were better acquainted with the evils of Ulysses than with their own Never complain that thy afflictions are greater than others except thou canst evidence that thy sins are lesser than others Secondly It may bee thou art under some present distemper that dis-inables thee to make a right judgement of the different dealings Deut. 28. 28. Good men are sometimes strangely besotted and infatuated of God with thy self and others When the mind is distempered and the brain troubled many things seem to bee that are not and then little things seem very great Oh! the strange passions the strange imaginations the strange conclusions that attend a distempered judgement I have read of a foolish Emperour who to shew the greatness of his City made shew of many Spiders when the mind is disturbed men many times say they know not what and do they know not what it may be when these clouds are blown over and thy mind cleared and thy judgement setled thou wilt bee of another opinion The supplicant woman appealed from drunken King Philip to sober King Philip it is good to appeal from a distempered mind to a clear composed mind for that is the way to make a righteous judgement of all the righteous dispensations of God both towards our selves and towards others Nothing but strong vomits strong purges strong glisters will cure some Thirdly It may bee that the Lord sees that it is very needful that thy afflictions should be greater than others it may bee thy heart is harder than other mens hearts and prouder and stouter than other mens hearts it may bee thy heart is more impure than others and more carnal than others or else more passionate and more worldly than others or else more deceitful and more hypocritical than others or else more cold and careless than others or else more secure than others or more formal and luke-warm than others now if this bee thy case certainly God sees it very necessary for the breaking of thy hard heart and the humbling of thy proud heart and the cleansing of thy â—oul heart and the spiritualizing of thy carnal heare c. that thy afflictions should bee greater than others and therefore hold thy peace where the disease is strong the physick must bee strong else the cure will never bee wrought God is a wise Physician and hee would never give strong physick Jer. 30. 11. ch 46. 28. if weaker could effect the cure Isa 27. 8. The more rusty the Iron is the oftner wee put it into the fire to purifie it and the more crooked it is the more blows and the harder blows wee give to straiten it thou hast been long a gathering rust and therefore if God deal thus with thee thou hast no cause to complain Fourthly Though thy afflictions are greater than this and that particular mans afflictions yet doubtless there are many thousands in the world whose afflictions are greater than thine Canst thou seriously consider the sore calamities and miseries that the devouring sword hath brought upon many thousand Christians in forein parts and say that thy afflictions are greater than theirs surely no. Lib. 8 cap. 21. Pliny in his natural history writeth that the nature of the Basilisk is to kill all trees and shrubs it breathes upon and to scorch and burn all Read Josephus and the history of the Bohemian persecution herbs and grass it passeth over Such are the dismal effects of war the sword knows no difference between Catholicks and Lutherans as once the Duke of Medina Sidonia said betwixt the innocent and the guilty betwixt young and old betwixt bond and free betwixt male and female betwixt the precious and the vile the godly and the prophane betwixt the Prince and the subject betwixt the Noble man and the beggar the sword eats the flesh and drinks the blood of all sorts and sexes without putting any difference betwixt one or the other The poor Protestants under the Duke of Savoy and those in Poland Denmark Germany and several other parts have found it so Many of their wounds are not healed to this day Who can retain in his fresh and bleeding memory the dreadful work that the sword of war hath made in this Nation and not say surely many thousands have been greater sufferers than my self they have resisted unto blood but so have not I Heb. 12. 4. But Fifthly As thy afflictions are greater than other mens so it may bee thy mercies are greater than other mens mercies and if so thou hast no cause but to hold thy peace as Jobs afflictions were greater than other mens so his mercies were greater that other Job 1 mens and Job wisely sets one against another and then laies his hand upon his mouth It may bee thou hast had more health than others and more strength than others and more prosperity than others and more smiling providences than others and more good daies than others and more sweet and comfortable relations than others And if this bee thy case thou hast much cause to bee mute thou hast no cause to murmure if now thy winter nights bee longer than others remember thy summer daies have formerly been longer than others and therefore hold thy peace But Sixthly and lastly By great afflictions the Lord may greaten thy graces and greaten thy name and James 5. 10 11 fame in the world by Jobs great afflictions God did greaten his faith and greaten his patience and greaten his integrity and greaten his wisdome and knowledge and greaten his experience and greaten his name and fame in the world as you all know that have but read his book Bonds and afflictions Act. 20. 23. 2 Cor. 11. waited on Paul in every City his afflictions and sufferings were very great but by them the Lord greatned his spirit his zeal his courage his confidence his resolution and his name and fame both among sinners and Saints Certainly if thou art dear to Christ hee will greaten thee in spirituals by all the great afflictions that are upon thee hee will raise thy faith and inflame thy love and quicken thy hope and brighten thy zeal and perfect thy patience and perfume thy name and make it Prov. 22. 1 Eccles 7. 1 like a precious ointment like a preciouâ— ointment poured forth so that good men shall say and bad men shall say Lo here is a Christian indeed here is a man more worth than the gold of Ophir therefore hold thy peace though thy afflictions are greater than others Object 7. I would bee silent but my outward affliction is attended with sore temptations God hath not onely outwardly afflicted mee but Satan is let loose to buffet mee and therefore how can I bee silent how can I hold my peace now I am fallen under manifold temptations To this I answer First No man is the less beloved because hee is tempted nay those that God loves best are usually Eph. 6. 12 tempted most witness David Job Joshua
