590 eJVlafer C9reenlams `headings thatthehands oftheopprelfors Ihould not preuaile. God then giueth vsthis libertie,that wee may pray againft our and his enemies,'but we mutt withal! confider theretwo rea- fons. They may took Ihaue executed. As iftheProphet Paid,Thou haft promifed to helpe allthem, that hold to heproteíird- canFes and maintaine themwell through thygrace; I haue vied a good caufe well; per_ that haue a forme therefore,oh Lord,thypromife in me. So theProphet prayed),Pfal.4. r. Heareme goodcaufe,and when Ica11, 0God ofmy rs hteaufnes,&c. where hee fheweth, that asGod clothpromüe to do band! ,60,,,14 helpein aftiéionà,fubee required' ofour parts,that weefhouldfuffer asweldoers, and as doingwell in agood caufe, asif hee had expreffedhis minde in theft words:OGod, the mulewinch Imaintaine isiuft,and Ihaue maintained it well, let them fall thenthat haue an ill caufeagainft me,whohauingforighteous a caufe,dealefo righteoufly in it. As wehaue to learne,tbatwee (hall notbe without oppreffors,ifweedoe well : fomutt learnehow tobehaueour felues therein. It feemetlnnonftrousto fome,thatwe fhould by weldoingpurchafe fuch enemies,asifwhenyedoe well,yefuferwronggandtaleitpatie tly,this isacceptableto God: s.Pee.;. i ;.N whois it thatwillharme you,ifyefo /law that which isoood.Yet itis a thinginthefecret judgement God,eithcr tothe trial( ofthe faithofhischildren, or the fulfillingofthe Lunes of thewicked. Whowould thinke a man Ihould haue enemies, but by defect ? True it is, idleworld were aright: but becaufe we liue in fuch aworld, whereinChrilt himfelfeexecuting iudgementand righteoufnes did fuffer,becaufeithated him,much more mtift weelooke forit, as Chrilthimfelfe bath alfo forewarned,becaufe the feruant muffnotbe abouehis matterand becaufeweelabour and ceaftnot tohinder the kingdomeofSathan, heeenarmeththeworldwith hatred againft vsalio. Wee mull not think that wecan behere quiet.For althoughwe befometimes troubled becaufewehaue notdone fomewhat, whichweought : yet oftenweemuff be oppreffedas righteousdoers, althoughnot fo,as ourenemies finally fhallpreuaile againftvs. Wefeethe Prophet defircthGodto be thy patrone ofa righteous caufe, and ofa righ- teous cattle rightly handled ; wee muff then,ifwee will allure our felues ofGods prote- blion,fìrftconfider ifourcaufe be iuft, and hauíng fuch a caufe,whether weehaue rightly dealt in it. Let vsthcreforewhenwe areopprefed,fearch ourcadre ; ifweefeelethat our confcience be guilde, then nomarueile thoughweefuffer, becaufe theLord correélech ei- theroureuill caufe,or ourdl handlingofagood mule. We muff fie that in else equineof ourrequeft,ourcaufe be iuftandtrue,and beinggood,that ourdealing therein bealtoiuft andright. Let vs feethis now in particulars. OurSauiour Chrìft faicbcarne ,he ca toputdiiflenfionbetweene the father and the bonne, themotherand thedaughter and tliatthe fatherin law fhould beagainfthis forme in law, and the Ionin law againkhisfatherinlaçv. Trueit is ifit be for theGofpels fake,and we withall haue done our duties and obedience,which nature &ourcallings require,that we be!sated;yet muff wenot be difinaied,althougliwehave theenemies of ourownc familie, ofthemwhichby nature areioyned tovs,wee arenottobedikouraged, ifit be righteouf-' nes,which we muttmaintaine,and vnrighteoufneswhichthey maintame:ifthen ourcaufe being good,wevieall obedience,loue,and dutie,and yet begrieued, we muffrecouer our felueswith thatwhichChrifthatislaid butifour caufe be ill, or being right,wee Mewed notour telues humble and dutifull inthe defence ofit; thenwee hauedeferuedrulflytobe euill entreated of them. Ifwee pall °Verne thisto happen either amongMagitkracesto their fubie&s, or Landlords to theirtenants, oranyother gouernoursto their mferioars, whenthey thallBeale illwithvs in debts,fines,and exaftions,wemuff confider, thatif we haue donerighteoully, weehaue the libereie to comfort ourfoules inprayer:Lord,I haue donethepart ofa faithful! fubie&, or thedutie of a good tenant; Lord,helpe nit againft this man,whichoppreffeth me wrongfully. But ifweehauedifcouraged theirhearts either (imply by illdoing,or ina goodthingby ill dealing,wemutt know,that the Lord byChem doth take lome good thing fromvs,who from themdid take fome good duties. We mutt fee thenwhether wee haue done our duties intone ornot, this will keepevsfrom fuming, andwill makevsreft inprayer. Tlic ignorance ofthis doetrine maketh vsfret and fume,who neuer confider whether. our
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