cooping up of these outward parts that can make thee a Prisoner Thou art not worthy of the name of a man if thou thinkest this body to bee thy selfe and that is onely it which humane power can reach unto Besides art thou a Christian then thou hast learned to submit thy will to Gods Gods will is declared in his actions for sure what hee doth that hee wills to doe If his will bee then to have thee restrained why should it not bee thine and if it be thy will to keepe in what dost thou complaine of restraint § 2. The sad objâ—cts of a free beholder Thou art restrained Is it such a matter that thou art not suffered to rome abroad How ill hast thou spent thy time if thou hast not laid up matter both of employment and contentment in thine owne bosome And what such goodly pleasure were it for thee to looke over the world and to behold those objects which thine eye shall there meet withall here men fighting there women and children wayling here plunders there riots here fields of blood there Townes and Cities flaming here some scuffling for Patrimonies there others wrangling for Religion here some famishing for want there others abusing their fulnesse here schismes and heresies there rapines and sacriledges What comfortable spectacles these are to attract or please our eyes thy closenesse frees thee from these sights the very thought whereof is enough to make a man miserable and in stead of them presents thee onely with the face of thy Keeper which custome and necessity hath acquitted from thy first horrour §. 3. Comfort from the invisible company that cannot bee kept from us Thou art shut up close within four walls and all company is secluded from thee Content thy self my son God and his holy Angels cannot bee kept out thou hast better company in thy solitude then thy liberty afforded thee the jollity of thy freedom robb'd thee of the conversation of these spiritual companions which onely can render thee happy they which before were strangers to thee are now thy guests yea thy inmates if the fault bee not thine to dwell with thee in that forced retirednesse What if the light be shut out from thee this cannot hinder thee from seeing the invisible The darknesse hideth not from thee saith the Psalmist but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both alike to thee Yea I doubt not to say God hath never beene so clearly seene as in the darkest Dungeons for the outward light of prosperity distracts our visive beames which are strongly contracted in a deep obscurity Hee must descend low and bee compassed with darknesse that would see the glorious lights of heaven by day They ever shine but are not seen save in the night May thine eyes bee blessed with this invisible sight thou shalt not envie those that glitter in Courte and that look daily upon the faces of Kings and Princes yea though they could see all that the Tempter represented to the view of our Saviour upon the highest Mountaine all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them § 4. Comfort from the inward disposition of the Prisoner Thou art forced to keepe close but with what disposition both of minde and body If thou hadst an unquiet and burdened Soule it were not the open and free aire that could refresh thee and if thou have a cleare and light heart it is not a strict closenesse that can dismay thee thy thoughts can keepe thee company and cheare up thy solitarinesse If thou hadst an unsound and painefull body as if thou wert laid up of the gout or some rupture or luxation of some limb thou wouldst not complain to keep in thy pain would make thee insensible of the trouble of thy confinement but if God have favoured thee with health of body how easily mayst thou digest an harmless limitation of thy person A wise man as Laurentius the Presbyter observed well doth much while he rests his motions are not so beneficial as his sitting still So mayst thou bestow the hours of thy close retiredness that thou mayst have cause to bless God for so happie an opportunity How memorable an instance hath our age yeelded us of an eminent Person to whose encagement we are beholden besides many Philosophical experiments for that noble history of the World which is now in our hands The Court had his youthful and freer times the Tower his later age the Tower reformed the Court in him and produced those worthy monuments of art and industry which we should have in vain expected from his freedom and jollity It is observed that shining wood when it is kept within doors loseth its light It is otherwise with this and many other active wits which had never shined so much if not for their closeness § 5. Comfort from the willâ—ng aboue of â—â—â—rednes in some persons Thou art close shut up I have seen Anachorites that have sued for this as a favour which thou esteemest a punishment and having obtained it have placed merit in that wherein thou apprehendest misery Yea our History tells us of one who when the Church whereto his cell was annexed was on fire would not come out to live but would die and lye buried under the ashes of that roofe where his vow had fixed him Suppose thou dost that out of the resolution of thine owne will which thou dost out of anothers necessitating and thou shalt sit