mad and franticke immediately after their reproaches and indignities shewed against the seruants of God and ran vp and downe iustifying those in words whom they had condemned in deed And scarce any of them escaped but the hand of GOD was strongly and strangely vpon them all before they dyed To tell vs and teach vs this trueth that the persecutors of the Church defiled with the blood of the Saints shall not alway escape vnpunished albeit for a time they doe preuaile The Reasons are these First because God Reason 1 is true in all his words iust in all his works He is a most righteous Iudge who will take his owne cause into his hands and be glorified in the confusion of his aduersaries It cannot therefore be that they should escape seeing GOD so tendereth them their blood is precious in his sight Matth. 23 35. Not one drop of it shall fal to the ground vnreuenged he hath said Psal 105 35. Touch not mine annointed do my Prophets no harm He hath put all their teares in his bottle such as touch them to do them hurt do touch the apple of his own eye Yea whatsoeuer iniuries wroÌ„gs oppressions and indignities are offered vnto them he accounteth them as done vnto himselfe This our Sauiour testified from heauen when Paul made hauocke of the Church and breathed out threatnings against the Saints saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Actes 9 4. They haue not to do onely with men they fight against God and therefore shall not preuaile This reason is vrged by the Apostle 2 Th. 1.6 7. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels Againe he is a gracious God and merciful Reason 2 to his people therefore in his good time hee will punish their enemies and those that hate them He is as pittifull toward his children as he is iust against all their aduersaries This the Prophet expressely handleth at large Psalme 136 1â— 16 17 18. c. He ouerthrew Pharao his hoast in the red sea for his mercy endureth for euer which smote great Kings for his mercie endureth for euer and slew mighty Kinges for his mercy endureth for euer as Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for euer and Og the King of Bashan for his mercy endureth for euer And gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercie endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer It remaineth to make vse and application of this Doctrine First it is a great comfort to the Church to consider how God is mindfull of vs in our distresses he doth not forget our afflictions he seeth the iniuries that are offered vnto vs as he surely saw the trouble of his people in Egypt and therefore we ought not to sinke downe in our miseries No chastising indeed for the present time seemeth to bee ioyous but greeuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised Heb. 12 11. So that in the midst of them we must reioyce Knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Rom. 5 3 4 5. Albeit hee make vs runne through fire and water hee will in the ende bring vs to a sweete place of rest Let vs not therefore be dismayed for tribulation all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution Let vs not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Let vs waite for the day of our deliuerance assuring our selues that albeit the enemies of Gods people and Religion band themselues and assemble together against the Lord and against his Christ yet in the end he shall crush them with a Scepter of Iron â—m 2 2 9. and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell not leaue so great iniquity vnpunished Thus doth Moses comfort the people Exod. 14. Feare ye not stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egiptians whom ye haue seene this day ye shall neuer see them againe the Lord will fight for you therefore hold you your peace He will harden the hearts of the Egiptians and will get him honour vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his hoast and vpon all his Chariots and vpon his Horsemen to shew his power in theÌ„ and to declare his Name throughout all the world Thus doth God comfort Abraham Gen. 15 by foretelling that the same Nation which should deale so churlishly and cruelly with his posterity should not alway escape vnpunished but in the end he would recompence them according to their desarts Know for a surety that thy seed shall bee a Stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundreth years and shall serue theÌ„ and they shall intreate theÌ„ euill notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue I will iudge and afterward shall they come foorth with great substance Gen. 15 13 14. As if the Lord should haue said vnto him I would not haue thee dismayed and discouraged O Abraham by these heauy tydings which I haue told thee that thy children shall be strangers in a strange Land and not onely strangers but be made seruants and bondslaues and not onely made slaues but be euilly and despitefully handled thus God by a Rhetoricall Gradation seemeth to augment his sorrowes rather I would haue thee strengthen thy faith against this tentation comfort thy heart with this cogitation that I will in the end punish that barbarous Nation and bring vpon it all those euils which it hath brought vpon thy posterity when they haue filled to the full the measure of their sins The truth of this promise is set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth chapter to the fifteenth which we may reade and in reading consider that God is true in all his promises and Prophesies and will accomplish whatsoeuer he hath spoken for the confusion and destruction of his enemies Let vs therefore comfort our selues and comfort one another in these things that God will arise and his enemies shall be scattered Secondly let vs refraine anger and reuenge Vse 2 toward such as deale euilly with vs. It is the nature of flesh and blood to rise in choler to desire reuenge and not to put vp wrongs and iniuries We must be more then a lumpe of flesh if we will be the children of God We see that Stephen when he was stoned prayed for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7 60. The like wee see in Christ our Sauiour toward those that crucified him The consideration of this truth that God
his power is not now weakened he can deale thus with all his enemies the enemies of his Church If he blow vpon them with the blast of his mouth they passe away suddenly as the chaffe is scattered before the winde An example heereof is recorded in the holy History 2 Chron. 20 23. when a great multitude of the Moabites Ammonites and Amorites assembled themselues to fight against Iehoshaphat after he had set himselfe to seeke the Lord proclaiming a fast throughout all Iudah asking counsell of the Lord and praying to him in the zeale of his spirit the enemies slew one another with the sword Thus doth God turn the edge of the sword drawne against the Church vpon themselues rescueth his people when there is none to helpe We haue had experience of Gods protection of his church our eyes haue seene and our eares haue heard how one hath butchered and murthered another whereby God hath giuen a time of rest and breathing vnto his seruants Hee is the same without changing with him is no variablenes neither shadow of turning if we turne to him with all our hearts he will turne to vs and not suffer the rod of the wicked alwaies to rest on the lot of the righteous lest they should put forth their hand to wickednes Therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages therof We haue heard of the murthers slaughters that were betweene the Moabites the Amorites in the which howsoeuer one sought to defend himselfe the other preuailed by vsurpation as might sometimes ouer-cometh right yet the purpose of God who ouer-swayeth all actions of men and draweth good out of euill was to giue rest to his people and to make them inherite and inhabite the Cities and Villages which the Amorites had wrongfully gotten Doctrine Gods childreÌ„ are oftentimes brought into the inheâ—itaÌ„ce of the vnfaithfull Hereby we learne for our instruction that God oftentimes bringeth the godly and faithfull that please him to inherite the Lands and possessions of the wicked and vngodly Howsoeuer the beleeuers that feare God are many times thrust out of house and home and haue their lawfull possessions taken from them as we see in Naboths Vineyard 2 King 21 15. Gen. 21 25. and in Abrahams Well yet sometimes God returneth in mercy to the faithfull and maketh the substance and inheritance of the vnfaithfull to descend vnto them This is confirmed in the Booke of Exodus at the departure of Israel out of the Land of Egypt at which time GOD recompenced the sore labours and heauy trauels of his people imposed vpon them by cruell taske-masters For they asked of the Egiptians Iewels of siluer and Ingots of gold and change of rayment then the Lord gaue them fauour in the sight of the Egiptians so that they granted their requests inriched the Israelites and spoiled themselues Exod. 12 35 36. This goodnesse of God the Prophet with praise acknowledgeth toward his people saying He cast out the Heathen before them caused them to fall to the lot of his inheritance c. Psal 78 55. This verifieth the saying of the wise man Prou. 28 8. He that encreaseth his riches by vsury and interest gathereth them for him that will be mercifull to the poore And in another place Prou 13.22 The good man shall giue inheritance to his childrens children and the riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust In like manner Iob describing the condition of the vngodly fheweth that though he should heape vp siluer as the dust Iob 27.16 17. and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Thus God taketh away the things of this life from such as vse theÌ„ wickedly and bestoweth them vpon such as will imploy them lawfully Reason 1 The Reasons remaine to be considered to strengthen this truth and to make it appeare to the conscientes of all of vs to be a necessary and apparant truth First of all the mercy of God toward such as are sealed vp to be his seruants is without end there is no brim nor bottome of it If then his mercy surmount our thoughts he will let passe no part of his kindnes toward them that do feare him Thus the Prophet reasoneth Psal 136 21 22. Where vpon these examples of Gods great kindnes toward Israel in ouerthrowing Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan hee saith He gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercy endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer Whensoeuer therefore wee see this come to passe we must acknowledge the cause of it to be in God who ceasseth not to bee good to those that be his Reason 2 Againe God maketh knowne his power among his people to teach them to depend vpon him to shew vnto them that they serue not a weake and impotent God to instruct them to walke in the obedience of his waies This the Prophet pointeth out Psalm 44 2 3 and 111 6 105 44 45. Vse 1 The vses follow First this truth teacheth who is the soueraigne disposer of all things in heauen and earth namely God He ordereth kingdomes and disposeth Countries he giueth and taketh away hee encreaseth and diminisheth he maketh rich and maketh poore It is not our owne strength or pollicy it is not our owne care or labour it is the bountifulnes and blessing of God that is all in all We haue heere beneath vpon the earth Owners and Land-lords we haue such as account themselues possessours of houses and lands but we must know that wee are all Tenants at will we enioy nothing by Lease or Indenture for terme of yeares but hold the tenure of the Lands and liuings at the will and pleasure of the great and high Land-lord of all the world This is the confession of Hannah in her song of thanksgiuing 1 Sam. 2 7 8. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seat of glory for the Pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world vpon them Whatsoeuer therefore we haue let vs acknowledge therein not our owne desarts or merites but the goodnes of God toward vs filling vs with good things to serue him Secondly let vs from hence confesse that Vse 2 all the carke and care of man with his best endeuours cannot alwaies attaine to the benefit and fruite of his trauell but he prouideth that which another enioyeth This the Prophet Haggai testifieth chap 1 6.9 Yee haue sowne much and bring in little ye eate but ye haue not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloathe you but ye are not warme c. According to that which
whether they bee good or euill Then shall the faithfull be fully glorified and inherite the crowne of eternall life This howsoeuer it bee oftentimes and faithfully promised of God yet hath bene and is derided of many who shall in the end pay the price of their folly and infidelity feele that Gods truth is stable and surer then the heauens 2 Pet. 3 3 4. This is it which the Apostle Peter testifieth This first vnderstand that there shall come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers dyed all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation But whatsoeuer these Atheists dreame of the glorious appearance of Christ his second comming and howsoeuer they put the euill day farre from them yet the Lord of that promise is not slacke as some men count slackenesse but is patient toward vs and wold haue no man to perish Neuerthelesse the day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the night in the which the heaueÌ„s shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melte with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp This we see not yet performed 1 Thess 4 17. neither are we made partakers of eternall life when we shall euer rest remain with the Lord and nothing shall separate vs from his glorious and comfortable presence This doctrine therefore serueth to vphold our faith in this point And whensoeuer we reade of any promise that God hath in mercy made to his Church albeit it be for a time deferred not presently accomplished let vs waite with patience and build our Faith vpon the experience of his former promises which wee see already fulfilled and say with the Apostle 2 Tim. 1 12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue coÌ„mitted to him against that day We are sure wee builde not in the aire we beate not the ayre but we builde vpon aâ—sure foundation that shall neuer decay or deceiue vs. For who euer put his trust in him and was confounded Or who did set vp his rest on him and went away ashamed Hence it is that Christ saith Math. 5 17 18. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them for truly I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shall not scape till all thinges be fulfilled This is needfull for vs to consider remember for our faith is often shaken with doubting and infidelity that which we see not we many times beleeue not and so we are shaken through our weakenesse as with the winde but we must make God our rock and rest on his vnchangeable word who is trueth it selfe and cannot lye Secondly seeing Gods promises are so Vse 2 surely grounded vppon the immutabilitie of Gods truth that it is vnpossible that they should faile or he deceiue this teacheth that it is as true that his iudgements shall not faile but follow the wicked at the heeles For God is as vnchangeable in the one as in the other It is a foolish error to imagine that God will vndoubtedly performe the promises of his mercie and not the threatnings of his iustice True it is many presume of his goodnes but they doubt of his righteousnesse This is to set vp an abhominable Idoll in our hearts and to denie the infinitenesse of his glorie and maiesty and to deuise a God made altogether of mercie If God be true in the one he is also as true in the other if hee faile in the one he changeth also in the other This vse is directly concluded by Ioshua in the exhortation that he maketh to the people that they should not ioyne themselues to the idolatrous Nations but loue the Lord their God and cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart when he saith Chap. 23. ver 14 15. Behold this day do I enter into the way of all the world and ye know in your hearts and in all your soules that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you but all are come to passe vnto you nothing hath failed thereof Therefore as all good things are come vpon you which the Lord your God promised you so shall the LORD bring vpon you euery euil thing vntil he haue destroyed you out of this good Land which the Lord your God hath giuen you In which words hee teacheth that his threatnings are of the same nature with his promises and his iudgements as certaine as his mercies 2 Kings 7 1 2 17.18 This appeareth by a notable example which God shewed at the breaking vp of the long siege of Samaria he promised to the faithfull that would beleeue plenty and abundance the next day and hee threatned to the Prince on whose hand the King leaned that he should see it with his eies but he should not eate thereof Here God did promise good and threaten euill Did he shew forth the worke of his mercy and not of his iudgement of his goodnes not of his wrath Yes of his wrath and iudgement for the people trod vpon him in the gate and he dyed as the man of God had said so it came to passe This serueth to shew the wofull estate and condition of all vngodly men vnrepentant sinners for howsoeuer they flatter themselues put away the euill day far from them being deluded and as it were charmed with a proud presumption of Gods mercies yet the threatning of God the curse of the Law and the terror of their conscience which standeth against them shall abide for euer and therefore so long as they go forward in sin and proceed in the wickednes of their hearts they haue iust cause to mourne and lament forasmuch as the threatnings manifested in the word are inuiolable and vnchangeable Let all those that lye in any sin repent while it is called to day hear his voice lest the curse of the Law which shal certainly be fulfilled do seize vpon them and they be carried to vtter destruction The Prophet Esay denounceth many woes against wicked men Esay 5 8 11 18 20 21 22. Wo vnto them that ioyn house to house and lay Field to field til there be no place for the poore Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue til night Woe vnto them that draw iniquity with cordes of vanity and sinne as with Cart-ropes Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euil of good which put darknesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweet sweet for soure Woe vnto them that are wise in their own eyes prudent in their owne sight Woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine and to them that are strong to
