Dunghil O that my Grief were throughly weighed and my Calamities laid in the Ballance together For now it would be heavier than the Sand of the Sea Therefore my words are swallowed up for the Arrows of the Almighty are within me the Poyson whereof drinketh up my Spirits The Terrors of God do set themselves in Array against me Job 6.2 3 4. Dost thou not hear the Man after God's own Heart speak of the Voice of his Roaring Psal. 22.1 He that shrunk not from the Bear the Lyon nor Goliah of Gath is now drenching his Bed with his Tears Psal. 6.6 Dost thou not hear the Faithful crying out I am the Man that hath suffered Affliction by the Rod of his Wrath c. Surely against me he is turned he turneth his hand against me all the day my Flesh and my Skin hath he made old he hath broken my Bones Lam. 3.1 3 4. Consider the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs the great Favourites of Heaven some on Gridirons others in Boyling Caldrons some on Spits others under Saws some in Flames others crashed with the Teeth of Wild Beasts some on Racks others in Fiery Furnaces Most of 'em in such Torments as in comparison thy Pains are but a Sport But to leave Mortality and sinful Dust and Ashes thou may'st behold the Son of God and Lord of Life the King of Glory God blessed for ever sweating drops of Blood in his dreadful Agony and mayst hear him cry upon the Tree of Curse and Shame My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Alas What are we capable to suffer in proportion of these Tortures What are we that we should think much to share with the best of God's Saints nay even with the dear and eternal Son of his Love our ever blessed Redeemer Had not God prescribed this their way to Heaven they had not waded so deep in Blood 10. WHY do we repine to wet our feet where they waded If from these Holy Ones we turn our Eyes we shall find Examples among meer Pagans For instance He who we used to account infamous for Voluptuousness Epicurus the Philosopher who on his Dying-day when he lay extreamly tormented with the Stone in the Bladder and a tearing Cholick in his Bowels as it were grasping for Life yet even then writing to his Idemeneus can out of the strength of his Resolutions profess his Cheerfulness and can stile even that day Blessed It was the same Mouth that could boast that if he were frying in the Brazen Bull of â—alaris he could there find Contentment What should I tell thee of a Mutius Scaevola who in a Glorious Revenge voluntarily burnt off his Right Hand not without the Envy and Pity of his Enemies or of a Regulus that after so high a Provocation offers himself to the worst of the merciless Fury of his Tormenters Why shouldst thou admire saith wise Seneca that some should be well pleased to be Scorch'd Wounded Rack'd or Kill'd Frugality is a pain to the Riotous Labour a punishment to the Lazy Continence a misery to the Wanton and Study a torture to the Sloâ—hful 11. ALL these are not in their own Nature difficult but we are infirm and inconstant Shall Pagans attain to this height of Magnanimity by their Fortitude And shall we Christians droop under gentler Sufferings We profess the advantage of Faith to uphold and chear us But poor Ethniâ—k Souls they never heard of a Merciful God to Comfort 'em They never knew those sweet Messages from Heaven Call upon me in the day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt Glorifie me Psal. 50.15 Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest Matth. 11.28 Strengthen ye the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees Say to them that are of a fearful Heart Be strong fear not behold your God will come with Vengeance even God with a Recompence He will come and save you Isa. 35.3 4. They had not the Heart of a Job to say I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 Nor the Eyes of a Stephen to pierce the Heavens to see their Saviour standing at the Right hand of God But out of their Vigour elevated with an arrogant Ambition of that Fame which they believed would survive 'em Whereas we Christians know that we have the Father of Mercies to stand by us a Redeemer to deliver us a Comforter to strengthen and refresh us sweet and infallible Promises to sustain us And at last a Crown of Eternal Glory to reward us 12. THOU art pained with Sickness View not what thou feelest but think what Punishment thou hast deserved Wherefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the punishment of his Sin Lam. 3.39 Alas the Wages of every Sin is Death a Death of Body and Soul Temporal and Eternal Any thing below this is Mercy There is not the least of thy Transgressions but hath merited the infinite wrath of a just God