downe contented with thy Lot § 6. Comfort from the causes of imprisonment Thou art imprisoned Wise men are wont in all actions and events to enquire still into the causes Wherefore dost thou suffer Is it for thy fault Make thou thy Gaole Gods correction house for reforming of thy misdeeds Remember and imitate Manasses the evill sonne of a good Father who upon true humiliation by his just imprisonment found an happy expiation of his horrible Idolatries Murders Witchcrafts whose bonds brought him home to God and himselfe Is it for Debt Thinke not to pay those who have intrusted thee with a lingring durance if there bee power in thine hand for a discharge there is fraud and injustice in this closenesse Feare thou a worse prison if thou wilt needs wilfully live and die in a just indebtment when thou maist bee at once free and honest Stretch thine ability to the utmost to satisfie others with thine own impoverishing But if the hand of God have humbled and disabled thee labour what thou canst to make thy peace with thy Creditors If they will needs be cruel look up with patience to the hand of that God who thinks fit to afflict thee with their unreasonableness and make the same good use of thy sufferings which thou wouldst do from the immediate hand of thy Creator If it be for a good cause rejoyce in this tribulation and be holily proud and glad with the blessed Apostles that thou art counted worthy to suffer shame and bonds for the Name
THE BALM OF GILEAD Or COMFORTS For the DISTRESSED Both Morall and Divine Most fit for these woful Times By Jos. HALL D. D. and B. N. London Printed by Thomas Newcomb and are to be sold by John Holden at the blue-Anchor in the New-Exchange 1650. To all the distressed Members of Jesus Christ wheresoever whose souls are wounded with the present sense of their sinnes or of their afflictions or with â—he fears OF Death Judgment The Author humbly recommends this Soveraign BALM which God hath been pleased to put into his hands for their benefit earnestly exhorting them to apply it carefully to their severall sores together with their faithfull prayers to God for a blessing upon the use thereof Not doubting but through Gods mercy they shal find thereby a sensible ease and comfort to their soules which shall be helpt on by the fervent devotions of the unworthiest servant of God and his Church J. H. B. N. The CONTENTS Comforts for the sick Bed 1 The Preface Sect. 1. AGgravation of the misery of sicknesse 2 Sect. 2. 1 Comfort from the freedom of the soul. 4 Sect. 3. 2 Comfort from the Author of sickness and the benefit of it 7 Sect. 4. 3 Comfort from the vicissitudes of health 12 Sect. 5. 4 Sickness better then sinfull health 14 Sect. 6. 5 Comfort from the greater sufferings of holyer men and the resolutions of Heathens 17 Sect. 7. 6 Our sufferings farr below our deservings 24 Sect. 8. 7 Comfort from the benefit of the exercise of our patience 27 Sect. 9. 8 The necessity of our expectation of sickness 29 Sect. 10. 9 Comfort from Gods most tender regard to us in sickness 31 Sect. 11. 10 Comfort from the comfortable end of our suffering 34 Sect. 12. 11 Comfort from the favor of a peaceable passage out of the world 36 Comforts for the sick soul 39 Sect. 1. The happiness of a deep sorrow for sinn 39 Sect. 2. Comfort from the wel-grounded declaration of pardon 41 Sect. 3. Aggravation of the grievous condition of the patient and the remedies from mercy applyed 43 Sect. 4. Complaint of unrepentance and unbelief satisfied 47 Sect. 5. Complaint of a misgrounded sorrow satisfied 49 Sect. 6. Complaint of the insufficient measure of sorrow for sin answered 52 Sect. 7. Complaint of the want of faith satisfied 57 Sect. 8. Complaint of the weaknesse of faith satisfied 63 Sect. 9. Complaint of inconstancy and desertions answered 66 Sect. 10. Complaint of unregeneration and deadnesse in sinn satisfied 72 Sect. 11. Complaint of the insensibleness of the time and meanes of conversion answered 87 Sect. 12. Complaint of irresolution and uncertainty in matter of our election answered 87 Comforts against Tentations 101 Sect. 1. Christ himself assaulted Our tryall is for our good 101 Sect. 2. The powerfull assistance of Gods Spirit and the example of S. Paul 106 Sect. 3. The restraint of our spirituall enemies and the infinite power of God over-matching them 109 Sect. 4. The advantage made to us by our Temptations and foyles 113 Sect. 5. Complaint of relapses into sinn with the remedy of it 118 Comforts against weakness of Grace 125 Sect. 1. Comfort from the common condition of all Saints 125 Sect. 2. Comfort from the improvement of weak graces and the free distribution of the Almighty 128 Sect. 3. Comfort from Gods acceptation of the truth of grace not the quantity 131 Sect. 4. Comfort from the variety of Gods gifts and the ages and statures of Grace 132 Sect. 5. Comfort from the safety of our condition even in leasurely progresses in Grace 134 Sect. 6. Comfort from our good desires and endevors 136 Sect. 7. Comfort from the happiness of an humble poverty in spirit 137 Sect. 8. An incitement to so much the more caution and faster adherence to God 139 Comforts against Infamy and Disgrace 142 Sect. 1. Comfort from the like suffering of