A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE To drive out DISCONTENT In all that any way suffer Affliction As also the Benefit of Affliction and how to Husband it so that the weakest Christian with blessing from above may be able to support himself in his most miserable exigents Together with the Wit Generosity Magnanimity and Invincible strength of a patient Christian Rightly so stiled and as is herein Characterised Extracted out of the choisest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Second Part. By R. Younge of Roxwell in Essex Florilegus Licensed and Entered according to Order All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold at his House near the Wind-mills next dore to the three Colts with more than forty other pieces by the same Author 1668. A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE To Drive out DISCONTENT c. PART II. CHAP. I. IN the former part I have Shewen the several Reasons why God suffers the best of his Children to be afflicted with the manifold benefits and advantages they make thereof Now that some may be perswaded to make this use of their sufferings and that we may also put to silence the ignorance of others foolish men who are mistaken in judging of this matter supposing it a base thing to suffer injuries unrevenged see the Reasons which deservedly make Gods children so patiently to suffer wrongs that the menâ— of the world never dream of And how through the study of vertue and Christian prudence they make the servile passions of their mindes fear and anger subject to the more worthy facultiâ—s of their souls reason and understanding The reasons thereof are these 1. Because it is more generous and laudable to forgive than revenge Certainly in taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy but inpassing it over he is superiour to him for it is a Princes part to pardon yea quoth Alexander there can be nothing more noble than to do well to those that deserve ill And St. Gregory It is more honor to suffer injuries by silence than to overcome them by answering again Princes use not to chide when Embassadours have offered them undecencies but deny them audience as if silence were the way royall to correct a wrong And certainly he enjoyes a brave composednesse that seats himself above the flight of the injurious claw Like the Emperour Augustus who though of a most tenacious and retentive memory would forget wrongs as soon as they were offered Or Agathocles Antigonus and Caesar who being great Potentates were as little moved at vulgar wrongs as a Lyon at the barking of Curreâ— yea the Orator gives it as a high praise to Caesar that he could forget nothing but wrongs remember nothing but benefits and who so truly noble as he that can do ill and will not ' True It is not rare to see a greaâ— man vex himself at the neglect of a peasant but this argues a poor spirit A true Lyon would pass it by with an honourable scorn You 'l confesse then 't is Princely to disdain a wrong and is that all No forgiveness saith Seneca is a valiant kinde of revenge and none are so frequent in pardoning as the couragious He that is modestly valiant stirs not till he must needs and then to purpose Like the Flint he hath fire in him but it appears not untill you force it from him Who more valiant than Ioshua and he held it the noblest victory to overcome evil with good for the Gibeonites took not so much pains in coming to deceive him as he in going to deliver them And Cicero more commends Caesar for overcoming his own courage in pardoning Marcellus than for the great victories he had against his other enemies Yea a dominion over ones self is greater then the Grand Signiory of Turkie For as the greatest knowledge is truly to know thy self so the greatest conquest is to subdue thy self He is a wiseman that can avoid an evil he is a patient man that can indure it but he is a valiant man that can conquer it And indeed for a man to overcome an enemy and be overcome by his own passions is to conquer a petty village with the losse of a large City What saith a Father Miserable is that victory wherein thou overcomest thine enemy and the Divel in the mean time overcomes thee thou slayest his body the Divel thy soul Now we deem him to have the honour of the warre that hath the profit of it But as an Emperour said of the means prescribed him to cure his Leprosie which was the blood of Infants I had rather be sick still than be recovered by such a medicine so wilt thou in this case if thou hast either bowels or brains Yea if the price or honour of the conquest be rated by the difficulty then to suppresse anger in thy self is to conquer with Hercules one of the Furies To tame all passions is to lead Cerberus in chains and to indure afflictions and persecutions strongly and patiently is with Atlas to bear the whole World on thy shoulders as saith the Poet. It is no shame to suffer ill but to do it to be evil we are all naturally disposed to be holy and good is the difficulty Yea every beast and vermine can kill it is true prowesse and honour to give life and preserve it Yea a beast being snarled at by a cur will pass by as scorning to take notice thereof I but is it wisdome so to do Yes first the ancient received opinion is that the sinews of wisdome are slowness of belief and distrust Secondly None more wise then Solomon and he is of opinion That it is the glory of a man to pass by an offence Prov. 19.11 We fools think it ignominy and cowardise to put up the lye without a stub a wrong without a challenge but Solomonâ— to whose wisdome all wise men will subscribe was of another judgment and to this of Solomon the wisest heathen have set their seal Pittaeus the Philosopher holds That pardon is better than revenge inasmuch as the one is proper to the spirit the other to a cruel beast And Demosâ—henes being reproached by one answers I will not strive with thee in this kind of fight in which he that is overcome is the better man But how Socrates whom the Oracle of Apollo pronounced the wisest man alive and all the rest of the Philosophers approved of it both by judgment and practise we shall have occasion to relate in the reasons insuing No truer note of a wiseman than this he so loves as if he were to be an enemy and so hates as if he were to love again We know a spark of fire falling upon a solid body presently goes out which falling upon combustible matter kindles and burns Now as with fire the light stuff and rubbish kindles sooner than the solid and more compact
