to the earthly Ierusalem the house in which the publick Minister and people praise God together or by thy preferment in death to haue thy soule carried vp to the Ierusalem aboue where thou shalt praise him without ceasing perfectly in his owne presence with Angels and Saints innumerable Though men forsake thee God will tarrie with thee by his comforts in thy flesh and by his spirit in thy heart Iohn 14.23 when thy house is shut vp God that cannot be shut vp will prouide a large walke for thee in the pleasant gallery of thy good conscience when men write Lord haue mercy on the doore he will shew mercy within doores when men keepe thee darke he will giue thee light when they close vp the windowes of thy chamber he will set open the windowes of his Kingdome and when they go from thee he will come vnto thee sup with thee Apoc. 3.20 When God restraineth the fruits of the earth by keeping in his raine or by giuing it in excess with the breaking open of the flood-gates of his waters he hath his Boaz of secret prouidence as long agoe for godly Ruth Ruth 2.8 9. so still for his faithfull children that they may eate and their soules may liue And when the wicked who haue not God for their hiding place shall vpon the bruite of euery calamitie and crosse comming runne hither and thither as men without hope or distracted thou knowing in whom thou hast beleeued maiest hide thee with the feathers of Gods truth and faithfulnesse and goe to thy Father Luke 15.18 the words that follow are in effect the same that the words are which we lastly heard and the repetition is safe for vs Philip. 3.1 for therefore doth God speake twice that we might heare him once and because through our imperfect state of faith we come fearefully as vpon the waters with Peter to Christ in long and great troubles Mat. 14.29 30. therefore are the words doubled that we might haue the stronger consolation So much for the first of the meanes by which God will deliuer his people in affliction The second and more principall followeth His truth shall be thy shield and buckler BY the truth of God is meant the truth and faithfulnesse that is in all his promises or the truth of his promise and truth in his word He that hath promised is faithfull but if I would know how much he hath promised to whom and vnder what termes I must bring all my considerations to his word as to his onely or best seale and standard By it al his truth is allowed as vnder seale and measured truly as at a iust standard and this truth is one with the word or with Gods truth in his word Iohn 17.17 Also this truth is called the godly mans shield buckler because it is as a shield buckler vnto him against al the arrowe-heads thrusts of affliction so wardeth the blowes of those crosses that come in the Pestilence in sicknesses in malicious enemies in other troubles of bodie or minde that they shall not strike him to death or turne him to hurt taking in his defence by faith the promise and truth of God for his shield and buckler So the meaning is they that keepe within the compasse of Doct. 1 Gods sure word can neuer take hurt And it teacheth that the truth of God b Lam. 3.22 cannot faile and what he hath promised shall bee done Blinde Balaam in his Parable could say shewing how true God is alway of his word hath he said it and shall hee not doe it as if he had said may it be that Gods words and deedes should not meete or will any beleeue that he cau say one thing and doe another or if he lack not will doth he want power to doe as he saith for hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it shall any thing hinder his purpose or weaken his power So where by Hosea the Lord saith I am God and not man Hosea 11.9 what can his meaning be but that being God hee changeth not like one of vs and repenteth not like man In Malachi he putteth himselfe to the triall asking the sonnes of Iacob if it were not so for he saith I change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Malac. 3.6 as if he had said I promised not to consume you and you can tell I haue kept promise with you for ye are not consumed to this day so I change not your selues being iudges Now as God repenteth not so his gifts and calling that is the peculiar endowments of his elect linked together vnseparably in their saluation are without repentance that is are neuer taken from them Rom. 11.29 And he that hath promised is faithfull I. Cor. 10 13. saith the Apostle his meaning is that he is not at times but alway so or alway iust in word and euer faithfull Mens promises are yea and nay his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 when it is said it is done if he speake the word but wee say and vn-say and so say and doe not The reasons Reason 