ship to set up the Mast to fit the tackling open the Sayles and order the men that use the Oares all this care and industry will not advantage him if he launch not the ship into the deep from the shoare or make a short returne so soone as it is launched And truly we are most of us like to those builders who lay a foundation but erect not an house upon it With some unskilfull Oratours we begin with a plausible exordium but seldom come to a good conclusion We often set up our sailes with the foolish Marriners but so soone as ever a storm begins to rise we returne to the Haven from whence we came This saying is much and frequent in our mouths I will do this or that I will amend my evill courses yet we do just nothing and mend too late when our Glass is run and our time quite spent when we receive worthily the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord Iesus then we have in a manner begun our race then we have set footing in a new course but how often is it seen may it be spoken with griefe that we run but halfe-way and then either stand still or lye downe panting and weary of well-doing And thus fainting in the mid'st of our course we spend the remainder of our dayes not like those who had made a solemne promise to God of forsaking their evill wayes This promise we make when we partake of that heavenly banquet I meane the holy Eucharist Man is counted the most prudent of all creatures but Polybius once said he thought him the most foolish for other creatures observe where and from whom they receive any hurt and shun them Therfore having escap'd the gin never ventures himselfe in that place againe The Wolfe will never rest himselfe in that hoie where he has been hunted the Dog remembers the Cudgell wherewith he has been beaten But man as if he were made up of oblivion forgets the dangers he has escap'd and will lay his hand upon the hole of that Aspe which stung him he will unadvisedly put his foot into that snare out of which he is escap'd and which he knowes will be his ruine God complaines by his Prophet Jsay of his peoples forgetfullness where he sayes Thou hast not laid these things to thy heart neither hast thou remembred thy latter end Yet I said when my people had don all this against mee Returne and they would not convert nor be turned Contrition and sorrow for sin without correction and amendment of our lives Bern. 3. de vig. nat dom will do us no good sayes St. Bern. when one man builds and another pulls down they get nothing but their labour for their paines And he that having touch'd the dead is wash'd from his pollution and touches the same corps again receives no benefit at all by his Washing Amendment is the companion of true contrition in the penitent and it discovers it sefe by these effects by the restrayning of our disorderly apetites mortyfying our luxuriousness depressing our pride and forcing our bodies to serve God in all purity and holiness which before served the Devill in a constant practise of prophaness we promise many times to performe all these good duties but before the day goes about nay sometimes e're an houre be passed we forget our promises and lick up our vomit by returning to the mud and filth of our former sins and from a godly sorrow and mourning for impieties We pass to our former madness and Iovialties saying with them in Isay c. 56. ult Come let us take wine and fill our selves with strong drink Ex. 9. and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant We are almost of the same disposition with Pharoah who so soon as the Rain and Haile and Thunder had ceased hardned his heart and multiplied his sins Even after we have obtain'd pardon oftentimes we grow worse then we were before that God had forgiven us How often does it come to pass that by reason of sinnes strange metamorphosis in the morning we are like sheep for our mild and well-temper'd meekness but in the evening we appeare to be Lions and Tigers for our cruesty and sierceness How often are we Angells in the morning in the evening scarce found to be men but incarnat Devills Thus we assume shape after shape and change one vizard with another and that we use more frequently which is most deform'd and ugly Thus from vessells of honour we turne our selves into vessells of shame like changlings we lose our name and alter our condition we were borne to be sons of God but we make our selves the sons and servants of Sathan But as sick men sayes St. Chrys unless they alwayes live orderly and observe a diet receive no good by their Physick No although for three or foure dayes they observe the rules and precepts of their Physitians even so sinners unless they be alwayes sober and watchfull in prayer will reap no benefit by two or three houres correction and amendment I have seen young Chickens lately hatch'd and fledg'd running about a Yard and catching at flies and wormes which to them are great delicacies whilst they were thus busied in hunting after their prey a Kite hoverd over the place hoping to make them his And thus that winged pyrat hanging in the Ayre and playing in an uncertaine motion upon the wing watched narrowly and observed the careless behaviour of those little creatures and at last when an opportunity was offer'd fell dovvne into the Yard with that swiftness as if he had been shot from heaven and seising upon one of them vvith great violence did fly speedily avvay vvith it trembling and quaking at the approach of death The orher Chickins beholding this betooke themselves vvith all speed and celerity vvhich vvas caused by feare to their common sanctuary in distress and that is the shelter of the Hens vvings but there they lurk'd not long for presently all danger being forgotten and all feare laid aside they refusing to be any longer hid fly out from under their seather'd shield and as they did before run up and dovvne the Yard hunting after their food Anon comes the theef I meane the Kite againe and forthvvith snatcheth another up in his bill The rest terrified with this betook themselves againe to their known Asylum their mothers wings but with them the feare of danger lasts not long They came out the second and third time thus sporting with their destruction offering themselves a prey untill that ravenous bird had carried all of them away No otherwise doth death sport and play with us Here he snatches a Neighbour there A kins-man now a friend or brother we grieve and sigh for our loss and because we conceive and that not without just reason the danger to be imminent and neare at hand we sometime tremble too and promise amendment of our lives and manners But how long I
