olde saying and a true one Crux pendentis Cathedra docentis the crosse of the hanged is the chaire of the learned The Crosse-house is the Schoole-house Surely Afflictions as they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so are they also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are passions so they are instructions they are not only burdens vpon vs but they are also good lessons vnto vs They are like the winde which doth cleanse the good graine though it doth blow colde and like the Fire which doth purifie the bad golde though it doth burne hote Hagar was proud and blinde in Abrahams house but in the wildernes shee is humbled and begins to looke to the Lord. r Genes 16.4 Israel learned not to mourne vntill they were sent to Babell s Psalm 137.10 Ionah sleepe in the shippe but walkes and prayes in the whales belly t Iona. 1. 2. chapt Manasses cares not for God at libertie but seekes him out in the prison v 2. Cron. 33.12 Dauid went astray before he was afflicted but then he learned to keepe Gods word w Psalm 119.67 In a word euery Christian is bettered by his troubles His knowledge is sounder then it was His faith is stronger then it was his hope is firmer then it was his loue is hotter then it was his humilitie is lower then it was lastly his goodnesse in generall is greater then it was greater towards God greater towards his neighbour greater towards himselfe and greater towards all the creatures both great and small As thus wee haue holinesse by afflictions so also haue we credit Vnto you it is grace For Christ saith Paul that not onely you should belieue in him but also suffer for his sake x Phil 1.29 In the second chapter of the Reuelation and 13. verse it is recorded as a thing of great honor that Antipas was slaine as a faithfull martyr in the Church of Pergamus where Sathan had his throne And the Apostles did take themselues highly credited of the Lord when he did count them worthy to suffer for his Names sake z Acts 5.41 So that honour and reputation comes to men by all such afflictions as they doe vndergo here in this world for Gods cause and the confirmation of the truth The other two profits which doth concerne the next life are these First an assurance of glorie to come For this is certaine that if wee doe here suffer with Christ wee shall heereafter raigne with Christ a Rom. 8.17 2. Tim. 2.13 1. Pet. 3.10 And therefore Iames doth say Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him b Iam 1.12 Secondly an increase of glorie to come For as Paul doth teach vs our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glorie c 2. Cor. 4.17 So that the more troubles that wee doe here endure for our God and his lawes the more and greater will our glory be at the last when we shall be rewarded according to our workes d 2. Cor. 5.10 The third and last meanes of preparation for troubles is the consideration of the multiplicitie of those promises which God hath made vnto vs in his word about our troubles which promises are chiefly three The first is that hee will lay no more vpon vs then wee can beare according to Pauls words when hee saith There hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it e 1. Cor. 10.13 The second is that he will deliuer vs frō that which he doth lay vpon vs according to Dauids words whē he saith As the mountains are about Ierusalem so is the Lord about his people from hence forth and for euer For the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous least the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednes f Psal 125.2.3 The third and last is that hee will turne that which he doth lay vpon vs and from which he will deliuer vs vnto our good in the ende according to the Apostles words when he saith Also we knowe that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose g Rom. 8.28 Thus by the contemplation of the necessitie of troubles of the vtilitie of troubles and of the multiplicitie of the promises which God hath made vnto vs about our troubles you may make your selues strong and prepare your hearts against all your troubles And so I leaue the first branch of the miserie of the righteous which doth concerne the nature or qualitie of it and come to the second which dooth respect the magnitude or quantitie of it Many are the troubles saith the Prophet of the Righteous The word which is here translated Many Rabboth in the Hebrew tongue is Rabboth and it coms of the verb Rabab with signifieth to multiplie or to increase Some there are who read it thus Great are the troubles of the righteous True it is that the word Rab and Rabbah whereof come Rabin and Rabboth in the plurall doe signifie now and then that which is great but yet you must know that it is but seldome and that for the most part it is taken onely for that which is much or many and so is it here For the Prophets meaning is that there is a generalitie of crosses and a plurality of troubles that doe belong to the righteous Doct. Where hence ariseth this doctrine that the afflictions or