ouer it or breake it downe to touch him till God gaue leaue verse 11.12 While there was a fourth with the three seruants of God in the fornace that was made so exceeding hote the cruell fire could haue no power ouer their bodies no nor ouer an haire of their head to burne it or ouer their coates to change them and which was wonderfull the burning fire could not so much as leaue any smell of fire vpon them Dan. 3.25.27 This made Christ to admonish the wicked to take heed how they despised or sought to hurt the weakest seruant or child his Father had For though he be weake in himselfe he is not so in his keepers the Angels who alwayes behold his Fathers face in heauen Math. 18.10 that is stand readie looking when he will send them to strike with death the proudest aduersarie that that poore man hath And Christ is said to be that ladder of Iacob vpon which the Angels descend and ascend in the protection of his Church Ioh. 1.51 Genes 28.12 because for his sake they minister to the heires of glorie and by him the ladder descend to vs in our continuall saftie which is as sure as his owne seate in heauen and standeth like mount Sion against all stormes and windes of men The reasons Reason 1 One Angell armed with the power and glorie of God is stronger then a whole countrey Earthly Princes are subiect to many changes and great vnsuretie of life estate The reasons is their enemies may kill their watch and corrupt their guard But what men or kingdomes can touch the Churches watch what angels of gold are able to corrupt the Angels of God and then how can that perish that is committed to keepers so mightie and faithfull Reason 2 Secondly the charge of vs is giuen to these ministring spirits by parcels not in grosse and peece-meale not in a lumpe our members in a booke our haires by tale and number For it is vpon record and as it were deliuered to them in writing in one Psalme They keepe all our bones Psal 34.20 in this they keepe our very foote putting it in securitie ver 12. and else where our whole man and euery member And can a charge so precisely and so particularly
twelue wil ye also go away Ioh. 6.66.67 as if he had said when all go ye must tarrie and when the world forsakes me forsake the world to follow me The reasons Reason 1 The greatest number take not Gods name for their tower Gods numbers do or should and where the wicked seeke out euill deuices the righteous walke with God in a contrarie way Reason 2 Secondly a good nature will follow his friend in aduersitie and shall aduersitie cause any nature to depart from God Reason 3 Thirdly He hath the words of eternall life and to whom shall wee go if we go from him Ioh. 6.68 Vse 1 Not safe therefore to conforme to the multitudes behauiour in troubles or in them to do as the most do For when Gods hand is vpon a countrie in any common affliction the greatest number waxing wanton against the rod striue to forget the worke of the Lord and care not to remember the operations of his hands Esay 5.12 Should the godly do so Should they feeds without feare Iude 12. because others do so or should they not rather mourne apart with their families and more priuarely one man with another till the calamitie be at an end Zach. 12.12 the greatest part neuer vnderstand nor labour to know Gods ends in punishing a nation with scourges and snares shall the godly therefore haue as little vnderstanding and not heare the rod nor him who hath commanded it Micah 6.9 The most trust in vanitie shall the righteous therefore put their considence in a thing of nought and because not to be singular is the onely garment now in fashion shall they that should not fashion themselues to the world Rom. 12.2 put it on because they will not be singular in goodnesse nor go alone in the narrow way of life so they may like beasts fatted in all abundance of iniquitie follow the heard and droue thinking nothing but that they are going to the pasture when it is to the slaughter-house They are here reprooued who think it the best and safest way Vse 2 to doe as the most not as the best do but it is the common rode of the hypocrite neuer to be seene in a way wherein the greatest number walk not To fashion to times and multitudes hath bin and is like still to be the religion of all times and worlds Protestant Chusa's say which way the world goes will we go 2. Sam. 16 18. They refuse to enter in at the streight gate Matth. 