own lusts how oft hath he made the free grace of God which should have been a bolt to keep out sinne rather a key to open the door to it these wounds hath the Lord received in the house of his friend Look upon the unkindnesse of thy friend and mourne for thy owne unkindnesse against God shall a Christian condemn that in another which he allows too much in himself 3. Hath thy friend proved treacherous perhaps you did repose too much confidence in him If you lay more weight upon an house then the pillars will bear it must needs break God saith Trust ye not in a friend perhaps you did put more trust in him then you did dare to put in God Friends are as Venice-glasses we may use them but if we lean too hard upon them they will break Behold matter of humility but not of sullennesse and discontent 4. You have a friend in Heaven will never faile you There is a friend saith Solomon that sticketh closer then a brother Such a friend is God he is very studious and inquisitive in our behalfe he hath a debating with himselfe a consulting and projecting how he may doe us good he is the best friend which may give contentment in the midst of all discourtesies of friends Consider 1. He is a loving friend God is love hence he is said sometimes to engrave us on the Palmes of his hand Isa. 49. 16. that we may be never out of his eye and to carry us in his bosome Isa. 40. 11. near to his heart There is no stop or stint in his love but as the River Nilus it overflowes all the bankes his love is as far beyond our thoughts as it is above our deserts O the infinite love of God in giving the Son of his love to be made flesh which was more then if all the Angels had been made wormes God in giving Christ to us gave his very heart to us here is love pensil'd out in all its glory and engraven as with the point of a Diamond All other love is hatred in comparison of the love of our friend 2. He is a carefull friend He careth for you 1. He minds and transacts our businesse as his own he accounts his peoples interests and concernments as his interest 2. He provides for us Grace to enrich us Glory to ennoble us It was Davids complaint No man cared for my soul a Christian hath a friend that cares for him 3. He is a Prudent friend A friend may sometimes erre through ignorance or mistake and give his friend poison in stead of sugar but God is wise in heart He is skilfull as well as faithfull he knowes what our disease is and what Physick is most proper to apply he knowes what will doe us good and what winde will be best to carry us to heaven 4. He is a Faithfull friend and he is faithfull 1. In his Promises In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie hath promised Gods people are childen that will not lie but God is a God that cannot lie he will not deceive the faith of his people nay he cannot he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth he can as well cease to be God as cease to be true The Lord may sometimes change his Promise as when he converts a temporall Promise into a spirituall but he can never breake his Promise 5. He is a compassionate Friend Hence in Scripture we read of the earnings of his bowels Gods friendship is nothing else but compassion for there is naturally no affection in us to desire his friendship nor no goodness in us to deserve it the load-stone is in himselfe When we were full of bloâ—d hee was full of bowels When wee were enemies he sent an Embassage of peace When our hearts were turned back from God his heart was turned towards us O the tendernesse and sympathy of our friend in Heaven We our selves have some relentings of heart to those which are in misery but it is God who begets all the mercies and bowels that are in us therefore he is call'd the Father of mercies 6. He is a constant Friend His compassions faile not Friends do often in adversity drop off as leaves in Autumne Amici circa sartaginem as Plutarch saith these are rather flatterers then friends Ioaâ— was for a time faithful to King Davids house he went not after Absalâ—ms Treason but within a while proved false to the Crown and went after the treason of Adonijah God is a friend for ever Having loved his own he loved them to the end What though I am despised yet God loves me What though my friends cast me off yet God loves me he loves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end and there is no end of that love This me thinks in case of discourtesies and unkindnesses is enough to charme down discontent SECT V. The fifth Apology answered The next Apology is I am under great reproaches Let not this discontent For 1. It is a sign there is some good in thee Quid mali feci saith Socrates what evil have I done that this bad man commends me The applause of the wicked usually denotes some evil and their censure imports some good David wept and fasted and that was turned to his reproach as we must passe to Heaven through the pikes of suffering so through the clouds of Reproach 2. If your reproach be for God as Davids was For thy sake I have borne reproach then it is rather matter of triumph then dejection Christ doth not say when you are reproached be discontented but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoyce Weare your Reproach as a Diadem of honour for now a spirit of glory rests upon you Put your reproaches into the inventory of your riches so did Moses It should be a Christians ambition to wear his Saviours livery though it be sprinkled with blood and sullied with disgrace 3. God will doe us good by reproach as David said of Shimei his cursing It may be the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day this puts us upon searching out sinne A child of God labours to read his sin in every stone of reproach that is cast at him besides now we have an opportunity to exercise patience and humility 4. Jesus Christ was content to be reproached for us Hee despised the shame of the Crosse It may amaze us to thinke that he who was God could endure to be spit upon to be crowned with thornes in a kinde of jeere and when he was ready to bow his head upon the Crosse to have the Jewes in scorne wag their head and say He saved others himselfe he cannot save The shame of the Crosse was as much as the blood of the Crosse His Name was crucified before his Body The sharpe arrowes
