brother which was a confluence of sins but in their Affliction and crosses they met with in Egypt they began to bethinke themselves what they had done and their sinne so many yeeres afore committed came fresh to their remembrance Wee have verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought us and we would not heare him and therefore is this trouble come upon us 2 Conversion and amendment of life which is that blessed fruit of righteousnesse which Afflictions bring to them that are exercised Hebr. 12. 11. And this proceedeth from the hatred of sinne which the former consideration did manifest in the uglinesse of it Hence schola crucâ—s est schola lucis justitia By lying under the crosse wee receive instruction and settle to reformation The second consideration working content in respect of our graces is that troubles in generall not onely beget graces but beautifie and cleare them The same fire which consumeth drosse purgeth gold The world is the Furnace the godly are Gold Tribulation is the fire which as it turneth chaffe into ashes so it cleanseth gold from drosse and ashes See 1 Pet. 1. 7. and Psal. 66. 10. Looke as starres shine brightest in the night but are not seene in Sun-shine so Gods graces which make little show while the Sunne of prosperity shines on us make a great shine and show when the night of trouble commeth Further how doth their faith and constancy gracethem in trouble as in Iob and Abrahams triall which if their troubles were not could not so bewray and commend themselves like Camomile troden and the Palme pressed but rising under the weight Besides that trouble fitteth them to much fruitfulnesse for the good husbandman purgeth and pruneth the Vine That it may bring forth more and better fruit and so bee more profitable and beautifull Iohn 15. verse 2. And indeed as an earthen vessell is never fit for use before it bee burned in the fire so is it with us who are never fit to be vessels of honour till the fire of triall have purged formed and confirmed us Thirdly troubles exercise grace and so strengthen it As a man by wrestling is stronger and more expert so Affliction holds all graces on worke faith patience Prayer Meditation watchfulnesse against sinne holds the heart in the feare and love of God and of the love of the world You shall never see a Christian more Christian then in trouble as the three children never more glorious then in the Furnace CHRIST himselfe never more strong then on the Crosse and in the grave rising from under all the burden and curse of sinne Thus in respect of our sinnes and graces are Afflictions necessary Lastly if we consider our estate of glory and how trials conduce unto it we shall not want reason to bee contented under them for they are so farre from being prejudiciall to our glory as they are helpes and furtherances of the same for 1 Christian bearing of triall is made a note of such as shall partake in glory with whom it must not be better then with Christ himselfe who did weare a Crowne of thornes before his Crowne of glory And how can it be other seeing they testifie the love of God who loveth to the end Hebr. 12. 6. whom hee loveth he chasteneth They are markes of our Adoption for if ye be without correction whereof all are partakers ye are bastards and not sonnes They are markes of such as are in the highway to heaven which is all strawed with crosses and troubles Actes 14 22. Through many Afflictions wee must enter into heaven And they are markes of such as by drinking of Christs Cup are conformable to the Image of the Sonne of God Rom. 8. 29. Christ said to Zebedeâ—â— sonnes Ye shall drinke of the cup that I drinke of namely of trouble the nearer to Christ the sooner drinke it they that are farthest off that is his enemies drinke the drâ—gs and bottome And therefore if you would know them as by an expresse marke see Revel. 7. 14. These are they that come out of great tribulation 2 To such onely is promised glory Iam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Revel. 2 10. Ye shall be tryed ten dayes but be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a Crowne of life 3 Glory is accomplished to such as endure trials for they cause an eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. And this is just with God to render to you which are troubled rest with us when Christ shall appeare 2 Thes. 1. 6 7. Now the godly heart out of these grounds to which many might be added fenceth it selfe and contenteth it selfe in all troubles in generall Hath my affliction such speciall goodnesse through Gods disposing to beget such excellent graces as humility knowledge obedience prayer patience repentance doth the Lord know and intend to beautifie purge and perfect his graces by the fire of Tribulation and make them shine and shew as jewels doth he exercise and hold in worke and so increase and strengthen his grace given by the same meanes Yea and more doth he further my glory with himselfe doth he testifie his love and lay in me the markes of my Adoption of my way to heaven and of conformity to his Sonne hath he promised and will hee accomplish that promise of glory to such as are troubled Why then should not I content my selfe and leane on the word in the hopefull expectation of that blessed end of my trouble See I not the Saints partners in the crosse with me I am 5. 10. Take the Prophets an example of enduring affliction Nay see I not my Lord Iesus consecrated by Afflictions shall not I contentedly partake in the sufferings of Christ shall I cast off or impatiently cary such light Afflictions which cause so great a weight of glory Would I fall out with my daily bread and are not these as necessary shall I measure Gods love by my outward estate did hee never love any of the Saints nor his deare Sonne of all whom none escaped many troubles CHAP. II. Of scandals heresies and the like conquered by Contentment NOw we come to more speciall troubles wherein we are also to see how godlinesse stayeth and contenteth the heart makes a godly man a Conquerour when many round about him sink into the gulfe of discontent and despaire Speciall troubles are either more publicke or more private Publické evils are either in the Church or in the Common-wealth In the Church are scandals heresies schismes Apostasie contempt of the light falling backe to Antichrist and this offendeth many they know not what or whom to beleeve and so fall from and are discontented with every Religion Against all which the godly heart fenceth
frighted with the name of terrible things and at the sight of some disguised person but when they come to riper age and yeares of discretion contemne them Wee are frighted as the Midianites with the sound of broken pitchers voyces and lamps and cowardly fly before we see any apparent danger 2 It seeth the death of Beleevers not onely altered but sanctified by Christs death that it becomes of a curse a blessing and as a stage whereon a Christian manifesteth his faith fortitude love patience and constancy and openly triumpheth over death as his Head hath done before him 3 It seeth Christ in Heaven in glory who is our Head and Husband from whom while wee live here we are strangers and pilgrims separate from that happy society which wee shall enjoy with Him and all our fellow members in the Kingdome of Heaven Whereupon it doth desire his presence and is not onely contented but willing to bee dissolved and bee with Christ Paul considered that he was now absent from the Lord and desired to bee present Simeon having Christ in his armes said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Steven in the middest of the stones saw the Heavens open and the Son of man standing at Gods right hand and so slept quietly A sweet death if Christ be in sight Let him feare death that would not goe to Christ So of the second ground 3 It looketh upon death it selfe and seeth in it First the necessity of it It is appointed for all men once to dye a statute-law of Heaven inevitable Heb. 9. 27. And seeing it knowes it to be so it rather fits it selfe cheerefully to beare it then fearefully to decline it Quest How may that bee done Answ. 1 We must deal with this Giant and mighty Sampson who slayes heapes upon heapes as the Philistims did with him 1 Sift out where his strength lyes and finding it lye in his lockes cut them off The strength of thy death is thy sinne these are his strong lockes cut them off by repentance and death shall be too weak to hurt thee 2 Labour to dye in faith as the Saints Heb. 11. 13. all these dyed in faith Let thy faith fasten upon Christ as himselfe did in his extreme agony fixe his confidence upon his Father saying My God my God and Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Another necessity of death is because without it wee can never attaine immortality and eternall life The seed is not quickened unlesse it dye first neither can eternall life be had but by the passage of this wicket Wee have here no abiding City our houses are rather Innes in which wee sojourne our bodies Tabernacles ready for removall and shifting And the condition is that when this earthly house shall bee dissolved wee shall have a building eternall in the heavens Secondly godlinesse seeth the advantage and gaine by death that it is no detriment to the faithfull but a gaine as saith the Apostle Christ is my life and death is to mee advantage Phil. 1. 21. And it is a great gaine in two respects 1 Because it is an end of all evils and wretchednesse 2 Because it is a beginning of heaven and happinesse For the former 1 It is an end of misery sorrowes cares feares teares an end of sicknesse paine poverty shame persecution and the like for in death attended with teares God wipeth away all teares from the eyes of his children and then shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor wecping nor paine Rev. 21. 4. 2 It is an end of temptations by Satan The soule in this world is in the bonds and snares of temptations and the law of sinne in the members ministreth strength to Satan against our selves But in death the soul is loosed from that bondage and the body ceaseth to be an instrument either active or passive in sin What a gaine is it never to sin more against God yea to be wholly out of danger of sinning 3 It is an end of wicked mens molestation for death delivers the godly out of this evill world 〈◊〉 Lot out of Sodome whose righteous soule was vexed amongst them day by day They are safe from seducers and deceivers who in these last ages come so armed as if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. They are got without the reach of Persecutors and those enemies their eyes shall never see more 4 It is an end of our owne pilgrimage and absence from the Lord wherein wee stand in so doubtfull and dangerous a battell not onely with enemies without us but within our owne bosome our owne covetousnesse wrath ambition voluptuousnesse lust envy and not a head can bee cut off from this Hydra but another riseth in the roome and no watch can be sufficient against them Now what man being absent from his owne house doth not long to dispatch his businesse so to returne home And thus the Saints 2 Cor. 5. 2. Wee sigh desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from heaven It is our haven and an end of our dangerous voyage upon the troubled sea of this world a passage from corruption and mortality to immortality and incorruption a sweet sleepe after our travell and labours and an end of all the toyles of our lives Ioh. 11. 11. our friend Lazarus sleepeth But more then this It is a beginning of happinesse the entrance to Heaven the Evening wherein the Labourers receive the penny of perpetuall joy and glory a repossessing of Paradise lost by the first Adam won againe by the second By it wee come to the company of Saints and the first borne written in heaven Wee come into the bosome of Abraham even to our deare friends who are gone before us to Heaven But above all wee come to Iesus Christ the Mediator into the house of our heavenly Father wherein heâ—e hath prepared us mansions whither the forerunner is for us entred in Even Iesus Heb. 6. 20. And wee have boldnesse to enter into the holy place by the new and living way which hee hath prepared for us through the vayle that is his flesh cap. 10. 20. And by Iesus Christ wee come to behold the face of God being made like unto Christ in holinesse and honour and shall for ever with him inherite the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the World CHAP. XIX Of Grave and Iudgâ—ment and Contentment therein THe last personall evill which is horrible to nature is the grave and last judgement But godlinesse quieteth the heart against all such terrors thus First that by these two wee are raised as by two stayres to the fruition of full happinesse For whereas there be three degrees of life eternall The first when wee begin to repent and beleeve which is the beginning of it The second at the day of death which entreth the soule into eternall happinesse and prepareth the body to be partaker also of it The
