him For the wicked tremble where there is no cause of flight or feare k Prou. 19.26 But in the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall haue a place of refuge A Sanctuary for Abraham when Sara his wife his flesh and bones is at the discretion of the Philistin according to the iudgement of the flesh there saith the Scriptures l Gen. 20. Sure the feare of God is not in this place Notwithstanding God caused himselfe to be feared there for his seruant that feared him A shelter for Iacob in this feare against the fury of Esau God sendes before him an army of Angels changeth ouer and besides and turnes that cruell heart to fauour him So far forth that Saul is afraid of Dauid that great king of a sheep-heard because saith Samuel the Lord was with him Elisha on the other side besieged in Dothan by the king of the Assirians in stead of fearing them takes it away from others and giues them courage m 2 King 6.16 Feare not sayth he to his seruant for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them An army that he shewes him God opening his seruants eyes at his request a mountaine full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha for his succour inuisisible before to his faith much more to his eyes and how often is our helpe at the dore which we see not from how many dangers doth God deliuer vs which we feele not What then is it in the power of man of flesh and bloud not to feare the creatures and so powerfull so many perils whereunto hee is subiect euery moment Nay God forbid yea it is as little in his power as to feare God himselfe to feare God and not to feare the creatures spring from one fountaine and that fountaine is God himselfe faith the gift of God that prints in vs his feare ought also to wipe out of vs all other feare and therefore he that bids vs feare not adds sometimes but beleeue yea which is more hee that bids vs beleeue and feare not in commaunding it workes it in vs by his word this powerfull word to create in vs these qualities which we haue not no lesse powerfull then in saying Let their be light let the waters bring forth This word bringes forth causeth them to bring forth those things that were not and therefore is it sayd I will command my blessing vpon you because that his sayings is a doing his word an act his blessing a good deed a certaine effect of his good will towards his children On the other side I will dread before you to make your way plaine I will put into the hearts of your enemies to forgoe you their place they shall beate you another time in one quarter and you shall flie away seauen wayes namely according as you shall feare mee or not feare me Because it is God alone that can giue or take away this feare in his blessings or curses as to create all other things But yet wee must be well assured that hee that gaue these qualities vnto Abraham and to our fathers according to the ability and capacitie of their infirmity in commanding recōmending them vnto them by mouth giues them to vs at this time asking them of him with hart in the name of his welbeloued as the Apostle saith n Iam. 1.6 Aske in faith nothinge wauering Our Lord himselfe saith o Ioh. 14 15. 16. Aske my father in my name Aske and it shall be giuen you For in this feare there is confidence saith the wise man Confidence that proceeds from faith faith that assures vs of Gods loue towards vs breeds in our hearts a loue towards God Two loues springing from one fountaine the first takes from vs or diminisheth in vs the feare of creatures p Rom. 8.31 For if God be for vs who can be against vs The second a reflection of the first which giues vs his feare the feare of a Sonne towards his father no more of a slaue towards his master nor of an offender towards his iudge A feare to offend his gentlenesse not to prouoke his anger Now it is this faith also which alone is capable in Abraham in all the faithfull to take this shield that God presēts to take it I say not by the merit of workes which it brings forth what are they Nor for the dignitie that is in her for what is infirmitie but in the apprehension of his mercie in his gratious promises For I am thy shield sayth the Lord vnto Abraham the Lord an infinite essence a holinesse not to be approched by sinners a consuming fire that deuours them where is then the hand that supports it yea that takes it that can beare it but by him take it but by himselfe Surely wee haue no other hand to lend then that of faith and hee himselfe giues it vs. And againe this faith hath no holde but by his promise this shield cannot bee handled nor welded but by faith in God grounded on his promises Otherwise who would be so rash that durst presume to arme himselfe with his power or couer himselfe with his goodnes to stand and shelter himselfe therewith and vse it as a buckler against the creatures against the creator but by himselfe and therefore it is sayd that