part of his glorie if he were not Doct. 2 able assoone as a sinner shall do euill to his dishonour to punish him for that cōtempt For were it not an indignity intolerable for a potent Monarch not to be able presently to set downe a Rebel in his owne Dominions yea to passe publike iustice vpon him to the taking away of his head But he that cast Adam out of Paradise as soone as he had sinned Gen. 3.24 lacketh not power to turne sinners into hell with all that forget God Psal 50.22 A conuiction of all notorious sinners who blesse that is flatter Vse 1 themselues in their talke saying They shall haue peace though they walke in the stubbornnesse of their heart adding drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 These would seeme to make question whether God be of any such strength or be able to bring any such troupes into the field against them or if he be whether he will vse them according to his threatnings in his word to their deserued ouerthrow sinning so against him These make falshood their refuge and haue their part in the drunken peace of that hypocrite who sayd My Master doth deferre his comming Math. 24.48 that is he will not come these many yeeres if he come at all either to account with sinners or to visit for sinne And what shall I say of these men but that they incourage themselues in an abominable thing promising peace where there is none Ier. 6.14 But if any dye of the Pestilence let such looke to be first and if any goe into captiuitie to be first that shall go captiue and if leannesse enter into any to haue it enter into them as soone as into any Indeed they often-times escape with life in such difficulties and straits of time when their betters do not yet they liue but to fill vp the iust measure of their certaine damnation that no torment may bee wanting to them when they shall suddenly and when they least thinke of death chop into hell Vse 2 But doth God set his plagues as his strong watch to obserue vs at all times night or day when we do euill then when we see his watch charged sometimes in the night-pestilence sometimes in the noone-plague sometimes in vnseasonable yeares by no raine or by raine in excesse sometimes in great scarcities of graine and fodder Let vs humble our selues in prayer and repentance standing with these in the gappe and breach that Gods hand hath made or may make by such calamities sent among vs for sinne and for iniquitie And let such Repentance and Prayer stand as Aaron with his holy Censer as in the case of Plague So the Lord may be intreated and his Iudgements may leaue vs. But for such as seeke no reliefe in the armory of these Christian exercises against the changes that come but behaue themselues in daies of mourning as when God maketh the hearts of men merrie with his chearefull countenance Let them goe whither they will Vengeance looketh for them at euerie doore the Plague by day and the Pestilence by night is ready for them day and night they are enuironed with feares at their tables and vpon their beds snares vpon their meate a curse vpon their sleepe and Gods anger in all their wayes And here let vs take heed how we prouoke the Lord by our stubbornenesse vnder his other roddes to bring the Plague againe I meane of Pestilence which while it kept some order among vs as his watch by night and ward by day how can it bee forgotten how many not by hundreds but by thousands a weeke in England it committed close prisoners to wormes and darknesse in the earth or if we haue forgotten that let those that go about their sinne closely remember the Pestilence that walketh in darknesse and such as sinne openly not forget the destruction that wasteth at noone day A reproofe of those who when this sicknesse is in a towne Vse 3 runne from it into the countrie as if God were impotent there as soone as the fire begins a little to burne in the deaths or infection of two or three they presently runne away by the light of it in their vnchanged liues as if they would giue more to their owne carnall forecasts then to Gods sweete prouidence But this hath bene spoken of and I adde that all going aside as hath bene said is not vnlawfull so these conditions in remouing be obserued First that the euill it selse be looked vpon as a messenger sent from God and messenger that is not auoyded by the change of the place simply without some other change Secondly that they remoue not with a doubtfull conscience but with good warrant to depart Thirdly that in such departure they breake not the bonds which should bee betweene man and wife the parents and their children Christian housholders and their Christian families And fourthly that they haue no publicke calling in the place from which they remoue as of Magistrates or Pastors For then they cannot depart with good conscience nor forsake their standings without sinne Thus farre hath the Pestilence bene described by some effects now the godly mans safelie in it and in other troubles comprehended vnder it followeth VER 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand c. GOds deliuerance of his children and their great safetie in such troubles as haue bene spoken of is propounded in this verse repeated in the tenth The first is affirmed simply here further proued in the two next verses as by a vehement asseueration verse 8. and infallible euidence verse 9. In the first there is a Prolepsis or preuenting answer to an obiection For some might say how can I bee deliuered when so many thousands are not who on euery hand of me fall vpon the edge of the Plague that destroyeth without mercie in darkenesse and at noone day To this the Prophet maketh answer saying Though thousands that is great numbers and ten thousands that is numbers without number so fall being cut downe with it or other diuers diseases and sundry kinds of death on the left hand and on the right of his seruants yet he can deliuer them For with him it is no more to saue his people when thousands die then when two and when tenne thousands perish then when ten onely are cut downe for the graue In a time of Pestilence he is able to passe by the houses of the faithfull as well when a whole towne is visited that is when no streete or lane is free as when a few houses are shut vp and as well if three hundred should die in a weeke as if onely three Now as God is able to do this so to aduance the credit of his power in the faith of his children he performeth it oftentimes in their outward safetie alwaies in their saluation which is best of all From whence wee learne Doct. that when the wicked are plagued Gods children shall haue deliuerance or comforts as
by regeneration Vse 2 But is all honour from God then they that receiue their honour otherwise that is by practising for it or by rising to it but not vpon the ladder of the meanes by which men may clime warrantably to preferment cannot be said to be honoured by God but to haue honoured themselues Such are theeues of Gods honour and great by vsurpation holding their honour in a wrong Tenor and not as the Lords pawne for their honour to come He that offered to Christ the honours of the world hath giuen them to these Mat. 4.8.9 and they haue bowed to him in all diuelish practises for a few vaine titles and a little vaine-glorie which shall not credit them but one day turne to their greater shame before God and his mighty Angels The like may bee said of all great Persons that honour not God in his word and righteous Commandements their honour is not sealed in heauen hauing not learned of Christ to receiue and giue honour Iohn 8.49.54 they haue stained their promotion to the pit of hell and they shall receiue the meete recompence of their errour that is for their short glorie shame endlesse Againe is all honour and degrees of place from God then Vse 3 they sinne against God who any way violate these in Noble Persons and Princes which both confuteth all Anabaptisticall confusion and teacheth how iniurious Papists are to those whom the Lord will honour for they make it an Article of their Faith to submit to Kings no longer then it shall please the Pope to let them haue their honour or to take it from them by dethronization But what hath that Antichrist to do with the honour which hee neuer gaue and with the authority which is by the Lords grant onely for all authority and consequently honour is of God Rom. 13.1 chiefly that which is kingly as all waters come from the sea specially the great riuers Dauid trembled to violate the skirt of Sauls garment 1 Sam 24.6 these prophane the blood of Kings and touch them as farre as their liues by their cruell Ministers as in the two French Henries and our English King Iohn and thinke they may lawfully and meritoriously so doe And therefore the late d In his answer to certaine scandalous Papers Earle of Saluburie said well speaking of Rome that she would play so long with the temporall Soueraignety of Kings that it would bee the glorious worke of Kings to breake downe her walles and strongest defence and let me adde to burne the Whore with fire The fourth promise followeth VERSE 16. With long life will I satisfie him c. A Fourth promise made to the righteous is that when it shall be good for him he shall be filled with dayes and liue to old age As Gedeon was buried in a good age Iudg. 8.32 and Dauid dyed full of dayes 1. Chro. 29.28 and Iob very old after he had seene his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes for foure generations Iob 42.16.17 It is like the Lord made this promise to the Faithfull at what time the Angel cut downe so many in Israel with the sword of Pestilence for the godly might then feare themselues very much that they also should returne to their dust in so great a mortalitie but the Lord healeth that feare with his promise of a long life to those that feare him and with faith call vpon him as if he had said ye shall not onely liue at this timer but when old age shall be a blessing to you liue long and goe to your graues in a ripe and good age your head being deckt with gray haires and your heart filled with righteousnesse This is spoken of the godly such as excell in goodnesse And therefore the doctrine is Doct. long life is a great blessing where it is garnished with grace not made vile by sinfulnesse So olde age was promised to Abraham for a blessing Thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace and be burted in a good age Gen. 15.15 That is thou shalt be satisfied with the multitude of many and good dayes and liue long and comfortably here When Salomon exhorteth Wisedomes scholler to heare and receiue his words that is to heare them with fruit and diligence he perswadeth it with no other promise then of a long life and comfortable estate in the yeeres of age and peace Prou. 3.1 2. and 4.10 And the Apostle by the promise of the life present 1. Tim. 4.8 must needes meane the promise of long life as the best being as is intended set in the best and most excellent way Obiect Obiect You will say then and why doe good men so commonly liue in trouble and die in youth as they doe Answ The obedience of the best is but in part Answ and what maruaile then if in part onely they be made partakers of outward things as of a long and confortable life and such other promises here Besides such promises are not absolutly but conditionally made to the righteous as if God see it fit and if it be good for them and necessary for the Church that God prolong their dayes otherwise what is wanting in length of dayes is made vp with the immortalitie of ioyfull dayes in heauen And though they liue but a short time yet haue they length of dayes in a sort euery day being a whole Summers day vnto them by the Sunne of Gods fauour that shineth vpon their soules more and more without any going downe Thus it is prooued that long life not abused is a blessing of God and may further appeare The Reasons Reason 1 Old Christians are old Seruitors in Gods family and a good old seruant is preferred before a new by a good master also such hauing liued righteously long must needes be stored with great knowledge and experience which will make them to bring forth more fruit in their age And is not olde age then which is a meanes of this a blessing Secondly length of dayes or long life considered in it selfe Reason 2 is a blessing Prou. 3.16 how much greater where age and goodnesse meet the worme would not die and they gladly would liue longer that liue miserably Yea the godly who of all others haue the greatest preferment by death are loth to lay downe this tabernacle And wherefore all this surely because life is sweet and to flie from death is naturall to man and beast Now if life be so sweet thus fraught with troubles how good and sweet is long life filled with the ioy of the righteous and flowing with riuers of peace Thirdly who weareth a more honourable ornament then he Reason 3 that hath a a Phile. 9. gray head crowned with vertue Christian graces and who is more richly clad then he that is clad in siluer haires of age with robes of innocencie and righteousnesse Esa 3.5 If the one be a blessing that is to weare a crowne and gorgeous cloathing the other is a double blessing that is to be apparrelled
