thou esteeme Heaven worth It s true flesh and bloud is so sensuall that it feeles a little paine in the finger a great deale more than the health of the whole body But let us better consider on it and behold at once the whole estate of a Christian we shall see his peace exceed his paine yea we shall see both the torments present and the glory following hope makes absent joyes present wants plenitudes and beguiles calamity as good company does the way The poore Traveller in thinking of his Inne goes on more cheerefully and the bond-man in calling to minde the yeere of Iubilee When the Apprentice cals to minde that his yeares of covenant will now shortly expire and then he shall have his freedome confirmed the very remembrance thereof maketh many laboursome workes seeme more light and lâ—sse grievous unto him neither doth he afterwards repent it Did it ever repent Iacob when he came to inherit his Fathers blessing that he had enduâ—ed a long exile and tedious bondage Or Ioseph when he was once made Ruler in Aegypt that he had formerly beene sould thither and there imprisoned and he had never beene a Courtier if he had not first beene a prisoner Or did it repent the Israelites when they came to inherit the Land of promise that they had formerly beene forty yeeres passing through a forlorne wildernesse Or which of Gods servants did ever repent that they had passed the apprentiship of their service here and were now gone to be made free in glory If so let us doe and suffer chearfully patiently couragiously what God imposeth upon us knowing that after we have swet and smarted but six dayes at the utmost then commeth our Sabbath of eternall rest which will make amends for all knowing that death ends our misery and begins our glory and a â—â—w groanes are well bestowed for a Preface to an immortall joy Let theâ— our eyes be continually on the joyes which follow and not on the paine which is present the paine neglected and unregarded cannot be very discomfortable But that there iâ— reward promised to those which suffer in Christs cause iâ— not all for our reward shall be answerable to our sufferings the greater our sufferings are here the greater shall our reward be hereafter the malice of our enemies shall make for the increase of our happinesse Mâ—t. 16.27 The deluge of calamities may assâ—uâ—e us but they shall exalt us Suffering for the Gospell is no inferiour good worke and every one shall be rewarded though noâ— for yet according to his workes Psal. 62.12 Rom. 2.6 Revel 22 1â— The greater degree of grace we attaine to here the greater degree of glory we shall have hereafter They that turne many unto righteousnesse sâ—â—â—l shine as the stars in the Kingdome of Heaven Dan. 12. 3. And they that suffer Martyrdome shall be cloathed with long white roabs and have Palmes in their hands Rev. 6.9 11. Neither would those Saints in the old Testament which were â—aâ—ked and 〈◊〉 be delivered or accept of their enemies faire offers to the end they might receiue a better resurrection and a more glorious rewardâ— Hâ—b 11.15 Aâ—â—â— when we looke to the reward we could not wish our worke easier or our burthen lighter When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 If we be not chastened here we shall be condemned hereafter Now whether had you rather rejoyce for one fit or alwayes You would do both which may not be you would be both Dives and Lazarus have happinesse both here and hereafter pardon me it is a fond covetousnes idle singularity to affect it What that you alone may fare better than all Gods Saints That God should straw Carpets for your feet only to walke unto your Heaven and make that way smooth for you which all Patriarchs Prophets Evangelists Confessors and Christ himselfe have found rugged and bloudy Away with this selfe-love and come downe you ambitious sonnes of Zâ—bedee and ere you thinke of sitting neere the Throne be contented to be called unto the Cup. Now is your triall Let your Saviour see how much of his bitter potion you can pledge then shall you see how much of his glory he can afford you In all Feasts the coursest meats are tasted first be content to drinke of his Vinegar and Gall and after you shall drink new Wine with him in his Kingdome Besides without some kinde of suffering how shall your sincerity be approved Even nature is joâ—und and cheerefull whiles it prospereth but let God with-draw his hand no sight no trust the Mother of Micha while her wealth lasteth can dedicate a good part of her silver to the Lord but now she hath lost it she fals a cursing Iudges 17.1 2 3. We all are never weary of receiving soone weary of attending we are ready to shrinke from Christ so soone as our profits or pleasures shrink from us but if with the Needle of the Compasse in the midst of tempestuous weather we remaine alwayes unmoveable and stayed upon one point it is a signe the Loadstone of the Gospell hath changed our hearts and we are governed by Christ as the Needle is by the North Pole Wherefore if God should not frame outward things to thy minde doe thou frame thy minde to indure with patience and comfort what he sends and this will be an Odour smelling sweet a Sâ—â—â—â—fice acceptable and pleasant to God yea herein thou shalt approve thy selfe with David a man after Gods owne heart and you know that as David was unto God according to his heart so was God unto David according to his CHAP. 40. Application of the former Grounds ANd so you have the resâ—â—ue of the grounds of comfort it remaines that I should apply them For this Doctrine though it be better understood than practised as Cassandra was better knowne than trusted yet being both knowne applyed and duly trusted to will like the Sunne not only