will run on high battlements gallop down steep hils ride over narrow bridges walk on weak Ice and never think what if I fall but what if I passe over and fall not No he is not thus fearlesse for this is presumption and desperate madnesse not that courage and fortitude which ariseth from faith and the true fear of God but from blindnesse and invincible ignorance of their own estate As what think you Would any man put his life to a venture if he knew that when he died he should presently drop into hell I think not But let the beleeving Christian who knowes he hath a place reserved for him in Heaven have a warrant from Gods word you cannot name the service or danger that he will stick at Nor can he lightly fail of successe It is observed that Trajan was never vanquished because he never undertook warre without just cause In fine at he is most fearfull to offend so he is most couragious in a good cause as abundance of examples witnesse whereof I 'le but instance two for the time would be too short to â—ell of Abraham and Moses and Caleb and David and Gideon and Baruck and Sampson and Ieptha and many others of whom the holy Ghost gives this generall testimony that by faith of weak they are made strong waxed valiant in battel turned to flight the Armies of the Aliants subdued Kingdoms stopt the mouths of Lyons quenched the violence of the fire c. Heb. 11.22 to 35. Nor will I pitch upon Ioshua whom neither Caesar nor Pompey nor Alexander the Great nor William the Conquerour nor any other ever came near either for valour or victories but even Ionathan before and the Martyrs after Christ shall make it good As what think you of Ionathan whom neither steepness of Rocks nor multitude of enemies could discourage or diswade from so unlikely an assault Is it possible if the divine power of Faith did not add spirit and courage making men more then men that two should dare to think of encountering so many thousands and yet behold Ionathan and his Armour bearer put to flight and â—â—rified the hearts of all the Philistins being thirty thousand Chariots six thousand Horse-men and Foot-men like the sand of the Sea-shâ—re 1 Sam. 14.15 O divine power of faith that in all attemps and difficulties makes us more then men and regards no more Armies of adversaries than swarms 〈◊〉 A natural man in a project so unlikely would have had many thoughts of discouragment and strong reasons to diswade him but his faith dissolves impediments as the Sunne doth dews yea he contemns all fears over-looks all impossibilities breaks through all difficulties with a resolute courage and flies over all carnall objections with celestiall wings because the strength of his God was the ground of his strength in God But secondly To shew that their courage is no less passive than active look upon that Noble Army of Martyrs mentioned in Ecclesiastical History who went as willingly and cheerfully to the stake as our Gallants to a Play and leapt into their beds of flames as if they had been beds of down yea even weak women and young striplings when with one dash of a pen they might have been released If any shall yet doubt which of the two the Religious or Prophane are most valiant and couragious let them look upon the demeanour of the twelve Spies Numb the 13th and 14th Chapters and observe the difference between the two faithfull and true hearted and the other ten then will they conclude that Piety and Religion doth not make men Cowards or if it do that as there is no feast to the Churles so there is no fight to the Cowards True they are not soon not easily provoked but all the better the longer the could fit in an Ague the stronger the hot fit I know men of the Sword will deem those the greatest Cowards that are least apt to fight But as when it was objected to a Martyr that his Christ was but a Carpenters sonne he aswered yea but such a Carpenter as built Heaven and Earth so we grant we are Cowards as they tearm us but such cowards as are aâ—le to prevail with God Gen. 32.26 28. Exod. 32.10 And overcome the World the Flesh and the Devil 1 Ioh. 5.4 Gal. 5.24 1 â—oh 2.14 which is as much valour and victory as we care for Truâ—â— is truth as well when it is not acknowledged as when it is and experience tell us that he who fears not to do evill is alwayes afraid to suffer evill Yea the Word of God is expresse That none can be truly valarous but such as are truly religious The wicked fly when none pursueth but the righeous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 The reason whereof iâ— If they live they know by whom they stand if they die they know for whose sake they fall But what speak I of their not fearing death when they shall not fear even the day of Iudgment 1 Joh. 4.17 Hast not thou O Saviour biddeâ— us when