hast done well to send me again to our School of Philosophy whereas if we finde but a little pleasure in our life we are ready to do at upon it Every small contentment glues our affections to that we like neither can we so heartily think of our home above whilest we are furnished with these worldly contentments But when God strips us of them straightways our minde is homeward If this world may be compared to Athens of which a Philosopher said that it was a pleasant City to travel through but not safe to dwell in If by smarting in our bodies states or names we are saved from smarting in our souls If it was good for Naaman that he was a Leper good for David that he was in trouble good for Bartimeus that he was blinde if with that Athenian Captain we should have perished for ever in case we had not thus perished for a while if our peace would have lost us in case we had not a little lost our peace Then refuse not the chastening of the Lord neither be grieved with his correction as Solomon adviseth Prov. 3. 11. And so much the rather 1 First because our strugling may aggravate cannot redress our miseries 2 Secondly because the Lord will be sanctified either of us or on us one of the two as Saint Anstine speaks 3 Thirdly because that is little which thou sufferest in comparison of what thou deservest to suffer for thou hast deserved to be destroyed and he that hath deserved hanging may be glad if he scape with whipping Besides as David told Saul he could as easily have cut his throat as he had his coat or as Caesar boasted to Metellus he could as soon make him hop headlesse as bid it be done so the Lord may expostulate with thee and much more Wherefore be patient I say but not without sense be not of those Stoicks stocks rather you may stile them who like beasts or rather like blocks lie under their burthen and account it greatest valour to make least ado and lay it as little as may be to heart For if you mean to be the Kings sonnes you must bring him the fore-skins of an hundred Philistines shew him the fruit of your former sufferings But above all let us not resemble the wicked who if affliction comes to them receive the curse with cursing and if the Devil throw but one crossâ—… to them they will take their souls and throw them again to him for they presently break out either into some cursed rage or into the rage of cursing or into some cursed action An usual thing when men are crossed by the creatures I might say their own husbands or children to fall a cursing and blaspheming them to whom we may say as the Prophet did to Sennacherib 2 Kings 19. 22. Whom hast thou blasphemed And against whom hast thou exalted thy self Even against the Holy One of Israel Whom are you angry withal Doth the rain and waters or any other creature displease you Alas they are but servants if their Master bid smite they must not forbear they may say truly what Rabshakeh usurped Are we come without the Lord Isai. 36. 10. Yea are we not sent of the Lord in love and to do you good and to give you occasion of rejoycing afterward if you bear the Cross patiently and make that use of it which others do and the Lord intends Yea Saint Paul could rejoyce even in tribulation But alas these are so far from rejoycing with that blessed Apostle that they rave in tribulation and like some beasts grow mad with baiting or like frantick men wounded who finding ingredients prepared to dress them tear them all in pieces But let us not be like them if Satan robs us of a bag of silver let not us call after him and bid him take a bag of gold also If he afflict thee outwardly yet surrender not to him the inward rail not at the Hangman but run to the Judge fret not with Joash 2 Kings 6. 33. but submit with Hezekiah Isai. 39. 8. When Gods hand is on thy back let thy hand be on thy mouth If thou beest wronged call not thine adversary to account but thy self and let it trouble thee more to do ill then to hear of it be more sorry that it is true then that it is known Yea neither rage at the Chirurgion as mad-men nor swoun under his hand as Milk-sops but consider with whom thou hast to do The Lord the Lord strong merciful and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodness and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty but visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Exod. 34. 6 7. And this if any thing will do It was before the Lord saith David and therefore I will be yet more vile Reproach in Gods service is our best preferment the Lord so noble the servant cannot be too bumble even Bucephalus that disdained any other rider in all his trappings would kneel down to his Master Alexander and go away Proud of his burthen Yea to go yet further let us with good old Eli who was a good son to God though he had been an ill Father to his sons even kiss the very rod we smart withall and say It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good for whatsoever seemeth good to him cannot but be good howsoever it seems to us Yea let us receive his stripes with all humility patience piety and thankfulness resolving as that holy Martyr John Bradford who said to the Queen how much more did he mean it to the great King of Heaven and Earth If the Queen will give me life I will thank her if she will banish me I will thank her if she will burn me I will thank her if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment I will thank her A