and take it upon his termâ—s First see him angry in every crosse and for nothing angry so much as for Sinne. For his wicked covetousnesse I was angry with him I hid mee and was angry Esay 57.17 Secondly see it a blessed thing to beare Gods yoke betimes and therefore be not weary in your minds for in due season yee shall reape the quiet fruit of it if yee faint not Galatians 6 9. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest in thy Law That thou maist give him rest from the dayes of adversitie c. Psalm 94.12 13. Bee sure if there were any other way to doe us good hee would spare a labour of whipping us Ierem. 9 7 but hee knowes and so should wee that the crosse will beare us to heaven when nothing else will * If there be any way to heaven on horsebacke it is by the crosse Bradford Gods cloud in the vvildernesse staid sometimes a whole yeare or longer in a place to their griefe no doubt but yet to their gaine that hee might humble them and try them and doe them good in their latter end Deuteronomie 8.16 as Moses hath it Thirdly melt and mourne kindly before the Lord as Iosiah in the sense of your sinnes Gods deserved displeasure but especially his infinite love in chastening you here that you may not bee condemned hereafter This is the onely vvay to difarme GODS indignation to get from under his mighty hand and to be rid of his rod 1 Peter 5.6 By such a course as this Iacob appeased that rough man Esau Abigail diverted David from his bloody purposes the Syrians found favour with Ahab that Non-such as the Scripture stiles him by an humble submission 1 King 20.13 And one of our Edwards riding furiously after a servant of his that had displeas'd him with a drawne sword in his hand as purposing to kill him Si servulum tuum videas peccata propria consitentem ultrò offerre se poenae instecteris ignosces de domini miseratione dissidis Ambr. in Psal 37. seeing him submit and on bended knee sue for his life was content to spare him and receive him into his favour * Acts and Monuments in Edw. 1. Loe this is the way to make our peace with God and this is the very course that hee points and prompts us to in the text As many as I love saith hee I rebuke and chasten But what lesson may wee hence take out Be zealous therefore and repent There seemes to be an hysterosis in the words q. d. repent thee of thy remisnesse lazinesse luke-vvarmnesse and learne by that thou sufferest to bee zealous of good workes fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Or which I rather incline to 't is a trajection Be zealous and repent that is be earnest and thorough in thy repentance and each part thereof contrition or humiliation and Conversion or Reformation The former is called in Scripture Repentance for or of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.21 Rev. 9.20 The latter Repentance from sinne Act. 8.22 Heb. 6.1 In both vve must be zealous doing them vvith all our might as David is said to have danced before the arke and this as at all times so especially when Gods hand is gone out against us and seemes to thrust us downe as it were with a thumpe on the backe For contrition first know that God will never leave pursuing thee till the traitours head be throwne over the wall till thou humble thy selfe to walke with thy God As one cloud followes another till the sun consume them so one iudgment after another till godly sorrow dispels them Gather your selves i Zeph. 2.1 therefore and call in your wits that are wandring after vanity turne your eyes inwards that you may see for what you suffer And this done Iâ—sdem quibus videmus oculis flemus let your eye affect your hearts till they ake againe yea till they fall asunder in your bosomes like drops of water labour and leave not till you feele your sinnes as so many daggers at your hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Peters converts did Act. 2.37 yea as so many daggers at Christs heart as those in Zachary Zach. 12.10 that looking upon him whom ye have pierced yâ—ur hearts may be like so many Hadadrimmons you may weepe over him that bled for you your eyes may be a fountaine of teares m Ier. 9.1 hee seâ—mes to attude to 1 Sam. 7.6 to wash his feete in who hath opened a fountaine of hiâ— own blood to bath your soâ—â—â—s in Zach. 13.1 In the twelfth Chapter the Prophet seemes to be at a stand knowes not whence to borrow comparisons sufficiently to set forth the depth of their godly sorrow They shall mourne for it saith he as one mournes for his onely sonne thinke here how great the griefe was of that disconsolate widow of Naim Luke 7.13 of Iacob for his Ioseph of David for his Absalom and shall be in bitternesse for it as one that is in bitternesse for his first-borne yea the lamentation of some one poore woman in her closet for her sin shall exceede that mourning at Megiddo for the losse of good Iosiah Mary Magdalen is a iust instance hereof whose eyes were a laver and haire a towell to wash and wipe the feete of Christ Some others of Gods Saints have exprest their hearty humiliation in time of affliction by bowing downe the head casting downe the body a softly gate a lovv kinde of language like broken men putting sackcloth on their loynes and ashes on their heads as those that had deserved to be as farre under ground as they vvere novv above Yea in a time of common calamity the Lord called his people to baldnesse n Isa 22. for sinne vvhich in other cases vvas forbidden Deut. 14.1 And Ezra practised it accordingly vvhen he rent his mantle and his garment and pluckt off the haire of his head and of his beard and with knees bent and hands spread out he cried O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee c. Ezra 9.3 6. Yea David vvent further then this for not content to vvash his bed even his under-bed vvith his teares vvhich he had defiled vvith his sinnes he made a reall resignation of himselfe and all he had into Gods hands as having forfeited all If hee thus say I have no delight in him behold here am I let him doe to mee as seemeth good unto him 2 Samuel 15.26 So another time vvhen the Lord pleaded against him with pestilence and blood Ezekiel 38.22 he stood forth and offered himselfe to the stroke of the punishing Angell vvith Me Virg. Aâ—ncid me ego qui feci in me convertito ferrum 'T vvas I ' t vvas I let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house 2 Sam. 24.17 And the like must be done of us in case of Gods displeasure iustly conceived against
GODS LOVE-TOKENS AND THE AFFLICTED Mans LESSONS Brought to light and layd before him in two fruitfull and seasonable Discourses upon Revel 3.19 Comforting under and directing unto a right use of our personall and publike crosses and calamities By JOHN TRAPP M. A. and Preacher of Gods Word at Luddington in Warwick-Shire HEB. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Aug. Confess li. 10 â—4 Amor ille paternus sive approbet â—ne sive improbet me diliget LONDON â—â—â—nted by RICHARD BADGER 1637. TO THE RIGHT Honourable and most vertuous Lady the Lady ANNE Countesse of Middlesex RIGHT HONOURABLE YOVR late Noble acceptance of these rude and raw Meditations conceived at first for mine owne Hebr. 12.9 but preacht for your Honours solace when once the Father of spirits by transplanting your darling-daughter * That hopefull young plant the Lad Susannâ— Cranfield into his heavenly Paradise had assign'd you a share in our common calamity hath now occasioned and encouraged me to this over-bold Dedication You looke not Madam I beleeve for courtship and complement from a man of my coate and quality And to give slattering titles were besides the dint of the divine displeasure to despite you with seeming honours Iob. 32.22 A downe-right truth takes far better with an honest heart then a smooth supparasitation But were your Honour of their straine that sound a trumpet before them in the streets Matth 6.1 Matth. 