promise we know that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God Rom. 8.28 Moreouer by affliction the Lord bringeth vs to a more thorough repentance and sorrow for our sinnes and worketh that in vs therby which the word did not before when wee finde by woefull experience what great miseries our sins haue brought vs vnto and how iust and true God is in all his threatnings 1. Cor. 11 31 For if when we haue sinned we would iudge our selues before hand God would not iudge vs but when wee are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord that we might not bee condemned with the world whereunto agreeth the saying of the Psalmist which is fouÌ„d to bee true by daily experience that whether the Lord laie vpon men sickenesse or imprisonment or pouertie and want or banishment or such like Psal 107.11 when he huÌ„bleth the heart with heauinesse they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble so that affliction bringeth men to humilitie for their sinnes and to pray vnto God to be pardoned and to be deliuered As we see in the example of the prodigall childe who by great miserie came to repent him of his riotous life for when he had spent all Luk. 1â— there arose a great famine in that land and he began to bee in necessitie which afterwards was so great that hee would faine haue filled his bellie with the huskes that the swine ate but no man gaue them him then he said I will rise and goe to my father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants Thus wee see by affliction vnto what measure of humiliatioÌ„ and repentance for his sinnes confession of them he was brought vnto a most excellent fruit of the crosse The like may bee said of the brethren of Ioseph who after that they had sold him into Egypt and made their father beleeue that hee was torne in pieces of some wilde beast though we may presume of theÌ„ that they beeing brought vp and still liuing in the house of their godly father Iacob they did secretly repent theÌ„ of their ill dealing towards their brother Ioseph yet many yeares after euen twentie or thereabout wheÌ„ they were in aduersitie the memorie of it renued it selfe afresh and thereby they were brought more seriously to iudge themselues for it for they said one to another Gen. 42.21 We haue verily sinned against our brother in that wee sawe the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and wee would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Thus this crosse was turned to their good in that it brought them to a further sight and feeling of their sinne and to a more voluntarie and free confession of the same So that affliction in this respect is compared to fire that purgeth the gold and consumeth the drosse of it and vnto a file that scowreth off the rust of yron and maketh it bright vnto a purgation that expelleth the corrupt and superfluous humors out of the bodie Therefore euen as the fire doth not hurt the gold in consuming the drosse neither the file hurteth the yron in taking away the rust neither doth the purgation hurt the bodie in expelling of ill humors So afflictions causing vs to abhorre and leaue some sinne or other which if we continued in would destroy vs may truely be said not to hurt vs but to worke our good of what nature or kinde soeuer they bee according to the saying of the Apostle All things worke together for the good of those that loue God In the third place this is the benefit of affliction that it preserueth vs from many sinnes which otherwise through our owne corruption and the temptations of the world and Satan we might fall into but that being vnder the haÌ„d of God as it were vnder the rodde we are thereby kept in more awe So that as Physicke serueth not only to cure vs of the diseases which we are alreadie fallen into but also and especially to preuent them and to keepe vs in some tolerable estate of health So the crosse recouereth vs out of sinne when we are fallen into it and preserueth vs from many which otherwise might creepe vpon vs. And therefore as some sickly bodies are driuen to diet themselues and are in a continuall course of physicke to preuent that which their corrupt estate would otherwise necessarily pull vpon them So others by reason of the corruptions of their soules and the manifold offences that they liue amongst are alwaies or the greatest part of their liues in the diet of affliction as it were the physicke of their soules not so much to bring them from grosse and grieuous sinnes which they are as yet free from as to keepe them froÌ„ falling into them which the Lord foreseeth they are most readie to do in respect of their ages callings and places that they liue in If then the Lord at any time deale with vs as men do with vnruly coâ—â— or vntamed heyfers which are kept from straying out of their pastures with hedges and ditches so that they can not break out without their own hurt so the Lord puts thornes and bryars as it were in our waies that is laieth affliction vpon vs and so stoppeth the way against vs that wee might not breake forth by any kinde of disobedience either on the right hand or on the left to our own hurt must we not needs say that euen this way as well as any other the Lord worketh by affliction our singular good And this is that which God promised to his owne people among the idolatrous Israelites namely that by his afflictions he would so keepe them in and bring them to such straitnes that they shold haue no lust to play the wantons and to fall away from him by idolatrie after the example of others when he faith I will stoppe