the other herbes and makes theÌ„ that tasts cry Mors in Olla 2. Kings â— 40 Death is the pot Against both these Paul addresses his discourse in this chapter wherein like a valiant champion expert in the Lords battailes hauing mustred vp his forces and marshalled them in battaile array in the Fore-front he affronts sinne the head of this Serpent in the Rereward he encounters with Affliction the taile of this Serpent the after a long skirmish wins the field and sounds the Triumph Neither life nor death things present nor things to come shall separate vs from the loue of God in Christ More plainely here is an Antidote a Cordiall proposed an Antidote against the poyson of sin a Cordiall against the anguish of the crosse The Antidote against sin is propounded verse 1. confirmed verse 2. prosecuted applyed in the sequel to verse 17. The Cordials to mittigate the anguish of the crosse are threefold The first is drawne from the end of it our conformity to Christ verse 17. The second from the guide we haue in it the Spirite helpeth 〈◊〉 infirmities verse 26. The third is taken from the good issue wee shall haue out of it verse 28. So that these words carry in them a soueraigne Cordial against all miseries crosses calamities whatsoeuer wheresoeuer how many how great soeuer which may or shall vex the Israel of God while they soiourne in this valley of teares and vale of misery In treating heereof that I may acquaint you with my method we with consider the connexion first then the proposition In the proposition the Circumstance the substance is obserueable The Circumstances will lead vs into the consideration of the persons to whom this Cordiall is intended restrained We of the manner how it is deliuered euidently confidently Wee know for the substance in it you haue first the generality all things then the Harmony worke together thirdly the scope or drift of their working for good lastly the description of the parties whom this concerns from their inward affection they that loue God from their effectual vocation that they are called of God from their eternall election that they are called according to his purpose These be the rude lineaments of our present discourse which wee intend by the Diuine Assistance to prosecute and pollish ouer with a second more accurate draught That which first offers it selfe to our Meditation is the Connexion which shall bee dispatched in a word Also this copulatiue particle like some corner stone in a curious structure knits this verse to the verses immediately preceding as if the Apostle had deliuered himselfe more plainely and fully If this be not sufficient to strengthen your feeble knees to erect your deiected spirits that suffering is the way to glory that by the Crosse you doe but climbe to this Crowne that Mount Caluary lies onely in the rhode to Mount Tabor that heerein stands your conformitie to him vvho vvas consecrated your High-Priest by Affliction If the sweete meditation of the glorie to come cannot digest the present bitternesse of the Crosse if the presence the assistance of that Spirit of Consolation that Comforter who is Comfort it selfe cannot cheare your disconsolated spirits nor asswage your sorrow adde to the former heape a serious meditation of the power ouer-ruling Prouidence of your heauenly Father whereby all things are so wisely disposed so sweetly carried so cunningly contriued that what-euer happens in the world all worke together for the best of them that loue God c. All things and among the rest your afflictions which are so far froÌ„ preiudicing your fatuation that they aduance it so farre from being as your deeme in your weake distempers clogges to wedge you to the earth that they proue after a sort as wings whereby you soare aloft to heauen so farre from being Scala inferni a pâ—acipice from whence your soules should bee tumbled headlong into the infernall Lake that indeed they proue to be a Scala coeli a Iaakobs ladder vpon whose staires the Angels of God are continually ascending and descending by which steps the Elect mount into Abrams bosome These tall Anakims serue not to tread you as mire vnder their feete but to lift you vp as Kings and Princes vpon their shoulders neerer heauen He that hath but halfe an eye may now see the drift of the Apostle which is to reach foorth a strong Cable of Consolation vnto those poore Saints and seruants of God who sayling in the troublesome Sea of this tumultuous world hauing encountred with great storms and now almost ouer-whelmed with the succession of many hideous waues one pressing on another are labouring for life ready to be plunged into the gulfe of despaire A strong Cable it is composed of many threds so twisted together that all the Diuels in hell shall neuer be able to breake it Eccle. 