saith learned Hooker is Isaac's Apologie to his brother Ismael the Apologie which patience and silence make no Apologie and we have our Saviours president for it for when false witnesses rose up and accused him falsely before the Priests Scribes and Elders it is said that Jesus hold his peace that infinite wisdome knew well how little satisfaction there would bee in answers where the Sentence was determined where the Asker is unworthy the Question captious words bootlesse the best answer is silence Let our Answer then to their Reasons be No to their scoffes nothing And yet when the slaâ—â—ders which light on our persons rebound to the discredit of our profession it behoveth us not to bee silent in answering truly when as our adversaries are eloquent in objecting falsely an indignity which onely toucheth our private persons may be dissembled as Austin replyed to Petillian Possumus esse in his eopiosi pariter sed nolumus esse pariter vani But in the other case the retorting of a poysoned weapon into the adversaries owne breast is laudable It is the weaknesse of some good natures the more is the pitty to grieve and to be angry at wrongs received and thereby to give advantage to an enemy But what would malice rather have than the vexation of them whom it perseâ—utes We cannot better please an adversary than by burting our selves and this is no other than to humour envie to serve the turne of those that maligâ—â— us and draw on that malice whereof we are already weary whereas carelesnesse puts ill will out of countenance and makes it with-draw it selfe in a rage as that which doth but shame the Authour without hurt of the Patient In a causelesse wrong the best remedy is contempt of the Author CHAP. XXVI Because it is for our credit to be evill spoken of by them and would be a disparagement to have their good word 3. REasons joyntly respecting our selves and our enemies are two 1 Because it Were a disparagement to have their good word 2 Because it Is the greatest praise to be dispraised of them THese two reasons being neere of kinne in speaking of them I will cast both into the similitude of a Y which is joyned together at one end brancht in the middle And first to joyne them both together The condemnation and approbation of wicked men is equally profitable and acceptable to good men for every word they speak of the conscionable is a slander whether it be good or evill whether in praise or dispraise his very name is desiled by comming into their mouthes or if this doe not hold in all cases yet as a Reverend Divine saith it is a praise to the god'y to be dispraised of the wicked and a dispraise to be praised of them their dispraise is a mans honour their praise his dishonour so that when deboysed persons speake ill of a man especially their Minister the worse the better for to be well spoken of by the vitious and evill by the vertuous to have the praise of the good and the dispraise of the bad is all one in effect as Salomon sheweth They that forsake the Law saith he praise the wicked but they that keep the Law set themselves against them Prov. 28. 4. Thus much of both Reasons joyntly now of each severally and first That it is a disparagement to a godly man to be well spoken of by the wicked When it was told Antisthenes that such an one who was a vitious person spake good words of him he answered What evill have I done that this man speakes well of mee To be praised of evill men saith Bion the Philosopher is as evill as to be praised for evill doing For such like Garlick suck onely the ill vapours from all they come neere Out of which consideration our Saviour Christ rejected the evill spirits testimony which though it were truth yet he would not suffer the Devill to say Thou art the Christ the Sonne of God or that Holy One but rebuked him sharply and injoyned him to hold his peace Luke 4. 35. No he would not suffer the Devils at another time to say That they knew him Vers. 41. And good reason for hee knew that the Devils commendations would prove the greatest slander of all Neither would Saint Paul suffer that maid which had a spirit of Divination to say he was the Servant of the most High God which shewed them the way of Salvation Acts 16. 17 18. well knowing that Sathan did it to this end that by his testimony and approbation he might cause them which formerly beleeved his Doctrine to suspect him for an Impostor and Deceiver and that he did his miracles by the helpe of some Familiar spirit And indeed if the good report of wicked men who are set on worke by Sathan did not derogate from the godly or from the glory of God Sathan should be divided against himselfe and if Sathan be divided against himselfe saith our Saviour how shall his Kingdome stand Now we know he seeketh to advance his Kingdome by all possible meanes and consequently in this Wherefore if wee enjoy any wicked mans love and have his good word we may justly suspect our selves are faulty in one kinde or other for 't is sure he could not doe so except he saw something in us like himselfe If every thing were unlike him how is it possible hee should love us Difference breeds disâ—â—ion and sweet congruity is the Mother of love This made Aristotle when a Rakeshame told him he would rather be hanged by the necke than be so bated of all men as he was reply And I would be hanged by the neck ere I would bee beloved of all as thou art And Phocion to aske when the people praised him what evill have I done It was a just doubt in him and not an unjust in any that are vertuous like him which occasioned one to say their hatred I feare not neither doe I regard their good will Secondly a wicked mans tongue is so farre from being a slander that it makes for our credit to be evill spoken of by them To be evill spoken of by wicked men saith Terence is a glorious and laudable thing and another It is no small credit with the vile to have a vile estimation As a wicked mans glory is his shame so the godly mans shâ—me for doing good is his glory and to be evill spoken of for well-doing is peculiar to good men as Alexander used to speake of Kings Yea saith Epictetus It is the highest degree of reputation for a man to â—eare evill when he doth well And Job is of his judgement which makes him say If mine adversary should write a booke against me would I not take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne unto me Yes I would c. Job 31. â—5 36 37. And who having the use of Reason especially sanctified will not conclude that Religion and Holinesse must needs be an excellent thing because
winde-mills would not turne about to doe any good service but for the winde of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shoes Wee read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the dezart they could not hold out untill noone but their bellyes would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which onely crownes good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11. 6. the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruites of a lively faith they spring from Ignorance and Iâ— fidelity as hearbes may doe from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10. 14. And it were well if all that are meere civill and morall men would looke to the Rock where-out their workes are hewen and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further then it is the worke of his spirit but the spirit is nowhere but in the sonnes of God Galat. 4. 6. and no sonnes but by faith in Christ Gal. 3. 26. So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the huske without the corne the carkasse without the soule which the Lord abhorres as the sacrifice of Fooles Isay 66. 3. Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The summe of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustaine and abstaine and a wicked man may restraine evill as doe the godly but here is the difference the one keepes in corruption the other kils corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbeare the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and returne good for evill And if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them which love you saith our Saviour what thankes shall you have for even the sinners doe the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which heare Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5. 44. Luke 6. 27. 32 33. shewing that if wee will ever hope for good our selves wee must returne good for evill unto others In which words you may note a tripple injunctioâ— one to the heart the treasury of love another to the tonguâ— loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or A 〈…〉 oner Wherein our Saviour seemes to set man like a Clock whose master wheele must not onely goe right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the â—and also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheele within he saith to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the Bell above hee saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand doe good to them that hurt you Now well may naturaâ—l men sayle with the winde of their naturall passions and corrupt affections in rendering evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pylot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Marâ—iners Acts 27. to sayle with a contrary winde and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazareth Rowe through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Peter 3. 9. And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himselfe adding example to precept for his word and his worke like mercy and truth met together his precept and his practâ—se like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devillish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the worke of their salvation when they shed his bloud to quench their malice hee sweat water and bloud to wash their soules Yea when the Jewes were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were in t 〈…〉 able incomparable unconceiveable solliciteth God for their pardon Luke 23. 34. Now his prayer could not but be efficatious and a pardon for such murthâ—rers was no meane good turne And this likewise is the practise of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man S. Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled downe and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7. 60. Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himselfe but kneeled when he prayed for hiâ— enemies herby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is onely the part of a Saint be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luke 6. 36. It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde how often did Moses returne good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding hee so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life And the like I might shew in that man of God to Jeroâ—oam and they that went to Heaven by the bloudy way of Martyrdome who prayed for others even their persecutors and murtherers an easier passage to Heaven Yea Gods people account it a sinne to cease praying for their worst enemies 1 Sam. 12. 23. But what doe I tell them of these transcendent examples when I never yet heard or read of that Philosopher which could parallel Doctor Cooper Bishop of Lincolne in an act of patient suffering who when his wife had burnt all his Notes which he had beene eight yeares a gathering least hee should kill himselfe with overmuch study for she had much adoe to get him to his meales shewed not the least token of passion but onely replyed Indeed wife it was not well done so falling to worke againe was eight yeares more in gathering the same Notes wherewith he composed his Dictionary which example I confesse more admires me than any that ever I heard of from a man not extraordinarily and immediately inspired and assisted by the Holy Ghost and sure he that could indure this could indure any thing whether
tribulation and like some beasts grow mad with bayting or like frantick men wounded who finding ingredients prepared to drâ—sse them teare them all in peeces But let us not be â—â—ke them if Satan robs us of a bag of silver let not us call after him and bid him take a bag of gold also If he afflict thee outwardly yet surrender not to him the inward rayle not at the hangman but runne to the Judge fret not with Joash 2 Kings 6. 33. but submit with Hezekiah Isay 39. 8. When Gods hand is on thy backe let thy hand be on thy mouth If thou beest wronged call not thine adversary to account but thy selfe and let it trouble thee more to doe ill than to heare of it bee more sorty that it is true than that it is knowne Yea neither rage at the Surgion as mad-men nor swoone under his hand as milke-sops but consider with whom thou hast to doe The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne and that will by no meanes cleare the guilty but visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Exod. 34. 6. 7. And this if any thing will doe It was before the Lord faith David and therefore I will be yet more viâ—e Reproach in Gods service is our best preferment the Lord so noble the servant cannot be too humble even Bucepâ—alus that disdained any other rider in all his trappings would kneele downe to his Master Alexander and goe away proud of his burthen Yea to goe yet father let us with good old Ely who was a good sâ—nne to God though he had beene an ill Father to his sonnes even kisse the very â—od we smart withall and say It is the LORD let him doe what seemeth him good for whatsoever seemeth good to him cannot but be good how soever it seemes to us Yea let us receive his stripes with all humility patience piety and thankefulnesse resolving as that holy Martyr John Bradford who said to the Queene how much more did hee meane it to the great King of Heaven and Earth If the Queene will give me life I will thanke â—et if shee will banish me I will thanke her if she will burne me I will thanke her if she will condemne me to perpetuall imprisonment I will thanke her A man will easily swallow a bitter pill to gaine health The stomacke that is purged must be content to part with some good nourishment that it may deliver it selfe of more evill humours and the Physitian knowes what is best for the Patiâ—nt the Nurse better than the Infant what is good and fit for it Now the Tenant is more noble than the House therefore why are wee not more joyed in this then dâ—jâ—cted in the other since the least graine of the increase of grace is more worth then can bee equalled with whole pounds of bodily vexation Yea let us take them as tokens and pledges of Gods love and favour who loves his Children so as not to make wantons of them They that would tame pampered Horses doe adde to their travell and abate of their provender as Pharaoh served the Children of Israel Which of us shall see peeces of Tamber cut and squared and plained by the Carpenter or Stones hewne and polished by the Mason but will collect and gather that these are Stones and Timber which the Master would imploy in some building If I suffer it is that I may raigne And how profitable is that affliction which carryeth me to Heaven Oh it is a good change to have the fire of affliction for the fire of Hâ—ll Who would not rather sinart for a while than for ever It s true these Waspes wicked men sting shrewdly but the Hornet Sathan would sting worse a great deale And not seldome doth the infliction of a lesse punishment avoyde a greater Neither must any man thinke to bee alwayes free from censure aspertions and wrongs nor somtimes from faults The very Heathen could say It is for none but God to feele or want nothing Indeed many are too apt to expect it and therefore can beare nothing like Minderides the Sibarite who was grieved for that some of the Rose-leaves which hee lay upon were rumpled together But this is to vilipend and â—â—dervalue his kindnesse to make no repute nor reckoning of his deepest indulgencies whereas the contrary approves our sincerity beyond all exceptions Every man can open his hand to God while he blesses but to expose our selves willingly to the astlicting hand of our Mâ—ker and to kneele to him while he scourges us is peculiar to the faithfull 3. Use. 3. Thirdly if the sharpe sufferings and bitter conflicts and sore travells of Gods children are usually the fore-runners of a joyfull issue even the happy birth of saving repentance and that the sharpe paine of the Surâ—ions cutting them is onely to ease them of a more durable and dangerous yea a farre heavier paine the stone of the heart If while their enemies goe about to rob them they doe but inrich them As that Sexton who in the night went to rob a Gentlewoman that had beene buried the day before with a gold Ring and having opened the coffin loosed the sheet and chased her finger to get it off she having beene but in a swoone before her spirits returning she revived and for many yeares after lived comfortably If they may bee resembled to the sive loaves in the Gospell which by a strange Arethmetick were multiplyed by Division and augmented by Substraction then let none dare to flatter or flesh themselves because their estate is prosperous especially in an evill way as it fared with Leah whom wee may heare thus chanting her happinesse God saith she hath given me my reward because I have given my mayde to my husband Gen. 30. 