above whiles we are furnished with these earthly contenâ—ments below but when God strips us of them straitwayes our minde is homewards Whiles Naomies husband and sonnes were alive wee finde no motion of her retiring home to Judah let her earthly stayes be removed she thinkes presently of removing to her Courstry a delicious life when every thing about us is resplendent and contentfull makes us that we have no minde to goe to Heaven wherefore as a loving mother when shee would weane her childe from the dug maketh it bitter with Wormewood or Aloes so dealeth the Lord with us he maketh this life bitter unto us by suffering our enemies to persecute and oppresse us to the end wee may contemne the world and transport our hopes from Earth to Heaven he makes us weepe in this Vale of misery that wee may the more eagerly long for that place of felicity where all teares shall bee wip't from our eyes Our wine saith Gregory hath some Gall put into it that wee should not be so delighted with the way as to forget whâ—ther wee are going And this is no small abatement to the bitternesse of adversities that they teach us the way to Heaven for the lesse comfort we finde on earth the more we seeke above and the more wee esteeme the best things and wee are very ungratefull if we do not thanke him for that which so overcomes us that it overcomes the love of the world in us Experience shewes that in Countries where be the greatest plenty of fruits they have the shortest lives they doe so surfet on their aboundance Sicily is so full of sweet flowers if we beleeve Diodorus Siculus that dogs cannot hunt there and it is questionable whether the injoying of outward things or the contemning of them be the greatest happinesse for to be deprived of them is but to be deprived of a Dye wherewith a man might either win or lose yea doth not a large portion of them many times prove to the Owner like a treacherout Dye indeed which flatters an improvident Gantester with his owâ—e hand to thrâ—w away his wealth to another Or to yeeld it the uttermost gold may make a man the richer not the better honour may make him the higher not the happier and all temporall delights are but as flowers they onely have their moneth and are gone this morning in the bosome the next in the Besome The consideration whereof made the very Heathen Philosophers hate this world though they saw not where to finde a better Yea it made Themistocles so undervalue transitory thingâ— in comparison of vertue that seeing rich Bracâ—lots of previous stones lie in his path he â—ad his friend take them up saying Thou art not Themistocles And indeed in â—s Heaven onely that hath a foundation Earth hath none God hath hanged it upon nothing and the things therein are very nothing Nothing feeds pride nor keepes off repentance so much as prosperous advantage T is a wonder to see a Favourite study for ought but additions to his Greatnesse God shall have much adoe to make him know himselfe The cloath that hath many staines must passe through many â—arders no lesse than an odious leaprosie will humble Naaman wherefore by it the onely wise God thought meet to sawcâ— the valour dignity renowne victories of that famous Generall of the Syrians If I could be so uncharitable as to wish an enemies soule lost this were the onely way let him live in the height of the worlds blandishments for how can he love a second Mistresse that never saw but one beauty and still continues deeply inamoured on it Why is the Lapwing made an Hieroglyphicke of infelicity but because it hath a little Corronet upon the head and yet feeds upon the worst of excrements The Peacock hath more painted Plumes yet is the Eagle accounted the Queene of Birdes because she flyeth neerest heâ—ven We often see nothing carries us so far from God as those favours he hath imported to us T is the misery of the poore to be neglected of men t is the misery of the rich to neglect their God The Bâ—dger being wounded with the prickles of the Hedghog his invited guest whom at first hee welcomed and entertained in his Cabbiâ— as an inward friend mannerly desiring him to depart in kindnesse as he came could receive no other answer then that hee for his owne part found himselfe very well at ease and they that were not had reason to seeke out another seat that might like them better It is but a fable yet the morrall is true perspicuous profitable Many shall one day repent that they were happy too soone Many a man cryes out O that I were so rich so healthfull so quiet so happy c. Alas though thou hadst thy wish for the present thou shouldst perhaps be a loser in the sequoll The Physitian doth not heare his Patient in what he would yet heareth him in taking occasion to doe another thing more conducible to his health God loves to give us cooles and heats in our desires and will so allay our joyes that their fruition hurt us not he knowes that as it is with the body touching meates the greater plenty the lesse dainty and too long forbearance causes a Surfet when wee come to full food So it fares with the minde touching worldly contentments therefore hee feeds us not with the dish but with the spoone and will have us neither cloyed nor famished In this life Mercy and misery griefe and Grace Good and bad are blended one with the other because if we should have nothing but comfort Earth would be thought Heaven besides if Christ-tide lasted all the yeare what would become of Lent If every day were Good-friday the world would be weary of Fâ—sting Secundus calls death a sleepe eternall the wicked mans feare the godly mans wish Where the conscience is cleare death is looked for without feare yea desired with delight accepted with devotion why it is but the cessation of trouble the extinction of sinne the deliverance from enemies a rescue from Satan the quiet rest of the body and infranchizement of the soule The woman great with childe is ever musing upon the time of her delivery and hath not hee the like cause when Death is his Bridge from woe to glory Though it bee the wicked mans shipwrack t is the good mans putting into harbour And hereupon finding himselfe hated persecuted afflicted and tormented by enemies of all sorts he can as willingly leave the world as others can forgoe the Court yea as willingly dye as dine yea no woman with childe did ever more exactly count her time No Jew did evermore earnestly wish for the Jubily No servant so desires the end of his yeares No stranger so longs to be at home as he expects the promise of Christs comming It is the strength of his hope the sweet object of his faith in the midst of all sorrowes the comfort of his heart the heart
