1. Crosses, 2. comforts, 3. counsels. Needfull to be considered, and carefully to be laid up in the hearts of the godly, in these boysterous broiles, and bloody times. / By M. Zacharie Boyd.

About this Item

Title
1. Crosses, 2. comforts, 3. counsels. Needfull to be considered, and carefully to be laid up in the hearts of the godly, in these boysterous broiles, and bloody times. / By M. Zacharie Boyd.
Author
Boyd, Zacharie, 1585?-1653.
Publication
Printed in Glasgow :: by George Anderson,
1643.
Rights/Permissions

To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.

Subject terms
Christian life -- Scotland -- Early works to 1800.
Sermons, English -- Scotland -- Early works to 1800.
Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/B01750.0001.001
Cite this Item
"1. Crosses, 2. comforts, 3. counsels. Needfull to be considered, and carefully to be laid up in the hearts of the godly, in these boysterous broiles, and bloody times. / By M. Zacharie Boyd." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/B01750.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 18, 2024.

Pages

Page 45

COMFORTS, AND COVNSELL. The second Sermon, preached the 19. day of March, 1643.

LUKE XXI. 18.

But there shall not a hair of your head perish.

Vers. 19.

In your patience there∣fore possesse your souls

MY wayes, said God, are not your wayes, * 1.1 and my thoughts are not your thoughts: For as the Heavens are higher then the earth, * 1.2 so are my wayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts then your thoughts: The wayes of men for the most part, have faire beginnings but end not so; many like Joab first kisse, and after kill, first smile; * 1.3 but after

Page 48

smite; the wayes of Satan with men at the beginning, is to hide all dangers untill the last come; when he would have allured Christ unto his service, he spake to him of great gifts, * 1.4 even all the kingdomes of the world, if he would but fall downe and worship him; he spake not a word of hell unto him, but only of preferments unto worldly ho∣nour. The wayes of God are not such; Hee at the first meeting speaketh to men of crosses, but af∣ter that, as in this text, hee cheri∣sheth them with comforts, and di∣recteth them with counsels: Accor∣ding to this he speaketh heer to his disciples; he had terrified them in the words preceeding with betray∣ing, putting to death, and with the hatred of all men; Now in these words he maketh his candie to shine upon their heads, * 1.5 hee manifesteth his love in a great measure of com∣fort, But, saith he, there shall not a

Page 49

hair of your head perish; In your pa∣tience possesse yee your soules: here is a staffe of steele to leane on in great troubles; I, said David, * 1.6 had fainted, unlesse I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord, &c.

The division of the Text. IN these Words there bee two parts, In the first part there bee comforts, But there shall not a hair of your head perish; In the second part there be counsels, In your pa∣tience possesse your soules.

I. PART. Comforts.

IT was a very terrible speach, which the Lord uttered unto his Disciples, in the preceeding verses, that they should be betray∣ed, and that some of them should be put to death, and that they should be hated of all men: Behold heere how he giveth unto them a singu∣lar

Page 50

comforts, * 1.7 as Balme of Gilead, for healing of their hearts that were wounded; But, said he, there shall not a haire of your head perish.

Observe heere first what me∣thod the Lord keepeth in dealing with his servants, * 1.8 their worse things goe first and comforts come last; their estate is like that wine in Cana, * 1.9 the best came last. Gods walk∣ing towards his owne is like his comming to Elijah at the cave of Horeb, before God came in the calme, a great and strong winde went before him, which rent the mountaines, and brake the rocks, and after the winde, came an earth∣quake, * 1.10 & after the earthquake, came a fire; after these three were past, the Lord came in a still small voice. At the first, Mary Christs mother got a hard answere from him, * 1.11 wo∣man, what have I to doe with thee? But a little after, he did more then she required; at the first he called

Page 51

the woman of Canaan a dog, * 1.12 but a little after he shew himself all love; the childe of God beareth Gods yoke in his youth, * 1.13 his first dayes are har∣dest; God casteth downe before he raiseth up; * 1.14 many a sore heart had Hannah, before her Samuel came; Job suffered much before he could say, God maketh my heart soft. * 1.15 * 1.16 The Prophet Zechariah saw first foure hornes scattering Judah, but after anone came the comforts of the Carpenters that came to fray them.

