Gods Children passed before feare wee not therefore to follow after them Christ himselfe is gone before by a farre harder passage then his meaning is to leade any of vs by Thinke it no strange thing for the perfect to suffer neither be you discomforted or dismayed at it knowing that afflictions happen by heapes to all Gods Children in this world Learne both you and I to suffer patiently with Christ then shall we be sure to be crowne gloriously with him When you are tempted most with fierce aduersaries mighty enemies the Deuill with his lost and forsaken traine The world is full of bayts and allurements vnto Euill the flesh euer ready and greedy to take them What though you be heauy laden for a while yet comfort your selfe knowing that your anguishes griefes and molestations shall haue an end your teares shall be wiped away and dryed vp but the ioyes that shall be giuen you are euerlasting Those seede-teares which you sowe now are nothing to that Haruest of ioy which hereafter shall be reaped Consider I beseech you well that nothing commeth vnto vs by happe or chance but all is disposed by the will prouidence of Almighty God It is the meere loue and absolute righteousnesse of God that we are corrected it is not for our harme but to our good either for the tryall of our faith or for the reformation of our life So that either man or woman fearing God walking vprightly in his sight hauing the testimony of a good conscience cannot want matter of consolation hauing still in the Lord whereof to be comforted make we not our hearts heauy and our liues most vncomfortable shake we off rather our causelesse teares and we shal finde matter enough for glorious and vnspeakeable ioyes Am I regenerate God is my father Christ resteth my elder brother Heauen my house and habitation and the Glory thereof mine inheritance none can be poore that haue Heauen for their portion neyther any deiected much that haue the comfortes thereof belonging to them Whilest God giueth vs assurance of a better Life what matter is it if hee shall depriue vs of this If Angels and Saints be with vs what care wee though sinners bee agaynst vs Doe people on earth seeke to make you ignominous we are not in their power but in Gods who will make vs glorious Your comfort may bee departed and yet not vtterly lost we may feare we are cut of and yet not perish for therein the power of God is seene in our weakenesse and imperfection Lord pitty our soares and sicknes rather then proceede in seuerity against vs. The assurance of the sufferings of Christ in his death for vs should take away the horrour of death from vs For he is that Lambe of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the world Which now is our aduocate with his father to whom be all glory Amen Saterday Meditations IT beeing euident that the greatest part of good people are most of all and oftnest afflicted grieuously yea many times slayne by wicked and seditious Tyrants this dealing of God thus with his Children assureth vs that he reserueth vs some Port of safety for his children where after their troubles here they may arriue at some Hauen of perpetuall rest after their Death No happier then such Christians as will suffer no sinnes to wrestle in their soules nor Viper like vices to dwell or continue in their heartes Neyther doe I suppose the Lord to loue any better then those whom hee most scourgeth and correcteth making the end of our sorrow to be as the beginning of another like the droppes of Raine distilling from the top of the house as soone as one is gone another followeth or a ship at the Sea neuer safe till wee come into the Hauen and harbour of Heauen by the death and blood-shedding of Iesus Christ are wee sanctified and cleansed from our sins Our heauenly Father is both pacified and pleased with vs through the death of Christ who forgiuing and pardoning our sinnes imputeth vnto vs his owne righteousnesse so that through beleeuing in the Lord Iesus Christ we shal be saued and haue life euerlasting and shall neuer come into condemnation Through the name of our Redeemer are the inestimable benefits of Christ wrought in vs and brought vnto vs for by faith onely in Christ without any workes of our owne either concurring or furthering we are freely iustified No punishment discharged but by that perfect man Christ Iesus who hath vanquished death and swallowed vp the paires of Hell yea satisfied the seuerity of Gods euerlasting Iudgment Looke wee all vpon the Sun-set of our seuerall ages and wee may soone behold how the rotten house wherein our soule dwelleth rests euen ready to fall vpon our head We dwell as in a ship that most dangerously leaketh very like to drowne vs ere we get to the shoare which still causeth vs to long for the house and hauen of our euerlasting security Although death be a sting to the wicked piercing them to the heart yet to the Elect deaths sting is pulled out and they are freed from terror by the death of our Sauiour The death of a faithfull friend yeelds rather cause of comfort then of sorrow of mirth then of mourning of reioycing rather then of weeping and lamenting death is to the godly like sleepe whereby we are refreshed Vnfit is it therefore to celebrate the funerals of the faithfull with weeping wayling when we doe well know our friends haue liued religiously dyed vertuously Let your passed misery yeeld your selues some soulerellish to future ioy What is our Inheritance on Earth but monthes of vanity and paynefulnes as our allotted parts and portions here Who is he that knoweth not Iob. 17.13 That the graue shal be his house and how hee shall make his bed in the darke Our hearts must pitty those whom the hand of GOD toucheth Do not thinke but that God is able to defend and carry you free from danger yea to keepe you in the time of the greatest suffering It is none but God that keepeth the Keyes of the prison that open and shuts when hee pleaseth It is the LORD that maketh whole and maketh sicke the issues of Life and Death doe belong to him We rise daily agaynst sinne as did Ioshua against the Cananites not because wee are able to ouer-come sin of our selues but in assurance that our heauenly Father will not fayle vs but giue vs ability to vanquish it in our mortall bodies Forget not Iesus Christ to be your shield and buckler of defence whose promise is to free vs all from our streights and extreamities Lay wee hold by Faith on Gods promises and as a childe sucketh milke from his mothers breast So when wee are ready to faynt wee must sucke the milke of consolation out of the promises of God in his VVord that rest full of comfort Art thou euen at Deaths doore there rests milke of consolation enough if thou wilt
and to admiration of his healing medicines Pray wee and God will prosper physicke that he giueth for ease and the prolonging of our liues mourne wee for our friends as if wee suffered great harme our selues Couer we their bodies and lament we them as they are worthy powring out our teares ouer them as if wee had suffered much harme our selues in our bodies soules sences and substances When the dead is once at rest let his remembrance rest and comfort wee ourselues againe for him when his spirit is departed from him desire your most heauenly Father to make you ready for himselfe and fit to atchiue his Kingdome for the only sufferings of his Sonne There is not one of Gods Children but must prepare their soules vnto diuers temptations Resolue we our selues euer in this life to liue and remaine as in a continuall rough battell and fight where no truce is to bee looked for but perpetuall combats and raging assaults From our birth to our death it 's now no new thing to be tempted and troubled with diseases in body or discomforts of minde praise wee God for our lot be your molestations short or lingring welcome bee Gods wande be it for wealth crosse or comfort hee first hath suffered more for you then hee will inflict vpon you in your troubles still call on him and vnder his wings shall you be safely couered The Almighty so strengthen your faith as you may stand fast to the end still beleeuing the Lord our God in all his promises Learne we all to shew forth the fruites of our faith obedience loue charity and hearts purified from sinne and still more and more prepare we to Christ Iesus our heauenly Bridegrome at his comming with more alacrity and ioy triumphant then either mouth or man can conceiue or vtter Christ by the sacrifice of his death will take away all our sinnes where there is neither sighing nor sorrow but triumphant ioyes in the highest Heauens Though the Lord send afflictions yet will hee not forsake vs for euer what though hee afflict to day yet will he haue compassion vpon thee to morrow according to the multitude of his mercies God doth seldome punish willingly the Children of Men for his compassions are many and his fatherly louing kindnesses are so many and so multiplied that wee cannot number them Maintaine Lord the cause of my soule for thou hast redeemed my life from the euill imaginations of the wicked and vengeance of the vile If you were dead and buried yet can God reuiue you and by his great mercy free you from all iniquity and still keepe you in the number of the faithfull The Almighty so exercise your contrite heart as both it sole sences may be laudably imployed in the Lords seruice Sicknesse to the seruants of God doth bring infinite ioy and much goodnesse it 's a purgation and cleansing of our sins the mother of fortitude spirituall strength against our frailty and sure defence against all worldly troubles A purchasing of grace and pardon a medicine of life and a comfortable guide to reduce vs from hell and bring vs all to the Celestiall Paradise I beseech you to remember what troubles and calamities are a purchasing of grace and pardon a merry time of life and a continuall remembrance of Christs owne blessed life death and passion We are all duely to consider how that our humane bodies are as darke and filthy prisons of our soules liuing as in exile banishment and misery The Almighty deliuer you from hell sinne and eternall death for euer The Lord comfort you and are you from sin and strengthen your weake heart against Sathan who still standeth against you to seduce you but remember you Gods Angels that are ready prest for to aide you his grace for to guide you and his fauour for to feede you Arme Lord thy Seruants heart with perpetuall peace and patience giue thy weake Creature grace most ioyfully to beare the burden of the Crosse As Heauen is incomparably greater then the Earth so the Mercy of our heauenly Father rests incomparably greater then the seas of our sinnes Lord free you from bitter sorrows all sinnes and grieuances whatsoeuer they bee The Almighty of his mercy renue your Repentance and vnburden you of the weight of all your great bonds most grieuous sins lay we fast hold on Christ his mercy death and passion Ioh. 3.16 The life of each one of vs being but a vitall Laborinth and a confused Chaos affoording vs nought but fraude folly and fleshly sensuality and troubles to try vs and sundry aduersities to disquiet vs from the King in his throne to the Captiues in the chaines All must taste of miseries discontentments and sorrows before our soules by death be deliuered from their terrestriall burden Although it bee an happy thing to die in Iesus Christ yet such rests the foolishnesse of our corrupt flesh that wee are loath to remooue from bad to better from Sinners to Saints and heauenly Associats we lose nothing in our changing our bad place for a better But one thing we that are Gods Children must still bee most carefull of to dread furious foes dangers Comfort wee our hearts in our deepest distresses acknowledging God to be more able to defend vs then all foes to confound vs not any Gods Children but burdned with calamities Nebuchadnezar King of Babell was turned out a grazing seuen yeares Gods Children are more afflicted then others Luke 13.16 The daughter of Abraham was for 18 yeares bound of Sathan likewise the man whom our Sauiour cured had beene diseased 38. yeares Comfort your heart in your afflictions knowing God to bee the sender of afflictions by reason of our sins It 's the Lord who killeth and maketh aliue bringing to the graue and raising vp againe 1. Sam. 2.6 If Christ had not beene the Sonne of God Sathan would neuer haue so much assaulted him and his Members for his sanctifying and sauing of innumerable Saints and Soules Labour wee all for the Word and Gospell of Trueth whatsoeuer our temptations are let vs all and euery one weepe for our owne sinnes and not once stubbornely defend the perpitrating of the least of any vile and corrupt sinnes and offences Almighty God so moderate your greatest crosses and grieuances as your soule may euer sing with Saints Our most gracious father deferreth his helpe not that hee will not helpe vs but to exercise our Fayth and stirre vp in vs the calling vppon his name and still being acquainted with Gods mercies reioyce Night and day in his Euerlasting fauours would you haue peace none but Christ can giue it you and he will giue to none but to the penient to none but the Faithfull Set wee our Lord Iesus Christ betweene GOD and our sinnes let it rest our desire to spend our selues in sighes and teares of true Repentance and then rayse vp our humble Soules to a liuely Confidence in our onely Sauiour and All-sufficient Redeemer by whose
