Daniel, and his fellows, in his great strait and danger about the king's dream, pray to God.-Dan. ii. 13, 14. 18. I will go, and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.-Hosea v. 15. Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be delivered.-Joel ii. 32. When the mariners were in the tempest, they called every man unto his god; and roused up Jonah to call upon his God: if so be God will think upon us, that we perish not. Jonah i. 4-6. Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God, out of the fish's belly, and said, I cried, by reason of mine affliction, unto the Lord.—Jonah ii. 1, &c. The Ninevites prayed, &c. Who can tell if God will turn and repent? &c.-Jonah iii. 8, 9; 2 Sam. xii. 22. When Peter saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord save me! And immediately Jesus, &c. caught him.-Matt. xiv. 30, 31. Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? Yea, he will avenge them.Luke xviii. 7, 8. When the apostles had been imprisoned, and convened before the council, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, &c. Behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness, &c.Acts iv. 24. 29, 30. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.Acts xii. 5. 12. Paul, when he was under the buffeting of Satan, saith, For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.-2 Cor. xii. 7,8. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray, &c. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, &c. and the prayer of faith shall save the sick.-James v. 13–15. See more of Duties in common calamities. VII. Not to fear; but commit their cause to God, and quietly wait for his Salvation. He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.-Heb. xiii. 5, 6. Israel's impatience in waiting for God, made them quarrel with Moses; and Moses with God; although God was in his own way delivering them. -Exod. v. 21–23. The children of Israel said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? &c. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not; stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you this day, &c. The Lord shall fight for you.-Exod. xiv. 10-14. Because of Israel's unbelief, and impatience in waiting for God, they were not suffered to enter Canaan; only their children, of whom they had said, They should be a prey, they did possess the land.-Deut. i. 32-39. As an encouragement, we should remember what God hath done formerly.-Deut. vii. 17-19. And David was greatly distressed, &c. but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.-1 Sam. xxx. 6; xvii. 34-37. It may be that the Lord will look upon my affliction; and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.-2 Sam. xvi. 12. Elisha said, when the city was environed with enemies, Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them, &c. But when there was a famine in Samaria, the king (because deliverance hastened not) said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord: what should I wait for the Lord any longer?- sity, thy strength is small.-Prov. 2 Kings vi. 14-16. 33; 2 Chron. xxiv. 10. xxxii. 7, 8. In the great famine of Samaria, the great lord, who would not believe the plenty the prophet had foretold, was told by the prophet, that he should see it, but not eat thereof: and so it fell out unto him.-2 Kings vii. 1, 2. 17-20. Though Judah were beset by Israel, yet Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.-2 Chron. xiii. 14. 18; Ezra viii. 21-23. God was angry with Asa, for relying on the king of Syria, and not on the Lord his God.-2 Chron. xvi. 7. Be not afraid, nor dismayed; for the battle is not yours, but God's, &c. Stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you.-2 Chron. xx. 15-17. To God I would commit my cause. -Job v. 8; Ps. ix. 10; x. 14; xi. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined to me, and heard my cry he brought me out of an horrible pit.-Ps. xl. 1, 2; lxii. 1, 2. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him.-Ps. xlii. 5. 11; xxxi. 24; xliii. 5. The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, shall be safe.-Prov. xxix. 25. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, &c. marvel not at the matter; for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, &c.-Eccles. v. 8. Take heed, and be quiet: fear not, neither be faint-hearted, &c. because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, &c. It shall not stand.-Isa. vii. 3-7. And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob; and I will look for him.— Isa. viii. 17. It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God: we have waited for him, and he will save us.-Isa. xxv. 9; xxvi. 8. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, &c. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself, &c. until the indignation be over.-Isa. xxvi. 3. 20. The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this: their strength is to sit still, &c. Thus saith the Lord, In returning and rest shall ye be saved: in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.-Isa. xxx. 7. 15. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.-Ps. lv. 22. The Lord is merciful, &c. he will not always chide, &c.-Ps. ciii. 8, 9. Though I walk in the midst of Fear not, for I am with thee: be trouble, thou wilt revive me; thou not dismayed, for I am thy God, &c. shalt stretch forth thine hand against-Isa. xli. 10. 13, 14; Gen. xv. 1; the wrath of mine enemies, and thy xxvi. 24. right hand shall save me. Ps. cxxxviii. 7. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, &c.-Isa. 1. 10, 11. Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings, &c. I, even I, am he that comforteth you. Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, &c. and forgettest the Lord thy Maker?Isa. li. 7. 12, 13; Matt. x. 28. 31. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not, &c. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Lam. iii. 22. 25, 26. The three children being threatened, said, Our God, &c. will deliver us out of thy hand.—Dan. iii. 16, 17. be made known unto God. — Phil. iv. 6. We ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions.— 2 Thess. i. 4. Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, &c. Who, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.-1 Pet. ii. 21. 23. If ye suffer, &c. be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord, &c.-1 Pet. iii. 14, 15; Heb. xiii. 6; Rev. ii. 10. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord.-Jonah ii. 7. None upright among men, they all lie in wait to shed blood, &c. that they may do evil with both hands earnestly, &c. The son dishonoureth the father, &c. therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God-1 Pet. iv. 19. of my salvation.—Micah vii. 2—7. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.-Nahum i. 7. Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. SECONDLY. The Duties of Believers, how they ought to behave toward Enemies and Persecutors, in a time of Persecution and Suffering from them. Take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. I. Matt. x. 19, 20. 28. 31; vi. 27. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.