1.33 Vse 5 5. For instruction vnto the afflicted to be distributed as the former diuided the whole into fiue parts that the same may partitè peecemeale as it were and so the more easily be taken and laid vp First that they remember their misery the worm wood and the gall that their soules haue the same still in remembrance and be humbled thereby for therein is the hope k Iam. 3.20 21. Secondly that suffering according to the will of God they commit their way and the keeping of their soules in well doing vnto God as to a faithfull Creator l 1. Pet. 4 vlt. 1 Pet. 4. vlt. Able he is to keepe that which is committed vnto him Faithfull he is and will not suffer the faithfull to bee tempted aboue that they are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that they may be able to beare it m â— Cor. 10.13 Thirdly that they pray Let a man afflicted pray n Iam. 5.13 pray continually o Col 4.5 continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiuing giuing thanks for the grace present by which Satan is resisted and the burthen sustained praying also with all prayer and supplication in the spirit that the burthen on them may bee taken of them prayer the meanes to remoue it for he who heareth prayer hath giuen his word that inuocated in the time of trouble he will deliuer them that call vpâ—n his name Psal 50.15 * Ideo prenuntur iusti vt clameâ— clamanies exaud antur â—â—uditi glorificent Deum Aug. in loc Fâ—urthly that by paâ—ience they possesse their soules p Luk. 21.19 and as the Thessalonians cause other to glory for their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations q 2 Thes 1.4 This the victorie of the Saints r Reu. 13.10.14.12 the issue of tribulation Å¿ Rom. 5.3 the effect of the word t Reu. 3.10 this the dawning of light on the sprenting of that seed which is sowen for the righteous In Psal 97.11 Light i. peace and prosperity the fruit of righteousnesse is sowen for the righteous in the dayes of euill sitting in darknes * Micah 7.8 A phrase from the plough Good seed sowen in fallowes broken vp lieth for a time couered in the ground and sprouteth not suddenly but in its season In their sufferings it is so with the seruants of God Their hearts furrowed with the culter of the Crosse the word of patience cast vpon it by the hand of faith the harrow of godly sorrow drawen ouer and ouer it in the conuulsions thereof In his time the Lord commeth and raineth on them righteousnes wherin vnto themselues they had sowed u Hos 10.12 and tempestiue peace the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse x Heb. 12.11 is in full sheaues brought in a time accepted home into their barnes their barnes are filled yea their hearts with food and gladnesse by their hard and tedious labours indured therefore counted happie they that indure Behold saith the Apostle we count them happie that indure y Iam. 5.11 Of the patience of Iob that happie man no man is ignorant nor so blinde but may see in him the end of the Lord that hee is verie pitifull and of tender mercie They that wait on him renew their strength mount vp with wings as Eagles run and are not wearie walke and are nor faint z Esa 40.31 for as they on him so waiteth he on them that he may be gratious vnto them and will be exalted a Esa 30.18 that he may haue mercy vpon them O how blessed are all they that wait for him b Psal 2.12 Psal 34.2 Pâ—â— 16.20 Iâ—r 77. Fâ—fthly that they sâ—tisfie themselues as with the likenesse of God when they awake c Psal 17.15 so with his presence while they sleepe or walke rather thorow the valley of the shadow of death their eyes withholden with the present pressures that they cannot sleepe Sufficient to the day is the euill thereof d Mat. 6. vlt. sufficient to the euill dayes the presence of El Schaddai God all-sufficient who but hee in heauen e Psal 73.25 and in earth besides him what to be desired In him all liue and moue and haue their being f Act 17.28 the Author he and finisher of faith g Heb. 12 2â— All and in all that haue faith in him In Heauen what need shall be of the Sun or of the Moone h Isa 60 11.19 or of candle or of victuall or of vesture or of lands or of liuings Not any for the Lord will be All All in Heauen and in earth All things Therefore suffering need what need of any thing more than of God to sit in the minde and to frame the same to the present state or to dwell in the heart and to fill the same with food and gladnes The minde on him and hee in the minde the heart on him and he in the heart what want of the creatures or of other gifts Is not all want supplyed with his fulnesse What wanted Moses Elocution What answer from God had he but this i Exod. 4.11 12. Who hath made mans mouth I will be with thy mouth Would God be a mouth vnto him or a tongue in his mouth In effect he would and fully be as good yea better for vse and more effectuall of all other things wanting to the afflicted the like may bee said Who made them Orphans want their parents who made their parents He that made their parents will be vnto them in stead of parents Parents want their