calamities wherevnto the children of God are subiect are many and diuerse Many and diuerse 1. for the persons from whome they come 2. For the meanes through which they come 3. For the times wherein they come 4. For the sortes by which they come 5. For the ports to which they come 6. Lastly for the effects which they bring at their comming The persons from whom troubles doe come are many and diuerse First and foremost there is GOD the Father the Sonne holy Ghost Secondly there is the diuell and his angells Thirdly there is the world and all vngodly persons who are in the world that are almost infinite in number beeing as the sand of the Sea h Reu. 20.8 The meanes through which troubles doe come are many and diuerse For they come sometimes through the meanes of our Children somtimes through the meanes of our seruants somtimes through the meanes of our friends sometimes through the meanes of our enemies sometimes through the meanes of our Neighbours somtimes through the meanes of strangers and somtimes lastly to omit many other meanes through the meanes of our owne foolish or sinfull wayes The times
wholly bent against them and so they will alwayes be working one mischiefe or other to ouerthrow them Satan will neuer be quiet but hee is compassing the earth too fro at all times e Iob. 1.7 and goes about like a roaring lyon seeking euermore whom he may deuoure f 1. Pet 5.8 Thirdly because they haue many graces For as God doth bestow more heauenly gifts vpon them then vpon all the world besides so he will haue these gifts of theirs to be tryed and made knowne vnto others for the praise of his own Maiestie who gaue them They must bee beaten like spice in the morter that they may smell the better all abroad Paul must haue the bufferings of Satan to continue with him still because hee had grace sufficient to beare the same My grace saith God vnto him is sufficient for thee g 2. Cor. 12.9 Surely in this respect he dealeth with vs as we are wont to do with our children The stronger they be the more and heauyer burdens doe we lay vpon them but the weaker the fewer and the lighter The more able that we be to vndergoe troubles the more will the Lord exercise vs with troubles but the feebler that we be to beare them the fewer shall we haue Fourthly because they haue many blessings For the more fauours that they doe receiue from the Almighty the more are they spited at here in this wretched world and the more doe the wicked oppose and set themselues against them to their vtter ruine and ouerthrowe if it may be Because the Lord had respect vnto Habel and to his offering but vnto Cain and his offering he had no regard Cain was exceeding wroth and his countenance fell downe and afterwards hee rose vp against Habel his brother and slewe him h Genes 4.4.5.8 In like manner because Isaac waxed mightie and still increased till he was exceeding great for hee had flocks of sheepe and heards of Cattell and a mightie houshold therefore the Philistims had enuie at him insomuch that the Philistims stopped and filled vp with earth all the wells which his Fathers seruants digged in his Father Abrahams time And Abimelech the King also said vnto him Get thee from vs for thou art mightyer then wee a great deale i Genes 26.13.14 Fiftly because they haue many exercises of holy religion For as Daniel was troubled and cast into the lyons denne because he did pray vnto the Lord his God contrary to the edict of the king k Dan. 6.10 And as the Apostles were apprehended and throwne into prison because they did preach in the Name of Christ contrary to the charge of their gouernours the high-priests and others l Acts 5 18. So all those that shall bee bowed at any time in the practise of holie duties and be earnest and feruent in setting forward the exercises of true religion they shal be sure to be assaulted with manifold troubles here amongst the sonnes of men Finally because they haue many contentions in the world against sinne for righteousnes and against the diuell for their God For as the word of God is in their hearts like a burning fire shut vp in their bones which doe make them weary with forbearing and vnable for to stay m Ier. 20.9 And as they doe testifie of the world that the workes thereof are euill n Iob. 7.7 So the world and the diuell doe rage the more against them for the same All were quickly vp in a tumult against Paul when he spake against their idolatry and by name condemned their goddes Diana o Acts. 19.25 The Iewes could not holde when Stephen layd to their charge their great impietie but their harts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth yea they gaue a showte with a loud voyce and stopped their eares and ran vpon him all at once and cast him out of the citie and stoned him p Acts. 7.54 And howsoeuer Herod did reuerence Iohn the Baptist and heard him gladly yet at the last hee did imprison him and caused his head to be cut off because hee told him of his faults and said vnto him It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife q Mar. 6.18 Thus you see the reasons why the troubles of the righteous are many It is because their sinnes are many It is because their enemies are many It is because their graces are many It is because their blessings are many It is because their exercises of religion are many It is lastly because their contentions against the world the flesh and the diuell are many Vse The consideration wherof is profitable vnto vs many waies For first it may serue to comfort all such as haue manifold afflictions and troubles here They must not thinke the worse of themselues for the same but rather the better For the best of all commonly are most troubled as we may see by the example of the Patriarchs of the Prophets of the Apostles of the Euangelists of the martyrs yea of Christ himselfe who was to be despised and to endure the shame of the crosse before he could be glorified r Heb 12.2 And therefore let vs remember what our Sauiour doth say of this matter in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew in these words Blessed are you speaking to his disciples when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for mysake falsely Reioyce be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Å¿ Matt. 5.11.12 And let vs also often thinke vpon that which Iames hath in his Epistle when he saith My brethren count it exceeding ioy when you fall into diuers temptations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth foorth patience and let patience haue her t Iam. 1.2.3.4 perfect worke that you may be perfect and entire lacking nothing Ob But here it may be obiected that a man may haue many troubles and yet be the child of the diuell according to Dauids saying Many sorrowes shall come to the wicked v Psalm 32.10 And according to that which is recorded in the Reuelation in these words And the fourth Angell powred out his viall on the Sunne it was giuen vnto him to torment men with heate of fire and men boyled in great heate and blasphemed the name of God which hath power ouer these plagues and they repented not to giue him glory And the fift Angell powred out his viall vpon on the throane of the beast and his kingdome waxed darke and they gnew their tongue with sorrow blasphemed the God of heauen for their paines and for their sores and repented not of their works w Re. 16.8.9.10 An It is true but to make a difference you must consider three remarkeable points The first is the cause of their troubles For the old saying is Non poena sed causa facit
true righteousnes wrought in the soule of one cannot there bee suppressed but will spread it selfe abroad and worke vpon others for their conuersion In one word then hee which would be reputed righteous and yet keepeth in all his righteousnes to himselfe and doth not impart it vnto others may iustly bee suspected to haue little or no sound righteousnesse at all within him Thus farre for the person of whome the Prophet doth speake Now let vs come to the things whereof hee doth speake The troubles saith hee of the righteous are many By the word Troubles you must vnderstand all such things as doe molest or disquiet him The Hebrew word is Ranghoth in the plurall number Ranghoth of Raughah in the singular And howsoeuer it be taken now and then Adiectiuely for that which is sinfull or painefull yet here it is put substantiuely and doth note out Euils or afflictions not euils as they are sinnes but as they are chastisemeÌ„ts For euill is of 2. sorts the one is Malum Culpae and the other is malum paenae the one the euill of sinne the other is the euill of punishment And well may euils or afflictions be called Troubles euen of the effects of them because they are wont to trouble such as haue them You see now the meaning of the words the doctrine arising from them is this That good men and good women shall haue troubles heere in this world Looke how many will truely feare the Lord and taking hold of Christ Iesus by a liuely faith will carefully endeuour to walke in Gods commandements to the ende of their dayes they shall haue crosses and troubles there afflictions tribulations do belong to them and they shall be sure to haue their portion therein So much may we gather out of Esayes words when hee saith Behold I and the children meaning the true members of Christ that were willing to heare obey the words of God wherof he spake before whome the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israel by the Lord of Host which dwelleth in mount Sion g Esay 8.18 So much we may gather out of Ieremies words when hee saith Heare I pray you all people and behold my sorrow speaking of the church of God vnder his owne person My Virgines and my young men are gone into captiuitie I called for my Louers but they deceiued mee my Priests and mine elders perished in the city while they sought their meate to refresh their soules Behold ô Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell mine heart is turned within me for I am full of heauines the sword spoyleth abroad as death doth at home They haue