for the body and so likewise for the soule If it be an afflicted conscience waiting Gods leasure for the assurance of his love is the best remedy and so in all others cases Section 10. Objection But when will there be an end of this long disease this tedious affliction this heavy yoake of bondage c. Answer It is a signe of cold love scarce to have begun to suffer for Christ and presently to gape for an end It was a farre better speech of one Lord give me what thou wilt as much as thou wilt when thou wilt Thou art Gods Patient prescribe not thy Physitian It is the Goldsmiths skill to know how long his gold must be in the Crusible neither takes he it out of that hot bath till it be sufficiently purified What if the Lord for a time forbeare comming as Samuel did to Saul that hee may try what is in thee and what thou wilt doe or suffer for him that hath doâ—e and suffered so much for thee as why did God seâ— Noah about building the Arke an hundred and twenty yeares when a small time might have finished it It was for the tryall of his patience Thus hee led the Israelites in the Desarts of Arabia forty yeares whereas a man may travell from Ramesis in Aegypt to any part of Canaan in forty dâ—yes this God did to prove them that hee might know what was in their hearts Deut. 8. 2. He promised Abraham a Sonne in whom he should be blessâ—d this heâ— pâ—rformed not in thirty yeares after He gave David the Kingdome and annointed him by Samuel yet was he not possessed of it in many yeares insomuch that he said Mine eyes faile for thy Word Psal. 119. 123. Joseph hath a promise that the Sunnâ— and Moone should do him râ—verence but fiâ—st he must be bounâ— in the Dungeon This God doth to â—ry 〈◊〉 for in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shâ—w our selves and our 〈◊〉 Whâ—â— saith God to his 〈…〉 Psal. 75. When 〈◊〉 I â—ee 〈◊〉 â—ime I will execute jud 〈…〉 ment 〈◊〉 Verse a. he doth not â—â—y 〈◊〉 you thinke the time convenient Let us tarry a little the Lords leasure deliverance will come peare will come joy will come in meane while to be patient in misery makes misery no misery Againe secondly he may delay his comming for other ends of greater consequence Marthae and Mary send to Christ as desiring him to come and restore Lazarus their sicke brother to healthâ— John 11. 3. expecting him without delay now he loved both Martha and her Sister and Lazarus Verse 5. yet he neglects comming for many dayes le ts him dye be put in the grave untill he stanke but what of all this he that would not restore sicke Lazarus to health restored dead Lazarus to life which was a greater mercy then they either did or durst aske Neither did this onely increase their joy and thankefulnesse give them occasion ever after to beleeve and hope above and against all hope but it made many of the Jewes beleeve in him which before did not Verse 45. Thirdly and lastly he delayes thee the longer that when he comes he may bring with him the greater recompence of reward for he will comfort us according to the dayes we have beene afflicted and according to the yeares that we have seene evill Psal. 90. 15. Neither will he stay over-long for behold saith he I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his workes shall be Revel 22. 12. and suffering is accounted none of the meanest workes So that the harder the conflict the more glorious the conquest Wherefore hold out yet a little and helpe shall not be wanting to the co 〈…〉 batants nor a crowne to the conquerours Yea sight to the last minute for the eye of thy Saviour is upon thee if thou faint to cheere thâ—e if thou stand to it to second thee if thou conquer to crowne thee whereas no combate no conquest no conquest no triumph Objection But my sufferings are so great that if they continue I shall never be able to hold out Answer True if thou trustâ—st to thine owne strength for perseverance is the gift of God yea it is hee that worketh in us both to will and to doe at his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. â—irst mans will is a fugitive Onesimus and God must call home that runnagate subdue that rebell besore we can chuse that which is good Neither when we have begun can we continue perficit qui efficit He that begun a good worke in 〈◊〉 will performe it Phil. 1. 6. Jesus is the founder and finisher of our faith Hebr. 12. 2. Neither can wee of our selves suffer for him Datur pati It is given to us to suffer for his sake Phil. 1. 29. Without me ye can doe nothing Iohn 15. 5. not parum but nihil But in him and through him all things I can doe all things through him that strengthens me Phil. 4. 13. In our selves we are weake Captives in him wee are more then Conquerours Rom. 8. 37. Whence it is many sicke men undergoe patiently such pressures as when they were in health they would not have beleeved they could have borne The truth of grace be the measure never so small is alwayes blest with perseverance because that little is fed with an everlasting spring Yea if grace but conquer us first we by it shall conquer all things else whether it be corruptions within us or temptations without us for as the fire which came down from Heaven in Elias time licked up all the water to shew that it came from God so will this fire spend all our corruptions No affliction without or corruption within shall quench it Wherefore doe but thy endeavour to hold out I meane with patience for that Spirit which came in the likenesse of a Dove will not come but upon a Dove and pray for divine assistance this sadnesse shall end in gladnesse this sorrow in singing But above all pray unto God for Prayer is the Key of Heaven as Saint Austin tearmes it and the hand of a Christian which is able to reach from Earth to Heaven and to take forâ—h every manner of good gift ouâ— of the Lords Treasury Did not Elias by turning this Key one way lock up the whole Heaven from raining for three yeares and six moneths and another while by turning the same Key of Prayer as much another way in the turning of a hand unlock all the doores and windowes of Heaven and set them wide open that it rained and the Earth brought forth her fruit Yea as all Sampsons strength lay in his haire so all our strength lyeth in Prayer Prayers and teares are the Churches Armour Prayers and patience her weapons and therefore when Peter was imprisoned by cruell Herod the Congregation joyned their forces to pray for him and so brake his chaynes blew open the Iron Gates and fetcht him out Acts 12. 4. to 18. Armâ— Christianorum
