And it stands with the strength of reason for if God saith Saint Gregory strike so smartly those whom he spareth how heavy will his blowes be on them whom he condemneth and with what severity shall Castawayes be punished when his owne children are so visited and afflicted If Gods own Children who are as deare and neare to him as the Apple of his eye or the signet on his right hand suffer so many and grievous afflictions here what shall his adversaries suffer in Hell undoubtedly when the Patient is made whole he shall be preserved but the Plaister shall be thrâ—wen away For as God doth turne evill to good to them that love him so he turnes good to evill to those that hate him Againe secondly if the wicked are punished for doing wrong to the wicked much more for wronging the jâ—st and innocent But we have many examples of the former as that of Adonibezeck who having cut off the Thumbes and great â—oes of Seventy Kings that were wicked like himselfe had also his owne Thumbes and Toes cut off Judg. 1. 5 7. And Moab of whom the Lord saith hee hath burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime therefore will I send a fire upon Moab and it shall devoure c. Amos 2. 1. 2. If the greater Serpent devoures the lesse there is a Dragon to devoure him therefore the enemies of Gods Church have no hope to escape The everlasting punishments of the ungodly are deferred not remitted But all the evill thou doest to the godly is with thy tongue Answ. That 's bad enough the Serpents hissing betrayes his malice and Ishmaels tongue made him a Persecutor as well as Doegs hands hee did but flout Isaack yet Saint Paul saith he persecuted him Gal. 4. 29. Câ—am onely scoft at Noah yet it brought upon him his Fathers curse and Gods upon that The Athenians but scoft once at Sillas wife and it had welny cost the razing of their City he was so provoked with the indignity And what ever thou conceivest of it let this fault be as farre from my soule as my soule from Hell For assuredly God will one day laugh you to scorne for laughing his to scorne and at last dâ—spise you that have despised him in us CHAP. XXXV Other grounds of comfort to support a Christian in his sufferings And first that God is specially present with his servants in their afflictions takes notice of their sufferings and allayes their griefe THis rub being removed and the passage made cleere proceed we to other grounds of comfort which the Word of God affords in this case for the better upholding and strengthening of a weake Christian in his sufferings Wherein that we may not exceed I will select out onely five because instructions if they exceed are wont like Nayles to drive out one another First we shall beare the Crosse with the more patience and comfort if we consider that God is specially present with his servants in their afflictions takes noâ—ice of their sufferings and allayes their griefe The troubles of a Christian are very great for number variety and bitternesse yet there is one ingredient that sweetens them all the promise of God I will be with thee in trouble and deliver thee Psal. 91. 15. And thou shalt not be tempted above thy strength 1 Cor. 10. 13. Againe Feare not for wâ—â—â— thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the floods that they doe not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Esay 43. 1 2. Lo here are promises like Flaggons of Wine to comfort the distressed soule Wherefore as Caesar said to the trembling Marriner Be not afraid for thou â—arriest Caesar so O Christian be not afraid for he that is in thee for thee with thee that guides thee that will save thee is the invincible King Jehovah And upon this ground David was so comforted and refreshed in his soule Psalme 94. 19. that he was able to say Though I should walke through the valley of the shaddoâ— of death I will feare no evill Why For thou art with mee thy Rod and thy Staffe shall comfort me Psalme 23. 4. Yea our Enemies can no sooner assault us with their tongues but God comes in to our rescue If yee be railed upon for the name of Christ saith Saint Peter blessed are ye for the Spirit of God resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4. 14. God is never so much injoyed of us as when we are in the deepe with David Psal. 130. 1. and when wee are worst of all bestead with Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 12. When did Jacob see a vision of Angels but when hee fled for his life making the cold earth his Bed and a stone his Pillow or when was his heart so full of joy as now that his head lay hardest When was Paul wrapt into the third beâ—ven to heare wordes from Christ not fit to be uttered 2 Cor. 12. 2. 4. but as some of the learned conceive when hee was bereaved of his sight Stephen saw great happinesse by Christ in his peace but under that showre of stones he saw Heaven it selfe open Acts 7. When wee are slayne all the day long for his sake with the Martyrs then we are given to see him with our eyes as Job did who till that time had onely heard of him by the hearing of the eare Then we come to know that the Lord he is God with Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 13 and that he is our hope and strength and refuge and a very present helpe in troubles ready to be found of all that seeke to him 2 Chron. 15. 4 15. Psalme 9. 9 10. and 46. 1. The Israelites never fared so well as when they lived at Gods immediate studing and night expected their morrowes breakefast from the Cloudes When they did dayly aske and dayly receive their dayly bread Yea even when they were wandring in a forlorne Wildernesse how did God as it were attend upon them in their distresse to supply their wants They have no guide therefore God himselfe goes before them in a pillar of fire they have no shelter the Lord spreads a Cloud over them for a C 〈…〉 opy are they at a stand and want way the Sea shall part and give them passage doe they lack bread Heaven it selfe shall power downe the food of Angels have they no meate to their bread a wind shall send them innumerable Quailes doe they yet want drinke behold a hard Rock smitten with a little wand shall power them out water in aboundance have they no supply of Apparrell their Garments shall not wax old on their backs be their Enemies too strong for them for want of Engines the Wals of Jeriâ—ho shall fall downe before them are their enemies yet too many and potent Hailestones shall fall and braine them Lamps Pitchers and Dreames shall get them victor the Sunne shall stand still in Gibeon and the
but one â—ye Appius Claudius Timelon and Homer were quite blind So was Mulâ—asses King of Tunis and John King of Bohemia But for the lâ—sse of that one Sense they were recompenced in the rest they had most excellent memâ—ries rare inventions and admirable other parts Or suppose he send sicknesse the worst Feaver can come does not more burne up our blood than our lust And together with sweating out the Surfets of natâ—â—e at the poares of the body we weepe out the sinfull corruption of our nature at the poares of the Conscience Yea the Author to the Hebrewes saith of Christ himselfe that though he were the Son yet as he was man Hee learned obedience by the things which heâ— suffered Heb. 5. 8. As in humane proceedings Ill manners beget good Lawes So in Divine the wicked by their evill tongues beget good and holy lives in the godly Whence Plutarch adviseth us so circumspâ—ctly to demeane our selves as if our enemies did alwayes behold us Nothing sooner brings us to the knowâ—edge and amendment of our faults than the scoffes of an enemy which made Philip of Macedon acknowledge himselfe much beholding to his enemies the Athenians for speaking evill of him for saith hee they haâ—e made mee an honest man to prove them lyars Even baâ—â—en Leah when she was despised became fâ—uitfull So that we may thanke our enemies or must thank God for our enemies Our soules shall shine the brighter one day for such rubbing the cold winde cleanses the good graine the hot fire refines the pure gold Yea put case we be gold they will but try us If Iron they will scowâ—r away our rust I say not that a wicked heart will be bettered by affliction for in the same fire that gold is made bright and pure drosse is burnt and consumed and under the same flaile that the graine is purged and preserved the huskes are broken and deminished Neither are the Lees therefore confounded with the Wine because they are pressed and trâ—dden under the same presse or planke but I speake of affliction sanctified and of the godly Yet let not the wickedâ—st man bee discouraged for as when Christ called the blind man the Disciples said be of good comfort Hee calleth thee so may I say to thee that art burthened with any kind of affliction be of good comfort Christ calleth thee saying Come unto me by repâ—ntance and amendment of life and I will ease thee of thy sinnes and sorrowes here and hereafter onely as the blind man threw away his garment and followed Christ so doe thou answer him I will forsake my sinâ—es aâ—d follow thee For if God like a prudent Prince makes offers and famos of warre it is but to mend the conditions of peace But farewell I am for the already resolved to whom I say if the needle of affliction bee drawne through us by reason of wicked mens malice it is but to conveigh with it the thred of amendment and their worst to the godly serves but as the Thorne to the brest of the Nightingale the which if shee chance to sleep causeth her to warble with a renewed cheerfulnesse For as blowes make balsâ— to mount and lashes make tops to goe which of themselves would fall so with their malice we are spurred up to duty and made persevere in it for commonly like tops no longer lasht no longer we goe Yea these very tempestuous showers bring forth spirituall flowers and hearbs in abundance Devotion like fire in frâ—sty weather burnes hottest in aflliction Vertue provoked addes much to it selfe With the Arke of Noah the higher wee are tossed with the â—lood of their malice the neerer we mount towards Heaven When the waters of the â—lood came upon the face of the earth downe went stately Turrets and Towers but as the waters rose the Arke rose still higher and higher In like sort when the waters of afflictions arise downe goes the pride of life the lust of the eyes In a word all the vanities of the World But the Arke of the soule ariseth as these waters rise and that higher and higher even neerer and neerer towards Heaven I might illustrate this point by many observable things in nature We see Wâ—ll-waters arising from deep Springs are hotter in Winter than in Summer because the outward cold doth keepe in and double their inward heate And so of mans body the more extreame the cold is without the more doth the naturall heate fortifie it selfe within and guard the heart The Corne receives an inward heate and comfort from the Frost and Snow which lyeth upon it Trees lopt and pruned slourish the more and beare the fuller for it The Grape when it is most pressed and trodden maketh the more and better Wine The drossie gold is by the fire resined Winds and Thunder cleares the ayre Working Seas purge the Wine Fire encreaseth the sent of any Perfume Pounding makes all Spices smell the sweeter Linnen when it is buckt and washt and wrung and beaten becomes the whiter and fairer The earth being torne up by the Plough becomes more rich and fruitfull Is there a peece of ground naturally good Let it lye neglected it becomes wilde and barren Yea and the more rich and fertile that it is of it selfe the mâ—re waste and fruitlesse it proveth for want of Tillage and Husbandry The Razor though it be tempered with a due proportion of steele yet if it passe not the Grindstone or Whetstone is neverthelesse unapt to cut yea though it bee made once never so sharpe if it be not often whetted it waxeth dull All which are lively Emblemes of that truth which the Apostle delivers 2 Cor. 4. 16. Wee faint not for though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed dayly Even as a Lambe is much more lively and nimble for sheering If by enmity and persecution as with a knife the Lord pareth and pruneth us it is that we may bring forth the more and better fruit and unlesse we degenerate we shall beare the better for bleeding as Anteus every time rose up the stronger when Hercules threw him to the ground because he got new strength by touching of his Moher O admirable use of affliction health from a wound cure from a disease out of griefe joy gaine out of losse out of infirmity strength out of sinne holinesse out of death life yea we shall redeome something of Gods dishonour by sinne if we shall thence grow holy But this is a harder Riddle than Samsons to these Philistims CHAP. VI. That it stirres them up to prayer 3. THirdly because they quicken our devotion and make us pray unto God with more fervency Lord saith Isaiah in trouble they will visite thee they powred out prayers when thy chastening was upon them Isay 26. 16. In their affliction saith Hosea they will seeke thee diltgently Hosea 5. 15. That we never pray so feelingly fervently forcibly as in time of affliction may be seene in the examples of the children
