Job 34.29 When he giveth quietnes who can make trouble or condemne Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept by assurance of his love who then shall cause me trouble by accusing or condemning me a Job 34.29 When he giveth quietnes who can make trouble or condemne Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept Thirdly Peace with the creatures which doe not a jot more groan under their bondage then the godly doe under that thing which was the cause Sin abiding still in them but reigning only in the hearts of the wicked whom therefore they cannot be at peace with Of this peace speaks Eliphaz in the book of Job chap 5.22.23 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh neither shalt thou be affraid of the beasts of the earth For thou shalt be at peace with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee 'T is no small small peace this what ever you think of it and 't is of God's own making a peculiar blessing of his and out of a peculiar love to his peculiar people And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the foules of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and I will make them to lye downe safely Hos 2.18 Our sins being the cause of that curse one would imagine so did they know so much as we doe had so enraged them and put such an enmity in them towards us that none but God himselfe that made us both and made them for us was able to make them friends with us againe Fourthly Peace with men with unreasonable men * 2 Th 3.2 which is harder to be believed then that they should have it with unreasonable creatures by his peaceable and amiable carriage Wicked men many sorts of them are odious to one another especially the proud man who is an abomination to all men good and bad Prov 24.9 * The Scorner is an abomination unto men They are not beloved of one another neither does any of them love another truly and therefore they can have no peace For where there is no love of another there can be no peace in a man's selfe and on the otherside where there is such love goes out though there be none come in in returne that party may have peace himselfe and his peace will not be a jot the lesse but very much the more enriched with comfort at home to recompence the losse of successe abroad And therefore the godly man who loves every body can have peace with every body even the wicked that are enemies to peace in spite of their teeth Though they be not at peace with him he is neverthelesse in peace with them He will be sure to keep his own peace though he cannot keep the Kings as they use to call it He himselfe will follow peace with all men * Heb 12.14 whether peace follow him or not 't is all one to him for that Let men be or doe what they will or can he can be what he will and will doe what he ought and all that while he is well enough Suppose they take away his cloak he can afford to give them his coat too if that will content them or any thing for a quiet life Let them smite him on the right cheek he had rather sit still and turne to them the left then trouble himselfe much to save either He had rather they should break his head in an hundred places then he should break the peace in the least manner And therefore the the Psalmist Psal 119.165 after these words Great peace have they that love thy law presently addes And nothing shall offend them Nothing shall offend them Nothing that befalls a godly man in this world and nothing that the men of the world can doe to him will offend him Not false reports not reproachfull speeches not injurious actions For though they offend him never so much yet will he never be offended so as to sinne and offend againe and returne evill for evill I may say of him that which the Stoicks say of a wise man that another may wrong him but he can never be wronged himselfe i e be any way moved or be the worse for the wrong He makes no reckoning of the wrong because he does not reckon it a wrong And indeed in some mens account of wrong it is no wrong to him if he be willing * Volenti non fit injuria to take it especially if he be so willing as when the party hath done one injury to give him leave to doe another But what doe I goe about to make it such a matter that he is not offended with any thing when as he is able to be glad at any thing and even to triumph over his conquering enemy and rejoye the more for suffering so much Or if you will nothing shall offend them i e they shall take no offence * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at any thing or nothing shall offend them so as to make them offend or miscarry There shall be no scandall or stumbling block great enough to make thē fall or faile or turn out of the way which they walk in Nor love nor hatred neither injuries nor courtesies nor hopes nor feares neither mercies nor judgments neither adversity nor prosperity neither life nor death is able to separate them from their love of God as well as God's love of them for there is a promise of both and I think they are inseparable as long as God can doe what he will or make them leave that course of life which they have taken or disturbe the peace which they enjoy thereby He that hath this Abundance of peace how sweetly does he goe out when the oyle of his life is spent What faire weather of serenity of Spirit is there in himselfe and so what a calme of quiet in all the world without for any thing that they had to say to him if he had lived or for any hurt they have to say of him now he is dead When his soule lancheth forth for another countrey what vollies of blessings as there are of curses when the wicked man dyes What gales of prayers and benedictions to blow him safe to the haven what sweet smell from the oyntment * Eccl 7.1 Cant. 1.3 powred forth I meane the good name which he leavs behind him is every where to be found Surely it is not for nothing that the Psalmist was so earnest to have men take notice of the peaceable end of the godly man Ps 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace When a wicked man dyes besides the unspeakable horrour and disquiet of mind wherewith he is possessed in his departure or if not a comfortlesse senslesse groundlesse presumption of mercy