A COUNTERPOYSON OR SOVERAIN ANTIDOTE AGAINST ALL GRIEFE AS ALSO The Benefit of Affliction and how to Husband it so that the weakest Christian with blessing from above may be able to support himself in his most miserable Exigents TOGETHER WITH The Uictory of Patience Extracted out of the choisest Authors Ancient and Moderne both Holy and Humane Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Second Edition corrected and much inlarged By the Author All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. LONDON Printed by J. B. and S. B. and are to be sold by Philip Nevill at the Signe of the Gun in Ivie-Lane 1641. Courteous Reader IN the perusall of this Treatise which as the Author hath inlarged and refined it is become a new Worke thou shalt finde such variety of usefull matter laid downe in an accurate and methodicall way and embellished with such Ornaments of delightfull illustration that it will be hard to say whether the Authors Reading and Paines or thy Profit and Delight will exceed But the Eare tryeth Words as the Mouth tasteth Meat Job 34. 3. Onely reade it without prejudice and the Worke will sufficiently prayse it selfe if either Matter or Manner Argument or Art can doe it Thomas Westfield D. D. Daniel Featley D. D. Samuel Slater To the READER NO Humane action can be framed so persect but it shall have some delinquencies to prove that more were in the Comprisor and it is almost as easie to finde faults as to make them His bodily presence say they is meane and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10. 10. To spie the inconveniences of a House built is nothing but to lay the Plot well at first requires the Pate of a good Contriver All Alehymists can doe well ill they come to doing But there is a surther distance from nothing to the least thing in the World then between it and the greatest All publique actions are subject to diverse and uncertain Interpretations for a great many heads judge of them and Mens censures are as various as their palats John 7. Our writings are as so many dishes our Readers Guests Books are like faces that which one admires another slights Why Some will condemne what they doe as little understand as they doe themselves Others the better a thing is the lesse they will like it They hate him saith Amos that rebuketh in the gate and they abhorre him that speaketh uprightly Amos 5. 10. You know Herods festered Conscience could not endure John Baptists plaister of truth A galled backe loves not the curry-Combe A deformed Face loathes the true Glasse Yea as nothing is more bitter than Hony to him that hath the Jaundise so nothing more hatefull to the desperately wicked than good Counsell with Balaam they grudge to be staied in the way to death and fly upon those that oppose their perdition And how should they other then miscarry who have a Pirate the Flesh for their guide So that if a Man should observe the Winde of Applause he should never Sow or regard the Clouds of Aspersion he should never Reape But I had rather hazard the Censure of some then hinder the good of others Wheresore I have added to the sormer selected flowers as many more whence any sedulous Bee may loade himselfe with Hony To fore-relate their variety and severall worths were to imitate an Italian Host meeting you on the way and promising before-hand your fare and entertainment Wherefore let it please you to see and allow your cheare Onely in generall my Book is a feast wherein wholesomenesse strives with pleasantnesse and variety with both Each Chapter is a severall dish stuft full of notable sayings and examples sor that 's the meate by which a Man may not onely become more eloquent but more wise not alone able to say well but to doe well for quaint and elegant Phrases on a good subject are baits to make an ill Man vertuous Pithy Sentences curious Metaphors witty Apophthegmes sweet Similitudes and Rhetoricall Expressions which Aristotle would have as it were sprinkled in the most serious discourses are to the minde as Musicke to the body which next to sleep is the best recreation Or as pleasant and delectable Sauce which gives a more savory taste to wholsome and profitable Divinity And thou shalt sinde but few here which are not both sinewy and sharpe mucrones verborum pointed speeches either fit to teach or forcible to perswade or sage to advise and forewarne or sharpe to reprove or strong to confirme or piercing to imprint But alas most Men regard not what is written but who writes valew not the Metall but the Stampe which is upon it If the Man likes them not nor shall the matter To these I say little as they deserve little and turne my speech to all that reserve themselves open and prepared to receive each profitable instruction and continuall amendment to the Ingenuous Reader that sucks Hony from the selfe same flower which the Spider doth poyson wishing him to conne that out of this Treatise which he did not know before and well note what speakes to his own sinne And perhaps he may in this short journey make more true gaine then Salomons Navy did from Ophir or the Spanish fleet from the West-Indies for in so doing he shall greatly increase his knowledge and lessen his vices In a few dayes he may reade it and ever after he the better for it But me thinks I am too like a carelesse Porter which keeps the guests without dores till they have lost their stomackes wherefore I will detaine you no longer in the Porch but unlock the dore and let you in THE BENEFIT OF AFFLIction how to husband it so that with blessing from above the weakest Christian may be able to support himselfe in his most miserable Exigents CHAP. I. Why the Lord suffers his children so to be 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 spirituâ—ll Antipathy betweene the Men of the World and the children of GOD betweene 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 Christ are governed by Lawes opposite and cleane contrary each to the other whereby it comes to passe that grievous temptations and persecutions doe alwayes accompany the remission of sins That all men as Austine speakes are necessitated to miseries which bend their course towards the Kingdome of Hâ—aven 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 Lyon fomes and roares and bestirs himselfe to recover his losse Neither can Gods love be injoyed without Satans distuâ—bance Yea the World and the Devill therefore â—ate us because God
hath chosen us If a Convert comes home the Angels welcome him with Songs the Devils follow him with uproare and fury his old acquaintance with scornes and obloquie for they thinke it quarrell enough that we will no longer runne with them to the same excesse of riot 1 Peter 4. 4. That we will no longer continue miserable with them they envy to see themselves casheired as persons infected with the plague will scoffe 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 raile at and persecute the good He that hath no grace himselfe is vexed to see it in another godly men are thornes in wicked mens eyes as Job 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 wil be displeased with both If God be a mans friend that will be his enemy If they exercise their malice it is where he shewes mercy and indeed he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Caine doth not exercise as Gregory speaks for it is an everlasting rule of the Apostles He that is borne after the flesh will persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4. 29. not because he is evill but because he is so much better than himselfe 1 John 3. 12. Because his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion Wisd. 2. 