18. when she should rather have repented then rejoyced and the like with Micâ—h Judges 17. 13. and Saul 1 Sam. 23. 7. and Dionysius when he found the windes favourable in his navigation after he had dispoiled the Temple of all the gold therein Neither let such as suffer not censure their brethren that doe as those three misjudged of Job that he was an hypocrite and a greater sinner than others and God had cast him off or else it could not goe so ill with him Or as the Jewes censured our Savious Isay 53. 3 4. And those Barbarians Saint Paul Acts 28. 4. which is to condemne the generation of Gods Children Psal. 73. 15. But rather mistrust themselves which was the use our Saviour warned those to make of it who told him of the Galileans whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices Luke 13. 1. to 6. And indeed he is blinde that judgeth of mans felicity by his outward prosperity or concludes of ones misery from his calamity Eccles. 9. 1 2. The Sunne of prosperity
wants are so And be sure to aske good things to a good end and then if we aske thus according to Gods will in Christs name we know that he will heare us and grant whatsoever petitious we have desired 1 John 5. 14 15. CHAP. VII That it weanes them from the love of the world 4. FOurthly our sufferings weane us from the love of the world yea make us loath and contemne it and contrary wise fix upon Heaven with a desire to be dissolved S. Peter at Christs transfiguration enjoying but a glimpse of happinesse here was so ravished and transported with the love of his present estate that hee breakes out into these words Master it is good for us to bee here hee would faine have made it his dwelling place and being loath to depart Christ must make three Tabernacles Mat. 17. 4. The love of this world so makes us forget the world to come that like the Israelites we desire rather to live in the troubles of Aegypt then in the land of promise Whereas S. Paul having spoken of his bends in Christ and of the spirituall combate concludeth I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 22 23. Yea it transported him to heaven before hee came thither as Mary was not where shee was but where her desire was and that was with Christ. Prosperity makes us drunke with the love of the world like the Gadereans who preferred their swine before their soules or him in the parable that would goe to see his farme and lose heaven or the Rich glutton who never thought of heaven till he was in hell and thousands more who if they have but something to leave behinde them 't is no matter whether they have any thing to carry with them But as sleep composeth drunkennes so the crosse will bring a man to himselfe againe for when the staffe we so nourish to bare us becomâ— a cudgell to beat us when we finde the world to serve us as the Jewes did Christ carry us up to the top of the hill and then strive to throw us downe headlong Luke 4. 29. When the minde is so invested with cares molested with griefe vexed with paine that which way soever we cast our eyes wee finde cause of complaint wee more loath the world then ever we loved it as Amnon did his sister Tamor yea when life which is held a friend becomes an enemy then death which is an enemy becomes a friend and is so accounted as who having cast Ankor in a safe Road would againe wish himselfe in the stormes of a troublesome Sea Yea in case wee have made some progresse in Religion and found a good conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ the marrow of all comforts and resolved with Joseph to forsake our Coate rather than our Faith yet if the world but make new offers of preferment or some large improvement of profits and pleasures we begin to drawback or at least we know not whether to chuse like a horse that would and yet would not leap a ditch And after a little conflict having halfe yeelded to forsake that with joy which cannot be kept but with danger we resolve thus The same God which hath made my crosses cheerefull can aswell make my prosperity conscionable Why then should I refuse so faire an offer but alas having made our obayce it is not long ere these pleasures and honours these â—icbes and abundance prove as thornes to choake the good seed of Gods word formerly sowâ—e in our hearts as it is Math. 13. 22. For prosperity to Religion is as the Ivy to the Oake it quickly eates out the heart of it yea as the Misselto and Ivy sucking by their straight embraces the very sap that onely giveth vigetation from the rootes of the Oake and Hawthorne will stourish when the Trees wither so in this case the corrâ—ption of the good is alwayes the generation of the evill and so on the contrary crosses in the estate diseases of the body malladies of the minde are the medsons of the soule the impayring of the one is the repayring of the other When no man would harbour that unthrift Son in the Gospell hee turned back againe to his Father but never before Lais of Corinth while she was young doated upon her glasse but when she grew old and withered shee loathed it as much which made her give it up to Venus When Satan is let loose upon us to shew us our sinnes and the danger wee are in then farewell profit farwell pleasure treasure and all rather than I will endure such a racke such a hell in my conscience Whereas if wee should onely heare of misery or reade what is threatned in the word though it might a little fright us it would never mend us Birdes are frighted at first with the husbandmans scar-crowes but after a while observing that they stir not are bold to sit upon them and defile them Thus as harmonious sounds are advanced by a silent darkenesse so are the glad tydings of salvation The Gospell never sounds so sweet as in the night of persecution or of our private affliction When Virtue came downe from heaven as the Poets faigne rich men spurned at her wicked men abhorred her Courtyors scoft at her Citizens hated her and being thrust out of doores in every place she came at last to her sisters poverty and affliction and of them found entertainment When it ceased to bee with Sarah after the manner of the world shee conceived Isaac so when it ceaseth to be with us after the manner of the worlds favorites we conceive holy desires quietnesse and tranquillity of minde with such like spirituall contentments Yea we make faith our onely option whereas before we kept open house for all vices as the States are said to keepe open house for all Religions or if not it fares with piety as with holy water every one praiseth it and thinkes it hath some rare vertue in it but offer to sprinkle them with the â—â—me they shut their eyes and turne away their faces and no marvell for wee never taste this manna from heaven untill we leave the leaven of this Aegypt Now better the body or estate perish than the soule though wee are too sensuall to consent unto it Plus pastor in vulnere gregis sui vulneratur The losse of a gracelesse childe cannot but greive the father though the father himselfe were in danger of mischiefe by that childe as David mourned for Absolom that would have cut his throat True prosperity is hearty meat but not digestible by a weake stomack strong wine but naught for a weake braine The prosperity of fooles destroyeth them Prov. 1. 32. So that all temporall blessings are as they hit but if the minde doe not answer they were better mist. The more any man hath the more cause he hath to pray Lord leade us not into temptation for wee cannot so heartily thinke of our home
What is thy servant a dogge and Balaam could bragge Though thou wouldst give me thine house full of gold I would not c. Yet when it came to the tryall he did as bad for little or nothing but a man is in deed what he is in tryall If with the Pomecitron Limon and Oreng-tree wee are alwayes greene and alwayes fruitfull Summer and Winter if our soules shall like of Christ for a suitor when wee finde no other Joynture but the Crosse we are sure wee are Christians 2. That others may know us A souldier is best knowne in the front of a Battle a Pilate in a storme a nimble active man in a Race and a Champion in the lists How well the strings of an instrument are tuned and set is best knowne when they are touched by the hand of a skilfull musition There must be differences among you saith Saint Pâ—ul that the approved may be knowne 1 Cor. 11. 19. For as Thrashing separates the straw and Wynowing the chaffe from the Corne So persecution seperates the hypocrite from the company of beleevers Luke 22. 31. When a sâ—rvingman followes two men wâ—lling together wee cannot tell which is his mâ—steâ— till they part so when the Gospell and outward prosperity goe together it is hard to judge which is most respected Our Churches are full blessed be God but come we not to please others as the Poet made his Playes or as Simon Magus was christned for company or is it not more for feare of the Law than for love of the Gospell It is a great question untill persecution arising because of the Word puts it out of question but then is that of Claudius Taurinensis more then verified they worship the dead Saints in a cold profession while they wâ—orry the living in a cruell persecution so that if the Bramble had beene the King of Trees the Vine could not have met with worse usage Wee all call our selves Christians why it is an honourable thing to be so accounted but who are such is knowne onely where the power of godlinesse is in contempt Where as S. Austen speaks a Christian in name will scoffe at a Christian indeed for Christ saith Nazianzen is stoned by many that are called Christians thâ—ugh no otherwise then the Heathen Images are called Gods as Justine Martyr notes or as another hath it many superstitiously adore the Crucifix that are enemies to the Crosse of Christ. That Childe saith old Simem meaning Christ is appointed for a signe to be spoken against that the thoughts of many hearts may bee opened Luke 2. 34 35. O how wicked men manifest their hatred and enmity against God and his people so soone as Persecution ariseth because of the Word Yea it would put a wise man into an extasie to thinke how prophane men in such times will rayle upon those whom one day they will wish they had imitated as Justine Martyr speakes But it s well enough for by this meanes both the malice of Sathan and the world are better knowne and avoyded Demetrius the Silversmith resisted Paul perhaps not so much for great Diana's sake as the little Silver shrines by which his gaine came in The carnall Capeâ—nâ—ytes followed Christ while he fed them Joh. 6. 26. Judas can be content to beare the crosse so he may beare the bagge but Job will trust in God though he kill him Job 13. 15. and David in deepest distresse or desertion will hang on still Psal. 43. last Now who will not say give me the Bird that will sâ—ng in winter and seeke to my window in the hardest frost There is no tryall of friendship but in adversity hee that is not ashamed of my bonds not dâ—unted with my checks not alienated with my disgrace is a friend for me one dram of that mans love is worth a world of inconstant formallity But that friend is false heâ—rted who observeth me onely for his owne ends like those the Philosopher speaks of who were not his friends but friends to his wealth or like him in Clements not his but â—is riches kinsman For these Waspes that make such Musicke about the Gally pot shew it was but the boney hâ—y came for And even the most hoggish Gadereans will worship Christ during the spring-tides of Gods favours not when they enjoy the light of his countenance but when his steps drop fatnesse and their Corne and Wine increaseth But alas they are but bad workes that need rewards to crane them up withall for neither paine nor losse much lesse the censure of lewd persons will trouble a well planted minde An Hypocrite like a fresh water souldier may be Sea-sicke in a calme but the sincere Christians stomacke indures all weathers great changes never change him Neither the Kings favours or honours nor the Lyons den could make Daniell lose one dram of his integrity Neither the preposterous affection of the Lycaonians when they would deifie Paul and Barnabas nor their devillish rage when they goe about to stone them could procure either to yeeld one haires breadth and so of all the Martyrs that noble Army whom neither the threatnings of fire nor the faire and large promises of their cunning and cruell adversaries could cause them to shrinke from Christ. Affliction tryeth whether a man hath grace in his heart or no Set an empty Pitcher the resemblance of a wicked man to the fire it crackes presently whereas the fall which resembles the Childe of God will abide boyling Gold imbroydered upon Silke if cast into the fire loseth his fashion but not his weight Copper loseth his fashion and weight also Persecution is the sword whereby our Salomon will try which is the true naturall Mother which the pretended Afflictions are the waters where our Gideon will try whether we are fit Souldiers to fight the Battell of Faith A faithfull Wise said Bradford is never tryed so to be untill she be assaulted nor a faithfull Christian so approved till proâ—ed by affliction Peace and prosperity hides many a false heart as the snow drift covers an heape of dung but when affliction like Simmians â—â—rorâ— pierceth through the soule then the thoughts of many hearts are discovered then it appeares plainly that the love of Gods children was not meritricious nor their obedience mercenary Many a man will doe fâ—r another that will not suffer for him slight siusse will shrinke when it comes to wetting counterfeit câ—yne will prove dâ—osse when it shall be rub'd on the test or cast into the câ—usible Behold saith the Angell to the Church of Smyrna it shall come to passe that the Devill shall cast some of you into Prison that you may bee tryed Revel 2. 10. Strong drinke trâ—â—th the braine and hard meat the stomacke Gold and Silver are tryed in the fire men in the fâ—rnâ—ce of adversity As the fâ—rnâ—ce proveth the Potters Vessell so doe temptations try mens thoughts Eccles. 27. 5. None but a regenerate heart can chuse rather to suffer affliction with the