more mercy then their miserable master A Whale shall preserve Ionas and a Fish give Peter money to pay his tribute Where God is a friend all his creatures are friendly Imitate here holy Abraham when God called him to sacrifice Isaac hee willingly offers him up to God he might have reasoned the case and said Where shal I have another Isaac another sonne of the promise but faith made him give over reasoning and give up his sonne And indeed if wee would duely examine our hearts we should finde that our feare and griefe in giving up our friends in the time of their sickenesse or death proceeds commonly from want of faith and contempt of life eternall 6 The Saints have with faith and contentment borne part with us in the losse of their friends Adam and Eve an heavy funerall for Abel Noah mourned a whole yeare for the funerals of the whole world Abraham saw the funerals of his Sarah Iocob of Rachel Ezekiel lost the delight of his eyes but must not mourn The blessed Virgin stood by the Crosse of her onely and deare Soune and yet as Ambrose notes shee wept not CHAP. XII Of Crosses in our Callings and Contentment therein NOw wee come to the externall tryalls which concern our own selves and they are reduced to three heads as respecting 1 Our Callings 2 Our Estates 3 Our Persons The Crosses of severall Callings are sundry and burthensome which sometime so distract men that they are ready to cast off all But godlinesse worketh contentment against them on these grounds 1 It judgeth aright which are true Crosses of the Calling indeed and not rather vices of the person exercising it It wil be sure it be a crosse For some men thinke so well of themselves as they grow discontent with their calling as not sufficient or good enough for their deserts and so affect higher places which oftentimes they are crossed in But this is the ambition and vice of the person and not a cross of the calling Againe it is common that men thinke themselves greatly crossed if they see one whom themselves judge equal or inferior to themselves to be placed in an an higher place then themselves so vexe themselves and are troubled if they rise not to his pitch at the least But this is but the envy of the person not the crosse of the calling But if godlinesse step in it will teach that callings are dispensed not for the private but publicke and common good and that the greater place a man is in the greater is the charge and the straiter the account 2 It teacheth a man that every one must walke in a personall calling in performing the duties of which he must avoyd both idlenesse which omitteth the duties of it and sloth which doth them negligently It is a generall law In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread and man is borne to travell as the sparkes fly upward All creatures move us to paines and labour The Sonne whose Tabernacle is in Heaven commeth forth as a Bridegroome and ejoyceth as a mighty man to runne his race unweariably The Moone keepeth her courses and never ceaseth The earth bringeth forth her fruit abundantly and is not wearied The Pismire is a patterne of paines and the wise man sends us unto her Prov. 6. 26. Yea the Angels themselves have their personall offices in the service of the Lord To come to our selves Adam in innocency had a personall calling and the second Adam Christ himselfe had a calling in which hee diligently laboured till they said hee was mad 3 God hath tyed to severall callings severall crosses and to all callings some for speciall purpose first because the special course of life must be a schoole of all vertues and a Christian mans calling must be an exercise of faith humility patience constancy which could not be without troubles Secondly to teach men to begin their calling with God that they may bee able to say God 〈◊〉 me here and then the troubles will be lighter Thirdly that the Christian in his pâ—â—vate course should not want admonitions and motives to joyne his generall and speciall calling together Fourthly that he should sanctifie it by the word and prayer which is a daily arming of himselfe against these troubles 4 Godlinesse beateth backe impatience and discontent when a man is opposed and reviled by men for doing his duty A great tryall but Godlinesse holds up the heart to God as to the owne Lord and makes it approve the workes of the calling not so much to men as to God Also it makes a man intend them in love to men as well as faith in God so as the offence is 〈◊〉 not given And finally it 〈◊〉 him cast his eies upon the dearest servants of God how they were opposed by men in their callings yea and upon the Son of God himselfe Further when a man is crossed in his calling that all his labour will scarse maintaine his mouth and is stil kept under poverty here is a great trouble but godlinesse â—teppeth in and perswadeth First that every particular estate and calling is to be judged best for him till God change it Secondly in all things to behold the care and providence of God over his owne and brook every condition seeking no greater measure of temporall things then is sufficient for the present estate Thirdly to ply the generall calling so much the more which a man is sure to thrive by turning the affections from earth to heaven to Christ and that inheritance which is purchased by him 5 Godlinesse teacheth a man to hold out and abide iâ— the calling wherein God hath 〈◊〉 him notwithstanding the crosses of it 1 Cor. 7. 20 and that it is nothing to begin well without perseverance and whosoever will leave their calling for the troubles of it must resolve either to live out of every calling or else to change but old crosses for new seeing every calling hath his particular troubles and hee may feare by Gods just judgement lest his case may bee that of Ionas who found more crosses and more heavy and desperate ones in the new calling then in the old which God had trained him unto Daily experience sheweth Gods displeasure upon such as turne themselves too and fro in the change of callings who prove like rolling stones which gather no mosse Thus of callings in generall Specially of all callings it is the greatest griefe for Ministers to lose the fruit of their labours Because such a ones love to his people is as a Nurse tendring the state of Gods people Because his labours are greater then others spending himselfe for their good hee toyles in planting and watering but God denyes blessing and increase Because of peoples danger despising so good means a cursed earth whose end is to bee burned Because his joy and crowne is gone and hee gives up his account with griefe Yet here godlinesse contenteth a
third is at the day of judgement when soule and body re-united enjoy God as he is in eternall glory Secondly because the union between Christ and the Christian lasteth and cannot be dissolved when death dissolveth all naturall bonds for the bond is mysticall and spirituall neither knitteth the soule onely to Christ the Head but the body also even the whole person so as the bodies of the faithfull being dead and turned into dust many thousand yeres agoe remaine the members of Christ still cared for by the Head and preserved to be made like to his glorious body by that mighty power whereby hee is able to subdue all things to him selfe Phil. 3. 21. In the winter all the sap being in the root there appeares no difference betweene a living tree and a dead but in the spring there is a sap which will ascend and revive the decayed branches So our bodies turned not to nothing but to dust and devoured by beasts fishes or the elements seeme to bee perished but by reason of the former union must bee raised and partake of the glorious life of Christ Thirdly as the death of the god ly is a quiet sleep so the grave is a resting chamber yea a sweet bed perfumed by Christs buriall for the bodies of all the Elect out of which they must awake for the earth and sea must give up their dead and bee admitted into the presence of God and of Christ Neither can the grave ever hold under the members of Christ no more then it could their Head but as he gloriously rose againe from the dead so shall they in glory and immortality Much lesse can the grave destroy the body of which Christ hath said O grave I will bee thy destruction nor so disguise it but that with these eyes wee shall see the Lord and in that glorious vision shall become glorious Iob 19. 25. The darknesse of the grave makes it the fitter for sleep Fourthly the Beleever need not feate the last judgement 1 Seeing Christ is the Iudge If the kinde husuand may bee the Wives Iudge sheee need not feare 2 The Iudge of all the world cannot but do righteously He cannot condemne those whom himselfe hath by his bloud redeemed and justified Rom. 8. 1. there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ 3 It is the wicked man that cannot stand in judgement his wicked conscience covers him with confusion But the godly on that day attaine their full redemption Luke 21. 28. When yee see these â—â—ings then lift up your heads for the day of your redemption draweth neere The day of Pharaohs drowning was Israels deliverance The day of hanging Pharaohs Baker was the lifting up of the Butlers head 4 Christ did not therefore carry our sinnes to lay them againe upon us He was not made a curse for us to returne the curse upon us Hee was not condemned to death to condemne us nor made himselfe a sacrifice for sinne that we should remaine guilty but that we might receive the sentence of absolution and blessednesse Mat. 25. 34. