wonderfull workes of God And whosoeuer shall duely obserue these great workes of God and shall giue him the reuerence that is due vnto his name for the execution of so great iudgments his mouth shal be opened to declare the worke of God he cannot be silent in a day of so good tydings nay he shall not onely speake of what is done but his vnderstanding shal be convinced that it was not the arme of flesh but the Lords owne doing nay he shall further vnderstand the greatnesse of the deliuerance he shall vnderstand sayth the holy Ghost what God hath done And this vse shall euerie one make of great deliuerances But the righteous who onely hath true interest therein when he hath apprehended in his iudgement the greatnesse of this mercie when hee hath attained in some measure to a large knowledge thereof then shall his heart bee enlarged to reioyce-therein and finding it to be the Lords doing which is maruailous in his eyes this shall bee a meanes to make him trust in God and thereby finding his heart vpright vnto the Lord his God hee shall againe reioyce in the greatnesse of his mercie Thus shall the righteous doe whose hearts are vpright in the Lord. Thus shall a great deliuerance bee entertained by them Now that wee may approoue our selues to bee of the number of these hauing thus briefly deliuered the sum of the Scripture let vs turne backe againe and consider the seuerall lessons therein contained that so we may lay them vnto our hearts as they lye in order and make further applicatiō of them to our building vp in Christ Iesus And first let vs consider the policies whereby Rebels and desperat persons so animate themselues in their traiterous practises that they are fearelesse and exceeding presumptuous in the deuising and prosecuting thereof They encourage them selues c. saith the holy Ghost in a wicked purpose That is they vse all outward and carnall meanes to strengthen and confirme them selues therein that so they may not be daunted driuen from their purposes A policie very vsuall among the wicked in plotting of desperate attempts and indeede uery necessary to the effecting thereof For where the conscience of so great euill must needs disharten them there all outward encouragements will proue litle ynough And herein doth appeare the wisedome of the world that what is wanting in the inward approbation shall outwardly be supplied by carnall comforts But aboue all the cunning of Satan is heere most liuely discouered who purposing to bring thē to confusion by these desperate practises doth therefore oppose these outward encouragements to the inward checkes and discouragements of the conscience that so the checks of the conscience might in some sort be counteruailed and therby neglected and the hart being by this meanes hardned and so in the end made past feeling the wicked may break out more desperately in their attempts as being now possessed with a deadly securitie whereby hauing made vp the measure of their sin when they shall say peace and securitie and feare no euill then shall a suddaine destruction come vpon them and they shall not be able to auoide it Loe heare the wisedome of the wicked in this encouraging of themselues and yet behold a further depth of their wisedome in the meanes and manner of this encouragement and yet all tending to their further confusion These meanes I haue obserued to be of two sorts The first are carnall seruing onely to satisfie the flesh but the second are spirituall pretended to satisfie the minde in these lawlesse and monstrous actions and so to giue colour of iustifying the same The Carnall furtherances to these desperate attempts are of diuers sorts First a combining and vniting of forces together by leagues and associations and that for diuers ends First to giue credite vnto their attempts in regard of the multitude secondly to breed terrour of their purposes as proceeding frō so many lastly that what cannot be don secretly may by force openly be maintained So did the nations of the earth band thēselues against the Lord and against his Annointed So did the Tabernacles of Edom cōspire with the Israelites Moab with the Ammonites Gebal Amelech the Philistines and the rest when they sayd Come let vs cut them off frō being a nation let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance So did the enemies of God combine themselues in that vnholy League euen in our age for the rooting out of the poore Church of God And so did that viperous brood thus incourage it selfe by secret leagues and associations at home and abroad to ruinate and destroy vtterly the most excellent estate of the blood Royall the Church and Common wealth And shall the wicked be thus wise in their generation to strengthen themselues in their mischiefes against God and his Church by combining their forces together and shall not wee which are the children of light much more be knit together in the bond of peace that wee may ioyntly bend our strength against the common enemie shall the the shadowes separate vs when the substance is endangered It was a comfortable speech of Iudah vnto Simeon his brother Come vp with me into my lot that wee may fight against the Canaanites and I likewise will goe vp with thee vnto thy lot so saith the spirit Simeon went vp with him So should brethren ioyne together Brethren against the common enemie that his force may be weakned Oh that Simeon and Iudah would thus ioine together for good as Simeon and Leui are brethren in euill Onely let vs be carefull that we be not yoaked vnequally that so our cōiunction being in the Lord it may be blessed of him A second carnall meanes whereby the wicked are encouraged in euill purposes is a gift in the bosome some present pay before hand wherby they are not onely blinded in the true iudgement of their sinne but in regard thereof they are also drawn on to aduenture such punishments as may befall the same So was Balaam attempted to curse the people of God So was Iudas hyred to betray his master So was Lopas enduced to poyson his mistresse so hath the forrain gold deceiued many of our Italianated Diuels Oh that we could be as bountifull to good purposes as these are to bad that wee could be as willing to employ our treasure for the good of the Church as these are open handed for the spoyle thereof that we could be as forward in aduenturing for the sauing of soules as these Pharisies are compassing Land and Sea sparing no paines neither thinking any cost too much to make one of their profession though when hee is made they make him two-fold more the child of hell than they themselues Certainly if we be not the thirtie peeces of siluer shall one day condemne vs and the earings bracelets of the people which
punishment of what we haue committed Thus when Nero had set fire on the City of Rome he laid all the blame vpon the Christians Thus when any calamitie befell the Empire presently the fault was layd vppon the Christians they cried to the rack to the fire to the mynes with the Christians this is longe of them And thus had these deadly enemies purposed if their plot had taken effect which God forbid to haue fathered it vpon those who endeauour to serue the Lord with a pure heart But blessed be God who is good vnto Israel euen vnto those that are pure in heart And blessed be the name of his Maiestie for euer who hath preserued his Annointed and his seede from these fatall engines and hath iustified the innocencie of his seruants in the sight of their enemies And let this now be the subiect of our ordinary meditations great deliueraÌ„ces giueth he vnto Dauid his king to his seed for euer As for these policies of our enemies in laying their snares priuily as this may teach vs to iudge them by their workes and manner thereof They hate the light and therefore their workes are euill that wee may not be bewitched with their abhominations so let vs learne not to be affraide of their snares howsoeuer they be cunningly and secretly conueyed Certainely howsoeuer they may hide them from the eye of man yet our God who watcheth ouer vs for good and them to disappoint them he beholdeth their practises and his secret is with the righteous to bring to nought the deuises of our enemies and to hide his seruants in the secret place of his pauilion from the pride of men He that would not hide from Abraham what concerned the destruction of the wicked that so his brother Lot might escape the danger hee will not hide from his children such dangers as are comming towards them but will open their eyes to see the plague that so they may hide themselues vnder the shadow of his wings Onely let vs not wilfully shut our eyes by presumption or securitie lest hereby we betray our selues wilfully vnto the subtiltie of our enemies Let not foolish pity or policie bleare vs in seeing these snares or iudging slightly of them Let not loosenesse in our selues take away courage from vs that so wee may not dare to take notice of the practises of the wicked lest the conscience vpon this knowledge be amated and deiected and so possessed with a fearefull expectation of theÌ„ Let vs not depriue our selues of that true light which may informe the conscience herein lest otherwise we bee giuen vp to be blinded by the enemies Let vs not imitate the wicked heerein either seeking for the darkenesse to commit sinne more securely or in vsing any carnal cloakes to hide the same lest our secrecie in sinne giue power to their secrecie in plotting such punishments as are due to the same Let vs not presume of impunitie though wee haue committed sinne secretly seeing what we haue done couertly the lord wil opeÌ„ly discouer to our greater shame and when man ceaseth to punish then the Lord himselfe will awake to execute vengeance If we may haue a cloake for sinne to carrie it clenly if authoritie may out-face or money buy it out if wit will defend it or impudencie denie it if example may colour or custome extenuate Oh let vs not be deceiued by any of these cloakes seeing there is nothing so hidden which shall not be reuealed and the more we haue cloaked our sinne the more wee shall inherite shame and confusion when it shall be discouered yea the very cloakes which we vsed to hide our sinne shall one day be meanes to lay open the same and the rust of that riches which we haue vsed wrongfully shall at the day of iudgment giue in euidence against vs and be a means to consume vs with fire Oh consider this you that forget God and say in your hearts the Lord seeth not Behold your owne iniquities shall finde you out and such weapons of vnrighteousnesse wherewith you haue fought against the Lord they shall now prooue his weapons to be auenged of you Remember that â—he Babilonians with whom Israel plaide the harlot were the scourge of God appointed to strippe her naked and fearefully to spoyle her who while she was faithfull with her God was a terrour to all our enemies Oh let vs therefore take heede of daubing with our enemies take wee heed in any case of buying our peace by committing abhomination with them lest it come to passe that as we haue serued our selues of them by taking part in their filthinesse so they shall serue themselues of vs by making a spoile of vs. And the Lord shal serue himselfe of vs both purging vs by them of such dregs as remaine hardning them by vs to their final confusion Oh let vs therfore cleaue vnto our God that he may stil keep the city and preserue his Church among vs then vndoubtedly though many snares be laid for vs yet the lord wil awake to discouer theÌ„ vnto vs yea this blessing shal a faithfull king receiue at the hand of God that his hand shal find out all his enemies and his right hand shal find out theÌ„ that hate him So it pleased his Maiestie to direct the heart of our Annointed to apprehend this mischiefe and principally out of the Letter contrarie to all graÌ„maticall or reasonable constructioÌ„ to scan the same yea though the snares might happily take hold vpon vs yet wil the Lord arise to deliuer him that is snared the snare shall be broken and we deliuered As for our enemies that haue thus secretly layd these snares Behold the Lord will raine snares vpon them and so take them in the pit which they haue digged for others onely let vs trust in God and wait vpon him so when the iniquitie of our enemies shal be discouered and disappointed there shall our righteousnesse all come foorth as the light and our wel doing as the noone day that the Lord may bee glorified in the iustifying of his children and wee comforted in the experience of his protection It followeth And they say who shall see them That is They say in effect that none shall see them and so they doe put out the eie of Gods prouidence and thereupon conclude indeed that there is no God Such was the grouÌ„d of Rhamaes oppressioÌ„ Who is the Lord that I should heare his voice and let Israel goe Such was the ground of the Idolatrie of the Iewes they say the Lord seeth vs not the Lord hath forsaken the earth Such was the ground of the persecution of the wicked that he not only thinketh alwayes There is no God but further also he contemneth God and saith God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will neuer see And this doth the holy Ghost yeeld to be the reason why the Gentiles
