Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 8
THE EIGHTH SERMON vponupon the ſecond verſe.
Send thee helpe from the Sanctuary.
WE heard the laſt day, that not onelyonly in warre, but in all other troubles generally, all our helpe muſt be from God, and ſo we muſt ſeeke to him for it, as theſe doe here: And this is that faith that we muſt labour for in this dangerous time of the peſtilence, as in all other ſickneſſes and diſeaſes,This faith wee ought to hauehave in this time of the peſtilēce. that it is God that muſt ſend helpe from heauen to our brethren, and to our ſelues: and that neither we nor they can hauehave any helpe at all, but from thence: and that there is helpe to bee had, when there is none in the earth, but all helpe, and all meanes of help faile here below. For though there be means to ſerue Gods prouidence for eueryevery purpoſe, yet all they are of God, and the bleſsing of thē alſo. As now at this time, the Magiſtrates in the places infected, ſhould take good order that the ſicke be well looked vntounto, and prouided for, and that there bee care had that they come not abroad, and that the whole may be kept from the ſicke, as by the law of God the leapers were put apart from the ſocietie of men, becauſe their diſeaſe was contagious, and when they came abroad they ſhould crie out alowd,Leu. 13.45.46 I am vncleane, I am vncleane, that all men might auoide them. And there are meanes of phiſick for the preſeruation of thoſe from the contagion, that are neceſſarily to be imployed about the ſick, and that muſt come into dangerous places: yet theſe cannot be had nor vſed, vnleſſe God giuegive men this wiſedome; and when they hauehave them, as Dauid here had all good meanes for the warre, yet helpe and ſuccour commeth from God, as it ſhall pleaſe him to bleſſe the meanes. Thus true faith will make vsus place our truſt and hope, where wee ſhould, and where it will not deceiue vsus: and truly that is no ſmall thing in any danger,And ſhew it by prayer for our ſelues and others. nay it is all in all. For if wee truſt to theſe meanes, beſides that it may be that wee cannot hauehave them, if wee hauehave them they may doe vsus no good, and ſo deceiue vsus: but if wee truſt in God, and in his helpe, whether we hauehave meanes, or hauehave them not, that will be an anchor, that ſhall not confound vsus; for we truſt in him, and in his defence, from whom onelyonly commeth all help. Now if we ſay we hauehave this faith, it muſt appeare by the fruites; and namely, that if we hauehave all good meanes, as Dauid had here, we be not ſecure and truſt in them, but pray earneſtly vntounto God, as though wee had them not; much more when we hauehave them not in deed. Prayer then is a ſpecial token in all things that we goe about, that we look for our help from God: and therefore if we beleeue that it is God that muſt ſtay this mortality and ſicknes, and that he muſt defend others and our ſelues in it, we muſt pray earneſtly and continually for our ſelues and them: but if we let prayer alone, or vſe it ſeldome, whatſoeuer we ſay with our mouth, we do not ſo beleeue it in hart as we ſhould. For faith muſt appeare by the fruits of it, els it is a dead faith, and as a body without a ſoule, which hath no actions of life: and prayer is one principall fruit, as the Apoſtle ſaith; How ſhal they cal vponupon him, in whom they hauehave not beleeued? Rom. 10.14. 2 Cor. 4.13.ſhewing that as there can be no prayer without faith, ſo faith doth neceſſarily bring forth prayer. Therefore let vsus ſtir vp our ſelues vntounto prayer, and neuer ceaſe calling vponupon God, euen as we do beleeue that all our helpe muſt come from him.
