upon the face of the waters that is the swelling tumultuous restlesse thoughts and comfortlesse apprehensions The Hebrew is an apt Metaphor Rachaph Incubare from birds that sit brood on their Egges to sustaine and cherish them the Spirit of God doth not only forme and sustaine the thoughts of man from vanishing into nothing but also nourish and cherish and foster them to support a regenerate man in the comfortable estate of well being a Christian Not a thought of comfort can rise in the heart but first hatched by the Spirit of God we are quite voyde and empty not the least Motion of Comfort before the Spirit of God move upon our thoughts Beloved at the first coming of the Holy Ghost Acts 2. 2. a rushing mighty winde filled all the house the winde hath one property to cleanse and purge the Aire to make it comfortable and refreshing nor is there any true refreshing or comfort untill we are filled with the Spirit of God as the saile of a Ship is filled with winde For let a ship be never so well tackled and provided yet all is in vaine without a winde and let never so eloquent Sermons spread their sailes in the ship of the Church unlesse the good winde of Gods Spirit blowes where it list when it list how it list and upon whom it list I say Gods Spirit must be both winde to drive us and Pilot to direct us to the Port of Comfort Now if Caesar did encourage that Ship-Master who feared Ship-wrack with a Caesarem vehis feare not thou carriest Caesar the Worlds Conquerour yet by his leave as great as he was he was not the Seas Commander nor the obeyed rebuker of the Winds and Waves as he is whom we carry in our tossed breasts cheere thy thy self with a Paracletum vehis thou carriest the Comforter in thy heart the rebuker of heart-risings the Lord controller of Troubles the commander of stormy swelling afflictions the Conqueror of temptations Whose very conquest is a mighty comfort to the conquered Soule because his Conquest is atchieved by Love for as the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne per modum Amoris as the Schoole speakes so the Spirit workes in us by way of Love sweetly St Bernard styles the Holy Ghost Osculum Patris filii the kisse of the Father and the Sonne God the Father kisseth by his Sonne but we feele not this kisse untill God the Sonne kisseth us by his Spirit Now what more comfortable to a chast wife then a sweet kisse from her Husband so prayes the Bride Cant. 1. 2. Let him kisse me with the kisses of his lips and she gives a reason why She would be kissed for thy love is better then Wine more comfortable then wine that is to close this let Christ unite himselfe to his Church with this sweet expression of his speciall favour even by his Spirit to seale up the lips of our hearts our thoughts to the most comfortable day of Redemption Thus have we seene the Spring-head whence flowes the Habituall Abilitie of all true Comfort The actuall Ability to make good use of this Art of comforting in the Platforme of Comfort set up according to the exact Rule of Gods Word implyed in these words in the Text Justly reprehended are they who take the wrong way of Comfort Play bookes and fabulous stories forsaking this Fountaine of living waters they dig pits that can hold no water no true refreshment of comfort The God of all consolation did cause his Word to be written for our Comfort shall we frustrate the End why it was written He that made mans heart best doth know what Maladies and what Cordialls to give let us follow his Prescripts away with all other shallow sandy comforts of the worlds Mountebanks which the weary soule cannot rest and build upon David a King could not want the comforts of this life yet he disclaimes them all in comparison of Gods Word g This is my Comfort in my affliction for thy Word has quickned me Gods Word did revive Davids dead spirits David did look out for comfort but found none but this h mine eyes faile for thy Word saying when wilt thou comfort me Debiles effecti sunt animae meae Oculi i The Eyes of my soule faile me my desires faile with looking out for Comfort which makes me cry when wilt thou comfort me David thought it long till God did comfort him It seemes David had forgot the right way to comfort himselfe till he went this way to worke k I remembred thy Iudgements of old O Lord and have comforted my selfe Now as St Paul exhorts Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ so be yee followers of me as I am of David for I know words especially prevaile when they are uttered more from the bowels then the braine and from our owne Experience which made Christ himselfe a more compassionate High Priest Therefore out of compassion I shall now comfort others with the same pretious Comforts wherewith I have comforted my selfe out of Davids Psalmes l He that hath the key of David opening and no man