4.9.12 Two sayth Salomon are better then one a threefold cord cannot easily be broken In that our Apostle contents not himselfe with one Argument of Consolation but to the first addes a second and strengthens the second with a third the obseruation is plaine and euident As many are the Crosses of the Righteous so their Comforts are many the Afflictions of the iust goe not single but by throngs troopes one following on the neck one treading vpon the heele of another Velus vnda vndam as waues seconds waue in the Sea neither are their consolations single Loe here is a double nay a trebble ground of solid comfort Psal 34 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord will deliuer them out of all Many troubles many deliuerances so many troubles so many deliuerances euery seuerall trouble hath a seuerall rescue till he be deliuered not from some or from few or from many but from al. Euery proper temptation hath it owne proper issue 1. Cor. 10 15. So Zach. 1.21 Looke how many hornes were raised to push at the Israel of God so many Carpenters were appointed so many hammers lifted vp to breake those hornes in pieces Iohn 16 33. In the world you shall haue trouble there 's the crosse In me you shall haue peace there 's the comfort Act. 14 22 Through many tribulations you must enter into the kingdome of heauen Tribulations many Tribulations there 's many crosses these tribulations minister a passage by which we get heauen there 's many comforts if with Paul wee haue terrors without and terrors within we shal finde comforts without and comforts within if we be distressed on all sides with him with him wee shall be comforted on all sides Notable to this purpose is that of the same Apostle 2 Cor. 4.8 9. We are afflicted on euery side there 's crosse vpon crosse yet not in distresse there 's comfort Hee goes on wee are in doubt but despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not c. It is very remarkable to obserue how the crosses comforts
Panacea Christiana OR A CHRISTIANS SOVERAIGNE SALVE FOR EVERY SOARE DELIVERED In Two seuerall SERMONS and now digested into one Treatise published for the vse of all distressed Christians Esaiah 50.4 The Lord hath giuen me a tongue of the Learned that I should know how to Minister a word in time to him that is weary AVGVSTIN Tam bonus est Deus vt nullo modo permitteret malum nisi inde nosset elicere bonum LONDON Printed by Isaac Iaggard for Robert Bird and are to be sold at his Shop in Cheapeside at the Signe of the Bible 1624. TO THE RIGHT Honourable Sir EDWARD COOKE Knight one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuy Councell Right Honourable BEsides those common enducements which preuaile with others your Honours more then ordinary zeale and affection to Learning and Pietie there are some priuate obligations which haue mooued me to consecrate the first fruits of my Labours to your Patronage It was their command to whom I owe not obedience and respect only but my-selfe also that first exposed these lines to the censure of the World and then shrouded them vnder the shelter of your Winges For the subiect matter Vtinam tam commodum quam accomodum as it suites well with the times so I presume it will not bee vnwelcome to your Honour A word in his place as the Wiseman obserues is like Apples of Gold Pro. 25 11. with pictures of Siluer If this Theame bee not now seasonable when will it bee The Church of God goes to wracke abroad many miseries and calamities presse vs sore at home our sinnes threaten more and worse Satan rageth because his time is but short his Instruments flourish the wicked are in their ruffe the godly vnderfoot despised trampled vpon The old complaint is not vniustly renewed that it fals out Bonis malè malis benè Well with the Bad ill with the Good Is it not now high time to minister a word of comfort to them that mourn in Sion What greater comfort then this Oracle from Heauen All shall worke to the Best of them that loue God Of which number the Church of God hath good cause to esteeme your Honor who haue tasted with your Brethren this bitter Cup and therefore can rellish these Sweetes the better For my part I know not how to testifie my respects otherwise then in these kind of Presents and my hearty prayers for the encrease of your Honour and Happinesse which shal neuer be wanting from Your Honors most humble obseruance Th Hering To the Reader GEntle Reader This smal Tractate was so penned as Preached and so Preached as thou mayest easily guesse it was neuer intended for ostentation but for aedification Jf thou look'st for many Citations and Quotations of Authors thou deceyuest thy Selfe It was my Ambition J confesse to draw water out of the fountains rather then out of the streames Dulcius ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae Man purposeth but God disposeth The truth is violence and importunity wrung this for the Presse which was intended soly for the Pulpit I know there is great difference betweene a liuing vice and a dead Letter as betweene a body animated and a painted body I know this Criticall and Censorious Age will giue but harsh entertainment to such a rude and vnpolished Treatise and deeme it more fit to be suppressed