by faith Abraham left his countrey obeyed to the voice of God euen so farre as to offer his onely sonne Who r Rom. 4. against hope beeleeued in hope kept and looked for an issue and posteritie from barrennesse afterwards ſ Heb. 11. of a child whom hee led to death and in fine millions of his onely sonne refelling and beating backe all temptations with his shield But it was also expresly sayd that it was grounded on the promises Behould then how Abraham euery true Israelite hath the Lord for his shield takes hold of him by faith keepes him by his promise What neede he then feare what that this shield is not bigge enough to couer him strong enough to defend him Why hee couers the whole world with his shadowe hee couers particularly his Church vnder his winge It is not such a t Isa 28.20 narrow couering wherewith the Prophet threateneth vs When wee pretend to couer ourselues against him without him against the Creator by a pretended agreement with the creatures with death the graue and hell Contrariwise saith Dauid it is a shield of saluation yea saluation it selfe hee that retires himselfe thereto u Psal 91. Shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty is couered with his feathers his truth the faithfulnesse of his promises serues him in steade of a Target though a cloud of arrowes should fall vpon him it cannot hurt him no plague saith he shall come nigh thy dwelling much lesse nigh his person Doth the world beate vs with losses and calamities i Iob. 5.21 22. Thou shalt not bee afraide of destruction when
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
when the great grand-children cannot attaine vnto nay not their great grand children Notwithstanding he is snatcht away from his dearest and neerest friends transplanted from his countrie and soyle in a strange ayre a more strange people who doubts here but that the flesh in so an aduantageous subiect did argue against the spirit reason against faith Sathan assisted with them both against Gods seruant tossed and much moued in himselfe For what could the land of Canaan steade him foure hundred yeares after Much lesse then Esaus red pottage when he was an hungry and in following this purpose how many mischiefes was hee to encounter and incurre what goods was he to loose rediculous to the flesh contrary to reason little credible to his soule On the other side taking an other course the beaten way of the world the course taken by his friends what goods might he haue gotten what euill might hee haue eschewed who found to fauour his part the discourse of reason the desire of the flesh and mans will ayming at the same intention the same contention by the instinst of Sathan who can spie out his time take his occasions and what better then when the faithfull is bandied in himselfe God therefore in this his perplexitie appeares to him in vision breakes all their arguments all his discourses Feare not Abraham saith he I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward If thou fearest in following my vocation thy calling to haue euils I am to couer thee I haue wherewith to put thee vnder shade to shelter thee If thou fearest that thou shalt haue no goods I am goodnesse it selfe and this goodnesse how great soeuer it is is so good it will gush and dispearse it selfe vpon thee Few words but which comprehends all yea a bottomlesse depth Feare not for it is feare it selfe that assures thee the feare of Isaac and of Iacob that only which men must feare Is thy spirit tempted and attempted by apprehension by a feeling of euils Behold here is a shield for thee Is it assaulted with concupiscence or with the losse of that wee call goods Behold here is a reward The eternall and immortall God to a mortall man a worme both a reward and a shield Hauing so great a reward what canst thou desire more Or being vnder so sure a shield what canst thou feare And that which is sayd to Abraham is sayd to his seede to the Church in generall the lawfull race of Abraham in particular to euery Israelite to all the faithfull for seest thou O Israel the Egyptians behind thee the mountaines at thy sides the sea before thine eyes a Exod. 14.13 Feare ye not stand still and see the Saluation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day Moreouer doest thou see the thunderings and the lightenings and the mountaine smoking b Exod. 20.20 Feare not for God is come to proue you and that his feare may be before your faces that yee sinne not Wert thou but a worme before thine enemies contemptible and disdained by them abiect and base to thy selfe c Isaiah 41.8.10.13.19 Feare not Israel my seruant for I am with thee Feare not thou worme Iacob I will helpe thee sayth the Lord and thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel d Luke 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the kingdome Yea though thou wert alone these words belong to euery one let euery one take it as sayd vnto himselfe For Dauid saith for all the faithfull yea in the name of euery one e Psal 3.6 I will not bee afraid of ten thousand of people that doe set themselues against mee round about f Psal 56. I will not feare what flesh can doe vnto me g Psal 46.2.3.4 No though the earth be remoued and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roare be troubled though the mountaines shake with the dwelling thereof yea h Psal 23.9 though I walke through the valley of the shadowe of death I will feare no euill And the reason of this strong confidence is not lesse strong I am thy shield of thee Abraham and of all thine the shield of Israiel and of the Church For Moses sayth i Deuter. 