the Elements shall be dissolved and the Heavens shall be flaming about our ears to lift up our heads with joy because our redemption draweth nigh Luk. 21.25 to 29 Wherefore saith the valiant Believer come death come fire come whirlewinde they are worthy to be welcome that shall carry us to immortality Let Pagans and Infidels fear death saith St. Cyprian who never feared God in their life but let Christians go to it as travellers unto their native home as Children unto their loving Father willingly joyfully Let such fear to die as have no hope to live a better life well may the brute beasts fear death whose end of life is the conclusion of their being well may the Epicure tremble at it who with his life looketh to lose his felicity well may ignorant and unrepentant sinners quake at it whose death begins their damnation well may all those make much of this life who are not sure of a better because they are conscious to themselves that this dying life will but bring them to a living death they have all sown in sinne and what â—an they look to reap but misery and vanity sinne was their traffique and grief will be their gain detestable was their life and damnable will be their decease But it is otherwise with the Godly they may be killed but cannot be hurt for even death that fiend is to them a friend like the Read Sea to the Israelites which put them over to the Land of Promise while it drowned their enemies It is to the faithful as the Angels were to Lot who snatcht him out of Sodome while the rest were consumed with fire and Brimstone Every believer is Christs betrothed Spouse and death is but a messenger to bring her â—ome to her Husband and what chaste or loving Spouse will not earnestly desire the presence of her Bridegroom as St. Austin speaks Yea the day of death to them is the day of
labour yea I cannot endure enough to come to Heaven Lastly Ignatius going to his Martyrdom was so strongly ravished with the joyes of Heaven that he burst out into these words Nay come fire come beasts come breaking my bones racking of my body come all the torments of the Devill together upon me come what can come in the whole earth or in hell so I may enjoy Iesus Christ in the end I might shew the like touching temptations on the right hand which have commonly more strength in them and are therefore more dangerous because more plausible and glorious When Valence sent to offer Basil great preferments and to tell him what a great man he might be Basil answers Offer these things to Children not to Christians When some bad stop Luthers mouth with preferment one of his adversaries answered it was in vain he cares neither for Gold nor Honour And when they offered to make him a Cardinall if he would be quiet he answered No. I will not betray the truth by my silence if you would make me Pope When Valence the Emperour offered Basil great sums of money and high preferment to tempt him he answered can you give me money that shall last for ever and glory that will eternally flourish When Pyrrhus tempted Fabritius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before he had not seen the next day with Money and promises of Honour he answered I fear not thy force and I am too wise for thy fraud But I shall be censured for exceeding Thus hope refresheth a Christian as much as misery depresseth him it makes him defie all that men or Devils can do saying Take away my goods my good name my friends my liberty my life and what else thou canst imagin yet I am well enough so long as thou canst not take away the reward of all which is an hundred sold more even in this world and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10.29 30. I confess many are such Milksops for want of Faith and experience that they are dishartned with Scoffs alone but no need For if they should turn their words into blowes and instead of using their tongues take up their swords and kill us they shall rather pleasure than hurt us When Iohn Baptists was delivered from a double prison of his own of Herods and placed in the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God what did he lose by it His head was taken off that it might be crowned with glory he had no ill bargain of it they did but hasten him to immortality and the Churches daily prayer is Come Lord Iesus come quickly Yea what said blessed Bradford In Christs cause to suffer death is the way to Heaven on Horsback which hath made some even slight the sentence of death and make nothing of it It is recorded of one Martyr that hearing the sentence of his condemnation read wherein was exprest many severall tortures of starving killing boyling burning and the like which he should suffer he turns to the People and with a smiling countenance saies And all this is but