and the spirit of God doe beare sway in their hearts they are at vtter defiance with their pride and hypocrisie and all wretched lusts that fight against their soules being neuer so much tormented with those sinnes as when they haue attained to a great measure of humilitie and of sinceritie He that is most lowly is euer most vexed with his pride and he that is most vpright and true hearted is most of all troubled with the guilefulnes and deceitfulnes of his owne heart because the word and the spirit working together doe cause him both more clerely to see and more throughly to hate those corruptions than euer hee did before he had attained to that measure of grace Secondly we must not content our selues when once we haue gotten the word and spirit of God within vs but we must still striue to keepe our hearts humble and lowly for otherwise we shall not feele the strokes of the word and spirit of God therefore it is said Isay. 30. 20 21. that when the Lord had dieted his people a while giuing them the bread of aduersitie and the water of affliction and thereby taken downe the pride and stubbornenesse of their hearts that then their eares should heare a word behind them saying this is the way walke in it c. that is when they were thus humbled as soone as euer they had committed any offence they should presently haue a blow vpon their hearts for it and be full of feare and anguish though no man in the world tell them of it yet the word in their hearts will be like a good guide that is still following a little child and telling him this is not the right way leaue it there is the right way walke in it but many haue hearts pestered with pride and lust and couetousnesse and yet goe a whole moneth nay many monethes and yeares together and neuer feele any rebuke in their consciences How comes this to passe that others are full of griefe and full of teares for their sinnes and they are neuer troubled for them is it beause there is greater vprightnes in them then there is in others No surely it is because they haue a more blind minde and a more proud and senselesse hart then others haue for the more humble any one is the more often shall he heare the voyce of the spirit checking him when hee goeth out of the way moouing him to turne again into the right way Thirdly we must especially beware of presūptuous sins for if we liue therein our hearts will cease to smite vs or at least we shall be senselesse of these strokes as may be seene in the case of Dauid when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment and numbred the people which were but infirmities forthwith his conscience rebuked him and he was humbled before the Lord but when he had committed adulterie and murder either the checkes of his conscience were none at all or else they were so weake that hee had no sense nor feeling thereof so that Nathan was driuen to fetch about as it were and to vse all the art that might be to make him see his offences and passe sentence against himselfe for the same Let vs therefore by his example learne to beware how we presumptuously sinne against our consciences especially in palpable and grosse offences least our mindes being by degrees blinded and our affections by little and little corrupted we become in the end very blocks and stones and haue our consciences so darkened that they will not accuse vs or our hearts so benummed that they will not be mooued with the stroakes of God and with the checks of his holy spirit After that he had numbred the people Heere is his speciall sinne that he numbred his subiects which may seeme to be no such great matter for which God should so plague the land and if there had bene that measure of hypocrisie in Dauid as there is in many of vs he would haue pleaded thus for himselfe What need I to be so troubled for this and what reason is there why God should proceede so seuerely against me for the same did not Moses and Ioshua holy men of God number the people in their daies and that warrantably and why then may not I doe the like hauing more absolute authoritie ouer them then they had but his heart staied him from all such reasoning of the matter and told him that though hee did the same action which they did yet the manner of doing thereof was diuers he performed it not in obedience to God as they did but in pride and hautines of minde in regard of the multitude and strength of his subiects before he esteemed Gods name a strong tower for his defence but now what need he runne crying vnto God he had so many souldiers and valiant warriours in his dominion that he could make his part good against any forren power whatsoeuer Thus was his heart lifted vp vnto vanitie when it should haue bene lifted vp to God in thankfulnes and therefore was he so humbled because he had an ill affection and a wrong end in a good action Whence ariseth this doctrine That it is not enough for to forbeare things that are euill and to make conscience of grosse sinnes but men must doe lawfull things lawfully and performe good workes in a good manner otherwise the Lord may and will punish them for doing lawfull things aswell as for vnlawfull things This may be seene in that great enditement which Christ brings against the old world They did eate and drinke marry and giue in marriage A naturall man would haue thought there could be no hurt in these if they had bene charged with whoredome murder blasphemie or the like they had bene matters of some moment but for those before named what fault can