thy way with thornes Hos 2.6 and make an hedge that shee shall not finde her paths So that their affliction should be an hedge of sharpe thornes to pricke them least they should breake out and stray froÌ„ Gods commandements And this as it is a singular ende of affliction so Dauid pronounceth theÌ„ blessed that are partakers of it to that ende and can make that good vse of it to themselues saying Blessed is the man whome thou chastisest O Lord Psal 94.12 and teachest in thy law that thou maiest giue him rest from the daies of euill whiles the pit is digged for the wicked So that it is a blessed thing to be so corrected that he is taught the right vse of it euen to walke more carefully in the obedience of Gods law that so he may escape those punishments which shall come vpon the wicked for their sinns to their destruction And this vse David made of his affliction as he professeth of himselfe 116.
sinne of man yet he would giue them hope to be restored and therefore he addeth 21. For the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For we know that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnto this present as a woman with child not onely with exceeding sorrowe but with hope of a comfortable deliuerance in time And not onely the creatures but we also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our owne bodies that is our last restoring when as our adoption shall be fully accomplished in soule and bodie Which condition of ours in affliction though grieuous for a time but most happie in the ende that we might not refuse to vndergoe with the rest of the creatures and our brethren sisters he calleth vs to consider the wise order which God hath appointed in sauing of vs which is by hope vers 24. for he saith We are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that he seeth but if we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it Therefore we must not imagine so soone to inioy all happinesse as we beleeue it but be content to want all things for a time that hoping for them with patience long-suffering we might come to them at last vnlesse we will goe about to inuert this excellent order which the Lord hath determined and appointed to be in sauing vs which is by trayning vs vp in the hope and expectation of all things promised for a season But now because the hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart as Salomon saith that is Prou. 13.12 it maketh a man sick at the very heart to be long deferred of that that we desire and hope for therefore we might feare both in respect of our own weaknes and also the greatnes together with the long continuance of affliction that we should not with patience vnder the crosse continue to hold out happily vnto the ende he further addeth for our singular comfort that the Spirit which we haue receiued whereby we are sanctified and wherby we pray to God as to our Father shall performe this office also vnto vs that it shall helpe to beare the burden of our affliction with vs and so though we be neuer so weake yet being supported by the power of it we shall bee able to endure them well enough Rom. 8 2◠for hee saith Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities So that it shall be all one with vs as with a young childe vpon whose shoulder the father laying a heauie burden which of it selfe were able to presse him downe to the ground hee should so put his hand vnder it that hee should beare the whole waight almost and stresse of it himselfe and so he should make him carry it Now if the earthly father wil not of his naturall affection ouerlade the poore childe then wee neede not to feare but that the Lord our spiritual father will so increase our strength according to the measure of our afflictiōs that we shall find this promise to be true by experience That his holy spirit shall helpe our infirmities And thus Dauid commendeth the mercie of God vnto vs Ps 103.13 That as a father hath compassion on his childrē so hath the Lord compassion on thē that feare him he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we be but dust where hee rendreth this one reason of the merciful dealing of God towards vs euen the knowledge that he hath of our weake and fraile estate which thing as it is most comfortable to consider so we shall finde it to be most true by experience because our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath praied for vs as himselfe witnesseth in the Gospel vnto his heauenly father that he would giue vs a comforter that might abide with vs for euer Iob. 14.16 euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue And the blessed Apostle confesseth of himselfe that he was partaker of the fruit of this praier for beeing in many afflictions that were able to haue ouercom him yet by the power of Gods spirit he did hold out happily in them 2. Cor. 4.5 saying Wee are afflicted on euery side yet are wee not in distresse we are in doubt but we despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but wee perish not Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies for we which liue are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our bodies Where he compareth the miserable estate and condition that the faithfull and more specially the Ministers are in vnto a continuall dying and the vertues of the spirit of God in them vnto life which oppresseth that death he rendreth this reason why the Lord doth thus often afflict his seruants namly vers 7. That the excellencie of that power might be of God and not of vs that is that all men might perceiue howe