And if we beleeue not yet abideth he faithful 2 Tim. 2 13. he cannot deny himselfe No greater comfort can be giuen no greater promise can be made then to assure vs of the pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes which make a separation between God and vs. To haue a feeling of this mercy is as sweet Incense vnto the soule and as precious balme vnto the heart Let vs therefore comfort our selues with this promise howsoeuer Satan sift vs and seek by all means to take from vs this peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding we must shroud our selues vnder the safety of his worde which abideth for euer and when we are tempted to doubt of his goodnesse in the remission of our sinnes let vs lay hold on the former promises and know that the heauens themselues shall fall and be moued out of their places before the truth of his word which is truth it selfe shall be diminished or disanulled Fourthly is God constant of his word and Vse 4 faithfull of his promise then it is required of vs to be like our heauenly Father in truth and faithfulnesse When God hath promised any blessing to his people he is true of his worde and bringeth it to passe The Lord sayde to them Iet 29 10 11. Dan 9 2. After seuenty yeares bee accomplished at Babel I wil visit you and performe my good promise toward you and cause you to returne to this place for I know the thoughts that I haue thoght toward you euen the thoughts of peace and not of trouble to giue you an end and your hope This did hee accomplish by the meanes of Cyrus whose spirit hee stirred vp to make a proclamation throughout his kingdome that whosoeuer would should goe vp to Ierusalem to builde it and inhabite there Now as God is faithfull in his word so let vs follow his example and make conscience of our words sayings that thereby we may assure our selues to bee the children of our heauenly Father Wee must therefore know that all iust couenants and contracts all promises bargaines must be perfourmed albeit they bee made to our hurt and hinderance and binde vs in conscience and duty by the Law of God man so farre forth as hee pleaseth to require them to whom they haue beene made The Prophet asking the question Who shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle rest in his holy Hill maketh this answere Hee which sweareth to his hurt and changeth not Psalm 15 4. Iosh 9. This wee see in Ioshua toward the Gibeonites and in the booke of Iudges chapt 1. when the Spies saw a man come out of the City and said vnto him Shew vs we pray thee the way into the City and we will shew thee mercy Iudg. 1 24 25. when he had shewed them the way into the City they smote the City with the edge of the sword but they let the man all his houshold depart Hence wee should learne to be wary and watchfull in our promises considering as well whether wee be able to performe them as whether wee be willing and examining our hearts whether they be in our owne power nor not and whether if they be it be lawfull for vs to performe them For some things are lawfull in themselues to pay and perfourme which are in no sort in our power and other things may be in our power which are not lawfull to be done This fidelity in keeping promise is a weighty point of the Law Math. 23 Math. 23 23. Gal. 5 22. and a fruite of the Spirit and therefore it standeth vs vpon to make conscience thereof If any man were asked the question whether hee thinke it his duty to endeuour to be like God and to striue to resemble him as the childe resembleth his father he would be ready to answere It is his duty to do it and his comfort that it is so If then we acknowledge the necessity of it let vs follow him in constancy and true dealing studying to be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect This is that vse which the Apostle vrgeth 2 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 1 17 18 20. When I was thus minded did I vse lightnesse Or minde I those things which I minde according to the flesh that with me should be yea yea and nay nay Yea God is faithfull that our word toward you was not yea and nay for all the promises of God in Christ are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. The Apostle in these wordes declareth that he was wrongfully slandered and vniustly charged with loosenesse and lightnesse of promise and vnconscionable breaking of his word inasmuch as he had alwaies before him the example of God whom he acknowledgeth to be faithfull in his words and promises This serueth to reproue those that will rashly promise any thing as Saul did to Dauid as Laban did to Iacob and then changed their minde as the weather-cocke doeth at euery blaste of winde These are like the reede that bendeth too and fro but it must not bee so with vs we must purpose and not alter we must promise and then perfourme carefully what we haue promised Lastly whensoeuer God hath made good Vse 5 the words of his mouth and accomplished his promises vnto vs which wee haue long looked for expected it is our duty to praise his name and to giue him the glory of the worke to whom alone it is due Hath he fed vs in time of famine and made vs to see Deut. 8 3. Mathew 4 4. that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of his mouth Let vs not sacrifice vnto our net nor burne incense vnto our yarne but say with the Prophet Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115 1. but vnto thy Name giue the glory for thy louing mercy and for thy truths sake This duty we see practised by King Salomon 1 Kings 8. 1 Kin. 8 15 20 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who spake with his mouth vnto Dauid my father and hath with his hand fulfilled it the Lord hath made good his word that he spake and I am risen vp in the roome of Dauid my father and sit on the Throne of Israel as the Lord promised and haue built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel A worthie patterne and president for vs to follow whensoeuer we taste of the grace and bountifulnes of God to offer vp vnto him a song and sacrifice of thanksgiuing And if wee must doe this for temporall blessings much more are we bound to do it for such as are spirituall If God haue for a season hidde his face from vs that we haue seene no light of his grace but all these things haue been couered with darknesse and discomfort as it were the Sunne in a Cloud if our sinnes as the waues of the sea haue gone ouer our head and beene a
with such neere and necessary bands will not keepe his faith entire to them but betray them also when occasion and opportunity shall serue The Law of God saith Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not raile vpon the Iudges neither speake euill of the Ruler of thy people If he be guilty of punishment that raileth and reuileth them what punishment and reuenge is sufficient for him that seeketh after their life and plotteth after their death we haue a notable example of a loyall heart in Dauid toward Saul who albeit he were elected and annointed King and were persecuted and pursued of Saul yet he would not lay violent hands vpon his person nor seeke to depriue him of his kingdom The Lord said hee keepe me from doing that thing to my master the Lords Annointed 1 Sam 24.7 and 26.9.10 to lay mine hand vpon him for who can lay his hand on the Lords Annointed and be guiltlesse As the Lord liueth either the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall descend into battell and perish the Lord keepe me from laying mine hand vpon the Lords Annointed This was the protestation of Dauid but it is a word of direction to all that Princes persons should be inuiolable as sacred and sent of God whether they be good or euill whether they be iust or vniust whether godly or vngodly It is not vnknowne what manner of king Nebuchadnezzar was euen hee that tooke Ierusalem namely a great oppressor robber cruell tyrant yet the Prophet Ezekiel affirmeth that God gaue him the land of Egypt Ezek. 29.18.19 Dan. 2.37 and 4.14 for the reward of his worke and for the wages of his army wherewith he had serued him and Daniel declareth that God changeth the times and seasons he taketh away kings he setteth vppe kings that liuing men may know that the most High hath power ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he wâ—ll and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men And in the second Chapter he saith O king thou art a king of kings for the God of heauen hath giuen thee a kingdome power and strength and glory Who could bee a greater tyrant then Pharaoh who could enact more barbarous and bloody decrees then hee did Or what people could be in greater misery or endure harder bondage and slauery then the children of Israel in the land of Egypt Exod. 2.23 3.7.17 5 7. Yet they performed obedience they neuer prepared or prouided to resist the king they neuer took vp armes their only weapons were supplication to God to man Let vs consider a litle what the Lord himselfe saieth by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy â—rremy 27 â—6 7 8 9 10 â—1 I haue made the earth the man and the beast that are vpon the ground by my great power and by my out-stretched arme and haue giuen it vnto whom it pleased it me But now I haue giuen all these Lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar my seruant and the beasts of the field haue I also giuen him to serue him And all Nations shall serue him and his sonne and his sonnes sonne vntill the very time of his Land come also and the Nation Kingdome which will not serue the same Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel and that will not put their necke vnder the yoke of the King of Babel the same Nation will I visite saith the Lord with the sword famine and pestilence wherefore serue the King of Babel and liue Out of these words we obserue these three points who it is that diuideth bestoweth kingdomes to whom he giueth them and what end remaineth for those that resist them Hee that setteth the Crowne vpon the heads of men is God all power is from him for promotion commeth not from the East nor from the West hee setteth vp and he pulleth downe at his owne pleasure He giueth the same sometimes to euill men and these he maketh his seruants to serue his prouidence and to do his will which he hath to be done by them And therefore such as oppose themselues against them doe set themselues against God and all that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation â—om 13 2 Hee will haue Tyrants to bee obeyed and honoured because they are lifted vp to the seat of honour and throne of maiesty by his hand Vse 2 Secondly we learne that it is a great blessing to haue good and godly Princes set ouer vs to rule vs in iustice peace and righteousnesse â—say 32 2. â—am 4 20. They are a couering against the heate the breath of our nostrils an hiding place froÌ„ the winde and a refuge from the tempest as riuers of waters in a drie Land as the shaddow of a great Rock in a weary Land Where they are wanting the Sunne is as it were pulled out of the Firmament and all things are left in miserable darknesse the weake are a prey to the strong and mighty as the lesser fish are deuoured of the greater and euery one doeth that which seemeth good in his owne eyes Hence it is that the Queene of Sheba seeing the power and magnificence of Salomon whom GOD had set vpon the Throne of his father Dauid Kin. 10 8. saide Happy are thy men happy are these thy seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy w sedome To this purpose speaketh the wise man Eccl. 10 16 17. Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a Childe and thy Princes eate in the morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles and thy Princes eate in time for strength and not for drunkennesse Wee must therefore acknowledge it as a great blessing and mercy vpon a Land when he giueth faithfull Magistrates wise Kings wise Counsellers wise Nobles wise Iudges wise Iustices wise Officers to gouerne the State to sway the Common-wealth Blessed are such Rulers nay blessed are the people that are vnder such Rulers and blessed is that gouernment and policy so well and wisely ordered It is a token of Gods heauy iudgement vpoÌ„ a kingdome when he taketh away the Ouerseers of it It is a token of the ruine of an house when the shores and staies that vnderpropped it are remoued When the Tree is pulled vp by the rootes the branches must needs dye the leaues wither and the fruite fall away When the feete of a man faile that beare vp the rest of the body he cannot but fall and when the breath of his nostrils is stopped hee is gone Psal 104 29. quickly returneth to the dust out of which he was taken Our Rulers and Magistrates are as the props pillars that keep the house vpright they are as the roote of the Tree that giueth life and sendeth foorth sappe and iuice into all partes and corners of the Land which are as the body of this tree they are as the heads that is the choisest parts of the Common-wealth and yet
will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plague of the Children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul whom I haue put away before thee So then he dealeth not extremely with his people but spareth them Malac. 3 17. as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Reason 3 Thirdly as his nature is to shew mercy so knoweth he the matter whereof we are made and he considereth that we are but dust If he should deale with vs according to our deserts and pay vs home as wee haue prouoked him by sinning against him he should bring man to nothing and consume him for euer Wherfore the Lord saith I will not contend for euer neyther will I bee alwaies wroth Esay 57 16. for the spirite should faile before me I haue made the breath Wee are as a winde that soone passeth as a breath that is easily stopped and as the dust that is quickly blowne away The Prophet calleth this to our remembrance which wee ought to learne without the worde by daily experience Psal 103 13 14 15 and 78 38 39 and 30 5. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him for hee knoweth whereof wee bee made he remembreth that we are but dust the daies of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he And in another place He being mercifull forgaue their iniquity and destroyed them not but ofttimes called backe his anger and did not stirre vp all his anger for he remembred that they were flesh yea a winde that passeth and commeth not againe If then we consider that God punisheth vnwillingly that he sheweth mercy and remembreth our frailty wee must needs conclude with the same Prophet that he endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weeping may abide at euening but ioy cometh in the morning Let vs now obserue the vses that may bee gathered from this doctrine First marke the Vse 1 difference betweene God and man whose waies are not as our waies nor his works like vnto our workes It is not with God as it is with man Esay 27 4. Albeit he bee daily prouoked and offended yet he is not easily moued and vpon our submission and repentance he is quicklie appeased and his wrath by and by is turned backe Psal 103 8 9 10 11. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kindnesse hee will not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer he hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities for as high as the Heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him But when man is once moued hee sildome keepeth any meane or moderation he can hardly or neuer will be appeased againe albeit hee that hath offended and prouoked him doe submit himselfe vnto him and craue pardon for his offence Hence it is that God is constrained to restraine the outrage and cruelty of man in his Law that as a violent streame breakes out can be kept within no bounds of reason where he giueth in charge that if the wicked be worthy to be beaten Deut. 25 2 3 the Iudge shall cause him to lye downe and to bee beaten before his face according to his trespasse vnto a certaine number forty stripes shall because him to haue and not past lest if he should exceede and beate him aboue that with many stripes thy brother should appeare despised in thy sight This law declareth that so soon as we are iniuried a fire is kindled within vs we conceiue rancor and choler we fret and fume with indignation and cannot be reconciled wee are filled with our passions wee lay on loade and know no moderation If the Lord shoulde deale with vs as we measure to our brethren we were not able to beare it and abide it If he should be so fierce and full of rage against vs we should vtterly be destroyed and consumed but there is alwaies mercy with him that he may be feared Secondly this serueth greatly to comfort Vse 2 all the faithfull seruants of God to consider the moderation of his chasticements and the gentlenesse of his hand in all his corrections We see by daily experience how hee forbeareth vs and powreth not out all his wrath vpon vs. If it were not so it would oftentimes goe hard with vs. Albeit his hand be sharpe vpon vs yet wee must needs confesse our sins haue iustly deserued greater plagues longer plagues sharper plagues And when his iudgments are ceassed and withdrawne our sinnes are found to be as great and sometimes greater then before so that wee deserue other plagues and punishments to come in place immediately to follow the former Our deliuerance therfore is for his mercies sake Herevpon the Prophet saith Psal 30 5. He endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weeping may abide in the euening but ioy cometh in the morning In like manner sorrow may happen in the morning but ioy and comfort shall abide within the euening that we may acknowledge the greatnesse of his mercie and the shortnesse of his wrath Wee heard how sorrowfull a message and what heauy tydings Dauid had brought vnto him so soone as he was vp but this sorrow was soone turned into ioy and this heauinesse into gladnesse when the Angell of vengeance is commanded to stay his hand and to put vp the sword of iustice into his sheath To this purpose the Apostle teacheth the Hebrewes chap. 12. Heb. 12 9 10 12. Wee haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence should we not much rather be in subiection vnto the Father of spirits that wee might liue For they verily for a few daies chastened vs after their owne pleasure but he chasteneth vs for our profite that we might bee partakers of his holinesse Wee must euermore remember that it is his mercy that moueth him to stay his hand and to call in his iudgements and to make our plagues to ceasse Wee cannot stand to pleade with GOD we must not iustifie our selues we ought not to hold our selues innocent but rather perswade our selues that God hath a iust quarrell and controuersie against vs. Hath he visited our brethren that dwell neere vs as good and peraduenture better then our selues and yet hath not touched vs Hath he freed vs when others haue felt the stroke of his rodde Haue wee stood vpright when others haue fallen downe When his arrowes flye abroad and sticke in the flesh and enter into the bones hath hee passed ouer vs and hidde vs vnder the shaddow of his wing as in a place of safety Oh consider this and let vs not forget the fauour of God toward vs O let vs remember his louing kindnesse and engraue it in