be found with them Indeed the things in themselues are very warrantable but the manner of performing them doth either make or marre them to eate and drinke without feare without prayer and thanks-giuing as if the creatures were our owne and not the Lords to abuse the blessings of God to surfetting and drunkennesse c these and the like corruptions doe turne eating and drinking into sinne which in themselues are not onely allowable but also necessarie The like may be said concerning marriage it is a sanctified ordinance of God vnto those that vse it holily but then it becomes very sinfull and hatefull vnto the Lord when the Sonnes of God doe ioyne with the daughters of men and professors are yoaked with Infidels for beautie or commoditie or any such carnall respect yet that is a horrible sinne too too common among such as professe Christianitie that they make no scruple of matching their children with those whome they know by their workes to be as yet the children of the diuell and so in other matters if they can proue them once to be in themselues lawfull they make
of woe Dauid sustained by reason of the hautinesse of his heart and his earthly confidence which is a signe thereof when he thought his mountaine so strong that he should neuer be mooued for God turned away his face from him and he was troubled and euen ready to goe downe into the pit to descend vnto the dust c. Neither did God minister vnto him a stronger purgation then he needed but his pride required full as much affliction as the Lord laide vpon him this was also the case of vzziah who being in a moderate estate did exceeding much good both for the Church and the common wealth but when he was growen mighty and strong his heart was lifted vp and then he could not content himselfe with his kingly dignitie but he would needs take vpon him the office of the High-priest also and so went into the Temple of the Lord to burne incense vpon the Altar of incense but what came of this presumptuous fact of his When the admonition of the Priests of the Lord would not preuaile with him but he grewe wroth with those that withstoode him the Lord louing him did forthwith smite him with Leprosie and so he was driuen to liue apart all his life long that so the hautinesse of his heart might bee throughlie cured 2. Chron. 26. The like may be seene in Paul who albeit he were a man of wonderfull graces had beene continually exercised with many and great afflictions so that he had no great need of further humbling as we would haue thought yet had he Satan turned loose vpon him to buffet him and to beat him blacke and blew as it were that so hee might not bee lifted vp with the multitude and excellencie of the reuelations that he had receiued Hee had beene in the third heauen and was indued with exceeding rare gifts and the Lord knew that if he were not taken downe hee would bee very conceited of himselfe and then all had beene lost he would be vnfit to receiue or doe good altogether vnprofitable and vnfruitfull and robbe God of his honour and men of their due and therefore to preuent this hee giueth Satan libertie to worke vpon his originall corruption and to exercise him with strange temptations which was a speciall preseruatiue against pride and loftinesse of minde Lastly wee may note in the 8. chap. of Deuteronomie verse 2. what a great adoe the Lord had with his people the children of Israel to helpe them against this vile corruption that was in them hee was driuen to keepe them fortie yeeres in the wildernes and there to exercise them with manie and grieuous crosses and iudgements and all to humble them as there it is saide and certainly if fewer and easier afflictions would haue done it the Lord would neuer haue handled them so roughlie and sharplie for mercie pleaseth him neither doeth hee afflict willinglie Now the reason why the pride of mens hearts cannot easily bee remooued is First because it doth wonderfully harden them and makes them euen like a Flinte so that they are verie hardly wrought vpon either by instructions or by afflictions This is euident in Nebuchadnezzar who notwithstanding that diuine dreame that God had sent vnto him and the holy instructions and exhortations that Daniel had giuen him after his interpretation thereof yet continued in his arrogancie still and was full of boasting and bragging in so much that the Lord was faine to strippe him of his wittes of his kingdome of his foode of his apparell and of the societie of mankinde and to cause him euen for seuen yeares together to liue as a beast among the beasts of the fielde and all little enough to take downe the stoutnes and loftines of his sinfull heart Secondly as pride maketh men vnteachable and vncapable of good by any meanes that others can vse so doth it make them vnable to vse any means themselues for the humbling of their soules for proud men cannot examine and iudge themselues because they are wise in their own eyes and haue an high conceit of their owne doings they cannot pray because they haue no promise to builde vpon nor any heart to humble their soules before the Lord as all that will speede well with him must doe they cannot labour in a calling for conscience sake because they onely seeke and serue themselues in whatsoeuer they doe in a word they cannot applie themselues to vse any of those holie remedies that God hath ordained for the subduing and mastering of the pride and haughtinesse of their wicked hearts and therefore it must needs be concluded that