stone wall thereof was broken downe Thy heart is this field examine now what growes in it Doe thistles grow in stead of wheat and f Iob 31.40 cockle in stead of barley as Iob speaketh Doe the thornes and nettles of hard-heartednesse and hypocrisie pride and blasphemie profanenesse and impietie doth beastly drunkennesse filthy whoring and vncleannesse chambering and wantonnesse or the like to these couer the face thereof why then be thou assured an ill husbandman owes this ground it is the enuious man the deuill that sowes these seeds and husbands such plats as these But on the contrary is the fallow ground of thy heart turned vp and is the stoninesse thereof taken away Are those brambles and bryars noysome lusts and strong corruptions which formerly grew therein now weeded vp and cast out And art thou fenced in with good purposes and resolutions for time to come and doth this wall stand firme and sure why then assure thy selfe thou art one of Gods chosen closes a true member of that Church whereof he is the husbandman for he husbands it and only it And in that his tillage and husbandry is so effectuall in thee questionlesse thou art not only in it as many are but of it as few are Sticke this as a nosegay in thy bosome Thirdly this may admonish euery one that liues in Vse 3 the Church and professe themselues to be members of the Church patiently to suffer themselues to be husbanded by the Lord enduring all things with much meeknesse and quietnesse which 〈◊〉 his wisdome hath ordained to breake vs vp withall and to make vs faire and fruitfull The earth we see is cut and wounded with shares and cultures and therefore called earth yet is patient to suffer it and returnes fruit to those that plowed it Let Earth teach Earth Terra quam terimus Terra quia teritur the Earth we teare may instruct terram quam gerimus the Earth we beare this lesson of contentednesse And let none thinke it is better to haue their hearts lie waste than to be thus broken vp for a barren estate is a wofull and cursed estate and there can be no comfort in it Doth God then come vnto thee himselfe with his pruning hooke in his hand and cut thee neere yea so neere that in thy sense and iudgement there is no hope of euer after flourishing well yet be content for thus deales the Vinitor with the most generous plant he oftentimes prunes it so close as that in sense and reason it were vtterly dead and cleane kild yet it reuiues againe and after this is more richly laden than euer it was before And so albeit m Heb. 12.11 no chastisement seemeth ioyous for the present but grieuous yet it afterwards bringeth with it the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse Or doth he send his deputies the Prophets to thee with the plow and harrow of the Law to breake vp that heathy ground of thy heart and turne vp the weeds of sinne by the very roots that they may neuer more reuiue why then subiect your selues to be directed by their care and paines without repining remembring still your hearts as of themselues will neuer yeeld any other fruit than weeds or grasse at the best needs then must they be accursed if you refuse to haue them by these husbanded that they may grow fruitfull Vse 4 Lastly this may serue for a direction to vs to whom to goe and make complaint when the Vineyard is wasted or any way annoyed by the Boare of the forest or wilde beasts of the field Make God acquainted with it and tell the Vine-dressers Gods Ministers thereof and will them tell their Masâ—â—â— that he may take some order for his Vineyards safeâ—â— Yea dost thou or any other member of the Church need husbanding Then goe to God and tell him of the barrennesse of thy heart and with a holy boldnesse vrge him with his care and paines Say thus or in this manner to him Ah Lord how barren is my soule of what is good How fruitfull is it in what is bad and naught What ignorance pride senselesnesse securitie growes there where knowledge humilitie zeale patience and other such like graces ought to grow Now since thou hast taken the charge vpon thee to be the Husbandman of thy Church and people husband thou this heart of mine and be mindfull of me oh my God Let it not be thought an ill husband owes it or one that is negligent and slothfull in his businesse but let thy care appeare in dressing of it that the fruits of all heauenly graces may abundantly spring forth and grow to the praise and glory of thy name And so much of the Husbandman A word or two of his Possession Hath a Vineyard This Vineyard is the Church Text. as we haue seene before together with the reasons of the similitude The obseruation is The Church is Gods heritage Doct. The Church is Gods inheritance For the further proofe thus we reade n Deut. 9.26 29. Destroy not thy people and thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance which thou broughtest out o Cap. 32.9 The Lords portion is his people Iacob is the lot of his inheritance p 1 Sam. 10.1 The Lord hath anointed thee to be Captaine of his inheritance said Samuel to Saul q 1 Sam. 26.19 They haue driuen me this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saith Dauid r 2 Sam. 20.19 Why wilt thou swallow vp the inheritance of the Lord said that same wise woman vnto Ioab when he battered the walls of Abel Å¿ Psal 74.2 Remember thy congregation which thou hast purchased of old the rod of thine inheritance this Mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt saith the Psalmist And againe t Psal 28.9 Saue thy people and blesse thine inheritance feed them also and lift them vp for euer Yea the Lord of Hoasts shall blesse saying u Jsai 19.25 Reade Psal 33.12 78 70 71. 