stand not vpon that fauour which they doe not acknowledge yet let them respect the power of man which surely shall meete with their desperate attempts And lest by their secret conueyance they might hope to escape let them know further that their sinne shall finde them out and rather than they shall escape vnpunished Behold saith the holy Ghost Their owne tongues shall fall vpon them to betray their wickednesse and become the executioners of Gods righteous iudgements vpon them For so it followeth He shall cause their owne tongues to fall vpon them Loe heere a third degree of Gods iustice against the wicked themselues shall be the instruments of their owne confusion the snares which they haue laid for the righteous shall confound themselues that the Lord may yet be more apparantly iustified when he iudgeth and the wicked more confounded by the cause of their discouerie A verie vsuall and righteous course of Gods proceeding against them discouering both the admirable vprightnesse of Gods Iudgements vpon them and also his profound wisedome in executing the same It is a comfortable promise which the Lord makes vnto his children That the righteous shall escape out of trouble and the wicked shall come in their stead By which phrase that the wicked shall come in their stead the meaning of the holy ghost is that looke what troubles the wicked haue deuised against the Godly what snares soeuer they haue layd to entrappe them they shal be the pits wherevnto them selues shall fall and their owne mischiefe shall light vpon their owne pates So doth the spirit of God witnes that it hath befallen the wicked he hath made a pit and diggedit and is fallen into the pit that he hath made and concludes the like course of Gods iustice for the time to come that his mischiefe shall returne vpon his owne head and his crueltie shall fall vpon his owne pate So did cruell Haman erect a gallowes to make away the seruant of God and yet at length was hanged thereon So was the sword of Goliah the instrument of his own destructioÌ„ And vpon the experience hereof the spirit commends it as worthy the obseruation vnto all posteritie makes it a notable means to declare the iustice of God The Lord is knowne by executing of iudgments the wicked is snared in the workes of his owne hands Higgaion Selah Signifying that this admirable course of meeting with the wicked in their owne policies and snaring them in their mischiefs which they haue intended against the righteous is a meanes to make euen the wicked acknowledge God and to confesse his righteous iudgements in thus taking them in their inuentions So when the enemies of God had entended by powder to deuoure the Lords Annointed and his posteritie and therby to bring an vnter confusion both vpon the church and common-wealth it pleased the Lord to take some of them in their owne snares and by the like engine to seaze vpon them then did they acknowledge the righteous hand of God and whereas before they stood vpon a desperate defence now being amated and confounded with this admirable iustice of God they were not onely compelled to giue testimonie thereunto but further also to yeeld themselues in a fearefull and desperate manner vnto the same and were further iustly cut off euen by the like vengeance Behold here the righteous and woonderfull iustice of God against the wicked in rendring treason with treason that they which haue intended to betray others shal now betray themselues and so make way to the righteous iudgements of God Oh let all discontented and desperately malicious persons learne hence this lesson That they thinke no euill of the King no not in their priuie chamber that they neither speake nor practise any euill against the Lords Annointed For behold not onely the soules of the heauen shall carrie the voice and that which hath wings shall declare the matter but there is a bird in the bosome that shall discouer the same and shall giue the tongue no rest though it be neuer so hemd in with his double guard till it haue eased the conscience and iustified the Lord. And seeing the Lord is knowne by this manner of executing his iudgements that the wicked are taken in their own snares there by causing euen his enemies to giue testimony vnto him tremble then ye Aâ—heists which say in your harts there is no God when by his visible Iudgements hee thus iustifies himselfe against you and compels your mouthes to confesse his power And seeing his righteous purpose by this his admirable proceeding against you is to confound you in the thing you most put confidence in Oh lye down in your confusion and let shame couer your faces in that you and your fathers haue sinned against the Lord your God Say now with those true conuerts That the hope of the hils is in vaine that all your carnal wisedome and confidence hath grosly deceiued you And let this wonderfull wisdome of the Lord thus finding you out in your secrecie confounding you in the same cause you to hate the darknes that hath so deceiued you And to giue your selues hereafter to be informed by the light that so howsoeuer your sin may be met withall by teÌ„porall iudgments in this life yet being a meanes to worke in you true repentance your soules may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus As for vs beloued who haue this experience of Gods mercie let vs not hereafter be afraid of the policies of the wicked let not their power secrecie nor any subtiltie that they shall be able to vse cause vs to close with them in their policies or to eat of such thinges as please them that so we may hold them frends vnto vs therby and free our selues from the snares which they haue laid to entrap vs. If we resist the Diuell he will fly from vs. And if we giue not our strength to these Witches children and betray not our selues vnto them by fearing their policies so daubing with them Behold the Lord watcheth ouer vs to ouer-turne their mischiefs and rather than faile their own tongues shall disclose them that so they may fall into the pit which they haue digged for others It followeth And whosoeuer shall see them shall fly away The meaning whereof is that the terrour of such iudgments which the Lord hath layd vpon them shall so distract and confound their wisedome in their leagues and confederacies that they which banded them selues together for the desolation of the church seeing now the same deliuered and them selues iustly met withall shall not onely hereby be scattered and dispersed by the seuerity of the vengeaÌ„ce but further also shall most fearfully disperse them selues to auoid if it may be that reuenging hand Yea not onely the Actors in this mischiefe shal be put to flight but whosoeuer shall see this
fearfull hand of God vpon them shal be roused hereby out of his former security and seeing his owne sinne in the glasse of their vengeance shall feare the rod which lights so heauily vpon them and fly for his life to auoid the same So do the iudgments of God scatter the deuises of the wicked So do they also awake and terrifie others that are subiect to like notorious sinnes Thus when the Captain of the host of Israell had executed the wrath of God vpon some part of those accursed Canaanites the holy Ghost witnesseth that the feare of him fell vpon all the nations round about who being guilty of the same sins did therefore expect the like iudgments and so in a desperate manner exposed them selues therevnto So when the Champion of the Philistines was cut of by the Lords warriour the holy Ghost witnesseth that the Philistines fled and were dispersed And this to haue been the effect of great iudgments vpon the enemies of God the holy Ghost witnesseth in their seuerall coÌ„fusions Yea thus haue the iudgments of God from time inflicted vpon malefactors been the meanes to awake others and so to terrifie them that haue been guilty of the same sinnes that by some token or other either by flying or blushing by complaining or pytying by iustifying or such like they haue verie wonderfully betrayd them selues and so haue exposed them selues to the like iudgments So were the companies of these rebells scattered when once the head of their treason was broken so did they further each other to their iust confusion A most wise righteous course of Gods proceeding against the wicked that they which wil not be ioined with God but say let vs breake his bandes and cast away his cords from vs should not haue any durable socyety among theÌ„selues that they which abuse society to fight against God and his church might want the comfort of society when they haue most neede thereof and be scattered from each other for their more speedy apprehension confusion who haue labored to dissolue the coÌ„munion of the saints Euen so oh Lord let all the enemies be scattered that such as belong to thee being thus disapoynted in their carnall fellowship may seeke to be members of that body of thy sonne which no malice of Satan shall euer be able to seperate Obserue wee here first the wonderfull power of God by confounding the strength of the wicked in this banding and combining of them selues against the godly and learne we that their is no councell nor confederacy against the Lord Nay though the wicked shall make a league with death and be at an agreemont with hell it selfe though Satan and all his legions should conspire with them against his little flocke yet when the Lord shall lay iudgment to the rule righteousnes to the ballance their conuenient with death shal be dissolued and their agreement with hell shall not stand Let vs not therefore be seduced to cast in our lot with the wicked let it not encouradge vs to sinne because many go the broade way seeing as multitude of offenders doth increase the sin so doth it further the punishment due thervnto as prouoking so many instruments to the executioÌ„ of vengeaÌ„ce as there are miserable partakers in the greeuousnes of the sinne If we desire to haue comfort in societie let vs haue fellowshipp with our God by the obedience of faith let our delight be in the saints that are on earth So when the wicked fly are scattered fearefully we shall see the vengeance that hath iustly ouertaken theÌ„ yea this righteous hand of God in dispersing the wicked shall be the meanes to confirme knitt vs comfortably together that we may go vp into the house of the Lord to sing prayses vnto his name Thus when the Lord shal be beneficiall vnto me then saith the prophet the righteous shall resort vnto my company who before stood a farre of for feare of my plague Yea when the Lord shall returne the captiuitie of Sion this shall further be a means of the encrease of the church Then saith the spirit shall ten men take hold out of all languages euen take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew and say we will go with you for wee haue heard that God is with you Thus as the confounding of the practices of the wicked shal be a meanes to scatter and disolue their confideracies so the deliuerance of the church shal be a furtherance to the gathering againe of the dispersed of Israell that they may behold and conferre of what the Lord hath done for them and so be prouoked to ioyne together in due thankfullnes vnto his Maiesty for the same For so it followeth The third part of the Treatise conteining the vse of these workes 9 All men shall see it and declare the worke of God and they shall vnderstand what he hath wrought 10 But the righteous shall be glad in the Lord and trust in him and all that are vpright of heart shall reioyce WHich two verses being the conclusion of the Psalme doe lead vs to diuers vses which are to be made of such wonderfull Deliuerances which the Lord performeth vnto his seruants all tending to expresse true thankfulnesse vnto God for the same The first whereof is All men shall see it That is first whereas the eyes of men were blinded in the knowledge of God now this wonderfull deliuerance shall open the eies of all not onlie the carnall eyes of the wicked to see God in these workes but further also the spirituall eye of his Saints and deerest seruants which being much dimned and dâ—rkened with such clouds of afflictions as haue lien heauily vpon them and growne hereby euen to doubt of the eye of God prouidence ouer them as if he had forsaken and vtterly reiected them Now being deliuered and pluckt out of the snare the eye of their faith is hereby cleared the eye of their iudgement more setled in the assurance of Gods protectioÌ„ And as men rauished with the strangnesse of the deliuerance their eyes are set and fastned thervpon that so their faith may be more strongely rooted in God yea they doe euen feed their eyes with the contemplation thereof that so their faith may be nourished thereby yea they can neuer satisfie themselues in beholding so wonderfull a mercy that so the minde being thoroughly possessed therewith they may neuer satisfie themselues in thankefulnesse for the same which as it is the end and vse of all Gods mercies euen to take vp the cup of saluation and to giue thanks unto the name of the Lord for the same So shal we find this beholding of Gods wonderfull mercies to be a most effectuall meanes to further the same whether we consider those temptations that doe hinder thankefulnesse vnto God or such meanes as doe vsually further the accomplishment thereof The temptations that doe hinder
