if they be angry they turn their malice from the person which punisheth them to the sinne by which and for which he came to have leave and power to punish them and to themselves for committing such sins The cause of their suffering doth more vex them than the things which they suffer and they grieve more for the displeasure of God than for the stripes of his displeasure It is not the punishment but the cause of it makes them sorrowfull And indeed to speak home to every mans conscience why are we patient or impatient it is worth the noting when sinne lyes light then reproaches and contempt lye heavy whereas if we truly feel the weight of sinne all indignities will be as nothing Or thirdly In case they do return an answer it is after the manner of Epictetus who would not deny the sins his enemy taxed him with but reproves his ignorance rather in that being unacquainted with the infinity of his crimes he layes only two or three to his charge whereas indeed he was guilty of a million Or as Latymer was wont who rejoyced when any objected indiscretion against him in his Sermons saying he knew by that that they could not object against the matter it self Or according to Philip of Macedon his example who would not punish Nicanor although he openly spake evill of him saying when he heard thereof I suppose Nicanor is a good man it were better to search whether the fault be in us or no so no sooner shall an holy mans enemy accuse him of hypocrisie pride passion covetousnesse c. but he will go to God and accuse himself and complain I am so indeed yea with Paul I am the chief of all sinners I am more vile than his termes can make me and I much marvell my punishment is no greater then to hear a few ill and bitter words And indeed one would think whatsoever is not pain nor sufferance or admit it be pain and sufferance so long as it is not a curse but a crosse may well be born without grumbling What said that Gentleman in Athens to his friends when Ashuerus came and took away half his plate as he was at dinner with him they admiring that he was not a whit moved thereat I thank God quoth he that his Highnesse hath left me any thing Yea suppose we lose all we have our goods are furthest off us and if but in these we smart we must confesse to finde favour Or admit they hurt our bodies or kill us which they may soon do if God but give leave for our life even the best of us is but like a bubble which boyes blow up in the ayre and presently again blow into meer ayr Caesar goes an Emperour to the Senate is brought a Corps home again What ever I say befals us this would be our meditation he that afflicted me for a time could have held me longer he that touched me in part could have stricken me in whole he that laid this upon my body hath power to lay a greater Rod both upon my body and soul without doing me the least wrong That all crosses and curses temporall spirituall and eternall even from the pains of the damned to the very Itch as Moses sets down Deut. 28.27 are deserved and come not upon us against equity equity I say in respect of God not in respect of men they come from a just Author though from an unjust instrument And that sinne is the ground of all our griefs the source of all our sufferings wickednesse the root of our wretchednesse that we are disciplin'd is from our defects is a truth undeniable appears plainly for first God affirms it Deut. 28. Isa. 57.17 Hos. 13.9 Jer. 30.15 and 4.18 Secondly His servants confirm it 1 Chron. 21.17 Isa. 64.5 Dan. 9.7 8 c. Lam. 1.5 8. and 3.39 c. Ezra 9.13 Luk. 23.41 Thirdly Good reason makes for it sinfull men smite not their dogs much lesse their children without a cause and shall we think the just God will smite without just cause his judgements saith a Father are sometimes secret alwayes just No misery had ever afflicted us if sinne had not first infected us What 's the reason we all die it could not be in justice if we had not all sinned and so of all other evils even sicknesse originally proceeds from sinne and all weaknesse from wickednesse one man languisheth of a Consumption another laboureth of a Feaver a third is rackt with the Gout a fourth swoln with the Dropsie a fift hath his soul let out with a sword every one hath a severall way to bring him to the common end death but sinne is the universall disease Death passed upon all for all have sinned Rom. 5.12 Iames 3.2 Yea as we brought a world of sinne into the world with us so since each man hath broken every one of Gods ten Laws ten thousand times and ten thousand wayes which is far from a privative holinesse in reforming that which is evill and a positive holinesse in performing that which is good Eph. 4.22 23. and every sin helps for as originall sin is the originall cause of death so actuall sins hasten it But to conclude in generall that sin is the cause we suffer is not sufficient for commonly no judgement comes from God but some particular provocation of man went before it the hand of Divine Iustice seldom makes us smart without some eminent cause foregoing therefore David seeing a famine in the Land inquires for the particular provoking sin 2 Sam. 21.1 so when we suffer our question should be What have we done yea what have we done in the same kinde for oftentimes we may read our sin in our punishment as it fared with Adonibezeck Judg. 1.7 and many other mentioned in Scripture Sodom was burnt with fire unnaturall as they burned with lust unnaturall Absoloms chief pride lay in his hair and that became his halter Salomon dividing Gods Kingdom had his own Kingdom divided David hath slain Vriah with the sword therefore the sword shall not depart from his house Dives would not give Lazarus a crum Lazarus shall not bring Dives a drop Iudas was the instrument of his Masters death he shall be the instrument of his own death Proud Bajazet vowes to imprison Tamberlaine in an Iron Cage and carry him about the world in triumph But Tamberlaine having conquered that bragging Turk carried and carted him through all Asia to be scorned of his own people For instance Is any one censured reviled and persecuted of lewd men for being religious Let him reflect upon his life past and happily their revilings and persecutions will bring to his remembrance that he himself before his conversion hath likewise censured reviled or persecuted others It may be his naturall spirituall or politicall parents in some kind or other as who can plead innocency herein and he that is not humbled for his sin is not yet justified from his sin Yea so often as
so doing he shall greatly increase his knowledge and lessen his vites In â— few dayes he may read it and ever after be the better for it But me thinks I am too like a carelesse Porter which keepes the guests without doors till they have lost their stomacks wherefore I will detain you no longer in the Porch but unlock the door and let you in THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION and how to husband it so that with blessing from above the weakest Christian may be able to support himself in his most miserable Exigents CHAP. 1. Why the Lord suffers his children to be so traduced and persecuted by his and their enemies and first That it makes for the glory of his power IN the former Treatise I have proved that there is a naturall enmity and a spirituall Antipathy between the Men of the World and the children of GOD between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman And that these two Regiments being the Subjects of two severall Kings Satan and Câ—rist are governed by Laws opposite and clean contrary each to the other whereby it comes to passe that grievous temptations and persecutions do alwayes accompany the remission of sins That all men as Austine speaks are necessitated to miseries which bend their course towards the Kingdom of Heaven For godlinesse and temptation are such inseparable attendants on the same person that a mans sins be no sooner forgiven and he rescued from Satan but that Lion fomes and roares and bestirs himselfe to recover his losse Neither can Gods love be enjoyed without Satans disturbance Yea the World and the Devil therefore hate us because God hath chosen us If a Convert comes home the Angels welcome him with Songs the Devils follow him with uproar and fury his old acquaintance with scorns and obloquie for they think it quarrel enough that we will no longer run with them to the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 That we will no longer continue miserable with them they envy to see themselves cashiered as persons infected with the plague will scoff at such of their acquaintance as refuse to consort with them as they have done formerly It is not enough for them to be bad themselves except they rail at and persecute the good He that hath no grace himself is vexed to see it in another godly men are thorns in wicked mens eyes as Iob was in the Devils because they are good or because they are deerly beloved of God If a mans person and wayes please God the world will be displeased with both If God be a mans friend that will be his enemy if they exercise their malice it is where he shews mercy and indeed he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks for it is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is born after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evil but because he is so much better then himself 1 John 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wisdom 2.15 I have also shewed the Original continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of this enmity and therein made it plain that as for the present they suit like the Harp and the Harrow agree like two poysons in one stomack the one being ever sick of the other so to reconcile them together were to reconcile Fire and Water the Wolfe and the Lambe the Windes and the Sea together yea that once to expect it were an effect of frenzie not of hope It remains in the last place that I declare the Reasons why God permits his dearest children so to be afflicted The godly are so patient in their sufferings With other grounds of comfort and Vses and first of the first The Reasons why God suffers the same are chiefly sixteen all tending to his glory and their spiritual and everlasting good benefit and advantage for the malignity of envy if it be well answered is made the evil cause of a good effect to us God and our souls are made gainers by anothers sin The Reasons and Ends which tend to Gods glory are three 1 It makes for the glory of his Power 2 It makes for the glory of his Wisdom 3 It makes much for his glory when those graces which he hath bestowed upon his children do the more shine through employment It makes for the glory of his power Moses having declared in what manner the Lord permitted Pharaoh to oppress the children of Israel more and more still hardning his heart shews the reason of it in these words That I may multiply my miracles and wonders in the land of Egypt That I may lay my hand upon Pharaoh and bring out mine Armies even my people by great judgements that my power may be known and that I may declare my Name throughout all the World Exod. 7.3 4. 9.16 When that multitude of Ammonites and Moabites came to war against Iehosaphat and the children of Israel intending to cast them out of the Lords inheritance and utterly destroy them to the dishonour of God the Lord by delivering them from that sore affliction gained to himself such honour and glory That as the Text saith the fear of God was upon all the Kingdoms of the Earth when they heard that the Lord had fought so against the enemies of Israel 2 Chron. 20.19 The judgement was upon some the fear came upon all it was but a few mens loss but it was all mens warning 1 Cor. 10.11 When the Lord brought again the Captivity of Sion saith the Psalmist then said they among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them Psal. 126.1 2. God provides on purpose mighty adversaries for his Church that their humiliation may be the greator in susteining and his glory may be greater in deliverance yea though there be legions of Devils and every one stronger then many legions of men and more malicious then strong yet Christs little Flock lives and prospers And makes not this exceedingly for our Makers for our Guardians glory Gods power is best made known in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 And our deliverance is so much the more wondred at by how much the less it was expected Impossibilities are the best advancers of Gods glory who not seldom hangs the greatest wâ—ights upon the smallest wiers as he doth those bottles of Heaven being of infinite weight and magnitude in the soft air where no man can make a feather hang and the massie substance of the whole Earth and Sea upon nothing Job 26.7 8. Yea the whole frame of the Heavens have no other Columnes or Supporters to lean upon than his mighty and powerful Word Gen. 1.6 7 8. For what we least believe can be done we most admire being done the lesser the means and the greater the opposition the more is the glory of him who by little means doth