79.1 13. 94.5 106.5 40. Is 47.6 Ier. 2.7 3.19 12.7 1 Pet. 5.3 Blessed be Aegypt my people and Israel my inheritance Now for Vse let vs hence take notice whence it is Vse 1 that the deuill doth so molest the Church and see the reason why the wicked doe so afflict her It is not so properly for their owne sake as for the owners They maligne and spight it because God doth countenance and grace it as being the Lord and possessor of it An enuious man we know will mischiefe the bruit beast of him he beares a spleene vnto and will not sticke to wrong his very dogge and all to despight the owner Dost thou then persecute the Church or any member of the Church The more wretch thou for let me tell thee thy hate is not originally and properly to them pretend what thou wilt pretend but to God himselfe whose inheritance they are Vse 2 And
A Vineyard of any other possession is most deare to him that holds it that he will not part withall on any tearmes The Lord forbid it me y 1 Kings 21.3 said Naboth to Ahab that I should giue the inheritance of my fathers vnto thee Thus is the Church more deare and precious to the Lord than all other societies in the world z Psal 87.2 Hee loueth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Iacob It a Isay 43.4 is precious in his sight He will giue men and people for her life b Cap. 62.3 It is a Crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royall Diadem in the hand of her God Hence it is called c Isay 49.22 The beauty of the earth The standard of the Nations d Matth. 4. The holy Citie e Reu. 21.2.19 A citie whose walles and gates are of precious stones and the streets of gold f Cant. 2.1 The rose of the field The Lilly of the Vallies g and 4.13 15. The fairest amongst women An Orchard of Pomgranats A Fountaine of Gardens A well of springing waters And being compared with other societies h Cap. 2.2 3. As a Lilly amongst thornes and like the Apple-tree amongst the trees of the Forest So then by all these comparisons it is euident that there is no society in the world so excellent none so worthy none so amiable none so louely none so deare none so precious vnto the Lord as is his Church And thus in generall we haue seene what excellent proportion and congruity there is betweene them and how liuely by a Vine-yard the nature and condition of the Church visible is set forth Now more particularly if we compare the Church and the Vine it selfe together we shall finde the resemblances manifold either in respect of the Root or of the Branches or of the Banke or of the Wood or of the Leaues or of the Fruit there being no property in the one which is not in a sort answered in the other For the Root Qui viret in folijs venit à radicibus humor that we know sendeth sappe to euery Stem and Branch whereby they flourish and bring forth fruit and vnlesse they continue in the root they can neuer thriue nor prosper for thence it is whence they haue their moisture Thus the Church and euery true member of it receiueth the life and sappe of grace from Iesus Christ who is the root and into whom the multitude of true beleeuers are engrafted whereby they grow and bring forth fruit to God So that vnlesse they continue in him they cannot prosper but must needs fade and wither according to our Sauiours speech i Iohn 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine Vers 5. no more can ye except ye abide in mee I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without mee you can doe nothing Vers 6. If a man abide not in me hee is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them vp and cast them into the fire and they are burned In the Branches there is great resemblance diuers wayes 1. There are many branches in the root yet all make but one Vine so all the faithfull in the congregation and all the congregations of the faithfull in the whole world make but one only Church And albeit there are k Cant. 6.8 9. threescore Queenes and fourescore Concubines and Virgins without number yet saith Solomon speaking in the person of Christ my doue my vndefiled is but one And so witnesseth S. Paul l 1 Cor. 12.20 Now are they many members yet but one bodie One as sucking sap from one and the same root liuing by one and the same spirit m Ephes 4.4 and ruled by one and the same head Christ blessed for euer But of this more hereafter 2. All the branches of a Vine though they seeme to stand alike in the stocke are not alike fruitfull neither doe they all draw sap and moysture from the root for as some are fruitfull and flourish so some againe are barren and wither which are cut off and cast into the fire Thus is it in the Church visible all the members thereof are not alike incorporated into the root through the inuisible bonds of the spirit neither doe they n Iohn 15. bring forth fruit in him Some there are who are onely externally engrafted others there are who are also internally The