vpon our selues we shall neuer haue a found hope and therefore neuer be quiet within our selues except a man leaue himselfe he can neuer aspire to that which is aboue himselfe in himselfe hee hath a thousand arguments of despaire none of hope and at the best hee is full of inconstancy and change 4. Learne meekenes and humilities Remembring mine affliction and my miserie the wormewood and the gall my soule hath them stil in remembrance and is humbled in me this I call to my mind therefore I haue hope The rich man trusted in his increase and said This will I doe I will pull downe my barnes and build greater and I will say to my soule Thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres take thine ease But he was deceiued in that hope the surest way is to learne meeknesse and lowlines of Christ for so wee shall find rest for our soules the rest we hope for the hope we rest in 5. Labor for the peace and testimony of a good conscience by submitting thy self to the gouernmeÌ„t of his holy spirit a careful and constant abandoning those fins which by a strict examination thou findest most reigning in thee for the kingdome of God is in rightcousnesse peace and ioy of the holy Ghost the ground is layed downe Rom. 5. 1 2. and S. Iohn saith If our bea rt condemne vs not then haue wee boldnesse toward God But there is no peace to the wicked nor any true hope but in the death of sinne by the Spirit of Iesus working newnesse of life and giuing witnesse to our spirits that wee are his In the multitude of my thoughts in mine be art thy comforts haue reâ—oyced my soule saith the Psalmist But how should he bee comforted who hath no hope or hope in God whose conscience flyeth him â—asâ—a seueâ—â— reuenger Be not deceiued it is not an easie thing to hope in God the cries of a guilty conscienâ—o will easily preuaile against thy vaine hopes 6. Loue God delight in him and his lawes learne to liue to him that which wee loue and doe not yet enioy wee hope for Lone suffereth all things it beleeneth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things Hereby is loue perfect in vs that wee should haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement There is xo feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare Faith must giue thee an assâ—red interest in God or thou canst neuer delight in him The best things delight vs not except they be some waies ours the euill man who delighteth in wickednesse cannot delight in God nor his lawes but like aguish palats all things euen the best distaste them so rellisheth he as his hart is affected to those who loue God his commandements are not grituous Nay saith the Psalmist vnlesse thy lawes had bin my delight I should haue perished in mine affliction Againe hee saith Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee thine hearts desire He saith not Loue nothing delight in nothing God forbid if yee should loue nothing yee should bee dull dead loathsome miserable Loue and delight but not in the world not in sin if any man loue the world the loue of God is not in him but in him whose loue shall make thee happy and giue thee firme hope against all miserie Thou must loue him without measure because he hath loued thee infinitely this loue of God is an infallible argument that God loâ—eth thee for no man can loue him first which is the most blessed possession It giueth health to the sicke light to the blinde pardon to sinners life to the dead ioy to the sad heauen to the earthly hope to the disconsolate assurance to the fearefull it is the fountaine of blessednesse it is that sweet and vnspeakeable goodnesse of God which disuested Satan of his possession in vs and of enemies made vs the sonnes of God it is that soueraigne and diuine antidote which turneth the poison of the old Dragon the Deuils malice into cordials and maketh all that he doth against vs in spite turne to the best for vs. There is but one sure way to an inuincible hope to liue to this good God and to haue our conuersation in heauen to heare and seuerence him in his lawes and reioyce in his works the world smileth wee are not taken thereby because our indiuisible loue is to God one and to one It frowneth Wee depend not on her brow wee serue her not we liue to God it sufficeth vs that hee loueth vs and his seruice is our maine care his power our refuge his mercy our hope 7. Learne a Christian moderation in prosperitie moderate thy ioyes allay thy hopes let neither bee too great in things temporall and thou hast subdued thy sorrowes Climbe not too high or to such place as hath neither securitie of standing nor safetie of comming downe Keepe thy mind low hope not for things greater then necessary vse Vndertake not things too great for thy managing but deale in thine owne calling and according to thine owne strength Mans hopes are like the Moones borrowed light the more they are towards heauen the lesse they shew towards earth the more towards the earth the