a wet some in a moist clay and some in a sandy dry ground So every spiritual husbandman must observe the fittest times to sow his spiritual seed in hee hath heavenly seed by him for all occasions and seasons for spring and fall for all grounds heads and hearts now whether the seed sown in the following Treatise bee not suitable to the times and seasons wherein wee are cast is left to the judgement of the prudent Reader to determine if the Author had thought otherwise this babe had been stifled in the womb Fifthly The good acceptance that my other weak labours have found God hath blest them not onely to the Rom. 15. 21 Phil. 1. 9 10 11 conviction the edification confirmation and consolation of many but also to the conversion of many God is a free Agent to work by what hand hee pleases and sometimes hee takes pleasure 1 Cor. 1. 17 29 to do great things by weak means that no flesh may glory in his presence God will not despise the day of small things and who or what art thou that darest despise that day the Spirit breathes upon whose preaching and writing hee John 3 pleases and all prospers according as that wind blows Sixthly That all afflicted and distressed Christians may have a proper salve for every sore a proper remedy against every disease at hand as every good man so every good book is not Prov. 25. 11 That remedy is no remedy that is not proper to the disâ—ase fit to bee the afflicted mans companion but this is here hee may see his face his head his hand his heart his way his works here hee may see all his diseases discovered and proper remedies proposed and applied here hee may finde Arguments to silence him and means to quiet him when it is at worst with him in every storm here hee may finde a tree to shelter him and in every danger here hee may finde a City of Refuge to secure him and in every dâ—fficulty here hee may have a light to guide him and in every peril here hee may finde a buckler to defend him and in every distress here hee may finde a cordial to strengthen him and in every trouble here hee may finde a staff to support him Seventhly To satisfie some bosome-friends some faithful friends man is made to bee a friend and apt for friendly offices hee that is not friendly is not worthy to have a friend and hee that hath a friend and doth â—ot shew hâ—mself friendly is not worthy to bee accounted a man friendship is a kinde of life without which there is no comfort of a mans life Christian friendship 1 Sam. 22. 1 2. 3. ties such a knot that great Alexander cannot cut Summer friends I value not but winter friends are worth their weight in gold and whâ— can deny such any thing especially in thâ—se daies wherein real faithful constant friends are so rare to bee found Oâ— my friends I have never a friend said Socrates a friend is a very mutable creature saith Plato The friendship of most men in these daies is like Jonahs Gourd now very promising and flourishing and anon fading and withering it is like some plants in the water which have broad leaves on the surface of the water but scarce any root at all their friendship is like Lemons cold within hot without their expressions are high but their affections are low they speak much but do little as Drumms and Trumpets and Ensigns in a battel make a great noise and a fine shew but act nothing so these counterfeit friends will complement highly how hansomely speak plausibly and promise lustily and yet have neither a hand nor a heart to act any thing cordially or faithfully from such friends it is a mercy to bee delivered And therefore King Antigonus was wont to pray to God that hee would protect him from his friends and when one of his Council asked him why hee prayed so hee returned this answer every man will shun and defend himself against his professed enemies but from our professed or pretended friends of whom few are faithful none can safe-guard himself but hath need of protection from Heaven but for all this there are some that are real friends faithful friends active friends winter friends bosome-friends fast friends and for their sakes especially those among them that have been long very long under the Smarting Rod and in the fiery Furnace and that have been often poured from vessel to vessel have I once more appeared in Print to the world Eighthly and lastly There hath not any Authors or Author come to my hand that hath handled this subject as I have done and therefore I do not know but it may bee the more grateful and acceptable to the world 1 Thes 1. 7 8 2 Cor. 8. 10. ch 9. 1 â— and if by this assay others that are more able shall bee provoked to do more worthily upon this subject I shall therein rejoyce I shall onely add that though much of the following matter was preached upon the Lords visitation of my dear yoak-fellow my self and some other friends yet there are many things of special concernment in the following Tract that yet I have not upon any accounts communicated to the world And thus I have given you a true and faithful account of the reasons that have prevailed with mâ—e to publish this Treatise to the woâ—ld and to dedicate it to your selves Secondly The second thing promised was the giving of you a little good â— unsel that you may so read the following discourse as that it may turn much to your souls advantage for as many fish and catch nothing so many read Luke 5. 5 good books and get nothing because they reaâ— them over cursorily slightly superficially but hee that would read to profit must then First Read and look up for a blessing Paul may plant and Apollo may water but all will be to no purpose except the Lord give the encrease God must 1 Cor. 3. 6 7 do the deed when all is done or else all that is done will do you no good if you would have this work successeful and effectual you must look off from man and look up to God who alone can make it a blessing to you As without a blessing Micah 6. 14. from Heaven thy cloaths cannot warm thee nor thy food nourish thee nor physick cure thee nor friends comfort thee So without a blessing from Hag. 1. 6. Heaven without the precious breathings and influences of the Spirit what here is done will do you no good it will not turn to your account in the day of Christ and therefore cast an eye heaven-wards It is Sencca's observation that the husbandmen in Egypt never look up to Heaven for Rain in the time of drought but look after the overflowing of the banks of Nilus as the onely cause of their plenty Ah! how many are there in these daies who when
