Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 21
The one and twentieth Sermon vponupon the ſixt verſe.
The Lord will helpe his annointed, and will heare him from his Sanctuarie, by the mightie helpe of his right hand.
EueryEvery man may comfort himſelfe in the lawfulneſſe of his calling.COncerning the doctrine of faith in Gods prouidence and defence, that we ought to hauehave from the lawfulneſſe of our callings, which out of theſe words we began to entreat of the laſt day: it is further to be obſerued, that it is true not onelyonly of kings and princes, of whom it is here directly ſpoken, but of all inferiour callings in the Church and commonwealth, That whoſoeuer is in any ſuch place which is lawful, and is lawfully called thereunto, as hauing gifts ſit for it, and comming vntounto it by all ordinarie good meanes, that God will maintaine them in the ſame, and they ſhould be aſſured of it in themſelues, becauſe they are the Lords annointed, that is, placed in thoſe roomes by him. And thus did all the Apoſtles and the Prophets alſo before them comfort themſelues in thoſe callings of the Church, which were full of labor and trouble, that they were perſuaded, that the Lord had ſet them aworke, and they did not come before they were ſent: otherwiſe they might hauehave fainted many times vnderunder their great burdens. And namely, thus did the Prophet Ieremie comfort himſelfe before the Lord,And ſo did the Prophet Jeremie. againſt the mocks and taunts of his enemies; who ſaid, that deſtruction ſhould not come to Ieruſalem (as he had prophecied) becauſe it was ſtill deferred;Ierem. 17.15. and ſo derided the threatnings of God in his mouth, ſaying, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now. But hee anſwereth them thus, firſt, That the Lord had called him vntounto that office of being a Prophet, and that he had not thruſt in himſelfe: and then, That he had faithfully executed the ſame, & therfore prayed God to defend him, in the next words,Verſ. 16. But I hauehave not thruſt in my ſelfe a Paſtour after thee, neither hauehave I deſired the day of miſerie, thou knowest: that which came out of my lips, was right before thee. Be not terrible vntounto me, &c. And God heard his prayer, for when the citie was deſtroyed, hee was ſaued, and had libertie to goe whether hee would: and during the ſiege, God kept him out of the hands of the princes, who ſought to kill him: and though he was once caſt into a dungeon, yet he was taken out of it againe. And thus alſo, when God appeared vntounto Moſes in the wilderneſſe in a buſh, when he was keeping ſheep, and ſent him to deliuer the children of Iſrael out of their grieuous bondage; he doing his meſſage vntounto Pharoah, the king doth not onelyonly not let them goe, but oppreſſeth them a great deale more: whereupon the officers of the children of Iſrael meeting with Moſes and Aaron, Exod. 4.20.as they came from the king, like men in a great paſſion brake out into bitter and vnſeemely words againſt them; and prayed God to looke vponupon them, and iudge them, for they had made their ſauour ſtinke before Pharoah, and before his ſeruants.And Moſes the man of God. VVhereupon Moſes prayeth vntounto God, and ſomewhat comforteth himſelfe in this trouble with hope of ſome good ſucceſſe from his calling, that he was the Lords annointed, and that hee had ſent him to doe that that he did. For it is ſaid, That hee returned vntounto the Lord,Verſe. 22. and ſaid, Lord, why haſt thou afflicted this people? Wherefore haſt thou ſent me? for ſince I came to Pharoah, to ſpeake in thy name, he hath vexed this people, and yet thou haſt not deliuered thy people. VVhere the ground of his prayer both for himſelfe and for the people, is this, That the Lord had ſent him to doe that that he did, and therefore he deſireth to ſee ſome better ſucceſſe. And ſo may all faithfull miniſters of the word of God, who are aſſured that they are called vntounto that office & place where they are,So may all faithfull miniſters of Gods word. called, I ſay, by God, and not by men only, and ſo doe deliuer the meſſage of God faithfully vntounto them out of his word: if all things fall not out with them at the firſt, and they ſee not that ſucceſſe of their labours that they deſire; yea, if things ſeeme to be a great deale worſe than they were before they came, and themſelues are vniuſtly blamed for it, as Moſes was here: they may with a good conſcience goe vntounto God in their prayers, and ſeeke redreſſe, ſaying, That he hath ſent them to do that they doe: and therefore deſire the Lord, that hee would aſsiſt them, and bleſſe them with better ſucceſſe: and then they ſhall ſee, that the Lord will not forſake them, but ſtand by them, and defend them in their calling: as it is ſaid here in this Pſalme, I know that the Lord will helpe his annointed. And as he then gaue this anſwere vntounto Moſes, That it ſhould appeare, that he had not called him to that office in vaine, but would defend him in it,Exod. 6.1. and giuegive good ſucceſſe vntounto his labours. For in the next chapter it is thus written, The Lord ſaid vntounto Moſes, Now thou ſhalt ſee, what I will doe vntounto Pharoah, for by a strong hand hee ſhall let them goe, and euen bee constrained to driue them out of his land, that is, he ſhall feele the Lords hand ſo heauie vponupon him, that he ſhould not onelyonly be willing to let them goe, (though he obſtinatly refuſed it) but ſhould by force driue them out: as indeed afterwardes hee did, as appeareth in the reſt of that ſtory.Exod. 12.33.
