was at the weakest hauing fasted so long to haue stones made Bread and if hee would haue any he must make it himselfe too a hard crust bread out of stones And if he durst appeare to him who was the Sonne of God how may hee venture vpon vs and tempt vs and cause vs to bee discouraged and dispaire of our soules therefore my beloued haue no conceit or dispaire of hope in God though the Diuell tempt vs and we endure many other crosses in this world which man is subiect vnto Though yee were in the famine of Samaria where the people did eate their Pigeons dung Or as Iosephus relates of the miseries of Ierusalem when it was besieged how that the Mothers were forced to eate their owne children to satisfie their stomacks though all these and many more should happen vnto vs yet let vs trust in GOD with a strong faith and hope for he is able to deliuer vs out of all our afflictions What a comfort it is when we haue Christ and his Disciples to take our parts and but to suffer as they haue done If the enuy of the world or malice of the Diuell bee such that I am depriued of my Lands or Liuings then haue I Iob for an example If I bee exiled or banished from my Countrey then haue I Iohn the Euangelist for my comfort If I be put in Prison then haue I Ioseph and if I be put in the inward Prison and in the Stocks then Paul and Sylas and the Apostle Iames for my Companions If I am beheaded then haue I Iohn the Baptist for my patterne or if I be stoned to death then haue I the happy Martyr St. Stephen or if I haue been accused wrongfully then haue I our Sauiour Christ Iesus for my comfort It is he that hath wrought that great worke of our Redemption The faithfull and the thankefull shall continually receiue Gods word and blessings they shall haue in abundance and not abundance onely but shall haue it with sweetnes for abundance without sweetnesse is a clogging or cloying of the stomacke and sweetnesse without abundance is a begetting of an appetite or stomacke but they shall haue showred downe vpon them in a plentifull manner that nothing may be wanting to them that are patient and of long suffering the flood-gates of the Lord shal be open vnto them that truely beleeue they be those which shall haue grace mercy and plenty of all earthly treasures It is Gods mercy in giuing vs this day to heare his diuine Precepts declared it is his mercy that he spareth vs which might for our sinnes bee iustly punished and bee made an example to all people like Herod in that wee haue not giuen thee that due praise and honour which thou desirest of vs thy Creatures VVe must exhort one another for it is Gods command to examine euery one himselfe whether hee hath faith or no And likewise euery Maister his Seruant in his family to know whether they trust in the Lord and serue him as Abraham did Chuse who will serue the Lord for I and my house shall serue the Lord for we shall one day be examined how wee haue bestowed our time and how wee haue made vse of our Talent for ignorance then must be no excuse to any man Let no man therefore which desires Gods loue be negligent in hearing of the Word vpon the Sabbath day for there is in it both a hardnesse of the heart and also a neglect of the duty which is a very dangerous act to reiect Gods precepts and to fall as it were from the liuing God Wherefore let reason follow our faith not faith our reason earnestly crauing of God that he would bee pleased to open our hearts at the hearing of his holy Commandements as he did his Seruant Lydia Paul Mary Magdalen None are exempted from comming to heare Gods Word for the Lord sayth behold I will powre out my Spirit vpon you and your sonnes and your daughters I will put my feare into their hearts and I will write my Law in their mindes and they shall neuer depart from me who am the liuing God Our Soules must be like the Sunne not like Ioshuahs Sunne to stand still nor like Hezekiahs Sun to goe backwards but we must be like Dauids Sun which comes out and appeares like a Bridegrome or like a Gyant ready to run his course and striue we by all meanes to strengthen and goe forwards in Faith and good workes for we haue no desert of our owne to saue our soules at the last day but must say and confesse as Saint Augustine did O Lord what is my merit but thy mercy thy mercy but my merit in CHRIST IESVS FINIS
put into strange extremities yet looke they vp with comfort at the last The body of Anaxarchus might be brayed in a Morter but neuer his soule Ieremies body might bee sawed in pieces of Manasses his owne Cousin Germaine not his sanctified soule Amos was killed with a wooden beame St. Laurence broyled on a Grid-iron St. Iohn had like to haue beene boyled in an hot Chaldron of scalding oyle Doe not thinke but that your present Crosses may be seconded with manifold comforts and those cares on your Couch with Peter in Gods kingdome It may be the time is approaching of putting off your Mortality and passing through death as through a gate into euerlasting life to put you in minde to bewayle your misdeeds and to begge remission of your sinnes with powring out of your teares which are so gracious in Heauen that euery sinne is washed away with such a flood no weeds euer springing after such raine or sanctified shower Depend vpon Gods diuine prouidence haue patience with your Crosses attend mercy for your comfort beware of pride too often the ouerthrow of Honour be weary of this world make now your way towards the kingdome of God Who long hauing tryed you with Calamities may blesse you with eternall Comforts be you neuer comfortlesse for no doubt God which tryeth his seruants will likewise blesse and comfort them As now sicknesse makes you sigh and be sorrowfull so much more let the Cause thereof grieue your heart which is sinne And bee you comforted in this that Christ Iesus suffered for you lay away Melancholly plucke vp your spirits and put your selfe onely vpon God liue not like a woman but dye like a liuing Saint Let not Impatience preiudise your heart neither let thought pierce your heart but make patience and mirth the best phisicke to your minde and surest comfort in your liues Intreate the Lord to helpe you to beare your Crosses and so to strengthen you with his Spirit that you become not hopelesse of recouery and let no sorrowes so afflict you but as sacred Comforts may soone relieue you Consider your whole life to be nothing else but a continuall tryall of your Conscience in the spiritual Warfare Remember that such as depend vpon any thing but on God alone refuse their owne felicity and that goodnesse which they should else receiue of God Who knowes not this that there is no Saluation but by Christ There is no true rest till I first feele Gods Iudgements and the weight thereof which shall serue through Christ to my good God doth now and then vse to deferre his helpe for a time before hee will comfort his Church People or Children yet when it is most expedient for them his helpe is euer ready at hand Consider we all that the end of Gods chastisements to his Children is to saue them from Sathan and with-hold them from Hell As God hath strooken you so hath hee power to restore you as you are Gods seruant you haue an Angell to defend you from your enemies you are so deare vnto God that he can no more suffer your enemies to hurt you then a man can abide to be thrust in the eyes Psal 17.8 Psal 17.8 Sathan sought to Iehoshuah when he was doing his Office Zacha. 3.1 that is praying for the state of the Church where you must note that Sathan seekes to afflict and trouble the Children of God and hinder their saluation from doing their duties vnto God if hee could The Lord hath punished you for a time desire him now to be pacified and visite your sinnes no more but that you may liue in peace and quietnesse as in the Kingdome of Christ Esay 2.2 Micha 4.4 Haggia 2.10 Esay 2.2 Micah 4.4 The Lords hand of helpe neuer fayleth his faithfull seruants but resteth so powerfull in it selfe that it bringeth all his promises and purposes to passe although hee haue no helpe of mortall man Zachariah in the 14. Chapter of his Prophesie telleth that these should be the great troubles in the Church in the Euening whereof the Lord will send comfort by a plentifull supply of spirituall graces marry into the new Ierusalem to continue for euer where there shall be one God one Faith one Religion In any wise beware of prosperity premit praeterit it presseth and passeth staying by thee to thy hurt and flying from thee to thy griefe Prosperity is like the golden Bracelets that Turpeus had for betraying the Romane Castle to the Sabynes wherewith she was pressed to death Pharaoh was humbled being afflicted but enioying prosperity hee was hardened Noah was sober in the Arke but ouertaken with Drunkennesse in the Vineyard Gen. 9. Lot vexed in Sodome abhorred all vncleanenesse but once safe in the Mountaines Gen. 19. hee fell into grosse Impiety Dauid being persecuted gaue himselfe to Meditation and Prayer but once aduanced in the Kingdome committed bloody sinnes 2. Sam. 11. The best doe commonly fall when they are furnished with abundance as the Moone is not Eclipsed but when shee is in the full Learne therefore what to doe when God casteth you downe or depriueth you of any comforts you haue formerly enioyed vnder so gracious a Lord and louing Father as is our God Learne wee this Lesson that either God punisheth vs for our sins or for the probation of our faith when he either compasseth vs with his net or taketh from vs the ioy of our Honours the pleasure of our Eyes and the Crowne from our head with the desires of our hearts Now know this that our earthly house of this Tabernacle being destroyed we haue a building giuen vs of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens Striue we therefore to be cloathed with a House which is from Heauen because if wee bee cloathed wee shall not be found naked For indeed wee which are in this Tabernacle sigh and are burdened because wee would not bee vncloathed but would bee cloathed vppon that Mortality might bee swallowed vp of Life God that hath Created vs for this thing hath also giuen vnto vs the Earnest of the Spirit Therefore wee are alwayes bold though wee know that whiles we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord for wee walke by faith and not by sight neuerthelesse wee are bold and loue rather to remooue out of the body and to dwell with the Lord. Wherefore wee also couet that both dwelling at home and remoouing from our home wee may bee acceptable to him For wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ 2. Cor. 5 1 that euery man may receiue the things which are done in the body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill 2. Cor. 5.1 c. to the end of the tenth Verse the eighth to the Romans all throughout it is comfortable It is the saying of St. Chrisostome Crucem tollere sequi Christum omnibus imperatur alligatus sum ego
