THE LOT OR PORTION OF THE RIGHTEOVS A COMFORTABLE SERMON PREACHED AT THE Cathedrall Church of Glocester vpon the fift day of August Anno Domini 1615. By Richard Web Preacher of Gods word at Rodborough in Glocestershyre Iob. 13. vers 15.16 Loe though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him and I will reprooue my wayes in his sight He shall be my saluation also For the Hypocrite shall not come before him LONDON Printed by Tho Creede for Roger Iackson and are to be solde at his shoppe in Fleetstreet ouer against the Conduit 1616. TO THE MOST HIGH and mightie King King Iames King of great Brittane France and Ireland defender of the true Christian faith grace and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ MOst deare and gratious Soueraigne before whom I bow in all subiectiue manner I doubt not but that worthy saying of Dauid a worthy king is worthily written in the heart of your maiestie our king Rabboth Ranghoth Tsaddic Vmirrullam Iattsilennu Iehouah 1. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all Of all the states in the world your highnes the onely great state of the world hath had best experience of the truth of this point your troubles we know to the griefe of our hearts haue bene many and your deliuerances also we know to the comfort of our soules haue bene as many This sentence of the prophet most worthy to be written not only in sheetes of gold but also in the hearts of all men by the point of a Diamond was my text vpon the fift of August last past which day was kept solemnely by vs in our solemne city of Glocester to the Honour of your Highnes and for the triumph of your blessed victory out of Gowries wicked conspiracy Since that day I haue bene sollicited and importuned by friends that my Sermon might be printed in papers which then I desired onely to be imprinted in the hearts of my hearers which being done I make bold if not too bold to dedicate to your maiestie as being your owne for that it was preached on your day for your sake to your Honour and by your subiect who is your deuoted seruant to death it selfe My hope and hearts desire is that as Christ rewarded the poore widowes Mite which was cast into the treasury of the Temple though it were nothing in quantity comparable to the great summes of mony which the rich cast into the same so your highnes will respect this litle booke of mine your poore seruant though it be nothing to those great volumes which are consecrated to your maiestie by the learned Rabbins of the land The almighty blesse your highnes and grant in fauour vnto vs all that your maiestie may be euermore in wisedome most admirable like Daniel in courage most valiant like Dauid in zeale most feruent like Phinehas in godlines most singular like Iosiah in care most prouident like Ioseph in riches most abundant like Saloman in counsell most sound like Achitophell in loue most kind like Ionathan in body most healthfull like Moses in minde most ioyfull like Simeon in raigne amongst vs in our English coasts most long like Manasses And lastly that your highnes at the last may be carried by the Angels into the bosome of Abraham like Lazarus And hereunto let all your subiects and friends both domesticall and forraigne say Amen And so vpon the bended knees of my heart I aske pardon for this my boldnes and rest Your Maiesties most humble and truely deuoted Subiect Richard Web. The Contents of the Sermon following THe Exordium or Praeface The Analysis or Paraphrase The summe and parts Foure Questions about the righteous There are Righteous persons in the world Who they be that are righteous By what meanes men are made righteous The markes whereby Righteous men may be knowne from others Christians must haue a respect to all the commandements of God In all good workes men must haue an eye to Gods glorie Godly persons must continue in their godlinesse to the ende Men must loue goodnesse in others as well as in themselues and labour to make others good like vnto themselues The righteous shall haue troubles here in this world God in loue will correct the Righteous The diuell in malice will assault the righteous The world in hatred will pursue the righteous There are seuen things wherein righteous persons passe others The end which God doth aime at in correcting the righteous is alwayes for their good Afflictions are no signe of reiection but a marke rather of Election to euerlasting life Comfort succour must be ministred vnto the righteous in their troubles Holy persons must prepare their hearts for troubles The preparation that must be made against troubles standeth chiefly in the meditation of 3. things viz. of the necessitie of trouble of the vtilitie of troubles and of the multiplicitie of those promises which God hath made vnto vs about our troubles The commodities which troubles do bring vnto the righteous are foure two belonging to this life two others respecting the next life Godlinesse and credit for this life An assurance of glory and a larger measure of glorie for the next life The troubles of the righteous are many Many for the persons from whome they come many for the meanes through which they come many for the times