7.13 and choose the wide gate and broad way of the multitude to enter where the most doe and to be where the most are that they may not be hit in the teeth with precisenesse and odious singularitie For the Sabbath they will rather follow the Diuell in a great company to prophane it then God the Lord in a small number to hallow it Their reasons is they must do as all the townes about them do and they say we do but as euery body doth and all the Country doth so as well as we To whom I amswer with a reuerende Writer M. Dod on 4. Com. If they will doe as euery body doth they must looke to speede as euery body speedes and bee cursed for companie if they will sinne for Companie Mal. 3.9 But let vs take heed of companies or of sinning for company All in Sodom saue Lot and his house sinned together and perished together Gen. 19. The whole world saue Noah and his house as they were buried in one graue of lusts so were they buried in one graue of waters Gen 7. And the Angels that fell in companies from heauen went and were cast downe in companies to hell 2. Pet. 2.4 Further what moueth the Lord so from yeare to yeare to strike vs with varietie of Plagues so that for twelue yeares together the land hath not bene without but this large fellowship in sinne For do not sinners in towne and countrie seeke to dash all commandements and rebuks with the force of example And because such and such do so are not their doings a sufficient buckler to warde off all strokes of the Law and directions of the Gospell that teach otherwise and contrarily Doth not the custome of sinne take away the sense and shame of sinne Doth not companie giue it grace and the committers of it boldnesse and where are so few doers of good will it not bee thought shame to do well and what shame to commit iniquitie when the committers of it are couered with a thicke cloud of so many that praise and do the same things sometimes the mountaines hide them or they hide themselues in the practise of the great ones where they liue whose height is ouer them as the high hils and couers them as the great mountaines and then how can they blush Doct. 3 Further in the text we reade these words of particular faith I will say and I will trust and my hope my fortresse my God all which shew that this Man of God did apply the former generall doctrine of Gods defence to his owne particular case and person and therefore teach whatsoeuer generall threatnings or promises we find written in the Scriptures for our learning to apply them more specially to our selues for our humbling or consolation And so when the word threatneth a sinne we must apply as if it threatned it in vs and when it maketh any promise to beleeuers beleeue that the promise so made on condition of the like faith belongeth to vs. For here euery one must be a Prophet to himselfe by laying the line of the word to the state and faring of his owne conscience and mind in things So Dauid directed the point of his owne finne to his owne heart 2. Sam. 24.10 and with that sword which God sent into Israel it was of the Pestilence and mortalitie for three dayes he smote himselfe that made the people to be numbred not Ioab that numbred them 1. Chron. 21.12.17 and in another transgression and at another time he confessed the wickednesse that was done against himselfe that did it Psal 32.5 So Paul doth not onely write himselfe a sinner but the chiefe of sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Also what vse Ioseph made of his Masters peculiar fauour to him in the house Genes 39.9 such we must make of Gods speciall loue to vs in his word as hath the Lord in great kindnesse magnified his Name toward vs by his word Psal 138.2 it then concerneth vs with Ioseph in continuall thankfulnesse to glorifie or send backe the praise of that his Name and mercy to him by our obedience to his word That woman of Canaan which had the grace to be called the woman of great faith Math. 15.28 did make good vse for an aduantage of that little fauour that was shewed sometimes and to some of the cursed race of the Canaanites which was that God made and would make where pleased him a gleaning of them to saluation and therefore said that they had some of those
well spoken of our enemies being iudges Deut. 32.31 but such honour shall they haue whom Gods fauor to them doth make the means of his sparing mercy to others it shall be confessed and they shall not denie it one day And should not this incourage vs to get the fauour of God by his scare that such fauour to vs may by some glimps of it shining vpon others for our sakes in certaine temporarie blessings either procure their fauor or some good speech of vs to our instification when they that hate vs speake euill of our waies A reproofe of those who charge the godly as causers of the Vse 2 euils that are sent and their godly exercises and deeds as causes which accusation is neither new nor singular to our age for in the first times of the Gospell and after for many yeares there was no Plague of sicknesse famine or sword which was not layd to the charge of Religion and Christians then So Elijah was charged to trouble Israel who was a most worthie Prophet and worshipper in Israel 1. Kings 18.17 and Micah that neuer prophesied ought but good was charged neuer to prophesie good but euill to the King 1. King 22.8 Also he that raised the widdowes sonne was said to kill him 1. King 17.18 and in our owne dayes they that stood vp in the breach haue bene said to make it and they charged to haue bene troublers of Israel who did helpe to deliuer Israel from her troubles and to haue preached sedition who spake peace to the land As well might they be charged to pull downe that build vp and to destroy that edifie and to tread down the Gospell that are meanes to raise it Vse 3 A comfort to them that truly serue the Lord for if the wicked oftentimes fare better for such then they themselues must needes