a Harp for Moab and my Inwards for Kirharesh When Men ran from God though God offer'd Grace and Mercy it is said Gen. 6.7 It repented the Lord that he had made Man and it grieved him to the heart Sin hath made him such a Monster that God loatheth him and the People of God are often in Anguish of Spirit because of him What aileth the Unconverted Man that though he knoweth he hath sinned and is exposed to eternal Judgments yet can eat and drink by day and sleep by night as if all were well Men condemned to die for Theft Murder how sad do they look but Sin is of a hardening nature Hence it is that their Hearts feel not the keâ—nest Considerations in Religion Ungodly Men are as one sayes nâ—w- Whately's nâ—w-Nâ—w-birth as little Devils and differ from the great Devil not in Parts of Corruption but Degrees as a Child differs from a Man But O man thou must die and if it be so thou dyest before thou art made a new creature thou art damned for ever Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming Isa 14.9 If there were a Sword a Pistol at thy breast how wouldst thou beg for life if thou hadst any hopes of being heard the Sword of Justice is drawn against thee and ready to be sheathed in thy bowels Cry cry aloud to the merciful God for Mercy How often in the night season is there a scrole before thine eyes of thy past iniquities and of judgments to come and thou turnest from one side to another Shall I shall I yet reform When shall it once be If any say I hope to be saved though I obey not the Gospel This is to say I hope God will prove false of his word or as if a man call'd to work and promised pay should say Though I sport or sleep but work not all day long I doubt not of my wages and should argue from the goodness of the nature of that man that imployed him If others say I will repent hereafter So thou shalt but I fear that hereafter will be in Hell for ever when there is no hope of mercy The Scripture calleth obstinate Sinners Sons of Belial 1 Sam. 2.12 2 Sam. 20.1 the Sept. read in one place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestilent men infectious men in the other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men yokeless against all Law And this is the case of men that were once glorious Creatures when in subjection to their Maker It is a comfortable consideration to them that are holy 1 Cor. 6.9 Rev. 21.27 That no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of God Your graceless Faces shall occasion no sorrow to them there When they see you in the great day yet they nor their God will have any pity upon you Fathers whose hearts were once ready to break for their ungodly Children or Husbands for their ungodly Wives or Brothers for their ungodly Brethren they will not wish in that day O that I could save them from the Wrath of God! They will be contented and not only so but will rejoyce that Justice is executed upon them that God hath honour upon them in their eternal Damnation who had none by them by any Reformation or good works Turn you Ezek. 33.11 turn you why will you die Mind the duties I have perswaded to before Let none complain for want of time when they know that many of as much business as they can find time to mind God and their duty in Jer. 13.17 But if you will not hear my Soul shall mourn in secret for your pride You that cry in Youth It is too soon to be serious or in Middle-age It is time enough will in old age say It is too late I turn from you to them that I know will hear me and with whom my pains are never lost To the Righteous Praise the Lord all ye his Saints whom God hath sanctified whom God will save You may sing that Song Exod. 15.21 The Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea So your vile affections and Satan hath God conquer'd for you Grow in grace as the Children of God and as the Brethren of the holy Prophets and Apostles Epictetus gives a direction to Philosophers to consider when about to do an action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What would Socrates or Zeno do So how would David Paul pray read or do the works of Religion if they were by you and were to do the same If your Brethren in Heaven could speak to you how would they perswade you to be zealous in good works as Children of the same Father and Heirs of the same Kingdom with themselves A strange sight would it be to see a King with a Crown on his Head taking in a Dunghill Sad is it to see the Christian that hath Grace and shall have glory to be immoderately concerned about the things of this life I perswade you to that which tends to make your lives happy on all accounts and which I have often spoken of Piety Industry Vsefulness and Chearfulness Piety be serious in Religion and seek for comfortable Perswasions of the Love of God Industry be laborious in your Callings Vsefulness do good to the Souls and Bodies of many Chearfulness flee all needless sorrow adorn the Gospel of Christ and let your Conversations invite others to receive it Faults in you are bad indeed The better the Garment is the worse is the rent the better the Cup the worse is the crack the better the man the worse the disorder For your encouragement to walk with God hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Rev. 7.16 17. They are before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple And he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall neither hunger nor thirst any more Neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto the Fountain of living waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 22.1 There is that pure River of the water of Life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the throne of God Rev. 22.6 and of the Lamb. These sayings are faithful and true And the Lord God of the holy Prophets hath shewn to his Servants the things which must shortly be done Blessed are they that do his Commandements Rev. 22.14 that they may have right to the Tree of life and may enter in through the Gates into the City I end all with this humble Address unto the Lord That he would come with all his Train of Graces and put an end to all our Heats and Contentions about the smaller things in Religion and make us zealous of all good Works and then bring us to himself in Glory Even so come Rev. 22.20 Lord Jesus That all the Saints may enjoy those Delights of which it shall never be said Here is THE END
the earth and did reverence to the King and said Let my Lord King David live for ever Adore the Lord God if he hath made your Children by his Grace Heirs of the Kingdom that cannot be shaken Give me leave by the way to bewail the great and common sin found among us That many children are sooner taught what Jupiter Mars and such Pagan Gods were than what Father Son and Spirit is Josiah when he was young 2 Chron. 34.3 enquired after the God of David his Father but many now when young after Heathen Gods Augustine of old complained of this Aug. Confes lib. 6. of hearing in Schools Joves Thundering and Adulteries and for giving an account of such things saith he Et ob hoc bonae spei puer appellabar I was called a hopeful Lad. Luther also complained that our Schools were more Pagan than Christian I referr the unsatisfied Reader to Pasors Preface to his Lexicon he observeth of Pythagoras his golden verses so much esteemed of and I fear accounted more golden by too many than our Saviours Sayings on the Mount how they begin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour the Immortal Gods c. And as I have observed worse after I knew an Aged Famous Schoolmaster that after he had kept School about fifty years said with a very sad countenance That it was a great trouble to him that he had spent so much time in reading Pagan Authors to his Scholars and wisht it were customary to read such a Book as Duports Greek Verses upon Job rather than Homer and such Books I beseech School-masters if they must read such Authors do as they do that eat Mushromes or such dangerous meats use strong Correctives Shew Youth the vanity of the Pagan Religion and the excellency of the Christian Religion Perswade them above all things to be acquainted with the Holy Scriptures which alone can make them wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 when many vain books make many wise to Damnation If Children die what doth it signifie to say they were ingenious if they be graceless will Ingenuity save them They are as Thales Milesius that was gazing on the Stars minding their magnitude situation and influences when he should have been minding his way and so fell into the water and was drowned I pray God put it in the hearts of a wise Parliament to purge our Schools that instead of learning vain Fictions and filthy stories they may be acquainted with the VVord of God with Books containing Grave Sayings And learn in Prose or Verse the Histories of the Kings of England the chief Passages in their Reigns and some Maxims in Law and things that may make them truly wise and useful in the world I know I shall offend not a few in thus writing But let such remember my Authors before named Austin Luther Pasor and others that I might name and if I must have a Reprimand I am glad that I have such good company It is storied of the old Waldenses in France in the dark times of Popery R. his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they so instructed their Children in the great things of God that some Popish Doctors said that they learned more of the Doctrine of Salvation by talking with those Children than they did by the Disputations of great men There is another fault among us to be condemned the early and unnecessary sending of young men beyond Sea to see Countreys speak Languages before they have studied the grounds of our Religion and so are infected with Popery or Atheism I desire such before they send their Children away or the Children before they go to read Bishop Hall his Quo vadis a Book to which little can be added And then I hope they may be willing to stay at home How sad is it in most houses where the fear of God is not Of which it may be said what is said of Babylon Rev. 18.2 that they are a Habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spiriâ—â— and the cage of every unclean and hateful Bird so many wicked persons and so much wickedness is in them that the serious Christian may sometimes say in the beholding of it what Job said in another case O that my grief were thorougly weighed and that my sorrow were laid in the ballance for then would it be heavier than the sand of the Sea That there is so much Lying Prophaning the Name of God and so much of unsavoury rotten communications