exhorteth us to shut the doore after us hereby he perswades us unto courage constancy or else to keep our selves close from Satans temptations that he may find no chink nor crevis open whereby he may enter into us to disturbe us for if our hearts lie but a little open so as he may have but the least advantage he is at hand to disquiet and perplex us And whereas he bids us to hide our selves he would have us to enjoy a secure freedom under Gods promise and pretection in faith and humility we should shrowd our selves under Gods wings that so he may keep us from inordinate fears and terrors untill the affliction be past which is but as a cloud or storm that will not last alwaies but will blowe over ere it be long and be at an end Therefore be cheerefull in thine afflictions Againe in that it is said As many as I love I rebuke and chasten not barely I rebuke and chasten you but I rebuke and chasten as many as are deere unto me or beloved of me this manner of speech is used for the confirmation of our faith in time of trouble and to keep us from sinking through grief or despaire For what argument can bee more forcible to perswade us to the quiet and patient bearing of our afflictions then to beleeve they be Gods love-tokens sent us for our good Whence mee may learne this Instruction that A great helpe to keep us from sinking and to enable us to beare up our heads with patience and cheerfullnesse in the time of affliction is to be perswaded of Gods love in afflicting of us This hath been in part touched before therefore I shall bee the briefer in the point How fearefull our nature is of troubles how unwilling the flesh is to taste of the cup of affliction yea how we labor to shift and avoyde it with a kinde of abhorring it common experience teacheth us And the mistrust of Gods providence and love wherewith naturally the best are infected makes us to shun and avoyd afflictions as much as possibly wee can lest wee should not bee able to grappie and encounter with them Wherein as wee bewray much weaknesse so do wee expresse great incredulity for hereby we do manifestly shew that wee thinke that God in afflicting doth not love us and that therefore hee cannot or will not helpe us to beare them that hee cannot or will not bring us fairely off them Therefore let us not give way to carnall reason nor heare what flesh and blood shall suggest unto us but what is delivered from the Word of truth which tels us that the Lord correcteth him whom he loveth even as the father doth the childe in whom hee delighteth Prov. 3.12 If wee give eare to carnall wisdome it will tell us surely if God loved us he would not thus afflict us As if our afflictions were a wall of separation twixt Gods love and us But what saies Paul Ro. 8.38 39. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus This strong perswasion of Gods love carried Paul on cheerfully in his troublesome pilgrimage and made him joyfull in all his sorrowes and afflictions Thus strongly should wee bee perswaded of Gods love for hath not the Lord said Esay 54.10 The mountaines shall remove and the hils shall fall downe but my mercy and love shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace fall away as if hee should have said though the whole world be turned topsy turvy and heaven and earth do meet together yet standeth still my love and affection firm to theewards The change and alteration of our outward estate and condition causeth no change of Gods love for hee is still the same unto us and with us though the face and fashion of the world goeth away 1. Cor. 7.31 The things of this life are mutable and our condition is subject to daily change and alteration Times have their vicissitudes to day it is well with us to morrow ill to day at ease to morrow in paine to day we have something to morrow lesse it may be nothing to day in honor to morow in disgrace seldome continuing in one stay In which variable condition of ours and amids all changes and chances of this life here is comfort to the child of God that God is the same and changeth not but as he now loveth him so hee will for ever continue loving and gracious to him John 13.1 And hosoever we cannot tell what shall bee to morrow James 4.14 wee know our beginning as the old saying is but we know not what our end shall be as Paul went up to Jerusalem but knew not what things should come unto him there Acts 20.22 Yet such is our happinesse and comfort that come what will come no event whatsoever can keepe back or turne away Gods love from us and though our state be changed yet Gods love to us is not changed but still the same as true and as intyre as over it was My enemies may take away my liberty my goods my good name my deare friends and that which of all other things is most deare unto me even my life but I have one Jewwell all the devils in hell all the powers of darkenes all the rage and malice of the world can never spoile me of they cannot rob me of the love of my God This confidence and perswasion of Gods love and favor beares up the godly from sinking under the burden of their affliction and makes them cheerfull when as the wicked wanting this assurance are either sencelesse or else faithlesse and impatient under the crosse The faithfull making God and his favor their portion and happinesse enjoy this priviledge in time of adversity as well as in the day of prosperity and therefore their hearts or their desire is to bee as joyfull when they are in trouble and afflictions as if they were most free from them Whereas the wicked placing their whol felicity in these earthly things their profits pleasures c. When their wealth and worldly things faile their joy their hope and comfort ends with them These have nothing but nature to helpe them beare their burdens Whence it commeth to passe that infidelity and impatience do make them more grievous and burdensome whereas the faithfull having the perswasion of Gods love and the presence of his Spirit to support them take comfort in their troubles during the time of their tryall and wait for a seasonable and cumfortable issue and deliverance out of them So that it is a truth not to be questioned that the perswasion of Gods love in afflicting of us is a great help to keepe us from sinking under afflictions and to enable us with patience and cheerfullnesse to undergo them this
A CORDIALL FOR THE AFFLICTED Touching The Necessitie and Utilitie of Afflictions Proving unto us The happinesse of those that thankfully receive them AND The misery of all that want them or profit not by them By A. HARSNET B. D. and Minister of Gods Word at Cranham in Essex The Second Edition enlarged with direction touching Spirituall Afflictions LONDON Printed by Ric. Hodgkinsonne for Ph. Stephnes and Chr. Meridith at the Golden Lion in Pauls Churchyard 1638. TO THE HONOrable Lady the Lady JOHAN BARRINGTON The Wife of that Noble and renowned Sr. FRANCIS BARRINGTON late of Barrington Hall and to the Right Worshipfull The Lady MARY EDEN the Wife of Sr. THOMAS EDEN late of Ballingdon Hall Much honored Ladies IT is too true a saying that Greatnes and Goodnesse seldom go together for not many mighty not many noble are called Yet blessed be God for his mercies to you-wards wee finde both of these in both of you For your Greatnesse next under God yee are beholding unto your Parents out of whose loynes you came For your Goodnesse yee are in in some measure beholding unto Affliction by which The Lord hath done you good so as I make no question but that ye may both of you say with David It is good for mee that I have beene afflicted Hereupon worthy Ladies I have adventured to put forth this small Treatise touching the Necessitie and utility of Affliction under your Ladiships names and Patronage joyning you both together because God hath already conjoyned you so neere in affinity by the marriage of your Pious and Religious children beseeching your Ladyships to accept of these my poore labors being such as tend to the furtherance and increase of your comfort in present or future trials For allbeit yee bee good proficients in the School of Affliction Yet peradventure yee may have forgotten some good lessons which Affliction hath formerly taught you or else have not attained as yet to that good wherein it may hereafter instruct you To help you in either or both of these be pleased I heartily beseech your Ladiships seriously to peruse what is here tendered unto you and then I doubt not but by Gods blessing yee shall be able to make that good use of Affliction that yee shall not only blesse God the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who as hee hath afflicted so hath hee comforted you in all your tribulations but yee shall also be able to comfort others which are in Affliction by the cōfort wherewith yee your selves have been comforted of God Which fruit that yee may reape I shall sow my Prayers before throne of Grace and for ever rest your Ladyships to be commanded in the Lord AD. HARSNET Cranham TO THE CHRIstian Reader Increase of Faith Hope and Patience SVch is our blindnesse and ignorance that wee are too ready to judg amisse of our selves as may appeare by two extreames into which the most runne The one is self-conceitednesse or flattering our selves in and about our spirituall estate perswading our selves that wee are in the estate of Grace and that wee have the love and favor of God when as it is neither so nor so For the redressing of which mischiefe I have heretofore undertaken the discoverie of true and sound grace from false counterfeit that so we may no longer be deluded by an overweening of our selves and too high an opinion of our goodnesse as if we were that which wee are not or were not that which wee are The other extream is a diffidence and distrust of Gods love and our own happines through the sense and smart of some troubles and afflictions wherewith it pleaseth the Lord in mercy and wisdom to exercise and trie us Whence it commeth to passe that too many of Gods deere ones are ready to cēsure themselves as out-casts or at the best as a people but meanly beloved or regarded of God in that they are so sorely afflicted For the healing of which error that there may be no mistaking that we neither charge the Lord with any want of love to us ward or hard dealing with us in afflicting of us nor surcharge our selves with unnecssary needles feares and cares nor yet causelesly increase our griefe by adding of more sorrow to our affliction I have now undertaken this Treatise Wherein my desire and ayme is to minister some comfort to such as are in affliction that so they may not cast off their hope of hapines in Heaven because they are exercised with judgments upon earth but rather beleeve that the Lord it now refining and pollishing them that so they may bee the fitter for that glory which is prepared for thē I know it is a hard thing to obey in suffering yet because it is that which maketh for our good we should with the more willingnes and cheerfulnes undergo whatsoever afflictiōs it shal please the Lord to exercise us with If our afflictions brought God out of love with us or us more in love with that which God hates and is hurtfull unto us or if our afflictions were sent unto us as curses wee had great cause to mourn in them but seeing they make so much for our good being sanctified unto us and the word of truth telleth us that wee are blessed in thē have wee not great cause to bee thankfull to God for them the Lord sees how ready we are to plunge our selves into perils if we be but a while exempted from afflictions therefore that wee may not be too bold with sin the Lord wil have us to fall into affliction least being let alone wee fall into condemnation For where God is most silent in threatning and most patient in sparing there is he most inflamed with anger and purpose of revenge And seeing we are willing to receive being sick or diseased any medicine from the hand of him that can truely say probatum est good experience hath been made of the worth working of it let my counsel good reader be acceptable unto thee give me leave to tell thee how much good thou maist gain by afflictiō if through thine unbelief and impatience thou doest not put it from thee I assure thee by good experience that howsoever afflictiō be untoothsome and unpleasing to the flesh it is most soveraign and profitable unto the soul as in the Treatise following I have made plaine unto thee Now if the stile and phrase dislike any because it is so plain and homelike let him know that I prepared this provision for poore and hungry souls unto whom course mean things are welcome and bitter things are sweet not for queasie and full stomacks which despise an hony-combe He that is falne into a pit wil refuse no hand that may help him out of it He that hath a wound in his body will be glad of any plaister that may heal or ease him Accept then of these my poore labors which I desire may be as a hand to help thee out of affliction