15. I have also shewed the Originall continuance properties causes ends and what will be the issue of this enmity and therein made it plaine that as for the present they suite like the Harpe 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 Winds and the Sea together yea that once to expect it were an effâ—ct of frenzie not of hope It remaines in the last place that I declare the Reasons why God permits his dearest children so to be afflicted Reasons why The godly are so patient in their sufferings With other Grounds of comfort and Uses and first of the first The Reasons why God suffers the same are chiefly sixteene all tending to his glory and their spirituall and everlasting good benefit and advantage for the malignity of envie if it be well answered is made the evill cause of a good effect to us God and our soules 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 Wisedome 3 It makes much for his glory when those graces which he hath bestowed upon his children doe the more shine through imployment 1. It maketh for the glory of his Power Moses having declared in what manner the Lord permitted Pharaoh to oppresse the children of Israel more and more still hardning his heart shewes the reason of it in these words That I may multiply my miracles and wonders in the Land of Aegypt That I may lay my hand upon Pharaoh and bring out mine Armies even my people by great judgements that my power may bee knowne and that I may declare my Name throughout all the World Exod. 7. 3 4. 9. 16. When that multitude of Amonites and Moabites came to war against Jehâ—saphat 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 himselfe such honour and glory That as the Text saith the feare of God was upon all the Kingdomes of the Earth when they heard that the Lord had fought so against the enemies of Israel 2 Chron. 20. 29. The judgement was upon some the feare came upon all it was but a few mens lesse but it was all mens warning 1 Cor. 10. 11. When the Lord brought againe 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 greater in sustaining and his glory may be greater in deliverance yea though there be Legious of devils and every one stronger than many Legions of men and more malicious than strong yet Christs little Flocâ— lives and prospers and makes not this exceedingly for our Makers for our Gardians glory Gods power is best made known in our weakens 2 Cor. 12. 9. And our deliverance is so much the more wondered at by how much the lesse it was expected Impossibilities are the best advancers of Gods glory who not seldome hangs the greatest weights upon the smallest wâ—ars as he doth those bottles of He â—ven being of infinite weight and magnitude in the â—of 〈…〉 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 He â—vens have no other Columns or Supporters to leane upon then his mighty and powerfull word Gen. 1. 6 7 8. For what we leâ—st beleeve can be done we most admire being done the lesser the meanes and the greater the opposition the more is the glory of him who by little meanes doth overcome a great opposition yea it is greater glory to God to turne evils into good by over-mastering them then wholly to take them away Now if thy very enemies thus honour thee how should thy friends bought with thy precious blood glorifie thee But the sweetest of honey lieth in the bottome I passe therefore from the first to the second Reason CHAP. II. That it makes for the glory of his Wisedome 2. SEcondly it maketh for the glory of his marvellons and singular wisâ—dome when he turneth the malice of his enemies to the advantage of his Church I would saith Paul yee understood brethren that the things which have come unto me are turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell So that my bonds in Christ are famous throughout all the ' judgement-Hall and in all other places Insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord are imboldned through my bonds and dare more frankly speake the word Phil. 1. 12 13 14. The Apostles imprisonment was not the Gospels restraint but inlargement In all other cases a gentle resistance heightens the desire of the seeker in this the strength of opposition meeting with as strong a faith hath the same effect Againe how admirably did the Lord turne the malice of Josephs brethren when they sold him into Aegypt And that devillish plot of Hamm against Mordecay and his people to the good of his Church in generall and of Joseph and Mordecay in particular Gen. 45. 8. 11. Hester 9. 1 2 3. Their plots to overthrow Joseph and Mordecay wereturned by a Divine Providence to the onely
delivered out of a lesser trouble we cannot trust God in a greater Resembling that peasant who would trust God upon the Land but not upon the Sea where should be but an inch-â—â—rd betweene him and death To heare a man in his best health and vigour to talke of his confidence in God and assurance of devine favour cannot be much worth but 〈◊〉 in extremities we can beleeve above hope against hope our hope is so much more noble as our difficulties are greater For Jayrâ—s to beleeve that his sick daughter should recover was no hard taske but Christ will scrue up his faith to beleeve she shall againe live though he see with his eyes she is fully dead When we are in heavy Agonies and feele a very hell in our conscience then to apprehend mercy when with Jonas in the Whales belly we can call upon God in faith and see one contrary in another in the very depth of Hell Heaven in the very midst of Anger Love When with the woman of Canaan Math. 15. we can pick comfort out of the reproachfull name of dogge and when nothing but warre appeares in Gods face then by faith to pearce through all the thicke cloudes and behold the sweet sun-shine of Gods favour and grace in Christ Heb. 11. 1. we are beleevers indeed And he saith Saint Bernard is to be reputed constant whose minde taketh fresh courage in the midst of extremities Like the Palme tree which groweth so much the higher and stronger and more fruitfull by how much the more weight it hath hanging upon it Not that the strongest faith is free from doubting for let a man looke downe from the top of the strongest steeple admit the Battlements bee brest high and he is sure he cannot fall yet a kinde of feare possesses him And well is it for us that our assuâ—â—nce is mixed with doubting Since the one makes us live as though there were no Gospell the other to dye as if there were no Law The Lyon seemes to leave her young ones till they have almost kil'd themselves with roaring and howling but at last gaspe shee relieves them whereby they become the more couragious When the Prophet could say Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee instantly followes and not till then the Lord heard me the Lord saw him sinking all the while yet lets him alone till he was at the bottome Every maine affliction is our Red-sea which whiles it threats to swallow preserves us now when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thankworthy Hope in a state hopelesse and love to God under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindednesse in the midst of worldly affaires and allurements drawing a contrary way is the chiefe praise of faith to love that God who crosseth us to kisse that hand which strikes us to trust in that power which kils us this is the honourable proofe of a Christian this argues faith indeed What made our Saviour say to that Woman of Canaan O Woman great is thy faith but this when neither his silence nor his flat denyall could silence her Math. 15. It is not enough to say God is good to Israel when Israel is in peace and prosperity and neither feeles nor wants any thing but God will have us beleeve that hee is good even when we feele the smart of the rod and at the same time see our enemies the wicked prosper It best pleaseth him when wee can say boldly with Job Though he kill me yet will I trust in him When our enemies are behind us and the Red Sea before us then confidently to trust upon God is much worth When we are in the barren wildernesse almost famished then to beleeve that God will provide Manna from Heaven and water out of the Rock is glorious when with the three Children wee see nothing before us but a fiery Furnace to beleeve that God will send his Augell to be our deliverer this is heroicall Dan. 3. 