1 It is sealed that God is true and Christ speaking of himselfe as God saith I am truth Iohn 3.33 and Iohn 14.6 that is to be true or rather to be truth is of his being and therefore to denie his word is to denie himselfe but God cannot denie himselfe and therefore God cannot but keepe his word Reason 2 Secondly God cannot breake by vnfaithfulnesse Rom. 3.3 for he is righteous nor be hindred by weaknesse for he is Almighty 1. Ruth 21. Apoc. 1.8 He promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and all the rebellions of his children could not make him to falsifie his word but at the time appointed they received the promises and inherited the land so he promised Israels deliuerance from Aegypt and returne from Babylon and hee brake not an houre with them and when the fulnesse of time came that God should send his sonne he sent him Gal. 4.4 and when it was time he should come he came as he kept touch with Abraham for a sonne Genes 21.1 so hee kept his word truly with vs for the sending of his owne sonne Reason 3 Thirdly God when he sweareth sweareth by himselfe not only cause he hath no greater to sweare by but because hee changeth not as an oath is immutable Heb. 6.18 An admonition not to distrust God any way where hee hath Vse 1 giuen his word for our safetie and welfare for if it be intollerable to discredit an honest man in his word how intollerable is it to call Gods truth into question If then God haue promised to those that feare him that nothing shall bee wanting vnto them Psal 34.9 let not such doubt in the wants of many to bee prouided for In the wildernesse he plowed the heauens for his children and fed them with the bread of heauen Psal 78.24 so they that followed Christ were fed by miracle in
the light of it we shall see him that is inuisible and his power that is Almighty able to helpe vs when wee haue the whole world and all the elements against vs and without whose helpe all helps in the world can doe nothing for vs. Another meane is well to obserue his prouidence to which all second causes doe seruice and the experience of Gods children who putting trust in God were euer deliuered in due time Another is to affect God aboue all things for then we will trust him before all men it being certaine that what we most affect wee most leane vnto as if it be profit we depend vpon it and if pleasure we referre all to it And another is to consider that it casteth an imputation vpon God to call him Father and not to beleeue that hee will doe a fathers part in prouiding for vs for can naturall children depend altogether vpon their fathers care for their wealth and finding and shall Gods children distrust a more able and mercifull father that hath vndertaken to keepe them and promised when father and mother shall forsake them to take them vp God hauing then promised to be our God will wee bee Gods to our selues liue at our owne finding and giue the Lord little or no credit for his care of looking to vs and what doe we better or other when by making shift for our selues beyond and against the rules of his word prouidence we take the care of vs wholly from him and put it in our own hands keeping Therefore to get confidence in God the way is so to vse the means and helps of our present life that we forget not that they are giuen to vs by God and become good for vs by his blessing for then wee will not trust in them but put trust in him that gaue them when we haue them we will not depend vpon them and when we want them we will beleeue without them These are the means and this is the way to make God our secret place but who vseth these meanes and obserueth this way of comming to him who careth to know by the word either his promise or truth to his children to make him faithfull Surely if we regarded this duty and the benefit it bringeth where it is rightly done in a time of scarcitie wee would not be so distrustfull nor feare so immoderately when any Pestilence commeth In our necessitie wee would not deale vniustly nor steale nor when sicknesse takes vs fare as if death were presented to vs. When we loose a commoditie we would not loose God as many do for the hauing of it againe from the diuell in a Coniurer nor if a tooth ake go from God to a charmer for the ease of it in some hellish mysterie nor if a crosse come iuggle it away with mirth and so turne out God when wee should turne to God but with Iob if God should kill vs we would trust in him and reproue our waies in his sight Iob. 13.15 But that which is heere translated dwelleth is as much in weight as sitteth or is setled and so our dwelling in Gods secret is as much as our sitting downe in it the meaning is wee must make it our rest as if we should say Here will we dwell From