A Grand-fathers LEGACY OR Maltbey's Morsels for Mourners Diuided into seuerall Meditations for euery Day in the Weeke Being a Comfort to all wounded and oppressed Consciences which seeke for comfort by the Word of Truth By Iohn Maltbey late Minister of Gods Word at Buckland in Glocester-shire LONDON Printed by N. OKES and are to be sold at the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard 1633 TO THE VVORshipfull and well respected Gentleman Mr. IOHN ROBINSON Esquire of Denston-hall in Suffolke And to the Vertuous and well-affected Gentle-woman his wife Mris Briget Robinson all terrestriall happinesse AS there is an appoynted time for the end of all our Acts and by the Almighties Decree once to dye so hath it pleased God that this Reuerent Divine hauing payd that debt to Nature that we must all pay And leauing behind him this new borne Babe which might haue beene obscured and buried with him had it not with a Religious Care bin preserued And being brought to the view of the World and past the Presse I haue selected you amongst many others knowing you most fitting to Patronise this Worke and do desire you to answere for this Childe and to receiue it into your protection And withall which was the chiefe motiue hauing bin often Resident with you and knowing in my selfe your pious and religious Gouernment in your Family in offering vp your first and latter Fruite of Prayer and Thankesgiuing morning and Euening made mee the more desirous to chuse You. The Subiect being of Diuine Meditations gathered out of the Holy Scripture for the comforte of all oppressed and wounded soules For which causes I haue imboldned to fixe your name as a Patrone of this and the like Subiects and present it though vnworthy from my hand beeing of this Subiect as a token of my respect shewing my gratefull minde to you if it came within my compasse for all your curtesies bestowed on me I do therfore presume to tender this my loue only as a remembrance of my thankfulnes and witnesse of my true meanings I wil now cease troubling you only turning my Writing into praying for your good health thus taking my leaue wishing you all happines in this life and a correspondency in the world to come Your louing kinsman to command I. OKES The Printer to the Reader IT is a saying of Salomon that it is better to go vnto the house of Mourning then to the house of Banquetting The house of Banquetting consisting of full Dishes which becomes not Mourners but rather Fragments and Morsels Our blessed Sauiour feeding foure thousand with seauen loaues and a few little Fishes Mathew the 15. Chapter and the 34. verse The morsels or Fragments that were left were seauen baskets full The same number hath this Reuerent Diuine obserued in giuing Method to the Booke in comparing them vnto seauen Baskets full of wholesome Consolation for the seauen seueral Dayes in the Weeke in a plaine and easy way for the better vnderstanding of the simplest Whose aged Life and Conuersation was well liked and approoued of amongst that little Flocke hee had in his Pastorall charge whose Losse was much Lamented by many who were his hearers And leauing behind him this godly Worke which he thought to haue set foorth in his Life time Mistris Margaret Maltbey committed it on his death bed to his louing Wife whose great care herein hath beene largely expressed and now desires that it may bee curteously receiued at the hands of all good Christians Farewell So I rest thine I. O. A Grandfathers Legacy OR MALTBY his Morsels for Mourners The Introduction AS Ionathan Sauls Sonne hearing of the troublesome perplexity of Dauid sought him out in the wood and comforted him in his God 1. Sam. 32.18 So I now hauing heard of your misery and weaknesse am come to comfort you as a neighbour Iob. 6. ver 24. who desire your happinesse from my heart and therefore would haue you to consider that God who caused Saul to returne from pursuing Dauid and to goe against the Philistines 1. Sam. 23. last verses can suddenly change your griefe into gladnesse and your misery into mirth so that you cry with faithfull Dauid Psal 39.15 O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and be no more seene Psal 39.15 Psal 33.17 Psal 33 17. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy verse 18. To deliuer their soules from death and to feede them in the time of trouble and dayes of dearth God grant you may long for your appointed time as the Seruant for the shadow or the Hireling for the end of his worke cry and say Lord let thy spirit within mee so make request for mee that thy hand may conuay mee from this vale of teares to eternall blisse Like as thine Angell guided Peter from prison to liberty Lord protect mee you and vs all from Sathans assaults keepe vs from despaire and secure vs from euill giue to euery one Comfort in Conscience Ioy in the Spirit Peace in beleeuing and a most setled expectation of life by thy Sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus Munday Meditations NOthing more profiteth Gods Children then his Crosse this bringeth a loathing of our troubles here belowe and an ardent loue of enioying such things as rest aboue in the Heauens When Israel had peace in Aegypt they thought not vpon Canaan so wee bewitched with the world forget our saluation But as the Angell caught Lot when hee lingred in Sodome Gen. 19. Gen. 19. So doth sicknesses and distasts with-hold vs from Hell inuesting vs into euerlasting habitations in the Heauens Wee must not looke to bee carried into Heauen in a feather-bed all Gods Saints knowing this that afflictions rest as Porters to the Kingdome of Paradise the Cherubins keeping the East-side thereof with a blade of a shaking Sword Gen. 3.24 When wee haue health we should praise God for it and beware it become not the cause of our ruine You are sicke it is a signe of your heauenly Fathers loue and of your euerlasting happinesse this should make the cogitations of your heart to striue as did the Children in Rebeccas wombe Leape wee for ioy that our names as the names of Gods Children are written in Heauen what though wee be poore sicke full of soares and contemned of men yet being the Elect Children of God and our names in Gods Booke wee may haue sound Comfort both in life and death Remembring that sanctified Crosses rest assured notes of Gods fauour and therefore assoone as euer wee read Gene. 6.12 of Abrahams comming to Moreb it is presently sayd this Cannanite was then in the Land by whose cruelty God meaneth to exercise both him and his and the like must all Gods Children looke for Say not thou that afflictions rather driue vs from God then to God for where the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all things there doe proue most excellent Albeit Gods dearely beloued Children are
put into strange extremities yet looke they vp with comfort at the last The body of Anaxarchus might be brayed in a Morter but neuer his soule Ieremies body might bee sawed in pieces of Manasses his owne Cousin Germaine not his sanctified soule Amos was killed with a wooden beame St. Laurence broyled on a Grid-iron St. Iohn had like to haue beene boyled in an hot Chaldron of scalding oyle Doe not thinke but that your present Crosses may be seconded with manifold comforts and those cares on your Couch with Peter in Gods kingdome It may be the time is approaching of putting off your Mortality and passing through death as through a gate into euerlasting life to put you in minde to bewayle your misdeeds and to begge remission of your sinnes with powring out of your teares which are so gracious in Heauen that euery sinne is washed away with such a flood no weeds euer springing after such raine or sanctified shower Depend vpon Gods diuine prouidence haue patience with your Crosses attend mercy for your comfort beware of pride too often the ouerthrow of Honour be weary of this world make now your way towards the kingdome of God Who long hauing tryed you with Calamities may blesse you with eternall Comforts be you neuer comfortlesse for no doubt God which tryeth his seruants will likewise blesse and comfort them As now sicknesse makes you sigh and be sorrowfull so much more let the Cause thereof grieue your heart which is sinne And bee you comforted in this that Christ Iesus suffered for you lay away Melancholly plucke vp your spirits and put your selfe onely vpon God liue not like a woman but dye like a liuing Saint Let not Impatience preiudise your heart neither let thought pierce your heart but make patience and mirth the best phisicke to your minde and surest comfort in your liues Intreate the Lord to helpe you to beare your Crosses and so to strengthen you with his Spirit that you become not hopelesse of recouery and let no sorrowes so afflict you but as sacred Comforts may soone relieue you Consider your whole life to be nothing else but a continuall tryall of your Conscience in the spiritual Warfare Remember that such as depend vpon any thing but on God alone refuse their owne felicity and that goodnesse which they should else receiue of God Who knowes not this that there is no Saluation but by Christ There is no true rest till I first feele Gods Iudgements and the weight thereof which shall serue through Christ to my good God doth now and then vse to deferre his helpe for a time before hee will comfort his Church People or Children yet when it is most expedient for them his helpe is euer ready at hand Consider we all that the end of Gods chastisements to his Children is to saue them from Sathan and with-hold them from Hell As God hath strooken you so hath hee power to restore you as you are Gods seruant you haue an Angell to defend you from your enemies you are so deare vnto God that he can no more suffer your enemies to hurt you then a man can abide to be thrust in the eyes Psal 17.8 Psal 17.8 Sathan sought to Iehoshuah when he was doing his Office Zacha. 3.1 that is praying for the state of the Church where you must note that Sathan seekes to afflict and trouble the Children of God and hinder their saluation from doing their duties vnto God if hee could The Lord hath punished you for a time desire him now to be pacified and visite your sinnes no more but that you may liue in peace and quietnesse as in the Kingdome of Christ Esay 2.2 Micha 4.4 Haggia 2.10 Esay 2.2 Micah 4.4 The Lords hand of helpe neuer fayleth his faithfull seruants but resteth so powerfull in it selfe that it bringeth all his promises and purposes to passe although hee haue no helpe of mortall man Zachariah in the 14. Chapter of his Prophesie telleth that these should be the great troubles in the Church in the Euening whereof the Lord will send comfort by a plentifull supply of spirituall graces marry into the new Ierusalem to continue for euer where there shall be one God one Faith one Religion In any wise beware of prosperity premit praeterit it presseth and passeth staying by thee to thy hurt and flying from thee to thy griefe Prosperity is like the golden Bracelets that Turpeus had for betraying the Romane Castle to the Sabynes wherewith she was pressed to death Pharaoh was humbled being afflicted but enioying prosperity hee was hardened Noah was sober in the Arke but ouertaken with Drunkennesse in the Vineyard Gen. 9. Lot vexed in Sodome abhorred all vncleanenesse but once safe in the Mountaines Gen. 19. hee fell into grosse Impiety Dauid being persecuted gaue himselfe to Meditation and Prayer but once aduanced in the Kingdome committed bloody sinnes 2. Sam. 11. The best doe commonly fall when they are furnished with abundance as the Moone is not Eclipsed but when shee is in the full Learne therefore what to doe when God casteth you downe or depriueth you of any comforts you haue formerly enioyed vnder so gracious a Lord and louing Father as is our God Learne wee this Lesson that either God punisheth vs for our sins or for the probation of our faith when he either compasseth vs with his net or taketh from vs the ioy of our Honours the pleasure of our Eyes and the Crowne from our head with the desires of our hearts Now know this that our earthly house of this Tabernacle being destroyed we haue a building giuen vs of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens Striue we therefore to be cloathed with a House which is from Heauen because if wee bee cloathed wee shall not be found naked For indeed wee which are in this Tabernacle sigh and are burdened because wee would not bee vncloathed but would bee cloathed vppon that Mortality might bee swallowed vp of Life God that hath Created vs for this thing hath also giuen vnto vs the Earnest of the Spirit Therefore wee are alwayes bold though wee know that whiles we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord for wee walke by faith and not by sight neuerthelesse wee are bold and loue rather to remooue out of the body and to dwell with the Lord. Wherefore wee also couet that both dwelling at home and remoouing from our home wee may bee acceptable to him For wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ 2. Cor. 5 1 that euery man may receiue the things which are done in the body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill 2. Cor. 5.1 c. to the end of the tenth Verse the eighth to the Romans all throughout it is comfortable It is the saying of St. Chrisostome Crucem tollere sequi Christum omnibus imperatur alligatus sum ego