former sort are such members of the Church visible who by externall baptisme haue giuen their names to Christ and so entred into the profession yet indeed are not Christs because they haue not the Spirit of Christ for though they are baptized with water yet they are not with the holy Ghost They haue Iohns baptisme but not Christs baptisme This kinde of Sacramentall engrafting will suffer a cutting off o Iohn 15.2 because they haue not the sap of grace ministred vnto them from the stocke of life but are as dead trees and branches The other sort are they who besides the outward engrafting are also inwardly engrafted by the holy Ghost into the stocke Christ Iesus and doe liue in him and grow in him and bring forth fruit to the praise of his name Notwithstanding both these sorts as they communicate together in the outward bonds of one profession as they visibly continue together like one visible body vpon that one root Christ Iesus on whom they all outwardly professe that they depend as on the fountaine of their sap and life so they both together make this visible Vineyard and Church on earth 3. There is no branch of any tree that exceedeth it Sine modo crescunt Plinie in growing and spreading forth it selfe in one weeke yea night how exceedingly is it shot So the true members of the Church exceed all others in growth in grace they are still spreading forth their branches growing from one degree of grace vnto another They are all for Addition and Multiplication nothing for Diuision or Substraction except in euill Virtutes Christianae sunt copulatiuae They sing the song of degrees adding to p 2 Pet. 1.5 Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godlinesse and to Godlinesse Brotherly-kindnesse and to Brotherly-kindnesse Charitie They be not like the old Moone in the wane but like the new euer in her increasings 4. The branches of the Vine grow the better for their pruning and not the worse bringing forth after it is cut more and better grapes not worse nor fewer Thus the Church and true members of the Church the more they bee afflicted the more they flourish as q Exod. 1.2 the people of Israel vnder Pharaohs tyranny the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied and grew Thus the Church of
a smaller one would doe Let the wicked storme and fret and breathe out threatnings against Gods Church and people this we know assuredly they may doe what they can but they cannot doe what they would And thus much for the first circumstance which concerneth the Author or inflicter of the iudgement Now followeth the second which concernes the punished or the parties on whom it is inflicted and they are Gods owne people a people whom hee chose for his peculiar before any other people in the world beside it was his Vineyard his owne enclosure as these words thereof and it doe note vnto vs. Let this then be our obseruation hence Doct. God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him That God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him but will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with strokes The Scriptures propose many examples our eares haue heard many reports our eyes behold daily many presidents which may confirme this Doctrine What dolefull complaints doe we reade that the Church maketh euery where in the Lamentations x Lament 1.18.20 2.1 c. Behold oh Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I am full of heauinesse The sword spoileth abroad as death doth as home c. How lamentably doe the godly bemoane themselues and the estate of the Church in the Prophesie of Isay y Isay 64.9 10 11. Be not angry O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer behold see we beseeth thee we are thy people Thy holy cities are a wildernesse Zion is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautifull house where our Fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste And how doth the Prophet Dauid expresse the burden of his afflictions wherewith he was afflicted in the z Psal 6.3 32.4 Booke of the Psalmes a Psal 38.2 3. Thine arrowes saith he sticke fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne And againe thus b Psal 116.3 The sorrowes of death compassed mee and the paines of hell gat hold vpon me I found trouble and sorrow and many such like patheticall complaints he makes The whole Booke of the Iudges may be a proofe for this truth wherein wee see how the people of Israel proceeding to doe euill in the sight of the Lord he sold them into the hand of his and their enemies We might further instance in Solomon Asa Iehoshaphat Iosiah Hezekiah and others all which make this good that God spareth not his owne people when they sinne against him Reason 1 Two Reasons may be giuen hereof First That the Lord might declare himselfe to be an aduersary to sinne in all men c Psal 51.4 and that the wicked may see he is not partiall to any when his commandements are not regarded Reason 2 Secondly That he may reduce his seruants from running on headlong with the wicked to perdition For were wee altogether exempted from the rod how wanton and froward would we grow and into how many perils would wee cast our selues And so saith Saint Paul d 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the world Obiect But did