true righteousnes wrought in the soule of one cannot there bee suppressed but will spread it selfe abroad and worke vpon others for their conuersion In one word then hee which would be reputed righteous and yet keepeth in all his righteousnes to himselfe and doth not impart it vnto others may iustly bee suspected to haue little or no sound righteousnesse at all within him Thus farre for the person of whome the Prophet doth speake Now let vs come to the things whereof hee doth speake The troubles saith hee of the righteous are many By the word Troubles you must vnderstand all such things as doe molest or disquiet him The Hebrew word is Ranghoth in the plurall number Ranghoth of Raughah in the singular And howsoeuer it be taken now and then Adiectiuely for that which is sinfull or painefull yet here it is put substantiuely and doth note out Euils or afflictions not euils as they are sinnes but as they are chastisemeÌ„ts For euill is of 2. sorts the one is Malum Culpae and the other is malum paenae the one the euill of sinne the other is the euill of punishment And well may euils or afflictions be called Troubles euen of the effects of them because they are wont to trouble such as haue them You see now the meaning of the words the doctrine arising from them is this That good men and good women shall haue troubles heere in this world Looke how many will truely feare the Lord and taking hold of Christ Iesus by a liuely faith will carefully endeuour to walke in Gods commandements to the ende of their dayes they shall haue crosses and troubles there afflictions tribulations do belong to them and they shall be sure to haue their portion therein So much may we gather out of Esayes words when hee saith Behold I and the children meaning the true members of Christ that were willing to heare obey the words of God wherof he spake before whome the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israel by the Lord of Host which dwelleth in mount Sion g Esay 8.18 So much we may gather out of Ieremies words when hee saith Heare I pray you all people and behold my sorrow speaking of the church of God vnder his owne person My Virgines and my young men are gone into captiuitie I called for my Louers but they deceiued mee my Priests and mine elders perished in the city while they sought their meate to refresh their soules Behold ô Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell mine heart is turned within me for I am full of heauines the sword spoyleth abroad as death doth at home They haue heard that I mourn but there is none to comfort me all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble are glad that thou hast done it h Lament 1.18.19 20 21. So much we may gather out of Zacharies words when he saith Arise ô sword vpon my Shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hoasts smite the shepheard and the sheepe shal be scattered I will turne mine hand vpon the lettle ones And in all the Land saith the Lord two parts therein shall bee cut off dye but the third shall be left therein And I will bring that third part through the fire and will fine them as the siluer is fined and will trie them as the gold is tryed They shall call on my Name and I will heare them I will say It is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God i Zach. 13.7.8.9 So much we may gather out of Christs words when he saith Behold speaking to his disciples I send you as sheepe in the mids of wolues Beware of men for they will deliuer you vp to the councels will scourge you in their Synagogues And the brother shall betray the brother to death and the Father the Sonne and the Children shall rise against their Parents and shall cause them to die And yee shall be hated of all men for my Name k Mat. 10.16.17.18.21.22 So much wee may gather out of Paules wordes when hee saith For wee are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the Angels and to men vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place and labour working with our own hands we are reuiled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it wee are euill spoken of and we pray wee are made as the filth of the world 1. Cor. 4.9.1 the off-scowring of all things vnto this time So much lastly may wee gather to omit many other places out of Dauids words when he saith haue mercy vpoÌ„ meô Lord for I am iÌ„ trouble mine eye my soule my belly are consumed with griefe For my life is wasted with heauinesse my yeares with mourning my strength faileth for my paines and my bones are consumed I was a reproach among all mine enemies but especially among my neighbours and a feare to mine acquaintance who seeing mee in the streete fledde from mee I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde I am like a broken vessell for I haue heard the rayling of great men feare was on euery side while they conspired together against me and consulted to take my life m Psalm 31.9.10.11 Obiect But what may the causes heereof bee Is it because they are more base then others by their stocke and parentage Answ No For in that respect they are the honourablest persons in all the world as beeing begotten and borne not of mortall but of immortall seed euen of GOD himselfe n Ioh. 1.13 Is it because they are more wicked then others by their workes and wayes No for in that respect they are the holiest persons in all the world as beeing washed from their sinnes o Reu. 1.5 and as hauing their conuersation aboue in the heauens themselues p Phil. 3.20 Is it because they are more detestable in the eyes of God then others by their estate and condition No for in that respect they are the dearest q Prou 15.9 Acts 10 â—5 Ioh. 14.23 persons vnto him in all the world as being incorporated into the body of his Sonne and made his children by adoption r Ephes 1.4.5 Is it because they are more beggarly then others by their portion of goods and inheritance here below No for in that respect they are the richest persons in all the world if not by profession yet by right as beeing the heires of all things yea coheyres with Christ of euery thing s Rom. 8.17 So that a man may say to them as Paul did to the Corinthians in these words Let no man reioyce in men for all things are yours whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they bee things present or things to come euen all are yours t 1. Cor. 3.21.22 It is