13. Great cause haue wee all to loue him and that both with our hearts and soules because the LORD assureth vs of the Victory but that it shall vndoubtedly goe on our side howsoeuer both Sathan and Sinners shall straine themselues to the vttermost against vs Deu. 8. Moses shews vs how that it resteth Gods will that we all must bee afflicted lest wee should boast of our owne power strength and abundance It is Gods order that hee keepeth vs withall assoone as we first enter into his Schoole he beginneth with the scourge making vs to feele hunger thirst pouerty sicknesse sorrowes and sundry kinds of aduersities because wee are all for the most part of vs so wedded to our wanton wayes and wills and so peeuishly proud in our owne conceits that our heauenly Father must perforce subdue vs by some afflictions else will we not acknowledge him to be our Master Although the Theefe vpon the Crosse was receiued at the last into mercy yet must wee all learne to leaue our sinnes before they leaue vs lest our GOD forsake vs and giue vs ouer vnto Sathan It is a priuiledge belonging vnto vs all which rests Christs that God our heauenly Father accepteth our wills and endeauours of obedience for perfect obedience it selfe Eccle. 25.10 Great is he that findeth Wisedome yet is there none aboue him that feareth the Lord the feare of the Lord passeth all things in cleanenesse Prou. 14.27 It is the well-spring of life to auoide the snares of death Affliction and not prosperity resteth for the most part the badge of Gods Church and true note of the members of Christ Gods Word it selfe teacheth vs that Christ his Kingdome is not of this World The Israelites which were the people of God did soiourne as strangers and were euill intreated 400. yeares from Abrahams time to Moses for it is the condition for the most part of the Church of God still to be giuen into the hands of their enemies Ier. 12. It is truely said that Crux est Ecclesiae nota the Crosse is a note of the Church Marke not triumphs but troubles doe point out the Lords Seruants and singularize his Saints vnto whom not any disease plague or punishment can come without Gods prouidence or sending it It 's not the washing of my flesh in water but Christ my Sauiour his cleansing our soules from sinne that purgeth vs from all impurity As pure Oyle must not be beaten and the best Lamps burned so the best Christians first crossed that at the last they bee crowned and shine as Lamps before the Lord continually Let this be a medicine to each Malady that God by his scourge calls vs to glory Let no afflictions mooue vs knowing that as wee are Christs members we are borne thereunto and therefore if wee feele not Gods fauour as wee wish wee must not thinke our selues miserable because our life lieth hidde with Christ in God Col. 33. Therefore may wee not hold it as a hurt vnto vs that we rest depriued here of sundry signes of Gods fauour he louing vs neuerthelesse as it manifestly appeareth by Moses and many others who had many tempests and troubles that some euen desired to be wiped out of GODS Booke who yet haue had workes and faith towards the Almighty 2. Esdras 13.23 Blesse the Lord for his Fatherly rod and welcome his Wand Wisd 20. what he doth it 's in loue to free vs from wickednesse and conuince vs of sin Learne we therefore to be patient vnder the hand of Gods lashing vs for so it becommeth the children of God and members of Christ Iob. 33. It is by afflictions and corrections that GOD openeth our Eares that were sealed vp abating our pride verse 17. And keepeth backe our soules from the Pit our life from the Sword yea God will first cast downe vnto Hell before he heaueth thee to Heauen and doome thee to Death ere hee bring thee to Life because that neither one nor other should be pertaker of his prayse and glory It is Gods ordinance in this world that his Church and Children yea euery member of his body should be vnder the Crosse to learne the better to put their whole trust in him and seeke the comfort of the Spirit which neuer failes to help the faithful into the land of Promise Howsoeuer God leaueth vs for the tryall of our Faith The two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper remayne as pledges of our Saluation The first washing away the guiltinesse of sinne and the latter strengthning our Faith to our very soules receiuing both the body and blood of Christ Iesus though that no man liuing can deserue Saluation yet as Gods adopted sons and children must we all learne by our good VVorkes to glorifie our Heauenly Father declaring our true thankefulnesse for our Redemption through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour and by good VVorkes assuring our Election and winning others into Life by our holy conuersation in Christ Iesus Remember that GOD beeing made man for vs hath in his owne Nature suffered whatsoeuer our sins deserued and made vs with himselfe the children of God and heires of eternall life VVhereof least we should doubt the Lord hath appoynted the Sacraments as outward tokens to bee seene and felt of vs that we should not doubt of beeing partakers of Christ himselfe and his benefits his righteousnesse and Holinesse is ours wee beeing borne anew by the Holy Ghost and walking in righteousnes all our dayes Learne we all to be no lesse thankfull for sicknesses then for health for sorrowes then for comforts imprisonment then for liberty knowing sanctified sorrows open the gates of Heauen vnto the Eternall maiesty of God Our heauenly Father so loues vs that he will lay no other burthen vpon vs then shal be to our good and profit It may be that wee haue both called and cryed vnto God in our extreamities and haue not bin released what of that yet must we quiet our mindes in this that as Children wee haue layde our complaints griefes and sorrowes in the bosome of our heauenly Father who when he seeth it time conuenient wil vndoubtedly helpe vs as certaynely as you and I haue soules he neuer forgetteth the sorrows of his Seruants he still seeth their teares and putteth them in his bottle Our Heauenly Father which hath the issues of Death in his hands wil deliuer you from danger shed you neuer so many teares they shall all be dryed from your Eyes As our Victories in the field come not by our owne strength wisdome and pollicy but by the Diuine will and pleasure of our heauenly Father So in our sicknesse and weaknesse it is neyther physicke nor Physition potion or playster drugges or dainty Dishes can fit vs for Paradise but Fayth may conuay our soules past the mountaynes of Lebanon to the Paradise of God not onely to behold it with our Eyes a farre off but aboue the order of nature most comfortably to enioy it Consider often that
that I pray not to an inexorable Iudge but to a most mercifull Father who can deny me nothing As I most comfortably read Mathew 3.9.10.11 Math. 3.9 It is no impudency to call vppon the LORD we haue his promise Eze. Eze. 36.28 36.28 that wee shall be his people and he will be our GOD for euermore VVe haue Christs warrant when we pray to haue the Holy Ghosts instructions whereby we may Crye Abba Father fearing God as our master and more reuerencing him then our parents VVe that are Gods children should so esteeme of our tryalls as alwayes tending to his owne glory and our saluation the matter of temptation I meane mine owne concupiscence is in my self the Diuel brings his bellows to this fire and it is forthwith Kindled But crauing Grace to repell this power wee are not swallowed vp of them but freely deliuered from the slauery of sinne and Sathan Saint Augustine asketh What our life is He answereth himselfe saying Saint Augustines resolution Arming to death our Life while it increaseth decreaseth and when our Life is dying our Death is liuing This Life is the time wherein we must be admitted into the Kingdome of Grace if euer wee looke hereafter in the Kingdome of glory and happinesse All Gods Children must in this VVorld be tempted that being tempted they may resist resisting they may ouer-come and ouer-comming they may be Crowned Be not weary of painefull walking to the Kingdome of Heauen fixe your eyes on Christ Iesus and neuer leaue running vntill you come to him neyther feare you any Foe rising vp against you for the professing of Gods trueth so long as wee may winne Christ Iesus for our reward Thinke not your selfe to be a fit stone for the LORDS building vnlesse you be hewen with the Axe of afflictions and then slit through the heart with a Saw of correction VVhosoeuer will heereafter taste the sweete ioyes of Paradise must first on earth with Christ Iesus taste of the cup of salt teares and afflictions with Dauid here he wattered his bed and hast thou none to bedew thy Couch with God would not afflict thee but to weane thee from wickednesse he would not haue the weeds to ouer-grow the good Corne nor the flesh to domineere ouer the Spirit therefore by afflictions are wee often brought to hate that which before we did loue and to imbrace what before we did loath Tribulation doth vppon the eares of the heart which worldly prosperity doth oftentimes shut 1 Cor. 11 the Lord in mercy often chasteneth heere that we might not be proud nor condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11.32 God woundeth vs not to make vs worse but wiser that wee might weepe each one for our seuerall sinnes and wickednesse which wee haue committed against our good God Oh remember that the afflictions of the body is wholesome phisicke for the Soule it killeth the flesh but cureth the Spirit One compareth afflictions to the Gold-smiths Forge which tryeth the pure gold from the drosse or as Physicke expelling corrupt humours from the body Or as a Shepheards crooke whereby God bringeth againe his wandring sheepe vnto the fold Sicknesse and sorrowes are as a watchfull rod to make vs vigilant that are in our selues naturally both sleepy and sluggish You know this that by afflictions are the Children of God and the sonnes of Belial discerned and taken notice of We are oft therefore inthralled that our Faith might be tryed hope loue and obedience exercised and our Crosses cheerefully welcomed sent of God for our good learning in affliction to abase thy selfe in the sight of God Almighty acknowledging and confessing that earthly scourges are but as flea-bitings in respect of the torments of Hell which by our lewd liues for euer we haue deserued Do you aske me why God afflicteth you in this world I answer That the greatnesse of his power and the infinitenesse of his mercies might bee shewed in the deliuery of vs you and such others There is no surer signe of the Lords VVriting your names in the Booke of Life then this that the LORD humbleth before hee exalteth and sheweth vs our damnable estate through sinne by the Law before euer he signifieth vnto vs that he is our Saluation And why dealeth God thus with his owne Children First vntill wee be humbled wee neuer seeke after Christ nor desire him without which wee can neuer finde him for God hath appoynted that by seeking we should find him A second reason is that our Redemption might bee the more precious vnto vs as our health rests more pleasant after sicknesse liberty after imprisonment plenty after scarcity and peace after warre From the Spanish Nauy in 88 From the Gun-powder treson From the last greate sicknesse And many perticular dangers Thirdly that Gods mercy in our deliuerance might bee prised in his kinde the Redeemer in Heauen for this especiall cause extoll the Lord and the Lambe with a perpetuall Haleluiah for an euerlasting Redemption from an euerlasting damnation requireth an euerlasting glorification This generall trueth is confirmed by a perticular example when the poore Iaylour was most grieuously tormented through the horrours of the Law before euer he can find his soule recouered by the saluation of the Gospell Hee cryes Sirs what must I do to be Saued Perhaps Paul and Sylas told him what to do Euen beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be Saued and thine household It is no ill signe to bee humbled as the seruant of God wounded in Conscience or pricked in heart not knowing what to do Niniueh was humbled before he sought to God Thus doth the Law prepare vs vnto Christ saluation and eternall blisse belonging to none but to the humble Esay 66.2 All Gods Children must go through the Hell of a wounded conscience before they can taste of any heauenly refreshing euen as Merchants waxe must be softned with a Candle before it can take an impression the terrour of our sin must languish our soules before wee can come to the remission of them The comming of GOD into the Soules of the Faithfull and chosen is notably resembled by his appearance vnto Eliah 1 Reg. 19.11.12 First 1 Reg. 19.11.12 there came a mighty strong Winde that rent the Mountaines and brake the Rockes but the Lord was not in the wind After the wind came an Earth-quake but the Lord was not in the Earth-quake after the Earth-quake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire at last came a soft and still voyce So the Lord appeareth to his Redeemed ones by the VVinde of his wrath breaking their hearts Secondly by the earthquak of his anger shaketh God our soules Thirdly by the fire of displeasure smoaketh he our Consciences but in the end by the still voyce of his mercies he refresheth our soules were they neuer so sinfull As the Iaylour had an Earth-quake in his Castle so must each Christian in his Conscience before euer he