the worst that these or any other troubles like these can doe is to preferre vs to our inheritance and liberty where here wee serue but a ward-ship and are incumbred daily These make our way for vs to saluation and when we duly consider this how can we be moued Vse 2 A confutation of that enuious Doctrine in Poperie which because it would haue the common people in the point of saluation to rest in an infolded faith beleeuing as the Church beleeueth that is contingently but not with knowledge nor certainty must needs breed dangerous offences in temptation for if wee shall stand suspitious of that which must bee our greatest comfort in troubles and which we haue vnder the seale of Gods promise what shall stay vs in the afflictions and crosses of our mortall life when the remedie is denied what shall cure vs and when wee see death and no saluation that is no assurance of it after death what comfort can wee haue to suffer here and hereafter for cuer Vse 3 A terrour to worldly minded men whose portion is in this life They neuer thinke of nor care for heauen but haue their hearts buried in the graue of worldly things what wil such do and whither will they turne them when affliction and anguish shall come vpon them Prou. 1.27 and their end draw neere the sight of saluation cannot comfort them for that cannot comfor them that they cannot expect and the feare of damnation must needs trouble them for that cannot but torment them that they must needs inherit as their portion for euer Doct. 2 Lastly it is called Gods saluation Mine saith the Lord that is that which is originally only from Me. Where we learne that that eternall life is the gift of God or his only worke and gift therefore is it called by Esay as here His saluation Esa 25.9 and of the Lord he saith He will saue vs Esa 33.22 hee and no other The most blessed Virgin calles him her Sauiour Let the Papists note that she must haue a Sauiour and this must be and be no other then God her Sauiour It is that grace of God that bringeth saluation saith Saint Paul Tit. 2.11 that is It is God who by grace or the doctrine of grace in the Gospel bringeth it And to spare further labour in a matter wherein both the Testaments are so plentifull the very words of the doctrine are the same Apostles owne words The gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ Rom. 6.23 where hee sheweth that saluation is a gift and what is freer then gift and giuen of God for Christ that is a gift whereof the authour is God and the purchaser Christ the Sonne of God The Reasons For when Adam was once falne from Gods image in Paradise and being driuen by guilty conscience had fledde to the weake succour of leaues and bushes for a hiding place against him and the storme of his iustice the good Angels could not but abhorre vs and the other creatures how could they but become enemies to vs and therefore no will in them to haue saued vs if they could onely the fountaine of mercy God the Father of Christ and our Father in Christ looked toward vs and his eye onely pittied vs in this blood of our pollution Ezech. 16.5.6 then he made his couenant of Saluation with vs in the seed of the woman by a person that should come of woman that blessed seed that should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 That is Christ that should destroy the deuill and hath already destroyed him In all this what haue the creatures done Nay what could they doe Secondly he onely is giuer of life that can raise from death to Doct. 2 life this can no creature Angel or other doe that is doe by his owne Name and power Acts 3.12.16 Acts 9.34.40 or hee that will giue life must deliuer from death but none can saue from death but he that hath the keyes of hell and death Apoc. 1.18 this is no creature Also none can saue from death but hee that can deliuer from sinne that causeth death But what creature can so doe what creature 〈◊〉 can deliuer from an infinite sinne Doct. 3 Thirdly if God onely did not giue life the Scriptures which speake of a Sauiour would not as they doe speake of him onely but of helpers with him in the point of saluation But the Scripture speakes of no Sauiour but the Lord nor Giuer of life but Him Esai 43.11 61.10 12.2 3. Ioh. 10.28 Act. 4.12 And surely if he did not saue vs who onely is the Sauiour our dayes would be short and cut off quickly for the torments of hell Satan and our owne corruption swaying vs thither but the the arme of Gods salvation able and only able to ouer-master Satan and our owne vnruly old-Man doth both stay vs from destruction and keepe vs in the path of life Vse 1 A confutation of that doctrine of the Papists which in the grace of life will haue godly men to bee takers with God or ioynt-purchasers making him but a Sauiour in part and them partly their owne Sauiours but is this because he is weake to saue by himselfe Zacharie in his Canticle calleth him the horne of Saluation in the house of Dauid Luke 1.69 That is the strong and mighty Sauiour in that house But they make Zedekijahs hornes 1. Kin. 22.11 hornes of iron and instruments of vanitie to ioyne them for the batterie of the Kingdome of Satan with this horne of our saluation To his good will they ioyne their free-will and their good workes to his great worke and to his intercession the intercession of Angels and Saints departed and set their posts by his posts Ezech. 43.8 putting their old cloth in his new garment wherein is no breach nor defect But hee that made this wedding dinner is a King Math. 22.2 3. And what want is there at a Kings Feast specially at the marriage of his elder sonne and what shot doe Kings take of their seruants when they haue feasted them therefore they pay nothing that sit downe at this Supper Esai 55.1 Apoc. 22.17 neither bring any dish vnto it that is dish of halfe purchase Eternall life as hath beene said euery part and whit of it is the gift of God Vse 2 But is saluation Gods and the gift of eternall life Gods gift then Christians must walke so and so behaue themselues that they may comfortably with their last breath expect this gift of eternall life being in the way of the same by a godly life and holy death For God doth not giue his saluation to those who neither care to liue in obedience nor prepare to die in faith And to lose saluation is to be in worse case at our death then the beasts that perish For when they die their misery ends with them but when reprobate man dies his misery begins that shall neuer haue end For hee hath millions of yeares without
end to liue in flames of misery and torments of hell His worme dieth not and his fire neuer goeth out Mar. 9.44 O therefore let vs enter into cares so to serue God and please him in our liues now that when we come to him for an opening he may not refuse vs with a Verily I say vnto you I know you not Mat. 25.11.12 that is for any of mine or any that I haue determined to bring to saluation being no seruants of mine but the seruants of sin Let vs spend the time that remaines so as wee may be able to giue a good account for our houres when it shall be asked how we haue liued here And let vs so liue that is so to God in his feare that when we die and die we must we may die with much peace and in his fauour and loue entring into our Masters ioy The Author and Giuer of life giue vs grace so to liue and so to die that we may liue to him and die happy in him for his righteous sonnes sake Christ Iesus to whom with the Almightie Father and eternall Spirit be rendred all Maiestie might and glory now and euer Amen FINIS A Table of all the doctrines handled in this Commentarie Out of Verse 1. Doct. 1. IN all troubles wee must cleane to God chiefely or onely for helpe and to meanes but as vnderlings to his Prouidence p. 2 Doct. 2. Gods children should not come to his dwelling place as guests to an Inne but as Inhabitants to their owne dwellings p. 5 Doct. 3. No affliction shall be able to preuaile against those who make the Almightie their hiding place p. 10 Doct. 4. Gods defence neuer faileth his children p. 13 Out of Verse 2. Doct. 1. The best way for Ministers to turne soules to God is to teach them by their owne experience p. 15 Doct. 2. Christians must runne to God in all extremities when multitudes turne from him p. 18 Doct. 3. We must apply the generall promises or threatnings of the word to our owne particular estate for our consolation or humbling p. 20 Out of Verse 3. Doct. 1. When God is minded to punish with the Pestilence no flying will serue p. 24 Doct. 2. As Christians ought in all their life to prepare for death so especially then when God sendeth so short warning to prepare for it as in the time of Pestilence and such like Visitations p. 27 Doct. 3. The Pestilence is not lightly to be regarded p. 30 Doct. 4. The Lords deliuerance is onely or chiefly to be trusted vnto in most grieuous afflictions p. 32 Out of Verse 4. Doct. 1. God still watcheth his Church to hide her in his Prouidence against all troubles and harmes p. 36 Doct. 2. The Truth of God cannot faile and what he hath promised shal be done p. 39 Out of Verse 5. Doct. 1. The worke of this grieuous sicknesse is dreadfull p. 44 Doct. 2. The night considered in it selfe is dreadfull p. 44 Doct. 3. Gods Messengers and seruants sent in this deadly sicknesse or any of his visitations for sinne are swift and vnresistable p. 47 Out of Verse 6. Doct. 1. No policy of man shall be able to doe any thing where Gods wisedome worketh otherwise and contrarily p. 50 Doct. 2. God will disclose to his people what his peoples enemies shall deuise priuily as in the darke against them p. 50 Doct. 3. As men offend early or late night or day God hath plagues ready to send vpon them at all houres p. 54 Out of Verse 7. Doct. When the wicked are plagued Gods children shall haue deliuerance or comfort as good as it p. 58 Out of Verse 8. Doct. 1. Gods children must not passe ouer his iudgements vpon others with a carelesse eye p. 61 Doct. 2. God doth dispence with his owne right to beare with our infirmities p. 62 Doct. 3. We must shew pitie to those that God hath any way humbled in his Church p. 68 Out of Verse 9. Doct. Hee that maketh the Lord his Deliuerer by putting trust in him and by beleeuing his Word shall be deliuered p. 70 Out of Verse 10. Doct. 1. To auoid plagues the way is to auoid those offences with the occasions that bring them p. 75 Doct. 2. A good mans Family shall bee safe for that good mans sake yea the wicked fare better for the godly that liue among them page 79. Out of Verse 11. and 12. Doct. 1. We must not presume to serue in the weighty callings of the Church without a warrant from God p. 83 Doct. 2. The godly cannot but be surely watched and strongly kept hauing the Angels about them for their safetie p. 85 Doct. 3. Good Angels are our keepers p. 90 Doct. 4. No affliction in body soule or name can hurt the righteous p. 93 Out of Verse the 13. Doct. 1. All hurtfull things and creatures are by God in the hand of his Angels made subiect to the faithfull and put vnder their feete be they men wilde beasts or diuels p. 99 Out of Verse the 14. Doct. 1. Ministers must in their teaching agree with the truth of of the word of the Lord that sends them p. 104 Doct. 2. Euery loue pleaseth not God but that which is vehement and sound from a hearty louer p. 106 Doct. 3. The louers of God neede not doubt of his protection in any trouble p. 110 Doct. 4. We can loose nothing that wee doe to God or for him in his seruice p. 112 Doct. 5. God is not loued where he is not knowne p. 116 Out of Verse 15. Doct. 1. They that will pray aright and with good assurance must know God and loue him p. 121 Doct. 2. God onely is to be prayed vnto p. 125 Doct. 3. If we be not heard in our prayers the fault is in our selues p. 128 Doct. 4. The godly haue the Lord alwaies a present deliuerer in great troubles p. 132 Doct. 5. Outward honour is the gift and blessing of God p. 136 Out of Verse 16. Doct. 1. Long life is a blessing where it is garnished with grace p. 140 Doct. 2. That eternall life is the gift of God p. 145
