ABRAHAM the Father of the faithfull, left at the voyce of God his countrey, and his parentage, the superstition of his Fathers, to follow the seruice of the true God. And there with­all receiued a promise, that within some ages, his poste­ritie should inherit the land [Page]of Canaan, where hee liued as a stranger. There was notwithstandinge a small proportion betweene the commaundement and the promise, if he had not lookt further; and the more ad­mirable was his faith in o­beying, in that the com­maundement of leauing all was directed to his person, the promise of possessing to his posteritie, a great way off; The commande­ment subiect to sudden exe­cution, the effect of the pro­mise deferde, not to some dayes but to many ages; And againe of a promise made to a posteritie, that passeth all degrees, litle sen­sible when one seeth it not, How much lesse to be con­sidered [Page]when the great grand-children cannot at­taine vnto, nay not their great grand children. Not­withstanding he is snatcht away from his dearest and neerest friends, transplan­ted from his countrie and soyle, in a strange ayre, a more strange people; who doubts here but that the flesh in so an aduantageous subiect did argue against the spirit, reason against faith, Sathan assisted with them both, against Gods seruant tossed and much moued in himselfe: For what could the land of Canaan steade him foure hundred yeares after? Much lesse then Esaus red pottage when he was an hungry? and in follow­ing [Page]this purpose, how many mischiefes was hee to en­counter and incurre▪ what goods was he to loose, redi­culous to the flesh contrary to reason, little credible to his soule. On the other side taking an other course, the beaten way of the world, the course taken by his friends, what goods might he haue gotten? what euill might hee haue eschewed? who found to fauour his part the discourse of reason? the desire of the flesh and mans will? ayming at the same intention the same contention, by the instinst of Sathan, who can spie out his time, take his occasions, and what better, then when the faithfull is bandied in [Page]himselfe? God therefore in this his perplexitie appeares to him in vision, breakes all their arguments, all his dis­courses; Feare not Abraham, saith he, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. If thou fearest in following my vocation thy calling to haue euils, I am to couer thee I haue wherewith to put thee vnder shade to shelter thee; If thou fearest that thou shalt haue no goods, I am goodnesse it selfe; and this goodnesse how great so­euer it is, is so good, it will gush, and dispearse it selfe vpon thee. Few words, but which comprehends all, yea a bottomlesse depth Feare not for it is feare it selfe that assures thee; [Page]the feare of Isaac: and of Iacob that only which men must feare; Is thy spirit tempted and attempted by apprehension, by a feeling of euils? Behold here is a shield for thee; Is it assaulted with concupiscence, or with the losse of that wee call goods? Behold here is a reward. The eternall and immortall God to a mor­tall man, a worme, both a reward and a shield: Ha­uing so great a reward, what canst thou desire more? Or being vnder so sure a shield, what canst thou feare? And that which is sayd to Abraham, is sayd to his seede, to the Church in generall, the lawfull race of Abraham: in particular to [Page]euery Israelite, to all the faithfull: for seest thou O Israel the Egyptians, behind thee, the mountaines at thy sides, the sea before thine eyes?Exod. 14.13. Feare ye not stand still and see the Saluation of the Lord, which hee will shew to you to day. Moreouer doest thou see the thunderings and the lightenings, and the mountaine smoking,Exod. 20.20. Feare not, for God is come to proue you, and that his feare may be before your faces, that yee sinne not. Wert thou but a worme before thine enemies, con­temptible and disdained by them, abiect and base to thy selfe;Isaiah. 41.8.10.13.19 Feare not Israel, my seruant, for I am with thee; Feare not thou worme Iacob, I will helpe thee, sayth the [Page]Lord and thy Redeemer, the holy one of Israel. Luke. 12.32. Feare not little flocke, for it is your Fa­thers good pleasure, to giue you the kingdome. Yea though thou wert alone, these words belong to euery one let euery one take it as sayd vnto himselfe. For Dauid saith for all the faithfull, yea in the name of euery one.Psal. 3.6. I will not bee afraid of ten thousand of people that doe set themselues against mee round about. Psal. 56. I will not feare what flesh can doe vnto, me. Psal. 46.2.3.4. No though the earth be remoued, and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters there­of roare, & be troubled, though the mountaines shake with the dwelling thereof, yea Psal. 23.9. though [Page]I walke through the valley of the shadowe of death, I will feare no euill. And the reason of this strong confidence is not lesse strong, I am thy shield; of thee Abraham and of all thine, the shield of Israiel, and of the Church. For Moses sayth,Deuter. 33 29. Happy art thou O Israel! Who is like vnto thee O people! saued by the Lord, the shield of thy helpe, and who is the sword of thy excellencie Happy therefore is euery faithfull man that can confidently say with Dauid, 2. Sam 22.3. Hee is my shield, and the horne of my saluation. Psal. 5.12. He blesseth the righteous, with fauour doth hee compasse him as with a shield. 2. Sam. 22 31. Hee is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

[Page]Againe, I am thy exceeding great reward, the reward consequently of thy seede, and of the Church; and not a reward only, but also an inheritance, for behold,Gen. 17.7. I will establish my couenant be­tweene thee and mee, and thy seede after thee, for an euer­lasting Couenant, to be a God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee. I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people; Thou mine inheritance, and I thine. Thou my pur­chase, I thy reward, I thy partage, and Dauid apply­ing to himselfe, for vs this promise saith.Psal. 16.5.6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, the lines are fallen vnto mee in in pleasant places; Yea I haue a goodly heritage; Certes be­cause [Page]cause the wise man saith,Ecclesiast. 11.22. The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the Godly, that feareth God; the rather saith the Apostle, because1. Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse is profitable vnto al things, hauing promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Notwith­standing this exceeding a­bundant reward, super a­bounding infinitly our sure demerits, our pretended merits, because there is no communion of vnrighte­ousnesse with righteous­nesse, no proportion of man to God, of nothing to all, nor therfore of humane merit to this reward, of our default our extreame dry­nesse to this infinit suffici­ency and fullnesse, to this [Page]eternall well springs.