And here by the way we ſee the nature of true faith,Faith ſeeth helpe in heauen, when there is none in earth. that it cauſeth vsus to ſee help in heauen, & ſo to pray for it, when there is none to be ſeene in the earth. And this is the difference between faith & vnbeleefe: that the very vnbeleeuers can by reaſon conceiue of help, ſo long as they hauehave any meanes to help them; but if they fayle, they can ſee none at all: ſo they are like vntounto thoſe that are pore-blind, who can ſee nothing but neere at hand. But faith ſeeth a farre off, euen into heauen, ſo that it is the euidence of things that are not ſeene:Heb. 11.1. for it looketh vntounto the power of God, who hath all meanes in his hand, or can worke without them, who made all of nothing, and calleth the things that bee not, as though they were. So that as the holy Martyr S. Stephen, Rom. 4.17. Act. 7.54.when his enemies were ready to burſt for anger, and gnaſh at him with their teeth, looked ſtedfaſtly into heauen, and ſaw Chriſt ſtanding at the right hand of God ready to defend him: ſo faith in the promiſes of the word, doth ſee help in heauen ready for vsus, when there are no meanes in earth. For as Abraham did not cōſider his own body,Rom. 4.19. nor the deadnes of Sarahs womb, but conſidered what God had promiſed, and what he was able to doe: ſo if we look to the promiſes of Gods word, which are many and moſt true, wee ſhall ſee helpe from heauen, if no where elſe. Let vsus labour then for that faith which may comfort vsus from heauen, for it may be in the extremity of this ſickneſſe wee ſhall ſee none in earth: ſo when others are dumbe, or not knowing what to ſay, our mouthes ſhal be opened to ſpeake vntounto God, and ſay, Send vsus helpe from the Sanctuary, that is, from heauen.
Strength from Sion.It thus followeth: And ſtrengthen thee out of Sion. Before they prayed for helpe from heauen, now they pray for ſtrength out of Sion: where by Sion they meane that part of Ieruſalem, called mount Sion, where afterwards the tēple was built; where now the Arke (the viſible ſigne of Gods preſence was) where they worſhippe God in the word, ſacrifice, and prayer: and by ſtrength, thee meaneth not the ſtrength of men and munition meet for war & for help, (which was prayed for before) but inward ſtrength of the mind, & courage which was meet for the enemy: that he might truſt in the defence of God, & might not be diſmayed by any power of the aduerſary, but that he might beare his eſtate as was conuenient. And this was very requiſit; for if he had had neuer ſo many meanes,Courage of mind is needfull in all troubles. and had had no heart, he ſhould not hauehave vſed them, or vſed them to no purpoſe: and how ſhould he hauehave ſtrength of heart, vnles God gaue it? and how ſhould God giuegive it, vnles he asked it of him? Therefore he taught them to pray for that alſo. This ſheweth that as in war, ſo in all other afflictions which cauſe feare, there is requiſite an inward courage of the mind to vphold a man: for if he hauehave a good hart he ſhall beare many things: and if he hauehave no hart, the leaſt thing will diſmay him.Prou. 18.14 Therefore Salomon ſaith, The ſpirit of a man will ſuſtaine his infirmity, but a wounded ſpirit who can beare it? 2. King. 7.5, 6.The Aramites on the ſuddaine heard a great noyſe when they beſieged Samaria, and they all fled away for feare, and left their tents and all things ſtandingf as they were, and ſo the Iſraelites came and ſpoyled them: they had men enough, but they wanted courage. So is it ſaid of all the Kings of Canaan, which were many and mighty, that their hearts fainted, and ſo they could not ſtand before Ioſhua.Ioſh. 2.12. & 5.1.