his will I should spin a songer thred of life I am content to doe it so long as he is pleass'd to will it Is God willing I should dye and be gathered to my Fathers my will joyfully meetes with his and I desire that death may arrest my bedy without all delayes I would not live a moment longer then God pleases My beginning is from God and he is my end the end of my Hope and whatsoever hee shall send and think fitting for mee I will entertaine and receave it with a cheerefull alacrity Phil. 1. imitating herein Saint Paul who thus sayes of-himselfe Christ is to me an advantage both in life and death My heart is enflam'd with the love of thee O my God and I desire to be more enflam'd Let my heart bee melted with this fire of love No creature O my most deare God besides thee can make mee blessed or any way happy And when shall I appeare in thy presence when O my God shall my winged Soule fly away from hence to thee and be at rest I follow thee Blessed Saviour I follow thee in my desires which then are most earnest when I come nearer to thee in any bodily griefe or Sicknesse Neither ought these desires to seeme strange in a good Christian for as a Physitian sayes Theophylact when he sees his patient loath that diet be prescribed and refuse to drink his potions he first tasts of them himselfe that by his example he may induce the sick man to admit of his Physick so Christ our blessed Saviour himselfe first drank of Death's bitter cup that wee his Servants his redeemed his followers might not bee afraid to pledge him but looke death in the face with that undaunted cheerefullnesse which becomes those who have God for their Father and Christ for their Redeemer And now Christian Brother although thou art of a fearefull nature strive to excite and raise thy fainting Spirits with these or such like Divine expressions Be speake God in the words of the Prophet David and say with an emboldened confidence and with a spirit unappal'd with the feare of Death I will receive the Cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. The Cup indeed is bitter Psal 116.12 it hath Wormwood in it but my Saviour hath sweetned it having first drank to mee of it when he suffered upon the Crosse for my sinnes That Cup is Deaths fatall potion which Christ tasted willingly to purchase our salvation and all must drinke of it without exception All men must why then should J alone refuse it who ever hee bee whether Prince or Peasant Bond or free that hath entered upon the Stage of mortality and hath begun to act his part in this life 's sinfull Tragedy he must necessarily have his Catastrophe he must have an end that he may begin to Act a better part in the Theater of heaven and beginne a new life which nver shall have end Hence then all vaine and idle feares A way all vexing griefe and tormenting sadnesse The Cup which my Heavenly Father puts into my hand which Christ has temperd with his sweetnesse and drank deepe of it shall I not drinke off that I who am mortall whose composirion tends to ruine shall not I make it my study and a part of my daily businesse to learne to die wee read that when Alexander and the Madonian lay sick of a desperate disease and some of his friends who were too scrupulous had suggested to him that his Phisition by name Philip intended to give him poyson in his Physick The King when hee beheld Philip comming with his potion he raised himselfe upon his Pillow and thus entertained his Physition with one hand hee gave him his friends letters to read with the other hee took the potion from Philip And putting it to his mouth hee fixed his Eye upon the Physitians face knowing that if guilt were in his Conscience it would discover it selfe by the speaking blushes of his countenance and when he was fully satisfied that no mischiefe was intended by his Physition whose face spake him not guilty in that it was not stain'd with a blushing confusion the King with great confidence drank up the potion Thus by Gods grace will I do in this lifes pilgrimage my Iesus my Physition and my sweet Saviour hath prepard and temperd for mee a Cup which will cast mee into a long and sweet sleepe whilst I drink of it I will fasten my eyes upon his and fix my looke upon the gratious countenance of my Crucified Lord In the which I may read written in the bloody Characters of his passion his excessive love to mee and then with a Martyr like and cheerfull spirit I vvill drink off the potion vvhich the more bitter it is is better for us and the more vvholesome By this meanes deare Christian Brother may the sting of Death be blunted the force of his blow weakned and Death it selfe may be conquer'd if wee arme our selves against it by holy meditations if it be often thought on and never feared SYMBOLVM II. Promptitudo ad mortem Coarctor autem e duobus desiderium habens dissolui et esse cum Christo ad Philipp Cap. 1. Embleme 3. Frequenting of the Sacrament This is the bread which cometh downe from heaven that hee which eateth of it should not die Iohn 6.56 The third Signe A frequent use or receiving of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Set out by a golden Cup with these words taken out of the. 6. IOHN 56. This is the bread which commeth downe from Heaven that be which eatch of it should not die WEE read in the 2. Acts 42. that the primitive Christians who were converted to the Faith by Christ and his Appostles were not daunted by the fury of their Enemies not discourag'd in their profession by their persecutors malice but continued as the Text speakes in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayers And it is observed by some that when the religious custome of frequenting the communion flagg'd and ceased Then that fervency of Spirit and ardor of love grew could Then that Sanctity or holinesse began to decay which before shined in the lives and Actions of those Christians who were burning and shining lights in their example and practice of all holy performances here the Divell bends all the force of his endeavours in this one thing he labours with all his art and cunning to hinder as many as hee can from the frequent use of the Eucharist or holy Communion And good God how many obstacles how many lets and impediments hath he invented how many rubbs has he laid in our way to retardate our intentions and stop the progresse of our devotion sometimes he shaks our Faith with the blasts of doubting feares when this suggestion succeeds not and takes no effect then he colours his Tentation and suggests to our soules that great reverence wherewith we should