one death and each Christian may say of what kinde soever his sufferings be The sooner I get home the sooner I shall be at ease Yea whatever threatens to befall him he may answer it as once that noble Spartan who being told of the death of his Children answered I knew well they were all begot mortall Secondly that his goods were confiscate I knew what was but for my use was not mine Thirdly that his honour was gone I knew no glory could be everlasting on this miserable Earth Fourthly that his sentence was to dye That 's nothing Nature hath given like sentence both of my condemners and me Wicked men have the advantage of the way but godly men of the end Who fear not death because they feared God in their life I know carnall men will either not believe this or should they see it acted as in Queen Macies dayes they would be amazed at it And no wonder for to speak truth Faith and Patience are two miâ—acles in a Christian A Protestant Martyr being at the stake in the midst of furious and outragious flames cried out Behold ye Papists whom nothing will convince but Miracles here see one indeed for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a bed of Down yea it is to me like a bed of Roses and Cassianus reporteth that when a Martyr was tormented by the Infidels and asked by way of reproach What Miracle his CHRIST had done he answered He hath done what you now he hold enabled me so to bear your contumelies and undergo all these tortures so patiently that I am not once moved and is not this a miracle worthy yout taking notice of And indeed what have we by our second birth which is not miraculous in comparison of our naturall condition It was no lesse then a miracle for Zacheus a man both rich and covetous to give half his goods to the poor and make restitution with the residue and all this in his health It was a great miracle that Ioseph in the arms of his Mistress should not burn with lust It is a great miracle for a man to forsake Houses and Lands and all that he hath yea to hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and his own life to be Christs Disciple It is a great miracle to rejoyce in tribulation and smile death in the face It is a great miracle that of fierce and cruell Wolves Bears Lyons we should be transformed into meek Lambs and harmless Doves and all this by the foolishness of Preaching Christ crucified Indeed they were no miracles if nature could produce the like effect But he must not look to sâ—and in competion with grace for which consult Phil. 3 4. â—â—m 5.5 Phil. 4.13 Alas grace and faith transcend nature and reason 〈◊〉 much as reason doth sense for patience rightly so called is a Prerogaâ—â—ve royall peculiar to the Saints It is well if Philosophy have so much â—isdome as to stand amazed at it Neither is it true Christian patience â—â—cept 1. It flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the holy Ghost â— Be done in knowledge of and obedience to Gods câ—mmand 3. That we 〈◊〉 it in humility and sincere love to God 4. That it be done in faith â— That we aim at Gods glory not at our own and the Churches good 〈◊〉 our sufferings 6. That we forgive as well as forbear yea love â—â—ay for and return good to our enemies for their evill And thus you see how patient suffering is rewarded both here and â—â—reafter that we lose whatever we do lose by our enemies no otherwise â—â—an the husbandman loseth his seed for whatever we part withall is but 〈◊〉 seed cast into the ground which shall even in this life according to our â—â—â—viours promise return unto us the increase of an hundred fold and in 〈◊〉
their Coronation and what Princely heir does not long for the day of his instâ—lmâ—â—t and rejoyce when it comes Certainly it was the sweetest voitâ— that ever the Thief heard in this life when Christ said unto him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23.43 In a word as death to the wicked puts an end to their short joyes and begins their everlasting sorrowes so to the Elect it is the end of all sorrow and the beginning of their everlasting joyes The end of their sorrow for whereas complaint of evils past sense of 〈◊〉 and fear of future have shared our lives amongst them death is 1. A Supersedeas for all diseases the Resurrection knows no imperâ—â—ction 2 It is a Writ of ease to free us from labour and servitude like Moses 〈◊〉 delivered Gods people out of bondage and from brick making iâ— â—egypt 3. Whereas our ingresse into the world our progresse in it our egressâ— â—ut of it is nothing but sorrow for we are born crying live grumbling â—nd die sighing death is a medicine which drives away all these for we â—hall rise triumphing 4. It shall revive our reputationâ— and cleer our Names from all ignomi â—y and reproach yea the more