against him with malitious words the riotous speake euill of the frugall and moderate that will not runne with them into the same excesse of riot i 1 Pet 4.4 Thus may the seruants of the most high God liuing otherwise in as great peace and prosperity as the Carmelite Nabal bee enuied of euill men Ier. 18.18 and afflicted with the scourge of the tongue yea Iob cap. 1. and suffer some losse in some other things but the LORD as the seer to Amaziah is able to giue them much more than that 2 Chron. 25.9 and to make all grace to abound towards them that they alwayes hauing sufficiency in all things maugre the malicious that enuie and reproach them may abound vnto euery good worke 2 Cor. 9.8 2. Inwardly they are afflicted also but how who knoweth What feare and trembling in interiori domo yea what carefulnesse 2 Cor. 7.11 yea what clearing of themselues from the aspersions of the euill yea what indignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Io. 17.5 yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what reuenge vpon themselues ouertaken with a fâ—ult vnknowne to the world This so to be who will deny Not one Bâ—sides if not in themselues for themselues yet afflicted they are or may be In the afflictions of the Church of the brethren of the Lord. 1. Of the Church k Psal 137.1 Riuers of waters ranne by the riuers of Babylon Sion remembred l Neh. 1.3 4. the sonne of Hachaliah the people of God his countreymen in great affliction and reproach the wall of Ierusalem broken downe and the gates burnt with fire sate down and wept and mourned certaine daies and fasted and prayed m 2 Sam. 1. Vriah the arke and Israel and Iudah in their tents will not goe downe to eat and drinke and to sleepe with his wife The Lord saith himselfe that in all the afflictions of his people he was afflicted himselfe n Esai 63.9 The spirit of God vpon him can any man say lesse of afflictions of the Churches In the afflictions of the Chuches in France and Germany who is not afflicted that is of the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 2. Of priuate persons especially the holy brethren * Hob. 3.1 Other sicke and though hard friends yet Dauid would put on sackcloth and bee afflicted for them o Psal 35.13 2 Sam. 3.32 33. 2 Sam. 1.26 For Abner how much and for Ionathan as Ionathan for him Lazarus dead Thomas said to his fellowes Let vs goe that wee may die with him p Io. 11.16 Epaphroditus full of heauinesse for the Philippians q Phil. 2 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they heard that he had bin sicke they heauie for his sicknesse and he for their heauinesse full of heauinesse feeling members should it not be so The members haue the same care one for another r 1 Cor. 12.25 26. and if one member suffer all the members suffer with it members we one of another one body in Christ no sympathy being in a man how is he in the body the rule is Å¿ Heb. 13.3 Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer aduersity as being your selues also in the body 3. Of the Lord. Suffers he not when the wicked rise vp against him t Psal 139.21 make vâ—id his law u Psal 119.126 prouoke the eyes of his glory put downe his worship and him to open shame x Heb. 6.6 When they presse him and hee is pressed vnder them as a cart with sheaues y Amos 2.13 suffers he not or suffers he and not his seruants with him How did Eliakim Shebua and Ioab rent their cloaths at the blasphemie of Rabshakeh z Isaiah 36.22 How did those that were marked at Ierusalem sigh and cry for all the abominations that were done in the midst therof a Ezek. 9. â— How was iust Lot vexed with the filthy conuersation of the wicked b 2 Pet. 2.7 8. that righteous man dwelling among the Sodomites in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds He that can heare see the Lord dishonored his name blasphemed his Sabbaths prophaned his Word despised his Ministers mocked basely misused his worship polluted and perfunctorily performed and is not afflicted The Lord knoweth whose he is and to whom he belongs that comes not to his helpe nor beares his reproach nor grieues for that which is said to grieue the holy spirit of God As Haman said honoured of all but of Mordecai c Esther 5.13 All this auaileth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Iew sitting at the Kings gate so say those whose hearts are vnited to the Lord and that feare his Name Although of themselues by place and authority they are mighty in power their seed established in their sight their off-spring before their eyes their houses safe from feare their friends as the starres of heauen for eminence and multitude their wisdome and wealth and worlds delight as Salomons All these auaile vs nothing so long as we see our Lord and our God set behinde not before the sons of men forgotten not remembred exposed to shame not honoured in the world Pondered these things I may as I was about conclude vnder affliction the whole houshold of God and set downe this position to stand fast for euer without opposition That the righteous seruants of God his beloued of his houshold haue all their times in seuerall kindes as Dauid had in his of suffering in this