saith he shall giue to drinke vnto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say vnto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Wilt thou now therfore see if in good earnest thou hast learned Christ crucified repeat thy lesson examine thy selfe what wouldst thou iudge of a neighbour who being nothing beholding to thee should take thee out of prison preserue thee frō danger of death and that by the death of his onely Sonne how wouldest thou thinke thy selfe beholding to him or what wouldest thou not doe for him wouldest thou spare thy selfe God therefore to whom already thou owest what thou art by creation infinitely offended with thy rebellions since thou wert to redeeme thee from hell from eternall death giues his eternall Sonne to the ignominie of the Crosse for thee And behold how this comparison is without comparison betweene God and man the Creatour and the creature betweene him that is offended and him to whom nothing is owing between hell and prison eternall death and temporall the eternall Sonne of God and the sonne of an ordinary man what proportion betweene good and euill the infinite and the finite the eternall and the feeble all and nothing Notwithstanding art thou called to suffer for the Name of God for Christs quarrell thou refusest him the life which thou holdest of him which thou retainest by none but by him this life miserable man that thou art in exchange whereof he imparts vnto thee life euerlasting Naythou repinest to hazaro I know not what goods to lose the least of thy plesures cōmoduies which shouldst and euery day thou dost it for a friend seeke all occasions by them if thou couldst to testifie thy gratitude with the price of thy bloud redeemed with his bloud And dost thou know then that Christ hath been crucified for thee this knowledge hath it made no impression in thy soule no not in thy skinne that thou darest not auow it whereof thou hast either feare or shame And if thou knowest it art thou not the worse for it or to interpret it more mildly is it not true thou dost not know it that it is but a heare-say to thee But it may be this lesson is too high for thee Some man therefore hath redeemed thee from prison by his Sonne hath saued thee both frō the guilt and punishment If thou hast not the heart and courage to die for him at least surely thou shouldst haue the hart and desire to liue to doe him good Yea what is there that thou wouldest not doe euen for those that belong to him for the least of them if thou didst meet them And thou seest the brethren of Christ his owne members freeze with cold faint with hunger at thy doore And dost thou withdraw thy selfe from thy flesh and from his wilt not know them Art thou thy selfe then a member of Christ insensible of his paines and dost thou know Iesus crucified his loue towards thee that hast none towards his owne and canst thou number thy selfe amongst those of whom the Apostle speaketh ſ 2 Cor. 8.9 Yee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though hee was rich yet for your sakes he became poore that ye through his pouerty might be rich who in thy riches sufferest his poore members to die therefore remember that which Saint Iohn saith t 1 Ioh. 3.14 He that loueth not his brother abideth in death And beleeue that thou dost not yet beleeue aright for how canst thou be passed from death to life or how canst thou say that u 1 Ioh. 4.20 thou louest God whō thou hast not seene that louest not thy brother whom thou hast seene And how canst thou know or rather haue studied Christ crucified without knowing there his infinite charitie towards thee without being inflamed towards him to be so towards him and yet cold towards his brethren It may be thou hast better practised this knowledge in thy selfe hast in Christ crucified considered the horrour of thy sinne hereafter to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit to put on daily the new man and to put off the old man to conclude to liue to Christ who is dead for thee no more to the world no more to thy selfe Yea but whilst thou disputest and talkest Christ crucified thou dost abandon prostitute thy selfe more and more to thy vnsatiable lusts thou dost pollute this thy holy confessiō w th disordered profused words coūtenance and actions yesterday in sin to day in scandal to day out of the termes of modesty and to morrow into those of impudencie So that the night that should adde knowledge vnto the night addes blasphemie and insolencie Know thou that thou art farre from knowing Christ crucified though thou beest learned And if thou hast knowne him thou hast forgot him looke to it lest he forget thee for the master of this knowledge saith Yee are x Rom. 7.4 become dead my brethren to the Law by the body of Christ that yee should bee married to another euen to him that is raised from the dead And wherefore that we should bring forth fruit vnto God that heretofore did bring forth fruit vnto death Neither is it enough to know y 1 Tim. 3.9 the mystery of faith wee must hold it in a pure conscience For z Luk. 11.28 blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And therefore let vs boast neuer so much of this knowledge a Rom. 