for us heavenly riches Let such more then heathenish diffidence be farre from us who professe our selves to be of the houshold of Faith Is it not he as Hannah speaketh that maketh poore and maketh rich that bringeth low and lifteth up Do we enjoy all things through Gods blessing And can we thinke to keep our riches by disobeying his commandment Indeed the contrary we may well expect according to that Prov. 11. There is that scattereth and is more increased but he that spareth more then is right shall surely come to poverty vers 24. And it is but just if God deny thee thy daily bread if thou denyest him the crumbs And thus it apppeareth that by giving to the poor we shall be no loosers But this is not all For CHAP. XXII Secondly we shall not onely receive our own again but it shall be with great increase Yea if the Word of God be true there is not a more compendious way to thrive and grow rich then by being bountifull to the poore But that bounty is the best and surest way to plenty and that it is so far from weakning a mans estate or bringing him to want and poverty that it is the onely meanes to keep us from it and to bring plenty and abundance I have largely and plentifully proved if you remember in Chapter the 30. of The best and surest way to become rich And I heartily wish that the Reader would perule the same For it is the most piercing and patheticall Chapter of all the parts and should methinks exceedingly whet on those that are greedy of gaine to put the same into practice and make them bountifull in doing these workes of mercy and not think themselves loosers thereby but rather to conclude as a mercifull man once did The more I give the more I have As what Husbandman does not reckon more of his seed in the ground then of that in his Barn or Garner And shall we be such Atheists as to trust the ground and not God Yea let us be so far from grudging these Almes to the poor when we have fit occasion that we do them with joy and thankfulness unto God that he hath given us so fit an opportunity of sowing our seed that so we may reap a fruitfull harvest For what husbandman would not readily and cheerfulâ—y hearken to one who should offer him fertile and fruitfull land ready prepared and manured to sow his seed in with a faithful promise that he should reape the whole crop for his own use and benefit But thus God dealeth with us when he giveth us opportunity of relieving the poor Yea in truth much better and more ability for he gives us even the seed also we sow with and whereas if a man should freely receive of another Land to sow his seed in yet he were not sure of a fruitfull harvest For many accidents usually happen which cut off the hopes of the most skilfull Husbandman as Frosts and Mildewes wormes and locusts tares and weeds too much wet or too much drought may destroy the corn though the seed were never so good or when it is ready for the sickle the enemy may come and reap it but if we sow these seeds of our beneficence believing Gods promises and hoping for a happy harvest we shall never fail of our expectation because God who is infinite in power and truth having promised a fruitfull crop no outward accident is able to hinder it But lest what hath been said should not be sufficient to prevail with men to be mercifull to the poore let them hearken to and mind well the many other reasons and inducements that propound themselves and then I doubt not but they will if wise do good to others if it be but to do a greater good to themselves For of all other graces the grace of charity and bounty hath the most primest promises of reward to us and ours both here and hereafter of which I will mention some CHAP. XXIII Thirdly God hath further promised to confirm strengthen and continue as well as increase his prosperous and flourishing estate and that in sundry places of scripture already cited and elsewhere He is gracious and full of compassion he sheweth favour and lendeth he hath given to the poore c. And what shall be his reward Wealth and Riches shall be in his house he shall not be moved for ever his righteousness aye and his riches too as is implied in the close shall endure for ever he shall be in everlasting remembrance he shall not be afraid of evill tidings his heaâ—t is fixed trusting in the Lord his horn shall be exalted with honour Psal. 112.1 to 10. All grace shall abound towards him that he always having alsufficiency in all things may abound to every good work and hold out to the end 2 Cor. 9. He deviseth liberall things and by his liberallity he shall stand Isa. 82.8 He drawes out his soul to the hungry and comforteth the afflicted therefore his light shall rise in obscurity and his darkness shall be as the noon day and the Lord shall guide him continually and satisfie his soul in draught and make fat his bones he shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not and they that shall be of him shall build the old waste places he shall raise up the foundations of many generations and he shall be called the repairer of the bâ—each the restorer of pathes to dwell in Isa. 58.6 to 13. And the like Pro. 28.27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack And so Psalmâ—7 â—7 25 I have been young and now am old yâ—â— have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread and why so He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed as it followes in the next verse and in the next to that He that dies good shâ—â—l dwell for ever more Verse 2â— He shall not be forsaken but the Lord will preserve him for ever Verse 28. He shall inherit the Land and dwell therein for ever Vers. 29. and a great deal more to the same effect Verse 31 33 34 37 39 40. See more Ier 17.25 Psal. 1.3 and 31.10 Iob 1.10 which are all pregnant places and full to the point in hand But I may not stand upon it Onely read these Scriptures and remember them Fourthly he shall be blessed in his person and that many waies yea the benefits and blessings temporall spirituall and corporall for soul and body which God hath promised to bestow upon the mercifull for a reward of their bounty are infinite of which observe with me these few First touching corporall benefits and blessings Blessed is he saith the Psalmist that considereth the poore the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble he will keep and preserve him alâ—ve he shall be blessed upon the earth and not delivered unto the will of his enemies Psalm 41.1 2 3. Great priviledges but to
so doing he shall greatly increase his knowledge and lessen his vites In â— few dayes he may read it and ever after be the better for it But me thinks I am too like a carelesse Porter which keepes the guests without doors till they have lost their stomacks wherefore I will detain you no longer in the Porch but unlock the door and let you in THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION and how to husband it so that with blessing from above the weakest Christian may be able to support himself in his most miserable Exigents CHAP. 1. Why the Lord suffers his children to be so traduced and persecuted by his and their enemies and first That it makes for the glory of his power IN the former Treatise I have proved that there is a naturall enmity and a spirituall Antipathy between the Men of the World and the children of GOD between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman And that these two Regiments being the Subjects of two severall Kings Satan and Câ—rist are governed by Laws opposite and clean contrary each to the other whereby it comes to passe that grievous temptations and persecutions do alwayes accompany the remission of sins That all men as Austine speaks are necessitated to miseries which bend their course towards the Kingdom of Heaven For godlinesse and temptation are such inseparable attendants on the same person that a mans sins be no sooner forgiven and he rescued from Satan but that Lion fomes and roares and bestirs himselfe to recover his losse Neither can Gods love be enjoyed without Satans disturbance Yea the World and the Devil therefore hate us because God hath chosen us If a Convert comes home the Angels welcome him with Songs the Devils follow him with uproar and fury his old acquaintance with scorns and obloquie for they think it quarrel enough that we will no longer run with them to the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 That we will no longer continue miserable with them they envy to see themselves cashiered as persons infected with the plague will scoff at such of their acquaintance as refuse to consort with them as they have done formerly It is not enough for them to be bad themselves except they rail at and persecute the good He that hath no grace himself is vexed to see it in another godly men are thorns in wicked mens eyes as Iob was in the Devils because they are good or because they are deerly beloved of God If a mans person and wayes please God the world will be displeased with both If God be a mans friend that will be his enemy if they exercise their malice it is where he shews mercy and indeed he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks for it is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is born after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evil but because he is so much better then himself 1 John 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wisdom 2.15 I have also shewed the Original continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of this enmity and therein made it plain that as for the present they suit like the Harp and the Harrow agree like two poysons in one stomack the one being ever sick of the other so to reconcile them together were to reconcile Fire and Water the Wolfe and the Lambe the Windes and the Sea together yea that once to expect it were an effect of frenzie not of hope It remains in the last place that I declare the Reasons why God permits his dearest children so to be afflicted The godly are so patient in their sufferings With other grounds of comfort and Vses and first of the first The Reasons why God suffers the same are chiefly sixteen all tending to his glory and their spiritual and everlasting good benefit and advantage for the malignity of envy if it be well answered is made the evil cause of a good effect to us God and our souls are made gainers by anothers sin The Reasons and Ends which tend to Gods glory are three 1 It makes for the glory of his Power 2 It makes for the glory of his Wisdom 3 It makes much for his glory when those graces which he hath bestowed upon his children do the more shine through employment It makes for the glory of his power Moses having declared in what manner the Lord permitted Pharaoh to oppress the children of Israel more and more still hardning his heart shews the reason of it in these words That I may multiply my miracles and wonders in the land of Egypt That I may lay my hand upon Pharaoh and bring out mine Armies even my people by great judgements that my power may be known and that I may declare my Name throughout all the World Exod. 7.3 4. 9.16 When that multitude of Ammonites and Moabites came to war against Iehosaphat and the children of Israel intending to cast them out of the Lords inheritance and utterly destroy them to the dishonour of God the Lord by delivering them from that sore affliction gained to himself such honour and glory That as the Text saith the fear of God was upon all the Kingdoms of the Earth when they heard that the Lord had fought so against the enemies of Israel 2 Chron. 20.19 The judgement was upon some the fear came upon all it was but a few mens loss but it was all mens warning 1 Cor. 10.11 When the Lord brought again the Captivity of Sion saith the Psalmist then said they among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them Psal. 126.1 2. God provides on purpose mighty adversaries for his Church that their humiliation may be the greator in susteining and his glory may be greater in deliverance yea though there be legions of Devils and every one stronger then many legions of men and more malicious then strong yet Christs little Flock lives and prospers And makes not this exceedingly for our Makers for our Guardians glory Gods power is best made known in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 And our deliverance is so much the more wondred at by how much the less it was expected Impossibilities are the best advancers of Gods glory who not seldom hangs the greatest wâ—ights upon the smallest wiers as he doth those bottles of Heaven being of infinite weight and magnitude in the soft air where no man can make a feather hang and the massie substance of the whole Earth and Sea upon nothing Job 26.7 8. Yea the whole frame of the Heavens have no other Columnes or Supporters to lean upon than his mighty and powerful Word Gen. 1.6 7 8. For what we least believe can be done we most admire being done the lesser the means and the greater the opposition the more is the glory of him who by little means doth
overcome a great opposition yea it is greater glory to God to turn evils into good by over-mastering them than wholly to take them away Now if thy very enemies thus honour thee how should thy friends bought with thy precious blood glorifie thee But the sweetest of Honey lieth in the boâ—tom I pass therefore from the first to the second Reason CHAP. 2. That it makes for the glory of his Wisdom 2 SEcondly it makes for the glory of his marvellous and singular Wisdom when he turneth the malice of his enemies to the advantage of his Church I would saith Paul ye understood brethren that the things which have come unto me are turned rather to the furthering of the Gospel So that my bonds in Christ are famous throughout all the judgement-hall and in all other places insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord are emboldned through my bonds and dare more frankly speak the Word Phil. 1.12 13 14. The Apostles imprisonment was not the Gospels restraint but inlargement In all other cases a gentle resistance heightens the desire of the seeker in this the strength of opposition meeting with as strong a faith hath the same effect Again how admirably did the Lord turn the malice of Iosephs brethren when they sold him into Egypt And that devillish plot of Haman against Mordecai and his people to the good of his Church in general and of Ioseph and Mordecai in particular Gen. 45.8 11. Hester 9.1 2 3. Their plots to overthrow Ioseph and Mordecai were turned by a divine Providence to the only means of advantaging them And herein was that of the Psalmist verified Surely the rage of man shall turn to thy praise Psal. 76.10 He who can do all things will do that which shall be most for his own honour And it is not so much glory to God to take away wicked men as to use their evill to his own holy purposes how soon could the Commander of Heaven and Earth rid the World of bad members But so should he lose the praise of working good by evil instruments it sufficeth that the Angels of God resist their actions while their persons continue Yea as in the Creation out of that confused Chaos he drew forth this orderly and adorned World so still out of Satans Tragedies and Hurliburlies he brings forth sweet order and comeliness for God many times works by contrary means as Christ restored the blinde man to his sight with clay and spittle he caused the Israelites to grow with depression with persecution to multiply Exod. 1.12 The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church Persecution enlargeth the bounds of it like as Palms oppressed and Camamile trod upon mount the more grow the faster Yea it is admirable to consider how the Gospel grew maugre all the adverse blasts and floods which the billows of Earth and bellows of Hell could blow or poure out against it in those sanguinary Persecutions The more we are cut down by the sword of Persecution the more still we are sayes Tertullian of the Christians in his time Yea the sufferings of one begat many to the love of the truth we read that Cicilia a poor Virgin by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ. The spectators made contrary constructions to what their Persecutors intended witness Iustine Martyr Who when he saw the Christians suffer such great things so cheerfully said Surely these men have more in them then the men of the World they have other principles and thereupon enquired what manner of people they were and so came to embrace the truth Whence Master Iohn Lindsey a friend to Bishop Bettoune upon the burning of Master Patrick Hamilton said to him My Lord if you burn any more let them be burnt in hollow Cellars for the smoak of Master Hamilton hath infected as many as it blew upon Master Knox in his History of Scotland And as touching Iulians in particular Italy never more abounded with Students then when he had shut up all the School-doors and turned Learning into exile And so on the contrary the very means which wicked men use to establish their own power proves by Gods providence the only means of their ruine Those Babel-projectors would build themselves a Towre whose top should reach unto Heaven lest they should be scattered abroad which act of theirs proved the only cause of their being scattered and dispersed all the World over Gen. 11.4 8. Iosephs brethren sold him into Egypt that so they might prevent his reigning over them but God made it the only means of his reigning over them Genesis 37.20 36. Pharaoh and his deep Counsellours would deal wisely in oppressing the Israelites lest they should multiply and get out of his Land but by this they multiplied the more and got out the sooner even to the ruine of him and his Countrey Exod. 1.9 10 11 12. The chief Priests and Pharisees would most wisely put Christ to death lest all men should believe in him Iohn 11.47 48 53. When thereby chiefly all came to believe in him For saith he when I am lifted up from the Earth I will draw all men unto me Iohn 12.32 And not seldome doth the Lord thus turn the deepest counsels of Haman and Achitophel into foolishness Witness the Prelates caetera Oath He that could prevent our sufferings by his power doth permit them in his wisdom that he may glorifie his mercy in our deliverance and confirm our faith by the issue of our distresses 'T is as easie for God to work without means as with them and against them as by either but assuredly it makes more for the Makers glory that such an admirable harmony should be produced out of such an infinite discord The World is composed of four Elements and those be contraries the Year is quartered into different Seasons the minde of man is a mixture of disparities as joy sorrow hope fear love hate and the like the body doth consist and is nourished by contraries how divers even in effect as well as taste wherein variety hits the humour of all are the Birds and Beasts that feed us And how divers again are those things that feed them How many several qualities have the Plants that they brouze upon Which all mingled together what a well tempered Sallad do they make Thus you see that though faith be above reason yet is there a reason to be given of our faith Oh what a depth of wisdom may lie wrapt up in those passages which to our weak apprehensions may seem ridiculous CHAP. 3. That the graces of God in his children may the more shine through employment 3 THirdly it maketh for Gods glory another way when those gracâ— which he hath bestowed upon his children do the more shiâ— through employment and are the more seen and taken notice â— by the World surely if his justice get such honour by a Pharaoh mucâ— more doth his mercy by a Moses now
