I could be ascertained of mine election to life I could be patient so I might be sure But wretched man that I am here here I stickâ— I see others walk confidently and comfortably as if they were in heaven already whereas I droop under a continual diffidence raising unto my self daily new arguments of my distrust could my heart be setled in this assurance nothing could ever make me other then happie It is true my son that as all other mercies flow from this of our election so the securing of this one involves all other favours that concern the well-being of our souls It is no less true that our election may be assured else the holy Ghost had never laid so deep a charge upon us to do our utmost endeavour to ascertain it and we shall be much wanting to our selves if hearing so excellent a blessing may be attained by our diligence we shall slacken our hand and not stretch it forth to the height to reach that crown which is held out to us But withal it is true that if there were not difficulty more then ordinary in this work the Apostle had not so earnestly called for the utmost of our endeavour to effect it Shortly the truth is in all Christianity there is no path wherein there is more need of treading warily then in this on each side is danger and death Security lies on the one hand Presumption on the other the miscarriage either way is deadly Look about thee and see the miserable examples on both kindes some walk carelesly as if there were no heaven or if there were such a place yet as if it nothing concerned them their hearts are taken up with earth neither care nor wish to be other then this world can make them The god of this world hath blinded their mindes that believe not Some others walk proudly being vainly puft up with their own ungrounded imaginations as if they were already invested with their glory as if being rapt up with the chosen vessel into the third heaven they had there seen their names recoâ—â—ded in the book of life where as this is nothing but an illusion of that lying spirit who knows the way to keep them for ever out of heaven is to make them believe they are there It must be thy main care to walk even in a jusâ— equidistance from both these extremes and so to compose thy self that thon maist be resolute without presumption and careful without diffidence And first I advise thee to abandon those false Teachers whose trade is to improve their wits for the discomfort of souls in broaching the sad doctrines of uncertainty and distrust Be sure our Saviour had never bidden his disciples to reâ—joyce that their names are written in heaven if there had not been a particular enrolment of them or if that Record had been alterable or if the same Disciples could never have attained to the notice of such inscription Neither is this a mercy peculiar to his domestick followers alone but universal to all that shall believe through their word even thou and I are spoken to in them so sure as we have names we may know them registred in those eternal Records above Not that we should take an Acesius his Ladder and climb up into heaven and turn over the book of Gods secret counsels and read our selves designed to glory but that as we by experience see that we can by reflections see and read those Letters which directly we cannot So we may do here in this highest of spiritual objects The same Apostle that gives us our charge gives us withal our direction Wherefore saith he brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as divers copies read it by good works For if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Lo first our Calling then our Election not that we should begin with heaven and thence descend to the earth it is enough for the Angels on that celestial Ladder of Jacob to both descend and ascend but that we should from earth ascend to heaven from our Calling to our Election as knowing that God shews what he hath done for us above by that which he hath wrought in us here belowe Our Calling therefore first not outward and formal but inward and effectual The Spirit of God hath a voice and our soul hath an ear that voice of the Spirit speaks inwardly and effectually to the ear of the soul calling us out of the state of corrupt Nature into the state of Grace out of darkness into his marvellous light By thy calling therefore maist thou judge of thine election God never works in vain neither doth he â—ver cast away his saving graces what ever become of the common But whom he did predestinate them also he called and whom he called them he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified This doubtless thou saist is sure in it self but how is it assured to me Resp. That which the Apostle addes as it is read in some copies By good works if therein we also comprehend the acts of believing and repenting is a notable evidence of our election But not to urge that clause which though read in the vulgar is found wanting in our editions the clear words of the Text evince no less For if ye do these things ye shall never fall here is our negative certainty And for onr positive So an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Lo if we shall never fall if we shall undoubtedly enter into the Kingdom of Christ what possible scruple can be made of the blessed accomplishment of our election What then are these things which must be done by us Cast your eyes upon that precious chain of graces which you shall finde stringed up in the fore going words If you adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charitie If you would know what God hath written concerning you in heaven look into your own bosom see what graces he hath there wrought in you Truth of grace saith the divine Apostle will make good the certainty of your election Not to instance in the rest of that heavenly combination do but single out the first and the last Faith and Charity For Faith how clear is that of our Saviour He that believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting-life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Lo what access can danger have into heaven All the peril is in the way now the believer is already passed into life This is the grace by which Christ dwells in our hearts and
infinite blisse how much more gladly would he have taken off his Hemlock and how much more merrily would he have passed into that happier world All this wee know and are no lesse assured of it then of our present beeing with what comfort therefore should we think of changing our present condition with a blessed immortality How sweet a song was that of old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mineties have seen thy salvation Loe that which hee saw by the eye of his sense thou seest by the eye of thy faith even the Lords Christ he saw him in weaknesse thou seest him in glory why shouldst thou not depart not in peace onely but in joy and comfort How did the holy Protomartyr Stephen triumph over all the rage of his enemies and the violent fury of death when he had once seen the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God Loe God offers the same blessed prospect to the 〈◊〉 of thy soul Faith is the key that can open the heaven of heavens Fixe thy eies upon that glorious and saving object thou canst not but lay down thy body in peace and send up thy soul into the hands of him that bought it with the sweet and cheerfull recommendation of Lord Jesus receive my spirit Comforts against the terrours of Judgement §. 1. Aggravation of the fearfulness of the last judgement THOU apprehendest it aright Death is terrible but Judgement more Both these succeed upon the same decree It is appointed unto man once to die but after this the judgement Neither is it moâ—e terrible then lesse thought on Death because he strikes on all hands and laies before us so many sad examples of mortality cannot but sometimes take up our hearts but the last judgement having no visible proofs to force it self upon our thoughts too seldome affrights us Yet who can conceive the terrour of that day before which the Sun stall bee turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood That day which shall burne as an Oven when all the proud and all that doe wickedly shall bee as the stubble That day in which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also â—â—d the works that are therein shall be burnt â—p That day wherein the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ That day wherein the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a Whirlewinde to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire For by Fire and by his Sword will the Lord plead with all flesh That day wherein the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory and all Nations shall bee gathered before him That day wherein all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him Sâ—ortly that great and terrible day of the Lord wherein if the Powers of Heaven shall bee shaken how can the heart of man remain unmoved wherein if the world be dissolved who can bear up Alas we are ready to tremble at but a Thunder-crack in a poor cloud and at a small flash of lightning that glances through our eyes what shall wee doe when the whole frame of the heavens shall break in peeces and when all shall be on a flame about our eares Oh who may abide the day of his comming and who shall stand when hee appeareth §. 2. Comfort from the condition of the elect Yet bee of good chear mâ— sonne Amids all this horrour there is comfort Whether thoube one of those whom it shall please God to reserve alive upon earth to the sight of this dreadfull day he only knowes in whose hands our times are This we are sure of that we are upon the last houres of the last daies Justly doe we spit in the faces of S. Peters scoffers that say Where is the promise of his coming Well knowing that the Lord is not slack as some account slackness but that he that shall come will come and not tarry Well mayst thou live to see the Son of man come in the clouds of heaven and to be an Actor in this last Scene of the world If so let not thy heart be dismayed with the expectation of these fearful things Thy change shall be sudden and quick one moment shall put off thy mortality and clothe thee with that incorruption which shall not be capable of fear and pain The majestie of this appearance shall adde to thy joy and glory Thou shalt then see the Lord himself descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God Thou shalt see thy self and those other which are alive and remain to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shalt thou be ever with the Lord. Upon this assurance how justly may the Apostle subjoyn Wherefore comfort one another with these words Certainly if ever there were comfort to be had in any words not of men or Angels onely but of the ever-living God the God of Truth these are they that can and will afford it to our trembling souls But if thou be one of the number of those whom God hath determined to call off before-hand and by a faithful death to prevent the great day of his appearance here is nothing for thee but matter of a joy unspeakable and full of glory For those that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him they shall be part of that glorious train which shall attend the Majestie of the great Judge of the world yea they shall be coâ—â—seâ—â—ors to the Lord of heaven and earth in this awful Judica ture as sitting upon the Bench when guilty men and Angels shall be at the Bar To him that overcometh saith the Lord Christ will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne What place then is here for any terrour since the more state and heavenly magnificence the more joy and glory § 3. Awe more fit for thoughts of judgement then Fear Thou art afraid to think of Judgement I had rather thou shouldst be awful then timorous When Saint Paul discoursed of the judgement to come it is no marvel that Fâ—â—ix trembled But the same Apostle when he had pressed to his Corinthians the certainty and generality of our appearance before the Judgement-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body whether good or evil addeth Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men but we are made manifest to