the holyest men yea of Christ himself 142 Sect. 2. Comfort of our recourse to God 145 Sect. 3. Comfort from the clearnesse of our conscience 147 Sect. 4. From the improvement of our reason 148 Sect. 5. From the cause of our suffering 149 Sect. 6. From our envyed vertue 150 Sect. 7. From others sleighting of just reproaches 153 Sect. 8. From the narrow bounds of infamy 154 Sect. 9. From the short life of slander 155 Comforts against publick calamities 157 Sect. 1. Comfort from the inevitable necessity of changes 157 Sect. 2. From the sense and sympathie of common evils 159 Sect. 3. From the sure protection of the Almighty 161 Sect. 4. From the justice of Gods proceedings 165 Sect. 5. The remedy our particular repentance 167 Sect. 6. The unspeakable miseries of a Civil War 168 Sect. 7. The wofull miseries of Pestilence allaid by consideration of the hand that inflicts it 173 Comforts against the loss of Friends 180 Sect. 1. The true value of a friend and the fault of over-prizing him 180 Sect. 2. The true ground of an undefeisible enjoying our friends 183 Sect. 3. The rarity and tryall of true friends 185 Sect. 4. It is but a parting not a losse 187 Sect. 5. The losse of a vertuous wife mitigated 189 Sect. 6. The mitigation of the losse of a dear and hopefull Sonn 190 Comforts against poverty and losse of our estate 193 Sect. 1. Comfort from the fickle nature of these earthly goods 193 Sect. 2. They are not ours but lent us 196 Sect. 3. The estimation of our riches is in the minde 198 Sect. 4. It may be good for us to be held short 200 Sect. 5. The danger of abundance 201 Sect. 6. The cares that attend wealth 202 Sect. 7. The imperiousnesse of ill used wealth 203 Sect. 8. Consideration of the causes and meanes of impoverishing us 204 Sect. 9. Examples of those who have affected poverty 207 Comforts against Imprisonment 209 Sect. 1. Comfort from the nature and power of true liberty 209 Sect. 2. The sad objects of a free beholders eye 211 Sect. 3. Comfort from the invisible company that cannot be kept from us 213 Sect. 4. Comfort from the inward disposition of the Prisoner 215 Sect. 5. The willing choice of retiredness in some persons 217 Sect. 6. Comfort from the causes of Imprisonment 218 Sect. 7. Comfort from the good effects of retiredness 222 Sect. 8. The souls imprisonment in the body ibid. Comforts against banishment 224 Sect. 1. Comfort from the universality of a wise mans Country 224 Sect. 2. From the benefit of self-conversation 227 Sect. 3. From the examples of those holy ones that have abandoned society 228 Sect. 4. From the advantage that hath been made of removing 231 Sect. 5. From the right we have in any Countrey and in God 233 Sect. 6. From the practise of voluntary Travail 234 Sect. 7. All are Pilgrims 235 Comforts against the loss of our senses of seeing and hearing 236 Sect. 1. Comfort from the two inward lights of reasan and faith 236 Sect. 2. The supply of
as it ought to direct his language to others so also to teach him how to make use of others language to him and where he findes it wrongfull either to convince it by a just apology or to contemn it If therefore thou understandest thy self to lye under an unjust obloquie have so much of the man in thee as either to confute or despise it § 5. Comfort from the cause of our suffering Thou art shamefully traduced I could pity thy suffering but withall give mee leave to enquire not so much what thou sufferest as for what If for a good cause I shall turn my pity into envie Truth it self hath told thee thou art in the way to blessedness Who can pity thee for that wherein thou hast cause to rejoyce Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Yea rather pluck up thy spirits and take up the resolution of holy Job If mine adversary had written a book against me surely I would take it upon my shoulders and binde it as a crown to me And say with that gracious King of Israel I will be yet more vile for the Lord. § 6. Comforts from our envâ—ed vertue Thou art reproached by lewd men Thank thine own vertue that thou art envied wert thou so bad as thy detractors thou shouldst sit quiet enough If yee were of the world saith our Saviour the world would love his owne but because yee are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Whiles the Moon sits no dogs bark at her it is her shining that opens their mouth Wert thou either obscure or wicked thou mightst be safe but if thou wilt needs bee eminently good look for the lashes of ill tongues They think it strange that yee run not with them into the same excesse of riot speaking evill of you saith the prime Apostle It was not without reason that the great Musitian in the story struck his scholar because he saw the multitude applaud his skill as well knowing that had he been true to his art those mis-judging eares could not have approved him What more excellent instruments had God ever in his Church then the blessed Apostles and what acceptation found they on the earth Being defamed we intreat wee are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day Wee are made a Spectacle to the World to Angels and to men Complain if thou canst of a worse condition then these great Ambassadors of the high God otherwise resolve