13. Great cause haue wee all to loue him and that both with our hearts and soules because the LORD assureth vs of the Victory but that it shall vndoubtedly goe on our side howsoeuer both Sathan and Sinners shall straine themselues to the vttermost against vs Deu. 8. Moses shews vs how that it resteth Gods will that we all must bee afflicted lest wee should boast of our owne power strength and abundance It is Gods order that hee keepeth vs withall assoone as we first enter into his Schoole he beginneth with the scourge making vs to feele hunger thirst pouerty sicknesse sorrowes and sundry kinds of aduersities because wee are all for the most part of vs so wedded to our wanton wayes and wills and so peeuishly proud in our owne conceits that our heauenly Father must perforce subdue vs by some afflictions else will we not acknowledge him to be our Master Although the Theefe vpon the Crosse was receiued at the last into mercy yet must wee all learne to leaue our sinnes before they leaue vs lest our GOD forsake vs and giue vs ouer vnto Sathan It is a priuiledge belonging vnto vs all which rests Christs that God our heauenly Father accepteth our wills and endeauours of obedience for perfect obedience it selfe Eccle. 25.10 Great is he that findeth Wisedome yet is there none aboue him that feareth the Lord the feare of the Lord passeth all things in cleanenesse Prou. 14.27 It is the well-spring of life to auoide the snares of death Affliction and not prosperity resteth for the most part the badge of Gods Church and true note of the members of Christ Gods Word it selfe teacheth vs that Christ his Kingdome is not of this World The Israelites which were the people of God did soiourne as strangers and were euill intreated 400. yeares from Abrahams time to Moses for it is the condition for the most part of the Church of God still to be giuen into the hands of their enemies Ier. 12. It is truely said that Crux est Ecclesiae nota the Crosse is a note of the Church Marke not triumphs but troubles doe point out the Lords Seruants and singularize his Saints vnto whom not any disease plague or punishment can come without Gods prouidence or sending it It 's not the washing of my flesh in water but Christ my Sauiour his cleansing our soules from sinne that purgeth vs from all impurity As pure Oyle must not be beaten and the best Lamps burned so the best Christians first crossed that at the last they bee crowned and shine as Lamps before the Lord continually Let this be a medicine to each Malady that God by his scourge calls vs to glory Let no afflictions mooue vs knowing that as wee are Christs members we are borne thereunto and therefore if wee feele not Gods fauour as wee wish wee must not thinke our selues miserable because our life lieth hidde with Christ in God Col. 33. Therefore may wee not hold it as a hurt vnto vs that we rest depriued here of sundry signes of Gods fauour he louing vs neuerthelesse as it manifestly appeareth by Moses and many others who had many tempests and troubles that some euen desired to be wiped out of GODS Booke who yet haue had workes and faith towards the Almighty 2. Esdras 13.23 Blesse the Lord for his Fatherly rod and welcome his Wand Wisd 20. what he doth it 's in loue to free vs from wickednesse and conuince vs of sin Learne we therefore to be patient vnder the hand of Gods lashing vs for so it becommeth the children of God and members of Christ Iob. 33. It is by afflictions and corrections that GOD openeth our Eares that were sealed vp abating our pride verse 17. And keepeth backe our soules from the Pit our life from the Sword yea God will first cast downe vnto Hell before he heaueth thee to Heauen and doome thee to Death ere hee bring thee to Life because that neither one nor other should be pertaker of his prayse and glory It is Gods ordinance in this world that his Church and Children yea euery member of his body should be vnder the Crosse to learne the better to put their whole trust in him and seeke the comfort of the Spirit which neuer failes to help the faithful into the land of Promise Howsoeuer God leaueth vs for the tryall of our Faith The two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper remayne as pledges of our Saluation The first washing away the guiltinesse of sinne and the latter strengthning our Faith to our very soules receiuing both the body and blood of Christ Iesus though that no man liuing can deserue Saluation yet as Gods adopted sons and children must we all learne by our good VVorkes to glorifie our Heauenly Father declaring our true thankefulnesse for our Redemption through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour and by good VVorkes assuring our Election and winning others into Life by our holy conuersation in Christ Iesus Remember that GOD beeing made man for vs hath in his owne Nature suffered whatsoeuer our sins deserued and made vs with himselfe the children of God and heires of eternall life VVhereof least we should doubt the Lord hath appoynted the Sacraments as outward tokens to bee seene and felt of vs that we should not doubt of beeing partakers of Christ himselfe and his benefits his righteousnesse and Holinesse is ours wee beeing borne anew by the Holy Ghost and walking in righteousnes all our dayes Learne we all to be no lesse thankfull for sicknesses then for health for sorrowes then for comforts imprisonment then for liberty knowing sanctified sorrows open the gates of Heauen vnto the Eternall maiesty of God Our heauenly Father so loues vs that he will lay no other burthen vpon vs then shal be to our good and profit It may be that wee haue both called and cryed vnto God in our extreamities and haue not bin released what of that yet must we quiet our mindes in this that as Children wee haue layde our complaints griefes and sorrowes in the bosome of our heauenly Father who when he seeth it time conuenient wil vndoubtedly helpe vs as certaynely as you and I haue soules he neuer forgetteth the sorrows of his Seruants he still seeth their teares and putteth them in his bottle Our Heauenly Father which hath the issues of Death in his hands wil deliuer you from danger shed you neuer so many teares they shall all be dryed from your Eyes As our Victories in the field come not by our owne strength wisdome and pollicy but by the Diuine will and pleasure of our heauenly Father So in our sicknesse and weaknesse it is neyther physicke nor Physition potion or playster drugges or dainty Dishes can fit vs for Paradise but Fayth may conuay our soules past the mountaynes of Lebanon to the Paradise of God not onely to behold it with our Eyes a farre off but aboue the order of nature most comfortably to enioy it Consider often that
sed Verbum Dei non alligatum Are you sicke it is not for your health not for your hurt Despaire not for our Saluation dependeth vpon the will of our most louing Brother Iesus Christ who will intreate the Father for the Children and the Father will heare the Sonne for his Brethren not refusing them but feasting them And though the best of vs haue no merits yet our Sauiour Christ hath so imparted to vs his Righteousnesse as if wee had effected it our selues By which his most gracious suffering he hath most surely signed and sealed his Diuine loue and heauenly fauour vnto vs which beleeue The Lord deliuereth his people by afflictions preserueth them vpon his borders Esdras 12.14 making them ioyfull vntill the comming of the day of Iudgement I see you rest weake and sicke I pray you bee as quiet as you can seeking no other remedy but content your selfe with Christ God oftentimes sendeth afflictions on vs to discouer our vaine Confidence which wee keepe secret to our selues Terrours and destructions make men now and then to learne that which exhortations and gentlenesse could not bring to passe As the Plow-man hath his appointed time and diuers Instruments for his labour so hath the Lord for his vengeance for hee punisheth some at one time some at another some after one sort and some after another So that his Chosen seed is beaten and tried but not broken in pieces as are the wicked The dearest of Gods Children may faint but not finally faile and vtterly fall away God will suffer his Church to bee afflicted and yet at length send it deliuerance God suffereth sometimes his dearest Children to want Consolation that his grace afterwards may the more appeare when they feele their owne weakenesse Doe wee not by our sins prouoke God to take our liues from vs euery night You are now afflicted in your bodies yet assure your selues in the Lord that you shall finde deliuerance at last both for body and soule a very translation into blisse Gods power is sufficient without the helpe of any other our Heauenly Father hath all meanes in himselfe to bring his will to passe Hee sheweth his care and fauour ouer them that are weake and tender as God hath all power in himselfe so doth hee vse the same for the defence and maintenance of his Members Church and Children See that you neither feare neither man nor put your trust in any saue onely in God you are worthy of rebuke which will not rest on the prouidence of the Almighty but thinke that hee hath forsaken you in your troubles All power rests in Gods hands to deliuer you when hee thinketh good Therefore learne to abide Gods hand with patience and not curiously to seeke out the Cause of Gods delay in your Afflictions Trust not in your owne Vertues but acknowledge all good things to come from the Lord you are in Christs protection and therefore safe against all dangers and free from the feare of our infernall foes As a woeman cannot forget her Child no more doe the Compassions of our heauenly Father faile vs at our needefull times of our seuerall distresses Seeke no Counsell in your owne deuices lest refusing the Light and Consolation which the Gospell offereth you remaine still in sorrow and neuer bee comforted Esay 51. God comforteth his Church that they should not bee discouraged for their small number but remember their Parents Abraham and Sarah of whom they are borne The punishment of the Elect is by measure according as God giueth grace to beare it But in the Reprobate it is the iust vengeance of God to driue them to an insensiblenesse and madnesse Ier. 15 16 The Church of God in time of her afflictions and Captiuity bringeth forth more Children then when she was at liberty Wherefore doth our God refuse vs and forsake for a while but that with greater Compassions and euerlasting Mercies hee may imbrace vs againe as our Redeemer for euer It is our fault that we are not soone reconciled one to another and iudge God by your selues But hee is most easie to bee reconciled offering dayly his mercies vnto vs deliuerance is from Heauen and God neuer forsaketh his Children There shall be great afflictions in the Church but God will euer deliuer his True deliuerance from sinne and Sathan belongeth to none but to the Children of God whom hee iustifieth and when Gods will and pleasure is hee will shew you fauour and feeling graces Our Heauenly Father hath no need of mans helpe for the deliuerance of his hee can easily deliuer his Children and punish his foes Consider not so much what griefes and afflictions you now beare in your Body as what Christ hath borne for you to purchase your saluation Remember why Israel was so sore afflicted that they might in their troubles call to remembrance the benefits which God had bestowed vpon them in times past Yeeld not to the Censure of thy flesh when God doth not for Causes best knowne to himselfe send succour vnto you presently You are in distresse and trouble dedicate your selfe vnto Gods Seruice and call vpon his Name let all your Ioy bee in Gods Seruice and Worship no mans helpe can saue you put your confidence in GOD looke for helpe at his hands who hath better Physicke for your soules then any that commeth from Gilead Pray with true Faith and Repentance not for the smart and griefe which you feele to be remooued but finally sanctified to your Honours saluation Remember that God is the Potter and wee the Clay hee hath power ouer vs Esay 45.9 Rom. 9.10 to doe with vs whatsoeuer seemeth good in his sight As no man that is a thirst refuseth fresh Conduit-water which hee hath at home to goe and seeke waters abroad to quench his thirst So wee ought not to seeke for helpe and succour as Strangers and leaue God which is present with vs. All which meane to enioy the Land of promise must walke in the way of truth which God there teacheth them Let your Faith still striue against each temptation and in your greatest weakenesse seeke to the Lord for strength Know this my beloued that the dearest Children of God may bee ouercome in the battell betweene the Flesh and the Spirit and great inconueniences may they fall into Iob 3.1 c. 15 10 till God rayse them vp againe The Scriptures telling vs that Iudgements begin at Gods owne house wee may not thinke it strange that we are now grieuously punished who haue now and then Ezech. 9.6 1. Pet. 4.14 17. played he part of Gods enemies Extreame are the afflictions that God appointeth for euery one as Psalme 15.8 Esay 51.17 But the Cup which the wicked drinke is more bitter then that which God giueth to his Children for hee measureth the one by Mercy and the other by Iustice If you see you rest weake commend your selues to Gods mercy who meaneth not to destroy you for your sinnes but
Thy Seruant Esdras hath told vs of an eternall Paradise whose fruit remaineth incorruptible wherein is safety and health if wee will enter into it verse 53. Draw wee neere therefore vnto the Lord for an Inheritance because wee walke in great pride in these latter dayes of this world therefore doe many miseries meete vs and sundry calamities ouertake vs But the wise must with-hold sorrowes in themselues to allow Gods purpose and receiue his Corrections in patience if they looke to bee commended of him and allowed by him Be of good comfort O Israel and bee thou not heauy-hearted O thou house of Iacob 2. Esdras 12.46 For the most High hath you in remembrance and the Almighty hath not forgotten you in temptation 1.12.47 Neither will hee leaue Syon desolate but still mercifully remembreth the low estate of his distressed Sanctuary The Lord giueth vs all good things so doth hee enable vs when hee will and as hee will Remember wee therefore his Commandements neither let wee them at any time bee put out of our mindes but feare wee the Lord as wee flee from each sinne still doing the things which are acceptable to the Lord our God As the Lord doth scourge so doth he pitty hee leadeth to Hell and bringeth vp neither is there any that can auoide his hand Our Heauenly father scourgeth vs for our iniquities but againe gathers vs out of all Nations amongst whom wee shall bee scattered Waite yee for Saluation from God call vpon him to helpe you and hee will heare your voice if it please him God hath not tryed you as hee did the Patriarkes to the examination of your very hearts neither doth hee take vengeance on you but punisheth you for Instruction to bring you nearer to himselfe God seeing vs to bee vnruly Children doth therefore swing vs that wee may bee come quiet and goe from vnder his fingers as tame Lambes seeking for no other rest or peace then is found in Iesus Christ Know you not this that hee which offereth the most blowes is Crowned Whither should we resort but vnto the Lord in the times of our dangers and there cry most earnestly death being still before vs in our owne sight humble wee our bodies with fasting and desire the Lord to helpe vs being desolate Praise God in your misery and magnifie him for his mercy the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God where no torment can touch them the departure from vs may seeme as it were destruction howbeit they were in peace What though you now suffer paines before men yet is your hope full of immortality although you bee preuented with Death yet shall you be in rest God taketh away his least wickednesse should beguile the minde It is a matter of endlesse comfort to the poore members of Christ to see how vppon earth none are more ful of wofull paines in body and soules then Gods children who so full of soares as Iob Lazarus euen from the top to the toe Some are maimed in their bodies Iob 5. The Poole called Bethesda with her fiue porches was filled with multitudes of sicke folke blind halte and withered wayting for the moouing of the Waters after the Angels stirring whereof whosoeuer first stepped in was made whole whatsoeuer disease hee did languish of It is a comfort very cordiall to all Gods children to remember their former miseries now turned into felicity ioy and happinesse what though you rest poore yet may you possesse a Kingdome Are you here hungry and thirsty you shall assuredly taste of the Tree of Life Are you now wretched and naked you shal bee cloathed with the Roabes of Christs Righteousnesse and in the stead of the rags of infamy and Reproach on earth you shall bee crowned with the Dyadem of immortall glory in the highest heauens Be not sad eyther for the sickenes of your selfe or your friends for you cannot perish neyther shal you be cast away for your soules shall be presently in ioy and your bodies buried in the Graue as in a Bed of Doune to take a sweete sleepe till the day of Iudgement and then you shall rise to glory And according to your Religion Faith and good deedes in feeding and cloathing Christ Iesus in his members he will pitty you in mercy and now prouide comfort for you in the time of your Troubles Assure your heart and perswade your owne soule that Christ Iesus resteth the most true and absolute Sheepheard who feedeth his sheepe with most wholesome pasture not suffering vs to Rot vpon earth but assuring our soules to sing with Angels in Heauen We must not forget in the middest of our miseries that Christ our Redeemer was wounded for our transgressions broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Esay 53.5 Wee are saued by comming vnto God by Christ Heb. 7. he euerliuing that maketh intercession for vs. Hebr. 7 And by none other name can wee be saued Acts 4. Acts 4. Remember and forget not how wee are made partakers of Christ and his benefits euen by beeing of an humble spirit by Faith apprehending and applying Iesus Christ with all his merits vnto our selues Thus are we iustified before God and sanctified for Christs sake and therefore wee must all be content to vndergoe shame disgrace trouble persecution and bonds yea death it selfe for Christ his sake The Remembrance of Christs comming to Iudgement must cheare vp your heauy soules So labour now your heart as you may crye with the Spouse of Christ Come Lord Iesus come quickely Hope wee to liue with Christ in the Church Tryumphant then must wee dye with him in the Church Militant None shall liue with Christ aboue vnlesse they suffer with him here below nor none shall haue their teares wiped from them in Heauen vnlesse they haue first shed them on Earth It is the Lords vsuall dealing after long time of peace to bring some tryals that the Elect and true Christians may be discerned It is knowne to vs all how a Christian mans life rests a war-fare so that there is no dreaming of a Victory before wee fight It is our lot to suffer and our comfort still to stay vpon Christ who will so dispose of vs and our seuerall troubles as they shall leaue a blessing behind them and we shall gayne more in the Spirit then we can loose in the flesh Which GOD grant we may Tuesday Meditations THis rests a Maxime in Religion that God wil haue his owne true Church and Children to be tryed and vndergoe the heate of persecution Wee must learne therefore to be wise and not to thinke our selues out of Gods fauour when wee are tryed nor deeme worse of the Gospell because the Crosse still goeth with it and wicked people still hate it But still let vs all learne to looke at Christ Iesus remembring that we Seruants may not looke for any larger priuiledge then had our Lord and Maister