not Christ giue himselfe for his Church and shed his bloud for their redemption was not their sins punished in him How comes it then to passe they are still subiect to Gods heauie vâ—sitations Resp. True it is that Christ did beare away all our punishments but he hath not freed vs from fatherly corrections Now when God afflâ—cteth his in this world it is more for medicine than for punishment more for a correction than for a penaltie Losses crosses pouertie imprisonmeent sicknesse yea death it selfe are not to vs punishments nor curses properly but fatherly chastisements being inflicted as furtherances of sanctification not as meanes of satisfaction And thus you haue this obiection answered and my doctrine confirmed viz. God will not spare any no not his owne people when they sin against him Vse 1 Which being so this may terrifie wicked and vngodly ones who make a trade of sinne driuing after it as it was said of Iehu in another case as if they were mad and yet imagine because God for a time e Psal 50.21 holdeth his peace and keepes silence that hee is such a one as themselues a louer and approuer of their wicked waies But oh you fooles how long will you loue folly and when will you grow wise Doth God correct the flock of his owne pasture the children of his owne houshold and shall you goe scot-free Doth the Lord chastise them so heauily the burden of whose sins Christ hath borne in his bodie on the crosse and shall such as Christ neuer died for no nor yet f Iohn 17.9 prayed for escape shall not many prayers and teares sighes and groanes petitions of Gods Saints requests of the Spirit together with the daily intercession of Iesus Christ Gods only and welbeloued in whom he is well pleased keepe off such bitter things from them who but now and then breake out Woe and alas then what shall become of you who neuer pray sigh nor shed teare for sinne for whom Gods blessed Spirit makes no request and who haue no interest in the mediation and intercession of that iust and righteous Aduocate who sinne not of infirmitie and weaknesse but boldly and presumptuously with a high hand against the Lord Thinke of an answer to those interrogatories which the Spirit of God propoundeth to thee in holy Writ g Ier. 25.29 Loe I beginne to bring euill on the Citie which is called by my name and shal you goe vtterly vnpunished And againe h Cap. 49.12 Behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt escape And againe i Luke 23.31 If these things be done to the greene tree to them who haue in them the sap of grace what shall be done to the drie to them who haue no moisture of goodnesse And againe k 1 Pet. 4.17 18 If iudgement first beginne at vs who are the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare What answerest thou to these why speakest thou not And now O my God behold how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I heare an answer true but terrible l Psal 11.5 6. The Lord indeed will trie the righteous in his furnace but the wicked and such as loue iniquitie doth his soule hate vpon the wicked shall he raine snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempest
enter The like protection haue all Gods people whereby they are so fenced that neither the Deuill nor any of his limbes can hurt any of them without speciall warrant and commission from the Lord. Hitherto tends that which wee reade of in the Acts d Acts 4.27 Doubtlesse against thy holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsel hath determined before to be done And that answer of our Sauiour vnto Pilate e Iohn 19.11 Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue For as our Sauiour saith elsewhere Reas f John 10.29 My Father is stronger than all all power and strength is of him and from him originally according to that in Daniel g Dan. 2.20 Wisdome and might are Gods He can giue and take away at his pleasure Which being so this discouers vnto vs a notable delusion Vse 1 of the Deuill in that he perswadeth Witches and Wizards that he can do all things The Deuil cannot doe harme to any to gratifie a Witch vnlesse God permit and at their request or command will lame and kill men or beasts and whatsoeuer they bid him doe or hire him to doe that shall be done with which conceit also many of our people are possessed which causeth them to be so afraid of Witches as that they dare not any way displease them or giue them a foule word for feare they should send their spirits to torment their bodies destroy their goods lame their cattell or doe them some other mischiefe And thus are thousands deluded by the Deuill yea and bewitched before they be aware and led into all manner of error and of falshood That there are Witches by whom the Deuill worketh I deny not Scriptures and experience doth make it euident but that these Witches can send the Deuill to kill or lame either men or beasts when they list and where they list I vtterly deny Reasons For first we are to know that the Deuill hath of himselfe no power ouer the least flie the high prouidence of the Almightie hath so chained and bridled him vp as that he cannot plucke off a fether from the wing of a little Wren or Sparrow without leaue and power giuen him from God It followes then that he at his pleasure cannot doe the least harme