sport of his torments and gloried â—hen they made him go upon hot burning coals as if they had been â—oses And another that I read of say My good friends I now finde it true â—ndeed he that leaveth all to follow Christ shall have in this world centuplum â— hundred fold more I have it in that centuplum peace of conscience with me 〈◊〉 parting And this made Ignatius say he had rather be a Martyr then a â—onark Nor did he ever like himself before he was thus tryed for when â—e heard his bones crush between the wild beasts teeth he said now I begin to be a Christian And Anaxarchus being laid along in a Trough of stone and smitten with Iron sledges by the appointment of Nicocreon 〈◊〉 Tyrant of Cyprus ceased not to cry out strike smite and beat it is not Anâ—â—archus but his vail you martyr so And a Child in Iosephus being all 〈◊〉 to death with biting snippers at the commandment of Antiochus could 〈◊〉 with a loud assured and undaunted voice Tyrant thou losest time loe I 〈◊〉 still at mine ease what is that smarting pain where are those tormeâ—â—â— which whilome thou didst so threaten me withall my constancy more troâ—bles thee than thy cruelty me And how many more of those Martyrs 〈◊〉 Queen Maryes Raign were even ravished before they could be permittâ—â— to die so greaâ— and so passing all expressing is the peace and comfort 〈◊〉 good conscience Now as the Priests of Mercury when they eat their figgs and honey 〈◊〉 out O how sweet is truth so if the worst of a Beleivers life in this 〈◊〉 be so sweet how sweet shall his life be in Heaven but I le hold you 〈◊〉 longer in this A man that hath his sins pardoned is never compleatly miserable 〈◊〉 conscience again turns his enemy whereas on the contrary take the 〈◊〉 happy worldling that ever was if he have not his sins pardoned he is coâ—pleatly wretched though he sees it not suppose him Emperour of 〈◊〉 whole world as Adam when he was in Paradise and Lord of all what 〈◊〉 it avail him so long as he had a tormentor within a self-condemniâ—â— conscience which told him that God was his enemy and knew no othâ—â— thâ—n thâ—t hell should be his everlasting portion Certainly this like a damâ— could not chuse but put out all the lights of his pleasure so that Paradise â—â—self was not Paradise to him which is the case of all wicked men be theâ— never so great never so seemingly happie True wicked men think the godly less merry and more miserable thaâ— themselves yea some that mirth and mischeif are only sworn brothers 〈◊〉 this is a foundationlesse opinion For first no man is miserable because 〈◊〉 other so thinks him Secondly Gods word teacheth and a good conscieâ—â—â— findeth that no man can be so joyfull as the faithfull though they waâ—â— many things which others may have St. Austin before his conversion could not tell how he should want those delights he then found so mucâ— contentment in but after when his nature was changed when he haâ— another spirit put into him then he sayes O how sweet is it to be withouâ— those former sweet delights Indeed carnall men laugh more but thâ—â— laughter is only the hypocrisie of mirth they rejoyce in the face only and 〈◊〉 in the heart as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Cor. 5.12 or as another hath it Where O God there wants thy grace Mirth is only in the face Yea their own consciences bear me witnesse as that Spanish Iudge welâ— considered who when a murther was committed in a tumultuous crowd oâ— people beared all their bosomes feeling upon their brests discovered the guiltie Author by the panting of his heart And Tully who makes it an argument of Roscius Amerinus Innocency that he killed not his Father because he so securely slept Yea as in prophane joy even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull so in godly sorrow even in weeping the heart is light and cheerful The tears of those that pray are sweeter then the joyes of the Theatre saith St. Augustin for our cheeks may run down with tears and yet our mouths sing forth praises the face may be pale yet the heart may be quiet and cheerfull so St. Paul as sorrowing and yet alwayes rejoycing 2 Cor 6.10 Neither can it be solid comfort except it hath his issue from a good conscience Indeed we therefore are not merry enough because we are not Christians enough Now if all our sufferings are thus counterpoysed and exceeded with blessings have we any cauâ—e to be angry and impatient What saith Iob Shall we receive good at the â—â—nd of God and not evill He was content to eat the crust with the crumme Indeed his wife like the wicked would only have fair weather all peace and plenty no touch of trouble but it is not so with the godly who have learnt better things Who will not suffer a few stripes from a Father by whom he receiveth so much good even all that he hath Diogenes would have no nay but Antisthenes must entertain him his Scholar insomuch that Antisthenes to have him gone was forc't to cudgell him yet all would not do he stirs not but takes the blowes very patiently saying Use me how you will so I may be your Scholar and hear your daily discourses I care not Much more may a Christian say unto God Let me enjoy the sweet fruition of thy presence speak thou