The strong helper, offering to beare euery mans burthen. Or, A treatise, teaching in all troubles how to cast our burden vpon God but chiefly deliuering infallible grounds of comfort for quieting of troubled consciences. By Iohn Haivvard.

CHAP. XXXII

NOvv wee come to the* 1.1 promise of recompence, folowing in these words And he shal nourish thee, hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer. The rules of holy counsell giuen vs of God, are alwaies inriched with liberall promises of his blessing, that wee may know that it is not in vaine to harken to his voice, n•…•…r either dangerous or fruit∣lesse to follow his direction. When the Lord Iesus said to one that talked with him, This doe, so giuing him direction,* 1.2 there followes a promise in these words, And thou shalt liue, assuring him of good successe, in following his commande∣ment. And vnto all the precepts, in∣structions, and aduises of almightie God (as noting the sure successe that fol∣loweth

the keeping of them) may the words of the Prophet bee added, If yee* 1.3 consent and obey, yee shall eate the good things of the land. That is, if ye will hat∣ken to the voyce of God, and do what hee commandeth, he will prosper your wayes, and you shall liue comfortably in the land that hee hath giuen you to dwell in. For all the precepts, instru∣ctions, & directions God giues, are pre∣cepts, instructions, & directions of holi∣nes, iustice and wisdome, that can not ei∣ther hurtfully or fruitlesly mis-leade vs.* 1.4 The wicked say to God, Depart from vs, for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies: who is the Almightie that wee should serue him? and what profit should we haue, if we should pray vnto him? and the Prophet Malachie chargeth the wicked of his time to haue spoken stout words against God in this manner; Yee* 1.5 haue said, it is in vaine to serue God, and what profit is it that we haue kept his com∣maundements, and that wee walked hum∣bly before the Lord of hostes? Therefore wee count the prowd blessed, euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp, and they that tempt God, yea they are deliuered: this is

the opinion of the wicked, that the com∣mandements, instructions, and directi∣ons of God, carry with them no assu∣rance of good successe: they can deuise and appoint more safely and more pro∣fitably for themselues. But God saith to the righteous that hearken to his cour∣ses, and follow his commaundements, that when hee hath done according to justice and goodnesse, both to the one sort, and to the other, then shall you re∣turne,* 1.6 and discerne betweene the righteous and wicked, betweene him that serueth God, and him that serueth him not. Gods iudgement shall make a sensible diffe∣rence betweene them, while the wicked miscarry and perish, that despised his counsel: & the godly prosper that follow his counsell. For of all the counsel, and of all the commandements of God, the* 1.7 Prophet Dauid saith, By them is thy ser∣uant made circumspect, and in keeping of them there is great reward. For when a man doth honour GOD by his obedi∣ence, as a iust commaunder, and a wise aduiser: then out of his goodnesse hee furthereth and strengtheneth that good successe that dependeth vpon his rule.

Hearken then vnto the voyce of God, follow his holy direction, and all things shall goe well with thee.

But let vs looke to the words of this* 1.8 promise, And he shall nourish thee, hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer. The promise hath two parts. The whole is deliuered by Dauid in such words, as might most fittely answer to those bur∣dens, that at that time lay most heauie vpon his owne soule: that, as hauing re∣couered comfort to himselfe, he•…•… stru∣cteth others to seeke the like: so instru∣cting others how to winne their com∣fort, hee might together confirme his owne more and more.

Now the burthens that at that time* 1.9 were most heauy to Dauid, were two: first, pouertie and want of necessaries for him and his followers: secondly, a great fall from the honour that he lately enioyed in Israel. His pouerty appea∣reth plainely in the historie of his trou∣bles. When Ionathan by his arrowes ga•…•…e him warning to slie, he left all that hee had, and came in bare estate to the house of Ahimelech the Priest, and of him obtained the sword of Goliah (for

hee brought not with him, for haste, so much as a weapon of his owne) and cer∣taine loanes of shew bread for him and for his men. From thence he fled to A∣chish king of Gath, but durst not staie there. Then came he into the wild coun∣trey of Iuda, a place of no plenty: there his number increased daily to the in∣crease of his necessitie: and the inhabi∣tants became his enemies, not relieu∣ing his want, but betraying him and his haunts to Saul▪ Where while he stayed, there fell out a notable thing, that shew∣eth how pouerty pinched him. There was a certaine rich man named Nabal, that sheared his sheepe, and prepared great cheere for his shearers. To him Dauid sent tenne yoong men with this message giuen to them; Goe to Nabal,* 1.10 and aske him in my name how hee doth, and thus shall you say for salutation, Both thou and thine house, and all that thou hast be in peace, wealth, and prosperitie. Behold, I haue heard that thou hast shearers: now thy sheepeheards were with vs, and wee did them no hurt, neither did they misse anie thing all the while they were in Carmel: aske thy seruants, and they will shew thee.