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginâ—ing of the world Where is to be observed that Christ makes mention of many good workes performed by the Saints Yee gave mee to eat and to drinke yee clothed mee and visited mee but never reckons up any of their sinnes for that they are washed away in his bloud and covered with the robe of his mercy CHAP. XX Of Means and Motives to work Contentment COutentment being so excellent and beneficiall a grace as we have seene it were good we laboured for it with all diligence Whereunto the Meanes and Motives are of three sorts In respect of God In respect of our selves In respect of the Saints For the first of these 1 Consider the affection of God If thou beest as thou professest Gods childe he is thy father and thou if thou beest a good childe wilt relye on him and content thy selfe with his allowance Every master of a family may dispose his goods as he pleaseth 2 Consider his wisedome The childe must thinke that the Fathers discretion exceedeth his And herein the Lord manifesteth his wisedome in that he doth not alwayes actually bestow these outward things so largely on his children as on others because hee nurtereth them and will have them wholly depend vpon him And both these our Saviour Mat. 6. 32. coucheth together to worke contentment your heavenly Father knoweth what ye stand in need of He that can give riches without contentment knowes also to give contentment without riches And cap. 7. 11. if ye which are evill can give good things to your children c. 3 Consider his promise that the righteous shall never bee forsaken nor will hee ever faile or leave them and if we feare God no good thing shall bee wanting Psal. 34. 9. And from hence Heb. 13. 5. the Apostle perswades to be content with the things we have because he hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Ob. But for all this I see I want many comforts I feele such and such wants c. Answ. Every thing good in it selfe is not good for thee If this bee thy case thou wantest not want and affliction which now God seeth good for thee and so shall be if thou beest not more wanting to thy selfe then other things be And the more thy crosses be and the greater the more greater love by vertue of the promise is wrapped up in them 4 Consider his powerfull providence who provides for sparrows and hath care of beasts fowles flowers and haires of the head yea hee created light before Sunne Moone and starres hee made grasse grow before raine or dew hee can preserve Israehtes forty yeares in a bar ren wildernesse can bring Mannâ— from the clouds water from a rocke yea without all these can preserve Moses and Elias forty dayes What an unmovable foundation of godly Contentment is this 5 Consider his rich supply God hath given himselfe to thee to become thy portion hee hath given his Sonne to thee and for thee and the holy Spirit to seale up to thy heart this gift Now if he give the greater will hee deny the lesse 〈◊〉 he give his Christ how will he not with him give all things also Is the Lord my portion and are not my lines fallen into a good ground shall I beleeve him for salvation and not for preservation for eternall and not for temporary life Next if we looke at our selvts 1 All of us enjoy much more then wee can deserve if we have bread and breath this is forseited and lost therefore wee must crave our daily bread and wee must as well looke upon our receipts to be thankfull as on our wants to repâ—ne and looke upon them behind us as well as them before us 2 If wee want outward things it is very just
day doe thy worke and doe it to the uttermost while the day of Gods grace and thy life lasteth walke and worke Now is the Sun-shine of the Gospell to day heare his voyce Thy Sunne also yet lasteth while thou hast life health youth memory and strength of body treasure up instructions and comforts Earthly men care for age and naturall contentments but doe thou get a better stocke to spend upon which will never faile thee then shall the latter dayes and dayes of sicknesse be passed with more content and quietnesse and an happy death must needs succeed a godly and carefull course of life Fiftly consider how much of thy life thou hast wasted out already and that the patience of God still spareth thee to recover what thou hast lost Think it now too much that thouhast spent so much time in the lusts of the Gentiles and now enjoyne thy selfe a constant taske of prayer reading meditating reckoning and doe it to purpose not by halves not for forme for then thy other practises will bee answerable And for time to come labour to set before thee in every particle of time an image of eternity this life being but as a moment on which eternity dependeth Sixtly great is the danger of omitting and slipping this season How can they be acceptable to God who refuse his acceptable time Is not his Axe laid to the root of the Tree to hew it downe if it be still unprofitable And doth not the Master of the evill servant come in an houre which he knoweth not Oh thinke often of the reckoning and account of your time and thus resolve Oh how farre am I behinde with God for my time such an unthrift I have beene of it as I cannot give account of one day among a thousand Now therefore while I have time I will live every day as if it were my last day and doe that every day which I would have found in my hands on my dying day I will forget that which is behinde and hasten to that which is before and after the example of the Saints the nearer I know I am to lay downe this Tabernacle the more diligent will I be to doe my selfe and others good that as the good servant my Master may never come but finde me well-doing and so take me up into his owne joy FINIS THE HOLY WARRE Proclaimed in a Visitation Sermon 2 TIM. 2. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he would please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier THe parts of the Chapter are two one hortatory to the 16 verse The other dehortatory thence to the end In the third verse the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to suffer affliction and addeth a reason drawne from his calling because he was a Souldier a place of paines of perill and molestation Vpon which occasion he makes a description of a souldier by two properties in the verse read unto you including two duties more which secretly he commendeth to Timothies practise and in him to every faithfull Minister 1 Not to entangle himselfe with secular affaires 2 To please his Captaine But what have we to do with war we are men of Peace Ministers of the Gospell of peace and expected not this day an Herald of Armes or a Trumpet to call us into the field and doth not your Text forbid us to be entangled with such secular affaires First Comparisons serve for illustration and conviction For the first high points are made plaine by them for we cannot see the Sun in his own body in water we may and therfore it is that Christ makes us understand our spirituall union by the Vine branches For the second high spirits are plained and checked by them and therefore Christ when he saw that neither Iohns austerity nor his owne lenity would a whit move the Iewes to amendment especially the Scribes and Pharisees hee compares them to little froward and sullen children whom neither piping nor mourning could prevaile withall Mat. 11. 17. This serves notably for both and it is an argument à minori ad majus If earthly souldiers doe thus a shame for spirituall not to lay aside distractions and seeke to please their Captaine Secondly our Warre is a most honourable Warre We warre not after the flesh 2 Cor. 10. 3. We are souldiers of Iesus Christ as may be seene in the former verse We are not pressed into the field by a temporall Commander nor stand in the face of bodily enemies nor arme our selves with carnall weapons verse 4. But wee fight the Lords battels stand under CHRISTS Colours contend against spirituall wickednesses covered with Gods armor of proofe and having our Captaine in the field before us for encouragement and with us for victory Why should we be heavy to be led out after him Good Vriah would not goe home to his house because his Lord Ioab did lie in the field and if our Lord Iesus be in the field what should wee doe at home Thirdly Peace is dulce nomen but especially that peace with God and men and our own consciences whereof we are Preachers But as peace is procured by warre and the end of warre is peace so we can never procure or preserve this peace unlesse by warre we keepe under the enemies of peace so that preaching of warre I ayme at peace and to heare of a rumour of warre which hath no other hurt then to establish our peace is profitable Fourthly a good and teachable heart will learne something from every thing Christ frō earthly things taught heavenly and not any thing but it ministred him matter of instruction the sun bread water other And so must we as frō this day of Visitation consider the day of Gods Visitation wherein we shal be countable of that we heare or speake or doe this day No man that warreth entangleth himselfe Souldiers must be free from distraction Not according to the glossses of Papists who say First tstat Ministers must be free from marriage If marriage be a distraction or defilement as they say it is then is it not a Sacrament Besides the Prophets Aposties Bishops Presbyters in and after the Apostles time were married Secondly That they must bee Monkes and live a part shut up from the world But how then shall they bee examples to the flocke 1 Pet. 5. 3. Thirdly that they must be voluntary beggars which is a state of perfection and freedome from encombrance But with greater encumbrances the Apostles had famililies and Bishops must be such as can rule their owne families wives and children and in old Canons the proper goods of a Minister must be distinct from the Churches goods Fourthly it is not meant that hee must not have any knowledge in humane affaires for then how shall hee resolve Cases of Conscience and compound Controversies which are Appendices of his calling But this is the
