and nationall finnes whereof the people of this Land are generally guilty such as are abundantly sufficient 〈◊〉 Gods actions were to be â—…â—…â—…nned to justifie his dealing towards us to acquit and cleere him when he is judged e 〈◊〉 For besides the sinnes common to us with other Nations there be some peculiarâ—… to us alone as namely our wretched unthankfullnesse unto God for the long continuance of his Gospell and our Peace our long peace bred us to security and we grew wanton with plenty we ranne into Ryot and excesse the noted proper sinne of our Nation and much intemperate abuse of the good creatures of God in our meats and drinks and disports and other provisions and comforts of this life The people of Israel required meat for their lust and the people of England nourish't their lust and appetite for their meate so as we became a by-word to the neighbour nations for gluttony and belly-cheare â—… And for Novelties in fashion in opinion Athens f it selfe was nothing so mad thereon as our English Nation witnesse our guises in apparrell so many times disguised the people so Cameleon-like transfashioned into the Italian Spanish French any forrein forme they had but seene in Countreyes where they traffiqued or travailed so as one might thence conclude Levity to be after a sort our Nationall sinne and for novelty in opinion it is too palpable our wantonnesse and toyishnesse of understanding hath almost corrupted the simplicity of our Christian Faith we have troubled the peace of the Church with aâ—… thousand nicâ—…ties and novelties and unnecessary wâ—…lings in matters of Religion we pitty the former Ages contending about leavened and unleavened bread keeping of Easter fasting on Sundayes and the like The future ages will doe the like for us and our bickerings about gestures and postures habits and attyres rites and Ceremonies and the like Now to these peculiars may bee added our carnall confidence and security in our woodden and watry walls our shipping Wee were a wealthy and a carelesse Nation our deliverances were great wee dwelt alone without feare of evill and were become the envyâ—… of those that were round about us Looke into the Church and there might bee 〈◊〉 many rather professing the forme then practising the power of piety our cheape and irreverent regard unto God's holy Ordinances of his Woâ—…d and Sacramâ—… and Sabbaths and Ministers our hearing of the Word our partaking of the Sacraments our praying and invocating God's sacred name were become both in Pastor and People for want of true devotion and the inward guidance of the holy-Spirit but as it were so many outward fashions formes and complements Walke into the courts of Judicature and there behold corruptionâ—… by sale of offices and enhancing of fees by making the petty penall Statutes like trappes to catch the weaker sort and the more weighty and materiall Lawes like Cobwebs for the abler and mightier to breake and passe thorow at their pleasure Step aside into our shops and ware-houses and see though I confesse it is hard to discover that mystery and handy-crast how our trades and traffique were become the practice of deceit while we made our gaine by lying and forswearing by false lights false weights false measures which are abomination to the Lord And to reckon no more our Incompassion to our brethren miserablyâ—… wasted with warâ—…e and famine in other parts of the World and our heavy oppressions of our bretheren at home in racking the Rents and grinding the faces of the poore g Wee were as the Prophet speaks h a wealthy nation which dwelt alone a secure people as eyther having no Enemies or fearing none Peace was within our walls and plenteousnesse within our Pallaces But when wee had caten and were full and had waxen fat we rose up aagainst the Lord our maker who had done so great things for us our heart was lifted up and we forgat our God and lightly esteemed the Rock of our Salvation â—… wee loathed the Manna that rained downe upon us Therefore the Lord hath recompenced our wayes upon our heads and suffered our destruction to proceede from our selves our wickednesse doeth correct us our backsliding doth reprove us and our iniquity is become our ruine The Lord hath broken us with a grievous breach his anger hath divided us and his fury hath dashed us one against another The sword is drunk with our bloud and wee are numbred to the slaughter the high wayes are unoccupied i ther 's not that commerce and intercourse of trading because men dare not travell in the high wayes forâ—… fear of enemies and robbers they forsake the beaten roads to escape the enemy the travellers walked through by-wayes or crooked waies the inhabiters of the villages ceased the unwalled Towns lay wast because the country people durst not dwell in them our goods are for a spoile and our substance to the robbers Now in all this k the way of the Lord is it not equall Is there