contemptible here the more glorious here 〈◊〉 Now a very Duellist will go into the field to seek death and finde â—onour 5. Death to the godly is as a Goal delivery to let the Soul out of the â—rison of the body and set it free 6. Death frees us from sinne an Inmate that spite of our teeth will â—â—oust with us so long as life affords it hoâ—se room for what is it to the â—â—ithfull but the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues CHAP. VII BEcause Patience in suffering brings a reward wiâ—h it In reason a man would forgive his enemy evâ—n for his own â—ake were there no â—ther motive â—o perswade him for to let passe many things of no smalâ— moment as that if we forgive not we can do no part of â—ods worship â—hat is pleasing to him for we cannot pray aright 1 Tim. 2.8 We â—annot communicate in the Sacrament but we make our selves guilty of Christs blood 1 Cor. 11.27 Matth. â— 24 We cannot be good hearers â—f the Word Iames 1.21 and that it makes a man captive to Satan Ephes 4.26 27. and many the like If ye forigve men their trespasses saith our Saviour your heavenly Father also will forgive you but if you forâ—ive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you â—our trespasses Mat. 6.14 15. So he that will not be in Charity shall never be in Heaven And why should I do my self a shrewd turn because â—nother would Yea we desire pardon as we give pardon and we would â—e loath to have our own lips condemn us When we pray to God to forgive us our trespasses as we also forgive them that trespasse against us â—nd do not resolve to forgive our brethren we do ineffect say Lord condemn us for we will be condemned whereas he that doth good to his enemy eâ—en in that act doth better to himself Again Blessed is the man saith St. Iames that endureth temptation viz. with patience for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life James 1.12 And this made Moses not only patient in his sufferings but joyfull esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than all the measures of Aegypt For saith the Text he had respect unto the recompence of the reward Heb. 11.26 And well it might for whereas the highest degree of suffering is not worthy of he least and lowest degree of this glory Rom. 2.18 St. Paul witnesseth that our light affliction which is but for a moment if it be borne with patience causeth unto us a far most excellent and eternall weight of glory while we look not on the things that are seen but on the things which are not seen 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Where note the incomparablenesse and infinite difference between the work and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentary afflictions eternall glory answerable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and die in a moment but their insufferable punishment is interminable and endless As it fared with Pope Sixtus the fifth who sold his soul to the Devill to enjoy the glory and pleasure of the Popedom for seven years their pleasure is short their pain everlasting our pain is short our joy eternall What will not men undergo so their pay may be answerable The old experienced Souldier fears not the rain and storms above him nor the numbers falling before him nor the troops of enemies against him nor the shot of thundring Ordinance about him but looks to the honourable reward promised him When Philip asked Democritus if he die not fear to lose his head he answered No for quoth he if I die the Athenians will give me a life immortall meaning he should be sâ—â—â—ued in the treasury of eternall fame if the immortality as they thought of their names was such a strong reason to perswade them to patience and all kind of worthinesse what should the immortality of the soul be to us Alas vertue were a poor thing if famâ— only should be all the Garland that did crown her but the Christian knowes that if every pain he suffers were a death and very crosse an hell he shall have amends enough Which made the Martyrs such Lambs in suffering that their persecutors were more weary with striking than they with suffering and many of them as willing to die as dine When Modestus the Emperours Lieutenant told Basil what he should suffer as confiscation of goods cruell tortures death c. He answered If this be all I fear not yea had I as many lives as I have hairs on my head I would lay them all down for Christ nor can your master more benefit me than in sending me to my Heavenly Father to whom I now live and to whom I desire to hasten And another time being threatned in like manner by the Emperour he bad him fright Babies with such Bugbares His life might be taken away but not his comforte his head but not his crown Yea persecutors are but our Fathers Goldsmiths sayes Bernard working to adde Pearles to the Crowns of the Saints Whence Gordius could say to his tormentors it is to my great loss if you bate me any part of my sufferings I could abound with â—â—amples of this nature No matter quoth one of them what I suffer on earth so I may be crowned in Heaven I care not quoth another what becometh of this frail Bark my flesh so I have the passenger my soul safely conducted And another If Lord at night thou grant'st me Lazarus boon Let Dives dogs lick all my sores at noon And a valiant Souldier going about a Christian atchievement My comfort is though I lose my life for Christs sake yet I shall not lose my