the lands from the East and from the West from the North n Psalm 6.68.19 and from the South And he doth often repeate this saying in the same Psalme Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men That is euer true which is in Hoseah where the Lord doth say O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in mee is thy helpe o Hds 13.9 For this cause I beseech you beloued brethren let none of vs sacrifice vnto our owne net or burne incense vnto our owne yarne but whensoeuer any of vs are deliuered out of any danger or distresse let vs blessed the Name of the Lord our God for the same and put that in practise which is required of vs by the prophet Dauid when he saith Yee sonnes of the mighty giue vnto the Lord glory and strength giue vnto the Lord glory due vnto his Name worshippe the Lord in his glorious Sanctuary p Psalm 29.1.2 The second is that in all troubles the righteous must runne to God they must seeke him out and labour to haue his fauour and assistance They must not looke vnto themselues or rest vpon their owne strength for they are weake and vnable for to helpe themselues That which Christ said in one sense is true in this Without mee yee can doe nothing q Ioh. 15.5 Neither must they look to man for all the world is against them r Ioh. 15.19 But they must looke to the Lord their God saying with Israel Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord For he hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp after two dayes will hee reuiue vs and in the third day he will raise vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight s Hos 6.1.2 Saying with Iehoshaphat when the Moabites Ammonites and the Idumeans of Mount-Seir came to battell against him O our God wilt thou not iudge them For there is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that coÌ„meth against vs neither doe we know what to doe but our eyes are towards thee t 2. Chron. 2.20 Saying with Dauid Haue mercie vpon mee ô GOD haue mercie vpon me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shaddow of thy wings will I trust till these afflictions ouerpasse I will call vpon the most high GOD euen to the God that performeth his promise towards me He will send from heauen saue mo froÌ„ the reproofe of him that would swallow me Selah God wil send his mercie truth v Psalm 57.10 Saying with Asa when the Aethyopians came against him with an Hoast of ten hundred thousand and three hundred charrets Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe with many or with no power helpe vs ô Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name are we come against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee w 2. Chro. 14.11 Saying with Herechia O lord God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth Lord bow down thine eare heare Lord open thine eyes and behold and heare the words of Sanacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God Now therefore ô Lord our God I beseech thee saue thou vs out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou ô Lord art onely God x 2. King 19.10.16.19 Saying lastly with the godly in the psalme I lift vp mine eyes to thee that dwellest in the heauens Behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their maisters and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the haâ—d of her mistris So our eyes wayte vpon the lord our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. y Psal 123.1.2 O my brethren there is much gadding abroad but I beseech you let vs not wander as others do therein We must not with Pharaoh relie vpon enchaunters Wee must not with Saul relye vpon witches we must not with Asa relye vpon physitions we must not with Israel rely vpon the Aegiptians we must not with Iezabel relie vpon Idols we must not with papists relie vpon the dead or canonized saints we must not with the worldling relie vpon the wedge of golde or earthly wealth we must not in a word with Goliah relie vpon our own strength or power But we must relye vpon the Lord our God We I say who are professors who are Christians who are the visible members of the Church who are the true children of God Gol. euen all wee I say must relie onely vpon the Lord our God whatsoeuer others doe besides Sother Ereptor Surely he onely must be our Goel our Soter our Ereptor that is our Redeemer our Sauiour our deliuerer Hee must bee our strength our refuge our shield our rock our fortresse and the horne of our saluation As Dauid doth speake in the 18. Psalme and 2. verse And therfore I pray let vs do euermore as that good man did who said Whom haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in the earth with thee My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer For loe they that withdraw themselues from thee shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee As for me it is good for me to draw neer to God Therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord that I may declare all thy works z Psalm 73.24 The third is a comfort vnto the righteous against all their troubels Reioyce ô daughter Zion saith Zophonie be ye ioyfull ô Israel be glad and reioyce with all thine hart ô daughter Ierusalem The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements he hath cast out thine enemie the king of Israel euen the Lord is in the middest of thee thou shalt see no more euill a Zeph. 3.14 Feare not said God vnto Israel his people for I am with thee be not affraid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and help thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish b Esa 41.10 Doubtles as Dauid gaue charge vnto the souldiers that they should not kill Absolom his sonne though he sent them against Absolom to stay his rebellion so God doth command crosses not to destroy his childreÌ„ though he send them against his children either to correct them or to trie them And therefore as the viper lept vpon Paul and lept of againe so troubles leape vpon the righteous and leaps off againe as though they had mistaken the partie and rapt at the wrong doore Looke then how all the accusers went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen to the last and left the