The use, * 1.17 When troubles ly heavy upon us, let us comfort our selves in this, better is coming; a foule Februar is a comfort to the labourer, because he looketh for a dry March: Sanctified afflictions in youth, should be a comfort, telling us, that God is comming in the calme: The way to the wealthy place is to passe through fire and wa∣ter; * 1.18 the Lord said to his two dis∣sciples,

Page 52

O fooles! * 1.19 Behoved it not Christ to suffer all these things, and so to enter into his glory? Gaping of wounded men, * 1.20 and tumbling of gar∣ments into blood, goe before the songs of victory: Christ himselfe was hanged on a crosse on earth, before he was honoured on a throne in Heaven; He was first cast down on his face upon the earth, yea de∣seended into hell, before hee was set at the right Hand of GOD in Heaven. * 1.21 The Gardener when hee setteth a tree, at the first set∣ting downe hee shaketh it to and fro, and treadeth downe its roots with great force, for to fasten it the more surely; so doth GOD with his dearest servants, that Hee may cause those that come of Jaakob to take root. * 1.22

It is for those that goe to hell to receive all their good things on earth: * 1.23 Job speaking of the Wic∣ked, said They have no changes; wic∣ked

Page 53

mens eyes stand out with fat∣nesse: * 1.24 the portion of Kings meate is a defiling thing, * 1.25 beasts that goe in fattest pastures are neerest the slaughter: The portion of Gods children is not heere, their rest is in another place, their last shall be best; * 1.26 If many be the troubles of the righteous, within a short space the Lord shall deliver him out of them all; yea in the midst of the fierie tryall wee shall still bee in safetie, though in some hours of tempta∣tion wee may bee as David like a bottell in the smoak, * 1.27 or in deaths val∣ley, having our soule in our hand; but O tarry a little, and God will arise, and help his servants, The end of that man is peace: troubled Da∣vid said to God with great bold∣nesse, * 1.28 Afterward thou shalt receive mee to glory; let this be like a staffe of steele for our faith to lean upon in a stormie day; Gods children must be bold, * 1.29 not subjects to the King of terrours.

Page 54

Let us now come to the parti∣cular comfort mentioned in my text: the Lord here saith, that there shall not a haire of your head perish. * 1.30 The wicked are mighty and cru∣ell, they as on horse back ride over the heads of the godly, * 1.31 yet are they not able to carry a hair with them, but by Gods permission; not a hair of your head, said Christ, shall perish.

Observe heere that the LORD hath a singular regard to all those that love him; * 1.32 they are to him as the apple of his eye, * 1.33 hee most care∣fully keepeth them: * 1.34 Hee is not like idoles, that care not for their worshippers, * 1.35 Thy Calfe, O Samaria hath cast thee off, but God will ne∣ver cast off his servants; Baal did not regard the cryes of his priests, though they cryed from morning unto noone, * 1.36 and cut themselves with knives, but the Lord alwayes re∣gardeth his servants, his eyes are still upon all the haires of their

Page 55

head. The tender hearted mother and nurse are very carefull, to keep their young suckling, yet their care faints, when they are over∣come with sleepe: but hee who is above, and keepeth his servants, doth neither slumber nor sleep; ma∣ny hairs may fall from the childe, and the mother never know what becometh of them, but a haire of our head falleth not to the ground but he hath an eye on it: * 1.37 This is no hyperbolick speach, for the Lord as he is omnipotent to do all things, so is hee omniscient to know all things, even to the number of all the haires of all the heads in the world; he knoweth the full num∣ber of the sand, and of the drops of the sea, as perfectly as we know how many eyes wee have in our head; he preserveth us so, that the least things that concerne us shall not perish.

