THE SHIELD AND Reward of the Faithful. Or a Meditation upon Genesis 15. Chap. Verse 1. Written By PHILIP of MORNAY Lord of Plessis-Marly And faithfully translated according to the last French Copy. LONDON Imprinted by T. D. for nathanael NEWBERRY, and are to be sold at the sign of the Star, under S. Peter's in Cornhill, and in Pope-head Alley. 1620. TO THE RELIGIOUS AND Worthy Knight Sir PETER MANWOODE, Grace, Mercy, and Peace, from jesus Christ. RIGHT WORSIPFULL, THe Lord promised unto Abraham to be his shield and his exceeding great reward; the same he promiseth to every true Israelite, the child of Abraham: the Creator will be the creatures shield, the King his subject's target, the father a buckler to his child, God to man both a shield and a reward, the infinite and immortal God the portion of a finite and mortal man, yea a crown to dust and ashes: what better shield can we desire? what greater reward can we require? what greater honour, dignity, or profit can we demand or obtain? He is our summum bonum, our supreme good, the good God who is goodness itself. The worthy subject of our meditation, the chiefest object of our contemplation, capable to take away our fear, to satisfy our desire. For desire we any thing? behold a reward, are we afraid of any thing? behold a shield, yea a more excellent shield then that of Achilles, that contained in it the description of heaven, earth, and sea, for our shield is the Creator of the whole world a heavenlier shield, then that brazen one of Numa Pompilius, feigned to be sent down from heaven, for the preservation of the city of Rome, for the God of heaven is our shield to preserve us: a richer shield than those of Solomon, that were of beaten gold, a more precious and divine shield, than Perseus' crystal shield, given him by Pallas, to preserve him from that snaky headed Medusa, (who turned man into stones) by virtue of which shield he overcame her; for by the virtue of this shield given us by Pallas, that is wisdom itself, yea himself given to us as a shield, we have the victory over the Devil that old serpent, that strives to turn our fleshy hearts into hearts of stone, a better and a bigger shield, then that of great Goliath, how great and good so ever it was, it could not cover him all over, nor preserve him from death; whereas God who is our shield, both covers us, and preserves us. This our shield cannot be pierced, will not betray us us that of Brasidas did, it can not be taken away from us by the Devil, as those golden shields of Solomon were by Shiskak King of Egypt. And therefore a shield worthy to be made much of, for if Aiax and Ulysses strove so much for the shield of Achilles if Epaminondas being wounded to death, asked if his shield were whole, and rejoiced thereat, yea kissed it, how much more must we strive to get this shield, and having gotten it, to esteem it, to rejoice at it, never to cast it away, rather to cast away our weapons then this shield. It was more dishonourable in a Roman soldier to fling away his shield, than his sword, his dart or spear, for the which fault he was disgraced, degraded, and punished; how much more dishonourable, nay dangerous will it be for us to cast away our shield, by the which we are covered, which the darts of Satan can not pierce, without the which we must needs perish; nay cast away our shield, and God can not be our reward; and therefore let us take up this shield, embrace it and keep it, and as spiritual and Christian soldiers armed from top to toe with the whole armour of God, having on the breast plate of righteousness, the sword of the Spirit, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, fight under the banner of Christ jesus our captain, against the Devil, the world, and the flesh; we shall be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil, and to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and so having fought a good fight, having finished our course, having kept our faith, there is laid up for us a crown of righteousness, a crown of glory, a crown of life, not one of Laurel, of brass, of silver, or of gold, give to Roman Conquerors, but a glorious an immortal and eternal crown, which God the just judge shall give us at the latter day yea God himself shall be our crown, our glory, and our life; yea shall be all in all in us. This is the Sum of that divine meditation, which that learned divine and religious gentleman du Plessis penned in the French tongue, which I have translated into English, and am bold to present it to your Worship's consideration. Of all things that moved me to offer this small treatise to your Worship: the first is, your great continual & continued affection & favour towards our French Church of this city of Canterbury, the second, your particular affection & undeserved love towards me; the last though not the least, your calling, as being not only a Soldier, a Captain, and a Knight in regard of this world, but also a Christian soldier and a spiritual Knight, fight under Christ's colours, against your spiritual enemies, having GOD both for your shield and your exceeding great reward, so that you may say with David the Lord is my shield and my portion Embrace therefore the divine meditation of the Author, accept the good will and affection of the translator; make much of this shield, it will cover you, it it will defend you from all harms; esteem much this reward, & you shall enjoy all good yea God himself. I beseech that God, who is the shield and the reward of the faithful, to be both a shield to preserve you from all evil, and your reward both of grace here on earth, and of glory in the life to come. ⸫ Canterbury the 10. of May. 1620. Your Worships to command in the Lord, JOHN BULTHEL THE