man will easily swallow a bitter Pil to gain health The stomach that is purged must be content to part with some good nourishment that it may deliver it self of more evil humours and the Physician knows what is best for the Patient the Nurse better then the Infant what is good and fit for it Now the Tenant is more noble then the House therefore why are we not more joyed in this then dejected in the other since the least grain of the increase of grace is more worth then can be equalled with whole pounds of bodily vexation Yea let us take them as tokens and pledges of Gods love and favour who loves his Children so as not to make wantons of them They that would tame pamper'd Horses do add to their travel and abate of their provender as Pharaoh served the Children of Israel Which of us shall see pieces of Timber cut and squared and plained by the Carpenter or Stones hewn and polished by the Mason but will collect and gather that
wont to do by their little children all the day long they carry them about in their arms and at night they lay them down in their beds to rest But the supernaturall works of God when wee look upon them with our own eyes are subject to a dangerous misprision the Sun-beams 〈◊〉 whom wee are beholding for our â—…ight if wee eye them directly blind us Miserable men we are ready to suspect truths to run away from our safety to bee afraid of our comforts to mis-know our best friends Wee usually think it a great signe of God displeasure when hee ruines our estate and brings us to nothing when hee in his wisdome knows that these riches would shipwrack the soul were they not cast over-board and his love onely forces him to it A Mother seeing her little Soâ—… brustled at by Turcki-cocks catcheth him up and strippeth him of his red coat at which those â—…des are offended the child cries for his coat but shee regarding his good letteth him weep but satisfieth him not And the like of Enemies wee think our selvs mightily wronged by them But God finds it to fare with us as it doth with the Oak which gains by the maims and wounds given it and thereupon spreadeth out thicker than before Whence it is God suffers them to live and domineer as some Countries suffer Ravens enacting â—…aws to prohibit the killing of them that they may devour the Carrions which else would corrupt the air And so in all other trials for bee the root of this â—…ee never so bitter yet the fruit is pleasant Well may wee carch a maim as Jacob did but such a blessing coms withall that wee would not if wife bee without it Say it bee a sore and fiery triall yet better this fire to purge us than Hell fire to burn us But all the skill is in making men see this wherefore hee that opened the eyes of Paul open ours But furthermore as not to bee afflicted argues an absolute defect of goodness so if our troubles bee light and few it is because wee are weak and tender for therefore God impâ—…th no more upon us because hee sees wee can 〈◊〉 no more The Physitian will not suffer a milke-sop to see his vein opened but makes him wink or look another way The Master giveth not to his sick servant strong meats as hee doth to the rest but more dainty fare not because hee is worthier than the rest but because hee is weaker and in greater need The skilfull Armourer tryeth not an ordinary Peece with musket-shot The wise Lapidary brings not his softer stones to the Stithy So that freedom from affliction is not a signe of potency but of impotency Wherefore when I am stronger I will look for more when I am a vessell fit for this strong and new wine I shall bee filled with it but not before Mark 2. 22. Indeed the calling of God never leavs a man unchanged nor does hee imploy any in his service whom hee does not enable to the work hee sets them about Will any make choyce of a weak Champion no more will God hee will either find us fit or make us fit to discharge the place hee puts us in as when hee called Saul to bee a King hee gave him a Kings bea rt 1 Sam. 10. 9 And when hee called the Apostles to that function hee gave them gifts answerable so when hee calls any to suffer for him bee it Martyrdom hee giveth them the courage of Martyrs as the times of Queen Mary witness But yet for the most part hee â—…rains us up by degrees as we eat diverse things by morsels and easily digest them which if we should eat whole would choak us and doth not make us fit to undergo great matters on a suddain Wee must learn to fence in the School before wee fight in the Field and with wooden weapons men learn to fight at the sharp wee must encounter with some beasts or other I mean unreasonable men before wee fight with that fearfull Goliah death And indeed if wee do not learn to give entertainment to smaller crosses the harbingers messengers and servants of death how shall wee bee able to entertain the Lord and Master when hee cometh Wherefore as Jehoram said to Jebu when hee marched furiously Comest thou peaceably As if hee should say if thou comest peaceably march as furiously as thou wilt so let us say unto God provided thy afflictions and chastisements bee directed to us as messengers of peace and love let them march towards us as furiously as thou pleasest but in any case let us not bee without correction for as Mariners at Sea find that of all storms a Calme is the greatest so wee that to bee exempt from misery is the most miserable condition of all other Object But thou