The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Shewing how the godly may comfort themselues against their aduersaries.
HItherto of the consolations against reproaches. Now it followeth, that I should shew how a Christian may comfort He may comfort himselfe from the considerationhimselfe against his aduersaries, that oppose him in his course of godlinesse; and so there are many arguments of consolation.
The first may be taken from 1. Of the common condition of all the godly.his condition therin, as it is common to all the godly. For this may stay a mans heart, to know for certaine, that eueryevery man that will liue godly, shall bee opposed, and must suffer persecution, 2 Tim. …. 12.
The second may bee taken 2. Of Gods appointment.from the appointment of God herein: And this stands of two Branches. First, That God from all eternity hath decreed eueryevery mans sufferings this way. Thus Paul leffeneth the thought of the crosse, by pleading that God had appointed them thereunto, meaning by his eternall Decree, 1 Thes. 3. 3. Secondly, That God hath likewise appointed the end, and measure, and deliuerance out of the affliction. Thus the Church duplicate page duplicate page is comforted, Reuel. 2. 10. If it were grieuous to them to know that the Diuell should raise vp wicked men that should call them into prison, yet this may refresh them, that God hath set the time when they shall come forth againe. It shall bee but for ten dayes. It shall neither be so long as the Diuell and wicked men would hauehave it, for then they must neuer come out; nor so little a while as they themselues would hauehave it; for then they would neuer come in, or stay but a while: but God will rule, by determining the time for their good.
The third may be taken from the refuge we may hauehave in God: 3. Of our refuge in God.Wee may alwaies make our recourse to God in all our wrongs, who hath promised to be our refuge, euen our refuge in due time, Psal. 9. 9. If God will receiue vsus, and heare our moanes, and vndertake our protection, it should bee no great thing for vsus to endure the opposit…ons of ….
The so…th may be taken from the pre…ion … we … 4 Of the prediction of Christ.bee… told before plainely what we should expect. … may hauehave. p…c: in …; bu… … forete… is, … he world …ee shall … troubles …oh. …. 3, …. you, that wee must pr…ide to take vp our …se daily Luke. 9 23,
The s…h may bee taken from the de… …ce God. hath promise 5 Of the d…liuerance promised.…vsus; so…lius hee assures vsus, The hand …. the Lord shall bee knowe towa…ds his ser…s, and his indig…on towards the… and his enemies, Es…y. 6 6. …. for that God will … the strength of the …eous in then …ble, will be their saluation out of their trouble… he will helpe them and deliuer them, hee will del…er them fr… the wic…ed, and … them … they trust in …ny Psal. …. …9, 40. This glory of the Lord shall …oe known and feared from the East to the West, that if the enemie com… like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall chase him away, Esay 59. …. Therefore feare not thou, O worm… Iacob, for thus saith the Lord, I am thy God, I will sustaine thee with the right hand of …y Iusti…: Behold, all they that pr…uoke the…, sha… be ashamed, they shal be as nothinge the men of thy strife shall perish, Esay 41. 10, 11. For the Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation, & to reserue the vniust to the day of iudgement to be punished, 2. Pet. 2. 9. God will deliuer the poore when he cryeth, the needy also, and him that hath no helper, Psal. 72. 21.
The sixt may bee taken from 6 Of Gods iudgement vponupon our aduersarie…the certaine iudgement of God that shall fall vponupon their aduersaries: The men of thy strife shall perish, and they that warre against thee, shall be … a thing of no…: They shall seeke them and not finde them, Esay 41. 11, 12. All these curses will the Lord lay vponupon their enemies, and vponupon them that hate them and persecute them, Deut. 30. 7. All those euill neighbours that touch the inheritance of Israel, God will plucke them out of their land, and plucke his people from among them, Ier. 12. 14. The wicked draw their swords, & bend their bowes against the godly; but their sword shall enter into their owne heart, and their bow shall bee broken; for the armes of the wicked shall be broken, and the Lord wil vphold the iust, Psal. 37. 14, 15, 17. And besides, for their full payment, they are reserued vntounto the day of iudgement to be punished.
The seuenth may bee taken from the consideration of the 7 Of the effects and consequents.effects and consequents of this opposition: For first, hereby wee giuegive our testimony to Christ and the Gospell, when wee partake of the afflictions of the Gospel, 2. Tim. 1. 18. Secondly, these oppositions do as much good for the present, when Gods seruants fall into these troubles, the fruite will be, it will try them, and purge them, & make them white, till their time be come, for there is a time appointed, Dan. 11. 35, 36. Thirdly, God may turne the hearts of the wicked, and make them of Lyons and Tygers, to become Lambes, & no more to doe hurt in the mountaine of the L…rd, Esay 11. The W…lfe and the Lambe may come to seede together, and the Lyon eate straw like the Bullocke, Esay 65. 25.
Lastly, wee shall gaine exceedingly … Of our own gaine by them.by these sufferings; for we are assured, that if we suffer with Christ, we shall reigne with him in another world, 2 Tim. 2. 11, 12. We should therefore reioyce that we partake in the sufferings of Christ, because we are assured, that when Christ appe…res in his glory, we shall then be glad and reioyce, 1 Pet. 4. 13.