shutteth assist me effectually to open unto you a few words of Comfort out of the Psalmes of David The truth is that in the extremity of her sicknesse and since her death who was flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone that which I then most desired was to repose my troubled thoughts and to compose the jarring strings of my heart to rest which at last I pegged up to some concord and harmony by listning to the sweet Songs of Sion set to Davids well tuned Harpe and heavenly tuned Heart For my Meditations did bring together foure Verses out of foure severall Psalmes which being put well together by the Spirit of God in the heart of man are sufficient Materialls to raise up a Platforme of the strong and stately Building of true Christian Comfort The foure Verses may challenge this Methode the first verse is the Removing of the Rubbish The second Verse is the laying of the Foundation The third Verse is the Raising up of the Body of the Building The fourth Verse is the laying on of the Roofe 1. The Removing of the Rubbish to fit the place for the Foundation that is done by taking away and cleering the Soule of all dejections and disquietments in this life Psalme 42. last verse Why art thou cast downe oh my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God King David finding his soule over sensible of troubles checks and chides his soule sharply for it with why and why and this chiding goes so farre as to lay a strict charge upon his soule to the contrary Hope thou in God for why should that soule be cast downe and disquieted that can Answer that Question now Lord what is
ARCHITECTONICE CONSOLATIONIS OR THE ART OF BVILDING COMFORT OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF THAT RELIGIOVS GENTLE-WOMAN IANE GILBERT TO BE STVDIED AND WITH ALL A PLATFORME OF COMFORT TO BE RAISED VP BY HER HVSBAND WILLIAM GILBERT DOCTOR IN DIVINITY Ierem. 8. 22. Question Is there no balme in Gilead Is there no Physitian there Rom. 15 4 Answer Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Reason Aegrotanti animo Medious est Oratio Consolatoria Comfortable words are a Physitian for one not well in minde even to cure One Sicke at the Heart 1 Thes. 4. 18. Illation Wherefore Comfort one another with these Words London Printed by Iohn Legatt for G. Lantham and are to be sold at the signe of the Bishops-head in Pauls-Church-yard 1640. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE EDWARD LORD VISCOVNT CONAWAY AND â—ILVLTA BARON OF RADGLEY MARSHALL OF IRELAND AND ONE OF HIS Majesties Most Honourable Privie Councell of 〈◊〉 May it please your Honour TO admit this Act of Recordation that 't is full Fourteene yeares since the happy Aspect of your gracious Favour did reflect upon me for my good both by Sea and Land which left in me such an Impression of the Character of your Noble and Religious Disposition that to this very Day edgeth a fresh desire to take this advantagious though in another respect a sad Opportunity to testifie my dutifull respect to your Honour It may be this Art of Building Comfort is not so artificially and laboriously composed as you have heard and was pleased to countenance some Vniversitie-Pieces of mine there might be more oyle bestowed on them to varnish the Face of their style but this Treatise is allowed more Wine to comfort the Heart of the Reader This induced me to present to your gracious Acceptation this Earnest of that Debt of Thankfulnesse wherein both your Favours and Deserts tà m Arte quà m Marte have bound me to you a small Earnest is sufficient to binde the greatest Contract twiâ—t a bountifull hand and a thankfull Heart Let this be such of my Gratitude and not onely a Pledge of Mine but a Remembrance of Hers I meane my dead Wife whose Living Thankfulnesse to God for your Favours to me you had though not made knowne unto you And if your more then ordinary Employments will permit you to read over either Her deserved Commendation or Her Epitaph which is much too narrow for her worth both are in the adjoyning Pages then I hope your Lordship will have no cause to repent the Dedication of this Treatise In the meane time my Experimentall knowledge that in you the Nobilitie of Descent and Minde concurre the Eminencie of Parts in your selfe and Affabilitie of Disposition to others do mutually reflect each on the other which Harmonie may well challenge this my voluntary Oblation as a necessary Obligation that for ever tyes me to fixe my Devotions on Heaven and heartily to pray for your temporall spirituall and eternall Happinesse Your Honours to dispose of William Gilbert EPITAPH AND A DEFENCE OF IT THE Imputation of Superstition or Gentilisme in them that raise up Memorials of the Dead is easily wiped away 1. By Reason 1. 'T is an Honour to the Dead to have their Memories survive them 2. 