any can taxe his actions with unjustice nay are not our waies unequall Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord l Shal not my soul be avenged on such a Nation Lord thou hast visited us and that sharply say to the destroying sword It is now enough â—… Let our m sword blades be turned into plow-shares and our speare-heads into Scithes and our helmets into bee-hives Peace is a Compendium of all prosperity even the prosperity of war is called peace David demands of Uriah how Joab the Captaine did In the originall it is n how Joab's peace did and how the people did and how the war prospered As on the contrary war is the Master of all misery the Hebrewes they call war Milchama from eating because it devoureth all things Returne O Lord how long And let it repent thee concerning thy servants O satisfie us early with thy mercy that wee mayâ—… rejoyce and be glad all our daies Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us and the yeares wherein wee have seene evill But how shall we either remoove present or prevent future judgements There is no way under Heaven but this to breake off our sinnes by a seasonable and serious repentance When the body is distempered and the bloud inflamed the Physitian ordereth the opening of a veine and the drawing out some ounces of bloud for the preservation of the whole The great Physitian of the State hath taken the like course with us wee ran into riot and excesse sinne was ourâ—… surseit and war is our disease and now her 's a deepe incisi on made in the maine body and it lies a bleeding Ther'â—… no way to stanch and stop this issue but by bewailing and abandoning our formeâ—… wickednesse and to diet our selves hereafter by abstinence from sinne lest otherwise our disease grow desperate Thou complainest of thesâ—… confused and tumultuarâ—… courses indeed they arâ—… lamentable and distracteâ—… times
earnings shall furnish our Table withall Wee cry up rich places and great purchases but are not those places attended with cares and emulation and those purchases charged with secret encombrances How often are their Masters â—…eep broken and their beds disquieted with cares What toile tooke wee in getting a little wealth what care toâ—… keepe it what feare to lose it what griefe â—…is to part with it And now wee are eased of our burthen full sore indeed against our will and yet we complaine What paines tooke wee to digge into the bowels of the earth Not as others doe who search there for minerals and hidden treasures to enrich themselves withall but to hide some poore utensils lest others should find them and spoile us What feare had wee then lest somecurious eye should watch observe us lest our owne trustee should betray us or some casually fall upon our close Reserve How ready were wee then to sequester our owne state to beâ—… strangers at our owne home and to goe into a kind of voluntary exile Me thinks I heare what thoughtfull consultations wee had in those p'undering times Shall we fly with David i into the Wildernesse of Ziph Why the Ziphites of whom David afterwards complaines strangers are risen up against mee k they will discover mee to Saul to mine enemy Shall I â—…e beholden to the futtlety of a woman for my shelter For even that weake Sexe hath of entimes saved the lives of Gods servants Shall I goe to Rahab l who hid the Spies and covered them with the stalkes of flâ—…xe and is commended for it Shall I hide my selfe onâ—… her flat-roofed house I feare the Terrase and Leads are too open and exposed to the view of the enemy the lumber there were soone rifled and remooved and my selfe discovered Shall I goe to the Well of Bahurim m where that good woman hid the messengers that carried secret intelligence to David of Absolons plot and Achitophel's counsell she covered the Well's mouth and spread ground corne thereon The suddaine wit of a woman hath choked the mouth of her Well with dried corne that it might not bewray the Priests Sons the messengers Is not this Well being in an open Court too well kowne to the neighboursâ—… that repaire thither so as some one false brother or other may give the searchers some notice of it May not the corne thereon and the covering thereof serve for provender and provision for themselves and their horses The well is uncovered and I am discovered I feare this Well is too shallow to hide me Shall I betake me to Michals wile When Davids house was beset with murderers Michal n to gaine time for Davids escape fayned that David was sick and laid a statue in his bed with a pillow of goates hayre for his bolster as if it had beene Davids hayre thereby deluding Saules men with hopeâ—… of taking him till by this their stay David had time to escape out at a window this was a queint device but who but Michal Saul's daughter would have adventured to delude Saul's Messengers This wile of hers would in another have beene held a meere mockage and affront and have enraged the pursuers our searchers are not so tame as to bee couzned with a picture or a pillow Michals wile is not for my safety Well yet I remember Rachels device shee was one could hide as close and carry the matter as covertly as any of her sexe When Rachel perceived that Laban made search for his Idols in the Tents she tooke the Imagesâ—… and put them in the Camels litter o or furniture she sate upon the Idols and covered them with her coats pretending for her not rising to her Father the necessitie of her present condition Levit. 