better eyes 239 Sect. 3. Comfort from the better object of inward sight ib. Sect. 4. The ill offâ—ices done by the eyes 241 Sect. 5. The freedome from temptations by the eye and freedome from many sorrows 243 Sect. 6. The chearfulnesse of some blind men 247 Sect. 7. The supply which God gives in other faculties 248 Sect. 8. The benefit of the eyes which once we had 252 Sect. 9. The supply of one sense by another 255 Sect. 10. The better condition of the inward ear 258 Sect. 11. The grief that arises from hearing evill things 260 Comforts against barrennesse 261 Sect. 1. The blessing of fruitfulnesse seasoned with sorrows 261 Sect. 2. The paines of child-bearing 263 Sect. 3. The misery of ill disposed and undutifull children 265 Sect. 4. The cares of Parents for their children 267 Sect. 5. The great grief in the losse of children 273 Comforts against want of sleep 276 Sect. 1. The misery of the want of rest with the best remedy 276 Sect. 2. The favor of freedom from pain 280 Sect. 2. The great favour of health without sleep 281 Sect. 4. Sleep is but a symptome of mortality 284 Sect. 5. No use of sleep whither we are going 286 Comforts against the inconveniencies of old age 287 Sect. 1. The illimitation of age and the miseries attending it 287 Sect. 2. Old age is a blessing 292 Sect. 3. The advantages of old age 1 Fearlesness 295 Sect. 4. The next advantage of old age Freedom from impetuous passions of lust 298 Sect. 5. The third advantage Experimentall knowledge 301 Sect. 6. Age in some persons vigorous and well-affected 306 Sect. 7. The fourth advantage of age near approach to our end 308 Comforts against the fears and pains of death 311 Sect. 1. The fear of death naturall 311 Sect. 2. Remedy of feare acquaintance with death 313 Sect. 3. The misapprehension of death injurious 315 Sect. 4. Comfort from the common condition of men 318 Sect. 5. Death not feared by some 320 Sect. 6. Our deaths-day better then our birth-day 322 Sect. 7. The sting of death pull'd out 323 Sect. 8. Death but a parting to meet again 324 Sect. 9. Death but a sleep 326 Sect. 10. Death sweetned to us by Christ 330 Sect. 11. The painfulnesse of Christs death 332 Sect. 12. The vanity and miseries of life 334 Sect. 13. Examples of the courageous resolutions of others 338 Sect. 14. The happy advantages of death 341 Comforts against the terrours of Judgement 347 Sect. 1. Aggravations of the fearefulnesse of the last Iudgment 347 Sect. 2. Comfort from the condition of the elect 350 Sect. 3. Awe more fit for thoughts of judgment then terrour 354 Sect. 4. In that great and terrible day our Advocate is our Iudge 356 Sect. 5. Frequent meditation and due preparation the true remedy of fear 361 Comforts against the fears of spirituall enemies 364 Sect. 1. The great power of evill spirits and their restraint 364 Sect. 2. The fear of the number of evil spirits and the remedy of it 368 Sect. 3. The malice of the evill spirits and our fears thereof remedied 373 Sect. 4. The great subtilty of evill spirits and the remedie of the feare thereof 376 The universal Reeeipt for all Maladies 385 I Have perused this excellent Treatise intituled The Balm of GILEAD containing in it many singular medicines and soverain Salves compounded and made up with so many sweet and spirituall Ingredients of holy and heavenly consolations as may be sufficient and effectual being rightly applied to cure and heal all sicknesses and sores of body and mind caused by the fearfull apprehension of imminent dangers or the sense of present evils unto which I subscribe my probatum est and do allow it to be Printed and Published JOHN DOVVNAME THE COMFORTER Comforts for the sick Bed The Preface WHat should we do in this vale of teares but bemoan each others miseries Every man hath his load and well is he whose burthen is so easie that he may help his neighbours Hear me my son my age hath waded through a world of sorrowes The Angel that hath hitherto redeemed my soul from all evill and hath led me within few paces of the shore offers to lend thee his hand to guide thee in this dangerous foard wherein every error is death Let us follow him with an humble confidence and bee safe in the view and pity of the wofull miscarriages of others § 1. Aggravation of the misery of sicknesse Thou art now cast upon the bed of sicknesse roaring out all the day long for the extreamity of thy pain measuring the slow houres not by minutes but by groanes Thy soule is weary of thy life through the intolerable anguish of thy spirit Of all earthly afflictions this is the soarest Job himself after the sudden and astonishing newâ—â— of the losse of his goods and children could yet beare up and blesse the God that gives and takes but when his body was tormented and was made one boyle now his patience is retched so farre as to curse not his God but his Nativity The great King questioning with his Cup-bearer NEHEMIAH can say Why is thy countenance sad seeing thou art not sick as implying that the sick man of all other hath just cause to be dejected worldly crosses are aloofe off from us sicknesse is in our bosome those touch ours onely these our selves here the whole man suffers what could the body feele without the Soule that animates it how can the soule which makes the body sensible choose but be most affected with that pain whereof it gives sense to the body Both partners have enough to doe to encounter so fierce an enemy The sharper assault requires the more powerfull resistance Recollect thy self my son and call up all the powers of thy soul to grapple with so violent an enemy § 2. 1 Comfort from the freedom of the soul. Thy body is by a sore disease consined to thy bed I should be sorry to say thou thy self wert so Thy soul which is thy self is I hope elsewhere That however it is content to take a share in thy sufferings soares above to the heaven of heavens and is prostrate before the throne of grace suing for mercy and forgivenesse beholding the face of thy glorious Mediator interceding for thee wo were to us if our souls were coffin'd up in our bosomes so as they could not stirre abroad nor goe any further then they are carried like some snail or tortoise that cannot move out of the shell Blessed be God he hath given us active spirits that can bestirre themselves whiles our bodies lie still that can be so quicke and nimble in their motions as that they can passe from earth to heaven ere our bodies can turn to the other side and how much shall we be wanting to our selves if we doe not make use of this spirituall agilitie sending up these spirits of ours from this dull clay of our
with the expectation of that blessednesse which if thy torments were no lesse then those of hell would make more then abundant amends for all thy sufferings §. 12. 11. Comfort The favour of a peaceable passage out of the world Thou art sick to die having received the sentence of death in thy selfe thy Physitian hath given thee up to act this last part alone neither art thou like to rise any more till the generall resurrection How many thousands have died lately that would have thought it a great happinesse to die thus quietly in their beds whom the storme of warre hath hurried away furiously into another world snatching them suddenly out of this not suffering them to take leave of that life which they are forced to abandon whereas thou hast a fair leasure to prepare thy self for the entertainment of thy last guest to set both thine house in order and thy soule It is no small advantage my son thus to see death at a distance and to observe every of his paces towards thee that thou maist put thy selfe into a fit posture to meet this grim messenger of heaven who comes to fetch thee to immortality That dying thus by gentle degrees thou hast the leasure with the holy Patriarch Iacob to call thy children about thee to bequeath to each of them the dear legacy of thy last benediction and that being incompassed with thy sad friends now in thy long journey to a far country though thine and their home thou maist take a solemn farewell of them as going somewhat before them to the appointed happy meeting place of glory and blessednesse That one of thine own may close up those eyes which shall in their next opening see the face of thy most glorious Saviour and see this flesh now ready to lie down in corruption made like to his in unspeakable glory Comforts for the sick Soul § 1. The happiness of a deep sorrow for sin THy sin lies heavie upon thy soul Blessed be God that thou feel'st it so many a one hath more weight upon him and boasteth of ease There is musick in this complaint the Father of mercies delights to hear it as next to the melody of Saints and Angels Go on still and continue these sorrowful notes if ever thou look for sound comfort It is this godly sorrow that worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of Weep still and make not too much haste to dry up these tears for they are precious and held fit to be reserved in the bottle of the Almighty Over-speedy remedies may prove injurious to the Patient and as in the body so in the soul diseases and tumors must have their due maturation ere there can be a perfect cure The inwards of the Sacrifice must be three times rinsed with water One ablution will not serve the turn but when thou hast emptied thine eyes of tears and unloaded thy brest of leasurely sighs I shall then by full commission from him that hath the power of remission say to thee Son be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee § 2. Comfort from the welgrounded declaration of pardon Think not this word meerly formal and forceless He that hath the keys of hell and of death hath not said in vain Whose sins ye remit they are remitted The words of his faithful Ministers on earth are ratified in heaven Onely the Priest under the Law had power to pronounce the Leper clean had any other Israelite done it it had been as unprofitable as presumptuous It is a precious word that fell from Elihu When a mans soul draweth nigh to the grave and his life to the destroyer if there be a messenger of God with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto that man his uprightness then he i. e. God is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransom Behold this is thy case my son the life of thy soul is in danger of the Destroyer through his powerful temptations I am howsoever unworthy a messenger sent to thee from heaven and in the Name of that great God that sent me I do here upon the sight of thy serious repentance before Angels and men declare thy soul to stand right in the Court of heaven the invaluable ransom of thy dear Saviour is laid down and accepted for thee thou art delivered from going down into the pit of horrour and perdition § 3. Aggravation of the grievous condition of the Patient and remedies from mercy applied Oh happie message thou saist were it as sure as it is comfortable But alas my heart findes many and deep grounds of fear and diffidence which will not easily be removed That smites me whiles you offer to acquit me and tells me I am in a worse condition then a looker on can imagine my sins are beyond measure hainous such as my thoughts tremble at such as I dare not utter to the God that knows them and against whom onely they are committed there is horrour in their very remembrance what will there then be in their retribution They are bitter things that thou urgest against thy self my son no adversary could plead worse But I admit thy vileness be thou as bad as Satan can make thee It is not either his malice or thy wickedness that can shut thee out from mercy Be thou as foul as sin can make thee yet there is a fountain opened to the house of David a bloody fountain in the side of thy Saviour for sin and for uncleanness Be thou as leprous as that Syrian was of old if thou canst but wash seven times in the waters of this Jordan thou canst not but be clean thy flesh shall come again to thee like to the flesh of a little childe thou shalt be at once sound and innocent Be thou stung unto death with the fiery serpents of this wilderness yet if thou canst but cast thine eyes to that Brazen Serpent which is erected there thou canst not fail of cure Wherefore came the Son of God into the world but to save sinners Adde if thou wilt whereof I am chief thou canst say no worse by thy self then a better man did before thee who in the right of a sinner claimeth the benefit of a Saviour Were it not for our sin what use were there of a Redeemer Were not our sin hainous how should it have required such an expiation as the blood of the eternal Son of God Take comfort to thy self my son the greatness of thy sin serves but to magnifie the mercy of the Forgiver to remit the debt of some few farthings it were small thank but to strike off the scores of thousands of talents it is the height of bounâ—y Thus doth thy God to thee he hath suffered thee to run on in his books to so deep a sum that when thy conscious heart hath proclaimed thee bankrupt he may infinitly oblige thee