'T is a comfort to the Living to treasure up the worthy Acts of the Dead 3. The Religious vertuous Practise of the Dead is an admirable Paterne for the Living to worke by 2. By Scripture where are Pillars set up as Civill Monuments and Remembrances of mens Fame Absalom reared up for himselfe a b. Pillar to keepe his Name in Remembrance But yet which is more apposite and adaequate to my purpose Rachel dyed And Iacob set a Pillar upon her grave b Iacob a President unparallel'd Therefore will I lay a Grave-stone on my wife and set this Commemorative Epitaph upon it The Remaines of Iane Gilbert Favour is deceitfull and Beauty is vaine but a woman that Feareth the Lord She shall be praised Prov. 31. 30. The Ring of her Life set with the Diamond of Feare Th' Poesie of Faith to Trust in my God All my Care Her Hope tryed like Gold And the Circle of Her Love From God to man from man to God againe did move 1639. Septemb. 4. And She dyed TO THE DISCONSOLATE AND SORROWFVLL FRIENDS OF IANE GILBERT DECEASED WILLIAM GILBERT WISHETH TRVE COMFORT OVT OF GODS WORD IN this Case that of the Psalmist is the Pinacle of Comfort to be placed on the top of this Building a The Righteous shall be had in everlasting Remembrance The Righteous Such a One was this our Sister and my Wife One clothed with the Roabe of Righteousnesse which was woven out of Christs side adorned and embroidered with sanctifying graces in her life and conversation Is it not a Christian Duty that such a One should be had in Remembrance so farre as we can propagate her worth to Posteritie She did not seeke Fame by well doing to be remembred but Fame comes unsought for and Her well doing shall be remembred after Her death for 't is worth our observation that David sets it not down in the present time are but in the future shall be had in remembrance What though the Righteous in their life time are little thought of except to be ill spoken of yet Time the Mother of Truth shall bring all things to light and cause the Righteous to be had in everlasting Remembrance before God and his Angels and the whole Theater of Righteous just Men b The Fame of the Righteous buds forth when He is in the grave then we may best speak of the Mariner when He is at his Haven and praise the Captaine when He hath got the Triumph and set the Crowne of Praise upon this our Sister now She hath fought her long fight and finished her course with Ioy who every day for many moneths before Her Death did pray that Prayer which is the last in the Handmaide to Devotion c and thus begins Welcome blessed houre the Period of my Pilgrimage the End of my Cares the Close of my Sighes the Bound of my travailes the Goale of my race the Heaven of my Hopes Is She not worthy to be had in remembrance who did give the houre of Death so good Entertainment as so long before to bid it heartily welcome with so many sweet Names as End Period Close Bound Goale Heaven What shall I say next for your Comfort But this the the better She was the greater her Gaine for ever and my losse for the present Yet her Gaine waighes downe my losse I confesse the losse of her enters deepe into my heart and deeper it would goe but that her Gaine cannot enter into the Heart of man to conceive it her Gaine to the tongue of man unspeakable but my losse is unvaluable onely according to the Common waights of the World because She was of
That is the Fountaine of all Comfort Zech. 4. 12. Christ is the Fountaine out of which all Comfort is emptied the two Testaments of God are the two Olive branches as Beda but Christ is the roote and juycy oyle and what though many Expositors a make the two Olive branches Enoch and Elias converting the Jewes to be Christians yet that cannot be but by preaching and emptying out the golden Oyle that makes a cheerefull countenance a joyfull Convert to Christ so that still Christ is the Fountaine of saving soule-suppling Oyle A sealed Fountaine to the world but for Gods Word to reveale it and set it open Indeed Tully and Seneca writ large discourses of Comfort but St Augustine ravished with Tullies style yet one thing discomforted so farre as not to care so much for Tully Quia Nomen Christi non fuit ibi That Treasurie of Comfort the name Jesus of Christ not once to be found in all Tully And surely had Seneca been so well acquainted with S. Paul as some will have him being of Neroes houshold then Seneca might have learnt to have knowne nothing for his Soules comfort but Christ Iesus and him crucified and not have stood so much upon those common Pleas of Comfort against death as he doth Eâ lege nascimur the Law of being borne is to dye Death is inevitable foolish for a man to grieve for that no man can avoyde Exitus communis none scapes it alasse poore Comfort But what Comfort is to be looked for in their writings who knew not how that to die in the Lord is to rest from our