serve God as our servants serve us of which many have too good cloaths others too much wages or are too fine fed to do work as â—sops Hen being over-fed was too fat to lay or perhaps too many under them as a Gentleman having but one servant thought him over-burdened with work and therefore took another to help him but having two one of them so trusted to the others observance that oft-times they were both missing and the work not done then he chose a third but was worse served them then before whereupon he told his friend When I had one servant I had a servant when I had two I had but half an one now I have three I have never an one Few men can disgest great felicity Many a man hath been a loser by his gains and found that that which multiplied his outward estate hath abated his inward and so on the contrary David was never so tender as when he was hunted like a Partridge 1 Sam. 26.20 Ionah was at best in the Whales belly Stevens face never shone so fair as when he stood before the Council Acts 6.15 Whilest the Romans had wars with Carthage and enemies in Affrick they knew not what vices meant in Rome Now if the winter of the one is found to be the spring of the other and the corruption of prosperity the generation of piety who will esteem those things good which make us worse or that evil which brings such gain and sweetness Before I was afflicted saith David I went astray but now I keep thy commandement Psal. 119.67 These evils do press us but it is to God and to holiness Yea how much lower our afflictions weigh us down on Earth so much the more earnestly our affections mount up to Heaven An Egge will swim in sâ—lt water but sink in fresh so we King David among so many publick and private calamities and disasters kept his head above water and stood upright in his heart to God But King Solomon his son even sunk in the midst of delights and pleasures Too much rankness layeth the Corn and Trees over-laden with Fruit are their own ruine Happy was he Iohn 9. in being born blinde whose gain of bodily sight made way for the spiritual who of a Patient became an Advocate for his Saviour who lost a Synagogue and found Heaven who by being abandoned of sinners was received of the Lord of glory God rarely deprives a man of one faculty but he more then supplies it in another The defect of corporal sight hath not seldome mended the memory for what is taken from one sense is divided amongst the rest When Zachary was dumbe Iohn Baptist the voice was a breeding Hannibal had but one eye Appius Claudius Timelon and Homer were quite blinde So was Mulleasses King of Tunis and Iohn King of Bohemia but for the loss of that one Sense they were recompensed in the rest they had most excellent memories rare inventions and admirable other parts Or suppose he send sickness the worst Feaver can come does not more burn up our blood than our lust and together with sweating out the surfets of nature at the pores of the body we weep out the sinful corruption of our nature at the pores of the conscience Yea the Authour to the Hebrews saith of Christ himself that though he were the Son yet as he was man He learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5.8 As in humane proceedings Ill manners beget good Laws so in Divine the wicked by their evil tongues beget good and holy lives in the godly Whence Plutarch adviseth us so circumspectly to demean our selves as if our enemies did alwayes behold us Nothing sooner brings us to the knowledge and amendment of our faults then the scoffs of an enemy which made Philip of Macedon acknowledge himself much beholding to his enemies the Athenians for speaking evil of him for saith he they have made me an honest man to prove them liars even barren Leah when she was despised became fruitful So that we may thank our enemies or must thank God for our enemies Our souls shall shine the brighter one day for such rubbing the cold winde cleanseth the good grain the hot fire refines the pure gold Yea put case we be gold they will but try us If Iron they will scowre away our rust I say not that a wicked heart will be bettered by affliction for in the same fire that gold is made bright and pure dâ—oss is burnt and consumed and under the same flail that the grain is purged and preserved the husks are broken and diminished Neither are the Lees therefore confounded with the Wine because they are pressed and trodden under the same press or plank but I speak of affliction sanctified and of the godly Yet let not the wickedest man be discouraged for as when Christ called the blinde man the Disciples said Be of good comfort he calleth thee so I may say to thee that art burthned with any kind of affliction Be of good comfort Christ calleth thee saying Come unto me by repentance and amendment of life and I will ease thee of thy sins and sorrows here and hereafter only as the blinde man threw away his garment and followed Christ so do thou answer him I will forsake my sins and follow thee For if God like a prudent Prince makes offers and fames of war it is but to mend the conditions of peace But farewel I am for the already resolved to whom I say if the needle of affliction be drawn through us by reason of wicked mens malice it is but to convey with it the threed of amendment and their worst to the godly serves but as the thorn to the brest of the Nightingale the which if she chance to sleep causeth her to warble with a renewed cheerfulness For as blowes make balls to mount and lashes make Tops to go which oâ— themselves would fall so with their malice we are spurred up to duty and made persevere in it for commonly like Tops no longer lasht no longer we go Yea these very tempestuous showers bring forth spiritual flowers herbs in abundance Devotion like fire in frosty weather burns hottest in affliction Vertue provoked ads much to it self With the Ark of Noah the higher we are tossed with the flood of their malice the neerer we mount towards Heaven When the waters of the flood came upon the face of the earth down went stately Turrets and Towers but as the waters rose the Ark rose still higher and higher In like sort when the waters of affliction arise down goes the pride of life the lust of the eyes In a word all the vanities of the World But the Ark of the soul ariseth as these waters rise and that higher and higher even neerer and neerer towards Heaven I might illustrate this point by many observable things in nature We see Well-waters arising from deep Springs are hotter in Winter then in Summer because the outward
as he came could receive no other answer then that he for his own part found himselfe very well at ease and they that were not had reason to seek out another seat that might like them better It is but a fable yet the moral is true perspicuous profitable Many shall one day repent that they were happy too soon Many a man cries out Oh that I were so rich so healthful so quiet so happy c. Alas though thou hadst thy wish for the present thou shouldst perhaps be a loser in the sequel The Physician doth not hear his Patient in what he would yet heareth him in taking occasion to do another thing more conducible to his health God loves to give us cools and heats in our desires and will so allay our joyes that their fruition hurt us not he knows that as it is with the body touching meats the greater plenty the less dainty and too long forbearance causeth a Surfet when we come to full food So it fares with the minde touching worldly contentments therefore he feeds us not with the dish but with the spoon and will have us neither cloyed nor famished In this life mercy and misery grief and grace good and bad are blended one with the other because if we should have nothing but comfort Earth would be thought Heaven besides if Christ-tide lasted all the year what would become of Lenâ— If every day were Good-Friday the World would be weary of Fasting Secundus calls death a sleep eternal the wicked mans fear the godly mans wish Where the conscience is clear death is looked for without fear yea desired with delight accepted with devotion why it is but the cessation of trouble the extinction of sin the deliverance from enemies a rescue from Satan the quiet rest of the body and infranchizement of the soul. The Woman great with childe is ever musing upon the time of her delivery and hath not he the like cause when Death is his bridge from wo to glory Though it be the wicked mans ship-wrack 't is the good mans putting into harbour And hereupon finding himself hated persecuted afflicted and tormented by enemies of all sorts he can as willingly leave the World as others can forgo the Court yea as willingly die as dine yea no woman with childe did ever more exactly count her time No Iew did ever more earnestly wish for the Iubile No servant so desires the end of his years No stranger so longs to be at home as he expects the promise of Christs coming It is the strength of his hope the sweet object of his faith in the midst of all sorrows the comfort of his heart the heart of all his comforts the incouragement of his wearied spirits the common clausule the continual period and shutting up of his Prayers Come Lord Iesus come quickly Whereas the Worlds Favourites go as unwillingly from hence as boyes from the midst of a game Neither hath the Rich man so much advantage of the poor in enjoying as the poor hath of the Rich in leaving True Rich men may also learn this slight for the way to grieve less is to love less And indeed what shouldest thou do in case thou seest that the World runs not on thy side but give over the World and be on Gods side Let us care little for the World that cares so little for us Let us cross sail and turn another way let us go forth therefore out of the Camp bearing his reproach for we have no continuing City but we seek one to come Heb. 13.13 14. CHAP. 8. That it keeps them alwayes prepared to the spiritual combate 5 FIfthly the Lord permitteth them often to afflict and assail us to the end we may be alwayes prepared for tribulation as wise Mariners in a calm make all their tackling sure and strong that they may be provided against the next storm which they cannot look to be long without Or as experienced Souldiers in time of peace prepare against the day of battel and so much the rather when they look every day for the approach of the enemy They saith Socrates that set sail into a calme Sea in a fair quiet weather have notwithstanding all instruments and materials ready which may be of use in a tempest so he that enjoyes a prosperous and happy estate if wise doth even in that time prepare for the harder and more cross occurrents and so much the rather because a great calme presageth a sudden storme The people of Laish being rich and wanting nothing grew careless and secure and being secure and mistrusting nothing they were smote with the edge of the sword and had their Citie burnt Iudg. 18. The way to be safe is never to be secure The wals of a City that are not repaired in peace will hardly be mended in a siege Alexander having set his Army in battel-array and finding a Souldier then mending his Armes cashiered him saying That was a time of dealing blows not of preparing weapons We are oft-times set upon to the end that we may continually buckle unto us the whole Armour of God prescribed by Paul Ephes. 6.13 to 19. That we may be alwayes ready for the battel by walking circumspectly not as fools but as wise Ephes. 5.15 Therefore redeeming the time because the dayes are evil Vers. 16. For as those that have no enemies to encounter them cast their armour aside and let it rust because they are secure from danger but when their enemies are at hand and sound the Alarum they both wake and sleep in their armour because they would be ready for the assault So if we were not often in skirmish with our enemies we should lay aside our spiritual armour but when wee have continual use of it we still keep it fast buckled unto us that being armed at all points we may be able to make resistance that we be not surpriz'd at unawars Neither would it be good for us at present if we had not these enemies to stand in awe and fear of but much more inconvenient in divers respects as wise Scipio that mirrour of wisdome told some who with no small joy avouched that the Common-wealth of Rome was now in safe estate seeing they had vanquished the Carthaginians and conquered the inhabitants of Pontus Neither would he for that only reason have Carthage destroy'd because it should hinder Rome from sleeping Yea God himself would have the Hitlites Gargesites Amorites Canaanites Peresites Hivites and Iebusites strong and warlike Nations to be in the midst of Israel lest Israel should sleep in sin and want matter for exercise fight and conquest Here may be felicity with security never with safety The time when the envious man did sowe his seed was whilest men were in bed No servants more orderly use their masters talent then those that ever fear their Masters sudden return No Houshoulder more safe than he who at every watch suspects the Thieves entring Sampson could not be bound till he
brought men into Campania but carried women out again Yea the more deliverances David had the greater was his faith for after the Lord had delivered him often out of extream exigents namely from this great Goliah the cruelty of Saul the unnatural insurrection of Absalom and the unjust curses of Shimei he was able to say I trust in God neither will I fear what flâ—sh can do unto me Psal. 56.4 And in Psal. 3. I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Vers. 6. And in Psal. 18.29 By thee I have broken through an host and in thy Name I will leap over a wall His experience had made it so easie to him that it was no more then a skip or jump We men indeed therefore shut our hands because we have opened them making our former kindnesses arguments of sparing afterwards but contrarily God therefore gives because he hath given making his former favours arguments for more It is Davids onely argument Psal. 4. Have mercy upon me saith he and hearken unto my prayer Why Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distresse Vers. 1. I might likewise here shew from 2 Chron. 20.29 Phil. 1.12 13 14. how the delivering of some increaseth the faith of others but I passe that That we may live by faith and not by sense he first strips us of all our earthly confidence and then gives us victory and not before lest he should be a loser in our gain his help uses to shew it self in extremity he that can prevent evils conceals his aid till dangers be ripe and then he is as careful as before he seemed connivent Daniel is not delivered at the beginning of his trouble he must first be in the Lions den and then he findes it Those three Servants Dan. 3.26 are not rescued at the Ovens mouth in the Furnace they are That is a gracious and well tried faith that can hold out with confidence to the last Like Abraham who is said to hope against hope Rom. 4.18 which with God is a thing much set by Yea such he accounts his Champions and Worthies Whence it is many are trained up in trouble all their dayes as it fared with David for as a Beare came to David after a Lion and a Giant after a Beare and a King after a Giant and Philistines after a King and all to make him more hardy and confident in his God so when they that are intended for Christs Champions have fought with the Devil and their own lusts they shall fight with envy when they have fought with envy they shall fight with poverty when they have fought with poverty they shall fight with infamy when they have fought with infamy they shall fight with sicknesse and after that with death Like a Labourer that is never out of work and this not only proves but mightily improves their faith And indeed till we have been delivered out of a lesser trouble we cannot trust God in a greater Resembling that peasant who would trust God upon the Land but not upon the Sea where should be but an inch-bord between him and death To hear a man in his best health and vigour to talk of his confidence in God and assurance of divine favour cannot be much worth but if in extremities we can believe above hope against hope our hope is so much the more noble as our difficulties are greater For Iairus to believe that his sick daughter should recover was no hard task but Christ will scrue up his faith to believe she shall again live though he sees with his eyes she is fully dead When we are in heavy Agonies and feel a very hell in our conscience then to apprehend mercy when with Ionas in the Whales belly we can call upon God in faith and see one contrary in another in the very depth of Hell Heaven in the very midst of Anger Love When with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. we can pick comfort out of the reproachful name of Dog and when nothing but war appears in Gods face then by faith to pierce through all the thick clouds and behold the sweet sun-shine of Gods favour and grace in Christ Heb. 11. 1. we are believers indeed And he saith Saint Bernard is to be reputed constant whose minde taketh fresh courage in the midst of extremities Like the Palm-tree which groweth so much the higher and stronger and more fruitful by how much the more weight it hath hanging upon it Not that the strongest faith is free from doubting for let a man look down from the top of the strongest steeple admit the Battlements be brest-high and he is sure he cannot fall yet a kinde of fear possesses him And well is it for us that our assurance is mixed with doubting Since the one makes us live as though there were no Gospel the other to die as if there were no Law The Lion seems to leave her young ones till they have almost kill'd themselves with roaring and howling but at last gasp she relieves them whereby they become the more couragious When the Prophet could say Out of the depths have I cried unto thee instantly follows and not till then the Lord heard me the Lord saw him sinking all the while yet lets him alone till he was at the bottom Every main affliction is our Red-sea which while it threats to swallow preserves us now when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thank-worthy Hope in a state hopeless and love to God under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly affairs and allurements drawing a contrary way is the chief praise of faith to love that God who crosseth us to kiss that hand which strikes us to trust in that power which kils us this is the honourable proof of a Christian this argues faith indeed What made our Saviour say to that woman of Canaan ô woman great is thy faith but this when neither his silence nor his flat denial could silence her Matth. 15. It is not enough to say God is good to Israel when Israel is in peace and prosperity and neither feels nor wants any thing but God will have us believe that he is good when we feel the smart of the rod and at the same time see our enemies the wicked prosper It best pleaseth him when we can say boldly with Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him When our enemies are behinde us and the Red-sea before us then confidently to trust upon God is much worth When we are in the barren Wilderness almost famished then to believe that God will provide Manna from Heaven and water out of the Rock is glorious when with the three Children we see nothing before us but a fiery Furnace to believe that God will send his Angel to be our deliverer this is heroical Dan. 3.20 And those which are acquainted with
the corrupt heart and festered conscience can endure nothing even a word if it be pleasing puffs him up with pride if not it swels him with passion A guilty conscience like Glasse will sweat with the least breath and like a windy iustrument be put out of tune with the very distemper of the aire but when the soul is steeled with goodnesse no assaults of evil can daunt it I more fear what is within me sayes Luther then what comes from without The storms and wind without do never move the Earth only Vapours within cause Earthquakes Jam. 4.1 No greater sign of innocency when we are accused than mildnesse as we see in Ioseph who being both accused and committed for forcing his Mistresse answered just nothing that we can read of Gen. 39.17 18. And Susanna who being accused by the two Elders of an haynous crime which they alone were guilty of never contended by laying the fault upon them but appeals unto God whether she were innocent or no. The History of Susanna Vers. 42.43 And Hannah whose reply to Ely when he falsly accused her of druukennesse was no other but Nay my Lord count not thine Handmaid for a wicked woman 1 Sam. 1.15 16. Neither is there a greater Symptome of guiltinesse than our breaking into choler and being exasperated when we have any thing laid to our charge witnesse Cain Gen. 4 9. That Hebrew which struck his fellow Exod. 2.13 14. Saul 1 Sam. 20.32 33. Abner 2 Sam. 3.8 Ioroboam 1 King 13 4. Ahab 1 King 22.27 Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.16 Vzziah 2 Chron. 26.19 Herod the Tetrarch Luk 3.19 20. The men of Nazareth Luk. 4.28 29. The Pharisees Joh. 8.47 48. And the High Priests and Scribes Luk. 20.19 20. Sinne and falshood are like an impudent strumpet but innocency and truth will veil themselves like a modest Virgin 2 Pet. 2.18 The more false the matter the greater noise to uphold it Paul is nothing so loud as Tertullus The weakest cause will be sure to forelay the shrewdest counsell or the lowdest Advocates Errour hath alwayes most words like a rotten house that needs most props and crutches to uphold it Simple truth evermore requires least cost like a beautifull face that needs no painting or a comely body which any decent apparrell becomes We plaister over rotten posts and ragged walls substantiall buildings are able to grace themselves So that as sparks flying up shew the house to be on fire and as corrupt spittle shewes exulcerate lungs so a passionate answer argues a guilty conscience Why doth the Hare use so many doublings but to frustrate the sent of the Hounds And this is one reason why the former are compared to Sheep and Lambes Emblems of innocency which being harmed will not once bleat and the latter unto Swine which will roar and cry if they be but toucht But to leave these Swine and return to the men we were speaking of A good Conscience is not put out of countenance with the false accusations of slanderous tongues it throweth them off as St Paul did the Viper unhurt Iunocence and patience are two Bucklers sufficient to repulse and abate the violence of any such charge the Brestplate of Righteousnesse the brazen wall of a good conscience feareth no such Canons The Conscionable being railed upon and reviled by a foul mouth may reply as once a Steward did to his passionate Lord when he called him Knave c. Your Honour may speak as you please but I beleeve not a word that you say for I know my self an honest man Yea suppose we are circled round with reproaches our conscience knowing us innocent like a constant friend takes us by the hand and cheers us against all our miseries A good spirit will be as Simon to Christ its Crosse-bearer A just man saith Chrysostome is impregnable and cannot be overcome take away his wealth his good parts cannot be taken from him and his treasure is above cast him into prison and bonds he doth the more freely enjoy the presence of his God banish him his Countrey he hath his conversation in Heaven kill his body it shall rise again so he fights with a shadow that contends with an upright man Wherefore let all who suffer in their good Names if conscious and guilty of an enemies imputations repent and amend if otherwise contemn them own them not so much as once to take notice thereof A wicked heart is as a barrtll of powder to temptation let thine be as a River of water Yea seeing God esteems men as they are and not as they have been although formerly thou hast been culpable yet now thou mayest answer for thy self as Paul did for Onesimus Though in times past I was unprofitable yet now I am profitable and oppose to them that sweet and divine sentence of sweet and holy Bernard Tell me not Satan what I have been but what I am and will be Or that of Beza in the like case Whatsoever I was I am now in Christ a New Creature and that is it which troubles thee I might have so continued long enough ere thou wouldest have vexed at it but now I see thou dost envy me the grace of my Saviour Or that Apothegme of Diogenes to a base fellow that told him he had once been a forger of money whose answer was 'T is true such as thou art now I was once but such as I am now thou wilt never be Yea thou mayest say by how much more I have formerly sinned by so much more is Gods power and goodnesse now magnified As St Augustine hearing