SHIELD and Reward of the Faithful. GEN. 15.1. Fear not Abraham, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. ABRAHAM the Father of the faithful, left at the voice of God his country, and his parentage, the superstition of his Fathers, to follow the service of the true God. And there withal received a promise, that within some ages, his posterity should inherit the land of Canaan, where he lived as a stranger. There was notwithstanding a small proportion between the commandment and the promise, if he had not looked further; and the more admirable was his faith in obeying, in that the commandment of leaving all was directed to his person, the promise of possessing to his posterity, a great way off; The commandment subject to sudden execution, the effect of the promise deferred, not to some days but to many ages; And again of a promise made to a posterity, that passeth all degrees, little sensible when one seethe it not, How much less to be considered when the great grandchildren cannot attain unto, nay not their great grand children. Notwithstanding he is snatched away from his dearest and nearest friends, transplanted from his country and soil, in a strange air, a more strange people; who doubts here but that the flesh in so an advantageous subject did argue against the spirit, reason against faith, Satan assisted with them both, against God's servant tossed and much moved in himself: For what could the land of Canaan stead him four hundred years after? Much less than Esau's red pottage when he was an hungry? and in following this purpose, how many mischiefs was he to encounter and incur▪ what goods was he to lose, ridiculous to the flesh contrary to reason, little credible to his soul. On the other side taking an other course, the beaten way of the world, the course taken by his friends, what goods might he have gotten? what evil might he have eschewed? who found to favour his part the discourse of reason? the desire of the flesh and man's will? aiming at the same intention the same contention, by the instinst of Satan, who can spy out his time, take his occasions, and what better, then when the faithful is bandied in himself? God therefore in this his perplexity appears to him in vision, breaks all their arguments, all his discourses; Fear not Abraham, saith he, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. If thou fearest in following my vocation thy calling to have evils, I am to cover thee I have wherewith to put thee under shade to shelter thee; If thou fearest that thou shalt have no goods, I am goodness itself; and this goodness how great soever it is, is so good, it will gush, and disperse itself upon thee. Few words, but which comprehends all, yea a bottomless depth Fear not for it is fear itself that assures thee; the fear of Isaac: and of jacob that only which men must fear; Is thy spirit tempted and attempted by apprehension, by a feeling of evils? Behold here is a shield for thee; Is it assaulted with concupiscence, or with the loss of that we call goods? Behold here is a reward. The eternal and immortal God to a mortal man, a worm, both a reward and a shield: Having so great a reward, what canst thou desire more? Or being under so sure a shield, what canst thou fear? And that which is said to Abraham, is said to his seed, to the Church in general, the lawful race of Abraham: in particular to every Israelite, to all the faithful: for seest thou O Israel the Egyptians, behind thee, the mountains at thy sides, the sea before thine eyes? a Exod. 14.13. Fear ye not stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you to day. Moreover dost thou see the thunderings and the lightnings, and the mountain smoking, b Exod. 20.20. Fear not, for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sinne not. Wert thou but a worm before thine enemies, contemptible and disdained by them, abject and base to thyself; c Isaiah. 41.8.10.13.19 Fear not Israel, my servant, for I am with thee; Fear not thou worm jacob, I will help thee, saith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the holy one of Israel. d Luke. 12.32. Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure, to give you the kingdom. Yea though thou wert alone, these words belong to every one let every one take it as said unto himself. For David saith for all the faithful, yea in the name of every one. e Psal. 3.6. I will not be afraid of ten thousand of people that do set themselves against me round about. f Psal. 56. I will not fear what flesh can do unto, me. g Psal. 46.2.3.4. No though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof roar, & be troubled, though the mountains shake with the dwelling thereof, yea h Psal. 23.9. though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. And the reason of this strong confidence is not less strong, I am thy shield; of thee Abraham and of all thine, the shield of Israiel, and of the Church. For Moses saith, i Deuter. 33 29. Happy art thou O Israel! Who is like unto thee O people! saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency Happy therefore is every faithful man that can confidently say with David, k 2. Sam 22.3. He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation. l Psal. 5.12. He blesseth the righteous, with favour doth he compass him as with a shield. m 2. Sam. 22 31. He is a buckler to all them that trust in him. Again, I am thy exceeding great reward, the reward consequently of thy seed, and of the Church; and not a reward only, but also an inheritance, for behold, n Gen. 17.7. I will establish my covenant between thee and me, and thy seed after thee, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed 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 David applying to himself, for us this promise saith. o Psal. 16.5.6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, the lines are fallen unto me in in pleasant places; Yea I have a goodly heritage; Certes because cause the wise man saith, p Ecclesiast. 