The prophecy of Haggai, interpreted and applied in sundry sermonsThe prophesie of Haggai, interpreted and applyed in sundry sermons

My shepherd (saith he) is the living Lord, therefore will I fear no ill, and indeed he himself showed it to be true in his own particular, by his godly example in all his life, and first ⟨p. 113⟩when there was but a step between him and death, as he had told his friend Jonathan. 1 Sam. 20. he went forward with some circumspection indeed and care, to prevent danger, but yet never ¹a whit discouraged, because he knew that the Almighty was his shepherd, and that he was able to keep and defend him, yea that he would defend him because that he had promised to defend all such as put their trust in him, and why? for the Kings hart is in the hand of the Lord, and he turneth it whether soever he will, and that as easily as a husbandman can turn the streams of waters: And so the Lord did the heart of Saul to David, as appeareth by the sequel of that story, and when the Lord did not deliver him by his power, yet he preserved him by his goodness, Elijah might have feared Ahab, and Ehizeus might have been dismayed with the taunts that were cast on him, by Jeroboam, but they went boldly forward, showing indeed that they had no cause to fear or be discouraged, for they knew well enough that the Lord was with them, The memorable example of the three children showeth the like courage to have been in them, when they said, our God is able to deliver us, & if he do it not yet know O King, that we will not worship, &c. whereby they showed that they were fully persuaded, that the Lord is present with his servants, either by his power or by his goodness, by his power to deliver them, or by his goodness to comfort and strengthen them, if to endure torments were most for Gods glory, yea the very example of these three showeth, how true that in the Proverbs is, when a mans ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him, so that not only the fury of Kings shall be turned away, but if need be they shall become ever ²friends, and if the hearts of Princes be so subject to the Lords ordination and government, which seem to have some freedom, how much more are the hearts of inferior creatures, the slothful man saith that a Lyon is in the street, but the Lord hath Lyons at command, so that they shall not hurt his saints