wants are so And be sure to aske good things to a good end and then if we aske thus according to Gods will in Christs name we know that he will heare us and grant whatsoever petitious we have desired 1 John 5. 14 15. CHAP. VII That it weanes them from the love of the world 4. FOurthly our sufferings weane us from the love of the world yea make us loath and contemne it and contrary wise fix upon Heaven with a desire to be dissolved S. Peter at Christs transfiguration enjoying but a glimpse of happinesse here was so ravished and transported with the love of his present estate that hee breakes out into these words Master it is good for us to bee here hee would faine have made it his dwelling place and being loath to depart Christ must make three Tabernacles Mat. 17. 4. The love of this world so makes us forget the world to come that like the Israelites we desire rather to live in the troubles of Aegypt then in the land of promise Whereas S. Paul having spoken of his bends in Christ and of the spirituall combate concludeth I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 22 23. Yea it transported him to heaven before hee came thither as Mary was not where shee was but where her desire was and that was with Christ. Prosperity makes us drunke with the love of the world like the Gadereans who preferred their swine before their soules or him in the parable that would goe to see his farme and lose heaven or the Rich glutton who never thought of heaven till he was in hell and thousands more who if they have but something to leave behinde them 't is no matter whether they have any thing to carry with them But as sleep composeth drunkennes so the crosse will bring a man to himselfe againe for when the staffe we so nourish to bare us becomâ— a cudgell to beat us when we finde the world to serve us as the Jewes did Christ carry us up to the top of the hill and then strive to throw us downe headlong Luke 4. 29. When the minde is so invested with cares molested with griefe vexed with paine that which way soever we cast our eyes wee finde cause of complaint wee more loath the world then ever we loved it as Amnon did his sister Tamor yea when life which is held a friend becomes an enemy then death which is an enemy becomes a friend and is so accounted as who having cast Ankor in a safe Road would againe wish himselfe in the stormes of a troublesome Sea Yea in case wee have made some progresse in Religion and found a good conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ the marrow of all comforts and resolved with Joseph to forsake our Coate rather than our Faith yet if the world but make new offers of preferment or some large improvement of profits and pleasures we begin to drawback or at least we know not whether to chuse like a horse that would and yet would not leap a ditch And after a little conflict having halfe yeelded to forsake that with joy which cannot be kept but with danger we resolve thus The same God which hath made my crosses cheerefull can aswell make my prosperity conscionable Why then should I refuse so faire an offer but alas having made our obayce it is not long ere these pleasures and honours these â—icbes and abundance prove as thornes to choake the good seed of Gods word formerly sowâ—e in our hearts as it is Math. 13. 22. For prosperity to Religion is as the Ivy to the Oake it quickly eates out the heart of it yea as the Misselto and Ivy sucking by their straight embraces the very sap that onely giveth vigetation from the rootes of the Oake and Hawthorne will stourish when the Trees wither so in this case the corrâ—ption of the good is alwayes the generation of the evill and so on the contrary crosses in the estate diseases of the body malladies of the minde are the medsons of the soule the impayring of the one is the repayring of the other When no man would harbour that unthrift Son in the Gospell hee turned back againe to his Father but never before Lais of Corinth while she was young doated upon her glasse but when she grew old and withered shee loathed it as much which made her give it up to Venus When Satan is let loose upon us to shew us our sinnes and the danger wee are in then farewell profit farwell pleasure treasure and all rather than I will endure such a racke such a hell in my conscience Whereas if wee should onely heare of misery or reade what is threatned in the word though it might a little fright us it would never mend us Birdes are frighted at first with the husbandmans scar-crowes but after a while observing that they stir not are bold to sit upon them and defile them Thus as harmonious sounds are advanced by a silent darkenesse so are the glad tydings of salvation The Gospell never sounds so sweet as in the night of persecution or of our private affliction When Virtue came downe from heaven as the Poets faigne rich men spurned at her wicked men abhorred her Courtyors scoft at her Citizens hated her and being thrust out of doores in every place she came at last to her sisters poverty and affliction and of them found entertainment When it ceased to bee with Sarah after the manner of the world shee conceived Isaac so when it ceaseth to be with us after the manner of the worlds favorites we conceive holy desires quietnesse and tranquillity of minde with such like spirituall contentments Yea we make faith our onely option whereas before we kept open house for all vices as the States are said to keepe open house for all Religions or if not it fares with piety as with holy water every one praiseth it and thinkes it hath some rare vertue in it but offer to sprinkle them with the â—â—me they shut their eyes and turne away their faces and no marvell for wee never taste this manna from heaven untill we leave the leaven of this Aegypt Now better the body or estate perish than the soule though wee are too sensuall to consent unto it Plus pastor in vulnere gregis sui vulneratur The losse of a gracelesse childe cannot but greive the father though the father himselfe were in danger of mischiefe by that childe as David mourned for Absolom that would have cut his throat True prosperity is hearty meat but not digestible by a weake stomack strong wine but naught for a weake braine The prosperity of fooles destroyeth them Prov. 1. 32. So that all temporall blessings are as they hit but if the minde doe not answer they were better mist. The more any man hath the more cause he hath to pray Lord leade us not into temptation for wee cannot so heartily thinke of our home
above whiles we are furnished with these earthly contenâ—ments below but when God strips us of them straitwayes our minde is homewards Whiles Naomies husband and sonnes were alive wee finde no motion of her retiring home to Judah let her earthly stayes be removed she thinkes presently of removing to her Courstry a delicious life when every thing about us is resplendent and contentfull makes us that we have no minde to goe to Heaven wherefore as a loving mother when shee would weane her childe from the dug maketh it bitter with Wormewood or Aloes so dealeth the Lord with us he maketh this life bitter unto us by suffering our enemies to persecute and oppresse us to the end wee may contemne the world and transport our hopes from Earth to Heaven he makes us weepe in this Vale of misery that wee may the more eagerly long for that place of felicity where all teares shall bee wip't from our eyes Our wine saith Gregory hath some Gall put into it that wee should not be so delighted with the way as to forget whâ—ther wee are going And this is no small abatement to the bitternesse of adversities that they teach us the way to Heaven for the lesse comfort we finde on earth the more we seeke above and the more wee esteeme the best things and wee are very ungratefull if we do not thanke him for that which so overcomes us that it overcomes the love of the world in us Experience shewes that in Countries where be the greatest plenty of fruits they have the shortest lives they doe so surfet on their aboundance Sicily is so full of sweet flowers if we beleeve Diodorus Siculus that dogs cannot hunt there and it is questionable whether the injoying of outward things or the contemning of them be the greatest happinesse for to be deprived of them is but to be deprived of a Dye wherewith a man might either win or lose yea doth not a large portion of them many times prove to the Owner like a treacherout Dye indeed which flatters an improvident Gantester with his owâ—e hand to thrâ—w away his wealth to another Or to yeeld it the uttermost gold may make a man the richer not the better honour may make him the higher not the happier and all temporall delights are but as flowers they onely have their moneth and are gone this morning in the bosome the next in the Besome The consideration whereof made the very Heathen Philosophers hate this world though they saw not where to finde a better Yea it made Themistocles so undervalue transitory thingâ— in comparison of vertue that seeing rich Bracâ—lots of previous stones lie in his path he â—ad his friend take them up saying Thou art not Themistocles And indeed in â—s Heaven onely that hath a foundation Earth hath none God hath hanged it upon nothing and the things therein are very nothing Nothing feeds pride nor keepes off repentance so much as prosperous advantage T is a wonder to see a Favourite study for ought but additions to his Greatnesse God shall have much adoe to make him know himselfe The cloath that hath many staines must passe through many â—arders no lesse than an odious leaprosie will humble Naaman wherefore by it the onely wise God thought meet to sawcâ— the valour dignity renowne victories of that famous Generall of the Syrians If I could be so uncharitable as to wish an enemies soule lost this were the onely way let him live in the height of the worlds blandishments for how can he love a second Mistresse that never saw but one beauty and still continues deeply inamoured on it Why is the Lapwing made an Hieroglyphicke of infelicity but because it hath a little Corronet upon the head and yet feeds upon the worst of excrements The Peacock hath more painted Plumes yet is the Eagle accounted the Queene of Birdes because she flyeth neerest heâ—ven We often see nothing carries us so far from God as those favours he hath imported to us T is the misery of the poore to be neglected of men t is the misery of the rich to neglect their God The Bâ—dger being wounded with the prickles of the Hedghog his invited guest whom at first hee welcomed and entertained in his Cabbiâ— as an inward friend mannerly desiring him to depart in kindnesse as he came could receive no other answer then that hee for his owne part found himselfe very well at ease and they that were not had reason to seeke out another seat that might like them better It is but a fable yet the morrall is true perspicuous profitable Many shall one day repent that they were happy too soone Many a man cryes out O that I were so rich so healthfull so quiet so happy c. Alas though thou hadst thy wish for the present thou shouldst perhaps be a loser in the sequoll The Physitian doth not heare his Patient in what he would yet heareth him in taking occasion to doe another thing more conducible to his health God loves to give us cooles and heats in our desires and will so allay our joyes that their fruition hurt us not he knowes that as it is with the body touching meates the greater plenty the lesse dainty and too long forbearance causes a Surfet when wee come to full food So it fares with the minde touching worldly contentments therefore hee feeds us not with the dish but with the spoone and will have us neither cloyed nor famished In this life Mercy and misery griefe and Grace Good and bad are blended one with the other because if we should have nothing but comfort Earth would be thought Heaven besides if Christ-tide lasted all the yeare what would become of Lent If every day were Good-friday the world would be weary of Fâ—sting Secundus calls death a sleepe eternall the wicked mans feare the godly mans wish Where the conscience is cleare death is looked for without feare yea desired with delight accepted with devotion why it is but the cessation of trouble the extinction of sinne the deliverance from enemies a rescue from Satan the quiet rest of the body and infranchizement of the soule The woman great with childe is ever musing upon the time of her delivery and hath not hee the like cause when Death is his Bridge from woe to glory Though it bee the wicked mans shipwrack t is the good mans putting into harbour And hereupon finding himselfe hated persecuted afflicted and tormented by enemies of all sorts he can as willingly leave the world as others can forgoe the Court yea as willingly dye as dine yea no woman with childe did ever more exactly count her time No Jew did evermore earnestly wish for the Jubily No servant so desires the end of his yeares No stranger so longs to be at home as he expects the promise of Christs comming It is the strength of his hope the sweet object of his faith in the midst of all sorrowes the comfort of his heart the heart
