shadowes clearely be chaced away 3. Particular Anger in generall may bee defined a commotion of the minde for some supposed evill ioyned with an appetite of revenge Let the parts be examined I say first a commotion for that it is not a simple affection but compounded of hate or mislike and hope hate for some conceived iniury hope to be revenged vpon the iniurer yea it drawes the whole man into commotion the head deviseth the hand acteth the feete cannot abide in one place but runne the paths of destruction all the inward powers are like wise troubled our love perplext feare confused desires inflamed our reason peruerted and the whole man doth suffer paine together with the passion and is disordered Therefore not vnfitly doe I call it a commotion So also is it a commotion of the minde not of the humor or complexions principall it being the iudgement of Divines so likewise of true Phylosopy that the passions may bee occasioned from the divers temperatures of the body but doe proceede principally from the disposition of the divine soule according to the truth of this principle that the soule is the prime moover in the body and it were a thing monstrous and absurd to affirme that the humours of the body have any power over the soule to worke vpon it contrary to its immortall and impassible nature impassible of any power save onely from that hand which made and infused it Besides many arguments tending to which purpose receiue this one for all namely that two the most principall affections gouerning in this life loue and ioy are not determined together with the ending of the story of our dayes but doe accompany the soule and are inherent in the same after as without the expression of which two there can bee no happinesse a cleare euidence that both the soule was the prime moover while it dwelt in the body so that it doth retaine the same power and that in a more noble kinde when it is without the body I adde this moreover that it ariseth from some supposed evill For there is not alwayes a reall and subsisting cause of our anger The Pope was angry for his Peacocke the Pope was angry for his Porke and wee are often angry with our very shadowes And lastly I say ioyned with an appetite of reuenge and therefore wee see commonly at the first apprehension of any wrong that the blood doeth recoyle vnto the heart and by and by into the face as a Blood-hound or Mastiffe to flie into the face of the iniurer Among all the passions by God planted in the nature of man there is none more violent then that of anger and for this cause truely because wee are by nature more impatient of euill then we are coueting of good made senselesse sometimes through the cloying excesse of present delights but too quicke and sensible enough euen of the least supposed euill where against anger doeth chiefely bend its force It is nourished with the most bitter humour a bagge of gall hath angers food it feedeth on the same with greedines yet without all delight and thirsteth after humane blood It is a Serpent that eateth out her owne bowels a wilde beast that scorneth to bee tamed a sacke full of poison a fire pent vp within the bones a flame when it breaketh out to consume others It is a sickenesse of the Soule a Frenzy a Fury a Madnesse Ora tument ira nigrescunt sanguine venae Lumina Gorgonia saevius angue micant The lips swell the blood turnes blacke within the veines The eyes more firie red then are Gorgonian Snakes What have not Poets and heathen Moralists written in the reproach and dispraise of anger Let him that is angry before hee strike his fellow behold his owne countenance in the glasse and then let him beare his anger first which hath thus transformed and disfigured him Notwithstanding hee who hath placed the sand a bound for the sea that intractible and foming Element who hath taught the Vnicorne to abide by his crib hee doeth nurture Beares and teach young Lyons to seeke vnto him for their prey Woolues and Badgers are his obedient slaues Yea the poison of Aspes Scorpions and Toades are tempered by his great hand to the common good of the generall body his hand hath also tempered the passion of anger to the good of the lesser body man-kinde I hold not with the Stoickes who hold a vacuitie of passions Christ our righteousnes was angry sometimes when he lived vpon earth as also he wanted not any other the affections griefe ioy c. In heaven there shall bee perfect peace and ioy without interruption and I see there no cause of anger As the intrailes therefore of the beasts vnder the Law were exempted from the sacrifice so the spleene and gall of our natures which serue here onely to feed our male contented passions shall be exempted it may bee or left at the bottome of the hill when wee ascend that holy Mount which reacheth above the cloudes and the Citie which is the mother of vs all But in the terrene condition of ours so throughly seasoned with euils the onely true obiects of anger God hath seated it among the other affections of the minde as not onely vsefull but necessary in this life and it is that to the soule