even the sins of our youth There needs no â—ther art of memory for sin but misery Satans malice not seldome proves the occasion of true repentance and so the Devil is overshot in his own Bowe wounded with his own weapon I doubt whether that Syrophenician had ever enquired after Christ if her daughter had not been vexed with an unclean spirit yea whether the Devil had been so effectually cast out if he had with less violence entred into her Mark 7. Our afflictions are as Benhadads best Counsellours that sent him with a cord about his neck to the merciful King of Israel The Church of God under the Cross is brought to a serious consideration of her estate and saith Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord Lam. 3.40 Manasses also the King of Iudah that horrible sinner never repented of his Idolatry Murther Witchcraft c. till he was carried away captive to Babel and there put in chains by the King of Ashur But then saith the Text he humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers 2 Chron. 33.11 12. Yea read his confession for he speaks most feelingly and you shall see that the prison was a means of his spiritual enlargement Even Vipers being lasht cast up all their poison The body that is surfetted with repletion of pleasant meats must be purged with bitter pils and when all outward comforts fail us we are willing to befriend our selves with the comfort of a good conscience the best of blessings Affliction is the Hammer which breaks our rockie hearts Adversity hath whipt many a soul to Heaven which otherwise prosperity had coached to Hell was not the Prodigall riding post thither till he was soundly lasht home again to his Fathers house by those hard-hearted and pittiless Nabals which refused to fill his belly with the husks of the swine And indeed seldome is any man throughly awakened from the sleep of sin but by affliction but God by it as it were by a strong purge empties and evacuates those supeâ—fluities of malice envie pride security c. wherewith we were before surcharged For as Alloes kils worms in the stomack or as frost and cold destroyes Vermine so doth bitter afflictions crawling lusts in the heart The Serpents enmity may be compared to the Circumcision-knife which was made of stone unto Rubarb which is full of Choler yet doth mightily purge Choler or to the sting of a Scorpion which though it be arrant poison yet proveth an excellent remedy against poison For this or any other affliction when we are in our full career of wordly pomp and jollity pulleth us by the ear and maketh us know our selves My wants saith one kill my wantonness my poverty checks my pride my being slighted quels my ambition and vain glory And as for sickness it cuts the throat of vices Many saith Saint Augustine have been wickedly well that have been innocently and piously sick Yea I may call it the summe of Divinity as Pliny calls it the summe of Philosophie for what distressed or sick man was ever lascivious covetous or ambitious He envies no man admires no man flatters no man dissembles with no man despiseth no man c. That which Governours or friends can by no means effect touching our amendments a liltle sickness or trouble from enemies will as Saint Chrysostome observes Yea how many will confess that one affliction hath done more good upon them then many Sermons That they have learned more good in one dayes or weeks misery than many years prosperiâ— could teach them Untouched estates and touched consciences seldom dwell together and it is usuall for them that know no sorrows to know no God repentance seldom meets a man in jollity but in affliction the heart is made pliable and ready for all good impressions True if gentleness would serve we should not smart for God like a good Chyrurâ—ion first strokes the arm before he opens the vein he sends for us by his Ambassadours of the Ministery yet we come not Let him fiâ—e our field as Absalom did by Ioab we come presently Or perhaps he afflicts another to fright us as great mens children are corrected by seeing others whipt or as Apolonias would tame Lions by beating Dogs before them For as God preacheth to us no less in his judgements than his Word so when he strikes offendors he would warn the standers by and a wise man sees himself faln or beaten in his neighbour Yea generous and ingenuous spirits desire to be taught abide not to be forced It is for Tyrants to compel for Asses to be compelled saith Erasmus A good natur'd Horse saith Seneca will be governed even by the shadow of the wand whereas a resty jade will not be ordered by the spur But if his Word will not rule us as many till God come with a strong hand will hold their corruptions as fast as Pharaoh the Israelites his Rod shall or if his Rod will not yet serve his sword shall be drencht in our gall and bathed in our blood Deut. 32.41.42 Or if we scape for a time yet our preservation from one judgement is but our reservation to seven more Levit. 26. Yea he will send a succession of crosses seven more and seven more and seven to that to the conversion of his own and the confusion of his enemies Vers. 14 to 39. when singing will not still the Child the Rod must Hard knots must have hard wedges strong affections strong afflictions great corruptions great calamities to cure them So that God through thy stubbornness is forced to let loose Satan and wicked men upon thee lest thou shouldest sleep in security till thou didst sleep in death eternally even for thy good And affliction is but the shepherds Dog as Chrysostome speaks to fetch us into Christs fold perhaps by barking onely and then we are more scar'd than hurt perhaps in his mouth and then the poor sheep thinks he will surely worry it but he is taught to fetch onely and therefore gripes not but onely carries and delivers it to his Master When children have done a fault Mothers use to fright them with Bull-beggers the childe thinks surely they will have him but the Mother hath a double policy viz. to make them hate the fault and love them the better for they run to the laâ— to hide them and then will she make her own conditions And so the very end which God aimes at in setting those Adders upon thee is that thou shouldest turn thine Eyes inward that thou mayest see for what thou sufferest pry narrowly into thine own forepast actions which if thou dost an hundred to one thou wilt finde sin it may be this very sin the cause of thy present affliction and until thou doest sift and try thine own heart for this Achan and finde out which is thy Isaac thy beloved sinne look for no release but rather that thy sorrowes should be multiplied as God threatened Eve Wherefore liest
thou on thy face said God to Ioshua Israel hath sinned up search diligently c. Iosh. 7.10 11. What evill hast thou done said the Mariners to the distressed Prophet that this evill is come upon us Let every such Ionas reflect upon himself and say What evill have I done What sin have I committed or admitted or what good have I omitted or intermitted be it but one single sin whether spiritual pride or railing upon honest men in an handsome Language or the like and having found out the cause grieve for it turn from it One flaw in a Diamond takes away the lustre and the price one man in Law may keep possession one Puddle if we wallow in it will defile us one piece of Ward-land makes the Heire liable to the King one sin keeps possession for Satan as well as twenty one poison-full Herb amongst many good ones may put death in the pot and so take away the goodnesse from the rest as if there were none in it wholesome Besides how were the Angels in heaven punished for one fault Achan for one sacriledge Miriam for one slander Moses for one unbelief Ananias for one lie Ely for his Indulgence onely David for his love to Bathsheba onely c. wherefore look to it for if we spare but one Agag it may cost us a Kingdome and such a Kingdome as is far better than the Kingdome of Saul 1 Pet. 1.4 Neither say of thy sin as once Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one for though men may yet God will not wink at small faults especially in his own A little prick being neglected may fester to a gangrene As what is a mountain of Earth but an accumulation of many little dusts or what is a flood but a concurrence of many little drops a small leak will sink the Vessel unstopt whereas a great one will not do it if well kalked The weakest Instrument be it but a Bodkin can pierce the flesh and take away the life unarmed whereas Armour of proof will even beat off Bullets Besides whereas our greatest goodnesse merits not the least glory our least wickednesse deserves great pain The wages of sin small or great is death Rom. 6.23 bad work sad wages Wherefore let his correction bring forth conversion cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4.8 Not your hands onely with Pilate but your hearts with David yea and your eyes too with Mary Magdalen if it be possible though dry sorrow may be as good as wet whose eyes were a Laver and hair a Towel to wash and wipe the feet of Christ. Humble thy self like the Ninevites Ionah 3.6 Who put sackcloth upon their loins and ashes on their heads as those that had deserved to be as far under ground as they were now above it An humble submission is the only way to disarm Gods indignation and be rid of his Rod 1 Pet. 5.6 By such a course as this Iacob appeased that rough man Esau Abigale diverted David from his bloody purpose the Syrians found favour with Ahab that none-such as the Scriptâ—re stiles him 1 Kings 20.32 33. Sin bringeth judgement and onely Repentance preventeth it Thy sin hath kindled the fire of Gods wrath and only Repentance is as water to quench this fire King Edward the First riding furiously after a servant of his that had displeased him with a drawn sword in his hand as purposing to kill him seeing him submit and upon bended knee sue for his life not onely spared him but received him into favour Go thou and do the like be thou but throughly sorry for thy sin my soul for thine God will be throughly satisfied yea grow better by it and God will love thee the better for it As Lovers are wont to be best friends after falling out for as bones out of joynt joyned again are stronger then before so when God and we are reconciled by repentance his affections are stronger to us then before The repenting Prodigal received such tokens of favour as his elder brother who never brake out into that Riot never did And whom did Christ honour with his first appearance but Mary Magdalen and the Angel but Peter Go saith he and tell his Disciples and Peter that he will go before you into Galilee Mark 16.7 Though Peter had sinned above the rest yet repenting he is named above the rest Otherwise Contrition without reformation which is but like the crouching of a Fox that being taken in a snare looks lamentably but it is only to get out will not prevail with God he will never leave pursuing thee till the traitors head be thrown over the wall None so lewd but will seem conformable when apprehended or if they Riot in the Goale of their durance yet when the Sessions comes they begin to be a little calme put off their disguises of dissolutenesse and put on some modesty and semblance of humiliation yea then they change their apparel their garbes their looks and all to appear civil Or let the Fox be chained up he will no more worry the Lambs Pharaoh could relent when he felt the plagues but when they were over so was his repentance but what saith the Scripture He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall finde mercy Prov. 28.13 Confession and confusion of sinne must go together yea there must be a parting with the right Eye in regard of pleasure and the right Hand in regard of profit As for example hast thou swallowed some unlawful gain and wouldest thou pacifie God and thy Conscience Vomit it up again by restitution for where is no restitution of things unjustly gotten their sins shall never be forgiven as Saint Augustine speaks Non tollitur peccatum nisi restituitur ablatum For repentance without restitution is as if a thief should take away thy purse ask thee pardon say he is sorrie for it but keeps it still in which case thou wouldst say he did but mock thee But Pallas with all the graces may call Briareus with his hundred hands to binde this Iupiter and all in vain Wherefore I proceed The skilful Chirurgion when he is lancing a wound or cutting off a limbe will not hear the patient though he cry never so until the cure be ended but let there be once a healing of thy errours and the plaister will fall off of it self for the plaister will not stick on when the sore is healed If the Fathers word can correct the child he will fling away the rod otherwise he must look to have his eyes ever winterly Thus as the two Angels that came to Lot lodged with him for a night and when they had dispatched their errand went away in the morning So afflictions which are the Angels or the Messengers of God are sent by him to do an errand to us to tell us we forget God we forget our selves we are too proud too self-conceited and such like and when they have said as they were bid then