delivered out of a lesser trouble we cannot trust God in a greater Resembling that peasant who would trust God upon the Land but not upon the Sea where should be but an inch-â—â—rd betweene him and death To heare a man in his best health and vigour to talke of his confidence in God and assurance of devine favour cannot be much worth but 〈◊〉 in extremities we can beleeve above hope against hope our hope is so much more noble as our difficulties are greater For Jayrâ—s to beleeve that his sick daughter should recover was no hard taske but Christ will scrue up his faith to beleeve she shall againe live though he see with his eyes she is fully dead When we are in heavy Agonies and feele a very hell in our conscience then to apprehend mercy when with Jonas in the Whales belly we can call upon God in faith and see one contrary in another in the very depth of Hell Heaven in the very midst of Anger Love When with the woman of Canaan Math. 15. we can pick comfort out of the reproachfull name of dogge and when nothing but warre appeares in Gods face then by faith to pearce through all the thicke cloudes and behold the sweet sun-shine of Gods favour and grace in Christ Heb. 11. 1. we are beleevers indeed And he saith Saint Bernard is to be reputed constant whose minde taketh fresh courage in the midst of extremities Like the Palme tree which groweth so much the higher and stronger and more fruitfull by how much the more weight it hath hanging upon it Not that the strongest faith is free from doubting for let a man looke downe from the top of the strongest steeple admit the Battlements bee brest high and he is sure he cannot fall yet a kinde of feare possesses him And well is it for us that our assuâ—â—nce is mixed with doubting Since the one makes us live as though there were no Gospell the other to dye as if there were no Law The Lyon seemes to leave her young ones till they have almost kil'd themselves with roaring and howling but at last gaspe shee relieves them whereby they become the more couragious When the Prophet could say Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee instantly followes and not till then the Lord heard me the Lord saw him sinking all the while yet lets him alone till he was at the bottome Every maine affliction is our Red-sea which whiles it threats to swallow preserves us now when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thankworthy Hope in a state hopelesse and love to God under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindednesse in the midst of worldly affaires and allurements drawing a contrary way is the chiefe praise of faith to love that God who crosseth us to kisse that hand which strikes us to trust in that power which kils us this is the honourable proofe of a Christian this argues faith indeed What made our Saviour say to that Woman of Canaan O Woman great is thy faith but this when neither his silence nor his flat denyall could silence her Math. 15. It is not enough to say God is good to Israel when Israel is in peace and prosperity and neither feeles nor wants any thing but God will have us beleeve that hee is good even when we feele the smart of the rod and at the same time see our enemies the wicked prosper It best pleaseth him when wee can say boldly with Job Though he kill me yet will I trust in him When our enemies are behind us and the Red Sea before us then confidently to trust upon God is much worth When we are in the barren wildernesse almost famished then to beleeve that God will provide Manna from Heaven and water out of the Rock is glorious when with the three Children wee see nothing before us but a fiery Furnace to beleeve that God will send his Augell to be our deliverer this is heroicall Dan. 3. 28. And those which are acquainted with the proceedings of God well know that cherishing ever followes stripes as Cordials doe vehement evacuations and the cleere â—ight of the morning a darke night yea if we can looke beyond the cloud of our afflictions and see the sun-shine of comfort on the other side of it wee cannot be so discouraged with the presence of evill as hartned with the issue Cheere up then thou drooping soule and trust in God what ever thy sufferings bee God is no tyrant to give thee more than thy loade and admit he stay long yet be thou fully assured he will come at length In thee doe I trust saith the Psalmist all the day He knew that if hee came not in the Morning he would come at Noone if hee came not at Noone he would come at Night At one 〈◊〉 of the day or other he will deliver mee and then as the Calme is greater after the Tempest than it was before so my joy shall bee sweeter afterwards than it was before The remembrance of Babylon will make us sing more joyfully in Syon If then I finde the Lords dealing with me to transcend my thoughts my faith shall bee above my reason and thinke he will worke good out of it though I yet conceive not how CHAP. XIV That it increaseth their joy and thankefulnesse 11. BEcause our manifold sufferings and Gods often delivering us doth increase our joy and thankefulnesse yea make after-blessings more sweet By this we have new Songs put into our mouthes and new occasions offered to praise the Author of our deliverance When the Lord brought againe the Captivity of Sion saith David in the person of Israel we were like them that dreame meaning the happinesse seemed too good to be true Then was our mouthes filled with laughter saith hee and our tongues with joy The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce Psal. 126. 1 2 3 4. And how could their case be otherwise when in that miserable exigent Exod. 14. they saw the Pillar remove behind them and the Sea remove before them they looking for nothing but death Is any one afflicted I may say unto him as that harbinger answered a Noble man complaining that he was lodged in so homely a Roome you will take pleasure in it when you are out of it For the more grievous our exigent the more glorious our advancement A desire accomplished delighteth the soule Prov. 13. 19. Wee reade how that lamentable and sad decree of Ahasuerus through the goodnesse of God was an occasion exceedingly to increase the Jewes joy and thankefulnesse insomuch that as the Text saith the dayes that were appointed for their death and ruine were turned into dayes of feasting and joy and wherein they sent presents every man to his neighbour and gifts to the poore Esther 9. 17. 22 to 28. And this joy and thankefulnesse was so lasting that the Jewes cease not to celebrate the same to this
day Gods dealing with us is often harsh in the beginning hard in the proceeding but the conclusion is alwayes comfortable The joy of Peter and the rest of the Church was greater after he was delivered out of Prison by the Angell Acts 12. And the joy of Judith and the rest of Bethulia when shee returned with Holefernes head then if they never had beene in distresse Judith 13. The Lord deprives us of good things for a time because they never appeare in their full beauty till they turne their backs and be going away Againe hee deserres his ayde on purpose to increase our desires before it comes and our joy and thankefulnesse when it is come to inflame our desires for things easily come by are little set by to increase our jâ—y for that which hath beene long detained is at last more sweetly obtained What thinke we did hee that was borne blind thinke when his Eyes were first given him how did he wonder at Heaven and Earth the strange and goodly varieties of all the Creatures and cheerefulnesse of the light every thing did not more please than astonish him Lastly our thankefulnesse for suddenly gotten suddenly forgotten hardly gotten hardly forgotten Philoxenus was wont to say it will tast sweeter if it cost me sweetly We love that dearely that cost us deare As mothers love their Children more tenderly than Fathers because they stood them in more Abrahams Childe at hundred yeares of age was more welcome than if he had been given at thirty And the same Isaac had not beene so precious to him if he had not beene as miraculously restored as given his recovery from death made him more acceptable The benefit that comes soone and with ease is easily contemned long and eager pursuite endeeres any favour The wise men rejoyced exceedingly to finde the Sâ—arre The Woman to finde her peece of silver The Virgin Mary to finde her and our JESUS CHRIST alwayes returnes with increase of joy Hee may absent himselfe for a time but he intends it onely as a preparative to make us rellish that sweet food the better he may keepe us fasting but it is on purpose that our tryall may be perfect our deliverance welcome our recompence glorious Yea the delivering of some increaseth the joy of others and causeth them to praise God for and rejoyce in their behalfe that are delivered Acts 12. 14. We never know the worth of a benefit so well as by the want of it want teacheth us the worth of things most truly Contraries are the best Commentaries upon each other and there mutuall opposition the best exposition O how â—eet a thing is peace to them that have beene long troubled with warres and tedious contentions The Thunder of the Cannon is the best Rhetoricke to commend it to us How sweet is liberty to one that hath beene long imm 〈…〉 ed within a case of wals A very Bird never chants it so merryly as when she is got loose into the open Ayâ—e having beene long encaged How deare a Jewell is health to him that tumbles in distempered bloud For then only we begin to prize it when we have lost it Let a man but fast a meale or two oh how sweete is browne bread though it would not downe before Yea when Darius in a flight had drunk puddle water polluted with dead Carkasses he confest never to have drunke any thing more pleasant the reason was he alwayes before used to drinke ere he was a thirst We are never so glad of our friends company as when he returnes after long absence or a tedious voyage The nights darkenes maketh the light of the Sunne more desireable and brings of it letters of recommendations A calme is best welcome after a tempest c. Yea what serves others sorrowes for but to encrease our joy and thankefulnes Thou hast eyes aske the blind whether that be not a blessing thou hast eares aske the deafe whether that be not a great blessing thou hast a tongue what thinkes the dumbe of that thou hast feet hands health liberty life reason c. is all this nothing Yea others bleed we sleepe others beg we abound others starve we surfet others groape in the darke our Sun still shines and shall not we rejoyce and be thankefull Blesse saith our Saviour when ye are cursed and shall not we blesse when thus blessed Yet wo is me we forfeit many of Gods favours for not paying that easie Rent of thankefulnesse like those Nine Luke 17. 12. to 19. we are more apt to pray then to give thankes because we are more sensible of our owne wants then of Gods glory Wee can open our mouthes when wee want any thing either to pray or at least to murmur and why should not our thankes-givings be as frequent as our blessings are The Leppers voyce was not more loud in his sute than in his thankes It were happy for us Christians if wee could but learne of this Samaritane And thus we see that Good things then appeare of most worth when they are knowne in their wants When we have lost those invaluable comforts which we cannot well be without the minde hath time to recount their severall worths and the worths of blessings appeare not untill they are vanisht No wonder then that our estates and conditions are so variable like the face of the Heavens or the Sea or like the weather about Michaelmas which is now faire and presently againe fowle or rather the hard winter which for one faire Sun-shine day hath oftentimes ten foule For God sees that it is very good for us for as seeds that are deepest covered with snow in Winter flourish most in the Spring or as the winde by beating down the flame rayseth it higher and hotter and as when we would have some Fires flame the more we sprinkle water upon them even so when the Lord would increase our joy and thankefulnesse he allayeth it with the teares of affliction misery sweetneth joy yea the sorrowes of this life shall likâ— a darke vayle give a lustre to the glory of the next when the Lord shall turne this water of our earthly afflictions into that wine of gladnesse wherewith our soules shall be satiate for ever Wee deceive our selves to thinke on earth continued joyes would please Plenty of the choycest dainties is no dainty When Pearles grew common at Rome they wore them on their shooes and they had much adoe to save themselves out of the durt as Tertullian speaks Nothing would bee more tedious then to bee glutted with perpetuall Jollyties were the body tyed to one dish alwayes though of the most exquisite delicate that it could make choyce of yet after a small time it would complain of loathing and saciety and so would the soule if it did ever epicure it selfe in joyes I know not which is the more usefull Joy I may chuse for pleasure but Adversities are the best for profit I should without them want much of the joy I