11.22. The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the Godly, that feareth God; the rather saith the Apostle, because q 1. Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Notwithstanding this exceeding abundant reward, super abounding infinitely our sure demerits, our pretended merits, because there is no communion of unrighteousness with righteousness, no proportion of man to God, of nothing to all, nor therefore of humane merit to this reward, of our default our extreme dryness to this infinite sufficiency and fullness, to this eternal well springs. Now therefore fear not Abraham saith he, fear not Israel nor any Israelite; for the wise man saith, r Eccles. 7.18. He that feareth God, shall come forth of them all; s Ecclesiast. 34.14. He that feareth God, will not fear at all nor be afraid, for he is his hope. Now hope is the counterpoison and remedy of fear, a remedy stronger than the evil; An infinite remedy against a limited evil, an assurance in the creator, against the apprehension of creatures. A confidence in him that hath made all the creatures, and that solely alone hath made them all, and that of nothing; and therefore a confidence in him that is all, and of him that is all, against that which is nothing. Let all the elements therefore make a hurry together, all the meteors arm themselves together against us, against the Church; let us say with David, t Psal. 46.3.4. Though the waters thereof roar, and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof; there is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God. The infirmity and baseness of the Church, contemptible to the eyes of vain men; a small brook in comparison of these impetuous torrents, the current of the Ocean, shall not cease to subsist, nor omit to stream and run on. The faithful shall strengthen and harden himself a 'gainst their stir, or rather trembling for the wise man saith, u Ecclesiast. 34.16. God is his mighty protection and strong stay, a defence from heat, & a cover from the sun at noon, a presernation from stumbling, and a help from falling. Yea the Lord himself saith, x Isa. 43.2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overthrew thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; For I am thy Saviour. His providence in a word is unto him both a counsel and a rampire, against all accidents, against all cases and haps; because there are no chances in respect of God. Let the tyrants of the world incense themselves and rage, the people murmur, mutin, & thunder; the Lands & the ends of the world conspire against the Church; the Lord will speak to the souls of his servant, y Isa. 7.4. Fear not, neither be faint hearted, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. It shall not come to pass, the Lord shall gather the hearts of the Kings and Captains of nations, when and as he listeth. All the z Psal. 78. choler and anger of man is to him, but as much subject and matter of glory and fame. The nations conspire, a Isa. 8.12. Let them take counsel together and it shall come to naught. Let them combined and band themselves together, and they shall be crushed and bruised; only let us sacrifice unto the Lord of Hosts, let us serve him, and let him be our fear; and not the fury of these mortal men, b Isa. 51.12. of these men of grass, (as the Prophet speaketh) that cannot subsist against him, that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth; whose hand we have so often felt to our comfort, and his arm for our deliverance. For saith the Lord c Cham 13. Where is the fury of the oppressor? And hast thou not seen the ends of the world to tremble, my people not withstanding have gone their way in peace! and hast thou not seen them fall before my face, before my sword as dust, before my how as stubble? Yea let the powers of the air, the principalities of the world, the rulers of the darkness of the world the spiritual wickedness in high places. d Ephes. 6. With whom the faithful are to wrestle every day, (saith the Apostle) let them come, shall we yield ourselves? shall we faint and lose courage? but rather we will say, the Lord is with us, what need we fear▪ e 1 Cor. 10.13. He is faithful, who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able. He will strengthen us against the devil; he hath f Colos. 1. created all things that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him, let us boldly say, and therefore for us, and therefore for his Church Let us therefore oppose the thrones and celestial dominions against the powers of the air; the armies of Angels against the legions of Satan, against their malicious practices; the holy conduct of the Angels whom God causeth to camp 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 devils that can nothing against the faith of Christ, against his members, that have no power upon jobs Cattle, upon the hogs; though they roar never somuch, but as much as God unbridleth them. But let us say over and above, and that without excess; These devils themselves cannot be but for us, in as much as they are for God; their malice turns to his service, is at Gods pay and wages, and therefore at ours. For if Satan afflict job in his family, in his person, the Lord knows how fare and how long, and limits him; the righteousness and patience of his servant shines and appears the more, and his condition is the better for is at the last. If the Devil puts in the heart of judas, to sell the blood of the righteous, to betray and deliver