Are we Gods Wheate Math. 13.12 we must be cut with the Sickle threshed with the Flaile vndergoe many blowes and bee ground to powder with the Mill-stones of afflictions nay baked in the Ouen of a Wounded conscience before wee can bee bread for the Lords Table Art thou the seruant of God thy heart must be wounded for thy sins Who euer were more deiected then Dauid and Iob Iob. 31. Iob 13. Psalme 6. Wounded they were both in bodies and soules the Lord seemed to shoot at them as at a marke the venome of his Arrowes pierced their soules and drunke vp their spirits yet at the last were Their Prayers heard and their teares seene Esay 38.5 One droppe of the blood of Christ Iesus to a dying man for the Saluation of his soule is worth ten thousand Worlds We being wounded must learne to flye to God who only heales and binds vp the wounds of our soules Our God is mercifull and gracious yea his bowels earne within him to doe vs all good Build we vppon his promises as vppon a sure foundation that shall neuer bee remooued Heauen and Earth shall passe away but his Word shal not passe away Wee haue the Word and Oath of God as two vnchangeable witnesses so that wee cannot be deceiued Agayne wee haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them sure vnto vs Againe wee haue the pawne of his Spirit to assure vs of his loue and fauour Now as with sicknesse God chasteneth for sinne so is hee indeede the spirituall Phisitian of our soules to heale all our soares and binde vp our wounds Bee not ashamed to lay open your sinnes the soares of your soules to Christ Iesus Are you now spiritually wounded make your moane to Christ Iesus begge as for life and death for one drop of his precious blood to cure your diseased soules there is no plaister to cure vs but the blood of our Sauiour To him therefore let vs runne and make our moane vnto him feare wee not to lay open our wounded soules and distressed consciences vnto him that is a most mercifull Phisitian to our diseased soules The plaister is tempered wilt thou none of it shal thy soule rot in sin wilt thou despise God mercies in Christ Iesus Is not Christ Iesus the Physitian of our soules bindes hee not vp our wounds powres hee not the oyle of Grace into our hearts Cures not he our wounded Consciences Doth not hee wrappe vs in the roabes of his owne Righteousnesse and powre out the oyle of Grace euen the precious blood of his owne heart for our euerlasting Saluation I desire you to know this that it commeth to passe many times in Gods Children that the sence and feeling of Gods fauour is oftentimes extinguished as the comfortable heate and light of the Sunne is taken away by some thicke Clouds Our faith is so weake that some times wee thinke God himselfe to haue forgotten vs and hide his face from vs that hee will see vs no more But as after night the Sunne her selfe doth comfort vs so after the cloudy night of affliction the light beames of Gods mercy doe reioyce our soules So long as it pleaseth God to sanctifie our crosses they shall worke for our good and neuer depart from vs till they leaue a blessing behinde them Doubt you not but hee that is priuy to our prayers will in loue deliuer vs at last from all troubles and calamities Gods humbling vs is to breake downe our pride and conceitednesse to pray the more earnestly neuer to be left to our selues lest wee runne and rush headlong into Hell No crosses should daunt vs but rather driue vs fast forward in the way vnto Heauen Herein are wee discerned to bee the Seruants of God and Disciples of Christ in that wee beare stoutly whatsoeuer burden the LORD layeth vppon vs the patient enduring the heauy hand of the LORD is the way to saue our liues and not to loose them Mark 8.35 Our bodies are all like old rotten Houses which must be pulled down and new builded agayne else can wee not dwell in them with safety and delight our soules lament soare and desire to bee setled in more heauenly habitations still groane we for that glory which commeth after the Resurrection God will hedge thy waies darken thy pathes spoyle thee of thine Honour take the Crowne from thine head remooue thy hopes and beset thy soule with the Armies of afflictions causing thy familiars to forget thee and thy kinred to forsake thee in the middest of all thy maladies yet depend thou on Christ our Redeemer and peace shall come Doth the Lord tarry wee must waite and comfort our hearts vntill he helpe vs. Whatsoeuer our troubles be peace is our best plea stay wee the Lords leasure and hee will comfort our hearts and solace our sighing soules and will thereby make vs more glorious to God and man Care wee for no crosses whilest wee haue such inward comforts the worlds buckerings and buffetings with Sathans winnowings rest all as comfortable crosses to helpe vs to the Crowne As there is no rest without toyle no Peace without Warre so looke wee for no place of blisse vntill we be with Christ our Master well buffetted before hand in the Seruice of God there is little looking for freedome from afflictions the way to Heauen being strawed with thornes rather then flowers Iacob wrestled foure times first in the wombe with Esau Gen. 25.22 Gen. 25.22 secondly in his Iourney with Esau Gen. 32.3 thirdly in Mesopotamia with Laban fourthly at Bethell with the Angell To teach vs that if wee wil be the Israel of God wee must bee armed for all tryals at all times in all places and with all persons well knowing this that at the length wee being the Israelites of God shall neuer be left without a blessing at the last Gods Children shall neuer bee without trouble til the world be with out hatred the Deuill without enuy and our Nature without corruption wee must be fined from our drosse and renewed as the Eagle neuer resting safe and sure vntill wee soare vp into the bosome of our Sauiour God doth not onely by his Word but also by his Iustice make vs fit for his Kingdome Doe you thinke mee now to bee your friend and to speake truth vnto you trust mee there hath no temptation befalne you but that which appertaineth to the Children of God our GOD is faithfull and true and hath promised to giue an issue with the temptation Against temptations heare Esay comforting Gods Children and crying to Ierusalem that her warrefare is accomplished her iniquity pardoned and that shee hath receiued at the LORDS hand double for her sins Esay 40. Dost thou faint art thou weary in him that hath no strength God out Heauenly Father increaseth power verse 31. Such as waite vpon the Lord shal receiue their strength runne without wearisomnesse and walke without
fainting verse 31. Are wee not by faith the Israel of God as his seruant Iacob whom hee hath chosen and the seed of Abraham his friend Chap. 41.8 listen to the Lord verse 9. Thou art my Seruant I haue chosen thee and not cast thee away verse 10. Feare not for I am with thee bee not afraide for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my Iustice Esay 41.14 I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying vnto thee feare not I will helpe thee verse 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob and yee men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel Esay 42.16 I will not forsake thee but make darknesse light and crooked things straight vnto thee Esay 43.1 Thus sayth the Lord that created thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest thorow the water I will bee with thee thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest thorow the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Feare not for I am with thee I wil bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West Esay 43.11 I euen I am the Lord besides mee there is no Sauiour And verse 25. I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne Names sake and will not remember thy sinnes Math. 11.28 Come to mee all yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you And learne this Lesson should wee all to suffer according to the will of God committing our soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creatour 1. Pet. 4.19 When our heauenly Fathers rods light vpon vs as it did vpon Iob 9.34 then must we intreate him with teares not so to astonish vs with feares but that we may speake vnto him when once hee hath clad vs with the roabs of his Righteousnesse and washed vs white in the blood of the Lambe Reuel 7.14 If wee be afflicted in body or minde cry mightily vnto God Reuel 14.15 saying Reuel 14.15 Reape O Lord thine owne Corne thrust in thy Sickle the time is come to reape I thy haruest-corne am ripe and ready for the Garner Yea a Cluster of thy Vineyard and a Grape for thy Presse yea in Christ Iesus a draught to delight thee gather mee O my Redeemer as wheate into thine owne Garner But why doe I cry so long vnto my God and gracious Father sure I am I shal not dye vntill my Lord and God speake the word saying vnto mee as once hee did vnto Israel You haue dwelt long enough in this place Deu. 1.16 Deutro 1.16 Let no pangs or paines fright vs from our heauenly Father we knowing that our eldest Brother Christ Iesus the very Authour of our life was condemned to death Mathew 20.18 and that euen then when hee came not to be serued but to serue and giue his life a Ransome for many The Lord Iesus so open your eyes that receiuing the true sight you may follow him that couragiously through Death went himselfe vnto life Feare no danger to bee in death it cannot bee but a good Entry that the faithfull passe vnto by deaths cruelty Dread not neither bee affraide for when wee renounce our owne strength and constantly follow our owne vocation and depend on the Lord this resteth the true boldnesse and most agreeable to God such Calebs rest fittest to enioy the land of promise as treading it with the feete both of themselues and of their Children doe most constantly still follow the LORD Deuteronomy 1.36 Know this there is no strength in our selues where the hand of God is not ready prest to yeeld helpe there is no standing but falling when wee fight without our Captaine You must know this and all such as now feare the Lord that God will euer helpe his beloued in their necessities marry the times and houres are best knowne to him who at his pleasure most mercifully reuealeth them vnto vs by his Spirit 2. Kings 7. verse 7. to teach vs both to looke stay and waite vpon his holy and deuine pleasure and will Be you not affraide God will comfort you you haue liued long like a Christian dye now like a Saint surely sanctified with Grace from on High Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas cum aeternitate Petrus Dauus de Stephan Pleasant and happy is that sleepe which commeth with rest rest with pleasure and pleasure with Eternity Send your thoughts before you into Heauen as holy Harbingers of your happy soule and see whether there bee not a desire in you to receiue the blessed Sacrament Viaticum aeternitatis a blessed baite for each deuoute soule ready to trauell for another life It is the mercies of our God to make death the way to life and by the way of mortality to cloath vs with Immortality Oh the ineffable Mercies and Wisedome of God to seuer our soules from the dregs of our bodies to enioy the presence of God and be invironed with troopes of Angels and soules of blessed Saints Let vs not with the old Arcadians mourne one night for the setting of the Sunne for wee shall be comforted by the breaking of the day when wee shall see him to shine againe in his Spheare The people that were enraged at the death of Romulus were quieted by Proculus his newes that hee saw him in Glory riding vp to Heauen Much more must wee Christians remaine full of hope at the death of the Righteous which are layd to sleepe with their Fathers Who amongst you doe not mourne to behold the manifold outrages of the Children of Beliall in this so glorious a Sun-shine of the Gospell Feare not death my deare Brethren but rather desire with hearty teares to bee remooued from the seate of sinners and scorners Where some rest so vnchaste that moderate and modest Christians may not safely consort with them Some so insolent and proud that you may not playnely rebuke them of their faults Some so vnsatiable and gluttonous that you may not long sit with them and generally amongst sinners of vnsanctified hearts was godlinesse neuer more vrged yet neuer lesse regarded though malice by euery mouth debased yet neuer did she beare more rule Godly Preachers were neuer more publickely paynefull yet publicke paynes did neuer lesse profite in priuate The Catholicke and Apostolicke faith was neuer since the Apostles times taught more truely yet seldome seene lesse to Fructifie Such is yet the Satanicall seminary of greene growing iniquity and sinnes amiddest the sonnes of men Few now in these dayes doe remember how that the Cherubins of golde vppon the two ends of the Mercy Seate were a Worke beaten with the Hammer Places of Prerogatiues and Honour are not easily come vnto Neyther can we passe to
the Word of God standeth not in bare Knowledge but in the practise of life It 's not an halfe seruice but our full obedience that GOD looketh for hee often promiseth vs rewards not for our merrites but to incourage that our labour shal not be lost It is the Lords manner in our greatest weaknes to manifest his power and in deepest danger make knowne vnto vs our saluation Content thy selfe a while with the water of teares and thou shalt be refreshed with the Wine of comfort Acknowledge Christ Iesus to bee now thy Sauiour and thou shalt not once feare him to become thy Iudge After trouble God sendeth comfort to all them which patiently waite on him and constantly put their trust in his mercies The Almighty put Iobs soule in bitternesse but it was to teach him to keepe righteousnesse and not forsake it God dealeth with some as hee did with Iob hee turned his Harpe vnto mourning and his Organs into the Voyce of them that weepes As often as God striketh vs with any kinde of troubles or afflictions whether inward in outward in our goods It is to beate downe our pride and to free vs from afflictions that wee feele not the weight of them nor the heauinesse of his VVrathfull hand or iudgements when he rests angry Sickenesse is GODS Herald which he sendeth to thy house home and heart Our louing God will not afflict thee aboue measure that thou shouldest haue occasion to contend with him It belongeth vnto God to moderate your Corrections and not man Can you pray with vehemency feare not but that both your secret complaynts and sighings are seene of God and sealed vp with Christ in your deepest temptations God both can and will deliuer you Although your deedes haue deserued destruction yet doth God in mercy pitty your frailty The more your Conscience is touched with the feare of GODS iudgements the more hope may you haue to prayse God in the Congregation of the faithfull who sendeth comfort and boldnesse in time of our afflictions who else were ready to drop downe to destruction Howsoeuer eyther sorrowes or sicknesse may somewhat discourage vs yet rest our miseries good meanes to cause vs to feele Gods present care ouer vs. When the Lord afflicteth vs and we crye vnto him we thinke by and by that hee should helpe vs but that is not his due time he hath some worke to worke with vs wee must waite and stay the time before we be comforted and then Physicke and all humane meanes fayling God helpeth that we may learne euer after to looke still to Heauen knowing that not onely our sickly bodies but our sinfull soules and vnsanctified senses such as all ours be must hence be purified or else perplexed Say O my God let neither Man nor misery driue thy Seruant from his Hope of Gods promise and ioy in the highest Heauens and also Eternall felicity Lord be mooued with the complaint of thy poore Seruant and d liuer me in the end from all manner of fearefull dangers Remember that the Lords word and promise is true and vnchangeable hee preserueth the poore from the peeuish and maintayneth the pyous agaynst the proud Crye mightily to our God for this one thing that whilst your afflictions last your faith may not faint Desire the Lord to comfort you both in soule and in body without whose fauour there is no perfect felicity nor hope of blessed immortality What though Sathan hath many wayes to hurt you yet hath our heauenly Father many millions more to saue out of his meere mercy The great power of Christs Kingdome against all Aduersaries thereof teach vs all patiently to indure the Crosse till God destroy the Aduersaries The more your afflictions do increase the more neere shall you feele the helping hand of God assisting you with his spirit of comfort Be not perswaded but that God loueth you farre better then euer your Parents did which very thought should pacifie and bridle your rage Depending vpon the Lord who neuer brake promise with any of his seruants Content your selfe for the treasures of Gods mercies are alwaies layd vp in store for his Children albeit at all times they do not feelingly inioy them How many seeme to be swallowed vp of grieuous afflictions yet rests God at hand to deliuer you And it is our heauenly Fathers loue to cause vs all to feele that wee are mortall and that there is no estate wherein we can liue to haue perfect quietnesse in this world Christ Iesus is come to redeeme the soules of his seruants that put trust in him how then shall the darts of Death endanger vs when death hauing done his worst Christ himselfe then becomes our Redeemer giuing vs for a poore Cottage a rich Kingdome God knoweth what dangers hang ouer our heads and by what meanes to deliuer vs from them Stay his leasure and the LORD will content your minde with that which is most necessary remember how our Faith must bee exercised with diuers temptations Though the iust man dye yet Gods blessings are extended to his posterity and though God suffer some iust man to want temporall benefits yet hee recompenceth him with spirituall treasures such shal bee continually preserued vnder GODS VVings and haue at last inward peace and rest in their mindes The patient hope of the Godly is neuer in vayne but in the end hath good successe though for a time God prooue them with sundry temptations why doth God visite any one with sicknesse but to put both your selfe and others in mind of his chastisments for sinne desire not to be exempted from Gods rod but that he would so moderate his hand that you might be able to beare it let prayer therefore become your refuge yeeld vnto God and not to your own desire Let vs not dispayre be our torments neuer so great but crye we to God with sure trust for our deliuerance doth humane meanes faile waite we for the helpe of God the weaker in body striue we with crying sighes to bee stronger in soule by Faith to the conquering of diseases Death Diuels and danger crye still for Patience to indure the punishments and chastisements which the Almighty sendeth and intreate the Lord not to be seuere against his poore creature neither to wrappe him vp with the wicked to be put to shame This know that it is a very hard thing for the Saints themselues to keepe measure in Words thoughts and gesture when Death and Dispayre assayles them though God deferre helpe yet must we learne to abide with Patience till he heare and helpe vs still remembring that such soules as please him God hasteneth to take them from wickednesse Howsoeuer you feele Gods hand to lye heauy vpon you yet rest vpon his promise and comfort your selfe and soule therein Account it Gods mercy to bee touched with his fatherly hand for each one of vs all is like an vntamed Calfe till the vse of Gods rod call vs home to Heauen Wee are
take paynes with a sacred soule to suck it The best of Gods children are most of all Exercised with manifold afflictions heauy hearts and wounded Spirits yet rests their sicknesse but as a medicine in the hands of our heauenly Physitian Christ Iesus to heale comfort and still do vs good No sanctified Christian so sound but that hee may bee exercised with many afflictions diseases and grieueances beeing heauy on our heartes and wounding our Spirits A Rod in our heauenly Fathers hand doeth after enable vs to keep his Couenant the other being as a medicine in the hand of the Physitian to heale and stil to doe good Sathan himselfe cannot hurt Gods Children but in spite of his heart doth them good humbling them and making them better by their crosses that after their Champion-like and valerous striuing and fighting their hearts may hope to enioy the euerlasting Knight-hood of Immortality in the Heauens We are each one in this life to consider how our time on earth is a time of striuing running and suffering crosses as Prae-ambles to the Crowne of glory and most comfortable Immortality that our life hath beene long and so your troubles therefore many To assure your very soule that the time of this life rests no other thing then the time of striuing and wrestling for winning the prize and obtaining the victory ouer all our insulting and most malicious foes Iacob had many troubles with Laban yea troubles with the Sheronites and troubles with his owne Sonnes yet the latter end was peace he died in honour full of riches and ful of daies When professing the Gospell wee feele no afflictions then may we feare that we are out of the way seeing the afflictions of Gods children are notes of his fauour God whipping vs often for diuers causes best knowne to himselfe sometimes to encrease their reward as he dealt with Iob Dauid and Paul Secondly to keepe vertue in the soule as in Paul who suffered many troubles thereby to correct and beate downe our sins and thirdly to be patient as in the Paralaticke party that was much pestered with the Palsie Fourthly to destroy as Antiochus Herod and Pharaoh Fiftly to manifest his glory as in Lazarus the blind man and others You haue heard how Agabus prophesied Pauls bonds which worthy Champion of Christ was prepared not only for bonds but death The kingdome of God is gotten by violence Mat. 11.12 and gone into through fire and water Esd 7.7 Though Abraham were the Father of the faithfull yet was hee often afflicted Though Iacob were a beloued one yet was hee faine to flye for feare of the hatred of his brother Esau Oftentimes in danger was Dauid of his life pursued and persecuted by furious Saule before he was aduanced vnto his Kingdome Forget we not the many miseries and bitter afflictions which tumbled in heapes vpon Iob and others yea on all Gods Faithfull seruants Learne we euery one in patience to value the turbulent motions of our repining mindes arme we our hearts with a confident stedfast resolution neuer to sleepe nor slumber till wee rid out of perils our selues and our people Affliction is the best hope that Gods children may expect in this World to trye whether the anchor of our hope takes sure hold on Gods promises in the dayes and houres of our miseries and tribulation Heare Lord from Heauen the sighing soules of thy afflicted seruants Lord cause them to drinke a deepe draught of the fountayne of thy mercies to the comforting of their weak bodies and hearts in their miseries The Lord God refresh vs with the water of life and guide vs through all dangers into the most heauenly Canaan before the entring whereof wee must drinke of the cup of most bitter afflictions There is no comming to Gods Kingdome but by many miseries The Lord free vs from all most vnsupportable and grieuous calamities the wine of true deuotion the Myrrhe of Mortification and the Oyle of hearty contrition let these rest still sanctified steps to our sober and distressed soules Let no dread of danger throw down the Fort of our Hope neyther any Tempests of persecution shake the Foundation of our Faith Let no waues of affliction quench the flames of our loue towards Christ our Sauiour But let the Oyle of his All-sufficient and sauing Grace so strengthen the sinewes of our Fayth as when it waxeth feeble our hearts may neuer quaile nor our courage quake when we are molested with any affliction either of body or of minde But still faithfully to be perswaded that no calamity can betide vs without Gods will nor any danger come neare our dwelling without Gods pleasure and permission This is full of comfort and consolation that in my greatest misery I may commend my soule into the custody and safe harbour of eternall tranquility neuer any more obnoxious to vanity So long as you haue a tongue to speake a voice to call vpon God with an heart to lift vp vnto him eftsoones powring out many sanctified meditations in his sight Be of good comfort and assure your soule you cannot be finally forsaken although you see no comfort for the present now and then If wee can call vpon God our heauenly Father in Christ Iesus in our seuerall Agonies and most dangerous distresses though no man or woman should pitty vs yet our heauenly Father would not leaue vs or forsake vs in our dangers and dreadfull troubles It is Almighty God which holdeth our soules in life and that suffereth not our feete to slip It is his pleasure now and then to prooue vs as the Gold and Siluer is tryed in the fire It is the saying of the Psalmist that the Lord will try vs bring vs into the snare and lay trouble vpon our loynes suffer our Enemies to ride ouer our heads before hee will bring vs into any place of pleasure God will suffer vs to feele afflictions and enemies to make long furrowes vpon our backes but still for our Saluation Our afflictions oftentimes causing vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall weight of Glory and happinesse which God grant vs all For a while you may bee forsaken but with great compassion will God our mercifull Father gather you vnto himselfe Crye to the Lord and hee will deliuer you and saue you out of Troubles as he did Ioseph Iob and his children in Aegypt Looke on Dauid and Daniel the seruant of the true GOD consider and see what shame they endured and reproaches vnder the Crosse Yet as a Father God returned to them when the time of refreshment came from Gods Diuine presence Howsoeuer Gods children groane for griefe for a time the Lord leaueth not them destitue of helpe but deliuers them out of all their troubles God teacheth vs to depend vpon him our most gracious and heauenly Father when peoples compassion faileth towards vs For Psalme 56.9.10 verses The Lord our God putteth our Teares in his Bottles and writes them in his Booke Psalm 56.9