The Angel Gabriel said well to

Page 56

Mary, * 1.38 nothing shall bee unpossible with God; no not, were it to make a virgine to conceive a Son, or a Camel to go thorow a needle eye; * 1.39 He who hath spread cut the skie, which is strong, and as a molten looking glasse, Hee with whom is terrible Majestie; * 1.40He who is almightie and excellent in power, * 1.41can most easily preserve his servants, so that not a haire of their head shall perish, no not in a most bloody time, even when it is said of the sword, * 1.42 Ah it is made bright, it is wrapt up for the slaughter.

When God had said, * 1.43 It is even the time of Jacobs trouble, he in the same verse subjoineth, but hee shall be saved out of it; Mans extremitie is Gods opportunitie: * 1.44 Aske yee now, said the Lord, whether a man doth travaile with childe? Wherefore doe I see every man, with his hands on his loines, as a woman in travaile, and all faces are turned into palenesse?

Page 57

Behold terrible things, and very strange, every man in trouble as a woman in travaile, but in the eight verse followeth a faire deliverance, I, said the Lord, * 1.45will breake the yoke from off thy neck: See how the Lord was ready to save his servants in greatest danger, so that not a haire of their head did perish: When Je∣remiah was in prison among mire, the Lord sent unto him an Ebed∣melech, with old cast clouts, * 1.46 and rotten ragges, to put under his arme holes, to draw him out of the dun∣geon; the Lord would not suffer his servant to perish.

The use: * 1.47 Let this serve for com∣fort unto you; If yee serve God well, Hee will bee suretie for you for good, and likewise will safely keepe you, and all that ye have in these dayes of warre, he will pre∣serve your husbands and sons, that they be not killed, your wives that they be not abused, your virgins

Page 58

that they be not deflored, you houses that they bee not spoiled, your cattell, and coffers that the be not carried away; yea, more yee faithfully serve him, their sha•••• not a haire of your head perish; no a haire of Shadrach was burnt in the fiery furnace; * 1.48 no King can do the like to any at his service: God only is a shelter and strong tower o defence; * 1.49 none but God can keep a man that he perish not, his preser∣vation reacheth to the smallest hai our head: * 1.50 And to speake in th words of a Kings oath, * 1.51 As the Lord liveth that made us this soule, there shall not a haire of your head pe∣rish; This is most easie to him that by his hand of power overturneth the mountains by the roots. * 1.52

An Objection.

HEere it may be objected and said by a carnall man, that more then the haires of the heads of Gods servants perish; for many

Page 59

good men are slaine and murde∣red: In the words preceeding the Lord himself said, some of you shall they cause to be put to death, many good mens houses are spoiled, their cattell like Jobs oxen and asses are carried away, * 1.53 how then is it heere said, that there shall not a haire of their head perish: * 1.54 Con¦cerning the comfort of this text, I may say as Ezekiel said to God Ah Lord God, they say of me, * 1.55 doeth he not speake parables or riddles? Wee know not what hee meanes, while he saith, that God so keep∣eth mens haires, that not one of them shall perish, * 1.56 Doth the LORD care for oxen? saith the Apostle, so doe many say, Doth the Lord care for a haire of a mans head?

The Answere.

THE Prophet Zechariah teach∣ing men to bee awfully affe∣cted to the great Majestie of God, cryed out, Bee silent, * 1.57 O all flesh be∣fore

Page 60

the Lord, yet notwithstanding many with Job in his fit of miscon∣tentment, must needes fill their mouths with arguments and dis∣pute with the Lord, as though hee were bound to give them a compt of all his doings.

The Lord in Hosea said a feare∣full word, * 1.58 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; Ignorance is the destruction of many; ignorance maketh men to thinke when they see others slaine, robbed, and spoi∣led for the Gospel, that they and all their estate are perished: * 1.59 O thou, said Micah, that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the LORD straitened? O thou that art named a Christian, is the arme of the Lord shortned, that he can not work and save us, so that the least haire of our head perish not?

