we may feel the blessed influence of it more effectually let us consider that divine Providence extends to the whole Creation 'T is infinite and over-ruling all things God is pleased to represent it in Scripture according to the narrowness of our Capacity As Elisha contracted himself to the stature of the Shunamites Child applying his Mouth to his Mouth and his Hands to his Hands Thus 't is said He rides upon the Heavens to signify his absolute power in ordering all the motions of the most high vast and glorious part of the visible Universe He telleth the number of the Stars he calleth them all by their Names The Stars are the brightest and most active parts of the vast Region above us and are called the Host of Heaven with respect to their Number and Order God is their General and tho they seem innumerable to our Senses yet the multitude is exactly known to him and yields ready and entire Obedience to his Pleasure From whence the Psalmist infers Great is the Lord and of great Power his Understanding is infinite There is nothing in the lower World exempted from the Empire and Activity of God's Providence He is unmoveable and moves all invisible yet appears in all The most casual things are not without his Guidance A Man drew a Bow at a venture without express Aim but God directed the Arrow through the Joints of Ahab's Armour that penetrated to the Springs of Life The minutest and least considerable things are ordered by him A Sparrow does not fly or fall without his Disposal 'T is not an Hyperbolical Expression of our Saviour but an absolute Truth That all the Hairs of our Head are numbred and not one falls to the Ground without his Licence The voluntary and most indetermin'd causes of things are under his Conduct The Hearts of Men even of Kings that are most absolute and unconfin'd are in the Hand of the Lord he turns them according to his Pleasure as the streams of Water are by several Trenches conveyed to refresh a Garden by the Skilful Husbandman Sin that is the most disorderly thing in the World is not only within the compass of his Permission but is limited and disposed by his Providence And such is his Goodness that he would not permit it if his Power could not over-rule that Evil for a Good that preponderates the Evil. And all afflictive Evils by his own Declaration are the effects of his just and powerful Providence Is there any evil in the City and I have not done it His Providence is comprehensive and complete no unforeseen Accidents in the freest and most contingent things no unvoluntary obstruction in the most necessary things can break the intireness or discompose the order of his Providence The Lord is in Heaven he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven and in Earth in the Sea and all the deep places How exactly and easily does he manage and over-rule all things The whole World is his House and all the successive Generations of Men his Family some are his Sons and by voluntary subjection others his Slaves and by just constraint fulfil his Pleasure 'T was the saying of a Wise King instructed by Experience that the Art of Government was like the laborious Travel of a Weaver that requires the attention of the Mind and the activity of the Body the Eyes Hands and Feet are all in exercise And how often is the contexture of Human Counsels though woven with great care yet unexpectedly broke So many cross Accidents interpose so many emergencies beyond all prevention start up that frustrate the Designs and Hopes of the most Potent Rulers of this World But God disposes all things with more facility than one of us can move a grain of Sand the Government of the World has a less proportion to his Infinite Wisdom and uncontrollable Power than a grain of Sand hath to the strength of a Man His Counsel shall always stand all second Causes depend upon him in their Beings their agency and influences Nothing is executed in this visible Kingdom below but by express Order from his invisible Court and all Occurrences are made use of for the accomplishing the designs of his Electing Mercy in the glorification of his Saints Now all that is comfortable and reviving is contained in this Principle If his Providence reaches to the Birds of the Air and the Lillies of the Field much more to the Saints in whom he hath a propriety and such is his condescending Love and inconceivable benignity that he stiles himself by the most endearing relation their God They are the prime part of his vigilant care 'T is St. Austin's affectionate ejaculation O Omnipotent Goodness that so