So is it in all other afflictions that we be ſubiect vntounto, we had need of ſtrength according to the meaſure of it, to beare it: for if we hauehave no faith or confidence in God, what ſhall become of vsus? Iob in al his great afflictions, becauſe he had a good hart, and truſted in God, bore them al paciently, and ſaid,Iob. 13.15. Eſpecially in this mortality of the plague. If the Lord kill me, I will truſt in him. At this time eſpecially in reſpect of this great ſicknes it is moſt needful to hauehave ſtrength of faith, to beleeue Gods gracious prouidence, that things come not by chance, but by his fatherly diſpoſition: and to beleeue that he hath a care of vsus, and that nothing commeth by fortune; for if a Sparrow falleth not to the ground without his wil,Matt. 10.29.30. then much leſſe do men dye, eſpecially ſeeing the very heyres of our head are numbred: that ſo we may cōmend our ſelues vntounto him, and take all things as from him, and be contented with it. I ſay, as this faith is alwaies requiſite, becauſe we know not what may befall vsus on the ſuddain, ſo moſt of all at this dangerous time. And this is neceſſary not only for our ſelues, but for our brethren alſo, that accoridng to the meaſure of the ſickneſſe and paine, and temptations of their minde, ſo they might hauehave ſtrength to beare al. For the very want of this ſtrength hath bin the cauſe, that many euen for feare hauehave been ouercome: much more when the thing hath bin vponupon them, hauehave they fallen into great impatiency and many lamentable outcries. EueryEvery one of vsus is well acquainted with our owne weaknes this way, and do find by experience how ſmal things we can beare, and how the leaſt thing doth ouercome vsus, yea, the very feare of it many times: therefore we had need to labour for ſtrength. And by that weakenes that is in our ſelues, we may eaſily iudge what is in others, and ſo ſee how requiſit it is for them alſo, that God ſhould ſtrengthen them.
Further it is to be conſidered,God onelyonly ſtrengtheneth and weakneth the heart of man. that as we hauehave ſeene how requiſite it is for vsus to hauehave ſtrength according to the meaſure of our croſſes & temptations: ſo of whom we ſhal hauehave it, namely of God, for they pray to him for it, and ſay, The Lord ſtrengthen thee out of Sion: he hath the hearts of all in his hands, to order at his pleaſure; and if he giuegive ſtrength, then ſhall we be ſtrong▪ and if he withdraw his hand from vsus, and caſt feare vponupon vsus, if we were as ſtout as Lions before, we ſhall be as weake as water. And this truly as it is a great puniſhment to bee too feareful, ſo God hath threatned to caſt it vpō them that breake his law: and contrary to be of a good courage, as it is a ſingular fruit of a good conſcience, ſo God hath promiſed to giuegive it to thoſe that keepe his law.Leuit. 26.7. For it is thus written: If yee walke in mine ordinances, and keepe my commandements to doe them, fiue of you ſhall chaſe an hundreth, Verſ. 36.and an hundreth of you ſhall put ten thouſand to flight: But if they will not obey me, nor do all theſe commandements, I will ſend a faintnes into their hearts in the land of their enemies, and the ſound of a leafe ſhaken ſhall chaſe them, and they ſhall flee as fleeing from a ſword, and they ſhall fall no man purſuing them: they ſhall alſo fall one vponupon another, as before a ſword, though none purſue them, and ye ſhal not be able to ſtand before your enemies. Deut. 28.66.And thy life ſhal hang before thee, & thou ſhalt feare both night and day, and ſhalt hauehave none aſſurance of thy life: in the morning thou ſhalt ſay, would God it were euening, and in the euening thou ſhalt ſay, would God it were morning, for the feare of thine hart which thou ſhalt feare, & for the ſight of thine eyes which thou ſhalt ſee. Thus ſtrength & courage in all troubles is the gift of God, as fearefulnes is a puniſhment ſent of God:I…ſh. 2.11. for it is ſaid, that the Lord caſt a feare vponupon the Cananites, ſo that they durſt not ſtirre. Thus we ſee who is the giuer of al ſtrength in al trials and temptations, and that we hauehave it not of our ſelues. Therefore no man muſt thus preſumptuouſly think of himſelf, that if trouble come he hopes he ſhal beare it out wel enough, for he hath ſufficient ſtrength and courage: for if he were of as great courage and valour as Dauid, who ſlew a Lyon and a Beare, yea Goliah himſelfe; yet when he commeth to a new trial, he ſhal find himſelfe altogether inſufficient, but as the Lord ſhall make a new ſupply of ſtrength. The Apoſtle S. Peter thought himſelf to be a ſtouter man a great deale then he was, and that he would not ſhrinke for a little, when he ſaid: if all men forſake thee, yet will not I: Matth. 26.33.but at the length God leauing him to himſelf for his triall, he had no ſtrength to ſtand, but did both deny & forſweare his Maiſter three times. Thus wee muſt aſcribe all our former ſtrength vntounto God, & he only it is, that muſt ſtrengthen vsus still.