have Well then art thou vexed persecuted and afflicted by some cruell and malitious Saul and is it grievous to thee for the present Why that which hath beene heard to suffer is sweet to remember at last our Songs shall bee louder then our Cryes CHAP. XV. How it increaseth their spirituall wisedome 12 OUr sufferings make us teachable and increase in us spirituall wisedome He delivereth the poore in his affliction and openeth their eare in trouble Job 36. 15. And again He openeth the eares of men even by their corrections Job 33. 16. We are best instructed when we are most afflicted Pauls blindnesse tooke away his blindnesse and made him see more into the way of life then could all his learning at the feet of Gamaliel And what saith Naaman upon the cleansing of his Leprosie Now I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel O happy Syrian that was at once cured of his Leprosie and his misprision of God The Prodigall sonne regarded not his Fathers admonition so long as he enjoyed prosperity when we smart not we beleeve not and God is not feared till felt but that which makes the body smart makes the soule wise It is good for me saith David that I have beene afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes We grow wise by evills whereas prosperity besottsus Even to lose is some wayes profitable it makes a man wary Yea S. Basil calls want and pennury the inventer of all Arts. And S. Austin the mistris of all Philosophy The best wisedome is dearest bought Algerius the Martyr could say out of experience he found more light in the dungeon then without in all the world The Scottish King prisoner in Mortimers hoale learnt more of Christ then in his pallace he could all his life Luther could not understand some Psalmes till he was in affliction the Christs crosse is no letter yet it taught him more learning then all the letters in the row Yea what will not affliction teach us when even the savagest Beasts are made quiet and docible with abating their food and rest or by adding of stripes That Breefe-braynd fellow in Scaliger had his eare boared with thunder when nothing else would doe it Yea saith Molineus Bonifacias his silly reasons for the Popes supremacy did well enough being propounded with a sword in the hand Even as the Clay with water and the Iron with fire are made plyable and apt to receive impression from the workeman even so when wee are soaked in the flouds of sorrow and softned in the fire of affliction we are aptest to receive the impression of Gods Law into our hearts when hee speakes unto us by his Ministers If the Lord breaks us in peaces with the Plow of his Justice then let the Seedsmen his Ministers sow the seed of his Word we shall receive it through the furroâ—â—es of our eares into the ground of our hearts and grow up in wisedome and saving knowledge Or when the bard heart is grownd to powder betweene the upper and the nâ—ther milstone of the two Tables it will see and imbrace that counsell which before it slighted We heare and reade much of the corruption of our natures odiousnesse of our sinnes necessity of a Saviour sweetnes of Gods love in Christ c. but wee never fully apprehend these things or taste how good the Lord is till some sharpe affliction comes A man knowes not where his house is ill covered till winter Crosses are like pinching frosts that will search us wee learne to know our selves by that we suffer Yea Affliction so brings downe our stomacks that we can see even matter of thankefulnes where our former pride found matter of complayning And that which formerly had no more taste then the white of an egge viz. the glad tydings of the Gospell is now such a spectacle of unspeakable mercy as ravisheth our soules with admiration Many a good word is even spilt upon us till God sets it on with his Rod Naomy will not looke home-ward nor wee heaven-ward till the Almighty have dealt very bitterly with us Zippora falls presently to circumcising her sonne when shee sees her husbands life lyes upon it Were it not for temptations we should be concealed from our selves like t 〈…〉 〈…〉 nchanted Asse in Lucian which returned to his proper shape againe when he saw himselfe in a looking-glasse So long as we prosper like those wives in Jeremy Chap. 44. 17 18. we judge of things by their events and raise our confidence according to the successe we have and so blesse our selves without being blest of God like the Theefe that applauded himselfe for mercyfull because he had never kild any and yet rather then lose a Ring he would cut off the travellers finger but strong affections will give credit to weake reasons O how blinde and partiall are wee before affliction hath humbled us even so stupid that Narsisus like we are inamoured of our owne shaddowes bragging we discharge 4 good conscience when indeed we discharge it quite away and this righteousnesse in opinion is almost the onely cause of all unrighteousnesse Before want came poverty was more contemptible then dishonesty but now it is disgracefull to none except fooles and knaves Then we could censure things indifferent and passe by haynous crimes now wee are able to distinguish them and so judge righteous judgement Before trouble came we were either ungrounded in the principles of Religion or unconscionâ—ble in the practise and by vertue of our mother wit could poste and passe sinne from our selves unto some other as Adam laid the fault upon Eve his wife she upon the Serpent and the Serpent upon God Or excuse or extenuate it which saith Fabius is to dubble it As for Originall corruption that never troubled us which now we bewayle as the mother and nurse of all the rest thinking it worthy our sighes yea of our teares and not without need it being the great wheele in the Clock that sets all the wheeles a moving while it seemes to move slowest Though not one of a hundred taketh it sufficiently to heart as not seeing the evill of it But never did any truly and orderly repent that began not here esteeming it the most foule and hatefull of all as David Psal. 51. 5. and Paul crying out of it as the most secret deceitfull powerfull evill Rom. 7. 23 24. And indeed if wee clearly saw the foulenes and deceitfulnes of it wee would not suffer our eyes to sleepe nor our eye-lids to slumber untill a happy change had wrought these hearts of ours which by nature are no better then so many styes of uncleane devills to be habitations for the God of Jacob. Apt wee were to measure our owne good by anothers want of it and to scoffe at others infirmities but now other mens sinnes shall rather be the subject of our griefe then of our discourse Before feare of the law shame of men and such like base ends bare the
greatest sway with us yea to please men wee could be like certaine pictures that represent to divers beholders at divers stations divers formes but now it is enough to regulate our thoughts words and actions that God seeth and indeed where are braines there needes no more We reade that paphnutius converted Thais and Ephron another famous strumpet from uncleannesse only with this argument that God seeth all things in the darke when the dores are fast the windowes shut the curtens drawne Before too much devotion was made an argument of too little discretion and mischiefe called vertue when it was happy in the successe as with the Papists the Ostentation of the prosperity of their estate is the best demonstration of the sincerity of their Religion yea and thinke also they have clypt the wings of prosperity as the Athenians did the wings of victory that she cannot fly away Before we thought drinking and joviall company the best receit to drive away sadnesse but now nothing like living well as an Heathen hath confest Once we thought Earth Heaven but now we apprehend the World and glory thereof to be like a beautifull harlot a Paradise to the eye a Purgatory to the soule Yea hee that before was indifferent in nothing but conscience and no cause so bad but hee would undertake it for gaine or glory and thinke it well done As Sathan prevailes chiefly by deception of our Reason whereby wee mistake vertue for vice and vice for vertue wherein hee imitates Hanniball who having overcome the Romans put on their Armour and so his souldiers being taken for Romans won a City by that pollicy and to this purpose what stone so rough but he can smooth it what stuffe so pittifull but hee can set a glosse upon it like a Beare he can licke into fashion the most mishapen and deformed lumpe or like a dogge heale any wound he can reach with his tongue yea what golden eloquence will he whisper in our eare what brazen impudence what subtill shifts what quaint querks what cunning conveyances what jugling shuffling and packing will he use to make any sinne feazable like the Hare which if she dare not trust to her speed she will try the turne and so on the contrary to discourage us in good shewing each thing as it were in triangular glasses among the opticks which will represent a way so fowle so deepe that 't is impassable as if it were all covered with Tapestry But as he pleades now with eloquence so when he sees his time hee will speake with Thunder Even such a man I say now hath his eyes opened to discerne good and evill when God speaks and when Satan for Gods chastisements are pills made of purpose to cleare the sight and vertue if it be clearely seene moves great love and affection as Plato speaks Yea when to our cost we can Adam like see good from evill clearely the subtile Serpent can deceive no longer whereas before wee were easily deceived and led away with the multitude into innumerable errours Yea if the fish did know of the hooke or the bird did but see the net though they have but the understanding of fishes and birds yet they would let the bait alone fly over the net and let the Fowler whistle to himselfe Thus Gods corrections are our instructions his lashes our lessons his scourges our schoolemasters his chastisements our advertisements And commonly the soule waxeth as the body wayneth and is wisest to prescribe when the bones and sinnewes are weakest to execute neither doe wee hereby become wise for our owne soules good only but affliction makes us wise and able to doe others good also that are in any the like affliction Blessed be God saith S. Paul which comforteth us in all our afflictions that we may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith wee our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. Yea the whole Church and every particular member thereof have their wisedome and knowledge improved even by their greatest enemies If Arius and Sabellius had not vexed the Church the deepe mysteries of the Trinity had not beeâ—e so accurately cleared by the Catholike Doctors Subtill arguments well answered breed a cleare conclusion heresie makes men sharpen their wits the better to confute it as Worme-wood though it be bitter to the taste yet it is good to cleere the eyes yea further the very stormes of persecution make us looke to our Tackling Patience and to our Anchor Hope and to our Helme Faith and to our Card the Word of God and to our Captaine Christ whereas security like a calme makes us forget both our danger and deliverer Experience is the best informer which makes Martin Luther say When all is done tribulation is the plainest and most sincere divinity And another most emphatically shewing that knowledge is in many respects cumulative as well as originall like water that besides his owne spring head is fed with other springs and streames That Prayer Reading Meditation and temptations make a Divine So that to be altogether exempt from misery is a most miserable thing CHAP. XVI How it increaseth their patience 13 BEcause the malice of our enemies makes for the increase of our patience We rejoyce in tribulation saith Paul knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience Rom. 5. 3. My brethren saith S. James count it exceeding joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing that the tryall of your faith bringeth forth patience James 1. 2 3. Thus the malice of our enemies doth both prove and improve our patience see it exemplified in Job and David whose practise doth most excellently confirme this point you know Job was not so miserable in his afflictions as happy in his patience Job 31. 35 36 37. And David after he had beene so many yeares trayned up in the Schoole of Affliction and exercised with continuall sufferings from innumerable enemies of all sorts became a wonder of patience to all succeeding Ages as take but notice of his carriage towards Shimei and you will say so when this his impotent Subject cursed and cast stones at him and all his Men of War called him Murderer wicked man c. he was so farre from revenging it when hee might so easily or suffering others that you shall heare him make that an argument of his patience which was the exercise of it Behold my sonne saith he which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life how much more now may this Benjamite doe is 2 Sam. 16. 11. The wickednesse of aâ— Absalom may rob his Father of comfort but shall helpe to adde to his Fathers goodnesse it is the advantage of great crosses that they swallow up the lesser One mans sinne cannot be excused by anothers the lesser by the greater if Absalom be a Traytor Shimei may not curse and rebell but the passion conceived from the indignity of a stranger may be abated by the harder measure of our owne Indeed in the