To come to the objection, I say that it is but a blinde objection, these that have the eye of faith do

Page 61

clearely see that God preserveth his owne, that not a haire of their head doth perish:: Thy husband is he slaine? thy children are they kil∣led for Christs names sake? thou must not therefore esteeme that they are perished; faith will not speake so: * 1.60 If the King should come, and take a beggars childe in in this Province of Cliddisdaile, and make him a Barron in Barren∣thorow, the nixt adjacent Province, would the beggar say that his son were perished? would he not rather say with Jacob, hearing of Josephs honour in Egypt; It is enough, I will goe and see my son? * 1.61 So David said of his dead son, I will go to him: * 1.62 what I pray you is the distance of the heaven from the earth to a live∣ly faith? It is but as it were to goe from one Province to another; yea, but from one side of the streete to another: * 1.63 When ye marry your daughters they goe from you; if

Page 62

yee heare that they are well with their good Husbands, yee are glad, yee will not thinke them pe∣rished, because they are gone a little from the house: Now all the god∣ly that are slaine for Gods name, are but gone as it were to the other side of the street, to their most worthie husband Christ who hath given to them in the heavens right to the tree of life, * 1.64 where continual∣ly they see God face to face, that face wherein is fulnesse of joy; * 1.65 open a little the eyes of your faith, and ye shall find all this to be so as I speak: none properly perish but these who after death, are damned to be burnt in hell fire: to him that goeth to heaven may well be said of life eternall, that which God said to Ieremiah of his naturall life Thy life shall be for a prey to thee. * 1.66

As for your worldly goods and riches; yee will say, the bloodie and barbarous man of war, hath

Page 63

spoiled me, and taken all away, and so where is now the promise, that not a haire of our head shall perish?

To this I answere, let your slee∣ping faith waken, what say yee? is all your riches perished, because all hath beene taken away for Christs name sake? I say it is not perished: * 1.67 Tell me if when yee have lent a thousand pounds to a worthie wealthie faithfull man, bound fast by his obligation, think ye that all your money is perished, because it is out of your hand? I thinke not; But so it is, all that is taken from you for Christs names sake is in a better hand, it is lent unto Christ, who hath given an obligation sealed with his blood, that yee shall be surely payed with such an increase, that the greatest usurer in the land never required the like; even a hundreth for one: yea, more then all, everlasting life. If thou would see the obli∣gation,

Page 64

behold it is heere in readi∣nesse, registrate in the Bookes of Counsell of heaven,

Christs Obligation registrate.
Matth. XIX. Verse 29. BEhold, said one to Christ, wee have forsaken all, and followed thee, what shall wee have therefore?

Now follow the words of the ob∣ligation.

Jesus said, Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or wife, or children, or lands, for my Names sake, shall re∣ceive an hundred fold, and shall in∣herite everlasting life.

* 1.68 Let these who esteeme this to bee but a Banquerupts Bond, keepe well their houses and lands for themselves; it may bee that shortly they losse such things for

Page 65

the sake of some other, who will never repare their losses, so that both they and all that they have, shall perish. * 1.69 Gods wrath shall not spare their very haire; his ra∣sor of wrath like that hired rasor in Isaiah, * 1.70 shall shave the head and haire of the feet, and shall also con∣sume the beard, even to the verie stumps, hair and all shall perish.

As for you who have faith to believe, yee may heere clearly know that GODS children, and all that they have, are well kept, yea o that a haire of their head shall not perish: * 1.71 To all the godly let it be heere said as Christ said to Thomas Bee not faithlesse, but be∣lieving. * 1.72 I may well lay of Christ when he promiseth any thing, that which Naomi said to Ruth of Bo∣oz, Sit still, * 1.73 untill thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not be in rest, untill he have finished the thing: nay, he will doe much more

Page 66

then hee promiseth heere; to save us that wee perish not, to preserve us from evill, is a very great bles∣sing, but more, the Lord will give us gifts, even grace heere, and glo∣ry heereafter. * 1.74 After that King David had ended his festivall sa∣crifice, * 1.75 Hee dealt to every one of I∣srael, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine; What was all that? But O the gifts that God will deale to every one that serve Him faithfully! After this life all such shall sit upon Thrones: Crownes and Kingdomes in Hea∣ven are Gods gifts prepared for e∣very man, and every woman, that willingly suffer on earth tribulati∣on for his Names sake: such shall not only not perish, but shall for ever enjoy pleasures, which eye never saw, nor ear heard, nor ever could enter into the heart of man.