foes and their former love may be turned into future hatred It is possible that those that are nearest and dearest unto thee may reject thee Yet though thy father and thy mother should forsake thee the Lord will not he will take the care of thee Psal 27.10 If God hath once chosen thee for his own and set his love upon thee whether thou beest in health or in sicknesse in ease or in paine in prosperity or adversitie in life or in death all is one God loveth thee neverthelesse Before he shewed thee his love he knew what would befall thee yea nothing as wee have heatd can betide thee but that which he intended and provided in love for the so that whether you live or die you are the Lords Rom. 14.8 The Lord for special ends may give thee over unto afflictions he may give thee up into the hands of those that hate thee yea even unto the death and therfore will take away thy life from thee As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter Rom. 8.36 Yet none of these nay not all these put together can any whit diminish or abate the love of God towards thee much lesse spoile thee wholly of it and take it cleane away from thee when they have done the worst they can against thee or unto thee When thou art plunged into the deepest distresse that might or malice can bring thee into thou art still as deere and precious in the Lords eye as ever thou wert nay if it were possible deerer now then ever thou wert before if those troubles and afflictions which thine enemies have devised and brought upon thee be for righteousnesse sake One friend may love another deerely yet when the one shall expose himself to danger or trouble for the others sake when I see my frend hath not regarded his life for my good but adventured and hazarded his own life in my defence and safety how doth this increase mine affection towards him as it was said of Jonathan his soule was knit with the soule of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soule 1 Sam. 18.1 So this will knit my heart and love unto him and I shal love him as mine own soule How much more then may we be assured that if our afflictions be for Gods cause in his defence he will abundantly recompence and more deerely love us Then let no man say that he is lesse beloved of God then others because he is more afflicted then others be God still loves his and will own them for his people whatsoever outward sorrowes or miseries may befall them I have surely seen the trouble of my people and have heard their cry and I know their sorrowes Exod. 3.7 Though wee bee in trouble yea and such trouble as makes us cry out for griefe and sorrow yet still we bee the Lords people Outward miseries and troubles cannot make God to respect any of his any thing the lesse God is not like some proud people of the world who will acknowledge their friends no longer then they are in prosperity and be able to requite their kindnesse with kindnesse againe Some such beasts there bee that if they bee either advanced into high places above their parents or their parents their brethren sisters and friends fallen into decay and poverty will scarse own them but grow to bee ashamed of them It is farre otherwise betwixt the Lord and his people when they are up to the knees in durt when they are cruelly oppressed when in a poore and base condition it may be not having cloaths to cover their nakednesse when their cheekes looke pale and their faces leane and wan through hunger sorrow or sicknesse when they be grown out of favor through bodily diseases they are even then as lovely in the Lords eyes as ever and hee will then acknowledge us for his people aswell nay better then in our great prosperity If a childe be sick in the family how are the thoughts and minde of the parents taken up about that child how do they tend it and pitty it O my poore sicke child c. thus doth the Lord pitty his children and tender them in their affliction Vse 1 Now to make some application of the point Is it so that the perswasion of Gods love is a great help to carry us cheerfully through afflictions here hence then we may be instructed what the cause is that wee are so much troubled and perplexed with afflictions as if they were the meanes of our undoing that the very thought or expectation of them is most grievous and irkesome unto us certainly here is the ground of all our feares and doubts the want of a sound perswasion and assurance of Gods love in correcting us Did we beleeve that when we are afflicted wee are in the hands of our holy righteous everliving and everloving God who never did us any wrong who never intended us any harme but alwayes goeth the best the wisest and the most loving way to worke with his children would wee not bee lesse afraid of afflictions then we be more willing to undergoe them then we are Little do wee know how highly we dishonor God how much we gratify and please the Devill when wee repine against the hand of God when wee bee impatient in afflictions and question his love for correcting us The Devill desired that Job might be sorely afflicted that so he might bee brought to curse God Stretch now out thine hand and touch his bones and his flesh to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face Job 2.5 It is a pastime unto the Devill to set God and his children at variance and therefore hee desires to vex and perplex us that so wee may open our mouths against the Lord and quarrell with him for when we are discontented with the Lords dealing when wee mutter and murmur against the Lord what do wee lesse then rebell against him Hence it is that Moses called the murmuring Israelites Rebels Numb 20 10. Heare now ye rebels shall wee bring you watter out of this rocke Therefore murmure not against the Lord for then thou rebellest against him and robbest him as much as in thee lieth of his most glorious attributes his power his goodnesse his love his truth When we deal with that man which makes cōscience of his word wee question not the truth of his promise but rest upon the performance and making good of that which he hath said If a father promiseth unto his childe any thing the childe makes as sure reckoning of the thing promised as if hee had it already in possession Shall wee dare to give lesse credit to God then to man when hee telleth us hee correcteth us in love and intendeth our good in afflicting of us shall wee dare to question the truth of his word especially when hee hath seconded his Word by oath yea and sealed both with the blood
unto Gods will and then whatsoever thy sinns have been whatsoever thy tentations distractions feares or doubtings be if thou wilt beleeve the Lord will graciously accept of thee for his sonns sake The Lord stands not upon thy sinns nor thy unworthynesse as I have formerly said he bids thee beleeve therefore tho thou beest unworthy of Gods favor and mercy yea beleeve because God commands thee and he is worthy to be obeyed By beleeving Christ and his righteousnesse become thine and having Christ neither sin nor the law shall be able to hurt thee for faith reprives us from the law and puts us under grace Therefore beleeve else never looke to have any sound joy or true peace to thy soul the heart is filled with joy and peace in beleeving Rom. 15.13 Where there is doubting of Gods love or our own salvation there can bee neither joy nor peace but anxiety trouble vexation and griefe Faith pacifies and quiets all For being justified by faith we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ and rejoyce under the bope of the glory of God neither do we so onely but also we rejoyce in tribulations Rom. 5.1 2 3. True faith tho never so little is able to keepe thy soul from sinking under any affliction be it never so great or grievous When Peter was strong in faith he could cast himself into the Sea but his heart and faith failing he began to sink little and weak faith will be able to keep us from drowning but not from beginning to sink When Peters faith was weakest Christ was nearest at hand to helpe him Christ who never did nor will reject the weakest beleever put forth his hand and saved Peter but yet withall reproved him for doubting O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Mat. 14.31 Doubt not therefore but beleeve And be perswaded that if the Lord intended not to shew mercy unto thee he would never haue given thee an eye to see thy sinnes a heart to grieve and mourn for them or a tongue to desire the pardon and forgivenesse of them Therefore assure thy selfe that a grieved spirit a sorrowfull heart a wounded conscience is no sure argument of a forlorn condition or of the want of the love of God Vse 2 Againe is it so is this the best way for us to bee patient and cheerfull in affliction to bee perswaded of Gods love Labor wee then to get our hearts setled in this perswasion and thou shalt finde the anguish of thy affliction much alaied thou shalt feel the smart of it much abated Holy Job was brought to a low and pittyfull condition when he desired to he let alone whiles he might swallow his spittle Job 7.19 Yet even then Job wondred at the goodnesse and favor of God that he would think him worthy the melting and trying What is man that thou dost magnifie him and that thou settest thine heart upon him And dost visit him every morning and triest him every moment Job 7.17 18. Being then undoubtedly perswaded that when God comes neer thee with affliction he is neer thee in affection that when he corrects thee he loves thee for until the heart of man be thorowly perswaded hereof hee shall never take comfort in nor pick any good out of his affliction Imagine with me a man who hath every day his full feed of the best and what outward comfort he will call for what true content can hee take in these things when hee knows that hee is under the displeasure of his Prince and so in danger every day of being cast into prison whereas if through the rage and malice of some of his enemies hee were cast into prison if he