by his spirit if so be that they feare him and beleeue in him Thirdly they must be of pure conuersation and reuerence their husbands the hidden man of the heart must be vncorrupt with a méeke and quiet spirit and subiect themselues vnto their husbands and then they shall either win them or at least leaue them without iust defence of themselues or excuse Q How shall good husbands comfort themselues when they are maried to euill and vnquiet wiues A. First it may be they were rash in their choice and did not consult with God by praier and with good men by conference about it Secondly Dauid Iob Moses c. were this wâ—y somewhat crossed and this is almost a common euill and therefore the more patiently to be vndergone and if we cannot so well practise patience we must during the tempest of chiding absent our selues and retire our selues into some priuaâ—e place Thirdly they must acknowledge that they are thus crossed for their sins and therefore they must the more willingly beare the burthen of their offences Fourthly if they can endure raine and smoak in their houses why not then their wiues Fiftly they must either by gentlenesse good perswasions and admonitions reforme their wiues for then they make them better or else they must beare with their infirmities and so they make themselues better Sixtly let their own consciences bear them witnesse that they faile in no dutie of godlines and loue towards them theÌ„ let them commit the matter to God and what know they whether at length they shall conuert them or not Q. How shall good parents comfort themselues that are troubled and crossed with euill and disobedient children A. First goodnes and vertue in children is not naturall but from aboue commeth not from their first birth but from their second for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh that which is borne of the spirite is spirit and hereupon many good men haue had euill children as Abraham had his Ismael Isaacke had his Esau Dauid his Absolon and Amnon Hezechias his Manasses Secondly sometimes Parents are punished in their children partly because they haue beene disobedient to superiours and to their owne parents and partly because they haue béen negligent in teaching correcting and bringing them vp Thirdly all children are not predestinate to saluation as we haue Elies sons Hophni and Phineas for examples and therefore we must not looke to haue all good and holy for iustification and sanctification followeth onely election and is not common to all Fourthly parents must giue their children holy example and when they are young bend and bow them bring them vp in the nurture and information of the Lord and then if they proue not good their vngodlinesse shall neuer bee imputed to the innocent parents Lastly though for the present they be euill and desperate yet hope wel of them and pray for them and vse all meanes constantly for their amendment then leaue the successe to God the changer of the hearts Q. How shall vertuous children comfort themselues that are crossed with vnkind euill and irreligious parents A. First sometimes seuerity in Parents is for their childrens good who if the parents should not sometimes grow vnkind they would forget God and themselues Secondly we must beare with excuse their infirmities as farre as wee lawfully and honestly may attributing it to old ogeâ— choler melancholy c. and therefore we must either speake gloriously of them or kéepe silence Thirdly the more degenerate and irreligious that they be the more by our humility dutifulnes good exaâ—ple and prayers we must labour to reclaim and winne them Fourthly we must note that our parents haue authority power ouer vs and not we ouer them and therfore we must beare with their manifold infirmities Fiftly let vs ascribe it to our sins and want of duety and reueence to them that we find them otherwise then wee expected Sixtly if we faile in no duty towards them yet wee must remember that good Ionathan was the sonne of wicked Saul Ezechias the sonne of wicked Ahaz and zealous Iosias the sonne of Idolatrous Amon who were no doubt much crossed by and grieued at their vngodly fathers yea and tempted by them Q. What comforts are fitte for good Masters that are crossed by euill and vnfaithfull seruants A. First they must sée and consider whether that they haue giuen them good example and haue béene carefull to traine them vp in true religion and godlinesse otherwise they are as much in â—ault as the seruants and if they performe all offices vnto them they may or will proue like the Captains seruants that attended at his becke for when hée bad any to come he came when to go he went and when he bad him do ought he did it Secondly they must partly by gentle admonitions and partly by seasonable corrections labour to reforme their misdeamenours if this will not serue if thou haue hired many seruants lessen the number of them and they will the better agrée and thou shalt not bee enforced to put them away but if thou haue few and they be incorrigible put them away as Sarah turned out Hagar and Dauid resolued to haue no slanderer no proud no deceitfull nor lying seruant to abide in his house and as the Lord of the vniust Steward expelled him Thirdly henceforth be more aduised in thy choice and when thou hast good faithfull seruants entreat them kindly and according to their good seruice and deserts doe vnto them that is iust and equall knowing that thou also hast a master in heauen Q. What comforts and instructions are meete for diligent and dutifull seruants that either are wronged misused or at least vnkindly entreated by euill Lords and Masters A. First many right good and trusty seruants haue béene not onely vnkindly but also cruelly entreated both of ancient of latter times Thus was Hagar seuerely handled by Sarah Iacob collogned withall and deceiued by Laban Joseph put out of seruice wrongfully imprisoned by Potiphar Dauid persecuted by Saul and therefore no strange matter hath befallen them Secondly the more griefes wrongs they endure for conscience towards God and for well doing the greater praise and reward shall they receiue from God Thirdly their hard seruice or bondage will one day end Fourthly that they are Gods fréemen for his seruice is perfect freedome Lastly that God in time will right their wrongs and requite them that misused them for he is no respecter of persons Q. What duties are they to performe A. Seruants must feare God vse all good meanes to gaine their fauours and obey them as well in their absence as in their presence in all lawfull actions and doe them seruice as vnto the Lord if their masters wil not yet relent they must comfort themselues in their innocency and recommend their cause to God whose freemen they are
as for the time of death and the warning that God giueth vs of it we must refer it wholy to his heauenly disposition Q. Is it lawfull for a Christian to pray against sudden death A. Yes when he hath liberty so to doe or whiles hee hath time and memory Q. But sudden death cannot preiudice his saluation there is no expresse forme of prayer against sudden death in all the scripture why then should any Christian man pray against it A. First because sudden death more often befalleth to the wicked then to the good Secondly because fewnes of daies and suddennes of death is wished to the wicked in way of imprecation and therfore we may pray for some warning of death approching that the wicked and prophane doe not rashly censure iudge and condemn vs as though wee died accursed and out of Gods fauour Thirdly wee cannot otherwise by our good confession and prayer glorifie God before men in our death nor giue at all a good example of dying well to our family or others Lastly if we being of ability die intestate and without making a will the poore may be defrâ—uded of all comfort and much contention may possibly arise about the distribution and disposall of our lands and worldly goods amongst our wiues children and kinsfolke Q. What shall wee iudge of Gods children that doe perish by the enemies sword and by consequence are this way cruelly and suddenly massacred A. It hath beene the lotte of Gods Saints in the old and new Testament and in all ages sithence thus to end their liues and they blessed yea blessed with a further addition of glory because they died for Gods cause Secondly this kind of death cannot kill the soule nor separate soule or body from Gods fauour and loue Thirdly they had no special promise to die quietly in their beds or in their friends hands and as for their enemies they haue preuented themselus froÌ„ hauing any further power ouer Gods children for they haue done their worst Finally non nocet bonis si subito occidantur vel si subita morte pereunt NoÌ„ enim subito moriuntur qui semper cogitauerunt se morituros that is It disparageth not good men if they be suddenly slain or if they suddenly die For they die not suddenly who alwaies thought that they should die Lastly right many haue béene by the sword not knighted in earth but martyred here and crowned in heauen this besides the pregnant testimonies of sacred scriptures the experience of all times and ages euinceth and verifieth Q. How shall wee arme and resolue our selues against the feare of perishing by the enemies sword or any such kind of violent death A. First it skilleth and mattereth not whether a burning feauer the pestilence or the sword kill vs or whether the prison be set or broken open Secondly we are not so much to feare the hand as the wound but death doth not so much wound as cure and salue the godly from their sinnes and miseries Thirdly wee may hereby bee preuented of a more lingring and fearefull death as to die by famine and by râ—cking flaying c. Lastly wee must remember that it is the lot of Gods children oftentimes this way to die and that no kind of death naturall or violent can separate them or vs from the loue wherewith God loueth vs in Christ. CHAP. XI The third supposed euill of death in that it depriueth vs of most worthy and excellently deseruing Princes Magistrates Ministers patrons friends kinsfolks c. Question HOw shall wee comfort our selues against the vntimely death of any worthâ— Christian whether Magistrate Minister kinsman speciall friend or any priuate Christian A. By marking and meditating vpon these or the like propositions and grounds following First no man dieth before his time for it is appointed for all men once to die and this time not man but God hath in his eternall certainty appointed Secondly they are loosed from the bonds of sinne and this earthly misery and how can this be out of time Thirdly they as well as any others owed a death vnto God and were at Gods call to make present paiment now this death is due euery day how then demanded before the day Fourthly these worthy instruments in Church and commonwealth these pillars in Gods house these noble Cedars in Libanon these starres in the firmament these Phenâ—ces and déere saints and seruants of God were fitter for heauen then earth and therefore partly because we were vnworthy of them and vnthankfull to God for them partly because they should not see the euils to come and partly that they should not be changed and infected with the worlds wickednes God hath iustly depriued vs of them but crowned them with the crowne of euerlasting glory Fifthly a long life is a long labour and a suspension as it were of their life from immortality and hee that liueth long what hath he but increase of sins manifold cares griping griefes and distastefull discontentments and will he count these his gaines gettings winnings and aduantages Sixthly they die not suddenly that soone haue growne old and haue spéedily sailed ouer the troublesome and tempestuous sea of this world into the blessed Canaan Lastly if God sée vs truly humbled for the losse of these glorious lights and earnestly to sorrow for our sinnes and vnthankfulnes that haue bereaued vs of them God can and wil raise vp a new succession in their stead he can cause Iosua to succéed Moses and Iehoshaphat to succéed Aza Salomon to follow next after Dauid Elizeus to execute the office of Elias his predecessor can as he did cause very many worthy and vigilant Bishops and faithful Pastors to succéed the Apostles and therefore in this though we ought to be humbled yet we must hope well and know that Gods arme is not shortned nor his power abridged Q. What vse are we to make of vntimely death either in regard of others or else in respect of our selues A. First in regard of others we must lament and bewaile our sinnes and vnworthinesse whereby we haue depriued our selues of them and that we did not more praise God nor better serue him when we enioyed them Secondly we must not enuie at but congratulate their aduancement and euerlasting happinesse sed eodem animo ferenda mors quo nostram expectamus that is we must so take their death as our owne Thirdly it is our duty to pray vnto God to raise vp new in their place and if their equals or those that doe in some good measure resemble them doe succéed it is our duty more to esteeme them and haue them in the higher account nam bona nostra carendo magis quam fruendo cognosâ—imus that is we know good things more by wanting of them then by enioying of them Fourthly in regard of our selues if we as we ought purpose to doe well let vs doe it quickly lest we be preuented and if