in most families and among Children that when they are men and women these things become common to them That if it be then asked what Christ asked the Father about his Childs disease how long ago this happened to them the same answer may be given even from a Child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 9.21 I now come to a few Directions DIRECTIONS 1. Cry to God for Bowels of Compassion toward Souls and for Dexterity in this work of Reproving and Counseling that you may say with Paul Rom. 9.1 2 3. I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual Sorrow in my Heart for I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh As if he had said I could almost be willing to perish for their sakes say with David Psal 119.158 I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word You Parents that are so tender of the Bodies of your Children be much more concerned for their Souls You that desire great Estates for them much more desire Heaven for them How many mind their Oxen Sheep and Swine more than the Souls of their Children Sauls Father Kish 1 Sam. 10.2 Gave over caring for the Asses saying What shall I do for my Son So be less concerned about the things of the World and say What shall I do for the Souls of my Children that it may be said of you as in Prov. 10.20 The Mouth of the Righteous is as choice Silver when you speak with tender Bowels of Compassion It is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Mat. 10.20 When God bad Moses to speak to Pharaoh and Moses Objected want of Eloquence said God Exod. 4.12 Now therefore go and I will be thy mouth and I will teach thee what thou shalt say That you may by your good Counsel overcome Satan as David by playing with his Musical Instrument made the evil Spirit to depart from Saul 1 Sam. 16.23 I know for some audacious Sinners it is better to be silent than reprove Hezekiah his command was prudent when Rabshakeh Blasphemed Isa 36.21 But the People held their peace and answered him not a Word for the Kings Commandment was saying Answer him not Let Prayer accompany the work of Exhorting Neh. 2.4 stand before the man as Nehemiah before the King and Queen praying to the God of
Heaven to direct you what you shall say Pray Lord let my words administer Grace to the Hearers Ephes 4.29 Ask some that are under you after the reading of a Chapter or hearing of a Sermon what Christ asked his Disciples Mat. 13.51 Have ye understood all those things Heal their Ignorance direct their Souls We see Afflictions do many times stir Christians up to this Work and prepare them for it Paul speaks of great Troubles he endured 2 Cor. 6.4 But in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of Christ in much Patience in Afflictions in Necessities in Distresses Vers 9.10 As unknown and yet well-known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowful yet always Rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things What did this blessed Apostle get by all vers 11. O ye Corinthians our Mouth is open unto you our Heart is enlarged He got a Heart to pity Souls and a Tongue to Counsel them There is Gold and a multitude of Rubies but the Lips of Knowledge are precious Jewels saith Solomon Prov. 20.15 Good Counsel given is better than the giving of Gold Whilst you are musing the fire may kindle and then you speak with your Tongue If you cannot speak to some write to them Letters will not blush if Faces do 2. Have an eye upon the Sins they are most addicted to and Reprove for them and on the Duties they are most averse from and perswade to them It is not enough that the Words spoken by you be good but they must be seasonable Words Some are apt to use the Name of God irreverently in their Communications Nay many great Professors I am ashamed to mention it It hath been a comfortable Consideration to me many a time that when I dye I shall be tormented with hearing the Name of God irreverently used ☜ no more Would to God the third Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain were often before the eyes of men Tell such men that they ought to fear that great and terrible Name the Lord thy God That they have Reason to adore him that he will give us leave to use his Name at any time and therefore we should not take it in vain whether theusing in common Discourse the Word Faith be Swearing I know the great Sanderson saith Saunder de juro mento that per fidem though from the manner of some Nations and intention of some Speakers it may be an Oath yet he saith Non est ex vi Verborum because saith he Fides Humana non est res Sacra but civilis and in those words we call not God a Witness and therefore is Asseveratio tantum aut ad plurimum Testatio And so he adds that per fidem is the same with Ex animo loquor Pignerofidem meam si rem ita se non habere aut si sciens fallo nulla mihi in posterum fides habeatur So he If you ask Is it unlawful thus to use the Word Faith I answer I am sure it is not unlawful to let it alone it is not a thing of good report to use and the more serious decline it Are they addicted to Lying Scoffing at Religion Shew them the evil nature and consequents of these things If they slight Prayer the Holy Scriptures Alms-deeds perswade to them 3. Be not soon discouraged because of the Ignorance or Backwardness of them with whom you deal