28. And those which are acquainted with the proceedings of God well know that cherishing ever followes stripes as Cordials doe vehement evacuations and the cleere â—ight of the morning a darke night yea if we can looke beyond the cloud of our afflictions and see the sun-shine of comfort on the other side of it wee cannot be so discouraged with the presence of evill as hartned with the issue Cheere up then thou drooping soule and trust in God what ever thy sufferings bee God is no tyrant to give thee more than thy loade and admit he stay long yet be thou fully assured he will come at length In thee doe I trust saith the Psalmist all the day He knew that if hee came not in the Morning he would come at Noone if hee came not at Noone he would come at Night At one 〈◊〉 of the day or other he will deliver mee and then as the Calme is greater after the Tempest than it was before so my joy shall bee sweeter afterwards than it was before The remembrance of Babylon will make us sing more joyfully in Syon If then I finde the Lords dealing with me to transcend my thoughts my faith shall bee above my reason and thinke he will worke good out of it though I yet conceive not how CHAP. XIV That it increaseth their joy and thankefulnesse 11. BEcause our manifold sufferings and Gods often delivering us doth increase our joy and thankefulnesse yea make after-blessings more sweet By this we have new Songs put into our mouthes and new occasions offered to praise the Author of our deliverance When the Lord brought againe the Captivity of Sion saith David in the person of Israel we were like them that dreame meaning the happinesse seemed too good to be true Then was our mouthes filled with laughter saith hee and our tongues with joy The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce Psal. 126. 1 2 3 4. And how could their case be otherwise when in that miserable exigent Exod. 14. they saw the Pillar remove behind them and the Sea remove before them they looking for nothing but death Is any one afflicted I may say unto him as that harbinger answered a Noble man complaining that he was lodged in so homely a Roome you will take pleasure in it when you are out of it For the more grievous our exigent the more glorious our advancement A desire accomplished delighteth the soule Prov. 13. 19. Wee reade how that lamentable and sad decree of Ahasuerus through the goodnesse of God was an occasion exceedingly to increase the Jewes joy and thankefulnesse insomuch that as the Text saith the dayes that were appointed for their death and ruine were turned into dayes of feasting and joy and wherein they sent presents every man to his neighbour and gifts to the poore Esther 9. 17. 22 to 28. And this joy and thankefulnesse was so lasting that the Jewes cease not to celebrate the same to this
26. that is be angry with sin onely For Cautions and Rules to be observed when we appeale to the Magistrate 1. First let it be in a matter of weight and not for trifles True thou canst not be more forward to cast away thy money then some Lawyers are to catch it but the Physition and Lawyer are for necessity not for wantonnesse What said one to a Lawyer offering to right his wrongs and revenge him of his adversary by Law I am resolved rather to beare with patience an hayleshower of injuries than seeke shelter at such a thicket where the brambles shall pluck off my fleece and doe me more hurt by scratching than the storme would have done by hayling I care not for that Physicke where the remedy is worse than the disease 2. Secondly let it be in case of necessity after we have assayed all good meanes of peace and agreement using Law as a Father doth the Rod full sore against his will As whatever our wrongs be true wisedome of the spirit will send the Apostle lenity as admonitions harbinger with offers of peace before she takes out prosses 2 Tim. 2. 25. 3. Thirdly let not our ayme and end be the hurt of our enemy but first the glory of God secondly the reformation of the party himselfe that so he which is overcome may also overcome and if it may be others by his example whereby more than one Devill shall be subdued And thirdly to procure a further peace and quiet afterwards as Princes make warre to avoid warre yea in case we see a storme inevitably falling 't is good to meet it and break the force Fourthly let us not be transported either with heat or hate but begin and follow our suits without anger or using the least bitternesse or extremity against the person of our adversary as Tilters break their Speares on each others breasts yet without wrath or imention of hurt or as Charles the French King made warre against Henry the seventh King of England rather with an Olive-branch than a Lawrell-branch in his hand more desiring peace than victory not using bribery or any other meanes to corrupt or hinder justice but to seeke our owne right Fifthly and lastly having used this ordinary meanes that the Lord hath given us for the righting of our selves in case we finde no redresse let us rest with quietnesse and meeknesse therein without fretting or desire to right our selves by private revenge knowing assuredly that the Lord hath thus ordered the whole matter either for our correction or for the exercise of our patience and charity or that he will take the matter into his owne hand and revenge our cause of such an enemy farre more severely or for that he meanes to deale farre better with us if wee commit our cause to him than either our selves or any Magistrate could haâ—e done To conclude this argument in a word If thou goe to Law Make Conscience thy Chauncery Make Charity thy Judge Make Patience thy Councellor Make Truth thy Atâ—urnâ—y Make Peace thy Soliciton And so doing thou shalt be sure to finde two friends in thy suit that will more bestead thee than any 〈◊〉 Judges namely God and thy Conscience God who being Chiefe Justice of the whole world can doe for thee whatsoever he will and will doe for thee whatsoever is best thy Conscience which is instead of a thousand good Witnesses a thousand good Advocates a thousand good Juries a thousand Clarkes of the Peace and Guardians of the Peace to plead procure pronounce record