The fort-royal of the Scriptures, or, The vade-mecum concordance presenting unto the world an hundred heads of Scripture, most of them common-placed for publique use : wherein all (especially the weaker sort of Christians) may suddenly command most of all the rarities in the book of God / by an admirer of the word.

LXIX. Happines of Saints

Generals.

THey are blessed in all estates and in all places, Deu. 28.2, 3.

God is their life and the length of their days Deut. 30.20.

They are a happy people,

There is none like unto them, Deu. 33.27

The Lord is the shield of their help, and the sword of their excel∣lencie, Deut. 33.29.

He keeps covenant and mercy with them, 1 King. 8.23.

The things that their soule refuses, may be∣come unto them their pleasant food, Iob 6.7.

The Lord knoweth their way, Ps. 1.6.

The Lord is a shield

for them, their glory, and the lifter up of their head, Ps. 3.3.

His blessing is upon them, Ps. 3.8.

Mercy compasseth them about, Ps. 32.10

The Lord hath plea∣sure in their prosperity, Ps. 35.28.

They shal be abun∣dantly satisfied with the fatnesse of Gods house, and drink of the rivers of his pleasures, Ps. 36.8.

They inherit the earth, delight them∣selves in the abundance of peace, Ps. 37.11.

Their days are known of God, and their in∣heritance shall be for ever, Ps. 37.18.

The Lord forsakes them not, they are pre∣served for ever, ps. 37.28

They are exalted to inherit the land, when the wicked are cut off, Ps. 37.34.

Usually their end is peaceable, Ps. 37.37.

Their confidence and dependance upon God failes not even in the greatest stormes, Psal. 46.3.

God will not cast off his Saints, nor forsake his inheritance, Psal. 94.14.

Though they sow in teares yet they reap in joy, Ps. 126.5.

God is nigh unto them who call upon him in truth, Ps. 145.18.

He taketh pleasure in them, and wil beautifie them with salvation, Ps. 149.4.

It is well with them in all estates, for they eat the fruit of their doings, Isa 30 10.

Gods exceeding good∣nesse unto them is be∣yond expression & ad∣miration in all things, Isa. 40.31.

He poures water on them that are thirsty, and flouds on them which are as dry ground

And puts his spirit and blessing upon their seed and off-spring, Isa. 44 3.

He gives them at sometimes, as it were boldnesse and leave to command him in the works of his hands, Isa. 45.11.

For his own sake he defers his anger against them, and for his praise he refrains from cuting them off, Isa. 48.10.

He cannot nor will not forget them, Isa. 49.15.

They are graven up on the palmes of his hands, their walls are ever in his sight, Isa. 49.16.

Though they endure many miseries, yet they have unexpected sute∣able mercies and deli∣verances, Isa. 49.9, 20

Their maker the Lord of hostes is their hus∣band, Isa. 54.5. Ier. 31.32.

He supplies other their wants within his house and within his walls, with a name bet∣ter then that of sonnes and daughters, Is. 56.5.

He wil not contend alwayes with them, nei∣ther be alwayes wroth, lest the spirit should fail before him, and the soul which he hath made, Isa. 57.16.

In his wrath he smites them, but in his favour he hath mercy on them Isa: 60.10.

The mercies are un∣conceivable which he hath prepared for them that wait for him, Isa. 64.4.

He meets them that rejoice, and worketh

righteousnes, Isaiah 64.5.

He looks unto them that are poor, and that are of a contrite spirit, Isa 66.2.

The Lord pleads their cause, Jer. 50 34.

And the causes of their soul, Lam. 3.58.

He is a God unto them, and they are his people, Jer. 31.1.

They are as a tree planted by the waters, that spreads her root by the river, and shall not see when heate cometh,

Their leaf is green, they are not careful in the time of drought, neither cease from yiel∣ding fruit, Jer. 17.8.

