A Short ESSAY OF AFFLICTIONS OR Balme to Comfort if not Cure those that Sinke or Languish under present misfortunes and are not prepared in these unsetled times to meet all events with constant and equall tempers Written from one of His Majesties Garrisons as a private advise to his onely Sonne and by him Printed to satisfie the importunity of some particular friends Luke 21.19 In your patience possesse ye your Soules 1 Pet. 4.19 Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Soules to him in well doing as unto a faithfull Creatour London Printed by E. G. 1647. My deerest Sonne SInce I know that man is only truly happy that the want of outward things cannot make miserable I cannot but advise you to winde up and raise your thoughts to higher objects then sublunary triflles And when you doe looke upon the low transitories of this world let it be through the wrong or rather Right end of the Christians Perspective that they may appeare but little if any thing in your eyes which are so weake and empty of all true comfort in themselves that as Saint Ambrose upon the devils vanishing prospect Matthew 4. saith he shewed all in a moment to our Saviour least looking a little he had seene nothing neither doth our Jesu who knew best the way to happinesse in that he was the way set any other estimate upon them for when he commands us to seeke a Kingdome it is of heaven not earth omitting the very naming of any thing here below as of no value all things temporall being with him but as dust upon the ballance or over-waights cast onely into the scale as appendices of grace and so meane as not worthy the name of a gift from him And this the devill knew so well that in his temptations of power he acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of God But as Aquinas observes in that of weaknesse wherein he bated his lure onely with the perishing nothings the shadowes and semblances of glory the sole Monarchy of the world he considered him onely as a man and durst not once call him the Sonne of God knowing it might prevaile with fraylty not Infinitie From whence let me ingage you to fortifie your selfe against such allurements And though you are likely by Gods mercy yet to possesse a competent measure of earthly comforts notwithstanding the straites and difficulties I have passed let not them possesse you but be in the world not of it And though some part of the affections will touch upon it while you are here let it be but like a wheele in Puncto in the least point and that not fixt but moving considering all below are but perishing vanities good onely when vertue animates and sends them abroad in their using not injoying when you must be taken from them if not they from you and the longest terme of having them is but for life which ever diminisheth by increasing and is at most but a bubble a smoake or ayery being the onely difference as one saith betweene sleep and death that soone comes to nothing Yet this short spanne or thread of life is most commonly ravelled out in trouble to get care to keepe and feare to loose these unsatisfying comforts which at no time are permanent but now as it were dying at the very root when such an Inundation of misery is broken in upon us as hath almost brought all things to another Chaos so that nothing but an almighty power can bring light out of our darknesse forme beauty and order out of such a heape and masse of confusion Nay such is the violent tide and impetuousnesse of some mens passions as they would doe more then Noahs flood in making but one common grave for State Church and all though God hath in his goodnesse yet bounded them in saying Hitherto you shall goe and no further and will still give us safety salvation in the Arke the true and Ancient Protestant faith Reverentiall worship as it was reformed and practised in Queene Elizabeths dayes rise and rage those waters never so much for God being Pilot will steere and keep it floating upon those devouring waves till he finde it another Ararat to rest on yet that you may guide your course with the more comfort and safety in this troubled Ocean J shall like a lanterne in the haven or so many Sea-markes for direction commend unto you these few practicall considerations following which truly like the ballast of the Ship have kept me in an even and safe course in the midst of our greatest stormes and made me by Gods infinite goodnesse happy in misery rich in want and contented in all conditions nor will they prove unprofitable to you if you looke up to God for a blessing when you reflect upon them in your meditations but will make you in habit and affections above misfortunes if not a Martyr when called to it upon Christian and noble termes and in Calmes tackle and tite your weake built Pinnace to endure all weathers upon any change And I feare though our present clouds the immediate messengers of tempests doe somethtng scatter they may gather again into a higher malignity then ever since I see they are still bigge with those foggy and fiery exhalations out of which the Thunder-bolts of Gods wrath were lately formed and made and I feare our new sinnes will againe midwife and bring them forth to wrack us in the very haven if wee allay not the storme by a shower of repentant teares and by our more faithfull sincere and constant returnes to God turne his wrath from us which he of his mercy grant if it be his blessed will and how ever inable you and all his to undergoe with an equall temper and holy submission what his wisedome hath appointed for us Onely I shall desire you to use these short Essayes piously the Subject whereof is chiefly the Christians comportment in afflictions as a meanes to fix your Quick-silver and unconstant temper And I shall not doubt but God of his mercy will water this my planting which the heavenly dew of his grace and make it bring forth comfort here with joy in the holy Ghost and with the Phenix Glory in your Resurrection which is the Prayer of Your affectionate Father Aprill the 20. An. Do. 1646. AN ESSAY OF AFFLICTIONS AND The Christian's comportment in them IF the whole life of Christ was a continued crucifixion in that he was borne a Martyr found a Golgatha in Bethlem and made his birth and his death his Christmas and good Friday both Morn and Evening of one and the same day of suffering we that fight under the Banner of his Crosse must not thinke to follow our Generall in his triumphs if we leave him in the field or carry no markes of Honour Prints of his wounds about us which how mortall soever never prove deadly But as Romanus said when Asclehiades made his tormentors cut and crucifie him Tot