particularly regardest every one of us as if the sole objects of thy tender care and all of us as single persons The Sun applies its quickening influences for the production and growth of a single Plant as particularly as if there were no other things in the World to receive them yet at the same time it passes from Sign to Sign in the Heavens changes the Scenes of the Elements produces new Seasons and its active and prolifick heat forms and transforms whatsoever is changed in Nature This is a fit resemblance of the universal and special operations of Divine Providence what a strong security doth this give to a Christian in the midst of all Trouble in this corrupt and changeable World How will it clear the mind from those miserable perplexities and quiet those improvident precipitant Passions that so often afflict the afflicted Whatever Evils befal the Saints are with the Knowledg the Will and by the efficiency of God materially considered and is he defective in Wisdom Power or Goodness that what he does either might or ought to be better otherwise Indeed sometimes the special ends of his Afflicting Providence are in such deep obscurity that our Line is too short to fathom and the manner how good shall result from Evil is unknown but then we may conclude with evidence 't is for the best When Caesarius a Primitive Saint was arguing in himself how that Scripture could be true that the Earth was founded on the Waters how the more weighty Element should not sink and be overwhelmed by the other he stopt the course of his Thoughts by this reflection I forgat my self when I said to God how can this be and admires that which he could not comprehend For inferiour reasons we often pray that particular Evils that are near may be prevented but if they overtake us we may be satisfied that they are appointed by his supreme Reason and Everlasting Counsel As in a Consort of Musick the parts are not formed when they are sung but were composed before by the skill of the Musician and every part assign'd convenient to the Voices of the Persons Thus the various conditions and passages of our lives were so disposed by the Sovereign Wisdom of God from Eternity and as
contrition for their Sins to implore his Clemency The voice of the Lord maketh the Hinds to calve the timerous and weak creatures But when the Heavens roar the Lions Thunder back again Thus strong and stubborn Sinners when they feel the effects of God's Anger are raging and furious in their Passions and Expressions The foolish Man perverteth his way his most grievous sufferings are the fruits of his Sins and his Heart fretteth against the Lord as the inflicter of them This is a high indignity to God and an injury to themselves For a vile Creature a base guilty Wretch to murmur and storm against God's righteous Judgments argues a Prodigious Forgetfulness both of its dependance and obnoxiousness to the Divine Tribunal It is said of the adherents of Antichrist that they were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the name of God which hath power over the Plagues and they repented not to give him Glory Infinite Insolence Such obstinate Souls the Prince of Darkness possesses as his peculiar Dominion they have more need of Conversion than Consolation Besides by impatience and vexatious fretting they exasperate their pains turn the Rod into a Serpent Vipers into Dragons and God's mighty hand is more heavy by their resistance Bold Expostulations irritate his Anger rather than incline his Mercy the wilful Man never wants Woe With the froward saith the Psalmist thou wilt shew thy self froward or as it is rendred in the Margent wrestle The strongest Sinner is not a Match for the Almighty if his Anger excite his Power how easily how suddenly are they destroyed without remedy Stubborn impatience under the inflictions of God's righteous Providence is the nearest Step to final ruine Others are so dejected and broken with Afflictions that their continuance in the World is but a Living Death every thing entertains their Grief and the best means afforded for their reviving and comfort are ineffectual Sorrow flows into Despair they lament and languish as if their case were hopeless and remediless The Fountain of this black Stream is a superlative esteem and affection to inferiour things and what is reserved for the Blessed Creator If a temporal Loss be the most afflicting Evil 't is a sign that God was not valued and loved as the chiefest Good The difficulty of receiving Consolation shews the necessity of their being afflicted the Language