â—are and maketh us know our selves My wants saith one kill my wantonnesse my poverty checks my pride my being slighted quels my ambition and vaine glory and as for sicknesse it cuts the throate of vices many saith Saint Austin have beene wickedly well that have beene inocently and piously sicke Yea I may call it the summe of Divinity as Pliny cals it the summe of Philosophy for what distressed or sick man was ever lascivious covetous or ambitious Hee envies no man admires no man flatters no man dissembles with no man despiseth no man c. That with Governours or Friends can by no meanes effect touching our amendment a little sicknesse or trouble from enemies will as Saint Chrysostome observes Yea how many will confesse that one affliction hath done more good upon them than many Sermons that they have learned more good in one dayes or weekes misery than many yeares prosperity could teach them untouched estates and touched consciences seldome dwell together and it is usuall for them that know no sorrowes to know no God repentance seldome meets a man in jollity but in affliction the heart is made pliable and ready for all good impressions True if gentlenesse would serve we should not smart for God like a good Surgion first strokes the Arme before he opens the veyne hee sends for us by his Ambassadors of the ministery yet we come not Let him fire our field as Absalom did by Joab we come presently Or perhaps he afflicts another to fright us as great mens Children are corrected by seeing others whipt or as Apollonius would tame Lyons by beating dogges before them for as God preacheth to us no lesse in his Judgements than his Word so when he strikes â—ffendors he would warne the standers by and a wise man sees himselfe falne or beaten in his neighbour Yea generous and ingenuous spirits desire to be taught abide not to be forced It is for Tyrants to compell for Asses to be compelled saith Erasmus A good naturd Horse saith Seneca will be governed even by the shadow of the wande whereas a resty Jade will not bâ— ordered by the spurre But if his word will not râ—le us as many till God come with a strong hand will hould their corruptions as fast as Pharaoh the Israelites his Rodde shall or if his Rodde will not yet serve his sword shall bee drencht in our gall and hathed in our blood Deut. 32. 41 42. Or if we scape for a time yet our preservation from one judgement is but our reservation to seaven more Levit. 26. Yea he will send a succession of crosses seaven more and seaven more and seaven to that to the conversion of his owne and the confusion of his enemies Vers. 14. to 39. When singing will not still the Child the Rod must Hard knots must have hard wedges strong asfections strong afflictious great corruptions great calamities to cure them So that God through thy stubbornnesse is forced to let lose Satan and wicked men upon thee least thou shouldest sleepe in security till thou didst sleepe in death eternalâ—y even for thy good And Affliction is but the shepheards dogge as Chrysostome speakes to fetch us into Christs Folde perhaps by Barking onely and then wee are more sâ—ard than hurt perhaps in his mouth and then the poore sheep thinks he will surely worry it but he is taught to fetch onely and therefore gripes not but onely carries and delivers it to his ma 〈…〉 er When Children have done a fault Mothers use to fright them with Bull-beggers the Childe thinks surely they will have him but the mother hath a double pollicie viz. to make them hate the fault and love them the better for they runne to the Lappe to hide them and then will she make her owne conditions and so the very end which God aimes at in setting those Adders upon thee is that thou shouldst turn thine Eyes inward that thou mayst see for what thou sufferest prie narrowly into thine owne forepast actions which if thou dost an hundred to one thou wilt finde sinne it may be this very sinne the cause of thy present affliction and untill thou dost siâ—t and try thine owne heart for this Achan and finde out which is thy Isaac thy beloved sinne looke for no release but rather that thy sorrowes should be multiplyed as God threatned Eve Wherefore lyest thou on thy face said God to Joshua Israel hath sinned up search diligently c. Josh. 7. 10. 11. What evill hast thou done said the Marriners to the distressed Prophet that this evill is come upon us Let every such Jonas reflect upon himselfe and say What evill have I done what sinne have I committed or admitted or what good have I omitted or intermitted be it but one single sinne whether spirituall pride or rayling upon honest men in a handsome Language or the like and having found out the cause greive for it turne from it One flaw in a Diamond takes away the lustre and the price one man in Law may keepe possession one Puddle if we wallow in it will deâ—ile us one peice of Ward land makes the Heire lyable to the King one sinne keepes possession for Satan as well as twenty one poyson-full Hearbe amongst many good ones may put death in the pot and so take away the goodnesse from the rest as if there were none in it wholsome Besides how were the Angels in heaven punished for one fault Achan for one saâ—reledge Mirriam for one slander Moses for one unbeleefe Anaâ—â—as for one lye Ely for his Indulgence onely David for his love to Bathsheâ—a onely c. Wherefore looke to it for if we spare but one Agag it may cost us a Kingdome and such a Kingdome as is farre beter than the Kingdome of Saul 1 Pet. 1. 