wherein they come many for the parts to which they come many for the sorts by which they come many lustly for the effects which they bring at their comming Sixe causes why the troubles of the righteous are many viz because their sinnes are many their graces many their enemies many their blessings many their exercises of religion many and their contentions against the world the flesh and the diuell many A comfort to the godly who haue many troubles The difference between the troubles of the wicked and the godly which standeth in 3. things viz. the cause of their troubles the māner of bearing their troubles the end or fruite which doth follow vpon their troubles Righteous persons must labour to haue patience as a most needfull thing for them in all their troubles Holy persons must euermore looke for crosses in this life God will deliuer the righteous out of all their troubles Foure reasons why God doth ridde the righteous out of their troubles viz his loue towards them his promise vnto them his feeling with them and his glory from them ioyned with their louing trust in him and trusting loue towards him GOD must haue the onely praise of those deliuerances which the righteous haue In all miseries holy persons must resort vnto the Lord and relye onely vpon him for their deliuerance therefrom A comfort to the Saints against all their tribulations GOD doth saue his sometimes by meanes and sometimes without meanes and sometimes contrary to all meanes A cooling-card to the world who oppose themselues against the righteous The troubles wherein the Kings Maiestie
was in Scotland by Gowries conspiracie diuided into 3. parts togither with his deliuerances frō the same The Kings thanking of God for his victory and the great reioycing of all the land for his deliuerance A Prayer for the King An Application to the Auditorie wherein sixe reasons are set downe why troubles should not trouble any of them though they be manie THE LOT AND PORTION OF THE RIGHTEOVS Psalme 34.19 Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all MOses an holy man of God speaking to the people of God concerning the Institution of the Passe-ouer to be kept at his appointed season from yeare to yeare saith Exod. 13.14 When thy Sonne shall aske thee What is this Thou shalt say vnto him With a mightie hand the Lord brought vs out of Egipt out of the house of bondage and in remembrance hereof wee celebrate this Feast In like manner when your children right reuerend father right worshipfull and wel beloued brethren in Christ Iesus shall aske of you what this our assemblie meaneth You shall answer that it is to giue God thankes for that great benefite which wee receiued at his hands as on this day when in his mercie hee saued our King after a miraculous manner and deliuered him out of the hands of bloody and desperate traitors who had vowed his death to the hurt of vs all and to the harme of Gods whole Church besides This is the day Psalm 118.24 which the Lord hath made let vs reioice and be glad therin Vpon this day God shewed vs the light of his gracious countenāce and had mercy vpon vs in preseruing for vs so great a treasure so good a gouernour so learned a Maister so worthie a King The Lord graunt that wee may enioy him many happie yeares and become most thankfull vnto his Maiestie for him But to draw to my text in it you shall finde two points most worthy of your obseruation and most correspondent vnto this our dayes celebration In the first you shall see what entertainment you are to expect for heere in this world In the second you shall behold what fauour you are to look for frō the Lord your God out of this world The first of these will shew you you troubles the latter your deliuerance from your troubles and both of them ioyntlie together will shew you both the hands of God the one like a wound maiming you the other a plaister healing you Oh marke and consider things well The righteous must looke for more troubles then others And againe they must hope for greater deliuerances then others Their afflictions heere will bee many like the Hoast of the Aramites and their redemptions also will bee as many like the Hoast of the Israelites Dauid beeing a righteous man and one according to Gods owne heart found this most true by his own experience He had many troubles yet he was deliuered out of all his troubles For this cause doth hee here measuring as it were other men by his owne foote declare vnto vs what is the estate or condition of all righteous persons On the one side hee doth tell vs that they are subiect to manifold troubles and afflictions On the other side he doth assure vs that they shall not continue in these their troubles and afflictions but in time conuenient be deliuered out of them all and that by the gracious hand of the Lord their God who doth watch ouer them still for their good So that the spirit of God directed him to those two chiefe things which make men take their crosses grieuously One because they do not look for them before they come another because they do not behold their deliuerer frō them when they are come The prophet doth preuent both these and tell vs that the righteous shall