lesse vpward The â—ouetous and ambitious can neuer bee truly contented or haue a sound hope because their desires are either ouergrowne or euer growing and aspiring to things aboue their reach 8. Learne constancy in the practices of Religion many men would faine find helpe for their distresses of mind and to this end they are contented to heare or reade good aduice which they take as drunkards phisicke the obseruation of whose strait rules for a day or two they follow with a moneths ill dyet and so not mending vpon it they blame that good medicine which could not enable them to be more euill Hee that will learne patience to sustaine his hopes must accustome himself to beare small crosses patiently that by them winning vpon himselfe and insensibly subduing his own naturall frowardnesse hee may gather strength to vndergoe the greatest Wee must not thinke that good habits grow vp like Ionahs Gourd in a night or ripen like the Gâ—â—pes in the Butlers dreame it is not so easie a thing to learne that true gouernmentâ— of thy minde in which a Christian hope can liue the Prophet saith The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him the Lord is good vnto them that hope iâ— him and to the soule that seekâ—â—h him It is good both to trust and to wait for the saluation of the Lord. I but how shall I gaine this patienceâ— Vse is a good teacher It is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence because â—ee hath borne it vpon him hee pâ—iteth his mouth in dust of there may be hope 9. Passe by none of Gods benefits without due regard and thankfulnes I shall
is the first The next of those sweet benefits â—â—ernall and â—xternall or temporall which God giueth of his free grace and maketh them to be assured pledges thereof by his holy Spirit whereby he also ruleth comforteth and â—râ—serueth his in his Kingdome of grace â—heâ—â— are our present sweâ—tnesse and good fruites The third is the hope of glory in which we expect the resurrection of our bodies life euerlasting and saluation perfect happines in the sight and fruition of God the sole and chiefe good and fountaine of all communicated goodnesse and blessednesse Of this estate many excellent things are spoken in holy Writ My flesh shall rest in hope thoâ— hast shewed me the wayes of life and shalt make me full of ioy with thy countenance in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Vnder this hope the Saints reioyce yea euen in tribâ—lations theâ— presently conceiuing what shall be the issue of those tryals because God loueth them and therefore all things by his good prouidence shall worke together for the best neither do they suffer as men halfe ascertained hereof and therefore floting betwixt hope and feare but they stand assured of this loue Paul expresseth it Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long weâ— are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The reason of this so great assurance hee set downe before God doth not hide his loue and bestow niggardly fauours his loue is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs and this Spirit of adoption beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of GOD coheires with Christ and therefore resolueth vs if wee suffer with him wee shall bee glorified with him and that our glory shall abound heereafter as doe our present sufferings in Christ this Spirit doth say to our hearts as hee did to Ioshua I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee bee strong and of a good courage And out of the infallible truth of these promises written in his holy Word we gather the certainety of our deliuerance And forasmuch as all cannot appropriate those generall promises to themselues who heare them it must needs be that the application thereof to our selues is a peculiar worke of the Spirit of God inwardly sustaining in euery assault with fresh strength and resolution and therefore he is the paraclete because he comforteth To this inward assistance God sometimes addeth an outward euidence of his poweâ— as when he appeared to Ioshua by Ierico like a man hauing his sword drawne in his hand thus answering Ioshua that hee was come as a Captaine of the Lords Host So at Elâ—â—hs prayer he opened the seruants eyes and hee saw the mountaine full of Horses and Charriots of fire round about the Prophet So there was added a fourth whose forme was like the Sonne of God to the three seruants of God walking with them in the middest of the fire so that they had no hurt It is a memorable story of Theodorus the Martyr who being grieuously tortured saw a young man standing by him with a soft and coole Towell continually wiping off the sweat and encouraging him all which time and till at the end of their tormenting he vanished he felt no paine Both the inward and outward assistance of the Spirit of God is to comfort his with assurance that hee will alwayes make good his promises to them that he wil neuer leaue them comfortlesse