A Grand-fathers LEGACY OR Maltbey's Morsels for Mourners Diuided into seuerall Meditations for euery Day in the Weeke Being a Comfort to all wounded and oppressed Consciences which seeke for comfort by the Word of Truth By Iohn Maltbey late Minister of Gods Word at Buckland in Glocester-shire LONDON Printed by N. OKES and are to be sold at the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard 1633 TO THE VVORshipfull and well respected Gentleman Mr. IOHN ROBINSON Esquire of Denston-hall in Suffolke And to the Vertuous and well-affected Gentle-woman his wife Mris Briget Robinson all terrestriall happinesse AS there is an appoynted time for the end of all our Acts and by the Almighties Decree once to dye so hath it pleased God that this Reuerent Divine hauing payd that debt to Nature that we must all pay And leauing behind him this new borne Babe which might haue beene obscured and buried with him had it not with a Religious Care bin preserued And being brought to the view of the World and past the Presse I haue selected you amongst many others knowing you most fitting to Patronise this Worke and do desire you to answere for this Childe and to receiue it into your protection And withall which was the chiefe motiue hauing bin often Resident with you and knowing in my selfe your pious and religious Gouernment in your Family in offering vp your first and latter Fruite of Prayer and Thankesgiuing morning and Euening made mee the more desirous to chuse You. The Subiect being of Diuine Meditations gathered out of the Holy Scripture for the comforte of all oppressed and wounded soules For which causes I haue imboldned to fixe your name as a Patrone of this and the like Subiects and present it though vnworthy from my hand beeing of this Subiect as a token of my respect shewing my gratefull minde to you if it came within my compasse for all your curtesies bestowed on me I do therfore presume to tender this my loue only as a remembrance of my thankfulnes and witnesse of my true meanings I wil now cease troubling you only turning my Writing into praying for your good health thus taking my leaue wishing you all happines in this life and a correspondency in the world to come Your louing kinsman to command I. OKES The Printer to the Reader IT is a saying of Salomon that it is better to go vnto the house of Mourning then to the house of Banquetting The house of Banquetting consisting of full Dishes which becomes not Mourners but rather Fragments and Morsels Our blessed Sauiour feeding foure thousand with seauen loaues and a few little Fishes Mathew the 15. Chapter and the 34. verse The morsels or Fragments that were left were seauen baskets full The same number hath this Reuerent Diuine obserued in giuing Method to the Booke in comparing them vnto seauen Baskets full of wholesome Consolation for the seauen seueral Dayes in the Weeke in a plaine and easy way for the better vnderstanding of the simplest Whose aged Life and Conuersation was well liked and approoued of amongst that little Flocke hee had in his Pastorall charge whose Losse was much Lamented by many who were his hearers And leauing behind him this godly Worke which he thought to haue set foorth in his Life time Mistris Margaret Maltbey committed it on his death bed to his louing Wife whose great care herein hath beene largely expressed and now desires that it may bee curteously receiued at the hands of all good Christians Farewell So I rest thine I. O. A Grandfathers Legacy OR MALTBY his Morsels for Mourners The Introduction AS Ionathan Sauls Sonne hearing of the troublesome perplexity of Dauid sought him out in the wood and comforted him in his God 1. Sam. 32.18 So I now hauing heard of your misery and weaknesse am come to comfort you as a neighbour Iob. 6. ver 24. who desire your happinesse from my heart and therefore would haue you to consider that God who caused Saul to returne from pursuing Dauid and to goe against the Philistines 1. Sam. 23. last verses can suddenly change your griefe into gladnesse and your misery into mirth so that you cry with faithfull Dauid Psal 39.15 O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and be no more seene Psal 39.15 Psal 33.17 Psal 33 17. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy verse 18. To deliuer their soules from death and to feede them in the time of trouble and dayes of dearth God grant you may long for your appointed time as the Seruant for the shadow or the Hireling for the end of his worke cry and say Lord let thy spirit within mee so make request for mee that thy hand may conuay mee from this vale of teares to eternall blisse Like as thine Angell guided Peter from prison to liberty Lord protect mee you and vs all from Sathans assaults keepe vs from despaire and secure vs from euill giue to euery one Comfort in Conscience Ioy in the Spirit Peace in beleeuing and a most setled expectation of life by thy Sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus Munday Meditations NOthing more profiteth Gods Children then his Crosse this bringeth a loathing of our troubles here belowe and an ardent loue of enioying such things as rest aboue in the Heauens When Israel had peace in Aegypt they thought not vpon Canaan so wee bewitched with the world forget our saluation But as the Angell caught Lot when hee lingred in Sodome Gen. 19. Gen. 19. So doth sicknesses and distasts with-hold vs from Hell inuesting vs into euerlasting habitations in the Heauens Wee must not looke to bee carried into Heauen in a feather-bed all Gods Saints knowing this that afflictions rest as Porters to the Kingdome of Paradise the Cherubins keeping the East-side thereof with a blade of a shaking Sword Gen. 3.24 When wee haue health we should praise God for it and beware it become not the cause of our ruine You are sicke it is a signe of your heauenly Fathers loue and of your euerlasting happinesse this should make the cogitations of your heart to striue as did the Children in Rebeccas wombe Leape wee for ioy that our names as the names of Gods Children are written in Heauen what though wee be poore sicke full of soares and contemned of men yet being the Elect Children of God and our names in Gods Booke wee may haue sound Comfort both in life and death Remembring that sanctified Crosses rest assured notes of Gods fauour and therefore assoone as euer wee read Gene. 6.12 of Abrahams comming to Moreb it is presently sayd this Cannanite was then in the Land by whose cruelty God meaneth to exercise both him and his and the like must all Gods Children looke for Say not thou that afflictions rather driue vs from God then to God for where the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all things there doe proue most excellent Albeit Gods dearely beloued Children are
to correct and chastise you till hee haue pardoned and purged your offences and so burne his rod by which hee hath punished you Esay 33.1 Remember that as God was the Authour of Israels Captiuity for their sinnes so was hee for his mercies their Redeemer to restore them to Liberty God in the middest of all his threatnings remembreth his and comforteth them There is no greater signe of our Heauenly Fathers loue then when hee correcteth vs for our amendment preseruing vs in despite of our Enemies to that end whereunto he hath appointed vs euen to the Glory of Gods Name and good of his Church See Esay 44.2 and Chap. 30.10 10.24 What though we be forsaken for a time yet the Lord casts vs not off vtterly as though he our Husband were dead but in our dreadfullest afflictions still followeth vs with his fatherly fauours and manifold mercies to make vs all praise God in Syon let vs still acknowledge God to be the Authour of our afflictions to the intent that wee may still seeke to him for remedy Let your heauy sinnes bee continually before your eyes as one that tyeth a thing to his hand for a remembrance so will hee forget them cast them behinde his backe and tread them vnder feet The Lord comfort and refresh your soule still treading downe the insurgent Enemies that rise vp against you Let no aduersity vtterly discomfort you but wisely consider that there may bee cause of a Womans separation from her Husband and a ioyfull meeting and comming of them both together againe Wee can neuer be too timely exercised vnder our Crosse but wee are to pray that when our afflictions grow greater our patience also by experience may bee stronger and thou Lord become a Sanctuary vnto vs in the soarest times of our saddest afflictions Desire the Lord so to mitigate your afflictions as you lose thereby neither Sence nor Reason nor arrogate any thing to your selfe but trust in the Lord your God who alone doth saue soules Let no sins so throw you downe as once to despaire of your heauenly fathers mercies In the dayes of your afflictions and miseries remember that God promised to comfort his Church in all heauinesse and deepest distresses blesse God for your punishments for thereby he calleth you from your iniquities as from the beginning God hath exercised his people vnder the Crosse so since Christ was offered hath hee left this exercise vnto his Church vntill the Dead rise againe and Christ gather his into his Kingdome in the Heauens The Lord giue you patience and constancy to abide the paines and plagues which the Lord inflicteth vpon you for the humbling of your soule and hasting it to eternall happinesse And doubt not but for your induring a painefull death the Lord our God will giue you a precious Life and as you yet mourne with men cause you to tryumph with Iesus Christ and for anguish here below dwell and rest with Angels aboue Remember the three Children in the fiery Furnace they would not come out nor depart thence for any feare till the Lord bid them neither came Noah out of the Arke till the Lord called him forth Stay your soule vpon God who is now onely to comfort you and remember how that our abhominable sinnes bring vpon our soules these horrible afflictions in our last dayes As you are one of Christs members you may not hasten too much but learne patiently to abide the Issues of Gods promise As the Maiesty of God hath strooke you downe so I doe not feare but that his powerfull and heauenly hand will againe raise you vp God that by one Angell could destroy all the world assureth his Children so of his loue that rather then they shall perish hee will send forth double power euen Christ Iesus the Head of Angels to deliuer vs. What troubles soeuer befall the Church of Christ and his Members they come by the Counsell and prouidence of God Dan. 12. and still haue happy Issues to all faithfull beleeuers Dan. 12. The Angell noteth first how the Church shall bee in great afflictions and trouble at Christs comming but God shall send his Angell to deliuer it meaning Christ that is promised by the preaching of the Gospell Therfore be not discouraged though Christ come not so soone as wee cry and call for him for what hee doeth is to try our patience that wee with the Elect of God might bee the more pure in our hearts and purged truely with his Church Be you neuer so weake or sicke yet remember who hath sayd Hosea 13.14 Hosia 13.14 I will redeeme thee from the power of the Graue I will deliuer thee from Death O Death I will bee thy death O Graue I will be thy destruction Fly to the Lord in Death and he will be thy Life to auoide the Lords Iudgements you must learne to become obsequious to his Will so will hee take away your Iniquities and receiue you most graciously Loue we the Lord God of Hostes who is in Christ Iesus now become our heauenly Father whosoeuer so doth are blessed their branches shall spread their beauty shall be like the Oliue-tree and their smell like Lybanon which shall reuiue as the Corne flourish as the Vine and their sent shall be like Wine of Paradise yet for all that shall the godliest bee so shaken with terrible temptations that they shall not looke for continuall quietnesse in this world but still assure themselues and soules that wee and they shall be preserued in our deepest dangers because God may destroy his Enemies but will deliuer his Children Doth any aduersity come without Gods appointment Esay 45.7 God dealeth not with you as he doth with other people but warneth you both by punishments and Prophets to beware of his plagues you are told by Esdras the mildnesse of the Almighty 2. Booke 1.28 I haue prayed you as a Father his Sonnes as a Mother her Daughter and as a Nurse her young Babes 2 Esd 1.28 that you would bee my people as I am your God and that you would bee my Children as I am your Father God our heauenly Father compareth himselfe to an Henne gathering her Chickens vnder her wings Math. 23.37 And can wee once thinke that hee will cast vs out from his sight Mat. 23.27 Although you see no Prophets yet should you hate your Iniquities and though the Lord God Almighty bee not seene with bodily eyes yet should our hearts beleeue what hee doth both teach and tell vs what best tendeth to his Glory 2. Esdras 3.28 Are they that dwell at Babylon better then they which haue dominion in Syon The Heathen may flourish there which neuer once thinke on the Commandements of God but in the world to come true Israelites finde peace with God and Angels 2. 2 Esd 7.33 Esd 7.33 Remember that the Almighty shall appeare vpon the seate of Iudgement when miseries shall vanish away and long suffering shall haue an end
Christ Iesus For a time the Father hid his face from him but with euerlasting Compassion did hee most graciously looke vpon him at last God resteth our Father hauing a care ouer his Church and Children preseruing vs from fire and water and each other eminent danger God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are not able but will euen giue you the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it You are the Lords workemanship and hee will vndoubtedly prouide for you both sheltering and comforting you and that euen then when you finde the heate of afflictions to shine most hottest vpon you Forget not to goe and come vnto the Lord in the time of your trouble and deepest distresses knowing Christ to be our Shepheard and preseruer in each danger Wee cannot honour God more then to depend on him in our dangers and fly vnto him in our extremities as our onely helper hope and fortresse This rests a matter of endlesse comfort that our Lord Iesus Christ will bee a place of comfort and refreshing vnto vs and as a shadow at noone-day in the greatest heate of bloody persecutions You are now cast downe as the Children of God to the disquieting of your soule within you yet for all that waite you still vpon God Let no feare or danger make you deny Christ and his Gospell who comforteth vs in his Church refresheth vs in our troubles and freeeth vs from the dread and dangers of Hells horrours if wee faithfully call vpon him for pardon of our sinnes as once did Manasses Bee you still thirsting for life and panting for Paradise powre out your hearts before him that keepeth Heauen for your house assure your selfe of Gods helpe bee you neuer so grieuously tormented the Saints of God haue still waited vpon him to teach vs all to be constant and to waite still for our seuerall deliuerances We knowing the Lord God to be the Author of each calamity may not murmure but seeke remedy at his hands who woundeth vs lift we vp our hands in hope not boasting of our vertues but declaring that wee still rest vpon God in the middest of all our afflictions It is a bad seruant that will not waite on his Master God doth not alwayes punish our sinnes but by hard afflictions calleth vs to the consideration of the heauenly Ioyes Wee doe not honour our God aright vntill wee trust in him alone taking his Maiesty to witnesse that wee hunger in heart to bee vpright towards God still crying when wee are grieued This God is my God for euer and euer and hee shal be my guide euen vnto death Psa 48.14 Psal 48.14 Life and death are in Gods hands and no man can liue for euer howsoeuer therefore you dreame of Immortality it is not to bee founded vpon earth although your disease is grieuous and dangerous yet know you this that God hath infinite wayes to deliuer you Did not God deliuer his people from Og King of Basan and other Tyrants and his owne people from the the Red sea when they were in great extremity and danger Let not your present crosses rest an occasion of your falling from God but rather a Cause of cleauing faster vnto him Howsoeuer you doe yet suffer troubles yet hath God his time wherein hee hath appointed your deliuerance A liuely faith assureth the soule that God is fauourable vnto him when hee seemeth to bee angry and then at hand when hee seemeth to be farre off Feare you not but God will heare you though Care make you thinke that the Lord long deferreth you What though to day you seeme as a Sheepe beset with many Wolues yet put your trust in God and depend still on his prouidence and you shall assuredly bee comforted at the last Vnder the temporall punishment of the Land of Canaan is comprehended the promise of life euerlasting to all the faithfull and their posterity In the time of our distresse wee must learne to pray earnestly and although God stay as if hee heard vs not yet is then our deliuerance neerest when wee seeme voide of reliefe and succour Are you in distresse God hath millions of meanes to free you from miseries and preserue you from troubles Acknowledge our heauenly Father to bee the onely Authour of all your deliuerances from dangers and death and that by his prouidence you are still enfranchised from troubles God will recompence his long tarrying with double and vndoubted comfort to your soules There rests no true praysing of God except it come from the heart Promise therefore to delight in nothing if henceforth God send you life and health but onely that wherein God may bee glorified Remember that sicknesse is Deaths messenger teaching vs to reioyce in nothing but in the Lord. The faithfull must learne to depend vpon Gods hand in the time of their miseries knowing that when things are euer at worst then will God come and set them in order and so bridle the rage of the enemy as hee shall become mightlesse were he neuer so strong before Wee may not looke to bee deliuered at our first cry our eyes may bee kept waiting for our comming with our deceitfull hearts and searching out of our owne spirits crying vnto GOD to know the Causes why wee are chastened and when our sorrowes shall haue an end Desire you to know the way from Earth to Heauen wee must ascend by Faith vp thither if wee will know the waies of the LORD or the secrets of his diuine Word and Will Then must wee learne what extremities God will suffer vs now and then to fall into and why to exercise our faith before hee set to his hands to deliuer vs. God for a time will exercise vs with his rods yet vnder the Kingdome of Christ shall wee rest assured both of our peace ioy and comfort I beseech you learne so to call and cry vpon God as you neuer become weary though GOD grant not forthwith your requests but learne rather to be more earnest with God and to call the more oâ—tâ—er vpon him Though your state rest not so glorious as you wish yet waite with patience and GOD will accomplish his most comfortable promises Acknowledge and confesse God himselfe to be the author of our saluation who very oft in loue calleth vs by his rods to consider the shortnesse of our liues and how that for our sinnes sake hee abridgeth our dayes lest that his wrathfull Iudgements should fall the more heauily vpon vs. Let this be the comfort of your heart that as God is all sufficient to defend you from dangers so resteth hee most willing to comfort you in your most perillous agonies Content your selfe with that life which God giueth you for by Death the shortnesse of this Life is recompenced with Immortality Know should wee all that God hath care ouer his and oft chastiseth them for their wealth that they should not perish for euer with the
