patient in his sufferings but joyfull esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt For saith the Text he had respect unto the recompence of the reward Heb. 11.26 And well it might for whereas the highest degree of suffering is not worthy of the least and lowest degree of this glory Rom. 8.18 St Paul witnesseth that our light affliction which is but â—or a moment if it be borne with patience causeth unto us a far most excellent and eternall weight of glory while we look not on the things that are seen but on the things which are not seen 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Where note the incomparablenesse and infinite difference between the work and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentary afflictions eternall glory answerable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and die in a moment but their insufferable punishment is interminable and endlesse As it fared with Pope Sixtus the fifth who sold his soul to the Devill to enjoy the glory and pleasure of the Popedom for seven years their pleasure is short their pain everlasting our pain is short our joy eternall What will not men undergo so their pay may be answerable The old experiencâ—â— Souldier fears not the rain and storms above him nor the numbers falling before him nor the troops of enemies against him nor the shot of thundring Ordnance about him but looks to the honourable reward promised him When Philip asked Democritus if he did not fear to lose his head he answered No for quoth he if I die the Athenians will give me a life immortall meaning he should be statued in the treasury of eternall fame if the immortality as they thought of their names was such as strong reason to perswade them to patience and all kind of worthinesse what should the immortality of the soul be to us Alas vertue were a poor thing if fame only should be all the Garland that did crown her but the Christian knowes that if every pain he suffers were a death and every crosse an hell he shall have amends enough Why said Ambrose on his death-bed we are happy in this we serve a good Master that will not suffer us to be losers Which made the Martyrs such Lambs in suffering that their persecutors were more weary with striking than they with suffering and many of them as willing to die as dine When Modestus the Emperours Lieutenant told Basil what he should suffer as confiscation of goods cruell tortures death c. He answered If this be all I fear not yea had I as many lives as I have hairs on my head I would lay them all down for Christ nor can your master more benefit me than in this I could abound with examples of this nature No matter quoth one of them what I suffer on earth so I may be crowned in Heaven I care not quoth another what becometh of this frail Bark my flesh so I have the passenger my soul safely conducted And another If Lord at night thou grant'st me Lazarus boon Let Dives dogs lick all my sores at noon And a valiant Souldier going about a Christian atchievement My comfort is though I lose my life for Christs sake yet I shall not lose my labour yea I cannot endure enough to come to Heaven Lastly Ignatius going to his Martyrdom was so strongly ravished with the joyes of Heaven that he burst out into these words Nay come fire come beasts come breaking my bones racking of my body come all the torments of the Devill together upon me come what can come in the whole earth or in hell so I may enjoy Iesus Christ in the end They were content to smart so they might gain and it was not long but light which was exacted of them in respect of what was expected by them and promised to them 2 Cor. 4.17 Neither did they think that God is bound to reward them any way for their sufferings no if he accepts me when I have given my body to be burned saith the beleever I may account it a mercy I might shew the like touching temptations on the right hand which have commonly more strength in them and are therefore more dangerous because more plausible and glorious When Valence sent to offer Basil great preferments and to tell him what a great man he might be Basil answers Offer these things to Children not to Christians When some bad stop Luthers mouth with preferment one of his adversaries answered it is in vain he cares neither for Gold nor Honour When Pyrrhus tempted Fabritius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before he had not seen the next day with Money and promises of Honour he answered I fear not thy force and I am too wise for thy fraud But I shall be censured for exceeding Thus hope refresheth a Christian as much as misery depresseth him it makes him defie all that men or Devils can do saying Take away my goods my good name my friends my liberty my life and what else thou canst imagin yet I am well enough so long as thou canst not take away the reward of all which is an hundred fold more even in this world and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10.29 30. As when a Courtier gave it out that Queen Mary being displeased with the City threatned to divert both Terme and Parliament to Oxford an Alderman askt whether she meant to turn the Channell of the Thames thither or no if not saith he by Gods grace we shall do well enough For what are the things our enemies can take from us in comparison of Christ the Ocean of our comfort and Heaven the place of our rest where is joy without heavinesse or interruption peace without perturbation blessednesse without misery light without darknesse health without sicknesse beauty without blemish abundance without want ease without labour satiety without loathing liberty without restraint security without fear glory without ignominy knowledge without ignorance eyes without tears hearts without sorrow souls without sinne where shall be no evill present or good absent for we shall have what we can desire and we shall desire nothing but what is good In fine that I may darkly shadow it out sith the lively representation of it is meerly impossible this life everlasting is the perfection of all good things for fullnesse is the perfection of measure and everlastingnesse the perfection of time and infinitenesse the perfection of number and immutability the perfection of state and immensity the perfection of place and immortality the perfection of life and God the perfection of all who shall be all in all to us meat to our tast beauty to our eyes perfumes to our smell musick to our ears and what shall I say more but as the Psalmist saith Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God but alas such is mans parvity that he is as far from comprehending it
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
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
15.14 Eph. 4.18 19. 5.8 1 Pet. 2.9 whereas Beleevers are called Children of light and of the day 1 Thess. 5.5 1 Pet. 2.9 And as no man can see the light of the Sun but by the benefit of the Sun so no man can know the secrets of God but by the revelation of God 1 Cor 2.11 12 13. Mat. 16.16 17. To know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven we must have hearts eyes and ears sanctified from above Deut. 29.2 3 4. Psa. 111.10 Luk. 24.45 Ioh. 15.15 Rom. 8.14 15. No learning nor experience will serve to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 1.17 18. 3.19 Reason and Faith are the two Eyes of the soul Reason discerns natural objects Faith spirituall and supernaturall But as meer sense is uncapable of the rules of Reason so Reason is no lesse uncapable of the things that are divine and supernaturall Jer. 10.14 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. Eph. 5.8 And as to speak is only proper to men so to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven is only proper to Believers Psa. 25.14 Pro. 3.32 Amos 3.7 Faith and illumination of the Spirit addes to the fight of our mindes as a prospective glasse addes to the corporall fight Mat. 16.17 1 Cor. 2.7 8 10 11 12 14 15 16. Joh. 12.46 Sense is a meer Beasts Reason a meer Mans Divine knowledge is only the Christians Some men are like the Moon at full have all their light towards Earth none towards Heaven Others like the Moon at wain or change have all their light to Heaven-wards none to the Earth A third sort are like the Moon in Eclipse having no light in it self neither towards Earth nor towards Heaven Now according as men are wise they prise and value wisedom and endeavour to obtain it Pro. 18.15 like Solomon who prayed for wisedom and Moses who studied for wisedom and the Queen of Sheba who travelled for wisedom and David who to get wisedom made the word his Counsellour hated every false way and was a man after Gods own heart As O the pleasure that rational men take in it Prov. 2.3 10 11. 