they would remember how Ieroboam was smitten euen when he stretched out his hand to smite that they would remeÌ„ber the suddaine hand-writing with sauced Belshazzers sacriligious banquet Surely though sudden vengeance did not meet with vs in this life yet did we remember that for all theise things we must come to iudgment and that our iudgmeÌ„t shall come suddenly in the hower that we know not It would make vs be watchfull euen euery hower that so though it be sudden yet it may not be sudden vnto vs as being ready prepared in some measure therevnto And seeing the suddenes of a iudgment breedes great distractioÌ„ takes away time of councell or resolution as this should teach vs not to be afraid of sudden death If so be that we haue been by an holy life prepared therevnto neither to censure others for dying suddenly seeing wee haue sufficient testimony of their former liues so it should be a very fayre warning vnto vs not to put of our repentance vnto the time of our deathes least the horrour and suddenes of that messenger distract vs in our reckoning and so we be surprised before we haue made euen with our God And seing the suddeÌ„nes of a iudgment is herein onely a note of Gods wrath in that it findes the wicked vnprepared thervnto as we are therefore not to pray further against suddaine iudgments then that they may not finde vs vnprepared so are we not to distrust of Gods mercie though we be suddenly met with all if so be that our soules haue formely been prepared to temptations Onely we may rather wish if it so please the Lord to see the plague before it cometh that so fearing therod we may depart from euill and therby either remooue or sanctifie the iudgment vnto vs. Certainly as confindence in sinne makes euery iudgment suddaine so feare in the sence of our iniquities preparing vs to the end doth thereby effect that no scourge shal be sudden vnto vs As for the the wicked it is not so with them their confidence in sinne makes them secure and their security breedes a sudden iudgment And thus doth the Lord confound their wisedome in consulting and deliberating aduisedly of their mischiefs against the saints by comming vpon theÌ„ with his sudden iudgments But this is not all For though the iudgment be sudden and so take them vnprepared yet it may be slow and moderate and so giue theÌ„ time of preparation euen while the scourge is vpon them To preuent this the holy Ghost addeth that their stroake shall be at once That is their Iudgment shal be as speedie in executing as it was sudden in surprising that so not taking time before to prepare themselues now the swiftnesse and greeuousnesse of the Plague may take away time of preparation afterward and so conuincing iustly their former abuse of the time past doth thereby exclude them from all hope of mercie for the time to come yea this speedinesse of the iudgement implying also the sharpenesse and terrour of it doth hereby make to their greater confusion as being not able to vndergoe so extreame a scourge Their stroakes shall be at once Behold heere a second point of Gods wisedome and power in the punishments of the wicked hee will bee a swife witnesse against them to take them in their sinne and take away from them oportunitie of repentance that so his wrath may be powred out in full measure vpon them Surely a most holy and righteous course not onely hereby to confound their policie in deuising many snares as seeing them now all broken as it were with one stroake but further also to consume such fearefully who thought all plagues too little against the Annointed of the Lord. So doth the Lord threateÌ„ the wicked as with sudden so with speedie Iudgements vpon the wicked saith the holy Ghost he shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempest this is the portion of their cuppe all which are both sudden and speedie plagues making quicke riddance where once they take hold So hath the Lord executed from time to time when once the date of his patience hath been expired towards them So was hee long before hee reckoned with the oldworld an hundred and twentie yeares time gaue hee them to make vp their account but when he came to Iudgement in lesse than halfe a yeare did hee accomplish his fierce wrath and swallowed vp in that short time excepting onely righteous Noah and his children together with the other vnreasonable creatures that were reserued for future generation euen all the Nations and creatures of the earth So did the Lord deale with Sodâ—me and Gomorrha he rayned vpon them fire and brimstone and so with one stroake made a full end of them so that affliction did not arise the second time And howsoeuer he deales not generally thus with all sorts of sinners yet because the sinne of Treason is a monstrous and capitall offence neerely touching his Maiestie as challenging his power and spurning at his gouernement therefore hath he vsed to meet with this sin aboue all others in this fearefull and speedie manner So did hee iustifie his seruant Moses in that propheticall challenge which hee made against these desperate Rebels Corah Dathan and Abiram putting it to this tryall for the approbation of his calling that if these men died the common death of all men then the Lord had not spoken by him the Lord I say iustified herein the authoritie of his seruant and confounded their vnnaturall Rebellion by a strange and woonderfull iudgement answerable thereunto For as they were vnnaturall and would not endure a superiour ouer them so the earth became vnnaturall and would no longer endure their burthen but euen left her soliditie to swallow vp such monsters and so conueyed them iustly to the Dominion of hell who would not endure that power which was from heauen So did the Lord meete with that rebellious Absolon by as strange and speedie a iudgement answerable to his sinne making the crowne of his pride his long beautifull haire to be the halter to hang him vp betwixt heauen earth suddenly was he caught vp and speedily was he dispatcht by another who in that murther happily made way for his owne ambition and also for the like fault dranke after of the cup of vengeance Oh that the enemies of gouernement would consider this that in the depth of their consultations to lay many snares for others they would remember that one stroake of Gods vengeance would be too heauie for them Surely the consideration of this that they are not able to endure the wrath of God would bridle and qualifie their malice against the Lords Annointed and mooue them contrarywise to heartie and cheerefull obedience vnto man that so therby they might regaine the fauor of God Certainely if they say in their hearts there is no God and therefore