that I pray not to an inexorable Iudge but to a most mercifull Father who can deny me nothing As I most comfortably read Mathew 3.9.10.11 Math. 3.9 It is no impudency to call vppon the LORD we haue his promise Eze. Eze. 36.28 36.28 that wee shall be his people and he will be our GOD for euermore VVe haue Christs warrant when we pray to haue the Holy Ghosts instructions whereby we may Crye Abba Father fearing God as our master and more reuerencing him then our parents VVe that are Gods children should so esteeme of our tryalls as alwayes tending to his owne glory and our saluation the matter of temptation I meane mine owne concupiscence is in my self the Diuel brings his bellows to this fire and it is forthwith Kindled But crauing Grace to repell this power wee are not swallowed vp of them but freely deliuered from the slauery of sinne and Sathan Saint Augustine asketh What our life is He answereth himselfe saying Saint Augustines resolution Arming to death our Life while it increaseth decreaseth and when our Life is dying our Death is liuing This Life is the time wherein we must be admitted into the Kingdome of Grace if euer wee looke hereafter in the Kingdome of glory and happinesse All Gods Children must in this VVorld be tempted that being tempted they may resist resisting they may ouer-come and ouer-comming they may be Crowned Be not weary of painefull walking to the Kingdome of Heauen fixe your eyes on Christ Iesus and neuer leaue running vntill you come to him neyther feare you any Foe rising vp against you for the professing of Gods trueth so long as wee may winne Christ Iesus for our reward Thinke not your selfe to be a fit stone for the LORDS building vnlesse you be hewen with the Axe of afflictions and then slit through the heart with a Saw of correction VVhosoeuer will heereafter taste the sweete ioyes of Paradise must first on earth with Christ Iesus taste of the cup of salt teares and afflictions with Dauid here he wattered his bed and hast thou none to bedew thy Couch with God would not afflict thee but to weane thee from wickednesse he would not haue the weeds to ouer-grow the good Corne nor the flesh to domineere ouer the Spirit therefore by afflictions are wee often brought to hate that which before we did loue and to imbrace what before we did loath Tribulation doth vppon the eares of the heart which worldly prosperity doth oftentimes shut 1 Cor. 11 the Lord in mercy often chasteneth heere that we might not be proud nor condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11.32 God woundeth vs not to make vs worse but wiser that wee might weepe each one for our seuerall sinnes and wickednesse which wee haue committed against our good God Oh remember that the afflictions of the body is wholesome phisicke for the Soule it killeth the flesh but cureth the Spirit One compareth afflictions to the Gold-smiths Forge which tryeth the pure gold from the drosse or as Physicke expelling corrupt humours from the body Or as a Shepheards crooke whereby God bringeth againe his wandring sheepe vnto the fold Sicknesse and sorrowes are as a watchfull rod to make vs vigilant that are in our selues naturally both sleepy and sluggish You know this that by afflictions are the Children of God and the sonnes of Belial discerned and taken notice of We are oft therefore inthralled that our Faith might be tryed hope loue and obedience exercised and our Crosses cheerefully welcomed sent of God for our good learning in affliction to abase thy selfe in the sight of God Almighty acknowledging and confessing that earthly scourges are but as flea-bitings in respect of the torments of Hell which by our lewd liues for euer we haue deserued Do you aske me why God afflicteth you in this world I answer That the greatnesse of his power and the infinitenesse of his mercies might bee shewed in the deliuery of vs you and such others There is no surer signe of the Lords VVriting your names in the Booke of Life then this that the LORD humbleth before hee exalteth and sheweth vs our damnable estate through sinne by the Law before euer he signifieth vnto vs that he is our Saluation And why dealeth God thus with his owne Children First vntill wee be humbled wee neuer seeke after Christ nor desire him without which wee can neuer finde him for God hath appoynted that by seeking we should find him A second reason is that our Redemption might bee the more precious vnto vs as our health rests more pleasant after sicknesse liberty after imprisonment plenty after scarcity and peace after warre From the Spanish Nauy in 88 From the Gun-powder treson From the last greate sicknesse And many perticular dangers Thirdly that Gods mercy in our deliuerance might bee prised in his kinde the Redeemer in Heauen for this especiall cause extoll the Lord and the Lambe with a perpetuall Haleluiah for an euerlasting Redemption from an euerlasting damnation requireth an euerlasting glorification This generall trueth is confirmed by a perticular example when the poore Iaylour was most grieuously tormented through the horrours of the Law before euer he can find his soule recouered by the saluation of the Gospell Hee cryes Sirs what must I do to be Saued Perhaps Paul and Sylas told him what to do Euen beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be Saued and thine household It is no ill signe to bee humbled as the seruant of God wounded in Conscience or pricked in heart not knowing what to do Niniueh was humbled before he sought to God Thus doth the Law prepare vs vnto Christ saluation and eternall blisse belonging to none but to the humble Esay 66.2 All Gods Children must go through the Hell of a wounded conscience before they can taste of any heauenly refreshing euen as Merchants waxe must be softned with a Candle before it can take an impression the terrour of our sin must languish our soules before wee can come to the remission of them The comming of GOD into the Soules of the Faithfull and chosen is notably resembled by his appearance vnto Eliah 1 Reg. 19.11.12 First 1 Reg. 19.11.12 there came a mighty strong Winde that rent the Mountaines and brake the Rockes but the Lord was not in the wind After the wind came an Earth-quake but the Lord was not in the Earth-quake after the Earth-quake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire at last came a soft and still voyce So the Lord appeareth to his Redeemed ones by the VVinde of his wrath breaking their hearts Secondly by the earthquak of his anger shaketh God our soules Thirdly by the fire of displeasure smoaketh he our Consciences but in the end by the still voyce of his mercies he refresheth our soules were they neuer so sinfull As the Iaylour had an Earth-quake in his Castle so must each Christian in his Conscience before euer he
doth crosse and afflict him therefore GOD doth hate forsake and vtterly cast him off those with whom he so now dealeth It is true that Christ Iesus hath taught vs to call vppon him by the name of a Father who now loueth vs more then our mothers did First instructing vs as parents doe their children Secondly admonishing vs as Schoole-maisters scourging vs now and then with his Rod. Thirdly if we grow stubborne spend-thrifts wanton and prodigall vsing ill company then God draweth vs out by the eares whipping or beating vs till our bones doe cracke yet with a fatherly true affection still to bring vs to amendment or he vtterly cast vs off Our heauenly Father warneth vs by his rods to walke in his wayes and to liue in his obedience which if we dispise and refuse to follow then will the Lord vse his scourges pouerty sicknesse diseases crosses in Children stocke or croppe fire or sword till that wee humbling our selues vnder Gods mighty hand shal subiect our selues to his gouernment suffering in our selues a holy reformation of manners and amendment of life Learne we also to reioyce in the middest of our troubles and afflictions with contented minds and sanctified affections no Parents so louing to their Children as is our heauenly Father for our safety in our sufferings cling wee therefore the faster and the more faithfully vnto God in our troubles God hath turned heretofore the penury and the captiuity of his people vnto their good by greatest crosses working his people their greatest comforts God doth oftentimes make our sicknesses and sorrowfull diseases as purgations to euacuate our pride vayne-glory hypocrisie and the corruptions of our putrified soules And sometimes for preseruatiues to keepe vs from falling into those or the like sinnes And sometimes God vseth them as Cordials to strengthen our decaying graces and to animate vs vnto holy duties to pray Reade and heare the more attentiuely to beare the Rod of God more patiently and to performe each holy duty with the more cheerefulnes Be not ignorant of that Lesson which Dauid teacheth vs all Psalm 119 It is good for vs that wee haue bin afflicted For the learning of Gods Statutes and Keeping of his word and testimonies with-hold vs from going a stray in ill wayes so that each one of vs may truly say of our troubles sorrows and sicknesses that we haue suffered them and haue learned to loue God more and our owne deserts the lesse let vs all learne to make holy medicines for our soules out of such calamities as do often befall vs in the World and so shall we haue no cause to vexe our selues with cures for the sanctified crosses that do vs much good we grieue at the vntimely death of our Children which we hoped should haue beene the staffe of our old Age inherite our houses and keepe still our name but we minde not how many children of as good hope as ours haue prooued parents crosses and some mothers vpon their knees haue wished they had neuer beene borne or that they had then carried them to their graues when they had them to weane Sure it is that God for the most time doth lay such afflictions vpon vs eyther because he will procure vs some good or preuent some Euill by them Which things if we commonly see them come to passe why mourne we so that which tendeth vnto our welfare and greater comfort There is nothing in the world but still works for the best to the children of God aswell the stratagems of Sathan as the imaginations of men are for the Weale of Gods children Yea out of one of the most poisonfull things as sinne and death doth the Lord draw healthfull and medicinall preseruatiues to them that loue him still strengthning their Faith whilest they giue glory vnto God Care you not what outward punishment you indure so that you may feele the guilt of your sinnes washed out of your Conscience and the louing countenance of our heauenly Father in Christ Iesus to wipe your trespasses cleane away Let the goodly sorrows of our seuerall wounded consciences driue vs to GOD who hath vndoubtedly physicke for our sickly and sinnefull soules Are you weake and sicke sad and confounded in minde desire the LORD so to stampe the impression of his sacred spirit into your hearts as washing your selues in the water of Repentance you wallow no more in the mire of former filthines the Lord so kill and clarifie your flesh as the life of Grace may assure your soules of election to glory Remember what Queene Esther did being in danger of death Chap. 14.1 Shee resorted vnto the Lord shee layd away her glorious apparell and put on the garments of sighing and mourning instead of precious oyntment scattering ashes and Earth vpon her Head humbling her body greatly with fasting filling all the places of her ioy with the haire shee plucked from her Head It is very good for GODS Children that this world now and then much discourageth them and that wee and they likewise rest seldome free from one calamity or another to make vs to cry with Christ in our troubles vnto God that he may pitch his Tents about vs so as we finally miscarry not nor goe astray from the Kingdome of God apply our hearts wholy vnto Christ and cleaue we all still vnto him with sure purpose of soule to rest throughly sanctified Beware of temporary faith which is lame of one hand onely able to take Christ but not to giue himselfe to Christ This is to offer the same offering without the burnt offering hast thou Hope against Hope feelest thou Hell in thy Conscience yet here must thou apprehend Heauen and with Ionas in the Whales belly call vpon GOD in faith for faith is the subsistance of things that are not much more then of things that in deed are though not in appearance Be of good cheere for Christ hath fastened Sathan Sinne and Death to his Crosse Now amidst thy bitterest torments and tortures remember how Christ drunke the most bitter and sharpe Cup of his Fathers wrath in our name Remember that Peter suffering for the truth of God returned from the Councell with ioy and gladnesse when hee had beene whipped and had heard that hee should dye a violent death through which conflict and repugnance hee stroue still with violence not for other peoples pleasure but for his owne saluation There is no Christian but he must fight before he can tryumph and be daily calling yea earnest by praying and crauing for helpe at Gods hands remembring that against the ignomy of the Crosse wee haue to set the decree and purpose of God fore-told by the Prophets of Christ How that first of all hee should bee crucified here vpon Earth And then he should appeare from Heauen the Iudge and Restorer of all things that all Beleeuers might be saued and all vnbeleeuers vtterly perish Vnderstand and Know this that God vseth to wrappe vp his Church with the wicked in