In troubles we muſt pray to God to ſtrengthen vsus. Iam. 1.5.Seeing it is ſo, we muſt pray to him for it, as Dauid doth here; prayer is the meanes to obtaine all things from God: therefore not only if we lack wiſedome, as the Apoſtle ſaith, let vsus aske it of God, but if we lack any thing els; as if we be faint-harted, if we be weake in faith, if wee lack patience, if wee feare that wee ſhall not be able to beare things. Therefore as in trouble wee muſt pray for other things according to our eſtate, as for deliuerance, or mitigation; ſo eſpecially for ſtrength to beare whatſoeuer ſhall be laid vponupon vsus: and wee may doe it in the greater faith, becauſe God hath promiſed it,1. Cor. 10.13. euen that hee will lay no more vponupon vsus, than we ſhall be able to beare. So then in all affliction let this be one part of our prayer; for if God ſtrengthen vsus, we ſhall be able to beare any thing. And whereas they pray thus for Dauid, it is our bound duty ſo to pray one for another: as if we heare of any to be vnderunder any croſſe, pray vntounto God for them, that God would ſtrengthen them.And ſo ſtrengthen thoſe that are vnderunder the plague. So did the Martyrs in perſecution one for another, and ſo muſt we do now for thoſe that are, or ſhalbe viſited with this peſtilence: that God would ſtrengthen them with faith in his good prouidence, with patience to beare all things, with perſeuerance vntounto the end. And as he looked for good by their prayers, ſo God that hath commanded vsus to pray one for another, will not ſuffer vsus to pray for them in vaine. And thus though we cannot come one to an other by reaſon of the infection, to miniſter any other comfort, yet wee may pray vntounto God to ſtrengthen them; and though wee cannot eaſe them of their paine, yet God may ſtrengthen them by our prayers to beare it patiently.
Out of Sion. As before he had taught them to aske ſtrength for him, ſo here he doth ſhew from whence he did looke for it,Out of Sion, the place of Gods worſhip. and from whence hee would hauehave them pray that it might come: namely from Sion, which was the place of Gods worſhip; vntounto which hee had reſpect in naming the place, which there, and there onelyonly, was to bee had: without which that place did not differ from any other. Whereas then theſe are the things that doe ſtrengthen vsus in trouble, that we hauehave ſaith in the forgiuenes of our ſinnes, and in Gods prouidence, hope that God will be with vsus, and defend vsus, and lay no more vponupon vsus than we ſhall be able to beare, and patience that we may be quiet: All theſe are wrought and increaſed in vsus by the word, Sacraments, and prayer; which … Sion… that is, in the place appointed for Gods worſhip … willeth them to pray for him, that God would ſo bleſſe theſe meanes, that he had vſed there before: and which now were, and ſhould be vſed for him, that by them hee might be ſtrengthened, and hauehave a good heart in Gods defence, and ſo hee might not faint in his troubles. Firſt then he ſheweth, that he beleeued, that all his confidence in trouble, and courage in danger, ſhould come from the meanes of Gods worſhip, and without thē he ſhould be as faint-hearted, as might be: but by them hee might bee made confident and bold, to behaue himſelfe in the midſt of trouble,Commeth all ſtrength of faith. as he ſhould doe. And this is moſt true, and that which all of vsus muſt beleeue, and ſhall finde to be true by experience, that into what trouble or danger ſo euer we ſhall come, we ſhal hauehave no more heart to beare any thing, than as we hauehave profited by the word, and Sacraments, and prayer, to beleeue the promiſes that God hath made vntounto vsus in his word. For as Dauid confeſſeth of himſelfe, I had periſhed in my trouble, if my hope had not bin in thy word: Pſal. 119.92.