haue many troubles that the Lord wil deliuer him out of all his troubles I pray remember you both the sentences how to wit you must goe through a Sea of troubles And how then you shall come to an hauen of rest that so when any troubles do come on you they may not trouble you like other men who looke not for their troubles nor knowe not where to haue a remedie against their troubles Thus you haue heard the Analysis now marke the sum parts The sum sets down the state or condition of the righteous The parts are two The first doth note out his miserie The second his deliuerance from his miserie His miserie is described out two wayes First by the nature or quality of it Then secondly by the magnitude or quantitie of it The nature or qualitie in this word Troubles The magnitude or quātitie in the other word Many Many are the troubles of the righteous His deliuerance from his miserie containes two branches vnder it The first is the person who doth deliuer him The second is the thing from which he is deliuered The person that doth deliuer him is the Lord. The thing from which hee is deliuered are all his troubles but the Lord deliuereth him out of all his troubles Now of these in order But before I beginne with them because the whole Tsaddik and euery part doth concerne the Righteous and whatsoeuer is now to be spoken must haue a secret relation vnto them necessitie and opportunitie doe require of mee that I should speake a fewe words concerning them Yet speaking of the righteous I will not speak of all the things which doe belong to the Righteous There are foure questions which may iustly be moued cōcerning them The first is whether there bee any righteous persons in all the world yea or no Seeing Iohn doth teach vs that the whole worlde doth lye in wickednes a Iohn 5.19 The second is that if there bee any who they be and what they are The third is How and by what meanes they that bee and are are made Righteous seeing all by nature are corrupt and vnrighteous according to Christes wordes when hee saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh b Iohn 3.6 The fourth and last is by what tokens or signes they that are and are made righteous may be knowne from other men considering that they doe liue amongst others like men If I should be long in the opening of these things before you I must haue a large time to open them vnto you But now seeing that I must measure my speech by the measure of the clock in running his houre you must giue mee leaue to runne ouer these pointes and rather to point at them then in any point to dwel vpon them Wherfore referring all these matters rather vnto your owne priuate meditation then pursuing any one of them by any long declaration Thus I shut vp all in a fewe words as followeth 1. Though the whole world doth lye in wickednes yet there are righteous persons in the world for as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or world there in that
true righteousnes wrought in the soule of one cannot there bee suppressed but will spread it selfe abroad and worke vpon others for their conuersion In one word then hee which would be reputed righteous and yet keepeth in all his righteousnes to himselfe and doth not impart it vnto others may iustly bee suspected to haue little or no sound righteousnesse at all within him Thus farre for the person of whome the Prophet doth speake Now let vs come to the things whereof hee doth speake The troubles saith hee of the righteous are many By the word Troubles you must vnderstand all such things as doe molest or disquiet him The Hebrew word is Ranghoth in the plurall number Ranghoth of Raughah in the singular And howsoeuer it be taken now and then Adiectiuely for that which is sinfull or painefull yet here it is put substantiuely and doth note out Euils or afflictions not euils as they are sinnes but as they are chastisemeÌ„ts For euill is of 2. sorts the one is Malum Culpae and the other is malum paenae the one the euill of sinne the other is the euill of punishment And well may euils or afflictions be called Troubles euen of the effects of them because they are wont to trouble such as haue them You see now the meaning of the words the doctrine arising from them is this That good men and good women shall haue troubles heere in this world Looke how many will truely feare the Lord and taking hold of Christ Iesus by a liuely faith will carefully endeuour to walke in Gods commandements to the ende of their dayes they shall haue crosses and troubles there afflictions tribulations do belong to them and they shall be sure to haue their portion therein So much may we gather out of Esayes words when hee saith Behold I and the children meaning the true members of Christ that were willing to heare obey the words of God wherof he spake before whome the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israel by the Lord of Host which dwelleth in mount Sion g Esay 8.18 So much we may gather out of Ieremies words when hee saith Heare I pray you all people and behold my sorrow speaking of the church of God vnder his owne person My Virgines and my young men are gone into captiuitie I called for my Louers but they