A Grand-fathers LEGACY OR Maltbey's Morsels for Mourners Diuided into seuerall Meditations for euery Day in the Weeke Being a Comfort to all wounded and oppressed Consciences which seeke for comfort by the Word of Truth By Iohn Maltbey late Minister of Gods Word at Buckland in Glocester-shire LONDON Printed by N. OKES and are to be sold at the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard 1633 TO THE VVORshipfull and well respected Gentleman Mr. IOHN ROBINSON Esquire of Denston-hall in Suffolke And to the Vertuous and well-affected Gentle-woman his wife Mris Briget Robinson all terrestriall happinesse AS there is an appoynted time for the end of all our Acts and by the Almighties Decree once to dye so hath it pleased God that this Reuerent Divine hauing payd that debt to Nature that we must all pay And leauing behind him this new borne Babe which might haue beene obscured and buried with him had it not with a Religious Care bin preserued And being brought to the view of the World and past the Presse I haue selected you amongst many others knowing you most fitting to Patronise this Worke and do desire you to answere for this Childe and to receiue it into your protection And withall which was the chiefe motiue hauing bin often Resident with you and knowing in my selfe your pious and religious Gouernment in your Family in offering vp your first and latter Fruite of Prayer and Thankesgiuing morning and Euening made mee the more desirous to chuse You. The Subiect being of Diuine Meditations gathered out of the Holy Scripture for the comforte of all oppressed and wounded soules For which causes I haue imboldned to fixe your name as a Patrone of this and the like Subiects and present it though vnworthy from my hand beeing of this Subiect as a token of my respect shewing my gratefull minde to you if it came within my compasse for all your curtesies bestowed on me I do therfore presume to tender this my loue only as a remembrance of my thankfulnes and witnesse of my true meanings I wil now cease troubling you only turning my Writing into praying for your good health thus taking my leaue wishing you all happines in this life and a correspondency in the world to come Your louing kinsman to command I. OKES The Printer to the Reader IT is a saying of Salomon that it is better to go vnto the house of Mourning then to the house of Banquetting The house of Banquetting consisting of full Dishes which becomes not Mourners but rather Fragments and Morsels Our blessed Sauiour feeding foure thousand with seauen loaues and a few little Fishes Mathew the 15. Chapter and the 34. verse The morsels or Fragments that were left were seauen baskets full The same number hath this Reuerent Diuine obserued in giuing Method to the Booke in comparing them vnto seauen Baskets full of wholesome Consolation for the seauen seueral Dayes in the Weeke in a plaine and easy way for the better vnderstanding of the simplest Whose aged Life and Conuersation was well liked and approoued of amongst that little Flocke hee had in his Pastorall charge whose Losse was much Lamented by many who were his hearers And leauing behind him this godly Worke which he thought to haue set foorth in his Life time Mistris Margaret Maltbey committed it on his death bed to his louing Wife whose great care herein hath beene largely expressed and now desires that it may bee curteously receiued at the hands of all good Christians Farewell So I rest thine I. O. A Grandfathers Legacy OR MALTBY his Morsels for Mourners The Introduction AS Ionathan Sauls Sonne hearing of the troublesome perplexity of Dauid sought him out in the wood and comforted him in his God 1. Sam. 32.18 So I now hauing heard of your misery and weaknesse am come to comfort you as a neighbour Iob. 6. ver 24. who desire your happinesse from my heart and therefore would haue you to consider that God who caused Saul to returne from pursuing Dauid and to goe against the Philistines 1. Sam. 23. last verses can suddenly change your griefe into gladnesse and your misery into mirth so that you cry with faithfull Dauid Psal 39.15 O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and be no more seene Psal 39.15 Psal 33.17 Psal 33 17. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy verse 18. To deliuer their soules from death and to feede them in the time of trouble and dayes of dearth God grant you may long for your appointed time as the Seruant for the shadow or the Hireling for the end of his worke cry and say Lord let thy spirit within mee so make request for mee that thy hand may conuay mee from this vale of teares to eternall blisse Like as thine Angell guided Peter from prison to liberty Lord protect mee you and vs all from Sathans assaults keepe vs from despaire and secure vs from euill giue to euery one Comfort in Conscience Ioy in the Spirit Peace in beleeuing and a most setled expectation of life by thy Sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus Munday Meditations NOthing more profiteth Gods Children then his Crosse this bringeth a loathing of our troubles here belowe and an ardent loue of enioying such things as rest aboue in the Heauens When Israel had peace in Aegypt they thought not vpon Canaan so wee bewitched with the world forget our saluation But as the Angell caught Lot when hee lingred in Sodome Gen. 19. Gen. 19. So doth sicknesses and distasts with-hold vs from Hell inuesting vs into euerlasting habitations in the Heauens Wee must not looke to bee carried into Heauen in a feather-bed all Gods Saints knowing this that afflictions rest as Porters to the Kingdome of Paradise the Cherubins keeping the East-side thereof with a blade of a shaking Sword Gen. 3.24 When wee haue health we should praise God for it and beware it become not the cause of our ruine You are sicke it is a signe of your heauenly Fathers loue and of your euerlasting happinesse this should make the cogitations of your heart to striue as did the Children in Rebeccas wombe Leape wee for ioy that our names as the names of Gods Children are written in Heauen what though wee be poore sicke full of soares and contemned of men yet being the Elect Children of God and our names in Gods Booke wee may haue sound Comfort both in life and death Remembring that sanctified Crosses rest assured notes of Gods fauour and therefore assoone as euer wee read Gene. 6.12 of Abrahams comming to Moreb it is presently sayd this Cannanite was then in the Land by whose cruelty God meaneth to exercise both him and his and the like must all Gods Children looke for Say not thou that afflictions rather driue vs from God then to God for where the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all things there doe proue most excellent Albeit Gods dearely beloued Children are
sed Verbum Dei non alligatum Are you sicke it is not for your health not for your hurt Despaire not for our Saluation dependeth vpon the will of our most louing Brother Iesus Christ who will intreate the Father for the Children and the Father will heare the Sonne for his Brethren not refusing them but feasting them And though the best of vs haue no merits yet our Sauiour Christ hath so imparted to vs his Righteousnesse as if wee had effected it our selues By which his most gracious suffering he hath most surely signed and sealed his Diuine loue and heauenly fauour vnto vs which beleeue The Lord deliuereth his people by afflictions preserueth them vpon his borders Esdras 12.14 making them ioyfull vntill the comming of the day of Iudgement I see you rest weake and sicke I pray you bee as quiet as you can seeking no other remedy but content your selfe with Christ God oftentimes sendeth afflictions on vs to discouer our vaine Confidence which wee keepe secret to our selues Terrours and destructions make men now and then to learne that which exhortations and gentlenesse could not bring to passe As the Plow-man hath his appointed time and diuers Instruments for his labour so hath the Lord for his vengeance for hee punisheth some at one time some at another some after one sort and some after another So that his Chosen seed is beaten and tried but not broken in pieces as are the wicked The dearest of Gods Children may faint but not finally faile and vtterly fall away God will suffer his Church to bee afflicted and yet at length send it deliuerance God suffereth sometimes his dearest Children to want Consolation that his grace afterwards may the more appeare when they feele their owne weakenesse Doe wee not by our sins prouoke God to take our liues from vs euery night You are now afflicted in your bodies yet assure your selues in the Lord that you shall finde deliuerance at last both for body and soule a very translation into blisse Gods power is sufficient without the helpe of any other our Heauenly Father hath all meanes in himselfe to bring his will to passe Hee sheweth his care and fauour ouer them that are weake and tender as God hath all power in himselfe so doth hee vse the same for the defence and maintenance of his Members Church and Children See that you neither feare neither man nor put your trust in any saue onely in God you are worthy of rebuke which will not rest on the prouidence of the Almighty but thinke that hee hath forsaken you in your troubles All power rests in Gods hands to deliuer you when hee thinketh good Therefore learne to abide Gods hand with patience and not curiously to seeke out the Cause of Gods delay in your Afflictions Trust not in your owne Vertues but acknowledge all good things to come from the Lord you are in Christs protection and therefore safe against all dangers and free from the feare of our infernall foes As a woeman cannot forget her Child no more doe the Compassions of our heauenly Father faile vs at our needefull times of our seuerall distresses Seeke no Counsell in your owne deuices lest refusing the Light and Consolation which the Gospell offereth you remaine still in sorrow and neuer bee comforted Esay 51. God comforteth his Church that they should not bee discouraged for their small number but remember their Parents Abraham and Sarah of whom they are borne The punishment of the Elect is by measure according as God giueth grace to beare it But in the Reprobate it is the iust vengeance of God to driue them to an insensiblenesse and madnesse Ier. 15 16 The Church of God in time of her afflictions and Captiuity bringeth forth more Children then when she was at liberty Wherefore doth our God refuse vs and forsake for a while but that with greater Compassions and euerlasting Mercies hee may imbrace vs againe as our Redeemer for euer It is our fault that we are not soone reconciled one to another and iudge God by your selues But hee is most easie to bee reconciled offering dayly his mercies vnto vs deliuerance is from Heauen and God neuer forsaketh his Children There shall be great afflictions in the Church but God will euer deliuer his True deliuerance from sinne and Sathan belongeth to none but to the Children of God whom hee iustifieth and when Gods will and pleasure is hee will shew you fauour and feeling graces Our Heauenly Father hath no need of mans helpe for the deliuerance of his hee can easily deliuer his Children and punish his foes Consider not so much what griefes and afflictions you now beare in your Body as what Christ hath borne for you to purchase your saluation Remember why Israel was so sore afflicted that they might in their troubles call to remembrance the benefits which God had bestowed vpon them in times past Yeeld not to the Censure of thy flesh when God doth not for Causes best knowne to himselfe send succour vnto you presently You are in distresse and trouble dedicate your selfe vnto Gods Seruice and call vpon his Name let all your Ioy bee in Gods Seruice and Worship no mans helpe can saue you put your confidence in GOD looke for helpe at his hands who hath better Physicke for your soules then any that commeth from Gilead Pray with true Faith and Repentance not for the smart and griefe which you feele to be remooued but finally sanctified to your Honours saluation Remember that God is the Potter and wee the Clay hee hath power ouer vs Esay 45.9 Rom. 9.10 to doe with vs whatsoeuer seemeth good in his sight As no man that is a thirst refuseth fresh Conduit-water which hee hath at home to goe and seeke waters abroad to quench his thirst So wee ought not to seeke for helpe and succour as Strangers and leaue God which is present with vs. All which meane to enioy the Land of promise must walke in the way of truth which God there teacheth them Let your Faith still striue against each temptation and in your greatest weakenesse seeke to the Lord for strength Know this my beloued that the dearest Children of God may bee ouercome in the battell betweene the Flesh and the Spirit and great inconueniences may they fall into Iob 3.1 c. 15 10 till God rayse them vp againe The Scriptures telling vs that Iudgements begin at Gods owne house wee may not thinke it strange that we are now grieuously punished who haue now and then Ezech. 9.6 1. Pet. 4.14 17. played he part of Gods enemies Extreame are the afflictions that God appointeth for euery one as Psalme 15.8 Esay 51.17 But the Cup which the wicked drinke is more bitter then that which God giueth to his Children for hee measureth the one by Mercy and the other by Iustice If you see you rest weake commend your selues to Gods mercy who meaneth not to destroy you for your sinnes but