whence we learne that Gods children should not come Doct. 2 to Gods Secret-place as Guests to an Inne but as Inhabitants to their owne dwellings that is they should continue to trust in God as well in want as in fulnes and as much when they wither in their root as when they flourish in it So did Iob who blessed the name of God not only when hee gaue him riches but then also when he gaue him pouertie Iob. 1.21 Pro. 30.8 When he made him rich he feared God when he took away all he charged not God Iob. 1.22 The Prophet Dauid set the Lord alwaies before him Psal 16.8 that is before him in prosperitie and not behind him in trouble and Psal 121.1 2. His eyes were not in the meanes but lift vp to the mountaines from whence came his helpe He that glorieth in the Lord must glorie in him poore or rich in strength or weaknesse Iere. 9.23 And where some trust in Chariots and some in horses Psal 20.7 Gods some which are not many must remember the name of the Lord though they neither haue Chariots to mount them nor horses to saue them The reasons The Text here sayth He is Almighty and our Creed calls him the Father Almightie that is the al-sufficient God that can as soone make rich as suddenly poore and can as easily make something out of nothing as he can presently bring much or all to nothing for as one sayth Eius est nihilum cuius est totum Nothing is matter for his power as much and as well as all are that haue being We see this in the sudden change of things and first of Estates For rich Iob how quickly and in how few dayes nay houres was he made poore Iob after God had blown vpon his estate with his wind of taking all away Iob. 1.1 2 21 22. And as this is true in the change of estates so it is in all other changes by Pestilence by sicknesse and other roddes of God where all meanes worke by his power and doe his will that moueth in them For for the fearefull pestilence and burning coales therof sent from between his feet Whose command is ouer it when it rageth in one Countrie and is not heard to crie in another nay who ruleth it and moueth in it when being in the same towne or citie it is in one streete and in one house and not in another Being in the same house how commeth it to passe that it fastneth vpon three or two or one and not vpon all seeing all eate and drinke together liue in the same common aire and lodge in the same chamber sometimes in the same bed Is not this also the worke of God And doth not God sometimes in the cure of a disease which hath no great hardnesse so distemper and confound the wisest Physitions iudgement that he shall not be able rightly to discerne the nature and proper causes of it when hee hath found them may he not faile in ministring or prescribing to them or if he do this well may not the remedie come too late and when the Patient is past helpe if helpe come in time may not the queazie Patient dislike it and his stomack rise against it if he be able to take it must not God giue power to make him able to hold it if God giue this power may not the force of it bee gon or the composing of it bee naught if both bee good yet who must make them good to him must not the Almighty in whose secret he must not be a Soiourner but Inhabitant nor repose for a night but dwell continually if hee looke that the meanes shall doe him good which can doe nothing but
the faile of meanes Ioh. 6.11.12.13.14 If the furnace of Pestilence be heated seuen times yet God can make his children to walke in the fire of it without hurt as his three seruants did in the fierie fornace and were not touched Dan. 3.19.25.27 and when thou canst see no way through the red sea of thy many and great troubles the deliuerer of his people can make one Exod. 14.21.22 stand still in the meane season and thou shalt see the saluation of God verse 13 beleeue that God will doe what hee hath promised and what hee hath promised he will doe vnto thee But that thou maiest not mistake by that hope that maketh haste which is the hypocrites hope and not that branch that groweth vpon the tree of faith remember that the Lord is otherwise to be found in trouble then he hath promised and that his promise is no other then that which is written in his word Psal 119.114 73.17 they that know not it know not what he hath promised nor wherein hee will deliuer them for it onely is Gods mouth and Oracle to his people in troublesome times They therefore who haue beene ill hearers or despisers of the word in their good daies when the euill day is come and God meeteth with them in the burning Pestilence or some other way as he doth with those that contemne his seruice or carelesly serue him Exod 5.3 cannot tell whither to turne or what to doe for they cannot raise themselues with