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
the power of God in the confusion of his wisedome and to make the memory of an enemy to stinke to posterity they called these dayes the dayes of Purim So did Iudas Machabeus institute the feast of the dedication in remembrance of the purging of the Temple from the prophanations of Antiochus a feast which our Sauiour Christ himselfe seemed to approue by his owne presence in the 10. of Iohn So did our Gratious Soueraigne set apart the 5. of August in remembrance of his wonderfull deliuerance from the conspiracies of the Gowries And so for euer may the 5. of Nouember be separated and recorded amongst vs as by the wōderfull prouidence of God in discouering the horrible treasons of the Papists beeing turned vnto vs from sorrow to ioy and from murning into a ioyfull day to be kept with feasting and ioy and to all posterities so long as the name of Great Britaine shal be had in remembrance Thus hath the Lord appointed dayes of ioy and thus hath man vpon iust consideration celebrated and confirmed such daies to posterity not inuenting therein any other worship then God hath appointed but vpon such extraordinary occasions giuing more liberty thereby vnto the publicke worship of God as beeing vnder God the determiner of order and decency according to the general rules of equity prescribed in Gods blessed word And thus may euen priuate persons set apart some howre nay some day in the weeke vpon the like occasions to a more intire and immediate worship of God then in their ordinarie callings as not beeing otherwise tied to bodily labour on the sixe dayes then that they might be better fitted to the spirituall workes on the seuenth and not beeing excluded otherwise from this extraordinary worship on these dayes of labour then for the prouision of their families and obedience to authority and that without presumption of Gods prouidence and opinion of necessity or merit Other institution then this of such festiuall dayes I can finde none lawfull Neither indeed do I account euen this institution anie otherwise lawfull then it is kept vndefiled from abuse and superstition Considering what the holy Ghost addeth to trie our ioy by that it must bee in the Lord. And being thus bounded the spirit giues vs free liberty Reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce And surely verie necessary it is that our ioy should be thus bounded least our liberty being an occasion to the flesh sowing thus to the flesh wee of the flesh reape corruption and so our ioy shal be turned into sorrow But howe shall I approue my ioy to be in the Lord surely there are these markes to try it by Hath the Lord done great things for thee whereof thou maiest reioyce surely thou maiest reioyce freely if thou keepe a right order and measure therein both which must be according to the diuersity of the things wherein thou doest reioyce That we may keepe a right order in our ioy for the blessings of God the holy Ghost giues vs an excellent rule setting downe the true subordination of the blessings themselues Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him to die for vs how shall he not with him giue vs all things else Signifying therein thus much vnto vs that in that the Lord hath giuen vnto vs the Fountaine hee will not denye vs the streames and thereby teaching vs this order in reioycing for Gods benefits as to deriue our ioy from the Fountaine to the Streames not to rest our ioye in the streams but to returne it to the fountaine that the giuer of all good blessings may be first and last in our ioy First he must be in our ioy that thereby as we haue these blessings and fauour of him so we may bee assured also that wee haue them in him and thereby haue a testimony that they are sanctified vnto vs that so now we may haue a right vnto and comfort in the vse of them and last also must our God be in this affection of ioy It must at no hand rest in the blessing for so it wil be a meanes to drawe vs from the fountaine and our resolution then must bee so farre from reioycing in the streames as that we must count them all as dung in respect of the fountaine Iesus Christ. But seeing God is the Giuer and receiuer too Seeing he is the ending as well as the beginning therefore must our ioy be determined in nothing but in him that so hereby giuing him the Glory of the good wee haue receiued this may bee a meanes to receiue that further good which shall perfect vs vnto glory And as this is generally to be obserued in the ordering of our ioy that the Fountaine must be first and last therein so also in proportion seeing such Streames as are neerer to the fountaine are more pure so ought they to haue their place accordingly in the ordering of our ioy The Blessings that God hath renued vnto vs in this great deliuerance are very manie and yet some come neere vnto the fountaine then others Some that haue beene giuen vs as we say with the right hand As whatsoeuer principally concerne the life to come Namely the Nursery of the Church consisting of the Nurses both temporall and spirituall 1. Thessal 2. of the Milke of the Gospell and communion of Saints to be nourished thereby Together with the manifold pledges and fruites thereof as Peace of conscience our ioye in the Spirit and growth in Christ and such like Others haue beene the blessings of the left hand as our Goods Country Friends c. Examine wee now our selues whither our ioy hath beene ordered aright or no if it hath beene first the blessings of the right hand rather then for the other Nay if wee could haue beene contented to haue redeemed the blessings of the right hand with the losse of the blessings of the left nay if nowe wee can bee contented to abate our ioy in the one that wee may take our fill in the other these are good tokens that our ioy is ordered aright So was the affection of Mephibosheth ordered aright when the King would make him some part of a mendes by diuidyng the Lands bewixt him and Ziba his ioy was so inflamed with the enioying of the greater blessings that his Lord the King was come home in peace that hee euen resolued let him take all the lands as beeing not willing that the lesser blessinge should haue any part in his ioy Oh that wee had this testimonie of our true ioy for this deliuerance that wee did nowe more reioyce in the reuiuyng of the Gospell and the meanes thereof the publique blessing of happie gouernment then in any priuate blessing whatsoeuer prefering Ierusalem to all our mirth Oh that many may not iustly be charged with this disordered ioy that they could haue beene contented to haue lost the bessings of the right hand and haue thought it
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
in it yet here is the victory of thy faith thou shalt be roused out of it Not so much by the touch of thy conscience for that is common to the wicked as by the power of the spirit which wil raise thee vp againe Doest thou fall againe into the same sinnes yet behold herein is the victory of thy faith they are not thy sinnes because it is not thou but sinne that dwelleth in thee Nay they are not the same sinnes neither the same in quality as hauing lost much of their former force Neither the same in operations working lesse hurt Doest thou desire to bee freed from all sinne Doest thou grone vnder the burthen and cry out O wretched man that thou art who shall deliuer thee from this body of sinne Behold heere is a meane victory of thy faith Be it vnto thee according as thou beleeuest Corruption in due time shal be cloathed with Corruption Thus maiest thou trye thy faith by thy sinnes and in the seuerall victories thereof confirme thy selfe therein not by each of them seuerally but by all of them in degrees As the Lord shall lead thee along in the experience of these conquests As for those euils which are so conceiued in the world namely the euills of afflictions which are iustly lead vpon thee Examine the victory of thy faith ouer these euen by these rules Art thou a christian and is affliction thy portion Let this be the first triall of thy faith to prepare thy soule vnto them Put it in thy reckoning if thou wilt liue godly in Christ Iesus that thou must necessarily suffer great afflictions Art thou entred into the combate and wouldst thou haue a triall of a conquest First submit thy selfe willingly vnder the mighty hand of GOD that thou maiest witnesse thy submission be are paciently what thy Lord hath laid vpon thee that thy patience may bee exercised Lay voluntary afflictions vpon thy selfe follow thy calling euen in thy greatest troubles Giue not thy bodie to fretting at the prosperity of others but fall to examining thy selfe why it is thus with thee Hauing found out the cause eyther Sinne or Tryall If sinne bee the cause by repentance remoue it If Tryall bee the cause to make experience of Gods graces in thee examine thy selfe againe how thou hast vsed the blessings of GOD see whether some rust of negligence or corruption hath not fastned vpon thee If thou shalt find it so yeeld thy selfe willingly to the tryall follow thy GOD in purging out thy drosse so at length thy righteousnesse shall breake out as the light and thy wel doing as the noone day And thus shall thy faith triumph in all these troubles Though thou art afflicted yet shalt thou not bee in distresse persecuted thou maiest bee but thou shalt not be forsaken cast downe thou shalt bee and yet thou shalt not perish die thou doest continually and yet behold thou liuest neuer free from sorrow and yet alwaies reioycing beeing poore thy selfe and yet making manie rich hauing nothing and yet possessing all things though the outward man perish yet thy inward man is renewed dayly and these light afflictions which are but for a moment causeth vnto thee a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory Thus shalt thou not onely in affliction be more then a Conquerour through the Supporting hand of GOD giuing testimony vnto thyne innocencie euen in the face of thine enemies But further also by trusting in GOD thou shalt be deliuered out of them all not onely from such snares as are layde to intrappe thee in this life but through faith thou shalt in the ende haue a full conquest ouer them all GOD shall wipe away all teares from thine eies there shal be no more death nor sorrowe nor crying For GOD shall tread Sathan and all thine enemies vnder thy feete Lo heere the victory of thy faith ouer all thy troubles by which thou mayest try thy selfe whether thou art in the faith or no. As thy faith if it be found will vphold thee in all thy troubles that thou sincke not vnder them and deliuer thee also so farre out of them in this life as shall stand with Gods glory and thine especial aduantage so will it not leaue thee till it haue freed thee from all thy troubles and offered thee vp in marriage for euer vnto thy bridgrome Christ Iesus