to sorrow Oh! Quis fando abstinet à lachrymis In these divisions of Reuben here are deep impressions of heart The seamelesse Coat of Christ is sadly rent Those polished and living stones of Zion lie scattered in the dust It is even the time of Jacobs trouble This is Zion whom no man seeketh after Her waies begin to mourne and her Gates to waxe desolate Her precious Sons comparable to fine Gold how are they esteemed as earthen Pitchers Mine eye affecteth mine heart Wo is me my mother that thou hast borne me Oh that mine head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weep day and night My bowels my bowels I am pained at my very heart my heart maketh a noise in me I cannot hold my peace For these things I weepe and mine eye mine eye runneth downe with water Secondly if ye would moderate present sorrow meditate some moderating considerations This is a very effectuall meanes and much to this purpose may be couched under these three following particulars viz. First meditate and consider Gods Soveraignty There is nothing we have but God hath both the chiese interest in it and sole dispose of it 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou didst not receive Surely neither wife child nor any thing else from a morsell of bread to a drop of water Nay from a thread to a shooe-latcher God may say of any of us here before him most justly as once Benhadad said most unjustly Thy Silver and thy Gold is mine 1 King 20. thy wives also and thy children even the goodliest are mine And every one of us must needs answer as â—â—d the King of Israel My Lord according to thy saying I am thine and all that I have Or in those words of Laban Gen. 31.43 These daughters are my daughters and these children are my children and all that thou seest is mine All we have is Gods You that this day mourne for your only Son and are in bitterness for your first-borne consider upon what termes God gave this child Even upon the same that Pharaoh's daughter delivered Moses to his own mother saying Take this child away Exod. 2.9 and nurse it for me Marke what God saith Nurse it for me Suppose any of you should put forth your child to nurse and at the expiration of the time should send for the child If then the Nurse should deny you your Child or grumble to part with it would it not highly displease you What an unworthy and irrationall woman is this would ye say that hath the face to detaine from me my own naturall child Parents in this case you are only your childrens nurses and you do but nurse them for God they are his children O grudge not God his own grumble not repine not when God sends death to your houses to fetch home any Son or Daughter of his from nurse And doth not this soveraignty and supremacy in God render him also the sole disposer of all we have Omnia ex nutu arbitrioque dei aguntur Yes surely either to give or take away either to kill or keepe alive O man who art thou that repliest against God Rom. 9.21 hath not the Potter power over the clay This did silence Job in all his losses Job 1.21 he was dumbe before the shearer when he was shorne to his naked skin stripped of all and why The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Thus Aaron when his Sons were so sadly slaine by fire from the Lord Aaron hold his peace Lev. 10.3 there was silence in his Spirit Thus Eli when the ruine of his house was reported It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 Let him do what seemeth him good And afflicted David upon this consideration is as mute as a Fish I was dumbe saith he I opened not my mouth Psa 39.9 because thou didst it It was Gods Act and therefore he had not a word to say Thus Hezekiah What shall I say for God himselfe hath done it Isa 38.15 And the Church I will beare the indignation of the Lord. Mic. 7.9 O Parents it is God that takes away your Children therefore take heed of heart-tumuâ—ts or implicite murmurings God hath all the keyes hanging at his own girdle both the key of the wombe and of the tombe and he will let in and out as he pleaseth and who may say unto him what dost thou Job 9.12 Methinks by this time we should not make such Idols of our selves or ours as for their deaths to grow discontented at the Lords appointment But that Argument should ever sway with us Fiat domini voluntas The will of the Lord be done Act. 21.14 Againe Confider in the second place childrens frailty Look unto the Rock whence they were hewn and to the hole of the pit whence they are digged and we shall find them to be neither Rocks nor Adamants neither Pearles nor Diamonds but the off-spring of sinfull and weake Parents Adam begat a Son in his own likenesse Gen. 5.3 after his Image God by creation made man in his Image but man by procreation begets one in his own Image not only like himselfe in condition as a man but in corruption as a degenerate man Genere non vitio Adae Chrisius Tert. In this the man Christ Jesus is only free and singular Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane not one Job 14.4 And who can bring a strong thing out of a weake not one That which is borne of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 The effect must needs answer to the cause and the Product to the Principle So that although Infants should neither live to imitate nor approve the actions of their Parents yet their death is deserved For though they be truly called Innocents in respect of actuall sin yet they