thy taking revenge what mayest thou not expect to suffer and in thy suffering what comfort canst thou have Whereas if God bring us into crosses he will be with us in those crosses and at length bring us out of them more refined You may observe there is no such coward none so valiant as the believer without Gods warrant he dares do nothing with it any thing Nothing without it Those saith Basil to a great man that perswaded him to yeeld who are trained up in the Scriptures will rather die in an holy quarrell than abate one syllable of divine truth Nor would any solicite them to do ill did they rightly know them for what Cicero speaks of Cato viz. O gentle Cato how happy art thou to have been such an one that never man durst yet presume to solicite thee in any dishonest cause or contrary to duty may be applied to every Believer rightly so stiled When the Tormentors of Marcus Arethusius who laid to his charge the pulling down of an idolatrous Temple offered him his pardon in case he would give so much as would build it up again he refused it and being further urged to give but half he refused it at last being told that if he would give but a little towards it they would release him he refused to give them so much as an half penny saying No not an half penny for it is as great wickedness said he to confer one half penny in case of impiety as if a man should bestow the whole A good conscience being in the greatest torture will not give one half penny to be released with hurt to his conscience he scans not the weight of the thing but the authority of the Commander and such have no good consciences that dare gratifie Satan in committing the least sinne or neglect God in the smallest precept The conscionable Nazarite Numb 6. did not only make scruple of guzling and quaffing whole Flagons of wine but of eating only a husk or an kernell of the grape knowing the one was as well forbidden as the other Will any man eat poyson because there is but a little of it A small bullet may kill a man as well as a great one Goliah was as much hurt by Davids little stone as Sampson by the weight of a whole house And Ely died as well by falling back in his chair as Iezabel by being thrown down from an high window And what saith our Saviour to the unjust Steward He that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much Luk. 16.10 He that will corrupt his conscience for a pound what would he do for a thousand If Iudas will fell his Master for thirty pence what would he not have done for the Treasury Alas there are no sins small but comparatively These things speaking of Mint and Cummin ought ye to have done sayes our Saviour and not have left the other undone Luk. 11.42 Wherefore it is with a good and tender conscience as it is with the apple of the eye for as the least hair or dust grieves and offends that which the skin of the eye-lid could not once complain of so a good and tender conscience is disquieted not only with beams but moats even such as the world accounts trifles it strains not only at Cammels but Gnats also A sincere heart is like â— neat spruce man that no sooner spies the least speck or spot on his garment but he gets it washt or scrap't off the common Christian like a nasty sloven who though he be all foul and besmeared can indure it well enough yea it offends him that another should be more neat than himself But such men should consider that though they have large consciences that can swallow down any thing yet the sincere and tender conscience is not so wide A strait shooe cannot indure the least pibble stone which will hardly be felt in a wider neither will God allow those things in his Children which he permits in his enemies no man but will permit that in another mans Wife or Child which he would abhor in his own A box of precious oyntment may not have the least fly in it nor a delicate Garden the least weed though the Wildernesse be overgrown with them I know the blind world so blames the Religious and their Religion also for this nicenesse that they think them Hypocrites for it but this was Iobs comfort in the aspersion of Hypocrisie