we knock we crack was long ago made the Emblem of England and the Low-Countreys When two friends fall out if one be not the wiser they turn love into anger and passion passion into evil words words into blows and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a fair advantage to insult over them both As have you not sometimes seen two neighbours like two Cocks of the Game pick out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Iudah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Iudah the King of Syria smot them both At least Sathan that common and arch enemy will have us at advantage For as vain men delight when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to encourage and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Satan deal with us Controversies like a pair of Cudgels are thrown in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs And we cannot please the Devill better for as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devil deal with men He is an enemy that watcheth his time and while we wound one another he wounds and wins all our souls Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kite comes that Prince and chief Foul that rulâ—th in the aire and snatcheth away both these great warriours Or like two Emmets in the mole hill of this earth we fight for the mastery in mean while comes the Robin-red breast and picks both up and so devours them But on the other side by gentleness we may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up between him and Themistocles that he besought him mildly after this manner Sir we both are no mean men in this Common wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one again and if we will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love Aristippus and Aeschines two famous Philosophers being fallen at variance Aristippus came to Aeschines and saies Shall we 〈◊〉 friends again Yes with all my heart saies Aeschines Remember thâ—â— saith Aristippus that though I be your elder yet I sought for peace truâ— saith Aeschines and for this I will ever ackowledge you the more worthy man for I began the strife and you the peace And we read of Euclidâ—â— that when his Brother in a variance between them said I would I mighâ— die if I be not revenged of thee he answered again Nay let me die for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one woâ—â— he presently so won his Brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends Milde words and gentle behaviour may be resembled to Milk that quencheth Wild fire or Oyl that quencheth Lime which bâ— water is kindled And this was Davids way of overcoming 1 Sam. 24 He whose Harp had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindness dotâ— calm his fury so that now he sheds tears instead of blood here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the host of the King of Syria when he might have slain them 2 King 6.23 What did he lose by it or had he cause to repent himself No he did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith the bands oâ— Aram came no more into the Land of Israel And such a conquest is like that which Evagrius recordeth of the Romans namely That they got such a victory over Cosroes one of the Persian Kings that this Cosroes made a Law that never after any Kings of Persia should move warre against the Romans Actions salved up wâ—th a free forgiveness are as not done so every wise Christian will do good to them that do hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is he a fool in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evil enemies now they shall neither be evil nor enemies It was a witty answer of Socrates who replied when one asked him why he took such a mans bitter railing so patiently It is enough for one to be angry at a time For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Solomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratlings of mockers and blunteth the point of their reproach Had not Gideon Judg. learned to speak fair as well as to smite he had found work enough from the swords of Iosephs sonnes but his good words are as victorious as his sword his pacification of friends better than his execution of enemies Vers 2 3 Satyrus knowing himself cholerick and in that whirry of mind apt to transgresse when he but suspected ill language from any he would stop his cars with wax lest the sense of it should cause his fierce blood to seeth in his distempered skin And Caesar although he could moderate his passions having in that civil garboyl intercepted a Packet of Letters written to Pompey from his Favorites brake them not open but burnt them immediately And Pompey committed those Letters to the fâ—re before he read them wherein he expected to find the cause of his grief Rage is not ingendred but by the concurrence of cholers which are easily produced one of another and born at an instant When the stone and the sseel meets the issue ingendred from thence is fire wâ—ereas the sword of anger being struck upon the soft pillow of a milde spirit is broken The shot of the Cannon hurts not Wool and such like yeilding things but that which is hard stubborn and resisting He is fuller of passion than reason that will flame at every vain tongues puff A man that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green and open which otherwise would heal and do well Anger to the soul is like a coal on the flesh or garment cast it off suddenly it doth little harm but let it lye it frets deep Wherefore saith one their malice shall sooner cease than my unchanged patience A small injury shall go as it comes a great injury may dine or sup with me but none at all shall lodge with me for why should I vex my self because another hath vexed me That were to imitate the fool that would not come out of the Pound saying They had put him in bâ— Law and he would come out again by Law or Ahab who because he could not have his will on
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