delight our understandings with its contemplation but also warme and quicken our affections Wherefore is there any weake Christian so white livered with Nicodemus that the reproaches and persecutions which attend his profession make him ashamed of Christ or cause him to thinke that it is in vaine to serve the Lord whereby he is frighted out of the narrow way that leadeth to life Let him draw neere for I chiefly direct my speech unto him are afflictions and persecutions so necessary and profitable as hath beene shewed doth not God only gaine glory by our sufferings but doe they also bring uâ— to repentance and amendment of life 〈…〉 up to prayer weâ—â—e 〈◊〉 from the love of the world keepe uâ— alwayes prepared for our enemies assaults discover whâ—ther we are sincere or no make us humble improve all Christian graces in us Is God more specially present with us in afflictions cannot our enemies diminish one haire of 〈◊〉 headâ— without Gods speciall leave
Absolon may rob his Father of comfort but shall helpe to adde to his Fathers goodnesse â—t is the advantage of great crosses that they swallow up the lesser One mans sin cannot be excused by anothers the lesser by the greater if Absolon be a Traitor Shimei may not curse and rebell but the passion conceived from the indignity of a stranger may be abated by the harder measure of our owne A weake heart faints with every addition of succeeding trouble the strong recollects it selfe and is grown so skilful that it beares off one mischiefe with another as in the Fable when the new and old Cart went together the new made a creaking noise under the loade and wondred at the silence of the old which answered I am accustomed to these burdens therefore beare them and am quiet So what a degree of patience have some men attained unto What a load of injuries can some Christians digest that have beene frequent in sufferings and long exercised in the Schoole of Affliction Not that they beare them out of basenesse or cowardlinesse because they dare not revenge but out of Christian fortitude because they may not they have so conquered themselves that wrongs cannot conquer them Nay we reade of some Ethnicks that could say this of themselves When Alcibiades told Socrates that he could not suffer the frowardnesse and scolding of Zantippe as he did Socrates answered but I can for I am accustomed to it And we reade that Aristides after his exile did not so much as note them that were the cause of his banishment though he were now advanced above them Yea Diogenes rather than want exercise for his patience would crave almes of dead mens statues for being demanded why he did so he answered That I may learne to take denials from others the more patiently Now if we can therefore suffer because we have suffered we have well profited by our afflictions otherwise not to shew that there is nothing so hard and difficult but may be attained to by use and custome give me leave to cleere it by some familiar instances We know the custome of any hardship whether it be labour cold or the like makes it easie and familiar you shall have a common Labourer worke all day like a Horse without once sweating or being weary Let a Scholler or Gentleman but dig one quarter of an houre you must give him leave to take breath all the day after The face that is ever open yea the eye that is twice as much open as shut is able perpetually to endure the coldest wind can blow when as the rest of the parts would complaine of the least blast that is cold Let him that is next neighbour to the Belfrey tell me whether ringing doth so molest his silent sleepe now as formerly Yea the fall of the River Nilus which makes a new commer stop his eares to the naturall inhabitants is not so much as heard At Milton neere Sittingborne in Kent is or lately was one William Allen a Taylor that eats betweene 30. and forty graines of Opium every day the tythe whereof would kill him that is not accustomed thereunto neither can he sleepe no not live without it he began but with one graine and so increased the quantity as the operation and quality of it decreased If any question the truth of this they need but repaire to the signe of the Rose in Bucklers Bury and be satisfied but this is nothing for you have slaves in the Turkish Gallies that will eat neere an Ounce at a time as if it were bread Neither in my judgement is it lesse rare for men to drink a Pottle or a Gallon of the richest old Canary every day as is usuall with some of our Sack-drinkers and Good-fellowes without the least inflammation it hath no other operation in them then a cup of Six hath with me or hath had with them in diebus illis To conclude as that Maide which Plinie speakes of by an accustomary picking Spiders off the Wall and eating them digested them into nourishment And as Mithridates by his accustomed eating of poyson made his body unpoisonable So the godly notwithstanding they are by nature as a wilde Asâ—e Colt as Zophar speakes Iob 11.22 Yet by their frequent and accustomary suffering of injuries these wilde Asses are made tame the ablest to carry burthens of any creature yea though they were once as fierce and cruell as Wolves Leopards Lions Beares and as mischievous as Aspes and Cockatrices yet Christ will so change their natures partly by his word and partly by his rod of affliction that they shall now be as apt to suffer evill as they have been to offer it What else meanes the Prophet when he tels us that the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard with the Kid and the Lion with the Calfe so that a little childe shall leade them that the Cow and the Beare and the Lion and the Bullock shall eat straw together that the sucking childe shall play