GODS LOVE-TOKENS, AN …

GODS LOVE-TOKENS, AND THE AFFLICTED Mans LESSONS: Brought to light, and layd before him in two fruitfull and seasonable Discourses upon Revel. 3.19. Comforting under, and directing unto a right use of our personall, and publike crosses and calamities.

By JOHN TRAPP, M. A. and Preacher of Gods Word at Luddington in Warwick-Shire.

HEB. 12.6.

Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth.

Aug. Confess. li. 10 [...]4.

Amor ille paternus, sive approbet [...]ne, sive improbet me, diliget.

LONDON [...]nted by RICHARD BADGER. 1637.

TO THE RIGHT Honourable, and most vertuous La­dy, the Lady ANNE, Countesse of Mid­dlesex.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

YOVR late No­ble acceptance of these rude and raw Medi­tations, conceived at first for mine owne,Hebr. 12.9. but preacht for your Honours solace (when once the Father of spirits, by transplanting your darling-daughterThat hope­full young plant, the Lad, Susan­n [...] Cran­field. in­to [Page] his heavenly Paradise, had assign'd you a share in our common calamity) hath now occasioned and encouraged me to this o­ver-bold Dedication. You looke not, Madam, I be­leeve, for courtship and complement from a man of my coate and quality: And to give slattering titles were (besides the dint of the divine displeasure) to despite you with seeming honours.Iob. 32.22. A downe-right truth takes far better with an honest heart, then a smooth supparasitation. But were your Honour of their straine that sound a trumpet before them in the streets, Matth 6.1. Matth. 23.7. and love long [...] ­lutations in the Markets, [...] [Page] might perhaps, as fitly and as fully as another, tell the world of your singular hu­mility in height of honours, your heart-attracting Cour­tesie to those of meanest ranke and quality, your ex­emplary readinesse to re­lieve the poore Afflicted, your uncessant paines in getting knowledge, and so sutable a practise of that you know, as hath made my selfe, and many more judicious, to value your Honour not according to these outward vanities, but those inward vertues which the very Heathens accoun­ted the only true Nobili­tyNobilitas sola est at (que) unica virtus. Iuvenal. Nobilis gene­re, nobilior sanctitate Augustin. epist. 179.. But I know well, both [...]ow hard it is for the best to profit by praises, and [Page] how little they desire them that best deserve them. I shall therfore turne praises unto prayers, be­seeching him who teacheth His to profit,Esay 48.17 who giveth wisdome liberally, and up­braids not,Iames 1.5. to give your Honour a right sanctified use of former crosses, and to crowne the Calendar of your life (for future) with many Festivalls. So pray­eth He that is, and will be

Your Honours most hum­bly devoted in all duty, IOHN TRAPP.

The Preface to the Reader.