Gods compassions are renewed unto them e∣very morning, in the greatnes of his faith∣fulnes, Lam. 3.23.

Gods manifest works of goodnesse for them are innumerable, Psal. 34.8.

They are betrothed unto the Lord for ever in righteousnes, in judgment, loving kind∣nes, faithfulnes and mercies, Hos. 3.19.

Gods loving kind∣nesses unto them are mervellous, Ps. 17.7.

God hath set them apart for himself, and will hear their prayer, Is. 4.3.

They are prevented with blessings of good∣nes, and have their hearts desire, Psalme 21.3.

Gods goodnes is unspeakeable, which he hath laid up & wrought for them before the sonnes of men, Psalm 31.18.

He gives them one heart and one way to fear him for ever, for

the good of them and their children,

He causeth them to come unto him weep∣ing, and ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherwards,

Entring into an ever∣lasting Covenant with God, that shall not be forgotten, Jer. 50.5.

The Lord waits for a time to shew mercy unto them, Isa. 30.18.

He pleads the causes of their soul, having re∣deemed their life, Ier. 3.58.

He might even deal with them as they have dealt with him, in de∣spising his oath & brea∣king his Covenant:

But he remembers his covenant made with them in the dayes of their youth, and establi∣shes with them an ever∣lasting Covenant, Eze. 16.60.

God performes all things for them, Psal. 73.2.

He speaks peace unto them, Ps. 85.8.

The mercy of the Lord is from everla∣sting unto everlasting upon them,

And his righteousnes to their childrens chil∣dren, Ps. 103.17.

God judgeth them, and repents himself to∣wards them, Ps. 13 5.14.

God sprinkles them with clean water, to be clean from all their fil∣thines and idols,

Gives them a new heart, and renewes a right spirit within them takes away the stony heart, and gives a heart of flesh,

Puts his spirit in them, and causeth them to walk in his statutes and to do them, Ezek. 36.24, 25, 26.

God executes not the fiercenesse of his wrath against them, for he is God and not man Hos. 11.9.

He heals their back∣slidings, loves them freely when his anger is turned away, Hos. 14.4.

They have everlast∣ing life, and shal never come into condemna∣tion, but are passed from death unto life, Ioh. 5.34,

Christ sanctified him∣self for their sakes, that they also might be san∣ctified through the truth, Ioh. 17.19.

The glory given un∣to Christ, he hath given unto them, for their u∣nity one with another,

John 17.22.

There is no condem∣nation unto them, Rom. 8.1.

The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the law of sin and of death, Rom. 8.2.

All things work to∣gether for good unto them, Rom. 8.28.

The promises are made to them and their children, &c. Act. 3.39

None can separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Rom. 8.38.

By Christ they are justified from all things from which they could not be freed by the law of Moses, Acts 13.39

Whatsoever things are written aforehand, are written for their learning, Rom. 15.4.

Christ is made unto them of God the fa∣ther, wisdome, righte∣ousnesse, Sanctification and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30.

They are the Temple of God, and the spirit of God dwelleth in them, Cor. 3.16.

They all behold with open face as in a mirror the glory of God, and are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3.18.

Their light and short afflictions causeth unto them a farre more ex∣cellent and eternall waight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.17.

They are sealed, and have the earnest of the Spirit in their hearts, 2 Cor. 1.22.

They rather are known of God, then know God, Gal. 4.9.

Their weaknesse in Christ, hinders not their life with him, 2 Cor. 13.4.

They have hope as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entreth into that which is within the veil Heb. 9.16.

Christ is entred into heaven it self, now, to appear in the pre∣sence of God for them Heb. 4.24.

After the decay of their earthly house, they have a building given of God, not made with hands, but eternally in the heavens, 2 Cor. 5.1

They are raised up together, and made to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Eph. 2.6. God supplies all their necessities, Phil. 4, 19.

By the exceeding rich and precious promises they are made parta∣kers of the divine na∣ture, 2 Pet. 1.4.