And this aſſurance of our calling muſt not onelyonly a little comfort vsus at the firſt, but in the whole courſe and miniſterie of the ſame, and in all things that ſhall befall vsus in the execution of it: that we may with a good conſcience pray vntounto God, that as wee hauehave not intruded our ſelues, neither hauehave had our calling onelyonly from men, but from him, ſo he would heare vsus, and helpe vsus in all things that we doe according to the ſame. And as no doubt there is great comfort in this, that a man is thus aſſured of his calling, and without this he may often be diſmaid: ſo in that reſpect it is requiſit,It is requiſit therefore that eueryevery one ſhould be fully perſuaded of the lawfulneſſe of his calling. that not onelyonly they, but all others in their ſeuerall places ſhould be aſſured, that they hauehave their callings of God, that ſo they may in faith pray for his defence. For this cauſe we ſee how immediatly from God the Prophets had their callings, to whom God ſpake, and appeared in viſions, as to Moſes, to Ezekiel, and to Ieremie, and the reſt; how the Iudges were rayſed vp extraordinarily, that in their great attempts they might be aſſured, that God had called them to that place:Iudg. 6.37. and eſpecially how carefull Gedeon was of it, by making triall twiſe in a fleece of woll. And how Paule and all the reſt of the Apoſtles were called immediatly by Chriſt: that when they ſhould meet with ſo many incomberances as they did, they might not doubt of their calling, and ſo of Gods protection. And ſo againe what order was ſet downe by God, both for the ſucceſsion of the Prieſts and Leuits, and for their ſeuerall offices and places: and what for the ſucceſsion of the kings: and what in the new Teſtament is for the choiſe of miniſters: and what in the ſcripture for magiſtrates: that ſo all might thereby be aſſured, that they hauehave their callings from God, when they are ſo qualited for them, as he hath required in his word: and when they came to them by ſuch lawfull choiſe as he hath appointed. That ſo eueryevery one doing that which God requireth of them in the ſame, they might as any trouble ſhall come vponupon them, or any difficultie ſhall befall them, they might, I ſay, with comfort, and in faith pray, that God would heare, and helpe them, they being his anointed; that is, come to thoſe places by his appointment.Euen vntounto the meaneſt calling as of being a ſeruant.
