the meteors arme themselues together against vs against the Church let vs say with Dauid t Psal 46.3.4 Though the waters thereof roare and be troubled though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof there is a riuer the streames whereof shall make glad the city of God The infirmitie and basenes of the Church contemptible to the eyes of vaine men a smal brooke in comparison of these impetuous torrents the current of the Ocean shall not cease to subsist nor omitt to streame and runne on The faithfull shall strengthen and harden himselfe a gainst their stirrings or rather trembling for the wise man saith u Ecclesiast 34.16 God is his mightie protection and strong stay a defence from heat a couer from the sun at noone a presernation from stumbling and a helpe from falling Yea the Lord himselfe saith x Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the riuers they shall not ouerthrow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt For I am thy Sauiour His prouidence in a word is vnto him both a counsell and a rampier against all accidents against all cases and haps because there are no chances in respect of God Let the tirants of the world insence themselues and rage the people murmur mutin thunder the Ilāds the ends of the world conspire against the Church the Lord will speak to the soules of his seruant y Isa 7.4 Feare not neither be faint hearted for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria and of the sonne of Remaliah It shall not come to passe the Lord shall gather the hearts of the Kinges and Captaines of nations when and as he listeth All the z Psal 78. choler and anger of man is to him but as much subiect and matter of glory and fame The nations conspire a Isa 8.12 Let them take counsell together and it shall come to naught Let them combinde and band themselues together and they shall bee crusht and bruised onely let vs sacrifice vnto the Lord of Hoasts let vs serue him and let him be our feare and not the fury of these mortal men b Isa 51.12 of these men of grasse as the Prophet speaketh that cannot subsist against him that hath stretched forth the heauens and laid the foundations of the earth whose hand wee haue so often felt to our comfort and his arme for our deliuerance For saith the Lord c Cha. 13. Where is the fury of the oppressour And hast thou not seene the endes of the world to tremble my people not withstanding haue gone their way in peace and hast thou not seene them fall before my face before my sword as dust before my how as stubble Yea let the powers of the aire the principalities of the world the rulers of the darkenesse of the world the spirituall wickednesse in high places d Ephes 6. With whom the faithfull are to wrastle euery day saith the Apostle let them come shall wee yeeld our selues shall wee faint and leese courage but rather we will say the Lord is with vs what neede wee feare e 1 Cor. 10.13 He is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able He will strengthen vs against the deuill he hath f Colos 1. created all things that are in heauen and on earth visible and invisible whether they bee thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him let vs bouldly say and therefore for vs and therfore for his Church Let vs therefore oppose the thrones and celestiall dominions against the powers of the ayre the armies of Angels against the legions of Sathan against their malicious practises the holy conduct of the Angels whom God causeth to campe about his children to assist them in their way in all their paces yea the most slipperest that they stumble not against the gates of hell against the deuils that can nothing against the faith of Christ against his members that haue no power vpon Iobs Cattle vpon the hogges though they roare neuer somuch but as much as God vnbridleth them But let vs say ouer and aboue and that without excesse These deuils themselues cannot be but for vs in as much as they are for God their malice turnes to his seruice is at Gods pay and wages and therefore at ours For if Sathan afflict Iob in his family in his person the Lord knowes how farre and how long and limits him the righteousnesse and patience of his seruant shines and appeares the more and his condition is the better for is at the last If the Deuill puts in the heart of Iudas to sell the bloude of the righteous to betray and deliuer the sonne of God into the hands of the Iewes let vs adore God banish all feare He is sould but far far from their intention for the ransom of our soules he is deliuered for the remission of our sinnes of those sinnes that cause the quarrell betweene God and vs of those sinnes where with Sathan alone did preuaile did braue it out against vs and therefore to his confusion to his ruine and that of his kingdome on the otherside for the saluation of the world of men Dare we say that this feare doth assure vs euen against God against his iustice against his anger certes we may seing that in this feare of children of wrath we are made the children of his mercies seeing we may say vnto him with Dauid reserue O Lord the greatnes of thy power to try the strēgth vpon the children of death we are contented with thy clemency because there is