Now therefore feare not Abraham saith he, feare not Israel nor any Israelite; for the wise man saith,Eccles. 7.18. He that feareth God, shall come forth of them all; Ecclesiast. 34.14. Hee that feareth God, will not feare at all nor be afraide, for hee is his hope. Now hope is the counter­poison and remedy of feare, a remedy stronger then the euill; An infinite remedy against a limited euill, an as­surance in the creator, a­gainst the apprehension of creatures. A confidence in him that hath made all the creatures, and that soly a­lone hath made them all, and that of nothing; and therefore a confidence in him that is all, and of him [Page]that is all, against that which is nothing. Let all the ele­ments therefore make a hurrie together, all the me­teors arme themselues to­gether against vs, against the Church; let vs say with Dauid, Psal. 46.3.4. Though the wa­ters thereof roare, and be trou­bled, though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof; there is a riuer, the streames whereof shall make glad the city of God. The infirmitie and basenes of the Church, contemptible to the eyes of vaine men; a smal brooke in comparison of these im­petuous torrents, the cur­rent of the Ocean, shall not cease to subsist, nor omitt to streame and runne on. The faithfull shall streng­then [Page]and harden himselfe a gainst their stirrings, or ra­ther trembling for the wise man saith,Ecclesiast. 34.16. God is his migh­tie protection and strong stay, a defence from heat, & a couer from the sun at noone, a preser­nation from stumbling, and a helpe from falling. Yea the Lord himselfe saith,Isa. 43.2. When thou passest through the wa­ters I will be with thee; and through the riuers, they shall not ouerthrow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; For I am thy Sauiour. His prouidence in a word is vnto him both a counsell and a rampier, a­gainst all accidents, against all cases and haps; because there are no chances in re­spect of God. Let the tirants [Page]of the world insence them­selues and rage, the people murmur, mutin, & thunder; the Ilāds & the ends of the world conspire against the Church; the Lord will speak to the soules of his seruant,Isa. 7.4. Feare not, neither be faint hearted, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the sonne of Remaliah. It shall not come to passe, the Lord shall gather the hearts of the Kinges and Captaines of nations, when and as he listeth. All the Psal. 78. choler and an­ger of man is to him, but as much subiect and matter of glory and fame. The nations con­spire,Isa. 8.12. Let them take coun­sell together and it shall come to naught. Let them com­binde and band themselues [Page]together, and they shall bee crusht and bruised; onely let vs sacrifice vnto the Lord of Hoasts, let vs serue him, and let him be our feare; and not the fury of these mortal men,Isa. 51.12. of these men of grasse, (as the Pro­phet speaketh) that cannot subsist against him, that hath stretched forth the heauens and laid the foundations of the earth; whose hand wee haue so often felt to our comfort, and his arme for our deliuerance. For saith the LordCha. 13. Where is the fury of the oppressour? And hast thou not seene the endes of the world to tremble, my people not withstanding haue gone their way in peace! and hast thou not [Page]seene them fall before my face, before my sword as dust, before my how as stub­ble? Yea let the powers of the aire, the principalities of the world, the rulers of the darkenesse of the world the spirituall wickednesse in high places.Ephes. 6. With whom the faithfull are to wrastle e­uery day, (saith the Apostle) let them come, shall wee yeeld our selues? shall wee faint and leese courage? but rather we will say, the Lord is with vs, what neede wee feare▪ 1 Cor. 10.13. He is faithfull, who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able. He will strengthen vs against the deuill; he hathColos. 