he that judgeth me is the Lord 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. and indeed an ounce of credit with God is more worth than a tallent of mens prayses I regard not quoth Plato what every one saith but what he saith that seeth all things hee knew well enough that the fame which is derived from fooles and knaves is infamy Cato was much ashamed if at any time he had committed any thing dishonest but else what was reproved by opinion onely never troubled him yea when a foole struck him in the Bath and after being sorry for it cryed him mercy he would not come so neare revenge as to acknowledge he had beene wronged Light injuries are made none by a not regarding The ignorant multitude among the Jewes said that Saint John had a Devill and that Christ was a Glutton and a Wine bibber But what saith hee by way of answer wisedome is justified of her Children Matth. 11. 18 19. Let none object the Scribes and Pharisees joyning with them who were great Schollers for no man knowes so much but it is through ignorance that he doth so ill Neither doth our Saviour enquire what the Pharisees or Priests reputed him but whom say men meaning those who minded his Doctrine that I the sonne of man am Mat. 16. 13. But this point I have handled at large in another place therefore to avoid a coincidence of discourse I passe it If men shall hate and revile thee for thy goodnesse it must needs â—ollow that they are as foolish as they be ungodly Now yee suffer fooles and Idiots to jest and play upon you yea you take pleasure in it so should yee suffer these fooles gladly because yee are wise as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 11. 19. And certainly if the whole world doe contemne a generous Christian he will even contemne that contempt and not thinke it worthy a roome in his very thoughts that common receptacle or place of entertainment Much more if a single person none of the wisest will he heare with patience and say with Tacitus you are able to curse and I to contemne Tu linguae ego aurium sum Dominus you are master of your tongue and I of mine eares What saith one advisedly when we are provoked to fight with women the best way is to runne away And indeed he that le ts loose his anger upon every occasion is like him that lets goe his Hawke upon every bayte True our Gallants that have more heart than braine and more pride than either thinke they play the men when they dare one another to fight like boyes who shall goe farthest into the durt or vie to see who can drop most oathes whereof the deepest is a winning Card in this their game of glory But what saith Salomon if a wise man contend with a foolish man whether hee be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29. 9. Besides we may apprehend it a wrong when it is none if wee take not heed for those things passe many times for wrongs in our thoughts which were never meant so by the heart of him that speaketh Words doe sometimes fly from the tongue that the heart did never hatch nor harbour wherefore unlesse we have proofes that carry weight and conviction with them let not our apprehension grow into a suspition of evill else while wee thinke to revenge an injury we may begin one and after that repent our misconceptions And it is alwayes seene that a good mans constructions are ever full of charity and favour either this wrong was not done or not with intent of wrong or if that upon misinformation or if none of these rashnesse the fault or ignorance shall serve for an excuse And indeed in things that may have a double sense it is good to thinke the better was intended for so shall we both keep our friends and quietnesse CHAP. XXIV Because they are rather to bee pittied than maligned or reckoned of 2. BEcause their adversaries are rather to be contemptuously pittied than maligned or reckoned of and that whether wee regard their present or future estate Concerning the present If a man distracted and so are wicked men touching spirituall things do raile on us we are more sorry for him than for our selves Yea who will take in evill part the reproaches and revilings of a man in his feaver or who will be angry with a dogge for barking And such an one hath but the minde of a beast in the forme of a man let us then doe the like in a case not unlike and not resemble Ctesipho the wrastler who would not put up a blow at the beeles of an Asse but like an Asse kickt her againe When Jullan in a mock asked Maris Bishop of Chalcedon why his Galilean god could not helpe him to his sight he replyed I am contentedly blinde that I may not see such a Tyrant as thou art Anger alone were it alone in them is certainly a kinde of bâ—senesse and infirmity as well appeares in the weakenesse of those Subjects in whom it raigneth as Children Women Old folkes Sicke folkes yea a â—oare disease of the minde Socrates bidding good speed to a dogged fellow who in requitall of his kinde salutation returned him a base answer the rest of his Company rayling on the fellow were reprehended by Socrates in this manner If any one quoth he should passe by us diseased in his body or distracted in his minde should we therefore he angry or had we not more cause to bee filled with joy and thankefulnesse that wee our selves are in better case What need we returne rayling for rayling All the harme that a common Slanderer can doe us with his foule mouth is to shame himselfe For his words are like dust that men throw against the winde which flyes backe into the throwers face and makes him blinde for as the blasphemer wounds himselfe by wounding Christ so the rayler shames himselfe when he thinkes to shame another Neither have they power to hurt us strong malice in a weake breast is but like a heavy house built upon slender crutches True they conceit of their slanders as the Pope of his censures who if he put a Traytor into the Rubricke he is presently a Saint in heaven if he curse or excommunicate a Christian he must needs be inroled in hell but we know their words meere Idols which as the Apostle witnesseth are nothing in the world and therefore trouble not thy selfe about them What need had David to loade himselfe with an unnessary weapon one sword can serve both his enemy and him Goliahs owne weapon shall serve to behead the Master so this mans owne tongue shall serve to accuse himselfe and acquit thee Yea as David had Goliah to beare his sword for him so thy very enemy shall carry for thee both sword and shield even sufficient for defence as well as for offence Wherefore in these cases it hath beene usuall for Gods people to behave themselves like dead Images which