fearest that God hath not pardoned thy sins and this makes him so severe against thee Answ. Many times after the remission of the sin his very chastisements are deadly as is cleer by Davids example and Lots who had a sharp misery clap on the heels of a sweet mercy for hee that was so beloved of God that hee saved a whole City could not save his own Spouse When God delivers us from destruction hee doth not secure us from all affiction Grace was never given us for a Target against externall evills Though wee â—…ee not condemned with the world yet wee may bee chastened in the world Neither the truth nor strength of Jobs saith could secure him from the outward and bodily vexations of Satan against the inward and spirituall they could and did prevail so no repentance can assure us that wee shall not smart with outward affliction that can prevent the eternall displeasure of God but still it may bee necessary and good wee should bee corrected our care and suit must bee that the evills which shall not bee averted may bee sanctified CHAP. 38. That Christ and all the Saints are our Partners and partakers wito us in the Cross yea our sufferings are nothing in comparison of theirs 4 WEe shall bear the Cross with more patience and comfort if wee consider that Christ and all the Saints are our partners and partakers therein yea thy sufferings are nothing in comparison of what others have suffered before thee Look upon righteous Abel thou shalt see his elder brother Cain had dominion and rule over him by Gods appointment Gen. 4. 7. Yea in the next ver thou shalt see him slain by his brother After him look upon Noab a most calamitous person as ever lived as the Chronologer computes him as for Lot hee had his righteous soul vexed from day to day Look upon Job thou shalt see that miseries do not stay for a mannerly succession to each other but in a rude importunity throng in at once to take away his children substance friends credit health peace of conscience c. leaving him nothing but his wife whom the Devill spared on purpose to vex him as
when wee shall cease to grieve cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin when God shall turn all the water of our tears into the wine of endless comfort Yea when our reward shall bee so much the more joyous by how much more the course of our life hath been grievous First see what promises are made to suffering Blessed are they which mourn saith our Saviour for they shall bee comforted Matth. 5. 4. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven ver 10. They that suffer here for well-doing shall bee Crowned hereafter for well-suffering Blessed shall you bee when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake sasty Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven ver 11. 12. And nothing wee suffer here can bee compared either with those woes wee have deserved in Hell or those joyes wee are reserved to in Heaven When Marcus Marcellus who was the first that saw the back of Hanniball in the field was asked how hee durst enter into battaile with him 〈◊〉 hee answered I am a Romane born and a Souldier and by him I shall make my renown everlasting How much more should the hope of life immortall wihch is the life of our lives mortall wheâ—… oâ—… â—…ude and encourage us in the Christian warfare And so it hath done with thousands Origen was so earnest to suffer with his Father when hee was but sixteen years of age that if his Mother had not kept his cloaths from him hee would have run to the place where his Father suffered to profess himself a Christian and to have suffered with him which was a common thing with the Martyrs making all hast lest they should miss of that noble entertainment Yea it hath not onely been common for men in a bravado to encounter death for a small flash of honour but you shall see a bired servant venture his life for his new master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end And can wee suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him not â—…lds and 〈◊〉 Saul pretended 1 Sam. 22. Nor Towns and Cities is Cicero is pleased to boâ—…st of 〈◊〉 but even an hundred-fold more than wee part withall in this life and 〈◊〉 mansions in Heaven John 14. 2. Therefore Bazil when hee was offered money and preferments to tempt him answered Can you give me money that can last for ever and glory that may eternally flourish And certainly nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever Yea if the love of gain makes the Merchant refuse no adventures of Sea if the sweetness of honey makes the Bears break in upon thâ—… â—…ves contemning the stings Who would not get heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever But to go on Behold saith God it shall come to pass that the Devill shall cast some of you into prison that yee may bee tried and yee shall have tribulation ten days yet fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer For be but thou faithfull unto death and I will give thâ—… the Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. And again â—…ssed is the man that endureth temtatation for when hee is tried hee shall receive the Crowâ—… of life Jam. 1. ver 12. A Crown without cares without rivals without 〈◊〉 without end Now if you consider it The gain with hardness makes it far less hard The dangers great but so is the reward The sight of glory future mitigates the sence of misery presâ—… For if Jacob thought not his service tedious because his beloved Rachell was in his eye what can be thought grievous to him that hath Heaven in his eye Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things hee asked why they would endure such misery when they might 〈◊〉 â—…ing free themselvs to which one of them aleadged that text Eye hath not seen nor ear beard c. the â—…eing whereof and seeing them suffer so cheerfully did so convert him that afterwards hee became a Martyr tonâ—… Lastly not to enlarge my self as I might in promises of reward Whosoever shall forsake Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my name sake he shall receive an hundred-â—…old more and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19. 