1. created all things that are in heauen and on earth, visible and in­visible [Page]whether they bee thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him, let vs bouldly say, and therefore for vs, and therfore for his Church Let vs therefore oppose the thrones and celestiall dominions against the powers of the ayre; the ar­mies of Angels against the legions of Sathan, against their malicious practises; the holy conduct of the An­gels whom God causeth to campe about his children, to assist them in their way in all their paces, yea the most slipperest, that they stumble not against the gates of hell, against the deuils that can nothing a­gainst [Page]the faith of Christ, a­gainst his members, that haue no power vpon Iobs Cattle, vpon the hogges; though they roare neuer so­much, but as much as God vnbridleth them. But let vs say ouer and aboue, and that without excesse; These deuils themselues cannot be but for vs, in as much as they are for God; their ma­lice turnes to his seruice, is at Gods pay and wages, and therefore at ours. For if Sa­than afflict Iob in his fami­ly, in his person, the Lord knowes how farre and how long, and limits him; the righteousnesse and patience of his seruant shines and appeares the more, and his condition is the better for [Page]is at the last. If the Deuill puts in the heart of Iudas, to sell the bloude of the righ­teous, to betray and deliuer the sonne of God into the hands of the Iewes; let vs adore God, banish all feare; He is sould but far, far from their intention, for the ran­som of our soules, he is deli­uered for the remission of our sinnes; of those sinnes that cause the quarrell be­tweene God and vs; of those sinnes where with Sathan alone did preuaile, did braue it out against vs, and therefore to his confu­sion; to his ruine, and that of his kingdome, on the o­therside for the saluation of the world, & of men. Dare we say that this feare doth [Page]assure vs euen against God, against his iustice, against his anger? certes we may, seing that in this feare, of children of wrath we are made the children of his mercies; seeing we may say vnto him with Dauid, re­serue O Lord the greatnes of thy power, to try the strēgth vpon the children of death; we are contented with thy clemency, because there is no condemnation to the true seede of Abraham, Rom. 8.1. To them (saith the Apostle) which are in Christ Iesus. For in this Isaac, in this alone is the true seede. On the other side make what couenant thou wilt, with all that which makes it selfe to be feared in the world; with­out [Page]out this feare thou wilt feare all things: not the elements in their fury only, but euen the leaues, yea the dust; not the armes offenssiue, the ar­mour and armies alone, but how great soeuer thou beest, the flies and Cater­pillers; not onely the prin­cipalities of the ayre, or the powers, but also their cor­ruption, but their infection, yea their very breath; yea that which is the least per­fect, which hath the lest po­wer in the world; For saith the Lord,Isa. 28.15 18. Though thou hadst made a couenant with death and wert at agreement with hell; yet your couenant with death shall be disanulled, and your agreement with death shall not stand; when the ouer­flowing [Page]scourge shall passe through, then yee shall be trod­den downe by it. And they that haue cast their eyes to­wards Ethiopia, that haueIsa. 20.5. gloried and vanted of the helpe of Egypt shalbe afraid and ashamed thereof; con­trariwise, happy is hee that feares the Lord, and be­leeues in him; For the wic­ked tremble where there is no cause of flight or feare,Prou. 19.26. But in the feare of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children shall haue a place of refuge. A Sanctuary for A­braham, when Sara his wife, his flesh, and bones, is at the discretion of the Philistin, according to the iudgement of the flesh; there saith the ScripturesGen. 20. Sure the feare of [Page]God is not in this place: Not­withstanding God caused himselfe to be feared there, for his seruant that feared him: A shelter for Iacob in this feare, against the fury of Esau: God sendes before him an army of Angels, changeth ouer and besides and turnes that cruell heart to fauour him: So far forth that Saul is afraid of Dauid, that great king of a sheep-heard: because saith Samuel the Lord was with him. Elisha on the other side be­sieged in Dothan by the king of the Assirians, in stead of fearing them takes it away from others, and giues them courage.2 King. 6.16. Feare not, (sayth he to his seruant) for they that be with vs, are more then [Page]they that be with them. An army that he shewes him, (God opening his seruants eyes at his request) a moun­taine full of horses, and cha­riots of fire round about Elisha for his succour, inuisi­sible before to his faith, much more to his eyes; and how often is our helpe at the dore which we see not, from how many dangers doth God deliuer vs which we feele not.