enemies as here hee did or delivereth his servants out of persecution as he did Peter or else if hee crowneth them with Martyrdome as hee did Stephen hee will in his Kingdome of Glory give them instead of this bitter a better inheritance pro verâ—tâ—te morientes cum veritâ—te vivenâ—es Wherefore in this and all other cases cast thy burthen upon the LORD and say with the Kingly Prophet I will lay me downe in peace for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety Psal. 4. 8. CHAP. XXIX Because they have respect unto Gods Commandement 2. BEcause they have respect unto Gods Commandement who saith By your patience possesse your soules Luke 21. 19. Bee patient towards all men 1 Thess. 5. 14. And Let your patient minde be known unto all men Phil. 4. 5. More especially Let not the Sunne goe downe upon your wroth neither give place to the Devill Ephes. 4. 26 27. From whence observe this by the way that he which lies downe in wroth hath the Devill for his bedfellow See saith Paul that none recompence evill for evill unto any man 1 Thess. 5. 15. And againe Be not overcome with evill but overcome evill with goodnesse Rom. 12. 21. Yea saith our Saviour Love your enemies doe well to them that hate you blesse them that curse you and pray for them which hurt you Luke 6. 27 28. And in case thine enemy hunger instead of adding to his affliction give him bread to eate if hee thirst give him water to drinke or else thou breakest Gods Commandement touching patience Prov. 25. 21. Rom. 12. 20. and consequently art in the sight of God a transgressour of the whole Law and standest guilty of the breach of every Commandement James 2. 10 11. We know the frantick man though hee be sober eleaven moneths of the yeare yet if hee rage one hee cannot avoid the imputation of madnesse Now as Gods Children should doe whatsoever he commands cheerefully and take whatsoever hee doth thankefully so God suffers such wrongs to be that hee may exercise thy patience and hee commands thee to forgive those wrongs that thou mayest exercise thy charity and approve thy sincerity Many say Lord Lord but if you love me saith Christ keepe my Commandements It is an idle Ceremony to how at the name of Jesus except wee have him in our hearts and honour him with our lives Phraates sent a Crowne as a present to Caesar against whom he was up in Armes but Caesar returned it back with this answer let him returne to his obedience first and then I 'le accept of the Crowne by way of recognizance God admits none to Heaven saith Justine Martyr but such as can perswade him by their workes that they have loved him And indeed take a man that truly loves God he will easily be friends not easily provoked True take him unexpectedly he may have his lesson to seeke even hee that was the meekest man upon Earth threw downe that in a sudden indignation which in cold bloud hee would have held faster then his life Exod. 32. 19. but when hee bethinkes himselfe what God requires it is enough When Teribazus a noble Persian was arrested at first he drew his sword and defended himselfe but when they charged him in the Kings name and enformed him they came from his Majesty he yeelded presently and willingly If then wee will approve our selves true obedienciaries let our revenge be like that of Elisha's to the Aâ—ramites in stead of smiting them set bread and water before them Or like that of Pericles who as Plutarch reports when one had spent the day in rayling upon him at his owne doore least he should goe home in the darke caused his man to light him with a Torch And to doe otherwise is Ammonite-like to entreat those Embassadours ill which are sent in kindnesse and love for these afflictions are Gods Embassadours and to handle them ruffely yea to repine or grudge against them is to intreat them evill And certainly as David tooke it not well when the Ammonites ill intreated his Embassadours so God will not take the like well from thee 1 Chron. 19. But secondly as the Law of God binds us to this so doth the Law of Nature Whatsoever you would that men should doe unto you even so do you unto them Matth. 7. 12. Our Saviour doth not say doe unto others as others do unto you but as you would have others doe unto you Now if wee have wronged any man we desire that he should forgive us and therefore we must forgive him Lex Talionis was never a good Christian Law If I forgive not I shall not be forgiven Mar. 11. 26. So to say of our Enemies as Sampson once of the Philistims even as they did unto me so have I done unto them is but an ill plea. For the Law of God and the Law of Nature forbids it and doth not the Law of Nations also Yes throughout the whole world either they have no Law or else a Law to prohibit men from revenging themselves Oppression or injury may not be righted by violence but by Law and to seek revenge by Law when it is not expedient to passe it by is lawfull the redresse of evill by a person unwarranted is evill Oâ— But thou wilt say the Law doth not provide a just remedy in all cases of injury especially in case of reproach and sâ—ander which is now the Christians chiefe suffering or if in part it doth yet he that is just cannot bee quit in one Terme or two Nay if hee have right in a yeare it is counted quick dâ—spatch and he is glad that hee met with such a speedy Lawyer Answer If thou knowest the remedy to bee worse than the disease I hope thou wilt leave it and commit thy cause to God who if thou wilt give him the like time will cleare thy innocency and cost thee nothing When wee have suffered some evill the flesh our owne wisedome like the King of Israel 2 Kings 6. 21. will bid us returne evill to the doer but the Spirit or wisdome of God like Elisha opposeth and bids us returne him good notwithstanding his evill But the flesh will reply hee is not worthy to be forgiven I but saith the Spirit Christ is worthy to be obeyed who hath commanded thee to forgive him Now whethers counsell wilt thou follow It is not alwayes good to take our owne counsell our owne wit often hunts us into the snares that above all wee would shun Wee oft use meanes of preservation and they prove destroying ones Againe wee take courses to ruine us and they prove meanes of safety How many flying from danger have met with death And on the other side found protection even in the very jawes of mischiefe that God alone may have the glory It fell out to be part of Mithridates misery that he had made himselfe unpoysonable All humane wisedome is defective nor doth the Fooles Bolt ever misse whatsoever