CHAP. XVI Of priuate euils that are occasionall and from without vs. Question HOw shal they comfort and behaue themselus that are crossed with hard and shrewd mothers in law A. First they must content themselues in this that they haue an heauenly Father and good Father in the flesh and that they haue the Church of God for their mother Secondly she is a woman and of the weaker sexe and therfore it is not a part of a valiant man to resist a woman Thirdly that it is a matter far more glorious and acceptable to God and good men to passe by pardon wrongs then to offer them Fourthly it must suffice that the step-mothers loue their Fathers and therefore they must for their fathers sake beare with them and reuerence them Lastly the more insolent that their stepmothers are the more innocent and humble they must be they must reuenge the wrongs that their stepmothers offer them raâ—her by not regarding them then requiting them and the more that the mothers in law hate their sonnes in law the more must the sonnes loue them for then they shall either win them by their well doing or else leaue them without al excuse or defence of themselues before God the righteous Iudge Q. What comforts are to be ministred vnto them that in iust and lawâ—ull suites receiue many foiles and repulses A. First it is arrogancy and presumption ambitiously to desire to obtain all things that wee néede For mighty Emperours haue béene denied in many things yea God himselfe albeit hee demaund them for our good and not for his owne for hee néedeth nothing hée requireth many things of vs which we yéeld him not Secondly they must perswade themselues that if their petition had been condescended vnto it perhaps had not béene for their good Thirdly they must not be ouermuch aggreeued if men denie vnto them small thinges seeing that God gratiously granteth them thinges of farre greater worth vse and excellency Fourthly if Gods children should haue no deniall in worldly things they would affect the world rather theÌ„ Gods word and rather trust in men then in the Lord. Fiftly in this world the mighty are preferred ordinarily before the meane and great men before good men Lastly though they receiue a deniall the first second or third time yet if they be patient and constant they may spéede at last Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. First if wee would haue no repulse we must craue things honest and possible Secondly wee must be ready to pleasure others if wee would haue them to gratifie vs. Q. What counsell and comfort is fit for them that are decayed or vndone by rash suertiship A. First it déepely concerneth them to repent of their former vnaduisednes and be wiser for the time to come Secondly they must humbly sue to their creditors for fauour patience and forgiuenes or at least for abasement Thirdly that which their pouerty cannot pay they must lay it and put it on Christ and then God will neuer exact it at their hands Fourthly it fel out through their selfe-will and voluntary disposition and therfore they must take it patiently Fifthly they shall learne by their own hurt how profitable and pleasant a thing it is to owe nothing and to liue without bonds and yrons Lastly if they be onely decaied and not vndone it wil make them when the worst is past alwaies to dread the like daunger and to feare the like fals Q. What vse are wee to make hereof A. First it behoueth vs to be wary for whom we become sureties and for what summes alwayes remembring that the day of payment will come sooner then wee expect and what though for the present we are able to discharge the debt yet wée full little know what losses and empouerishment may befal vs in the meane time Secondly other mens decaies by suertiship must bee our discipline and their woes our warnings Lastly if we be disposed to doe good let vs rather impart our goods to the poore then otherwise to loose our liberty with our liuing Q. What comforts against discontentment conceiued by reason of good seruice towards Church and common-wealth neither respected nor rewarded A. They must take notice of these rules and directions following First this procéedeth from mans weakenesse and forgetfulnesse and therefore this offence must not bee ouermuch aggrauated Secondly many worthy men of good parts and seruice haue béene neglected reiected in the world Ioseph was forgotten of Pharaohs Butler Dauid an humble petitioner vnto Nabal was repelled and reproched good Iacob a faithful seruant was euill entreated of Laban Dauids life was sought of Saul and Christ the Lord of all yet seruant to all was forsaken of all Unthankefull men are vngodly vnwise and wicked and therfore we must the lesse regard them for can men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Thirdly we must alwayes doe good and looke for our guerdon and reward from God and not from men Fourthly the lesse hope and expectation that wee haue of reward from men who are many times vnthankefull the more reuerend and regardfull is our good seruice before God Lastly Gods children are plaine and simple and cannot begge flatter nor dissemble and therefore they are not estéemed in the world much lesse promoted and preferred Q. What duties must wee performe herein A. First we must render to no man euill for euill but good for euill and other mens vnthankefulnes must not hinder vs from doing good Secondly let vs beware lest whiles wee complaine and crie out of other mens vnthankefulnes we bee found vnthankefull our selues especially towards God Lastly the vnthankfulnes of men must not barre vs from doing good lest that we forgoe the comfort of a good conscience Q. How shall a man comfort himselfe whose wife is barren and how shall likewise the woman quiet her selfe A. First they both are freed from euil children and from the feare of sinne and danger that they might otherwise fall into Secondly they are fréed from the contentions of nurses and the yelling of infants Thirdly the husband shall bee sure neuer to nourish and bring vp another mans children for his owne And this is a great benefit for if an adulterous wife be a great euill much more is â—hee that is in this case fruitfull Fourthly the reproch of barrennesse maketh the wife more diligent and dutifull for shee with Hannah weepeth and is silent when many other women are insolent and imperious 1. Sam. 1.9 Fiftly God will hereby correct couetous and worldly affections in theÌ„ which by the number multiplication of childreÌ„ might be caused and encreased Lastly in common calamities especially of the sword war and persecution such shall with more expedition shift for themselues and haue no cause to mourn and howle for bloudy vntimely death of their children Q. Comforts and counsell for godly and innocent persons vniustly cast into and detained in prison First many
let vs secretly bite and sting them nor take that in the worse sense that may bee construed in the better meaning Fifthly let vs lend no eare much lesse giue any applause to the slanderer but shew our dislike of him and then he will not willingly speake that which hee shall perceiue to be vnwillingly heard Lastly slander is a speciall sinne of the Deuill who is a lyar and the slanderer of the brethren and therefore let vs beware of it and abhorre it Q. What are the persecutions in action and in deed A. These and the like following whippings taking away of mens goods banishment bondage nakednes death by the sword want of buriall c. Q. What comforts against whippings A. First Christ Iesus and his Apostles were thus dealt withall Secondly as it was the marke of a true Apostle to beare in the body the marks of the Lord Iesu so it is the Character of a sincere Christian to suffer the like in time of persecution Thirdly Christ was whipped and shed his bloud for vs and shall wée sinnefull persons refuse to doe the like that wee may make knowne our conformitie with him in his suffrings Fourthly it is giuen vnto Gods children as a speciall prerogatiue not onely to be whipped for but to die for the Lord Iesu. Apoc. 12.11 Lastly the more indignities and torments that any suffer for Christ or for righteousnesse sake the more they shall aduance the Gospell of Christ and receiue the greater measure and proportion of glory in the world to come Q. How are or ought wee to comfort our selues when wee are violently by the enemie despoiled of all our goods A. First wee must remember that many good men haue fallen into the hands of théeues like that man that went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell among théeues who robbed him of his raiment yea and wounded him and yet haue afterwards recouered their former estate Secondly Christ is our Lord and master and we his seruants and therefore though we be despoiled of al our worldly goods yet he wil neuer forsake vs but prouide for vs things necessary for so he dealt with the Samaritane Thirdly we want not things simply necessary for natura paucis contenta Fourthly though we be spoiled of our goods yet we haue not forgone our goodnes and we retaine our life and liberty which is the greater blessing Fifthly God in his iustice will in due time punish and reuenge our wrongs Sixthly wee must after the example of the blessed Hebrewes suffer with ioy the spoiling of our goods knowing in our selues how that we haue in heauen a better and an enduring substance Lastly if wee be patient and content we may in time with Dauid enioy our enemies that are so many Nabals goods or by some other prouidence be gainers by our losses Q. What duties are we then to performe A. First we must with holy Iob be content to receiue euill things from God as well as good and to praise God for all and with the Apostles to forsake all for Christ his sake yea and with that heroicall woman in the Apocalypse to tread the Moone i. all earthly and transitory things vnder our féet wée must withall seeke the things aboue the heauenly Ierusalem Secondly it is our duty to procure wisedome learning vertue godlinesse these are our proper endowments and can neither by fraud nor force be taken from vs. Thirdly let vs whiles we enioy the fickle and vncertaine things let vs for Christ his sake loue his members and with our worldly goods bountifully relieue them in their néede and necessity else how dwelleth the loue of God in vs Lastly let it suffice vs that wee are rich in grace heires of glory and that we haue in heauen our Country a better and an enduring substance and that after this mortall and miserable life is expired we shall actually enioy the new heauen the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnes Q. Propound some comfortable meditations against banishment A. First Moses Elias Iohn the Euangelist and infinite more in the Primitiue Church of the Apostles in the ten generall persecutions and sithence haue beene exiled and shall we refuse to be partakers with them Secondly omnis terra commune naturae exilium id est Euery country is a common banishment of nature and the whole world is but a strange country vnto vs for in it wee haue no abiding City and how then can Christians properly be said to bee banished out of their country when they haue none here Thirdly though the godly bee banished from their natiue soile yet they cannot be banished from the fauour of God nor from the communion of Saints nor from the kingdome of heauen and God that is by his essence euery where present is as ready to helpe his childrē in any strange Country as in their own Psal. 105.12.13.14 Fourthly sundry men haue gotten great honour and attained vnto great learning and liuing in the place of their banishment Fifthly here we shall be secured frō enuie euill men shall not molest vs but good men shall loue vs and long for our company Sixthly as the husbandman remoueth his plantes and trees out of one orchard into another that they may the better prosper So God for greater good of his Church doth translate his children into some other country or coast Lastly the time of our banishment well spent will send vs into a farre better that is an heauenly one Q. What duties must a Christian practise in his banishment A. First he must comfort himselfe in the conscience of his righteousnes which the enemy cannot blot much lesse bereaue him of Secondly he must at their strict commandements and enforcement relinquish and depart out of his natiue soile and then his departure shall be rather a pilgrimage then an expulsion and a benefite then a banishment Thirdly he must heare God speake vnto him in the Scripture for it is his voice and hee must speake and haue familiar speech and conference with our God by prayer and then hee shall haue God for his companion and the holy Ghost for his Comforter Fourthly he must not delight in their conuersation and company that deride and despise him and by abode with whom he cannot receiue any good information but much defilement and therfore in this regard he must preferre religion and a good conscience before country and natiue soile Lastly hee hath the benefite of his priuatenes and liueth in peace without distraction or disturbance and therfore he must by the aduantage hereof betake himselfe to diuine studies and meditations Q. Propound and deliuer some heauenly consolations against bondage and thraldome A. First it is the greatest bondage to be captiuated and enthralled to sinne and Satan from which slauery Gods children are by grace fréede for their consciences are at peace with God and they are the seruants of God