enough that the things of this life restored vnto them Wel let vs bee wise in the examining of our own hearts heereby certainely whatsoeuer wee ioy in aboue the Lord it shall be the meanes to bring a curse vpon that blessing and so bee the occasion that in the end it shall be taken from vs that wee which would not reioyce aright in GOD shall now haue nothing wherein truely to reioyce But if so bee that wee haue so reioyced in the principall blessings that in steed of them the other haue beene vile vnto vs certainely this will teach vs to ioy in them though these bee taken from vs and beeing wise with the blessed Salomon to preferre the greater blessings we shall haue the lesse also cast ouer and aboue into the rekoning vnto vs that so our ioy may be full wanting nothing and so vsing the lesse that wee do not set our hearts vpon them but are able to extend our ioy vnto the giuer of them wee shall by this meanes beeing found faithfull in a little bee made stewardes of greater blessings that so returning all vnto our God in that small measure which we enioy in this life he may be all in all vnto vs in an heaped vp measure in the life to come And thus ordering our ioy shall wee find it to bee in the Lord and so shall wee also find it by the right measure thereof proportioned both according to the things wee doe inioy as they doe exceede each other in worth and excellencie and also to the right vse and imployment thereof So doeth our Sauiour giue his disciples the rule when he had giuen them that excellent gift of subduing all aduerse power But reioyce not in this that the Spirits are subdued vnto you but reioyce rather that your names are written in heauen therein not forbidding them to reioyce at all in these excellent gifts for they were great blessings of GOD and therefore they might lawfully reioyce in them but teaching them therein a true measure of their ioy that they should more reioyce in the more excellent blessings The best apprehension of this right measure shall bee gained by the discouerie of two extreames either of reioycing too much when the cause doth not require or of reioycing too little if the matter be of moment Wouldst thou know in this deliuerance howe thou maiest reioyce too much If it hath not bettered thee in the way to heauen If thou hast not answered the end of a deliuerance euen to serue thy God more conscionably in newnesse of life If thou art so set vpon thy lyes and bound in the seate of the scorners that thou hatest to bee reformed for all these mercies though all things are renewed vnto thee yet thou remaynest in thine olde sinnes If it bee not more ioy vnto thee to doe righteously then to receiue good at the hands of GOD Why takest thou the name of GOD in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed wretch that thou art what hast thou to doe with ioy that still reioycest in thy sinne Thou maiest well say vnto laughter thou art madde and vnto ioy depart farre from mee Surely any ioy in this case is too much vnto thee Wouldest thou haue a president to direct thee heerein when the Lord had deliuered the Iewes from the handes of the Ethiopians it is recorded by the holy Ghost that Asa their King beeing incouraged by the prophets of the Lord the First worke that hee did was to purge the land of all it abhominations And so performed true thankefulnesse vnto his GOD in deedes and not in wordes Afterwardes hee gathered togither all the remainder of the people to Ierusalem to offer sacrifice vnto the Lord and to make a couenant with him of most faithfull seruice Which when they had performed in most solemne and effectuall manner and bound themselues further to the same by an oath yea further by a most grieuous penaltie of death for default therein The Spirit witnesseth that all Iudah reioyced at the oath and therevpon followed a most comfortable blessing that the Lord gaue them rest round about Marke I pray you in this example the true vse and intertainment of a deliuerance Heere is sinne first remoued which was the cause of the former danger that so the like might not after befall them Then heere is a course taken to preuent sinne to come by most euident signes of true conuersion vnto GOD that so they might inioy both temporall and spirituall happienesse And then when the Lord was first made glad with the conuersion of his seruants and when the Angells had cause of ioy for the repentance of sinners then came ioy in a right order from heauen vnto earth and the vessells beeing thus fitted to receaue this heauenly influence the holy Ghost recordeth that the people reioyced and showted euen vp to heauen as making a sweete consent therein with God and the Angels Oh neuer let vs looke to reioyce aright in earth if by our vnfained sorrow for sinne we haue not caused ioy in heauen And if so be wee haue reioyced before the couenant bee made know wee that our ioy is vnseasonable and too much if any The very ioy of the Dragons shall be better accepted of God then the reioycing of such sinners that proceedes not from repentance Oh let vs haue respect at least vnto our Seede and posteritie Doe wee know what we doe by this entertainement of a deliuerance as to reioyce therein without reformation of our liues Surely wee prouoke the Lord to hate our feast dayes hee hath protested hee will not smell in our solemne assemblies But doe they prouoke mee sayeth the Lord and not rather themselues to the confusion of their faces Yes surely as our Sauiour would doe no more workes in his owne countrey because of their vnbeleefe so let vs not looke hereafter for the like wonderfull worke of GOD if this bee the best fruite the multiplying of our sinnes and then consider what wrong wee shall doe vnto posteritie from whome wee shall bee the occasion to take such great mercies and so expose them vnto such fearefull desolations as follow therevpon To leade thee a little further in the examining of thy selfe concerning thy exceeding in this measure of ioy art thou deliuered and therefore thou mayest reioyce Oh but remember that Ioseph is in affliction and therefore thou must sorrow too If therefore thou canst not bee more sorrowfull in the sorrow of the afflicted then ioyfull in respect of thine owne priuate good surely thy reioyfing is not good Thou takest too much ioye vnto thy selfe and giuest too little sorrow vnto the cause of thy brother To lead thee yet a step further in the examining of thine excesse Is the Church of God deliuered and therefore thou mayest reioyce Oh but remember the Apostles rule in a case not vnlike As hee would not