A TREATISE OF CONTENTMENT Leading a Christian with much patience through all afflicted Conditions By sundry Rules of heavenly wisedome Whereunto is annexed First a Treatise of the Improvement of Time Secondly The Holy Warre in a Visitation Sermon Greg. Moral. l. 5. Si mens forti intentione in Deum dirigiter quicquid in hac vitâ sibi amarum sit dulce aestimat omne quod affligit requiem putat By T. T. D. D. c. LONDON Printed by R. H. for Iohn Bartlet and are to be sold at the Signe of the Gilt Cup neere S. Austins Gate in Pauls Church-yard 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir FRANCIS DARCY Knight my much honoured friend All happinesse in Christ IESUS SIR not having of mine owne wherewith I might tell the world of your great and continuall favours unto me by such a pubâ—ke testimony I thought good to doe it by publishing this worke of another whose Person and Doctrine you well knew and respected Which I doe the more willingly because it is sutable to the Contentment here treated of I am well contented with that mediocrity of gifts and abilities which God hath bestowed on me I hold it better in this life to be faithfull in a little then ruler over much No doubt but some are Masters of great parts and estates and faithfull too rich in this world and rich in good workes too high in place and respect among men and high in the favour of God too But both such have their hazzards and temptations against which they need to be watchfull and the brother of low degree hath cause in God and his love to rejoyce and be contented And oh how happy were it with godly Christians if they had taken forth this lesson of Contentment How comfortlesse would their lives then be How blessedly free from those torturing passions of emulation envie murmuring impatience and the like wherewith the spirit is too often and too much disquieted Godlinesse with Contentment is great gaine saith the Apostle as if the purchase were small where Contentment is wanting And indeed much of the benefit and advantage is taken away where this lesson of Contentation is not taken forth perfectly And how unbeseeming is it to an heire of the promises to be Malecontent for worldly wants or afflictions How thwarting to the wisedome of God as if he knew not best to make allowance to his children How terrible to lie disconsolate in death or any deadly trouble moaning as that great Emperour when he lay dying at Yorke In my life time I have been all things and now nothing doth me good I wâ—sh to your Worship all the comforts and mercies of God in Christ both in life and death and therunto at this time I commend to your reading this little Treatise of Contentment resting ever Your Worships much obliged W. JEMMAT A Table Alphabeticall of the chiefe things in this Booke A ADaâ—s sin had many sinnes in it pag 35 Afflictions foyled by Contentment 3. the necessity of them in three respects 6 disposed of God for time measure and end 4 Age the incommodities of it 114 priviledges of it 115 comforts of it 116 Aged people called on to prove time well 179 B Barrennesse to bee quietly endured how 105 Bernards discription of worldly pleasure 92 C Callings crosses in them to be borne contentedly how 77 Common-wealth evills in it how to be borne 24 Comparisons two fold use of them 192. Contempt of the world how to be born contentedly 52 Contentation the daughter of godlinesse Praef. meanes and motives to work it 131 power of godlines to breed it whence 139 Countrey and friends left comfort in it 62 D Death terrible 118 comforts in it 119 necessity of dying 121 utility 123 Death of friends comfort in it 73 Deformity of body to be borne quietly how 100 E Estates we live in yeelds discontents yet be comforted in them how 85 Examples of holy men perswading Contentment 136 Experience without grace availeth not 107 F Friends unkindnesse comfort in it 70 and in their death 73 G Glory obtained by afflictions how 14 Godlinesse what it doth to breed Contentment 145 Goods lost comfort in it 64 Graces bred beautified and exercised by afflictions 8 Grave terrible comfort in it 127 Great sins should not overtrouble the soule 38 H Happinesse of Saints raised by certaine staires 127 Heavenly happinesse attained in death 125 Honor from above how to be getten 98 Honor due to Ministers threefold 210 Honors of the world lost or not had comfort in it 94 I Iudgement at the last day not dreadfull to beleevers why 129 all imperfections and blemishes then done away 101 Iustification the ground of Contentment 143 L Liberty lost comfort in it 61 Life lost comfort in it 66 Lingring sicknesse how to be borne contentedly 111 why suffered by God 113 M Martyrs very forward to suffer 69 Ministers calling most crost comfort for them 83 they are Christs souldiers in two respects 197 their weapons 198 204 their enemies 199 cause of warre 200 Ministery no easie calling but dangerous 201 Misery all ended in death foure wayes 123 Molestation Satanicall how to be borne quietly 28 Multitude of sinnes should not too much trouble 32 Mystery in godlinesse and in Contentment 152 N Nature content with little Grace with lesse 136 Nature teacheth not the price of time 168 O Opportunities of good nine Instances 156 Orbity uncomfortable comforts in it 105 P Persecution to be endured contentedly how 57 Pleasures lost or lacking comfort therein 90 Poore men how profitable in their times 184 Preparation to death what and how 121 R Redeeming of time what 161 Relapses comfort in case of them 44 Repentance two effects of it furthered by afflictions 10 Rich men should be specially carefull of spending their time 182 S Scandals and Schismes foretold turned to good c. 18 Sicknes to be born coÌ„tentedly how 107 Sinnes merit afflictions and are purged by them 6 Sinnes multitude greatnesse relapse how answered 32 T Temporals mercifully withholden 137 Time to be wholly improoved for good 155. Motives 185 preciousnesse of time in six things 162. 165 skill to prize it comes of God 168 be sparing of time 7 Motives 172 Theeves that steale time away 174 V Vnion with Christ not dissolved in the grave 128 Unite forces against the common enemy 208 Uses of sicknesse sanctified six 108 W Warre of Christians especially of Ministers 193 Wealth lost or not had comfort in it 85 Works good mentioned to the Saints in the last judgement not bad 131 Worlds hatred contentment in it 47 Y. Yong people admonished to spend their time well 177 FINIS THE AVTHORS PREFACE AFter we have shewed the gaine of godlinesse out of 1 Tim. 6. 6. now we come to speake of the priviledge of it that it brings Contentment with it whereby the heart of a godly man is stayed and resteth in God well apaid with that estate and measure of goods which the Lord
the living God This blood is never dry the vertue of it never wasted the good Samaritan will pay all 3 The promise of God is that upon our repentance the multitude of our sinnes shall be no barre to his mercy Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked man shall turne from all his wickednesse all his transgressions shall not be mentioned unto him Nay rather where sin abounds grace shall superabound Rom. 5. 20. 4 Mercy pleaseth him yea unstinted mercy when Peter asked our Saviour how oft his brother offending should be pardoned whether unto seven times our Saviour answered I say not unto thee till seven times but unto seventy times seven times that is so oft as he repenteth If God require in man in whom is but a drop of mercy that he should not pardon by tale and number but so oft as the brother returneth he must have all forgiven how much more must the Lord whose wayes are above mans and with whom is the Ocean of mercy and who delighteth in nothing more then mercy be infinite and unstinted in pardoning when we truely returne Indeed the number of our sinnes is such as may well set us in a maze and astonish us and when wee see them grow to so great a reckoning if the Lord did pardon by number and not beyond such a number wee might sinke under them But when when we see him a Chirurgion that hath salve enough for all wounds and infinite playsters of compassion to heale all our sinnes this upholds us and make us sue to him for pardon We have a sea of rebellions but he hath a farre more bottomelesse sea of compassions to drowne them in 5 Oppose the examples of great sinners readily received to mercy As of Adam in whose one sinne were couched many first contempt of Gods Commandement who charged him not to eat of the forbidden fruit secondly incredulity not beleeving that word In the day thou eatest thou shalt dye thirdly unthankfulnesse not contented with their good estate fourthly pride desiring to be like unto God and know good and evill fiftly presumption that they should not die though they did eate sixtly murder and homicide bringing death upon themselves and all their posterity In a word this one sinne was the breach of all Gods Commandements and was a sinne out of measure sinfull First in regard of the fruits of it the contagion of all mankinde secondly of Adams person whose excellent gifts might easily have resisted thirdly of the facility of the Commandement it was no hard one fourthly of the place Paradise where he wanted no content and had no provocation And yet Adam thus tumbling in a multitude of sinnes had mercy offered before he required and a gracious promise of the like to all his posterity Here we see the father of the Prodigall childe running to meet his sonne a farre off even before he say I will returne to my father Consider also the example of David who sinned grievously 1 Against God who had done many things for him above other as he confesseth Against thee against thee have I sinned Psal. 51. 4. 2 Against Uriah by defiling and dishonesting his wife more deare to him then all his substance by making him drunke and taking away his sobriety and by taking away his life being so faithfull and good a subject adventuring his life for the safety and honour of his Countrey A bloody sinne 3 Against Bathsheba whose sober and formerly chaste minde hee had corrupted and whose body hee defiled 4 Against his owne house and family by bringing into it dishonor uncleannesse death and sword Dishonour by bringâ—â—g in a bastard by which he made the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to blaspheme Vncleannâ—sse and fâ—â—lenesse by the sinne so much the fâ—uler as the person was higher Death of the childe borne in adultery and the sword which never departed out of his house This sin was every way odious and yet see the readinesse of God to pardon this multitude of sinnes Nathan comes and tels David of it David said I have sinned and Nathan saith presently The Lord hath put away thy sinne 2 Sam. 12. Whereunto adde that God by forgiving many sinnes as to Mary will be loved so much the more Luke 7. 47. And let this stay and content the heart laden with many sinnes if repenting beleeving and saying There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared CHAP. VI Of the greatnesse of sinne trouble and Contentment AGainst the greatnesse of sinne a penitent and godly heart quieteth it selfe by these Meditations 1 The promise of God to them that returne and repent Esay 1. 18. If your sinnes be as red as scarlet and as crimson I will make theâ— as white as snow What offences can be more hainous or enormities more capitall then these bloody scarlet sinnes and yet God offereth mercy for them But that Text hath more comfort for he doubles the words scarlet and crimson sins which notes the reigne and dominion of sinne and the doubling of their sinnes for these colours are not made without a double tincture in the wooll and cloath of a double die and deeper colour So though a man be died in grain with a double die of sin originall and actuall and so resemble scarlet yet upon his repentance here is an offer of free grace Beside the doubling of the promise should double our hope and confidence in the certainty of this grace and favour of God that our sinnes of a double dye seeming hard to be washed out yet shall not foyle the gracious promise of mercy The like is that of Christ Matth. 12. 31. Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men onely excepting the sinne against the Holy Ghost which is joyned with finall impenitency 2 The merit and price of Redemption which is the Blood of Christ the Sonne of God God shed his Blood and was this onely to get remission of smaller sinnes that had beene but a small thing to us and not of greater But herein is this blood preferred above al the blood of Buls and Goats that what that could not put away this precious blood of the unspotted Lambe washeth as white as snow This was notably figured in the sacrifice of the red Cow offered for a sinne-offering for the Congregation of Israel Numb. 19. 6. The Cow must be red whole burnt and in the â—urning the Priest must cast into the midst of the fire Cedar-wood Hyssope and Scarlet Lâ—ce Christ was figured by this Cow red as shee strong and fresh without blemish as she or spot of sin on Wch never came yoake as she not subject to any commandement of men slaine without the gate as she that is crucified without Ierusalem Hebr. 13. 12. burnt whole as she that is as it were consumed with the hoâ—e wrath of God due to sinne an Holocaust With Cedar-wood and Hyssope as shee to be a sacrifice of sweet smell