Whence wee may learne that the faithfull haue such assistance of the Spirit of God as that how-euer they long wrestle with afflictions yet they are not only in the issue but in the very tryall superious by faith This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith And Paul saith In all these we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. There is no comfort to the afflicted minde comparable to this assurance I shall yet praise him Dauid knew it and therefore penned this Psalme to comfort his owne soule many of the faithfull haue knowne it who vpon their death-beds haue sung this Psalme The onely way in present distresses to stay a perplexed soule is to send it to blessednesse to come therefore Christ who could doe all things which he would sometimes led away his petitioners for things temporall to the consideration of eternall Martha commeth to him with a zealous desire that her brother might liue againe hee telleth her of a better way to comfort I am the resurrection and the life whosoeuer beleeueth in mee though he were dead yet shall be line and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee shall not dye eternally So hee dealt with the man sicke of the Palsie when he desired corporall health Iesus saith Man thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Leading away their thoughts for the present too carefully fixed on the euill they suffer to a sweet contemplation of those heauenly things which they shall enioy There is no solid consolation in things present therefore it must bee sought for in the future Thus therefore reckon with thy selfe How little is that which I suffer in comparison of that I shall enioy How long can I suffer here If God please and see it best for me he will deliuer mee now if not it must be euill to obtaine that which God seeth not good for mee I am in the Lords hands bee not cast downe Ô my soule for I shall yet praise him If as often as we were any waies disquieted wee would presently say with the Psalmist Returne vnto thy rest ô my soule if wee would instantly looke vp to the LORD for comfort the Deuill would bee wearie of his owne assaults and we should be the more comforted the more wee are afflicted O how blessed would our tryals be to vs if out of a true dislike to the world they could compell our soules our thoughts to dwell with God! happy miseries which make men eternally happy by forcing them to heauen To conclude let vs not giue ouer for the frequencie of our tryals but be confident and in the Name of God warrant our selues better dayes otherwayes we shall not bee sufficient witnesses to our brethren of Gods grace in vs if wee doe not first assure our owne soules that wee conceiue a firme hope and next expresse our confidence to others I shall yet praise him implyeth he will praise him when he shall please to deliuer him Good men euen in afflictions and
face appeareth distort and wreathed Experience hath shewed the vse of Psalmes herein by the silent teares of mad men and the deeply melancholly sodainly falling at the hearing some graue musicke and it is not without good reason because as the deuill marketh and maketh vse to his aduantage of euery temper and condition especially our immoderate fits of passion and ioyneth himselfe thereto hurting the distempred and lunatick not more by their owne hands then by adding violence to theiâ— affections which misgouern them so his power must needes be more or lesse to hurt them by how much more or lesse their owne affections beare a part and serue the euill spirit thereto these being therefore tempered by that harmonic which naturally giueth refection to the thoughts anâ— as it were gently handletâ— them leading them away from the view and inwarâ— apprehension of obiects iâ—ksome and such as firsâ— caused their mindes to faileâ— and findeth lesse aduantagâ— to force them to outrages 2 To stirâ—e vp and awaken the affections to carriâ— vp the minde to an highâ— flight The soule of man is not onely clogged with an earthy prison but with many busie phantasies cares feares distractions with which it cannot easily ascend it hath therefore need of such meanes as can greaten and giue more vigour to good passions make the minde more actine and quicke to which what euer some Stoically superstitious doe thinke who like blinde men imagine no excellency in colours or like deafe in sounds this spirituall melody of Psalmes is most apt What were our prayers better then the sacrifice of fooles without the fire of zeale wherein they must ascend like the Angell in the flame of Manaohs Altar What were our hearing with drowzie vnmoued affections better then formall and dissembled attention what fruit could wee expect from deuotion so colde Therefore Beda speaking of their frequent praying and singing in Nehemiahs time saith they vsed it foure times a day that their prayer might ascend more purely and deuoutly Whence he supposeth grew the custome of