IT is, I must needs say, an over-just complaint of a Re­verend writerD. King Lect. upon Ionas Prof., that Presses are already op­prest, the world abounding with bookes even to satiety, and surfeit. And of Another, that the untimely brats of mens braines fly thicke up and downe the world, in this scribbling Age Passim cir­cumvolitant in hoo feraci chartarum saeculo huma­ni cerebelli Minervae. D. Prid. Lect.. And of a Third, that too many set forth in print, some, their owne wit, more, their owne folly Hezek. Re­c [...]v.. Whilest, with Domi­nio [Page] in St. Hierome they care not What, but How­much they utterNon quid, sed qua [...]um &c. Hier. in Ap [...]l. ad Domnionem.: with Al­cibiades in the Moralist, they talke much, but speake little [...]. plutar.: or with those triflers in the Gospell, they hope to be heard, for their much hab­lingMatth. 6 7. confer Ec [...]les. 10.14.. These forget, belike, that Writers should set forth not Treatises, but Treasu­ries Amhores non debere libros, sed the­sauros com­ponere. Do­mitius Piso. Sic Pli [...]j Opus Erasino thesaurus est, imò verè mundus re­rum cognitu dignissimatū: and that words (as monies) are valued by their matter, not by their multi­tudeIdem ser­moni congru­it quod num­mi [...] &c. S [...]hyox.: and (as suffrages) they passe not among wise­men, by tale, but by weightNon nume­ [...]arda suff [...]a­gia, sed expen denda.. Great talkers, indeede, would be thought eminent: and some that publish much, affect to be publike; albeit they sound, many times, from their emptinesse onelyVasa quae magis conti­nent, minus sonant. Sen.. [Page] Whereas the deepest waters are le [...]st heardLene fluit Nilus, sed cunctis amni­bus extat Vti­lior, nullas confessus mutmure vi­res. Claudian.: and those orient starres, the higher they are set, the lesse they are seene. The best and biggest of them, as they appeare not at all by day; so by night, they shew themselves but small in their hugest Orbes, and but slow in their swiftest moti­onsIn maxi­ma sui mole se minimùm ostendunt stellae.: besides many a goodly one, that because of height comes not within our ken or account. I wot well, there's never a mothers child of us that is not too much the true child of our great grand-mo­ther. We have each of us (saith our English Seneca) an Eues sweet-tooth in our heads, and would be more than we are: Every man would be either ( [...]) or ( [...]) [Page] The man, or Some bodyB Hall. E­pist.. The sweetest hearing (how­ever dissembled) is ones owne commendation [...]. Xo­noph.: and he is a rare man that hath not some Babel, whereon he bestowes paines and cost, either to be pointed atdigito mon­strari, &c., and talked of, as Demosthenes [...], or to curry favour with the common­sort, as Herod Legatur Bez An [...]t. in Ioh. 2.20.. For my selfe, truly, as I looke not to please all (mens fancies being as different as their facesD. Haukw. Atol.) so, if I may approove my poore paines to Christ the Judge of all Heb. 12., and to his Hidden ones Psal 83.3. Equidem plu­tis secerim justam com­mendationem unius alicujus pij & boni viri quàm ad­mirationem stultam totius multitudinis. Host. in Ioh. 3.28., the godly ju­dicious, I have enough, and shall well enough comfort my selfe with that white-stone, Rev. 2.17. against the blacke coales (if any such be) of the [Page] more malevolentMalis dis­plicere, lau­dari est. Sen.. It was a sweet and savoury saying of Occolampadius: I should be loth to speake, or write ought that Christ should disallowNolui ali­quid loqui vel scribere, quod improbatu­rum putem Christum.. He (truly) is that master to whom every man stands or fallsRom. 14 4.: and one good look from him, is insteed of all acclama­tions. For, not he that com­mendeth himself, saith that great Apostle; nor he whom the world cōmends, is appro­ved, but he whom the Lord commendeth. Wherefore, let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord, 2 Cor. 10.17, 18. There are, that glory in themselves, as those ancient GnosticksGnostici se solos fontem veritatie hausisse, &c. Iren. lib. 1 cap. 24, and our moderne IesuitesIesuita non potest esse haereticus: & Imperium li­terarum est penes Iesuitas Casaub. ex Apologista. They vaunt that the Church is the soule of the world, the clergy of the Church, and they of the Clergy. Sand. rela. of West. relig.; sacrifice to them­selves, as Sejanus Seianus sibi sacra facere solebat. Dio in vita Tiber., and those Babylonians, Hab. 1.16. set [Page] up, and serve themselves of Christ and his service, as Ju­das and his successours; that rob him of his rent, and run away with his glory: dealing with his worke, as once Phy­dias the famous Carver, did with the Shield of Minerva, wherein hee so cunningly en­chased his owne countenance, that it could not be defaced, but the Shield must be disfi­gured. Such were those flaun­ting Preachers of Philippi, that to carry away the bell from a better manPhilip. 1.16., sought to set up themselves in the hearts of their hearers. And such are those deceitful wor­kers [...]. 2 Cor. 11.13. now a daies, as preten­ding to be Christs spokesmen, will needs bee his corrivalls (upon the matter) whiles they [Page] give out themselves for some great ones Testis est Iustinus, quod hi [...] statuam habuerit inter pontes Tiberis cui insculpe­batur, Simoni Deo Sancto., with Simon Magus, Act. 8.9. and interest themselves (as he, too far) in the peoples affections, ver. 10 11. These cannot preface to their works, as those ancients did [...] Co [...]l. Rho­dig. ex Pausa­nia.: but may justly betwitted, as that Pope was pi­thily; when he had engraven upō the gates of his new-built Colledge: Vtretent (where he was borne) planted mee; Lovain (where he was bred) watered mee; but, Caesar (who had promoted him to the Popedom) gave increase: A merry Passenger under­wrote; Here God did no­thing Papa Ha­àrtatus cum Lovanij col­legium mag­no sumptu struxisset. &c. Hommis va­nit item re­da [...]gait alius subs [...]ribens, Hic Deus ni h [...]l fecit. Pa­reus in 1 Cor. 3 6.. So, God is not in all the tho ghtsPsal. 10.4. of these selfe­seekers, that thus i [...]tervert one part of the price; with [Page] that ill couple, Acts 5.2. whiles they turne Gods glo­ry into shame, loving vani­ty, seeking after lyes Psal. 4.2. [...]. The word there used, signifieth such a lye, as deceiveth mens expectations, Psal. 89.35. Isa. 58.11. 2 King. 4.16. Of wch sort, by a specialty, is that smoke of popular applause, which the higher it mounts, the sooner it vanisheth. Ve­rely, saith our Saviour to such, (and it is fearfull) they have their reward Math. 6.: all they are over like to have; let them make them merry with it. But what speake I of mer­riment? when the best that can come of such mens wood, hay, stubble, laid upon the common foundation, is Re­pentance to salvation2 Cor. 7., yet so [Page] as thorough the fire Inferiore gradu gloriae quàm alij Pae­reus. quem consule.: be­sides the losse of their worke, if not of some part of their wages, when the day shall declare it 1 Cor. 3.12 13.: that is, when the light of the Truth, Rom. 13.12. or Time the father of Truth, or that Day of death, (when many recognize, and recant their errors) shal shew them their Sin. Good S. Au­stin cryed to God, to pardon the vanities of his youth, and especially this, that hee had preached ut placeret, Confess. non ut doceret, to delight the eare, more than to smite the heart. A faire glasse for such to look in, a faire copie for such to write by, as write nothing but as in a frame. Every word is so marshalled, and every sen­tence with its apt cadencie, [Page] lies in such comely equipage. [...]. In these mens discourses, you cannot see matter for wordsMelaneth. apud Laert. as in some mens againe, scarse words for matter. Eu­ripides, saith the Oratour, hath more sentences than sayingsPlu es sen­tentias quam verba. Cic.: and Thucydides, hath so stuft every syllable with substance [...], that the one runs along paralell with the otherAdeò plenus referrus (que) re­bus, ut prope verborum numerum nu­mero rerum exaquet. Cic.. Lysias his workes are so well coucht, that you cannot take out the least word, but you take away the whole sense with itS [...]ex Plato­nis oratione aliquid de­ma [...], manes (que) de elegantia tantum de­traxeris; si ex Lysiae, de sen­tentia. Pha­verinu [...] apud Gell.. And Phocion had a speciall sa­cultie of speaking much in few [...] Plu­tarch.. Those best of Greekes were the short spoken par­tans [...].; and the [...]re [...]ans in Pla [...]ces time, (however de­generated in Saint Pauls Tit. 1.12.; [Page] were more waighty than wor­dy [...]. Plat.. Timanthes is famous for this, that in his pictures more things were intended than decipheredPlin. li. 35. cap. 10.: and Ho­mer, that none could ever peere him for Poetrie, nor match him for matter [...]. Xenophon.. How much more apt and apposite are these high praises to the Booke of God, rightly called The Bible? as if it were (as indeed it is, both for fit­nesse of termes, and fulnesse of truth) the onely booke; to which, all other bookes in the world are but waste paperEgo odi meos libros, & saepé opto eo, interire, quod metuo ne morentur lectores à le­ctione ipsius Scriptura quae sola namis saptentiae sons est. Luther in Gen. 19.. Called it is also, The Word, (by an excellencie) because it must be the But, and boundary of our words: and, The Scriptures, as the standard of all humane writings. Yea, [Page] that princely Preacher stiles them Princes, or Leaders Prov. 8 6. [...] in one place, and Lords of Collections Eccl. 12.11. [...] in another, because they are as Leaders, and Lords Paramount a­bove all other words or wri­tings of men, collected into volumes. Here we are bound to bestow our day and night-studiesIosh. 1.8.: and hence wee may well gather flowers, and phrases to polish our spee­ches with; even those sound words 2 Tim. 1.13. [...]. in Saint Paul, that have a healing property in them, farre above all filed phrases of humane elocution. To the Law therefore, and to the Testimonie (saith that rare Rhetorician) for, if any speake not accor­ding to this Word, it is [Page] because there is no light in them Isa. 8.20.. This is the c rtaine Cynosura, the Lampe and Lanterne, the Rule, and Rudder, the Wise-men, starre, that leades men to Christ, and without which, all their learning and lan­guage doth but light them into utter darknesse. Good therefore, and worthy of all acceptation is the counsell of Saint James: So speake yee, and so doe, as those that shall be judg'd by the law of libertie Iam. 2.12.. And of Saint Paul: Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you, in all wisedome, &c. that, whatever yee doe in word or deed, yee may doe all in the Name (that is, in the word and warrant) [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] of our Lord Jesus Christ Col. 3.16, 17.. And of Saint Peter: If any man speake, saith hee, let him speake as the oracles of God 1 Pet. 1.11.: there's his pat­terne. Neither need wee feare, as some prophane mis­creants have done before usLongolius, Pon p [...]n Lae­tus, Poli [...]u­nus Canoni­cus Florent: qui odas Pin­daricas psal­mis Davidiers pratulit, ausit nelario. Spuinx Phi­los. p. q., lest our smoother and purer stile should be marred or be­mired, by the interlacing of Scripture solecismesLongolius, Pon p [...]n Lae­tus, Poli [...]u­nus Canoni­cus Florent: qui odas Pin­daricas psal­mis Davidiers pratulit, ausit nelario. Spuinx Phi­los. p. q.. The vulgar Translation, I con­fesse, is so pesterd with Bar­barismes, that, not onely Saint Hierome would dis­avow it, but Priscian him­selfe would call for his Fe­rula. But read, as it was written, or rightly rendered (besides that, for the matter, it is that [...], 2 Tim. 3.16. that [...] ut ille olim de Liblioth. A­ [...] [...]. Physick for the [Page] soule, that crystall brooke, out of which, nay out of that one booke of which, nay al­most out of that one sixth chapter of that one booke of Deuteronomy, Our hea­venly David chose all those stones, wherewith he pro­strated the Goliah of hellMatth. 4.) there is a divine majesty (that character of the deity) shining through the humility and simplicity of the phrase: And oh the happinesse of that man, that can aptly utter his minde in pure Scripture! God himselfe, I am sure (the greatest Master of speech, and Maker of it too, Exod. 4.11.) when he spake from heaven, made use of three severall texts in a breathMatth. 17.5. [Page] This is my beloved Sonne, Psal. 2.7. in whom I am well pleased, Esay, 42.1. heare ye him. Deutero­nomie, 18.15. Which you may note against the curious queasinesse of such nice ones, as disdaine at the slately plainnesse of the Scriptures (saith oneCart. in lo­cum.) And to shew of what au­thority Scripture phrase is with God, saith another expositourMalcolm. in Act. 3.. I yeeld, there is a latitude, and a liberty lest here, wherein to ex­patiate. Neither am I of Spiridions spirit, that could not brooke it in a Bishop of his time (more el [...]quent, haply, then himselfe) that he should vary the least tit­tle in his text, though for [Page] another of selfe-same sig­nificationVoce [...] cum usus es­set in istius historiae e­narratione. Mar. 2 4. E­piscopus qui­dam disci­tio [...], tam fuit offensus Spi­ [...]dion, celo­b [...] & lor­tasse morosior Episcopu [...], ut in media con­cione in rexe­rit. Beza in l [...]. ex Niceph.. They that stum­ble at such strawes, must first get their cares healedDemost. o­rat. de o [...]d. civ. (as the Oratour told his country-men) before they will be in cas to beare with fruit, or reade with profit. Let men be so ingenious, saith a Father, as to fa­vour that in others which they cannot finde in them­selves. Eloquence is cer­tainely a singular gift of God, if not affected, abused, idolized: and becomes no man better then a Divine: whose part it is, by the tongue of the learned to time a word Esay 50 4. [...], and to set it upon its circumferences Prov. 25.11.: to declare unto Man his righteousnesse, when not [Page] one of a thousandIob 33.23. can doe it like him: to seeke to finde out pleasant words Eccles. 12.10, 11. Verba deside­rata: Ca [...]e [...]. delectabilia. Tre [...]. expeti­bilia. Va [...]ab., and an upright writing: such words as have goades, and nailes in them, being neither lecta nor neglecta, too curious, nor too carelesse. Not this; for where hony is forbidden for sacrifice, yet, there the first-fruits of hony are commanded, and call'd for. Leviticus, 2.11.12. Not that; because Gods ho­ly things must be handled sanctè magis quàm scitè, with feare and reverence ra­ther then with wit and dal­liance, as he once told the wanton vestall. Holy Moses covers his glistering face with a vaile when he speakes to the people: and hath more [Page] glory by his vaile then by his face. Those profoundest Pro­phets accommodate them­selves to their hearers capa­cities, fetching discourse from that the people were most acquainted with, and accustom'd to: as from fi­shes to the Egyptians, from droves of cattle to the Ara­bians, trade and traffique to the Tyrians, &c. So our blessed Saviour tells his fi­sher-men they shall be fishers of men. And after many plaine parables to the people, cries out Marke 4.13. (as if the wisedome of the Fa­ther, the essentiall word, had beene at a fault for a fit word, familiar and low enough for our slow and shallow appre­hensions) Whereunto shall [Page] we liken the Kingdome of God? or with what com­parison shall wee compare it? Yea, 'tis well observed, that th'Evangelists speake vulgarly, many times for their Hearers sakes, even to a manifest Incongruity, Joh. 17.2 Manifestum [...]. Sed Evange­listae multa di [...]endi gene­ra è medio petierunt, ut [...]udi vulgò s [...]s [...] accommo­da ent. B [...] in loc.. Rev. 1.4. &c. In after-ages (those two great lights of the Church) S. Au­stin confesseth that hee was fain to use some words, some­times, to those Roman Colo­nies in Africke, where hee preached, that were not La­tine, to the end they might understand himAs essum for os, d [...]lus for dolor, stor [...]et for s [...]rebit. Bice [...]voods enq [...]ties. p. 29.. And Saint Hierome is for this much commended, that remem­bring he was a Minister, hee stood not alwaies upon the purenesse of his stile, but was [Page] farre more solicitous of his matter, than of his wordsL. Vives. lib 2. & 3. de t. ad. discip.. Children, wee see, use money to gingle with, and men use slowers onely for sight and scent: but Bees for hony and waxe; not to guild their wings, as the Butter-flie, but to fill their Combs, and feed their Yong. In like sort, others store their heads, and tip their tongues, some for shew, and some for delight: but, Divines have these ta­lents in trust, that there­with they may save them­selves, and them that heare them 1 Tim. 4.16.; whiles they become all things to all men, in Saint Pau [...] sense, that they may win some1 Cor. 9.22.. And this (to [...]y sooth) is the just in­tent and indeavour of this [Page] tumultuary Treatise, hud­led up, and scribled out in great haste and heat of Pas­sion, and Compassion (a paire of ill Speakers, as wee see in David, Psal. 116.11. and Peter, Math. 16.22.) for mine own [...]. Antonin., and some few o­thers support and solace, in the sad losse of our dearest friends, and sweetest chil­dren by the last-yeares mor­tality. Since then, it fell (or ere I wist) into the hands of Authority, by meanes of such as ever-ween'd it: Being got abroad, how it will take a­mong the Many, I know not, feare not, force not [...]. Hero [...]ot l. 7.. Those that have a blemish in their eye, think the skie to be ever cloudy: and nothing's more common with weaker spirits, [Page] than to be criticizing, and contending. The matter (I conceive) is sound and seaso­nable; much of it borrow'd from the best Authors I have met with; and I shame not, yee see, to professe by whom I have profitedIngenuum est prositeri per quos pro­feceris.. Neither need I, when I call to mind, how the Prophet Zachary (as some will have it) com­mits to writing that which the Prophet Ieremy had preachedPareus in Math. 27.9.; Obadiah (I am sure) that which the same Ieremy had penn'd, before them. St. Iude transcribes St. Peter in many things: St. Marke abbreviates the o­ther Evangelists, but yet, ever with Vsury, as one speakesThe blessed Virgin hath much of her Magnificat out of Esay 29.. Clemens Alex­andrinus is call'd Contex­tor Clem. Alex a Ca [...]iedoro appellatur Contexter. A [...]ste [...]. Chro­nol. p. 434., [Page] and a latter man, Co­mestor, for their often alle­gations and authoritiesIbid. p. 450.. I will indeavour (saith Ger­son, and I with him) out of other mens good Meditations and Collections, to frame to my selfe, with the busie Bee, some sweet Hony-comb of Truth, by mine owne art and industrie, in mine owne words and methodEnicar ut ex bene inventis, & doctrinis altotum ego men verbis [...]coordine, savum ali­quem verita­tis, &c. De la [...]de sc [...]ipt.: and then be bold to say with ano­ther, Omne meum, nihil meum Macrob.; All's mine, though 'twere none of it m [...]e. But something, I take it, I [...]ave learn'd by the things I have suffer'dHeb. 5.8.. Affliction is a good helpe to experimen [...]ll knowledgeZox practi­ca. Pareus. as Job fo [...]nd it chap. 42.5. And there shall be onely feare, saith the Pro­phet, [Page] to make you understand the hearing. Isay, 28.19. [...]. Nonn. Vnderstand yee these things? saith our Saviour: yes. Therefore every Scribe that is instructed to the kingdome of God is like unto a housholder that thrusteth forth [...]. Math. 13.51, 52. [...]. (that is freely and fully im­parteth) out of his store­house (called here a treasu­ry, because we cast pearles afore menMath. 7.6., if they be but as ready to take them as we to tender them) things both new and old: that is, not onely out of the New and Old testament (as sonne would re­straine it) but new for the nice, and old for the stronger stomacke. A good stomacke, we see, falls to the same dish [Page] oft and afresh, againe and againe, to day and to mor­row, and feeles no satiety, nor cries out, he is cloyed: No more doth a good Chri­stian. And this meetes with those that demaund, what neede this waste after so much written already of the same subjectQuasi post Homerum Iliada.? The Heathen answers: What forbids to say the same good things over once and againe [...];? Our Saviour, I am sure, (in whose one exam­ple is a globe of precepts) preacht the same thing him­selfe, and bad his disciples doe the like, that Iohn Bap­tist had done before himQuod uti­nam [...]j per­penderent quib [...] ade [...] [...] placent, ne­q [...]id ab alijs didicisle vi­deantur. Mu­thes. So he twice over, taught his A­postles the Lords prayer; nay, that whole sermon, as [Page] some probably gather by the circumstances, as they are severally set downe by the two EvangelistsMath. 6. Luke 6. And when at twice, he drove those mo­ny-merchants out of the tem­ple, he both times made use of the selfe-same allegations, and argumentsIoh. 2.16. Marke 11.17.. Most sure it is, that that can never be too much taught, that's ne­ver sufficiently learn'dNunquam satis dicitur quod nungaā satis discitur. Sen.. And how others have pro­fited in Afflictions SchooleSchola cru­cis, schola [...]i­cis., they can best tell: but for mine owne part; though I feare not lest while I preach to others, my selfe should be a castaway 1 Cor. 9. ult.; Yet I have cause to feare lest some man say unto me, Physitian heale thy selfe: or twit me in ear­nest (as one did Erasmus in [Page] jest, touching his Enchiridi­on) that there's more good sound in my booke, then in my bosomPlus sancti­n onix con­spici in ipso libello quam in l [...]belli au­thore. Eras. The comfort is, I am chiefly to approve my selfe (and so art thou, Rea­der) to him that takes goates-haire from some hands as well as Iewells; and two mites from a meane body [...]. [...]uc. 19 2. id est, irquit Sy [...]us, duas octavas [...]e licet, oboli. in as good part, as two millions from those that are more able. A female was allowed in peace offerings: to note, that a ready heart sets an high price with [...]od upon a low p esent. Araunah was but a su [...]ject, yet because of that little he had, he gave like a King, 2 Sam. 24.23. his piety is renowned, and registred to all posterity, Zach. 9.7. Ekron (that is the barbarous [Page] people of Palestina) shall be as the Iebusite: that is, as this famous proselyte A­raunah, as Iunius interprets it. Saul had but five pence in his purse to give the Seer: the Seer, after much good cheare, gives him the king­dome1 Sam. 9 8. & 10.1.. Loe such is Gods dealing with the sonnes of men. Doth Iob serve God for nought? chap. 1.9. doth any so much as shut the doore or kindle a fire upon his altar for nought? Mal. 1.10. I trow not. God is a liberall paymaster, and all his retributions are more then bountifull. Nebuchadnez­zar the tyrant going upon Gods errand, shall have E­gypt as his pay, for his paines at Tyr [...] Ezek. 29.18, 19.. And Simon of [Page] Cyrene, Ezra 9.8. with his two sonnes Alexander and Rufus, have a naile and a name in Gods ho [...]se better then of sonnes and of daughtersIsa 56.5., for that involuntary service he did our Saviour, in carrying his crosse, Mar. 15.21 Lege Be­z [...]n ad locū. & ad Act. 20 4. Nec illum tantùm sed filios ejus Rufum, & A­lexandrum ad Ecclesiam aggregatos & inter discipu­los probe no­tos. Luc. 23.26.. How much more then will he gra­ciously accept, and liberally reward the small offerings of his weake servants, when he seeth them to proceede from great love? 'Tis of his owne alas that we give him, as David gladly acknowledgeth when the people had given their best1 Chron. 29.14.. And what are we Ministers, but the voice of another that criethMath. 3.3., as Iohn Baptist: the pen in Gods hand as Moses, and the prophets, 2 Pet. 1.2. vessels to beare [Page] Gods name, as Paul, Act. 9.15. Brethren (said hee, Act. 13.15.) if there be in you (as in so many vessels of honour, 2 Cor. 4.7.) any word of exhorta­tion, say on. Spirituall nice­nesse is the next degree to un­faithfulnesse. If thou have not fine Manchet (said Bu­cer to Bradford) yet give the poore people Barly-bread, or whatsoever else the Lord hath put into thy handFox Mar­tyrolog.. Hee hath concredited unto us these precious talents, not to hide them, but to trade with themAgricol [...] è sterco [...]ibus quaestum fa­ciunt, quantò magis in pre­ciosis de [...] do­nis nihil non exercendum?: which if wee doe faithfully, ascribing all the gaine and glory to God, as those good Servants did, Luke 19.16. when they said; Not we, but thy talents [Page] have gained other five, and other two, &c. (which is pa­rallell to that of Saint Paul, Howbeit, not I, but the grace of God that was in mee, 1 Cor. 15. [...]0.) hee will surely reward our labour of love,Secundum labor [...]m, non secu [...]dum proventum. Bern. [...], not according to our accep­tance with the world which is [...]fiea little enough) but according to our honest in­deavour of serving the Lord Christ. Who will in that name▪ put upon us the inhe­ritance, Coloss. 4.24. and in that day meet us with an Euge bone serve, Well done good servant, thou hast beene faith [...]ull in a little, (so hee calls the largest mea­sure here, even ten talents, in comparison of that sarre [Page] more exceeding and eternall waight [...]. 2 Cor. 4.17. Alludit ad Heb [...]u [...] & Chal leu [...] nomen gloriae [...] & [...] came ro [...]. hereafter) be thou master of much; whether five, or ten, or two Cities ac­cording to thy proportion, and capacitie; besides, a lar­gesse of joy to boot; Enter into thy masters joy Math 25.21 Non ita mor­tales, Luc 17.7. A [...]raba [...]us cum oecono­mum fideliss: haberet, [...]g [...]e tamen tulit illum sibi h [...] ­re lem, libe­rotum o [...]bi­tate, conseri­bendum. Sa­lomon, Ierobo­amum, &c.. A joy more like the joy of God than of Man, a joy more meet for the master than for the ser­vant; yet, such a master doe wee serve, as will crowne us with such a joy. Oh how should the serious considera­tion hereof, fire up our hearts, and force open our eyes, to see with all Saints, what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and heighth; And to know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge, that wee might be filled with all [Page] the fulnesse of GodEph. 3.18, 19.! But I must contract, for if a great booke be a great vill [...]. Callimachus apud Athe­naum. (as he said once) how much more a long Preface to a little book? I shall therfore suddenly shut up with the same Apostle, in the words next following those afore cited: Now, un­to him that is able to doe exceeding abundantly, a­bove all that wee aske or thinke, according to the power that worketh in us; Vnto him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end ver. 20.21.. Amen.

