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
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
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
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
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
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
it is farthest from them Our way to Heauen is not by prosperity or high lookes treading on our Neighbours neckes and contemning of the poore but through persecutions and crosses reuilings scoffings and all ignominies of the world which patiently wee must indure and suffer for our Sauiours sake Shall the Estrich digest hard Iron to preserue her health The Souldier indure hardnesse to achieue the Conquest the sicke Patient swallow bitter pils to be eased of his griefe and shall we neyther abide soares nor sicknesses stormes nor tempests to get into the place of blisse and Kingdome of Glory As Iacob thought his seauen yeares seruice short for the great Loue that he bare to Rachell So should all the tribulations of this World for the Kingdome of Heauen The Lord will surely saue the soules of his Seruants that put their trust in him Psal 86.2 and call dayly vpon him Hee would not bid vs call and cry vnto him vnlesse hee ment to ponder our humble desires let vs truely worship him on earth and he will surely glorifie vs in Heauen If wee but once heartily desire to walke in the truth God will so knit our hearts vnto him that we shall surely finde deliuerance from the nethermost Hell God wil not finally faile to strengthen his Seruants to shew some token vpon you for good so as you shall bee both holpen and comforted Psal 86. Though the Lord our God sometimes turnes his face from vs yet will hee at last satisfie vs with his mercies and being his seruants shew vs his glory Psal 90.16 Yea Psal 90.16 the glorious Maiesty of the Lord our God shall be vpon vs verse 17. O perswade your selfe to be vnder the defence of the Lord and to abide vnder the shaddow of the Almighty so shall you be safe vnder the Wings of God his faithfulnesse and Trueth shal be your shielde and buckler So high hath God set an house of defence for all his Children Psa 91.15 as hee will deliuer them from horrour and bring them to honour Psalme 91.15 Oh happy and thrice happy are you when for the voice of your groaning your very bones will scarse cleaue to your skinne and when you doe now and then mingle your drinke with Weeping and washing your bed with brinish teares wayling for your sinnes neuer thinke but that God which hath cast you downe will vndoubtedly take you vp Ps 101.10 Psalme 102.10 What though your Spirit bee vexed within you and that your heart within you be desolate and gasping yet lift your soules to God flye vnto him to hide you so shall he lead you into the Land of Righteousnes keepe you from trouble and guide you into the Celestiall chamber of Presence where as no enemies shall vexe you because you are his Seruants O the mercies of our most gracious God and Heauenly father who whilest in Iustice hee might consume you for sinne Hee sanctifieth vnto you your present visitation that your flesh being wounded with feare you might possesse your soules by dreading the mighty power of God and escape his Wrath neyther strucken with terrour nor once tasting his iudgements Looke you neuer Despaire because God which smiteth healeth Hosea 6. Hosea 6. And tendereth his pardon before that wee perish Ionas 3. Desire wee should still to haue our Heauenly Father to correct vs in mercies to amendment but not to plague vs to our destruction Iudith 8. Iob. Iob. 11. 11. Wis 11. You cannot call faithfully vppon God but he helpeth Nor trust truly in him and be confounded Iob 5. The Lord bringeth backe from the gates of Death and restoreth the sicke to their former health yet vse wee must the Physition and medicinable potions for the procuring and maintayning of our health As King Hezekiah being sicke he prayed and wept vsing these meanes to pacifie Gods anger And though GOD could haue healed Hezekiah without meanes yet God directed his Prophet to apply a playster of Figges to his soare to ripen and heale it Thus are wee taught how to behaue our selues in times of our sickenesse First to pray to our heauenly Father for health and that with troubled teares and penitentiall cryes And then to vse profitable meanes and not to neglect them If at any time men thinke to prepare themselues to dye especially when they are in the greatest dangers sicke and in the way to the Graue and so to iudgement now see you haue a charitable heart towards all men Dauid was carelesse in Gods seruice before he was afflicted Psalme 119. Ieremiah neuer thinketh it too soone to suffer the Crosse Luke 9.23 Our Sauiour sayth that we must take vp the Crosse dayly although nothing did better befit vs then afflictions There is nothing better then it so God doeth vouchsafe to sanctifie it vnto you and giue you the true vse of it For it will make you search your heart and call your former Life to account sicknesse humbleth makes you see your weakenesse compels you to