soule is like the Rudder to the Ship it turnes about all the powers and faculties of the soule and all to God It lades and unlades all the goods there all for GODS glory it receives all in and gives all forth for that same great end so Love doth I have said all when I have said The Righteous love GOD. It formes every work they doe and nothing forms a man or his work so dexterously as Love doth Love to God Love to His Truth Love to His People Love to their peace This inflames mens mindes works them suddenly to great perfection facilitates the work makes it slide on Nay farther as one observes truly That all other Affections though they raise the minde yet they doe it by distorting and uncomelinesse of extasies or excesses but onely Love doth exalt the mind and nevertâ—elesse at the same instant doth settle and compose it So in all other excellencies though they advance Nature yet they are subject to excesse onely Charity admitteth no excesse The righteous love God I have said all Why but all will say as much No man in the world but wil Ob. say I love GOD he dares not nay he is ashamed to say otherwise True I will reply shortly to this and once for all for all will Answ say as much touching their feare too and their trust also c. As the Kingdome of God so the love of God is not in word but in power GOD doth know that is approves not the speech of them that say (a) 1 Cor. 4. 19 20. so but the power of them that doe so That love The Lord not in word but in deed We have all I verily beleeve it a kind of faint weak waterish love which indeed the Scripture calls an hatred when the creature hath the strength and as I may say the first-borne of our love and God the after-birth which is of no account with Him but counted as aforesaid The righteous people love God They see an excellencie in God a transeendent goodnesse As it was said of Peter and Iohn when they saw their boldnesse They tooke knowledge of them that they had Acts 4. 13. been with Iesus So doe we observe the Saints love to Christ We must take knowledge That the City of God doe know The Lord Christ they have and doe see His Goodnesse They are with Him by their graces of love and faith they converse with Him day and night Therefore they so love God even as they glorifie Him As (b) Rom. 1. 21. Exod. 15. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 15. GOD glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders The onely Potentate The King of Kings and Lord of Lords They Love GOD as they are thankefull to Him as To GOD in Whom they live move and have their Being in Whose hands is their Time their Breath and all their wayes from Whom they have all things richly to enjoy to whom He communicates Himself so they glorifie Him so they are thankfull and so they love HIM with an exceeding love a love that commands in chiefe the great Centurion it commands all within and without to speak to doe to strive for God for so they love HIM with a predominate love which carryeth the soul on high And where this love of God rules there peace rules be the earth never so unquiet Get we this love rooted in our hearts it is the fittest of any thing to expell feare to keep downe the workings of it for it maintains and guards Reason and raiseth the soule above the world so as it can bid defiance to death and then to unreasonable men and devils too If I beare a true love to God stronger then death if so then I can beare any thing I can goe through fire and water all along before the face and nose of the adversaries if I am called to do it and feare nothing The love of GOD constraines me yea commands me and as the peace of Phil. 4. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God keeps and safeguards me also It keeps my heart and mind my soul and my spirit through Christ Iesus It keeps my understanding that there be no defilement there through the errors of wicked men It keeps my will that there be no perversenesse there not subdued and brought under It keeps my affections that they be cleane and holy that my hatred be to all iniquity and my love to righteousnesse for I love God how then should I think or doe thus and thus and so sin against him The love of God keeps me in perfect peace so far as that love is perfect in me If a man can resolve himself by the Spirit That God loves him That he is in Christ reconciled unto Him This is enough To dissolve the thickest cloud of feare overcasting the soule enough to take off the edge and blunt that eager and keene passion which so cuts and lanceth the spirits for then he can say also He loves GOD with a CHILD-like love as a child loves the father so as he can repose himselfe in his fathers lap or bosome in assured confidence He careth for him and then he can be as bold as Paul was and as well perswaded That neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God (a) Rom. 8. 38 39. c. The work then of a Christian is to cleare this point for when that is done all is done he lives as a man in the upper Region of the world riding upon the high places of the earth above the winds Esav 58. 14. and stormes which infest and trouble us here below I remember I have read of one who being upon a tempestuous sea and his ship almost covered with waves and the passengers there almost dead with feare was not withstanding very cheerfull and comfortable calme and quiet in his mind rather inclined to sing then to mourne Being asked the reason of his settlement and so quiet repose of spirit answered thus My Father is the Pilot of the ship He is at the sterne holds the helme He loves me I love Him The winds and stormes fulfilling his word (b) Psal 148. 8 He bids them rise and they are up and so blustering then He chideth He rebuketh them then they fall and are still I know and am well perswaded Mat. 8. 26. whether stormes or calmes I shall get to my Heaven and in passage thither nothing shall doe me hurt every thing shall doe me good from His hand that loves * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Facile impetratur semper quod filius postulat Terâ—ul de poâ—n c. 11. me And this makes me fearlesse this calmes me within what unquiet motions soever are without Oh of what mighty concernment is this in these times when the commandement is gone forth to restore and to build