wilderness into a paradise the life of a Christian is filled up with interchanges of sickness and health weakness and strength want and wealth disgrace and honour crosses and comforts miseries and mercies joyes and sorrows mirth and mourning all hony would harm us all wormwood would undo us a composition of both is the best way in the world to keep our souls in a healthy constitution it is best and most for the health of the soul that the South-wind of mercy and the North-wind of adversity do both blow upon it And though every wind that blows shall blow good to the Saints yet certainly their sins die most and their graces thrive best when they are under the drying nipping North-wind of calamity as well as under the warm cherishing South-wind of mercy and prosperity Fifthly The fifth soul-quieting Conclusion you have in vers 33. For hee doth not afflict willingly or as the Hebrew hath it from his heart nor grâ—eve the children of men The Church concludes that Gods heart was not in their afflictions though his hand was hee takes no delight to afflict his children it goes against the hair and the heart it is a grief to him to bee grievous to them a pain to him to beâ— punishing of them a death to him to bee striking of them hee hath no will no motion no inclination no disposition to that work of afflicting of his people and therefore hee calls it his work his strange work Isa 28. 21. Mercy and punishment they flow from God as the hony and the sting from the Beâ— the Bee yeeldeth hony of her own nature but shee doth not sting but when shee is provoked hee takes delight in shewing of mercy Micah 7. 18. hee takes no pleasure in giving his people up to adversity Hosea 11. 8. Mercy and kindness floweth from him freely naturally hee is never severe never harsh hee never stings hee never terrifies us but when hee is sadly provoked by us Gods hand sometimes may lye very hard upon his people when his heart his bowels at those very times may bee yerning towards his people Jer. 31. 18 19 20. No man can tell how the heart of God stands by his hand his hand of mercy may bee open to those against whom his heart is set As you see in the rich poor fool and Dives in the Gospel and his hand of severity may lye hard upon those on whom hee hath set his heart as you may see in Job and Lazarus And thus you see those gracious blessed soul-quieting Conclusions about the issue and event of afflictions that a holy a prudent Silence doth include Sixthly A holy a prudent Silence includes and takes in a strict charge a solemn command that conscience laies upon the soul to bee quiet and still Psal 37. 7. Rest in the Lord â—or as the Hebrew hath it bee silent to the Lord and wait patiently for him I charge Matth. 8. 25 26. The Heathen could say A recta conscientia ne latum quidem unguem discedendum man may not depart an hairs breadth all his life long from the dictates of a good conscience thee O my soul not to mutter not to murmure I command thee O my soul to bee dumb and silent under the afflicting hand of God As Christ laid a charge a command upon the boisterous winds and the roaring raging Sea bee still and there was a great calm so conscience laies a charge upon the soul to bee quiet and still Psal 27. ult Wait on the Lord bee of good courage and hee shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Peace O my soul bee still leave your muttering leave your murmuring leave your complaining leave your chasing and vexing and lay your hand upon your mouth and bee silent Conscience allaies and stills all the tumults and uproars that bee in the soul by such like reasonings as the Clerk of Ephesus stilled that uproar Act. 19. 40. For wee are in danger to bee called in question for this daies uproar there being no cause whereby wee may give an account of this concourse O my soul bee quiet bee silent else thou wilt one day bee called in question for all those inward mutterings uproars and passions that are in thee seeing no sufficient cause can bee produced why you should murmure quarrel or wrangle under the righteous hand of God Seventhly A holy a prudent Silence includes a surrendring a resigning up of our selves to God whilst wee are under his afflicting Psal 27. 8. James 4. 7 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. Act. 21. 13. 14 c. hand the silent soul gives himself up to God the secret language of the soul is this Lord here am I do with mee what thou pleasest write upon mee as thou pleasest I give up my self to bee at thy dispose There was a good woman who when shee was sick being asked whether shee were willing to live or dye answered which God pleaseth but said one that stood by if God should refer it to you which would you chuse truly said shee if God should refer it to mee I would even refer it to him again this was a soul worth gold Well saith a gracious soul the ambitious man gives himself up to his honours but I give up my self unto thee the voluptuous man gives himself up to his pleasures but I give up my self to thee the covetous man gives himself up to his bagges but I give up my self to thee the wanton gives himself up to his minion but I give up my self to thee the drunkard gives himself up to his cups but I give up my self to thee the Papist gives up himself to his Idols but I give up my self to thee the Turk gives up himself to his Mahomet but I give up my self to thee the Heretick gives up himself to his heretical opinions but I give up my self to thee Lord lay what burden thou wilt upon mee onely let thy everlasting arms bee under mee Strike Lord Luther strike and spare not for I am lyen down in thy will I have learned to say Amen to thy Amen thou hast a greater interest in mee than I have in my self and therefore I give up my self unto thee and am willing to bee at thy dispose and am ready to receive what impression thou shalt stamp upon mee O blessed Lord hast thou not again and again said unto mee as once the King of Israel said to the King of Syria I am 1 King 20 14. thine and all that I have I am thine O soul to save thee my mercy is thine to pardon thee my blood is thine to cleanse thee my merits are thine to justifie thee my righteousness is thine to cloathe thee my Spirit is thine to lead thee my grace is thine to enrich thee and my glory is thine to reward thee and therefore saith a gracious soul I cannot but make a resignation of my self unto thee Lord here I am do with mee