deceiued mee my Priests and mine elders perished in the city while they sought their meate to refresh their soules Behold ô Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell mine heart is turned within me for I am full of heauines the sword spoyleth abroad as death doth at home They haue heard that I mourn but there is none to comfort me all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble are glad that thou hast done it h Lament 1.18.19 20 21. So much we may gather out of Zacharies words when he saith Arise ô sword vpon my Shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hoasts smite the shepheard and the sheepe shal be scattered I will turne mine hand vpon the lettle ones And in all the Land saith the Lord two parts therein shall bee cut off dye but the third shall be left therein And I will bring that third part through the fire and will fine them as the siluer is fined and will trie them as the gold is tryed They shall call on my Name and I will heare them I will say It is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God i Zach. 13.7.8.9 So much we may gather out of Christs words when he saith Behold speaking to his disciples I send you as sheepe in the mids of wolues Beware of men for they will deliuer you vp to the councels will scourge you in their Synagogues And the brother shall betray the brother to death and the Father the Sonne and the Children shall rise against their Parents and shall cause them to die And yee shall be hated of all men for my Name k Mat. 10.16.17.18.21.22 So much wee may gather out of Paules wordes when hee saith For wee are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the Angels and to men vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place and labour working with our own hands we are reuiled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it wee are euill spoken of and we pray wee are made as the filth of the world 1. Cor. 4.9.1 the off-scowring of all things vnto this time So much lastly may wee gather to omit many other places out of Dauids words when he saith haue mercy vpoÌ„ meô Lord for I am iÌ„ trouble mine eye my soule my belly are consumed with griefe For my life is wasted with heauinesse my yeares with mourning my strength faileth for my paines and my bones are consumed I was a reproach among all mine enemies but especially among my neighbours and a feare to mine acquaintance who seeing mee in the streete fledde from mee I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde I am like a broken vessell for I haue heard the rayling of great men feare was on euery side while they conspired together against me and consulted to take my life m Psalm 31.9.10.11 Obiect But what may the causes heereof bee Is it because they are more base then others by their stocke and parentage Answ No For in that respect they are the honourablest persons in all the world as beeing begotten and borne not of mortall but of immortall seed euen of GOD himselfe n Ioh. 1.13 Is it because they are more wicked then others by their workes and wayes No for in that respect they are the holiest persons in all the world as beeing washed from their sinnes o Reu. 1.5 and as hauing their conuersation aboue in the heauens themselues p Phil. 3.20 Is it because they are more detestable in the eyes of God then others by their estate and condition No for in that respect they are the dearest q Prou 15.9 Acts 10 â—5 Ioh. 14.23 persons vnto him in all the world as being incorporated into the body of his Sonne and made his children by adoption r Ephes 1.4.5 Is it because they are more beggarly then others by their portion of goods and inheritance here below No for in that respect they are the richest persons in all the world if not by profession yet by right as beeing the heires of all things yea coheyres with Christ of euery thing s Rom. 8.17 So that a man may say to them as Paul did to the Corinthians in these words Let no man reioyce in men for all things are yours whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they bee things present or things to come euen all are yours t 1. Cor. 3.21.22 It is
poore adultresse woman alone onely with Christ there being not so much as any one left behinde either to condemne her or to stone her with stones c Iohn 8.9 So doe all troubles vanish away from the righteous one by one and leaue them safe and alone without one either to vexe them or to destroy them with destructions For be it that the lawier cannot deliuer his client but from his strife the Physition his patient but froÌ„ his sicknes the maister his seruaÌ„t but from his bondage the father his childe but from his pouerty the tutor his scholler but from his ignorance the captaine his souldier but from his wounds yet God can and will also deliuer his from all their troubles whatsoeuer And howsoeuer these their troubles doe come in a thousand waies like waters through many grates yet he can and will also meete with them all For hee can worke doth also often worke by meanes without meanes and contrary to all meanes By meanes yea by weake meanes he saued Israel when hee ouerthrew the innumerable army of the Midianites by Gedeons three hundred men d Iudg. 9.7 By meanes yea by weake meanes he saued Saul and his people when he slew a garrison of the philistins by Ionathan and his armorbearer e 1. Cor. 14. By meanes yea by weake meanes he saued Lot when he conquered Chadorlaomor three other kings with him by Abraham and his familie f Genes 14. Lastly by meanes yea by weake meanes he saued the nation of the Iewes when he destroyed Goliah by Dauid Sisera by Iael and Abimilech by a woman g 1. Sam. 17. Iud. 4. 