of such resolved Sorrow is They have taken away my Gods and what have I more The sole objects of their felicity are removed and they refuse to be comforted as if no less Sacrifice were due to the remembrance of their loss but Life it self What a disparagement is this of the Divine Excellencies Are the consolations of God small to us Is not his Love able to compensate the loss of a frail mutable mortal Creature Cannot he please and satisfy us without the fruition of one Earthly Comfort This dejection of Spirit is equally undutiful as uncomfortable our Griefs are sometimes as vain and as guilty as our Joys there is a tincture of Disobedience in our Tears for we are commanded to mourn as if we mourned not for the fashion of the World passeth away and we at once break his Law and our own Peace Our Disobedience in this is aggravated as being contrary not only to the Authority and Sanctity of the Law-giver but to his Loving-Kindness and Compassion Ah the miserable blindness of Humane Minds and the more miserable because voluntary Who is more deservedly unhappy than one that sits upon the bank of a River and yet is Tormented and Dies with Thirst the clear fresh Stream passeth before him allures and invites him but he will not stoop to drink this is the case of those who neglect and refuse the Spiritual Consolations in the Gospel that are compared to the flowing Rivers of Living Water for their cooling refreshing quality They meritoriously and actively bring trouble to their Souls their Passions are the Instruments of their Misery He that is his own Executioner has no excuse of Dying he is justly because wilfully miserable Consider also what a reproach is cast upon Christianity that so many vertuous Heathens in great Afflictions were in some measure supported by the Precepts of Humane Wisdom and that Christians to whom there is revealed from Heaven that an Eternal state of Glory and Joy shall be the reward of their patient Sufferings remain utterly disconsolate I will single out one example Stilpon the Philosopher when his City was destroywith his Wife and Children and he escap't alone from the Fire being asked whether he had lost any thing replied All my Treasures are with me Justice Vertue Temperance Prudence and this inviolable Principle not to esteem any thing as my proper Good that can be ravish't from me his Mind was erect and stedfast under the Ruins of his Country And others upon lower and less generous considerations have born up in their Sufferings How do such Examples upbraid us that their Twilight excells our Noon-day Brightness If common Cordials raised such couragious Spirits in them shall not the Waters of Life the Divine strong Comforts of the Gospel fortify us to bear all Sufferings with a valiant Resignation to the good Will of God Can the Spirit of a Man by rational Principles sustain his Infirmities and cannot the Spirit of God the great Comforter support us under all Troubles What a blot is this to Religion Those who will not be comforted will not be Christians by the same Holy Spirit who is stiled the Comforter we are the one and the other If the precious Promises of the Gospel do not alleviate our Sorrows 't is not from Infirmity but from Infidelity 'T is an incredible Miracle that a person can be in reality a Christian and not capable of Consolation as if Eternal Life were not purchased by Christ for his People or the present Sufferings were comparable to the future Glory or the possession of it were to be obtained after a years of hard trial But if it were delayed so long that sensible duration should not sink our Spirits for the Misery that passeth with Time is not of moment with respect to the Blessedness that is establish'd for Ever Secondly Let us be excited to transcribe this Divine Lesson so full of excellency and difficulty in our Hearts and Lives 'T is easy in Speculation to consent to the reasonableness of this Duty but how hard to practise it and to bear not too sensibly such Evils as are incurable here A deliberate universal constant subjection to God's Will though contrary to our Carnal desires and interests how rarely is it to be found among those who in Title and Profession are his Servants In Active Obedience some will readily perform some particular Commands but withdraw subjection from the rest they seem to make Conscience of the Duties of Piety but neglect Righteousness or else are just in their Dealings and careless of Devotion Some are liberal but irreconcilable they