* 1.76 King Ahasuerus question to Ha∣man

Page 67

was, * 1.77 What shall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to ho∣nour? All the greatest things that Haman could invent, and say, were these, Let the royall apparell bee brought, * 1.78which the King useth to weare, and the horse that the King ri∣deth upon, and the Crown royall which is set upon his head, and by one of the Princes bring him on horsebacke through the streets of the citie, and proclame before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King de∣lighteth to honour: What were all these things, I pray you? an appa∣rell, and a horse, and a crown, and a proclamation? that was all; all these things were like that meate that Christ spake off, when he said Labour not for the meat that perish∣eth: * 1.79 all these things are long since passed away, the horse, and the crowne, and the royall apparell, and all that faire shew, is past and perished, like a glauncing spark of

Page 68

fire, which flying from a Smiths stithie dieth in the flight.

But O, that which Christ shall give to these that suffer affliction for his names sake, shall never pe∣rish; hee shall give unto them not a loafe, * 1.80 as David gave to his sub∣jects, but a life that is eternall. A crowne that fadeth not away. John sayeth, * 1.81 that they shall see his face, and his name shall bee in their fore∣heads, as a mark crying, This shall it be done to the man whom Christ delighteth to honour. * 1.82 But woe to the wicked, * 1.83 for though they set their nest among the starres, both they and all that they have shall perish; their soule shall perish, their body shall perish, and their estate also shall perish. * Gods wrath, as I said before, shall not spare their very haire; his rasor of wrath, like that rasor in Isaiah, shall shave the head, and the hair of the feet, and shall also consume the beard, even

Page 69

to the very stumps, haire and all shall perish: they have not a Jesus for to save; they will loose nothing for his Names sake, and for their sake he will save nothing of theirs, and so at last they shall loose all; though they were Kings and Prin∣ces, the Lord in furie shall cry, * 1.84 I will overturn, overturn, overturn all their wealth, their honour, * 1.85 and their majestie: All the earth, said the Lord, shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie; then all the worm-eaten glory of the wicked, with all their good things, * 1.86 and great designes, shall anone wither away, * 1.87 like Jonahs gourd. * 1.88 As they sew the winde, * 1.89 so shall they reape the whirlewinde, which hath neither stalk, nor bud that can yeeld any meal; * 1.90 as it was said of Ephraim, All their glory shall flee away like a bird.

But as for all the godly, albe∣it by the wicked they be stoned, and sowne asunder, * 1.91 and slaine with

Page 70

the sword; * 1.92 or with Shadrah, be cast into a fierie furnace, or with Da∣niel into a Lions den, * 1.93 the words of my text shall still remaine true, not a haire of their head shall perish: The Lord hath a great respect un∣to his servants; * 1.94 I, said he, will be as the dew unto Israel, he shall grow as the lillie, and cast foorth his roots as Lebanon: Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? My people saith the Lord, * 1.95 shall never be asha∣med, not a hair of their head shall perish. * 1.96 Away with that doubt∣ing If of Esther, * 1.97 If I perish, I pe∣rish; The Heavens and the Earth shall passe away, * 1.98 They, saith the Psalmist, shall perish, but not a haire of our head shall perish.

THE SECOND PART. Christs Counsell and Direction.

IN the second and last part of this text, the Lord after he hath both let his servants see their trou∣bles, and also their preservation,

Page 71

he giveth them a counsell and di∣rection what they have to doe in their greatest straite; In your pati∣ence, saith he, possesse yee your souls.