the son of God into the hands of the jews; let us adore God, banish all fear; He is sold but far, far from their intention, for the ransom of our souls, he is delivered for the remission of our sins; of those sins that cause the quarrel between God and us; of those sins where with Satan alone did prevail, did brave it out against us, and therefore to his confusion; to his ruin, and that of his kingdom, on the otherside for the salvation of the world, & of men. Dare we say that this fear doth assure us even against God, against his justice, against his anger? certes we may, seeing that in this fear, of children of wrath we are made the children of his mercies; seeing we may say unto him with David, reserve O Lord the greatness of thy power, to try the strength upon the children of death; we are contented with thy clemency, because there is no condemnation to the true seed of Abraham, g Rom. 8.1. To them (saith the Apostle) which are in Christ jesus. For in this Isaac, in this alone is the true seed. On the other side make what covenant thou wilt, with all that which makes itself to be feared in the world; without out this fear thou wilt fear all things: not the elements in their fury only, but even the leaves, yea the dust; not the arms offenssive, the armour and armies alone, but how great soever thou be'st, the flies and Caterpillars; not only the principalities of the air, 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, h Isa. 28.15 18. Though thou hadst made a covenant with death and wert at agreement with hell; yet your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with death shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, than ye shall be trodden down by it. And they that have cast their eyes towards Ethiopia, that have i Isa. 20.5. gloried and vaunted of the help of Egypt shallbe afraid and ashamed thereof; contrariwise, happy is he that fears the Lord, and believes in him; For the wicked tremble where there is no cause of flight or fear, k Prou. 19.26. But in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children shall have 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 judgement of the flesh; there saith the Scriptures l Gen. 20. Sure the fear of God is not in this place: Notwithstanding God caused himself to be feared there, for his servant that feared him: A shelter for jacob in this fear, against the fury of Esau: God sends before him an army of Angels, changeth over and beside and turns that cruel heart to favour him: So far forth that Saul is afraid of David, that great king of a shepherd: because saith Samuel the Lord was with him. Elisha on the other side besieged in Dothan by the king of the Assyrians, in stead of fearing them takes it away from others, and gives them courage. m 2 King. 6.16. Fear not, (saith he to his servant) for they that be with us, are more than they that be with them. An army that he shows him, (God opening his servant's eyes at his request) a mountain full of horses, and chariots of fire round about Elisha for his succour, invisisible before to his faith, much more to his eyes; and how often is our help at the door which we see not, from how many dangers doth God deliver us which we feel not. What then? is it in the power of man, of flesh and blood, not to fear the creatures? and so powerful? so many perils whereunto he is subject every moment? Nay, God forbidden! yea it is as little in his power as to fear God himself: to fear God, and not to fear the creatures, spring from one fountain, and that fountain is God himself; faith the gift of God, that prints in us his fear, ought also to wipe out of us all other fear; and therefore he that bids us, fear not, adds sometimes, but believe, yea which is more, he that bids us believe and fear not, in commanding it, works it in us by his word this powerful word to create in us these qualities, which we have not; no less powerful than in saying, Let their be light, let the waters bring forth. This word brings forth, causeth them to bring forth those things that were not; and therefore is it said, I will command my blessing upon you; because that his sayings is a doing, his word an act, his blessing a good deed, a certain effect of his good will towards his children. On the other side, I will dread before you, to make your way plain. I will put into the hearts of your enemies to forgo you their place; they shall beat you another time in one quarter and you shall fly away seven ways, namely according as you shall fear me, or not fear me. Because it is God alone, that can give or take away this fear, in his blessings or curses, as to create all other things. But yet we must be well assured, that he that gave these qualities unto Abraham, and to our father's according to the ability and capacity of their infirmity, in commanding & recommending them unto them by mouth, gives them to us at this time, ask them of him with hart, in the name of his well-beloved (as the Apostle saith) n jam. 1.6. Ask in faith, nothing wavering, Our Lord himself saith, o joh. 14 & 15. & 16. Ask my father in my name; Ask and it shall be given you. For in this fear, there is confidence, saith the wise man. Confidence that proceeds from faith; faith that assures us of God's love towards us, breeds in our hearts a love towards God. Two loves springing from one fountain, the first takes from us or diminisheth in us the fear of creatures, p Rom. 8.31 For if God be for us, who can be against us? The second, a reflection of the first, which gives us his fear the fear of a Son towards his father, no more of a slave towards his master, nor of an offender towards his judge. A fear to offend his gentleness, not to provoke his anger. Now it is this faith also, which