with the measure of that penitence which is accepted of thy God rather turn thine eies from thy sins and look up to heaven and fasten them there upon thine all-sufficient Mediator at the right hand of Majesty and see his face smiling upon thine humbled soul and perfectly reconciling thee to his eternall Father as being fully assured That being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also wee have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God §. 7. Complaint of the want of faith satisfied Yea there there thou sayest is the very core of all my complaint I want that faith that should give me an interest in my Saviour and afford true comfort to my soule and boldnesse and accesse with confidence to the throne of grace I can sorrow but I cannot beleeve My griefe is not so great as my infidelity I see others full of joy and peace in beleeving but my earthen heart cannot raise it selfe up to a comfortable apprehension of my Saviour so as me thinks I dwell in a kinde of disconsolate darknesse and a sad lumpishnesse of unbeleef wanting that lightsome assurance which others professe to finde in themselves Take heed my son lest whiles thou art too querulous thou prove unthankfull and lest whiles thine humblenesse disparages thy self thou make God a loser Many a man may have a rich mine lying deep in his ground which he knowes not of There are shels that are inwardly furnished with pearles of great price and are not sensible of their worth This is thy condition thou hast that grace which thou complainest to want It is no measuring of thy selfe by sense especially in the time of temptation Thou couldst not so feelingly bemoan the want of faith if thou hadst it not Deny it if thou canst thou assentest to the truth of all the gracious promises of God thou acknowledgest he could not be himselfe if he were not a true God yea truth it self Thou canst not doubt but that he hath made sweet promises of free grace and mercy to all penitent sinners thou canst not but grant that thou art sinfull enough to need mercy and sorrowfull enough to desire and receive mercy Canst thou but love thy selfe so well as that when thou seest a pardon reached forth to thee to save thy soule from death thou shouldst doe any other then stretch forth thy hand to take it Lo this hand stretched forth is thy faith which so takes spirituall hold of thy Saviour that it cals not thy sense to witnesse As for that assurance thou speakest of they are happy that can truly feel maintain it and it must be our holy ambition what we may to aspire unto it but that is such an height of perfection as every traveller in this wretched pilgrimage cannot whiles he is in this perplexed and heavy way hope to attain unto It is an unsafe and perillous path which those men have walked in who have been wont to define all faith by assurance Should I lead thee that way it might cost thee a fall so sure a certainty of our constant and reflected apprehension of eternall life is both hard to get and not easie to hold unmovably considering the many and strong temptations that we are subject unto in this vale of misery and death Should faith be reduced to this triall it would be yet more rare then our Saviour hath foretold it For as many a one boasts of such an assurance who is yet failing of a true faith hugging a vain presumption in stead of it so many a one also hath true faith in the Lord Iesus who yet complaines to want this assurance Canst thou in a sense of thine owne misery close with thy Saviour canst thou throw thy self into the arms of his mercy canst thou trust him with thy soul and repose thy self upon him for forgivenesse and salvation canst thou lay thy self before him as a miserable object of his grace and mercy and when it is held forth to thee canst thou lay some though weak hold upon it Labour what thou mayst for further degrees of strength daily set not up thy rest in this pitch of grace but chear up thy self my son even thus much faith shall save thy soul Thou believest and he hath said it that is Truth it self He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life § 8. Complaint of the weakness of faith satisfied I know thou sayest that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners And that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life Neither can I deny but that in a sense of my own sinful condition I do cast my self in some measure upon my Saviour and lay some hold upon his All-sufficient Redemption But alas my apprehensions of him are so feeble as that they can afford no sound comfort to my soul. Courage my son were it that thou lookedst to be justified and saved by the power of the very act of thy faith thou hadst reason to be disheartened with the conscience of the weakness thereof but now that the vertue and efficacie of this happie work is in the object apprehended by thee which is the infinite merits and mercy of thy God and Saviour which cannot be abated by thine infirmities thou hast cause to take heart to thy self and chearfully to expect his salvation Understand thy case aright Here is a double hand that helps us up towards heaven our hand of Faith lays hold upon our Saviour our Saviours hand of mercy and plenteous redemption lays hold on us our hold of him is feeble and easily loosed his hold of us is strong and irresistible Comfort thy self therefore in this with the blessed Apostle When thou art weak then thou art strong when weak in thy self strong in thy Redeemer Shouldst thou boast of thy strength and say Tush I shall never be moved I should suspect the truth and safety of thy condition now thou bewailest thy weakness I cannot but encourage and congratulate the happie estate of thy soul. If work were stood upon a strength of hand were necessary but now that onely taking and receiving of a precious gift is required why may not a weak hand do that as well as a strong as well though not as forcibly Be not therefore dejected with the want of thine own power but comfort thy self in the rich mercies of thy blessed Redeemer § 9. Complaint of inconâ—tancy and desertion answered Now thou saist Sometimes I confess I finde my heart at ease in a comfortable reliance on my Saviour and being well resolved of the safety of my estate promise good days to my self and after the banishment of my former fears dare bid defiance to temptations But alas how soon is this fair weather over how suddenly is this clear skie over-clouded and spread over with a sad darkness and I return to my former heartlesness
alone shall free-denizen thee in the best of forain States and shall entertain thee in the wildest desarts § 4. The advantage that hath been made of removing Thou art cast upon a forraign Nation Be of good chear we know that flowers removed grow greater and some plants which were but unthriving and unwholsome in their own soyl have grown both safe and flou rishing in other Climates Had Joseph been ever so great if he had not been transplanted into Egypt Had Daniel and his three companions of the Captivity eveâ— attained to that Honour in their native Land How many have we known that have found that health in a change of air which they could not meet with at home In Africk the South-winde clears up and the North is rainy Look thou up still to that hand which hath translated thee await his good pleasure Be thou no stranger to thy God it matters not who are strangers unto thee § 5. The rigâ—â— that we have in any country and iâ— God Thou art a banished man How canst thou be so when thou treadest upon thy Fathers ground The earth is the Lords and the fulness of it In his right where ever thou art thou mayst challenge a spiritual interest All things saith the Apostle are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods No man can challenge thee for a stranger that is not thy Fathers childe Thine exile separates thee from thy friends This were no small affliction if it might not be abundantly remedied That was a true word of Laurentius That where two faithful friends are met God makes up a third But it is no less true That where one faithful spirit is there God makes up a second One God can more then supply a thou sand friends § 6. â—he praâ—tice of voluntary travel Thy banishment bereaves thee of the comfort of thy wonted companions Would not a voluntary travel do as much Dost thou not see thousands thaâ— do willingly for many yeers change their Country for forraign Regions taking long farewells of their dear friends and comerades some out of curiosity some out of a thirst after knowledge some out of covetous desire of gain What difference is there betwixt thee and them but that their exile is voluntary thy travel constrained And who are these whom thou art so sorry to forgo Dost thou not remember what Crates the Philosopher said to a young man that was beset with parasitical friends Young man said he I pity thy solitude Perhaps thou mayst be more alone in such society then in the Wilderness such conversation is better lost then continued if thou canst but get to be well acquainted with thy self thou shalt be sorry that thou wert no sooner solitary § 7. All arâ— pilgrims Thou art out of thy Country Who is not so We are all pilgrims together with thee Whiles we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord Miserable are we if our true home be not above that is the better Country which we seek even an heavenly And thither thou mayst equally direct thy course in whatsoever Region This center of earth is equidistant from the glorious circumference of heaven if we may once meet there what need we make such difference in the way Comforts against the loss of the Senses of Sight and Hearing § 1. Comfort from the â—â—o inâ—ard â—ghts of â—ason â—nd faith THou hast lost thine eyes A loss which all the world is uncapable to repair Thou art hereby condemned to a perpetual darkness For the light of the body is the eye and if the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Couldst thou have foreseen this evil thou hadst anticipated this loss by weeping out those eyes for grief which thou must forgo There are but two ways by which any outward comfort can have access to thy soul The Eye and the Ear one of them is now fore-closed for ever Yet know my son thou hast two other inward eyes that can abundantly supply the want of these of thy body The eye of Reason and the eye of Faith the one as a Man the other as a Christian Answerable whereunto there is a double light apprehended by them Rational and Divine Solomon tells thee of the one The spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly The beloved Disciple tells thee of the other God is light and we walk in the light as he is in the light Now these two lights are no less above that outward and visible light whereof thou art bereaved then that light is above darkness If therefore by the eye of Reason thou shalt attain to the clear sight of intelligible things and by the eye of Faith to the sight of things supernatural and Divine the improvement of these better eyes shall make a large amends for the lack of thy bodily sight § 2. The supply of better eyes Thy sight is lost Let me tell thee what Antony the Hermite whom Ruffinus doubts not to style blessed said to learned though blinde Didymus of Alexandria Let it not trouble thee O Didymus that thou art bereft of carnal eyes for thou lackest onely those eyes which Mice and Flyes and Lyzards have but rejoyce that thou hast those eyes which the Angels have whereby they see God and by which thou art enlightned with a great measure of knowledge Make this good of thy self and thou shalt not be too much discomforted with the absence of thy bodily eyes § 3. The better object of our inward sight Thine eyes are lost The chief comfort of thy life is gone with them The light is sweet saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun Hath not God done this purposely that he might set thee off from all earthly objects that thou mightst so much the more intentively fix thy self upon him and seek after those spiritual comforts which are to be found in a better light Behold the Sun is the most glorious thing that thy bodily eyes can possibly see thy spiritual eyes may see him that made that goodly and glorious creature and therefore must needs be infinitely more glorious then what he made If thou canst now see him the more how hast thou but gained by thy loss § 4. The ill officer done by the eyes Thou art become blinde Certainly it is a sore affliction The men of Jabesh-gilead offered to comply with the Tyran of the Ammonites so far as to serve him but when he required the loss of their right eyes as a condition of their peace they will rather hazard their lives in an unequal War as if servitude and death were a less mischief then one eyes loss how much more of both For though one eye be but testis singularis yet the evidence of that is as true as that of both yea in some cases more for when we would take a perfect