for mee if thou defirest my love should continue and abide in thee answere it with the like affection and as I loved thee so loue mee againe I loued thee to death my loue nailed mee to thee crosse but tell mee how sar shall thy loue cary thee when Christ our louing redeemer shall thus bespeake the conscience what man that is predestinate will not returne this answer drowning first his cheekes with a flood of teares O my deare Saviovr my most loving Lord I will love thee euen to death yea to the death of the Crosse if thou shalt be â—se pleased to call me to it And O my Iesus my most sweete Jesus would to God I might be so honourd as to dy for thee but what am I that I should think my selfe worthy to dy for thy sake to set forth thy praise and to aduance thy Glory And how great is thy love oh my life and joy which moved thee to suffer so much alone and to dye for mee Such heavenly dialogues such holy sighs and groanes are wont to be the Colloquies that passe betweene Christ and the soules of Communicants who are his elect ones his Sons and Servants And by such inward and familiar discourses is God united Intimately to their soules And for this cause we make a frequent receiving of the holy Eucharist a sure and Infalsible signe of praedestination If wee come to that sacred banquet with due preparation with hearts purgd from all rantour and malice and adorn'd with faith and godly purposes of new obedience But for all that is taught us in Bookes and out of the Pulpits the greatest part of Christians are so lull'd asleepe and besotted with an evill custom that neitherexamples of the godly nor admonitions of Gods Saints can stir them up and mould them to a more frequent use of the Sacrament Poore soules such men are to bee lamented withteares whose hearts are so flinty whose breasts are so chill'd and frozen as it were with Infidelity that they shun this bright shining and most glorious Sun not considering that they are deluded by the craft and subtilty of Satan who labours by all meanes possible to extinguish the fire of divine love in us that wee being as it were stiffe with could with the want of love to God may live like dead men and dye in our sinnes and never come to the land of the living but hee that loves Christ with an ardent affection desires nothing more then to bee where Christ is so sayes Cassidorus Wee may laugh at him for folly and Ignorance who sayes he loves his friend yet desires not his presence SYMBOLVM III. Frequens Sacramentorum confessionis et coÌ„munionis usus Hic est panis de caelo descendens ut si quis ex ipso manducauerit non moriatur Ioan. 6. Embleme IV. Renouncing All Worldly things What things were gaine to me those I counted losse for Christ Philip. 3. v 7 The fourth Signe The Renouncing and leaving all things for Chirst set out by this Symboll An Altar naked and uncoverd The words taken out of the 3. PHIL. 7. But the things which were vantage or a gaine to me those I counted losse for Christs sake OVR blessed Saviour proclaimes by his holy Apostle Hee that forsaketh not all things that he possesseth he cannot bee my Disciple Hee hath commanded us to renounce all hee hath perswaded us to renounce all hee hath perswaded us to leave all to wit in our affections and to follow the example of his holy life adhering to his Heavenly Doctrine So let every one whâ—ose high-borne soul speaks him to be of a more noble stock then to cleave and stick fast in his love to things of the Earth Let every-Christian say out of a setled Resolution I had rather be most sharply pinched with poverty then in the least manner shew my selfe to be Gods enemy I had rather be spoild of all my Goods then want his soule saving grace poverty hath beene the cause that many have turn'd rich Merchants not of fine silke nor of sweet and costly spices but of Heaven and happinesse The Kingdome of heaven sayes our deare Saviour is like unto a Merchant man seeking precious Jewells and when he had found one hee went and sould all that he had and bought it That Merchant thought it not a losse but a great gaine to loose all his wealth and substance Indeed hee was no sooser but only a seller because by parting with his money he purchas'd a gemme of great price and value He gave to Christ in his poore members a little earthly trash and for this Christ gave him an Acquittance under his hand to repay him in mercy with the reward of heaven Hee contemned his Gold and had eternall glory in pawne for it He was ready if God had beene so pleas'd to have forsaken all his Lands and possessions and for this willing readinesse and subjection to the will of God hee has gotten a Kingdome which hath no bounds being Insinite and without all extent and limitation Hee that has a Jewell in his possession sayes Chrysostome very well knowes himselfe to be rich although it be unknown to others by reason that his Jewell is hid or shut up in a bagge So it is with a faithfull Christian he knowes himselfe to be in a happy state although the men of the world think otherwise from whose eyes his faith and inward vertues are hid To speake truly we were sent by God into this world to negotiate not to spend our time in florh and riot and there is none so poore and indigent but may do as that Merchant did he may make a purchase of Jewelss which are inestimable not to bee prizd or valued Hee that hath gotten Christ hath all things hee has God for his friend who is all in all A God of mercy and bounty who seeks us when wee are lost and desires not our goods but only to save us as St. Aug. sweetly meditates to bestow upon us the riches of his mercy and goodnesse Neither is there any that so abounds in wealth and large possessions but that hee may without feare of losse throw away and disesteeme all those to procure these unions these gemmes of Gods grace Yet this Merchandise this trading for Grace exacts not of us that actually wee leave and forsake our riches but that we be in a preparation or readinesse of mind if need be to part with them The manner of this Negotiation is not to expend all our money to give away our meanes in a lavish and prodigall profusnesse but to be ever resolv'd with full purpose of our hearts rather to have mercy or our soules sav'd then by sparing our money to bring them to eternall woe and misery A good and faithfull Christian had rather bee a beggar then Gods enemy We must not lay downe our soule for our money but our money for our soules eyther by a voluntary or free contribution of it or by