15. 19. according to her sexe that the accustomed infirmity of women was upon her therefore she desired to be excused so Laban searched all the tent but found them not This of Rachel's was subtle but not warrantable For first she stole her Fathers Idols and then she cloked her thest with a lye yet this excuse of hers passed it passed with a Father but it would not now bee admited the child-bed the sick-bed theâ—… grave-bed all are rifled and ransacked I will not balke any meanes that may make for the preservation of my life and my state but I will not rely on any but that of David's p Lord thou art my hiding place my refuge and my sheild The Lord hath his close Reserves he provided a little Zoar for Lots entertainment the land of Goshen for his Israelits an Aegypt for Mary and the babe the towne of Pella for the Christians that quitted Hierusalem he hath Caves and Rocks for David and for Obadiah's hundred Prophets and a basket for Paul to let him downe the wall Thou shalt hide themâ—… in the secret of thy presence q from the pride of man thou shalt keepe them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues It may be saith the Prophet r Wee shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger We have heard the complaint troubles of a full estate looke now upon a mean condition and observe the better temper thereof what an advantage is it to be freed of those cares that fret the owners heart as a moth doth a garment Arise saith the Prophet get ye up into the wealthy nation or to a nation without eyther feare or care a secure nation as it is explaned by the words following which have neytherâ—… gates nor barres which dwell alone He meanes the Kedarens of Arabia that dwelt without care in their Tents without gates or barres It you came to a mans house that hath neither lock nor key neyther doore nor barre you may well resolve that he dwells securely and in safety And if you come to a City that hath neither gates nor barres you may well say eyther this City hath no enemies or else it feares none A City without gates or barres is the emblem of security and such is the plundred man's character Hee sleepes with his doores open no dangers threaten him no feares breake his rest he starts notâ—… out of his bed at midnight and cries Theeves Theeves there 's none needes give him the warn-word the watch-word The Philistims be upon thee Sampson Sampson the Philistims be upon thee Hee lookes the taker in the face and siniles to think how hee is disappointed of his prey Hee is not troubled with hiding his treasure nor tortured for discovering of it Hee is not served with a writ of Latitat but makes his appearance upon any law full summons and occasions He feares no rifling or pillaging for he can carry the choice of his wardrobe on his back if any casualty befall his cottage hee takes it not to heart as knowing thatâ—… a little labour and charges will make him another Hâ—…t He is like the Pine-tree which they say if his
long I looke for an habeas corpus to remoove me out of this place to the Grave the Land of darkenesse as Job q calleth it But God who hath all times in his hand will in his good time send me my writ of ease and give me my liberate and thereby free both this body of mine from these outward prison-walls my soule from the prison of this body and both body and soule from the r bondage of corruption and restore me to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God There is yet a terrible and fearfull prison whence there is no redemption no goaledelivery without baile or mainprise but this is ourâ—… comfort the Lord hath the keyes of Hâ—…ll s so as he hath an absolute power over it to deliver and discharge the penitent from the feare and danger thereof He hath the keyes of death to unlock the graves and the keyes of Hell t to locke up the old Dragon and his crew into the bottomlesse pit When I was an Embryo in the daâ—…ke Cell of the wombe I was pen't up there as a close Reserve and yet there I had a kinde and loving keeper my mother my midwife and afterwards my nurse But in that other pâ—…ison the keeper there is our u Adversary the Devill who walkes about as a roaring Lyon seeking whom heâ—… may devoure In other prisons men have fouâ—…d some favour and mitigation Joseph was put in fetters w but the Lord was with him and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison but never any in that prison Jeremie was in the dungeon x yet he had Ebedmelech a Courtier to interceede for him to the King But ther 's none to solicit for the prisoners there as being extrà statum merendi without all capacity of favours and acts of grace y Peter was put into a darke prison but the light shoone round about him his fetters fell off from him and the Angel led him foorth and set him free But in that otherâ—… prison ther 's nothing but utter dâ—…knes no Angels there but such as kept not their first estates z reserved in everlasting chaines under darkenesse unto the Judgoment of the great day Now then as Jeremie prayed unto the King Z-dechias a that he would not canse him to retuâ—…ne to the house of Jonathan the Scribe which was the prison lest he dyed there So let us put up our supplications to the Lord that he would not send us into that eternall prison to die for ever SECT. IIII. Comforts against Banishment THou complainest that thou art banish'c out of thy Country why who is not Wee are all of us Pilgrims and Strangers b our conversation is in Heaven c Zanchius translates it our Burges-ship our societie is in Heaven we looke higher then the earth wee set our affections upon the things that are above wee carry our selves like feâ—…low-Citizens of Saints there wee live according to theâ—… Lawes of Heaven and heere on earth in part enjoyes the priviledges of that heavenly Corporation the new Hierusalem that is above It was a gracious speech of a worthy Divine d upon his Death-bed that he should change his place not his company His conversation was now before-hand with his God and his holy Angels and now he was going to a more free and full fruition of the Lord of life in that Region of glory above Whil'st wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord as St. Paul saith e This is not our true home wee seeke for a better countrey f that is an Heavenly There is our trueâ—… home and were wee as it is thought Sâ—… John was banish'c into the Isle Patmos g or the Archipelago for the word of God and the Testâ—…mony of Jesus Christ even there wee should find as ready a passage to Heaven in our addresses to God as in our native soile This Center of earth is equidistant alike distant from the glorious circumference of Heaven as Hierom said of old to his Paulinus De Hierosolymis de Britanniâ aequaliter patet aul a caelestis Heaven is as open in Britaine as in Hierusalem It is Cyril's observation that Abraham whil'st he was in his owne Countrey had never God appearing toâ—… him save only to bid him go forth of his Countrey h his Kindred and his Fathers house but afterwards when he was gone forth he had frequent visions of his Maker Had Joseph beene ever so great or had such trust in Potiphar's House or Pharaoh's Kingdome if he had not beene sold into Aegypt Had Daniel and his three companions of the captivity ever attained to that honour in their native Land Themistocles i being banished from Athens grew into great favour with the King of Persia so as he was wont to say my sonnes we should have been undone if we had not beene undone Art thou banish'c out of thy Countrey Why what other thing hath befallen thee then it pleased God to enjoyne Abraham the father of the faithfull Saying to him k get thee out of thy Countrey and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house to a Land that I will shew thee He must goe from the place of his birth and wonted abode but he knoweth not whether l to a place he knew not and to men that knew not him He must sojourne m in a strange Countrey where he is constrained either to buy or hire or borrow both a place for his dwelling as also a plot of ground for the biâ—…iall of his dead n What though wee be strangers at home The Lord can provide us an home amongst strangers Aegypt the slaughter-house of Gods people the furnace of Israel's affliction hath neverthelesse three severall times beene the Sanctuary and Harbour to preserve Gods Church as namely in Abraham in Joseph and in Christ God oftentimes makes use of the world for the behoofe of his owne The earth is the Lords and all places are alike to the wise and â—…hfull God that is every where the same makes all places alike to his In a word am I banish't from home I meet with many of whom the worldâ—… was not worthy o wandâ—…ing about in sheeps-skins in goats-skins in Dasarts and in mountaios and in Dens and in Caves of the earth Why am I then discouraged or disheartned There hath no temptation taken mee p but such as is common to man Ther 's nothing hath befallen mee heerein but what is incident to other men holier then my selfe such as usually hath been incident to Gods dearest children such as may be borne by man in this life specially assisted by Gods grace which is alwaies sufficiâ—…nt for his children Bâ—…sides if I be east upon a forrein Coast I shall have good company For heâ—… hath said q who cannot faile I will never leave thee nor forsake