the truth of God which they know not and they must needes sinke vnder his iudgements which the feele Let them consider that neuer care to reade in the word their soule may fall into trouble and where is their comfort in trouble when the word is so strange a Gospel to them Gods shield is in his word and Gods truth is his word being then ignorant of the word in the day of thy affliction where is his shield to defend thee and his truth to be thy buckler of defence against Satans accusations that peirce thy soule and the worlds-armies of vexations that gall thy flesh Vse 2 Also in Gods example here wee haue what to follow if we will be followers of God as deare children Ephes 5.1 for doth God keepe all his promises then we learne to be iust in ours and like our heauenly Father Mat. 5.45 That we may bee so we must take heede of that rashnesse of mouth which is in many whose mouthes talke of vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood Psal 144.8 that is who promise largely shaking hands vpon the same and keepe no promise But a Christian should keepe his promise though to his hinderance Psal 15.4 and he that will be a follower of God must follow him in the true performance of his sayings And here as Peter said to Ananias whiles it remained appertained it not to thee that is was it not in thy power to giue it or to keepe it hee speaketh of the money that he dissemblingly gaue Act. 5.4 so before the word goe out of our mouth we are at liberty to promise or not but when our word is past our lawfull word is our bond in heauen to all our promises which if it hold vs not wee lie not vnto men that is to men onely but vnto God know therefore that Gods law bindeth a Christian to keepe his oath and lawfull promises and that though man cannot God can and doth take hold of our words so soone as they goe out of the dores of our lippes And though mans law meddle not with trifling promises Gods law condemneth for idle words Mat. 12.36 which would bee considered of those that followe not God but the winde in their promises And what constancie is there in the winde so much there is in such mens promises Hence it is that as when the winde bloweth we heare a sound but nothing that we can hold so when promises are made by some we may heare sound of words as of wind but beside words that we caÌ„not hold there is nothing to hold by but a blast of promises that change with wind weather And so as words are called wind their promises are no better But this is meant of promises that be lawfull in our power for vnlawfull are better broken then kept I call them vnlawfull when they tend to another mans hurt or the Common-Wealths hinderance as when a true Man in his feare promiseth to a Theefe that will spare him to bring him such a summe of money at a day the promise is not to be kept because it is to the common-wealths hurt to feede such a viper in the bosome of it and not onely to his owne particular losse And Dauid speaketh not of the generall but of a mans own hinderance in the case of keeping promises bound with an oath Also we may not hurt our brother whether we be in bonds to that harme or at libertie But though it be to our owne hurt and an oath be gotten of vs though deceitfully to it we must do as we haue sworne that it may appeare we haue a greater feeling of Gods dishonour then of our owne losse and hinderance Other descriptions of the Plague of Pestilence follow VER 5. Thou shalt not be afraid of the terrour by * Or feare not any night feare night THe Plague of Pestilence is further described and here by a figure of the effect being called terrible specially in the night because by the helpe of the darknesse thereof that which causeth great feare at other times striketh with greater feare then For the night is a solitarie season and solitarinesse increaseth feare and as light causeth boldnesse so darknesse is cause of feare When God striketh with the Pestilence that stroke of his hand is terrible at all times specially in great townes and in the night when enuironed with vncomfortable darknesse they shall haue fit time to consider how suddenly and how many God peremptorily citeth to their graues by that kind of death when they shall heare such groning voyces and so many fearefull shreekes and outcries of men women old and young almost in euery house round about them with the dolefull noise and long tolling of bells for those that are dying and when at midnight in some Cities to the wofull groanes of the visited shall be added the dismall voice of the buriers of those that die in that sort saying bring forth your dead This terrour is noisome in the day but the night makes it worse Therefore God to adde to the sharpenesse of the visâ—tation wherewith he visited Egypt when his people went out inflicted those strokes at midnight For the text saith that in that night there was a great crie in Egypt because there was no house where there was not one dead Exod. 12.30 It would haue grieued them in the day but it grieued them much more in the night So Christ to make his terrible comming more terrible saith