God may in time work on them Are they ignorant speak to them of Christ and the Covenant of Grace and of the way of Sinners coming to God through a Mediatour shew them kindness and seek to make their lives comfortable as much as you can that you may the better win them If any say We are ignorant our selves and how can we instruct others This is the way to get knowledge You know that God made the world That Jesus Christ is a glorious Redeemer That all men are hastning to Eternity Come man come on thou knowest enough to fall on the practice of this duty speak to vain spirits of these things Mr. Elliot in his Account of the Progress of the Gospel in New-England written in the year 43. speaks of one Hiacoomes a plain ignorant but yet pious and serious man he converted one Towanquetick a plain Indian and this Towanquetick was the Instrument of the conversion of about a hundred Indians in a little time If others say We are ignorant after all counsel and therefore are discouraged let such often call to mind what they hear and time may make an impression I have read of Hilarius Pictavienses a famous man of France Hanmore's View of Antiqu. finding that little that he read was remembred by him threw away his Books One day passing by a Well he saw that by frequent drawing up of the Bucket the rope had made a deep impression on the Stones he thought that by frequent consideration and meditation the things he heard and read might make a deep impression on him he fell closely to his work and proved a famous man You that are ungodly and hear not your Instructors you discourage them in their work that they are ready to say as Jeremiah Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name But zeal for God and love to Souls makes them at last to come to themselves and add as hâ—â— Jer. 20.9 But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary of forbearing and I could not stay How many serious Souls have experienced this The Life of Mr. Janeway When Mr. Janeway overheard some unsavoury discourse in a room nigh to him he wrote down their discourse and asked them after he had read what they said whether they were willing to hear of such discourse another day Many men by their evil discourse poyson many hearers as the Basilisk doth men Morney's Resolver not by looking on them according to the vulgar error but by Poyson coming out of the mouth Children hearken to your Parents that prerswade you to mind your Souls grieve them not by your folly Let good men hearken to Reproof from their Brethren as Aaron did from Moses and Peter from Paul When Luther reproved Bullinger for some errors he had about the Word of God Bullinger came forth before all the company and fell at the feet of Luther and said Blessed be the day wherein I saw this gracious face and had these reproofs Let good men counsel then their Children and Servants and Friends It is sad that such should say My Father my Master my Friend that is a great Professor of Religion and with whom I am on all occasions by day by night never was the man that asked me what I thought of my present or eternal condition never aked me whether I thought I was converted or should be saved Yet
and Salvation A filial Fear of God when we fear his displeasure as well as his Judgments a sorrow for Sin according to God when we hate Sin so as to fly from it to God a Hungring and Thirsting after Righteousness a desire of Grace more than any thing on earth DIRECTIONS 1. Conclude on the absolute necessity of Sincerity and beg the Prayers of Gods Sincere ones Say then to your Souls we must be upright If it were proclaimed from Heaven that but one man in a Town or City should be saved every man had reason to give all diligence that he might be the man knowing he cannot dwell with Eternal Burnings Are your doubts many beg the Prayers of the Faithful do as God commanded Jobs Friends Go to my Servant Job and he shall pray for you and him will I accept Job 42.8 Go to such a Minister such a Christian be not ashamed to go to them to knock at their doors to speak with them and enquire Acts 16 30. What must I do to be saved Cry as they in the Vision to Paul Acts 16.9 Come over into Macedonia and help us If a man be distempered or wounded in his body away he goes to the Physician or Chirurgeon Be as careful of your Souls as you are of your Bodies If there be any good desires cherish them Cant. 2.3 The Fig-tree putteth forth her Green Figs and the Vines with the tender Grapes give a good Smell Arise my Love my Fair One and come away Thy sincere though weak desires and breathings of Soul are pleasant to God and promise well Can any Babes in Christ say as the poor Indian when first awakened being asked what Sin was Oh said he it is the continual Sickness of my Heart It argues they are alive to God 2. Do not too soon shake off all fears and doubts Some come and tell Ministers how they cannot sleep some nights being terrified about Sin and wrath I am ready to tell them where they awake one night I would they did many They that have been so before them have no reason to wish they had slept the mean while Wounds must smart much before they can be cured Many break their sleep by night about loss of Children of Goods c. and make no great matter of it You may in a little time say of your hearts as Jacob of that place Gen 28.16 