no condemnation to the true seede of Abraham g Rom. 8.1 To them saith the Apostle which are in Christ Iesus For in this Isaac in this alone is the true seede On the other side make what couenant thou wilt with all that which makes it selfe to be feared in the world without out this feare thou wilt feare all things not the elements in their fury only but euen the leaues yea the dust not the armes offenssiue the armour and armies alone but how great soeuer thou beest the flies and Caterpillers not onely the principalities of the ayre or the powers but also their corruption but their infection yea their very breath yea that which is the least perfect which hath the lest power in the world For saith the Lord h Isa 28.15 18. Though thou hadst made a couenant with death and wert at agreement with hell yet your couenant with death shall be disanulled and your agreement with death shall not stand when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe through then yee shall be trodden downe by it And they that haue cast their eyes towards Ethiopia that haue i Isa 20.5 gloried and vanted of the helpe of Egypt shal be afraid and ashamed thereof contrariwise happy is hee that feares the Lord and beleeues in
THE SHIELDE AND Revvarde of the Faithfull Or a Meditation vpon Genesis 15. Chap. Vers 1. Written By PHILLIP of MORNAY Lord of Plessis-Marly And faithfully translated according to the last French Copie LONDON Imprinted by T. D. for NATHANAELL NEVVBERY and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre vnder S. Peters in Cornhill and in Pope-head Alley 1620. TO THE RELIGIOVS AND WORthie Knight Syr PEETER MANVVOODE Grace Mercy and Peace from Iesus Christ RIGHT WORSIPFVLL THe Lord promised vnto Abraham to bee his shielde and his exceeding great reward the same he promiseth to euery true Israelite the childe of Abraham the Creator will bee the creatures shielde the King his subiects target the father a buckler to his child God to man both a shielde and a rewarde the infinite and immortal God the portion of a finite and mortall man yea a crowne to dust and ashes what better shield can we desire what greater rewarde can wee require what greater honour dignitie or profite can wee demaund or obtayne Hee is our summum bonum our supreme good the good God who is goodnesse it selfe The worthy subiect of our meditation the cheifest obiect of our contemplation capable to take away our feare to satisfie our desire For desire we any thing behold a reward are we afraid of any thing beholde a shielde yea a more excellent shielde then that of Achilles that contained in it the description of heauen earth and sea for our shield is the Creator of the whole world a heauenlier shield thē that brasen one of Numa Pompilius feined to be sent downe from heauen for the preseruation of the city of Rome for the God of heauen is our shielde to preserue vs a richer shield then those of Salomon that were of beaten golde a more precious and diuine shield then Perseus christall shield giuen him by Pallas to preserue him from that snaky headed Medusa who turned menn into stones by vertue of which shield he ouercame her for by the vertue of this shield giuen vs by Pallas that is wisedome it selfe yea himselfe giuen to vs as a shield wee haue the victorie ouer the Deuil that old serpent that striues to turne our fleshy heartes into hearts of stone a better and a bigger shield then that of great Goliah how great and good so euer it was it coulde not couer him all ouer nor preserue him from death whereas God who is our shield both couers vs and preserues vs. This our shield cannot bee peirced wil not betray vs us that of Brasidas did it can not be taken away from vs by the Deuill as those golden shieldes of Salomon were by Shiskak King of Egypt And therefore a shield worthy to be made much of for if Aiax and Vlisses striued so much for the shield of Achilles if Epaminondas being wounded to death asked if his shield were whole and reioyced therat yea kissed it how much more must wee striue to get this shield and hauing gotten it to esteeme it to reioyce at it neuer to cast it away rather to cast away our weapōs then this shield It was more dishonorable in a Romane souldier to fling away his shielde then his sword his dart or speare for the which fault hee was disgraced degraded and punished how much more dishonourable nay dangerous will it be for vs to cast away our shield by the which we are couered which the darts of Sathan can not peirce without the which we must needes perish nay cast away our shield and God can not be our reward and therefore let vs take vp this shield embrace it and keepe it and as spiritual and Christian souldiers armed from top to toe with the whole armour of God hauing on the breast plate of righteousnesse the sword of the Spirit the helmet of saluation the shield of faith fight vnder the banner of Christ Iesus our captaine against the Deuill the world and the flesh we shall be able to stand against the wiles of the Deuill and to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and so hauing fought a good fight hauing finished our course hauing kept our faith there is laid vp for vs a crown of righteousnes a crowne of glory a