blessed truth yet we must be Martyrs in desire and affection and then God will accept the will for the deed for there is Martyrium sine flammâ— i. a martyrdome without a fagot Secondly we must not estéeme nor thinke the firie tryall as some strange thing but reioyce in as much as wee are hereby made partakers of Christ his sufferings that when his glory shall appeare wee may bée gladde and reioice Thirdly wee must comfort and stay our selues in the expectation of the fearefull end that abideth Gods enemies they shall soone be cut off their pompe shall be despised and soon vanish away Psal. 73.19 They are Gods rods to correct and disciplinate his children by who when they haue done their office must bée cast into the fire and consumed Lastly there is no persecution so generall and grieuous but many shall bée preserued in it and from it and after long wrestling God will grant a breathing time Q. What if Gods children cannot be suffered to bee buried when they are dead what shall wee iudge of them or how shall we comfort our selues against this euill A. Their dead bodies are members of Christ temples of the holy Ghost and they shall rise againe in glory to eternall life therefore we may not iudge them accursed Secondly the want of buriall doth nothing hurt them as the performance of it doth nothing profite the wicked as for these funerall solemnities they are rather viuorum solatia quam mortuorum auxilia id est Comforts for the liuing then helps for the dead Thirdly many of Gods Saints yea some most blessed Martyres haue wanted buriall Psal 79.2 and yet haue béene receiued vp into glory Apoc. 11. ver 12. Fourthly other euils as death by drowning by fire by earthquakes by the fall of houses by the cruell rage of wild beasts c. are as much if not more to be feared Fifthly Tegitur coelo qui non habet vrnam The skie is to them in stead of a coffin Sixthly though some Personages be neuer so sumptuously entombed and gloriously buried yet must the worms in the body consume the bodies of such Seuenthly the want of buriall though it is a curse to Gods enemies who perish both in soule and body yet it is but a fatherly and fauourable chasticement to his children and can neuer part nor diuorce them from him and his loue Lastly though sometimes the dead bodies of Gods Saints want buriall yet they féele no smart and their soules in glorie cannot and do not behold the lothsomnes of their vnburied bodies Q. What vse is to bee made hereof A. First we must not so much trouble our selues about this matter but commit the disposition of our dead corps to Gods prouidence and the care of the liuing Secondly let vs bury our sinnes in Christ his graue and sepulchre and then the want of buriall and funerall solemnities shall neither shame vs nor harm vs. Lastly if in the heate of personall persecution the bodies of Gods saints knowne vnto vs and neare vs do want buriall wee must after the manner of those deuoute brethren that buried Stephen enterre them for hereby we do not onely testifie our loue and reuerence towards them but also declare our good hope of their glorious resurrection Q. By what speciall considerations are we to arme and hearten our selues against persecutions A. First wee know it is the lot of Gods children to bee persecuted of the wicked in euery generation but most notably in the raigne and rage of Antichrist For they that are borne after the flesh will persecute them that are borne after the spirit and therefore why should wee bee so offended at persecutions hauing so many compartners and companions herein Secondly that we are hereby made conâ—ormable vnto Christ our Captaine leader and guide and therefore if wee suffer with him we shal raign with him Thirdly that Gods power and his goodnes doth as much appeare in priuatiue blessings as in positiue for God is with vs in trouble he when it pleaseth him represseth the power checketh the malice of the enemy reformeth and refineth vs and giueth a ioyfull issue euasion and euent to our afflictions Fourthly that persecution is a badge ensign and ornament of the true church for hereby open enemies take occasion to oppose themselues against Gods seruants and hypocrites and time seruers are discouered Fifthly that persecution is a schoole-master to make vs vnderstand Gods will and a plaine commentary of Gods word for wee learne that by experience which we heard by the publik ministery Lastly persecution is good for Gods children whether they escape it or die by it for God doth order it for their profite and happines and they are gainers by it many wayes Luk. 18.28.29.30 Q. What duties are wee to performe in persecution A. First we are to prepare our selues against it by daily mortification and by the experience of the swéet and heauenly societie that wee haue with our blessed God that dwelleth in vs and so we shal learne to die daily Secondly let vs be assured that we suffer as Christians and not as malefactors and then wée are not to bee ashamed but to glorifie God in that behalfe For we are Gods Worthies and his champions placed in the theatre of the world and if we fight stoutely wisely in our Lords quarrell and cause he wil honour and aduance vs accordingly both here and hereafter Thirdly because persecution is not onely a triall but also a correction for our sinnes wee must entreat the Lord to pardon them and then the flame of affliction shall brighten vs but not burne vs scoure vs but not consume vs. Fourthly we must possesse our soules and the graces of God by our patience we must seeke the Lord in our trouble and he will be found of vs and it is our dutie with Moses for our encouragement more to looke vnto the infinite and transcendent measure of reward in the kingdome of heauen then eyther the Sunne-shine of present prosperity or the blustering windes of persecution Fifthly persecution doth only touch the vestment and garment of our body but cannot reach vnto the fort of our faith nor the hold of our heart and therefore it ought the lesse to astonish and distract vs. Sixthly let it bee our wisedome and practise in the blustering tempests and the weltering waues of the worlds persecutions to adhere vnto and stand fast vpon Christ the rocke and then wee shall not néede to feare the waues vnder vs much lesse dread drowning Lastly if it please God temporally to deliuer vs let vs receiue Gods precious word with greater ioy for when men and outward meanes faile vs it wil be a staffe and stay to vs in all our tribulations and fill vs full of comfort and hope for the law of the Lord is perfite conuerting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giueth
wisedome to the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the heart the commaundement of the Lord is pure giueth light to the eyes Let vs praise and magnifie God for our gratious deliuerance let vs remember Ioseph his afflictions and helpe our persecuted brethren by our goods and money if wee can and at least by our praiers and intercessions for this euidently proueth that we are feeling members of the same mysticall body wherof Christ is the head CHAP. XI The generall vse and application of the whole Treatise THe quintessence of all that hath beene formerly and at large in this treatise handled may be aptly and pithily reduced to these â—ew conclusions folâ—owing First that man by his first creation was pure holy innocent and liued in a most happy and blissefull estate Secondly that hee by his voluntarie fall and apostasie from God and from his former integrity hath in soule and body corrupted himselfe and all his posterity and not onely depriued himselfe all his sucsessours of all originall holinesse and happinesse but also wholly subiected them himselfe to all plagues and miseries both temporall and eternall Thirdly that sinne is very distastefull odious and stinking in Gods taste sight and nostrils for otherwise the most iust Lord would neuer so grieuously nor with such variety of plagues and punishments execute his indignation not only vpon men of yéeres but also vpon the very infants that haue committed no actuall transgression Fourthly the Lord that draweth light out of darknesse life out of death and in iudgement remembreth mercy hath giuen his onely sonne Iesus Christ to die to make a perfect satisfaction to his iustice for the sinnes of all the elect and to be a perpetuall intercessour for them so that they are not onely freed from the guilt dominion and euerlasting punishment of sinne but also entitled vnto and shall in time certainely possesse euerlasting and vnspeakable glorie and holinesse Fifthly that Christ hath by vertue of faith in his death and merits transnatured and changed to all his elect the temporarie and eternall plagues and punishments of sinne into certaine gentle momentanie fatherlie corrections and chastisments Sixthly that God hath not left his people in their crosses temptations and afflictions without hope helpe and remedie but hath giuen them the sacred and all sufficient Scriptures to instruct direct and to confirme and comfort their soules and cosciences in all distresses inward and outward in all afflictions and against all scandals persecutions whatsoeuer Seuenthly God hath prouided for his people Ministers by their pure preching and iudicious writings to resolue them in all doubts and christian friends and acquaintance to solace and support them Wherefore wée must daily blesse God for his infinite mercy in Christ attend vnto and consult the Scriptures our pastours and christian brethren Eighthly wée must make vse of the treatises and volumes of godly learned men who haue trauelled to good purpose in this kind Ninthly wée must in our afflictions and distresses find out confesse and bewaile our particular sinnes and earnestly entreat God for Christ his sake to pardon them for they are the meritorious causes of all our miseries Tenthly we in our miseries and troubles must not murmurre and repine against God nor vse any vnlawfull meanes of ease and deliuerance much lesse despaire of Gods gracious mercy helpe but wée ought to commend our soules bodies and outward state to Gods blessed gouernment and promises wee must desire direction and the spirit of strength and constancie from God and in hope patience waite vpon him vntill hée haue mercy vpon vs. Eleuenthly wée in our prosperity must prepare our selues against aduersity and wee must with such a sympathy and fellow féeling remember them that are in affliction and so endeauour to reléeue and resolue them as if we were also afflicted in the body Heb. 13.3 Lastly when we are recouered out of any temptation or deliuered out of any trouble we must giue God all the glory of it and in our rest and prosperity gâ—ther grace and strength so hearten our selues against the next temptation Now the God of all grace and consolation for Christ Iesus his sake so direct and instruct vs by his blessed spirit to performe all these duties that his Maiestie may haue all the glorie his Church and children good examples of imitation and we our selues haue ioy and comfort in this world and eternall Saluation in the next Amen A LARGE TABLE CONtaining the chiefe points heads and particulars that are handled and applied in both the Bookes of this CHRISTIAN ARMORIE The first Booke CHAP. I. THe originall of mans sinne and miserie What sinne is Who is the subiect of it What be the kinds of it What is originall sinne The titles and names of it The parts causes and vses of it Why the corruption of it remaineth in Gods children What was Adams fall What was the obiect of it Why the eating of an Apple was so grieuously punished The instrumentall and formall cause of his fall How God did forsake our first parents Why did God permit their fall How it can stand with Gods iustice that all Adams posterity should smart for his sinne How can Adams personall sinne be imputed to his posterity How can parents deriue corruption vnto their children The parents doe not beget the soules of their children how can they then infuse corruption into them What vse are we to make hereof What is actuall sinne The oâ—iginall of it The inward and outward causes of it The difference betweene originall and actuall sinne CHAP. II. What followeth sinne Whether afflictions and temporall euils be properly curâ—es and satisfactions to Gods iustice How are they qualified to the beleeuers The sinnes of Gods elâ—ct are forgiuen and why are not the chastisements with aâ—l remoud The vse of the point CHAP. III. What the crosse is Why no â—eruant of God is freed from it What is to bee thought of them that feele no crosse The vse of the point Whether that the crosse be good or not For what ends God doth crosse and afflict his câ—ildren Whâ— doe not the same ends effects and euents appeare in the wicked Arguments to mooue vs to patience vnder the crosse Comfortable conclusions and meditations against the crosse What duties are to bee performed towards the afflicted CHAP. IIII. How the Crosse is to bee diuided and distinguished What comforts are there against warre Comfoâ—ts and holy counsaile for them that are foiled in battaile What duties are to be performed in time of war Comforts against ciuill warre What duties are then to be performed CHAP. V. Whether that the plague be infectious or not Whether a Christian may lawfully flee iâ— the time of the plague Certain obiections answered The duty of them that flee The duties of them that abide at home Why God somtimes doth by the pestilence cut downe and destroy so many thousands Heauenly meditations against