And this as it is requiſit in eueryevery calling or ſtate of life that one is in, euen vntounto the meaneſt, to be perſuaded, That they are placed in them by God; ſo there is great comfort therein, whatſoeuer ſhall befall them in the ſame. As the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the calling of a ſeruant,1. Cor. 7.17. and of being called vntounto the eſtate of marriage, and ſaith of them, and of all others generally, That as God hath distributed to eueryevery man, and as the Lord hath called eueryevery one, ſo let him walke, and ſo ordaine I in all Churches. VVhere he warneth eueryevery man generally to liue with a contented mind in the Lord, what ſtate or condition of life ſo euer he be in: and therfore he telleth him, that it is that trade of life, which God hath diſtributed vntounto them, & which he hath called them vntounto. So that a ſeruant muſt be perſuaded,Ephe. 6.6. that God hath called him to that place, and therefore as he muſt make conſcience of doing faithfull ſeruice, not to the eye, as men pleaſers, but as the ſeruants of Chriſt, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will ſeruing the Lord, and not men, as he writeth to the Epheſians: So alſo from this perſuaſion of his calling, hee may pray vntounto God to defend him againſt all wrongs,Verſ. 8. and to aſsiſt him in all things: euen as Saint Paule in the ſame place biddeth to that end know, That whatſoeuer good thing any man doth, the ſame ſhall he receiue of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. So that ſeruants being perſuaded of the lawfulneſſe of their calling, and of their owne fidelitie in the ſame, may pray to God to reward them for their good ſeruice, and to defend them in a good cauſe againſt any abuſes that their maſter ſhall offer vntounto them. And ſo for the other eſtate of life,And of being called to the ſtate of marriage. that he ſpeaketh of there: if any be called vntounto mariage, they muſt not onelyonly be perſuaded of the lawfulneſſe of it, and that God hath called them vntounto it, but alſo that he hath ioyned them together; this man to this woman, as Eue in paradiſe was ioyned to Adam by the immediat hand of God: and ſo that they came not together by fortune or chance, or by the will and conſent of their friends, or by their own choice only, but by God, & that their marriage was firſt made in heauen, before it was ſolemniſed vponupon earth: and therfore that they are in that place that God hath called them vntounto. Then may they with comfort pray for all ſuch gifts as are needfull for thoſe places; as in doing of their duties, that the Lord would preſerue them from all croſſes that might befall them, and aſsiſt them in them; and generally that he would heare their prayers, and ſend them helpe from heauen: as the people doe here.
And to conclude this point,In all actions of our life we ought to be perſuaded, that God hath called vsus vntounto them. we muſt all of vsus be perſuaded in the whole courſe of our liues, that whatſo-we doe, we hauehave a calling to it from God; and ſo therein we are his anointed, that is, appointed of God for it. VVhichWhich we ſhall ordinarily know by this, that the thing it ſelfe is good in it owne nature, and agreeable to the word of God, and commanded there: and then, that by vertue of our places that we be in, God requireth them of vsus, and that that time and place doth alſo require them: for all things are not required of all men alike, nor at all times, and in all places. Then hauing this perſuaſion from the word of God, though they be dangerous, and full of trouble, and ſuch as might diſcourage vsus, we may confidently pray vntounto God, to aſsiſt vsus, and defend vsus therein, and to helpe vsus in all affliction that ſhall befall vsus for the ſame. And thus Dauid here being a king, was to defend his ſubiects, and therefore their enemies comming againſt them to battell, he goeth forth, and aduentureth himſelfe to the warre: and thus prayeth vntounto God, and willeth the people to pray for him in this good action, whereunto he was lawfully called: and God did heare their prayers, and gaue them good ſucceſſe. In like manner, that famous and worthy Queene Hester, after that Mordecai had ſent vntounto her the copie of the kings letter, that was ſent abroad by poſtes for the rooting out of the Iewes in one day, and willed her to goe in to the king, and make requeſt for the life of her people: at the firſt, ſhe like a fearefull woman drew backe, and excuſed her ſelfe, ſaying, All the kings ſeruants, and all the people of the prouinces know, Heſter. 4.11.that whoſoeuer, man or woman, Then may we hauehave bouldneſſe in them though they be neuer ſo dangerous,that commeth to the king into the inner court, which is not called, there is a law of his, that he ſhall die, except to him, whom the king holdeth out the golden rod, that he may liue: now I hauehave not beene called to come to the king, theſe thirtie dayes. Then Mordecai ſent her word againe, that ſhe muſt not thinke to eſcape in the kings houſe more than all the Iewes; but if ſhe did hould her peace at this time, deliuerance ſhould appeare to the Iewes out of another place, but ſhe and her fathers houſe ſhould periſh: and who knew, whether ſhe was come to the kingdome for ſuch a time. Thus when he had perſuaded her by good reaſon, that God did require it at her hands, and that ſhe was rayſed vp out of a meane place to ſuch an high dignitie by the Lord for ſuch a purpoſe, and that God would require it at her hands, if ſhe failed in it; ſhee aduentureth her ſelfe, though it was very dangerous, with this reſolution, that ſeeing God had called her vntounto it, he would defend her in it: but howſoeuer it ſhould fall out, ſhee would commit her ſelfe in this cauſe to his bleſſed prouidence, contented to be ordered by his will; I will goe in to the king, which is not according to the law: and if I periſh, I periſh. But in the meane ſeaſon hauing this faith in this action, ſhe prayeth to God, to aſsiſt her, to guide her, to direct her, and to bleſſe her; and willeth all the people to doe ſo likewiſe: ſaying, Goe, Verſe. 16.and aſsemble all the Iewes that are found in Shuſhan, and faſt yee for me, and eate not, nor drinke in three dayes, day nor night; I alſo and my maids will fast likewiſe. And ſo they did, and God heard their prayer, and did not forſake her in this thing, whereunto he had called her.