disconsolate distresse Let your still armed confidence tyre out your tormented sorrowes or sickenesses whatsoeuer Let vs all rest vndaunted well knowing that God sustaynes vs who doubts of the Sunnes being although it doe not alwayes shine Or of the faith of Iob though it were ouer-whelmed for a while Know this we should all that the Elect themselues may fall though built vpon the Foundation of GOD yet the Lord keepes them from perishing though when they stand he keepes them not from falling That blessed Apostle Saint Paule tooke betweene Damascus and Ierusalem the happiest fall that euer the Earth was honoured withall In via Iudaeus cecidit vt resurgat Christianus sayth Chrisostome Hee fell in the way a Iew or rather from a Iew that he might arise a Christian It is our heauenly Fathers mercy that rayseth vs when wee are fallen but our faith must keepe vs from falling When wee are raysed wee stand by Faith and wee come through Faith into this Grace wherein we stand Shall we stand by the habits of Gods mercy and grace Rom. 5.2 and shall wee fall from the acte thereof by a wilfull Apostacy God forbid Let vs rather perseuer in Faith and that vnto the Death weighing what wauering Age we are fallen into and strange opinions euen of the pillars of these times Content wee our selues to passe from troubles and calamities into euerlasting ioyes for Death is but an entrance into blisse and as it were a casting Anchor into the Hauen of Heauen Crye to God with Dauid What profite is there in my Blood when I shall go downe into the graue of forgetfulnesse Likewise Hezekiah prayed against Death desiring to be reconciled vnto God to giue satisfaction to God and his children None so free from sinne but stand in great neede to bee purified from sinne and purged from the soares blaines and blemishes of iniquity Beware of grudging when the Lord striketh you because it is alwayes for our good and he resteth both able and willing to deliuer vs at his pleasure Psal 33.17 Behold the Eye of the Lord is vppon them that feare him Psal 33.17 and put their trust in his mercy to deliuer their soules from Death rest there neuer so many turbulent tryals Yea it is indeede our commodity that God doeth not accomplish his promises so soone as wee could wish that staying with patience his leasure wee may bee crowned with the more glory in the end As euery father nurtureth his sonne so doeth the Lord his children but it is to walke in his waies The Children of God shall knowe this that all sorrows and sicknesses crosses and troubles are to prooue vs whether wee will Loue the Lord God with all our hearts and Soules Deut. 13.3 in our greatest griefes and saddest sorrowes yea or no. Deut. 13.3.4 Gods seruants must bee no flinchers but both followers and fighters in the Lords quarrell preferring the Lords glory before their owne soules safety Do not thinke that each trouble commeth on you because the Lord is not with you For the most tender hearted mother will now and then hide her selfe from her Childe to trie the kinde and louing affection thereof towards her that afterwards finding the loue of her little one shee may as it were put it in her bosome So our heauenly father to finde out our corruptions whereof wee our selues are ignorant hee doth swinge vs for our follies that falling weeping at his feete he might louingly take vs vp and kisse vs with his mouth No euils come vpon vs but when we forsake God who rideth vppon the Heauens for our helpe and on the Clouds for his owne glory Deut. 33.16 When the hand of God is vpon you repent of your sins heartily rather then by your power and pollicy to resist the working thereof whatsoeuer your disease is fayle not for to consecrate your selfe both soule and body to the Lord of glory and you shall not doe amisse No remedy but we must needs enter into the way of all the World know we all therefore in our hearts and perswade our soules that all the good things which the Lord hath promised vs shall come to passe vnto vs and no euill can come vnto vs but by our Disobedience God that plagued Egypt brought Israel out of Egypt Hee that brought Israel into the Red Sea knew how to bring them out to their enemies confusion and the comfort of his children Do we according to the course of nature we may hope vndoubtedly to liue in the state of grace the Lord beeing farre more willing to blesse then to curse But alas it is the nature of our flesh no longer to obey God then when we are vnder the Whippe or scourge Therefore doeth the Lord make it oftentimes the end of his punishment to call vs to Repentance that wee may seeke both for health and helpe at his hands The Church of Christ now is and must be still subiect to manifold afflictions how be-be it God at length will giue ioyfull issue deliuering them from all troubles Desire rather the comfort of your poore soules then the ease of your bodies for the Almighty giueth much bitternesse to their soules that now and then had the fairest bodies to cause vs to haue more care and respect to the inward man then to the outward forme It is vsuall with God to plunge into aduersities not to hurt but to heale not to kill our bodies but to saue our soules from destruction It is GODS mercy towards his Children and his fauour vnto his Friends and followers to make them pertakers of piety and examples of Holinesse in their places I desire you call vnto minde this one thing which is that although Dauid were annoynted King and that by a Prophet yet God would trye him in sundry sorts before he had the vse of his Kingdome Art thou a Dauid thinke it not much to fall vpon thy face to the ground before Ionathan to crouch knees and kisse to saue thy life much more for a while to be sicke that in fine thou mayest become a Saint In man resteth no Iustice what 's good in vs rests all of Gods mercy from him we receiue it It is our infirmity that in time of our sorrows we do no more comfort our selues in the Lord our God then we doe In each trouble and aduersity wee are to consider the prouidence of God and not like raging Beasts to forget both our owne duty and contemne GODS appointment ouer vs. It is Gods pleasure to make as though he would leaue vs for a time yet if wee trust in him wee shall bee sure to finde comfort Our heauiest lamentations ought not to bee excessiue but moderate well considering this that wee are to praise and glorifie GOD in all his doings and remembring that many sobbes and feares both follow and befall the faithfull ones yet shews GOD himselfe most liberall to his seruants when they seeme to bee vtterly destitute of any comforts at
all Holy Scriptures doe warne vs at large that there is neyther rest nor quietnesse to bee looked for in the world but variety change of things both in Church Common-wealth longer then God preserues them by his protection where his Word is truely set forth Vertue esteemed Vice punished and Concord mainetayned there all things flourish but abhominable vices must wither before commendable Vertue can grow wee must loath the way to the dungeon of Hell before that with courage wee can clime to the Kingdome of Glory The sufferings of the faithfull haue their priuiledges 1 Reg. 2.26 1. Reg. 2.26 King Salomon would not slay Abiather because hee had borne the Arke of the Lord God before his father Dauid and because hee had suffered in all wherein his father bad beene afflicted Eliah was a good man and both beloued of God and man yet wearied in the Wildernesse fate downe vnder a Tree willing to dye sayd It is enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers And why was this because hee was iealous for the Lords Glory which wee all should stand out for to the losse of our limbes and liues Gods punishments are not to destroy vs vtterly but to chasten vs and to bring vs to the knowledge of our selues and to know how much better it is to serue God then Tyrants God neuer seeketh the Death of a sinner but his Conuersion Ezec. 18.32 c. 33.11 The Lord is with vs while wee be with him and will be found of vs if wee forsake him not God doth reserue vnto himselfe a number whom hee will heare both for himselfe and others Pray faithfully and your confidence cannot bee frustrate Bee wiser then Asa who when hee was sicke in the extremity of his disease sought rather vnto the Phisitians 2 Chron. 16.12 then vnto God 2. Chron. 16.12 Where all Christians should know that first wee should seeke God to purge our sinnes which rest the chiefe causes of our Diseases and afterwards vse the helpe of the Physitian as a meanes by whom God waketh Remember I pray you that affliction giueth vnderstanding so that such as haue hated God in their prosperity must now in their miseries both sue and seeke to him The best of vs are no better then was King Manasseh who neuer regarded God till hee was put into fetters and bounden in Chaines and carried to Babell Where being in tribulation hee then prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the GOD of his Fathers and God was intreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his Kingdome then knew Manasseh that the Lord was God See how God by our afflictions doth giue vs vnderstanding so that whereas wee hated God in our prosperity now in our misery wee seeke vnto him When God punisheth vs it is to make vs see our miseries he would not exercise vs vnder our Crosses but to make vs loath the Earth and loue the Heauens Why are we all exercised with woefull crosses and most bitter calamities not to hinder but further our passage to Paradise I hold it farre better in time of your sicknesses to commend and commit your selfe to God and his protection then by seeking ordinary meanes to giue an occasion to others to think you doubt of Gods power Are wee in misery let vs all fast and intreate God for mercy and hee will not finally forsake vs wee should consecrate our selues to him that made vs so shall wee be deliuered at the last from each malady hell death and dangers Our louing God and heauenly father would not afflict vs but to the enforcing of vs to the better keeping of his Commandments whereunto we could not be brought by Gods great benefits Ahashuerus and Haman sate merry and drinking Wine when Esther was fasting and Mordecai mourning yet went merry Haman to the Halter and Mordecai to preferment I intreate you that you neuer doe mistrust the rare prouidence of God who turneth the ioy of the wicked into sorrow but the teares of the godly into gladnesse It 's the lot of holy men not onely to bee afflicted outwardly in body but also inwardly in minde and conscience with temptations of seeming friends and diabolicall disputations vrging to despaire Sathan will tell thee that God is a seuere Iudge and thy mortall enemy and therefore it is but in vaine to sue to him for succour Such comforters as these bee not come to comfort you but torment you and to adde one affliction to another Bee you therefore constant to resist the Deuill and all his temptations and so at length you shall bee sure of good successe I know my Brethren that yee rest not like a blocke insensible but that in your patience you feele afflictions and griefe of minde yet keepe you a meane herein and rebell not against God as the wicked and vngodly doe But confesse you that God is wise and good although his hand be soare vpon you yet doth hee all things in Iustice and Equity Cease not therefore to feare God when his plagues are most vpon you for the more you suffer the more glorious shall bee your Crowne Sathan can goe no farther in punishing you then the Lord will permit him for your good Iob teacheth vs not to measure Gods fauour by the vehemency of the disease wherewith wee are perplexed for then might Iob and peraduenture your selfe suppose that God had cast you off because he vseth often to leaue his owne without helpe and most wonderfull afflicted with soares sorrowes and diseases As wee rest contented with prosperity so should wee be with aduersity acknowledging his mercy in the former and his Iustice in the latter still bridling our Impatiency or murmuring against God Iudge none the more sinfull because of their sorrowes neyther ought wee to bee weary of our liues because wee are subiect to infirmities But because wee are giuen to sinne and rebellion against God therefore should wee feare and tremble and the rather because murmuring against God in affliction doth but increase the paine and vttereth mans folly Iob 5.17 Behold blessed is the man whom God correcteth Therefore refuse not thou the chastisements of the Almighty vers 18. For hee maketh the wound and bindeth it vp hee smiteth and his hands make whole God sendeth trouble after trouble that his Childred may not for one time but continually trust in the Lord and how they shall haue a comfortable issue euen in their greatest and last temptation which promise though it bee not alwayes performed yet it doth the LORD recompence it otherwise to their aduantage My GOD might damne mee to Hell whilst hee whippeth me for Heauen the afflictions I sustaine came for my owne sinnes and promise to my soule through my Sauiour Christ Iesus a most happy conquest ouer them all By afflictions God keepeth vs as in prison and restraineth vs from doing euill neither can any set at liberty
but God our Lord who is not rigorous to any but righteous to all God sanctifie your afflictions and free you from misery comfort you in Paradise and establish you really with Glory Amen Wednesday Meditations WHen the LORD doth visite vs and not presently free vs out of trouble we must beware and take heed that wee murmure not against God to require or grudge at his chastisements God sometimes suffers his euen to wrestle against desperation and to see no glimering of his mercies sometimes againe hee causeth the hearts of his dearest Children to leape for ioy then making his Maiesty most knowne when it may tend most for the comfort of the Elect Learne wee all to waite the Lords leasure for our deliuerance not to prescribe his time but stay his leasure and willingly waite till he comfort vs againe God forgetteth not to bee gracious though sometimes hee seemeth as though hee would shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Howsoeuer it pleaseth GOD now and then to humble his Children yet he forsaketh them not for euer What are many nights of afflictions in comparison of the ioyfull morning and sun-shine of the euerlasting mercies and fauours of God These these reioyce our soules and comfort our hearts which are oppressed with sorrow Deutro 8.16 The Lord humbleth his Chosen people and prooueth them that hee may doe them good at their latter end A man may gather more vndoubted assurance of GODS euerlasting fauours towards his soule by inward afflictions then by any outward prosperity in the world Let vs all consider the manner of Gods dealing with his people in the world hee will now and then spoile vs of all our Sences and feeling of his Mercies in Christ yea suffer vs to lie bleeding in our miseries yea scorhed and tormented with the heate of Gods anger for sinne But when our hope rests euen gone then doth our heauenly Father send a gracious raine and a blessed shower to quench the heate of our poore afflicted soules for sinne which shall be as mercy to men in smart and misery Obiect But tell mee this Obiect why seeketh God his seruants in so much misery Ans To make vs all to depend of him onely with faith and patience Answ Secondly to make vs to know and see that wee are nothing of our selues but that all the strength wee haue it is onely in Christ Thirdly to stirre vp our hearts to seeke and pray vnto the Lord more earnestly for helpe and succour Fourthly to make vs esteeme the mercy of God more highly because things easily come by are lightly esteemed but things long in getting costing much trouble and paines are most sett by often therefore doth the Lord deferre his mercy vnto the last gaspe that so it might be the more esteemed Oh waite wee GODS leasure though hee deferre long and seeme to forget vs wee hope Lord for life in the middest of death and say though thou kill vs yet will wee trust in thee although thou deferre thine helpe and comfort for many yeares yet will wee neuer let goe our hold but still hang on thy mercy with our hands of Faith saying thus Lord though thou hast already whipt mee diuers wayes yet will I neuer forget to meete thee with my repentant teares well knowing thou esteemest nothing when Reformation of heart and life is wanting Iudgements come eftsoones from God for our sinnes yet layeth hee no more crosses vpon vs then hee in mercy will make vs well able to beare granting such an issue as wee shall gaine more in the Spirit then wee shall loose in the flesh Content your selfe my Brethren the Crosse in GODS due time shall bee your aduantage and leaue a sure blessing behinde it GOD imposing no punishments vpon vs but for our sinnes the tryall of our Faith Patience c. For our Heauenly Father doth afflict vs with light affliction to make vs runne vnto him and kisse his rod he afflicting vs for our good the reformation of our liues and the saluation of our soules I deny not but the best of Gods children may be afflicted with sicknes and wounds with troubled Consciences Gods rod being good both to purge our corrupt and cankered hearts and for the humbling of them throughly to the exercise of faith patience and prayer Hee knowes little that knowes not this how the poore Members of CHRIST must bee afflicted and liue in sorrow sicknesse and griefe of minde yet granteth the Lord patience to endure all By teares sorrowes and grieuous sicknesse doth God fyle away the cankered rust of our Rebellions that wee might bee more feruent in Prayer hunger more after Heauen and the more eagerly depend of his fatherly goodnesse and diuine graces When wee doe aske one thing hee giueth vs another that 's better for vs that wee might learne wholy to depend of his goodnesse all the dayes of our liues Are you in distresse fling your selfe into the blessed Armes of the LORDS mercy so will hee vndoubtedly giue you euerlasting rest vnto your soules such is the loue of GOD that hee neuer failes nor forsakes his Children Neuer despaire for any troubles but perswade your soule this that the God of peace will shortly treade downe Sathan vnder your feete hee is faithfull that haue made vs this promise Rom. 16.20 Rom. 16.20 Affliction being our portion on earth wee must labour to get faith and patience in our soules that so wee may hold out vnto the end As wee are Gods Children we finde no promise in the Word of God to be freed from temptations and trials pouerty sicknesse c. Howbeit as wee are Gods Children wee haue this promise that these things shall neuer hurt vs because the Lord will so sanctifie them vnto vs as they will surely leaue a blessing behinde them In time of danger and death nought in the world should more comfort vs then this to remember that wee haue walked before GOD in truth and with an vpright heart Esay 28.3 This cheered Ezechiah when hee was going the way of all flesh that hee had vndertaken much paines to know the LORDS Will. The best Christian is the most couetous in all heauenly knowledge of God and our saluation by Iesus Christ the Childe of God is no sooner in perill but the Lord putteth vnder his owne hand to deliuer him from death and danger Forget not God who sayth Esay 54.17.8 For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee Psal 34.17 18. Psal 34.17.18 The Lord is neere vnto all those that are of a contrite heart and will saue such as are afflicted in spirit Doth not our Sauiour comfort his Disciples thus Iohn 14.18 I will not leaue you comfortlesse but I will come vnto you euen I and I am with you to the end of the world Doubt not but there is comming a time of refreshing that will breake out as the rising of the Sunne and the bright beames of the Morning
after a tempestuous Night which of all things will bee then most ioyfull and comfortable When deliuerance shall bee most welcome then will shee breake forth Howsoeuer the hope that is deferred may for a time bee the fainting of the heart yet when the desire commeth it is as a Tree of Life Prouerbs 13.12 The Children of God learne by Aduersitie to come home to their heauenly Fathers house For when neyther preaching nor praying blessings nor threatning will cause them to come then come the Plague and Pestilence Famine and Warre of themselues meere crosses but sanctified by God vnto vs if we make right vse of them wherefore the state of affliction is safer then the estate of prosperity The Philistines could not vnderstand Sampsons Riddle how sweete came out of sower and meate out of the eater No more can the worldly minded vnderstand that tribulation bringeth out patience and momentary afflictions a most excellent waight of eternall glory Crosses for the present it 's true they are not pleasant but afterwards they bring the quiet fruite of Righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Esay 26.16 Luke 15.18 See Esay 26.16 Psal 1.17 Luke 15.18 Know this all yee people that there is more sollid Ioy in suffering rebuke with Christ our Maister then in all the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Why doth God oft thus visite our English Nation and as it were the very Citty and Seate of our Soueraigne with the famous Academies of Oxford and Cambridge but to this end that troubles visiting vs wee euen this whole Nation might powre out our prayers whilest his chastening is vpon vs or our brethren as Hager prayed while Ismael cryed The Israelites in time of their prosperity forgat God and all the mighty workes which hee had done for them Psalme 119.71 Therefore suffered he them to wander in the Wildernes Psalm 119 where they found no Citty to dwell in then cryed they vnto the Lord in their troubles and he deliuered them out of their distresses Did the Prodigall sonne euer intend to returne home agayne to his Father till the Famine Pinched him No no it was the Famine that met him and pinching him at the heart made him to resolue to packe home to his Father acknowledge his fault and intreate him for pardon Ionas slept in the ship but he both watched and prayed in the Whale It is good sayth Ieremy Lam. 3.27 Lam 3 27 for a man to beare the yoake in his youth And Dauid acknowledgeth it good for him to be afflicted And our Sauiour Christ telleth vs that our heauenly Fathers manner is to purge euery branch that it may bring foorth more fruite Afflictions are of singular vse to turne vs vnto God Suffer wee them therefore to turne vs and to bring vs home to our Heauenly Fathers house and presence Truely there is nothing better for any of vs all young or old man or Woman then afflictions if God sanctifie them vnto vs and giue vs the true vse of it it will make vs search our hearts and call our liues to account yea compell vs to runne vnto God by earnest and hearty Repentance and prayer denying our selues and relying on the mercies of God in Christ True it is that no Visitation for the present is sweet but afterwards it bringeth the Fruite of Righteousnesse to such as are thereby exercised more sollid ioyes in suffering with Christ then rest in Worldly pleasures that endure but for a season Whatsoeuer befals vs looke wee alwayes to the hands of God and obserue we his angry Countenance towards vs by reason of our sinnes and horrible impieties Labour wee to reforme our faultes and marke we from whose hands our punishments come This obseruation will bee a good meanes to bridle vs and keepe vs from impatience murmuring and muttering agaynst the Lord Thinke this of Gods Iudgements that they come not by chance vnto vs but looke we vnto the hand of GOD Who sayth I draw my sword I kill and make aliue I send the plague and pestilence to consume and to Destroy In all this let vs say with the Psalmist 119.75 I know O Lord that thy Iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly laying no more vpon me then thou enablest me to beare The Spirit of GOD teacheth vs wholy to relye depend and waite duely vppon his gracious promise whose Countenance is still towards vs Weigh well what true comfort and happinesse it is vnto a poore distressed soule to heare come thou hither I am thy Saluation It is the manner of me the God of all flesh neuer to strike with my iudgements but first to giue warning so as if men wil be wise to beleeue my Word and amend their liues they may auoyde my Iudgements or going on in Vice and folly be most worthily plagued and punished It is the Lords mercy to admonish before hee correct vs Hee speakes sometimes vnto vs by himselfe and sometimes by Christ Iesus the wisedome of the Father crying and calling vs to heare his voyce and to receiue Instruction vsing fayre meanes to win vs rather then threatnings to fright vs. Let vs all I beseech you be reclaymed by his Word and gentle Voyce before his Wand shewing Wrath and the prepared rod both Wrath and Displeasure Are we weake they are meanes to Repentance and Reconciliation looke wee backe therefore vnto our former Race of yeares crauing his Maiesty to deale mercifully with vs. Let vs take heed that wee accuse not God of any hard dealing but rather accuse the hardnesse of our owne hearts that are so vnwilling to be warned by his Word and Iudgements The Lord doth often humble vs to bring vs home to himselfe by his Word and by his Iudgements yea his mercies the motions of his spirit doth our heauenly Father vse to humble vs. So plagues and iudgments woes and miseries doth the Lord cause to light vpon vs mealting euen away as it were our corruptions in the boyling Caldron of common Calamities God by sicknesse teacheth vs not to trust in our strength for wee are as a staffe in a mans hand except the Lord hold vs vp wee cannot stand but downe wee fall one way or another as Peter had into hell if Christ had not held out his helping hand Wee are all the Lords Seruants hired to labour in his Vineyard and therein to perseuer vnto the very euening of our dayes dedicating vnto him both Cure Soules and Substances Liues and Labours Lay hold betimes of the mercies of God in Christ Iesus and let neyther sorrowes nor sicknesses make vs to shrinke from him Afflictions are of excellent vse to turne vs vnto God both the Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particuler When they do not profitably vse prosperity nor behaue them selues thankefully in the day of peace they must bee touched with Crosses and Troubles sicknesses and sorrowes which will cause vs all to call our