they willingly imparted to Idolatrie shall at the day of Iudgement giue sentence against vs. A third carnall means to encourage the wicked in their traiterous purposes is the hope of such honors and preferments as may afterward befall them Great is the abiectnesse which is incident into pride and the slauerie which ambition is subiect vnto is intollerable What wickednesse is there which the hope of honour will not digest what danger is there which it will not cause to aduenture Let our first Parents be but tickled with this hope that they shall be like vnto God and they will not sticke to commit that whereby they become subiect to the Diuell Let Diotrephes haue this spurre and hee will easily make shipwracke of a good conscience Oh that our climing heads would consider this that such pleasant baites haue such deadly hooks And seing there is an eternall weight of glorie reserued for vs in the heauens which onely may bee compassed by good and holy means Oh that the hope of a certain and euer-during honour might so far prouoke vs to well-doing as the hope of this vaine and transitorie shadow preuaileth with the wicked to whet theÌ„ on to euill Well let vs trie our selus hereby least otherwise they condemne vs in the day of Christ. And so much of the Carnall meanes Now it followeth that we speake of the spirituall means By spirituall meanes we vnderstand such whereby the mind and conscience is in some sort resolued and seemingly satisfied but indeed deceiued in the doing of so great and outragious mischiefes For in vaine should Satan offer all these carnall meanes to perswade the attempting of such monstrous and horrible actions vnto those that pretend conscience and boast of exquisitie perfection in all their actions if now the conscience were vtterly vnresolued in the lawfulnes thereof What policy then doth Satan vse to perswade the conscience Surely as he is the Lords executioner to blind the minds of such who not obaying the truth are therefore iustly giuen ouer to be deceiued by strange delusions so as God of this world doth he blind the minds of Infidels not only making theÌ„ to shut their eies against the truth but further also infatuating their iudgments that they shal call darkenesse light and light darkenesse and so their iudgements being peruerted he worketh vpon their affections not onely to mooue them to doe such things as are most inconuenient but further so to flatter themselues in the doing thereof that in so doing they shall doe God good seruice So hath that great deceauer bewitched his followers not onely perswading the lawfulnes of that act of the murthering of Princes although contrary to the word of God and common law of nature and equitie but further aduancing the fact to an high degree of merit yea aduancing the authors if they will beleeue him to an extraordinarie measure of glorie for this their abhominable act of the murther of Princes And that nothing may be wanting to encourage them thereunto Behold he hath his Buls to release them of their loyaltie as if hee were able to loose that on earth which is bound in heauen and that their disobedience may not be discouered here serue his dispensations to tolerate their obedience so long till oportunitie shal serue to effect their mischiefe And when the wickednesse is to be accomplished behold then he bindes them to the same euen by the straightest bonds of their religion We read of the souldiers that lay in wait for Paul that they bound themselues by an oath that they would not eat before they bad depriued him of his life But this man of sinne is not content only with an oath but their vowes must further be in heauen as Parry acknowledgeth yea to make vp the measure of their wickednesse Behold they must confirme themselues by the sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus that so they may more desperatly shed the blood of the Lords Annointed Oh that we were wise to consider these things That seing the verdict of the coÌ„science is the warrant of euery action and yet the conscience may be so informed as to giue ayme to such vile and abhominable practices wee would therefore labour for the true information of the conscience that so it maye giue in a right verdict Certainly as there is no knowledge to the worde of God so there is none to this to informe the conscience And seing that obedience to this blessed word of God is the only meanes to haue this sauing knowledge continued vnto vs labour wee in the feare of God to make conscience of this obedience that so the conscience may not be giuen vp to such strong delusions And seeing that the knowledge of the Gospell is the doctrine of obedience oh let vs not harken to that diuelish polycy which sayth that where the people are ignorant there they may be best ruled but where they are full of knowledge there they grow busie and will prooue seditious But let vs endeauour that the word of God may dwell plentifully among vs that therin performing obedience vnto God we may also be blessed in our obedience vnto man Let it no more be said that ignorance is the mother of deuotion but let it now appeare that ignorance is the mother of rebellion And if this be a case of conscience to lay hands vpon the Lords annoynted Oh let vs take â—â—ede of the cloake of religion which may be a broker to such vile practices Let vs not feare the curses of such an accursed religion whose vowes and sacraments imployed to the strengthening and encouraging of such damnable mischeifes do necessarily draw downe a curse not a blessing therevpon Yea detest we vtterly such an abhominable religion whose foundation is treason and whose practice is blood-sheding And in the name of God proceede wee couragiously to the rooting out thereof that so the more they curse and rage against the Lords ordinance the more the Lord may blesse and prosper the same the more they fome and breake out in the discouerie of their damnable enterprizes the more may they rypen and make vp the measure of their sinne that so the Lord may consume theÌ„ with the power of his coÌ„ming Distrust we from hence forth all popish holines which is to be approoued and gained by such impious practices And seeing this is the fruite of all forraine subiection from the bottome of our hearts renounce we all such vsurped power which thus exaltes it selfe aboue all that is called God thus controwling the woorde and abusing the meanes of Gods worship to such horrible purposes presumeth and iustifyeth the remoouall of the Lords annoynted It followeth They commune togeather to lay snares priuily and say who shall see them Behold here a second policie whereby the wicked confirme them selues in their desperate practices against the Lords Annoynted namely
