The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 6 – Chapter 7
CHAP. VI.
Wherein many principall Obiections of the godly are answered.
NOw for the better establishment of mens hearts in the former comforts, it will not bee amisse to take off the obiections with which many times godly men doe aggrauate their distresse aboue the respect of the former consolations.
1 Ob. If they were ordinarie Ob.reproaches, it would not so much trouble mee, but they are vile things which are obiected against me.
Sol. They cannot bee viler Sol.things then hauehave beene obiected against Christ and the godly. For there hauehave beene obiected
Grieuous things, Acts 25. 7.
Gluttony, Math. 11. 18, 19.
Madnesse, Iohn 10. 20.
Blasphemie,
Math. 26. 65.
Act. 6. 11, 13, 14
Deceiuing, Iohn 7. 12.
Rebellion, Acts 17. 6, 7.
Rayling, Acts 23. 4.
Schisme, Acts 28. 22.
Wickednesse of life, 1 Pet. 2. 12.
2 Ob. But base persons doe Ob. 2.reuile me, the verie scum of the people doe scorne me.
Sol. This is no strange thing. Sol.The abiects gathered themselues together against Dauid, they did teare and ceassed not, Psal. 35. 15. The drunkards sang of him, Psalm 69. 12. Those that der…ded Iob, were such, whose fathers he would hauehave disdained to set with the dogs of of his Flocke, Iob 30. 1.
3 Ob. But I hauehave liued long Ob. 3.vnderunder such disgraces.
Sol. Rest thy selfe, and fret not Sol.at the man that prospereth in his way, the Lord will find a time to bring forth thy innocencie, as the light, Psal. 37. 7 Zeph. 3. 18, 19. God will finde a time to get thee praise in eueryevery place where thou hast beene put to shame.
4 Ob. But I am almost buried Ob. 4.with the almost infinitenesse of scorne and reproaches.
Sol. That was no more then was in Dauids case; Hee was so Sol.buried in disgrace, that he was as a dead man, forgotten, and out of mind, Ps. 32. 12, 13. He was a reproach of men. Psal. 22. 12. A byword, Ps. 44. 14, &c. A prouerbe, Ps, 69. 11. A wonder to many, Ps. 71. 7. And the Apostles were a gazing stock to men and Angels, 1 Cor. 4. 9. 2. Cor. 6. 8.
5 Ob. But great men set against me.Ob. 5.
Sol. That was Dauids case; Feare was on eueryevery side, he heard Sol.the raylings of great men, which consulted together against him, Ps. 31. 13.
6 Ob. But I am sentenced and accused as an euill doer most vniustly, Ob.and that publikely.
Sol. So was our Sauiour Christ, Sol.and that by a whole Councill of men, Math. 27. 1 Iohn 11. 47, 48. And so was Stephen, Acts 6. 12. And so were the Apostles, Act. 4. 6, 15. and 5. 27. And so was Paul, Acts 23. 1. The most righteous may suffer as euill doers, 2 Tim. 2. 9. The wicked so compasse about the righteous, that many times wrong iudgement proceeded; but this is his comfort, The Lord will not leaue him in the hand of the wicked, nor condemne him when he is iudged, Psal. 37. 32, 33. If God condeme vsus not, it matters not for the sentences of vniust men. And the rather, because God hath further promised the godly man, that he will stand at his right hand, to saue him from the iudges of his soule, Psa. 109. 31.
7. Ob. But I am by slander cast Ob. 7.out of the Church, with great pretence of the glory of God.
Sol. The Lord in the Prophet Sol.Esay's time had obserued such a thing as this. For the Prophet tels the godly, that their brethren had hast cast them out, and said, Let the Lord be glorified. But he assures them from the Lord, that God would appeare to their ioy, and their brethren that cast them out, should be ashamed, Esay 66. 5.
8. Ob. But they which hauehave thus grieuously wronged mee, Ob. 8.liue in all prosperitie, no iudgement lighteth vponupon them, God doth not plead my cause against them.
Sol. Thou knowest not how Sol.God dealeth with them, God can iudge them secretly, and consume them insensibly, so as the world shall take no notice of it, as the moth eateth vp the garment, without making any great rent, Esay 51. 8. And for this reason, they are exhorted in that place, not to feare the reproach. Secondly, What knowest thou what God will yet doe with them? For God hath pleaded the cause of his seruants many times by bringing strange iudgements vponupon the wicked. This Pashur shall be made Magor-missabib, that is, a terrour round about, and all that heare it shall tremble, Ier. 20. 3. God can cloathe thy aduersaries with shame, and couer them with their owne confusion, as with a mantle, Psa. 109. 29.
9. Ob. But I am censured by Ob. 9.good men with much bitternesse, as if I were guiltie, and there is none to comfort or pittie mee.
Sol. So was Iob deepely censured Sol.by his godly friends: And so was Paul of his owne hearers, 1 Cor. 4. 4, 10. Thus Dauid was forsaken in his wrongs, so as none would comfort him, Psalme 69. 20.
10. Ob. But yet one thing much troubles me, that is, that Ob. 10.since these slanders, the hand of God hath been vponupon me in diuers particular iudgements, and this makes people to thinke, sure I am guiltie:
Sol. So they thought of Paul when the Viper fell on his hand, Sol.being a man that was before accused, and now sent as it were a prisoner, Acts 28. So they iudged of Dauid when he was sicke, that some euill disease did cleaue to him, Psa. 41. 8. Yea, this was our Lord Iesus Christs case, For they iudged him as plagued and smitten of God, Esay 53. 4.
11. Ob. But the things obiected Ob. 11.against me, are so foule, that when I here those things spoken of publikely or priuatly, I blush, and that may cause mee to bee thought to be guilty.
Sol. This was Dauids case being innocent: he saith, Shame couered Sol.his face when he bore reproch, Psal. 69. 7. And his confusion was continually before him; and the shame of his face couered him, for the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth, by reason of the enemie, Psa. 44. 15.
CHAP. VII.
Directions in the case of Reproaches.
I Conclude this point cōcerning reproaches, with certaine directions. Foure wayes to auoid reproaches.There be diuers things to be done of vsus, if wee would be rightly ordered in the case of reproaches.
1. We should shun the company of such as are giuen to slander: as it is said of Paul, when diuers were hardened, and spake euil of the way, he departed from them, and separated the Disciples, Acts 19. 9.
2. The daily refuge against the scornes of reproaches, must be to get to God, & hide thy selfe with him by prayer. When Dauid is thus encountred, if you aske what he did; he saith, when they railed, but I betooke my selfe to prayer, Psa. 109. 4. and Psal. 31. 13.
3. Looke to thy tongue, be silent, see thou render not reuiling for reuiling, but rather trust in God, and blesse them that curse thee, Psalme 37. 7. 1 Peter 3. 9. Psalme 31. 14. 1 Cor. 4. 12. Ier. 18. 20.
4. Liue inoffensiuely, and bee sure thou keepe Gods way: For if any thing will medicine their tongues, that must be it, 2 Cor. 6. 3, 8. 1 Peter 2. 12. and 4. 14, 15. Psalme 37. 34. For it may bee at length, the same mouth that cursed thee, will blesse thee, and glorifie God for thee.