Jesus Christ And these things write * I see no reason for Beza's sit communio let it be because of these words I unto you that your joy may be full 1 Joh 1.3.4 Now the Spirit is a third person whose company Christians enjoy and upon the account whereof their condition affords them matter of rejoycing For although they enjoy the Father and the Son by the Spirit yet may I well put this for a third enjoyment because they enjoy the two first but by hope and desire and by meanes of the Spirit which they shall not have such need to doe when they come to Heaven but the Spirit they enjoy immediatly and it workes immediatly upon them and not by objects only for that is rather the businesse of God's providence then the Spirit Now can it be imagined that a man can live a sad life that hath a Comfortour not only with him but within him as our Saviour told his disciples He dwelleth with you and shall be in you Joh 14.17 Must it not needs be a great helpe to joy to one that is travelling to Heaven I say not to be led by the hand but in a manner carried on towards his home To have a word constantly behind him saying This is the way walke in it whensoever he shall turn either to the right hād or to the left Isa 30.21 When there is so great danger of errour and the danger of errour is so great to have for his guide the Spirit of truth within him Joh 14.17 chap 15.26 chap 16.12 Is it nothing think you for one that was once under the law of sinne and death now to live and be led by a Spirit of life Rom 8 2. Is it so slight a cause of joy think you for one that was once a poore ignorant soule and seeth millions round about him remaining in that condition perhaps for ever to have the Spirit of wisedome and revelation to have the eyes of his understanding enlightned so as to know what is the hope of God's calling and what the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards believers who believe according to the working of his mighty power Eph 1 17.18.19 Can there be a more joyfull thing to a man that was once only under the law a meere servant and continually in feare * Heb 2.15 Luk. 1.74 not only to be adopted and to have his condition changed but to have a Spirit of Adoption within him to give him an enjoyment and sence of his condition and enabling him to looke boldly upon God and call him Abba father Rom 8.15 Is it so small a matter of comfort think you for one that is in continuall need hath occasion to pray to God but knowes not how to pray as he ought to have such a one within him as the Spirit himselfe to make intercession for him Rom 8.26 Is it not matter of joy think you for one that hath a great burden of sinne lying upon him and would faine be eased while others by insensibility and death in sins and trespasses lye still and stir not at all to have the Spirit himselfe who is set opposite of * Gal 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose to sinne and the flesh to keep them in subjection continually within him enabling him to mortifie the deeds of the body that he may live Rom 8.13 Hath not he by much the start of the men of the world for mirth who in times of persecution and scandall when feare love of the world carrie others that are hypocrites cleane away hath continually within him a Spirit not of feare but of power and love and of a sound mind to hold him fast 2 Tim 1.7 Is this comfort of God small for men not only to have eternall life given * Job 15.11 them in a free bargaine or covenant of grace and not to have earnest only but to have for earnest the earnest of the * 2 Cor. 5.5 Perhaps best interpreted appositively The Spirit for an earnest As said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seale of circumcision Rom 4.11 A manner of expression in most languages as in Hebr. Gen 15.18 Ezek 3.13 c Spirit You may judge what sweet cheerfull company the Spirit is by his fruits The fruits of the Spirit are love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeeknesse temperance Gal 5.22.23 I know that carnall men who are yet in the world and not chosen out a Joh 15.19 of it will be ready to laugh at you if you tell them thus much and will not by any meanes be brought to believe what I have said of the Spirit which is a thousand times too short I am too young a Christian to speak sufficiently of it because they see him not neither know him Joh 14.17 But the godly know him and though they see him not yet they doe find continually by experience that he dwelleth with them and is in them as it is in the same place 4ly Besides the company of God lest he should complaine of too great distance betwixt him and his company A godly man hath the conpany of ANGELLS Creatures as well as himselfe and though in their nature his superiours yet in their office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merely ministring spirits sēt forth to minister for them who shall be heires a Or that shall inherit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are heires already Ro 8.17 of salvation Heb 1.14 For the number how many every Christian b See more in the View of Threats in the ch of Enemies of God's Church hath I dare not undervalue their condition and respect with God to say they have but one a piece But rather think they are so farre from having the number stinted so low that it is not stinted at all but they may have more and more as their need increaseth even to Mahanaim enough to make a campe if there be occasion as well as Jacob * Gen 32.2 and a 2 Kin. 6.17 Elisha 'T is true we read of but one Angell for all the Israelites Exod 23 But that Angel was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angell of his presence b Perhaps ment by presence Ex 33.14 otherwise interpreted by Moses v. 15. or face Isa 63.9 his chief Servant Zach 3.8 who was next to him continually saw * Esh 1.14 his face nay he was the expresse Image of his person and so the fitter Angell of his face or presence and although he be called by occasion an Angel for what he did yet he had another name from what he was by inheritance the name of a Son Heb 1.4.5 If God sent his Son it is likely he sent the more Angels to attend him But David absolutely saith that The Angel b For Angells An enallage of the singular number for the plurall usuall in the Heb as Exod 33.38 Lev 11.2 c.