alone is capable in Abraham, in all the faithful, to take this shield that God presents, to take it I say, not by the merit of works which it brings forth, what are they? Nor for the dignity that is in her; for what is infirmity? but in the apprehension of his mercy, in his gracious promises. For I am thy shield, saith the Lord unto Abraham, the Lord an infinite essence, a holiness not to be approached by sinners, a consuming fire that devours them where is then the hand that supports it, yea that takes it, that can bear it but by him, take it but by himself. Surely we have no other hand to lend, then that of faith and he himself gives it us. And again this faith hath no hold but by his promise, this shield cannot be handled, nor wielded but by faith in God, grounded on his promises. Otherwise who would be so rash that durst presume to arm himself with his power, or cover himself with his goodness, to stand and shelter himself therewith and use it as a buckler against the creatures, against the creator but by himself; and therefore it is said that by faith Abraham left his country, obeyed to the voice of God even so fare as to offer his only son; Who r Rom. 4. against hope beeleeved in hope, kept and looked for an issue and posterity from barrenness, afterwards s Heb. 11. of a child whom he led to death, and in fine, millions of his only son; refelling and beating back all temptations with his shield. But it was also expressly said that it was grounded on the promises. Behold then how Abraham, every true Israelite, hath the Lord for his shield, taketh hold of him by faith, keeps him by his promise; What need he then fear? what? that this shield is not big enough to cover him? strong enough to defend him? Why, he covers the whole world with his shadow, he covers particularly his Church under his wing. It is not such a t Isa. 28.20. narrow covering, wherewith the Prophet threateneth us; When we pretend to cover ourselves against him without him, against the Creator by a pretended agreement with the creatures, with death, the grave, and hell. Contrariwise saith David, it is a shield of salvation, yea salvation itself; he that retires himself thereto u Psal. 91. Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; is covered with his feathers; his truth, the faithfulness of his promises serves him in stead of a Target, though a cloud of arrows should fall upon him, it cannot hurt him, no plague (saith he) shall come nigh thy dwelling much less nigh his person. Doth the world beat us with losses and calamities? i job. 5.21 22. Thou shalt not be afraid of destruction when it cometh, at destruction and famine thou shalt laugh. Will he pierce us with the disfavours of calumnities? Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue, how piercing, how venomous soever it be. Doth he threaten us with death? doth he offer it unto our view? y Psal. 91.7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand. For all that it shall not come nigh thee, he cannot hasten it a minute, yea even then when he throws his dart at our hearts, when he thinks he hath found the default and weakest part of this shield in our infirmity. But rather it shallbe our life, and truly life. It is then properly that we shall brave it. z 1 Cor. 15. O death where is thy sting? Where is thy victory? a job. 19.26 For I know (saith job) that in this my flesh (which thou thinkest thou hast killed) shall I see God; b 1 Cor. 15.43. I know (saith the Apostle) that that which is sown in dishonour and weakness, shallbe raised in glory and power. So then doth the faithful suffer? Is the Church assaulted in her body, in her members? Let us beware of all things, that we fling not away our shield. Let us rather forgo our weapons. If Christ had not been buried. laid in the grave, covered with a stone; thou hadst not believed he could have raised himself to life, how much less thee? If also the Church were not persecuted, thou in the Church; thou couldst not know what this shield is worth, how much it steads thee. Thou couldst not discern thine infirmity from his power. Thou wouldst impute to the hardness of thy skin that which thou shouldst attribute to her temper; to thy nature that, that comes from his grace, to humane prudence that which proceeds from his providence; and therefore it behoves thee to be often tempted, to be touched to the quick. And therefore the Prophet did rejoice; that he had been chastised, that he might thereby remember God, and know himself. And at least have we this sure comfort in our afflictions and our wounds, from whence soever they come they aim directly at this shield, they fall upon this shield, upon the Lord, yea upon his own flesh. If we are unjustly persecuted by the malice or ignorance of men, c Act. 9 Saul why presecutest thou me? saith Christ, he feels throughly our pains, he accepts our wounds, he will repel them, he will avenge them, no less then if they were his own. And therefore have we seen so many darts blunted, so many weapons become dull, so many armies to retire; the sharpest points of weapons to turn & retort upon the face of the enemies, the very finest, the very sharpest, the most finely tempered, to their own damage. If we are justly to be chastisd for our sins, he bears the punishment, he caries the wounds. The eternal son of God one with him, d Isa. 53. Surely hath borne our griefs (saith the Prophet) and carried our sorrows; he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, for the transgression of my people was he stricken saith the Lord. And from thence let us hearten and harden ourselves also against death, against Satan, against hell. For what can we desire and require more in a shield, to have all his qualities, then to make our wounds hers, then to redeem us, to except us from evil, and to revenge them, to repel them more livelily, to make ours hers? why then doth the flesh arm her principalities against us? e jerem. 