presently they are gone Why then complainest thou I am afflicted on every side Like a childe that cries out of his shoe when the fault is in his foot or the sick patient who faults his bed when he should his back Why groanest thou under thy burden and cryest out of unremedied pain Alas thou repentest not trouble came on this message to teach thee repentance give the messenger his errand and hee 'l be gone But if thou refusest to be reformed thou hatest to be healed Alas every Cain will groan under the penalty whereas a David will grieve for the iniquity but the one trembles as a slave whereas the other fears as a son and he that mourns for the cause of his punishment shal mourn but a while but he that mourns onely for the punishment and not for the cause shall mourn for ever The soul cannot live while the sin lives one of the two must die the corruption or the Person but Repentance is a Supersedeas which dischageth both sin and sorrow moving God to be merciful the Angels to be joyful Man to be acceptable and only the Devil and his to be melancholy True God doth not meerly though mainly smite and chastise his children for sin without any other respect all his afflictive acts are not punishments some are for the benefit of the creature whether for probation or purgation or reformation and for the praise whether of his divine power or justice or mercy as appears by our Saviours words touching him that was born blinde Iohn 9.3 For though his Parents had sinned in themselves and the man had sinned in his first Parents yet it was not the guilt of either that was guilty of this blindness and the like we may collect from Iobs example Nevertheless sin is still the Original as when the head akes and the members are sick the fault is in the stomack For this cause saith the Apostle of the believing Corinthians many are weak by lingering diseases many sick by sharp and grievous maladies and many sleep are dead out-right 1 Cor. 11.30 Hence our so many diseases miseries maladies troubles without terrours within it is this thief in the Candle that wastes us this Fly in the Box that corrupts us this traitor in the heart that betrayes and exposes us to all perils In which regard it was a sound and savoury reply of an English Captain at the loss of Calice who when a proud Frenchman tauntingly demanded When will you fetch Calice again answered When your sins shall weigh down ours What saith Saint Hierom in the like case by our sins are these Infidels made strong and therefore a mean to lessen our punishment is to lessen our sins Yea even Achaior a very Ammonite could say thus to Holofernes Enquire if this people have offended their God otherwise all our warring will come to nothing and Vespasian the like who when he had conquered Ierusalem refused to have the Crown set upon his head saying I indeed am the rod in Gods hand but it is their sins only that hath subdued them And it is very rare in this case if there be not some Achan in the Army some Sheba in the Town some Ionas in the Ship some distemper in the soul disorder in the life that God would have removed and remedied as for instance Ionas how came he into the Whales belly Was it not his own undutifulness David whence came all his troubles by Absalom Amnon Adonijah Was it not his fondness and indulgence And so of Eli. Iacob what might he thank for all his afflictions whereof God gave him not a draught but made him a diet-drink so that he had scarce a merry day for one trouble or another whom had he to thank for it Did he not thrust his own feet into the stocks by that threefold lie of his uttered in a breath to get the blessing Wherefore if thou lovest thine own ease deal freely and ingenuously with God and thine own soul for sin and punishment are inseparable companions and go tied together with chains of Adamant as the Poet speaks like individual twins they are born together live together are attended one by the other as the body by the shadow where sin is in the Saddle there punishment is on the Crupper whence it is that the Hebrews have but one and the same word for them both Objection But thou hast repented and resolvest to be reformed Answer Many in time of distress have strong resolutions and promise fair even a Candle as big as a Mast but trouble being over one of ten in the pound were well which proves they never truly repented Yea in stead of being better they grow worse like one that falls into a relapse from an Ague to a burning Feaver which peradventure would be thy case if God should now release thee at least thou mayest fear it for to seek unto God only in affliction is suspicious and such seekers commonly are rejected with scorn Proverbs 1.24 to 33. Indeed if thou shalt persevere when thou art released in doing that which now thou purposest it is infallible signe thy repentance is sound otherwise not CHAP. 5. That it serves to work in us amendment of life 2 SEcondly the malice of our enemies serves to work in us amendment of life Every affliction sanctified rubs off some rust melts off some drosse straines out some corruption c. which done we rise out of trouble as Christ rose out of the grave for when the gold is fined the fire shall hold it no longer The outward cold of affliction doth greatly increase the inward heat and fervour of the graces of God in us Indeed no chastisement saith the Author to the Hebrewes for the present seemeâ— to be joyous but grievous But afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness to them that are thereby exercised Heb. 12.11 We are dunged with reproaches that we may prove a richer soil for grace as Nazianzen speaks alluding to the parable of the Fig-tree God beats us that he may better us he hedgeth us about with thorns that he may keep us within compasse lest we break over into Satans pastures which indeed will fat us but to the slaughter Yea he pricks us with goads that he may let out our ill humours and happy thorns or lancets of tribulation are those which open a vein for sin to gush out at God strips the body of pleasure to cloath the soul with righteousnesse and oftentimes strengthens our state of grace by impoverishing our temporall estate for commonly the more prosperity the lesse Piety The poor saith Christ receive the Gospel though the rich are more bound It was an observation of Tacitus that raising of the fortune did rarely mend the disposition only Vespasian was changed into the better Yea if it make us not worse it is a wonder Evagrius gives it as a high praise of the Emperour Mauritius that in the height of all his Majesty he reteined his ancient Piety We
nor subtill as Bias spake wisely of her or rather not only simple as a Dove to think no evill but also wise as a Serpent to discern all things and see what is evill 2. For our tallying of words as it argues little discretion in him that doth it so it is of as little use except the standers by want information of thy innocency and his guiltinesse which gives the occasion Wherefore in hearing thy own private and personall reproaches the best answer is silence but the wrongs and indignities offerâ—d to God or contumelies that are cast upon us in the causes of Religion or the Church may safely be repayed If we be meal-mouthed in Christs and the Gospels cause we are nâ—t patient but zeal-lesse Yea to hold a mans peace when Gods Honour is in question is to mistake the end of our Redemption 1 Cor. 6.20 What saith the Apostle Ioyn with patience godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.6 for else patience without godlinesse while it receives injury of man may do more injury to God Neither is there a better argument of an upright heart than to be more sensible of the indignities offered to God than of our own dangers And certainly no ingenuous disposition can be so tender of his own disgrace as the truâ— Christian is at the reproach of his God as we see in Moses who when Aaron and Miriam offered him a private injury it is said his meeknesse was such that he gave them not a word Numb 12. But when the people had fallen to idolatry and he heard them murmur against their Maker he spares neither Aaron nor the people but in a godly fit of zeal takes on at them yea breaks the Tables in pieces Exod. 32. A meek Lamb in his own cause a fierce Lyon in Gods Yea it was alwayes his manner to plead the peoples cause to God with prayers and tears but Gods cause against the people with sword and revenge And thus it fared with David who was a man deaf and dumb and wholly senselesse at Shemei's private reproach when he cursed him cast stones at him called him murtherer and wicked man 2 Sam. 16. But not so at Goliahs publick revilings of God and his Church no not at Michols despising his holy zeal in the publick service of God 2 Sam. 6. In these cases how full of life and spirit and holy impatiencie did he shew himself to be And our Saviour Christ who suffered himself to be spit upon buffeted crowned with Thornes c. without giving an angry word but when he saw the Tempple abused he burned in a zealous anger against them took a scourge and whipt the buyers and sellers out saying Ye have made my Fathers house a den of thieves Matth. 