those that doe those duties Doct. 1 But this coherence betweene the Lord and his Prophet in the matter of a Prophets function for diuine things teacheth what agreement there should be betweene the Lord his Ministers in the truths they teach He that hath my word saith God by Ieremie and euerie Minister should haue it and no other then it let him speake my word faithfully that is report it truly Ier. 23.28 hauing it in his lippes and not buried in him in a habit of knowledge voide of vse This agreement betweene God and Moses did shew it selfe in all his ministerie and seruice who therefore receiued testimonie that hee was faithfull in all the house of God Heb. 3.5 So what God spake to Micah that and no other nor otherwise Micah spake to Ahab 1 Kings 22.14 Balaams answer to Balack was good if he had spoken it with a good intent and honest heart I cannot passe the commandement of the Lord to doe either good or bad of mine owne minde and what the Lord shall command that will I speake Numb 24.13 for so it should be that we may be able in the whole work of our Ministerie truly to say this say not I but thus saith the Lord. Our foundation must be Iesus Christ and if we be good builders wee will lay vpon the same not the hay of our owne deuises but the gold and siluer of the pure word of God committed to vs not inuented by vs 1 Cor. 3.11.12 so should our agreement bee with the Lord in our teachings as Dauids was and as Moses his was said to be The reasons Gods Ministers are his Ambassadours 2 Cor. 6.20 and therefore Reason 1 must deliuer his embassage not their owne tale for may the Ambassador of a King depart from the words of his charge and say what he will himselfe not what his Master hath commanded or if the seruant of an earthly Prince may not may the seruants of God Secondly if Ministers hold not this agreement their great Reason 2 Master hath not sealed their commission nor can for how can he so long as there is in it any repugnance to diuine truth or to him who is Truth Also if it be so then in the discharge of their Ministerie they cannot bee called his seruants but rather their owne men or the seruants of men In this Psalme the Prophet speketh and the Lord sealeth his words the reason is he spake that which God could not but ratifie or hee spake as one that had spoken with God knew his minde and honoured his truth for if hee had spoken otherwise or of his owne head God could not haue ioyned with him who partaketh not with the weaknesse of man Must there be such a sweete accord betweene the Lord and his Vse 1 Ministers in the matters they teach then is it necessarie that they should know his minde that they may teach it and know it by his word that they may teach nothing differēt from it And this knowledge they must seeke day and night Ps 1.2 not the knowledge that puffeth vp 1 Cor. 8.1 or which so filleth them that they become as a full runne that will not sound when one knocketh vpon it but the knowledge of the truth in loue for they must so know that they may teach knowledge and teach such knowledge that God may seale to it when it is deliuered But how shall the ignorant in the Ministery and they that cannot carrie the Arke vpon their owne shoulders doe this how shall they teach others that haue not learned themselues or teach agreeably to God who know not his minde by his word nor what is agreeable to him nor what is contrarie O that these men knew or would know their fearefull estate in this their great ignorance but what the blinde said for himselfe that say I for these blinde leaders of the blinde Lord that they may receiue their sight Marke 10.51 A iustification of those in the Ministerie who spake the words Vse 2 of God in their Sermons 1 Pet. 4.11 for such must needes speake according to God speaking his word which they doe not who not richly enough satisfied with his doctrine in whom we are compleate Colos 2.10 make their Sermons through an vnnecessary muster of forraine Authors and readings somewhat like to that Inne at Beth. lehem that had no roome for Christ Luke 2.7 Our Sauiour contented himselfe with the testimonie of the Law and Prophets onely in his teachings after him the Apostles did the like in theirs Act. 26.22 so must we doe and speake the word or according to it if we will speake safely or so as that may be sealed with diuine authority that commeth from vs in