Christ Iesus For a time the Father hid his face from him but with euerlasting Compassion did hee most graciously looke vpon him at last God resteth our Father hauing a care ouer his Church and Children preseruing vs from fire and water and each other eminent danger God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are not able but will euen giue you the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it You are the Lords workemanship and hee will vndoubtedly prouide for you both sheltering and comforting you and that euen then when you finde the heate of afflictions to shine most hottest vpon you Forget not to goe and come vnto the Lord in the time of your trouble and deepest distresses knowing Christ to be our Shepheard and preseruer in each danger Wee cannot honour God more then to depend on him in our dangers and fly vnto him in our extremities as our onely helper hope and fortresse This rests a matter of endlesse comfort that our Lord Iesus Christ will bee a place of comfort and refreshing vnto vs and as a shadow at noone-day in the greatest heate of bloody persecutions You are now cast downe as the Children of God to the disquieting of your soule within you yet for all that waite you still vpon God Let no feare or danger make you deny Christ and his Gospell who comforteth vs in his Church refresheth vs in our troubles and freeeth vs from the dread and dangers of Hells horrours if wee faithfully call vpon him for pardon of our sinnes as once did Manasses Bee you still thirsting for life and panting for Paradise powre out your hearts before him that keepeth Heauen for your house assure your selfe of Gods helpe bee you neuer so grieuously tormented the Saints of God haue still waited vpon him to teach vs all to be constant and to waite still for our seuerall deliuerances We knowing the Lord God to be the Author of each calamity may not murmure but seeke remedy at his hands who woundeth vs lift we vp our hands in hope not boasting of our vertues but declaring that wee still rest vpon God in the middest of all our afflictions It is a bad seruant that will not waite on his Master God doth not alwayes punish our sinnes but by hard afflictions calleth vs to the consideration of the heauenly Ioyes Wee doe not honour our God aright vntill wee trust in him alone taking his Maiesty to witnesse that wee hunger in heart to bee vpright towards God still crying when wee are grieued This God is my God for euer and euer and hee shal be my guide euen vnto death Psa 48.14 Psal 48.14 Life and death are in Gods hands and no man can liue for euer howsoeuer therefore you dreame of Immortality it is not to bee founded vpon earth although your disease is grieuous and dangerous yet know you this that God hath infinite wayes to deliuer you Did not God deliuer his people from Og King of Basan and other Tyrants and his owne people from the the Red sea when they were in great extremity and danger Let not your present crosses rest an occasion of your falling from God but rather a Cause of cleauing faster vnto him Howsoeuer you doe yet suffer troubles yet hath God his time wherein hee hath appointed your deliuerance A liuely faith assureth the soule that God is fauourable vnto him when hee seemeth to bee angry and then at hand when hee seemeth to be farre off Feare you not but God will heare you though Care make you thinke that the Lord long deferreth you What though to day you seeme as a Sheepe beset with many Wolues yet put your trust in God and depend still on his prouidence and you shall assuredly bee comforted at the last Vnder the temporall punishment of the Land of Canaan is comprehended the promise of life euerlasting to all the faithfull and their posterity In the time of our distresse wee must learne to pray earnestly and although God stay as if hee heard vs not yet is then our deliuerance neerest when wee seeme voide of reliefe and succour Are you in distresse God hath millions of meanes to free you from miseries and preserue you from troubles Acknowledge our heauenly Father to bee the onely Authour of all your deliuerances from dangers and death and that by his prouidence you are still enfranchised from troubles God will recompence his long tarrying with double and vndoubted comfort to your soules There rests no true praysing of God except it come from the heart Promise therefore to delight in nothing if henceforth God send you life and health but onely that wherein God may bee glorified Remember that sicknesse is Deaths messenger teaching vs to reioyce in nothing but in the Lord. The faithfull must learne to depend vpon Gods hand in the time of their miseries knowing that when things are euer at worst then will God come and set them in order and so bridle the rage of the enemy as hee shall become mightlesse were he neuer so strong before Wee may not looke to bee deliuered at our first cry our eyes may bee kept waiting for our comming with our deceitfull hearts and searching out of our owne spirits crying vnto GOD to know the Causes why wee are chastened and when our sorrowes shall haue an end Desire you to know the way from Earth to Heauen wee must ascend by Faith vp thither if wee will know the waies of the LORD or the secrets of his diuine Word and Will Then must wee learne what extremities God will suffer vs now and then to fall into and why to exercise our faith before hee set to his hands to deliuer vs. God for a time will exercise vs with his rods yet vnder the Kingdome of Christ shall wee rest assured both of our peace ioy and comfort I beseech you learne so to call and cry vpon God as you neuer become weary though GOD grant not forthwith your requests but learne rather to be more earnest with God and to call the more oâ—tâ—er vpon him Though your state rest not so glorious as you wish yet waite with patience and GOD will accomplish his most comfortable promises Acknowledge and confesse God himselfe to be the author of our saluation who very oft in loue calleth vs by his rods to consider the shortnesse of our liues and how that for our sinnes sake hee abridgeth our dayes lest that his wrathfull Iudgements should fall the more heauily vpon vs. Let this be the comfort of your heart that as God is all sufficient to defend you from dangers so resteth hee most willing to comfort you in your most perillous agonies Content your selfe with that life which God giueth you for by Death the shortnesse of this Life is recompenced with Immortality Know should wee all that God hath care ouer his and oft chastiseth them for their wealth that they should not perish for euer with the
wicked Faint not in trouble and you shall assuredly finde helpe let mee intreate you to remember that God requireth two things at your hands and of all his Children in the world First that you detest vice secondly that you put your trust in God for your deliuerance which though they appeare not suddenly yet rest they most sure and are all layd vp in store for you I feare not Bee you in neuer so great misery yet is there euer left place for your prayers see therefore that you labour to haue a liuely feeling of that which you desire stedfastly beleeuing to obtaine it Despaire not of Gods mercies for as great as the World is yet is it fraught with the signes of his fauour his mercies remoouing sinnes as the blast of windes doe the dust You haue nothing in your selfe to mooue God to mercy but onely the Confession of your infirmities and misery and though you be naturally flow to praise God yet stirre vp your selues to the performance of all the seuerall duties of godlinesse Bee not carefull for those you leaue behinde you for God which prouideth for bruite beasts will much more extend his prouident care vnto the Children of his sonnes and seruants there being no part of the world so barren but that most euident signes of Gods blessings appeare therein God prouideth not onely Hearbs and things necessary for vs but also things to reioyce and comfort our hearts as Wine Oyle and oyntments Doubt â—ou not of GODS prouidence iâ— caring for your Wife and Children knowing that hee prouideth euen for the bruite Beasts he prouideth for all Creatures their dayly food and hee with-drawing his blessings from vs wee all perish As Gods mercifull face giueth strength vnto the earth so doth his seuere countenance burne vp the Mountaines wee sinners doe so infect the world that GOD our heauenly Father cannot so reioyce in his workes as hee would Prayse I pray you for his benefits passed and bee you throughly strengthned and encouraged against all present and future sorrowes whatsoeuer So inestimable is Gods goodnesse that hee would rather change the order of Nature then that his people should not bee deliuered Exo. 14.27 Exodus 14.27 although they were wicked Not any one of Gods Elect but earely or late shall feele Gods helpe in their necessity neyther rests there any afflictions so grieuous out of which God will not deliuer his whereof wee must learne to bee mindefull all the dayes of our life Not once forgetting this that God doth punish and correct vs seldome extreamely but because wee cannot bee brought vnto him by any other meanes When in mans Iudgement there seemeth in sicknesse no recouery but all things are brought to despaire then GOD chiefly sheweth his mighty Power and brings vs by sharpe and heauy rods to call mightily vppon him vntill wee finde mercy and compassion So by healing and helping vs when all secondary Causes and meanes of Physicke fayled vs it causeth vs with praise and glory to confesse Gods benefits yeelding vnto him the sacrifices of our owne soules When Humane artes faile then doth Gods prouidence preserue and bring vnto the Hauen where wee would bee Such loue did GOD beare vnto his Church that hee changed the order of nature for their commodities euen at the Red Sea where the Israelites went through the middest of the Sea vpon the drye Land The water being a Wall vnto them on their right hand Exod. 14. and on their left Exod. 14. It is Gods manner sometimes to exalt vs and then agayne to humble vs by afflictions that we may know our selues Know that you belonging to the Lord all things shal turne to your profite trust still fully on the Lord and hee will finally free you from your troubles and sorrows Care not for your outward sorrowes assayling you so the Spirit within comfort you Shew your selfe a faithfull seruant of the Lord God In this your present aduersity still remembring that as the Lord is a a iust God so resteth hee a most mercifull father and when wee are in distresse then is it our time to seeke him and his helpe when wee rest destitute of ayde succour counsell and comfort God hath a care ouer vs disposing of our Death and taking account of our Life yet rests our best payment but thankes laud and prayses for his mercies Refuse you not to be tried with temptations but intreate the Lord so to succour you in time as you faint not through infirmity Know this that with out the maintenance of Gods word our life droppeth away like water Doubt not of Gods power yet of each lawfull meanes and neuer abuse his