Wherefore let these yong men finde fauour in thine eyes (for wee come in a good sea∣son) giue I pray thee what soeuer commeth to thine hand, vnto thy seruants, and to thy sonne Dauid. This petition, to beg from a churles dinner, fauoureth of no great abundance: and when he was repulsed of Nabal▪ and his yoong men returned empty, bringing nothing to him from Nabal, but churlish words, he became sodainly inraged, and armed foure hun∣dred men, and went that euening with them, with resolution to slay the churle, and all that belonged to him before the morning, which hee had certainely done, if hee had not beene met, and staied in the way by Abigail the pru∣dent wife of Nabal. Now wee knowe what maketh the lion to roare, and the wolfe to be furious, euen hunger, when they seeke for their prey. And had not Dauid beene at that time a hungry lion, if his state without touch of want could haue borne that repulse of Nabal, hee could neuer haue resolued vpon so vio∣lent and cruell a course. This historie most clearely sheweth, that at this time a heauy burden of a poore estate pressed

his soule. Therefore in setting downe this promise, hee vseth words of incou∣ragement to others, that agree fittely with his own condition, and serue con∣ueniently to confirme his owne hope.

And as hee was poore, so also he was* 1.11 fallen from the honour that hee lately enioyed in Israel, and in a manner lay deiected at the feete of his enemies, to be trampled vppon. For hee had beene a great man in the Court of Saul, and in the eyes of all Israel. First in his Fa∣thers house, and in the middest of his brethren, by Samuel sent of God, hee was annointed to be King in Israel. Se∣condly, when the euill spirit, sent of God to vexe Saul did inuade him, and he was in the fits of his furie, then Da∣uid was sent for to the Court, and plaied on his Harpe before Saul, and procured him ease, and a ceasing of his fits, for the euill spirit departed from Saul. Thirdly, when a battell was betweene Israel and the Philistims, and there came forth dai∣ly, out of the hoste of the Philistims, a mighty man named Goliah, of the town of Gath, and defied Israel, from whom al the people fled: then Dauid accepted

the Philistims challenge, and slew him, and put away the shame from Israel, for which honorable fact, the women prai∣sed him in their Song, say•…•…ng, Saul hath* 1.12 slaine his thousand, and Dauid his tenne thousand. Fourthly, Saul made him a captaine ouer a thousand men▪ and whi∣thersoeuer Dauid led them forth, he be∣haued himselfe wisely, and valiantly; for the Lord was with him, and made him to prosper, and all Israel loued him. Lastly, Saul gaue him one of his daugh∣ters to wife, and hee became the Kings sonne in lawe: and hee did eate meate at Sauls Table: and Ionathan Sauls sonne, made a true league of amitie with him, and all the gallants of the Court regar∣ded him. Such had beene the standing of Dauid in a loft•…•… height of honour.

And now from this height of honour, he was fallen low into contemp•…•… before his enemies. For, from his house, his wife, his deare 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ionathan, from the Court, the Cittie, and the Tabernacle; from his honourable office, companie, and estate, hee was glad to she, and to slie into the wildernesse, into woods, and caues and holes to hide his head;

where the company that he had, resem∣bled the place in basenesse. For (besides those of his fathers house) there gathe∣red vnto him, men that were in trouble for their euill deeds, that brought them within danger of law: men that were in debt, and owed more then they were worth, and durst not shew their heads: & men that were troubled in mind, op∣pressed with sorrow, affrighted with feares: this was his companie, as it were the skumme of the people, a rout of lawlesse ones. He was in the Kings dis∣pleasure: and the Kings eares were euer open to all malicious and slanderous re∣ports made against Dauid: and vpon e∣uery discouerie of Dauids abiding in any place, Saul was euer running forth with his armie against him. Thus was he fal∣len from that height of honour in which sometimes hee stoode. And the promise of Gods helpe, and of ease from God, that hee giueth to them that cast their burden vpon GOD, hee deliuereth and putteth downe in such words as are fitly answerable to his owne present conditi∣on, fallen into such disgrace (hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for •…•…uer) that

while he giueth to other men a rule, how to recouer comfort in their afflicted estate, hee might withall confirme his owne conceiued comfort more strong∣ly.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The promise of recom∣pence.
• * 1.2

  Luk. 10. 28
• * 1.3

  Esay 1•…•… 19.
• * 1.4

  Iob 21. 14.
• * 1.5

  Mala. 3 24
• * 1.6

  Mala. 3. 18
• * 1.7

  Psa. 19. 11
• * 1.8

  The words of the pro∣mise are fitted to his owne pre∣sent bur∣dens.
• * 1.9

  Which were two, one was pouer∣ty and wa•…•….
• * 1.10

  1. Sa. 25. 5.
• * 1.11

  His other burdē was a fall from his former honour.
• * 1.12

  1. Sa 17. 7.