4. Neither say of thy sinne as once Lot of Zoar is it not a little one for though men may yet God will not winke at small faults especially in his owne A little prick being neglected may fester to a gangreene As what is a mountaine of Earth but an accumulation of many little dusts or what is a flood but a concurrence of many little drops a small leake will sinke the Vessell unstopt whereas a great one will not doe it if well kalked The weakest Instrument be it but a Bodkin can peirce the flesh and take away the life unarmed whereas Armour of proose will even beate off Bullets Besides whereas our greatest goodnesse merits not the lâ—ast glory our least wickednesse deserves great paine The wages of sinne small or great is death Rom. 6. 23. bad worke sad wages Wherefore lâ—t his correction bring forth conversion cleanse your hands yee sinners and purge your hearts yee double minded Jam. 4. 8. Not your hands onely with Pilate but your hearts with David yea and your eyes too with Mary Magdalen if it be possible though dry sorrow may bee as good as wet whose eyes were a Laver and haire a Towell to wash and wipe
though they be railed on and reviled by their enemies yet have eares and heare not mouthes and speak not hands and revenge not neither have they breath in their nostrils to make reply Psal. 115. 5 6 7. If you will see it in an example looke upon David hee was as deafe and dumbe at reproach as any stocke or stone They that seeke after my life saith he lay snares and they that goe about to doe me evill talke wicked things all the day sure it was their vocation to backebite and slander but I was as deafe and heard not and at one dumbe which doth not open his mouth I was as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofes Psal. 38. 12 13. This innocent Dove was also as wise as a Serpent in stopping his eares and refusing to heare the voyce of these blasphemous Inchanters charmed they never so wisely And as their words are to be contemned by us so are their challenges to fight when a young Gallant would needs picke a quarrell with an ancient tryed Souldier whose valour had made him famous it was generally held that he might with credit refuse to fight with him untill his worth should be knowne equivalent to his saying your ambition is to win honour upon me whereas I shall receive nothing but disgrace from you The Goshawke scornes to fly at Sparrowes Those noble Dogs which the King of Albany presented to Alexander out of an overflowing of courage 〈…〉 temned to encounter with any Beasts but Lyons and Elephants as for Stagges wilde Boares and Beares they made so little account of that seeing them they would not so much as remove out of their places And so the Regenerate man which fighteth daily with their King Sathan scornes to encounter with his servant and slave the Car 〈…〉 ll mâ—â— And this is so farre from detracting that it addes to his honour and shewes his courage and foâ—tiâ—â—dâ— to be right generous and noble Againe secondly the wager is unequall to lay the life of a Christian against the life of a Ruffion and the blind sword makes no difference of persons the one surpassing the other as much as Heaven Earth Angels men or men beasts even Aristippus being derided by a fearelesse souldier for drooping in danger of ship 〈…〉 acke could answer thou and I have not the like cause to be afraid for thou shalt onely lose the life of an Asse but I the life of a Philosopher The consideration whereof made Alexander when hee was commanded by Philip his Father to wrestle in the games of Olympia answer hee would if there were any Kings present to strive with him else not which is our very case and nothing is more worthy our pride then that which will make us most humble if wee have it that we are Christians When an Embassadour told Henry the fourth that Magnificent King of France concerning the King of Spaines ample Dominions First said hee he is King of Spaine is hee so saith Henry and I am King of France but said the other he is King of Portugall and I am King of France saith Henry Hee is King of Naples and I am King of France Hee is King of Sicily and I am King of France He is King of Nova Hispaniola and I am King of France He is King of the West Indies and I said Henry am King of France He thought the Kingdome of France onely equivalent to all those Kingdomes The application is easie the practice usuall with so many as know themselves heires apparent to an immortall Crowne of glory And as touching their future estate Fret not thy selfe saith David because of the wicked men neither bee envious for the evill doers for they shall soone be cut downe like grasse and shall 〈◊〉 as the greene hearbe Psal. 37. 1 2. This doth excellently appeare in that remarkable example of Samaria besieged by Benhadad and his Host 2 Kings 7. 