they stood not by mans power but by the singular vertue of God in that they die a thousand deaths but neuer perish and so in many daungers as hee defendeth them so in much weakenes he vpholdeth them and his Spirit helpeth their infirmities And this grace of God also vpholding him in great weaknesse against most dangerous temptations he acknowledgeth in an other place for when he felt himselfe so sore troubled with them to his continuall grief as if he had had a pricke thrust into chap. 12.7 his flesh and the messenger of Satan did so molest him as though he had beene most shamefully buffetted on the face for which he besought the Lord thrise that is very often that it might depart from him he receiued this answer from God vers 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknes So in this spirituall combate the Spirit of God did vphold him against the temptations of Satan and of his own corruption and so he concludeth that when he was weake then was he strong that is in his greatest weaknesse he felt the power of God vpholding him and so shall wee if wee waite vpon him For the Apostle sheweth that this which hee found by experience in himselfe by the goodnes and mercie of God belongeth to all the rest of the faithfull when he writeth thus to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithful which will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it where he saith The God that would haue vs tempted for our good wil by
or howe to pray to God as we ought and yet then his Spirit doth stirre vp in vs though not many wel ordered speches or words yet those sighes and groanes which beeing vnspeakable and not felt of them in whom they are are well vnderstood and accepted of God because they proceede from his spirit whose meaning he knoweth granteth because it maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Wherein we are first of all to cōsider that though wee haue receiued the spirit of God euen the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father which spirit teacheth vs to pray and by which wee haue many times called vpon God with great assurance and comfort both for and with our selues and others also yet there may be a time that very often wherein wee may be so dishorted by some great affliction and in such a case that beeing as it were astonished and ouercome with the greatnesse and strangenesse of it wee cannot well tel what to pray or what to aske of God And though prayer at such a time especially be our only refuge according to the saying of the Prophet Psal 50.25 Call vpon me in the day of trouble so wil I deliuer thee yet we cannot tell how to begin and what to say And so vnlike shall we bee vnto our Father and to that that wee haue beene in times past as though wee were not the same nay our estate may seeme to bee like vnto the wicked who are at their wits ende and know not how to pray vnto God at all For if we were asked then what we would haue we cannot make a direct answer and though we haue libertie to aske of God according to our neede yet wee cannot vse it for we cannot tell what to pray O what a wonderfull thing is this but yet most true and that which is to be found not in some fewe meane persons onely that are ignorant and haue not accustomed themselues to prayer but in the most excellent seruants of God euen the Apostles thēselues as Paul here bringeth himselfe in with the rest for an example and in this great infirmitie maketh himselfe like vnto the rest saying For we know not what to pray as we ought And though there be many excellēt praiers in the old new Testament by which wee might learne how to pray and especially wee haue a perfect forme of prayer prescribed by our Sauiour Christ to direct vs in all things needfull for vs yet in temptation wee aske those things many times which if we had them would bee hurtfull vnto vs and when wee doe aske that that is profitable and good yet euen then by prescribing vnto the Lord the time when the manner how and the meanes whereby wee would bee deliuered according to our owne minde wee pray with such impatience and distrust that it may be truely said of vs Wee cannot tell what to pray as wee ought This was the estate of that good King Hezekiah when he was sicke vnto death at what time beeing greatly pained in his body and sore troubled in his minde and out of all hope of life he turned his face vnto the wall and praied vnto the Lord but how hee doth expresse it in these words Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter Esa 38.14 I did mourne as a doue that is in the bitternesse of his soule hee did not vse many words yea hee was altogether so confused that his prayer was like the chattering of birdes he knew not almost what to say Such was the perplexitie more then infirmitie of Dauid when as in his great afflictions in stead of praying he roared all the day long as hee saith of himselfe Psal 32.3 When I helde my tongue my bones consumed and vvhen I roared all the day so that sometimes he held his peace beeing betvveen hope and despaire and sometimes he vttered many desires but beeing carried avvay vvith the present feeling of his aduersitie they vvere more like the roarings of a vvilde beast then any vvell ordered prayer And at another time he saith Mine heart trembleth vvithin me Psal 55.4 the horrors of death are fallen vpon me feare and trembling are come vpon me and an horrible feare hath couered me in vvhich vvords hee shevveth in vvhat infirmity vveaknesse he vvas then fallen into for his prayers after vvhat manner they vvere framed hee declareth