away all things that are contrary vnto his Commaundements so where the wicked feele Gods power you and I being godly shall find his mercies Desire we God to be our sufficiency aboue physicke meate or drinke Are we in the depth of misery let vs contemplate his Power and glory as if we were in his Sanctuary assured of his Spirit Afflictions dwelleth with the best of Gods seruants who haue no leasure to swallow downe their spittle Such is the estate of the poore members of Christ Iesus that oftentimes they bee soare groaning vnder the Crosse of tribulation yet suffereth not our Sauiour any of his to passe from vnder his shaddow till our heauy and oppressed heartes comforted and fully refreshed Our heauenly Fathers scourge is vndoubtedly a fore-runner of Gods gracious fauour and blessing and the onely way to saluation Crye and call faithfully and God will still heare thee what time the storme falleth on thee It is our Heauenly Fathers fauour to open our eares by his correction thereby keeping backe our soules from the pit and our liues from passing by the Sword He striketh vs with sorrows vppon our beds making our soules to loath and abhorre euen the daintiest meates By carefull Crosses God openeth our eares so as neyther health may hurt vs nor Prosperity vndoe vs The cause why God sendeth vs sundry afflictions is to beate downe our pride and to turne vs from euill and impiety Our gracious GOD withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous neyther will hee still be fettering vs with the cordes of afflictions But he will be opening our eares to Discipline and commaunding vs to returne from iniquity My GOD and Heauenly Father so mooue your and euery one of our hearts to the feeling and seeing of all our sinnes and iniquities that we may all come to him by repentance as did Manasses at the last Assure we shall our soules of this that to the afflicted God sheweth Grace The scourge of the Lord is vppon vs wee ought the more humbly to pray vnto our God that he hide not his face from vs. But rather to indue vs with his Spirit as still resting in misery and afflictions wee might be driuen from man to God As was the Prophet Dauid When his Friends forsooke him and all his Acquaintance hid themselues from him Then gat Dauid vnto God most humbly with these words Oh Lord heare my Prayer O let my crye come vnto thee Hide not thy face from me in time of my trouble but incline thine Eares vnto me that do mingle my drinke euery morning with my Weeping Learne we each one neyther to haue fellowship with the deceitefull nor yet to stay with the vngodly but to wash our hands in innocency and so to go vnto the Lords Altar See you neuer forget the loue of our Sauiour Christ to mankinde who was content for to become a Redeemer to mankind and not for the Angels which fell as did both man and woman For the ground of our Redemption is the special loue of Christ not the fore-seene workes of our faith in the eternall Counsel of God But like as the Israelites got not Canaan by their owne sword and power No more can we gaine Heauen but by Gods fauouring vs in Christ Iesus his Sonne The faithfull are chastened ere they be Crowned yea checked and aduised for to leaue their bad manners and particuler vices and to follow and practise holy religious duties in faith feare and feeling with holy Obedience both to God and man Both Paule and Barnabas teach vs this Lesson that we must through many tribulation Enter into the kingdome of God Few things came into the Hoast of Israel but such as were purified eyther by fire or water How much more ought the sinfull soules of men to be purged ere they come to their Heauenly heritage Num 31.23 Num. 31.23.24 As Hester was first purified sixe moneths with Myrrhe after that with sweete Odours and then come vnto Ahashuerus So bitter tryals and trauailes must touch our heartes ere wee can lodge with the LORD of Life vnder whom King Ahashuerus liued but as a Lieutenant It is the Priuiledge of Christs members to be troubled and afflicted but not for euer to bee fined as siluer in the furnace of affliction and tribulation VVhat was once spoken vnto the olde Iewes I doe now vnderstand it as applyed to the Elect whose priuiledges in this life are pangs and pains troubles and tortures calamities and crosses so that it is now growne to a Prouerbe Athemata mathemata passionis documenta The Lords lashes are lessons to leade vs a long the right and streight way to Christ the true Sanctefier of our soules to all that beleeue in him Dauid penning his sweetest and harmonious Psalme in his bitterest afflictions teacheth vs euery one to profite by Gods Rod because that afflictions Bringeth home the Prodigall Sonne Luke 15. Luke 15. And maketh Nebuchadnezzer lift vp his eyes to Heauen honouring him that liueth for euer As many as rest sons must be scourged of their father wee iust ones knowing God but must looke for messengers to salute them with shriking sounds of sorrowful newes