with application to the present state of things is not to hold decorum but hath an appearance more oratour then preacher-like We are never simply to desire crosses because they are naturall evils nor to abhor from them because we know they work together with our election calling justification and sanctification for our good Not as causes thereof as the forenamed are for the effects of sin cannot be the causes of righteousnes or happines nor yet as means properly as are the word sacraments prayer and examples of good men but onely as occasions capable of sanctification to our use which sins properly are not as having no good in them as such whereas afflictions have a morall good in them as they are of God and by him inflicted Though to speak of crosses most properly God sanctifies us to them in giving us grace to make a right use of them And considering how it is both good for us to be afflicted and that God hath promised that no good thing shall be lacking to them that fear him we are thus to make account that God afflicts us as he doth not onely in justice for sin but in faythfulnes also that is both in mercy and in truth of promise and must accordingly confesse with the man of God I know O Lord that thy judgments are righteous and that thou in faithfulnes hast afflicted me and so must learn to take our severall crosses at Gods hands not onely patiently but thankfully We have cause to thank our selvs and our sins that wholesom things both for body and soul are for the most part bitter and greivous to our nature and to thank God that makes afflictions bitter-sweets by turning deserved curses into fatherly corrections to us It is commonly receaved for truth that in all adversitie the greatest miserie is sometimes to have been happy But we must here use a distinction If we onely respect the time in which we are in miserie apart from the former time we are both more sensible of our present miserie by remembring our former happines and also more tender and delicate and so lesse able to bear it But if we consider our whole life together then the lesse time we are afflicted the lesse our afflictions are in that respect and so must be mynded of us It is not nothing that God hath given us to passe over some part of our dayes in peace and with comfort neyther must we be so unthankfull as to account it no benefit because it is past but we must contrarywise something quiet ourselvs in our present affliction with the remembrance of Gods goodnes in our former peace as did our example of patience who in the extreamitie of his present distresse sayd shall we receav good at the hand of God and shall we not receav evill Reason teacheth this except in a case when God lifts up a man on high that he may the more violently through him down how much more fayth which perswades the godly mans heart that the Lord loves him as well as much in his after afflicted estate as he did before in his prosperous as the gold-smith esteems his gold as much though melting in the furnace as glittering in the shop and that the same God will both give patience and strength of fayth according to the tryall and encrease of strength if he encrease the affliction as also full deliverance in due time He will redeem Israel from all his trouble As even good men perform their whole duetie to God with some corruption mingled among so God promiseth and performeth accordingly the good things of this life with exception of the crosse and tribulation If we could amend the one God would leav out the other The Lord who tryed Abraham in his son Isaak whom he loved and the rich young man in his riches which he loved knows well in what veyn to strike a man that the blood may follow The more we love any earthly thing we are the more in danger to be crossed in or about it Not that God envyes our delights as one man often envyes anothers but eyther because we do or lest we should surfet in affections towards it Most men are moved too much with their own miseryes in this world melting in them as wax in the sun so as they are unapt to hold any impression eyther of fayth or reason but are too litle moved with other mens calamities not affoarding them so much as a compassionate affection Yet may and doth the contrary extream of over pittying others also prevayl with some Against both which it is good to consider that eyther we and they reap spirituall benefit by our afflictions or no. If the former that may and ought to moderate the greif If not there is cause of greater greif for after greater afflictions to come upon us and them A man may much encrease or lessen a crosse by the course which he suffers his mynde to run in it seeing all crosses have some conveniencies joyned with them as all commodities have some discommodities If a man set his thoughts a work upon the inconveniencies and discommodityes alone which are in it he shall heap sorrow upon sorrow But if on the contrary he draw into consideration such conveniencyes as usually fall in with their contraryes he shall alwaies finde some matter of ease and sometimes that meat comes out of the eater and that which at first seemed a crosse is rayther a benefit It is a most dangerous thing for any to deem his afflictions extraordinarie least by so doing he prejudice himself against ordinary comforts which we should with readynes and thankfulnes embrace and not look for angels from heaven to comfort us or for manna from heaven to feed us CHAP. XXXIIII Of Injuries AN Injurie say the Lawyers is whatsoever is not done justly In one and the same act may be found both sin against God and injurie against man And therefore in cases of wrong done either by violence or deceit the