will give for their Honour but forgive no Contempt or Injury and as the dividing living Twins destroys them so the Life and Sincerity of Obedience that consists in the union and intireness of its parts is destroyed by dividing our respects to some commands neglecting the rest And in Passive Obedience many will submit to lighter and shorter afflictions but if an Evil comes that nearly touches the heart or that remains long without redress they become impatient or so dejected as to neglect their Duty I shall therefore superadd to the former Arguments wherein the Necessity the Equity and the Policy of our Dutiful Resignation to God's Providence is clearly set forth some other Motives and Directions that may be useful and effectual for this end First Look frequently to Jesus Christ the Author and finisher of our Faith The Divine Wisdom to reform the World assumed the Humane Nature and expressed in a Holy Conversation upon Earth a living Copy of his Precepts to direct us in the various parts of our Duty and because the exercise of Humility Self Denial and the rest of the Suffering Graces is so difficult to our frail and tender Nature he ascended the Cross and instructs us by Suffering to suffer with his Affections leaving us his Example as the best Lecture of our Duty His Sufferings concern us not only in point of Merit but Conformity We can never enjoy the benefit of his Passion without following his Patern His example is the Rule of the highest Perfection and we are under the greatest obligation to imitate and honour him who is our Sovereign and Saviour to whom we owe our Redemption from everlasting Misery and the Inheritance of Glory 'T is the Apostle's advice to the afflicted to consider him that endured such contradiction of Sinners against himself that ye be not wearied and faint in your minds This deduction is with greater force to make us humble and patient If we consider First the Infinite Dignity of his Person He was the Eternal and Onely Son of God and descended from the Throne of his Majesty divested himself of his Robes of insupportable Light that concealed and manifested his Glory to the Angels and was obedient to the Death of the Cross what are the highest and best of Men to him Were it not extreamly unbecoming and undutiful for a Subject to refuse Obedience to a just Law if the King that made the Law should voluntarily observe it and reserve no other advantage to himself but the honour of enacting it Our Saviour did not stand upon the dignity and liberty of his Person being equal with God and our King but intirely complied with the Law and shall we complain of its rigour Secondly The Greatness of his Sufferings They were incomparable as to their value so in their degrees He endured the equal extremities of Infamy and Torment that are so contrary to the inclinations of Mankind He was Crowned with a cruel Diadem of Thorns Scourged Spit upon Derided Crucified Insensible Nature as if capable of Understanding and Affection was disordered in its whole frame at his Death The Heavens sympathized in Eclipses of the Sun in the darkness of the Air at Mid-day as Midnight the Earth quak't with deep Tremblings and the Rocks were rent a sunder And the Sufferings of his Soul from the incensed Justice of God were inconceivably great What is the worst we suffer either immediately from God or instrumentally from Men to his bitter Passion Our Sufferings are but superficial shadows of Misery compared to his deep Sorrows Thirdly His Sufferings were most undeserved For he was the Holy One of God his Conception without the least taint of Sin his Life of strictest Purity and compleat Obedience to the Divine Law We may read the process of our Sins and understand their Guilt in his Passion He was made Sin for us a Sacrifice to atone the Divine Displeasure who knew no Sin As David when Guilty of Adultery and Murder was fired with disdain at the relation of an incompassionate Rich Man killing the single Lamb of his poor Neighbour and sparing his own numerous Flock and when the Prophet unveiled the Parable and surprised him with that piercing reproach Thou art the Man he presently by that Fiction in another was convinced of his own true guilt and was extreamly afflicted in the sense of it Thus we are apt to conceive indignation against the Murderers of our Saviour the Apostate Apostle the Malicious Priest the Unrighteous Judg the Bloody Soldiers But Conscience as a true Nathan may charge us to have been in that wicked Conspiracy against the Lord of Glory for our Sins Condemned and Crucified him And as our Sins were the impulsive cause of his Sufferings