the plague The duties that the visited persons are to performe towards God themselues and their neighbours CHAP. VI. Meditations against death and famine What are the outward causes of it What vse is to be made hereof For what speciall sinnes it is sent Duties to be practised CHAP. VII Comforts against wrong and oppression The duties of the oppressed Manifold meditations and comforts against pouerty and want The vse of pouerty Comforts and directions for them that feare pouerty by reason of a great charge of children Comforts against meannesse and basenesse of birth and parentage For what ends doth God expose his children to so many losses Comforts against the spoile and losse of worldly goods Duties then to be performed CHAP. VIII Comforts and directions for them that are cosened and defrauded Duties then to be performed CHAP. VIV What sicknesse is Who is the author of it The end why it is inflicted The procuring cause of it Spirituall comforts against it Duties to be performed Comforts against sharpnesse and violence of sicknesse How a Christian must then behaue himselfe Comforts against the long coÌ„tinuance of sicknes Comforts for them that cannot sleepe Comforts for the sicke that cannot goe out of doores Comforts for them that are in their sicknes falled and forsaken of their friends and kinsfolke Duties then to be performed Consolations against the concurrence of many euils Comforts against paines in childbearing Comforts against old age How an old man must behaue himselfe CHAP. X. Of Death What death is The procuring cause of it The imposer of it What it is in it owne nature What it is to Gods children Why regenerate men die Why are not the bodies of Gods Saints departed glorified together with their soules Why the bodies of Henoch and Elias died not but were rapt vp into heauen Why infants die Whether that sudden death be a curse The vse of the point Whether it be lawfull to pray against sudden death or not Comforts against violent death by the enemies sword CHAP. XI Of the supposed euils that death bringeth Comforts against the vntimely death of worthy men in authoritie What vse we are to make of their vntimely deth Comforts against the death of friends and benefactors CHAP. XII Comforts against the death of kinsfolke Comforts for him that hath parted with a good wife Comforts for a wife that hath lost a good husband Comforts for parents that haue parted with vertuous Children The vse that is to be made thereof Comforts for poore Orphanes that want father and mother Their duties Comforts against the death of brethreÌ„ sisters The vse of the point Comforts for a married man that dieth without Children CHAP. XIII Of the priuatiue benefits of Death What be the euills that death freeth Gods children from What vse is to be made hereof Whethâ—r it bee lawfull for any man to kill himselfe that hee may bee eased of his present paine Whether that death is to be feared In what respects death is to be feared In what respects it is not to be feared How we are to be defended against the fear of it What are â—he positiue benâ—fits of death Whether that a man in this mortality can haue a tast of eternall life What considerations and practises are necessary herâ— unto How he must ground these meditations in his hart Why do regenerate men die Whether that death may be desired In what respects Whether it be lawfull to desiâ—e life What is required that a man may die well Whether that preparation against death bee necessary Wherein it doth consist What are the meditations What duties must the sicke man performe towards God Why so What duties must he perfoâ—me to his neighbour What duties must he perfoâ—me to his owne familie What duties is he to peâ—form towards himselfe What will follow vpon the performance of these duties VVhat is a right disposition in death VVhether that it be necessary The parts of it VVhat it is to die in faith What is the benefit hereof How is faith to be expressed What is it to die in obedience How is this duty to be performed What it is to surrender our soules into Gods hands Comforts against death What vse is to be made hereof CHAP. XIIII Of Personall and particular euils Comforts against impotency and deformity of body Comforts against lamenesse blindnesse deafenesse dumbnesse CHAP. XV. Of outward particular euils or crosses Comforts against euill husbands Comforts against euill wiues Comforts against euill children Comforts against euill and vnfaithfull Seruants Comforts against euill Lords and Masters CHAP. XVI Of priuate euils that are from without vs. Comforts against shrewd mothers in lawe Comforts for them that receiue foiles and repulses in lawfull suites Counsaile and comfort for such as are either vndone or much decayed by â—uretiship Comforts for them whose good seruice is neither respected noâ— rewarded Comforts against barrennes in wiues Comforts against false imprisonment Comforts for them that are oppressed in their lawfull suite CHAP. XVII Of extraordinary euils to which the bodies of men are subiect What is witchcraft Whether that Gods children can be bewitched The vse of the point Why doth God suffer his children to bee thus tormented What vse is to be made of the point Why doth Satan seeke rather to annoy Gods children then the reprobate The spirituall remedies against witchcraft What possession is Whether that there be any in these daies Whether there can yet be any possession seeing that the miraculous gift of expelling them is ceased Whether the Demoniaks in Christ his time were possessed by the diuell or only obsessed or tormented from without Whether that any of Gods children were are or can be possessed by Satan Generall comforts and directions against possession The duties of the possessed What duties are the friends and those that attend vpon the possessed to performe The second booke CHAP. I. Of anguish of mind and distresse of Conscience VVHat distresse of mind is Why of all crosses and troubles it is the greatest Why doth God sometimes try and exercise his children by so great afflictions Comforts against the long continuaÌ„ce of them From what cauâ—es distresse of mind ariseth VVhat comfortable mâ—ditations are necessary for the regaining the losse of Gods gratious fauour once sweetly felt The vse of the point Comforts for those that are troubled in conscience for some notable sinne committed Comforts against the long continuance of inward and outward troubles What melancholy is How it causeth distresse of conscience How it differeth from trouble of conscience Comfort against sadnes and heauinesse of mind Comforts against fearefull dreames Practises to preuent it Comforts and remedies for him that is weary of this life by reason of troubles and discontentments What desperation is How it is ordinarily caused Meditations and remedies against it The vse of the doctrine Comforts against the fear of the last iudgement The vse of it Comforts against the feare of Hell CHAP. II. Of doubtings Why God
doth suffer his children to bee persecuted with doubtings Whether that they can be thus distressed Why it is proper to them to be this way tempted and afflicted The meanes to suppresse doubtings What practises are good for this purpose Comforts resolutions for them that doubt of their adoption by reason of the number greatnesse of their sinnes What be the meanes to remoue these doubtings Resolution for him that doubteth whether that Christ be his Sauiour in particular or not Whether that hypocrites and prophane persons can or do euer soundly apply Gods generall promises Whether a weake and a doubting faith be a true faith or not Comforts for them that are to encounter with most dangerous temptations in discharging their particular callings Whether that the diuersitie of interpretation of Scriptures bee any sufficient argument to prooue that they are not Gods word How canne the preaching and reading of them make some worse if that they bee Gods word Why God suffereth the faith of his Saints to labour of so many doubts CHAP. III. Of imperfections in prayer and sanctification The duties that a Christian is to performe when hee perceiueth many imperfections in his prayers The vse of them Whether that dulnesse and drowsines in prayer can stand with true sanctification The vse that is to be made hereof Whether euill and vaine thoughts in prayer can consist with true sanctification What course a christian must take for his helpe heerin Comforts for them whose prayers God delayeth Whether that a regenerate man may bee negligent and remisse in the duties of thaÌ„ksgiuing Remedies for a mans recouery herein What practises are necessary CHAP. IIII. Of often falling into and continuance of a man in one and the same sinne Whether that a regenerate man can fall eftsoons into one and the same sinne The vse of the point Whether a true sanctified man can possibly he long in one and the same sinne The vse of it CHAP. V. Of small profiting by the word and Sacraments Whether little profiting by the ministery of the word and Sacraments be no profiting at al. The vse of the question Comforts and directions for him that is dull in conceiuing and vnderstanding Gods word Directions comforts for Gods child that is troubled with a weake memorie What meanes are good to cure hardnes of hart Counsaile and directions for them that complaine that they feele no present encrease of faith and comfort by the Lords supper How a man is to prepare himselfe before hee heare the word of God or receiue the Sacraments What wee must iudge of them that hauing a great desire to obey faile in the act of obedience Whether Gods children be at any time assaulted with blasphemous thoughts How blasphemous thoughts arising from within vs are to be reformed or remoued How wee must arme our selues against blasphemous thoughts obiected from without vs. CHAP. VI. Of scandales and offences VVhat a scandall is Why God permitteth it What are the kinds of it What is a scandall giuen Of how many kinds it is The vse that is to be made of scandals giuen How a Christian shall or must preserue himselfe against the scandall and contagion of false doctrine What duties he is to practise herein How a Christian may stay and comfort himselfe in a generall apostasie from the Gospell of Christ. What duties he is to practise at such a time Comforts against the scandal of false excommunication Comforts against the scandall of innocency oppressed Why God doth so seuerely handle holy and innocent men The vse of the point Comforts and directions for weake Christians that are offended at the loose life and vile practises of some professoâ—s What practises are then necessary Comforts against the apostasie of eminent and famous persons How we may preuent it in our selues Whether popish Martyrs be true martyrs We may preserue our selues from this scandall How a man is to arme and comfort himselfe against factions schismes and diuisions preuailing in the Church How we must behaue our selues at such a time Consolations against euill vnquiet neighbors Consolations against false and fained friends Comforts for Princes that are troubled with euill and disobedient subiects Comforts for subiects wronged and oppressed Comforts and directions against the scandall of euill idle and offensiue Ministers Comforts and directions against a generall corruption in manners CHAP. VII What is an offence taken What are the causes of it Comforts against the offence that wicked men take against vs. How shall Gods children comfort themselues when wicked men are offended at their lawfull vse of things indifferent Comforts against afflictions of good men CHAP. VIII How shall Gods children reforme themselues or resolue their minds that are scandalized at the long raigne and prosperity of tyrants and persecutors Reasons to remoue Gods children from conceiuing offence at the long impunity of euill doers Why God doth not alike punish in this world all euill doers but spareth many Why doth God in the execution of publike iudgments as of warre pestilence famine include the good with the wicked CHAP. IX Touching Persecution What persecution is Whether that persecutours in any generation doe or can roote out the Church For what ends God doth suffer his Church and children to be so persecuted Who are Gods instruments herein Why doth God vse the ministerie of wicked men in the chastising of his children Why wicked men do so persecute the godly Whether that in persecution Gods children may not lawfully vse all good meanes to preserue themselues Whether that Gods children be gainers by persecution Reasons to mooue vs to constancie What practices are necessary for this purpose What duties are wee to performe towards the persecuted CHAP. X. The kinds of persecution Comforts against contempt How wee must behaue our selues when wee are contemned What enuie is How a Christian must or should arme himselfe against it What vse are we to make hereof Comforts against hatred and malice Whether that wee may lawfullie hate them that hate vs. How are we to behaue our selues when wee are maligned and hated Comforts against slander How the belied and slandered should behaue themselues Comforts against whipping Comforts against the violent taking away of our goods by the publike enemie What duties must wee then performe when we are thus violently handled Comforts against exile and banishment How must wee behaue our selues when wee are banished out of our country Comforts against slauerie and bondage What vse are we to make hereof Consolations against nakednesse Why God suffereth so many of his children to be deuoured by the sword Comforts against this violent kind of death What vse is to be made hereof Comforts against the want of Christian buriall What vse is to be made hereof Speciall considerations and consolations against all kind of persecutions What duties we must then performe CHAP. XI The generall vse and application or the breue and epitome of the whole treatise FINIS 1. Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 5.14 1.
