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
or suffered was either to purchase fame to themselves or to merit reward by it their aym and end was not Gods glory but their own honour and glory and vertues are to be judged not by their actions but by their ends Yea they called vertue Bonum Theatrale as if a man would not be vertuous if he had not spectators to take notice of him but it is false for vertue will be as cleer in solitudine as in Theatrâ— though not so conspicuous only it may grow more strong by the observation and applause of others as an heat that is doubled by the reflection But O the difference between these naturall and meer morall men and a true Christian the Christian loves goodnesse for it self and would be holy were there no Heaven to reward it he does all and suffers all out of sincere affection and a zeal of Gods glory and the Churches good Matth. 5.16 to the end his Name may be magnified and others won and edified 1 Pet. 2.12 as most fit it is that the profit being mans the honour should be Gods And this his sincerity the rather appears in that he holds out maugre all opposition disgrace persecution c. whereas the other like wind-mills would not turn about to do any good service but for the wind of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shooes We read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the desart they could not hold out untill noon but their bellies would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which only crowns good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11.6 the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruits of a lively faith they spring from ignorance and infidelity as herbs may do from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 And it were well if all that are meer civill and morall men would look to the Rock where-out their works are hewn and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further than it is the work of his Spirit but the spirit is no where but in the sons of God Gal. 4.6 and no sons but by faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the husk without the corn the carkasse without the soul which the Lord abhors as the sacrifice of fools Isa. 66.3 Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The sum of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustain and abstain and a wicked man may restrain evill as do the godly but here is the difference the one keeps in corruption the other kills corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbear the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and return good for evill and if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them that love you saith our Saviour what thanks shall you have for even the sinners do the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which hear Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5.44 Luk. 6.27 32 33. shewing that if we will ever hope for good our selves we must return good for evill unto others In which words you may note a triple injunction one to the hâ—art the treasury of love another to the tongue loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or Almoner Wherein our Saviour seems to set man like a Clock whose master wheel must not only go right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the hand also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheel within he sayes to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the bell above he saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand Do good to them that hurt you Now well may naturall men sayâ— with the winde of their naturall passionâ— and corrupt affections in rendring evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pilot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Mariners Acts 27. to sayl with a contrary wind and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazereth Râ—â— through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Pet. 3 â—â— And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himself adding example to precept for his word and his work like mercy and truth were together his precept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devilish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the work of their salvation when they shed his blood to quench their malice he swet water and blood to wash their souls Yea when the Iews were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were intollerable incomparable unconceivable solliciteth God for their pardon Luk. 23.34 Now his prayer could not but he efficacious and a pardon for such murderâ—rs was no mean good turn And this likewise is the practice of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man St Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled down and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7.60 Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himself but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is only the part of a Saint Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde How often did Moses return good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying to and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding he so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life