graces and so shortly you shal be comforted GOD will not suffer such as haue set foorth his glory to groane ouer-long in griefe and to bee ouer-come with misery but with sound Doctrine will comfort our corrupting flesh and languishing desires with the society of Saints and melody of Angels in Heauen Vnderstand this I pray that wee which are not yet punished for our transgressions haue no cause to reioyce at others which are afflicted but rather to feare that the dilation of our punishment wil be more grieuous for though our God doeth come with leaden heeles hee striketh with iron hands recompencing the tardity of his stroake with the grauity of the wound Do not grieue to depart out of the miserable cottage of this World in-into Heauen the Citty of Saints where possessing Christ wee shall enioy all things with him Rom. 8.32 Rom. 8.32 Farwell Riches that are vanity pleasures that are hurtfull and sin which is damnable Come to mee O my God for thou art Truth and thou O Christ my Redeemer with thy merrits and thou Holy Spirit my Guide and Comforter Regard no earthly things for they are of short continuance make the ioyes of Heauen the obiects of your soule which are eternall Desire God eyther mercifully to preuent the plagues or else to grant you patience to sustaine them when they come It was Paules aduantage to haue Agabus Prophesie of his Chaynes that so by his flight hee might eyther defeate the Iewes or by premeditated Resolution lighten or preuent his bonds Although no Repentancs can alter the Almighties decree yet resolued patience may the better endure it the safest shelter in all our afflictions is our faithfull relying vppon Gods assistance And our best improouements of Gods power is by our infirmity No stronger instigation of mercy then our acknowledgement of misery as the priuiledge of greatnesse is to relieue the impotency of distressed supplicants We must labour to gayne by faith and not to loose by infidelity well knowing prosperous issues daily to attend the liuing images of the Deity your faithfull weaknesse becommeth not any disaduantage for glorious tryumphes No Martyre insulted vppon by the furious tyranny of his inraged aduersity but hath faith for his Aduocate naked Truth for his Guardian and the Holy Ghost to keepe him farre from
after a tempestuous Night which of all things will bee then most ioyfull and comfortable When deliuerance shall bee most welcome then will shee breake forth Howsoeuer the hope that is deferred may for a time bee the fainting of the heart yet when the desire commeth it is as a Tree of Life Prouerbs 13.12 The Children of God learne by Aduersitie to come home to their heauenly Fathers house For when neyther preaching nor praying blessings nor threatning will cause them to come then come the Plague and Pestilence Famine and Warre of themselues meere crosses but sanctified by God vnto vs if we make right vse of them wherefore the state of affliction is safer then the estate of prosperity The Philistines could not vnderstand Sampsons Riddle how sweete came out of sower and meate out of the eater No more can the worldly minded vnderstand that tribulation bringeth out patience and momentary afflictions a most excellent waight of eternall glory Crosses for the present it 's true they are not pleasant but afterwards they bring the quiet fruite of Righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Esay 26.16 Luke 15.18 See Esay 26.16 Psal 1.17 Luke 15.18 Know this all yee people that there is more sollid Ioy in suffering rebuke with Christ our Maister then in all the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Why doth God oft thus visite our English Nation and as it were the very Citty and Seate of our Soueraigne with the famous Academies of Oxford and Cambridge but to this end that troubles visiting vs wee euen this whole Nation might powre out our prayers whilest his chastening is vpon vs or our brethren as Hager prayed while Ismael cryed The Israelites in time of their prosperity forgat God and all the mighty workes which hee had done for them Psalme 119.71 Therefore suffered he them to wander in the Wildernes Psalm 119 where they found no Citty to dwell in then cryed they vnto the Lord in their troubles and he deliuered them out of their distresses Did the Prodigall sonne euer intend to returne home agayne to his Father till the Famine Pinched him No no it was the Famine that met him and pinching him at the heart made him to resolue to packe home to his Father acknowledge his fault and intreate him for pardon Ionas slept in the ship but he both watched and prayed in the Whale It is good sayth Ieremy Lam. 3.27 Lam 3 27 for a man to beare the yoake in his youth And Dauid acknowledgeth it good for him to be afflicted And our Sauiour Christ telleth vs that our heauenly Fathers manner is to purge euery branch that it may bring foorth more fruite Afflictions are of singular vse to turne vs vnto God Suffer wee them therefore to turne vs and to bring vs home to our Heauenly Fathers house and presence Truely there is nothing better for any of vs all young or old man or Woman then afflictions if God sanctifie them vnto vs and giue vs the true vse of it it will make vs search our hearts and call our liues to account yea compell vs to runne vnto God by earnest and hearty Repentance and prayer denying our selues and relying on the mercies of God in Christ True it is that no Visitation for the present is sweet but afterwards it bringeth the Fruite of Righteousnesse to such as are thereby exercised more sollid ioyes in suffering with Christ then rest in Worldly pleasures that endure but for a season Whatsoeuer befals vs looke wee alwayes to the hands of God and obserue we his angry Countenance towards vs by reason of our sinnes and horrible impieties Labour wee to reforme our faultes and marke we from whose hands our punishments come This obseruation will bee a good meanes to bridle vs and keepe vs from impatience murmuring and muttering agaynst the Lord Thinke this of Gods Iudgements that they come not by chance vnto vs but looke we vnto the hand of GOD Who sayth I draw my sword I kill and make aliue I send the plague and pestilence to consume and to Destroy In all this let vs say with the Psalmist 119.75 I know O Lord that thy Iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly laying no more vpon me then thou enablest me to beare The Spirit of GOD teacheth vs wholy to relye depend and waite duely vppon his gracious promise whose Countenance is still towards vs Weigh well what true comfort and happinesse it is vnto a poore distressed soule to heare come thou hither I am thy Saluation It is the manner of me the God of all flesh neuer to strike with my iudgements but first to giue warning so as if men wil be wise to beleeue my Word and amend their liues they may auoyde my Iudgements or going on in Vice and folly be most worthily plagued and punished It is the Lords mercy to admonish before hee correct vs Hee speakes sometimes vnto vs by himselfe and sometimes by Christ Iesus the wisedome of the Father crying and calling vs to heare his voyce and to receiue Instruction vsing fayre meanes to win vs rather then threatnings to fright vs. Let vs all I beseech you be reclaymed by his Word and gentle Voyce before his Wand shewing Wrath and the prepared rod both Wrath and Displeasure Are we weake they are meanes to Repentance and Reconciliation looke wee backe therefore vnto our former Race of yeares crauing his Maiesty to deale mercifully with vs. Let vs take heed that wee accuse not God of any hard dealing but rather accuse the hardnesse of our owne hearts that are so vnwilling to be warned by his Word and Iudgements The Lord doth often humble vs to bring vs home to himselfe by his Word and by his Iudgements yea his mercies the motions of his spirit doth our heauenly Father vse to humble vs. So plagues and iudgments woes and miseries doth the Lord cause to light vpon vs mealting euen away as it were our corruptions in the boyling Caldron of common Calamities God by sicknesse teacheth vs not to trust in our strength for wee are as a staffe in a mans hand except the Lord hold vs vp wee cannot stand but downe wee fall one way or another as Peter had into hell if Christ had not held out his helping hand Wee are all the Lords Seruants hired to labour in his Vineyard and therein to perseuer vnto the very euening of our dayes dedicating vnto him both Cure Soules and Substances Liues and Labours Lay hold betimes of the mercies of God in Christ Iesus and let neyther sorrowes nor sicknesses make vs to shrinke from him Afflictions are of excellent vse to turne vs vnto God both the Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particuler When they do not profitably vse prosperity nor behaue them selues thankefully in the day of peace they must bee touched with Crosses and Troubles sicknesses and sorrowes which will cause vs all to call our
13. Great cause haue wee all to loue him and that both with our hearts and soules because the LORD assureth vs of the Victory but that it shall vndoubtedly goe on our side howsoeuer both Sathan and Sinners shall straine themselues to the vttermost against vs Deu. 8. Moses shews vs how that it resteth Gods will that we all must bee afflicted lest wee should boast of our owne power strength and abundance It is Gods order that hee keepeth vs withall assoone as we first enter into his Schoole he beginneth with the scourge making vs to feele hunger thirst pouerty sicknesse sorrowes and sundry kinds of aduersities because wee are all for the most part of vs so wedded to our wanton wayes and wills and so peeuishly proud in our owne conceits that our heauenly Father must perforce subdue vs by some afflictions else will we not acknowledge him to be our Master Although the Theefe vpon the Crosse was receiued at the last into mercy yet must wee all learne to leaue our sinnes before they leaue vs lest our GOD forsake vs and giue vs ouer vnto Sathan It is a priuiledge belonging vnto vs all which rests Christs that God our heauenly Father accepteth our wills and endeauours of obedience for perfect obedience it selfe Eccle. 25.10 Great is he that findeth Wisedome yet is there none aboue him that feareth the Lord the feare of the Lord passeth all things in cleanenesse Prou. 14.27 It is the well-spring of life to auoide the snares of death Affliction and not prosperity resteth for the most part the badge of Gods Church and true note of the members of Christ Gods Word it selfe teacheth vs that Christ his Kingdome is not of this World The Israelites which were the people of God did soiourne as strangers and were euill intreated 400. yeares from Abrahams time to Moses for it is the condition for the most part of the Church of God still to be giuen into the hands of their enemies Ier. 12. It is truely said that Crux est Ecclesiae nota the Crosse is a note of the Church Marke not triumphs but troubles doe point out the Lords Seruants and singularize his Saints vnto whom not any disease plague or punishment can come without Gods prouidence or sending it It 's not the washing of my flesh in water but Christ my Sauiour his cleansing our soules from sinne that purgeth vs from all impurity As pure Oyle must not be beaten and the best Lamps burned so the best Christians first crossed that at the last they bee crowned and shine as Lamps before the Lord continually Let this be a medicine to each Malady that God by his scourge calls vs to glory Let no afflictions mooue vs knowing that as wee are Christs members we are borne thereunto and therefore if wee feele not Gods fauour as wee wish wee must not thinke our selues miserable because our life lieth hidde with Christ in God Col. 33. Therefore may wee not hold it as a hurt vnto vs that we rest depriued here of sundry signes of Gods fauour he louing vs neuerthelesse as it manifestly appeareth by Moses and many others who had many tempests and troubles that some euen desired to be wiped out of GODS Booke who yet haue had workes and faith towards the Almighty 2. Esdras 13.23 Blesse the Lord for his Fatherly rod and welcome his Wand Wisd 20. what he doth it 's in loue to free vs from wickednesse and conuince vs of sin Learne we therefore to be