in a corner then to be published to the World yet my comfort is A Widdowes Mite will find acceptation with the Searcher of the heart Besides J had rather seeme too forward in putting out my Masters money to the Bankers then to vndergo the Doome of an euill Seruant for smothering his Talent in a Napkin All Starres are not of the same magnitude yet euery Starre shines in his owne Orbe If some beames of Comfort conueyghed in these cursorie Meditations may warme and enliuen any poore drooping disconsolate Christian J haue my ayme let God haue the Honour and Glory As all things so this J hope shall worke to the Best Read and consider Farewell T. H. Panacea Christiana OR A CHRISTIANS soueraigne Salue for euery Sore ROM 8.28 For wee know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God to them who are the called according to his purpose HOweuer the whole Scripture as S. 2. Tim. 3 16. Paul to his Scholler Timothy be giuen by diuine inspiration and is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be made perfect to all good workes Yet as in the large folio of the booke of Nature though euery Creature carry in it the sparkles of the power goodnesse and prouidence of the Creator those rayes shine out more brightly in some more dimmely in others so in the lesser Epitome of the Scripture albeit all the parcels of sacred Writ breath forth one and the selfe-same diuine truth in a most sweete and heauenly harmony yet in some passages the Spirit of God takes to himselfe as it were the winges of an Eagle soaring aloft aboue the capacity of the highest in others he creepes as it were on the ground stooping to the shallow conceit of the meanest Sometimes he couers himselfe with thick clouds Ps 8.18 12. darknes is his Pauillion other whiles he speaks to vs familiarly Exod. 33 11. as to his seruant Moses face to face mouth to mouth The new Testament by the consent of all in this respect carries the preheminence beyond the old The glosse must bee clearer then the text Among the Apostles Paul outstrips his fellowes who for his labour or his learning was euer held the chiefest of the Apostles Among the Epistles of Paul his to the Romans if such invaluable Iewels may be valued one with another if one star may differ from another in glory bears the name from the rest whether we respect doctrin of faith or good manners matter of instruction or exhortation of confutation or consolation so largely discussed so pithily pressed so wisely managed In this Epistle this chap. is of most admirable vse being placed as the Sun in the midst of the Firmament and containing in it a rich Mine of cōsolation In this chap. this verse is placed as the heart in the midst of the body that giues life to all the members There are two professed enemies which lay perpetual siege to the bulwarke of true Christian consolation Sinne and Affliction These like troublesome guests and vnwelcome Inmates so disturbe the peace of the Saints while they lodge in these cottages of clay that it makes them weary of their houses and themselues to putting them oft to Rebeccaes complaint Gen. 27.46 Would to God I were dead These are those Sanaanites and Hittites which are perpetuall goades in their sides perpetuall prickes in their eyes Numb 33.55 Here is that Gall and Wormwood which embitters all the sweets this world can affoord To shut vp in a word here is that Coloquintida which matres
Woe to them that offend any of these little ones it were better that a Milstone were hanged about theyr neckes and that they were cast into the Sea Math. 18 6. Would to God that Romish Strumpet that hath dyed her Garments in the redde blood of the Saints Reu. 17 4 6. would but take this to hart and consider whateuer Massacres and Treacheries she intends for euill Gen. 50.20 shall be turned as Ioseph to his Brethren concerning their malicious proiects against his person to their Good I perswade my selfe out of very malice shee would cease to be malicious and out of very spight shee would cease to bee spightfull shee would intend them no Euill that she might do them no Good The maine vse of all is for Consolation Is the best still working for vs till we get Heauen What-euer changes or chances befall vs howeuer we be tumbled and tossed too and fro as a Leafe shaken with the winde or as the stubble scattered before the Whirle-winde Howeuer we may bee counted the Off-scouring of the world 1 Cor. 4 13 the scumme of the earth heere is our comfort this hard measure lastes but for a short season Wee are now labouring vnder the Bricke-killes in Aegypt Deut. 32.10 wee are now trauailing thorow a vast and Roaring Wildernesse no meruayle if we be stung with Fiery Serpents Euery day will bee better then other euery day we approach neerer Canaan then other Our light may bee ecclipsed for a time the Sunne will breake foorth Light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright of heart Psalme 97 11. He that leades vs into Temptation wil not suffer vs to be foyled in our Temptations