23.7 and love long â—â—lutations in the Markets â— might perhaps as fitly and as fully as another tell the world of your singular humility in height of honours your heart-attracting Courtesie to those of meanest ranke and quality your exemplary readinesse to relieve the poore Afflicted your uncessant paines in getting knowledge and so sutable a practise of that you know as hath made my selfe and many more judicious to value your Honour not according to these outward vanities but those inward vertues which the very Heathens accounted the only true Nobility * Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus Iuvenal Nobilis genere nobilior sanctitate Augustin epist 179. But I know well both â—ow hard it is for the best to profit by praises and how little they desire them that best deserve them I shall therfore turne praises unto prayers beseeching him who teacheth His to profit Esay 48.17 who giveth wisdome liberally and upbraids not Iames 1.5 to give your Honour a right sanctified use of former crosses and to crowne the Calendar of your life for future with many Festivalls So prayeth He that is and will be Your Honours most humbly devoted in all duty IOHN TRAPP The Preface to the Reader IT is I must needs say an over-just complaint of a Reverend writer a D. King Lect. upon Ionas Prof. that Presses are already opprest the world abounding with bookes even to satiety and surfeit And of Another that the untimely brats of mens braines fly thicke up and downe the world in this scribbling Age b Passim circumvolitant in hoo feraci chartarum saeculo humani cerebelli Minervae D. Prid. Lect. And of a Third that too many set forth in print some their owne wit more their owne folly c Hezek Recâ—v Whilest with Dominio in St. Hierome they care not What but Howmuch they utter d Non quid sed quaâ—â—um c. Hier. in Apâ—l ad Domnionem with Alcibiades in the Moralist they talke much but speake little e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plutar or with those triflers in the Gospell they hope to be heard for their much habling f Matth. 6 7. confer Ecâ—les 10.14 These forget belike that Writers should set forth not Treatises but Treasuries g Amhores non debere libros sed thesauros componere Domitius Piso Sic Pliâ—â—j Opus Erasino thesaurus est imò verè mundus rerum cognitu dignissimatuÌ„ and that words as monies are valued by their matter not by their multitude h Idem sermoni congruit quod nummiâ— c. Sâ—hyox and as suffrages they passe not among wisemen by tale but by weight i Non numeâ—arda suffâ—agia sed expen denda Great talkers indeede would be thought eminent and some that publish much affect to be publike albeit they sound many times from their emptinesse onely k Vasa quae magis continent minus sonant Sen. Whereas the deepest waters are leâ—st heard l Lene fluit Nilus sed cunctis amnibus extat Vtilior nullas confessus mutmure vires Claudian and those orient starres the higher they are set the lesse they are seene The best and biggest of them as they appeare not at all by day so by night they shew themselves but small in their hugest Orbes and but slow in their swiftest motions m In maxima sui mole se minimùm ostendunt stellae besides many a goodly one that because of height comes not within our ken or account I wot well there 's never a mothers child of us that is not too much the true child of our great grand-mother We have each of us saith our English Seneca an Eues sweet-tooth in our heads and would be more than we are Every man would be either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The man or Some body n B Hall Epist The sweetest hearing however dissembled is ones owne commendation o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xonoph and he is a rare man that hath not some Babel whereon he bestowes paines and cost either to be pointed at p digito monstrari c. and talked of as Demosthenes q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to curry favour with the commonsort as Herod r Legatur Bez Anâ—â—t in Ioh. 2.20 For my selfe truly as I looke not to please all mens fancies being as different as their faces Å¿ D. Haukw Atol so if I may approove my poore paines to Christ the Judge of all t Heb. 12. and to his Hidden ones u Psal 83.3 Equidem plutis secerim justam commendationem unius alicujus pij boni viri quà m admirationem stultam totius multitudinis Host in Ioh. 3.28 the godly judicious I have enough and shall well enough comfort my selfe with that white-stone Rev. 2.17 against the blacke coales if any such be of the more malevolent x Malis displicere laudari est Sen. It was a sweet and savoury saying of Occolampadius I should be loth to speake or write ought that Christ should disallow y Nolui aliquid loqui vel scribere quod improbaturum putem Christum He truly is that master to whom every man stands or falls z Rom. 14 4. and one good look from him is insteed of all acclamations For not he that commendeth himself saith that great Apostle nor he whom the world coÌ„mends is approved but he whom the Lord commendeth Wherefore let him that glorieth glory in the Lord 2 Cor. 10.17
18. There are that glory in themselves as those ancient Gnosticks * Gnostici se solos fontem veritatie hausisse c. Iren. lib. 1 cap. 24 and our moderne Iesuites a Iesuita non potest esse haereticus Imperium literarum est penes Iesuitas Casaub ex Apologista They vaunt that the Church is the soule of the world the clergy of the Church and they of the Clergy Sand. rela of West relig sacrifice to themselves as Sejanus b Seianus sibi sacra facere solebat Dio in vita Tiber. and those Babylonians Hab. 1.16 set up and serve themselves of Christ and his service as Judas and his successours that rob him of his rent and run away with his glory dealing with his worke as once Phydias the famous Carver did with the Shield of Minerva wherein hee so cunningly enchased his owne countenance that it could not be defaced but the Shield must be disfigured Such were those flaunting Preachers of Philippi that to carry away the bell from a better man c Philip. 1.16 sought to set up themselves in the hearts of their hearers And such are those deceitful workers d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.13 now a daies as pretending to be Christs spokesmen will needs bee his corrivalls upon the matter whiles they give out themselves for some great ones e Testis est Iustinus quod hiâ— statuam habuerit inter pontes Tiberis cui insculpebatur Simoni Deo Sancto with Simon Magus Act. 8.9 and interest themselves as he too far in the peoples affections ver 10 11. These cannot preface to their works as those ancients did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f Coâ—l Rhodig ex Pausania but may justly betwitted as that Pope was pithily when he had engraven upoÌ„ the gates of his new-built Colledge Vtretent where he was borne planted mee Lovain where he was bred watered mee but Caesar who had promoted him to the Popedom gave increase A merry Passenger under-wrote Here God did nothing g Papa Haà rtatus cum Lovanij collegium magno sumptu struxisset c. Hommis vanit item redaâ—gait alius subsâ—ribens Hic Deus ni hâ—l fecit Pareus in 1 Cor. 3 6. So God is not in all the tho ghts h Psal 10.4 of these selfe-seekers that thus iâ—tervert one part of the price with that ill couple Acts 5.2 whiles they turne Gods glory into shame loving vanity seeking after lyes i Psal 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word there used signifieth such a lye as deceiveth mens expectations Psal 89.35 Isa 58.11 2 King 4.16 Of which sort by a specialty is that smoke of popular applause which the higher it mounts the sooner it vanisheth Verely saith our Saviour to such and it is fearfull they have their reward k Math. 6. all they are over like to have let them make them merry with it But what speake I of merriment when the best that can come of such mens wood hay stubble laid upon the common foundation is Repentance to salvation l 2 Cor. 7. yet so as thorough the fire * Inferiore gradu gloriae quà m alij Paereus quem consule besides the losse of their worke if not of some part of their wages when the day shall declare it m 1 Cor. 3.12 13. that is when the light of the Truth Rom. 13.12 or Time the father of Truth or that Day of death when many recognize and recant their errors shal shew them their Sin Good S. Austin cryed to God to pardon the vanities of his youth and especially this that hee had preached ut placeret Confess non ut doceret to delight the eare more than to smite the heart A faire glasse for such to look in a faire copie for such to write by as write nothing but as in a frame Every word is so marshalled and every sentence with its apt cadencie lies in such comely equipage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these mens discourses you cannot see matter for words o Melaneth apud Laert. as in some mens againe scarse words for matter Euripides saith the Oratour hath more sentences than sayings p Plu es sententias quam verba Cic. and Thucydides hath so stuft every syllable with substance q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the one runs along paralell with the other r Adeò plenus referrusque rebus ut prope verborum numerum numero rerum exaquet Cic. Lysias his workes are so well coucht that you cannot take out the least word but you take away the whole sense with it Å¿ Sâ—ex Platonis oratione aliquid demaâ— manesque de elegantia tantum detraxeris si ex Lysiae de sententia Phaverinuâ— apud Gell. And Phocion had a speciall sacultie of speaking much in few t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch Those best of Greekes were the short spoken partans u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the â—reâ—ans in Plaâ—ces time however degenerated in Saint Pauls x Tit. 1.12 were more waighty than wordy y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Timanthes is famous for this that in his pictures more things were intended than deciphered z Plin. li. 35. cap. 10. and Homer that none could ever peere him for Poetrie nor match him for matter a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenophon How much more apt and apposite are these high praises to the Booke of God rightly called The Bible as if it were as indeed it is both for fitnesse of termes and fulnesse of truth the onely booke to which all other bookes in the world are but waste paper b Ego odi meos libros saepé opto eo interire quod metuo ne morentur lectores à lectione ipsius Scriptura quae sola namis saptentiae sons est Luther in Gen. 19. Called it is also The Word by an excellencie because it must be the But and boundary of our words and The Scriptures as the standard of all humane writings Yea that princely Preacher stiles them Princes or Leaders c Prov. 8 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one place and Lords of Collections d Eccl. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another because they are as Leaders and Lords Paramount above all other words or writings of men collected into volumes Here we are bound to bestow our day and night-studies e Iosh 1.8 and hence wee may well gather flowers and phrases to polish our speeches with even those sound words f 2 Tim. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint Paul that have a healing property in them farre above all filed phrases of humane elocution To the Law therefore and to the Testimonie saith that rare Rhetorician for if any speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them g Isa 8.20 This is the c rtaine Cynosura the Lampe and Lanterne the Rule and Rudder the Wise-men
starre that leades men to Christ and without which all their learning and language doth but light them into utter darknesse Good therefore and worthy of all acceptation is the counsell of Saint James So speake yee and so doe as those that shall be judg'd by the law of libertie h Iam. 2.12 And of Saint Paul Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisedome c. that whatever yee doe in word or deed yee may doe all in the Name that is in the word and warrant of our Lord Jesus Christ i Col. 3.16 17. And of Saint Peter If any man speake saith hee let him speake as the oracles of God k 1 Pet. 1.11 there 's his patterne Neither need wee feare as some prophane miscreants have done before us l Longolius Pon pâ—n Laetus Poliâ—â—unus Canonicus Florent qui odas Pindaricas psalmis Davidiers pratulit ausit nelario Spuinx Philos p. q. lest our smoother and purer stile should be marred or bemired by the interlacing of Scripture solecismes l Longolius Pon pâ—n Laetus Poliâ—â—unus Canonicus Florent qui odas Pindaricas psalmis Davidiers pratulit ausit nelario Spuinx Philos p. q. The vulgar Translation I confesse is so pesterd with Barbarismes that not onely Saint Hierome would disavow it but Priscian himselfe would call for his Ferula But read as it was written or rightly rendered besides that for the matter it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.16 that m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ille olim de Liblioth Aâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Physick for the soule that crystall brooke out of which nay out of that one booke of which nay almost out of that one sixth chapter of that one booke of Deuteronomy Our heavenly David chose all those stones wherewith he prostrated the Goliah of hell n Matth. 4. there is a divine majesty that character of the deity shining through the humility and simplicity of the phrase And oh the happinesse of that man that can aptly utter his minde in pure Scripture God himselfe I am sure the greatest Master of speech and Maker of it too Exod. 4.11 when he spake from heaven made use of three severall texts in a breath o Matth. 17.5 This is my beloved Sonne Psal 2.7 in whom I am well pleased Esay 42.1 heare ye him Deuteronomie 18.15 Which you may note against the curious queasinesse of such nice ones as disdaine at the slately plainnesse of the Scriptures saith one p Cart. in locum And to shew of what authority Scripture phrase is with God saith another expositour q Malcolm in Act. 3. I yeeld there is a latitude and a liberty lest here wherein to expatiate Neither am I of Spiridions spirit that could not brooke it in a Bishop of his time more elâ—quent haply then himselfe that he should vary the least tittle in his text though for another of selfe-same signification r Voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum usus esset in istius historiae enarratione Mar. 2 4. Episcopus quidam discitioâ— tam fuit offensus Spiâ—dion celobâ—â— lortasse morosior Episcopuâ— ut in media concione in rexerit Beza in lâ—â— ex Niceph. They that stumble at such strawes must first get their cares healed Å¿ Demost orat de oâ—d civ as the Oratour told his country-men before they will be in cas to beare with fruit or reade with profit Let men be so ingenious saith a Father as to favour that in others which they cannot finde in themselves Eloquence is certainely a singular gift of God if not affected abused idolized and becomes no man better then a Divine whose part it is by the tongue of the learned to time a word t Esay 50 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to set it upon its circumferences u Prov. 25.11 to declare unto Man his righteousnesse when not one of a thousand x Iob 33.23 can doe it like him to seeke to finde out pleasant words y Eccles 12.10 11. Verba desiderata Caâ—eâ— delectabilia Treâ—â— expetibilia Vaâ—ab and an upright writing such words as have goades and nailes in them being neither lecta nor neglecta too curious nor too carelesse Not this for where hony is forbidden for sacrifice yet there the first-fruits of hony are commanded and call'd for Leviticus 2.11.12 Not that because Gods holy things must be handled sanctè magis quà m scitè with feare and reverence rather then with wit and dalliance as he once told the wanton vestall Holy Moses covers his glistering face with a vaile when he speakes to the people and hath more glory by his vaile then by his face Those profoundest Prophets accommodate themselves to their hearers capacities fetching discourse from that the people were most acquainted with and accustom'd to as from fishes to the Egyptians from droves of cattle to the Arabians trade and traffique to the Tyrians c. So our blessed Saviour tells his fisher-men they shall be fishers of men And after many plaine parables to the people cries out Marke 4.13 as if the wisedome of the Father the essentiall word had beene at a fault for a fit word familiar and low enough for our slow and shallow apprehensions Whereunto shall we liken the Kingdome of God or with what comparison shall wee compare it Yea 't is well observed that th'Evangelists speake vulgarly many times for their Hearers sakes even to a manifest Incongruity Joh. 17.2 z Manifestum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed Evangelistae multa diâ—endi genera è medio petierunt ut â—udi vulgò sâ—sâ— accommoda ent Bâ—â— in loc Rev. 1.4 c. In after-ages those two great lights of the Church S. Austin confesseth that hee was fain to use some words sometimes to those Roman Colonies in Africke where hee preached that were not Latine to the end they might understand him a As essum for os dâ—lus for dolor storâ—et for sâ—â—rebit Biceâ—â—voods enqâ—â—ties p. 29. And Saint Hierome is for this much commended that remembring he was a Minister hee stood not alwaies upon the purenesse of his stile but was farre more solicitous of his matter than of his words b L. Vives lib 2. 3. de t. ad discip Children wee see use money to gingle with and men use slowers onely for sight and scent but Bees for hony and waxe not to guild their wings as the Butter-flie but to fill their Combs and feed their Yong. In like sort others store their heads and tip their tongues some for shew and some for delight but Divines have these talents in trust that therewith they may save themselves and them that heare them c 1 Tim. 4.16 whiles they become all things to all men in Saint Pauâ—â— sense that they may win some d 1 Cor. 9.22 And this to â—â—y sooth is the just intent and indeavour of this tumultuary Treatise hudled up and scribled out in great