9. Without meanes he saued Iehosophat and his people when hee himselfe did ouerthrow the Moabites the Ammonites and them of mount Seir which made warre against them h 2. Chron. 20. Without meanes he saued Moses and his people when he himselfe drowned Pharoah and his army in the red sea pursuing after them without meanes he saued Ezechiah and his people i Exod. 14. when he himselfe slew the huge army of the Assirians who came with a purpose to destroy them k 2. King 17. Lastly without means he saued Elisha and his man when he himselfe smote with blindnes the Syrians who besieged Dothan the city where the prophet was and came to take him l 2. King 6. Contrary to all meanes hee saued the three children from burning being in the fire m Dan. 3. Contrary to all means he saued Ionah from consuming being in the Whales belly n Ionâ—â— 2. Contrary to all meanes he saued Daniel from deuouring being in the Lions den o Dan. 6. Finally contrary to all meanes be saued the Isralites froÌ„ drowning being in the bottome of the sea p Ezod 14. Wherefore my beloued brethren faint not whatsoeuer your troubles be but be of a good comfort and cheere vp your harts in the Lord doubt nothing but all shall be well with you in the end Oh say with Dauid wheÌ„ your harts are disquieted Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God q Psalm 42.11 Doubtles he will come he will come waite but a little and you shall see your deliuerance And so I conclude this worthy obseruation with the prophets needful exhortation in these words Hope in the Lord be strong and he shall comfort thine heart and trust in the Lord. r Psalm 27.14 The fourth and last is an Instruction to the world to warne them in their euill courses that they goe not about to trouble the righteous and to qualifie them in their ioyfull mirth that they doe not exult too much in the misery of the righteous For seeing that the Lord will deliuer the righteous out of all their troubles it is a great folly for the world to goe about to trouble them and a greater vanity in them to reioyce at their troubles as though they should continue euer in their troubles and neuer see an end of their troubles Here here let the wicked remember what is in Zophonie when the Lord saith After a certaine time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee and them that beare the reproach for it behold at that time I will bruise all that afflict thee and I will saue her that halteth and gather her that was cast out and I will giue them praise and fame in all the lands of their shame s Zoph 3.18.19 Here here let the wicked remember what is in Esay where the almighty saith But thus saith the Lord euen the captiuity of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the tyrant shall be deliuered for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will saue thy children And will feede them that spoile thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne blood as with sweete wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy sauiour and thy redeemer the mighty one of Iacob t Esai 49.25.26 Here here let the wicked remember what is in the Prouerbes when Salomon saith The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his fleede v Pro. 11 8. Againe the wicked shall be a ransome for the iust and the transgressor for the righteous w Prou. 21.18 Here here lastly let the wicked remember what is in Micha when the prophet saith Reioyce not against me ô mine enemie though I fall I shall arise when I shall sit in darknes the Lord shall be a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he plead my cause and execute iudgement for me Then will he bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnes Then she that is mine enemy shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer her which said vnto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be troden downe as the mire of the streetes x Mic. 7.8.9.10 Hitherto you haue had welbeloued in the Lord such things onely as concerned my text and which in a generall manner flowed out of the same for the good of vs all But now I pray giue mee leaue in a few words to make some particular application thereof vnto that honourable and most worthy person our most high and mighty king for whose sake we are here this day assembled together You are not ignorant how his troubles haue bene many neither are you ignorant how his deliuerances also haue bene manie Out of all doubt that which Dauid doth here say his Maiesty may truly say Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord doth deliuer him out of theÌ„ all For he hath had good experieÌ„ce of theÌ„ both in his own person But not to speake of al but only of one thing