offender under the law was bound both to make restitution to the wronged and also to bring his trespas offering to the priest to make an atonement for him before the Lord. Sometimes the sin is taken away and the iniurie remayns as when the person which hath wronged another truly repents but is not able to make satisfaction Sometimes on the other side the injurie is taken away and the sin remayns viz. when the offender makes satisfaction by compulsion or for shame but repents not before God Sometimes both are taken away and sometimes neyther as both or neyther satisfaction to men and repentance towards God is performed Between the injurying and offending of a man there is this difference that we may injurie him that is altogether ignorant of it but can offend onely him that takes knowledg of some evil in truth or appearance done by us whether with injury or not The more power any hath to
person that sinneth with all his parts and powers of soul and body is Gods work so is the preservation and sustentation of both person and personall abilities so is the naturall motion it self whether within or without the person in which the sin is like the halting in the Horses going and lastly so is not onely the voluntarie permission of the sin which he could easily hinder by his omnipotent power if he would oppose it but also the ordering both of sin and sinner to his own supernaturall ends For example The act of Iudah and Thamar morally considered was sinfull and impure but naturally good and blessed of God with a Son of whom Christ came according to the flesh So the abhominable sins of Absolom were ordered of God unto most just punishments of the sins of his Father David There is a two-fold use of the world and works of God in it the one naturall the other supernaturall The former is common to men with beasts who are alike cherished with the heat and influence of the Sun alike nourished by the Fruits of the Earth The other is peculiar to men with the holy Angels by which they behold the face of the Creators power wisdom goodnesse c. as in a most clear Looking-glasse and are provoked accordingly to praise and glorifie him in his wonderfull works even as by beholding some curious piece of workmanship much more if therewith we have singular use of it of a skilfull Artificer we are led in the view of the work to the commendation of the workman And look how much the Soul excelleth the body yea the Spirituall man the naturall so much is this use of Gods creatures more excellent then the former And so the opinion of the Philosopher who thought he was born to look upon the Sun and Heavens was not wide but short nor absurd but defective For he should have pierced further even through the Heavens unto him that made and governs them whose glorious power and goodnesse shineth in them that so he might have glorified him as God in his works For though by that glimpse of light in the Creatures we cannot attain to the knowledg of God as our Father in Christ yet are we both to honour him according to it and to be provoked by it to further search and enquirie after him in such means of revelation as by which he further manifests himself which are his Word and Gospel of Salvation Even as he that lying in a dark Dungeon spies some small glimpse of light will groap toward it by the wall hoping to finde some dore or window by which it comes in For neglect of this the verie wisest of the Heathens were left inexcusable and not glorifying God whom they knew in his works of creation of the World but vanishing in their own imaginations and serving the Creature rather then the Creator who is blessed for ever were given over of God to a minde void of judgment to do the things which are inconvenient Now of how much sorer punishment shall we be guiltie if together with this lesser glimpse of Divine light by the creatures we despise also the more glorious light of the Gospel not honouring God aright either as our powerfull Creatour or mercifull Redeemer by Christ Iesus But if we so honour him and make him great in our own hearts and before men what we can as he hath manifested and made known himself in his Word and Works he will honour us with himself for ever in glorie CAP. V. Of created goodnesse EVerie thing that is and hath being is in that regard good and of God The naturall parts and powers of body and Soul of most wicked men remain in themselvs notwithstanding all infection of evill in them Gods good Creatures so do the naturall acts and motions of those parts and powers in themselvs considered notwithstanding any morall accessorie of evill in them ariseing either from the evill affection wherewith or unlawfull object upon which they are performed There can be no evill in the Work which is not first in the Worker as the cause And so a wicked person being worse then a wicked action if the sin prevail not so far as to make the part or facultie of the person in which it is to cease to be a part or power created of God neither doth it so far prevail in the action or work as to make it cease to be in it self a created motion and therein a naturall good thing God is and so by all is to be acknowledged for the giver of everie good gift that is of everie thing save sin which sin is nothing that hath being in nature but an absence of and crosnesse to that which should be as darknesse is of and unto light And so the good Father would not say that his Mother gave him Milk but God by her And though the good which we enjoy come unto us by never so ready and ample means yet must we alwaies religiously minde that both the means are of Gods raysing and ordering and the blessing upon them for our good And if Iob saw