so anger doth sooner inflame a fool than a man composed in his resolutions This the Holy Ghost witnesseth Eccles 7. Be not thou of a hasty spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fools vers 9. So much fury so much folly the more chafing the lesse wisdome I confesse I finde some wise men extreamly passionate by nature as there is no generall rule but admits of some exceptions Even God himself had particular exceptions from his generall Laws as the Cherubims over the Ark was an instance against the second Commandment the Israelites robbing the Aegyptians against the eight the Priests breaking the Sabboth Matth. 12.5 against the fourth and Phinâ—as killing Zimry against the sixth Numb 25.8 And these as they are more taken with a joy so they tast a discontent more heavily In whom Choler like fire in stubble is soon kindled and soon out for they are stung with a Nettle and allayed with a Dock being like Gun-powder to which you no sooner give fire but they fly in your face And they say these hot men are the best natur'd but I say then the best are nought And it is a strange fit that transformes a wiseman with Apuleius into an Asse yea a Tyger And others again none of the wisest who are free from being affected And as they never joy excessively so they never sorrow inordinately but have together lesse mirth and lesse mourning like patient Gamesters winning and losing are all one But for the most part it is otherwise Yea impatience is the Cousin-german to frenzie How oft have we heard men that have been displeased with others tear the Name of their Maker in pieces And lastly This of all others is the most divine and Christian-like revenge witnesse our Saviour Christ who by death overcame death as David cut off the head of Goliah with his own sword and even then tryumphed over his enemies when most they seemed to tryumph over him Col. 2.15 And the Martyrs who are said by the Holy Ghost to overcome the great Dragon that old Serpent called the Divell and Satan in that they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 Their conquering was by dying not by killing and can the back of Charity now bear no load are the sinews of Love grown so feeble And holy David who when he had Saul at his mercy instead of cutting off his head as his servants perswaded him only cut off the lap of his garmnet and after thought that too much alâ—o And at another time when the Lord had closed him into his hands finding him asleep in the Fort instead of taking away his life as Abishai â—ounselled him he took away his Spear and instead of taking away his â—lood from his heart he takes a pot of water from his head That this kind of â—evenge for a man to find his enemy at an advantage and let him depart â—ree is generous and noble beyond the capacity of an ordinary man you may hear Saul himself confesse 1 Sam. 24.17 to 23. Again when the King of Syria sent a mighty Host to take Elisha and the Lord had smote them all with blindness and shut them into Samaria what doth the Prophet slay them No indeed the King of Israel would fain have had it so his fingers itcht to be doing but Elisha commanded bread and water to be set before them that they might eat and drink and go to their Master 2 King 6.22 So a Christian truly generous will omit no opportunity of doing good nor do evil though he have opportunity for to may and will not is the Christians laud. Which yet is not all for besides that it is the most generous noble valiant wise divine and Christian-like revenge to passe by and forgive injuries our Saviour Christ in whom is the fountain of all wisdome and knowledge as all the senses are in the head Zach. 4.12 allowes none for magnanimous but such as together with forgiving bless those that curse them and do good to such as hurt them Matth. 5 44. The case of Moses Steven and many others as I shall shew in Chapter 31. which is true generosity indeed But how contrary is the opinion of the World to the judgment of God and the wisest of men concerning valour CHAP. II. 2. BEcause suffering is the only way to prevent suffering Revenge being one of those remedies which not seldom proves more grievous than the disease it self When once Xantippe the wife of Socrates in the open street pluckt his cloak from his back and some of his acquaintance counselled him to strike her he answers You say well that while we are brawling and fighting together every one of you may clap us on the back cry Hoe well said to it Socrates yea well done Xantippe the wisest of the twain When Aristippus was asked by one in derision where the great high friendship was become that formerly had been between him and Aeschines he answers It is asleep but I will go and awaken it and did so least their enemies should make it a matter of rejoycing When Philip of Macedon was told that the Graecians spake evil words of him notwithstanding he did them much good and was withall counselled to chastise them he answers Your counsel is not good for if they now speak evil of us having done them good only what would they then if we should do them any harm And at another time being counselled either to banish or put to death one who had slandered him he would do neither of both saying It was not a sufficient cause to condemn him and for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedonia where all men knew that he lyed thâ—n to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth better he speak where we are both known then where we are both unknown And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately answer Ah but chide him not for then he will do as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injury than Revenge These tongue-squibs or crackers of the brain will die alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemn an enemy is better then either to fear him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his fear made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftness let him turn to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least will soon give over and be quiet Wherefore when aspersed labour as the eclipsed Moon to keep on our motion till we wade out of the shadow and receive our former splendor To vex other men is but to prompt them how they should again vexus Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription If