doth crosse and afflict him therefore GOD doth hate forsake and vtterly cast him off those with whom he so now dealeth It is true that Christ Iesus hath taught vs to call vppon him by the name of a Father who now loueth vs more then our mothers did First instructing vs as parents doe their children Secondly admonishing vs as Schoole-maisters scourging vs now and then with his Rod. Thirdly if we grow stubborne spend-thrifts wanton and prodigall vsing ill company then God draweth vs out by the eares whipping or beating vs till our bones doe cracke yet with a fatherly true affection still to bring vs to amendment or he vtterly cast vs off Our heauenly Father warneth vs by his rods to walke in his wayes and to liue in his obedience which if we dispise and refuse to follow then will the Lord vse his scourges pouerty sicknesse diseases crosses in Children stocke or croppe fire or sword till that wee humbling our selues vnder Gods mighty hand shal subiect our selues to his gouernment suffering in our selues a holy reformation of manners and amendment of life Learne we also to reioyce in the middest of our troubles and afflictions with contented minds and sanctified affections no Parents so louing to their Children as is our heauenly Father for our safety in our sufferings cling wee therefore the faster and the more faithfully vnto God in our troubles God hath turned heretofore the penury and the captiuity of his people vnto their good by greatest crosses working his people their greatest comforts God doth oftentimes make our sicknesses and sorrowfull diseases as purgations to euacuate our pride vayne-glory hypocrisie and the corruptions of our putrified soules And sometimes for preseruatiues to keepe vs from falling into those or the like sinnes And sometimes God vseth them as Cordials to strengthen our decaying graces and to animate vs vnto holy duties to pray Reade and heare the more attentiuely to beare the Rod of God more patiently and to performe each holy duty with the more cheerefulnes Be not ignorant of that Lesson which Dauid teacheth vs all Psalm 119 It is good for vs that wee haue bin afflicted For the learning of Gods Statutes and Keeping of his word and testimonies with-hold vs from going a stray in ill wayes so that each one of vs may truly say of our troubles sorrows and sicknesses that we haue suffered them and haue learned to loue God more and our owne deserts the lesse let vs all learne to make holy medicines for our soules out of such calamities as do often befall vs in the World and so shall we haue no cause to vexe our selues with cures for the sanctified crosses that do vs much good we grieue at the vntimely death of our Children which we hoped should haue beene the staffe of our old Age inherite our houses and keepe still our name but we minde not how many children of as good hope as ours haue prooued parents crosses and some mothers vpon their knees haue wished they had neuer beene borne or that they had then carried them to their graues when they had them to weane Sure it is that God for the most time doth lay such afflictions vpon vs eyther because he will procure vs some good or preuent some Euill by them Which things if we commonly see them come to passe why mourne we so that which tendeth vnto our welfare and greater comfort There is nothing in the world but still works for the best to the children of God aswell the stratagems of Sathan as the imaginations of men are for the Weale of Gods children Yea out of one of the most poisonfull things as sinne and death doth the Lord draw healthfull and medicinall preseruatiues to them that loue him still strengthning their Faith whilest they giue glory vnto God Care you not what outward punishment you indure so that you may feele the guilt of your sinnes washed out of your Conscience and the louing countenance of our heauenly Father in Christ Iesus to wipe your trespasses cleane away Let the goodly sorrows of our seuerall wounded consciences driue vs to GOD who hath vndoubtedly physicke for our sickly and sinnefull soules Are you weake and sicke sad and confounded in minde desire the LORD so to stampe the impression of his sacred spirit into your hearts as washing your selues in the water of Repentance you wallow no more in the mire of former filthines the Lord so kill and clarifie your flesh as the life of Grace may assure your soules of election to glory Remember what Queene Esther did being in danger of death Chap. 14.1 Shee resorted vnto the Lord shee layd away her glorious apparell and put on the garments of sighing and mourning instead of precious oyntment scattering ashes and Earth vpon her Head humbling her body greatly with fasting filling all the places of her ioy with the haire shee plucked from her Head It is very good for GODS Children that this world now and then much discourageth them and that wee and they likewise rest seldome free from one calamity or another to make vs to cry with Christ in our troubles vnto God that he may pitch his Tents about vs so as we finally miscarry not nor goe astray from the Kingdome of God apply our hearts wholy vnto Christ and cleaue we all still vnto him with sure purpose of soule to rest throughly sanctified Beware of temporary faith which is lame of one hand onely able to take Christ but not to giue himselfe to Christ This is to offer the same offering without the burnt offering hast thou Hope against Hope feelest thou Hell in thy Conscience yet here must thou apprehend Heauen and with Ionas in the Whales belly call vpon GOD in faith for faith is the subsistance of things that are not much more then of things that in deed are though not in appearance Be of good cheere for Christ hath fastened Sathan Sinne and Death to his Crosse Now amidst thy bitterest torments and tortures remember how Christ drunke the most bitter and sharpe Cup of his Fathers wrath in our name Remember that Peter suffering for the truth of God returned from the Councell with ioy and gladnesse when hee had beene whipped and had heard that hee should dye a violent death through which conflict and repugnance hee stroue still with violence not for other peoples pleasure but for his owne saluation There is no Christian but he must fight before he can tryumph and be daily calling yea earnest by praying and crauing for helpe at Gods hands remembring that against the ignomy of the Crosse wee haue to set the decree and purpose of God fore-told by the Prophets of Christ How that first of all hee should bee crucified here vpon Earth And then he should appeare from Heauen the Iudge and Restorer of all things that all Beleeuers might be saued and all vnbeleeuers vtterly perish Vnderstand and Know this that God vseth to wrappe vp his Church with the wicked in
disconsolate distresse Let your still armed confidence tyre out your tormented sorrowes or sickenesses whatsoeuer Let vs all rest vndaunted well knowing that God sustaynes vs who doubts of the Sunnes being although it doe not alwayes shine Or of the faith of Iob though it were ouer-whelmed for a while Know this we should all that the Elect themselues may fall though built vpon the Foundation of GOD yet the Lord keepes them from perishing though when they stand he keepes them not from falling That blessed Apostle Saint Paule tooke betweene Damascus and Ierusalem the happiest fall that euer the Earth was honoured withall In via Iudaeus cecidit vt resurgat Christianus sayth Chrisostome Hee fell in the way a Iew or rather from a Iew that he might arise a Christian It is our heauenly Fathers mercy that rayseth vs when wee are fallen but our faith must keepe vs from falling When wee are raysed wee stand by Faith and wee come through Faith into this Grace wherein we stand Shall we stand by the habits of Gods mercy and grace Rom. 5.2 and shall wee fall from the acte thereof by a wilfull Apostacy God forbid Let vs rather perseuer in Faith and that vnto the Death weighing what wauering Age we are fallen into and strange opinions euen of the pillars of these times Content wee our selues to passe from troubles and calamities into euerlasting ioyes for Death is but an entrance into blisse and as it were a casting Anchor into the Hauen of Heauen Crye to God with Dauid What profite is there in my Blood when I shall go downe into the graue of forgetfulnesse Likewise Hezekiah prayed against Death desiring to be reconciled vnto God to giue satisfaction to God and his children None so free from sinne but stand in great neede to bee purified from sinne and purged from the soares blaines and blemishes of iniquity Beware of grudging when the Lord striketh you because it is alwayes for our good and he resteth both able and willing to deliuer vs at his pleasure Psal 33.17 Behold the Eye of the Lord is vppon them that feare him Psal 33.17 and put their trust in his mercy to deliuer their soules from Death rest there neuer so many turbulent tryals Yea it is indeede our commodity that God doeth not accomplish his promises so soone as wee could wish that staying with patience his leasure wee may bee crowned with the more glory in the end As euery father nurtureth his sonne so doeth the Lord his children but it is to walke in his waies The Children of God shall knowe this that all sorrows and sicknesses crosses and troubles are to prooue vs whether wee will Loue the Lord God with all our hearts and Soules Deut. 13.3 in our greatest griefes and saddest sorrowes yea or no. Deut. 13.3.4 Gods seruants must bee no flinchers but both followers and fighters in the Lords quarrell preferring the Lords glory before their owne soules safety Do not thinke that each trouble commeth on you because the Lord is not with you For the most tender hearted mother will now and then hide her selfe from her Childe to trie the kinde and louing affection thereof towards her that afterwards finding the loue of her little one shee may as it were put it in her bosome So our heauenly father to finde out our corruptions whereof wee our selues are ignorant hee doth swinge vs for our follies that falling weeping at his feete he might louingly take vs vp and kisse vs with his mouth No euils come vpon vs but when we forsake God who rideth vppon the Heauens for our helpe and on the Clouds for his owne glory Deut. 33.16 When the hand of God is vpon you repent of your sins heartily rather then by your power and pollicy to resist the working thereof whatsoeuer your disease is fayle not for to consecrate your selfe both soule and body to the Lord of glory and you shall not doe amisse No remedy but we must needs enter into the way of all the World know we all therefore in our hearts and perswade our soules that all the good things which the Lord hath promised vs shall come to passe vnto vs and no euill can come vnto vs but by our Disobedience God that plagued Egypt brought Israel out of Egypt Hee that brought Israel into the Red Sea knew how to bring them out to their enemies confusion and the comfort of his children Do we according to the course of nature we may hope vndoubtedly to liue in the state of grace the Lord beeing farre more willing to blesse then to curse But alas it is the nature of our flesh no longer to obey God then when we are vnder the Whippe or scourge Therefore doeth the Lord make it oftentimes the end of his punishment to call vs to Repentance that wee may seeke both for health and helpe at his hands The Church of Christ now is and must be still subiect to manifold afflictions how be-be it God at length will giue ioyfull issue deliuering them from all troubles Desire rather the comfort of your poore soules then the ease of your bodies for the Almighty giueth much bitternesse to their soules that now and then had the fairest bodies to cause vs to haue more care and respect to the inward man then to the outward forme It is vsuall with God to plunge into aduersities not to hurt but to heale not to kill our bodies but to saue our soules from destruction It is GODS mercy towards his Children and his fauour vnto his Friends and followers to make them pertakers of piety and examples of Holinesse in their places I desire you call vnto minde this one thing which is that although Dauid were annoynted King and that by a Prophet yet God would trye him in sundry sorts before he had the vse of his Kingdome Art thou a Dauid thinke it not much to fall vpon thy face to the ground before Ionathan to crouch knees and kisse to saue thy life much more for a while to be sicke that in fine thou mayest become a Saint In man resteth no Iustice what 's good in vs rests all of Gods mercy from him we receiue it It is our infirmity that in time of our sorrows we do no more comfort our selues in the Lord our God then we doe In each trouble and aduersity wee are to consider the prouidence of God and not like raging Beasts to forget both our owne duty and contemne GODS appointment ouer vs. It is Gods pleasure to make as though he would leaue vs for a time yet if wee trust in him wee shall bee sure to finde comfort Our heauiest lamentations ought not to bee excessiue but moderate well considering this that wee are to praise and glorifie GOD in all his doings and remembring that many sobbes and feares both follow and befall the faithfull ones yet shews GOD himselfe most liberall to his seruants when they seeme to bee vtterly destitute of any comforts at