God c. Lo the holiest man may not be exempted from the dread but from the slavish fear of the great Judge We know his infinite justice we are conscious to our selves of our manifold failings how can we lay these two together and not fear But this fear works not in us a malignant kinde of repining at the severe Tribunal of the Almighty as commonly whom we fear we hate but rather a careful endeavour so to approve our selves that we may be acquitted by him and appear blameless in his presence How justly may we tremble when we look upon our own actions our own deserts but how confidently may we appear at that Bar where we are beforehand assured of a discharge Being justified by faith â—we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. When we think of anâ— universal conflagration of the world how can we but fear but when we think of an happie restitution of all things in this day how can we but rejoyce in trembling § 4. In that great and terrible Day our Advocate is our Judge Thou quakest at the expectation of the last Judgement Surely the very Majestie of that great Assize must needs be formidable And if the very delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai were with so dreadful a pomp of Thunder and Lightning of Fire Smoke Earthquakes that the Israelites were half dead with fear in receiving it with what terrible magnificence shall God come to require an account of that Law at the hands of the whole sinful generation of mankinde Represent unto thy thoughts that which was shewed of old to the Prophet Daniel in Vision Imagine that thou sawest the Ancient of days sitting upon a Throne like the fiery flame 〈◊〉 a fiery stream issuing and coming forth from before him thousand thousands ministring unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him the judgement set and the Books opened Or as John the Daniel of the New Testament saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away and the dead both small and great standing before God and the Books opened and the dead judged out of those things which were written in those Books according to their works Let the eyes of thy minde see before-hand that which these bodily eyes shall once see and tell me how thou feelest thy self affected with the sight of such a Judge such an appearance such a process And if thou findest thy self in a trembling condition cheer up thy self with this That thy Judge is thine Advocate That upon that Throne there sits not greater Majestie then Mercie It is thy Saviour that shall sentence thee How safe art thou then under such hands Canst thou fear that he will doom thee to death who died to give thee life Canst thou fear he will condemn thee for those sins which he hath given his blood to expiate Canst thou fear the rigour of that Justice which he hath so fully satisfied Canst thou misdoubt the miscarriage of that soul which he hath so dearly bought No my son all this divine state and magnificence makes for thee Let those guilty and impenitent souls who have heaped unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath quake at the glorious Majestie of the Son of God for whom nothing remains but a fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries But for thee who art not onely reconciled unto God by the mediation of the Son of his love but art also incorporated into Christ and made a true limb of his mystical Body thou art bidden together with all the faithful to look up and lift up thy head for now the day of thy reâ—emption is come And indeed how canst thou do other since by vertue of this blessed union with thy Saviour this glory is thine every member hath an interest in the honour of the Head Rejoyce therefore in the day of the Lord Jesus and when all the Tribes of the earth shall wail do thou sing and rejoyce and call to the heavens and the earth to bear thee company Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad let the sea make a noise aud all that is therein let the field be joyful and all that is in it Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth and with righteousness to judge the world and the people with his truth §. 5. Frequent meditation and due prepaâ—ation the remedies of our â—ear Thou art affrighted with the thought of that Great Day Think of it oftner and thou shalt less fear it It will come both surely and suddenly let thy frequent thoughts prevent it It will come as a thief in the night without warning without noise let thy careful vigilance always expect it and thy soul shall be sure not to be surprised not to be confounded Thine Audit is both sure and uncertain sure that it will be uncertain when it will be If thou wilt approve thy self a good Steward have thine account always ready set thy reckoning still even betwixt God and thy soul Blessed is the servant whom his Master shall finde so doing Look upon these heavens and this earth as dissolving and think with Jerome that thou hearest the last Trump and the voice of the Archangel shrilling in thine ears as once thou shalt Arise ye dead and come to judgement Shortly let it be thy main care to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Comforts against the fears of our spiritual enemies § 1. The great power of evil spirits and their restraint THou art affrighted at the thought of thy spiritual enemies No marvel Neither earth nor hell hath any thing equally formidable Those three things which are wont to make enmity dreadful and dangerous Power Malice Subtilty are met in them neither is it easie to say in which of these they are most eminent Certainly were we to be matcht with them on even hand there were just cause not of Fear onely but Despair I could tremble thou sayst to think what Satan hath done what he can do what contestation he enabled the Egyptian Sorcerers to hold with Moses how they turned every man his rod into a Serpent so as they seemed to have the advantage for the time of many Serpents crawling and hissing in Phoraoh's pavement for one How they turned the waters into blood How they brought Froggs upon the Land of Egypt 〈◊〉 as if thus far the power of hell would
intermission which thou canst neither suffer nor avoid fear them whiles thou grudgest at these lay thy self lowe under the hand of thy good God and be thankful for a tolerable misery How graciously hath the wisdom of our God thought fit to temper our afflictions so contriving them that if they be sharp they are not long and if they be long they are not over-sharp that our strength might not be over-laid by our trials either way Be content man either thy languishment shall be easie or thy pain soon over Extreme and everlasting are terms reserved for Gods enemies in the other world That is truly long which hath no end that is truly painful which is not capable of any relaxation What a short moment is it that thou canst suffer short yea nothing in respect of that eternity which thou must either hope for or fear Smart a while patiently that thou maist not be infinitely miserable § 8. 7 Comfort Tâ—â— benefit 〈◊〉 the exercise of our patâ—â—ence Thou complainest of pain What use were there of thy Patience if thou aâ—ledst nothing God never gives vertues without an intent of their exercise To what purpose were our Christian valour if we had no enemy to encounter Thus long thou hast lien quiet in a secure Garison where thou hast heard no trumpet but thine own and hast turned thy drumshead into a Dicing table lavishing out thy days in varieties of idle Recreations now God draws thee forth into the field and shews thee an enemy where is thy Christian fortitude if thou shrink back and cowardly wheeling about chusest rather to make use of thy heels then of thy hands Doth this beseem thee who professest to fight under his colours who is the Great Conquerour of Death and Hell Is this the way to that happie Victory which shal carry away a crown of glory My son if thou faint in the day of thine adversity thy strength is but small Stir up thine holy courage Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Buckle close with that fierce enemy wherewith thy God would have thee assaulted looking up to him who hath said and cannot fail to perform it Be faithful to the death and I will give thee a crown of life § 9. 8 Comfort The necessity of expecting sickness Thou art surprized with Sickness whose fault is this but thine own Who bade thee not to look for so sure a guest The very frame of thy body should have put thee into other thoughts Dost thou see this living fabrick made up as a clock consisting of so many wheels and gimmers and couldst thou imagine that some of them should not be ever out of order Couldst thou think that a Cottage not too strongly built and standing so bleak in the very mouth of the Windes could for any long time hold tight and unreaved Yea dost thou not rather wonder that it hath out-stood so many blustring blasts thus long utterly unruined or that the wires of that engine should so long have held pace with time It was scarce 〈◊〉 patient question which Job asked Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flâ—sh as brass No alas Job thy best metal is but â—lay and thine as all flesh is grasse the clay mouldereth and the grasse withereth what doe we make account of any thing but misery and ficklenesse in this wofull region of change If we will needs over-reckon our condition we doe but help to aggravate our owne wretchednesse §. 10. 9. Comfort Thou art retired to thy sick bed Be of good comfort God was never so neer thee never so tenderly indulgent to thee as now The whole saith our Saviour need noâ— the Physitian but the sick Lo the Physitian as being made for the time of necessity commeth not but where there is need and where need is he will not fail to come Our need is motive enough to him who himself tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesses our health estranges him from us Whiles thou art his patient he cannot be kept off from thee The Lord saith the Psalmist will strengthen thee upon the bed of languishing Thou wilt make all his bed in his sicknesse Loe the heavenly comforter doth not onely visit but attend thee and if thou finde thy pallet uneasie he shall turn and soften it for thy repose Canst thou not read Gods gracious indulgence in thine own disposition Thou art a Parent of children perhaps thou findest cause to affect one more then another though all be deare enough but if any one of them be cast down with a feverous distemper now thou art more carefully busie about him then all the rest how thou pitiest him how thou pliest him with offers and receits with what silent anxiety dost thou watch by his couch listening for every of his breathings jealous of every whispering that might break off his slumber answering every of his groanes with so many sighes and in short so making of him for the time that thy greatest darling seems the while neglected in comparison of this more needfull charge How much more shall the Father of mercies be compassionately intent upon the sufferings of his deare children according to the proportion of their afflictions § 11. 10 Comfort The comfortable end of our suâ—ferings Thou art wholly taken up with the extremity of thy paines Alas poor soule thy purblinde eies see nothing but what is laid close to thee It is thy sense which thou followest but where is thy faith Couldst thou look to the end of thy sufferings thou couldst not but rejoyce in tribulation Let Patience have her perfect work and thou shalt once say It is well for me that I was afflicted Thou mightsâ— be joâ—ond long enough ere thy jollity coulâ— make thee happy Yea woâ— be to them that laugh here But on the contrary our light affliction which is but for a momeâ—t worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Oh blessed improvement of a few groanesâ—â— Oh glorious issue of a short brunt of sorrow What do we going for Christians if we be nothing but meer flesh and blood And if we be more we have more cause of joy then complaint For whiles our outward man perisheth our inward man is renewed daily Our outward man is but flesh our inward is spirit infinitely more noble then this living clay that wee carry about us whiles our spirit therefore gaines more then our flesh is capable to lose what reason have we not to boast of the bargain Let not therefore these close curtaines confine thy sight but cast up thine eies to that heaven whence thy soule came and see there that crowne of glory which thy God holds forth for all that overcome and run with patience the race that is set before thee looking unto Iesus the Author and Finisher of our faith who is set down at the right hand of the throne of God And solace thy selfe