this dangerous sicknes is very hardly cured And if we haue yet any doubt hereof let experience teach vs the truth of this point for if wee obserue it in our selues or others we shall find that those that haue had most heart-breakings and shed most bitter tears and gone through most fearfull temptations and most grieuous distresses haue yet still a great deale of pride in them which is ready vppon euery occasion to manifest it selfe vnto their griefe and the offence of others Which maketh first of all for the terrour of all proud and arrogant men who may looke for a great deale of woe and miserie for the expelling of this poysoned humour out of their soules Let such therefore remember what is said concerning them to wit that all the proud in heart are an abomination vnto the Lord though hand ioyne in hand they shall not be vnpunished And againe Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall And in the 119. Psalm thou hast destroyed the cursed proud and in the Epistle of Iames God resisteth the proud Let these and the like terrible sentences fright their drowsie consciences and vnlesse they would haue the Lord to abhorre them to curse them to fight against them and vtterly to destroy them let them sue vnto him who alone is able to heale them of this loathsome corruption otherwise their case is very wofull and lamentable and the more account they make of themselues the more cleerely will God manifest his heauie displeasure against them as he did against Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Herod and such other lostie spirits as they were Secondly let this be an instruction vnto the children of God that if they would not haue their maker to loath them and to fight against them they must labour to abhorre all loftines of minde and ouer-weening conceites of themselues and be content that the Lord should keepe them in humilitie by whatsoeuer meanes he thinketh best the godly begin to thinke much diuers times that they are afflicted euery morning that they are exercised with wants with sicknesses with disgraces and the like but better is it to vndergoe some of these or all of these though it be all our life long so we be made more lowly thereby than to ouerflowe with great plentie and varietie of outward things and
any iniurious actions of manifest aduersaries as we may see in that Psalme of Dauid where he saith Surely mine enemie did not defame me for I could haue borne it c. but it was thou ô man euen my companion my guide and my familiar c. When his words were smooth and softer then butter and yet prooued deceitfull they went thorow his heart euen as swords and this was iust vpon him because he had dealt in that sort with his faithfull subiect Vriah seeming to fauour him by imploying him in speciall seruices when he went about to take away his life that be might couer his owne iniquities First therefore let this instruct vs to take another course if we haue inward dislike let vs professe it if we carry a louing affection let vs make shew of it and loue not in word alone but in deed as the Apostle exhorteth Especially let us looke vnto this in matters betwixt God and vs let vs not play the hypocrites with him pretending a loue vnto the Church of God and to the word of God when there is no such matter and drawing neere vnto him with our lips when our hearts are farre from him for in so doing we shall offer great iniury vnto the Lord and doe more hurt at length then those that are profest Papists or Atheists for such as flatter with their lips and dissemble with a double heart in things that concerne the holy religion of God if any persecution come will quite renounce their profession and betray the cause of God and grieue the seruants of God and harden the hearts and open the blasphemous mouthes of the enemies of God and make many to fall by their reuolting and backsliding Therefore let euery one that taketh vpon him the profession of Christianitie be a true not a fained friend of the same and bring a faithfull and not a guilefull heart thereunto that the Lord may witnesse for him that he doth heartily and vnfainedly seeke him Secondly let vs hence learne this point of wisedome neuer to trust those too farre of whose faithfulnesse we haue any iust suspition be they neuer so neere vnto vs let vs not open our selues vnto them but keepe them at armes end This is the aduice of the holy Ghost Let eurey man take heed of his neighbour and trust not any brother viz. that is not sound hearted for euery brother will vse deceit and euery friend will deale deceitfully c. for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies they haue exercised the trade of vsing faire words when there is within them nothing else but falshood and deceit And the like exhortation we may read in the 7. of Micah Thirdly this is for our consolation when we finde such hollow hearted hypocrites and deceiuers we should not be dismaied because there are so few whom we may trust and giue credit vnto for it is no strange matter there haue beene such heeretofore and they haue been discouered God hath hearkened vnto the praiers of his seruants and giuen them wisedome to discerne of them and so will he doe still so that they shall bring no annoyance vnto his people whatsoeuer they intend against them FINIS The fourth Sermon PSALM 12. Ver. 3. 4. 