impatience of sinners whom the Devill hath bewitcht to glory in their shame or in plaine English a reprobate judgement is the onely cause for with them every vertue is counted a vice and every vice a vertue as their owne words witnesse in nicknaming each vice and grace with opposite titles But as when it was objected to a Martyr that his Christ was but a Carpenters sonne hee answered yea but such a Carpenter as built Heaven and Earth so we grant wee are cowards as they tearme us but such cowards as are able to prevaile with God Gen. 32. 26. 28. Exod. 32. 10. And overcome the World the Flesh and the Devill 1 John 5. 4. Galat. 5. 24. 1 John 2. 14. which is as much Valour and Victory as we care for CHAP. XIX That suffering is the onely may to prevent suffering 3. BEcause suffering is the onely way to prevent suffering Revenge being one of those remedies which not seldome proves more grievous than the disease it selfe When once Zantippe the wife of Socrates in the open street pluckt his cloake from his backe and some of his acquaintance counselled him to strike her he answers you say well that while we are brawling and sighting together every one of you may clap us on the backe and cry hoe well said to it Socrates yea well done Zantippe the wisest of the twaine When Aristippus was asked by one in dirision where the great high friendship was become that formerly had bin between him and Estines he answers It is a sleepe but I will goe and awaken it and did so least their enemies should make it a matter of rejoycing When Philip of Macedon was told that the Grecians spake evill words of him notwithstanding he did them much good and was withall counselled to chastise them hee answers Your counsell is not good for if they now speake evill of us having done them good onely what would they then if wee should doe them any harme And at another time being counselled either to banish or put to death one who had slandered him hee would doe neither of both saying It was not a sufficient cause to condemne him and for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedonia where all men knew that he lyed then to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth better he speak where we are both knowne then where we are both unknowne And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately answer Ah but chide him not for then he will doe as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injury than Revenge These tongue-squibs or crackers of the braine will die alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemne an enemy is better than either to feare him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his fear made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftnesse let him turne to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least will soone give over and be quiet To vex other men is but to prompt them how they should againe vex us Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription if we knock we crack was long agoe made the Emblem of England and the Low-Countreys When two friends fall out if one be not the wiser they turne love into anger and passion passion into evill words words into blowes and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a faire advantage to insult over them both As have you not somtimes seen two neighbours like two Cocks of the Game peck out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Judah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Judah the King of Syria smote them both at least Sathan that common and Arch enemy will have us at advantage For as man delighteth when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to encourage and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Sathan deale with us controversies like a paire of Cudgels are throwne in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs And wee cannot please the Devill better for as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the sighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devill deale with men Hee is an enemy that watcheth his time and while we wound one another he wounds and wins all our souâ—es Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kite comes that Prince and chiefe Fowle that ruleth in the Aire and snatcheth away both these great warriors or like two Emmets in the Mole-bill of this earth we sight for the mastery in meane while comes the Robin-red-breast and pickes both up and so devoures them But on the other side by gentlenesse wee may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up between him and Themistocles that hee besought him mildly after this manner Sir wee both are no meane men in this Common-wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one againe and if wee will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love And we reade of Euclides that when his Brother in a variance betweene them said I would I might dye if I be not revenged of thee hee answered againe nay let me dye for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one word hee presently so wonne his brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends And this was Davids way of overcomming 1 Sam. 24. Hee whose Harpe had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindnesse doth calme his fury so that now he sheds teares instead of bloud here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the hoast of the King of Syria when he might have slaine them 2 Kings 6. 23. What did he lose by it or had he cause to repent himselfe No hee did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith The bands of Aram came no more into the Land of Israel so every wise Christian will doe good to them that doe hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is hee a foole in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evill enemies now they shall neither be
can passe by an offence and take it patiently and quietly you have a kinde of peace and joy in your heart as if you had gotten a victory and the more your patience is still the lesse your paine is for as a light burthen at the armes end weigheth heavier by much than a burthen of treble weight if it be borne on the shoulders which are made to beare so if a man set patience to beare his crosse the weight is nothing to what it would be if that were wanting In a word Patience is so soveraigne a m 〈…〉 dicine that it cures and overcomes all it keeps the heart from envy the hand from revenge the tongue from contu 〈…〉 ely the whole body from smart it overcomes our enemies without weapons finally it is such a vertue that it makes calamities no calamities But what needs all this men commonly say in necessitated sufferings what remedy but patience therefore patience is a confessed remedy Wherefore saith one being unable to direct events I governe my selfe and if they apply not themselves to mee I apply my selfe to them if I cannot fling what I would yet I will somewhat mend it by playing the cast as well as I can O that all implacable persons who double their sufferings through long study of revenge would learne this lesson and beare what they must beare patiently then would they finde that patience can no lesse mitigate evils than impatience exasperates them A profitable prescription indeed may some say but of an hard execution hard indeed to an impenitent sinner that hath two burdens on his backe at once viz. his affliction and his sin which addes weight to his affliction to carry them so easily as he that hath but one namely his affliction Yea it is altogether impossible to flesh and bloud for our hearts are like the Isle Pathmos in which nothing will grow but on earth which is brought from other places If the will be ours the good will is Gods Wherefore if thou art onely beholding to nature and hast nought but what thou broughtest into the world with thee well mayest thou envie at it but thou canst never imitate it for to speake the truth faith and patience are two miracles in a Christian. A Protestant Martyr being at the stake in the midst of furious and outragious flames cryed out behold yee Papists whom nothing will convince but Miracles here see one indeed for in this fire I feele no more paine than if I were in a bed of Downe yea it is to me like a bed of Roses and Cassianus reporteth that when a Martyr was tormented by the Infidels and asked by way of reproach what miracle his CHRIST had done hee answered hee hath done what you now behold inabled me so to beare your contumelies and undergoe all these tortures so patiently that I am not once moved and is not this a miracle worthy your taking notice of Indeed what have we by our second birth which is not miraculous in comparison of our naturall condition It was no lesse than a miracle for Zacheus a man both rich and covetous to give halfe his goods to the the poore and make restitution with the residue and all this in his health It was a great miracle that Joseph in the armes of his Mistresse should not burne with lust It is a great miracle for a man to forsake Houses and Lands and all that hee hath yea to hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and his owne life to be Christs Disciple It is a great miracle to rejoyce in tribulation and smile death in the face It is a great miracle that of fierce and cruell Wolves Beares Lyons we should bee transformed into meeke Lambes and harmelesse Doves and all this by the foolishnesse of preaching Christ crucified Indeed they were no miracles if Nature could produce the like effects but she must not looke to stand in competition with grace Saint Paul before his conversion could doe as much as the proudest naturall man of you all his words are If any other man thinketh that hee hath whereof he might trust in the flesh much more I Phil. 3. 4. Yet when he speaks of patience and rejoycing in tribulation hee sheweth That it was because the love of God was shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which was given unto him Rom. 5. 5. of himselfe hee could doe nothing though hee were able to doe all things through Christ which strengthned him Phil. 4. 13. Hast thou then a desire after this invincible patience seek first to have the love of God shed abroad in thy heart by the Holy Ghost which love of God is like that Rod of Mirtle which as Pliny reports makes the traveller that carries it in his hand never to be faint or weary Wouldst thou have the love of God aske it of him by prayer who saith if any of you lacke in this kinde let him Aske of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall bee given him James 1. 5. Wouldst thou pray that thou mayst be heard Aske in faith and waver not for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea tost of the winde and carried away Vers. 6. Wouldst thou have faith bee diligent to heare the Word preached for Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17. Unto him therefore that is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke I commend thee CHAP. XXIII Because our enemies are ignorant 2. Reasons in regard of our enemies are three 1 because They are ignorant 2 because They are rather to be pitied than maligned or reckoned of 3 because Their expectation may not bee answered 1. HE well considers the ignorance of his enemies who being carnall fleshly unregenerate cannot discerne the spirituall objects at which they are offended Father forgive them saith our Saviour of his enemies for they know not what they doe Luke 23. 34. Socrates being perswaded to revenge himselfe of a fellow that kicked him answered if an Asse had kickt me should I have set my wit to his and kicke him againe or if a Mastife had bitten me would you have me goe to Law with him And when it was told him another time that such an one spake evill of him he replyed alas the man hath not as yet learned to speak well but I have learned to contemno what hee speakes Diogenes being told that many despised him answered It is the wise mans portion to suffer of fooles Aristotle being told that a simple fellow railed on him was not once moved but said let him beate me also being absent I care not wee may well suffer their words while God doth deliver us out of their hands for if we goe on in a silent constancy say our eares be beaten yet our hearts shall be free And this heroicall resolution had Saint Paul that chosen Vessell I passe very little to bee judged of you meaning blind sensualists or of mans judgement
answer It were the greatest pleasure to Athens that could be if you would hang your selfe yet was not moved a jot for all his might was answerable to his patience why hee cared not so much to revenge the evill as to requite the good Polamon was not so much as appalled at the byting of a Dog that tooke away the brawne or calfe of his leg nor Harpalus to see two of his Sonnes laid ready drest in a silver Charger when Astiages had bid him to Supper And lastly when it was told Anaxagoras from the State that he was condemned to dye and that his Children were already executed hee was able to make this answer As touching said he my condemnation nature hath given like sentence both of my condemners and me and as touching my children I knew before that I had begot mortall creatures But what of all this Let every naturall man know that a continued patience may be different from what is goodnesse for as Austin well there is no true vertue where there is no true Religion neither is it a naturall meeknesse which proceeds from a good constitution nor a morrall meekenesse which proceeds from good education and breeding but spirituall meeknesse which is a fruit of the spirit Galat. 5. 22. to 25. That is the subject of our discourse and will carry away the blessing But to give them the utmost advantage let the vertues of all these Philosophers bee extracted into one Essence and that spirit powred into one man as Zeuxis pourtraying Juno chose the â—ive Daughters of Croton out of all the Agrigentine Virgins that from there severall perfections he might compose one excellent and most beautifull picture Yet this Philosopher must bee acknowledged to fall short of a compleat Christian guided by the Spirit of God Or if you will gather out of Histories the magnanimity of Hector of Alexander of Caesar of Scipio and of Sâ—aevola put them to the rest yet for patience and constancy they come not neare that one president laid downe in the example of that holy man Job and other servants of God in succeeding ages and that in five maine particulars 1 One notable difference betweene the patience of a Philosopher and a Christian is They lacked a pure heart truly sanctified by the Holy Ghost which is the Fountaine of all well doing Now if the Fountaine be corrupt the strâ—ames cannot be pure but the best of them wâ—re but in the state of nature unregenerate and consequently unreconciled to God in Christ and so enemies to him Rom. 5. 10. And our persons must first be justified and accepted of God before our actions can please him as of necessity the Tree must be good before it can bare good fruit Yea saith our Saviour as the Branch cannot bare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can yee except you abide in me John 15. 4. Christian vertues are not naturall a man is no more borne with Grace in his Soule than with Apparrell on his Back Againe the best of our Workes are imperfect and mingled with corruptions and therefore cannot abide the examination of Gods exact justice till they be covered with Christs righteousnesse and their corruption washed away with his most precious blood Neyther can those workes please God which are done without him for as it will be no excuse before God when the matter of the worke is ill to pleaâ—e the goodnesse of the heart So neither when the heart is nought to pleade that the matter of the worke is good as many notable examples prove namely the Jewes urging God with their fasting Isay 58. and yet sent away empty And those reprobates Matth. 7. who alleadge there Preaching in Christs name casting our Devils c. but receiving that fearefull answer depart from me yee workers of iniquity I know you not As also Caine whose outward workes in sacrificing were the same with his brothers and yet Saint John sayes Gains workes were evill and his brothers good which may seâ—ve to comfort poore Publicans and confound all proud Pharisees as Saint Austin observes qui viret in soliis venit a radicibus humor 2. As the Christian beares injuries patiently so hee doth it and all other performances in knowledge of and in obedience to Gods word and Commandement which obedience also proceeds from a true love of God and an humble heart thinking when hee hath done that he falls farre short of performing his duty Whereas they had neither knowledge in nor love to nor the least respect of God or his word in their bearing injuries and therefore as God said once to the Jewes in matter of Fasting have yee fasted to me so hee will say to them in the matter of suffering have yee suffered in love and obedience to me and my word no but in love to your owne credit and other the like carnall respects And indeed how can they expect a reward from God when they have done him no service If in bearing with or serving of men we serve our selves and seeke our selves rather than God when wee come for our reward Gods answer will be let him reward you whom yee have served thou servedst thy selfe therefore reward thy selfe if thou wilt for I never reward any service but mine owne As why will Christ at the later day remember and reward the duties of love and liberality done to men but because they were done for his sake and as to himselfe Matth. 25. 40. Yee have done them unto me there is the cause of the reward Whence it is Saint Paul willeth Christian servants yoaked with cruell Heathnish misters to hee obedient unto them as unto Christ serving the Lord and not men Colos. 3. Vers. 22 23 24. 3. What ever they did or suffered was either to purchase fame to themselves or to merit reward by it their aime and end was not Gods glory but their owne honour and glory and vertues are to be judged not by their actions but by their ends Yea they called vertue Bonum Theatrale as if a man would not be vertuous if hee had not spectators to take notice of him but it is false for vertue will be as cleere in solitudine as in Theatro though not so conspicuous onely it may grow more strong by the observation and applause of others as an heat that is doubled by the reflection But O the difference betweene these naturall and meere morall men and a true Christian the Christian loves goodnesse for it selfe and would be holy were there no heaven to reward it he does all and suffers all out of sincere affection and a zeale of Gods glory and the Churches good Math. 5. 16. to the end his name may bee magnified and others wonne and edisied 1 Pet. 2. 12. as most fit it is that the profit being mans the honour should be Gods And this his sincerity the rather appeares in that he holds out maugre all opposition disgrace persecution c. Whereas the other like