singing in the Church before prayer because a Psalm sequestreth the mind from the earth lifteth vp the thoughts and maketh them light and high flying And Augustine confesseth How much haue I wept in thy Hymnes and Songs vehemently moued with the voyce of thy sweet-sounding Church those voyces flowed into mine eares thy truth was distilled into mine heart thereupon the affection of piety was feruent and my teares ranne downe Christ and his Disciples sang Psalmes the Church in her purest ages vsed it yea when persecution hindred the more publicke seruice of GOD they sung Psalmes before day the Church of Christ to this day before praying prophecying in diuine Seruice and vse of the holy Sacraments doth sing It is not written in vaine that the Prophet commaunded the Minstrell to play and when he played the hand of the Lord came vpon Elisha and hee prophesied Humane frailties in things most diuine haue neede of helps among which wee may rightly number the Queeres of many Saints singing and making melody to God with hearts and voyces they rap the minde into a kind of diuine extasie they carrie it vp from the worlds grosse and obstreperous clamours set it out of and aboue it selfe and on a suddaine take a man vp by the care as it were into the third heauen to conceiue the singing of glorious Queeres in the presence of God 3 To conuay thinges more deepely to the heart which dilating it selfe to that which doth delight and please it easily admitâ—eth them and herein the wisedome and goodnesse of God appeareth hee seeing mankinde prone to pleasure but vertue irksome and difficult for the paines in 〈◊〉 to be taken inuiteth vs to â—olinesse with pleasing alâ—urements musicall preâ—epts folding vp that which â—hould cure our soules with â—hat which delighteth our â—ares and as it were by â—ealth conuaying it into our mindes after the manâ—er of a wise Physitian who â—ining children medicine somewhat sharpe and vnpleasant to auoyde nauseousnesse and distast sweetneth the cup all precepts of veÌ„rtue are bitter to the distempred palats of euill liuers therefore hee wrappeth vp those Pills in delights that he might heale and profit vs with pleasure This also helpeth an vnfaithfull and weake memorie we often thinke of that which delighteth vs but that which by force and difficulty is beaten into our mindes wee easily cast out againe those things which we receiue and retaine with loue and fauour firmely reside stick in the memory 4 To vnite the Saints of God in heart and voyce to the seruice of God who so loueth vnanimity that there hee appointed the blessing and life for euermore and promised that where two or three were gathered together in his name there hee would with his most gracious presence be in the midst of them Now in this exercise â—here is but one vnited voyce of the Church 5 To refresh vs wearied with cares oppressed with sorrowes how zealously doth a sorrowfull heart sing when the Psalme sui teth with his condition when it fitteth his sorrow Wee doe not so well vnderstand these things when we formerly sing them â—s when wee impropriate the sense to our owne condition when wee are feelingly interessed in them They are thought happy men who haue vse for Psalmes of Thanksgiuing but wheras it cannot bee but they must suffer aduersities who are humane they also haue a true taste of comfort who in afflictions can with experience and deepe sense vse these heauenly Songs which the spirit of GOD hath endited for the same purpose the prosperous man may sing why art thou cast downe my soule and the afflicted his venite exultemus an Hebrew Son by the riuers of Babylon but neither with that godly passion as if the minde were parallelled with the Song the affection with the Ditty how moouingly doe men sing their owne griefe true sorrowes how passionately doth the disconsolate man sing in Dauids words My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Turne thy face from mine iniquity or the like And by such emptying the heart the afflicted man is comforted when following the dearest Saints of God in their conditions and in their words he thinketh and is resolued no tentation hath ouertaken him but such as belongeth to the beloued â—onnes of GOD with Psalmes Dauid comforted himselfe in afflictions Paul and Silas in prison Psalms cheere the heart reuiue the tyred spirits because this exultation is begotten in the hearts of zealous singers out of an hope of future ioy they being like weary trauellers easing their longsome Pilgrimages with songs and hope of arriuall Chrysostome making a question why this Scripture was written in Psalmes answereth to this purpose when God saw men lazie and vnwillingly comming to reade spirituall things hee vouchsafed to sweeten that labour and make the paine move pleasing heâ— mingled Prophesie with melodie that it