the Donatists revile him for the former wickednesse of his youth answered The more desperate my disease was so much the more I admire the Physician Yea thou mayest yet strain it a peg higher and say the greater my sinnes were the greater is my honour as the Devils which Mary Magdalen once had are mentioned for her glory Thus if we cannot avoid ill tongues let our care be not to deserve them and 't is all one as if we avoided them For how little is that man hurt whom malice condemns on earth and God commends in Heaven Let the World accuse me so long as God acquits me I care not CHAP. XVIII That it is more laudable to forgive than revenge 2. BEcause it is more generous and laudable to forgive than revenge Certainly in taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy but in passing 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 Curres yea the Orator gives it as a high praise to Caesor 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 great man vex himself at the neglect of a peasant but this argues a poor spirit A true Lyon would passe it by with an honourable scorn You 'l confesse then 't is Princely to disdain a wrong and is that all No forgivenesse 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 Ioshna 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 wise man 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 Divell in the mean time overcomes thee thou slayest his body the Divell 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 eitheâ— 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 naturall 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 passe 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 slownesse of 〈…〉 None more wise then Salomon and he is of opinion That it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence Prov. 19.11 We fools think it ignominy and cowardise to put up the lye without a stab a wrong without a challenge but Salomon to whose wisdome all wise men will subscribe was of another judgment and to this of Salomon the wisest heathen have set their seal Pittacus the Philosopher holds That pardon is better than revenge inasmuch as the one is proper to the spirit the other to a cruell beast And Demosthenes being reproached by one answers I will not strive with thee in this kinde 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 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 chasing the lesse wisdome Some have no patience to bear bitter scoffs their noses are too tender to indure this strong and bitter Wormwood of the brain Others again like tyled houses can admit a falling spark unwarmed it may be coals of Iuniper without any danger of burning Now what makes the difference the one hath a good headpiece and is more solid the other are covered with such light dry straw that with the least touch they will kindle and flame about your troubled ears and when the house is on fire it is no disputing with how small a matter it came 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 Phineas 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 naught And it is a strange fit that transformes a wise man with Apulcius 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 Gamsters winning and losing are all one But for the most part it is otherwise Yea â—â—â—atience 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
for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedoneia where all men knew that he lyed then 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 swiftnesse 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 vex us Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription If 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 blowes 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 smote 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 Divell 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 Devill 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 ruleth 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 gentlenesse 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 And we read of Euclides that when his Brother in a variance between them said I would I might 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 word 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 by 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 kindnesse doth 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 of Aram came no more into the Land of Israel 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 Salomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratling of mockers and blunteth the point of their reproach Had not Gideon Judg. 8. 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. As it is not good to flatter or lye no more is it in some cases to speak the truth we know the Asse and the Hound in the Fable were both kild by the Lyon the one for hiâ— slattery in commending the sweetnesse of his breath the other for his plain dealing when he affirmed it had an ill savour whereas the Fox by pretending he could not smell by reason of a cold he had got saved his life 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 steel mâ—ets the issue ingendred from thence is fire whereas 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 yeelding 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
if they be angry they turn their malice from the person which punisheth them to the sinne by which and for which he came to have leave and power to punish them and to themselves for committing such sins The cause of their suffering doth more vex them than the things which they suffer and they grieve more for the displeasure of God than for the stripes of his displeasure It is not the punishment but the cause of it makes them sorrowfull And indeed to speak home to every mans conscience why are we patient or impatient it is worth the noting when sinne lyes light then reproaches and contempt lye heavy whereas if we truly feel the weight of sinne all indignities will be as nothing Or thirdly In case they do return an answer it is after the manner of Epictetus who would not deny the sins his enemy taxed him with but reproves his ignorance rather in that being unacquainted with the infinity of his crimes he layes only two or three to his charge whereas indeed he was guilty of a million Or as Latymer was wont who rejoyced when any objected indiscretion against him in his Sermons saying he knew by that that they could not object against the matter it self Or according to Philip of Macedon his example who would not punish Nicanor although he openly spake evill of him saying when he heard thereof I suppose Nicanor is a good man it were better to search whether the fault be in us or no so no sooner shall an holy mans enemy accuse him of hypocrisie pride passion covetousnesse c. but he will go to God and accuse himself and complain I am so indeed yea with Paul I am the chief of all sinners I am more vile than his termes can make me and I much marvell my punishment is no greater then to hear a few ill and bitter words And indeed one would think whatsoever is not pain nor sufferance or admit it be pain and sufferance so long as it is not a curse but a crosse may well be born without grumbling What said that Gentleman in Athens to his friends when Ashuerus came and took away half his plate as he was at dinner with him they admiring that he was not a whit moved thereat I thank God quoth he that his Highnesse hath left me any thing Yea suppose we lose all we have our goods are furthest off us and if but in these we smart we must confesse to finde favour Or admit they hurt our bodies or kill us which they may soon do if God but give leave for our life even the best of us is but like a bubble which boyes blow up in the ayre and presently again blow into meer ayr Caesar goes an Emperour to the Senate is brought a Corps home again What ever I say befals us this would be our meditation he that afflicted me for a time could have held me longer he that touched me in part could have stricken me in whole he that laid this upon my body hath power to lay a greater Rod both upon my body and soul without doing me the least wrong That all crosses and curses temporall spirituall and eternall even from the pains of the damned to the very Itch as Moses sets down Deut. 28.27 are deserved and come not upon us against equity equity I say in respect of God not in respect of men they come from a just Author though from an unjust instrument And that sinne is the ground of all our griefs the source of all our sufferings wickednesse the root of our wretchednesse that we are disciplin'd is from our defects is a truth undeniable appears plainly for first God affirms it Deut. 28. Isa. 57.17 Hos. 13.9 Jer. 30.15 and 4.18 Secondly His servants confirm it 1 Chron. 21.17 Isa. 64.5 Dan. 9.7 8 c. Lam. 1.5 8. and 3.39 c. Ezra 9.13 Luk. 23.41 Thirdly Good reason makes for it sinfull men smite not their dogs much lesse their children without a cause and shall we think the just God will smite without just cause his judgements saith a Father are sometimes secret alwayes just No misery had ever afflicted us if sinne had not first infected us What 's the reason we all die it could not be in justice if we had not all sinned and so of all other evils even sicknesse originally proceeds from sinne and all weaknesse from wickednesse one man languisheth of a Consumption another laboureth of a Feaver a third is rackt with the Gout a fourth swoln with the Dropsie a fift hath his soul let out with a sword every one hath a severall way to bring him to the common end death but sinne is the universall disease Death passed upon all for all have sinned Rom. 5.12 Iames 3.2 Yea as we brought a world of sinne into the world with us so since each man hath broken every one of Gods ten Laws ten thousand times and ten thousand wayes which is far from a privative holinesse in reforming that which is evill and a positive holinesse in performing that which is good Eph. 4.22 23. and every sin helps for as originall sin is the originall cause of death so actuall sins hasten it But to conclude in generall that sin is the cause we suffer is not sufficient for commonly no judgement comes from God but some particular provocation of man went before it the hand of Divine Iustice seldom makes us smart without some eminent cause foregoing therefore David seeing a famine in the Land inquires for the particular provoking sin 2 Sam. 21.1 so when we suffer our question should be What have we done yea what have we done in the same kinde for oftentimes we may read our sin in our punishment as it fared with Adonibezeck Judg. 1.7 and many other mentioned in Scripture Sodom was burnt with fire unnaturall as they burned with lust unnaturall Absoloms chief pride lay in his hair and that became his halter Salomon dividing Gods Kingdom had his own Kingdom divided David hath slain Vriah with the sword therefore the sword shall not depart from his house Dives would not give Lazarus a crum Lazarus shall not bring Dives a drop Iudas was the instrument of his Masters death he shall be the instrument of his own death Proud Bajazet vowes to imprison Tamberlaine in an Iron Cage and carry him about the world in triumph But Tamberlaine having conquered that bragging Turk carried and carted him through all Asia to be scorned of his own people For instance Is any one censured reviled and persecuted of lewd men for being religious Let him reflect upon his life past and happily their revilings and persecutions will bring to his remembrance that he himself before his conversion hath likewise censured reviled or persecuted others It may be his naturall spirituall or politicall parents in some kind or other as who can plead innocency herein and he that is not humbled for his sin is not yet justified from his sin Yea so often as
thou remembrest thy sinâ— without grief so often thou repeatest those sins by not grieving Dion of Syracusa being banished came to Theodorus Court a suppliant where not presently admitted he returned to his companion with these words I remember I did the like when I was in the like dignity He called his deeds past to a new reckoning So when thou receivest an injury remember what injuries thou hast offered look not to be exempt from the same wrongs which thou hast done for he that doth wrong may well receive it we may well suffer patiently when we know we suffer justly To look for good and to do bad is against the Law of retaliation Or secondly Is any one wronged in his good name without giving the least cause of scandall either at present or heretofore which troubles him above measure let him neverthelesse reflect upon himself and perhaps he shall finde the cause lie lurking in his own bosome as thus it may be thou hast not defamed thy neighbour but hast thou not delighted to hear others speak evil of him Hast thou been tender of his reputation and as much as thou couldest vindicated his good name Or thirdly Doth not a proud heart make thee over apprehensive of the wrong Does not the injury seem great to thee because thou seemest great to thy self If so be but little and lowly in thy own eyes and the wrong will seem lesse for no man can sweetlier put up disgraces from others than he who hath first learned to despise himself Yea this Straw-diadem hurts none but the proud and impatient for suppose thou findest here but hard fare and as ill drest a poor hungry humble soul will down with all well enough Or fourthly Hath not self-conceitednesse broken thy credit probably if thou wouldest think worse of thy self thou shouldest be better thought of But commonly all is well while we are well esteemed yea with many their reputation is more cared for than their God Neither would he be censured for sin that fears not to be damned for it If this hath been thy case henceforward let it trouble thee more to do a fault than to hear of it and when thou art evill spoken of by another call thy self to account before him it may be thou deservest it be more sorry that it is true than that it is known Or lastly Admit men charge thee wrongfully and thou canst not finde out thy sin by thy punishment yet know that what thou sufferest is most just in respect of God who is the Author and who does not alwayes punish sin in kinde As for example how many Murthers have been punished in a mutinous word the tongue in some rash language hath scourged the iniquity of the hand One hath done many robberies scap't many searches at last when all hath been forgotten he hath been hanged for accessary to a Theft he never knew Suspected felony hath often paid the price of an unknown Rape And they that have gone away with unnaturall filthinesse have yet clipt oft their dayes with their own Coyn so that still Gods judgements are just even when mans may be unjust which in all cases would be acknowledged as the godly ever do Mauricius that good Emperour when he his wife and his five sons were taken his wife and sons put to death and himself waiting for the like fatall stroke could conclude thus Iust art thou O Lord in all thy wayes and holy in all thy works as it is in the Psalms And a Martyr when he was burning at a stake Welcome flames my sin hath deserved more than here I can be able to suffer And certainly they are angry with Heaven for justice that are angry with them for injustice Wherefore if thou hast been heretofore so simple as to return like for like henceforward lay thy hand upon thy mouth and say with Iob Once have I spoken but I will answer no more yea twice but I will proceed no further Job 40.4 5 I will not so much consider how unjust man is that gives the wrong as how just God is that guideth it And this would be our meditation in all other cases namely to think whose hand strikes whether by a Plurisie or a Feaver or a Sword or whatever the Instrument be and to conclude the blow is Gods whatsoever or whosoever is used as the weapon Yea it comes not without our desert for God is just nor shall be without our profit for God is mercifull And he that doth not argue thus comes short of the very Heathen For Socrates could tell the Athenians when they condemned him to die that they could do nothing but what the gods permitted and nature had before ordained And in common reason can a Clock go without a weight to move it or a Keeper to set it No. Now this being premised namely that we endure nothing from our enemies but that we have justly deserved from God Yea that we are more beholding to our greatest enemies touching the knowledge of our selves than the best friends we have how should we not with David refuse to revenge our selves in case any wicked Shemei rayl curse or cast stones at us have we never so much power and opportunity to do it Yea admit some Abishai would do it for us how should we not say Let him alone suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him 2 Sam. 16.11 Again secondly If we make this use of our sufferings what more preciouâ— than the reproaches of an enemy for thereby we shall sooner and more plainly hear of our faults than by a friend although neither in a good manner nor to a good end We have great need quoth Diogenes of faithfull friends or sharp enemies Every one hath use of a Monitor but friends in this kinde are so rare that no wise man would willingly forego his enemy at any rate Wherefore saith one He shall be no friend to me that is a friend to my faults and I am no friend to my self if I think him my enemy that tells me of them CHAP. XXI They are Patient because their sufferings are counterpoysed and made sweet with more then answerable blessings 5. HE beareth the Crosse patiently because it is counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings Satan and the world may take many things from us as they did from Iob viz. health wealth outward peace friends liberty credit c. but they can never take God from us who gives all and at the same time supplies the want of these with comforts farre â—urpassing and transcending them And therefore in the midst of misery we say with Iob Blessed be the name of the Lord. Quest. But with what comforts doth the Lord supply our losses Answ. The assurance of the pardon of sinne alone is able to cleer all storms of the minde it teacheth misery as sicknesse poverty famine imprisonment infamy c. to laugh not by reason of some imaginary epicycles but by naturall and palpable reasons
the heart may be quiet and cheerfull so St Paul as sorrowing and yet alwayes rejoycing 2 Cor. 6.10 Neither can it be solid comfort except it hath his issue from a good conscience Indeed we therefore are not merry enough because we are not Christians enough Now if all our sufferings are thus counterpoysed and exceeded with blessings have we any cause to be angry and impatient What saith Iob Shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evill He was content to eat the crust with the crumme Indeed his wife like the wicked would only have fair weather all peace and plenty no touch of trouble but it is not so with the godly who have learnt better things Who will not suffer a few stripes from a Father by whom he receiveth so much good even all that he hath Diogenes would have no nay but Antisthenes must entertain him his Scholer insomuch that Antisthenes to have him gone was forc't to cudgell him yet all would not do he stirs not but takes the blowes very patiently saying Use me how you will so I may be your Scholer and hear your daily discourses I care not Much more may a Christian say unto God Let me enjoy the sweet fruition of thy presence speak thou peace unto my conscience and say unto my soul I am thy salvation and then afflict me how thou pleasest I am content yea very willing to bear it Yea if we well consider the commodity it brings we shall rather wish for affliction than be displeased when it comes Col. 1.24 For it even bringeth with it the company of God himself I will be with you in tribulation saith God to the disconsolate soul Psal. 91.15 When Sidrack Mishack and Abednego were cast into the fiery furnace there was presently a fourth came to bear them company and that was God himself Dan. 3.23 to 27. And his presence makes any condition comfortable were a man even in hell it self Yea as when St Paul was rapt up to the third Heaven he was so ravished with the joy thereof that he knew not whether he had his body about him or not 2 Cor. 12.2 Whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth So Gods presence so ravisheth the soul that while a man suffers the greatest pain he knows not whether he be in pain or no. Yea God is not only with them to comfort them in all their tribulation 2 Cor. 1.4 but in them for at the same time when the Disciples were persecuted they are said to be filled with joy and with the holy Ghost Acts 13.52 And as our sufferings in Christ do abound so our consolation also aboundeth through Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 And lastly he doth comfort us according to the dayes we are afflicted and according to the years we have seen evil Psal 90.15 So that a Christian gains more by his losses and crosses than the happiest worldling by all his immunities as it was said of Demosthenes that he got more by holding his peace than other Lawyers did by their pleading And if so our sufferings require patience with thankfulnesse as it fared with Iob. Object But what ever others finde thy sufferings are not thus counterpoysed and sweetned Answ. What 's the reason get but the light of grace to shine in thy heart thy prison shall be an Heaven thy Keepers Angels thy chains thy glory and thy deliverance salvation Grow but heavenly minded and thou shalt be able to extract gain out of losse peace out of trouble strength out of infirmity out of tears joy out of sin holinesse out of persecution profit out of affliction comfort For godlinesse in every sicknesse is a Physician in every contention an Advocate in every doubt a Schoolman in all heavinesse a Preacher and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes making the whole life as it were a perpetuall hallelujah Besides we look for a Crown of glory even that most excellent and eternall weight of glory to succeed this wreath of Thorns but if we are never tryed in the field never set foot to run the race of patience how can we look for a Garland Ten repulses did the Israelites suffer before they could get out of Aegypt and twice ten more before they could get possession of the promised Land of Canaan And as many did David endure before he was invested in the promised Kingdom many lets came before the Temple was re-edified All men would come to Heaven but they do not like the way they like well of Abrahams bosome but not of Dives door But God seeth it 〈◊〉 for us to tast of that Cap of which his Sonne drank so deep that we should feel a little what sin is and what his love was that we may learn patience in adversity as well as thankefulnesse in prosperity while one scale is not alwayes in depression nor the other lifted ever high while none is so miserable but he shall hear of another that would change calamities with him CHAP. XXII That they are patient because patience brings a reward with it 6. BEcause Patience in suffering brings a reward with it In reason a man would forgive his enemy even for his own sake were there no other motive to perswade him for to let passe many things of no small moment as that if we forgive not we can do no part of Gods worship that is pleasing to him for we cannot pray aright 1 Tim. 2.8 We cannot communicate in the Sacrament but we make our selves guilty of Christs blood 1 Cor. 11.27 Matth. 5.24 We cannot be good hearers of the Word Iames 1.21 and that it makes a man captive to Satan Ephes. 4.26 27. and many the like If ye forgive men their trespasses saith our Saviour your heavenly Father also will forgive you but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Mat. 6.14 15. So he that will not be in charity shall never be in Heaven And why should I do my self a shrewd turn because another would Yea we desire pardon as we give pardon and we would be loath to have our own lips condemn us When we pray to God to forgive us our trespasses as we also forgive them that trespasse against us and do not resolve to forgive our brethren we do in effect say Lord condemn us for we will be condemned whereas he that doth good to his enemy even in that act doth better to himself It is a sigular sacrifice to God and well-pleasing to him to do good against evill and to succour our very enemy in his necessity but we may perchance heap coals of fire upon the others head Rom. 12.20 though we must not do it with an intent to make his reckoning more but our reckoning lesse Again Blessed is the man saith St Iames that endureth temptation viz. with patience for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life James 1.12 And this made Moses not only
