cast it into the fier to purifie it and so doth our good God in our backwardnesse to good duties pricke vs or being in our filthinesse purifie vs by casting vs into the hot coales of tribulation Wherefore doe not so much mourne that thou art afflicted but be carefull and fearfull lest thereby thou should not be reformed for this is a true signe that we are Gods sonnes and not bastards when wee are more doubtfull that wee shall not make the right vse of them then fearfull that the Lord will not remoue them He that findeth this in himselfe findeth a good thing and but that which alwaies attendeth and accompanieth a sanctified heart in its greatest troubles Quest. But some man may say Sir it is a hard thing to suffer afflictions patiently therefore what shall I doe to attaine to this Resol 1 Why thou must consider that it is the direct path to heauen Matth. 7.13 and is it not better to bee in our right way though stonie crooked then in the pleasant Medowes going astray wandring The speediest way to compasse the world is to goe by water and the surest path to heauen is to saile through a sea of affliction Resol 2 Againe call to mind that Christ thy Captaine hath trod the same steps before thee and shall not the Head be followed by the members It is said 2. Sam. 15.30 that Dauid the King went vp to the Mount of Oliues and the people with him and as they went they wept so our Dauid is ascended into heauen but he went weeping and so must we follow him weeping for these two are inseparable Resol 3 Moreouer ponder with thy owne soule how many how great troubles thou by thy sinnes hast innumerable times deserued Alas Lam. 3.22.39 long agoe mightest thou haue been cut off by death and condemned if this were thought on it would stoppe this vaine of discontent and impatience Thou maist admire thou wast not long agoe consumed rather then pine in that thou art corrected afflicted Finally immoderate mourning is a meanes to draw downe a heauier iudgement When boyes will pule and cry out for a little lash the Master many times sets it on with a tang And hee that will struggle vnder the Lords hand peraduenture shall vndergoe a double ierking Say therefore with Dauid I held my peace Psal 39 9. because thou Lord diddest it Thus much for this point the second succeedeth which is that Doct. 2 The Lord doth not separate his affection from his children in affliction Psal 73.1 Howeuer it be yet God is good to Israel and the pure in heart shall neuer be forgotten Did not hee remember Noah Gen 8 1. Gen. 15. in his Arke Abraham in all his troubles Iacob in his heauie iourney Ioseph in the pit and prison Gen. â—8 16. Gen 39.21 Gen. 29.16 and iust Lot in the middest of Sodome The Lord thought on Dauid when hee kept his fathers sheepe Saul would haue slaine him 2. Sam. 12.1 Ziklag was burnt in his flight to Gath and when he had forgotten his God committed adultery and murther and was in his greatest extremity how often doth this man confesse that in the middest of all his sorrowes the Lord comforted his soule Psal 94.19 and Though his father and his mother should forsake him Psal 27.10 yet Iehouah would gather him I might here make mention of Moses Daniel the three Children and our fore-runner Christ and tell me which of the faithfull was euer forgotten by the Lord He hath said Hebr. 13.5 that He will not leaue vs or forsake vs but at all times and in all places he will bee with vs. Paul without doubting casteth downe the gantlet and biddeth a defiance against all things which notably doth proue the point in hand Who Rom. 8.35 c. or what shall separate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation or anguish or famine or persecution or nakednesse or perill or the sword No for hee is perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate the faithfull from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Shall I now shew it you in the Reason Reason 1 First the Lord is not subiect to forgetfulnesse he knoweth who are his and his eye is alwaies ouer theÌ„ 2. Tim. 2 19. Could the Lord forget them were hee subiect to ignorance then his affections might be separate from them but he is not he cannot Tamar may disguise her selfe walke in an vnaccustomed path so Iudah may not know her Isaac through the dimnesse of his sight may blesse Iacob and passe Esau Tract of time may make Ioseph to forget or be forgotten of his brethren Salomon may doubt to whom the child of certaine belongeth and Christ come to his owne and not bee receiued But the Lord seeth all his time place Heb. 4.13 speech or apparell cannot obscure or darken his eye or eare He can discerne Daniel in the denne Iob though neuer so changed on the dunghill Let Ionah haue his lodging in the whales belly Peter be put