unto which Christ giveth up those that shake off his own What his government is you may partly guess at by the servile slaveries he puts his subjects upon As O the many hard services which Satan puts his servants upon and what a bad Master is he when we read that Origen at his onely appointment made himself an Eunuch Democritus put out his own eyes Crates cast his money into the Sea Thracius cut down all the Vines whereas David did none of these Ahaz made his son to pass through the fire Jephta sacrificed his onely daughter as the text seems to import Wicked men think they do God good service in putting his children to death but where do we finde any Religious Israelite or servant of God at such cost or when did God require this of his servants The Prophets and Apostles never whipt nor lanced themselves but Baals Priests did this and more And so of the Papists those hypocrites of late yeers and the Pharisees of old How many sleepless nights and restless dayes and wretched shifts treacherous and bloody plots and practises does covetousness and ambition cost men which the humble and contented Christian is unacquainted with How does the covetous mans heart droop wish his Mammon How does he turmoile and vex his spirit torment his conscience and make himself a very map of misery and a sink of calamity it is nothing so with Christs servants CHAP. XIII I Have much more to enlarge of the miseries of unmerciful and ingratefull Misers but before I speak of them I will give you the reasons and uses of these already dispatcht wherein I will be as brief as may be You see that God may give men riches in wrath and so as they shall be never the better for them but the worse Now that you may not think it any strange thing observe the reasons why and how justly they are so served The first Reason is the unmerciful Misers monstrous unthankfulness for those millions of mercies he hath received from God of which I shall give you an account in the second part this causes God either not at all to give him or in giving him riches to add this you have heard as a curse withall He is unthankful for what he hath therefore have he never so much it shall not be worth thanks He is cruel to the poor therefore he shall be as cruel to himself The poor shall have no comfort of what he hath therefore himself shall have as little The covetous are cozen Germans to the nine leapers thankless persons They are so much for receiving that they never mind what they have received He deals with God as a dog doth with his master who as Austine observes devoureth by and by whatever he can catch and gapeth continually for more Nor hath covetousness any thing so proper to it as to be ingrateful A greedy man is never but shamefully unthankful for unless he have all he hath nothing He must have his will or God shall not have a good look from him yea as the Mill if it go empty makes an unpleasant and odious noise so the covetous man if the Lord does not satisfie his desires in every thing he will most wickedly murmur and blaspheme his providence and if ever he sustaines losse he will never forget it He writes benefits received in water but what he accounts injuries in marble And for this his great ingratitude God gives him riches but withdraws his blessing For as Iacob gave Ruben a blessing but added thou shalt not be excellent Gen. 49.4 so God gives the worldling riches but sayes thou shalt not be satisfied He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver Eccl. 5.10 Yea no man more unsatisfied for let him have what his heart can wish he is not yet pleased like the Israelites who murmurod asmuch when they had Mannah as when they had none Secondly the merciless Miser never sued or sought to God for his riches neither does he acknowledge them as sent of God but ascribes the increase of his means to his wit and industry Nay he dares not pray the Lords prayer forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors lest he call for a curse upon himself Nay if he be as probably he is an Vsuerer then in respect of other men he hath no need to pray at all for as one observes Each man to heaven his hands for blessing reares Onely the Vs'rer needs not say his prayers Blow the winde East or West plenty or dearth Sickness or health sit on the face of earth He cares not time will bring his money in Each day augments his treasure and his sin Or admit he ever calls upon God his prayer is that some one may dye that he may have his office or break his day that the beloved forfeiture may be obtained His morning exercise being onely to peruse his bonds look over his baggs and to worship them as Marcus Cato worshipped his grounds desiring them to bring forth in abundance and to keep his Cattel safe And as touching hereafter if he shall finde in his heart to pray God will not hear him Prov. 1. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 21.27 What hope hath the hypocrite saith Job when he hath heaped up riches will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him Job 27.8 9. When you shall stretch out your hands saith God to such I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not hear Isa. 1.15 God will turn him off to his gold and silver for help as he did Iehoram to the Prophets of his Father and the Prophets of his Mother 2 Kings 3.13 And it is but just and equal that those which we have made the comfort and stay of our peace should be the relief and comfort of our extremity If our prosperity hath made the world our God how worthily shall our death-bed be choaked with such an exprobration If God do answer such an ones prayers it is as Archelaus answered the request of a covetous Courtier who being importuned by him for a cup of gold wherein he drank gave it unto Euripides that stood by saying Thou art worthy to ask and be denied but Euripides is worthy of gifts although he ask not And indeed good men many times receive gifts from God that they never dreamt oâ— nor durst presume to begg which others extreamly strive after and go without As it is feigned of Pan that it was his good hap to finde out Ceres as he was hunting little thinking of it which none of the other gods could do though they did nothing else but seek her and that most industriously Now if he neither prayes to God for what he would have nor gives him thanks for what he gives nor desires a blessing upon what he receives viz. that he may be content and satisfied therewith How should God bestow this great blessing of contentation upon him