which the Nerue is to the body a whetstone of fortitude a spurre to vertue and honourable actions Among all the other parts therefore before mentioned in angers description let vs take into a little further view the obiect whereupon it is bent and concerning which it is to be directed The onely obiect of anger is evill whether reall or apparant but most truely reall and therefore Ionah here was much mistaken in that he made God the obiect of his anger who is goodnesse it selfe Others have divided anger according to the obiects into anger inhumane as to be savage against kinde and kindred madde as that of Balaams to be angry with his Asse senselesse as that of Xerxes to bee angry with the Mountaine Aethos to be angry with the River Hellespont I affirme that evill is the onely obiect of anger and is in our selues or others First for our selues for there is a time when wee ought to be angry with our selues An old man there was once heard chiding hee was asked with whom with a certaine old man quoth he who weareth gray-haires but wanteth vnderstanding And so Plato vpon a time went in hast to beate his seruant and taking the scourge of correction in his hand hee stood still for a good space with his hand lifted vp and in the end spake thus exigo paenas ab irato I chastise quoth he my owne anger Thus anger rightly bestowed against our selues the Apostle doeth commend in the 7. Chap. the 2 Epistle to the Corinthians as a noble branch of repentance or godly sorrow For the same that yee sorrowed after a godly sorrow saith hee among other fruites what
these words from him viz. whereas he saith I doe well to bee angry even vnto death However it is a most intemperate speech and for the meaning thereof respecting either the intention or effect of Ionah's anger If we expound it of the intention it then importeth thus much that Ionah was exceeding angry so angry that he was full bigge with anger so bigge that he was ready to breake with anger And if so then fixe this Epitaph vpon his grave stone Here lyes the man who did both raging Sea and Whale disdaine His anger worse then Sea or Whale his anger hath him slaine And why yea why should not that anger which hath destroyed many in iustice turne the point sometimes vpon that breast which bred it Truly the anger of Ionah in this place conceived yea expressed against the Almighty must needs be very great For we are not angry with our superiours but for causes extraordinary suppressing commonly those motions provoking to this passion towards them which towards inferiours is presently exprest For example that is tolerable in an equall which is not to be borne with in a servant that in a Lord which not in a Knight that in a Prince which not in a Lord that in a King which not in a Prince and lastly that is to be borne with patience from God Almighty which is not to be brooked from any mortall creature besides O then when the heate of our anger ascendeth thus high as to be angry not with Kings and Princes and Potentates of the earth but with the God of heaven King of kings and Lord over all lords this is a fire that eates into the bones consuming the marrow and the moisture and must wee not either burne in our owne cinders or else daring to breake out bee incountred and consumed with that all devouring fire that flame of Gods displeasure of his vnquenchable anger Admire and wonder that Ionah is angry with the great God exceeding angry with the most puissant Lord he telles this God and Lord so to his face yet is not consumed admire and wonder But I doe rather vnderstand it for the effect of Ionah's anger the effect conceived in a manner and ready for the birth yet strangled in the wombe which had it beene brought forth would vnto Ionah have brought most certaine death In the old Law he that cursed father or mother was to be put to death much more he that should curse the Father of spirits and great Creator of mankinde this was expressely charged with present death Levit. 24. Therefore wee reade Naboth hath cursed God and the King let him be stoned therefore did Iobs wife tempt her husband to this sinne Curse God and dye saith shee This I conceive to be Ionah's case He is come almost to the actuall sinne of blasphemie against the second Person in the Trinitie the which in thought he hath committed already For he saith he hath iust cause to be angry and if he doe well to be angry then sure God hath done him great wrong and if so why should he not heare of it yea though I dye for it I will speake my minde saith Ionah For I doe well to be angry We may supply the fuller meaning of Ionah's minde partly out of Iob and partly out of Ieremy men subiect to the same passions and wrastling with the same assaults as here They were both carryed away with this mis-conceit that God did vse his power as a law exercising herein little better then a Tyrannicall government and therefore saith Iob in one place is it good for thee that thou should'st oppresse c and Ieremy saith plainely that the Lord by his great might or strength did overbeare him as is to be seene in the place before cited