Thus in a matter of great moment, which was full alſo of great difficultie, and wherein ſhe did hazard her life; being perſuaded, that God had called her vntounto it, ſhe prayeth for her ſelfe, and others alſo for her, that God would helpe her, and heare her in heauen; and he did ſo.Thus did Iaakob cōfort himſelfe in a dangerous voyage whereunto God had called him. VVhichWhich is written for our inſtruction and comfort, to ſhew vsus, what wee ſhould doe; and in doing, what we may looke for from God, in the like caſe. And from hence alſo did Iaakob comfort himſelfe in the like danger, and this was the ground of his prayer; who in his retunrne from Laban, did heare that his brother Eſau came againſt him with foure hundred men: then he remembring his former threats was greatly afraid, and ſore troubled; and after other things that he did for the defence and ſafegard of his companie, he prayeth vntounto God after this manner, O God of my father Abraham, Gen 32.9.and God of my father Izaack: Lord which ſaydest vntounto me, returne vntounto thy countrey, and to thy kindred, and I will doe thee good: I pray thee deliuer me from the hand of my brother, &c. VVhere we ſee, that (as it appeareth in the former part of this ſtory) as he did not vndertake this iourney to Laban at the firſt of his owne head, neither did voluntarily forſake his fathers houſe without cauſe, like ſome roiotous children who cannot tell when they are well, and as the prodigall ſonne did; but went away with his fathers liking and leaue, and with his bleſsing: for Izaack bleſſed Iaakob, and ſayd, Get thee to Padan Aram, to the houſe of Bethuel,Gen. 28.1. thy mothers father, and thence take thee a wife of the daughters of Laban thy mothers brother, &c. So hee returned from thence,Chap. 31.3. not of his owne priuat motion, but by the commaundement of God, who ſaid vntounto him, Turne againe into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will bee with thee. And therefore when this great danger did befall him in the way, hee remembreth that hee had a calling from God to this voyage; and ſo prayeth to God, that hee that had called him, would defend him: and as he had commaunded him to goe, and hee did it at his commaundement; ſo he would not forſake him in it, or ſuffer him to periſh in the mid way by the crueltie of his brother Eſau, ſaying, Lord, which ſaideſt vntounto me, Returne into thy countrey, and to thy kindred, and I will doe thee good, I pray thee deliuer me from the hand of my brother, &c. And ſo the Lord did not onelyonly heare his prayer, and defend him, but aſſure him of it beforehand by a viſion of an Angell that wreſtled with him all night,Chap. 32.24. and could not preuaile againſt him; and by the change of his name from Iaakob to Iſrael, to teach him that, which was then ſaid vntounto him:For God hath promiſed to defend vsus in all our lawfull wayes. Pſal. 91.10. Becauſe thou hast had power with God, thou ſhalt alſo preuaile with men. And this is that, which is generally promiſed to all thoſe, that in their callings follow the wayes of God, namely, that he will defend them in all dangers that may befall them in the ſame, when as it is ſaid, There ſhall none euill come vntounto thee, neither ſhall any plague come neere thy tabernacle: for he ſhall giuegive his Angels charge ouer thee, to keepe thee in all thy wayes: they ſhall beare thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a ſtone; thou ſhalt walke vponupon the Lion and Aspe, the yong lyon and the dragon ſhalt thou tread vnderunder feet: that is, Gods Angels ſhall keepe vsus in all thoſe wayes that are moſt dangerous, when we keepe our ſelues within the compaſſe of our callings. And thus much for theſe words. It followeth in the text.