Thus shall thy faith inable thee to triumphe ouer all afflictions and so shall it teach thee the right vse of these outward things that so they may not bee snares and euills vnto thee It shall teach thee first to rate them at their iust and true value neither so to ouerprize them as to thinke none like vnto them as Esau did that so wee may loose the better blessings Neither so to vnderrate them as not to account them the good blessings of GOD for which wee must not giue accoumpt at the daye of the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Our faith hauing taught vs to giue them their true worth will heereby also direct vs for the holy obtaining of them both in respect of the right order which is to be obserued therein as also in the meanes that must further vs to the same and also in the measure of our seeking these blessings concerning the order it hath this rule out of the word First seeke the kingdom of heauen the righteousnesse therof and all other things shall be cast thereunto Whereby wee are taught as to seeke first the best things that so wee may haue a right in these so not to neglect these things altogither though now they shal be cast vpon vs vpon presumption of Gods prouidence if wee follow the better but to remember we haue a calling to be imployed in and supplied also by these things which if we neglect we are worse then infidells which we must follow that we may be humbled thereby So hath GOD disposed the obtaining of these things and so is faith guided in the right order of procuring of thē The triall is that 1. our seeking of these things do not hinder our enioying of the better 2 that though God hath allotted vs as we may foolishly imagine six dayes for these things but one for the other yet we imploy more time in seeking the things of the soule thē the things of the body yea indeede in the seeking of these outward things which concerne this life we may haue this testimonie as that we shal in these seeke onely greater things And herein our faith doeth helpe vs exceedingly as both assuring vs that wee seeke these thinges not for themselues no not so much for our owne vse as for Gods glory whose good blessings they are and therefore that wee may yeeld obedience to his commandements and not despise his blessings Therfore wee accompt them worth the seeking and also in the seeking of them thus resoluing our consciences
A Brand taken out of the Fire Or The Romish Spider with his Webbe of Treason Wouen and Broken together with The seuerall vses that the World and Church shall make thereof Gathered out of the 64. Psalme Psal. 112. vers 18. This shall be written for the generations to come and the people that are created shall praise the Lord. AT LONDON Printed by G. Eld for Iohn Hodgets and are to be sould at his shop in Paules Church-yeard 1606. To the High and excellent Princesse ELIZABETH eldest Daughter to our Soueraigne Lord IAMES by the grace of God of Great Britaine France and Ireland King defendor of the faith MOst gracious Princesse vouchsafe I pray you the remembrance of that blessing the enioying whereof I doubt not was exceedingly welcome vnto you And let your fauourable acceptance pardon the boldnes of the remembrancer who hauing nothing of his owne worthy to congratulate your Highnesse comming vnto our Cittie hath beene glad to take the oportunitie of that gift which the Lord hath bestowed vpon you in this great deliuerance and to present you with the remembrance of your owne renewed estate For as in this deliuerance whatsoeuer you are or haue is newly giuen vnto you your most renowned Father and Princely Mother your louing brethren and tender sister yourselfe all all new gifts euen newly created by this great worke of God so is this remeÌ„brance a renuing of this great deliuerance as reuiuing the worke daily vnto you prouoking you thereby to answer it in newnes of life Accept therefore I beseech you most excellent Lady the reuiuing of that worke by which you are that which you are that so it may further you to that which by Gods mercy you shal be And to this end shall my vowes and praiers be renued vnto our God for you And so I humbly commend your Grace to the grace of God Your Graces most bounden Thomas Cooper To the right Honourable the Lord Harington and his most vertuous Ladie RIGHT HONOVRABLE seeing the Lord hath ioyned you both in the benefit of this great deliuerance therefore haue I beene emboldened to ioyne your Honours also in this remembrance thereof Though I doe not say with the Iewes concerning the Centurion that you are worthy of this blessing yet I may safely say what Peter did of the other Centurion that herein hath the Lord remembred your loue vnto the Gospell and care vnto his Saints My hearts desire is that this deliuerance may encrease these blessings vnto you that so you may grow vp from grace to grace 'till you attaine vnto the full measure of the age of Iesus Christ to whose blessed protection I commend your Honours and your Princely Charge And so I humblie take my leaue Your Honours in all dutie Thomas Cooper To the Right Worshipfull my Christian friends and Auditors maister Mayor of Couentrie Maister Arch-deacon the Iustices Maister Steward All those of the Councels together with All that doe vnfainedly loue the Lord Iesus and do long after his glorious appearance RIght Worshipfull two causes there are which haue moued me to put forth these plaine and vnpolished meditations the one is the generall good which we haue all receiued from the hand of our gracious God in this late great deliuerance of Prince and people Church and common-wealth from that bloudie and hellish practise of our desperate aduersaries the other is that particular good which I haue receiued from you since my comming among you Concerning the common good which we haue all beene partakers of surely it hath beene such and so great as that if we should holde our peace the very stones would speake And therfore that they may not be a witnesse against me I haue in your hearing spoken of this deliuerance And because it is required that we should not onely declare the worke of God but commend it also by writing vnto the generations to come therfore haue I taken this further paines to commit to writing such notes as I haue obserued concerning this great worke that they may be trials of our present thankefulnesse for the blessings receiued and furtherances also to strengthen our faith and establish our posteritie that they may waite vpon the Lord in the affiance of the like mercies And the rather haue I beene incouraged herevnto by that particular good which from time to time since my comming among you I haue receiued from you that so it might be some pledge of my thankefulnesse vnto you for the same I may well say you haue comforted my body and my soule not onely my outward man when I was a stranger to you and by reason of the visitation of my familie in some affliction A kindnesse which by Gods mercy I shall not faile to leaue recorded to posteritie when opportunitie shall serue but specially my soule and inward man in beholding your Order and loue vnto the Gospell Which though it hath made you stincke in the Nostrels of the common aduersarie yet hath this sauour of your oyntmens caused the Saints to loue you yea the hatred of your enemies hath the Lord recompenced with such extraordinary pledges of his fauour As that you haue not onely your liues liberties giueÌ„ you for a prey but further also the Lord hath honoured your Cittie with the presence and protection of a gracious Princesse not onely by making your Cittie an harbour for a season vnto that royall branch but thereby in mercy opening a way if you shall accept it by so comfortable a protection to the strengthening continuance of your holy libertie in the waies of God And surely if you shall not vse your libertie as an occasion to the flâ—sh if the dead flies of hypocrisie and luke-warmnesse shall not corrupt that pretious ointment but you shall strengâ—hen that which is ready to die and doe the first workes and continue therein you shall vndoubtedly be a sweete swelling sauour in the nostrils of the Lord and so not onely haue your Cittie blessed with the dew of heauen and fatnesse of the earth but by the mercie of God you shall be lead forth in your most holy faith to receiue the ends therof euen the saluation of your soules Which as I do heartily sigh and long after so haue I to this end thought fit to stirre vp your pure mindes by these meditations that you might haue somewhat of mine with you as a pledge of my thankefulnesse vnto you for your loue towards me and a Spurre to prouoke and continue our thankefulnesse vnto God for his wonderfull mercies renued and continued vnto vs in this great deliuerance and that herein I may free my selfe from imputation of vanity and negligence which may happily arise from the strangenesse of the Title and plainenesse of the matter giue me leaue I pray you to yeeld you reasons of them both Concerning the Title my purpose is therein to discouer the nature of our aduérsaries who would haue done vs so great euill A very cursed
did not onely encourage themselues by mutuall aduise laying of their heads and purses together but that a speciall part of their aduise was this so to carie their Treasons that none might see them hoping by this manner of plotting to haue speedie and suddaine execution and discouering therein the ground and moouing cause of all these desperate practises namely they say in their hearts who shall see them that is they say in effect there is no God Now because malice is insatiable and yet iealous too doubtfull to be discried and yet desirous to preuaile therfore behold a second policie in these traiterous practises both to delude secrecie and more effectually to preuaile they haue sought out iniquities saith the blessed spirit that is they haue deuised store of snares to entrap the life of the King that so if one should faile the other might take effect if some be discouered and so breed securitie as vsually they doe the other that lye hid might come more suddenly and surprise more fearefully without auoidance The snares being thus cōtriued in such secrecie varietie that if the secrecie should faile in some yet the rest might afterward preuaile Here vppon doth vsually follow a double effect The one in the wicked whose property is not onely to set a good face vppon a bad matter but further also in regard of such exquisite cūning which they haue vsed therin to grow secure and confident in the executiō of their intended attempts vndoubtedly perswading them selues of such successe therein as that they shall haue their full desire against the seruāts of god This doth the holy Ghost further expresse vnto vs whē he saith that they haue accomplished that which they sought for euen euery one in his secret thought and in the depth of his hart signifying vnto vs thereby thus much that what plots were layed by the wicked against the life of the King were contriued with such secrecie and managed with such skill variety as that the Contriuers thereof made full account that they should preuaile though not in the profession of their mouths lest they should be descried yet in the depth and secret of their hart wherein they flattered themselues And herevppon followeth another effect in the Saints of God who being wise to see the plague which is cōming vppon them notwithstanding the secret and cunning conueyance thereof finding their sinne iustly to haue deserued no lesse and the malice of the wicked ready to inflict vppon them much more doe herevpon grow to a distrust in them selues that surely so far as they see there is no meanes to escape and so in respect of their sinnes submit them selues vnder the mightie hand of God and manie times in their infirmity do not sticke to complaine that they shall certainely be ensnared with the practises of the wicked And so also the words may be referred as being spoken in the persons of Gods children assaulted with these troubles Wherein we may behould the admirable wisdome of the lord who hauing certainly determined to free his seruants from the rage of the wicked in disappoynting their practices turning them vppon their owne pates doth by these two effects of the cōfidence of the wicked and despaire of Gods seruants in them selues prepare a notable way therevnto For concerning the distrust of Gods children in themselues seeing no meanes frō flesh to auoid the danger as this must needes