off sooner but then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall off alone The Lord willâ—… heare thee but it may be thou art not yet fit for the mercy not because he doth not heare thy prayer and tender thee in that case thou art in but thou art not yet fit Herein God deales with us as the Physitian with his Patient The Patient earnestly desires such and such things the Physitian wants not will to give them him but he resolves to give them as soone as he is fit and therefore he makes him stay till he have purged him and made him fit for it till he be fit for such a Cordiall for such a Medicine God heares the complaints of this our distressed Church and State it may be God staies us for this end wee are not yetâ—… haply in that capacity of mercy as is fit Twice was the Israelits the better part foiled by the men of Benjamin the lesse in number and such as had the worse cause The Israelits f they wept and fasted once or twice and adventured upon the Benjamits but prevailed not till the third time They were fitted and prepared when they fasted and wept and prayed three times T is to be feared wee are not yet fit there is somewhat more that must be done wee are not yet humbled enough Some Colts are so untamed they must needs be broken so some corruptions are so unruly that they will not beâ—… wrought out without great afflictions Wee shall have neede of Patience as the Apostle saith g to endure these penall and painfull evils Fulgentius a godly Father was often divers dayes before his death heard to cry out Domine da mihi modò patientiam postea indulgentiam Lord grant me patience heer and case heereafter Lord give us patience to bear and constancy to endure whatsoever it shall please thee to inflict And since this evill of paine this painfull evill must come heere or elsewhere say we with S. Austin Domine hic ure hic seca ut in aeternum parcas Lord feare us lance us heere let us smart heere so thou spare us hereafter And yet since wee must suffer for our sins have so deserved 't is our comfort that wee are under the protection of the highest and guided by such a providence as stoupeth to the lowest and wisely disposeth of whatsoever can befall us Let us then lay our hands upon our mouthes and command our soules an holy silence not daring to yeeld to the least rising of our hearts against God I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou did'st it saith David i That which Iâ—… could not attaine to by reason while I looked on the second causes now I have obtained by grace looking up to thee now I keepe silence Thus Aaron when he had lost his two sonnes both at once and that by fire and by fire from Heaven which carried an evidence of Gods great displeasure with it yet held his peace k In this silence and hope is our strength Flesh and bloud is proane to expostulate with God and to question his dealing as Gedeon l did If the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us But after some struggling betweene the flesh and the spirit the conclusion will be â—… yet howsoever matters goe God is good to Israel m Truely God is good to Israel saith David though God may seeme to favour bad men because they prosper and to hate good men because they are crossed yet he assures himselfe that God in the end would blesse the godly and such as were not hypocrites Hold out faith and patience then and our worke will speedily be at an end and wee shall receive the end of our faith n even the salvation of our soules and through faith and patience o inherit the promise If wee strive but a little wee shall be happy for ever Here it will haply be expected that I should goe on to make up other Cordials for severall maladies but this is done to my hand by a rare Confectioner in his Balme of Gilead to whose store-house I referre the Patient SECT. VII Directions for the recovered Patient VVHen thou art cased of the Crosse be thankfull for thy recovery bee not like the unthankfull Lepers p or Pharaoh's cup-bearer q who admired Joseph in the jayle but forgat him in the Court Forget not God in thine health and prosperity whom thou pliedst with suites and promises in thine adversity even the wicked can be somwhatâ—… good whiles they are under the crosse and with Ahab hang downe the head like a bul-rush and bee humbled but take them off the rack case their paine and they run to their old Byas againe these are like Iron which is soft and will bow as the workeman will when it is in the fire but soone after it is drawne out it returns to the old hardnesse like hoggs that seldome looke towards heaven but when they are cast to ground and overturned which if they be let goe they begin to pore on the ground and roote in the earth Try thy selfe how the Crosse hath wrought with thee whether it hath bettered thee or no Thou callest it a visitation a correction how is it so