life Psal 34.19 Many the afflictions or euils of the righteous the crosse on their shoulder the yoke on their necke and on their backe the rod of the wicked e Esay 48 10. Israel which is the Israel of God is refined and chosen in the furnace of affliction Demanded vnde From whence afflictions come from whom the euils let Iob answer f Iob 5.6 Not forth of the dust nor out of the ground but from the Lord. g Amos 3.6 Shall there be euill in the Citie and the Lord hath not done it The Lord causeth griefe h Lam. 3.32 and because he loueth them he scourgeth his beloued whom he calleth his called i Isai 48.12 14. whom hee loueth he chasteneth k Heb. 12.6 yea he hath said l Reuel 3.19 As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten Enquired of Quorsum to what end he doth it By the sure word of prophecie the answer is 1. For the profit of his owne 2. And his owne glory First for the profit of his owne his owne thereby being 1. Viuified 2. Sanctified 3. Purged 4. Preuented 1. Viuified or quickned Dead in comparison of the liuing or dull of hearing sometimes the generation of hs children and remisse in seeking in their prosperity as the inhabitants of Lebanon
would bee remembred with all his afflictions b Psa 132.1 particulars inducted in Psal 22.102 and this 119. c Psal 119.23.61 69.85 86 87. Psal 102.3 4.8 Vers 23 Vers 78. Vers 61. the princes the powers the proud the wicked combined against him yea sworne against him and mad against him Vers 6â— what lies sorged they what pits digged they Vers 84. persecuted wrongfully Vers 36. consumed on the earth Vers 87. waited for to be destroyed Vers 95. hunted with dogs Psal 22.16 their feet swift their mouths deepe as wide and their teeth as sharpe compassed about with many bulls Vers 10. beset round with strong bulls inclosed with the assemblies of the wicked Vers 16. gaped on with their mouthes Vers 13. laughed to scorne Vers 7 smitten with their tongues Psal 52.2 3 4. 120 3 4. their tongues as speares and razors and words as swords powred out liâ—e water all his bones sundred his heart like wax melting in the midst of his bowels Psal 12.14 his strength dried vp like a potsheard Vers 15. the reproach of men Vers 6. yea a worme and no man cast out and brought into the dust of death Vers 15. Preuention Maruell not that Dauid the seruant of the Lord sound faithfull as Moses in all his house a man after his owne heart which fulfilled all his will Acts 13.22 Beloued as his name sounds and beloued of the Lord was exercised with such anxious and crieuous afflictions for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Beloued d Eph. 1.6 i. Iesus Christ the elect of God are all accepted as Dauid was and called all Iedid his beloued e Psal 127.2 yet none exempted from the sufferings of the present time no not one not one amongst the excellent from Adam to Christ from Christ to this our day that hath not in some measure tasted of the cup which is full of mixture f Iude v. 3 common as the saluation and the grace of God which bringeth saluation * Tit. 2.11 tentation and tribulation g 1 Thes 1.6 The Thessalonians receiued the word with much affliction h Heb. 10.32 The Hebrewes inlightned indured a great fight of afflictions A conclusion offered The whole houshold of faith all the fellow citizens all that liue godly all the sons of God all the children of light all that hold forth the word of life are in this life partakers of afflictions Thus I might conclude Obiect Obiect But this doore opened some will oppose themselues speaking on this wise Hard is this saying to the Non-afflicted that enioy this worlds ioy prosperity and peace for being without any manner of affliction whereof all are partakers that are i Heb. 12 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons elect beloued and accepted are they not Sp. hated reiected reprobated as Edom k Mal. 1.2 3 4. reserued as the wicked to the day of destruction Answ Answ Carnall the peace altogether and without truth or pride and security the fruit thereof with hardnesse of heart it 's as the prosperitie of fooles a blessing cursed and the praeludium to destruction m Psal 92.6 A brutish man knoweth not ☞ neither doth a foole vnderstand this but the spirit speaketh expresly When the wicked spring as the grasse Psal 92 7. and when all the workers of iniquity flourish it is that they shall bee destroyed for euer Take for example the two notorious fooles n 1 Sam. 25 the one the man of Maon whose possessions were in Carmel a very great man hauing three thousand sheepe and one thousand goats and liuing in prosperity yet smitten in a moment his heart died within him and he became as a stâ—ne o Luc. 12.19 the other the man in the parable who when his ground brought forth plentifully wanted roome where to bestow his fruits would therefore inlarge his barnes and hauing therein laid vp much goods for many years sing without grace requiem to his soule Soule take thine ease eat drinke and be merry but the same night his soule was required of him Contrà this I say and testifie in the Lord that outward peace and prosperity had with the peace of God and of conscience the Kingdome of God first sought and found with his righteousnesse it s the blessing of the Lord without affliction or sorrow added with it p Pro. 10.22 Saint Iohns prayer for Gaius was that he might prosper and be in health as his soule prospered q Io. ep 3. 