6 7. As also in Haman who now begins to envy where halfe an howre since he had scorned as what could so much vex that insulting Agagite as to be made a Laqui to a dispised Jew yea not to mension that which followed stay but one howre more the basest slave of Persia will not change conditions with this great favourite though he might have his riches and former honour to boot I might instance the like of Pharoah Exod. 15. ver 9 10 19. Senacharib Esa. 37. vers 36 37 38. Herod Acts. 12. vers 22 23. and many other but experience shewes that no man can sit upon so high a Coguâ— but may with turning prove the lowest in the Wheele and that pride cannot climbe so high but justice will sit above her And thus are they to be contemned and pittied while they live and when they dye 3. After death the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation saith Peter and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. Alas were thy Enemy sure to injoy more Kingdomes then ever the Devill shewed Christ to bee more healthfull than Moses to live longer than Methuselah yet being out of Gods favour this is the end to have his Body lye hid in the silent dust and his Soule tormented in Hell fire And upon this consideration when Dionysius the Tyrant had plotted the death of his Master Plato and was defeated by Platos escape out of his Dominions when the Tyrant dâ—sired him in writing not to speak evill of him the Philosopher replyed That he had not so much idle time as once to thinke of him knowing there was a just God would one day call him to a reckoning The Moone lookes never the paler when Wolves howle against it neither is she the slower in her motion howbeit some Sbeepheard or Lyon may watch them a good turne Wherefore saith Saint Gregory pray for thine enemies yea saith Saint Paul be gentle toward all that doe thee evill and instruct them with meeknesse proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth and come to amendment of life out of the snare of the Devill of whom they are taken prisoners to doe his will 2 Tim 2. 25 26. Which thing himselfe had formerly found of force for with that contrary breath I meane that one prayer which Saint Steven made at his death he was of a foe made a friend of a Saul a Paul of a Persecutor a Preacher of an imposter a Pastor a Doctor of a sedncer of a Pirat a Prelate of a blasphemer a blesser of a theefe a shepheard and of a Wolfe a sheep of Christs fold 4. And lastly if we consider our owne future estate we have no lesse cause to contemne their evill words for it is not materiall to our well or ill being what censures passe upon us the tongues of the living availe nothing to the good or hurt of those that lye in their graves they can neither diminish their joy nor
in body goods or good name for of necessity there must bee in that man that can patiently beare such a losse somewhat more than man I know there are some men or rather two legged Beasts that esteeme no more of Bookes and Notes than Esops Cocke did of the Pearle hee found and these accordingly will say this was nothing in comparison of what they suffer as when once a Hot-spur was perswaded to be patient as Job was he replyed What doe you tell me of Job Job never had any suits in Chauncery Yea indeed the meanest of Christs royall Band for patience puts down all the generations of naturall men as even their enemies will confesse Consalvus a Spanish Bishop and Inquisitor wondred how the Protestans had that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe so indelibly Printed in their hearts that no torture could blot it out and make them confesse and betray one another And indeed how should it be otherwise for First if Morall Principles cherished and strengthened by good education will inable the soule against vitious inclinations so that though some influence of the heavens doe worke upon the aire and the aire upon the spirits and the spirits upon the humors and these incline the temper and that inclines the soule of a man such and such wayes Yet breeding in the refineder sort of evill persons will much prevaile to draw them another way what may wee thinke of grace and faith and Gods spirit which are supernaturall Secondly every Christian suffering for Christs sake and for righteousnesse sake hath Gods mighty power to support him and Christ to suffer with him and beare a part in his misery whereas the naturall man suffers all himselfe as a delinquent or malefactor whose guilty conscience addes weight to his punishment A woman called Fâ—licitas whom Saint Austin much praiseth being brought to bed in the time of her imprisonment for the truth and by reason of the great paines shee had in her labour that she could not forbeare schreâ—ching one of the Officers hearing her cry out tauntingly mockt her thus Ah woman if thou canst not beare these sorrowes without such cryingâ— how wilt thou endure when thou shalt be burnt or cut in peeces or torne asunder What thou now sufferest is but sport but the Tragedy is to follow whom shee answered Now said shee I suffer for my selfe and for sinne but then Christ is to suffer in me and I for him And it fell out as she said for when she was thrown to the wild beasts she neither sent out screechings nor so much as a sigh or groane but entertained death with so merry and cheerfull a countenance as if she had beene invited to a Feast And thus you see in the first place that Nature hath but a slow foot to follow Religion close at the heeles that grace and faith