Ioseph was in prison Moses was in the water Ieremy was in the dungion Dauiel was in the Lions denne Ionah was in the whales belly Mordecay was in the power of Hamon Peter was in the Gaile the three children were in the burning furnace and Israel was in the bondage of Aegipt yet all these were deliuered and came out of their troubles euery one of them So that wee may conclude this point with the saying of Dauid in these words For the Lord loueth iudgement and forsaketh not his saints they shall be preserued for euermore marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the ende of that man is peace the saluation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord he shall be their strength in the time of trouble for the Lord shall helpe them and deliuer them he shall deliuer them from the wicked and shall saue them because they trust in him Ob. But here it may be obiected v psal 37.28.37.39.40 that the righteous are not alwayes deliuered out of their troubles but doe now and then continue in them still and doe rather miscarry by them then euer come out from them considering that they die and perish through them Ans For answere herevnto you must know three things The first is that God hath appointed times when to deliuer his out of their troubles as it is said in the Psalme Hee sent a man before them Ioseph was sold for a slaue They held his feete in the stockes and he was layd in irons vntill his appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him w psal 105.17 The second is that small and short troubles will not amend some and fit them well either for the worship of their God while they be here or for their owne actuall enterance into the kingdome of heauen hereafter they are so seated in their sinnes and so double died in their transgressions And therefore the Lord is compelled as it were for his owne glorie and their good to continue them still in their afflictions vntill hee hath renued them made them tractable to his voyce Read more of this in my 1. sermon vpon the second psalme The third and the last is that these that end their liues by their troubles are most of al deliuered from their troubles because then they are no more molested with any trouble but presently doe enter into their ioy of rest as Iohn doth shew saying Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord euen so saith the spirite for they rest from their labours and theyr workes doo follow them x 1. Cor. 14.13 Reas But to passe the doctrine and the doubt which hath bene moued against the doctrine let vs now come to the reasons of the doctrine and search what are the causes why the Lord doth deliuer the righteous out of all their troubles who are subiect to many troubles In few words they are foure in number The first is because they loue him according to that which is in the Psalme in these words Because he hath loued me therfore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because hee hath knowne my Name hee shall call vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble and I will deliuer him and glorifie him with long life I will satisfie him and shew him my saluation y Psal 91 14 The second is because he doth loue them and is bound vnto them by his promise according to that which is in Deuteronomie in these wordes The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because you were more in number then any people for you were the fewest of all people But because the Lord loued you and because hee would keepe the Oath which hee had sworne vnto your Fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharach king of Aegipt z Deut. 7.7 8 The third is because he is touched with their grieuances and all their troubles doe trouble him according to that which is in Esay in these words In all their troubles he was troubled and the Angell of his presence saued them in his loue and in his mercie he redeemed them and he bore them and carried them alwayes continually a Esay 〈◊〉 9 Heerevnto adde that whith is in Iudges His soule was grieued for the misery of Israel b Iudg 〈…〉 The fourth and last is because he hath glory and honour by their deliuerance according to that which is in Ezechiel in these words But I fauoured mine holy Name which the house of Israel had polluted among the heathen whither they went Therefore say vnto the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes ô house of Israel but for my holy names sake which you polluted among the heathen whither you went And I will sanctify my great name which was polluted among the heathen whom you haue polluted and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes for I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all countries and will bring you c â—â— 16.22 into your owne land Herevnto you may well ioyne that which is in Esay where he saith For my Names sake will I deferre my wrath and for my praise will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not off Behold I haue fined thee but not as siluer I haue chosen thee in the furnace of afflictions for mine owne sake for mine owne sake will I doe it for how should my name be polluted surely I will not giue my glory vnto another d Esa 48.9.10.11 So that his loue his promise his feeling and his glory together with their loue goodnes doe stirre God vp to helpe the righteous and to deliuer them out of all their troubles The consideration whereof may afford vnto vs plentifull obseruations Vse The first is that God must haue the praise and honour of all these deliuerances which the godly haue at any time They must ascribe nothing to themselues or to others therin but all to God as Moses did e Exod. 15.1 as Deborah did f Iudg. 5.1 as Samuel did g 1. Sam. 12.8 as Dauid did h Psalm 12.4 as Iehosophat did i 2. Chro. 20.26 as Daniel did k Dan. 6.22 as Paul did l 2. Tim. 3.11 as all must doe m Psalm 107.16 Praised be the Lord said Dauid euen the God of our saluation which leadeth vs daily with benefits this is our God euen the God that saueth vs and to the Lord God belong the issues of death Againe he saith praise ye the Lord for his mercy endureth for euer Let them which haue beene redeemed of the Lord shew how he hath deliuered them from the hand of the oppressor and gathered them out of