The spirit dwels with them for ever Ioh. 14.16

They are made of God Kings and priests

unto God the Father, Rev. 1.6.

Christ hath prayed for them all, Ioh 17.20

Dying in the Lord, they are blessed, for they rest from their la∣bours and their works follow them, Rev 14.13.

Christ is gone to pre∣pare a place for them, and wil come again to receive them unto him∣self where he is, John 14.3.

In their safety.

They are all in Gods hand, Deut. 33.3.

God rideth upon the heavens for their helpe, and in his excellency on the sky the eternall God being their refuge from above;

And underneath they are claspt into the ever∣lasting Armes;

Their heavens drop∣ping down the dew, Deut. 33.26, 27.

When their father and mother forsakes them, the Lord gathers them up, Ps. 27.10.

They are as mount Zion which cannot be removed, Psal. 125.1.

The Lord is round a∣bout them, from hence forth even for ever, Ps. 125.2.

There is a hedge round about them, and all that they have, Iob 2.10.

Upon all them the glory there is a defence Isa 4.5.

He contends with them that contend with them, and saves their children, Isa. 29.35,

The mountains shall depart, and the hils be removed; but his kind∣nesse doth not depart from them, nor the covenant of his peace be removed, Isa. 54.

He dwels with them

that are of a contrite spirit, to revive their spirit, and to revive the heart of the con∣trite ones, Isa 57.15.10.

He is married unto them, Ier. 3.14.

Though he scatter them, yet he gathers them again, and makes them to dwell safely, Ier. 31.37.

He makes an ever∣lasting Covenant with them, that he will not turn away from them to do them good,

But so put his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart away from him, Ier. 32.40.

The soules of every living thing and of all mankinde are in Gods hand, Iob 12.10.

There is a mark set on their foreheads, who mourn for all the abo∣minations that are done, Ezek. 9.4.

They are as the Ap∣ple of Gods eye, & are hid under the shaddow of his wings, Psal, 17.8.

The Angel of the Lord encampes round about them, to deliver them, Psal. 134.8.

The Lord in the day time commands his lo∣ving kindnesse to bee with them,

His song being with them in the night, Ps. 42.8.

The haires of their heads are numbered Mat. 10.30.

No man plucketh them out of Gods hand, John 10.28.

Though they seeme dead, yet their life is hid with God in Christ, Col. 2.3.

God makes a league with them for all the creatures, Hos 2.18.

In their keeping.

HE suffers not their feet to be moved, He that keepeth them will not slumber nor sleep, Ps 121.3, 4.

God is their helper, and their shade upon their right hand, Psal. 121.5.

He preserves their going out and their comming in for ever and henceforth, Psal. 125.2.

The Angels are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes who shal be heirs of salvation, Heb. 1.14.

He keepeth their bones, that not one of them is broken, Psal. 34.20.

The Lord preserves them from evill, hee preserves their soule,

He preserves their going out and their comming in for ever∣more, Ps. 121.7, 8.

The Lord keepeth the way of his Saints, Prov. 2.8.

He directeth their paths. Pro. 3.6.

The Lord is their con∣fidence, and keeps their foot from being taken, Prov. 3.26.

He keeps them in per∣fect peace whose mind is stayed on him, Isa. 26.3.

The Lord keeps his vineyard, he waters it every moment, least any hurt it, he keeps night and day, Isa 27.3.

In the extreamest and greatest dangers what∣soever, they are kept, from perishing, Is. 43.7

They are kept from the hurt of greatest ex∣tremity and led com∣fortably by him that

hath mercy on them, Isa. 49.10.

They are kept through the power of God, through faith unto sal∣vation, 1 Pet. 1.5.

In their guiding.

After he hath seen their wayes, he heals them, and leads them, and restores comfort to them and their mourn∣ers, Isa. 57.18.

He guides them by his councel, and after∣wards receives them in∣to glory, Ps. 73.24.