in body goods or good name for of necessity there must bee in that man that can patiently beare such a losse somewhat more than man I know there are some men or rather two legged Beasts that esteeme no more of Bookes and Notes than Esops Cocke did of the Pearle hee found and these accordingly will say this was nothing in comparison of what they suffer as when once a Hot-spur was perswaded to be patient as Job was he replyed What doe you tell me of Job Job never had any suits in Chauncery Yea indeed the meanest of Christs royall Band for patience puts down all the generations of naturall men as even their enemies will confesse Consalvus a Spanish Bishop and Inquisitor wondred how the Protestans had that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe so indelibly Printed in their hearts that no torture could blot it out and make them confesse and betray one another And indeed how should it be otherwise for First if Morall Principles cherished and strengthened by good education will inable the soule against vitious inclinations so that though some influence of the heavens doe worke upon the aire and the aire upon the spirits and the spirits upon the humors and these incline the temper and that inclines the soule of a man such and such wayes Yet breeding in the refineder sort of evill persons will much prevaile to draw them another way what may wee thinke of grace and faith and Gods spirit which are supernaturall Secondly every Christian suffering for Christs sake and for righteousnesse sake hath Gods mighty power to support him and Christ to suffer with him and beare a part in his misery whereas the naturall man suffers all himselfe as a delinquent or malefactor whose guilty conscience addes weight to his punishment A woman called Fâ—licitas whom Saint Austin much praiseth being brought to bed in the time of her imprisonment for the truth and by reason of the great paines shee had in her labour that she could not forbeare schreâ—ching one of the Officers hearing her cry out tauntingly mockt her thus Ah woman if thou canst not beare these sorrowes without such cryingâ— how wilt thou endure when thou shalt be burnt or cut in peeces or torne asunder What thou now sufferest is but sport but the Tragedy is to follow whom shee answered Now said shee I suffer for my selfe and for sinne but then Christ is to suffer in me and I for him And it fell out as she said for when she was thrown to the wild beasts she neither sent out screechings nor so much as a sigh or groane but entertained death with so merry and cheerfull a countenance as if she had beene invited to a Feast And thus you see in the first place that Nature hath but a slow foot to follow Religion close at the heeles that grace and faith transcends reason as much as reason doth sense that patience rightly so called is a Prerogative royall peculiar to the Saints It is well if Philosophy have so much wisedome as to stand amazed at it 2. That it is not true Christian patience except it flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the Holy Ghost 2 Be done in knowledge of and obedience to Gods command 3 That wee doe it in humility and sincere love to God 4 That it be done in faith 5 That wee ayme at Gods glory not our owne and the Churches good in our sufferings 6 That we â—orgive aswell as forbeare yea love pray for and returne good to our enemies for their evill which being so what hath the Swashbuckler to say for himselfe And what will become of him if he repent not who can afford no time to argue but to execute Yea what hath the more temperate worldling to say for himselfe who hath some small peece of reason for his guide arguing thus I would rather make shew of my passions than smoother them to my cost which being vented and exprest become more languishing and weake better it is to let its point worke outwardly than bend it against our selves and in reason Tallying of injuries is but justice To which I answer it is not reason especially â—arnall reason but Religion which all this while hath beene disputed of which is Divine and supernaturall and that teacheth how good must be returned for evill and that we should rather invite our enemy to doe us more wrong than not to suffer the former with patience as our Saviours words doe imply If saith hee they strike thee on the one cheeke turne to him the other also If they sue thee at the Law and take away thy Coate let him have thy Cloake also Mat. 5. 39 40. He speakes comparatively as if he should say rather suffer two wrongs than doe one Indeed the difficulty of the duty the seeming danger and want of Faith in carnall men weakneth the force of the strongest reasons for no more among Ruâ—â—ins but a word and a blow among civill men a word and a writ can you expect But as thrice Noble Nehemiah said to that false Belly-god betraying-Priest Shemaiah should such a man as I flee So the true Christian will encounter all discouragements and frightning Alarums thus should such a man as I feare to doe that which my Master King and Captaine Christ Jesus hath commanded me which is of more necessity than life it selfe Yea seeing Heathens could goe so farre as to subdue their passions for shame let so many of us as would be accounted Christians goe further even to the mortifying of ours or if we goe not before Publicans and Sinners in the Kingdome of grace Publicans and Sinners shall goe before us into the Kingdome of Heaven And seeing the duty of the Childe is the Fathers honour let us that are Christians bee knowne from Worldlings by our practice as once the Grecians were knowne from the Barbarians by their vertuous lives as Quintus Curtius notes Shall a wild Olive Tree growing upon the barren mo 〈…〉 s of Gilboa and nature where neither dew of the spirit nor rayne of grace faleth bare such fruit and shalt not thou a green Olive Tree in the house of God planted beside the waters of comfort bring forth this fruit of the spirit We see that civill honesty severed fâ—â—m trâ—e piety humility saving knowledge sincere love to God true obedience to his word justifying faith a zeale of Gods glory and desire to edifie and win others God accepts not as proceeding from the love of our selves and other carnall respects namely to obtaine praise or profit thereby So that to suffer as the Heathen did without observing other circumstances is but to imitate that foolish Patient who when the Physitian bade him take that prescript eate up the paper Wherefore doe not onely subdue thy passions but sayle with that contrary breath of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 12. We are reviled and we blesse and with that of Saint Steven who rowed both against winde and tyde
at rest Yet see when his mortall foe was delivered into his hand in the Cave he would not lay hands on his enemy nor suffer his bloud-thirsty followers to fall upon him but onely to give him notice what hee could have done cut off the lap of his garment and rendered him good for evill as Saul himselfe confessed 1 Sam. 24. 18. Yea againe when hee found him asleepe in the field he spared his life which was in his hand and to give him a second warning onely took away his pot of water and his speare 1 Sam. 26. And lastly of Steven who when the Jewes were stoning him to death kneeled downe and cryed with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7. 60. A true Scholler of CHRIST for first hee prayed for enemies secondly for mortall enemies that stoned him thirdly in hot bloud at the time when they wronged him most as being more sorry for their ryat then for his owne ruine Now what is it that wee suffer being compared with their sufferings even nothing in a manner Yee have not saith Saint Paul to the Hebrewes yet resisted unto bloud Wee have passed saith the Prophet through fire and water not fire onely as the three Children nor water onely as the Israelites but fire and water all kinde of afflictions and adversities For shame then let us passe through a little tongue-tryall without the least answering or repining Now all ye scoffers behold the patience of the Saints and stand amazed That which you not for want of ignorance esteemed base sottish and unworthy yee see hath 16. sollid Reasons as so many pillars to support it and these hewen out of the Rock of Gods Word Yee see the Childe of God is above nature while hee seemes below himselfe the vilest creature knowes how to turne againe but to command himselfe not to resist being urged is more than Heroicall Here then is matter worth your emulation worthy your imitation Againe behold the reasons why God suffers you to deride hate and persecute his people which are likewise declared to be 16. in number and those no lesse weighty of which three concerne his owne glory thirteene our spirituall and everlasting good benefit and advantage Yea reflect yet further you seed of the Serpent and see the Originall continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of your devillish enmity against the seed of the Woman And then you will acquit the religious with Christ and his Apostles for well doing or confesse that you condemne Christ and his Apostles with them as Erasmus said in his owne defence But if of the two you will choose to goe on and perish your bloud be on your owne heads and not on mine I have discharged my duty CHAP. XXXII Rules to be observed touching thoughts words and deeds when we are wronged I Must needs confesse may some say you have shewed sixteene solid and substantiall reasons of patience sufficient to perswade any reasonable creature to imbrace it at least in affection but is it therefore in all cases necessary wee suffer injuries without righting of our selves or being angry No he that makes himselfe Sheepe shall be eaten of the Wolfe In some cases tolerations are more than unexpedient they inspire the party with boldnesse and are as it were pullies to draw on more injuries heare one wrong and invite more put up this abuse and you shall have your belly full of them Yea he that suffers a lesser wrong many times invites a greater which he shall not be long without As how doth Davids patience draw on the insolence of Shimei Evill natures grow presumptuous upon forbearance In good natures and dispositions injury unanswered growes weary of it selfe and dyes in a voluntary remorse but in those dogged stomacks which are onely capable of the restraints of feare the silent digestion of a former wrong provokes a second neither will a Beefe-braine fellow be subdued with words Wherefore mercy hath need to be guided with wisedome least it prove cruell to it selfe Neither doth Religion call us to a weake simplicity but allowes us as much of the Serpent as of the Dove It is our duty indeed to be simple as Doves in offending them but wee are no lesse charged to be wise as Serpents in defending our selves lawfull remedies have from God both liberty in the use and blessing in the successe no man is bound to tender his throat to an unjust stroake Indeed when the persecuted Christians complained against their adversaries to Julian the Emperour desiring justice he answered them as some of our sâ—offers may doe in the like case It is your Masters commandement that you should beare all kinde of injuries with patience But what did they answer It is true he commands us to beare all kindes of injuries patiently but not in all cases besides said they we may beare them patiently yet crave the Magistrates ayde for the repairing of our wrongs past our present rescue or for the preventing of what is like to ensue But to make a full Answer to the Question propounded There are Rules to be observed 1 touching our Thoughts 2 touching our Words 3 touching our Actions 1. First touching our Thoughts Hee that deceiveth me oft though I must forgive him yet Charity bindes me not not to censure him for untrusty and though Love doth not allow suspition yet it doth not thrust out discretion it judgeth not rashly but it judgeth justly it is not so sharpe sighted as to see a moat where none is nor so purblinde but it can discerne a beame where it is the same spirit that saith Charity beleeveth all things 1 Cor. 13. 7. saith also that a foole beleeveth all things Prov. 14. 15. and charity is no foole as it is not easily suspitious so neither lightly credulous It is neither simple nor subtill as Biâ—s spake wisely of her or rather not onely simple as a Dove to thinke no evill but also wise as a Serpent to discerne all things and see what is evill 2. For our tallying of words as it argues little discretion in him that doth it so it is of as little use except the standers by want information of thy innocency and his guiltinesse which gives the occasion Wherefore in hearing thy owne private and personall reproaches the best answer is silence but the wrongs and indignities offered to God or contumelies that are cast upon us in the causes of Religion or the Church may safely bee repayed If wee be meale-mouthed in Christ and the Gospels cause wee are not patient but zeale-lesse Yea to hold a mans peace when Gods honour is in question is to mistake the end of our Redemption 1 Cor. 6. 20. What saith the Apostle joyne with patience godlinesse 2 Pet. 1. 6. for else patience without godlinesse while it receives injury of man may doe more injury to God Neither is there a better argument of an upright heart than to be more sensible of