the clay and was ready to be sterved Iohn Baptist cast into Herods prison and there lost his head The like of our owne Martyrs 4 It waiteth Gods gracious deliverance who sometime by such strait keeping prepares them to their advancement as Ioseph and the Butler of Pharaoh restored to his office or else by delivering them from the prison of the body sets them out of all bands and danger of Tyrants into the perfect liberty of the sonnes of God In the losse of Countrey and friends godlinesse contenteth the heart on these grounds 1 Because the Lord is our habitation Psalm 90. 1. that is in our exiles and wandrings the Lord is a dwelling-place whose dwelling is every where He knowes our wandrings and leads us in and out Ezek. 11. 16. Though I have cast them from farre among the heathen and scattered them among the countries yet will I bee to them a little Sanctuary in the countries where they shall come As the Heathens were wont to say To a valiant man every soyle is his Countrey so may the godly much more every Countrey is their home one as well as another for their home is in heaven 2 It hath beene the lot of Gods Saints who knew the discommodities of banishment and exile Abraham was commanded to get him out of his owne Countrey from his kinred and fathers house he knew not whither onely he knew the Lord went before him and with him and therefore Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham being called obeyed God and went to a place not knowing whither How was Iacob forced to flie from his fathers house for feare of Esau Christ himselfe must flie his Countrey assoone as ever he was borne to save his life and Heb. 11. The Saints wandred up and downe in Mountains in caves c. An happy thing to wander in faith and for keeping faith and a good conscience as they did 3 It maketh the Saints looke to their Countrey and Fathers house in heaven so did those ancient Beleevers Hebr. 11. 9 10. and to acknowledge themselves strangers and pilgrimes on earth as Iacob Gen. 47. 9. They were content with promises onely a farre off and received them gladly and every where built Altars to God where they came A stranger in his way takes all things patiently when hee comes home hee knowes hee shall have audience redresse and supply In the losse of goods for Christ godlinesse contenteth thus 1 It is wealth enough to bee poore with Christ and for Christ for God is the portion and Godlinesse the great gaine His wealth is within 2 This is a thankfull returne of duty We know that Christ being rich became poore to enrich us and therefore we may be content to be so for him Wee cannot lose so much nor so precious wealth for him as hee for us Alive he had not a place to hide his head nor ground to bury him being dead 3 The Lord taketh away but his owne which hee had lent for we brought not hing into the world if they shouldnot have left us we should have left them ere long the Lord hath given and taken blessed be his name 4 God hath more and greater things to bestow on his children then any they can bee spoiled of Hence the Saints suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had in Heaven a better and enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. And the promise is no more largethen faithful that whosoever forsaketh goods lands or houses for Christs sake and the Gospels shall have an hundreth fold for the present with affliction and in the world to come life everlasting Ample restitution Mat. 19. 29. 5 Even for the present a godly heart resteth on the gracious love and powerfull providence of God towards it It seeth him doe great and wonderfull things for the soule and dares trust him for the body too It seeth him feeding the Ravens and Sparrowes and knoweth it selfe dearer to him then many of them David never saw the righteous forsaken nor was it ever seen that he or his seed begged In the losse of life for Christ a godly heart setteth before it 1 Christs giving his life for him and was not his life and glory as deare to him and is not ours become adebt unto him whensoever he pleases to call for it and sanctified by his 2 The Lords most gracious promise for encouragement that whosoever shall lose his life for Christ shall finde it Mat. 10. 39 viz. with usury advantage He that spares his seed loseth it but he that sowes it saves it finds it with best advantage 3 The Lords speciall providence not an haire of the head can fal without it much lesse the head it selfe and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints Our lives are in the hands of God and not of tyrants who cannot take them awoy all God have said the word Nebuchadnezzar could not burne Sidrak and his fellows Pharaoh could not drown Moses an infant but Moses must drowne him and his 4 It is an honorable thing to suffer for righteousnes how shamefull painful soever the death seem to be as with Christ himself Never so glorious powerful a death never so shameful and painfull Godlines sets Iesus before our cies the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. 5 The enemy intēding to kil them cures them The gold of God by death is purged from al drosse The wheat of God beaten by this flaile frō al chaffe free frō all sin misery By banishing them out of the earth they call them out of their banishmēt to inhabittheir heavenly Canaan as Pharaoh by oppressing Israel and thrusting them out of his land helped them on to their promised Canaan They seek to destroy the Church as in mans reason it would but the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church the enemies of it by violence plant and water it They thinke to bring shame and infamy upon Gods people by most ignominious death but as the sweet drugges cast out the pleasantest smell when they bee stamped so the Martyrs are as sweet incense cast into the fire They thinke to keep low and worke wisely as Pharaoh to root out Gods people but as Camomile the more troden the thicker and greener it groweth so Gods people even under the foot of Pharaoh increased more mightily for the bloody decree Nay when they thinke to bring death the chiefe of all evils they can inflict they deliver them from all evils of sinne and punishment and send them speedily to the fruition of the chiefe good which is God himselfe and all the pleasures at his right hand 6 The faithfull are fearelesse of the most extreme torments and can contemne them because they know themselves invincible and their
faith inexpugnable They may be slaine but not overcome Enemies may kill the body but withall they free the spirit from the burthen of it Neither can they keep the body ever in dust and ashes no more then by all their strength and policy they could the body of Christ in the grave but it shall rise out of the ashes to a glorious and everlasting life in which faith it is content the life bee laid downe for Christ Hence the Disciples were glad they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ Hence the Martyrs in the Primitive Church were so forward to offer their lives to Christ as the woman of Edissa came running with her young childe in her armes left the Christians should be burned before she came and shee not burned with them The like of Polycarpâ— of Blanditta a peerelesse woman of Acolus a mirrour of patience and others And what of our owne Martyrs who could sing to God in the midst of the flames By these and the like Motives a godly heart becomes not onely contented to dye for Christ but joyfull and desirous CHAP. XI Of friends unkindnesse or death and Contentment therein WEe have spoken of private evils in the first kind namely more spirituall against all which we have heard how godlines fenceth the heart with contentment Now we are to proceed to temporall and they respect either others or our selves The former is especially when we are afflicted in our friends and that two wayes either in the unkindnesse of them living or losse of them by death Godlinesse contenteth the Christian man in the former upon these or the like grounds 1 It lets him see how unkinde himself hath bin to God and well deserved that his friends should use him as he hath done his best friend 2 It hath this good use to draw neer unto God grow up into familiarity and acquaintance with him as David Ps. 27. 10. my father mother forsooke me but the Lord tooke me up And a faithful heart knows that Gods love is not so flitting but loving once he loveth to the end Al they who were bound in bonds of nature and other offices to David were forced by Sauls malice and tyranny to leave him to himselfe but then God stuck to him 3 It seeth it self in no worse condition then the Saints of old Who slew Abel but his own brother who mocked Noah but his own son Cham who sold Ioseph hated him but his brethren who unjustly blamed our Lord Iesus Christ but his brethren kindred according to the flesh Ioh. 7. 3 4. Who betrayed him but one whoÌ„ he had chosen to be his Disciple he that ate bread with him at his table It was thou my friend and familiar Oh but this is a great crosse out of mine owne bosome from husband or wife or out of my own bowels from childe where should I looke for comfort but from hence True but first So long as the combate is not with God if he looke graciously on thy soule if Christ thy husband smile upon thee thou mayest beare the frownes of a froward husband or wife the better 2 This is a great outward tryall but perhaps other inferior ones have been neglected and small things will not make great hearts stoupe Besides crosses of another kinde would not smart so much nor sticke so long Here is a continuall dropping Bee sure to bee well softened 3 It is neverthelesse no other then the deare Saints of God have bin humbled bettered by Was not Iobs greatest trouble out of his owne bosome Was not his breath strange to his wife who would not be intreated for their childrens sake Was it not Sampsons overthrow Was not David mocked by his Michal Besides had not Iacob his greatest exercise from his own bowels his only daughter defloured one sonne banished another an adulterer another incestuous another yea sundry of them murtherers Was not David exercised by his rebellious Absalom See we not at this day most gracious Parents tryed shamed with most gracelesse children wherein is seene that men beget children in their owne image in corrupt nature not according to grace and that every good childe is of God In the losse and departure of our friends by death godlinesse quieteth the Christian by these Motives 1 The decease of our friends is not by chance but by Gods disposing who turneth man to dust and saith againe Returne ye sons of men And herein we must imitate holy Iob who blessed God as well in taking away his children as in giving them 2 Our good friends perish not neither have we lost them but sent them before unto the Kingdome of Heaven Their death is not an end but a passage They are blessed that are dead in the Lord or rather sleep in the Lord Ioh. 11. 