was as deaf and dumb at reproach as any stock or stone They that seek after my life saith he lay snares and they that go about to do me evil talk wicked things all the day sure it was their vocation to backbite and slander but I was as deaf and heard not and as one dumb which doth not open his mouth I was as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofs Psal 38 1â—.13 This innocent Dove was also as wise as a Serpent in stopping his ears and refusing to hear the voice of these blasphemous Inchanters charmed they never so wisely which being so let us hear with patience and say with Tacitus You are able to curse and I to contemn Tu linguae ego aurium sum Dominus you are Master of your tongue and I of mine ears What saith one advisedly When we are provoked to fight with women the best way is to run away And indeed he that le ts loose his anger upon every occasion is like him that lets go his Hawk upon every bayt Indeed in Gods cause the case may differ When Iulian in a mock asked Maurice Bishop of Chalcedon why his Galilean God could not help him to his fight he replied I am contentedly blind that I may not see such a Tyrant as thou art And as their words are to be contemned by us so are their challenges to fight When a young Gallant would needs pick a quarrell with an ancient tried Souldier whose valour had made him famous it was generally held that he might with credit refuse to fight with him until his worth should be known equivalent to his saying Your ambition is to win honour upon me whereas I shall receive nothing but disgrace from you The Goshawke scorns to fly at Sparrows Those noble Doggs which the King of Albany presented to Alexander out of an overflowing of courage contemned to encounter with any beasts but Lyons and Elephants as for Staggâ— wild Boars and Bears they made so little account of that seeing them they would not so much as remove out of their places And so the Regenerate man which fighteth daily with their King Satan scorns to encounter with his servant and slave the carnall man And this is so far from detracting that it adds to his honour and shews his courage and fortitude to be right generous and noble Again secondly The wager is unequall to lay the life of a Christian against the life of a Ruffian and the blind sword makes no difference of persons the one surpassing the other as much as Heaven Earth Angels men or men beasts even Aristippus being derided by a fearless souldier for drooping in danger of shipwrack could answer Thou and I have not the like cause to be afraid for thou shalt only lose the life of an Asse but I the life of a Philosopher The consideration whereof made Alexander when he was commanded by Philip his Father to wrastle in the games of Olympia answer he would if there were any Kings present to strive with him else not which is our very Case and nothing is more worthy our pride than that which will make us most humble if we have it that we are Christians When an Embassadour told Henry the fourth that Magnificent King of France concerning the King of Spains ample Dominions First said he He is King of Spain is he so saith Henry and I am King of France but said the other He is King of Portugall and I am King of France saith Henry He is King Naples and I am King of France He is King of Sicily and I am King of France He is King of Novae Hispaniola and I am King of France He is King of the West Indies and I said Henry am King of France He thought the Kingdom of France only equivalent to all those Kingdoms The application is easie the practise usuall with so many as know themselves heirs apparent to an immortall Crown of glory And as touching their future estate Fret not thy self saith David because of the wicked men neither be envious for the evill doers for they shall soon be cut down like grass and shall wither as the green herb Psal 37 1 2 This doth excellently appear in that remarkable example of Samaria besieged by Benhadad and his Host 2 King 7.6 7. As also in Haeman who now begins to envy where half an hour since he had scorned as what could so much vex that insulting Agagite as to be made a Lackie to a despised Iew yea not to mention that which followed stay but one hour more the basest slave of Persia will not change conditions with this great favourite though he might have his riches and former honour to boot I might instance the like of Pharaoh Exod. 15.9 10 19. Senacherib Isa 37.36 37 38. Herod Acts 12 22 23. and many others but experience shews that no man can sit upon so high a Cogue but may with turning prove the lowest in the wheele and that pride cannot climbe so high but Iustice will fit above her CHAP. VI. 6. BEcause they have respect unto Gods Commandments who saith By your patience possesse your souls Luk. 21 19. Be patient toward all men 1 Thes 5 14. And Let your patient mind be known unto all men Phil. 4.5 More especially Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give placâ— to the Devill Ephes 4.26 27. From whence observe this by the way that he which lies down in wrath hath the Devill for his bedfellow See saith Paul that none recompence evill unto any man 1 Thes â— 15 And again Be not overcome with evill but overcome evill with goodness Rom. 12.21 Yea saith our Saviour Love your enemies do well to theâ— that hate you bless them that curse you and pray for them which hurt you Luk. 6.27 28 And in case thine enemy hunger instead of adding to his affliction give him bread to eat if he thirst give him water to drink or else thou breakest Gods Commandment touching patience Prov. 25.21 Rom. 1â— 20 and consequently art in the sight of God a transgressour of the whole Laâ— and standest guilty of the breach of every Commandment James 2.10 11. We know the frantick man though he be sober eleven moneths of the year yet if he rage one he cannot avoid the imputation of madness Now as Gods Children should do whatsoever he commands cheerfully and take whatsoever he doth thankfully so God suffers such wrongs to be that he may exercise thy patience and he commands thee to forgive those wrongs that thou mayest exercise thy charity and approve thy sincerity Many say Lord Lord but if you love me saith Christ keep my Commandments It is an idle ceremony to bow at the Name of Iesus except we have him in our hearts and honour him with our lives Phraates sent a Crown as â— present to Caesar against whom he was up in Arms but Caesar returned 〈◊〉 back with this answer Let him return to
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