Our crosses are Sanctified our flesh mortified sinne subdued Grace encreased our Glorie shall be perfected Heere is our Comfort in all our crosses losses in all troubles and tryals in all our dangers and distresses we are sure to come off faire and gaine by the Bargaine 2. Tim. 3.13 But it shall not bee so with the vngodly they waxe worse and worse deceyuing and being deceyued It is a sure rule in the Schooles Contraria iuxta se posita magis Elucescunt Contraries mutually opposed lend a lustre each to other I hope therfore it will not be altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor much beside our marke to shew you briefely and distinctly that as all things turne vnto the good of the Good so all things work the bane of the Bad. As all things further the Saluation of the one so all things helpe forward the Condemnation of the other The one like the Bee sucke good out of euill draw Hony out of the sowrest Herbe The other like the Spider sucke venom from the sweetest Flower and turne good into euill 〈◊〉 1.15 Nothing so Good which they corrupt not nothing so Holy which they defile not God he is the chiefe Good yet his Mercy makes them presume his Iustice driues them to dispayre his Grace they turne into Wantonnesse his Patience encreases their sinne and doubles their damnation while they treasure vp vnto themselues Wrath against the day of Wrath Rom. 2. verse 5. They feare him slauishly for his Greatnesse and hate him vnfeignedly for his Goodnesse If God the Father offer himselfe as a Creator they rebell against him If God the Sonne offer himselfe as a Redeemer they Crucifie the Lord of Glory to themselues dayly Heb. 6. verse 6. If God the holy Ghost offer himselfe as a Sanctifier they resist despight the Spirit of Grace Hebrew 10. verse 29. The Angels are vexed with beholding their abominations Magistrates serue for their Terror If thou do ill feare Rom. 14.4 for he beareth not the Sword for naught it is either to curb thee or to cut thee off Ministers are euer raking in their sores rubbing their gall'd backs which makes them kicke and winche storme and fume like Mad men What entertainement can they looke for but that Salutation with which Ahab welcommed the Prophet 1. Kings chap. 22. verse 8. 1 King 22.8 I hate this man because he neuer speakes good vnto me but euill Or as the Deuils greeted our Sauiour Marke 1. verse 24. Art thou come to torment vs before our time The Word of God is vnto them the Sauour of Death vnto Death 1 Cor. 2.16 this Light is as the shadow of death their sore eyes cannot endure the glaring of the Sunne The beating of those radiant beames on Ionahs head Ionah 4.8 neuer vexed him halfe so much as those heauenly Rayes which a edarted from the Sunne of Righteousnesse torments their harts You cannot deuise a greater plague then to let them fry in that flame So it fares with temporal good things Their Honour prooues but like the Stoole of Eli 1 Sam. 4.18 as a steepe Pinacle from whence they breake their neckes Make Saul a King he will proue a Tyrant make Balaam a Prophet he will proue a Wizard a Sorcerer make Iudas an Apostle he wil proue a Traitor a Deuill Their strength is peruerted and giues them an aduantage beyond their Neighbours to powre in strong drinke to follow after strange flesh and to shew them selues the Diuels Nazarites strong to shedde innocent bloud Their Beautie is set foorth as traps and snares to catch fooles By this Beagle they hunt for the precious Soule of a man Prou. 6.26 Their fauour with Great men is as a Sword put into a mad mans hand whereby they wound themselues him that gaue it him and all that comes neere them If those Beggers get on Horse-backe they take a pride to see their Masters Lacquey it on foot Let Haman bee promoted Ester 3.8.9 the Iewes must be crushed Ester 3. verses 8 9. Let Doeg insinuate into Saul Abimelech with his Brethren shall soone be cut off 1 Sam. 22 9 1 Sam. 22.9 Their Wealth makes them as churlish as Nabal as cruell as Diues not a crumme can bee spared for Lazarus As sottish as Ahashuerosh and Haman Ester 3.15 who fate surfetting and quaffing in the Pallace of Sashan when the Israel of GOD were weeping mourning in the Cittie Ester 3 verse 15. Their Wit makes them geering Ishmaelites and scoffing Iulianistes They vvill rather loose their Friend nay their Soule nay their God then their Iest and if all Trades fayle they can liue by their Wits Thus all Good things become euil to them much more all Euill The sinne of their first Parents is set vppon their score Originall Corruption strippes them of all Grace and Goodnesse renders them Slaues to Sinne Vassalles to Satan bindes them as it were in chaines to condemnation Lesser sinnes make way for Greater Grosse sinnes make them publike Scandals odious to God and man ten-fold more the Children of the Diuell Thereby their harts become hardned crusted 1 Tim 4 2. theyr Consciences seared as with hot Irons and themselues stigmatized with that Brand of Caine and of Iudas being