ſo thereby we ſee what did vphold him, and this muſt vphold all men,As from the word of God. the hope that they hauehave of Gods protection & deliuerance, as it is promiſed in the word. So that take away the word, and there can be no hope; & without hope we hauehave no ſtrength to beare any thing, and ſo we muſt needes periſh in any trouble. And hereunto agreeth the Prophet, when he ſaith,Pſal. 130.5. My ſoule hath waited on the Lord, and I hauehave truſted in his word: he was in great trouble, and prayed vntounto God, confeſsing his ſinne, beleeuing the merciemercy of God, and ſo waiting vponupon him for it: but how? truſting in the word: ſo al his hope was from that. And indeede what hope can we hauehave, but from it? For if God had promiſed vsus nothing, or we knew it not, how could we hauehave any hope? and without hope there is nothing but impatiencie, and ſo no ſtrength to beare any thing. So that al our ſtrength is from the word, and in that reſpect from Sion, that is, the place, where it is publikely taught vsus, that we might beleeue it, and ſo be ſtrengthened by it.
Few beleeue that all their ſtrength to beare things is from Gods word.Thus though it be moſt true, yet few beleeue it, that when trouble comes, all their ſtrength to beare it, muſt come from the knowledge and faith which they hauehave gotten from the word: But without this they imagine that they ſhall beare things well enough; for they hauehave good hearts, and ſtout, and are not fearfull, as they ſay, they will not be daunted for a little: they hauehave ſuch and ſuch meanes to truſt vntounto, and they will be merrie, and hauehave good companie, and paſſe away things lightly, and they ſhal not come neere their hearts greatly to trouble them: and ſo they will beare them out well enough. And therfore wee ſee that when trouble comes, few giuegive themſelues to thinke of that, which God hath promiſed in his word; or doe determine to come more diligently vntounto the word than before as though they beleeued that all their ſtrength muſt come from thence. But whatſoeuer men imagine of their owne ſtrength, this will be found true at the laſt, that all our courage is from the meanes of our ſaluation; and that all other confidence, that men hauehave from any thing els, ſauing from them, wil deceiue them. For though they may ſtoutly beare out things for a time, yet in the end they will fall into great impatiencie and deſpaire, or els into hardnes of heart and blockiſhnes, but as they ſhalbe ſtrengthened by the free promiſes of God made in his word.Epheſ. 6.16. For it is onelyonly faith that will quench all the firie darts of the diuell, as the Apoſtle ſaith: whether he tempteth vsus for our ſinne in the time of our trouble, as the tempter will do, (for he is not ſo called without a cauſe) or he tempteth vsus vntounto ſinne; in all theſe temptations only by faith we ſtand, and that ſhall be as a ſhield, wholy to defend vsus,2. Cor. 1.24. and to quench the firie darts of the wicked, that is, euen thoſe grieuous temptations, which otherwiſe are able to ſet ſoule and bodie on fire. But what faith can we hauehave, but from the word, and the free promiſes therein contained? therfore all our ſtrength is from thence, and from the reſt of Gods worſhip in Sion.