as he lives not that hath onely the happinesse of this life in his thoughts so he never dyeth nor is ever sensible of temporary troubles that can cast them up rightly and be willing to change a house of clay a Breath or vapour of smoke a Body of Death and garment of corruption for Immortality and honour a Region of Death for the land of the living the life of man for that of Angels a vally of Teares for a mount of Joy Tenthly consider that God layes his Afflictions upon us in regard of his Propriety in us Making that the ground of his care over us * Isay 51. Ezek. 34 11.15 Thus he weeds his Garden dresseth and fenceeth his Vineyard with Briars and Thornes both to defend and make it fruitfull shakes his Trees that the Rotten fruit might fall off and they take the better rooting It being the highest end and chiefest fruit of Afflictions to take away sin and preserve the sinner to destroy the worme and cancer that would otherwise destroy the Tree many times to give it shade least too much sunne should dry and wither it or like that in the early spring produce many gay flowers and odoriferous smels to court the senses but withall ingender millions of flyes and vermine to spoile them for so the pleasures of this world are but a Ionas gourd sumer fruit of short continuance wheras the winter fruits that indure most of cold and nipping frosts are for durance and lasting Thus though great mists doe ever midwife in Calmes the Ayre is then most tainted and dangerous whereas thunder brings forth a most wholesome pure serene and bright skie Nay Afflictions makes us every way better in our spirituall condition and fit to be owned by the Father of spirits who like a cunning I apidary tries his Jewels before he gives them a Rich setting that if true not Counterfeit he might spare them * Malach. 3 17. as a man spareth his onely Sonne nay they are Gods bullets shot against an Armour of proofe to trie not peirce it there being more strength in the Innocency of his Saints then in all Goliahs Brasse and Irons that he might treasure it up in his Militia for the honour of his Saints and beautifying of his owne habitation Eleventhly Afflictions are Gods love tokens to us the Dialect in which he woes us and true Anagram of our sins in that we may usually read our sinnes and faylings in the specification of his judgements upon us by them to make us consider the deformity of all other objects and unite our affections in him the rather when we see all the Darling delights of this world so soone overshadowed and alwayes tempered with the bitternesse of some temporary crosse to disrellish our taste and abate our Appetite to them so as the rest of our bodies many times proves our minds exercise and our empty houres most fill us with vaine and vexings thoughts at best affording us but lesse paine no absolute freedome from troubles in our most retired retirements for when the doores of our senses are lockt up the Phantasie doth many times affright us with visions and terrifie us with dreames Job 7.14 making our waking Consciences often Alarum our sleepy soules by all this restlesnesse to bring us to an everlasting rest and shall we neglect his bounty and receive with a wrinckled brow what he gives us with a summer and gracious aspect for to you it is given not onely to beleeve but to suffer for Christ * Ph. 1.29 And shall we refuse to weare his favours livery and Cognisance though a crosse that are thus effects of his affection to us and so not only in their spring but streame In that his providence so steers the action and orders the event in all things as a sparrow fals not without his leave nor can the devill enter into a swine so little is the largest empire here without his permission Rom. 8.28 and makes all the variety of Accidents how contrary soever the lines are drawne to center in our good so communicative of himselfe is his goodnesse to us And therefore let not the clay dispute with the Potter walking brickle earth with the God of heaven For his actions are alwayes just and good nay full of mercy to us though harsh his Physick wholsome though unpleasant in that sometimes his greatest mercy is not to shew mercy * Hos 4.13 14. * Isai 1.5 Lam. 1. Wisd 12.1 not with-hold the lance when it is to open an impostumation And therefore correct me O Lord to amend me wound me to heale me kill me to make me live take away all to give me thy selfe And doe not hate me so much * Ps 81.11 â—2 * Rev. 22.11 Os 15. Ez. 24.13 as not to seem to hate me at all when it is the greatest punishment not to be punished and the greatest improvement of our wealth to lose it and our live too for Christ * Mar. 10.29.30 where the interest he payes is so great the Returne so infinite we receive here with persecutions †Matth. 