if thou bee not corrected by it If the mettle bee put into the furnace and not refined it is but refuse If after thou hast been humbled under God's hand thou grow more faithfull and Conscionable in thy calling than before 't is a good token this is like Triacle out of the Viper and with Sampson to taste sweet honey out of the sowre carkasse of a dead Lion r now that thou art recovered and the Lord added to thy daies â—… as he did to Ezekiah s doe thou add Repentance and Amendement of life to thy daies as the Lord hath made thee young and lustie like an Eagle t renuing thy youth and strength like an Eagles beake doe thou likewise renue thy Repentance and pay u that now in thy health which thou vowedst on thy sick-bed to wit newnesse of life Sin no more w lest a worse thing come to thee to wit death naturall or spirituall Returne not with the Dogge to his vomit x or the Hogge that was washt to wallow in the puddle of thy former uncleannesse Fall not to thine old diet lest thou fall toâ—… thine old disease beware of a down-cast and be more precisely cautionate against spirituall Relapses Take heede of a Relapse Relapses are dangerous when I fell sick it was some comfort to me that I was but in the common condition of mankind now in my relapse I am barred hereof I charge the fault and that juftly vpon mine owne selfe mine owne carelesnesse and disorder I have pull'd downe a falling house on mine owne head I have marred what Physitians and friends under God had amended At the first grudging of myâ—… maladie I had some strength and
old distinction must be remembred Of Afflictions â—… some are punishments properly so called they bee such as proceede from God's vindictive Justice and are not matter or occasion of 〈◊〉 but rather of deepe humiliation and trembling unlesse the offendor repent others {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 〈◊〉 are chastisements or fatherly Corrections they differ from the former not so much in the matter as in their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and end their Rise is from God's love for whom he loveth f them he correcteth and from his Fatherly care willing thereby to reclaime us they have their temper measure g and mitigation according to the ability of the Patient they tend toâ—… make us partakers of the h quiet fruit of righteousnesse Sicknesse and other scourges of God which are punishments to the wicked inflicted upon them for their sinnes are Fatherly chastisements of God's children for their instruction and amendment In afflictions of this nature in respect of their use and fruite we have cause of thankfulnesse Corrections are instructions Lastly some are Trials and trials of faith whether by Sathan as those of Job were or by men that persecute others for righteousnesse sake In this sort wee finde great cause of thankefullnesse and rejoycing Peter and his fellowes i rejoycedâ—… therein as in a great dignity that they were counted worthy to suffer for his name Paul in his Epistle to the Philipians calls his crosse his Grace k It seemeth say the leaâ—…ned Annotators on the Bâ—…ble that some of the Philippians were partakers with the Apostle in his bonds which the Apostle was so farre from esteeming any disgrace or disparagement to him that he accounted them a grace and an ornament to him As also did the noble Martyr Babylas who gave charge at his death that his bolts should not be knockt off his feet but be buried with him Now how farre forth we may desire affliction I conceiveâ—… it thus Some things are desirable for themselves as happinesse and holinesse some things are desireable not for themselves but as they make way to better things being â—…ower and bitter to nature themselves as Physick is desired not for it selfe but for health we desire health for it selfe and physick for health and so is it in the case of affliction we should hardly take down the bitter pills of Affliction were it not for the good use and quiet fruit of righteousnesse that it yeeldeth Quest Belike then if Crosses be so penall and afflictive 't is not fairâ—… for us to call in Crosses Answ. We shall meet with crosses we need not create crosses There bee some selfe created crosses which wee have reason to beare and bewaile as having pulled them upon our owne heads for want of forecast unthriftynesse and rash suretyshippe We fall into want upon willfull distempers of drinke riot and surfets into fevers upon intemperances and licentiousnesse into consumptions There be other Crosfes which are immediately God's hand-woâ—…ke Shall there bee evill in a City to wit evill of paine and adversity and the Lord hath not done l it saith the Prophet Amos. There can beâ—… no evill of punishment wherein God hath not an hand but some evils are more immediat from a divine stroke We must set our thoughts on worke or else like mil-stones wanting grist they wil grate and wast one another Yet take