crummes of Gods mercie vnder the table which the children had at the table in plentifull teaching and strange miracles as in a full seruice there And so by this little being thankfull for a little she held Christ as in the chaine of his word to giue her more Math. 15.27 Saint Luke sheweth that Christ reproued some who told him of the Galileans whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifices Luke 13.1 because they stroke others in the application as sinners with the seueritie of that horrible death not themselues verse 2. But Iob a man of another spirit and taught in a better schoole feared to do euill because hee set Gods punishment before him which was fearefull and God in Maiestie from whom none could deliuer him if he would plague him Iob 31.9.11.23 The reasons The threatnings and promises of God are laid downe generally Reason 1 in the word is it not that Christians might make their vse of them by particular faith as Iudges in ciuill matters make vse of the Law by applying it to the offending or innocent persons case for punishment or praise Secondly life eternall standeth in this that we know the true God Reason 2 to saluation Ioh. 17.3 and who can know him so that maketh not first some proper vse of his power to humble him and of his goodnesse to raise him Reason 3 And if thirdly no medicine can worke that is not applyed not potion do good that is not taken then from the like wee may conclude that the wrath o◠the Law not feared and promises of the Gospell not apprehended can do no man good to true life Vses Vse 1 An instruction when the hand of God is heauie vpon vs in Famine Pestilence losse of cattell or other losses and Plagues temporall to trie our hearts by the word how these things haue humbled vs and whether in an holy despaire of all power in our selues to helpe our selues they haue turned vs to God from whom commeth our helpe Lam. 3.40 at all times we should particularly apply to our selues the threatnings written in the Law to humble vs but specially when the Lord himselfe enforceth them by some seuere chastisements as lately he did and beginneth to do againe A traueller when he hath lost his way will examine himselfe where he went out and returne So should wee do that trauell with iniquitie in this doubtfull vale through earth to heauen And because when we should go Eastward to the Gospell many of vs go Westward to Poperie or Atheisme and in stead of going forward to heauen go backe to hell ô how should we examine as by the booke our daily flips and turnings out of the way not forgetting where we mistooke by any errour of our life seeking speedily to recouer the path of righteousnesse Iob 42.5.6 That that maketh the common Passenger so carefull of his way is his feare to loose it If we that are Christian Passengers were as suspitious of ours our care would be greater to hold it and God should not be driuen to hedge vs in sometimes with burning thornes as with the Pestilence sometimes with troubles of other nature Hos 2.6 Vse 2 An item to those who cannot abide to lay iudgement to the rule nor righteousnesse to the ballance Esay 28.17 but make a wanton vse of Gods mercies and no vse of his threatnings Deut. 29.19.20 If he send health they vse it as a weapon against him by an impenitent and carnall life if he send sicknesse they waxe furious or senslesse and then let him take health and let him take all If he furnish their table they abuse his full table to all wantonnesse and wickednesse if he draw their table by a sparer diet of fruites and graine neither is God remembred nor sinne thought of If Pestilence be sent they hide themselues in vaine refuges not in any sound repentance from it Prou. 22.3 and when it is remoued what do they but call for it againe by sinning as much if not more stubburnly and in a greater height then euer For since the quenching of the last great Pestilence which in the yeare 1603. as a great fire consumed in London and about the Citie of London thirtie sixe thousand eight hundred sixtie and two and in some weekes two thousand yea three thousand and some odde hundreds a weeke I say since this fearefull sword of Plague was put vp what good effects do we see of that mercy of God in the liues of townes-men or country-men since Is not all forgotten as if such a thing had neuer bene in Citie or Village wee haue bene remembred euery yeare since but with warnings of another kinde and yet who considereth So much for the Proposition confirmed by the Prophets owne example the further application of it followeth VER 3. Surely he will deliuer thee from the snare c. HEre the Prophet applyeth that to the faithfull for their assurance wherewith he had resolued his owne hopes before which he doth by a more particular recitall both of the troubles that may befall them and of the meanes that God will giue for their safe being in them and happie issue out of them In this third verse he speaketh of the great affliction out of which God will bring them and in the next of the manner how and meanes whereby he will do it the affliction that he speaketh of is the Plague of Pestilence which is first figuratiuely described and then plainly without figure For the Angell of iustice which the Lord had sent into Iewrie to smite downe the people with the sword of Pestilence 2. Sam. 24.16 17. is here compared to a Fowler and the Plague with which he smote them to a Net The Angel is compared to a Fowler because like a mighty hunter he ranne swiftly or rather flew throughout the land destroying in a very short time threescore and ten thousand that died of the Pestilence from Dan to Beer-sheba Frō North to South b verse 15. The Pestilence it selfe is called a Snare or Net because it came suddenly vpon the people as the snare vpon the bird taking them eating drinking walking sporting or in their beds fast asleepe that is thinking of nothing lesse then of a change so hasty and neare Where the Angell that was sent is called a Fowler that layeth snares The Doctrine is Doct. 1 When God is minded to punish with Pestilence or otherwise a rebellious Nation flying will not serue For whither shall we go from his Spirit and whither shall we flee from his presence Psal 139.7 Nothing can hide from God not heauen aboue for there is his presence nor hell beneath for there is his power ver 8. from the top of Carmel to the botome of the sea there is no couer nor hiding from him Amos 9.3 He that fleeth shall not flee away and he that escapeth that is thinketh he hath so done shall not be deliuered ver 1. It seemeth that people Priests in the dayes
Pestilence is here called a Snare or Net as giuing no warning more then the net doth when it is suddenly cast ouer the birds which it taketh The Doctrine that ariseth from hence is this as Christians ought in all their life to prepare for death so specially then when God sendeth so short warning to prepare for it in his Snare of Pestilence or some other peremptory visitation Hezekiah was at all times to expect death in a well ordered soule but then specially he was to put and keepe good order in it when he was sicke vnto death or so as he must die and not liue Esay 38.1 And if we must remember our Creator before the euill day come Eccles 12.1 much more must we so doe when it is come this euill day is the vncomfortable day and houre of some deadly sicknesse that we must in our good consciences bee readie for before it threaten vs how much more when it worketh and hath entred vpon vs In the booke of Prouerbs this is made the sure note of a Prudent man that he seeth the Plague that is seeth it by the eye of prouidence in a watchfull and well reformed life and hideth himselfe from it vnder the wings of the Almighty by a liuely faith And that which our Sauiour exhorteth vnto speaking of the last day shall be well thought of in our sicknesse and before our last houre that that day come not on vs vnawares or suddenly as the snare vpon the bird Luke 21.34 35. The reasons then as you would say the graue is readie for vs Reason 1 and the shroud wherein we are to be wound presented to vs and if it be intolerable that a childe should be wanton at any time it is vnseemely that he should be so vnder the rod or if wee should at all times watch the theefe should we be carelesse when he is broken in Mat. 24.43 we are sure of our life at no time for the Master will come in a day that we thinke not Mat. 24.50 and is there any certainty of it when death is in the pot 2 King 440. and the holds of life are shaken Secondly if we be not armed with repentance when God sendeth Reason 2 the Pestilence or other visitation we frustrate Gods ends of sending them and may well be called a naked people Exod. 32.25 for his purpose in sending these is by them to c 1 Cor. 11 32. cloth vs with repentance that sinne be not our destruction and that the forgetfulnesse of death may not bring eternall death But he peremptorily citeth vs when he sendeth the Pestilence so immediately and presently before him and shall we in such a case and at such a time tarrie till a contempt come and be serued vpon vs despising that terrible processe the quickest and smartest that his court sendeth or can send forth against our naturall life or life here if we will not come to the supper with the last Messenger when will we come Luke 14.17 if we will being in the middest of the sea sleepe in the top of the Mast Prou. 23.34 that is if we be careles when our danger is so neere and so great when will we be carefull and if wee sleep then when will we watch Vse 1 And now come wee to an issue should wee be prepared for death at all times and then specially when it worketh fearefully before vs in some generall Plague and mortallity of men it first conuinceth the carelesse in life and carnall in profession who at such a time vse to say let vs eate and drinke when considering the season they should rather say let vs fast and pray and repent for to morrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 So of Ierusalem horribly plagued it is said shee remembred not her last end that is neuer thought what might come and therfore she came down wōderfully Lam. 1.9 her glorious heauen of all pleasant things was turned into the darkest skie or night of bitter affliction that euer was heard of which is therefore put in a book of Lamentations And what did we but pamper flesh who should haue sacrificed flesh when God set our last end before vs in those desolate funeralls that the deuouring Pestilence had caused made so many and so grieuous in Townes and Cities some few yeeres since What did wee I say but minde our pleasures when wee should haue minded our end and turne after vanity when we should haue turned to God So did the Iewes not long before they were to bee carried out of their owne Land in the chaine of the King of Babel Esay 22.12 13. but this was in the eares of the Lord of Hoasts and the iniquitie could not be purged from them but by death verse 14. I pray God we haue not left as much also vpon the score by our impenitencie since the last great mortality wherein God spared not our soules from death and gaue our life to the Pestilence Psal 78. 