by Faith that all the evils and harms that came unto him and his though by the Divels and wicked mens means were from the Lord as supream orderer of all things how much more should we look upon God as the Authour and worker of all the good that befalleth us Notwithstanding if God so far honour any persons as to make them hands and instruments specially voluntarie for the reaching of any blessing unto us from himself we also and that even therefore are to love and honour them as David not onely blessed the Lord as the Authour but Abigail also as the Minister of the good counsell which she gave him for the not avenging of himself upon Nabal Actions besides their naturall entitie or being are by one distinguished and that aptly according to a four-fold goodnesse First An action is sometimes good in it self and to them to whom it is done but not to the doer as works of mercie done but not for God Secondly Good in it self and in the doer but not to him to whom it is done as the Preaching of the Word to them that despise it Thirdly Good in it self and the doers and to them to whom it is done as the same Preaching to him that receivs it Fourthly Though neither good in it self nor in the doer nor for him to whom it is done as an evill or injurie yet good as it is ordered by God to an end supernaturally good Who as saith another would not suffer evill but as knowing how to work good out of it In actions of the third kinde onely goodnesse is entire in all it parts and relations A man should never glorie in that good how great soever which is common to a beast with him nor a wise man in that which is common to a fool with him no
of things and this is commendable where the matter is such as we either understand not throughly or may er in Some again though of weak understanding no sooner heare an objection against any thing which they hold but forth with they fall upon it with an answer And this they do oft out of a conceipt that it is a point of wit in them and credit to them to say something to everie thing though little to purpose to any thing in whom the Proverb is verified to the contrarie He that answereth a matter before he know it it is folly and shame unto him Others there are again who trust most to the Scorpions sting their venemous tongue in disgracing in stead of refuting both cause and person of their opposites by all possible means and these are for the most part such as presume that the times which they serv and their credits with them will countenance and authorize against their underling-adversaries the slaunders and calumnies which they either malitiously invent or lightly receav or uncharitably conceiv against them which therefore they spit freely abroad with black tongues as Serpents do their poyson to blast and corrupt whatsoever they light upon These hoat reproachers are often as cold disputers There want not also who affect differences in Religion with others either in wantonnesse and for ostentation of wit or in affectation of singularitie or in envie at Superiours or in contempt of Inferiours or to gratifie the Mightie by opposing such specially of mean condition as the other hate and despise But we should affect strife with none but studie as far as can be to accord with all accounting it a benefit when we can so do with any and the contrarie a crosse and the same the greater by how much their gifts or graces or places are greater or the bond nearer between them and us whether Naturall or Civill or Religious Lastly there are to be found too many who make either proud contempt or bold obstinacie a buckler to ward all blows of arguments that are or can be brought against their preconceaved opinions We ought to be firmly perswaded in our hearts of the truth and goodnesse of the Religion vvhich vve embrace in all things yet as knowing our selvs to be men whose propertie it is to er and to be deceived in many things and accordingly both to converse with men in that modestie of minde as alwayes to desire to learn something better or further by them if it may be as also to beg at Gods hands the pardon of our errours and aberrations which may be and are secret in us and we not aware thereof Whosoever offers the Word of God and holy Scriptures for justification of his Religion deservs to be heard and to have his cause examined for the verie Words sake whose testimonie he offers to produce as in civill course he who offers to bring for his cause witnesses honourable and worthy of credit will be admitted to plead it for his witnesses sake though not for his own No difference or alienation in Religion how great soever either dissolvs any naturall or civill bond of societie or abolisheth any the least dutie thereof A King Husband Father c. though an Heathen Idolater Atheist or Excommunicate is as well and as much a King Husband or Father as if he were the best Christian living and so both oweth and hath owing unto him reciprocally the duties and offices of that state in which he is set by an inviolable right which they that denie are monsters amongst men and enemies to humain societies Divisions amongst a few though not in the greatest matters are most observed because First It is expected that weak parties should be firmly united for their better defence Secondly A few and their doings are remarkeable for their fewnesse as a handfull of Forreighnours in a strange Countrey Thirdly their differences are oft more vehement partly for the greater zeal spirituall or carnall of the persons and partly because their opposition is more immediate whereas amongst many it will be hard but some mediatours will be found to moderate things And this is the reason why the