repent vs of our sinnes before we go to war and vndertake the iust defence of our selues in humility and not in presumption of mind Secondly though once or the second time we bee ouerthrowne in warre yet wee must not bee daunted and discouraged but onely repent of sinne and séeke helpe at Gods hand and God will goe with vs and fight for vs. Thirdly Gods children may for their correction and triall as well be foiled in fighting in defence of a iust cause and quarrell as haue ill successe and be crossed in other matters Fourthly the experience of our ouerthrowes in battaile will make vs more expert and aduised for the time to come Fiftly though for the time we haue lost the day yet we must comfort our selues in this that we haue not lost our faith our cause our wisedome our vertue our noble resolution and fortitude therefore we must against the next encounter entreat the Lord to go out with our armies and to guide and prosper vs. Sixtly it is better for vs sometimes to haue the ouerthrow in warre then to triumph ouer our enemies for if all things fall out according to our desires wée would soone put out of our hearts all feare of God and grow secure proud and arrogant ascribing all the glory of the victory not to God the onely cause the only author of it for he alone is the Lord of hostes but to the instrumentall causes and to our selues onely and therefore God will by some foile and ouerthrow preuent this erroneous arrogancy Seuenthly though we loose the day receiue the ouerthrow in battell yet we haue not lost the conscience of our good seruice the liberty of our mind nor the glory of our skill Lastly as the barrennes of the earth teacheth the husbandman skill the often arising of stormes add tempests maketh the Pilot and Mariner wise to decline the annoiance of them and frequent fals maketh the rider wary So sundry foiles ouerthrows in battel make Gods children more politicke and prouident yea much more to humble themselues before God and to implore and entreat his hand and helpe Q What duties must we performe in the time of warre and hostility A. First we are to be expert and old beaten souldiers in the spirituall battell against the world and wickednesse and against the Diuell and death and if herein wee putting on the whole armour of God quit our selues like meÌ„ other wars shall neither terrifie nor trouble vs. Secondly we must search the Scripâ—tures and by theÌ„ examine the lawfulnes of our defiance or resistance and if ouâ— quarrell and conscience be good the issue cannot be euill Thirdly we must not be carelesse and secure in the greatest peace and prosperity seeing that wars come many times when they are least dreaded or doubted Fourthly the Captaines and souldiers must bee trained vp in the feates of warre and in all policies stratagemes they must bee valorous the Ministers must exhort them to bee couragious in Gods cause and they must call vpon God and depend vpon his power and promise for successe and then al shall go well with them And what if their bodies bee slaine yet the truth still remaineth and their soules shall liue for euer Lastly the Princes Ministers and people at home must renue their faith and repentance and their couenant with God and then the enemies shall fall before them Q. How shall the seruants of God comfort themselues against ciuill warre A. First that this euill commeth from God in his iustice for when the greater sort refuse to make their peace with God and to reconcile themselues to Christ and when they despise the doctrine of saluation God doth so forsake them that they by vprores and mutuall dissensions deuoure and destroy one another Secondly it is a common euill and therefore the more patiently to be endured Thirdly God hath defined and determined the beginning maner and end of it and doth trie and exercise onely those that are his children by it Fourthly as all worldly thinges are mortall and mutable so haue Cities and great States and Kingdoms their maladies and diseases créeping and growing vpon them wherefore priuate grudges and ciuill warres often befall them Fiftly in what places now are goodly and faire townes and cities there haue beene in times past woods forrests wildernesses and so may and will be hereafter Lastly a resolued Christian that séeth ciuill warres in their true face and hue putteth away childish feare and is no more broken at them then the house top is with the haile dashing against it Q. What duties are wee to performe in time of ciuill warre A. First let vs not abuse our present peace and prosperity when we enioy it Secondly it behoueth vs to bewaile and forsake our sinnes that bring all these euils into the world Thirdly we must bee wary and prouident that wee bee not so many firebrands to nourish the flame of ciuill contention lest we smart for our folly anâ— when it is once begun wee must endeauour by supplication rebukes admonitions threatnings and promises to suppresse and quench it Fourthly if wée must or néeds will take parts then it is our wisedome and iustice to take part with the best cause persons and to pray vnto God for counsell and assistance and then God can will giue victorie when it pleaseth him as well by a few as by many Fiftly let vs beséech the almighty to grant repentance to the authors of it and to saue our country Lastly for as much as ciuill warres procéede from the ignorance of Christ from the contempt and disobedience of the Gospell we must for the ceasing and remoouall of this euill make our peace with God and entertaine his word with more delight and deuotion CHAP. VI. Of the Plague or Pestilence Question IS the plague and pestilence of our time contagious infections A. Yes questionlesse for first as the leprosie amongst the Iewes infected not onely mens persons but also their garments and their very habitations so doth the plague as experience proueth it Secondly although the plague bee Gods speciall hand and his destroying Angell yet it commeth not immediately by the sensible touch of an heauenly Angell for if it did so come it were extreame vanity and madnes it selfe to shunne the infected persons and places but ordinarily by outward means and occasions this to bee true experience teacheth that very many by declining the infected places and persons haue béen saued and preserued Thirdly sundry persons not infected haue béene so kept by physicke preseruatiues and many infected persons haue béene cured by medicines and plasters but if God had immediately strucken theÌ„ from heauen as he did 70000. of Dauids people they had all died without recouery Q. But why are not all tainted and infected that liue amongst the visited parties and persons A. First all persons are not by reason of their
naturall constitution apt to take the infection Secondly God so ruleth and restraineth the plague that it shall touch none nor in any further degrée then God hath appointed Lastly the execution of charitable duties about the visited preserueth many and feruent prayer deliuereth sundry persons Q. Is it lawfull for any man to flee the infection A. Yes for albeit Magistrates necessary officers and they that are pastors of the visited congregatioÌ„s may not flee yet they that eyther are fearefull or freed from their ordinary calling for they are not bound being in no publicke and necessary office may lawfully flee for first a man may preserue himselfe by flight so that he nothing hurt another A man may shun dangers of the like nature as warre famine waters fires and why not then this iudgement Thirdly there is lesse danger of infection when the concourse of people is abated and diminished 1. Obiection They that flie cannot but distrust Gods watchfull prouidence A. The fault is not in the action but in the person because he distrusteth 2. Obiection Ob. But it is offensiue for a man â—o flee A. The offence is taken and not giuen 3. Obiection Ob. Whatsoeuer is against the rule of charity is vnlawfull but to flee and so forsake our neighbour is against the rule of charity ergo A. Our neighbour is not forsaken so long as he wanteth the helpe neither of Magistrate nor of kinsfolke and other friends 4. Obiection Ob. But we are to visite the sicke that by Gods commaundement A. Leprous persons were excepted amongst the Iewes and why not then the plaguie persons in our dayes seeing that this disease is no lesse contagious Q. What is the duty of them that flee A. First they must seriously repent of their sins else God wil correct them in some other kind if not in this Secondly they must earnestly entreat the Lord by praier to stay his heauy haÌ„d and to be mercifull to the visited Lastly they must willingly contribute money to the visited Q. What is the duty of them that abide at home A. They must not bee secure and desperate for oftentimes Gods most excellent seruants are not onely tainted infected with but also die of the plague but humble themselues vnder Gods hand and endeauour by prayer repentance to pacifie and put away Gods displeasure Secondly they ought not censoriouslie to condemne but charitably to iudge of them that flie from infected places and persons for many of them are not tied to be resident by any speciall calling and many specially those that liue by their labours and by their trades haue no sufficient meanes at home to maintaine them and theirs withall Q. Why doth God sometimes in one Country or other cut downe and destroy so many thousands of men by the sword of plague and pestilence A. First if God now and then should not take this strict course the number of men especially amongst Turkes Papists Pagans would exceed for ordinarily men are faster borne then they die and heereupon God thrusteth in his reaping hooke and cutteth down certaine thousands when the places where they liue and are resident could not otherwise well containe much lesse maintaine them Secondly to snib and controll the pride and presumption of such who with Dauid when he numbred the people glory and rest in their multitudes millions hereupon he to represse their vaine confidence and to cure generall and desperate sinnes abateth and lesseneth those numbers and multitudes Q. What meditations are meete for to comfort Gods children in the time of a generall infection by the plague or pestilence A. First the plague is not casuall contingent but is from God and in his disposition so that none die and depart this life sooner or latter in greater or smaller number then God permitteth and hath preordaianed Secondly in the time of the old Testament in the time of the Apostles and in euery age since in one place part prouince or other Gods dearest seruants haue felt the contagion and noisomnesse of it and sundry of them haue died of this visitation Thirdly it is a more milde gentle and sufferable chastisement then either warre or famine for in the beginning progresse and disposition of it God rather worketh by himselfe then vseth the ministry of men and who in iudgement remembreth mercy but men when they are made the instruments to chastise vs so follow the violent streame of their owne corrupt affections that they shew themselues destitute and depriued of all mercy and moderation Fourthly when God doth by the plague correct vs he will trie and proue our faith in his powerfull and gracious prouidence our tender compassion towards our distressed brethren and our thankefulnesse towards them that either by publike authority or of their charitable disposition attend vpon vs and that minister to our necessities Fifthly God doth in the greatest infection when the plague most rageth preserue very many and especially those that are imploied about charitable offices which concerne the visited Lastly Gods children that die by this visitation are as blessed as they that 〈◊〉 by the common course of nature for the Angels carry their soules into Abrahams bosome Q. What duties are the visited persons to performe A. First they must commend themselues to God who will for Christ his sake be mercifull vnto them Secondly they must whiles that there is any hope of life and whiles they haue opportunity vse preseruatiues medicines physicke restoratiues for so did Ezechias but if they perceiue the fatall houre to be come they must willingly and confidently commend their spirits into Gods hands Thirdly if they be parents and masters of families they must exhort their children kinsfolke and seruants to the profession and practise of godlinesse and vertue for the last words that such vtter doe commonly leaue the deepest impression in the harts and minds of their chlidren friends and seruants Lastly it they recouer of the plague they must bee thankfull vnto God pay vnto him the vowes which their lips haue promised and their mouth hath spoken in affliction and for the time to come they must feare afterclaps and beware lest a worse thing doe heareafter befall them CHAP. VI. Of dearth and famine Question WHat is famine A. Gods scourge for manifest and notorious sinnes and enormities Q. Who is the inflicter of it A. God for it commeth not by fortune or chaâ—ce but God calleth for it aâ— may appeare by infinite places of Scripture 2. Chron. 7. vers 13. Deut. 28.38 Ier. 14.16 Q. What are the outward meanes causes and instruments of dearth and famine A. They are diuers as sometimes baâ—cennesse of the ground sometimes drought and heate as in Iudeo and those Easterly countries sometimes as in our nation of England vnseasonable weather and immoderate raine sometimes the Canker the Palmer worme the Grashopper somtimes haile storms whirlewindes and oftentimes warre and hostility lastly surfetting drunkenkennes pride or excesse in meate