10.14 Phil. 3.8 Whereas on the contrary brutish and blockish men as little regard it Prov. 1.5 7 13. A man desires not what he knoweth not saith Chrysostome neither are unknown evils feared wherefore the work of regeneration begins at illumination Act. 26.18 Col. 1.13 1 Pet. 2.9 Knowledge is so fair a Virgin that every clear eye is in love with her it is a pearl despised of none but Swine It is more true of divine wisdome then it was of that Grecian beauty no man ever loved her that never saw her no man ever saw her but he loved her Lucian tells of an Egyptian King who had Apes taught when they were young to dance and keep their postures with much art these he would put into rich Coates and have them in some great presence to exercise their skill which was to the admiration of such as knew them not what little sort of active nimble men the King had got And such as knew them thought it no lesse strange that they should be trained up to so man-like and handsome a deportment But a subâ—ile Fellow that was one admitted to see them brought and threw amongst them a handfull of Nuts which they no sooner spied but they presently left off their dance fell a scrambling tore one anothers rich Coats and to the derision of the beholders who before admired them they discovered themselves to be meer Apes These ensuing Notions which I have purposely taken as a handfull out of the whole sack to squander away amongst my acquaintance are such Nuts as will discover not a few who are men in appearance their own opinion to be as wise and well affected as Aesops Cock that preferred a barley Corn before a Pearls or Plinies Moal that would dig under ground with great dexterity but was blind if brought into the Sun Or Diaphontus that refused his mothers blessing to hear a song Or the Israelites who preferred Garlick and Onions before Quails and Manna And so much for overplus to this division A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE against all Grief Extracted out of the choisest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Fourth Impression By R. YOUNGE Florilegus Imprimatur Thomas Gataker CHAP. 33. Vse and Application of the former Reasons Vse 1. THese latter Reasons being dispatcht return we to make use of the former for I may seem to have left them and be gone quite out of sight though indeed it cannot properly be call'd a digression seeing the last of the former reasons was That God suffers his Children to be persecuted and afflicted for the increase of their Patience First if God sends these afflictions either for our Instruction or Reâ—ormation to scoure away the rust of corruption or to try the truth of our sanctification either for the increase of our patience or the exercise of our faith or the improvement of our zeal or to provoke our importunity or for the doubling of our Obligation seeing true gold flies not the touchstone Let us examine whether we have thus husbanded our affliction to his glory and our own spiritual and everlasting good I know Gods fatherly chastisements for the time seem grievous to the best of his Children Yea at first they come upon us like Samsons Lion look terrible in shew as if they would devoure us and as Children are afraid of their friends when they see them masked so are we But tell me hath not this roaring Lion prevailed against thy best part Hast thou kept thy head whole I mean thy soul free For as Fencers will seem to fetch a blow at the leg when they intend it at the head so doth the Devil though he strike at thy name his aim is to slay thy soul. Now instead of being overcome doest thou overcome Hath this Lion yielded thee any Honey of Instruction or Reformation Hath thy sin died with thy fame or with thy health or with thy peace or with thy outward estate Doest thou perceive the graces of Gods Spirit to come up and flourish so much the more in the spring of thy recovery by how much more hard and bitter thy winter of adversity hath been Then thou hast approved thy self Christs faithful Souldier and a Citizen of that Ierusalem which is above Yea I dare boldly say of thee as Saint Paul of himselfe That nothing shall be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.39 To finde this Honey in the Lion more then makes amends for all former fear and grief and in case any man by his humiliation under the hand of God is grown more faithful and conscionable there is Honey out of the Lion or is any man by his
1 Cor. 2.9 For certainly the remembrance thereof would even raise up our souls from our selves and make us contemne and sleight what ever our enemies could do as it did our fore-fathers much more to sleight reproaches which are such bug-bears to a great many And no marvel if that which hath made so many contemne fire and faggot make us contemne the blasts of mens breath But I hope enough hath been said in shewing that our enemies in stead of robbing inrich us and in lieu of hurting pleasure us sith they greaten our graces and augment our glory sith if the conflict be more shaâ—p the Crown will be more glorious Wherefore if our trials be small let us bear them with patience which makes even great burthens easie if they bee great and grievous let us bear them patiently too since great is the weight of glory that ensueth them whereas no suffering no reward yea if wee be not chastned here we shall be condemned hâ—reafter 1 Cor. 11.32 And whether had you rather rejoice for one sit or alwaies you would do both which may not be you would be both Dives and Lazarus have happinesse boâ—h here and hereafter pardon me it is a fond covetousnesse 〈◊〉 idle singularity to affect it What that you alone may fare better than all Gods Saints That God should strow Carpets for your feet onely to walk unto your Heaven and make that way smooth for you which all Patriarchs Prophets Evangelists Confessers and Christ himself have found rugged and bloody Away with this self-love and come down you ambitious sons of Zebedee and ere you think of sitting near the Throne be contented to be called unto the Cup. Now is your 〈◊〉 Let your Saviour see how much of his bitter petion you can pledge then shall you see how much of his glory he can afford you In all Feasts the coursest meats are tasted first be content to drink of his Vineger and Gall and after you shall drink new wine with him in his Kingdome Besides without some kinde of suffering how shall your sincerity be approved Even nature is 〈◊〉 and cheerful whiles it prospereth but let God withdraw his hand no sight no trust The mother of Micha while her wealth lasteth can dedicate a good part of her silver to the Lord but now she hath lost it shee falls a cuâ—sing Iudg. 17.1 2 3. Cataline whiles poor had many seeming 〈◊〉 but having feathered his nest you could hardly say whether he was most lavish of his money or of his modesty But to be equally good in a prospeâ—ous and adverse condition deservs praise When our resolution and practice is like that Maids in Plutarch who being set in the Market to be sold when a Chapman askt her Wilt thou be faithful if I buy thee said Yea that I will though you do not buy me Wee all are 〈◊〉 weary of receiving soon weary of attâ—nding we are ready to shrink from Christ so soon as our profits or pleasures shrink from us But if with the Needle of the Compasse in the midst of tempestuous weather we remain alwaies unmoveable and staied upon one point it is a signe the Loadstone of the Gospel hath changed our hearts and we are governed by Christ as the Needle is by the North-Pole Wherefore if God should not frame ouâ—ward things to thy minde do thou frame thy mind to endure with patience and comfort what he sends and this will be an Odour smelling