danger of civill tumults is greatest in such Countreys as in which two Religions onely are in use Lastly All will be bold with them and readie to proclaim their miscariages to the full and above truth The most count it the best and safest way in differences of Religion without further question to take the strongest part that doing as the most do they may have the fewest finde fault with them Such forget God who is strongest of all But the best and safest way indeed is to get true and sound conscience of things certain and without controversie Such a person God will direct in his wayes so far and certainly as not to misse of the main end Life eternall and therewith in mercie will pardon all other his humain abberrations With mine whole heart have I sought thee Oh let me not wander from thy Commandments Men are for the most part minded for or against Toleration of diversitie of Religions according to the conformitie which they themselvs hold or hold not with the Countrey or Kingdom where they live Protestants living in the Countreys of Papists commonly plead for Toleration of Religion so do Papists that live where Protestants bear swey though few of either specially of the Clergie as they are called would have the other tolerated where the world goes on their side The verie same is to be observed in the ancient Fathers in their times of whom such as lived in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ and suffered with the Churches under Heathen Persecuters pleaded against all violence for Religion true or false affirming that it is of humain right and naturall libertie for everie man to worship what he thinketh God and that it is no propertie of Religion to compell to Religion which ought to be taken up freely that No man is forced by the Christians against his will seeing he that wants faith devotion is unserviceable to God and that God not being contentious would not be worshiped of the unwilling Whereas on the contrarie the latter having the Emperours Christian and on their side incited and pressed them to violent courses But considering that to tolerate is not to approve and that the Magistrates are Kings Lords over men properly and directly as they are their Subjects and not as they are Christs but that by accident and as the same persons who are civilly their Subjects are Spiritually Christs and Christians and lastly considering that neither God is pleased with unwilling worshipers nor Christian societies bettered nor the persons themselvs neither but the plain contrarie in all three the saying of the wise King of Poland seemeth approveable that it is one of the three things which God hath kept in his own hands to urge the conscience this way and to cause
or all which they spake by the Spirit written but onely so much as the Lord in wisdom and mercie thought requisite to guide the Church in Faith and obedience to the worlds end so as the Scriptures should neither be defective through brevitie nor burthensom by too great largenesse and prolixitie And thus to judg is more answerable both to Gods providence in preserving the Scriptures from miscarrying and to the Churches care and faithfulnesse in keeping safe this heavenly treasure committed to her custodie then to say with some that any of the Books or parts of the Canonicall Scriptures are lost It no more detracts from the authentique authoritie or generall use of some parts of the Holy Scriptures that they were penned upon some speciall occasions then of the Sermons of Christ the Prophets and Apostles that some of them were preached upon speciall occasions And surely it seems a strange conceipt that the authoritie of the writing should be the lesse because the thing written was suggested by the Holy Ghost and so penned upon speciall occasion offered as such Scriptures were The Scriptures are not onely authentique in themselvs as having the Spirit of God for the Authour both of matter and manner and writing but do also as they say carrie their authoritie in their mouthes binding both to credence and obedience all whomsoever unto whom they come by what means soever And if God left not himself without witnesse in his works of creation and providence how much lesse in his written Word Wherein without comparison he reveals himself much more clearly then the other way which is therefore discernable by its self as is the Sun by its own beams and light and which as one saith he that studies to understand shall be compelled to beleev Their assertion therefore who hold and teach that we are to receav the Scriptures for the Churches testimonie because usually as others more truly and religiously speak we receav them by its testimonie is in effect none other then that we are to beleev God for mens cause whereas on the contrarie if a man should finde the Book of Holy Scriptures in the high-way or hidden under a stone yet he were bound to learn receav beleev and obey them and everie part of them in his place though without yea against the likeing and approbation of all the men in the World except God must not be God without mens likeing And if the Word preached by Christ the Prophets and Apostles in their time whether to Iews or Gentiles were absolutely to be beleeved and obeyed by everie one that heard it without other or further testimonie why not as well and much now by all that read it written He that receavs the testimonie of Christ for it self whether exhibited in speach or writing sets to his seal that God is true He that receavs it for the testimonie of the Church sets to his seal that men are true But the Childe of God knows his Fathers voyce The profit and power of the Scriptures both for stay of Faith