21.12.13 3. Touching our actions whether it be in thine own cause or in the cause of God and Religion thou maist not be a revenger All that private persons can do is either to lift up their hands to Heaven for redresse of sinne or to lift up their tongues against the sinne not their hands against the person Who made thee a judge is a lawfull question if it meet with a person unwarranted True Phineas in the case of Zimry and Cozby lift up his hand and thrust them both through with a spear And when Moses saw the Aegyptian smiting the Hebrew he smote the Aegyptian but they had peculiar warrants signed from Heaven either by instinct or speciall command which we shall expect in vain Well may we flee from danger as Iacob fled from Esau Moses from Pharaoh David from King Saul Elias from Iezabel Paul from the Damascens and Christ himself from the Iews And expect to finde comfort in our flight even a City of refuge as Iacob found favour in Labans house Moses a rich Father-in-Law Elias an Angel to feed him Paul spirituall brethren to comfort him besides the holy Ghost the true Comforter But the weapons of a Christian in adversity ought only to be patience and prayer for as Theodoret saith If Muentius and Maximinian in the heat of zeal shall rayl on wicked Iulian at a Feast justly may their deaths be cast upon their petulancy but not upon their Religion Yea the Councell of Eleberis decreed that if any man did take upon him to break down the Heathens Idols and were slain in the place that he should not be reckoned among the Martyrs Indeed God so loves this heat of zeal in all the carriages of his servants that if it transports us too far he pardoneth the errour of our fervency rather than the indifferency of lukewarmnesse as may be seen in that act of Moses when being wroth with the people about the molten Calf he brake the Tables in pieces Exod. 32. Neverthelesse if we shall either out of superstition or presumption do that we have neither calling nor warrant for out of the Word such our works be our intention what it will are but the blinde whelps of an ignorant zeal and an unadvised zeal when knowledge is not made the Pilot of devotion may be more prejudiciall than a cold remissenesse Swift horses without a skilfull waggoner and full sayls without a good Pilot endanger more Object Every base nature will be ready to offer injuries where they think they will not be repaid he will many times beat a Coward that would not dare to strike him if he thought him valiant as a Cur that goes through a Village if he clap his tayl between the legs and run away every Cur will insult over him but if he bristle up himself and stand to it give but a counter-snarle there 's not a Dog dares meddle with him Answ. Neverthelesse avenge not thy self but give place unto wrath and that for conscience sake Rom. 12.19 If thou receivest wrong in thy person goods or good Name it is the Magistrates office to see thee righted and for this cause ye pay also tribute He is the Minister of God for thy wealth to take vengeance on him that doth evill and for the praise of them that do well neither doth he bear the sword for nought Rom. 13.4 5 6. 1 Pet. 2.14 Now in this case he that hath endamaged me much as you have some that will deprive men of their possessions and then perswade them to be content cannot plead breach of charity in my seeking â—â—s Restitution and because patience without discretion wrongs a good cause I will so remit wrongs as I may not encourage others to offer them and so retain them that I may not induce God to retain mine to him Have you not seen a Crow stand upon a Sheeps back pulling off wool from her side even creatures reasonlesse know well whom they may be bold with that Crow durst not do this to a Wolfe or a Mastiffe the known simplicity of this innocent beast gives advantage to this presumption Meeknesse of spirit commonly drawes on injuries and the cruelty of ill natures usually seeks out â—hose not who deserve worst but who will bear
and Esau for a mess of Pottage Whereas now wee are safe for to pluck us out of his hands that is Almighty requires an adversary stronger than himself Neither wants hee care hee that numbers our very hairs what account doth hee make of our souls Nor love for if hee hath bought us with his blood and given us himself will hee deny us any thing that is good for us Wherefore silence your reason and exalt your faith how pressing or peircing so ever your sufferings bee which pulls off the vizard from his face and sees a loving heart under contrary appearances Trust the mercy of God which is of infinite perfection and the merits of Christ which are of perfect satisfaction and then hope will bear up thy heavie heart as bladders do an unskilfull swimmer Otherwise if thou shalt walke by sence and not by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 fear will no less multiply evills then saith would diminish them and thou shalt resemble Bucephalus who was not afraid of his burthen the shadow onely frighted him Section 4. Objection Although Christ in the Gospel hath made many â—arge and preoibus promises yet there are none so generall which are not limited wiâ—h the condition of faith and the fruit thereof unfained Repentance and each of them are so tied and entayled that none can lay claim to them but true beleevers which repent and turn from all their sins to serve him in holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Isa. 59.20 But I want these qualifications without which how can I expect supportation in my sufferings or an happy deliverance out of them however it fares with beleevers whom Christ hath undertaken for yea I have such a wicked heart and my sins are so many and great that these comforts nothing concerne mee for they that plow iniquity and sow wickedness shall reap the same Joh. 4.8 Answer So our sailings bee not wilfull though they be many and great yet they cannot hinder our interest in the promises of God Admit thou art a great sinner what then art thou a greater sinner than Matthew or Zacheus who were sinâ—ull Publicans and got their livings by pilling and polling oppression and extortion than Mary Magdalen a common strumpet possest of many Devills than Paul a bloody persecutor of Christ and his Church than the Theef upon the Cross who had spent his whole life to the last hour in abominable wickedness than Manasses that out-rageous sinner and most wicked wretch that ever was an Idolater a malitious Persecutor of the truth a defiler of Gods holy Temple a sacrficer of his own children unto Idols that is Devills a notable witch and wicked sorcerer a bloody murtherer of exceeding many of the dear Saints and true Prophets of the Lord and one who did not run headlong alone into all hellish impiety but led the people also out of the way to do more wickedly than did the Heathen whom the Lord cast out and destroyed I am sure thou wilt not say thou art more wicked than hee was and yet this Manasses this wretch more like a Devill incarnate than a Saint of God repented him of his sins from the bottome of his heart was received I cannot speak it without ravishing wonder of Gods bottomless and never sufficiently admired mercy was received I say to grace and obtained the pardon of all his horrible sins and most abominable wickedness And are not these and many the like examples written for our learning and recorded by the holy ghost to the end that wee may gather unto our selvs assurance of the same pardon for the same sins upon the same repentance and beleeving Are thy sins great his mercies are infinite hadst thou committed all the sins that ever were committed yet in comparison of Gods mercy they are less than a mote in the Sun to all the world oâ— a drop of water to the whole Ocean for the Sea though great yet may bee measured but God's mercy cannot bee circumscribed and hee both can and will as easily forgive us the debt of ten thousand millions of pounds as one penny and assoon pardon the sins of a wicked Manasses as of a righteous Abraham if wee come unto him by unfaigned repentance and earnestly desire and implore his grace and mercy Rom. 5.20 The Tenure of our salvation is not by a covenant of works but by a covenant of grace founded not on our worthiness but on the free mercy and good pleasure of God and therefore the Prophet well annexeth blessedness to the remission of sins Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiven Psal. 32.1 Yea the more miserable wretched and sinfull wee are the more 〈◊〉 objects wee are whereupon hee may exercise and shew the infinite riches of his bounty mercy virtue and all-sufficiency And this our spirituall Physitian can aswell and easily cure desperate diseases even the remediless Consumption the dead Apoplex and the filthy Leprosie of the soul as the smallest malady or least faintness Yea hee can aswell raise the dead as cure the sick and aswell of Stones as of Iews make Abrahams children Did hee not without the Sun at the Creation cause light to shine forth and without rain at the same time make the earth fruitfull why then should you give your self over where your Physitian doth not Besides what sin is there whereof wee can despair of the remission when wee hear our Saviour pray for the forgiveness of his murtherers and blasphemers And indeed despair is a sin which never knew Iesus It was a sweet saying of one at his death When mine iniquity is greater than thy mercy O God then will I fear and despair but that can never bee considering our sins bee the sins of meâ— his mercy the mercy of an infinite God Yea his mercies are so great that among the thirteen properties of God mentioned Exod. 34. almost all of them appertain to his mercy whereas one onely concerns his might and onely two his justice Again shall it ever enter into our hearts to think that God gives us rules to keep and yet break them himsef Now his rule is this Though thy brother sin against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying it repenteth mee thou shalt forgive him The son angers his father he doth not straight dis-inherit him but Gods love to his people exceeds a fathers love to his son Matth. 7.11 and a mothers too Isa. 49.15 I hear many menaces and threats for sin but I read as many promises of mercy and all they indefinite excluding none whose impenitency and infidelity excludeth not themselvs every sin deservs damnation but no sin shall condemn but the lying and continuing in it Wherefore if our clamorous conscience like some sharp fang'd officer arrests us at Gods suit let us put in bail two subsidue virtues Faith and Repentance and so stand the triall the Law is on our side the Law of grace is with
speak thou Musick to the wounded conscience Thunder to the feared that thy justice may reclaim the one thy mercy relieve the other and thy favour comfort us all with peace and salvation in Iesus Christ. Section 8. But secondly if this will not satisfie call to thy remembrance the time past and how it hath been with thee formerly as David did in thy very case Psalm 77.2 to 12. And likewise Iob Chapter 13. for as still waters represent any object in their bottome clearly so those that are troubled or agitated do it but dimly and imperfectly But if ever thou hadst true faith begotten in thy heart Ioh. 1.13 by the ministry of the Word Romans 10.17 Iam. 1.18.21 and the Spirits powerfull working with it Ioh. 3.3 5 8. whereby thine heart was drawn to take Christ and apply him a Saviour to thine own soul so that thou werâ— forced to go out of my self and rely wholly and onely on his merits and that it further manifested it self by working a hatred of sin and an apparent change in thy whole life by dying unto sin and living unto righteousness and that thou hast not since returned to thine old sins like the Dog to his vomit if it hath somtime brought forth in thee the sweet fruit of heavenly and spirituall joy if it hath purified thine heart in some measure from noysome lusts and affections as secret pride self-love hypoâ—risie carnall confidence wrath malice and the like so that the spirit within thee sighteth against the flesh If thou canst now say I love the godly because they are godly 1 Ioh. 3.14 and hast an hungring after Christ and after a greater measure of heavenly and spirituall graces and more lively tokens of his love and favour communicated unto thee My soul for thine thou hast given false evidence against thy self for as in a gloomy day there is so much light whereby wee may know it to bee day and not night so there is something in a Christian under a cloud whereby hee may bee discerned to bee a true beleever and not an hypocrite But to make it manifest to thy self that thou art so Know first that where there is any one grace in truth there is every one in their measure If thou art sure thou hast love I am sure thou hast faith for they are as inseparable as fire and heat life and motion the root and the sap the Sun and its light and so of other graces Or dost thou feel that Christ is thy greatest joy sin â—hy greatest sorrow that when thou canst not feel the presence of the spirit in thy heart thou goest moâ—rning notwithstanding all other comforts Assuredly as that holy Martyr said if thou wert not a wedding Child thou couldest never so heartily mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Thus I might go on but a few Grapes will shew that the Plant is a Vine and not a Thorn Take but notice of this and severall graces will one strengthen another as stones in an Arch. As for example Master Peacock Fellow of a House being afflicted in conscience as thou art and at the point of despair when some Ministers ask'd whether they