fare well and best in all changes When those eight persons were saued from the floud that drowned all the world besides Noah entred first Genes 7.1.7 He was sure to be one So when God sends whole flouds of his iudgements the Noahs that walke with God Genes 6.9 may boldly and first enter into his sesecret place as it were Arke of inuisible prouidence and there dwell confidently For he that shut the doore of the Arke and made it fast after Noah and his companie when they were once in Genes 7.16 will make fast the barres of their gate and secure them with Lot when he hath pulled them into the house and shut to the doore Genes 19.10 If the Pestilence should come in some great fire as sometime it did so that the sparkes do flie throughout the land yet hauing our buckets in a readinesse such as the Israelites drew vp water with in the day of their calamitie 1. Sam. 7.6 we haue meanes to quench it when it shall take in our owne houses and also like good meanes by promise to preserue our neighbours houses from burning if it threaten theirs And the same assurance the righteous haue in all other alterations then what can be more comfortable and more necessary in the euill day So much for the larger proposition of Gods deliuerances the more restrained and particular followeth VER 11. and 12. For he shall giue his Angels charge c. HAuing more generally propounded Gods deliuerances the Prophet now speaketh of them more particularly and specially by telling the godly that the Lord doth put his Church to the Angels to Nurse who must beare her in their hands and see vnto her that she take no harme For what is this but a more significant and speciall declaration of Gods fauors to the righteous which may be considered in the persons by whose ministerie they receaue such fauours the Angels and the perils from which they are kept in the hand of those Angels For the Angels it is first to be noted that what they do herein they do it by a charge or calling verse 11. and then in what manner they do it verse 12. For their calling vnto this seruice in the Churches safetie it is expressed in this word He by which is meant God the giuer of the charge and Lord of them And this charge is giuen to the Angels ouer one person and not to one Angell onely to bee ouer him according to the bold fancie of the Church of Rome the godly are compared to infants the Angels to Nurses the impediments in their way to heauen to a stone of offence But to returne to the persons here charged the Angels the word Angel is a name not of their substance but of their office which is that they are sent forth or sent à latere from God to men So it is said in the Psalme He maketh his spirits Angels or Messengers Psal 104.4 their substance is to be spirits of an inuisible nature and being but to stand in the presence of God day and night that is continually waiting to go forth with his commission when he will send them is the office and holy effect of their nature and being and so not of their substance but of their office and ministerie Now where the Prophet saith He that is God shall giue his Angels charge c. his meaning is that they are called of God to this seruice and appointed by him before they thus minister or he calleth and they serue and giueth the charge and they obey it From whence we learne Doct. not to presume to serue in the weightie roomes of the Church or Common-wealth without a calling or charge from God For thus Simon and Andrew two brothers Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and Iohn his brother did not deale with the net of the Apostleship till they were called from catching of fish to catch men But after Christ said follow me they left all and followed him Math 4.18.19.20.21.22 Christ himselfe had his Commission sealed to him by him that sent him before hee would publish the decree which was that the Lord had said vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Hebr. 5.5 Psal 2.7 Moses was vnwilling and drew backe when God called him to the office of a deliuerer Exod. 4.1.2.3.10.11.13 yea refused and put off till God was angrie Ver 14. And when God called Gedeon to deliuer Israell he was not forward to commend himselfe to the place as ambitious seekers of places are at this day but reasoned much with the Lord about his going before he went Iudg. 6.12 12 14 15 16 17.36 37. The Reasons Reason 1 God is the God of order not of confusion but order requires and modesty would that a man should be sought in such risings and not offer himselfe without seeking So Saul when there was some goodnes in him modestly hid himselfe 1. Sam. 10.22 23. But the peerking Bryer did sarre otherwise in the Parable of Ionathan Iudg. 9.15 Secondly to go without a calling is to go without warrant and not to enter by the dore as Christ did but corruptly some other