11. We must not envy their happinesse and quiet rest into which they are arrived out of the restlesse sea of this world nor immoderately mourne in blacke for them who are clothed in long white robes washed in the blood of the Lambe 3 They shall be restored unto us in their bodies glorified and made like the glorious body of Christ and joyned for ever unto us again in a better and eternall life 4 Our best friend never dyes nor failes us and therefore we may more contentedly part with other that are not so neer us neither can doe us so much good Strait is the knot between man and wife which so long as it lasteth other losses of acquaintance and kinsfolks are more tolerable if the loving husband and wife remaine together But the love of God cannot be broken there is a neerer and straiter bond betweene him and the godly then between man and wife If we can see this bond tyed between God and our friends and God and our selves we shall in decease of our dearest friends comfort our selves neither fearing to commit them into the hands of their best friend God the father of mercies nor yet our selves without them to be destitute of frieÌ„ds seeing our best friend stands by us in whom and for whom they are to bee loved This consideration may quiet those who are as impatient in the death of their frâ—ends as Annah was in the waÌ„t of children to whom Elkanah said Am not I better to thee then ten sons Say with Elkanah Is not God better to me then ten husbands or ten thousand children Simeon having Christ in his arms could dy in peace 5 We shall not want friends on earth in stead of them who are taken from us so farre as God seeth good for us His hand is not shortened â—ee can raisâ— us better friends and if men were wanting faith in his promises would make the bruit beasts friendly to us before we should faile The Lyons shall preserve Daniel The Ravens shall feed Elias The dogges of the rich glutton shall licke Lazarus sores and shew
24. Shall Christ so willingly buckle under his crosse and shall wee be as Simon of Cyrene who wiâ—â— not beare it unlesse it be forced upon us The whole life of Christ was a continuall sorrow we read hee wept thrise over Lazarus over Ierusalem and in the garden but never that he laughed 2 The pleasures worthy a Christian are the pleasures of Gods house standing in remission of sinne peace with God peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost and these are so proper and peculiar to the godly as they agree to no other These are the pleasures of an high and excellent straine which we are to reserve our hearts and affections for and the other in comparison of these heavenly and spirituall joyes to bee loathed and contemned Delight thy selfe in the Lord of all other delight say as Salomon It is madnesse 3 Solomon who tryed his heart with all worldly delights pronounced of them all that they are vanity and vexation of spirit And the Apostle affirmeth of widowes living in pleasure that they are dead while they live And what other is the profit of the lives of Epicures and bâ—lly-gods who seeke nothing more then to live in ease and pleasure They choake all holy cogitations unfit them as enemies to all godly studies refuse as uncapable all good admonitions and degenerate men from men into filthy beasts How do they infect the mind oppresse the soule dull the wit waste the body and bring harmes on a man a thousand more This made one of the fathers describe worldly pleasures thus It is an harlot fitting in her chariot whose foure wheeles are Gluttony Lust Pride in apparell Idlenesse the two horses are Prosperity and Abundance the two drivers are Idlenesse and Security and if he had added the retinue or attendants that follow and wait upon her as griefe too late repentance pale-faced sicknesse leane consumption beggery and death hee had made a most absolute description But who cannot by the quality of the Mistresse gather the nature of her handmaids Now this being the troup of earthly and unsanctified pleasures they are not onely to be contemned but hated of all Christians 4 Consider this present life as a warfare a pilgrimage a moment on which eternity dependeth a day of grace a space of repentance and of strife to enter in at the strait gate the time of our absence from home and from the Lord And how can we sing so merrily in a strange land What a number of enemies besiege us and watch for our security What a bad constitution is my heart of How labours it of the poison of sin How is it with me other then a seafaring man When he is safest there is but an inch between him and death and how can I in all these miseries set my selfe on a merry pin as the rich glutton did who heard that sentence Son remember thou hadst thy pleasure here and Lazarus paine but now hee is comforted and thou art tormented Or how shall God wipe away my teares in heaven if I shed none in earth And how shall I reap in joy if I sow not in teares I was borne with teares and shall die with teares why should I live without them in this valley of teares 5 Since our sinne cast us out of Paradise that place was shut up that we should looke for no Paradise on earth any more but toward that heavenly Paradise whereof the other was a type Wee must therefore use the world as not using it rejoyce as not rejoycing and not suffer any worldly joyes to be as the Devils birdlime to hinder us from mounting aloft in heavenly meditations here and much lesse to dimme our sight from beholding those admirable joyes and pleasures at Gods right hand prepared for the Saints How easie a thing were it to be a lover of pleasure more then of God but withall how dreadfull and unhappy Therefore I have them I must be watchfull if not I must be thankfull and contented 6 All the world cannot take my joy from me if I rejoyce in these things That my name is written in Heaven That Christ is mine as when Siâ—â—on had him in his armes and Zacheus in his house And in the testimony of a good conscience and a life purely led according to the Word So of earthly pleasures In the want or losse of worldly honours and preferments godlinesse inforceth on the heart contentment upon these grounds 1 It teacheth to lay the foundati on of true Christianity in humility and in the knowledge of our selves Our selves are in our best mettall but dust and clay and ashes Our estate is to be borne to misery as the sparkes to fly upward Ioh. 5. 7. And by sin we are the children of death which by sin entred into the world This sinne of ours dishonouring God hath layd all our honour in the dust And the way to come to true honour againe is by humility which can neither greedily desire worldly advancements nor too impatiently bewaile their losse For this purpose Christ proposeth to us the example of a little child to whom we must be like Luk. 9. 47. 2 It lets a man see the truth of that our Saviour answering the woman who desired that one of her soÌ„s might sit at his right hand and the other at his left in his Kingdome Yee aske ye know not what Mat. 20. 20. It is the blindnesse of ambitious men that excessively love and prize their honors to seeke to be aloft Little doe they know or thinke that they are climbing up to a greater and sudden fall as our Saviour saith He that exalieth himselfe shall be brought low Mat. 23. 12. Haman that was lifted up above all the Princes of Ahashuerus within one twelve moneths space was hanged on a paire of gallowes fifty cubits high of his own making Trees which stand in higher hils are subject to more vehement and blustering winds Little doe these see the temptations which their high estates expose them unto If smaller cares in a lower place distract a man from prayer and other spirituall exercises how should a man give himselfe to God when hee is burthened with more change and cares Little see they how little soundnesse and stability is in that honour which they raise themselves unto by dishonouring God by Machiavilian policies by supplanting others by playing the hypocrites and making shew of good parts which were never in them yea and which is supported and maintained by the same means doubled and repeated A building so weakely or rather wickedly founded threateneth a great ruine 3 Earthly honors are so far from furthering heavenly as they rather hinder the same In the history of Christs temptation may be observed what Chrysost noteth that the Devill caries men up aloft that he may throw them down headlong What an headlong fall had we all in Adam when not content with his estate he would be liker God theÌ„ he
their worth A world of advantage above men of the world Fiftly godlinesse doth two things about earthly matters which are the ordinary causes of discontent One to shew the vanity of them that they are the slenderest and slightest favours which God bestowes on his children and many times thinkes good to bestow most largely on his very enemies Which if we shall often and earnestly thinke of we shall be the better contented either to want them or be scanted in them The like of cSmon gifts of illumination memory utterance eloquence courtlinesse and the like The other to teach us to accustome our selves to have what we have as if we possessed not and to use the world as not using it namely with much weignednesse and retyrednesse as those that are forced to make use of them and not those that come willingly and eagerly to an enjoyment 1 Cor. 7. 30 31. Contempt of the world brought some of the Philosophers to a strange kinde of resolution for quieting their mindes in all sad accidents Pitty it should not doe the like for true Christians who have better Principles better Evidences and matters of comfort and better assurance of the glory and felicity of heaven Sixtly godlinesse teacheth that we must goe farther then Contentment namely to be thankefull and blesse God even for afflictions to rejoyce in the Lord alwayes to count it a mercy that we are not consumed and already in hell to esteeme our selves lesse then the least of all Gods mercies to rejoyce in tribulations and account it all joy when we fall into divers temptations to make our selves equall to them of the lower sort who though they deserve as much as we or more yet fare not so well and How many deare children hath God in sundry places who would be glad of our scraps together with the peace of our Sion and prosperity of the Gospell And finally to suffer persecutions with Ioy and Contentment as did the Martyrs and Confessors in those bitter dayes which how shall they doe who have not attained Contentment in a better and quieter condition they that cannot runne with a footman how can they thinke to keepe company with an Horseman Consider learne to be godly and thereby learne to be contented There is a mystery in godlinesse and a mystery in Contentment In both we must become schollers and be instructed Both Arts to be had in the schoole of Christ and by the power of Christ I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me saith the Apostle where he speakes of learning Contentment It is thine own fault if thou obtaine not this grace as well as other and thou must not complain of crosses but of thy selfe who makest not use of the grace that is offered He that gave commandment to be content with such things as we have is ready also to give power thereunto And it is pitty but hee should be eaten up of discontent who respecteth neither the one nor the other No marvell if men wonder at him asking how it comes to passe and if himselfe finde no quietnesse in any calling or condition nor die contented with his terme of life and that portiō of goods wch the most wise God thought fit to cōmit unto him He that observeth lying vanities forsaketh his owne mercies To say nothing of those whom discontent hath brought to selfe-murder to the mudering of others to take counsell of the Devill to change their religion to prostitute their consciences to Antiachrist c. Had they not been crost discontented they had never done as now they have done nor should we ever have heard of such dolefull conclusions and confusions LUKE 3. 