The Lord was here and I knew it not The first cry of the New Creature pleaseth God tormenteth the Devil If you are full of fears now the comforts of God will be sweeter to you when they come If you on a Journey were benighted on a Down darkness comes Rain pours down one Clap of Thunder and Flash of Lightning followed another and you were wet to the skin affrighted and every hour seems as long as ten and in the morning when light appeared and the Sun began to shine and you were brought into your Inne and had the comfort of a good Fire warm cloaths good provision and a good bed would you not be the more sensible of the sweetness of these things because of your nights misery O Christian Sorrow may continue for a night Psal 30. Isa 50.10 but joy cometh in the morning Are you in darkness and so see no light Hear you the Thundrings of the Law See you the Flashes of Gods Judgment Do the Terrours of God fall upon your Soul When God shines upon you then his Promises and Comforts will be sweet to your Souls 3. Never stick at any attainments but be alwayes going on Are you weak The strongest in Christ were once so One hath a good meditation upon this The greatest Giant was once a Babe in the Cradle The greatest Oak was once a Twig And the greatest Scholar was once in his Horn-book learning letters So saith he the greatest Christian was once a Babe in Christ and weak in grace All must grow sad it is for any to say if I have so much Grace as will bring me to Heaven I am content But who is content with just so much meat as will kill hunger and save life Or with just so much money as will keep him from debts and so from Goal Strive more and more against Sin Get greater power over Constitution Sins Company Sins and the Sins of your Callings If any should say our hearts are still bad after praying watching and striving remember still to go on If a man went to cut down an Oak the first blow with the Ax tends to the fall of the tree as well as the last if one should see one blow given and another and an hundred and the Oak seems as firm as ever and should say it is but in vain to strike any more what weakness were he guilty of At last down falls the Tree So the first acts of Repentance Faith Obedience tend to the pulling down of Sin as really as the last How many are prone to Pride Covetousness unchast desires revenge have found this to be true they have prayed many years and Fasted and striven against Sin and yet found as they thought but a little change and at last down hath fallen the Sin And God hath made them very humble very mortifyed very chast very patient Then take up the Ax strike strike and spare not Sin Sin shall be destroyed 4. If you find you are Sincere give God the glory through Jesus Christ When King Solomon was Crowned what rejoycing was there 1 Kings 1.40 They piped wâ—â—h Pipes and rejoyeed with great joy so that the earth rent with the sound of them Cant. 3.11 Go forth ye Daughters of Zion and see King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his Espousaels and in the day of the gladness of his heart God that hath sanctifyed you hath Crowned you with a better Crown of Grace and will with a Crown of Glory The Angels rejoyced at your Conversion and therefore you should rejoyce God in heaven and those your friends there are glad for you Luke 15.32 and you should be glad for your selves You once were under the same Condemnation with the wicked God sometimes pardons Sinners of the greatest sort and pardons â—ot some of the lesser sort As if a King seeing two men whom the Law had Condemned the one for Murthering his Child and contriving to Murther him another onely for stealing of a few Cattel or a summ of Money he pardons the Traytor and lets the Thief go to Execution Even so Father Mat. 11 26 for so it seems good in thy Sight Paul runs up all to the Will of God Rom. 9.23 Yet says Calvin Neque tamen ingerinâ—us commentum absolutae potentiae He is not pleased with saying onely That God is a Law to himself It is Gods Will saith he that is true but why God wills is not for us to know why he would wrap up so many men in Adam and they all fell by his Sin Why
and Jewels would he never use but once Who among the voluptuous sort of men would not be Antonius Heliogabalus now yet this man had always about him a silver Cord or golden Knife to dispatch himself if he saw occasion but he did not escape so the Romans took Him and his Mother after he had reigned four years and dragg'd them thorough the streets of Rome and broke their arms and threw them into Tiber Speeds Chron. that they might not be buried or the Air be infected by them Who would be Antonius Heliogabalus now How have many flourishing Nations as well as men been brought to nought Heylins Cosmog The Spaniards in seventeen years destroyed six Millions of men roasted some pluckt out their eyes cut off some mens arms and threw them to be devoured by Wild Beasts This is represented in that dream of Daniel Dan. 4.11 13 15. Of a tree that grew and was strong the heighth of it reached unto Heaven and the sight thereof to the ends of the Earth He that came down from Heaven cryed with a loud voice saying Hew down the Tree and cut off his branches shake off his leaves and scatter his Fruit What is become of the house that Solomon built for Pharaohs Daughter Where are