in deep humiliation while the Joshuahs are searching the tents that the accursed thing may be cast out for so they have commanded us We must doe for the cause of Christ as the spirituall Lords Devils and men doe against Christ to shoulder Him out of His throne This is to doe our duty to doe As c. and so doing we doe our duty heartily and shall rejoyce in time to come that is very comfortable as we read it but there is more comfort in it then so we shall laugh at the time to come a Prov. 21. 2â— Ridet ad tempera seqâ—â—ontra Not care so much for the Army in the north as their fore-fathers did for an Army of frogs lice swarms of flies nor for any other mountain in the way for he shall be made a plaine Wee have and will do our Duty They that do so may laugh and sing too But these are but words the Lord knows not the speech but the power of our doing our duty And He put it into our hearts and keep it there for ever We can hardly set upon it though we are set upon by the hand of violence our gods are taken away from us I mean that we dote upon which quickned a man as dead in his body as we in our spirits For thus it was The Phisitians knew no way to quicken him out of his lethargy but by gingling his baggs before him upon the table then he awakened and stirred himselfe up for he would hold Hor. li. 2. Sâ— Satyr 3. his bags as long as he could hold his breath This god is takeÌ„ from us our liberty too and that is our god also Nay our LORD Christ is taking froÌ„ us Who gives all to us He is GOD indeed Now or never we will bethink our selves and lay out all we have are to keepe Him the LIFE of our lives and SOUL of our souls we wil keepe Him There is but this that can discourage us and it is the greatest encouragement in the world if we can contend for Him we may lose our estates and lives too That is true All may be lost most happily lost in such a contention Nay it is not lost it is gained and the greatest gain for He is worthy for Whose cause we do expend all this if it be our dearest blood and all He became poor for us to make us 2 Cor. 8 9. rich e nay a Curse for us to make us a Blessing If we think of this goods shal go and life too and blesse God with all our hearts that He put such a price into our hand to lay out our selves for Christ to suffer for Him Indeed it is as glorious a work as to beleeve in Him we cannot do the one without the other but suffering hath the preheminence that no man may be dismayed at his sufferings if called thereunto and for Christ for unto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeve on Him but Philip. 1. 29. also to suffer for His sake I have done prefacing The Lord give us understanding in the times and what Israel ought to do PROV 29. 25. The feare of man bringeth a snare but who so putteth his trust in The Lord shall be safe IT is ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing this 22. day of December 1642. that this booke Intituled The usefulnesse of Feare c. be printed John White Of FEARE The Just Cause The True Use The Soveraign Cure SECT I. The summe and scope of this Treatise The kinds of Feare The strange effects there from What the worst effect What the great designe of the Adversary How he prosecutes it His advantage if he can effect it His power and malice that way gives us just cause of feare CHAP. I. The Introduction to and purpose of this Treatise OUr Affections doe us the greatest service or disservice that well can be imagined and this they doe as wee master them or as they master us If we master them they are the winds of the soule carrying it so as it is neither becalmed that it moves not when it should nor yet tossed that it moves disorderly If they master us they raise storms there and we are storm-like sudden and violent carryed as a ship in a tempest If we master them they are the very wings of the soule A Prayer without them so we may say of any other performance is like a bird without wings (a) Oratio sine malis avis sine alis If I cared for nothing said Melancthon I should pray for nothing (b) Si nihil curarem nihil Orarem If they master us they are the clogs of the soule or if they be as wings it is to make us flee away from God and goodnesse from our selves and Duty Our Affections are the springs of all our services to GOD we are dry and cold and dead without them with them well ordered the soule is set on work and then the work will be done when the heart is upon it David had prepared much for the house of GOD himselfe gives the reason Because I have set my AFFECTION to the house of my GOD. (c) 1 Chr. 29. 3. Feare puts on the soule almost as fast as Love doth that great Centurion or puts it farther back I cannot doe this and sin I must doe this and why Because I have set my FEARE upon GOD and knowing the TERROR of the LORD (d) 2 Cor. 5. 11. I must perswade men In a word weare as a dead sea without our affections and as a raging sea if they exceed the bounds And no affection beats more strongly upon the soule and more like waves against the banks to exceed its just bounds and get over then feare doth and when it hath got over no affection sooner drowns the Spirits sinks Reason and so becomes a Passion indeed vexatious and troublesome for where feare is in excesse there is torment (e) 1 John 4. 18. This tormenting Passion the stilling its unreasonable motions is the subject of my Discourse now but GODS work To calme the Spirit to make it stand still when the earth shakes f Exod. 1â— â—â— Ne conâ—◠〈…〉 â—un and the kingdomes are moved I say His work Who chid the winds and commanded the seas and they obeyed Him and presently there followed a great calme Feare let alone to work its owne effects for like water it hath no bounds of its owne is g 〈◊〉 Math. 8. 20. in the heart as the tongue in the body kindleth a great fire (h) Jam. 3. 5. there from every little matter quickly raiseth that little to a raging flame which no man can quench onely GOD can And what way He commands and prescribes us for we must keep to His prescriptions the same which the whole City of GOD All His People have taken in all troublous times upward to this day To
Ierusalems wall evermore TROUBLOUS TIMES (c) Dan. 9. 25. That every man should labour to cleare his spirit by the Spirit at this great point The love of GOD towards him his love to GOD for this makes faire weather within however tempestuous it is abroad Here comes in an Objection I will resolve it at the first and once for all A man may love GOD and feare Him too which followes Ob. next and obey Him also and all this from the heart and yet he may be afraid he may have a great deale of love and faith too and yet have a great deale of feare he may love and feare God above many and yet feare the creature more then is meet 1. Iacob a very good man he loved God with all his heart yet Iacob was GREATLY (a) Gen. 32. 7. afraid GREATLY Marke that 2. David a man after Gods owne heart yet heare him what he saith Fearfulnesse and trembling are come upon me and terror hath overwhelmed me (b) Psal 52. 5. 3. Iehoshaphat a very good King yet he feared (c) 2 Chr. 20. 3. 4. The Disciples choise men all such as loved their Master with all their heart and with their whole soule yet fearfull (d) Mat. 8. 26. Before the Answer note this A man may love God much and yet feare much hurt from the creature And a man may have no love to God and yet no feare of the creature so stupified his spirit may be Now I answer indeed the Context answers it for me Iacob was greatly afraid and distressed how then his feare Answ did not put him off from duty but engaged him thereunto Now see how wisely he disposeth of things then rouls himselfe and Gen. 32. 