to fly for his life first to Samuel where Saul pursueth him then to Jonathan where his griefe is doubled than to Abimâ—lech where is Doeg to betray him after that hee flyeth to Achish King of Gath where being discovered he is in greatest feare of all lest the King should take away his life and lastly when he returnes to his owne Ziklag he findes it smitten and burnt with fire and his Wives taken prisoners and in the midst of all his grief when he had wept untill he could weepe no more the people being vexed intend to stone him so that as he had long before complained there was but a step betweene him and death but marke the issue though his heart were now not onely brim-full but ran over with griefe yet within two dayes the Crowne of Israel is brought unto him and he is annointed King 2 Sam. 1. and for the present he was able to comfort himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. Yea afterâ—his when by that foule sinne of Adultery and Murther hee had brought more enemies about his eares God and Men and 〈…〉 ils having once repented his fault he was able to say with confidence O God thou hast shewed me great troubles and adversities but thou wilt take me up from the depth of the earth and increase my honour Psalme 71. 20. 21. He knew well enough that it is Gods use to bring comfort out of sorrow as he brought water out of the Rocke and that cherishing was wont to follow stripes And indeed how oft hath a Tragick entrance had a happy end Like that we read of Michael who was condemned to death by the Emperour Leo upon a false accusation but before the execution the Emperour dyed and Michael was chosen in his stead And of Mordecay who being in the forenoone appointed to the Gibbet was in the afternoone advanced next of all to the Throne And Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory who Raigned at the same time that she expected to suffer and was Crowâ—ed when shee looked to be beheaded God loves to doe by his Children as Joseph did by his Father first we must have our beloved Joseph a long time detained from us then hee robbes us of Simeon after that sends for our best beloved Benjamin and makes us beleeve he will rob us of all our Children at once all the things that are deare to us But why is it even that when we thinke to have lost all he might returne himselfe and all againe with the greater interest of joy and felicity The LORD saith Hannah killeth and maketh alive first killeth and then maketh alive bringeth downe to the grave and raiseth up the Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth up the begger from the Dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seate of glory 1 Sam. 2. 6 7 8. And why all this but that in his owne might no man might be strong Verse 9. That which Plutarch reports of Dionysius how hee tooke away from one of his Nobles almost his whole estate and seeing him neverthelesse continue as jocund and well contented as ever hee gave him that againe and as much more is a common thing with the Lord and thousands can witnesse that though they went weeping under the burâ—hen when they first carried the prceious seed of Repentance yet they still returned with joy and brought their sheaves with them Psalme 126. 5 6. Objection But thou thinkest thou shalt not hold ouâ— if God should long delay thee Answer If he dâ—lay thee never so long he will be sure to support thee as long 1 Cor. 10. 13. which is much at one upon the matter If hee suffer thee to be sorely tempâ—ed hee will not suffer thee to bee tempted above thy strength 2 Cor. 4. 8. 9. 16. His grace shall bee sufficient for thee at the least 2 Cor. 12. 9. Phil. 1. 29. which was Pauls answer and it may suffice all suitors the measure of our patience shall bee proportionable to our suffering and our strength equalled to our Temptations 1 Cor. 10. 13. Now if God doe either take away our appetite or give us meate it is enough True a Ship of never so great a burthen may bee overladen till it sinke again or if we shall weare away all the steele with whetting the Toole is left unprofitable But my thoughts saith God are not as your thoughts nor my wayes as your wayes Isaiah 55. 8. God is nâ— Tyrant to asflict thee unmeasurably neither will he draw a sword to kill Flyes or call for Scorpions when a Rod is too much Hee that made the vessell knowes her burthen and how to ballast her yea hee that made all things very good cannot but doe all things very well Indeed God seemeth to wrestle with us as he did with Jacob but he supplyes us with hidden strength at length to get the better And grace to stand in affliction and to gaine by it is better then freedome or deliverance The Bush which was a Type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the middest of it The Ship at Anchor is shrewdly tossed to and fro but cannot be carried away either by waves winde or weather Sinne Satan and the world may disturbe us but they can never destroy us Our head Christ being above we cannot be drowned There can bee no disjunction unlesse wee could be pluckt from his armes that is almighty for our life is bid with Christ in God Colos. 3. 3. Hee doth not trust us with our owne soules life but hides it in his Sonne Jesus because if it were in our owne hands we should easily be tempted to sell it as Adam did for an Apple and Esaâ— for a messe of Pâ—â—tâ—ge whereas now we are safe for to pluck us out of his hands that is almighty requires an adversary stronger then himselfe Neither wants he care he that numbers our very haires what account doth he make of our soules Nor love for if he hath bought us with his bloud and given us himselfe will he deny us any thing that is good for us Wherefore sileâ—ce your Reason and exalt your Faith how pressing or peircing soever your sufferings be which puls off the vizard from his face and sees a loving heart under contrary appearances Trust the mercy of God which is of infinite perfection and the merits of Christ which are of perfect satisfaction and then hope will beare up thy heavy heart as bladders doe an unskilfull swimmer Otherwise if thou shalt walke by sence and not by saith 2 Cor. 5. 7. feare will no lesse multiply â—oils then faith would diminish them and thou shalt resemble Bucâ—phalus who was not afraid of his burthen the shadow onely frighted him Section 4. Objection Although Christ in the Gospell hath made many large and pretious promises yet there are none so generall which are not
faith begotten in thy heart John 1. 13. by the ministry of the word Rom 10. 17. James 1. 18 21. and the Spirits powerfull working with it John 3. 3. 5. 8. whereby thine heart was drawne to take Christ and apply him a Saviour to thine owne soule so that thou wert forced to goe out of thy selfe and rely wholly and onely on his merits and that it further manifested it selfe by working a haâ—red of sinne and an apparent change in thy whole life by dying unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse and that thou hast not since returned to thine old sinnes like the Dog to his vomit if it hath somâ—time brought forth in thâ—e the sweet fruit of heavenly and spirituall jâ—y if it hath purified thine heart in some measure from noysome lusts and affections as secret pride self-selfe-love hypâ—câ—isie carnall confidence wrath maâ—icâ— and the like so that the spirit within thee sighteth against the slesh If thou canst now say I love the godly becâ—use thâ—y are godly 1 John 3. 14. and hast an hungring after Christ and after a greater measure of heavenly and spirituall graces and more lively tokens of his love and favour communicated unto thee My soule for thine thou hast given â—alse evidence against thy selfe for as in a gloomy day there is so much light whereby we may knâ—w it to be day and not night so there is something in a Christiâ—n under a cloud whereby he may be discerned to be a true beleever and not an hypocrite But to make it manifest to thy selfe that thou art so Know first that where there is any one grace in truth there is every one in their measure If thou art sure thou hast love I am sure thou hast saith for they are as inseparable as fire and â—eat life and motion the root and the sap the Sun and its light and so of other graces Or dost thou feele that Christ is thy greatâ—st jâ—y sinne thy greatest sorrow that when thou canst not feele the presence of the spirit in thy heart thou goest mourning notwithstanding all other comforts assuredly as that holy Martyr said If thou wert not a wedding Childe thou couldâ—st never so heartily mourne for the absence of the B 〈…〉 groome Thus I might goe on but a few Grapes will shew that the Plant is a Vine and not a Thorne Take but notice of this and severall graces will one strengthen another as stones in an Aâ—ch As for example Mr Peacock Fellow of a House being asslicted in consciâ—nce as thou art and at the point of despaire when some Ministers askt whether they should pray for him answered By no meanes doe not so dishonour God as to pray for such a Reprobate as I am but his young Pupiâ—â— standing by said with teares in his eyes Certâ—inly a Reprobate could never be so tender of Gods dishonour which he well considering was thereby comfâ—rted and restored when neither he with his learning nor any other Ministers with their sage advice could dâ—e any good Againe secondly if ever thou hadst true faith wrought in thy heart be not discouraged for as the former graces shew that thou hast with Mary made choyce of that better part which shall never bee taken from thee So this grace of faith is Christs wedding Ring and to whomsoever he gives it he gives himselfe with it we may lose the sence but never the essence of it It may be eclipsed not extinguished Fides concussa non excussa The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as it is Rom. 11. 29. Friends are unconstant riches honours pleasures are unconstâ—nt the world is unconstant and life it selfe is unconstant but I the Lord change not Malachi 3. 6. In a swoune the soule doth not exercise her functions a man neither â—eâ—res nor sees nor feeles yet she is still in the body The Fâ—anticke man in his mâ—d fits doth not exercise reason yet he hath it he loseth the use for a time not the habit Yea a Sober man hath not alwayâ—s the 〈◊〉 of his sences reason and understanding as in his sleepe shall wee therefore conclude that this man is senselesse unreâ—sonâ—ble and without undeâ—stâ—nding it were most absurd for if we have pationce but a while our argument will appeare manifestly false Trees and so wee are fitly called be not dead in winter which resembles the time of adversity because the sâ—p is shut up in the root and confined thither by the cold fâ—osts that they cannot shew themselves in the production of leaves and fruits for by experience wee know that for the present they live and secretly suck nourishment out of the Earth which maketh them spring and revive againe when Summer comes Yea even whiles they are grievously shaken with the winds and nipped with cold frosts they are not hurt thereby but contrarily they take deeper root have their wormes and kaâ—kers kild by it and so are prepared and made fit to bring sorth more fruit when the comfortable Spring approacheth and the sweet showres and warme Sun-beames fall and descend upon them Elementary bodies lighten and darken coole and warme die and revive as the Sun presents or absents it selfe from them And is not Christ to our soules the onely Sun of righteousness and fountaine of all comfort so that if hee withdraw himselfe but a little we become like plants in the Winter quite withered yea in appearance starke dead or like Trees voyde both of leaves and fruit though even then there remaines faith in the heart as sap in the root or as fire ranked up in the ashes Which faith though it be not the like strong yet it is the like pretious faith to that of Abrahams whereby to lay hold and put on the perfect righteousnesse of Christ. The Woman that was diseased with an Issue did but touch and with a trembling hand and but the hem of his garment and yet went away both healed and comforted Well might I doubt of my salvation sayes Bradford feeling the weakenesse of my faith love hope c. if these were the causes of my salvation but there is no other câ—use of it or his mercy but his mercy Wherefore hast thou but a touch of sorrow for sinne a sparke of hope a graine of faith in thy heart thou art safe enough The Anchor lyeth deepe and is not seene yet is the stay of all The Bladder blowne may sloat upon the sloud But cannot sinke nor sticke in silthy mud But thou dreamest of a faith without doubting which some doatingly boast they have but as no righteousnesse can be perfect without sinne so no assurance can be perfect without doubâ—ing Take the evenest ballances and the most equall weights yet at the first putting in there will be some inequality though presently after they settle themselves in a just poyse Sinne is a cloud that often hinders the Sunne from our eyes yet it is still a Sunne the vision or feeling of this comfort may be sometime suspended the Union
men possesse riches as sicke men doe feavers 〈◊〉 which indeed rather possesse them And certainly if riches were such pearles as most men esteeme them it is not likely the LORD would cast them to such Sâ—â—ine as mostly he doth if such happy things he would not throw them to such Dogges But the truth is what men thinke most pleasing viz. to have their wills and their lusts granted is most plaguing Psal. 81. 12. So I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts and they walked in their owne counsels so that the greatest temptation is to be without temptation and the greatest affliction not to be afflicted 2 Cor. 12. 7. Wherefore lift up your hands which hang downe because of some sore affliction and your weake knâ—es Hebr. 12. 