It cannot bee that the sonne of these teaâ—es should perish Ambrose hath a reason sâ—ruing thereto The â—se of sorrow remoueth the abounding of the crime and delight of the errour so that while wee grieue for sinnes committed we preuent the committing of them those teares which wee shead for sinne are a kinde of eye-salue to the soule and barre to sinne ioyes dilate the heart and set open its passages to the enemy sorrow restraineth and locketh vp where a thousand warnings are like so many letters written in the dust neglected forgotten we cannot easily forget that for which wee haue heartily grieued sorrow writeth in marble Griefe and loue do mutually exclude each other from the same subiect and respect Who loueth that which onely grieueth him We must then sorrow for our sinnes that we may not lone them for they haue no power to hurt but where they are loued There can bee no sound cure as you haue heard without searching nor true searching without smart security telleth vs wee are surely good because prosperous Because I am guiltlesse surely his wrath shall turne from mee therefore we looke not after our sins it is the afflicted minde which findeth out the euill griefe is quick-sighted it looketh into the earth and findeth the theft it spieth faults very remote and long past it is a sure remembrancer it â—xcludâ—th that leâ—ity which choaketh euery good intent and like a cruell Ammoâ—ite rippeth vp the soules wombe to make her best conceptions her fairest purposes aborâ—iue it is an importunate soliciter for helpe it thinketh all hopes and endeuours slow-paced and lame till the remedie bee come it healeth the heart by breaking it and so maketh it an acceptable sacrifice to God A contrite and a broken heart ô God thou wilt not despise Where wee may obserue that not onely a simple griefe is required for contrition importeth association wherein the sinner grieueth much and for many adjuncts of sinne together which do not lightly affect but breake the heart it is like some close-mouthed vessell filled with the venome of sinne it most bee broken that euery rellish or delight in sinne may bee let out which can onely be by a sharpe and intense sorrow sinne caused sorrow sorrow must kill sinne Goliahs sword must cut off his owne head Yet euen in sorrow for sinne there must bee a moderation lest beeing excessiue it proue dangerous Paul would not haue the penitent Corinthian swallowed vp of sorrow In true repentance we sorrow for sin with firme purpose to amend which purpose necessarily presupposeth an hope of pardon that hope cannot but raise the mindâ— to much cheerfulnâ—ssâ— Where then there is a mind vtterly and constantly dejected there is despaire a worldly and excessiue sorrow therefore no faithfull repentance which though it be very much and with true griefe for that wee cannot vndoe the euill which wee haue done yet being it is a true hate of sinne committed or to bee committed with desire to satisfie and to please GOD it cannot bee without some comfort True it is the penitent man may be without present sense of comfort as without present feeling of faith yet as that then hidden faith is not extinct but couered during the tryall so neither is our ioy which euer accompanieth it Yea in the very act of sorrow for sinne the faithfull man hath comfort that griefe being an vnion of things in themselues differing a sorrow with ioy neither doth that ioy diminish the griefe as it proceedeth out of dislike of sinne but as it is an abounding passion As a true griefe followeth the delight in sin so a true ioy that griefe Griefe is conceiued of things that befall vs vnwilling that is which now in our repentance wee would had neuer beene as in sinne there are two things delight in which sinne is bâ—gunne consent in which it is perfected by actions so arâ— there opposite to these two things in repentance griefe for the act and complacence which was in the conception of that sinne and a delight in that griefe wherein wee reioyce the more the more we are sorrie for the euill wee haue done because thereby wee are more assured of pardon knowing it is grace which maketh vs sensible of finnes and sense and smart make vs desire and seeke remedie which is a great part of the cure and wee doubt not but hee who hath begun to heale vs in giuing a new will will perfect his owne worke so that wee shall not will in vaine So then he saith Why art thou cast downe not Why art thou sorrowfull Godly sorrow not onely eateth vp all other sorrow as Moses Serpent did the Serpents of the Inchanters but euen it selfe because it beginneth true ioy and in that ioy it endeth There must be sorrow that there may be comfort but weighed with that same statera Sanctuarij the golden meane for though there be with repentance an action of the mind against it selfe to deject iudge condemne and correct it selfe without which there is no rising to comfort because if we beleeue not the truth what-euer we thinke or beleeue our comfort is false if we doe beleeue the truth then we beleeue that God is most iust and therefore although in