By the mightie helpe of his right hand. As in the former words hee did ſtrengthen his owne faith and the faith of the people, by the conſideration of his calling, that he was the annointed of the Lord:The mightie helpe of Gods right hand. ſo in theſe words he doth the ſame by the meditation of the omnipotent power of God, who was able to giuegive great helpe aboue all power of man. For in a figuratiue ſpeech, by the right hand of God is meant the ſtrength and power of God: becauſe that as man commonly hath moſt ſtrength in his right hand, ſo to our capacitie and vnderſtanding (though the Lord be a ſpirit, and hath no bodie, and ſo conſequently no hand) yet the Scripture attributeth vntounto him an arme, an hand, and a right hand: as when it is ſaid in the Pſalme,Pſal. 44.3. They inherited not the land by their owne ſword, neither did their owne arme ſaue them: but thy right hand, and thine arme, and the light of thy countenance, becauſe thou fauouredst them. And thus Moſes with the reſt of the people, in their ſong of thankesgiuing for the deſtruction of Pharoah and his hoaſt in the red ſea, doe ſpeake of the power of God,Exod. 15.6. Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power, thy right hand, O Lord, hath bruſed the enemie: that is, as men by the ſtrength of their right hand doe bruſe a thing in pieces; ſo the Lord by his great power had vtterly deſtroyed and brought to nought Pharoah and his great hoaſt, which like enemies purſued them euen into the ſea.They confirm their faith by the conſideration of Gods omnipotent power. Now this great power of his they ſet before their eyes, to this end, that though their enemies were manie and mightie, yet the Lord was greater than all, and ſtronger than they, and had power aboue them: and ſo, as they had prayed to him for his defence, ſo they beleeue that he would heare them and helpe them according to the ſame power of his. As Eliſha ſaid vntounto his ſeruant, who when he ſaw the chariots and horſes, and great hoaſt, which the king of Aram had ſent to Dotham to take them, cried out for feare:2. King. 6.15. Alas master, how ſhall we doe? Feare not ſayd he, they that be with vsus, are moe than they that be with them: hee meaneth, that God was with them, whoſe power to defend them, was greater than all the power of their aduerſaries to hurt them. And that the power of God in all things is ſo infinit, that he is alwayes able to defend his ſeruants againſt all the power of their enemies, be it neuer ſo great, is moſt euident, both in the Scripture, and by daily experence, ſo that there need not any great proofe of it.
The great power of God in bringing hard things to paſſe.For he is eueryevery where called God Almighty, and, All ſufficient, and Lord of hoaſts, and Lord of lords, King of kings, maker of all things, and preſeruer of them; in whom we and all things elſe liue, mooue, and hauehave our being, &c. And in a matter that ſeemed impoſsible to Sarah, as that ſhe ſhould hauehave a child when ſhe was ſo old, and all naturall ſtrength fayled her, (for it ceaſed to be with her after the manner of women) the Lord ſayd to Abraham: Gen. 18.14.Shall any thing be hard to the Lord? as if he had ſayd, Nothing at all is hard to him, but he by his power is able to ouercome all difficulties, be they neuer ſo many and ſo great. And to Moſes alſo in the lik caſe, when he doubted how the Iſraelites ſhould hauehave fleſh ynough in the wilderneſſe according to their owne deſire,Num. 11.23. and as the Lord hath promiſed, he ſayd, Is the Lords hand ſhortened? Iob. 9.19.that is, is his power ſo weake, that he is not able to bring that to paſſe? No. Therefore we may ſay of him, and of his power, as Iob doth: if we ſpeake of ſtrength, Behold he is ſtrong; and not onelyonly confeſſe, as the angell did to the virgin Marie, (when ſhe inquired, how ſhe being a virgin ſhould bring forth a child, and know no man) With God ſhall nothing be impoſsible: Luke 1.37. Chap. 18.27.but with our Saujour Chriſt in the ſame Goſpell, The things that are impoſsible with men, are poſsible with God. And indeed the great power of God againſt his aduerſaries, and for the defence of his ſeruants, might be ſhewed by infinit examples in the Scriptures: as how Pharaoh and his great hoſt was drowned in the red ſea, when his owne people had a paſſage through it on drie foot, (which we ſpake of euen now:Ioſhu. 