10. Act. 14.22 and so immense and unexhaustible in the world to come * Job 5. * 1 Cor. 11 31. for so the Apostle Eye hath not seene yet the eye is a nimble sayler and hath travelled farre and seene much eare hath not heard yet the eare hath heard more then the eye hath seene being as it were the Portall or gate of the soule by which knowledge enters and so apprehends more of the beauties and Beatitudes of that place then can by all the other sences be discerned here in the dim and opake glasse of the creatures though God is here very legible in many of his Attributes nor hath it entered into the thought of man the joyes that shall be revealed yet thought hath a kinde of infinity in it and graspes more at once then either eye or eare can commensurate with the largest extended faculties and most unbounded dimensions of their severall wayes of comprehension and discerning having the winges and motion of a spirit the capacity of an intelligence yet still short of imagining the vast incomprehensiblenesse of that which passeth Imagination For such is Heaven a circle within a circle many infolded mysterious joyes which will be best conceived by thinking what we cannot conceive and because it cannot enter into us here let us expect with patience till we enter into it hereafter and heare with comfort that blessed voice of come ye blessed of my Father go into the Ioy that is prepared for you from the begining of the world And not onely so but enter into thy Masters joy nor onely that that is prepared of God for them that love him but that which is God the beatificall vision it selfe Yet here the Saints of God see the dawning of that day a light springing out of darknesse * Psal 112.4 and beames of comfort in the blackest
that we might see the power and mercy of God in his deliverance both from corporall and spirituall blindnesse for as contraries are the best Comments upon one another so Gods Goodnesse and Greatnesse most appeares in bringing health out of Sicknesse Light out of Darknesse and forming all the well ordered and various beauties of the world out of nothing or a Chaos and great Masse of confusion happinesse out of misery glory out of sufferings giving victory in thraldome and triumph to his when conquered as the true trophies of Christian magnaminitie and most legible Characters of his favour to his Church which with the bush is ever burning * Exod. 3.2 yet never to be consumed like the Arke however floating upon the proud imperious high swelling waves sinkes not but when threatned to be involved in the whole worlds generall destruction having but one common winding-Sheet the pleated waters and as it were one common buriall place then is preserved and by those watery rising mountaines but lifted up the neerer heaven God as it were like another Neptune imbarking himselfe in and hazarding Shipwrack with his Church Secondly they are sent for our salvation not as a cause of but way to glory as they are a meanes of our holinesse here in that whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer afflictions and happinesse hereafter * 2 Tim. 3.12 there being no way to ascend the mount of honour but by the steps of vertue through a rough and difficult path no Haven to be gained unlesse we passe the straits no way to heaven but by the gates of hell for unlesse we fill up the sufferings of Christ in his body the Church and beare his crosse we cannot be partakers of his Crown induring being the condition of Reigning with him * Act. 14.22 Colos 1. â—4 â— Tim. 2. â—2 â— Ps 73.4 In that his first intention when he destroyes is to Preserve us which is the Reason as David saith the wicked have no bands in their death receive not their punishment here And who would not upon these terms lose a life to save it who may by saving lose it nay what Marchant would not to recover his wished haven with a wealthy lading be contented to have his vessell weather beaten and torne and much more a Christian that is a man of warre a Barke built for all weathers stormes and Calmes knowing that the rough Sea proves the Pilot and makes him keep at the sterne and helme using all holy endevours to avoid every Rock and Sand of Temptation and ply the pumpe upon the least leake knowing that the smallest sinne unrepented neglected or not with Jonas throwne over-bord to appease the storme will sinke the tallest vessell and better unlade all then the man should perish Nay shall our Lord Head and Generall be all wounded torn and exposed to all degrees of suffering for us and shall not we his Church and members undergoe some troubles indure a scratch or weare a scarre for him shall hee drinke up the full Cup and showres of his Fathers wrath and shall not wee taste of those few remaining drops for him shall innocence suffer and guilt goe free nay shall God dye for man and man undergoe no pressure for God nay for himselfe his own advantage where dissectings are recompactings God forbid No away with such pusillanimity my soule and leave not thy Saviour in his sufferings for thee Though thou art called with Simon of Cyrene to take up his Crosse or rather thine * Isay 53. which he bore for thee and beare it for him till thou comest to Golgatha the place of Sculs thy grave nay further if possible For as a devoute man said if he could finde or apprehend any defect of joy in heaven it would be onely in that he could not there suffer for his Saviour Though what we undergoe here is not more for his glory then our benefit And therefore as Musick is sweetest when expiring let the last swanlike Act of our sufferings be but harmoniously accordant to Christ in that sweet ditty of his not mine but thy will be done And a Ravishment of delight will so possesse our soules as we shall onely account our life from our Death and that our birth day to Eternity Our eve or vigil to our great festivall at the marriage of the Lambe for as God moved upon the waters in the Creation before they brought forth the first Creature so afflictions are now those many waters in which God moves to make us conceive in our hearts by the holy Ghost like the wombe of the virgine till Christ be formed in us and we bring forth holinesse which he ever crownes with happinesse Now though these are the first Primary and Principall ends why Gods children are thus brought forth with labour sorrow a curse as ancient as sin it selfe there are many other practicall uses and pious considerations we should entertaine them with for as one saith Schola crueis est schola lucis and Oratio Lectio temptatio the rough but ready way to Heaven and the troubled waters of Repentant teares the cleerest Perspective in an Eclipse