a rare Majesty that many in talking with them and often beholding of them have become dumb Oh my brethren shall not the brightnesse and splendor of the Majesty of the great God whose sparkling Glory and Majesty dazles the eyes of Angels and makes those Princes of glory stand mute before him move you much more to silence to hold your peace and lay your hands upon your mouths Surely yes But Secondly Consider That all your afflictions troubles and trials shall work for your good Rom. 8. 28. And wee know that all Afflictiones Benedictiones Bern. Afflictions are blessings Doubtless Manasseh would not exchange the good hee got by his Iron chains for all the gold chains that bee in the world things shall work together for good to them that love God Why then should you fret fling fume seeing God designs your good in all The Bee sucks sweet hony out of the bitterest herbs so God will by afflictions teach his children to suck sweet knowledge sweet obedience and sweet experiences c. out of all the bitter afflictions and trials hee exercises them with that scouring and rubbing which frets others shall make them shine the brighter and that weight which crushes and keeps others under shall but make them like the palm-tree grow better and higher And that hammer which knocks others all in peeces shall but knock them the nearer to Christ the corner-stone Stars shine brightest in the darkest night Torches give the best light when beaten Grapes yeeld most Wine when most pressed Spices smell sweetest when pounded Vines are the better for bleeding Gold looks the brighter for scouring Juniper smells sweetest in the fire Camomile the more you tread it the more you spread it the Salamander lives best in the fire the Jews were best when most afflicted the Athenians would never mend till they were in mourning the Christ's-cross saith Luther is no letter in the book and yet saith hee it hath taught mee more than all the letters in the book Afflictions are the Saints best benefactors to heavenly affections where afflictions hang heaviest corruptions hang loosest And grace that is hid in nature as sweet water in Rose-leaves is then most fragrant when the fire of affliction is put under to distill it out Grace shines the brighter for scouring and is most glorious when it is most clouded Pliny in his natural history Lib. 12. cap. 9. writeth of certain Trees growing in the red Seas which being beat upon by the waves stand like a rock immoveable and that they are bettered by the roughness of the waters In the Sea of afflictions God will make his people stand like a rock they shall bee immoveable and invincible and the more the waves of afflictions beat upon them the better they shall bee the more they shall thrive in grace and godliness Now how should this ingage Christians to bee mute and silent under all their troubles and trials in this world considering that they shall all work for their good God chastises our carkasses to heal our consciences hee afflicts our bodies to save our souls hee gives us gall and wormwood here that the pleasures that bee at his right hand may bee the more sweet hereafter here hee layes us upon a bed of thorns that wee may look and long more for that easie bed of down his bosome in Heaven As there is a curse wrapt up in the best things hee gives the wicked so there is a blessing wrapt up Psa 25. 10. Deut. 28 26 in the worst things hee brings upon his own As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans health so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans sickness As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans strength so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans weakness As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans wealth so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans want As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans honour so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans reproach As there is a curse wrapt up in all a wicked mans mercies so there is a blessing wrapt up in all a godly mans crosses losses and changes and why then should hee not sit mute and silent before the Lord But Thirdly Consider That a holy silence is that excellent precious grace that lends a hand of support to every grace Silence is Rom. 15. 4 Custos the Keeper of all other virtues it lends a hand to Faith a hand to Hope a hand to Love a hand to Humility a hand to Self-denial c. A holy silence hath its influences upon all other graces that bee in the soul it causes the Rose-buds of grace to blossome and bud forth Silence is virtus versata circa adversa a grace that keeps a man gracious in all conditions in every condition Silence is a Christians right hand in prosperity it bears the soul up under all the envy malice hatred and censures of the world in adversity it bears the soul up under all the neglect scorn and contempt that a Christian meets with in the world it makes every bitter sweet every burden light and every yoak easie And this the very Heathen seemed to intimate in placing the Image of Angeronia with the mouth bound upon the Altar of Volupia to shew that silence under sufferings was the ready way to attain true comfort and make every bitter sweet No man honours God nor no man justifies God at so high a rate as hee who layes his hand upon his mouth when the Rod of God is upon his back But Fourthly To move you to Silence under your sorest and your sharpest trials consider That you Lam. 3. 39 Mic. 7. 7 8 9 have deserved greater and heavier afflictions than those you are under hath God taken away one mercy thou hast deserved to bee stript of all hath hee taken away the delight of thine eyes he might have taken away the delight of thy soul art thou under outward wants thou hast deserved to be under outward and inward together art thou cast upon a sick-bed thou hast deserved a bed in Hell art thou under this ach and that pain thou hast deserved to bee under all aches and pains at once hath God chastised thee with whips thou hast deserved to bee chastised with 1 King 12. 11 14. Scorpions art thou fallen from the highest pinacle of honour to be the scorn and contempt of men thou hast deserved to bee scorned and contemned by God and Angels art thou under a severe whipping thou hast deserved an utter damning Ah Christians let but your eyes bee fixt upon your demerits and your hands will bee quickly upon your mouths whatever is less than a final separation from God whatever is less than Hell is mercy and therefore you have cause to bee silent under the smartest dealings of God with you But Fifthly Consider A quiet silent spirit is of great
