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. V.

YOu haue heard what the burden is: now let vs consider what it is to cast this burden vpō the Lord. And hereof I will speake first generally, without relation to any particular sort of these burdens: and then particularly, with relation to the particular sorts of burdens before na∣med: and in such order as they were na∣med, but first generally.

What it is to cast our burden vpon the Lord, we may see by the words of Saint Peter, repeating this precept of our Pro∣phet, and adding a reason in his words, and these are his words, Cast all your care on him, (that is, on God) for he ca∣reth for you: that is when afflictions lie

heauy vpon you, and carefull thoughts, how to bee freed from those afflictions, troble your harts, quiet those thoughts in your selues, because your wisedome is defectiue, and your power is weake, and you are vnable to bring enterprises to passe: and doing that, which in such case; God commandeth and alloweth to bee done, commend your businesse and the successe of it to God by faith∣full prayer: his wisedome is infinite, his power is omnipotent, and by him en∣terprises are brought to passe. This is Peters aduice, vsing our Prophets words, and only changing the name of burden, into the name of care, because our burdens doe breed our care: and this reason hee addeth in his owne words, for hee careth for you: that is, he taketh vpon him, and will dispose and effect all things for your •…•…ase and safe∣tie.

This exposition of casting our burden vpon the Lord, is further warranted by the councell of Saint Paul, saying thus; Be nothing carefull, but in all things let your requests be shewed to God in prayer and supplication, with giuing of thankes:

that is, whereas others wrestling with the burden of their businesse, take much care how to accomplish what they de∣sire, and gaze vpon their strength, their wealth, their wit and friends, to see what helpe these can affoord: doe not you in such sort trouble and turmoile your selues; but modestly considering and vsing such meanes as you haue, a•…•…d giuing thankes vnto God, whether your meanes bee great or small, intreat him in your faithfull prayer to prose∣cute the businesse for your not betray∣ing your owne businesse by sloth and negligence, yet trusting only to God, and depending only vpon his blessing for successe, faile not continually to sol∣licite him with your prayers.

Dauid that is the speaker here▪ doth in another place by another speech of his, excellently interpret this, saying: Trust thou in the Lord, and doe good, dwell in the Land, and thou shalt bee fed assuredly: delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he will giue thee thy hearts desire: com∣mit thy way vnto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to passe: and he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the

light, and thy iudgement as the noone day▪ wait patiently on the Lord, & hope in him.

Here hee giueth many precepts, and euery precept hath his annexed promise. The precepts do follow one another in a most kindly order▪ and together doe teach vs what is to cast our burden vp∣on the Lord.

First he commandeth vs to trust in the Lord, that is, to cal to remembrance the couenant that God made with vs, and the many promises that hee hath giuen vs: and seeing hee is faithfull and true in all his promises, to trust to that couenant, and to ground our faith vpon those promises.

Secondly, hee commandeth vs to de∣light our selues in the Lord, that is, to cheere vp our hearts in God, and to re∣ioice in him, seeing wee haue a God both wise, mighty, mercisull, and saith∣full, tied vnto vs by so large promises, more worth then all friends, fauourers, and helpers in the world. And this re∣ioicing kindely followeth trust in God.

Thirdly, he commandeth vs to com∣mit our waies to the Lord: that is, after our trust is setled in the couenant and

promises, and our ioy conceiued in ha∣uing God so tied vnto vs, then, to fall to prayer, and to intreate God that he will take our cause into his hands, that he will bee pleased to prosecute the businesse for vs: and seeing hee is the gouerner and disposer of all the world and of all causes in the world, that hee will vouchsafe among all other causes, to haue care of ours.

Lastly, he commandeth vs to wait patiently vpon God and hope in him: that is, when trust hath begotten reioycing, and trust and reioycing haue together shewed our desires vnto God in prayer, then to expect in quietnes of our minde such issue as he shall be pleased to giue, not failing to hope for all goodnesse at his hands.

Among which degrees of our deme∣nour to God-ward, for the referring of our cause•…•… to him, hee forgetteth not to insert this aduise▪ that wee doe good and dwell in the land; that is, that con∣tinuing in our place and standing, we take no in direct courses, that may offend God, and pull a curse vpon vs in stead of a blessing: but that wee doe

the offices of our callings, behauing our selues in all things as becommeth wise and honest men, as in the sight of God, that we may in all good consci∣ence expect his blessing. Thus doth he teach vs to cast our burdens vpon God.

These rules being obserued, then he promiseth in all things ease of our bur∣dens. First he promiseth sufficient main∣tenance, saying; Thou shalt be fed assu∣redly. Secondly, hee promiseth con∣tent of heart. saying; He will giue thee thy hearts desire. Thirdly, he promiseth cōuenient dispatch of all thy businesse, saying; And hee shall bring it to passe. Fourthly, he promiseth iustification of all thy well doings against mis-constru∣ction and slander, saying; Hee shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light, and thy iudgement as the noone day: which all men cleerly discerne. These promi∣ses pertaine to the second part of my text, and they greatly commend the soundnesse of those rules of aduice, whereto they are annexed.