peace unto my conscience and say unto my soul I am thy salvation and then afflict me how thou pleasest I am content yea very willing to bear it Yea if we well consider the commodity it brings we shall rather wish for affliction than be displeased when it comes Col. 1.24 For it even bringeth with it the company of God himself I will be with you in tribulation saith God to the disconsolate soul Psal 91.15 When Sidrack Mishack and Abednego were cast into the fiery furnace there was presently a fourth came to bear them company and that was God himself Dan. 3.23 to 17 And his presence makes any condition comfortable were a man even in hell it self Yea as when St Paul was rapt up to the third Heaven he was so ravished with the joy thereof that he knew not whether he had his body about him or not 2 Cor. 12.2 Whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth So Gods presence so ravisheth the soul that while a man suffers the greatest pain he knows not whether he be in pain or no Yea God is not only with them to comfort them in all their tribulation 2 Cor. 1.4 but in them for at the same time when the Disciples were persecuted they are said to be filled with joy and with the holy Ghâ—st Acts 13. â—2 And as our sufferings in Christ do abound so our consolation also abâ—undeth through Christ â— Cor. 1. â— And lastly he doth comfort us accoâ—ding to the dayes
Naboth would be revenged on himself As the mad man tears his own hair because he cannot come at his enemies Or Thamar who defiled her self to be revenged of her Father in law Iudah Or the Hedg hog which having laden himself with Nuts and fruits if but the least Filberd chance to fall off as he is going to disburden them in his store-house will fling down all the rest in a peevish humour and beat the ground for anger as Pliny writes Or Dogs which set upon the stone that hath hurt them with such irefull teeth that they hurt themselves more than the thrower hurt them and feel greater smart from themselves than from their enemy which makes Archelaus say it is a great evill not to be able to suffer evill And certainly if we well consider it we shall meet with vexations enough that we cannot avoid if we would never so fain We need not like Cercion in Suidas wrestle or with foolish Pannus go to law with every man we meet And yet some as if they did delight to vex their own souls like the Ethiopians who as Diodorus relates lame themselves if their King be lame I might go on and shew you that Greece and Asia were set on fire for an Apple That not a few have suffered a sword in their bowels because they would not suffer the lye in their throats And lastly I might shew that if we suffer not here with patience we shall suffer hereafter with grief for the wages of anger is judgement even the judgment of hell fire Mat. 5 22. CHAP. III. 3. THey bear the slanders and reproaches of wicked men patiently for that they are false and so appertain not unto them Socrates being rayled upon and called by one all to naught took no notice of it and being demanded a reason of his Patience said It concerns me not for I am no such man Diogenes was wont to say when the people mockt him They deride me yet I am not derided I am not the man they take me for This reason is of more force from the mouth of an innocent Christian If a rich man be called poor or a sound Christian an hypocrite he slights it he laught at it because he knoweth the same to be false and that his Accuser is mistaken whereas if a Beggar be called bankrup or a dissembler hypocrite he will wince and kick and be most grievously offended at it Yea as soares and ulcers are grieved not only at a â—ight touch but even with fear and suspition of being touched so will an exuâ—â—erate minde saith Seneca And as small letters offend bad eyes so least appearances of contradiction will grieve the ill affected ears of guilâ—y persons saith Plutarch For let mens tongues like Bells give but an indefinite not a significant sound they imagin them to speak and mean whatsoever their guilty consciences frame in the fancie and whisper in the ear which are those evil surmises of corrupt mindes the Apostle taxeth 1 Tim. 6.4 When like Caius the humanist one thinks every word spoken tends to his disgrace and is as unwilling to bear as forbear reproaches But where the conscience is clear the case is altered Marius was never offended with any report that went of him because if it were true it would sound to his praise if false his life and manners should prove it contrary And indeed the best confutation of their slanders is not by our great words but by our good works Sophocles being accused by his own children that he grew Dâ—tard and spent their Patrimonies idly when he was summoned did not personally appear before the Magistrates but sent one of his new Tragedies to their perusall which being read made them confess This is not the work of a man that dotes So against all clamours and swelling opprobries set but thine innocency and good life thou needest do no more That body which is in good health is strong and able to bear the great storms and bitter cold of Winter and likewise the excessive and intemperate heat of the Summer but with