The Promises, Chapter 6 – Chapter 7
CHAP. VI.
Wherein many principal 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 obiectons with which many times godly men doe aggrauate their distresse aboue the respect of the former consolations.
1. Ob. If they were ordinary reproches, it would not so much trouble mee, but they are vile things which are obiected against mee?
Sol. They cannot bee viler things then hauehave bin obiected against Christ & the godly. For there hauehave beene obiected;
Grieuous things. Acts 25 7.
Gluttony. Math 11. 18. 19.
Madnesse: Iohn. 10. 20.
Blasphemy. Mat. 26. 65. Ac. 6. 11. 13. 14
Deceiuing. Iohn 7. 12.
Rebellion. Acts 17. 6. 7.
Railing. Acts 23. 4.
Schisme. Acts 28. 22.
Wickednes of life. 1. Pet. 2. 12.
2. Ob. But base persons doe reuile mee, the very scumme of the people doe scorne me.
Solu. This is no strange thing. The abiects gathered themselues together against Dauid, they did teare and ceased not, Psal. 35. 15. The drunkards sang of him, Psal. 69. 13. Those that derided Iob, were such, whose fathers hee would hauehave disdained to set with the dogs of his flocke, Iob 30. 1.
3. Ob. But I hauehave liued long vnderunder such disgraces.
Sol. Rest thy selfe, and fret not at the man that prospereth in his way, the Lord will finde a time to bring forth thy innocency, as the light, Psal. 37. 7. Zephan. 3. 18. 19. God will find a time to get thee praise in eueryevery place where thou hast beene put to shame.
4. Ob. But I am almost buried with the almost infinitenesse of scorne and reproches.
Sol. That was no more then was in Dauids case; he was so buried in disgrace, that hee was as a man dead, forgotten, and out of minde, Ps. 31. 14. he was a reproch of men, Psal. 22. 12. A by-word, Psal. 44. 9, &c. A prouerb, Psal. 69. 11. A wonder to many, Psal. 7. 7. and the Apostles were a gazing stocke to men and Angels, 1. Cor. 4. 9. 2. Cor. 6. 13.
5. Ob. But great men set against me.
Solu. That was Dauids case: Feare was on eueryevery side, he heard the railings of great men, which consulted together against him, Psalm 31. 13.
6. Ob. But I am sentenced and accused as an euill doer most vniustly, and that publikely.
Sol. So was our Sauiour Christ, & that by a whole Councell of men, Mat. 27. 1. Iohn. 11. 47. 48. and so was Stephen, Act. 6. 12. and so were the Apostles, Act. 4. 6. 15. and 5. 27. and so was Paul, Act. 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 iudgment proceedeth, Hebr. 2. 3. 4. but this is his comfort, The Lord will not leaue him in the hand of the wicked, nor condemne him, when hee is iudged, Psal. 37. 32. If God condemne 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, Ps. 109. 31.
7. Ob. But I am by slander cast out of the Church with great pretence of the glory of God.
Solu. The Lord in the Prophet Isaiahs time had obserued such a thing as this. For the Prophet tels the godly, that their brethren had cast them out, and said; Let the Lord bee glorified. But hee assures them from the Lord, that God would appeare to their ioy, and their brethren which cast them out, should be ashamed, Isaiah 66. 5.
8. Ob. But they which hauehave thus grieuously wronged me, liue in all prosperity, no iudgement lighteth vponupon them, God doth not pleadmy cause against them.
Sol. Thou knowest not how 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, Isay 51. 8. And for this reason they are exhorted in that place, not to feare the reproch. 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 bee made Magor-missabib, that is, a terrour round about, & all that heare it, shall tremble, Ierem. 20. 3. God can cloath thy aduersaries with shame, and couer them with their owne confusion as with a mantell, Psal▪ 109. 29.
9. Ob. But I am censured by good men with much bitternesse, as if I were guilty, and there is none to comfort or pitty mee.
Sol. So was Iob deeply censured 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, Psal. 69. 20.
10. Ob. But yet one thing much troubles me, that is, that since these slanders, the hand of God hath bin vponupon mee in diuers particular iudgements, and this makes people to thinke, sure I am guilty.
Sol. So they thought of Paul when the Viper fell on his hand, being a man that was before accused, and now sent as it were a prisoner, Acts 28. so they iudged of Dauid when hee was sicke, that some euill disease did cleaue to him, Psal. 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 against mee are so foule, that when I heare those things spoken of publikely, or priuately, I blush, & that may cause me to be thought to be guilty.
Solu. This was Dauids case being innocent; hee saith, Shame couered 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 voyce of him that reprocheth and blasphemeth by reason of the enemy, Psal. 44. 14. 16.
CHAP. VII.
Directions in the case of reproches.
I Conclude this point concerning reproches, with certain directions. There be diuers things to 4 Waies to avoid reproches.be done by vsus, if we would bee rightly ordered in the case of reproches.
1 We should shunne the company of such as are giuen to slander, as it is said of Paul, when diuers were hardned, and spake euill of the way, he departed from them, and separated the Disciples, Acts 19. 9.
2 Thy daily refuge against the scorns of reprochers, must bee to goe to God, and hide thy selfe with himby praier. When Dauid is thus encountred, if you aske, what hee did? he saith, when they railed, But I betooke my selfe to prayer, Psal. 109. 4. and Ps. 31. 19.
3 Look to thy tongue, be silent, see thou render not reuiling for reuiling, but rather trust in GOD, and blesse them that curse thee, Psal. 37. 7. 1. Pet. 3. 9. Psalme. 31. 14. 1. Cor. 4. 12. Ierem. 18. 20.
4 Liue inoffensiuely, & be sure thou keep Gods way: For if any thing will medicine their tongues, that must be it, 2. Cor. 6. 3. 8 2. Pet. 2. 12. and 4. 14. 15. Ps. 37. 34. For it may bee at length the same mouth that cursed thee, wil blesse thee, and glorifie GOD for thee.