There be here two things requi∣red, first, that we have patience; secondly, that in our patience wee possesse our soules; David said well, * 1.99 great peace have they which love thy law. * 1.100 As for patience, the word in the originall signifieth a remaining still under any thing, a willing undergoing of any difficulty; this is done when a man flings not like a beast to shake off the burden, but with all submission tarrieth under the burden, untill God give a deli∣verance, like a worthy watch who goeth not from his place untill his hour come, and that another come to fill his roome: In a word, pati∣ence is a grace of God, whereby a man in trouble, humby meekly, and submissely taketh in good part wrongs and injuries, and withall,

Page 72

waiteth untill the good hand of God come to his help * 1.101 It is such a glorious grace, and so pleasant unto God, that he writeth himself the God of patience. * 1.102

Wee have heard what patience is; Now it followeth that we con∣sider what we have to do with our patience. Christs counsell and di∣rection heer is, that in our patience we possesse our soules. To possesse properly signifieth to have a thing in our power; * 1.103 The Latine word from which this English word is driven, signifieth a power to sit still for to enjoy that which we have: so to possesse our souls in patience, declareth that a firme and stable patience is heere commanded, which a man should as strongly and carefully keepe as his dearest earthly possession; This the Lord heer required of his servants, when he said unto them, In your patience possesse yee your soules, as if he had

Page 73

said, Strive to be master over your selves, that yee may take in good part all sorts of crosses and cala∣mities.

This is a very powerfull forme of speach; I read in Scripture di∣vers speaches concerning patience; the psalmist saith, * 1.104 Rest in the Lord and waite patiently for him, this is a very sweet saying, The poor ser∣vant that was not able to pay his masters rent cryed pitifully, * 1.105 Lord have patience with me: * 1.106 But in all the scriptures, yee will not finde a more powerfull speach then this, In your patience possesse your souls; that is, let your souls be possessed with patience, or have patience in your hearts as a possession, that is, keep patience as fast as a man main∣taineth his possession, * 1.107 or as it was said of Jacob, that hee possessed his possessions; what Christ heere com∣mands he gives unto his servants. * 1.108

Observe heer the great mercy

Page 74

of GOD towards his servants, whereas the wicked in affliction pine away in their sins, and fret out their hearts with comfortles grief. Gods servants by his grace in grea∣test calamities, possesse their souls in patience; in whatsoever estate they be in, they are content, in poverty in nakednesse, in prison, in persecu∣tion and banishment, they beare all patiently; in all these things they are more then conquerours; it is the desire of a couragious Captain to bee in such a war, wherein his va∣lour may most appear: so patience delighteth in hardnesse; * 1.109 Pulse by Gods blessing is more pleasant to a godly Daniel, then the Kings portion; royall dainties are of a de∣filing power: * 1.110 Shadrah at the mouth of the fierie furnace got worke for his patience, * 1.111 and so did Job upon the dung hill * 1.112 It is the honour of patience not to lie upon beds of yvo∣rie, * 1.113 and drink wine in bowls, but ra∣ther

Page 57

to endure hardnesse, to passe through difficulties, to climb up the hill with Jonathan, and passe betweene the two sharp rocks, * 1.114 Bo∣zez and Seneh, hurt and hatred.

The use; * 1.115 let us all strive for this grace, that in dayes of great dist∣resse wee may possesse our soules in patience; when Genazi at Dothan saw the city compassed with ene∣mies, he said to his master Elishah, Alas my master, how shall wee do? * 1.116 Our master Christ heere directs us all how to do in such a case, In your patience, saith he, possesse yee your soules; * 1.117 A patient soule is a faire possession; he that hath it, will not sell it to a king, for his kingdome: * 1.118 A good man like Naboth will not sell his possession; a man that hath a possession, esteemeth much of it; he dresseth it, he adorneth it, he pulleth out the weeds, hedgeth it about; seeing man is so carefull for a earthly triffle, O what care

Page 76

should we have for this most excel∣lent possession? that we may pos∣sesse our soules in patience; let us not sell this possession, though we might have a Kingdome in ex∣change for it.