staues end though happily his malice might hereby bee encreased yet seeing his sinne is by this meanes ripened when the Haruest is ripe the sickle shal be put in his practises shal be so 〈◊〉 from preuailing against vs as that the pit which hee hath digged hee shall fall into himselfe his owne sâ—ord shall enter into his owne heart and his bowe shall bee broken and in the sâ—are which hee priuily layes for vs shall his owne foote bee taken It followeth And they haue accoÌ„plished that which they sâ—ught for c. The meaning is that they are perswaded secretly in their soules that what they haue deuised shall surely take effect Noting vnto vs their presumptâ—ous confidence and building vpon these their plots pâ—lices A thing verie vsuall in the practices of the wicked to proâ—ise theÌ„ selues vndoubtedly good successe therein not onely in regard of their naturall corruption whereby they are apt to conceaue highly of their owne deuises especially caried in such stroâ—g and yet secret manner but principally the iustice of God is seen herein who giuing them vp to this resolute coÌ„fidence doth thereby prepare the way to their more fearefull confusion So did the enemie secure themselus against the Lords Annoynted that they had already deuoured him as hauing so hemd him in with their secret and manifold snares that he could not possible escape yea for the further confirming themselues in this confidence because his onely protection was from God therefore so farre did they proceed in this presumption that measuring the fauour of God by outward prosperity they concluded herevpon falsely vpon some light affliction that did befall him A mischeife is light vpon him he that lieth shall no more rise and their reason is God hath forsaken him wherevpon they encouradge themselues in most confident manner come let vs pursue and take him for their is none to deliuer him Yea so blasphemously confident grow they herein as building vpon the strength and effectuallnes of their snares that they euen make a mocke at the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his refuge and as if so be god were not able to deliuer out of their hands they deryde his confidence in the Lord his God saying he trusted in God let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing hee loueth him Implying thereby most impiously that they had him so sure that his confidence in God should not deliuer him out of their hands Thus did Senacharib open his mouth against heauen when he sent his messenger vnto Hezechiah saying Let not thy God deceaue thee in whime thou trustest c. Imploying that the Lord could not deliuer him out of his hands Thus did the mother of Sisera flatter her selfe when shee looked out of the window and sayd why is his chariot so long a coÌ„ming why tarie the wheeles of his chariot expecting indoubtedly her sons returne with victorie and thus did her wise Ladyes answeare her with owne wordes haue they not gotten and they diuide the spoyle c. shewing also their confidence in the good successe of the battaile And surely if we shall consider the hopes of our enemies concerning the good successe of their desperate attempts as their micheifes haue not been short of any so their confidence also hath been with the best For was not the Nauie which was sent against vs in 88. entitled the Inuincible Armadoe as if no force were able to scatter it And did not their Friars tauntingly and most blasphemously preach that they had Pope and Diuell and all to fight for them but the Hugnenots and Lutherans had none but God to stand on their fide as if hee were no bodie to withstand them had they not diuided the spoyle in conceit before they sawe the shoare which should haue been gayned had they not brought whips and other instruments of torture to execute their crueltie vpon vs as if they made account to be maisters of the field And surely consider wee the practises at this time and we shall see their confidence to haue been encreased with their malice and their mouths euen desparately opened against heauen for the confirming them more assuredly in their bloody expectation If we shall remeÌ„ber the exceeding insolency and pride of these enemyes for some few moneths before the entended execution of their practices a thing not neglected by carefull heads what did it speake vnto vs but their confidence in the successe thereof Was it not written to that honorable Lord that it was decreed by God men to punish the iniquitie of the time therein both making the Lord a party in this their damnable enterprice also thereby building so certainly vpon the accomplishment theirof as if it were the decree of God himselfe What preparacions they had made for the aduancement of themselues execution of the faithfull after the terrible blowe should be giueÌ„ their sumptuous apparell store of bloody weapons proclamations and such like all in a readynes as if the thing were done did it not most liuely dâ—scouer their confidence that they had accomplisht that which they sought for If we would know what might bee the reason of such presumption and desperate confidence let vs consider the resolution of their conscience which though erronious yet hereby the stroÌ„glier conâ—eited the more obstinatly presumptuous in the successe of it owne apprehension Let vs remember their apprehension of the cause for which they take the quarrell in hand which being in their deceiued iudgments so iust yea meritorious must needs puffe theÌ„ vp with confident hope of good successe therein Adde we herevnto the approbation of this fact not onely by the conscience at home but by the Lord of their conscience abroad whose oracles they esteme as the oracles of God yea whome they worshipe aboue all that is called God therefore no maruaile if they match his decrees with the decrees of the most high and say it is decreed by God and men And hauing so sure a warrant as they thinke for the attempting of their mischiefs is it any wonder if they promise exceeding good successe vnto themselues therein Were it onely the policy which they haue vsed in the managing of their practices their encouragmeÌ„ts to strengthen their secrery to entrapp their manifold snares to wearie out surely these so notable policyes concurring thus together must needs giue spirit to their hopes and confidence to their practices That seing they are so strong that none is able to match them how can it bee but they should preuaile seeing so secret that none can see them how can it be that any should auoyd them seing they are neuer wearie in deuising of mischiefes how should any at length not be ouer wearied by them But aboue all the wisedome and power of God is here in most euident who meaning to giue his enemies a terrible blow not only