in the tenth chapter verses 35 30 37 38. the Israelites promise that they would truely pay their due to the Leuites that they would bring their first fruites the first borne of their sons of their Cattell of their Bullockes of their Sheepe and the tithes of the Land vnto the Leuites and Priests that minister in the house of God but when Nehemiah was absent they were slacke in performance of their promise We may obserue besides who they are that haue the chiefe hand in this sinne not the men of least account or lowest degree but the cheefe sort had the cheefest hand in this trespasse For who are they that most robbe the Church and pill and polle the Ministery and make themselues fatte with the spoiles of the tithes but those that shold be greatest friends vnto it euen great persons who make themselues greater by making Church-liuings lesser This we see plainely in the place named before where Nehemiah saith chap. 13 10 11 12. I perceiued that the portions of the Leuites had not beene giuen them for the Leuites and the Singers that did the work were fled euery one vnto his field Then contended I with the Rulers and saide Why is the house of God forsaken and I gathered them together and set them in their place c. Such therefore albeit they be great mighty are to bee reproued It is the duty of the Magistrate to see so these things and to correct the abuses that creepe into the Land and by all good meanes to release the oppressions that lie heauy vpon the Ministers of the church If God take the matter into his hand he will take an account of them that spoile the church and make them feele the greeuousnes of their sinne It is better that Nehemiah should correct the sinnes of the people then Nebuchadnezzar If God scourge vs by cruell enemies woe be to vs they are without all mercy and compassion Thus then we learne how and what to account of this sin to wit the withholding of maintenance froÌ„ the Ministers that it is robbing and spoiling of God a defacing and deforming of his kingdome This maintenance is the homage and tribute that God doth require of vs for the setting vp and continuance of his kingdome among vs whereby it followeth that tithes are holy sacred things not to be deteined nor imployed to any other vse The Apostle therefore saith Gal. 6 verse 7. Be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape Vse 5 Lastly from hence ariseth comfort to such as do good to the Sanctuary and to the vttermost of their power further the worshippe of God they may assure themselues that God will account it reward it as done vnto himselfe Whatsoeuer is giuen to the maintenance of Gods seruice and the furtherance of true religion and the propagation of the Gospel is giuen to God himselfe serueth to aduance the glory of his Name as appeareth by sundry examples in holy Scripture worthy both of commendation of admiration and of imitation One example The first example we haue in Obadiah who liued in the daies of greeuous persecution wheÌ„ Iezabel made hauocke of the Church of God the Altars were cast downe and the Prophets slaine then did hee take an hundred of the Lords Prophets and hid them by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water 1 Kin. 18. It is an easie matter in the daies of peace and quietnes to shew a loue to the Ministers of the word and to pretend our selues to bee friends and fauourers of the Gospel but let vs not flatter our selues for wee may heerein deceiue our selues This is no euident triall or certaine demonstration to proue our zeale to bee right forasmuch as we may do all this more for the applause of the world and to be well thought of among men then for loue we haue to the truth or to them that bring the truth glad tidings of good things But when all things are in an hurry and vprore when persecution is raised for the Gospels sake and Iezabel sendeth a messenger to Eliah 1 King 19 2. that his life shall bee taken away from him or when the Ministers are in disgrace and contempt of the world turned out of house and home when they are left succourlesse comfortlesse then to stand to them to releeue them to countenance theÌ„ and in a good cause to defend them is a notable signe of a liuely faith and of receiuing the truth in truth and sincerity God will not forget their effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of their hope in Iesus Christ he will haue them in continuall remembrance reward it as done vnto himselfe as God shewed himselfe in mercy to Obadiah and for his sake sent a gracious raine vpoÌ„ his inheritance and filled their hearts with ioy and gladnesse For euen as Elisha said to Iehoram King of Israel when they had no water for the host nor for the cattell that followed them What haue I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy father and to the Prophets of thy mother as the Lord of hosts liueth before whom I stand Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah I would not looke toward thee nor see thee 2 Kings 3 13 14. Iehoshaphat was a good and godly King who feared the Lord and in all distresses called vpon them euermore to aske counsell of the Prophets of the Lord and God suffereth his word to bee declared to the wicked themselues many times howbeit it is because of the godly that are among them euen so doth God deale with Ahab he would haue suffered him to follow the false Prophets that he fed and to be seduced by them and to perish in that famine but that he regarded Obadiah and that small remnant for whose sake he shewed mercy vpon the Land He had shewed mercy to the Lords Prophets the Lord sheweth mercy vnto him againe and is mindfull of his goodnesse as if he had done it vnto himselfe Another example The second example 2 Chr. 24 â—6 we haue in Iehoiada hee was honoured aliue and dead so that they buried him in the City of Dauid among the Kings because hee had done good in Israel both toward God and toward his house He set his heart to honour God and was zealous for his glory hee reformed religion he destroyed idolatry hee freed them from tyranny he established true piety and did much good to the Church and Common-wealth and as he was carefull to honour God so God honoured him and remembred him for good according to the greatnesse of his owne kindnesse and according to his seruants goodnesse The like we might say of Nehemiah The third example Nehem. 13 26 when the secret enemies of the Church had defiled the Priesthood and the couenant of the Priesthood and of the Leuites and that
be greeuous except we repent Secondly as God threatneth to punish according Vse 2 to the manner of our sinning so hee will blesse those that please him and serue him in feare and trembling according to the manner and measure of our walking before him Heere then on the other side we haue a gracious promise not onely of a blessing but of a blessing answerable vnto our obedience This is a notable encouragement vnto vs in well-doing and as it were a spurre to pricke vs forward to performe such duties as he requireth at our hands This is it which he promiseth to Abraham Gen. 12 verses 2 3. I will make thee a great Nation and I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt bee a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee c. If any did good to Abraham he should receiue good again if any were a friend to him he shold haue God to bee a friend vnto him This is that which God performed to Ebed-melech he saued the life of Ieremy and therefore hee had his owne life giuen vnto him as a prey Ier. 39 18. For when the Prophet was cast into a deepe dungeon where he stucke fast in the mire the Ethiopian went vnto the King and spake for him so that by his meanes his life was saued and he was taken out of the pit where hee must haue perished What then Doth hee lose his reward or is GOD vnmindfull of him No he receiueth blessing for blessing mercy for mercy and life for life and therefore when the King of Babilon tooke the City and put the people to the sword he was deliuered and was not giuen into the hand of the men of whom he was afraid Doe we then any good to Gods Church and Children it shall not goe vnregarded and vnrewarded to a cup of cold water we shall receiue measure for measure good for good blessing for blessing Can we desire or looke for a better recompence Or would wee haue a farther meanes to incite vs to follow our calling We haue a double encouragement to serue such a master who will reward vs according to our seruice For while we do good to others we do as much good to our selues Will any man be an enemy or hinderance to himselfe Doe we not by the light of nature loue our selues make much of our selues helpe our selues wish all good to our selues This is the way to attaine vnto our desires and to receiue a blessing from the hands of God to doe good to others for then God hath bound himselfe by promise to be mercifull to vs. There is that scattereth saith Salomon there is more encreased The way and meanes to receiue encrease our substance is to giue and to distribute like the husbandman that must sowe his seed before he can reape his fields and gather in his haruest The couetous man thinketh otherwise because like an Idolater hee trusteth in his money but in the end it bringeth him nothing home The Prophet Eliah was sent of God to Sarepta to a widow in the daies of famine she had no more left but an handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruze so that shee was gathering stickes to dresse it for her selfe and her sonne that they might eate it and dye Neuerthelesse of her penury she sustained the Prophet shee made him a little cake first and brought it vnto him She did good to the holy Prophet of the Lord howbeit shee did more good thereby to her selfe and her sonne she releeued him and thereby releeued her selfe For the barrell of meale wasted not neither did the cruze of oyle faile according to the word of the Lord which he spake by Eliah 1 Kings 17 16. Luke 4. The like we might say of Obadiah he hid the Prophets of God by fifty and fifty in a caue â—gs 18 13 and fed them with bread and water wheÌ„ many other perished howbeit he did heereby no small good to himselfe forasmuch as thereby he obtained raine and plenty of all things This is it which our Sauiour promiseth in the Gospel to his Disciples that followed him There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receiue an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and landes with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life Mark 10 29 30. Iob is commended in Scripture to be a iust man fearing God and eschewing euill and by occasion of his friends taxing of him with hypocrisie and accusing him of iniquity is compelled to stand vpon his owne innocency and to make a solemne protestation of his integrity Iob 31 19 that he had not seene any to perish for lacke of cloathing or any poore without couering he was an eye to the blinde a father to the fatherlesse and as an husband to the widow He had his children and his substance taken from him and he bare his crosse with patience What then was the end that the Lord made or how was he blessed of God The end of the history declareth this at large the Lord gaue Iob Iob 42 10. twice as much as he had before and as he had comforted others and visited them in their necessities so his brethren and sisters and all they that had beene of his acquaintance before resorted repaired vnto him and comforted him ouer all the euill that the Lord had brought vpon him and as he had beene bountifull to others so euery man gaue him a piece of money Verse 12. and euery one an eare-ring of gold yea the Lord blessed the latter end of Iob more then the beginning so that hee obtained many sonnes and daughters and a great encrease of cattell Onesiphorus oft refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of his chaines the Apostle praieth that the Lord would grant vnto him that he might finde mercy of the Lord in the great day 2 Tim. 1 18. This poinâ— being throughly learned will minister great comfort to euery one of vs being assured that as God punisheth in manner as wee sinne so he will blesse vs and reward vs after the manner of our obedience Haue we comforted others God will comfort vs turne the hearts of others to comfort vs also Haue we done good to others he will stirre vp others to do good to vs. Haue we releeued others we haue laid vp a good foundation for the time to come we shall be releeued by others in our necessities Doe we giue vnto the poore Prou. 19 17. We do not onely lend vnto the Lord but we prouide well for our selues forasmuch as that we giue shall be paid vnto vs againe We reade in the booke of Nehemiah not onely how zealous he was for the glory of God but also how carefull to shew compassion
bee yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be the Lord shall laugh at him for he seeeth his day comming Then it shall be saide to all the wicked â—th 25 41. Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels The truth may be ouer-borne and smothered for a time yet it cannot be disgraced and concealed for euer It were well for them if they might lie for euer in the graue and neuer come into the light it were well for them if their works might neuer come to bee examined might dye as the vntimely fruite of a woman that neuer saw the Sun but it shall not go so well with them they must not then looke for auie comfort like the rich Glutton who was denied a drop of water to coole his tongue If then they would giue a thousand worlds for one day of repentance or for one droppe of Faith or for oyle in their lampes they cannot obtaine it Heere life is either wonne or lost here saluation is begun or else we neuer haue it Then all things shall appeare as they are though many things are that do not now appeare Then the vizard of the hypocrite must be pulled off and hee shall deceyue no more by shewes of honest dealing And she shall conceiue seede In these words wee haue a second promise made to the Woman suspected of adultery against whom nothing could bee proued For God maketh a two-fold promise to the innocent party The first was set downe before that she should be free from the imputation of the sin and from the castigation of punishment Now cometh the second promise to bee considered which reacheth further then the former wherein God doth wonderfully recompence the slander charged vpon her and declare himselfe to be a maintainer of chastitie and innocency For what could a woman in this case haue desired but to haue her innocency made known to her husband and to the whole Church It was an hard case to vndergo this triall and to haue her name in this manner called into question but after she is tried God doth abundantly recompence her sorrow and affliction and doth not onely cleere her good name but giueth her yssue making the barren woman to keepe house and to be a ioyfull mother of children Hee doth not onely set her free the thing which she desired but withal maketh her fruitfull which is more then shee could haue expected We learne hereby Doctrine God bestowâ—th more mercy vpon his hildren then they desire that howsoeuer the faithfull are many waies tried and troubled yet all their sorrowes are turned to their good When the innocencie and righteousnesse of the godly is once made knowne God is more gracious vnto them then they could desire or craue at his hands We see this in the examples alledged in the former Doctrine as in a glasse most cleerely Remember what wee saide of Ioseph albeit he liued for a time as a prisoner and was clapt in the stocks yet hee was deliuered and his innocency reuealed But was this all Or did God content himselfe to bring his sincerity to light No he was aduanced to honor Gen. 41 41. and made ruler ouer all the land of Aegypt which he neuer dreamed of nor looked for nor gaped after And as it was with the sonne so was it also with the father For Iacob vowed a vow to God that if he would bee with him and keepe him in his iourney that he was to go Genes 28 20. with â—2 9 10. And would giue him bread to eate and raiment to put on then the Lord should be his God His desires are not extended farre but he is contented with a little he craueth of God his daily bread the which Christ also willeth and warranteth vs to aske Mat. 6 neuertheles God was more gracious to him then so and gaue him great riches as himselfe coÌ„fesseth to God his louing kindnes I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant for with my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan and now I am become two bands The like we might speak of Iob the faithfull seruant of the Lord who may be compared to him in the suffering of aduersity Or who can match him in patience He sustained the losse of his Children and of his goods and yet these were but the beginnings of sorrowes forasmuch as he was deepely afflicted in body and minde What then did he desire of God in his miserie Iob 42 10. to haue his Asses and Camels and cattle doubled vppon him and all the substance of his house to be increased He had no such thoght in his hart and yet it came to passe according to the saying of the Apostle Iames 5 11. Yee haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue seene the end of the Lord for the Lord is verie pittifull and of tender mercy Let vs also call to minde the example of Dauid the least in his Fathers house hee was called of God from feeding his sheepe and following the Ewes great with young and was annointed to bee King and appointed to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel whereof he neuer dreamed Psal 78 71 72. The like we might say of Daniel of Mordecay of Ester and many other children of the captiuity who saw great dangers ready to fall vpon the church as it were a gaping gulfe ready to swallow them vp quick or as a huge rocke threatning ship-wracke if they had onely tasted of the mercie of God and his power in working their deliuerance they wold haue magnified his great goodnesse and sung his praise with the Psalmist Psal 34 19 20 Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all hee keepeth all his bones not one of them is broken Psal 34 19 20. But besides this he gaue them fauour in the sight of Princes 1 Sam. 2 8. and raised them from the dung-hill to make them inherit the Throne of glory as Hannah singeth who had good experience of it who was contemned but now regarded who asked of God one sonne and obtained not him alone but three other sonnes and two daughters From all which concents of holy Scripture we conclude that the faithfull and righteous seruants of God are oftentimes blessed not onely aboue their deserts which are none at all but aboue their desires and demands Reason 1 The Reasons that serue to confirme this truth to our consciences are to be considered of vs. First God is infinite in his loue toward his people he is no niggard of his goods hee keepeth not all to himselfe as the couetous man He is as the liberall man that freely bestoweth where he seeth need we are as poore beggers that haue nothing our own but rags and rents or as poore criples that can boast of nothing but wounds and sores full