For our learning it pleaseth God oftentimes to conclude the best peoples liues with very fearefull euils As we see in the death of Iesus Christ his best Apostles Ionathan Lazarus and the LORDS two VVitnesses Reuel 11.7 Who hauing finished their Testimonies are killed for so doing and their Corpses throwne into the streetes of the great Citty the Gentiles in their courses three dayes and a halfe not suffering their Carkasses to bee put in their Graues See how the Lord scourgeth deepely where hee loueth most dearely stay but the LORDS leasure and hee will vndoubtedly comfort your distressed heart and minde if you will patiently abide seeke and waite for him in the Way of sincerity and trueth Remember wee should all that Israels portion is not passed into by following of vaine and vnlawful pleasures not by imbracing the Earth in our armes or sending out our Children by flockes to daunce after musicke Til the Lords Vae mane surgentibus Esay 5. seize vpon vs Israels portion is not so easily come vnto There is no other way to the Crowne but by the crosse we must suffer our afflictions as the good souldiers of Christ before the Lord will receiue vs into Eternall Glory Learne we all therefore that the Crosse of Christ is the best Schoole-maister to bring vs to Christ As Naaman did wash ere hee could be whole so must good Christians be content to suffer tryals VVhilst God threatneth afflictions to our flesh he would haue vs to prepare Faith and Patience in our hearts to entertayne the LORDS chastisements with teares The rod of God to man is as the presse to the Grape the fanne to the Corne and the fire to the Gold How was good Iacob troubled first to haue his onely brother as it were to sweare his death then to
put into strange extremities yet looke they vp with comfort at the last The body of Anaxarchus might be brayed in a Morter but neuer his soule Ieremies body might bee sawed in pieces of Manasses his owne Cousin Germaine not his sanctified soule Amos was killed with a wooden beame St. Laurence broyled on a Grid-iron St. Iohn had like to haue beene boyled in an hot Chaldron of scalding oyle Doe not thinke but that your present Crosses may be seconded with manifold comforts and those cares on your Couch with Peter in Gods kingdome It may be the time is approaching of putting off your Mortality and passing through death as through a gate into euerlasting life to put you in minde to bewayle your misdeeds and to begge remission of your sinnes with powring out of your teares which are so gracious in Heauen that euery sinne is washed away with such a flood no weeds euer springing after such raine or sanctified shower Depend vpon Gods diuine prouidence haue patience with your Crosses attend mercy for your comfort beware of pride too often the ouerthrow of Honour be weary of this world make now your way towards the kingdome of God Who long hauing tryed you with Calamities may blesse you with eternall Comforts be you neuer comfortlesse for no doubt God which tryeth his seruants will likewise blesse and comfort them As now sicknesse makes you sigh and be sorrowfull so much more let the Cause thereof grieue your heart which is sinne And bee you comforted in this that Christ Iesus suffered for you lay away Melancholly plucke vp your spirits and put your selfe onely vpon God liue not like a woman but dye like a liuing Saint Let not Impatience preiudise your heart neither let thought pierce your heart but make patience and mirth the best phisicke to your minde and surest comfort in your liues Intreate the Lord to helpe you to beare your Crosses and so to strengthen you with his Spirit that you become not hopelesse of recouery and let no sorrowes so afflict you but as sacred Comforts may soone relieue you Consider your whole life to be nothing else but a continuall tryall of your Conscience in the spiritual Warfare Remember that such as depend vpon any thing but on God alone refuse their owne felicity and that goodnesse which they should else receiue of God Who knowes not this that there is no Saluation but by Christ There is no true rest till I first feele Gods Iudgements and the weight thereof which shall serue through Christ to my good God doth now and then vse to deferre his helpe for a time before hee will comfort his Church People or Children yet when it is most expedient for them his helpe is euer ready at hand Consider we all that the end of Gods chastisements to his Children is to saue them from Sathan and with-hold them from Hell As God hath strooken you so hath hee power to restore you as you are Gods seruant you haue an Angell to defend you from your enemies you are so deare vnto God that he can no more suffer your enemies to hurt you then a man can abide to be thrust in the eyes Psal 17.8 Psal 17.8 Sathan sought to Iehoshuah when he was doing his Office Zacha. 