giuen and taken be neglected Thirdly their manner of keeping vs as it is set downe in the Reason 3 text cannot but promise great assurance For is not the little child safe while the Nurse carrieth it in her armes or beareth it in her hands So while these Nurses so beare vs can we be in danger but our Nurses on earth may fall these Nurses the Angels cannot Fourthly our protection is deliuered with a charge to the Angels Reason 4 that nothing be lacking as if the Lord should haue said I charge ye that ye looke well to all these little ones that I commit to your keeping see that none of them perish and vse your power in the safetie of them all First here is matter of thankfulnesse throughout all the Churches Vse 1 whose safetie is prouided for by so honourable a guard about them It had beene sufficient security to haue beene cared for by Gods prouidence and being to passe the seas of this troublesome world to haue had his Letters that is word for our safe conduct to our countrie but that God should giue vs besides his prouidence to keepe vs that hoste which is so glorious and neere himselfe to be alwaies about vs as if he should vouchsafe vnto vs not his princely Letters onely but his royall Nauie to bring vs safe to our heauenly Port and Land this must needes abundantly secure vs and expell all feare This is grace indeede and great riches of grace which should make his praise to bee heard his name to be excellent in al the places of his dominion If mens spirituall eyes were open they that are spirituall might see the Diuell and his Angels with a whole hoste of wicked men in continuall assault against them they might see themselues to goe continually in danger and euery step in death but that the strength of heauen goes with them and is there not matter in all this for the praise of God with heart and mouth In the yeere of our Lord 1588. the bragging power of Spaine could doe nothing against vs that came to destroy vs and to roote out our memoriall for the Lord kept our coasts by his Angels and what could they doe against such keepers should not this be remembred and should it not be remembred how the Angels haue encamped about defended this Realme against so many hostes of diuels diuels-children that more then 60 yeers haue sought by innumerable engines of Treason and threatnings of death to haue made it a Sepulcher of Christian carkesses for the Gospels sake that is yet among vs And let it not be forgotten what the Lord did so lately by his Angels in the mouth of our Soueraigne for the discouerie of the powder-plot Thus we haue been and are at this day kept safely by the Lord in the hand of his royall Angels for which grace of his what can wee giue to him lesse then praise in our mouthes and obedience in our liues continually Vse 2 A comfort to the righteous who in this that the Angels are their mighty keepers haue a spirituall preseruatiue of great vertue against all Plagues that come whether of sword famine or contagious Pestilence They that walke in the waies of the Lord when others runne out haue promise in a common euill of particular safety if it be expedient for them the Angels attend them for that purpose and the Lord knoweth how to deliuer them as he did Lot when he meaneth to turne a whole Sodom of filthinesse into ashes Gen. 19.16.22.29.2 Pet. 2.7.9 If God send Pestilence or famine or any other euill in the hotest Plague and greatest dearth that he sendeth they neede to feare nothing that haue reuerenced his truth and done his will keeping themselues vnspotted of abuses and sorrowing for the abuses they could not helpe for hauing such Leaders as the Angels are they shall not walke where the Plague walketh or if they doe they shall walke in the aire of it without danger hauing in these mighty ones about them so strong a counterpoison against it and when some dearth is sent the Angels will one way or other see them prouided for that the Scripture may be fulfilled which saith doe good and thou shalt be fed assuredly Psal 37.3 So when any other euill commeth God will not forget the loialty and good seruices of his people who hath put them all downe in a better and more lasting booke of record then was that which Assuerus kept for a remembrance of such Subiects as had deserued well of him Hest 6.1 2. but will defend such by his Angels as hee hath marked with fauour for speciall deliuerance in the euill day or else how should so many of the godly and few of the wicked escape in a towne visited with the Pestilence seeing the sicknesse is as infectious to one as to another and seeing that at the first beginning of it and before it was knowne or suspected both one and another went indifferently together into the house then infected with it The case is plaine the good Angles beare as many in their hands as God will haue them to deliuer from perill of death or common infection at such times Obiect You will say it often falles out otherwise Obiect in the visitation of God by Pestilence for the most wicked haue beene deliuered from it and the godly taken away Answ First it must bee remembred what was said before Answ which was that the godly shall be deliuered if it bee expedient for them and then not deliuered from that Plague they are deliuered from a greater by it euen a Plague of Plagues a most accursed life full of sinne fraught with miseries and dyings without end and number And for the wicked though they escape them they are not deliuered properly but repriued for a time to be more tormented