and more Torments than thou art able to undergo What dost thou complain of Ease Where thou owest a thousand Talents thou art bid to Take thy Bill and write down Fifty Luke 16.6 Wilt thou not magnifie the Clemency of so favourable a Creditor Surely were every Twig which creates a Smart a Scorpion and every Breath thou sendest forth a Flame This were yet less than thy Deserts Oh the infinite goodness of our Indulgent Father that uses so gentle a Correction to us Tell me thou nice Patient if thou canst not suffer these Stripes how thou wilt endure those that are infinitely sharper Alas What are these Trifles to that Hell which abides for the Impatient There are Torments without Mitigation eternal Pains without Intermission which thou can'st not suffer nor avoid Fear them and murmur not at these prostrate thy self low under the hand of God and be thankful for a tolerable Misery How graciously hath the Wisdom of God thought fit to temper our Afflictions if they prove sharp they are not long and if long not over sharp that our Strength might not be depressed by those Trials we undergo Therefore aspire a Contentment in thy self and thy Languishment will be easie or thy Pain soon over Extream and Everlasting are Terrors reserv'd for the Wicked hereafter that are durable painful and not capable of any Relaxation What a Moment is it that thou dost suffer Yea nothing in respect of Eternity which thou must either hope for or fear Endure a while patiently that thou mayst not be infinitely Miserable 13. THOU complainest of Pain Of what use were thy Patience if that were mitigated God never gives Vertues without an intent of their Exercise To what end were our Christian Valour if we had no Enemy to Encounter Thus long thou hast supinely slept in a secure Garison where thou hast heard no Trumpet but thine own and hast turned thy Drum-head into a Table for Dice lavishing out thy days in varieties of idle Recreations Now God draws thee
Night without warning or noise Let thy careful vigilance expect it and thy Soul shall not be surprized nor confounded Thine Audit is sure and uncertain Sure that it will be but uncertain the time If thou wilt approve thy self a good Steward have thine Account ready and set thy reckoning even betwixâ— God and thy Soul Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24.46 15. LOOK upon the Heavens and Earth as Dissolving and think with St. Jerome that thou hearest the last Trump and voice of the Arch-angel shrilling in thine Ears Arise ye dead and come to judgment Let it be thy main care to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World looking for that Blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Chirst who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity VVho shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his Glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 A preparatory Prayer of the Judgment to come O Omnipotent Lord God who hast appointed a day wherein thou wilt bring all the world to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil O make me try my Soul daily and hourly at the Bar of my own Conscience that accusing and judging my self for my sins and transgressions thou mayst not condemn me at thy dreadful Tribunal Lord let that remarkable day be often in my thoughts that the fear of it and thee may be ever before my eyes And my Conscience may be kept more pure by the power of that dread and fear give me an earnest desire and a careful endeavour to direct all my ways and to order the whole Course of my Life according to the Rule and Precepts of thy Holy VVord let it be my utmost care and diligence to have a good Conscience in all things and to live so that my Life being approved of thee my Death may be happy and my appearance before thee in the day of thy coming surrounded with joy and comfort 2. GRANT that the Merit of thy Death and Vertue of thy Resurrection may both Mortifie all my Sinful and Corrupt Affections and raise me to the Life of Righteousness that dying to Sin and governed here by thy â—ower and hereafter Acquitted by thy final Sentence I may at last arrive to a perfect Union with thee with a full view and eternal enjoyment of thee and thy Blessed Presence Grant this through thy Mercies O Heavenly Father thy Merits O Gracious Jesu and thy Assistance O Holy Spirit Three Persons One only VVise Omnipotent and Immortal God to whom belongeth all Honour Praise Might Majesty and Dominion in Heaven and Earth from this time forth and to all eternity Amen SECT XVIII Spiritual Conflicts 1. THOU art affrighted at the thought of Spiâ—itual Enemies Earth nor Hell hath any thâ—ng so formidable Power Malice and Subtilty are mâ—t