upon the hole of the Aspe and the wained child shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole Isay 11.6 and so forward And so you see that according to the ancient proverbiall speech Vse makes perfectnesse and that custome is not unfitly called a second nature Wouldest thou then attaine to an unconquerable patience and be able to undergoe great trialls hereafter accustome thy selfe to a silent suffering of thy present and smaller griefes tongue provocations and the like If with Milo thou shalt but take up a Calfe some small crosse and injoyne thy selfe to carry the like every day a little in processe of time thou shalt be able to carry an Oxe the strongest and biggest affliction can come CHAP. 17. Reasons of Patience That the godly are patient in suffering of wrongs because innocent NOw that some may be perswaded to make this use of their sufferings and that we may also put to silence the ignorance of others foolish men who are mistaken in judging of this matter supposing it a base thing to suffer injuries unrevenged see the Reasons which deservedly makes Gods children so patiently to suffer wrongs that the men of the world never dreame of And how through the study of vertue and Christian prudence they make the servile passions of their minds feare and anger subject to the more worthy faculties of their soules reason and understanding We beare their reproaches and persecutions patiently Either in regard of of Our selves Our Enemies Our Selves and our Enemies Our Enemies and Others GOD. CHRIST and the Saints In regard of our selves 1 Because We are innocent 2 Because It is more laudible to forgive then to revenge 3 Because Suffering is the only way to prevent suffering 4 Because Our sins have deserv'd it and a farre greater affliction 5 Because Our sufferings are counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings 6 Because Our patience brings a reward with it First they beare the slanders and
gracious and well-tried faith that can hold out with confidence to the last The Lion seemes to leave her young-ones till they have almost kill'd themselves with roaring and howling but at last gaspe she relieves them whereby they become the more couragious When the Prophet could say Out of the depths have I cried unto thee instantly followes and not till then the Lord heard me the Lord saw◠him sinking all the while yet lets him alone till he was at the bottome Every maine affliction is our Red-sea which whiles it threats to swallow preserves us now when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thankworthy Hope in a state hopelesse and love to God under signes of his displeasure heavenly mindednesse in the midst of worldly affaires allurements drawing a contrary way is the chiefe praise of faith to love that God who crosseth us to kisse that hand which strikes us to trust in that power which kils us this is the honourable proofe of a Christian this argues faith indeed What made our Saviour say to that Woman of Canaan O Woman great is thy faith but this when neither his silence nor his flat deniall could silence her Matth. 15. It is not enough to say God is good to Israel when Israel is in peace and prosperity and neither feeles nor wants any thing but God will have us beleeve that he is good even when we feele the smart of the rod and at the same time see our enemies the wicked prosper It best pleaseth him when we can say boldly with Iob Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him When our enemies are behind us and the Red-Sea before us then confidently to trust upon God is much worth When we are in the barren wildernesse almost famished then to beleeve that God will provide Manna from Heaven and water out of the Rock is glorious when with the three Children we see nothing before us but a fiery Fornace to beleeve that God will send his Angell to be our deliverer this is heroicall Dan. 3.28 And those which are acquainted with the proceedings of God well know that cherishing ever follow stripes as Cordials do vehement evacuations and the cleere light of the morning a darke night yea if we can looke beyond the cloud of our afflictions and see the sunshine of comfort on the other side of it We cannot be so discouraged with the presence of evill as hartned with the islue Cheere up then thou drooping soule and trust in God what ever thy sufferings be God is no tyrant to give thee more than thy loade and admit he stay long yet be thou fully assured he will come at length In thee doe I trust saith the Psalmist all the day He knew that if hee came not in the Morning hee would come at Noone if hee came not at Noone hee would come at Night At one houre of the day or other hee will deliver me and then as the Calme is greater after the Tempest then it was before so my joy shall be sweeter afterwards then it was before The remembrance of Babylon wil make us sing more joyfull in Sion If then I find the Lords dealing with mee to transcend my thoughts my faith shall be above my reason and thinke he will worke good out of it though I yet conceive not how CHAP. 14. That it increaseth their joy and thankefulnesse 11 BEcause our manifold sufferings and Gods often delivering us doth increase our joy and thankfulnesse yea make after-blessings more sweet By this we have new Songes put into our mouthes and new occasions offered to praise the Author of our deliverance When the Lord brought againe the Captivity of Sion saith David in the person of Israel wee were like them that dreame meaning the happinesse seemed too good to be true Then was our mouthes filled with laughter saith he and our tongues with joy The Lord hath done great things for us wherof we rejoyce Psal. 126.1 2 3 4. And how could their