himself with an unnecessary weapon one sword can serve both his enemy and him Goliahs own weapon shall serve to behead the Master so this mans own tongue shall serve to accuse himself and acquit thee Yea as David had Goliah to bear his sword for him so thy very enemy shall carry for thee both sword and shield even sufficient for defence as well as for offence Wherefore in these cases it hath been usuall for Gods people to behave themselves like dead Images which though they be rayled on and reviled by their enemies yet have ears and hear not mouthes and speak not hands and revenge not neither have they breath in their nostrils to make reply Psal. 115.5 6 7. If you will see it in an example look upon David he was a 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. 38.12 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 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 shoult 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 Staggs wilde 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 Russian 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 scarless 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 of Naples and I am King of France He is King of Sicily and I am King of France He is King of Nova 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 sit above her And thus are they to be contemned and pitied while they live and when they die 3. After death the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation saith Peter and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 Alas were thy enemy sure to enjoy more Kingdoms than ever the Devill shewed Christ to be more healthfull than Moses to live longer than Methuselah yet being out of Gods favour this is the end to have his Body lye hid in the silent dust and his Soul tormented in hell fiâ—e And upon this consideration when Dionysius the Tyrant had plotted the death of his Master Plato and was defeated by Platos escape out of his Dominions when the Tyrant desired him in writing not to speak evil of him the Philosopher replied That he had not so much idle time as once to think of him knowing there was a just God would one day call him to a reckoning The Moon looks never the paler when Wolves howâ— against it neither is she the slower in her motion howbeit some Sheepherd or Lyon may watch them a good turn Wherefore saith St Gregory Pray for thine enemies Yea saith St Paul be gentle toward all that do thee evill and instruct them with meekness proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may knrw the truth and some to amendment of life out of the snare of the Devill of whom they are taken prisoners to do his will 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Which thing himself had formerly found of force for with that contrary breath I mean that one prayer which St Steven made at his death he was of a so made a friend of a Saul a Paul of a Persecutor a Preacher of an Imposter a Pastor a Doctor of a Seducer of a Pirate a Prelate of a blasphemer a blesser of a thief
is like the setting of a mans own house on fire through carelesnesse in which case he not only bears the losse and scorches himself in it but must give five pounds to the Sheriff also if it be in London So that the best answer is either silence or laughter or if neither of these will do a cudgell The best answer to words of scorn and petulancy saith learned Hooker is Isaacs Apologie to his brother Ishmael the Apologie which patience and silence make no Apologie and we have our Saviours president for it for when false witnesses rose up and accused him fasly before the Priests Scribes and Elders it is said that Iesus held his peace that infinitewisdome knew well how little satisfaction there would be in answers where the Sentence was determined where the Asker is unworthy the Question captious words bootlesse the best answer is silence Let our Answer then to their Reasons be No to their scoffs nothing And yet when the slanders which light on our persons rebound to the discredit of our profession it behoveth us not to be silent in answering truly whenas our adversaries are eloquent in objecting falsly An indignity which only toucheth our private persons may be dissembled as Augustin replied to Petillian Pâ—ssumus esse in his copiosi pariter sed nolumus esse pariter vani But in the other case the retorting of a poysoned weapon into the adversaries own breast is laudable It is the weaknesse of some good natures the more is the pitty to grieve and to be angry at wrongs received and thereby to give advantage to an enemy But what would malice rather have than the vexation of them whom it persecutes We cannot better please an adversary than by hurting our selves and this is no other than to humour envy to serve the turn of those that maligne us and draw on that malice whereof we are already weary whereas carelesnesse puts ill will out of countenance and makes it withdraw it self in a rage as that which doth but shame the Author without hurt of the Patient In a causelesse wrong the best remedy is contempt of the Author CHAP. XXVI Because it is for our credit to be evill spoken of by them and would be a disparagement to have their good word 3. Reasons joyntly respecting our selves and our enemies are two 1 Because it Were a disparagement to have their good word 2 Because it Is the greatest praise to be dispraised of them THese two Reasons being neer of kin in speaking of them I will cast both into the similitude of a Y which is joyned together at one end brancht in the middle And first to joyn them both together The condemnation and approbation of wicked men is equally profitable and acceptable to good men for every word they speak of the conscionable is a slander whether it be good or evill whether in praise or dispraise his very Name is defiled by coming into their mouthes or if this do not hold in all cases yet as a Reverend Divine saith it is a praise to the godly to be dispraised of the wicked and a dispraise to be praised of them their dispraise is a mans honour their praise his dishonour so that when deboished persons speak ill of a man especially their Minister the worse the better for to be well spoken of by the vicious and evill by the vertuous to have the praise of the good and the dispraise of the bad is all one in effect as Salomon sheweth They that forsake the Law saith he praise the wicked but they that keep the Law set themselves against them Prov. 28.4 Thus much of both Reasons joyntly now of each severally and first That it is a disparagement to a godly man to be well spoken of by the wicked When it was told Antisthenes that such an one who was a vicious person spake good words of him he answered What evill have I done that this man speaks well of mee To be praised of evill men saith Bion the Philosopher is as evill as to be praised for evill doing For such like Garlick suck only the ill vapours from all they come neer Out of which consideration our Saviour Christ rejected the evill spirits testimony which though it were truth yet he would not suffer the Devill to say Thou art the Christ the Sonne of God or that holy One but rebuked him sharply and enjoyned him to hold his peace Luk. 4.35 No he would not suffer the Devils at another time to say That they knew him Vers. 41. And good reason for he knew that the Devils commendations would prove the greatest slander of all Neither would St Paul suffer that maid which had a spirit of Divination to say he was the servant of the most high God which shewed them the way of Salvation Acts 16.17 18. well knowing that Satan did it to this end that by his testimony and approbation he might cause them which formerly beleeved his doctrine to suspect him for an Imposter and deceiver and that he did his miracles by the help of some Familiar spirit And indeed if the good report of wicked men who are set on work by Satan did not derogate from the godly or from the glory of God Satan should be divided against himself and if Satan be divided against himself saith our Saviour how shall his Kingdom stand Now we know he seeketh to advance his Kingdom by all possible means and consequently in this Wherefore if we enjoy any wicked mans love and have his good word we may justly suspect our selves are faulty in one kinde or other for it 's sure he could not do so except he saw something in us like himself If every thing were unlike him how is it possible he should love us Difference breeds disunion and sweet congruity is the Mother of love This made Aristotle when a Rakeshame told him he would rather be hanged by the neck than be so hated of all men as he was reply And I would be hanged by the neck ere I would be beloved of all as thou art And Phocion to ask when the people praised him What evill have I done It was a just doubt in him and not an unjust in any that are vertuous like him which occasioned Luther to say I would not have the glory and fame of Erasmus my greatest fear is the praises of men Yea their reproaches and evill speeches are to me matter of great joy And another Their hatred I fear not neither do I regard their good will Secondly A wicked mans tongue is so farre from being a slander that it makes for our credit to be evill spoken of by them To be evill spoken of by wicked men saith Terence is a glorious and laudable thing And another It is no small credit with the vile to have a vile estimation As a wicked mans glory is in his shame so the godly mans shame for doing good is his glory and to be evill spoken of for well-doing is peculiar
to good men as Alexander used to speak of Kings Yea saith Epictetus It is the highest degree of reputation for a man to hear evill when be doth well And Iob is of his judgment which makes him say If mine adversary should write a book against me would I not take it upon my shoulder and binde it as a Crown unto me Yes I would c. Iob 31.35 36 37. And who having the use of Reason especially sanctified will not conclude that Religion and Holinesse must needs be an excellent thing because in hath such enemies as wicked men and wicked spirits What saith that Ethnick in Seneca in this behalf Men speak evill of me but evill men It would grieve me if Marcus Cato if wise Laelius if the other Cato or either of the Scipioes should speak so of me but this as much comforts me for to be disliked of evill men is to be praised for goodnesse And Luther the like I rejoyce saith he that Satan so rages and blasphemes It is likely I do him and his Kingdom the more mischief whence Ierom told Austin It was an evident sign of glory to him that all Hereticks did hate and traduce him Indeed to hear that a good man speaks evil of us as its possible though rare for him to credit a false report and so crediting it to report it too goes to the very heart and fetcheth from thence tears into the eyes and into the mouth words of passion and admiration As when Caesar saw that Brutus was one of them that helped to stab him with bodkins in the Senate house he cry'd out And art thou there my Son but if a hundred other men do the same if wise we value it not Why O happy art thou saith Pious Mirandula who liv'st well amongst the bad for thou shalt either win them or silence them or exasperate them if thou win them thou shalt save their souls and add to thine own glory if thou silence them thou shalt diminish of their torment and prevent the contagion of their sin if thou exasperate them thereby to hate and traduce thee for thy goodnesse then most happy for thou shalt not only be rewarded according to the good which thou do'st but much more according to the evill which thou suffer'st And St Peter If any man suffer as a Christian that is for righteousnesse sake let him not be asham'd but let him glorifie God in this behalf 1 Pet. 4.15 16. The reason is given by St Austin with whom this speech was frequent They that backbite me c. do against their wils increase my honour both with God and good men Alas the durty feet of such Adversaries the more they treâ—d and rub the more lustre they give the figure graven in gold their causelesse aspersions do but rub our glory the brighter And what else did Iudas touching Mary when he depraved her in our Saviours presence for powring that precious oyntment on his feet Joh. 12. which was the only cause that in remembraâ—ce of her it should be spoken to her praise wheresoever the Gospel should be preached throughout the whole world Mar. 14.9 O what a glorious renown did the Traytors reproach occasion her like as the treason of Pausanias augmented the fame of Themistocles Yea their evill report may possibly enrich a man A friend of mine came to preferment by being reproached for his goodnesse in the presence of a religious Gentleman And this is the hurt which lewd men do to the godly if they are godly wise that hear them when they think to tax and traduce they do in truth commend us and we may say of their words as he said of good fellowes the better the worse and the worse the better Indeed swinish men may beleeve their misreports because they are Iudges which for the most part will enquire no further but beleeve at first but the wise know their tongues to be no slander yea they will either smell out the Serpents enmity in the relator or spy out in his lyes one lame leg or other as lyes are rarely without And indeed if ill tongues could make men ill good men were in a bad taking Now to make some use of this point If the language of wicked men must be read like Hebrew backward and that all good men do so for the most part it being a sure rule that whosoever presently gives credit to accusations is either wicked himself or very childish in discretion then let us count their slanders scoffs and reproaches the most noble and honourable badges and ensignes of honour and innocency that can be And in case we are told that any such person doth rail on us let our answer be He is not esteemed nor his words credited of the meanest beleever which understands any thing of Satans wiles Secondly Care not to have ill men to speak well of thee for if thou wâ—rt worse thou shouldst hear better if thou wouldst be as lewd as they are thou shouldst never hear an ill word from them Thirdly Look not to have every mans good word since some are as deeply in love with vice as others are with vertue Besides a man may as well draw all the aire into his mouth with a breath and keep it as purchase every mans good word Indeed if a man were able and willing to be at the charge he might stop their mouthes with money for Philip of Macedon having given a great reward to one that spake evill of him was after that highly praised by him which made him conclude that it lieth in our selves and in our own power either to be well or ill spoken of but this is not a remedy of Gods prescribring besides a man had better endure the soar than be at such cost for a plaister And thus we see that a man of a good life needeth not fear any who hath an evill tongue but rather rejoyce therein for he shall be praised of Angels in Heaven who hath by renouncing the world eschewed the praises of wicked men on earth CHAP. XXVII Because our enemies may learn and be won by our example 4. IN the fourth place one Reason why we bear injuries so patiently is That our enemies and others may learn and be won by our example which oft prevailes more than precept As how many Infidels were won to the Christian Faith by seeing Christians endure the flames so patiently when their enemies were forc't to confesse flain they are but not conquered Those whom precepts do not so effectually move we see them sometimes induced by examples Sozomen reports that the devout life of a poor captive Christian woman made a King and all his family imbrace the Faith of Iesus Christ. Eusebius from Clement reports that when a wicked accuser had brought St Iames to condemnation seeing his Christian fortitude he was touched in Conscience confessed himself a Christian and so was taken to execution with him where after confession and forgivenesse they kissed and prayed for
each other and so were both beheaded together In the Duell of Essendon between Canutus and Edmond Ironfide for the prize of the Kingdom of England after long and equall combate finding each others worth and valour they cast away their weapons embraced and concluded a Peace putting on each others apparell and arms as a ceremony to expresse the atonement of their mindes as if they made transaction of their persons one to the other Canutus being Edmond and Edmond Canutus Wherefore in all things saith Paul to Titus shew thy self an example of good works Tit. 2.7 Under the generall of good works is included Patience as one main speciall The servant of the Lord must not strive saith Paul to Timothy but must be gentle towards all men suffering the evill men patiently instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth 2 Tim. 2.24 25. And it stands to good reason for first every Christian is or ought to be a crucified man Secondly Love is Christs badge the nature whereof is to cover offences with the mantle of peace And thirdly Religion bindes us to do good unto all even our enemies so resembling the Sunne which is not scornfull but looks with the same face upon every plot of earth not only the stately Palaces and pleasant Gardens are visited by his beams but mean Cottages neglected Boggs and Moates And indeed sincerity loves to be universall like a light in the window which not only gives light to them that are in the house but also to passengers in the street well knowing that the whole earth and every condition is equidistant from Heaven if God but vouchsafe to shew mercy in which case who would not do his utmost Aristippus being demanded why he took so patiently Dionysius spitting in his face answered The fishermen to take a little Gudgeon do abide to be imbrued with slime and salt water and should not I a Philosopher suffer my self to be sprinkled with a little spittle for the taking of a great Whale The House of God is not built up with blowes A word seasonably given after we have received an injury like a Ruddâ—r sometimes steers a man quite into another course The nature of many men is forward to accept of peace if it be offered them and negligent to sue for it otherwise They can spend secret wishes upon that which shall cost them no endeavour unlesse their enemy yeelds first they are resolved to stand out but if once their desire and expectation be answered the least reflection of this warmth makes them yeelding and pliable and that endeavour is spent to purpose which either makes a friend or unmakes an enemy We need not a more pregnant example then the Levites father in Law I do not see him make any means for reconciliation but when remission came home to his door no man could entertain it more thankfully seeing such a singular example of patience and good condition in his Sonne Aristippus and Aeschines two famous Philosophers being fallen at variance Aristippus came to Aeschines and saies Shall we be friends again Yes with all my heart saies Aeschines Remember then saith Aristippus that though I be your elder yet I sought for peace true saith Aeschines and for this I will ever acknowledge you the more worthy man for I began the strife and you the peace When Iron meets with Iron there is a harsh and stubborn jarre but let wool meet that rougher mettle this yeelding turns resistance into embracing Yea a man shall be in more estimation with his enemy if ingenuous having vanquisht him this way then if he had never been his enemy at all Thy greatest enemy shall if he have any spark of grace yea if he have either bowels or brains confesse ingenuously to thee as Saul once to David Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good and I have rendred thee evil as what heart of stone could have acknowledged lesse Saul would have killed David and could not David could have killed Saul and would not Besides the approbation of an enemy as one saith is more then the testimony of a whole Parish of friends or neuters 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 with a free forgivenesse are as not done yea as a bone once broken is stronger after well setting so is love after such a reconcilement Whereas by returning a bitter answer he makes his enemies case his own even as a mad dog biting another dog maketh him that is bitten become mad too But this is not all for happily it may and not a little further Gods glory and make Satan a loser as thus let us shake off their slanders as Paul did the Vipâ—r and these Barbarians which now conceive so basely of Gods people will change their mindes and say we are petty gods Yea will they say surely theirs is a good and holy and operative Religion that thus changes and transforms them into new Creatures The hope whereof should make us think no endeavour too much For if Zopyrus the Persian was content and that voluntarily to sustain the cutting off his nose ears and lips to further the enterprise of his Lord Darius against proud Babylon what should a Christian be willing to suffer what the Lord of Heaven and Earths Cause may be furthered against proud Lucifer and all the powers of darknesse But suppose thy patient yeelding produceth no such effect as may answer these or the like hopes yet have patience still and that for three Reasons 1. Seem you to forget him and he will the sooner remember himself 2. It oft fals out that the end of passion is the beginning of repentance Therefore if not for his sake yet at least for thy own sake be silent and then in case thou hearest further of it from another if ill beware of him but condemn him not until thou hearest his own Apology for Who judgement gives and will but one side hear Though he judge right is no good Iusticer Or lastly if not for his sake nor thine own then for Gods sake have patience and bear with him because his maker bears with thee CHAP. XXVIII Because they will not take Gods office out of his hand 5. Reasons in regard of God are three The 1 hath respect to his Office 2 hath respect to his Commandement 3 hath respect to his Glory Reason 1. BEcause he will not take Gods Office out of his hand who saith Avenge not your selves but give place unto wrath for vengeance is mine and I will repay it Rom. 12.19 Peter speaking of our Saviour Christ saith When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but