so our good is the effect of them He suffered the Death of the Cross that his Blood might be our Ransom his Ignominy the purchase of our Glory his Torments the merit of our Blessedness his Death the Seed of Immortal Life to us but we suffer the just punishment of our own Sins Fourthly His willing Obedience Divine Patience and invincible Constancy in Suffering for us In his distress the whole Army of Heaven were in readiness for his Protection and Rescue upon the least signification of his Will If I prayed to my Father he would send me twelve Legions of Angels Nay he had the Springs and Keys of the Divine Power in his hands and could by a Word have destroyed his Enemies but he freely gave himself for us and without resistance without complaint took up his Cross. Now our Saviour who had the fulness of the Spirit communicates to us the first Fruits of it Faith and Love Humility and Patience Peace and Joy to support us under Affliction Fifthly Consider the excellent reward of his Sufferings He was abased below Men and is advanced above all the Angelical Orders and is the Eternal Argument of their Praises Never were Sufferings so grievous never was Issue so glorious For the Joy that was set before him he endured the Cross despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Now our Blessed Saviour hath promised To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Unfainting Perseverance in our Duty shall be rewarded with the Glory of our Redeemer And is not the prospect and expectation of this sufficient to confirm our Minds and make us patiently bear the greatest Afflictions Secondly The Consideration of the Suffering Saints in all Ages is a powerful perswasive to Patience Thus the Apostle James directs Christians Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in thâ— Name of the Lord for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience And we have great encouragement from hence if we consider 1. That those who are of most precious account with God and highly favoured by him are usually exercised with
most fit for us Whether the Evils proceed more immediately and intirely from his hand or by the intercurrence of second causes 't is equally certain they come by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledg of God Our Saviour answers Pilate Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above All the afflictive Evils that proceed from the malice of Men and increase their Guilt and Judgment are ordered by his Providence for the Spiritual and Eternal Good of his People this consideration will prevent much Sin and Trouble that the best Men are liable to in their perturbations and passions There is nothing more exasperates an afflicted Mind than the apprehension that one unjustly suffers Leniter ex merito quicquid patiare ferendum est Quae venit indignè poena dolenda venit A righteous punishment even Nature consents is to be received with meek submission but to be patient under unjust Persecutions not to be provok't by Injuries and Enemies is one of the hardest things in the World If by a flash of Lightning or by a shower of Rain we are blasted or wet we endure it patiently but if one throw Wild-fire or Water on us we resent the indignity with Anger and Vexation Now if we in our deliberate Thoughts consider that God not only permits but sends all the Evils we most unworthily suffer from Men and that he commands our quiet humble behavior under them nay that he will over-rule all so as the issue shall be blessed what tranquillity and acquiescence will it produce in the sharpest Dispensations of his Providence But on the contrary exclude Providence out of the World and the Mind is involved in Darkness with all its Terrors Atheism is the Gulf of Impiety and Infelicity None says where is God my Maker that gives Songs in the Night that converts Poisons into Remedies the saddest Evils into means of the best Good and our Afflictions into Consolations He that lives without God in the World if he loseth what he superlatively loves or falls under an incurable Evil has no other remedy but a resolution to endure it as well as he can And he is extreamly miserable that has no Joy here nor hopes of it hereafter nor the encouragement of a happy Issue to bear it patiently In conjunction with the belief of God's Providence our belief of his Promises that his Truth is unchangeable for the performance of them is requisite to preserve the afflicted Spirit in a calm and submissive state A present Evil strikes the imagination and senses in another manner than a future