runne to God by most earnest and hearty prayer Inforceth you to deny your selfe and to put your trust and confidence in GODS mercies through the merits of Iesus Christ The Lords bringing any calamities vppon vs or vpon our family is to seeke him early that hee may remooue his Iudgements from vs the sooner All chastisements and afflictions yea all Iudgements and corrections come from the Lord alone hee sendeth them he imposeth them and layes them on vs he moderates them at his pleasure his quiuer rests full of such Arrowes to hit hurt and consume vs or in his Fatherly kindnesse to correct and better vs in our courses Remember wee euer that Sathan who could not enter into the heard of Swine without Christs leaue he hath his power bounded and limitted by God so as he cannot eyther touch vs or torment any of Gods people without his leaue and permission Gods prouidence being ouer the Sparowes in the Field and haires of our head will neuer neglect the Saluation of our Soules being a matter of much more weighty worth and moment This being cleare that all our Afflictions come from God vnto vs we must needes learne patience vnder the crosse knowing that the times thereof are still determined by God and how they will leaue a blessing behind them giuing vs farre more in spirit then we loose in the flesh Assoone as wee are afflicted by the hands of God we should presently labour to haue our Soules and Consciences disburdened of sinne Yea we should learne to bee bettered by our afflictions confesse our sinnes and bewaile them with teares and not with Pharaoh to harden our hearts but to Remember with Trembling that the Righteous themselues shall scarcely be saued We may not measure Gods fauour towards vs by our outward blessings or crosses Eccle. 9.2 All things come a like to all to the Iust as to the wicked Nay afflictions are tokens of the Lords loue the Childe is corrected the seruant cashiered
Are we Gods Wheate Math. 13.12 we must be cut with the Sickle threshed with the Flaile vndergoe many blowes and bee ground to powder with the Mill-stones of afflictions nay baked in the Ouen of a Wounded conscience before wee can bee bread for the Lords Table Art thou the seruant of God thy heart must be wounded for thy sins Who euer were more deiected then Dauid and Iob Iob. 31. Iob 13. Psalme 6. Wounded they were both in bodies and soules the Lord seemed to shoot at them as at a marke the venome of his Arrowes pierced their soules and drunke vp their spirits yet at the last were Their Prayers heard and their teares seene Esay 38.5 One droppe of the blood of Christ Iesus to a dying man for the Saluation of his soule is worth ten thousand Worlds We being wounded must learne to flye to God who only heales and binds vp the wounds of our soules Our God is mercifull and gracious yea his bowels earne within him to doe vs all good Build we vppon his promises as vppon a sure foundation that shall neuer bee remooued Heauen and Earth shall passe away but his Word shal not passe away Wee haue the Word and Oath of God as two vnchangeable witnesses so that wee cannot be deceiued Agayne wee haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them sure vnto vs Againe wee haue the pawne of his Spirit to assure vs of his loue and fauour Now as with sicknesse God chasteneth for sinne so is hee indeede the spirituall Phisitian of our soules to heale all our soares and binde vp our wounds Bee not ashamed to lay open your sinnes the soares of your soules to Christ Iesus Are you now spiritually wounded make your moane to Christ Iesus begge as for life and death for one drop of his precious blood to cure your diseased soules there is no plaister to cure vs but the blood of our Sauiour To him therefore let vs runne and make our moane vnto him feare wee not to lay open our wounded soules and distressed consciences vnto him that is a most mercifull Phisitian to our diseased soules The plaister is tempered wilt thou none of it shal thy soule rot in sin wilt thou despise God mercies in Christ Iesus Is not Christ Iesus the Physitian of our soules bindes hee not vp our wounds powres hee not the oyle of Grace into our hearts Cures not he our wounded Consciences Doth not hee wrappe vs in the roabes of his owne Righteousnesse and powre out the oyle of Grace euen the precious blood of his owne heart for our euerlasting Saluation I desire you to know this that it commeth to passe many times in Gods Children that the sence and feeling of Gods fauour is oftentimes extinguished as the comfortable heate and light of the Sunne is taken away by some thicke Clouds Our faith is so weake that some times wee thinke God himselfe to haue forgotten vs and hide his face from vs that hee will see vs no more But as after night the Sunne her selfe doth comfort vs so after the cloudy night of affliction the light beames of Gods mercy doe reioyce our soules So long as it pleaseth God to sanctifie our crosses they shall worke for our good and neuer depart from vs till they leaue a blessing behinde them Doubt you not but hee that is priuy to our prayers will in loue deliuer vs