were perswaded of the Kings love hee would rest contented knowing and beleeving that the King will honor him for his reproach and ere it be long set him free againe Even so it is with every one that is perswaded of Gods love in his affliction Therefore as at all times so especially in the time of affliction Gods children should live by faith Affliction is like to do us little good if it be not tempered with faith As that meate which we take into our stomack concocteth not if the native heat be defective and wanting even so that affliction which is administred unto us will profit us little if faith be wanting unto us Faith stilleth the heart even in our sorest and greatest afflictions perswading us of Gods love in correcting us and that the Lord intendeth our great good by this affliction which lyeth upon us the love and care which parents have of their childrens good and wellfare doth not wholy consist in providing of meat drink and apparel for them but partly in correcting of them for their good and partly in providing of physick for them when they are any way distempered Even so almighty God our mercifull and loving father doth no lesse love us when he corrects afflicts us which as you have heard is the physicking of our soules then when he provideth outward necessaries for us and this faith doth perswade the heart of For faith judgeth not of things by sense or outward appearance but as the truth is in Jesus Christ justifying the Lord in all his waies alway magnifying the wise and holy proceedings of our good God as the only best and most profitable for us It is only the apprehension of some losse the feare of some evill or the sense of Gods wrath and displeasure in our affliction which makes the heart so sad and the spirits so lumpish in the time of affliction then set thy faith on work and it will blow over all these clouds it will answer all carnall doubts and reasonings and so settle the heart in a constant perswasion of Gods love that we shall rejoyce and be thankfull for our afflictions because we know and beleeve that God in afflicting of us loves us And to put the matter out of all doubting I will lay down a few but sure and certain evidences of Gods love in correcting of us Dost thou desire to know whether God in afflicting of thee loveth thee whether his stripes bee the blowes of an enemy or the chastisement of a loving father thou mayest know it by these tokens First when God gives thee a heart to be contented and a minde to be willing to beare whatsoever he shall lay upon thee and to want whatsoever thou seest the Lord is not willing thou shouldst injoy Hee that doth not rest content with the love and favor of God in the want of outward yea the best of outward things doth not rightly prize the love of God in that the want of other things doth more affect him and take up his minde then the consideration of Gods love and he more discontented in the missing of the one then contented with the possession of the other He that cannot be content to part with any earthly benefit when God shall call for it it is to
them Such is the unmercifulnesse and crueltie of many that they are ready to set their feet upon the necks of those whom the Lord hath cast down Indeed it is an easie thing to go over where the stile is low hee that is cast down to the ground may easily bee crowed over as the Chaldeans would make themselves merry with the poore captived Jewes They that led us away captive required of us songs and mirth when wee had hanged up our harps Psalm 127.3 To require a song from those whose cheeks were bedewed with teares and whose heart within them was as heavie as lead yea even ready to break with sighs and sobs was a thing unreasonable even adding of sorrow to their misery Whereupon saith the Lord unto those Babylonians Esay 47.9 I was wroth with my people I have polluted mine inheritance and given them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy but thou didst lay thy very heavie yoke upon the ancient therefore now shall destruction come upon thee Though God doth afflict his children for their good yet hee will not give their enemies leave to trample them underneath their feet or unmercifully to triumph and insult over them because he hath brought them under When Jobs miserable comforters began to crow over him and to censure him for his great afflictions Job tells them that hee that is in miserie ought to be comforted of his neighbour but men have forsaken the feare of God Job 9.14 What dost thou know to the contrary but that the Lord hath brought thy neighbor into misery to be the object of thy mercie that thou shouldest exercise thy charitie upon him releeve and comfort him which if thou dost not it is an argument that thou wantest the true feare of the Lord for the Lord hath commanded us to relieve the oppressed Esa 1.17 It is a service most acceptable unto God to relieve and refresh our brethren when they are in any trouble or distresse and such a service as seldome or never goes without a blessing Blessed is hee that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble Psalm 41.1 Therefore as thou desirest that God should blesse thee be thou as willing as thou art able to succor and comfort those that are in adversitie If thou wantest outward means of helping and relieving of them let them have a word of comfort from thee to support them advise counsell and direct them as thou art able if not yet pittie them pray for them that God would sanctifie their crosses give them faith and patience to beare their crosses and to give them in good time a good issue out of them and in the mean time do thou entertain a charitable opinion of them do not say or think that they are greater sinners then others because peradventure their afflictions and crosses are greater but that the Lord is pleased to prove them more then others for their greater good This wise judging and mercifull considering of the poore afflicted even when some heavie and strange calamities do befall them is a thing which God much respecteth yea and will certainly recompence with some blessing or other But if thou beest censorious or regardlesse of others woe and miserie it is a signe that thou wantest bowells of pitty and compassion thou wantest true charity for this would teach thee to remember them that are in affliction as if yee were also afflicted in the body Hebr. 13.3 Thus it is with Christ the head of the body hee is touched and affected with all their afflictions hee hath a feeling of every evill that befalls them as if it did befall himselfe They may be brought unto a low ebbe and pittifull plight by reason of afflictions yet doth not Christ esteem them the worse neither is he then ashamed to call them and take them for his brethren yea hee esteems of poore afflicted Christians as a part of himselfe though they be vile and contemptible in the eâ—es of the world yet are they honorable and precious in his sight though they be hated of the world yet are they beloved of him Thus should it bee with all true and sound members of the body of Christ we must have a fellow-feeling of the afflictions of our brethren to weep with them that weep and to be of like affection one towards another Rom. 12.15 16. So full of pitty and charity was Paul that hee was touched with the misery of all his brethren Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burn not 2. Cor. 11.26 Nehemiah was a man in favor and credit with King Artaxerxes hee enjoyed the pleasures of the Court and felt no want yet when he understood of the affliction of his brethren and in what contempt and miserie the people of God were it is said that hee fell down and wept and mourned certain dayes Nehe. 1.4 The Prophet Jeremiah wished that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that hee might weep day and night for the miseries of the people Jerem. 9.1 But alas how few are they that do lay to heart the afflictions of their neighbors They sing to the sound of the violl they drink wine in bowles and anoint themselves with the chiefe ointment but no man is sorry for the afflictions of Joseph Amos 9.5 6. Thus too many Christians shew themselves to be Stoicks or rather stocks without any charitable affection without any bowels of compassion Many will be kind unto their friends all the while they are able to requite their love with kindnesse againe but in the day of adversitie as was touched before they are ready to turn their backs upon their neighbors whereas a true friend loveth it all times and a brother is borne for adversitie Pro. 17.17 These are hollow-hearted and false friends who like many a dog will fawn upon a man and follow him all the while hee hath somthing to give him but when all is gone hee is gone also So that it is true which the Wise man speakes Wealth maketh many friends but the poore is separated from his neighbor Prov 16.4 Take wee heed therefore that wee be not so taken up with our own fulnesse and prosperity that wee forget the wants and miseries of others so as there is left no place in our hearts to grieve for them for if wee be without compassion God will one day smite these incompassionate hearts of ours that wee shall stand in need of and be glad to have pittie from others but it shall be denied us For there shall be judgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercie Jam. 2.13 Therefore let us beare one anothers burthen and so fulfill the law of Christ Gal. 6.2 Thou helpest to beare thy neighbors burthen when thou labourest to comfort him in the time of affliction for it is a great ease and comfort unto him that is in any distresse to have others to condole with him to have
or as balsume to heal those gashes which afflictioÌ„ hath or may make in thee or to give thee some ease comfort in them Read in faith and receive in love what is heer tendered unto thee If any comfort or content may hereby accrue unto thine afflicted soul and grieved minde let God have thy praises and let me have thy praiers who desireth to rest Thy servant in the Lords Worke. A. H. An Alphabeticall Table of the chiefe things contained in this BOOKE A. AFfliction the portion of all Gods children Pag. 12. Affliction is physick for the soul 40. Afflictions are instructions 52. Afflictions fit us for Gods service 70. Afflictions weane us from the World 78. Afflictions conform us unto Christ 110. Afflictions of the godly and the wicked differ 190. Afflictions are ordered by God 348. Afflictions do not satisfie the Justice of God 546. Afflictions serve to better us 554. Affliction must not be added unto the afflicted 564. B. Beleevers though they be weake in faith are not rejected 486. Benefits of God never so much prized as in affliction 74. C. Censure not afflicted ones 122. Children of God can not spare afflictions 228. 230. Children of God why under long afflictions 293. Children of God oft sad in trialls 424. Children of God may be in horror of conscience 442. Chance how understood 275. Comfort for the afflicted 211. Conquerors how wee are so 142. Conscience when it accuseth is a sore affliction 438. Contented with our condition 494. Covenant of God stands firme 455. Creatures at Gods command 271. D. David his afflictions 17. Death how it may be desired 237. Death frees us from evills 238. 