in these vvordes Vers 2. I mourne in my prayer and make a noise so that there vvas mourning and some kinde of noise and little else And another time hee expresseth his outvvard estate the inward affection of his mind and the maner of his prayer then after this sort Psal 102.3 My daies are cōsumed like smoak my bones are burnt like an herth mine heart is smitten and withered like grasse because I forgat to eate my bread for the voice of my groaning my bones doe cleaue to my skinne I am like a Pellican of the wildernesse and am like an owle of the desarts I watch and am as a sparrow alone vpon the house top Surely I haue eaten ashes as bread and mingled my drinke with weeping By which kind of speeches he sheweth how greatly his affliction did worke vpon him so that in them he did groane and weepe and cast out many fearefull cries but all things were so out of order in his praier that they were like the chattering of a Pelican and of a sparrow and the skreeks of an owle rather then any thing els if God had considered them in his iustice and so he might haue reiected them Thus wee see that these most excellent seruants of God in their greatest conflicts and agonies were so farre from beeing able to pray vnto God in any tolerable manner that in their own sense and feeling they did but roare crie sob and sigh weepe mourne and complaine and that also very confusedly euen like the Crane the Swallow the Pellican the Sparrow euen the shreeke Owle it selfe so distracted were they in thēselues and full of disorder and fallen into so many great disorders at once Therefore we may not iudge of our selues or of others by any one such accident or few particular cases least we should deceiue our selues saying I haue not the spirit of God for I cannot pray nor call vpon God in mine affliction and if I doe at any time it is not as I ought for this is that which Paul confesseth of himselfe of other the seruants of God and which wee haue seene in these two excellent Kings Hezekiah and Dauid that in affliction oftentimes we cannot tell what to pray as we ought But yet in this great vnfitnesse of ours we must not be like to the wicked who then giue ouer all prayer because they are vnfit for it and we are subiect vnto this temptation to put off praier because we see that we cannot pray as we ought and so wee are
that and so caused him to goe vp into mount Nebo chap. 34 ◠vnto the top of Pisgah where he shewed him all the land and there he died and so entred into the kingdome of heauen and tooke possession of it for euer whereof this land was but a type figure and so the Lord denying him that particular euē to come into the land of Canaan gaue him that that was farre better whereby he was more confirmed in the same of God and in the truth of his couenant euen to enter into the kingdome of heauen and so gaue him according to the meaning of his Spirit But further touching this matter we are more generally to vnderstand that the Apostle saith not onely that the crosse shall turne to our good but that this shall be verified of all the crosses that euery way come vpon vs be they neuer so strange or vnlooked for whether it be sicknes pouertie imprisonment banishment losse of husband wife children father and mother friends and kinred losse of name and credit or any thing els as sorrow and griefe of minde and affliction of the spirit Which is wisely to be marked of vs least at any time we might be deceiued to think when the Lord shall lay his hand vpon vs as it pleaseth him that if it were some other affliction then that which now is come vpon vs we could haue some good hope in it but this is so great it toucheth vs so nearely that we can not possibly see how or which way it should bring vs any good And as the Deuill is readie to assault vs with this temptation so we by reason of our corruption are too prone to yeild vnto his perswasion therein and so by impatiencie to be wearie of the crosse as not able to looke for any good from it We therfore that wee might comfortably withstand this temptation of his besides that we must holde our selues fast to the words of the Apostle who saith that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God Gal. 1.9 he speaketh of all not of this or that against which if any yea an Angel from heauen should perswade vs we must hold him accursed We must cōsider that this good commeth frō all affliction not as though it were naturall proper vnto it for indeed it is otherwise that of it selfe it maketh men worse as the sunne hardeneth the clay and it driueth men from good as the rodde driueth the child away from the mother And this is that which Satan aimeth at in all men Iob. 1.11 as hee did in righteous Iob though he preuailed not when hee said of him to the Lord Stretch out thine hand touch all that he hath and see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face And thus he preuaileth with the wicked in all crosses that come vpon them as wee see in the example of Pharaoh king of Egypt who by the ten plagues that God sent vpon him was made more hard hearted and waxed still worse and worse and would not heare the commandement of God to let the people of Israel goe But with the children of God it is not so the goodnesse of God towards them ouercommeth the malice of the deuill against them And as in the wildernesse the sting of the fierie serpēts were healed in the bodies of mē by looking vp to the brasen serpent Num. 21.8 so the venime and poison of all crosses is taken away in the children of God by vertue of the crosse of Christ so that contrarie to