but God our Lord who is not rigorous to any but righteous to all God sanctifie your afflictions and free you from misery comfort you in Paradise and establish you really with Glory Amen Wednesday Meditations WHen the LORD doth visite vs and not presently free vs out of trouble we must beware and take heed that wee murmure not against God to require or grudge at his chastisements God sometimes suffers his euen to wrestle against desperation and to see no glimering of his mercies sometimes againe hee causeth the hearts of his dearest Children to leape for ioy then making his Maiesty most knowne when it may tend most for the comfort of the Elect Learne wee all to waite the Lords leasure for our deliuerance not to prescribe his time but stay his leasure and willingly waite till he comfort vs againe God forgetteth not to bee gracious though sometimes hee seemeth as though hee would shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Howsoeuer it pleaseth GOD now and then to humble his Children yet he forsaketh them not for euer What are many nights of afflictions in comparison of the ioyfull morning and sun-shine of the euerlasting mercies and fauours of God These these reioyce our soules and comfort our hearts which are oppressed with sorrow Deutro 8.16 The Lord humbleth his Chosen people and prooueth them that hee may doe them good at their latter end A man may gather more vndoubted assurance of GODS euerlasting fauours towards his soule by inward afflictions then by any outward prosperity in the world Let vs all consider the manner of Gods dealing with his people in the world hee will now and then spoile vs of all our Sences and feeling of his Mercies in Christ yea suffer vs to lie bleeding in our miseries yea scorhed and tormented with the heate of Gods anger for sinne But when our hope rests euen gone then doth our heauenly Father send a gracious raine and a blessed shower to quench the heate of our poore afflicted soules for sinne which shall be as mercy to men in smart and misery Obiect But tell mee this Obiect why seeketh God his seruants in so much misery Ans To make vs all to depend of him onely with faith and patience Answ Secondly to make vs to know and see that wee are nothing of our selues but that all the strength wee haue it is onely in Christ Thirdly to stirre vp our hearts to seeke and pray vnto the Lord more earnestly for helpe and succour Fourthly to make vs esteeme the mercy of God more highly because things easily come by are lightly esteemed but things long in getting costing much trouble and paines are most sett by often therefore doth the Lord deferre his mercy vnto the last gaspe that so it might be the more esteemed Oh waite wee GODS leasure though hee deferre long and seeme to forget vs wee hope Lord for life in the middest of death and say though thou kill vs yet will wee trust in thee although thou deferre thine helpe and comfort for many yeares yet will wee neuer let goe our hold but still hang on thy mercy with our hands of Faith saying thus Lord though thou hast already whipt mee diuers wayes yet will I neuer forget to meete thee with my repentant teares well knowing thou esteemest nothing when Reformation of heart and life is wanting Iudgements come eftsoones from God for our sinnes yet layeth hee no more crosses vpon vs then hee in mercy will make vs well able to beare granting such an issue as wee shall gaine more in the Spirit then wee shall loose in the flesh Content your selfe my Brethren the Crosse in GODS due time shall bee your aduantage and leaue a sure blessing behinde it GOD imposing no punishments vpon vs but for our sinnes the tryall of our Faith Patience c. For our Heauenly Father doth afflict vs with light affliction to make vs runne vnto him and kisse his rod he afflicting vs for our good the reformation of our liues and the saluation of our soules I deny not but the best of Gods children may be afflicted with sicknes and wounds with troubled Consciences Gods rod being good both to purge our corrupt and cankered hearts and for the humbling of them throughly to the exercise of faith patience and prayer Hee knowes little that knowes not this how the poore Members of CHRIST must bee afflicted and liue in sorrow sicknesse and griefe of minde yet granteth the Lord patience to endure all By teares sorrowes and grieuous sicknesse doth God fyle away the cankered rust of our Rebellions that wee might bee more feruent in Prayer hunger more after Heauen and the more eagerly depend of his fatherly goodnesse and diuine graces When wee doe aske one thing hee giueth vs another that 's better for vs that wee might learne wholy to depend of his goodnesse all the dayes of our liues Are you in distresse fling your selfe into the blessed Armes of the LORDS mercy so will hee vndoubtedly giue you euerlasting rest vnto your soules such is the loue of GOD that hee neuer failes nor forsakes his Children Neuer despaire for any troubles but perswade your soule this that the God of peace will shortly treade downe Sathan vnder your feete hee is faithfull that haue made vs this promise Rom. 16.20 Rom. 16.20 Affliction being our portion on earth wee must labour to get faith and patience in our soules that so wee may hold out vnto the end As wee are Gods Children we finde no promise in the Word of God to be freed from temptations and trials pouerty sicknesse c. Howbeit as wee are Gods Children wee haue this promise that these things shall neuer hurt vs because the Lord will so sanctifie them vnto vs as they will surely leaue a blessing behinde them In time of danger and death nought in the world should more comfort vs then this to remember that wee haue walked before GOD in truth and with an vpright heart Esay 28.3 This cheered Ezechiah when hee was going the way of all flesh that hee had vndertaken much paines to know the LORDS Will. The best Christian is the most couetous in all heauenly knowledge of God and our saluation by Iesus Christ the Childe of God is no sooner in perill but the Lord putteth vnder his owne hand to deliuer him from death and danger Forget not God who sayth Esay 54.17.8 For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee Psal 34.17 18. Psal 34.17.18 The Lord is neere vnto all those that are of a contrite heart and will saue such as are afflicted in spirit Doth not our Sauiour comfort his Disciples thus Iohn 14.18 I will not leaue you comfortlesse but I will come vnto you euen I and I am with you to the end of the world Doubt not but there is comming a time of refreshing that will breake out as the rising of the Sunne and the bright beames of the Morning
fainting verse 31. Are wee not by faith the Israel of God as his seruant Iacob whom hee hath chosen and the seed of Abraham his friend Chap. 41.8 listen to the Lord verse 9. Thou art my Seruant I haue chosen thee and not cast thee away verse 10. Feare not for I am with thee bee not afraide for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my Iustice Esay 41.14 I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying vnto thee feare not I will helpe thee verse 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob and yee men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel Esay 42.16 I will not forsake thee but make darknesse light and crooked things straight vnto thee Esay 43.1 Thus sayth the Lord that created thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest thorow the water I will bee with thee thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest thorow the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Feare not for I am with thee I wil bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West Esay 43.11 I euen I am the Lord besides mee there is no Sauiour And verse 25. I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne Names sake and will not remember thy sinnes Math. 11.28 Come to mee all yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you And learne this Lesson should wee all to suffer according to the will of God committing our soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creatour 1. Pet. 4.19 When our heauenly Fathers rods light vpon vs as it did vpon Iob 9.34 then must we intreate him with teares not so to astonish vs with feares but that we may speake vnto him when once hee hath clad vs with the roabs of his Righteousnesse and washed vs white in the blood of the Lambe Reuel 7.14 If wee be afflicted in body or minde cry mightily vnto God Reuel 14.15 saying Reuel 14.15 Reape O Lord thine owne Corne thrust in thy Sickle the time is come to reape I thy haruest-corne am ripe and ready for the Garner Yea a Cluster of thy Vineyard and a Grape for thy Presse yea in Christ Iesus a draught to delight thee gather mee O my Redeemer as wheate into thine owne Garner But why doe I cry so long vnto my God and gracious Father sure I am I shal not dye vntill my Lord and God speake the word saying vnto mee as once hee did vnto Israel You haue dwelt long enough in this place Deu. 1.16 Deutro 1.16 Let no pangs or paines fright vs from our heauenly Father we knowing that our eldest Brother Christ Iesus the very Authour of our life was condemned to death Mathew 20.18 and that euen then when hee came not to be serued but to serue and giue his life a Ransome for many The Lord Iesus so open your eyes that receiuing the true sight you may follow him that couragiously through Death went himselfe vnto life Feare no danger to bee in death it cannot bee but a good Entry that the faithfull passe vnto by deaths cruelty Dread not neither bee affraide for when wee renounce our owne strength and constantly follow our owne vocation and depend on the Lord this resteth the true boldnesse and most agreeable to God such Calebs rest fittest to enioy the land of promise as treading it with the feete both of themselues and of their Children doe most constantly still follow the LORD Deuteronomy 1.36 Know this there is no strength in our selues where the hand of God is not ready prest to yeeld helpe there is no standing but falling when wee fight without our Captaine You must know this and all such as now feare the Lord that God will euer helpe his beloued in their necessities marry the times and houres are best knowne to him who at his pleasure most mercifully reuealeth them vnto vs by his Spirit 2. Kings 7. verse 7. to teach vs both to looke stay and waite vpon his holy and deuine pleasure and will Be you not affraide God will comfort you you haue liued long like a Christian dye now like a Saint surely sanctified with Grace from on High Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas cum aeternitate Petrus Dauus de Stephan Pleasant and happy is that sleepe which commeth with rest rest with pleasure and pleasure with Eternity Send your thoughts before you into Heauen as holy Harbingers of your happy soule and see whether there bee not a desire in you to receiue the blessed Sacrament Viaticum aeternitatis a blessed baite for each deuoute soule ready to trauell for another life It is the mercies of our God to make death the way to life and by the way of mortality to cloath vs with Immortality Oh the ineffable Mercies and Wisedome of God to seuer our soules from the dregs of our bodies to enioy the presence of God and be invironed with troopes of Angels and soules of blessed Saints Let vs not with the old Arcadians mourne one night for the setting of the Sunne for wee shall be comforted by the breaking of the day when wee shall see him to shine againe in his Spheare The people that were enraged at the death of Romulus were quieted by Proculus his newes that hee saw him in Glory riding vp to Heauen Much more must wee Christians remaine full of hope at the death of the Righteous which are layd to sleepe with their Fathers Who amongst you doe not mourne to behold the manifold outrages of the Children of Beliall in this so glorious a Sun-shine of the Gospell Feare not death my deare Brethren but rather desire with hearty teares to bee remooued from the seate of sinners and scorners Where some rest so vnchaste that moderate and modest Christians may not safely consort with them Some so insolent and proud that you may not playnely rebuke them of their faults Some so vnsatiable and gluttonous that you may not long sit with them and generally amongst sinners of vnsanctified hearts was godlinesse neuer more vrged yet neuer lesse regarded though malice by euery mouth debased yet neuer did she beare more rule Godly Preachers were neuer more publickely paynefull yet publicke paynes did neuer lesse profite in priuate The Catholicke and Apostolicke faith was neuer since the Apostles times taught more truely yet seldome seene lesse to Fructifie Such is yet the Satanicall seminary of greene growing iniquity and sinnes amiddest the sonnes of men Few now in these dayes doe remember how that the Cherubins of golde vppon the two ends of the Mercy Seate were a Worke beaten with the Hammer Places of Prerogatiues and Honour are not easily come vnto Neyther can we passe to