his boundlesse goodnesse he will waite that he may bee gracious vnto vs yet he cannot be so remisse at to approue our sinnes by an absolute discharging vs and proclaiming forgiuenes to our consciences before wee acknowledge and repent vs of them yet the soule must not cast it selfe downe to despaire of mercie for as in Grace that cannot be too little to saue which is gratum faciens which setteth vs in the fauour of God so neither is griefe in contrition little if it bee true or true if too much There cannot be too great a griefe for sinne if it bee with faithfull repentance which cannot subsist with despaire because despaire casteth downe the soule but exalteth sinne that very distrust of Gods mercie being a fearefull sin for that it questioneth his goodnesse and by despaire of better holdeth a man still in euill but repentant sorrow casteth downe sinne and lifteth vp and comforteth the mind there beeing ioy in and for that sorrow as a man wounded with the lancet smarteth and therefore is grieued but yet reioyceth to see that corruption come away which hee knew must else haue killed him In respect then of the true hate we owe to sinne sorrow cannot bee too much in respect of our frailetie we being as much subiect to despaire as presumption it must be moderated lest we be swallowed vp of it and in auoiding one extreame foolishly perish in the other Vniust anger is an apparent mischiefe enuie is the hearts canker malice is a noonetide-Deuill iealousie the soules wild-fire feare weakneth the hands and strangely tyraÌ„nizeth ouer its subiects beating them with shaddowes making them dye for feare of dying Hopes haue their
ouercame in paines and that victorie remaineth to the Church as a certaine Trophâ—e of the deuils ouâ—rthrow The wicked are presently discouered in afflictions they murmur and like the rootlesse corne are quickly wit hered It is a speciall marke of regeneration if out of obedience wee can patiently beare and loue God aswell correcting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is true patience to loue him of whom we 〈…〉 to endure and hate is not vertue but a disguise and vaile of fury Though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him and because Abraham loued God therefore when God proued him with that heauy precept that which God pleased not to suffer hee would patiently haue suffered had God pleased to permit it It is a custome of Heathens godlesse men to be impatient in temporallosses because they preferre money before their soule but it must not bee so with Christians Once there were lawes of retaliation an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth The Lord of patience was not yet come but when he came he said Resist not euill hee expounded to a word a Racha to a thought to restraine the petulancy of hands and to take away the poyson of tongues hee said Loue your enemies blesse thâ—â— that curse you Wherein hee showeth with what Christian greatnesse and goodnesse of minde they must ouercome all euill 3. Impatience is but a striuing with God an obscure and inward murmuring against his prouidences What are we said Moses your murmurings are not against vs but against the Lord. He that vexeth at second causes doth but bite the stone which is cast at him it was not he that had will to hurt who took away Iobs goods but he that gaue that power It is Gods all-disposing prouidence that cause of causes which giueth and taketh away which exalteth and casteth downe the greatest endeuor of man cannot adde one cubit to the stature therefore weâ— shew our vanity in nothing more then in being impatient for woe vnto him who striueth with his Maker It skilleth little who betrayeth or who rageth when God suffereth those thus to be entreated whom he disposeth to crowne 4. We pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in beaâ—en wherein we not only desire that all the creatures should without resistance quietly obtemperate and as he hath the holy Angels of heauen ready to atchiue and doe his commands so that all the wills of men on earth may bee framed into one obsequious consent that they may encline wholly to the wil of God that God would be pleased to take away that innate contumacy of our minds which ceaseth not to mutiny against his holy Spirit that he would make vs so docible and tractable that we may only wil that which is pleasing to his will that he would giue vs new harts that wee may not affect our owne desires but subscribe to the absolute guidance of his Spirit that wee may beleeue in him that we may be holy both in body and Spirit that wee may keepe his Word commandements but also wee pray that wee may both in prosperity and aduersity giue him the glory paâ—icntly and meâ—kely bearing his hand acknowledging his will and diuine prouidence in all things which befall vs if we pray â—hy will be done shall wee resist that which wee pray may be done there is great reason we should continually pray for this