My wiâ—ness is in Heaven and my record on high And as touching others that are offended their answer is Take thou O God who needest not â—ur sinne to further thy work of Grace the charge of thy Glory give us grace to take charge of thy Precepts For sure we are that what is absolutely evill can by no circumstance be made good poysâ—n may be qualified and become medicinall there is use to be mâ—de of an enemy sicknesse may turn to our betteâ— health and death it self to the faithful is but a door to life but sinne be it never so small can never be made good Thus you have seen their fear but look also upon their courage for they more fear the least sinne tâ—an the greatest torment All the fear of Satan and his instruments ariseth from the want of the true fear of God but the more a man fears God the lesse he fears everything else Fear God honour the King 1 Pet. 2.14 17. He that fears God doth but honour the King he need not fear him Rom. 13.3 the Law hath not power to smite the vertuous True many have an opinion not wise That Piety and Religion abates fortitude and makes valour Feminine but it is a foundationlesse conceit The true beleever fearâ— nothing but the displeasure of the highest and runs away from nothing but sinne Indeed he is not like our hot spurs that will fight in no cause but a bad that fear where they should not fear and fear not where they should fear that fear the blasts of mens breath and not the fire of Godâ— wrath that fear more to have the world call them Cowards for refusing then God to judg them rebels for undertaking that tremble at the thought of a Prison and yet not fear Hell fire That can govern Towns and Cities and let â— silly woman over-rule them at home it may be a servant or a Child as Themistocleâ— Sonne did in Greece What I will said he my Mother will have done and whâ—t my Mother will have my Father doeth That will undertake a long journey by Sea in a Wâ—erry as the desperate Marriner hoysteth sayl in a storm and sayes None of this Ancestors were drowned That will rush fearlesly into infected houses and say The Plague never ceizeth on valiant blood it kills none but Cowards That languishing of some sicknesse will strive to drink it away and so make hast to dispatch both body and soul at once that
make all that are themselves got out of Satans clutches to plot studdy and contrive all they can to draw others of their brethren after them True some fooles think me a little crackt in brain for putting a paper into mens hands when I hear them blaspheme the name of God and â—ound their own souls But when I consider how our carnall Friends will curse us when they come in Hell that we did not our utmost endeavour to stop them I can hardly forbear to lay hands upon a Drunkard Blasphemer Adulterer Murtherer c. to stop him from the evill he â—s about to execute and to kneel down upon my knees and beg of him â—hat he would not so desperately damn his own soul As let me ask â—ur discreet ones but this question Had we stood by when Adam was between the perswasion of his Wife and the precept of his God when the one said Adam eat and the other said Adam eat not for if thou dost â—hou shalt dye the death and all thy posterity Had it been an ill office â—o have cryed out and said O Adam take heed what thou dost Or â—ould he have had cause to complain of being prevented I trow not Yea I think it had been a seasonable peice of high friendship and 〈◊〉 can deny it And indeed could a man save his brothers soul by so doinâ— as probably and for ought he knows he may Iude 23. Iames 5.10 20 1 Tim. 4.16 he needed not much to care though the World reputed hiâ— a madman and spent a thousand of their simple verdicts on him see 〈◊〉 12.3 And yet as if God and Christ as well as those graceless and pittifâ—â— ones were altogether friendless where is the man to be found in 〈◊〉 the three Kingdoms That like Paul at Athens who was so stirred in 〈◊〉 spirit when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry that he not onlâ— blamed them for their ignorance and superstition but he daily dispâ—â—â— with them in the market and with any that he met though he was grieâ—vously mockt both by the Epicurian and Stoick Philosophers togetheâ— with the rude multitude as a Babler and a setter forth of strange Gods Acts 17.16 to the end of the Chapter will so much disparage or disquieâ— himself in the open streets as to speak a syllable to save a soul that 〈◊〉 invaluable and to vindicate the honour of God which we are bounâ— to redeem with our own lives And why forsooth but this they shaâ—â— be sensured by the thronge as indiscreet and reviled for so doing But let men look to it for what our Saviour hath plainly forewarneâ— us of Mark 8.38 will prove a dreadful Text to a great many of 