is sorrowfull for he sorrowes for his joy for hurting others And his sorrow is exceeding sorrowfull for he sorrowes for his sorrow for hurting himselfe His sorrow is but worldly at the best and accordingly it worketh death one way or other Seldome have you known the godly man's sorrow which is a godly sorrow to cause him to doe any thing to hurt his body either by hanging himselfe or breaking his heart or the like That he does his soule good by it for this world he knowes it by exderience and for the world to come by the word of God Of this good nature is his sorrow for sinne And he hath little or none other sorrow to speak of but what is of this nature David Psal 38 though he complaines indeed of his sicknes and the diseases of his body yet it semes he could deale pretty well with them But when he comes to feele the burden of his sinnes and the diseases of his soule then he is ready to sink verse 4 They are as a weighty burden too heavy for me If he speaks of sorrow as he does verse 17 My sorrow is continually before me presently he makes mention of sinne verse 18 for I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sinne so Psal â—5 verse 17 18 The troubles of mine heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses Look upon mine affliction and my paine and forgive all my sins He no sooner speaks of his afflictions but he prayes for forgiveness of his sinnes He is sure to complaine of them what ever he complaine of else as being that which lay heaviest and longest upon his stomack To speake the truth the soule never truly grieves but for what is either in her that should not be in her or done by her that should not be done by her the being or doing whereof could or should have been prevented such a thing is sinne Plus dolet qui quod intus est dolet Griefe within the soule shall never be or it shall never be much for things that are without it with which it hath nothing to doe Nemo nisi suâ culpâ diù dolet The griefe is quickly over when I my selfe have no hand in the cause If I am never so much at a fault or to seek for a worldly good If I am not in fault too it shall never trouble me a whit All the bitterness that any man hath that walketh in the way of godliness he hath it not from the way but from turning out of the way Hence it is partly if godly men are seen at any time to be sorrowing for outward evills they are but as Paul saith as sorrowing and yet rejoycing For their sorrow is no more then a spark of fire is in the sea suddenly quenched with waters of comfort and rivers of joy of the Holy Ghost If there be a mixture of both joy and sorrow joy is still the predominant So that at the worst they cannot be swallowed up of sorrow because the sorrow is so soon swallowed up of joy Having shewed you why you are to goe the journey and what manner of way you have and what the fruit of the journey will be Now that I have removed the rubs also it remaines although I have not been idle as to this work in my answers to the objections that I put on my spurres and use some motives of exhortation to stirre you up prick you too by reproofe if you goe not on First then I will exhort you and beseech you to rejoyce in the Lord. You that are call'd by the name of Christ you that have the Lord for your God you that are so fast in the favour of heaven that neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth or any other creature shall be able to seperate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord * Rom. 8 38 39. to be breife you that enjoy so many and so great priviledges and enjoy them so freely you I say though you doe suffer afflictions yet neverthelesse lift up your eyes and your heads unplait your browes and cleare up your countenance so that no signe or cause of suspition of sadnesse be left for your redemption drawes nigher and nigher every day and your salvation is so certainly determind that it is every day neerer * Rom. 3 11. then when you first beleev'd A way with this squalid dejected sowre Monkish pharisaicall carriage Wash your faces and anoynt them with the oyle of gladnesse for your deliverance comes on a pace I tell you melancholy and Christianity are no such companions as the world thinke they are and therefore pray do not you thinke so of them And if you find affliction Christianity to be so be no more troubled Cypri-Ep ad Mart then I have prov'd you have need to be Certaine it is if you are good grapes de vinea domini pingues racemi there is no talking of it you must to the winepress you must be squeez'd and bruis'd and oppressed But as I told you before such usage is a signe not that you are the less but the more cared for Now you shall be safely kept as men keep their wine and highly priz'd and never thrown away However you are or have your selves ill yet be sure to behave your selves well cheerfull if for nothing else yet for these few reasons 1. To avoid scandalizing and disheartning of men that so you may gaine more credit and more Proselytes to your profession 2. To avoid scandalizing as the word is also used for making a thing a scandal and dishonouring of God and making Christ a scandall that so you may gaine more glory to the truth by living up sutably to the honourable and happy condition of those that keep it Believe it it becomes no body so well as a good Christian and nothing becomes a good Christian so well as to be merry Psal 33.1 Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright In the wicked it is uncomely and absurd because they have no reason wherefore Yea 't is folly and madnesse because they have so much reason wherefore not 3. Because 〈…〉 well are wont to be by their master neither is God only delighted in you like such masters when you doe your work cheerefully but you are taught likewise and if not commanded yet exhorted as I told you before in an imperative mood so to doe The places I cited were Matt. 5.12 Luk. 6.22 Christians it is strange to me not to see you merry when you are doing well For if you are willing to doe what you doe I doe not see how you can be sad in the doing unless you can be unwilling when you are willing If you are not willing you had better let it alone then doe it The high spirited-Roman Souldiers went home-ward with