and bin compelled to acknowledge his power therein if they haue abhorred disclaimed the same outwardly with an vtter detestation nay if God haue so opened some of their eies hereby that in the glasse of this iniquity they haue seene the Mistery of Popery and so either for Feare as sometimes did the heathen vpon a like occasion or for conscience haue seene the trueth and imbrace it Certenly these shal one day rise vp in iudgement against vs if we shall eyther bury in forgetfulnesse or depraue in malice or in enuie diminish if either we shall for feare conceale or in policie suppresse this great power of God Nay if wee shall not be confirmed in the trueth by such wonderfull mercies of God if these shall not be meanes to make 〈◊〉 detest popery and no longer to glose with it which are thus able to turne the hearts of our enemies let vs looke that they shal depriue vs of the benefit of this deliuerance and reape the haruâ—st which God hath sowed for vs well let thus teach vs not to come short of an Atheist least otherwise he goe before vs in the kingdome of heauen If the Lord exalt his wonderfull workes vpon vs let vs be lifted vp in the name of God to a due contemplation of them that so beholding the mercie and Iustice of God in the same our eies may be messengers vnto the the mouth to speake of the wonderfull workes of GOD. Certenly if the eye hath effectually conueyed the obiect to the heart to affect it therewith the heart like a full vessell which cannot hold out of it aboundant apprehension will informe the mouth to declare vnto others the wonderfull workes of God and as Andrew when hee had seene his Sauiour could not holde his peace but hee must needes goe tell Simon that he had seene the Messiah that he also might be partaker of him so shall the thorough view of such mercies which the Lord hath bestowed vpon thee open thy mouth to declare them vn to others that they also may come and see how gratious the Lord is and together with thee may bee partakers of his mercies For so it followeth And declare the worke of God Behold heere a second effect of great deliuerances they shall open mens mouthes to speake thereof And that for two endes both that the righteous confessing and acknowledging the worke of God might hereby performe some parte of thankefulnesse for the same the reprobate being thus compelled to acknowledg the greatnesse of Gods mercy vnto his Church might the more be conuinced in that they will not be reconciled to the same so saith the holy Ghost concerning the poore man that is deliuered They shall looke vppon him and runne to him and their faces shall not to ashamed saying a This poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles by the contemplation of Gods mercy vnto his seruant they shall now bee encouraged to come vnto him who before stood a farre of for feare of his plague and now ioying with the redeemed of the Lord they shall concurre with him in acknowledging the mercies of the Lord yea saith the spirit they shal not now be ashamed and confounded as if he had beene deuoured they might haue had cause but one the contrary they shal be confirmed in their calling by the experience of this deliuery of his seruant and be comforted by the same euen in the like occasion of their owne that they shal be partaker of the like mercies So when the righteous shall see the vengaunce thus inflicted vpon the wicked and shall see himselfe escaped thus out of the snare and the wicked falne thereunto he shall say verily their is a reward for the righteous that is not one but all the righteous shal be recompensed by the Lord yea hee shall collect from the experience of this deliueraunce in hand that their is a reward for the righteous yet in store a full deliuerance out of all troubles So with the Apostle Paul in the like case wheÌ„ he had witnessed how the Lord had deliuered him in the 17. ver that he concludes in the 18. And the Lord shall deliuer mee from euery euil worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome And as the righteous shall say thus for the comfort of his soule so shall he further say to the glory of his God doubtlesse their is a God that Iudgeth the earth out of question the iudge of all the world will doe right in deliuering the soules of his seruants and clothing his enemies with perpetuall shame and confusion Thus shall the mercies of God open the mouthes of his children to giue him the glory and to comfort themselues in the meditation thereof And thus also shall the mouthes of Atheists be opened by the same that their mouthes may be for euer stopped and confounded thereby at that great day so witnesseth the spirit concerning the deliueraunce of the Iewes out of the captiuity that the verie Heathen spake thereof and said the Lord had donne great thinges for them to their iust confusion who yet refused to ioyne with them so haue the Aduersaries beene compelled to confesse that the Lord hath Fought for vs to their greater confusion who yet afterward would fight against God Nay behold here a further meanes to the confusion of the wicked When the Lord had deliuered his seruant Daniell from the iawes of the Lyons the sight of so wonderfull a worke did so affect that heathen Monarch as that hee not onely proclaimes the power of God but further also enioynes by a solemne edist that the GOD of Daniel shall be reuerenced and acknowledged and yet all this to his further condemnation because Idolatry was yet continued and maintayned And so no doubt haue our aduersaries abroad and enimies at home beene enforced to speake of Gods wonderfull mercies towards vs. And yet behold a further meanes herein for the condemnation of the wicked When Saul obserued the admirable prouidence of God not onely in deliuering his seruant Dauid out of his hands but in deliuering him to be a prey euen to him that was persecuted his mouth was further opened to his iust condemnation loe he is inforced to iustifie the seruant of God and to condemne himselfe Thus said hee vnto Dauid thou art more righteous then 〈◊〉 for thou hast rendred me Good I haue rendred thee euil oh what a coÌ„fort is it here to the seruaÌ„ts of God that wisdome shall not onely be iustified of her children but euen of her enemies our very aduersaries shall giue testimony vnto the goodnesse of our cause oh what a terror is this vnto the wicked that they shall thus desperately fight against the light of their owne consciences that when they see that the Lord doth maintaine his owne cause and when they haue beene compelled to