50. Since that time we haue made some recknings with the Lord by sundry strange and deare yeeres but Lord deliuer not thy power into captiuitie nor thy beauty into the enemies hand verse 61. Giue vs repentance for our senslesnesse then and security now that thy people be not giuen to the sword and thou be angry and wroth with thine inheritance verse 62. Then secondly let vs here learne a good and readie way to Vse 2 free vs from the snares of death and to preuent all those compassings with which it deceiueth where it is not looked for before it come To hide our heads in our owne shifts and carnall fetches is as we haue heard a vaine labour and rather to runne vpon the snare then to auoide it To prepare for it by the change of our liues from euill to good and from sinne to righteousnesse is to breake the snares of it by faith and thus to be readie for it is to get the better of it and to make it faiths captiue that otherwise is the worlds conqueror for then either it shall not come to vs in the fierie Pestilence or it shall not come to hurt vs and where others flee for feare wee shall not neede to flee or feare then it hath neither sting to wound vs nor poison to infect vs nor power to condemne vs and then preuenting it not preuented by it it shall but send vs thither whither but by it we cannot come Also where the wicked say to death as the Diuels to Christ art thou come to torment vs Matth. 8.29 wee shall say to death wounded to death by the power of the death of Christ ô death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15.55 Let the wicked feare death that cannot leaue sinne let vs cease to sinand we shall not feare the second death Let them say with Ichoram is it peace 2 King 9.22 not knowing if it be we knowing that it is and that the welcome day of death in our godly death prophecieth not euill but good to
her wings and this similitude our Sauiour himselfe vseth speaking of the like affection to his people Math. 23.37 the meaning is that God is to his Church as a Hen to her chickens when any danger is neare For then he spreadeth the feathers of his fauour ouer her and then he carrieth his tender Church on high vpon the wing of his prouidence from troubles at hand Deuter. 32.11.12 Esay 46.3.4 The Hen when any danger is toward her yong brood by some sharpe tempest or aires or deuouring birds of the aire casteth her wings abroad for their preseruation So when any thing is threatned to Gods little ones by the tempests of the time by boisterous aires and by Satans outrage in wicked persons those impure not fowles of the aire but beasts of the earth God very presently and most graciously draweth them into a secret couer as it were some broad wing of safetie from all iniuries of men and diuels And this he doth by an extraordinarie worke or ordinarily by his word in the mouth of his seruants which is the wing that hee spreadeth ouer them and call by which he clocketh them to himselfe in this world The Doctrine that ariseth from hence is God still watcheth his Church to hide her in his prouidence against all troubles and harmes Doct. And what can the raine and flouds do against her whom hee hath builded vpon himselfe Math. 7.24.25 But the people that trust in Iehouah are so builded and he attendeth them with his eyes Psal 32.8 and at euery turne helpeth their wandrings He goeth in and out before them himselfe and knoweth all his owne by name Ioh. 10.3.4 He hath grauen them vpon the palme of his hands that is he can no more forget them then a man can forget that which he hath continually in hand and their walls are euer in his sight Esay 49.16 that is he alwaies looks vpon them to remember them with some turnes of his fauour and how can they be better watched or surer kept Men that watch a Citie must sometimes sleepe But hee that keepeth Israel will neither stumber nor sleepe Psal 121.4 The Reasons Reason 1 If birds can do this to their yong much more God if they that haue but receiued this tendernesse much more God that gaue it Or is not God nearer to vs then yong ones are to their damme We being members of his owne bodie and the apple of his owne eye Zachr 2.8 Reason 2 Secondly this text that compareth the prouidence of God I meane that by which he watcheth ouer his Church and peculiar people to the eye and wings of the Hen that are euer readie to succour her young doth proue that as his care is alway watchfull for their safetie so his power doth neuer sleepe while their safetie is in question Vse 1 A reproofe of fearefull persons who crie out and faint in light troubles as if they had no helper and who tye the prouidence of God to the things they see drowning their best eye sight in floods of vnbeliefe because they see not their hope The little finger of that heauy hand that was vpon Iob in the top of Gods fauour and losse of all outward things doâ—h more wring them and more vnsettle them then the whole did him who yet yeelded to God when the storme was at the worst saying though he kill me I will trust in him Iob. 13.15 that is in God who hath broken me almost vnto death Some binde the helpe of God so to one friend that if they loose him they count all lost with him some so limit his stoâ—e to one yeeres crop that failing of that they fare and take on as if his whole store-house were emptied some so rest in these vncertaine things of health beauty riches worldly credit and fauour this and that childe which thy loue rather aboue God then in him that if he take away one or more as they be affected to one or many they dispairefully giue vp all and neuer looke for merry houre againe and some if God cast them downe by sicknesse that hee may take them vp by his gift of health fret and charge God as if there were no heauen hereafter These and the like fearefull and vnbeleeuers both discredit Gods prouidence and falsifie his truth for how can they that be thus minded beleeue that God hath a continuall eye of care ouer them and large wing of defence for them when changes come A comfort to good Christians teaching them to expell distrustfull Vse 2 feare in all alterations though their enemies bee neuer so mighty yet he who is their defence on their right hand is mightier and they shall stand inuinsible against all men and diuels that would hurt them Mat. 16.18 Wisdome hath builded her house vpon so many and sure pillers of Gods defence that the whole and euery stone in it standeth as mount Zion Prou. 9.1 Psal 125.1 that is euery Christian as well as the whole Church of Christians is partaker of the safeties of Sion Euery true Christian is a liuing stone in this house 1 Pet. 2.5 and therefore if any such Christian as it were stone should be pulled downe the whole would come after Quest You will say but they are wronged Quest and sore thrust at and sometimes slaine Answ To which I answer first for their wronges Answ that it is not meant that no man should wrong them but that no mans wrongs should quell them and for assaults it is certaine they haue been and shall be assaulted daily but God will put vnder his strong hand that they shall not be ouercome 2 Cor. 4.8 9. and Christ denieth not but Men may kill their bodies yet the comfort is they that kill their bodies cannot damne their soules when they haue gone so farre they can goe no farther Mat. 10.28 Wisedome foresaw all this and therefore did she build her Castle so strong Prou. 9.1 If then the world be thy enemie because thou shewest thy selfe in a good cause feare it not nor all that it can make against thee for he that is in thee is greater then he that is in the world 1 Ioh. 4 4. his power is alwaies exercised for thy preseruation hee that set thee on worke will helpe thee and who is so mighty as the Almighty If God send sicknesse say it bee that of the Pestilence which is alwaies fearefull and for the most part deadly and if this sicknesse so sent light vpon thee thou hast no reason to cast away thy confidence in the greatest terrors of it for if with Dauid when by Absalom his rebellious sonne he was banished from the Arke and Tabernacle thereof at Ierusalem thou resigne vp all into Gods hands thy life or death as pleaseth him 2 Sam. 15.25 26. thou haft as good assurance as may be being kept by that visitation as by a chaine from the Arke of the publick Ministerie and from the Tabernacle thereof the great congregation either to bee restored
to the earthly Ierusalem the house in which the publick Minister and people praise God together or by thy preferment in death to haue thy soule carried vp to the Ierusalem aboue where thou shalt praise him without ceasing perfectly in his owne presence with Angels and Saints innumerable Though men forsake thee God will tarrie with thee by his comforts in thy flesh and by his spirit in thy heart Iohn 14.23 when thy house is shut vp God that cannot be shut vp will prouide a large walke for thee in the pleasant gallery of thy good conscience when men write Lord haue mercy on the doore he will shew mercy within doores when men keepe thee darke he will giue thee light when they close vp the windowes of thy chamber he will set open the windowes of his Kingdome and when they go from thee he will come vnto thee sup with thee Apoc. 3.20 When God restraineth the fruits of the earth by keeping in his raine or by giuing it in excess with the breaking open of the flood-gates of his waters he hath his Boaz of secret prouidence as long agoe for godly Ruth Ruth 2.8 9. so still for his faithfull children that they may eate and their soules may liue And when the wicked who haue not God for their hiding place shall vpon the bruite of euery calamitie and crosse comming runne hither and thither as men without hope or distracted thou knowing in whom thou hast beleeued maiest hide thee with the feathers of Gods truth and faithfulnesse and goe to thy Father Luke 15.18 the words that follow are in effect the same that the words are which we lastly heard and the repetition is safe for vs Philip. 3.1 for therefore doth God speake twice that we might heare him once and because through our imperfect state of faith we come fearefully as vpon the waters with Peter to Christ in long and great troubles Mat. 14.29 30. therefore are the words doubled that we might haue the stronger consolation So much for the first of the meanes by which God will deliuer his people in affliction The second and more principall followeth His truth shall be thy shield and buckler BY the truth of God is meant the truth and faithfulnesse that is in all his promises or the truth of his promise and truth in his word He that hath promised is faithfull but if I would know how much he hath promised to whom and vnder what termes I must bring all my considerations to his word as to his onely or best seale and standard By it al his truth is allowed as vnder seale and measured truly as at a iust standard and this truth is one with the word or with Gods truth in his word Iohn 17.17 Also this truth is called the godly mans shield buckler because it is as a shield buckler vnto him against al the arrowe-heads thrusts of affliction so wardeth the blowes of those crosses that come in the Pestilence in sicknesses in malicious enemies in other troubles of bodie or minde that they shall not strike him to death or turne him to hurt taking in his defence by faith the promise and truth of God for his shield and buckler So the meaning is they that keepe within the compasse of Doct. 1 Gods sure word can neuer take hurt And it teacheth that the truth of God b Lam. 3.22 cannot faile and what he hath promised shall bee done Blinde Balaam in his Parable could say shewing how true God is alway of his word hath he said it and shall hee not doe it as if he had said may it be that Gods words and deedes should not meete or will any beleeue that he cau say one thing and doe another or if he lack not will doth he want power to doe as he saith for hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it shall any thing hinder his purpose or weaken his power So where by Hosea the Lord saith I am God and not man Hosea 11.9 what can his meaning be but that being God hee changeth not like one of vs and repenteth not like man In Malachi he putteth himselfe to the triall asking the sonnes of Iacob if it were not so for he saith I change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Malac. 