in body goods or good name for of necessity there must bee in that man that can patiently beare such a losse somewhat more than man I know there are some men or rather two legged Beasts that esteeme no more of Bookes and Notes than Esops Cocke did of the Pearle hee found and these accordingly will say this was nothing in comparison of what they suffer as when once a Hot-spur was perswaded to be patient as Job was he replyed What doe you tell me of Job Job never had any suits in Chauncery Yea indeed the meanest of Christs royall Band for patience puts down all the generations of naturall men as even their enemies will confesse Consalvus a Spanish Bishop and Inquisitor wondred how the Protestans had that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe so indelibly Printed in their hearts that no torture could blot it out and make them confesse and betray one another And indeed how should it be otherwise for First if Morall Principles cherished and strengthened by good education will inable the soule against vitious inclinations so that though some influence of the heavens doe worke upon the aire and the aire upon the spirits and the spirits upon the humors and these incline the temper and that inclines the soule of a man such and such wayes Yet breeding in the refineder sort of evill persons will much prevaile to draw them another way what may wee thinke of grace and faith and Gods spirit which are supernaturall Secondly every Christian suffering for Christs sake and for righteousnesse sake hath Gods mighty power to support him and Christ to suffer with him and beare a part in his misery whereas the naturall man suffers all himselfe as a delinquent or malefactor whose guilty conscience addes weight to his punishment A woman called Fâ—licitas whom Saint Austin much praiseth being brought to bed in the time of her imprisonment for the truth and by reason of the great paines shee had in her labour that she could not forbeare schreâ—ching one of the Officers hearing her cry out tauntingly mockt her thus Ah woman if thou canst not beare these sorrowes without such cryingâ— how wilt thou endure when thou shalt be burnt or cut in peeces or torne asunder What thou now sufferest is but sport but the Tragedy is to follow whom shee answered Now said shee I suffer for my selfe and for sinne but then Christ is to suffer in me and I for him And it fell out as she said for when she was thrown to the wild beasts she neither sent out screechings nor so much as a sigh or groane but entertained death with so merry and cheerfull a countenance as if she had beene invited to a Feast And thus you see in the first place that Nature hath but a slow foot to follow Religion close at the heeles that grace and faith transcends reason as much as reason doth sense that patience rightly so called is a Prerogative royall peculiar to the Saints It is well if Philosophy have so much wisedome as to stand amazed at it 2. That it is not true Christian patience except it flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the Holy Ghost 2 Be done in knowledge of and obedience to Gods command 3 That wee doe it in humility and sincere love to God 4 That it be done in faith 5 That wee ayme at Gods glory not our owne and the Churches good in our sufferings 6 That we â—orgive aswell as forbeare yea love pray for and returne good to our enemies for their evill which being so what hath the Swashbuckler to say for himselfe And what will become of him if he repent not who can afford no time to argue but to execute Yea what hath the more temperate worldling to say for himselfe who hath some small peece of reason for his guide arguing thus I would rather make shew of my passions than smoother them to my cost which being vented and exprest become more languishing and weake better it is to let its point worke outwardly than bend it against our selves and in reason Tallying of injuries is but justice To which I answer it is not reason especially â—arnall reason but Religion which all this while hath beene disputed of which is Divine and supernaturall and that teacheth how good must be returned for evill and that we should rather invite our enemy to doe us more wrong than not to suffer the former with patience as our Saviours words doe imply If saith hee they strike thee on the one cheeke turne to him the other also If they sue thee at the Law and take away thy Coate let him have thy Cloake also Mat. 5. 39 40. He speakes comparatively as if he should say rather suffer two wrongs than doe one Indeed the difficulty of the duty the seeming danger and want of Faith in carnall men weakneth the force of the strongest reasons for no more among Ruâ—â—ins but a word and a blow among civill men a word and a writ can you expect But as thrice Noble Nehemiah said to that false Belly-god betraying-Priest Shemaiah should such a man as I flee So the true Christian will encounter all discouragements and frightning Alarums thus should such a man as I feare to doe that which my Master King and Captaine Christ Jesus hath commanded me which is of more necessity than life it selfe Yea seeing Heathens could goe so farre as to subdue their passions for shame let so many of us as would be accounted Christians goe further even to the mortifying of ours or if we goe not before Publicans and Sinners in the Kingdome of grace Publicans and Sinners shall goe before us into the Kingdome of Heaven And seeing the duty of the Childe is the Fathers honour let us that are Christians bee knowne from Worldlings by our practice as once the Grecians were knowne from the Barbarians by their vertuous lives as Quintus Curtius notes Shall a wild Olive Tree growing upon the barren mo 〈…〉 s of Gilboa and nature where neither dew of the spirit nor rayne of grace faleth bare such fruit and shalt not thou a green Olive Tree in the house of God planted beside the waters of comfort bring forth this fruit of the spirit We see that civill honesty severed fâ—â—m trâ—e piety humility saving knowledge sincere love to God true obedience to his word justifying faith a zeale of Gods glory and desire to edifie and win others God accepts not as proceeding from the love of our selves and other carnall respects namely to obtaine praise or profit thereby So that to suffer as the Heathen did without observing other circumstances is but to imitate that foolish Patient who when the Physitian bade him take that prescript eate up the paper Wherefore doe not onely subdue thy passions but sayle with that contrary breath of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 12. We are reviled and we blesse and with that of Saint Steven who rowed both against winde and tyde
thou looke upon thy sufferings thou shalt finde them farre easier than thy sinnes have deserved nothing to what thy 〈◊〉 S 〈…〉 s and Christ thy elder brother hath suffered 〈◊〉 thee at a Lyonâ— den or a fiery fâ—rnace not to turne tailâ— were a commendation worthy a Crowne doe but compare thy owne estate with theirs and thou shalt find cause to be thankefull that thou arâ— above any rather than of envy or malice that any is above thee to domineere and insult over thee yea compare thine owne estate with thine enemies thou shalt see yet greater cause to be thankefull for if these temporary dolors which God afflicts his people with are so grievous to thâ—e how shall thine and Gods enemiâ—s though they suggest to themselves that God is all mercy as if hee wanted the other hand of his justice endure that devouring fire that everlâ—sting burning Isaiah 33. Vers. 14. Psalm 68. 21. Doth hee make bloody wayles on the backes of his Children and shall Bastards escape doth he deale thus with his Sonnes what will he doe with his Slaves cannot all the obedience of his beloved ones beare out one sin against God as we see in Moses David Zachary c. Where will they appeare that doe evill onely evill and that continually The meditation whereof may bee of some use to thee Thales being asked how adversity might best be borne answered by seeing our Enemies in worse estate than our selves CHAP. XXXIX That the more wee suffer here so it be for righteousnesse sake the greater our reward shall be hereafter FIfthly We shall beare the Crosse with more patience and comfort if with Moses wee shall have respect unto the recâ—mpence of reward which is promised to all that notwithstanding what they shall suffer persevere in well doing Great are our tryals but salvation in heaven will one day make amends when we shall have all teares wiped from our eyes when we shall cease to grieve cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sinne when God shall turne all the water of our teares into the wine of endlesse comfort Yea when our reward shall be so much the more joyous by how much more the course of our life hath been grievâ—us First see what promises are made to suffering Blessed are they which mourne sâ—ith our Saviour for they shall be comforted Maâ—th 5. 4. Blessed are they which suffâ—â— persecution for righteousnesse for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven Verse 10. They that suffer here for well doing shall be Crowned hereafter for well suffering Blessed shall you be when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake falsely Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven Vâ—rs 11. 12. And nothing we sâ—ffer here can be compared either with those woes we have deserved in Hell or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven When Marcus Marcellus who was the first that saw the backe of Hanniball in the field was asked how he durst enter into battaile with him he answered I am a Romane borne and a Sâ—uldier and by him I shall make my renowne everlasting How much more should the hope of life immortall which is the life of our lives mâ—â—tâ—â—l wheâ— our sortitude and encourage us in the Christian warfarâ— Yea it hath not onely beene common for men in a bravado to encounter death for a small flash of honour but you shall see a hired servant venter his life for his new master that will scarce pay him his wâ—ges at the yeares end And can wee suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him not Fields and Vineyaâ—ds as Saul pretended 1 Sam. 22. Nor Townes and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundreth fold more than we part withall in this life and eternall mansions in Heaven John 14. 2. And certainely nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever Yea if the love of gaine makes the Merchant refuse no adventures of Sea if the sweetnesse of Honey makes the Beares breake in upon the Hives contemning the stings Who would not get Heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever Buâ— to goe on Behold saith God it shall come to passe that the Devill shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation tenne dayes yet feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer For be but thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the crowne of life Revel 2. 10. And againe Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life James 1. 12. A Crowne without cares without rivals without envy without end Now if you consider it The gaine with hardnesse makes it farre lesse hard The danger 's great but so is the reward The sight of glory future mitigates the sence of misery present For if Jacob thought not his service tedious because his beloved Rachell was in his Eye what can be thought grievous to him that hath Heaven iâ— his eye Lastly not to enlarge my selfe as I might in promises of reward Whosoever shall forsake Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Fâ—â—her or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my names sake he shall receive an hundred fold more and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19. 29. This is a treasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives Wherefore eye not the streame thou wadest through but the firme Land thou tendest too And indeed who is there that shall heare these promises and compare the seed-time with the Harvest looke up from the root to the fâ—uit consider the recompence of the reward and will not choose raâ—her to suffer adversity with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 25. Who will not be willing to suffer with Christ that he may also raigne with him 2 Tim. 2 12. Who will not suffer these light afflictions which are but for a mâ—ment when they cause unto us a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory 2 Cor 4. 16 17. Was Lazarus for a time extreame miserable he is now in Abrahams bosome Yea blessed Lazarus thy soares and sorrowes soone ceased but thy joyes are everlasting Now me thinkes if thou but considerest that thy paine will shortly passe but thy joy shall never passe away it should prove a notable soveraigne Cordiall to strengthen thee not onely against reproaches which attend thy profession but even against fire and fagot Who would not be a Philpot for a moneth or a Lazarus for a day or a Stephen for an houre that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever It is true If in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men the most miserable as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 15. 19.