14. Be content with your wages 1 TIM. 6. 8. Having food and rayment let us be therewith content FINIS A TREATISE OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF TIME CHAP. I. Every part of our time may and must be improved for good THere is no part of time which the Lord hath not specially fitted for some good use and by wise application may not be a season either to doe good or receive good One way or other in the generall or speciall calling a Christian may be profitably diligent even every day and houre Numbers for want of skill or care in the midst of great meanes are very beggers and bankrupts in grace finde nothing to doe and all the day long stand idle in the market-place For whose better direction I will in few words shew that the LORD ordereth such a multitude of good occasions to waite on every part of our life for doing good to our selves or others that if we were wise to apprehend and take them up no houre of our many daies could passeus without accomplishing some notable good First what time is there in which the Lord holds not out one benefit or other to us spirituall or temporall wherwith he stretcheth out his hands all the day long Where can a man goe but he enjoyes the creatures of God the Sunne the ayre meate drinke or the like helpes of nature or of grace Where may he not observe these benefits to provoke himselfe to thankfulnesse Lord what is man that thou art mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him Psal. 8. 4. Secondly where shall a man goe but he may finde an altar to offer the sacrifice of almes even some object of mercy and with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13. Oh how might an able man that is willing withall be ever furthering his reckoning and drawing on himselfe the prayers of poore Saints and resemble God himselfe who is ever communicating his goodnesse to the creature and in conclusion helpe himselfe into everlasting habitations Thirdly through the day a man may meet with some rubbes crosses afflictions And how should these help to keep him humble lowly in his owne eyes and set him a new on examining his owne heart and turne all other sorrow into godly sorrow for sinne which is the cause of affliction Fourthly at other times God offereth cause of rejoycing for some blessing on a mans selfe or his or some speciall worke of mercy to the land to the countrey where he lives to the Church to the Churches abroad c And now a Psalme would relish well David would rather rise at midnight to praise the Lord then slip such a season and would ask himselfe What shall I render unto the Lord Psalme 116. 12. Fiftly sometimes through the day a Christian may heare of or see the misery and affliction of others in their soules or bodies And now if he would goe into the house of mourning hee might come forth wiser more mortified more weined from the world more fit for death and for giving up his accounts with joy And to put on bowels of compassion remembring the afflictions of Ioseph and be affected as true and feeling members use to be would argue him a sound and living member of that
salvation that we should not consider it in the fleeting vanity of time but in the blessed use and imployment of it 3 In this short and painfull time we may as well treasure in heaven as rich worldlings doe in earth onely if in this our day we can know the time of our visitation 4 Acknowledging this our time by thrifty husbanding it we may gaine a great estate in grace to be rich in knowledge in faith and in all good workes to which we are invited by the parable of the Talents Matth. 25. Trafficke till I come And what thinke we is the Masters absence for eating drinking gaming and breaking out into all manner of ryot and not rather for imployment and occupying with the Talent that a man being faithfull a small time in small things may be made ruler of much 5 In this our seed-time wee may gaine the assurance of a blessed harvest If we sowe to the Spirit wee shall reape of it eternall life And what if wee goe forth in teares and tempests yet must we not neglect to sowe the Husbandman will sowe in a storme or shower the sorrow shall passe as a storme but he shall bring his sheaves with joy 6 Wee may gaine a ready and comfortable account to which we know not how soone we shall be called and our chiefe use of the present time must be to doe it with joy The unjust steward was commended who knowing he was to be no longer steward thought it time to provide for himselfe while he might His wisedome was commended not his injustice CHAP. III. Shewing whence the skill comes to prize and improve time aright TO number our dayes may seeme easie and soone done yet is no such plaine point of knowledge but of singular skill which none but God can teach Moses himselfe a man of greatest reach and learned in all the learning of the Egyptians the man of God an holy man a friend of God can neither teach himselfe this skill nor any other of Gods people but goes to God to be taught who challengeth to be the God hearing prayer and in the want of Wisdome hath appointed his servants to come and aske it of him Iam. 1. 6. And if we consider we shall easily finde that nothing in the world can make men wise without the speciall teaching and grace of God Nature teacheth it not Never did naturall man attaine this skill to benefit himselfe by his owne or others frailty The voice of nature rather is Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die And that speech of David in temptation is the speech of nature In my prosperity I said I shall never be mooved though it see taller and stronger oakes shaken and overturned every day Or how comes it to passe that children seeing their Fathers mortality can yet live in their Fathers sinnes Who is it that hath not something to shew of his deceased Parents either lands or houses or jewels or garments or some other remembrance by which he might be put in minde of their and his mortality And yet how few make this use of it for reformation of their lives or bestirre themselves to lay hold on this point of wisdome for their spirituall advantage And all because as nature cannot reach it so they goe not to the Sanctuary of God where onely this skill is attained Neither doth the sence and experience of a mans owne or others mortality teach a man thus to number his dayes if the Lord instruct him not For in Moses time the plague had oft broken out against the people and licked them up by thousands and ten thousands yet could not all this get within their hearts unlesse the Lord pleased to carry it deeper then the sense and impression could For if the Word without the Spirit cannot prevaile nor open the eare much lesse can the Workes of God And all see that if the Ministery bee not a Ministery of the Spirit it is not saving but a dead letter As for experience that may teach the shortnesse and uncertainty of life and make a man say as David I am a stranger here as all my fathers were and every man seeth numbers of his neighbours friends kindred and acquaintance laid up daily in the house of death and this which runneth into their senses can draw out thus much that we shall all dye and death is most certaine But where is this skill of numbring urging men by burials and executions to reforme their own lives where is the living man that layeth this to heart that hence laboureth to make God his portion before himselfe have no more portion of all things done under the Sun or that stirreth up himself to remember his Creator in the dayes of his youth before his sun be darke and his pitcher be broken at the Well What is the reason but because Gods Grace and teaching goeth not with sense and experience he hath spoken to the eyes and eares but not to the heart and nothing that a man seeth or heareth or that is before him can make him wiser unlesse God nurture him and teach him to profite thereby All which must draw us before God daily with that petition of Moses in our mouthes Lord teach us so to number our dayes that wemay apply our hearts unto wisedome Psal. 90. 12. CHAP. IIII. Corollaries out of things foregoing TIme being short and precious it were good to make account of it for which account must be made unto God and ever hold it in thy hand or let it goe for something better then it selfe as wise Chapmen part with their mony Or if thou hast lost any time redeeme it againe Eph. 5. 16. Recover it by a price as when we lose a thing of value we will give much to receive it againe Exchange those lusts by which thou hast lost thy time with better courses Christ mourned that Ierusalem had lost her day Luk. 19. 42. and how should we bewaile the losse of many dayes Be more carefull of time for the future and waste not prodigally so precious a commodity Consider and meditate First what reason to be niggardly of wealth and prodigall of time whereas all the wealth in the world cannot purchase one day to live longer Secondly why wilt thou not know the worth of time before the want of time as the most doe who let it run irrecoverably from between their fingers and never know what they lose till it be too late Thirdly why shouldest thou not spare before the bottome before the vessell be drawne out whereas thou canst as easily draw backe the sunne in his course as call backe an houre of time when it is past Fourthly were it not more wisedome to set an high price on time in earth then in hell Where as Bernard saith time were a good commodity and the trafficke of time most gainefull where for one