labors but God be praised we know it out of Gods Words and happy are we if we beleeve that Death separates not from the Love of God in Christ Jesus b That is Comfort indeed And not to grieve for the Death of friends as without Hope of the Resurrection of the Dead that is the very point S. Paul treats of in my Text The wisest of the Heathen judged it the best thing first not to be borne the next to dye as soone as we are borne any Christian may be wiser to judge it the best thing first to be borne againe in Christ Jesus the next to dye in the Lord as soone as it pleaseth God we must not leave off worke till he that sets us a worke calls us off Seneca used to comfort his friends at Funeralls thus praemittimus non amittimus We send our friends before us we loose them not yet they were at a sore losse they knew not to what place they sent their dead friends before them But beloved to gather Grapes of thornes comfort from them who had not the true comfort if they so esteemed of death who knew of no life after death no abiding out of the body what is fit that we Christians should prize death at who ought to make reckoning of no life but after death no abiding but out of the body no dwelling but in heaven We have heere no abiding Citie but we looke for one that is to come c The Greek is we seek out we look out earnestly for one to come and that we may not loose all our looking our Saviour directs us where to look for it d In my Fathers house are many Mansions 't is my Fathers house 't is your Fathers house as ye are in me that is the Comfort and to fill up the comfort they are Mansions there places of aboad there but Innes here or rather Tents or Booths moveable Everlasting habitants there Luk. 16. 9. but nothing will last here yea here we thrust one another out of house and home there are severall Mansions enough for us all to live by one another Wherefore comfort one another with these words 3. And briefly à Doctrinae certitudine Only Gods Word hath full power and authority to comfort mans heart from the certainty of the Doctrine which the Word of God hath from God himselfe 1. Virtute the strength and vertue of Gods Word accompanied with Gods Spirit can never faile to worke comfort 2. Veritate the whole Truth of solid Comfort that is communicable to mankinde is sincerely and truly published in Gods Word in that onely and yet in that perfectly 3. Complemento in fulfilling and in the accomplishment of all the comforts prescribed in Gods Word for they are all most certaine and true as in the substance so in the event of them Heaven and Earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away e there shall be a revolution and a passing away too of all things in this world but this very Word of God that all things shall passe away this Word shall not passe away no nor any one Word of comfort in Christ Jesus shall ever passe away Wherefore comfort one another with these words But what good doth the bare knowledge of the Materialls without Habituall and Actuall Abilitie to use them 1. The Habituall Abilitie to make good use of this Art of comforting that is the sixt generall Part. Now the spring head of comfort infusing into this habituall ability either we must goe out of the world for that or that must come from another world for us but we cannot stir one foote of the soule the least affection or so much as one winged thought to goe to that that must come to us to raise our flight with the wings of that Dove whose wings are silver and her feathers like gold I meane the Holy Ghost The Eternall Breath of the Father and the Sonne must breath into us the breath of Life a Life of comfort the Love of the Father and the Sonne descending upon the Sonne in the likenesse of a Dove without gall must purge out of us all gall of malice and bitternesse that we may comfort one another in all meeknesse of spirit the invisible spirit descending visibly upon the sonnes of men in the liknesse of fiery tongues must enable us to give light and warmth of comfort to one another If it be urged that Faith is the only strong Conveyance and true Receiver of spirituall Comfort 'T is quickly satisfied that even Faith also is the gift of the Spirit The Comforter gives us Faith to take Comfort from him else we can take none at all so that in the conclusion 't is the Comforter that workes all in all in us For as it was said of the Masse and Chaos f Tohu vavohu an emptie vast solitary solitude 'T was without forme and voyde darknesse that is a Privation of Light was upon the Face of the Earth before the Spirit of God moved upon the Face of the Waters The soule of a naturall man is like the earth lumpish sad without forme and voyde of comfort darknesse of discontent is upon the face of the man inward and outward a vacuity a vast solitary Privation of comfort untill the Spirit of God move