unto us and increase in us all spirituall graces inlighten our mindes with the knowledge of thy truth and inflame our hearts with the love of whatsoever is good that we may esteeme it our meate and drinke to doe thy blessed will Give us religious thoughts godly desires zealous affections holy endeavours assured perswasionâ— of â—aith stedfast waiting through hope constancy in suffering through patience and hearty rejoycing from love regenerate our mindes purify our natures turne all our joys into the joy of the Holy Ghost and all our peace into the peace of conscience and all our feares into the feare of sinne that we may love righteousnesse with as great good will as ever we loved wickednesse and goe before others in thankefulnesse towards thee as farre as thou goest in mercy towards us before them Give us victory in temptation patience in sicknesse contentment in poverty joy in distresse hope in troubles confidence in the houre of death give us alwayes to thinke and meditate of the houre of death the day of judgement the joyes of Heaven and the paines of Hell together with the ransome which thy Sonne paid to redeeme us from the one and to purchase for us the other so shall neither thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy word returne ineffectuall but accomplish that for which they were sent untill we be wholly renewed to the Image of thy Sonne And now O Lord séeing the time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because we can neither wake nor sléepe without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our soules and bodies beséeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve us from all our spirituall and bodily enemies from theeves fire and from all other dangers These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisedome to be needfull and necessary for our soules or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whoâ—â— Church better thâ—n we our selves can either aske or thinke and that for thy names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sonnes sake who suffered for sinne and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour so whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most duâ— all honour glory praise power might maiesty dominion and hearty thankes-giving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Prayer to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life We thy poore creatures acknowledge and confesse unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that of our selves we are not worthy to lift up our eyes to Heaven much lesse to present our selves before thy Majesty with the least confidence that thou shouldest heare our prayers or accept of our services but rather that thou shouldest take these our confessions and accordingly condemne us to the lowest place in Hell for our continually abusing thy mercy and those many meanes of grace which in thy long-suffering thou hast afforded for our reclayming We are the cursed séed of rebellious Parents we were conceived in sinne and borne the Children of wrath And whereas thou mightest have executed thy fierce displeasure upon us so soone as thou gavest us béeing and so prevented our further dishonouring thee we have instead of humbling our selves before thee our God and â—â—â—king reconciliation with thy Majesty none nothing from our infancy but added sinne unto sinne in breaking every one of thine holy Lawes which thou hast given us as rules and directions to walke by and to kéepe us from sinning Yea there is not one of thy righteous precepts which we have not broken more times and wayes then we can expresse so far have we béen from a privative holinesse in reforming that which is evill and a positive holinesse in performing that which is good which thou mayest justly require of us being we had once ability so to doe if we had not wilfully lost it for thou diddest forme us righteous and holy had not we deformed our selves whereas now like Satan we can doe nothing else but sinne and make others sinne too who would not so sinne but for us for we have an Army of uncleane desires that perpetually fight against our soules whereby we are continually tempted drawne away and enticed through our owne concupiscence Yea thou knowest that the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and that the imaginations thereof are onely and continually evill O the infinitely intricate windings and turnings of the darke Labyrinths of mans heart who findes not in himselfe an indisposition of minde to all good and an inclination to all evill And according to this our inclination hath béene our practice we have yéelded our hearts as cages to entertaine all manner of uncleane spirits when on the contrary we have refused to yéeld them as temples for thine holy Spirit to dwell in We have used all our wisedome to commit the foolishnesse of sinne our whole conversation hath béene to serve Satan and fulfill the lusts of the flesh We even sucke in iniquity like water and draw on sinne as it were with cart-ropes Neither is there any part power function or faculty either of our soules or bodies which is not become a ready instrument to dishonour thee for as our heart is a root of all corruption a seed-plot of all sinne so our eyes are eyes of vanity our eares eares of folly our mouthes mouthes of deceit our hands hands of iniquity and every part doth dishonour thee which yet would be glorified of thee The understanding which was given us to learne vertue is apt now to apprehend nothing but sinne the will which was given us to affect righteousnesse is apt now to love nothing but wickednesse the memory which was given us to remember good things is apt now to keepe nothing but evill things for sinne like a spreading leaprosie is so growne over us that from the crowne of our heads to the soale of our feet there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swellings and soares full of corruption Yea our soules and bodies are even a very sinke of sinne for like the common shoare we have not refused to welcome any the most loathsome pollutions that either the world our owne corruption or the Devill at any time hath offered unto us Or admit we are exempt from some evils wee may thanke thee and not our selves for it for we are ready without thy restrayning grace to run out into all manner of enormities whatsoever we are swift to all evill but to all good immoveable when we doe evill we doe it chearefully and quickly and easily
of Israel Judg. 3. 9 15. Elisha 2 Kings 6. 18. Hezekiah 2 Kings 19. 15 16. Stephen Acts 7. 59 60. And lastly in Jehosâ—phat who being told that there was a great multitude comming against him from beyond the Sea out of Aram it followes That Jehosaphat feared and set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah Yea they came out of all parts and joyned with him to enquire of the Lord 2 Chro. 20. 3 4 13. Neither doth it make us alone which suffer earnest in prayer but it makes others also labour in prayer to God for us 2 Cor. 1. 10 11. Acts 12. 5 12. As what true members participate not some way of the bodyes smart It is onely a Nero can sit and sing whiles Rome burnes whence we are taught to pray in the plurall number Our Father and certainely he cannot pray or be heard for himselfe that is no mans friend but his owne No prayer without faith no faith without Charity no Charity without mutuall intercession But I proceed Crosses are the files and whetstones that set an edge on our Devotions without which they grow dull and ineffectuall Ionah sleepes in the Shippe but prayes hard in the Whales belly Prayer is the wing of the soule wherewith it flyes to Heaven as meditation is the Eye wherewith wee see God But our hearts are like â—lintstones which must be smitten ere they will cast out these sparkes of devotion Christ never heard of the Canaanitish woman untill her daughter was miserably vexed with a Divell but then shee comes to him and doth not speake but cry need and desire have raised her voyce to an importunate clamour The God of mercy is light of hearing yet he loves a loud and vehement solicitation not to make himselfe inclinable to grant but to make us capable to receive blessings And indeed the very purpose of affliction is to make us importunate hee that heares the secret murmurs of our griefe yet will not seeme to heare us till our cryes be loud and strong as Demosthenes would not plead for his Client till he cryed to him but then answered his sorrow Now I feele thy cause Prayer is as an Arrow if it be drawne up but a little it goes not farre but if it be puld up to the head flyes strongly and pearses deep if it be but dribled forth of carelesse lips it falls downe at our feet the strength of our â—jâ—culation sends it up into heaven and fetches downe a blessing The Childe hath escaped many a stripe by his loud crying and the very unjust Judge cannot endure the widdowes clamour So unto servent prayer God will deny nothing Whereas heartlesse motions doe but teach us to deny Fervent sutes offer violence both to earth and heaven so that if we aske and misse it is because we aske amisse wee beat back the flame not with a purpose to suppresse it but to raise it higher and to diffuse it We stop the streame that it may swell the more and a deniall doth but invite the importunate as wee see in the Canaanitish woman Mat. 15. Our holy longings are increased with delayes it whets our appetite to bee held fasting and whom will not Need make both humble and eloquent If the case be woefull it will bee exprest accordingly the despaire of all other helpes sends us importunately to the God of power but while money can buy Physicke or friends procure inlargement the great Physitian and helper is not sought unto nor throughly trusted in It is written of the children of Israel that so soone as they cryed unto the Lord hee delivered them from their servitude under Eglon King of Moab yet it is plaine they were eighteene yeares under this bondage undelivered Judg. 3. 14 15. Doubtlesse they were not so unsensible of their owne misery as not to complaine sooner then the end of eighteene yeares the first houre they sighed for themselves but now they cried unto God They are words and not prayers which fall from carelesse lips if we would prevaile with God we must wrestle and if we would wrestle happily with God we must wrestle first with our owne dulnesse yea if wee felt our want or wanted not desire wee could speake to God in no tune but cries and nothing but cries can peirce Heaven the best mens zeale is but like a fire of greene wood which burneth no longer than whiles it is blowne Affliction to the soule is as plummets to a Clock or winde to a Ship holy and faithfull prayer as oares to a Boat and ill goeth the Boat without oares or the Ship without winde or the Clock without plummets Now are some afflicted in reputation as Susanna was others in children as Elie some by enemies as David others by friends as Joseph some in body as Lazarus others in goods as Job others in liberty as John In all extremities let us send this messenger to Christ for ease faithfull and servent prayer if this can but carry the burthen to him he will carry it for us and from us for ever Neither can we want incouragement to aske when as the sicke of the palsie but asked health and obtained also forgivenesse of sinnes When Solomon but desired wisedome and the Lord gave him wisedome and honour and abundance of wealth When Jacob asked but meat and cloathing and God made him a great rich man When Zacheus desired onely to â—â—ave a sight of Christ and was so happy as to entertaine him into his hâ—use into his heart yea to be entertained into Christs kingdome We doe not yea in many cases we dare not aske so much as God is pleased to give Neither dost thou O Saviour measure thy gifts by our petitions but by our wants and thine owne mercies True if the all-wise God shall fore-see that thou wouldest serve him as the prodigall sonne served his father who prayed but till he had got his patrimony and then fâ—rsooke him and spent the same in Ryot to the givers dishonour as too many use 〈◊〉 the Ocean of Gods bounty as we doe the Thames it brings us in all manner of provision cloathes to cover us fuell to warme us foode to nourish us wine to cheâ—re us gold to enrich us and wee in recompence soyle it with our rubbish filth common shores and such like excretions even as the Cloud that 's lifted up and advanced by the Sunne obscures the Sun In this case he will either deny thee in mercy as hee did Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. and our Saviour himselfe Math. 26. 39. or graunt thee thy requests in wroth as he did a King to the Israelites and Quayles wherewith hee fed their bodyes but withall sending leannesse into their soules Psal. 106. 15. And well doth that Childe deserve to be so served who will lay out the money given him by his father to buy poyson or weapons to murther him with Wherefore let thy prayers not onely be fervent but frequent for thy
suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him 2 Sam. 16. 11. Againe secondly if wee make this use of our sufferings what more pretious than the reproaches of an enemy for thereby we shall sooner and more plainly heare of our faults than by a friend although neither in a good manner nor to a good end Wee have great need quoth Diogenes of faithfull friends or sharpe enemies Every one hath use of a Monitor but friends in this kind are so rare that no wise man would willingly forgoe his enemâ— at any rate Wherefore saitâ— one he shall be no friend to me that is a friend to my faults and I am no friend to my selfe if I thinke him my enemy that tells me of them CHAP. XXI They are patient because their sufferings are counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings 5. HE beareth the crosse patiently because it is counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings Satan and the world may take many things from us as they did from Job viz. health wealth outward peace friends liberty credit c. but they can never take God from us who gives all and at the same time supplyes the want of these with comforts farre surpassing and transcending them And therefore in the midst of misery we say with Joh blessed be the name of the Lord. Quest. But with what comforts doth the Lord supply our losses Answer The assurance of the pardon of sinne alone is able to clear all stormes of the minde it teacheth misery as sicknesse poverty famine imprisonment infamy c. to laugh not by reason of some imaginary â—picycles but by naturall and palpable reasons Yea let death happen it matters not When a Malefactor hath sâ—ed out his pardon let the Assizes come when they will the sooner the better But to this is added the peace of conscience the marrow of all comforts otherwise called the peace of God which passeth all understanding and surpasseth all commending and never did man finde pleasure upon earth like the sweet testimony of an appeased conscience reconciled unto God clensed by the bloud of the Lambe and quieted by the presence of the Holy Ghost Yea hadst thou who most dotest upon the world but these comforts thou wouldest not change them for all that Satan once offered to our Saviour and is now accepted by many O good life saith an Ancient Father what a Joy art thou in time of distresse And another Sweet is the felicity of that man whose workes are just and whose desires are innocent though hee be in Phaleris Bull. For these are priviledges which make Paul happier in his chaine of Iron than Agrippa in his chaine of Gold and Peter more merry under stripes then Caiphas upon the Judgement-seat and Steven the like For though hee was under his persecutors for outward condition yet he was farre above them for inward consolation Neither had wealthy Cressus so much riches in his coffers as poore Job had in his conscience Yea how can he be miserable that hath Christ and all his merits made sure to him that hath his name written in Heaven yea that is already in Heaven for where our desires are there our selves are And the heavenly minded live not so much where they live as where they love that is to say in Christ surely his soule must bee brim full of brave thoughts that is able to refresh himselfe with this Meditation God is my Father the Church my Mother Christ the Judge my elder Brother and Advocate the Holy Ghost my Comforter the Angels mine attendance all the Creatures mine for use the stock of the Churches Prayers mine for benefit the world mine Inne Heaven my home God is alwayes with mee before mee within mee overseeing me I talke with him in Prayer he with me in his word c. Sure if these be the accustomed meales of a good soule it cannot chuse but keep naturall heat from decaying and make it happy But behold yet a greater priviledge These comforts doe not onely support and refresh us and so supply our losses in common calamities but even in the midst of â—ortures and torments which otherwise were intollerable The naturall mans stomack cannot of all enemies indure hunger yea a prison where hee must alwayes lie under hatches makes him all amort but worthy Hawkes could clap his hands for joy in the midst of the flames and another that I reade of say my good friends I now finde it true indeed he that leaveth all to follow Christ shall have in this world centuplum a hundred fold more I have it in that centuplum peace of conscience with me at parting And Anaxarchus being laid along in a Trough of stone and smitten with Iron sledges by the appointment of Nicocreon the Tyrant of Cyprus ceased not to cry out strike smite and beate it is not Anaxarchus but his vayle you martyr so And a childe in Josephus being all rent to death with biting snippers at the commandment of Antiochus could cry with a loud assured and undaunted voyce Tyrant thou losâ—st time loe I am still at mine ease what is that smarting paine where are those torments which whilome thou didst so threaten me withall my constancy more troubles thee than thy cruelty me And how many more of those Martyrs in Queene Maryes Raigne were even ravished before they could be permitted to dye so great and so passing all expressing is the peace and comfort of a good conscience Now as the Priâ—sts of Mercury when they eate their sigges and honey cryed out O how sweet is Truth so if the worst of a Beleevers life in this world be so sweet how sweet shall his life be in Heaven but I le hold you no longer in this A man that hath his sinnes pardoned is never compleatly miserable till conscience againe turnes his enemy whereas on the contrary take the most happy worldling that ever was if hee have not his sinnes pardoned he is compleatly wretched though he sees it not suppose him Emperour of the whole world as Adam when he was in Paradise and Lord of all what did it avayle him so long as hee had a tormenter within a selfe-condemning conscience which told him that God was his enemy and knew no other then that hell should be his everlasting portion certainly this like a dampe could not chuse but put out all the lights of his pleasure so that Paradise it selfe was not Paradise to him which is the case of all wicked men be they never so great never so seemingly happy True wicked men thinke the godly lesse merry and more miserable than themselves yea some that mirth and mischiefe are onely sworne brothers but this is a foundation lesse opinion For first no man is miserable because another so thinkes him Secondly Gods word teacheth and a good conscience findeth that no man can be so joyfull as the faithfull Indeed carnall men laugh more but that laughter is onely the
hypocrisie of mirth they rejoyce in the face onely and not in the heart as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Cor. 5. 12. or as another hath it Where O God there wants thy grace Mirth is onely in the face Yea their owne consciences bare mee witnesse as that Spanish Judge well considered who when a murther was committed in a tumultuous crowde of people bared all their bosâ—mes and feeling upon their brestâ— discovered the guilty Author by the panting of his heart And Tully who makes it an argument of Roscius Amerinus Innocency that he killed not his Father because hee so secuâ—ely slept Yea as in prophane joy even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull so in godly sorrow even in weeping the heart is light and cheerefull The teares of those that pray are sweeter than the joyes of the Theater saith Saint Augustin For our cheeks may runne downe with teares and yet our mouthes sing forth prayses the face may be pale yet the heart may be quiet and cheerefull so Saint Paul as sorrowing and yet alwayes rejoycing 2 Cor. 6. 10. Neither can it be solid comfort except it hath his issue from a good conscience Indeed we therefore are not merry enough because we are not Christians enough Now if all our sufferings are thus counterpoysed and exceeded with blessings have we any cause to be angry and impatient What saith Job Shall we receive good at the hands of God and not evill Hee was content to eate the crust with the c 〈…〉 mme Indeed his wife like the wicked would onely have faire weather all peacâ— and plenty no touch of trouble but it is not so with the godly who have learnt better things Who will not suffer a few stripes from a Father by whom he receiveth so much good even all that he hath Diogenes would have no nay but Antisthenes must entertaine him his Scholler insomuch that Aptisthenes to have him gone was fore'r to cudgell him yet all would not doe he stirres not but takes the blâ—wes very patiently saying Vse mee how you will so I may be your Scholler and heare your dayly discourses I care not Much more may a Christian say unto God Let me in joy the sweet frâ—ition of thy presence speake thou peace unto my conscience and say unto my soule I am thy salvation and then afflict me how thou pleasest I am content yea very willing to beare it Yea if we well consider the commodity it brings wee shall rather wish for affliction than be displeased when it comes Col. 1. 24. For it even bringeth with it the company of God himselfe I will bee with you in tribulation saith God to the disconsolate soule Psal. 91. 15. When Sidrack Mishack and Abednego were cast into the siery fornace there was presently a fourth came to bear them company and that was God himselfe Dan. 3. 23 to 27. And his presence makes any condition comfortable were a man even in Hell it selfe yea as when S. Paul was wrapt up to the third heaven he was so ravished wiâ—h the joy therâ—of that he knâ—w not whether he had his body about him or not 2 Cor 12. 2. Whetâ—er in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth So Gods presence so ravisheth the soule that while a man suffers the greatest paine hee knowes not whether he be in paine or no. Yea God is not onâ—ly 〈◊〉 then to comfort them in all their tribulations 2 â—â—r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in them for at the same â—ime when the Diâ—câ—plâ—â— were persecuted they are said to be filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost Acts 13. 52. And 〈◊〉 â—ur sufferings in Châ—ist doe abound so our consolation also aboundâ—th through Christ 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 5 And lasâ—ly b◠〈◊〉 comsort us according to the dayes we are affâ—ctâ—d â—nd according to the yeares we have seene evill Psâ—l 90 15. So that a Christian gaines more by his â—oâ—â—es 〈◊〉 crosses then the happyest worldling by â—ll 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 nities as it was said of Demostheâ—â—s thaâ—â—ee got more by holding his peace than oâ—â—er Lawyers did by their pleading And if so our sufferings require patience with thankfulnesse as it fared with Job Ob. But what ever others find thy sufferings are not thus counterpoysed and sweetned An. What 's the reason get but the light of grace to shine in thy heart thy prison shall be an heaven thy Keepers Angels thy Chaines thy glory and thy deliveranâ—e Salvation grow but heavenly minded and thou shalt be able to extract gaine out of losse peace out of trouble strength out of infi mity out of Teares joy out of sinne holinesse â—ut of persecution profit out of affliction comfort For godlinesse in every sicknesse is a Physitian in every contention an Advocate in every doubt a Schâ—oleman in all heavinesse a Preacher and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes making the whole life as it were a perpetuall hâ—lâ—lujaâ— Besides we looke for a Crowne of glory even that most excellent and eternall weight of glory to succeed this wreath of Thornes but if we are never tryed in the field never set foot to runne the race of patience how can wee looke for a Garland Ten repulses did the Israelites suffer before they could get out of Aegypt and twice ten more before they could get possession of the promised Land of Canaan And as many did David indure before he was invested in the promised Kingdome many lets came before the Temple was re-edified All men would come to Heaven but they doe not like the way they like well of Aâ—rahams bosome but not of Dâ—ves doore But God seeth it fit for us to taste of that Cup of which his Sonne dranke so deepe that we should feele a little what sinne is and what his love was that we may learne patience in adversity as well as thankâ—fulnesse in prosperity while one sâ—ale is not alwayes in depression nor the other lifted ever high while none is so miserable but hee shall heare of another that would change calamities with him CHAP. XXII That they are patient because patience brings a reward with it 6. BEcause patience in suffering brings a reward with it in reason a man would forgive his enemy even for his owne sake were there no other motive to perswade him for to let passe many things of no small moment as that if we forgive not we can doe no part of Gods worship that is pleasing to him for we cannot pray aright 1 Tim. 2. 8. Wee cannot communicate in the Sacrament but we make our selves guilty of Christs blood 1 Cor. 11. 27. Mat. 5 24. Wee cannot be good hearers of the Word James 1. 21. and that it maketh a man captive to Satan Ephes. 4. 26 27 and many the like If ye forgive men their trespasses saith our Saviour your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Mat. 6. 14. 15. So he that will not
be in charity shall never bee in Heaven And why should I doe my selfe a shrewd turne because another would Yea we desire pardon as we give pardon and we would be loath to have our owne lips condemne us When wee pray to God to forgive us our trespasses as wee also forgive them that trespasse against us and doe not resolve to forgive our brethren wee doe in effect say Lord condemne us for we will be condemned whereas he that doth good to his enemy even in that act doth better to himselfe It is a singular sacrifice to God and well pleasing to him to doe good against evill and to succour our very enemy in his necessity But we may perchance heape coales of fire upon the others head Rom. 12. 20 though we must not doe it with an intent to make his reckoning more but our reckoning lesse Againe Blessed is the man saith Saint James that indureth temptation viz. with patience for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crowne of life James 1. 12. And this made Moses not onely patient in his sufferings but joyfull esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt For saith the Text he had respect unto the recompence of the reward Heb. 11. 26. And well it might for whereas the highest degree of suffering is not worthy of the least and lowest degree of this glory Rom. 8. 