GODS LOVE-TOKENS, AND Th' Afflicted Mans LESSONS.

Revel. 3.19.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

IF all holy Scripture be but one intire let­ter, dispatcht from the Lord CHRIST, to his beloved Spouse on earth (as a Father fitly stileth it:Greg.) then this much more, and the fore­going Chapter; vvhich are merely made up of seven seve­rall Epistles, dated from heaven to the seven then famous Chur­ches of lesser Asia. Five of the [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2] seven are partly commended, partly condemned; That of Smyrna is onely commended; this of Laodicea onely condem­ned, and sorely threatned with shamefull spuing our, for her loathsome luke-warmness, and wretchlesse indifferency. Now, lest the weak hereby should be disquieted, or the worst so dis­ [...]ouraged, as to say with those in Ieremy, There is no hope, but we will walke after our owne de­vices, 2 Iere. 13.12. &c. Our Saviour, first, counsells them in the former verse; secondly, comforts, and counsells them both, in this of the Text,

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: bee zealous there­fore and repent.

The words divide themselves into a Proposition, and an Ex­hortation: or (if you please) a Doctrine, and a Vse. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: there's the Doctrine. Bee zea­lous [Page 3] therefore and repent: that's the Vse.

The Doctrine is comprehen­sive, and full of doctrine; each word having its weight, each syllable its substance. This first offers it selfe:

Doct. 1 That it is God that chastens his children. I rebuke and cha­sten, saith the text. I, is empha­ticall, and exclusive: as if hee should say, I, and I alone. So elswhere God assumes it, & the Saints acknowledge it. I forme the light and create darknesse, I make peace, and create evill. I the Lord do all these things Esa. 45. [...]. So in another place, I kill, and I make alive, I wound and I heale &c Deut. 32.39 So 1 Sam. 2.6, 7 Iob 5.18 Hos. 6.1, 2.. This the Lord doth som­times more immediatly by his owne bare hand, as it were: 1 Cor. 11.29, 30. sometimes a­gaine by the hand of our fel­low-creatures (the rodd in his hand) as he afflicted Iob by Sa­tan and his Sabeans Iob 1.21., David by [Page 4] Absalom and (his second) Shi­mei 2 Sam. 16.10., Ioseph by hisGe [...]. 45.8. brethren, Israel by Ashur [...]sa. 10 5., Christ him­selfe by the Priests &Act. 2 23. Elders. But still, what ever the meanes of our misery be, the hand is Gods; as both Iob, and Ioseph, and David, and the son of Da­vid Matt. 26.39 savve cause to acknow­ledge. For,

Reas. 1 First, [...]od doth all; therfore this. As he made all by his po­wer, so he manageth all by his providence. Not a sparrow fals to the ground without himMat. 10.30: not a bristle from a sow's back saith a Father;Tertull. much lesse a hair from a Saints headL [...]e 21.18, least of all, the head from the shouldersPsal. 116.15., or any matter of like moment and consequence, without Gods al-reaching and most vvise dis­pose and appointment.

Reas. 2 Next, God suffers all. There is no sinne committed, but God is offended, his authoritie impeached, his Law violated, [Page 5] Psal. 57.5.This to imply the offender was confined to the citie of Refuge as to a prison du­ring the high Priest life, as being the chief God on earth God­wins Antiq. Heb. p 98 Every sinne strikes at his face, lists his throne, makes to his dishonour. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes, and wearied mee with thine iniquitiesE [...]t 43.23. It is an of­fence to all his senses; nay to his very soule, as he complains by the same ProphetEs. 1.11, 12 13, 14.. Now, if one sinne against another, the Iudge shall judge him 1 Sam. 2.25: and if a man sin against the Lord, shall he not beare his sinneLev 5.17.? who shall be his dayesman? Reas. 3 Espe­cially since (in the third place) as God suffers by all, so he jud­geth all; And, shall not the judge of all the earth doe right? saith Abraham Gen. 18.25.. Now what more right, than that every transgres­sion and disobedience receive a just recompense of reward Hebr. 2.2.?

Reas. 4 Lastly, he commands all for execution of his righteous sen­tence; he hath the whole Hoast of heaven and earth at his beck and obedience, to chastise us by [Page 6] them at his pleasure. What that Emperour once vainely va [...] [...]e [...] is here fully verefied,Iulius Cas. if God but stampe with his foote, he can raise an army of fighting souldiers; yea, he can as easily u [...]o [...]us, as bid it bee done. If he say to any creature, go, he go th, if come, he com­m [...]th, if [...]o [...] this, he doth it: as if he say▪ peac [...] be still, both wi [...]d [...] and waves a [...] all [...]ey him, and cannot doe us the least [...]u t or hinderance.