7 8 9 c. all his upon GOD wraps up his soule and all his concernments in a promise and there is an end of the matter and enough for Iacob 2. Davids case was extraordinary a thick cloud was over his spirit and the face of God was clouded towards him too He 〈…〉 exeâ—â—et Deus â—â—â—la est tenta sâ—â—tâ—tudo quae 〈◊〉 â—â—bescat Calâ— in Psal 55. had troubles within and storms without whether Saul pursued him or his owne son it is not resolved but he was in the straits and God was not so present to sense and then we must give the stoutest heart leave to quaile saith Master Calvin The Conclusion is sure and certaine Cleare your evidence That God loves you and you shall cleare your spirits of these thick fogs which feare raiseth Nay if you cannot cleare your evidence but God will keep you humble all your dayes in a hanging and doubtful estate yet cast your selfe upon Him though He kill yet trust in Him But more of this a little after 3. Iehoshaphat feared also for hee heard that which would quicken any man that had life in him There commeth a great multitude against thee (e) 2 Chron. 2â— â— Then he FEARED (f) ver 3. But take the following words And set himselfe to seek the Lord c. His Feare put him upon Duty Then be remembred God in Whose hand is power and might Art not Thou God in heaven (g) ver 6. Then he pleads his interest in his God Art not Thou OUR GOD (h) ver 7. Then he cals to mind the right hand of the Almighty what He had done of old O blessed be God for that feare as was said before you cannot have too much of that feare which renders you much in seeking which makes you love much feare much obey much 4. The Disciples were fearfull but they were prayerfull They would not let GOD alone they would give Him no rest GOD seemes to be for he speaketh to our capacity as Ionah asleep when the Ship of the Church is covered with waves Nay The Lord Christ was at that time as clothed with our flesh so subject to our infirmities and was asleep And then the Disciples are fearfull All will be cast away Christ and all Indeed they that feare the Church will be drowned doe feare that Christ will be drowned too for if the Body drowne the Head must drowne and if the Head drowne not the Body cannot drown it may be overwhelmed with great waters of affliction While the Head is above the Body is safe enough But such was the Disciples infirmity at this time and such was our Lords infirmity at that time that then He was asleep What then They awoke God with their prayers as we know the manner is A blessed feare then as was said which makes a man a wake Christ by his importunity which puts a man upon duty makes him more prayerfull makes him love more and cling to his Father the faster so Iacob so David so Iehoshaphat so the Disciples feared so as they did their Duty the better But much may be said touching this love of GOD It is not Ob. such a Cure of feare not such a buckler to a person we see here how the fore-mentioned were terrified yet they loved GOD. Look I pray you and it is a sad sight Thou art become cruel to me with Thy strong hand Thou opposest Thy selfe against me Thou liftest me up to the wind Thou causest me to ride upon it and dissolvest my substance (a) Job 30. 21 22. I will defer the Answer to this till anon The Objection now runs thus Not how the Lord hath dealt with particular persons whom He loves dearly nor what those persons have said when they walked in darknesse and saw no light We must take it for granted That there are sad expressions breaking forth of the lips when there are grievous apprehensions within the soule But How he hath dealt with a whole Nation and that the dearly beloved of Hiâ— soul He hath delivered such a Nation into His enemies hands (c) Jer. 12. 7. So that they who hated them have Lorded it over them have dealt hatefully and despitefully with them (d) Ezek. 23. 28 29. This cannot be denied and since His Iudgements are manifest and the Reasons of them also are written and made legible for Answ our instruction we stand charged to take good notice of them here I meane The Reasons which moved The Lord to proceed in wrath against His dearly beloved and to cast them out of their owne Land and into the hands of them from whom their mind was alienated first 1. When GODS People doe not walke As His People when He takes them neere unto Himselfe and they walk loose with him not as a separated and peculiar people to Him whom He hath separated and bestowed upon them speciall and peculiar mercies When His people walke so contrary to Him and their owne Protestation Then His manner is to walke contrary to them He may goe out of that path when He listeth and exempt a Nation from the generall rule But this is His manner He may dâ—alâ— with us according to His Prerogative Royall which is ever in shewing
Of FEARE The CAUSE The VSE The CURE OR Strong Consolations The Consolations of God Cordiall at all times but most comfortable now in these uncomfortable times To fixe quiet and stablish the heart though the earth shake and make it stand stil To see the salvation of The Lord. Taken from GODS mouth And Penned by HEZEKIAH VVOODWARD That all His Servants may have assured confidence for ever PSAL. 56. 3 9. What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee When I cry unto Thee Then shall mine enemies turne back this I know for God is for me He will save me because I Trust in Him Psal 37. 40. Nil terribile nisi ipse timor LONDON Printed for Thomas Underhill and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible in Woodstreet 1643. To the Right HONOVRABLE Isaac Pennington LORD MAjOR Of the City of LONDON BY the Blessing of God upon this treatise containing His own directions there it can heale the heart and the hand palsied with feare It will be no dishonour then to take it into your hand and to lay these directions if it can be yet closer to your heart whereby the City of God have been a quiet habitation (a) Esay 33. 20. when as now The blast of the terrible ones have made the earth to shake and tremble under us And you now with such as you that love feare trust GOD doing your duty and maintaining your watch doe maintayne PEACE and at such a time (a) Ezra 4. 17. Peace is good at all times but ever best in the worst times perilous and feirce as are the times of Reformation troublous evermore when hands and * Dan. 9. 28. Jer. 20. 3. Tongues are bent to make the City of GOD MAGOR MISSABIB terrour on every side Then peace is good Then cordialls are so indeed strong consolations they are the consolations of GOD at such a time Peace in and with the world is good if it could be had upon good termes But that it not possible The world will love their own And they shall have peace such as the world can give They who can comply with the world can give out unto them the right hand of fellowship to thrust Christ from His Throne and out of the world these shall have peace for they are the worlds first born and right hands of the times but you cannot do so Such a peace peace without truth is of vile esteeme with you you abhor it at such a price and upon such termes as the world bids for it and doth purchase the same You follow peace with all men and Holynesse That is a point of the highest wisdome without which no man shall see the LORD you pursue (c) Heb. 11. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this peace as others persecute it your zeale cannot boile higher then to their As as they persecute it Pursue it so still and if you overtake it not for it flees from you else you should not need to pursue it if you cannot establish peace in the City yet in that you have done your office you have peace in your soul a peace which passeth all understanding for whatsoever things are true (d) Phil. 4. 7. 8. are henest are just are pure are lovely are of good report these things you have done and will doe you have assured confidence now in this which follows and the peace of ver 9. GOD shall be with you What a good word is this and at such a time when the Adversary doth as in all times he hath done it is no new thing when the breaches of Jerusalems walls are making up he sends and writes and lies and rayles and blasphemes what doth he not after his manner to make the work to cease d Nehe. 4. and 6. You know your charge concerning him Answer him * 2 King 18. 36. not you look to the answer from a good conscience That in zeale to you LORD The Cities peace and crown of rejoycing you have done and spoken hitherto And you are resolved so to do still To stand up for Christ still To shoulder up His Throne still And you have made up your reckoning you know what it will cost you possible as much as it hath cost All His faithfull servants in all ages at such a time And having so wisely counted your Cost you can mock at feare and laugh at your Adversaries as the LORD doth seeing their day is comming (e) Psal 37. for their rage riseth high and their rising by steps that way are but steps and degrees to utter destruction which shall rise as their rage doth unto heaven and be lifted up even to the skies * Jer. 51. 9. You cannot be deceived now as we thinke good Jeremiah was He heard the defaming of many fear was on every side and he heard a cry nay he cryed out himselfe and said Violence and spoile Then sayes Jeremy Jer. 20. 8. 10. â—â— O LORD Thou hast deceived me and I was deceived He was indeed but GOD did not deceive him He had set up Jeremtah and made him so strong for Himself and for such a time as that when the adversaries deeds and words would be as hard as iron against the Truth and him but Jeremiah should be hard enough for them The Adversary might to as good purpose strike his hand against a rock as strike Jeremiah shall iron breake Jer. 15. 12. the Northern iron and steele No no the Adversary was hard and cruell and violent against Jeremiah but God made Jeremiah too hard for them all as He will all His faithfull ones standing up for Him a defenced City and a strong brazen ver 20. wall That was the promise to Jeremiah and in him to all faithfull ones many thousand yeeres agoe and you have the comfort and your fast standing from it at this day The blast of the terrible ones what can it doe It was answered long agoe As much as a blast of winde against a brazen wall so the Spirit slights what flesh can do against Him (a) â—â—â—say 2â— 4. They shall sight against Thee The Adversary will make an experiment what mettal you are made of so you must expect but they shall not prevaile ser 1. 1â— against Thee There is the comfort and it is yours who wil stand up for God and at such a time As your expectation from the World cannot deceive you after the experiences of all the faithfull that have stood up for God All hath been done against them All shall be done against you that Angry Nations can doe Atheists and Papists swelled with wrath and big with rage So nor wil The Lord The Hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in time of trouble He will not deceive you Then you shall see your strength presently that you are better bottomed then are the perpetuall Hills and everlasting Mountains a sight worth the beholding and at such a time And because your work is
the most comfortable word that ever was spoken Well done good and faithfull servant This is the heritage of them that feare the LORD hard words and ungodly deeds cannot discourage you now for God is with you there is your security a Christum â—sse cum Paâ—â—â— summa secuâ—itas Paulum asse cum Christo summa foelicitas 1 Thes 4. 17 18. you shal be with Him anon there is your happinesse for ever with the Lord you can comfort your selfe in these words Heare me with patience one word more touching the successe of the great work in hand and the security of this great City where the Lord hath made you a Watchman and hath found you faithfull which is your glory but in The Lord. Surely surely the work shal prosper for it is wrought by God your City shall not be destroyed for it is GODS City Surely a work carryed on with so many hands and hearts so much life and spirit love faith patience cannot be disappointed of its end And for the City b Where are many thousands that cannot speak yet is their language very moving with their Lord. Jonah 4. 11. her filthinesse is in her skirts c Lam. 1 9. Ai and upon her forehead too But yet a righteous people are there and Gaius mine Host d Rom. 16. 23. and many such as he She is a refuge to the oppressed a great Sanctuarie at this * The day of Jacobs trouble Jer. 30. 7. time and much good is found there We doe not boast of her goodnesse but we boast in The Lord Who hath instructed her to discretion To stand up for Him and His Cause above all the Cities that are or ever were in the world and at such a time Surely the Lord will watch over her her Watchmen think so too pray for her night and day And because they be such as never sought God in vaine they are bold and confident That The Lord will watch over this City for good it shal stil be said The LORD helpeth them The North shall give in unto them the south shal not keep back the East and West shall confer unto them the blessings of the Land and of the Sea But this is the complement of all Salvations will God appoint for walls and Bulwarks I will conclude with the close of a Psalm Let Ps 48. 11 12 13 mount Sion rejoyce let the daughters of Judah be glad because of Thy judgements walk about Sion and go round about her tell the towers thereof A goodly prospect and at such a time Mark ye well her Bulwarks consider her palaces that you may tell it to the generation following What shall they tell or what is this strength wherein doth it consist or where is it for it is not visible It follows For This GOD is our GOD for ever and ever He will be our guide even Psal 41. 