6.1 Doth she lay hold without compassion on bow and spear, against the daughter of Zion? We will say, the Lord is our shield; that shield before the which the Philistians fall, the walls of jericho, yea the very earth trembleth, Then (saith Deborah) f judg. 5.8. When there was ne'er a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel; He hath not omitted to sane his people. The shield of the mighty (saith David) is driven back, so calleth he Saul, but the shield of the righteous will never fail; On the otherside. g Psal. 47.10. The shields of the earth belong unto God, he rules over all the shields of the earth; that is to say, all the armour and armies of the world (will they nill they) are at his payment and entertainment, and are sworn to him. Thence cometh it to pass, that we have so often seen, the Church delivered 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 ruin; these notwithstanding having not the thought, that tended to his deliverance; the Church also often raised from whence and by whom one thought she should be oppressed; then triumphing when one thought they should have led him in triumph; and the Lord of Hosts, (saith the Prophet) did that; the Lord (saith David) unto whom belong all the shields of the earth, on whom depend all the Monarchies: whence it cometh to pass, that under this shield the Church hath passed over all the ages and seasons and shall without doubt shut up the last age; although that all the Monarchies, one after another in the emulation and despite one of the other, have trod her under foot. They one the otherside, all of them discomfited the one by the other, without leaving any trace or mark after them but what was for the glory of God. Of God (saith Moses) that carrieth his Israel under his wing, as the Eagle her young ones; of God on the otherside, who in favour of his Israel, and by his just judgement, withdraweth his protection from other people. The powers of the air do they revy at her on the earth, & do they think they can do more against her? Have they caused our flesh to revolt against our spirit, to make us sin, drawn in our consciences to convict us, kindled as they suppose, God's wrath to confound us; ranked in a word, all our sins in battalion before our eyes, to make us tremble, to terrify us, to make us despair of his mercy, to give us over to Satan as a pray; Let us here take hold, and the more firmly on the shield of faith, on this shield (saith Paul) h Epeses. 6. Wherewith we overcome in combat the principalities, the powers, the spiritual wickedness in high places; whereby we may quench the fiery darts of the wicked. Tell him, I have been indeed i 1 Tim 1.1 an idolater, a blasphemer, a persecuter, an oppressor, and much more! but I obtained mercy, and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant towards me in Christ jesus; and this Christ the son of God hath changed my sins, hath been made sin for me, and I have put on Christ, & I live in Christ, and Christ in me. If then thou canst nothing against Christ, against my head, neither canst thou against me. These sins of mine how enormous soever they be, concern me no more, neither then the punishment. As little shall thy darts bear against me or hurt me, furnished with Christ, armed with Christ; no nor against Christ neither. Christ that strong man who hath long ago bound thee, cast thee into the bottomless pit; Christ the promised seed to his Church, and unto all the faithful, who hath heretofore bruised thy head; And thou canst not with all thy rage do more without danger then prick our heel. Finally, doth the almighty he present himself in his justice, in his anger? A consuming fire; let not the Christian fear, though he were of straw; Lord will he say permit that dust and ashes speak to thee? Thou art exceeding just, the most just; So that the sinner cannot subsist in thy justice. But good God, hast thou not armed us with the righteousness of thy Son? and hath he not been made sin for us? and hath he not been made unto us righteousness and sanctification? Thou sittest indeed in judgement; and thy judgement is a consuming k Malac. 3.2 fire, is like a refiners fire; the straw or the stubble shall they not be parched and burnt on a sudden? But O God are not we founded and grounded upon thy Son jesus Christ, tow and stubble that we are? l 1 Cor. 3. And shall we not then be preserved from this fire? And against the fire of thine ire and wrath, are not we bedewed and sprinkled with the water of thy mercies? bathed in the blood of of thy Lamb? in this living spring springing to life eternal? Certes thou art great, O Lord, thy justice infinite; But thy Son, saith he not, I and my father are one; and then is he not equal to thee, infinite to an infinite, his obedience to thy justice? Therefore march we O God by thy mercy, under the obedience of thy Son; under this obdience we will not decline from thy judgement, we will no more cry out away with thy justice; but rather, and that aloud, let thy judgement come, thy justice arrive; thy judgement, m Rom. 8. For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect; It is God that justifieth. Thy justice, for it can do nothing but justice unto his righteousness, and his righteousness is ours. Thou wilt glorify him, O Lord, for his righteousness, for he hath deserved it; Yea with that same glory that he had before he came into the world and he had it already, and never left it; and therefore hath it doubly; the last shalt be ours, n 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of