in them Neither is it easie to say in which of these they are most eminent Certainly were we to match with him on even hands their was just cause not of Fear but Despair 2. I could tremble thou sayst to think what Satan hath done and what he can do With what Contestation he enabled the Egyptian Sorcerers to stand with Moses how they turn'd their Rods into Serpents and seemed to have the advantage of many Serpents crawling and hissing in Pharaoh's Pavement Exod. 7.12 How they turn'd waters into blood vers 22. and brought Frogs upon the Land of Egypt Exod. 8.7 as if thus far the power of Hell would presume to hold Competition with Heaven What furious Tempests he raises in the Air as that from the Wilderness beat upon the four corners of the House of Job's eldest Son and overthrew it Job 1.19 Now Job was the greatest Man in the East Job 1.3 His Heir dwelt not in a Cottage but a strong Fabrick which could not stand against this Hurricane of Satan 3. WHAT fearful Apparitions he makes in upper Regions What great wonders causing Fire to come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of Men Rev. 13.13 Lastly what grievous Tyranny he exerciseth upon the Children of Disobedience Eph. 5.6 Couldst thou expect any less from those the Spirit of God himself styles Principalities and Powers and Rulers of the Darkness of this World and spiritual wickednesses in high Places Eph. 6.12 and the Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 4. SURELY it were no Victory to be a Christian if we had not powerful Opposites but dost thou not consider that this Power is by Concession and the Exercise but with Permission and Limitation What Power is their in any Creature which is not derived from the Almighty This Measure the Infinite Creator was pleased to communicate to them as Angels which they retain and Exercise as Devils their damnation hath stript them of Glory but we know not how much their strength is abated 5. AND we may perceive how their Power is bounded Those that turn'd their Rods into Serpents could not keep 'em from being devour'd of that one Serpent of Moses Those that brought Frogs upon Egypt cannot bring Lice those that were suffer'd to bring Frogs lose that power to take 'em away Restrained Powers must know their Limits and we knowing them must set limits to our Fears a Lion chain'd can do less harm than a Cur loose Why art thou concern'd at the powerfulness of Spirits whilst they by an over-ruling Power are tied to their Stake that they cannot hurt thee 6. THY Fears are increas'd with their number which are as many as Powerful one Demoniack was possessed with a Legion how many Legions then tempt those Millions of Men upon the face of the Earth whereof none is free from their Solicitations to evil That holy Man whom our counterfeit Hermits pretend to imitate in the Vision of his retiredness saw the Air full of them and their snares for Mankind and were our Eyes as clear as His we might perhaps meet with the same Prospect But be not dismaid Couldst thou borrow the eyes of the Servant of an Holier Master thou shouldst see that there are more with us than against us â— Kin. 6.16 Thou shouldst see the blessed Angels of God pitching their Tents about thee as the Powerful Vigilant and Constant Guardians of thy Soul These are those Valiant ones about thy Bed They all hold Swords being expert in VVar every one his Sword upon his Thigh because of fear in the night Cant. 3.7 8. 7. FEAR not therefore but make the Lord Even the Most High thy Habitation then there shall no evil befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling For he shall give his Angels charge over thee in all thy ways they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone and besides this indemnity Thou shalt tread upon
THOU art pained with Sickness Consider seâ—iously from whence it comes and what makes it so bitter to thee Affliction cometh not out of the dust Job 5.6 Couldst thou but hear the Voice of thy Disease as thou now feelest the Stroke of it it hath proclaim'd loud enough Am I come up hither without the Lord to torment thee The Lord hath said to me Go up against this Man and afflict him 2 Kings 18.25 Couldst thou perceive the Hand that smites thee thou wouldst be eager to kiss it since it is the Father of all Mercies Comfort and Consolation that lays these Stripes upon thee He that made thee and bought thee at so dear a Price as his own Blood it is He that chastiseth thee And canst thou think He would scourge thee but for thine own Advantage For what tender Father is there but has Bowels of Compassion and never takes the Rod in hand out of a Pleasure to chasten that Flesh which is derived from his