3.1 that is praying for the state of the Church where you must note that Sathan seekes to afflict and trouble the Children of God and hinder their saluation from doing their duties vnto God if hee could The Lord hath punished you for a time desire him now to be pacified and visite your sinnes no more but that you may liue in peace and quietnesse as in the Kingdome of Christ Esay 2.2 Micha 4.4 Haggia 2.10 Esay 2.2 Micah 4.4 The Lords hand of helpe neuer fayleth his faithfull seruants but resteth so powerfull in it selfe that it bringeth all his promises and purposes to passe although hee haue no helpe of mortall man Zachariah in the 14. Chapter of his Prophesie telleth that these should be the great troubles in the Church in the Euening whereof the Lord will send comfort by a plentifull supply of spirituall graces marry into the new Ierusalem to continue for euer where there shall be one God one Faith one Religion In any wise beware of prosperity premit praeterit it presseth and passeth staying by thee to thy hurt and flying from thee to thy griefe Prosperity is like the golden Bracelets that Turpeus had for betraying the Romane Castle to the Sabynes wherewith she was pressed to death Pharaoh was humbled being afflicted but enioying prosperity hee was hardened Noah was sober in the Arke but ouertaken with Drunkennesse in the Vineyard Gen. 9. Lot vexed in Sodome abhorred all vncleanenesse but once safe in the Mountaines Gen. 19. hee fell into grosse Impiety Dauid being persecuted gaue himselfe to Meditation and Prayer but once aduanced in the Kingdome committed bloody sinnes 2. Sam. 11. The best doe commonly fall when they are furnished with abundance as the Moone is not Eclipsed but when shee is in the full Learne therefore what to doe when God casteth you downe or depriueth you of any comforts you haue formerly enioyed vnder so gracious a Lord and louing Father as is our God Learne wee this Lesson that either God punisheth vs for our sins or for the probation of our faith when he either compasseth vs with his net or taketh from vs the ioy of our Honours the pleasure of our Eyes and the Crowne from our head with the desires of our hearts Now know this that our earthly house of this Tabernacle being destroyed we haue a building giuen vs of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens Striue we therefore to be cloathed with a House which is from Heauen because if wee bee cloathed wee shall not be found naked For indeed wee which are in this Tabernacle sigh and are burdened because wee would not bee vncloathed but would bee cloathed vppon that Mortality might bee swallowed vp of Life God that hath Created vs for this thing hath also giuen vnto vs the Earnest of the Spirit Therefore wee are alwayes bold though wee know that whiles we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord for wee walke by faith and not by sight neuerthelesse wee are bold and loue rather to remooue out of the body and to dwell with the Lord. Wherefore wee also couet that both dwelling at home and remoouing from our home wee may bee acceptable to him For wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ 2. Cor. 5 1 that euery man may receiue the things which are done in the body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill 2. Cor. 5.1 c. to the end of the tenth Verse the eighth to the Romans all throughout it is comfortable It is the saying of St. Chrisostome Crucem tollere sequi Christum omnibus imperatur alligatus sum ego
Christ Iesus For a time the Father hid his face from him but with euerlasting Compassion did hee most graciously looke vpon him at last God resteth our Father hauing a care ouer his Church and Children preseruing vs from fire and water and each other eminent danger God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are not able but will euen giue you the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it You are the Lords workemanship and hee will vndoubtedly prouide for you both sheltering and comforting you and that euen then when you finde the heate of afflictions to shine most hottest vpon you Forget not to goe and come vnto the Lord in the time of your trouble and deepest distresses knowing Christ to be our Shepheard and preseruer in each danger Wee cannot honour God more then to depend on him in our dangers and fly vnto him in our extremities as our onely helper hope and fortresse This rests a matter of endlesse comfort that our Lord Iesus Christ will bee a place of comfort and refreshing vnto vs and as a shadow at noone-day in the greatest heate of bloody persecutions You are now cast downe as the Children of God to the disquieting of your soule within you yet for all that waite you still vpon God Let no feare or danger make you deny Christ and his Gospell who comforteth vs in his Church refresheth vs in our troubles and freeeth vs from the dread and dangers of Hells horrours if wee faithfully call vpon him for pardon of our sinnes as once did Manasses Bee you still thirsting for life and panting for Paradise powre out your hearts before him