The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. The concluſion of all, wherein is ſhewed, that we muſt onelyonly refer our ſelues vntounto God, and not forſake a good cauſe, becauſe it ſeemeth, not to goe forward as we wiſh it ſhould.
BY all that hath formerly beene ſayd, we may alſo learne to be contented with that condition, ſtate, and manner of life, whether it be proſperous or not proſperous (or whatſoeuer it be) that the Lord ſhall be pleaſed to allot vntounto vsus, and to expect a good end and iſſue thereof. For by that which we hauehave before ſhewed, wee may plainely ſee and perceiue that wee are not wiſe enough to rule and gouerne our ſelues, that wee hauehave not earneſtly ſought the ſame, but refuſed it, which we now wiſh that wee had obtained, yea, that often times with might and maine wee hauehave ſought to put that from vsus which afterward wee hauehave found to be very needfull and neceſſary for vsus, and might hauehave done vsus much good, and that the Lord our God hath alwayes much better directed our cauſe, then we could either deuiſe, or had power to conceiue, yea, and that in our greateſt troubles a bleſſing hath beene caſt thereupon, and that wee hauehave beene ſo careleſſe and heedles thereof, that it was our owne faults that wee perceiued it no ſooner, but rather that our hearts for a tyme hauehave in a manner beene ouercome with griefe and heauineſſe.
Againe, thus may we be alſo comforted in all tribulations, and aduerſities, when by our owne experience our ſoules are able to ſet before themſelues the gracious care which our Lord God hath alwayes had of thoſe that are his people, in all their neceſſities, and although matters ſeeme to be prolonged, and our deliuerance to bee delayed, yet we muſt not doubt thereof, for we hauehave learned by the former conſiderations, that the Lord is wont oftentimes to goe round about, and to fetch matters a farre off, in the comforting and helping of his people, that ſo hee may hauehave the more honour, and may miniſter more cauſe of comfort to his Children, when vnexpectedly hee helpeth them, and by one meanes or other vnlooked for, procureth their deliuerance, as it euidently appeared in the Children of Iſraels cauſe in Hammons tyme, as alſo in Ioſephs, Dauids, and others cauſes, whom he intended to exalt; and yet daily in many accidents that befall Gods children in this age, yea, and in our owne affayres, for how often hauehave wee alſo before this tyme beene layd in the mire to the very knees and ell-bowes, and trod vnderunder feete by proud perſons, and yet at the laſt hath the Lord lifted vp our heads, and hath made vsus a free people, as at this day it appeareth; So that in this reſpect when it ſeemeth to goe againſt vsus, wee may ſpeake of the Lord our God, vntounto our ſoules, as Naomi ſaid to Ruth of Boaz, Sit ſtill my daughter vntill thou know how the matter will fall out, for the Lord will not be at reſt vntill he hauehave brought it to a good end, Ruth 3. 18. And we muſt learne with all patience and quietneſſe of minde to commend all our affayres to God, as we ſee that the Lord Ieſus Chriſt did, who in the greateſt dangers, and thoſe that ſeemed to be moſt preiudiciall to Gods cauſe, was ſtill and quiet, and committed the matter vntounto God, that iudgeth righteouſly, as when he was tolde that Herod the King had cut of the head of Iohn his forerunner, a cruell deed, and ſuch a one as ſeemeed to be very preiudiciall to Gods cauſe, he put it vp peaceably, ſuffered it to goe on, tooke care for himſelfe and his Diſciples, and the better to ſecure them, & to get out of cruell Herods handes, went apart into another place, but proceeded ſtill in his vocation, and the worke which his heauenly Father had appoynted him to doe.
And thus beeing holpen by the conſideration aforeſayde, and the experience which thereby wee hauehave reaped, to the comfort and conſolation of our heartes in all troubles and oppreſſions, wee may alwayes bee aſſured of this, that all the troubles that be fall the children of God, is vntounto them as the trouble of Ioſeph, as the holy Scripture calleth it, that is, ſuch manner of trouble as whereby great ioy proſperitie and great promotion is layd vp in ſtore for them. For wee knowe all right well, that all the miſeries and troubles that fell vponupon Ioſeph, all the misfortunes and tribulations that for a time hapned vntounto him, the hatred of his brethren againſt him, their ſelling of him, his bondage, his falſe accuſation, of adultery by Potiphers wife impoſed on him, and his wrongfull impriſonment that followed there upon, that all theſe things did altogether worke for and procure Ioſephs good, Rom. 8. 28. and did altogether ſtrengthen him, and was a great furtherance of his promotion and aduancement, as wee may reade in Gen. 37. 39 40. 41. 42. And of the like nature are all the troubles and miſ▪fortunes, which Gods people and his Church indure for a time, which in the end therefore ſhall turne to their good, and are nothing meane while, but as a preparatiue to their future aduancement. And therefore are the troubles of Gods Church and children, their cruell perſecutions, their great ouerthrowes, the death of Martyrs, and what ſoeuer elſe ſeemeth moſt of all to croſſe them, by the Prophet termed in a ſpeciall manner the troubles of Ioſeph, Amos 6. 6.