3.6 as if he had said I promised not to consume you and you can tell I haue kept promise with you for ye are not consumed to this day so I change not your selues being iudges Now as God repenteth not so his gifts and calling that is the peculiar endowments of his elect linked together vnseparably in their saluation are without repentance that is are neuer taken from them Rom. 11.29 And he that hath promised is faithfull I. Cor. 10 13. saith the Apostle his meaning is that he is not at times but alway so or alway iust in word and euer faithfull Mens promises are yea and nay his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 when it is said it is done if he speake the word but wee say and vn-say and so say and doe not The reasons Reason 1 It is sealed that God is true and Christ speaking of himselfe as God saith I am truth Iohn 3.33 and Iohn 14.6 that is to be true or rather to be truth is of his being and therefore to denie his word is to denie himselfe but God cannot denie himselfe and therefore God cannot but keepe his word Reason 2 Secondly God cannot breake by vnfaithfulnesse Rom. 3.3 for he is righteous nor be hindred by weaknesse for he is Almighty 1. Ruth 21. Apoc. 1.8 He promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and all the rebellions of his children could not make him to falsifie his word but at the time appointed they received the promises and inherited the land so he promised Israels deliuerance from Aegypt and returne from Babylon and hee brake not an houre with them and when the fulnesse of time came that God should send his sonne he sent him Gal. 4.4 and when it was time he should come he came as he kept touch with Abraham for a sonne Genes 21.1 so hee kept his word truly with vs for the sending of his owne sonne Reason 3 Thirdly God when he sweareth sweareth by himselfe not only cause he hath no greater to sweare by but because hee changeth not as an oath is immutable Heb. 6.18 An admonition not to distrust God any way where hee hath Vse 1 giuen his word for our safetie and welfare for if it be intollerable to discredit an honest man in his word how intollerable is it to call Gods truth into question If then God haue promised to those that feare him that nothing shall bee wanting vnto them Psal 34.9 let not such doubt in the wants of many to bee prouided for In the wildernesse he plowed the heauens for his children and fed them with the bread of heauen Psal 78.24 so they that followed Christ were fed by miracle in
and least thought of death euen then this infectious arrow pierced to the heart The summe of all is When God sends the Pestilence or any other iudgement in some haste to a land or priuate place it cometh as an arrow out of a bow Where we learne that Gods messengers and seruants sent in Doct. 1 this deadly sicknesse or any other visitation for sinne are swift and vnresistable For the Pestilence our selues do know how soone it is taken how small a matter brings it with how little a winde it comes and how suddenly it passeth to the head and pierceth to the heart Seuentie thousand in lesse then three dayes and in a land not very large died of it 2. Sam. 24.15 So Exod. 12.29 when God would shew his power by death vpon the great armie of the King of Ashur he smote by an Angell in one night an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand Esay 37.36 At another time he slue three and twenty thousand in one day 1. Cor. 10.8 And because Herod would not giue glory to God he was presently smitten by an Angell in all his glorie Acts 12.23 The reasons He that so quickly made man of the dust Genes 2.7 can as Reason 1 quickly turne man vnto dust and for the Pestilence or any other destruction if he speake but the word and how soone is a word spoken it presently comes He is the Centurion of this great hoast of all the creatures If he say to one go he goeth and to another come he cometh Math. 8.9 Psal 105.16.31.34 Secondly he can send by his Angels that swiftly execute his Reason 2 commandements and as it were flie about them Psal 103.20 or he can command the diuels who in an instant commanded by him can as well corrupt the aire with Pestilence as the riuers with bloud Psal 78.44.49.50 Thirdly God hath power and may command and commanding Reason 3 lackes not authoritie and will be heard An admonition speedily to turne to God who is able so speedily Vse 1 to turne vs to destruction Ioel 2.12 For should we not meete him with an armie of prayers who can come against vs so quickly and so strong with armies of death in the Pestilence and other innumerable diseases Luke 14.32 He can send to vs by flying messengers and shall we not seeke him by speedie repentance Amos 5.6 It is not long since his arrowes flew among vs and he yet hath his quiuer full of them to trouble our aires againe and with a fresh charge to shoote at vs by the contagious Pestilence in Towne and Countrie should we not therefore dread to make God our aduersarie or being made our aduersarie by sinne should we not agree with him quickly Mat. 5.25 who can so quickly destroy vs if we stand out proudly against him If he finde disorder and impenitencie in our houses or selues he can visit for it with flying arrowes and punish it when he is disposed with present death and should not this constraine vs to expell sinne and iniquity euery priuate person out of himselfe and euery faithfull publick person out of his familie and gouernment should it not moue the Christian housholder christianly to order both himself and others vnder him whether children or seruants by the word bringing them to Sermons more carefully and more orderly to prayers at home for how soone God can take vs away wee haue heard how quickly he will we know not also should it not perswade the publick Magistrates with the sword of his office not lightly to pare away but vtterly to cut off all proud and rotten sinnes that abound yea soundly to correct to a reformation all publick and grosse both enormities and offendors as swearers drunkards fornicators prophaners of the Sabbath disobedient to Parents and authority with such like seeing he beareth not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 Vse 2 A terrour to those who haue no hope but in long life for death may come they know not how soon and it commeth suddenly to many and when it is come it will not be answered with an I pray thee haue mee excused Luke 14.18 If we be not ready it will take vs as we be and when it knocketh if we will not open it will cast vs open The godly preuent this hardning by liuing so that is so repentantly and holily during their short time here that when the flying arrow of death sent from the hand of their supreame Lord shall make toward them they are euer in fit state to meete their Sauiour To such present death is prepared death as it was to Simeon and Anna who waited for Christ in the Temple Luke 1 25.36.3â— and they cannot dye suddenly that dye so Contrarily the carelesse and they that put off death by turning these flying into creeping arrowes can haue no such hope in their death which commeth as a theefe to their house Matth. 24.43 and not as a Messenger to bid them to the Supper of the great King Luke 14.17 They will not vnclaspe with the comforts of their deare life for the toilesome life of mortification and precisenesse in Gods seruice for they are lustie and strong Therefore their death cannot be good nor comfortable but irkesome and violent of which they are ouercome not yeelding to it as the Saints but mastered by it as they who say with Iulian Galilean thou hast preuailed so hee spake of Christ and so speake they of God when they find he is stronger then they A reproofe of those who when God shoots the infectious Vse 3 arrow of Pestilence at a Towne or City promise to themselues safetie because they dwell farre off because that part in which they inhabit is free or because they dwell in the Countrie and not in the Towne For cannot God reach them wheresoeuer they dwell in the East or West Is his arme shortened Doth any arrow misse that he shoots and he that went progresse from Dan to Bersheba in a running plague and in lesse time then three dayes can hee not in few houres goe a little way and visite further from a Towne then fiue sixe or seuen miles where is their safetie then in such a case but in turning to him that threatneth them And how can they auoide this arrow but by watching still the fall of it in their penitent liues Neither is this only true in the arrow of the Pestilence but in euery arrow of his quiuer if he shoot at vs by enemies by mortalitie of men by murraine of cattell or by cleannesse of teeth and leannesse in all our quarters what can ward any of these arrowes but repentance and our turning to God He that will auoide an arrow must turne the face and not the backe vnto it and hee must looke toward God and not from him by impenitencie that will reconcile him A further description of the Pestilence followeth Verse 6. Nor for the Pestilence that walketh in the darknes VVEe haue in this Verse two effects more whereby this
good as it When the world was buried in a graue of waters Noah and his houshold went safely into the Arke Genes 7.1 and God set not Sodome on fire till hee had deliuered iust Lot Genes 19.16.22 2. Pet. 2.7 when the Lord terribly plagued the Aegyptians his enemies he mercifully spared Goshen where his people were Exodus 8.21.22 and 9.6.26 and 10.23 and 11.5.6.7 and when Ierusalem was taken Exod. 12.23 Ieremie was prouided for Iere. 39.11.12.18 So God dealt very mercifully with Daniel and his fellowes in the captiuitie Dan. 1.19 And when the Lord sent fiue men that is Angels in the shape of men to destroy the carelesse Citie He sent a sixt with a writers ink-borne by his side to set a marke of passeouer or speciall deliuerance vpon all those who mourned for the abomination Ezech. 9.4.6 And what hath he done lesse for his godly seruants in any age The reasons Reason 1 The righteous haue a speciall priuiledge or commoditie that common persons haue not and he that is the generall God of the world is the sauing God of his people Luke 1.68 He shewed his word to Iacob But did hee deale so with euery nation Psal 147.19.20 Reason 2 Secondly it is the glorie of the Lord to deliuer the righteous as it is the maisters credit to do for those that faithfully serue him Or if he should not honour those with deliuerances who honour him with affections the heathen or those without might say where is now their God Psal 115.2 Thirdly He numbreth their haires Math. 10.30 and will hee Reason 3 not regard their bloud Or if he will haue them will he not deliuer them Obiect But many godly haue bene taken away in the common destruction Obiect Answ Indeed Answ for these outward euils that come none can chalenge such a freedome from them as that they shall not enter into them at all and it is not denied but that the best hauing sin in them are in subiection to them and greatly deserue them Yet either they shall not come or they shall not come to hurt them as they do the wicked or they fall not so ordinarily to the share of the godly as they crush the vnrighteous and besides they feare not in them as do sinners that haue no hope For they haue faith in God from whose loue nothing can seuer them Rom. 8.39 and are not as the wicked who put all their faith in changeable things with the losse of which they loose God and all A comfort to the godly in the mortalitie of thousands seeing Vse 1 they know in whom they beleeue and for what for they shall not perish though neuer so many perish that haue faith in other things And this doctrine is now necessarie euen in our dayes of health for these good dayes may weare away the Pestilence may raigne as it did and another triall may come and then will it bee needfull to be well seene in these and such like mercifull promises that