that keepeth Heauen for your house assure your selfe of Gods helpe bee you neuer so grieuously tormented the Saints of God haue still waited vpon him to teach vs all to be constant and to waite still for our seuerall deliuerances We knowing the Lord God to be the Author of each calamity may not murmure but seeke remedy at his hands who woundeth vs lift we vp our hands in hope not boasting of our vertues but declaring that wee still rest vpon God in the middest of all our afflictions It is a bad seruant that will not waite on his Master God doth not alwayes punish our sinnes but by hard afflictions calleth vs to the consideration of the heauenly Ioyes Wee doe not honour our God aright vntill wee trust in him alone taking his Maiesty to witnesse that wee hunger in heart to bee vpright towards God still crying when wee are grieued This God is my God for euer and euer and hee shal be my guide euen vnto death Psa 48.14 Psal 48.14 Life and death are in Gods hands and no man can liue for euer howsoeuer therefore you dreame of Immortality it is not to bee founded vpon earth although your disease is grieuous and dangerous yet know you this that God hath infinite wayes to deliuer you Did not God deliuer his people from Og King of Basan and other Tyrants and his owne people from the the Red sea when they were in great extremity and danger Let not your present crosses rest an occasion of your falling from God but rather a Cause of cleauing faster vnto him Howsoeuer you doe yet suffer troubles yet hath God his time wherein hee hath appointed your deliuerance A liuely faith assureth the soule that God is fauourable vnto him when hee seemeth to bee angry and then at hand when hee seemeth to be farre off Feare you not but God will heare you though Care make you thinke that the Lord long deferreth you What though to day you seeme as a Sheepe beset with many Wolues yet put your trust in God and depend still on his prouidence and you shall assuredly bee comforted at the last Vnder the temporall punishment of the Land of Canaan is comprehended the promise of life euerlasting to all the faithfull and their posterity In the time of our distresse wee must learne to pray earnestly and although God stay as if hee heard vs not yet is then our deliuerance neerest when wee seeme voide of reliefe and succour Are you in distresse God hath millions of meanes to free you from miseries and preserue you from troubles Acknowledge our heauenly Father to bee the onely Authour of all your deliuerances from dangers and death and that by his prouidence you are still enfranchised from troubles God will recompence his long tarrying with double and vndoubted comfort to your soules There rests no true praysing of God except it come from the heart Promise therefore to delight in nothing if henceforth God send you life and health but onely that wherein God may bee glorified Remember that sicknesse is Deaths messenger teaching vs to reioyce in nothing but in the Lord. The faithfull must learne to depend vpon Gods hand in the time of their miseries knowing that when things are euer at worst then will God come and set them in order and so bridle the rage of the enemy as hee shall become mightlesse were he neuer so strong before Wee may not looke to bee deliuered at our first cry our eyes may bee kept waiting for our comming with our deceitfull hearts and searching out of our owne spirits crying vnto GOD to know the Causes why wee are chastened and when our sorrowes shall haue an end Desire you to know the way from Earth to Heauen wee must ascend by Faith vp thither if wee will know the waies of the LORD or the secrets of his diuine Word and Will Then must wee learne what extremities God will suffer vs now and then to fall into and why to exercise our faith before hee set to his hands to deliuer vs. God for a time will exercise vs with his rods yet vnder the Kingdome of Christ shall wee rest assured both of our peace ioy and comfort I beseech you learne so to call and cry vpon God as you neuer become weary though GOD grant not forthwith your requests but learne rather to be more earnest with God and to call the more oâ—tâ—er vpon him Though your state rest not so glorious as you wish yet waite with patience and GOD will accomplish his most comfortable promises Acknowledge and confesse God himselfe to be the author of our saluation who very oft in loue calleth vs by his rods to consider the shortnesse of our liues and how that for our sinnes sake hee abridgeth our dayes lest that his wrathfull Iudgements should fall the more heauily vpon vs. Let this be the comfort of your heart that as God is all sufficient to defend you from dangers so resteth hee most willing to comfort you in your most perillous agonies Content your selfe with that life which God giueth you for by Death the shortnesse of this Life is recompenced with Immortality Know should wee all that God hath care ouer his and oft chastiseth them for their wealth that they should not perish for euer with the
