The Shield of Righteousness, Part 2
VER. 2. I ſay; In the Lord is my place of ſuretie.
THe Propoſition ſpoken of, is confirmed by the Prophets words to v. 14. and (more properly) as was ſaid, by the Lords owne words, from thence to the end of the Pſalme: the Prophets words are in his owne example, in this verſe, or by application to others, in the reſt. In this Verſe, hauing in his owne perſon found the Lord his ſpeciall Protector, he ſpeaketh thankfully of the ſame, the rather to eſtabliſh others, by his experience, in the like ſaluation of God: as if he had ſayd; as I hauehave beleeued and found, ſo I will ſpeake in my heart before God, and with lippes before men, Rom, 10.10. The Lord is my refuge, and ſhall be my fortreſſe, in whom I will truſt, to whom I will flye in all my troubles. The word that is here tranſlated, his ſuccour, or place of ſuretie, ſignifieth a couer, or place of defence in ſome great tempeſt: where his meaning is, that when hee was wet, or like to be waſhed with great ſhowres of trouble at hand, or in doing, he retired himſelfe to the Lord in his prouidence, againſt all that tyrannous and ſtormy tempeſt of his cruell perſecution. Iob. 24.8. Eſa. 25.4. By fortreſſe, the Prophet vnderſtandeth a place of retire, or ſome ſtrong fort in warres. As if he had ſayd, as it was ſayd of Ioſeph, Gen. 49.23. When the Archers grieued him, and ſhot againſt him, the Lord being his Tower and ſtrong Caſtle; his bowe abode ſtrong, and the hands of his armes were ſtrengthened by the hands of the mightie God of Iacob, ver. 24. But further, where he ſayth, My God in whom I will truſt: He ſpeaketh that plainly, which before he ſpake darkly, or liſpingly in a figure, and ſayth; that hee will ſet none of his reſt vponupon ſecond cauſes or helpes externall, on which all fearefull and vnbeleeuers caſt themſelues wholly for their refuge in troubleſome times; but will depend only and perfectly on God, whom he maketh his confidence, and the caſtle of his ſoule in aduerſitie, Pſal. 40.4.
And (here) the Prophers example may teach the Prophets Doct. 1 themſelues; that the beſt way to turne ſoules to God, is to teach them by their owne experience, faith and feeling; the beſt teachers of others are men of experience, and they are likeſt to conuert others, that firſt hauehave bene conuerted themſelues. So Pſal. 51.12.13. the Prophet firſt prayeth the Lord to teach him, and then promiſeth to the Lord to teach others, being firſt taught of him: and he aſſumeth, when God ſhall ſtabliſh him with his Spirit, in the receit of that fauour by a teaching ſpirit to turne others to God. The Apoſtle Saint Paul, ſpeaking of himſelfe and his other fellow Apoſtles, ſaith; that they are (firſt) comforted of God, that they might be able (in God) to comfort others in eueryevery affliction. 2. Cor. 1.4. as if he had ſaid; till God had filled their pits they could not be ſpouts to others, and when their ciſterns were full, their conduits would go; and ſo they would teach others the comforts that they had learned themſelues. Chriſt biddeth, Peter being conuerted himſelfe, (not before he was conuerted himſelfe (to ſtrengthen his brethren. Luke 22.23. and he that (firſt) had learned the feare of God, ſaith: Come children, hearken vntounto me, I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Pſal. 34.12. So it is plaine, that the beſt conuerters of others are men of experience, men that hauehave bene firſt conuerted themſelues. Pauls experience and doctrine put together, wrought mightily to the edification of the bodie of Chriſt. For, as he that hath bene ſicke, and cured of an infirmitie, being wiſe and tender hearted, can better direct, and will ſooner helpe another to auoyd it; or being viſited with it, to recouer of it, then he that neuer knew the remedie of ſuch a ſickneſſe, nor eurer had occaſion of the cure: ſo they that hauehave bene cured of ſinne themſelues, and hauehave felt the twitches of a ſorrowfull heart, wounded therewith and eaſed thereof, are better able to preuent ſinne in others, or, being in force, to weaken it with teaching, then they who liue ſtill in their ſinnes without all experience, or deſire of ſuch a cure. The reaſons.