the huge multitude that was coming against him and that in the sight of man there was apparent overthrow at hand he gets him up into a place eminent and in the sight of all the Army falls down prostrate upon the earth beseeching God if ever he would look upon a sinfull creature to help him at this time of greatest need whereupon there arose suddenly such a mighty wind that it blow the Darts of the enemies back upon themselves in such a wonderfull manner that Eugenius with all his Host was clean discomfited and seeing the power of Christ so fight for his people was forced in effect to cry out as the Egyptians did God is in the cloud and he fighteth for them No forces are so strong as the spirituall the prayers of an Eliah are more powerfull than all the Armies of flesh which made the Queen-mother of Scotland confesse That she feared more the prayers and fasting of Mr Knox and his assistants than an Army of twenty thousand men Thus God either preventeth our enemies as here he did or delivereth his servants out of persecution as he did Peter or else if he crowneth them with Martyrdom as he did Stephen he will in his Kingdom of glory give them in stead of this bitter a better inheritance pro veritate morientes cum veritate viventes Wherefore in this and all other cases cast thy burden upon the Lord and say with the Kingly Prophet I will lay me down in peace for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety Psal. 4.8 CHAP. XXIX Because they have respect unto Gods Commandement 2. BEcause they have respect unto Gods Commandement who saith By your patience possesse your souls Luk. 21.19 Be patient toward all men 1 Thes. 5.14 And Let your patient minde be known unto all men Phil. 4.5 More especially Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place 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 for evill unto any man 1 Thes. 5.15 And again Be not overcome with evill but overcome evill with goodnesse Rom. 12.21 Yea saith our Saviour Love your enemies do well to them that hate you blesse 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 Commandement touching patience Prov. 25.21 Rom. 12.20 and consequently art in the sight of God a transgressor of the whole Law and standest guilty of the breach of every Commandement 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 madnesse 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 charâ—ty and approve thy sincerity Many say Lord Lord but if you love me saith Christ keep my Commandements 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 a present to Caesar against whom he was up in Arms but Caesar returned it back with this answer Let him return to his obedience first and then I 'le accept of the Crown by way of recognizance God admits none to Heaven saith jâ—stin Martyr but such as can perswade him by their works that they have loved him And indeed take a man that truly loves God he will easily be friends not easily be provoked True take him unexpectedly he may have his lesson to seek even he that was the meekest man upon earth threw down that in a sudden indignation which in cold blood he would have held faster than his life Exod. 32.19 but when he bethinks himself what God requires it is enough When Teribazus a noble Persian was arrested at first he drew his sword and defended himself but when they charged him in the Kings Name and enformed him they came from his Majesty he yeelded presently and willingly If then we will approve our selves true obedienciaries let our revenge be like that of Elisha's to the Aramites in stead of smiting them set bread and water before them Or like that of Pericles who as Plutarch reports when one had spent the day in rayling upon him at his own door least he should go home in the dark caused his man to light him with a Torch And to do otherwise is Ammonite-like to entreat those Embassadours ill which are sent in kindnesse and love for these afflictions are Gods Embassadors and to handle them rufly yea to repine or grudge against them is to intreat them evill And certainly as David took it not well when the Ammonites ill intreated his Embassadours so God will not take the like well from thee 1 Chron. 19. But secondly as the Law of God bindes us to this so doth the Law of Nature Whatsoever you would that men should do unto you even so do you unto them Matth. 7.12 Our Saviour doth not say Do unto others as others do unto you but as you would have others do unto you Now if we have wronged any man we desire that he should forgive us and therefore we must forgive him Nor would we have any man traduce us behind our backs therefore St Austin writ over his Table thus To speak ill of the absent forbear Or else sit not at taeble here Lex talionis was never a good Christian Law If I forgive not I shall not be forgiven Mar. 11.26 So to say of our Enemies as Sampson once of the Philistims even as they did unto me so I have done unto them is but an ill plea. For the Law of God and the Law of Nature forbids it and doth not the Law of Nations also Yes throughout the whole world either they have no Law or else a Law to prohibit men from revenging themselves Oppression or injury may not be righted by violence but by Law and to seek revenge by Law when it is not expedient to passe it by is lawfull the redresse of evill by a person unwarranted is evill Obj. But thou wilt say The Law doth not provide a just remedy in all cases of injury especially in case of reproach and slander which is now the Christians chief suffering or if in part it doth yet he that is just cannot be quit in one Terme or two Nay if he have right in a year it is counted quick dispatch and he is glad that he met with such a speedy Lawyer Ans. If thou know'st the remedy to be worse than the disease I hope thou wilt leave it and commit thy cause to God who
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 sell his Mâ—ster 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 moates even such as the world accounts trifles it strains not only at Cammels but Gnats also A sincere heart is like a 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 witnesse 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 our 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 poyson may be qualified and become medicinall there is use to be made of an enemy sicknesse may turn to our better health and death it self to the faithfull 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 than 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 every thing 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 fears 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 Gods wrath that fear more to have the world call them Cowards for refusing than God to judge 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 a silly woman over-rule them at home it may be a servant or a Childe as Themistocles Sonne did in Greece What I will said he my Mother will have done and what my Mother will have my Father doeth That will undertake a long journey by Sea in a Wherry as the desperate Marriner hoyseth sayl in a storm and sayes None of his 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 will run on high battlements gallop down steep hils ride over narrow bridges walk on weak Ice and never think what if I fall but what if I passe over and fall not No he is not thus fearlesse for this is presumption and desperate madnesse not that courage and fortitude which ariseth from faith and the true fear of God but from blindnesse and invincible ignorance of their own estate As what think you Would any man put his life to a venture if he knew that when he died he should presently drop into hell I think not But let the beleeving Christian who knowes he hath a place reserved for him in Heaven have a warrant from Gods word you cannot name the service or danger that he will stick at Nor can he lightly fail of successe It is observed that Trajan was never vanquished because he never undertook warre without just cause In fine as he is most fearfull to offend so he is most couragious in a good cause as abundance of examples witnesse whereof I 'le but instance two for the time would be too short to tell of Abraham and Moses and Caleb and David and Gideon and Baruck and Sampson and Ieptha and many others of whom the holy Ghost gives this generall testimony that by faith of weak they were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the Armies of the Aliants subdued Kingdoms stopt the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of the fire c. Heb. 11.22 to 35. Nor will I pitch upon Ioshua whom neither Caesar nor Pompey nor Alexander the Great nor William the Conquerour nor any other ever came near either for valour or victories but even Ionathan before and the Martyrs after Christ shall make it good As what think you of Ionathan whom neither steepnesse of Rocks nor multitude of enemies could discourage or disswade from so unlikely an assault Is it possible if the divine power of Faith did not add spirit and courage making men more than men that two should dare to think of encountering so many thousands and yet behold Ionathan and his Armour-bearer put to flight and terrified the hearts of all the Philistims being thirty thousand Chariots six thousand Horse-men and Foot-men like the sand of the Sea-shore 1 Sam. 14.15 O divine power of faith that in all attempts and difficulties makes us more than men and regards no more Armies of adversaries than swarms of flies A naturall man in a project so unlikely would have had many thoughts of discouragement and strong reasons to disswade him but his faith dissolves impediments as the Sunne doth dewes
or suffered was either to purchase fame to themselves or to merit reward by it their aym and end was not Gods glory but their own honour and glory and vertues are to be judged not by their actions but by their ends Yea they called vertue Bonum Theatrale as if a man would not be vertuous if he had not spectators to take notice of him but it is false for vertue will be as cleer in solitudine as in Theatrâ— though not so conspicuous only it may grow more strong by the observation and applause of others as an heat that is doubled by the reflection But O the difference between these naturall and meer morall men and a true Christian the Christian loves goodnesse for it self and would be holy were there no Heaven to reward it he does all and suffers all out of sincere affection and a zeal of Gods glory and the Churches good Matth. 5.16 to the end his Name may be magnified and others won and edified 1 Pet. 2.12 as most fit it is that the profit being mans the honour should be Gods And this his sincerity the rather appears in that he holds out maugre all opposition disgrace persecution c. whereas the other like wind-mills would not turn about to do any good service but for the wind of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shooes We read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the desart they could not hold out untill noon but their bellies would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which only crowns good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11.6 the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruits of a lively faith they spring from ignorance and infidelity as herbs may do from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 And it were well if all that are meer civill and morall men would look to the Rock where-out their works are hewn and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further than it is the work of his Spirit but the spirit is no where but in the sons of God Gal. 4.6 and no sons but by faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the husk without the corn the carkasse without the soul which the Lord abhors as the sacrifice of fools Isa. 66.3 Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The sum of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustain and abstain and a wicked man may restrain evill as do the godly but here is the difference the one keeps in corruption the other kills corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbear the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and return good for evill and if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them that love you saith our Saviour what thanks shall you have for even the sinners do the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which hear Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5.44 Luk. 6.27 32 33. shewing that if we will ever hope for good our selves we must return good for evill unto others In which words you may note a triple injunction one to the hâ—art the treasury of love another to the tongue loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or Almoner Wherein our Saviour seems to set man like a Clock whose master wheel must not only go right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the hand also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheel within he sayes to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the bell above he saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand Do good to them that hurt you Now well may naturall men sayâ— with the winde of their naturall passionâ— and corrupt affections in rendring evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pilot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Mariners Acts 27. to sayl with a contrary wind and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazereth Râ—â— through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Pet. 3 â—â— And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himself adding example to precept for his word and his work like mercy and truth were together his precept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devilish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the work of their salvation when they shed his blood to quench their malice he swet water and blood to wash their souls Yea when the Iews were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were intollerable incomparable unconceivable solliciteth God for their pardon Luk. 23.34 Now his prayer could not but he efficacious and a pardon for such murderâ—rs was no mean good turn And this likewise is the practice of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man St Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled down and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7.60 Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himself but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is only the part of a Saint Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde How often did Moses return good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying to and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding he so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life
And the like I might shew in that man of God to Ieroboam and they that went to Heaven by that bloody way of Martyrdom who prayed for others even their persecutors and murtherers an easier passage to Heaven Yea Gods people account it a sinne to â—ease praying for their worst enemies 1 Sam. 12.23 But what do I tell them of these transcendent examples when I never yet heard or read of that Philosopher which could parallel Dr Cooper Bishop of Lyncolne in an act of patient suffering who when his Wife had burnt all his Notes which he had been eighty years a gathering least he should kill himself with overmuch study for she had much ado to get him to his meales shew'd not the least token of passion but only reply'd Indeed wife it was not well done so falling to work again was eight years more in gathering the same Notes wherewith he composed his Dictionary which example I confesse more admires me than any that ever I heard of from a man not extraordinarily and immediately inspired and assisted by the holy Ghost and sure he that could endure this could endure any thing whether in body goods or good name for of necessity there must be in that man that can patiently bear such a losse somewhat more than man I know there are some men or rather two legged Beasts that esteem no more of Books and Notes than Esops Coeâ— did of the Pearl he found and these accordingly will say this was nothing in comparison of what they suffer as when once a Hotspur was perswaded to be patient as Iob was he replied What do you tell me of Iob Iob never had any Suits in Chancery Yea indeed the meanest of Christs royall Band for patience puts down all the generation of naturall men as even their enemies will confesse Consalvus a Spanish Bishop and Inquisitor wondred how the Protestants had that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self so indelibly printed in their hearts that no torture could blot it out and make them confesse and betray one another And indeed how should it be otherwise For First If Morall Principles cherished and strengthened by good education will enable the soul against vicious inclinations so that though some influence of the Heavens do work upon the aire and the aire upon the spirits and the spirits upon the humours and these incline the temper and that inclines the soul of a man such and such wayes yet breeding in the resineder sort of evill persons will nauch prevail to draw them another way what may we think of grace and faith and Gods Spirit which are supernaturall Secondly Every Christian suffering for Christs sake and for righteousnesse sake hath Gods mighty power to support him and Christ to suffer with 〈◊〉 and bear a part in his misery whereas the naturall man suffers all himself as a delinquent or malefactor whose guilty conscience adds weight â—o his punishment A woman called Faelicitas whom St Austin much praiseth being brought to bed in the time of her imprisonment for the truth and by reason of the great pains she had in her labour that she could not forbear screeâ—hing one of the Officers hearing her cry out tauntingly mockt her thus Ah woman if thou canst not bear these sorrowes without such cryings how wilt thou endure when thou shalt be burnt or cut in pieces or torn asunder what thou now sufferest is but sport but the Tragedy is to follow whom she answered Now said she I suffer for my self and for sinne but then Christ is to suffer in me and I for him And it fell out as she said for when she was thrown to the wild beasts she neither sent out schreeings nor so much as a sigh or groan but entertained death with so merry and cheerfull a countenance as if she had been invited to a Feast And thus you see in the first place that Nature hath but a slow foot to follow Religion close at the heels that grace and faith transcend reason as much as reason doth sense that patience rightly so called is a Prerogative-royall peculiar to the Saints It is well if Philosopâ—y have so much wisdome as to stand amazed at it 2. That it is not true Christian patience except 1. It flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the holy Ghost 2. Be done in knowledge of and obedience to Gods command 3. That we do it in humility and sincere love to God 4. That it be done in faith 5. That we aim at Gods glory not at our own and the Churches good in our sufferings 6. That we forgive as well as forbear yea love pray for and return good to our enemies for their evill Which being so what hath the Swashbuckler to say for himself And what will become of him if he repent not who can afford no time to aâ—gue but to execute Yea what hath the more temperate worldling to say for himself who hath some small piece of reason for his guide arguing thus I would rather make shew of my passions than smother them to my cost which being vented and exprest become more languishing and weak better it is to let its point work outwardly than bend it against our selves and in reason Tallying of iâ—juries is but justice To which I answer it is not reason especially carnall reason but Religion which all this while hath been disputed of which is Divine and supernaturall and that teacheth how good must be returned for evill and that we should rather invite our enemy to do us more wrong than not to suffer the former with patience as our Saviours words do imply If saith he they strike thee on the one cheek turn to him thâ— other also If they sue thee at the Law and take away thy coat let them have thy cloak also Matth. 5.39 40. He speaks comparatively as if he should say Rather suffer two wrongs than do one Indeed the difficulty of the duty the seeming danger and want of faith in carnall men weakneth the force of the strongest reasons for no more among Ruffians but a word and a blow among civill men but a word and a Writ can you expect But as thrice Noble Nehemiah said to that false Belly-god betraying-Priest Shemaiah Should such a man as I flee So the true Christian will encounter all discouragements and frighting alarms thus Should such a man as I fear to do that which my Master King and Captain Christ Iesus hath commanded me which is of more necessity than life it self Yea seeing Heathens could go so farre as to subdue their passions for shame let so many of us as would be accounted Christians go further even to the mortifying of ours or if we go not before Publicans and Sinners in the Kingdom of grace Publicans and sinners shall go before us into the Kingdom of Heaven And seeing the duty of the Childe is the Fathers Honour let us that are Christians be known from worldlings by our practice as