should pray for him answered By no means do no so dishonour God as to pray for such a Reprobate as I am but his young Pupill standing by said with tears in his eyes Certainly a Reprobate could never bee so tender of Gods dishonour which hee well considering was thereby comforted and restored when neither hee with his learning nor any other Ministers with their sage advice could do any good Again secondly if ever thou hadst true faith wrought in thy heart bee not discouraged for as the former graces shew that thou hast with Mary made choice of that better part which shall never bee taken from thee So this grace of faith is Christ's wedding Ring and to whomsoever hee gives it hee gives himselfe with it wee may lose the sence but never the essence of it It may bee eclipsed not extinguished Fides concussa non excussa The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as it is Rom. 11.29 Friends are unconstant riches honours pleasures are unconstant the world is unconstant and life it self is unconstant but I the Lord change not Malachi 3.6 In a swound the soul doth not excercise her functions a man neither hears nor sees nor feels yet shee is still in the body The Frantick man in his mad fits doth not exercise reason yet hee hath it he loseth the use for a time not the habit Yea a sober man hath not alwayâ—â—he use of his sences reason and understanding as in his sâ—eep shal we therefore conclude that this man is senceless unreasonable and without understanding it were most absurd for if we have 〈◊〉 but a while our argument will appear manifestly â—alsâ— Trees and so wee are fitly called bee not deâ—d in Winter which resembles the tune of adversity because the sap is shut up in the root and confined thither by the cold frosts that they cannot shew themselvâ— in the production of leavs and fruits for by experience wee know that for the present they live and secretly suck nourishment out of the earth which maketh them spring and revive again when Summer coms Yea eveâ— whiles they are grievously shaken with the winds and nipped with cold frosts they are not hurt thereby but contrarily they take deeper root have their worms and cankers kill'd by it and so are prepared made fit to bring forth more fruit when the comfortable Spring approaches and the sweet showres and warm Sun-beams fall and descended upon them Elementary bodies lighten and darken cool and warm die and revive as the Sun presents or absents it self from them And is not Christ to our souls the onely Sun of reghteousness and fountain of all comfort so that if hee withdraw himself but a little wee become like plants in the Winter quite witheredâ— yea in appearance stark dead or like Trees void both of leavs and fruit though even then there remains faith in the heart as sap in the root or as fire raked up in the ashes Which faith though it bee not the like strong yet it is the like precious faith to that of Abrahams whereby to lay hold and put on the perfect righteousness of Christ. The Woman that was diseased with an issue did but touch and with a trembling hand and but the hem of his garment and yet went away both healed and comforted Well might I doubt of my salvation says Bradford feeling the weakness of my faith love hope c. if these were the causes of my salvation but there is no other cause of it or of his mercy but his mercy Wherefore hast thou but a touch of sorrow for sin a spark of hope a grain of faith in thy heart thou art safe enough The Anchor lyeth deep and is not seen yet is the stay of all The Bladder blown may float upon the â—â—ood But cannot sink nor
hath been to serve Satan and fulfil the lusts of the flesh VVe even suck in iniquity like water 〈…〉 It hath been the course of our whole life to leave that which God commands and to do that which he forbids The Word and Spirit may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetuall offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if we are sleeping it sollicits us to filthiness Whatever God commands we do the contrary We prophane his Dayes contemn his Ordinances resist his Word grieve his Spirit misuse his Messengers hate our reprovers slander and persecute his people seduce our friends give ill example to our neighbours open the mouthes of God's and our enemies to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are called and the truth we profess Yea we have done more against God in one week then we have done for him ever since we were born and whereas the least of Gods mercies is greater then all the courtesies of men we are not so thankfull to him for them all as we are to a friend for some one good turn Sect. XV. Neither are we sufficient of our selves to think much less to speak least of all to do ought that is good 2 Cor. 3.5 Iohn 15.4 5. There is so much wearisomness pride passion lust envy ignorance awkwardness hypocrisie infidelity vain thoughts unprofitableness and the like cleaving to our best actions to defile them that even our praying and fasting and repenting our hearing believing and giving our holiest communication our most brotherly admonition c. are in themselves as filthy rags Isa. 64.6 were they not accepted in Christ covered with his righteousness and washed white in his most precious blood Our very righteousness is as a menstruous cloth Isa. 64.6 What then is our sinfulness As bring we our lives to the rule Look how many sins are cherished so many false gods there are chosen Look how many creatures thou inordinately lovest fearest trustest rejoycest in so many new gods hast thou coined and wilt thou not then pleade guilty when the first and second Commandment arraigneth thee Thou canst not away with swearing but dost thou reprove others for their swearing Didst thou never hear Sermons unpreparedly irreverently c Does thy heart upon a Sabbath rest from worldly thoughts much more thy tongue from worldly speeches There is murther of the heart hatred Hast not thou murthered thy neighbours soul by thy negligence perswasion evil example c. Thou hast not stoln but hast thou not coveted Hast thou been liberal to those that are owners of a part of thy goods hast thou not robb'd thy brother of his good name which is above silver and gold Hast not thou robb'd God of his worship of his Sabbaths of his Tythes c. Lying flattering detracting listning to taâ—â—s yea not defending thy brothers good name is to bear false witness 〈…〉 very first motions of sins springing out of our hearts though presently rejected and a thousand the like and yet for every drop of wickedness that is in the life there is a sea in the heart that feeds it Sect. XVI True if thou lookest on thy sins in Satans false glass that will make them seem light and contemptible but behold them in the clear and perfect gâ—ass of Gods law and they will appear abominable Which makes our Saviour call hatred murther a wanton eye adultery c. Yea consider thy sins rightly and they will appear as the Iudasses that betrayed the Souldiers that apprehended bound smote and wounded thy Saviour as the gall and vinegar in his mouth spittle on his face thorns on his head nails in his hands spear in his side c. This is the way to know thy self sinful and as thus to know thy self is the best Divinity as Demonax said of Philosophy so thus to aggravate thy sins in thine own sight is the only way to have them extenuated in the sight of God Whence the more holy a childe of God is the more sensible he is of his own unholiness thinking none so vile as himself as it fared with holy Iob Iob 40.4 and 42.6 and with Isaiah chap. 6.5 and 64.6 and with Saint Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 Rom. 7.14 to 25. and with holy David who almost in every Psalm so much bewails his sins originall and actual of omission and commission Carnal men are only troubled for those sins that appear to the world but those in whom Christs is formed anew think they cannot be humbled enough for their evil thoughts vain and unprofitable words for the evil which cleaves even to their best actions for sins of omission as the want of faith and love and repentance want of the true fear of God the neglect of preparation and unprofitable hearing of praying and reading in their families of instructing their children and servants of sanctifying the Sabbath and seeing that all under them do the same their unfruitfulness under the means of grace their not growing in grace and the like And thus do all experimental Christians all that have spiritual eies The want whereof I take to be the cause of all desperate wickedness as what else but invincible ignorance is the cause why wickednesse so abounds in every corner oâ— the Land Sin indeed at first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of Sin swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the land Hosea 4.1 2. It is a people that do erre in their hearts saies God Why Because they have not known my ways Psal. 95.10 Ye are deceived saith our Saviour because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22.29 VVhen Christ wept over Ierusalem what was the cause Even their blindnesse If thou hadst known saith he at the least in this thy day those things which now are hid from thine eyes Luke 19.42 Because men know not the wages of evil therefore they do it and because they would securely do it therefore they refuse to know it O that men knew how good it is to obey to disobey how evil for this would soon disperse and dispel all the black clouds of their reigning sins in a moment If they were wise saith St. Bernard they would fore-see the torments of Hell and prevent them but they that wander in by-paths declare themselves ignorant of the rightway of salvation Rom. 3.17 I grant many that are wicked have a shew of wisdom but let them seem to know never so much yet it is through ignorance that they do so ill Sect. XVII And so having given you a short survey of our wretchedness by reason of Original sin and actual transgressions by which we must confess to have deserved double damnation I come now to declare the means which God of his infinite goodnesse hath found out both for
Israel that rather then he would be saved without them he desired the Lord to blot him out of the Book of life Exod. 32.32 And Paul to this purpose saith I could wish my self to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh meaning the Iews Rom. 9.3 And indeed all heavenly hearts are charitable Neither are we of the Communion of Saints if we desire not the blessednesse of others it being an inseparable adjunct or relative to grace for none but a Cain will say Am I my brother's keeper Yea where the heart is thankful and inflamed with theâ— love of God and onr neighbour this will be the principal aim As by my sins and had example I have drawn others from God so now I will all I can draw others with my self to God Saul converted will build up as fast as ever he plucked down and preach as zealously as ever he persecuted And we are no whit thankful for our own salvation if we do not look with charitie and pitie upon the gross mis-opinious and misprisions of our Brethren And what though we cannot do what we would yet we mnst labour to do what we can to win others not to merit by it but to express our thanks Besides it were very dishonorable to Christ not to do so Did you ever know that wicked men Thievs Drunkards Adulterers Persecuters false Prophets or the like would be damned alone no they mis-lead all they can as desiring to have companions Yea. the Pharisees would take great pains compass sea and land to make others two-fold more the children of hell then themselvs as our Saviour expresly witnesseth Mat. 23.15 which may cast a blush upon our cheeks who are nothing so industrious to win souls to God And what a shame is it that our God should not have as faithful servants as he hath unfaithful enemies That wicked men should be at more cost and and pains to please an ill master then we can afford to please so good a God so gracious and so loving a Father Shall they labour so hard for 〈…〉 will but inhance their damnation and shall we think any pains too much for that which will add to the weight of our eternal glory and salvation And what though their case be not onely desperate but almost hopeless as in reason that sin is