heede lest we spend our spirits with carking care of fore thought and future evils which haply either fall not out at all or not in our time so as they need not trouble our heads Some man is haunted with thoughtfullnesse what shall becom of his child when he is gone or least his wife marry after his departure whereas they dye in the meâ—… time and he out-livesâ—… his owne griefe Another frettingly feares he shall be undone in a deare yeare or in case there be some change in Religion whereas he dies in the interim and ends his daies in the same professaon in peace and plenty A moderate care and forecast doth well either for provision of things necessary or prevention of dammages and dangers but not to antidate our misery by such fore-conceits of imaginary evills Wee have our hands full already m sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof Wee complaine of crosses and yet wee put the Rod into Gods hand so as he is glad to deale with us as wee do with frisking horsesâ—… in a large pasture which will not be taken till they come to a strait gate The n wild Asse that snuffes up the wind to coole her heate will not be taken till she be in her moneths till she be with foale and loaden with her burden Wee have growne wanton with ease and long peace and plenty and if the Lord should not tame us with affliction wee should run wild after the excesse of riot with the world there would be no rule with us Wee are like unto Ephraim o the Prophet saith of Ephraim that before he was chastised he was like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke but after he was instructed then he smote his thigh â—… he was ashamed yea even confounded because he did beare the reproach of his youth As if he should say Thou hast aâ—…cted me O Lord and I am humbled I doe now bow my neck and stoope under thy yoke I was like an untamed Colt but now the hand and rod of affliction hath broken me now I smote upon my thigh in token of remorse shame and detestation of my former wicked waies I did beare the reproach of my youth of mine excesses committed in my younger daies Surely after that I was turned I repented after that thou hadst wrought upon me and shewed me my sin I repented When he smote them saithâ—… the p Psalmist then they sought him yea they sought him early q yea then saith the Lord they will seâ—…ke me diligently early and diligently God that can draw light out of darkenesse can give a good issue and successe of our aâ—…ction albeit they be harsh to flesh and blood yet he can turne them to our good to our profit Metals are never so bright as when they are scoured Perfumes and spices never so redolent and savoury as when they have felt the fire and the pâ—… Affliction serves to scoure our earthen vessells of that soile and rust of corruption that wee formerly contracted Wee may thinke it were well if wee escaped this scouringâ—… and burnishing but it is good for us to be thus afflicted r that now the Lord pricks the swelling of our pride extracts the malignity of our humour so as now wee give up the sweet morsels of sin that overcharged us and pay deere for the stollen pleasures of sin SECT. II. Cordials and Comforts against the losse of our goods HEâ—… me thinkes I heare the tender Patient reply It is not this present malady and infirmityâ—… afflicts me so much this comes by
be discouraged or faint under the weight of the Crosse hath sampled out the sufferings of his Saints men of our owne mould and subject to the like infirmities that wee are that have gone before us in the hardest duties of affliction What duty so harsh to flesh and bloud as to take up the Crosse and follow Christ What Crosse can be named which they have not borne and comfortably endured to the end It is hard you will say to part with our goods yet there have beene they that have taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods e not that the losse of their goods â—… was of it selfe and its owne nature joyfull to them but they were so farre from being dejected and disheartned with the afflictions they suffered for Christ as they accounted them matter or occasion of joy and why Both because they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ f as also because of the blessed fruit g and issue of their affliction Tribulation as the Apostle saith h worketh patience Tribulation accustometh us to patience and patience assures us by experience of Gods mercifull sustentation and ayde and this experience of Gods goodnesse puts us in hope of his further mercy and seasonableâ—… deliverance besides this experience under the Crosse it confirmes and fastens this our Anchor-hope and this hope deceiveth us not it disappointeth us not it being grounded on the love of Christ shed abroad in our hearts Tribulation then worketh patience not that of it selfe and its owne nature it worketh so for it often produceth contrary * effects both in the wicked and the