Observe heere also that great is the difference betweene the suf∣ferings of the godly and the wic∣ked; * 1.119 the wicked having once lost their earthly possession have no other possession when they are spoiled; such say as Micah said to the Da∣nites, * 1.120 yee have taken away my gods and what have I more? but when the wicked have robbed and spoiled the godly man of all earthly pos∣sessions, hee hath still the best be∣hind, he possesseth his soul in patience: Truely hee hath better reason for him then the wicked man: * 1.121 For the wicked man having lost his earthly possession hath no promise of any recompense of reward, for all that he had, whether corne,

Page 77

wine, oyle, silver, or gold, were all prepared for Baal, * 1.122 or rather for his belly, which having no ears, can no more heare, or help him in the dayes of his trouble, then Baal could hear the praiers of his priests, * 1.123 this having lost his gods like Micah he mourneth and lamenteth like a virgine girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth, and will not be comforted like Rachal in Ramach weeping for her slaine sucklings; * 1.124 A worme hath smitten his gourd, * 1.125 and it is withered and he is out of patience, because he never under∣stood this counsel, and direction of Christ given to his servants, In your patience possesse your soules.

The use, * 1.126 Let the consideration of all these things effectually move us to possesse our souls in patience, when tribulations and calamities shall come upon the land; let us resolve to suffer losse of earthly things, that we may gaine the heavenly: * 1.127 If

Page 78

men had hearts to believe, everie one wuld be readier then another, to suffer for the name of Christ: as men that have moneys strive to get a good hand, or as Masters that have land, strive to get good ten∣nents, that will pay well, so should we all be glad, when Christ calleth us to losse any thing for his names sake, for by so lossing we shall pro∣fite much: There is nothing that causeth our feares in troubles, but either want or else weaknesse of faith; flesh and blood understands not in worldlie losses, to possesse their soules in patience.

I confesse, that we are compas∣sed about with many infirmities, a little blast of winde terrified Peter in a miracle; yea, in a miracle of love in the very presence of Christ, who like a loving master had com∣manded him to come unto him u∣pon the sea; there was no remedie for his fear, * 1.128 untill Christ tooke him

Page 79

by the hand, and reproving him for his weak faith put him up into the ship; we have all great need to pray that he would take us by the heart, and pity our infirmities which are great and many: O how hard a thing it is in time of wrongs to pra∣ctise this precept, In your patience possesse ye your souls; It is to a carnal man like Shibboleth to an Ephra∣mite, * 1.129 a word which he could not pronounce, so is it a precept which he can not practise: what shall we do then? As long as we are heere, troubles are fearfull to flesh; but as soone as wee beginne to tremble, let us cry to Christ for faith, that in our patience wee may possesse our soules; wee had never more need then in these most terrible dayes of most bloody wars, wherein all men are exhorted to fasting and prayer, from Dan even to Beershebah. * 1.130

* And now to end this whole sermon in a word; know ye all this

Page 80

day that the servants of the Lord upon their watch tower, as like Eli∣jahs servants, upon the top of Car∣mel, have at last spied a cloud, not of comforts but of wrath, arising like a mans hand; * 1.131 except the Lord avert it, it is like that cloud ready to cover the whole heavens, and to fall down upon his Majesties three dominions in showres of blood: ex∣cept that with all diligence wee returne unto the Lord, all this evill shall surely come to passe: Dearly beloved, what I say unto you, I say unto all, * 1.132 yee hav need of patience, yea, and in your patience to possesse your souls. The Lord teach and en∣able us all to doe so, for Christ his sons sake, Amen.

To whom with our hearts this day, * 1.133 in the house of our pilgrimage, we humbly render the calves of our lips, To him be glory for ever.
FINIS.

Notes

Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.