sweet a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God yea herein thou shalt approve thy self with David a man after God's own heart and â—ou know that as David was unto God according to his heart so was God unto David according to his CHAP. 40. Application of the former grounds ANd so you have the residue of the grounds of comfort it remains that I should apply them For this Doctrine though it be better understood then practised as Cassandra was better known than trusted yet being both known applied and duly trusted to will like the Sun not onely delight our understandings with its contemplation but also warm and quicken our affections Wherefore is there any weak Christian so white-liver'd with Nicodemus that the reproaches and Persecutions which attend his profession make him ashamed of Christ or cause him to think that it is in vain to serve the Lord whereby he is frighted out of the narrow way that leadeth to life Let him draw near for I chiefly direct my speech unto him Are afflictions and persecutions so necessary and profitable as hath been shewed Doth not God onely gain glory by our suffeâ—ings but do they also bring us to repentance and amendment of life stir us up to praier wean us from the love of the world keep us alwaies prepared for our enemies assaults discover whether we are sincere or no make us humble improve all Christian graces in us Is God more specially present with us in afflictions Cannot our enemies diminish one hair of our heads without God's special leave and appointment Hath he promised that we shall not be tempted above our strength Are these stripes the chiefest tokens and pledges of God's love and adoption Were none of his children ever exempted from the like And lastly shall our momentany sufferings be rewarded with everlasting glory Yea shall our glory be increased as our sufferings have been more Then let them serve as so many restoratives to thy fainting spirit yea Lift up thy hands which hang down and strengthen thy weak knees Heb. 12.12 For I suppose thy fainting and drooping is from fear and thy fear from doubting and thy doubting from unbelief and thine unbelief chiefly from ignorance of these things and whence is thine ignorance of these but this Thou hast never been conversant in the book of God or if thou hast thou didst never seriously ponder these Scriptures which have formerly been rehearsed for hadst thou seriously considered them thou wouldst not have dared to make that an occasion of grief and prejudicâ— which the Spirit of God maketh the greatest cause of joy and confirmation that can be For what can be spoken more expresse direct and significant What demonstrations can be given more sollid What Fortifications or Bulwarks so strong and safe against the affronts of Satan and the World Thou saiest thou art persecuted for well-doing and therefore thinkest it a strange thing God saith it is and ever hath been common to all his children not Christ himself excepted Take notice of these things for it is the God of all truth and blessednesse that speaks them and apply them to thy self as if they were particularly spoken to thee by name even as when twenty be in a room where is a fair well-drawn picture every one thinks the picture looks upon him and have not more modestie or manners in leaving those dishes for thy letters than will do thee good Be not like a Monkey which looking in a glasse thinks he sees another Monkeys face and not his own
should we admire the love and bounty of God and bless his Name who for the performance of so small a work hath proposed so great a Reward And for the obtaining of such an happy state hath imposed such an easie task Yea more is Heaven so unspeakably sweet and delectable and Hell so unutterably dolefull Then let nothing be thought too much that we can either do or suffer for Christ who hath freed us from the one and purchased for us the other Though indeed nothing that we are able to do or suffer here can be compared with those woes we have deserved in Hell or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven And indeed that we are now out of hell there to fry in flames of fire and brimstone never to be freed that we have the free offer of grace here and everlasting glory hereafter in heaven we are onely beholding to him We are all by nature as hell-fire being onely reprieved for a timâ— But from this extremity and eternity of torment Iesus hath freed and delivered us O think then yea be ever thinking of it how rich the mercy of our Redeemer was in freeing us and that by laying down his own life to redeem us Yea How can we be thankfull enough for so great a blessing It was a mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Which being so 〈…〉 can any one in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerable and thankfull demeanour If a Friend had given us but a thousand part of what God and Christ hath we should heartily love him all our lâ—ves and think no thankâ— sufficient What price then should we set upon Iesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls Do we then for Christs sake what we would do for a Friends sake Yea let us abhor our selves for our former unthankfulness and our wonderfull provoking of him Hearken we unto Christs voyce in all that he saith unto us without being swayed one way or another as the most are Let us whom Christ hath redeemed express our thankâ—ulness by obeying all that he saith unto us whatever it shall cost us since nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which shall endure for ever As Who would not obtain Heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever In Heaven is a Crown laid up for all such as suffer for righteousâ—ess even a Crown without cares without rivals without envy without end And is not this reward enough for all that men or Devils can do against us Who would not serve a short apprentiship in Gods service here â—o be made for ever free in glory Yea Who would not be a Philpot for a moneth or a Lazarus for a day or a Steven for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever Nothing can be too much to endure fâ—r those pleasures that endure for ever Yea what pain can we think too much to suffer What little enough to do to obtain eternity for this incorruptible Crown of Glory in Heaven 1 Pet. 5.4 where we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes Where we shall cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin Where God shall turn all the water of our afflictions into the pure wine of endless and unâ—xpressible comfort You shall sometimes see an hired servant venture his life for his new Master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end and can we suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him â—ot Fields and Vineyards as Saul pretended 1 Sam 22 7. c. nor Towns and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundred-â—old more than we part withall here in this life and eternal Mansâ—ons in Heaven hereafter John 14.2 St. Paul saith Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth us a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Where note the incomparable and infinitive difference between the woâ—k and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentary affliction eternal glory Suitable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and die in a moment but their unsufferable punishment is interminable and endless Their pleasure is short their pain everlasting our pain is short our joy eternal Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life â—am 1.12 〈…〉 what folly is it then or rather madness for the small pleasure of some base lust some paltry profit or fleeting vanity which passeth away in the very act as the taste of a pleasant drink dieth so soon as it is down to bring upon our selves in another world torments without end and beyond all compass of conceit Fourthly Is it so that God hath set before us life and death Heaven and Hell as a reward of good and evil leaving us as it were to our choyce whether we will be compleatly and everlastingly happy or miserable with what resolution and zeal should we strive to make our calling and election sure nor making our greatest business