Vse. 1 Away then (for application) with that mad principle of the Manichees, who refer'd all ca­lamities to the devill for their author; as if there could be e­vill in a city and the Lord had not done it.Ant. 3.6. Away with that blockish assertion of the Sto­icks, that ascribed all ill oc­currences to inevitable destiny. Away with that fond dreame of those Astrologers, that (ex­cluding Gods providence) [Page 7] make their fatall periods the cause of all changes and crosse-accidents. Lastly, vanish here that bald and bold fancy of such Atheists and Ignorants a­mongst us,Multi cum vi­tos Deo ac­ceptos acer­bum quippi­am pati vide­rint, anin o offenduntur [...] ignati quod hac infortu­nia sint ami­cotum Dei, vel maxine. Basil. Selene. Orat. 40. as doatingly deeme it a thing misbeseeming and unworthy the good Lord, to p [...]sh Man that Master-peece of his handy-worke: and by punishing him, to disturbe (as they will needs have it) the faire order of Nature. That [...]e should deale so ill especially with good men, and religious, this they can least of all brooke or beare with: not considering that the best have their blemi­shes, such as God may justly wash off with rivers of brim­stone. God indeede made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions Eccles. 7.29. Now if they eate of the fruit of their owne way, and be filled with their owne devi­ces, Prov. 1.31. Whom have [Page 8] they to quarrell? Where will they lay the blame?

Vse. 2 But, secondly, is it God that afflicts? What meane we then to looke so much upon the creature (a [...] those Apostles did upon the Angels at Christs ascensionAct. [...].11.: as the people did upon the Apostles at the Crip­ples restaurationAct. 3 1 [...].) as if they by any power of their owne, could either helpe or hurt us? Helpe us (I say) either by preventing evill, or delivering in the day of wrath? Asa may trust to the Physitian [...] 2 Chro. 16. [...]2., and Ahaziah send out to the God of Ekron 2 King 1.2. [...] si ne­quco supe [...]os etc., but neither the one or the other shall come downe from their sick-bed, because they sought not helpe of Iehova Rophe, the Lord that healethExod. 15.26. Lot may try conclusions, and thinke Zoar shall save him, when God appointed him to the mountaines: but when all was done, Zoar was too hot to hold [Page 9] him, and he glad to escape to those mountainesGen. 19.30., whither at first he should have sted. Saul may goe forth to seeke asses, (and we deliverance) abroad: but as he found them at home, after allSam. 9.20., so shall we helpe in God or not at all. And the same we say of the hurt we feare, or the smart we feele from any creature. Why looke we so much upon the malice of men, or rage of Divels, as if either of them were unlimi­ted? Why fault we so much this mans crossenesse, that mans carelesnesse, or lastly, our owne hard hap and misfortune; as if we had learn'd that language of Ashdod Neh. 13 24., It is a chance 1 Sam. 6. [...].: or as if that Heathen Idoll were any thing in the world: or that things casuall to us were not fore-appointed by God, e­ven to the least circumstance of the greatest or least affliction? And yet, how ready are we to [Page 10] mistake the grounds of our cros­ses,Te sacimus Fortuna, de­am, o [...] lo (que) lo­camus. Iuvenal. Vide Paschal. in Censura animi ingrati. cap. 1. and to cast them upon false causes; or resting in the natu­rall cause, to neglect the su­preme and supernaturall. Iacob when he saw the Angels ascen­ding and descending, enquired who stood at the top of the lad­der and sent themGen. 28.13.. David though he knew the second cause of the famine that fell out in his dayes to be the drought, yet he enquired of the Lord what should be the cause of that judgment2 Sam 21.1 Iob could di­seeme God, arrowes in Satans hand: and Gods hand on the armes of the Sa [...]a [...] rob­bers. [...]ea [...].. So should we doe in like case; see God in all our afflictions; in the visi­ble meanes see, by faith, the in­visible author. For although God may, and doth many tim [...]s make use of the Devill, and his impes to chastise his children; yet, it is but one hand, and many instruments that he smites us with. He ever reserves that royalty to himselfe of setting them their [Page 11] taske, limiting them their time, and letting out their ted­der: Hitherto ye shall goe, and no further. They can doe no­thing (and their master to help them) without commission from heaven; no, not so much as make a louseExod. 8.18., or drowne a piggeMatth. 3.32.. No: tis the Lord, saith holy Hannah, that killeth and maketh alive: he maketh poore and maketh rich: hee bringeth low, and lifteth up. 1 Sam. 2.6, 7 She was quite out, that laid the death of her sonne to the pre­sence of the good Prophet1 King. 17.18.. And as for the Divell, he hath so little power over the Saints, that they have power o­ver him Rev. 12.11, shall judge him at the last day1 Cor. 5.3. and have autho­rity (in the meane while) to deliver some over to him, as St. Paul did Hymenaeus, and as the Church of Corinth did then, and the true Church doth now, such as are scandalous and in­ordinate, [Page 12] for the destruction of the flesh, that their Spirits may be saved in the day of Christ. Such honour have all his Saints.1 Cor. 5.5. [...]. As for themselves; their soules are set safe out of Satans reach. And although their bodies may be hurriedMatth. 4. as our Saviours; yea and hurt by him too, as Iobs, Iob. [...]. Pauls, 2 Cor. 12.7. [...]. vide Muthe­sium in locum Antiochia ob singularem visitationem Dei, [...] a Iustiniane Imp. cog [...]a [...] ­minata est Hippocrates pessem [...] vocat In [...]gnost. &c. yet not without God: whose good providence in all afflictions is not passive meerely, but per­missive and active, as the Saints have seene and set forth to us in the Scriptures, and latter re­cords, yea as purblinde Nature saw cause to confesse.

Thirdly, Is it God that af­flicts? oh learne, then, when we smart, to returne to him that smiteth us. Send not out to Beelzehub with Ahazia, to the witch of Endor with Saul, to them that have familiar spirits, that peepe and that mutter with those refractaries in Esay. [Page 13] Esay 8.19. Should not a people seeke to their God? from the living to the dead? that were most absurd and abhominable. Againe, say ye not a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a con­federacy ver. 1 [...].,ib. saith the same Pro­phet in the same place. Gad not to Ashur, run not to Egypt, dig not broken cisternes, pursue not lying vanities, left ye for­sake your owne mercies,15. lest ye stumble and fall, and be broken and snared and taken. 17. But wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob: and by faithfull prayer draw him out of his retiring roome, as the woman of Canaan did, who brought Christ forth when he would have hid him­selfe, Mark. 7.24.25. Shee knew her daughters disease was a stroke of Christs hand, such as none could take off but the same that inflicted it. To him therefore shee runs for re­lease, [Page 14] and had it: together with a high commendation of her heroicall faith. The like we may see in Hezekiah, He kissed Gods rod,Vna eadem (que) ma [...]us &c. under which he lay bleeding; and marking the hand that used it, chatters out aswell as he was able, O Lord I am opprest, e [...]se me. What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himselfe hath done it Esay 38.14.15.. Thus he. And indeede this is the onely way to get off, when we are in du­rance. Never looke for ease (in mercy I meane) till we are come to this, but more loade of afflictions. The Syrians before and Philistines behinde, and they shall devoure Israell with open mouth. A heavy case, you see, and yet behold a worse matter. For all this anger is not turnd away, but his hand is stretcht out still Esay 9.12.. Why? what's the mat­ter? For the people turneth not to him that smiteth them, nei­ther [Page 15] doe they seeke the Lord of Hostes. Heathen Philistims shall rise up and condemne such Israelites, nay such pre­posterous Christians; as run to Eli with young Samuel, when God calls them, to King Iareb when God wounds them. Hos. 15.13. To the creature, I meane, when God summons them by his vocall rods, to humble themselves under his mighty hand that he may lift them up. God sent mice and Emerods of flesh to the Phili­stims, and they returne him both those in gold:1 Sam. 6.5. to imply, both that these judgments came out from God, and that they did gladly give him the glory of that whereof he gave them the smart and shame.

Vse. 4 Againe, let this patient our hearts under any affliction, that it's God that inflicts it. It is the Lord, said Eli, let him doe what seemeth him good1 Sam. 3.18. I [Page 16] was dumb, I opened not my mouth, saith David, because it was thy doingPsal. 39.. God (he was sure) as he might doe what he pleased with him, so he would never over-doe: his hand should not be further stretcht out to smite then to saveIs. 59 1.; and there­fore he sets downe himselfe with that consideration.Pater est. Si [...]ter [...]nesses This cooled the boyling rage of the young man in T [...]c [...]c [...]. Goe ye now, and doe likewise. Say to your selves, shall I not drinke of the cup, that my fa­ther hath put into my hands? stand under the crosse that he hath laid on my shoulders? stoope unto the yoke that he hath hang'd on my neckeLam 2. [...]7. ▪ This is to fall ben [...]ath the stir­rop of Reason: for the oxe knoweth his owner, and holds downe his hornes to the yoke he puts upon him. Yea, beares and lyons take blowes from their keepers, and shall not I from the keeper of his Israel Isal. 121.5.? If I contend with my Maker, [Page 17] worse will come of it. I can­not ward off his blow, nor mott my self up against his fire. The dint of his indignation and displeasure I am never able to avoid or abide. What then should I rather doe,Levius sit pa­tientia Quic­quid co [...]ge­re est nefas. Horat. then with meekenesse and silence buckle a [...]d how under his hand? and not make my crosses heavier then God makes them by im­patience and frowardnesse. I see the bird in a gin, the fish up­on the hooke, the faster shee strives, the firmer she sticks. The child under his fathers rod the more he struggles, the more stripes he gets. If he reach at the rod, he shall have enough of it: if he grumble and growle he is taken up againe. God will not give his over, till he hath broken their stomacks, and made them kisse the rod, which the wicked bite, so ad­ding impatience to their impe­nitence, and passive disobedi­ence [Page 18] to their active.

Ob.If God would take the rod into his owne hand, 'twould nothig so much trouble me: [...]ut h [...] puts me into such mens han [...]s as fatastically hate mee,Psal. 8 2 [...] Ho [...]o homi­ni d [...] on. Sol. and are divelishly be [...] a­gainst me.

This is as if the child should say; If I [...] it choose my rod, I would [...] to be whipt: or the condemn'd No­ble-ma [...], If I might chuse mi [...] executioner, I could be con­tent to lose my head. What are our Enemies but Gods of­ficers that can doe no more then is given them from above Ioh. 19.11.? Gods Masons, to how us here in the mount, that we may be as the polished corners of the Temple Psal. 144.12 Gods scullions, to scoure up the vessels of his houshold, that they may be meete for the masters use. Let them alone (hardly) with their office (they are but the [Page 19] men of Gods hand.) Psal. 17.14. and looke up to the master that sets them aworke: raise not [...] the hang­man, but run t [...] the in [...]. This will make th [...]e [...]ay thy hand on thy in [...]h, when thou art chasing rip, and [...]y to rave a [...]ainst th [...] i [...]strument; to consider, that tho [...] that mo­lest or maligne us either with violent lands, o virulent tongues, they are set a worke [...]y Gods good providence for our triall and exercise: and there­fore to let fly at them is to let fly at God himselfe. This will coole a man better then the re­peating of the Greeke Alpha­bet, or any such remedy as the morall Sages minister unto us. This thing is proceeded of the Lord, we cannot therefore say neither good nor evill. Gen. 24.50.