euill wayes to remembrance and turne our feete to Gods Testimonies It is the Promise of God 2. Samu. 7.14.15 To Dauid and his Posterity 2. Sam. 7.14.15 that hee will be his Father and the Father of his Seede and sinning he will chasten vs with the rod of men and with the plagues of the Children of men That is gently as Fathers chastise their Children but neuer take his mercies from vs. Why are wee often scourged of our heauenly Father but because we are frozen in the dregs of corruptions wee spend our dayes in carelesse security without an holy feare of his Name Therefore commeth his holy hand to change our estates to awaken vs from wickednesse to chasten vs with his rods and to purge vs with fire Turne wee our hearts towards our heauenly home cease wee neuer vntill wee get fast hold of his most holy hand that can powerfully draw vs thorough Hell to Heauen It is Gods fauour to call vs from Hell by afflictions and thereby to breake in vs the power of sinne and to let out such corrupt blood as else would much hinder the thriuing of the best graces of our most mercifull Father more soules and this is oftentimes one cause why wee are eftsoones held long in the Cabin of Care and bedd of Afflictions and woes by reason that through wilfull wantonnesse wee abuse our strength and to the great dishonour of God and ruine of our soules Did not the sufferings of our Sauiour shield vs from damnation Seeke yee euer to bee bettered in Obedience reformed in the whole man humbled vnder Gods hands examining your hearts what sinnefull actions haue passed from you that the Lord should thus strike and visite you After sight of your sinnes bee sorrowfull in soule and humbled in heart marking well what God doth still aime at Not by sorrowfull sicknesse to destroy you or to confound you but to enforce you to call your owne soule to sigh and your very heart so to see your owne sinnes as in a sanctified course you may come home to your selfe and say from your soule this surely resteth the correcting hand of God which now striketh me for my sinnes I will now therefore returne vnto my heauenly Father by true repentance for hee that now striketh mee will both heale mee and helpe mee or perceiuing of Gods anger and feeling of his Iudgements vpon vs should cause vs to sigh and sobbe and goe softly yea to seeke the Lord earely who in Iudgement remembreth Mercy and howsoeuer God whip and scourge vs that are his Children yet his mercies will he neuer take from vs. Be you sure that God humbleth you no otherwise in the world then hee handled his onely Sonne who hath begun to drinke to you this bitter potion not onely assaying it but drinking to you a full draught It 's not onely a comfort but a glory to bee partner and fellow-sufferer with CHRIST who delighteth to see in vs some representation of himselfe Wee are no members of Christ if wee participate not with him of the persecutions and iniuries of this life Our heauenly Father will neuer hold backe his mercies from those whom our Sauiour entreateth mercies wee can not bee ouercharged who are charged with Christ who from euery crosse hath now taken away both the Infamy and the Curse and hath made it a Tribunall and a Throne of Iudgement for for all the World Christ hath now made the action of bearing the Crosse both inblameable and honourable Are you afflicted in Conscience get you vnto Christ that good Samaritane who will powre Wine and Oyle into our wounds Christ suffered all had all against him for vs and will wee contentedly suffer nothing for him did euer any trust in God and was not deliuered Or did God euer finally forsake those whom hee fauoured Or is deliuerance from temporall calamities an assured signe of Gods fauors Surely no for the Iudgements of God are both secret and vnsearchable nothing making vs miserable or happy but that which is eternall Cry wee therefore Lord so sanctifie our griefes as thou communicate therewith thy Graces vnto vs. Let euery calamity and crosse admonish vs of our Disobedience that first brought into this world sicknesses and sorrowes molestations and miseries diseases and death O let vs be glad to suffer troubles and trauels in this world esteeming our whole time of life as the forty yeares trauell into the Land of promise or as the sixe dayes of labour which goe before the Sabbath of rest O Lord we are all but as Lamps of Clay and as vnpolished peeces of Wood yet doe wee humbly present our selues vnto thee make of vs what it pleaseth thee Wee offer our selues wholy vnto thee desiring to depend altogether vppon thee This World Iere. 30.7 is a time of Iacobs trauell yet shall hee be defrom it The Lord of Hostes will breake the enemies yoake from off his owne peoples necke so that Strangers shal no more serue thēselues of Iacob This is the comfort of Gods people that howsoeuer God punisheth yet it is to saue them though hee correcteth vs by his Iudgements yet wil he not vtterly cut vs off in his anger If our bruisings were incurable then were our wounds dolourous if no Plaister or Medicine could helpe vs then were our case most desperate But wee haue a Sauiour and most kinde Samaritane restoring our soules both from death and danger yet as the Iron must bee well heated in the fire ere it can be wrought with the Hammer and driuen out on the Anvile So may wee not passe to the Pallace of Paradise till first wee suffer many stroakes of holy temptations and passe thorough the fire of piercing tryals The holy Saints and blessed Martyrs haue thus passed through this world of woe and come to the Crowne of glory God is eftsoones sending troubles and afflictions to such as hee best loueth because they should not busie their thoughts with worldly occasions but still be labouring and hasting on their Iourney towards Heauen It is the wisedome of God to deale roughly with his chosen Children making their liues both painefull and labourious to them to cause them to make the more haste to finish their Iourney without loytering in the shadow of this world and so to loose the day-light and goe on stumbling in the darke Nothing is more honourable for any Knight or Souldier then to beare the Armes of his King and Captaine neyther to any true Christian then for to suffer trauell and persecution as his forgiuer and keeper Iesus Christ hath done Learne wee all to wade thorough calamities after our Captaine looking for that Day which may enrich vs with eternall happinesse I beseech you make benefit of your present tribulation Gods people must remember that it is safer sayling through the bitter stormy seas of afflictions then dancing at pleasure vppon the calme streames of Vanities But who flyes from Prosperity as from the Pestilence Or thinke themselues safest when
it is farthest from them Our way to Heauen is not by prosperity or high lookes treading on our Neighbours neckes and contemning of the poore but through persecutions and crosses reuilings scoffings and all ignominies of the world which patiently wee must indure and suffer for our Sauiours sake Shall the Estrich digest hard Iron to preserue her health The Souldier indure hardnesse to achieue the Conquest the sicke Patient swallow bitter pils to be eased of his griefe and shall we neyther abide soares nor sicknesses stormes nor tempests to get into the place of blisse and Kingdome of Glory As Iacob thought his seauen yeares seruice short for the great Loue that he bare to Rachell So should all the tribulations of this World for the Kingdome of Heauen The Lord will surely saue the soules of his Seruants that put their trust in him Psal 86.2 and call dayly vpon him Hee would not bid vs call and cry vnto him vnlesse hee ment to ponder our humble desires let vs truely worship him on earth and he will surely glorifie vs in Heauen If wee but once heartily desire to walke in the truth God will so knit our hearts vnto him that we shall surely finde deliuerance from the nethermost Hell God wil not finally faile to strengthen his Seruants to shew some token vpon you for good so as you shall bee both holpen and comforted Psal 86. Though the Lord our God sometimes turnes his face from vs yet will hee at last satisfie vs with his mercies and being his seruants shew vs his glory Psal 90.16 Yea Psal 90.16 the glorious Maiesty of the Lord our God shall be vpon vs verse 17. O perswade your selfe to be vnder the defence of the Lord and to abide vnder the shaddow of the Almighty so shall you be safe vnder the Wings of God his faithfulnesse and Trueth shal be your shielde and buckler So high hath God set an house of defence for all his Children Psa 91.15 as hee will deliuer them from horrour and bring them to honour Psalme 91.15 Oh happy and thrice happy are you when for the voice of your groaning your very bones will scarse cleaue to your skinne and when you doe now and then mingle your drinke with Weeping and washing your bed with brinish teares wayling for your sinnes neuer thinke but that God which hath cast you downe will vndoubtedly take you vp Ps 101.10 Psalme 102.10 What though your Spirit bee vexed within you and that your heart within you be desolate and gasping yet lift your soules to God flye vnto him to hide you so shall he lead you into the Land of Righteousnes keepe you from trouble and guide you into the Celestiall chamber of Presence where as no enemies shall vexe you because you are his Seruants O the mercies of our most gracious God and Heauenly father who whilest in Iustice hee might consume you for sinne Hee sanctifieth vnto you your present visitation that your flesh being wounded with feare you might possesse your soules by dreading the mighty power of God and escape his Wrath neyther strucken with terrour nor once tasting his iudgements Looke you neuer Despaire because God which smiteth healeth Hosea 6. Hosea 6. And tendereth his pardon before that wee perish Ionas 3. Desire wee should still to haue our Heauenly Father to correct vs in mercies to amendment but not to plague vs to our destruction Iudith 8. Iob. Iob. 11. 11. Wis 11. You cannot call faithfully vppon God but he helpeth Nor trust truly in him and be confounded Iob 5. The Lord bringeth backe from the gates of Death and restoreth the sicke to their former health yet vse wee must the Physition and medicinable potions for the procuring and maintayning of our health As King Hezekiah being sicke he prayed and wept vsing these meanes to pacifie Gods anger And though GOD could haue healed Hezekiah without meanes yet God directed his Prophet to apply a playster of Figges to his soare to ripen and heale it Thus are wee taught how to behaue our selues in times of our sickenesse First to pray to our heauenly Father for health and that with troubled teares and penitentiall cryes And then to vse profitable meanes and not to neglect them If at any time men thinke to prepare themselues to dye especially when they are in the greatest dangers sicke and in the way to the Graue and so to iudgement now see you haue a charitable heart towards all men Dauid was carelesse in Gods seruice before he was afflicted Psalme 119. Ieremiah neuer thinketh it too soone to suffer the Crosse Luke 9.23 Our Sauiour sayth that we must take vp the Crosse dayly although nothing did better befit vs then afflictions There is nothing better then it so God doeth vouchsafe to sanctifie it vnto you and giue you the true vse of it For it will make you search your heart and call your former Life to account sicknesse humbleth makes you see your weakenesse compels you to runne to God by most earnest and hearty prayer Inforceth you to deny your selfe and to put your trust and confidence in GODS mercies through the merits of Iesus Christ The Lords bringing any calamities vppon vs or vpon our family is to seeke him early that hee may remooue his Iudgements from vs the sooner All chastisements and afflictions yea all Iudgements and corrections come from the Lord alone hee sendeth them he imposeth them and layes them on vs he moderates them at his pleasure his quiuer rests full of such Arrowes to hit hurt and consume vs or in his Fatherly kindnesse to correct and better vs in our courses Remember wee euer that Sathan who could not enter into the heard of Swine without Christs leaue he hath his power bounded and limitted by God so as he cannot eyther touch vs or torment any of Gods people without his leaue and permission Gods prouidence being ouer the Sparowes in the Field and haires of our head will neuer neglect the Saluation of our Soules being a matter of much more weighty worth and moment This being cleare that all our Afflictions come from God vnto vs we must needes learne patience vnder the crosse knowing that the times thereof are still determined by God and how they will leaue a blessing behind them giuing vs farre more in spirit then we loose in the flesh Assoone as wee are afflicted by the hands of God we should presently labour to haue our Soules and Consciences disburdened of sinne Yea we should learne to bee bettered by our afflictions confesse our sinnes and bewaile them with teares and not with Pharaoh to harden our hearts but to Remember with Trembling that the Righteous themselues shall scarcely be saued We may not measure Gods fauour towards vs by our outward blessings or crosses Eccle. 9.2 All things come a like to all to the Iust as to the wicked Nay afflictions are tokens of the Lords loue the Childe is corrected the seruant cashiered
Heauen but by Hell Gods scourging vs sheweth that he loue vs and meaneth to manifest vnto the VVorld whether we be slaues or sonnes There is no greater Temptation then to thinke God our enemy going about to destroy vs in with-drawing the most comfortable signes of his fauour from vs then yet must we rest vpon the Lord and by Fayth cleaue vnto him VVhat though by outward sence we are reiected of God yet by our Faith must wee still apprehend his hidden mercies and behold it a far off in the Glasse of Gods Promises Nay although the Lord fayle vs yet let vs not leaue him vntill that he haue blessed vs well Knowing his loue that he will hold with the one hand when hee assayles vs with the other proouing and Exercising our Faith as hee did the VVomans of Canaan Matth. 15.22 First Math. 15.22 Christ gaue her Faith and by that Faith was shee mooned to seeke to him but when shee was once come vnto him he gaue her three Repulses First by saying nothing Secondly by denying her And thirdly by calling her Dogge Marke we how Christ made shew as though he would neuer haue granted her request yet at euery repulse she grew the more instant crying more earnestly vnto him shee opposed herselfe vnto Christ and would take no deniall Marke wee all here the nature of true Faith if you doe now rest faithfull though you feele your selfe ouerwhelmed with sinne turmoyled with Sathans conflicts yea and God himselfe both angry and offended with you Yet can you lift vp your eye-liddes to Heauen and giue a glimpse at the Brazen Serpent Christ Iesus flinging your selfe into the Armes of GODS mercy and catching hold of that hand buffetting you and kisse it Then feare not we must not passe for the malice of men but haue an eye vnto the mercies of God well knowing that yet it is not made manifest what we shall be But we know that when Christ shal be made manifest we shal be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3.2 Doe not I pray you measure the Loue of God vnto your soule eyther by your prosperity or by your Aduersity well considering that these rest common both vnto bad good Take heede and beware of perswading your selues to bee in the depth of Gods fauours whilest you inioy temporall peace and externall glory for Christ fled into the mountayne when hee heard they would come to make him King choosing rather to bee there alone then for to inioy a transitory Crowne To keepe you now from dispaire consider I pray you all or some of Gods former mercies towards you He hath protected you both in your Infancy Child-hood and Youth and multiplied vpon you many positiue blessings let all these pleaders preuaile for your faithfull and hearty seruice to so heauenly a Maister If any countenance a seruant and giue him meanes and maintenance hee would take it ill to leaue him and serue his very enemies yet so doe sinners that forgetting Gods fauours towards them flye vnto the professed enemies of God yea of Christs Church and Gospell I meane the Deuill himselfe from whom to be saued sigh wee still to be anointed vntill wee be crowned anointed here with the oyle of gladnesse in this Church militant that wee may bee crowned hereafter with the Church triumphant 2. Tim. 48. Desire the Lord to make your bed in your sicknes that the voice of ioy health may bee heard in your habitation account no priuiledge so precious as to be in GODS fnuour and haue accesse to the Throne of Grace and vpon all occasions to see the golden Scepter stretched out vnto you your prayers heard your petitions granted and your suite obtained assure your selfe that Christ sendeth no sinners discontented or empty handed from him Salomon craued Wisedome Paul power against Sathans buffetings Ezechias and Dauid deliuerance from Enemies Moses from drowning and the Theefe from damning No petition put vp from a sorrowfull Soule and a beleeuing and touched Heart but receiueth a gracious answere for GODS glory and our good Serue wee Christ now vpon Earth and wee shall surely sing with him in Glory trust and rely we still vpon God and hee will take vs away as hee did Iosias from seeing of Euils or as hee did good Augustine before the sacking of Hippo by the Vandals or conuay vs to some other place as he did Lot when Sodome was burned or prouide some meanes for our stay as hee did the Arke for Noah when the World was drowned Hee that saued Moses and the Israelites when the Aegyptians were drowned wants no meanes to remooue our painefullest Maladies yea to rescue and redeeme our liues with the death of our Enemies as Haman was hanged for Mordecai saued was the Corne and burnt were the â—ares one and the same Flaile beats Chaffe to be burned and pure Corne to be preserued Be not discouraged at the feare of death knowing that with Christ all Christians must die that the remnants of sinne might bee quite taken away and abolished so as the roote of old Adam may bee most absolutely stocked vp Remember I pray you that flesh and blood must be changed before it can inherit the Kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.50 Moreouer the blood as it is old beginneth by little and little to condensate and waxe thicke and so to corruption Againe our spirits waste by vse and labour which weares euen the Iron and hardest mettalls and both the body and the minde are weakened by corporall and mentall exercises Both of them like to vnthrifty heires spending faster then either the father or fosterer of them the Heart can digest and gather for them All these things tell vs that dye wee all must rich Diues aswell as poore Lazarus Simon the wiser aswell as Naball the foole Absolom the faire aswell as Thersites the foulest and fulsome Tall Saul must goe to the Graue aswell as little Zacheus godly Ionathan aswell as his vngodly Father both Wife and Husband must participate of the common condition of humane Nature once to dye Know this all of you that no Princes vpon the earth can with-draw their necks from this yoake howsoeuer some seeme as Gods vpon the earth yet must they die like men be they neuer so high of birth or blood Though my brethren and sisters yee weare all golden Crownes let vs all obserue how louing our LORD and Master was vnto Dauid in promising vnto him a Kingdome but for many yeares was he so hunted and persecuted therein that hee knew not which way to turne himselfe to finde peace and safety And why was all this but that hee might first become a good man and then a good King whosoeuer will weare the Crowne of Glory with Christ must likewise with him weare the Crowne of Thornes Our heauenly Father scourgeth vs to see whether wee will heartily loue him being our heauenly Phisitian or no and that with our very soules Deut.