our faith may not faile vs nor our hearts faint within vâ— when the euill day cometh Neither would this be remembred onely in the case and dayes of Plague then to be armed with that faith and true boldnesse that putteth feare out of doores but it would bee remembred further in all other changes and troubles of our mortall life that God onely may be our feare and we may put all to him with full assurance in the wauerings of many As in the dayes of famine if there should come such a want of bread that thousands must pine to death yet that must not so discomfort any child of God as to make him to doubt how it can be true that in the day of famine he shall he fed Psal 37.19 For though God do not make windowes in the heauen 2. King 7.2 he can feede him When our handfull of meale is gone his truth remaineth who can feede without bread or with it miraculously 1. Kings 19.8.17.12.14 Ioh. 6.7.13 The like may be said of the miseries of warre and of all miseries and Plagues earthly For whatsoeuer temptations there are betweene heauen and earth from the flesh world or diuell as diseases of bodie rebellion of children losse of goods and of good name crosses in husbands wiues seruants with all other vexations and crosses of mind or bodie from the least to the greatest from the paine of the little finger to the pangs of death in all these though the vngodly know not what to do the godly haue hope and though the wicked fall by thousands the righteous are not shaken Is there not comfort to the righteous in all this And do they serue God for nought to whom the Lord maketh such precious promises Vse 2 An instruction therefore so to serue God in all our life with faith and repentance that when thousands fall we may stand fast For this light is sowne for the righteous Psal 97.11 But the light of the wicked shall be put out Prou. 13.9 that is this safetie is proper and belonging onely to godly and religious persons whose priuiledge it is when thousands fall not to stagger where the wicked contrarily because they will bee the children of darknesse by sinne shall be sure with the putting out of their candle to inherite the blacknesse of darknesse with sinners That it is the peculiar lot of those that loue God and follow his truth thus to be established Salomon is witnesse who speaking of a sinner that doth euill an hundred times that is doth sinne much and long saith that though God prolong his dayes or deferre his punishment yet he shall be as a shadow and what is more vncertaine then a shadow because he feareth not before God where it shall be well with them that feare the Lord that is where they that haue bene religious in their life shall be happie in their end and neuer be remoued Eccles 8.12.13 God maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the inst and vniust yet the shine of his fauour is vpon those that do reuerence before him and where the outward excellencie of the vngodly hath a speedie end as a light quickly blowne out the light of the righteous reioyceth Prou. 13.9 to wit as the Sunne to runne his course Psal 19.5 or is stedfast with increase as the light of the same Sunne That shineth more and more vnto the perfect day Prou. 4.18 A reproose of those who in a time of mortalitie feare vnseasonably Vse 3 when two or three die How would they haue feared if they had bene dwellers at London in the last great mortalitie when three thousand and a halfe died of the Plague in one weeke Anno 1603 and 1604. and for some weekes together not many fewer There is a profitable and sober feare in Gods children which is the feare of sinne and of these dayes of sinne but this carnall feare of worldlings who haue drawne little or no power from religion is rather the feare of death then of sinne
in them at such times to helpe it with prayer or to relieue it with victuals and haue esteemed it their best policie and part to keepe their people and markets from it Such behold the Plague of a Towne as Dauids flatterers beheld his trouble who beheld it a farre off Vse 2 An instruction as at all times to put on large bowels of nature and tender of compassion so especially when our neighbours miseries require the same We must at all times pray one for another but specially in trouble and one member helpe another but chiefly in that members need So when the Lord visiteth with Pestilence a Towne or Citie in that case of sicknesse and restraint of trades the rich whose store God hath blessed should in an odour of liberality to the poore there offer that Sacrifice to God which the Apostle sayth was offered to the Lord in him by Epaphroditus An Odour that smelleth sweete a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God Phil. 4.18 And to prouoke them the rather to this duety let them remember that it is the exhortation of the Holy Ghost by the same Apostle While ye haue opportunitie doe good vnto all Gal. 6.10 Now is the time and they that haue this worlds goods haue the fit time of doing it or what can they tell if God wil euer put such an occasion into their hands againe neglecting this So much for the Prophets earnest affirmation the euidence spoken of followeth VERSE 9. Seeing thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge Euen the most High thy habitation THe euidence for further proofe of the secure estate of the Righteous casting themselues vpon God is in the Prophet himself who out of his owne triall assureth it calling the Lord his Refuge As if he had sayd because thou hast done as I did who ran to the bosome of the Almightie in times of temptation thou hast as good an euidence or the same for thy safetie that I euer had which is that God will bee their refuge who make him their refuge in trouble and will deliuer them This is his meaning and to trust in God is not to say so onely but by faith and with the amendment of our wayes by his word to do so Doct. 1 The Doctrine from hence is He that maketh the Lord his deliuerer by putting trust in him and by beleeuing his word shall be deliuered Asa did so as we heard when an hoste of ten hundred thousand came against him and the Lord tooke him to Sanctuarie and put them to slaughter 2. Chron. 14.11 12. The Apostle Saint Paul notwithstanding that he was enuironed and begirt with many and long afflictions on all sides yet safely passed through them as his Master through the multitude who had brought him to the edge of an hill to haue cast him downe Luk. 4. 29.30 for he had committed himself to a good keeper who neuer suffered him to take shame seeing he beleeued him 2 Tim. 1.12 or as here made him his habitation God himselfe saith by Samuel them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 that is them that honour him with trust he will honour with safety and Dauid prayeth with assurance not to bee confounded seeing hee trusted in him Psal 25.2 So the three seruants of God could say to the King the God whom we serue or in whom wee trust is able and will deliuer vs Dan. 3.17 viz from the fiery fornace and out of thy hand O King as if they had said we serue God or we beleeue God and therefore shall most certainely bee deliuered from the fornace by miracle or from thy power by death verse 18. the Scriptures are plentifull in this matter I say then them that trust the Lord mercy shall compasse on euery side The reasons Where God is trusted he setteth store by his credit to do for Reason 1 those that trust in him for to such he hath promised large redemption and hee cannot denie himselfe or suffer his truth to faile Secondly they that trust in God and make him their confidence Reason 2 will giue him this honour with the obedience that is better then sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 and more then all burnt offerings Hos 6.6 If God haue deliuered them from one fornace or kind of death by Plague or otherwise they will shine in a better life like pure gold to the glory of God their owner hauing praise in their mouth and not sinne in their right hand they will make a penitent song with Hezekiah Esay 38. and a confessing Psalme with Dauid Psal 116. and hauing bene carelesse of the word before become afterward carefull both hearers and doers of it To be short they will set themselues to serue God by that same word hauing receiued those gracious fauours as it were wages for their seruice and being resolued thus to turne vnto God and thus to put trust in his mercie how can he denie them How can he turne from them and leaue them besides they cannot truly trust in him that cannot comfortably with repentance do so and what contrite sinner was euer reiected by him Psal 51.17 and who euer was confounded that so put trust in him Reason 3 Thirdly if earthly fathers will not cast those children off that fully and altogether rest on them by promise for protection much lesse will he that is our Father in heauen forsake them or the defence of them who haue like confidence in him for their helpe in trouble and wholly rest on his promise when others go from him to second causes as to other Gods But if a child in the extreamitie of sicknesse shall chuse rather to endure any hardnesse and paine then not to content his father who will say but it must needes moue a good father the more to seeke and what he may to provide for the ease and recouery of such a child So for Gods children that so submit to him that they will patiently beare the the sorest gripes and pulles of the crosse rather then prouoke so good a Father and who so watch all their wayes that they are vnwilling to giue him the least matter of offence or his spirit of griefe by an impatience or rude moode how can they but obtaine both pitie and deliuerance at such a fathers hands and who can thinke that the Father of mercies will deale otherwise then mercifully with such children Vse 1 An instruction more to rest on God then on the greatest earthly safetie For oftentimes mans helpe proueth vaine where Gods helpe neuer faileth Man may haue mens good wills and be neuer the better but he that with repentance trusteth in God is sure to bee deliuered Dauid therefore in danger and Christ in death commended their spirit into Gods hands Psal 31.5 Luke 23.46 So the godly do not build towers to themselues but make the Lord their tower of defence This tower is on high farre aboue all troubles and Plagues and they that rest in this highly mounted castle of