Spiritual Good Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for c. it makes invisible things to be the greatest realities to the Soul the steady reliance upon the Divine Attributes engaged them to fulfil his Promises and is of an invincible efficacy to strengthen the Soul in every distress O Lord of Hosts blessed is the Man that trusteth in thee His uncontrollable power governs all the Orders of Creatures and the Honour of his Truth is so Sacred that Heaven and Earth shall pass away without the failing of any good thing promised to his People Faith assists Patience as the Blood that is a natural Balsam flows to the wounded part to heal and consolidate it These Graces are inseparable and are recorded with special observation as the Fountains of Courage under Sufferings Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints and we are directed to follow them who through Faith and Patience have inherited the Promises Other Graces are engaged in the Christian Combate and strive for Victory but Faith and Patience are Crowned And to support us in great Troubles a firm affiance in the Divine Promises as belonging to us is of infinite Moment I will greatly rejoice and trust in the Lord my Soul shall be joiful in my God The general apprehension of God's Mercy is ineffectual to support us and to claim a Title in him without a real Evidence is vain But a regular Trust an applicative Faith in conjunction with our sincere performing the Conditions of the Promises is to a Christian like the sacred locks of Sampson's hair whilst they remained he was invincible but when cut off he became weak as other Men. Our Comforts rise and fall according to the stronger or weaker degrees of our Faith Peter walked firm upon the Waves till he doubted and then began to sink One of the sorest and most dangerous Temptations of the Afflicted is that they are out of God's Favour The Mourning Veil darkens the Eyes of their minds that they cannot see his compassionate Countenance they cannot reconcile his Gracious Promises with his Providential Dispensations the good things he hath prepared for hereafter with the Evils he sends here As Gideon complained to the Angel If God be with us how comes all this Evil to us And the Spirit of Darkness takes the advantage of great Troubles to tempt sad Souls to despondency as if they were utterly forsaken of God If this Temptation prevail if the Heavens be as Brass and the Earth as Iron if no Influences descend from above and there be no Springs below if Divine and Human Comforts fail there remains nothing but desperate Sorrow S. Austin to repel this Temptation introduceth God answering the Afflicted and Discomforted Is this thy Faith Did I promise Temporal Prosperity to you Were you made a Christian for this that you might flourish in this World The Faith of our Adoption is confirmed by his Corrections If they are profitable to us if we are refined not hardned by the Fiery Trial we have a clear Testimony of our Interest in him I will bring them through the Fire and they shall be refined as Silver and Gold is tryed and they shall say the Lord is my God Briefly Let us strengthen our Faith of the glorious State and our Title to it and it will make us firm against all the violent Impressions of Adversity it will produce a joyful exultation even in the afflicted State The Christian that with stedfast Faith and attentive Consideration looks on the inestimable infinite Felicity is regardless of all things in the World in comparison with it Sacred History reports of Saul the Persecutor who was transformed into an Apostle that a sudden Light from Heaven of that excessive brightness encompassed him that he was struck blind and saw no Man This may be easily and justly applied to every sincere Believer in a moral sence the first effect of the spiritual Light that shines in the Eyes of his Mind and discovers unseen eternal things is to darken his sight of the things that are temporal Even the greatest things here are not of such moment as to allure or terrify him from profecuting his blessed End St. Peter declares of persecuted Christians That believing they rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory The Martyrs dearly embraced the Cross of Christ and prized the