away all things that are contrary vnto his Commaundements so where the wicked feele Gods power you and I being godly shall find his mercies Desire we God to be our sufficiency aboue physicke meate or drinke Are we in the depth of misery let vs contemplate his Power and glory as if we were in his Sanctuary assured of his Spirit Afflictions dwelleth with the best of Gods seruants who haue no leasure to swallow downe their spittle Such is the estate of the poore members of Christ Iesus that oftentimes they bee soare groaning vnder the Crosse of tribulation yet suffereth not our Sauiour any of his to passe from vnder his shaddow till our heauy and oppressed heartes comforted and fully refreshed Our heauenly Fathers scourge is vndoubtedly a fore-runner of Gods gracious fauour and blessing and the onely way to saluation Crye and call faithfully and God will still heare thee what time the storme falleth on thee It is our Heauenly Fathers fauour to open our eares by his correction thereby keeping backe our soules from the pit and our liues from passing by the Sword He striketh vs with sorrows vppon our beds making our soules to loath and abhorre euen the daintiest meates By carefull Crosses God openeth our eares so as neyther health may hurt vs nor Prosperity vndoe vs The cause why God sendeth vs sundry afflictions is to beate downe our pride and to turne vs from euill and impiety Our gracious GOD withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous neyther will hee still be fettering vs with the cordes of afflictions But he will be opening our eares to Discipline and commaunding vs to returne from iniquity My GOD and Heauenly Father so mooue your and euery one of our hearts to the feeling and seeing of all our sinnes and iniquities that we may all come to him by repentance as did Manasses at the last Assure we shall our soules of this that to the afflicted God sheweth Grace The scourge of the Lord is vppon vs wee ought the more humbly to pray vnto our God that he hide not his face from vs. But rather to indue vs with his Spirit as still resting in misery and afflictions wee might be driuen from man to God As was the Prophet Dauid When his Friends forsooke him and all his Acquaintance hid themselues from him Then gat Dauid vnto God most humbly with these words Oh Lord heare my Prayer O let my crye come vnto thee Hide not thy face from me in time of my trouble but incline thine Eares vnto me that do mingle my drinke euery morning with my Weeping Learne we each one neyther to haue fellowship with the deceitefull nor yet to stay with the vngodly but to wash our hands in innocency and so to go vnto the Lords Altar See you neuer forget the loue of our Sauiour Christ to mankinde who was content for to become a Redeemer to mankind and not for the Angels which fell as did both man and woman For the ground of our Redemption is the special loue of Christ not the fore-seene workes of our faith in the eternall Counsel of God But like as the Israelites got not Canaan by their owne sword and power No more can we gaine Heauen but by Gods fauouring vs in Christ Iesus his Sonne The faithfull are chastened ere they be Crowned yea checked and aduised for to leaue their bad manners and particuler vices and to follow and practise holy religious duties in faith feare and feeling with holy Obedience both to God and man Both Paule and Barnabas teach vs this Lesson that we must through many tribulation Enter into the kingdome of God Few things came into the Hoast of Israel but such as were purified eyther by fire or water How much more ought the sinfull soules of men to be purged ere they come to their Heauenly heritage Num 31.23 Num. 31.23.24 As Hester was first purified sixe moneths with Myrrhe after that with sweete Odours and then come vnto Ahashuerus So bitter tryals and trauailes must touch our heartes ere wee can lodge with the LORD of Life vnder whom King Ahashuerus liued but as a Lieutenant It is the Priuiledge of Christs members to be troubled and afflicted but not for euer to bee fined as siluer in the furnace of affliction and tribulation VVhat was once spoken vnto the olde Iewes I doe now vnderstand it as applyed to the Elect whose priuiledges in this life are pangs and pains troubles and tortures calamities and crosses so that it is now growne to a Prouerbe Athemata mathemata passionis documenta The Lords lashes are lessons to leade vs a long the right and streight way to Christ the true Sanctefier of our soules to all that beleeue in him Dauid penning his sweetest and harmonious Psalme in his bitterest afflictions teacheth vs euery one to profite by Gods Rod because that afflictions Bringeth home the Prodigall Sonne Luke 15. Luke 15. And maketh Nebuchadnezzer lift vp his eyes to Heauen honouring him that liueth for euer As many as rest sons must be scourged of their father wee iust ones knowing God but must looke for messengers to salute them with shriking sounds of sorrowful newes For our learning it pleaseth God oftentimes to conclude the best peoples liues with very fearefull euils As we see in the death of Iesus Christ his best Apostles Ionathan Lazarus and the LORDS two VVitnesses Reuel 11.7 Who hauing finished their Testimonies are killed for so doing and their Corpses throwne into the streetes of the great Citty the Gentiles in their courses three dayes and a halfe not suffering their Carkasses to bee put in their Graues See how the Lord scourgeth deepely where hee loueth most dearely stay but the LORDS leasure and hee will vndoubtedly comfort your distressed heart and minde if you will patiently abide seeke and waite for him in the Way of sincerity and trueth Remember wee should all that Israels portion is not passed into by following of vaine and vnlawful pleasures not by imbracing the Earth in our armes or sending out our Children by flockes to daunce after musicke Til the Lords Vae mane surgentibus Esay 5. seize vpon vs Israels portion is not so easily come vnto There is no other way to the Crowne but by the crosse we must suffer our afflictions as the good souldiers of Christ before the Lord will receiue vs into Eternall Glory Learne we all therefore that the Crosse of Christ is the best Schoole-maister to bring vs to Christ As Naaman did wash ere hee could be whole so must good Christians be content to suffer tryals VVhilst God threatneth afflictions to our flesh he would haue vs to prepare Faith and Patience in our hearts to entertayne the LORDS chastisements with teares The rod of God to man is as the presse to the Grape the fanne to the Corne and the fire to the Gold How was good Iacob troubled first to haue his onely brother as it were to sweare his death then to
that I pray not to an inexorable Iudge but to a most mercifull Father who can deny me nothing As I most comfortably read Mathew 3.9.10.11 Math. 3.9 It is no impudency to call vppon the LORD we haue his promise Eze. Eze. 36.28 36.28 that wee shall be his people and he will be our GOD for euermore VVe haue Christs warrant when we pray to haue the Holy Ghosts instructions whereby we may Crye Abba Father fearing God as our master and more reuerencing him then our parents VVe that are Gods children should so esteeme of our tryalls as alwayes tending to his owne glory and our saluation the matter of temptation I meane mine owne concupiscence is in my self the Diuel brings his bellows to this fire and it is forthwith Kindled But crauing Grace to repell this power wee are not swallowed vp of them but freely deliuered from the slauery of sinne and Sathan Saint Augustine asketh What our life is He answereth himselfe saying Saint Augustines resolution Arming to death our Life while it increaseth decreaseth and when our Life is dying our Death is liuing This Life is the time wherein we must be admitted into the Kingdome of Grace if euer wee looke hereafter in the Kingdome of glory and happinesse All Gods Children must in this VVorld be tempted that being tempted they may resist resisting they may ouer-come and ouer-comming they may be Crowned Be not weary of painefull walking to the Kingdome of Heauen fixe your eyes on Christ Iesus and neuer leaue running vntill you come to him neyther feare you any Foe rising vp against you for the professing of Gods trueth so long as wee may winne Christ Iesus for our reward Thinke not your selfe to be a fit stone for the LORDS building vnlesse you be hewen with the Axe of afflictions and then slit through the heart with a Saw of correction VVhosoeuer will heereafter taste the sweete ioyes of Paradise must first on earth with Christ Iesus taste of the cup of salt teares and afflictions with Dauid here he wattered his bed and hast thou none to bedew thy Couch with God would not afflict thee but to weane thee from wickednesse he would not haue the weeds to ouer-grow the good Corne nor the flesh to domineere ouer the Spirit therefore by afflictions are wee often brought to hate that which before we did loue and to imbrace what before we did loath Tribulation doth vppon the eares of the heart which worldly prosperity doth oftentimes shut 1 Cor. 11 the Lord in mercy often chasteneth heere that we might not be proud nor condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11.32 God woundeth vs not to make vs worse but wiser that wee might weepe each one for our seuerall sinnes and wickednesse which wee haue committed against our good God Oh remember that the afflictions of the body is wholesome phisicke for the Soule it killeth the flesh but cureth the Spirit One compareth afflictions to the Gold-smiths Forge which tryeth the pure gold from the drosse or as Physicke expelling corrupt humours from the body Or as a Shepheards crooke whereby God bringeth againe his wandring sheepe vnto the fold Sicknesse and sorrowes are as a watchfull rod to make vs vigilant that are in our selues naturally both sleepy and sluggish You know this that by afflictions are the Children of God and the sonnes of Belial discerned and taken notice of We are oft therefore inthralled that our Faith might be tryed hope loue and obedience exercised and our Crosses cheerefully welcomed sent of God for our good learning in affliction to abase thy selfe in the sight of God Almighty acknowledging and confessing that earthly scourges are but as flea-bitings in respect of the torments of Hell which by our lewd liues for euer we haue deserued Do you aske me why God afflicteth you in this world I answer That the greatnesse of his power and the infinitenesse of his mercies might bee shewed in the deliuery of vs you and such others There is no surer signe of the Lords VVriting your names in the Booke of Life then this that the LORD humbleth before hee exalteth and sheweth vs our damnable estate through sinne by the Law before euer he signifieth vnto vs that he is our Saluation And why dealeth God thus with his owne Children First vntill wee be humbled wee neuer seeke after Christ nor desire him without which wee can neuer finde him for God hath appoynted that by seeking we should find him A second reason is that our Redemption might bee the more precious vnto vs as our health rests more pleasant after sicknesse liberty after imprisonment plenty after scarcity and peace after warre From the Spanish Nauy in 88 From the Gun-powder treson From the last greate sicknesse And many perticular dangers Thirdly that Gods mercy in our deliuerance might bee prised in his kinde the Redeemer in Heauen for this especiall cause extoll the Lord and the Lambe with a perpetuall Haleluiah for an euerlasting Redemption from an euerlasting damnation requireth an euerlasting glorification This generall trueth is confirmed by a perticular example when the poore Iaylour was most grieuously tormented through the horrours of the Law before euer he can find his soule recouered by the saluation of the Gospell Hee cryes Sirs what must I do to be Saued Perhaps Paul and Sylas told him what to do Euen beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be Saued and thine household It is no ill signe to bee humbled as the seruant of God wounded in Conscience or pricked in heart not knowing what to do Niniueh was humbled before he sought to God Thus doth the Law prepare vs vnto Christ saluation and eternall blisse belonging to none but to the humble Esay 66.2 All Gods Children must go through the Hell of a wounded conscience before they can taste of any heauenly refreshing euen as Merchants waxe must be softned with a Candle before it can take an impression the terrour of our sin must languish our soules before wee can come to the remission of them The comming of GOD into the Soules of the Faithfull and chosen is notably resembled by his appearance vnto Eliah 1 Reg. 19.11.12 First 1 Reg. 19.11.12 there came a mighty strong Winde that rent the Mountaines and brake the Rockes but the Lord was not in the wind After the wind came an Earth-quake but the Lord was not in the Earth-quake after the Earth-quake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire at last came a soft and still voyce So the Lord appeareth to his Redeemed ones by the VVinde of his wrath breaking their hearts Secondly by the earthquak of his anger shaketh God our soules Thirdly by the fire of displeasure smoaketh he our Consciences but in the end by the still voyce of his mercies he refresheth our soules were they neuer so sinfull As the Iaylour had an Earth-quake in his Castle so must each Christian in his Conscience before euer he
perceiue his Election and Saluation The saying is as true as ancient We must goe by the gates of Hell to Heauen we must after a sort be in Hell before euer we can be capable of Heauen aboue That is in the Hell of an ashamed countenance and a confounded conscience before euer the Lord will say vnto our soules that he is our Saluation and Redemption Our humiliation by the Law must first preceed the saluation of the Gospell so then they are not conuerted that more or lesse are neuer humbled To be troubled and amazed for our sinnes is to be fitted for Heauen and first we must be lost ere we can be found and must be condemned before wee can be reprieued or saued We must be ashamed of our sinnes affrighted at our follies and confounded in our consciences before the Lord wil once say to our soules I am thy Redemption Are you amazed at your sins be not disparaged so farre you are in this your Hell from Hell as you are composed thereby and made fitter for Heauen which is the throne of the Euer-liuing Lord GOD. Againe we must labour to haue the spirit of Bondage become the Spirit of Adoption to our soules and we must acknowledge our seuerall diseases before Christ will heale vs. As euery one can rest content to haue Cstrist our Iesus so must we rest content to haue him our Lord and be conformable vnto him in bearing the Crosse if euer we meane or looke to be glorified with him in Heauen We must needs feele our sicknesse ere wee befit for Righteousnesse soule afflictions must not fright you from Almighty God but make you rather runne vnto him for defence as the Chickens do from the Kite to their Hen 2 Cor. 12.17 18. The more you trust in God the sooner will he support you and the more earnestly you cry and craue for iustice the sweeter will be your end and the more ioyfull your deliuerance Forget not to be thankfull for the least measure of Faith and Grace wel knowing that the want of these soone worketh mans ouer-throw Vnderstand I beseech you that though Death be the deliuerer of euery faithfull man and woman from the body and prison of sinne to Eternall Felicity Our Sauiour by his Death and Passion hauing killed the sting of death in vs and a though Paul once rauished with an high Contemplation Wished to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Philip. 1.23 Yet haue we no warrant euery man to pray for the hasting of his owne death being to euery Faithfull particular man the same thing that the generall transmutation wil be at the latter day to the whole body of the iust and Elect except that the Elect after the generall dissolution attayne to a greater degree of Glory Christ came not to Call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance To seeke the lost Sheepe to finde the lost Greate and reclayme the lost Sonne or meet with the lost treasure Submit your desires to GODS will and leaue your indeauours with patience to be ordered by the Lords prouidence earnestly desiring preseruation from Death you patiently submitting your selfe vnto GODS pleasure eyther for Life or Death For the best and surest way to finde Fauour in the Eyes of the LORD Almighty is to desire him to doe with vs what hee seemeth or thinketh good for referring our selues to his Diuine prouidence hee will euer deale most graciously and louingly with vs. God is our GOD willing to shew vs grace and mercy he will turne to vs and be fauourable 〈◊〉 he takes away our manifold iniquities and cast our sinnes in the depth of the Sea Agayne Psalme 103.8.9.10 The Lord is full of Compassion and mercy long suffering and of great goodnes He will not be alwayes chiding neyther keepeth he his anger for euer He hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewards according to our iniquities But looke how high the Heauen is in comparison of the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Looke how wide also the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. Yea like as a Father pittieth his owne children euen so is the Lord pittifull to them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that we are but dust Psal 145.8 Ioel. 2.13 Mat. 26.11 2. Cor. 1.3 Ephe 2.4 2 Tim. 1.13 Of the great mercies of God towards vs sinners read at your leasure Psalme 145.8.9.147.8.10 and in Ioel 2.13 Math. 26.11 2 Cor. 1.3 Ephes 2.4 1 Tim. 1.13 vnto 18. verse All these places yeelde words of rare comfort pronounced by the Eternall Verity it selfe and therefore not to be mistrusted or dispayred of Let vs not abuse GODS mercies making them a cloake to couer our sinnes presume we not saying Eccles 5.6 Eccle. 5.6 The mercie of our God is great he will forgiue my manifold sins for mercy and wrath come from him Forget not that golden saying of St. Paule Rom. 8.28 All things worke together for the best to them which feare God Rom. 5.4 Yea the afflictions and troubles of Gods children are so sanctified vnto them by Gods spirit that by the same they are made partakers of Gods holinesse Hebr. 1.12 Heb. 1.12 By the same they inioy the quiet Fruite of Righteousnesse by it likewise they attaine to a greater measure of ioy in the Holy Ghost Agayne Hereby is the world crucified vnto you and you vnto it Rom. 8.8 Hereby are we made conformable to the death of Christ by this are we kept from the condemnation of this World and by the same likewise learn we experience patience Hope c. I beseech you all to ponder weigh and consider how your crosses are mercy your losses gaines your afflictions schooling and each aduersity as a Lesson receiue your Crosses as comming from Christ written both for thy Learning and Comfort manifesting by these tokens that he loueth you meaning thereby to draw you euen into his Bosome hereby we are assured of our heauenly Fathers good will towards vs. We may not in our miseries still looke for Gods but likewise at his ineffable mercie our Parents disobedience in eating the forbidden Fruite did banish them out of the most pleasant place of the World yet shewed GOD his fatherly Kindnesse vnto them before he droue them out for he made them Coates to arme them against all weather More then that hee comforted them with the promise of the blessed Seed Iesus Christ which should restore that Saluation vnto mankinde which they had lost by yeelding to the Serpents intisements Loe here the most louing and Kind dealing of GOD with Man hee will make vs smart a little for our sinnes here is his Iustice but yet so that he will not vtterly forsake vs or giue vs ouer for euer here is louing mercy Auoyde therefore Sathan once I say agayne auoyde cease to suggest or ingest into any mans heart that he should thinke because that God