giuen and taken be neglected Thirdly their manner of keeping vs as it is set downe in the Reason 3 text cannot but promise great assurance For is not the little child safe while the Nurse carrieth it in her armes or beareth it in her hands So while these Nurses so beare vs can we be in danger but our Nurses on earth may fall these Nurses the Angels cannot Fourthly our protection is deliuered with a charge to the Angels Reason 4 that nothing be lacking as if the Lord should haue said I charge ye that ye looke well to all these little ones that I commit to your keeping see that none of them perish and vse your power in the safetie of them all First here is matter of thankfulnesse throughout all the Churches Vse 1 whose safetie is prouided for by so honourable a guard about them It had beene sufficient security to haue beene cared for by Gods prouidence and being to passe the seas of this troublesome world to haue had his Letters that is word for our safe conduct to our countrie but that God should giue vs besides his prouidence to keepe vs that hoste which is so glorious and neere himselfe to be alwaies about vs as if he should vouchsafe vnto vs not his princely Letters onely but his royall Nauie to bring vs safe to our heauenly Port and Land this must needes abundantly secure vs and expell all feare This is grace indeede and great riches of grace which should make his praise to bee heard his name to be excellent in al the places of his dominion If mens spirituall eyes were open they that are spirituall might see the Diuell and his Angels with a whole hoste of wicked men in continuall assault against them they might see themselues to goe continually in danger and euery step in death but that the strength of heauen goes with them and is there not matter in all this for the praise of God with heart and mouth In the yeere of our Lord 1588. the bragging power of Spaine could doe nothing against vs that came to destroy vs and to roote out our memoriall for the Lord kept our coasts by his Angels and what could they doe against such keepers should not this be remembred and should it not be remembred how the Angels haue encamped about defended this Realme against so many hostes of diuels diuels-children that more then 60 yeers haue sought by innumerable engines of Treason and threatnings of death to haue made it a Sepulcher of Christian carkesses for the Gospels sake that is yet among vs And let it not be forgotten what the Lord did so lately by his Angels in the mouth of our Soueraigne for the discouerie of the powder-plot Thus we haue been and are at this day kept safely by the Lord in the hand of his royall Angels for which grace of his what can wee giue to him lesse then praise in our mouthes and obedience in our liues continually Vse 2 A comfort to the righteous who in this that the Angels are their mighty keepers haue a spirituall preseruatiue of great vertue against all Plagues that come whether of sword famine or contagious Pestilence They that walke in the waies of the Lord when others runne out haue promise in a common euill of particular safety if it be expedient for them the Angels attend them for that purpose and the Lord knoweth how to deliuer them as he did Lot when he meaneth to turne a whole Sodom of filthinesse into ashes Gen. 19.16.22.29.2 Pet. 2.7.9 If God send Pestilence or famine or any other euill in the hotest Plague and greatest dearth that he sendeth they neede to feare nothing that haue reuerenced his truth and done his will keeping themselues vnspotted of abuses and sorrowing for the abuses they could not helpe for hauing such Leaders as the Angels are they shall not walke where the Plague walketh or if they doe they shall walke in the aire of it without danger hauing in these mighty ones about them so strong a counterpoison against it and when some dearth is sent the Angels will one way or other see them prouided for that the Scripture may be fulfilled which saith doe good and thou shalt be fed assuredly Psal 37.3 So when any other euill commeth God will not forget the loialty and good seruices of his people who hath put them all downe in a better and more lasting booke of record then was that which Assuerus kept for a remembrance of such Subiects as had deserued well of him Hest 6.1 2. but will defend such by his Angels as hee hath marked with fauour for speciall deliuerance in the euill day or else how should so many of the godly and few of the wicked escape in a towne visited with the Pestilence seeing the sicknesse is as infectious to one as to another and seeing that at the first beginning of it and before it was knowne or suspected both one and another went indifferently together into the house then infected with it The case is plaine the good Angles beare as many in their hands as God will haue them to deliuer from perill of death or common infection at such times Obiect You will say it often falles out otherwise Obiect in the visitation of God by Pestilence for the most wicked haue beene deliuered from it and the godly taken away Answ First it must bee remembred what was said before Answ which was that the godly shall be deliuered if it bee expedient for them and then not deliuered from that Plague they are deliuered from a greater by it euen a Plague of Plagues a most accursed life full of sinne fraught with miseries and dyings without end and number And for the wicked though they escape them they are not deliuered properly but repriued for a time to be more tormented hereafter either with that very death or with some other of a more horrible kinde or with euerlasting death in hell or they are reprieued till another visitation or to their day of assize in their deaths-day or day of generall iudgement But to make the ioy of the righteous full let it further be considered that the good Angels are stronger to saue then the euill are to destroy for are the euill great in power the good are greater then they the good hauing the fauour of God which the euill haue not are they old and subtle to inuent hurt the good are as old and more wise to preuent it can they cause Pestilence by venemous exhalations and dearth by some tempests the good can purge the aire that they haue poisoned and make a calme where they made a storme are they strong and full of might as they are full of might so they are fuller of feare and feare abateth strength also the good are stronger then they and voide of feare because without siune that causeth feare doe both worke from God yet they worke with great difference the good as voluntaries the euill as slâ—ues
hee that praiseth a little will in that kinde praise much and accept all Vse 1 A comfort to the poore that can offer but a little in Gods seruice For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2. Cor. 8.12 If we doe what we are able though it be small that wee are able to doe it is welcome to God Deut. 16.17 Two yong Pigeons Leuit. 12.8 And two small mites are as good an offering where there is no more and as well accepted as richer matters from richer persons Some may offer a Lambe to the Altar and the poorest whose heart God hath made willing cannot want a mite or the worth of a yong Pidgeon to offer to it that is thou must helpe forward the seruice of God if not with the purse yet with the mite of doing somewhat toward it some other way and thy worke will be accepted All the members in this body haue their necessarie vse and can doe something the poore as well as the rich The head cannot say to the feet I haue no need of you 1. Cor. 12.21 Let Papists and Pharises then praise and onely praise rich almes Christ makes more account of the Widowes two mites then of all that they giue O therefore what a comfort is heere to a poore if true Christian seeing that euen the poorest hee that is such cannot be vnfruitfull altogether or without vse in the worke of the Lord and that God rich in mercy rewardeth euen in a poore soule weake loue and poore doings where a heart is not wanting to doe better and to loue more earnestly if he were able This may comfort him in the euill day when it comes and it may come hee cannot tell how soone For if Pestilence should be sent if some other destroying sicknesse should come or if troubles should arise for the Gospel which he professeth herein he may dwell safely that he hath not been wanting to his power in any furtherance that he could giue the Gospel or to the Professors and teachers of it for Gods sake who will not forget his worke and seruice that he hath done and and who giueth the full cup of life for a cup of cold water A terrour to those who being able to doe much in the seruice Vse 2 of God loue neuer a whit or coldly though a little be accepted done willingly in that respect and with a good minde Remember this ye that forget God hee may bring you downe in trouble though now ye be aloft in a flourishing estate of wealth peace Suddenly ye may be made poore or if your riches remaine with you you may beare this voice a voice very dolefull and bitter to all that are rich in their Mammon and not rich in God O foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee Luke 12.20 or this night that is very shortly and terribly they will fetch thy soule Then what griefe will it be and death to remember what good ye might haue done which yee neglected to doe in your wealthy and healthy dayes They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres Dan. 12.3 Now whether is better to shine as Starres in heauen or to burne as brands in hell Yee therefore that could haue spent hundred by your yeerely comming in and haue spent some vainely and not one nor neere one in all your life to the furtherance of Gods seruice by doing something toward the Arke of a teaching Minister in the place where your chiefe house stood and family did continue Yee that by your countenance and place might haue turned many to righteousnes and yet loued so hotely for your selues and coldly for God that the winning of soules was none of your care but rather the gathering of riches and friends and yee who hauing Tenants and followers might haue constrained them by a wise eye to haue kept the way with your selues to Gods house and good order in Gods house being assembled there had rather goe with a few then with your traine thither and rather leaue them that were in the assembly to their owne foolish wayes then watch ouer them for the wayes and duty of reuerend worshippers at Church during all the time of prayer and preachings then yee that haue thus neglected to doe good or gloried to doe euill being therefore not louers of God but rather haters of him What will ye doe or say when the day or houre commeth that ye must goe from house to graue Psal 49.14 and leaue your riches to others verse 10. Surely a good conscience in those matters will be more worth then all the goods Mannors or Lordships yee had or desired more then the loue of God in which onely is true happinenesse and peace Ye haue refused to serue him that giueth the best wages and did choose rather to serue for trifles then for an inheritance and for corruptible things then for eternall therefore God gaue you these small things dealing with you as Abraham with the sonnes of his Concubines who gaue them certaine gifts or moueables and sent them away Gen. 25.6 For so these and these onely are your portion hold them if you can the inheritance is Isaacs part and the right of the sonnes And now what will ye doe when ye can liue no longer to dishonour God and to honour your selues your children or kindred aboue him your hope cannot be in him whom you loued so little and coldly and who is a most bountifull Master to all his followers and louers giuing them here for their spirituall repast the royall feast of a good conscience and in heauen Kingdomes for their seruice for imperfect obedience perfect glory and for short troubles long life but now as Elisha a Prophet in Israel said to Iehoram the King of Israel Get thee to the Prophets of thy father and to the Prophets of thy mother 2 Kin. 3.13 so in times of Pestilence and in the houre of death yee must goe for comfort to your lands and Lordships and large heapes in which ye trusted or to your drunken cups fellowship companions and such Prophets of your fathers house the Diuell God will not looke to ward you nor see that is know you in that houre verse 14. But doth God thus remember euery little thing that is done to Vse 3 him in his seruice The vnthankfull among vs then are taxed who remember no benefit bestowed vpon them or good done for them though neuer so great The best we can doe to God or for him deserueth the pay of shame and no better recompence Luk. 17.80 and yet God reiecteth not our weakest loue Men may deserue much at our hands and sometimes doe when neuerthelesse wee reward their good with euill for their friendship become their enemies and fight against them without a cause Psal 109 4 5. We should do good for euill and pray for them that hurt vs Mat. 5.44