fainting verse 31. Are wee not by faith the Israel of God as his seruant Iacob whom hee hath chosen and the seed of Abraham his friend Chap. 41.8 listen to the Lord verse 9. Thou art my Seruant I haue chosen thee and not cast thee away verse 10. Feare not for I am with thee bee not afraide for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my Iustice Esay 41.14 I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying vnto thee feare not I will helpe thee verse 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob and yee men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel Esay 42.16 I will not forsake thee but make darknesse light and crooked things straight vnto thee Esay 43.1 Thus sayth the Lord that created thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest thorow the water I will bee with thee thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest thorow the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Feare not for I am with thee I wil bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West Esay 43.11 I euen I am the Lord besides mee there is no Sauiour And verse 25. I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne Names sake and will not remember thy sinnes Math. 11.28 Come to mee all yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you And learne this Lesson should wee all to suffer according to the will of God committing our soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creatour 1. Pet. 4.19 When our heauenly Fathers rods light vpon vs as it did vpon Iob 9.34 then must we intreate him with teares not so to astonish vs with feares but that we may speake vnto him when once hee hath clad vs with the roabs of his Righteousnesse and washed vs white in the blood of the Lambe Reuel 7.14 If wee be afflicted in body or minde cry mightily vnto God Reuel 14.15 saying Reuel 14.15 Reape O Lord thine owne Corne thrust in thy Sickle the time is come to reape I thy haruest-corne am ripe and ready for the Garner Yea a Cluster of thy Vineyard and a Grape for thy Presse yea in Christ Iesus a draught to delight thee gather mee O my Redeemer as wheate into thine owne Garner But why doe I cry so long vnto my God and gracious Father sure I am I shal not dye vntill my Lord and God speake the word saying vnto mee as once hee did vnto Israel You haue dwelt long enough in this place Deu. 1.16 Deutro 1.16 Let no pangs or paines fright vs from our heauenly Father we knowing that our eldest Brother Christ Iesus the very Authour of our life was condemned to death Mathew 20.18 and that euen then when hee came not to be serued but to serue and giue his life a Ransome for many The Lord Iesus so open your eyes that receiuing the true sight you may follow him that couragiously through Death went himselfe vnto life Feare no danger to bee in death it cannot bee but a good Entry that the faithfull passe vnto by deaths cruelty Dread not neither bee affraide for when wee renounce our owne strength and constantly follow our owne vocation and depend on the Lord this resteth the true boldnesse and most agreeable to God such Calebs rest fittest to enioy the land of promise as treading it with the feete both of themselues and of their Children doe most constantly still follow the LORD Deuteronomy 1.36 Know this there is no strength in our selues where the hand of God is not ready prest to yeeld helpe there is no standing but falling when wee fight without our Captaine You must know this and all such as now feare the Lord that God will euer helpe his beloued in their necessities marry the times and houres are best knowne to him who at his pleasure most mercifully reuealeth them vnto vs by his Spirit 2. Kings 7. verse 7. to teach vs both to looke stay and waite vpon his holy and deuine pleasure and will Be you not affraide God will comfort you you haue liued long like a Christian dye now like a Saint surely sanctified with Grace from on High Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas cum aeternitate Petrus Dauus de Stephan Pleasant and happy is that sleepe which commeth with rest rest with pleasure and pleasure with Eternity Send your thoughts before you into Heauen as holy Harbingers of your happy soule and see whether there bee not a desire in you to receiue the blessed Sacrament Viaticum aeternitatis a blessed baite for each deuoute soule ready to trauell for another life It is the mercies of our God to make death the way to life and by the way of mortality to cloath vs with Immortality Oh the ineffable Mercies and Wisedome of God to seuer our soules from the dregs of our bodies to enioy the presence of God and be invironed with troopes of Angels and soules of blessed Saints Let vs not with the old Arcadians mourne one night for the setting of the Sunne for wee shall be comforted by the breaking of the day when wee shall see him to shine againe in his Spheare The people that were enraged at