case bee otherwise when in that miserable exigent Exod. 14. they saw the Pillar remove behind them and the Sea remove before them they looking for nothing but death Is any one afflicted I may say unto him as that harbinger answered a Noble man complaining that he was lodged in so homely a roome you will take pleasure in it when you are out of it For the more greivous our exigent the more glorious our advancement A desire accomplished delighteth the soule Prov. 13.19 We reade how that lamentable and sad decree of Ahasuerus through the goodnesse of God was an occasion exceedingly to increase the Iewes joy and thankfulnesse insomuch that as the Text sayth the dayes that were appointed for their death and ruine were turned into dayes of feasting and joy and wherein they sent presents every man to his neighbour and guifts to the poore Ester 9.17.22 to 28. And this joy and thankefulnesse was so lasting that the Iewes cease not to celebrate the same to this day Gods dealing with us is often harsh in the beginning hard in the proceeding but the cōclusion is alwayes comfortable The joy of Peter and the rest of the Church was greater after he was delivered out of Prison by the Angell Act. 12. And the joy of Iudith and the rest of Bethulia when she returned with Holofernes head then if they never had been in distresse Iudith 13. The Lord depreives us of good things for a time because they never appeare in their full beauty till they turne their backs and be going away Againe he defers his ayde on purpose to increase our desires before it comes and our joy when it is come to inflame our desires for things easily come by are little set by to increase our joy for that which hath been long detayned is at last more sweetly obtained but suddenly gotten suddenly forgotten Abrahams Child at seventy yeares was more welcome then if he had beene given at thirty And the same Isaac had not been so precious to him if he had not been as miraculously restored as given his recovery from death made him more acceptable The benefit that comes soone and with ease is easily contemned long and eager pursuite endeeres any favour The Wise men rejoyced exceedingly to find the Starre The Woman to find her peece of silver the Virgin Mary to find her and our IESUS CHRIST alwaies returnes with incrase of joy yea the LORD keepes us fasting on purpose that our tryall may be perfect our deliverance wellcome our recompence glorious Yea the delivering of some increaseth the joy of others and causeth them to praise God for and rejoyce in their behalfe that are delivered Acts 12.14 We never know the worth of a benefit so well as by the want of it want teacheth us the worth of things most truly O how sweet a thing is peace to them that have been long troubled with wars and tedious contentions How sweet is
who not onely decreeth and fore appointeth every particular crosse Eccl. 3.1 Rom. 8.28 29. but even effecteth them and brings them into execution as they are crosses corrections trials and chastisements Isaiah 45.7 Amos 3.6 and also ordereth and disposeth them that is limiteth and appointeth the beginning the end the measure the quality and the continuance thereof yea he ordereth them to their right ends namely his owne glory the good of his servants and the benefit of his Church Ier. 30.11 Gen. 50.19 20. 2 Sam. 16.10 Psal. 39. 9. God useth them but as Instruments wherewith to worke his good pleasure upon us our adversaries are but as tooles in the hand of the Workeman and we must not so much looke to the Instrument as to the Author Gen 45.5 and 50.20 Well may the Priests of the Philistims doubt whether their plague bee from God or by Fortune 1 Sam. 6.2 9. but let a Ioseph be sold into Aegypt he will say unto his enemies Ye sent not me hither but God when ye thought evill against me God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is this day and save much people alive or let a David be railed upon by any cursed Shemei he will answer Let him alone for he curseth even because the Lord hath bid him curse David Who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so 2 Sam. 16.10 Or let a Micha be trodden upon and insulted over by his enemy his answer shall bee no other than this I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he pleade my cause and execute judgement for me Micha 7.9 The beleever that is conversant in Gods booke knowes that his adversaries are in the hands of God as a Hammer Axe or Rod in the hand of a smiter and therefore as the Hammer Axe or Rod of it selfe can doe nothing any further than the force of the hand using it gives strength unto it No more can they doe any thing at all unto him further than it is given them from above as our Saviour told Pilate Iohn 19.11 See this in some examples you have Laban following Iacob with one troope Esau meeting him with another both with hostile intentions both go on till the uttermost point of their execution both are prevented ere the execution for stay but a while and you shall see Laban leave him with a kisse Esau meet him with a kisse of the one he hath an oath teares of the other peace with both GOD makes fooles of the enemies of his Church he lets them proceed that they may be frustrate and when they are gone to the uttermost reach of their teather he puls them back to the stake with shame Againe you have Senacherib let loose upon Hezekiah and his people who insults over them intolerably 2 Kings 18. Oh the lamentable and in sight desperate condition of distressed Ierusalem wealth it had none strength it had but a little all the Countrey round about was subdued unto the Assyrian that proud victor hath begirt the wals of it with an innumerable army scorning that such a shovell-full