of corruption His grace is the true riches and by it he hath abounded toward his church Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Ephesians commendeth in many places of the Epistle the ouer-flowing grace of God and sheweth that hee is rich in mercy and aboundeth in kindnes chap. 1 7. chap. 2 4 7. hee setteth out his great loue wherewith he loueth vs the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindnesse toward vs through Iesus Christ And chap. 3 8. he calleth his grace toward vs vnsearchable riches He doth not keep vs to a diet as though he meant to pine vs or famish vs he doth not allow vs onely so much as serueth to keep vs in state and holde body and soule together but he dealeth bountifully towards vs maketh our cup to ouer flow If then he bee rich in mercy and goodnes and abundant in kindnesse if there bee in him exceeding riches vnsearchable riches riches of his grace and glorie it is not to be marueiled at that his childreÌ„ find him gracious toward them aboue all that the tongue can desire or the heart can think forasmuch as his mercy is ouer all his workes Reason 2 Secondly God is euermore better then his word and performeth more then hee promiseth He is not as man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue al his promises are yea and Amen to the praise of his mercie He promiseth little and performeth much He is a Prince indeede that neuer falsified his worde neither could the vnbeleefe of some that did not beleeue make the saith of God without effect Rom. 3 3. he remaineth alwaies true and faithfull constant and sure If we obtaine not the promises the fault is not in the promise of God but in the infidelity of maÌ„ forasmuch as he neuer deludeth any nor dallieth with them whatsoeuer is gone out of his mouth hee meaneth it in good earnest The word of the Lord is right and all his workes are done in truth he will not suffer his faithfulnesse to faile Psal 33.4 and 89. Hee promiseth in the fift commandement to giue to inferiors that are obedient a long life yet sometimes they dye betimes and on the other side the stubborn and disobedient haue prospered in this world and liued long How then will some say is God as good as his word and how is he certaine of his promise Because albeit he take vs away yet hee performeth it by giuing much more then hee promised When Herod promised to his wanton Minion that danced before him Marke 6 â—â— The one halfe of his kingdome it is certaine it had beene no breach of his promise if hee had resigned vp the whole kingdome into her hands So if God promise a prolonged life Exod 20 â—â— and giue instead of it a perpetuall life heere is more then halfe in halfe gaines and aduantage as hee that promiseth tenne peeces of siluer and performeth twenty peeces of Gold or hee that promiseth a yard of cloath and giueth an ell of Veluet doeth not breake his promise or falsifie his word Thirdly as God is rich in grace so hee is Reason 3 infinite in power he is able to doe what hee will and more then he will Nothing is vnpossible vnto him he hath all creatures in his own hand to employ theÌ„ as it pleaseth him This is the reason vsed by the apostle Eph. 3 20. Vnto him that is able to do exceeding aboundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs bee praise in the Church by Iesus Christ c. If then he be able to giue vs more then wee craue or desire wee are not to doubt of his doing of it and wee haue all of vs many notable experiences of it Let vs come to the Vses and marke them Vse 1 diligently First let vs not bee dismayed vnder the Crosse but assure our selues of a good end and of an happy issue It is the cup which we must all drinke of in one kinde or in another Let vs not sinke downe vnder it but lay holde on this principle and fasten our hearts vppon the doctrine with which wee deale as on an Anchor cast out of the ship to stay vs assuring our selues that God will bee gracious vnto vs his mercy shal superabouÌ„d so that we shall bee more then Conquerors One affliction followeth another as one waue of the Sea rouleth after another as Psal 42. verse 7. One deepe calleth another deepe by the noise of thy water spouts all thy waues and thy flouds are gone ouer mee And in the 66. psalme the 10 11 12. vers Thou O God hast prooued vs thou hast tried vs as siluer is tryed thou hast brought vs into the net thou layedst affliction vpon our loines thou hast caused men to ride ouer our heads we went through fire and through water but thou broughtst vs out into a wealthy place Nothing therefore shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord who hath promised vs that he will not leaue vs nor forsake vs. This promise we are to lay hold vpon by faith that hee is able and willing to performe it and that he wil be better vnto vs then his word We cannot beleeue too much concerning God we neede not feare to hope too farre of his mercy True it is wee oftentimes presume too farre of the kindnesse of men and so are deceiued of our expectation we promise to our selues much when we goe away empty It is not so with God There is no sinne greater then infidelity when hee speaketh not to heare when hee promiseth not to beleeue which he suffereth not to go vnpunished If you call his worde into question which is passed out of his mouth you call his nature and being in question you 〈◊〉 in effect doubt whether he bee God or not yea whether there be a God or not The Prince that heard the word of the Lord sent in mercy during the famine in Israel and the siege of Samaria 2 King 7 1. â—ings 7 1. To morrow this time a Measure of fine floure shall be solde for a shekell and two measures of Barley for a shekell in the gate of Samaria did not beleeue it because such was their miserie that it seemed not onely strange but impossible vnto them that there should be such plenty and aboundance at a sodaine and no meanes appeare how or which way it should be done and therefore saide verse 2. Though the Lorde would make windowes in the heauen could this thing come to passe But what followed The Prophet denounced against him that hee should see the trueth of it with his eyes but he should not eate thereof and the Lord executed this sentence and let nothing of that which he had saide fall to the ground for the people trod vpon him in the gate hee hauing the ouer-sight of the businesse committed
and it is very needfull he should doe so that in all things they should be thankefull 1 Thess 5 19. This is the cause why the Israelites were forwarned to take heed to themselues euen before they entred into the land of promise Deut. 6 10 11 12. and should possesse great goodly Cities which they neuer builded houses full of all manner of furniture and garnishings and ornaments which they neuer stored vineyards Oliue trees which they neuer planted Welles of water which they neuer digged and fieldes of Corne which they neuer sowed then they ought neerely and narrowly to looke vnto themselues And why then rather then at another time Because riches and pleasures abundance and ease would be such baits that they should then be in greatest dangers more then when they liued in the wildernesse to bee drawne by them to forget Gods mercies by which they were deliuered out of many miseries They thought they should then bee safe enough if once they were come to set foote in the land howbeit Moses telleth them that then remained the greatest danger of all They must stand in feare lest they be choaked with these thornes lest they bee entangled in these snares lest they suffer ship-wracke at these rockes lest they be ouercome with these tentations lest they be drowned in these deepe waters Luk. 8.14 1 Tim. 6 9. This is the corruption of our nature and the poison of sin it turneth good into euill as an euill stomacke doth the daintiest and best meates Wee doe commonly abhorre him and speake all maner of euill of him 〈◊〉 vnthankâ—â—â— person iâ—â—â—monly â—â—â—orred who hauing receyued manie benefits and good turnes forgetteth his Patron and benefactor when once he is aduanced and promoted to honour like Pharaohs Butler who hauing receiued good from Ioseph forgate him when he was restored vnto his office and deliuered the cup into the kings hand againe albeit Ioseph had said vnto him Gen. 40 14. Thinke on me when it shall bee well with thee and shew kindnesse I pray thee vnto mee and make mention of me vnto Pharaoh and bring me out of this house An vnthankful person euen vnto men is iustly abhorred how much more then vnto God the most bountifull Patrone Common experience teacheth that commonly men are much worse for Gods benefits â—â—n are comâ—â—nly the â—â—rse â—or gods â—â—â—efits and grow more prophane and presumptuous in sinning against him through the plenty and abundance of earthly blessings Dauid we know was none of the worst men but one of the best according to Gods owne heart yet hee saieth of himselfe while he enioyed the world at wil I saide in my prosperity I shall neuer be moued Psa 30 6 And in another place It is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Before I was afflicted I went astray but now haue I kept thy word Psal 119 67 71. And therefore his benefites did him not so much good as his chastisements they did not further his saluation so much as his corrections Ieremy speaketh of the church vnder the name of Ephraim 〈◊〉 31 18. that it was as an vntamed Calfe till God chastened it Manasses learned more at Babylon then at Ierusalem as he lay in prison then as he sate vpon his throne for in peace prosperity hee fell to Idolatry to sorcerie to cruelty and to all kinde of impiety but when he was carried away captiue he besought the Lord his God who neuer thought he stood in need of him before Chron. 33 â— 13. He humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his father who despised him before in the pride of his heart and hee prayed vnto God earnestly who neuer prayed vnto him before The blessings of God indeede ought to vnite vs more closely and conscionably vnto him howbeit it is a rare thing to finde that benefits knit our hearts more neerely vnto GOD. Shew me that man among a thousand that can truly say A rare thing to finde that man who is brought nerer to God by his benefites the benefites of God haue made him sounder in the faith and better in his obedience vntil he haue bene taught and trained vp in the schoole of affliction and tried in the furnace of aduersity God hath two school-houses in which he doth instruct his schollers the first is the school of prosperity there he speaketh to vs but we are deafe and cannot heare there he teacheth but we are dull and cannot learne We are non-proficients thogh we tarry long in this schoole not through anie default either in the master or in the lesson or in the schoole but through defect in the scholler onely He is constrained therefore to put vs into his other schoole this is the schoole of affliction many profit here that could not profit before For the heart of man is naturally puffed vp with prosperity so that it cannot work in him the performance of greater dutie and sounder obedience as it ought to do Ther are ten lepers in the Gospel clensed of a foule and filthy disease but when once they saw they were cured recouered they forgat who had clensed them how they were clensed of what they were clensed and wherefore they were clensed only one of them was found to return and giue God thanks Luke 17 15. When Christ had found the impotent man that had lien 38. yeeres at the poole of Bethesda he saw it was needful to put him in minde to take heed he sin no more lest a worse thing come vpon him Iohn 5 14. for he knew he was ready to forget what he had bin how great things he had done for him and to please himself in the present condition wherein hee was made whole therfore would haue him consider what he might be in time to come and feare a future relaps into the same nay into greater euils He to whom 10000. talents were remitted shewed not mercy again for the mercie that he had receiued this was all the fruite of his thankfulnes that he yeelded Hee caught his fellow-seruant by the throat Math. 18 18. who owed him onely an hundred pence bidding him presently to tender paiment Iehoash the King of Iudah was preserued by Iehoiada and set in the kingdome that had bin vsurped by the tirany of Athalia and through the massacre of the blood-royall yet this was all the thankfulnes that he shewed for the Fathers kindnes 2 Chro. 24 22 he slew his son because he reproued their Idolatry and Apostacy and so he remembred not the benefite of life kingdom and education that he had receiued without which he had not liued nor reignd nor receiued the knowledge of the truth Seeing then we are so prone of our selues to forget what the Lord hath done for vs and to returne him the praise we must be watchful ouer our corruptions remembring what God hath done for vs. Secondly it reproueth all
we endure bee greeuous for the measure manifold for the number strange for the manner and long for the continuance yet if we put on the armour of a Christian it shall worke in vs experience of Gods mercy and bring forth hope of a full deliuerance which maketh not ashamed Verse 14. Thus saith thy Brother Israel Hitherto of the request sent by Moses deliuered by the Ambassadors and consented vnto by the whole congregation now we are to mark the reasons vsed to stirre vp the hearts of the Edomites The first is drawne from their nerenesse of blood and kindred in the flesh We are your Brethren Now if wee be Brethren then helpe vs But we are Brethren therefore helpe vs. The word Brother is taken in Scripture sundry waies 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 First for such as are brethren by birth as Cain Abel Iacob Esau Secondly by affinity which come of one family as branches of one roote â—s 13 8. â— 12. and streames issuing out of one fountaine so Abraham and Lot were brethren and the kinsmen of Christ are called his brethren Thirdly by Country Nation thus all the Iewes are called Brethren one to another Deut. 17.15 Rom. 9 1. Fourthly by profession thus all Christians are accounted Brethren being of the same religion and profession Now in this place it is taken in the second sence for such as were of the same kindred stocke as if they should say Wee are all the seed of Abraham we haue Abraham and Isaac to our father Thus we see they alledge their alliance communion of the same blood descending long agoe by many generations from one father Obserue here first of al the maner of their reasoning If we be Brethren of one kindred deny vs not this fauour but suffer vs to passe Where we see the strength of this reason how that to perswade some kindnes they plead some kindred Doctrine The consideration of our communion one with another must draw vs to the duties of loue one to another and beseech them by the amiable name of a Brother From hence wee learne that the consideration of our nerenesse and coniunction of blood must vrge and inforce from vs all duties of loue and brotherly kindnesse Howsoeuer we are to do good to all yet our Communion in blood should be a forcible meanes to moue vs to al duties of humanity This moued Abraham to take away the heate of contention kindled betweene his Heardmen and the Heardmen of Lot Genesis 13 8 Exodus 2 13. Let not vs I pray thee striue for we are Brethren The like we see pressed by Moses to the Israelites striuing together to the dishonor of God to the slander of their profession and to the opening of the mouthes of the enemies Sirs ye are Brethren Acts 7 26. why then do ye wrong one another This consideration was so strong that it preuailed with Laban toward Iacob saying Though thou be my brother sholdst thou therefore serue me for nought Genes 29 15. I will giue thee wages So Dauid vpon this ground expecteth kindnesse and reprooueth the Tribe of Iudah for their negligence in bringing him vnto his house Yee are my Brethren 2 Sam. 19 11 12. my bones and flesh are ye wherefore then are yee the last that bring the King againe The Reasons follow First the communion Reason 1 and fellowship of the same nature ought to moue vs to be bountifull and beneficiall vnto men because we must do to others as we wish and would that others should do vnto vs. Let vs put the case suppose we were in distresse would we not be glad to receiue good at the hands of others and would we not thinke it a duty belonging vnto them as men to releeue succor vs as men Euen so ought we in like case to doe and deale with them according to the rule of the Law and the exhortation of Christ Matth. 7 11. Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you do ye euen the same vnto them for this is the Law and the Prophets Secondly the flesh of one is as the flesh of an Reason 2 other all the world was made of one flesh so that we are as it were parts and members one of another We see in the members of our body how one is helpful and seruiceable to another when one is pained the rest are troubled when one is honored the rest reioyce So should it be in the generall communion and coniunction of mankind This is that which the Israelites affirm being oppressed by their brethreÌ„ Our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren our sons as their sons Nehem. 5 5. and therefore in this consideration they looked for the duties of kindnes and fruits of humanity to come from them The Vse of this Doctrine is first of all to reprooue those that breake these bands and Vse 1 cast these cords from them wherewith the Lord hath tyed vs one to another For where many times shall you finde lesse familiaritie and friendship one with another then among those that are most neerely linked and allied one to another Their often iarres and most deadly dissentions proclaime to their open shame that they are voide not onely of true piety but of all due humanity What a reproch is it yea what a blot and blemish that the husband setteth himselfe against the wife and the wife against the husband the father falleth out with the son and the son with the father the mother caÌ„not liue peaceably with the daughter nor the daughter with the mother the mother in law with the daughter in law nor the daughter in law with the mother in law and that the loue of brethren and sisters is so geason among vs Great is the force and strength of Nature in all such as are not wholly without naturall affections as we see in Dauid albeit he had a godlesse and vngracious childe aspiring in the pride of his heart to vsurpe the kingdome and driuing his father out of Ierusalem yet when he was slaine in the battel the King was moued and mourned saying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had dyed for thee O Absolon my son my son 2 Sam. 18 33. The like we see in the true mother to her childe whose bowels yerned within her when Salomon called for a sword to diuide it 1 Kings 3 26. The like force of loue could not be dissembled in Ioseph toward his brethren Gen. 45 1 1. and 33 4. but he turned from them his heart melted toward them Yea cruell Esau when he saw his brother a farre off though he had threatned to kill him yet he ran to meete him and imbraced him hee kissed him and wept vpon him And yet wee now see by lamentable experience that euery toy trifle maketh debate not onely betweene deerest friends but betweene neerest Kinsfolkes that they can neuer be reconciled And as no