are so in respect of Original From the very wombe they carry a depraved nature which prepares them to act evill We our selves hate creatures that are hurtfull though they never did hurt because of their pernicious natures The Scorpion hath his sting within him though he do not alway strike and the Serpent his venemous poyson though he do not yet hisse it out and disperse it For their final estate we meddle not but leave secret judgements to God If then our Children be weake and fraile dying and withering fin is the cause Sin is the sally-port that lets death into the world Rom. 5.12 Impatientia est quodammodo in Infantibus in cunabula tunc quanta mox incrementa Tert. Sin entred into the world and death by sin Look at your childrens birth and ye need not admire their death Birth-sin merits death-suffering Children have in them at first a bad stock and should they live there would be as bad an improvement This worme is bred in the Plant and this decay at the core of the most beautifull Apple Adam and Christ are as two
none of the best even for the sakes of their godly Parents although long before deceased Read these places Gen. 26.24 1 Kings 11.12 32.34 1 King 15.4 2 King 8.19 2 King 19.34 Isa 37.35 Cap. 45.4 c. Not that I in the least impute these allaies of judgement and mixtures of mercy to the merit or worth of their Predecessors but to the promises of God made unto them who also endued them with care and good conscience to keep the condition annexed thereunto This is plaine out of Psal 89.20 forward And the Saints in their wrestlings with God have pleaded it as a strong Argument Thus Moses Exod. 32.18 and 2 Kings 13.23 So that in some cases the Child that is unborne may blesse God that he had a religious Father or Grandfather And if so ye may eftsoone guesse what is like to follow upon the contrary Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul saith David 2 Sam. 9.1 remembring his promise that I may shew him kindnesse for Jonathan's sake And afterwards thus saith he to Mephihosheth Feare not Ver. 7. for I will surely shew thee kindnesse for Jonanathan thy Fathers sake Even thus Children may receive much kindnesse from the King of heaven for their godly Parents sakes Surely a man may be either blessed or cursed not only personally but also in his posterity The blessings of Children are the blessings of Parents and Childrens punishments may be Parents punishments Psal 109. The Psalmist shews sufficiently in those his imprecations that wicked men are plagued in their Children Thus Cham was cursed in his Son Canaan marke the Text not cursed be Cham but cursed be Canaan Gen. 9.25 And contrariwise bounty and kindnesse to Solomon is called bounty and kindnesse to David his Father 1 Kin. 3.6 And Joseph was blessed from his Father in his two Sons Manasseth and Ephraim So saith the Text He blessed Joseph how did he blesse him Gen. 48.15 16. The Angell which redeemed me from all evill blesse the Lads Object But Scripture tels us Ezek. 18.20 Gal. 6.5 The Son shall not beare the iniquity of the Father But every man shall beare his own burden I answer Sol. Here is no contradiction for 1. The Proposition is most true if it be taken away by regeneration 2. The Son shall not beare it in reference to eternall punishment Ver. 4. The soule that sinneth it shall dye God will never send a Child to hell for the Parents sin 3. Neither as I conceive shall the iniquity of the Father devolve upon the Child except he imitate his Fathers iniquity But ye must know 1. Children are Parents goods as is plaine in the case of Job which may justly suffer loss for the owners sake 2. Children are as it were a part of Parents so that when they are punished Parents are punished and this is a more cutting Corrasive and torment to Parents 3. Parents sin is ost a cause of Childrens fin For God in his just judgement may curse a wicked mans Posterity by leaving them to themselves Mat. 23.32 that so they may fill up the measure of their Fathers And when the Child hath not only sins which belong to his owne individuall person but also revives his Fathers by approbation and imitation then the sin is made his own As a man catching the plague dyeth of his own disease wherever he had the infection So that we Object may conclude Children are very proclive to tread in Parents steps And when they appeare to be their Children not only naturally but morally In such case it is usuall for the jealous God To visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him Now Fathers and Mothers be not as Zipporah once said bloody Parents For your Childrens sake looke to your selves That none of yours when you are dead and in your graves may have cause to curse your dead ashes say Woe alas that ever I was born the wretched Child of so unworthy a Parent See to your God Disobedience to the most High will render you very unnaturall and unmercifull to your Children Sinning Parents do what they can to make their Children miserable It was Sampsons Plea unto his Charge for firing the Philistines Corne Judg. 15.11 As they did unto me so have I done unto them Beloved take heed how ye deale with God Psal 18.26 With the froward he will shew himselfe froward Lev. 26. If ye walk contrary unto him then will he also walk contrary unto you If ye provoke him whom you ought to love most he will bereave you of that which ye love most If ye have one Child dearer to you than another