hereafter either with that very death or with some other of a more horrible kinde or with euerlasting death in hell or they are reprieued till another visitation or to their day of assize in their deaths-day or day of generall iudgement But to make the ioy of the righteous full let it further be considered that the good Angels are stronger to saue then the euill are to destroy for are the euill great in power the good are greater then they the good hauing the fauour of God which the euill haue not are they old and subtle to inuent hurt the good are as old and more wise to preuent it can they cause Pestilence by venemous exhalations and dearth by some tempests the good can purge the aire that they haue poisoned and make a calme where they made a storme are they strong and full of might as they are full of might so they are fuller of feare and feare abateth strength also the good are stronger then they and voide of feare because without siune that causeth feare doe both worke from God yet they worke with great difference the good as voluntaries the euill as slâ—ues
enemie turne backe or giue ouer for a little A Christian must striue by the Scriptures against all carnall feares and distrusts and not giue way to them by cowardly yeeldings But some know nothing in the Word Such must endeuour to learne or looke to be confounded in the cuill day and some if they cannot presently see the drift of their affliction in a trifle take on as if a Lion were without Prou. 22.13 and they should dye no other death But must we walke vpon a Lyon and may we feare our destruction by a Mouse Must we trample vpon a Dragon and shall we feare a simple flie That which is full of poison shall not hurt and can that hurt that hath none Must we keepe the field against Diuels and shall we loose it against men or haue Christians entred into maine battaile with Satan in most grieuous temptations and shall we proue such weake Christians as not to endure a light skirmish with him in a few short encounters This concerneth not those pitifull soules which being greatly cast downe in griefe of spirit and hauing many breakings vpon them doe sometimes go aside and sometimes become fretting and tumultuous within for the very anguish and paine that so greatly presseth them For such impatience was in Dauid the man of God and such diuersitie of affections hath been found in the best during the present great affliction At one time they haue thought themselues verie strong in God and at another so weake and so cast downe that they could not possibly rise but in all this they had a smacke of Man in them and their flesh was weake yet their spirit was ready and waited on God not making haste but possessing their soules till hee deliuered them It is not so with these vnsetled Dastards and run-awayes who are ready to cast off all if Satan nibble but a little at their heele Gen. 3.15 If the Gospel of the Crosse begin to lay some restraint vpon them they will be zealous no longer and when a great man looks strangely or awry vpon them for their good wayes it is as if a Lyon met them therefore they presently turne out of those wayes to walke in a way that shall lesse offend These are the fearfull and vnbeleeuers that this Scripture censures who for euery little wrinch or foile goe lame of all courage in good things where the godly resist vnto blood neuer forsaking their weapons till death driue them out of the field imperious death that cannot be resisted Vse 3 A comfort to the faithfull for all things are conquered before them that would doe them any hurt Though the Pestilence when God sendeth it prey vpon one and other without respect like a roaring Lion and bring the strongest as soone as the weakest to the earth like a mighty Lyon though it bite like an Aspe making no great wound but procuring strange effects and though also as a fierce Dragon it crush shiuer in pieces the flesh and very bones of men of strongest constitution yet the crueltie of it is conquered to the godly by their prayer of faith which quencheth the violence of it in towne and Countrey If enemies threaten our coast by it they may stand in the hole and gappe where Gods hand hath made the breach and doe as much as all the Charets and Horsemen in a Kingdome Psal 106.23 If Satan himselfe rage and be vnquiet in neuer so many terrible and threatning obiections to the soule and conscience of a deiected sinner yet is Satan but as a Drone-Bee to him humming-without a sting that is without power to doe hurt in all his malice and deadly euill will Obiect Obiect But you will say Satan is still a Lyon of great force in his walkes among men of all conditions An. To which I answer that for the Godly it seemeth so Answ and for the wicked it is so for he liueth seemingly in the Godly and liuely in reprobats He hath but a kind of vanquished life in Gods children in whom as in his prison hee is kept in chaines not able to execute any thing and tormented that he cannot In the wicked hee liueth as at home or as in hell his owne place And so all life is not gone out of him which is to teach the Righteous to prouide against him and not to be carelesse neither wilfully