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 , n n 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 . o o 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 cause the wise man saith , p 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 q 1. 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 eternall well springs .

Now therefore feare not Abraham saith he , feare not Israel nor any Israelite ; for the wise man saith , r r Eccles. 7.18 . He that feareth God , shall come forth of them all ; s s 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 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 , t t 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 and harden himselfe a gainst their stirrings , or rather trembling for the wise man saith , u u 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 , x x 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 of the world insence themselues and rage , the people murmur , mutin , & thunder ; the Ilands & the ends of the world conspire against the Church ; the Lord will speak to the soules of his seruant , y y 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 z z Psal. 78. choler and anger of man is to him , but as much subiect and matter of glory and fame . The nations conspire , a a Isa. 8.12 . Let them take counsell together and it shall come to naught . Let them combinde and band themselues 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 , b b 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 Lord c c Cha. 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 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 . d d 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 ▪ e e 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 hath f f Colos. 1. created all things that are in heauen and on earth , visible and invisible 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 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 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 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 strength vpon the children of death ; we are contented with thy clemency , because there is no condemnation to the true seede of Abraham , g g 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 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 , h h 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 scourge shall passe through , then yee shall be trodden downe by it . And they that haue cast their eyes towards Ethiopia , that haue i i Isa. 20.5 . gloried and vanted of the helpe of Egypt shal be 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 , k k 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 Scriptures l l Gen. 20. Sure the feare of 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 . m m 2 King . 6.16 . Feare not , ( sayth he to his seruant ) for they that be with vs , are more then 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 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 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 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 & recommending 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 ) n n Iam. 1.6 . Aske in faith , nothinge wauering , Our Lord himselfe saith , o o 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 God . Two loues springing from one fountaine , the first takes from vs or diminisheth in vs the feare of creatures , p p 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 presents , to take it I say , not by the merit of workes which it brings forth , what are they ? Nor for the dignitie 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 . 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 ; Who r r Rom. 4. against hope beeleeued in hope , kept and looked for an issue and posteritie from barrennesse , afterwards s s Heb. 11. of a child whom hee led to death , and in fine , millions of his onely sonne ; refelling and beating 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 a t t Isa. 28.20 . narrow couering , wherewith the Prophet threateneth vs ; When wee pretend to couer ourselues against him without him , against the 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 thereto u u Psal. 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 ? i i Iob. 5.21 22. Thou shalt not bee afraide of destruction when it commeth , at destruction and 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 ? y y 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 shal be our life , and truely life . It is then properly that we shall braue it . z z 1 Cor. 15. O death where is thy sting ? Where is thy victory ? a a Iob. 19.26 For I know ( saith Iob ) that in this my flesh ( which thou thinkest thou hast killed ) shall I see God ; b b 1 Cor. 15.43 . I know ( sayth the Apostle ) that that which is sowne in dishonour and weakenesse , shal be 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 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 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 , c c 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 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 , d d 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 , 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 ? e e 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 ) f f 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 righteous will neuer faile ; On the otherside . g g 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 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 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 by 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 , 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 ) h h 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 indeede i i 1 Tim 1.1 an idolater , a blasphemer , a persecuter , an oppressour , and much more ! but I obtained mercy , and the grace 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 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 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 consuming k k Malac. 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 ? l l 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 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 , m m 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 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 , n n 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 grace , or in glory .