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead saith the Apostle dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you He will be but a bad earnest though he dwell there though hee haue chose his mansion if we take pleasure to grieue him by our disorders And againe b Rom. 8.13 If you liue after the flesh yee shall die but if ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall liue If on the other side we quench the spirit or drowne it in our pollutions the Apostle tels vs as he did the Ephesians c Ephes 4.20 21 22. Yee haue not so learned Christ if so be that yee haue heard him and haue beene taught by him as the truth is in Iesus that ye put off concerning the former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts But you are of the number of those d Ibi. v. 19. who being past feeling of paine of sinne giue themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse To know therefore Christ in this manner yea crucified will it not turne to our condemnation who take pleasure to crucifie him Therefore let vs not think that the Apostle said little when hee determined not to know any thing among the faithfull saue Iesus Christ and him crucified To know
in this life And so to weane our children to set them forwards to vse them to a better food we vse to 〈◊〉 Orpin on the nurses brest A while after thy wife melted with griefe wearied and tired with anguish cloyed with daies desirous of a better life God tooke her away from thee and that before thine eyes thy selfe thy soule thou wilt say and thine owne entrailes But wouldest thou not haue made conscience for thy contentment rather than for hers to see her endure not able to dure vnder such a torture But seeing we must all part from hence louing her so tenderly wouldst thou haue preceded her decease And knowest thou what yeeres remaine thee after her and with what loue then wouldest thou haue surcharged her ouerwhelmed her with such griefe to see thee die before her yea if thou wouldest but consisider thine interest what greater good yea almost what other good ioyned with hers couldst thou draw than from the death of thy wife who after hauing beene giuen thee thirtie yeeres and more for an helpe to liue well thou hast had her as an example to die well dying vertuously Christianly for others to take example by to learne of her and in her a liuely lesson at the very stroke of death to crowne to conclude thy life But in stead of replying thou redoublest thy complaint why could not God take mee some other way and whether it hath beene to chastize mee or to proue mee had hee no other meanes but hee must needs come to extremities But whether it be to make thee feele his rod or to put thy faith in euidence what could he doe more His goods giuen thee by his mercie and worldly honours how often hadst thou spurned at them trod them vnder foot made vile account of them what had it been then else than to haue strucke thee vpon thy cloaths to try the valour of a Souldier in a pettie game the constancie of a Senatour in a pupper In that one therefore which remained to thee whereof thou wert sensible hee hath strucken thee who knoweth thee better than thy selfe doth elsewhere it had beene vnprofitable yea ridiculous He hath strucke thee but in his mercie to thy saluation Iob 5.17 18. for happie is the man whom God correcteth for hee maketh sore and bindeth vp hee woundeth and his hands make whole And therefore learne to say more and more to God with Iob neither be weary therof Iob 13.15 though he slay me yet will I trust in him And notwithstanding protest holily with him euen vpon that point but I will maintaine mine owne wates before him all these temptations shall not slacken my course but rather shall settle mee in his seruice frame me and resolue me thereto And then doe not doubt Iob 42.12 but that God will blesse thy latter end more than thy beginning That hee will restore vnto thee not the double as to Iob but an hundred fold when hee shall restore vnto thee those whom thou bemoanest and thee to them but glorious but in his glorie 1 Cor. 15. when these sensuall bodies sowen in corruption in dishonour in weaknesse shall rise spirituall bodies in incorruption in glorie in power when all together at the voice of the Arch-Angell 1 The. 4.16 at the trump of God wee shall rise out of the dust wee shall meet the Lord in the aire to dwell liue reigne and triumph with him for euer Amen These wholesome simples O Lord doe I gather in thy Garden in thy holy Word and doe compound them and dispose of them but vnprofitably this flesh doth so much repugne if thy Spirit doth not apply them vnto me Therfore O Father God of patience and comfort effect in mee this thy worke behold my wounds powre therein the sweet balme of thy Word giue it vertue and efficacie let this paine turne into conuersion these medicines into comfort vnto my soule That I may haue matter to cry out with the Prophet O Lord Isai 12.1 2. I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me for I acknowledge it I had need thereof I adore thy mercie in the scalding water of thine anger but I adde also with one tenour in full confidence Thine anger is turned away and thou comfortedst me behold the Lord Iehouah is my strength and my song he also is become my saluation for his holy name sake in his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS
away our sins And comprehends himselfe Hereby perceiue we the loue of God because hee hath laid downe his life for vs. And S. Paul saith k 1 Tim. 1.15 16. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners feareth not to adde with the same certainty of whom I am chiefe for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a patterne to them which should hereafter beleeue on him to life euerlasting The which he saith elsewhere l 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed vnto him against that day And it is that therefore properly which this great Apostle who did practise this knowledge in himselfe nameth to know Christ and himselfe crucified To know a thing is to know what it is it is to know it say the Schoolemen by its causes To know Christ crucified is to know that the eternall word the second person of the holy Trinity was made flesh in the fulnesse of time hath vndergone mans infirmities sinne excepted the reproach of the world in fine the death of the crosse But that sufficeth not hath vndergone I say all this by the eternall counsell of the Father with a voluntary obedience to redeeme mankinde sold vnder sinne lost in himselfe by himselfe to release the beleeuers those who imbrace him by a true faith from the paines of hell and make thē heires of life euerlasting Cerces this is a profound knowledge which comprehends all so that it is no meruaile that the Apostle will haue no other it is knowledge the knowledge of man yea the knowledge of God himselfe Hee that first among the Heathen said Know thy selfe was iudged the wisest most learned of all men And from thence the Philosophers haue propounded thousands of precepts Did they for all that goe further than to the skinne and the flesh did they teach them more than the cutting of the haire or paring of the nailes No truely therefore study thou me Christ crucified the eternall Sonne of God for man for his sinnes for thine owne sighing vnder the burden of sinne and of the curse and anger than followed it and crying to his Father in this agony Thou canst not chuse but enter from the contemplation of the horror of that death yea of his death into the consideration of the horror of sin yea of thy selfe so vile so enormous hainous that it could not ought not to be washed to be abolished but in and by the precious bloud of the Son of God A price infinite a crime therefore infinite man all crime And thence gathering thy spirits thou wilt descend into thy selfe consider thy selfe from top to toe from the body to the soule from the flesh to the spirit from sence to reason and consider the more nobler the parts the deeper the more mortall the wounds so that from this anatomy thou wilt be brought to acknowledge to protest with S. Paul that the whole vnderstanding the whole wisedome of the flesh of man considered in his nature is nought but death for m Rom. 8.7 the minding of the flesh that which in it seemeth to retaine most either of wholsomnesse or holinesse is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be consequently thou wilt detest thy peruerse nature contest against it In this contention thou wilt torment thy selfe and be discouraged yea and cry out n Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In a word thou wilt cast thy selfe groueling on the ground before the iustice of God to ery vnto him earnestly for mercy to vse violence to force him to it and then thanke him but I thanke God o Rom. 7.25 through Iesus Christ our Lord. And for what That p Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus A necessary Science which thou couldest not haue learned in any booke but this not in the booke of nature the knowledge thereof puffeth vp but doth not fill as little in the booke of Ethicke morality that doth but palliate thy euill and so giues remedies which eate for a while but heale nor But by this Art which thou learnest thou comprehendest all thou apprehendest in one sole Christ crucified before thine eyes In his wounds learning yea feeling thine owne in his wounds both taking and applying the remedy of thine According to that of the Prophet q Isa 53.4 5. We did esteeme him brutish world stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our iniquities he was brused for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was vpon him who makes atonement betweene God and vs giues peace to our consciences and with his stripes we are healed And therefore as hee giues vs here the root the bulke and body of this knowledge so elsewhere he shewes vs the branches r Rom. 7.18 20 23 I know that in mee that is in my body dwelleth no good thing euill present with me it dwelleth in me bringing me into captiuity to the law of sin which is in my members A knowledge deriued from the meditation of Christ crucified taken from the necessity whereby it forceth man to informe against himselfe from thence consequently to know and seeke the remedy thereof ſ Rom. 6.6 11. Wee know we that haue imbraced the