THE SAINTS SOLACE OR The Condition And Consolation Of The Saints in the Earth Deliuered in certaine Sermons at Eatonbridge in Kent By the Minister there Psal 94.19 In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comforts haue refreshed my soule LONDON Printed by Iohn Hauiland for Robert Bostocke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings head 1630. TO The right worshipfull Sir Robert Heath Knight his Maiesties Attorney Generall Grace and all good blessings from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ Right Worshipfull WHat the Elders of the Iewes vnto Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Centurious loue vnto their Nation a Luk 7.5 might bee said vnto all of your loue and care of our Eatonbridge where by Baptisme you were initiated and whereof the spirituall wealth b Esth 10.3 you haue earnestly sought both by your owne bountie and other annuall pensions procured by you from your worthy friends * and worshipfull alliance in the adiacent parts vnto the Minister which should bee there resident to edifie the people on the most holy faith It is not to be forgotten of any how you began to honour God whew he began to honour you and how hee hath gone on in honouring you as you haue him If any should I cannot nor will forget your great goodnesse extended towards me of all the Lords seruants the least and vnworthiest since you first saw me your counsell countenance and encouragement after my first entrance into that Cure now eleuen yeares past and lately your powerfull hand stretched out in the happie strength thereof to saue mee from the reproches of them that would haue c Psal 57.3 swallowed mee vp are if I would ingratefully be silent most euident testimonies to the vnderstanding world And yet vnto all these as if all these were small in your sight it pleased you afterwards to adde other fauours when you tooke me to your house and sent mee home not emptie but full of comfort and courage in the worke of the Ministerie for the time to come As Dauid vnto the Lord I might say vnto you Is this the manner of man d 2 Sam. 7.19 What shall I render vnto you for all your benefits towards mee My selfe I owe you and such as I haue giue I you These few impolished papers But what are these of which the acceptation will be the augmentation of my debt or why these rather than some other of my labours is that place which some haply iudge if I would needs to it more worthy the presse Nothing but pressure God is witnesse brought me to the presse and these being mine immediate Meditations after the Commencement of my terrible troubles and the fruits of those sorrowes or sorrowfull thoughts which were then in my soule would as I thought vnto the people of God be acceptable as is vnto God himselfe the broken spirit the broken and contrite heart e Psal 51.17 Nothing else Right Worshipfull but these rude lines which in the dayes of my trouble I found by enquiring in the Sanctuarie of God or otherwise by reading meditation obseruation and experience haue I Me penes to present vnto you but for you and your honoured family all prayers and supplications in the spirit I will as my daily sacrifice offer vpon the golden altar f Reuel 8.3 vnto him who regardeth and despiseth not the prayer of the destitute g Psal 109.17 The Lord blessed you and assist you in your high calling The Lord giue you the price of that other high calling of God in Christ Iesus h Phil. 3.14 for which with all Saints you presse vnto the mark The Lord make you famous in Bethlehem and alwayes to doe worthily in Ephratah i Ruth 4.11 The Lord increase you more and more you and your children Blessed bee yee of the Lord which made Heauen and earth k Psal 115.14 15. Thus recommending this little booke with my selfe the poore Author thereof vnto your implored Patronage and Proâ—ection I craue pardon for my boldnesse and rest Your Worships euer and in all dutie bounden Peter Bostock Eatonbridge Iune 7th Anno Salutis 1630. THE SAINTS SOLACE OR Comforts for Afflicted PSAL. 119. VER 50. This is my comfort in my affliction THE Booke of Psalmes a common promptitarie of Medicine Commune quoddam Medicina promptua arium Ambr. many authorities out of it in the booke of Iesus Christ a Law in which his delight was and his Disciples exercised what other song in the house of their Pilgrimage or reioycing the Saints together what other Odes vsed All admirable but a Ambr. Hic psahâ—us tribus in rebus on nibus â—ntecellit 1. Vtilitate 2. Longitudine 3. Elegantia artificio alphabetico Bellar in tit bâ—ius psal as the Suns the Moones light this surpasseth all The song of songs which was Dauids indited for matter accurately b Muscubus Wilcos ibid. composed for memorie exquisitely many prayers to God many praises of his Word many professions of obedience comprised therein Octonaries 22. the parts thereof euery verse of the 8. in euerie one beginning in the Hebrew with one letter this Section with Zaiin * Zaiin quasi Ziu i. telum quod claua figura esse vidcatur a club in figure in signification a weapon defensiue and offensiue for vse A defence to them that decline not from the Law of