and rule of life and comfort in all manner of afflictions no tongue or pen is able so fully to expresse as everie true Christian findes and feels in his own experience There is but one true happinesse life eternall one giver of it God one Mediatour Iesus Christ and so but one means of imparting it the Word of God by which he that is both Authour and finisher of all both begins and perfits all Blessed is the man that hath his delight therein and meditates in the same day and night that so he may learn the things upon Earth the knowledg whereof will fit him for Heaven When we avow the Scriptures perfection we exclude not from men common sense and the light of nature by which we are both subjects capable of understanding them and directed in sundry manners of doing the things commanded in them yea besides other humain helps we both acknowledg and beg of God as most needfull for their fruitfull understanding the light of his holy Spirit onely we account and avow them as a most perfect rule neither crooked any way nor short in any thing requisite This their sufficiencie and perfection is not to be restrained to matters simply necessarie to Salvation For who can say how many or few and no more nor lesse they are But to matters necessarie to obedience that we may please God in all things great or small expressed or intended and to be gathered by proportion and just consequence Without Faith we cannot please God and Faith comes onely by the Word of God which we must therefore make our guide in all our wayes And if we be to give an account for everie idle word and so for every vain thought or work there is then a Law of God for these smallest matters for where no Law is there is no transgression and where there is no transgression or fault there is no account to be given But as Phylosophers say that the least naturall things are not sensible by reason of their smalnesse so may and doth it too easily fall out that we fail through want of skill or care in applying our rule of direction both in smaller matters and others of greater moment also But this is not because the Scriptures are defective in directing but we either blinde in discerning or negligent in searching or both And if the Holy Scriptures direction reach unto the whole course of our life how much more of our Religion or worship of God In which nothing is to be practised but that which is to be beleeved nothing to be beleeved but that which is to be taught nothing to be taught but according to the Scriptures This being the first thing that we are to beleev that we must beleev nothing but according to them All things els are humain and humain it is to er and be deceaved The custom of the Church is but the custom of men the sentence of the Fathers but the opinion of men the determination of Councels but the judgments of men To conclude One onely place of Holy Scriptures rightly understood and fitly applyed will have more power and fasten deeper upon a truly good and godly heart then all the consenting authorities of men and Angels though uttered with the tongue of men and Angels As the title set over the head of Christ crucified was the same in Hebrew Greek and Latin so are the Scriptures the same whether in the Originall or other Language into which they are faithfully translated Yet as the waters are most pure and sweet in the Fountain so are all writings Divine and humain in their Originall Tongues it being impossible but some either change or defect or redoundancie will be found in the translation either by default of the Translatour or of the Tongue into which it is made In a Translatour is required specially skill in words and
discerned by them that enjoy it till sicknes come for then not onely Orpheus his song but much more our own experience teacheth us that nothing is avaylable to men without health neyther riches nor honour nor the greatest delights for belly or back which the earth can affoard This blessing therefore where it is may be set alone against many other wants and God acknowledged to deal graciously with us in bestowing it though with the want of many other outward good things which though others enjoy yet without it they want the comfortable use of them have lesse joy of their lives by far then we by it without them The best rule in physick is to preserv health by the use of things wholesome and eschewing what is noxious and hurtfull either in matter or manner or measure and that betimes and before distempers have taken too deep root or that the strength of nature be too much impayred by the inordinate appetites and licentiousnes of unadvised youth We say in the proverb At fortie years every man is either a fool or a physition But because most are fools so long before that in their best years it is too late for them to become physitions at this age the after years are constreyned to bear the manifold infirmities diseases which are owing to inordinat youth And a happy thing it were considering how few young folks will regard or beleev these things till they be taught them by miserable experience that wise parents and governers would so shew their care over their children pupils and servants that where they cannot disswade the affection they might yet prevent the using of those unwholesom hurtful youth-banes unto which inordinate appetite carryes young folk headlong I have marvailed oft at the aversnes of many specially of the meaner sort from physick in time of sicknes but more at their unreasonable choyse of physitions when they use it How ordinarie a thing is it with a number that if but theyr horse or cow be sick or but in danger they will let them blood or get them a mash or run to a