the nature of it it worketh good as also by the death of Christ 1. Cor. 15.55 the sting of death is taken away so that it cannot hurt any of his but doth them the greatest good beeing thereby made for them a passage into eternal life The which that it might not seeme strange vnto vs much lesse impossible namly that afflictiō hurtfull in it selfe to the wicked should work for the best to those that loue God wee must remember that euen men by their wisdome are able to make those things serue for the benefit of man which of themselues are most hurtfull vnto him For the Physition through his skill can cure a man by Gods ordinance and blessing and so make him stronger then hee was before by taking away some part of his blood euen that wherein the life consisteth and by taking away other humors so diminishing a great part of his flesh and the Chyrurgion by cutting and piercing the flesh with an hotte yron or eating it away with some corrasiues is able by these woundes and hurtfull things to preserue the state of the members of the bodie Then the Lord much more by that which in it selfe would hurt our soules is able to cure them and to doe them good And if the Apothecarie can so temper that which in it owne nature is poyson as the Vipers flesh so temper it I say with other wholesome ingredients and correct it with those that be cordiall that of it hee will make a most soueraigne Treacle and such an wholesome confection as shall expell poyson and driue it from the heart and so make that which of it selfe would cause death to bee a speciall preseruer of life Shall not the Lord by his infinite wisedome goodnesse and almightie power the Lord I say 2. Cor. 4.6 which caused the light to shine out of darkenesse contrarie to the nature of it and who calleth the things that bee not as though they were and so causeth thē to be and which bringeth good out of euill euen his owne glorie out of the sin of man shall not he bee much more able by the most grieuous crosses that can befall vs to worke the greatest good for vs that may be Therefore when we would looke for good from our afflictions and so be comforted in them patiently bearing them in hope of the blessed fruit that we shall reape by them wee must not so much looke to the things themselues how fit they bee for vs nor to our selues how wee bee fitted for them as to the truth of Gods promise made vnto vs concerning this matter so be sure that the Lord wil worke our good thereby because he that is true and al-sufficient hath said said it And this one perswasion no doubt should worke in vs great patience in all our afflictiōs yea it should make vs cheerefully and with our heads lifted vp not hanging down to beare them for how many grieuous things will naturall men indure willingly if they see that they will make for the bettering of their estate As what will not the sicke patiēt suffer at the hands of the Physitiō or Chirurgion by launcing purging fearing diet c. when he is perswaded that they will procure his bodily health should not a Christian man and woman much more indure hard things at the hands of God seeing he hath said that they shall procure the health of
of his hands and his substance is increased But stretch out now thin hand and touch all that he hath to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face and then the Lord said vnto Satan Loe all that he hath is in thine hand and thereupon Satan destroied in one day all that he had and yet he continued in his vprightnes and was the same man that he was before by this great triall it appeared that that was true that the Lord had saide of him before that hee was an vpright and iust man indeede and one that feared God vers 10. and eschewed euill for all these great afflictions could not make him to fall from his former course And thus lastly by triall appeared the great weakenes of the Apostle S. Peter and the rest of the Disciples who though as a most resolute man he had said Mat. 16.13 Though al men be offended by thee yet will I neuer bee offended and then Iesus said vnto him Verily this night before the cocke crowe thou shalt denie me thrice Peter said to him againe Though I should die with thee I wil in no case denie thee and so said also all the disciples 47. yet when they saw a great multitude with swordes and staues from the high Priest and Elders of the people and Iudas with a kisse betraied him into their hands and so they tooke him led him away then all the Disciples fledde And whereas there seemed to be a little more courage in Peter then in the rest 58. for hee followed Christ though a farre off so came into the high Priests hall and sate downe with the seruants to see the ende yet when he saw greater danger like to ensue he was charged to be one of Christs Disciples at the voice of a maide he grew to be so timerous and fearefull that hee sware and forsware with cursing and banning denying Christ 74. euen that euer he so much as once knewe the man Neither himselfe nor any other would haue thought that so much weakenes should haue broake out from him before he came to this triall but thereby it was laid open Therefore if it bee good for vs not to be ignorant of our selues as indeede hath beene thought to bee a point of greatest wisdome for a man throughly to know himselfe that so he might not be deceiued with an ouerweening of himselfe if it be good I say for any man to see his wants weaknesses that he may be humbled by them and seek to haue them supplied if it be good to know certainely that we haue receiued such such graces of the spirit of God in