of Gods favour to see his face shine in our devotions which usually rise and fall with the waves of afflictions the greatest misery ordinarily making us most importunate for mercy as one depth calling upon another and most carefull of our wayes Like the Horse that ever goeth surest and best when he feeles the spurre and bridle the mariner that most useth his plummet and compasse in stormes And thus we will consider afflictions First as they are incentives to Prayer and like fire extract the best incense of our devotions making them to ascend in a holy flame of zeale to mediate our peace and pacifie an exasperated Deity whose Power Justice and Mercy are all ingaged to deliver them that in afflictions call upon him * Ps 30.34 107. Hos 5 Esay 49.3 Lam. 3. For then we doe their errand and cannot misse of a Gracious Audience no more then Abraham where Dust and Ashes pleaded with his maker and as it were so charmed his eare with this Oratory that importunity it selfe could not weary him * Gen. 18. Nay with this spirituall Ingine Impotence and weaknesse overcomes Power and Omnipotence puts manacles upon the hands of God and with an humble reverence be it spoken worsts him in the conflict making him cry out Let me alone or till thou art gone I can doe nothing Exod. 32. Numb 14. as to Moses Thus a faithfull Prayer workes all kinds of miracles makes the Heavens Earth and Seas obey For when the gasping Earth is dying for Thirst Elias can by Prayer quicken and enliven it It can fix the Sunne in the firmament as in a Center give Eares to the Grave and make them open and life to the dead Jo. 12. And ever nests a Christian like a Dove in the clifts of the Rock in the wounds of his
ever takes them in the best sence is never severe nor positive in judging them by their outward condition in that the Corne is as much thrasht as the straw the Gold as much tryed though not wasted in the fire as the Drosse Nay many times much more for there may be a Rich Dives whose Cups over-flow with wine when poore Lazarus is glad to refresh himselfe with the common Element of water * Luke 16. a good tree may appeare withered blasted and dying with the violence of outward stormes or recoyling of the sap of Grace to the Root in some stronge temptation * Eccles 9.1 2. when the fruitlesse bay tree is green and flourishing so as with the wise man we may say none can judge of love or hatred by what is before him of no mans spirituall condition by his temporall in that all things sublunary come alike to all For it is not Gods dispensation of outward blessings but our use of them that makes the difference And though the shadow of his wings be a shelter * Ps 63.7 in the hot sun-shine of Persecution none but a David can then truly rejoyce in it and there finde comfort and refreshment Thirdly our charities are exercised by Afflictions when we teach as well by example as Precept in our cheerefull innocent and charitable undergoing them Thus Saint Paul propounds himselfe a paterne for us to transcribe 1 Cor. 4.6 that with those in the Revelations we might follow the Lambe wheresoever he goeth though not in equall paces yet in slow motions Joh. 14.4 who thus suffered to leave us an example and he that was the way sure best knew how to guide it that we might follow his patterne at least * Heb. 12.2 Jo. 14.6 if not commands for Regis ad exemplum the King is the great wheele in the State that carries the inferiour ones with him the examples of great men usually having a compulsary power in them even from a principle in nature Thus one Deere leads the whole heard one bird the flock one * Gal. 2.14 Peter a congregation And therefore we ought to carry the lanterne in the Poope to let the light of our Actions still shew the way we steere in the greatest stormes to recover a happy haven that other weather beaten Passengers may by it know how to ride out a Tempest and arrive the same port Thus a dead man sometimes makes a living Christian and propagates by suffering the blood of the Martyres being the generative seed of the Church Phoenix like one rising out of the urne and ashes of the other the effusion of one mans blood being as it were the transfusion of the same spirits into many or with Pythagoras one soule animating in a succession divers bodies ever gathering strength under pressures with the Camomile growing best when most trod on and with the Palme most spreading when oppressed with any waight Thus God defects and anatomizes some in them to read a Lecture to all and so truly makes our Crosses become a Crowne of rejoycing to others * 2 Thes 1.4.5 as the Apostle saith and our Afflictions but like the shaking of a ripe flower which by it sheds seeds from whence many more doe spring and grow till the hand of God doe pluck them to adorne his owne Garland with in heaven Fourtenthly Gods hand upon us cals for ours upon our selves humiliation as well as humility and not with the worme turne againe upon him that treads upon us but we must judge afflict our selves and be most forward in a holy revenge to crucifie those sins that most crucifie our Saviour and by their death to give life to the contrary vertues by our outward comportment shewing our inward affections and not onely beare when God layes it on but take up the Crosse to Crosse our selves when our sinnes or Gods threatned judgements cals for it not putting the evill day from us with joy and gladnesse eating of flesh and drinking of wine which is to be possessed with a strange devill if taken in excesse someties casting us into the water and sometimes into the fire when God cals us to weeping and mourning * Js 22.12.13 and baldnesse the true Emblems of Repentance not court our eyes with vaine objects suffering them to be burning glasses of lust to inflame the heart when they should be fountaines of teares to quench the inflamed wrath of God against us for our sins not feast to nourish when we should fast to mortifie sinne in us not ravish our senses with harmonious Musick when our sad consort