-Matt. xi. 28. When they shall deliver you up, &c. study not beforehand what ye shall speak; but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye. -Mark xiii. 11; Luke xxiv. 14, &c. God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able to bear; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape.1 Cor. x. 13. We should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead: who delivereth us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust, that he will yet deliver us.— 2 Cor. i. 9, 10; Judges xiii. 22, 23; 1 Sam. xvii. 34-37. In nothing terrified by your adversaries. Phil. i. 28. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer, &c. let your requests To be patient, quiet, and sober toward them: not revenge, or return Evil for Evil, or Reviling for Reviling; but forgive them. JOSEPH, instead of revenging upon his brethren their injury of him, spake kindly to his brethren, and said, Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life, &c. So now, it was not you that sent me hither, but God, &c.-Gen. xlv. 5-8; 1. 19-21. Though Saul hunted for David's life, yet would not David avenge himself upon him.-1 Sam. xxiv; xxvi. When Shimei cursed David, he bore it quietly, and would not avenge himself.-2 Sam. xvi. 7—11. And afterward Abishai said to David, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed? &c. David said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die.— 2 Sam. xix. 21-23. Job quarrelled not with the in struments which spoiled him, but acknowledged it was the Lord.-Job i. 20, 21. O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.-Ps. xciv. 1. Envy thou not the oppressor, (or the man of violence.)-Prov. iii. 31. Say not thou, I will recompense evil: but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.-Prov. xx. 22. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.Prov. xxiv. 29. He was oppressed, &c. yet he opened not his mouth, &c. as a sheep, &c. so he opened not his mouth.Isa. liii. 7; Ps. xxxviii. 13, 14. Jeremiah said, As for me, behold, I am in your hand, do with me as seemeth good, &c.-Jer. xxvi. 11. 14. Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.-Matt. v. 38, 39. If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.-Matt. vi. 14, 15. When one of Christ's disciples drew his sword, &c. he bid him put it up, &c.-Matt. xxvi. 51, 52. James and John said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned and rebuked them and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.-Luke ix. 53–56. Ye shall be hated, &c. In your patience possess ye your souls, &c.Luke xxi. 17. 19. Paul said to Festus, (when he had said, He was beside himself,) I am not mad, most noble Festus, &c.Acts xxvi. 24, 25. Recompense to no man evil for evil, &c. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.-Rom. xii. 17. 19; Deut. xxxii. 35. Being reviled, we bless, &c. being defamed, we intreat.-1 Cor. iv. 12, 13. See that none render evil for evil unto any man.—1 Thess. v. 15. Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you.— James v. 6. So is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, &c. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps, &c. who, when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not.-1 Pet. ii. 15. 21. 23. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, &c.—1 Pet. iii. 9. II. Not to desire, or rejoice in the hurt of Enemies and Persecutors. David mourned and wept when Saul was slain, although he had been his deadly enemy; and hated and pursued him several years.-2 Sam. i. 4, &c. Abner, his great enemy, who set up Ishbosheth in opposition to him, being slain, David said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever, &c. He commands all the people to mourn for him: and himself mourned, and followed him to his funeral.-2 Sam. iii. 27-29. 31, 32. So David, instead of rejoicing that Ishbosheth was slain, commanded his young men to kill those who slew him.-2 Sam. iv. 8-12. When Israel had conquered Judah, the prophet commanded them to let the captives go, feed them, and clothe them, and not insult over them.2 Chron. xxviii. 9, &c. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.-Job xxxi. 29, 30. He that is glad at calamities, shall not be unpunished.-Prov. xvii. 5. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be III. To pray for, and do good to our Persecutors and Enemies. If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again, &c.Exod. xxiii. 4. Miriam had spoken against Moses; yet he prayed for her, to heal her leprosy. Numb. xii. 1. 10. 13. Saul said to David, thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.-1 Sam. xxiv. 17. Israel came and fought against Judah; and having overcome, Israel shewed them kindness. -2 Chron. xxviii. If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat: and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink, &c. -Prov. xxv. 21; Rom. xii. 20. Seek the peace of the city, whither I have caused you to be carried away captives; and pray unto the Lord for it.-Jer. xxix. 7. I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil, &c. If ye love them which love you, &c. do not even the Publicans the same?-Matt. v. 44-48. Christ said, (when upon the cross,) Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.-Luke xxiii. 34. They stoned Stephen; and he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Acts vii. 59, 60. Paul prayed for Agrippa, that he were not only almost, but altogether such as he, except his bonds.-Acts xxvi. 28, 29. Bless them which persecute you, &c. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him, &c. be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.— Rom. xii. 14. 20, 21. Being reviled, we bless; being defamed, we intreat.-1 Cor. iv. 12, 13. IV. To use lawful and honest means for avoiding and delivering themselves from Afflictions and Persecutions.-Matt. iv. 5-7. When there was a famine in the land where Abraham was, he removed to Egypt.-Gen. xii. 10. When Abraham had heard that Lot was taken, &c. he pursued the enemy, and rescued him.-Gen. xiv. 14, &c. When Jacob heard of his brother Esau's coming against him, he was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, &c. and said, If Esau come to the one company and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape, &c. And he took of that which came to his hand, a present for his brother Esau, &c. for he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, &c.-Gen. xxxii. 6 8. 13. 20; xxxiii. 3. 8. 13, 14. Joseph, in the dungeon, desired the king's cupbearer to speak to the king on his behalf.-Gen. xl. 14, &c. Saul sought to smite David, &c. but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, &c. and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him, and to slay him, &c. His wife let him down through a window, and he went and fled, and escaped.— 1 Sam. xix. 10-12. David consulted with Jonathan about his safety from Saul.-1 Sam. XX. David consulted with Hushai, and directed him what to do in order to his defeating of the counsel of Ahithophel.-2 Sam. xv. 32-37. Elijah being threatened by Jezebel, arose, and went for his life, &c.— 1 Kings xix. 2, 3. Hezekiah laid figs to his sore, by the prophet's direction, and he recovered.-2 Kings xx. 7. |