that measure that wee haue that so wee may be thankfull to God for them comforted in our selues ouer them Then seeing that affliction and the crosse bringeth forth all this fruit at once and by triall wee finde what faith hope loue patience obediēce c. is in vs and what not insomuch that whatsoeuer we seemed to be before to our selues and to others yet now we know certainly that wee are thus and thus and no otherwise it cā not be denied but that affliction worketh much good vnto vs and wee ought vpon experiēce to say that we know it to be so euen as the Apostle doth here We knowe that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God Which also wee may so much the more cōfidently say when we shal see omitting to speake of many moe vses that the crosse hath that last and greatest of all which is spoken of in the verse following in these words For those whom he knew before Rom. 8.20 he also predestinate to bee made like to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne of many brethren where he sheweth this one ende of the crosse namely that thereby wee might bee made like vnto Christ in his sufferings But before we come to that we must remember that hitherto we haue seene that there is great vse of affliction and that it worketh much good and therefore wee must consider that in euery crosse besides the present bearing of it the Lord offereth great cōmoditie vnto vs and worketh it in vs thereby according to the words of the Text All things worke together for the best to those that loue God So that as in all other things there is not onely the present possession enioying of them but there is the vse and comfort of them insomuch that men may haue great store of goods and possessions and yet haue no vse of them as Salomon by his great wisdome obserued and set it downe in the booke of the Preacher saying There is one alone Eccles 4.8 and there is not a second which hath neither sonne nor daughter yet is there none ende of his trauaile neither can his eie bee satisfied with riches neither doth he thinke for whom doe I trauaile and defraud my soule of pleasure Euen so many haue great and long crosses vpon them but make no good vse of them neither doe labour after the fruit of them but God worketh by them their good in those that bee his Seeing then afflictions are common both to the good and the bad and God layeth them vpon them both alike and they must beare them whether they will or no the one must labour for the good which the Lord offereth to them therby which the other not once so much as looke after of which dutie of theirs when Gods children are somewhat more carelesse of then they should then no doubt the Lord in wisdome and in mercie continueth his rod vpon thē longer yea and often increaseth thē because his purpose is to doe them good thereby and so herein dealeth with them as a most louing and tender father as indeede he is who spareth not the rod vntill his childe bee thereby humbled and brought to the confession and amendment of his fault because his purpose is by his fatherly correction to doe him good Wherein parents often put a difference betweene their children and their seruants for often they let their seruants alone and leaue them as incorrigible when they will not profit by words or a few stripes as not caring for them because they purpose not alwaies to be troubled with thē but their children because they see that they cannot cast off naturall affection from them therfore they leaue them not after once or twice correction but still follow them with the rodde till they amend So the Lord when he spareth the wicked in their sinnes and reserueth them for a further and more heauie iudgement at the last correcting his owne children in the meane season againe and againe he sheweth that his purpose is thereby to doe them aboue all other much good Therefore let no man in the continuance of his afflictions though long and grieuous be too much discouraged as though the Lord were continually angrie with him or had a purpose
and caried to some punishment he knew not whether nor by whome he might iustly feare what would be the ende and measure of it but if he knew it were his father part of his feare would be diminished and he would be the lesse vnwilling to goe with him and more quietly submit himselfe vnto his correction So we if at any time through our ignorance and blindnes doe not rightly conceiue of our crosses and of the author of them but as vncertaine we ascribe them to this or to that or to we know not what we are so much the more timerous fearefull but if the eyes of our minde by faith in Gods word be so opened that we see clearely God to be the author of them and that we are in the hands of none but of our father our minds are so much the more pacified and we shall finde a wonderful alteration in our selues ouer that was in vs before in respect of the patient bearing of our present estate whatsoeuer it be Or to shew it in an other comparison if one should be so hardly dealt withall as is the manner in the Spanish Inquisition in which men are examined for their faith in Christ and religion to God that the poore soule might be put into the greater feare and so the sooner abjure his faith if he should haue a tormentor sent vnto him very ougly disguised more like a deuill then a man who should carie him into some dark dungeon he knew not whether and there lay him vpon the racke this would no doubt increase the griefe of his affliction so much the more because he knew not who did deal with him and so could looke for no mercie at his hands