patient vnder the hand of Gods lashing vs for so it becommeth the children of God and members of Christ Iob. 33. It is by afflictions and corrections that GOD openeth our Eares that were sealed vp abating our pride verse 17. And keepeth backe our soules from the Pit our life from the Sword yea God will first cast downe vnto Hell before he heaueth thee to Heauen and doome thee to Death ere hee bring thee to Life because that neither one nor other should be pertaker of his prayse and glory It is Gods ordinance in this world that his Church and Children yea euery member of his body should be vnder the Crosse to learne the better to put their whole trust in him and seeke the comfort of the Spirit which neuer failes to help the faithful into the land of Promise Howsoeuer God leaueth vs for the tryall of our Faith The two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper remayne as pledges of our Saluation The first washing away the guiltinesse of sinne and the latter strengthning our Faith to our very soules receiuing both the body and blood of Christ Iesus though that no man liuing can deserue Saluation yet as Gods adopted sons and children must we all learne by our good VVorkes to glorifie our Heauenly Father declaring our true thankefulnesse for our Redemption through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour and by good VVorkes assuring our Election and winning others into Life by our holy conuersation in Christ Iesus Remember that GOD beeing made man for vs hath in his owne Nature suffered whatsoeuer our sins deserued and made vs with himselfe the children of God and heires of eternall life VVhereof least we should doubt the Lord hath appoynted the Sacraments as outward tokens to bee seene and felt of vs that we should not doubt of beeing partakers of Christ himselfe and his benefits his righteousnesse and Holinesse is ours wee beeing borne anew by the Holy Ghost and walking in righteousnes all our dayes Learne we all to be no lesse thankfull for sicknesses then for health for sorrowes then for comforts imprisonment then for liberty knowing sanctified sorrows open the gates of Heauen vnto the Eternall maiesty of God Our heauenly Father so loues vs that he will lay no other burthen vpon vs then shal be to our good and profit It may be that wee haue both called and cryed vnto God in our extreamities and haue not bin released what of that yet must we quiet our mindes in this that as Children wee haue layde our complaints griefes and sorrowes in the bosome of our heauenly Father who when he seeth it time conuenient wil vndoubtedly helpe vs as certaynely as you and I haue soules he neuer forgetteth the sorrows of his Seruants he still seeth their teares and putteth them in his bottle Our Heauenly Father which hath the issues of Death in his hands wil deliuer you from danger shed you neuer so many teares they shall all be dryed from your Eyes As our Victories in the field come not by our owne strength wisdome and pollicy but by the Diuine will and pleasure of our heauenly Father So in our sicknesse and weaknesse it is neyther physicke nor Physition potion or playster drugges or dainty Dishes can fit vs for Paradise but Fayth may conuay our soules past the mountaynes of Lebanon to the Paradise of God not onely to behold it with our Eyes a farre off but aboue the order of nature most comfortably to enioy it Consider often that
the Word of God standeth not in bare Knowledge but in the practise of life It 's not an halfe seruice but our full obedience that GOD looketh for hee often promiseth vs rewards not for our merrites but to incourage that our labour shal not be lost It is the Lords manner in our greatest weaknes to manifest his power and in deepest danger make knowne vnto vs our saluation Content thy selfe a while with the water of teares and thou shalt be refreshed with the Wine of comfort Acknowledge Christ Iesus to bee now thy Sauiour and thou shalt not once feare him to become thy Iudge After trouble God sendeth comfort to all them which patiently waite on him and constantly put their trust in his mercies The Almighty put Iobs soule in bitternesse but it was to teach him to keepe righteousnesse and not forsake it God dealeth with some as hee did with Iob hee turned his Harpe vnto mourning and his Organs into the Voyce of them that weepes As often as God striketh vs with any kinde of troubles or afflictions whether inward in outward in our goods It is to beate downe our pride and to free vs from afflictions that wee feele not the weight of them nor the heauinesse of his VVrathfull hand or iudgements when he rests angry Sickenesse is GODS Herald which he sendeth to thy house home and heart Our louing God will not afflict thee aboue measure that thou shouldest haue occasion to contend with him It belongeth vnto God to moderate your Corrections and not man Can you pray with vehemency feare not but that both your secret complaynts and sighings are seene of God and sealed vp with Christ in your deepest temptations God both can and will deliuer you Although your deedes haue deserued destruction yet doth God in mercy pitty your frailty The more your Conscience is touched with the feare of GODS iudgements the more hope may you haue to prayse God in the Congregation of the faithfull who sendeth comfort and boldnesse in time of our afflictions who else were ready to drop downe to destruction Howsoeuer eyther sorrowes or sicknesse may somewhat discourage vs yet rest our miseries good meanes to cause vs to feele Gods present care ouer vs. When the Lord afflicteth vs and we crye vnto him we thinke by and by that hee should helpe vs but that is not his due time he hath some worke to worke with vs wee must waite and stay the time before we be comforted and then Physicke and all humane meanes fayling God helpeth that we may learne euer after to looke still to Heauen knowing that not onely our sickly bodies but our sinfull soules and vnsanctified senses such as all ours be must hence be purified or else perplexed Say O my God let neither Man nor misery driue thy Seruant from his Hope of Gods promise and ioy in the highest Heauens and also Eternall felicity Lord be mooued with the complaint of thy poore Seruant and d liuer me in the end from all manner of fearefull dangers Remember that the Lords word and promise is true and vnchangeable hee preserueth the poore from the peeuish and maintayneth the pyous agaynst the proud Crye mightily to our God for this one thing that whilst your afflictions last your faith may not faint Desire the Lord to comfort you both in soule and in body without whose fauour there is no perfect felicity nor hope of blessed immortality What though Sathan hath many wayes to hurt you yet hath our heauenly Father many millions more to saue out of his meere mercy The great power of Christs Kingdome against all Aduersaries thereof teach vs all patiently to indure the Crosse till God destroy the Aduersaries The more your afflictions do increase the more neere shall you feele the helping hand of God assisting you with his spirit of comfort Be not perswaded but that God loueth you farre better then euer your Parents did which very thought should pacifie and bridle your rage Depending vpon the Lord who neuer brake promise with any of his seruants Content your selfe for the treasures of Gods mercies are alwaies layd vp in store for his Children albeit at all times they do not feelingly inioy them How many seeme to be swallowed vp of grieuous afflictions yet rests God at hand to deliuer you And it is our heauenly Fathers loue to cause vs all to feele that wee are mortall and that there is no estate wherein we can liue to haue perfect quietnesse in this world Christ Iesus is come to redeeme the soules of his seruants that put trust in him how then shall the darts of Death endanger vs when death hauing done his worst Christ himselfe then becomes our Redeemer giuing vs for a poore Cottage a rich Kingdome God knoweth what dangers hang ouer our heads and by what meanes to deliuer vs from them Stay his leasure and the LORD will content your minde with that which is most necessary remember how our Faith must bee exercised with diuers temptations Though the iust man dye yet Gods blessings are extended to his posterity and though God suffer some iust man to want temporall benefits yet hee recompenceth him with spirituall treasures such shal bee continually preserued vnder GODS VVings and haue at last inward peace and rest in their mindes The patient hope of the Godly is neuer in vayne but in the end hath good successe though for a time God prooue them with sundry temptations why doth God visite any one with sicknesse but to put both your selfe and others in mind of his chastisments for sinne desire not to be exempted from Gods rod but that he would so moderate his hand that you might be able to beare it let prayer therefore become your refuge yeeld vnto God and not to your own desire Let vs not dispayre be our torments neuer so great but crye we to God with sure trust for our deliuerance doth humane meanes faile waite we for the helpe of God the weaker in body striue we with crying sighes to bee stronger in soule by Faith to the conquering of diseases Death Diuels and danger crye still for Patience to indure the punishments and chastisements which the Almighty sendeth and intreate the Lord not to be seuere against his poore creature neither to wrappe him vp with the wicked to be put to shame This know that it is a very hard thing for the Saints themselues to keepe measure in Words thoughts and gesture when Death and Dispayre assayles them though God deferre helpe yet must we learne to abide with Patience till he heare and helpe vs still remembring that such soules as please him God hasteneth to take them from wickednesse Howsoeuer you feele Gods hand to lye heauy vpon you yet rest vpon his promise and comfort your selfe and soule therein Account it Gods mercy to bee touched with his fatherly hand for each one of vs all is like an vntamed Calfe till the vse of Gods rod call vs home to Heauen Wee are
away all things that are contrary vnto his Commaundements so where the wicked feele Gods power you and I being godly shall find his mercies Desire we God to be our sufficiency aboue physicke meate or drinke Are we in the depth of misery let vs contemplate his Power and glory as if we were in his Sanctuary assured of his Spirit Afflictions dwelleth with the best of Gods seruants who haue no leasure to swallow downe their spittle Such is the estate of the poore members of Christ Iesus that oftentimes they bee soare groaning vnder the Crosse of tribulation yet suffereth not our Sauiour any of his to passe from vnder his shaddow till our heauy and oppressed heartes comforted and fully refreshed Our heauenly Fathers scourge is vndoubtedly a fore-runner of Gods gracious fauour and blessing and the onely way to saluation Crye and call faithfully and God will still heare thee what time the storme falleth on thee It is our Heauenly Fathers fauour to open our eares by his correction thereby keeping backe our soules from the pit and our liues from passing by the Sword He striketh vs with sorrows vppon our beds making our soules to loath and abhorre euen the daintiest meates By carefull Crosses God openeth our eares so as neyther health may hurt vs nor Prosperity vndoe vs The cause why God sendeth vs sundry afflictions is to beate downe our pride and to turne vs from euill and impiety Our gracious GOD withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous neyther will hee still be fettering vs with the cordes of afflictions But he will be opening our eares to Discipline and commaunding vs to returne from iniquity My GOD and Heauenly Father so mooue your and euery one of our hearts to the feeling and seeing of all our sinnes and iniquities that we may all come to him by repentance as did Manasses at the last Assure we shall our soules of this that to the afflicted God sheweth Grace The scourge of the Lord is vppon vs wee ought the more humbly to pray vnto our God that he hide not his face from vs. But rather to indue vs with his Spirit as still resting in misery and afflictions wee might be driuen from man to God As was the Prophet