Didst thou conceive my son that grace would put thee into a constant and pepetually-invariable condition of soul whiles thou art in this earthly warfare Didst thou ever hear or read of any of Gods prime Saints upon earth that were unchangeable in their holy dispositions whiles they continued in this region of mutability Look upon the man after Gods own heart thou shalt finde him sometimes so courageous as if the spirits of all his Worthies were met in his one bosom How resolutely doth he blow off all dangers trample on all enemies triumph over all cross events Another while thou shalt finde him so dejected as if he were not the man One while The Lord is my Shepherd I shall lack nothing Another while Why art thâ—â— so sad my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me One while I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people that have set themselves against me round about Another while Hide me under the shadow of thy wings from the wicked that oppress me from my deadly enemies who compass me about One while Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Another while Lord where are thy loving kindnesses Yea dost thou not hear him with one breath professing his confidence and lamenting his desertion Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Look upon the chosen vessel the great Apostle of the Gentiles one while thou shalt see him erecting trophies in himself of victory to his God In all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us Another while thou shalt finde him bewailing his own sinful condition Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death One while thou shalt finde him caught up into the third heaven and there in the Paradise of God another while thou shalt finde him buffeted by the messenger of Satan and sadly complaining to God of the violence of that assault Hear the Spouse of Christ whether the Church in common or the faithful soul bemoaning her self I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer Thus it will be with thee my Son whiles thou art in this frail flesh the temper of thy soul will be like her partner subject to vicissitudes Shouldst thou continue always in the same state I should more then suspect thee This is the difference betwixt Nature and Grace That Nature is still uniform and like it self Grace varies according to the pleasure of the giver The Spirit breathes when and where it listeth When therefore thou findest the gracious spirations of the holy Ghost within thee be thankful to the infinite munificence of that blessed Spirit and still pray Arise O North and come thou South winde â—blowe upon my garden that the spices thereof may slow out But when thou shalt finde thy soul becalmed and not a leaf stirring in this garden of thine be not too much dejected with an ungrounded opinion of being destituted of thy God neither do thou repine at the seasons or measures of his bounty that most free and infinitely-beneficent agent will not be tied to our terms but will give what and how and when he pleaseth Onely do thou humbly wait upon his goodness and be confident that he who hath begun his good work in thee will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. § 10. Complaint of unregeneration and deadness in sin answered It is true thou saist if God had begun his good work in me he would at the last for his own glories sake make it up But for me I am a man dead in sins and trespasses neither ever had I any true life of grace in me some shew indeed I have made of a Christian profession but I have onely beguiled the eyes of the world with a meer pretence and have not found in my self the truth and solidity of those heavenly vertues whereof I have made a formal ostentation It were pity my son thou shouldst be so bad as thou makest thy self I have no comfort in store for hypocrisie no disposition can be more odious to the God of truth in so much as when he would express his utmost vengeance against sinners he hath no more fearful terms to set it forth then I will appoint him his portion with the hypocrites Were it thus with thee it were more then high time for thee to resolve thy self into dust and ashes and to put thy self into the hands of thine Almighty Creatour to be moulded anew by his powerful Spirit and never to give thy self peace till thou findest thy selfâ— renewed in the spirit of thy minde But in the mean while take heed lest thou be found guilty of mis-judging thine own soul and mis-prising the work of Gods Spirit in thee God hath been better to thee then thou wilt be acknown of Thou hast true life of grace in thee and for the time perceivest it not It is no heed to take of the doom thou passest upon thy self in the hour of temptation When thy heart was free thou wert in another minde and shalt upon better advice return to thy former thoughts It is with thee as it was with Euâ—ychus that fell down from the third loft and was taken up for dead yet for all that his life was in him We have known those who have lien long in trances withovt any perception of life yea some as that subtil Joannes Duns Scotus have been put into their graves for fully dead when as yet their soul hath been in them though unable to exert those faculties which might evince her hidden presence Such thou mayest be at the worst yea wert thou but in charity with thy self thou wouldst be found in a much better condition There is the same reason of the natural life and the spiritual Life where it is is discerned by breathing sense motion Where there is the breath of life there must be a life that sends it forth If then the soul breathes forth holy desires doubtless there is a life whence they proceed Now deny if thou canst that thou hast these spiritual breathings of holy desires within thee Dost thou not many a time sigh for thine own insensateness Is not thine heart troubled with the thoughts of thy want of grace Dost thou not truly desire that God would renew a right spirit within thee Take comfort to thy self this is the work of the inward principle of Gods Spirit within thee as well may a man breathe without life as thou couldst be thus affected without grace Sense is a quick discrier of life pinch or wound a dead man he feels nothing but the living perceiveth the easiest touch When thou hast heard the fearful
whereby we have communion with Christ and an assured testimony of and from him For he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself And what witness is that This is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life O happie and sure connexion Eternal life first This life eternal is in and by Christ Jesus This Jesus is ours by faith This faith witnesseth to our souls our assurance of life eternal Chariâ—y is the last which comprehends our love both to God and man for from the reflection of Gods love to us there ariseth a love from us to God again The beloved Disciple can say We love him because he loved us first and from both these resulteth our love to our brethren Behold so full an evidence that the Apostle tells us expresly That we know we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren For the love of the Father is inseparable from the love of the Son He that loveth him that begets loves him that is begotten of him Now then my son deal unpartially with thine own heart ask of it seriously as in the presence of the searcher of all hearts Whether thou dost not finde in thy self these unfailing evidences of thine election Art thou not effectually though not perfectly called out of the world and corrupt nature Dost thou not inwardly abhor thy former sinfull ways Dost thou not think oâ— what thou wert with detestation Dost thou not heartily desire and endeavour to be in all things approved to God and conformed to thy Saviour Dost thou not gladly cast thy self upon the Lord Jesus and depend upon his free all-sufficiency for pardon and salvation Dost thou not love that infinite goodâ—ness who hath been so rich in mercies to thee Dost thou not love and bless those gleams of goodness which he hath cast upon his Saints on earth In plain terms Dost thou noâ— love a good man because he is good Comfort thy self in the Lord my son let no fainting qualms of fear and distrust possess thy soul Faithful is he that hath called thee who will also preserve thy whole spirit and soul and body blameless unto the coming of oer Lord Jesus Christ. Comfort against Temptations § 1. Christ himself assaulted our trial is for our good THou art haunted with Temptations that which the Enemy sees he cannot do by force or fraud he seeks to effect by importunity Can this seem strange to thee when thou seest the Son of God in the Wilderness fourty days and fourty nights under the hand of the Tempter He that durst thus set upon the Captain of our salvation God blessed for ever how shall he spare frail flesh and blood Why should that Saviour of thine thinkst thou suffer himself to be tempted if not to bear thee out in all thy temptations The keys of the bottomless pit are in his hands he could have shut up that presumptuous spirit under chains of darkness so as he could have come no nearer to him then hell but he would let him loose and permit him to do his worst purposely that we might not think much to be tempted and that he might foyl that great enemy for us Canst thou think that he who now sits at the right hand of Majestie commanding all the powers of heaven earth hell could not easily keep off that malignant spirit from assailing thee Canst thou think him lesse merciful then mighty Would he die to save thee and will he turn that bandog of hell loose upon thee to worry thee Dost thou not pray daily to thy Father in heaven that hee would not lead thee into temptation If thou knowest thou hast to doe with a God that heareth prayers oh thou of little faith why fearest thou Loe he that was led by his own divine Spirit into the Wildernesse to bee tempted of that evill Spirit bids thee pray to the Father that he would not lead thee into temptation as implying that thou couldst not goe into temptation unlesse he led thee and whiles he that is thy Father leads thee how canst thou miscarry Let no man when he is tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth hee any man God tempteth thee not my sonne yet know that being his thou couldst not be tempted without him both permitting and ordering that temptation to his owne glory and thy good That grace which thy God hath given thee he will have thus exercised thus manifested So wee have known some indulgent Father who being assured of the skill and valour of his deare son puts him upon Tiltings and Barriers and publique Duels and lookes on with contentment as well knowing that hee will come off with honour How had wee known the admirable continency of good Joseph if hee had not been strongly solicited by a wanton Mistresse How had wee known Davids valour if the Philistims had not had a Giantly Challenger to encounter him How had wee knowne the invincible piety of the three Children if there had not beene a Furnace to try them or of Daniel if there had been no Lions to accompany him Be confident thy glory shall be according to the proportion of thy triall neither couldst thou ever bee so happy if thou hadst not been beholden to temptations §. 2. The powerfull assistance of Gods Spirit and the example of S. Paul How often thou saist have I beaten off these wicked suggestions yet still they turn upon me again as if denials invited them as if they meant to tire me with their continuall solicitations as if I must yeeld be over-laid though not with their force yet with their frequence Know my sonne that thou hast to doe with spirituall wickednesses whose nature is therefore as unweariable as their malice unsatisfiable Thou hast a spirit of thine owne and besides God hath given thee of his so as hee lookes thou shouldst through the power of his gracious assistance match the importunity of that evill spirit with an indefatigable resistance Be strong therefore in the Lord and in the power of his might and put in the whole armour of God that thou maist be able to withstand â—n the evill day and having done all to stand Look upon a stronger Champion then thy selfe the blessed Apostle thou shalt finde him in thine owne condition see the missenger of Satan sent to buffet him and he did it to purpose how soundly was that chosen vessell buffeted on both sides and how often Thrice hee besought the Lord that it might depart from him but even yet it would not be the temptation holds onely a comfort shall countervaile it My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse It is not so much to be considered how hard thou art laid at as how strongly thou art upheld How many with the