into close prison or Lazarus bee wrapped in rags or Abel tumbling in blood yet can hee call them by name and send his Angels to comfort them Ignorance or forgetfulnesse may cause loue to bee estranged in the creature but the Lord is not incident to either for his eye as his essence Psal 139 1.2 c. is euery where In this respect therefore he needeth not to separate his affection from his children in affliction Reason 2 And as the Lord is not subiect to forget so is he not incident to change for whom he loueth once Mal 3 6. Ier. 31.3 he loueth euer Man is subiect to mutation of affection but so is not the Lord for he is one most pure act his loue makes vs good so that his affection is perpetuall Mans iudgement may deceiue him and his loue cannot make the obiect beloued better therefore hee is subiect to alteration God not Obiect But we reade that God hath repented and so changed his affection Solution 1 I answere first that it is spoken for our vnderstanding after the manner of man and not to bee vnderstood otherwise Solution 2 Againe the change is not in God but in respect of the obiect about which hee is exercised for one cause without alteration in it selfe may produce diuers effects in that regard For example The Sunne hath but one simple act of shining yet doe wee not see that it doth vnite clay and straw dissolue ice into water makes the flowers smell sweetly and a dead corpse to stinke lothsomly the hot fier to be colder and the cold water hotter and will it not helpe to cure one man by his heate yet therewith kill another Where is the cause in the seuerall obiects and their diuers dispositions and
example of thy Sauiour and to be a fellow-feeler of thy brothers affliction If this goe before what will follow shall not the Lord mete to vs as we haue measured to others leaue vs when we haue most need of comfort seeing we cry Stand afarre come not neare me to our children and friends in the time of affliction Was it not Ionathans praise that he was louely in life and death and would not leaue his brother Dauid in all his troubles and shall it not be thy duty and comfort to doe the like to all thy brethren The Butler is branded that he remeÌ„bred not Ioseph in his bands and hence probably came that Prouerbe No man remembreth the afflictions of Ioseph Yet we haue some more vnnaturall who forsake men in their prosperity and dayes of Gods promotion they enuie Dauid because hee is annointed King from the sheepe-fold Cry away with Amos he must not prophecy at Bethel for he was a figge-gatherer and if Christ come out of Nazaret be reputed the Carpenters sonne and aduanced by his heauenly Father some will reiect him others doubt of him and too few receiue him And without mis-apprehension be it spoken I haue seene these two euils in the learned and religious of our times Friends forsaken in aduersity enuied in prosperity wee will not visit the poore if wee bee rich neither regard them the Lord extraordinarily aduanceth But these things should not be so why then say with Ruth Nought but death shall part thee and thy friend follow him with thine affection whithersoeuer he goeth and if he fall amongst theeues goe not by him but looke on him and to thy ability and his necessity relieue him For this is thy Fathers proceeding the custom of his childreÌ„ the only way to be of others respected when thou thy selfe art most afflicted If pouerty would haue parted friends nakednesse made a separation meannesse of birth or basenesse of condition then the Lord had neuer tooke pitie on thee or in affection been vnited to thee Wherefore set the Lords patterne before thine eyes and whatsoeuer hee beareth with in his doe thou the like also and let not that withdraw thy loue from any of thy brethren against which the God of loue neuer obiected disliked or for the which his affection was neuer separated weakened I know this is thy dutie but a thing not easie to bee done for it is no weake but a maine pitch of sanctification not to draw arguments from the meannesse of a mans birth friends education former pouerty or present necessity to withdraw extenuate and separate affection but to loue where and in the same manner the Lord loueth he that doth this flesh and blood neuer reuealed it to him Then striue for it it is worth the obtaining that it may be said of thee as Paul said of one who performed this dutie The Lord shew mercie to the house of Onesiphorus The Lord graunt he may finde mercie with the Lord at that day Vse 4 And from this point of Gods affection to his children in affliction we may all be encouraged to serue such a master Art thou his seruant and sonne then doe not with the Prodigall run from him or with Demas embrace the world for all creatures of that kind will