to man or beast to gratifie a Witch neither doth the sending of the Deuill by a Witch giue him any power and commission to doe any thing for God must giue way before any euill can befall according to our doctrine deliuered Secondly The Deuill is more forward and readie to doe euill than any Witch can be for he is like h 1 Pet. 5. a roaring Lion going about seeking whom he may deuoure and like i Reuel 12.3 a red or fiery Dragon burning in malice against Gods Church and people so that hee needs not to be stirred vp or sent by a Witch hee being so forward and watchfull of himselfe to doe mischiefe Whence it followes there is no more nor lesse hurt done than would be done if there were no Witches for as the Deuill can doe nothing to hurt the poorest creature before he haue power granted vnto him from the Lord so when he is permitted and hath his power granted he is not so sottish as not to execute his power except some Witch doe send him true it is if he can he will doe it as intreated and sent by Witches so cunning and craftie is hee that hee may doe the more harme vsing them but for a colour to draw on worser matters Thirdly the Deuill is the commander the Witch is but his drudge and seruant He is the god of this world and ruleth with power in the hearts of the children of disobedience shee is but his slaue and subiect to serue him and not command him and vsing her as his instrument hee wholly directeth her heart vnto the wickednesse And therefore whereas there be many naturall causes in the bodies of men and beasts of tortures lamenesse and of death it selfe which though the learnedst and most expert Physitian cannot espie yet hee can see and know and can coniecture very neere the time when they will take effect he plyeth it with the Witch and enflameth her minde with malice and moueth her to send him against that partie vpon which sending the man or beast suddenly and strangely are tormented fall lame and die and then hee telleth her that he did it vpon her sending and command when indeed shee obeyeth him being led by his suggestion and not he her The like is his practise when God giues him libertie to strike with bodily plagues any of the godly for the triall of their faith and patience hee couets if hee can to bring it thus about So that wee see shee is but his drudge and not he her seruant Let vs not then bee so deluded by this deceiuer neither stand in feare of any witch or sorcerer but of God alone for neither one or other can any way molest or hurt vs vntill God please to giue way and suffer them For a second vse seeing none can hurt vs vntill God Vse 2 giue way let this serue for Admonition vnto vs all that would liue in safety that we keepe in with God for if he be our friend what need wee care who be our enemies k Rom. 8.31 If he be with vs who can be against vs Be then of Dauids resolution to make l Psal 3.3 and 91.2 God thy shield and buckler thy refuge and thy fortresse and thus being in Dauids taking thou maiest be in Dauids tune m Psalm 27.1 The Lord is my light and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid n Psal 3.5 I will not bee afraid of ten thousands of people that haue set themselues against me round about o Psal 27.3.5 Though an hoast should encampe against me my heart shall not be troubled though warre should rise against me in this I will be confident For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pauilion in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me hee shall set mee vp vpon a rocke I end this vse as Dauid ends that Psalme * Vers 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Vse 3 Thirdly this may serue to daunt the hearts and proud spirits of the wicked who insult ouer the godly because they are so few so meane so simple and so weake and pride themselues oftentimes in the conceit of their owne geeatnesse power policy and malicious intendments against the godly But these grosly deceiue themselues for let them know their rage and power is limited by the Lord so that they cannot
doe what they list but what God will they cannot execute what they please but what pleaseth him Let Atheists Papists and all other prophane persons desist from deuising euill against Gods Sion A p Numb 23.8 Prophet of their owne side will teach them it is in vaine to curse whom God hath blessed Vse 4 Lastly as Noahs q Gen. 8.11 Doue brought in her mouth an oliue leafe so doth this doctrine bring with it tidings of peace and comfort to such as are in Christ For if it be so that man cannot hurt vntill God giue way then r Psalm 5.11 12. Let all those that put their trust in thee reioice let them euer shout for ioy because thou defendest them let them also that loue thy name bee ioyfull in thee For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous with fauour wilt thou compasse him as with a shield What the Apostle speakes in case of damnation may bee spoken also in case of â—â—nger Å¿ Rom. 8.1 There is none vnto them They are alike safe in euery place euen in the midst of their mortall enemies as amongst their kindest friends and so likewise at all seasons for whereas the wicked who are without God are like a bird without a nest or a beast without a den liable to any storme that ariseth and danger that befals yet it is