not as a man but as a Christian envie her not to that better Husband above who gives her no less dowry then immortality § 6. The mitigation of the loss of a dear and hopeful son Thy son is dead What marvel is it that a mortal Father hath begot a mortal Son Marvel rather that thy self hath lived to have or to lose a son We lie open to so many deaths that our very subsistence is almost miraculous Thou hast lost a piece of thy self for what are our children but as colonies deduced from our own flesh yea rather our selves made up in other models This loss cannot but go neer thee But tell me What was the disposition of the son thou mournest for If he were graceless and debauched as thy shame so thy sorrow should die with him set the hopes thou mightst have had of his reclaiming against the fears of his continuing and increasing wickedness and thou couldst have made no other present account but of dishonour and discomfort If it be sad that he is taken away in his wildness it had been more heavie that he would have added to the heap of his sin and therein to his torments If he were gracious he had a better Father then thy self whose interest was more in him then thine and if that heavenly Father have thought good to prefer him to a crown of immortal glory why shouldst thou be afflicted with his advancement Why shouldst thou not rather rejoyce that thy loyns have helped to furnish heaven with a Saint Were it put to thy choice that thy son might be called off from his blessed rest and returned to his former earthly relations couldst thou be so injurious in thy self-love as to wish the misery of so disadvantageous a change to that soul which as it was never of thy production so it were pity it should be at thy disposing Rather labour to have thine own soul so disposed that it may be ready to follow him into those blessed mansions and that it may love and long for heaven so much more for that one piece of thee is there before-hand Comforts against Poverty and loss of our estate § 1. The fickle nature of these earthly goods THou art driven into want and that which is worse out of abundance Those evils that we have been inured to as being bred up with us from our cradle are grown so familiar that we are little moved with their presence but those into which we fall suddenly out of an outward felicity of estate are ready to overwhelm us Let thy care be not to want those better riches which shall make thy soul happie and thou shalt not be too much troubled with the loss of this trivial and perishing stuff Had these been true goods they could not have been lost for that good that is least capable of loss as it is unsatisfying in the time of an imperfect and unsure fruition so in the losing it turns evil Didst thou not know that riches have wings and what use is there of wings if not to flie If another mans violence shall clip those wings even this very clipping is their flight Set thy heart upon that excellent and precious wealth which can never be taken from thee which shall never leave thee nor thou it thou shalt easily slight these poor losses As these were not goods so they were not thine Here thou foundst them and here thou leavest them What hadst thou but their use Neither can they be otherwise thine heirs whom thou leavest behinde thee I am ashamed to hear the Heathen Philosopher say All that is mine I carry about me when many of us Christians are ready to bug those things as most ours which are without our selves It was an unanswerable question which God moves to the rich man in the Parable upon the parting with his soul Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided perhaps a strangers perhaps as in case of undisposed Lands the occupants perhaps a false Executors perhaps an enemies Call that thine that thou shalt be sure to carry away with thee that shall either accompany thy soul in its last passage or follow it such shall be thy holy graces thy charitable works thy vertuous actions thine heavenly dispositions Lo these are the Treasures which thou shalt lay up for thy self in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt where theeves do not break thorow nor steal § 2. Consideration that they are not ours but lent us Thou hast lost thy goods May I not rather say Thou hast restored them He parted with more then thou that said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken Lo whether it were by way of patrimony or by way of providence and industry the Lord gave it and whether it were by the hands of Chaldeans or Sabeans the Lord hath taken it the Lord is in both he did but give and take his own Is it not just so with thee What reason hast thou then to complain Or may I not yet rather say It was not given but lent thee for a while till it were called for and dost thou grudge to restore what thou borrowedst Nay that thou mayst have yet less claim to this pelf was it not onely left in thy hand by the owner to employ for his use till he should re-demand it with the increase What is it to thee but to improve and to account for If others have taken off thy charge whiles they have spoiled they have eased thee § 3. That the right valuation of riches is in the minde Thy wealth is gone Hast thou necessaries left Be thankful for what thou hast forget what thou hadst Hadst thou had more thou couldst have made use of no more then Nature calls for the rest could but have lien by thee for sight for readiness of employment Do but forbear the thought of superfluities and what art thou the worse Perhaps thy fare is coarser thy dishes fewer thy utensils meaner thy clothes homelier thy train shorter what of this how is thy minde affected Cuntentment stands not in quantities nor in qualities but in the inward disposition of the heart that alone can multiply numbers and raise prices that alone can turn honest freezes into rich velvets pulse into delicates and can make one attendant many Officers Wise Seneca tels thee truly that the true mold of wealth is our body as the Last is of the shooe if the shooe be too bigge for the foot it is but troublesome and uselesse and how poor an answer would it be of the Cordwainer to say that hee had Leather good store it is fitnesse which is to be regarded here not largenesse neither is this any other then the charge of the blessed Apostle Having food and raiment let us bee therewith content And if we have no more we shall be but as we were as we shall bee For wee brought nothing into the world neither shall wee carry any
thing out §. 4. It may be good for us to be held short Thou hast parted with thy wealth perhaps for thine own good how many have wee known that have been cumbred with plenty like as the ostrich or bustard with bulk of body so as they could not raise their thoughts to spirituall things who when their weight hath been taken off have mounted nimbly towards their heaven How many have wee known that had lost their lives if with the Philosopher they had not forgone their gold Yea how many that had lost their precious soules The whole vessell had sunk in this boistrous sea if the luggage of this earthly fraight had not been cast over-boord And why art thou so troubled to lose that which might have undone thee in the keeping §. 5. The danger of abundance Thou hadst wealth Hast thou not parted with that for which many a man hath been the worse worse both in body and soule and by which never any soul was better Have wee not seen many good corn fields marred with ranknesse have we not seen many a good bough split with the weight of too much fruit whereas those fields had they been either thinner sown or seasonably eaten down had yeelded a fair crop and those boughs had they been but moderately laden had out-lived many Autumns Dost thou not hear thy Saviour say How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdome of God Art thou troubled that there is a rub removed out of thy way to happinesse That the bunch of the Camell is taken off if yet thou maist passe through the eye of the needle §. 6. The cares that attend wealth Thou hadst riches But hast thou not cares to boot Surely else thou hast fared better then all thy neighbors No body but thy selfe could ever handle these roses without pricking his fingers Hee was famous amongst the Jewish Doctors whose rule it was Hee that multiplies riches multiplies cares and our blessed Saviour hath coupled these two together The cares of the world and the deceitfulnâ—sse of riches Wee have heard of one who was glad to be rid of his lately found bagge that he might sleep and sing again He was noted and envied at Rome for his wealth which could experimentally say The poor man laughs more often and more heartily then the rich and tells us That outward felicity is an unquiet thing never ceasing to vexe it self Thy sides are now rid of these thorns why dost thou grumble at thine own ease §. 7. The imperiousnesse of ill used wealth Thou lately possessedst great riches yea maist thou not rather say thou wert possessed of them That wise Romane truly observed that many a one hath wealth as we are wont to say a man hath taken an ague when indeed the ague hath taken him and holds him in a painfull manner The truth is many a mans wealth is his Master and keeps him under hard conditions not allowing him sufficient diet not competent rest not any recreation If thou wert thus a drudge to thine estate thou art now thine own man enjoy thy liberty and together with thy patience be thankfull §. 8. Consideration of the causes and means of impoveâ—ishing us Thou art very poore who made thee so If thine own negligence lazinesse improvidence unthriftinesse rash ingagements thou hadst reason to bear that burthen which thou hast pull'd upon thine owne shoulders and if thou be forced to make many hard faces under the load yet since thy owne will hath brought upon thee this necessity even the necessity should move thy will to trudge away as lightly and as fast as thou maist with that pressing weight If the meer oppression and injurie of others thou shalt the more comfortably run away with this crosse because thy owne hand hath not been guiltie of imposing it how easie is it for thee here to see Gods hand chastising thee by another mans sin and more to be grieved at the sin of that others wrong then at thine own smart How sad a thing is it for any good soul to see brethren a prey to each other that neighbours should be like the reed and the brake set neare together whereof the one starves the other that we should have daily occasion to renue that wofull comparison of our Bromiard betwixt the friends and enemies of Christ That Jews doe not suffer beggers that Christians make beggers In the mean time if God think fit to send poverty to thy door upon the message of men bid it welcome for the sake of him that sent it and entertaine it not grudgingly for its own sake as that which if it be well used will repay thee with many blessings the blessings of quiet rest safe security humble patience contented humility contemptuous valuation of these earthly things all which had balked thy house in a prosperous condition § 9. The examples of those who have affected poverty Thou art stripped of thy former conveniences for diet for lodging for attendance How many have purposely affected to doe that out of choyce which is befaln theee upon need some out of the grounds of Philosophyâ— others of Religion Attalus the Philosopher might have lien soft yet hee calls for and praises the Bed and pillow that will not yeeld to his body And Neroeâ— great and rich Master bragges of his usuall dining without a Table what should I tell then of the Pharisees uneasie couches and pâ—nall garments of the Mats of the elect Manichees of the austere usages of the ancient Eremiticall Christians their rigorous abstinences their affamishing meales their nightly watchings their cold groundlyings their sharpe disciplines Thou art in ease and delicacy in comparison of these men who voluntarily imposed upon themselves these hardnesses which thou wouldst bee loth to undergoe from others cruelty It was a strange word of Epicurus the Philosopher not savouring of more contentment then presumption Give us but water give us but barly meale and wee shall vie with Jupiter himselfe for happinesse and if this Ethnick who was in an ill name for affectation of pleasure could rest so well pleased with a poore messe of water-gruell what a shame were it for us Christians not to bee well apaid with a much larger though but homely provision Comforts against Imprisonment § 1. Consideration of the nature and power of true liberty THOU art restrained of thy Liberty I cannot blame thee to be sensible of the affliction Liberty is wont to hold competition for dearnesse with life it selfe yea how many have lost their life to purchase their liberty But take heed lest thou bee either mistaken or guilty of thine owne complaint for certainly thou canst not bee bereaved of thy liberty except thou wilt Liberty is a priviledge of the will will is a soveraigne power that is not subject to either restraint or constraint Hast thou therefore a freedome within a full scope to thine owne thoughts It is not the