the Pulpit the duties promises made to those that do them follow The duties of the faithfull are in affection or effect duties of affection are the loue of God and knowledge of his name the dutie of effect is prayer the promises annexed are deliuerance in trouble desence and safety the hearing of their prayers Gods being with them in their troubles honours life long life and daies of saluation for the duties of the faithfull the first of them is loue for the Lord being speaker saith Because he hath loued me c. BY loue here is meant the loue that causeth a strong dependance on God a mighty vehement firme and feruent loue or such loue as is betweene young-married couples Gen. 34.8 Deut. 21.11 they desire to be much together and much to talke together in absence one to heare from another and one to send to another So they that loue God firmely and feruently as the word importeth here do greatly desire his presence in the assemblie and more specially his more familiar presence in heauen or they would be with him in his glory and now in absence doe much desire to talke with him by prayer to heare from him by preaching as it were by letter and to receiue his loue-tokens that is Bread and Wine in the Sacrament whereby precious promises are confirmed vnto them This is the affection that the faithfull doe set vpon God Where we learne Doct. that it is not euery loue that pleaseth him but that which is vehement and sound from a hearty louer Those ceremonious Iewes that came not empty-handed to God were thus reprooued by Esa the man of God when yee come to appeare before me who required this of your hands Esa 1.12 It was because they loued outwardly not in heart or in a manner not thorowly and seemingly not so indeed For God neuer liked a full hand and an empty heart And therefore when he taught his people by Moses how they should loue him and not loose the labour of their loue he willed them to loue him with all their heart with all their soule and with all their might Deut. 6 5. that is to loue him with all their powers and with all they could doe This was repeated afterward by Iosua who succeeded Moses
We contrarily do euill for good and hurt them that pray for vs. Is this to follow God or to be like Christ euen a heathen Monarch Assuerus by name may condemne such For hee kept a booke of records wherein were written all the memorable good deeds that his Subjects had done vnto him hating to be vnthankfull Hest 6.2.3 But so farre are many Christians at this day from keeping any booke of thankfulnesse in their heart or of records in their houses with this Pagan King that they rather blot out all good deeds with present euill will and no sooner receiue a good turne then they instantly burie it that it may neuer rise vp to giuethankes to the giuer The second promise and duty follow I will set him on high or mount him because c. SOme alteration there is in the dutie the promise is of deliuerance from troubles as before For to set vp on high from dangers is so to free the godly from distresse that neither their enemies on earth nor wicked spirits that are their enemies in the aire shall be able to touch them with any mortall wound The speech is taken from the manner of fortifying vsed in wars where for more securitie towers of defence were set on high rockes and hilles Such fortresses or mounted-houses of safety will God prouide and establish for those that know that is confesse his name when enemies vexe them or plagues threaten them or troubles draw neare vnto them By the name of God is meant his holinesse and excellencie or whatsoeuer things hee is knowne by on earth as men are by their names as his titles workes word properties and sometimes himselfe Mat. 6.9 And to know here is not barely to know but to know with faith nor is it bare knowledge but acknowledgement when knowing the power of God ouer vs and care for vs we confesse and beleeue the same with a resting thereupon in all our troubles Before we heard of beleeuing in God the Prophet here or the Lord by him speaketh of knowing because none can rightly put confidence in God that doth not know him as Psal 9.10 for why doe men so much and vsually trust their rich friends but because they know they can helpe them and are perswaded they will and why serue they great men rather then poore men but because in like manner they know that great men can preferre them where poore men cannot so they that know what a rich rewarder God is of the least things done to him in his seruice and worship and how able so to doe cannot but loue and serue him Now where the loue and knowledge of God goe thus together Doct. we learne that God is not loued where hee is not knowne that is acknowledged to be as hee is in bounties and power Therefore the exhortation of Dauid to Salomon his young sonne is First know the God of thy fathers 1. Chron. 