crosse of Christ that our elde man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue sinne that we should be displeased with it renounce it and our selues And therefore he saith Reckon yee also your selues to be dead indeed vnto sinne but aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Corollaries and dependances of this first knowledge of Christ crucified for why was the Sonne of God crucified but for the sonnes of men Men sinners confected in sinne they themselues sinne Why such a remedy but for such a wound why descending from the highest heauens but to hale vs out of the bottomlesse pit Againe wee learne to know God better in Christ crucified than in all books than in whole nature Search narrowly and peruse diligently nature as Salomon did from the Cedar vnto the Hysope thou knowst nought r Rom. 1.20 but Gods greatnesse but his power yea examine fully all the parts of Philosophy thou knowest scarce his shadow On the contrary in this meditation thou entrest into his closet yea into his own nature There thou doest take notice to the full both of his infinite iustice and infinite mercy That in that he hates so much the euill sinne which is the true euill is so contrary to him that hee burnes it as the fire the stubble and because of it his creatures he cannot spare thē doth not abstaine from doing it But in as much as hee
and life and the life I say both of this body of this soule that I may owe and owe againe and againe all vnto thee and that I may glorifie thee both in bodie and soule O Lord it is the prayer which thy seruant hath else-where taughtime Psal 51.7 8. Purge mee with hyssope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse the ioyfull newes of the remission of my sinnes and the bones which thou hast broken shall reioyce this flesh which thou hast afflicted so much shall be made whole this spirit which thou hast humbled in this flesh shall giue thee thankes and glorie For O Lord suffer mee I beseech thee to speake vnto thee that am but dust and ashes When thou shalt haue reduced vs againe to ashes those ashes will they praise thee what honour canst thou haue of the dust and who of those that descend in silence into the graue shall giue thee thankes But O Lord restore vnto vs our life render to vs our health which is the life of our life and without the which life is but a shadow of life and our life shall be vnto thee a continuall Sacrifice vnto thee a perpetuall Canticle Restore it to vs O Lord and let vs render it to thy glorie Render it to vs and let vs consecrate it to thy victorie Restore it to vs to edifie thy people instruct the ignorant to direct those children which thou hast giuen vs before we die in the way of their saluation and of thy glorie And thou knowest O Lord whether wee pray thee not for this day and night And finally O God that all that is within vs and of vs with heart with voyce with action may meditate on thee praise thee serue thee and that not for some dayes but for many yeeres for O Lord I know that long life is giuen as a blessing vnto those that feare thee whose bones thou preseruest so that they are not broken whose liues are so deare vnto thee as the apple of thine eye yea whose death euen this same death which is but a passage vnto a better life is precious before thine eyes Now therefore O Lord haue wee not prayed enough seeing thou art so neere neere vnto the afflicted and I so much afflicted and shall it not bee from henceforth time for thee to withdraw me from this euill these ashes from the ashes this dust from the dust Behold 6. I am wearie with my groanings all the night make I my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares 7. Mine eye is consumed because of griefe it waxeth old because of all mine enemies O Lord is it not then yet enough and what other conuersion doest thou require of me what hast thou not turned thee to me in earnest hast thou not beheld me with the eye of thy mercies seeing that my heart is melted into teares Otherwise O Lord who could haue drawen out these waters and riuers out of this rocke so many teares out of the hardnesse of my heart So Lord when thy seruant Peter had sinned against thee thou beheldest him and he wept hee wept in the bitternesse of his soule hee wept and withdrew himselfe from the persecutors O Lord grant vnto this stone that it may cast forth and shed in like manner not the teares of Esan but the teares of Peter and not lament the losse of the inheritance of this world but the withdrawing of thy fauour and then I may triumph with thy seruant Dauid Auant my flesh get you gone O Deuill backe O temptations depart from mee O yee tempters 8. Depart from me all yee workers of iniquitie for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping O Lord they said vnto me Vnto whom doest thou crie the Lord dwels farre from men there is a great gulfe betweene sinners and him and thou who art thou O Lord I haue found on the contrarie that thou art neere and surely very neere for thou hast not onely heard my crie but my sighes also I said I will hold my peace I will be dumbe I will not open my mouth for thou hast done it I held my peace and thou heardst my silence