But now if when he were in the midst of his torture he should heare the voice of his father speaking vnto him though thus disguised that might somewhat vphold him and ridde him of a number of thoughts that he was troubled with before So all afflictions must needes be so much the more vncomfortable vnto vs as long as we looke not vp vnto him that sendeth it and are so blind that we consider not who striketh vs. Yet when we heare out of the word the voice of our father speaking vnto vs and telling vs that it is he that dealeth with vs how straunge and deformed so euer the tormentor may seeme to be that is how grieuous and vnlooked for so euer the affliction be and contrarie to our nature let vs not be too much discouraged because that then when he striketh vs he still loueth vs and the bowels of his compassion doe yearne vpon vs ◠king ◠26 more then in a mother towardes her childe when shee seeth what harme is like to come vnto it and he then seeketh thereby to doe vs good And this is that which the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of in the person of the Lord shewing how he standeth affected towards them whē he doth most of all afflict thē Where first of all he bringeth in the Church of the Iewes sorowing for the greatnes of their affliction which God had laid vpon them for their sinnes and in the same committing themselues wholly to God and praying to him for his saluation when he saith I haue heard Ephraim lamenting Ier. 31.18 thus thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God surely after I was conuerted I repented and after that I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth Then the Lord maketh this answer that he had not cast them off though he had so afflicted them but did still loue them and when he did most of all afflict them then he was mooued with pitie and compassion towards thē saying Is Ephraim my deare son v. 20. or pleasant child I surely for since I spake vnto him I still remembred him therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely haue compassion vpon him saith the Lord. Thus we see that all afflictions are ordained and sent of God that for our good that he beareth the same fatherly affectiō towards vs in them that he did before And therefore that the saluation of the Church and of euery member of the same is by Gods decree ioyned with bearing the crosse in so much that we are not to looke to be free from it vnlesse we will peruert this order established by God himselfe Neither neede we to feare it when as the Lord who hath determined to saue vs hath appointed this way and meanes also to saue vs by and to worke our good and so his decree and purpose of sauing vs can not be seuered from his decree of exercising vs vnder the crosse And that none of vs all might looke to be freed from the crosse or feare that it should hinder vs in our saluation or in any gift that might further vs thereunto the Apostle telleth vs wherfore the Lord hath thus decreed of the whole Church to exercise them vnder the crosse namely seeing that his owne dearely beloued sonne Math. 3.17 in whome he is well pleased as it was testified from heauen seeing that he came no other way but by the crosse vnto his great glorie to be set at the right hand of God he beeing the eldest brother in the house of God all other by their practise and obedience to the crosse might yeild vnto him soueraigntie and acknowledge him to be chiefe when they will not refuse to goe that way to their inheritance which Christ went before the eldest and onely naturall sonne of God though it seeme neuer so grieuous euen thorough many afflictions For euen as a noble man wil haue all his seruants to weare one liuerie and all of them to haue the same cognizance that they may be knowne whose they are So the Lord would haue all his seruants and children to be knowne from the rest of the world by one and the same badge though there be some other marks of them whereby they may be discerned as the outward profession of his worship and seruice and his holy Sacraments yet there is one more special now the badge that hee put vpon Christ Iesus his eldest sonne was affliction and trouble in this world according to that that was prophesied of him Esa 53.3 he is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities he was oppressed and afflicted 7. yet did he not open his mouth he is brought as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the shearer is dumb so he openeth not his mouth The lord did break him 10. make him subiect vnto infirmities all which we see verified in the Gospel in the whole course of his life but especially in his death Seeing this was the case of the first begotten none of vs
the younger brethren must refuse it or be wearie of it We see by experience that in euery family great is the prerogatiue and priuiledge of the eldest brother aboue all the rest he by the law of God was by his double portion preferred aboue all the rest and Iacob in blessing all his children Gen. 49.3 called Reuben his eldest sonne The excellencie of dignitie and the excellencie of power and so did shew what belonged vnto him as he was the eldest if he had not lost it namely that he should haue beene the chiefest of all his brethren None therefore must looke to goe beyond the eldest nay all can not be like vnto him and if any of the younger might come to as great an inheritance as he by doing the same things that he did before them though neuer so hard and by going to it the same way that he did though full of many difficulties and daungers they might not