precious oyntment may not have the least fly in it nor a delicate Garden the least weed though the Wildernesse bee overgrowne with them I know the blind World so blames the Religious and their Religion also for this nicenesse that they thinke them hypocrites for it but this was Jobs comfort in the aspersion of hypocrisie my witnesse is in heaven and my record on high And as touching others that are offended their answer is take thou O God who needest not our sinne to further thy worke of grace the charge of thy Glory give us grace to take charge of thy Precepts For sure we are that what is absolutely evill can by no circumstance be made good poyson may be quallified and become medecinall there is use to bee made of an enemy sicknesse may turne to our better health and death it selfe to the faithfull is but a doore to life but sinne be it never so small can never be made good Thus you have seen their feare but looke also upon their courage for they more feare the least sin than the greatest torment All the feare of Satan and his instruments ariseth from the want of the due feare of God but the more a man feares God the lesse he feares every thing else Feare God honour the King 1 Pet. 2. 14 1â—7 Hee that feares God doth but honour the King hee need not feare him Rom. 13. 3. the Law hath not power to smite the vertuous True many have an opinion not wise that Pieâ—y and Religion abates fortitude and makes vallour Feminine but it is a foundation-lesse conceit The true beleever feares nothing but the displeasure of the highâ—st and runs away from nothing but sin Indeed he is not like our hot-spurs that will sight in no cause but a bad that feare where they should not feare and feare not where they should feare that feare the blasts of mens breath and not the fire of Gods wrath that feare more to have the World call them Cowards for refusing then God to judge them rebels for undertaking that tremble at the thought of a Prison and yet not feare Hell fire That can governe Townes and Cities and let a silly woman over-rule them at home it may bee a servant or a Child as Themistocles Sunne did in Gâ—eece What I will said hee my Mother will have done and what my Mother will have my Father doeth That will undertake a long journey by Sea in a wherry as the desperate Marriner hoyseth saile in a storme and sayes none of his Ancestors were drowned That will rush fearelesly into infected houses and say the Plague never seaseth on valiant blood it kils none but cowards That langushing of some sicknesse will strive to drinke it away and so make hast to dispatch both Body and Soule at once that will runne on high battlements gallop downe steep hils ride-over narrow Bridges walke on weake Ice and never thinke what if I fall but what if I passe over and fall not No he is not thus fearelesse for this is presumption and desperate madnesse not that courage and fortitude which ariseth from faith and the true feare of God but from blindnesse and invincible ignorance of their owne estate as what thinke you would any man put his life to a venter if he knew that when hee dyed he should presently drop into hell I thinke not But let the beleeving Christian who knowes hee hath a place reserved for him in Heaven have a warrant from Gods Word you cannot name the service or danger that he will stick at Nor can he lightly faile of successe It is observed that Trajan was never vanquished because he never undertooke warre without just cause In fine as he is most fearefull to offend so hee is most couragious in a good cause as abundance of examples witnesse whereof I 'le but instance two for the time would be too short to tell of Abraham and Moses and Caleb and David and Gideon and Barack and Sampson and Jâ—phâ—ha and many others of whom the Holy Ghost gives this generall testimony that by faith of weake they were made strong waxed valiant in Battell turned to slight the Armies of the Aliants subdued Kingdomes stopt the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of the fire c. Heb. 11. 22. to 35. Nor will I pitch upon Joshua whom neither Caesar nor Pompey nor Alexander the Great nor William the Conquerour nor any other ever came neare either for valour or victories but even Jonathan before and the Martyrs after Christ shall make it good As what thinke you of Jonathan whom neither steepnesse of Rocks nor multitude of enemies could discourage or disswade from so unlikely an assault Is it possible if the dâ—â—ine power of faith did not adde spirit and courage making men more than men that two should dare to thinke of encountring so many thousands and yet behold Jonathan and his Armour-bearer put to flight and terrified the hearts of all the Philistims being thirty thousand Charrets sixe thousand Hose-men and Foot-men like the sand of the Sea shore 1 Sam. 14. 15. O divine power of faith that in all attempts and difficulties makes us more than men and regardes no more Armies of adversaries than sworntes of flyes A naturall man in a project so unlikely would have had many thoughts of discouragement and strong reasons to disswade him but his faith dissolves impediments as the Sunne doth dewes yea he contemnes all feares over-lookes all impossibilities breakes through all difficulties with a resolute courage and flyes over all carnall objections with celestiall wings because the strength of his God was the ground of his strength in God But secondly to shew that their courage is no lesse passive then active looke upon that Noble Army of Martyrs mentioned in Ecclesiasticall History who went as willingly and cheerefully to the stake as our Gallants to a Play and leapt into their beds of flames as if they had beeue beds of Downes yea even weake women and young striplings when with one dash of a pen they might have beene released If any shall yet doubt which of the two the Religious oâ— Prophane are most valiant and couragious let them looke upon the demeanor of the twelve spyes Numbers the 13. and 14. Chapters and observe the difference between the two faithfull and true hearted and the other ten then will they conclude that Piety and Religion doth not make men Cowards or if it doe that as there is no feast to the Churles so there is no fight to the Cowards True they are not soone nor easily provoked but all the better the longer the cold fitt in an Ague the stronger the hot fitt I know men of the Sword will be loth to allow of this Doctrine but truth is truth aswell when it is not acknowledged as when it is and experience tolls us that he who feares not to doe evill is alwayes afraid to suffer evill Yea the Word of God is expresse that none can be truly