Reaſon 1 They who hauehave taſted how good the Lord is, can beſt ſpeake of his merciemercy: and they can beſt preach his iuſtice, that hauehave bene ſwallowed vp of his iudgements. So, the Apoſtle Iohn, and the righteous Iob, ſpeaking of handling and ſeeing the word of life, and God of life, do ſay much more for our learning, then if they had ſpoken of hearing onelyonly, 1. Ioh. 1.1. Iob 42.5.
Reaſon 2 Secondly, they that teach without experience, and not in faith, muſt needs teach coldly and faintly; or (if earneſtly) rather with a mind to preach themſelues glorified, then Chriſt crucified. Now, cold and faint exhortations die in the earn, & that onelyonly, or commonly pierceth to the heart, that is earneſt and experimentall. I meane earneſt, not out of affectation, but earneſt indeed, and out of a feeling heart: for, that gathereth with Chriſt, the other ſcattereth from him.
An admonition to Miniſters, and (in them) to the Parents of Ʋſe 1 the commonwealth, and of priuate families, to teach themſelues, if they meane profitably to teach thoſe that are vnderunder them. For, how can they that hauehave no edge themſelues, cut into others? and, they muſt needs leaue much dulneſſe vponupon others, that hauehave no whetting themſelues, Rom. 2.21. We muſt be followers of Chriſt, if we would hauehave the people to follow vsus to Chriſt. 1. Cor. 11.1. We muſt make God our hope in trouble, if we would not teach them by the doctrine of our ill example, to leaue him in trouble, for other Gods. If God ſend peſtilence among vsus, and we expreſſe our diſtruſt in him, by leauing our appointed ſtandings, & forſaking the Lords watch; how ſhall we perſwade others to truſt in God? When the Captaines forſake the Campe, what ſhall the common Souldiers do? And when ſuch flie, that is, diſtruſtfully flie; who ſhall tarrie? The Leaders are as the partie coloured roddes at which they looke, and their example is the colour by which they conceiue that are followers: and therefore as thoſe do, ſo will theſe do, Geneſ. 30.29.
A reproofe of thoſe both publicke and priuate Ouerſeers, who Ʋſe 2 in ſuch caſes, neither teach themſelues, nor others. For, if Peter diſſemble, what ſhall Peters hearers do? Galat. 2.12.13. It the high Prieſt be againſt Chriſt, will the high Prieſts ſeruants be for him? Math. 26.73. Luke 22.56, 57, 58. If the father be a thorne, will his children be grapes? Math. 7.16. If he be a ſwearer, will they feare an oath? and if he keepe no Sabbath, will they keepe any? Math. 12.33. Such hauehave ſpilt much Chriſtian bloud, which (if their owne veſſels had beene ſound) they might hauehave ſaued. The ſame may be ſaid of careleſſe Magiſtrates; who, becauſe they will amend no euill in themſelues, nor correct any in others with the ſword of their authoritie; prouoke the Lord to reuenge the breach of his couenant in the middeſt of vsus, ſometimes by peſtilence, ſometimes by warre, by deaths, by mortalitie of men and cattell, by ſtrange yeares, by diuerſe diſeaſes, and ſundrie kindes of death.