the truth suffer by us The Deâ—ii among the Romans vowed themselves to death that their legions and souldiers might be crowned with the honour of the victory O what should we be content to suffer to make the truth victorious Regulus having sworne that he would returne to Carthage though he knew there was a furnace heating for him there yet not daring to infringe his oath he did adventure to goe we then who are Christians having made a vow to Christ in Baptism and so oft renewed it in the blessed Sacrament should with much contentation rather choose to suffer then violate our sacred oath Thus the blessed Martyrs with what courage and chearfulnesse did they yeeld up their souls to God and when the fire was set to their bodies yet their spirits were not at all fired with passion or discontent Though others hurt the body let them not the minde through discontent shew by your heroick courage that you are above those troubles which you cannot be without SECT VIII The eight Apology answered The next Apology is The prosperity of the wicked Answ. I confesse 't is so often that the evill enjoy all the good and the good endure all the evil David though a good man stumbled at this and had like to have fallen wel be contented for remember 1. These are not the only things nor the best things they are mercies without the pale these are but acorns with which God feedes swine you who are believers have more choice fruit the Olive the Pomegranate the fruit which grows on the true Vine Jesus Christ others have the fat of the earth you have the dew of heaven they have a South-land you have those springs of living water which are clarified with Christs blood and indulcorated with his love 2. To see the wicked flourish is matter rather of pity then envie 'T is all the heaven they must have Wo to you rich men for you have received your consolation Hence it was that David made it his solemne prayer Deliver me from the wicked from men of the world which have their portion in this life and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure Psal. 17. 14. The words me thinks are Davids Letany from men of the world which have their portion in this life Good Lord deliver me When the wicked have eaten of their dainty dishes there comes in a sad reckoning which wil spoile all The world is first musicall and then tragical if you would have a man fry and blaze in hel let him have enough of the fat of the earth O remember for every sand of mercy that runs out to the wicked God puts a drop of wrath into his Vial. Therefore as that souldier said to his fellow Do you envy me my grapes they cost me dear I must die for them So I say Do you envie the wicked alas their prosperity is like Hamans banquet before execution If a man were to be hanged would one envie to see him walk to the gallowes through pleasant fields and fine galleries or to see him go up the ladder in cloth of gold The wicked may flourish in their bravery a while but when they flourish as the grasse it is that they shal be destroyed for ever This proud grasse shall be mowen down Whatever a sinner enjoyes he hath a curse with it and shal we envie What if poisoned bread be given to dogs The long furrowes in the backs of the godly have a seed of blessing in them when the table of the wicked becomes a snare and their honour their halter SECT IX The ninth Apology Answered 9. The next Apology that discontent makes for it self is the evils of the times The times are full of Heresie and Impiety and this is that which troubles me This Apology consists of two branches to which I shall answer in specie and first 1. The times are full of Heresie This is indeed sad when the Divel cannot by violence destroy the Church he endeavours to poison it when he cannot with Samsons Fox-tailes set the corne on fire then he sowes tares as he labours to destroy the peace of the Church by Division so the truth of it by Errour we may cry out with Seneca Verè vivimus in temporum faecibus We live in times wherein there is a sluce open to all novel opinions and every mans opinion is his Bible Well this may make us mourne but let us not murmur through discontent Consider 1. Errour makes a discoverie of men 1. Bad men Errour discovers such as are tainted and corrupt When the Leprosie brake forth in the forehead then was the Leper discovered Errour is a spiritual Bastard the Divell is the father and pride the mother you never knew an erroneous man but he was a proud man now it is good that such men should be laid open to the intent first that Gods righteous judgements upon them may be adored Secondly that others who are free be not infected If a man hath the Plague it is well it breaks forth for my part I would avoid an Heretick as I would avoid the Divel for he is sent on his errand I appeale to you if there were a Taverne in this City where under a pretence of selling wine many hogsheads of poison were to be sold were it not well that others should know of it that they might not buy it is good that those who have poisoned opinions should be known that the people of God may not come near either the sent or tast of that poison 2. Errour is a Touchstone to discover good men it tries the gold There must be Heresies that they which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved may be made manifest Thus our love to Christ and zeale for truth doth appear God shewes who are the living fish viz. such as swim against the stream who are the sound sheep viz. such as feed in the greene pastures of the Ordinances who are the Doves viz. such as live in the best aire where the Spirit breaths God sets a Garland of honour upon these These are they which came out of great tribulation So these are they that have opposed the Errours of the times these are they that have preserved the virginity of their conscience who have kept their judgment sound and their heart soft God will have a Trophy of honour set upon some of his Saints they shal be renowned for their sincerity being like the Cypresse quae viriditatem in hyeme non amittit which keeps its greennesse and freshnesse in the winter-season 2. Be not sinfully discontented for God can make the errours of the Church advantageous to truth Thus the truths of God have come to be more beaten out and confirmed as it is in Law one man laying a false title to a piece of land the true title hath by this means beene the more searched into and ratified some had never so