children who made their children He that made their children will be vnto them in stead of children widdowes want their husbands who made their husbands Hee that made their husbands wâ—ll bee with them in stead of husbands widdowers want their wiues who made their wiues Hee that made their wiues will bee with them in stead of wiues brethren want their sisters who made their sisters Hee that made their sisters will be vnto them in stead of sisters sisters want their brethren who made their brethren He that made their brethren will be with them in stead of brethren the poore afflicted persecuted want their houses lands meanes liuelihood who made all and gaue all vnto all He that made all and gaue them all will be vnto them instead of all Varieties of comforts in the varietie of the creatures Parents afford one kâ—nde of solace children another husbands another wiues another brethren another sisters another lands and such like meanes another but the Lord he is God of all consolation not any without him in any thing but with him is comfort in euery thing And hee with his afflâ—cted what 's the euill on them or against them He with them in exile what 's their exile He with them in prison what 's 〈◊〉 imprisonment he with them in disgrace what 's their disgrace He with
THE SAINTS SOLACE OR The Condition And Consolation Of The Saints in the Earth Deliuered in certaine Sermons at Eatonbridge in Kent By the Minister there Psal 94.19 In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comforts haue refreshed my soule LONDON Printed by Iohn Hauiland for Robert Bostocke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings head 1630. TO The right worshipfull Sir Robert Heath Knight his Maiesties Attorney Generall Grace and all good blessings from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ Right Worshipfull WHat the Elders of the Iewes vnto Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Centurious loue vnto their Nation a Luk 7.5 might bee said vnto all of your loue and care of our Eatonbridge where by Baptisme you were initiated and whereof the spirituall wealth b Esth 10.3 you haue earnestly sought both by your owne bountie and other annuall pensions procured by you from your worthy friends * and worshipfull alliance in the adiacent parts vnto the Minister which should bee there resident to edifie the people on the most holy faith It is not to be forgotten of any how you began to honour God whew he began to honour you and how hee hath gone on in honouring you as you haue him If any should I cannot nor will forget your great goodnesse extended towards me of all the Lords seruants the least and vnworthiest since you first saw me your counsell countenance and encouragement after my first entrance into that Cure now eleuen yeares past and lately your powerfull hand stretched out in the happie strength thereof to saue mee from the reproches of them that would haue c Psal 57.3 swallowed mee vp are if I would ingratefully be silent most euident testimonies to the vnderstanding world And yet vnto all these as if all these were small in your sight it pleased you afterwards to adde other fauours when you tooke me to your house and sent mee home not emptie but full of comfort and courage in the worke of the Ministerie for the time to come As Dauid vnto the Lord I might say vnto you Is this the manner of man d 2 Sam. 7.19 What shall I render vnto you for all your benefits towards mee My selfe I owe you and such as I haue giue I you These few impolished papers But what are these of which the acceptation will be the augmentation of my debt or why these rather than some other of my labours is that place which some haply iudge if I would needs to it more worthy the presse Nothing but pressure God is witnesse brought me to the presse and these being mine immediate Meditations after the Commencement of my terrible troubles and the fruits of those sorrowes or sorrowfull thoughts which were then in my soule would as I thought vnto the people of God be acceptable as is vnto God himselfe the broken spirit the broken and contrite heart e Psal 51.17 Nothing else Right Worshipfull but these rude lines which in the dayes of my trouble I found by enquiring in the Sanctuarie of God or otherwise by reading meditation obseruation and experience haue I Me penes to present vnto you but for you and your honoured family all prayers and supplications in the spirit I will as my daily sacrifice offer vpon the golden altar f Reuel 8.3 vnto him who regardeth and despiseth not the prayer of the destitute g Psal 109.17 The Lord blessed you and assist you in your high calling The Lord giue you the price of that other high calling of God in Christ Iesus h Phil. 3.14 for which with all Saints you presse vnto the mark The Lord make you famous in Bethlehem and alwayes to doe worthily in Ephratah i Ruth 4.11 The Lord increase you more and more you and your children Blessed bee yee of the Lord which made Heauen and earth k Psal 115.14 15. Thus recommending this little booke with my selfe the poore Author