should be made up of signes and grones the most melodious voyces for Gods quire though harsh and shrill in our eares not gratifie our Palates by plundering all the Elements of their luxurious dainties to furnish our Tables and with the ewe tree roote our selves in the graves and ruines of others when we should come neerest the invitation of Angels in their abstinence not rock our selves into a sleepe and lethargy of sin in Beds of Ivery but tame our rebell lusts by watching and holy vigilancy * Amos. 6. * Joel 2. Jsa 1 Jam. 4. * 1 Cor 11.32 For thus afflicting our selves with rods we shall avoyd Gods correcting us with scorpions and make our lowest descent here the ground of our Exaltation Like that of Christ who was therefore raised because he humbled himselfe to the greatest depth of Ignominy scorne and selfe abasement even all degrees of Punishment Paine shame and Death And the servant you know should not be above his Lord but as he was be made perfect through sufferings which made Solomon say * Eccl. 7. that the house of mourning is better then that of mirth for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better whereas unseasonable or immoderate pleasure like a surfet is ever the mother of some disease some grievous punishment And if we once come not only to please but pride our selves in them nay in our best graces even the correcting our selves in those excesses like a gangreene in a joynt it will corrupt the whole frame and cannot but ruine us that cast the Angels out of Paradise it selfe But if we cast our selves downe before God and like starres the higher they rise still lessen in our owne eyes he will raise us for like the best mines a Christian the deeper and lower he is in the earth in thoughts of mortality and mortification the richer it being the vallies not shelving hils that drink in and so become faire and fruitefull with the blessing from above Nay it is the bruised reed and smoaking flax that God studies to preserve * Mat. 12.20 when with Hugo Presumption robs us of our God and his protection envy of our neighbours and anger of our selves unlesse it be against our selves for then onely it turnes into selfe love Lastly and most properly God sends afflictions for the trial of
as they have need and would not have the heart of man more unreasonable then the unreasonable sea the most unquiet of all the Elements but keep it selfe within fit bounds and limits for as just proportion of humors in the body an equall poise of power in the state betweene supreame power and common interest an even mixture of the elements preserves the whole universe so with Solomon neither to desire poverty nor riches but to acquiesce in what God pleases to shew his love in to us is the middle and happy temper of a Christian that which makes him most enjoy himselfe in all conditions and most persevering in holinesse Therefore let us moderate our selves in our desires toward the things of this life * Mat. 6. 1 Tim 6. Prov. 30. Heb. 2. ever looking beyond the present condition to the future event and with Saint Chrysostome seeing one going to execution with a croud of attendants along the most faire and beautifull streets and another without the countenance or company of a friend passing the most narrow troublesome and unpleasant lanes to a happy marriage bed cry out Non qua sed quo non via sed finis and thinke our selves safer in shipwrack God being our Pilote then the wicked can be in the sun-shine of their happinesse * Ps 37. Eccl. 9. in that it cannot goe ill with the righteous when the wicked must perish * Eccles 8. Job 2â— Eccles 2. Psal 34. 1 Pet. 3.4 2 Cor. 1.4.6 nay for our further comfort we shall not live altogether upon expectation depend upon reversions and have our wages deferred for Godlinesse is great gaine having the Promises both of this lif and that to come even present happinesse in the most unhappy outward condition in afflictions wants necessities and death it selfe for though the man that is earthly as well as earth lookes upon them in a multiplying glasse of sence and Perspective of Fancy and by it apprehends them more greater and fuller of horrour then they are in themselves and so becomes his owne wracke and tormenter the good Christian considering the least benefit he injoyes a mercy and blessing every evill he wants a favour and indulgence when many better then he wants what he possesseth and suffers under greater miseries that he better merits finds in this vale of misery many such wels to refresh at and can by Faith which easily workes such miracles unmask the satyre unsting the viper and turne the seeming evils of this world into a reall good for their vizard being once off their venome out there is nothing left to affright us but many times they worke for our advantage even in regard of present felicity by want making us become rich and by an holy chymistry turning all those Irons that enter into our soules into golden scepters in token of our conquest over our affections emblemd by the woman in the wildernesse who then and in that sad and solitary condition tramples upon the moone all terrene things for when one depth calleth upon another our misery upon Gods mercy * Isa 9. Dan. 9. Job 13.10 Jer. 9.28 Jsa 1.26.43 Jam. 4.8.10 Exod. 34. Psal 103. he is so delighted with himselfe in the exercise of that attribute that he makes it at it were his darling and the child of his nature * 2 Cor. 1.3 as Christ is the sonne of his person exalting it above all his workes nay and ours too workes of sinne to conquer and destroy them and to turne our Egyptian darknesse and servitude into a Goshen giving us for outward afflictions inward joyes for earthly losses true and lasting delights satisfaction in poverty when many are poor when richest a heart not to desire which is more then we can desire besides and drawing more releefe from this dry Cisterne then Tantalus when in the River to the mouth a holy riddle gaining by losse and loosing by gaine an improving of our joy a hundred fold with persecutions by losing our goods * Matth. 