field and the birds of the Isa 3. 8 Jer. 7. 6. Mat. 6 Prov. 6. air and the creeping things of the earth how to cease from murmuring and how to bee mute Ah Sirs as you would have the name the honour the reputation of being men I say men Take heed of murmuring and sit silent before the Lord. Tenthly Murmuring is a timedestroying sin Ah the precious time that is buried in the grave of murmuring when the murmurer should bee a praying hee is a murmuring against the Lord when hee should bee a hearing hee is a murmuring against divine providences when hee should bee a reading hee is a murmuring against instruments the murmurer spends much precious time in musing in musing how to get out of such a trouble how to get off such a yoak how to bee rid of such a burden how to revenge himself for such a wrong how to supplant such a person how to reproach those that are above him and how to affront those that are below him and a thousand other waies murmurers have to expend thaâ— precious time that some would redeem with a world As Queen Sumptus pretiocissimus tempus Time is of precious cost saith Theophrastus Elizabeth on her death-bed cryed out time time a world of wealth for an inch of time the murmurer lavishly and profusely trifles away that precious time that is his greatest interest in this world to redeem Ephes 5. 16. every day every hour in the day is a talent of time and God expects the Rev. 2. 21 1 Pet. 4. 2. 5 improvement of it and will charge the non-improvement of it upon you at last Caesar observing the Ladies in Rome to spend Plutarch in the life of Pericles much of their time in making much of little Doggs and Monkies asked them whether the women in that Country had no children to make much of Ah murmurers murmurers you who by your murmuring trifle away so many golden hours and seasons of mercy have you no God to honour have you no Christ to beleeve in have you no hearts to change no sins to bee pardoned no souls to save no Hell to escape no Heaven to seek after Oh! if you have why do you spend so much of your precious time in murmuring against God against men against this or that thing Eternity rides upon the back of Time Hoc est momentum this is the moment Aut male aut nihil aut aliud agendo if it bee well improved you are made for ever if not you are undone for ever I have read of Archias a Lacedemonian that whilst hee was rioting and quaffing in the midst of his cups one delivers him a letter purposely to signifie that there were some that lay in wait to take Plutarch away his life withall desires him to read it presently because it was a serious business and matter of high concernment to him Oh! said hee seria cras I will think of serious things to morrow but that night hee was slain Ah murmurer cease from murmuring to day or else thou mayest bee for ever undone by murmuring to morrow the old saying was nunc aut nunquam now or never So say I now or never now or never give over murmuring and let it swallow up no more of your precious time what would not many a murmurer give for one of those daies yea for one of those hours which hee hath trifled away in murmuring when it is a day too late The Rabbins glory in this conceipt that a man hath so many bones as there bee latters in the Decalogue and just so many joints and members as there bee daies in the year to shew that all our strength and time should bee expended in Gods service Ah murmurers you will gain more by one daies faithful serving of God than ever you have gained by murmuring against God But Eleventhly Consider this Christians that of all men in the world you have least cause yea no cause to bee murmuring and Lam. 3. 24 Ephes 3. 8 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 muttering under any dispensations that you meet with in this world is not God thy portion Chrysostome propounds this question Chrysost Hom. 4. de patientia Job was Job miserable when hee lost all that God had given him and gives this answer no hee had still that God who gave him all Is not Christ thy treasure is not Heaven thine inheritance and wilt thou murmure hast thou not much in hand and more in hope hast thou not much in possession but much more in reversion and wilt thou murmure hath not God given thee a changed heart a renewed nature and a sanctified soul and wilt thou murmure hath hee not given thee himself to satisfie thee his Son Omne bonum in summo bono to save thee his Spirit to lead thee his grace to adorn thee his covenant to assure thee his mercy to pardon thee his righteousness to cloathe thee and wilt thou murmure hath he not made thee a friend a son a brother a bride an heir and wilt thou murmure hath not God often turned thy water into wine thy brass into silver and thy silver into gold and wilt thou murmure when thou was dead did not he quicken God is all in all and all without all thee and when thou wast lost did not hee seek thee and when thou wast wounded did not heâ— heal thee and when thou wer't falling did not hee support thee and when thou wer 't down did not hee raise thee and when thou wer't staggering did not hee establish thee and when thou wer't erring did not hee reduce thee and when thou wer 't tempted did not hee succour thee and when thou wer 't in dangers did not hee deliver thee and wilt thou murmure what thou that art so highly advanced and exalted above many thousands in the world Murmuring is a black garment and it becomes none so ill as Saints Twelfthly and lastly Consider That murmuring makes the life of man invisibly miserable every murmurer is his own executioner Murmuring vexes the heart it wears and tears the heart it inrages and inflames the heart it wounds and stabs the heart every murmurer is his own Martyr every murmurer is a murtherer hee kills many at once viz. his joy his comfort his peace his rest his soul no man so inwardly miserable as the murmurer no man hath such inward gripes and grief as hee such inward bitterness and heaviness as hee such inward contentions and combustions as hee every murmurer is his own tormentor murmuring is a fire within that will burn up all it is an earthquake within that will overturn all it is a disease within that will infect all it is poison within that wiâ—l prey upon all And thus I have done with those motives that may perswade us not to murmure nor mutter but to be mute and silent under the greatest afflictions the saddest providences and sharpest trials that wee meet with in