thereof vnto your implored Patronage and Proâ—ection I craue pardon for my boldnesse and rest Your Worships euer and in all dutie bounden Peter Bostock Eatonbridge Iune 7th Anno Salutis 1630. THE SAINTS SOLACE OR Comforts for Afflicted PSAL. 119. VER 50. This is my comfort in my affliction THE Booke of Psalmes a common promptitarie of Medicine Commune quoddam Medicina promptua arium Ambr. many authorities out of it in the booke of Iesus Christ a Law in which his delight was and his Disciples exercised what other song in the house of their Pilgrimage or reioycing the Saints together what other Odes vsed All admirable but a Ambr. Hic psahâ—us tribus in rebus on nibus â—ntecellit 1. Vtilitate 2. Longitudine 3. Elegantia artificio alphabetico Bellar in tit bâ—ius psal as the Suns the Moones light this surpasseth all The song of songs which was Dauids indited for matter accurately b Muscubus Wilcos ibid. composed for memorie exquisitely many prayers to God many praises of his Word many professions of obedience comprised therein Octonaries 22. the parts thereof euery verse of the 8. in euerie one beginning in the Hebrew with one letter this Section with Zaiin * Zaiin quasi Ziu i. telum quod claua figura esse vidcatur a club in figure in signification a weapon defensiue and offensiue for vse A defence to them that decline not from the Law of God Hâ—ius â—â—â— vid v. 51 52 53 54 55 56 but remember his Name his Word his Iudgements of old his Statutes and Precepts to keepe the same An offence to the proud that haue the humble in derision and to the wicked that forsake the Law What other mysterie better in the letter for the vse of edifying As other haue laboured with that in Thren Hieron in Thren Ier. we might with the Alphabeticall artifice here but comfort in affliction being vnum illud that one thing which we seeke we will set our heart on that one thing and giue our selues wholly thereunto D. King Episs Lond. lect in Ion. The World a Sea in a Similitude swelling with pride and vainglorie the wind to heaue it vp blew and huid with enuy boyling with wrath deepe with couetousnesse foming with luxuriousnes swallowing and drinking in all by oppressions dangerfull for the Rockes of presumption and desperation rising with the waues of passions perturbations ebbing and flowing with lightnesse and inconstancy brinish salt with iniquitie bitter and vnsauourie with all kinde of miserie The confession in the Text of an expert Nauigator as the light in the Admirall by which so many as saile after him through that vast turbid belluous and circumfluous Ocean may for the strengthning of their sea-sicke Soules behold His Condition Affliction and Consolation The Word 1. His Condition or state of life seasoned with Affliction Afflicted hee was greatly a Psal 116.10 and
in all riches reioyced in k Psal 119.14 Is it not pure l Psal 19.7 is it not perfect sure and sound durable and delightfull most holy and most necessarie Doth it not conuert or returne the soule m Psal 19.7 being in a swoune ouercome with the present maladie or miserie and make it come againe Doth it not quicken n Psal 19.50 is it not the life o Deut. 32.47 euen The word of life p Act. 5.20 liue wee by bread q Mat. 4.4 or thereby Is it not the seed and food of life milke r 1 Cor. 3.2 and strong meat Doth it not vanquish the wicked one Å¿ 1 Io. 2.14 bruize his head and him vnder foot Is it not a sword t Pro. 30.5 to wound his scalpe and a shield u Ephes 6.16 to quench all his fierie darts Doth it not reioyce the heart x Psal 19.7 8. make wise the simple enlighten the eyes enrich the poore y Colos 3.16 sanctifie euerie creature z 1 Tim 4.5 keepe from sinne a Psal 119.11 heale the diseased b Psal 107.20 and comfort the afflicted This the report from Heauen of the Word which is settled for euer c Psal 119. in Heauen But a voyce is heard in the lower Ramah's the myrie place d Ezek. 47.11 and marishes giuen to salt and not healed by the riuers of waters which flow from the Sanctuarie Giue vs for our comfort the honours of the world the treasures of the earth the pleasures of this life potent friends and le ts continue in our sinnes This our comfort and these Oh what comfort in these against the word or without the word with All that is in they world 1. What comfort in the honors of the world Honores mundi tumores mundi Eucher the honors of the world the tumors thereof tumors and burthens not of God not of God the word of God not with them Consider what is said in Iob. 10.35 Gods they or Infidels rather vnto whom the word commeth not How can they beleeue which receiue honour one of another e Io. 5.44 and seeke not the honour that commeth from God only in the comming of the word How doe they beleeue which loue the praise of men f Io. 12.43 more than the praise of God How doe they beleeue that haue not nor hold forth g Phil. 2.16 the word of life This the Beraeans had the Pharisies that Who best yet glorious they are and honoured wee see but know wee not that their glorie is their shame h Phil. 3.19 their excellencie their ignominie and