10. Marke 10. Job 31. in regard of inward peace and complacency the issue and crown that followes it if we can but learne with Saint Paul equally to want and abound in what condition soever to be content * Ph. 4. Prov. 1.14.13.7 and by it make afflictions become a reall lye our selvs a holy paradox when in having nothing we injoy all things * 2 Cor. 6. For if God be Christs and Christ be ours as the Apostle argueth we have in him as spring and fountaine all other joyes and comforts that are but derivative from him and in their severall streames communicated to us and need looke no farther then to him for supply of all things fit for our condition And therefore it is good to trust and waite with David for his salvation who can make our prison a Palace our death a life our hell here a heaven in regard of inward comforts if in the dampe of affliction when our candle burnes dimme by our being too much undergrown in our affections we make haste to be drawn up and set our conversations for heaven and heavenly objects But admit that with afflictions God gives not that blessing in this life so as in all the travell of our soules add sharpest throws we cannot be delivered of this promised seed and numerous issue of happy fruits the effects and productions of Gods grace and goodnesse to us but when the Children are come to the birth we want strength to bring forth so that with Phineas his wife * 1 Sam. 4. we miscarry in our Pangs and loose our lives before our weake though true faith and feeble midwife patience can deliver us of those expected joyes yet then and never till then we begin to live the Act of our conscientious death for Christ and a good cause being our crowne of life deferred onely because we sought it not as we should not lost our inthroneing * Rev. 2. and inauguration in immortality if we persevere in a patient pious and humble comportment in our sufferings for it is not our resisting though to some drops of blood if we make a dishonourable retreat but keeping the field dead if not alive that inables and intitles us to the Gardland and Trophies of victory through Jesus Christ our Lord who will swallow up the victory of the grave and make it become the grave of its own victory by giving up all it s slain and becoming a slave to its captives for he that makes the greene Tree become dry he that thinkes himselfe full of sappe and life to faide and dye will make the dead and withered one to spring againe and flourish * Is 17.24 nay with Gideons * Jug 7. till these earthen Pitchers of our bodies are dashed in peeces the lampe of our soules will never shine cleere but then God reassuming them from the ashes of their cold urnes will make them as sockets in which their soules
shall in endlesse glory burne And therefore though God have his furnace it is but to melt and refine us to new cast and stampe us with his own Image and make us currant money for heaven which is the true end of as it puts an end to all the Afflictions of the godly * 2 Cor. 1.4 6. and for sowing in teares here makes us reape joy * 1 Pet. 3.4 if we are not harder and more rebellious against Gods rod * Eccl. 7. * Mat. 5. Ps 126.6 then the flinty Rock was to Moses where fire rather then water was to be expected Yet let us be Flints too in our inwards ever keeping a virtuall fire and zeale to Gods glory to purge us from all drosse and sinne for without it none shall enter into Paradice nor be made heires of immortall glory * 1 Cor. 6. Rev. 22. So as you see our natures had need every way to be wrought upon we are such a master-peece of perversnesse such mettle as will not take impression from soft meanes but must have the rough hammer and Axe of Afflictions to hew and fashion us though like the sunne beames they worke according to their object melting wax and hardening Clay winning upon the Godly but obdurating the wicked as the hammer the Anvill and this makes God sometimes angry that he might not be angry with us lightning before he thunders warning before he wounds * Ps 7. afflicting here to take away sinne * Is 27.2 â— Jer. 4 5. that by continuing in sinne we might not be everlastingly afflicted And because prosperity makes us unprosperous in that we are naturally prone to turne Gods blessings into curses a Ps 69.106 Mal. 1.2.9 Pro. 1.31 and never cry Lord save us we perish but with the Disciples in a storme * Mat. 8.24.27 Luke 8. God raises Tempests amongst us that with Ionas and the Marriners may force us to call upon our God for then are we onely saved when we thinke our selves neerest drowning * Mat. 10â— and may say with the Philosopher Perijssem nisi periissem so as wee ought to be contented in all estates Thus the dead wombe of Sarah will conceive and bring forth an Isaac of comfort our winter dying blasted condition will spring and revive in death and make it better in the wise mans opinion then birth * Job 5. Eccl. 7 â—ob 14.19 in that it changes our habitation earth for heaven and extinguisheth our rent here feares and teares giving garments of gladnesse for those of heavinesse for finite sorrowes joyes beyond Arithmetick to number Is 61. Cor. 7.6 and in our passage over this red Sea will be both our way and support never laying any burden upon us but lending his own shoulder to it with the temptation ever giing the issue * 1 Cor. 10 3. Heb. 12. and like a good Gardiner never cuts his Rose bush but to render its flowers more sweet and florishing like a good Physitian never lets us blood but to cure our Tympany of Pride dropsie of covetousnesse or the like and never tempts but only for triall not seduction nor withdrawes himselfe but to make us the better value his presence and favours contraries being the best comments upon one another yet let us ever pray against this last as most dangerous but still rely upon him never letting goe our Anchor which will in the end above beyond nay without meanes save us * Isa 43. Psa 91. Ph. 2.4 for if the Potter will not let his vessell