Thus thinkes Ionah and to this effect hee reasons in his over-cast imaginations My soule is even full of anxietie and I want vtterance of my complaint Thy hand is over powerfull for mee thy counsels are vnsearchable I know not what to say to it this is the summe I am weary of my life for I see no fruite no end of all my vexing labours O yet that God would grant mee this request before I open my lippes against the Holy one and reproach my Maker and by mans law deserve to be stoned that hee would cut mee off and destroy mee or hide mee in the grave For sure I have most iust cause to be offended yea sure I doe well to be angry angry even to death death to mee is better farre then life I have touched I suppose vpon the highest string of Saints impatiencie wherevnto the perfectest of men during yet their mortall condition are most subiect and beyond which is no remission but to fall into that sinne vnpardonable which holds no concord with Gods mercy Let vs now but make a cord to draw Ionah out of the pit and preserve all Ionasses from sinking in this mire and mudde and I will make the vses and generall conclusion of the whole matter specially this second generall part of Ionah's answer and herein the last specially in this generall the point yet in hand Ionah's anger vnto death The floods are risen O God the floods are risen might Ionah well here say and all else brought vnto the same brinke of despaire or desperate fury with Ionah here O God the floods are risen the floods O God have lift vp the waves And this not so much in regard of the tyde of vngodlines flowing from without as the violent streames of inraged anger from within Save me O God for the waters are come in even into my soule These these are the waters which drowne the soule to be feared more then those waters which swallow vp the bodies of men Now two things there be which support Ionah and the one implies the other one thing which the Lord doth overpasse the other which he doeth worke the one proceeding from his Mercy the other from his Loue. First His Mercy it is which doeth cover Ionah's imperfections which at this time were risen to a very great height For how if the Lord should have entred contention with thee Ionah and set his anger against thine what would have become of thee The like may we say to Iob to Ieremy what Iob doeth the Lord oppresse Is it without reason the Lords dealing so and so with thee Ieremy and doest thou well indeede to bee angry Jonah dare wee thus to challenge the Holy one of Israel O no Take Ionah in his right temper and he is of another minde so is Iob so is Jeremy I said I will no more make mention of thy name within my lippes said Ieremy in his heate he spake it but a contrary stronger heate expelled that by and by thy word was a fire shut vp within my bones and I was weary with forbearing immediately after saith he So Iob Chap. 40. once have I spoken yea twise but I will say no more I abhorre my selfe in
finde by the pulse of their affections a strong inclination to Ionah's disease they may vse these remedies to allay the fury and settle the tranquillitie of their owne soules First let them consider against whom they doe oppose in their anger is it not against the great and mighrie God The Thistle in Lebanon sent to the Cedar in Lebanon saying give thy daughter to my sonne to wife or take thou my daughter to thy sonne to wife and there passed by a wilde beast that was in Lebanon and trode downe the Thistle Thus said Joash King of Israel to Amaziah King of Iudah when he sent this message let vs looke one another in the face and this is the least of a thousand that I can say when we dare provoke the God of heaven to his face Can we throw downe mountaines by our might or dry vp the sea at our rebuke Can the Toade as the Fable hath it equall the Elephant in bignesse though shee swell and swell and swell againe and burst in swelling O then let vs remember that arrowes shotte vp into the ayre returne vpon the head of the shooters and pierce downewards Againe consider thine owne deserving for sure thou hast good cause to be angry with God and why thou hast from time to time so well deserved at his hands It is the mercy of the Lord that we are not all consumed saith Ieremy and truly wee are lesse then the least of all his mercies therefore the vse is soveraigne which the same Prophet maketh Lament 3. Wherefore doeth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Let vs search and try our waies and turne againe to the Lord Let vs lift vp our heart with our hands vnto God in the heavens c. Thirdly to passe from this iudge not of Gods favour to thee or his righteous proceedings in thy cause or person from the sense of thy present suffrings but from the end and issue which commonly God makes of his Saints afflictions and therefore whereas now thou art vnder and thy feete sticke fast in myre and clay pray vnto God with David that he would advance thy head and set thee vpon the rocke which is higher then thou so shalt thou be able to looke about thee round and with comfort behold the hilles and dales