The Prophet ſaith: I will ſay; as if he had ſaid; whatſoeuer others ſhall thinke or ſpeake, this will I ſay, or thus am I reſolued. It was in the matter of his confidence in God, when others in their troubles forſooke him. And ſo, when worldly men ſought other reſuges, he made the Lord his houſe of rocke in aduerſitie. The doctrine is:
Doct. 2 Chriſtians muſt runne to God in all extremities, when multitudes tunne from him: and though the many in ſinne, forſake him, yet the few in Chriſt muſt cleaue faſt to him in all alteration. We muſt follow in good, but not follow a multitude to do euill, Exod. 23.2. and when many walke in the broad way of diuers diſtruſts, we muſt keepe the narrow way of hope, and faith in God, diſtruſting nothing, Math. 7.13.14. when foure hundred falſe Prophets flattered the King; Micaiah Gods Prophet would not depart from the Lord, by ſaying as they ſaid, to hauehave the fauour of two Kings, 1. Kings 22.6.12.13.14. He truſted in God, ſitting ſure in the good way of his word; and neither the King on his throne, verſe 10. nor the many in another way could vnſettle him. Chooſe you (faith Ioſhua to the many thouſands of Iſrael) whom ye will ſerue, Ioſ. 24.15. as if he had ſaid; your numbers ſhall not make me to digreſſe, nor if ye ſerue other Gods, to do ſo with the companie, and to ſerue them: but I, and my houſe; I and my companie and ſmall number will ſerue the Lord. When many went backe, and walked no more with Chriſt, Ieſus ſaid to the twelue, wil ye alſo go away? Ioh. 6.66.67. as if he had ſaid, when all go, ye muſt tarrie; and when the world forſakes me, forſake the world to follow me. The reaſons:
Reaſon 1 The greateſt number take not Gods name for their tower: Gods numbers do, or ſhould; and where the wicked ſeeke out euill deuices, the righteous walke with God, in a contrarie way.
Reaſon 2 Secondly, a good nature will follow his friend in aduerſitie, and ſhall aduerſitie cauſe any nature to depart from God?
Reaſon 3 Thirdly, He hath the words of eternall life: and to whom ſhall wee go, if we go from him? Ioh. 6.68.
Vſe 1 Not ſafe (therefore) to conforme to the multitudes behauiour in troubles, or (in them) to do as the moſt do. For, when Gods hand is vponupon a countrie in any common affliction, the greateſt number (waxing wanton againſt the rod) ſtriue to forget the worke of the Lord, and care not to remember the operations of his hands, Eſay 5.12. Should the godly do ſo? Should they feeds without feare, Iude 12. becauſe others do ſo? or, ſhould they not rather mourne apart with their families; and (more priuarely) one man with another, till the calamitie be at an end Zach. 12.12. the greateſt part neuer vnderſtand, nor labour to know Gods ends in puniſhing a nation with ſcourges and ſnares (ſhall the godly (therefore) hauehave as little vnderſtanding, and not heare the rod, nor him, who hath commanded it? Micah 6.9. The moſt truſt in vanitie: ſhall the righteous (therefore) put their conſidence in a thing of nought? and becauſe, not to be ſingular is the onelyonly garment (now) in faſhion: ſhall they, that ſhould not faſhion themſelues to the world, Rom. 12.2. put it on, becauſe they will not be ſingular in goodneſſe, nor go alone in the narrow way of life? ſo, they may (like beaſts fatted in all abundance of iniquitie) follow the heard and droue, thinking nothing but that they are going to the paſture, when it is to the ſlaughter-houſe.
They are here reprooued, who think it the beſt and ſafeſt way, Ʋſe 2 to doe as the moſt, not as the beſt do: but it is the common rode of the hypocrite, neuer to be ſeene in a way wherein the greateſt number walk not: To faſhion to times and multitudes hath bin, and is like ſtill to be the religion of all times and worlds. Proteſtant Chuſa's ſay; which way the world goes will we go. 2. Sam. 16, 18. They refuſe to enter in at the ſtreight gate, Matth. 7.13. and chooſe the wide gate and broad way of the multitude, to enter where the moſt doe, and to be where the moſt are, that they may not be hit in the teeth with preciſeneſſe, and odious ſingularitie: For the Sabbath, they will rather follow the Diuell in a great company to prophane it, then God the Lord, in a ſmall number to hallow it. Their reaſons is: they muſt do as all the townes about them do: and they ſay, we do but as eueryevery body doth, and all the Country doth ſo as well as we. To whom I amſwer with a reuerende Writer;M. Dod on 4. Com. If they will doe as eueryevery body doth, they muſt looke to ſpeede as eueryevery body ſpeedes, and bee curſed for companie, if they will ſinne for Companie, Mal. 3.9.