transcends reason as much as reason doth sense that patience rightly so called is a Prerogative royall peculiar to the Saints It is well if Philosophy have so much wisedome as to stand amazed at it 2. That it is not true Christian patience except it flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the Holy Ghost 2 Be done in knowledge of and obedience to Gods command 3 That wee doe it in humility and sincere love to God 4 That it be done in faith 5 That wee ayme at Gods glory not our owne and the Churches good in our sufferings 6 That we â—orgive aswell as forbeare yea love pray for and returne good to our enemies for their evill which being so what hath the Swashbuckler to say for himselfe And what will become of him if he repent not who can afford no time to argue but to execute Yea what hath the more temperate worldling to say for himselfe who hath some small peece of reason for his guide arguing thus I would rather make shew of my passions than smoother them to my cost which being vented and exprest become more languishing and weake better it is to let its point worke outwardly than bend it against our selves and in reason Tallying of injuries is but justice To which I answer it is not reason especially â—arnall reason but Religion which all this while hath beene disputed of which is Divine and supernaturall and that teacheth how good must be returned for evill and that we should rather invite our enemy to doe us more wrong than not to suffer the former with patience as our Saviours words doe imply If saith hee they strike thee on the one cheeke turne to him the other also If they sue thee at the Law and take away thy Coate let him have thy Cloake also Mat. 5. 39 40. He speakes comparatively as if he should say rather suffer two wrongs than doe one Indeed the difficulty of the duty the seeming danger and want of Faith in carnall men weakneth the force of the strongest reasons for no more among Ruâ—â—ins but a word and a blow among civill men a word and a writ can you expect But as thrice Noble Nehemiah said to that false Belly-god betraying-Priest Shemaiah should such a man as I flee So the true Christian will encounter all discouragements and frightning Alarums thus should such a man as I feare to doe that which my Master King and Captaine Christ Jesus hath commanded me which is of more necessity than life it selfe Yea seeing Heathens could goe so farre as to subdue their passions for shame let so many of us as would be accounted Christians goe further even to the mortifying of ours or if we goe not before Publicans and Sinners in the Kingdome of grace Publicans and Sinners shall goe before us into the Kingdome of Heaven And seeing the duty of the Childe is the Fathers honour let us that are Christians bee knowne from Worldlings by our practice as once the Grecians were knowne from the Barbarians by their vertuous lives as Quintus Curtius notes Shall a wild Olive Tree growing upon the barren mo 〈…〉 s of Gilboa and nature where neither dew of the spirit nor rayne of grace faleth bare such fruit and shalt not thou a green Olive Tree in the house of God planted beside the waters of comfort bring forth this fruit of the spirit We see that civill honesty severed fâ—â—m trâ—e piety humility saving knowledge sincere love to God true obedience to his word justifying faith a zeale of Gods glory and desire to edifie and win others God accepts not as proceeding from the love of our selves and other carnall respects namely to obtaine praise or profit thereby So that to suffer as the Heathen did without observing other circumstances is but to imitate that foolish Patient who when the Physitian bade him take that prescript eate up the paper Wherefore doe not onely subdue thy passions but sayle with that contrary breath of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 12. We are reviled and we blesse and with that of Saint Steven who rowed both against winde and tyde
revenges upon every occasion when the patterne of our patience lets not fall one harsh word upon so foule and bloody a Traytor When the Jews cryed out crucifie him as before they cryed out his blood be upon us and upon our Children he out cryes Father pardon them being beaten with Rods crowned with Thornes pierced with nayles nayled to the Crosse bathed all his body over in blood filled with reproaches c. in the very pangs of death as unmindfull of all his great griefes he prayeth for his persecutors and that earnestly Father forgive them Pendebat tamen petebat as Saint Augustine sweetly O patient and compassionate love Ye wicked and foolish Jewes you would be miserable he will not let you His eares had beene still more open to the voyce of griefe then of malice and so his lips also are open to the one shut to the other Thus Christ upon the Crosse as a Doctor in his chaire read to us all a lecture of patience for his actions are our instructions and the same that Gideon spake to Israel he speakes still to us as ye see me doe so doe you And no man be he never so cunning or practised can make a straight line or perfect circle by steddinesse of hand which may easily bee done by the helpe of a Rule of Compasse Besides is Christ gone before us in the like sufferings what greater incouragement when wee