12. and know that the worst of temporall afflictions are an insufficient proofe of divine displeasure yea that stripes from the Almighty are tokens of his love and seales of his Son-ship Yea since he that hath most grace commonly complaines of most discomfort confesse that the palate is but an ill Judge of the favours of God as it 's in great love no doubt however it be taken that the tender Father medicines his Childe for the Wormes gives him Aloes or the like the Childe cryes and spiâ—tters and â—eakes as if it were poysoned yet still the Fathers love is neverthelesse say it bee bitter yet bitter potions bring sweet health and who will not rather take a vomit then hazard life In the Sweating sicknesse in England their friends would stand by them and strike them over the faces with sprigs of Rosemary to keepe them awake the poore soules faint and full of paine would cry out you kill me but yet they must doe it or else they kil'd them indeed for all that slept dyed Looke we saith Sâ—int Ambrose with the eyes of our body upon Lazarus estate and we thinke it miserable but if with the eyes of the minde it will be otherwise for how did the Angels doe by him but as Nurses are wont to doe by their little children all the day long they carry them about in their armes and at night they lay them downe in their beds to rest But the supernaturall workes of God when wee looke upon them with our owne eyes are subject to a dangerous misprision the very Sun-beames to whom wee are beholding for our sight if we eye them directly blinde us Miserable men we are ready to suspect truthes to run away from our safety to be afraid of our comforts to misknow our best friends We usually thinke it a great signe of Gods displeasure when he ruines our estate and brings us to nothing when he in his wisedome knowes that these riches would shipwracke the soule were they not cast over-board and his love onely forces him to it A Mother seeing her little Sonne brustled at by Turkicocks catcheth him up and strippeth him of his Red Coate at which those Birdes are offended the Childe cryes for his Coate but she regarding his good leteth him weepe but satisfieth him not And the like of Enemies we thinke our selves mightily wronged by them but God findes it to fare with us as it doth with the Oake which gains by the maymes and wounds given it and thereupon spreadeth out thicker then before Whence it is God suffers them to live and domineere as some Countries suffer Ravens enacting Lawes to prohibit the killing of them that they may devoure the Carrions which else would corrupt the aire And so in all other tryals for be the root of this tree never so bitter yet the fruit is pleasant Well may we catch a mayme as Jacob did but such a blessing comes withall that we would not if wise be without it Say it be a sore and fiery tryall yet better this fire to purge us then Hell fire to burne us But all the skill is in making men see this wherefore he that opened the eyes of Paul open ours But furthermore as not to be afflicted argues an absolute defect of goodnesse so if our troubles be light and few it is because wee are weake and tender for therefore God imposeth no more upon us because hee sees wee can beare no more The Physitian will not suffer a milke-sop to see his veyne opened but makes him winke or looke another way The Master giveth not to his sicke Servant strong meates as he doth to the rest but more dainty fare not because he is worthier than the rest but because he is weaker and in greater need The skilfull Armourer tryeth not an ordinary Peece with musket shot The wise Lapidary brings not his softer stones to the Stithy So that freedome from affliction is not a signe of potency but of impotency Wherefore when I am stronger I will looke for more when I am a vessell fit for this strong and new wine I shall be filled with it but not before Mar. 2. 22. Indeed the calling of God never leaves a man unchanged nor doâ—s he imploy any in his service whom hee does 〈…〉 able to the worke he sets them about Will any mâ—â—â— choyce of a weak Champion no more will God he will either finde us fit or make us fit to discharge the place he puts us in as when he called Saul to be a King he gave him a Kings heart 1 Sam. 10. 9. And when he called the Apostles to that function he gave them gifts answerable so when he calls any to suffer for him be it Martyrdome hee giveth them the courage of Martyrs as the times of Queene Mary witnesse But yet for the most part he traynes us up by degrees as we eate divers things by morsels and easily digest them which if we should eate whole would choake us and doth not make us fit to undergoe great matters on the sudden We must learne to fence in the Schoole before we sight in the Field and with woodden weapons men learne to sight at the sharpe wee must encounter with some beasts or other I meane unreasonable men before we sight with that fearfull Goliah death And indeed if we do not learne to give entertainment to smaller crosses the harbingers messengers and servants of death how shall we be able to entertaine the Lord and Master when he commeth Wherefore as Jehoram said to Jehu when he marched furiously Commest thou peaceably As if he should say if thou commest peaceably march as furiously as thou wilt so let us say unto God provided thy afflictions and chastisements be directed to us as messengers of peace and love let them march towards us as furiously as thou pleasest but in any case let us not be without correction for as Mariners at Sea finde that of all stormes a Calme is the greatest so we that to be exempt from misery is the most miserable condition of all other Objection But thou fearest that God hath not pardoned thy 〈◊〉 and this makes him so severe against thee Answer Many times after the remission of the
that way smooth for you which all Patriarchs Prophets Evangelists Confessors and Christ himselfe have found rugged and bloudy Away with this self-selfe-love and come down you ambitious sons of Zebedee and ere you think of sitting neare the Throne be contented to be called unto the Cup. Now is your tryall Let your Saviour see how much of his bitter potion you can pledge then shall you see how much of hir glory hee can afford you In all Feasts the coursest 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 first be content to drinke of his Vinegar and â—all and after you shall drinke new Wine with him in his Kingdome Besides without some kinde of suffering how shall your sincerity be approved Even nature is jocund and cheerefull whiles it prospereth but let God with-draw his hand no sight no trust The Mother of Micha while her wealth lasteth can dedicate a good part of her silver to the Lord but now she hath lost it shee falls a cursing Judges 17. 1 2 3. Cataline whiles poore had many seeming vertues but having feathered his nest you could hardly say whether he was most lavish of his money or his modesty But to be equally good in a prosperous and adverse condition deserves prayse When our resolution and practice is like that Maydes in Plutarch who being set in the Market to bee sold whâ—n a Chapman askt her Wilt thou be faithfull if I buy thee sayd Yea that I will though you doe not buy me We all are never weary of receiving soone weary of attending wee are ready to shrinke from Christ so soone as our profits or pleasures shrinke from us but if with the Needle of the Compasse in the midst of tempestuous weather we remaine alwayes unmoveable and stayed upon one point it is a signe the Loadstone of the Gospell hath changed our hearts and wee are governed by Christ as the Needle is by the North-Pole Wherefore if God should not frame outward things to thy minde doe thou frame thy minde to endure with patience and comfort what hee sends and this will be an Odour smelling sweet a Sacrifice acceptable and pâ—easant to God yea herein thou shalt approve thy selfe with David a man after Gods owne heâ—rt â—nd you know that as David was unto God according to his heart so was God unto David according to his CHAP. XL. Application of the sormer grounds ANd so you have the residue of the grounds of comfort it remaines that I should apply them For this Doctrine though it be better understood than practised as Cassandrâ— was better knowne than trusted yet being both knowne applyed and duly trusted to will like the Sunne not onely delight our understandings with its contemplation but also warme and quicken our affections Wherefore is there any weake Christian so white-livered with Nicodemus that the reproaches and persecutions which attend his profession make him ashamed of Christ or cause him to think that it is in vaine to serve the Lord whereby hee is frighted out of the narrow way that leadeth to life Let him draw neare for 〈◊〉 chiefly direct my speech unto him Are afflictions and persecutions so necessary and profitable as hath been shewed Doth not God onely gaine glory by our sufferings but doe they also bring 〈◊〉 to repentance and amendment of life stirre us up to prayer weane us from the love of the world keepe us alwayes prepared for our enemies assaults discover whether we are sincere or no make us humble improve all Christian graces in us Is God more specially present with us in afflictions Cannot our enemies diminish one haire of our heads without Gods speciall leave and appointment Hath he promised that wee shall not be tempted above our strength Are these stripes the chiefest tokens and pledges of Gods love and adoption Were none of his children ever exempted from the like And lastly shall our momentany sufferings be rewarded with overlasting glory Yea shall our glory bee increased as our sufferings have beene mâ—re Then let them serve as so many restoratives to thy fainting spirit yea lift up thy hands which hang downe and strengthen thy weake knees Heb. 12. 12. For I suppose thy fainting and drooping is from feare and thy feare from doubting and thy doubting from unbeliefe and thine unbeliefe chiefly from ignorance of these things and whence is thine ignorance of thâ—se but this Thou hast never beene conversant in the booke of God or if thou hast thou didst never seriâ—usâ—y ponder these Scriptures which have formerly beene rehearsed for hadst thou seriously considered them thou wouldst not have dared to make that an occasiâ—n of griefe and prejudice which the Spirit of God maketh the greatest câ—use of joy and confirmation that can be For what can be spoken more expresse direct and significant What demonstrations can be given more sollid What Fortisications or Bulwarâ—es so strong and safe against the affronts of Satan and the World Thou sayest thou art persecuted for well-doing and therefore thinkest it a strange thing God saith it is and ever hath beene common to all his children not Christ himselfe excepted Take notice of these things for it is the God of all truth and blessednes that speaks them and apply them to thy selfe as if they were particularly spoken to thee by name even as when twenty be in a roome where is a faire well-drawne picture every one thinkes the picture lookes upon him and have not more modesty or manners in leaving those dishes for thy betters then will doe thee good Be not like a Monkey which looking in a Glasse thinks he sees another Monkeys face and not his owne and know withall that it is no small sinne even to doubt when we have Gods command and warrant to secure us Thou thinkest thy selfe miserable God saiâ—h thou art blessed Thou sayest thou art hated of the world God saith thou art beloved of Christ who hath chosen thee out of the world Thou thinkest it a shame to be reproached God saith it is thy glory Thou grievest at it God saith thou hast great cause to râ—joyce for it sheweth thee to be borne of God thine enemies to be the seed of the Serpent Thou sayest that all things goe crâ—sse with thee God saith that all things shall worke together fâ—r the best it may be the increase of thy temporall happinesse however that it shall be for the improvement of thy graces here for the advancement of thy glory hereafter Thou thinkest it a signe of displeasure God saith it is to thy Enemies a token of perdition but to thee of salvation Thou thinkest thy selfe neere forsaken God sâ—ith The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon thee Thou sayest thou shalt one day perish God saiâ—h that neither things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thou thinkest the Lord doth not heare thee because he doth not presently answer thee in the things that thou requirest I tell thee it
thou who hast so ind 〈…〉 d us to serve thee wouldest also give us hearts and hands to serve thâ—e with thiâ—e owne gifts We no sooner lived then we deserved to 〈◊〉 neither nâ—â—d we any more â—o cond 〈…〉 e us thâ—n w 〈…〉 t we brought into 〈◊〉 worâ—d with 〈…〉 spared us to this 〈◊〉 to try if we 〈…〉 〈◊〉 thee 〈…〉 we 〈◊〉 turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by sinne yet 〈…〉 séemes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 to no end for wh 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thy Word we would not â—uffer if in 〈…〉 many â—â—ve 〈…〉 â—â—t we would not suffer it 〈…〉 movâ—d by thy ben 〈…〉 s but 〈◊〉 woâ—ld not suffer them to 〈…〉 with the Devill that we Devill that we would 〈…〉 so fast as they come thy 〈…〉 thy riches covetous thy â—â—ace wanâ—on thy 〈◊〉 â—â—temperate thy mercy secure and all thy benefits serve 〈◊〉 but as weapons to rebell against thee We have propâ—aned thy dayes contemned thy ordinances resisâ—ed thy Word gréeved thy Spirit misused thy Messengers hated our Reprovers slandered and persecuted thy people seduced our friends given ill example to our Neighbours op 〈…〉 ed the mouthes of thine and our adversaries to blaspheme that glorious name after which we are named and the truth we professe whereas meaner mercies and farre weaker meanes have provoked others no lesse to honour thee and the Gospell who may justly rise up in iudgement against us Besides which makes our case farre more miserable we can scarce resolve to amend or if we doe we put off our conversion to hereafter when we were children we deferred to repent till we were men now we are men we deferre untill we he old men and when we be old men we shall defer it untill death if thou prevent us not and yet we looke for as much at thine hands as they which serve thee all their lives Thus while we looke upon our selves we are ashamed to lift up our eyes unto thee yea we are ready to despairâ— with Cain yet when we thinke upon thy Son and the rich promises of the Gospell our feare is in some measure turned into ioy while we consider that his righteousnesse for us is more then our wickednesse against our selves onely give us faith we b 〈…〉 ch 〈◊〉 and settle it in thy beloved that we may draw vertue from his death and resurrection whereby we may be enabled to dye unto sinne and live unto righteousnesse and it sufficeth for all our iniquities necessities and infirmities It is true O Lord as wée were made after thine owne Image so by sinne we have turned that Image of thine into the Image of Satan but turne thou us againe and wee shall be turned into the Image and likenesse of thy Sonne And what though our sinnes bee great yet thy mercy is farre greater then our sinnes either are or can be wée cannot be so bad as thou art good nor so infinite in sinning as thou art in pardoning if wée repent O that wée could repent O that thou wouldest give us repentance for we are weake O Lord and can no more turne our selves then we could at first make our selves yeâ— we are altogether dead in sinne so that we cannot stirre the least joynt no not so much as féele oâ—â— deadnesse nor desire life except thou be pleasâ—d to raise and restore our soules from the death of 〈◊〉 and grave of long custome â—o the life of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are to all evill but reprobate and 〈…〉 sed to all grace and goodnesse yea to all the meanes thereof Wée are altogether of our seâ—ves unble to resist the force of our mighty advers 〈…〉 but doe thou frée our wils and set to thy 〈◊〉 hand in 〈◊〉 â—owne by thy Spirit our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thy grace subdue our unt 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wée â—â—all henceforth as much honour 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 our wickednesse we have â—ormerly disho 〈…〉 Wherefore of thy 〈◊〉 and for thy great names sake we besâ—â—ch thee tâ—ke away our stony hearts and 〈…〉 of â—lâ—sh enable us to repent what we 〈◊〉 done and never more to doe what we have once repented not fostering any one sinue in our soules reforme and change our mindes wils aâ—d affections which we have corrupted remove all impediments which hinder us from serving of thée and direct all our thoughts spéeches and actions to thy glory as thou hast 〈…〉 ted our eternall salvation thereunto Let not Satan any longer prevayle in causinâ— us to deferre our repentance sicce we know that late repentance is seldome sincere and that sicknesse is no 〈◊〉 time 〈◊〉 so great a worke as many have found that are now in Hell Neither is it reasonable thou shouldest accept of our féeble and decrepit old age when we have spent all the fâ—ower and strength of our youth in serving of Satan not once minding to leave sinne untill sinne left us Yea O Lord give us firmely to resolve spéedily to begin and continually to persevere in doing and suffering thine holy will Informe and reforme us so that we may neither misbeléeve nor mis-live subdue our lusts to our wils submit our wils to reason our reason to faith our faith our reason our wils our selves to thy blessed word and will Dispell the thick mists and clouds of our sinnes which corrupt our soules and darken our understandings separate them from us which would separate us from thee Yea remove them out of thy â—ight also we most humbly beséech thee aâ— farre as the East is from the West and in the merits of thy Sonne pardon and forgive us all thâ—se evils which either in thought word or déed we have this day or any time heretofore committed against thee whether they be the sinnes of our youth or of our age of omission or commission whether committed of ignorance of knowledge or against conscience and the many checks and motions of thy Spirit And because infidelity is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively faith the true mother of all grace and goodnesse nor are we Christians indeed except wee imitate Christ and squâ—re our lives according to the rule of thy Word Give us that faith which manifesteth it selfe by a godly life which purifyeth the heart worketh by love and sanctifyeth the whole man throughout Yea since if our faith be true and saving it can no more be severed from unfained repentance and sanctification then life can be without motion or the Sunne without light give us spirituall wisedome to try and examine our selves whether we be in the faith or not that so we may not be deluded with opinion onely as thousands are Discover unto us the emptinesse vanity and insufficiency of the things here below to doe our poore soules the least good that so we may be induced to set an higher price upon Jesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soule of our soules considering that if we have him we want nothing if we want him we have nothing Finally O Lord give