29. This is â—…reasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives Wherefore eye not the stream thou wadest through but the firm Land thou tendest to And indeed who is there that shall hear these promises and compare the seed-time with the Harvest look up from the root to the fruit consider the recompence of the reward 〈◊〉 will not choose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Heb. 11. 25. Who will not bee willing to suffer with Christ that hee may also reign with him 3 2 Tim. 2. 12. Who will not suffer these light afflictions which are but for â—…ment when they cause unto us a far more excellent and eternall weight of glory 3 2 Cor. 4. 16. 17. Was Lazarus for a time extream miserable hee is now in Abrahams bosom Yea blessed Lazarus thy sores and sorrows 〈◊〉 ceased but thy joies are everlasting Now mee thinks if thou but considerest that thy pain will shortly pass but thy joies shall never pass away it should prove a notable soveraign Cordiall to strengthen thee not onely against reproaches which attend thy profession but even against fire and faggâ—…t Who would not bee a Philpot for a moâ—…th oâ—… a Lazarus for a day or a Stephen for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever nothing can â—…ee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure foreâ—…er It is true if in this life onely â—…ce had hope in Christ we â—…re of all men the most miserable as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 1â—… 1â—… But thou must consider that as this life is our Hell and tiâ—…e wickeds Heaven Job 16. 20. So the next life shall bee their Hell and our Heaven ver 21. 33. Prov. 16 4. As Dives was in Abrahams bosome when Lazarus was in torments so Lazarus was in Abrahams besome when Dives was in torments Luk. 16. ver 23. 25. And herein wee â—…re no worse than Câ—…st Did not his Spirit pass from the Cross into Paradice Did not hee first descend into Hel and then had his ascension Suppose thy sufferings bee great what then Assure thy self that every pang is a prevention of the pains of Hell and every respite an earnest of Heavens rest and how many stripes dost thou esteem Heaven worth It is true flesh and blood is so sensual that it feels a little pain in the finger a great deal more than the health of the whole body But let us better consider on it and behold at once the whole state of a Christian wee shall see
when God said unto her My fury shall depart from thee I will bee quiet and no more angry Ezek 16. 42. Thus not to bee angry was the greatest anger of all Never were the Jews more to bee pitied than when their Prophet delivered these words from the Lord why should yee bee stricken any more Isa. 1. 5. Not to be afflicted is to be sorsaken And as the sick man is in small hope of his life when the Physitian giveth him over so his soul is in a desperare case whom God forbeareth to chastise for his sins As many there be who never knew what any sorrow meantâ—…nless it were such as Amnons such as Ahabs when they are crossed in their corruptions curbed in their lewd courses or restrained of their wicked wills But let them take it for a fearfull signe of som sore judgement to come Saint Ambrose Bishop of Millain as Paulinus relates took into a Rich mans house as hee travelled who that he might bid him throughly welcom entertained him both with great cheer and curteons discourses and amongst other matters told of his continued happiness and that hee never suffered any ill all his days but had all things as hee would and happiness so flowing in upon him that hee knew not what calamity meant which conference did so startle Saint Ambrose that presently hee took his leave telling his company that hee feared to stay in that place which never felt any disaster and was no sooner gon thence but suddenly the house fell down and proved a grave to all her inhabitants Polycrates King of the Samians never felt any ill all his life his hopes never fell short of his expectation he could not wish for the thing which was not fulfilled what hee willed hee did Yea having but once a Ring of excellent rarity that fell into the water this loss was recovered for the Fish was taken which had swallowed it and was presented to Polycratus but at length all this his happiness epilogized in a galloâ—…es None more happy than great Pompey all his life yet at last hee was made to drink his own blood by the hands of the Executioner Who but Andronicâ—…s Emperour of the East for many years but at length hee was see upon a scabbed Chamell with a Crown of Onions platted on his head and in great mockery carâ—…ed in triumph through the City And does nor sacred Writ certifie how Haman whose command