How blinde soever they be, he brings them, by a way which they know not, and in paths unknown, making dark∣nesse light before them and crooked things straight, never forsake∣ing them, Isa, 42.16. (see Psal. 27.33)

Even unto old age he is their God, and even to hoare haires he carries them:

As he hath made so he beares, carries and de∣livers them. Isa. 46.4.

The Spirit guides them in all truth, Iohn 16.13,

He holds their right hand, and encourages them, Isa. 41.13.

In their teaching.

God teacheth their hands to war, and their fingers to fight, 2 Sam. 23.35.

They are taught of God the way that they shall choose, Ps. 25.12

He puts his law in their inward parts, be∣ing their God.

They are all taught of God to know him, who forgives their ini∣quities and remembers their sinnes no more, Ier. 31.34.

The comforter teach∣cheth

them all things, Iohn 14.26.

The anointing which is from above teacheth them all things, 1 Iohn 2.21.

A voice behind them directs them in all things in their way, whether they turne to the right hand, or to the left, Isa. 30.21.

The spirit leads and guides them in all truth, Iohn 16.30.

In their feeding.

He feeds his flock like a shepheard,

He gathers the lambs with his arme,

He carrieth them in his bosome,

And gently leadeth those that are with young, Isa. 40.11.

God searches his sheep and findes them out,

As a shepheard searcheth out his flock, in that day that he is among his sheep that are scattered;

He seeks them forth and dilivers them out of all places, where they have been scatter∣ed, Ezek. 34.11, 12.

He will feed them and make them to lie down;

He seeks that which was lost,

And brings againe that which was driven away,

He bindes up that which was broken,

And strengthens that which was sick, Ezek. 34.15, 16.

In their hearing.

Though he make them waite long, yet at length he enclines to them, and hears their cry, Psal. 40.1.

Upon their crying

unto him, he turnes their mourning at length into dancing, & puts of their sackcloath, and girds them with gladnesse, Ps. 30.8, 11

He fulfills their de∣sire, hears their desire and will save them, Ps. 145.19.

Before they call, he answers, and whilst they are yet speaking hee hears, Isa. 65, 24.

In their strength.

The joy of the Lord is their strength, Neh. 8.10.

Their salvation is of the Lord, he is their strength in the time of trouble, Ps. 37.39.

The Lord strengthens them upon their bed of languishing, and makes all their bed in their sicknesse, 41.3.

In returning and rest they are saved, in quiet∣nesse and in confidence is their strength, Isa. 30, 15.

The Lord is their salvation, strength and song, Isa. 12.12.

Their strength after waiting for God, is re∣newed to mount up with Eagles wings, &c. Isa. 40.31.

The Lord is a strength to them, a strength to the needy in his di∣stresse, a refuge from the storme, Isa. 25.4.

In their sinnes.

God redeems them from all their sinnes, Psal. 130.8.

He blots out their transgressions for his own sake, and will not remember their sinnes, Isa. 43.25.

He blots out as a thick cloud their trans∣gressions, and as a cloud their sins, Isa. 44.21.

Though they have played the harlot with many lovers, yet if they returne, he receives them, Jer. 3.1.

When they returne unto him, he heals their backslidings, Jer. 3.22.

He cleanses them from all their iniqui∣ties whereby they have sinned against him, and pardons their sinnes and their iniquities, wherby they have trans∣gressed against him, Jer. 33.8.

His mercies to his people in pardoning of sinne, is to him a name of praise and glory, so as to make us to feare and tremble at all his goodnes, &c. Jer. 33.9.

There is no God like unto him, that pardon∣eth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his he∣ritage, &c.

Who turnes againe, and hath compassion upon them, subdues their iniquities, & casts all their sins in the bot∣tome of the sea, Mic. 7.18, 19.

Their sins are blot∣ted out, against the times of refreshing, that come forth from the presence of the Lord, Acts 13.9.