heard that I mourn but there is none to comfort me all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble are glad that thou hast done it h Lament 1.18.19 20 21. So much we may gather out of Zacharies words when he saith Arise ô sword vpon my Shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hoasts smite the shepheard and the sheepe shal be scattered I will turne mine hand vpon the lettle ones And in all the Land saith the Lord two parts therein shall bee cut off dye but the third shall be left therein And I will bring that third part through the fire and will fine them as the siluer is fined and will trie them as the gold is tryed They shall call on my Name and I will heare them I will say It is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God i Zach. 13.7.8.9 So much we may gather out of Christs words when he saith Behold speaking to his disciples I send you as sheepe in the mids of wolues Beware of men for they will deliuer you vp to the councels will scourge you in their Synagogues And the brother shall betray the brother to death and the Father the Sonne and the Children shall rise against their Parents and shall cause them to die And yee shall be hated of all men for my Name k Mat. 10.16.17.18.21.22 So much wee may gather out of Paules wordes when hee saith For wee are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the Angels and to men vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place and labour working with our own hands we are reuiled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it wee are euill spoken of and we pray wee are made as the filth of the world 1. Cor. 4.9.1 the off-scowring of all things vnto this time So much lastly may wee gather to omit many other places out of Dauids words when he saith haue mercy vpoÌ„ meô Lord for I am iÌ„ trouble mine eye my soule my belly are consumed with griefe For my life is wasted with heauinesse my yeares with mourning my strength faileth for my paines and my bones are consumed I was a reproach among all mine enemies but especially among my neighbours and a feare to mine acquaintance who seeing mee in the streete fledde from mee I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde I am like a broken vessell for I haue heard the rayling of great men feare was on euery side while they conspired together against me and consulted to take my life m Psalm 31.9.10.11 Obiect But what may the causes heereof bee Is it because they are more base then others by their stocke and parentage Answ No For in that respect they are the honourablest persons in all the world as beeing begotten and borne not of mortall but of immortall seed euen of GOD himselfe n Ioh. 1.13 Is it because they are more wicked then others by their workes and wayes No for in that respect they are the holiest persons in all the world as beeing washed from their sinnes o Reu. 1.5 and as hauing their conuersation aboue in the heauens themselues p Phil. 3.20 Is it because they are more detestable in the eyes of God then others by their estate and condition No for in that respect they are the dearest q Prou 15.9 Acts 10 â—5 Ioh. 14.23 persons vnto him in all the world as being incorporated into the body of his Sonne and made his children by adoption r Ephes 1.4.5 Is it because they are more beggarly then others by their portion of goods and inheritance here below No for in that respect they are the richest persons in all the world if not by profession yet by right as beeing the heires of all things yea coheyres with Christ of euery thing s Rom. 8.17 So that a man may say to them as Paul did to the Corinthians in these words Let no man reioyce in men for all things are yours whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they bee things present or things to come euen all are yours t 1. Cor. 3.21.22 It is
the lands from the East and from the West from the North n Psalm 6.68.19 and from the South And he doth often repeate this saying in the same Psalme Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindenesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men That is euer true which is in Hoseah where the Lord doth say O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in mee is thy helpe o Hds 13.9 For this cause I beseech you beloued brethren let none of vs sacrifice vnto our owne net or burne incense vnto our owne yarne but whensoeuer any of vs are deliuered out of any danger or distresse let vs blessed the Name of the Lord our God for the same and put that in practise which is required of vs by the prophet Dauid when he saith Yee sonnes of the mighty giue vnto the Lord glory and strength giue vnto the Lord glory due vnto his Name worshippe the Lord in his glorious Sanctuary p Psalm 29.1.2 The second is that in all troubles the righteous must runne to God they must seeke him out and labour to haue his fauour and assistance They must not looke vnto themselues or rest vpon their owne strength for they are weake and vnable for to helpe themselues That which Christ said in