Patriarkes and Prophets that by faith receiued a good report concludeth that we must rather looke to the example of Christ the Author finisher of our faith who endured the Crosse and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him If theÌ„ the example of God be to be followed of vs we must be moued to shew mercy where we see the bountiful hand of God opened before vs. Reason 2 Secondly we are the children of God wee are the seruants of God we are the subiects of his kingdome we must therefore seeke to be like to him resemble him in our obedience to his Commandements as the Apostle Peter sheweth 1 Pet. 1.14.15.16 As obedient children fashion not your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so bee ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy And thus saith the Lord by Malachy the Prophet ch 1 6. A sonne honoreth his father and a seruant his master If then I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my feare Hereunto accordeth and agreeth the exhortation of Christ Ioh. 13 12 13 14. Know ye what I haue done to you Yee call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master haue washed your feete ye ought also to wash one anothers feet For I haue giuen you an example that ye should do euen as I haue done to you Vse 1 The vses First let vs learne to acknowledge from hence this truth that great is Gods mercy who neuer faileth nor forsaketh those that are his For assuredly his mercy and compassion should neuer be propounded to vs as a rule to direct vs and as an example to guide vs if there were not infinite loue in him and in our God plentifull redemption Wherefore we may safely conclude this principle of our faith and teach it to others that the mercies of God are sure and certaine to his Church This the Prophet handleth at large Psal 103 8 11 13. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kindnesse as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward theÌ„ that feare him As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him There is no end no measure no limitation of his mercy compassion The height of it is not to be taken the depth of it is not to be found the length and bredth of it is not to be comprehended It is higher then the heauens it is deeper then the graue it is longer then the earth it is broader then the sea Who is it that by searching can finde out God Iob 11 7 8 9. or search out the Almighty to his perfection For loue and mercy pitty are not in God as they are in men In vs they are such graces of the Spirit of God as wee are qualified withall througâ— his gift they are streames flowing from his Fountaine and as light drawne from his Candle But in God are no qualities or accidents he is of none but hath his being of himselfe giueth being to all other things Therefore the Apostle saith God is loue it selfe not onely the Fountaine and well-spring of loue 1 Iohn 4 16. but loue it selfe And one saith truely and properly Bernard in de d. l g. Deo God is not wise but wisedome it selfe not iust but iustice it selfe not pittifull but pitty it selfe not mercifull but mercy it selfe not good but goodnesse it selfe This is a great comfort and refreshing to vs in all afflictions be they neuer so great be they neuer so greeuous there is no infirmitie and weaknesse in God his mercy is ouer al his works he is infinite in compassion he can no more ceasse to bee mercifull then ceasse to be God and therefore it being essentiall to him our misery can neuer exceed or counteruaile his mercy Secondly we must Vse 2 learne from hence to loue all the creatures of God albeit not all equally after the example of God We reade euery where in the Scripture of the loue of God louing not onely his Sonne his Church his Elect Zanch denâ— dei lib. 4 â—ap quest 2. Acts 14 17 but the rest of the world the reprobate and all his creatures Giuing them raine and fruitefull seasons filling their hearts with ioy and gladnesse Let vs therefore first see what the loue of God is He loueth all his creatures euen all the works of his hands He saw all that he had made and loe Gen. 1 31. they were exceeding good Yea he doth good to all in him they moue liue breathe and haue their being Notwithstanding he loueth his elect and chosen people ordained to eternall life more then the rest of mankinde whom he leaueth in their sinne to worke out their owne confusion as the Apostle teacheth Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated For touching the faithfull Rom. 9 14 Rom â— 3â— Rom 3 2â— 1 Thess 5 â— Iohn 14 2â— Math. 25 â— he calleth them effectually he iustifieth theÌ„ freely he sanctifieth them throughly in soule and body yea as the faithfull increase in grace the exercises of piety so they more and more feele the loue of God toward them as Christ speaketh He that keepeth my Commandements is he that loueth me and he that loueth me shall bee loued of my Father Heere then we haue an example before vs for our continuall instruction to guide vs in the matter and measure of our loue For first the meanest of the creatures are to be loued none of them are to be abused of vs. Hereunto tend the lawes giueÌ„ to the Iewes not to oppresse our Cattell not to musle the mouth of the Oxe nor to take the dam with the young to helpe vp the Asse sinking falling vnder his burthen and such like Secondly we must much more loue mankinde made after the Image of God yea euen our enemies according to the commandement of our Lord and Master Christ Math. 5 44 45. This is not a counsell but a Commandement charging vs to loue our enemies seeking their good thirsting after their saluation ouercomming euill with goodnesse heaping coales of fire vpon their head and thereby gathering an assurance to our owne hearts that wee are the children of God Thirdly it belongeth to the faithfull to loue the faithfull with an especiall loue as children with them of the selfe same Father heyres with them of the same kingdome for heereby we shall know that we are translated from death to life â—hn 3 14. because wee loue the brethren This the Apostle teacheth Gal. 6 10. While we haue time let vs do good to all men but especially vnto them that are of the houshold of faith So that in the duties of loue we must preferre our godly
or in the publicke ioy of the Church do mourne cannot in truth perswade their owne hearts that they haue anie part or portion in the body of Christ Wherefore whensoeuer God taketh away any principall stay of Church or Common-wealth we haue cause of mourning and humbling our selues vnder Gods iudgement When the husbandman layeth his Axe to the root of the tree or vndermineth the ground about it we can not doubt but he meaneth the felling and falling of it Or when wee see a Gardiner take away the hedge or wall of his garden Esay 5 5 6. plucke vp by the roots the cheefest choisest plants disfigure the ornaments and beauty of it and lay it open for the beasts to enter we may gather hee mindeth not to continue but deface the Garden Or when a Carpenter pulleth downe the master-peeces and postes that doth hold vp the whole frame and layeth the foundation euen with the ground wee may coniecture by these meanes that he meaneth to remoue the building to another place So when we see the euident footsteps of Gods wrath and begin to discerne the fire of his iealousie breaking out by the smoake beginning to appeare in taking away seruiceable men as plaÌ„ts of his own garden as pillars of his own house and as branches of the Tree which his right hand hath planted we must lay it to our hearts as tokens going before destruction This our Sauiour handleth Matth. 42 32 33. speaking of the signes going before his glorious appearance at the end of the world Learne the Parable of the Figge tree when her bough is yet tender and it putteth foorth leaues yee know that Summer is neere so likewise yee when ye see all these things know that the kingdome of God is nere euen at the doore And now beloued behold and consider lift vp your eies and looke how God hath dealt with vs and marke whether his dealings toward vs be not tokens of his anger and fore-runners of his iudgements Hath hee not taken from vs a most worthy Prince our late Soueraigne who by the course of nature might haue liued longer Of whom wee may truly say as Dauid did 2 Sam. 1 24. Ye daughters of Israel weepe for Queene Elizabeth who clothed you with Scarlet and pleasures and hanged Ornaments of Gold vpon your apparrell P. oâ— 31 2â— Or else as Salomon doth speaking of a good woman Many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all She opened the house of the Lord in the first yeere of her reigne as good K. Hezekiah did shee called backe the reuerent Ministers fled out of the land as Eliah into the wildernesse through the tyranny of Iezabel she brought in the pure worship of God cast out the Romish abhominations set forth the seruice of God in a knowne tongue repealed the bloody acts of the persecutors and therefore she thus honouring God and aduancing his Gospel he likewise exalted her Throne on high as the Throne of Salomon 2. Samuel 2 ver 30. so that she shined in her time in the world as if all the firmament thereof had bin but one starre and as if in all the cope compasse of heaueÌ„ there had shined none but she This starre is now set and gone downe which should go neere vnto vs and pierce vs to the quicke and make vs seeing a great Prince is fallen in Israel neuer to forget the great works which the Lord did among vs by her happy hand Besides hath not the Lord taken from vs many lights out of the Vniuersity whence flowed many comfortable streames that watered the Garden of God many out of Cities and particular Churches wherby the Church hath receiued a deepe and dangerous wound and yet we seeme to haue feared consciences and to be past feeling When the vitall parts begin to faile or to languish the life of the body is in hazard While the disease or distemperature is in the outward parts farre from the head or the heart there is hope of health and recouery but when the liuely parts begin to waste and consume by little and little it is a signe of the decay of life and of the approch of death Howsoeuer therefore the greatest part neuer lay these things to their hearts nor interprete them as present tokens of imminent danger and iudgement yet we that haue learned better things ought to consider that as they are taken away from the euill to come â— 57 1 2. â—gs 22 20 rest quietly in the graue as in a bed euen so they haue left vs behinde for the euill to come Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to pray to God to stay his hand to shew mercy to his Church and to poure out the full Viall of his vengeance vpon his enemies that know him not Psal 79 6. Ieremy 10 25 and vpon the Nations that call not vpon his Name This the Prophet practiseth Psalm 74 2 19 20 21 22. Thinke vpon thy Congregation which thou hast possessed of old and on thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed and on this Mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelled We see how he putteth God in minde of his Couenant and entreateth him to strike through the loynes of his enemies to their destruction to maintaine his own cause and to spare his people the sheepe of his own Pasture the dwelling place of his own Name and the Congregation of his poore afflicted ones So when in like manner we behold the hand of God vpon his owne Sanctuary to begin iudgement at his owne house let vs call vpon him to consider whereof wee are made and to remember that we are but dust This did the Prophet Habakkuk when God threatened to enter into iudgment with his church O Lord I haue heard thy voice and was afraid O Lord reuiue thy worke in the midst of thy people in wrath remember mercy Hab. 3 2. Where hee teacheth that whensoeuer wee heare of the threatnings and iudgements of God we must pray him to repaire and restore the state of the Church which is ready to perish who is able to heale the wound that his owne right hand hath made True it is the great sinnes of this Land do cry out against vs may iustly prouoke him to make hauocke of all yet let vs call for mercy at his hands and stay the course of our sinnes that so he may stay the stroke of his iudgements CHAP. XXI IN this Chapter â—e diuition â—â—es chapter we are to obserue four principall pointes First the battaile fought betweene Arad King of the Canaanites the Israelites Secondly another murmuring of the people the last recorded in this Booke which God punisheth with fiery serpents cureth them with a brazen serpent Thirdly their happy proceeding in their journey toward the Land of promise where God gaue them water and brought them to the borders of the Amorites Lastly the victories which Israel obtained on Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the
by many examples Againe none can come to God except the Father draw him We are the greatest enemies to our saluation All within Reason 2 vs is against vs wee naturally contemne the word which is the rule of constancy and the staffe to vphold vs and as the arme of GOD stretched out to pull out of destruction Thus the Prophet chargeth the Iewes Nehe. 9.26.27 They were disobedient and rebelled against thee cast thy law behind their backes and slew thy Prophet which protested among them to turne theÌ„ to thee and committed great blasphemies Man then left to himselfe wherunto is he left but to see his owne weaknesse And what remaineth in him that may bring him to God and leade him in the right path Vndoubtedly nothing is in vs but selfe-loue pride hautinesse contempt of God neglect of his word as wee see in the manifold relapses often reuoltings of these Iewes in whom as in a glasse wee may see our owne faces yea our owne hearts seeing wee are of our selues no better then they Now let vs come to apply this doctrine to Vse 1 our selues First we conclude that fearefull and dangerous is the estate of those from whoÌ„ the Lord taketh the light of his countenance If he leaue vs to our selues we worke our destruction by rebellion against him It is a great grace mercy of God toward vs to be once enlightned to taste of the good word of God to be made partaker of the holy Ghost and to taste of the powers of the life to come which he denyeth to many thousands in the world who proceed not so far now to leaue these goodly and glorious beginnings and fal from light to darkenesse and from righteousnesse into sinne is to make our end worse then the beginning Mat. 11 4â— and our case most fearefull by returning to our vncleanenesse as the Apostle Peter declareth chap. 2.20 21. For Satan wil enter deeper into such and take fuller possession of their hearts Euen as a Iaylor when his prisoner hath escaped out of his hands broken prison if he fasten vpon him againe will lay better hold wil cast more irons vpon him and keepe him faster then before so will the diuell deale with all euill men which are his slaues and prisoners So that hee that is vniust shall be vniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still Reuel 22 11. We see this by daily experience in all such as hauing washed their garments do defile them againe they grow worse and more wicked then they were before We should let our light so shine before men that they seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5 16. So many therefore as haue quenched the good motions of the Spirit and put out the light that began to shine in their hearts are as smoking Torches and stinking snuffes odious in the nostrils of God and men Let vs therefore make much of the least seedes of godlinesse sowne in our hearts and kindle the flame that is begun in vs if so bee wee haue tasted how bountifull the Lord is Let vs be earnest in prayer to God that he would stablish vs with his grace and not take his holy Spirit from vs Psal 51 11 nor leaue vs in the houre of tentation when the flesh is weake Vse 2 Secondly let no man presume of himselfe or glory in his owne strength â—or 10 12. But let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall If any good be in vs it is of another who must work the will and the deed the beginning and the ending we stand by his hand we continue by his grace we runne because he moueth wee seeke because he preuenth We come to God because the Father draweth â—n 6 44. Remember Peters coÌ„fident bearing of himselfe which was the first steppe to his fall as we see Math. 26 33 34 when he said Though all men should be offended by thee yet will I neuer be offended yet Christ telleth him Verily I say vnto thee that this night before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny mee thrice And the Euangelist declareth that when hee saw the swords and staues the high Priests seruants the higher powers armed against him he denied him thrice first barely more fearefull and faintly then with cursing and execration to himselfe Let euery soule learne from hence that seeing God onely must helpe and vphold vs to lay hold on the sweete mercy of Christ and come boldly before the throne of his grace Let vs not rashly presume vpon our selues but confidently relie on him and pray him earnestly to preserue vs to beare vs in his armes that we dash not our foot against a stone nor ruine our selues vpon euery Rock Vse 3 Lastly hence ariseth great comfort to Gods children that fall of weaknesse and infirmity into the same sinne after repentance Such is the depth of Satans tentations toward those that are afflicted in conscience that wrastle with the Law that feele the wrath of God that beare the heauy burden of sinne and are entred into the very suburbes of desperation He telleth them that the children of God fall not into the same sinnes againe after their repentance If they doe he subtilly suggesteth vnto them that there is no place for a second repentance nor hope of Gods mercy nor fruite of Christs merite This is a false spirit in the mouth of false Prophets which broach damnable and detestable lies in the Church of God 1 King 22 4 and 2 37. And this was the errour of the Nauatians Aug. de bar cap. 38. which denied repentance after baptisme for offences committed euen through frailty through feare and force of persecution But the promises of God are without limitation of times or consideration of sinnes or respect of persons he will receiue to mercy all repentant sinners whether the sins bee committed before or after baptisme whether once or often This pardon Christ our Sauiour publisheth Mat. 11 22. Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you So the Apostle Iohn testifieth 1. Ioh. 2 1. My little children these things write I vnto you that you sinne not if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father IESVS CHRIST the iust Furthermore the Lord enioyneth that wee sinfull men forgiue our brother seuenty times seuen times Luke 17 4. if he turne againe and say It repenteth me therefore himselfe will much more freely forgiue whose mercy is infinite whose fauour is incomprehensible whose louing kindnesse endureth for euer This also appeareth plainely in the examples of the seruants of God We see how Abraham the father of the faithfull faileth in calling his wife Sarah his sister Gen 12 13. and 20 2. wherby himselfe was iniured the vnbeleeuers tempted and her chastity endangered yet he fell againe afterward into the same sinne and incurred the same danger and laid a stumbling block before