smaller matters let vs learne to preuent greater euils Lastly let vs neuer deale perfidiously nor falsly with others much lesse lay snares to entrap and entangle them in lest wee be deceiued our selues sinke downe into our owne pits and our feete be taken in the net that wee haue hid CHAP. IX Of diuers publicke euils and common crosses which concerne the body and namely of sickenesse and death Question WHat is sicknesse A. It is the disproportion of the foure Elements or an ill disposition in the body against the naturall constitution of it which by the effect of any action breedeth offence to it and maketh the vse of the body worse Q. Who is the sender or imposer of it A. God onely for it is his scourge rod and discipline Q. Why doth God send and inflict it A. For the triall chasticement and amendment of his children and to kéepe their soules from sinne Q. What is the attractiue deseruing or procuring cause of sicknes A. Sinne as well Originall as actuall for why doth man suffer but for sinne And hereupon our blessed Sauiour before he cured the man that was sicke of the palsie did forgiue him his sinnes and then restored him to his perfect health to teach vs that sinne was the cause of it Q. What spirituall and speciall comforts doth Gods word afford vs against sickenesse diseases paines A. First sicknes and paine is one of Gods rods to disple and correct vs with it is healthfull for the soule it disswadeth vs from lusts it is a mistresse of chastity and modesty Secondly Gods power is and wil be perfected by our infirmity Thirdly God doth make our bed in our sicknesse and euery night and morning doth visit vs by his spirit Fourthly it putteth vs in minds of our mortality driueth away drowsines and forgetfulnes and pointeth out our iourney to heauen Fifthly it is but a temporary and gentle chastisement leniâ—â—ed tempered and disposed by our heauenly father for our good Sixthly death wil ease vs of diseases sickenesses infirmities and at the vniuersall resurrection we shall be glorified euen in our bodies therefore let vs be content for so short a space of time to vndergoe them Seuenthly it is the narrow way and strait gate that leadeth to life Eightly all the Saints of God haue traced this way before vs. Ninthly this yoake is but easie and the burthen exceeding light for the sting thereof is taken away by Iesus Christ and yet he beares the burthen with vs and indeede wholly takes it vpon himselfe Lastly the infirmities and afflictions of this present world are not worthy of the glory that is to be reuealed and communicated vnto vs for what comparison betweene finite and temporary infirmities and infinite and eternal glory Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. First let vs enter into the house of mourning and marke the chasticements of the Lord vpon others labouring to stirre vp our bowels towards them and to weepe with them that wéepe Secondly we must confesse our sins the causes thereof and be sorry for them and earnestly and constantly desire and entreat God to pardon them for as when the sore or wound is cured the plaster wil fal off so wheÌ„ sin is pardoned the affliction wil cease or at least work to and for our saluation in the end Thirdly we must offer and present our soules to the heauenly Physition Christ Iesus to be cured and then the body will the sooner be healed Fourthly if our bodily disease be desperate or remedilesse the more we are to ioy and reioice because wee shall not only haue the strength of the holy Ghost to leade vs through but also bee the sooner deliuered out of the dungeon of our sinnefull bodies Fiftly let vs all with Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Let vs pray for the comming of our Sauiour that we may be cloathed with our house which is from heauen for these desires and praiers are spirituall wingâ— to carry our minds and thoughts into heauen where is our Lord our countrey our ioy our inheritance and our treasure Lastly if wee recouer our sickenesse we must bee more circumspect for the time to come and beware lest a worse thing befall vs. Obiection Q. But my sicknesse is most sharpe greeuous and violent that I thinke that God hath wholly forsaken me A. Iob Dauid Lazarus and others haue béen in this taking and perplexity and yet not forsaken but inwardly sustained and at length deliuered For whom God loueth most hee correcteth most Secondly these violent sicknesses are healthfull and wholesome vnto thée for they are like strong and vehement purgations to rid and purge thée of thy ill bloud and corrupt humors of sinne Thirdly nullum violentum est perpetuum if they be violent they will not long continue for God is faithfull and will not suffer thée to be tempted aboue measure but will giue an issue with the temptation that thou maiest be able to beare it he will either end thy sicknes or take thée out of this wretched world For God is a louing and a merciful father not erring in affection and in the manner of correction as earthly fathers often do for he doth chastice thée for thy profit that thou mightest be partaker of his holinesse Fourthly the issue and euent cannot be but good for hereby sinne is mortified grace is encreased and thou fitted for heauen Fifthly the smart and paine of sicknesse is not in it selfe and simply euill because it is not sinne and it rather toucheth the outward man then any way corrupteth the mind and conscience Lastly heathen men especially their Philosophers that had no other teacher and direction then the dimme and darke light of degenerate nature haue patiently endured exquisite torments and shall not we Christians that haue the lanterne and lampe of Gods word and his blessed spirit for our helper and comforter be much more couragious and â—â—solute Q. What duties must we performe in such an extremity A. First it standeth vs in hand early and earnestly to cry vnto God for the pardon especially of all our knowne and grosse sinnes and then God who loueth the righteous and who knoweth our hearts cannot but in due time spéed our feruent praiers and requests Secondly we must put on the whole armour of God and especially the helmet of hope and the shield of faith that ouercommeth the world and that quencheth all the fiery darts of Satan and then our paine shall increase our gaine and the smart of it shall neuer hurt vs. Lastly we must neuer trust in our selues nor séeke so vnto the Physition that we forget the Lord but we must make God our chiefe Physitian for he healeth all our infirmities and we must patiently endure Gods hand and desire his helpe and then as our afflictions doe or may abound so he will
bee lamented for wee haue none to take notice of our gray haires none to number our yéeres none to carpe at our cost and none to bee discontented at the delay of our death Q. What vse in a word are we to make hereof A. First we must remember that we being mortall our selues begat them mortall and that all men must die sooner or latter though the time place and maner be vnknowne vnto vs. Secondly if we bewaile them being dead we should in some sort haue bewailed them as soone as they were born for then they began to die Thirdly we must out of heauinesse conceiue matter of happinesse and kéepe a measure in lamentation and not lament for euery losse lest our whole life be filled with lamentation Lastly we must instruct them and pray for them whiles that they liue but when we perceiue death to approach we must not in vaine striue against God but willingly suffer him to take his owne Q. How shall poore orphanes namely fatherlesse and motherlesse children comfort themselues that haue parted with kind carefull and most Christian parents A. By remembring and obseruing these directions and duties following First that their parents were borne mortall and must néeds die and therefore the children comming of them cannot be immortall If the foundation of the building in time shrinke and be shaken that which is built vpon it cannot endure The earth their common mother must receiue them all and at the last day yéeld vp all againe Secondly their parents are not lost for God hath found them and fréed them from all miseries and molestations and therefore they in this regard must bee content Thirdly that they shall not returne to their children but their children goe to them Fourthly they were borne first and therefore must die first and they are not forsaken but sent before them to blisse Lastly God hath depriued them of their parents either to correct their murmuring against them or their vndutifulnes towards them or at least to try how they will depend vpon him when all earthly meanes faile and are wanting Q. What duties are they to performe A. First they must patiently vndergoe Gods correction Secondly they must heartily repent them of their sinnes the cause thereof Thirdly they must follow their vertuous example and immortalize their memories Fourthly they must more highly estéeme Gods benefits when they inioy them Q. What comforts are fit seasonable against the death of deere brethren and sisters A. First death is a common correction to Gods children and no person must looke to be fréed from it Secondly though their life was short yet it was holy and blessed Thirdly though their bodies be dead and interred yet their soules liue and their vertues like so many children left behind them are immortall and the impression hereof as of their kindnes and indulgence towards them must neuer be blotted out Fourthly though they want the comfortable company of their brethren and sisters yet they are not alone being attended vpon and guarded by so many vertues and all those that feare God and doe his will must be their brethren and sisters Vse First wee must not vnmeasurably mourne for them but rather bewaile euil things that hang ouer our owne heads Secondly by such examples of mortality we must be warned to prepare our selues against our latter end Lastly we must comfort our hearts in this that wee shall one day to our hearts contentment inioy for euer their most swéet and blessed fellowship Q. Is it not a curse to a religious man to die childlesse and without issue A. It is a crosse rather then a curse For first they are not vnder the law but vnder grace Secondly Christ hath taken away the curse from all true beléeuers Q. By what arguments and reasons shall such a man quiet and comfort his conscience A. First their loosenesse and lewdnesse shall neuer grieue him and their future miserie shall neuer disquiet him Secondly he in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or want of children may in his discretion adopt such who may proue more kind louing and obedient then those that might haue proceeded out of his owne loines Thirdly hee néed not trouble himselues about their maintenance and as for the distribution of his goods and possessions he hath at hand many poore seruanâ—s and children of God amongst whoÌ„ he may more happily diuide them for these will pray for him so long as he liueth and speake well of him when he is dead and God wil in goodnes reward all his well doing Neh. 5.19 Fourthly law may and will supply the defect of nature for adoption is an act imitating nature ordained for the solaâ—e of such who want children Lastly his children might haue growen out of kind and haue obscured and blemished his name and hereupon many had died more happily and contentedly if they had died childlesse CHAP. XIII Of the Priuatiue and Positiue benefite of death Question FRom what euils doth death free Gods children A. First from all sinne and the offence of God the originall and cause of all euill Secondly death is to them the medicine remedy and physition of al euils for it endeth all their imperfections and finally fréeth them from all sicknesses paines crosses calamities gâ—iefes distresses euils errors enemies Thirdly it preuenteth all sinne and misery to come both in this world and specially in the world to come for they are wholy and for euer deliuered from all Satans assaults and from damnation and the horrour of hell Q. What vse is to be made hereof A. First if by death wee would bée freed from all sinne and the most cursed effects of it then let vs denie the world and the flesh and liue in the feare of God remembring the account that wee are to render vp before God and theâ— the second death shall neuer haue power ouer vs. Secondly let vs giue God all possible thanks and praise for that hee will by death thus ease and disburden vs. Thirdly let vs in the certaine expectation of so great deliuerance at the year of Iubily be willing to goe to God as Simeon and Paul were and in the mean time to sustaine all crosses patiently Lastly let vs continually waite and pray for this time of our full and eternall rest and deliuerance Q. Is it then not lawfull for Gods children in their distresses extremities for their ease and deliuerance to hasten their death by laying hands vpon themselues A. It is simply and vtterly vnlawful For first this not the way to ease and auoide misery but to encrease it yea and to emplunge and engulfe himselfe into the bottomlesse pitte of endlesse torment Secondly if a man should be entreated by the distressed to kill him hee might in no wise condescend thereunto for hée should bee no otherwise accounted and punished then a murderer much lesse may any person kill himselfe For he is bound to cherish and not to kill his owne