our least and last care I know well thou hadst rather when thou diest go to reign with Christ in his Kingdom for evermore than be confined to a perpetual Prison or Furnace of fire and brimstone there to be tormented with the Dâ—vil and his Angels If so provoke not the Lord who is great and terrible of most glorious Majesty and of infinite purity and who hath equally promised salvation unto those which keep his Commandments and threatned eternal death and destruction to those who break them For as he is to all repentant sinners a most mercifull God Exod. 34.6 so to all wilfull and impenitant sinners he is a consuming fire and a jealous God Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4 24. There was a King who having no issue to succeed him espied one day a well-favoured and towardly youth he took him to the Court and committed him to Tutors to instruct him provâ—ding by his Will that if he proved fit for Government he should be crowned King if not he should be kept in chains and made a Gally-slave the youth was mâ—sled and neglected both his Tutors good Counsâ—l and his Book so as his Master corâ—ected him and said O that thou knewest what honour is prepared for thee and what thou art lâ—ke to loose by this thy idle and loose carriage Well thou wilt afterwards when 't is to late sorely rue this And when he grew to years the King died whose Councâ—l and Executours perceiving him to be utterly unfit for State Government called him before them and declared the Kings will and pleasure which was accordingly performed for they caused him to be fettered and committed to the Galleys there to toil and tug at the Oaâ—s perpetually where he was whipt and lasht
Abrahams faith Iobs patience Pauls courage and constancy if they had not been tried by the fire of affliction their graces had been smothered as so many lights under Bushel which now to the glory of God shine to all the World Yea noâ— only their vertues but the gracious lives of all the Saints departed dâ— still magnifie him even to this day in every place we hear of them anâ— move us likewise to glorifie God for them wherefore happy man thaâ— leaves such a president for which the future Ages shall praise him and praise God for him And certainly if God intends to glorifie himself by his graces in us he will finde means to fetch them forth into the notice of the World Who could know the faith patience and valour of Gods souldiers iâ— they alwayes lay in Garrison and never came to the skirmish Whereaâ— now they are both exemplary and serve also to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2.15 Yea without enemies valour and fortitudâ— were of no use Till we have sinned Repentance either is not or appearâ— not Neither is patience visible to others or sensible to our selves till we are exercised with sufferings whereas these vertues in time of misery and exigents shine as stars do in a dark night And what more glorious than with Noahs ' Olive-tree to keep our branches green under water Or with Aarons Rod to bring forth ripe Almonds when in appearance we are clong and dry Or with Moses's Bush not to consume though on a lighâ— fire One Iupiter set out by Homer the Poet was worth ten set out by Phidiaâ— the Carver saith Philostratus because the former slew abroad through all the World whereas the other never stirred from his Pedistal at Athens so at first the honour and splendour of Iobs integrity was confined to Uz a little corner of Arabia yea to his own Family whereas by means of the Devils malice it is now spread as far as the Sun can extend his beams or the Moon her influence for of such a Favourite of Heaven such a Mirrour of the Earth such a wonder of the World who takes noâ— notice Who could know whether we be vessels of gold or dross unless we were brought to the Touchstone of temptation Who could feel the odoriferous smell of these Aromatical Spices if they were not pounded and bruised in the Mortar of affliction The Worlds hatred and calumny to aâ— able Christian serves as bellows to kindle his devotion and blow off the ashes under which his faith lay hid like the Moon he shines clearest in the night of affliction If it made for the honour of Saul and all Israel that he had a little Boy in his Army that was able to encounter that selected great Giant Goliah of the Philistims and overcome him how much more doth it make for Gods glory that the least of his adopted ones should be able to encounter four enemies The World 1 John 5.4 The Flesh Gal. 5.24 The Devil 1 John 2.14 and The Death Rom. 8.36 37. The weakest of which is 1 The Flesh 2 The World Now the Flesh being an home-bred enemy a Dalilah in Samsons bosome a Iudas in Christs company like a Moath in the garment bred in us and cherished of us and yet alwayes attempting to fret and destroy us and the world a forreign foe whose Army consists of two Wings Adversity on the left hand Prosperity on the right hand Death stronger then either and the Devil stronger than all And yet that the weakest childe of God only through faiâ—h in Christ a thing as much despised of Philistims as Davids â—â—ing and stone was of Goliah should overcome all these fourâ— wherein he shews himself a greater Conquerour then William the Conquerour yea even greater then Alexander the Great or Pompey the Great or the Great Turk for they only conquered in many years a few parts of the World but he that is born of God overcometh the whole World all things in the World 1 Joh. 5. And this is the victory that overcometh the World even our faith Vers. 4. And makes not this infinitely for the glory of God Yea it makes much for the honour of Christians For art thou born of God Hast thou vanquished the World that vanquisheth all the wicked Bless God for this conquest The King of Spains overcomming the Indies was nothing to it If Satan had known his afflicting of Iob would have so advanced the glory of God manifested Iobs admirable patience to all Ages made such a president for imitation to others occasioned so much shame to himself I doubt noâ— but Iob should have continued prosperous and quiet for who will set upon his Adversary when he knoweth he shall be shamefully beaten This being so happy are they who when they do well hear ill but much more blessed are they who live so well as that their backbiting Adversaries seeing their good works are constrained to praise God and speak well of them CHAP. 4. That God suffers his children to be afflicted and persecuted by ungodly men that so they may be brought to repentance NOw the Reasons which have chiefly respect to the good of his children in their sufferings being thirteen in number are distinguished as followeth God suffers his children to be afflicted by them 1 Because it Brings them to repentance 2 Because it Works in them amendment of life 3 Because it Stirs them up to prayer 4 Because it Weans them from the love of the World 5 Because it Keeps them alwayes prepared to the spirituall combate 6 Because it Discovers whether we be true beleevers or Hyprocites 7 Because it Prevents greater evils of sinne and punishment to come 8 Because it makes them Humble 9 Because it makes them Conformable to Christ their head 10 Because it Increaseth their Faith 11 Because it Increaseth their Ioy and Thankfulness 12 Because it Increaseth their Spiritual Wisdome 13 Because it Increaseth their Patience First the Lord suffers his children to be vexed and persecuted by the wicked because it is a notable means to rouze them out of carelesse security and bring them to repentance He openeth the eares of men saith Elihu even by their corrections that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprizo and that he might keep back his soul from the pit Job 33.16 17 18. The feeling of smart will teach us to decline the cause Quia sentio poenam recogitâ— culpam saith Gregory the Great punishments felt bring to my consideration sins committed Those bitter sufferings of Iob toward his latter end made him to possess the iniquities of his youth Iob 13.26 whereby with Solomons Eves-dropper Eccles. 7.21 22. he came to repent of that whereof he did not once suspect himselfe guilty it made him not think so much of what he felt as what he deserved to feel in like manner how do the clamours of Satan our own consciences and the insulting World constrain us to possess