The want of this faith hath pulled downe the hearts of the ſtouteſt; as al the Canaanites, ſeuen great and mightie nations,The want of ſaith in Gods word, hath pulled downe the hearts of the ſ…outeſt. their hearts fainted them for feare of Ioſhua, they had no means from Gods word to ſtrengthen them in his defence. And Saul the King of Iſrael, though he was a goodly man of ſtature, and of great courage, yet when by the meanes of a witch he heard what ſhould become of him, he died away for feare,1. Sam. 28 20. and there was no ſtrength in him. This made Achitophel and Iudas, 2 Sam. 17.23. Matth. 27.5.both of them traytors to their maſters, to deſtroy themſelues; when in their wicked proceedings the feare of Gods wrath was vponupon them, they could hauehave no ſtrength from God by meanes of his word.Gen. 4.14. This alſo made Cain to become a vagabond, and a runnagate, ſo that his conſcience would not let him be quiet in any place, becauſe he had committed a moſt horrible ſinne, and did not repent him, and ſo could looke for no fauour or protection from God in that caſe. And this cauſeth many of the wicked to tremble and ſhake as a leafe,Dan. 5.6. as the King of Babylon did when he was in the middeſt of his prophane cups drinking and ſwilling,Act. 24.26 and Felix alſo in all his great pompe and brauerie; becauſe they were void of faith, whē the one ſaw the iudgmēts of God againſt him, and the other heard of them; and ſo they could hauehave no ſtrength from his word, which they did neither beleeue,And is the cauſe of all weaknes and feare in Gods children. nor know. And this want of the knowledge and faith in the word of God, is the cauſe of all the weakneſſes, and impatiencie that hath appeared in Gods children, and of all their feares: euen that they hauehave not been ſufficiently perſwaded of the forgiuenes of their ſinnes, and of Gods fauour, and that hee hath a care of them, and will diminiſh their griefe and paine in his good time, and giuegive them patience, and lay no more vponupon them than they ſhall be able to beare, and that he will turne all vntounto their good in the end: and ſo they hauehave not bin ſufficiently ſtrengthened by the word. For when they hauehave come to this by hearing, and reading, and meditating vponupon Gods word, and by praier, then hauehave they felt themſelues ſtrengthened to beare all things, and not before, and then onelyonly in that meaſure that they hauehave attained vntounto this perſwaſion, and hauehave been thus ſtrengthened by the meanes of Gods worſhip in Sion.
As appeareth in Iob.We may ſee both theſe in the example of Iob, who is a patterne both of great weaknes, & of great ſtrength: in the weaknes of his faith, and before that he was ſufficiently ſtrengthened by the word, he fell into great impatiencie, and curſed the time that euer he was borne, ſaying, Let the day periſh, wherein I was borne, Job. 3.2.and the night, wherein it was ſaid, there is a manchilde borne, and ſo goeth on, and ſaith much to that effect. See whether a mans weaknes will carrie him, if he hauehave no ſtrength frō the word, yea though hee be a very good man, as Iob was. But when hee was ſufficiently ſtrengthened by the word of God, and had the feeling of it in his heart, hee was able to beare all things: as not only when he ſaid, The Lord hath giuen, Chap. 2.21.and the Lord hath taken it, bleſſed be the name of the Lord: but when in greater affliction hee ſaid, If the Lord kill me, Chapt. 13.25. Chapt. 19.25.yet I will put my truſ in him. And alſo, I am ſure that my redeemer liueth, and I ſhall ſee him, and mine eyes behold him, and none other for me. See againe what we ſhall be able to beare, when wee hauehave gotten ſufficient ſtrength of faith and patience from the word, though wee were neuer ſo weake before. Seeing it is ſo, wee may well know in this viſitation of the plague (if it ſhould come among vsus) from whence wee muſt hauehave ſtrength to beare it; yea and any other triall alſo, that now or hereafter God ſhall lay vponupon vsus; euen from his word, and from that faith and hope that wee hauehave gotten from thence: and ſo much ſtrength aſſuredly ſhall we hauehave, as we hauehave true faith: and without that wee can hauehave none; & the weaknes of our faith is the cauſe of little ſtrength. This ſhould make all of vsus diligent to come to the Church,Therefore in this time of the plague all ſhould labour to get ſtrēgth from the word. and to ſee that we hauehave cauſe to doe, as wee now doe: not onelyonly to come and pray, that God would turne away his heauie hand; but to heare his word carefully, that by it wee might grow in faith and hope, and ſo receiue ſtrength, to beare whatſoeuer God ſhall lay vponupon vsus. In ſo much that if a man had no care before, now he had neede to begin; and hee that was diligent before, muſt be more diligent now; for he hath need of greater ſtrength: and to prouoke all his family to come, that they alſo might be ſtrengthened with him againſt the day of trouble: els if affliction doe come among them, their weaknes and impatiencie may trouble him: whereas if he hauehave gottē any ſtrength of faith, he ſhall hauehave it not for himſelfe alone, but his ſtrength ſhall doe them much good: and all of them being ſtrong in faith, one ſhall comfort and vphold another: For in all companies, the more ſtrength that eueryevery one of them hath, the better ſhall it be for them all.