and assure to thee that peace which passeth all understanding But I feare I have incited your impatiency by standing so long upon patience CHAP. XXXIII Vse and Application of the â—â—rmer Reason 1. Use. THese latter Reasons being dispatcht returne wee to make use of the former for I may seeme to have left them and be gone quite out of sight though indeed it cannot properly bee called a digression seeing the last point proved 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 Reformation to scowre 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 zeale or to provoke our importunity or for the doubling of our Obligation seeing true gold flyes not the touch-stone let us examine whether we have thus husbanded our afflictions to his glory and our owne spirituall and everlasting good I know Gods fatherly chastisements for the time seeme grievous to the best of his Children Yea at first they come upon us like Sampsâ—â—s Lyon looke terrible in shew as if they would devoure us and as Children are affraid of their friends when they see them masked so are we But tell me hath not this roaring Lyon prevailed against thy best part hast thou kept thy head whole I meane thy soule free For as Fencers will seeme to fetch a blow at the legge when they intended it at the head so doth the Devill though he strike at thy name his ayme is to slay thy soule Now instead of being overcome dost thou overcome Hath this Lyon yeelded thee any honey of Instruction or Reformation Hath thy sinne dyed with thy fame or with thy health or with thy peace or with thy outward estate Dâ—est 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 the more hard and bitter thy winter of adversity hath beene Then thou hast approved thy selfe Christs faithfull Souldier and a Citizeâ— of that Ierusalem which is above 〈…〉 a I dare boldly say of thee as Saint Paul of himselfe That nothing shall be able to seperate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8. 39. To â—in â—e this honey in the Lyon more than makes amends for all former feare and griese and in case any man by his humiliation under the hand of God is growne more faithfull and conscionâ—ble there is honey out of the Lyon or is any man by his temptation or fall become more circumspect after it there also is honey out of the Lyon c. For there is no Sampson to whom every Lyon doth not yeeld some honey for as affliction sanctified ever leaves some blessing behinde it like the River Nilus which by overflowing the Land of Aegypt fattens and â—ils it with flowers and fruits so a sine wit and a Christian will makes use of any thing like the little Bee which will not off the meanest flower till she hath made somewhat of it Even Sauls malice shall serve to enhaunce Davids zeale and the likelihood of losing Isaac shall both evidence and improve Abrahams love to God or hath the Lord made Hannah barren and doth her adversary vex her sore yeare by yeare and grievously upbraid her for
charge for the Prophet as the Prophet had a charge for Niniveh for this is a sure rule if in case God gives any of the creatures leave to afflict us yet he will be sure to lay no more upon us than we are able or he will make us able to beare yea than shall make for our good and his glory He hath a provident care over all the Creatures even Beasts and Plants and certainly wee are more pretious than Fowles or Flowers yet the Lord cares for them Will the Householder take care to water the Herbes of his Garden or to fodder his Cattell and suffer his Men and Maides to famish through hunger and thirst Or will he provide for his Men and Maides and let his owne Children strave Surely if a man provide not for his owne He hath denyed the faith and is worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. Farre bee it then from the great Housholder and Judge of all the Earth not to provide for his deare Children and Servants what shall bee most necessary for them Indeed we may feare our owne flesh as Saint Paul did but God is faithfull and will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength but will even give the issue with the temptation and in the meane time support us with his grace 2 Corinth 12. 9. You have an excellent place to this purpose Jeremiah 15. 20. 21. Section 2. Objection But we see by experience that GOD gives wicked men power oftentimes to take away the very lives of the godly Answer What then If we lose the lives of our bodies it is that wee may save the lives of our soules and attaine the greater degree of glory Luke 9. 24. and so we are made gayners even by that losse Now if God takes away temporall and gives eternall life for it there is no hurt done us he that promiseth ten peeces of silver and gives ten peeces of gold breaks no promise Peace be unto this house was the Apostles salutation but it was not meant of an outward peace with men of the world and Christ saith You shall have rest Matth. 11. 28 but it is rest vnto your soules Againe then hast mâ—rited a three-fold death if thou art freed from the two worser spirituall and eternall and God deale favourably with thee touching thy naturall death hee is mercifull if not thou must not thinke him unjust Though the Devill and the World can hurt us aswell as other men in our owtward and bodâ—ly estates as the Devill had power over Job in his Ulcers over his Children in their death over Mary Magdâ—len that was possessed and over that daughter of Abraham Luke 13. whom he kept bound loâ— 18. yeares Vers. 16. yet they can doe us no hurt nor indanger our soules they shall lose nothing but their drosse as in Zachary 13. 9. Isaiah 12. Let them sâ—uce out our bloud our soules they cannot so much as strike let wild beasts teare the body from the soule yet neither body nor soule are thereby severed from Christ. Yea they can neither deprive us of our spirituall treasure here nor eternall hereafter which makes our Saviour say Feare yee not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in Hell Matth. 10. 28. The body is but the Barke Cabinet Case or Instrument of the Soule and say it falls in peeces there is but a Pitcher broken the soule a glorious Ruby held more sit to be set in the Crowne of glory than here to be trodden under foot by dirty Swine and therefore so soone as separated the Angels convey her hence to the place of everlasting blisse Alas what can they do they cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 38 39. Yea they are so farre from doing us harme as that contrarywise wee are much the better for them In all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us Verse 37. Whatsoever then becomes of goods or lives happy are we so long as like wise Souldiers we guard the vitall parts while the soule is kept sound from impatience from distrust c. Our enemy may afflict 〈◊〉 he cannot hurt us Objection Neverthelesse that which I suffer is exceeding grievous Answer Not so grievous as it might have beene for he that hath afflicted thee for a time could have held thee longer he that toucheth thee in part could have stricken thee in whole hee that laid this upon thy body hath power to lay a greater Rod both upon thy body and soule Again there is no