cause them to renounce all confidence in the flesh so doth it more confidently cast them vpon God and prouoke them more earnestly to call for his assistance the more they see them selues stripped of all helpe from man Wherby it cōmeth to passe that calling vpon the Lord in the day of trouble in this full affiance of helpe in him alone they are deliuered by him that so they may glorifie him As for that securitie of the wicked grounded vppon the secrecie and multitude of their mischiefes what is this else but a messenger of their distruction and the more confident they are in the successe of their proiects the nearer is their confidence to the confusion subuersion of them yea herein will the Lord reiect their confidence that a suddaine destruction shall come vpon them and they shall not be able to auoyd it For so it felloweth in the next words But God shall shoot an arrow at them suddenly c. Wherin marke I pray you the wonderfull power and wisdome of God in meeting with their seuerall policies by his most iust and answerable Iudgements For are the wicked wise and deliberate in plotting their enterprises are they long in weauing warie in cōtriuing behold the Lord doth cōfound this their wisdom by coming vpon them suddenly that they which had such store of wisdome to cōtriue mischeife against others shall now be to seeke of any wisedome for the auoiding of such sudden arrowes of Gods vengeance as shall come vpon them Behold here their wisedome turned into folly Againe are the wicked subtill in deuising many stratagems behold the lord will with one blow cut them of at once Affliction shall not rise vppon them the second time who had hoped many times to haue ensnared the Saints of God Behold here the multitude of their wicked conspiracies confounded with one stroake of Gods righteous vengeance Thirdly were they so secret in the contriuing of their mischiefes that they gaue it out confidently that none shall see behold the spirit of God giues them the lie and tels them playnely that All men shall see it yea they who had thought so cunningly to haue caried their wickednes as to haue gone clearely away with it the spirit tells them they shal be discouered and to confound them the more in this discouery he tells them plainely that their owne tongues shall fall vppon them They that say their tongues are their owne who is Lord ouer them shall now see that the mighty God ouer-rules their tongues and makes them the instruments of his glory in the discouery of sinne and the executioners of his vengeance in the punishment of the sinner Behold their secrecie euen confounded from their owne mouthes Lastly do the wicked strengthen themselues in their mischeifes by confederacies and leagues Loe the Lord will scatter their companies when he comes to Iudgment against them so that whosoeuer doth see them shall flye away Behold here the disvniting and breaking of their confederacies The practices of the wicked thus wonderfully defeated and they being iustly met with all in their mischeifes by answerable iudgments what now is to be done by those that are deliuered what must we repay vnto the Lord for all his wonderfull mercyes The holy Ghost proceedeth in the two next verses to informe vs in such duties as concerne vs in this case All men shall see it saith the blessed spirit that is the eyes of all men shal be fastened vpon it to obserue and behold the
the secret plotting conueyance thereof And this very fitly in regard of the sinne and also very iustly in respect of the sinner For as euery sin is a worke of darknes as well in that it hates the light and delights to be cōmitted in darkenes as also in that it is Satans power to bring vs to vtter darkenes so is also this sinne of treason and rebellion aginst the Lords Annoynted And as other sinners desire to be hatcht in darkenes both in regard of the shame which otherwise the light would bring with it and also in respect of the feare of punishment which attends the same so also in these respects this sin of treason delights in secrecie both in that it is an odious and monstrous sinne and therefore is ashamed to be knowen but especially because how soeuer other sins may go scotfree in this life yet this hath a seuere punishment iustly assigned therevnto the feare whereof doth necessarily impose this secrecie And herein especially doth Satans cunning appeare that whereas he hath a purpose by this sin to bring traytors to their vtter confusiō therefore doth he principally further this their secrecie heerevnto For whereas sinne being not iudged in this life shall certainly be iudged in the life to come therefore by this secrecie doth he flatteer these monsters for the auoiding of temporall iudgments that so either auoyding thē here they may be sure to meet with them in another life or if so be as likely it doth not misse that they shal be met withall in this life by the sword of the magistrate yet their secret cariage of the mischeise breeding securitie and so excluding repencāce though they shal be iudged of man yet because they do not iudge themselues they shall not escape the iudgment of the Lord. Herevpō it is that the holy Ghost entending to shew how the wicked encouradgethemselues in an euill purpose hauing declared in the former poynt their policy in combining and strengthening themselues by carnall and spirituall meanes to giue the better onset to so desperate a practise doth now proceed to lay open the meanes whereby they hope to goe clerely away with it in regard of the suddainesse and vnexpectednesse of the same and also that the contriuers thereof hauing accomplished their wicked purposes may yet notwithstanding auoid such punishments as are due vnto them They commune together to lay snares priuily and they say who can see them That is they consult together to doe their feat secretly and in their vnknowne practises they blesse their soules and say that none shall see them They shall not know who hurt them Loe here a second policie of the wicked in laying their snares that which they doe shal be done secretly that so it may clenly and without danger be conuayed And that wee may perceiue it is a matter of importance the holy Ghost tels vs that it is not don without great aduise They commune together in their best aduizements Thus did the Iewes often consult together against our Sauiour Christ and the manner of their councell was to surprise him priuily and to remooue him secretly as building on that false God that if hee stood their Kingdome must needs downe because both they feared the people and therefore durst not openly at the first set vpon him and indeed standing vpon the credite of their seeming holinesse they would if so they might haue auoyded the open shame as to bee counted the murtherers of so holy a man And so for the same cause those murtherers of Princes howsoeuer it be a ruled case in the books of their diuelish policy that all power that spurnes at that vsurped Hierarchie will not bowe to their triple Crowne must necessarily bee remooued as being conuinced in their conscience with that true ground that the ordinance of God which is lawfull gouernement will certainely ouerthrow their vsurped tyrannie yet neither will they be seen if it may be in so horrible a practise neither will any of their wiser Patrons openly iustifie the doing thereof but vpon the vnhappie successe of the same And the reasons are first least that they which in the greatest professe so great humility as to be the seruant of seruants should openly discouer their vnsatiable ambition that they will be exalted aboue all that is called God And secondly least they which professe so great holynesse and teach such strictnesse of obedience vnto others should apparantlie be conuinced of such monstrous impiety disobedience And as their religion is nought else but a mistery of iniquity cloaking sinne from the eye of the world so in their seuerall policies for the managing of that Kingdom and in those manifold weapons of their warfare whereby they mantaine their Diadem resist all opposite powers we shall find that secrecie hath been an espetiall poynt which herein they haue aymed at that they might not be seen in these their stratagems It was the policie of the Iewes that they might not be seen in the fact or else devolue the hatred enuie vpon others to execute their malice against our Sauiour Christ by others So did they hyre Iudas to betray Christ vnto them so brought they in Pylate to giue sentence vpon him And surely such hath been the cunning of these Antichristian Locusts if wee shall obserue the manner of their bloody inquisition Accused we must be and yet we shall not know by whome tormented wee shall be and yet not see by whome Yf any be seen herein it shal be some of our owne house either some weake Protestant that hath yeilded for feare of torture or some damnable Apostata that hath been corrupted with bribes that so our greife may be the more and their enuie the lesse they may be free from the imputation of cruelty we loaded the more with the abuse of our profession Thus as their practice hath been to lay their snares secretly to accomplish their malice by the deputation of others so that their posterity might haue a president of such practices and haue continuall warrant to the accomplishment of the like behold their deuelish subtilty in incorporating of their cruell lawes into the lawes of such nations among whōe they haue erected their Kingdome that so their bloodie and tyrannycall proceedings might be countenanced by such estates whose ouerthrow by the same they principally entended So that if at any time their proceedings should be called in question they may haue this cloake to keepe of the raine that it was not the high priests but Pilates doing it was the law of the Land and not of the Pope And as this hath been an ordinary course of their policy for the more clenly cōueyance of their mischeiuous practices against the Saints of God so when I do consider the weapons of their warfare wherewith especially they fight for the vpholding of their Kingdome me thinke I see secrecie especially aymed
The first occasion to the snares was the euill spirit as no maruaile if the Diuell be the beginner of all mischiefe And behold the notable cunning of Satan in laying a snare in the calling and profession of Dauid that whereas hee was skilfull to play vppon the Harpe and therefore was required of Saul to alay the furie of his torment comming into Sauls presence to ease him of his anguish he might be exposed to the rage and malice of his enemie and verie hardly did he many times auoide this snare Secondly his wife was intended a snare vnto him and her dowrie also was layd as a snare that the hand of the Philistines might bee against him These secret snares being broken then follow open practises and here was malice as endlesse as it was causelesse How was the poore seruant of God hunted vp and downe as a Partridge vpon the mountaines being neuer in safetie of his life till his enemie was depriued of his Thus was Dauid followed with manifold snares by his enemie Saul and so was Dauids Lord by Satan and his most malicious instruments Marke I pray you how Satan sets vpon him First he layes a snare of distrust perswading him to make bread of stones as if God were not otherwise able to prouide for him in the wildernes WheÌ„ that would not serue he laies a contraria snare of presamption wishing him To cast himselfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple that so hee might exclude himselfe out of Gods protection When this would not preuaile yet hee layes a third snare of worldly pompe and glorie moouing him thereby to fall downe and worship him that so hee might robbe God of the glorie that was due vnto his name And as was the father so were also the children euen the nation of the Iewes whose saluation he laboured Their malice did not cease against him so long as hee was capable of it and for the acting thereof they wanted not store of mischiefes when they could not preuaile by smiting him with the tongue then they fell to stone him with stones when they could not draw him within the compas of rebellion against the state then they accused him of blasphemie against God when themselues durst not openly bee seene for feare of the people then they corrupted one of his owne house to bring him to his end sometimes they made vproares against him that he might be oppressed of the people sometimes they accused him of compacting with