ere while almost reached to Heaven was instantly adjudged by the King to the Gibbet while Mordecai who was condemned to the balter was all of a suddain made second in the Kingdom Nevertheless as Haman rejoiced in his preserment to the Queens Banquet which was the path way to his destruction so many think it the onely argument of Gods love and that they are in favour with him because they prosper in all their ways which would mâ—…e a wise man the more suspicious for as Seneca that wise Roman saith he that hath been longest happy shall at length have his portion of misery and who so seemeth to bee dismissed is but deferred And commonly their change is not more dolefull than sudden for as it often hapneth that in very fair weather a storm doth arise and as I have read of certain Trees which on Munday have been growing in the Forrest and before Sunday following under sail on the Sea so the same hour hath seen the knee bowing to the head and again the head stooping and doing reverence to the knee as every age gives instance for else I might muster up a multitude of examples for proof of the point Or in case it seems better yet it is worse with them when their life and happiness shall end together as it fared with Belshazzar who was sitting at a Feast merry while on a sudden Death came like a Voyder to take him away And Pope Adrian who when hee was to dye brake out into this expression Oh my soul whither art thou going thou shalt never bee merry again Neither are men of this world whose bellies God filleth with his hid treasure upon occasion of their outward prosperity onely apt to bee brought into a fools Paradise of thinking themselvs to bee the speciall darlings of God but even the godly themselvs have oftentimes their eyes so dazled with the outward glittering and flourishing estate of the wicked that thereupon they are ready to say of them The generation of Gods children as it fared with David Psal. 73. 15. But these are not sober thoughts yea they are rather the dreams of men drunk with the love of the World for although it bee as common a phrase as it is foolish when any great matter falls to a man O he is made yet experience proves that it rather marrs than makes him for not seldom do men possess riches as sick men do fevers which indeed rather possess them And certainly if riches were such pearls as most men esteem them it is not likely the Lord would cast them to suh Swine as mostly hee doth If such happy things hee would not throw them to such Dogs As what saith Luther of the whole Turkish Empire it is but a crum of bread which the master of the house throweth to his Dogs And the truth is what men think most pleasing viz. to have their wills and their lusts granted is most plaguing Psal. 81. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels so that the greatest temtation is to bee without temtation and the greatest affliction not to be afflicted 2 Cor. 12. 7. Wherefore lift up your hands which hang down because of some sore affliction and your weak knees Heb. 12. 12. and know that the worst of temporall afflictions are an insufficient proof of divine displeasure yea that stripes from the Almighty are tokens of his love and seals of his Son-ship Yea fince hee that hath most grace commonly complains of most discomfort confess that the palate is but an ill Judge of the favours of God as it is in great love no doubt however it bee taken that the tender Father medicines his Child for the â—…orms gives him Aloâ—…s or the like the Child cries and sputters and keckes as if it were poisoned yet still the Fathers love is never the less say it be bitter yet bitter potions bring sweet health and who will not rather take a vomit then hazard life In the Sweating sickness in England their friends would stand by them and strike them over the faces with sprigs of Rosemary to keep them awake the poor souls faint and full of pain would cry out you kill mee but yet they must do it or else they kill'd them indeed for all that slept dyed Look wee saith Saint Ambrose with the eyes of our body upon Lazarus estate and wee think it miserable but if with the eyes of the mind it will bee otherwise for how did the Angels do by him but as Nurses are
part of her silver to the Lord but now she hath lost it shee falls a cursing Judg. 17. 1 2 3. Cataline whiles poor had many seeming virtues but having feathered his nest you could hardly say whether he was most lavish of his money or of his modesty But to be equally good in a prosperous and adverse condition deservs praise When our resolution and practice is like that Maids in Plutarch who being set in the Market to be sold when a Chapman askt her Wilt thou be faithful if I buy theeâ—… said Yea that I will though you do not buy me Wee all are never weary of receiving soon weary of attending we are ready to shrink from Christ so soon as our profits or pleasures shrink from us But if with the Needle of the Compasse in the midst of tempestuous weather we remain alwaies unmoveable and staied upon one point it is a signe the Loadstone of the Gospel hath changed our hearts and we are governed by Christ as the Needle is by the North-Pole Wherefore if God should not frame outward things to thy minde do thou frame thy mind to endure with patience and comfort what he sends and this will be an Odour smelling sweet a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God yea herein thou