and conscience make his last Will and Testament and bequeath his goods lands liuing to his wife children kinsfolke friends and to the poore as the law of God and man requireth Q. What duties is hee bound to performe towards himselfe A. He must by faith in the Lord Iesu arme himselfe against satans assaults and against the feare of death and the last iudgement and he must not so much feare death as looke on euerlasting life Secondly touching the body he must be carefull to vse physicke and all other good meanes to preserue and continue life and health vntill it shall please God to take it away Lastly hee must continually resigne himselfe and commend his soule and spirit into Gods blessed hands Q. Jf all these duties be performed in good conscience what good wil come thereof A. First God will honour such as feare and honour him he I say will honour them as well in life as in death 1. Sam. 2.30 Secondly he will make the name and memory of them pretious after death for the iust shall be had in an euerlasting remembrance Q What is a right dispotion in death A. A religious and an holy behauiour of a mans selfe especially towards God Q Is it necessary A. Yes for first now it is the very time to practise it Secondly without this disposition and behauiour our death cannot be pleasant and acceptable in Gods sight Q. What are the parts of it A. Thrée namely to die in faith to die in obedience and to resigne or surrender vp our soules into Gods hands Q What is it to die in faith A. To take notice of and lay hold of Gods gracious promises in Christ touching remission of sinnes and euerlasting life and wholly to rely vpon them as they are reuealed and set forth in the scriptures Q. What benefit shall a man haue who dieth in true faith A. He shall be able to kéepe himselfe safe and sound against the temptations and pangs of death and shall forthwith after he hath giuen vp the Ghost bee made partaker of eternall life and happinesse Q. How is our faith to be expressed A Two maner of waies the one inward the other outward First inwardly by déepe sighes sobs and groanes after a mans redemption Secondly and that outwardly by praier thanksgiuing and good exhortations and often communications touching God and godlinesse Q. What is it to die in obedience A. It is willingly and gladly to submit our selues to Gods will in bearing the crosse Mat. 27. and without murmuring or grudging to goe to God who in death respecteth vs and will vndoubtedly receiue vs. Q. What are they to be compared vnto that die vnwillingly A. They if they belong to God doe as if a prisoner should delight in his prison and dungeon and would not goe forth to a glorious palace and perfect liberty when he lawfully might either forgetting the slauery and defilements which he leaueth or the good things to which he goeth Q. How is this duty to bee performed A. By learning to die daily and not through any impatiency or through the tediousnes of trouble to wish death as Elias did for then we discouer pride and disobedience in that we will not wait on Gods leasure but follow our owne corrupt affections Q. How shall we learne to die daily A. By taking vp Christ his crosse daily and if we doe with patience and méeknes buckle with affliction For euery affliction is a petty death and if we can endure to vndergo this petty death we shall the more comfortably vndergoe the great death of all which is the disiunction or dissolution of the soule from the body Q What is it to surrender our soules into Gods hands A. To yéeld them vp into his hands as vnto a faithfull creator in certaine hope of our present glorification Q. What generall comforts are there against death A. First the sting thereof is taken away by Christ his death and the power abolished death to the godly is like a drone Bée that kéepeth a buzzing and humming but hath lost her sting and cannot hurt Secondly death is to Gods children a gaile deliuery from all sinne and the miseries of this life and a passage vnto the euident and manifest sight and presence of God Thirdly in death God is not only present with his children by his spirit to instruct comfort and assist them but also sendeth his holy Angels to attend vpon them and to saue them from the violence and vexation of euill spirits and to carry their soules into heauen forthwith after that they are separated from their bodies Lastly by death the soules of the godly shall bee made infinitely more holy and happy glad and glorious then euer they were when they were inclosed in the sinfull subiect prison of the body and as for their bodies they after that they haue slept a while in the earth shall be raised vp againe immortall incorruptible and farre more bright and beautifull then they had euer béen if man had neuer sinned Q. What is the quintessence of these conclusions A. First we are taught hereby not to feare to depart out of the ruinous house of our bodies whensoeuer God doth call vs knowing that a better life shall follow after death for they only are blessed that die in the Lord and of this point wee must much thinke and study Secondly we are aduertised hereby not to be cast downe nor discouraged at bodily diseases dolours deformities for the resurrection shall put an end hereunto Lastly we must not vnmeasurably mourne for those that sléepe in the Lord seeing their soules which are the better part of them liue with God and their bodies being bought with a price namely the precious bloud of Christ and being made the temples of the holy Ghost shall at the last day rise againe in glory and incorruption CHAP. XIIII Of certaine particular euils defects and deformities in the body and also crosses in the outward state Question OF how many sorts are these particular euils A. Of two sorts to wit ordinary and extraordinary Q. What are the ordinary euils A. They are either such as are in and about the body or that haue a mans outward state for their obiect Q. What are those euils and defects that are in and about the body A. Deformity lamenes blindnes deafnes dumbnes c. Q. How shall we comfort our selues against the lothsome deformity of the body A. By marking and meditating vpon these conclusions following First bodily deformity doth nothing preiudice the estate of Gods Saints before God as the examples of Iob Dauid Mephibosheth Ezechias Aza Lazarus c. and of innumerable besides 〈◊〉 demonstrate Secondly they endure but for a time and at the furthest end and determine with this life Thirdly though the bodies of Gods Saints be for the time neuer so lothsome and deformed yet are their sinnes couered by the roiall roabes of Christ his
Satans both nature and power is restrained limitted and bounded for touching his nature he is but a creature and finite both in knowledge and power And as touching his power though it be very great yet he is so bridled and restrained by the decrée will of God that he cannot put in execution all his naturall power to the hurt and annoiance of any whatsoeuer Secondly sundry of Gods saints as Iob and a daughter of Abraham that was bound by satan eightéene yéeres yea and our blessed Sauiours body was subiect for the time to satans malice and yet all happily escaped and were deliuered Christ by his owne power foiled him and the other were conquerors in and through Christ. Thirdly that in Gods children possession by satan onely annoieth the body which is as it were the outward wall or the circumference but he can neuer win or ouercome the castles of our hearts nor attaine vnto the center of our conscience Lastly that possession by euill spirits is to the beléeuers but a temporary chastisement and shall determine in death if not long before espeâ—ally if publike and priuate praiers and fastings be according to Christ his ordinance vsed Q. What duties are the possessed to performe A. They must heartily pray vnto and call vpon God in Christ to checke satan and to restrain his power and malice and consequently to deliuer them and theirs and in the meane time they must patiently beare that particular affliction and wait Gods leasure vntill he deliuer them Iob 13. Heb. 11.17 Secondly they must haue recourse to God in his word in which he promiseth them his presence and protection in their greatest dangers Psal. 91.10.11 Zach. 2.51 Esay 66.12 Num. 23.25 Thirdly there must praier and fasting of the Church be vsed for them for so Christ hath ordained and commanded Marke 3.29 Psal. 37.34 Lastly they must to their holy professions ioyne practises of good works and newnes of life and then all things will goe well with them in the end Q. What duties are the friends of the possesed and his neighbours and those that attend vpon him to performe vnto him A. First they must condole and grieue with him as members of one and the same spirituall body Secondly they must visit him and by praiers make intercession to God for him for so God hath commanded and the praier of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Thirdly they must aduertise him that he in no wise send to wizards nor flie to any vnlawfull meanes for this is not the meanes to expell satan but to entertaine and also to strengthen him Lastly because in possession God doth either correct some euill in the party possessed or make triall of his faith his friends must endeuor to bring him to repentance for his sinnes and this being done to perswade the said party to wait constantly and patiently for the good time of his happy deliuerance THE SECOND BOOKE Wherein are contained soueraigne and most sweet consolations directions and remedies against such inward or outward euils crosses afflictions which properly and peculiarly concerne Gods Church and Children LONDON Imprinted by William Hall for Iohn Stepneth 1611. TO THE RIGHT Honourable his very good Lord the L. HARINGTON Baron of EXTON and to the right Noble and Vertuous the LADIE HARINGTON his wife my singular good LADIE Grace Mercy and Peace HAuing Right Honourable in the former booke treated of such publike and priuate troubles vexations losses and calamities that are common to Gods children with the wicked and hauing according to my measure sorted out and set downe such plaine and compendious rules directions and consolations as may seeme most fit and necessary I haue in this second Booke propounded in order those doubts distresses griefes scandals trials and afflictions which did specially and properly concerne Gods Saints and seruants for many are the troubles of the righteous and the better Christian the more tried and afflicted I haue withall expressed and drawn out of Gods booke such certaine resolutions vndoubted conclusions and choice comforts as I hope will giue good satisfaction and contentment to euery good Christian. And hoping that through Gods blessing this small worke may doe much good I haue beene willing to make it common and for many iust and waighty reasons me mouing doe deuote and consecrate it to your Honours For first your Honours being Pillers in Gods house and goodly Cedars in the Lebanon of his Church militant beare your parts in affliction and therefore the comforts do appertaine vnto you you share in the conflicts and why not in the conquests Secondly this my discourse being a subiect and matter of religion and learning who haue greater interest in it then such a noble Theophilus honourable Sunamite who both doe so much fauour further and wish well to learning and godlinesse Thirdly in whom doe might and meekenesse honour and humility greatnesse and gratiousnes more happily concur then in your Honours Lastly hauing receiued so many great and vndeserued fauours from your Honours as the Roote and from your noble ofspring as the blessed branches I could finde no better meanes to manifest my humble dutie and to testifie my thankfull heart then by dedicating and commending these my labours to your patronages Vouchsafe therefore not onely to peruse my meditations but also to approue them that the Author may receiue the greater encouragemeÌ„t the fragrant perfume of your fauourable disposition may more amply enlarge and make knowne it selfe But fearing to bee offensiue and tedious and assuring my selfe of your Honourable acceptation I doe here most heartily sue and supplicate to God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ to blesse the bright Morning Starre that Princely charge vnder your careful tuition and herein to respect and reward your faithfull seruice and watchfull attendance to remember in goodnesse all your kindnes shewed to his Church and childreÌ„ to continue you long in health to encrease you in all grace and honour and to replenish your hearts with all hope and comfort Your Honours in all dutie most affectionate THOMAS DRAXE THE SECOND BOOKE Of the soueraigne and most sweet consolations directions and remedies against such inward or outward euils crosses afflictions which properly and peculiarly concerne Gods Church and children CHAP. I. Question WHat are those crosses troubles and afflictions that properly and peculiarly concerne Gods Saints and seruants A. They are either inward or outward Q. What are the inward crosses A. Those spirituall temptations that assault the soules faith and sanctification of Christians Q. How are they to be distinguished A. They are either such temptations which arise from within the mind of Gods children or which are accidentally occasioned and obiected from without them Q. What are those inward temptations and distresses that arise from within the minds of Gods children A. They are either anguish of mind and distresse of conscience in generall or doubts of and assaults against