by one meanes or other he will deprive you of it If ye love your Children love your God If ye desire to keep them keep in with God he gave and he can take away at pleasure The best way to keep our Children is to serve him who gave us our Children See to your Children That ye carefully performe those Parentall Offices towards them which God in Scripture calls for at your hands We shall particularize some of the prime viz. First then Let Patents have a care they do not provoke their children This the Apostle prohibits most plainly Eph. 6 4. And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath And againe Col. 3.21 Fathers provoke not your children to anger Some Copies adde above what is fitting So that Parentall power hath its limits Docter Davenant observes Davenant an Colos that Parents may abuse their authority and provoke their children severall waies 1. By denying them necessaries which by the Law of God and nature they ought to afford them according to their power As food raiment c. A sin so foule as the Apostle blusheth not one bit to say 1 Tim. 5.8 Such a one hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidell 2. By burdening their Children with wicked and unjust commands Such was that of Saul 1 Sam. 20.31 when he commanded his Son Jonathan to fetch his innocent friend David that he might be slaine 3. Parents may irritate and provoke their Children when they do passionately and undeservedly affect them with contumeâ—ious and disgracefull language And thus Jonathan in his Fathers rage is called Ver. 30. Son of the perverse rebellious woman Reproachfull Language leaves a sting behind it very difficult to be endured 4. And lastly by immoderate chastisement Which is when the grievousnesse of the punishment exceeds the greatness of the crime Thus the same Saul casts a Javelin at his own Son for defending innocent David whereupon the Text saith Ver. 33. Jonathan arose from thetable in fierce anger And it is too ordinary for fathers of the flesh to chasten their children according to their own pleasure The reason which the Apostle annexeth to this prohibition is Lest they
places unto all generations and so call your houses after your own names Rom. 12. The Gospel cals upon us to present our selves as Sacrifices unto God and therefore much more our Children which are but pieces of ourselves Hannah returnes her Son Samuel whose name declares him the answer of her prayer 1 Sam. 1. and a free boon from God as freely as he was given unto her And he is preserved the Lords faithfull Prophet and called to be a mighty Judge over Israel when Eli and his Posterity are cut off In nature transplanted trees become most fruitfull and Children are plants which flourish best in Gods garden David was a man much acquainted with the mind of God and he found no way so safe in his dangerous flight from his unnaturall Son as selfe-resignation into the hand of God If saith he I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord 2 Sam. 15.25 26. he will bring me againe but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Let the same mind be in us and say Lord if thou wilt yet intrust me with what I have I shall blesse thee But if otherwise thou canst take no more from me than what thou hast given unto me Behold therefore here am I my wife my children my all do to me and them as seemeth good unto thee Apoc. 4.10 The Elders in the Revelation cast down their Crowns before the Throne Pro. 17.6 Solomon tels us Childrens Children are the crown of old men and we ought surely to cast down these Crowns at the feet of Christ Let us confesse we had them from him and devest our selves of them to do him honour One uttered a divine Paradox Mr Palmer A Christian is one that gaineth by losing and while he loses he saves God will have us willing to lose before he make us to game To be ready to part with our children is the way to keep our Children The third use bids us moderate affections when such occasions of sorrow fall out Use 3 I do not bid you utterly to wave affections but moderate them Saint Paul prohibits not mourning but mourning without measure Religion abolisheth not affections but moderateth them Grace destroyeth not nature but rectifieth it In mortification it is the carnality of affections are struck at not affections themselves Stoicks are little better than Stocks Such an Apathy suits neither with Religion Reason nor Nature God hath imprinted affections in man with his own finger and will have them exercised When no crosse laid upon us from God neither losse of goods nor friends nor children will affect us to sorrow this is not Patience Jer 5.3 but rather blockish senselessnes Such stupidity the Lord complaines of in his own people Thou hast smitten them O Lord but they have not sorrowed I do not therefore interdict weeping upon this occasion nay Non igitur velut penicille quodam sermonis mei vesiras abstergam lacbrymas c. Ambr. in mortem Valent. Imper I say weep This is a speciall hand of God and he hath a dry heart that weeps not His eyes and heart are far asunder that affords not some teares Only set Grace on worke as well as nature Water this young plant we have this day set in the ground but drown it not Moderate sorrow God forbids Israel that heathenish practice of making themselves bald and cutting themselves for the dead And Christ excludes those artificiall mourners which were about Jairus daughter Mat. 