of Good comfort my friends this is but a cloud which will soone vanish Indeed whatsoever horror or griefe we sustaine in this life it is a cloud that darkens all our contents and it is but a Cloud which shall be scattered and driven away by the serenity and shining lustre of that everlasting day wherein all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes Among the Ancients those that were most laborious would let no day passe without a line as their manner of phrase was i.e. no day slipt in which no good was done so carefull were they to make a Progresse in their study and improve their profession But Christians being as Active as those were in the businesse of their calling desire that no day may passe over their head without a cloud that so they may have an occasion to expresse by suffering their love to their Lord God The Heavens saith Tert. were to Job Tert. Li. de pat c. 13 not only clouded but also turnd as it were into Brasse and Iron and yet that holy man out of his quiver of graces did draw a shaft which subdued the Devill and put him to flight and that was patience whereby hee overcame all Satans temptations So that neither the driving away of his flocks nor the death of his sons by the fall of the house nor all the paines and torments which he sufferd in his flesh could drive him from his patient resolution to endure all this and an heavier burthen if God should please to lay it upon him How did God as it were erect in this holy man a pageant whereon he triumphd over Satan what a glorious banner did he set up in signe of the Devills foyle when that holy man at the report of each Messenger utterd nothing out of his mouth but God be thanked This did torment the Devill but was most pleasing to God By this meanes Job recovered all his losses with a double gaine and advantage whilst wee are suffering for the truth of Christ with a good conscience we are on our march to heaven and happinesse There be divers wayes that lead to heaven the safest and most sure of all is the high way of the crosse for through many Tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of God Act 14. And as the Potters Vessels are tried in the Furnace so Tribulation is the tryall of the Just Only the chaffe is wasted and consumed in the Furnace so the wicked are the worse for their afflictions The Gold is purified in the fire and the Godly are bettered by their misery This world is a furnace the Righteous are Gold Tribulation the fire And God be it spoken with reverence the Artificer Iâ— the Gold which is under the hand of the Smith could speak if it had so much sence to understand and know what the Goldsmith did purpose to do with it which is perhaps to make a Vessell of it for a Kings Table or a Princes Cupboord if the Gold understood so much if it had a voyce it would resigne up it selfe to the will of the artificer it would say Let him do with me as he thinks fit Aug. in Psal 60. cast mee into what shape or fashion he pleases throw me into what place hec will therewith I must and will be contented The Straw and stubble which the Workman uses to kindle that fire wherein I am melted that is wasted and wholly consum'd whilst I am onely purgd and purified Consider this all yee that represent Chaffe and Stubble ponder this all yee that are Gods Gold In that fire wherein Straw and Stubbl is turnd into a black smoak Gold shines and is made the brighter In the very same affliction the wicked blaspheme and accuse God of Injustice in the which the righteous patiently bearing their Crosse praise God for his mercy and loving kindnesse and withall gather strength from their adversity as the fire whose flame is beaten back with the Bellowes growes hotter and is increasd by that very meanes whereby one would think it should be extinguisht Vertue best showes it selfe in extremity and flourishes when it is most tossed with the waves of misery If we run back in our thoughts and take account of all those who from the very first Infancy of the world were deare to God we shall assuredly find that they were all stampt with this mark that they all sufferd affliction which we make a certaine signe of Gods love and affection God tried them sayes the wiseman and found them worthy of himselfe Wisd 3. deseruing his favour and to have with him an habitation If wee look into the Scriptures there we shall find Abraham diversly exercised and chastised Ioseph sold by his Brethren and David persecuted by his ungratefull Son We read that Efay was saw'n asunder Ezechiels braines dasht out against the stones Ieremy stond Michah staine with the sword Amos murderd by a nail struck into his Temples Daniel exposed to the Lyons Mâ—aboth as Jeremy was ston'd to death Elisha mock'd and had in derision Iob full of uscers sitting upon the Dunghill and spit at by those who should have comforted him Tobie strucken with blindnesse Innocent Susanna condemned Many more examples might be alleadged to confirm this truth In what an Ocean of miseries was St. Paul plungd of the other Apostles some were whip'd some crucified some slaine with the sword None of Gods sons were ever spared For whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth and scourgeth every one none excepted whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 For all those who will live Godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Yet let every one who doth serve and worship thee O Lord know for a certain that if in this life hee be tryed by the Cross hee shall bee crown'd in the other with glory and Salvation Because that after a storm thou ever dost send a calm after teares and weeping thou fillest our hearts with joy and exultation Therefore blessed is the man who is chastisd by God for his correction and amendment For if we suffer we shall Raigne with him 1 Tim. 2.12 Let then no man be afraid to be scourgd but rather least he be disinherited We are fitted and prepar'd for our eternall inheritance by losses and Crosses by stripes and whippings with which God doth exercise us in the way to heaven least our thoughts being taken up with deceiving vanities and so we delighting too much in fading pleasures here below forget our heavenly Country which is above and whither we wish all to goe If thou be exempted from the lash of Sorrowes sayes Aug. thou hast no place in the list of Gods sons Throw away then all childish thoughts and vaine expressions say not my Father is better affected to my Brother whom he suffers to do what he list he loves him better then mee because if I stirr but one foot contrary to his command I am presently whipped and corrected for it Rejoyce rather when thou art chastised