of earth should stand out but one day yet poore Ierusalem stands alone blockt up with a world of enemies helplesse friendlesse comfortlesse looking for the worst of an hostile fury and on a sudden before an Arrow is shot into the City a hundred fourescore and five thousand of their enemies were slaine and the rest run away 2 Kings 19.35 36. If we are in league with God we need not feare the greatest of mâ—n for let the Kings of the Earth be assembled and the Rulers come together Let Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gather themselves in one league against him it is in vaine for they can do nothing but what the hand of God and his Councell hath before determined to be done as Peter and Iohn affirmed to the rest of the Disciples for their better confirmation and comfort Acts 4.26 to 29. Nothing can be accomplished in the Lower-House of this world but first it is decreed in the Vpper-Court of Heaven as for example what did the Iewes ever doe to our Saviour Christ that was not first both decreed by the Father of Spirits and registred in the Scriptures for our notice and comfort They could not so much as throw the Dice for his coat but it was prophesied Psalme 22.18 and Psal. 69.21 It is foretold that they should give him gall in his meat and in his thirst vineger to drinke the very quality and kinde of his drink is prophesied yea his face could not be spit upon without a prophesie those filthy excrements of his enemies fell not upon his face without Gods decree and the Prophets relation Esay 50.6 Now it must needs comfort and support us exceedingly if in all cases we doe but duly consider that inequality is the ground of order that superiour causes guide the subordinate that this sublunary Globe depends on the celestiall as the lesser wheeles in a Clock doe on the great one which I finde thus expressed As in a Clock one motion doth convey And carry divers wheeles a severall way Yet altogether by the great wheeles force Direct the hand unto his proper course Who is he that saith and it commeth to passe when the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3.37 Suppose the Legions of Hell should combine with the Potentates of the Earth to doe their worst they cannot go beyond the reach of their teather whether they rise or sit still they shall by an insensible ordination performe that will of the Almighty which they least thinke of and most oppose yea saith Austine by resisting the will of God they do fulfill it and his will is done by and upon them even in that they doe against his will That even Satan himselfe is limited and can go no further than his chaine will reach we may see Revel 20.2 More particularly he could not touch so much as Iobs body or substance no not one of his servants nor one limbe of their bodies nor one haire of their heads nor one beast of their heards but he must first beg leave of God Iob 2.6 Nay Satan is so farre from having power over us living that he cannot touch our bodies being dead yea he cannot finde them when God will conceale them witnesse the body of Moses and I doubt not but as the Angels did wait at the Sepulchre of their and our Lord so for his sake they also watch over our graves he could not seduce a false Prophet nor enter into a Hog without license the whole Legion sue to Christ for a sufferance not daring other than to grant that without his permission they could not hurt a very Swine Now if it be fearefull to thinke how great things evill spirits can doe with permission it is comfortable to thinke how they can doe nothing without permission for if GOD must give him leave hee will never
be long grievous and sore trials last but for a season 1 Peter 1.6 A little while Iohn 16.16 Yea but a moment 2 Cor. 4.17 He endureth but a while in his anger saith the Psalmist but in his favour is life weeping may abide for a night but joy commeth in the morning Psal. 30.5 And this had he good expeience of for if we mark it all those Psalmes whose first lines containe sighes and broken complaints do end with delight and contentment he began them in feare but they end in joy you shall see terrible anguish sitting in the dore irremediable sorrow looking in at the window despaire bordering in the margent and offering to creep into the Text yet after a sharpe conflict nothing appeares but joy and comfort God loves to send reliefe when we least looke for it as Elisha sent to the King of Israel when hee was rending his clothes 2 Kin. 5 8. Heare what the Lord thy Redeemer saith by Esaiah For a moment in thine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee Esay 54.8 It is but a little for a moment that his anger lasts his mercy is everlasting and I hid my face never turn'd my heart from thee Ioseph when he lay downe to sleep was full of care about his wives being with childe Mat. 1.20 but he awakened well satisfied Vers. 24. To day a measure of fine flower is lower rated in Samaria than yesterday of dung Although Christs Star left the Wise Men for a time yet instantly it appeared againe and forsooke them not untill they had found CHRIST which was the marke they aimed at Mat. 2.9 Yea it s a Rule in nature that violent things cannot last long The Philosophers could observe that no motion violent is wont to be permanent and Seneca concludes That if the sicknesse be tedious and lasting the paine is tolerable but if violent short so if we suffer much it shall not be long if we suffer long it shall not be much Some misery is like a Consumption gentle but of long continuance other like a Feaver violent but soone over If our sorrowes be long they are the lighter if sharper the shorter The sharpe North-East winde saith the Astronomer never lasteth three dayes and thunder