spacious forrests and groves thou shalt then with correction of thy passed folly perceive plainely the causes the reasons the end issue of Gods wise and gracious proceeding with thee and perceiving shalt praise and magnifie his name for it The Warre-like Souldier while the heate of the battell lasteh heares and sees nothing but confused noise and garments rolled in blood the pransing of strong horses the ratling speares Bellonaes rage with the clashing armes and clanging trumpe doth astonne his sense for the present and hee hath no leisure so long to thinke of the countrey of Peace the Ensignes of Honour the Garlands of Victory Victorious when he doth returne from the spoyle of his enemies then he rides in the Chariot of Triumph Trophees are erected he doth with ioy recount his dangers passed glory in his wounds received when all tongurs doe sound his praises Saul hath slaine his thousand and David his ten thousand Even so when the Warre-fare appointed for vs is accomplished we shall stand vpon Mount Sion Victorious beholding the Aegyptians dead vpon the shoore and shall sing the song of Moses the Horse and his ryder are throwne into the Sea Principalities and Powers are vanquished and subdued and we shall raigne for evermore Secondly My second vse shall be also of exhortation but this to the troublers of Sions peace and Edoms children who insult vpon her desolations It is necessary saith our Saviour that offences come but woe be to them who are the causers and grieve the soules of Gods children for they doe not alwaies labour of their owne inward griefes and private distresses of their owne soules from within Eliah flyes from the face of Iezabel and growes weary of his life woe be to Iezabel therefore who is the cause of it In the meane time the Saints groane and cry out for the wrongs done vnto them and grow impatient of spirit because the Lord doeth not worke the deliverance shall we say howsoever their impatiencie is not to bee excused that the world who hath procured their vnrest shall escape vnpunished or that the soules shall not be heard who to this day cry from vnder the Altar how long o Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Remember the parable of the widow and vniust Iudge avenge me of mine adversary saith shee avenge mee of mine adversary and still shee cryeth avenge mee of mine adversary he would not for the iustnesse of her cause heare her but her importunity prevailed What 's the vse our Saviour makes thereof the answere ariseth by a gradation shall not God much more Iudge and revenge who is a iust Iudge and in a most iust and rightfull cause and that in the behalfe of his children his children which doe not onely call but cry and cry day and night shall not God avenge his owne elect saith he which cry day and night vnto him though hee beare long with them As who would say there is no sense nor reason to the contrary and therefore he saith plainly I tell you he will avenge them speedily Luk. 18. Thirdly In the third place Let vs learne to bee advised of this one thing how wee spend our iudgements vpon any whom we yet see labouring vnder the crosse least prooving vncharitable in our censure it proove to be our turne next to vndergoe the same tryalls vnder which wee see our â—â—other with some bitternesse of spirit wrastling for the present Alas If we iudge onely from the outward behaviour and externall effects which for the present affect our senses Ionah then is already condemned by our doome and how hardly must it goe with all those famous Worthies before named Rather Let vs enter into this account with our selves and say good God if Ionah indued with a farre greater measure of holinesse then poore I did proove thus fretfull and impatient vnder the hand of God how lesse able should I have beene to have borne but halfe the burden he sustained If Eliah Moses Ieremy Iob had not the power to master their vnruly passions sure then if Ibe not conscious to my selfe of the like weakenesse I never came vnto the tryall or how weakely should I resist in the day of evill A man that lyes groveling on the ground and sends forth lamentable groanes wee know not well the anguish of his spirit yet this we know that he is terribly indisposed yet for all this though the sight of all men and in his owne thinking too he be as a man most desperately forlorne and miserable he may notwithstanding by the helpe of some cunning Physitian and Chirurgion be