desperation and this observe we are cast down in the disappointing of our hopes in the same measure as we were too much lifted up in expectation of good from them Whence these perremptory presumers if ever they repent it is commonly as Francis Spira 〈…〉 One star is much bigger than the Earth yet seems many degrees lesse It is the nature of fear to make dangers greater helps lesse then they are Christ hath promised peace and rest unto their souls that labour and are heavy laden and to those that walk according to rule Matth. 11.29 Gal. 6.16 even peace celestial in the state of grace and peace eternal in the state of glory Such therefore as never were distressed in conscience or live loosly never had true peace Peace is the Daughter of Righteousness Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God But he who makes a bridge of his own shadow will be sure to fall into the water Those Blocks that never in their life were moved with Gods threatnings never in any straight of conscience never groaned under the burden of Gods anger they have not so much as entered into the porch of this house or lift a foot over the threshold of this School of repentance Oh! that we could but so much fear the eternal paines as we do the temporary and be but so carefull to save our souls from torment as our bodies In the mean time the case of these men is so much the worse by how much there fear is the lesse It faring with the soul as with the body Those diseases which do take away all sense of pain are of all others most desperate As the dead Palsey the falling-sicknesse the sleepy lethargy c. And the Patient is most dangerously sick when he hath no feeling thereof In like manner whilst they suppose themselves to be free from judgment they are already smitten with the heaviest of Gods judgments a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.5 In a lethargy it is needfull the Patient should be cast into a burning Fever because the senses are benammed and this will waken them and dry up the besotting humours So in our dead security before our conversion God is fain to let the Law Sin Conscience and Satan loose upon us and to kindle the very fire of Hell in our souls that so we might be roused out of our security but thousands of these blocks both live and depart with as great hopes as men go to a lottery even dreaming of Heaven untill they awake in Hell For they too often die without any remorse of conscience like blocks or as an Ox dyes in a ditch Yea thousands that live like Laban dye like Nabal which is but the same word inverted whilst others the dear Children of God dye in distresse of conscience For it is not every good mans hap to dye like Antoninus Pius whose death was after the fashion and semblance of a kindly and pleasant sleep However Austin's rule will be sure to hold He cannot dye ill that hath lived well and for the most part He that lives conscionably dyes comfortably and departeth rich And so you see how it fares with the wickedest and worst of men Wherefore if you are truly sensible of your wretchednesse it is a good sign that you are in some forwardnesse to be recovered and really to become so good as formerly you but dream'd or imagined your self to be And indeed the very first step to grace is to feel the want of grace and the next way to receive mercy is to see your self miserable Therefore our 〈◊〉 and most diligent search should be 〈…〉 Sect. XXXVII Loose Libertine But is there any hope for one so wicked as I who have turned the grace of God into wantonesse applying Christs passion as a warrant for my licenciousnesse not as a remedy and taking his death as a licence to sin his cross as a Letters pattent to do mischief As if a man should head his drum of rebellion with his pardon For I have most spitefully and maliciously taken up arms against my Maker and fought against my Redeemer all my daies Convert Do but unfeignedly repent you of your sins and forsake your former evil waies and lay hold upon Christ by a true and lively faith my soul for yours God is very ready to forgive them be they never so many and innumerable for multitude never so hainous for quality and magnitude Yea I can shew you your pardon from the great King of Heaven for all that is past the which you may read at large Isa. 55.7 Ezek. 18.21 to 29. and 33.11 Ioel 2.12 13 14. Yea read 1 Cor. 6.10 11. together with the story of Manasses Mary Magdelen the Thief and the Prodigal Son and you shall see presidents thereof Yea the very murtherers of the Son of God upon their serious and unfeigned repentance and stedfast believing in him received pardon and salvation And indeed despair is a sin which never knew Iesus True every sin deserves damnation but no sin shall condemn but the lying and continuing in it True Repentance is ever blest with forgiveness And know this that Gods mercy is greater than thy sin whatever it be you cannot be so infinite in sinning as he is infinite in pardoning if you repent yea sins upon repentance are so remitted as if they had never been committed I will put away thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sins as a mist Isa. 44.22 And what by corruption hath been done by repentance is undone As the former examples witnesse Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Isa. 1.18 Yea whiter than snow For the Prophet David laying open his blood-guiâ—â—inesse and his original impurity useth these words Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Psal. 51.7 And in reason did Christ come to call sinners to repentance and shall be not shew mercy to the penitent Or who would not cast his burthen upon him that desires to give ease As I live saith the Lord I would not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 Only apply not this salve before the ulcer be searched to the bottom Lay not hold upon mercy untill you be throughly humbled The only way to become good is first to believe that you are evil and by accusing our selves we prevent Satan By judging our selves we prevent God Are we as sick of sorrow as we are of sin then may we hopefully go to the Physician of our souls who came into the world only to cure the sick and to give light to them only who sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death God does not pour the oyl of grace but into a broken and contrite heart Wouldst thou get out of the miserabâ—◠〈◊〉 of nature into the blessed estate of grace and of Satans bondsla 〈◊〉 me the child of God and a very