9.23 24. to increase sorrow Seeing that affections in that case needed rather the bridle than the Spurre And the Saints of God have set limits to their sorrow to prevent excesse Hence Joseph mournes seven daies for his deceased Father Quid perdis tempora luctu And his great-grandfather Abram mournes for Sarah yet lest he should forget his measures desires to bury her out of his sight Gen. 23.4 Indeed some Saints have been excessive in this kind Rachel for her children would not be comforted And David for Absalom ingeminates his dolefull out-cries O my Son Absalom O Absalom my Son my Son But it is noted as their infirmity and in the judgement of some of the Ancients Aug. Bern. David did not so much bewaile the death of his Sons body as the danger of his soule But affections being turbulent and head-strong I propound a double meanes of moderation viz. And first we may moderate our sorrow by diverting it That is causing our sorrow to be conversant about some other object Thus Artists staunch violent bleeding by diverting the bloud and opening a vein in some other part of the body And Saylers when they are in a wrong course turne the Ship another way This was the Napkin wherewithall our Saviour wiped the eyes of his weeping attendants Daughters of Jerusalem Luk. 23 2◠weepe not for me but weepe for your selves and for your Children Spare some teares wherewith to bewaile your ensuing calamities And so much is plainely imported in and about my Text They shall looke upon me that is Jesus Christ whom they have pierced and they shall mourne c. which indeed is the spirituall and maine meaning of this Scripture had it been to our present purpose to have prosecuted it O say of present sorrow as Joab did in another case I may not tarry thus with thee 2 Sam. 18.14 There are many other things that claime interest in my sorrow and call for their due measure of teares And doubtlesse this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7.10 c. godly sorrow is an excellent thing One observes very well That it is a good exchange to put away carnall joy for godly sorrow for then we exchange Brasse for Gold a sin for a duty Out of these brinish teares God is used to brew the wine of spirituall consolation your sorrow and consolation Joh. 16.20 Your sorrow shall be turned into joy It is good that present sorrow do not exceed sorrow for sin Say thus with thy selfe Whither can I looke that I see not cause of of mourning If I looke above me I have a Crucified Christ whom my sins have pierced to mourne over If I looke into mine own bosome there I find a sinfull soule deceitfull heart and corrupted nature yea there I view mine own ignorance atheisme hypocrisie pride covetousnesse blaspemous thoughts abominable lusts c. And if I look into the world I discover the monstrous sins of the time beastly drunkennesse hatefull pride abominable blasphemies presumptuous and daring profanenesse Magìs deploranda sunt quà m dicenda whereby God in all places is dishonoured and provoked In a word evils so horrid as are fitter to be lamented with teares than mentioned with our mouths Adde hereunto the miseries of the Church if thou hast not utterly renounced goodnesse Ecclesia in attonitu thou shalt find cause enough
together for Good to them that love God Such is the admirable power and goodnesse of God that he can bring light out of darkenesse and good out of evill yea he can so over-rule the nature of things that what of themselves would contra-operate he will cause to co-operate and make them serve for much good He can sweeten bitter waters and make waters of Marah become waters of life But lest any soule should be sick about this question 1 Tim â— 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say Why am I thus These following reasons may minister some satisfaction unto sober minds viz. Reason 1 The first Reason respects sin Sometimes God inflicts them as Castigatory stripes because of sin It is possible whilest they are in the flesh Saints may sin nay it is impossible they should not sin True He that is borne of God doth not commit sin that is 1 Joh. 3.9 as some do unpardonably or as the wicked do continually as one in his proper element he sinneth not wilfully presumptuously impenitently c. yet not so as if he could not Deut. 32.5 or did not sin Gods purest people have their spots Pro. 20.9 Possumus quod jure possumus Jam. 3.2 Solomon bids a challenge to all the world Who can say I am pure from my sin None justly In many things we offend all The greatest selfe-justifiers will prove the greatest selfe-deceivers Take it in the Apostles own words If we marke we Apostles and Saints say that we have no sin 1 Joh. 1.8 we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Euseb Eccl. hist l. 2. Clem. Hypotypos l. 7. James sirnamed for vertue the just reckons himselfe amongst offenders There is a Generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse And I guesse none to be blacker in Gods eyes than those that are whitest in their own Nitre Sope and Snow-water will not wash off their blemishes Nay further it is plaine Saints do not only sin simply but transitively even in performing duty and doing good So saith Solomon There is not a just man that doth good Eccl. 7.20 and sinneth not It was once the perverse dispute of some Pelagians Whether by the absolute power of God a just man might not live on earth without sin But what have we to do with