is hard and the taske difficult But know sayes St. Aug. that the harder the work is the more gratefull will it be to God and profitable to us There be many kinds of Almes which God in mercy and for Christs merits is pleasd to accept Act. 10. as he did those of Cornelius but no Almes more acceptable no sacrifice so pleasing to him as when from the very ground of our hearts we forgive them that offend and trespasse against us Christ when he hung fast nail'd to the Crosse had his Tongue only free from the wounds of nayles and lash of Whips and he thus hanging upon that cursed and shamefull Tree used that his sacred Tongue in prayer and supplication for those who had crucified him with their hands and revild him with their reproachfull Tongues So eloquent and potent an advocate was he even for the Iewes and other his adversaries Neither did Christ â—n this want Disciples or followers though they were but a few that conform'd themselves to this his most godly practise When Stephen pray'd for those that stond him heaven presently opend as if the Saints Angels in heaven were delighted with so rare a spectacle or sight to wit a man praying for those by whom he was murderd This protomartyr Stephen stood when he commended his owne cause to God but pray'd kneeling for his enemies and withall Act. 7. Saw heaven opend and Jesus standing at the right hand of God If it be lawfull O Lord Almighty for sinfull flesh and blood to pry into thy Actions by a curious enquiry Give me leave blessed God to put this bold question unto thee Lord what is it that thou now doest how hasty is thy mercy and goodness how doest thou make hast to help and save us how different is the method of thy proceedings from ours with us the fight goes before the reward or triumph but behold now a Saint rewarded before he had fully conquerd Before Stephens mouth was open'd Heavens Gates were unlock'd and opend so that he presently Saw the Glory of God What man is there that liveth that whilst he lives can see God and shall not see Death This holy Martyr Stephen vvas yet alive in the flesh vvhen he did partake of the beatificall vision O vvonderfull mercy worthy of all Admiration God never openly shewes himselfe to his Servants but in Heaven vvhich is his dwelling place vvhy vvas it then that happiness broke as I may so say out of Heaven Gates and ran to meet Stephen in the mid vvay of his race This Champion vvas as yet in the field he vvas yet wrastling upon the stage of this world and in this conflict between life and Death the flesh and the spirit he prayed and that for his enemies O happy and powerfull Prayer that could open Heaven But let us weigh the cause why his reward was so hastily bestowd It is this Our remission and pardoning of Injuries our earnest deprecation and interceding for our Enemies is so gratefull and pleasing to God that now when Stephen was upon his knees this most mercifull Lord layes aside his dreadfull Majesty dispences with his royall law of crowning after victory prevents this first Martyr with a rare and extraordinary mercy and commands the most beautifull Queen of Heaven Happiness to step out of those celestiall doores to embrace this blessed Champion in her Armes at the Threshold before those doores that so he that rewarded his deadly Enemies his persecutors with love and pour'd out prayers and teares to God in their behalf might contrary to the statute law of Heaven be call'd to triumph before Death was fully conquer'd And this is a royall priviledge indulged only to those who can and do forget and forgive Injuries Hence we may inferre that to do an ill turne not to suffer one is hurtfull to a man and full of danger for that thereby he makes God his adversary and loseth his favour who is pleased with and delights only in those that can suffer patiently and readily forgive an Injury David a man of meekness and after Gods owne heart who had fought with Lions and Beares and often got the conquest yet he being so valiant as that no feare or terrour could abate his couragious valour when his raging and most cruell enemy Saul oftentimes fell into his hands and was at his mercy yet he chose rather to spare then kill him and bore as it were before him this motto in his triumphant Banner Jf I have rewarded evill to those that repaid my good will with discourtesies Psalm 6. then let me be overthrowne and fall before mine enemies So St. Paul although he was of that brave and stout spirit that he challengd an Army of Spirituall adversaries with Death and Hell into the field and bid them open defiance yet he was mercifull and gentle to his enemies 1 Cor. 4. that he said Being cursed we blesse being persecuted we suffer being defam'd we beseech c. his example may be to us a Pattern of meek patience It is the most noble and generous kind of reveng to pardon when thou hast power to punish And it is a more glorious Act to overcome an Enemy by silence then by a multitude of words Prov. 20. It is an honour for a man to abstaine from strife Ambr. saith that to revenge is not an Act of fortitude or courage but of an abject minde and base cowardise He that revenges himself overcomes not but is overcome by his enemies And of this opinion is the Prince of Philosophers who sayes thus As it argues a weak stomack not to be able to digest hard meat that is put into it so it is an argument of a pusillanimous spirit Arist l. 4. E. h. c. 3. not to be able to beare with an angry word A man can not give a clearer testimony or demonstration that he is a true Christian then by loving his enemy For the exercise of our vertues our piety and patience we have need either of a most syncere friend or most sharp enemy who is more Injurious to himself then thou or any man can be Chrysostome said truly that a desire of Reveng in the heart is more hurtfull then a Viper whose poyson is incurable Hom. 41. in Act. Neither is it a lesse evill to repay an injury then to offer it He that strikes his Enemy gives himselfe his deadly wound and he that wounds himself we count him a mad-man or a fool This is to take coales out of the fire but first to burne out owne fingers and then throw them upon another Thus is the Author of any evill at first or last punished by it when he against whom it was intended escapes oftentimes unhurt or unpunished Whosoever hateth another man woundeth his owne soule and he that loveth not Lact deira dei To 3. bideth in death But what soever may be said to the contrary It is an hard thing for flesh and blood to