God he was confirmed in hope of Deliverance The Apostle implores the glorious Power of God That the Colossians might be strengthned with all Might unto all Patience and Long-suffering with joyfulness We should sink under heavy Sufferings or be tired with the length of Miseries without his immortal Strength But if the Power of God assist a weak Spirit it will be finally victorious over all the Evils of the World How many Martyrs of the tender Sex who would naturally tremble at a drawn Sword yet by divine Support despised the Tormentors and all the Instruments of Cruelty In them was an imitation of that Miracle of divine Power when the three Children walked in the midst of the flaming Furnace untouch'd by the Fire God is stiled the God of Patience and Consolation It is his sole Prerogative to comfort the afflicted I even I am he that comforts you The Woman in the Gospel that had a bloody Issue no human Art could afford her aid and relief And when her Estate was wasted on the Physitians and her Strength by her Disease she came to our Saviour and by touching the Hem of his Garment was presently healed Thus the afflicted Spirit whom no worldly things are able to support and make joyful finds everlasting comfort in God He satisfies the Soul with his Love and establishes this Persuasion That all things shall turn for the best to his People Now by Prayer the divine Power and Favour is engaged for our support and deliverance How many Psalms of David begin in Tears and end in Triumph In his great Exigency when ready to be swallowed up by his Enemies he dispatch'd a flying Prayer to Heaven for relief Lord take bold of Shield and Buckler and stand up for my help And the Almighty appeared in Arms for his Rescue And he recounts another blessed experience of the efficacy of Prayer In the day when I cryed thou answered'st me and strengthenest me with strength in my Soul The Affliction was still incumbent but did not overwhelm him which was a more gracious testimony of God's love than if it had meerly been taken away It is said of the distressed They looked to him and were lightned It is the Perfection and Propriety of the Saints in Heaven to see the glorious Face of God without Veil or Shadow but here some Rayes of his quickning Countenance comfort his afflicted Servants while they lift up their Eyes and Hearts to his Sanctuary a joyful Light breaks forth that leads them out of the dark Labyrinth of their troubled Thoughts If the Saints remain disconsolate it is not for want of Mercy and Power in God to refresh their Sorrows but from neglecting to improve their Interest in him and deriving Spiritual Comforts from his fulness by humble believing Prayer When the Disciples were surprized with a Storm in the Sea of Tiberias they toil'd with hard labour to save the Ship that was like to be over-whelmed by the Waves but all in vain till by their Cries they waked our Saviour who was asleep in the Ship He lifts up his Head and the proud Waves presently sink he speaks a word of Command and the boisterous Winds are silent and a great Tempest is changed into a great Calm This may fitly represent the afflicted state of a Christian their Passions swell into a Storm they are ready to be overwhelm'd with Troubles but 't is because Christ sleeps in them they have his Presence as if they had it not but earnest constant Prayer will awake him and his propitious Presence will secure them from Shipwrack and make their Breasts the true Pacifick Sea and bring them safely to the Blessed Eternal Shore Briefly God teaches us to profit by our Afflictions and this affords matter of Joy and Thanksgiving The Psalmist declares Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest and instructest out of thy Law The Divine Teacher gives a right understanding of Sufferings for what end they are sent and teacheth by the voice of the Rod to obey his Word He instructs us in our Duty with the clearest Convictions and infuseth gracious dispositions suitable to his Doctrine He gives directing Light and a seeing Eye to perceive it he presents Heavenly Encouragements and prepares the Heart to receive them Now what Paul speaks of the Cross of Christ is applicable to the Crosses of the Saints God forbid that I should glory but in the Cross of Christ by which the World is crucified to me and I to it The Cross of Christ made the Jews and Pagans to despise and reject the Gospel esteeming it to be gross folly to expect a glorious Immortal Life from one who was ignominiously put to Death yet that was the great Argument of the Apostles triumphant Joy because he felt the Vertue of it to unbind the charms of the World so admired by carnal Eyes He looked upon it with the same disaffection and disregard as one that is near expiring it appeared in his Eyes rather as a loathsom object than with amiable qualities And if the Cross