vision of God as they apprehend more darknesse in all earthly objects certainly thou shalt not misse these materiall eyes if thou maist finde thy soul thus happily enlightned §. 8. The benefit of the eies which once we had Thine eyes are lost It is a blessing that once thou hadst them hadst thou been born blinde what a stranger hadst thou in all likelihood been to God and the world hadst thou not once seen the face of this heaven and this earth and this Sea what expressions could have made thee sufficiently apprehensive of the wonderfull works of thy Creator What discourse could have made thee to understand what light is what the Sun the fountain of it what the heavens the glorious region of it and what the Moon and Starres illuminated by it How couldst thou have had thy thoughts raised so high as to give glory to that great God whose infinite power hath wrought all these marvellous things No doubt God hath his own waies of mercy even for those that are born dark not requiring what he hath not given graciously supplying by his spirit in the vessels of his election what is wanting in the outer-man so as even those that could never see the face of the world shall see the face of the God that made it But in an ordinary course of proceeding those which have been blinde from their birth must needs want those helps of knowing and glorifying God in his mighty works which lie open to the seeing These once filled thine eies and stay with thee still after thine eies have forsaken thee What shouldst thou doe but walk on in the strength of those fixed thoughts and be alwaies adoring the Majesty of that God whom that sight hath represented unto thee so glorious and in an humble submission to his good pleasure strive against all the discomforts of thy sufferings Our Story tels us of a valiant Souldier answerable to the name he bore Polyzelus who after his eyes were struck out in the Battel covering his face with his Target fought still laying about him as vehemently as if he had seen whom to smite So do thou my son with no less courage let not the loss of thine eyes hinder thee from a chearful resistance of those spiritual enemies which labor to draw thee into an impatient murmuring against the hand of thy God wait humbly upon that God who hath better eyes in store for thee then those thou hast lost § 9. The supply of one sense by another Thou hast lost thy hearing It is not easie to determine whether loss is the greater of the Eye or of the Ear both are grievous Now all the world is to thee as dumb since thou art deaf to it How small a matter hath made thee a meer cypher amongst men These two are the senses of instruction there is no other way for intelligence to be conveyed to the soul whether in secular or in spiritual affairs The eye is the window the ear is the door by which all knowledge enters In matter of observation by the eye in matter of faith by the ear Had it pleased God to shut up both these senses from thy birth thy estate had been utterly disconsolate neither had there been any possible access for comfort to thy soul and if he had so done to thee in thy riper age there Had been no way for thee but 1 to live on thy former store But now that he hath vouchsafed to leave thee one passage open it behâ—ves thee to supply the one sense by the other to let in those helps by the window which are denied entrance at the door And since that infinite goodness hath been pleased to lend thee thine ear so long as till thou hast laid the sure grounds of faith in thy heart now thou mayst work upon them in this silent opportunity with heavenly meditations and raise them up to no less height then thou mightst have done by the help of the quickest ear It is well for thee that in the fulness of thy senses thou wert careful to improve thy bosome as a Magazine of heavenly thoughts providing with the wise Patriarch for the seven yeers of dearth otherwise now that the passages are thus blocked up thou couldst not but have been in danger of affamishing Thou hast now abundant leasure to recal and ruminate upon those holy counsels which thy better times laid up in thy heart and to thy happie advantage findest the difference betwixt a wise providence and a careless neglect § 10. The better condition of the inward ear Thine outward hearing is gone But thou hast an inward and better ear whereby thou hearest the secret motions of Gods Spirit which shall never be lost How many thousands whom thou enviest are in a worse condition they have an outward and bodily ear whereby they hear the voice of men but they want that spiritual ear which perceives the least whisperings of the holy Ghost Ears they have but not hearing ears for fashion more then use Wise Solomon makes and observes the distinction The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them And a greater then Solomon can say of his formal auditors Hearing they hear not If thou have an ear for God though deaf to men how much happier art thou then those millions of men that have au ear for men and are deaf to God § 11. The grief that arises from learâ—ing evil Thou hast lost thy hearing and therewith no small deal of sorrow How would it grieve thy soul to hear those woful ejulations those pitiful complaints those hideous blasphemies those mad paradoxes those hellish heresies wherewith thine ear would have been wounded if it had not been barred against their entrance It is thy just grief that thou missest the hearing of many good words it is thy happiness that thou art freed from the hearing of many evil It is an even lay betwixt the benefit of hearing good and the torment of hearing evil Comforts against Barrenness §. 1. The blessing of fruitfulness seasoned with sorrows THou complainest of dry loins a barren womb so did a better man before thee even the Father of the faithful What wilt thou give me seeing I go childless So did the wife of faithful Israel Give me children or else I die So desirous hath Nature been even in the holiest to propagate it self and so impatient of a denial Lo children and the fruit of the womb are an heritage and gift that cometh from the Lord. Happie is he that hath his quiver full of such shafts It is the blessing that David grudged to wicked ones They have children at their desire It was the curse which God inflicted upon the family of Abimelech King of Gerar that he closed up all the wombs in his house for Sarahs sake And the judgement threatned to Ephraim is a miscarrying womb and dry brests And Jechoniah's sad doom is
upon hard and unâ—â—uth voyages Perhaps it is so with thee wherein I cannot but much pity thy mistaking in placing thy contentment there where a greater and wiser man could finde nothing but vanity and vexation Alas what can be our exile if this be our home What woful entertainment is this to be enamoured on What canst thou meet with here but distempered humours hard usages violent passions bodily sicknesses sad complaints hopes disappointed frequent miscarriages wicked plots cruel menaces deadly executions momentany pleasures sauced with lasting sorrows lastly shadows of joy and real miseries Are these the things that so bewitch thee that when death calls at thy door thou art ready to say to it as the Devil said to our Saviour Art thou come to torment me before the time Are these those winning contentments that cause thee to say of the world as Peter said of Mount Tabor Master It is good for us to be here If thou have any faith in thee and what dost thou profess to be a Christian without it look up to the things of that other world whither thou art going and see whether that true life pure joy perfect felicity and thâ— eternity of all these may not be worthy to draw up thy heart to a loâ—ging desire of the fruition of them and a contemptuous disvaluation of all that earth can promise in comparison of this infinite blessedness It was one of the defects which our late Noble and learned Philosopher the Lord Virulam found in our Physitians that they do not studie those remedies that might procure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the easie passage of their Patients since they must needs die thorow the gates of death Such helps I must leave to the care of the skilful Sages of Nature the use whereof I suppose must be with much caution lest whiles they endeavour to sweeten death they shorten life But 〈◊〉 me prescribe and commend to thee my son this true spiritual means of thine happie Euthanasia which can be no other then this faithful disposition of the labouring soul that can truely say I know whom I have believed I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kâ—pt the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day § 13. Examples of courageous resolutions in others Thou startest back at the mention of death How canst thou but blush to read of that Heathen Martyr Socrates who when the message as death was brought to him could applaud the news of most joyful Or of a Cardinal of Rome who yet expected a tormenting Purgatory that received the intimation of his approaching death with Buâ—na nuova buona nuova O che buona nuova è questa Is not their confidence thy shame who believing that when our earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens yet shrinkest at the motion of taking the possession of it Canst thou with dying Mithridates when he took his unwilling farewel of the world cry out oh light when thou art going to a light more glorious then this thou leavest then the Sun is more weak then a Rush-Candle It is our infidelity my son it is our meer inâ— idelity that makes us unwilling to die Did we think according to the cursed opinion of some fanatick persons that the soul sleeps as well as the body from the moment of the dissolution till the day of Resurrection Or did we doubt lest we should wander to unknown places where we cannot be certain of the entertainment or did we fear a scorching trial upon the emigration in flames little inferiour for the time to those of hell there were some cause for us to tremble at the approach of death But now that we can boldly say with the Wise man ` The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shall no torment touch them In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to be utter destruction but they are in peace Oh thou of little faith why fearest thou Why dost thou not chide thy self as that dying Saint did of old Go forth my soul go boldly forth what art thou afraid of Lo the Angels of God are ready to receive thee and to carry thee up to thy glory neither shalt thou sooner have left this wretched body then thou shalt be possessed of thy God after a momentany darkness cast upon nature thou shalt enjoy the beatifical vision of the glorious God Be not afraid to be happie but say out of faith that which Jonah said in anger It is better for me to die then to live § 14. The happy advantages of death I am afraid to die This is the voice of Nature but wilt thou hear what Grace saith To me to live is Christ and to die is gain If therefore meer Nature raign in thee thou canst not but be affrighted with death But if true grace be prevalent in thy soul that guest shall not be unwelcome Was ever any man afraid of profit and advantage Such is death to the faithful Whosoever he be that findes Christ to be his life shall be sure to finde Death his gain for that he is thereby brought to a more full and neer communion with Christ whereas before he enjoyed his Saviour onely by the dim apprehension of his Faith now he doth clearly and immediately enjoy that glorious presence which onely makes blessedness This is it which causeth death to change his Copie and renders him who is of himselfe formidable pleasing and beneficiall I desire to depart and to be with Christ saith the man who was rapt up to the third heaven Had it been onely departing surely he had had no such great edge to it but to depart and be with Christ is that which ravisheth his soule When the Heathen Socrates was to die for his Religion he comforted himselfe with this That hee should goe to the place where he should see Orphaeus Homer Musaeus and the other Worthies of the former ages Poor man could he have come to have knowne God manifested in the flesh and received up into glory and therein that glorified flesh sitting at the right hand of Majesty could he have attained to know the blessed order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Angels Archangels Principalities and Powers and the rest of the most glorious Hierarchy of heaven could he have been acquainted with that celestiall Chore of the Spirits of just men made perfect could he have reached to know the God and Father of Spirits the infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious Deity whose presence transfuses everlasting blessednesse into all those Citizens of glory and could he have known that he should have an undoubted Interest instantly upon his dissolution in that