Satan that so they might make him odious and abhominable to the people sometimes they propounded curious question to entrappe him in his words other while they would wrest and peruert his gracious speeches And when they had caught him their malice was yet vnsatiable Buffeting would not serue but further they must whippe him and to greeue his righteous soule the more he must be clothed in purple to bee scorned and derided of them This will not serue but he must be crowned with thornes that so his torment might bee yet encreased yea further yet to lengthen out their malice and his paines behold they deuised a lingting and yet most shamefull torture to bring him to his end Nayled must he be on the crosse to encrease his paine and yet to lengthen out his life and he must be hanged betweene two theeues and accounted among euill doers that so together with his bodie his good name might be killed Thus was our head Christ Iesus persecuted by his owne And thus must all his members looke to be dealt withall Not to trouble you with rehearsâ—ll of forraine stories neither to seeke furthâ—r in our owne than what is fresh in our memories how did the enemies of the Gospell multiplie their snares against vs in this late practise for the restoring of their Kingdome To take away the life of the King this was but an entrance Nay we must cut off root and braunches too if we shall make sure worke was this all Nay the estaâ—es of the Land they must also be cut off that so strength and councell being remooued and the heads being cut off the Conquest might be the easier and the confusion the greater Is this yet all Nay the life of the Kingdome true Religion must be extinguished and all the Professors thereof vtterly rooted out that so Idolatrie may take sure footing againe And to make vp the measure of their mischiefe the execution of all this practise must bee layd vpon true Religion that herein their malice might reach to heauen and in some measure insult and triumph ouer God himselfe Behold heere the trauaile of the wicked which is to bring forth mischiefe behold the fruitfulnesse of malice which can deuise store of snares see the propertie of the wicked they are restlesse in commiting euill and neuer wearie of practising against the Saints of God They cannot sleepe except they haue done euill and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall Nay they will spare their sleepe that they may imagine mischiefe on their beds and when the morning is light they practise it Euen as the wilde Asse vsed to the wildernesse that shuffeth vp the winde by occasion at her pleasure who can turne her backe So the wicked runne on without controwlement in the multitude of ther mischiefes and it is their sport and pastime to commit sinne with greedinesse Let vs therefore trie our selues by this propertie of the wicked To commit sinne is an infirmitie incident to the most regenerate but to make it our studie and delight to commit sinne with greedinesse and to continue therein this cannot stand with a sanctifyed nature I delight in the Law of the Lord concerning the inward man saith that chosen Vessell Saint Paul and therfore if I doe that which I would not it is no more I but sinne that dwelleth in me Ohlet vs howsoeuer we cannot choose but sinne yet notwithstanding delight in the law of the Lord that so our sinne may not be imputed vnto vs. Once haue I spoken saith holy Iob but I will answere no more yea twise but I will proceede no further If we haue once oftended let vs doe so no more lest otherwise a worse thing happen vnio vs. And if so be the wicked are so fruitfull in mischiefe and vnwearied in euill to gaine hell therby oh let vs neuer bee wearie of well doing let vs bee plentifull in good workes seeing if we faint not wee shall certainely reape an euerlastâ—ng reward in heauen Lastly seeing the enemies of the Gospell are neuer wearie of mischiefe but still are deuising and practising against the Iust. Oh let vs not be secure of them nor hope to winne them by gentlenesse seeing conniuencie at their wickednesse is but a spurre to further mischiefe as giuing them respite and oportunitie to commit the same If we shall wisely stand vpon the guard and keepe this enemie at the
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
to their bodyes but euen to their soules to make their fall such as they shall not be able to rise againe doth therefore in his wisedome let them alone so farre in these their diuelish practices that hauing brought them in a manner to ripenes and perfection as they could wish they might herevpon be lifted vp with pride and confidence in the good successe thereof that by the suddaine defaiture of these practices afterward their confusion might be the greater both to body soule not onely to the body in such punishments which doe attend them but especially into their soules and consciences either breeding in them an obstinate allowance of their diuelish practices when they shall see their expectation so deceiued their wisedome confounded Oh this will make Ahitophell euen to hang himselfe this is it that will strike dispaire in the harts of these rebells and make them euen desperatly runne vpon their owne swords Maruaile not we therefore if we see the wicked puffed vp with confidence in their mischeifes for it is the cheefest portion that they haue of al their iniquity this is al the poore comfort they find theirin namely to flatter them selues in the good successe thereof yea this is the strōgest band wherby Satan doth hold them Rather admire wee the wonderfull wisedome of the Lord who prepares thē by this carnall confidence to their greater confusion and makes the pride of their wisedome to be the break-neck thereof And seeing it is no shame to learne good euen of our enemyes seeing confidence in euill is a messenger of their distruction let vs trie our standing in grace by our feare in sinne Certainly as the feare of offending God is a meanes to preuent sin so feare in the sence of our owne vnworthynes in regard of our sinnes working repentance not to be repented of is the meanes to restore vnto vs the ioy of Gods saluation which before we had lost than so we may either auoyde or sanctifie such iudgments as are due vnto our sinnes And if the wicked are so confident in euill purposes Oh let vs not cast away our confidence couradge in well-doing which hath so greatre compence of reward Lastly seeing confidence in sinne is a note of ripenes and when the measure is full the vessels shall be emptied Let vs not be cast downe when we see the wicked insolent that especially in the confidence of their wickednesse neither let their presumtion in their mischiefs be any matter to hinder vs in the wayes of our callings but rather let vs patiently waite vpon the Lord and commit our selues into his hands in wel-doing as into the hands of our faithfull Creator vpon an vndoubted assurance that the malice of the wicked is hastening to an end when wee shall see it swolne and puffed vp with pride of good successe Though we may say in our infirmitie vpon view of their power and malice as Elishaes seruant did Alas how shall we doe we are but dead men yet let vs here see by faith and not by sence and then vndoutedly wee shall haue Elishaes eyes to see more with vs than those that are against vs yea if wee can bee still and behold the saluation of the Lord our enemies whome wee see this day wee shall see them no more And if wee would desire that the Lord would shew vs some token for good whereby we may see the confusion of our enemies neere at hand we cannot haue any more euident than this that before destruction the minde is haughtie Our enemies are secure and confident in the accomplishment of their practises For so it followeth in the next words THE SECOND PART The Webbe broken Psal. 64. Vers. 7. But God shall shoot an arrow at them suddenly their stroakes shal be at once 8. They shall cause their owne tongues to fall vpon them and whosoeuer shall see them shall fly away WHere in the holy Ghost vsing a borrowed speech from Archers and their shooting doth heereby signifie thus much vnto vs that as the arrow flyes swiftly wee knowe not from whome and suddenly hits we know not when so shall the Iudgements of God come vpon the wicked when they are least looked for and suddenly surprise them to their greater confusion Wherein first it is worthy our obseruation that the holy Ghost ascribes this notable defeature and ouerthrow of the enemie to the proper office and worke of God God shall shoote For what can be a greater terrour to Traytors and Rebels than to know that as they in resisting power resist God so they shall haue God to fight against them before whome they shall not be able to stand Against whom no power nor wisedome nor counsell shal be able to preuaile What greater comfort can there be vnto Princes than this that whereas it is God that exalteth them and not they themselues it is he also that will maintaine his owne calling and institution and rescue his seruants from the hurtfull sword Certainely though Magistrates are so exalted that they are aboue all others yet by this they may learne that the Lord is aboue them that so they may be humbled in the sence of their greatnesse yea though they are so high in regard of their callings that all humane power is subiect vnto them yet this herein may humble them much more that they are placed in such mutable and slipperie places that if the Lord withdraw his protection from them they shall be subiect to the power of the meanest creatures Oh that Princes would learne hence to establish their thrones by kissing the sonne and aduauncing his kingdome oh that they would learne to bound themselues within the compasse of Gods protection by seruing the Lord in feare and reioycing before him in reuerence So should the Lord establish their Kingdomes for euer and their enemies should be cloathed with perpetuall shame so should their earthly honour bee a pledge vnto them of euerlasting glorie and this that they gouerned faithfully ouer men vnder God should be a meanes to further them to raigne with God for euer Onely let them take heede that they tempt not the Lord that because the Lord will finde out their enemies and auenge their cause therefore they shall bee secure and carelesse in obseruing their practises and meeting with their wickednesse by lawfull authority vpon pretence of leauing the matter vnto God and to gaine an opinion of vnseasonable clemencie For as it is presumption to be our owne caruers in vengeance when our priuate callings will not warrant vs therein so to keepe the sword in the scabberd when it is put in our hands and not drawe it forth for the cutting off of the wicked as this is a betraying of that power which is committed vnto vs so it is the meanes to exclude vs Gods protection and thereby to expose vs to the malice of our enemies And