241. Deliverance out of trouble is Gods worke 363. Despairing is a sad condition 440. Devotion quickned by affliction 102. E. Our Enemies are Gods rods 313. F. Failings do not nullifie Gods Covenant 455. Faith makes affliction profitable 490. Feare of God wrought in us by affliction 536. Feare of God is profitable 540. Fortune a meere Fancy 274. Francis Spira his Condition 439. G. God in afflicting us loves us 387. God will doe us good by our afflictions 397. Good things are most prized in the time of afflicton 74. Grace the truth of it tryed by affliction 59. Grace the strength of it tryed by affliction 299. Grace weakens sinne but doth not wholy destroy it 480. A gracious heart will be thankfull for afflictions 504. H. Hand of God in all our afflictions 257. Hard hearts softned by afflictions 294. Heart if good grieves more for sinne then for punishment 499. Heathens ignorant of the Divine Providence 262. Heaven and Earth filled with Gods presence 267. I. Injuries and wrongs must bee put up 317. Inward and spirituall afflictions are very necessary 437. Job his afflictions 15. Joy succeeds sorrow 301. K. Wee come to know our selves by afflictions 5â—4 L. Love of God seen in affliction 387. Perswasion of Gods Love will help us to be are affliction 488. God loves us if our afflictions do bring us neerer unto him 496. M. Man how author of his owne woe 265. No misery can make a childe of God miserable 401. Mourning for sinne is profitable 445. Mourning for sinne doth make way for comfort 466. O. Offer of God is free 448. P. Patience needfull in affliction 287 Patience how it is helped forward 303. Patience how attained unto 330. By Patience wee possesse our selves 339. Patience conformeth us to Christ 341. Perplexity in affliction from whence it groweth 411. Pray in time of affliction 90. Prayer helpfull in affliction 197. Divers objections against Prayer in affliction answered 204. 207. Prayers of Gods children oft interrupted by Satan 464. Whither wee may pray for affliction or not 585. Prepare for afflictions 134. 140. 147. How to prepare for afflictions 157. R. Relapsing is dangerous 474. Childe of God may relapse if God leave him 477. Repentance preventeth affliction 175. Repentance purgeth out sinne 444. S. Sadnesse in affliction hurtfull 379. Sadnesse oft in Gods children 429. Satan must be resisted 457. Satans assaults shall not hurt us if wee cry to God against them 459. Sinne found out by affliction 29. Sinne purged by affliction 37. Sinne prevented by affliction 46. Sinne not hurtfull if not doubted in 484. Sinne causeth trouble 176. Sinne disliked by afflictions 296. Sinne is beaten by afflictions 511. Sinne rightly judged of in time of affliction 518. Sinners are oft met withall in their own kinde 524. Strength to beare affliction is from God 356. Spirituall simonie 448. Stubbornnesse causeth the rod. 550. T. Tempests are ordered by God 283. Thankfull for afflictions 502. Thirsting shall be satisfied 449. U. Virgin Mary her afflictions 20. Vnbeliefe a childe of God is subject unto 446. Vnbeliefe a breach of Gods Commandment 450. Vnbeliefe robs the heart of all sound joy and peace 486. Vnthankfulnesse hurtfull 470. W. Want of affliction is wofull 243. Weaknesse supported by God 462. Weaned from the world bâ— affliction 78. Wicked ones though long spared yet at last soundly punished 216. Will of God works all things 269. Word of God able to comfort us in all our afflictions 163. Word of God is most effectuall in time of affliction 519. Z. Zeale what it is 8. FINIS A TABLE OF the Contents of this BOOKE Doctr. I. AFfliction is the lot and portion of Gods best children Pag. 12. Confirmed by the example of Job 15. Of David 17. Of the Virgin Mary 20. And of Christ himselfe 26. Reason I. 1 Affliction helpeth us to finde out sinne 29 2 Affliction serveth to purge out sinne 37. 3 Affliction preventeth sinne 46. 4 Affliction teacheth us many good lessons 52. 5 Affliction tryeth the truth of grace in us 59. 6 Affliction fitteth us for Gods service 70. 7 Affliction helpeth us to prize Gods benefits 74. 8 Afflictions weaneth us from the world 78. 9 Affliction stirs us up to prayer 90. 10 Affliction quickens our devotion 102. 11 Affliction conformeth us to Christ 110. 12 Affliction prepareth us for glory 114. Uses 1 Censure not the afflicted 122. 2 Prepare for afflictions 134. 3 Store thy selfe with comfort out of Gods Word 163. 4 Break off thy sinnes by repentance 175. 5 Seek unto God by prayer 197. 6 Comfort for the afflicted 211. 7 Desire to be with Christ 236. 8 Woe to such as are not afflicted 243. Doctr. II. 2 All trialls and afflictions come from God 256. Reasons 1 God filleth both heaven and earth 267. 2 God worketh all things as he will 269. 3 All creatures are at Gods command 271. Uses 1 Away with Fortune 273. 2 God disposeth of all tempests 283. 3 Patient in affliction 287. Long afflictions upon the godly for divers speciall end 293. unto 302. Helpes to the patient bearing of affliction 339. 4 Comfort for the afflicted 344. God doth order our afflictions 348. 5 Seek to God by prayer 355. Sadnesse in affliction doth much hurt 379. Doctr. III. The perswasion of God love will help us to beare our
with the net of the Gospel all the cost that is bestowed upon them all the pains that are taken with them do them little or no good All the good that the most of us learn is in the school of affliction So that affliction may say concerning the good wee have as Laban in another case said to Jacob Gen. 31.43 All that thou seest is mine So in some sence may affliction say Thy humility thy faith thy charity thy obedience c. all mine from whence hadst thou them of whom didst thou learn them but of me and therefore mayest thank me for them Blessed is the man saies David to the Lord Psal 94.12 whom thou chastisest and teachest him thy Law If we can pick no good out of our afflictions learn nothing from them woe will be unto us that ever we were corrected The judgements which are upon others should better us according to that of Esay 26. 9. Seeing thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousnesse If God will have us to profit by the calamities and miseries which do befall others how much more by those afflictions which touch our own skin or come into our own bowels But alas such blocks such non-proficients wee are that the Lord may justly complain of us as he did of Israel in the dayes of Amos I have thus and thus corrected you Yet have you not returned unto mee saith the Lord. Amos. 4.8 9 10. Reason 5 Fiftly the Lord doth sometime afflict his children to try the truth of grace in them 1. Pet. 1.6 7. Ye are in heavinesse through manifold tentations that the triall of your Faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth might be found unto your praise Apoc. 2.10 Some of you shall be cast into prison that you may be tried The Lord thy God led thee saies Moses to Israel Deut. 8.2 this forty yeere in the wildernesse for to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart Why doth not God know the secrets of al hearts doth not he understand our thoughts afarre off Psal 139 1. Why then should hee afflict his children to prove what is in their hearts That we being afflicted may know our own hearts the better and that others also may discern the truth of grace in us Every one almost will bee good whiles all things goe according to their hearts desire as the old saying is The devill is good while hee is pleased Even the wicked whiles there is nothing to thwart and crosse them will carry themselves temperatly and smoothly But let the Lord set fire upon their hedge of prosperity let the Lord but a little lay his hand upon them and you shall see that verified in them which Satan maliciously and falsly layd unto Jobs charge They will curse God to his face they will in a blasphemous manner spit out their venome and poison against the Lord. There is a bottomlesse gulfe of self-deceit in the hearts even of Gods children whence it comes to passe that they can hardly be brought to beleeve there is so much corruption in them as indeed there is but affliction yea sometime the fear of danger doth discover it unto us as appeares in Peter who hearing Christ say that all his Apostles should be offended that night and flie from him Matt. 26.31 utterly disclaimes such unfaithfulnesse and therefore telleth Christ that whatsoever became of the rest he would not forsake him whereas the very fear of some danger or trouble made him denie and forsware his master as if he knew him not Little do wee beleeve what filthy stuffe lurketh in these wicked hearts of ours untill such time as the Lord stirreth and provoketh us by afflictions A mans strength is never known untill such time as it be tried and he have some enemie to resist him Afflictions are tentations to try both the truth and the strength of grace in us our faith our patience our humilitie our obedience our love our courage and heavenly mindednesse then appeareth when affliction which is so contrary unto our nature doth encounter us For that corruption which dwelleth in us being exasperated and provoked by affliction will then or never shew it self in its proper colours Our frowardnesse impatience and infidelity will then appeare when wee are pained or pinched by affliction for then the flesh begins to kick and winch because Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous though afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are thereby exercised So that by affliction every one comes to have an experimentall knowledge of the truth and measure of any grace in him Whence hee may say of himselfe and others may beleeve and report of him as the Lord said to Abraham when hee saw how ready and willing he was to offer up his onely son Isaac whom hee so dearely loved Genes 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God Whiles the Gospel doth go with a fair and calme gale whiles ease liberty and prosperity doth attend upon the profession thereof every one will be a Gospeler as Ester 8.17 Many of the people of the land became Jews when the fear of the Jews fell upon them But trouble and persecution tries the sound-hearted from false and hypocritical professors So that as Paul speaketh of heresies 1. Cor. 11.19 There must be heresies among you that they which are approved among you may be known So I may say of affliction there must bee afflictions among you that the truth of grace may be known in you Affliction saith Paul brings forth patience Rom. 5.31 which words to a carnall ear may sound like Samsons riddle Judges 14.14 Out of the eater came meat Patience to come out of affliction it may seem a paradox but it is a most divine truth not that afflictions do beget patience in the heart of a man but by them this gift and grace of patience is exercised and manifested in us and in our afflictions wee come to make experience of our patience Hence it is that our Saviour Christ is said Heb. 5.8 To have learned obedience by the things which he suffered Not that Christ was then to learn obedience but that in the time of his passions himself and others mighr see and discerne his obedience who preferred the will of his Father in drinking of that cup which was given him though it were never so bitter and unpleasing unto him Wee are all of us too prone to think better of our selves then there is just cause wee can promise our selves great things and build castles in the ayre all the while wee stretch our selves upon our beds and drink wine in bowles live at ease and in fulnesse but these paper buildings these clay walls of ours are quickly shaken and beaten downe if the Lord do but shoot one arrow of affliction out of his quiver against us Therefore the Lord in love and wisedome exerciseth