Heauen but by Hell Gods scourging vs sheweth that he loue vs and meaneth to manifest vnto the VVorld whether we be slaues or sonnes There is no greater Temptation then to thinke God our enemy going about to destroy vs in with-drawing the most comfortable signes of his fauour from vs then yet must we rest vpon the Lord and by Fayth cleaue vnto him VVhat though by outward sence we are reiected of God yet by our Faith must wee still apprehend his hidden mercies and behold it a far off in the Glasse of Gods Promises Nay although the Lord fayle vs yet let vs not leaue him vntill that he haue blessed vs well Knowing his loue that he will hold with the one hand when hee assayles vs with the other proouing and Exercising our Faith as hee did the VVomans of Canaan Matth. 15.22 First Math. 15.22 Christ gaue her Faith and by that Faith was shee mooned to seeke to him but when shee was once come vnto him he gaue her three Repulses First by saying nothing Secondly by denying her And thirdly by calling her Dogge Marke we how Christ made shew as though he would neuer haue granted her request yet at euery repulse she grew the more instant crying more earnestly vnto him shee opposed herselfe vnto Christ and would take no deniall Marke wee all here the nature of true Faith if you doe now rest faithfull though you feele your selfe ouerwhelmed with sinne turmoyled with Sathans conflicts yea and God himselfe both angry and offended with you Yet can you lift vp your eye-liddes to Heauen and giue a glimpse at the Brazen Serpent Christ Iesus flinging your selfe into the Armes of GODS mercy and catching hold of that hand buffetting you and kisse it Then feare not we must not passe for the malice of men but haue an eye vnto the mercies of God well knowing that yet it is not made manifest what we shall be But we know that when Christ shal be made manifest we shal be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3.2 Doe not I pray you measure the Loue of God vnto your soule eyther by your prosperity or by your Aduersity well considering that these rest common both vnto bad good Take heede and beware of perswading your selues to bee in the depth of Gods fauours whilest you inioy temporall peace and externall glory for Christ fled into the mountayne when hee heard they would come to make him King choosing rather to bee there alone then for to inioy a transitory Crowne To keepe you now from dispaire consider I pray you all or some of Gods former mercies towards you He hath protected you both in your Infancy Child-hood and Youth and multiplied vpon you many positiue blessings let all these pleaders preuaile for your faithfull and hearty seruice to so heauenly a Maister If any countenance a seruant and giue him meanes and maintenance hee would take it ill to leaue him and serue his very enemies yet so doe sinners that forgetting Gods fauours towards them flye vnto the professed enemies of God yea of Christs Church and Gospell I meane the Deuill himselfe from whom to be saued sigh wee still to be anointed vntill wee be crowned anointed here with the oyle of gladnesse in this Church militant that wee may bee crowned hereafter with the Church triumphant 2. Tim. 48. Desire the Lord to make your bed in your sicknes that the voice of ioy health may bee heard in your habitation account no priuiledge so precious as to be in GODS fnuour and haue accesse to the Throne of Grace and vpon all occasions to see the golden Scepter stretched out vnto you your prayers heard your petitions granted and your suite obtained assure your selfe that Christ sendeth no sinners discontented or empty handed from him Salomon craued Wisedome Paul power against Sathans buffetings Ezechias and Dauid deliuerance from Enemies Moses from drowning and the Theefe from damning No petition put vp from a sorrowfull Soule and a beleeuing and touched Heart but receiueth a gracious answere for GODS glory and our good Serue wee Christ now vpon Earth and wee shall surely sing with him in Glory trust and rely we still vpon God and hee will take vs away as hee did Iosias from seeing of Euils or as hee did good Augustine before the sacking of Hippo by the Vandals or conuay vs to some other place as he did Lot when Sodome was burned or prouide some meanes for our stay as hee did the Arke for Noah when the World was drowned Hee that saued Moses and the Israelites when the Aegyptians were drowned wants no meanes to remooue our painefullest Maladies yea to rescue and redeeme our liues with the death of our Enemies as Haman was hanged for Mordecai saued was the Corne and burnt were the â—ares one and the same Flaile beats Chaffe to be burned and pure Corne to be preserued Be not discouraged at the feare of death knowing that with Christ all Christians must die that the remnants of sinne might bee quite taken away and abolished so as the roote of old Adam may bee most absolutely stocked vp Remember I pray you that flesh and blood must be changed before it can inherit the Kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.50 Moreouer the blood as it is old beginneth by little and little to condensate and waxe thicke and so to corruption Againe our spirits waste by vse and labour which weares euen the Iron and hardest mettalls and both the body and the minde are weakened by corporall and mentall exercises Both of them like to vnthrifty heires spending faster then either the father or fosterer of them the Heart can digest and gather for them All these things tell vs that dye wee all must rich Diues aswell as poore Lazarus Simon the wiser aswell as Naball the foole Absolom the faire aswell as Thersites the foulest and fulsome Tall Saul must goe to the Graue aswell as little Zacheus godly Ionathan aswell as his vngodly Father both Wife and Husband must participate of the common condition of humane Nature once to dye Know this all of you that no Princes vpon the earth can with-draw their necks from this yoake howsoeuer some seeme as Gods vpon the earth yet must they die like men be they neuer so high of birth or blood Though my brethren and sisters yee weare all golden Crownes let vs all obserue how louing our LORD and Master was vnto Dauid in promising vnto him a Kingdome but for many yeares was he so hunted and persecuted therein that hee knew not which way to turne himselfe to finde peace and safety And why was all this but that hee might first become a good man and then a good King whosoeuer will weare the Crowne of Glory with Christ must likewise with him weare the Crowne of Thornes Our heauenly Father scourgeth vs to see whether wee will heartily loue him being our heauenly Phisitian or no and that with our very soules Deut.
perceiue his Election and Saluation The saying is as true as ancient We must goe by the gates of Hell to Heauen we must after a sort be in Hell before euer we can be capable of Heauen aboue That is in the Hell of an ashamed countenance and a confounded conscience before euer the Lord will say vnto our soules that he is our Saluation and Redemption Our humiliation by the Law must first preceed the saluation of the Gospell so then they are not conuerted that more or lesse are neuer humbled To be troubled and amazed for our sinnes is to be fitted for Heauen and first we must be lost ere we can be found and must be condemned before wee can be reprieued or saued We must be ashamed of our sinnes affrighted at our follies and confounded in our consciences before the Lord wil once say to our soules I am thy Redemption Are you amazed at your sins be not disparaged so farre you are in this your Hell from Hell as you are composed thereby and made fitter for Heauen which is the throne of the Euer-liuing Lord GOD. Againe we must labour to haue the spirit of Bondage become the Spirit of Adoption to our soules and we must acknowledge our seuerall diseases before Christ will heale vs. As euery one can rest content to haue Cstrist our Iesus so must we rest content to haue him our Lord and be conformable vnto him in bearing the Crosse if euer we meane or looke to be glorified with him in Heauen We must needs feele our sicknesse ere wee befit for Righteousnesse soule afflictions must not fright you from Almighty God but make you rather runne vnto him for defence as the Chickens do from the Kite to their Hen 2 Cor. 12.17 18. The more you trust in God the sooner will he support you and the more earnestly you cry and craue for iustice the sweeter will be your end and the more ioyfull your deliuerance Forget not to be thankfull for the least measure of Faith and Grace wel knowing that the want of these soone worketh mans ouer-throw Vnderstand I beseech you that though Death be the deliuerer of euery faithfull man and woman from the body and prison of sinne to Eternall Felicity Our Sauiour by his Death and Passion hauing killed the sting of death in vs and a though Paul once rauished with an high Contemplation Wished to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Philip. 1.23 Yet haue we no warrant euery man to pray for the hasting of his owne death being to euery Faithfull particular man the same thing that the generall transmutation wil be at the latter day to the whole body of the iust and Elect except that the Elect after the generall dissolution attayne to a greater degree of Glory Christ came not to Call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance To seeke the lost Sheepe to finde the lost Greate and reclayme the lost Sonne or meet with the lost treasure Submit your desires to GODS will and leaue your indeauours with patience to be ordered by the Lords prouidence earnestly desiring preseruation from Death you patiently submitting your selfe vnto GODS pleasure eyther for Life or Death For the best and surest way to finde Fauour in the Eyes of the LORD Almighty is to desire him to doe with vs what hee seemeth or thinketh good for referring our selues to his Diuine prouidence hee will euer deale most graciously and louingly with vs. God is our GOD willing to shew vs grace and mercy he will turne to vs and be fauourable 〈◊〉 he takes away our manifold iniquities and cast our sinnes in the depth of the Sea Agayne Psalme 103.8.9.10 The Lord is full of Compassion and mercy long suffering and of great goodnes He will not be alwayes chiding neyther keepeth he his anger for euer He hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewards according to our iniquities But looke how high the Heauen is in comparison of the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Looke how wide also the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. Yea like as a Father pittieth his owne children euen so is the Lord pittifull to them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that we are but dust Psal 145.8 Ioel. 2.13 Mat. 26.11 2. Cor. 1.3 Ephe 2.4 2 Tim. 1.13 Of the great mercies of God towards vs sinners read at your leasure Psalme 145.8.9.147.8.10 and in Ioel 2.13 Math. 26.11 2 Cor. 1.3 Ephes 2.4 1 Tim. 1.13 vnto 18. verse All these places yeelde words of rare comfort pronounced by the Eternall Verity it selfe and therefore not to be mistrusted or dispayred of Let vs not abuse GODS mercies making them a cloake to couer our sinnes presume we not saying Eccles 5.6 Eccle. 5.6 The mercie of our God is great he will forgiue my manifold sins for mercy and wrath come from him Forget not that golden saying of St. Paule Rom. 8.28 All things worke together for the best to them which feare God Rom. 5.4 Yea the afflictions and troubles of Gods children are so sanctified vnto them by Gods spirit that by the same they are made partakers of Gods holinesse Hebr. 1.12 Heb. 1.12 By the same they inioy the quiet Fruite of Righteousnesse by it likewise they attaine to a greater measure of ioy in the Holy Ghost Agayne Hereby is the world crucified vnto you and you vnto it Rom. 8.8 Hereby are we made conformable to the death of Christ by this are we kept from the condemnation of this World and by the same likewise learn we experience patience Hope c. I beseech you all to ponder weigh and consider how your crosses are mercy your losses gaines your afflictions schooling and each aduersity as a Lesson receiue your Crosses as comming from Christ written both for thy Learning and Comfort manifesting by these tokens that he loueth you meaning thereby to draw you euen into his Bosome hereby we are assured of our heauenly Fathers good will towards vs. We may not in our miseries still looke for Gods but likewise at his ineffable mercie our Parents disobedience in eating the forbidden Fruite did banish them out of the most pleasant place of the World yet shewed GOD his fatherly Kindnesse vnto them before he droue them out for he made them Coates to arme them against all weather More then that hee comforted them with the promise of the blessed Seed Iesus Christ which should restore that Saluation vnto mankinde which they had lost by yeelding to the Serpents intisements Loe here the most louing and Kind dealing of GOD with Man hee will make vs smart a little for our sinnes here is his Iustice but yet so that he will not vtterly forsake vs or giue vs ouer for euer here is louing mercy Auoyde therefore Sathan once I say agayne auoyde cease to suggest or ingest into any mans heart that he should thinke because that God