the more violent the lesse permanent Wherefore cheere up thou drooping soule if the Sun of comfort be for the present clouded it will ere long shine forth bright againe if now with the Moone thou art in the wayne stay but a little thou shalt as much increase for as dayes succeed nights Summer Winter and rest travell so undoubtedly joy shall sucâ—ed and exceed thy sorrow Thy griefe shall dissolve or be dissolved yea it is in some measure dissolved by hope for the present The Portingals will rejoyce in foule weather why because they know faire will follow and so may the beleever in his greatest exigents because God will shortly tread Satan under our feet Rom. 16.20 Here also the distressed soule may raise comfort to himselfe out of former experience who is he that hath not beene delivered out of some miserable exigent which if thou hast thou mayest well say unto God with the Psalmist Thou hast shewed me great troubles and adversities but thou wilt-returne and revive me and wilt come againe and take mee up from the depth of the earth and comfort mee Psalme 71.20 21. For Gods former actions are paternes of his future he teacheth you what he will doe by what he hath done and nothing more raiseth up the heart in present affiance than the recognition of favours or wonders passed he that hath found God present in one extremity may trust him in the next every sensible favour of the Almighty invites both his gifts and our trust Ob. But thou wilt say with the Psalmist thine enemies have long prevailed against thee and God seemeth altogether to hide his face and to have cleane forgotten thee and so thou fearest he will for ever Psal. 13.1 2. Answ. It is but so in thy apprehension as it wâ—â— with him Gods deliverance may over-stay thy expectation it cannot the due period of his owne counsels for know first That Gods workes are not to be judged of untill the fifth act The case deplorable and desperate in outward appearance may with one smile from Heaven finde a blessed issue Dotham is besieged and the Prophets servant distressed they are in a grievous case as they thinke yet a very apparition in the clouds shall secure them not a squadron shall bee raised and yet the enemy is surprised 2 Kings 6. here was no slacknesse The Midianites invade Israel and are suddenly confounded by a dreame Iudges 7. Mistris Honiwood that Religious Gentlewoman famous for her vertues after she had beene distressed in her mind many yeeres without feeling the least comfort not being able to hold out any longer as a wounded spirit who can beare flung a Venice-glasse against the ground and said to a grave Divine that sought to comfort her I am as sure to be damned as this Glasse is to be broken but what followed the Glasse was not broken at the sight whereof she was so confirmed that ever after to her dying day she lived most comfortably much like that of Apelles who striving to paint a drop of foame falling from a Horse mouth after long study how to expresse it even despairing flung away his Pensill and that throw did it Spirituall consolations are commonly late and sudden long before they come and speedy when they doe come even preventing expectation and our last conflicts have wont ever to be the sorest as when after sâ—me dripping raine it powres downe most vehemently we thinke the weather is changing Againe in the next place thou must know that mans extremity is Gods opportunity well may he forbeare so long as we have any thing else to relye upon but we are sure to finde him in our greatest exigents who loves to give comfort to those that are forsaken of their hopes as aboundance of examples witnesse When had the Children of Israel the greatest victories but when they feared most to bee overcome 2 Kings 19.35 Exod. 14.28 29. When was Hagar comforted of the Angell but when her childe was neere famished and she had cast it under a Tree for dead Genesis 21.15 to 20. When was Eliah comforted and releeved by an Angell with a Cake baked on the coales and a Cruse of Water but when hee was utterly forsaken of his hopes 1 Kings 19.4 to 7. When did God answer the hopes of Sarah Rebecah Rachel the wife of Manoah and Elizabeth touching their long and much desired issues but when they were barren and past hope of children by reason of age Genesis 18. Iudges 13. Luke 1.6 7. When did our Saviour heale the Woman of her bloudy issue but after the Physitians had given her over and she becomming much worse had given them over when shee had
keepes off repentance 32 Commonly the Lord makes our latter end so much the more Prosperous by how much more our former time hath beene miserable and adverse 216 to 220 Of which many examples 216 to 220 The more Prosperity the lesse piety 20 to 25 Prosperity too strong wine for a weake braine 31 If the Lord Prune his Vine he meanes not to root it up 46 To avenge our selves is to lose Gods Protection 146 147 We are kept low that we may not be Proud 44 The Purpose of affliction is to make us earnest with God 26 Q OVr Quarrels make both Divell and Lawyers sport â—8 R RAge not ingendred but by the concurrence of cholera 85 to 94 If we suffer it is that we may Raigne 177 Suffer with Christ and Raigne with him 239 Reasons of affliction sixteene 4 Whereof three concerne Gods glory 4 to 14 Thirteene our good 14 to 73 Whether our wisdome be improved or our lives Reformed by what we have suffered 172 The godly may well Rejoyce in tribulation 256 S. Paul Rejoyced in nothing more than afflictions reproaches persecution c. 255 The godly rejoyce alwayes the wicked for a fit only 243 No Release without repentance 18 19 God loves to send Releese when we least look for it 205 Religion and persecution inseparable 1 2 3 Religion allowes as much