of plenty and this is that the wise man would have us seriously to consider Eccles 7. 14. In the day of adversity consider but what must wee consider that God hath set the one over against the other As God hath set winter and summer night and day fair weather and foul one over against another So let us set our present mercies over against our present troubles and wee shall presently finde that our mercies exceed our troubles that they mightily over-ballance our present afflictions therefore let us bee silent let us lay our hands upon our mouths Fifthly If you cast up a just and righteous account you will finde Read but the ten persecutions and thou wilt be full of this opinion that they are not so many as the afflictions that hath befallen other Saints have you reckoned up the afflictions that befell Abraham Jacob Joseph Job Asaph Heman the Prophets and Apostles if you have you will say that your afflictions are no afflictions to those that have befallen them their lives were filled up with sorrows and sufferings but so are not yours therefore kiss the rod and bee silent It may bee if thou lookest but upon thy relations thy friends thy neighbours thou mayest finde many whose afflictions for number and weight do much ouâ— weigh thine therefore bee silent murmure not hold-thy peace Sixthly Not so many as attended our Lord Jesus whose whole life from the cradle to the crosse Isa 53. read the whole chapter was nothing but a life of sufferings Osorius writing of the Sufferings of Christ saith that the Crown of Thorns bored his head with seventy two wounds Many seventy two afflictions did Christ meet with whilst hee was in this world none can bee ignorant of this who have but read the new Testament he is called a man of sorrows his whole life was filled up with sorrows when hee was but a little past thirty years of age sorrows pains troubles oppositions persecutions had so worn him that the Jews judged him towards fifty John 8. 57. a man were as good compare the number of his bâ—some-friends with the stars of Heaven as compare his afflictions and the afflictions of Christ together Seventhly Muttering and murmuring will but add to the number when the childe is under the rod his crying and fretting doth but add lash to lash blow to blow but of this enough before Eighthly and lastly Though they are many yet they are not so many Psal 16. ult Isa 64. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 9 as the joys the pleasures the delights that bee at Christs right hand as the pleasures of Heaven are matchless and endless so they are numberless Augustine speaking August de Triplici habitu cap. 4. concerning what we can say of heaven saith that it is but a little drop of the Sea and a little spark of the great Furnace those good things of eternal life are so many that they exceed number so great that they exceed measure so precious that they are above all estimation â—â—c Christus nec coelum patitur hyperbolem neither Christ nor Heaven can bee hyperbolized for every affliction many thousand joyes and delights will attend the Saints in a glorified estate what will that life bee or rather what will not that life bee saith one speaking of Heaven since all good either is not at all or is in such a life Light which place cannot comprehend Voices and musick which time cannot ravish away Odours which are never dissipated a Feast which is never consumed a Blessing which eternity bestoweth but eternity shall never see at an end and let this suffice for answer to this fourth Objection Object 5 My afflictions are very great how then can I hold my peace though they were many yet if they were not great I would bee mute but alass they are very very great Oh! how can I bee silent under them how can I now lay my hand upon my mouth To this answer First Though they are great yet they are not so great as thy sins thy self being Read Psa 106. and Nehem. 9. Judge therefore hold thy peace Ezra 9. 13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespasse seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve They that are under the sense and guilt of great sins have cause to bee silent under their greatest sufferings Never complain that thy afflictions are great till thou canst say that thy sins are not great it is but justice that great afflictions should attend great sins therefore bee quiet thy sins are like great Rocks and mighty Mountains but so are not thy afflictions therefore lay thy hand upon thy mouth the remembrance of great sins should cool and calm a mans spirit under his greatest troubles and if the sense of thy great sins will not stop thy mouth and silence thy heart I know not what will Secondly It may bee they are not great if you look upon them with Scripture-spectacles flesh and 1 Pet. 5. 10 blood many times looks upon Mole-hills as Mountains and scratches upon the hand as stabs at the heart wee make Elephants of Flies and of little Pigmies wee frame Giants Carnal reason often looks upon troubles through false glasses As there are some glasses that will make great things seem little so there are others that will make little things seem great and it may be that thou lookest upon thy afflictions through one of them Look upon thy afflictions in the Isa 54. 7 8. ch 26. 20. glass of the word look upon them in a Scripture dress and then they will bee found to bee but little hee that shall look into a Gospel-glass shall bee able to say heavy afflictions are light long afflictions are short bitter afflictions are sweet and great afflictions are little 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. It is good to make a judgement of your afflictions by a Gospel light and by a Gospel rule Artâ—mon an Engineer was afraid of his own shadow men that look not upon their afflictions in a Scripture dress will bee afraid even of the shadow of trouble they will cry out no affliction to our affliction no burden to our burden no cross to our cross no loss to our loss but one look into a Gospel-glass would make them change their note The Lion is not alwaies so great nor so terrible as hee is painted neither are our troubles alwaies so great as wee fancy them to bee when Hagars bottle of water was spent shee sate down and fell a weeping as if shee had been utterly undone her provision and her patience her bottle and her Gen. 21. 17 18 19 hope were both out together but her affliction was not so great as shee imagined for there was a well of water near though for a time shee saw it not So many Christians they eye the empty bottle the cross the burden that is at present upon them and then they