Christ is the propiti∣ation for their sinnes, 1 John 2.2.

When they sin, they have an Advocate at the right hand of the Father, idem.

Their sins after Gods wonderfull mercies shewed unto them, are so done away,

That though sought for, they shall not bee found, when he pardons those whom he preservs Jer. 50.20.

In their enemies.

Hee redeemes them from them that are too strong for them, and ransomes them from them, Ier. 31.11.

Hee lifts them up high above those their enemies that rose up a∣gainst them, 2 Sam. 22.49.

God is the strength of their salvation con∣cerning their head in the day of battel, Psal. 140.7.

God sends from hea∣ven and delivers them from the reproach of them that would swal∣low them up, sending forth even his mercy & his truth, Psal. 57.2.2.

When they walk in the midst of trouble, he wil relieve them, stretch forth his hand against the wrath of their ene∣mies, Ps. 138.7.

Their troubles.

In all their troubles he is troubled, and the Angel of his presence saveth them, Isa. 63.6.

He repents himselfe for them, when he seeth their power is gone, and there is none shut up or left, Deut. 32.36.

He is a refuge to such in due time, even in times of trouble, Psal. 89, 9.

He lifts them up from the gates of death, Ps. 9.13.

In the time of trou∣ble they are hid in his pavilion, and in the se∣cret of his tabernacle, Ps. 27.5.

When they fall, they are not utterly cast down, for he upholds them with his hand, Ps. 37.24.

In their greatest ex∣tremities the Lord com∣mands

his loving kind∣nesse in the day time, & in the night his song is with them, Psal. 42.8.

In the day of trouble they call on God, and are delivered, Ps. 50.15

When he shews them great and sore troubles he quickens them again & brings them up from the depth of the earth, Ps. 71.20.

He ariseth and hath mercy upon them when the set time is come, Ps. 102.13.

The light of their sun is seven fold, as the light of seven dayes, when the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroak of their wound, Isa. 30 26.

Usually they are not left into the hands of the wicked, nor con∣demned, though judged Ps. 37.33.

He breaks them not, being bruised, nor quen∣ches their greatest weak∣nesses, untill he make the work of grace in them victorious over all oppositions, Is. 42.2, 3.

He refines them, but not with silver, and chooses them in the fur∣nace of affliction,

For his own sake, for his own sake, doing all to us, Isa. 48.1, i2.

He comforts them, and hath mercy upon them, Isa. 49.13.

In all distresses and troubles he is their com∣forter, Isa. 51.12.

Though he cause grief, yet he hath compassi∣on upon them, accor∣ding to the multitude of his mercies, Lam. 3.31, 32.

He casts them not off for ever, Lam. 3.31.

When he sends them into places of desolati∣on

and banishment, yet he is there a little san∣ctuary unto them, where they shall come, Ezek. 11.16.

God comforts them in all their tribulations, that they may be able to comfort others that are in any trouble, 2 Cor. 1.4.

He considers their soul in trouble, and knoweth their soul in adversity Psal. 31.7.

As the sufferings of Christ abound in them so their consolation al∣so aboundeth through Christ, 2 Cor. 1.5.

They are troubled, on every side, yet not distressed, perplexed, not in despair;, per∣secuted, but not for∣saken; cast down, yet not perishing. 2 Cor. 8.9.

They are blessed en∣during temptation; for being tryed, they re∣ceive the crown of life Iam. 1.12.

He is their arm every morning, and salvation in the time of trouble, Isa. 33.2.

In their corrections

When they passe tho∣row the fire he is with them, and through the water, that is drowne them not, &c.

God is with them, Isa. 43.2.

He brings his third through the fire is with them there, and brings them out of it, Zech. 13.9.

They are for their profit, that they may be partakers of his holi∣nesse, Heb. 12.10.

Though they be cha∣stened, yet they are not delivered over unto death, Ps. 118.18.