God what man is there who is not ready to retort and say To me belongs revenge and I will repay it God opposes this bold reply once againe in the Scriptures Rom. â—2 Vengance is mine and I will repay it Here flesh and blood dares once more oppose its maker and say nay Lord Vengence I will challenge it is mine and I will repay it Thou art too easy to be entreated thy Revenge comes slowly and oftentimes too late Thus out of a rash and wicked boldness we dare challenge Gods prerogative and invade his royall priviledge Out of his hand we snatch the Sword which he only should draw to cut off our enemies and being the party offended contrary to all equity we take upon us the property of a Judge Rufsinus Aquiliensis Ruff. l. 3. n 77. Pelag. lib. n. 10. and many other Greek Interpreters tell us that a certaine man having sustaind a great Injury made his complaint to one Sisojus a most Religious old man a Magistrate in that place so also he described with bitter and sharp invectives the manner of his Injury being so me words of disgrace and withall beseechd him saying Suffer me to shew my selfe a man and to revenge my selfe on my adversary But the good old man did earnestly request him that he would not by shewing himself a man turne Devill and also advised him to leave all Revenge to God who is a strong and unresistable revenger of the wicked who for the Injuries they do to Gods servants shall not escape but be certainely punished But I am resolv'd said the other not to pardon my enemy and never to desist till I have done to him as he hath done to me To whom the old man once againe replied thus I beseech you so prove your self to be a man that withall you forfeit not the name of Christian and attend to what reason dictates to you not to that which is enjoynd by the violent command of passion To this the other answers yes but reason tells us that he is not to be spard who wold not forbeare others To whom Sisoius thus once againe But my friend this thing thou speakest of is not in thy power to will or do The right and power of the sword in this cause belongs only to God The God to whom Vengeance belongs is the Lord of Heaven and has power to do what he will with his Creature this liberty is denyed to us And I suppose thou knowest what Christ has said not by way of Counsel but precept and command That we owe to our enemies not only pardon but also prayers love and courtesies My Father retorted the other to this my mind is like the troubled Sea and will never rest or be at quiet till I be avenged on my Adversary Seeing therefore replyed Sisoius thou art resolved to take revenge Let me advise thee not to be too hasty Let us I beseech you first present our requests to God in Prayer upon this both fel upon their knees and the old man Sisoius conceived a prayer in these words O God we present not our selves before thy Majesty to desire thy help or assistance for that at this time we have no need of it neither do we entreat thee to take any care for us for we will looke to and provide for our selves Vengeance belongs to us and we will repay it and we now are fully resolved to subdue our enemies and to bring them under our feet for the many injuries they have done us When the good old man had finished his prayer the other was so astonied with a confused amazement and shame that instantly he fell downe at the old mans feet and being thus prostrate he wept bitterly and promised that he would forgive his enemy and not revenge himself no not in word And indeed this is the Command of our just God this is the mark of Gods Sons willingly and readily to pardon those that offend them and when they have an opportunity to requite the offence with a beneficiall courtesie See sayes St. Paul that no man render evill for evill Thes 5. but alwayes follow that which is good both towards your selves and towards all men Thus Paul but Christ our Saviour has left us a more strict Injunction when he sayes more plainly But I say unto you that heare me Love your Enemies Lu. 6. do good to them that hate you bless them that curse you And as ye would that men should do unto you so do ye unto them And if you love those that love you what thanks have you for sinners do the same And if you do good to those that do good to you what thanks have you for Sinners do the same But I say unto you love your enemies and your reward shall be great and you shall be called the Sons of the most high because he is bountifull even to the ingratefull and to the wicked These duties good God thou commandest and largely doest thou promise but O Lord how many be there that will not lend to thee an eare how many are there in the World who prefer their lust and hatred before thy word and therefore they most audaciously profess they will not leave their malice nor by any threats be Esseminated into a facility of pardoning an offence Nothing is more pleasant to them then to pay their enemies with their owne Coyne to requite wound for wound and words for words And if God should do by them as he did by Salomon offer to give them what they did wish 1. K. 3. I beleeve they would not as he did desire wisdom rather Revenge They undoubtedly would cry to God and say Lord give us the lives of our enemies and it shall suffice us Behold here a lively picture of the spirit of Revenge which uses to contemne Gods Law to esteeme little or nothing of his threats and not only not to suffer but to returne an Injury to be ragingly angry but for a small word to follow the violent motion of an unruly passion and to load an enimy with curses and execrations This desire of Revenge sayes Tertullian proceeds either from vaine-glory or malice Lib de pat c. 8.9.10.11 The former is every where by all wise men contemn'd The latter is most odious to God especially in this case because it doubles and repeats an evill which was but once committed For what difference is there betweene him that provokes a man by an Injury and him that is provok'd if he revenges himselfe but only this that the one is in the first place found guilty the other in the second both of wickedness and wronging God in that they disobey his word wherein we are taught if a man smite us on one cheek to turne the other and to tire our enemies in piety by our patience for by our patient bearing with their wicked doings we torment and vex them as it were with scourges and whips Tell me I pray you