3. The Lord cut off all flattering lippes and the tongue that speaketh proud things 4. Which haue saide with our tongue wee will preuaile our lips are our owne who is Lord ouer vs IN the two former verses it set downe the petition that Dauid made vnto God for helpe and his complaint that he put vp concerning the decay of good and righteous men and the deceitfulnes of vngodly and vnrighteous men Now in these verses is set forth an other part of his prayer to wit an imprecation The Lord cut off c wherein hee doth by the spirit of Prophesie and according to the Analogie of faith denounce iudgement against Gods and his enemies to the end he might comfort himselfe and refresh his hart with hope that good men should bee recouered and wicked men confounded And as for this curse we must vnderstand that it is not vttered in bitternes but in zeale and with warrant from Gods owne spirit and this is directed 1. First against deceitfull persons who are called flatterers the Lord cut off the flattering lips 2. Secondly against proud persons who are described 1. In generall by their speech that they speake proud things verse 3. 2 More particularly that they say with our tongue wee will preuaile vers 4. as if they should haue said looke what wee aske we will obtaine it looke what we threaten wee will performe it looke what we set downe that shall come to passe But it might be said vnto them you speake presumptuously and vtter words that doe not beseeme you They answere our tongues are our owne as if they should say who dare be so audacious as to controle vs we will speake what we list in despite of them all But some might say though you set so light by men you must know that there is one higher then you what if the Lord should take the matter into his hand To that they answere who is Lorde ouer vs they thinke they may blaspheme God reuile his seruants and speake what they list and yet none shall haue to doe with them for it The Lord cut off all flattering lips whereby are vnderstood the most dangerous and subtill deceiuers who vnder pretence of friendship doe seeke a mans vtter ouerthrow Now in that the Prophet prayeth against such as doe so cunningly carry their matters that they will appeare to loue where they hate with a deadly hatred and in praying doth shew not only what is his wish but what is Gods purpose viz. that the Lord will cut off the flattering lips hence this doctrine may be gathered that The more skillfully and artificially anie coutriues his euill purposes the more fearefull destruction shall fall vpon him The more fraudulent a deceiuer anie one is the more heauy shall the hand of God be vpon him to crosse and contrarie him and to bring him to such straits that hee shall not for shame open his mouth againe to speake as he hath done and this is to haue his tongue cut out as it were as is threatned in this place Flatterers haue a certaine kinde of dexterity in their enterprises that they will not be seene to be brochers of those things whereof they afterwards become practisers but they speed neuer the better but a great deale the worse for that Therefore doth Dauid conclude that God would certainely destroy Doeg because hee was a skilfull worke-man and as it were a tradesman in mischiefe he could flatter Dauid that he wisheth him well and was sorry for his troubles and would be ready to befriend him in any thing he could but when Saul complaines how hardly he was dealt with in that no body would discouer vnto him
and meekely with others whose corruptions either for greatnes or multitude we cannot so thorowly see as wee may our owne Secondly as we must deale most sharpely against our selues so must we be ready to giue more outward libertie vnto others then to our selues And for this we haue the example of Abraham who was so strict to himselfe that he would not take of the King of Sodome so much as a threed or latchet and yet he would not denie Aner Escol and Mamre their liberty So Iob as he would not permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his children their liberty of feasting But especially the example of Paul is notable for the confirmation of this point for seeing that in some places he could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges as at Corinth and Thessalonica he would labour with his owne hands rather then be chargeable to any of them yet he would not that all men should be tied by his example to doe the like and therefore he laboureth much in his Epistles about this that Ministers ought to be prouided for so strict was he to himselfe such liberty left he vnto others Whence we may easily perceiue that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride then any Christian zeale to be too tetricall and rough in vrging men so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not so strict and precise as our selues we cast them off as dogges and prophane persons and such as are vnworthy of any account or countenance The next propertie of true zeale is not to be blinded with naturall affection but to discerne and condemne sinne euen in those that are neerest and dearest vnto vs. That was it that made Christ so sharply to rebuke Peter and Paul to deale so roundly with the Galathians and Corinthians Many offend against this rule who will neuer reprooue sinne in their friends till God reuenge it from heauen wherein they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue pull the wrath of God vpon them whom they loue most dearely Hee loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and hee loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie beloued without some wholesome admonition But doe not manie