the most wise and iust â—â—â—poser of all things permitteth not either aire or water to haue dead and perpetuall calmes neither to bee vncessantly hurried with violeÌ„t stormes and furious windes but so moderateth both with sundry enterchanges as that neither are these familiar elements corrupted for want of some agitation neither the creatures in them interessed generally detrimented by their intemperate rage but so sweetly doth that gracious Prouidence accommodate particulars with his vniâ—ersall lawes of Nature that the fowle commendeth and endeareth the fairer season the faire comforteth and refresheth after the storme so that there is no tide â—runneth no wind bloweth from the seuerall points of the heauen which though it crosseth some concurreth not with the desires and courses of others Semblably must the mind of man be tempered it must not be too calme if it haue no anger it can haue no zeale if no impatience it would too securely reside too indulgently suffer Gods dishonour our soules danger our owne or our brothers iniuries if too impatient it would bee like a violent stresse threatniâ—g a desperate wracke and carrying away all hope of the quiet fruites of righteousnesse so that it is true hee is a foole who cannot be passionatehe is wise who will not extremely he is no good man who cannot bee impatient but hee is neither good noâ— wise who will be too much some then being vnhappil happy case flayeth the foolish some happily vnhappâ—â— It is good for mee that I haue been in trouble it appearetâ— that some mans impatiencâ— and disquiet of mind is noâ— so dangerous as other menâ— security our instance may be in Iob and Diues Therâ— is also an affected stupiditie a Stoicall sottishnesse which hath the face of patience there is an impatience which looketh like zeale and yet neither of these are good There is also a laudable disquiet of mind an holy impatience a zealous passion as when wee cannot beare the dishonour of God the meekest Moses threw downe and brake the Tables which God had written hee made the reuenging sword flie among the idolaters Eliah was â—ealously impatient because they had broken downe the Altars and slâ—ine the Prophets of the Lord Lots spirit was vexed at the vncleane conuersation of the Sâ—domites And on the other part the Lord thretned Elt that there should not be an old man of his house for euer that the wickednes of his family should not be expiated purged with sacrifice for euer Why because his sons ran into a slander â—nd hee â—â—ayed them â—â—t whicâ— was because himselfe was too indulgently mild patient in his reproouing them There being then an euill patience and a good impatience as also an euill impatience and a good patience or quietnesse of mind in bearing we may obserue that these foure things doe especially name and demonstrate disquietnesse of mind or impatience euill 1. When the ground or occasion cannot iustifie any impatience 2. When the cause of our impatience is some euill in our selues 3. Want of a prudent moderation 4. When there follow not a due end and profitable effects The first is when the external impulsiue cause which I call the ground or occasion of our disquiet is through our prauitie the inward mouing cause of the same so peruerted as that it produceth not such an issue as it ought but contrariwise that which being on such a ground must needes be euill there is no question but impatience for the dishonour of God if it bee actiue and expressed vpon others is a masculine vertue an effect of an holy zeale it was commendable in Lot at Sodom in Moses at Sina in Phinebas at Shittim or if it bee that silent agitation of the mind whose secret addresses are onely to God whose complaints are priuate it is a pregnant vertue Eliah pursued sate vnder the Iuniper tree and said It is enough Lord take my soule Why holy man of God I haue been very iealous for the Lord God of hosts because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant cast downe thine Altars slainâ— thy Prophets c. What more iust occasion to moâ—â— a maÌ„ to an holy impatience When Hezekiah receiued the sentence of death from the Lord by Isaiah he was troubled he wept and praied and God saw his teares and heard his prayer Whether the ground were the feare of innouation in the Church or the iudgements of God so quickly designing him to death whom he had lately deliuered either were a iust occasion of some holy impatience the one being out of zeale the other because his sinnes could not but come to mind with the iudgement of God which are alwayes to bee considered with a godly indignation against our selues who cause them But if the mind be vexed and vnquiet for that which is to Gods honor and should contrariwise haue occasioned our thankesgiuing and reioycing or for things friuolous and vnworthy how can it bee good Ionah was troubled that God spared Nineue wherein were an hundred and twenty thousand persons that could not discerne betweene their right hand and their left it displeased him exceedingly and he was angry hee expostulated with God I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my Country Therefore now O Lord take I beseech thee my life from mee for it is better for me to die then to line So when the Gourd was smitten that it dyed when the East winde and the Sunne beat vpon his head hee fell into the same