recovered and set vpon his legs againe This comes to passe more ordinarily in the diseases of the soule then in the distempers of the body The more bitter bee the words of Ieremy and the more extreamely we heare Ionah to take on the more deepely let vs iudge of them that they have drunke of the cuppe of affliction the bitter cup of worme-wood and gall And this I finde God himselfe to have taken notice of and in a tender regard and compassionate feeling of her sorrowes thus to comfort his poore distressed Church by the Prophet Isaiah Awake awake stand vp O Ierusalem which hast drunke at the hand of the Lord the cuppe of his fury thou hast drunke the dregs of the cup of trembling and wrung them out A man in drinke we vse to say is not himselfe and therefore I finde added in the same place and with it I conclude the point Heare now this thou afflicted and drunken but not with wine thus saith the Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people Behold I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling even the dregges of the cuppe of my fury thou shalt no more drinke it againe but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee which have said to thy soule bow downe that we may goe over and thou hast laide thy body as the ground and as the streete to them that goe over Fourthly But now lastly let mee adde the conclusion of the whole matter what 's the conclusion of this whole dispute contention or contestation betweene the Lord and Ionah A Song of praise a Meditation of due thankfulnesse Blesse the Lord o my soule and all that is within mee blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord o my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction might Jonah well say and crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies let every one who hath tasted the same cup with Ionah consesse O Ionah how great was thy offence how heavy Ionah was thy anger wherefore came not thy saying to passe or why did not death prevent thy wish since thou thoughtest it no sinne to be angry with God had it not beene too light a recompence for this thy rebellion to have sent thee hastily quicke into the grave with thy sinnes vpon thy head Behold death even called for doeth not appeare the Lord is more mercifull to Ionah then Ionah to himselfe man is angry with God God is not angry with man What shall we say The case is not Ionah's alone O David how troubled doeth the course of many of thy Psalmes runne why doest thou forget mee o God why art thou absent from the the words of my complaint o God Awake o Lord stand vp and iudge my quarrell Thus speakes David and much more as a man not well pleased with his God and as though the Lord were asleepe or deafe or blinde or forgetfull as if hee would not or could not regard the cause that was equall Yea but this same Dauid at other times hath recollected himselfe from this errour and hath as plainly noted the reason of the Lords more gracious and louing dealing both with himselfe and all Gods childrenels For hee knoweth whereof wee bee made saith hee in the Psalme before cited he well vnderstands our frame he remembreth that we are but dust therfore like as a father pittieth his owne children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him and shall set our sinnes as farre as the East is from the West Therfore also sayth another Prophet speaking in the person of God I will not contend for euer neither will I be alwaies wroth For the spirit should faile before me and the soules which I haue made For the iniquity of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seene his waies and will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts vnto him and to his mourners Isay 57. Here is the goodnesse of our God and the whole worke of our saluation this is his glory which he will not impart to others nor to our merits or any desert in vs for we are a froward and most vntoward generation in our selues And this is the whole benefit he expects at our hands the calves of our lippes and herevnto he hath ordained vs in his beloved before the foundation of the world that wee should render vnto him the sacrifice of praise a thankfull acknowledgement from the ground of our hearts Blesse ye the Lord as before For this cause is it that the Saints in glory whose felicity in part is shadowed by those foure and twenty elders Reu. 4 fall downe before him that sirs on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crownes before the throne as acknowledging their owne vnworthynesse but thus they say Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Sing we vnto the Lord a new songe for old things are forgotten and all things are made new a new heaven and a new earth a new Ierusalem from aboue And old things are cleane passed away for there shall bee no more sorrow nor crying nor paine saith S. Iohn there shall be likewise no longer infirmity nor disease of minde nor body there shall not be those vexations nor yet those vexing causes which here we both meete and carry about with vs. The tempter cannot reach vs there temptations shall be banished for euer Anger hath no place in heauen Ionah thy branch shall flourish and thy gourd it shall not wither the Sea shall not tosse thee the whale shall not eat thee the Sun shall not smite thee the fire shall not burne thee Who then can be angry or euill affected when God shall shew himselfe most willing to please vs when he shall make all things worke for our contentment O Lord I am ashamed now saith Ionah when I consider this thy most wonderfull goodnesse I doe repent of this my foolish anger and begin to waxe exceeding angry that euer I was mooued to anger against so good so mercifull so gracious a redeemer who doest not onely passe by our offences when we haue most hainously prouoked thy iust displeasure but hast also reserved laid vp in store for vs most vndeseruing wretches such good things as passe mans imagination to conceive O Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffring abundant in goodnesse and truth accomplish thy good word vnto thy servants and shew vs thy glory that we may live and never dy that we may live and praise thee eternally Amen NOw to call thee backe a little friendly Reader to the matter of my text and withall if I may persume to communicate my selfe vnto thy