the death of Romulus were quieted by Proculus his newes that hee saw him in Glory riding vp to Heauen Much more must wee Christians remaine full of hope at the death of the Righteous which are layd to sleepe with their Fathers Who amongst you doe not mourne to behold the manifold outrages of the Children of Beliall in this so glorious a Sun-shine of the Gospell Feare not death my deare Brethren but rather desire with hearty teares to bee remooued from the seate of sinners and scorners Where some rest so vnchaste that moderate and modest Christians may not safely consort with them Some so insolent and proud that you may not playnely rebuke them of their faults Some so vnsatiable and gluttonous that you may not long sit with them and generally amongst sinners of vnsanctified hearts was godlinesse neuer more vrged yet neuer lesse regarded though malice by euery mouth debased yet neuer did she beare more rule Godly Preachers were neuer more publickely paynefull yet publicke paynes did neuer lesse profite in priuate The Catholicke and Apostolicke faith was neuer since the Apostles times taught more truely yet seldome seene lesse to Fructifie Such is yet the Satanicall seminary of greene growing iniquity and sinnes amiddest the sonnes of men Few now in these dayes doe remember how that the Cherubins of golde vppon the two ends of the Mercy Seate were a Worke beaten with the Hammer Places of Prerogatiues and Honour are not easily come vnto Neyther can we passe to
leaue his father and mother house and home Country and friends and to seeke for seruices in the world abroad Remember still Gods spye your conscience in your bosome see you and we are his secret intelligencer our conscience that wil be vndoubtedly most true and faithfull vnto God and intelligencer against Achitophell Haman Shebnah and others yea against thine owne selfe if thy soule bee vnsanctified you must hunger after Heauen ere it will be had Our heauenly Fathers correcting still whom he loueth and liketh teacheth vs not to dispayre of his fatherly fauours and friendly affections but rather that hee nurtureth vs for our Saluation fining vs as the Siluer and choosing vs in the fire as the purest gold Mark Christs dealing with his chosen members by conuincing their faultes when hee chastneth vs to breake vs of our euill wayes and thereby he bringeth vs to reformation correcting all of vs according to the quality of our offence The hardlier wee are broken from our sinnes the heauier iudgements will he lay on vs to work our deeper humiliation and repentance Feares shal make vs to vnderstand that which exhortations and gentlenesse could not bring vs vnto VVe must be first humbled ere we can be aduanced and haue fainting soules on earth before we can feele the high Holy and helping hand of GOD from on high to stay and heaue vs out of our distresses Relye wee still on God and he will not forsake vs in our daungers But giue vs still such pledges of his neuer failing mercies as may assure our hearts of greater in Heauen where more ioyes are prepared then we can either aske or once thinke of It is well that you thinke sin to be the ground of your afflictions and your offences the cause of Gods displeasure wherfore he sendeth crosses and curses vpon sinners Consider wee first how wee haue falne by wantonnesse of life and vngodly conuersation our neglecting Gods word and will hath brought the cup of Gods indignation vppon vs to reclaime our feete from folly and our soules from sinne Not to acknowledge our selues to haue deserued Gods iudgements because we yet feele them not is Pride of heart and a state most perillous vntill we be humbled God therefore pulled Dauid down though hee were a chosen Vessell when he saw him walke awry God corrects vs to reforme vs making his iudgements as messengers to recall vs from sinne before he enter into iudgement with vs. Beware of grudging at thy crosses or afflictions for our Heauenly father vseth them to amend vs beeing vnwilling the death of any sinner VVee hauing all sinned stand in neede of this Physicke of correction to reclaime vs from straying from our heauenly fathers dwelling beware of being ashamed of our fathers visitation neyther loue we the pleasures of this VVorld more then the ioyes of heauen Be we neuer ashamed of GODS rod for Dauid confesseth and sayth thy Rod thy Staffe doth comfort mee Psalme 23. the rod to correct when I am out of the way and the staffe to comfort and vphold me when I am in the way But intertain we his correction as a benefit and blessing sent from on high profitable for our soules and no way hurtfull to our hearts and still more and more fit you for the company of Gods Children The more sorrowful and sicke you are the more like you are vnto our elder brother Christ Iesus who finished our Redemption through the Crosse and made the way to the ioyes of heauen through tribulations VVhich way whosoeuer is a shamed to follow can neither come to his Kingdome