impatience a gaine it was no sufficient ground therefore the Lord said Doest thou well to be angrie The Pharises were vexed because Christ healed on the Sabbath because he reproued their sinnes the Israelites were troubled because they had not to satisfie their lusts insomuch that they wished they had dyed in Egypt Dauid himselfe was not cleare from this euiâ— sicknes hewas disquieted for the prosperitie of the wicked Against this there are excellent precepts Psalm 37. Fret not thy selfe because of wicked men neither bee thou enuious against the workers of iniquitie for they shall soone be cut downe as the grasse Fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way Cease from anger for sake wrath Fret not thy selfe in any wise to doe euill For all such ill-grounded disquier whether conceiued of enuy indignation feare sorrow or the like whether expressed in anger or reuenge on others or obscure and inward repining at the prouidence of God is euill and by all meanes possible to be declined as hauing in it the venome of impatience Secondly if it proceed of an euill in ward cause it is e uill All the Congregation lifted vp their voyce and cryed and wept they all murmured against Moses and Aaron What is the cause that so mightie an hoste of men should seeme so effeminate the occasion was this the Spies had reported the difficulries of the passage into Canaan
DAVIDS SOLILOQVIE CONTEINING MANY COMFORTS FOR AFFLICTED MINDS As they were delivered in Sundry Sermons at St. MARIES in Dover By IOHN READING LONDON Printed for Robert Allot at the signe of the gray hound in Pauls church yard 1627. Dauids Soliloquie CONTAINING many comforts for afflicted mindes As they were deliuered in sundry Sermons at Saint Maries in Douer By Io READING 2 Cor. 1. 3. 4 Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God LONDON Printed for Robert Allot and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Pauls Church-yeard at the Signe of the Grey-hound 1627. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE and most vertuous Lady the Lady Sara Hastings RIGHT HONORABLE THE rods of the almightie wherewith hee smiteth to heale are so many and diuers and consequently the smarts and griefes which affect the minde so variable both by reason of our sinnes multiplicity causing and our apprehensions entertaining them that I can neither reasonably hope this spiritual electuarie which I intend for the helpe of afflicted mindes can serue for euery malady nor iustly despaire of it meeting with some Readers who shall by the assistance of the same Spirit which gaue it being finde comfort in it and that in diuers kinds the indispositions of the soule being so complicate and mixed that there neede not as the Aegyptians were woont to haue a Physitian proper to euery disease hee that hath acquaintance with one grief of minde cannot but knowe many But forasmuch as their causes differ some proceeding of grosse melancholy others of darke vapours dulling the vnderstanding and disturbing the eluded phaÌ„tasie others of other causes the consideration wher of is peculiar to the Physitian my present addresse is to those onely who are capable of the Ministers aduice and the comfort of Gods VVord Truely the ancient Sages seemd to writ many things learnedly to helpe the perturbations of minde some labouring to ground it on a supposed constancie not yeelding to calamities some to bring it to a kind of stupidity not feeling them like those Artlesse Physitians killing by too much correcting some abounding humor others inuenting some pleasing lenitiues and diuersions of all I may say in a word as Ambrose of Pythagoras euening musicke which hee vsed to refresh his heart wearied with cares in vaine did they desire to remoue secular griefes with secular remedies for they more defiled disordred the minde by seeking ease in pleasures But euery Christian may by the true touch-stone the holy Scripture presently discouer them all to be adulterate counterfet neuer any of theÌ„ so much as mentioning the name of Christ and through him comming to this caelestiall Catholiâ—on of Dauid HOPE IN GOD in which is the only sound cure of a troubled minde wher in the most illiterate Christian excelleth the most bookish Philosopher Seeing therefore by the good prouideÌ„ce of God I haue become acquainted with the vsage lineaments of a troubled soule not onely by the view of others malady but also by the sense of mine owne as Protogenes the Painter hauing his owne countenance set by an half-famishing dyet was thereby enabled to take the true aspect poutrait of meagre Lalysus to life And seeing I haue not onely gotten some knowledge of the disease the beginning of euery cure but experience which begat the Art of Physicke hath made mee so much an Empiric herein that I may at least as they woont to doe before the rules of healing were improued to an Art tell others by what meanes the Lord hath comforted me I haue therefore aduentured this Benoni the issue of mine experience into the publicke that those Sermons which in their deliuery were receiued with holy attention and good fruites of many Auditors might not like those Hebrew masculine bookes liue onely the houre of their birthes and presently bee cast away but remaine longer to Gods honour and the vse of his yet can I not probably excuse my presuming to tender your