comming towards them in the time of a tempest at sea when every wave threatens to swallow up the ship or in the time of any terrible thunder and lightning how godly how holy will the prophanest be out of their beds they must and to prayer they will if they be able themselves if not as Pharaoh intreated Moses Exod. 9.28 Pray unto the Lord that there be no more mighty thunders and hail So they will intreat those that can to pray for them But what sayes holy Job of such hypocrites as these are Will God hear his cry when trouble commeth upon him will be set his delight on the Almighty will hee call upon God at all times Job 27.9 10. Is hee like to speed that seldome or never goes unto the Lord but when want necessity drives him for if affliction were not he would not come at God It fares with many as with young chickins in á faire calme sun-shine day you may see them all stragling from the hen one heere and another there the hen desirous to have her young ones neere here clucks and clucks again for them as having some provision for them but they regard not her call untill at length the kyte draws neer them ready to catch one of them up then they cry and runne with all speed to their dam for shelter Even so the Lord seeing us to straggle too farre from him calls us unto him but wee regard not his call whereupon he lets flie at us hee causeth some affliction or other to terrifie us and then wee speed it to the Lord then wee can lay on tongue Help Lord c. So that the Lord deales with us as Absalom did with Joab because we deal with the Lord as Joab did with Absalom Absalom sends for Ioab but hee would not come to him 2. Sam. 14.29 Absalom sends again and Ioab was the same man still he stirs not a foot hee would not come Whereupon Absalom commandeth his servants to set fire on a field of barley which Ioab had Ioab then needs no more messengers hee can then arise and come in haste to Absalom without any more sending for Thus it is with us the Lord sends for us by the mouth of his Ministers he would have us come and appeare continually before him Cant. 2.14 Shew me thy sight let me hear thy voice but wee have little or no minde this way he may send in haste but wee take time and will goe at our own leisure whereupon the Lord sets on fire something wee have that is spoiles us of some-thing that is pleasing and delightfull unto us and then wee can run with open mouth Save us Lord c. So that it is meere need drives many unto God by prayer If they could have helpe elsewhere or by any other wayes be furnished or have their turn served they would not come at God Davids words may well be applyed unto them Psal 142.4 5. I looked upon my right hand and beheld but there was none that would know me all refuge failed mee and none cared for my soul then cried I unto the Lord and said Thou art my hope and my portion When other refuge and helpe failes then they can runne unto the Lord for help and succour These do in a manner tell the Lord as many rogues do answere us at our doores Truely they never asked any thing of us before and if they could shift it or if great necessitie did not compell them to begge they would not now have troubled us Therefore the Lord deales with these as many a wise and discreet tradesman doth with some pedling chapman whose custome he never had before neither now should have it if hee could elsewhere have furnished himselfe with wares and commodities for his turne If any wares be worse then other the tradesman will put them off to such a fellow because he knows it is not love but necessitie that brought him unto his shop As for his choyce and best commodities those he will reserve for his best chapmen whose custome he hath alwayes had and who will not leave his shop to go to another Even so will the Lord deal with the wicked who do not continually trade with the Lord in prayer but now and then when they are at some pinch Haply the Lord who is good unto all and his mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 may put them off with some of his refuse wares helping them at their need with some outward worldly commodity but as for his choice and rich wares his love his grace his Christ his salvation these shall those have who seeke him continually Reason 1 Againe affliction puts life into our devotion and maketh us more instant in Prayer For if Affliction maketh us not importunate nothing will The Lord holds us many times at the staves end and seemeth to turn away from our prayers that so our prayers may grow more fervent for though God knows our wants and takes no delight in our sorrows yet oft times hee seems not to heare us till our cries be loud and strong God sees it best to let his penitent ones dwell for a time under their affliction and when he sees them sinking he lets them alone till they be at the bottome that out of the deep they may fetch deep sighes and cry louder to the Lord and so prevail For a vehement suiter cannot but speed with God whatsoever he askes If our prayers want successe it is because they want mettall and heart their blessing is according to their faith and fervencie In this behalfe affliction is very needfull for the best of Gods children for too many of them too often seek the living God with dead affections Oh the perfunctory cold drowsie lifelesse prayers which are made by some Many which make conscience of the duty and dare no day omit it do pray so coldly with so little zeal and devotion all the while they are full and at ease that the Lord is even compelled to lash them to sharpen their fervency and to shake off that lythernesse and luskishnesse wherewith they were wont to come before him Our God that heareth prayers knoweth how cold and feeble how slight and perfunctory oft times wee be when wee are in prosperity and the rod of God is not upon us so as little or no life and power appeareth in them do wee not find by our own experience that trouble and affliction whether it be outward or inward not onely drives us to prayer but causeth us to set all our might and strength when wee are wrestling with the Lord that so wee may be the more able to prevaile with his Majestie Affliction will fashion and forme the flowest tongue unto this holy duty and doth oft times furnish us with sighs and grones which cannot be expressed If ever a Christian will tugge and wrestle with the Lord it shall be when affliction lieth sore upon him All the while the childe feels the
is the portion of Gods dear children hast thou not read that wee are every day to take up our crosse Why hast thou not then prepared thy soul for tentation Art thou now free from affliction now barrell up against an hard time the winter of adversity for the day of affliction is a time of living upon the old store spending or using not getting of spirituall strength Strength to bear affliction must be provided before affliction come Is it not childish folly or rather desperate securitie for any man that hath his enemie ready to assault and wound him to have his weapons to seek Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that yee may be able to withstand in the evill day Eph. 6.13 This evill day is the time of temptation and affliction which that wee may be the better able to encounter wee must bee well appointed and furnished with Christian fortitude and courage that so affliction although it may at the first daunt us yet it may neither vanquish nor foil us To this purpose first of all I advise thee to be oft and serious in this meditation Whose thou art and whose all thou hast is Art thou not the worke of Gods hands hath he not formed and fashioned thee and may not hee alter and change thee at his pleasure So the things of this life health wealth honor libertie and the like doe they not hold all in chiefe is not the earth the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Is it not lawfull for the Lord to do with his own as seemeth good in his eyes Do not wee hold these outward things with condition of the crosse and with a limitation of Gods correction Secondly know as afterward you shall hear that Gods love is immutable though our outward estate and condition be changeable Gods love never changeth he is the same God and his love as entire and great when wee are in affliction as when wee are out of it He may and doth as you have heard for speciall ends change our estate yet for his own glory sake and our comfort hee continues still the same A loving father to all that love and fear him before affliction a tender and loving father in affliction and so for ever after for whom once he loves unto the end hee loves These things setled in our hearts by the help and assistance of the Lord wee shall be armed to encounter affliction strengthned with all might through his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse Col. 1.11 Which words do teach us that the power and strength by which wee stand upright in time of trouble and bear with patience any affliction is not of our selves but from the Lord It is God that doth stablish our hearts with his grace hee it is that worketh faith in us and a feeling perswasion of his unchangeable love and a voluntary and cheerfull resignation of our selves and all wee have to be ordered and disposed of by God as seemeth good in his eyes Whereupon saith Saint Paul I can be abased and I can abound every where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry and to abound and to have want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth mee Phillippians 4.12 13. Wee say fore-warned fore-armed Bee warned therefore betimes to prepare for thy triall that when it comes thou mayst be the better armed against it Evils the more suddenly they come upon us the more grievous they prove unto us and we are the lesse able to grapple with them and encounter them Whereas preparation doth as it were pull out the sting or beat out the teeth of affliction that either it bites us not at all or else doth not so deadly wound and hurt us When Agabus had told St. Paul what welcome and entertainment hee should find at Jerusalem how they would manacle him and deliver him over into the hands of the Gentiles Acts 21.11 Some of his friends besought him that hee would not go up to Jerusalem unto whom he answered What do yee weeping and breaking mine heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus vers 13. Saint Paul being thus prepared for his triall could chearefully and joyfully undergoe it Hee is like to look his enemy in the face and not like a dastard to turn his back upon him and betake himselfe to his leggs that armes himselfe and prepares for the encounter The life of a Christian is a continuall warrefare and wee are souldiers Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good souldier 2. Tim. 2.2 A good souldier in garrison or in the field is every day armed at all seasons ready for the assault which may suddenly come the enemie being at hand Affliction is our common enemie which as it hath foyled many for want of preparation so hath it been vanquished of many of the Lords worthies being evermore armed against it For thy sake are wee killed all the day long wee are counted as sheep for the slaughter Neverthelesse in all these things we are more then Conquerors What bee killed and yet be a conqueror This may seem a paradox a thing contrary to common reason but it is a divine truth Would you know how Gods children do conquer trials and afflictions it is thus First when troubles and afflictions cannot vanquish or overcome them cannot spoyle them of their patience and inward peace cannot batter down their comfort but that they still rejoyce in tribulation Rom. 15.3 A Christian is then beaten when his heart and minde is beaten A man is then overcome when his heart failes when his patience joy and peace is vanquished and put to flight But if these hold it out howsoever tribulation persecution may vanquish yea destroy the outward man yet the heart and minde being not overcome wee are conquerers though outwardly conquered Object Haply you will reply and say That even the best of Gods children through the extremity of their afflictions do oft times utter many rash and inconsiderate words and shew much impatience under their crosse how then may these be said to be conquerers Answ True it is that the flesh being pinched and pained may kick and winch but yet the heart is untouched neither doth the childe of God allow of any impatient carriage or passage but is ready to take himselfe in the manner and to reprove himselfe for it As Job said I will lay mine hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will answere no more yea twice but I will proceed no farther Job 40.4 5. Now the minde in Gods account is the man And so long as the heart is not vanquished though through the sence and smart of the affliction the outward man and flesh may storme the Lord will crowne such for conquerers 2. Againe we are said to be conquerers when still we hold our own ground and