even the sins of our youth There needs no â—ther art of memory for sin but misery Satans malice not seldome proves the occasion of true repentance and so the Devil is overshot in his own Bowe wounded with his own weapon I doubt whether that Syrophenician had ever enquired after Christ if her daughter had not been vexed with an unclean spirit yea whether the Devil had been so effectually cast out if he had with less violence entred into her Mark 7. Our afflictions are as Benhadads best Counsellours that sent him with a cord about his neck to the merciful King of Israel The Church of God under the Cross is brought to a serious consideration of her estate and saith Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord Lam. 3.40 Manasses also the King of Iudah that horrible sinner never repented of his Idolatry Murther Witchcraft c. till he was carried away captive to Babel and there put in chains by the King of Ashur But then saith the Text he humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers 2 Chron. 33.11 12. Yea read his confession for he speaks most feelingly and you shall see that the prison was a means of his spiritual enlargement Even Vipers being lasht cast up all their poison The body that is surfetted with repletion of pleasant meats must be purged with bitter pils and when all outward comforts fail us we are willing to befriend our selves with the comfort of a good conscience the best of blessings Affliction is the Hammer which breaks our rockie hearts Adversity hath whipt many a soul to Heaven which otherwise prosperity had coached to Hell was not the Prodigall riding post thither till he was soundly lasht home again to his Fathers house by those hard-hearted and pittiless Nabals which refused to fill his belly with the husks of the swine And indeed seldome is any man throughly awakened from the sleep of sin but by affliction but God by it as it were by a strong purge empties and evacuates those supeâ—fluities of malice envie pride security c. wherewith we were before surcharged For as Alloes kils worms in the stomack or as frost and cold destroyes Vermine so doth bitter afflictions crawling lusts in the heart The Serpents enmity may be compared to the Circumcision-knife which was made of stone unto Rubarb which is full of Choler yet doth mightily purge Choler or to the sting of a Scorpion which though it be arrant poison yet proveth an excellent remedy against poison For this or any other affliction when we are in our full career of wordly pomp and jollity pulleth us by the ear and maketh us know our selves My wants saith one kill my wantonness my poverty checks my pride my being slighted quels my ambition and vain glory And as for sickness it cuts the throat of vices Many saith Saint Augustine have been wickedly well that have been innocently and piously sick Yea I may call it the summe of Divinity as Pliny calls it the summe of Philosophie for what distressed or sick man was ever lascivious covetous or ambitious He envies no man admires no man flatters no man dissembles with no man despiseth no man c. That which Governours or friends can by no means effect touching our amendments a liltle sickness or trouble from enemies will as Saint Chrysostome observes Yea how many will confess that one affliction hath done more good upon them then many Sermons That they have learned more good in one dayes or weeks misery than many years prosperiâ— could teach them Untouched estates and touched consciences seldom dwell together and it is usuall for them that know no sorrows to know no God repentance seldom meets a man in jollity but in affliction the heart is made pliable and ready for all good impressions True if gentleness would serve we should not smart for God like a good Chyrurâ—ion first strokes the arm before he opens the vein he sends for us by his Ambassadours of the Ministery yet we come not Let him fiâ—e our field as Absalom did by Ioab we come presently Or perhaps he afflicts another to fright us as great mens children are corrected by seeing others whipt or as Apolonias would tame Lions by beating Dogs before them For as God preacheth to us no less in his judgements than his Word so when he strikes offendors he would warn the standers by and a wise man sees himself faln or beaten in his neighbour Yea generous and ingenuous spirits desire to be taught abide not to be forced It is for Tyrants to compel for Asses to be compelled saith Erasmus A good natur'd Horse saith Seneca will be governed even by the shadow of the wand whereas a resty jade will not be ordered by the spur But if his Word will not rule us as many till God come with a strong hand will hold their corruptions as fast as Pharaoh the Israelites his Rod shall or if his Rod will not yet serve his sword shall be drencht in our gall and bathed in our blood Deut. 32.41.42 Or if we scape for a time yet our preservation from one judgement is but our reservation to seven more Levit. 26. Yea he will send a succession of crosses seven more and seven more and seven to that to the conversion of his own and the confusion of his enemies Vers. 14 to 39. when singing will not still the Child the Rod must Hard knots must have hard wedges strong affections strong afflictions great corruptions great calamities to cure them So that God through thy stubbornness is forced to let loose Satan and wicked men upon thee lest thou shouldest sleep in security till thou didst sleep in death eternally even for thy good And affliction is but the shepherds Dog as Chrysostome speaks to fetch us into Christs fold perhaps by barking onely and then we are more scar'd than hurt perhaps in his mouth and then the poor sheep thinks he will surely worry it but he is taught to fetch onely and therefore gripes not but onely carries and delivers it to his Master When children have done a fault Mothers use to fright them with Bull-beggers the childe thinks surely they will have him but the Mother hath a double policy viz. to make them hate the fault and love them the better for they run to the laâ— to hide them and then will she make her own conditions And so the very end which God aimes at in setting those Adders upon thee is that thou shouldest turn thine Eyes inward that thou mayest see for what thou sufferest pry narrowly into thine own forepast actions which if thou dost an hundred to one thou wilt finde sin it may be this very sin the cause of thy present affliction and until thou doest sift and try thine own heart for this Achan and finde out which is thy Isaac thy beloved sinne look for no release but rather that thy sorrowes should be multiplied as God threatened Eve Wherefore liest
this nothing Yea others bleed we sleep others beg we abound others starve we surfet others groap in the dark our Sun still shines and shall not we rejoyce and be thankful Bless saith our Saviour when ye are cursed and shall not we bless when thus blessed Yet wo is me we forfeit many of Gods favours for not paying that easie Rent of thankfulness like those nine Luk. 17.12 to 19. we are more apt to pray then to give thanks because we are more sensible of our own wants then of Gods glory We can open our mouthes when we want any thing either to pray or at least to murmur and why should not our thanksgivings be as frequent as our blessings are The Lâ—pers voice was not more loud in his suit then in his thanks It were happy for us Christians if we could but learn of this Samaritan And thus we see that good things then appear of most worth when they are known in their wants When we have lost those invaluable comforts which we cannot well be without the minde hath time to recount their several worths and the worths of blessings appear not till they are vanisht No wonder then that our estates and conditions are so variable like the face of the Heavens or the Sea or like the weather about Michaelmass which is now fair and presently again foule or rather the hard Winter which for one fair Sun-shine day hath oftentimes ten â—oul For God sees that it is very good for us for as seeds that are deepest covered with snow in Winter