with the chosen vessell to passe cheerfully through honour and dishonour through evill report and good report towards the goale of immortality § 7. Comfort from others sâ—eighting of reproaches Thou art disgraced through sclanderons reports It is not meer air that we live by How many hast thou known that have blown over a just infamy with a carelesse neglect pleasing themselves to think that they have thriven even under curses and shall their guiltinesse be entertained with more courage then thine innocence Let those whose heart is as foule as their name be troubled with deserved censures doe not thou give so much way to malice as to yeeld any regard to her misraised suggestions thou canst not devise how more to vexe a detractor then by contempt thus thou shalt force spight as that wise heathen truly said to drink off the greatest part of her own poyson §. 8. Comfort from the narrow bounds of infamy Thou art disgraced with an ill fame What a poore matter is this How farre dost thou think that sound reacheth perhaps to the next village perhaps further to the whole Shire wherein thou dwellest it is like the next County never heard of thy name and if thou look yet further off assoon moist thou be talkt of amongst the Antipodes as in the neighbouring region and what a small spot of earth is this to which thy shame is confined Didst thou know the vast extent of this great world thou wouldst easily see into how narrow a corner our either glory or dishonour can be pent up and shouldst confesse how little reason we can have to affect the one or be disheartned with the other §. 9. Comfort from the short life of slander Thou art wronged with an unjust disgrace Have patience a while sclanders are not long liv'd Truth is the child of time ere long she shall appeare and vindicate thee Wait upon the God of truth who shall cause thy light to break forth as the morning and thine health to spring forth speedily But if otherwise what speakest thou of his name which as it is locall so it is momentany sooâ— passed over in silence and oblivion There is a shame my son which is worthy of thy fear which is both Universall before the face of all the world of Angels and men and beyond the reach of time eternall fear this and contemn the other On the contrary if fame should befriend thee so much as to strain her cheeks in sounding thy praises and should cry thee up for vertuous and eminent every way Alas how few shall hear her and how soon is that noyse stilled and forgotten Shortly then let it be thy main care to dâ— mean thy selfe holily and conscionably before God and men leave the rest upon God who shall be sure to make his word good in spight of men and devils The memory of the just shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Comforts against publique Calamities §. 1. Comfort from the inevitable necessity of changes and Gods over-ruling them THOU art afflicted with the publique calamities so it becomes thee as a good man a good Christian a good Patriot Wee are not entire peeces but are all limbs of a community both of Church and Kingdome whiles the whole body suffers how can we be free This should be no news to us what earthly Kingdome or Sate hath ever enjoyed a constant felicity These publique bodies like as single persons have their birth their infancy their youth their vigour their declinations Even the white marble of that famous Embleme and type of Gods Church after not many centuries of yeares felt the dint of time and mouldred to nothing It is as much as those heavenly bodies above can doe to avoid change well might we be distracted with these troubles my son if we did not well know whence they come even from a most wise holy powerfull just providence Hee that sits in heaven orders these earthly affaires according to the eternall counsell of his will It is that Almighty hand that holds the stern of this tossed vessel and steers it in that course which he knows best it is not for us that are passengers to meddle with the â—ard or Compass Let that all-skilful Pilot alone
upon hard and unâ—â—uth voyages Perhaps it is so with thee wherein I cannot but much pity thy mistaking in placing thy contentment there where a greater and wiser man could finde nothing but vanity and vexation Alas what can be our exile if this be our home What woful entertainment is this to be enamoured on What canst thou meet with here but distempered humours hard usages violent passions bodily sicknesses sad complaints hopes disappointed frequent miscarriages wicked plots cruel menaces deadly executions momentany pleasures sauced with lasting sorrows lastly shadows of joy and real miseries Are these the things that so bewitch thee that when death calls at thy door thou art ready to say to it as the Devil said to our Saviour Art thou come to torment me before the time Are these those winning contentments that cause thee to say of the world as Peter said of Mount Tabor Master It is good for us to be here If thou have any faith in thee and what dost thou profess to be a Christian without it look up to the things of that other world whither thou art going and see whether that true life pure joy perfect felicity and thâ— eternity of all these may not be worthy to draw up