13. unto death Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting AMEN and AMEN By way of Preface to the Reader INeed not tell thee what the times are how hard fierce and perillous nor how we are distracted in them so much thy very looks can tell me The news now a-dayes is so legible that he who runs may read it and in most mens faces There is a passion now quick and stirring within us which may stand us in great stead at this time as it may be ordered and pointed if in a right way and to the right object nothing can doe us better service to stay and stablish us but if out of the way and from that object nothing works us more mischiefe nothing more unsettles us It will betray all our succour it will shake us as a leafe with the wind and make us flee as a Roe before the hunter It were seasonable now to reade a Lecture upon this passion of feare not as a Philosopher but as a Christian I cannot say so I have done but I have bestowed many sad yet quiet thoughts upon its uncomfortable and unquiet motions and here I have made them legible That though the adversary doth all he can to make us afraid yet he may not have his will 1 Pet. 3. 6. so farre as to make us afraid with any amazement for we have made three Conclusions are fixed thereupon and resolved to take the Product or Result therefrom That we will doe our Duty not disquieting our selves about what The LORD will doe hereafter or what our foes are doing now The first Conclusion 1. That things stand at as great a distance from an honourable 2 King 9. 22. Peace as Israel stood when the WITCHCRAFTS of their mother Jezebel and her whoredomes were so many If one man sin against another a third may take up the difference and make an agreement betwixt them d 1 Sam. 2. 25. The case is not so here Man hath sinned against The Lord and we have provoked Him to His face by our Idolatries and bloud-shed Man shall not determine this case a case of bloud and betwixt GOD and Man There may be essayes and overtures that way to scab-over the matter but it cannot be the wound is deep much venome in the hottome it hath layne festring there these by past yeeres three or foure and now The Lord is searching into it making inquisition for bloud and before He hath done for that is His manner He will find it out and His sword shall not rest till He hath required and avenged it That is the first Conclusion The adversary makes a second That as 2. He hath done all he can by fraud so he doth and will doe all he can by force not to waste and destroy onely not to out Israel short but cleane off from being a Nation So the Psal 74. Adversary hath concluded now And now the Church makes a third Conclusion and thereon she will fixe and be established for ever 3. That God will make His Church a cup of trembling in the adversaries hand as a burdensome stone upon his Zach. 12. 2. shoulders as a torch of fire in a sheafe or amidst stubble The ver 6. Lord doth open His eyes upon His people He doth plead His owne cause So the Church hath concluded I could set downe some Premises whence she draws her Conclusion but it is her LORDS promise so and that is enough given long since but written for the generations to come Psal 74. 22 23. The Result from hence is That we do our duty as the Church doth not trouble our selves with unnecessary quaeres what how or when GOD will work He works wonders every day and let Him work as He pleaseth He will work all for good and all in the fittest season Let us doeour duty that is our work work out our salvation for the salvation of Israel by all such means wherein GOD Nature Grace have given us a capacity and power of working We must lye on our face
sustinenda pro Christo ibid. c. things rather then betray their gold WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE SUFFERED FOR CHRIST Other some againe the fewest of them could not be forced to betray their Treasure or forgoe the same for indeed they had not laid it upon earth but in heaven where Robbers could not break-in and steale So well they had profited by their feare about such uncertaine things that now they were not carefull about them at all They could take joyfully the spoiling of such goods knowing in themselves That they had in heaven a better and enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. And so the Father concluses No man kept his gold but by denying In eâ— tormenta nemo Christum confitendo amisit nemo aurum nisi negando servavit it that is by taking off his love and feare from it and no man kept Christ but by confessing him that is by giving up his love and feare unto him 2. It is so with and about their children too Their discreet feare hath taught them not to be carefull about children neither The Lord gave them He may take them They can blesse His Name in all They did not set their hope nor their hearts on such perishing things and then when God takes them away their hope is where it was and heart also even in heaven where their Love and JOY and TREASUREIS And they can submit to their FATHER in heaven It is Hee The LORD He hath done it and they are silent It is His will so thereto they resolve all and there they rest saying The will of the LORD be done So their feare the Lord sanctifying it hath taught them touching their Children 3. They have brought their hearts to the same point touching their life also that is a precious thing skin after skin a man will part withall to save his life And yet they are not now fearfull about it it is of small continuance here below and while it doth continue here it is full of changes and sorrows They are the lesse carefull about it They that have been most afraid and so would save their life have sooner lost it and upon the greatest disadvantage They who have loved their life more then Christ Who is the life of their life have lost their life and Him too and They that have hated their life in this world for His sake have made no account of it in reference to Christ and their love to Him have kept it unto eternall life (c) John 12. 2â— That is the life they think upon of being BLESSED FOR EVER That is a life indeed This here in comparison abides but a moment a small a little moment not worth the setting our feare upon ever since we could look through it what a life it is They make no account of any thing but what sets them backward or forward toward eternity where they shall live blessed for ever in eternity 〈◊〉 nitas facit bonum infinite melius malum infinite peâ—us The thought wherâ— of makes that which is good infinitely better and that which is evill infinitely worse Thereon upon Eternitie they place their feare now and concerning this life they are fearlesse We have seene what use the righteous make of feare they work good out of it and by these unquiet motions here below they get an establishment in God I come now in the third place to the meanes whereby the righteous Nation can and doe master their feares keeps them under so as they are a quiet habitation when all about them are full of stirs a tumultuous people SECT III. The meanes of the righteous mans establishment and how his feare the disease of it is cured WE see the righteous are a people that are not afraid with any amazement They feare but with a godly feare They feare but nothing so much as sin and the frown of their God They fear but so as they can look up with confidence and down to the means of their safety with comfort They feare and yet they can gird up their loines and put on their armour They feare and yet doe trust perfectly They feare and are disquieted but not greatly Their hearts may shake and their heads ake with