flourish most in the Spring or as the winde by beating down the flame raiseth it higher and hotter and as when we would have some fires flame the more we sprinkle water upon them even so when the Lord would increase our joy and thankfulness he allayeth it with the tears of affliction misery sweetneth joy yea the sorrows of this life shall like a dark veil give a lustre to the glory of the next when the Lord shall turn this water of our earthly afflictions into that wine of gladness wherewith our souls shall be satiate for ever We deceive our selves to think on earth continued joys would please Plenty of the choicest daintie is no dainty When Pearls grew common at Rome they wore them on their shoes and they had much ado to save themselves out of the dirt as Tertullian speaks Nothing would be more tedious then to be glutted with perpetual jollities were the body tied to one dish always though of the most exquisite delicates that it could make choice of yet after a small time it would complain of loathing and satiety and so would the soul if it did ever Epicure it self in joyes I know not which is the more useful Ioy I may chuse for pleasure but adversities are the best for profit I should without them want much of the joy I have Well then art thou vexed persecuted and afflicted by some cruel and malicious Saul and is it grievous to thee for the present Why that which hath been hard to suffer is sweet to remember at last our Songs shall be louder then our cries CHAP. 15. How it increaseth their spiritual Wisdom 12 OUr sufferings make us teachable and increase in us spiritual Wisdom He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ear in trouble Job 36.15 And again He openeth the ears of men even by their corrections Job 33.16 We are best instructed when we are most afflicted Pauls blindness took away his blindness made him see more into the way of life then could all his learning at the feet of Gamaliel And what saith Naaman upon the cleansing of his Leprosie Now I know there is no God in all the Earth but in Israel O happy Syrian that was at once cured of his Leprosie and his misprision of God The prodigal son regarded not his Fathers admonition so long as he enjoyed prosperity when we smart not we believe not God is not feared till felt but that which makes the body smart makes the soul wise It is good for me saith David that I have been afflicted that I may learn thy Statutes We grow wise by evils whereas prosperity besots us Even to lose is some ways profitable it makes a man wary Yea St. Basil calls want penury the inventor of all Arts And St. Augustine the Mistress of all Philosophy The best wisdom is dearest bought Algerius the Martyr could say out of experience he found more light in the dungeon then without in all the World The Scottish King prisoner in Mortimers hole learnt more of Christ then in his Palace he could all his life Gaspar Olevianus a Germane Divine sayes I never learned how great God was nor what the evil of sin was to purpose till this sickness taught me There is a great deal of difference saith Luther between a Divine in outward pomp and a Divine under the cross neither could he understand some Psalmes till he was in affliction the Christs-cross is no letter yet it taught him more learning then all the letters in the rowe The cross opens mens eyes as the tasting of honey did Ionathans Yea what will not affliction teach us when even the savagest Beasts are made quiet and docible with abating their food and rest or by adding of stripes That Beef-brain'd Fellow in Scaliger had his eare bored with thunder when nothing else would do it Yea saith Molineus Bonifacius his silly reasons for the Popes Supremacy did well enough being propounded with a sword in the hand Even as the Clay with Water and the Iron with fire are made pliable and apt to receive impression from the workman even so when we are soaked in the floods of sorrow and softened in the fire of affliction we are aptest to receive the impression of Gods Law into our hearts when he speaks unto us by his Ministers If the Lord breaks us in pieces with the Plough of his Iustice then let the Seedsmen his Ministers sow the seed of his Word we shall receive it through the surrows of our eares into the ground of our hearts and grow up in wisdome and saving knowledge Or when the hard heart is grown'd to powder between the upper and the nether Milstone of the two Tables it will see and imbrace that counsel which before it slighted We heare and read much of the corruption of our natures odiousness of our sins necessity of a Saviour sweetness of Gods love in Christ c. but we never fully apprehend these things or taste how good the Lord is till some sharp affliction comes A man knows not where his house is ill covered tâ—ll Winter Crosses are like pinching Frosts that will search us we learn to know our selves by that wâ— suffer Yea Affliction so brings down our stomachs that we can see even matter of thankfulness where our former pride sound matter of complaining And that which formerly had no more taste then the white of an Egg viz. the
of God but it would be against reason for in reason if he hath vouchsafed us that great mercy to make us his own he hath given the whole army of afflictions a more inviolable charge concerning us then David gave his Host concerning Absalom See ye do the youngman my son Absalom no harm Now if for the present thou lackest faith patience wisdom and true judgement how to bear and make this gain of the cross Ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be given thee Jam. 1.5 For every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights Verse 17. 6 Use. 6 Sixthly for this point calling more for practice then proof it behoves us to be larger here briefer there If that which is one mans meat proves another mans poison let it be acknowledged that the fault is not in the meat but in the stomach and that it is the wickedness of our hearts want of a sincere endevour to make good use of Gods corrections which causeth him to withdraw his blessing from them Wherefore let it provoke us as we love our selves as we love our souls through all the transitory temporary momentany passages of this World first to strive after and then to preserve the life of our lives and soul of our souls sincerity and inegrity Again if afflictions which are in their own nature evil and unto others strong temptations to sin by the goodness of God do make so much for our advantage and benefit here and hereafter If our Heavenly Father turns all things even the malice of Satan and wicked men yea our own sins to our good Rom. 8.28 If for our sakes and for his Names sake he even changeth the nature and property of each creature rather then they shall hurt us as it is the nature and property of fire to burn yet that vehement â—ire in Nebuchadnezzars Furnace did not burn the three servants of God It is proper to the Sea to drown those that be cast into it yet it did not drown the Prophet in the very depth of it It is proper for hungry ravenous Lions to kill and devoure yet they did Daniel no harm And the like when we need their help It is proper for the Sun to move yet it stood still at the prayer of Ioshua proper for it to go from East to West yet for Hezekiahs confirmation it went from West to East It is proper for Iron to sink in the water yet it swom when the children of the Prophets had need of it In like manner It is proper for affliction to harden and make worse as well as for riches and prosperity to ensnare But as some Simples are by Art made medicinable which are by nature poisonable So afflictions which are in nature destructive by grace become preservative And as evil waters when the Vnicorns horn hath been in them are no longer poisonable but healthful or as a Wasp when her sting is out may awaken us by buzzing but cannot hurt us by stinging so fares it with affliction when God pleaseth to sanctifie the same as he doth to all that loue him Rom. 8.28 For of God it is without thanks to Affliction or our selves or our sins that we are bettâ—â—ed by them All the work is thine let thine be the glory But lastly for though we can never be thankful enough for this yet this is