fall a weeping a whining a complaining a repining a murmuring as if they were utterly undone and yet a well of water a well of comfort a well of refreshment a well of deliverance is near and their case no waies so sad nor so bad as they imagine it to beâ— Thirdly The greater thy afflictions are the nearer is deliverance to thee when these waters rise high then salvation comes upon the wing when thy troubles are very great then mercy will ride Scripture and History speaks fully to this head post to deliver thee Deut. 32. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when hee seeth that their power or hand is gone and there is none shut up and left Israel of old and England of late years hath often experienced this truth Wine was nearest Joh. 2. 1 2 3. when the water-pots were filled with water up to the brim So oftentimes mercy is nearest deliverance is nearest when our afflictions are at the highest when a Christian is brim-full of troubles then the wine of consolation is at hand therefore hold thy peace murmure not but sit silent before the Lord. Fourthly They are not great if compared to the glory that shall bee revealed Rom. 8. 18. For I 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18 reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us or upon us The Apostle upon casting up of his accounts concludes that all the pains chains troubles trials and torments that they met with in this world was not to bee put in the ballance with the glory of Heaven As the Globe of the Earth which after the Mathematicians account is many thousands of miles in compass yet being compared unto the greatness of the starry skies circumference is but a center or a little prick So the troubles afflictions and sorrows of this life in respect of eternal happiness and blessedness are to bee reputed as nothing they are but as the prick of a pin to the starry Heavens they that have heard most of the glory of Heaven have not heard one quarter of that which the Saints shall finde there that glory is unconceivable and unexpressable Augustine in one of his Epistles hath this relation that the very same day wherein Jerome died hee was in his study and had got Pen Ink and Paper to write something of the glory of Heaven to Jerome and suddenly hee saw a light breaking into his study and a sweet smell that came unto him and this voice hee thought hee heard O Augustine what doest thou dost thou think to put the Sea into a liâ—tle vessel when the Heavens shall cease from their continual motion then shalt thou bee able to understand what the glory of Heaven is and not before except you come to feel it as now I do Nicephorus speaks of one Agbarus Eccles Hist a great man that hearing so much of Christs fame by reason of the miracles hee wrought sent a Painter to take his picture and that the Painter when hee came was not able to do it because of that radiancy and divine splendor which sate on Christs face such is the splendor the brightness the glory the happiness and blessedness that is reserved for the Saints in Heaven that had I all the tongues of men on earth and all the excellencies of the Angels in Heaven yet should I not bee able to conceive nor to express that vision of glory to you it is best hastning thither that wee may feel and enjoy that which wee shall never bee able to declare Fifthly They are not great if compared with the afflictions and torments of such of the damned who when they were in this world 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20 Jude 6 7. Mat. 10. 15. â—h 11. 23 24 never sinned at so high a rate as thou hast done Doubtless there are many now in Hell who never sinned against such clear light as thou hast done nor against such special love as thou hast done nor against such choice means as thou hast done nor against such precious mercies as thou hast done nor against such singular remedies as Isa 33. 14 The fire in hell is like that stone in Arcadia which being once kindled could not be quenched thou hast done certainly there are many now a roaring in everlasting burnings who never sinned against such deep convictions of conscience as thou hast done nor against such close and strong reasonings of the Spirit as thou hast done nor against such free offers of mercy and rich tenders of grace as thou hast done nor against such sweet wooings and multiplied intreaties of a bleeding dying Saviour as thou hast done therefore hold thy peace What are thy afflictions thy torments to the torments of the damned whose torments are numberless easeless remediless and endless whose pains are without intermission or mitigation who have weeping served in for the first course and gnashing of teeth for the second and the gnawing worm for the third and intollerable pain for the fourth yet the pain of the body is but the body of pain the very soul of sorrow and pain is the souls sorrow and pain and an everlasting alienation and separation from God for the fifth Ah Christian how canst thou seriously think on these things and not lay thy hand upon thy mouth when thou art under the greatest sufferings thy sins have been far greater than many of theirs and thy greatest afflictions are but a flea-bite to theirs therefore bee silent before the Lord. Sixthly and lastly If thy afflictions are so great then what madness and folly will it bee for thee to make them greater by murmuring every act of murmuring will but add load unto load 1 Cor. 10. 10. and burden to burden The Israelites under great afflictions fell a murmuring and their murmuring proved their utter ruine as you may see in that Numb 14. Murmuâ—ing will but put God upon heating the furnace seven times hotter therefore hold thy peace But of this I have spoken sufficiently already Object 6. Oh! But my afflictions are greater than other mens afflictions are and how then can I bee silent Oh! there is no affliction to my affliction how can I hold my peace I answer First It may bee thy sins are greater than other mens Jer. 3. 6 12 sins if thou hast sinned against more light more love more mercies more experiences more promises than others no wonder if thy afflictions are greater than others if this bee thy case thou hast more cause to bee mute than to murmure and certainly if thou dost but seriously look into the black book of thy conscience thou wilt finde greater sins there than any thou canst charge upon any person or persons on earth if thou shouldest not I think thou wouldest justly incur the censure which that sowre Philosopher past upon Grammarians viz. That they Diogenes apud Laertium l. 6