crowne of life not one of Lawrel of brasse of siluer or of gold giue to Roman Conquerors but a glorious an immortall and eternall crowne which God the iust iudge shall giue vs at the latter day yea God himselfe shal be our crowne our glory and our life yea shall bee all in all in vs. This is the Summe of that diuine meditation which that learned diuine and religious gentleman du Plessis penned in the French tong which I haue translated into English and am bold to present it to your Worships consideration Of all things that moued me to offer this small treatise to your Worship the first is your great cōtinual continued affection fauour towardes our French Church of this citie of Canterbury the second your particular affection vndeserued loue towardes me the last though not the least your calling as being not only a Souldier a Captaine and a Knight in regard of this world but also a Christian souldier and a spirituall Knight fighting vnder Christs colours against your spirituall enemies hauing GOD both for your shielde and your exceeding great rewarde so that you may say with Dauid the Lord is my shield and my portion Imbrace therefore the diuine meditation of the Authour accept the good will and affection of the translatour make much of this shield it will couer you it it will defende you from all harmes esteeme much this reward you shal enioy all good yea God himselfe I be seech that God who is the shield and the reward of the faithfull to be both a shield to preserue you from all euill and your rewarde both of grace here on earth and of glory in the life to come ⸫ Canterbury the 10. of May. 1620. Your Worships to command in the Lord IOHN BVLTHEL THE SHIELD and Reward of the Faithful GEN. 15.1 Feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward ABRAHAM the Father of the faithfull left at the voyce of God his countrey and his parentage the superstition of his Fathers to follow the seruice of the true God And there withall receiued a promise that within some ages his posteritie should inherit the land of Canaan where hee liued as a stranger There was notwithstandinge a small proportion betweene the commaundement and the promise if he had not lookt further and the more admirable was his faith in obeying in that the commaundement of leauing all was directed to his person the promise of possessing to his posteritie a great way off The commandement subiect to sudden execution the effect of the promise deferde not to some dayes but to many ages And againe of a promise made to a posteritie that passeth all degrees litle sensible when one seeth it not How much lesse to be considered
reward as I cease not to be it in their death and then so much the more not as the masters of this world their seruants dead dead their seruices and therefore doe we reade so often The God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob For the loue of my sernant Abraham for the promise of the eternall God is eternall suruiues his seruants and their seruices Therefore the Apostle said p. To me to line is Christ to die p Philip 1. to die is gaine so also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death In a word serue thou in this life according to thy calling according to mine whosoeuer it bee howsoeuer froward hee be to thee be not dismayed thou losest not thy paines q Ephes 6. Tit. 2. The seruant serues his master with good will the subject his prince he serues the Lord hee doth the will of God not of men with good will doing seruice as to the Lord and not to men But let theÌ„ relie also on him trust to this reward and not to men For hast thou r Gen. 3. 32. Incob serued an vngratefull Laban the best of thy yeares in the scorchng heate of the Sunne by day in the frost by night and the Lord hath euidently blest thee to his profit it may be to thy dammage Feare not sayth the Lord For I am thy reward Thou hast passed ouer the Iordan with thy staffe and behould thou art become two bands Hast thou faithfully serud a prince or the state of a kingdome and God hath he vouchafed to worke amongst them by thy hand and they repay thee with coÌ„tempt with hatred yea with iniuries doe not bemoane thy selfe doe not bely thy self or derogate from thy selfe whatsoeuer happens thee thou hast serued according to confidence and not according to fauour and not according to anger thou hast serued the Lord thy God and not men The Lord is faithfull saith the Apostle is faithfull s Heb. 11.6 He that commeth to God must beleeue that hee is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him That is to say that it is not more true that God is then that it is consequently true that his reward is with true that his reward is with him that he is the reward of them that serue him euen of those that in the consideration of his calling take their condition in good part vndergoe ioyfully all bitternes and their charges and burdens scarce tolerale and supportable for the most part in themselues lesse for being lesse acknowledged but least acknowledged of them whom they serue Israel also I meane the Church is she hardly opprest in Egypt Iosephs seruices are they there forgot yea turned into torments and punishments to make and bake brickes to gather straw