What then? is it in the power of man, of flesh and bloud, not to feare the crea­tures? and so powerfull? so many perils whereunto hee is subiect euery moment? Nay, God forbid! yea it is as little in his power as to feare God himselfe: to [Page]feare God, and not to feare the creatures, spring from one fountaine, and that fountaine is God himselfe; faith the gift of God, that prints in vs his feare, ought also to wipe out of vs all o­ther feare; and therefore he that bids vs, feare not, adds sometimes, but beleeue, yea which is more, hee that bids vs beleeue and feare not, in commaunding it, workes it in vs by his word this powerfull word to create in vs these qualities, which we haue not; no lesse powerfull then in saying, Let their be light, let the wa­ters bring forth. This word bringes forth, causeth them to bring forth those things that were not; and there­fore [Page]is it sayd, I will com­mand my blessing vpon you; because that his sayings is a doing, his word an act, his blessing a good deed, a cer­taine effect of his good will towards his children. On the other side, I will dread before you, to make your way plaine. I will put into the hearts of your enemies to forgoe you their place; they shall beate you another time in one quarter and you shall flie away seauen wayes, namely according as you shall feare mee, or not feare me. Because it is God a­lone, that can giue or take away this feare, in his bles­sings or curses, as to create all other things. But yet [Page]wee must be well assured, that hee that gaue these qua­lities vnto Abraham, and to our fathers according to the ability and capacitie of their infirmity, in comman­ding & recōmending them vnto them by mouth, giues them to vs at this time, as­king them of him with hart, in the name of his welbe­loued (as the Apostle saith)Iam. 1.6. Aske in faith, nothinge wauering, Our Lord him­selfe saith,Ioh. 14 & 15. & 16. Aske my father in my name; Aske and it shall be giuen you. For in this feare, there is confidence, saith the wise man. Confidence that proceeds from faith; faith that assures vs of Gods loue towards vs, breeds in our hearts a loue towards [Page]God. Two loues springing from one fountaine, the first takes from vs or dimi­nisheth in vs the feare of creatures,Rom. 8.31 For if God be for vs, who can be against vs? The second, a reflection of the first, which giues vs his feare the feare of a Sonne to­wards his father, no more of a slaue towards his ma­ster, nor of an offender to­wards his iudge. A feare to offend his gentlenesse, not to prouoke his anger.

Now it is this faith also, which alone is capable in Abraham, in all the faith­full, to take this shield that God presēts, to take it I say, not by the merit of workes which it brings forth, what are they? Nor for the digni­tie [Page]that is in her; for what is infirmitie? but in the ap­prehension of his mercie, in his gratious promises. For I am thy shield, sayth the Lord vnto Abraham, the Lord an infinite essence, a holinesse not to be appro­ched by sinners, a consu­ming fire that deuours them where is then the hand that supports it, yea that takes it, that can beare it but by him, take it but by himselfe. Surely wee haue no other hand to lend, then that of faith and hee him­selfe giues it vs. And againe this faith hath no holde but by his promise, this shield cannot bee handled, nor welded but by faith in God, grounded on his pro­mises. [Page]Otherwise who would be so rash that durst presume to arme himselfe with his power, or couer himselfe with his goodnes, to stand and shelter him­selfe therewith and vse it as a buckler against the crea­tures, against the creator but by himselfe; and therefore it is sayd that by faith A­braham left his countrey, obeyed to the voice of God euen so farre as to offer his onely sonne; WhoRom. 4. a­gainst hope beeleeued in hope, kept and looked for an issue and posteritie from barrennesse, after­wardsHeb. 11. of a child whom hee led to death, and in fine, millions of his onely sonne; refelling and bea­ting [Page]backe all temptations with his shield. But it was also expresly sayd that it was grounded on the promises. Behould then how Abra­ham, euery true Israelite, hath the Lord for his shield, takes hold of him by faith, keepes him by his promise; What neede he then feare? what? that this shield is not bigge enough to couer him? strong enough to defend him? Why, hee couers the whole world with his sha­dowe, hee couers particu­larly his Church vnder his winge. It is not such aIsa. 28.20. nar­row couering, wherewith the Prophet threateneth vs; When wee pretend to couer ourselues against him without him, against the [Page]Creator by a pretended a­greement with the crea­tures, with death, the graue, and hell. Contrariwise saith Dauid, it is a shield of sal­uation, yea saluation it selfe; hee that retires himselfe theretoPsal. 91. Shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty; is couered with his feathers; his truth, the faithfulnesse of his promises serues him in steade of a Target, though a cloud of arrowes should fall vpon him, it cannot hurt him, no plague (saith he) shall come nigh thy dwelling much lesse nigh his person. Doth the world beate vs with losses and ca­lamities?Iob. 5.21 22. Thou shalt not bee afraide of destruction when it commeth, at destruction and [Page]famine thou shalt laugh. Will he pierce vs with the disfa­uours of calumnities? Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue, how piercing, how venemous soeuer it be. Doth hee threaten vs with death? doth he offer it vn­to our view?Psal. 91.7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and tenne thousand at thy right hand. For all that it shal not come nigh thee, hee cannot hasten it a minute, yea euen then when he throwes his dart at our hearts, when he thinkes he hath found the default and weakest part of this shield in our infirmitie. But rather it shalbe our life, and truely life. It is then properly that we shall braue it.1 Cor. 15. O death where is thy sting? [Page]Where is thy victory? Iob. 19.26 For I know (saith Iob) that in this my flesh (which thou thin­kest thou hast killed) shall I see God; 1 Cor. 15.43. I know (sayth the Apostle) that that which is sowne in dishonour and weake­nesse, shalbe raised in glory and power. So then doth the faithfull suffer? Is the Church assaulted in her bo­die, in her members? Let vs beware of all things, that we fling not away our shield. Let vs rather forgoe our weapons. If Christ had not beene buried. layd in the graue, couered with a stone; thou hadst not beleeued hee could haue raised himselfe to life, how much lesse thee? If also the Church were not persecuted, thou in the [Page]Church; thou couldst not know what this shield is worth, how much it steades thee. Thou couldst not dis­cerne thine infirmity from his power. Thou wouldst impute to the hardnesse of thy skin that which thou sholdst attribute to her tem­per; to thy nature that, that comes from his grace, to hu­mane prudence that which proceeds from his proui­dence; and therefore it behoues thee to bee often tempted, to be toucht to the quicke. And therefore the Prophet did reioyce; that he had beene chastised, that he might thereby remem­ber God, and know him­selfe. And at least haue we this sure comfort in our af­flictions [Page]and our wounds, from whence soeuer they come they aime directly at this shield, they fall vpon this shield, vpon the Lord, yea vpon his owne flesh. If we are vniustly persecu­ted by the malice or igno­rance of men,Act. 9. Saul why presecutest thou mee? sayth Christ, he feels throughly our paines, he accepts our wounds, hee will repell them, he will auenge them, no lesse then if they were his owne. And therefore haue wee seene so many darts blunted, so many wea­pons become dull, so ma­ny armies to retire; the sharpest points of weapons to turne & retort vpon the face of the enemies, the very [Page]finest, the very sharpest, the most finely temperd, to their owne damage. If wee are iustly to be chastisd for our sinnes, hee beares the punishment, hee caries the wounds. The eternall sonne of God one with him,Isa. 53. Surely hath borne our griefes (saith the Prophet) and car­ried our sorrowes; hee was wounded for our transgressions, he was brused for our iniqui­ties, for the transgression of my people was he stricken saith the Lord. And from thence let vs hearten and harden ourselues also against death, against Sathan, against hell. For what can we desire and require more in a shield, to haue all his qualities, then to make our wounds hers, [Page]then to redeem vs, to except vs from euil, and to reuenge them, to repell them more liuelily, to make ours hers? why then doth the flesh arme her principalities a­gainst vs?Ierem. 6.1 Doth she lay hold without compassion on bow and speare, against the daughter of Sion? Wee will say, the Lord is our shield; that shield before the which the Philistians fall, the walls of Iericho, yea the very earth trembleth, Then (sayth Debo­ra)Iudg. 5.8. When there was nere a shield or speare seene among fortie thousand in Israel; Hee hath not omitted to sane his people. The shielde of the mighty (sayth Dauid) is driuen backe, so calleth hee Saul, but the shield of the [Page]righteous will neuer faile; On the otherside.Psal. 47.10. The shields of the earth belong vnto God, hee rules ouer all the sheilds of the earth; that is to say, all the armour and ar­mies of the world (will they nill they) are at his payment and intertainement, and are sworne to him. Thence commeth it to passe, that we haue so often seene, the Church deliuered and relea­sed from the armies of the Syrians, by the armies of Egypt; from the Assyrians by them of Persia; from the Persians by the armies of the Grecians; those bended with all their powers to his ruine; these notwithstan­ding hauing not the lest thought, that tended to his [Page]deliuerance; the Church al­so often raised from whence and by whom one thought she should bee oppressed; then triumphing when one thought they should haue led him in triumph; and the Lord of Hoasts, (sayth the Prophet) did that; the Lord (sayth Dauid) vnto whom belong al the shields of the earth, on whom de­pend all the Monarchies: whence it commeth to passe, that vnder this shield the Church hath passed ouer all the ages and seasons and shall without doubt shut vp the last age; although that all the Monarchies, one after another in the emulation and despight one of the other, haue trod her [Page]vnder foote. They one the otherside, all of them dis­comfited the one by the o­ther, without leauing any trace or marke after them but what was for the glorie of God. Of God (sayth Moses) that carieth his Israel vnder his wing, as the Eagle her young ones; of God on the otherside, who in fauour of his Israel, and hy his iust iudgement, withdraweth his protecti­on from other people. The powers of the ayre doe they reuy at hir on the earth, & doe they thinke they can doe more against her? Haue they caused our flesh to re­uolte against our spirit, to make vs sin, drawne in our consciences to conuict vs, [Page]kindled as they suppose, Gods wrath to confound vs; ranked in a word, all our sinnes in battaillion before our eyes, to make vs trem­ble, to terifie vs, to make vs despaire of his mercy, to giue vs ouer to Sathan as a pray; Let vs here take hold, and the more firmely on the shield of faith, on this shield (saith Paul)Epeses. 