18. Saint Paul witnesseth that our light affliction which is but for a moment if it be borne with patience causeth unto us a farre most excellent and eternall weight of glory while we looke not on the things that are seene but on the things which are not seene 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. Where note the incomparablenesse and infinite difference between the work and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentany afflictionâ— eternall glory answerable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and dye in a moment but their insufferable punishment is interminable and endlesse their pleasure is short their paine everlasting our paine is short our joy eternall What will not men undergoe so their pay may be answerable The old experienced Souldier feares not the raine and stormes above him nor the numbers falling before him nor the troopes of enemies against him nor the shot of thundring Ordnance about him but lookes to the honourable reward promised him When Philip asked Democritus if hee did not feare to lose his head hee answered No for quoth hee If I dye the Athenians will give mee a life immortall meaning he should be statuted in the treasury of eternall fame if the immortallity as they thought of their names was such a strong reason to perswade them to patience and all kind of worthinesse what should the immortallity of the soule be to us Alas vertue were a poore thing if fame onely should be all the Garland that did crowne her but the Christian knowes that if every paine he suffers were a death and every crosse an hell he shall have amends enough Why said Ambrose on his death bed we are happy in this we serve a good Master that will not suffer us to be losers Which made the Martyrs such Lambes in suffering that their persecutors were more weary with striking than they with suffering And many of them as willing to dye as dine No matter quoth one of them what I suffer on earth so I may be crowned in Heaven I care not quoth another what becommeth of this fraile Barke my flesh so I have the passenger my soule safely conducted And another If at night thou grant me Lazarus boone Let Dives dogs like all my sores at noone And a valiant Souldier going about a Christian atchievement my comfort is though I lose my life for Christs sake yet I shall not lose my labour yea I cannot endure enough to come to Heaven Lastly Ignatius going to his Martyrdome was so strongly ravished with the Joyes of Heaven that hee burst out into these words nay come fire come beasts come breaking of all my bones rackings of my body come all the torments of the Devill together upon me come what can come in the whole earth or in hell so I may enjoy Jesus Christ in the end They were content to smart so they might gaine and it was not long but light which was exacted of them in respect of what was expected by them and promised to them 2 Cor. 4. 17. Neither did they thinke that God is bound to reward them any way for their sufferings no if he accepts me when I have given my body to bee burned saith the beleever I may account it a mercy Thus hope refresheth a Christian as much as misery depresseth him it makes him defie all that menâ—o â—o devils can doe saying take away my goods my good name my friends my liberty my life and what else thou canst imagine yet I am well enough so long as thou canst not take away the reward of all which is an hundred fold more even in this world and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10. 29 30 as when a Courtyer gave it out that Queene Mary being displeased with the Citie threatned to divert both Terme and Parliament to Oxford an Alderman askt whither shee meant to turne the Channell of the Thames thither or no if not saith he by Gods grace wee shall doe well enough For what are the things our enemies can take from us in comparison of Christ the Ocean of our comfort and Heaven the place of our rest where is joy without heavinesse or interruption peace without perturbation blessednesse without misery light without darkenesse health without sickenesse beauty without blemish abundance without want ease without labour satiety without loathing liberty without restraint security without feare glory without ignominy knowledge without ignorance eyes without teares hearts without sorrow soules without sinne where shall be no evill present or good absent for we shall have what we can desire and we shall desire nothing but what is good In fine that I may darkelyshaddow it out sith the lively representation of it is meerely impossible this life everlasting is the perfection of all good things for fulnesse is the perfection of measure and everlastingnes the perfection of time and infinitenes the perfection of number and immutability the perfection of state and immensity the perfection of place and immortality the perfection of life and God the perfection of all who shall bee all in all to us meate to our taste beauty to our eyes perfumes to our smell musicke to our eares and what shall I say more but as the Psalmist saith Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God but alas such is mans parvitie that he is as far from comprehending it as his armes be from compassing it Heaven shall receive us we cannot conceive Heaven Doe you aske what Heaven is saith one when I meet you there I will tell you for could this care
winde-mills would not turne about to doe any good service but for the winde of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shoes Wee read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the dezart they could not hold out untill noone but their bellyes would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which onely crownes good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11. 6. the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruites of a lively faith they spring from Ignorance and Iâ— fidelity as hearbes may doe from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10. 14. And it were well if all that are meere civill and morall men would looke to the Rock where-out their workes are hewen and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further then it is the worke of his spirit but the spirit is nowhere but in the sonnes of God Galat. 4. 6. and no sonnes but by faith in Christ Gal. 3. 26. So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the huske without the corne the carkasse without the soule which the Lord abhorres as the sacrifice of Fooles Isay 66. 3. Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The summe of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustaine and abstaine and a wicked man may restraine evill as doe the godly but here is the difference the one keepes in corruption the other kils corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbeare the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and returne good for evill And if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them which love you saith our Saviour what thankes shall you have for even the sinners doe the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which heare Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5. 44. Luke 6. 27. 32 33. shewing that if wee will ever hope for good our selves wee must returne good for evill unto others In which words you may note a tripple injunctioâ— one to the heart the treasury of love another to the tonguâ— loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or A 〈…〉 oner Wherein our Saviour seemes to set man like a Clock whose master wheele must not onely goe right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the â—and also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheele within he saith to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the Bell above hee saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand doe good to them that hurt you Now well may naturaâ—l men sayle with the winde of their naturall passions and corrupt affections in rendering evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pylot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Marâ—iners Acts 27. to sayle with a contrary winde and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazareth Rowe through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Peter 3. 9. And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himselfe adding example to precept for his word and his worke like mercy and truth met together his precept and his practâ—se like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devillish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the worke of their salvation when they shed his bloud to quench their malice hee sweat water and bloud to wash their soules Yea when the Jewes were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were in t 〈…〉 able incomparable unconceiveable solliciteth God for their pardon Luke 23. 34. Now his prayer could not but be efficatious and a pardon for such murthâ—rers was no meane good turne And this likewise is the practise of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man S. Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled downe and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7. 60. Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himselfe but kneeled when he prayed for hiâ— enemies herby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is onely the part of a Saint be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luke 6. 36. It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde how often did Moses returne good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding hee so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life And the like I might shew in that man of God to Jeroâ—oam and they that went to Heaven by the bloudy way of Martyrdome who prayed for others even their persecutors and murtherers an easier passage to Heaven Yea Gods people account it a sinne to cease praying for their worst enemies 1 Sam. 12. 23. But what doe I tell them of these transcendent examples when I never yet heard or read of that Philosopher which could parallel Doctor Cooper Bishop of Lincolne in an act of patient suffering who when his wife had burnt all his Notes which he had beene eight yeares a gathering least hee should kill himselfe with overmuch study for she had much adoe to get him to his meales shewed not the least token of passion but onely replyed Indeed wife it was not well done so falling to worke againe was eight yeares more in gathering the same Notes wherewith he composed his Dictionary which example I confesse more admires me than any that ever I heard of from a man not extraordinarily and immediately inspired and assisted by the Holy Ghost and sure he that could indure this could indure any thing whether
Moone in the valley of Ajalon lack they yet a Land to inhabite the Lord will cast out all the Inhabitants and give them a Land which flowes with milke and honey c. Afflictions have this advantage that they occasion God to shew that mercy to us whereof the prosperous are uncapable as we further see in Hagar Gen. 21. 17. 18. 19. And Manoahâ— Wife Judges 13. 3. To whom the Angel of the â—oâ—enant had not beene sent if they had not beene in distresse It would not become a mother to be so indulgent to an healthfull childe as to a sicke and indeed some have found their outward castigations so sweetned with the inward consolations of Gods Spirit that they have found and confessed their receipts of joy and comfort to be an hundred-fold more than their payments even in this present life according to that promise of our Saviour Marke 10. 29 30. So that a Christian is still a gainer in all his losses yea he gaines by his losses Now if we could but remember and lay to heart these promises thus backt with examples when we feele the greatest assaults or pangs how could we want courage But alas most of us are like the Prophets servant 2 Kings 6. who saw his foes but not his friends wee are like Josephs brethren who saw him converst with him were fed by him yet knew him not Like Peter who when the Angell brought him out of prison and went before him wist not that it was so but thought he saw a vision Acts 12. 9. Christ at his Resurrection was so changed that his owne Disciples knew him not much more since his Ascension may he passe by us as he did by Job Chap. 9. 11. or meet us as he did Saul in the way to Damaseus or walke and talke with us as he did with the two Disciples in the way to Emaus Luke 24. 16. or stand by us while we are seeking him as he did by Mary in the Garden John 20. 14. and yet wee be ignorant that it is hee Yea hee may be in us by his spirit even whiles wee feele him not Jacob saw him both asleepe and awake yet saith he the Lord was in this place and I was not aware of it Gen. 28. 16. at least we are apt to think that God is removed from us when we any way suffer calamity as the Israelites doe but want water and presently they cry Is the Lord among us or no Exod. 17. 7 as if God could not be with them and they aâ—hirst either he must humour carnall mindes or be distrusted 〈◊〉 both his presence and love is the same in adversity as it is in prosperity our sence onely makes the difference even as a Church Castle or Towne is unmoveable and keepeth one place though to us it may s 〈…〉 e sometime on our right hand otherwhile on our left as we change our standing sitting or walking Yet if some unusuall crosses disturbe our peace presently there breakes out a voyce mixt with murmuring and dispaire God hath forsaken us It was a common complaint with David The Lord both forsaken us those hast cast off and abhorred us why hast thou forsaken me c. Yea the onely Sonne of God came to this my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet consider did God forsake either of them hee might bee angry with David more angry with Christ for the sinnes of all the world and in their present sence that anger might worke in them an apprehension of his forsaking them but he did not forsake them nor will he forsake thee if thou dost not first forsake him Thou mayst thinke so but God will not doe so but in the meane time how can this be well taken wee see our wretchednesse we doe not see our blessednesse No talke of his presence of his absence we complaine Our cowardly spirits give him for quite gone yet hee is not farre from every one of us Acts 17. 27. Yea this confession could Seneca make but like a Divine God is neare unto thee hee is with thee hee is within thee and surely if hee had not beene with these Israelites they had not lived if he had beene in them they had not murmured We can thinke him absent in our want and cannot see him absent in our sinne yet wickednesse not affliction argues him gone yea hee is then most present when he most chastiseth for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolations abound through Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. Againe God may be present with us and yet wee not be pleased as the Israeliteâ— repined for a King when the Lord was their King or Christ may bee with us and yet we want something that wee desire Christ was in the Ship and yet say the Apostles we hâ—ve no breâ—d Jesus was at the Marriage yet saith his Mother They have no Wine John 2. 3. Wee may want Bread and Wine and yet have Christs company but if food faile it is because Manna is to come if Wine be absent yet grace and salvation is present if God take away flesh and gives Manna deny Sun and Mâ—one and give us himselfe hee doth us no wrong Now why doth God by his promise tye himselfe to be present with us more especially in affliction but that hee may resist our enemies sustaine us when wee faint and Crowne us when we overcome but that he may be exact in taking notice of our particular sufferings and as David saith Count our wanderings put our teares into his bottle and enter all into his Register Psal. 56. 8. 9. All our afflictions are more noted by that God that sends them than of the patient that suffers them every pang and stitch and guird is first felt of him that sends it could wee be miserable unseene we had reason to be heâ—rtlesse but how can it bee but lesse possible to indure any thing that hee knowes not than that he inflicteth not As he said to Manoah by an Angell Thou art barren Judg. 13. 3. so he saith to one thou art sicke to another thou art poore to a third thou art defamed thou art oppressed to another that all-seeing eye takes notice from Heaven of every mans condition no lesse than if hee should send an Angell to tell us he knew it and his knowledge compared with his mercy is the just comfort of all our sufferings O God we are many times miserable and feele it not thou knowest even those sorrowes which we might have thou knowest what thou hast done doe what thou pleasest CHAP. XXXVI That all afflictions from the least to the greatest doe come to passe not by accident chance or fortune but by the especiall providence of God Section 1. 2. WE shall beare the crosse with more patience and comfort If we consider that all afflictions from the least to the greatest doe come to passe not by accident chance or fortune but by the speciall providence of God who not only decreeth
