and honey that flow in the Land of Canaan When Iob was in the middest of his miserie what made him patient but his beleefe that his Redeemer liued and that he should rise againe c. Iob. 19.25.26 For when the eye of the Soule apprehends the Crowne of glory it makes the tongue confesse with S. Paul That the tribulations of this world are not worthy of the glory that shall be reuealed Rom. 8.18 The least drop of that Water of life sweetens the greatest draught of miserie that is here proposed vnto vs in this life For Gods Saints know that here they may laste Miserie but there they shall not for the Momentary lightnesse of Tribulation procures an Eternall waight of Glory for vs Thus for lightnes are we rewarded with waight and for troubles momentarie haue Ioyes of eternitie for whilest our Earthly Tabernacle is in dissoluing the heauenly Ierusalem is in Building Which is not the spoile of the warriour but the inheritance of those that suffer patience to haue her perfect works c. How happy then are those Soules that patiently indure the Rod that blessedly they may receiue the Crowne Oh my Soule how happy shalt thou be when after the finishing of the troubles of this life thou with Noah's Arke shalt happily rest vpon Mount Ararat Gen. 8.4 Psa 15.1 vpon the Mountaine of Holinesse When hauing finished thy miserable Pilgrimage thorow the Wildernesse of Sin thou shalt happily arriue at Zion at the land of promise which is not possessed by the sword nor attained by the power of the Arme but is purchased by Patience and possessed by Perseuerance Rouze vp thy selfe then Oh my soule and be not disquieted at the sight of Affliction It is true Affliction is a harsh Summoner yet he summons thee to Glory Runne on my Soule Runne on to obtaine the proposed prize Knowest thou not yet that Isaac which is laughter is the sonne of Sarah which is patience Troubles may goe before Comforts shall follow after now thou maist be punished but hereafter thou shalt be glorified Glorified Luk. 12.34 2 Tim. 4.18 2 Pet. 1.11 Luk. 14.16 yea glorified in a Kingdome a King dome not terrestriall but Coelestiall a celestiall Kingdome not enduring for a day but for euer A celestiall eternall Kingdome not of men but of God here is our Reward which is farre more plentifull then our paines For all the miseries of this life are but paines not torments paines on earth not in Hell paine on earth induring for a while not for euer darkning or ecclipsing the Sunne of Comfort for a minute or moment but immediatly vanishing Nay further all that can light vpon vs is but inflicted by the Arme of flesh they are but men that trouble vs whose power is finite and their dayes determined but our Reward is glorious and farre transcendeth our sufferings for our Sufferings are on earth our glory in Heauen our sufferings diurnall our glory diururnall our sufferings from men our glory from God Looke how farre then God precedeth man Heauen Earth Eternity time so farre transcendeth that glory these suffering Now we sigth then we shall sing now we weepe then we shall reioyce now men laugh at vs but then we shall laugh at them When the vngodly shall perish Thou shalt see it What griefe then can the incourse of these troubles being vs when we haue recourse to the hope of happinesse For take away our Crosses you bereaue vs of our Crownes Take away our vexations here and you bereaue vs of glorification hereafter Happy yea thrise happy are those Soules who can suffer for God to be rewarded by God that being ransomed from the miserable fast of this life they may be thought worthy to sit downe to feast with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all Gods Saints at the banquet of the Lambe O Blessed Supper Luk. 12.37 Heb. 1. or Celestiall banquet where Angels shall attend vs and Christ himselfe shall Minister vnto vs. We reade that King Ahasuerosh made a stately banquet to his Princes but this farre surpasseth his He was a mightie King but this to which we are inuited is perpared by Almightie God He fed his Princes with delitious dainties but they were but fruits of the earth Christ shall feed vs with Dainties but they shall be the fruits of heauen his Banquet lasted 180. daies but this shall indure Millions of Ages euen for euer He made his in the Palace of Shushan but this shall be in the middest of Ierusalem of which wee may sing with the Psalmist Very excellent thinges are spoken of thee thou Cittie of God Yea things so excellent so glorious as mans eye hath not seene Mans care hath not heard yea his heart was neuer able to conceiue the excellencie of that glory seeing that it flourisheth with that Peace which passeth all vnderstanding Shall I not then eate sower hearbs here in Egypt that I may be feasted at this banquet in Canaan Oh my Soule wert thou once esteemed worthy to tast a drop of that celestiall drinke then shouldest thou be saitsfied fly then my happy thoughts fly vpon the winges of