unto us and increase in us all spirituall graces inlighten our mindes with the knowledge of thy truth and inflame our hearts with the love of whatsoever is good that we may esteeme it our meate and drinke to doe thy blessed will Give us religious thoughts godly desires zealous affections holy endeavours assured perswasionâ— of â—aith stedfast waiting through hope constancy in suffering through patience and hearty rejoycing from love regenerate our mindes purify our natures turne all our joys into the joy of the Holy Ghost and all our peace into the peace of conscience and all our feares into the feare of sinne that we may love righteousnesse with as great good will as ever we loved wickednesse and goe before others in thankefulnesse towards thee as farre as thou goest in mercy towards us before them Give us victory in temptation patience in sicknesse contentment in poverty joy in distresse hope in troubles confidence in the houre of death give us alwayes to thinke and meditate of the houre of death the day of judgement the joyes of Heaven and the paines of Hell together with the ransome which thy Sonne paid to redeeme us from the one and to purchase for us the other so shall neither thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy word returne ineffectuall but accomplish that for which they were sent untill we be wholly renewed to the Image of thy Sonne And now O Lord séeing the time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because we can neither wake nor sléepe without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our soules and bodies beséeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve us from all our spirituall and bodily enemies from theeves fire and from all other dangers These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisedome to be needfull and necessary for our soules or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whoâ—â— Church better thâ—n we our selves can either aske or thinke and that for thy names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sonnes sake who suffered for sinne and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour so whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most duâ— all honour glory praise power might maiesty dominion and hearty thankes-giving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Prayer to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life We thy poore creatures acknowledge and confesse unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that of our selves we are not worthy to lift up our eyes to Heaven much lesse to present our selves before thy Majesty with the least confidence that thou shouldest heare our prayers or accept of our services but rather that thou shouldest take these our confessions and accordingly condemne us to the lowest place in Hell for our continually abusing thy mercy and those many meanes of grace which in thy long-suffering thou hast afforded for our reclayming We are the cursed séed of rebellious Parents we were conceived in sinne and borne the Children of wrath And whereas thou mightest have executed thy fierce displeasure upon us so soone as thou gavest us béeing and so prevented our further dishonouring thee we have instead of humbling our selves before thee our God and â—â—â—king reconciliation with thy Majesty none nothing from our infancy but added sinne unto sinne in breaking every one of thine holy Lawes which thou hast given us as rules and directions to walke by and to kéepe us from sinning Yea there is not one of thy righteous precepts which we have not broken more times and wayes then we can expresse so far have we béen from a privative holinesse in reforming that which is evill and a positive holinesse in performing that which is good which thou mayest justly require of us being we had once ability so to doe if we had not wilfully lost it for thou diddest forme us righteous and holy had not we deformed our selves whereas now like Satan we can doe nothing else but sinne and make others sinne too who would not so sinne but for us for we have an Army of uncleane desires that perpetually fight against our soules whereby we are continually tempted drawne away and enticed through our owne concupiscence Yea thou knowest that the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and that the imaginations thereof are onely and continually evill O the infinitely intricate windings and turnings of the darke Labyrinths of mans heart who findes not in himselfe an indisposition of minde to all good and an inclination to all evill And according to this our inclination hath béene our practice we have yéelded our hearts as cages to entertaine all manner of uncleane spirits when on the contrary we have refused to yéeld them as temples for thine holy Spirit to dwell in We have used all our wisedome to commit the foolishnesse of sinne our whole conversation hath béene to serve Satan and fulfill the lusts of the flesh We even sucke in iniquity like water and draw on sinne as it were with cart-ropes Neither is there any part power function or faculty either of our soules or bodies which is not become a ready instrument to dishonour thee for as our heart is a root of all corruption a seed-plot of all sinne so our eyes are eyes of vanity our eares eares of folly our mouthes mouthes of deceit our hands hands of iniquity and every part doth dishonour thee which yet would be glorified of thee The understanding which was given us to learne vertue is apt now to apprehend nothing but sinne the will which was given us to affect righteousnesse is apt now to love nothing but wickednesse the memory which was given us to remember good things is apt now to keepe nothing but evill things for sinne like a spreading leaprosie is so growne over us that from the crowne of our heads to the soale of our feet there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swellings and soares full of corruption Yea our soules and bodies are even a very sinke of sinne for like the common shoare we have not refused to welcome any the most loathsome pollutions that either the world our owne corruption or the Devill at any time hath offered unto us Or admit we are exempt from some evils wee may thanke thee and not our selves for it for we are ready without thy restrayning grace to run out into all manner of enormities whatsoever we are swift to all evill but to all good immoveable when we doe evill we doe it chearefully and quickly and easily
unto us as the Star which led unto Christ and thy benefits like the Pillar which brought to the Land of Promise and thy Crosse like the Messenger that compelled guests unto the Banquet Give us O Lord to consider that although sinne in the beginning seeme never so sweet unto us yet in the end it will prove the bane and ruine both of body and soule and so assist us with thy grace that we may willingly part with our right eyes of pleasure and our right hands of profit rather then sin against thee and wrong our owne consciences considering that it would be an hard bargain for us to win the whole world and lose our owne soules Blesse preserve and keepe us from all the temptations of Satan the world and our wicked hearts from pride that Lucifer-like sinne which is the fore-runner of destruction considering that thou resistest the proud and givest grace to the humble from covetousnesse which is the root of all evill being taught out of thy Word that the love of money hath caused many to fall into divers temptations and snares which drown them in perdition and destruction from cruelty that infernall evill of which thou hast said that there shall be judgement mercilesse to him that sheweth not mercy â—â—om hypocrisie that sinne with two faces whose reward is double damnation and the rather because wickednesse doth most rankle the heart when it is kept in and dissembled and for that in all the Scriptures wee reade not of an hypocrites repentance from whoredome which is a sinne against a mâ—ns owne body and the most inexcusable considering the remedy which thou hast appointed against it for the punishment whereof the Law ordained death and the Gospell excludeth from the Kingdome of Heaven from prophanaâ—ion of thy Day considering thou hast said that whosoever sanctifieth it not shall bee cut off from thy people and diddest command that he should be stoned to death who onely gathered a few sticks on that day from swearing which is the language of Hell considering that because of oaths the Land doth mourne and thou hast threatned that thy curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer from drunkennesse that monster with many heads and worse then beast-like sinne which in thy Word hath many fearefull woes denounced against it and the rather for that it is a sin like the pit of Hell out of which there is small hope of redemption Finally O Lord give us strength to resist temptation patience to endure affliction and constancy to persevere unto the end in thy truth that so having passed our pilgrimage here according to thy will we may be at rest with thee hereafter both in the night of death when our bodies shall sleepe in the grave and in the day of our resurrection when they shall awake to iudgement and both bodies and soules enjoy everlasting blisse Be favourable to thy people every where look downe in much compassion upon thy Militant Church and every severall member thereof blesse it in all places with peace and truth hedge it about with thy providence defend it from the mischievous designes and attempts of thine and her malitious enemies let thy Gospell goe on and conquer maugre all opposition that Religion and uprightnesse of heart may bee highly set by with all and all prophanenesse may bee trod under foot More particularly be mercifull to this sinfull Land thy Servant our dread Soveraigne his Honourable Counsell the Civill Magistrates the painfull Ministers the two Vniversities those people that sit yet in darkenesse all the afflicted members of thy Sonne Lord comfort the comfortlesse strengthen the weak binde up the broken hearted make the bed of the sicke be a father to the fatherlesse and an husband to the widdow cloath the naked feed the hungry visit the prisoners releive the oppressed sanctifie unto them all their afflictions and turne all things to the best to them that feare thee Prosper the Armies that fight thy battles and shew a difference betweene thy servants and thine enemies as thou didst betweene the Israelites and the Aegyptians that the one may be confirmed and the other reclaymed These and all other good things which for our blindnesse we cannot aske vouchsafe to give us thine unworthy servants not for our sakes but for thy mercies sake and for thy Sonne our Saviour Jesus Christs sake in whom thou art well pleased and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Crosse for our sinnes who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercy and loving kindnesse in Jesus Christ thy deare Sonne our salvation thy true and holy Word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort consolation illumination and sanctification now and for ever Amen Babes that are inexpert in the Word of righteousnesse use milke But strong meate belongeth to them that are of full age Heb. 5. 13 14. THE STATE OF A CHRISTIAN lively set forth by an Allegorie of a Shippe under Sayle MY body is the Hull the Keele my backe my Neâ—ke the Stem the Sides are my Ribbeâ— the â—e 〈…〉 es my bones my flesh the plankes Grâ—stles and ligaments are the 〈◊〉 and â—nâ—e-â—imâ—â—rs Arterâ—es veynes and sinewes the severall se 〈◊〉 of the Ship my bloâ—d is the ballast my heart the principall Hold my stomack the Co 〈…〉 e my Liver the Cisterne my Bowels the Sinke my Lungs the Bellowes my Teeth the Chopping-knives except you divide them and then they are the 32 pâ—ints of the Sea-card both agreeing in number Coâ—coction is the Caldron and hunger the Salt or Saw 〈…〉 my belly is the lower Decke my Kidnyes Close Caâ—â—ins or recepâ—acles my thighes are long Galleries for the grace of the Ship my armes and hands the Canâ—ookes my Midriffâ— is a large Partition or Bulk-head within the circumference of my head is placed the Steeridge roome and chiefe Cabbâ—ns with the Round house where the Master lyeth and these for the more safety and decency are inclosed with a double fence the one Dur 〈…〉 ter something hard and thicke the other Pi 〈…〉 mater very thinne and soft which serveth instead of hangings The cares are two doores or Seuttles fitly placed for â—ntertainment the two Eyes are Casements to let in light under them is my mouth the Stowidge or Stewards roome my lippes are Hatches for receit of goods my two Nostrils serve as Gratings to let in ayre at the one end stands my chin which is the Beakehead my forehead is the upper decke all which being trimmed with my fat instead of pitch and haire instead of Oâ—kham are coloured with my skinne The fore-decke is humility the stearne charity active obedience the sayles which being hoysed up with the severall Yards Halliers and Bowlings of holy precepts and good purposes are let downe againe by ficklenesse faintings and inconstancy Reason is my Rudder experience the Helme