Vse 5 Lastly here's matter of comfort under whatsoever crosses: to consider that they come not [Page 20] out of the dust, grow not out of the groundIob 3 6., befall us not as it happens, or as our enemies would have it: but are sent us in by a father, as tokens of his love, and seales of our sonship. God hath not onely in a gene­rall manner preordained our afflictions, and left all the rest to be disposed of by chance and fortune: but specially orde­reth and ruleth them with his most wise, just, and gracious providence, both for manner, measure and continuance; ma­king them ever, as inferiour causes serve for his supreme ends, which are his owne glo­ry, and our salvation. Affli­cted then we shall be, (for as no parent corrects another mans child, so no good parent but corrects his owne) but yet in judgment, not in fury Ier. 10.24.: nei­ther so little as we would, nor so much as we might: but so much only as our heavenly fa­ther [Page 21] shall see meete. Who be­ing onely wise, and withall very good, will not tempt us above what we are able1 Cor. 10.13.: but pro­portioning the burthen to the backe, and the stroke to the strength of him that beares it, he will spare us as a man spares his owne sonne that ser­veth him Mal. 3.17.. The skilfull Armourer trieth not an or­dinary peece with musket shot: the wise Lapidary brings not his softer stones to the stithy. The good husband turnes not the wheele upon his Cummin, nor his staile upon his Fitches. But the Fitches are beaten out with a staffe, and the Cum­min with a rod. For why? his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him Esa. 28.26.27.29.. Now the argument holds good from the taught to the teacher: such a tea­cher especially as is not onely [Page 22] wonderfull in counsell, but ex­cellent in working. And how is that? wherein stands the ex­cellent worke of this wonder­full Counsellour Esay 9.6.? Heare it from the same mouth; Behold, I have refined thee, but not as Silver Esay 18.10.! because, having in them more drosse than good oare; that is, more corruption than grace; they would soone have beene consumed in this fiery triall. Which to pre­vent, the Prophet Malachie tels us, that God sits downe by the fireMal. 3.2. to rend it, and to look to his Saints. Or, if he be up­on any occasion urged to be absent, the Prophet Esay saith, Hee flies and returnes Esay 31.9, et ult. &c.: yea, himselfe goeth with them into the fireEsay 43.2., using care, and taking course, that their [...]ear be not too great, nor their abode ther­in so long, as that any graine of grace should be lost, but ra­ther refined and enhanc'd, by [Page 23] a farther partaking of his Holi­nesse Heb. 12.10.. But I hasten.

Doctr. 2 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Afflictions, then, are Gods Love-tokens. That's a second point issuing from the words. This was a Doctrine preach't by Salomon Prev. 3.11. of old, and prest after him (in so ma­ny words) by the Author to the Hebrews, with an addition, that Hee scourgeth every Son whom hee receiveth Heb. 12.6.: I, and he shall take it for a favour too: for, If yee endure chastening, Vers. 7. saith hee, God dealeth with you as with Sons: for what Son is hee whom the Father chasteneth not? That's the Apostles first Reason there, and shall bee ours (for where can we have a better?)

Reas. 1 Corrections then are pledges of our Adoption, and badges of our Sonship. One Son God had without sinne, but none without sorrow. Christ the [Page 24] naturall Son,Soli enim [...]. though he were sine corruptione, without cor­ruption, yet not sine correptione, without correction; for, The chastisement of our peace was upon him Esay 53.5.: and though hee were sine flagitio, without a crime, yet not sine flagello, without a scourge; for, By his stripes wee were healed Ibid.. The captaine of our Salvation, by being Consecrated through af­flictions, brought many Sons to glory Heb. [...].10.: conform'd we are by sufferings to the image of his Sonne, Rom. 8.29. that hee might be the first-born among many Brethren. For as two pieces of Iron cannot bee so soundly foldred, and made fast one to another,The vessels, and instru­ments of the Sanctuary were of bea­ten gold. but by beating them both together in the fire: so, neither can Christ and his Brethren be so neerly united, and fast affected but by fellow­ship of his sufferings [...]hilip. 3 10., whil [...]s they suffer together, that they [Page 25] may be glorified togetherRom. 8.17..

Reas. 2 But secondly, (for the Apo­stle proceeds in his Argument) By subjecting our selves to the Father of spirits, in his corre­ctions we live Heb. 12.9.. Now life (in any sense) is a sweet mercie, a deere indulgence, a precious pledge of Gods singular love: for where he loves most, there he commands the blessing, even life for evermore Psal. 133. ult.. Therefore, Abraham, when he would beg the greatest boone for his be­loved Son, Oh, saith hee, that hee might live in thy sight Gen. 17.18.. He that findeth mee, findeth life, saith wisdomeProv. 8.35.. But where, and in what way is she to be found? Corrections of instructi­ons are the way of life Prov. 6.23.. How can a naturall Father better seale up his love to his child, than by saving his life? and how is that done sooner than by a seasonable and mercifull use of the rod? for by nurtu­ring [Page 26] him betime, he may keep him from the gallowes. If thou beatest him with thy rod, saith Salomon, he shall not die Pro. 23.13.. And againe, thou shalt beate him with the rod, and shalt deli­ver his soule from hell. Sembla­bly,14. the fath [...]r of spirits, when he would shew his love to his untoward child, whips him till he bleeds, bloods him till he faints and swoones againe sometimes; that he may let out his ill humours, and make him whole every wh [...] Ioh. 7.23., doe a perfect cure upon his soule, make it returne and live, for why should any dy in Gods house of Israel Ezek 18.31.? There are centuries of diseases lying in wait for mans precious life, but far more for his soule. There is the rympany of pride, the dropsy of covetousnesse, the fever of ambition, the frenzy of passion, the consumption of envy, the epilepsy of Apostacy, [Page 27] the lethargy of security, the plague of discontent, &c Now affliction is Gods Ca holicon, the crosse is the cure of them all. Gehezi tells the praises of his severe master to King Ieho­ram 2 King. 8.4.5 Perussem nisi perussem.. Whence some conje­cture, that his leprosy made him cleare, that his white fore­head made him a white soule, that his disease cured him. See this further set forth, Iob. 33.14. to 31.

Reas. 3 Thirdly, [...]he fathers of our flesh though they love us well enough, yet they verely correct us for their pleasure: to ease their stomacks, vent their chol­ler, discharge themselves of that dipleasure they have con­ceived against us. Not so the Lord: fury is not in m Esay 27.4., saith he, he is slow to anger and of great patience, and quickly re­pents him of the evillPsal. 103.8.. It is certainely a fearefull thing to fall into the punishing hands [Page 28] of the living GodHeb. 10.31.: for who knoweth the power of his wrath Psal. 90.11.? but so the Saints doe never: For as he afflicts not willingly Lam. 3.33., tis his worke, his strange worke Esay 28.21. Vim Deo fa­cimus iniqui­tatibus no­stris: prope est ut cum non permitta­mus ut parcat. Salvian.? (We might, if we were oughts, live all the dayes of our life in his house, and not so much as feele the weight of his hand) so when he must doe it, (as no remedy but he must, otherwhiles, to his griefe) he nurtureth us as a father doth his owne sonne Deut. 8.5.. First, he stands and melts over us, and oh that he might not doe it: How shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deli­ver thee Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? my heart is turn'd within me, my repentings are kindled toge­therHos 11.8. Ier. 32.19.20.. There's all the pleasure he takes in correcting us. Then, when he hath us under hand, in the very midst of judgment he [Page 29] remembers mercy Hab 3.2.. In hum­bling us, he remembreth us, for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136 23 Sit licet in na­tos facies au­stera paren­tum. Mens tamen aequa manet—. The same hand that strikes us, supports us under the strokes. God dealeth by us as Ioseph by his brethren: he lookt sterne, and spake harsh, but in the meane while gave them meate without money, and sent them away in peace and with com­fort.

Reas. 4 Lastly, as he corrects us not for any pleasure to himselfe, so for greatest profit to us. For, first, he hereby makes us parta­kers of his holinesse here. Se­condly,ver. fills us with the peace­able fruits of righteousnesse in heaven. First,Retentio ex­crementorum est parens morborum. then he chastens us that he may impart unto us of his holinesse: and that first by removing the impediments. For, by this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin Isay 27.9.. He plowes upon our backe, [Page 30] and makes long his furrowesPsal. 129.3., that the weeds being killed, and the ground fitted for seede, we may sow in righteousnesse, and so reape in mercy Hos 10.12.. Second­ly,Non quod af­flict one pro­prie sanctifi [...]ent sed ad mini [...]la sunt ad san [...]i s [...] ­tio [...]ci [...]. I [...]. He gives us by affliction the exercise, proofe, and increase of saith, hope, and charity: to­gether with sundry other prin­cipall graces; working by them experience and patience, which serve for the beautify­ing, and perfecting of a Chri­stian. For let patience have her perfect worke, saith St Iames Iam. 1.4.: intimating, that he is but an imperfect Christian, that wants patience; a very little childe in Gods house (if any at all) that cannot beare the rod. Thus he makes us partakers of his holinesse.Pareus. And so he doth of his happinesse too, called here (is some judicious inter­pret it) the quiet fruits of righteousnesse; as elswhere, the crowne of righteousness [...] 2 Tim. 4.8., the [Page 31] crowne of lifeRev. 2.10., the weight of glory, that farre-most-excellent exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17., wrought out unto us by the afflictions of this life: which being light and mo­mentary are not worthy to be reckon'd Rom. 8.18. Quò it alis praelentibus durius depri­mor, eò de futuris gaudi­is certius prae­sumo. Greg., therefore, nay, not to be named in the same day with the glory that shall be re­vealed at that day. Adde here­unto, that by our crosses san­ctified, weight is added to our crowne of blisse, sith ac­cording to the measure of our afflictions God meteth unto us of his graces, that we may be able to beare them: and accor­ding to the measure of our gra­ces, he proportioneth our glo­ry and future happinesse.