day a man would give ten thousand worlds if he had them Fifthly why do we complain of the shortnesse of our lives and not of the losse of time seeing there is none but hath more time then he useth well Sixtly why do we put any time into the account of our lives but that which we carefully passe and well spend seeing the heathen could say He was long he did not live long and one Barlaam being asked of Iosaphat how old he was answered Five and forty yeeres old to whom Iosaphat replyed thou seemest to be seventy true quoth he if you reckon ever since I was borne but I count not those which were spent in vanity If wee should thus reckon the lives of some old men we might esteeme men of seventy yeeres scarce ten dayes old Lastly consider how God in justice sometime cuts off those who make no reckoning nor set price on their time as they ought Iob 15. 32. the wicked shall die before he hath accomplished his dayes and his hand shall be cut off as the Uine in the bud that is young and tender All which together with the preciousnesse of time should make us carefull and to doe for time as we doe for things of price even beware of theeves who would steale it away as namely First worldly cares and covetousnesse whereby the minde is surcharged and sunke in the gulfe of earthlinesse and whereby men live as if time were made for nothing but the getting of wealth and laying up treasure in Chests and no time to lay up treasure in heaven as our Saviour commandeth Oh what a pilfering theefe is worldlinesse which engrosseth all the time The Oxen the Farme the Wife the like vanities take up the whole man while the supper of the great King is despised The thorny ground choakes all seed Secondly Pleasures and Pastimes which waste and drive away time even that precious time which can never be won againe A wofull thing that men should devise and doat on Pastimes seeing the Scripture speaks of no pastime but onely of passing our time in feare and onely time well past is good pastime A wofull thing that professed Christians should dare to spend halfe dayes whole daies many dayes together yea the dayes of Gods solemne worship in vain sports and pleasures which rob them of their heart wit time and grace that they can scarce willingly afford themselves an houre in a wèeke to do their soules good in A fearefull snare of Satan there is in it and a sorcery in gaining that holds a man a willing prisoner to his lusts so many houres together that he would thinke himselfe in wofull bondage to be held the hundreth part of the time in any good duty Thirdly Eating drinking and feasting This eates up much of our time and makes leane and starven soules For while men drinke in delights how is wisdome banished out of the soule how is the time insensibly stollen away besides that these cast a man into excessive sleeping by day as well as by night wherin he passeth his time as in a shadow of death These and many other pilferers of time must a good husband of time watch against as idlenesse roving thoughts bad companionship distractions and unprofitable employments alâ— which set themselves to steale away our time and hearts CHAP. V. Admonition to foure sorts of people THe doctrine of times usefulnesse and preciousnesse may in particular instances be specially applyed First unto youth Young men and maydens who thinke it a fine life to looke upon their rising sunne must consider what price they set on their dayes Why doest thou that art young account thy life more precious then an old mans is it because thou art in thy strength and vigour which in him is past If these were the price the life of a brute beast should be more precious then of any man for the beast hath more sensible and violent pleasures then he and is lesse restrained in them But the price in truth stands in this that now thou hast good wit fresh senses and all the powers of nature quick to be the servants of grace and means to enrich thee in godlinesse wherein thou art before the aged if thou knowest thy season Now examine thy selfe Have I after Saint Iohns precept or doe I use 〈◊〉 â—â—rength to overcome the world aâ—â— mine owne lusts which fight against my soule Whether hath grace seasoned my young yeares that if I should be taken away young I should be fit for God Whether have I sowed to the flesh or to the spirit If to the flesh I must looke to reape destruction for as a man soweth so must he reape And why doth God continue my youth and give me all the powers and quicknesse of nature and strength and beauty What to fight for sinne was this the Covenant I entred into in Baptisme and when I have done will it be a good answer to say I did but as other youth did How stands the case with me doe not I see my mortality in many of mine owne degree young men and maides cut off in their vigour and beauty see I not youth to be as uncertaine as age yea the flower of youth to be but as the flower of the field How had the case stood with me if God had summoned me and cut me off when he cut off such and such of my yeares and acquaintance Oh therfore I will now remember my Creator in the dayes of my youth and grow to this point of wisedome while I have meanes to be the better for them Say not I am young and God lookes not for much at my hands for God accepts no mans person because old or young but according to the knowledge faith vertue subjection and grace he accepts both young and old which how little it is considered in our youth is too plain and wofull Secondly to those of more yeeres whom young ones looke on for examples as such as should be more expert in the word of life and should have more experience as they have had more warning then the other It behooves them to consider how they have prized and husbanded their time Let me aske an ancient man or woman Why hath God given thee more yeares then those that are younger is it not that thou shouldest exceed them as farre in piety and grace as thou doest in yeares and also in means and to be an ensample to them in making a good account of both Paul puts the Colossians in minde what they were in times past and Peter to bring the Iewes to shame for that they had formerly done tells them that it was sufficient they had spent the time past in the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse gluttony revellings and abominable idolatries So every man of yeares should recount his time past What have I lived thus long â—ainly sinfully and earthly Have I all
this time little thought of Gods wayes of treasuring in heaven of my latter end and of my reckoning Oh therefore so much time as remains in the flesh I will have care to spend according to the will of God To this end consider to whom Peter and Paul wrote to new converts who had lately heard of God and his Gospell But thou hast had daily meanes wast bred up in them wast in the cradle entred into the Covenant and daily mustred and reckoned amongst Gods servants In all these yeares thou hast had a great many talents and receipts many blessed opportunities and it wil be expected thou shouldest be so farre from living in lusts as to bring in a good returne of knowledge vertue and grace It is not now sufficient to thee but too too much a great shame for thee to be so long and under such meanes and yet neglect only the one thing necessary Yet how many after so many yeares can scarce thinke of any one thing backwards soundly to comfort them but all things may justly cause them to hang downe their heads How many riots surfets disorders in their lives Night and day too little to spend in the effusion of their lusts What escapes them unabused to Gods dishonor their owne harme and spoile of the creature What waste of time thoughts and means in pride gaming and the like Can there be more horrible drunkards and adulterers among Turks and infidells then among us Let the conclusion then be that though by examination in many yeeres thou findest many errors and much time lost yet bewaile what is past as sufficient and too much and be carefull for time to come The onely way to have thy sinnes blotted out and be able to hold up thy head in the day of reckoning Thirdly To those that beside their yeares are great and rich They are double bound to this duty because they have double means opportunity For being freed from such cares distractions wch poore men are folded in it is not that they may be the freer to wallow in their lusts but that they may intend so much the more to piety and the making up of their account A poore man cannot heare read conferre so much he hath not so many spare-houres in a day but must labour perhaps his twelve houres whereas the rich hath five or sixe or more and some are freed most of the day such therefore must thinke to give up their account after sixe or seven or twelve houres release to heare read conferre and pray proportionably and so have sixe or seven or twelve times so much grace as they have so much more time and opportunity And oh that you could bring in such a reckoning as more houres more grace Another helpe that rich men have is the having portion and meanes to helpe themselves into heavenly habitations and therefore to make a good account they must see they be not onely not worse for their wealth as the most are but better Let them see how they have strengthened their lusts by riches sweld in pride bathed themselves in pleasure whereas they ought to bring in their reckoning how they have inquired into the necessity of the poore to clothe harbour and feed them that themselves may be clothed and harbored in heaven and how they have done good diabounded in good workes to the stributed yea praise of God This is another care then to devise how to spend them upon lusts and by them shut heaven upon themselves Fourthly For the poore however the Lord hath dealt unto them a weake estate and they may thinke themselves hardly used as wanting meanes to make up their reckoning yet are they not exempted from the practise of this point of wisedome And for their encouragement let them know that though they want those houres and that wealth which the rich have yet may they bring in as good a reckoning as the best Be thou never so poore thou hast the Word of God and all the publike meanes thou hast also some private meanes thy family-exercises and hence thou mayest treasure knowledge and nourish good conscience the case being with thee as those that gathered Manna every man even to the poorest gathered for his necessity and whosoever gathered had no want Neither can poverty prejudice salvation so much as wealth for to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed and who receive the Gospell but poore weake ones Object But I can give nothing Answ. Yes as much as the rich Hast thou a desire canst thou pray hast thou bowels of love in thee and compassion in thy heart hast thou commended his comfort unto God whom thou wouldest but canst not comfort Even this shall stand on thine head as a sufficient reliefe and be returned abundantly The poore Widow cast in a mite or two and it was more then all the superfluity of the rich the least gift was the best because it had the best affection and let the rich want this their work hath no reward In one word let riches and poverty meet with like affection the latter gets as farre into heaven as the former CHAP. VI Motives wisely to imploy and improve our time FIrst whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with all thy might for there is no wisedome nor counsell in the grave That which thou confessest must be done do it diligently and seasonably What a madnesse is it to riot out the time which is not ours to dispose but in the hands of God And how knowest thou what a day may bring forth Secondly every creature condemnes him that knowes not his time and season the Crane Storke and Swallow know their times and the little Emmet likewise Good trees bring fruits in season Psal. 1. 3. And we see how a naturall man observeth seasons for every thing What a fondnesse was it for Felix to put off the matter of Religion having Paul before him till another time did he know that ever the same opportunities would bee offered When the Israelites knew that the river Iordane would be dryed up they would not lose that opportunity but hasted to passe over Iosh. 4. 10. It had beene no wisedome to have stayed till the morrow nor one houre longer for as soone as the soales of the Priests feet were on dry land Iordane reflowed Thirdly consider the benefit How rich might the soule be by time well watehed and spent and by awaking the heart continually to take hold of God how plentifull in good works how many fervent prayers might bee stored up in heaven if men would stirre up their desires hereto how ready might they bee to give up a cheerefull and comfortable reckoning and receive a large retribution Fourthly consider thou carriest mortality in thy nature ever about thee as Uriah in Davids letters Thou hast no priviledge above other no lease of thy life death not bound to give thee warning and therefore while it is