then will he graciously accept and liberally reward the small offerings of his weake servants when he seeth them to proceede from great love 'T is of his owne alas that we give him as David gladly acknowledgeth when the people had given their best e 1 Chron. 29.14 And what are we Ministers but the voice of another that crieth f Math. 3.3 as Iohn Baptist the pen in Gods hand as Moses and the prophets 2 Pet. 1.2 vessels to beare Gods name as Paul Act. 9.15 Brethren said hee Act. 13.15 if there be in you as in so many vessels of honour 2 Cor. 4.7 any word of exhortation say on Spirituall nicenesse is the next degree to unfaithfulnesse If thou have not fine Manchet said Bucer to Bradford yet give the poore people Barly-bread or whatsoever else the Lord hath put into thy hand g Fox Martyrolog Hee hath concredited unto us these precious talents not to hide them but to trade with them * Agricol◠è stercoâ—ibus quaestum faciunt quantò magis in preciosis deâ— donis nihil non exercendum which if wee doe faithfully ascribing all the gaine and glory to God as those good Servants did Luke 19.16 when they said Not we but thy talents have gained other five and other two c. which is parallell to that of Saint Paul Howbeit not I but the grace of God that was in mee 1 Cor. 15. â—0 hee will surely reward our labour of love * Secundum laborâ—m non secuâ—dum proventum Bern. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not according to our acceptance with the world which is â—fiea little enough but according to our honest indeavour of serving the Lord Christ Who will in that name put upon us the inheritance Coloss 4.24 and in that day meet us with an Euge bone serve Well done good servant thou hast beene faithâ—ull in a little so hee calls the largest measure here even ten talents in comparison of that sarre more exceeding and eternall waight h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4.17 Alludit ad Hebâ—â—uâ—â— Chal leuâ— nomen gloriae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came roâ— hereafter be thou master of much whether five or ten or two Cities according to thy proportion and capacitie besides a largesse of joy to boot Enter into thy masters joy i Math 25.21 Non ita mortales Luc 17.7 Aâ—rabaâ—â—us cum oeconomum fideliss haberet â—gâ—e tamen tulit illum sibi hâ—â—re lem liberotum oâ—bitate conseribendum Salomon Ieroboamum c. A joy more like the joy of God than of Man a joy more meet for the master than for the servant yet such a master doe wee serve as will crowne us with such a joy Oh how should the serious consideration hereof fire up our hearts and force open our eyes to see with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and heighth And to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge that wee might be filled with all the fulnesse of God k Eph. 3.18 19. But I must contract for if a great booke be a great vill * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Callimachus apud Athenaum as he said once how much more a long Preface to a little book I shall therfore suddenly shut up with the same Apostle in the words next following those afore cited Now unto him that is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that wee aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us Vnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end l ver 20.21 Amen GODS LOVE-TOKENS AND Th' Afflicted Mans LESSONS Revel 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent IF all holy Scripture be but one intire letter dispatcht from the Lord CHRIST to his beloved Spouse on earth as a Father fitly stileth it Greg. then this much more and the foregoing Chapter vvhich are merely made up of seven severall Epistles dated from heaven to the seven then famous Churches of lesser Asia Five of the seven are partly commended partly condemned That of Smyrna is onely commended this of Laodicea onely condemned and sorely threatned with shamefull spuing our for her loathsome luke-warmness and wretchlesse indifferency Now lest the weak hereby should be disquieted or the worst so disâ—ouraged as to say with those in Ieremy There is no hope but we will walke after our owne devices a 2 Iere. 13.12 c. Our Saviour first counsells them in the former verse secondly comforts and counsells them both in this of the Text As many as I love I rebuke and chasten bee zealous therefore and repent The words divide themselves into a Proposition and an Exhortation or if you please a Doctrine and a Vse As many as I love I rebuke and chasten there 's the Doctrine Bee zealous therefore and repent that 's the Vse The Doctrine is comprehensive and full of doctrine each word having its weight each syllable its substance This first offers it selfe Doct. 1 That it is God that chastens his children I rebuke and chasten saith the text I is emphaticall and exclusive as if hee should say I and I alone So elswhere God assumes it the Saints acknowledge it I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord do all these things b Esa 45. â— So in another place I kill and I make alive I wound and I heale c c Deut. 32.39 So 1 Sam. 2.6 7 Iob 5.18 Hos 6.1 2. This the Lord doth somtimes more immediatly by his owne bare hand as it were 1 Cor. 11.29 30. sometimes againe by the hand of our fellow-creatures the rodd in his hand as he afflicted Iob by Satan and his Sabeans d Iob 1.21 David by Absalom and his second Shimei e 2 Sam. 16.10 Ioseph by his f Geâ— 45.8 brethren Israel by Ashur g â—sa 10 5. Christ himselfe by the Priests h Act. 2 23. Elders But still what ever the meanes of our misery be the hand is Gods as both Iob and Ioseph and David and the son of David i Matt. 26.39 savve cause to acknowledge For Reas 1 First â—od doth all therfore this As he made all by his power so he manageth all by his providence Not a sparrow fals to the ground without him k Mat. 10.30 not a bristle from a sow's back saith a Father Tertull. much lesse a hair from a Saints head l Lâ—â—e 21.18 least of all the head from the shoulders m Psal 116.15 or any matter of like moment and consequence without Gods al-reaching and most vvise dispose and appointment Reas 2 Next God suffers all There is no sinne committed but God is offended his authoritie impeached his Law violated Psal 57.5 This to imply the offender was confined to the citie of Refuge as to a prison
bring on sweete health and it is in great love no doubt however it be taken that the tender father medicines his child for the wormes gives him aloes or the like The child cries out as if he were kild sputters and keeks as if he were poyson'd yet still the fathers love is never the lesse no more is Gods for the gall he gives us It is not fury but mercy that sets God a worâ—e in this kinde We are judg'd of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world o 1 Cor. 11. Now to make that an argument of his hatred that he intends for an instance of his love what can be more absurd and provoking How would you take such usage at the hands of your children If they should make such akward and unkind constructions when you physicke them for their good or if neede so râ—quire apply sharpe corrosives or hot trons to their flesh How could you take it I say if they should exclaime or but mutter my father hateth mâ— is weary of my company desires my death seekes to rid me out of the world would it not gall you to be so much mistaken And what shall God doe thinke you especially Non est argumentum aversi dei quemadmodum diaboluâ— interpretatur sed potius paternâ—e ipsius benevolentiâ—e Lavat in Pro. 3.11 since herein we close with the Devill and take part with him against our owne soules His worke is to accuse God to man as he did to our first parents in Paradise as if he envied man the best estate and of very hatred holds him to hardship and feeds him as Ahab did Michaiah whom he loved not with the bread of affliction and water of adversity Thus he suggested to Iob by his wife and three freinds leaving him his tongue untoucht when all his body besides Chrysost Toâ—um est pro vulnere corpus was but one great botch as hoping that he would therewith have curst God and dyed p Iob. 1. ult or charg'd him with folly and crueltyp. So the tempter would faine have perswaded our Saviour that he was no sonne of God because he was afflicted with hunger q Matth. 