own Loyns Or is it any ease to him to make his Child smart and bleed But rather himself suffers more than he inflâ—cts and would be content to Redeem those Stripes with his own yet he sees the Chastisement proper not to spare him for his Frowardness and Tears but will plead he had not lov'd him if he had not been so kindly severe And Solomon gives us this advice Chasten thy Son while there is Hope and let not thy Soul spare for his Crying Prov. 19.18 And if we that are evil know how to give loving and beneficial Correction to our Children how much more shall our Father which is in Heaven know how to Chastise us for our Advantage So as we may sing under the Rod with the Blessed Psalmist I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me Psal. 119.75 Might a Child be made Arbiter of his Chastisement do we think he would adjudicate himself to be Corrected Yet the discreet Parent knows he shall wrong him if he give not due Correction as having learned of wise Solomon Prov. 23.14 Thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soul from Hell Love hath its Stroaks saith St. Ambrose which are the sweeter the harder they are inflicted 5. DOST thou not remember the Message the two Sisters sent to our Saviour John 11.3 Lord behold he whom thou lovest is Sick Were it so that Pain or Sickness or any of the Executioners of Divine Justice ere let loose to tyrannize over thee at Pleasure to render thee perfectly Miserable there were just Reason for thy utter Diffidence But they are stinted and march under Comission neither can they be allowed to have any other Limits than thy own Advantage Hadst thou rather be Good or be Healthful I know thou wouldst imbrace both and think thy self in a happy State For who is so little in his own favour as to imagine he can be the worse for faring well But he that made thee has a far greater Inspection into thee than thine own Eyes can have he sees thy Vigor is turning wanton and if thy Body be not sick thy Soul will If he therefore think it fit to take down thy worst part a little for the preventing of a Mortal Danger to the better what cause hast thou to complain yea rather not to be thankful When thou hast felt thy Body in a distemper of Fulness thou hast gone to Sea on purpose to create a Sickness yet thou knewest that turning of thy Head and Stomach would be more painful to thee than thy former Indisposition Why then should not thy All-wise Creator take Liberty to Cure thee with an Afflictious Remedy 7. THOU art now Sick Wert thou not a long time Healthful and canst thou not take that patiently which God hath allotted thee If thou hast enjoy'd more dayes of health than hours of sickness how canst thou think thou hadst cause to repine Had the Divine Wisdom thought fit to mitigate thy many days pain with the Ease of one hour it had been worthy of thy Thanks But now that he hath requited thy few painful hours with years of perfect health how unthankfully dost thou repine at thy Condition It was a gross mistake if thou didst not from all Earthly things expect a Vicissitude They cannot have their Being without a Change as well may Day be without a Succession of Night and Life without Death as a Mortal Body without Fits of Distemper And how much better are these momentary Changes than that last Change of a Misery unchangeable It was a deplorable Word that Father Abraham said to the Rich Glutton Son remember that thou in thy Life time receivest thy good things and Lazarus evil things but now he is Comforted and thou art Tormented Luke 16.25 How happy then are we that are here chastned of the Lord that We may not be Condemned of the World O then welcome Feavers and all other Diseases of the Body that may quit my Soul from Everlasting Burnings 8. THOU complainest of Sickness and many have effused Tears for their superfluity of Health condoling the fear and danger of losing God's Favour for their not being Afflicted Bromiard tells us of a Devout Man that complained at his Prosperity as no small Affliction whom God soon after accommodated with Pain enough according to his Desires The poor Man was joyful at this Change and look'd upon his Sickness as a Mercy for so it was intended by him that sent it Why are we too much dejected with that which others complain the want of Why should we find that so tedious to our selves which others have wish'd to enjoy There have been Medicinal Agues which the wise Physician have cast his Patient into for the Cure of a worse Distemper A secure and illegal Health however Nature takes it is the most dangerous Indisposition of the Soul If that be healed by some few bodily Pangs the advantage is unspeakable Look upon some vigorous Gallant