not all that we should finde him a Saviour whom our enemies finde a just revenger That we should be loosed from the chains of our sins and they delivered into the chains of Plagues That the same Christ should with his precious blood free us that shall with his Word sentence them Again if we were by nature the Seed of the Serpent children of the Devil and Subjects to that Prince which ruleth in the air even that spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 We may learn by it to be humble and thankful if changed to be the womans seed children of God and members of Christ since we were once in so vile a condition for God found nothing in us but Enmity 1 Cor. 15.10 Rom. 7.18 25. We are not born but new-born Christians and whereas he might have left us in that perishing condition being bound to none and have chosen others he hath of his free grace adopted us and left others What 's the reason surely no reason can be given but O the depth only this I am sure of it is a mercy beyond all expression O my soul thou hast not room enough for thankfulness Wherefore let it provoke us so to love him that we shew forth the vertues and fruits of him that hath called us and done all this for us 1 Peter 2.9 But I fear we forfeit many of Gods favours for not paying that easie rent of thankfulness For conclusion If we be the seed of the Woman and our enemies the Seed of the Serpent let us go before them in goodness as far as God hath preferred us before them in mercy let us be able to say of our enemies as Iob of his I have not suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse unto his soul Job 31.30 Yea let us send down water from our compassionate eyes and weep for them by whom we bleed In brief let us hate their opinions strive against their practice pitty their misguidings neglect their censures labour their recovery and pray for their salvation CHAP. 34. That though God disposeth of all their malice to his Childrens greater good yet they shall be rewarded according to their mischievous intentions Ob. IF it be so that the malice of wicked men makes so much for the behoof of Gods people and that whatsoever they do unto us is but the execution of Gods will and fâ—ll accomplishment of his just decree it may seem to make on their side and not only extenuate their evil but give them occasion of boasting Ans. Although God disposeth it to the good of his children that he may bring about all things to make for his own glory yet they intend onely evill in it as namely the Dishonour of God the ruine of mens souls as I have proved in the Drunkards Character and the satisfying of their own serpentine enmity and thirst of revenge We must therefore learn to distinguish betwixt the act of God and of an enemy as indeed Gods people do When ye thought evil against me saith Ioseph to his brethren God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is this day and save much people alive Gen. 50.20 God had no hand in doing the evil but God will have a hand in the disposing of it When Satan and wicked men have their wills even therein also is Gods will fulfilled for Gods will is the highest cause of all things Psal. 115.3 4. Yea the holy God challengeth to himself whatsoever is done in the City Amos
the seed-time with the Harvest look up from the root to the fruit consider the recompence of the reward and will not choose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Heb. 11.25 Who will not bee willing to suffer with Christ that hee may also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Who will not suffer these light afflictions which are but for a moment when they cause unto us a far more excellent end eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.16.17 Was Lazarus for a time extream miserable hee is now in Abrahams bosom Yea blessed Lazarus thy sores and sorrows soon ceased but thy joies are everlasting Now mee thinks if thou but considerest that thy pain will shortly pass but thy joies shall never pass away it should prove a notable soveraign Cordiall to strengthen thee not onely against reproaches which attend thy profession but even against fire and faggot Who would not bee a Philpoâ— for a month or a Lazarus for a day oâ— a Stephen for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever It is true If in this life onely wee had hope in Christ we were of all men the most miserable as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 15.19 But thou must consider that as this life is our Hell and the wickeds Heaven Ioh. 16.20 So the next life shall bee their Hell and our Heaven ver â—1 33 Prov. 16.4 As Dives was in Abrahams bosome when Lazarus was in torments so Lazarus was in Abrahams bosome when Dives was in torments Luk. 16. ver 23.25 And herein wee fare no worse than Cstrist Did not his Spirit pass from the Cross into Paradice Did not hee first descend into Heâ—l and then had his ascension Suppose thy sufferings bee great what then Assure thy sâ—lf that every pang is a prevention of the pains of Hell and every respite an earnest of Heavens rest and how many stripes dost thou esteem Heaven worth It is true flesh and blood is so sensual that it feels a little pain in the finger a great deal more than the health of the whole body But let us better consider on it and behold at once the whole state of a Christian wee shall see his peace exceed his pain yea wee shall see both the torments present and the glory following Hope makes absent joies present wants plenitudes and beguiles calamity as good company does the way The poor traveller in thinking of his Inne goes on more cheerfully and the bond man in calling to mind the year of Iubilee When the Apprentice calls to mind that his years of covenant will now shortly expire and then hee shall have his freedom confirmed the very remembrance thereof maketh many labour some works seem more light and less grievous unto him neither doth hee afterwards repent it Did it ever repent Iacob when hee came to inherit his Fathers blessing that hee had indured a long exile and tedious bondage Or Ioseph when hee wâ—s once made Ruler in Egypt that he had formerly been sold thither and there imprisoned and hee had never been a Courtier if he had not first been a prisoner Or did it repent the Israelites when they came to inherit the Land of promise that they had formerly been forty years passing through a forlorn wilderness Or which of Gods servants did ever repent that they had passed the apprentiship of their service here and were now gon to be made free in glory If so let us do and suffer cheerfully patiently couragiously what God imposeth upon us knowing that after wee have swet and smarted but six days at the utmost then cometh our Sabbath of eternal rest which will make a mends for all knowing that death ends our misery and begins our glory and a few groans are well bestowed for a Preface to an immortall joy Let then our eyes bee continually on the joys which follow and not on the pain which is present the pain neglected and unregarded cannot bee very discomfortable But that there is reward promised to those which suffer in Christs cause is not all for our reward shall bee answerable to our sufferings the greater our sufferings are here the greater shall our reward bee hereafter Matth. 16.27 The deluge of calamities may assault us but they shall exalt us By our crosses sanctified weight is added to our Crown of Bliss for according to the measure of our afflictions God weigheth unto us of his graces that wee may bee able to bear them and according to the measure of our graces hee proportioneth our glory and future happiness Suffering for the Gospell is no inferiour good work and every one shall bee rewarded though not for yet according to his works Psal. 62.12 Rom. 2.6 Rev 22. ver 12. The Apostles tell Christ wee have left all and followed thee Matth. 