though on the other side we shal not be able to meet with all as who is able to search the heart of man and indeede when the leaders shall be cut off it stands many times with policie and agrees with clemencie to let the rest escape yet neither let the wicked hereby flatter themselues that the bitternesse of death is past neither let the Children of God distrust but that all their enemies in time shall be confounded For though Dauid may spare Shimei when reuenge is not fit yet the Lord will haue a time to meet with that rayling enemie and to snare him in the ginne that his owne mouth hath layd And though the aduersaries of the truth may happily in some part for a time escape as it is necessarie sōe should still remaine that the faithfull be tryed yet let thē know that their destruction sleepeth not Though Ioab may escape while the Sonnes of Zeruiah are to stronge for the Kingdome and his sinne not yet breake out to ripenesse and perfection yet the time shall come when Salomon shall be stronge ynough for him and the guilt of his former bloodinesse shall driue him forward to receiue the wages of bloud by causing him in the end to breake out into apparant Rebellion Oh consider this you that embrew your hands in blood and for the time goe vncontrolled because power is in your hands Behold the blood that you haue shedde doth crie for vengeance and in the appointed time the Lord will giue you vp to such a thirst of blood as that none but the blood of the mightie will quench the same that so your sinne now meeting with a power able to match it may receiue the wages due vnto the same Certainly whosoeuer makes not conscience to spill the blood of those who are deare in the sight of God ouer whom he may haue power he shall in the end make conscience of shedding no blood that so at the length hee may meete with his match to shedde his owne blood Would God our oppressors and blood-suckers would consider this and in the Booke of this prouidence read their owne successe And though happily there may bee a pardon for the first offence though the clemencie of the Prince may remit the first fact as the heart of the King is in the hands of the Lord it is the glory of a man to passe by an offēce yet surely where there doth not follow a thorough reformation of life there wil certainely bee a relapse into the same sinnes that so at length vngeance may meet with them Adomiah may escape once though hee prooue Traitor to his Lord yet his sinne is restlesse and at length will finde him out and in the end hee shall bee caught in the bonds of his former iniquitie Oh consider this you that abuse the patience of gouernement to the hardning of your hearts and multiplying of your iniquities euen with greedinesse against your Soueraigne certainely the Lord which awaketh for the preseruation of his children who preseueth his Annointed and maintaineth his owne cause he euen he will giue you vp to such desperatenesse of iniquitie in the end that it shall pay you in due time the shame it oweth you to the glorie of God and your iust confusion Euen so oh Lord hasten the confusion of thine enemies or conuert them speedily for the accomplishment of the elect It followeth Shall shoot an arrow at them suddenly Behold now the admirable wisedome and powers of God in this effectuall maner of defeating his enemies by confounding their poliyes in their seuerall practices with his contrary iudgments answearable thervnto And first consider wee how deliberate consultation is here confounded with the suddennes of the vengeance that they which tooke such time laysure to bring their purposes to passe they which so aduisedly consulted to do mischeife vnto others shall now haue no time or leasure to consult their owne deliuerance because the hand of the Lord shall come suddenly vpon them So doth the Lord threaten Babel that rod of his indignation that he will come vpon her suddenly with many plagues So doth the holy Ghost prophecie of that spirituall Babell that not onely in one daie but euen in one hower she shal be ouerthrowne Yea her iudgment shall come vpon her as the casting of a great milstone into the middest of the Sea so sudden violent shal be her distruction So do the seruants of God poynt out vnto vs the distruction of the wicked that it shal be suddaine and fearfull which cannot be auoided A most holy and righteous course of Gods proceeding against the wicked whether wee consider the affection of the Lord in laying theise punishments vpon them or the end which he aymeth at in confounding them in this life or lastly the vse that he entendeth in regard of others Concerning the affection of the Lord in the punishments of the wicked as the Lord chasteneth his children in loue and of verie faithfullnes causeth them to be afflicted so on the contrary doth hee consume the wicked in his wrath and sore displeasure And therefore as he giues warning vnto the one to witnes his loue vnto them that so they might be prepared to meet the Lord so on the other side doth he ouer take the wicked with his suddaine iudgments that being vnprepared therevnto they might be ouer-whelmed with the fury of his speedy indignation And this also doth the end of their afflictions manyfestly declare For whereas the Lord in these temporall plagues entendes to giue them a tast of eternall vengeance therfore doth he lay them suddenly vpon the wicked that so confounding them by this suddenes and driuing them to their wits endes their harts might not onely bee hardned and so enraged against the Lord but further also this confusion of their wisedome driuing thē to dispayre they shal be possed with the fearfull expection of the vengeance to come And surely seeing God doth turne all things to the good of the elect therfore also doth he make the punishmentes of the wicked profitable vnto them and that especially by the consideration of the suddennes of them For hereby the saints of God are forewarned of security lest a sudden iudgment do ouertake them hereby they are admonished to serue the Lord in feare in that he deales so roundly and suddenly against the wicked hereby also they gather comfort in all their crosses troubles that the Lord maketh a difference betweene them and the wicked euen in that which seemeth to be alike vnto both Oh that our carelesse impes would consider this who spend their dayes in wealth and put the euill day farre from them that so they may more securely approach the sea of iniquity that they would remēber this suddaine reckoning and lay vnto their harts this course of Gods iustice euen to take sinne napping and suddenly to surprise it That
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
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
the Church might finally be extinguished as hauing neither Nurse nor Milke nor Babe remaining Oh consider the depth of this diuellish malice and magnifie the depth of Gods mercie in thy wonderfull deliuerance Remember if euer any danger was like vnto this which the Lord thy gracious God hath pluckt thee out off that so thy heart may bee inlarged to giue him due praises for the same And yet that thy heart may bee further inlarged herevnto as thou hast hetherto vnderstood the greatnesse of the danger in auoyding so many euils So consider in the second place in thy wonderfull recouerie what plentie of blessings the Lord hath conferred vpon thee And that thou mayest not mistake the nature of a deliueraâ—nce behould the Spirite leades thee to a true discerning thereof for speaking of the deliuerance which the Lord would performe vnto his Church that the memorie thereof might for euer bee continued hee saith This shal be written for the generations to come that this faithfull record might preuent forgetfulnesse And further that wee might learne to iudge rightly of a deliueraunce hee addeth And the people which shal be created shall praise the Lord meaning that a deliueraunce from so great a danger was to bee accounted no lesse then a new creation that is of nothing euen raysing vp a creature and a new giuing of such blessinges as hee is furnished withall Wouldest thou therefore vnderstand aright what God hath done for thee in this great deliueraunce Surely if thou doest not accompt as nothing whatsoeuer thou wast or hadest heretofore if thou doest not esteeme thy selfe and whatsoeuer thou art to bee a new gest euen newly created and restored of nothing thou doest yet conceiue nothing to the trueth and worth of this blessing and shalt in no sort bee able to make good vse thereof But if so bee that thou shalt acknowledge that all thinges are become new that whatsoeuer thou art or hast thou must not reckon it from thy birth but from this wonderful deliuerance consider what singular profite shall arise vnto thee hereby There is not any thing thou enioyest but shall remember this deliuerance vnto thee that so thou maiest bee prouoked to magnifie the deliuerer Nay this renuing vnto thee of whatsoeuer thou hast shall prouoke thee to concecrate the same anew vnto thy God that so thy deliuerance working that holy thinge in thee wheâ— by thou shalt be renued in the Spâ—rit of thy minde and bee cloathed with some good measure of holinesse and righteousnesse thou maiest sing the new song of praise vnto thy GOD which becometh the righteous onely to performe for so it followeth But the righteous shall reioyce in the Lord. Behold here a further dutie in the intertainment of this great deliuerance and that limited vnto the righteous namely that they shall reioyce in the Lord for the same Not that they shall not behold declare or vnderstand as well as others what God hath done for them for these are good furtherances to the dutie of thankfulnesse but that though they doe these things yet they shall not stay heere as the wicked doe but shall proceed further to reioyce in the Lord for the same by celebrating the praises of the Lord according to his benefits A dutie verie fitly appropriated to the righteous For they onely haue right in this ioy and therefore if the Lord haue done great things for them they may safelie reioyce therein and they onely know how to vse this ioy aright and therefore may with greater libertie enlarge themselues therein they onely haue true cause of ioy euen the testimonie of their consciences they onely by this ioy doe sanctifie the blessing vnto them and so procure the continuance of it And they onely shall haue no end of theirioy and therefore may not feare the ouerthrow thereof And indeede what greater outward pledge can wee haue of the fauour of GOD then that hee doth not suffer our enemyes to triumphe ouer vs And what greater cause of ioy can wee haue then this that the fauour of GOD shineth vpon vs And if the experience of Gods former deliuerances bee warrants vnto vs of his future mercies If because the Lorde hath deliuered vs from the Lyon and the Beare therefore wee can safely say that Goliah shall bee as one of these And because the Lorde hath deliuered vs and doth deliuer vs therefore wee can say further that hee will deliuer vs finally out of all our trouble this must needs enlarge our hearts with vnspeakable ioy as beeing a part of that earnest of ioy whereof one day wee shall bee full Surely as it is a righteous thing with GOD to recompence sorrowe vnto these who haue reioyced in the afflictions of the Saints So it is appointed of GOD that they which haue sowen in teares and manifolde afflictions should in due time Reape in ioye the fruite of all their troubles in the wayes of God And seeing there is a time for all things and an appointed time to reioyce as there is to mourne Therefore howsoeuer in the day of affliction wee must consider and enter into the house of moorning yet in the day of mirth and deliuerance wee must bee of good comfort and to expresse our ioy wee must sing prayses vnto our God So hath the Lord himselfe appointed this time I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee So haue the Saints imployed this time So reioyced Moses and Miriam with their seuerall companies for their delirance out of Egypt So did Debora and Barak exercise the people for their deliuerance from the Cananites So did Dauid imploy himselfe for his deliuerances from time to time from his enemies So did the Church reioyce for her deliuerance from that cruell conspiracie of Haman And as when a iudgement hath beene eyther threatned or inflicted vpon the seruants of God they haue set a part dayes of humiliation the better to fitte themselues to meete the Lord by true repentance as did the Niniuites Iehosophat and diuers others in the like case So when the Lord hath remooued the iudgement from them and hath giuen them a gratious and happy deliuerance that they might neuer forget such mercies and be fully inlarged in thankfulnes for the same they haue also seperated certaine dayes to be imployed principally in the expressing their ioy by such meanes as may fitte and further the same Such were those dayes of feasting and thanksgiuing instituted from time to time by the godly Magistrates to remember the blessings that the Lord had bestowed vpon them and to giue him speciall prayses on such dayes for the same So did Mordochie and Hester institute the dayes of Purim for that wonderful deliuerance from Hamons intended massaker which were so called from the occasion because Hamon by Lot was incouraged to that deuillish interprize of destroying the Iewes and therefore to magnifie