past cure which strives against the cure nor would these drowning men refuse help were they noâ— wilful murtherers of their own souls yet there is a mercie due even to them And it is our duty to use the means leaving the issue to him who is able to quieken the dead and to make even of stones children to Abraham Witness Manasses in the Old Testament and Paul in the New Yea I suppose that this their sad condition calls for our more then ordinarie compassion Since they have precious souls that must everlastingly live in bliss or wo. And hence it is that the Angels are said to rejoice more at the conversion of such a sinner then for the building up of ninety and nine that are already converted Luk. 15.7 because he to whom God hath given a new heart and spiritual life will be sure to seek out for and use the means of growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Whereas the former are not onely dead in sin but so buried in the grave of long custome that they cannot stir the least joint no not so much as feel their deadness nor desire life but resist all means tending thereunto Insomuch that the conversion of such an one is held by Divines a greater work or Miracle then the creating of the whole World For in every New Creature are a number of Miracles A blinde man is restored to sight A deaf man to hearing A man possest with many Divels dif-possest Yea A dead man raised from the dead and in every one a stone turned into flesh in all which God meets with nothing but opposition which in the Creation he met not with Wherefore you that by calling to mind your own former blindness and bondage are able to know how it fares with them and accordingly to pity them you that fear God or have any bowels of compassion towards their precious souls use your utmost indeavour to reduce them earnestly admonish them draw them to hear some Boâ—nerges that preaches with power and authority and not as the Scribes Perswade them also to read Books that are convincing c. So shall you discharge your Duty to God shew your love to them your thankfulness to your Redeemer and not a little pleasure your selves For if you do gain them you shall shine as the stars in Heaven for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Or in case you cannot reclaim them yet he who requires it at your hands Wil return the same into your own bosomes Isai 49.4 5. Prov. 11.18 and 25.22 But I were as good knock at a deaf mans door as press or perswade the most to this duty though thus necessary for those two Idols Discretion cursed Covetousness beare a greater sway with the common Prosessors of this Age then either their Maker or Redeemer Though confident I am others will do more then Isay Phile. 21. Melancthon having found the Word most easily to prevail with him doubted not but his Preaching should do wonders upon otheps but having tried he found and confest That old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon Many Lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeus the Prophet but none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian Luke 4.22 to 29. Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22.14 FINIS Printed by I. Bell and are to be sold by Iames Crumpe in Little Bartholomew Well-yard who will also shew the other Books and tell the place where 〈…〉 Of these Enchiridions a Repenting Prodigal upon occasion of his late return thinks himself bound to give ten thousand for others good and takes it for an incomparable favour that it came into his heart so to do Yielding a threefold reason thereof First because it is probable that that Medecine which hath cured one desperate Patient if it be communicated may work the same effect upon others and that those thoughts which our experience hath found comfortable and useful to our selves should with neglect of all censures be communicated to others Secondly because the retribution of his obedience may in some proportion answer his offence as was that of Pauls who as he had done more evil to the Saints then all the rest of the Apostles so he laboured more then they all in adding to the Church such as should be saved 1 Cor. 15.10 Act. 9.16 Thirdly for that as exemplary offendors leave their inventions and evil practises to posterity whereby they cease not to sin though they cease to live for when dead they are still tempting and still sin so long as they cause sin yea how should not every Turke
succession shall reap them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sin and still they sin in that temptation they sin so long as they cause sin This was Ierobâ—ams case in making Israel to sin for let him be dead yet so long as any worshiped his Calves Ieroboam sinned Neither was his sin soon forgotten Nadab his son and Baasha his successour Zimri and Omri and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sin and not they alone but millions of the people with them So that it is easie for a mans sin to live when himself is dead and to lead that exemplary way to Hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments As O what infinite torments doth Mahomeâ— indure when every Tuâ—k that perisheth by his jugling does dayly adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of souls which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example And look to it for the bloud of so many souls as thou hast seduced will be required at thy hands and thou must give an account for the sins perhaps of a thousand Thou doest not more increase other mens wickednesse on Earth then their wickednesse shall increase thy damnation in Hell Luk. 16. 9. § It were easie to goe on in aggravating thy sinne and wretchednesse and making it out of measure great and the souls that miscarry through the contagion of thy evill example numerous For is not the Gospell and the name of God blasphemed among the very Turks Iews and Infidels and an evill scandall raised upon the whole Church through thy superlative wickednesse and other thy fellows Yea does not this keep them off from embracing the Christian Religion and cause them to protest against 〈…〉 and all such wicked and prophane wretches are not like dirt in the house of God thrown out into the street by excommunication Or as eâ—â—ovements and bad humours in mans body which is never at case till it be thereof disburthened as Austin well notes That they are not marked with a black coal of infamy and their company avoided as by the Apostles order they ought Rom. 16.17 2 Thess. 3.6 14. Eph. 5 5 7. 1 Cor. 5.5 11. 1 Tim. 1.20 That they are not to us as Lepâ—rs were among the Iews or as men full of plague sores are amongst us We well know the good husband man weeds his field of â—urtfull plants that they may not spoil the good corn And when fire hath taken an house we use to pull it down lest it should fire also the neighbours houses Yea the good Chirurgion cuts off a rotten member betimes that the sound may not be endangered Nor will the Church of England ever flourish or be happy in her Reformation until such a course is taken MEMB. 4. Swearer Sir I unfainedly blesse God for what I have heard from you for formerly I had not the least thought that swearing by faith â—roth or any other creature was so grievous a sin â—s you have made it appear from the Word And I hope it shall be a sufficient warning to me for time to come 1. § Messenger If so you have cause to blesse God indeed For all of you have heard the self-same Word but one goes away beâ—tered others exasperated and inraged wherein Will only makes the difference And who makes the difference of Wills but God that made them He that creates the new heart leaves a stone in one bosome puts flesh into another 2. § Of hearers there are usually four sorts Mat. 13.19 to 24. as first an honest and good heart will not return from hearing the word unbettered Yea he will so note what is spoken to his own sin that it shall increase his knowledge and lessen his vices As who by looking in a Glasse shall spy spotâ— in his face and will not forthwith wipe them out A wise man will not have one sin twice repeated unto him And these may be resembled to wax which yeeldeth sonner to the seal then steel to the stamp But 3. § Secondly others are like Tullies strange soil much rain leaveâ— them still as dry as dust Or the Wolfe in the emblem which though she suckt the Goat kept notwithstanding her wolvish nature still For speak what can be spoken to them it presently passes away like the sound of a Bell that is rung Let testimonies and examples nâ—ver so much concern them they prove no other then as so many characters writ in the water which leave no impression 〈◊〉 hinde them Who may be resembled to an Hour-glasse or Conduâ—t that which in one hour runneth in the same in another hour runneth out again Or the Smiths Iron put it into the fire it is much sofined again put it into the water 't is harder then before Yea let them never so much smart for their sins they will return to them again untill they perish Resembling some silly flye which being beat from the candle an hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again untill she be consumed Prov. 23.35 All those Beasts which went into the Arke 〈◊〉 came likewise ou◠〈◊〉 4. § Thirdly another sort will very orderly hear the Word and delight in it so long as the Minister shall rove in generalities preach little or nothing to the purpose But if once he touch them to the quick drive an application home to their consciences touching some one sin of theirs as John Baptist served Herod then they will turn their backs upon him and hear him no farther as those Jews served our Saviour Ioh. 6.66 The Athenians Paul Acts 17.16 to 34. and Ahab Micaiah 1 King 22.8 5. § Sore eyes you know are much grieved to look upon the Sun Bankrupts cannot abide the â—ight of their counting books nor doe deformed faces love to looke themselves in a true Glasse For which read John 3.19 20 2â— But let such men know that to flye from the light and reject the means puts them out of all hope That sin is past cure which turns from and refuseth the cure Deut. 17.12 Prov. 29.1 As what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their Ears from hearing it If those murtherers of the Lord of life Act. 2.23 had refused to hear Peters searching Sermon in all probability they had never been prickt in their hearts never been saved ver 37 38. And take this for a rule if ever you see a drowning man refuse help conclude him a wilfull murtherer 6. § Fourthly and lastly for I passe by those blocks that goe to Church as dogs do only for company and can hear a powerfull Minister for twenty or thirty years together and minde no more what they hear then the seats they