Vse. 1 But is this so, that afflicti­ons are Gods love-tokens? how fowly then are they mista­ken, that take them for testi­monies of his wrath, and ef­fects of his disfavour. And yet [Page 32] this was Abrahams errour in the want of an heyre of his owne body. When God had said unto him, Feare not A­braham: I am thy shield, and thine exceeding great re­ward; Lord God, saith he, what wilt thou give me, seeing I goe childlesse, Gen. 15 1.2., &c. This also was the peoples weakenesse in the want of water. Is God say they amongst us Exod. 17.7.? as if that could not be, and they athirst. So Gideon in the invasion of the Midianites. The Lord, saith the Angell, is with thee, thou va­liant man. But Gideon said un­to him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us Iudg. 6.12.13 Psal. 7 7. Buchelecius.? The like we may say of David in that me­lancholly psalme of his, as one calls it; and the whole Church in that her dolefull dit­ty; I said, my hope, and my strength is perished from the Lord, Lam. 3 18.19. remembring mine affli­ctions [Page 33] and my misery, the worm­wood, and the gall. I, but who put in that wormwood and gall (might one have replied) into Gods cup? 'twas never, sure, of his tempering; that's an ingredient of your owne addition. 'Tis true, there is a cup in the hands of the Lord, and the wine thereof is red, and full of mixture. But what? shall all taste alike of Gods cup? No, no, the Saints doe onely sip of the top; they drinke onely so much of it as is cleare and sweete,Illud solum quod suavius est et limpi­dius. in com­parison: but the dregs thereof, the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drinke them up Psal. 75.8: say there be some bitter­nesse in that we suffer (as no affliction, for the present, is joyous but grievousHeb. 12.11.,) yet bitter potions bring on sweete health: and it is in great love, no doubt, (however it be ta­ken,) that the tender father me­dicines [Page 34] his child for the wormes, gives him aloes, or the like: The child cries out as if he were kild, sputters and keeks as if he were poy­son'd; yet still the fathers love is never the lesse: no more is Gods, for the gall he gives us. It is not fury but mercy that sets God a wor [...]e in this kinde. We are judg'd of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.. Now to make that an argument of his hatred that he intends for an instance of his love, what can be more absurd and provoking? How would you take such usage at the hands of your children? If they should make such akward and unkind constructions, when you physicke them for their good: or, if neede so r [...] ­quire, apply sharpe corrosives, or hot trons to their flesh? How could you take it, I say, if they should exclaime or but [Page 35] mutter; my father hateth m [...], is weary of my company, de­sires my death, seekes to rid me out of the world? would it not gall you to be so much mistaken? And what shall God doe, thinke you? espe­cially,Non est argu­mentum aver­si dei, quem­admodum di­abolu [...] inter­pretatur: sed potius pater­n [...]e ipsius be­nevolenti [...]e. Lavat. in Pro. 3.11. since herein we close with the Devill, and take part with him, against our owne soules. His worke is to accuse God to man (as he did to our first parents in Paradise) as if he envied man the best estate; and of very hatred holds him to hardship, and feeds him (as Ahab did Michaiah whom he loved not) with the bread of affliction, and water of adver­sity. Thus he suggested to Iob by his wife and three freinds; leaving him his tongue un­toucht (when all his body be­sides,Chrysost. To [...]um est pro vulnere cor­pus. was but one great botch) as hoping that he, would there­with have curst God and dyed Iob. 1. ult., or charg'd him with folly and [Page 36] cruelty p. So the tempter would faine have perswaded our Saviour, that he was no sonne of God, because he was afflicted with hungerMatth. 4.. But against this temptation, forget not the consolation, which spea­keth unto you as unto children; my sonne, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, neither saint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12 5.6. Non ita bea­tum paulum pu [...]o quod in coelum raptus quam quod in carcerem conjectus. Chrysost. in Eph. 3.1. &c. whence the Apostle reckons affliction a­mongst Gods honoraries, and tokens of respect: for, To you it is given saith he, not onely to beleeve (though that's a great matter for he that beleeveth hath set to his seale that God is trueIoh. 3 33., hath subscrib'd to his truth, and given him a testi­mony) but also to suffer Phil. 1.29. Act & no­n in pag. 1565: which (saith Father Latymer) is the greatest promotion that God gives in this world. Iob (good man) cannot but ad­mire [Page 37] at it, that God should make so much account of man, should so magnifie and digni­fie him, as to thinke him worth the melting, though it be every morning, and trying, though it be every moment. Iob. 7.17.18.

Vse. 2 Secondly, here hence is­sueth a double Instruction, and you shall have it in the Apo­stles owne words. My son dispise not thou the chastening of the Lord, that's the first: nei­ther saint when thou art rebu­ked Heb. 12.5., that's a second. This is the Apostles owne use of this point (after Salomon) and this is as good an use as we can put it to.

First then,I. [...] Targum. [...] beware you de­spise not Gods correction; count it not an ordinary thing, a light matter, a common oc­currence, such as comes and goes as the raine on our clothes which after a while dries up, [Page 38] and all is as before. This is to elevate, [...] Heb. 12.5. and set light by Gods love-tokens, to vilipend and undervalue his kindnesses, to make no repute nor reckoning of his gracious expressions, and dearest indulgences: whilest we thus lay them at our heeles, and cast them into by-corners, as things not worth our care­full keeping, or kinde accep­tance.

To helpe against this ex­treme: Consider first, that affliction commeth not out of the dust, no not the least and ligh­test that doth befall us: but though Man be borne to trouble as the sparke to fly upward, yet every Iob will seeke unto God as the authour, and purposely to breede true remorse in him­selfeIoh. 5.6.7.8.: and every Naomi (in case of personall sicknesse or death of friends) will say, the hand of the Lord is gone out a­gainst me Ruth. 1.13: and every Israelite [Page 39] indeede collect, are not these e­vills come upon us because our God is not with us Deut. [...]1.17? For neither is it for nought (in the second place) that God afflicts: but ever there is some Achan in the army, some Sheba in the towne, some Ionas in the ship, some distemper, I meane, in the soule, some disorder in the life, that God would have removed, and remedied. Third­ly, that he keepes count how oft he afflicts us, and what good use we make of his hand. Amos, 4.5.6.7.

Now shall God count our crosses, and we contemne them? shall he number our lashes, and we neglect them? shall he lay them on in love for our good, and we beare them off with head and shoul­ders, least they should doe us good? The hypocrite, saith Elihu, crieth not when God binds him, and doth therefore [Page 40] heape up wrath Iob. 36.11.. The wicked, saith holy Hannah, are silent in darkenesse 1 Sam 2.9., and shall there­fore lie downe in sorrow Esay. 50.10.: they shuffle over their crosses, and make some sorry shift to rub thorough them, and thinke to weare them out as well as they can. Such were those in Iere­my, woe is me for my hurt, my wound is grievous. There's their moane at first, but what after a while of pawsing? Truely this is my griefe and I must beare it Ier. 10.19.. As who shou [...]d say: There's no remedy; 'tis that we all must looke for, to have crosses while we are here, when things are at worst they'le mend againe: such and such haue suffer'd the very same, and done well enough, and so I hope shall I. God complaines oft of this stupidi­ty, and senselessenesse in his people, and threatneth it sore with a succession of crossesLev. 26.; [Page 41] seven more and seven more, and seven to that, to the con­version of his owne, and the confusion of his enemies: for is it fit that he should cast downe the bucklers first? No: he is too wise, and too strong, to be overcome, or wearied out by any meanes but strong pray­er and humble yeeldance under his mighty hand. Looke to it therefore (I charge you) or looke for a worse matter. God hath his rods sticking in every corner of the house: yea he hath a swinging rod for them that will not mend with a twig: or if a rod will not doe, he will take up his staffe: or if that serve not the turne, he hath scourges and scorpions. 'Tis sure, if he take us once in hand, he'le master us, and make us returne to him that smites us, or ere he give us over. Take heede therefore we be not of those fooles that will not [Page 42] grow wiser though brayd in a morte [...] Prov. 27.22.: of these drunkards that are strucken, and finde it not; beaten againe, & feele it notPro. 23.35.: of those Stoicks (stocks rather you may stile thē) that, count it a vertue to stand out all cross [...], and not be stirr'd thereat: that thinke if they may scape afflicti­ons, tis well; as if not, tis a desti­ny, they must [...]eare it, they were borne to it: & so as beasts or ra­ther as blocks1 Sam 25.37. they lye under their burden: & account it grea­test valour to make least ado, & lay it as little as may be to hart. But this is to crosse God, who intends mē should take up their crosse,Crucem ala­ [...]es con [...]cen da [...] Dul ces sunt e [...]avi, tan e [...]si valde a [...]e bi Na [...]i­ing. not treade upon it: car­ry it on their backs, not make a fire of it; be active in carry­ing it, and doe it cheerefully, not because they can neither will nor choose: be sensible of the weight of it, and not runne away with it as Sampson did with the gates of Gaza. I tell [Page 43] you, there's no standing before a lyon when he roarethAmos. 3.8.: ther's no bearing up our sayles in a tempest, when it rageth, nor contesting with soveraignty, no resisting omnipotency. If ye meane to be Kings Sonnes, ye must bring him the fore­skins of an hundred Philistims, shew him the fruit of our for­mer [...]aff rings. For otherwise, he will construe it for a con­tempt, and standing over us with his great rod, swinge us soundly, and say at every lash, heare ye the rod, and who hath ap [...]ointed itMi [...]. 6.9.. God tells his revolted people by Hosea, he will first be a moth to wast them by some lighter afflicti­on: if that affect not, he will be a worme to rot them, then a lyon to teare them, and last of all, withdraw himselfe from having to doe with them, till they see their sin, and seeke his face, Hos. 5.12.13.14.15.

A second lesson the Wiseman takes us out from this point, is, Neither be weary of his corre­ction: [...] Spinae nomen hinc deduci­tur: Vnde Kabvenaki locum hunc exponit, Ne ejus castiga­tiones ut spi­nas quasdam existin es tibi molestas. Psal. 73.13. that is, (as the word imports, and the Apostle in­terprets it) fret not at it, faint not under it. Far be it from thee, to repent thee ever of thy repentance vvith David in a passion; or to wish thy selfe eas'd of those Love-tokens, which thou feelest as thornes in thine eyes, and therefore startlest; and as pricks in thy sides, and therefore winchest. This is to make an ill constru­ction of Gods kindnesse, as if hee meant to kill thee there­vvith: and to upbraid him with his Mercies, as if they were Cruelties. Hee hedgeth us about with his thornesHos. 2.6., that hee may keepe us within compasse: hee pricks us with his briars, that hee may let out our ill humours. Oh happy thornes of tribulation, that [Page 45] open a veine for Sin to gush out at! Onely, let us not rage at the Surgion as mad-men, nor swoone under his hand as milke-sops; but frame to a peaceable and patient behavi­our; chiding our hearts when wee feele them fret, and sha­ming our selves when we find them faint. Why art thou cast downe, my soule, and why art thou disquieted within mee Psal. 43.? Why dost thou cry aloud? is there no king in thee? is not the first dominion come unto thee? is thy Counsellour perished Mic. 4.8, 9.? Surely, if (amidst so many privileges) thou faint in the day of adver­sitie, thy strength is but small Pro. 24.10. Looke thorow the Cloud, and see the Sun-shine of comfort on the other side. The time shall come, when thou shalt see and say, That it was in ve­ry Faithfulnesse, nay, in very Love, that God afflicted thee Psa. 119.75: and that all things (even affli­ctions [Page 44] [...] [Page 45] [...] [Page 46] too) doe concur and co­operate to our greatest goodRom. 8.28.; such as wee would not have wanted for any good. [...]. Be not yee therefore Murmurers 1 Cor. 20.10., neither be faint in your minds; but call up your spirits, and fortifie your hearts against whatsoever discouragements. For your help herein;

First, consider the good end God aimes at, and attaines to in all our afflictions; which is to humble us in the sense of our Sins; to give us proofe and ex­perience of his power and love in preserving us in them, and delivering us out of them; to purge out our drosse, and take away our Tinne;Esay 1.25. to greaten our Graces, and by making them more active and stirring, to make us more able unto, and abundant in, every good word and worke. God by affliction separates the Sin that he hates, from the Son that hee loves: [Page 47] and keeps him by these thorns, that hee breake not over into Satans pleasant pastures, which would fat him indeed, but to the slaughter. And albeit wee cannot, for present, perceive any such benefit, but the con­trary; yet wait a while,Vlricus Dux Wuttemb [...] ­cus, Anno 1519 & Suc­viae Confaede­ratu [...] ducatu pellitur. Exul ad Philipp: Hastia Lant­grav: consugit— Vt sibi exilium leve d [...] cret, & patrir posses­sionem; si Evangelij lu­ce catendum fuisset, pro da vno repu­taret Scultes: Annal. p. 419. till God hath brought both ends together, and you shall sub­scribe to this truth. A Torch burnes after a while, the better for beating; a yong Tree set­tles the faster for shaking: Gods Vines beare th [...] better for bleeding; his Spices smell the sweeter for powning; his Gold lookes the brighter for scowring. Hee that knowes our frame, knowes that wee are best when wee are worst, and live holiest vvhen we dye fastest; and therefore frames his dealing to our disposition, and seekes not so much how to please us, as to profit us.