the absolute power of God Quid in bâc vitâ uisi Aurora sumus Greg when his pleasure is otherwise we have cause here to be humbled for the imperfection of our perfection being at best like the gray morning not cleare day Though we do some things that are of the light yet we do not want the reliques of darkenesse Sin hath some life in us still on earth our sanctification being not yet absolute which God suffers mainely for three reasons viz. 1. For the exercise of our faith patience and constancy He leaves some enemies against whom we may fight the good fight of faith as the Canaanites were left in the Land to prove the Israelites 2. For our instruction to make us know how deeply we are obliged to Gods mercy and how excellent is that deliverance we have by Christ Hereby we come to know the benefit we have by grace to which we must make our recourse Did we not feele how powerfull sin is to over-rule us we could never have known the vile servitude of sin under which we lay by nature nor the excellent grace of Christ whereby deliverance is procured We find that if the reliques of sin be so turbulent how would it trouble us tyrannize were it in its full vigour 3. For his own greater glory and Sathans greater confusion Like Conquerours that slay not all enemies but reserve some alive Captive for the day of Triumph to be put to death for their greater shame and the Conquerours greater glory Josh 10.23 c. Thus Joshuah dealt with the five Kings that made war against Gibeon So Jesus Christ the Captaine of our Salvation subdues all enemies our sins yet some remaine enclosed within us as in a Cave restrained by his power from their former liberty and when the battle is ended he will utterly spoile them of life This being so men shall smart for sin where ever it is found Saintship is no shelter The best child will deserve it at one time or other and an offending Son shall lick of the whip yea Gods own Son if he undertake for sinners So long as we have in us this bitter root we may expect some bitter fruit Psal 91.30 31 32. If Davids children in Covenant with God breake his Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will he visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Saints themselves do never receive the full application of freedome from affliction till death Joh. 16.33 Yet these are castigatory not condemnatory They have the Cross but not the Curse Correction Rom. 8.1 but not Condemnation A good and a bad man may lye under a like calamity and yet here is the difference to the one it is a chastening to the other a punishment Sufferings may be alike in the nature and measure of them and yet differ in the acceptation A Merchant and Malefactor both crosse the Sea in one and the same Ship To the one it is the pursuit of his Calling and for gaine to the other exile and banishment Correction stands for a good caution Joh. 5.14 Piscu ictus sapit Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee The sins of Saints are more dishonourable unto God and cutting to the heart of Christ than others therefore a smarter rod may hang at their girdâ—es Greatnesse of mercy aggravates the greatnesse of sin Amos 3.2 and addes to misery You only have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Againe sometimes God dispenseth afflictions as medicinal Pils or Potions to procure the soules health Let no man ascribe to afflictions more than is their due they cannot worke of themselves yet being sanctified of God they have a threefold operation 1. For the prevention of sin They are those thornes with which God hedgeth up our way that we may not find our paths Hos 2.6 Naturally we are like unto beasts desirous to breakeforth into wrong walkes and pastures God will by these prevent our extravagancy and keepe us within compass If they go on they shal prick themselves to the bone Physicians open a veine not only to cure but many times to prevent a disease God knows our disposition how inclinable we are to this or that evill And that we should not fall into these he sends us sicknesse in body sadnesse in soule losses in our goods friends children c. And these by Gods blessing become golden bridles to curbe and restraine us from that which otherwise we should rush upon and commit When the people
their cup by your rash and uncharitable censoriousnesse I discover a double distemper very Epidemicall amongst them which are called Christians 1. Their carriage is very superâ—iâ—ious towards the weake 2. And their censures very uncharitable towards the afflicted These two are very evill sicknesses which we ought to get cured Here I have liberty to pinch the latter to crush uncharitable censurings It is a very ill but common thing to judge of persons and estates whether good or evil by their outward condition and casualties that befall them Usually men charge great guilt upon them that are greatly afflicted Surely say they he is a man whom God hates He hath the most sorrow and therefore the most sin Thus Christ himselfe was numbred with the transgressours when he was only wounded for our transgressions For while he bare our griefes and carried our sorrows he was esteemed stricken smitten of God Isa 53. and forsaken Likewise those exemplary judgements which befell the Galileans and those upon whom the Tower of Siloe fell did render them very obnoxious to censure Therefore our Saviour takes it off Saying Luk. 13. Suppose ye that these were sinners above others I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And the Barbarians of Melita presently shoot their fools bolt against Paul a great deale more venemous then the Vipers tooth Acts 28.4 No doubt this man is a murderer So apt are men peevishly and preposterously to descant upon the sufferings of others To disswade from this know 1. Censuring is against a Gospell-command of Christ Judge not that is rashly or rigidly misconstrue not doubtfull things exasperate not small things Mat. 7. Periculosum est de servo alterius judicare Hier 1. Cor. 13. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant 2. It is against Gospell-charity or Christian love which thinketh none evill 3. And lastly It thwarts the right use which every one ought to make of his own frailty Gal. 6.1 Considering thy selfe But alas It is naturall for men to reflect upon others with neglect of themselves Like Plutarchs Lamiae or Fairies which carried their eyes in their heads when they went abroad but when they came home put them up in a boxe Whereas Paul looking into himselfe was of another mind he thought himselfe the greatest sinner alive 1 Cor. 15.8 with 1 Tim. 1.15 withnesse his own words The least of Saints the greatest of sinners And did we but shake our own bosomes I meane marke the corruptions of our own hearts and aberrations of our own lives I am sure we should have little lust or leisure to censure others Doubtlesse sin is the ground of misery and misery the effect of sin And therefore whatever God principally intendeth it is good for us to acknowledge sin as the cause clearing God and accusing our selves it is righteously thus with me No affliction but is first thus merited Lam. 3.29 Man suffereth for sin The Position of one cause is not the removing of another where many concur Neither doth the affirming of the principall cause deny the lesse principall Yet both are to be considered and that according to their occasionall energy And therefore when the Disciples propounded that question about the blind man Master who did sin this man or his Parents that he was borne blind Christ answers Neither hath this man sinned nor his Parents but that the workes of God should be made manifest in him This he doth not speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply for both he had sinned and his Parents had sinned But the meaning is the sins of this man and his Parents were not the cause why he rather than all sinners was borne blind But that Gods glory might appeare in his cure And therefore one well observes Non art is sed potestatis Ambr. this giving of sight to a man borne blind was not a cure of Art but of power So that although sin be the meritorious yet it is not alwaies the moving cause of affliction Gods secret dispensations are not for us to descant upon Known unto God are all his own workes but none of us know either love or hatred by these common events that happen alike to all Eccl. 9. I might bring in a large enumeration Eli a Priest of God and a good man 1 Sam. 4.18 yet suddenly brake his neck by falling backward from his seat Jonathan a faithfull friend and sworne brother to David 1 Sam. 31. yet falleth by uncircumcised hands The Prophet that came to Bethel 1 King 13. passeth with most for an holy man yet is killed in his way a by Lion Josiah a religi-Prince none like him 2 Chro. 35.23 yet is cut off and slaine in the prime of his time in the Valley of Megiddo Jobs Children were well educated and inherited many prayers Job 1. yet a violent and sudden period is put to their lives What say we unto these Paradise and Purgatory are not more contrary notions than the estates of Saints are different as to this Some are led by a gentle hand others passe through many stormes before they reach the harbour How uncessant are the trials and conflicts of some A man would thinke it as impossible for them to reach heaven as to climbe up to the clouds But let us learne from hence If Gods hand be against them let not our tongue be against them To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed The Lord knoweth though we do not why he suffers such holy and humble soules to be so much disquieted Let us cease censures and rather tremble at and adore the soveraignty of God that hath it in his own hands how and by what way he will bring soules to heaven Be carefull of your own selves Rest not in any present immunity but prepare for future contingency Little knowst thou how soone God may cause this bitter cup to passe from thy brother and put it into thine hand Sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof Every day is a new life and bringeth its own cares along with it O have not your hearts so stupidly secure as to be insensible of the changes of Providence One asking his friend Will you please to dine with me to morrow Ego à mul tis annis crastinum non habui His answer was I have not had a morrow for these many yeares Soule thou hast seen what is and hath been but thou knowst not what shall be To day thou art rich Omnia quae eventura sunt in iâ— certo jacent To morrow thou maiest be poore To day in health to morrow sick To day alive to morrow dead To day children to morrow childlesâ—e The clearest day may ere night prove darke and cloudy Therefore two things first sit loose from your enjoyments Psa 62.10 1 Cor. 7.30 Set not your heart on them Vse them as if you used them not Be not so busie with