of a Christian be the means of internal Mortification if thereby this vain deceiving World be rendered contemptible to him and his Affections are inflamed to things above he will find cause to glory in Tribulation To conclude this Argument There is no Affliction how great soever though with respect to natural means unremovable and unmitigable yet if it be sanctified by Divine Grace a Christian even while he is so afflicted has more cause of Joy than Grief more reason to bless God for it than to repine and complain In every thing give Thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you He turns Afflictions into Benefits and our affectionate Praises are due upon that account FINIS Plin. l. 2. c. 7. Sed tantum cum fortuna se digladiari momentis omnibus gloriantur Lact lib. 3. Isa. 22. 12 13 14. 1. 1. Rom. 5. 3 4 5. 2. Nihil agis dolor quamvis sis molestus nunquam te esse confitebor malum Possidomus * Talis est sapientis animus qualis Mundi status super lunam sem per illic serenum Seneca * Magna verba excidunt cum Mors proprius accessit cum tortor manum poposcit possis illi dicere facile provocabas mala absentia Seneca 1. 2. Heb. 12. 5. 2 1. Isa. 39. 6 7 8. 2. 2 Sam. 15. 25. 3. 2 Sam. 16. 9. 10. Job 10. 3. Jer. 20. 14. Jer. 31. 15. 1 Sam. 3. 17. Job 1. 21. St. Hillary declares of himself Non sibi relictum quicquam aliud a natura sua intelligere in quo majus officium praestare conditori suo posset quam ut tantum eum esse intelligeret quantus intelligi non potest potest credi de Trin. lib. 1. Ille est vinculum per quod res publica cohaeret Ille spiritus vitalis quem tot millia trahunt nihil ipsa futura nisi onus praeda si mens illa Imperii sub trahatur lib. de Clem. Psal. 8. Act. 9. 6. Job 38. 4 Psal. 39. 8. Psal. 36. 6. Mic. 7. 9. Lam. 3. 39. Job 34. 31 32. Lam. 3. 22. Ezra 9. 13. Levit. 26. 41. Isa. 45. 9. 1 Pet. 5. 6. Heb. 12. 9. Heb. 12. 6. Rom. 8. 32. 2 Cor. 13. 7. Heb. 12. 10. Isa. 59. 2. Jer. 2. 19. Job 36. 8 9. Ver. 10. Psal. 119 1 Cor. 11. Psa. 141. 5. Heb. 4. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 7. Jam. 1. 2 3. Rev. 22. Rom. 8. Heb. 12. 5. Jer. 8. Psal. 89. 31 32 33. 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 9. * Acin quamvis de missum Etna nullus frigore ante vertit Solin Heb. 12. 11. Jam. 1. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 1 Tim. 1 Eph. 1. 11. Deut. 32. 4. Isa. 28. 29. Job 32. 2. Job 42. 3. 6. John 12. 27. Judg. 11 36. Rom. 8. 28. Eccles. 6. 12. Vse 1. Prov. 19 3. Rev. 16. 9. Psal. 80. John 3 38 39 Omnia bona mea mecum sunt Justitia Virtus Temperantia Prudentia hoc ipsum nihil boni put are quod eripi possit Seneca Epist. 9. Use 2. Heb. 12. 3. Psa. 104 Heb. 12. 2. Rev. 3. 21. Jam. 5. 10. Heb. 12. 1. Rev. 7. 9. Psal. 148. 8. Psal. 103. Hic est magnus animus qui se Deo tradidit Senec. Heb. 2. Mille pia cer non vagliono un tormento Job 2. 3. Rom. 8. 29. Isa. 5. Jam. 5. 2 King 4. Psal. 147. 5. 1 Kings 22. 34. Mat. 10. O bone Omnipotens qui sic unumquemque nostrum tanquam solum cures sic omnes tanquam singulos Aug. Conf. lib. 13. Dial. 1. Heb. 11. 1. Psal. 84. Rev. 13. 10. Isa. 61. 10. Respondit tibi Deus Haeccine est fides tua haec tibi promisi Ad haec Christianus factus es ut in Seculo floreres Zech. 13 1 Pet. 1. 8. Omnia Spiritui patent vagare spiritu spatiare spiritu Nihil crus sent it in nervo cum animus in coelo est Ad Martyr Nullus iis dolor est de incursatione malorum praesentium quibus siducia est futurorum bonorum Quid hoc ad Christianos quid ad Dei Servos quos Paradisus invitat quos gratia omnis copia Regni coelestis expectat Cypr. cont Demet. Rom. 8. 28. Lam. 3. 24. Psal. 94. 19. Hab. 3. 17 18. Poenam de adversis mundi ille sentit cui laetitia gloria omnis in mundo est Cyp. ad Demet. Psal. 131. Mat. 6. 34 1 Pet. 4. 12. ☜ Psal. 51. Jer. 31. 20. Heb. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 17. * Si duo istae proponantur ridere vis aut flere Quis est qui respondeat nisi ridere Sed tantum praevalet invictissima veritas ut eligat homo sanâmente flere quā mente alienata ridere August Tract de Epict. Jam. 1. 6. Videris obolum porrigere elephanti Macrob. Isa. 49. 14 15 16. 2 Cor. 7. Nec quicquam in te mutavit fortunae amplitudo nisi ut prodesse tantundem posses velles Plin. Non dicit quid sanctos meos quid servos meos sed quid me persequeris Aug. Non audit Deus nisi quod dignum ducit suis beneficiis Arab. Jam. 1. Psal. 42. Col. 1. Psal. 138. Psal. 34. 5. Si non dormiret in te Christus tempestates istas non patereris Ideo fluctuabat Navis quia Christus dormiebat Navis tua cor tuum Aug. 1 Thess. 1. 5.