Secondly, set thy selfe to [Page 48] remember the consolations of the Scriptures: And first, the precious promises, those brests of Consolation Esay 66.11. which wee are bid to sucke, nay to oppresse, till we get out the sweetnesse. Doe as the little Bee doth, she will not off the flower, till she hath made somwhat of it. Had it not been for this Aqua coe­lestis, David had surely fainted in his affliction Psal. 27.13. Psal. 119.71.: but this good word from heaven fetcht him againe, when hee was ready to sinke. And another time, when he had reason'd himselfe our of all patience, at the pro­sperity of the wicked, and his owne harder condition; hee went into the house of God, and (by perusall of the pro­mises) he received satisfaction and settlementPsal. 73.17.. Secondly, the examples recorded in Gods Booke on purpose, that wee through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have [Page 49] hopeRom. 15.4.. There you shall find Iob blessing the time that ever hee was correctedIob 1.: David acknowledging, that it was good for him that hee was af­flictedPsal. 119.: Ieremy praying for it, as a good thing he neededIere. 10.: a whole Church-full of people voting the same way, Lam. 3.27. Lazarus (though Christs bosome-friend) labouring un­der a mortall disease, and ma­ny soules cured, and gained to Christ by his sicknesse. Behold, said she, he whom thou lovest, is sick, Ioh. 11. Si amatur, saith one,Aug. quomodò infirmatur? If loved of Christ, how comes he to be sicke? well enough:Anno 1503. Frederi [...] [...]le­ctori Saxoniae na [...]eati vita est in dorio crent aureo colore salges &c. futuri un san omen ex alvo naterna secum tulit. Bacholeerus in Chrea [...]. It's no­thing new, for Gods best belo­ved to be much afflicted. Qui non est Crucianus, non est Chri­stianus, saith Luther, Ther's not a Christian that carries not his Crosse. Nay, looke into the eleventh of the Hebrews, and yee shall see, that none out of [Page 50] the place of torment, have suf­fered more than Gods dearest Saints. Wherefore, lift up the hands which hang downe, and the feeble knees: and (sith you run with so good company, and upon so good encourage­ment) run with patience, the race that is set before you Hebr. 12.1.. There's nothing befals us, but hath befallen our betters a­fore us.

Thirdly, Walke by faith, not by sense, 2 Cor. 5.7. and know, that Grace to stand in afflicti­on, and to gaine by it, is better than freedome or deliverance. 'Tis sure,S [...]pi [...]s opini­one quam te la [...]o [...]atum. Senec. [...]p. 13. that a crosse sancti­fied, feares us, more than hurts us: for it brings us word, that we are such, as being loved of God, are called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28.. Onely, looke not to the things that are seene, with the eye of sense: but, at the things that are not seene 2 Cor. 4 18, but by the eye of faith: the [Page 51] property whereof, is to be­lieve what God saith, though sense contradict it never so much; and to beare a man up above all afflictions, as blowne bladders swim aloft all vva­ters. Here then, silence your Reason, and exalt your Faith; conclude, if you be one of Gods, whatever your afflicti­on be (how pressing or pier­cing soever) it is shot in love, as Ionathans arrows, to warne you, not to wound you; to bid you scape for your life, vvith David, sith Saul, the de­vils vvill, is your utter destru­ction. And although you can­not yet vvell see, hovv, Out of this Eater, can come meat Iudg. 14.14., &c. yet you shall see shortly, that God humbleth and proveth you, to doe you good in your lat­ter end Deut. 8.16.. Say then to thine affliction, in the language of Faith, as Iehoram to Iehu, Is it Peace? then march as furi­ously [Page 52] as thou wilt. Commest thou in love? ride on, because of the word of Truth: for thou art a good messenger; and bringest good tidings. Hee vvill not faile, in his good time, to make thee good unto mee, who is good, and doeth good Psa. 119.68 to all that trust in his goodnesse before the Sons of men. Meane vvhile, I vvill vvait patiently on him that waites to doe mee good, and should I dye in the vvaiting condition? yet, Blessed (saith the Prophet there) are all they that wait for him, Esay 30.18.

Vse 3 Lastly, here's a vvord of Comfort to all Gods afflicted, to consider, whence it is that he rebukes and chastens them: namely, out of his tender love, and respect to their soules. This should make us to re­joyce in tribulationRom. 5.3., yea, to over-abound exceedingly with [Page 53] joy2 Cor. 7.4. [...].. Such an exuberancie of joy, as should breake forth in­to thankfulnesse; not so much for the afflictions themselves, (for in their owne nature, cer­tainly, they are evils, Prov. 15.15. and strong tempta­tions to Sin, Iam. 1.2. they are also fruits of Sin, and part of the curse) as for the love of God to us in Christ, altering their property, Gen. 50.20. and turning these curses into crosses, that I say not bles­sings, and these testimonies of his wrath, into tokens of his love. The crosse of Christ, (like that Tree in Exodus, which Moses cast into Ma­rah) hath made the waters of afflictions, of bitter and loath­some, sweet and wholesome.Christianorsi propria virtus est, etiam in ijs quae adver­sa putantur, referre gra­tias. Hieron. in Eph. 5. Put them therefore upon the score of Gods favours, looke upon them as his Love-tokens, and be thankfull. Hereby we shall approve our selves Sons, [Page 54] and not Bastards; Subjects of his love, and not objects of his hatred; according to that in the Text,

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.

Doct. 3 Gods best beloved are much afflicted. This also is cleere from the Text, and hath the consent of other Scriptures: The just man falleth seven times, that is, often, saith Salomon: understand it chiefly of crosses and afflictions, as appeares both by the context and opposition, Prov. 24.16. There are sixe troubles, and seven, out of which a good man may need deliverance, saith Eliphaz, Iob 5.19. yea, David riseth yet higher, and tels us, that Mil­lions are the troubles of the Righteous Psal. 34.19.; so the words may be read and rendred, Psal 34. And this you may see exem­plified in righteous Abel, first: of whose gifts, though God [Page 55] himselfe testifiedHeb. 11.4., yet hee came to an unhappy and un­timely end: besides, he was the first that ever tasted of death.Vix mii [...] per­suade [...] homi­nem ex ho­mine n [...]iterio­rem [...]atum este, &c. Fun [...] ­cius Chron [...]l. After him Noah a most calamitous person as ever li­ved, as the Chronologer computes it. Lot had his righteous soule vexed from day to day by the uncleane Sodo­mites: Abraham had sore trials: and that bosome, wherein we all looke to rest, was assaulted with diverse difficulties. Few and evill were the dayes of Iacobs pilgrimage, his whole life one continuate affliction. What should I stand to tell you of Io­seph, and Iob, and Moses, and David, and Paul? The whole Church is for this cause called a worme. Es. 41.14. and difference [...] from all other soci­eties by this character, Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempest, that hast no comfort! Esay 54.11. and yet Christ loved the [Page 56] Church and gave himselfe for itEph. 5.25.. Christ himselfe, the head and husband of the Church, was consecrated by afflictionsHeb. 2.; and from his cradle to his crosse he was the man that had seene affliction by the rod of Gods wrathLa [...]. 3.1.: and yet he was the beloved sonne in whom the fa­ther was well pleased. And as himselfe had his share in suffer­ing (and a chiefe one too, for he had the worst of it, whiles he received the sting of sorrow into his owne person that we might be free) so he foretold it of all his, twice in one Chap­ter. In the world ye shall have tribulation: And againe, yee shall weepe and mourne, but the world shall rejoyce Iohn 16.20, 33. &c. And why his owne more then o­thers?

Not for any delight he takes in their trouble (I must tell you) for he afflicts not willing­ly, nor grieves the children of [Page 57] menLa [...]. 3.35.. If he doe, 'tis to his owne griefe first, Hos. 11.7, Ier. 31.19.20. In all their af­flictions he is afflictedEsa. 63.9. Ille dolet quoties cogi­tut esse serox., and if the toe of Christs mysticall body be crusht in earth, the head cries out from heaven, why hurtst thou me Acts 9.4.?

Neither is it secondly, to satisfie his justice upon them, for that's done already (once for all) by him who bore our sins in his body on the tree, suffer­ing, the just for the unjust1 Pet. 2.24., and indenting for our freedom. See the articles of agreement fitly and fairely drawne out by himselfe, Ioh. 18.8. If ye take me, let these goe their way. Gods acquittance we have to shew under his owne hand Matth. 3. This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well plea­sed.

Neither yet thirdly, is it to shew his soveraignty, where­by, as absolute Lord of all, he [Page 58] might doe with his owne as he will, and use his creatures at his pleasureEsa. 6.4, 8. Rom. 9.20..

Nor lastly, is it meerely (though mainly) for his owne glory without any other re­spect, that he smites and chasti­seth: but even then when he principally intends the promo­ting of his owne ends in it, as Ioh. 9.3. yet semper aliquid subest, there's something more in it then so, that moves him to doe it. And what may that be?

Reas. 1 First, himselfe hath decreed it, Rom. 8.29. with Luk. 24.26. 1 Thes. 3.3. 1 Pet. 2.21 why then should wee be so strange at the matter, 1 Pet. 4.11. or startle at the mention, Ioh. 11.8. of that which we know was so long before determined, and is therefore inevitable?

Reas. 2 Secondly, our sin deserveth it, first, sin imputed to us, Adams sin; secondly, sin inherent in [Page 59] us,This root cannot bee pluckt up till we are trans­planted. that peccatum peccans as the schooles tearme it, that common cause and impure se­minary of sin, originall concu­piscence: [...]. Timon a [...]u [...] La [...]tium. which the Heathen man also assignes for a cause of all our miseries. Thirdly, sin issuing from us: our omissions, commissions, faylings in the manner, which forasmuch as they exceede in number the haires of our head, what mar­vell if the best have their part in afflictionsPsal. 40.12.? sith sin and pu­nishment are inseparable com­panions;Isidore the Monke was out, that van­ted he had felt in himself to motion to sin for fortie yeare toge­ther. So [...]tat. lib. 4. they goe tyed toge­ther with chaines of Adamant, saith the Poet: like individu­all twins they are borne toge­ther, live together, are atten­ded the one by the other, as the body by the shadow: where sin is in the saddle, there pun­nishment is on the crupper. Whence it is that the Hebrews have but one and the same word for them both: and blinde Na­ture [Page 60] prompted those Marriners, to demaund of the obnoxious Prophet Ionah, what evill hast thou done,Ion. 1.7. that the hand of thy God doth follow thee so close? and those Barbarians to censure St. Paul for some mur­therer, whom, though he had e­scaped the sea, yet vengeance suf­fered not to live Act. 28.4..