chastisement not grievous the bone that was disjoynted cannot be set right without paine no potion can cure us if it worke not and it workes not except it makes us sick Nay my very disease is not so painfull for the time as my remedy how doth it turne the stomack and wring the intrayles and work a worse distemper than that wherof I formerly complained neither could it be so wholsome if it were lesse unpleasing neither could it make me whole if it did not first make me sicke But we are contented with that sicknesse which is the way to health there is a vexation without hurt such is this wee are afflicted not overpressed needy not desperate persecuted not forsaken cast downe but perish not how should wee when all the evill in a City comes from the providence of a good God which can neither be impotent nor unmercifull It is the Lord let him doe what he will Woe worth us if evils could come by chance or were let loose to light where they list now they are over-ruled wee are safe In the name of God then let not the tall stature of the Anakims nor the combination of the Edomites nor the politick counsels of all the Achitophels and Machivilians nor the proud lookes noâ— the big words of all the Amaziahs combining themselves together deter or dismay you Let not the overtopping growth of the sonnes of Zerviah seeme too hard for you for God is infinitely more strong and mighty to save us than all our enemies are to dâ—stroy us and he hath his Oâ—re in their Boate he hath a speciall stroke in all actions whatsoever and can easily over-reach and make starke fooles of the wisest by making their owne counsels and endeavour like Hushais to overthrow those intentions which they seeme to support As touching the continuance of afflictions God so ordereth and tempereth the same in his mercifull wisedome that either they be tollerable or short either our sorrowes shall not be violent or they shall not last if they be not light they shall not be long grievous and sore tryals last but for a season 1 Peter 1. 6. A little while John 16. 16. Yea but a moment 2 Cor. 4. 17. He endureth but a while in his anger saith the Psalmist but in his favour is life weeping may abide for a night but
to fly for his life first to Samuel where Saul pursueth him then to Jonathan where his griefe is doubled than to Abimâ—lech where is Doeg to betray him after that hee flyeth to Achish King of Gath where being discovered he is in greatest feare of all lest the King should take away his life and lastly when he returnes to his owne Ziklag he findes it smitten and burnt with fire and his Wives taken prisoners and in the midst of all his grief when he had wept untill he could weepe no more the people being vexed intend to stone him so that as he had long before complained there was but a step betweene him and death but marke the issue though his heart were now not onely brim-full but ran over with griefe yet within two dayes the Crowne of Israel is brought unto him and he is annointed King 2 Sam. 1. and for the present he was able to comfort himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. Yea afterâ—his when by that foule sinne of Adultery and Murther hee had brought more enemies about his eares God and Men and 〈…〉 ils having once repented his fault he was able to say with confidence O God thou hast shewed me great troubles and adversities but thou wilt take me up from the depth of the earth and increase my honour Psalme 71. 20. 21. He knew well enough that it is Gods use to bring comfort out of sorrow as he brought water out of the Rocke and that cherishing was wont to follow stripes And indeed how oft hath a Tragick entrance had a happy end Like that we read of Michael who was condemned to death by the Emperour Leo upon a false accusation but before the execution the Emperour dyed and Michael was chosen in his stead And of Mordecay who being in the forenoone appointed to the Gibbet was in the afternoone advanced next of all to the Throne And Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory who Raigned at the same time that she expected to suffer and was Crowâ—ed when shee looked to be beheaded God loves to doe by his Children as Joseph did by his Father first we must have our beloved Joseph a long time detained from us then hee robbes us of Simeon after that sends for our best beloved Benjamin and makes us beleeve he will rob us of all our Children at once all the things that are deare to us But why is it even that when we thinke to have lost all he might returne himselfe and all againe with the greater interest of joy and felicity The LORD saith Hannah killeth and maketh alive first killeth and then maketh alive bringeth downe to the grave and raiseth up the Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth up the begger from the Dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seate of glory 1 Sam. 2. 6 7 8. And why all this but that in his owne might no man might be strong Verse 9. That which Plutarch reports of Dionysius how hee tooke away from one of his Nobles almost his whole estate and seeing him neverthelesse continue as jocund and well contented as ever hee gave him that againe and as much more is a common thing with the Lord and thousands can witnesse that though they went weeping under the burâ—hen when they first carried the prceious seed of Repentance yet they still returned with joy and brought their sheaves with them Psalme 126. 5 6. Objection But thou thinkest thou shalt not hold ouâ— if God should long delay thee Answer If he dâ—lay thee never so long he will be sure to support thee as long 1 Cor. 10. 13. which is much at one upon the matter If hee suffer thee to be sorely tempâ—ed hee will not suffer thee to bee tempted above thy strength 2 Cor. 4. 8. 9. 16. His grace shall bee sufficient for thee at the least 2 Cor. 12. 9. Phil. 1. 29. which was Pauls answer and it may suffice all suitors the measure of our patience shall bee proportionable to our suffering and our strength equalled to our Temptations 1 Cor. 10. 13. Now if God doe either take away our appetite or give us meate it is enough True a Ship of never so great a burthen may bee overladen till it sinke again or if we shall weare away all the steele with whetting the Toole is left unprofitable But my thoughts saith God are not as your thoughts nor my wayes as your wayes Isaiah 55. 8. God is nâ— Tyrant to asflict thee unmeasurably neither will he draw a sword to kill Flyes or call for Scorpions when a Rod is too much Hee that made the vessell knowes her burthen and how to ballast her yea hee that made all things very good cannot but doe all things very well Indeed God seemeth to wrestle with us as he did with Jacob but he supplyes us with hidden strength at length to get the better And grace to stand in affliction and to gaine by it is better then freedome or deliverance The Bush which was a Type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the middest of it The Ship at Anchor is shrewdly tossed to and fro but cannot be carried away either by waves winde or weather Sinne Satan and the world may disturbe us but they can never destroy us Our head Christ being above we cannot be drowned There can bee no disjunction unlesse wee could be pluckt from his armes that is almighty for our life is bid with Christ in God Colos. 