whether or no we do not derogate from Gods honour when we arrogate to our selves the power of revenging and defending our selves God is the Arbitrator or Proctour of patience and if you commit the managing and care of your abuse to him he will be in thy behalfe Revenger commend your losse to his providence and you will fine him a Restorer trust him with thâ— cure of thy Grief and he will be thy Physitian or healer At the houre of death commend thy spirit into his hands and at the last great day he will be thy Rayser and reuniting thy body to thy soule he will glorifie both of them together in his heavenly Kingdome But an impatient and froward man may object and say with him in the Poet What shall I alwayes be a silent Auditor being so oft provok'd shall I never repay the wrong that is done unto mee so it is my Christian Brother never think thou of requiting an Injury although thou beest an hundred nay a thousand times abused if thou desirest to be reckon'd amongst Gods Sons commit thy self and thy cause to thy heavenly Fathers hands and with a patient silence suffer and beare with thy Adversaries malice My Children suffer patiently the wrath that is to come upon you from God Barue 4.15 for thine enemy hath persecuted thee but shortly thou shalt see his destruction and shalt tread upon his neck Thus did God once comfort his people by his servant Barue And by St. Paul he sayes He that has done wrong Col. 3.25 shall receive for the wrong which he hath done But perhaps thou wilt farther say well Sir I will forgive but never forget the injury Is it so indeed do ye think that God will be mocked do you think this kind of liberality is pleasing to God if it be so that you are resolved to do no otherwise then expect the same measure of bounty at the hands of the Lord. Should a man sayes Ecclesiasticus beare hatâ—ed against a man Eeclus 28.3 4. and desire forgiveness of God he will shew no mercy to a man that is like himself and will he aske forgiveness of his owne sins if he that is but flesh nâ—â—â—ish hatred and askâ— pardon of God who will entreat for that man I suppose none It is a vaine pretence of clemency and pitty to say I will not revenge such an Injury and yet never forget it Whatsoever thou givest and forgivest give and forgive it entirely or else for ever dispaire of mercy from God you know what Christ threatens in the Gospell So shall my heavenly Father do unto you Mat. 81. â— if ye forgive not every one his Brother from your hearts To this some great one may object All this I beleeve to be true and I vvould readily vvithout much adoe forgive and pardon my enemy but I am a man of publicke Authority No man shall think to abuse me and go unpunished I must and vvill defend my honour vvhich is Ecclips'd and my reputation vvhich is stained Such ansvvers have fallen from some mens lips but I beseech you Christian Brethren let us not play the Sophisters and dispute the case in so serious a point that concerns our salvation saye aside all painted phrases and all expressions gilded vvith a pretence of colourable excuses Saint Stephen was one that bare a publick office yet he threw not back a stone against those that ston'd him neither would he defend his honour so as to forfeit his Religion but cried out with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sin to their charge In like manner our crucified Lord and Saviour Christ Iesus did not as the Son of man only but also as the Son of God utter these words with devout teares to his Heavenly Father Father forgive them There is no mortall man of so great Majesty and worth but that he may without any the least blot to his reputation forgive an injury offered to his person Thou shalt not seek revenge Levit. 19. nor be mindfull of an injury from any of the Children of thy people So God by his servant Moses exhorts all Magistrates But thou wilt say I never gave that knave any cause of offence It may be so and I must tell thee if a cause had bin ministred that which thou sustainest could not be termed an Injury but it would be said that thou hadst hurt him and he wounded thee But what do you meane by talking of a Cause wherein did Ioseph trespass against his Brethren when he told them his Dreame And yet even Ioseph the Viceroy of Aegypt though so abus'd in a generous and brave silence buried all his injuries and rewarded them with great benefits which his Brethren who had sold him received at his hands But you will object and say But Sir the Injury is no small nor light one But now why do you exaggerate the greatness of your Ingury if the offences which thou forgivest be small thy praise will not be great And unless thou be exercisd with great crosses and Jujuries never expect to be famous for thy great vertues ' Heare what St. Hier. c. 5. in Mat. 9. Hierome sayes God is be it spoken with reverence a Smith his enemies are his Files and Hammers by which he purges and takes off our dross from us and being thus purg'd polish'd he stampes upon our soules the Image of holliness But let me ask thee whosoever thou beest that complainest of thy sufferings hast thou been ston'd with Paul hast thou ever been scourged and crucified with Christ No let this then teach thee humility and patience In that thou art not in so bad a case as thy betters But I am of a Noble he of a base parentage why should he not then feel the smart of my revenge poore mistaken man you are both of the earth earthy yours may be of the better meld yet dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne as well as thy poorer Adversary If a desire of revenge overcome thee thou art not of the Son of the nobles but a servant of sin and wickedness Ecclus. 28. Remember therefore thy latter end and cease to live in enmity in debate and strife Thou maist say after all this Although I Revenge not my selfe upon mine enemy although I forbeare to do this yet I cannot so Command my passion as not to have a will and great desire to it Thou maist if thou wilt command thy affections But so long as thou doest minister to thy mind matter for thy hatred to feed on thy thoughts before God are as bitter as Wormewood thou bearest in thy brest nettles Thornes Thistles with which thy conscience is miserably wrack'd and tortur'd Againe Thou wilt say I burne with the flame of revengfull thoughts Let me tell thee unless thou put out and extinguish this fire betimes thou wilt cause God to shut thee out of Heaven to lock the gate of it upon thee and to doome thee to that