now adayes seeme zealoussie to mislike sinne in strangers who can winke at the same fault in their kindred in their wiues in their children in their parents as if the diuersitie of persons could change the nature of the sinne This blind zeale God hath punished and doth punish his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meat for a peece of venison Dauid was too much affected to Absalon and to Adoniah for their comely personage so as his zeale was hindered in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deare to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and made to take paines but behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better then Iacob made Esau more troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absalon and Adoniah brought vp like Cocknies became corasiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained and better instructed was his ioy his crowne his successor in his kingdome This disease is so hereditary to many parents louing their children in the flesh rather then in the spirit that the holy Ghost is faine to cal vpon them more vehemently to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolkes if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politicke or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or afford some profit vnto them how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they are neither zealous in truth of Gods glory nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftinesse and yet are too too cold in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blinde affection of Heli who being the deare childe of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish the grosse and foule offences of his children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with ieopardie of nature can defend the quarrel of God labouring hencefoorth to know no man after the flesh nor suffering any outward league so to bleare and dazle their eyes as that they should not espie sinne in their dearest friends to reforme it or that they should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them heere commeth another property of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it dismaied at the lookes of the proud and loftie Such was the courage of Iob who besides that he made the young men ashamed of their liberty afraide of his grauity made euen the Princes also to stay their talke and to lay their hands on their mouthes And yet heere we must beware of their hasty zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authoritie as though no regard of time place or persons were to be had which opinion many by weakenesse of iudgement defending find neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they doe admonish in that presumptuous maner for that hunting after feruentnesse without the spirit of meeknesse and casting off all consideration of a godly opportunitie they rather exasperate then humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome then with comfort of heart for any duty done Neither am I heere ignorant how great danger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of opportunity doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together do deeply enter into the most prefract prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of duty who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not zealously and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personages Out of this may issue another frutit of holy zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe and that in defending
1. 2. Verse 1. Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left for the faithfull are failed from among the children of men 2. They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lips and speake with a double heart THese words containe in them a prayer of Dauid when hee himselfe was pursued by Saul and the Church of God was in great distresse when his friendes withdrew themselues from him and fewe continued in that holie profession of Gods name which formerly they had made Now in this prayer of his wee may obserue 1. First a petition Helpe Lord Seeing mens helpe failed and their power was bent against equitie and Iustice which should haue vpheld maintained it therefore hee appeales to an higher power and intreateth reliefe and succour from the Lord. 2. Secondly a complaint and that 1. Of the decay of good men and of goodnes in them There is not a godly man left c. Whereas superiours should haue ministred refreshing vnto the distressed or at least inferiours borne a burden with them they were now taken away when there was greatest need of them not that there were no good men at all for Gad and Nathan and Ionathan were now in the Church but in comparison of the aduerse part they were so fewe that they did scarce appeare to be any at all 2. Of the deceitfulnes of bad men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour c that is euery one of the contrarie side was full of craft and cunning vsing faire words but intending much mischiefe speaking with a heart and a heart as the Prophet saith that is a heart that made shew of one thing but meant the quite contrary seeming to be for Dauid when in truth they plotted against him Helpe Lord here we see his refuge he betaken himselfe vnto God when he is forsaken of men Whence obserue this Doctrine that Although all humane helpes and earthly friends doe faile Gods people yet they are not helplesse nor hopelesse Albeit