acknowledge that our cause is Gods yet they shall continue their malice against so good a cause yet they shall thus desperately fight against heauen and prouoke the holy one of Israel to their iust confusion And yet behold the Lord will open their mouthes further to their fearefull condemnation euen by the gratious deliuerances that he performeth vnto his children It was much that Saul should iustifie the innocencie of Dauid wonderfull was the Lord herein to wring from a reprobate the approbation of his seruant and very holy herein was the Iustice of God in discouering this wilfull obstinacy of a cast-away that so hee might prepare him thereby to his further condemnation But all this while innocency though it were praised yet it went a begging Dauid might be promised a kingdome yet was not sure of his life Nay for the safegard of it he is driueÌ„ to a narrow shift euen in a sort to venture his innocency it selfe So are Gods children to seeke of that which is theirs in hope that God may haue the glory of what they do enioy so doth the Lord prepare his to the obtaining of a blessing that comming vnto it at so hard a rate they might more highly prize it when they shall obtaine But did not the Lord heere giue his seruant some token that hee would recompence him according to his innocency yea surely the Lord that opened the mouth of his enemy to giue testimony vnto the one hee also opened the same to be a Prophet of the other HarkeÌ„ my beloued woÌ„der at the prouidence of God I know saith Saule that thou shalt be King and that the kingdome of Israel shal be established in thy hand Loe here Saule is amonge the Prophets to declare glad tidings to the Saints to speak feareful things against themselues Harken howe the wife of Haman becomes a prophetesse vnto her husband of the deliuerance of the Church and a swift witnesse of the destruction of the enemies thereof If Mordecay saith she be of the seede of the Iewes before whom thou hast begunne to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt surely fall before him Marke I pray you the ground of this prophecye the wicked haue begunne to fall before the righteous nation some vpper hand haue they had against their enemies what doth this infidell collect herevpon surely the wicked shall fall more and more before the righteous till at lenght the righteous shal haue dominion ouer them in the morning Wouldst thou then haue a token that thine enemies shal be confounded consider then howe from time to time they haue fallen before thee certeÌ„ly if thou be of the seed of the Iewes and of that royall generation thou shalt one day haue all thine enemies thy footstoole Wouldst thou haue a further euidence to confirme this vnto thee behold the Lord shall open the mouth of thine enemie to bewray their fainting spirits that so thou maist be comforted as Gideons Souldiers were by this testimony of thine enemies that the Lord shal giue them vp into thy hands and thou shalt make a ful end of them Oh but thou wilt say how can these things stand together Saul tells Dauid he shall certenly be King and yet hee continues persecuting him to take away his life from him May not this be a policy to make him secure that he may the more easily seaze vpon him I see indeed will the weake Christian say that God hath deliuered his church from time to time I heare euen the enemie giuing ouer for a time as confessing with the Pharesie Behold we preuaile nothing against him for all the world runneth after him and yet I see the aduersaries are in hope stil I see they are stil practising and plotting against the soules of the righteous what may I conceaue hereof may I not iustly feare with Dauid that I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul that at length these aduersaries shall obtaine their desire against the church and therevpon resolue rather vpon some indirect course to corrupt my conscience or abate of my sincerity that so glosing with them I might finde fauour in their sight Oh stay here whosoeuer thou art that shalt be thus affected giue mee the hearing a while to satisfie thee herein Tell me I pray thee why doth Sathan our maine aduersary so violently and incessantly persecute the Church of GOD doth not the spirit giue thee the reason because his time is short if thou therefore seest the instruments of Satan still to rage more fiercely against the spouse of Christ know thou for a certenty that their time is but short and that thou maist not want a prophesie to confirme thee herein consider but what their desperate practises doe speake vnto thee If they were not affraid to loose their kingdome if they had not a presage in their conscience that Christs Kingdome would one day preuaile surely they would be still and follow their flesh potts they would not so persecute and plot as they doe they would not thus spend their goods and venture their liues and all against the poore Church of God Alas it is not for Christs kingdome what pretence soeuer they haue for they haue said plainelie We will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs. But the trueth is to holde their own Here is the matter the Iewes had this Oracle from their Father the Deuill that if they let Christ alone the Romanes would come and take away their Kingdome And therefore they resolue that Christ must bee persecuted his death must be the life of their vsurped power their conscience told them that they were but vsurpers the very life and holy conuersation of Christ was a manifest conuiction and condemnation of them so that their conscience told them that Christ Iesus was that holy one whom they ought to haue obeyed and yet their hypocrysie replyed if wee giue him honour wee shall loose ours and so their deuilish policy concluded to their owne confusion better one perish then our whole Kingdome goe downe faine would they haue done him homage so he would haue serued their turne to Daube vp their hypocrisie and vnderproppe their toâ—tering Kingdome but yet because they saw his course to bee cleane contrary a sharpe reprouer of their hipocrisie and a mayne beaterdowne of their carnall pompe and vanity hereupon against their conscience they followed their persuite against him and doe you marke herein how their Father deceiued them their practises against the sonne of God made way to his Glory and the redemption of mankind and so proued the occasion of the ouerthrow of their kingdome So doth the Lord Confound the wisdome of the wise and turneth their malice vpon their owne pates In like sort the aduersaries of the Church haue carried themselues A kingdome they haue vsurped vpon by the power of Sathan and through his Subtilty and violence they haue seazed vpon the Lords