thy heart to a loâ—ging desire of the fruition of them and a contemptuous disvaluation of all that earth can promise in comparison of this infinite blessedness It was one of the defects which our late Noble and learned Philosopher the Lord Virulam found in our Physitians that they do not studie those remedies that might procure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the easie passage of their Patients since they must needs die thorow the gates of death Such helps I must leave to the care of the skilful Sages of Nature the use whereof I suppose must be with much caution lest whiles they endeavour to sweeten death they shorten life But 〈◊〉 me prescribe and commend to thee my son this true spiritual means of thine happie Euthanasia which can be no other then this faithful disposition of the labouring soul that can truely say I know whom I have believed I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kâ—pt the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day § 13. Examples of courageous resolutions in others Thou startest back at the mention of death How canst thou but blush to read of that Heathen Martyr Socrates who when the message as death was brought to him could applaud the news of most joyful Or of a Cardinal of Rome who yet expected a tormenting Purgatory that received the intimation of his approaching death with Buâ—na nuova buona nuova O che buona nuova è questa Is not their confidence thy shame who believing that when our earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens yet shrinkest at the motion of taking the possession of it Canst thou with dying Mithridates when he took his unwilling farewel of the world cry out oh light when thou art going to a light more glorious then this thou leavest then the Sun is more weak then a Rush-Candle It is our infidelity my son it is our meer inâ— idelity that makes us unwilling to die Did we think according to the cursed opinion of some fanatick persons that the soul sleeps as well as the body from the moment of the dissolution till the day of Resurrection Or did we doubt lest we should wander to unknown places where we cannot be certain of the entertainment or did we fear a scorching trial upon the emigration in flames little inferiour for the time to those of hell there were some cause for us to tremble at the approach of death But now that we can boldly say with the Wise man ` The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shall no torment touch them In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to be utter destruction but they are in peace Oh thou of little faith why fearest thou Why dost thou not chide thy self as that dying Saint did of old Go forth my soul go boldly forth what art thou afraid of Lo the Angels of God are ready to receive thee and to carry thee up to thy glory neither shalt thou sooner have left this wretched body then thou shalt be possessed of thy God after a momentany darkness cast upon nature thou shalt enjoy the beatifical vision of the glorious God Be not afraid to be happie but say out of faith that which Jonah said in anger It is better for me to die then to live § 14. The happy advantages of death I am afraid to die This is the voice of Nature but wilt thou hear what Grace saith To me to live is Christ and to die is gain If therefore meer Nature raign in thee thou canst not but be affrighted with death But if true grace be prevalent in thy soul that guest shall not be unwelcome Was ever any man afraid of profit and advantage Such is death to the faithful Whosoever he be that findes Christ to be his life shall be sure to finde Death his gain for that he is thereby brought to a more full and neer communion with Christ whereas before he enjoyed his Saviour onely by the dim apprehension of his Faith now he doth clearly and immediately enjoy that glorious presence which onely makes blessedness This is it which causeth death to change his Copie and renders him who is of himselfe formidable pleasing and beneficiall I desire to depart and to be with Christ saith the man who was rapt up to the third heaven Had it been onely departing surely he had had no such great edge to it but to depart and be with Christ is that which ravisheth his soule When the Heathen Socrates was to die for his Religion he comforted himselfe with this That hee should goe to the place where he should see Orphaeus Homer Musaeus and the other Worthies of the former ages Poor man could he have come to have knowne God manifested in the flesh and received up into glory and therein that glorified flesh sitting at the right hand of Majesty could he have attained to know the blessed order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Angels Archangels Principalities and Powers and the rest of the most glorious Hierarchy of heaven could he have been acquainted with that celestiall Chore of the Spirits of just men made perfect could he have reached to know the God and Father of Spirits the infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious Deity whose presence transfuses everlasting blessednesse into all those Citizens of glory and could he have known that he should have an undoubted Interest instantly upon his dissolution in that