ignorant of his enterprises for he shall still bruise their heele not only by mouing them to commit sinne but by casting out of his mouth waters of trouble like a flood after them when they begin to follow Christ Apoc. 12.15 And here let no child of God looke for any long quietnesse for if hee seeke Gods face in righteousnesse Satans malice to God and enuy to the saluation of man will keepe him doing Besides there is a perpetuall lawe of hatred betweene the hell of Satan and the heauen of Gods Saints betweene the seed of the woman and the diuels seede and progenie and who hauing a Serpents head vnder his feet can hope to be quiet and without trouble For will he not though his head be fast fling about with his tayle So what peace so long and while we haue vnder our feet in Christ that compassing and winding Serpent the Diuell Will he not be still nibling at our heele and twyning about vs in one temptation or another Yet all this is but to exercise the Righteous not to hurt them which he cannot doe And therefore let no godly man for this be discouraged to proceed in the way and course of sanctified life for the Lord will either command the earth to drinke vp his afflictions Apoc. 12 16. or healing his plague cause his face to shine and glory to appeare in the darkest shadow of aduersitie So much for the first speaker the Prophet the second and next speaker followeth which is God who by immediate voice confirmeth the former proposition of his fauour to the faithfull VERSE 14. Because he hath set his loue vpon me c. THe Prophet hauing assured the faithfull of Gods fauour which extendeth to all those who make him by faith in him their confidence God himselfe now vouchsafeth to be speaker in the end of the Psalme and to loyne with his Prophet by way of Post script in the same for further confirmation Because or seeing he hath loued me saith the Lord c. that is as my Prophet hath said so I say they who desire in sincerity and with good affections to serue me shall haue good assurance from me that I will be their deliuerer in troubles by the Angels at my right hand and by all the creatures at my left I will remoue their feares heare their prayers bring their persons to honour and their soules to heauen where at last they shall bee glorified in soule and bodie This is the substance of that wherewith the Lord concludeth the Psalme in words spoken from heauen to faithfull men And they containe duties and promises made to
it is not possible in these dayes sincerely and with good conscience to serue the Lord without some affliction The Apostle or Christ by him saith of the Church of Ephesius when she was something worth I know thy labour and patience and other workes as if he had said that when shee was at the best she had great matter offered for her labour and patience Apoc. 2.2.3 and other vertues by the things she suffered for his name and testimonie And to conclude what part of the world what age in the world from the blood of Abel to our times hath not heard of the cruell martyrdomes of Gods Children for the cause of goodnesse and of the true seruice of God All which shew plainely that the best and godliest in all times haue been vnder the rod and scourge of troubles for their Zeale in good things The slaughters in Spain and Italy the two chiefe seates of the bloody inquisition the huge fires of England France and Flanders into which they cast such multitudes of those that would not fal down before their golden image Dan. 3. 10 11. doe proclaime to all the world how great and many troubles haue followed goodnesse of late yeares besides the times of the Emperours In the ten first persecutions which our Church-stories haue left all wading in blood The third promise followeth And honour * Or glorifie him make him glorious him THis is the third promise which is not simply of deliuerance but of deliuerance with honour And so by an increase more is promised in these words then before to the righteous which is that God will not onely deliuer them but gloriously doe it in their greatest troubles and in an ouerplus of his fauour after raise them to honour as he did Ioseph Iob Dauid Daniel and others And therefore where the Lord saith I will honour him it is as much as if he had said I will alway deliuer him and sometimes set him in the chaire of honour This may well be the Lords meaning in this third thing promised to the righteous For all that are deliuered are not so preferred it is inough that some are and it is certaine that they that are not that is that haue not these glories temporall shall yet receiue when they haue serued their time glory euerlasting The words deliuer the Doctrine plainely Doct. 1 I will honour him saith the Lord Now if it be God that must giue honour or bring to honour we learne that outward honour is Gods blessing and the gift of God It is he that raiseth the poore out of the dust of basenesse and he that lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill of contempt to the seat of glory saith Annah in her thankefull song 1. Sam. 2.8 And Salomon Gods owne King tels vs who set him in the throne of his Father Dauid where he confesseth that Kings