inheritance and exalted themselues in the temple of God aboue all that is called God so that a man would thinke they neede feare no downefall as hauing with Tyrus built their nâ—sts so high Oh but al this honour is nothing vnto them so long as Mordakie wil not bowe vnto them there is a little flocke which is a great â—oâ—â— in their eye as being founded vpon that stone â—â—wen out without hands which as the Lord hath prophesied so their consciences are conuinced withall That it shall breake in peeces whatsoeuer exalteth it selfe against God If Mordakie would bowe to Hamon and the Saints of God worship their God Mauzzim if the corner stone would endure their hay and stubble and such like trumpery then happily it should not bee pushed at And yet by your leaue there is no trusting to them in this case if eyther their be any Opposition against their ambition or their hope of spoile and pillage therby heere the goods of Papists are a like hereticall as those of Hugunots and the most deuoted popelings soonest made their prey so litâ—le do they esteeme religion in respect of their lusts so easily may we may perceiue the cause of all their quarrells And yet that they may not want a visor to deceiue themselues and others religion must be the colour the crosse must be the standard and the Church and Saints of God must goe downe because they are not profitable an aduantage vnto them Thus because the spouse of Christ cannot indure the wages and habite of the harlot because there is no halting betwixt two opinions but wee must stand for God and him alone seeing Dagon cannot stand before the Arke of God and the Kingdome of Christ will certenly confound the purple Strumpet Therefore doeth shee band her selfe with the Kings of the earth against the Lord and against his annointed makes continual war with the Saints of God But wil you see with what Issue Certenly to the exceeding good profit of the church which is continually Watred with the blood of the Martyrs and by these daily afflictions prepared vnto her bridgrome and to the hastening of their own most woeful and vnavoydable destruction For as the blood of the Saints on the one side crying for vengeance hasteneth the wrath of god vpon theÌ„ so the increase of their malice adding to the measure of their sinne doth at the length bring the same to ripenesse that so the sickle of Gods vengeance might bee put in accordingly Maruaile not therefore if the aduersary increaseth his rage against the Saints of GOD for wot you what his kingdome hath receiued his deaths wound and now the only hope is euen desperate wickednesse And shall I now be cast downe when I see them so desperate No saith our Sauiour when you see these things then lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere I need no truer a prophet of the destruction of Popery then to obserue how it breaketh out into desperate and most barbarous courses for the maintenance thereof neither neede I other weapons to vphold a righteous cause then what the malice of mine enemie shall minister vnto me Onely let vs bee wise to make this vse of these weapons as Hezakiahs did of the letters of Rabshacks let vs not answere these fooles according to their foolishnesse let vs not feare their feare nor fret against their mallice but let vs in the name of God commend the cause vnto God let vs bee sure that for his sake wee suffer these reproches that for him it is we are appointed as sheepe for the slaughter let vs not cast a way our confidence which hath so greate hope of reward but in patience possesse our soules reseruing vengeance for the Lord and committing our selues in well dying into the handes of our faithfull creator and then let vs looke vndoubtedly that hee that is comming will come in the needefull time the snare shal be broken and wee deliuered and our enemies shall full into the pit which they haue digged for vs. Let vs now in a word examine our selues by this second effect of Gods wonderful mercies namely that all men shal declare the worke of God We haue heard how they do open the mouthes of the wicked not onely to acknowledge the greatnesse of the worke but to giue testimony also vnto the power of the workeman yea further to approue the innocency of the saints and lastly to prophecy of the deliuerance of the rightrous and their owne confusion wee haue also heard howe they doe open the mouthes of the saints not onely to cheare vp one another in the worship of GOD and to be confirmed in the sincerity thereof but further to acknowledge the righteous power of God and to prophecy vnto themselues the continuance of Gods mercie for the time to come Uerily there is a reward for the righteous that is the Lord hath stored vp a full recompence for them in that great day Let vs by this make triall howe our mouthes haue beene opened with this greate deliueraunce which GOD hath bestowed vpon vs that so hereby wee may haue matter to discerne our estate surely this worke of God hath beene so wonderfull that if wee should bould our peace the very stones would speake thereof and therefore it is to bee feaâ—ed that the stones one day will rise vp in Iudgement against many whose mouthes haue either beene shut vp as being confounded therewith or opened blasphemously to the dishonour of God so did that bloudie monster open his mouth indeed but it was to the high dishonour of the Almightie when he said that it was not God but the deuill that disclosed so desperate a treason as thinking that God would not hinder so good a worke I pray God he haue not many fellowes thus desperately blinded If any such Athiests or Rebels shall thus open their mouthes against heauen for the discouery of this mischiefe as if their God had deceiued them and so now they will no longer stay vpon him I wish if they belong not vnto the Lord my heartie prayer is that they may bee so deceiued still that that God whom they will not honor in their obedience to his substitute may be honoured in their iust confusion from his presence for euer If any common discourses shall be put into new matter hereby to fill vp the newes at a Table or else where to get himselfe credit and giue others contentment I enuie him not neither doe I forbid him whether it be of enuie or strife vaine glory or vanitie whether of pretence sincerely that this worke be spoken of therein I ioy and therein I will ioy as knowing it shall redound to Gods glory and the good of such whom it doth concerne And I doe wish that all men may speake of this wonderfull worke of God that so God may haue the glory in that all gâ—ue testimonie therevnto and