it so that she is troubled in her minde why even that shall make her pray and weepe sore unto the Lord and make vowes yea and when God gives Samuel to her shee will give Samuel backe againe to God Lastly Saint Paul in this schoole of Affliction will learne in what estate soever he is prosperous or adverse therewith to be content Phil. 4. 11. And thou mayest foulely suspect thy selfe if thou beest not the better for thy being the worse He is no true borne Christian who is not the better for his evils whatsoever they be no price can buy of the true beleever the gaine of his sinnes Yea Sathan himselfe in his exercise of Gods Children advantageth them And looke to it if the malice and enmity of wicked men hath beaten thee off from thy profession thou wert at the best but a counterfeit and none of Christs owne Band. A little faith even so much as a graine of Mustard-seed would be able to remove greater mountaines of feare and distrust out of thy soule than these for know this that Good men are like Diamonds which will shine in the durt yea they resemble Glow-wormes which shine most in the darke or Juniper which smels sweetest in the fire or Pummander which becomes more fragrant by chafeing or Roses which are sweeter in the Still than on the stalke 2. Use. 2. If the malice of our enemies as it is husbanded to our thirst by a divine and supreame providence doth make so much for our advantage and benefit here and hereafâ—er as namely that it opâ—ns our eyes no lesse than peace and prosperity had formerly sâ—ut them that nothing doth so powerfully call home the conscience as affliction and that we need no other art of memory for sinne besides misery if commonly we are at variance with God when we are at peace with our enemies and that it is both hard and happy not to be the worse with liberty as the sedentary life is most subject to diseases if vigor of body and infirmity of minde doe for the most part lodge under one roofe and that a wearish outside is a strong motive to mortification if God the all-wise Physitian knowes this the fittest medicine for our soules sicknesse and that we cannot otherwise be cured if our pride forceth God to doe by us as Sertorius did by his Army who perceiving his Souldiers puft up through many victories and hearing them boast of their many conquests led them of purpose into the lap of their enemies to the end that stripes might learne them moderation If this above all will make us pray unto him with heat and fervency as whither should we flye but to our Joshua when the powers of darkenesse like mighty Aramites have besieged us If ever we will send up our prayers to him it will be when we are beleager'd with evils If true and saving joy is only the daughter of sorrow if the security of any people is the cause of their corruption as no sooner doth the Holy Ghost in sundry places say Israel had rest but it is added They committed wickednesse Even as standing waters soone grow naysome and Vines that grow out at large become wilde and fruitlesse in a small time if it weanes us from the love of worldly things and makes us no lesse inamored with heavenly as Zeno having but one Fly-boat left him hearing newes that both it and all therein was cast away said O Fortune thou hast done well to send me again to our Schoole of Philosophy Whereas if we finde but a little pleasure in our life wee are ready to doate upon it Every small contentment glewes our affections to that we like neither can we so heartily thinke of our home above whilest we are furnished with these worldly contentments But when God strips us of them straightwayes our minde is home-ward if this world may be compared to Athens of which a Philosopher said that it was a pleasant City to travell through but not safe to dwell in if by smarting in our bodyes states or names we are saved from smarting in our soules If it was good for Naaman that he was a Leaper good for David that hee was in trouble good for Bartimeus that hee was blinde if with that Athenian Captaine we should have perished for ever in case wee had not thus perished for a while if our peace would have lost us in case wee had not a little lost our peace then refuse not the chastening of the Lord neither be grieved with his correction as Solomon adviseth Proverbs 3. 11. And so much the rather 1. First because our strugling may aggravate cannot redresse our miseries 2. Secondly because the Lord will bee sanctiâ—ied either of us or on us one of the two as Saint Austin speakes 3. Thirdly because that is little which thou sufferest in comparison of what thou deservest to suffer for thou hast deserved to be destroyed and he that hath deserved hanging may be glad if he scape with whipping Besides as David told Saul he could as easily have cut his throat as hee had his coat or as Caesar boasted to Metellus he could as soone make him hop headlesse as bid it be done so the Lord may expostulate with thee and much more Wherefore be patient I say but not without sence be not of those Stoicks stocks rather you may stile them who like beasts or rather like blocks lie under their burthen and account it greatest valour to make least adoe and lay it as little as may be to heart For if you meane to be the Kings sonnes you must bring him the fore-skins of a hundred Philistims shew him the fruit of your former sufferings But above all let us not resemble the wicked who if affliction comes to them receive the curse with cursing and if the Devill throw but one crosse to them they will take their soules and throw them againe to him for they presently break out either into some cursed rage or into the rage of cursing or into some cursed action A usuall thing when men are crossed by the creatures I might say their owne husbands or children to fall a cursing and blaespheming them to whom we may say as the Prophet did to Senacharib 2 Kings 19. 22. Whom hast thou blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy selfe even against the holy one of Israel Whom are you angry withall doth the raine and waters or any other creature displease you Alas they are servants if their master bid smite they must not forbare They may say truly what Rabshakeh usurped are we come without the Lord Isay 36. 10. Yea are we not sent of the Lord in love and to doe you good and to give you occasion of rejoycing afterward if you beare the crosse patiently and make that use of it which others doe and the Lords intends Yea Saint Paul could rejoyce even in tribulation But alas these are so farre from rejoycing with that blessed Apostle that they rave in