continue in the fire to destroy but lute and fix it the carrier not overload his beast God much more remembring how weake we are built and our foundations to be but dust * Psa 103 will weigh out his pressures to our abilities shortning our paines or inlarging our patience making all things to worke for our good * Rom. 8. the lines how contrary soever drawne to center in our happinesse and though in misery we thinke our time stands still like Ioshuahs sunne it then hath wings upon which we soare towards heaven Nay God will not onely worke thus for us * Ph. 2.13 Isa 26.12 Heb. 8.10 Eph. 1. Gal. 2.20 but in us by us and upon us what he commands from us filing us to make and forme us vessels for his temple hewing and squaring us as timber for his Sanctuary hammering our stony hearts for his spirituall building smoothing and polishing us for beauty and Ornament and to shew his own resemblance and Image in us when he in any of these wayes reflects upon us But to conclude God takes that care of us in all things as nothing can hurt us no temptation on the right nor left hand shall ever finally prevaile against us but God will turne our deepest sorrowes into our highest joyes so as if in the fire of publike miseries our homebred dissentions which like Samsons Foxes devour all before them the inward warmth of compassion burnings of repentance heat of zeale to Gods house or glory doe as from a limbeck distill some heavenly drops from our eyes turn our laughter into mourning and make us raine upwards that very trouble will improve to happinesse and those drops turne into the water of life to us and being kept in Gods bottle * Psal 58. will fall downe againe upon us in refreshing dewes to allay our greatest inward stormes nay they are in Gods booke to wash out our sinnes that should be there registred against us yet onely as a meanes of obtaining mercy not from any intrinsick worth and out of our consciences the blackest Characters of acted transgressions Nay these eye Jewels or pearles in the eyes falling from them will so cleer the sight as we shall discern the glittering vanities of this life to be but meer shadowes shining meteors nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit * Eccl. 1. â— and not fall in love with that face that will not stay to be saluted but rather see beauty in the blackemore love the wrinkles and blemishes that the truest picture of misery man under the Torrid Zone of Gods Fatherly displeasure can present * Isay 53. for so we may espouse an abiding happinesse and have eternity for joynture setled upon us * Act. 14.22 And therefore let us with patience runne the race how rugged and difficult soever we finde the way looking to Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith that with him and for him we may endure the Crosse despise the shame for the joy set before us * Heb. 12. For suffering with him we shall assuredly be glorified together * Rom. 8.17 18. he shining like the sune and fountaine of light we like lesser stars borrowing our lustre from him being for ever fixt in the same Orbe without either waine or Ecclips injoying perpetuall day without night joy without sorrow satisfaction without satiety a happy eternity an eternall felicity heaven being
the only Olympus above the meteors and stormes of this world which for its inconstancy is in the Revelation Emblemd by a Sea and that of glasse for its frailty and brittlenesse in its forme circular and moving to shew the inconstancy of all things in it its matter fading vanishing and dying to teach us the perishablenesse and certaine mortality of all its beauties for as the Father is such are the Children all but empty glories nay man himselfe the Master peece of nature and comprehension of all other beings and perfections close bound up in a little volume if we looke into his materials the weaknesse and short continuance of the building we can account but as a vapour a shadow a bubble that soone vanisheth a walking peece of earth a well glazed pitcher soone broken a heap of ruine rather then a faire structure and in his greatest perfections a cipher or nothing In that honour is but a blaze or meteor many times made up of the basest matter a treasure without lock or key more in the power of another then the owner riches but Gold Gold but a well coloured peece of dirt which against nature rather then stay to make us happy will though a dull and heavy element take wings and flye away fame a hollow Eccho beauty a well glazed pitcher or fading flower friendship a dying happinesse joy but folly mirth a short madnesse all things in their longest continuance but a sound or flash of lightning that dyes as soone as borne a dim glasse darke resemblance or apparition of future happinesse for in the making of this goodly frame this out-building or suburbs of heaven as in a little note-booke God onely writ in short and illegible Characters drew in modell or little those everlasting inutterable ravishing glories that shall be revealed when the scene is to be opened the curtaine drawne the vaile of our soules our bodies done away even such as our cripled fancy our imped and pinnioned imaginations cannot soare to and therefore with a silent admiration a blindnesse occasioned by seeing the lustre of many suns at once let us expect to enter that immence infinite blessednesse by faith that cannot now enter into us into our finite capacities and begin our heaven in our holinesse the true way approach and gate to happinesse and from inward principles be constant in our outward sufferings for the name or cause of Jesus Act. 20. and so turne our enemies pitty at our pressures into wonder at our patience and our patience into an everlasting fruition of blessednesse and seale if Gods honour require it and our Countries good to that truth by our deaths we have made profession of in lives * Rev. 2.12 suffering all evill or punishment rather then commit any the least evill of sinne for such a temper of the soule when in the lowest center of misery