my sighes O Lord where couldest thou be but neere me where couldest thou bee but in me Certes O Lord there is nothing that is farther off from man than thy selfe from sinne than thy iustice therefore thou art said with good reason to be farre off from vs. But there is nothing also neerer to vs than thy selfe thy well-beloued Sonne who is one nature with vs one essence with thee who came downe to vs and hath filled the gulfe who was clothed with our flesh of whom we are flesh of his flesh It is in him O Lord that thou doest behold vs in him that thou art neere vnto vs in him that thou drawest neere vnto the greatest sinners For whom came the Physitian but for the sick for whom the ransome but for captiues and for whom hath righteousnesse beene made sinne but for sinners therefore depart from mee ye tempters for hee hath heard the voyce of my weeping Depart from me for 9. The Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receiue my prayer Happie therefore am I that haue God for my Aduocate and God for my Iudge God for my Creditour and God for my Suretie if God be for me who can be against me When he iustifieth who can condemne Behold O Lord they said Thou maist wait long enough time seemes nothing to him that is not subiect to it and doest thou thinke that hee will come down expressely from heauen to helpe thee Surely my flesh hath spoken as one of the foolish women speaketh hee that receiueth good at thy hand why not also euill Satan also hath endeuoured to surprize me with his sophistrie who can helpe vs better in time than hee that hath made both vs and time Behold O Lord thy seruant hath no sooner sighed in his heart but thou answerest hee hath no sooner made his request but thou grantest it hath no sooner prayed but thou lendest a gentle eare vnto it O Lord let my supplication bee answered as it was vnto Dauid the confession of my sinne answered in the remission thereof the paine of my bodie in health the affliction of my Spirit in consolation And 10. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed let them returne and be ashamed suddenly They haue said O Lord where is his God let them see thee they haue said in vaine prayeth he let them see me againe They haue troubled my spirit let them be troubled My flesh that hath tempted me let it blush for shame Satan who hath assaulted mee let him get him hence I O Lord will blesse thee who hast taken this bodie out of the graue I will praise thee for euer who hast deliuered my soule from death and saued mee by and through thy Sonne who was deliuered
and died for our offences and was raised againe for our iustification Amen A MEDITATION on PROVERBS 3.11 12. My Sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction For whom the Lord loueth he correcteth euen as a father the sonne in whom he delighteth OVerwhelmed with griefe in my flesh oppressed with astonishment in my spirit with sorrow in my soule in danger to yeeld my selfe vnto the words of the vnaduised who vpon the redoubling of such rude blowes did murmure about me Where is now his God that God whom he did call vpon so oft my selfe to mutter between my teeth where are indeed those infinite bounties And wherefore hast thou sued mee as an aduersary hast made me a But to thy most rough arrowes I heare the wise man mildly saying My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction For whom the Lord loueth hee correcteth euen as a father the sonne in whom hee delighteth At this word I breathe a little and come by little little to my selfe this word as good strong Vinegar comforts my spirits restores my pulse brings me out of sounding restores life to my soule one drop of this soure sweet liquor on my tongue baked with griefe refresheth it changeth its blacknesse yea its language Why then began I to say to my soule this despaire will it change into hope From a Iudge O Lord whom I did dread thee and an angry Iudge shal I feele thee as a Father a louing Father shall it be then true that these rude chastisements are to mee signes of thy loue seales of mine adoption the earnest of my saluation and first-fruits of thy grace Therefore will I hold this liquor in my palate gargarise my mouth therewith that it may penetrate my heart go to the bottome of my soule for when men are afflicted it is from Gods hand in this hand will he be heard with this hand he speaketh And these afflictions are chastisements to his owne though punishments to others with the same hand he doth afflict them and heale them with the same rod he beats them downe and raiseth them vp beats downe the flesh raiseth the soule If you behold the wound its opening and the bloud he drawes from vs he seemes not much differing from an enemy if his soft hand if his tender affection if his wholesome intention seeing hee is thy Creator thy Redeemer how much doth he exceed any Surgeon be he neuer so much thy friend yea any father whatsoeuer And it is alwaies a great point for vs to consider that our afflictions come from God make a part of his prouidence For to omit that the creature ought to yeeld to the whole and soueraigne power of the Creator we doe yeeld so much to the power of a Prince and that