his scourges and plagues which he sendeth vppon the Earth and yet notwithstanding hee prouideth for it conueniently though he doth most commonly grant but a short time of Truce vnto his Church and children to be at rest and quiet in Learne we all to set the glory of Christ his Resurrection against the shame of the Crosse and graue seeing seeing it may aswell bee proued by witnesse which saw it as by testimony of the Prophets learne wee all therefore to goe forward in one way in our vocation through a thousand death Gods prouidence taketh not away the causes which God vseth as meanes but rather ordereth and disposeth them to their right vse euen then when he openeth an extraordinary issue for then and not till then came wee to the promised and sure saluation thorow the middest of tempest and death it selfe Then are perplexities most to be looked for when the Port and Hauen is nearest The godlier you bee the more sure shall you bee to haue danger vpon danger but alwaies most sure to haue a glorious issue What though aduersity bee the punishment of sinne yet God in punishing doth not alwaies respect sinne they iudge too rashly which eyther doe not waite for the Lord or doe iudge and esteeme all men according to prosperity or aduersity let this be still your comfort the Lord neuer afflicteth his aboue their strength what though now we behold miseries and calamities in a Church yet is the hope of felicity harboured in our hearts as if we presently enioyed it Know this that it is of the Lords mercy that you are eyther helped or healed Wis 18. It is the power of righteousnesse that Saints receiue good and euill in like manner singing prayses for the one aswell as for the other It is not wisedomes care to walke with ease by crooked paths and to bring vs into feare and dread and to torment vs with her discipline vntill she hath tryed our soules and prooued vs by her iudgements then will shee comfort vs and shew vs her secrets and heape vpon vs the vnderstanding of righteousnesse The Lord now and then sendeth vs away weeping and mourning but with ioy and perpetuall gladnesse will hee bring vs againe vnto himselfe Remember that Sion may bee in Captiuity and yet see her Saluation from God to come with great glory and euerlasting brightnesse suffer we therefore as Children the wrath of God patiently hoping at last to tread vpon the necks of our foes and euer hereafter to reioyce though now for a time wee mourne Who would not make haste to the Kingdome of GOD liuing vprightly and be of a good and honest conuersation as Christ once offered himselfe willingly to be taken that wee might be deliuered Remember in your present misery how Christ being innocent was condemned of the High-priest for that wickednesse whereof wee are guilty Christ our Sauiour found no comfort any where that in him wee might bee fulfilled with Celestiall ioyes and solace euery where hee was made a curse that in him wee might bee blessed hee was spoyled of his Garments that wee might bee enriched with his Righteousnesse Christ healing the manifold miseries of mankinde sheweth that he came to make cleane and wipe away the sins of the world with his touching hand from Heauen Feare wee not any accusers before God seeing that GOD himselfe absolueth vs as iust much lesse neede wee feare damnation seeing that wee rest vpon the death and resurrection yea the Almighty power and defence of Iesus Christ Therefore what can there be so waighty in this life or of so great force and power that might now feare vs although wee might fall from the feare of God wherewith he loueth vs in Christ Surely nothing it is in it lelfe most constant and sure and also in vs conformed by stedfast faith by Christ that loueth vs we are perfectly iust and through him are wee conquerours ouer miseries and calamities although we seeme as broken in pieces with the woeful weight of woefull dangers yet as good Christians let vs grow more and more couragious that the waies and wills of GOD may bee throughly knowne in this world Remember that the matter of our saluation is Christ in whom onely we are endued with spirituall blessings vnto saluation Oh perswade your owne soules that God hath chosen vs from the beginning in his Sonne the end of afflictions being true ioy and that through the vertue of the Spirit of Christ which hee giueth to them which aske it We ought not to be discouraged but rather to bee incouraged by the persecutions which the enemies of the Gospell imagine and practise against vs seeing that they are certaine witnesses from GOD himselfe both of our saluation and of the destruction of our enemies that hate vs. Persecution is a signe of our saluation because it 's a gift of God to suffer for Christ which gift hee rendreth to his owne as he doth the gift of faith Grieue not for your great afflictions no not although you should dye to make pefect your oblation with your blood as with a drinke-offering The way to eternall saluation is to follow Christ his steps by afflictions and persecutions vntill wee come to Christ himselfe who is our marke whereat wee shoote and receiue the reward whereunto God calleth vs to him Therefore bee not disquieted through impatiency seeing that God is at hand to giue you remedy against all your miseries neither bee you carefull for any thing but with sure confidence giue God thankes and craue of him whatsoeuer you haue neede of that with a quiet conscience you may wholy and withall your heart submit your selfe to him that you may with Dauid beginne with teares and end with thankes The afflictions of the Church may be said to be Christs afflictions by reason of that fellowship and knitting together that the body and the head haue one with the other not that there is any more neede to haue the Church redeemed but that Christ sheweth his power in the daily weaknesse of his members and that for the comfort of the whole and holding of his Childrens hearts together whose assured comfort is to enter by afflictions into the Kingdom of Glory Know this that our God being iust will punish the vniust and will do away the miseries of his owne people Remember alwayes to set the invisible power of Gods Spirit which God hath giuen you agaynst those stormes which may or will come vpon you I pray remember that the gift of Gods Spirit is as it were a certayne liue flame kindled in our hearts which the flesh and the Diuell seeke to put out And therefore you and I on the contrary side must labour as much as we can to foster and keepe it burning and not to be pierced thorough as people whom the Lord will destroy Doubt we not but that our Saluation doth hang vpon Christ who was exhibited in our dayes and suffered farre more grieuous things then wee can
Oh that wee would consider the profits that come vnto vs by our heauenly Fathers chastisements First of all sinne and the rebellious wickednesse of our flesh is by this meanes tamed Secondly the Lords lashes are true testimonies of his fatherly goodwill towards vs insomuch that they may shew themselues to be Bastards and no Sonnes which cannot abide to bee chastened of God Thirdly if all held this right to Fathers to whom next after God we owe this life that they may rightfully correct their Children Shall not we be much more subiect to that our Father who is the Authour of the spirituall and euerlasting life As many as will become the godly followers of Christ must as it were goe out of the world bearing their seuerall Crosses bee not faint-hearted knowing this that your faith must be tryed through manifold afflictions whether it bee pure as it ought to be we may not despise the Crosse of Christ which our heauenly Father vseth as an Instrument to polish and fine vs where we are to consider that the effect of afflictions is to polish and fit vs for the perfecting vs in Christ each seuerall moment of mans life depending vndoubtedly vpon God The knowledge of whose will doth not onely nothing at all profit vnlesse the life be answerable vnto it but rather maketh the sinner farre more grieuous Forget not to bee patient still expecting a most happy end of all your troubles because God is a most bountifull Father neuer forsaking his seruants Consider I beseech you by what way we come to eternall glory is it not by all kinde of afflictions wherein notwithstanding faith maketh vs so secure that we are not onely not ouercome with sorrow but also through the beholding of GOD himselfe with the eyes of Faith are vnspeakeably ioyfull because all such things as they are but for a time so are they not applyed vnto vs to destroy vs but as it were by fire purge vs and to make vs perfect that at the length we may obtayne saluation Art thou afflicted Christ goeth before in example and Vertue as one that suffered most grieuous torments euen vnto Death although but in one part only of him to wit in the flesh or mans Nature but yet became conquerour by the Vertue of his Diuinity Know this that GOD keepeth measure in his greatest seuerity bee not offended therefore neyther stumble at the vayne shaddow of the felicity of the wicked as though God were not the gouernour of the world nor thinke that the Wicked are in good case and the godly in Euill for we may perceiue an by Argument of comparison of them together in their last end That God who spareth not his owne but nurtureth them vnder the Crosse will at length in his time handle the rebellious and wicked farre otherwise whom he hath appoynted to vtter destruction Although that life be sayd to bee sweet yet is it chayned to a thousand miseries and the onely salue to cure affliction is to make vse of the ancient History Luke 13.3 Except you amende your liues you shall all likewse perish Thy sinnes deseruing scourges the iust hand of the Almighty striketh thee pray that thou mayest benefit thereby Christ healing of the sicke and diseased sheweth that Christ we recouer through Faith whatsoeuer we had lost by our frailty Let vs euer esteeme our diseases as whips wherewith GOD scourgeth vs for our sinnes for the bettering of our wils words and wayes Affliction doeth good vnto the Godly discerning at the length true godlinesse from fayned fashood and filthy flattery In thy greatest weaknesse reioyce in remembring Christ power ouer sinne Death and Hell We haue no cause to promise our selues rest peace and quietnesse in the world seeing they themselues which seemed to fawne vpon Christ doe shortly after crucifie him Be of good cheere being weake and sicke for Christ is come to deliuer vs from the bonds of Sathan who though once hee had bound a woman as in Chaines for 10. yeares space so that shee could not so much as hold vp her head Yet come Christ at the last saying Woman thou art loosed from thy infirmities Luke 13.12 Luke 13.12 Marke and consider how that Christ maketh death acceptable vnto vs by ouercomming in our name all the terrours of death which had ioyned with them the curse of God and the fearefull Iudgements of an angry Father For Christ our Redeemer tooke the burden of our sins vpon himselfe and was willingly betrayed and taken that by his obedience hee might deliuer vs which were guilty for the betraying of Gods glory Remember and forget not what you are a peece of worke made of the slime of the Earth sauouring of nothing but corruption ignorance dulnesse and death Forget wee not how Christ left the proud Pharisees and communicated the treasures of euerlasting life with a poore sinfull woman and stranger refelling the grosse errours of the Samarians and defending the true worship of God deliuered to the Iewes yet so that hee calleth both of them backe to himselfe as one whom onely all the Fathers and also whom all the Ceremonies of the Law had respect vnto Wee must all haue an eye to this high and soueraigne power of God which gouerneth all things insomuch that hee hath power of life and death so that we liue dye at the pleasure of God and not of men Therefore this one thing remaineth that we goe forward constantly in our vocation to Gods praise and our owne peace God seemeth now then to linger in helping vs which he doth for his owne glory and for our saluation Iohn 11 as he did once in raising vp Lazarus Ioh. 11. He beleeueth in God that beleeueth in Christ and there is no other way to confirme our mindes in our greatest distresses but that Christ is not gone away from vs to the end to forsake vs but rather that hee might at length take vs vp with him into Heauen It is a miserable thing to be subiect vnto sinne which of it owne nature maketh vs guilty of Death But wee must crye to the Lord who will by Death it selfe at length make vs conquerours As we are already in Iesus Christ wearied we may bee with continuall conflicts yet recouer our selues agayne resting in our Redeemer who is the true perfection of our soules You are in Christ doubt nothing of the happy successe of your combate because the Spirit of grace and Fruites of Righteousnesse and Seedes of Life remayne in you for you hauing the self-same Spirit which Christ hath all infirmities layed aside and Death ouer-come you shall bee cloathed with Heauenly Glory You haue already receiued the Grace of the Gospell wherein God sheweth himselfe not as before the publishing of the Law terrible and fearefull But a most benigne and louing Father in Christ so that with great boldnesse wee call him Father the Holy Ghost sealing his Adoption in our hearts by Faith Remember wee all the great