to vse these blessings aright so by scattering thus the blessings that the Lord hath bestowed vpon vs on our selues soberly on others plentifully on our God thankfully the holy Ghost witnesseth that wee shall haue plentie and aboundance the oyle in the cruse and the meale in the battell shall not be wasted vntill the Lord bring thee to that plentie where there shall bee no more neede of these things Thus shall thou fight the good fight of faith against all the difficulties that may assault thee in these outward things and so ouercoming such euilles as by abuse they are incident vnto that little which thou hast shall be better then great riches of the vngodly as being a furtherance vnto thee of that durable riches and neuer fading honour which remaines with thee for euer in the kingdome of heauen And now enlarge thy heart and consider yet further the wonderfull conquests of thy faith What good thing is there which heauen and earth doeth afford which is not ours by the power of a liuely faith What should I tell you of the creatures of GOD the Creator himselfe is ouercome by faith Howe doeth the prayer of the faithfull preuaile if it be feruent are the heauens opened and shut by faith Yea hell it selfe and all the powers thereof are subiect thereunto Is this the victorie of our faith that it ouercometh the world Nay herein behold the glorious conquest thereof that it ouercometh him that made the world Let me alone saith God vnâ—o Moses where he pâ—aied vnto him for the people So strongly had Moses tied the Lord vnto him by his faithfull prayer What can wee desire more Behold heere the victorie of faith and learne to try thy selfe by these things whether this deliuerance hath confirmed thy faith in God whether thou bee in the faith or no And for our further triall and conclusion of these meditations consider wee what the holy Ghost addeth And all that are vpright in heart shall reioyce Therein as I take it giuing vs a notable touchstone to discerne that true righteousnesse which is of faith namely by the soundnes and vprightnesse of the heart So doth the spirit describe those that are truelâ— righteous so may true righteousnesse best be iudged euen froÌ„ the souÌ„dnes sincerity of the heart for as the heart is that which principally God requires as knowing that if it be giuen vp vnto him the rest will follow So is it that which first he fittes that it may be yeelded vp vnto him as an acceptable sacrifice vnto his Maiestie by purifiing the same by faith through the Ministerie of the word And seeing the heart is the fountaine and originall of all our actions therefore the fountaine being purged the streames must needes be pure and though happily through imperfection they may in part be polluted yet seeing the fountaine is purged therefore certenly shall the streames one day bee clensed also and in the meane time wee shall bee accepted not according to the streame of our outward actions but answerable to the fountaine euen the purpose of our hearts And surely seeing we haue heerein onely boldnesse before GOD eneâ—y the testimonie of our conscience that it doeth not condemne vs and this not so much in regard of the present puritie thereof which is imperfect as in that by faith wee still lay hold vpon Iesus Christ in whome onely we haue boldnesse to approach the throne of grace and by whome we are assured of full perfection And seeing wee can haue no comfort in what wee doe nor incouragement to goe forward vnlesse wee haue the approbation of our conscience for the same if now our righteousnesse should only bee measured by the outward action and not by the inward purpose of the heart what boldnesse could wee haué before GOD seeing our best righteousnesse so measured is as a menstrous cloath What comfort could wee haue in our outward well doing seeing our vines bring forth so small grapes Besides this howe should I cleare my self from the note of hypocrisie if I had not an euidence froÌ„ my heart to iustifie my sinceritie seeing the hypocrite may for a time make a fairer shew then possiblely the sound Christian Nay howe shall I bee established against such slanders and reproches as are fastned vpon me how possibly shall I not sinke vnder the burden of these imputations if my righteousnesse were onely measured by my good name which is procured by my outward actions and not by the sincerity of my heart in the sight of God Oh this is it that makes the children of God not to esteeme to bee iudged of men because their hearts are cleare they know nothing by themselues this makes them to disclame the verdict of men in the court of the world and to flie to the approbation of the Lord in the court of their consciences By which as deceiuers in the opinion of men yet they are true in the sight of God their conscience bearing them witnesse of the sinceritie of their outward action though it bee mingled with much corruption and performed with much weakenesse So the sinceritie of their heart doeth not onely approue them in the sight of God but doeth also imbolden them euen against the forces of men that so they may not be discouraged in their greatest weakenesse but the power of their sound conscience approuing what is done doeth thereby prouoke them to a further measure of well doing that so hauing finished their course with ioy they may in the end attaine that crowne of glory which is laid vp for them which Iesus Christ the iust shall giue them at that day Behold here the euidence of this truth concerning the triall of our righteousnesse namely the foundnesse and sinceritie of our hearts If now hauing proued a souÌ„d heart to be the touchstone of true righteousnesse a further triall shall bee required howe this sound heartmay bee knowne surely seeing the heart of man is deceitfull aboue al things who can know it and the searching thereof doeth onely belong to God therefore as we dare not vndertake herein any certen determination concerning the hearts of others yet because the Lord doth vouchsafe vs the assurance of our saluation in this life the test mony whereof especially proceedeth from the spirit of God witnessing vnto our spirits that we are his children as by this we are sure of the soundnesse of our owne hearts so do we not want many excellent markes of this inward sincerity Wouldst thou therfore know whether thy heart be sincere or no Consider first the meanes whereby it is purged namely by faith applying vnto vs the blood of Christ Iesus and â—eeing that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Therefore if thou wouldst haue a testimony of the ground worke of sincerity in thy heart thou must be sure to fetch it from the power of the word
meanes to deliuer â—sal 38. Psa. 142. Psa. 35. Such hath bene the state of the Church As a birde in the snare Psa. 124 6. Zach. 3. 3. A pray in the teeth Abran pluckt out of the fire As dead and dry â—onse Ezec. 37. 4. 5. 6. And such was our daunger in the late entended conspiracy As appoynted as she pe to the slaughter â—sal 44. And suddneâ—lie to be sâ—aâ—std vpon VVhich made our present state desperate And might haue endangered our future estate And yet shal if we make not vse of so great a deliuerance Rom. 2. 4. Consider yet further the greatnes of the daunger It was not the life of a priuate person No not of the head alone But head and tayle roote and branches all were shot at in the practise Esay 9. 44. Esay 15. Iob. 4. 6. Consider yet further the greatnes of thy danger In that thy enemie laboured to depriue theâ— of that whereby though thou hadst bene killed yet thou mightest haue liued still 1. Cor. 15. 19. Iob. 13. 15. 20. 1 The testimony of thine innocencie 2. The succession continuall of the Church So was Iobs innocencie vnto him Iob 27. 6. And 2. vers Iob. 19. 17. So doeth God comfort his Church with the hope of continuall successiod VVhich as it may aboundantly satisfie vs in our greatest daÌ„gers and recompence our greatest troubles whatsoeuer that we shal bee meanes of the reuiuing and continuing of the Church So this is our triall whether wee be faithfull vnto our God if for the good of the Church wee shall thus hazard our selues to leaue it glorious to posterity And herein appeared the diuellish malice of our aduersaries VVhich with on blow would haue cut of both these comforts 1. our Innocency 2. hope of posteritie Both the royall seed the se ed of the word the seed of the righteous By this maiest thou comprehend the greatnes of the danger Hearken now thou maiest vnderstand the greatnes of the deliuerance By apprehending the true nature of a deliuerance which is as a creation VVhereby all thinges together with thy selfe are newly restored So shal each thing thou hast being newly giuen thee put thee in mind of the blessing And further thy in ward renewing That so thou maist be fit to reioyce in thy God for the blessing And doth onely belong to the righteous and why Psa. 126. 7. 1. Cor. 1. 12. Ioh. 16. Psa. 41. 11. Psa. 4. 6. 1. Sam. 17. 2. Cor. 1. 10. Obad. 11. Psa. 126. 6. Eccl. 3. 1. Eccl. 7. 16. So hath God appointed Psa. 50. 15. So haue the saints practised Exod. 15. 1. 20. Iudg. 5. 1. Psal. 18. Hest. 8. 9. So hath man for the time to come institude dayes ioy and thanksgiuing Ion. 3. 2. Chor. 28. Hest. 9. 17. Ioh. 10. Extraordinary occasions may take some liberty herein keeping themselues with in their bounds 1. Cor. 7. Because our ioy must be in the Lord. 4 Phil. 4. Gal. 5. 11. Gal. 6. 5. This shall be knowne if we keepe a right order and measure therein Rom. 8. 32. A good order is keept by 1. deriuing our ioye from the fountaine to the streame and 2. returning it from the streame vnto the fountaine againe That God may be first and last in our ioy Phil. 3. 7. Reu. 1. 8. 2. By reioycing principally in such blessings as are neerest to the fountaine Such are the blessings of the right hand all spirituall graces and the meanes thereof 2. Sam. 19. 24. Vers 30 Thus must we try our selues by this deliuerance Psa. 137. 6. Least preferring Carnall things before spirituall blessings VVe make the curses vnto vs. And procure that they shal be taken away 1. King 5. 6. Math. 6. 33. Math. 6. 33. Math. 25. And make vs such friends euen of these out ward things as that they shall further vs to euerlasting habitations 1. Cor. 15. Luk. 6. 38. VVhich shal be furthered by knowing the right measure Luke 10. 20. VVhich is best tried by the descouery of two extreames 1 of reioycing to much which shal be discerned in this deliuerance If it haue not bettered vs to heauen Luk. 1. 74. 75. If we be not renued with the blessings If we reioyce not more in well-doing then in the blessing Pro 21. 15. Psa 50. 18. Eccles. 2. 2. Thus did the saints approue their ioy 2. Chro. 15. 8. 10. They reioyced for the deliuerance when they had made a couenant with God for a better life And so must we trie the measure of our ioy if it hath proceeded from our reconciliation with God otherwise it is vnseasonable Amos 5. 18. 19. Amos. 5. 21. Ier. 7. 19. And shall be the occasion to depriue vs Math. 13. 58. And our posteritie of the like mercies 2. Triall of our ioy exceeding Amos. 6. 3. VVhen wee so reioyce for our own good as that we do not sorrow with al for the afflictions of others 3 Triall that we reioyce too much 2. Cor. 8. 13. If we take such libertie therein which may be occasion to grieue others 1. Not the enemies of God for these we may grieue Psa 112. 9. 10. Yea reioyce in the vengeance that is inflicted vpon them Psa. 58. 9. Exod. 15. Moyses and Miriam were carefull herein Here was the Iewes care excellent And so was Nehemiahs that in the generall cause of ioy all might reioyce Nehem. 5. To this end he perswades the rich to leaue their oppression 8. verse A good lesson for our oppressors And himselfe enlargeth his compassion to the furtherance of this generall ioy In abating of his necessary allowance 14. verse Though otherwise lawfull But yet in such a case of extremity to remit of our right is an extraordinary note of the feare of God A good president for our Nehemiahs VVhich if they do not obserue they shall signifie they could haue beene willing the poore had beene swept away so they had escaped And further prouoke to cry for vengeaunce while they are reioycing so shall the Lord heare their cry and confound the others ioy Let vs not therefore now God hath lengthned out our stewardships beat our fellow seruants Least our maister take vs in our cruelty and giue vs measure accordingly 4. triall that we reioice too much if we so reâ—oyce now that we may not reioyce hereafter VVhich shall fall out if this deliuerance be the cause of our decay in Zeale Math. 25. Iob. 1. 2. Generall triall of reioycing too little Num. 11. 29. Luk. 22. 32. Phil. 4. 12. 3. Triall of our reioycing too ittle 4. Triall of our reioycing too little Psal. 14. This is a fift effect of great deliuerances as being indeed the true seasoning of all the rest and that wherein the saints do quiet their harts namelie trust confidence in God Rom. 14. 23. Psa. 33. 21. 1. Pet. 1. 9. The trial therof 1. In ouercomming all euill 2. In obtayning euery good Euills are either 1. simply euill as finne 2. Euill by 1. Opinion