Dauid When his Friends forsooke him and all his Acquaintance hid themselues from him Then gat Dauid vnto God most humbly with these words Oh Lord heare my Prayer O let my crye come vnto thee Hide not thy face from me in time of my trouble but incline thine Eares vnto me that do mingle my drinke euery morning with my Weeping Learne we each one neyther to haue fellowship with the deceitefull nor yet to stay with the vngodly but to wash our hands in innocency and so to go vnto the Lords Altar See you neuer forget the loue of our Sauiour Christ to mankinde who was content for to become a Redeemer to mankind and not for the Angels which fell as did both man and woman For the ground of our Redemption is the special loue of Christ not the fore-seene workes of our faith in the eternall Counsel of God But like as the Israelites got not Canaan by their owne sword and power No more can we gaine Heauen but by Gods fauouring vs in Christ Iesus his Sonne The faithfull are chastened ere they be Crowned yea checked and aduised for to leaue their bad manners and particuler vices and to follow and practise holy religious duties in faith feare and feeling with holy Obedience both to God and man Both Paule and Barnabas teach vs this Lesson that we must through many tribulation Enter into the kingdome of God Few things came into the Hoast of Israel but such as were purified eyther by fire or water How much more ought the sinfull soules of men to be purged ere they come to their Heauenly heritage Num 31.23 Num. 31.23.24 As Hester was first purified sixe moneths with Myrrhe after that with sweete Odours and then come vnto Ahashuerus So bitter tryals and trauailes must touch our heartes ere wee can lodge with the LORD of Life vnder whom King Ahashuerus liued but as a Lieutenant It is the Priuiledge of Christs members to be troubled and afflicted but not for euer to bee fined as siluer in the furnace of affliction and tribulation VVhat was once spoken vnto the olde Iewes I doe now vnderstand it as applyed to the Elect whose priuiledges in this life are pangs and pains troubles and tortures calamities and crosses so that it is now growne to a Prouerbe Athemata mathemata passionis documenta The Lords lashes are lessons to leade vs a long the right and streight way to Christ the true Sanctefier of our soules to all that beleeue in him Dauid penning his sweetest and harmonious Psalme in his bitterest afflictions teacheth vs euery one to profite by Gods Rod because that afflictions Bringeth home the Prodigall Sonne Luke 15. Luke 15. And maketh Nebuchadnezzer lift vp his eyes to Heauen honouring him that liueth for euer As many as rest sons must be scourged of their father wee iust ones knowing God but must looke for messengers to salute them with shriking sounds of sorrowful newes For our learning it pleaseth God oftentimes to conclude the best peoples liues with very fearefull euils As we see in the death of Iesus Christ his best Apostles Ionathan Lazarus and the LORDS two VVitnesses Reuel 11.7 Who hauing finished their Testimonies are killed for so doing and their Corpses throwne into the streetes of the great Citty the Gentiles in their courses three dayes and a halfe not suffering their Carkasses to bee put in their Graues See how the Lord scourgeth deepely where hee loueth most dearely stay but the LORDS leasure and hee will vndoubtedly comfort your distressed heart and minde if you will patiently abide seeke and waite for him in the Way of sincerity and trueth Remember wee should all that Israels portion is not passed into by following of vaine and vnlawful pleasures not by imbracing the Earth in our armes or sending out our Children by flockes to daunce after musicke Til the Lords Vae mane surgentibus Esay 5. seize vpon vs Israels portion is not so easily come vnto There is no other way to the Crowne but by the crosse we must suffer our afflictions as the good souldiers of Christ before the Lord will receiue vs into Eternall Glory Learne we all therefore that the Crosse of Christ is the best Schoole-maister to bring vs to Christ As Naaman did wash ere hee could be whole so must good Christians be content to suffer tryals VVhilst God threatneth afflictions to our flesh he would haue vs to prepare Faith and Patience in our hearts to entertayne the LORDS chastisements with teares The rod of God to man is as the presse to the Grape the fanne to the Corne and the fire to the Gold How was good Iacob troubled first to haue his onely brother as it were to sweare his death then to
perceiue his Election and Saluation The saying is as true as ancient We must goe by the gates of Hell to Heauen we must after a sort be in Hell before euer we can be capable of Heauen aboue That is in the Hell of an ashamed countenance and a confounded conscience before euer the Lord will say vnto our soules that he is our Saluation and Redemption Our humiliation by the Law must first preceed the saluation of the Gospell so then they are not conuerted that more or lesse are neuer humbled To be troubled and amazed for our sinnes is to be fitted for Heauen and first we must be lost ere we can be found and must be condemned before wee can be reprieued or saued We must be ashamed of our sinnes affrighted at our follies and confounded in our consciences before the Lord wil once say to our soules I am thy Redemption Are you amazed at your sins be not disparaged so farre you are in this your Hell from Hell as you are composed thereby and made fitter for Heauen which is the throne of the Euer-liuing Lord GOD. Againe we must labour to haue the spirit of Bondage become the Spirit of Adoption to our soules and we must acknowledge our seuerall diseases before Christ will heale vs. As euery one can rest content to haue Cstrist our Iesus so must we rest content to haue him our Lord and be conformable vnto him in bearing the Crosse if euer we meane or looke to be glorified with him in Heauen We must needs feele our sicknesse ere wee befit for Righteousnesse soule afflictions must not fright you from Almighty God but make you rather runne vnto him for defence as the Chickens do from the Kite to their Hen 2 Cor. 12.17 18. The more you trust in God the sooner will he support you and the more earnestly you cry and craue for iustice the sweeter will be your end and the more ioyfull your deliuerance Forget not to be thankfull for the least measure of Faith and Grace wel knowing that the want of these soone worketh mans ouer-throw Vnderstand I beseech you that though Death be the deliuerer of euery faithfull man and woman from the body and prison of sinne to Eternall Felicity Our Sauiour by his Death and Passion hauing killed the sting of death in vs and a though Paul once rauished with an high Contemplation Wished to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Philip. 1.23 Yet haue we no warrant euery man to pray for the hasting of his owne death being to euery Faithfull particular man the same thing that the generall transmutation wil be at the latter day to the whole body of the iust and Elect except that the Elect after the generall dissolution attayne to a greater degree of Glory Christ came not to Call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance To seeke the lost Sheepe to finde the lost Greate and reclayme the lost Sonne or meet with the lost treasure Submit your desires to GODS will and leaue your indeauours with patience to be ordered by the Lords prouidence earnestly desiring preseruation from Death you patiently submitting your selfe vnto GODS pleasure eyther for Life or Death For the best and surest way to finde Fauour in the Eyes of the LORD Almighty is to desire him to doe with vs what hee seemeth or thinketh good for referring our selues to his Diuine prouidence hee will euer deale most graciously and louingly with vs. God is our GOD willing to shew vs grace and mercy he will turne to vs and be fauourable 〈◊〉 he takes away our manifold iniquities and cast our sinnes in the depth of the Sea Agayne Psalme 103.8.9.10 The Lord is full of Compassion and mercy long suffering and of great goodnes He will not be alwayes chiding neyther keepeth he his anger for euer He hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewards according to our iniquities But looke how high the Heauen is in comparison of the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Looke how wide also the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. Yea like as a Father pittieth his owne children euen so is the Lord pittifull to them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that we are but dust Psal 145.8 Ioel. 2.13 Mat. 26.11 2. Cor. 1.3 Ephe 2.4 2 Tim. 1.13 Of the great mercies of God towards vs sinners read at your leasure Psalme 145.8.9.147.8.10 and in Ioel 2.13 Math. 26.11 2 Cor. 1.3 Ephes 2.4 1 Tim. 1.13 vnto 18. verse All these places yeelde words of rare comfort pronounced by the Eternall Verity it selfe and therefore not to be mistrusted or dispayred of Let vs not abuse GODS mercies making them a cloake to couer our sinnes presume we not saying Eccles 5.6 Eccle. 5.6 The mercie of our God is great he will forgiue my manifold sins for mercy and wrath come from him Forget not that golden saying of St. Paule Rom. 8.28 All things worke together for the best to them which feare God Rom. 5.4 Yea the afflictions and troubles of Gods children are so sanctified vnto them by Gods spirit that by the same they are made partakers of Gods holinesse Hebr. 1.12 Heb. 1.12 By the same they inioy the quiet Fruite of Righteousnesse by it likewise they attaine to a greater measure of ioy in the Holy Ghost Agayne Hereby is the world crucified vnto you and you vnto it Rom. 8.8 Hereby are we made conformable to the death of Christ by this are we kept from the condemnation of this World and by the same likewise learn we experience patience Hope c. I beseech you all to ponder weigh and consider how your crosses are mercy your losses gaines your afflictions schooling and each aduersity as a Lesson receiue your Crosses as comming from Christ written both for thy Learning and Comfort manifesting by these tokens that he loueth you meaning thereby to draw you euen into his Bosome hereby we are assured of our heauenly Fathers good will towards vs. We may not in our miseries still looke for Gods but likewise at his ineffable mercie our Parents disobedience in eating the forbidden Fruite did banish them out of the most pleasant place of the World yet shewed GOD his fatherly Kindnesse vnto them before he droue them out for he made them Coates to arme them against all weather More then that hee comforted them with the promise of the blessed Seed Iesus Christ which should restore that Saluation vnto mankinde which they had lost by yeelding to the Serpents intisements Loe here the most louing and Kind dealing of GOD with Man hee will make vs smart a little for our sinnes here is his Iustice but yet so that he will not vtterly forsake vs or giue vs ouer for euer here is louing mercy Auoyde therefore Sathan once I say agayne auoyde cease to suggest or ingest into any mans heart that he should thinke because that God