good nature I would intreat thee for the Author thus to iudge That he fell not by his hap-hazard vpon his text or that hee hath not had a feeling of the same What learning call you that which doth carry in hir bosome a sense or feeling of hir knowen principles It hath the name of knowledge experimentall which cannot be attained by all the search of meere study and is to bee preferred before all humane learning acquired by the documents and precepts of men Who can describe the image of God the father or pourtray out the shape of the holy Ghost or expresse the glory of the blessed Trinity The meanest Christian who hath God in his heart doth retaine a sounder knowledge of his maker by those hidden operations felt within then the stoutest Philosopher in the height and sublimity of his soring speculation or those better learned clearkes who can dispute subtilly aboue the Trinity yet want power to please the holy Trinity O but that knowledge is full of danger my text speaks of and who would wish to be possessed with such a feeling as Ionah was not I not thou nor any man yet take heede thou maiest be over-rash in iudging For why anger doeth sometimes and that ordinarily presuppose love O fearefull case is Ionah angry with God saist thou an other is of this minde is it possible in a fraile man to conceive anger against the great God whence springs this familiarity betweene heaven and earth aut quam nuper è coelo descendisti Ionah how lately camest thou out of heaven O Ionah yea sure by the very nature of the speech must be implyed a certaine intercourse of favour and loving commerce betweene the heavenly God and vs. Why els is any man angry with his fellow but in a conceyt that he hath bin requited euill for good and the fruits of hate where hee looked for the effects of loue Why then euen hence in like manner arise those manifold heart-burnings and great disturbances of the Saints quiet since they have bin assured of Gods love but want all signes thereof in their distresses Is this the part of a loving father think his misbeleeving children to neglect their suites who call day and night vnto him what 's become of his promises and those mervailous workes our forefathers have told vs of wherefore doth he not arise and helpe vs and that early O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and and in the night season also my soule refuseth comfort Here our faith begins to stagger for what hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he be no more intreated and is his mercy cleane gone for evermore Then the spirit is almost tyred with waiting and the flesh growes monstrous vnruly God is not so good as his word for he hath promised if in trouble we call vpon him he will helpe vs but he regards neither our calling nor cryes nor teares O now the spirit waxeth hot and the blood doth boyle within the veines and thus our anger ariseth against God a thing not impossible as you see nor yet allowable to the Saints most incident and to the best of Saints more ordinarily then to the worst of hypocrites or any other to the state of grace not yet called Indeede for these I doe not reade of many or any examples in this kinde to have entred Contestation with the Lord as Ionah here hath done nor is it the Nabals of the world but the Davids who mourne in their prayer and are vexed For vpon what grounds can they challenge God of his promise and expostulate where hath God bound himselfe vnto these with an oath that he will be their God and of their seede for ever how oft have they called vpon him in faith and wept vnto him in zeale what love to his ordinances what trust to his Word what assurance of his mercies what consolation in his promises hath beene at any time in their hearts residing I am not angry with the Sunne when it shineth to the Antipodes nor with the Starres because they runne round I am not angry with the Windes at Sea when my house by fire is burnt at home or lastly why should the Malefactor who cryes guiltie at the Barre be angry with the Iudge who gives sentence according to the law vpon his offence Even so truly the wicked foolish who say in their hearts there is no God and doe impute their good and bad hap to blinde chance or fortune who are men of an other world and strangers to godlinesse I see no reason their anger should reach whether their beleefe doth not Yea truly when they are haled before Gods iudgement Seat as Malefactors arraigned their guiltie consciences proclaime woe immediately but then begins their anger