But let vsus take heed of companies, or of ſinning for company. All in Sodom (ſaue Lot and his houſe) ſinned together, and periſhed together, Gen. 19. The whole world (ſaue Noah and his houſe) as they were buried in one graue of luſts, ſo were they buried in one graue of waters. Gen, 7. And the Angels that fell in companies from heauen, went and were caſt downe in companies to hell. 2. Pet. 2.4. Further, what moueth the Lord ſo from yeare to yeare to ſtrike vsus with varietie of Plagues, ſo that for twelue yeares together the land hath not bene without: but this large fellowſhip in ſinne? For, do not ſinners, in towne and countrie ſeeke to daſh all commandements and rebuks with the force of example? And becauſe ſuch and ſuch do ſo, are not their doings a ſufficient buckler to warde off all ſtrokes of the Law, and directions of the Goſpell that teach otherwiſe, and contrarily? Doth not the cuſtome of ſinne take away the ſenſe and ſhame of ſinne? Doth not companie giuegive it grace, and the committers of it boldneſſe? and where are ſo few doers of good, will it not bee thought ſhame to do well? and what ſhame to commit iniquitie, when the committers of it are couered with a thicke cloud of ſo many that praiſe and do the ſame things? ſometimes the mountaines hide them, or they hide themſelues in the practiſe of the great ones where they liue, whoſe height is ouer them as the high hils, and couers them as the great mountaines; and (then) how can they bluſh?
Doct. 3 Further, in the text we reade theſe words of particular faith; I will ſay, and I will trust, and my hope, my fortreſſe, my God: all which ſhew that this Man of God did apply the former generall doctrine of Gods defence to his owne particular caſe and perſon; and (therefore) teach, whatſoeuer generall threatnings or promiſes we find written in the Scriptures for our learning, to apply (them more ſpecially) to our ſelues for our humbling or conſolation. And ſo, when the word threatneth a ſinne, we muſt apply, as if it threatned it in vsus; and when it maketh any promiſe to beleeuers, beleeue that the promiſe ſo made, (on condition of the like faith) belongeth to vsus. For, here eueryevery one muſt be a Prophet to himſelfe, by laying the line of the word to the ſtate and faring of his owne conſcience and mind in things. So Dauid directed the point of his owne finne to his owne heart, 2. Sam. 24.10. and with that ſword which God ſent into Iſrael (it was of the Peſtilence and mortalitie for three dayes) he ſmote himſelfe that made the people to be numbred, not Ioab that numbred them, 1. Chron. 21.12.17. and in another tranſgreſſion, and at another time; he confeſſed the wickedneſſe, (that was done) againſt himſelfe, that did it, Pſal. 32.5. So Paul doth not onelyonly write himſelfe a ſinner, but the chiefe of ſinners, 1. Tim. 1.15. Alſo, what vſe Ioſeph made of his Maſters peculiar fauour to him in the houſe, Geneſ. 39.9. ſuch we muſt make of Gods ſpeciall louelove to vsus in his word, as: hath the Lord, in great kindneſſe, magnified his Name toward vsus by his word? Pſal. 138.2. it then concerneth vsus with Ioſeph, in continuall thankfulneſſe, to glorifie or ſend backe the praiſe of that his Name and mercy to him, by our obedience to his word. That woman of Canaan, which had the grace to be called the woman of great faith, Math. 15.28. did make good vſe for an aduantage, of that little fauour that was ſhewed ſometimes, and to ſome of the curſed race of the Canaanites; which was that God made and would make (where pleaſed him) a gleaning of them to ſaluation: and therefore ſaid, that they had ſome of thoſe crummes of Gods merciemercy vnderunder the table, which the children had at the table in plentifull teaching, and ſtrange miracles, as in a full ſeruice there. And ſo by this little (being thankfull for a little) ſhe held Chriſt, as in the chaine of his word to giuegive her more, Math. 15.27. Saint Luke ſheweth, that Chriſt reproued ſome, who told him of the Galileans, whoſe bloud Pilate had mingled with their owne ſacrifices, Luke 13.1. becauſe they ſtroke others in the application as ſinners, with the ſeueritie of that horrible death; not themſelues, verſe 2. But Iob, a man of another ſpirit, and taught in a better ſchoole, feared to do euill; becauſe hee ſet Gods puniſhment before him, which was fearefull; and God in Maieſtie, from whom none could deliuer him, if he would plague him, Iob 31.9.11.23. The reaſons:
The threatnings and promiſes of God are laid downe generally Reaſon 1 in the word: is it not that Chriſtians might make their vſe of them by particular faith, as Iudges in ciuill matters make vſe of the Law, by applying it to the offending or innocent perſons caſe for puniſhment or praiſe?