6. Where­with we ouercome in com­bate the principalities, the powers, the spirituall wick­ednes in high places; wher­by we may quench the fiery darts of the wicked. Tell him, I haue beene indeede1 Tim 1.1 an idolater, a blasphemer, a persecuter, an oppressour, and much more! but I ob­tained mercy, and the grace [Page]of our Lord was exceeding abundant towards mee in Christ Iesus; and this Christ the son of God hath chan­ged my sinnes, hath beene made sinne for mee, and I haue put on Christ, & I liue in Christ, and Christ in me. If then thou canst nothing against Christ, against my head, neither canst thou a­gainst me. These sinnes of mine how enormous soeuer they be, concerne mee no more, neither then the pu­nishment. As little shall thy darts beare against mee or hurt mee, furnished with Christ, armed with Christ; no nor against Christ nei­ther. Christ that strong man who hath long agoe bound thee, cast thee into the bot­tomlesse [Page]pit; Christ the pro­mised seede to his Church, and vnto all the faithfull, who hath heretofore brui­sed thy head; And thou canst not with all thy rage doe more without danger then pricke our heele. Final­ly, doth the almightie hee present himselfe in his iustice, in his anger? A con­suming fire; let not the Christian feare, though hee were of straw; Lord will hee say permitt that dust and ashes speake to thee? Thou art exceeding iust, the most iust; So that the sinner cannot subsist in thy iustice. But good God, hast thou not armed vs with the righteousnesse of thy Sonne? and hath hee not [Page]beene made sinne for vs? and hath hee not beene made vnto vs righteous­nesse and sanctification? Thou sittest indeede in iudgement; and thy iudge­ment is a consumingMalac. 3.2 fire, is like a refiners fire; the straw or the stubble shall they not bee parcht and burnt on a sudden? But O God! are not wee founded and grounded vpon thy Sonne Iesus Christ, towe and stubble that wee are?1 Cor. 3. And shall wee not then be preserued from this fire? And against the fire of thine ire and wrath, are not wee bedewed and sprinckled with the water of thy mer­cies? bathed in the bloud of of thy Lambe? in this liuing [Page]spring springing to life e­ternall? Certes thou art great, O Lord, thy iustice infinite; But thy Sonne, sayth he not, I and my father are one; and then is hee not equall to thee, infinit to an infinite, his obedience to thy iustice? Therfore march wee O God by thy mercie, vnder the obedience of thy Sonne; vnder this ob­dience we will not decline from thy iudgement, wee will no more cry out away with thy iustice; but rather, and that aloud, let thy iudg­ment come, thy iustice ar­riue; thy iudgement,Rom. 8. For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect; It is God [Page]that iustifieth. Thy iustice, for it can doe nothing but iustice vnto his righteous­nesse, and his righteousnesse is ours. Thou wilt glo­rifie him, O Lord, for his righteousnesse, for he hath deserued it; Yea with that same glory that he had be­fore he came into the world and hee had it already, and neuer left it; and therefore hath it doubly; the last shalt be ours,2 Tim. 4.8 A crowne of righte­ousnesse (saith the Apostle) is layde vp for me, which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day, (in that great day otherwise so ter­rible and dreadfull) and not to me onely, but vnto them also that loue his appearing. Certes whether it bee in [Page]grace, or in glory.

And it is that also that the Lord addes vnto Abra­ham I am thy exceeing great reward. For, it sufficeth him not, to couer vs from harm; mans desire stoppes not there, much lesse Gods goodnesse; hee will also fill vs vp with goodnesse. It pleased him to bee our Shield against the euill of this world, & of the world to come. In like proporti­on is he our Reward; A re­ward heere beneath, a re­ward aboue: In things of this present life neuer to forsake vs: In things of the life to come giuing himselfe to vs. But in the one and in the other, by his grace a­lone; for what coulde hee [Page]without forgiuing? Now, what a large fielde hath the Christian heere to meditate vpon these hie mi­steries? He knoweth & ac­knowledgeth nought in himselfe but wickednesse, e­uen from his conception, in his conception nought but sinne. He cannot be ig­norant, that the wages of sinne is death, and of a sin that is infinite, an infinit punishment; against a God eternall, an eternall death. Where is then the reward? or rather, where is not the punishment? And where is the ouer-weening presumer that askes a Reward? that thinkes not he hath gained much to be quitt of the pu­nishment? but the Lorde [Page]sayth to him in mercy, I am thy Reward, in lieu of the pu­nishment that is due vnto thee: A man conceiued in sinne, a stranger vnto my law, as all others are. And I will not onely giue thee a reward, but giue my selfe al­so to thee, as an infinite re­warde, not due to thy me­rites, mauger thy demerits. For, by what law can the slaue purchase his master by his seruice, or the subiect his prince? to haue him for a reward, to make him his owne, to possesse him as an inheritance? much lesse the creature his Creator: vnlesse certes (sayth the A­postle) it be by the law of faith, by pure grace. So that we haue him as a rewarde, [Page]with the same right and ti­tle as wee haue him for a shield, by faith grounded on his promise. And not­withstanding a Reward saith the Lord, and therfore due; but how due? It is due vnto thee, for I haue promised it thee, thou hast not deserud it, I owe it vnto my selfe. It is due to thee, I owe it to my Sonne, bought with his bloud, and I haue giuen him thee, yea, his bloud for thee, and therefore due to thy selfe.