faile and forsake thee in thy affliction or if not they will proue but like Iobs friends or the Pharisies Miserable Comforters Or hast thou not yet giuen vp thy name and with a purpose of heart cleaued to the Lord why then change thy master and make choyce of him wee haue in hand Who would not serue such a man as will bee alwaies present with his people haue an eye ouer them call them by name and relieue them according to their necessities Shall not we then make election of the Lord For his eye shall watch for thy good his right hand shall be ouer thy face and his left hand vnder thy head and thou shalt want no manner of thing Art thou in bonds hee shall visit thee In danger his Angels shall defend thee In want the creatures refresh thee Tempted by Satan he shall fight for thee Or in the pangs and shadow of death yet he will bee with thee that thou maist sleepe soundly and securely Beloued this I know that if God be with vs it is no matter who be against vs but if hee bee not on our side what will it profit vs to bee respected of the world And say not in thy heart Lush my mountaine is strong and I shall not be moued for wee are but in the wildernesse wee shall meet with fiery serpents the stings of a guiltie and wounded spirit Iordan that type of death hath not looked vs in the face at the most wee haue not passed ouer it and doth not the day draw neere is it not at hand and if the Lord doe not then helpe thee and be with thee what shall become of thee wofull will be that Hauen where thou shalt be landed O that we did but know the worth of Gods fauour in affliction or how ioyfull a thing it is for his children to be assured of his affection Well the day of death and of iudgement shall declare it and till then the true worth will not bee fully knowne of the faithfull or the want feelingly discerned by the vngodly Let me then entreat thee to striue for his fauour thinke no paines too great to obtaine it neither be at peace till thou possesse it for then thou maiest haue comfort in troubâ—es ioy amidst sorrow and life in death No tidings so terrible that shall make thee tremble no former sinne cause thee to feare nor Satans deadliest darts touch or pierce thee if the Lord be with thee Now then is the time to agree with him take the opportunity fore-slow it not and build thou on this rocke once and stand for euer A third point from the words may now be collected viZ. that Doct. 3 The fauour of God in affliction onely giueth the faithfull satisfaction We see that this good man did comfort himselfe from no other ground but from this that The Lord thought on him Neither is there any thing that could worke this effect he being in so great affliction except the Lords loue and affection Many cry who will shew vs any good Psal 4 6. But Lord lift thou the light of thy countenance vpon me And whom haue I in heauen but thee Psal 73.25 or in earth that I respect in comparison of thee No person no thing Iâ— is good yea best to draw neere to God â—â—nd 28. 2. Sam. 1â— 12 for content in these dangers Saul was a King and yet when God was gone could his kingdome yeeld him any comfort BalshaZZar in his bowles will quake Dan. 5.6 and his heart roll within him if the Lords hand in writing be stretched out against him Why doth the diuell tremble and feare Oh Iam. 2.19 hee hath no confidence in the great
furrowes of thy heart little pleasure canst thou haue in death at death And because we dreame but deceiue our selues and that too too often in thinking we are in the Lords fauour highly principally in prosperitie be thou the more carefull to attaine to this thing Wee haue a common Prouerb that A good thing cannot be made too sure and what better then this in all the world And for the better triall of thy selfe in the matter take these rules in the meane while till thou haue learned better First if the Lord loue thee then thou doest reflect thy affection againe vpon him He sheds his loue first abroad in thy heart Rom. 5.5 and then thou art enflamed with the loue of him Pâ—al 73 27. For as I first giue heate to my bed and then it giues me warmth the night after so the Lords loue heateth my heart and then I thence forward affect him certainely he that loues the Lord is loued of him Againe if the Lord loue thee then he will reueale himselfe vnto thee Psal 6.8.9 c. especially in prayer and that familiarly When thou hast called on his Name hath hee giuen thee a gracious and comfortable answere Hast thou felt a secret voice of the spirit speaking to the eare of thy soule Thy prayer is heard Acts 10.4 and thy request come before the Lord for God like man giueth the greatest gifts and manifesteth himself to his children the most in secret Then be thou of good coÌ„fort for the Lord thinkes