without reply All-wise and iust that he is can he doe any thing either without reason or without iustice and are they not therefore either trials of our faith or chastisements of our sins yea all good that he is a louer of his creature can he doe ought but in goodnes in mercy which surpasseth all his works to the edificatiō therefore of his Church to our owne saluation for our profit saith the Apostle a Heb. 12.10 that we may be made partakers of his holinesse wee may profit in holinesse we may walke from faith to faith from obedience to obedience My son then saith the wise man despise not the chastening of the Lord. The wise man wise from elsewhere than from flesh and bloud inspired truly from God in this matter who teacheth vs here as his children and seeing that he is inspired from God God by his mouth teacheth vs as children of God Despise not saith he and who can despise this discipline as well may he ward his thunderbolts Who can be exempted from them decline his iurisdiction or eschew his censure It is therefore as much as if hee should say vndergoe it willingly take it in good part suppose it to be a lesson which he giues thee in his Schoole The slaue flies before his Master who feares more the scourge than his anger Doe not thou doe so childe that thou art feare more his anger than his rod feare more thy sin the cause of his anger than his anger it selfe But if he sheweth thee his rod humble thy selfe kisse it yea adore it A dore in thy God his benignity who daignes to visit thee whether in chastisement or in triall alwaies finds in thee too much matter of chastisement Tell him with Dauid b Psal 23.4 Thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me If he strike thee if hee cast a stone at thee he is thy shepheard thou wentst astray he sets thee in the way and therefore the wise man calls it discipline not punishment Discipline because by these afflictions hee keepes thee to schoole hee conformes thy motiōs thy actions to his holy word A discipline surely in his intention how rough soeuer it seemeth to thee because it tends wholly to thy instruction not to thy destruction A discipline also on thy part in its effect if thou takest well thy chastisement doest amend and returne more and more vnto him Take it therefore in good part husband it well for he addeth neither be weary of his correction Not onely despise it not but vndergoe it not for once but often if he redouble if he return often to it be not weary of it But truly who is not weary of the mildest reprehensions of his best friends and whose eares and head are not broken therewith Why then when God redoubleth his blowes on men and that with so heauie a hand who can subsist I but attend with patience and be not weary thereof Certes we haue the same reason both to suffer this chastisement to perseuere in this patience if we consider that it is God who continues it all iust all wise he doth it for our good who is all goodnesse all mercy And seeing we doe not complaine of the Physitian who purgeth vs at seuerall times nor of the Surgion who searcheth the wound and that oftē in a day though it be neuer without paine yea smarting paine when God dresseth our sinne an obstinate euill a mortall plague cleauing to our spirits yea to our marrow shall wee complaine if hee resumes the Launcer presseth the venome out applies at diuers times the searing iron or the cautere according as the vlcer threatens an issue or that the humour inciteth it selfe against the cataplasme according as we are and he knoweth vs redoubleth his visitation either with the Launcet or the Dose Be not therefore weary when the Lord doth correct thee why then what shall wee doe accustome our selues to Gods rod become lumpish or vnsensible But on the contrary God will haue thee to feele him to vnderstand him feele his blowes know the cause thereof feele thy selfe by them and woe vnto him that rouseth
himselfe not vp Hee loues the childe that vnderstands him at halfe a word that is not dul but is sensible of the chastisement shakes at the very shadow of his rod. Patience is not a stupidity or a want of apprehension of griefe in paine it presupposeth on the contrary a griefe a suffering but the quicker the paine is the greater is the patience which proceedeth from faith and produceth also obedience faith which maketh vs turne our eye to the cause rather than carry our hand to the sore Faith which makes thee mount vp to God to receiue from his hand that which hee pleaseth to giue to descend into thy selfe to examine thy soule turne ouer the leaues of thy conscience to finde there that which displeaseth him to dislike thy selfe confesse thy debt haue recourse to his benignity And that is it which hee bids thee be not weary whē God doth chastise thee this is the exercise properly which thou must vndertake What haue I done what haue I not done beholding thy selfe in the glasse of the law measuring thy selfe with his graces the Law that shewes thee his will and thy sinne his graces which according to their proportion doe multiply it according as thou hast receiued more and didst owe more An exercise where the best men neuer want worke where the more