of him And surely had we only hope in this life wee were not onely liuing of all men most miserable but dying also our hope must needes perish with vs But here is the hope of the Saints that not onely their sufferings shall giue further life to the Church in this world but shall prepare them to a blessed life in the world to come So that now though hee kill vs yet wee will trust in God not onely in that though wee die yet wee shall liue in the posteritie of the Church whiles shee is militant but our light afflictions which are but for a moment they doe cause vnto vs a farre more excellent weight of Glory that wee may triumph for euer with the Saints in heauen Meruailous is our gracious God vnto his children for the confirming of them in the hope of the life to come and that by two especiall meanes both by the inward testimonie of his Spirit approuing so our innocencie that by the power thereof it breaking forth as the light and shining at the no one day though wee die yet by it wee might liue with the saints in grace and further also by the gouernment of the same Spirit soreuiuing his Church and renuing the same in her greatest decayes as that she hath and shall continue her militarie life till the heauēs bee no more and euen then liuing and remayning shall bee caught vp in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so for euer to bee with the Lord. So did the Lord prouide for his seruaint Iob that when hee was wearie of his life yet hee was not wearie of his innocencie and hee yeeldes an excellent reason of it in the 8. verse For what hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped vp riches if God take away his soule Implying thereby that if hee were an hipocrite and had no sound testimonie of his sincerity then indeed if GOD should kill him he could not trust in him then he had no hope if his soule should be taken away But seeing he knew that the liuing Lord had taken away his iudgement because the Almighty had put his soule in bitternesse and the ground of this his sauing knowledge was the testimonie of his innocencie proceeding from the vndoubted worke and euidence of the Spirit Therefore doeth hee cleaue to the testimonie of his good conscience as whe◠by hee was assured not onely to come out of these troubles but further also was bould to professe that Hee knew that his redeemer liued and that hee should see GOD in the flesh Behould the meanes whereby wee liue though wee die and whereby wee are assured that wee shall liue for euer euen the testimonie of our innocencie and vprightnesse of heart And yet behold a further testimonie for the confirmacion of the same Doest thou see the Spirit of GOD ruling in the Church and gouerning so comfortably the troubles of the same that though she die dayly yet shee liues continually Not onely in that though the outward man perish yet the inward man is renued dayly but especially heerein is the continuate life of the Church wonderfull that the bloud of the Martirs becomes the seede of the Church Doest thou heare the wicked say Come let vs vtterly roote them out Do the Godly complaine they haue destroyed all there is no hope and yet doeth the Lord say still concerning the desolations of his Church The roote of the righteous shal not bee remoued Yet therein will I leaue a tenth which shall continewe and shall bee eaten vp as an Elme or an Oake which haue a substance in them when they cast their leaues so the holy seede shal be the substance thereof Though I vtterly destroy all the nations where I haue scattered thee yet I will not vtterly destroy thee but I will correct thee by iudgement and not vtterly cut thee off Are these the promises of thy GOD concerning his spouse that shee shall continue vnto the worlds ende hath the performance of them beene answerable from time to time therevnto that so by the experience of her former preseruation thou maist collect that the Lord will deliuer her to the end and by her wonderfull continuance in this life thou maist further gather her abode for euer in eternall happinesse What canst thou desire more for the confirmation of thine hope then according to thy inward and outward troubles to haue this double Testimony of the spirit both in the protection of the Church without and the inward witnesse vnto thy spirit renued and sanctified to lead thee along with cheerefulnesse in the vndoubted expectation of the reward to come that so thou maiest run with ioy the race that is set before thee and hauing finished thy course obtaine the Crowne of euerlasting happinesse And what can better recompence al thy priuate losses then that thou art weake that the Church of GOD may bee strong that thou art abased that the church may be exalted Yea though it should so fall out that the Church were to bee fetcht againe with thy dearest blood If now thou shalt not set light by any troubles that in this respect may befall thee If nowe thy life shall not be vile vnto the That thou maist fulfill thy course with ioy If this shall not be thy testimonie that thou hast euen beene ready not onely to distribute the Gospell of God vnto thy people for the after groeth of the Church but euen thine owne soule surely neuer looke to approue thy selfe a good sheepheard vnto thy people Neither looke to giue vp thy account with ioy and to shine as a starre in the Firmament for euer Behold how the hope of the Saints concerning the life to come and consider the meanes that giues them life in death euen the testimonie of their innocencie which shall endure for euer and the seede of the Church continuing vnto the end And tell me if there were euer malice like vnto that which would at one blow haue cut off all this hope not onely to depriue the Saints of their righteousnesse whereby they might haue liued in the hearts of the faithfull but so farre as lay in them euen to cut off vtterly the seed of the Church that so there might not be hereafter any succession thereof The Liues of the Saints would not serue their malice but they will haue a deuise to robbe them of their innocencie by laying that on their poore sheepe which the Wolues would haue done It was not the life of the Prince and state which could satisfie their rage No they had vowed vtterly to roote out the name of religion and therefore their proiect was to destroy all Seed that might giue hope to posteritie thereof not onely the royall seede for the after nurserie of the Church but further also the immortall seede of the word yea moreouer to abolish vtterly the seed of the righteous that all hope of posteritie in