are set in the chaire of soueraigntie by God By me saith he meaning God who is there made speaker Kings raigne Pro. 8.15 that is sit on their thrones or benches And by my power and gift or as it is in the Text by me Princes rule and Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth that is not onely the scueraigne but subordinate authoritie is from mee and by my purpose and will Dauid speaketh plainely in another Psalme telling vs that to come to preferment is neither from the East nor from the West nor yet from the South that is from none of the quarters of the world but from God that made it Psal 75.6 For it followeth in the next Verse but God is the Iudge or God the Iudge doth dispose the risings of men who putteth downe one and setteth vp another Verse 7 that is barreth from honour or bringeth to glory The blessed mother of our Sauiour hath a like saying in her Song making the Lord the putter downe of one and the exalter of another Luke 1.52 And though a man bee borne to honour yet it is from God both that he is borne and that he is borne Noble If he after adorne his high place with a good life God for his singular good hath aduanced him but if hee proue wicked as Saul he is not exalted with fauour it is but for the greater fall of the house that it is builded so high Mat. 7.27 Easier had the iudgement of that person beene if he had beene but a shrub in the Common-Wealth then being a Cedar in it to haue had so terrible a downfall It is certain therefore that God is the author of Nobilitie and Soucraignty The reasons In themselues they be great blessings but all blessings great Reason 1 and other are from God Iames 1 17. Secondly Kings and Princes and Nobles are names of order Reason 2 and therefore come from the God of order Thirdly God that made the heauen made the different orders Reason 3 that are in heauen that is in the a Colos 1.16 Angels and b 1 Cor. 15.41 Starres of heauen and therefore that God that made the earth made the Nobles and Princes of the earth for that which was done in the one was done in the other and by the same Deitie and power An admonition to Nobility and Great ones to take their honour Vse 1 and risings thankfully and as a blessing whereof God is Author not resting on that which discends from man and stands only vpon the clay-feete of Pedigree and Auncestors Dan. 2.33 That they may so doe they must labour for that honour which is from God and to which there is no ascending but by staires of his scare for he is a good Gentleman and Noble-man of a good house that adornes his high place with the Ornaments of repentance and sanctified life and though a man be borne to honour yet not his birth but his New-birth giueth him his title to it They that hold their honours otherwise are but vsurpers not holding them in capite that is in Christ by seruing him And here it would be remembred that Nobilitie though a blessing of God yet is but an vncleane thing as one well c Master Perkiâ—s on the Creed saith if they that be borne vnto it be not new-borne to Christ by holinesse and that noble blood before men is stained blood before the Lord till the blood of Christ sanctifie it Neither let the greatest thinke that God hath lift them vp to pull him downe that they should say God hath aduanced me therefore I will doe what I list who should rather say God hath aduanced me that I should honour him not my selfe with my noble parentage for shall I dishonour the Lord with his owne gift or hauing receiued honour from God not seeke the honour which is of God let all therefore whom God hath set vp labour to get a good interest to their noble-birth and places by their new-birth in Christ for better neuer to haue beene borne or to haue beene borne beggers then vnborne to God
by regeneration Vse 2 But is all honour from God then they that receiue their honour otherwise that is by practising for it or by rising to it but not vpon the ladder of the meanes by which men may clime warrantably to preferment cannot be said to be honoured by God but to haue honoured themselues Such are theeues of Gods honour and great by vsurpation holding their honour in a wrong Tenor and not as the Lords pawne for their honour to come He that offered to Christ the honours of the world hath giuen them to these Mat. 4.8.9 and they haue bowed to him in all diuelish practises for a few vaine titles and a little vaine-glorie which shall not credit them but one day turne to their greater shame before God and his mighty Angels The like may bee said of all great Persons that honour not God in his word and righteous Commandements their honour is not sealed in heauen hauing not learned of Christ to receiue and giue honour Iohn 8.49.54 they haue stained their promotion to the pit of hell and they shall receiue the meete recompence of their errour that is for their short glorie shame endlesse Againe is all honour and degrees of place from God then Vse 3 they sinne against God who any way violate these in Noble Persons and Princes which both confuteth all Anabaptisticall confusion and teacheth how iniurious Papists are to those whom the Lord will honour for they make it an Article of their