with any colour refuse the conditions vnlesse they would preposterously and without reason preferre themselues before him and thinke themselues better then he In like manner seeing it hath pleased the Lord Heb. 2.10 as the Apostle saith to consecrate the price of our saluation through afflictions and he came vnto glorie no other way then this we must thinke it good for vs to goe the same way that we might be like vnto him and so by our practise shew that we acknowledge him to be the prince of our saluation and our eldest brother Therefore as he is the most chief and principall in the commonwealth or in the Church or in a priuate family or in any place els whome all the rest desire to be like vnto So when we are contented to be like vnto Christ in any thing euen in the crosse then shall we declare indeede that wee hold him not in word onely but in true faith heartie affection to be chiefe and principall aboue all others and as was said before to be the Prince of our saluation or as it is saide in this text that we haue in hand Rom. 8.29 The first begotten among many brethren For indeede howsoeuer there is great difference betweene the head and the rest of the members and all of them are farre inferiour vnto it yet there is and must be a certaine conformitie betweene the one and the other that is a certain likelihood and agreement betweene the members of the same bodie and the head So howsoeuer there is no comparison betweene Christ and vs yet we must thus farre agree with him that we must not thinke to be aboue him and therefore we must not refuse any condition that he hath vndergon before vnlesse we would most disorderly preferre our selues the members before him our head which thing to doe were to darken the glorie of him that is the first borne and to staine the honour of him that is truly called The Prince of our saluation For what a confusion were it in the commonwealth if the Nobles yea the meanest of the subiects would refuse to doe that which the King Prince had done before or what disorder wold there be in a family if the yonger brethren should think much and disdaine to be brought vp that way that the heire of the house had beene before Euen so when we shall refuse to beare the crosse which our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus by the appointment of his father hath born in greater measure then we shall or can it is nothing els but pride and selfe loue to lift vp our selues aboue him and to say by our deedes that we will not in this thing be conformable vnto him as to our Prince or eldest brother And then consider I pray you what an intolerable thing this were that we beeing worse then dust and ashes and wormes meat yea nothing els but a lumpe of sinne should desire to be spared aboue the onely sonne of God whome he hath made heire of all things Heb. 1.2 by whome also he made the worlds who is the brightnes of the glorie and the ingrauen forme of his person bearing vp all things by his mightie power and is made so much the more excellent then the Angels in as much as he hath obtained a more excellent name thē they for of him he saith Thou art my son this day haue I begotten thee and of the other Let all the Angels of God worship him as the Apostle doth most excellently shew at large in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Therefore let vs not so loue our selues that the estate of Christ Iesus should seeme vnmeete for vs as if he beeing thorough all afflictions and temptations brought vnto glory we should dream of a more easie way for our selues and thinke to come to it after a more peaceable quiet manner we know not what But rather let this comfort and vphold vs in all trouble and aduersitie that we can neuer be pressed downe so low with it but that Christ Iesus our Lord and Prince hath been more deepely plunged in it before therfore the more that we suffer the more like we are vnto him In so much that if it were possible for vs to haue the afflictions of Iob doubled vpon vs yea if we could goe downe into hell and so suffer all the torments of a damned and desperate creature both in soule and bodie hauing the worme of our conscience knawing in vs continually euen in them we should be most like vnto Christ in his fearefull agonies and deadly sorrow that he fell into complaining that his soule was heauie euen vnto the death Math 26 3◠and in his bloodie sweat by which all the parts of this bodie were strained to the full yea in the lamentable outcries that he made vpon the crosse when as he finding no comfort in heauen nor in earth for a while he cried with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 27.46 and so gaue vp the ghost But if all this doe not suffice vs and we further demaund why the Lord should appoint so hard a way for vs vnto saluation and why he should ordaine the gate to be so strait 7.14 and the way so narrow whereby we should enter into life and so should foolishly wish as many doe that he had appointed some easier way then this First of all I must say as the Apostle doth Rom. 9.20 O man who art thou which pleadest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou appointed me to doe so and so we must not prescribe any thing vnto the Lord in the course and manner of our saluation no more then children must prescribe vnto their parēts after what maner they should come to their inheritances and portions But seeing that the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen are so great euen such 1. Cor. 2.9 as the eye hath not seene nor the eare hath heard neither haue they entred into