on thee Besides canst thou speake by experience Iosh 21.45 that hee hath kept couenant with thee and performed his promise for his promises are Yea and Amen to all he loueth 2. Cor. 1.20 then maist thou haue hope Isaiah 27 3. VVhat peace hast thou found wrought in thy soule Psal 30.9 How hath he watered thee euery morning humbled thee in prosperitie and comforted thee in aduersitie Hast thou an experimentall knowledge of his proceedings feare not then he will doe thee good and no euill 2. Cor. 1.4 and he is neuer weary for that were to crosse his owne command in weldoing And doest thou reiect the Arme of flesh and bloud denie thy owne power and onely rely vpon the Lord I then dare giue thee my word Psal 60.11.12 that he shall neuer faile thee or in the greatest danger forsake thee Be thou assured once that these things are in thee and the like done for thee and thou shalt be as secure and safe from all dangers in life and death as the least drop of water in the bottome of the deepe Ocean sea is from the exhalation of the Summers Sun or that graine of sand which possesseth the very center of the Globe is from motion or the footes trampling scattering One thing more may yet bee obserued out of the words thinketh on me which is that Doct. 4 The Lord will deliuer the faithfull from all dangers free them in a conuenient season from all afflictions Psal 91. Psal 27.14 For this is the true exposition of the phrase as the words following doe declare euidently plainly Noah shall not be drowned in the old world Gen. 8.1 c. but be freed from all dangers Gen. 19. Let shall come safe to little Zoar. Moses flee to and returne in health Acts 7. from the land of Madian Ioseph may be sold Gen. 45. yet God can preserue him safe Gen. 33. and Esau expect the time of mourning to be reuenged on his brother Iacob yet shall he come againe and find fauour in his eyes Psal 11.1 c. Let Dauid be hunted like a Partridge the rauening Kite shall neuer catch him Ier. 45.5 and Baruch shall haue his life though many perish for a prey Peter may be in prison Acts 5.19.20 12 7.8 yet shall the gates be cast off their hinges his bolts be loosed and hee set at libertie 2. Tim 4.17.18 And though Paul be forsaken of all men yet God shall assist him free him out of the mouth of the Lyon and preserue him to his heauenly kingdome Yea Phil 1.21 this is most certain that either in life he shal let them loose Reuel 14.13 2. King 22 20. to runne at libertie or by death free them from the euill to come And reason may be rendred why it shall be so Reason 1 For the Lord hath so promised and purposed and shall not his counsell stand Prov. 19.21 and his word abide for euer Did he euer faile in keeping couenant or haue his promises at any time been preuented No Matâ— 5.18 no Let Heauen and Earth passe away one iot of his word shall not moue but be verified certainely accomplished Tit. 1.2 For shall God proue a lyer breake promise Away with this he cannot he will not God is not like man promising what he neuer intends to performe 2. Cor. 1.20 for all the promises made by him are Yea and Amen in Christ Iesus Reason 2 And this will hee doe of loue to his children and hatred to the wicked God will not haue the vncircumcised Philistims to reioyce in the ouerthrow of little Dauid his Annointed Deut. 32.26.27 or the cursed Canaanites to tread vnder-foot the sanctified seede of old Israel Psal 89.10.11 c. Exod. 1.12 Pharaoh may lay great burdens on the Iewes yet the more he doth vex them they shall multiply grow and vex him This hath been a reason of force in former time and may continue still to confirme this doctrine Vse 1 And from this point the faithfull must learne patience and not to make haste 1. Thes 4.13 or mourne as men without hope for it 's but a very little while and then He that shall come will come and will not tarrie Heb. 10.37 The Husbandman must patiently expect the time of haruest Iames 5 7. the Mariner waite with content for wind and tide and the VVatchman for the dawning of the day wee must also tarrie the Lords leisure bee strong and he in the fittest season will comfort our soules Dauid being assured that he should see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing did not faint Psal 27.13 but expect with patience the time appointed and his patterne must be our practise seeing it was grounded and sprang from the point we haue in hand Vse 2 Againe as by this point we are taught for the present to be patient so to confirme our faith for time future And what can more strengthen it then certaintie of full freedome and a totall deliuerie from all the euill that shall befall them 2. Cor. 4.16.17 But we thinke not seriously of this thing and that 's the cause we hang downe the loynes of our mindes and that which is halting is readie Heb. 12.12.13 vpon the least rub to be turned out of the way Wherefore let vs consider how he hath in former