body Thirdly in this Type we see the nature of Vse 3 the Sacraments The brazen serpent in it selfe had no operation to work any thing in it selfe it had no vertue to cure or recouer any man of any disease The Sacraments of themselus cannot conferre grace onely they are instruments of Gods mercies which he vseth of his goodnesse toward vs to conuey to vs good things They are as the Kings gracious pardon that sealeth vp vnto vs forgiuenesse of sins so that being by his institution very auaileable wee must frequent thē with a feeling of our wants with reuerence of his ordinances with hungring after his graces with calling vpon his Name to fit and prepare vs to that heauenly worke God could haue healed his people with his word alone without the serpent as well as with the serpent as the Centurion confesseth to Christ Speake the word onely Math. ◠◠and my seruant shall be healed yet he addeth the serpent set vpon a pole for farther assurance of his word and to be a signe of their recouery so God can saue by the Ministery of his word without the Sacraments if it please him yet he addeth and annexeth them as appurtenances to the word to confirme the weaknesse of our faith and to make good the truth of his owne promise And as it was not enough for them to beleeue the word of God to the curing of their bodies the taking away of the stinging of the serpents vnlesse they vsed the helpe of the brazen serpent no more is it sufficient for vs to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sins by Christ vnlesse we labour to strengthen our faith by the Sacraments Nay if any wold not vouchsafe to looke vpon the Serpent being the meanes that God ordained for their recouery it is certaine they regarded not the word of God it selfe that they should liue so if any contemne or neglect the Sacraments being holy seales of heauenly blessings they are plainely conuinced to their faces that they respect not the word it selfe whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrary notwithstanding This we see in Ahaz who neglecting a signe offered vnto him for the better strengthening of his faith is said to tempt God and to despise his word Esay 7 12. The naturall reason of man would neuer beleeue that he should be healed by a serpent of brasse hauing no vertue or vigour in it so carnall wisedome and vnderstanding cannot discerne how a little water sprinkled on the body should be the lauer of regeneration or how a small cantle of bread should bring and conuey vnto vs the body of Christ or a little wine offer and exhibite vnto vs the blood of Christ So that as in this bodily cure both their eye did behold it and their faith did beleeue in like manner in the Sacraments we must shut the eyes of our carnall reason and open the eyes of faith beleeue his word and we shall be comforted For euery man doth in them receiue through the promise of God so much as he beleeueth he receiueth This Christ assureth to the woman of Canaan who had shewed an vndaunted and inuincible faith taking no repulses ouerstriding all difficulties refusing all denials and striuing against all doubts that might arise in her heart saying O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest Mat. 15 28. So when two blinde men followed him crying saying O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs he saide vnto them Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this and when they answered Yea Lord hee touched their eyes saying According to your faith be it vnto you Mat. 9 29. Moreouer albeit the Serpent restored life yet was not life present and inherent in the brazen serpent neither abiding in the matter or resting in the forme thereof so albeit Christ be offered and signified yea conueyed and conferred vnto vs in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper yet he is not carnally and corporally present nor carnally and corporally eaten as the Capernaites imagined ◠60.66 but he is spiritual meat for spirituall men the rest eate the outward signes but are not partakers of the thing signified Thus we see how the consideration of the similitude of the brazen serpent directeth vs in sundry conclusions to be holden and acknowledged touching the Doctrine of the Sacraments of the new Testament Fourthly this present type teacheth vs that Vse 4 we are iustified by faith alone without the works of the Law For as the Israelites stung of these serpents were cured so are we saued as health was offered by the serpent so is saluation by Christ But the Israelites did nothing at all but onely looke vp to the brazen serpent they were not willed to make satisfaction for their rebellion or to goe on pilgrimage nor so much as to dresse and binde vp their wounds but only to behold the serpent set vpon the pole as Christ saith to the Ruler of the Synagogue touching the healing of his daughter Feare not onely beleeue Mar. 5 36 so is it in the saluing of the sores of the soule in the attaining pardon of our sins and obtaining the righteousnesse of Christ There is required nothing of vs touching our iustification and saluation but to fixe the eyes of our faith vpon Christ True it is many other vertues and graces are required to make vp the full perfection of a christian man that he may be complete wanting nothing yet he is iustified and doth stand as righteous in the sight of God by faith onely It is a great weighty controuersie in these daies betweene the Church of Rome and vs what is the cause of life and saluation they ascribe the cause of saluation in part to the merit of our own works and to a righteousnesse inherent in our owne persons and in part likewise to Christ who say they hath made vs able to merit the fauour of God and to satisfie for our own sins We ascribe all our saluation to the mercy of God and the merite of Christ wholly applied to vs by a liuely faith the which manner of sauing vs most fitly agreeth to the nature of God the chiefe Fountaine of our saluation who can abide no pollution neither can any wickednesse stand in his presence who is of pure eyes requireth our perfect obedience so that wanting the perfect righteousnesse of the Law of our owne wee must bee cloathed with the righteousnesse of another whereby we may be saued Euen as Iacob though hee were not by birth the first borne Ambr. de Iacob lib. 2. cap. 1. yet hiding himselfe vnder his brothers garments and hauing put on his coate which smelled most sweetly came into his fathers presence that vnder another mans person he might receiue the blessing of the first borne so is it necessary that we lye hid vnder the precious purenesse of Christ our elder brother that hauing the sweet sauour of his garments our sinnes may be couered with
whether we shall returne to them aliue or not forasmuch as wee carry about vs euermore houses of clay And when we come into them we know not whether we shall go out of them againe vpon our feet or be carried out vpon the shoulders of others Lastly the manner and kinde of our death is also as vnknowne as the rest whether we shall dye a naturall or a violent death a suddaine or a lingring death whether our life shall be prolonged to the last point and period of nature our heat and moysture being consumed Cicer. de ◠as the light of a candle consumeth by little and little and at length goeth out of it selfe or whether it shall be taken away by fire by water by sword by famine by pestilence by beasts and such like casualties incident to the sonnes of men all which proclaime and publish in our hearts the vaine condition of all flesh Reason 2 Secondly God hath prepared for vs a City whereof he is the builder and maker This City we seeke being Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all For we shall neuer sufficiently be brought to acknowledge our fraile and brittle estate vnlesse wee be raised and lifted vp to the meditation of our future condition in the life to come If then the kingdome of glory be a place of rest what is this present estate but a sea of sorrowes If the heauen be our natiue Country what is the earth but an exile and banishment ◠3 20. If it bee true happinesse to enioy the blessed presence of the liuing God then it must needs be a miserable thing and death it selfe to want it If to leaue this earthly tabernacle be a setting of vs free and at liberty what is this body but a prison If immortality be as the putting on of a garment 〈◊〉 5.6 what is our mortality but as it were a nakednesse Lastly if to die in the Lord bee to goe vnto God what is this life but an absence from him This did the Patriarkes professe and to this they sealed by their practise Heb. 11 13 14 15 16. Abraham possessed not one bredth of a foote sauing the purchase bought to bury his dead Iacob was banished out of that Land a great part of his life Isaac and the rest of the fathers had but their walke in it and enioyed it as a pledge of another Country which is aboue Vse 1 The vses follow If we haue heere no abiding City in the daies of our vanity then acknowledge Gods great mercy toward vs being so vaine We see other creatures in their estate more permanent then man is far exceeding and excelling in naturall gifts in seeing tasting mouing hearing touching and such like properties yet no creature tasteth of his sauing mercies as man doth This consideration doth the Prophet leade vs vnto Psal 8 3 4 6 7 9 that hee is mindfull of him and visiteth him and hath put all things vnder his feet There is no merite in vs to be a motiue to moue him to shew so great mercy vnto vs. He findeth vs walking in our sinnes as it were wallowing in our blood all our righteousnesse is as a foule and filthy cloth Esay 64 6. This vse Dauid vrgeth Psal 103 14 15 16 18. Hee knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that wee are but dust the daies of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he but the louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer he is full of cōpassion and mercy slowe to anger of great kindnesse So that he confirmeth himselfe others in Gods mercy by the consideration of our owne vanity Vse 2 Secondly seeing our daies be vaine short why doe we carke and care so much for the things of this life what we shall eate what we shall drinke and what we shall put on Why do we eate the bread of sorrow with too much painfulnesse heape vp worldly things It may be we shal not come to the sight of the fruite of our labours much lesse to the partaking of it A traueller the shorter his iourney is the lesse his prouision is We are all trauellers we are in the way to our country and we are not far from the end of our iourney what folly then and madnesse is it to cast all our thoughts and meditations to earthly things and to care not onely for the morrow Math 6 25 34 but for moneths and yeares This our Sauiour setteth downe Luke 12 19 20 21 for when the rich man saide to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime It was answered him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall these things bee which thou hast prouided So is he that gathereth riches and is not rich in God Hereunto consenteth the Apostle Iames chap 4 13 14 15. Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a City and continue there a yeare buy sell and get gaine and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow for what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away for that yee ought to say Thus rather the words are to be read if the Lord will both we shall liue and we shall do this or that Salomon hauing had plentifull experience of the shortnesse and vanity of mans life penned to this purpose the Booke of Ecclesiastes which is as it were the marrow and pith yea the very quintessence of all his best knowledge and wherein we may see the refined wisedome of reformed Salomon he proclaimeth Vanity of vanities all is vanity there is an euill which I saw vnder the Sunne and it is much among men one to whom God hath giuen riches treasures and honour he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate thereof a strange man shall eate it vp though he leaue no sparke behind him neither son nor brother yet doth he not thinke for whom do I trauaile and defraud my soule of pleasure This also is vanity and this is an euill trauaile Eccles 1 2 and 4 8 and 5 12 and 6 1 2. To conclude this vse if we be not strangers in this life wee shall haue no part in the kingdome of heauen If we will haue God to auow and acknowledge vs for his children let vs liue heere as forreigners and warfaring men in our iourney or rather in our race We haue pitched and patched vp a Tent or Tabernacle for a day or a night we must not nestle our selues heere we must not alwayes goe groueling to the ground nor intangle our selues in the affaires of this life to make it our euerlasting habitation but bee flying vpwards as birds sitting vpon a bough True it is God is so fauourable to many
Deuter. 3 11. Onely Og the king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Gyants whose bed was a bed of Iron is it not at Rabbah among the children of Ammon The length thereof is nine cubits and foure cubits the bredth thereof after the cubit of a man Now the more mighty and monstrous tâ—is Giant was the greater occasion had the Israelites to ascribe the victory to God and to giue him the glory alone And the Prophet singleth out these two enemies by name Deu. 29 7. Psal 135 11. 136 19 20. Sihon the King of the Amorites and Og the king of Bashan aboue all other kings and in the meditation of Gods mercy deliuering them into their hands stirreth vp the people to praise the name of God which sheweth that they were enemies greatly to bee feared and such as brought great terrour vnto the Israelites yet no power can preuaile agâ—inst God There is no counsel nor wisedome nor vnderstanding nor strength against the Lord. Pro. 21 30 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battell but saluation is of the Lord. The land of Bashan was a fertile fruitfull soyle commended in sundry places of the Scripture it was a goodly mountain abounding with ranke and rich pastures yeelding cattle of great bone and bignesse and flourishing with sundry commodities which kindled a desire in the two Tribes and the halfe to haue it giuen them in possession Wherefore Moses commending the bountifulnes of God toward his people Deut. 32 14. sheweth that he gaue them butter of Kine and milke of Sheepe with fat of the Lambes and Rams fed in Bashan And Dauid to expresse the lustinesse and loftinesse the pride and presumption of his enemies resembleth them to the mighty buls of Bashan Psal 22 12. Ezek. 39 â—8 Amos 4 1. Esay 2 13. fed to the full in most fruitfull pastures Moses knowing the goodnesse of the soile the strength of the Cities and the malice of the enemies sendeth out his scouts and espials to search out the situation of the places and the purposes of the persons that inhabited therein and hauing taken Iaazer he marched toward this Bashan whereof we speake The king aduertised of the matter and vnderstanding the drift and designe of the Israelites commeth forth to meete them and to hinder their approach to his Townes and Dominions thinking his safety to consist onely in his weapons forgetting that all mortall things are mutable and the end of warre vncertaine and prouiding more for reuenge then for his owne defence Heereupon Moses before hee made an head against the enemy as it should seeme made a stand to know the will of God whether he should fight with them in the place and whether God would deliuer them into their hands The answer of God sheweth that they were greatly afraid and stoode in neede of comfort wherein consider first the Commandement of GOD Feare not your enemies Secondly the reason rendred to encorage theÌ„ I will deliuer all your enemies into your handes which is amplified by a like example and by the former experience which they had of the mercy of God in the destruction of Sihon king of the Amorites After this comfort and raising vp of their hearts that began to shrinke they ioyned battel they fought with the king of Bashan they ouercame their enemies and put them all men women and children to the sword and possessed his Land as hee did the Land of the Amorites Thus God gaue them a ioyfull victory who had before determined the destruction of Og euen while the gyant thought nothing of the hand of God against him and who is it that knoweth what God intendeth against him in heauen while he offendeth him and sinneth against him on the earth The Lord that sitteth in Heauen seeeth the wickednesse of mans heart abiding on Earth Verse 33. And they turned and went vp the way toward Bashan and Og the King of Bashan came out against them c. We see here another iudgement of God vpon another enemy of the Church and the mercie of God in his ouerthrow after the destruction of the former enemie God could haue brought them together and bound them in one bundle to bee cast into the fire but they are destroyed one after another some in the dayes of Moses others are reserued for Ioshua who succeeded Moses in the gouernment of the people Wee learne heereby Doctrine The eneâ—â—â— of the châ—â—â—â— are not consumed at 〈◊〉 That the enemies of God and his Church are not consumed in a moment but wasted and consumed in the prouidence of GOD by little and little True it is God is able to raine downe fire and brimstone snares and stormie Tempests vppon them hee is able to bring them vnto nothing at once with the breath of his mouth when once the Coales of his wrath and indignation are kindled but it is his pleasure to wast and consume them one after another now one and then another that sinne against him This Moses declareth vnto the people of Israel Deut. 7 21 22 23. Esay 9 22. The Prophet Amos setteth downe the dealing of God in the destruction of his enemies chap. 9 10 11. So that God brought not all his iudgements vpon them at once nor discharged the whole volley of shot against them together but one punishment came in the necke of another the first was ouertaken of the second and the second of the third The like may be said of the plagues which God brought vpon Pharaoh and the rest of the Egyptians he did not draw out his arrowes and empty his Quiuer at once but wasted the Land consumed the fruites smote the cattel and destroyed the inhabitants one after another some were destroied with haile â—â—l 9 and â—12 14 some were slaine by the destroyer others were drowned in the red Sea these came not altogether but as a softly fire consumed them or as a lingring disease pined them away by little and little vntil they came to vtter ruine The Reasons remaine to be considered First Reason 1 God will not roote them out at once to the end that by them he may try the faith exercise the patience of his seruants There are none that haue receiued to beleeue but God will haue theÌ„ proued to declare to themselues and manifest to others what is in their hearts No maruell if others bee oftentimes deceiued in vs and are ignorant of the secrets of our soules seeing wee our selues know not thoroughly our selues vntill we haue ended and endured triall For such we are indeed as we are in the time of tentation Therfore Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbs chap. 24.10 If thou be faint in the day of aduersity thy strength is small Wherefore it is necessary that so long as we liue in this world we should be kept in a continuall exercise of faith of prayer of repentance and of obedience as the Lord speaketh euidently in the booke of Iudges chap.