to feele the rod of the taske-masters the discretion of the exacter the seuere corrector Let him not doubt but that hee shal be drawne away with an out stretched arme a strong hand that God shal be glorified in deliuering his people in chastising Egypt But know also Israel and doe not abuse thy selfe that thy reward is not in this soyle in the slime and mud of Nilus Thou art there a stranger how fertill soeuer it be but thy reward is in Canaan in the true Canaan in the heauenly There properly Shalt thou laugh at the cry of the oppressors at the noise of people there maist thou say assuredly t Va. 14.4 How hath the oppressour ceased and what is become of the Scepter of the rulers Yea comest thou thus farre O seruant of God whosoeuer thou beest to receiue amongst thine owne amongst his owne hard handling yea euen death for thy paines and pay Thy pay and reward for that thou hast assisted them with counsell in their perplexities with aide in their aduersiries thou hast made no reckoning of thy life of thy dignitie of all that man ciuily esteemes most and that because many times they shall want an onyon or melon or somesauce of Egypt not necessary things but things superfluous yeeld not vnto them but â—â—fly bend and harden thy selfe against them to doe them good For how often haue they murmured against Moses and haue not they knocked downe the Prophets and did they euer reuerence them but when they were dead and would they not stone our Sauiour and haue not they forgot the Lord their possession Yea how often haue they kicked against him Now who art thou then what are thy seruices that thou expressest either lesse or better and the greater they shal be seest thou not that proportion ably they are often followed with enuie yea with hatred and reproach yea though the Lord should say vnto thee as he said vnto Moses u Numb 14. I will smite this people with the pestilence and disinherite them and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier then they Doe not consent vnto their euil their punishment no not vnto thine owne good say rather Lord what will the Egyptians say The Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware vnto them therefore he hath stane them in the wildernesse Pardon I beseech thee the iniquitie of this people according vnto the greatnesse of thy mercie and as thou hast for given this people from Egypt even vntill now x Luk. 23.34 For give them father said our Lord Christ For they know not what they doe Yea euen bee willing to sacrifice thy selfe for them to make thy seife an anathema accâ—rsed because Certes thy reward is not here nor of here beneath it is from a boue and it is there also and therefore be not offended if the wicked doe prosper It belonges to the men of this world to seeke it here on earth to expect it of men Contrarie wise it is said vnto vs y Matth. 3.11.12 Blessed are yee when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my name sake reioyce and bee exceeding glad for great is your reward in heauen Great in it selfe and indeede what is there great but God No lesse great in regard of the faithfull For z Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him And therefore it is added very great or exceeding great in him and of him for God is all sufficient to himselfe and therfore super abounds vpon all creatures of his fulnesse haue they all receiued but so much the more in vs for the due wages of all men was death and what haue the best men of all but that which they haue receiued and is it not then grace vpon grace and not salary and besides what can wee doe that can oblige God or make him beholden vnto vs seing that a Psal 16. Our goodnesse sayth the Psalmist extendeth not to him For what can wee suffer that is worthy him Seeing sayth the Apostle that b Rim. 8.18 The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glorie which shal be reuealed in vs. But Certes where c Rom. 5.20.21 sinne abounded grace did much more abounde that as sinne hath reigned vnto death euen so might grace reigne through righteousnesse vnto eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord. Grace verily most abounding drawn from the depth of the treasures of the mercies of God our father reconciling his elected and chosen in his Sonne the seede of Abraham according to the flesh but the ioy of Abraham according to the promise in whom he hath called vs iustified sanctified and glorified vs In whom and for whose sake he will be heere of meere good will our Shield in heauen aboue freely our Reward And therefore again and again feare not Israel feare not any true Israelite for d Psal 11.2 Blessed is the man sayth the Psalmist that feareth the Lord he shall not be affrayde of euill tydings the euill always weaker then goodnesse the goodnesse it selfe camping alwayes about him camping for him he shall be alwayes sayth he enuironed with all kind of blessings he shall abound in them because he shall enioy and possesse from this very time forward here on earth this good thing in hope assured fully to enioy it in Heauen aboue in the glory of the Father To whom with the Son and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour glory power and dominion for euer and euer Amen FINIS