6.20.) how he cauſed the walles of Iericho (when the Iſraelites layd ſiege to it) to fall flat downe without any batterie, onelyonly at the ſound of trumpets: how he ouerthrew in the hoaſt of proud Saneherib one hundred foureſcore and fiue thouſand, in one night: and by many ſuch like things. But this is, or ſhould be well knowne vntounto vsus; for this is the firſt article of our faith, That wee beleeue in God the father almightie, maker of heauen and earth: that is, who by his mightie power hath made all things in heauen and in earth of nothing, and therefore he can bring them all to nought againe; and without him they can doe nothing,How by the conſideration of it, we ought to ſtrengthen our faith. as hee without them, and againſt them can doe all things. OnelyOnly we had need to be put in mind to make that good vſe of it in the time of our trouble, that Dauid doth here; namely, that thereby we labour to ſtrengthen our faith, in the defence of God: and that we beleeue, that as he doth heare vsus, ſo he can and will helpe vsus. And the more that any thing is againſt vsus to weaken our faith, the more muſt we by the meditation of the mightie power of God, indeuour to ſtrengthen the ſame; knowing, that his power ſhall be made perfect, and more cleerely be ſeene in our weakeneſſe.2. Cor. 12.9.
And thus did Abraham, the father of all the faithfull, when the Lord had promiſed vntounto him, that his wife Sarah ſhould hauehave a ſonne, when they were both old and ſtricken in yeares, and was paſt hope of any by the courſe of nature: For the ſpirit of God beareth witneſſe of him, That aboue hope he beleeued vnderunder hope, Rom. 4.18.that he ſhould be the father of many nations, as it was ſaid vntounto him. And hee did not by vnbeleefe reaſon againſt this, by conſidering the deadneſſe of his owne bodie, being almoſt an hundred yeare old, nor the deadneſſe of Saraes wombe: but gaue glorie to God, That he that had promiſed,As the ſeruāts of God hauehave done. was able to performe it. Thus hee conſidered of the mightie helpe of Gods right hand, and ſtayed his faith vponupon that: and ſo muſt we doe in all things that God hath promiſed,Matth. 9 29. and then wee ſhall find, That (as Chriſt ſayth in the Goſpell) it ſhall be vntounto vsus according to our faith. But more fitly for this purpoſe may wee conſider, what great vſe that good king Hezekiah made of the knowledge that hee had of Gods omnipotent power: euen that it did maruellouſly ſtrengthen his faith in prayer againſt the mightie power of the great hoaſt of Saneherib (which was come vp againſt him) and againſt all the deſperat and blaſphemous threats which he gaue out againſt him:Jſai. 37.16. as it is ſet downe by the Prophet Iſaiah, where hee thus prayeth, O Lord of hoſtes, thou are very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth; thou hast made the heauen, and the earth. Incline thine eare, O Lord, and heare: open thine eyes, O Lord, and ſee, and heare all the words of Saneherib, who hath ſent to blaspheme the liuing God. Truth it is, O Lord, that the kings of Asſhur hauehave deſtroyed all lands, and their countrey: and hauehave caſt the gods in the fire, for they were no gods, but the worke of mens hands, euen wood and ſtone: therefore they deſtroyed them. Now therefore O Lord our God, ſaue thou vsus out of his hand, that all the kingdomes of the earth may know, that thou onelyonly art the Lord. Thus the ſerious conſideration of Gods great power did make him not onelyonly not to be daunted by the power of his aduerſarie, but cauſed him with great hope of preuailing to pray earneſtly vntounto God againſt it.