they haue the more they finde the more cleere sighted they are in their infirmities sensible of his anger yea although that God doth visit them especially to put them to the proofe to make it appeare vnto the world what the power of his spirit can doe in their weaknesse vnto Sathan himselfe what their faith can doe against his tentations against his malice against his warrefare they omit not to draw that profit from thence seeke for it themselues and they neuer want it they know that their c 1 Pet. 1.7 faith as gold in the furnace is to bee tried with fire how many are there who otherwise faile at the touch and how pure soeuer they seeme to be haue but too much drosse and skum wherewith at all times they are ouercharged that d Vers 7. the triall of their faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth might be vnto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ according to that which is elsewhere said of this chastening e Heb. 12.11 for the present it seemeth not to be ioyous but grienous and therefore thou art weary thereof Neuerthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse vnto them which are exercised thereby And therefore thou better instructed by the wise man Bee not weary of his correction And the reason followeth for God is so gentle and courteous that he disdaineth not to render a reason of that which hee doth to vs his poore miserable creatures For whom the Lord loueth hee correcteth euen as a father the sonne in whom hee delighteth Not him whom simply hee loueth his loue is powred ouer all creatures but him whom hee loueth tenderly whom of a creature he hath daigned to make his child of whom hee will haue a particular care so that this discipline of affliction makes a difference between his children and strangers yea a difference betweene his owne children in regard of the degrees of his graces so that the Apostle groweth confident yea presumeth to say to the Hebrewes f Heb. 12.8 If you be without chastisement whereof all are partakers namely all the faithfull then are yee bastards and not sonnes Alledge not vnto mee that ye are the children of God yee are not his schollers g Heb. 12.6 For the Lord chasteneth him whom he loueth and the more certes he loueth him for saith hee Hee scourgeth euery sonne whom hee receiueth whom particularly he adopteth into his familie he measureth him his correction according to his loue And so indeed we let passe many things in our seruants w th we correct which we cannot beare with in our children in those not reprehending ought for the most part but that which hindreth our businesse and profit in these with a cordiall loue with a curious eye with an exact iudgement regarding examining from the head to the foot desirous to frame and order them to the best gestures in their behauiour and carriage so that hee that doth it the oftner is reputed the better father h Prou. 13.24 23.14 Hee that loueth his sonne saith the Wise man chasteneth him betimes deliuers his soule from hell Indulgence and forbearance as they cause contrarie effects so doe they giue him a contrarie qualitie and name He that spareth his rod hateth his sonne And the Apostle doth ordinarily argue from our carnall fathers to our principall Father in as much certes as loue regardeth care and care discipline where discipline and correction is wanting there care seemeth to wither yea loue yea and father-hood it selfe Why then it is a marke vnto vs that wee are children when God correcteth vs if wee receiue this chastisement as from a father with obedience i Heb. 12.9 We haue had fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and wee gaue them reuerence We haue interpreted and taken those corrections in good part wee haue acknowledged them and reuerenced and respected them with an awfull obseruance and the matter was onely to dispose and conforme vs to this life k Heb. 12.9 Shall we not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirits vnto him who by the afflictions of this flesh qualifieth and composeth our spirits And liue to prepare vs to frame vs to another life A signe say we more that wee are children in whom God takes his delight For saith he whom the Lord loueth hee correcteth not onely as a father the sonne but the sonne in whom hee delighteth the childe whom hee cherisheth the childe for whom he keepeth an inheritance that heauenly inheritance whereof hee maketh vs coheires with that Well-beloued in whom hee is well pleased in whom and by whom alone in vs and with vs he is well pleased l Eph. 1.5 He hath predestinated vs vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will whereupon wee ought surely to say with the Psalmist Before m Psal 119 67.71 I was afflicted I went astray it is good for me that I haue been afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Thy chastisements O God haue beene for my conuersion for my correction with the Apostle also n Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when hee is tried hee shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him In as much certes o Rom. 5.3 4 5. as tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs whereupon hee saith we glorie in