time deliuered his and it will be a notable prop to support our staggering minds and a sure base and foundation for faith to rest it selfe vpon Now the kinds and meanes be many God can stop the mouthes of the raging Lions that they shall not rent the very garment of his children as we see in Dan. 5. Againe he is able to preserue vs in the fier from burning as the Bush was Exod. 3.2 and the three children in the furnace Dan. 3. Thirdly in bringing iudgements on our aduersaries and breaking the teeth of the Lion as of Pharaoh Exod. 14 of Haman Ester 7 and Herod Acts 12. Besides if not so he can change the heart and cause Paul a bloudy persecutor to become a resolute Christian souldier Acts 9. Furthermore he wanteth not skill or power to deliuer Paul by setting the enemies at ods one with another as hee did the Sadduces and the Pharisees Acts 21.31 23.10 Sixthly when their enemies are vpon their backes tidings may come to Saul that the Philistines are about to inuade the land so Dauid may escape the danger 1. Sam. 23.27 c. Moreouer he can giue his seruants power and boldnesse to dare their foes to their face as he did Paul and others in so much as they shall be kindly intreated and sent away Acts 4.8 c. Acts 16.37 c. And what shall I more say God can compell Balaam to blesse Caiphas to prophecie and the Whale to preserue Ionah when the ship would not saue him And is his power yet weakened his wisedome decreased or his will altered changed No in no wise for there is no shadow of turning with the Lord therefore feare not faile not faint not Obiect 1 But it will bee obiected that Abel was slaine Iames beheaded and many of Christs members murdered I answere that if we keep Sol. and liue in some close sinne the Lord will not deliuer vs for the committing of some iniquitie may procure danger yea death too Obiect 2 But Christ neuer sinned yet was not deliuered Sol. 1 True yet vntill the appointed time hee was and so shall all his members but when that hower comes then they must goe Sol. 2 Againe though God do not deliuer euerie person in particular yet he will the Church in generall as we may see in the foure great Monarchies of the world how one were dâ—shed against another onely a remnant that were Gods people continued and shall till the end of the world For was not the Church as safe in Babylon as in the land and limits of Canaan Sol. 3 Againe God doth deliuer his from desperatenesse in affliction so that trouble shall not ouer-burden them but rather reioyce them Sol. 4 Againe his promises are alwaies limited so farre forth as they may make for his glory and our good and what can we haue more Sol. 5 Againe these promises must bee vnderstood compleatly either in this life or in the world to come when all the faithfull shall be deliuered for euer Sol. 6 In conclusion if wee bee comforted in death more then life are we not deliuered And if we were not what doe we loose but earth and gaine heauen For daily danger or violent death shall not depriue the righteous of a better life This then being thus be of good comfort for the present feare not any future dangers but plucke vp your hearts and gird vp the loynes of your mindes Goe on through good report and euill report be resolute souldiers of Iesus Christ march on valiantly and feare not their feare For mauger their malice Dauid shall serue his dayes Paul finish his worke and Iohns life be prolonged vntill his taske be ended Let Balaam the Pope curse Pharaoh the Turke pursue Gallio the Iesuite iudge Pontius Pilate the Priest condemne nay let Satan rage his instruments band themselues together and all the crawling Locusts ascend out of the nethermost hell yet I haue hoped and euer will that the Lords Annointed shal raigne his people encrease more and more the word daily runne Babylon be razed downe to the ground the house of Bethel builded and supported till the Sonne of God returne againe in his greatest glorie When all wicked and vngodly men shall tast of the second death be bound hand and foot and suffer the vengeance of eternall fier And euerie vpright and honest heart shall haue al teares wiped from his eyes fetters from his feete manacles from his fingers runne to and fro in the new Ierusalem that is aboue and with Iesus showt for ioy as Dauid and the people did when the Ark came home safe into the Citie and then shall it bee knowne whether God had or not power to tread downe Satan and his shauelings vnder foote and preserue his people vnto his heauenlie Kingdome To which God for this hope be prayse throughout all generations for euer and euer Amen FINIS