And vntounto this may bee ioyned the example of that worthie king Aſa, one of his predeceſſours, who in like caſe, to vphold his faith againſt the feare of his mightie and many enemies, did meditate vponupon the omnipotent power of Gods right hand.2. Chron. 14 9. For when the king of Aethyopia came out againſt him with ten hundred thouſand men, beſides chariots and horſes, he went out alſo againſt him, and did meet with him, and did ſet the battell in array, and then cried vntounto the Lord his God,Conſidering Gods power, not ſo much in himſelfe, as for their owne defence. that is, prayed earneſtly and in faith, ſaying, Lord, it is nothing with thee to helpe with many, or with no power: helpe vsus O Lord our God; for we reſt in thee, and in thy name are we come againſt this great multitude: O Lord thou art our God, let not man preuaile againſt thee. VVhere we ſee how he doth not conſider of the power of God, as ſhut vp in himſelfe, but as that which was readie to be ſhewed in their defence againſt their enemies, as Dauid doth here. And indeed therein cōſiſteth true faith in the power of God, That we beleeue that he is almightie to helpe vsus, and therefore that we pray to him accordingly: as Dauid teacheth the people here to doe; and to ſay, Now know I, that the Lord will helpe his annointed, by the mightie power of his right hand. And thus wee perceiue what vſe wee ſhould make of that which wee read eueryevery where in the Scriptures, of the great power of God, namely, that wee might depend vponupon him in all troubles, and pray vntounto him in faith, not doubting but as he doth heare vsus, ſo he will helpe vsus by his great power.
But let vsus examine our ſelues, I pray you, and wee ſhall ſee how farre wee are from this great meaſure of faith, that ſo wee might labour to grow therein: for how hardly, or not at all, do we come to this,Few in trouble do reſt vponupon the power of God, ſo weake is their faith. To reſt in the inuiſible power of God? Let a man bee in trouble, and come and tell him of the great power of God, and how he is able to helpe him, and ſo bid him be of good comfort, and pray vntounto God, and depend vponupon him; and we ſhall find, that he can be contented to doe ſo, ſo farre foorth as hee can ſee how and which way God ſhould helpe him. But for a man when he hath no meanes at all, or very few to doe himſelfe good by, then to ſay as Aſa did, It is all one with God to helpe with many or with no power: and ſo to pray as earneſtly and as confidently, as though he had all the meanes in the world: as it is ſaid of him, that he then cried vntounto the Lord his God, that is, prayed with great feruencie. This, I ſay, is not to bee found in eueryevery one that boaſteth of faith. Nay (which is a great thing) when we ſhall ſee more to be againſt vsus than with vsus, and more meanes to diſcourage vsus from the hope of that that we deſire, than to giuegive vsus comfort in it; then to paſſe by them all, and not to ſtand reaſoning from them againſt our ſelues by vnbeleefe; and not to ſay, I cannot bee holpen, becauſe I hauehave theſe and theſe things againſt mee: but to breake through them all, and to giuegive this glorie to God, as Abraham did, that he that promiſed,Pſal. 50.15. That if we call vponupon him in the time of our trouble, he will heare vsus and deliuer vsus, is able to performe it: and ſo to ſay, as Dauid doth here, I know, that hee will helpe me by the mightie ſtrength of his right hand; is that faith, which as it will vphold vsus in all troubles, ſo it is to bee found in very few. But let vsus remember for the helping of vsus this way,Hebr. 11.1. That faith (as the Apoſtle ſayth) is of things that are hoped for, and not ſeene: and therefore as we beleeue God to be preſent eueryevery where, though we ſee him not; ſo muſt we beleeue that God is able to helpe vsus, though wee cannot ſee how or which way; and ſo pray to him in all wants, and ſay, I know, that though I am weake, and cannot helpe my ſelfe, yet hee will helpe me by his mightie power: and this the more we can doe it in truth, though in great weakeneſſe, the more ſhall wee glorifie God, and the more will hee helpe vsus.