at last from all troubles and calamities Gods humbling vs is to breake downe our pride and conceitednesse to pray the more earnestly neuer to be left to our selues lest wee runne and rush headlong into Hell No crosses should daunt vs but rather driue vs fast forward in the way vnto Heauen Herein are wee discerned to bee the Seruants of God and Disciples of Christ in that wee beare stoutly whatsoeuer burden the LORD layeth vppon vs the patient enduring the heauy hand of the LORD is the way to saue our liues and not to loose them Mark 8.35 Our bodies are all like old rotten Houses which must be pulled down and new builded agayne else can wee not dwell in them with safety and delight our soules lament soare and desire to bee setled in more heauenly habitations still groane we for that glory which commeth after the Resurrection God will hedge thy waies darken thy pathes spoyle thee of thine Honour take the Crowne from thine head remooue thy hopes and beset thy soule with the Armies of afflictions causing thy familiars to forget thee and thy kinred to forsake thee in the middest of all thy maladies yet depend thou on Christ our Redeemer and peace shall come Doth the Lord tarry wee must waite and comfort our hearts vntill he helpe vs. Whatsoeuer our troubles be peace is our best plea stay wee the Lords leasure and hee will comfort our hearts and solace our sighing soules and will thereby make vs more glorious to God and man Care wee for no crosses whilest wee haue such inward comforts the worlds buckerings and buffetings with Sathans winnowings rest all as comfortable crosses to helpe vs to the Crowne As there is no rest without toyle no Peace without Warre so looke wee for no place of blisse vntill we be with Christ our Master well buffetted before hand in the Seruice of God there is little looking for freedome from afflictions the way to Heauen being strawed with thornes rather then flowers Iacob wrestled foure times first in the wombe with Esau Gen. 25.22 Gen. 25.22 secondly in his Iourney with Esau Gen. 32.3 thirdly in Mesopotamia with Laban fourthly at Bethell with the Angell To teach vs that if wee wil be the Israel of God wee must bee armed for all tryals at all times in all places and with all persons well knowing this that at the length wee being the Israelites of God shall neuer be left without a blessing at the last Gods Children shall neuer bee without trouble til the world be with out hatred the Deuill without enuy and our Nature without corruption wee must be fined from our drosse and renewed as the Eagle neuer resting safe and sure vntill wee soare vp into the bosome of our Sauiour God doth not onely by his Word but also by his Iustice make vs fit for his Kingdome Doe you thinke mee now to bee your friend and to speake truth vnto you trust mee there hath no temptation befalne you but that which appertaineth to the Children of God our GOD is faithfull and true and hath promised to giue an issue with the temptation Against temptations heare Esay comforting Gods Children and crying to Ierusalem that her warrefare is accomplished her iniquity pardoned and that shee hath receiued at the LORDS hand double for her sins Esay 40. Dost thou faint art thou weary in him that hath no strength God out Heauenly Father increaseth power verse 31. Such as waite vpon the Lord shal receiue their strength runne without wearisomnesse and walke without
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
and to admiration of his healing medicines Pray wee and God will prosper physicke that he giueth for ease and the prolonging of our liues mourne wee for our friends as if wee suffered great harme our selues Couer we their bodies and lament we them as they are worthy powring out our teares ouer them as if wee had suffered much harme our selues in our bodies soules sences and substances When the dead is once at rest let his remembrance rest and comfort wee ourselues againe for him when his spirit is departed from him desire your most heauenly Father to make you ready for himselfe and fit to atchiue his Kingdome for the only sufferings of his Sonne There is not one of Gods Children but must prepare their soules vnto diuers temptations Resolue we our selues euer in this life to liue and remaine as in a continuall rough battell and fight where no truce is to bee looked for but perpetuall combats and raging assaults From our birth to our death it 's now no new thing to be tempted and troubled with diseases in body or discomforts of minde praise wee God for our lot be your molestations short or lingring welcome bee Gods wande be it for wealth crosse or comfort hee first hath suffered more for you then hee will inflict vpon you in your troubles still call on him and vnder his wings shall you be safely couered The Almighty so strengthen your faith as you may stand fast to the end still beleeuing the Lord our God in all his promises Learne we all to shew forth the fruites of our faith obedience loue charity and hearts purified from sinne and still more and more prepare we to Christ Iesus our heauenly Bridegrome at his comming