I am therefore sayth the Lord to Abraham thy Re­ward; But heere flesh and bloud are not contented therewith, cannot attaine vnto it; and therefore A­braham sayth, Lord God, [Page]what wilt thou giue me, seeing I goe childlesse? So little can eternall and heauenly hap­pines pierce into our soules except it hath first entred into our hearts; Yea but when I say vnto thee I am thy Reward; I comprehend all, euen that All my selfe; for wilt thou haue posterity (saith hee)? Looke now to­wards Heauen, and tell the starres, if thou be able to num­ber them, so shall thy seede be, and notwithstanding hee had but one sonne: VVilt thou haue goods? I giue vn­to thee, and vnto thy seede af­ter thee this land for an euer­lasting possession, and yet must he buy his sepulchre; and wilt thou assure them for e­uer, the Lord makes a coue­nant [Page]with thee; notwith. standing thy posterity serues many ages after: now to what end was this but onely to raise him vp from the creatures to the Grea­tor, to tell him plainely, if these earthly things seemes to thee a rewarde worthy for thee that art but dust, it is not a present worthy of God that gives it thee the euerlasting God cannot give unto his children wor thily but euerlasting things. And not withstanding least thou shouldst bee discoura­ged, I am in such wise thy reward aboue, as that I cease not to be it heere beneath, for,1. Tim. 4.8, godlinesse my true ser­uice, hath the promise of the Life that now is, and of that [Page]which is to come. And there­fore doe we see him blestin his family, abound in his houshold businesse, rule a­mongst strangers, reueren­ced and honoured of idola­ters? I am so in this life a re­ward, as I cease not to be it in their death, and then so much the more; not as the masters of this world, their seruants dead, dead their seruices: and there­fore doe we reade so often, The God of Abraham, of Isa­ac, and of Iacob; For the loue of my sernant Abraham: for, the promise of the eternall. God is eternall, suruiues his seruants and their seruices, Therefore the Apostle said, p. To me to line is Christ, to die Philip 1. to die is gaine; so also Christ shall be [Page]magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. In a word, serue thou in this life according to thy calling, according to mine, who­soeuer it bee, howsoeuer froward hee be to thee, be not dismayed, thou losest not thy paines.Ephes. 6. Tit. 2. The ser­uant serues his master with good will, the subject his prince; he serues the Lord hee doth the will of God not of men, with good will doing seruice as to the Lord and not to men. But let thē relie also on him, trust to this reward, and not to men. For hast thouGen. 3. &32. In­cob serued an vngratefull Laban, the best of thy yeares in the scorchng heate of the Sunne by day, in the frost [Page]by night; and the Lord hath euidently blest thee to his profit, it may be to thy dam­mage. Feare not (sayth the Lord) For I am thy reward. Thou hast passed ouer the Iordan with thy staffe, and behould thou art become two bands. Hast thou faith­fully serud a prince, or the state of a kingdome; and God hath he vouchafed to worke amongst them by thy hand; and they repay thee with cōtempt, with ha­tred, yea with, iniuries; doe not bemoane thy selfe, doe not bely thy self, or derogate from thy selfe, whatsoeuer happens thee, thou hast ser­ued according to confi­dence and not according to fauour, and not accor­ding [Page]to anger, thou hast, serued the Lord thy God, and not men; The Lord is faithfull (saith the Apostle) is faithfull,Heb. 11.6. He that commeth to God must beleeue that hee is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him.