and mercy shall embrace you on euery side Psal 31.11 Let this true comfort raise you and me vp as wee are the members of Christ that in our deepest misery and afflictions the Lord is able first to free vs from it or else to deliuer out of it There is neither panges nor any one fit in your sicknesse but it is from God the manner of it the measure of it the time of it the matter of it is of God which giueth vs good assurance and affiance that God will be mercifull and gracious vnto vs seeing hee striketh vs that is our Father and in the stroake be it neuer so sharpe he neuer forgets his former compassion but maketh each thing fall out to our future saluation puts our teares in his bottle and most louingly layes his hand vnder our head that aketh Seeke wee therefore to God for health who as hee smiteth mee so hee will heale me and as he wounds mee so likewise he restoreth me God therefore bringeth downe to the graue that he may raise vs vp againe and puts vs in mind of death by Gods Sergeant aresting vs to bring vs before him God of his goodnesse behold your teares hearken vnto your prayers and mercifully remoue your heauy affliction from you It pleaseth the wisedome of God now and then to confound your pride by weaknesse and to free vs from former sinnes by furnishing vs with most delectable seruices of assured sanctification Afflictions change their nature when they befall the man endued with Gods Spirit all things working together for the best for the loue of all such as feare the God and are called according to his purpose Let none of vs so forget the safety of our soules as not euermore still to remember Christ Iesus how he went as willingly to the Desart to be humbled as vnto Iordan to be exalted Thinke not your selfe to be forsaken of God when you are tempted of Sathan for herein you are resembled to the Sonne of God who being baptised was presently tempted by Sathans subtilties Afflictions soften our hearts when we apprehend Gods mercies in them and can receiue them as the wounds of a friend with the melting of our hearts sent in loue vnto vs to better our behauiours Know I beseech thee thou languishing person that the deeper the sence of misery is the sweeter is the sence of mercy It 's the saying of St. Bernard Deus non infundit oleum misericordiae nisi in vas contritum God powres not the oyle of his mercies saue into a broken vessell For indeed whole vessels are full enough and would run ouer if powred into them and so be spilt on the ground The Lord scourgeth vs to make vs more pliable to his holy will an vnhumbled sinner is vnfit for Gods Instruction and like an vnbroken Colte for the Saddle The deeper your discent in humiliation the higher your ascent in consolation Therefore doth now euen rottennesse enter into your bones that hauing a while trembled you may henceforth rest in the day of trouble remembring how after greatest tempests come the stillest calmes sanctified windes making the trees of Gods Garden to take the deeper rooting It is the manner of our heauenly Father to gaine glory to himselfe by working by contraries when he bringeth ioy out of feares light out of darknesse and Heauen out of Hell God wrestled with Iacob and lamed him ere he blessed him Iosephs leggs were laden with irons and bolts in Pharaohs Dungeon ere hee could weare a golden Chaine and haue dominion in Aegypt The wounds that our God giueth are not mortall but medicinable our God is such a Chyrurgeon that he first woundeth but then heales It is Gods accustomed manner to bring first downe to Hell and then vp againe into the bosome of Abraham Feare not to fall into the Lords Dungeon which will rebound you safely into Heauen his Pallace of priuiledge forget not how repenting Ionas was throwne into the Sea and humbled Glut not your selues with any pleasures of this life neither spend your precious time in fleeting vanities keepe rather your best dainties in the vineger of godly sorrow allay your strong wine with water eate your meate as the Iewes did their Passeouer with sower hearbs Imitate godly King Dauid who caused his bed euery night to swim oftentimes watering his Couch with his teares Psal 6.6 Forget not good Bradford that vsually at his dinner shed teares on his trencher art thou sicke and sinfull stand not reasoning with thine owne distrustfull heart but heare what God sayth by Esay 1.18 If you will wash and cleanse your selues by repentance though your sins were as red as Crimson yet then shall they be as white as Snow Oh but my sins passe the sinnes of all others in greatnesse so much the more haste to repent the more dangerous thy disease is the more physicke must thou vse if thy sinnes be so great as thou complainest why meanest thou to make it greater by thy not repenting Repentance makes sin lesse Impenitency is the condemning sinne Remember that Christ is our Physitian and Repentance is his Phisick Math. 9. In death Sathans temptations and our Consciences accusations will be strongest therefore our preparation against them should be more then ordinary We may not once despaire of our heauenly Fathers prouidence but call to minde how louingly the father entertained his sonne after hee had misbehaued himselfe in rude and riotous courses As our heauenly Father is often shewing vs many fauours so now and then he pincheth vs with too too heauy crosses because we should not be ouer-ioyed with any of Gods fauours but prepare for some following after-claps being as content to endure the one as cheerefully to receiue the other with him shall we raigne wee shall hereafter for euer liue with him in glory with whom now wee are in misery if we now take vp our crosse following him with sanctified contentation wee rest then assuredly happy when we beare each affliction with ioy in the Spirit submitting our selues to the yoake of our God then contented with our states then wee weare our chaines and weepe shedding many teares Our sufferings are no arguments of Righteousnesse but our Righteousnesse an ornament vnto our sufferings Are we in troubles lye wee in troubles flye we vnto Christ our Lord and Master for ayde who in mercy will heare vs and deliuer vs by the strength of his mighty power be our state neuer so desperate he can helpe it and we are neuer past helpe so long as we desire to be holpen The greatnesse of our perill can be no stop to our deliuerance because the power of our deliuerance is infinite Tribulations are the way to the kingdome of Heauen through stormy tempests are we brought to the Kingdome of Heauen being the Hauen that all hunger for Be of good courage for al the diuels in hell cannot damne vp the way betweene vs and the Kingdome of Heauen Through the straite way haue all
GOD the Horne of our Saluation seeth and yet suffereth and he beares with vs repenting and pardoneth vs returning we deferring our Repentance he expects vs He giueth vs when wee aske openeth to vs when we knocke and eft-soones is then found when wee doe seeke It is the Nightingall delights herselfe with her quauering and trebling notes So should all we faythfull ones declare abroad Gods mercy The worke of our Saluation which we had no power to begin our Sauiour wrought it for vs yea finished the same on our behalfe So as now you may looke boldly to the Throne of Grace and vpon the trueth of our Repentance and Faith know onely Peace and Ioy Christi passio adiutore non leguit Saith Saint Ambrose Christs passion needes no helpe at all Christ was mocked and spitted on to wash vs from wickednesse His garments pulled off that our sinnes might be couered he whipped to deliuer our soules from perpetual scourges Christ thirsted that our Soules might be satiate and satisfied Christ bare his fathers wrath that we might beare none yeilded vnto death that we might neuer taste it In sence was Christ our Sauiour forsaken for a time when he cryed out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me this was that we might be receiued for euer into glory Let my soule dye if Christ cannot saue it Oh thou languishing soule of mine there is not one of thy sinnes but it is prayed for in the bitternesse of my Redeemers death Christ Iesus Not any one of thy debts in the scroule of God but it is crossed not any one farthing of that infinit ransome left vnpayd for vs. Doeth your soule crye in bitternesse I haue sinned Oh thou preseruer of men what shal I do vnto thee what shouldest thou do Turne and beleeue and thou hast done enough Christ side was opened euen vnto the heart to receiue vs in thither if wee will enter in at the open doore Christs feete were nayled to make vs know that hee departs not from vs till we depart from him O cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shal nourish thee and not suffer thee to fall for euer The deadnesse of our hearts and dulnesse of our Spirits was it not enough for Christ to call vs gently to allure vs kindly to teach vs daily to heale vs louingly and to feed vs sweetly But he must be faine by a most dreadfull death to pull and hale vs to draw and drag vs to the true feeling of his deare loue towards vs to cause vs by strong hand and by force to become obedient to our heauenly Father and Master This are we all to know and still to keepe warme in our heartes and remembrance that there is no want of our Saluation in Iesus Christ but in our selues in that we beleeue not and that we repent not There is no want of finishing thy Saluation so that thou continue still to goe forward in Grace and still imply Goodnes But whilst people delight in sin God therefore strikes and will not heare which is contrary vnto Gods honour For â—ee desires not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be conuerted and liue amidst the Assembly of Saints Do not thinke such people to bee sure and safe as are neuer touched with sorrowes and sicknesse for such as the Lord best loueth hee chasteneth when we reioyce in sinne he scourgeth vs till we shrike sigh and crye as when Epaphroditus was sick and very neere vnto death and yet was Paules fellow-souldier in Christ Phil. 2.27 It is the Lord which setteth vp on high them that be low that the sorrowfull might be exalted to saluation remember that you haue heretofore seene the blossomes of Trees promise abundance of Fruite which notwithstanding haue neuer came to any growth by reason of the stormes So in health and prosperity many haue followed Christ which in aduersity haue beene blowne quite out of sight Remember we now that the Captains courage is not knowne till the warre begin no more is a Christians constancy till the persecutions rage A Bird in the Cage is surer from the Hawke and Fowler then abroad although they thinke not so and think your sicke bed to bee the best place to serue God on Our heauenly father would haue vs to serue him on our beds still chastning our bodies whilest we cheerish our soules Pining the one and pampering the other pulling you as through a prison to a place of happinesse and pleasure wherefore let no darknes daunt you but let your owne life bee as a Lampe to lighten your soule and delight others The best children march cheerefully towards Heauen as St. Paule did towards Ierusalem not well-knowing what should befall him before he returned backe from that famous Citty so God deales with vs in this world to cal vs out we know not whither nor to what end or purpose or what may befal vs in our way We may not be sloathful followers of Christ our Lord and Master but most couragious souldiers fighting to obtayne the Crowne of Glory and the inheritance of a celestial immortal life Feare not the iudgment of death but remember them that haue beene before and those that are to come after This is the ordinance of all flesh why should wee then be agaynst the Most High whether it bee ten or a hundred or a thousand yeares there is no defence of life against the graue Mathew 19. The womans bloody issue was not cured till she came to Christ Marke I beseech you where and of whom health doth come no absolute Physitian of Soules but Iesus Christ onely The Prophet Ioel may much comfort our hearts When he sayth My people shall neuer be ashamed Againe Abide still O my people and rest for your quietnesse shall come Be not you weary for when the day of trouble and heauinesse commeth others shall weep and bee sorrowfull but thou shalt bee merry and haue abundance GODS hand shall couer thee and all shall prosper which thou takest in hand Lord prepare and open my poore heart and strengthen my weake faith to prepare my soule for thy holy Sabboth which is the great day of thy rest and the day likewise that thou hast commaunded vs to heare and receiue thy Holy and Heauenly word which at the last must bee a cordiall to our dying hearts And that I may taste and draw of that water of Life while I liue that I may neuer thirst agaynes Lord also prepare mee to drinke my last draught of Christs cup with comfort euen for the Lord Iesus Christs sake the Son of thy loue and my only Sauiour Amen Sunday Meditations WHen wee are most tempted with grieuances whether outward or inward seeke succour from aboue neuer dispise Physicke nor yet the Physitian for they are needefull and necessary in fit time and season the Lord hath ordayned medicines for healing and giueth Knowledge to the Physitian to the lifting vpon his head amongst great men