1Let us not therefore delude our selves, but get into Christ, get into the Ark in time, that when any public calamity shall come,2 we may be safe in Christ, if we be at peace with God, by repentance of sins, and by faith in Christ, every thing will minister thoughts of comfort to us; we cannot think of God, but as our Father, of Christ as our Redeemer, and reconciler, that hath brought God and us together, the Holy-Ghost takes upon him the term of a comforter for such; Angels, they are ministering Spirits; as for the Church it self, Gods people, they all have a common stock of prayers for us, every one that saith, Our Father, thinks of us,3 and all other things, they are at peace with us, as Job saith, The stones in the street, nay the stone in a mans body, the terrible pangs that comes from that disease, they have a blessing upon them; in the greatest extremities, a soul that is at peace with God, however God do not deliver him from the trouble, yet he delivers and supports him in the trouble, and as the troubles increase, so his comforts increase, and the very troubles themselves are peace with him, all work for the best to them that love God. 4And in the greatest confusions and tumults of States, yet the righteous is afraid of no ill tidings, Psal. 112.5 Because his heart is fixed upon Gods love in Christ. The wicked, when war and desolation, and signs of Gods anger appear from heaven, ⟨p. 277⟩they shake as the trees of the Forrest, as a wicked Ahaz, Isay 7. as Belshazzar, when there is but a fear of trouble; how did he know that the handwriting was against him? it was nothing but this naughty conscience, he knew not what it was, till it was expounded; so when any troubles comes upon wicked men, their consciences upbraid them with their former life, their knees knock together, and they grow pale as Belshazzar; oh the misery of a man, that hath not made his peace with God in the evil day, and the comfort of a man that hath! there is the difference between godly, and ungodly man, consider them in calamities, the one is at peace with God, in the middest of all calamities and troubles, nay, as I said, even troubles themselves are peaceable to him.
1Let us not therefore delude our selves, but get into Christ, get into the Arke in time, that when any publike calamity shall come,2 wee may be safe in Christ, if wee be at peace with God, by repentance of sinnes, and by faith in Christ, every thing will minister thoughts of comfort to us; we cannot thinke of God, but as our Father, of Christ as our Redeemer, and reconciler, that hath brought God and us together, the Holy-Ghost takes upon him the terme of a comforter for such; Angels, they are ministring Spirits; as for the Church it selfe, Gods people, they all have a common stocke of prayers for us, every one that saith, Our Father, thinks of us,3 and all other things, they are at peace with us, as Iob saith•, The stones in the street, nay the stone in a mans body, the terrible pangs that comes from that disease, they have a blessing upon them; in the greatest extremities, a soule that is at peace with God, however God doe not deliver him from the trouble, yet he delivers and supports him in the trouble, and as the troubles increase, so his comforts increase, and the very troubles themselves are peace with him, all worke for the best to them that love God. 4And in the greatest confusions and tumults of States, yet the righteous is affraid of no ill tydings, Psal. 112.5 Because his heart is fixed upon Gods love in Christ. The wicked, when warre and desolation, and signes of Gods anger appeare from heaven, ⟨p. 277⟩they shake as the trees of the Forrest, as a wicked Ahaz, Isay 7. as Belshazzer, when there is but a feare of trouble; how did he know that the handwriting was against him? it was nothing but this naughty conscience, hee knew not what it was, till it was expounded; so when any troubles comes upon wicked men, their consciences upbra•d them with their former life, their knees knocke together, and they grow pale as Belshazzar; oh the misery of a man, that hath not made his peace with God in the evill day, and the comfort of a man that hath! there is the difference betweene godly, and ungodly man, consider them in calamities, the one is at peace with God, in the middest of all calamities and troubles, nay, as I said, even troubles themselves are peaceable to him.
- 1Exhortation to make our peace.
- 2Happiness of him that is at peace with God.Happinesse of him that is at peace with God.
- 3Afflictions sanctified to those that are at peace with God.
- 4Difference of men in trouble.
- 5Psal. 112.