When they are judg∣ed,

it is because they should not be condem∣ned with the world, 1 Cor. 11, 29. Job 5.17.

When they receive the sentence of death, it is because they should not trust in themselves, but in God who raiseth the dead, 2 Cor. 1.9.

When they are deli∣vered to death for Je∣sus sake, it is that the life of Jesus might bee manifest in their mortal body, 2 Cor 4.10.

When they are affli∣cted and tossed with tempests, so that they have no Comforter, then God supplies a∣bundance of unthought of mercies, Isa. 54.11.

When for a moment in his wrath hee hides his face from them for a little while; yet with everlasting mercie hee hath compassion on them, Isa. 54.9.

Though he make a full end of all Nations amongst whom he scat∣tereth them, yet he will not make a full end of them, but corrects them in measure, though he leave them not altoge∣ther unpunished, Jer. 30.11.

They are happy un∣der their corrections, Job 5.17.

Thereby they are known to be sons and not bastards, Heb. 12.8

They afterward bring unto them the quiet fruit of righteousnesse unto them, the more they are exercised in them, Heb. 12.11.

God maketh their snare and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole,

He delivers them in sixe troubles, yea in se∣ven there shall no ev touch them, Job 5.18, 19

When their spirits are overwhelmed within them, then he knoweth their path, Ps. 142.3, 4.

When they sit under darknesse, the Lord is a light unto them, Mica. 7.8. Cant. 2.6.

Though weeping be with them at night, yet joy cometh in the mor∣ning, Ps 30.5.

They are not temp∣ted above that which they are able to beare, but with the temptati∣on, there is stil an issue, 1 Cor. 10.19.

Though their out∣ward man perish, yet their inward man is re∣newed daily, 2 Cor. 4.16.

After their troubles and corrections.

After them they come and returne with songs and everlasting joyes upon their heads, obtaining joy and glad∣nesse, when sorrow and sighing shall flie away, Isa. 35.10.

After their scattering he gathers them from all places and corners of the earth,

Because they are cal∣led by his Name, being created for his glory, Isa. 43.5, 6.

Though he give them sometimes a cuppe of trembling, yet he takes it out of their hand, and suffers them no more to drink thereof, and puts it into the hands of their enemies, Isa. 22.23

When anger bursts forth, he debates with them in measure, and stayes his rough wind, in the day of his east-winde, Isa. 27.8.

After their sufferings endured, he refreshes them with many ador∣ning mercies, Isa. 54.11, 12.

For brasse, iron, wood, stone, troubles, he gives them gold, silver, brasse, iron, mercies farre sur∣mounting the other, Isa. 60.16.

As he watches over them, to pluck up, to break down, and to throw down, and to afflict, so he watches over them, to build and to plant, Ier. 31.28.

Like as sometimes he brings many great evils upon them, so will he bring upon them all the good that he hath promised them, Jer. 32.42.

In their perseverance unto salvation.

He taketh pleasure in them, and beautifies them with salvation, Ps. 149.4.

They are saved from the Lord with everlast∣ing salvation, not to be ashamed or confound∣ed, world without end, Isa. 45.17.

God confirms them unto the end, that they may be blamelesse in the day of his appear∣ance, 1 Cor. 1, 8.

He that hath begun a good work in them, will finish it untill the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1.6.

Trials touching them.

The stiller they are, they know God the bet∣ter, Ps. 46.10.

They are the Lords portion, Deut. 32 9.

The rock of wicked men is not like their rock even their enemies be∣ing judges, Deut, 32.31

Christ was made sin for them which knew no sin, that they might be made the righteous∣nesse of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21.

If there bee first a willing minde in them, it is accepted according unto that which they have, and not according unto that which they have not, 2 Cor. 8.12.

They are all in Gods hand, sit down at his feet, and receive of his words, Deut. 33.2.3.

They are known by their fervent love un∣to one another, 1 John 4.7.