a crazie and distempered body it is far otherwise Even so a sound heart and clear conscience will abide all tryals in prosperity it will not be lifted up in adversity it will not be utterly cast down whereas the corrupt heart and festered conscience can endure nothing even a word if it be pleasing puffs him up with pride if not it swels him with passion A guilty conscience like Glasse will sweat with the least breath and like a windy instrument be put out of tune with the very distemper of the aire but when the soul is steeled with goodnesse no assaults of evil can daunt it I more fear what is within me sayes Luther then what comes from without The storms and wind without do never move the Earth only Vapours within cause Earthquakes Jam. 4.1 No greater sign of innocency when we are accused than mildness as we see in Ioseph who being both accused and committed for forcing his Mistress answered just nothing that we can read of Gen. 39.17 18. And Susanna who being accused by the two Elders of an hâ—ynous crime which they â—lone were guilty of never contended by laying the fault upon them but â—ppeals unto God whether she were innocent or no. And Hannah whose â—eply to Ely when he falsly accused her of drunkenness was no other â—ut Nay my Lord count not thine Handmaid for a wicked woman 1 Sam. â— 15 16. Neither is their a greater Symptome of guiltiness than our â—reaking into choler and being exasperated when we have any thing laid to â—ur charge witnesse Cain Gen. 4.9 That Hebrew which struck his felâ—ow Exod. 2.13.14 Saul 1 Sam. 20.32 33 Abner 2 Sam. 3. â— Ieroboam â— King 13.4 Ahab 1 King 22.27 Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.16 Uzziah â— Chron. 26.19 Herod the Tetrarch Luk. 3.19.20 The men of Nazaâ—eth Luk 4 28 29. The Pharisees Ioh. 8.47.48 And the High Priests and Scribes Luk. 20.19 20. Sinne and falshood are like an impudent strumpet but innocency and truth will veil themselves like a modest Virgin 2 Pet. 2.18 The more false the matter the greater noise to uphold it Paul is nothing so loud as Tertullus The weakest cause will be sure to forelay the shrewdest counsell or the lowdest Advocates Errour hath alwayes most words like a rotten house that needs most props and crutches to uphold it Simple truth evermore requires least cost like a beautiful face that needs no painting or a comely body which any decent apparell becomes We plaister over rotten posts and ragged walls substantiall buildings are able to grace themselves So that as sparks flying up shew the house to be on fire and as corrupt spittle shews exulcerate lungs so a passionate answer argues a guilty conscience Why doth the Hare use so many doublings but to frustrate the scent of the Hounds And this is one reason why the former are compared to Sheep and Lambes Emblems of innocency
which being harmed will not once bleat and the latter unto Swine which will roar and cry if they be but toucht A good Conscience is not put out of countenance with the false accusations of slanderous tongues it throweth them off as St. Paul did the Viper unhurt Innocence and patience are two Bucklers sufficient to repulse and abate the violence of any such charge the Brestplate of Righteousnesse the brazen wall of a good conscience feareth no such Canons The Conscionablâ— being railed upon and reviled by a foul mouth may reply as once a Steward did to his passionate Lord when he called him Knave c. Your Honour may speak as you please but I believe not a word that you say for I know my self an honest man Yea suppose we are circled round with reproaches our conscience knowing us innocent like a constant friend takes us by the hand and cheers us against all our miseries A good spirit will be as Simon to Christ its Cross-bearer A just man saith chrysostome is impregnable and cannot be overcome take away his wealth his good parts cannot be taken from him and his treasure is above cast him into prison and bonds he doth the more freely enjoy the presence of his God banish him his Countrey he hath his conversation in Heaven kill his body it shall rise again so he fights with a shadow that contends with an upright man Wherefore let all who suffer in their good Names if conscious and guilty of an enemies imputations repent and amend if otherwise contemn them own them not so much as once to take notice thereof A wicked heart is as a harrill powder to temptation let thine be as a River of water Yea seeing God esteems men as they are and not as they have been although formerly thou hast been culpable yet now thou mayest answer for thy self as Paul did for Onesimus Though in times past I was unprofitable yet now I am profitable and oppose to them that sweet and divine sentence of sweet and holy Bernard Tell me not Satan what I have been but what I am and will be Or that of Beza in the like case Whatsoever I was I am now in Christ a New Creature and that is it which troubles thee I might have so continued long enough ere thou wouldest have vexed at it but now I see thou dost envy me the grace of my Saviour Or that Apothegme of Diogenes to a base fellow that told him he had once been a forger of money whose answer was 'T is true such as thou art now I was