doth crosse and afflict him therefore GOD doth hate forsake and vtterly cast him off those with whom he so now dealeth It is true that Christ Iesus hath taught vs to call vppon him by the name of a Father who now loueth vs more then our mothers did First instructing vs as parents doe their children Secondly admonishing vs as Schoole-maisters scourging vs now and then with his Rod. Thirdly if we grow stubborne spend-thrifts wanton and prodigall vsing ill company then God draweth vs out by the eares whipping or beating vs till our bones doe cracke yet with a fatherly true affection still to bring vs to amendment or he vtterly cast vs off Our heauenly Father warneth vs by his rods to walke in his wayes and to liue in his obedience which if we dispise and refuse to follow then will the Lord vse his scourges pouerty sicknesse diseases crosses in Children stocke or croppe fire or sword till that wee humbling our selues vnder Gods mighty hand shal subiect our selues to his gouernment suffering in our selues a holy reformation of manners and amendment of life Learne we also to reioyce in the middest of our troubles and afflictions with contented minds and sanctified affections no Parents so louing to their Children as is our heauenly Father for our safety in our sufferings cling wee therefore the faster and the more faithfully vnto God in our troubles God hath turned heretofore the penury and the captiuity of his people vnto their good by greatest crosses working his people their greatest comforts God doth oftentimes make our sicknesses and sorrowfull diseases as purgations to euacuate our pride vayne-glory hypocrisie and the corruptions of our putrified soules And sometimes for preseruatiues to keepe vs from falling into those or the like sinnes And sometimes God vseth them as Cordials to strengthen our decaying graces and to animate vs vnto holy duties to pray Reade and heare the more attentiuely to beare the Rod of God more patiently and to performe each holy duty with the more cheerefulnes Be not ignorant of that Lesson which Dauid teacheth vs all Psalm 119 It is good for vs that wee haue bin afflicted For the learning of Gods Statutes and Keeping of his word and testimonies with-hold vs from going a stray in ill wayes so that each one of vs may truly say of our troubles sorrows and sicknesses that we haue suffered them and haue learned to loue God more and our owne deserts the lesse let vs all learne to make holy medicines for our soules out of such calamities as do often befall vs in the World and so shall we haue no cause to vexe our selues with cures for the sanctified crosses that do vs much good we grieue at the vntimely death of our Children which we hoped should haue beene the staffe of our old Age inherite our houses and keepe still our name but we minde not how many children of as good hope as ours haue prooued parents crosses and some mothers vpon their knees haue wished they had neuer beene borne or that they had then carried them to their graues when they had them to weane Sure it is that God for the most time doth lay such afflictions vpon vs eyther because he will procure vs some good or preuent some Euill by them Which things if we commonly see them come to passe why mourne we so that which tendeth vnto our welfare and greater comfort There is nothing in the world but still works for the best to the children of God aswell the stratagems of Sathan as the imaginations of men are for the Weale of Gods children Yea out of one of the most poisonfull things as sinne and death doth the Lord draw healthfull and medicinall preseruatiues to them that loue him still strengthning their Faith whilest they giue glory vnto God Care you not what outward punishment you indure so that you may feele the guilt of your sinnes washed out of your Conscience and the louing countenance of our heauenly Father in Christ Iesus to wipe your trespasses cleane away Let the goodly sorrows of our seuerall wounded consciences driue vs to GOD who hath vndoubtedly physicke for our sickly and sinnefull soules Are you weake and sicke sad and confounded in minde desire the LORD so to stampe the impression of his sacred spirit into your hearts as washing your selues in the water of Repentance you wallow no more in the mire of former filthines the Lord so kill and clarifie your flesh as the life of Grace may assure your soules of election to glory Remember what Queene Esther did being in danger of death Chap. 14.1 Shee resorted vnto the Lord shee layd away her glorious apparell and put on the garments of sighing and mourning instead of precious oyntment scattering ashes and Earth vpon her Head humbling her body greatly with fasting filling all the places of her ioy with the haire shee plucked from her Head It is very good for GODS Children that this world now and then much discourageth them and that wee and they likewise rest seldome free from one calamity or another to make vs to cry with Christ in our troubles vnto God that he may pitch his Tents about vs so as we finally miscarry not nor goe astray from the Kingdome of God apply our hearts wholy vnto Christ and cleaue we all still vnto him with sure purpose of soule to rest throughly sanctified Beware of temporary faith which is lame of one hand onely able to take Christ but not to giue himselfe to Christ This is to offer the same offering without the burnt offering hast thou Hope against Hope feelest thou Hell in thy Conscience yet here must thou apprehend Heauen and with Ionas in the Whales belly call vpon GOD in faith for faith is the subsistance of things that are not much more then of things that in deed are though not in appearance Be of good cheere for Christ hath fastened Sathan Sinne and Death to his Crosse Now amidst thy bitterest torments and tortures remember how Christ drunke the most bitter and sharpe Cup of his Fathers wrath in our name Remember that Peter suffering for the truth of God returned from the Councell with ioy and gladnesse when hee had beene whipped and had heard that hee should dye a violent death through which conflict and repugnance hee stroue still with violence not for other peoples pleasure but for his owne saluation There is no Christian but he must fight before he can tryumph and be daily calling yea earnest by praying and crauing for helpe at Gods hands remembring that against the ignomy of the Crosse wee haue to set the decree and purpose of God fore-told by the Prophets of Christ How that first of all hee should bee crucified here vpon Earth And then he should appeare from Heauen the Iudge and Restorer of all things that all Beleeuers might be saued and all vnbeleeuers vtterly perish Vnderstand and Know this that God vseth to wrappe vp his Church with the wicked in
Oh that wee would consider the profits that come vnto vs by our heauenly Fathers chastisements First of all sinne and the rebellious wickednesse of our flesh is by this meanes tamed Secondly the Lords lashes are true testimonies of his fatherly goodwill towards vs insomuch that they may shew themselues to be Bastards and no Sonnes which cannot abide to bee chastened of God Thirdly if all held this right to Fathers to whom next after God we owe this life that they may rightfully correct their Children Shall not we be much more subiect to that our Father who is the Authour of the spirituall and euerlasting life As many as will become the godly followers of Christ must as it were goe out of the world bearing their seuerall Crosses bee not faint-hearted knowing this that your faith must be tryed through manifold afflictions whether it bee pure as it ought to be we may not despise the Crosse of Christ which our heauenly Father vseth as an Instrument to polish and fine vs where we are to consider that the effect of afflictions is to polish and fit vs for the perfecting vs in Christ each seuerall moment of mans life depending vndoubtedly vpon God The knowledge of whose will doth not onely nothing at all profit vnlesse the life be answerable vnto it but rather maketh the sinner farre more grieuous Forget not to bee patient still expecting a most happy end of all your troubles because God is a most bountifull Father neuer forsaking his seruants Consider I beseech you by what way we come to eternall glory is it not by all kinde of afflictions wherein notwithstanding faith maketh vs so secure that we are not onely not ouercome with sorrow but also through the beholding of GOD himselfe with the eyes of Faith are vnspeakeably ioyfull because all such things as they are but for a time so are they not applyed vnto vs to destroy vs but as it were by fire purge vs and to make vs perfect that at the length we may obtayne saluation Art thou afflicted Christ goeth before in example and Vertue as one that suffered most grieuous torments euen vnto Death although but in one part only of him to wit in the flesh or mans Nature but yet became conquerour by the Vertue of his Diuinity Know this that GOD keepeth measure in his greatest seuerity bee not offended therefore neyther stumble at the vayne shaddow of the felicity of the wicked as though God were not the gouernour of the world nor thinke that the Wicked are in good case and the godly in Euill for we may perceiue an by Argument of comparison of them together in their last end That God who spareth not his owne but nurtureth them vnder the Crosse will at length in his time handle the rebellious and wicked farre otherwise whom he hath appoynted to vtter destruction Although that life be sayd to bee sweet yet is it chayned to a thousand miseries and the onely salue to cure affliction is to make vse of the ancient History Luke 13.3 Except you amende your liues you shall all likewse perish Thy sinnes deseruing scourges the iust hand of the Almighty striketh thee pray that thou mayest benefit thereby Christ healing of the sicke and diseased sheweth that Christ we recouer through Faith whatsoeuer we had lost by our frailty Let vs euer esteeme our diseases as whips wherewith GOD scourgeth vs for our sinnes for the bettering of our wils words and wayes Affliction doeth good vnto the Godly discerning at the length true godlinesse from fayned fashood and filthy flattery In thy greatest weaknesse reioyce in remembring Christ power ouer sinne Death and Hell We haue no cause to promise our selues rest peace and quietnesse in the world seeing they themselues which seemed to fawne vpon Christ doe shortly after crucifie him Be of good cheere being weake and sicke for Christ is come to deliuer vs from the bonds of Sathan who though once hee had bound a woman as in Chaines for 10. yeares space so that shee could not so much as hold vp her head Yet come Christ at the last saying Woman thou art loosed from thy infirmities Luke 13.12 Luke 13.12 Marke and consider how that Christ maketh death acceptable vnto vs by ouercomming in our name all the terrours of death which had ioyned with them the curse of God and the fearefull Iudgements of an angry Father For Christ our Redeemer tooke the burden of our sins vpon himselfe and was willingly betrayed and taken that by his obedience hee might deliuer vs which were guilty for the betraying of Gods glory Remember and forget not what you are a peece of worke made of the slime of the Earth sauouring of nothing but corruption ignorance dulnesse and death Forget wee not how Christ left the proud Pharisees and communicated the treasures of euerlasting life with a poore sinfull woman and stranger refelling the grosse errours of the Samarians and defending the true worship of God deliuered to the Iewes yet so that hee calleth both of them backe to himselfe as one whom onely all the Fathers and also whom all the Ceremonies of the Law had respect vnto Wee must all haue an eye to this high and soueraigne power of God which gouerneth all things insomuch that hee hath power of life and death so that we liue dye at the pleasure of God and not of men Therefore this one thing remaineth that we goe forward constantly in our vocation to Gods praise and our owne peace God seemeth now then to linger in helping vs which he doth for his owne glory and for our saluation Iohn 11 as he did once in raising vp Lazarus Ioh. 11. He beleeueth in God that beleeueth in Christ and there is no other way to confirme our mindes in our greatest distresses but that Christ is not gone away from vs to the end to forsake vs but rather that hee might at length take vs vp with him into Heauen It is a miserable thing to be subiect vnto sinne which of it owne nature maketh vs guilty of Death But wee must crye to the Lord who will by Death it selfe at length make vs conquerours As we are already in Iesus Christ wearied we may bee with continuall conflicts yet recouer our selues agayne resting in our Redeemer who is the true perfection of our soules You are in Christ doubt nothing of the happy successe of your combate because the Spirit of grace and Fruites of Righteousnesse and Seedes of Life remayne in you for you hauing the self-same Spirit which Christ hath all infirmities layed aside and Death ouer-come you shall bee cloathed with Heauenly Glory You haue already receiued the Grace of the Gospell wherein God sheweth himselfe not as before the publishing of the Law terrible and fearefull But a most benigne and louing Father in Christ so that with great boldnesse wee call him Father the Holy Ghost sealing his Adoption in our hearts by Faith Remember wee all the great
GOD the Horne of our Saluation seeth and yet suffereth and he beares with vs repenting and pardoneth vs returning we deferring our Repentance he expects vs He giueth vs when wee aske openeth to vs when we knocke and eft-soones is then found when wee doe seeke It is the Nightingall delights herselfe with her quauering and trebling notes So should all we faythfull ones declare abroad Gods mercy The worke of our Saluation which we had no power to begin our Sauiour wrought it for vs yea finished the same on our behalfe So as now you may looke boldly to the Throne of Grace and vpon the trueth of our Repentance and Faith know onely Peace and Ioy Christi passio adiutore non leguit Saith Saint Ambrose Christs passion needes no helpe at all Christ was mocked and spitted on to wash vs from wickednesse His garments pulled off that our sinnes might be couered he whipped to deliuer our soules from perpetual scourges Christ thirsted that our Soules might be satiate and satisfied Christ bare his fathers wrath that we might beare none yeilded vnto death that we might neuer taste it In sence was Christ our Sauiour forsaken for a time when he cryed out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me this was that we might be receiued for euer into glory Let my soule dye if Christ cannot saue it Oh thou languishing soule of mine there is not one of thy sinnes but it is prayed for in the bitternesse of my Redeemers death Christ Iesus Not any one of thy debts in the scroule of God but it is crossed not any one farthing of that infinit ransome left vnpayd for vs. Doeth your soule crye in bitternesse I haue sinned Oh thou preseruer of men what shal I do vnto thee what shouldest thou do Turne and beleeue and thou hast done enough Christ side was opened euen vnto the heart to receiue vs in thither if wee will enter in at the open doore Christs feete were nayled to make vs know that hee departs not from vs till we depart from him O cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shal nourish thee and not suffer thee to fall for euer The deadnesse of our hearts and dulnesse of our Spirits was it not enough for Christ to call vs gently to allure vs kindly to teach vs daily to heale vs louingly and to feed vs sweetly But he must be faine by a most dreadfull death to pull and hale vs to draw and drag vs to the true feeling of his deare loue towards vs to cause vs by strong hand and by force to become obedient to our heauenly Father and Master This are we all to know and still to keepe warme in our heartes and remembrance that there is no want of our Saluation in Iesus Christ but in our selues in that we beleeue not and that we repent not There is no want of finishing thy Saluation so that thou continue still to goe forward in Grace and still imply Goodnes But whilst people delight in sin God therefore strikes and will not heare which is contrary vnto Gods honour For â—ee desires not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be conuerted and liue amidst the Assembly of Saints Do not thinke such people to bee sure and safe as are neuer touched with sorrowes and sicknesse for such as the Lord best loueth hee chasteneth when we reioyce in sinne he scourgeth vs till we shrike sigh and crye as when Epaphroditus was sick and very neere vnto death and yet was Paules fellow-souldier in Christ Phil. 2.27 It is the Lord which setteth vp on high them that be low that the sorrowfull might be exalted to saluation remember that you haue heretofore seene the blossomes of Trees promise abundance of Fruite which notwithstanding haue neuer came to any growth by reason of the stormes So in health and prosperity many haue followed Christ which in aduersity haue beene blowne quite out of sight Remember we now that the Captains courage is not knowne till the warre begin no more is a Christians constancy till the persecutions rage A Bird in the Cage is surer from the Hawke and Fowler then abroad although they thinke not so and think your sicke bed to bee the best place to serue God on Our heauenly father would haue vs to serue him on our beds still chastning our bodies whilest we cheerish our soules Pining the one and pampering the other pulling you as through a prison to a place of happinesse and pleasure wherefore let no darknes daunt you but let your owne life bee as a Lampe to lighten your soule and delight others The best children march cheerefully towards Heauen as St. Paule did towards Ierusalem not well-knowing what should befall him before he returned backe from that famous Citty so God deales with vs in this world to cal vs out we know not whither nor to what end or purpose or what may befal vs in our way We may not be sloathful followers of Christ our Lord and Master but most couragious souldiers fighting to obtayne the Crowne of Glory and the inheritance of a celestial immortal life Feare not the iudgment of death but remember them that haue beene before and those that are to come after This is the ordinance of all flesh why should wee then be agaynst the Most High whether it bee ten or a hundred or a thousand yeares there is no defence of life against the graue Mathew 19. The womans bloody issue was not cured till she came to Christ Marke I beseech you where and of whom health doth come no absolute Physitian of Soules but Iesus Christ onely The Prophet Ioel may much comfort our hearts When he sayth My people shall neuer be ashamed Againe Abide still O my people and rest for your quietnesse shall come Be not you weary for when the day of trouble and heauinesse commeth others shall weep and bee sorrowfull but thou shalt bee merry and haue abundance GODS hand shall couer thee and all shall prosper which thou takest in hand Lord prepare and open my poore heart and strengthen my weake faith to prepare my soule for thy holy Sabboth which is the great day of thy rest and the day likewise that thou hast commaunded vs to heare and receiue thy Holy and Heauenly word which at the last must bee a cordiall to our dying hearts And that I may taste and draw of that water of Life while I liue that I may neuer thirst agaynes Lord also prepare mee to drinke my last draught of Christs cup with comfort euen for the Lord Iesus Christs sake the Son of thy loue and my only Sauiour Amen Sunday Meditations WHen wee are most tempted with grieuances whether outward or inward seeke succour from aboue neuer dispise Physicke nor yet the Physitian for they are needefull and necessary in fit time and season the Lord hath ordayned medicines for healing and giueth Knowledge to the Physitian to the lifting vpon his head amongst great men