righteousness (saith the Apostle) is laid up for me, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day, (in that great day otherwise so terrible and dreadful) and not to me only, but unto them also that love his appearing. Certes whether it be in grace, or in glory. And it is that also that the Lord adds unto Abraham I am thy exceeing great reward. For, it sufficeth him not, to cover us from harm; man's desire stops not there, much less God's goodness; he will also fill us up with goodness. It pleased him to be our Shield against the evil of this world, & of the world to come. In like proportion is he our Reward; A reward here beneath, a reward above: In things of this present life never to forsake us: In things of the life to come giving himself to us. But in the one and in the other, by his grace alone; for what could he without forgiving? Now, what a large field hath the Christian here to meditate upon these high mysteries? He knoweth & acknowledgeth nought in himself but wickedness, even from his conception, in his conception nought but sin. He cannot be ignorant, that the wages of sin is death, and of a sin that is infinite, an infinite punishment; against a God eternal, an eternal death. Where is then the reward? or rather, where is not the punishment? And where is the overweening presumer that asks a Reward? that thinks not he hath gained much to be quit of the punishment? but the Lord saith to him in mercy, I am thy Reward, in lieu of the punishment that is due unto thee: A man conceived in sin, a stranger unto my law, as all others are. And I will not only give thee a reward, but give myself also to thee, as an infinite reward, not due to thy merits, maugre thy demerits. For, by what law can the slave purchase his master by his service, or the subject his prince? to have him for a reward, to make him his own, to possess him as an inheritance? much less the creature his Creator: unless certes (saith the Apostle) it be by the law of faith, by pure grace. So that we have him as a reward, with the same right and title as we have him for a shield, by faith grounded on his promise. And notwithstanding a Reward saith the Lord, and therefore due; but how due? It is due unto thee, for I have promised it thee, thou hast not deserved it, I own it unto myself. It is due to thee, I own it to my Son, bought with his blood, and I have given him thee, yea, his blood for thee, and therefore due to thyself. I am therefore saith the Lord to Abraham thy Reward; But here flesh and blood are not contented therewith, cannot attain unto it; and therefore Abraham saith, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless? So little can eternal and heavenly happiness pierce into our souls except it hath first entered into our hearts; Yea but when I say unto thee I am thy Reward; I comprehend all, even that All myself; for wilt thou have posterity (saith he)? Look now towards Heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them, so shall thy seed be, and notwithstanding he had but one son: Will't thou have goods? I give unto thee, and unto thy seed after thee this land for an everlasting possession, and yet must he buy his sepulchre; and wilt thou assure them for ever, the Lord makes a covenant with thee; notwith. standing thy posterity serves many ages after: now to what end was this but only to raise him up from the creatures to the Greator, to tell him plainly, if these earthly things seems to thee a reward worthy for thee that art but dust, it is not a present worthy of God that gives it thee the everlasting God cannot give unto his children wor thily but everlasting things. And not withstanding lest thou shouldst be discouraged, I am in such wise thy reward above, as that I cease not to be it here beneath, for, o 1. Tim. 4.8, godliness my true service, hath the promise of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come. And therefore do we see him blestin his family, abound in his household business, rule amongst strangers, reverenced 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 servants dead, dead their services: and therefore do we read so often, The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of jacob; For the love of my sernant Abraham: for, the promise of the eternal. God is eternal, survives his servants and their services, Therefore the Apostle said, p. To me to line is Christ, to die p Philip 1. to die is gain; so also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. In a word, serve thou in this life according to thy calling, according to mine, whosoever it be, howsoever froward he be to thee, be not dismayed, thou losest not thy pains. q Ephes. 6. Tit. 2. The servant serves his master with good will, the subject his prince; he serves the Lord he doth the will of God not of men, with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men. But let them rely also on him, trust to this reward, and not to men. For haste thou r Gen. 3. & 32. Incob served an ungrateful Laban, the best of thy years in the scorchng heat of the Sun by day, in the frost by night; and the Lord hath evidently blest thee to his profit, it may be to thy damage. Fear not (saith the Lord) For I am thy reward. Thou hast passed over the jordan with thy staff, and behold thou art become two bands. Hast thou faithfully served a prince, or the state of a kingdom; and God hath he vouchafed to work amongst them by thy hand; and they repay thee with contempt, with hatred, yea with, injuries; do not bemoan thyself, do not belly thyself, or derogate from thyself, whatsoever happens thee, thou hast served according to confidence and not according to favour, and not according to anger, thou hast, served the Lord thy God, and not men; The