God Hâ—ius â—â—â— vid v. 51 52 53 54 55 56 but remember his Name his Word his Iudgements of old his Statutes and Precepts to keepe the same An offence to the proud that haue the humble in derision and to the wicked that forsake the Law What other mysterie better in the letter for the vse of edifying As other haue laboured with that in Thren Hieron in Thren Ier. we might with the Alphabeticall artifice here but comfort in affliction being vnum illud that one thing which we seeke we will set our heart on that one thing and giue our selues wholly thereunto D. King Episs Lond. lect in Ion. The World a Sea in a Similitude swelling with pride and vainglorie the wind to heaue it vp blew and huid with enuy boyling with wrath deepe with couetousnesse foming with luxuriousnes swallowing and drinking in all by oppressions dangerfull for the Rockes of presumption and desperation rising with the waues of passions perturbations ebbing and flowing with lightnesse and inconstancy brinish salt with iniquitie bitter and vnsauourie with all kinde of miserie The confession in the Text of an expert Nauigator as the light in the Admirall by which so many as saile after him through that vast turbid belluous and circumfluous Ocean may for the strengthning of their sea-sicke Soules behold His Condition Affliction and Consolation The Word 1. His Condition or state of life seasoned with Affliction Afflicted hee was greatly a Psal 116.10 and
when of things that cannot indeed bee separated the one is vnderstood and omitted the other ver grat light and heat cannot bee separated in the fire yet the light may he considered not the heat or the heat and not the light So charity and good works are not negatiuely separated but priuatiuely made as effects consequents not concurring causes of iustification Sembably my Beloued although we cannot really separate betweene your sinnes and your persons yet negatiuely we say that we intend not your persons but priuatiuely in our mindes we consider your sinnes bearing the image of Satan at which wee strike I say at the image of the Deuill and Satan not at your persons made as we our selues after the similitude of God O that yee would beleeue this and when your sinnes are smitten on the face with the rod of the mouth u Isa 11.4 or with that sharpe two edged sword which goeth out of the mouth of the Lord x Reu. 1.16 ye would reason with your selues or commune with your owne heart and be still or speake on this wise one vnto another in the faithfull assemblies This Preacher speakes with authority aboue himselfe it s the very word of God which hee preacheth the word which he preacheth is quicke and powerfull y Heb. 4.12 pierceth and diuideth things asunder in vs discerneth the thoughts and intents of our hearts pulleth downe strong holds z 2 Cor. 1â— 4 5. casteth downe imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God apprehendeth our sins grappleth with them euinceth them conuinceth vs 2 Tim. 2.15 dealeth as a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly diuiding the word of truth applying it according to the rule thereof Are wee not our selues or many of vs husbandmen what doe we our selues in our profession doe wee cast our seed into vncleane places or amongst bryars thorns and stones rubbish no we first clense and manure our ground sowe afterwards our seed and haue long patience for the precious fruit besides in our orchards when we plant or graffe doe we suffer to grow the fiens of the crab-tree No we cut them off and cleanse the stocke What then doth the spirituall husbandman more in his spheare than we in ours before he will sowe the holy seed or let in the heauenly plant hee laboureth with great difficulty to prepare the ground where he would sowe and purge the stocke on which he would ingraffe the word Must hee therefore be blamed or slouenly would we haue him to doe his worke or negligently or vnfaithfully Absit God forâ—id This in our owne seruants is not tolerated much lesse it to bee in the seruants of the Lord * Ier. 8.11 To cry peace peace when there is no peace is to heale hurts slightly * false Prophets will doe it but otherwise the man that is sent from God Consider what I say and God giue you vnderstanding The word to be ingraffed the stock is to bee cleansed The stocke cleansed incision for insition is made a diuision made betweene the soule and the spirit a Heb. 4.12 Nomen aâ—timae saepe idem valet quod spiritus sed cum simul iunguntur prius comprehendit sub se affectus omnes c. Caluin in lic Allegoria quadam hyperocha â—dumbrare vâ—luit Apostolus diuinisermonis vim efficaciâ—m c. Bâ—llinger naturall things and spirituall things reason and the light which is the life of men the affections and the intellectuall facultie This diuision Experience reacheth tacitè and conuerts best know how it is How were the first pricked in their hearts and diuided in themselues nâ—t knowing what to doe b Act. 2.37 after the incision made before before the immission of the heauenly plant nor doth any man The word which saueth the soule of whom receiued without much affliction by the internall diuision after the infition