and fixed Excell 〈◊〉 is that saying of Epictetus an heathen man I have sayes he so framed my will that in all things it is conformable to the wil of God Is it his will to scorch mee with a burning feaver I presently submitt and say so will I would he have me attempt any difficulty I wil. would he have me enjoy the goods of this world I wil. Not enjoy them but to be poore I will Is it his will I should die I will And seeing now my will is changed into Gods so that what he wills I will no man may will or hinder me from doing that vvhich is Good Oh! hovv may this brave spirit in an heathen put us to the blush vvhat a shame is it for Gospell not to discerne those things which are seene by those who were wrap'd up in the darke night of blindness and Ignorance Let us then as we outstrip them in knowledge so exceed them in Devotion and say Thy will be done Thine O our God thine not ours be â—â—ne by us in earth as it is in heaven wherefore a me your selves 1 Mac. 3.58 and be valiant men and be ready to fight against the Nations your sins and vices and encourage your selves in the fight and in all your distresses with the words of Iudas to his brethren As the will of God is in heaven so be it v. 60. The Towne clock or that which belongs to the Church is a president for all the rest in the Towne to go by by it they are set And why should not the wills of men like so many little Clocks move according to the direction of that great one in heaven Why should they not follow only the will of God It is beyond all thought and expression It cannot be said or Imagin'd how pleasing and gratefull a thing it is to God Almighty when a man renounces his owne will and makes Gods will the rule of all his Actions Acts 13.22 J have found sayes God David the Son of Iesse a man after mine owne heart who will do all things that I will It seemes by this Text that God had been long a seeking and that now he seeks to find a man of that will and affection who only loves that which God likes and wills and nills that which God willeth and forbiddeth Having found such a man God is much delighted and pleased with him and expresses his joy in that joyfull exclamation oh I have found a man After my long search I have a man which will do all things that I will and command And hence it was that Christ the only begotten Son of God subjected his whole will to his Fathers Ioh. 6. for so he sayes of himselfe I came down from heaven not to do mine owne will but the will of him that sent mee That man is farre from ordering and squaring his life Actions by the rule of Gods will revealed in his word who will neither come when God calls nor obey when he commands A wise man feareth and departs from evill Pro. 14. Pro. 30. but a foole goes on and is confident He eates and wipes his mouth and then saith I have done no evill He that is thus desperatly perverse and foolish hath pawned his foule to the Devill and yet laughs is merry he has lost heaven and is not sensible of his misery he spends his dayes in a wanton jollity as if he had lost nothing Thus like a fool that is going to the Stocks or house of Correction he playes and sports while he is posting to damnation But on the contrary those that are destin'd to eternall glory have their minds so confirmed and establish'd in good and the love of it that they dread even the very shevv of evill â—nd the shadovv of sin That vvhich displeaseth God shall in no vvise please them The bent of their soules is so carried to that vvhich is pleasing to him that they neither think nor speak of any thing else It is the subject of their discourse and object of their thoughts and though they displease all men by their performance of any good duty they vvill do it so long as they be certaine and sure it is pleasing to God And vvith out all doubt their vvills are so enflam'd vvith divine love that they can upon better grounds cry out vvith Epictetus My God my love be it farre from mee not to vvill that that thou vvillest or to nill that vvhich thou vvouldest not have me to doe Thy will is my will nay my will is no more mine but now begins to be thine and therefore thy will is now to be followed because it has begun to be mine It is my duty to will that which thou willest and O my God I do will it vvilt thou have me sick I will or poore I will Afflicted with tormenting paine and griefe I will Or loaded with Injuries and contumelious speeches This also O Lord I am willing to beare Is it thy will I should be contemned and despised This too willingly I 'le suffer although this is greivous to flesh and blood Wilt thou have me left like a Cottage in a Garden of Cucumbers destitute of all helps and comforts In this likewise I vvill subscribe to thy good vvill and pleasure for I knovv that I am in the hands of a mercifull and indulgent Father wilt thou have me suffer the pangs of a troubled mind vvhich are to the vvicked the previous flashes of Hell torments These deare God vvill I endure patiently and vvould undergoe this burthen cheerefully even till the day of Judgement if thou Lord do'st think it fit and convenient for me vvilt thou have me spoil'd and bereav'd of those things I love next unto thee my God I confess it is an hard task to relinquish in our affections and to sustaine the loss of those things on vvhich vve have set our hearts yet even this I vvill endure because it is thy vvill I should suffer Wilt thou have me die All difficulties we know strike saile and stoop to this at which Nature shrinks yet I refuse not to die an hundred deaths on this condition that I may breath out my last breath in the armes of thy divine will and be compassed with the embraces of thy mercy Wilt thou have me die before my time before the thread of life be spun out This I will too though nature be not willing to it Wilt thou have me go to Heaven and shake off the fetters of mortallity vvherevvith I am clogged and held fast in affliction I vvill O my Lord I will Wilt thou send me to Hell Ah good Iesus that thou shouldest will this I have deserved it by my wicked deeds whereby I served the De vill with that willingness as if I had a will to go to his place but O my sweet Iesu when thou did'st shed thy most precious blood for me thou plainly shewd'st that thou wert unwilling I should be