their end obscuritie Ierome not amisse to his rising and aspiring friend Hier. ep 14. cap. 14. It s safer to stand on the firme earth than to sit high on a rotten scaffold Vanitie of vanities vanitie of vanities what else is all the honour of the world 2. What comfort without the Word in the treasures of the earth The treasures of the earth melting snow-balls i Iob 38.22 Greg. in loc swift flying k Pro. 23.5 Eagles vncertaine l 1 Tim. 6.17 deceitfull m Mat. 13.12 strong Cities razed and high towers demolished in a moment Idols scandals n Ezek. 7.19 stumbling blocks of iniquitie leaders into temptations foolish and hurtfull lusts They that will be rich o 1 Tim. 6.9 fall fouly They that trust in their wealth and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches p Psal 49.6 7 8 11 12 13. none of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor giue to God a ransome for his soule neither for their owne Their inward thought is folly as their way and howbeit their posteritie may approue their sayings as their doings as men wise according to the flesh yet brutish they are and like the beasts which perish Their riches shall choke them for they choke the good seed of the Word q Mat. 13.22 or swallowed downe they shall vomit them vp againe r Iob. 20.15 18. God shall cast them out of their bellies Verily verily this egestion will be wofull and full of deadly paines Therfore Goe to now yee rich men Å¿ Iam. 5.1 2 3. weepe and howle for the miseries which shall come vpon you your riches are corrupted your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and eat your flesh as it were fire yee heape treasure together for the last dayes * Rom. 2.5 yea yee treasure vp wrath vnto your selues against the day of wrath Faithfull but fearefull is the saying of Iesus Christ in Matth. 19.23 A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of Heauen A difficultie noted not an impossibilitie for after the Ordinarie Glosse a Gable i. vntwisted a Camell also Deposito onere flexis genibus may goe thorow that strait gate in the wals of Hierusalem which for the narrownesse thereof was called Foramen acus or the Needles eye But wealth a strong City in conceit and an high Tower as it is the rich mans that is not rich towards God Prou. 18.11 and Luk. 12.21 compared the impossibilitie may be auouched and auerred 3. What comfort in the pleasures of this life the pleasures of this life flashes of lightning Fulgurations Plutarch Simul orientes morientes arising and dying together As the fashion of the world â—mpia dolore voluptas they passe away and followeth heauinesse f Pro. 14.13 cast out into vtter darknesse what weeping what howling what gnashing with the teeth Dead while they liue they that liue in pleasure g 1 Tim. 5.6 Ye haue liued in pleasure h Iam. 5.5 and been wanton an apt reproofe Awake to righteousnesse i 1 Cor. 15.34 good counsell Moses his patterne good k Heb. 11.25 Barzilla's resolution godly l 2 Sam. 19.35 the Preachers censure of mirth and laughter iust m Eccl. 2.2 carnall pleasure the high way to Hell going down to the chambers of death n Pro. 8.27 Had here in the depths of hell what is to bee had Aske Abraham or thinke on his answer o Luk. 16.25 Trâ—hit sua quemque voluptas bought with griefe yet how many drawen away thereby and inticed As hee that loueth siluer so is he that loueth pleasure Semper voluptas samem sui habet transacta non satial Hieron neuer satisfied not euer edified on the most holy faith The voluptuous of the word heard bring no fruit to perfection p Luk. 8.14 Was Salomon a Cynicke in his old age Faithfull is his saying and worthy of all acceptation Sorrow is better than laughter q Eccles 7.3 4. for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth 4. What comfort in carnall friends Friends as
needy in my distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat when the blast of the horrible ones is as a storme against the wall f 2 Cor. 4.8 9. troubled I am on euerie side yet not distressed perplexed yet not in despaire or not altogether destitute of meanes persecuted yet not forsaken cast downe yet not destroyed when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord is a light vnto me g Micah 7.8 when I am impleaded hee shall plead my cause when I am iudged and in the hands of the wicked hee will not leaue mee h Psal 37.33 but execute iudgement for me when I am sifted of Satan as wheat hee will confirme my faith i 1 Cor. 1.8 when I am cast downe hee will comfort me k 2 Cor. 7.6 Gratious hee is I know and am perswaded that hee will performe all things for me l Psal 57.2 3. yea send from Heauen all helpes on earth failing and saue me from them that would swallow me vp Therefore I cast my selfe on him I roll I commit my way vnto him m Psal 37.5 c. Hee shall bring it to passe my righteousnesse as the light and my iudgement as the noone-day my refuge is vnder the shadow of his wings vntill these calamities shall bee ouerpast n Psal 57.1 my rocke he is my fortresse my deliuer o Psal 18.1 my buckler my high Tower my God and his presence the