and desperate rage when the scalding plagues of Gods wrath doe begin to torment their bodies and the horrour of deadly darkenesse doth cease vpon their soules for their wilfull blindnesse and folly and their rage is not only against God but in a remarkeable kinde of iustice against their owne members they gnawed their tongues and blasphemed Rev. 16. But if their malice breake out against God or his Saints sooner as oft it doth it is then a fearefull preparation to these eternall woes mentioned and hath more properly the name of malice then of anger For what difference is there betweene the anger of Gods Saints and of his enemies even such as I have shewed as is the anger betweene two friends and two most contrary enemies These things gentle Reader I have more deepely searcht into by occasion of my Text not that I presume herein to commend vnto thee any rare point of skill for that which may fall out to be rare in the course of my studies may have beene more soundly noted in the labours of other men and perhaps is not new vnto thy iudgement nor to this end doe I it to commend the feeling of this knowledge vnto any not so farre experimented in this kinde of learning which wee have from Ionah but to this end rather that wee may bee wise to put a difference and be suspended from rash iudgement concerning the state of divers Gods Elect wrastling here in this vale of misery falling and rising foyled and sometimes foyling like prevailers and that herein we studie true thankfulnesse to the sole-worker of our salvation who preserveth the soules of his Saints from going downe into the pit of desperation For my selfe Christian Reader I was angry with my God and knewit not very angry but did not well consider it How manifold are thy tryalls O how various and wonderfull art thou in the exercising of vs thy fraile creatures Vsque quo Domine vsque quo shal not my griefes and groanes my deepe sighings and often teares and strong cryes be full effectuall in thy fight to manifest thy power within to vtter thy praise abroad O those hills of peace where are they why hast thou caused me to hope in thy word hast nor furnisht me vnto the battel why was I called but returne now vnto thy rest O my soule and hope yet confidently I was angry and mourned in my prayer and was vexed was it not in thy temple O God in thy temple that my soule was exceedingly cast downe and troubled in thy temple therefore will I praise thee because there thou spakest peace vnto my troubled soule and did'st allay the heat of all my discontented passions saying as sometime thou didst vnto thy servant Ionah Doest thou well to be angry Thus even thus thou rebukedst the windes and the waves of all my inward commotions and there followed immediately a great calme praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name For it was not flesh nor blood then which then was in the strength of impariency and stamped with the foot it was not flesh and blood that did reveale that did put this good motion into my breast but my father in heaven therefore praise the Lord O my soule At this time I was assigned to the Crosse had not yet chosen the Text I meant to treat of the choise was soone made For what more acceptable service to our God more pleasing to his Church more effectual for the preachers of his word to deale in then to expresse their minds vpon those Themes the power whereof hauing first subdued their owne affections doth with greater force from them flow forth vnto others and procure more ample glory to his name vnto whom the whole action and efficacy of the worke is in speciall wise to be referred Thus have I made my selfe a foole in glorying but it is in my infirmityes and if for this I be disdained of the Michals of the world I will study to become yet viler in their eyes that Gods power by my weaknes may be exalted Is not this the end of all our beings and ought we not by all meanes whether by precept or example or however labour here vnto whether we be besides our selues saith S. Paul to the Corinthians it is to God or whether wee bee sober it is for your cause and hee is no follower of Paul as hee followed Christ in this who will not thus indeavour to become all things to all men that of all sorts he may gaine some to God and he that respecteth his owne credit private opinion and speeches of others before the winning of souls he is ashamed of the Gospell of Christ a shame of all others most shamefull and one most vnworthy to be a minister of the new Testament Thus Christian and friendly Reader and one of the houshold of faith whose love I doe onely imbrace have I not made my selfe strange vnto thee and for this cause desire the fruit of thy prayes to be assistant vnto me that I may open my mouth with boldnesse in the cause of the Gospel whervnto I have traviled and am yet in paine I beleeved and therefore did I speake saith David but I was sore greived I also beleeved the same have I preached the same againe have I penned Now to all those who love the Lord Iesus I conclude Grace be vnto them and Mercy and vpon the Israel of God FINIS