leach for them who yet for themselvs or their nearest freinds will neyther seek nor willingly be perswaded to use the counsail or help of a physitian The reasons hereof I conceav to be eyther for that men are prone and ready to perswade themselvs and to be perswaded by their freinds that they shall do wel enough without such helps and that manie times out of a superstitious presumption of Gods speciall help where mans is neglected or on the contrary when they are heartlesse and dispair of good thereby But yet more strange is the choyse which many make when they use means For though in all other courses men seek for such as are most skilfull yet in this they are not onely more readie to beleev any that professeth himself a physition then of any other facultie but also chuse rayther to trust theyr bodyes and lives in the hands of ignorant Empericks men or women then of the most expert and learned physitions that are Which I speak not as esteeming the counsayl or help of the meanest to be neglected specially where eyther the more skilfull cannot wel be come by or that the danger is not great But for that all things are to be done reasonably and for the best advantaging and likelihood of good that may be The causes of this are on the Empericks part that they are more officious about their patients the other being many tymes supercilious and neglective of meaner persons Secondly that they are more bold boasters of their own doings then the other whose learning makes them modest Thirdly their affoarding their counsail and pains at a cheaper rate then the other do who verie likelily and as experience teacheth in other countries if they would descend to that rule of equitie in other cases A penny-worth for a penny would finde that lighter gayns comming thicker would make heavier purses Fourthly their administring of medicines usually lesse offensive and loathsome unto nature which it may be the others skill and care if custome made not men lesse compassionate then they should be might much correct though it can not be denyed that by Gods providence and for mans sin the most wholesom things eyther naturally or morally are bitter and unpleasing On the patients part this aryseth commonly 1. from a suspition least they being mean and playn persons should eyther be overreached or neglected by the learned 2. From envy which the learneds arrogancy also oftens occasioneth 3. From an ambitious desire in them to advance those of their own order as of old the citizens of Rome would have the cheif officers even the Consuls and Dictatours created and chosen out of their rank And lastly for that if any cure be or seem to be wrought by them which want art men are therein ready to conceav of a special divine assistance and helping hand of God One speciall use of a skilfull artist is to discerne aright of the varietie of circumstances that fall in Simple men and women have many times the same medicines or simples at least with the most skilful doctours But wanting art and skil to temper and apply them according to the diversitie of the estates of patients and varietie of accidents within and without the sick they eyther profit not or hurt one way what they profit an other To which purpose it was wittily answered of the physition who having prescribed a medicine to his patient and thereby cured him and being asked by him afterwards why the same medicine which the same person falling into the same disease again took himself did not avayl him as before that the reason was because he the physition gave it him not Neyther is the use greater of the skilfull in this consideration then of the experienced Physitians sayth one and truely have this advantage above them of other professions that the sun beholds their cures and the earth covers their faylings They that dy under their hands or by their default are past complayning of them they that recover and survive though sometimes by the benefit of nature alone under Gods providence will repute and report them the means of their recovery Which consideration makes not the honest and conscionable the more secure but the more carefull of their account to be given unto God from whose eyes nothing is covered CHAP. XXXIII Of Afflictions AL afflictions are for sin as the deserving cause for living man mourneth for the punishment of his sin Whereupon the prophet tels the Iews that their own wickednes should correct them Neyther doth God punish but where man sins sayth one Now to set these two together orderly is the propertie of a wise man and accordingly in our afflictions to mourn for our sins which we then rightly do when out of the clear sight of their odiousnes in Gods account we more vehemently desire the
pardon of them then the removing of the bodily punishment as who having understanding in him would not raither haue the bodily soar healed then the playster though byting taken from it And withall when we acknowledge that our afflictions are infinitely lesse then our sins Which they that do not neyther know Gods justice nor their own demerits as they ought Neyther yet is it sufficient that in such cases wee confesse our sins and how we have walked contrarie unto God but we must withall confesse our miserie and that God hath walked contrary unto us and brought our present afflictions upon us In Confessing our sins we shame our selvs and declare our naughtines but in ackowledging our selvs justly punished for them we honour God as a wise powerfull and just Iudg. Notwithstanding there be alwayes the desert of sin procuring punishment yet God doth not alwayes principally aym at that but sometimes that his power may be seen as in the man born blinde