once but such as I am now thou wilt never be Yea thou mayest say by how much more I have formerly sinned by so much more is Gods power and goodness now magnified As St. Austine hearing the Donatists revile him for the former wickedness of his youth answered The more desperate my disease was so much the more I admire the Physician Yea thou mayest yet strain it a peg higher and say the greater my sinnes were the greater is my honour as the Deviâ—s which Mary Magdalen once had are mentioned for her glory CHAP. IV. 4. HE beareth the Cross patiently because it is counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings Satan and the world may take many things from us as they did from Iob viz. health wealth outward peace friends liberty credit c. but they can never take God from us who gives all and at the same time supplies the want of these with comforts farre surpassing and transcending them As when a Courtier gave it out that Queen Mary being displeased with the City threatned to divert both Terme and Parliament to Oxford an Alderman askt whether she meant to turn the Channel of the Thames thither or no if not saith he by Gods grace we shall do well enough For what are the things our enemies can take from us in comparison of Christ the Ocean of our comfort and Heaven the place of our rest And therefore in the midst of misery we say with Iob Blessed be the name of the Lord. Quest But with what comforts doth the Lord supply our losses Answ The assurance of the pardon of sinne alone is able to cleer all storms of the minde it teacheth misery as sickness poverty famine imprisonment infamy c. to laugh not by reason of some imaginary epicycles but by naturall and palpable reasons Yea let death happen it matters not When â— Malefactor hath sued out his pardon let the Assises come when they will â—he sooner the better But to this is added the peace of conscience the marrow of all comforts â—therwise called the peace of God which passeth all understanding and surâ—asseth all commending and never did man find pleasure upon earth like â—he sweet testimony of an appeased conscience reconciled unto God cleansed â—y the blood of the Lamb and quieted by the presence of the holy Ghost Yea hadst thou who most dotest upon the world but these comforts thou â—ouldest not change them for all that Satan once offered to our Saviour â—nd are now accepted by many O good life saith an Ancient Father â—hat a Ioy art thou in time of distresse And another Sweet is the feliâ—ity of that man whose works are just and whose desires are innocent â—hough he be in Phaleris Bull. For these are priviledges which maâ—e Paul â—appier in his chain of Iron than Agrippa in his chain of Gold and Peter more merry under stripes than Caiphas upon the Iudgment seat and Steâ—en the like For though he was under his persecutors for outward condiâ—ion yet he was far above them for inward consolation Neither had wealâ—hy Craesus so much riches in his coffers as poor Iob had in his conscience Yea how can he be miserable that hath Christ and all hs merits made sure â—o him that hath his Name written in Heaven Surely his soul must â—e brim full of brave thoughts that is able to refresh himself with this Meâ—itation God is my Father the Church my Mother Christ the Iudge my â—lder Brother and Advocate the holy Ghost my Comforter the Angels mine attendance all the Creatures mine for use the stock of the Churches Prayers mine for benefit the world mine Inne Heaven my home God â—s alwayes with â—e before me within me overseeing me I talk with him in Prayer he with me in his word c. Sure if these be the accustoâ—ed meals of a good soul it cannot chuse but keep naturall heat from deâ—aying and make it happy But behold yet a greater priviledge These comforts do not only support â—nd refresh us and so supply our losses in common calamities but even in â—he midst of tortures and torments which otherwise were intollerable The naturall mans stomack cannot of all enemies endure hunger yea a â—rison where he must alwayes lie under hatches makes him all amort but â—orthy Hawks could clap his hands for joy in the midst of the flames And â—incentius as Luther reports made a
thy taking revenge what mayest thou not expect to suffer and in thy suffering what comfort canst thou have Whereas if God bring us into crosses he will be with us in those crosses and at length bring us out of them more refined You may observe there is no such coward none so valiant as the believer without Gods warrant he dares do nothing with it any thing Nothing without it Those saith Basil to a great man that perswaded him to yeeld who are trained up in the Scriptures will rather die in an holy quarrell than abate one syllable of divine truth Nor would any solicite them to do ill did they rightly know them for what Cicero speaks of Cato viz. O gentle Cato how happy art thou to have been such an one that never man durst yet presume to solicite thee in any dishonest cause or contrary to duty may be applied to every Believer rightly so stiled When the Tormentors of Marcus Arethusius who laid to his charge the pulling down of an idolatrous Temple offered him his pardon in case he would give so much