Honour this homely piece except I pleade your accustomed zeale to Religion and fauour to learning that you vouchsafed to honour our congregation with your presence while most of these meditations were deliuering The God of all consolation make them effectually profitable to the Reader and your Honour compleatly happy with all temporall and spirituall blessings in Christ Jesus in whom Irest Your Honours humblest seruant Jo. Reading DAVIDS SOLILOQVIE Pâ—AL 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countinance and my God THE summe of Christianity is that which Paul giueth in charge to Timothy Warre a good warfare holding saith and a good conscience The life of a Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trucelesse fight against the spirituall enemie to him that ouercommeth is appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorruptible crowne We must therefore take vnto vs the whole armour of God a principall part thereof is the sword of the Spirit the word of God and whereas all that being giuen by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfect thorowly furnished vnto all good workes and therefore is the wholsome physicke for the soule common to all a promptuarie and store-house of spirituall receipts to cure all maladies of the minde a perfect directorie to all those holy duties required of man this one booke of Psalmes doth especially and most comfortably meet with the perâ—urbations and sicknesses of â— distempered minde It was penned by those holy men of God who in â—undry conditions of the Church prosperous and â—duerse in seuerall distresses of their owne did either â—ccoÌ„modate those-hymnes â—o the publike vse or powâ—ed out their soules to God â—pening the priuaties of â—heir owne hearts to him The matter and subiect â—câ—reof is singular For whereas the other Prophesies were their Ambassies from God to the people or at least the abstracts thereof these are for the most part their Colloquies and secret Conferences with God concerning the inward senses of their spirits Soliloquies expostulations demoÌ„strations of the minds estate the spirituall language of the soule to it selfe and God the searcher of hearts concerning it owne griefe So like are the things which are to those which haue beene that as they were not written for one time or age but for the Churches vse to the end of time euery man may apply something hereof to himselfe this booke is so compleatly furnished with all varieties that some part or other hereof draweth euery man to a priuate
they cry presently Wherefore now hath the Lord brought vs into this land to fall vpon the sword our wiues and our children shal be a prey were it not better for vs to returne into Egypt Why are your minds thus troubled Hath not the Lord promised to cast out these Nations before you Are yee not strong enough to inuest the most puissant enemie If not is not God of power to doe what soeuer he hath promised for you Yes but the thing which inwardly moueth this base disquiet of their mindes was their owne distrust and vnbeliefe that is the cause of their feare that was also the cause of their murmuring for flesh they tempted God and beleeued him not therefore our Sauiour saith to the solicitous and carefull men Shall he not much more clothe you O yee of little faith And to his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled yee beleeue in God beleeue in me also intimating as the only remedie against disquietnes of mind so the true cause therof a pusillanimous incredulity and fearefull vnbeliefe and therefore our Psalmist also after correction of his own impatience saith trust or hope in God shewing in the remedie the nature and cause of the disease which teacheth vs that euen that disquiet of mind which is occasioned for Gods cause or zeale to the Church if it be an effect of vnbeliefe or distrust as if God either could not helpe or would neglect and frustrate any dependance on his promise is euill How much more cautious must we bee that our impatience arise not of causes meerely euill as of couetousnesse pride ambition morositie and frowardnes vaine and carnall hopes and desires malice enuy or reuenge or their like all which in their seuerall defeatures do marueiloufly wound and distresse a weake and ill-gouerned mind and because therein are appetites of euill by so much more violently doe they moue the minde to impatience and discontent by how much more violently the naturall affections of men are procliue to euill then to good Some sins are borne as I may say of good parents as pride of deseruing which carrying in their pedegrees so foule a dash bastardie and degeneration inherit not their progenitors commendations such vices are like that fruite which groweth vpon some misâ—dopted branches where a wilde Sien is graâ—ted vpon a generous stocke and â—herfore conuerteth all those sweete and wholsome humours which feede it into bitternesse and distastfulnes but finnes greaten finnes as one heaâ—e another inordinate impatience is euill on whatsoeuer groundit spring How out of measure euill is it then when occasions and causes in a dangerous concurrence make it such Look how some diseased man fareth with an outward distemper or ill dyet added to his indisposition The inward cause of his disenterie is some sharp choler abounding in his body to this commeth