Secondly, life eternall ſtandeth in this, that we know the true God Reaſon 2 to ſaluation, Ioh. 17.3. and who can know him ſo, that maketh not (firſt) ſome proper vſe of his power to humble him, and of his goodneſſe to raiſe him?
Reaſon 3 And if (thirdly) no medicine can worke that is not applyed, not potion do good that is not taken: then from the like wee may conclude; that the wrath o… the Law not feared, and promiſes of the Goſpell not apprehended, can do no man good to true life. Vſes.
Vſe 1 An inſtruction when the hand of God is heauie vponupon vsus in Famine, Peſtilence, loſſe of cattell, or other loſſes and Plagues temporall, to trie our hearts by the word, how theſe things hauehave humbled vsus; and whether in an holy deſpaire of all power in our ſelues to helpe our ſelues, they hauehave turned vsus to God, from whom commeth our helpe, Lam. 3.40. at all times we ſhould particularly apply to our ſelues the threatnings written in the Law to humble vsus; but ſpecially when the Lord himſelfe enforceth them by ſome ſeuere chaſtiſements, as lately he did, and beginneth to do againe. A traueller when he hath loſt his way, will examine himſelfe where he went out, and returne: So ſhould wee do that trauell with iniquitie in this doubtfull vale through earth to heauen. And becauſe when we ſhould go Eaſtward to the Goſpell, many of vsus go Weſtward to Poperie or Atheiſme, and in ſtead of going forward to heauen, go backe to hell: ô how ſhould we examine (as by the booke) our daily flips and turnings out of the way, not forgetting where we miſtooke by any errour of our life, & ſeeking (ſpeedily) to recouer the path of righteouſneſſe, Iob 42.5.6 That that maketh the common Paſſenger ſo carefull of his way, is, his feare to looſe it. If we that are Chriſtian Paſſengers were as ſuſpitious of ours, our care would be greater to hold it; and God ſhould not be driuen to hedge vsus in, ſometimes with burning thornes, as with the Peſtilence, ſometimes with troubles of other nature? Hoſ. 2.6.
Vſe 2 An item to thoſe who cannot abide to lay iudgement to the rule. nor righteouſneſſe to the ballance, Eſay 28.17. but make a wanton vſe of Gods mercies, and no vſe of his threatnings, Deut. 29.19.20 If he ſend health, they vſe it as a weapon againſt him by an impenitent and carnall life: if he ſend ſickneſſe, they waxe furious or ſenſleſſe: and then, let him take health, and let him take all. If he furniſh their table, they abuſe his full table, to all wantonneſſe and wickedneſſe: if he draw their table by a ſparer diet of fruites and graine, neither is God remembred nor ſinne thought of. If Peſtilence be ſent, they hide themſelues in vaine refuges, not in any ſound repentance from it, Prou. 22.3. and when it is remoued, what do they but call for it againe by ſinning as much, if not more ſtubburnly, and in a greater height then euer? For ſince the quenching of the laſt great Peſtilence, which in the yeare 1603. as a great fire conſumed in London, and about the Citie of London, thirtie ſixe thouſand, eight hundred ſixtie and two; and in ſome weekes two thouſand, yea three thouſand and ſome odde hundreds a weeke; I ſay, ſince this fearefull ſword of Plague was put vp, what good effects do we ſee of that mercy of God in the liues of townes-men or country-men ſince? Is not all forgotten, as if ſuch a thing had neuer bene in Citie or Village? wee hauehave bene remembred eueryevery yeare ſince, but with warnings of another kinde; and yet who conſidereth? So much for the Propoſition confirmed by the Prophets owne example, the further application of it followeth.