otherwise with the godly they know whither to goe to bee hid from the strife of tongues and violence of Tyrants Gods fauour ioyned with his mighty power and faithfulnesse is a t Prou. 18.10 strong tower thither the righteous runne and are exalted which fort and castle of defence is euery where and no time is vnseasonable to repaire vnto it no place an impediment to hinder them from it no bodily weaknesse can disable them of it their iourney may be vndertaken at midnight as well as at mid-day and they may runne apace as they sit in their houses or lie in their beds and the feeblest creeple may make as good speed as the swiftest footman the wals thereof can no enemy scale the forts thereof can no aduersary batter well may our enemies assault vs but no multitude nor power can preuaile against vs because u 2 King 6.16 he that is with vs is stronger than they that are against vs * Psalm 32.6 so that the flouds of great waters can neuer come nigh vs. Oh the security and felicity of the faithfull maruellous great it is who haue such a tower to flie vnto and such a shield to couer and compasse them round about as is impenetrable no sword no dart nor shot can possibly strike them vntill it pierce him so fenced are they in their goods in their cattell and in all that belongs vnto them that no wicked spirit by any art can come neere to touch them without a speciall commission from the Almighty When Philip King of Macedon had slept a sound sleepe and at length waking spying Antipater by him he vsed these words as the story saith x Plutarch No maruell I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched It would not haue fallen out so well with this Land in generall and many no nor any of vs in particular had not this Ante-pater our gracious Father who was before all worlds beene our mercifull keeper In 88. fierce enemies intended the inuasion of this Land but they were foiled and England triumphed for the Lord of Hoasts was our defender Many enterprises haue beene vndertaken against our most gracious Soueraigne especially that hellish attempt of popish monsters in that infernall Powder-plot yet King Iames is waked and long may he wake for Ante-pater stood by and watched O still stand by and watch but as for his enemies they are executed as traitors and haue slept their last And so let them perish oh Lord. Obiect But doe wee not see how the godly are wronged spoiled yea and sometimes killed by their aduersaries Resp. True yet this commeth not to passe through the force of their aduersaries might but by the will and permission of the Lord neither doth hee suffer it to satisfie their foes but to increase their felicity and for their good For it is with the godly as with the beast in the field which is safer in a storme than in the fairest seasons the storme driueth him to his den and harbour but when it is ouer hee commeth forth and is in danger to bee taken of the hunter Thus in trouble the godly flie vnto the clefts of their Rocke and get vnder the wing of their Protector but when troubles are ouer they are in greater danger to be ensnared Wee know raine and thunder are many times better for corne and grasse than faire sunne-shine so here Againe God hath promised not to defend vs from troubles but preserue vs in troubles Our y Formido sublata est non pugna Leo. Feare shall be taken away not our Fight And so though we be persecuted yet we be not forsaken though slaine yet not ouercome nay when we seeme to be ouercome then doe we ouercome our enemies Though we beare away the blowes and are slaine by them yet God still preserues vs and we obtaine a noble victorie z Rom. 8.37 Excellent was that speech which sometimes Anaxarchus vsed when as Nicocreon the tyrant commanded he should be beaten to death in a morter Beat and bray said he to the executioner as long as thou wilt Anaxarchus his sachell meaning his body but Anaxarchus thou canst not touch Thus are the godly preserued by God who putteth his right hand vnder their heads and giues them grace sufficient proportioning their strength to the burden mitigating their sorrowes making them possesse their soules in patience yea to reioyce in their tribulation as appeareth not only in the examples a Acts 5.41 Cap. 16. of the Apostles in the Acts but also by the practise of some in our owne Nation in the time of persecution as Glouer Farrar Hawkes with diuers other Reade their stories in the Act. and Mon. the later of which three being desired by some of his godly friends to giue some token when hee was in the flames whether the paine were tolerable or no for their further confirmation after his eies were started out of his head his fingers consumed with the fire and when euery one thought him dead and did expect the fall of his body suddenly lifts vp his stumps and thrice as a famous conquerer claps them ouer his head in token of victory Thus the faithfull famously conquer when they seeme to be conquered by their enemies I remember what one saith b Rupertus of S. Laurence his patience and constancy when hee was broiled on the gridiron That God was more glorified by it than if hee had saued his body from burning by a miracle So vndoubtedly it is as much for Gods glory to preserue vs in our suffering as to preserue vs altogether from