28.9 as if hee had said chiefly and before all things know this or know him in his power and be perfit in the booke of his goodnesse that is know his power that thou mayest feare him and his readinesse to helpe that thou mayest set thy loue vpon him Hee addeth and serue him with a perfect heart that is vprightly and as hee will be worshipped which none can doe that knoweth not the lawes and manner of his seruice and so sound and sanctified knowledge is the mother of christian deuotion not Popish ignorance Certaine wicked worldlings are reprooued in the booke of Iob as contemners of God the reason is they desired not or they cared not for the knowledge of his wayes Iob. 21.14 and how could they then but be irreligious in heart and impious in behauiour for not knowing Gods power what should containe them and ignorant of his kindnesse what could allure them to be other or to doe otherwise Did that land loue God wherein by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they brake out and blood touched blood It is out of question it did not and why did it not the Prophet tels vs there was no knowledge of God in that land Hos 4.1 2. And where men know not God what can be looked for but all impietie against him and vnrighteousnesse against men where men know not his goodnesse to loue him not power to feare him what will they not doe And here one saith well That an ignorant heart is a sinfull heart and a Man without knowledge a Man without grace for without knowledge the minde is not good Prou. 19.2 And if the minde be not good what can be good it being certaine that what the minde is that the man is The scornefull and they that tooke pleasure in vnrighteosnesse could take no pleasure in God and what tooke the taste of God so and so much out of their hearts but the ignorance of his wayes It is said they hated knowledge Pro. 1.22 and could not abide counsel ver 25. The reasons God cannot be beloued where he is not desired for no desire Reason 1 no loue But he cannot be desired where he is not knowne for no b Igneti nulla cupido knowledge no desire And therefore they that doe not know him cannot loue him Secondly wee cannot loue where we cannot trust but faith Reason 2 is in perswasion and perswasion except it be of fooles that beleeue euery thing is a high degree of knowledge for who is or can be said to be perswaded in a matter that knoweth not whether the the thing be so or no must not the heart be assured and can there be assurance in the heart without the knowledge wee speake of Reason 3 Thirdly knowledge is the well-head from which all good affections come as waters from their fountaine Now if it be the well-head of all good affections then also of the loue of God which is a good affection that it is such a fountaine of good affections may appeare in that the reason of our loue of God faith in God feare and reuerence of his Maieftie is because we know him and him chiefly and singularly worthy to be loued beleeued in feared and reuerenced of all men aboue all things Vse 1 A conuiction of all those who thinke they may loue GOD sufficiently and well enough in their great ignorance of his iustice goodnesse holinesse prouidence power Truth for what stranger loueth or can loue a man so well as hee that knoweth how worthy he is of loue and what parts are in him deseruing both his loue and best regard Now ignorance is a kinde of strangenesse from God and ignorant persons are strangers to him How then can they loue God so sufficiently or in any measure to those that know him in all his properties and excellent goodnesse where they are acquainted with nothing in God by his word and neither know his wisedome nor goodnesse nor power nor how true he is in his promises nor how iust in his commandments nor how holy in
end to liue in flames of misery and torments of hell His worme dieth not and his fire neuer goeth out Mar. 9.44 O therefore let vs enter into cares so to serue God and please him in our liues now that when we come to him for an opening he may not refuse vs with a Verily I say vnto you I know you not Mat. 25.11.12 that is for any of mine or any that I haue determined to bring to saluation being no seruants of mine but the seruants of sin Let vs spend the time that remaines so as wee may be able to giue a good account for our houres when it shall be asked how we haue liued here And let vs so liue that is so to God in his feare that when we die and die we must we may die with much peace and in his fauour and loue entring into our Masters ioy The Author and Giuer of life giue vs grace so to liue and so to die that