limited with the condition of Faith and the fruit thereof unfained Repentance and each of them are so tyed and entayled that none can lay claime to them but true beleevers which repent and turne from all their sinnes to serve him in holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Hebrews 12. 14. Isay 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 sinnes are so many and great that these comforts nothing concerne me for they that plow iniquity and sowe wickednesse shall reape the same Job 4. 8. Answer So our failings be not wilfull though they be many and great yet they cannot hinder our interest in the promises of â—od Admit thou art a great sinner what then art thou a greater sinner then Matthew or Zache 〈…〉 who were sinfull Publicans and got their livings by 〈…〉 ling and polling oppression and extortion then Mary Magdalen a common strumpet possest of many Devils then Paul a bloudy persecutor of Christ and his Church then the Theefe upon the Crosse who had spent his whole life to the last houre in ab 〈…〉 inable wickednesse then Manasses that outragious sinner and most wicked wretch that ever was an Idâ—later a malitious Persecutor of the truth a desiler of Gods holy Temple a sacrificer of his owne children unto Idols that is Devils a notable witch and wicked â—orcerâ—r a bloody murtherer of exceeding many the deare Saints and true Prophets of the Lord and on who did not runne headlong alone into all hellish impiety but led the people also out of the way to doe more wickedly then did the Heathen whom the Lord cast out and destroyed I am sure thou wilt not say thou art more wicked then he was and yet this Manasses this wretch more like a Devil incarnate then a Saint of God repented him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart was received I cannot speake it without ravishing wonder of Gods bottomlesse and never â—â—fficiently admired mercy was received I say to grace and obtained the pardon of all his horrible sinnes and most abominable wickednesse and are not these and many the liâ—e 〈◊〉 written for our learning and recorded by the Holy Ghost to the end that we may gather unto our selves assurance of the same pardon for the same sinnes upon the same repentance and beleeving Are thy sinnes great his mercies are infinite hadst thou committed all the sinnes that ever were committed yet in comparison of Gods mercy they are lesse then a moâ—t in the Sun to all the world or a drop of water to the whole Ocean for the Sea though great yet may be measured but Gods mercy cannot be circumscribed and he both can and will as easily forgive us the debt of ten thousand millions of pounds as one penny and assoone pardon the sinnes of a wicked Manasses as of a righteous Abraham if we 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 workes but by a covenant of grace founded not on our worthinesse but on the free mercy and good pleasure of God and therfore the Prophet well annexeth blessednesse to the remission of sinnes Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven Psal. 32. 1. Yea the more miserable wretched and sinfull we are the more fit objects we are whereupon he may exercise and shew the infinite riches of his bounty mercy vertue and all-sufficiency And this our spirituall Physitian can aswell and as easily cure desperate diseases even the remedilesse Consumption the dead Apoplex and the filthy Leprosie of the soule as the smallest malady or least faintnesse Yea he can aswell raise the dead as cure the sicke and aswell of Stones as of Jewes make Abrahams children Did he not without the Sunne at the Creation cause light to shine forth and without raine at the same time make the earth fruitfull Why then should you give your selfe over where your Physitian doth not Besides what sinne is there whereof we can despaire of the remission when we heare our Saviour pray for the forgivenes of his murtherers and blasphemers And indeed despaire is a sinne which never knew Jesus It was a sweet saying of one at his death When mine iniquity is greater then thy mercy O God then will I feare and dispaire but that can never be considering our sinnes be the sinnes of men his mercy the mercy of an infinite God Yea his mercies are so great that among the thirteene properties of God mentioned Exod. 34. almost all of them appertaine to his mercy whereas one onely concernes his might and onely two his justice Againe shall it ever enter into our hearts to thinke that God gives us rules to keepe and yet breake them himselfe Now his rule is this Though thy brother sinne against thee seaven times in a day and seaven times in a day turne againe to thee saying it repenteth me thou shalt forgive him The Sonne angers his Father he doth not straight dis-inherit him but Gods love to his people exceeds a Fathers love to his sonne Matth. 7. 11. and a Mothers too Isay 49. 15. I heare many menaces and threats for sinnes but I read as many promises of mercy and all they indefinite excluding none whose impenitency and infidelity excludeth not themselves every sinne deserves damnation but no sinne shall condemne but the lying and continuing in it Wherefore if our clamorous conscience like some sharpe fang'd officer arrest us at Gods suit let us put in bayle two subsidy vertues Faith and Repentance and so stand the tryall the Law is on our side the Law of grace is with us and this Law is his that is our Advocate and he is our Advocate that is our Judge and he is our Judge that is our Saviour even the head of our selves â—esus Christ. For the first of these doe but repâ—â—t and God will pardon thee be thy sinnes never so mâ—â—y and innumerable for multitude nevâ—r so hâ—ynous for quality and mâ—gnitudâ— I say 55. 7. Ezekiell 18. 33. 11. Yea sinnes 〈◊〉 Repentance are so remitted as if they had never beene committed I have put away thy tâ—ansgressions as a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist. 〈◊〉 44. 22. and what by câ—rrupâ—ion hath beene donâ— by repent mee is 〈◊〉 â—s the former examples and many other witnesse Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes he as scâ—rlâ—t they shall be as white as snow Isaiah 1. 18. yea whiteâ— for the Prophet David laying open his bloud-guiltinesse and his originall impâ—â—ity useth these words Puâ—ge me with Hâ—sâ—â—p and I shall he cleane wash me and I shâ—ll be whiter then Snow Psal. 51. 7. And in reason did he come to call sinners to repentance and