of the Serpent as of the Dove 163 We can neither indure the malady nor the Remedy 254 Persecution will follow Remission of sins 1 2 3 The end of passion the beginning of Repentance 136 Repentance can only prevent the eternall displeasure of God 22â— Repentance removes affliction 18 1â— Affliction makes us repent of f 〈…〉 we never dreamt of 15 The way not to Repine at those above us is to looke at those below us 233 The Reproach of an enemy brings us to see our faults 94 Iudas his depraving Mary turned to her great Renowne 132 Lawfull to seek Restitution 167 It is enough that when we are dead we shall Rest in the Land of Promise 232 Some carnall Reasons for revenge answered 154 CHRIST not yet Revenged of his enemies 15â— Both the Law of Nature and Law of Nations forbids revenge 14â— 144 If wee miscarry in seeking Revenge 〈…〉 no comfort 146 147 He that takes Revenge makes himselfe both Iudge witnesse accuser and executioner 139 140 To Revenge is to take Gods office out of his hand 137 to 142 The Lord will Revenge our wrongs 121.137 to 142 Revenge a remedy worse than the disease 85 to 94 Patience the most divine and Christian-like Revenge 84 Great is their Reward which suffer for righteousnesse 237 238 The more we suffer the greater our Reward 237 to 246 Were every paine we suffer a death and every crosse an hell yet we shall have amends enough 106 107 Patience shall have a temporall Reward also 108 to 115 If not patience were a sufficient Reward to it selfe 110 to 115 We shall beare the crosse more comfortably if we think upon the Reward promised 237 to 246 Patient because patience brings a Reward 103 to 115 Hope of Reward should make us patient 102 Our Reward answerable to our sufferings 242 The greater our sufferings here the greater our Reward hereafter 242 Rich men neglect God most 32 Rules to be observed in suffering 162 to 179 S SAtan can doe any thing by permission nothing without 198 199 Satan is limited and can goe no farther than his chaine will reach 198 199 God will never give Satan leave to doe the least hurt to our soules 199 Satan injoyned silence 128 129 If Satan cannot hurt us much lesse his instruments weake men 199 200 Our Saviours whole life from his cradle to his grave a continuall act of suffering 233 The Saints patience 159 to 162 To search whether the report be true or no 97 98 Their scoffes noble badges of honour and Innocency 132 If beaten off from our profession wiith scoffes we are but counterfeits 173 The Scriptures written for our learning patience comfort and hope â—â—6 Security the cause of corruption â—75 Affliction separates the good and bad 37 to 43 We take deeper roote by shaking 45 We remember one dayes sicknesse more than many yeares health 234 The sick servant hath not strong meates given him as the rest have 226 An enemy most vexed with silence 123 to 126 Silence the way royall to correct a wrong 80 to 85 Silence will either drayne the gall ouâ— of bitter spirits or make it more overflow to their owne disgrace 124 Silence in case of personall wrongs but not in the causes of God and Religion 125 Our Saviour a patterne for silent suffering 96 97 Silence one kinde of revenge 123 to 126 Affliction discovers whether we are sincere or not 37 to 43 Sinne the sling of all troubles 147 Our sincerity cannot bee approved without suffering 244 Chastisements after the sinne is remitted may bee deadly 227 Every word they speake of us is a slander be it good or ill 127 to 133 A slanderer doth but shame himselfe 119 None ever was that was not slandered 139 Better smart for a while than for ever 177 Our songs shall be lowder than our cryes 64 Commonly they know not GOD that know no sorrowes 18 The soule cannot live while the sinne lives 19 GOD regardeth the soules good and his owne glory 254 Our soules shall loose nothing but their drosse 202 The soule waxeth as the body waineth 66 We have the presence of Gods spirit and grace many times and feele it not 220 To rejoyce when they speake evill of us 132 The sharpe water of affliction quickens our spirituall sight 49 to 52 To bee evill spoken of for well doing peculier to the godly 127 to 133 If God stay long yet hee will bee sure to come at lâ—ngth 58 59 Steven a true Scholler of Christ 159 160 Of all stormes a calme the greatest 227 A stoute Christian beares off one mischiefe with another 68 69 Though the Divell strikes at our names his ayme is to slay our soules 172 We may well take a few stripes where we receive so much good 100 to 103 Receive his stripes with all humility patience pieâ—y and thankfulnesse 176 That stripes from the Almighty are speciall tokens and pledges of his adoption and love 222 to 229 Nothing more proves us Gods than his stripes 22â— Not bound to tender our throates to an unjust 〈◊〉 162 to â—â—â— Our sufferings may aggravate cannot redresse our miseries 176 A man that studies revenge keepes his woundes greene and open 91 We must suffer with Christ that wee may raigne with him 52 to 54 Our sufferings are registred our teares botled up 191 192 We suffer here that we may not suffer hereafter 43 to 49 Our sufferings farre lesse than our sinnes have deserved 235 By suffering we become followers of all the Saints 53 54 Our patience shall be proportionable to our sufferings our strength equalled to our temptations 219 Our sufferings