and to admiration of his healing medicines Pray wee and God will prosper physicke that he giueth for ease and the prolonging of our liues mourne wee for our friends as if wee suffered great harme our selues Couer we their bodies and lament we them as they are worthy powring out our teares ouer them as if wee had suffered much harme our selues in our bodies soules sences and substances When the dead is once at rest let his remembrance rest and comfort wee ourselues againe for him when his spirit is departed from him desire your most heauenly Father to make you ready for himselfe and fit to atchiue his Kingdome for the only sufferings of his Sonne There is not one of Gods Children but must prepare their soules vnto diuers temptations Resolue we our selues euer in this life to liue and remaine as in a continuall rough battell and fight where no truce is to bee looked for but perpetuall combats and raging assaults From our birth to our death it 's now no new thing to be tempted and troubled with diseases in body or discomforts of minde praise wee God for our lot be your molestations short or lingring welcome bee Gods wande be it for wealth crosse or comfort hee first hath suffered more for you then hee will inflict vpon you in your troubles still call on him and vnder his wings shall you be safely couered The Almighty so strengthen your faith as you may stand fast to the end still beleeuing the Lord our God in all his promises Learne we all to shew forth the fruites of our faith obedience loue charity and hearts purified from sinne and still more and more prepare we to Christ Iesus our heauenly Bridegrome at his comming with more alacrity and ioy triumphant then either mouth or man can conceiue or vtter Christ by the sacrifice of his death will take away all our sinnes where there is neither sighing nor sorrow but triumphant ioyes in the highest Heauens Though the Lord send afflictions yet will hee not forsake vs for euer what though hee afflict to day yet will he haue compassion vpon thee to morrow according to the multitude of his mercies God doth seldome punish willingly the Children of Men for his compassions are many and his fatherly louing kindnesses are so many and so multiplied that wee cannot number them Maintaine Lord the cause of my soule for thou hast redeemed my life from the euill imaginations of the wicked and vengeance of the vile If you were dead and buried yet can God reuiue you and by his great mercy free you from all iniquity and still keepe you in the number of the faithfull The Almighty so exercise your contrite heart as both it sole sences may be laudably imployed in the Lords seruice Sicknesse to the seruants of God doth bring infinite ioy and much goodnesse it 's a purgation and cleansing of our sins the mother of fortitude spirituall strength against our frailty and sure defence against all worldly troubles A purchasing of grace and pardon a medicine of life and a comfortable guide to reduce vs from hell and bring vs all to the Celestiall Paradise I beseech you to remember what troubles and calamities are a purchasing of grace and pardon a merry time of life and a continuall remembrance of Christs owne blessed life death and passion We are all duely to consider how that our humane bodies are as darke and filthy prisons of our soules liuing as in exile banishment and misery The Almighty deliuer you from hell sinne and eternall death for euer The Lord comfort you and are you from sin and strengthen your weake heart against Sathan who still standeth against you to seduce you but remember you Gods Angels that are ready prest for to aide you his grace for to guide you and his fauour for to feede you Arme Lord thy Seruants heart with perpetuall peace and patience giue thy weake Creature grace most ioyfully to beare the burden of the Crosse As Heauen is incomparably greater then the Earth so the Mercy of our heauenly Father rests incomparably greater then the seas of our sinnes Lord free you from bitter sorrows all sinnes and grieuances whatsoeuer they bee The Almighty of his mercy renue your Repentance and vnburden you of the weight of all your great bonds most grieuous sins lay we fast hold on Christ his mercy death and passion Ioh. 3.16 The life of each one of vs being but a vitall Laborinth and a confused Chaos affoording vs nought but fraude folly and fleshly sensuality and troubles to try vs and sundry aduersities to disquiet vs from the King in his throne to the Captiues in the chaines All must taste of miseries discontentments and sorrows before our soules by death be deliuered from their terrestriall burden Although it bee an happy thing to die in Iesus Christ yet such rests the foolishnesse of our corrupt flesh that wee are loath to remooue from bad to better from Sinners to Saints and heauenly Associats we lose nothing in our changing our bad place for a better But one thing we that are Gods Children must still bee most carefull of to dread furious foes dangers Comfort wee our hearts in our deepest distresses acknowledging God to be more able to defend vs then all foes to confound vs not any Gods Children but burdned with calamities Nebuchadnezar King of Babell was turned out a grazing seuen yeares Gods Children are more afflicted then others Luke 13.16 The daughter of Abraham was for 18 yeares bound of Sathan likewise the man whom our Sauiour cured had beene diseased 38. yeares Comfort your heart in your afflictions knowing God to bee the sender of afflictions by reason of our sins It 's the Lord who killeth and maketh aliue bringing to the graue and raising vp againe 1. Sam. 2.6 If Christ had not beene the Sonne of God Sathan would neuer haue so much assaulted him and his Members for his sanctifying and sauing of innumerable Saints and Soules Labour wee all for the Word and Gospell of Trueth whatsoeuer our temptations are let vs all and euery one weepe for our owne sinnes and not once stubbornely defend the perpitrating of the least of any vile and corrupt sinnes and offences Almighty God so moderate your greatest crosses and grieuances as your soule may euer sing with Saints Our most gracious father deferreth his helpe not that hee will not helpe vs but to exercise our Fayth and stirre vp in vs the calling vppon his name and still being acquainted with Gods mercies reioyce Night and day in his Euerlasting fauours would you haue peace none but Christ can giue it you and he will giue to none but to the penient to none but the Faithfull Set wee our Lord Iesus Christ betweene GOD and our sinnes let it rest our desire to spend our selues in sighes and teares of true Repentance and then rayse vp our humble Soules to a liuely Confidence in our onely Sauiour and All-sufficient Redeemer by whose
Righteousnes we are discharged of transgressions besides Christ our Redeemer there is no other Sauiour Hosea 13. ver 4. Dearely beloued brethren wee are all by vicinity and cohabitation but Christs by Faith and hope our Habitation is by Christ in Heauen He is the guide of our loues in the true loue and feare of Almighty GOD in whose loue if our heartes bee guided feare we not for the waiting and last comming of Christ wee are now each one of vs to learne to seperate and withdraw our selues from still walking inordinately seeke wee all to become ensamples to be followed for sanctified liues and not of sloath and idlenesse aske your soules my Christian brethren with what price and from what misery you are now Redeemed and ransomed not others but thou and I also must warn our selues from each loath-some and haynous sinne and carefully all our liues hereafter weane our soules and senses both from each former sinne and transgression and future sense alike So seperate thy selfe from sin that of a sinner thou mayest become a a Saint and a true seruant of the liuing GOD. Admit a King take to Wife a woman of a low estate and birth making her Queene of all his Dominions will not hee both looke and commaund of her to cast off her olde attire and to leaue her former both company and behauiour composing her selfe to a most Court-like carriage Now tell me hath not the King both of Heauen and Earth Iesus Christ married our soules vnto himselfe in Truth and Righteousnesse Many haue in their hope health and happinesse and in a night all quite vanished before morning wee poore miserable and dispised wretches must all consider this that our goodnesse reacheth not GOD but his Goodnesses reach and extend vnto vs in that our hearts are raysed to haue still our confidence and onely trust in our Redemer and All-sufficient Sauiour Christ Iesus without whom we haue neyther safety nor sure comfort nor confidence GOD must haue keepe and still retayne in his owne custody Gouernment and prerogatiue in keeping each thing in its due order and nature both small and great Our goodnesse reacheth not vnto God but his louing kindnesse to vs and Fatherly compassions doe farre exceed the drops of water in the Sea or the minutes of time Be still doing good in your liues that you may haue comfort in your very end and poynt of Death and a glorious Crowne of Eternall glory peace and comfort bee this day and euer with vs who are the Children and chosen ones of GOD. Lord bee mercifull vnto vs in our Afflictions and let it not bee thine holy will to destroy vs But looke vpon vs that still cry vnto thee in our manifold afflictions Let your assurance of Heauenly things make you the more willing to part with Earthly trash VVhy should wee feare or doubt in our selues when Almighty God sendeth for vs to take possession of a Kingdome Passe we chearefully through the blacke gates of Death who although he looke grim on vs at the first yet will helpe vs passe cheerefully through the blacke Gates vnto our glory God had not loued you if he had not made you poore To some it is aduantage to loose and to haue rather eyes full of teares then purses full of gold A Christian may not thinke it enough to endure the thought of death with patience but when it is obtruded vpon him by necessity then must he call it into his minde with ioy still wayting vntill it come It can bee none but a Diuine power that can vphold the minde of man or woman agaynst the rage of many afflictions wee must not account the best things of this life any other things then chaynes and burdens to as many as haue them still acknowledging that the greatest on earth are but Tennants at will to day liuing by and by dead Thinke we oft on Christ Iesus which suffered for vs all hee payed all hee did it for vs in loue Where shall we begin to admire and wonder but at Christ Iesus our Diuine and Eternall Peace-maker the Sauiour of men the Annoynted of GOD the Mediator betweene GOD and Man in whom there is nothing that doth not exceed not onely the conceite but the wonder of Angels who saw thee in thy Humiliation with silence adore thee in thy Glory with perpetuall prayses and reioycing Sooner would be no Summer if Winter did not lead it in and follow it We may not eyther hope or striue to escape all Crosses some we may that we cannot flye from and what we cannot allay and mittigate in crosses Vniuersally let this be thy rule make thy selfe none escape some beare the rest sweeten all We must consider whence afflictions come by whose prouidence they are guided and tempered with our Heauenly Fathers loue All our miseries are stinted good things challenging more then bare contentment Our crosses come commonly for our good we must all of vs resolue to fight stoutly for our Heauen that after all sighes and sorrowes we may resolue to perfect in suffering till we ouer-come and be Crowned in Glory and a few groanings vpon earth end our afflictions be they neuer so many tedious or troublesome choose rather to mourne for a while then for euer Christ our Sauiour tasting a bitter portion teacheth vs to smart ere wee raigne It is no matter how vile you seeme now bee content to be called to the Cup now of tryall pledge we our Redeemer in drinking Vinegar and Gall for so shall wee drinke new Wine with him in the Kingdome of glory honour and eternall happinesse Lord season your wills and sanctifie each one of all our hearts so as wee may spend our daies and strength to glorifie our Redeemer Acquaint your selfe with GOD now in your life time intreate him with teares to become the Guardian of your soules in your death and dayes of your carefullest calamities So walke in true holinesse as you stil may rest in euerlasting felicity If you would not haue GOD to despise your soules vpon your death-bed then must you in the dayes of your health fit and fyle your soule with diuine grace Inure your selfe to be furnished with the Gospell of Grace so neede you not feare the malice of any mortall man not raging Creature Set Christ Iesus betweene God and your sinnes and God cannot see our debt Let Sinne Sathan Hell and Death with the world and her worst Enemies doe what they can Christ hauing risen and become our Surety his blood rests for satisfaction Remember wee all how wee haue God the Father for our Gouernour and his Word for our Guide who would liue that knoweth his Master died and in his life suffered so many bitterstormes and temptations Temptations are the common maladies of the best Seruants of GOD. You may read how Sathan came to Christ and tempted him in a high manner saying if thou be Christ if thou be the Son of God doe this and this euen when hee
was at the weakest hauing fasted so long to haue stones made Bread and if hee would haue any he must make it himselfe too a hard crust bread out of stones And if he durst appeare to him who was the Sonne of God how may hee venture vpon vs and tempt vs and cause vs to bee discouraged and dispaire of our soules therefore my beloued haue no conceit or dispaire of hope in God though the Diuell tempt vs and we endure many other crosses in this world which man is subiect vnto Though yee were in the famine of Samaria where the people did eate their Pigeons dung Or as Iosephus relates of the miseries of Ierusalem when it was besieged how that the Mothers were forced to eate their owne children to satisfie their stomacks though all these and many more should happen vnto vs yet let vs trust in GOD with a strong faith and hope for he is able to deliuer vs out of all our afflictions What a comfort it is when we haue Christ and his Disciples to take our parts and but to suffer as they haue done If the enuy of the world or malice of the Diuell bee such that I am depriued of my Lands or Liuings then haue I Iob for an example If I bee exiled or banished from my Countrey then haue I Iohn the Euangelist for my comfort If I be put in Prison then haue I Ioseph and if I be put in the inward Prison and in the Stocks then Paul and Sylas and the Apostle Iames for my Companions If I am beheaded then haue I Iohn the Baptist for my patterne or if I be stoned to death then haue I the happy Martyr St. Stephen or if I haue been accused wrongfully then haue I our Sauiour Christ Iesus for my comfort It is he that hath wrought that great worke of our Redemption The faithfull and the thankefull shall continually receiue Gods word and blessings they shall haue in abundance and not abundance onely but shall haue it with sweetnes for abundance without sweetnesse is a clogging or cloying of the stomacke and sweetnesse without abundance is a begetting of an appetite or stomacke but they shall haue showred downe vpon them in a plentifull manner that nothing may be wanting to them that are patient and of long suffering the flood-gates of the Lord shal be open vnto them that truely beleeue they be those which shall haue grace mercy and plenty of all earthly treasures It is Gods mercy in giuing vs this day to heare his diuine Precepts declared it is his mercy that he spareth vs which might for our sinnes bee iustly punished and bee made an example to all people like Herod in that wee haue not giuen thee that due praise and honour which thou desirest of vs thy Creatures VVe must exhort one another for it is Gods command to examine euery one himselfe whether hee hath faith or no And likewise euery Maister his Seruant in his family to know whether they trust in the Lord and serue him as Abraham did Chuse who will serue the Lord for I and my house shall serue the Lord for we shall one day be examined how wee haue bestowed our time and how wee haue made vse of our Talent for ignorance then must be no excuse to any man Let no man therefore which desires Gods loue be negligent in hearing of the Word vpon the Sabbath day for there is in it both a hardnesse of the heart and also a neglect of the duty which is a very dangerous act to reiect Gods precepts and to fall as it were from the liuing God Wherefore let reason follow our faith not faith our reason earnestly crauing of God that he would bee pleased to open our hearts at the hearing of his holy Commandements as he did his Seruant Lydia Paul Mary Magdalen None are exempted from comming to heare Gods Word for the Lord sayth behold I will powre out my Spirit vpon you and your sonnes and your daughters I will put my feare into their hearts and I will write my Law in their mindes and they shall neuer depart from me who am the liuing God Our Soules must be like the Sunne not like Ioshuahs Sunne to stand still nor like Hezekiahs Sun to goe backwards but we must be like Dauids Sun which comes out and appeares like a Bridegrome or like a Gyant ready to run his course and striue we by all meanes to strengthen and goe forwards in Faith and good workes for we haue no desert of our owne to saue our soules at the last day but must say and confesse as Saint Augustine did O Lord what is my merit but thy mercy thy mercy but my merit in CHRIST IESVS FINIS