reade that Caesars example who not onely was in those battels but went before them yea his very Eye made his Souldiers prodigall of their blood When wee reade that young King Philip being but catryed in his Cradle to the Warres did greatly annimate the Souldiers Besides what servant will wish to fare better than his Lord is it meet that hee who is not onely thy Master but thy Maker should passe his time in continuali travell and thou in continuall case When a lewd Malefactor being condemned to dye with just Phocion rayled at the Judge the Law his Accusers and looked on Death with terrour and amazednes hee thus cheered him with encouragement Dost thou grudge to dye with Phocion so say I to thee Dost thou grudge to suffer with thy Saviour O blessed Jesu O thou Coeternall Sonne of thine Eternall Father why should I thinke strange to bee scourged with tongue or hand when I see thee bleeding what lashes can I feare either from Heaven or Earth since thy scourges have beene borne for me and have sanctified them to me True it is Satans policy to make men beleeve that to doe and suffer as a Christian is so extreamely difficult for them that it is altogether impossible where in he deales like the inhospitable Salvages of some Countries who make strange fires and a shew of dismall terrouâ—s upon the shores to keepe passengers from landing But if Christ be gone before us in the like and it is for his sake that we smart then we may be sure to have him present with us even within us by his spirit 1 Peter 4. 12 13 14. to assist us and prevent our enemies and is not be able enough to vindicate all our wrongs Learne we therefore from him to suffer Innocently Patiently Wilt thou saith one looke to raigne and not expect to suffeâ— Why Christ himselfe went not up to his glory untill first hee suffered paine Or wilt thou saith Saint Cyprian be impatient by seeking present revenge upon thine enemies when Christ himselfe is not yet revenged of his enemies Doe thou beare with others God beares with thee is there a too much which thou canst suffer for so patient a Lord But to goe on wilt thou follow Gods example Then note whereas Christ hath in many particulars commanded us to follow his example yet in no place saith Saint Chrysostome he inferreth we should be like our Heavenly Father but in doing good to our enemies And therein resemble we the whole three Persons in Trinity God was only in the still winde Christ is compared to a Lambe the Holy Ghost to a Dove Now if we will resemble these three Persons we must be softly Lombes Doves but if on the contrary wee be fierce cruell and take revenge so using violence we resemble rather the Devill who is called a roaring Lyon and the wicked who are termed Dogs Wolves Tygers c. 3. To adde to the precept of God and the practice of our Saviour the example of Gods people they are patient in suffering of injuries that they might imitate the Saints in all ages They were so and wee are likewise commanded to follow their steps as in all things which are good so especially in this Take my brethren the Prophets saith Saint James for an example of suffering adversities and of long patience James 5. 10. Brethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians Yee are become followers of the Churches of God which in Judes are in Christ Jesus because yee have also suffered the same things of your owne Countrey-men even as they have of the Jewes 1 Thess. 2. 14. And to the Philippians Be yee followers of me Brethren and looke on them which walk so as yee have us for an example Phil. 3. 17. And see how hee followed his Masters example for which amongst us so loves his Benefactors as Saint Paul loved his Malefactors he would doe any thing even be rased out of the booke of life to save them that would doe any thing to kill him Amongst many examples recorded for thy imitation and mine behold the patience of Job James 5. 11. of Abraham Gen. 20. 17 18. of Isaas Chap. 26. 15. of Joseph Chap. 37. 32 33. who notwithstanding his brethren hated him for his goodnesse and could not speake peaceably unto him conspired to kill him stript him of his Coat cast him into a pit sold him for a slave recompenst them good for evill when he was armed with power to revenge for when these his enemies did bunger hee fed them when they were thirsty he gave them drinke whereas they stript him of his parti-coloured-coat hee gave them all change of rayment whereas they sold him for twenty peeces of money hee would not sell them corne but gave it them freely and put their money againe into their sacks whereas they cast him into a pit without either bread or water hee brought them into his owne lodging and feasted them sumptuously with delicate fare and gave them of the best Wine Thus he gave them a good measure pressed downe and shaken together yea running over into their bosomes of kindnesse for unkindnesse And thus holy David trod in the steps of good Joseph Psal. 38. 12. to 15. 1 Sam. 26. 20. For when Saul had bent his howe and made ready the arrowes within his quiver to shoote at this upright in heart and sweet singer of Israel Yea when this Fowler hunted him like a Partridge to the mountaines so that his soule was faine to aske for the wings of a Dove that hee might fly away and bee