feare and yet then they can calme their hearts and rest their heads in the lap and bosome of their everlasting Father there laying their selves downe quietly assured they may rest in safety and the end will be peace How comes this to be so The Answer is They expect troubles in the world afflictions there and they expect nay they know God will deliver them out of them all For they LOVE God heartily so they FEARE HIM so they TRUST IN HIM so they OBEY HIM even from the heart walking in His way doing His work They keep continuall watch against their Adversary and over themselves All this must be considered on distinctly and apart and so we shall learne the way how to settle the heart in the most unsetled times The chiefe scope and mark we would carry all levell unto CHAP. I. The righteous mans expectation from the world and from his GOD shall not be deceived He expects all the evill the world and their god there can doe against them And from His GOD all that is truly called Good or is made so All this he is sure of therefore he waits patiently for God He will come surely and in season Blessed are all they that wait for Him THe righteous are in continuall expectation Of what Of troubles in the flesh of afflictions in the world Ever since they understood themselves they sate downe to consider what it would cost them To doe their Masters work To serve Him in sinceritie and truth and Their brethren in love to their soules and faith of the Gospel In this great work now whereunto evermore Christians stand so engaged the building themselves up and Ierusalems wall in faith and love They have counted their cost and they know what they must find at the bottome of their reckoning troubles from within disquietings persecutions from without of all sorts and sizes And it was well and they blesse God with all their hearts Who hath instructed them to discretion To count their cost so soone as they thought of Temple-work The edifying the building up themselves and others in their most holy faith This was the use they made of their Rest and Peace GOD was graciously pleased to afford unto them They knew this Temple-work would cost them deare Labour and Trouble both They expected all this and whatever it be it is but answerable to their expectation they looked for it and now it is come it is welcome They are fit to entertaine it they are fitted for it as the burden is fitted for the shoulder and the yoak for the neck I will tell a knowne and sad story of a man that lived in prosperity all his life long God spake to him once and againe and every day by every mercy he gave
munitions of Rocks BREAD shall be given them their WATERS shall bee sure (b) Esay 33. 16 Ac si diceâ—et pâ—ris integâ—is Dei cultoâ—ibus nihil defuturum panis â—nim a quae nomine significat omnia c. Cal. Jer. 20. 11. God is with them Then All That is in God His Goodnesse wisdome Power All shall be laid out for them to make all that is needfull for them sure unto them And then touching their Adversary though hee bee a Legion this followes hee shall fight against them but hee shall not prevaile against them The LORD IS WITH ME as a MIGHTY TERRIBLE ONE therfore my persecuters shall stumble be greatly ashamed his everlasting confusion shall never bee forgotten Nay the adversary shall bee so far from hurting them that hee shall do them good and they shall hurt him for now that God is with them they have Armes of steele and feete of brasse and they shall thresh the mountaines like straw and the hills like Chaffe and come upon Princes as Esai 41. 15. 25. upon morter 2. Are the Righteous people assured of all this Yes for the Lord hath said it as wee have read Hee hath given His word for their security they take it are secure fixed and Rest thereon As their expectation from the world never deceived them since the world was and they were in the world So nor shall their expectation from God faile them they have an assured confidence of That Shall the expectation of the Righteous faile No the Lord forbid nay the Lord forgive uâ— to them any such misgiving thoughts within them The hope of the Righteous shall bee gladnesse but the expectation of the wicked shall perish (b) 2 Pro. 6â— 10. 18. Can the Righteous feare this That their hope shal faâ—le them No It cannot bee for they have set their hope in God The hope of the wicked shal be cut off they shall be afraid and ashamed oâ— the word their expectation and of the Contentâ—â—ents there their Glory (c) Esai 20. 5. And now LORD what (d) Psal 39. 7. wait I for sayes DAVID As if the servant of The LORD had said doe I waite doe I expect doe I looke for Peace Comfort establishment and satisfaction from the world do I seeke great things for my selfe therein Thou knowest LORD what I wait for none of all this from the world But as it followes my hope is in Thee What an unreasonable thing were it how unworthy of GOD The God not of some but of all consolations how unworthy a thought of Him To thinke That a poore creature who hath set his hope in GOD expects all from Him from The world nothing at all how unworthy a thought That This GOD will deceive this poore creature that waites for Him though Hee hideth His face yet lookes for Him He frownes upon him answers him Roughly yet this soul expects from Him notwithstanding what is said or done the poore soule will not returne to vanity hee will not looke to the world hee will wait hee hath set his hope in GOD hee will looke for Him Will the LORD deceive this Man that expects all from Him hath set his hope upon Him It is sure enough Hee will not The needy shall not bee alway forgotten the hopes of thâ— afflicted shall not perish for ever (e) Psal 9. 18. The poore and needy mans expectation set upon God is not delayed but deferred and strained Why To open the mouth and heart wider that the more comfort may come in at last and that their heart and JOY there may be (g) Joh. 16. 24. Psal 40. 1. Esay 8. 17. FULL They have waited patiently for The LORD they waited upon Him They When He hid His face then they looked for Him They waited the time when He would be gracious Now hearken Therefore will The LORD wait that He may be gracious unto you and therefore He will be exalted That he may have mercie upon you for The Lord is a God of judgement Blessed Esay 30. 18. are all they that wait for Him Ai but hope deferred maketh the heart sick That is true but Pro. 13. 12. there is a time comming when the heart shall recover be made every whit whole and perfectly well againe and it shall be the more haile and comforted the sicker it was for When the desire commeth it is a tree of life Therefore though The Lord tarry the soule will patiently wait for Him because He will surely Hab. 2. 3. come and will not tarry And when He That was so long expected waited-looked-for when He commeth and then He comes and Tarries not when the Churches season is come then He makes amends for His long tarrying as the world thought and sometimes the Church also and in her haste counted it slacknesse He tarryed so long that He might come in season that His peoples joy might be brim-full when their hearts wearyed with long waiting shall the more rejoyce and their withered bones (o) Esay 66. 