the famous Structures we have read of or the men that dwelt in them 2. Conclude on it the things of the World are but vain else Christ and many good men had never had so few of them and so many of the worst of men had never had such an abundance of them Mat. 17.27 Mat. 27.29 Christ was so poor he could not pay tribute c. had a Crown of Thorns on his head when Tiberius that Idolatrous Pagan had a Crown of Gold on his It is a Priviledge the Saints shall have for ever in Heaven that they shall never see nor use any of these toyes there The vilest of men for Blasphemy Intemperance Uncleanness Oppression they have much of the world when thousands that breath after God and love him above all have Poverty and contempt God would never deny these things if they were not Vanities to the righteous and give them to the wicked 3. Make the thoughts of a time of dying familiar to you Think Must I dye then Lord it is high time for me to begin to live which no man doth till he be dead to the world If you had been made when Adam was and had from that time to this lived in all the delights of the Sons of men and were now to die you would be convinced that all past enjoyments were vanity If you knew for certain where your Graves should be where your Bodies should lie till the Resurrection would you not if you could go often to that Grave and weep there But that Curse seems to come on most men that came on the King of Babylon Dan. 4.16 Let his heart be changed from mans and let a Beasts heart be given to him Hence it is they delight not in God but in brutal beastial Pleasures and though they know they must die yet prepare not for it As if a man playing at Cards were told his house were on fire and desired to hasten away to save his House Goods and Children should say I will end my Game first and by that time he came all were burnt 4. Let the spiritual man the Heaven-born Soul be ashamed that these Vanities have had so much of his time thoughts and desires Epictetus directed his followers when tempted to flattery today 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou a Philosopher So when you are tempted to immoderate delight in Vanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou a Christian A Disciple of Jesus that was deâ—d to these Gaiâ—ties Trust not you in Men they are Vanity When Isrâ—â—l was in Egypt in cruel Bondage News comes from the Court Pharaoh will let them go You may imagine how glad they were and how they did comfort one another but there comes a Counter word then they are sad Then a Promise again and they had the Word of a King for it and then it is revoked again Trust not to Men nor Things your Treasures your Relations are uncertain Comforts Look oftner to God less to the World yet am I not calling a Christian to any unnecessary sadness He may and ought to take delight in the things of the World seeing they help him to serve his God Meats Drinks Diversions serve the Body the Body serves the Soul the Soul serves God so that there is a high end in common things It is unbecoming a Child of God to be melancholy and casts a blot on his Profession The Turks indeed account their melancholy Men their greatest Saints and keep them as such on a publick Stock They as such as melancholy are sitter for Turks than Christians yet in all our Mirth and Chearfulness we should fear Sin I know Zeal and Langhter may be conversant about the same thing but saith Ames De Consci Non sub eadem ratione Zâ—lus enim respicit 〈◊〉 turpe risus autem inexpectatum aliqâ—â—â— leviter placens absque consideratione vel honesti vel turpis Zeal is conversant about a thing consider it as good or evil but laughter may be occasioned by some unexpected thing that pleaseâ—h a little without the consideration of the thing as holy or prophane Is all vanity then wicked men need not much rejoyce in their abundance not the righteous much trouble themselves for their afflictions Their sanctified tribulations shall do them much good when the unsanctified Prosperity of the wicked shall do them much hurt But the Benefit of Afflictions is the next thing to be considered CHAP. X. Of the Benefit of Afflictions MEDITATIONS THe brightest day hath an approaching Night and the pleasant Summer a sharp Winter Some of the best of men have been taken from their enjoyments and plunged into all manner of miseries Job is a great instance of this In the Morning he had Children in the Evening none in the Morning he was a Rich man in the Evening a Poor man He draws his own Picture as it were when in prosperity in the 29. chapt of Job and also when in adversity in chap. 30. of Job See what a great change a little time made upon him at one time he was as a King in the Army at another time they had him in derision whose Fathers he had disdain'd to set with the Dogs of his Flock We should expect and prepare for the greatest suffering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Fire the Cross or any of the Devils buffetings come saith Ignatius if I mistake not to the Smyrneans for I have him not by me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am saith he meat for beasts and yet was satisfied Some have been driven into Caves and Dens of the Earth Heb. 11.38 So were many of the Primitive Christians What saith one would keep them warm was their cloathing the Ground was