〈◊〉 discreet and white livered Nicodemases What I speak is not at 〈◊〉 dome I know well what hath been the product of a little good counseâ—â— given to me when I was a youth It proved not only the saving of 〈◊〉 soul and the occasion of composing my many well approved of peiceâ— of practicall Divinity in which God hath made my pen an instrumenâ— to serve him and me a president without a president for never did 〈◊〉 insufficient a dunce put pen to paper upon such an account withouâ— becoming a fool in print But the same also hath occasioned me 〈◊〉 give a thousand pound in such Books as are most likely to prevaile witâ— sinners and with such success that I would not have them ungiven foâ— a thousand worlds Yea possâ—ble it is that there are hundreds 〈◊〉 in Heaven praising God that ever I presented them with a few lineâ— Nor do I slightly overlook what I have gained though it s well knowâ— I hate and scorne gifts by giving and that in a threefold respect Nor 〈◊〉 providence of God in having preserved me alive in a dying conditioâ— almost these forty years And withall made me the most bashfull 〈◊〉 other cases as bold as a Lyon in not fearing to discharge my duty anâ— conscience in this particular to any be they what they will thougâ— to the hazard of all that can be taken from me Though these unreasoâ—â—able men as the Apostle stiles all that have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 make me many times wish that I had the Wings of a Dove that I migâ—â— fly away and be at rest Psal 55.1 to 9. Ier. 9.1 to 10. Bare with me when the Apostle himself was driven to speak 〈◊〉 more to this purpose 2 Cor. 10 11 and 12. Chapters that he might indicate himself to those that had prejudice against his person least they should slight whatever he spake or wrote unto them 2 Cor. 10.10 What 〈◊〉 speak is to the glory of God and for others good were I not compelled by them so to do O that some or other would have the wit generosity and Magnanimity to lay what I have foolishly spoken sufficiently to â—eart I know how I am censured for my passion or rather compassion and commiseration and indignation for my indiscretion in answering Scoffers when â—hey spurn against the means to be saved and make themselves merry with â—heir own damnation Nor can I excuse my self though I use the best wits â— have in observing circumstances For I am full sore against my will too much like Ionah for passion Ionah 4.4 8 9. And like Iob â—n handling a good cause ill most unlike him in patience and yet in purpose desire and indeavour perhaps really and practically in some other cases and I hope in Gods acceptance as patient as he Nor can 〈◊〉 be denyed but he that hath faith or any one grace in truth hath all other graces in the same measure with it though not alike conspicuous apâ—arent and manifest For which read Mr. Downams Christian Warfare First 〈◊〉 46. Chapter 3. Section to 9. p. 614. and Printed Anno 1612. And who â—o reads the same will give me thanks for pointing him to it But â—hat if God findes it meet to deny me the gift of talking and that Christian prudence which were to be wished both to humble me and to â—â—â—rden his implacable enemies that deny and refuse Christs offer and â—heir own mercy As much worse were it for me if I had not more to â—vercome and to humble me then ordinarily other men have who can â—avell or if any be so minded let them minde well what the Apostle â—peaks Philip. 1.28 29 30. and lay their hand upon their mouth Iob. â—0 4 5. Men may think as they please but thirty years experience for so long â—ave I been pudling in a Wasps nest hath taught me that mild and gentle â—ordes to such Mad-dogs as fly in their Makers face and wound their â—wn souls as oft as they speak may cause them to fleer and scoff but no â—ore stirr or move them then a soft knock or call will awaken one â—ut of a dream or dead sleep Yea a mild reproof does but incourage â—ickedness and make it think it self so slight as that rebuke importeth â—o say to hardned sinners as Ely to his sonnes why did you so is no other â—â—en to shave that head which deserves cutting off Nothing will cut a Diamond but a Diamond nothing will ease the Plurisy but letting of â—lood Such as are sick of a dead Appoplex must have both stronger and 〈◊〉 the quantity of Physick that others have But that beef brained fellow 〈◊〉 Scalleger had his ears bored with thunder when nothing else would 〈◊〉 it Yea the inchanted Asse in Lucian returned to his proper shape again when he saw himself in a looking glasse And the frantâ—â—â— returned to his wits reputes him his best friend that hath bound beat him most as I have found by not a few of them but seâ— Prov. â— In Page 14 Line 29. For displeased in his body read diseased in his 〈◊〉 FINIS