man was ever so desirous to save his life as Christ was to lose it witnesse that speech I have a baptisme to be baptised with and how am I pained till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 His minde was in pain till his body and soul came to it And to him that disswaded him from it he used no other termes than avoid Satan And thirdly With what patience he suffered all let both Testaments determine he was oppressed and afflicted yet did he not open his mouth he was brought as a sheep to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so opened he not his mouth Isa. 53.7 His behaviour was so mild and gentle that all the malice of his enemies could not wrest an angry word from him Yea when his own Disciple was determined to betray him I see not a frown I hear not a check from him again but what thou doest do quickly O the admirable meeknesse of this Lamb of God! Why do we startle at our petty wrongs and swell with anger and break into furious revenges upon every occasion when the pattern of our patience lets not fall one harsh word upon so foul and bloody a Traytor When the Jews cried out Crucifie him as before they cried out His blood be upon us and upon our Children he out cries Father pardon them being beaten with Rods crowned with Thorns pierced with Nayls nayled to the Crosse bathed all his body over in blood filled with reproaches c in the very pangs of death as unmindfull of all his great griefs he prayeth for his persecutors and that earnestly Father forgive them Pendebat tamen petebat as St Augustine sweetly O patient and compassionate love Yee wicked and foolish Iews you would be miserable he will not let you His ears had been still more open to the voice of grief than of malice and so his lips also are open to the one shut to the other Thus Christ upon the Crosse as a Doctor in his chair read to us all a Lecture of Patience for his actions are our instructions and the same that Gideon spake to Israel he speaks still to us as ye see me do so do you And no man be he never so cunning or practised can make a strait line or perfect circle by steddinesse of hand which may easily be done by the help of a Rule or Compasse Besides is Christ gone before us in the like sufferings what greater incouragement When we read that Caesars example who not only was in those battels but went before them yea his very Eye made his Souldiers prodigall of their blood when we read that young King Philip being but carried in his Cradle to the Warres did greatly animate the Souldiers Besides what servanâ— will wish to fare better than his Lord Is it meet that he who is not only thy Master but thy Maker should passe his time in continuall travell and thou in continuall case When a lewd Malefactor being condemned to die with just Phocion rayled at the Iudge the Law his Accusers and looked on Death with terrour and amazednesse he thus cheered him with encouragement Dost thou grudge to die with Phocion so say I to thee Dost thou grudge to suffer with thy Saviour O blessed Iesus O thou Co-eternall Sonne of thine Eternall Father why should I think strange to be scourged with tongue or hand when I see thee bleeding what lashes can I fear either from Heaven or Earth since thy scourges have been born for me and have sanctified them to me True It is Satans policy to make men beleeve that to do and suffer as a Christian is so extreamly difficult for them that it is altogether impossible wherein he deals like the inhospitable Salvages of some Countreys who make strange fires and a shew of dismall torrours upon the shores keep passengers from landing But if Christ be gone before us in the like and it is for his sake that we smart then we may be sure to have him present with us even within us by his spirit 1 Pet. 4.12 13 14. to assist us and prevent our enemies and is not he able enough to vindicate all our wrongs Learn we therefore from him to suffer Innocently Patiently Wilt thou saith one look to reign and not expect to suffer Why Christ himself went not up to his glory until first he suffered pain Or wilt thou saith Saint Cyprian be impatient by seeking present revenge upon thine enemies when Christ himself is not yet revenged of his enemies Do thou bear with others God bears with thee Is there a too much which thou canst suffer for so patient a Lord But to go on wilt thou follow Gods example Then note whereas Christ hath in many particulars commanded us to follow his example yet in no place saith Saint Chrysostome he inferreth we should be like our Heavenly Father but in doing good to our enemies And therein resemble we the whole three Persons in Trinity God was only in the still winde Christ is compared to a Lamb the holy Ghost to a Dove Now if we will resemble these three Persons we must be softly Lambs Doves but if on the contrary we be fierce cruell and take revenge so using violence we resemble rather the devil who is called a roaring Lion and the wicked who are termed Dogges Wolves Tygers c. 3. To adde to the precept of God and the practice of our Saviour the example of Gods people they are patient in suffering of injuries that they might imitate the Saints in all ages They were so and we are likewise commanded to follow their steps as in all things which are good so especially in this Take my brethren the Prophets saith Saint Iames for an example of suffering adversities and of long patience Jam. 5.10 â—â—ethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians Ye are become followers of the Churches of God which in Iudes are in Christ Iesus because ye have also suffered the same things of your own Countreymen even as they have of the Iews 1 Thes. 2.14 And to the Philippians Be ye Followers of me Brethren and look on them which walk so as ye have us for an example Phil. 3.17 And see how he followed his Masters example for who amongst us so loves his benefactors as Saint Paul loved his malefactors He would do any thing even he rased out of the book of life to save them that would do any thing to â—ell him Amongst many examples recorded for thy imitation and mine Behold the patience of Iob. Jam. 5.11 of Abraham Gen. 20.17 18. of Isaâ—c Chap. 26 1â— of Ioseph Chap. 3â— 32 33. who notwithstanding his brethren hated him for his goodnesse and could not speak peaceably unto him conspired to kill him stript him of his Goat cast him into a pit sold him for a slave recompenc'd them good for evil when he was armed with power to revenge for when these his enemies did hunger he fed them when they were thirsty he gave
three mis-judged of Iob that he was an hypocrite and a greater sinner then others and God had cast him off or else it could not go so ill with him Or as the Iews censured our Saviour Isa. 53.3 4. And those Barbarians Saint Paul Acts 28.4 which is to condemne the generation of Gods children Psal. 73.15 But rather mistrust themselves which was the use our Saviour warned those to make of it who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices Luke 13.1 to 6. And indeed he is blinde that judgeth of mans felicity by his outward prosperity or concludes of ones misery from his calamity Eccles. 9.1 2. The Sun of prosperity shines no lesse upon brambles in the wilderness then fruitfull trees in the Orchard The cold frost and snow of adversity lights upon Gardens aswell as the wilde waste Ahabs and Iosiahs end concur in the very circumstances the one destroyeth Religion the other restoreth iâ— yet both shot with an Arrow Saul and Ionathan though different in dispositions yet in their deaths they were not divided Zedekiah a wicked man had his eyes put out so had Samson the valiant Judge of Israel and Type of Christ. Moses and Aaron both were shut out of Canaan aswel as the malignant spies so that if we judge of mens persons by their outward conditions we must needs erre Yea usually God doth most afflict those whom he best affecteth dealing with his children as the good husband deals with his Trees those in the Garden he is ever and anon medling with them either lopping off the superfluous branches or scraping oft the mosse or paring of the root or digging and dunging them so using all good means to make them fruitfull whereas he lets them alone which grow in the Hedg-row or Forrest till at length he comes with his Axe and cuts them down for the fire He was not the best Disciple that had the bag and fatted ware you know is but fitted for the shambles God puts money indeed as some Hoorders do into these earthen boxes that have only one chinke to let in but none to let out with purpose to break them when they are full What was Haman the better for his honour while the King frowned on him or the happier for being lift up the ladder when he was to come down again with a rope And for ought thou knowest at least if thou takest not heed for prosperity is the more dangerous enemy of the two and skilfull to destroy thy preservation is but a reservation as it fared with Sodome and her sisters which were preserved from the slaughter of the four Kings that God might rain down Hell from Heaven upon them And Sennacherib who escaped the stroak of the destroying Angel that he might fall by the sword of his own sons Isa. 37.37 38. Say then one wo the wo of adversity as thou accountest it hath passed thee perhaps there is a second and a third worse behinde Revel 9.12 and 8.13 The Philosopher would see a mans end before he pronounc'd him happy Yea it may be that which thou account'st thy primest priviledge may prove to thee a snare and may be granted thee rather out of anger then love as the Devil lest Iobs tongue un-touched of all the rest but why in hope that therewith he would have cursed God or charged him with folly and cruelty so that we may say of prosperity as Antigonus did of his garment O noble rather then happie priviledge but of adversity O happy rather then noble favour 4 Vse 4. Fourthly if Affliction be so profitable and prosperity so dangerous as hath been shewn if it be our Isaacs use first to feel us by tribulation and then to blesse us then away with those foolish queries Why doth God this and why that why doth he punish the innocent and acquit the peccant why doth he permit so many and such notorious crimes why is he so severe towards his own so gentle to others Ask not saith Salvianus why one is greater another less one wretched another happy I know not Gods intent but it is sufficient satisfaction to me that this is done by God Why doth a Physician give more Wormwood or Hellebore to this sick party then to that even because either his disease or his constitution so requires it Neither let us value things as they seem or according to sense but rather when we are best pleased let us be most suspicious let us desire and chuse blessings as he chose his friend not him that would be plausible to his humour for a day but him that should be profitable to his minde during life Let us imitate Bees that pass over Roses and Violets to set upon Thyme If crosses are not toothsome let it suffice that they are wholesome 'T is not required in Physick that it should please but heal unless we esteem our pleasure above our health Experience tells us that those things for the most part which are least pleasing are most wholesome Rue is an herb most bitter to the taste yet in regard of the vertue which is in it we call Hearb of Grace And Mithridate though of all other Electuaries it be most distastful yet of all others it is the most wholesome The world hates thee and deals most spitefully with thee a good sign It hath always been the portion of good men to suffer at the hands of evil men as appears both by holy and humane Writers as for Divine Authority you know how it fared with the Prophets Apostles and our Saviour Christ himself whose whole life by reason of spiteful enemies was but one continued cross And as touching secular examples are infinite whereof a few In Athens we read of wife Socrates good Phocion just Aristides victorious Milliades but how unworthily were they dealt withall At Rome they had Marcus Cato the pattern of a wise and prudent man a lively emblem of Vertue how was he hated thrust down spit upon stript both of his Senatorship and Praetorship cast into prison c. Rutilius and Camillus were both exiled Pompeus and Cicero both yielded their necks to their Clients Who so often curst by the Popes with Bell Book and Candle as Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory though she out-liv'd seven of them But to leave examples and come to reason Is it not an evident sign that if the world hates thee thou art none of the World yea therefore it hates thee because thy practice shames the world and because thou discoverest and opposest her treasons and deceits Wicked men are like dogs in condition who will let a man amble a fair pace quietly but if he gallop through the Town though his errand be of importance and to the King perhaps they will bark and flie at him which is a token to them of perdition but to thee of salvation Phil. 1.28 yea it is an evident sign that they are of the stock of Ishmael and not the seed of Israel I
finde many acts of deception in the Saints I finde infirmity in those acts but that any one of them hath scoft at and hated another for goodness I finde not or that have used to dispute against it Gregory Nazianzen I pray minde it seriously told his friends that Iulian would prove a notorious wicked man he took such delight in disputing against that which was good Much less that any after regeneration have in this case been cruel If we would know saith Chrysostome a Wolf from a Sheep since their cloathing is alike look to their fangs and their mouth if they be bloody for who ever saw the lips of a Sheep besmeared with blood which being so No matter though the gate be strait and the way narrow if the end to which it leadeth be everlasting life 5 Use. 5 Fiftly if in conclusion the most malicious and damnable practices of our worst and greatest enemies prove no other in effect to us then did the malice of Iosephs brethren Mistress and Lord to him the first in selling of him the second in falsly accusing him the third in imprisoning him all which made for his inestimable good and benefit then the malice of Haman to Mordecai and the Iews whose bloody decree obtein'd against them procured them exceeding much joy and peace then Balaaâ—s malice to the children of Israel whose desire of cursing them caused the Lord so much the more to bless them Numbers 23. Then the Devils spite to Iob who pleasured him more by his sore afflicting him then any thing else could possibly have done whether we regard his name children substance or soul then Iudas his treason against the Lord of life whose detestable fact served not only to accomplish his will but the means also of all their salvations that either before or after should believe in him this should move wonder to astonishment and cause us to cry out with the Apostle O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 O the wonderful and sovereign goodness of our God! that turns all our Poisons into Cordials that can change our terrours into pleasures and makes the greatest evils beneficial unto us for they are evil in their own nature and strong temptations to sin Iames 1.2 also fruits of sin and part of the curse and work those former good effects not properly by themselves but by accident as they are so disposed by the infinite wisdom goodness and power of God who is able to bring light out of darkness and good out of evil yea this should tutour us to love our enemies We love the medicine nor for its own sake but for the health it brings us and to suffer chearfully whatsoever is laid upon us for how can Gods Church in general or any member in particular but fare wel since the very malice of their enemies benefits them How can we but say Let the World frown and all things in it run cross to the grain of our mindes Yet With thee ô Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption thou makest us better by their making us worse Objection But perhaps thou hast not proved the truth of this by thy own knowledge and particular experience Answer If thou hast not thou shalt in due time the end shall prove it stay but till the conclusion and thou shalt see that there is no cross no enemy no evils can happen unto thee that shall not be turned to good by him that dwelleth in thee Will you take Saint Pauls word for it or rather Gods own word who is Truth it self and cannot lie His words are We know that all things work together for the best unto them that love God even to them that are called of his purpose Rom. 8.28 And in Verse 35 36. after he hath declared that Gods chosen people shall suffer tribulation and anguish and persecution and famine and nakedness peril sword c. be killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter he concludeth with Nevertheless in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us and so goeth on even to a challenge of our worst enemies Death Angels Principalities and Powers things present and to come height depth and what other creature besides should stand in opposition What voluminous waves be here for number and power and terrour yet they shall not separate the Ark from Christ nor a soul from the Ark nor a body from the soul nor an hair from the body to do us hurt What saith David Mark the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37.37 Mark him in his setting out he hath many oppositions mark him in the journey he is full of tribulations but mark him in the conclusion and the end of that man is peace In Christ all things are ours 1 Cor. 3.22 How is that Why we have all things because we have the Haver of all things And if we love Christ all things work together for our good yea for the best Rom. 8.28 And â—f all things quoth Luther then even sin it self And indeed how many have we known the better for their sin That Mary Magdalen had never loved so much if she had not so much sinned had not the incestuous person sinned so notoriously he had never been so happy God took the advantage of his humiliation for his conversion Had not one foot slipt into the mouth of Hell he had never been in this forwardness to Heaven Sin first wrought sorrow saith Saint Augustine and now godly sorrow kills sin the daughter destroyes the mother neither do our own sins onely advantage us but other mens sins work for our good also Objection But may some say Can any good come out of such a Nazarite Answer Yes The advantage we have by Christ is more then the loss we had by Adam If Arrius had not held a Trinity of Substances with a Trinity of Persons and Sabellius an Unity of Persons with an Unity of Essences the Mysteries of the Trinity had not been so clearly explaned by those great Lights of the Church If Rome had not so violently obtruded her Mâ—rits the doctrine of Iustification onely by faith in Christ might have been less digested into mens hearts We may say here as Saint Augustine doth of Carthage and Rome if some enemies had not contested against the Church it might have gone worse with the Church Lastly suppose our enemies should kil us they shall not hurt but pleasure us yea even death it self shall work our good That Red-sea shall put us over to the Land of Promise and we shall say to the praise of God we are delivered we are the better for our enemies the better for our sins the better for death yea better for the Devil and to think otherwise even for the present were not onely to derogate from the wisdom power and goodness