grace for without it wee can neither pray nor heare profitably being through iâ—patience possessed of a duâ—l pensiuenesse a painefull it â—â—omnâ—s which is â—old of zeale to any holy duty 5. We ought to relye vpon Gods goodnesse who is faithfull â—o caâ— alâ— our cares vpon him to commit our selues and estates to him who is both powerfull to keepe us and gracious to reward vs whose will also it is that wee should glorifie him in those sufferings which hee hath appointed vs. It was Pauls comfort vnder the Crosse Fâ—â— the which cause I also suffer these things neuerthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that thing I haue committed to him against that day Hee is a sufficient sequestrator to the 〈◊〉 if thou commit thy wrongs to him hee is a reuenger if thy losse he is a restorer if thy griefe he is a Physician if death he is a quickner and reuiuer how much should we suffer that he may bee an accomptant to vs 6. There hath no tentation ouertaken vs but such as appertaineth vnto man Paul comforteth the Philippians herewith when hee biddeth them in nothing to bee teâ—rified by their aduersaries they hauing the same â—onflict which they saw in him and then heard to be in him Hee knoweth not what this life is who is ignorant of afflictions It was said to bee the speech of Demonax when hee came to a friend impatiently lamenting the death of his sonne and â—â—â—ting mourning iâ— darkâ—nes Find me laid he three men in the world who haue not lamented the death of some friend and I will make thy sonne aliue againe When of all his acquaintance hee could not reckon one O man said he why doest thou so much disquiet thy selfe as if some new thing had befallen thee And it was a like wise practice which is imputed to the Athenian Solon when he saw one of his acquaintance disconsolately grieuing he led him vp into an high Tower whence hauing shewed him those numberlesse houses of a populous City Now saith hee doe but thinke with thy selfe how many sorrowes haue been shal be or now dwell vnder these roofes and cease so impropriate humane and common misery to thy selfe Wee must consider what man is that we may learne to beare humane miseries with a Christian resolution Man beginneth with teares the first language of man streweth the condition in which and to which hee is borne hee that is ignorant of all things else knoweth how to cry in his natiuity as if in that auspication he did by a naturall instinct lament the anxieties and labors of this life the filly wretch resâ—iffeth a fore se me of the worlds stormes so soone as hee entreth into this glassie sea There was a time when man was deputed to action only when God said 〈◊〉 the earth and subdue it But for our sins he pron oun ced the irreuocable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all mankind to a miserable serui ude vnder labor 〈◊〉 sorrowes Cursed is the earth for thy sake in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou â—ate of it all the dayes of thy life in the sweat of thy 〈◊〉 shall thou â—at bread till thâ—â— returne vnto the ground Besides we carry about bodiâ—â— subiect to many iniuries open to many maladies what madnesse is it then impatiently to beare that in others which we haue in ourselues on in our selues which wee can no waies auoid or lessen but by patient bearing especially when we suffer no euill
wee continue grounded and established in the faith and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell We are Christs if wee hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of the hope vnto the end It is not hard to conceiue hope for a time the danger is in the delay When we consider what wee haue hoped for and amongst many secular cares and present trials loose sight of our hope and cannot tell what is become of it when it tarrieth long like Moses in the Mount with God then the danger is the mutinous thoughts will fall to some idolarrie But if hope continue and endure the fierie triall it is pure If when thou hast receiued the sentence of death in thy body thou canst hope in God thy hope is sound 4. A fourth adiunct of hope is loue of God and of our brethren Hope is as it were the breath of loue which may gaspe and retaine the pangs of a dying passion for a little time it cannot liue without it We cannot be happie except we loue God nor loue him except wee can truely hope and trust in him and it is impossible though some suppose they can doe it to loue God and hate thy brother therefore Saint Peter hauing spoken of brotherly kindnesse and loue saith Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall 5. To these may bee added many more as boldnes in professing the name of Christ meekenesse temperance alacritie and the like and with these a good conscience of which the Apostle saith Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is iâ— you with meekenesse and reâ—erence hauing a good conscience By these and such like adiuncts and effects of hope