nor set foot in the pallace of Gods most ioyful inheritance If you are now wounded without in your body be carefull to see to the soares of your soules I feare not but that the seedes of Faith lyes still in your heart although the fruite thereof doe not yet plainely appeare I doe perswade my heart that though your eyes waxe dimme yet the Holy Ghost will still giue vnto you the true illumination of your heart soule and seuerall sences If our Sonnes and Daughters haue beene deare vnto vs how much more dearely hath Christ our Redeemer once bought with his blood both our soules and our bodies I beseech you hold it a ioy to dye and to bee out of this sinfull World and to bee deliuered from the thraldome of this sorrowfull life Death is our refuge the helpe of our soules to Heauen there wee liue eternally where is no paine but all pleasure no sorrow but solace no sighing but singing no feare of death but assurance of euerlasting Life It is good for your children to bee afflicted that they may not stray from Gods house but keepe his Word and to learne and obserue his Diuine statutes Though we haue beene long chastned of the Lord but it is that wee should not bee condemned of the Lord. Gods punishing vs doeth with-hold vs from Hell stirring vs daily and earnestly to desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ our Sauiour in glory Consider I beseech you that when the earthly House of this Tabernacle shal be dissolued we haue a building of GOD an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens which who so inheriteth shal be eternally saued I intreate and aduise euery one to be more carefull of their soules then of their bodies still comforting their hearts in their afflictions knowing that the sender thereof is God and the causer thereof our sinnes the longer we be and languish in sinne the more appeareth Gods loue in our sicknes for the which thinke God to bee the sender and likewise our deliuerer in danger and aduersity As the Husband-man doth not put the sickle into the Corne vntill it bee ripe So doeth not God inflict his grieuous iudgements vpon vs vntill our sinnes doe call downe vengeance for the same Art thou desirous to auoide contagious diseases see thou feare more thy sinne then the infected Citty Canst thou remoue thy transgressions from the face of the Lord The Citties contagion shall not hurt thee but if our sinnes remayne vnrepented all the wholesome ayre in all the Countrey cannot helpe thee or comfort thee In this world we can see but Gods backe-parts as Moses did that is but a little of the fauour of God but after this Life is ended we shall see God face to face hauing the ful fruition of him as we therfore wish the saluation of our soules let vs all beware of security or to deferre our repentance least we be cast into Hell fire hauing no lease of our vncertayne liues Labour we all to haue the Candle of Faith burne in the Lampes of our hearts still nourished with the oyle of loue and good workes It may not a little comfort vs in the time of our afflictions and troubles that our heauenly Father hath shewed such loue vnto vs that we should be called the sons and Daughters of God O what a comfort it is to my heart and soule
his scourges and plagues which he sendeth vppon the Earth and yet notwithstanding hee prouideth for it conueniently though he doth most commonly grant but a short time of Truce vnto his Church and children to be at rest and quiet in Learne we all to set the glory of Christ his Resurrection against the shame of the Crosse and graue seeing seeing it may aswell bee proued by witnesse which saw it as by testimony of the Prophets learne wee all therefore to goe forward in one way in our vocation through a thousand death Gods prouidence taketh not away the causes which God vseth as meanes but rather ordereth and disposeth them to their right vse euen then when he openeth an extraordinary issue for then and not till then came wee to the promised and sure saluation thorow the middest of tempest and death it selfe Then are perplexities most to be looked for when the Port and Hauen is nearest The godlier you bee the more sure shall you bee to haue danger vpon danger but alwaies most sure to haue a glorious issue What though aduersity bee the punishment of sinne yet God in punishing doth not alwaies respect sinne they iudge too rashly which eyther doe not waite for the Lord or doe iudge and esteeme all men according to prosperity or aduersity let this be still your comfort the Lord neuer afflicteth his aboue their strength what though now we behold miseries and calamities in a Church yet is the hope of felicity harboured in our hearts as if we presently enioyed it Know this that it is of the Lords mercy that you are eyther helped or healed Wis 18. It is the power of righteousnesse that Saints receiue good and euill in like manner singing prayses for the one aswell as for the other It is not wisedomes care to walke with ease by crooked