condition no less than if hee should send an Angell to tell us hee knew it and his knowledge compared with his mercy is the â—ust comfort of all our sufferings O God! wee are many times miserable and feel it not thou knowest even those sorrows which we might have thou knowest what thou hast done do what thou pleasest CHAP. 36. That all afflictions from the least to the greatest do come to pass not by accident chance or fortune but by the especiall providence of God Section 1. 2. WEe shall bear the cross with more patience and comfort If wee consider that all afflictions from the least to the greatest do come to pass not by accident chance or fortune but by the speciall providence of God who not onely decreeth and fore-appointeth every particular cross Eccles. 3.1 Rom. 8.28.29 but even effecteth them and brings them into execution as they are crosses corrections trialls and chastisements Isa. 45.7 Amos 3.6 and also ordereth and disposeth them that is limiteth and appointeth the beginning the end the measure the quality and the continuance thereof yea hee ordereth them to their right ends namely his own glory the good of his servants and the benefit of his Church Ier. 30.11 Gen. 50.19 20. 2 Sam. 16.10 Psal. 39.9 God useth them but as instruments wherewith to Work his good pleasure upon us As what are our enemies but God's Axes to cut us down not for the fire but for the God's Masons to hew us here in the Mountain that wee may bee as the pollished corner stones of the Temple Psal. 144.12 Or admit the Mason pulls down the House it is not with an intent to destroy it but to re-edifie it and raise it up again in better form and fashion Gods scullions to scowre up the vessell of his House that they may bee meet for the Masters use If then they bee but as instruments and tools in the hand of the workman wee must not so much look to the instrument as to the Author Gen. 45.5 and 50 20. Well may the Priests of the Philistims doubt whether their plague bee from God or by fortune 1 Sam. 6.2 9. but let a Ioseph bee sold into Egypt he will say to his enemies Yee sent not mee bither but God when yee thought evill against mee God disposed it to good that hee might bring to pass as it is this day and save much people alive Or 〈◊〉 a David bee railed upon by any cursed Shimei hee will answer Let him alone for hee curseth even because the Lord hath bid him curse David who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so 2 Sam 16.10 Or let a Micha bee trodden upon and insulted over by his enemie his answer will bee no other than this I will bear the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgment for mee Micha 7.9 The believer that is conversant in God's book knows that his adversaries are in the hands of God as a hammer ax or rod in the hand of a smiter and therefore as the hammer ax or rod of it self can do nothing any further than the force of the hand using it â—â—ves strength 〈◊〉 to it so no more can they do any thing at all unto him further than it is given them from above as our Saviour told â—â—late Ioh. 19.11 See this in some examples you have Laban following Iacob with one troop Esau meeting him with another both with hostile intentions both go on till the uttermost point of their execution both are prevented ere the execution for stay but a while and you shall see Laban leave him with a kiss Esau meet him with a kiss of the one hee hath an oath tears of the other peace with both God makes fools of the enemies of his Church hee lets them proceed that they may bee frustrate and when they are gone to the uttermost reach of their teather hee pulls them back to the stake with shame Again you have Senacherib let loose upon Hezekiah and his people who insults over them intolerably 2 Kings 18. Oh! the lamentable and in sight desperate condition of distressed Ierusalem wealth it had none strength it had but a little all the countrey round about was subdued unto the Assyrian that proud victor hath begirt the walls of it with an innumerable army scorning that such a shovell-full of earth should stand out but one day yet poor Ierusalem stands alone block'd up with a world of enemies helpless friendless comfortless looking for the worst of an hostile fury and on a sudden before an Arrow is shot into the City a hundred fourscore and five thousand of their enemies were slain and the rest run away 2 Kings 19.35 36. God laughs in heaven at the plots of Tyrants and befools them in their deepest projects If hee undertake to protect a people in vain shall earth and hell conspire against them Nothing can bee accomplished in the Lower House of this world but first it is decreed in the Upper Court of heaven as for example what did the Iews ever do to our Saviour Christ that was not first both decreed by the Father of Spirits and registred in the Scriptures for our notice and comfort They could not so much as throw the Dice for his Coat but it was prophesied Psal. 22.18 and in Psal. 69.21 It is fore-told that they should give him gall in his meat and in his thirst vinegar to drink the very quality and kind of his drink is prophesied yea his face could not be spit upon without a prophesie those filthy excrements of his enemies fell not upon his face without God's decree and the Prophets relation Isa. 50.6 Yea let the Kings of the earth bee assembled and the Rulers come together Let Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gather themselvs in one league against him it is in vain for they can do nothing but what the hand of God and his Counsell hath before determined to bee done as Peter and Iohn affirmed to the rest of the Disciples for their better confirmation and comfort Act. 4.26 to 29. No notwithstanding the Devill raged the Pharisees stormed Herod and Pilate vexed Caiaphas prophesied all combined and often sought to take him yet no man laid hands on him untill his hour was come that God had appointed so that by all their plots they were never able to do him any more hurt than onely to shew their teeth Ioh. 7.30 If wee are in league with God wee need not fear the greatest of men Indeed 〈◊〉 was Pilates brag to Christ knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee â— Ioh. 19.10 And Labans to Iacob Gen. 31.29 I am able to do you â—huâ—â—â— but they were vain cracks for doth not Pharaohs overthrow tell all boasting Champions that an Host is nothing without the God of Hosts Yea Satan himself was fain to say unto God in Iob's case stretch out now thine
hand c Iob 1.11 and 2. â—â— True as Themistocles once said of his son this boy can do more than any man in all Greece for the Athenians command the Grecians and I command the Athenians and my wife commands mee and my son commands my wife so the Churches adversaries in some places may boast what their Father the Devill can do for hee commands the Pope and the Pope commands the Iesuites and the Iesuites command such a King or Emperour Rev. 17. ver 12.13 and that Emperour or King commands his Officers of State and they command the common people And yet to speak rightly even all these can do just nothing of themselvs for hee that sits in the heavens laughing them to scorn commands all Now it must needs comfort and support us exceedingly if in all cases wee do but duly consider that inequality is the ground of order that superiour causes guide the subordinate that this sublundry Globe depends on the celestiall as the lesser wheels in a Clock do on the great one which I finde thus expressed As in a Clock one motion doth convay And carry diverse wheels a severall way Yet altogether by the great wheels force Direct the hand unto his proper course Who is hee that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not Lamenta 3.37 Suppose the Legions of hell should combine with the Potentates of the earth to do their worst they are all nothing without God as in Arithmetick put never so many Cyphers together one before another and they make nothing but let one figure bee added it makes them infinite So is it with men and Devills if God bee not with them they are all but Cyphers And yet for the praise of his glory and the good of his Church these enemies of his whether they rise or sit still shall by an insensible ordination performe that will of the Almighty which they least think of and most oppose The inhabitants of Ierusalem and their Rulers because they knew him not nor yet the words of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day have fulfilled them in condemning him Act. 13.27 so that as Saint Austin speaks by resisting the will of God they do fulfill it and his will is done by and upon them even in that they do against his will That even Satan himself is limited and can go no further than his chain will reach wee may see Rev. 20.2 More particularly hee could noâ— touch so much as Iob's body or substance no not one of his servants nor one limb of their bodies nor one hair of their heads nor one beast of their heards bâ—t hee must first beg leave of God Job 2.6 Nay Satan is so far from having power over us living that hee cannot touch our bodies being dead yea hee cannot find them when God will conceal them witness the body of Moses and I doubt not but as the Angells did waâ—t at the Sepulchre of their and our Lord so for his sake they also watch over our graves he could not seduce a false prophet nor enter into a Hog without licence the whole Legion sue to Christ for a sufferance not daring other than to grant that without his permission they could not hurt a very Swine And when he hath leave from God what can hee do hee cannot go one hairs breadth beyond his commission being permitted hee could bring Christ himself and set him on the Pinacle of the Temple but hee could not throw him down which even a little child might have done with permission As the Lyon 1 King 13 killed the Prophet but neither touched the Ass whereon hee road nor yet the dead carkas contrary to his nature True Satan could boast even to Christ himself that all the world was his and all the Kingdoms thereof but when it came to the push he could not enter into a very Hog without asking him leave and having leave given him hee presently carryed the whole heard headlong into the Sea Why did hee not so to the man possessed no thanks to him hee had leave for the one not so for the other and therefore a whole Legion of them were not able to destroy one poor simple man Matth. 8. ver 31.32 So that all our enemies are curbed and restrained by the divine providence of our heavenly Father Satan may bee his Executioner but God is the Iudge and the Executioner cannot lay on a stroke more than the Iudge appoints I confess Satan is so strong comparatively and withall so crafty and malicious that wee may with reverence and love wonder at the mercy of God in our delivery But this is our comfort first that Spirit as wee have shewn can do nothing without the God of Spirits Secondly wee have the Angells aid as the Prophet Elisha against that bloody King 2 King 6.17 Lot against the Sodomites Gen. 19.10 Iacob against the fear of Esau Gen. 32. ver 24.28 Hezekiah against Senacherib Isa. 37.36 and England against that invicible Navie of the Spaniards in Eighty eight True they appear not ordinarily what then no more do the evill Angels but the Word of God assures us it is so the Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Psal. 34.7 And do but thou get spirituall eyes whereby thou mai'st see as with Moses the invisible God so the invisible Angels do but pray as Elisha for his servant that thine eyes may bee opened and then thou shalt see more with thee than against thee 2 King 6.16 17. Yea had wicked men their eyes opened as Balaam once had they would at every turn see an Angel stand in their way ready to resist what they go about as hee did for this is one of the noble imploiments of those glorious spirits to give a strong though invisible opposition to lewd enterprises Many a treacherous act have they hindred without the knowledge of the Traytor Yea O! God many are the dangers which wee see and fear innumerable those wee neither see nor fear Therefore to take away all attribution to our selvâ— even when wee know not thou do'st deliver us Now if it bee fearfull to think how great things evill spirits can do with permission it is comfortable to think how they can do nothing without permission for if God must give him leave hee will never give him leave to do any harm to his chosen bee will never give him leave to do the least hurt to our souls Now as by way of concession every greater includes the less hee that can lift a Talent can easily lift a Pound so by way of denyall every greater excludes the less If Satan himself cannot hurt us mâ—ch less his instruments weak men but for proof of this see also an instance or two that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our heavenly Father and that without leave from him our enemies cannot diminish one hair of our heads wee have our Saviour's express testimony Matth.
words or rather no words but a few poor thoughts conceived aright pass all the flowing eloquence of Demosthenes and Tully yea Tertullus and all the Orators that ever were in the world for this matter is not expressed with words but with groanings and these groanings are from the blessed Spirit A Father delights more in the stammering of his little Child than in the eloquence of the best Orator Neither is hearty prayer in our own power but it is the gift of God which at somtimes in plentifull measure hee bestoweth upon his children and at other times again hee pulleth back his liberall hand that by the want thereof wee may leern to ascribe the glory and praise of this grace to the giver who worketh in us the will and the deed which praise otherwise in pride of heart wee would arrogate unto our selvs as beeing in our own power Also that wee may more highly esteem it and with more joy and diligence use it when we have it bestowed on us If it bee asked why God reckons so highly of a few sighs and groans and why the prayers of the faithfull are so powerfull it is because they bee not ours but the intercession of Gods own Spirit in us powred out in the name of Christ his own Son in whom hee is ever well 〈◊〉 for as for us wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it self maketh request for us with sighs which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8.26 It is the Spirit whereby wee cry Abba Father ver 15. Gal. 4.6 Now if thou wouldest have the Spirits assistance and bee heard of God when thou makest supplication to him do not as too many do fall into prayer without preparation and utter a number of words without devotion or affection for no marvell if we ask and miss when we thus ask amiss Iâ—â— 4.3 Neither do as Children which never look after their Arrow but like Daniel Dan. 9. take notice of thine inlargements in prayer and of thy success after Nor onely pray and no more for to pray and to do nothing else is in effect to do nothing less But let your Prayers be ushered in by Meditation and 〈◊〉 by zealous devotion and then beleeving that you shall receive whatsoever you ask in Christs name and according to his will 1 John 5. â—â— John â—6 23 God will bee 〈◊〉 to give you that you desire 1 John 5.14.15 Mark 11.23.24 or that which is better for you 〈…〉 And suppose thou art not presently heard yet continue asking stil as Peter continued knocking till the door was opened for afâ—er an ill harvest wee must sow and after denials wee must woo God Yea if it bee possible with the Woman of Canaan let delays and seeming denialls encrease the strength of thy cries And commonly they bee earnest suits which issue from a troubled soul like strong streams in narrow straights which bear down all that stands in their way Nothing so strong as the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah for it overcame the roaring Lyon yet the Praier of Faith from the knees of humility and a broken heart will conquer even that Conquerour Matth. 15.28 And thus you see that nothing can befall us without the sorciall appointment of our good God who not only takes notice of our sufferings but sweetneth them with his presence takes our part stints our enemies and so ordereth the whole that our grief is either short or tolerable and that though hee is oftentimes harsh in the beginning and progress and late in coming yet hee coms on the sudden and is always comfortable in the conclusion And lastly that if hee defer his help it is on purpose that our trialls may bee perfect our deliverance welcome our recompence glorious And may not this comfort thee CHAP. 37. That stripes from the Almighty are speciall tokens and pledges of his adoption and love 3 WEe shall bear the Cross with more patience and comfort if wee consider that stripes from the Almighty are so far from arguing his displeasure that contrarily there are no better tokens and pledges of the Adoption and love As many saith God as I love I rebuke and chasten Rev. â— 19 My Son saith the Author to the Hebrews out of Solomons Proverbs Despise not the chastening of the Lord neither saint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and hee scourgeth every son whom hee receiveth If you endure chastening God offereth himself unto you as unto sons for what son is it whom the Father chastenâ—th not If therefore yee bee without correction whereof all are partakers then are yee bastards and not sons Heb. 11.5 to 13. Prov. 3.11.12 Hee is a Thistle and not good Corn that cometh not under the flail Yea what use of the grain it self if it pass not the edg of the sickle the stroak of the flail the wind of the Fan the weight of the milstone the heat of the oven Many a mans fellicity driveth him from God and where happiness domineereth virtue is commonly banished And doth not experience shew that fear and joy sweet and sowr sharp and flat one with another do better than either alone for if you bee too â—aâ—sh you make the 〈◊〉 a fool if â—oo fondâ— a wanton The bridlâ—â— governs the horse the 〈…〉 hiâ— the weight upon 〈…〉 Iack â—o the 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 The sayls give the speed the 〈…〉 to the 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 upon God 〈…〉 to us our favours and crosses in an equall ballance and so tempers out sorrows that they may not oppress and our joys that they may not transport us Each one hath some matter of envie to others and of grief to himself Thou dealest mercifully with us lest wee should fall from thee and despair thou beatest us lest wee should forget thee and so perish saith Saint Austin Hee that knows our frame knows wee are best when wee are worst and live holiest when wee are miserablest wherefore by affliction hee separates the sin that hee hates from the sinner whom hee loves and wee are by much the better for this scouring It is the wont of Fathers to hold in their Children when they suffer the children of bond-men to go at large and do as they list yea when diverse children are playing the wantons if wee see a man take one from the rest and whip him soundly we conclude that alone to be his Child Yea wise and discreet Fathers will force their Children earnestly to apply themselvs to their study or labour and will not let them bee idle although it bee holy-day yea constrain them to sweat and oftentimes to weep when their Mothers would set them on their laps and keep them at home all day in the shadow for burning their white Iacob is bound Apprentice while prophane Esau rides a hunting of Elkanah his two wives Hanna was in more esteem with God yet barren and Peninnah less yet shee was fruitfull 1 Sam. 1. They were all gross
of men drunk with the love of the World for although it bee as common a phrase as it is foolish when any great matter falls to a man O he is made yet experience proves that it rather marrâ— than makes him for not seldom do men possess riches as sick men do fevers which indeed rather possess them And certainly if riches were such pearls as most men esteem them it is not likely the Lord would cast them to sub Swine as mostly hee doth If such happy things hee would not throw them to such Dogs As what saith Luther of the whole Turkish Empire it is but a crum of bread which the master of the house throweth to his Dogs And the truth is what men think most pleasing viz. to have theiâ— wills and their lusts granted is most plaguing Psal. 81.12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels so that the greatest temtation is to bee without temtation and the greatest affliction not to be afflicted 2 Cor. 12.7 Wherefore lift up your hands which hang down because of some sore affliction and your weak knees Heb. 12.12 and know that the worst of temporall afflictions are an insufficient proof of divine displeasure yea that stripes from the Almighty are tokens of his love and seals of his Son-ship Yea since hee that hath most grace commonly complains of most discomfort confess that the palate is but an ill Judge of the favours of God as it is in great love no doubt however it bee taken that the tender Father medicines his Child for the Worms gives him Aloes or the like the Child cries and sputters and keckeâ— as if it were poisoned yet still the Fathers love is never the less say it be bitter yet bitter poisons bring sweet health and who will not rather take a vomit then hazard life In the Sweating sickness in England their friends would stand by them and strike them over the faces with sprigs of Rosemary to keep them awake the poor souls faint and full of pain would cry out you kill mee but yet they must do it or else they kill'd them iâ—deed for all that slept dyed Look wee saith Saint Ambrose wiâ—h the eyes of our body upon Lazarus estate and wee think it miserable but if with the eyes of the mind it will bee otherwise for how did the Angels do by him but as Nurses are wont to do by their little children all the day long they carry them about in their arms and at niâ—ht they lay them down in their beds to â—est But the supernaturall works of God when wee look upon them with our own eyes are subject to a dangerous misprision the Sun-beams to whom wee are beholding for our sight if wee eye them directly blind us Miserable men we are ready to suspect truths to run away from our safety to bee afraid of our comforts to mis-know our best friends Wee usually think it a great signe of God displeasure when hee ruines our estate and brings us to nothing when hee in his wisdome knows that these riches would shipwrack the soul were they not cast over-board and his love onely forces him to it A Mother seeing her little Son brustled at by Turcki-cocks catcheth him up and strippeth him of his red coat at which those Eiâ—des are offended the child cries for his coat but shee regarding his good letteth him weep but satisfieth him not And the like of Enemies wee think our selvs mightily wronged by them But God finds it to fare with us as it doth with the Oak which gains by the maims and wounds given it and thereupon spreadeth out thicker than before Whence it is God suffers them to live and domineer as some Countries suffer Ravens enacting Laws to prohibit the killing of them thâ—t they may devour the Carrions which else would corrupt the air And so in all oâ—her trials for bee the root of this tree never so bitter yet the fruit is pleasant Well may wee catch a maim as Iacob did but such a blessing come withall that wee would not if wise bee without it Say it bee a sore and fiery citall yet better this fire to purge us than Hell fire to burn us But all the skill is in making men see this wherefore hee that opened the eyes of Paul open ours But furthermore as not to bee afflicted argues an absolute defect of goodness so if our troubles bee light and few it is because wee are weak and tender for therefore God imposeth no more upon us because hee 〈◊〉 wee can bear no moâ—e The Physitian will not suffer a milke-soâ— to see his vein opened but makes him wink or look another way The Master giveth not to his sick servant strong meats as hee doth to the rest but more dainty â—arâ— not because hee is worthier than the rest but because hee is 〈◊〉 and in greateâ— need The skilfull Armourâ—r tryeth not an ordinary Peece with musket-shot The wise Lapidary brings not his softer stones to the Stithy So that freedom from affliction is not a signe of potency but of impotency Wherefore when I am stronger I will look for more when I am a vessell fit for this strong and new wine I shall bee filled with it but not before Mark 2.22 Indeed the calling of God never leavs a man unchanged nor does hee imploy any in his service whom hee does not enable to the work hee sets them about Will any make choyce of a weak Champion no more will God hee will either find us fit or make us fit to discharge the place hee puts us in as when hee called Saul to bee a King hee gave him a Kings heart 1 Sam. 10.9 And when hee called the Apostles to that function hee gave them gifts answerable so when hee calls any to suffer for him bee it Martyrdom hee giveth them the courage of Martyrs as the times of Queen Mary witness But yet for the most part hee â—rains us up by degrees as we eat diverse things by morsels and easily digest them which if we should eat whole would choak us and doth not make us fit to undergo great matters on a suddain Wee must learn to fence in the School before wee fight in the Field and with wooden weapons men learn to fight at the sharp wee must encounter with some beasts or other I mean unreasonable men before wee fight with that fearfull Goliah death And indeed if wee do not learn to give entertainment to smaller crosses the harbingers messengers and servants of death how shall wee bee able to entertain the Lord and Master when hee cometh Wherefore as Iehoram said to Iehu when hee marched furiously Comest thou peaceably As if hee should say if thou comest peaceably march as furiously as thou wiltâ— so let us say unto God provided thy afflictions and chastisements bee directed to us as messengers of peace and love let them march towards us as furiously as thou pleasest but in