one sense is true in this Without mee yee can doe nothing q Ioh. 15.5 Neither must they look to man for all the world is against them r Ioh. 15.19 But they must looke to the Lord their God saying with Israel Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord For he hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp after two dayes will hee reuiue vs and in the third day he will raise vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight s Hos 6.1.2 Saying with Iehoshaphat when the Moabites Ammonites and the Idumeans of Mount-Seir came to battell against him O our God wilt thou not iudge them For there is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that coÌ„meth against vs neither doe we know what to doe but our eyes are towards thee t 2. Chron. 2.20 Saying with Dauid Haue mercie vpon mee ô GOD haue mercie vpon me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shaddow of thy wings will I trust till these afflictions ouerpasse I will call vpon the most high GOD euen to the God that performeth his promise towards me He will send from heauen saue mo froÌ„ the reproofe of him that would swallow me Selah God wil send his mercie truth v Psalm 57.10 Saying with Asa when the Aethyopians came against him with an Hoast of ten hundred thousand and three hundred charrets Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe with many or with no power helpe vs ô Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name are we come against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee w 2. Chro. 14.11 Saying with Herechia O lord God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth Lord bow down thine eare heare Lord open thine eyes and behold and heare the words of Sanacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God Now therefore ô Lord our God I beseech thee saue thou vs out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou ô Lord art onely God x 2. King 19.10.16.19 Saying lastly with the godly in the psalme I lift vp mine eyes to thee that dwellest in the heauens Behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their maisters and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the haâ—d of her mistris So our eyes wayte vpon the lord our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. y Psal 123.1.2 O my brethren there is much gadding abroad but I beseech you let vs not wander as others do therein We must not with Pharaoh relie vpon enchaunters Wee must not with Saul relye vpon witches we must not with Asa relye vpon physitions we must not with Israel rely vpon the Aegiptians we must not with Iezabel relie vpon Idols we must not with papists relie vpon the dead or canonized saints we must not with the worldling relie vpon the wedge of golde or earthly wealth we must not in a word with Goliah relie vpon our own strength or power But we must relye vpon the Lord our God We I say who are professors who are Christians who are the visible members of the Church who are the true children of God Gol. euen all wee I say must relie onely vpon the Lord our God whatsoeuer others doe besides Sother Ereptor Surely he onely must be our Goel our Soter our Ereptor that is our Redeemer our Sauiour our deliuerer Hee must bee our strength our refuge our shield our rock our fortresse and the horne of our saluation As Dauid doth speake in the 18. Psalme and 2. verse And therfore I pray let vs do euermore as that good man did who said Whom haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in the earth with thee My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer For loe they that withdraw themselues from thee shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee As for me it is good for me to draw neer to God Therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord that I may declare all thy works z Psalm 73.24 The third is a comfort vnto the righteous against all their troubels Reioyce ô daughter Zion saith Zophonie be ye ioyfull ô Israel be glad and reioyce with all thine hart ô daughter Ierusalem The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements he hath cast out thine enemie the king of Israel euen the Lord is in the middest of thee thou shalt see no more euill a Zeph. 3.14 Feare not said God vnto Israel his people for I am with thee be not affraid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and help thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish b Esa 41.10 Doubtles as Dauid gaue charge vnto the souldiers that they should not kill Absolom his sonne though he sent them against Absolom to stay his rebellion so God doth command crosses not to destroy his childreÌ„ though he send them against his children either to correct them or to trie them And therefore as the viper lept vpon Paul and lept of againe so troubles leape vpon the righteous and leaps off againe as though they had mistaken the partie and rapt at the wrong doore Looke then how all the accusers went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen to the last and left the