examine and iudge of thy condition and do not blindly trust to that which may deceiue thee all are not good hopes which promise much good thou shalt meet with many wrangling Labans often changing the couenant which howsoeuer surely the wicked make with the graue and hell yet the wages of sinne is death To trust in any but God is to leane to a falling wall To these rules of examination and that which may be gathered from that which hath beene formerly said concerning the examination reformation of the soule and sequestration to an holy soliloquie let a man also put these following rules in practice for the obraining and strengthening of a sound hope 1. In euery affliction which shaketh thy hope consider the iustice and mercy of God it much abateth the violence of griefe to consider the equitie of him that striketh whose iudgements though they are often secret yet they are alwayes iust The Emperour Mauriciâ—s expressed the greatnes of his afflicted minde when to aggrauate his own death now imminent at Phocas command his wife and children being butchered before his face he onely said Iust art then O Lord and right is thy indgement It would easily stop out complaints 〈◊〉 we could truly consider what wee haue deserued how much greater and more frequent out sinnes are then our punishments Herein if we learnt patience we must looke for hope in the issue of our tryals considering that God correcteth vs to saue vs and that all things must be good which come froÌ„ him who as God is merciâ—ull aswell as powerfull and cannot but be good This well vnderstood shall make thee know that estate which thou so much abhorrest thinking thy selfe vnhappie in it is best for thee I but thou vrgest thy present enduring many things not only inconuenient but intolerable I answer in this one saying of my text hope in God Doest thou not hope in him I can giue thee no comfort Doest thou indeed hope in him Why art thou disconsolate Thou saiest Because my present estate is calamitous and euill I say so too if thy hope bee in riches pleasures or any thing which thou doest now or canst want hereafter but if it be in God how can it bee buâ— good which he giueth those that depend on him Namâ— me that man who trusted in the Lord perished Sayst thou It is euill for me which I suffer Whether can best judge what is good for thee the patient or the Phisicion God or thy selfe Thou wilt say God knoweth I returne to my ground if then thou doe hope in him doest thou not hope he is a good gracious God and will doe the best forthee Doest thou not think him omnipotent and not to be preuented Doest thou not think him omniscient not to be deceiued Doest thou not think hee loueth thee most tenderly therfore in his loue and mercy wil make all things euen afflictions work for the best 〈◊〉 thee Learne therefore to â—â—â—cerne know the work of God in thy correctioÌ„ and thou shalt haue hope They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for then Lord hast not forsaken theÌ„ that seeke thee 2. Learne to liue within thy selfe and set not thy hopes on things externall for as they change they â—â—rment He that maketh the testimony of Gods Spirit which is within him his ioy his hope his delight shall be cheerefull and constantly resolued when hee shall heare the ambitious crying out for the wheeles vnconstancy in which hee trusted and great Fauorites whilest they liue dead of the falling sicknesse Call home thy thoughts thy desires thy hopes from the tumultuous world and teach them 〈◊〉 â—iue within◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them wait in that liuing temple where the glorious and blessed Spirit of God manifesteth his gracious presence to the secrets of thy soule thinke there is no beauty strength health 〈◊〉 pleasures or 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 consideriâ— thou shalâ— free thy soule from a thousand 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 which thou 〈◊〉 not auoide 〈◊〉 thou will depend vpon any thing externall or of the world whose inâ—essand changes will neuer suffer thy 〈…〉 3. Leaue thy false and seeke confidence in God that is leane not to thy fâ—lse but to him we must forsake our selues to follow Christ it is so in hoping also Wouldst thou not haue thine heart troubled saith Augustine remaine not in thy selfe Hope in the soule was like the â—ree of life in Eden but since we haue sinned we are as it were cast out from it and it is kâ—pt by feare as with a fiery sword whose blandishing bâ—rreth vs from an euill confidence in our selues that we might seek a better eud than tree of life in the holy City where shall bee no more ourse no more feare Dauid cryâ—â—h in his affliction O that I had 〈…〉 then would 〈…〉 Whither wouldest thou 〈◊〉 awav blessed man of God Where is that wildernesse From God Thou canst not From the World What is the worst thereof if thou hurt not thy selfe from himselfe to God is the securest flight So long as we depend