The great power of God in rayſing vp them that are ſicke.Therefore let them know, that are viſited with ſickeneſſe, either of the peſtilence or otherwiſe, that if they were brought ſo low that they were at deaths doore, God is able to recouer them, and to raiſe them vp again by his great power, as Elihu ſayth vntounto Iob, when hee was ſo full of ſores in his bodie, that he deſired not life, neither had any hope of it: ſayth he,Iob. 33.19. If a man be stricken with ſorrow vponupon his head, and the griefe of his bones is ſore; ſo that his life cauſeth him to abhorre bread, and his ſoule daintie meat; his fleſh faileth, that it cannot be ſeene, and his bones, which were not ſeene, clatter; ſo his ſoule draweth to the graue, and his life to the buriers; if there be a meſſenger of God with him, an interpreter of his word, who is as one of a thouſand, to declare vntounto man his righteouſneſſe: then will he hauehave merciemercy vponupon him, and ſay, Deliuer him, that he goe not downe into the pit, for I hauehave receiued a reconciliation: then ſhall his fleſh bee as freſh as a childs, and ſhall returne, as in the dayes of his youth. Thus wee ſee, that if a man bee readie to giuegive vp the ghoſt, and the bell be rong for him, and they begin to prepare things for his buriall, if the Lord do but ſpeake the word, he ſhall bee reſtored to life and health.John. 11.39. For Chriſt Ieſus, who when he was vponupon the earth, by his word cured men and women of long and incurable diſeaſes, yea raiſed ſome from the dead, euen Lazarus, when he had beene dead foure daies, and put into the graue: who ſhall alſo raiſe vp theſe bodies of ours out of corruption, Phil. 3.21.and faſhion them like to his owne glorious bodie, according vntounto the working, whereby he is able to ſubdue all things to himſelfe. He I ſay, can much more by the ſame power of his, renew our ſtrength, when we are in great weakneſſe, by what meanes it pleaſeth him, euen by the ſmalleſt helpe in the world, or without any at all.Confirmed by dayly experience. As we by dayly experience ſee ſome to bee reſtored to life and health both from the peſtilence (which is moſt deadly) and from other mortall diſeaſes, when in the iudgement of men they were paſt all hope, and the Phyſitians had giuen them ouer, That we might be confirmed by that which we ſee and heare, in the faith of Gods promiſes towards vsus.Iob. 33.28. And this is that which Elihu ſayth, God will deliuer his ſoule from going into the pit, and his life ſhall ſee the light: loe all theſe things will God worke twice or thrice with a man, that he may turne backe his ſoule from the pit, to be illuminate in the light of the liuing. VVhere he ſayth, That God doth not onelyonly thus ſhew his power now and then in raiſing vp men from the brinke of death, but he ſometimes dealeth thus twice or thrice with the ſame man: ſo that in their life time, and euen in ſickeneſſe, they hauehave great experience diuers times of the power of God, in their ſtrange recoueries from dangers, yea deadly and incurable ſickneſſes.And in relieuing men in their pouertie. And to conclude this point in a word, if by pouertie or otherwiſe we be brought to a low ebbe, as the patient man Iob was, yet ought wee to beleeue, that as the Lord turned his captiuitie,Chap. 42.10. and gaue him twice ſo much as he had before; ſo is he able to relieue vsus alſo in our greateſt need, and to make our eſtate better than it was before: and therefore in ſuch caſes let vsus pray to him earneſtly to helpe by the mightie power of his right hand. VVhichWhich that we might doe the rather in faith, let vsus conſider, how the Apoſtle ſetteth before our eyes the example of Iob to this end, and applieth it vntounto vsus,Iam. 5.11. ſaying: Behold we count them bleſſed, which indure: yea hauehave heard of the patience of Iob, Which muſt make vsus in all difficultie to depend vponupon him.and hauehave knowne what end the Lord made: for the Lord is verie pittifull and mercifull. As if hee had ſaid, God is able to reſtore you, as hee did Iob, and to make as good an end with you, as he did with him; and therefore you ought by this example of Gods dealing with him patiently to wait vponupon God, conſidering his mightie power, and what great changes he is able to worke in men. And thus you ſee what we hauehave to obſerue out of theſe wordes, where hee ſpeaketh of the power of God, and what out of the whole verſe.
God graunt, that theſe things and whatſoeuer elſe we heare out of his holy word from time to time, may ſo fall into our hearts, as ſeed into good ground: that wee keeping the ſame in good and honeſt hearts, may bring forth the fruit thereof in our liues and conuerſations, an hundred, threeſcore, or thirtie fold at the leaſt, to the praiſe of his bleſſed name, the comfort and ſaluation of our owne ſoules, the benefit and good example of all that doe know vsus, and the leauing of the wicked world without excuſe, that will not follow vsus, through Ieſus Chriſt our onelyonly Lord and ſauiour, Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nicholas Bownd, Medicines for the Plague (1604)