not that a pit is digged and a snare to intrap them But behold how the Angel withstandeth reproueth and forbiddeth him againe to attempt any thing against his people We learne hereby Doctrinâ— God deliâ—reth from dangers 〈◊〉 knowne 〈◊〉 his peoplâ— Psal 22.9 that God deliuereth those that are his from dangers vnknowne to them and when they haue no power to deliuer themselues This the Prophet Dauid testifieth Thou didst draw mee out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers brests I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly He prouided for his Church by selling sending Ioseph into the land of Egypt when they knew notâ—ing of the famine that was to come whereby he saued much people aliue Gen. 5â— â— neither were they any way able to saue themselues Herod the King inuented great mischiefe against the Messiah whereby also Ioseph and Mary were in danger he disclosed the secrer counsell of his heart to none 〈◊〉 13. but pretended worship towâ—â—d him yet wee see how God preserued them all from the imminent dangers which Christ through his tender age and his parents thorough ignorance of his bloudy purpose could not preuent by sending them out of the reach of Herod and commanding them to flye into Egypt The like we see in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 12. where we reade of another Herod that slew Iames with the sword 〈◊〉 6. and put Peter in prison intending the next day to bring him forth to execution no doubt he kept his inâ—ent secret to himselfe yet by the earnest Prayers of the Church hee was deliuered from the imminent perill and the Church comforted In the dangerous voyage and shipwrack mentioned in the same booke wherein Paul was who had deserued well of al the Passengers had comforted them in their distresses and had assured them of safety yea they were all saued for his sake yet the vnmercifull vnthankful Souldiers consulted to kill him 〈◊〉 27 42 while he suspected nothing but the Lord deliuered him out of their hands and moued the hart of the Centurion to saue him Whereby we seâ— that the afflictions of the righteous are many some knowne to them and some vnknowne but the Lord in mercy is mindfull of them and bringeth them out of them all as hee did the Israelites in this place from the cursing and coniuring of this Sorcerer The Reasons seruing to confirme this doctrine are many First consider for this purpose the titles of God whereby hee is called for our comfort God is named a Father Will a father saue his sonne onely from the perils that he seeth before his eyes or will hee suffer him to runne into vnknowne dangers of fire or water which the childe could not vnderstand or vnderstanding could not preâ—ent but the father in his wisedome and prouâ—â—ence knoweth 〈◊〉 11. If we then that are euill know how to helpe our children how much more shall our heauenly Father that knoweth all things giue good things vnto hâ—s children God is called a shepheard will the Shepheard see the silly sheepe runne ignorantly into places of danger and not with his staffe bring them backe againe So the Lord watcheth ouer vs 〈◊〉 â—3 1 2 He will make vs rest in greene pasture and leade vs by the still waâ—ers so that his mercy and kindnesse shall follow vs all the dayes of our life Reason 2 Againe wee are garded by the Angels so that there are more with vs then are against vs. They are sent out to bee ministring spirits they incampe themselues about the Church for their protection Wherefore albeit we bee simple ignorant know not oftentimes the plots policies of our enemies yet seeing we haue such mighty helpers such safekeepers â—e must know that we shall not faile to be deliuered This the Prophet teacheth Psal 3â— 7 91.11.12 Thirdly God would stirre vs vp to bee Reason 3 thankefull and teach vs wholly to depend vpon him in all our dangers Now what is able more effectually to worke this in our hearts and to open our mouthes to the praise of our God then to haue a blessed experience of the comfortable presence of God for our deliuerance when wee neither know our owne miseries nor finde any meanes in our selues â—o rid our selues Therefore the Prophet promiseth being deliuered from the mouth of the Lyon to declare the Name of God vnto his brethren Psal â—2 20 22. and to praise him in the midst of the congregation Againe what may teach vs better to trust in him and to waite vpon him for our saluation then to consider his knowledge of our estate in the ignorance of our owne dangers Thus did Dauid behaue himselfe thus he did dwel in the secret of the most High Psal 91 2 3. and thus did hee abide in the shadow of the Almighty and being assured of his protection hee resteth in him I will say vnto the Lord. O mine hope and my fortresse he is my God in him will I trust he will deliuer me from the hunter and from the noysome pestilence The vses follow First this doctrine should Vse 1 direct vs and instruct vs to whom to go when we lie vnder the crosse For if God fore-see the dangers which wee ouer-see and keepeth vs from those perils that wee know not whither can we goe for helpe but vnto him Shall we goe to Saints or Angels Doubtlesse thou art our Father Esai 6â— 16. though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not Yet thou O Lord art our â—ather and our Redeemer thy Name is for euer Shall we trust in chariots or in horses An horse is a vaine thing to saue a man and shall not deliuer any by his great strength hope in the Lord Psal 33 17 and â—7 14 be strong aâ—d he shall comfort thine heart trust in the Lord. We cannot honour him more then when we depend vpon him and rest vpon his mercy This doth Ezra notably declare at the retuâ—ne of the Iewes from captiuity saying I was ashamed to require of the King an army Ezra 8 22. and horsemen to helpe vs against the enemy because we had â—â—oken to the King saying The hard of God is vpon all them that seeke him in goodnesse but his power hâ—â— wrath is against all them that forsake him e thought it fiâ—â—er far better to commit himselfe to the protection of God then by crauing these ordinary meanes to giue any occasion either to the weake brethren to doubt of Gods power or to obstinat enemies to blaspheme God and to say What is not the God whom ye serue able to defend you hee hath brought them out maliciously to slay them was not able to bring them againe into their land without our strength help Wherfore to stop the mouthes of the Gentiles to auoide all offences to strengthen those that were weak
for vs when we sleep he heareth when we are deafe he riseth vp for vs when we lie downe hee is a buckler about vs when we are assaulted he is the God of knowledge when wee are ignorant And if euer there were people vnder the heauen that hath experience of Gods watchfulnesse in this kinde it is this Nation of great Britaine O vnthankfulnes if we doe not acknowledge it O wretchednesse if we doe not euer remember it O wickednes if we do not teach it to our posterities For hath not God deliuered vs from the most cursed and execrable plot of desperate enemies that euer was contriued against the King the Queene the Prince and the rest of their progeny against the Lords the Commons the whole Church kingdome â—hen the fift 〈◊〉 Noâ—â—â— An. 〈◊〉 5. determining suddainly to haue blowne vp the whole house of Parliament with gun-powder Now as this was an inuention bloody an intention barbarous and inhumane See Act. 〈…〉 3. so by what meanes were wee deliuered was it by our fasting and prayer was it by humbling our selues before our God and crying strongly in the eares of the Lord of hostes was it by our teares and weeping for our sins saying spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine inheritance into reproch that the Priests and Iesuites should rule ouer them Nay we vsed none of all these we suspected no danger we feared no enemies we dreamed of no diuelish deuices against the land so that to detect and disclose the fore-named cursed conspiracy was the Lords doing onely and it is marueilous in our eyes When an inuasion in the yeere 88. was intended by the supposed inuincible Armado glorying in their strength munition shippes preparations confederates it was indeed the Lords mercy toward vs to crosse and curse their attempt and to raise the windes and seas against them howbeit this was not without vsing of meanes as rigging of shippes arming of men mustering of souldiers yea it was not without sanctifying of fasts calling solemne assemblies and crying vnto the Lord. If then wee did sing songs of thanksgiuing for that deliuerance how should our hearts be kindled and inflamed with ioyfulnesse and with what praises should wee expresse our thankfulnes 〈…〉 but euen vow vnto the Lord our selues our soules and bodies to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto him For as many haue bene the practices of the malicious and bloody Papists yet this surmounteth them all so many haue bene the deliuerances of our Princes of our Rulers of our Magistrates of our Ministers of our people but this surmounteth and surpasseth them all Psal 95 1 2. Let vs therefore reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloud to the rock of our saluation let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing loud vnto him with Psalmes for the Lord is a great God and a great King aboue all gods He sitteth in heauen and laugheth to scorne the deuices of the wicked He ruleth in earth and maketh all his enemies his footstoole Verse 28. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the Asse When Balaam had smitten his Asse three times that had saued his life it pleased God to worke a wonder to alter the course of nature to giue speech to the Asse to make her able to reproue her master God indeed could otherwise haue set his sin in order before him but a dumbe beast is teacher fit enough for the fals Prophet We see hereby Doctrine God oftentimes worketh aboue nature that God so often as it pleaseth him worketh aboue nature ordinary meanes Hereunto come al the miracles which God hath shewed from the beginning of the world He gaue vnto Abraham Sarah a son in their old age who quickneth the dead Rom. 4 17. and calleth those things which be not as though they were He stayed the course of the Sun diuided the red sea fed his people with Manna Heb. 11 33 34. stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire opened the earth to swallow his enemies brought water out of the hard rocke Hee sent signes and wonders in the land of Egypt vnto this day in Israel and among al men hath made him a name as appeareth this day Hee brought his people out of the hand of Pharaoh with signes with wonders with a strong hand with a stretched out arme and with a great terrour He gaue power to a virgin to conceiue beare a son that he might saue his people from their sins Ier 32.20 Math 1 21 23. The reasons remaine to be considered and Reason 1 handled to confirme vs farther First marke the nature of God he is great in counsell glorious in holines fearefull in praises mighty in his workes and in his enterprises Who made the heauen who framed the earth and laide the foundation thereof vpon the depth who brought light out of darknesse Is it not the Lord that doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen in earth in the depth and in all the world This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth chap. 32. Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power Ier. 32.17 by thy stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee he maketh the barren fruitfull Psal 136.5 â— he brought all things out of nothing who onely doth great wonders for his mercy endureth for euer who by his wisedome made the heauens and hath stretched out the earth vpon the waters for his mercy endureth for euer Againe therby he maketh his name known Reason 2 and his power to bee acknowledged in the world This is declared by Nehemiah in the prayer of the Leuites chap. 9. Thou hast considered the afflictioÌ„ of our fathers in Egypt heard their cry by the red Sea and shewed tokens and wonders vpon Pharaoh and on all his seruants and on all the people of the land for thou knowest that they dealt proudly against them Neh. 9 9 10. therefore thou madest thee a Name as appeareth this day Wherefore to the end the power and presence of God may bee knowne both to the Church and the enemies of the Church hee breaketh and interrupteth the naturall order and course of things Heereupon it is that Ioshua calleth the children of Israel and telleth them that by the miracle of diuiding the waters of Iordan Iosh 3 10. they should know that the liuing GOD was among them and would cast out the Canaanites before them Vse 1 The vse of this doctrine may bee made in this manner First it serueth fitly to condemne all Atheists and earth-wormes that aduance nature to throw downe the power of God Indeed if GOD onely wrought by ordinary meanes and according to the strength of second causes some pretence might bee alleaged and some colour of reason produced to doubt of the diuine power But seeing GOD worketh not onely by nature and by meanes but sometimes aboue
to be annointed So then we haue heere in this attribute a testimony of the constancy of God Doctrine God is vnchangeably true in al hi◠waies words and works From hence we learne that God is vnchangable infallible faithfull true in al his waies words and works His decrees are immutable and irreuocable and without shew or shadow of turning This is that which the Lord claimeth and challengeth to himselfe I am the Lord Mal. 3 6. I change not I am God and there is none other God there is nothing like me My counsell shall stand and I will do whatsoeuer I will So the Prophet speaketh in the Psalme 105 7 8 10. He is the Lord our God his iudgements are thorough all the earth he hath alway remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations and since hath confirmed it to Iacob for a Law and to Israel for an euerlasting Couenant To this purpose the Apostle saith The guifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11 29. By all these places we see this truth plainly proued vnto vs that God is vnchangeable in his mercy and goodnes toward his Church and Children Reason 1 The Reasons follow to be considered First he is not like vnto man his wayes are not like mans wayes nor his thoughts like vnto mans thoughts but as farre as Heauen is distant from the Earth so farre are the works of God from ours We know by experience the changeable nature of man of whom the Scripture sayth All men are lyars Psal 116 11. He is ready to say and vnsay to affirme and deny with one breath He is constant to day he changeth to morrow He loueth one day and hateth another The people that receiued Christ with great ioy when he rode to Ierusalem not long after cryed out Crucifie him crucifie him It is not so with God whose mercy endureth for euer he falsifieth not his truth neyther altreth the thing that is gone out of his mouth Hee giueth liberally vnto all Iam. 1.5 and reprocheth no man Reason 2 Secondly his loue and mercy to his people is not changeable as the Moone vnconstant as the winde floating as the sea vncertaine as the weather but stable as the earth that cannot be moued out of his place and stedfast as Mount Sion that remaineth for euer Psal 125.1 This will plainly appeare vnto vs if we consider the similitudes and comparisons whereby it is expressed His loue is like to the Couenant of waters as sure as the promise that he made to Noah that the waters should no more ouerflow the whole earth as the Prophet Esay teacheth chap. 54 7 8 9. Reason 3 Againe his goodnesse is as the ordinance of God that hath set an order for Summer Winter for day and night for seed-time and haruest for cold and heat which shall not bee changed therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet If thou can breake my couenant of the day and my couenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their season then may my couenant be broken with Dauid my seruant Ier. 31 35 and 33 20. Nay his mercy is saide to bee more stable then the Mountaines for they shall remoue and the hils shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shal the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath cōpassion on thee Esay 54 10. We see the loue of mothers is tender full of pitty toward their children who bare thē in her womb brought them into the world nourished them with her breasts and refused no base seruice for theyr good yet the Lord saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though they forget yet will not I forget thee Esay 49 15. Seeing therfore that God is not like to the sonnes of men and seeing his louing kindnesse is firmer then the waters of Noah surer then the couenant of the day faster then the foundation of the Mountaines and stronger thē the loue of mothers toward their children we may conclude that the stablenes of his counsels are as the Pillars of the earth that cannot be shaken and the changeablenes of his goodnesse as the standing Rockes that cannot be remoued Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine Vse 1 First heereby we learne that God is to be preferred before all creatures They are changeable and subiect to alteration which agreeth not with the nature of God True it is God hath highly honoured and aduanced man aboue the rest of the works of his hands he made him a little inferiour to the Angels crowned him with glory dignity Ps 8 5 Heb. 2 7. he hath made him Ruler ouer the earth put all things in subiection vnder his feet yet he is subiect to mutability and mortality and must returne vnto the earth out of which hee was taken Great is the excellency of the heauens and the stars yet they shall be changed deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God But with God is no change neyther any alteration with the Almighty who remaineth one the same for euer This difference betweene the Creator and the creature betweene God and the works of God the Prophet teacheth Thou Lord hast in the beginning established the Earth Psal 102 with He◠the Heauens are the works of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt remaine and they all shal waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall be changed but thou art the same thy yeares shal not faile Thus we must magnifie the Lord aboue all creatures that are weake and fraile and acknowledge a great difference betweene the infinite and incomprehensible Maiesty of God subiect to no change at all but remaining the same for euer and the creatures of God subiect to vanity misery Vse 2 Secondly we may from hence assure our selues that God will make vs vnchangeable like himselfe and we may reioyce in the comfort of this his fauour For seeing his nature is vnchangeable and altereth not he will make vs in our measure partakers of immortality when this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15 53 this weake shall put on power and death be swallowed vp in victory we shall be like the Angels of God nay be transformed into the liuely Image of God to reigne with him in euerlasting glory This is a great comfort vnto vs in these dayes of sorrow to consider that the time will come when our state shall be changed and we continue for euer without change Heere we are subiect to many turnings and returnings but after this life shall be no more place for changing our happines shall be vnchangeable and firmly established with God This the Prophet sets downe Psal 16 12. In thy presence is fulnesse of