Faith to submit to Kings no longer then it shall please the Pope to let them haue their honour or to take it from them by dethronization But what hath that Antichrist to do with the honour which hee neuer gaue and with the authority which is by the Lords grant onely for all authority and consequently honour is of God Rom. 13.1 chiefly that which is kingly as all waters come from the sea specially the great riuers Dauid trembled to violate the skirt of Sauls garment 1 Sam 24.6 these prophane the blood of Kings and touch them as farre as their liues by their cruell Ministers as in the two French Henries and our English King Iohn and thinke they may lawfully and meritoriously so doe And therefore the late d In his answer to certaine scandalous Papers Earle of Saluburie said well speaking of Rome that she would play so long with the temporall Soueraignety of Kings that it would bee the glorious worke of Kings to breake downe her walles and strongest defence and let me adde to burne the Whore with fire The fourth promise followeth VERSE 16. With long life will I satisfie him c. A Fourth promise made to the righteous is that when it shall be good for him he shall be filled with dayes and liue to old age As Gedeon was buried in a good age Iudg. 8.32 and Dauid dyed full of dayes 1. Chro. 29.28 and Iob very old after he had seene his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes for foure generations Iob 42.16.17 It is like the Lord made this promise to the Faithfull at what time the Angel cut downe so many in Israel with the sword of Pestilence for the godly might then feare themselues very much that they also should returne to their dust in so great a mortalitie but the Lord healeth that feare with his promise of a long life to those that feare him and with faith call vpon him as if he had said ye shall not onely liue at this timer but when old age shall be a blessing to you liue long and goe to your graues in a ripe and good age your head being deckt with gray haires and your heart filled with righteousnesse This is spoken of the godly such as excell in goodnesse And therefore the doctrine is Doct. long life is a great blessing where it is garnished with grace not made vile by sinfulnesse So olde age was promised to Abraham for a blessing Thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace and be burted in a good age Gen. 15.15 That is thou shalt be satisfied with the multitude of many and good dayes and liue long and comfortably here When Salomon exhorteth Wisedomes scholler to heare and receiue his words that is to heare them with fruit and diligence he perswadeth it with no other promise then of a long life and comfortable estate in the yeeres of age and peace Prou. 3.1 2. and 4.10 And the Apostle by the promise of the life present 1. Tim. 4.8 must needes meane the promise of long life as the best being as is intended set in the best and most excellent way Obiect Obiect You will say then and why doe good men so commonly liue in trouble and die in youth as they doe Answ The obedience of the best is but in part Answ and what maruaile then if in part onely they be made partakers of outward things as of a long and confortable life and such other promises here Besides such promises are not absolutly but conditionally made to the righteous as if God see it fit and if it be good for them and necessary for the Church that God prolong their dayes otherwise what is wanting in length of dayes is made vp with the immortalitie of ioyfull dayes in heauen And though they liue but a short time yet haue they length of dayes in a sort euery day being a whole Summers day vnto them by the Sunne of Gods fauour that shineth vpon their soules more and more without any going downe Thus it is prooued that long life not abused is a blessing of God and may further appeare The Reasons Reason 1 Old Christians are old Seruitors in Gods family and a good old seruant is preferred before a new by a good master also such hauing liued righteously long must needes be stored with great knowledge and experience which will make them to bring forth more fruit in their age And is not olde age then which is a meanes of this a blessing Secondly length of dayes or long life considered in it selfe Reason 2 is a blessing Prou. 3.16 how much greater where age and goodnesse meet the worme would not die and they gladly would liue longer that liue miserably Yea the godly who of all others haue the greatest preferment by death are loth to lay downe this tabernacle And wherefore all this surely because life is sweet and to flie from death is naturall to man and beast Now if life be so sweet thus fraught with troubles how good and sweet is long life filled with the ioy of the righteous and flowing with riuers of peace Thirdly who weareth a more honourable ornament then he Reason 3 that hath a a Phile. 9. gray head crowned with vertue Christian graces and who is more richly clad then he that is clad in siluer haires of age with robes of innocencie and righteousnesse Esa 3.5 If the one be a blessing that is to weare a crowne and gorgeous cloathing the other is a double blessing that is to be apparrelled