we may liue to him and die happy in him for his righteous sonnes sake Christ Iesus to whom with the Almightie Father and eternall Spirit be rendred all Maiestie might and glory now and euer Amen FINIS A Table of all the doctrines handled in this Commentarie Out of Verse 1. Doct. 1. IN all troubles wee must cleane to God chiefely or onely for helpe and to meanes but as vnderlings to his Prouidence p. 2 Doct. 2. Gods children should not come to his dwelling place as guests to an Inne but as Inhabitants to their owne dwellings p. 5 Doct. 3. No affliction shall be able to preuaile against those who make the Almightie their hiding place p. 10 Doct. 4. Gods defence neuer faileth his children p. 13 Out of Verse 2. Doct. 1. The best way for Ministers to turne soules to God is to teach them by their owne experience p. 15 Doct. 2. Christians must runne to God in all extremities when multitudes turne from him p. 18 Doct. 3. We must apply the generall promises or threatnings of the word to our owne particular estate for our consolation or humbling p. 20 Out of Verse 3. Doct. 1. When God is minded to punish with the Pestilence no flying will serue p. 24 Doct. 2. As Christians ought in all their life to prepare for death so especially then when God sendeth so short warning to prepare for it as in the time of Pestilence and such like Visitations p. 27 Doct. 3. The Pestilence is not lightly to be regarded p. 30 Doct. 4. The Lords deliuerance is onely or chiefly to be trusted vnto in most grieuous afflictions p. 32 Out of Verse 4. Doct. 1. God still watcheth his Church to hide her in his Prouidence against all troubles and harmes p. 36 Doct. 2. The Truth of God cannot faile and what he hath promised shal be done p. 39 Out of Verse 5. Doct. 1. The worke of this grieuous sicknesse is dreadfull p. 44 Doct. 2. The night considered in it selfe is dreadfull p. 44 Doct. 3. Gods Messengers and seruants sent in this deadly sicknesse or any of his visitations for sinne are swift and vnresistable p. 47 Out of Verse 6. Doct. 1. No policy of man shall be able to doe any thing where Gods wisedome worketh otherwise and contrarily p. 50 Doct. 2. God will disclose to his people what his peoples enemies shall deuise priuily as in the darke against them p. 50 Doct. 3. As men offend early or late night or day God hath plagues ready to send vpon them at all houres p. 54 Out of Verse 7. Doct. When the wicked are plagued Gods children shall haue deliuerance or comfort as good as it p. 58 Out of Verse 8. Doct. 1. Gods children must not passe ouer his iudgements vpon others with a carelesse eye p. 61 Doct. 2. God doth dispence with his owne right to beare with our infirmities p. 62 Doct. 3. We must shew pitie to those that God hath any way humbled in his Church p. 68 Out of Verse 9. Doct. Hee that maketh the Lord his Deliuerer by putting trust in him and by beleeuing his Word shall be deliuered p. 70 Out of Verse 10. Doct. 1. To auoid plagues the way is to auoid those offences with the occasions that bring them p. 75 Doct. 2. A good mans Family shall bee safe for that good mans sake yea the wicked fare better for the godly that liue among them page 79. Out of Verse 11. and 12. Doct. 1. We must not presume to serue in the weighty callings of the Church without a warrant from God p. 83 Doct. 2. The godly cannot but be surely watched and strongly kept hauing the Angels about them for their safetie p. 85 Doct. 3. Good Angels are our keepers p. 90 Doct. 4. No affliction in body soule or name can hurt the righteous p. 93 Out of Verse the 13. Doct. 1. All hurtfull things and creatures are by God in the hand of his Angels made subiect to the faithfull and put vnder their feete be they men wilde beasts or diuels p. 99 Out of Verse the 14. Doct. 1. Ministers must in their teaching agree with the truth of of the word of the Lord that sends them p. 104 Doct. 2. Euery loue pleaseth not God but that which is vehement and sound from a hearty louer p. 106 Doct. 3. The louers of God neede not doubt of his protection in any trouble p. 110 Doct. 4. We can loose nothing that wee doe to God or for him in his seruice p. 112 Doct. 5. God is not loued where he is not knowne p. 116 Out of Verse 15. Doct. 1. They that will pray aright and with good assurance must know God and loue him p. 121 Doct. 2. God onely is to be prayed vnto p. 125 Doct. 3. If we be not heard in our prayers the fault is in our selues p. 128 Doct. 4. The godly haue the Lord alwaies a present deliuerer in great troubles p. 132 Doct. 5. Outward honour is the gift and blessing of God p. 136 Out of Verse 16. Doct. 1. Long life is a blessing where it is garnished with grace p. 140 Doct. 2. That eternall life is the gift of God p. 145