his Word Christs blood saith Zanchie was shed as well for ablution as for absolution as well to cleanse from the soil and filth of sin as to clear and assoil from guilt of sin Rom. 6.5 6. God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. 1.4 They therefore that never come to be holy were never chosen He is said to have given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Luke 1.74 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an oath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holiness and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life Luke 1.73 74 75. 1. Pet. 2.24 and Tit. 2. The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world vers 12. By all which it is plain that as Christs blood is a Charter of pardon so withal it is a Covenant of direction and he that refuseth to live as that covenant prescribes may perish as a malefactor that is hanged with his pardon about his neck Sect. XXI But alas say what can be said carnal men who love their sins better then their souls will answer all yea confute whatsoever can be al 〈…〉 with God is mercifull Or in case that will not serve yet they have another shift or rather the enemy of mankinde will furnish them with an evasion telling them that they have a strong faith good hearts and mean well they repent of their sins have as good wishes and desires as can be are elected hope to go to heaven as well as the best c. But to every of these I answer First true faith purifieth the heart and worketh by love consumeth our corruptions and sanctifieth the whole man throughout so that our faith to God is seen in our faithfulnesse to men our invisible belief by our visible life Faith and holiness are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and light fire and heat ice and coldnesse the spring and greenness the rose and sweetness steel and hardness crystal and clearness pitch and foulness honey and sweetness Again faith believeth the threats of the Word together with the promises Now thou who pretendest belief in the promises shew me thy belief in the threatnings For didst thou believe the truth of those menaces which God hath denounced against unclean covetous ambitious unjust envious malitious persons and such like sinners how durst thou then so wallow in these sins that if God instead of Hell had promised Heaven as a reward unto them thou couldest not do more then thou doest Why shouldest thou deceive thy self with an opinion of faith when indeed thou believest not so much as the Devil does for he believes namely the threatnings of the VVord and trembles for horror Iam. 2. but thou goest on in sin even mocking at the menaces and in the infidelity of thy heart givest them the lye saying no such thing shall befall thee But Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam when they shall say peace and safety then comes on them sudden destruction 1 Thes. 5.3 Though those Persecutors of Christ and murtherers of the Lord of life were the Devils children as they were plainly told by truth it self Ioh. 8.44 yet they most confidently believed and stiffly maintained that God was their father verse 41. And so will the worst of men in these dayes such as do nothing but sin and make others sin such as glory in and maintain their sins Again as faith is wrought by Gods spirit so where it is wrought it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5.22 23. whereas presumption as it is of the flesh so it brings forth the fruits of the flesh verse 19.20 21. But it is very easie to believe thinks the sensualist yes but why Satan troubles not such for then he who begot this presumptuous faith in him should be divided against himself Nay Satan confirms him in this his deceit Besides this is a sure rule that that perswasion onely which follows sound humiliation is faith that which goes before it is presumption And as Ambrose speaks no man can repent of sin but he that believes the pardon of sin nor none can believe his sins are pardoned except he hath repented Besides how easie a matter soever thou thinkest it is to believe he that goes about it shall finde it as hard a work to believe the Gospel as to keep the Law and onely God must enable to both and yet so far as we come short of either so far forth we have just cause to be humbled if we consider how God at first made us and how wofully we have unmade our selves But Sect. XXII Secondly as for their good hearts and meanings they may think what they will but every wise man knows that the outward actions declare the inward intentions A good conversion is proved by a good conversation There is no heart made of flesh which at some time or other relents not even flint and marble will in some weather stand on drops Men may flatter God with their mouths and with their tongues dissemble with him when their hearts are not upright with him Psal. 78.36 37. and indeed they whose words and deeds are faulty and evil and yet plead the gooodness of their hearts toward God are like malefactors who being convicted of theft or the like naughtiness by plain evidence to their faces do appeal to the testimony of such persons for their purgation as they know cannot be found And in case the hearts of such men could be seen of others as their works and words are their hearts would appear worst of all as they do to God who seeth them Nor is any evil in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first of all as the stream in the fountain And let a vicious man boast never so much of his good heart I will as soon believe him that saith he hath the Philosophers stone and yet lives like a begger which two hang together like a sick mans dream VVe have good hearts and mean well alas poor ignorant souls for every drop of wickedness that appears in the life there is an ocean in the heart The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and while he thinks there is no deceit in it even in that he is most of all deceived Sinners are like that peremtory Sexâ—on that said howsoever the day goes I am sure the clock goes right So that the Spanish Proverb does every way please me defienda me dios de mio God defend me from my self Carnal men are apt to boast of the goodness of their hearts but a mans heart is as arch a Traitor as any he shall
flesh will persecute him that is borne after the spirit Gal. 4 29. When CHRIST was borne all Ierusalem was troubled and Herod cut the throats of all the children in Bethlehem Matth. 2.3 to 22. All was quiet at Ephesus before St. Paul came thither but then there arose no small strife about that way Acts 19.23 c. Again Sect. 6. Fifthly Are you scoft and scorned how can the world pleasure or honour you more First for Honour Reproach in Gods service is the best preferment For as in the Wars to have the hottest and most dangerous service imposed upon them by their Generall is accounted the greatest honour Neither will he confer the same upon any but the stoutest and most valiant So even bearing the Crosse with Christ is as great a preferment in the Court of Heaven as it is in an earthly Court for the Prince to take off his owne Robe and put it on the back of his servant as you may perceive by the Lords speech to Paul Acts 9.15 16. 23.11 And our Saviours words to his Apostles Acts 1.8 Yea sayes Father Latimer to suffer for Christ is the greatest priviledge that God gives in this world And the story of Iob is a book-case to prove it Yea the same Iob professes that if his adversary should write a Booke against him he would esteem it his crowne Job 31.35 36 37. Whence Moses esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11.26 Whence Peter and Iohn when they were beaten and imprisoned departed from the Councell rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs Name Acts 5.41 They esteemed it a grace to be disgraced for him And so it hath been accounted by the best and wisest ever since They that reproach me saith St. Austine do against their wills increase my honour both with God and good men And another of the Fathers It is the highest degree of reputation to be evill spoken of for well doing It is no small credit with the vile to have a vile estimation Tertullian thought much the better of Christianity because Nero persecuted it Calvin made the reproaches and evill speeches of his enemies a matter of great joy to him To be disliked of evill men sayes Picus Mirandula is to be praysed for goodnesse their dispraise is a mans honour their praise his dishonour Never did Neckarchife become me so well as this chaine said Alice Drivers 〈…〉 a Rope was put about his fellowes neck Give me that Gold chaine and dub me a Knight also of that noble Order And shall we grutch to beare a few scoffs for CHRIST No but in our greatest streights and extremities let us acknowledge it a favour and give GOD thanks And indeed it is the sum of all Religion to be thankfull to GOD in the midst of miseries But if thou canst not beare a few ill words for thy Saviour without murmuring and impatience how wouldst thou endure wounds for him yea how wouldst thou afford him thine ashes and write patience with thine own blood Then Sect. 7. 2ly For profit Let a good man be scoft and scorned for a fault he will be the better for it to his dying day His enemies by their evill tongues shall beget in him a good and holy life For happily they shall bring to his remembrance sins forgotten wean him from the love of the world discover whether he be sincere or no make him humble exercise and improve his patience and all his other graces and augment his glory Yea his patient suffering shall be rewarded here as well as hereafter Deut. 23.5 2 Sam. 16.12 Blessed are they which suffer for righteousness for theirs is the kingdome of heaven Matth. 5.10 to 14. They that suffer here for well doing shall be crowned hereafter for well suffering And certainly nothing that we can suffer here can be compared with those woes we have deserved in Hell or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven By our crosses sanctified weight is added to our Crowne of blisse Our Enemies saith Bernard are but our Fathers Goldsmiths working to add pearls to the Crowns of the Saints Whence Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11.26 And hence it is that the Holy Ghost calls upon us to rejoyce and be exceeding glad when men shall revile and persecute and say all manner of evill against us falsely for Christs sake and tels us we are blessed and happy for that the spirit of glory and of God does so much the more rest upon us which on their parts is evill spoken of but on our part is glorified 1 Pet. 4.12 13 14. Mat. 5.11 12. Phil. 1.28 29. Rev. 2.13 And this hath made thousands to embrace the very flames when they might easily have been freed by exchanging eternall happiness for temporary and transitory Your cruelty is our glory said the Martyrs in Tertullians time to their persecutors For the harder we are put to it the greater shall our reward be in Heaven It is to my losse said Gordius the Martyr if you bate me any thing of my sufferings Sect. 8. Now if in conclusion the most malicious practices of our worst and greatest Enemies by the blessing of God and our well hushanding of them prove no other in effect to us then did the malice of Josephs brethren Mistris and Lord to him then the malice of Haman to Mordecai and the Iewes Then Balacks malice to the Children of Israel Then the Devils spight to Job Then the malice of Achitophel Shimei to David Or then the Arians malice to Paphnutius all which made for their inestimable good benefit and advantage Then grutch not at it neither mutter at the matter but receive what ever comes with humility patience piety and thankefulness Yea if none but evill men do it and that because you do better or fare better then they and that what you suffer is nothing to what Christ the best of Saints have exceeded you in Let it make you no less joyfull then thankefull Yea let it cause you to cry out O the wonderfull and soveraign goodness of our God! that turns even our poysons into cordials And henceforth thinke it no shame but count it your glory Be not grieved when you have so much cause to rejoyce for it shews you to be borne of God your enemies to be the seed of the Serpent The worlds hating you shewes that Christ loves you and hath chosen you out of the world Yea this is to your Adversaries a sure token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Yea do not only beare with them but pitty and pray for them for they need no helpe to be miserable As who sets them on worke but he that will pay them with damnation though God offers them better wages Nor is it so much they as the Devill in and by them It is his
things that may make them every way happy as that their prosperity shall be durable and lasting That with riches they shall have credit honour and promotion with long life added That they shall be happy and prosper in all they have or do as having God their Protector who with mercy is said to compass them about on every side Psal. 32.10 That they shall be freed from all fears and dangers and obtein victory over all their enemies together with death hell and the devil That they shall be freed from the Law and likewise from sin and the penalty thereof That they shall have peace external internal eternal And joy even the joy of the holy Ghost which is both glorious and unspeakable That they shall not only persevere but also grow in grace and true wisdom Thâ—t all things whatsoever shall make for their good That both their persons and performances shall be good and acceptable which before were wicked and abominable That by the prayer of faith they shall obtein of God whatsoever they shall ask in Christs Name and according to his Word And in fine all other good things that can be named whether temporal spiritual or eternal are by the promise of God entailed upon them that love him and keep his commandements and upon their seed as I could plentifully and most easily prove were it pertinent to the matter in hand Nor is all this that God hath promised to those that serve him so great a matter comparatively as that we need wonder at it or once question the same For If he spared not his own Son but delivered him to death for us how shall he not with him freely give us all things also Rom. 8.31 32. It is the Apostles argument Great yea too great things are they for us to receive but not too great for the great and good God of Heaven and earth to give all the fear is on our part whether we be such to whom the promise is made For all Gods promises are conditional And though of these outward good things he hath promised abundance yet it is upon the condition of faith and obedience as appears by all the fore-mentioned places so that if we be not wanting in out duty and obedience to God God will not be wanting in any good thing to us Nor can we look that God should make good his promises if we make them void by not observing the condition as that we may do by our distrusting him If we will not dare to trust God upon his promise so confidently as we would a friend or some great man that is able and honest Besides the Lord hath promised that there shall be no want to them that fear him and that no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal. 34.9 84.11 Where observe two things there shall be no want to such and such shall want no good thing so that he must be such an one to whom the promise is made and he must also be sure that it is good for him which is promised But oftentimes it is not good for a man to abound with earthly blessings as strong drinke is not good for weake brains Yea if any thing be wantiug to a good man he may be sure it is not good for him and then better that he doth want it then that he did enjoy it and what wise man will complain of the want of that which if he had would prove more hurtful then gainful to him as a sword to a mad man a knife to a childe drinke to them that have a Fever or the Dropsie No good thing will God with-hold c. and therefore not wants themselves which to many are also good yea very good things as I could reckon up many want sanctified is a notable means to bring to repentance to work in us amendment of life it stirs up to prayer it weans from the love of the world it keeps us always prepared for the spiritual combate discovers whether we be true believers or hypocrites prevents greater evils of sin and punishment to come It makes us humble conformable to Christ our head increaseth our faith our joy and thankfulnesse our spiritual wisdom and likewise our patience as I have largely shewen in The Benefit of Affliction To coonclude All good things were created for the good and therefore are they called goods because the good God created them for good men to do good withal Therefore as Jacob got the blessing so he gat the inheritance also to shew that as the faithful have the inward blessing so they have the outward blessing too when they will do them good and cause them to do good Yea in this case even as the sheaffs fell before Ruth so riches shall fall in our way as they did to Abraham and Lot and Iacob and Iob and Ioseph upon whom riches were cast they knew not how but as if God had onely said Be rich and they were rich straight But that this is the true and only way to wealth and happiness needs no more proof then that which is recorded of Solomon 1 Kings 3. 2 Chron. 1. where the Lord appearing to him in a dream said Ask what I shall give thee And he asking only an understanding heart to discern between good and evil that he might the better discharge that great place whereunto God had called him wherein Gods glory and the peoples good was his principal aime and end Heare what the Lords answer is Because this was in thine heart and thou hast not asked riches wealth or honour nor the life of thine enemies neither yet hast asked long life but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thy self that thou mightest judge my people over whom I have made thee King Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee and I will give thee riches wealth and honour such as none of the Kings have had that have been before thee neither shall there any after thâ—â— have the like c. Yea he was so surpassing rich that he gave silver in Ierusalem as stones and gave Cedars as the wilde fig-trees that grow abundantly in the plain 1. King 10.27 2 Chron. 1.7 to 13 14 15. Lo the true way to Wealth honour and happiness is to desire grace that we may glorifie God and do good for cleering whereof I 'le give you a similitude A man spies a fair apple on a tree hath a longing desire to it whereupon he falls a shaking the tree with all his might at length it not only comes down but many other come down to him together with it And so much to prove that the way to become rich is first to become godly If any shall ask why the godly are not alwayes nor oft rich notwithstanding these promises I answer that God not seldom withholds these outward blessings from his own people in great love only affording them all things that they have need of Our heavenly Father who knows us better then