as would build it up again he refused it and being further urged to give but half he refused it at last being told that if he would give but a little towards it they would release him he refused to give them so much as an half penny saying No not an half penny for it is as great wickedness said he to confer one half penny in case of impiety as if a man should bestow the whole A good conscience being in the greatest torture will not give one half penny to be released with hurt to his conscience he scans not the weight of the thing but the authority of the Commander and such have no good consciences that dare gratifie Satan in committing the least sinne or neglect God in the smallest precept The conscionable Nazarite Numb 6. did not only make scruple of guzling and quaffing whole Flagons of wine but of eating only a husk or an kernell of the grape knowing the one was as well forbidden as the other Will any man eat poyson because there is but a little of it A small bullet may kill a man as well as a great one Goliah was as much hurt by Davids little stone as Sampson by the weight of a whole house And Ely died as well by falling back in his chair as Iezabel by being thrown down from an high window And what saith our Saviour to the unjust Steward He that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much Luk. 16.10 He that will corrupt his conscience for a pound what would he do for a thousand If Iudas will fell his Master for thirty pence what would he not have done for the Treasury Alas there are no sins small but comparatively These things speaking of Mint and Cummin ought ye to have done sayes our Saviour and not have left the other undone Luk. 11.42 Wherefore it is with a good and tender conscience as it is with the apple of the eye for as the least hair or dust grieves and offends that which the skin of the eye-lid could not once complain of so a good and tender conscience is disquieted not only with beams but moats even such as the world accounts trifles it strains not only at Cammels but Gnats also A sincere heart is like â— neat spruce man that no sooner spies the least speck or spot on his garment but he gets it washt or scrap't off the common Christian like a nasty sloven who though he be all foul and besmeared can indure it well enough yea it offends him that another should be more neat than himself But such men should consider that though they have large consciences that can swallow down any thing yet the sincere and tender conscience is not so wide A strait shooe cannot indure the least pibble stone which will hardly be felt in a wider neither will God allow those things in his Children which he permits in his enemies no man but will permit that in another mans Wife or Child which he would abhor in his own A box of precious oyntment may not have the least fly in it nor a delicate Garden the least weed though the Wildernesse be overgrown with them I know the blind world so blames the Religious and their Religion also for this nicenesse that they think them Hypocrites for it but this was Iobs comfort in the aspersion of Hypocrisie My wiâ—ness 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 â—ur sinne to further thy work 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 poysâ—n may be qualified and become medicinall there is use to be mâ—de of an enemy sicknesse may turn to our betteâ— health and death it self to the faithful is but a door to life but sinne be it never so small can never be made good Thus you have seen their fear but look also upon their courage for they more fear the least sinne tâ—an the greatest torment All the fear of Satan and his instruments ariseth from the want of the true fear of God but the more a man fears God the lesse he fears everything else Fear God honour the King 1 Pet. 2.14 17. He that fears God doth but honour the King he need not fear him Rom. 13.3 the Law hath not power to smite the vertuous True many have an opinion not wise That Piety and Religion abates fortitude and makes valour Feminine but it is a foundationlesse conceit The true beleever fearâ— nothing but the displeasure of the highest and runs away from nothing but sinne Indeed he is not like our hot spurs that will fight in no cause but a bad that fear where they should not fear and fear not where they should fear that fear the blasts of mens breath and not the fire of Godâ— wrath that fear more to have the world call them Cowards for refusing then God to judg them rebels for undertaking that tremble at the thought of a Prison and yet not fear Hell fire That can govern Towns and Cities and let â— silly woman over-rule them at home it may be a servant or a Child as Themistocleâ— Sonne did in Greece What I will said he my Mother will have done and whâ—t my Mother will have my Father doeth That will undertake a long journey by Sea in a Wâ—erry as the desperate Marriner hoysteth sayl in a storm and sayes None of this Ancestors were drowned That will rush fearlesly into infected houses and say The Plague never ceizeth on valiant blood it kills none but Cowards That languishing of some sicknesse will strive to drink it away and so make hast to dispatch both body and soul at once that