paths and to bring vs into feare and dread and to torment vs with her discipline vntill she hath tryed our soules and prooued vs by her iudgements then will shee comfort vs and shew vs her secrets and heape vpon vs the vnderstanding of righteousnesse The Lord now and then sendeth vs away weeping and mourning but with ioy and perpetuall gladnesse will hee bring vs againe vnto himselfe Remember that Sion may bee in Captiuity and yet see her Saluation from God to come with great glory and euerlasting brightnesse suffer we therefore as Children the wrath of God patiently hoping at last to tread vpon the necks of our foes and euer hereafter to reioyce though now for a time wee mourne Who would not make haste to the Kingdome of GOD liuing vprightly and be of a good and honest conuersation as Christ once offered himselfe willingly to be taken that wee might be deliuered Remember in your present misery how Christ being innocent was condemned of the High-priest for that wickednesse whereof wee are guilty Christ our Sauiour found no comfort any where that in him wee might bee fulfilled with Celestiall ioyes and solace euery where hee was made a curse that in him wee might bee blessed hee was spoyled of his Garments that wee might bee enriched with his Righteousnesse Christ healing the manifold miseries of mankinde sheweth that he came to make cleane and wipe away the sins of the world with his touching hand from Heauen Feare wee not any accusers before God seeing that GOD himselfe absolueth vs as iust much lesse neede wee feare damnation seeing that wee rest vpon the death and resurrection yea the Almighty power and defence of Iesus Christ Therefore what can there be so waighty in this life or of so great force and power that might now feare vs although wee might fall from the feare of God wherewith he loueth vs in Christ Surely nothing it is in it lelfe most constant and sure and also in vs conformed by stedfast faith by Christ that loueth vs we are perfectly iust and through him are wee conquerours ouer miseries and calamities although we seeme as broken in pieces with the woeful weight of woefull dangers yet as good Christians let vs grow more and more couragious that the waies and wills of GOD may bee throughly knowne in this world Remember that the matter of our saluation is Christ in whom onely we are endued with spirituall blessings vnto saluation Oh perswade your owne soules that God hath chosen vs from the beginning in his Sonne the end of afflictions being true ioy and that through the vertue of the Spirit of Christ which hee giueth to them which aske it We ought not to be discouraged but rather to bee incouraged by the persecutions which the enemies of the Gospell imagine and practise against vs seeing that they are certaine witnesses from GOD himselfe both of our saluation and of the destruction of our enemies that hate vs. Persecution is a signe of our saluation because it 's a gift of God to suffer for Christ which gift hee rendreth to his owne as he doth the gift of faith Grieue not for your great afflictions no not although you should dye to make pefect your oblation with your blood as with a drinke-offering The way to eternall saluation is to follow Christ his steps by afflictions and persecutions vntill wee come to Christ himselfe who is our marke whereat wee shoote and receiue the reward whereunto God calleth vs to him Therefore bee not disquieted through impatiency seeing that God is at hand to giue you remedy against all your miseries neither bee you carefull for any thing but with sure confidence giue God thankes and craue of him whatsoeuer you haue neede of that with a quiet conscience you may wholy and withall your heart submit your selfe to him that you may with Dauid beginne with teares and end with thankes The afflictions of the Church may be said to be Christs afflictions by reason of that fellowship and knitting together that the body and the head haue one with the other not that there is any more neede to haue the Church redeemed but that Christ sheweth his power in the daily weaknesse of his members and that for the comfort of the whole and holding of his Childrens hearts together whose assured comfort is to enter by afflictions into the Kingdom of Glory Know this that our God being iust will punish the vniust and will do away the miseries of his owne people Remember alwayes to set the invisible power of Gods Spirit which God hath giuen you agaynst those stormes which may or will come vpon you I pray remember that the gift of Gods Spirit is as it were a certayne liue flame kindled in our hearts which the flesh and the Diuell seeke to put out And therefore you and I on the contrary side must labour as much as we can to foster and keepe it burning and not to be pierced thorough as people whom the Lord will destroy Doubt we not but that our Saluation doth hang vpon Christ who was exhibited in our dayes and suffered farre more grieuous things then wee can