19.27 Christ tels them when I sit on my Throne yee shall sit on Thrones with mee ver 28. They that turn many unto righteousness shall shine as the stars in the Kingdom of heaven Dan. 12.3 And they that suffer Martyrdom shall bee cloathed with long white Robes and have Palms in their hands Rev. 6.9.11 Now there bee three sorts of Martyrs Re intentione intentione non re re non intentione in both deed and intention as was Saint Steven in intention not deed as was Saint Iohn in deed not in intention as were the innocents But where the conflict is more hard the conquest obtained shall be more glorious for as Chrysostom speaks According to the tribulations laid upon and born by us shall our retribution of glory be proportioned And persecutors saith Bernard are but our Fathers Gold-smiths working to add pearls to the Crowns of the Saints Yea ever where more work is done there more wages is given and when the sight or conflict is sharper and the victory harder the glory of the triumph is greater and the Crown of reward more glorious Whence it was that those Saints in the Old Testament which were racked and tortured would not be delivered or accept of their enemies fair offers to the end they might receive a betâ—er resurrection and a more glorious reward Heb. 11.35 Neither would we wish our work easier or our burthen lighter if we looked up to â—he recompence of reward for it may bee well applied here which was misapplied in the triall of that holy man Ioh We do not serve God for nothing Though we must 〈…〉 him meerly for reward as hirelings nor for fear as servants but as children for love O that when we suffer most we would but meditate and look upon with the eie of faith the fulnesse of those joies and sweetnesse of those pleasures which having once finished our course we shall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16.11 being such as eie hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man to conceive
against the spirit no law in our members to rebel against the law of our mindes Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three now abide but in Heaven Vision succeeds in the place of Faith attainment in the place of Hope and perfect fruition and delectation in the room of Châ—â—rity There Promises shall end in performances Faith in sight and 〈…〉 sion Hope in fruition and Possession yea time it self shall be swallowed 〈◊〉 in Eternity these are the Soulâ— Dowries in Heaven where God 〈…〉 in Abraham temperance in Ioseph strength in Sampson meekness in Moses wisdom in Solomon patience in Iob for it is rare to find all these graces compleatly to meet in any one subject but then and there he shall be omnia in omnibus all these in every of his servants God shall be all in all even the fulness of him that filleth all in all things as the Apostle speaks Ephes. 1.23 The onely knowledg of God shall fill up our understandings and the alone love of God shall possess our affections God shall be all in all to us he will fill up our rational part with the light of wisdom our concupiscible part or appetite with a spring of righteousness and the irascible part with perfect peace and tranquility as Bernard expresseth it That is a blessed state perpetual and unchangeable There is eternal Security and secure Eternity as Bernard speaks Or as Austin hath it There is blessed Eternity and everlasting Blessedness Let the end of our life then be to come to a life whereof there is no end unto whith the Lord in his good time bring us that we who now sow in tears may then reap in joy the which he will be sure to do if we but for a short time serve him here in righteousness and sincerity But otherwise look we not for eternal happiness but for everlasting misery For it is an everlasting Rule No grace no holiness here no glory no happiness hereafter To summe up all in a word there is no joy here comparable to that in Heaven all our mirth here to that is but pensiveness all our pleasure here to that but heaviness all our sweetness here to that is but bitterness Even Solomon in all his glory and royalty to that was but as a spark in the chimney to the Sun in the firmament Absaloms beauty to that is but deformity Sampsons strength to that is but infirmity Methusalahs age to theirs is but minority and mortality Hazaels speed and swiftness but a snails pace to their celerity Yea how little how nothing are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this life to those we shall enjoy in the next 1 Cor. 2.9 Yea Paradise or the Garden of Eden was but a wilderness compared with this Paradise And indeed if the Gates of the City be of Pearl and the streets of Gold what then are the Inner-rooms the dining and lodging Chaâ—â—â—â—s the Presence Chamber of the great Monarch of Heaven and 〈◊〉 what then may we think of the Maker and Builder thereof In fine that I might daâ—kly shadow it out sith the lively representation thereof is meerly impossible This life everlasting is the perfection of all good things For Fulness is the perfection of Measure and Everlastingness the perfection of Time and Infiniteness the perfection of Number and Immutability the perfection of State and immensity the perfection of Place and Immortality the perfection of Life and God the pâ—â—fection of All who shall be All in All to us meat to our taste beauty to our eyes perfumes to our smell musick to our ears And what shall I say more but as the Psalmist saith Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God Psal. 87.3 See Rev. 4.2 3. 21.10 to the end Sect. â— The glory of Heaven cannot be comprehended here onely God hath vouchsafed to give us some small glimpses in the Scripture 〈…〉 we may framâ— a conjecture considerable enough to make u◠〈…〉 of his fatherly condescension to stoop to our capacity in representing Heavenly things under earthly types shaddowing out the joyes thereof by whatsoever is precious and desirable in this life as Cities Kingdoms Crowns Pearls Iewels Marriages Feasts c. which supereminent and superabundant felicity St. Paul that had been an onely witness when he had been caught up into the third Heaven not able to describe much less to amplifie summes up all in these words A sure most excellent exceeding and eternal weight of transcendant glory 2 Cor. 4.17 12.2 But alas such is mans parvity that he is as far from comprehending it as his armes are from compassing it 1 Cor. 2.9 Heaven shall receive us we cannot conceive Heaven Do you ask what Heaven is saith one when I meet you there I will tell you For could this ear hear it or this tongue utter it or this heart conceive it it must needs follow that they were translated already thithâ—r 2 Cor. 12.2 4. Yea who can utter the sweetness of that peace of conscience and spiritual rejoycing in God which himself hath tasted If then the beginning and first fruits of it be so sweet what shall the fulness of that beatifical Vision of God be If the earnest penny be so precious and promising here what shall the principal and full crop and Harvest of happiness in Heaven be So that a man may as well with a coal paint out the Sun in all his splendor as with his pen or tongue express or with his heart were it as deep as the Sea conceive the Fulness of those Ioyes and Sweetness of those Pleasures which the Saints shall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16.11 In thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore For quality they are pleasures for quantity fulness for dignity at Gods right hand for Eternity for evermore And millions of years multiplied by millions make not up one minute to this Eternity 2 Cor. 4.18 John 10.28 The Eye sees much the Ear hears more the Heart conceives most yet all short of Apprehension much more of comprehension of those pleasures Therefore it is said Enter thou into thy Masters joy for it 〈◊〉 great to enter into thee Matth. 25.23 Neither will I any furtheâ— â—â—â—cise my self in things too high for me Psal. 131.1 For as St. Paul tells us the heart of Man is not able to conceive those joyes which being so how should I be able to express them in words And yet though we cannot comprehend this glory this far most excellent exceeding and eternal weight of transcendent glory yet may and ought we to admire the never enough to be admired bounty and goodness of God and our Redeemrr in crying out O the depth c O the sweetness of his love How unsearchable are his thoughts and intendments to man-ward once miserably forlorn lost and undone and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 CHAP. XXI Sect. 1. BUt for the better confirming of this