come and glorified which is seene in foure things as supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes 1 Tim. 2.1 By supplication is meant that kinde of prayer or thing in prayer whereby we craue the turning away of euill things from vs. Prayer or obsecration is that wherein wee desire all good things necessarie for vs. Intercession that by which wee pray louingly for our friends and charitably for our enemies and giuing of thankes that which vpon the receit of a fauour goeth with praise in our prayers to him that gaue it Now he that wil see the saluation of God must do all this In all these he must talke with God as did Mâ—ses and hee may talke with him as with a friend bringing good affections to the words of his prayer In the 50. Psalme and 15. verse God promised deliuerance to his children in the day of their trouble but with the condition of Prayer as here Call vpon me as if he had said if ye will haue my helpe or if ye will haue me to helpe you pray So Christ our Sauiour promising ease that is deliuerance to all who for his sake are laden with troubles and labour of wrongs bids them to come to him as if hee had bidden them to call vpon him if they will be cased Math. 11.28 And the Lord will be found but it is of those that seeke him with prayer Math. 7.7 Iehoshaphat so sought him and found his helpe against the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir 2. Chron. 20.10.22 23 24. And Salomon in the Dedication of the Temple desireth God to incline to his people in their distresse that is when in perill and terrour they confesse their sinnes and make their supplications to him his prayer is that hee would deliuer them but it is with condition as before 1. King 10.31.33.35 38 c. For there is no such meanes of accesse to God as prayer neither doth he answer out of the heauen to any thing that we preferre to him so directly as to prayer and he delighteth in the soule of his sacrifice more then in all burnt-offerings If the great waters burst in it is prayer that must cast vp a bank of stop vnto them Psa 32.6 Many times God deliuereth without prayer which should make vs more thankefull but not lesse diligent to vse the exercise hereafter but prayer is Gods owne ordinance that bindeth him to deliuer vs. By it he giueth vs his earnest or somewhat in hand to confirme vnto vs the light of his saluation in this mid-vale of darknesse By it wee haue a sanctified right to the creatures 1. Tim. 4.5 By it we receiue the key that opens Gods treasures and puls downe his mercies vpon vs. Math. 7.7 By it we come into the Presence and haue speech with him that is greater then all Princes Gen. 18.22 23 24 c. By it if God bee ready to strike wee hold him backe as it were that he cannot execute his iudgements Exod. 32.10 and by it we confesse that we receiue and seeke all good things at Gods hands running to him in our wants and reioycing in him for our welfare If then wee looke to be deliuered in trouble in trouble wee must pray to the Lord our deliuerer The reasons Reason 1 God looketh when deliuerance commeth that wee both acknowledge him to be the giuer and thanke him for the benefit which we cannot doe but by prayer For so in obsecration wee seeke vnto God and in thankesgiuing praise him Wee goe out of our selues for helpe to him and being holpen we say Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but to thy Name be glory Psal 1 15.1 Secondly it is of the Commandement and Ordinance of God that we should pray that is call on him in our troubles Mat. 6.9 And what good Christian will not make conscience of Gods Commandements to keepe them and Ordinances to doe them we make conscience or should of killing and stealing because the Law saith Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale So it is Gods Commandement that we pray in our troubles and shall we be troubled and not call vpon God that is pray vnto him as we are commanded Thirdly prayer is a part of his seruice Psal 50.23 and the Reason 3 wicked that doe him no seruice are said not to pray Psal 14.4 Now is prayer a part of his seruice and shall wee refuse in our troubles to serue him that is in them to pray vnto him and to call vpon his Name And as it is a part of his seruice so it is a meane of our saluation Ioel 2.32 I say then desire we to be saued or if we long not to be damned let vs pray Fourthly a benefit is worth the asking and we make suite to Reason 4 those that can doe vs pleasure Is not deliuerance in troubles a benefit and shall wee thinke much to aske it or doe wee make such suit for a worldly pleasure and shall we giue no attendance about his Courts that giueth vs the pleasures that are for euer An admonition therefore to be frequent in this duty which Vse 1 so much concernes vs and brings so much good vnto vs. It is the tower of the faithfull and in all aduersities the godly flie vnto it It is Gods seale vpon our hearts Cant. 6.8 and the earnest of his Spirit left in our hands 2. Cor. 1.22 for which we read in Zacharie of a Spirit of grace and supplications Zach. 12.10 from it atiseth that friendly exchange that is betweene God and vs wee sending vp ou prayers to him and hee sending downe his blessings to vs. It maketh the righteous in calamitie to goe vpon other feet then the feet of Daniels image which were partly clay partly yron Dan. 2.33 for they walke not staggeringly vpon their doubts but vpon fast ground knowing that hee is faithfull that hath promised Nay if they be to fight for life and death being cunning at this weapon of prayer they neither care for the deuils malice nor distrust Gods louing kindnes but then beleeue most when they see least and shew greatest courage when there is greatest cause In a danger otherwise incurable and when worldly wise men know not what to doe and when all their cunning is gone the godly that giue themselues to prayer know both what to doe and where to finde succour for they continue calling vpon God till those raging and vntamed floods of trouble be gone and God send deliuerance from his holy habitation in heauen Vse 2 A terrour to those who neither speake to God for blessings not runne to him in trouble Such beside the brand of Atheisme that they beare in their mouthes full of the dishonour of God and emptie of his reuerence haue no promise to be deliuered out of any aduersitie and stand in state of damnation with all that call not vpon God They cannot say with the three children of God in the fierie ouen Our God whom we serue
gorgeously with the new man in newnesse of life All old age then cannot be called happie nor all happie that Vse 1 come to gray haires in the life of old men and women for some by their sinnes of youth and age turne the blessing of olde age into a troublesome curse of many griefes aches and other paines in their bones and some haue nothing to commend them but that their yeares haue beene many and that all of their time are gone but the white haires of such are as so many shames of their age for what credit is it to be able to say I haue liued thus long for my selfe and thus little for God or I am old in time and an infant in knowledge b Esa 65.20 full of dayes and emptie of grace knowing many in my time and neuer knowing God or my selfe to this day Is not the blessing here turned into a curse and haue such attained to that age which Salomon calleth the crowne of glory being found in the way of righteousnesse Prou. 16.31 A terrour to vicious old men that haue nothing but the haires Vse 2 of age wanting the vertue that maketh it honorable For such if they loose their reuerence loose but that which they are not worthy of Hauing the signe without the thing signified Also they shall answer to God for a long time where the wicked that dye yong haue lesse to answer for And they crosse the commandement that saith Rise vp before the hoare head Leuit. 19.32 For they discharge the reuerence of yong men toward them by growing in yeares of sinne Or would they haue yong men to honour gray haires wherein is nothing but contumely and dishonour So where God hath annexed honour they vntie it where he hath bound they vndoe Which is not spoken to animate yong men to contemne gray haires in any though neuer so vicious For age deserues honour by Gods ordinance in the worst not that they are worthy but because it deserueth regard as doth the calling in a bad-liu'd Minister Honour therefore they must haue though not the double honour due to those who are old and godly and who haue liued long and long good The last promise followeth And shew him my * Or make him see it saluation TO see Gods Saluation in the Prophets phrase is to know by experience how great it is in our owne Saluation and therefore some reade I will offer him my saluation giuing the meaning rather then the words Here we see it darkely as in a glasse 1. Cor. 13.12 Hereafter we shall see it as it is Here wee see it by faith and Christ with it by the b Gospel also by feeling when we perceiue the power of Christ Ioh. 8.31 32 and spirit which Christ sendeth to worke mortification in vs and true holinesse Ephes 3. Phil. 3.10 And these two sights of saluation are offered to the inward spirituall eye here hereafter we shall see more further God calleth this saluation His because he is author of it and giueth it Or because it is from Him and by his gift only But first this shew of saluation in the eyes of our minde shining brightly to vs through the darke cloud of troubles doth in this life much cheare vs vp in afflictions and this meditation of the life to come is as Sugar in our cup to sweeten them with The Doctrine is that the consideration of eternall life which by hope we waite for Doctr. and by faith are possessed of here is a present remedie in afflictions or like the tree which God shewed Moses where with he sweetned the waters of Marah that is the waters which for their bitternesse were called so Exod. 15.23.25 for the tree of life cast into these bitter crosses of our troublesome times here doth very much alter these waters of Marah and make them pleasant that is sweete to our minde and spirituall â—aste with this confidence Dauid layd vp his flesh in hope Psal 16.9 that is thinking to dye was comforted much in death and had great security in his flesh knowing that it should stand before God and that the same Lord that watched ouer him for the present would guide him to immortalitie This taste of the promises was in his minde and would not goe out of his hope and therefore doubted not the saluation that God had shewed him with the like resolution Moses spiced the rebukes of Christ to the taste of his soule and endured the crosse patiently because he knew by faith that better riches were prepared for him then the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.24 25 26 27. The text sayth Hee sawe him that was inuisible or God had shewed him his saluation This was it that staied all quiuerings of flesh in those notable worthies spoken of in the eleuenth to the Hebrews they knew that they so rested in the hands of God that no death could pull them from him and they had an eye to the recompence of reward thus they comfortably digested their crosses by feelin the life of saluation The reasons They knew that God did call them by such troubles as by the Reason 1 common way of Christians Act. 14.22 to his rest and that for short afflictions they should haue long life in his presence 2 Cor. 4.17 or they considered that all troubles temporall were to them in mercie but as worme-wood or some bitter thing to waine them from the brest of the world that they should not minde earthly things too much which rightly considered could not but carie their loue to better things prepared for them in another world and louing their other life what would they not endure to come vnto it Secondly the best were most miserable if they had hope onely Reason 2 in this life 1 Cor. 15.19 but because their hope is led forward by better promises in matters which they see with spirituall eyes therefore they faint not in afflictions 2 Cor. 4.16 Thirdly the prise incourageth those that runne so to runne Reason 3 that they may obtaine and yet this is but of a corruptible crowne we runne in afflictions and not vncertainely nor for a corruptible crowne but for an vncorruptible of glorie and shall not a better prise or the wager of better things to come swallow all paines that we can take in comming to Christ it is the Apostles owne comparison 1 Cor. 9.24 Vse 1 An instruction to be well acquainted with this blessed sight of Gods saluation in our daies of peace and before troubles come so shall we better and with more joy and patience endure them when they come when God brings vnto vs the cup of affliction if we haue this sugar of the meditation of heauenly life to sweeten it with what can offend vs If Pestilence be sent if sharpe sicknesses for our triall if death threaten vs we haue a remedie set by vs that will cure all these and that is the saluation that wee waite for for by it we know that