Such it is I thinke as the groanings of the Spirit making intercession according to the will of God it cannot be vttered the Thessalonians receiued the word with much affliction but what kind of afflâ—ction or how grieuous it was he saith not Therefore whensoeuer incision is made your heart smitten and smiting you being smitten by the word attend still or diuided in you selues all the faculties slit and clouen the affections your reason visited with the day-spring from on high your vnderstanding illightened your soule fainting your spirit panting a conflâ—ct begunne and a striuing within you as in Rebeccahs wombe betweene Esau and Iacob Nature and Grace Bee not dismaied for this must be and is where the word is about to bee ingraffed to the sauing of the soule 3. Incâ—sion for insition made the sien of holy science is infited and set in the word let in that heauenly plant by heauenly Art into the vnderstanding The sense giuen thereof and the reading vnderstood Therefore hearing the word of the kingdome apply your heart to wisdome and your minde to vnderstand the wondrous things d Psal 119.18 the mysteries which were kept secret since the world began e Rom. 16.15 yea pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit that it may bee giuen vnto you to know the mysterie of God f Coloss 2 2. 1 Tim. 3.16 and of godlinesse that seeing yee may see that hearing yee may heare and vnderstand h Mat. 13.16 Dauid prayed how often Gâ—ue me vnderstanding make me to vnderstand An vnderstanding heart Salomons hearts desire i Reg. 3.9 and Pauls that the Churches might abound more and more k Phil. 1.8 9. in all knowledge and in all iudgement in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding This by the Word The word read or heard and not vnderstood profiteth not but by reading and hearing and prayer made to God entrance is made into the vnderstanding heauenly light let in and worldly darknesse out l Psal 119 130 The entrance of the word giueth light it giueth vnderstanding to the simple 4. The sien insited is bound fast and closed about with all louing affections stirred vp vnto it yea shut vp and riuetted in the heart to dwell richly therein in all wisdom not left loose for graffes so let fall out anon or be blowen out Therefore loue yee the incitiue word lest ye lose it vnawares embrace it with all complacencie of affection so shall no storme stirre it nor force amoue it it is not enough to receiue the word except ye receiue the loue of the word Shall not some be damned because they receiued not the loue of the truth m 2 Thes 2.10 O how I loue thy laws n Psal 119.97 saith Dauid it is my meditation all the day yea day and night the exercise of the blessed man it is inclosed within him it is in his heart and loued with his heart the heart as soone to be lost as the word ingraffed therein and
1.33 Vse 5 5. For instruction vnto the afflicted to be distributed as the former diuided the whole into fiue parts that the same may partitè peecemeale as it were and so the more easily be taken and laid vp First that they remember their misery the worm wood and the gall that their soules haue the same still in remembrance and be humbled thereby for therein is the hope k Iam. 3.20 21. Secondly that suffering according to the will of God they commit their way and the keeping of their soules in well doing vnto God as to a faithfull Creator l 1. Pet. 4 vlt. 1 Pet. 4. vlt. Able he is to keepe that which is committed vnto him Faithfull he is and will not suffer the faithfull to bee tempted aboue that they are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that they may be able to beare it m â— Cor. 10.13 Thirdly that they pray Let a man afflicted pray n Iam. 5.13 pray continually o Col 4.5 continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiuing giuing thanks for the grace present by which Satan is resisted and the burthen sustained praying also with all prayer and supplication in the spirit that the burthen on them may bee taken of them prayer the meanes to remoue it for he who heareth prayer hath giuen his word that inuocated in the time of trouble he will deliuer them that call vpâ—n his name Psal 50.15 * Ideo prenuntur iusti vt clameâ— clamanies exaud antur â—â—uditi glorificent Deum Aug. in loc Fâ—urthly that by paâ—ience they possesse their soules p Luk. 21.19 and as the Thessalonians cause other to glory for their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations q 2 Thes 1.4 This the victorie of the Saints r Reu. 13.10.14.12 the issue of tribulation Å¿ Rom. 5.3 the effect of the word t Reu. 3.10 this the dawning of light on the sprenting of that seed which is sowen for the righteous In Psal 97.11 Light i. peace and prosperity the fruit of righteousnesse is sowen for the righteous in the dayes of euill sitting in darknes * Micah 7.8 A phrase from the plough Good seed sowen in fallowes broken vp lieth for a time couered in the ground and sprouteth not suddenly but in its season In their sufferings it is so with the seruants of God Their hearts furrowed with the culter of the Crosse the word of patience cast vpon it by the hand of faith