Contemplation vnto the Palace of your God see what Roomes what Prouision what Glory is prouided for you and let not the base trouble of this life hinder you in your happy flight But accompt all things as dunge in respect of Christ that forsaking all things for him in him you may possesse all things Cheere vp your hearts then yee Souldiers of Christs Campe looke to the wreath of victory which attends you in the Heauens and see what you gaine by the losse of all earthly things for these are but vanitie here we see nothing but miserie there nothing but glory who would not then desire to be deliuered from the burthen of the flesh to enioy that liberty to be released from the prison of this life and to be admitted to the Quire of Angels Surely if we had tasted but a bit of the fruit of Paradise we should easily despise the Flesh-pots of Egypt or what other sublunarie delight this world can afford vs. For when wee arriue at those celestiall Mansions when once we enter within that gate of glory then shall our eyes see God and this sight shall make vs blessed Nay more then shall we know God our vnderstanding shall conceiue him as he is yea then our Hearts affections shall totally addict themselues to his Diuinest loue yea our tongues then truly shall performe the end of their Creation for they shall praise him for euer being then placed in this Bower of blisse our eyes shall see him our vnderstandings know him our hearts shall loue him and our Tongues shall praise him Our eyes seeing him shall mooue our vnderstanding to know him our vnderstandings knowing him shall inrich our hearts to loue him our hearts louing him shall cause our tongues to praise him Our eyes shall see him perpetually our vnderstandings shall know him perfectly our hearts loue him
intirely and our tongues praise him eternally Because we shall euer see him therefore we shall perfectly know him because we shall perfectly know him therefore we shall intirely loue him because we shall intirely loue him therefore wee shall eternally praise him The sight of our eyes shall giue light to our vnderstanding our vnderstandings inlightened shall inflame our hearts our hearts inflamed shall informe our tongues to praise that God whom we see and know to be so admirable Praise him then we shall because we loue him loue him wee shall because we know him know him we shall because we see him Thus shall we see him that we may know him know him that wee may loue him loue him that we may praise him happy eyes that so shall see him happy vnderstandings that so shall know him happy hearts that so shall loue him and happy tongues that so shall praise him and happy nay blessed shall we be when our eyes Soules Hearts and Tongues shall so know loue and praise him for euer Here is the Reward of Affliction and the end of trouble Behould ioy in the end without End Reward exceeding mans desire or hope of reward Shall we not then follow the Apostles admonition to be pertakers of this Crowne euen to Let patience haue her perfect worke that you may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing The Father of Patience and the God of Perfection who worketh all things in time and measure grant vs Patience from aboue that looking to the end of the Race and the Crowne at the end we may Let Patience haue her perfect worke that we may be perfect and intire wanting nothing So be it for thy mercies sake and that it may be so Thou which art Amen say Amen to our prayers So wee that are thy people and the sheepe of thy pasture shall giue thee thankes for euer yea wee shall Laud and Magnifie thy name from generation to generation we thy poore seruants here on earth shall ascribe those prayers and praises which thy Saints and Angels dayly and duly ascribe vnto thee in heauen euen all honour glory praise power dominion and thankesgiuing be ascribed vnto thee O Father Sonne and Holy Ghost three persons but one euerliuing euerlouing euerlasting and onely wise God of vs of Angells and of all men from this time forth for euermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Printer to the Reader GEntle Reader in regard of the Authors absence and the multiplicitie of Authorities by him cited and the smalnesse of the Volume not affording conuenient place in the margent I haue presumed to put them heere in the end of the Booke by themselues referring thee to the Page and Line as followeth PAge 1. line vlt. Bella gentium legimus superasse quamplurimos quos tamen legimus pugnas Carnis non vicisse audiuimus eos dedisse delitijs pectora qui dorsa hostibus non dedere Petr. Rauuen Ser. 4. Pag. 2. line 22. Magnum regit imperium quisibi dominatur Sen. Pag. 3. line 9. Sicut laurus fulmine non percutitur plin lib. 2. c. 55. Ita firma virtus calamitate non Euertitur est enim constans virtus pulchra laurus semper virens Nullo igne Nubibus erumpente nullo impetu tormentorum exusta aut labesacta Stell in Enarr in Lu. c. 21. Pag. 6. line 