And let not men deferre vntil Gods hand be vponupon them, and thinke, that they will get ſtrength then:And doe not deferre it vntil Gods hand be vponupon them. Epheſ. 6.12. for when they hauehave done all that they can, they ſhall finde that they hauehave ſtrength little enough, to wraſtle with the paines of their bodie, and temptations of their minde: euen with the prince of the darknes of the world, & with ſpiritual wickedneſſes, and that in the matter of our ſaluation: ſo that when wee hauehave the whole and complet armour of Chriſtians vponupon vsus, euen our loynes girt about with the girdle of truth, and the breaſtplate of righteouſnes, and our feete ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpell of peace, and the ſhield of faith, and the helmet of ſaluation, and the ſword of the ſpirit; yet we ſhall hauehave much adoe to reſiſt in the euill day, and hauing finiſhed all things to ſtand faſt. Beſides, it is not wiſedom for a man to defer to ſeek for any thing then when he ſhould need it: in worldly matters we would be glad to hauehave them before-hand; let vsus bee as carefull for our ſoules: and ſo I pray you for the louelove of Chriſt, and of your owne ſoules, not only to come ſtill, but to profit by your comming, as much as you can, to get ſtrength againſt trouble from Sion: euen from this place of Gods ſeruice, where it is to bee had. Otherwiſe it will come to paſſe, that beſides many great weakneſſes that you muſt needes fall into, this ſhall be a grieuous accuſation to your conſciences, to think, & to complaine ſomewhat too late, Oh how might I hauehave ſtrengthened my ſelf againſt theſe euill daies, if I had made more account of the word? if I had come to it more diligently, & profited by it more effectually? but alas, now what great weaknes of faith is in me? how full of diſtruſt, and of impatiencie am I? how am I out of all hope, becauſe I hauehave neglected the meanes of my ſtrength? Let eueryevery one therefore examine his owne ſtrength, and according to the great weaknes that he findeth in himſelf, ſo let him make more account of comming to the word; and let them now, whileſt they hauehave time, giuegive themſelues plentifully to the reading and meditating of the ſweet and comfortable promiſes of the ſame at home in their houſes, that they and theirs may get as much ſtrength therby as they may, againſt the time of neede.