for his sake to bear a few scoffs and reproaches from the world it is evident we are but counterfeits such as Christ will be ashamed of before his Father and his holy Angels at the latter day Mark 8 38. For for the comfort of all that are single and honest-hearted notwithstanding all the scoffs and scorns of Atheists and careless worldlings all their perswasions and persecutions they shall both lose their labours and themselves too in the end Well may they intend and also do their utmost to flout us out of our Faith that so they may slay us with death eternal and speed thereafter As God that regards not so much what is performed as what was intended and measures what we do by what we meant to do as in the case of Abrahams offering up his son and those Iews who only thought they had killed Paul Acts 14 19. but they shall be no more able to hinder the salvation of any one 〈◊〉 God hath chosen to his Kingdome of grace and glory then Saul with his 〈◊〉 could hinder David from attaining the promised Kingdom of Israel 〈…〉 Rev. 13.8 The windes may well tosse the ship wherein Christ 〈…〉 overturâ— it If Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dispossessing him again The League that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to break Who can separate the conjunctions of the Deitie Whom God did predestinate saith Paul them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 They shall sooner blow up hell with trains of powder then break the chain of this dependent truth No power of men or devils is able to withstand the will of God it shall stand firmer then the firmament A fire in the heart overcomes all other fires without as we see in the Martyrs which when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once got into their hearts it could not be got out again by all the torments that wit and cruelty could devise CHAP. III. Convert BUt how should I a novice a punie a white-liver shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and fear in which Satan for the present holds me Minister By well observing what the Scriptures in this case hold forth for the encouragement of all that thus suffer I will commend to your serious consideration only six things and I pray minde them well for Virgil most excellently and profundly couples the knowledge of cause and the conquest of all fears together First observe that grievous temptations and persecutions do always accompany the remission of sins That all men as Austin speaks are necessitated to miseries who bend their course towards the Kingdom of Heaven neither can Gods love be enjoyed without Satans disturbance Yea the world and the devill therefore hate us because God hath chosen us If a convert comes home the Angels welcome him with songs the devils follow him with uprore and fury his old acquaintance with scorns and obloquie as you sufficiently finde Godly men are thorns in wicked mens eyes as Iob was in the devils because they are good or for that they are dearly beloved of God If a mans person and ways please God the world will be displeased with both whence we are so often foretold and forewarned of it that we may be the better forearmed and prepared to entertain it All that will love godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Ye shall be hated of all men and nations for my Names sake Matth. 10.22 and 24.9 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves Matth. 10.16 and many the like Wheâ—ce also those many and strong encouragements in the word which may serv◠〈◊〉 so many flaggons of wine to comfort and strengthen us against whatsoever we meet withall in the world Blessed are they that suffer persecution for 〈◊〉 teousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5.10 Blessed are 〈◊〉 when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill a 〈◊〉 you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your 〈…〉 in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you 〈…〉 Rejoyce inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when 〈…〉 shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy For if ye 〈…〉 ed for the Name of Christ happy are ye For the spirit of glory and 〈…〉 upon you which on their part is evil spoken of but on your part is 〈…〉 12 13 14. Lo here is reward enough for all that men or devils 〈…〉 gainst us which hath made thousands even ambitious to imbrace the flames Your cruelty is our glory said the Martyrs in Tertullians time to their persecutors for the harder we are put to it the greater shall our reward be in Heaven It is to my loss said Gordius the Martyr if you bate me any thing of my sufferings See more Phil. 1.28 29. Rev. 2.13 And so much to shew that he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks For it is an everlasting rule of the Apostle He that is born after the flâ—sh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evill but because he is so much better then himself 1 Iohn 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his ways are of another fashion Wisd. 2.15 CHAP. IV. SEcondly consider That as we are every where in the word forewarned of it so it is not our case alone for search the whole Bible over and you shall not finde one holy man mentioned without mention of something he suffered from ungodly men as it were easie to instance how Abel Lot Noah righteous men Abraham the father of the faithful Isaac Iacob Ioseph Patriarchs and Fathers of the Church meek Moses upright Samuel Iob that none-such all the Lords Priests Prophets Apostles yea the harmlesse Babes and our Saviour Christ himself did severally suffer from wicked and ungodly men Yea never man came to Heaven but first he past through this Purgatory God had one Son without sin but never any one without suffering Which makes our Saviour say Wo be to you when all men speak well of you that is when evill men speak well of you for so did the Iews of the false Prophets Luke 6 26. Wherefore marvel not though the world hate you as St. John speaks 1 Job 3.13 Neither count it strange as St. Peter hath it concerning the fiery triall which is amongst you to try you as though some strange thing were come unto you 1 Pet. 4.12 For Christ and his Crosse are inseparable Luke 14.27 Whence that distinction of Luther that a Christian is a Crosse-bearer He that will be my disciplâ— let him take up his crosse daily and follow me Luke 9.23 and 14.26 27. CHAP. V. THirdly No hope it should be otherwise since God from the beginning of the Creation hath
general may be applyed to many wholsome truths in particular the same disâ—ourse may make the indifferent good the good better and the bad worse Again Some and not a few are like the Gadarens Mark 5.17 who ere Christ entered their City besought him to depart their Coasts Nor is it amisse to leave such as these to themselves untill time and experience or their own Rod hath made them wiser More especially was it composed and published for their sakes who know the worth and sweetnesse of these flowers that prize these Pearles as having still sound when I have finished what I intended their entertainment to be such as at first I expected For these Posies may be resembled to a Plume of Feathers â—r some soveraine Balsome for which some will give much others little or nothing Whence according to my accustomed manner I have out of divers fleeces wove one piece of cloath and brought home to them many famous Authours though like Mummers in a mask I conceale their Names as thinking it sufficient if I deliver profitable matter after a profitable manner and guessing it the greatest point of Learning and Oratoury to distinguish aptly that which is confused and to illustrate plainly that which is obscure Nor do I at all like those raw fruits of Poetry Pamphlets and â—aybooks which take so with our youth and Gentry that weaken the stomack of the soul and fill it full of crudities which will not be digested into any good blood either of knowledge or vertue And happy it were if all proud and unsanctified wits had but the wit to know how Satan guls them with chaff instead of wheat with copper instead of gold with glasse in liew of Pearl Which is the earnest desire of him who would gladly bâ— A furtherer of their Wealth and Happinesse that have a mind to it 〈…〉 How to become Rich and Happy The Second Part. CHAP. I. THe Chirurgeons of Greece like our English Mountebanks were wont to shew the operations of their Skill upon Scaffolds in view of all passengers thereby to assure men what they could do as well us to get more practice and custom if they were deserving The Merchant thinks it a good course first to try with a little how vendible his commodity will be and after he replenisheth the Market according to the esteem it findes with the Inhabitants Nor is he held wise that will venter all his estate in one bottom Such were my thoughts in publishing the first part of this Tracte intending like Phidias touching his portrayture that if it were liked did abide the touch passe the standard of the judicious Readers approbation I would publish the residue otherwise not resolving whether allowed of they should incourage me or disliked they should amend me And now having found that acceptance which in modesty I could not expect I have sent abroad the second Part. In the former Part of this Discourse I have declared what it is and what it is not to be Rich and withall chalked out the way in six Particulars how men that are poor may become Rich and rid of poverty In this which follows I shall declare how they may become Happy and rid of discontent or Melancholy Now for the effecting of this there needs no more be done than to cure men of their covetousnesse for if that be once done all is done otherwise nothing or nothing to purpose For let a covetous man become never so rich he is never the happier his care misery and melancholy still remaines but let his covetousnesse cease and then comes peace and joy and content have he never so little as I shall shew when I come unto it Yea let men but leave or be willing to leave this one sinne and they shall depart from this discourse like Naaman out of Iordan as if they had been washt and all their sinnes taken away like the scales from Pauls eyes Act. 9.18 For what hath brought Vsury and Simony and non-residency and bribery and perjury and felony and cruelty and hypocrisie and subtilty and envy and strife and debate into the City and Nation and made every house an Inne and every shopa Market of oathes and lyes and equivocations and fraude and indeed of what not but the superfluous and excessive love of money What is the cause of all the murmurings mutinies jarres contentions grudgings repinings fretting chafing weeping vexing complaining and discontent in every Family but the great controversie of mine and thine Name but covetousnesse and you have named the Mother of all sinnes that can be named which makes 〈…〉 principal endeavour shall be to prescribe some remedyes against this cursed sinne O that I could with little David cull out of the Scriptures that spiritual and celestial Brook the stone or Pible that would kill this Goliah then would I stick it into his temples with all my might For I thirst to pleasure these unworthy men with that which is more worth beyond compare than all their wealth multiplyed as many times as there are sands on the sea-shore For let me tell you you worshippers of the golden Calf that the cure which Erasistratus did upon Antiochus for which he had fourteen thousand three hundred and seventy five pounds was nothing to this cure of covetousnesse in him that is therewith infected or thereto inslaved as you will confesse if you but consider what the difficulty of this cure is of which I have largely spoken in Chapter 19 to Chapter 23. of the fore-going part CHAP. II. Now there is no way to remove this let or to rescue them from this Remora except I can insure them that they shall be gainers by the bargain and receive by way of exchange that which shall more than countervail what they part withall which I doubt not by the blessing of God to do if they will but vouchsafe or be willing to hear either reason or Divine Authority And 1. I will prescribe or give them some rare Receits acquaint them with some soveraign Remedies against this desperate evil and therein shew them how they shall or may of the most miserable men alive become the most Blessed and Happy And who knows whether God hath not put me upon this work and will accordingly blesse the meanes that shall be used though by a most unworthy and insufficient Instrument Neither is the strength or weaknesse of meanes either spur or bridle to Gods choice who sometimes does greatest acts by weakest Agents and gives the greater successe to the weaker meanes However an Emperick or Quacksalver hath now and then had the hap to cure a Patient whom a learned Artist could not do Wherefore be at leasure you lovers of money to hearken to what I shall produce from the word to your ears and God shall speak to your hearts by his spirit touching your temporal civil spiritual and eternal state Now if you would relinquish this sinne and so be everlastingly happy If you prefer true content and the