Lord is faithful (saith the Apostle) is faithful, s Heb. 11.6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 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 serve him, even of those that in the consideration of his calling, take their condition in good part, undergo joyfully all bitterness, and their charges and burdens scarce tolerale and supportable for the most part in themselves, less for being less acknowledged, but least acknowledged of them, whom they serve; Israel also, I mean the Church, is she hardly oppressed in Egypt; josephs' services are they there forgot, yea turned into torments and punishments, to make and bake bricks, to gather straw, to feel the rod of the taskmasters, the discretion of the exacter, the severe corrector? Let him not doubt but that he shallbe drawn away with an out stretched arm, a strong hand, that God shallbe glorified in delivering his people, in chastising Egypt. But know also Israel, and do not abuse thyself that thy reward is not in this soil, in the slime and mud of Nilus, Thou art there a stranger, how fertile soever it be; but thy reward is in Canaan, in the true Canaan, in the heavenly. There properly, Shalt thou laugh at the cry of the oppressors, at the noise of people, there mayst thou say assuredly, t Va. 14.4. How hath the oppressor ceased? and what is become of the Sceptre of the rulers: Yea comest thou thus fare, O servant of God whosoever thou be'st, to receive amongst thine own, amongst his own, hard handling yea even death for thy pains and pay; Thy pay and reward for that thou hast assisted them with counsel in their perplexities, with aid in their adversiries thou hast made no reckoning of thy life, of thy dignity, of all that man civility esteems most; and that because many times they shall want an onion or melon, or somesauce of Egypt; not necessary things but things superfluous; yield not unto them, but ●●fly bend and harden thyself against them, to do them good. For how often have they murmured against Moses: and have not they knocked down the Prophets, and did they ever reverence them but when they were dead? and would they not stone our Saviour: and have not they forgot the Lord their possession? Yea how often have they kicked against him? Now who art thou then, what are thy services, that thou expressest either less, or better? and the greater they shallbe, seest thou not that proportion ably they are often followed with envy, yea with hatred and reproach yea though the Lord should say unto thee, as he said unto Moses u Numb. 14. I will smite this people with the pestilence; and disinherit them; and will make of thee a greater nation, and mightier than they. Do not consent unto their evil, their punishment, no not unto thine own good; say rather, Lord what will the Egyptians say, The Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore unto them, therefore he hath stane them in the wilderness Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people, according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast for given this people from Egypt even until now, x Luk. 23.34. For give them father said our Lord Christ, For they know not what they do, Yea even be willing to sacrifice thyself for them, to make thy selfe an anathema, accursed; because Certes thy reward is not here, nor of here beneath, it is from a 'bove and it is there also and therefore be not offended, if the wicked do prosper. It belongs to the men of this world to seek it here on earth, to expect it of men. Contrary wise it is said unto us y Matth. 3.11.12. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name sake; rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; Great in itself, and indeed what is there great but God? No less great in regard of the faithful. For z Psal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son 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 himself, and therefore super abounds upon all creatures, & of his fullness have they all received; but so much the more in us, for the due wages of all men was death, and what have the best men of all but that which they have received? and is it not then grace upon grace and not salary: and beside, what can we do that can oblige God, or make him beholden unto us, seeing that a Psal. 16. Our goodness (saith the Psalmist) extendeth not to him, For what can we suffer, that is worthy him: Seeing saith the Apostle that b Rim. 8.18. The sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory, which shallbe revealed in us. But Certes, where c Rom. 5.20.21. sin abounded, grace did much more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness, unto eternal life, by jesus 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 Son; the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, but the joy of Abraham according to the promise, in whom he hath called us, justified, sanctified, and glorified us; In whom, and for whose sake he will be here of mere good will our Shield; in heaven above, freely our Reward: And therefore again and again, fear not Israel, fear not any true Israelite; for d Psal. 11.2. Blessed is the man (saith the Psalmist) that feareth the Lord, he shall not be afraid of evil tidings; the evil always weaker than goodness; the goodness itself camping always about him, camping for him, he shall be always (saith he) environed with all kind of blessings; he shall abound in them, because he shall enjoy and possess from this very time forward here on earth, this good thing in hope; assured fully to enjoy it in Heaven above in the glory of the Father. To whom, with the Son, and the holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour, glory, power, and dominion for ever and ever, Amen. FINIS.