4. But against this temptation forget not the consolation which speaketh unto you as unto children my sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neither saint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth r Heb. 12 5.6 Non ita beatum paulum puâ—o quod in coelum raptus quam quod in carcerem conjectus Chrysost in Eph. 3.1 c. whence the Apostle reckons affliction amongst Gods honoraries and tokens of respect for To you it is given saith he not onely to beleeve though that 's a great matter for he that beleeveth hath set to his seale that God is true Å¿ Ioh. 3 33. hath subscrib'd to his truth and given him a testimony but also to suffer t Phil. 1.29 Act non in pag. 1565 which saith Father Latymer is the greatest promotion that God gives in this world Iob good man cannot but admire at it that God should make so much account of man should so magnifie and dignifie him as to thinke him worth the melting though it be every morning and trying though it be every moment Iob. 7.17.18 Vse 2 Secondly here hence issueth a double Instruction and you shall have it in the Apostles owne words My son dispise not thou the chastening of the Lord that 's the first neither saint when thou art rebuked u Heb. 12.5 that 's a second This is the Apostles owne use of this point after Salomon and this is as good an use as we can put it to First then I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beware you despise not Gods correction count it not an ordinary thing a light matter a common occurrence such as comes and goes as the raine on our clothes which after a while dries up and all is as before This is to elevate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.5 and set light by Gods love-tokens to vilipend and undervalue his kindnesses to make no repute nor reckoning of his gracious expressions and dearest indulgences whilest we thus lay them at our heeles and cast them into by-corners as things not worth our carefull keeping or kinde acceptance To helpe against this extreme Consider first that affliction commeth not out of the dust no not the least and lightest that doth befall us but though Man be borne to trouble as the sparke to fly upward yet every Iob will seeke unto God as the authour and purposely to breede true remorse in himselfe x Ioh. 5.6.7.8 and every Naomi in case of personall sicknesse or death of friends will say the hand of the Lord is gone out against me y Ruth 1.13 and every Israelite indeede collect are not these evills come upon us because our God is not with us z Deut. â—1 17 For neither is it for nought in the second place that God afflicts but ever there is some Achan in the army some Sheba in the towne some Ionas in the ship some distemper I meane in the soule some disorder in the life that God would have removed and remedied Thirdly that he keepes count how oft he afflicts us and what good use we make of his hand Amos 4.5.6.7 Now shall God count our crosses and we contemne them shall he number our lashes and we neglect them shall he lay them on in love for our good and we beare them off with head and shoulders least they should doe us good The hypocrite saith Elihu crieth not when God binds him and doth therefore heape up wrath a Iob. 36.11 The wicked saith holy Hannah are silent in darkenesse b 1 Sam 2.9 and shall therefore lie downe in sorrow c Esay 50.10 they shuffle over their crosses and make some sorry shift to rub thorough them and thinke to weare them out as well as they can Such were those in Ieremy woe is me for my hurt my wound is grievous There 's their moane at first but what after a while of pawsing Truely this is my griefe and I must beare it d Ier. 10.19 As who shouâ—d say There 's no remedy 't is that we all must looke for to have crosses while we are here when things are at worst they 'le mend againe such and such haue suffer'd the very same and done well enough and so I hope shall I. God complaines oft of this stupidity and senselessenesse in his people and threatneth it sore with a succession of crosses e Lev. 26. seven more and seven more and seven to that to the conversion of his owne and the confusion of his enemies for is it fit that he should cast downe the bucklers first No he is too wise and too strong to be overcome or wearied out by any meanes but strong prayer and humble yeeldance under his
went forâ—h arm'd and carried bowes saith the Psalmist but they turned backe in the day of battel Psal 78.9 This fell out about the birth of Aaron vvhile their father Ephraim was yet living 1 Chron. 7.21 and the story is this God had promised them the land of Canaan but they impatient of the Aegyptian bondage not waiting Gods command nor tarrying out his time vvould needs in all haste set upon the men of Gath that held a part of the promised Land but they lost their hopes and lives together Hoc câ—at importuno tempore pâ—ma â—uhu â—â—erba â—â—uda decâ—â—â—eâ—c Cyâ—â—es vvhich made Ephraim mourne many daies because it went evill with his house and haply gave occasion to Pharaohs cruelty according to that in Exod. 1.10 Come on let us deale wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to passe that when there fall out any war they joyne also with our enemies and fight against us and so get them up out of the land Vse 4 Lastly this speakes comfort to all Gods afflicted to consider that As many as hee loves he rebukes and chasteneth Wee must frame a new Bible saith one e're wee can find any colour out of Gods afflicting us to prove that he doth not love us It is a very foolery to conclude after that manner Gods rod like Ahashuerosh his seepter is never stretcht out toward any of his but in love hee never sends forth his armies to chastise us but he gives Davids charge Handle the young man gently for my sake It is our Isaacs use first to handle us and then to blesse us By afflictions wee may understand our fathers handling of us And after wee have suffered a while then take a blessing my Sonne Watch therefore against discouragements and faint not in thy good way The way is not to be judg'd by the afflictions but the afflictions by the way let not the outward distresse drive us either into hard conceits of God or heavie conceits of our selves Ob. My crosses are such as no good man hath had the like Sol. What not Iob his story is a booke-case to answer this objection Never any before or since his time was so handleâ— insomuch as his friends said unto him Call now if there be any that will answer and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne thee u Iob 5.1 as vvho should say what good man was ever in so bad a taking And yet yee have heard of the patience of Iob and what end the Lord made with him x Iam. 5.11 Ob. Iob had his trouble laid upon him for his triall but I have pulled mine upon my selfe by my sinne Sol. Fooles because of their transgression are afflicted so that their soule abhorreth meate through extremity of sicknesse and they draw neare to the gates of death Psal 107.17 18 19. yet they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he saveth them out of their distresses See this exemplified in Ionah How came he into the whales belly was it not by his owne undutifulnesse See it in David whence came all his troubleâ— by Absalom Amnon Adonijah was it not for his fondnesse and indulgence See it in Iacob what might he thanke for all his afflictions whereof God gave him not a draught but made him a diet-drinke so that he had scarce a merry day for one trouble or another Laban followes him with liue and cry as a theefe Esau meetes him with foure hundred cut-throats at his heeles Rachel and Deborah dye upon his hand his daughter is ravisht his sonnes are some adulterers othersome murtherers the famine pincheth him the losse of Ioseph afflicts him c. But whence all this and whom had he to thanke for it did he not thrust his owne feete into the stocks by that three-fold lye of his uttered in a breath to get the blessing And yet before he was borne it was Iacob have I loved and before any of this befell him God said unto him Be not afraid I am with thee and will doe thee good y Gen. 31. And so he did by his crosses and that 's my good we say that doth me good Ob. Oh! but I find not that mine afflictions have done me good and therefore I feare they were not laid upon me in love Sol. First if that be true indeed you have cause to feare Que enim in iâ—spes ant remedium est quâ— ab usitata impuritate neâ— miseriarum ogestate nec vitae extreâ—mtate revocantur Saluâ— au de gub Dei lib. 7 for it is a sore signe of a man given up by God when afflictions will not worke upon him But secondly it may be thou mistakest and art better'd by that thou hast suffered but seest it not as yet because thy soule is bemisted or imbittered as those Exod. 5.21 But thirdly say it be as bad with thee for present as is possible yet despaire not Asa was not one pin the better at first for all his afflictions God sent him a Prophet and he imprisoned him God sent the gout to reduce him and he put his trust in the physitians c. But he lived I doubt not to see and retract his errour for it is reported of him and all in one verse that the high places were not removed that was his fault yet the heart of Asa was perfect before God all his dayes z 1 King 15.14 That 's thy comfort it is certaine there 's no godly man but is or shall be shortly a gainer by his afflictions he shall exercise patience prayer and praise and be dayly more and more perfited and purified by this fiery triall 1 Pet. 4.12 In a word The God of all grace who hath called us into his eternall glory by Christ Iesus after that ye have suffered awhile shall make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen a 1 Pet 5.10 11. FINIS THE AFFLICTED MANS LESSONS Laid downe to Him in a second Discourse upon Revel 3.19 By JOHN TRAPPE Preacher of the Word PSAL. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy Law Chrys ad pop Ant. hom 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LUTHER Christianorum Theologia Crux LONDON Printed by RICHARD BADGER 1637. TO THE RIGHT Honorable his very good Lady and Patronesse the Lady Katharine Viscountesse Dowager Conwey Late wife to the Right Honorable Edward Lord Viscount Conwey Lord President of his Majesties most Honorable Privie-Councell MADAME IF deepe ingagements may warrant a Dedication I have enough to patronize this my bold attempt in craving your Noble Patronage in this little Treatise All that I seeke herein is to be reputed obsequiously thankfull to your Honour for a great part of my little livelyhood All that I am able to returne for so many reall courtesies is this poore Paper-gift Had I a better present your Ladyship should be sure of it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Satan the father of it advantage both to accuse us as Iob 1.9 10. and to lay speciall claime to us as those that beare his Badge weare his Livery doe his workes Ioh. 8. Now ever the more worke the more wages for The wages of Sin is death k Rom. 6.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian saith Saint Paul that is all crosses and curses Temporall Spirituall and Eternall even to the very Itch as Moses sets forth Deut. 28. God may justly expose us to his malice whom we have served in his lusts l Iohn 8.44 for Know yee not that his servants yee are to whom yee obey m Rom. 6.16 Yea hee may turne him loose upon us to afflict us with many sorrowes to breake in upon us and leape over our hedge Iob 1.10 when once wee take liberty to break Gods mounds and like the Hart that hath leap't the Pale wee are found wandring and biting upon the devils Commons Dinah fell into foule hands when her fathers house could not hold her shee lost at once her virginity and liberty neither speed wee better when extravagant David by venturing had his bones broken Psal 51.8 Reas 2 Secondly if wee turne our eyes from Sinne the greatest Evill to God the chiefest Good wee shall see Reason for the point when we shall see him 1 Holy in his nature 2 True of his word 3 Iust in his proceeding 4 Good to his children whom therefore hee will not suffer to fall into Sin without a sensible checke First therefore hee is an holy God and this is Ioshua's argument chap. 24.19 20. Ye cannot serve the Lord saith hee to those that had a mind to make a mixture of Religions for hee is an holy God hee is a jealous God hee will not forgive your transgressions and your sinnes c. Hee is of more pure eyes saith another Prophet than to behold evill n Hâ—b 1 13. with patience though it be in his owne He hateth it in any person his onely Son not excepted who became a Sinner first by imputation for Hee made our Sinnes to meet upon him and secondly by reputation for Hee made his grave with the wicked o Esa 53.6 9. and passed for a Malefactour and worse than any thing the Devill himselfe not excepted for hee hates the Devill for Sins sake not Sin for the Devils sake Now Revenge is the next effect of hatred And hence Gods sword was upon the man his fellow I meane the Man Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Litan Graec. whose sufferings vvere unconceivable and hence also His hand is still upon the little ones Zach. 13.7 who fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 1.24 and are baptized with his baptisme Math. 20.22 plunged over head and eares in the waters of Afflictions Secondly as God is holy in his Nature so hee is true of his Word and that which hee hath spoken with his mouth hee will fulfill with his hand p 1 Kin. 8.15 as Salomon hath it Now this is that which the Lord hath said I will be sanctified in all them that draw neere unto mee q Lev. 10.3 Who these are see Psal 89.7 Omnes sancti in circuitu ejus Psal 148.14 How he will be sanctified heare S. Austin Sanctified he will be saith that Father Aut à nobis aut in nos either of us or on us one of the two For this is one of Gods penall Statutes and it is sure hee 'l be no loser by us But lose hee should and in his glory too that dearest Iewell should hee winke at such things in his owne as hee takes notice of and dislikes in others Hence his fatherly severity For hath hee spoken the word and shall hee not doe it As hee cannot dye so he cannot lye Hee cannot deny himselfe r â— Tim. 2.13 Let God be true and every man a lyar Å¿ Rom. 3.4 For ever O Lord thy Word is stablisht in heaven t Psa 119.89 Thirdly hee is just in his dealings for shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right u Gene. 18.25 Now It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation and anguish upon every soule that doth evill upon the Iew first because of his priviledges according to that of the Prophet You onely have I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities x Amos 3.2 and also upon the Grecian y Rom. 2.9 For the evill there spoken of is contrary first to Gods Image sith hee is light and in him is no darknesse z Rom. 7.12 secondly to his Law which is holy and just and good z Rom. 7.12 so equall and grounded upon so much reasons that if God had not given it yet it had beene best for us to have observed it Now no Law-giver can sustaine to see his owne law broken before his eyes and not proceed against the delinquent as is to be seene in the examples of Saul a 1 Sam. 14.44 Nebuchadnezzar b Dan. 3.13 Zaleucus Locrensis c. much lesse the Lord who as hee gave the Law in fire c Deut. 33.2 so in fire hee will require it And although the Law admit of an exception in the Gospell to those that are penitent who are not under the Law but under grace d Rom. 6.14 yet in regard of temporall scourges the repentance even of a Moses e Deut. 3.26 or a David f 2 Sam 12.10 24.15 may come too late Lastly God is good to his Children hence hee lasheth them in their lapses now that hee may free them from a further mischiefe that Wrath to come g 1 Thes 1.10 Hee delighted in the creature at first Gen 1. and doth still delight in that habitable part of his earth the Sons of men h Prov. 8.31 How much more in the New-creature that master-piece of his work manship i Ephe. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Hee plants the Heavens and layes the foundation of the Earth that he may say to Zion Thou art my people k Esai 51.16 Hence it is that although he can correct us nay confound us as an absolute Lord yet hee doth neither the one nor th' other without just ground of reason in our selves And albeit Vel ad demonstrationeÌ„ debitae miseriae vel ad emendationem labilis vitae vel ad exercitationem necessariae patienciae Aug. tract in Ioan. 124. hee chastise those whom he loves sometimes for his owne glory Ioh. 9.3 sometimes for their good for Prevention Probation Purgation c. yet still Sin is the originall For this cause many are weake by chronicall and lingering diseases many sicke by sharpe and violent maladies and many sleepe are dead out-right but all in love Whiles wee are chastened of the Lord that wee may not be
after it in the text as a further favour for it imports instruction as well as correction according to that of the Psalmist Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy law Psal 94.12 what may we hence learne but this Doct. Nocun eâ—ta doctuncnta That Gods corrections are our instructions his lashes our lessons his scourges our schoolemasters his chastisements our advertisements For when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse x Esaâ— 26.9 Hence those close connexions Psal 94.12 Prov. 3.12 13. Prov. 6.23 And this to note the Hebrewes and Greekes both expresse chastening and teaching by one and the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the latter is the true end of the former according to that in the proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hes smart makes wit and vexation gives understanding The schoolmaster when a lesson shall be learnt indeede sets it on with a whipping Now Afflictions are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one calls them Gods free-schoolemasters curst enough and crabbed but such as whereby he openeth mens cares to discipline and commandeth them to returne from iniquity Then he sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded y Iob 26.8 9 10. Hence affliction is said to have a voice and men are called upon to heare the rod and who hath appointed it And hence it is lastly that some render those words Heb. 12.7 If ye endure chastisement Biblia Tabingent If ye persevere in discipline And where we reade ver 5. My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord the vulgar reades the discipline of the Lord which although it be not all out so good Latine as Beza there notes yet the sense is very good it being the proper end and effect of Gods corrections to mend and make us better to teach us the knowledge of