of God but it would be against reason for in reason if he hath vouchsafed us that great mercy to make us his own he hath given the whole army of afflictions a more inviolable charge concerning us then David gave his Host concerning Absalom See ye do the youngman my son Absalom no harm Now if for the present thou lackest faith patience wisdom and true judgement how to bear and make this gain of the cross Ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be given thee Jam. 1.5 For every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights Verse 17. 6 Use. 6 Sixthly for this point calling more for practice then proof it behoves us to be larger here briefer there If that which is one mans meat proves another mans poison let it be acknowledged that the fault is not in the meat but in the stomach and that it is the wickedness of our hearts want of a sincere endevour to make good use of Gods corrections which causeth him to withdraw his blessing from them Wherefore let it provoke us as we love our selves as we love our souls through all the transitory temporary momentany passages of this World first to strive after and then to preserve the life of our lives and soul of our souls sincerity and inegrity Again if afflictions which are in their own nature evil and unto others strong temptations to sin by the goodness of God do make so much for our advantage and benefit here and hereafter If our Heavenly Father turns all things even the malice of Satan and wicked men yea our own sins to our good Rom. 8.28 If for our sakes and for his Names sake he even changeth the nature and property of each creature rather then they shall hurt us as it is the nature and property of fire to burn yet that vehement â—ire in Nebuchadnezzars Furnace did not burn the three servants of God It is proper to the Sea to drown those that be cast into it yet it did not drown the Prophet in the very depth of it It is proper for hungry ravenous Lions to kill and devoure yet they did Daniel no harm And the like when we need their help It is proper for the Sun to move yet it stood still at the prayer of Ioshua proper for it to go from East to West yet for Hezekiahs confirmation it went from West to East It is proper for Iron to sink in the water yet it swom when the children of the Prophets had need of it In like manner It is proper for affliction to harden and make worse as well as for riches and prosperity to ensnare But as some Simples are by Art made medicinable which are by nature poisonable So afflictions which are in nature destructive by grace become preservative And as evil waters when the Vnicorns horn hath been in them are no longer poisonable but healthful or as a Wasp when her sting is out may awaken us by buzzing but cannot hurt us by stinging so fares it with affliction when God pleaseth to sanctifie the same as he doth to all that loue him Rom. 8.28 For of God it is without thanks to Affliction or our selves or our sins that we are bettâ—â—ed by them All the work is thine let thine be the glory But lastly for though we can never be thankful enough for this yet this is not all that we should finde him a Saviour whom our enemies finde a just revenger That we should be loosed from the chains of our sins and they delivered into the chains of Plagues That the same Christ should with his precious blood free us that shall with his Word sentence them Again if we were by nature the Seed of the Serpent children of the Devil and Subjects to that Prince which ruleth in the air even that spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 We may learn by it to be humble and thankful if changed to be the womans seed children of God and members of Christ since we were once in so vile a condition for God found nothing in us but Enmity 1 Cor. 15.10 Rom. 7.18 25. We are not born but new-born Christians and whereas he might have left us in that perishing condition being bound to none and have chosen others he hath of his free grace adopted us and left others What 's the reason surely no reason can be given but O the depth only this I am sure of it is a mercy beyond all expression O my soul thou hast not room enough for thankfulness Wherefore let it provoke us so to love him that we shew forth the vertues and fruits of him that hath called us and done all this for us 1 Peter 2.9 But I fear we forfeit many of Gods favours for not paying that easie rent of thankfulness For conclusion If we be the seed of the Woman and our enemies the Seed of the Serpent let us go before them in goodness as far as God hath preferred us before them in mercy let us be able to say of our enemies as Iob of his I have not suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse unto his soul Job 31.30 Yea let us send down water from our compassionate eyes and weep for them by whom we bleed In brief let us hate their opinions strive against their practice pitty their misguidings neglect their censures labour their recovery and pray for their salvation CHAP. 34. That though God disposeth of all their malice to his Childrens greater good yet they shall be rewarded according to their mischievous intentions Ob. IF it be so that the malice of wicked men makes so much for the behoof of Gods people and that whatsoever they do unto us is but the execution of Gods will and fâ—ll accomplishment of his just decree it may seem to make on their side and not only extenuate their evil but give them occasion of boasting Ans. Although God disposeth it to the good of his children that he may bring about all things to make for his own glory yet they intend onely evill in it as namely the Dishonour of God the ruine of mens souls as I have proved in the Drunkards Character and the satisfying of their own serpentine enmity and thirst of revenge We must therefore learn to distinguish betwixt the act of God and of an enemy as indeed Gods people do When ye thought evil against me saith Ioseph to his brethren God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is this day and save much people alive Gen. 50.20 God had no hand in doing the evil but God will have a hand in the disposing of it When Satan and wicked men have their wills even therein also is Gods will fulfilled for Gods will is the highest cause of all things Psal. 115.3 4. Yea the holy God challengeth to himself whatsoever is done in the City Amos
3.6 but so as neither wicked mens sins shall taint him nor his decree justifie them the sin is their own the good which comes of it is Gods the benefit ours He doth well in suffering to be done whatsoever is evil done saith Saint Augustine and is just in their injustice God wils the same action as it is a blessing triall or chastisement of his children which he hates as the wickednesse of the agent because in the same thing which they did there was not the same cause for which they did it The lewd tongue hand or heart moves from God it moves lewdly from Satan wicked men are never the freer from guilt and punishment for that hand which the holy God hath â—n their offensive actions To instance in some examples Satan did nought touching Iob but what the Lord upon his request gave him leave to do what then Did God and Belial joyn in fuâ—filling the same act No sooner shall Stygian darknesse blend with light the â—rost with fire day with night true God and Satan will'd the self-same thing but God intended good Satan ill Satan aimed at Iobs and God at his confusion God used the malice of Pharaoh and Sâ—imei unto good what then God afflicted his people with another minde then Pharaoh did God to increase them Pharaoh to suppresse them The sin of Shâ—meis curse was his own the smart of the curse was Gods God wills that as Davids chastisement which he hates as Shimeis wickednesse God owed a revenge to the house of Eli and by the delation of Doeg he took occasion to pay it when the Priests were slain It was just in God which in Doeg was most unjust Sauls cruelty and the â—reachery of Doeg do not lose one dram of their guilt by the counsel of God Neither doth the holy counsel of God gather any blemish by their wickednesse If it had pleased God to inflict death upon them sooner without any pretence of occasion his justice had been clear from all imputations Now if Saul or Doeg be instead of a Pestilence or Feaver who can cavil The judgements of God are not ever manifest but are alwayes just Again the curse of the Serpent bestowed blessednesse on Man yea our first Parents had been lesse glorious if they had not wanted a Saviour What then Doth Satan merit thanks No but the contrary for he onely intended the final ruine and destruction of them and all mankinde with the dishonour of their Maker Lastly the Devil does us good in this particular case for while he assaults us with temptations and afflicts us with crosses he in effect helps us to Crowns Yet still no thanks to Satan for to be charitable is more then his meaning it is that Divine and over-ruling Providence of God which we are beholding unto and to him give we the thanks But above all our Saviours example will most excellently distinguish the ends of God Satan and wicked Men for if we observe Iudas delivered him to death for gain the Iewes for envy Pilate for fear the Devil provoked each of them through this enmity Christ himself to obey his Fathers will God the Father in love to sinners and for their Redemption each furthered one and the same thing but to contrary ends so when this enmity breaks forth in the wicked Satan hath a hand in it as a malicious authour as when he entred into Iudas and made him betray Christ Luke 22.3 Man himself as a voluntary instrument as when Pharaoh hardened his own heart against the children of Israel Exod. 9.34 God as a most righteous Iudge and avenger as when he also hardened Pharoahs heart so punishing his former hardnesse with further obduration Exod. 9.12 But how in this case Even by permitting the seed of the Serpent from their own malicious inclination to hate the seed of the Woman not by infusing this malice but by withâ—drawing his grace when he sees it abused he doth not infuse corruption he doth not with-hold the occasion as when the Rider gives his horse the raines we say he puts him on Whence that distinction of adversities as they come from Satan they are usually called temptations as they come from Men persecutions as from God afflictions Now as God turned the treachery of Iudas not onely to the praise of 〈◊〉 â—ustice mercy wisdom power c. but to the good of all believers so he turnes this enmity of Satan and wicked men to his childrens great advantage in stopping them in their courses of sin and keeping them in exercise and his own glory And well may he work good by evil instruments when every Prince and Magistrate hath the seat to make profitable instruments aswell of evil persons as of good yea when there is nothing in the world be it gall it self yea the excrement of a Dog or the poison of a Serpent but mans shallow invention can finde it is good for something neither do two contrary poisons mingled together prove mortal And thus you see that the will of God may be done thanklessely when in fulfilling the substance we fail in the intentions and erre in circumstances Now see with the like patience how it will fare with these men in the end Pomponius Atticus being destin'd to famishment receiving no manner of sustenance for many dayes contrary to the intention was freed by means of that abstinence from a violent pain recovered of a disease which otherwise had cost him his life Prometheus being run in with a Rapier and Iason receiving a great blow on the brest each was restored to health from dangerous and deadly impostumes which otherwise were thought incurable And this is our case for even as that cured them which their enemies intended should have killed them so this enmity of the Serpent and his Seed cures our souls and makes us everlastingly happie Yet they intending onely evil in it or at least the satisfying of their own wicked wills as they know better then I wherein they imitate the Weesel which doth a man pleasure in destroying of Vermine yet only intends the satisfying of her own hunger not his good that keeps the house can no way assume the least praise to themselves nor expect the more favour That which is ill of it self is not to be ventured on for the good which commeth by accident It is no priviledge to be an instrument of good by evil meanes Nor can you expect to fare better without a healing of your errours then the Worme in the stomack which when it hath devoured all the matter proper for it dies it self or Heleborus which after it hath wrought the cure within the body is cast up again together with the Malady The Lord doth often good to his Church even by those Instruments whom for their sins he means to cast into Hell-fire Ashur was his Rod to scourge Israel that done they fell under a sharper lash themselves Those Nations saith God shall serve the King of Babel seventy years and