horne of my saluation And this is my comfort in my affliction 5. By the word through faith they vnderstand That afflictions are the high way vnto heauen p Act. 14.12 no walking on pillowes thither but on thornes and stones the strait gate not easily entred at pressing there is and must be violence q Mat. 11 12. or else no entrance there In the broad way is elbow-roome but thorow the straits as the blessed goe to the euerlasting gates are strong oppositions by the principalities and powers by the rulers of the darknesse of this world and the wickednesses in the high places r Eph. 6.12 This when I remember I powre out in mee my soule thus The world which now laugheth and reioyceth maketha me wretched man to weepe and lament yet is my sorrow turned into ioy yea I count it all ioy when I fall into temptations t Iam. 1.2 I am exceeding ioyfull in all my tribulations u 2 Cor. 12.10 Are they not portalls before the house of God and the gates of Heauen Guides and markes they are in the straight street in the old way to the soules rest of the new and liuing way to perfection the footsteps of Iesus Christ made perfect he through sufferings x Heb. 2.10 and endured for the ioy that was set before him y Heb. 12.3 such oppositions and contradictions of sinners against himselfe as are written in the volume of the booke so will I being confident of this verie thing That the present pressure is the way vnto peace in the after ends z Psal 37.37 the paines of Hell vnto the ioyes of Heauen the reproaches of Christ to the euerlasting pleasures the valley of the shadow of death the path of righteousnesse vnto perfection And this is my comfort in my affliction 6. By the word through faith they vnderstand That afflictions are the Porters which open the doores of distressed soules that the gratious promises may come in what are the gracious promises of our God Verily to haue mercie on his afflicted Isay 49.13 according to the multitude of his tender mercies Lam. 3.32 to gather them with great mercies and to haue mercie on them with euerlasting kindnesse Isay 54.7 8. to bee with them in trouble to deliuer them and honour them Psal 91.15 yea to bee with them for euer euen vnto the end of the world Matth. vlt. vlt. neuer to leaue them neuer to forsake them Ios 1.5 spoken first to that great Duke but applyed by the spirit vnto the little flock of the little ones Hebr. 13.5 vnto the least of the little ones that beleeues on Iesus Christ The Lord hath said I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee This when I rememher I powre out in me my soule thus Pro. 3.10 By sight I see how many liue not by faith their barnes filled with plenty Luk 12.19 and their presses bursting out with new wine they sing hearts case and soule take thine case but the bread of aduersity and water of affliction or of oppression giuen Heb. 11.13 The iust liue by faith seeing the promise as the fathers afarre off yet saluting them as present and embracing the same as the verie ioy and reioycing of their heart Therefore it is good for mee to rest my selfe on and in the promises of God Ier. 1.12 for hee will hasten his word to performe it his word he will remember vnto mee his seruant Psal 119.149 vpon which he hath caused mee to hope Heb. 10.35 I will not cast away my confidence which hath great recompence of reward patience in me shall haue her perfect worke Iam. 1.4 that I may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing I will doe the will of God that I may receiue the promise yet a little while and hee that shall come Heb. 10.37 will come and will not tarrie euen the God of all grace in a time accepted then shall my light breake forth as the morning and mine health shall spring forth speedily Isa 58.8.10 the day-spring from on high shall visit mee I shall see in that day Hab. 2.3 the word in the worke The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye though it tarrie I will wait for it because it will surely come with refection And this is my comfort in my affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. By the word through faith they vnderstand That affliction haue with them power from bone preseruatiue and sanatiue had not Ionah beene swallowed of the Whale he had beene of the sea and Bethesda's poole healed when troubled Happâ—e iâ— the man whom God errecteth Iob 5.17 This happinesse who can declare not one not knowen ouerwhelmed with a floud what gulph is escaped who knoweth or what malady cured some miserie endured This when I remember I powre cut in mee my soule thus The smarting rod vpon mee may bee a supporting staffe vnto mee without it I might fall into a fouler ditch Had not it a worse thing might haue happened vnto me Physick makes sicke before whole a time of health for this trouble will come and I will expect it Behold my Physitian standeth before the doore hee looketh vpon mee and mee hee looketh Isa 66.3 Vt curent spasmum medici procurent febrim This ague to shake me he doth procure mee to cure a more dangerous conuulsion in mee or as Lot was in Sodome I may bee in this