3. 3. Hee doth not trust us with our owne soules life but hides it in his Sonne Jesus because if it were in our owne hands we should easily be tempted to sell it as Adam did for an Apple and Esaâ— for a messe of Pâ—â—tâ—ge whereas now we are safe for to pluck us out of his hands that is almighty requires an adversary stronger then himselfe Neither wants he care he that numbers our very haires what account doth he make of our soules Nor love for if he hath bought us with his bloud and given us himselfe will he deny us any thing that is good for us Wherefore sileâ—ce your Reason and exalt your Faith how pressing or peircing soever your sufferings be which puls off the vizard from his face and sees a loving heart under contrary appearances Trust the mercy of God which is of infinite perfection and the merits of Christ which are of perfect satisfaction and then hope will beare up thy heavy heart as bladders doe an unskilfull swimmer Otherwise if thou shalt walke by sence and not by saith 2 Cor. 5. 7. feare will no lesse multiply â—oils then faith would diminish them and thou shalt resemble Bucâ—phalus who was not afraid of his burthen the shadow onely frighted him Section 4. Objection Although Christ in the Gospell hath made many large and pretious promises yet there are none so generall which are not
men possesse riches as sicke men doe feavers 〈◊〉 which indeed rather possesse them And certainly if riches were such pearles as most men esteeme them it is not likely the LORD would cast them to such Sâ—â—ine as mostly he doth if such happy things he would not throw them to such Dogges But the truth is what men thinke most pleasing viz. to have their wills and their lusts granted is most plaguing Psal. 81. 12. So I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts and they walked in their owne counsels so that the greatest temptation is to be without temptation and the greatest affliction not to be afflicted 2 Cor. 12. 7. Wherefore lift up your hands which hang downe because of some sore affliction and your weake knâ—es Hebr. 12. 12. and know that the worst of temporall afflictions are an insufficient proofe of divine displeasure yea that stripes from the Almighty are tokens of his love and seales of his Son-ship Yea since he that hath most grace commonly complaines of most discomfort confesse that the palate is but an ill Judge of the favours of God as it 's in great love no doubt however it be taken that the tender Father medicines his Childe for the Wormes gives him Aloes or the like the Childe cryes and spiâ—tters and â—eakes as if it were poysoned yet still the Fathers love is neverthelesse say it bee bitter yet bitter potions bring sweet health and who will not rather take a vomit then hazard life In the Sweating sicknesse in England their friends would stand by them and strike them over the faces with sprigs of Rosemary to keepe them awake the poore soules faint and full of paine would cry out you kill me but yet they must doe it or else they kil'd them indeed for all that slept dyed Looke we saith Sâ—int Ambrose with the eyes of our body upon Lazarus estate and we thinke it miserable but if with the eyes of the minde it will be otherwise for how did the Angels doe by him but as Nurses are wont to doe by their little children all the day long they carry them about in their armes and at night they lay them downe in their beds to rest But the supernaturall workes of God when wee looke upon them with our owne eyes are subject to a dangerous misprision the very Sun-beames to whom wee are beholding for our sight if we eye them directly blinde us Miserable men we are ready to suspect truthes to run away from our safety to be afraid of our comforts to misknow our best friends We usually thinke it a great signe of Gods displeasure when he ruines our estate and brings us to nothing when he in his wisedome knowes that these riches would shipwracke the soule were they not cast over-board and his love onely forces him to it A Mother seeing her little Sonne brustled at by Turkicocks catcheth him up and strippeth him of his Red Coate at which those Birdes are offended the Childe cryes for his Coate but she regarding his good leteth him weepe but satisfieth him not And the like of Enemies we thinke our selves mightily wronged by them but God findes it to fare with us as it doth with the Oake which gains by the maymes and wounds given it and thereupon spreadeth out thicker then before Whence it is God suffers them to live and domineere as some Countries suffer Ravens enacting Lawes to prohibit the killing of them that they may devoure the Carrions which else would corrupt the aire And so in all other tryals for be the root of this tree never so bitter yet the fruit is pleasant Well may we catch a mayme as Jacob did but such a blessing comes withall that we would not if wise be without it Say it be a sore and fiery tryall yet better this fire to purge us then Hell fire to burne us But all the skill is in making men see this wherefore he that opened the eyes of Paul open ours But furthermore as not to be afflicted argues an absolute defect of goodnesse so if our troubles be light and few it is because wee are weake and tender for therefore God imposeth no more upon us because hee sees wee can beare no more The Physitian will not suffer a milke-sop to see his veyne opened but makes him winke or looke another way The Master giveth not to his sicke Servant strong meates as he doth to the rest but more dainty fare not because he is worthier than the rest but because he is weaker and in greater need The skilfull Armourer tryeth not an ordinary Peece with musket shot The wise Lapidary brings not his softer stones to the Stithy So that freedome from affliction is not a signe of potency but of impotency Wherefore when I am stronger I will looke for more when I am a vessell fit for this strong and new wine I shall be filled with it but not before Mar. 2. 22. Indeed the calling of God never leaves a man unchanged nor doâ—s he imploy any in his service whom hee does 〈…〉 able to the worke he sets them about Will any mâ—â—â— choyce of a weak Champion no more will God he will either finde us fit or make us fit to discharge the place he puts us in as when he called Saul to be a King he gave him a Kings heart 1 Sam. 10. 9. And when he called the Apostles to that function he gave them gifts answerable so when he calls any to suffer for him be it Martyrdome hee giveth them the courage of Martyrs as the times of Queene Mary witnesse But yet for the most part he traynes us up by degrees as we eate divers things by morsels and easily digest them which if we should eate whole would choake us and doth not make us fit to undergoe great matters on the sudden We must learne to fence in the Schoole before we sight in the Field and with woodden weapons men learne to sight at the sharpe wee must encounter with some beasts or other I meane unreasonable men before we sight with that fearfull Goliah death And indeed if we do not learne to give entertainment to smaller crosses the harbingers messengers and servants of death how shall we be able to entertaine the Lord and Master when he commeth Wherefore as Jehoram said to Jehu when he marched furiously Commest thou peaceably As if he should say if thou commest peaceably march as furiously as thou wilt so let us say unto God provided thy afflictions and chastisements be directed to us as messengers of peace and love let them march towards us as furiously as thou pleasest but in any case let us not be without correction for as Mariners at Sea finde that of all stormes a Calme is the greatest so we that to be exempt from misery is the most miserable condition of all other Objection But thou fearest that God hath not pardoned thy 〈◊〉 and this makes him so severe against thee Answer Many times after the remission of the