2. A man behauing himselfe wisely in a perfect way walking within his house with a perfect heart r Psal 102.2 Gen. 17.2 Micah 6.7 vprightly before God humbly with him doing iustly louing mercy casting on the waters dispersing giuing to the poore communicating with the affliction of others in distresse if peace truth be with him in his dayes it s the face of God shining on him the light of his countenance and the euidence of his prouidence how otherwise should the poore afflicted bee releeued and their soules sustained Å¿ 1 Reg. 18.13 Obadiah not in case to doe it who shall hide the Prophets in a caue and feed them with bread and water Nehemiah not in fauor with Artaxerxes t Neh. 4 2 3 4 c. who shall procure any fauour to Ierusalem Onesiphorus u 2 Tim. 1.16 Philo. â— 7 Philemon and others not enriched and enabled how shall Paul or the bowels of the Saints be refreshed Dauid poore afflicted had friends of ability through the Lord to vphold his soule x Psal 54 4. for the Lord he said was with them y Psal 35.27 The Lord loueth the prosperity of his seruants Therefore blessed with it they blesse him for it and z Iob 31.22 the loynes blesse them of all that are refreshed by them their righteousnesse endureth for euer and their borne shall be exalted with honour * Psal 112. vlt. Neuerthelesse afflicted without controuersie Outwardly Inwardly 1. Outwardly reproached and enuied for following and doing the thing that good is a Eccle. 4.4 I considered saith the Preacher all trauell and euery right worke and for this a man is enuied of his neighbour Cain who was of the wicked one slew Abel wherefore because his workes were euill and his brothers righteous b 1 Io. 3.12 Ioseph was afflicted of his brethren c Gen. 37.4 Daniel accused of the Presidents d Dan. 6.4 Iesus Christ reiected of his owne e Io. 1.11 and they that exercise themselues to liue godly in him f 2 Tim. 3.12 persecuted of vnreasonable and wicked men * 2 Thes 3.2 wherfore know ye not that there is enmity put betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent g Gen. 3.15 Demetrius had a good report of all men h Io ep 3. 10 12. yet Diotrephes prated
finde I for thee in the Oracles of God Art thou a Libertine vsing all libertie for an occasion to the flesh x Gal. 5.13 a contemner of Gods ordinances his words and Sacraments his Ministerie and Ministers Thou art not spirituall y Rom. 7.14 cap. 8.14 nor led by the Spirit but carnall altogether and sold vnder sinne thou despisest God z 1 Thes 4.8 thou committest sacrilege a Rom. 2.22 thou iudgest thy selfe vnworthy of euerlasting life b Act. 13.46 thou puttest from thee the meanes thereof and turnest the same into lasciuiousnesse c Iude ve 4. no remedie remaineth nor healing to thee that mocketh the Messengers of God that despisest his words that misusest his Prophets d 2 Chron. 36.16 These things I finde in the Scriptures against thee but except thou repent No comfort finde I for thee in the Oracles of God I personate no man but if the witnesse within the Conscience accuse any testifying and saying Thou art the man to whom it is spoken spoken bee to him and this further in the Spirit of our God against the workes of the flesh which are manifest and are these Adulterie fornication vncleannesse lasciuiousnesse idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies enuyings murthers drunkennesse reuellings and such like Qui talia agunt e Gal. 5 21. They which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Gal. 5.21 Seeing then that these things are so that some comfort themselues without the Word and that without the Word there is no solid comfort A necessitie is laid vpon vs both for the vse of edifying and the issue of the point to reason in plaine euidence and demonstration of the Spirit De Afflicto consolabili De Sermone consolabundo De Ratione consolandi Touching The afflicted that are consolable The word which comforteth the afflicted The manner of comforting them by the same word 1. De afflicto consolabili Of the afflicted that are consolable All men haue not faith f 2 Thes 3.2 nor the knowledge of God g 1 Cor. 15 34. nor bee in their affliction comforted by the Word neither indeed can be because they are not corrigible not docile not humble nor humbled The shaking of the hand of the Lord which hee shaketh ouer them not feared nor had to worke any feare in their heart the spirit of bondage But had once this and but once had Running there is to God and flying to Iesus Christ without back-sliding in heart or any departing from him Contrà Not hand nor receiued at all no comfort at all nor conuersion at all neither any constant worship In Rom. 8.15 Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare Not to feare againe as bondslaues but first they feared hauing the spirit of bondage as all haue that labour and are heauie laden the curses of the Law may be denounced a thousand times and ten thousand kinds of strong iudgements