14 shall flourish like an herbe For it shall be said in that day after their long waltings Loe This is our GOD we have waited for Him This is The LORD we have waited for Esay 25. 9. Him and we are glad He is come with all our hearts doe we rejoyce in His salvation for it is His a marvailous great exceeding salvation the greater the longer it stayed And now these waiting people shall renew their strength they shall mount up with Esay 40. 31. wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint We are concluded now upon these Points 1. That the righteous mans expectation from the world will not deceive him what the world and the god therein can doe against him shall be done he expects it therefore they shall not be able to doe him hurt 2. His expectation from God cannot deceive him for GOD is faithfull They that wait for Him doe expect all from Him and from the world nothing but affliction thence shall not repent of their waiting for GOD will come in season and not tarry when they shall be most glad of His comming and say It is best of all that He came not sooner for now their hearts are brim-full of joy So they have concluded In assured confidence hereof thes people are not afraid now with any amazement As their hope is in GOD so is their heart and love set upon Him also This followes CHAP. II. The Righteous love God That Love casteth forth Feare Sad objections cleared to the hearts of the righteous God comes-in to succour and rescue those whom He loveth not always when they call but alwaies in season and fittest time Seldome to their wil but ever to their weal when they shall see least in themselves and most in God The persons whom God loveth shall be afflicted but for their good THe Righteous love GOD And Love to the
patience To raise up their hope after an enduring substance To try them I said and to puâ—ge them to make them white even (c) Dan. 11. 35. to the time of the end To make them Meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light (d) Colos 1. 12. It is notable The Lord useth these vile wretches as scullions To purge and whiten His vessells oppointed for honour Indeed the rod of the wicked may bee so heavy upon the back of The Righteous and may raise within them such a thick cloud that hee can hardly discerne a Fatherly love and Hand through it for there are strange apprehensions and tremblings within the heart when there is a cup of trembling in the hand But it will be faire weather anon The thick cloud shall bee dissolved and The FATHERS love will shine forth the clearer the thicker the cloud hath been The FATHERS love over-rules the Adversary binds him measureth out the effects of their fury and mallice orders all as Hee did that long captivity FOR THY (c) Jer. 24. 5. GOOD whom Hee loveth That is the comfort and the conclusion of this point for their Good whom Hee loveth And who make Him their feare CHAP. III. The Righteous feare God as God they that doe so cannot feare the creature THe Righteous feare GOD what then I have said all They feare GOD then they feare neither men nor Divells If wee observe wee meete with this expression often I FEARED what The Creature what hee could doe against me I was afraid of a Man and then hee deserted his Duty ran away from GOD and from himselfe Wee read againe I know not how often I feare GOD And then hee feares nothing hee goes on as bold as a lion the enemy is behind him a mountain of straits on each hand a sea of troubles before him yet he goes on with the more courage hee sets GOD before his eyes Whom hee serves Whom hee feares His Cause His Glory and goes on breaks through the straits as you will doe through a spiders web Hee feares God of whom should he be afraid He fears God he keeps himselfe from every evill work though he might commit it in secret (d) Levit. 19. 14 no eye upon him His Lords eye Which runs through the world (e) 2 Chron. 26. 9. That is upon him That awes him even to the observing his thoughts and bringing them into subjection and them most of all So he feares GOD And the Armies of men or Devils not so much as the wicked have feared an Army of flies Let (f) Esai 33. 14. sinners in ZION who seeme to maintain the established Religion with their mouth and persecute it with their hand let them be afraid fearfulnesse must surprise the Hypocrites those that professe one thing and doe another But this man feares God that is He walks righteously speaketh uprightly despiseth the ver 15. gaine of oppressions shaketh his hands from holding of bribes stoppeth his eare from hearing of bloud Oh how far is he from shedding of it shutteth his eye from seeing evill Reade on He shall dwell on high his defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be ver 16. given him and his waters shall be sure And he is sure of all this for he fears GOD and all we reade before is but the result of that feare Why then Lions and Beares and Wolves and Foxes I meane for so the Scripture doth by these bloody and treacherous men these may be hungry and starved too they may feare famine The righteous who feare God they feare it not In famine Fides famem non metuit Hieron that is in every extremity they shall be provided for they shall have enough for they have God and he is All. I will contract Indeed and in truth the feare of GOD for it contains the whole Duty of man is excellent Now I know what All will say for I know their hearts and their language there by my owne I and every man will say for himself I feare GOD too that I do hee that feares not an oath that is too paticular he that feares not to sin before The Lord nay he that doth violence to the law and sheds blood to his power the Man that neither feareth God nor reverenceth man wil say I feare GOD too It is as commonly said as any thing in the world for every man sayes it as was said and answered before It is not considerable then what men say but what men doe not what they professe with the tongue but what they act with the hand They professe saith Paul that they feare GOD for they that know GOD feare Him but in works they deny Him being abominable Titus 1. 16. and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate They walk cleane contrary to that man that feares God wee heard how he walketh and how he speaketh and yet they feare GOD. It is but a bare profession so with the mouth onely But observe what their case will be when their (b) Jer. 2. 24. month commeth and they must cast-out their sorrows they will be afraid then fear fulnesse will surprise them and heare them what they Esai 33. 