studied to defend the truth by Scripture if others had not endeavoured to overthrow it by Sophistry all the mists and fogs of Error that have risen out of the bottomlesse pit have made the glorious Sun of truth to shine so much the brighterr Had not Arius and Sabellius broached their damnable Errours the truth of those questions about the blessed Trinity had never beene so discussed and defended by Athanasius Augustine and others had not the Divel brought in so much of his princely darknesse the Champions for Truth had never runne so fast to Scripture to light their Lamps So that God who hath a wheele within a wheele over-rules these things wisely and turnes them to the best Truth is an heavenly plant that settles by shaking 3. God raiseth the price of his truth the more the very shreds and filings of truth are venerable When there is much counterfeit metall abroad we prize the true Gold the more the pure wine of Truth is never more precious then when unsound doctrines are broached and vented 4. Errour makes us more thankfull to God for the jewel of Truth When you see another infected with the Plague how thankful are you that God hath freed you from the infection when we see others have the Leprosie in the head how thankful are we to God that he hath not given us over to believe a lie and so â—e damned It is a good use that may be made even of the Errour of the times when it makes us more humble and thankful adoring the free grace of God who hath kept us from drinking of that deadly poison 2. The second Branch of the Apology that discontent makes is the impiety of the times I live and converse among the profane O that I had wings like a Dove that I might flie away and be at rest Answ. It is indeed sad to be mixed with the wicked David beheld the transgressors and was grieved and Lot who was a bright Starre in a dark night was vexed or as the word in the Original may beare wearied out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the unclean conversation of the wicked he made the sinnes of Sodom spears to pierce his own soul we ought if there be any spark of divine love in us to be very sensible of the sinnes of others and our hearts bleed for them yet let us not break forth in murmuring or discontent knowing that God in his providence hath permitted it and surely not without some reasons For 1. The Lord makes the wicked an hedge to defend the godly the wise God often makes those who are wicked and peaceable a meanes to safeguard his people from those who are wicked and cruell The King of Babylon kept Ieremy and gave speciall order for his looking to that he did want nothing God sometimes makes brazen sinners to be brazen walls to defend his people 2. God doth interline mingle the wicked with the godly that the godly may be a means to save the wicked such is the beauty of holiness that it hath a magnetical force in it to allure and draw even the wicked Somtimes God makes a beleeving husband a means to convert an unbeleeving wife and è contrà What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife The godly living among the wicked by their prudent advice and pious example have won them to the embracing of Religion if there were not some godly among the wicked how in a probable way without a miracle can we imagine that the wicked should be converted Those who are now shining Saints in Heaven sometimes served divers lusts Paul once a persecutor Augustine once a Manichee Luther once a Monk but by the severe and holy carriage of the godly were converted to the faith SECT X. The tenth Apology answered The next Apology that Discontent makes is lownesse of parts and gifts I cannot saith the Christian discourse with that fluency nor pray with that elegancy as others Answ. 1. Grace is beyond gifts Thou comparest thy grace with anothers gifts ther is a vast difference Grace without gifts is infinitely better then gifts without grace in Religion the vitals are better then the intellectuals Gifts are a more extrinsecall and common worke of the Spirit which is incident to reprobates grace is a more distinguishing worke and is a jewell hung onely upon the Elect. Hast thou and seed of God the holy anointing be content I. Thou sayest thou canst not discourse with that fluency as others Answ. Experiments in Religion are beyond notions and impressions beyond expressions Iudas no doubt could make a learned discourse of Christ but welfare the woman in the Gospel that felt vertue coming out of him A sanctified heart is better then a silver tongue There is as much difference between gifts and grace as between a Tulip painted on the wall and one growing in the Garden II. Thou sayest thou canst not pray with that elegancy as others Answ. Prayer is a matter more of the heart then the head In prayer it is not so much fluency prevailes as fervency nor is God so much taken with the elegancy of speech as the efficacy of the Spirit Humility is better then volubility here the mourner is the oratour sighes and grones are the best Rhetorique 2. Be not discontented For God doth usually proportion a mans parts to the place where he calls him Some are set in an higher sphere and function their place requires more parts and abilities but the most inferiour member is usefull in its place and shall have a power delegated for the discharge of its peculiar office SECT XI The eleventh Apology answered The next Apology is The troubles of the Church Alas my disquiet and discontent is not so much for my self as the publick The Church of God suffers Answ. I confesse it is sad and we ought for this to hang our Harps upon the Willowes he is a wooden leg in Christs body that is not sensible of the state of the body As a Christian must not be proud flesh so neither dead flesh When the Church of God suffers hee must sympathize Ieremy wept for the Virgin daughter of Sion Wee must feel our brethrens hard cords through our soft beds in Musick if one string be touched all the rest sound when God strikes upon our brethren our bowels must sound as an Harp be sensible but doe not give way to discontent For consider 1. God sits at the sterne of his Church Sometimes it is as a ship tossed upon the waves O thou afflicted and tossed but cannot God bring this ship to haven though it meet with a storme upon the Sea The ship in the Gospel was tossed because sinne was in it but it was not overwhelmed because Christ was in it Christ is in the Ship