sometimes for the honour of his holy name having been blasphemed of his enemies by the sins of his servants as it was by Davids adulterie and other mischeifs following thereupon sometymes for mans salvation as we see in the sufferings of Christ sometimes for the confirmation of others by testimonie given to the truth as in the case of Steven whose sufferings sayth one exhort to the confession thereof sometimes for the tryall of our faith seeing without afflictions neyther others knew us nor we our selvs and for the shameing of the divell therein as in the case of Iob sometimes to draw men nearer to himself by humiliation and repentance which is a generall end sometimes to wean us from the love of the world unto which we are too much addicted notwithstanding all the sorrows which we do finde in it and like foolish travaylers love our way though troublesome in stead of our country sometimes to prevent some sin ready to break out in us as physitians let blood to prevent sicknes Lastly to make the glorie which shall be shewed and whereof our afflictions are not worthy the more glorious as the sun is when the clouds are driven away wherewith for a time it hath been darkned Now as it were to be wished that we could alwaies certainly know the Lords particular ends in afflicting us as we may gather much ordinarily by the knowledge of his word observation of his dealing towards our selvs and others and due examination of our estate and wayes in his sight so is it most necessarie for all his people ever to hold this generall conclusion that in all their afflictions the justice and mercy of God meet together and that he begins in justice and wil end in mercy with them God hath in a peculiar manner entayled afflictions to the sincere profession of the gospel above that of the law before Christ. The law was given by Moyses whose ministerie began with killing the Egiptian that oppressed the Israelite and was prosequuted with leading the people out of Egipt through the sea and wildernes with great might and a strong hand and lastly was finished with bloody victorie over Sihon and Og the kings of Canaan But Christs dispensation was all of an other kynde his birth mean his life sorrowfull and his death shamefull And albeit the love of God towards his people be alwaies the same in it self yet is the manifestation thereof very divers Before Christs coming in the flesh in whom the grace of God appeared God shewed his love more fully in earthly blessings and peace and more sparingly in spirituall and heavenly But now on the other side he dealeth forth temporall blessings more sparingly and spirituall with a fuller hand It is not unprobably gathered that after the destruction of the dragon and beast and recalling of the Iewes after their long divorse from the Lord the blessings of both kindes shall meet together and the Church enjoy for a time a verie gracefull state upon earth both in regard of spirituall and bodily good things In the mean while many would fayn have their worldly advantage and the obedience of the gospell to agree together further then they will And when they cannot frame the world and their worldly conveniencie to the gospell they will fashion the gospel to the world and to their carnall courses in it Pitty it is that such men were not of the Lords councell when he first contrived and preached his gospel that they might have helped him in some such discreet and middle course as might have served the turn both for Heaven and earth But let the world in its foolish wisdom say and do what it will or can the way is narrow which leads unto life and considering mans naughtines it is neyther fit nor hardly possible that it should be broader All the afflictions which Christians suffer are not afflictions of Christ nor all the crosses which they take up the crosses of Christ. The afflictions of Christ may be set in three ranks The first and those most properly so called are when men for Christs cause hate revile and persequute us The second when we suffer evils which we might be free from and escape if we durst deny in word or deed any part of Christs truth The third and last sort are such as befall us in the course of godlines though humayn and as they do all other men as bodily sicknes death of freinds crosses and losses by sea and land and the like If we be members of Christ our such afflictions are the afflictions of Christ els the mercy shewed and good done to such were not done to Christ. But now if he that in his person is a true Christian suffer for evil doing he takes not up the crosse of Christ but of the divel therein and if he put himself upon needlesse danger and difficulties he takes not up Christs crosse but his own herein and so hath his amends in his own hands Yet may even afflictions so coming by our true repentance be sanctified unto us and we please God in their use though not in their cause Both good conscience and wisdom must be used in applying such scriptures as speak of the afflictions of Christians for well doing neyther is all that can be sayd out of everie text thereabout to be applyed to all times For howsoever hardly at any time or in any place things go so well especially in our dayes which even they who are none of the best themselvs will confesse yea complayn to be extreamly evill but that truth goes with a scratcht face lesse or more yet the differences of times and state of things must be observed and put this way Yea further though the times in the generall should be very evill yet for a person who himself is wel furnished with earthly good things wel fed and glad and in outward peace to dwel much upon the afflictions of Christians specially