the harrow of godly sorrow drawen ouer and ouer it in the conuulsions thereof In his time the Lord commeth and raineth on them righteousnes wherin vnto themselues they had sowed u Hos 10.12 and tempestiue peace the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse x Heb. 12.11 is in full sheaues brought in a time accepted home into their barnes their barnes are filled yea their hearts with food and gladnesse by their hard and tedious labours indured therefore counted happie they that indure Behold saith the Apostle we count them happie that indure y Iam. 5.11 Of the patience of Iob that happie man no man is ignorant nor so blinde but may see in him the end of the Lord that hee is verie pitifull and of tender mercie They that wait on him renew their strength mount vp with wings as Eagles run and are not wearie walke and are nor faint z Esa 40.31 for as they on him so waiteth he on them that he may be gratious vnto them and will be exalted a Esa 30.18 that he may haue mercy vpon them O how blessed are all they that wait for him b Psal 2.12 Psal 34.2 Pâ—â— 16.20 Iâ—r 77. Fâ—fthly that they sâ—tisfie themselues as with the likenesse of God when they awake c Psal 17.15 so with his presence while they sleepe or walke rather thorow the valley of the shadow of death their eyes withholden with the present pressures that they cannot sleepe Sufficient to the day is the euill thereof d Mat. 6. vlt. sufficient to the euill dayes the presence of El Schaddai God all-sufficient who but hee in heauen e Psal 73.25 and in earth besides him what to be desired In him all liue and moue and haue their being f Act 17.28 the Author he and finisher of faith g Heb. 12 2â— All and in all that haue faith in him In Heauen what need shall be of the Sun or of the Moone h Isa 60 11.19 or of candle or of victuall or of vesture or of lands or of liuings Not any for the Lord will be All All in Heauen and in earth All things Therefore suffering need what need of any thing more than of God to sit in the minde and to frame the same to the present state or to dwell in the heart and to fill the same with food and gladnes The minde on him and hee in the minde the heart on him and he in the heart what want of the creatures or of other gifts Is not all want supplyed with his fulnesse What wanted Moses Elocution What answer from God had he but this i Exod. 4.11 12. Who hath made mans mouth I will be with thy mouth Would God be a mouth vnto him or a tongue in his mouth In effect he would and fully be as good yea better for vse and more effectuall of all other things wanting to the afflicted the like may bee said Who made them Orphans want their parents who made their parents He that made their parents will be vnto them in stead of parents Parents want their children who made their children He that made their children will be vnto them in stead of children widdowes want their husbands who made their husbands Hee that made their husbands wâ—ll bee with them in stead of husbands widdowers want their wiues who made their wiues Hee that made their wiues will bee with them in stead of wiues brethren want their sisters who made their sisters Hee that made their sisters will be vnto them in stead of sisters sisters want their brethren who made their brethren He that made their brethren will be with them in stead of brethren the poore afflicted persecuted want their houses lands meanes liuelihood who made all and gaue all vnto all He that made all and gaue them all will be vnto them instead of all Varieties of comforts in the varietie of the creatures Parents afford one kâ—nde of solace children another husbands another wiues another brethren another sisters another lands and such like meanes another but the Lord he is God of all consolation not any without him in any thing but with him is comfort in euery thing And hee with his afflâ—cted what 's the euill on them or against them He with them in exile what 's their exile He with them in prison what 's 〈◊〉 imprisonment he with them in disgrace what 's their disgrace He with
that all cry out as the Magitians in Aegypt This is the finger of God Å¿ Exod. 8.19 Exod. 8.19 3. By their faith proued and found vnto praise and honour t Deut. 8.2 knowen in the tentation what is in the heart viz. vprightnesse and readinesse to draw neere vnto God u Psal 73. vlt. and to cleaue vnto the Lord with full purpose of heart x Psa 42.8 prayer made to the God of their life c. Christ followed the crosse taken vp themselues denied yea y 2. Cor. 1.8 9. pressed out of measure and aboue strength the sentence of death receiued in themselues that they might not trust in themselues but in God which after two dayes z Hos 6.2 although he kill raiseth the dead magnified and glorified in their bodie their Lord and their God whether by life as in Dauid a Psal 18.17 18. or by death as in Peter b Ioh. 21.19 In the end of their faith is the end of the Lord his owne glorie in their saluation c Psal 50.23 corporall and spirituall temporall and eternall according to his word Psal 50.15 * Saepè hic innocintes pereunt recti sunditùs delentur sed tamen ad aeternam gloâ—iam percundo seruantur Greg. lib. 5. Mor. cap. 14. 