in regard of mans assistance they be vtterly destitute yet the Lord will be euer with them and alwaies stand for them Dauids argument here is not this Lord helpe for there be many that will ioyne with thee but this Lord helpe for there is none else that will helpe so that our case is not according to mens affections towards vs but according to Gods loue vnto vs. This is euident in the prophecy of Micha where it is shewed that friends failed neither did they faile one man alone but the whole Church good men were perished out of the earth and there was none righteous among men c but the best of them was a briar and the most rightteous of them sharper than a throne hedge yet the Church is not quite dismaid but resolueth to fly vnto the Lord for succour Therefore will I looke vnto the Lord I will waite for God my Sauiour my God will heare me though good men were dead and gone and hypocrites did put on their shape and likenesse that they might more freely practise mischiefe Yet the people of God determine with themselues not to cast off all hope but to relie vpon the Lord and though he delay to helpe them for a time yet they will waite vpon him knowing that at length he will deale graciously with them And for the further confirmation of this point we haue the example of Christ Iesus himselfe who being grieuously perplexed and troubled within and without and on euery side vseth this argument vnto his father Be not farre from me because trouble is neare for there is none to help me And this is vsuall with God to relieue his people in extremities and therefore when no man calleth for iustice no man contendeth for the truth c. then he himselfe wil take the matter into his hand he wil saue deliuer his seruants as the Prophet Isaiah witnesseth And the reasons hereof are these First though all men doe forsake vs yet Gods power is no whit diminished thereby and therefore that is a worthy speech of faith in Ionathan that it is not hard to the Lord to saue with many or with few and in Asa who saith it is nothing to thee to helpe with many or with no power They knew that though they had few or none at all on their side they were in as good case as if they had many millions if God were on their side for all power in his and that which men haue is but borrowed from him and though he sometimes vse them it is not because he needs them for who did helpe him in making of the heauens and of the earth and of al the creatures in them both and what assistance hath he now in sustaining and vpholding of the same now if he neuer needed the aid of any creature in these greatest workes of creation and preseruation surely he wanteth not the helpe of men in matters of smaller importance Secondly Gods mercy is no more lessened then his power is by mens withdrawing of themselues from vs he loues his people when they haue no friends as well as when they haue many friends nay he manifesteth his loue more at such times for in him the fatherlesse findeth mercy And then doth he exercise the bowels of his cōpassion whē men shew little or no cōpassion at all When we see children to haue rich and mercifull parents to prouide for them we doe not much pitie them but as for those that are fatherlesse and friendlesse that are hungry naked and altogether destitute of reliefe we tender their case and are ready to releeue them Can we carrie such an affection towards other mens children that are distressed and helplesse and will not the Lord our God haue a greater care of his owne children in the like case Will he leaue them because men haue forsaken them No surely But when they are in distresses and straits and that through their owne foolishnesse and disobedience if they humble themselues and cry vnto him he will deliuer them though men dare not or will not speake or deale for them Thirdly when Gods seruants are left destitute their faith is much exercised and increased and then we alwaies speed best when we beleeue best So long as we haue helpe about vs we doe not so much set our faith a worke as our carnall reason and sense and so pray not at all or very coldly but when we are desolate and forsaken and those that should be most for vs are against vs then we begin to lift vp our hearts to heauen and to cast our selues vpon Gods prouidence and goodnesse and to vse the weapons of the spirit and not of the flesh this is plaine in Dauids example who being in great danger in the caue did at first looke about him for helpe on this side and on that but seeing that all refuge failed him what did he I
cried vnto thee ô Lord saith he saying thou art mine hope and my portion in the Land of the liuing Fourthly in such times of difficultie Gods glorious hand is more apparantly seene and so all the honour is ascribed vnto him If Moses had brought the Israelites out of Aegipt by force of armes being aided with two or three millions of souldiers much of the praise would haue bene giuen vnto them but when Moses was naked and altogether destitute of any power of man the Lords mightie Arme was more cleerely seene in the deliuerance of his people and the subuersion of their enemies And that worke of his hath bene is and shall be memorable in all ages So also Hezekiahs sicknesse had beene such as anie Physitian could haue cured his recouerie should neuer haue beene recorded in Gods booke as not making so much for his glorie but when the prolonging of his life was as much as the giuing of a second life then notice of it was taken and giuen by the holie Ghost