godly as in Job David and Jeremie but it doth so when God gives us a sanctified use of Crosses conforming i us thereby to our Head Christ Jesus It goes had to exchange hoped of advancement for rebukes k and reproches â—… and yet Moses chused it willingly and counted it an honour to him Moses was jeered for marrying the Aethiopian woman Joseph was nick-named a Dreamer in scorne This is the manner of ill minded men to set termes of reproach upon the religious so Christ was called a Galilean by Julian the Apostle Paul a babler l by prophane Phylosophers This Age abounds with such abusive appellations cast upon the best Christians by such as are of an Hereticall Religion or of no Religion at all the practice of this kinde of contumelie is ancient and the patience under it as ancient which may make us both to looke for it â—… and make light of it 'T is too much to leave Countrey and kindred and Fathers house and yet Abraham did so 'T is hardest of all to leave our sweet life especially by violent torments what death can wee thinke so full of shame and torture but it hath beene endured m by the Saints of God by the Prophets Apostles and Martyres some of them have beene put on gridirons others in boyling Cauldrons some on the spits others under the sawes some in the flames others crushed with the teeth of wilde Beasts some on the racks others in fiery furnaces most of them in such torments as in comparison whereof ourâ—… paines are but flea-bitings We doe but taste and sip of that cup of affliction which Christ and his Saints draâ—…ke sheere off as appeares by the Churches story the Martyrologies the Acts and Monuments of the Saints Why then doe wee grudge to wet our feeâ—…e where they waded over the foord even a red Sea of blood Wee should looke to others as good as our selves as well as to our selves and then wee shal see it is not our own case only who are we that wee should looke for an exempted condition from those troubles which God's dearest children are addicted unto Comparison to this end isâ—… very availeable Compare we our sufferings for Christ with his sufferings n â—…or us Compare we our momentany afflictions of this life with the endlesse torments of hell endured by others and deserved by our sinnes from which by those as meanes we are freed for we are chastened of the Lord o that wee should not be condemned with the world Wee are mercifully chastened by the Lord on purpose that we may escape that eternall condemnation which befals the wicked of the world and we shall finde that there is no proportion betwixt our sufferings and our deserts Alas the wages of every sinne is Death a double death of theâ—… body and of the soule both temporall and eternall Any thing the Lord sends belowe this is mercy We must not â—…ke so much at what wee â—…ele 〈◊〉 what we have deserved to seele What ever our crosses are or may be justly we are in them our sinnes have deserved that more so that we are to beaer Gods chastisement willingly siâ—…h wee have so sinned against him I will beare the indignation of the Lord with patience and humility because I have sinned against him saith the Prophet Micah p Compare wee our sufferings with our glory that shall be revealed our suffering is but for a moment our reward shall be great and gloriousâ—… farre aboue the proportion of all our service or suffering for our light affliction q which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory The afflictions of the godly are not light in themselves but Comparatively to the infinite and eternall weight of heavenly glory which our affliction worketh for us not by any merit of ours but out of Gods meere grace and mercy for Christ his sake Rom. 8. 17. 18. or they be called Light because God maketh them seeme light unto us by the strong support and comfort of his Spirit Rom. 8.37 I reckon saith Saint Paul r that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall bee revealed in us word for word it is the sufferings of this now season whereby the Apostle intimates that our tribulations and afflictions last but for a 〈◊〉 that is a moment in comparison Sâ—… Paul calâ—…s the afflictions of this life light and but for a moment Our sufferings our sorrow shall have an end â—…aec non dâ—…rabunt atatem as Aâ—…hanasius said of his troubles For his anger endureth but a moment s his corrections last but a while but his favour lasts all out life long our joy shall have no end St. Bernard t computing the timeâ—… of his owne asslâ—…ction and the Saints reduceth it to an houres space or thereabouts Opus meum vix unius est horae siplus prae amore non sentio my worke and labor is but an houres taske if it be more I am scarce sensible thereof by reason of the love I beare to my Saviour who hath suffered so much for me How gratiously hath the wisdome of our God thought fit to temper our afflictions so contriving them that if they bee sharpe they are not long if