forsake the assemblies and fellowship of the Saints in the vse of the word prayer and Sacraments were neuer well rooted in it â—or had they beene no wind or tempest could haue ouerturned them they were onely Meteors or blazing starres soon extinct but not true starres for then they had continued in their firmament and no night of afflictions could haue put them out for if they had béen of the Church they would haue continued in it 1. Joh. 2.19 Apoc. 13.8 Secondly they neuer receiued the loue of the truth and were neuer soundly grounded in the principles of Christian faith and therefore they were apt to be seduced with the poiâ—on and efficacy of errour For as the fire burneth nothing but that which is combustible and apt to bee consumed so heresie infecteth none but such as neglect the means of knowledge or that denie the power of godlinesse in their hearts and liues Lastly God will by their reuolting take an occasion the more iustly to damn them and to trie and make known the constancy of his children who neuer doe wholy or finally fall away from faith Q. What duties are wee to performe to preuent an apostasie in our selues A. First because eminent persons by their fall like oakes beare downe all things that lie in their way let vs beware of their company and communication Secondly let vs beware of the beginning and occasion of Apostasie and for our direction herein pray for the spirite of reuelation and strength and in no wise neglect the ministerie of the word sacraments Q But how shall a nouice a weake Christian perswade himselfe of the truth of his sincere profession when hee seeth and heareth that sundry learned men die in defence of Idolatry and Popery A. First no Heretickes though they dy in defence of errors are martyrs but all Papists are heretikes for the obstinate maintaining of iustification by works inuocation and adoration of Saints and Angels worshipping of images and especially of their breaden God denying the sufficiency of the canonicall Scriptures are so many heresies Ergo Iesuites Seminaries and popish Priests that are put to death by the Christian magistrate are no martyrs Secondly Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem they that bâ—are the Crosse and follow not Christ are no Martyres of his and therefore most damnable is the condition of Iesuites Seminaries who die for treason and not for truth and not for testimony of a good conscience but for the wilfull trangression of Christian Lawes Thirdly their suffering is of no account before God for they want charirity which appeaeth in this that they are vtter opposites and aduersaries to the Gospel of Christ and the sound professors of it Fourthly they being no true members of the Church of Christ but rather incurable persecutors of it and being slaine out of the Church doe not winne the crowne of their faith but the reward oâ— their felly Lastly true Martyrs ascribe all the glory of their redemption and saluation to Gods mercy in Christ onely but popish martyrs glory in their owne works though neuer so vile vnperfect they make them expâ—atory for sinne and to me â—t saluation Q What vse are we to make hereof A First wee must distinguish and rightly iudge betwéene true martyrs and false ones which wee shall be enabled to doe by obseruing these rules following First true martyrs die in defence of the substance of pure religion but false martyrs suffer and die in defence of error heresie and idolatry Secondly true martyrs at their execution shew sorth singular patience in their words testimony behauiour but false martyrs either are outragious and impatient or at least by Art doe stupifie and dead their flesh that it may become insensible of paine Thirdly true Martyrs die holily couragiously ioyfully without all feare and doubting of the truth of their cause or of the certainty of saluation but popish martyrs die many times irresolued and astonied Fourthly true and Euangelical martyrs are holy chaste innocent feruent in praier and diligent in their ciuill and Christian callings but the like cannot be verified of the popish martyrs Lastly God at the death of true martyrs hath sometimes wrought strange and wonderfull works as to speake when their tongues haue béen cut out and to be vntouched of the fire albeit oile were put into it but in the popish martyrs no such accidents haue fallen out Secondly let vs sée and be resolued by Gods word that our cause is good and for Christ then let vs suffer as coÌ„fidently yea much more comfortably and happily for the truth then they for Antichrist and superstition knowing that our end shall be blessed Q. When factions diuisions schismes grow and preuaile in the Church what are we to iudge of that Church and how is a Christian then to arme himselfe A. First wee must remember that where the truth many times most â—lourisheth there Satan laboureth to make rents and diuisions and to sow tares amongst the good wheat Secondly the Church of Corinth was a notable Apostolicall Church and yet there were many factions in it Thirdly wee must not separate our selues from such a Church except it erre in the fundamentall points of faith and true religion but we must herein comfort our selues that this schisme is without heresie Fourthly as long as there is error in iudgement and péeuishnes in affection wee must looke for nothing else but schisme Fifthly schismatikes that depart from the communion of the faithfull and from the participation of the body and bloud of Christ indanger their owne soules Lastly God permitteth diuisions factions and schismes in the Church that the faith and loue of his children might be tried now their faith is tried whiles they stumble not nor suffer themselues to be seduced and their loue and charity is tried in admonishing them that are the authors and occasioners of these sidings schismes diuisions Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. If wee be men in authority wee must betimes striue to roote out and remoue out of the Church whatsoeuer may iustly minister an occasion heereof Secondly Ministers must by doctrine and writing note and confute those diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which they haue receiued and auoid them Rom. 16.17 Secondly if wee be but priuate persons we must beware of pride and selfe-conceitednes lest we rashly condemne a true and notable visible Church for defects and imperfections in the doctrine and practise of discipline or Church policie and so without sufficient cause make a rent from the same and hereby disturbe the common peace for we must not depart from it vntill it depart from Christ. Lastly we must by praiers sutes supplications teares and amendment of life labour to procure better reformation in Church and Commonwealth and if we cannot attaine it when wee would then let vs in the meane be a discipline to our selues and execute it amongst
Catastrophe or conclusion all men that sée it shall say that it is Gods doing Q. But why doth God punish sometimes with visible and manifest punishment some euill doers and not all A. First God is an absolute Lord and his will is iustice it selfe and therefore wee must rather reuerence and adore Gods iudgements then rashly to require a reason of them for shall an earthly Prince disdaine to be accountable to his subiects concerning all his procéedings and shall a Master of a family scorne that his seruant shall exact an account of him how much more will the diuine Maiesty refuse that his actions and counsels should bee called into question Secondly a few punished are a purgation for and a warning to the rest so that it is a mild iustice towardes many which séemeth cruelty to a few Thirdly if God should visibly and manifestly punish all euill doers then nothing would bée thought to bée reserued to the last iudgement and if none should bee here punished men would thinke that either there were no God or at least no iustice and prouidence Q. How shall Gods children in the execution of publike iudgement iustifie the equity of Gods proceedings or practise patience when they temporally smart for the sinnes aud idolatries of their fore-fathers A. Many wayes they are to stay and comfort themselues First to speake properly God doth punish the idolatry and sinnes of the children and not of the parents for if they tread in the footesteppes of their parents and doe not repent of their sinnes it standeth with Gods iustice no longer to put off their correction Secondly though in the vniuersall deluge and in the destruction of Sodome and in the sacking of Cities the very Infants perished with their Parents yet wee must note that they were not sinnelesse and innocent before God but borne and conceiued in sinne the children of wrath subiect to euerlasting damnation Thirdly albeit God correct good men for the bads sake inuolue them in the common calamities of warre famine pestilence shipwracke fires c. yet these afflictions are rather preseruatiues then punishments for as Physitians doe by bitter medicines preserue and restore a mans health so God doth turne the punishments that they haue deserued into a medicine a trial a preseruation Fourthly Gods children though they resist sinne and wickednes yet they in hearing Gods word in praier and in the performance of the duties of pietie iustice charity faile and are vnperfect and therefore they cannot say that God offereth them any wrong if they with the wicked be included in the same outward and publike euils as Jonathas Iosias c. were Fifthly we are all of vs the children of rebellious and traiterous Adam who hath tainted our bloud and forfeited his and our estate to God almighty there is a chaine of faults reaching from Adam to vs which though wee repent of yet God may in his iustice punish the remainders of them in our posterity Sixthly there is if not alwaies a deriuation of speciall fins from the forefathers to the posterity yet there is a deriuation of punishment and therefore God doth afflict herein the Parents and their posterity as one body Seuenthly as in one and the same person a fault committed in youth is iustly punished in old age So God in kingdomes empires persons doth punish old and inueterate sinnes for they are before God ioyned together by an outward fellowship both in time and parts Lastly if wee will bee heires to the commodities and rewards which are due to our ancestors it is no reason that we should refuse their burdens and afflictions CHAP. IX Heauenly Meditations and Conclusions against generall and particular persecution Question WHat is persecution A. It is the state and condition either of the Church in generall or of any member in particular whereby the one or the other in Gods euerlasting counsell and dècrée are appointed and marked vnto diuers dangers troubles for the name of Christ and for righteousnes sake Q. Is not the Church of God at any time or in any age wholy rooted out and subuerted by the enraged violence of persecutors A. No for first God will alwayes reserue to himselfe a people that shall serue him yea and some that shall openly and publikely maintaine and confesse his truth in one place or other Secondly as in the time of Elias there were 7000 holy worshippers of God that neuer bowed their knées to Baal and yet they were not visibly known to the enemies and persecutors so God hath a latent Church sometimes and the church is faine to flie into the wildernes and that partly that she should not be corrupted partly that she should be preserued from the enemies rage malice Lastly it appeareth by the diuers things to which the Church is compared and resembled that shee neuer ceaseth to bee nor is euer wholy extinct for it is compared to a shippe tossed with waues and surges but not sunke to Moses Bush burning but not consumed to a City daily besieged but not taken or wonne to the moon which is soone eclipsed and often in the waâ—e but yet often renued to Noahs Arke tossed in the waters but not drowned and to a woman in trauell whom the Dragon séeketh to deuoure together with her child and yet both are preserued Q. For what ends doth God suffer his children to bee persecuted A. First that holy and pure doctrine might bee maintained otherwise all would in persecution disclaime and forsake it Secondly that the graces of his children should be encreased and exercised and that they like spices pouned in a morter and like swéet wood burnt in the fire should yéeld a more sweete swell Thirdly that they by their constancy in the profession and defence of the truth might be distinguished from hypocrites who like Sodome apples if a man crush them fall into chaffe and like vnto spunges wet in the water which if a man presse them let out all the liquour contained in them Fourthly God will haue his children to denie themselues and their own abilities and to depend wholy vpon his power and promises for their strengthning or deliuerance Fifthly hée will hereby make them so many lights and guides to direct the blind world in the roade way to Heauen Lastly GOD will hereby increase their reward and glorie in heauen Q. Who are Gods instruments herein A. Satan and wicked men in the world namely Tyrants Heretikes Atheists Q. Why doth God in the punishment and persecution of his children vse the ministerie of wicked men A. First to shew his absolute and vnlimited liberty for hee is a free agent and he may correct his children by whom he will For as a naturall Father doth sometimes make the Schoolemaster or one of his seruants the instruments to correct his sonne though hee perhaps is not ignorant that they may intermingle their priuate affections