with more alacrity and ioy triumphant then either mouth or man can conceiue or vtter Christ by the sacrifice of his death will take away all our sinnes where there is neither sighing nor sorrow but triumphant ioyes in the highest Heauens Though the Lord send afflictions yet will hee not forsake vs for euer what though hee afflict to day yet will he haue compassion vpon thee to morrow according to the multitude of his mercies God doth seldome punish willingly the Children of Men for his compassions are many and his fatherly louing kindnesses are so many and so multiplied that wee cannot number them Maintaine Lord the cause of my soule for thou hast redeemed my life from the euill imaginations of the wicked and vengeance of the vile If you were dead and buried yet can God reuiue you and by his great mercy free you from all iniquity and still keepe you in the number of the faithfull The Almighty so exercise your contrite heart as both it sole sences may be laudably imployed in the Lords seruice Sicknesse to the seruants of God doth bring infinite ioy and much goodnesse it 's a purgation and cleansing of our sins the mother of fortitude spirituall strength against our frailty and sure defence against all worldly troubles A purchasing of grace and pardon a medicine of life and a comfortable guide to reduce vs from hell and bring vs all to the Celestiall Paradise I beseech you to remember what troubles and calamities are a purchasing of grace and pardon a merry time of life and a continuall remembrance of Christs owne blessed life death and passion We are all duely to consider how that our humane bodies are as darke and filthy prisons of our soules liuing as in exile banishment and misery The Almighty deliuer you from hell sinne and eternall death for euer The Lord comfort you and are you from sin and strengthen your weake heart against Sathan who still standeth against you to seduce you but remember you Gods Angels that are ready prest for to aide you his grace for to guide you and his fauour for to feede you Arme Lord thy Seruants heart with perpetuall peace and patience giue thy weake Creature grace most ioyfully to beare the burden of the Crosse As Heauen is incomparably greater then the Earth so the Mercy of our heauenly Father rests incomparably greater then the seas of our sinnes Lord free you from bitter sorrows all sinnes and grieuances whatsoeuer they bee The Almighty of his mercy renue your Repentance and vnburden you of the weight of all your great bonds most grieuous sins lay we fast hold on Christ his mercy death and passion Ioh. 3.16 The life of each one of vs being but a vitall Laborinth and a confused Chaos affoording vs nought but fraude folly and fleshly sensuality and troubles to try vs and sundry aduersities to disquiet vs from the King in his throne to the Captiues in the chaines All must taste of miseries discontentments and sorrows before our soules by death be deliuered from their terrestriall burden Although it bee an happy thing to die in Iesus Christ yet such rests the foolishnesse of our corrupt flesh that wee are loath to remooue from bad to better from Sinners to Saints and heauenly Associats we lose nothing in our changing our bad place for a better But one thing we that are Gods Children must still bee most carefull of to dread furious foes dangers Comfort wee our hearts in our deepest distresses acknowledging God to be more able to defend vs then all foes to confound vs not any Gods Children but burdned with calamities Nebuchadnezar King of Babell was turned out a grazing seuen yeares Gods Children are more afflicted then others Luke 13.16 The daughter of Abraham was for 18 yeares bound of Sathan likewise the man whom our Sauiour cured had beene diseased 38. yeares Comfort your heart in your afflictions knowing God to bee the sender of afflictions by reason of our sins It 's the Lord who killeth and maketh aliue bringing to the graue and raising vp againe 1. Sam. 2.6 If Christ had not beene the Sonne of God Sathan would neuer haue so much assaulted him and his Members for his sanctifying and sauing of innumerable Saints and Soules Labour wee all for the Word and Gospell of Trueth whatsoeuer our temptations are let vs all and euery one weepe for our owne sinnes and not once stubbornely defend the perpitrating of the least of any vile and corrupt sinnes and offences Almighty God so moderate your greatest crosses and grieuances as your soule may euer sing with Saints Our most gracious father deferreth his helpe not that hee will not helpe vs but to exercise our Fayth and stirre vp in vs the calling vppon his name and still being acquainted with Gods mercies reioyce Night and day in his Euerlasting fauours would you haue peace none but Christ can giue it you and he will giue to none but to the penient to none but the Faithfull Set wee our Lord Iesus Christ betweene GOD and our sinnes let it rest our desire to spend our selues in sighes and teares of true Repentance and then rayse vp our humble Soules to a liuely Confidence in our onely Sauiour and All-sufficient Redeemer by whose