inflicted in vaine except the spirit of bondage be sent into the heart to worke feare therein and in that feare to bring men home vnto God in Christ Thunder and raine and earthquakes haue beene and yet mens hearts haue beene little moued but the spirit of bondage D. Preston of the new Couenant pag. 392 393. or of feare on the people they feared exceedingly when it thundred and rained in wheat haruest h 1 Sam. 12 18. likewise at the great showres of raine in Ezra's time i Ezra 10.9 likewise the Iaylor although all was safe k Act. 16.29 This spirit the plough of God with which hee ploweth vp the heart before hee soweth therein the word of his grace which bringeth saluation This spirit obliterates the image of the old man and prepares a place for the impresse of the new whose motto is l Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes i. in a filiall manner for the seruile is the Deuils Ye see the reason brethren why some afflicted are not consolable not consolable Actus actiâ—oâ—um est in patiente pradisposito not corrigible not corrigible not fearing not fearing not hauing to feare the sprit of bondage Therefore if yee feare not nor haue had to feare the spirit of bondage Yee haue cause to feare because ye haue not Christ * Rom. 8. yee know him not nor what hee hath suffered for you yee haue no fellowship in his sufferings not being made conformable to his death But afflicted if ye feare as sonnes in bondage if feeling the weight of the iudgement inflicted and seeing your sinnes yee flie from them as from the face of a serpent vnto the Propitiatorie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Io. 16. vlt. which is Iesus Christ Be of good cheere the good spirit of God is vpon you for good and truly and thorowly humbled thereby yee shall be deliuered from the temporall bondage into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God As the Law is good Rom. 7.12 so the spirit of bondage As the Law but a temporarie Schoole-master vntill faith bee informed so the spirit of bondage vntill the spirit of Adoption be infused and as the Sunne of righteousnesse ariseth with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 So the Spirit of adoption commeth with libertie in his armes God hauing sent the spirit of his sonne into the hearts of his sonnes they cry Abba father m Gal. 4.6 the loue of an indulgent father apprehended not the seueritie of an austere Iudge and God beheld not as a consuming fire n Deut. 4.24 that will deuoure them but as a faithfull Creator that will haue a desire to the workes of his hands o Iob 14.15 Afterwards there 's no seruile but a filiall feare i. a mixture of feare and loue the spirit of loue leading in the way euerlasting the spirit of feare preuenting Reconciliation and fetching home againe them that being brought home turne againe vnto folly lose themselues and runne as sheepe astray Loue hauing respect vnto all the Commandements to keepe the same feare preseruing the heart from the deceitfulnesse of sin for as feething liquor filthy fâ—um so the heart boyling with feare casts out sinne suffers it not to oestuate it selfe into the inward parts adhere it may but enters not into the frame fabricke or constitution of the heart to bee mingled and confounded The feare of the Lord is cleane p Psal 19.9 they also pure in heart that haue it in their heart hauing such an heart that admits not the mixture of any sin but as base and reprobate stuffe resists and reiects it So then we say for the verdict of the Inquest That without the humbling and cleansing feare there 's no token for good in or out of affliction nor comfort by the Word 2. De Sermone consolatorio Of the word which is the comfort in Affliction The substantiall Word there is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
when of things that cannot indeed bee separated the one is vnderstood and omitted the other ver grat light and heat cannot bee separated in the fire yet the light may he considered not the heat or the heat and not the light So charity and good works are not negatiuely separated but priuatiuely made as effects consequents not concurring causes of iustification Sembably my Beloued although we cannot really separate betweene your sinnes and your persons yet negatiuely we say that we intend not your persons but priuatiuely in our mindes we consider your sinnes bearing the image of Satan at which wee strike I say at the image of the Deuill and Satan not at your persons made as we our selues after the similitude of God O that yee would beleeue this and when your sinnes are smitten on the face with the rod of the mouth u Isa 11.4 or with that sharpe two edged sword which goeth out of the mouth of the Lord x Reu. 1.16 ye would reason with your selues or commune with your owne heart and be still or speake on this wise one vnto another in the faithfull assemblies This Preacher speakes with authority aboue himselfe it s the very word of God which hee preacheth the word which he preacheth is quicke and powerfull y Heb. 4.12 pierceth and diuideth things asunder in vs discerneth the thoughts and intents of our hearts pulleth downe strong holds z 2 Cor. 1â— 4 5. casteth