set an Adder upon it to sting it and if it cry and the flesh swell they cast it away as a spurious issue but if iâ— do not cry if it do not so much as quatch nor do not grow the worse for it then they account it for their own and make very much of it So the Lord by delaies which are as the stinging of the Adder tries his children if they patiently quietly and sweetly can bear them then the Lord will own them and make much of them as those that are near and dear unto him but if under delaies they fall a crying roaring storming vexing and fretting the Lord will not own them but reckon them as bastards and no sons Heb. 12. 8. Secondly That they may have the greater experience of his power grace love and mercy in the close Christ loved Martha and her Sisters and Lazarus yet Joh. 11. 3 5 6 17 hee defers his coming for several daies and Lazarus must die bee put in the grave and lye there till hee stinks and why so but that they might have the greater experience of his power grace and love towar 〈…〉 them Thirdly To sharpen his childrens appetite and to put a greater edge upon their desires to make Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4 Isa 26. 8 9 16. them cry out as a woman in travel or as a man that is in danger of drowning God delaies that his people may set upon him with greater strength and importunity hee puts them off that they may put on with more life and vigour God seems to be cold that hee may make us the more hot hee seems to bee slack that hee may make us the more earnest hee seems to bee backward that hee may make us the more forward in pressing upon him the Father delaies the childe that hee may make him the more eager and so doth God his that hee may make them the more divinely violent When Balaam Numb 22. 15 had once put off Balak hee sent again saith the Text certain Princes more and more honourable than they Balaam's put off did but make Balak the more importunate it did but encrease and whet his desires this is that that God aims at by all his put offs to make his children more earnest to whet up their spirits and that they may send up more and yet more honourable prayers after him that they may cry more earnestly strive more mightily and wrestle more importunately with God and that they may take Heaven with a more sacred violence Anglers draw back the hook that the fish may bee the more forward to bite and God sometimes seems to draw back but it is onely that wee may press the more on And therefore as Anglers when they have long waited and perceive that the fish do not so much as nibble at the bait yet do they not impatiently throw away the Rod or break the Hook and Line but pull up and look upon the baiâ— and mend it and so throw it in again and then the fish bites so when a Christian praies and praies and yet catches nothing God seems to bee silent and Heaven seems to bee shut against him yet let him not cast off prayer but mend his prayer pray more beleevingly pray more affectionately and pray more fervently and then the fish will bite then mercy will come and comfort will come and deliverance will come But Fourthly God delaies and puts off his people many times that hee may make a fuller discovery of themselves to themselves Few Christians see themselves and understand themselves by delaies God discovers much of a mans sinfull self to his religious self much of his worser part to his better part of his ignoble part to his most noble part When the fire is put under the pot then the scum appears so when God delaies a poor soul Oh! how doth the scum of pride the scum of murmuring the scum of quarrelling the scum of distrust the scum of impatience the scum of despair 2 King 6. 33 discover it self in the heart of a poor creature I have read of a fool who being left in a chamber and the door locked when hee was asleep after hee awakes and findes the door fast and all the people gone hee cries out at the window O my self my self O my self So when God shuts the door upon his people when hee delaies them and puts them off Ah! what cause have they to cry out of themselves to cry out of proud self and worldly self and Psal 73. 21 22 carnal self and foolish self and â—roward self c. Wee are very apt saith Seneca utimur perspicillis magis quam speculis to use spectacles to behold other mens faults rather than looking-glasses to behold our own but now Gods delaies are as a looking-glass in which God gives his people to see their own faults Oh! that baseness that vileness that wretchedness that sink of filthiness that gulf of wickedness that God by delaies discovers to bee in the hearts of men But Fifthly God delaies and puts off his people to enhaunce to raise the price of mercy the price of deliverance wee usually set the highest price the greatest esteem upon such things that wee obtain with greatest difficulty what we dearly Act. 22. 28 Cant. 3. 4 buy that we highly prize the more sighs tears weepings waitings watchings strivings earnest longings this mercy and that deliverance and the other favour costs us the more highly wee shall value them when a delaied mercy comes it â—astes more like a mercy it sticks more like a mercy it warms more like a mercy it works more like a mercy and it endears the heart to God like a mercy more than any other mercy that a man enjoyes This is the childe saith Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 27. after God had long delayed her for which I prayed and the Lord hath given mee my petition which I asked of him Delaied mercy is the cream of mercy no mercy so sweet so dear so precious to a man as that which a man hath gained after many put offs Mr. Glover the Martyr sought the Lord earnestly and frequently for some special mercies and the Lord delaied him long but when hee was even at the stake then the Lord gave in the mercies to him and then as a man over joyed hee cries out to his friend hee is come hee is come But Sixthly The Lord delaies his people that hee may pay them home in their own coin God sometimes loves to retaliate The Spouse puts off Christ Cant. 5. 2. I have put off Prov. 1. 23 ult Zach. 7. 13 my coat how can I put it on c. And Christ puts her off vers 5 6 7 8. Thou hast put off God from day to day from month to month yea from year to year and therefore if God puts thee off from day to day or from year to year hast thou any cause to complain surely no thou hast often and long