means of comfort Answ Gods wayes are not your wayes Esay 55.8 The Lord hath his wayes many times in the deep many times in the darke and secret Haply deliverance shall come some other way then thou canst imagine or thinke of When thou thinkest comfort and deliverance is farthest off it may be neare at hand yea when thou seest least likelyhood of it for In the mount will the Lord be seen Gen. 22.14 It may be thou seest no means but the Lord can worke without means yea by contrary meanes that his wisedome and power may appeare the more in thy deliverance What means had Daniel to save him from the fury of those hungry and devouring Lyons yet you know the Lord did deliver him Therefore Commit thy way unto the Lord and trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe Psalm 37.5 So that all things considered wee have little cause to bee disquieted in our afflictions seeing our heavenly Father sendeth them in love for our great good and lesse cause we have to fret or be disheartned if they tarry by us longer then wee would have them for when wee are fit for deliverance wee shall bee sure of it In the mean time if dangers or feares do increase upon thee say to the Lord as good King Jehosaphat 2. Chron. 20.12 Wee know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee Consider into what great distresse and strait the Lord brought the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt the sea before them their enemies behind them death as it were round about them yet how miraculously did the Lord make way for them So assure thy selfe whatsoever thy trouble or danger bee the Lord will one way or other give issue to his glory and thy good although thou seest not how because hee is the same God no changeling in his goodnesse towards his children It is a sweet motto which one hath I suffer I hope Though sorrows and afflictions increase upon thee yet give not over thy confidence but resolve with holy Job Loe though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 The motion of a thing the neerer it comes to the center the swifter it is Doth thy sorrow thy paine thy trouble increase upon thee hope it is neere at an end The children of Israel the neerer they were unto comfort and deliverance the sorer grew their afflictions and the greater were the burthens which their cruell taske-masters layd upon them and so doth the Lord oft deale in other kindes with his children Therefore wait with patience seeing the Lord many times doth suddenly turne tragedies into comedies sorrow into joy as he dealt with his people in Esters dayes to day in heavinesse through feare of being swallowed up and made a prey unto their enemies to morrow triumphing over their enemies and treading them underneath their feet Ester 8.15 16. For what thing can there bee under Heaven so heavie upon the heart of his children which the Lord cannot remove and put joy in the place of it before the day be light Therefore hope in the Lord and bee strong and hee shall comfort thine heart Psalm 27.14 Be cheerefull therefore in thy affliction Object Some will be ready to say I hope I hurt no body by my sadnesse but they are deceived for Answ First they wrong the Lord by their uncheerfulnesse not only in going and doing against his word which willeth us to bee joyfull in the Lord as Psal 32.11 Be glad ye righteous and rejoyce in the Lord and bee joyfull all ye that are upright in heart but they do also wrong the Lord in robbing him of that honor and praise which they might bring unto him by their rejoycing in affliction Secondly they wrong if not hurt their brethren being occasions of discouragement and disheartning them making them to feare and doubt of Gods goodnes and their own abilitie to bear any burden which the Lord shall lay upon them seeing others or longer standing in Christ his school and of greater knowledge to shrink and buckle under their affliction Thirdly they wrong their profession by opening the mouthes of those that are without or by putting a stumbling-blocke before them causing them to abhorre the way and practise of godlinesse when they see so great troubles to attend upon it and so little courage and cheerefulnesse in those that professe it Fourthly and lastly they wrong and hurt themselves not only by disinabling and indisposing themselves to the generall and particular dueties of their callings for a joyfull heart causeth good health but a sorrowfull spirit dries up the bones Prov. 17.22 that is makes the body weake and feeble for a man is said to bee in his full strength when his bones run full of marrow Job 21.23 24. but also in spoiling themselves of that peace and comfort which they might enjoy by their cheerfull undergoing of afflictions and loosing that holy vigor and strength they might partake of by rejoycing in the Lord for the joy of the Lord is your strength Nehe. 8.10 Besides by their lumpishnesse they make themselves unfit for holy dueties they cannot serve God as they should being oppressed with sadnesse For we are to serve the Lord with gladnesse of heart Serve the Lord in feare and rejoyce before him Psal 2.11 How can any serve God joyfully or praise him heartily when the heart is laden with griefe and the mind oppressed with sorrow If no joy in the sweet promises of God what delight can be had in his worship and service And last of all they expose themselves unto Satans tentations when they are dejected with worldly sorrow then are they baits for Satan to catch at and fit subjects for him to worke upon How many have been brought to a shamefull and miserable end through Satans subtiltie and malice working upon them and taking them at advantage in the time of their sorrow and heavinesse So that it is evident that such by their sadnesse oft times do wrong both others and themselves But admit it were so as you see it is false that wee hurt no body but our selves by our sadnesse is this a sufficient warrant to bear us out in our lumpishnesse In what court was that commission sealed unto us which gives us liberty to harme or wrong our selves Are wee not delinquents against Gods law and the law of nature in offring wrong unto our selves Therefore seeing thy afflictions are but for a season hold fast the Confidence and the rejoycing of thy hope unto the end Heb. 3.6 Live by faith and as the Prophet exhorteth enter into thy chambers and shut thy doores after thee hide thy selfe for a little while untill the indignation passe over Esay 26.20 By chambers the Prophet meanes a quiet and peaceable conscience into the which he would have us sequester our selves all the while the storme of affliction bloweth that so with patience we may waite for the event of them And whereas he
perswasion will carry us on comfortably in our pilgrimage it will make us willing to beare whatsoever the Lord shall be pleased to lay upon us and to want that which wee see hee is not willing wee should injoy Wee rejoyce in tribulations saith Paul Rom. 5.3 because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us verse 5. Reason 1 And that first of all because he that is perswaded of Gods love cannot but beleeve that God will helpe him to beare his crosse and to undergo his affliction bee it what it will For God is faithfull and will not suffer his to be tempted above that they are able to beare 1. Cor. 10.13 Object But I am weake saith one and I shall never bee able to beare such or such trials if the Lord laies any more upon mee I shall never beare it Answ Comfort thy selfe God will either make thee able or else hee will lighten and lessen thy affliction Thy God who loves thee will put to his hand hee will helpe at a dead lift his power is made perfect through weaknesse 2. Cor. 12.9 Hee loves thee and therefore will not overloade thee His grace shall bee sufficient for thee Therefore say as did Jeremy O Lord thou art my force and my strength and my refuge in the day of affliction Jer. 16.19 Reason 2 Secondly the perswasion of Gods love will be helpfull unto us to the cheerfull bearing of affliction because if wee beleeve that God loves us wee know that he intends our good in afflicting of us yea will do us good by our affliction For hee chasteneth all his children for their profit Heb. 12.10 It is good for me saith David that I have been afflicted Psal 119.71 Haply wee can see no good that is like to come unto us out of this affliction or that trouble but rather evill or hurt yet through the goodnesse and wisdome of the Lord good shall bee extracted out of this evill as the best treacle is made of deadly poyson When we are in a course of Physick at the first wee see not we feel not any good it doth us but it makes us rather worse then wee were before and causeth many a sicke qualme many a fainting fit and we wish the Physick had never been prescribed unto us or not taken of us but when wee consider of whom wee tooke it even from him whose judgement and knowledge we approve of whose care and love wee doubt not of then we are the more quieted and pluck up our spirits in expectation and hope of ease ere it be long It may be thou findest no good thine affliction hath yet done thee it being now working upon thee Yet if thou canst but rest a while and bee perswaded of the wisdome and love of God who hath administred this physick unto thee thou wilt bee contented and looke for good to follow it When rhe sonnes of Zerviah would faine have been doing with that dead dogge Shimei for cursing their Lord and Master no no saies David suffer him to curse it may be the Lord will looke upon mine affliction and do mee good for his cursing this day 2. Sam. 16.11 12. But the Apostle Paul being more full of faith putting the question past peradventure hee puts it out of question resolves and builds upon it wee know that all things worke together for the best to those that love God Rom. 8.28 Now wee know that every one that loves