thou looke upon thy sufferings thou shalt finde them farre easier than thy sinnes have deserved nothing to what thy 〈◊〉 S 〈…〉 s and Christ thy elder brother hath suffered 〈◊〉 thee at a Lyonâ— den or a fiery fâ—rnace not to turne tailâ— were a commendation worthy a Crowne doe but compare thy owne estate with theirs and thou shalt find cause to be thankefull that thou arâ— above any rather than of envy or malice that any is above thee to domineere and insult over thee yea compare thine owne estate with thine enemies thou shalt see yet greater cause to be thankefull for if these temporary dolors which God afflicts his people with are so grievous to thâ—e how shall thine and Gods enemiâ—s though they suggest to themselves that God is all mercy as if hee wanted the other hand of his justice endure that devouring fire that everlâ—sting burning Isaiah 33. Vers. 14. Psalm 68. 21. Doth hee make bloody wayles on the backes of his Children and shall Bastards escape doth he deale thus with his Sonnes what will he doe with his Slaves cannot all the obedience of his beloved ones beare out one sin against God as we see in Moses David Zachary c. Where will they appeare that doe evill onely evill and that continually The meditation whereof may bee of some use to thee Thales being asked how adversity might best be borne answered by seeing our Enemies in worse estate than our selves CHAP. XXXIX That the more wee suffer here so it be for righteousnesse sake the greater our reward shall be hereafter FIfthly We shall beare the Crosse with more patience and comfort if with Moses wee shall have respect unto the recâ—mpence of reward which is promised to all that notwithstanding what they shall suffer persevere in well doing Great are our tryals but salvation in heaven will one day make amends when we shall have all teares wiped from our eyes when we shall cease to grieve cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sinne when God shall turne all the water of our teares into the wine of endlesse comfort Yea when our reward shall be so much the more joyous by how much more the course of our life hath been grievâ—us First see what promises are made to suffering Blessed are they which mourne sâ—ith our Saviour for they shall be comforted Maâ—th 5. 4. Blessed are they which suffâ—â— persecution for righteousnesse for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven Verse 10. They that suffer here for well doing shall be Crowned hereafter for well suffering Blessed shall you be when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake falsely Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven Vâ—rs 11. 12. And nothing we sâ—ffer here can be compared either with those woes we have deserved in Hell or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven When Marcus Marcellus who was the first that saw the backe of Hanniball in the field was asked how he durst enter into battaile with him he answered I am a Romane borne and a Sâ—uldier and by him I shall make my renowne everlasting How much more should the hope of life immortall which is the life of our lives mâ—â—tâ—â—l wheâ— our sortitude and encourage us in the Christian warfarâ— Yea it hath not onely beene common for men in a bravado to encounter death for a small flash of honour but you shall see a hired servant venter his life for his new master that will scarce pay him his wâ—ges at the yeares end And can wee suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him not Fields and Vineyaâ—ds as Saul pretended 1 Sam. 22. Nor Townes and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundreth fold more than we part withall in this life and eternall mansions in Heaven John 14. 2. And certainely nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever Yea if the love of gaine makes the Merchant refuse no adventures of Sea if the sweetnesse of Honey makes the Beares breake in upon the Hives contemning the stings Who would not get Heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever Buâ— to goe on Behold saith God it shall come to passe that the Devill shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation tenne dayes yet feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer For be but thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the crowne of life Revel 2. 10. And againe Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life James 1. 12. A Crowne without cares without rivals without envy without end Now if you consider it The gaine with hardnesse makes it farre lesse hard The danger 's great but so is the reward The sight of glory future mitigates the sence of misery present For if Jacob thought not his service tedious because his beloved Rachell was in his Eye what can be thought grievous to him that hath Heaven iâ— his eye Lastly not to enlarge my selfe as I might in promises of reward Whosoever shall forsake Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Fâ—â—her or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my names sake he shall receive an hundred fold more and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19. 29. This is a treasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives Wherefore eye not the streame thou wadest through but the firme Land thou tendest too And indeed who is there that shall heare these promises and compare the seed-time with the Harvest looke up from the root to the fâ—uit consider the recompence of the reward and will not choose raâ—her to suffer adversity with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 25. Who will not be willing to suffer with Christ that he may also raigne with him 2 Tim. 2 12. Who will not suffer these light afflictions which are but for a mâ—ment when they cause unto us a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory 2 Cor 4. 16 17. Was Lazarus for a time extreame miserable he is now in Abrahams bosome Yea blessed Lazarus thy soares and sorrowes soone ceased but thy joyes are everlasting Now me thinkes if thou but considerest that thy paine will shortly passe but thy joy shall never passe away it should prove a notable soveraigne Cordiall to strengthen thee not onely against reproaches which attend thy profession but even against fire and fagot Who would not be a Philpot for a moneth or a Lazarus for a day or a Stephen for an houre that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever It is true If in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men the most miserable as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 15. 19.