33 29. Happy art thou O Israel Who is like vnto thee O people saued by the Lord the shield of thy helpe and who is the sword of thy excellencie Happy therefore is euery faithfull man that can confidently say with Dauid k 2. Sam 22.3 Hee is my shield and the horne of my saluation l Psal 5.12 He blesseth the righteous with fauour doth hee compasse him as with a shield m 2. Sam. 22 31. Hee is a buckler to all them that trust in him Againe I am thy exceeding great reward the reward consequently of thy seede and of the Church and not a reward only but also an inheritance for behold n Gen. 17.7 I will establish my couenant betweene thee and mee and thy seede after thee for an euerlasting Couenant to be a God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people Thou mine inheritance and I thine Thou my purchase I thy reward I thy partage and Dauid applying to himselfe for vs this promise saith o Psal 16.5.6 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance the lines are fallen vnto mee in in pleasant places Yea I haue a goodly heritage Certes because cause the wise man saith p Ecclesiast 11.22 The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the Godly that feareth God the rather saith the Apostle because q 1. Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse is profitable vnto al things hauing promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Notwithstanding this exceeding abundant reward super abounding infinitly our sure demerits our pretended merits because there is no communion of vnrighteousnesse with righteousnesse no proportion of man to God of nothing to all nor therfore of humane merit to this reward of our default our extreame drynesse to this infinit sufficiency and fullnesse to this eternall well springs Now therefore feare not Abraham saith he feare not Israel nor any Israelite for the wise man saith r Eccles. 7.18 He that feareth God shall come forth of them all Å¿ Ecclesiast 34.14 Hee that feareth God will not feare at all nor be afraide for hee is his hope Now hope is the counterpoison and remedy of feare a remedy stronger then the euill An infinite remedy against a limited euill an assurance in the creator against the apprehension of creatures A confidence in him that hath made all the creatures and that soly alone hath made them all and that of nothing and therefore a confidence in him that is all and of him that is all against that which is nothing Let all the elements therefore make a hurrie together all
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
it commeth at destruction and famine thou shalt laugh Will he pierce vs with the disfauours of calumnities Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue how piercing how venemous soeuer it be Doth hee threaten vs with death doth he offer it vnto our view y Psal 91.7 A thousand shall fall at thy side and tenne thousand at thy right hand For all that it shal not come nigh thee hee cannot hasten it a minute yea euen then when he throwes his dart at our hearts when he thinkes he hath found the default and weakest part of this shield in our infirmitie But rather it shal be our life and truely life It is then properly that we shall braue it z 1 Cor. 15. O death where is thy sting Where is thy victory a Iob. 19.26 For I know saith Iob that in this my flesh which thou thinkest thou hast killed shall I see God b 1 Cor. 15.43 I know sayth the Apostle that that which is sowne in dishonour and weakenesse shal be raised in glory and power So then doth the faithfull suffer Is the Church assaulted in her bodie in her members Let vs beware of all things that we fling not away our shield Let vs rather forgoe our weapons If Christ had not beene buried layd in the graue couered with a stone thou hadst not beleeued hee could haue raised himselfe to life how much lesse thee If also the Church were not persecuted thou in the Church thou couldst not know what this shield is worth how much it steades thee Thou couldst not discerne thine infirmity from his power Thou wouldst impute to the hardnesse of thy skin that which thou sholdst attribute to her temper to thy nature that that comes from his grace to humane