downe imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God apprehendeth our sins grappleth with them euinceth them conuinceth vs 2 Tim. 2.15 dealeth as a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly diuiding the word of truth applying it according to the rule thereof Are wee not our selues or many of vs husbandmen what doe we our selues in our profession doe wee cast our seed into vncleane places or amongst bryars thorns and stones rubbish no we first clense and manure our ground sowe afterwards our seed and haue long patience for the precious fruit besides in our orchards when we plant or graffe doe we suffer to grow the fiens of the crab-tree No we cut them off and cleanse the stocke What then doth the spirituall husbandman more in his spheare than we in ours before he will sowe the holy seed or let in the heauenly plant hee laboureth with great difficulty to prepare the ground where he would sowe and purge the stocke on which he would ingraffe the word Must hee therefore be blamed or slouenly would we haue him to doe his worke or negligently or vnfaithfully Absit God forâ—id This in our owne seruants is not tolerated much lesse it to bee in the seruants of the Lord * Ier. 8.11 To cry peace peace when there is no peace is to heale hurts slightly * false Prophets will doe it but otherwise the man that is sent from God Consider what I say and God giue you vnderstanding The word to be ingraffed the stock is to bee cleansed The stocke cleansed incision for insition is made a diuision made betweene the soule and the spirit a Heb. 4.12 Nomen aâ—timae saepe idem valet quod spiritus sed cum simul iunguntur prius comprehendit sub se affectus omnes c. Caluin in lic Allegoria quadam hyperocha â—dumbrare vâ—luit Apostolus diuinisermonis vim efficaciâ—m c. Bâ—llinger naturall things and spirituall things reason and the light which is the life of men the affections and the intellectuall facultie This diuision Experience reacheth tacitè and conuerts best know how it is How were the first pricked in their hearts and diuided in themselues nâ—t knowing what to doe b Act. 2.37 after the incision made before before the immission of the heauenly plant nor doth any man The word which saueth the soule of whom receiued without much affliction by the internall diuision after the infition Such it is I thinke as the groanings of the Spirit making intercession according to the will of God it cannot be vttered the Thessalonians receiued the word with much affliction but what kind of afflâ—ction or how grieuous it was he saith not Therefore whensoeuer incision is made your heart smitten and smiting you being smitten by the word attend still or diuided in you selues all the faculties slit and clouen the affections your reason visited with the day-spring from on high your vnderstanding illightened your soule fainting your spirit panting a conflâ—ct begunne and a striuing within you as in Rebeccahs wombe betweene Esau and Iacob Nature and Grace Bee not dismaied for this must be and is where the word is about to bee ingraffed to the sauing of the soule 3. Incâ—sion for insition made the sien of holy science is infited and set in the word let in that heauenly plant by heauenly Art into the vnderstanding The sense giuen thereof and the reading vnderstood Therefore hearing the word of the kingdome apply your heart to wisdome and your minde to vnderstand the wondrous things d Psal 119.18 the mysteries which were kept secret since the world began e Rom. 16.15 yea pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit that it may bee giuen vnto you to know the mysterie of God f Coloss 2 2. 1 Tim. 3.16 and of godlinesse that seeing yee may see that hearing yee may heare and vnderstand h Mat. 13.16 Dauid prayed how often Gâ—ue me vnderstanding make me to vnderstand An vnderstanding heart Salomons hearts desire i Reg. 3.9 and Pauls that the Churches might abound more and more k Phil. 1.8 9. in all knowledge and in all iudgement in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding This by the Word The word read or heard and not vnderstood profiteth not but by reading and hearing and prayer made to God entrance is made into the vnderstanding heauenly light let in and worldly darknesse out l Psal 119 130 The entrance of the word giueth light it giueth vnderstanding to the simple 4. The sien insited is bound fast and closed about with all louing affections stirred vp vnto it yea shut vp and riuetted in the heart to dwell richly therein in all wisdom not left loose for graffes so let fall out anon or be blowen out Therefore loue yee the incitiue word lest ye lose it vnawares embrace it with all complacencie of affection so shall no storme stirre it nor force amoue it it is not enough to receiue the word except ye receiue the loue of the word Shall not some be damned because they receiued not the loue of the truth m 2 Thes 2.10 O how I loue thy laws n Psal 119.97 saith Dauid it is my meditation all the day yea day and night the exercise of the blessed man it is inclosed within him it is in his heart and loued with his heart the heart as soone to be lost as the word ingraffed therein and