to the euerlasting honour of Gods name And as it was then so is it yet still and euer shall be to the end of the world the greater the extremities and necessities of the Saints bee wherein God doeth relieue them and out of which hee doth deliuer them the more will it be for the magnifying of his omnipotencie and of his tender mercie therein expressed This serueth 1. First for the confutation of their foolish conceit and expectation who seeing mighty aduersaries against the Church and fewe or no friends to interpose themselues presently conclude that their case is desperate downe they must they are vtterly vndone and so they begin to forecast in their mindes the manner of their ouerthrow the forme of their lamētation when they shall bee thus and thus handled But these men for all their deepe reach may bee deceiued for all their conclusions are grounded on men they doe not consider what God may doe as wee see in Dauids enemies who perceiuing that manie did band themselues together and rise vp against him concluded that there was no helpe for him in God But what sayes Dauid Lorde thou art a buckler for mee my glorie and the lifter vp of my head And in another Psalme Mine enemies saith hee speake of mee saying God hath forsaken him pursue take him for there is none to deliuer him These speeches no doubt pierced Dauids soule but doth hee make the same conclusion No hee is farre from that hee rather layeth faster hold on God seeing cruell men to be so violently bent against him Goe not farre from mee O God saith hee my God haste thee to helpe mee let them be confounded and consumed that are against my soule c. Indeede if mens opposing of themselues against him could haue kept him from complaining vnto God or God from giuing eare vnto him his case had bene very lamentable but seeing that was impossible whatsoeuer they imagined there was safety enough for Dauid and so is there still for all the elect of God Secondly this is for instruction that seeing by how much lesse helpe we haue from men so much the more we shall haue from God therefore we should deale earnestly with the Lord in our distresses and wrestle with him as Iacob did when his brother Esau came with foure hundred men against him hee was vnable to encounter him and therefore hee encountreth the Lord himselfe by prayers and teares and that which was his refuge must bee ours and then wee shall haue peace and safetie if once wee can lay hand-fast on God as wee may in our houses in our chambers in our beds in the night or in the day then our case is good wee shall be protected from all the violent rage of the wicked so that none of the sonnes of violence shal be able to touch vs for our hurt and therefore herein let vs take comfort that though men forsake vs and our neerest friends reiect vs yet the Lorde will gather vs vp and prouide sufficiently for vs as he did for Dauid neither can mens perswasions withdrawe his compassion from vs nor mens threatnings terrifie him from releeuing of vs For there is not a godly man left c. From this lamentable complaint of his ariseth this doctrine that No outward thing comes neerer the hearts of God children then the decay of good men It much troubleth the soules of godly men to see a small number of Christians Hence proceedeth that lamentation of the Prophet Micah Woe is me for I am as the Summer gatherings c or I am in case as in the destruction of the Summer fruites as in Hoseah it is said The fishes of the Sea shall be gathered that is destroyed and that this is the sense it appeareth in the words following when it is said There is no cluster to eate My soule desired the first ripe fruites that is I am as one that hath a feruent longing for them and yet can get none of them and what is the reason of this his lamentation The good man saith hee is perished out of the earth and there is none righteous among men c. So that the effect of those words is thus much that looke how worldlings would grieue if they should see their grapes and figges which were speciall commodities in those countreys to faile and their expectation that way to bee vtterly frustrate so and much more bitterly did the Prophet bewaile the losse of good righteous men That was it also that did so pierce the heart of Elias Lorde saith he the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant broken down thy Altars slaine thy Propeets with the sword and I onely am left and they seeke my life to take it away Which losse of the Prophets was so grieuous vnto him that hee had no pleasure in his owne life and therefore hee intreateth the Lord to take away his soule In which regard whē the Lord would comfort him he vseth a fit remedie for his disease for whereas his griefe was that there were no godly men left but all were declined to Idolatrie he telleth him that he had reserued to himselfe seuen thousand that had not bowed the knee vnto Baal Yet further it may appeare what a matter of heauinesse the losse of good men is vnto those that are good themselues by that speech of Dauid who saith All my delight is in the Saints for if they be his chiefe delight then the want of them must needs be an occasion of very great anguish vnto him as is euident that it was Psalm 42. 4. when he remembred how he had gone with the multitude and had beene as a Captaine to leade them vnto the house of God which then he could not doe this cast him into wonderfull griefe so that he poured out his teares yea and his very heart as he there speaketh being in such