This wee muſt ſeriouſly thinke vponupon, and with long ſuffering and patience bend our ſelues and abide, and in all our aduerſities aſſure our ſelues, that when the Lord hath done all his workes vponupon Mount Sion and among his people, hee will then riſe vp, and lift vp his peoples heads againe, in the fit time of their neede, as he did with Ioſeph when the time of his aduancemēt was come, and ſtrike their enemies in the hinder partes, and lay a perpetuall ſhame vponupon them: Furthermore this may teach and inſtruct vsus, that what troubles ſoeuer fall vponupon the people of God, we muſt not doubt of their good cauſe and religion, nor abandon a good matter, and withdraw our handes from it, becauſe it proceedeth not well at the firſt, but remembring that the Lord our Lord hath not eyes of fleſh, nor ſeeth as men doe, Iob 10. 4. wee muſt thereupon conclude, that the Lord ſuffereth ſuch troubles to fall vppon vsus▪ thereby to proue vsus, and to ſee whether wee will cleaue vntounto him, and holde with his people, not onelyonly when they are in wealth and proſperitie, but then alſo when they are in trouble and aduerſitie, and withall part with and impart to them of our meanes, as much as conueniently we may, for the eaſing and helping of the poore oppreſſed Saints and ſeruants of God: and ſuch as hauehave no meanes to doe it, muſt earneſtly endeuour by their prayers vntounto God, beſeeching him to ayde his people, and to fight for them, when they are in diſtreſſe, praying in the Spirit, as Gods people doe, when they hauehave no other meanes, and ſaying to the Lord with them▪ Remember this, that the enemies hauehave reproched thee O Lord, and that the fooliſh people hauehave blaſphemed thy name. O deliuer not the ſoule of thy turtle Doue, vntounto the multitude of the wicked, forget not the congregation of thy poore for euer, hauehave reſpect to the Couenant, for the darke places of the earth are full of the inhabitations of crueltie. O let not the oppreſſed returne aſhamed; let the poore and needie prayſe thy name; ariſe O God, plead thy owne cauſe, remember how the fooliſh man reprocheth thee daily; forget not the voyce of thy enemies; the tumult of thoſe that riſe vp againſt thee encreaſeth continually, Pſal. 74. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.
But thoſe that hauehave better meanes muſt employ all their meanes to that end, as thoſe godly Princes OBEDIAH and NEHEMIAH; and as all the Iudges of ISRAELL did, who tooke the cauſe of GODS people in hand when it was in greateſt diſtreſſe, and by GODS bleſſing brought it to a happie ende, to their owne prayſe, and the peoples comfort: for which their names alſo ſhall be bleſſed to the worldes ende.
Whereas on the contrary, a fearefull threatning is denounced againſt EDOM, Iſraels brother, euen that he ſhould bee rooted out, For his violence againſt his brother Iacob. And obſerue I pray you what this his violence was, at ſuch tyme, ſayth the Lord, as thou ſtoodeſt on the other ſide, in the day that the ſtrangers carried away captiue his Forces; and forreners entred into his gates, and caſt Bolts vponupon Ieruſalem, euen thou waſt as one of them. And let eueryevery man marke this laſt ſentence concerning the manner of his ruine and rooting out, and thinke well thereupon; Therefore ſhall ſhame couer thee, and thou ſhalt bee cut off for euer, Obadiah, verſes 10. and 11. And no marvell: For Meros was curſt, not becauſe it holpe the enemies of GOD, but onelyonly becauſe it did not ayde GODS people; Curſe yee Meros, ſayth the Angell of the Lord; Curſe yee bitterly the enhabitants thereof, becauſe they came not to the helpe of the Lord, to the helpe of the Lord againſt the mightie, Iudges the 5. Chapter▪ and the 23. verſe. Ruben alſo th… eldeſt of the Children of Iacob, from whom moſt helpe was expected, was gently admoniſhed, and that for with-drawing himſelfe; ſaying, Why abodest thou among the Sheepe-foulds, to heare the bleatings of the Flockes, for the diviſions of RVBEN there were great thoughts of heart, Iudges the 5. Chapter, and verſe 14.
To conclude, Let all godly hearted men therefore in the neede and neceſſitie of Gods people, thinke ſeriouſly vponupon the Commaundement of the LORD, which hee giueth when his people are in trouble; ſaying, The Inhabitants of the Land of TEMAN brought water to him that was thirſtie; they prevented with Bread him that fled. For they fled from the ſword, from the drawne ſword, and from the bent Bow, and from the grieuouſneſſe of warre, ESAY 21. 14. 15.
And hauing ripely waighed and conſidered all thinges, follow MOSES the Prince of ISRAELL; Chooſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of GOD, then to enioy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon: Eſteeming the reproch of Chriſt greater riches then the treaſures of Egypt, Hebr. 11. 25. 26.
Yea, this will all thoſe doe that hauehave the eye of Fayth with MOSES; For he had reſpect vntounto the recompence of the reward, which by Grace is prepared for all thoſe, that following duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page GODS counſell, come to helpe his people in their neede, and rightly judge of their afflictions; For ſo it is written, Bleſſed is hee that conſidereth the poore, the Lord will deliuer him in the time of trouble. Pſal. 41. 1. ⸪
FINIS.
End of the text · Willem Teellinck, The Balance of the Sanctuary (1621)