what indignation yea what feare yea how great desire yea what a zeale yea what reuenge Where this care is not to please God and feare to fall againe and offend him there was neuer true repentance nor any feeling of the forgiuenes of former sinnes This were exceeding vnthankfulnes for mercy receyued and a turning of the grace of God into wantonnes to commit sinne anew that grace may abound Thirdly it is our duty to returne all praise and thankfulnes to God for this so infinit and vnspeakable mercy which appeareth in nothing more theÌ„ in the forgiuenes of our manifold sins It belongeth to God onely to forgiue sinnes therfore to him onely belongeth the glory of forgiuenes as being onely worthy to receiue all praise This Daniel confesseth in his praier O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day So the prophet Dauid prouoking all to praise the Lord alledgeth this as the cheefe reason to mooue them Which forgiueth all thine iniquities healeth all thine infirmities Psal 103 3. This also we see in the practise and example of the Apostle who mentioning his sinnes and magnifying the exceeding and abundant mercy of God in the pardon of them hee breaketh out into a thankesgiuing to the eternall God Vnto the King euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto God onely wise be honor and glory for euer euer Amen 1 Tim. 1 17. Rom. 7 25. If we haue tasted of this mercy let vs bee mindfull of this duty and if wee haue had experience of this forgiuenes let vs be carefull to expresse vnto him our thankfulnesse Fourthly wee must shew backe againe our loue toward our heauenly Father according to the measure of his loue toward vs. The greater sins he hath pardoned the greater loue should bee returned This is it which the Prophet professeth to haue wrought exceeding loue in his heart towards the Lord when he considered how gracious and mercifull he had bene vnto him Psal 116 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my prayer The practise of this duty is remembred and commended in the sinfull woman Luke 7 47. Many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much to whom a little is forgiuen he doth loue a little Let this example be continually before our eies Let vs examine our selues how neere we come vnto her in the practise of this duty Let vs behold our selues in her as in a glasse If wee haue had a blessed experience of Gods louing kindnesse toward vs in blotting out and burying our sinnes out of his remembrance let vs be answerable in loue to him againe who hath loued vs first Where little loue appeareth to God there is little knowledge of forgiuenes of sinnes Where no loue is there is no feeling of the comfort of this doctrine If we haue found God exceeding kinde and gracious vnto vs it will work an exceeding measure of loue where God hath assured and sealed vp that grace by his holy Spirit Lastly the receiuing of this mercy from God must worke in vs mercy toward our brethren that as we haue obtayned forgiuenesse of sinnes at his hands so wee should be ready to forgiue one another And so bee mercifull to others as our heauenly Father is mercifull to vs Luke 6 36. This our Sauiour teacheth in the parable of the King that would take an account of his seruants to wit that he requireth mercy where he hath shewed mercy and that iudgement shall be without mercy to him that sheweth no mercy Hence it is that the Apostle giueth this in charge Eph. 4 32. Colos 3 13. This we are also directed vnto in that forme of prayer which Christ did teach his Disciples and hath left vnto his Church warranting vs to aske forgiuenes as we feele our selues ready to forgiue This we are to apply vnto our selues and learne euerie day to be like to our heauenly Father Matth. 5 45. Who maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust If then we desire to be partakers of the goodnes of God in forgiuing the infinit debt whereby we are deeply indebted vnto GOD and would finde him mercifull vnto vs as euery one will seeme to be desirous of it let vs shew our selues ready to forgiue from our hearts the iniuries and offences done vnto vs. Among all testimonies that we may gather to our selues of Gods goodnesse and mercie towards vs none is more excellent more coÌ„fortable more certaine then this if we finde it in vs that is the pardoning and passing ouer the wrongs offered vs and a readines to forgiue euen our enemies that most enuy and hate vs and that frankely and freely as we our selues haue receyued forgiuenesse at the hands of God The Lord his God is with him These words containe the second priuiledge peculiar and proper to the Church which God hath bestowed vpon it to wit the presence of his Spirit True it is in regard of his essence and deity hee is euery where the heauen is his throne and the earth is his footstoole Psalme 139 7 8. So that we cannot hide our selues from his presence If we ascend into heauen he is there If we lye downe in the graue he is there if we take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea thither shall his hand leade vs and his right hand hold vs if wee say yet the darknes shal hide vs the night shall be light about him But in this place this prophesie poynteth vs vnto vs another presence to wit of his grace protection defence and deliuerance the presence of his Spirit sanctifying his children purging them from dead workes to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe Doctrinâ— It is a priâ—â—ledge of 〈◊〉 Church haue Goâ— presence his grace working in them regeneration and finishing all good things in them to bring them to euerlasting life We learne from hence That it is a great priuiledge of the Church to haue God present with it and president ouer it He is not farre off from those that are his howsoeuer in time of affliction and in the houre of tentation he seemeth so to them hee is neere vnto them he is euer with them he holdeth a gracious hand ouer them This is it which the Lord so often promiseth in his word truly performeth to the great comfort of all his children This is it which the Lord speaketh to Iacob going from his fathers house to Padan Aram Gen. 28 15. This also the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth Psal 34 15 18. And lest any should restraine that exhortation and take it peculiarly to belong to him alone the Apostle extendeth it farther and applyeth it to all the people of God speaking to them as well as vnto Ioshua chapt 1 9. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is mine helper I will not fear what man can do vnto
the wicked into sheards like a potters vessel Psal 2 9. We see how men admire the proud and haughty of the world and esteeme the vngodly as the great Magnificoes that may not be contemned or controlled the poorest and meanest Saint of God shal in time to come be their Iudge sit with Christ vpon the bench in glory when they shall stand as their vassals at the barre and bee iudged as most wretched caitiffes and malefactors and receiue their wages according to their works Then they shal say with horror of conscience We fooles thought their life madnes their end without honor but now they are counted among the children of God and haue theyr portion among his Saints Hence it is that the Apostle reprooueth the Corinthians that abased and abused their dignity that did bring their causes to be tryed and iudged before the wicked Do ye not know that the Saints shal iudge the world If then the world shall be iudged by you are ye vnworthy to iudge the smallest matters c 1 Cor. 6. verses 2 3. This is a great honour vouchsafed to the faithfull no earthly honor can be compared vnto it all temporall glorie hath not so much as a shew or shadow of it On the other side great shall be the dishonor and disgrace the shame and contempt that shall be poured out vpon the vngodly Dan. 12 2. They haue heere the riches of the world the pleasures of this life the praise of men they are feared of some and flattered of others but when this glory shall passe away as the wind and flye as an arrow that is shotte at a marke then they shall be arraigned as euill doeâ—s and euery seruant of God shall treade them vnder their feete Then they shall be separated from the presence of God Then they shall see all the godly whom they haue scorned and derided receyued into the kingdome of heauen and themselues shut out of the doores Then they shall haue the continuall fellowship of the diuell and of his angels in hell fire where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Vse 2 Secondly we must all be carefull to walke worthy of so great a calling We must bee as spirituall Kings to rule and beare sway ouer our thoughts wils and affections ouermastering them as much as may be proclaiming continuall warre against our corrupt natures against the diuell and against the world And verily he that can beare rule ouer his owne heart is a true king indeede and shall surely reigne for euermore with Christ in the life to come Reuelat. 1 6. He that hath beaten downe the kingdome of sinne and sathan and receyued some measure of grace to reign ouer himselfe hath performed a greater and more glorious work then he that hath subdued a kingdome For all these enemies of our saluation be horrible hideous monsters and fearfull Serpents Their sting is deadly their poyson is mortall It is an hard labour to pull out their sting and take away their poison from them But they which are caried away with the swinge of their corruptions as with a violent streame hauing blindnes ignorance to reign in their minds rebellion in their wils and loosenesse in their whole life are not spirituall kings but base slaues and bondmen The strong man sathan keepeth the hold of theyr hearts Luke 11 21. and as Lord and King setteth vp his scepter there Wherefore my brethren in respect of this our high calling wee must make conscience of euery sinne We heard before that we are made the iudges of the world It is a shame for a Iudge to be a Theefe that sitteth in iudgement to condemne a theefe so is it a shame for vs to be giuen to wickednesse that must iudge the wicked world when the iust shall appeare A Iudge must take heede of those sinnes in himselfe which he must condemne in others lest it be sayd vnto him Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Rom. 2 21 22. This is that vse which the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians chap. 1 10 11 after he had shewed that at the comming of the Lord Iesus in might and maiesty he would bee glorious in his Saints made maruellous in them that beleeue hee intreateth that God would make them to walke worthy of their calling And surely if we haue any the least sparke of grace or any feeling of our naturall condition when we were the children of wrath and the fire-brands of hell it could not but work in vs a maruellous loue vnto God a desire to please him and a delight to bring foorth the fruites of righteousnes Thirdly our victory in Christ offereth comfort Vse 3 vnto vs in all troubles tentations pouerty and in death it selfe We are to arme our selues with this power of Christ agaynst all terrors and feares that seeke to dismay vs. We are in Christ appoynted Kings and Iudges ouer those that trouble vs conquerours ouer sathan and death Our feare then is already past let vs lift vp our heads and bee of good comfort This is that which the Apostle is bold to put vs in mind of 1 Cor. 15 56 57. O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory Now thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ We shall not neede to feare the day of iudgement for then our redemption draweth nere We shall not neede to be affrayd of the comming of the Iudge for he shal be our Sauiour Howsoeuer therefore we seeme base vnto the world and of vile account in the eyes of carnall men whose portion is in this life yet wee are indeed aduanced into the highest honour about him receyuing by our communion and fellowshippe with him a communication of his kingly power and glory to subdue vnder vs the diuell and his angels For if wee fight with him and vnder his banner wee cannot lose the field but shall bee assured to reigne with him They then are deceyued that think them the scum and off-scouring of the world This should also perswade all carelesse and backward persons to embrace true Religion and giue it the cheefe seat in theyr hearts forasmuch as it maketh them of the vesselles of wrath and vassals of sathan glorious Kings and triumphant Conquerors ouer the powers of darknes Furthermore it should encourage the Ministers of the Gospel and make them glad to labour in preaching the Word and in winning soules vnto God being set apart by Gods mercies to consecrate men Kings and Priests vnto him which is a great priuiledge For they haue mighty weapons giuen them by their captaine Christ to wit the power of his Spirit and the vigor of his mighty word which causeth them to preuayle Therefore the Lord sayth by his Prophet Hosea chap. 6 5. I haue cut downe this people by the Prophets slaine them by the words of my mouth And the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 10 5 6 That the weapons
There is no way to turne away his wrath from them and their kingdomes but by turning vnto God and by entreating him to spare them As their places are great so their sinnes are great and many times draw many to follow after them If they would blot out their offences against GOD and call in his iudgments gone out against them they must shew their subiection to him and giue him the reuerence that is due to his holy Name Lastly our trust must not bee in man our Vse 3 confidence must not be in Princes who cannot deliuer their owne soules from the sentence of death nor discharge themselues of the punishment which they haue deserued much lesse can they giue safety and assurance vnto others This is that duty which the Prophet Esay concludeth in the second and third chapters of his Prophecy where threatning that God will take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah the stâ—y and the strength the strong man and the man of warre the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the captaine of fifty and the honourable and the counseller and the eloquent man hee sayth Cease from the man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be esteemed Esay 2.21 3 1 2 3. Whereby we see that we must not put our trust in weake man nor ralye vppon him to be our defence but put our whole trust in God alone Hee that putteth confidence in him shall be blessed and bee like the tree planted by the riuers side Ier. 17 7 whatsoeuer changes and alterations others do find in the world hee shall continue in a fruitfull and flourishing condition The staying of our selues on mans power ariseth from the forgetfulnesse of our duty toward GOD who hath commanded vs to trust in him with all our heart Prou. 3 5 and hath promised that If we stay vpon him he will giue vs our hearts desire Psal 37 4. This trust we shall attayne vnto if we vse these means the meditation of mans weakenesse that cannot helpe vs the consideration of Gods power that is able to strengthen vs and the experience of his mercy that hath deliuered other of his children from great afflictions If these things as helpes to our faith bee laide vp in our hearts wee shall bee assured to build vpon a good and certaine foundation that shal neuer be remoued Verse 5 Then Moses saide to the Iudges of Israel Euery one slay his men that were ioyned vnto Baal-peor The wrath of God was so fierce against â—hose that sinned that he commanded them to be destroyed To this end wee see Moses as the chiefe Magistrate taketh order that the guilty should not be suffered to Lue but suffer punishment according to their offences From hence ariseth this doctrine Doctrine Magistrates must punish Maiefactors that Magistrats are appointed of God to gouerne mankind in the ciuill affaires of this life to be the hand of GOD for punishing and cutting off the wicked and for the supporting and maintayning of the godly It is the duty of Magistrates to doe Iustice vpon euill doers and to giue comfort and countenance to the faithfull This is it which Dauid promised vnto God when hee should bring him vnto the kingdome and set him vpon the throne I will sing mercy and iudgment vnto thee O Lord will I sing Psal 101 1. This is the charge that hee giueth to Salomon his sonne concerning diuers men as appeareth 1. Kings â— 6 for he telleth him hee should remember the bloud of battell that Ioab shed in peace and therefore not suffer his hoare head to goe downe to the grâ—ue in peace The like direction he giueth him to shew kindnesse vnto the sonnes of Barzillai the Gileadite and to let him be amongst them that eate at his table because they came vnto him when hee fled from Absolom This direction did Salomon precisely follow he slew Ioab Shemei and Adoniah and set vp godly men in the places of such as were remoued from their offices being more able then his father was All the precepts that are giuen vnto them to execute iustice tend directly to this point whosoeuer sheddeth mans blood must not be spared but haâ—e his blood shed by the Magistrate Gen. 9.6 If a man sayth Moses cause any blemish in his neighbour as he hath done so shall it bee done to him breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth such a blemish as he hath made in any such shall be repayed to him Leuit. 24 19. These examples and precepts serue to teach vs this truth that the end of Magistrates appointed of God ouer his people is not to rule as they list not to be idle and doe nothing not to tyrannize or to be highly accounted of not to lift vp their hearts or to please themselues in the titles of honour giuen vnto them but to doe good in helping the good and punishing the euill Reason 1 The reasons to enforce this doctrine are to be weighed considered First they haue to these ends and purposes the sword of Iustice committed vnto them not to let it rust in the scabberd but to remooue all such as the land for their outragiousnesse is not able to beare For when they grow obstinate in their sinnes enemies to God plagues to the godly burdens to the earth and an infection to all with whom they liue they must be cut off as rotten members swept away as filthy dung and purged as euill humours out of the body This is it which the Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Romanes There is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God he is the Minister of God for thy wealth beareth not the sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Rom. 13 4. So then they are Gods Lieutenants in his stead the iudgement is Gods and not mans For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward 2. Chro. 19 7. Deut. 1.16 17 so that it is required of them to heare the controuersies that come be-fore them indifferently to iudge righteously to heate the small as well as the great and not to stand in feare of the faces of men Reason 3 Secondly they are as bulwarks of brasse as wals of defence as maintayners of peace among men For albeit men be of one self same nature yet they cannot abide one another vnlesse they be held in as with a bit and bridle Wolues know one another in the woods the Lyons know one anothet in the forrests so doe other wild and sauage beasts in the fields but men haue such a corrupt and sauage nature that hardly they can loue another or suffer the company one of another vnlesse they had rulers Magistrates set ouer them This the Apostle teacheth He is the Minister of God for thy wealth Rom. 13 4. And the Apostle Peter Hee is sent for