14. say Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings And so much be spoken to my owne heart and to theirs who professe to feare GOD yet walk so notoriously contrary to what they doe professe We also who not perhaps so notoriously wicked yet are pretenders to this HOLY AFFECTION professing wee feare GOD when indeed it is not so we doe not feare Him in Power which appeares thus When danger presents its selfe where are we then Almost dead with feare which could not be if we feared GOD in Power When trouble shews it selfe we shake at it as at some new and strange thing never looked for nor feared till it come And these shaking fits declare That we whatsoever we say and pretend do not feare GOD feare will not be concealed no more then folly can when he that is affraid Eccles 10. 8. walketh by the way his wisdom faileth him and he saith to every one he is affraid And he can give a Reason for his feare which is this That hell is let loose now and Divels are broke-in amongst us in the shape and likenesse of men Grant it to be so as so it is yet the Righteous he that feareth God in Power feareth not that is he is notvoid of feare but he is above his feare he is as bold as a Lion for he feareth GOD how As God That calâ—es and quieteth his spirit we do not as the Righteous do maintaine the feare of God Set up God ruling as chiefe over all Certaine it is They that feare God indeed as GOD do so do set Him up in their hearts and so ruling in the world They that feare the Creature do set the Creature above God
havock had it come upon us and found us sleeping then it had cut all our throats It had raged all the Land over with a rage reaching unto heaven as now in Ireland Blessed be God we know our friends now we see our enemies the Papists and Atheists all the World over It is not a Kingdome divided against it selfe but one Kingdome divided against another The Kingdome of CHRIST against the Kingdome of Antichrist And this Antichristian kingdom will rage as they can to their power to shed blood But The LORD hath them in His chaine and hath caused His people to set a watch over them and hath sent forth His Host against them There is this good in it now and it is a great good The enemies of the Church are in part manifest now they shall be more manifest anon So are her friends shee knowes now and can resolve her selfe in the question Who will rise up for mee against the evill doers or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity Psal 94. 16. The Church cannot forsake her confidence now in her GOD He that hath wrought HITHERTO will worke He that hath discovered the Adversary He that hath made their madnesse so manifest will goe on to doe yet more what will He do The Church can answer That which shall be best for her sons and daughters both for the time manner and meanes of doing it though all this they leave in their LORDS hand let Him work as He pleaseth if in the dark and His foot-steps are upon the waters and no print of them yet as Master Bradford said so saith the Church She will follow her LORD in the dark Though he seeme to goe by compasse by the bow as we call it yet Hee goes the straightest and neerest course to His GLORY carrying all levell thereunto The Church is marvailously contented with this That all works for her Lords Glory her spirit shall work after Him even the strength of her spirit in that way He goes though clouded and over-shadowed with daâ—knesse for she is confident This very way wherein she sees not the prints of all his foot-steps she sees very much tends most directly to her full comfort here and her glory hereafter The Church hath seene so much of God such sweet experiences so many providences so strange so wonderfull such commings-in of God unto her when in her Egypt in her wildernesse that she cannot distrust him now * Psal 22. 4. Our father 's trusted in thee What follows Thou didst deliver them They cryed unto thee and they were delivered Though we are full of changes yet God is the same to His Church for ever And to distrust now after all this were a provocation as was theirs by unbeliefe at the SLA even at the RED Sea The Church cannot question Gods love to her nor dare she question His Power Hee is GOD The King of His Church He reigneth in the midst of His enemies and then like Himself most gloriously He brought along Captivity upon His people for THEIR GOOD He hath Jer. 24 5. ordered our distractions so that they have beene for our good How so GOD will have it so and we need not ask a question when we see it to be so distractions for GOOD They have tended to union and joyning together the good with the good never faster the bad with the bad never closer like the scales of the Leviathan they stick together that they cannot be sundred Crosse spirits who will be opposite and spurne against the pricks for their hurt these shall be suffered and countenanced for the good of His people To make them more in love with Truth to contend for it more earnestly in a more orderly and unanimous way now that they see all the wicked all the Malignants of the world are bent and doe contend against them Then we must conclude All tends to advance GODS glory and His peoples good Their fears have wrought for GOOD it hath made them wait patiently for God it hath made their love more perfect their feare more refined their dependance more glorious their obedience more sincere and hearty their watch ten thousand times stronger against their adversaries and over themselves Blessed be GOD who hath done all this made their fears and disquietings to pull downe and spoile their owne strong-holds Nature and Sin and to build up and fortifie their impregnable Forts Love to God Feare of God Confidence in God Obedience unto God and Watchfulnesse in all To shut up all The Righteous wait patiently for God they love Him they feare Him they stay themselves upon Him they obey from the heart if their Obedience were not hearty their Trust were presumption they make their watch strong over themselves and against their adversaries Goe thou thy way now thou art in Gods way and doe likewise and be no longer sad if thou standest alone now and there be none that will take thee by the hand unlesse to thrust thee downe yet fear not Though an Host encamp about thee thou art in Gods way and upon His work fear not He will hold thee by His hand He wil be thy Arm every morning thy salvation also in the time of trouble Onely keep to your strong hold i. e. hold fast your confidence Let sinners in Zion be afraid fearfulnesse must surprise the Idolatrous Nation they have no God to look unto no chambers Esay 26. 20. to enter into while the indignation passeth over They are now like a tottering wall and a broken fence they are falling and dashing to pieces like a potters vessell The Lord sees their day is comming for they are very proud their rage riseth high and so many steps and degrees to their utter ruine and everlasting confusion As the righteous work out their salvation with feare and trembling so doe the wicked work out their destruction with joy and gladnesse over the ruines they have made in the world you can wait upon God you love Him you feare Him you trust in Him We have concluded Our father 's trusted in Thee they Psal 22. 4 5. trusted and Thou didst deliver them They cryed unto Thee and were delivered For the armes of the wicked shall be broken but Psal 37. 17. The Lord upholdeth the righteous FINIS