nothing to what others have suffered of which diverse examples 229 to 237 When God calles us to suffer he gives answerable strength and courage 226 Wee shall suffer no more than we are able to beare 200 Than shall be for our good 200 Suffering the only way to prevent suffering 85 to 94 Wee may well suffer patiently when we know wee suffer justly 94 to 100 When we suffer we bethinke our selves of what we 〈…〉 94 95 〈…〉 cious nor lightly credulous â—64 Love doth neither allow suspition nor thrust oâ—t discretion 164 After we have swet and smarted six dayes â—omes a Sabbath of eternall rest 241 To fulfill the substance when we faile in the iâ—â—â—â—ition and erre in circumstances is sinfull 186 T TO tarry the Lords leasure 214 The Lord either takes troubles from us or us from troubles 215 The water of our lakes shall be turned into the wine of endlesse comfort 237 to 246 Our suffringe make us teachable 64 to 67 Prayer reading meditation and contemplation makes a Divine 67 With Iob we must not onely be patient but thankefull 102 We may thanke our enemies or must thanke God for our enemies 22 Rules touching our thoughts 164 God hath set downe a certaine period of time when to deliver thee and till then thou must wait 213 Of which many examples 213 to 215 We measure the length of time by the sharpnesse of our afflictions 2â—â— God will doe all in due time that is in his time nâ—â— in ourâ— â—â—â— In some cases â—â—â—â—ration unexpedienâ— 162 to 171 We may well suffer their tongues so long as we are delivered out of their hands 116 The lewd tongue or hand moves from God it moves lewdly from Satan 185 186 Their evill tongues make us live good lives 22 A man of a good life feares not him that hath an evill tongue 127 to 133 God traines us up by degrees 226 Our enemies cannot cannot deprive us of our spirituall treasure here nor eternall hereafter 202 203 Be our tryals great salvation will one day make aamends for all 237 to 246 Affliction tryes our sincerity perseverance and constancy 40 to 43 We esteeme our inches Elles till by tryall wee finde the contrary 49 to 52 Tribulation the most sincere Divinity 67 Tribulation increaseth patience 67 to 73 Men tryed in the furnace of adversity as gold in the â—ire 37 to 4â— If our troubles be light and few it is because we are weake and tender 2â—6 Many and great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all 215 Passe through a sea of troubles to the haven of eternall rest 107 Kisse the hand which strikes us trust in that power which kills us 57 58 We are not trusted with all our portion lest wee should spend it 43 to 49 V VEx them when they wrong us and they will wrong us more 85 to 94 The impatient vex themselves because another hath vexed them 91 92 To vex as an enemy is to further an enemies spight 125 To vex other men is to tutor them how they should againe vex us 85 to 94 The victory which is got by mildnesse is perpetuall 135 Love is stronger after such a reconcilement 135 The noblest victory to overcome evill with goodnesse 80 to 85 A great victory gotten and no blow striken 89 Our good behaviour will vindicate us from ill report 139 Vice drawes death with a horrid looke but so doth not vertue 148 Afflictions as we use them 111 Vse and application of the 32 reasons 171 to 184 W WAnt teacheth the worth of things most truly 59 to 64 When we Want nothing here we forget our home above 175 â—etter Want any thing than our selves 45 to 52 Affliction makes us Watch and prepare 35 36 Christs Wayes different from ours 251 252 Afflictions Weane us from the love of the World 28 to 35 The persecutor more Weary than the persecuted 106 Neâ—er Weary of receiving soone weary of attending 244 We may well suspect our selves if they speak Well of us 127 to 13â— Wâ—â—lâ—h like a treacherous dye 31 It Wheâ—s our appetite to be held fasting 26 27 The Wicked like some beasts grow mad with bâ—iting 176 Wicked men hate the godly 1 2 3 None but simple or wicked men Will beleeve their slanders 132 In resisting the Will of God they do fulfill it 197 198 The Churches enemies doe even performe that Will of the Almighty which they least think of and most oppose 197 198 We must â—aste of our Saviours bitter potion before 〈◊〉 drinke his Wine of endlesse comfort 243 244 We 〈◊〉 them that we may Win them 133 to 137 That which makes the body smart makes the soule Wise â—â— to 67 It makes for the glory of his Wisdome 7 8 9 A Wise Christian will doe good to them that doe hurt to him in policy 85 to 94 Stripes make us Wise 64 to 67 It is the Wise mans portion to suffer of fooles 116 A Wise man regards not what fooles say 115 to 118 All humane Wisdome is defective 145 146 Its enough for Wisdome to be justified of her children 116 Simple as Doves in offending others but Wise as Serpents in defending our selves 163 Mercy ought to be guided by Wisdome 162 to 171 Could we sit downe and obtaine our Wishes we should strangely intangle our selves 253 254 Looke to the reward and thou wouldest not wisâ— the Worke easier 2â—â— We must not set our Wit to theirs 115 to 118 Our owne Wit will befoole us 145 146 Gods dealing in this particular should move Wonder to astonishment 178 Afflictions so overcome us that they overcome the love of the World in us 30 If we be Gods servants the World and the Devill will let flye at us 1 2 3 This World pleasant to travell through but not safe to dwell in 175 The very Heathens rather hated than loved this World 31 This World will not last ever 107 108 Our actions at last will out-weigh their Words 139 Their Words can do us neither good nor hurt 121 Their Words must be spelled backwards 132 He which cannot endure Words for Christ would never endure wounds for him 85 If we cannot avoide ill Words our care must be not to deserve them 79 80 Rules touching our Words 164 to 167 Gods Workes not to be judged untill the fifth act 208 If wee would prevaile with God we must Wrestle 27 So to remit Wrongs as not to incourage or provoke them 167 We may commit a greater Wrong in putting up an injury than in punishing the doer of it 168 Y YEelding the only way of overcomming 8â— FINIS