Glory which wee looke for a thousand times sur-mounting the misery of our afflictions You Know well that this whole World looketh for a restoring groaning as it were for it and that not in vayne Let it not grieue vs therefore to sigh for our Sauiours comming being now certaynly perswaded of our Redemption at hand especially we hauing the first Fruites of the Spirit Call to minde how it was imputed vnto Abraham for Righteousnes in this that hee was found Faithfull in Temptation It is Iosephs commendation that in time of trouble he kept the Commandement and was made Lord of Aegypt Forget not that Elias for his zealous Feruency in the Law was taken vp into Heauen And the Children by Faith deliuered out of the flame Trust still in God and you cannot want strength as for the glory of man it is but dung and Wormes to day Dust to morrow nothing Shew your selfe willing to change your life manfully and such a one as your Education and your yeares now requireth The Lord God Almighty so moderate our troubles and torments that we may dye holily put our whole trust and affiance in him O remember how Christ was tempted all manner of wayes and did ouer-come that we through his Vertue might likewise be Conquerours Esteeme not the ioy and Felicity commodities and pleasures of this life to bee any wayes better then vexing perplexities the way to Heauen is straight and narrow we must passe through the rough way suffering to be thrust and thronged before we can enter into Life And although Christ seeme sometimes to neglect his in most extreame dangers yet in time conuenient hee asswageth all tempests and bringeth them to the hauen they hope for Who knoweth not our sinnes to be the causes of our afflictions and Christ onely to forgiue them then when wee beleeue the children of God are to sayle thorough many tempests but Christ will neuer forsake them so that they still ayme at the marke which God commaundeth them Striue wee all by Faith to tread vnder our feete all our troubles and afflictions by the vertue of Christs power Let all know this that it is Christ which healeth the sick and from him must we all seeke remedy for our spirituall diseases to whom we are all bound not only to turne and run our selues but to bring others to him also preparing our minds more and more agaynst the offences of the Crosse that with patience may indure for to gain Christ to whom be all glory Amen Friday Meditations GOD hauing giuen vs his only begotten Sonne how shal he not with him giue vs all things else We are taught in Holy Scriptures that the Church shall haue a continuall conflict with infinite miseries and offences and that more is with false Prophets vntill the day of victory and tryumph commeth Let not your soule be discouraged with any sorrow for Christ hath made full satisfaction for vs all First in suffering and then in ouercomming not onely the torments of the body but also the most horrible tortures of the minde Be not dismayed for any sorrowes that assayle you but remember that Heauen it selfe was darkened for very horrour when Iesus cryed in the bitternesse of his sufferings and in the meane time was mocked in the middest of his miseries Neglect not the Doctrine of the Gospell by the which Sathan is driuen out of the World neyther doe you forget that Christ by his healing of diuers Diseases sheweth that he hath brought true life into the world for all beleeuers The Faithfull seruants of GOD in their few labours on Earth must still be crying vnto Christ so to moderate their miseries as after all our Earthly tossing tempests bring vs to the happy Hauen of Heauen that wee so long sigh for The true Disciples of Christ must beare stoutly what burthen soeuer the Lord layeth vppon them still seeking to subdue the affections of the flesh The glory of Christ was abased vpon the Crosse yet auouched by Visible signes that hee was the God which vppon that Good Friday for vs dyed vniustly and being vpon the Crosse cryed out It is finished it is finished meaning the worke of our Redemption Labour therefore with Faith to become proficient Scholers in the Schoole of Christ we must be seasoned by Gods Word that wee may be acceptable sacrifices to God and also being knit together may comfort one another with the soueraigne and most wholesome medicines of Diuine Scripture Christ healing the Disease of Symons wiues mother with his Word onely prooueth that hee is God Almighty sent from Heauen for our saluation Do we not read Luke 5. how Christ healing a Leaper by his onely touch Luke 5. and sending him to the priests by faith he was cured yea was pure and cleane Verse 18. The true followers of Christ must at once both builde and fight And therefore bee ready and prepared to suffer all kinde of miseries Christs Disciples must bee wise both for themselues and for others otherwise they become the foolishest of al. Dispayre wee not of any which are gone out of the way but according to the example of Christ wee must take great paynes about them Well knowing this that GOD will neuer vtterly be lacking vnto the godly although he bee not so presently with them as they would and then in these difficulties which cannot bee ouercome by mans reason power or prouidence when dangers do most daunt vs then GOD beates downe the blowes so that we rest humble hearted and put no confidence in our owne Righteousnesse Be not discouraged with any sicknesse or sorrows for as sure and certayne as persecution is so sure is the glory which remayneth for the conquerors The more stops and lets Sathan layeth in your way so much more couragious ought you to bee and stoutly to go forward in the Way of Righteousnesse This shal bee then the ende of your troubles and afflictions they shal be as witnesses both before GOD and man aswell of the treacherous and cruell dealings of your enemies as also of your Constancy after diuers tempests the Lord will at length deliuer his Church day and night Let vs be sober and watch for the Lords comming that we be not taken vnawares but still remember that as many as are pertakers of the afflictions of Christ shall also be pertakers of his Kingdome whereinto Lord admit me in thy mercies If wee will continue still wise vnto saluation wee may none of vs forget how good Gold is purged in the fire and shines cleerely in the water Doe not thinke that any temptation hath taken you but such as appertaine to man and GOD is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will euen giue issues with the tentation that you may bee able to beare it 1. Cor. 10.13 Forget not Dauid Ps 39 I sought the Lord and he heard me yea and deliuered me out of all my feares put your trust still in the Lord
and mercy shall embrace you on euery side Psal 31.11 Let this true comfort raise you and me vp as wee are the members of Christ that in our deepest misery and afflictions the Lord is able first to free vs from it or else to deliuer out of it There is neither panges nor any one fit in your sicknesse but it is from God the manner of it the measure of it the time of it the matter of it is of God which giueth vs good assurance and affiance that God will be mercifull and gracious vnto vs seeing hee striketh vs that is our Father and in the stroake be it neuer so sharpe he neuer forgets his former compassion but maketh each thing fall out to our future saluation puts our teares in his bottle and most louingly layes his hand vnder our head that aketh Seeke wee therefore to God for health who as hee smiteth mee so hee will heale me and as he wounds mee so likewise he restoreth me God therefore bringeth downe to the graue that he may raise vs vp againe and puts vs in mind of death by Gods Sergeant aresting vs to bring vs before him God of his goodnesse behold your teares hearken vnto your prayers and mercifully remoue your heauy affliction from you It pleaseth the wisedome of God now and then to confound your pride by weaknesse and to free vs from former sinnes by furnishing vs with most delectable seruices of assured sanctification Afflictions change their nature when they befall the man endued with Gods Spirit all things working together for the best for the loue of all such as feare the God and are called according to his purpose Let none of vs so forget the safety of our soules as not euermore still to remember Christ Iesus how he went as willingly to the Desart to be humbled as vnto Iordan to be exalted Thinke not your selfe to be forsaken of God when you are tempted of Sathan for herein you are resembled to the Sonne of God who being baptised was presently tempted by Sathans subtilties Afflictions soften our hearts when we apprehend Gods mercies in them and can receiue them as the wounds of a friend with the melting of our hearts sent in loue vnto vs to better our behauiours Know I beseech thee thou languishing person that the deeper the sence of misery is the sweeter is the sence of mercy It 's the saying of St. Bernard Deus non infundit oleum misericordiae nisi in vas contritum God powres not the oyle of his mercies saue into a broken vessell For indeed whole vessels are full enough and would run ouer if powred into them and so be spilt on the ground The Lord scourgeth vs to make vs more pliable to his holy will an vnhumbled sinner is vnfit for Gods Instruction and like an vnbroken Colte for the Saddle The deeper your discent in humiliation the higher your ascent in consolation Therefore doth now euen rottennesse enter into your bones that hauing a while trembled you may henceforth rest in the day of trouble remembring how after greatest tempests come the stillest calmes sanctified windes making the trees of Gods Garden to take the deeper rooting It is the manner of our heauenly Father to gaine glory to himselfe by working by contraries when he bringeth ioy out of feares light out of darknesse and Heauen out of Hell God wrestled with Iacob and lamed him ere he blessed him Iosephs leggs were laden with irons and bolts in Pharaohs Dungeon ere hee could weare a golden Chaine and haue dominion in Aegypt The wounds that our God giueth are not mortall but medicinable our God is such a Chyrurgeon that he first woundeth but then heales It is Gods accustomed manner to bring first downe to Hell and then vp againe into the bosome of Abraham Feare not to fall into the Lords Dungeon which will rebound you safely into Heauen his Pallace of priuiledge forget not how repenting Ionas was throwne into the Sea and humbled Glut not your selues with any pleasures of this life neither spend your precious time in fleeting vanities keepe rather your best dainties in the vineger of godly sorrow allay your strong wine with water eate your meate as the Iewes did their Passeouer with sower hearbs Imitate godly King Dauid who caused his bed euery night to swim oftentimes watering his Couch with his teares Psal 6.6 Forget not good Bradford that vsually at his dinner shed teares on his trencher art thou sicke and sinfull stand not reasoning with thine owne distrustfull heart but heare what God sayth by Esay 1.18 If you will wash and cleanse your selues by repentance though your sins were as red as Crimson yet then shall they be as white as Snow Oh but my sins passe the sinnes of all others in greatnesse so much the more haste to repent the more dangerous thy disease is the more physicke must thou vse if thy sinnes be so great as thou complainest why meanest thou to make it greater by thy not repenting Repentance makes sin lesse Impenitency is the condemning sinne Remember that Christ is our Physitian and Repentance is his Phisick Math. 9. In death Sathans temptations and our Consciences accusations will be strongest therefore our preparation against them should be more then ordinary We may not once despaire of our heauenly Fathers prouidence but call to minde how louingly the father entertained his sonne after hee had misbehaued himselfe in rude and riotous courses As our heauenly Father is often shewing vs many fauours so now and then he pincheth vs with too too heauy crosses because we should not be ouer-ioyed with any of Gods fauours but prepare for some following after-claps being as content to endure the one as cheerefully to receiue the other with him shall we raigne wee shall hereafter for euer liue with him in glory with whom now wee are in misery if we now take vp our crosse following him with sanctified contentation wee rest then assuredly happy when we beare each affliction with ioy in the Spirit submitting our selues to the yoake of our God then contented with our states then wee weare our chaines and weepe shedding many teares Our sufferings are no arguments of Righteousnesse but our Righteousnesse an ornament vnto our sufferings Are we in troubles lye wee in troubles flye we vnto Christ our Lord and Master for ayde who in mercy will heare vs and deliuer vs by the strength of his mighty power be our state neuer so desperate he can helpe it and we are neuer past helpe so long as we desire to be holpen The greatnesse of our perill can be no stop to our deliuerance because the power of our deliuerance is infinite Tribulations are the way to the kingdome of Heauen through stormy tempests are we brought to the Kingdome of Heauen being the Hauen that all hunger for Be of good courage for al the diuels in hell cannot damne vp the way betweene vs and the Kingdome of Heauen Through the straite way haue all