prudence that which proceeds from his prouidence and therefore it behoues thee to bee often tempted to be toucht to the quicke And therefore the Prophet did reioyce that he had beene chastised that he might thereby remember God and know himselfe And at least haue we this sure comfort in our afflictions and our wounds from whence soeuer they come they aime directly at this shield they fall vpon this shield vpon the Lord yea vpon his owne flesh If we are vniustly persecuted by the malice or ignorance of men c Act. 9. Saul why presecutest thou mee sayth Christ he feels throughly our paines he accepts our wounds hee will repell them he will auenge them no lesse then if they were his owne And therefore haue wee seene so many darts blunted so many weapons become dull so many armies to retire the sharpest points of weapons to turne retort vpon the face of the enemies the very finest the very sharpest the most finely temperd to their owne damage If wee are iustly to be chastisd for our sinnes hee beares the punishment hee caries the wounds The eternall sonne of God one with him d Isa 53. Surely hath borne our griefes saith the Prophet and carried our sorrowes hee was wounded for our transgressions he was brused for our iniquities for the transgression of my people was he stricken saith the Lord. And from thence let vs hearten and harden ourselues also against death against Sathan against hell For what can we desire and require more in a shield to haue all his qualities then to make our wounds hers then to redeem vs to except vs from euil and to reuenge them to repell them more liuelily to make ours hers why then doth the flesh arme her principalities against vs e Ierem. 6.1 Doth she lay hold without compassion on bow and speare against the daughter of Sion Wee will say the Lord is our shield that shield before the which the Philistians fall the walls of Iericho yea the very earth trembleth Then sayth Debora f Iudg. 5.8 When there was nere a shield or speare seene among fortie thousand in Israel Hee hath not omitted to sane his people The shielde of the mighty sayth Dauid is driuen backe so calleth hee Saul but the shield of the righteous will neuer faile On the otherside g Psal 47.10 The shields of the earth belong vnto God hee rules ouer all the sheilds of the earth that is to say all the armour and armies of the world will they nill they are at his payment and intertainement and are sworne to him Thence commeth it to passe that we haue so often seene the Church deliuered and released from the armies of the Syrians by the armies of Egypt from the Assyrians by them of Persia from the Persians by the armies of the Grecians those bended with all their powers to his ruine these notwithstanding hauing not the lest thought that tended to his deliuerance the Church also often raised from whence and by whom one thought she should bee oppressed then triumphing when one thought they should haue led him in triumph and the Lord of Hoasts sayth the Prophet did that the Lord sayth Dauid vnto whom belong al the shields of the earth on whom depend all the Monarchies whence it commeth to passe that vnder this shield the Church hath passed ouer all the ages and seasons and shall without doubt shut vp the last age although that all the Monarchies one after another in the emulation and despight one of the other haue trod her vnder foote They one the otherside all of them discomfited the one by the other without leauing any trace or marke after them but what was for the glorie of God Of God sayth Moses that carieth his Israel vnder his wing as the Eagle her young ones of God on the otherside who in fauour of his Israel and hy his iust iudgement withdraweth his protection from other people The powers of the ayre doe they reuy at hir on the earth doe they thinke they can doe more against her Haue they caused our flesh to reuolte against our spirit to make vs sin drawne in our consciences to conuict vs kindled as they suppose Gods wrath to confound vs ranked in a word all our sinnes in battaillion before our eyes to make vs tremble to terifie vs to make vs despaire of his mercy to giue vs ouer to Sathan as a pray Let vs here take hold and the more firmely on the shield of faith on this shield saith Paul h Epeses 6. Wherewith we ouercome in combate the principalities the powers the spirituall wickednes in high places wherby we may quench the fiery darts of the wicked Tell him I haue beene indeede i 1 Tim 1.1 an idolater a blasphemer a persecuter an oppressour and much more but I obtained mercy and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant towards mee in Christ Iesus and this Christ the son of God hath changed my sinnes hath beene made sinne for mee and I haue put on Christ I liue in Christ and Christ in me If then thou canst nothing against Christ against my head neither canst thou against me These sinnes of mine how