That is to say, that it is not more true, that God is, then that it is consequently true that his reward is with true that his reward is with him; that he is the reward of them that serue him, euen of those that in the consi­deration of his calling, take their condition in good part, vndergoe ioyfully all bitternes, and their charges and burdens scarce tolera­le and supportable for the most part in themselues, lesse for being lesse acknow­ledged, [Page]but least acknow­ledged of them, whom they serue; Israel also, I meane the Church, is she hardly opprest in Egypt; Iosephs ser­uices are they there forgot, yea turned into torments and punishments, to make and bake brickes, to gather straw, to feele the rod of the taske-masters, the discre­tion of the exacter, the se­uere corrector? Let him not doubt but that hee shalbe drawne away with an out stretched arme, a strong hand, that God shalbe glo­rified in deliuering his peo­ple, in chastising Egypt. But know also Israel, and doe not abuse thy selfe that thy reward is not in this soyle, in the slime and mud of [Page] Nilus, Thou art there a stranger, how fertill soeuer it be; but thy reward is in Canaan, in the true Canaan, in the heauenly. There pro­perly, Shalt thou laugh at the cry of the oppressors, at the noise of people, there maist thou say assuredly,Va. 14.4. How hath the oppressour ceased? and what is become of the Scepter of the rulers: Yea comest thou thus farre, O seruant of God whosoeuer thou beest, to receiue amongst thine owne, amongst his owne, hard handling yea euen death for thy paines and pay; Thy pay and re­ward for that thou hast as­sisted them with counsell in their perplexities, with aide in their aduersiries [Page]thou hast made no recko­ning of thy life, of thy dig­nitie, of all that man ciuily esteemes most; and that be­cause many times they shall want an onyon or melon, or somesauce of Egypt; not necessary things but things superfluous; yeeld not vnto them, but [...]fly bend and harden thy selfe against them, to doe them good. For how often haue they murmured against Moses: and haue not they knocked downe the Prophets, and did they euer reuerence them but when they were dead? and would they not stone our Sauiour: and haue not they forgot the Lord their possession? Yea how often haue they kicked [Page]against him? Now who art thou then, what are thy ser­uices, that thou expressest either lesse, or better? and the greater they shalbe, seest thou not that proportion a­bly they are often followed with enuie, yea with hatred and reproach yea though the Lord should say vnto thee, as he said vnto Moses Numb. 14. I will smite this people with the pestilence; and disinherite them; and will make of thee a greater nation, and mightier then they. Doe not consent vnto their euil, their punish­ment, no not vnto thine owne good; say rather, Lord what will the Egyptians say, The Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware vnto them, therefore [Page]he hath stane them in the wil­dernesse Pardon I beseech thee the iniquitie of this people, ac­cording vnto the greatnesse of thy mercie, and as thou hast for given this people from Egypt even vntill now, Luk. 23.34. For give them father said our Lord Christ, For they know not what they doe, Yea euen bee willing to sacrifice thy selfe for them, to make thy seife an anathe­ma, acc [...]rsed; because Certes thy reward is not here, nor of here beneath, it is from a boue and it is there also and therefore be not offended, if the wicked doe prosper. It belonges to the men of this world to seeke it here on earth, to expect it of men. Contrarie wise it is said vnto vsMatth. 3.11.12. Blessed are yee, [Page]when men shall reuile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my name sake; re­ioyce and bee exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heauen; Great in it selfe, and indeede what is there great but God? No lesse great in regard of the faithfull. ForPsal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindfull of him, and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him? And therefore it is added very great, or exceeding great in him and of him, for God is all sufficient to himselfe, and therfore super abounds vpon all creatures, & of his fulnesse haue they all recei­ued; but so much the more in vs, for the due wages of all men was death, and what [Page]haue the best men of all but that which they haue recei­ued? and is it not then grace vpon grace and not salary: and besides, what can wee doe that can oblige God, or make him beholden vnto vs, seing thatPsal. 16. Our goodnesse (sayth the Psalmist) exten­deth not to him, For what can wee suffer, that is wor­thy him: Seeing sayth the Apostle thatRim. 8.18. The sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to bee compared with the glorie, which shalbe reuea­led in vs. But Certes, where Rom. 5.20.21. sinne abounded, grace did much more abounde; that as sinne hath reigned vn­to death, euen so might grace reigne through righteousnesse, vnto eternall life, by Iesus [Page]Christ our Lord. Grace veri­ly most abounding drawn from the depth of the trea­sures of the mercies of God our father, reconciling his elected and chosen in his Sonne; the seede of Abra­ham according to the flesh, but the ioy of Abraham ac­cording to the promise, in whom he hath called vs, iu­stified, sanctified, and glori­fied vs; In whom, and for whose sake he will be heere of meere good will our Shield; in heauen aboue, freely our Reward: And therefore again and again, feare not Israel, feare not a­ny true Israelite; forPsal. 11.2. Bles­sed is the man (sayth the Psalmist) that feareth the Lord, he shall not be affrayde [Page]of euill tydings; the euill al­ways weaker then good­nesse; the goodnesse it selfe camping alwayes about him, camping for him, he shall be alwayes (sayth he) enuironed with all kind of blessings; he shall abound in them, because he shall en­ioy and possesse from this very time forward here on earth, this good thing in hope; assured fully to enioy it in Heauen aboue in the glory of the Father.

To whom, with the Son, and the holy Ghost, be a­scribed all honour, glory, power, and dominion for euer and euer, Amen.