16. Si sapientia c. Plat. Ibid line 25. Oculi sunt in amore duces Propert. Pag. 8. line 2. Patientia est Religiosi viri laborum dolorum omnium futurarum Rerum spe mercedis aternae amore dei grata tolerantia Aug. in Flor. Bar. in tit Pat. Ibid. lin 7. Patientia est aliena mala aequanimiter perpeti contra illum qui mala irrogat nullo dolore moueri Greg super Euang. Hom. 35. Ibid. line 11. Patientia est virtus quâ quis pro pietate pro Deo quicquia accidit aduersifert constanti animo nec frangitur Feuardent in Ep. Iac. Cap. 1. Ibid. line 25. Institut l. 3. c. 7. Pag. 9. line 24. Tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium hoc est Aqua vestra vertetur in vinum Ber. S. de V. Apost Non est Regnum Dei esus potus c. Pag. 10. line 14. Vultus illi tranquillus placidus Frons pura nuâ—a Maeroris aut irae rugositate contracta Remissa aequè in Laetâ—m super cilia Oculis humilitate non infaelicitate dejectis â—s taciturnitatis honore signatum Color qualis securis innoxijs Motus frequens Capitis in Diabolum minnax risus Caeterum Amictus circum pectorà candidus Corpore impressus vt qui nec inâ—laâ—â—â— nec inquietatur Sedet in Throno spiritus mitissimi nam vbi Deusibi Alumna eius Patientia Tert lib. de Pat. in fine Pag. 11. line 14. Ecce modesta graui stabat Patientia vultu Per medias immota Acies variosque tumultus Vulneraque Rigidis vitalia peruia pilis spectabat defixa oculos lenta manebat Prudent in psychom Pag. 12. line 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auream quisquis mediocritatem diligit Horat. lib. 2. od 10. Pag. 14. line 4. Tert. De pat Cyprianus instar fontis purissimi dulcis incedit et placidus Hie. ep ad Paul Lor. in Eccles uide etsam Feuard in c. 1 ep Iac. vti ex Cipr. 26. Patientiae effectus enumerat Pag. 15. line 2. Nescio quid magis in Laude tua dicam c. Hug. de laud. Char. Ibid. line 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est duret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut dicitur Mat. 10.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pisc in schol in loc Tunc erit perfectum opus patientiae si in finem perseueraurit Hier. in c. 2. ep Ad. Rom. Ibid. line 23. Lauda Nauigantis faelicitatem sed cum venerit ad portum Ber de passi Domini c. 14. Pag. 16. line 9. Stell in Luc. Ibid. line 21. Exitus acta probat Ouid. in Ep. Virtus boni operti perseuerantia est Aug Med. c. 36. Pag. 17. line 7. Vtin Terra aurum in nuce nucleus in hirsutis Castanea operculis sita diuinus sensus altius est persâ—rutandus Hier. in Eccles c. 12. Ibid. line 10. Per Mosen Cauda Bestiae in Altari offerre precipitur vt viz Omne bonuâ— quod incipimus etiam perseuerante fine compleamus Greg. Mor. lib. 2. Cap. 4. Ibid. line 23. Perseuerantia viris meretur gloriam virtuti Coronam Absque perseuerantia nec qui pugnat victoriam nec palmam Victor consequitur Nutrix est ad meritum Mediatrix ad praemium soror Patientiae Constantiae filia Amica pacis Amicitiarus Nodum Vnanimitatis vinculum Sanctitatis propugnaculum Saul non perseuerans in humilitate regnum amisit vitam Si Cautela Samsonis Salomonis denotie perseuerantiaÌ„ retinuisset nec hâ—c sapiâ—ntia priuaretur necille viribus Ber Ep. 129. Pag. 29. line 4. Finis nonpugna Coronat Ber. de
therefore that are Christians arme our selues with that resolution in the Poet Superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est and here to the end that patience hauing her perfect worke may thereby worke our perfection and entirenesse it is necessary for the Christian souldier to know two things First that since tribulation is Christs legacy that therfore all crosses losses and calamities which can betide a Christian man in this vale of misery are not casuall as vaine Atheists suppose but are directed and inflicted by the al-seeing al-guiding providence of God Amos 3.6 for What euill is there done in the City that I do not saith the Lord doth the Lord speake by his Prophet of the euil of sault no for God cannot sin how then of the euil of punishment yes verily for God cannot choose but punish sin 1 Pet. ◠◠therfore S. Peter concludeth Wee are troubled according to the Will of God which may be secret vnknown but neuer can bee vnrighteous or vniust Is it then Gods will that we should be troubled and shall our will be refractary and not rather subiect vnto his shall our heauenly Father lay his lering rod vpon us for our correction and not for our confusion and shall wee shrinke from such a fatherly correction Know we the reason why he now whips vs with Nettles may it not be that hee may hereafter crowne vs with Roses Let vs then patiently endure his castigation that we may tend to the entirenesse of perfection The second thing that we must know is that our Saviours blessed legacy I meane those crosses or losses that doe ouertake vs or are inflicted vpon Gods children in this life are not demonstratiue arguments of his wrath but rather infallible Testimonies and perspicuous