God is beloved of God for wee love him because he loved us first Iob 4.19 How cheerfully do wee use to welcome those that bring us but tidings of good but if any one brings us any great benefit we thinke wee cannot bid him too welcome Is affliction come unto thee Welcome it for certainly if thou beest the Lords I dare boldly as David said of Abimaaz the sonne of Zadock Hee is a good man and commeth with good tydings 2. Sam. 18.27 say of affliction it is a good thing and bringeth not only tydings of good but good it selfe unto thee For no sooner comes affliction to Gods children but if it be welcomed good will bee at the heels thereof to follow after it Reason 3 Thirdly it cannot bee but the perswasion of Gods love will make us cheerfull in affliction because being beloved of God no misery can make us miserable Art thou in Gods favor then thou art ever in his eye he lookes after thee and is carefull that no evill shall befall thee Nay thou art unto him as the apple of his eye Zach. 2.8 tender and deere unto him and therefore whatsoever danger doth beset thee the Lord will bee at thy right hand to uphold and comfort thee Being in Gods favor thou art sure of his protection for thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous and with favor wilt compasse him as with a shield Psa 5.12 Noah was safe enough in that great and deadly deluge because the Lord prepared an arke for him and shut him up Daniel was safe enough amongst the Lyons because God sent his Angel shut the Lyons mouths that they could not hurt him Dan. 6.22 The Lord hath made a gracious promise that When thou passest thorow the waters he will be with thee and thorow the floods that they do not overflow thee When thou walkest thorow the fire c. Esay 43.2 from whence is this it followes in the 4. verse because thou wast precious in my sight and thou wast honorable and I loved thee Therefore if God love thee thou art happy thou canst not be miserable Nay shall I speake boldly unto thee I tell thee if thou wert if possible in Hell in the deepest gulfe of calamity that can bee yet for all this being beloved of God thy estate and condition is happy hee will gaine glory and thou shalt get good by all that evill which hath or shall befall thee Reason 4 Fourthly and lastly the assurance of Gods love will make us willing to bear our affliction because we know that nothing can separate us as was said before from this love of God but being once beloved of him we shall so continue for ever It is not all the wit or will the cunning or subtilty the power or pollicy of all the creatures on the face of the earth or underneath the earth let there bee a confederacy amongst them yea let them all cast in their lot and make one common purse Prov. 1.14 to do thee mischief let them all plod plot combine and bandy themselves against thee they shall never bee able to winde thee out of Gods love or favor if once beloved of him It is possible that thou mayest lose the love and favor of the World and the more because thou art beloved of God for the World loves none but her owne brats Joh. 15.19 It is a very stepdame or rather beldame to all that are beloved of God It is possible that thy friends may become thy
of his deare Sonne Is any man so mindfull and carefull of keeping covenant and promise as the Lord Is any so able to make good his word as God Tricks of Law and the wilie subtilties of mans braine are oft occasions of frustrating promises made betwixt man and man but there is no wisedom neither understanding nor councell against the Lord Prov. 21.30 God is not as man that hee should lye neither as the sonne of man that he should repent hath hee said and shall he not do it hath hee spoken and shall hee not accomplish it Numb 23.19 God is so faithfull of his Word that nothing is able to make him goe back or to falsify his promise Gods Word shal stand when Heaven and Earth shall fall To mistrust Gods promise is to question whether there be a God or no. For either to deny or doubt of his truth and fidelity is to deny or doubt him to bee God Every honest man scandeth upon his credit for his credits sake he dares not eate his word hee keepeth promise though it bee to his own losse and hindrance How much more will the Lord who is jealous of his glory bee carefull to make good whatsoever hee hath said What greater indignity can bee offered to an honest and godly man then to question the truth of his word What greater dishonor can be unto the Lord then to call into question his truth which wee do when wee either say or thinke hee loves us not in afflicting of us Howsoever crosses and afflictions do oft times present themselves to the apprehension of carnal men with much terorr horror yet even in the very bitternesse and extremity of them thou by the helpe of faith maist draw a great deal of joy and comfort from them if thou wouldst fix thy minde upon such places and promises as these are Isa 43.2 and 63.8 Rom. 8.28 2. Cor. 4.17 Heb. 12.6 A patient submission to Gods will and a perswasion of his love in correcting of us is an infallible evidence that thou art a sonne and not a bastard Is there not more sweetnesse in those afflictions which are evidences of Gods love tokens that thou art in the right way to Heaven then in outward ease worldy pleasures and carnall liberty which clearly demonstrate to thy conscience that thou art in the broad way to Hell hence it was that the Apostls rejoyced when they were beaten That they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ Act. 5.41 Nay all the scorne and contempt all the contumelious reproaches which the world shall spit out at thee do crown thy head and therefore should fill thy heart with aboundance of glory blessednesse and joy If ye be reproched for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory of God resteth upon you 1. Pet. 4.14 Schoffes spitefull and taunting speeches odious nick-names and lying imputations cast upon thee by those whose tongues cut like sharpe raisors are but so many honorable badges of thy profession and Christian resolution of standing for Christ his truth and shall pull down a blessing upon thee Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and say all evill against you for my sake rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven Mat. 5.11 12. I define to beate this mile home to the head therfore I tarry the longer upon this use for if we could but bee thorowlie perswaded of this truth that God loveth us in that he correcteth us all differences betwixt the Lord and us about affliction would bee at an end and our sorrow would be turned into joy and rejoycing in tribulation Rom. 5.3 our unquietnesse would bee turned into patience our lumpishnesse into cheerfulnesse and our murmurring into thankfullnesse Therefore I would have you know that the Devill our adversary hath not a more forcible engine or any more cunning stratageme to batter our peace and patience and so to draw away our hearts from resting upon God in the time of our afflictiō then to make us to question Gods love and so to mistrust his truth Who did ever trust in the Lord and was deceived Our Fathers saith David trusted in thee they trusted thou didst deliver them they called upon thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded Psal 22.4 5. Whereupon David praies My God I trust in thee let mee not bee confounded so all that hope in thee shall not bee ashamed Psalme 25.2 3. And was the Lord the God of David only Is he not also their God that do put their trust in his goodnesse and mercy Is Gods love and kindnesse his mercy and goodnesse lesse unto his people now then it was to those of old Or is the Lord more feeble and lesse able to helpe and do good to us then to our fathers before us No no hee is the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7.22 the same God now that ever hee was as able and as willing now to do good to those that beleeve in him as he hath beene of old Therefore in all thine afflictions learne to judge of and to measure Gods love by his word not by thy present feeling and comfort Let thine eye bee upon that love which will one day change thy estate and give thee a plentifull croppe of good out of this sorrowfull seed time of affliction Should any husbandman measure his estate and wealth by his seed time there were poore comfort to bee found for doth hee not weary his body through painfull toile and labor doth hee not empty his store and cast away his corne out of his hand but when hee doth consider that without a seed time there is no possibility of an harvest and withall that Hee that soweth liberally shall reape liberally 2. Cor. 9.6 He is then contented both with his paines and expences Even so if our eyes bee so fixed upon our present afflictions that wee see not the future good which through the love of God unto us they will bring us wee shal very hardly bee upheld in the time of our affliction but if wee look off the affliction and fasten our eye upon the love of God and that good he will doe us for that evil which we patiently and thankfully sustain how joyfully how contentedly how sweetly may we sit down and blesse God for afflicting of us Object But may some weak beleever object and say I make no question but that God in love doth chasten some of his children but how can I beleeve that my afflictions are tokens of his love when as I find and feele no good that hath come unto me through them nay I feare I am the worse for them for I am now more impatient more uncheerefull and more distrustfull of the love and providence of God then ever I was before Answ To favor thy weaknesse a little let mee tell thee that it may be this is but one of Satans wiles enterprises
to rob thee of that good hee sees thine affliction is like to do thee and that thou art not so distrustfulll of Gods love nor so unbeleeving as the Devill doth beare thee in hand thou art But admit it bee so and that thou art as thou speakest of thy selfe wilt thou judge of the good effect of thy bodily physicke or the skill and love of thy Physician by the sick and painfull working of the Physick What wise man would so do This were all one as if a man should judge of his future strength or a woman of her beautie by their present condition of sicknesse Therefore howsoever no good by affliction may appeare at first but the contrary rather there being much impatience infidelity c. Yet know thou that no mans grace is to be judged of in the time of temptation for certainly many even of the Lords deare children when the hand of God is upon them especially if it lie more heavily and longer then ordinary do doubt of Gods love and favour and do bewray much corruption by their unadvised and inconsiderate words by their sowre and lumpish cariage in the time of their afflictions The Scripture commendeth Moses for faith and obedience yet being perplexed and vexed with the dogednesse and rebellion of the Israelites hee so offended the Lord by his unbeliefe that the Lord did cut him short of Canaan and would not suffer him to set foot on that promised land Because yee beleeved mee not to sanctifie mee in the presence of the children of Israel therefore yee shall not bring this people into the land that I have given them Numb 20.12 Admirable and invincible was the patience of Job Yet when the hand of God was first upon him how did hee curse the day of his birth wishing that hee had died as soon as he was born Let that day perish wherein I was born