in adversis alia esse non debent quà m patientia precatio saith Salmeren Yea Prayer is so powerfull that it commandeth all things in Heaven and Earth It commandeth all the foure Elements Ayre Iames 5. 17 18. Fire Ecclesiasticus 48. 3. Dan. 3. 27. Water Exod. 14. 21. 15. 25. Earth Numbers 16. 31 32 33. Nay the Prayer of one devout man is able to conquer an host of enemies in battell Exodus 17. 11. What shall I say it hath made the Sun stand still in the Firmament one while goe backe another setcht fire and haylestones from Heaven throwne downe the walls of Iericho subdued Kingdomes stopt the mouths of Lyons quencht the violence of Fire c. Yea Prayer is so potent that it raiseth the dead 1 Kings 17. 21. overcometh Angels Gen. 19. 23. casteth out Devils Matth. 17. 21. and that which is yet more wonderfull overcometh him that cannot be overcome and mastereth even God himselfe for doth not the Lord say to Moses let me alone and Moses would not let him alone till he had obtained his petition Exod. 32. 10. 14. And againe to Jacob wrestling with him let me goe and Jacob would not let him goe untill he had prevayled Gen. 32. 16. Wherefore Pray upon all occasions and that without doubting say not to God as the Leaper said to Christ If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane for hee both can and will as that very text Matth. 8. 2 3. proves Yea I would to God we were but so willing as he is for he desires to be desired Neither hath he his owne will except we have ours Christ doth aske no more of us but only that we would vouchsafe to aske him True the fainting heart that hath waited some time may with the Psalmist mutter out some such speech as this Hath God forgotten to bee gracious Psal. 77. 9. But if he forgets any of his he hath lost his old wont for who can nominate one that ever came unto Christ with any lawfull sute that received a repulse Who ever asked any thing of him which was profitable for him to receive and did not obtaine his sute Did not the sicke ever receive their health the lame their limbes the blinde their sight Did ever any sinner implore the forgivenesse of his sinnes which did not receive full remission and pardon Yea did not this our gracious King and Redeemer prevent his poore miserable subjects with his grace in giving before they had the grace to aske or more then they desired The sicke of the Palsie asking but cure of his disease received not onely that but the remission of his sinnes also Matth. 9. Zacheus desired but to see his face he became his guest and gave him salvation to boâ—â—e Luke 19. The Woman of Samaria requested but elementall and common water hee offered unto her the water of life John 4. The people followed him to be fed by miracle with corporall food hee offered unto them the bread of life John 6. The poore blinde man desired but his bodily sight Christ illuminated the eyes of his soule John 9. Neither hath honours changed manners with him as is usuall amongst men for he is a God immutable in goodnesse and without change or shaddow of turning James 1 17. so that if thou speake he will heare and answer thy sute in supporting thee so that thou shalt be sure to persevere and hold out unto the end Section 11. Objection But I have no evidence of divine assistance nor can I pray for it to purpose Answer We have the presence of Gods Spirit and grace many times and feele it not yea when we complaine for want of it as Pilate asked Christ what was the truth when the Truth stood before him The stomack findes the best digestion even in sleep when we least perceive it and whiles we are most awake this power worketh in us either to further strength or disease without our knowledge of what is done within and on the other side that man is most dangerously sick in whom nature decayes without his feeling without his complaint To know our selves happy is good but woe were to us Christians if wee could not be happy and know it not As touching Prayer every one is not so happy as Steven was to be most servent when they are most in paine yea many in time of sicknesse by reason of the extremity of paine can hardly pray at all whence Saint James wisheth us in affliction to pray our selves but in case of sicknesse to send for the Elders that they may as those in the Gospell offer up the sicke person to God in their prayers being unable to present their owne case Iames 5. Vers. 13 14 15. Yea it were miserable for the best Christian if all his former Prayers and Meditations did not serve to ayde him in his last straights and meet together in the Center of his extremity yeelding though not sensible reliefe yet secret benefit to the soule whereas the worldly man in this case having not layed up for this houre hath no comfort from God or from others or from himselfe Besides thou art happy in this there is not the poorest and meanest of Gods Children but as he hath the benefit of Christs intercession in Heaven Rom. 8. 34. Iohn 16. 26. so hath he also the benefit of the Prayers of all the Saints on Earth wâ—e have the graces and gifts each of other in common Yet because thine owne Prayer is most proper and seeing it is the mindes Embassadour to God and never faileth of successe if it be servent as if our prayers want successe they want heart their blessing is according to their vigor pray that thou maist pray better If thy Legge be ben 〈…〉 ed goe upon it a little and it will come to it selfe againe To which if thou joyne fasting thou shalt doe well for Prayers are made fat with fasting as Tertullian speaks Yea pray oft though thy prayers be the shorter weake stomacks which cannot digest large meales feed oft and little O faith holy Bernard most sweetly How oft hast thou â—eaning prayer found me lamenting and despairing and left me rejoycing and triumphing And what though thou canst not poure out thy soule in a 〈…〉 ud of words The Woman diseased with an Issue of bloud said but within her selfe shee did not speake to be heard of others and yet Christ heard her and answered her request Matth. 9. Vers. 21 22. The Lord esteemeth the will for the deed and the affection for the action Man sees the countenance God the heart man the deedes but God the meaning Hast thou but thoughts and desires and canst thou onely expresse them with sighes and groanes these sâ—eechlesse words or rather no words but a few poore thoughts conceived aright passe all the flowing eloquence of Demoâ—â—â—enes and Tully yea Turtullus and all the Oratâ—rs that ever were in in the world for this matter is not expressed with words but with groanings
But thou must consider that as this life is our Hell and the wickeds Heaven John 16. 20. So the next life shall be their Hell and our Heaven Vers. 21. 33. Prov. 16. 4. As Dives was in Abrahams bosome when Lazarus was in torments so Lazarus was in Abrahams bosome when Dives was in torments Luke 16. 23 25. And herein wee fare no worse than Christ Did not his spirit passe from the Crosse into Paradise Did not hee first descend into Hell and then had his ascension Suppose thy suffâ—rings be great what then Assure thy selfe that every pang is a prevention of the paines of Hell and every respite an earnest of Heavens rest and how many stripes dost thou esteeme Heaven worth It is true flesh and bloud is so sensuall that it feeles a little paine in the finger a great deale more than the health of the whole body But let us better consider on it and behold at once the whole estate of a Christian we shall see his peace exceed his paine yea we shall see both the torments present and the glory following hope makes absent joyes present wants plenitâ—des and beguiles calamity as good company does the way The poore Traveller in thinking of his Inâ—e goes on more cheerefully and the bond-man in calling to minde the yeare of Jubilee When the Apprentice cals to minde that his yeares of covenant will now shortly expire and then he shall have his freedome confirmed the very remembrance thereof maketh many laboursome workes seeme more light and lesse grievous unto him neither doth he afterwards repent it Did it ever repent Jacob when he came to inherit his Fathers blessing that he had endured a long exile and tedious bondage Or Joseph when he was once made Ruler in Aegypt that he had formerly beene sold thither and there imprisoned and he had never been a Courtier if he had not first beene a prisoner Or did it repent the Israelites when they came to inherit the Land of promise that they had formerly beene forty yeares passing through a forlorne Wildernesse Or which of Gods servants did ever repent that they had passed the apprentiship of their service here and were now gone to be made free in glory If so let us doe and suffer chearefully paâ—iently couragiously what God imposeth upon us knowing that after we have swet and smarted but six dayes at the utmost then commeth our Sabbath of eternall rest which will make amends for all knowing that death ends our misery and begins our glory and a few groanes are well bestowed for a Preface to â—n immortall joy Let then our eyes be continually on the joyes which follow and not on the paine which is present the paine neglected and unregarded cannot be very discomfortable But that there is reward promised to those which suffer in Christs cause is not all for our reward shall be answerable to our sufferings the greater our sufferings are here the greater shall our reward be hereafter Matth. 16. 27. The deluge of calamites may assault us but they shall exalt us By our crosses sanctified weight is added to our Crowne of blisse for according to the measure of our afflictions God weigheth unto us of his graces that we may be able to beare them and according to the measure of our graces he proportioneth our glory and future happinesse Suffering for the Gospell is no inferiour good worke and every one shall bee rewarded though not for yet according to his workes Psal. 62. 12. Rom. 2. 6. Revel 22. 12. The Apostles tell Christ we have left all and followed thee Matth. 19. 27. Christ tels them when I sit on my Throne yee shall sit on Thrones with me Vers. 28. They that turne many unto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres in the Kingdome of Heaven Dan. 12. 3. And they that suffer Martyrdome shall be cloathed with long white roabes and have Palmes in their hands Revel 6. 9 11. Now there be three sorts of Martyrs Re intentione intentione non re re non intentione in both deed and intention as was Saint Steven in intention not deed as was Saint John in deed not in intention as were the Innocents But where the conflict is more hard the conquest obtained shall be more glorious for as Chrysostome speakes according to the tribulations laid upon and born by us shall the retribution of glory be proportioned Yea ever where more worke is done there more wages is given and when the fight or conflict is sharper and the victory harder the glory of the triumph is greater and the Crowne of reward more glorious Whence it was that those Saints in the Old Testament which were racked and tortured would not be delivered or accept of their enemies faire offers to the end they might receive a better resurrection and a more glorious reward Heb. 11. 35. Neither would we wish our worke easier or our burthen lighter if we looked up to the recompence of reward for it may bee well applyed here which was mis-applyed in the tryall of that holy man Job We doe not serve God for nothing Though we must not serve him meerely for reward as hyrelings nor for feare as servants but as children for love O that when we suffer most we could but meditate and looke upon with the eye of faith the fulnesse of those joyes and sweetnesse of those pleasures which having once finished our course we shall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16. 11. being such as eye hath not seene 〈◊〉 eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9. For certainly the remembranceâ— thereof would even raise up our soules from our selves and make us contemne and slight what ever our enemies could dâ—e as it did our Fore-fathers much more to slight reproaches which are such bug-beares to a great many And no marvell if that which hath made so many contemne fire and fagot make us contemne the blasts of mens breath But I hope enough hath beene said in shewing that our enemies instead of robbing inrich us and in lieu of hurting pleasure us â—ith they greateâ— our graces and augment our glory sith if the conflict be more sharpe the Crowne will be more glorious Wherefore if our tryals be small let us beare them with patience which makes even great burthens easie if they be great and grievous let us beare them patiently too since great is the weight of glory that ensueth them whereas no suffering no reward yea if we be not câ—â—sined here we shall be condemned hereafter 1 Cor. 11. 32. And whether had you rather rejoyce for one fit or alwayes you would doe both which may not be you would be both Dives and Lazarus have happinesse both here and hereafter pardon me it is a fâ—nd covetousnesse and idle singularity to affect it What that you alone may fare better than all Gods Saints That God should straw Carpets for your feet onely to walke unto your Heaven and make