tokens of his loue For Whom he loueth Heb. 12.6 them he chastiseth and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth For like as some carefull father that intends for some leud courses to cast off and finally to disinherit his sonne giues him leaue to walke in the wayes of his owne heart and in the lust of his owne eyes Eccl. 11.9 not regarding though he make his soule the very source of sin and the denne of Deuills and all because hee hath lost his paternall loue but if the same father hath a sonne whom he tenderly loues and intends to make the heire both of his vertues and fortunes if hee see him but slip awry or forsake that euen path of vertue which his example had trod out before him then his tongue is ready to check him and his rod to correct him why because he hates him no but because he loues him Euen so our heauenly father suffers the sonnes of Belial to feede like fat Bulls of Basan because hee intends them for the slaughter and to florish like a greene Bay tree because hee hath ordained them to be fuell for the fierce fire of his wrath but those whom hee hath predestinated by an euer louing and euer-lasting decree to be made heires of his neuer fading Kingdome coëternall in the Heauens these if hee sees as what doth not God see but slip aside out of the way of righteousnesse out of that way that his Heasts commanded them to walke in strait his rod is vpon their shoulders immediately hee corrects them but not in anger fury and iudgement but in loue mercy and compassion 1 Cor. 11.32 Thus when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world for such is Gods louing care and carefull loue ouer his Saints that he laies his correction rod vpon them for diuerse ends best knowne vnto himselfe yet alwayes tending to the good of his seruants Sometimes he corrects them to weane them from the loue of this world Iudg. 16.15 which as that enticing Dalilah endeauoured to bereaue Sampson of his strength so this alluring world sets all baites to bereaue Gods Saints of their strength in Grace Now because there is such an Antipathy betwixt God and the world Iam. 4.4 that the Amity of the world is Enmity with God therefore the Lord scourgeth his Saints to make them leaue the world and cleaue vnto him for as the Nurse layes bitter things to the Teate of her breast to weane her child from the loue of her milke so the Lord layes bitter afflictions vpon his Saints to weane them from the loue of this life Therefore saith holy Augustine doth God mixe the gall of bitternesse with the sweetnesse of terrene felicitie that hee might make vs seeke for another happinesse whose sweetnesse shall neuer faile God hedgeth vp this way with thornes to make it vnpleasant to the flesh least wee should forget the happines of our countrey why did God afflict his people Israel in the desart of Sin but with longing desire to make them seeke for Canaan and the ioyes of Zion and why doth God afflict vs here but to make vs desire to be dissolved that wee may rest in peace For the vanities of this world doth so intoxicate the soule with flesh-pleasing obiects as it makes it forget that soule-delighting subiect the crowne of blisse Euen as the sweetenesse of Aetnaes flowers bereaues the best-smelling dog of his Sent so this soule-deceiuing sweetnesse bereaues vs of the sense of blisse Is this then the end of Gods chastisments onely to polish vs for himselfe and shall we murmur against him that deales so gratiously with vs No let vs but patiently endure what it pleaseth him mercifully to inflict that Patience hauing her perfect worke we may be perfect c. Somtime God correcteth and scourgeth man for sinne and to bring him from sinne for such and so great is Gods care ouer his Saints that if he see any wickednesse in them straitway He punisheth their offences with a rod and their sinne with scourges which was promised as a great blessing vnto David The ancient Heathens seeing the servants of God in the Primitiue Church sore chastized vnder perfidious Tyrants began to thinke that the God whom they serued was not the true God because speedily he did not deliver them from the hands of persecuting Tyrants Thus the naturall man cannot discerne the things that are of God because hee lookes vpon them through the glasse of his owne conceit measuring the miseries of this life only by the Mete wand of blinde and corrupted nature but what answeres Lactantius a Christian to their vnchristian surmize Let no man maruaile saith he if wee for our sinnes be often chastized of the Lord yea when we are pressed and oppressed then especially yeeld we thanks to our most indulgent Father because he will not suffer our sore to grow to a full head but launceth it with stripes and wounds that by this wonderfull plaister he may heale the disease From whence saith hee contrary to your conceit we easily vnderstand that God hath a speciall care of vs because hee is angry with vs when we sinne