God and his will our selves and our duties Quest. But whence first and what is it next that affliction tâ—acheth us Ans To the first It is not by any either aptnesse in them or hability in us that afflictions instruct us For such alas is the hardnesse of mens hearts that untill the spirit mollisie and make them malleable Afflictions Gods hammers doe but beate cold iron little good is done nay much hurt by accident for wicked men grow worse for afflictions as water more cold after a heate as naughty boyes more stubborne or more stupid after a whipping But now to Gods children his rods are speaking as well as smiting his corrections are not mute but mingled with instructions his strokes may be strokes of warre yet his words are words of peace Psal 85.8 And though the Lord give you the bread of affliction and the water of adversity yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner but thine eyes shall see thy teachers And thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying This is the way walke ye in it z Esay 30.20 21. What dost thou here Elias a 1 Kin. 19.9 Hagar Sarahs maid whence camest thou whither wilt thou b Gen. 35.1 Arise Iacob goe up to Bethel and make there an Altar c Gen. 3.51 c. What meanest thou ô sleeper arise and call upon thy God d Iob. 1.6 Get thee up wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned e Iâ—sh 7.10 c. Loe such and to like purpose is that still voice and that sweete supply of the Spirit of Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.19 whose office is to convince us of sin of righteousnes and of judgment Ioh. 16.8 who in chastening David instructed him every morning Psal 73.14 his reines also taught him in the night seasoÌ„s f Psal 16.7 Who guides gods people into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe saith our Saviour there but he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you Ioh. 16.13 14 15. And hence it is that unto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse g Psal 112 4. that the rocks powre him forth water that whether North or South blow both blow good to him and make his spices flow out Cant. 4.16 Hence it is that afflictions teach Gods children and not tire them mend and not mad them draw them nearer to God and not drive them further from God and all because they are taught of God h Ioh. 6.45 Quest But what is it in the next place that afflictions teach us Answ Many wholesome lessons such as we are hard to get and apt to forget if not well followed whence Luther fitly calls affliction Theologiam Christianorum the Christian mans Divinity First they humble us and so fit us for instruction for the meeke he will guide in judgment the meek he will teach his way Psal 25.9 Now affliction and meekenesse have names alike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as grow both upon one roote in the holy tongue because this is the effect of the other Heare and give care saith the Prophet be not proud for the Lord hath spoken it i Iere. 13.15 As who should say Let the Lord speake never so long never so loud till he hide pride from man by afflictions he shall but speake in the ayre lose his sweete words prevaile nothing at all with the sonnes of men the best discourses fall as raine upon a rocke when they light upon proud and unbroken hearts God speakes once yea twice yet men perceive it not saith Elihu But what shall they carry it away so and heare no further of him No God casts them saith he upon the bed of affliction and scourgeth them with the rod of his indignation Thus he openeth the eares of men and sealeth their instructions And this done then If there be a messenger with him an interpreter c k Iob 33 19 20.16 c. He may have audience then that afore could have none then he shall be one of a thousand that afore was the least of a thousand then men will lend both eares to a good discourse that before plaid the deafe adders to the wisest charmers Manasseh that unruly beast hamper him once and you may have what you will Feed the prodigall with husks no service shall be too base for him that before took scorne to be a Son The Gallants of our time cannot be staid in their gallop till God to coole the heate of their high-blood and rebate the edge of their furious resolutions touch their soule with some terrour Morbus vel coronas tibi parturit vel arrogantiam reprimet Isidor Pelus or their bodies vvith some sicknesse turne their fooles feathers into kerchiefes summon them by a disease to death and by death to judgement teare off that covering wherwith sloth and security have muffled their consciences and make them to possesse the Sins of their youth l Iob. 13.26 and now
you may talke with them who before laugh't at instruction as the wilde asse doth at the horse and his rider m Iob â—9 18 The wilde asse that is used to the wildernesse though shee kicke up her heeles and snuffe up the wind at her pleasure so that they that seeke her will not weary themselves yet there is a time when shee may be taken in her month they shall find her Ier. 2.24 Tullus Hostilius Tanta adeò cum reâ—tipeida reverentia divum Nalertuâ— Syâ—vius Ital. l. 7. Liv. Decad. 1 lib. 5. while hee was well and lusty thought nothing lesse fitting a King than to doe sacrifice as Numa had done before him But pined with long sicknesse he yeelded himselfe to all both great and small superstitions yea hee fill'd the peoples heads with multitudes of Religions This was Tullus But wee have a better example Saint Paul I meane that precious man that elect vessell n Act. 9.15 Him when the Lord Christ would tutour and teach his Gospell for hee neither received it of man nor was hee taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ himselfe the Arch-prophet Gal. 1.12 with Act. 9.16 18 20. hee met him on the way as hee was marching furiously to Damascus unhors't him laid him low as earth and yet lower in his owne eyes abaseth and drives him downe to the utmost till he had not onely withdrawne him from his bloody purposes but hid pride from him Iob 33.17 made him of a wolfe that raving wolfe of Benjamin * Sunt qui antumant parteÌ„ illam prophetiae Iacobi de Lupo processuro è tribu Benjamin Paulo applicarl debere Beza ann ad Act. 9.3 Gen. 49.27 a lambe Esa 1.6 not once opening his mouth unlesse it were to crave direction What wilt thou have mee to doe Lord And the Lord said unto him Arise goe into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must doe Told thee by whom by Ananias 't was but a little surely that hee told him It was Christ himselfe that told Paul in that three-dayes-darknesse those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words not sit to be uttered For now is the time as some learned concâ—ive when he was rapt into the third heaven Lud. Capel 1 Cor. 12.2 At which time lest he should be lifted up with the abundance of Revelations so carefull is the Lord Christ to keepe his Schollars humble they shall sit downe at his feet every one to receive his words Deut. 33.3 there was given unto him a pricke in the flesh that is some violent corruption edg'd with a temptation of Satan to keepe him low and make him pray And that 's a second lesson wee learne by Affliction sith wee are falne upon 't It teacheth us to pray puts affections of prayer into our hearts and words of prayer into our mouthes Hos 14.2 3. Math. 26.41 makes us returne to him that smites us to treate with him by hearty and affectionate prayer and to meet him with entreaties of peace See this in Iacob o Genes 32. and Iabez 1 Chron. 4.10 the Israelites in Iudges the Church in the Lamentations chap. 3.42 up goe their hands and hearts and all when they suffer'd for their Sinne. So Daniel what an effectuall prayer doth he powre forth in that common calamitie and how doth he be labour the businesse while hee tugges with God chap. 9.18 19 So Ionas hee had scarse a breathing roome in the Whales belly and yet hee prayes yea hee cries in prayer Ion. 2.2 So Hannah when her adversary provoked her sâ—re to make her to fret or to make her thunder as the word there signifies because the Lord had shut up her wâ—mb shee was in bitternesse of soule and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore And sâ—â—e vowed a vow p 1 Sâ—m 1.6.10 c. â—o David Psal 116.4 and the Son of David Heb. 5.7 And Paul being reviled saith hee wee blesse and being defamed wee pray q 1 Cor. 4.12 13. The sense of our present misery sets an edge upon our prayers puts life and spirit into them yea gives them wings to flye aloft even to the throne of Gods grace and to offer a holy violence to his Majestie till wee have wrung out of his hands the blessing of deliverance Oh how fervently have Gods children prayed in affliction how feelingly how forcibly Esa 26.16 Master said those drowning disciples carest thou not that wee perish Even Darius a Heathen can give order for prayers