shalt approve thy self with David a man after God's own heart and you know that as David was unto God according to his heart so was God unto David according to his CHAP. 40. Application of the former grounds ANd so you have the residue of the grounds of comfort it remains that I should apply them For this Doctrine though it be better understood then practised as Cassandra was better known than trusted yet being both known applied and duly trusted to will like the Sun not onely delight our understandings with its contemplation but also warm and quicken our affections Wherefore is there any weak Christian so whiteâ—…ver'd with Nicodemus that the reproaches and Persecutions which attend his profession make him ashamed of Christ or cause him to think that it is in vain to serve the Lord whereby he is frighted our of the narrow way that leadeth to life Let him draw near for I chiefly direct my speech unto him Are afflictions and persecutions so necessary and profitable as hath been shewed Doth not God onely gain glory by our sufferings but do they also bring us to repentance and amendment of lâ—…fe stir us up to praier wean us from the love of the world keep us alwaies prepared for our enemies assaults discover whether we are sincere or no make us humble improve all Christian graces in us Is God more specially present with us in afflictions Cannot our enemies diminish one hair of our heads without God's special leave and appointment Hath he promised that we shall not be tempted above our strength Are these stripes the chiefest tokens and pledges of God's love and adoption Were none of his children ever exempted from the like And lastly shall our momentany sufferings be rewarded with everlasting glory Yea shall our glory be increased as our sufferings have been more Then let them serve as so many â—…estoratives to thy fainting spirit yea Lift up thy hands which hang down and strengthen thy weak knees Heb. 12. 12. For I suppose thy fainting and drooping is from fear and thy fear from doubting and thy doubting from unbelief and thine unbelief chiefly from ignorance of these things and whence is thine ignorance of these but this Thou hast never been conversant in the book of God or if thou hast thou didst never seriously ponder these Scriptures which have formerly been rehearsed for hadst thou seriously considered them thou wouldst not have dared to make that an occasion of grief and prejudice which the Spirit of God maketh the greatest cause of joy and confirmation that can be For what can be spoken more expresse direct and significant What demonstrations can be given more sollid What Fortifications or Bulwarks so strong and safe agaiest the affronts of Satan and the World Thou saiest thou art persecuted for well-doing and therefore thinkest it a strange thing God saith it is and ever hath been common to all his children not Christ himself excepted Take notice of these things for it is the God of all truth and blessednesse that speaks them and apply them to thy self as if they were particularly spoken to thee by name even as when twenty be in a room where is a fair well-drawn picture every one thinks the picture looâ—… upon him and have not more modestie or manners in leaving those dishes for thy betters than will do thee good Be not like a Monkey which looking in a glasse thinks he sees another Monkeys face and not his own And know withall that it is no small sin even to doubt when we have God's command and warrant to secure us Thou thinkest thy self miserable God saith thou art blessed Thou saiest thou art hated of the world God saith thou art beloved of Christ who hath chosen thee out of the world Thou thinkest it a shame to be reproached God saith It is thy glory Thou grievest at it God saith thou hast great cause to rejoice for it sheweth thee to be born of God thine enemies to be the seed of the Serpent Thou saiest that all things go crosse with thee God saith That all things shall work together for the best it may be the increase of thy temporal happinesse however that it shall bee for the improvement of thy graces here for the advancement of thy glory hereafter Thou thinkest it a sign of displeasure God saith it is to thy Enemies a token of perdition but to thee of salvation Thou thinkest thy self near forsaken God saith The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon thee Thou saiest thou shalt one day perish God saith that neither things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thou thinkest the Lord doth not hear thee because he doth not presently answer thee in the things that thou requirest I tell thee it were ill jor the best of us if we were permitted to be our own choosers Let Peter have his desire and his Master shall not die so Peter himself and the whole world had been lost In unfit supplications we are most heard when we are repelled our God often times doth answer our praiers with merciful denials and most blesseth us in crossing our desires We may ask either bad things to a good purpose or good things to a bad purpose or good things to a good purpose but in an ill season Now if we ask what is either unfit to receive or unlawful to beg it is a great favour of our God to be denied granting is not alwaies the effect of love if so then had Paul been lesse loved then Satan Satan begg'd but once and had his paier granted concerning Job S. Paul begg'd thrice that he might not