c. Job 3.3 And afterward againe Oh that God would destroy me that he would let his hand go and cut mee off Job 6.9 Was not David beloved of God and a man after his own heart yet hee was so overwhelmed with the cloud of afflictions and so battered with the storme of adversity that he could not discerne the love of God towards him but hee cries out Will the Lord absent himselfe for ever and will hee shew no more love or favor Psal 77.7 And againe Lord why dost thou reject my soul and hidest thy face from mee Thine indignations go over mee and thy feare hath cut me off Psal 88.15 16. I alledge not these examples for the fostering of any in their impatience and unbeliefe nor that any should take libertie from hence for the like behavior in the time of affliction but I speak this the rather partly to uphold and comfort weak beleevers that they listen not to Satans temptations who will be ready to buâ—e it into their eares that none of Gods children do question his love in the time of triall or shew any impatience under the rod and partly to stop the mouthes of the wicked and to stay their uncharitable censure from going too farre they being so ready to measure the child of God either by his afflictions or by his behavior in them Objects But may Gods children be sad and heavie in time of affliction Answ No doubt they may for doth not Saint Peter say now for a season if need require yee are in heavinesse through manifold tentations 1. Pet. 1.6 but in our heavinesse these cautions must be observed First our sorrow must be greater for our sinne which brought the affliction then for the affliction it selfe Secondly wee must not bee excessive but moderate in our heavinesse Object But how may wee know that our sorow for afflictions is moderate Answ First if it exceed not the measure of our sorrow for sinne If our sinnes bee our greatest heart-smart our sorrow for affliction is moderate Secondly if our sorrow for affliction hurt us not that is drieth not up our bones impaireth not our strength or make us unfit for publique imployment Thirdly and lastly if it withdrawes not the heart from God and the dueties of his worship and service Object But the weake beleever will still object and say If my troubles and afflictions were only bodily and outward I make no question but I should see Gods love in them but my wound and griefe is inward and spirituall I cannot finde or feel the sweet comforts of Gods Spirit I see the angry countenance of God bent against me for my sinnes God mee thinkes lookes not now upon mee with the amiable countenance of a loving Father but with the face of a severe and strict judge ready to take vengeance upon mee for my sinnes how can I then be perswaded either or Gods love or that my case is good or that good is intended mee by this affliction Answ Howsoever these inward and spirituall afflictions be the sorest of all trials for the spirit of a man may sustaine his bodily infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare Prov. 18.14 Yet I would have thee know that even these inward and sad afflictions are no other then are incident unto the best of Gods children and wherewith the Lord in love doth afflict them For the Lord seeth as wee have spoken before what his children stand in most need of out of his deep and unsearchable wisedome hee singles out and makes choice of those tryalls which shall make most for our spirituall good the Lord ever pitcheth upon that affliction which shall worke best upon us and serve most punctually to humble and awe us Some he afflicts with varietie of worldly crosses as in their children or outward estate Some he doth extraordinarily exercise with spirituall conflicts and troubles of conscience thus sorting out unto his children those severall crosses and corrections which out of his unsearchable wisedome and their spirituall necessitie hee sees most expedient for them Therefore of what nature soever thy crosse be do thou take it up seeing it pleaseth our wise God to exercise thee with it as thy portion It may be thou thinkest that no outward and worldly crosse could go so neere thee as doth this inward tentation but who knowes what thou wouldst be if this tryal were removed It may bee the Lord sees that without it thou wouldest grow worldly or waspish or secure or proud now high spirits must be abased low and the Lord sees that these inward and spirituall conflicts are the best and surest way to humble us and to bring us out of love with sinne and our selves and more in love with his majestie He breaks up hee rents and teares the heart and conscience with fears and terrors that so it may bee made more plyable and gentle more fit to receive and to retaine that seed of grace which the Lord is now casting into them Therefore assure thy selfe that it is not for any want of love that the Lord doth lay so heavie
and safety Who can say that Abrahams heart at the first smote him not for this evill Yet it is evident that hee fell into the same sinne againe Hee that peruseth the book of the Judges shall find Israel fallen into idolatry and upon correction humbled and penitent and yet afterwards againe and again fallen into the same wickednesse they had formerly repented of Was not Jonas thinke you thorrowly humbled for his sinne of stubbornnesse and disobedience when hee felt the smart of it in the Whales belly yet for all this when he saw the Lord so mercifull as to spare Ninivie upon her humiliation and repentance how angry was he with God justifying his former sinne which in effect and before God was all one to have committed the same sinne againe yet the Lord forgave these and received them againe to mercie Doth not the Lord enjoyne us to forgive our brother offending us daily even unto Seventy times seven times if hee repent Matth. 18.22 And will the Lord enjoyn us that act of mercie and compassion wherein himselfe will not be exemplar unto us Is there any drop of pittie or kindnesse in us which comes not out of that bottomlesse sea of love and mercie in the Lord if wee must forgive our brother so many times in the day no doubt but the Lord in whom is the fulnesse of goodnesse and compassion will receive humbled sinners as often as they returne unto him There is no sinne but blasphemie against the holy Ghost which upon repentance shall not be pardoned If residnation and relapsing into the same sinne may bee repented of questionlesse it may it shall be pardoned at Gods hand And whereas some may think that true grace will preserve any from falling into the same sinne againe whereof hee hath formerly repented it is a fond error for if the Lord leave any unto themselves they will be as ready nay more ready to fall into the old sin then into a new the disposition and naturall temper being more inclinable to that evill then any other and Satan knowing which way the poore sinner hath been most foiled will that way most strongly againe assault him It is therefore a binding of the Lords hands a confining and limiting of his boundlesse mercie and compassion yea an undervalewing of the all-sufficiencie of Christ his merit and passion to say that relapsing into former sinnes is a thing unpardonable or that a person so offending was never in the state of grace or can be a true member of the Lord Christ The covenant of grace excludes none but impenitent and unbeleeving persons Truth it is that the burnt child dreads the fire and it is not an ordinary thing for the childe of God in the state of grace to fall back againe to his old byas but that it is not possible for him it God leave him so to fall or that true grace will not admit of any such falls is more then can be warranted or proved by the Word of God I speak not this God knowes to countenance or bolster any in their sinne but partly to magnifie the boundlesse and unlimited patience and mercy of our good God and partly to underlay and comfort that poore afflicted soul wounded conscience who through his owne pride selfe confidence or securitie and Satans pollicie hath been againe intangled in that snare out of which by former repentance hee hath been delivered This is the childrens bread it belongs not unto dogs Impudent and impenitent sinners can claim no interest in this comfort it is baulme to heale onely wounded consciences whom I would not have to be so strongly deluded by satan as to be beat off from repentance and the throne of grace or to think that they never had any true grace or that their former repentance was ever sound because old sores are againe broke out in them they have relapsed into old sinnes The worke of grace doth not wholly take away all sinne nor free us from it but only weakens it and workes the heart to a hatred and detestation of it And know that if thy sinne when thou wert Gods enemie could not prevent his love much lesse shall it now thou art reconciled Object But by my relapsing I have made the Lord such a gracelesse requitall of his former love and kindnesse as I know not how to look him in the face againe yea I begin to feare I shall never againe recover that which I have so wretchedly lost Answ I pitie thee Doth thy heart faint hath thy faith lost its former feeling or working in thee dost thou now behold Gods angry countenance bent against thee hath the Lord as thou concievest set thee up as a spectacle for men and Angels to wonder at throw thy self prosttate at Gods feet let not thy soul leave cleaving to the dust never leave knocking at the dore of his goodnesse and compassion intreat him to look upon thee a poore confounded wretch beseech him to behold thee in the face of Christ tell him here lyes a miserable caitiffe a forlorn creature a wounded and forsaken sinner one that resolves to lye and dye at his feet one that will set down at the threshold of his tender mercyes and never depart without some almes some crums of mercy to revive and refresh thy languishing soul withall and my life for thine in due time the Lord will satiate thy heart with comfortable tydings from Heaven of his reconciliation and of the pardon and forgivenesse of all thy sinnes Object There were some hope if I had not gon on so long in my sinne as I have done there was a time I am perswaded when I was capable of mercy but that time I feare is gon and past Gods mercy is out of date with me and therefore I am undone for ever Answ No no the Lord waites that he may have mercy upon thee and therefore will he be exalted that he may have compassion upon you Isa 30.18 The Lord hath proclamed himself to be abundant in goodnesse reserving mercy for thousands Exod. 34.6 7. Hee hath mercy in store for thee as well as for others if thou canst truly repent thee of thy former wickednesse The Lord forgiveth iniquity transgression and sinne Ez. 34.7 It would highly derogate from the Lords power from his all-sufficiencie and boundlesse goodnesse and mercy it he should not forgive capitall and foul sinnes as well as petty and small sinnes Consider what the Lord hath promised Ezek. 18.21 22. None of all his transgressions shall be mentioned And againe verse 23. Hath the Lord any desire thou shouldest perish or shalt thou not live if thou returne from thine owne wayes It is not any sinne but the love of sinne and the going on in sinne that seperates betwixt God and a poore sinner Now then cheer up thy drooping spirits stand it out no longer against the Lord and his goodnesse lay downe not only thy weapons of disobedience but also all carnall reasonings captivate thy will