4. By their obedience honoured as a father of his sonnes d Mal. 1.6 submisse in their affliction and a master of his seruants corrected obsequious and not answering againe e Tit. 2.9 Had not Satan considered Iob the seruant of God f Iob. 1.8 in his prosperitie Enough he did to his owne shame and the glorie of the Lord in his aduersitie for as Iesus Christ though he were a sonne learned obedience by the things which he suffered g Heb. 5.9 so Iob and all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus h Gal. 3.26 learne of him to be lowly in heart i Matt. 11.29 and by the things which they suffer obedience to their father which is in heaven Better this than sacrifice k 1 Sam. 15.22 Bullocks with hornes and hoofes not required but obedience from the heart to the forme of doctrine which is deliuered l Gal. 5.17 strange flesh not to be offered but a mans owne flesh to bee sacrificed which in euerie act of obedience is done * Per victimas aliena caro per obedientiam jam verò propria caro mactatur c. Gr. sup 1 Reg. c. 15. Obedire est contra audire scilicet contra proprium sensum propriam voluntatem Vt. Perald Sum. Tom. 1. par 10. c. 2. in fin crucified the flesh which lusteth against the Spirit m Rom. 6.17 in which it is performed obeyed the word which commeth and the Lord therein riding prosperously n Psal 45.4 This causeth honour to God in his Maiestie yea many yet without to glorifie him in the day of visitation o 1 Pet. 2.12 The causes of afflictions efficient and finall thus discouered I proceed to the Vses which shall be For 1. Reproofe 2. Correction 3. Information 4. Admonition 5. Instruction 6. Instauration Vnto which shall be added a word of Exhortation 1. For reproofe to the vile Barbarians which seeing a viper on a Pauls hand or a crosse laid on a Simons shoulder cry out they arc murtherers or malefactors and vengeance will not suffer them to liue at ease or to prosper as other men but these the brutish amongst the people fooles alas when will ye vnderstand p Psal 94.8 The time is come that iudgement must begin at the house of God and if it first begin with them that professe and obey what shall the end be of them that obey not nor professe the Gospell of God q 1 Pet. 4.17 18. If the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare If this be done vnto the green trees which bring forth fruit according as God hath dealt the measure of the spirit what shall bee done vnto the dry which digd about and dressed yeare after yeare continue yet fruitlesse as the cursed fig-tree If the way vnto Heaven bee strewed with crosses bee full of tentations and tribulations what shall be found in the way vnto hell or in the end thereof r Pro. 14.12 There is a way which seemeth right vnto a man as the wiâ—l of the Gentiles vnto themselues Å¿ 1 Pet. 4.3 lasciuiousnesse lusts excesse of wine reuellings banquettings and abominable idolatries but the end thereof are the wayes of death Remember ye not the words of the Lord Iesus how he said Luk. 6.25 Woe vnto you that now laugh for ye shall weepe weep when the righteous at whose troubles they laugh shall be deliuered out of all and they come in their stead Doe yee thinke that the Scripture saith in vaine The righteous is deliuered out of trouble and the wicked commeth in his stead u Pro. 11.8 Againe The wicked shall bee a ransome for the righteous x Pro. 21.18 Dan. 6.24 and the transgressor for the vpright Instances before experience had the oracles had of God Haman and Mordecai y Esth 7.10 Hezekiah and the Aethiopians z Isai 43.3 Daniel and his accusers Peter and his keepers * Act. 12.19 But Barbarians are blinde and cannot see afarre off The iudgements of God are far aboue out of their sight a Psal 10.5 on other seene not ouer themselues themselues in the condemnation vnto which before they were ordained of old they finde not not made to suffer euill with the Saints in the earth but for the euill day b Pro. 16.4 Vse 2 2. For correction to them that refuse correction c Isa 1.3 4. Such was the sinfull nation the people laden with iniquitie the seed of euill doers the children that were corrupters That had forsaken the Lord and prouoked the holy one of Israel vnto anger not only by going away backward but by refusing to returne The one knoweth his owner and what the pricke of the gâ—ad meaneth but Israel did not know neither did they consider therefore the Prophet to them d Ver. 5. Why should yee bee stricken any more yee will reuolt more and more Ieremiah e Ier. 5.3 hath the like complaint O Lord thou hast smitten them but they haue not grieued thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction they haue made them faces harder than a rocke they haue refused to returne It is so with many Many there bee that being afflicted know it not As Ephraim had gray haires here and there vpon him yet knew it not f Hos 7.9 nor that his strength was deuoured of strangers so wrath is on some from before the Lord yet they feele it not or if they feele it they are humbled no more than the King of Israel by the famine in Samaria Behold hee cryed g 2 Reg. 6.33 This euill