that in the height of his Spirit and heat of Blood eagerly pursues his Carnal Delights thinking of no Heaven but the free delectation of his Sense and compare thy present Estate with his Here thou liest groaning and sighing panting and shifting thy weary Sides complaining of the slow motions of thy tedious Hours whilst he is frolicking with his jocund Companions Carousing his large Healths sporting himself with his wanton Delilah and bathing himself in all sensual Pleasures And tell mo whether of the two thou thinkst in the happier Condition If thou art not shrunk into nothing but Sense and hast not cast off all Thoughts of another World thou wouldst pity the Misery of that Atheistical Jollity and gratulate to thy self the advantage of thy humble and faithful suffering that which will at last make thee ample Satisfaction by yielding thee the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness Heb 12.11 9. THY Pain is grievous but dost thou not hear the great precedent of Patience crying out from his
following If you add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 6. 23. IF Thou wouldst be inform'd what God hath written concerning thee in Heaven look into thy own Bosom and see what Graces he hath wrought in thee Truth of Grace saith the Divine Apostle will make good the certainty of your Election Not to instance the rest of that Heavenly Combination do but single the first and the last Faith and Charity For Faith how clear is that of our Saviour He that believeth in him that sent me hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath passed from Death to Life Joh. 5.24 What danger can befall us in our acquiring Heaven All the Peril is in the way Now the Believer is already passed into Life This is the Grace by which Christ dwells in our Hearts Ephes. 3.17 and whereby we have Communion with him and an assured Testimony of and from him For he that believeth in the Son of God hath the Witness in himself And what Witness is that This is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life And this Life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath Life 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. Oh happy Connexion Eternal Life first This Life Eternal is in and by Christ Jesus he is ours by Faith and this Faith testifieth to our Souls assurance of Life Eternal Charity is the last which comprehends our love to God and Man For from the reflection of God's Love to us ariseth a Love from us to him again The beloved Disciple can say We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 And from these resulteth our Love to our Brethren And such an Evidence we have that the Apostle tells us expresly That we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 For the love of the Father is inseperable from the love of the Son He that loveth him that Begets loves him that is Begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 25. NOW deal impartially with thine own Heart and enquire seriously as in the Presence of the Searcher of all Hearts Whether thou dost not find in thy self these Evidences of thine Election Art thou not effectually tho not perfectly called out of the World and corrupt Nature Dost thou not inwardly abhor sinful ways and think of what thou wert with Detestation Dost thou not endeavour to be in all things approved to God and confirmed to thy Saviour Dost thou not cast thy self upon the Lord Jesus and depend upon his free All sufficiency for Pardon and Salvation Dost thou not love that infinite Goodness who hath been so rich in Mercies to thee and bless those Beams of Goodness which he hath cast upon his Saints on Earth Lastly Dost thou not love a good Man because he is so Comfort thy self in the Lord and let no Fear and Distrust possess thy Soul Faithful is he that hath Called thee 1 Thes. 5.24 who will also Preserve thy whole Spirit and Soul and Body blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5.23 A Prayer for an Afflicted Conscience O GOD the Father of all Mercies and Heavenly Consolation suffer me not at any time to fall from thee or to be swallowed up in the depth of Affliction but when ever it shall please thee to try me in that Furnace let my sure Hope and Confidence be fixed on thee that when multitude of Sorrows shall encompass my Soul my only trust may be in thy Mercies Give me the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Gladness for the Spirit of Heaviness that thy great Name may be Glorified by me in a thankful acknowledgement of thy Goodness towards me 2. LORD thou beholdest afar off the manifold Perils and Dangers I am exposed to in this World which is a sea of Miseries and numerous Calamities The