to take heed of making haste to be rich and the great Apostle tels us That he that would bee rich fals into many temptations Surely there is no small danger also in affecting to be too suddenly rich in the endowments of the soule this cannot but be accompanied with the temptation of an unthankfull distrust for on the one side he that beleeves makes not haste and on the other we cannot bee sufficiently thankfull for what we have whiles we doe over-eagerly reach after what wee have not Tell me thou querulous Soul dost thou not ackowledge what thou hast to be the gift of God And wilt thou not allow the great Benefactor of heaven to dispense his own favours as he pleaseth If he think fit rather to fill thy vessell with drops of grace art thou discontented because hee doth not pour out his Spirit upon thee in full vâ—als If thou have have any at all it is more then he owes thee more then thou canst repay him Take what thou hast as an earnest of more and wait thankfully upon his bounty for the rest Is it not meeâ— in a free gift to attend the leasure of the donor What sturdy and ill mannerd beggers are we if we will not â—â—ay at the doore till we be served and grudge at our almes when it comes Look upon the Father of the faithfull thou shalt finde him fourscore and sixe yeares childlesse and at last after he had got an Ismael hee must wait fourteen yeers more for the promised seed and when hee had enjoyed him not much longer then he expected him he must then sacrifice him to the giver Thus thus my son must our faith bee exercised in attendance both for time and measure of mercy §. 3. Comfort from Gods acceptation of truth not quantity Thy graces are weak yet if true discomfort not thy selfe how many weak bodies have we knowne which with careful tendance have enjoyed better and longer health then those that have had bigger limbs and more brawny armes neither is it otherwise in the soul Soundnesse of grace is health increased degrees of grace make up the strength of that spirituall part if thou have but this health tenderly observed thou maist be happy in the enjoying of thy God although more happy in a comfortable sense of a stronger fruition We have to do with a God that stands not so much upon quantity as truth of grace he knowes we can have nothing but what hee gives us and inables us to improve and where he sees our wils and endeavours not wanting he is ready to accept and crown his owne gifts in us He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax §. 4. Comfort from the variety of Gods gifts and the ages and statures of grace Thou art weak in grace Be not discouraged my son there are all ages all statures in Christ Shall the child repine that he is not suddenly grown a man Shall the Dwarf quarrell that he is not a Giant Were there a standerd of graces lesse then which would not be accepted thou hadst reason to bee troubled but it is so far from that as that our Saviour hath encharged Suffer little children to come to me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of heaven In some legall oblations it pleased God to regard time and age The Lamb for the Passeover and for the peace-offering the Bullock for the sin offering of Israel have their date assigned And in divers cases he hath called for two Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons Young Turtles and old Doves in the mean while according to our Jewish Doctors were unlawfull to bee offered but in our spirituall sacrifices all ages are equally accepted He that is eternall regards not time he that is infinite and almighty regards not statures Even the eleventh houre carried the peny as well as the first and Let the weak say I am strong §. 5. Comfort from the safety of our leasurely progresse in grace It troubles thee that thou hast made so slow progresse in graces thy desire is to heaven-ward thou checkest thy self for no more speed It is an happy ambition that carries thee on in that way to blessednesse Quicken thy selfe what thou mayst with all gracious incitations in that holy course But know my son that we may not alwaies hope to goe thitherward on the spurre in that passage there are waies that will not admit of hâ—ste how many have we known that by too much forwardness have been cast back in their journey whether through want of breath or mistaking their way or mis-placing their steps I praise thee that it is the desire of thy soul to run the way of Gods Commandments and do encourage thine holy zeal in speeding that holy race ever praying thou mayst so run as that thou mayst obtain But withal I must tell thee that Blessed is the man that doth but walk in the Law of the Lord Whiles thou passest on though but a foot-pace thou art every step neerer to thy glory so long as thou riddest way thou art safe Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee O God in whose heart are thy wayes who passing through the vale of misery goes on from strength to strength till he appear before thee his God in Sion §. 6. Comfort from our good desires and endevours Thy grace is little but thou wishest and labourest for more this is a good beginning of heavenly wealth Hee is in a good way to riches that desires to thrive Never any holy Soule lost her longing If thy wishes be hearty and serious thou hast that which thou cravest or at least bee sure thou shalt have If any man â—ick wisdome let him aske of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth no man and it shall bee given him Were this condition offered us for Worldly riches who would be poore If we imbrace it not in spirituall either wee distrust the promises or neglect our own mercies In these temporall things how many have so eagerly followed the chase of the world that they have over-runne it and whiles they have greedily swallowed gain have been choaked with it but in those better blessings earnestnessâ— of desiâ—â— â—nd fervour of prosecution was never but answered with a gracious impetration §. 7. Comfort from the happiness of an humble poverty Thou art poore in grace but in an humble self-dejection longest for more know that an humble poverty is better then a proud fulnesse Wert thou poore and proud there were no hope of thy proficiency thy false conceit lies in the way of thy thrift and many a one had been gracious if they had not so thought themselves but now that thou art meaner in thine opinion then in thine estate who can more justly challenge our Saviours blessing Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Thou art weak
in grace It is thine own fault if thou gettest not more strength Wherefore serves that heavenly food of the Word and Sacraments but to nourish thy soul to eternal life Do but eat and digest and thou canst not but grow stronger God will not be wanting to thee in an increase of grace if thou be not wanting to thy self He offers his Spirit to thee with the means it is thy sinful neglect if thou separate them Thou knowest in whose hands is the staff of bread pray that he who gives thee the food and the mouth would also give thee appetite digestion nourishment § 8. An incitement to more caution anâ— faster adherence tâ— God Thy grace is weak It concerns thee so much the more to be cautious in avoiding occasions of temptation He that carries brittle glasses is chary of them that they take not a knock whereas strong metal fears no danger He that hath but a small Rush-candle walks softly and keeps off every air Thou art weak thy God is strong Dost thou not see the feeble childe that findes hee cannot goe alone how fast he clings to the hand of his mother more trusting to her helpe then his owne strength Doe thou so to thy God and say with the blessed Psalmist Hold up my goings in thy pathes that my footsteps slip not Hold thou mee up and I shall bee safe Vphold me according to thy Word that I may live and let me not bee ashamed of my hopâ—â— Peter was a bold man that durst step forth and set his foot upon the liquid face of the waters but he that ventured to walk there upon the strength of his faith when hee felt the stiffe winde and saw the great billow began to sinke in his weaknesse but no sooner had Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him then he takes courage and walks now with the same confidence upon the Sea that hee wont to walk on the Lâ—nd Together with a check hee receives more supportation from Christ then his owne legges could afford him Feare no miscarriage through thine own weaknesse whiles thou art held up by thatâ— strong helper Comforts against Infamy and Disgrace § 1. Comforts from like sufferingsâ— of the holiest yea of Christ himself NExt to our body and soul is the care of our reputation which whoso hath lost is no better then civilly dead Thou sufferest under a publike infamy I do not ask how justly He was a wise man that said It was fit for every good man to fear even a false reproach A good name is no less wounded for the time with that then with a just crimination This is a sore evil my son and such as against which there is no preservative and for which there is hardly any remedy Innocence it self is no antidote against evil tongues Neither greatness nor sanctity can secure any man from unjust calumny Might that be any ease to thy heart I could tell thee of the greatest of Kings and holiest of Saints that have grievously complained of this mischief and yet were not able to help themâ— selves Thou hast the company of the best that ever the earth bore if that may be any mitigation of thy misery Yea what do I speak of sinful men whose greatest purity might be blurred with some imperfections Look upon the Lord of life the eternal Son of the ever-living God God cloathed in flesh and see whether any other were his lot whiles he sojourned in this Region of mortality Dost thou not heare him for his gracious sociablenesse branded as a man gluttonous a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicanes and Sinners Dost thou not heare him for his powerfull and mercifull cure of Demoniacks blazoned for a fellow that casts out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils Dost thou not heare him sclandred to death for treason against Caesar and blasphemy against God Dost thou not heare the multitude say Hee is madd and hath a Devil Dost thou not heare him after his death charged with Imposture And can there bee any worse names then Glutton Dtunkard Conjurer Traytor Blasphemer Mad man Demoniack Impostor Who now can henceforth thinke much to bee sclandered with meaner crimes when hee heares the most holy Sonne of God in whose mouth was no guile in whom the Prince of this world could finde nothing laden with so hainous calumniations § 1. Comfort of our recourse to God Thou art smitten with a foule tongue I marvell not if it goe deep into thy soule That man gave an high praise to his sword that said it was sharper then sclander And if a rasour bee yet sharper such did David finde the Edomites tongue And if these weaâ—pons reach not yet farre enough he found both spears and arrows in the mouthes of his traducers Lo thou art but in the same case with the man after Gods own heart What shouldst thou do but for Davids complaint make use of Davids remedy I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth all things for me He shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up God shall send forth his mercy and his truth Do by thy slander as Hezekiah did by the railing lines of Rabshakâ—h spread them before the Lord and leave thy quarrel in the just hands of that great arbiter of heaven and earth who will be sure in his good time to revenge thy wrong and to clear thine innocence and will requite thee good for these causless curses § 3. Comfort from the clearness of our conscience In the mean while thou sayst I stand blemished with an odious aspersion my name passes thorow many a foul mouth Thou hearest my son what some others say but what dost thou hear from the bird in thy bosom If thy conscience acquit thee and pronounce thee guiltless obdure thy fore-head against all the spight of malice What is ill fame but a little corrupted unsavoury breath Do but turn away thine ear that thou receive it not and what art thou the worse Oh thy weakness if thou suffer thy self to be blown over by the meer air of some putrified lungs which if thou doe but a little decline by shifting thy foot will soon vanish § 4. Comfort from the improvement of our reason Thou art under ill tongues This is an evill proper onely to man Other creatures are no lesse subject to disease to death to outward violence then hee but none else can bee obnoxious to a detraction sith none other is capable of speech whereout a sclander can bee formed they have their severall sounds and notes of expression whereby they can signifie their dislike and anger but onely man can cloathe his angry thoughts with words of offence so as that faculty which was given him for an advanâ—tage is depraved to a further mischiefe But the same liberall hand of his Creatour hath also indued him with a property of reason which