And as this is our ſtrength, ſo it muſt be the ſtrength of all our brethren: and therfore as Dauid willeth them here to pray for him,In this reſpect, what we ſhuld pray for thoſe that are vnderunder the plague: both for the preachers, and for the hearers. that God would ſtrengthen him out of Sion, that is, by the word, which he had heard there, that now God would call it into his remembrance, and confirme his faith by it: So wee muſt pray for them, that with this viſitaion of the plague, they may ſtill hauehave his word among them, and that it may be diligently preached: and to that end, that the Lord would watch ouer, and preſerue his faithfull Miniſters, the preachers of his word, as the chiefe captaines that ſhould incourage & ſtrengthen the reſt: and that the people may reuerently eſteeme of the word, and of them for the words ſake, & ſo be careful of thē, and of their liues. And that all would willingly come to the word, that may: and they that are ſicke, or ſhut vp and cannot, that God would forgive them their negligent hearing of his word in time paſt, whereby they might hauehave gotten more ſtrength: and that hee would bleſſe that that they heard heretofore, that by it they may be ſtrengthened, and by it be aſſured of the forgiuenes of their ſinnes, and may hauehave hope of eternal life, and ſo patiently abide whatſoeuer God ſhall lay vponupon thē: and further to pray, that the ſeed of Gods word, that hath been ſowen in the furrowes of their harts, may now appeare in them to their owne comfort, and the incouragement of others, and all patience, and hope, and ioy of the holy Ghoſt: And alſo that they might be ſtirred vp to reade it diligently, and carefully to meditate vponupon it, and hauehave wiſedome to applie it to themſelues, that ſo they may hauehave ſufficient ſtrength thereby. Thus ſhall it come to paſſe, that though wee cannot viſit them that are ſicke according to our deſire, for feare of the infection, to comfort them in preſence by the word of God in our mouthes; yet we may pray for them, that God would through the inward working of his holy ſpirit, ſtrengthen them by that good word of his, which they hauehave heard before. That if it ſhall pleaſe God to take thē out of this world, that they may walke in the ſtrength of that ſpirituall foode, which they hauehave already receiued vntounto the kingdome of heauen:1. King. 19.8. euen as Elijah the Prophet walked in the ſtrength of his corporall foode fortie daies and fortie nights vntounto Horeb the mount of God.
And though in ſpeaking of the ſtrength that is to be had in Sion, wee hauehave ſpecially ſtood vponupon the ſtrength that wee hauehave from the word: yet we exclude not the Sacraments, & prayer,This ſtrength alſo is increaſed by the Sacraments, and by prayer publike and priuate. but include them rather, as parts of Gods worſhip, and meanes alſo from whence wee muſt receiue ſtrength againſt trouble. For the Sacraments are as ſeales to confirme vsus in the truth of Gods promiſes, and we muſt vſe them to that end: and by the prayers of the Church both the Word and the Sacraments are fruitfull, and of force to ſtrengthen vsus: therefore whileſt wee may, wee muſt vſe them alſo, and make this account of them, that by them wee may get ſufficient ſtrength for all troubles that ſhall befall vsus. And let vsus know aſſuredly, that how much we hauehave or ſhall faile in the vſe of either of theſe, ſo much may we iuſtly faile of ſtrength: and the more we vſe them, the more ſhall we hauehave ſtrength, and be able to beare any thing. In this reſpect againe I beſeech you, that you would come diligently to the Church, that yee may bee partakers of common prayers there, that ſo by them alſo yee may be ſtrengthened. For God hath made a ſpeciall promiſe vntounto many, that he will be in the middeſt of them: and beſides theſe, wee muſt giuegive our ſelues vntounto priuate prayer in our families, that we and they may hauehave ſtrength thereby to beare all afflictions: and eueryevery man and woman pray often by themſelues, for this is a ſpeciall meanes to hauehave faith and all other good gifts of God increaſed in vsus: for Chriſt hath promiſed to giuegive to thē that aske,Matth. 7.7. therfore now all ſhould ſtirre vp themſelues to all kinde of prayer, that wee might doe, as the Apoſtle willeth vsus, namely, Pray alwaies with all manner prayer and ſupplication in the ſpirit; Epheſ. 6.18.and watch thereunto with all perſeuerance and ſupplication: for this is one of the parts of the ſpirituall armour, whereby we are ſtrengthened againſt our ſpiritual enemies: and this is placed laſt, as the greateſt, and as that from whence al the other hauehave their force. And he ſpeaketh of all manner of prayer, to that end that we might vſe them all, as publikely and priuately, with our ſelues, and with others, that ſo God might bleſſe ſome or all of them, for the ſtrengthening of vsus. And let vsus pray for them that are ſick, who it may bee now in great paine and weaknes cannot pray for themſelues, that they might hauehave the fruite of their owne former prayers, and of others for them, that ſo they might be ſtrengthened from Sion: that is, from the means of Gods worſhip there vſed. Which God grant for Chriſt Ieſus his ſake. Amen.