Winds blow the deep Waters lift up their proud swelling Waves and the stormy Tempests threaten me with Ship-wrack to the Ruine and Destruction both of Soul and Body But O thou who art the God of Unity speak Peace unto this inward Voice and say unto it I am thy Salvation so shall I be refreshed with thy loving Kindness and Praise thee ever more Amen SECT IV. Remedies against Temptations 1. THOU art assaulted with Temptations And what the Enemy cannot do by Force or Fraud he seeks by Importunity Can this seem averse to thee when the Son of God was in the Wilderness forty Days and forty Nights under the Tempter He that durst set upon the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 How shall he spare frail Flesh and Blood Why should Christ suffer himself to be Tempted but to support thee in all thy Temptations The Keys of the Bottomless Pit are at his disposal He could have confin'd that Presumptuous Spirit to Chains of Darkness and admitted him no nearer to him than Hell but he would let him loose and permit him to act his worst purposely that we might not dislike to be Tempted and that he might foyl our greatest Enemy 2. CANST thou think that he who sits at the right Hand of Majesty commanding the Powers of Heaven Earth and Hell could not keep off that malignant Spirit from assailing thee Canst thou think him less Merciful than mighty Would he die to save thee And will he turn that Miscreant of Hell loose to worry thee Dost thou not Pray daily to thy Father in Heaven to Lead thee nâ—t into Temptation Thou hast to do with a God that heareth Prayers Oh thou of little Faith why fearest thou He that was led by his Divine Spirit into the Wilderness to be Tempted of that Evil Spirit bids thee pray to the Father that he would not Lead thee into Temptation implying that thou couldst not go into Temptation unless he lead thee and whilst he that is thy Father leads thee how canst thou miscarry Let no Man when he is Tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any Man Jam. 1.13 God Tempteth thee not yet being his thou couldst not be Tempted without him both permitting and ordering that Temptation to his own Glory and thy eternal Welfare 3. THAT Grace which God hath given thee he will have thus manifested How had we known the admirable Continency of Joseph if he had not been strongly sollicited by a Wanton Mistress Or David's Valour if the Philistines had not had a Giantly Challenger to encounter him How had we known the invincible Piety of the Three Children had there been no Furnace to try ' em Or of Daniel if no Lyons to accompany him Be assured thy Glory shall be Proportionable to thy Tryal Neither couldst thou ever be so happy hadst thoâ— not been beholding to Temptations How often sayst thou have I beaten off these base Suggestions yet still they retort upon
Cement Souls as Grace For here the Union is wrought by a better Spiâ—it than our own even that blessed Spirit who stiâ—es himself Love 1 Joh. 4.18 The greater thine Affection the heavier thy Loss But let me tâ—â—l the I fear thou art accessary to thine own Afflâ—ction Didst thou expect this Loss Did thy Heart say What if we should part Didst thou not ovâ—â— enjoy this Blessing If so these are no small Disadvantages 3. AS every Evil so this especially is aggravated by our Unexpectation Neither hadst thou been so oppressed with Sorrow if thou hadst foreseen it It is our weak inconsideration if we welcome these Earthly Comforts not as Guests but Inmates some are importunately Hospitable to entertain their Friends that they have no power to let 'em Depart Whereas we ought according to the Advice of Seneca to possess 'em as those that make account to fore-go 'em and fore-go 'em as if we possest ' em And the Apostle St. Paul gives us this Advice to Use this World as if we us'd it not for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7.30 31. 4. THOU art griev'd for the loss of a Dear Friend Take heed lest thy Love had too much of Humanity and too little of the Deity All Blessings as they flow from the Father of Mercies should be enjoy'd in him But if we enjoy 'em as in themselvs our Love degenerates into Carnal It is a sure Rule that Love depends upon the thing affected but when that ceaseth Love is Extinguish'd As he that loves a Face for Beauty when Deformity appears it cools his Affection He that respects a Man for Bounty disregards him when he is Impoverish'd 5. DID'ST thou value thy Friend for Wit Complaisance and kind Offices All these are lost and thy Love with them But if thou didst affect him for Eminency in Goodness for the sake of God that dwelt in him thy Love cannot be lost because thou enjoy'st God in whom thou loved'st