an occasion from without him as intemperate Summers heate eating oâ— raw fruits or the like which being corrupted doe extremely stimulate that choller to a dangerous and painfull maladie in the bowels So likewise is it in the soule where euill occasions meete with some obstinate humor of the mind the disquiet groweth desperate if Ahitophels insatiate ambition and pride interpret the neglect of his oracles an affront to his wisdome what impatience proceeding of holy zeale was euer so violent and precipitate If the wretched caitiue hath oueâ—stood his markets at the end of a dearth what other impatience from good occasions is so impetuous What could so easily arme a desperate hand with halters poyson kniues That rarest euill impatience for good occasions in its extremes must bee moderated as in the next place we shall see but if the cause bee some euill within vs no moderation can iustifie it Neither that which is conceiued of triuiall causes habits of impatience and euill custome of disquietnesse all which as familiar mischiefes domesticke deuils haue vnseene snares layed in euerie corner of the house to possesse and surprize euen those who hate and feare them The third thing which sheweth disquietnesse of minde euill is when it wanteth a discreet and prudent moderation for in such cases the emotions of the mind otherwise good become dangerous when all vertues consist in their meane that cannot but bee euill which being extreme is separate and remote from vertue and when all extremes are dangerous none are more then those excesses in affections which like violent and sudden inundations breake in vpon the minde ouerflowing and drowning shaking downe and carrying away â—l fruit of temperance and meeknesse All affections and passions of mind are as seruants and familiar necessaries of the inward house wee vse not fire and water more frequently more profitably but as manumissed slaues promoted to place of command as the base and worthlesse whose minds were neuer acquainted with any noble thought inuested with titles of honour such are affections vsurping ouer reason which by right of creation is to hold a soueraignty ouer them â—sperius nihil est Like fire and water such are the base such the soules affections good seruants but vâ—sufferable masters How excellent an affection is feare but if it exceed that which in it mediocrity is the centinell of the soule proueth an impious distrust and euill cowardise How sweet an affection is hope but if it goe beyond a reasonable ground it declineth to a foolish and dangerous presumption How vsefull an affection is sorrow it maketh men sensible of their own miseries else they would seeke no helpe and of others calamities else they would not pitty but if it exceed it killeth the heart dryeth the bones and is very dangerous as hath beene shewed before How pleasing an affection is mirth the refresher of drooping hearts the antidote against heart-eating dedolencie and pensiuenes the cheerer of the sioke thoughts the delight of the soule the mindes serenity the spirits soueraigne restoratiue yet there is a Serpent in this Eden extreme mirth is but a pleasant madnesse a propertie disconâ—ring much weaknesse and leui y of minde on the other part a meane and wel-gouerned disquiet of mind hath much good in it whilst it is contained in a due proportion of zeale or godly sorrow but if it proue ouergrowne and monstrous though it bee conceiued of the most lustistable occasions and causes it must suffer allayes and qualification What more inst occasion of impaticâ—ice then that of which the Plaâ—mist heere speaketh What more holy cause then his zeale to the honour and seruâ—ce of God Wherein hee feared some eclypse by alteration or mâ—ouarion yet hee correâ—â—eth his minde Why art thou 〈◊〉 within thee What more rust cause of the mindes disquietnesse then sinne yet if that bee extreme as you heard of sorrow it proueth dangerous Because then excesse in the effect is a signe of excesse or some dangerous concomitancie and vnion of causes as disquietnesse for sin importeth that our sorrow is too great or accompanied with a seruile feare and distrust which
ioyntly cause it therefore is euen that disquiet which may seeme deriued from good occasions and causes euill if excessiue When once this Land beeing annoyed with Wolues there was a Law made for the destroying of them that euery conuicted and condemned Fellon should bee acquitted if according to sufficient baylâ— giuen hee could by a prefixed day bring in the heads of so many Wolues the execution heereof in short time caused that the Forrests and Woods had more Thieues then Wolues a more dangerous beast increasing vpon the Common-wealth in the destruction of the former So it often commeth to passe that while sorrow and disquiet of minde for sinnes doe at it were hunt other sinnes to death these Nymrods proue the greatest Tyrants the most fearefull sins of the soule extreme impatience hath no reason to iustifie it Lastly if there follow not a due end and profitable effects of our affliction and disquietnes iâ— lis euill the duo end and vse of afflictions are if wee are by them instructed to giue God honour in our patient bearing in our hope and experience of his graces sustaining vs if we doc enter into a more deepe and earnest consideration of our sinnes whereby wee are necessitated