to bee made at Hierusaleâ— for the Kings life and his sons when hee had seene divers of his childreÌ„ dye before him Ezâ— 6.10 Cresias In prosperity wee are apt to thinke our selves men good enough see not our need of God make not out after him imagine we can doe well enough without him Now the Crosse comes and confutes us cleerly shews us our dependance upon God our happinesse in him our nothingnesse without him and so sends us to him with earnest sutes issuing from our troubled soules like strong streams in narrow straits that beare downe all that stands in their way Thus the father of our spirits the Shepherd and Bishop of our soules r 1 Pet. 2.25 sets these curres upon us when wee are stragling not to devoure us but to drive us into the fold turnes these bug-beares loose upon us that vvee may flye into his everlasting armes Å¿ Deu. 33.27 sends out these summoners and messengers to cite us first and if that serve not turne to compell us to come in that his house may be full as they did that sturdy rebell Manasseh Who prayed unto God when hee was in affliction yea hee humbled himselfe greatly and besought the Lord his God and hee was intreated t 2 Chro. 33. â—2 13. For indeed there is no time for hearing of sutes like the time of trouble Zach. 13.9 And howsoever wee cannot to our thinking pray at such a time but onely chatter as a Crane or mourne as a Dove u â—sa 38.14 utter some confused and broken Petitions c. yet God that searcheth the hearts knowes what is the meaning of the Spirit x Râ—m 8.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then vvhen the flesh with her murmurings keepes such a dinne as one saith that wee can hardly heare the spirits mixing with the fleshes roarings and repinings his praying sighes He heares not onely the prayers of his afflicted but even the sighes of his Prisoners y Psal 79.11 yea their breathing out of the low dungeon Lam. 3.55 56. And hence our recourse unto him in the day of distresse Psal 65.2 and hence the returne of our praises unto him when hee hath turn'd againe our captivity as the rivers in the South z Psal 126.1 while the wicked gnaw their tongues for sorrow Apoc. 16.10 or are silent in darkenesse 1 Sam. 2.9 Thirdly a Christian learnes obedience by the things that he suffereth growes more buxom and pliant to the whole
us Let the glory be to him take the shame and blame of it to our selves submit to any thing that he shall see good to inflict Say Here I am let him doe to me as seemeth him best If God vvill have my life here it is if my goods here they are if my children or any other deare pledge of his former favour I resigne them freely into his hands I am lesse then the least of his mercies I am worthy the heaviest of his judgments I have deserved to be destroyed yea to be hurl'd into hell This is that judging of our selves that the Scripture calls to and this is that submitting our selves to God that Saint Iames presseth with such variety of expressions chapt 4.7 8 9 10. Draw nigh to God saith hee and God will draw nigh unto you Come neere unto him as Iudah did once to Ioseph and say O my Lord let thy servant I pray thee speake a word in my Lords eares and let not thine anger burne against thy servant Genesis 44.18 Ob. Wee dare not draw nigh to God for hee is an holy God hee will not forgive our transgressions nor our sins Iosh 24.19 Col. Cleanse your hands yee sinners purge your hearts yee double-minded not your hands onely with Pilate but your hearts also with David Psal 51. who washt himselfe so thoroughly that hee became cleere as the picked glasse and white as the snow in Salmon Quest. But where and how must wee wash Ans Yee cannot wash in innocencie wash you therefore in teares Be miserable saith the Apostle so yee are but feele your selves to be so â—vo unto mourning Nay dwell upon it so long till yee draw teares from your eyes yea teares of blood from your hearts if it were possible Sinne in the soule is like the head of a bearded arrow in the body and is thereto compared as some of good note conceive in that 2 Corinthians 12.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will not be pull'd out without paine and blood-shed Poeniteâ—tia q. punientia Afflict your selves therefore be active in it for some are humbled but not humble low but not lowly and mourne and weepe or if thou canst not weepe let it be the fruit of thy constitution and not of thy corruption in vvhich case dry sorrow may be as good as wet But weepe if thou canst yea weepe till yee can vveepe no longer They which will not weepe here shall have their eyes whipt out in hell they that will not waile among men shall howle among devills For your helpe herein Let your laughter be turn'd into mourning and your joy into heavinesse As vvho should say Call off your thoughts and affections from matters of mitth and set them all aworke upon sorrowfull objects Make use of all meanes improve all occasions turne all the streames into this one channell for the driving of that mill may grinde the heart Thus Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and be zeâ—lous in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.7 and hee shall lift you up in due time As in the meane while this zeale in repenting shall speake you sound and serious in your godly sorrovv one effect whereof is Zeale 2 Corinthians 7.11 But then secondly our sorrow must be as that of those Corinthians was unto a transmentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inward change Our Contrition must be ioyn'd with Conversion else all 's lost for this latter is the consummation of the former and the seale of its sincerity Here then you must set to worke againe and be zealous in it Let your crosses teach you to cast away all your transgressions Ezekiel 18.31 to turne from all your wickednesse Acts 8.22 repent of all your dead workes Hebrewes 6.1 put off all the fruites of the flesh Colossians 3.9 Spare no sinne but least of all thy beloved sinne thy familiar-devill pitch thy hatred chiefly upon that fight neither against small nor great in comparison of that say of it as Haman of Mordecai What availes me any thing so long as that liveth but that once dead the rest will soone follow as all the servants attend the masters funerall Let Ioab dye though it be by the hornes of the Altar Let Adoniah loose his head though Bathsheba intercede for him bring out the dead carcases of these Arch-rebels out of the palace of your hearts thorough the dung-port n Neh. 3.13 of your mouthes yea spet forth that filth with utmost indignation And as Amnon put away Tamar with extreme distaste after he had abased her so let us deale by our sweete sins Affliction sanctified will soone reach Gods Israel to pollute the idols which themselves had perfumed and to say to the workes of their owne hands Get thee hence Isay 30.20 21 22. What have I to doe any more with Idols Hoseah 14.8 those idols of mine owne heart said Ephraim after that he had bewailed his owne untamednesse with teares and upon corrections of instruction smote upon his thigh Ieremiah 31.18 19 as that Publican upon his brest who would as willingly have beene knocking upon the sinne in his heart giving it the blew eye z 1 Cor. 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Saint Paul did if he could have come at it This then is that we have all to doe and this the Lord lookes for at our hands specially when we are in any affliction to cease from our owne workes Hebrewes 4.10 to keepe us from our owne wickednesse 2 Sam. 22.23 and not turne after the way of our owne hearts Esay 57.17 to purge our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit as the Viper when he is lashed casts up his poison and to perfect holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1 For else all our pretended contrition if it be not attended with Reformation is but as the crouching of a fox which being taken in a snare lookes lamentably but 't is onely to get out It was a grievous complaint God made of his people Isay 53.17 I hid mee and was angry yet they went on frowardly in the way of their owne hearts And againe by the Psalmist whiles hee slew them then they sought him yea they returned and enquired carely after God Neverthelesse their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant c. Psalme 78.34 37. While God was in whipping them they cryed as children I 'le doe no more I 'le doe no more but when the rod was removed and the smart a little over their promise was forgotten and they as bad as before Like as a dog when he comes out of the water shakes his eares and as a swine when washt returnes againe to the guzzle How much better David He sware and he would stand to it to keepe Gods statutes Psal 119.106 And when did he sweare but in the time of his affliction Remember David Lord with all his afflictions Who sware unto the Lord and vow'd unto