him Comfort thy self therefore in God in whom he was thine and yielded him cheerfully into those Hands from whom thou receiv'st him 6. THOU hast lost a true Friend That Jewel was to be priz'd for the rarity of it The World affords Friends enough such as they are Friends of the Purple as Tertullian calls them Friends of the Basket as the Poet nominates them such as love thy Loaves and Fishes and thee for them Wealth makes many Friends saith the Wise Man Prov. 14.20 and Chap. 19.4 But where is the Man that loves thee for thy self for being Vertuous divested of all By-respects Whil'st there is Honey in thy Pot the Wasps and Flies will be buzzing about it but the Honey being gone the Vessel remains quiet 7. WAS he so much thine as not to leave thee in Adversity Did he honour thee when the World despised thee Did he follow with Applause whilst thou wert hooted at by the Multitude Would he have own'd thee if he had found thee stripped and wounded in the Wilderness Such a Friend is worthy of thy Tears But take heed thy Love prove not envious If God hath thought him fitter for Society of Saints and Angels dost thou repine at his happiness Thou hast lost his Presence he is advanc'd to the Beatifical Presence of the King of Glory Now Whether is thy Loss or his Gain the greater 8. THOU hast lost thy Friend Say rather Thou hast parted with him That is properly lost which is past Recovery and past hopes to see any more It is not so with this Friend thou mourn'st for He is but gone Home before thee and thou art following him You will both meet in your Father's House and enjoy each other more happily than you could have done here below How just is that Charge of the Blessed Apostle That we should not mourn as Men without Hope for those that do but sleep in Jesus 1 Thess. 4.13 14. Did we think their Souls vanish't into Air as that Heathen Poet prophanely expresseth it and their Bodies resolv'd into Dust without all Possibility of Reparation we might weep out our Eyes for the utter Extinction of those we lov'd But if They do but sleep they shall do well John 11.12 Why are we Impatient for their Reposal in the Bed of Earth when assured of their waking to Glory 9. THOU hast lost a Dear Wife the Wife of thy Youth the desire of thine Eyes Prov. 5.18 Isa. 54.6 Ezek. 24.16 Did you not take each other upon Terms of Re-delivery when call'd for Were you not in Uniting put in mind of Dissolution Till Death us do part Was she Vertuous Knowest thou not there was a Pre-Contract betwixt Christ and her Soul ere thou could'st Claim her Body And canst thou grudge his Challenge of his own Wilt thou not allow him to call for a Consummation of that happy Match Did'st thou so affect her that thou would'st not have her Soul Glorious If thou loved'st her not as a Man but a Christian envy her not that better Husband who for her Dowry gives Immortality 10. THY Son is dead What marvel is it that a Mortal Father hath begot a Mortal Son Marvel rather that thou hast liv'd to enjoy and lose a Son We lie open to so many Casualties that our Subsistence is almost Miraculous Thou hast lost a piece of thy self For what are Children buâ— Colonies deduced from our Flesh yea rather our selves in other Models This loss cannot but go near thee But what was the Disposiâ—ion of the Son thou mournest for If graceless and debauch'd as thy Shame so thy sorrow should die with him Place the hopes thou might'st have had if his Reclaiming against the Fears of his increasing in Wickedness and thou could'st have made no other Account but of Dishonour and Discomfort 11. IF it be sad that he is taken away in his Wildness it had been more heavy had he added to the heap of Sin to augment his Torments If he were Gracious he hath a better Father than thy self whose Interest was more in him than thine And if that Heavenly Father have thought good to prefer him to a Crown of Immortal Glory why should'st thou be afflicted with his Advancement Why should'st thou not rather rejoyce that thy Loyns have assisted to furnish Heav'n with a Saint Were it put to thy Choice that thy Son might be call'd from his Blessed Rest and return to his Earthly Relations Could'st thou be so injurious as to wish the Misery of so disadvantagious a Change to to that Soul which as it was never of thy Production so it were pity it should be at thy disposing Rather labour to have thine own Soul so disposed that it may be ready to follow him into those Blessed Mansions and that it may love and long for Heaven so much more to dwell among the Spirits of the Just made perfect A Prayer against Immoderate Grief for the Loss of Friends O GOD the God of the Spirits of all Flesh thou killest and makest