would be our confusion because we ignorantly follow the flesh and blinded appetite which lookes on nothing but the shell and outside whereas God respecteth the soule and distributeth his favour for the good of that and his gloâ—y It is an argument of love in the Father when he takes away the Childes knife and gives him a booke Wee cry for riches or liberty or peace they are knives to cut our fingers wherefore God gives us his word the riches of Verity not of Vanity He giveth us that glorious liberty to be the Sons of God he gives us that peace which the world cannot give nor take away wherefore let the Christian understand God his Physitian Tribulation his Physicke being afflicted under the Medicine thou cryest the Physitian heares thee not according to thy will but thy weale thou canst not endure thy malady and wilt thou not be patient of the remedy No man would be more miserable than hee that should cull out his owne wayes What a spâ—cious shew carried Midas his wish with it and how did it pay him with ruine at last Surely I have seene matters fall out so unexpectedly that they have tutored me in all affaires neither to despaire nor presume not to despaire for God can helpe me not to presume for God can crosse me One day made Mâ—rius Emperour the next saw him rule and the third he was slaine of his Souldâ—ers Well then if with Paul thou hast besought the Lord often that thy present affliction might depâ—rt from thee and canst not be heard in the thing which thou dâ—strest know that thou art heard in that which is more conducible to thy Profit and consequently rejoyce more in that thy petition is denyed than if it had beene granted This was the use which Saint Paul made of Gods denyall and he knew what he did though he had as much to boast and rejoyce of as any one living yet saith he Of my selfe I will not rejoyce except it be of mine infiâ—mities That is afflictions repreaches persecutions inward temptations feares distrusts c. But in these I will very gladly rejoyce Why That the power of Christ may dwell in me Note his reason he had heard God say that his power was made perfect through weakenesse 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Neither had he onely cause to rejoyce in his infirmities but all Gods people have the same cause to rejoyce for what the spirit of comfort speakes in this and in all the former places recited doe equally belong to thee for thy consolation with all the regenerate for whatsoever was written afore-time was written for thy learning and mine that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. 4. And accordingly will a good hearer apply to himselfe whatsoever is written in the Word for as the stomack sends the strength of the meate into every member of the body so we should send to the eye that which is spoken to the eye and to the eare that which is spoken to the eare and to the tongue that which is spoken to the tongue and to the hand that which is spoken to the hand and so to the heart and every faculty and member of soule and body if we heare comfort we should apply it to feare if we heare a promise we should apply that to our distrust if we heare a threatning we should apply that to our presumption and so fill up the gap still where the Deviâ—l would enter And indeed had it not beene for this A 〈…〉 ua Coelesâ—is David had surely fainted in his affliction Psal. 27. 13. 119. 72. but this good word from He â—â—en fetcht him againe when hee was ready to sinke and indeed if Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and the Apostles will not comfort us in this case then as Abraham told Dives in another case nothing will perswade nor prevayle Beleevest thou the former Scriptures spoken by Christ and his Apostles I know that thou beleevest with some mixture of unbeliefe and art almost perswaded not onely to doe but to suffer chearefully for well doing But why dost thou not altogether believe that it is a blessed and happy thing thus to suffer Matth. 5. 10 11 12. That thou hast great cause to rejoyce and be glad that thou art counted worthy to suffer shame for Christs Name Acts 5. 41. Thou seest it is not for nothing that David acknowledgeth it was good for him that he was afflicted Psal. 119. 71. that Job blesseth the time that ever he was corrected Job 42. that Jeremy prayed for correction as a good thing Jer. 10. 24. that a whole Church voted the same Lament 3. 27. It is not for nothing that Christ saith Blessed and happy are yes when men revile you and pâ—rsecuâ—â— you That Saint James saith Count it exceeding joy when yee fall into divers temptations James 1. 2. It is not for nothing that Saint Paul saith I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in inguish for Christs sake c. 2 Cor. 12. 10. That Peter and John when they were beaten and imprisoned departed from the Councell rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs Name Acts 5. 41. For even bearing the Crosse with Christ is as great a preserment in the Court of Heaven as it is in an earthly Couâ—t for the Prince to take off his owne Roabe and put it on the backe of one of his servants as you may perceive by the Lords speech to Paul Acts 9. 15 16. 23. 11. and our Saviour Christs words to his Apostles Acts 1. 8. yea to suffer for Christ saith Father Latimer is the 〈◊〉 priviledge that God gives in this world and the story of 〈◊〉 is a 〈…〉 k-case to prove it for did not God by him as sometimes a School-master with his Pupill who when he hath polished and perfected a good Scholler bringâ— him sorth provokes adversaries to set upon him with hard questions and takes a pride to see the fruit of his owne labours And in the warres to have the hottest and most dangerous services imposed upon them by their Generall is accounted the greatest honour neither will he confer the same upon any but the stoutest and most valiant This Rod of the Lord like Ahâ—suerus his Scepter is never stretcht forth toward any of his but in great love and favour It is like the kisse which Cyrus in Zenophoâ— gave to Chrysanthas which was accounted a greater and more speciall favour then the Cup of Gold which hee gave to Artabazus Which being so let us in this particular imitate the Muscâ—vitish women who will not thinke their husbands love them unlesse they chastise them and the Indians who are ambitious to bee burnt with them and the Thracians who are proud to weare their scarres Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11. 25. 26. and the Apostles esteemed it a grace to be disgraced