that way smooth for you which all Patriarchs Prophets Evangelists Confessors and Christ himselfe have found rugged and bloudy Away with this selfe-love and come down you ambitious sons of Zebedee and ere you think of sitting neare the Throne be contented to be called unto the Cup. Now is your tryall Let your Saviour see how much of his bitter potion you can pledge then shall you see how much of hir glory hee can afford you In all Feasts the coursest 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 first be content to drinke of his Vinegar and â—all and after you shall drinke new Wine with him in his Kingdome Besides without some kinde of suffering how shall your sincerity be approved Even nature is jocund and cheerefull whiles it prospereth but let God with-draw 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 cursing Judges 17. 1 2 3. Cataline whiles poore had many seeming vertues but having feathered his nest you could hardly say whether he was most lavish of his money or his modesty But to be equally good in a prosperous and adverse condition deserves prayse When our resolution and practice is like that Maydes in Plutarch who being set in the Market to bee sold whâ—n a Chapman askt her Wilt thou be faithfull if I buy thee sayd Yea that I will though you doe not buy me We all are never weary of receiving soone weary of attending wee are ready to shrinke from Christ so soone as our profits or pleasures shrinke from us but if with the Needle of the Compasse in the midst of tempestuous weather we remaine alwayes unmoveable and stayed upon one point it is a signe the Loadstone of the Gospell hath changed our hearts and wee are governed by Christ as the Needle is by the North-Pole Wherefore if God should not frame outward things to thy minde doe thou frame thy minde to endure with patience and comfort what hee sends and this will be an Odour smelling sweet a Sacrifice acceptable and pâ—easant to God yea herein thou shalt approve thy selfe with David a man after Gods owne heâ—rt â—nd you know that as David was unto God according to his heart so was God unto David according to his CHAP. XL. Application of the sormer grounds ANd so you have the residue of the grounds of comfort it remaines that I should apply them For this Doctrine though it be better understood than practised as Cassandrâ— was better knowne than trusted yet being both knowne applyed and duly trusted to will like the Sunne not onely delight our understandings with its contemplation but also warme and quicken our affections Wherefore is there any weake Christian so white-livered 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 vaine to serve the Lord whereby hee is frighted out of the narrow way that leadeth to life Let him draw neare for 〈◊〉 chiefly direct my speech unto him Are afflictions and persecutions so necessary and profitable as hath been shewed Doth not God onely gaine glory by our sufferings but doe they also bring 〈◊〉 to repentance and amendment of life stirre us up to prayer weane us from the love of the world keepe us alwayes 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 haire of our heads without Gods speciall leave and appointment Hath he promised that wee shall not be tempted above our strength Are these stripes the chiefest tokens and pledges of Gods love and adoption Were none of his children ever exempted from the like And lastly shall our momentany sufferings be rewarded with overlasting glory Yea shall our glory bee increased as our sufferings have beene mâ—re Then let them serve as so many restoratives to thy fainting spirit yea lift up thy hands which hang downe and strengthen thy weake knees Heb. 12. 12. For I suppose thy fainting and drooping is from feare and thy feare from doubting and thy doubting from unbeliefe and thine unbeliefe chiefly from ignorance of these things and whence is thine ignorance of thâ—se but this Thou hast never beene conversant in the booke of God or if thou hast thou didst never seriâ—usâ—y ponder these Scriptures which have formerly beene rehearsed for hadst thou seriously considered them thou wouldst not have dared to make that an occasiâ—n of griefe and prejudice which the Spirit of God maketh the greatest câ—use 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 Fortisications or Bulwarâ—es so strong and safe against the affronts of Satan and the World Thou sayest thou art persecuted for well-doing and therefore thinkest it a strange thing God saith it is and ever hath beene common to all his children not Christ himselfe excepted Take notice of these things for it is the God of all truth and blessednes that speaks them and apply them to thy selfe as if they were particularly spoken to thee by name even as when twenty be in a roome where is a faire well-drawne picture every one thinkes the picture lookes upon him and have not more modesty or manners in leaving those dishes for thy betters then will doe thee good Be not like a Monkey which looking in a Glasse thinks he sees another Monkeys face and not his owne and know withall that it is no small sinne even to doubt when we have Gods command and warrant to secure us Thou thinkest thy selfe miserable God saiâ—h thou art blessed Thou sayest thou art hated of the world God saith thou art beloved of Christ who hath chosen thee out of the world Thou thinkest it a shame to be reproached God saith it is thy glory Thou grievest at it God saith thou hast great cause to râ—joyce for it sheweth thee to be borne of God thine enemies to be the seed of the Serpent Thou sayest that all things goe crâ—sse with thee God saith that all things shall worke together fâ—r the best it may be the increase of thy temporall happinesse however that it shall be for the improvement of thy graces here for the advancement of thy glory hereafter Thou thinkest it a signe of displeasure God saith it is to thy Enemies a token of perdition but to thee of salvation Thou thinkest thy selfe neere forsaken God sâ—ith The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon thee Thou sayest thou shalt one day perish God saiâ—h that neither things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thou thinkest the Lord doth not heare thee because he doth not presently answer thee in the things that thou requirest I tell thee it