to humble our selues before him in true and heartie sorrow because wee haue displeased him call vpon him more zealously to reforme our Impatience and amend our liues whose prauitie secretly deriueth this fretting humour into our hearts the mercy of God so disposing that we might not perish by resting contented in sinne and as it were settling and feeding on our lees for want racking Dauid expresseth his disquietnesse by reason of his sinnes Thine arrowes sticke fast in me and thine hand presseth me sore there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as an heauie burden they are too heauie for mee I am troubled I am bowed downe greatly I goe mourning all the day long I will declare mine iniguity and will be sorry for my sinne And presently after Forsake me not ô Lord ô my God be not far from me c. It is an happy disquiet an happy impatience which hath such issue I may say of it as the woman of the most blessed Blessed is the wombe that bare thee Happy soule happy impatience which bringeth forth fruit full prayers happy man who cannot be quiet with sinne in his conscience happy is that best vnrest which will not suffer a man to perish by sleeping in sinne It was a great impatience in Iob when hee cursed the day of his birth when hee said the arrowes of the Almightie were in him when he desired that GOD would destroy him when hee durst expostulate with God and say that hee had set him as a marke so that he was a burden to himselfe yet you see he came to sweet resolutions 1. of confession I haue sinned what shall I doe vnto thee â thou preseruer of men 2. of confidence Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Againe I know that my Redeemer liueth 3. of humilitie I haue spoken that I vnderstood not I haue heard of thee by the eare but now mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhorre my selfe and repeat in dust and ashes Mosâ—s was so disquieted that hee said to the Lord Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy serâ—â—ns and wherefore haue I not found fauour in thy sight that thou laydest the burden of all this people upon meâ— Whâ—nce should I have flesh to giâ—â—â—unto all this people for they weepe vnto me saying Giue vs flesh that wee may eate I am not able to beaâ—â— all this people alone because it is too heauy for meet And if thou deâ—le thus with mee kill me I pray thee â—â—t of hand if I haue found faâ—â—ur in thy sight and let me not see my wretchednesse Thus they prâ—â—oked his Spirit so that he spake vnadâ—isedly with his lips And so great was this impatience that for it God suffored him not to goe into the Land of Canaan It is true but giuâ— mee that adâ—â—sâ—◠〈…〉 man who could with patience haue borne the heart-breaking cryes of one or a few famished infants for bread How much more grieuous was it for one Moses to consider so many thousand bellies vnacquainted with any rheâ—oricke so many important moâ—thes calling vpon him for meate yet hee failed not to cry vnto the Lord for helpe and though with much testimony of humane frailtie shewing what we are of our selues yet he prayed â—â—remie recordeth his â—wne infirmitie when iâ— bitternesse of spirit hee said Why is my paine perpetuall and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed wilt thou be altogether vnto me as a liar and as waters that fatle And again O Lord thou hast deceiued me and I was deceiued I am in derision daily euery one mocketh me TheÌ„ I said I wil not make mention of him nor speake any more in his Name Albeit his impatience was more for that the Word of God became a reproch to the wicked then for that they afflicted him in his person yet he she weth how infirme he was and yet in the same place a blessed issue he resolueth better he was wearie of forbearing But if on the contrary we grow worse and worse the more wee are afflicted then our impatience is euill If wee say in the ruiâ—es of our families The brickes are fallen downe but wee will build with hewen stones the Sycomores are cut downe but wee will change them into Cedars If wee grow insolent and turne not vnto him that smiteth vs neither with all our disquietnesse seeke the Lord of hostes if when he consumeth vs wee receiue not correction if the more wee are smitten we fall away the more if wee thinke of our sinnes as that Orator of the burning of the Capitol at Rome that that fire was by the especiall prouidence of God not to abolish that terestriall Mansion of Iupiter but to require another more stately and magnificent as if by how much greater Gods iudgements were by so much men ought to sinne more diligently if our impatience hatch any monsters in the mind and resolutions if it send out words tending to Gods dishonour expressing vnbeliefe malicious apostacie the least hereof is carefully to be auoided as a great failing in our duties who ought patiently to receiue correction as sonnes to whom God â—ffereth himselfe as a most gracious Father the greatest as dangerous presumptions prognostickes of a reprobate minde Iob's wife fell vpon his hazard Doest thou still reteine thine integritie Curse God and die Such are often times the words and actions of the afflicted wicked that as Iehâ—rams messengers they expresse the apostacie of their master Behold this euill is of the Lord what should I waite for the Lord any longer Such was Sauls resolution