will like fire to fewell turne all into it selfe into satisfaction if not complacency and with the wood in Exodus will convert these bitter waters into sweet and refreshing springs But if our weake faith doth not worke such miracles Exo. 15.25 let not our soules be vexed nor disquieted within us but trust in God as well for the resurrection of our joyes here as of our bodies hereafter who is the helpe of our countenance and our God * Psa 42.43 and having received presse mony past favours which are alwayes pledges of future mercies let us waite upon God fight unto death and not quit our colours for want of pay here but expect our triumphs hereafter when the enemy sinne and death are totally vanquished and in the meane time like Cloth in the fullers hand which must be thorowly whited and dressed to make up those robes of state the innocency of the Saints we must be for ever adorned with hereafter let us yeeld our selves to be trampled on and rinsed in severall waters many troubles still fearing that if the deluge of Affliction once begin to fall or abate a worse slime of sinne will cover the face of our earthly hearts and we for ever may stick fast in that mire without water to cleanse us if the fountaines opened to Iuda and Ierusalem for uncleanesse be stopt against us and then if the Baits of sinne delights of the world carry us along in those soft and boggy wayes and sinke us deeper how ever their entertainments are sweetned for the present with hony we shall ever finde the Bees sting in their taile their conclusion will be bitternesse and if our tendernesse shrinkes at the prickling of Afflictions here how shall we endure the wrack hereafter if not the sparkes of divine displeasure how the flames of hell fire for ever and ever Now to prevent this misery which is as immortal as the body the body as the soule the soule as God himselfe let us take lawfull pleasures here when God allowes them but not suffer them to take us yet sometimes please our selves in the want of pleasure it selfe * 1 Cor. 7.29.31 for what we sow in weakenesse shall rise in power * 1 Cor. 15. nay to Glory nay in Glory for as all Joyes here flow into the joyes of Heaven as rivers into the Sea so the faithfull Christian shall not loose his in death But his soule assoon as out of his body shall only goe from one Heaven to an other for the way to Heaven is Heaven so that as the Angels did not devest Heaven in coming to us good soules do invest Heaven in going to them the true joy that a Zacheus a soule in union with God and Christ apprehends here Joh 14.16 being that none can take from him For as one saith wittily crowd Heaven into a Map it s two Hemispheres are made up of joy and glory joy ushering in glory so that in the anguish of death agony of dissolution vision of horror nay sight of hell it selfe I shall see the face of God and all these will be but as Glasses that collect and reflect his ravishing rayes upon me adding joy to joy and glory to both and exchange for a great bubble blowne out with an easie breath for that childe and darling of time antiquity in blood for an empty aery title which is innobled onely by action and retaines nothing but the wax fit for any labell if wanting the stamp of true piety and worth for the hollow sound of fame a crowne that can never be lost for goodnesse and vertue will reflect a brave lustre upon the memory of a dead as well as upon the person of a living Saint a gallant eccho of praise when dead for his praising of God when living and though as one saith envy may sometimes mist the glasse of Reputation so that it shall not report a cleere light yet at the last judgement it will reverberate truly and we shall shine in a sphere all brightnesse and be known by a transparent light on every side what we were here what we are in heaven to the glory of God joy of the Saints shame and derision of of our enemies So great is the convictive Majesty of goodnesse in the beames of the setting sunne and though the highest perfection of the soule the most sublimed part of man here is full of imperfections blemishes and dying beauties which doe rather hide then shew the glory of a sanctified spirit or the true Image of God drawn in little there yet this way of taking God into us is our onely way of being taken into God and to make him our sheild and exceeding great reward Gen. 5. our defence here and Crowne hereafter when our Candles shall be put out in our earthen sockets our lofty blowne bladders empty themselves of breath and we sleepe in death a darke Gallery or shady walke onely leading betweene two lives the period and Omega of the earthly mans happinesse the Alpha and beginning of the Christians blessednesse the highest step to honour and birth day to eternity where we shall for ever injoy day without night satisfaction without satiety a tranquill happinesse in a happy tranquillity eternall blessednesse in a blessed eternity So be it Amen GEntle Reader though naturally men love the issue of their braines more then of their bodies in that they are many times longer lived more true and lasting records of the innobled soules they derive their pedigree from then the other yet the authour of this little worke chose rather to be forgotten then remembred by a peece that if examined by a cleer and open light will represent him with so many errours and ill drawn features to the world and designed it onely for himselfe and his but truly a civility to the law of friendship where desires are commands and the consideration of its usefulnesse in regard of the unhappy Harmony betweene its subject and these times made me first lend and now send it abroad and give it line beyond its authours intention though not liberty to goe but whether my hand directs for I have onely Printed a few Coppies to satisfie some private importunities and therefore if thou be one of that number its failings are now mine and thine and so intitle themselves to your forgivenesse which is the humble request of thine in all affection FINIS