And the rules of aduice doe inter∣pret the casting of our burden vpon God. That my text speaketh of: and they shew

vs, that this is truely to cast our burden vpon God, namely, in our trouble to re∣member the couenant of God, and the promises of help, which as he gaue in mercy, so hee will fulfill in truth: and to trust vnto that couenant, and vnto those promises, that is, vnto that God that made that couenant, and gaue those promises: and thereupon to take heart vnto vs, and to cheere our selues in God, which hee calleth delighting in God, reioyeing that we haue so wise, so mighty, so mercifull, and so faithfull a God, so strongly tied vnto vs by so faithfull promises: and then in this gladnesse of our hearts to commend our businesse vnto God by praier, and to make him our aduocate, our Atturny, our solliciter, our factor, our agent, put∣ting ouer our cause wholy to him, reser∣uing nothing to ourselues, but to put him in remembrance from time to time by our praier, and carefully shunning all vnlawfull shifts, that flesh and bloud may perswade vnto, doing that onely that hee by his word doth command vs. And hauing thus left the cause in the hands of God, to wait patiently and

quietly for such successe, as God shall be pleased to giue, thinking that alwaies best, which hee shall bee pleased to doe▪ This by Dauids owne interpretation is that casting of our burden vpon the Lord, which in the words of our text hee adui∣seth vnto.

For illustration of the doctrine, rising out of these places of Scripture; Let me alledge an example or two, wherein you shall see the true practise of these holie rules. While Abraham, hauing left his seruants, went with his sonne Isaac, to the place where he was commanded to offer him vp for a burnt offering vnto God, Isaac spake vnto Abraham his fa∣ther and said, My father, and he answe∣red, Heere am I my sonne: And he said, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the Lambe for the burnt offering? then A∣braham answered, My sonne, God will pro∣uide him a Lambe for a burnt offering. Heere is a notable example of casting our burden vpon God. Abraham was a true beleeuer, and in a case of no small trouble, & burden to his soule, he faith∣fully intended to doe, as God had com∣manded him: and for the successe of all

the businesse, he laid all vpon God, and left it to the disposition of his good pleasure, saying, God will prouide; so must we doe: and this is to cast our bur∣den vpon the Lord.

When Iacob, to shunne the fury of his brother Esau, from whom hee had won his father Isaacs blessing, and also to the end that hee might marrie in his kinred, and not with a daughter of Canaan, as Esau had done, was sent by his father I∣saac in poore estate, with his staffe in his hand toward his vnckle Laban, by the way he vowed a vow, saying▪ if God will be with me & wil keep mein this iourny which I go, and wil giue me bread to eat, & cloths to put on, so that I come againe vnto my fa∣thers house in safetie, then the Lord shall be my God, &c. And vpon this vow and praier ma le, Iacob went forward. Here was a right casting of his burden vpon God, while desiring moderatly things necessary for him, for his foode, for his clothing, for his safety, and for his re∣turne, hee seeketh them by no wrong courses, nor afflicteth his soule with care for them, but meekly by praier beggeth them at the hands of God.

When Dauid fled from Ierusalem, be cause of the rebellion of his sonne Abso∣lom, and it was told him that Ahitophel that great polititian was ioyned with Absolom, being then in great heauinesse, as hauing a great burden fallen vpon him, going vp the Mount of Oliues, with his head couered, his feete bare, and weeping as he went, he praied vnto God and said, O Lord, I pray thee turne the counsel of Ahitophel into foolishnesse. And afterward, when in his way Shemei had railed vpon him, and Abisha•…•… in his heroical indignation would haue taken off the railers head, Dauid said to Abi∣shai and to all his seruants: behold my sonne, which came out of mine owne bow∣els, seeketh my life: then how much more now may this sonne of Iemini? suffer him to curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that the Lord will looke on mine affliction, and doe mee good for his cursing this day. Here doeth Dauid turne his burden vpon the shoulders of God, while he referreth all to his pleasure, and maketh request vnto him for helpe, v∣fing in the meane time much patience.

The places of Scripture before alled∣ged,

and these examples added for illu∣stration, doe teach vs in generall maner for all burdens whatsoeuer, that th•…•…s is to put them off from our owne shoul∣ders, and to lay them vpon the shoul∣ders of God our strong helper, namely, if in our troubles wee remember God, thinke vpon his couenant and promises, his truth and faithfulnesse, his wisdome, mercy and power: and thereupon pray vnto him for his helpe, referring our businesse wholy to his pleasure, patient∣ly expecting, and thankfully accepting what issue he shall be pleased to send. Thus much for this point, what it is to cast our burden vpon the Lord, conside∣red generally without reference vnto any particular branch of our burdens.

Notes

• What it is to cast our burden vp∣on God.
• In generall
• 1. Pet 5. 7
• Phil 4. 6.
• Psal. 37. 3.
• Verse 3.
• Verse 4.
• Verse 5.
• Verse 7
• Verse 3.
• Verse 3.
• Verse 4.
• Verse 5.
• Examples of this cast∣ing off our burden.
• Gen. 2217.
• Gen. 28. 20
• 2. Sam. 15. 31.
• 2. Sam. 16. 11.