Reas. 3 Thirdly, the world we live in occasioneth it; a place made for trialls and temptations: for we wrestle not here against flesh and blood onely, but a­gainst principalities and pow­ers &cEphe. 6.12.. Gods people tread so hard upon the Devills head, that he cannot but turne againe, bite them by the heeles, with Dans adder in the pathGen. 49.17., mis­chieve them, I meane, as much as he may, that if they will needs goe to heaven, they may goe halting at least with Iacob; they may feele his fingers with Paul 2 Cor. 12. [...]., be sensible of his siftings [Page 61] with Peter Luk. 22.31. Hence it is that our way to Gods kingdome is strawd with crosses, an affli­cted wayMath. 7.17 [...]., like that of Iona­than and his armour-bearer1 Sam. 14 4, or that of Israel into the land of Canaan: because it lyes tho­rough the wildernesse of this world, where we are sure to have tribulationIohn 16. ult.: it being to the faithfull christian not a paradise but a purgatory, not a place of pleasure but of pilgri­mage, not of triumph, but of warfare, of confused noyse, and of garments rolled in blood Esa. 9.5.. What marvell then if in such a place as this,Nunquā bel­la bonis, nun­quam certa­mina desunt: Et quocum certet mens pia semper habet. we meete with conflicts and counter-buffes from the Dragon and his an­gells, who hate us with a dead­ly hatred, as Cain did Abel, be­cause our workes are better then theirs. Not to speake of that old enmity Gen. 3. (where begins the booke of the warres of the Lord Num 21.14, such as shall still be [Page 62] in sighting, while the world shall be standing) ever since which divine decree, The un­just man is an abhomination to the just, and hee that is upright in his way, is an abhomination to the wicked Prov. 29.27. Whereunto may be added, that during our abode here (such is humane condition) although wee had no troubles of our owne, yet should wee have sorrow e­nough by compassionating o­thers; it being the usuall lot of Gods best children, to have their back-burden of both. See Heb. 10.32, 33, 34.

Reas. 4 Lastly, God afflicts his owne deare servants, for ex­cellent ends and purposes; both in regard of evill, and good. Evill, h [...]e by afflictions partly preventeth, partly purgeth. Prevent hee doth, both evill of Sin first: for, should hee not take us in hand sometimes, hovv foolish, and froward [Page 63] would wee grow, yea, how wilde and vvicked? What would not Abimelech have done, if God had not fastned him to his bedGene. 20.17? Whither would S. Paul have swell'd, if Satan had not buffetted him? How far would not Sampson have run, being once out, if God had not stopt him with the crosse? Next,Sinite virgam cor [...]iprentem ne se [...]iatis malicum con­terente Bu [...]. for evill of paine, both that which is tem­porall, 2 Chron. 24.28.The staile and the wind hur­teth not the wheat, but clenseth it frō the chaffe. Sop [...], though it be black, soyleth not the cloth, but rather at length makes it more clean; so doth the black crosse helpe us to more white­nesse, if God strike with hi [...] battle­dore. [...]rad­ford, Act. & Mon. [...]. 1486 and that which is eternall, 1 Cor. 11.32. is prevented by affli­ction. But, secondly, as it prevents evill, so it purgeth it: for as drosse is vvith sil­ver, offall with corne, soyle with cloth; so is corruption with our graces. Neither is there any so pure, but needs fining. Affliction is Gods fire: winnowing affliction is Gods fanne, Iere. 4.11. washing affliction is Gods sope, Dan. 11.35. Winds and thunder [Page 64] cleere the ayre, so doe Affli­ctions the soule. Thus, in re­spect of evill, God hath his ends in his peoples afflictions. Secondly, for that which is good in them, first to try their sincerity, and to know what is in their hearts2 Chr. 32.31; whether they love him, for himself, and will serve him vvithout vva­ges. The carnall Capernaites follow'd Christ vvhile he fed themIohn 6.26.. Iudas can be content to beare the crosse, so hee may beare the bag: but Iob vvill trust in God though hee kill himIob 13.15.: and David in deep [...]st distresse or desertion, vvill hang on still; and be perswa­ded, he shall yet praise him, who is the helpe of his countenance, and his God Psal 43 ult. Bradford. A faithfull wife, said that Martyr, is never tri­ed so to be, till when shee is assaulted: nor a faithfull Chri­stian so approved, till proved by affliction. Peace and pro­speritie [Page 65] hides many a false heart, as the Snow-drift co­vers an heape of dung. But when affliction, like Simeons sword, pierceth thorow the soule, then the thoughts of many hearts are discoveredLuke 2.35.: then it plainly appeares, that the love of Gods children was not meretricious, nor their obedience mercenary. The tri­all of their Faith, being much more precious than that of Gold which perisheth (though it be tried with fire) is found unto praise, and honour, and glory 1 Pet. 1.7.. That a man is indeed that hee is in triall. Secondly, God, as hee tryeth the good that is in us, by crosses and calamities, so he exerciseth and increaseth it. What use were there of the Graine, but for the edge of the Sickle, the stroke of the I laile, the waight of the Mill, the fire of the Oven? so, what use were there (in comparison) of [Page 66] Patience, Faith, Hope, Humi­lity, godly Wisedome, Cou­rage, Constancie, and divers other Gods graces in us, should we not fall into divers afflictions, I [...]n. 1.2, 3. Rom. 5.3, 4. Rev. 13.9. Here is the faith, and patience of the Saints, saith Saint Iohn, after that hee had fore-told some grievous persecution: That is, Here is matter for excuse,Marcet sinc adversa [...]io virtus. S [...]n. and increase of these graces in them, which before, lay hid, and had not that good occasion to worke upon. Sauls malice serves but to inhance Davids zeale: The likelihood of lo­sing Isaac, doth both evidence, and intend Abrahams love to GodGen. 22.12.: Good m [...]n are like Glow-vvormes, that shine most in the darke: like juni­per, which smelleth swee­test in the fire: like Spice, which favours best when it is beaten: like the Pomander, [Page 67] which becomes more fragrant by chasing:Inclinata ic­surgit. like the Palme­tree, which proves the better for pressing: like Camomile, which, the more you tread it, the more you spread it: like the Rose,Pondere sic pressus surgit acanthus hu­mo. Caiveru [...]. which yeelds sweet water when it is distilled: like the Grape, which commeth not to the proofe, till it come to the presse: lastly, like God himselfe, who then doth his best works, when men are at worst, 1 Pet. 1.5. 2 Pet. 3.3. 2 Tim. 3.1. David vvas never so tender, as when hee was hunted like a Partridge1 Sam 26.20.: Ionas was at his best, in the Whales bellyIon. 2. Vig [...]iabat in ceto qui stertebat in navi: Stevens face never shone so faire, as when he stood before the CouncellActs 6.15.. Who is it (saith one) that hath beene in the purgatory of tri­alls,Hues of Con­science. but m [...]y acknovvledge more humility; a more narrow heeding of the heart, better abilities in Prayer, more inti­mate [Page 68] communion with God, and sweeter experience of his Fathers endeared affection, Rom. 8. ult. And should not Gods best beloved, then be much afflicted? But what use may this be put to?

Vse 1 First, Doe Gods entire friends scape no better? what then will bee the end of his enemies?Si in Hiero­solymis ma­ [...]eat semtini­um, quid siet in Babylone? Bernard. Psal. 68.21. Doth he make bloody wailes on the backs of his children? vvhat will become of Bastards? doth hee deale thus with his Sons? what will hee doe to his slaves? Cannot all the obe­dience of his people beare out one sinne against God (as wee see in Moses, David, Zacha­rie, others) where will they appeare, that doe evill, onely evill, and that continuallyGene. 6.5.? If involuntary weaknesse passe not unpunished, how shall wilfull wickednesse? If they that crosse the streame onely, [Page 69] are corrected, those that still swim against it, What will they doe, when God riseth up? and when hee visiteth, what will they answer? Job 31.14. This is an inference, than the which nothing is more common in holy Scriptures: Ier. 25.29. & 49.12. Psal. 11.5, 6. Prov. 11.31. Luke 23.31. 1 Pet. 4.17.18. Rom. 11.29. Consult the places, and consider of an answer.

These are but bug-beare-tearmes, devised on purpose,Ob. to affright silly people: I sit warme, and feele no hurt.

Indeede because God holds his peace,Sol. and his hands for a time, Men are apt to imagine him such a one as themselves Psa. 30.21., an approver and abbettour of their evill courses, and carria­ges. And because Iudgment is not speedily executed, therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is set in them to doe mischiefe Eccles. 8.11: [Page 70] But looke too't betimes, and know that Gods forb [...]arance is no quittance.Cave ne ma­lum dilatum sia [...] duplica­tum. Buchol. The Lord is not slow (as some men count slowness [...]) 2 Pet. 3.9. Or if he be flow,Tarditatem supplicit gra­vitate com­pens [...]t. he is sure, he hath leaden heeles saith one, but iron ha [...]ds: and the farther he fetcheth his blovv, the deeper he vvill vvound, vvhen he stri­keth. [...]e that hath drunke poy­son, hath his bane about him, though he fall not dovvne dead in the place. Be sure, saith Mo­ses, your sin will finde you out Num 32.23, as a blood-hound: and al­though, like Cains dog it sleep [...] a vvhile at your dooresGen. 4.7., y [...]t it vvill avvake, and pull out your throate.

Ob.Yea but I prosper in the m [...]ane while, and am in very good plight, my bones are full of marrow, my breasts are full of milke, I want nothing, that heart can wish.Sol. Ease st [...]y­eth the foolish Prov. 1.32., saith Salomon, [Page 71] and prosperity (though the wicked see it not) is a peece of their curse.Magna ira est quando pec­cantibus non i [...] asciturdeus; sicut medicus si cessaverit curare, despe­rat Hiero [...]y [...]. Indeede there can be no greater plague (out of hell) then to thrive in sin. When God would lay the hea­viest of his punishments upon Israel, he threatneth to leave them unpunished, Hos. 4.14. Hophni and Phineas had no dis­ease nor disaster, because the Lord meant to destroy them1 Sam. 2 5.

I have wealth to my health:Ob. am well underlaid, have a faire estate, and the world favours me.

An ill signe: the better,Sol. the worse (as he said of dancers) fatted ware is but fitted for the Shambles.Diogenes. God puts money (as some hoarders doe) into these earthen-boxes that have onely one chinke to let in, but none to let out; with purpose to breake them when they are full.

I have worship to myOb. [Page 72] wealth, and high-place to my hoards of gold.

Sol.God wrestleth with thee, Psal. 18.26.Tolluntur in altum, ut lap­sug [...]aviore t [...]ut. and in wrestling, hoyseth thee from the ground (as Hercules did the earth­sprung Giant) that he may let thee fall with the greater poise. What was H [...]man the better for his honour, while the King frown'd upon him? or the happier for being lift up the ladder, when he was to come downe againe with a rope?

Threatned folke live long. I have seene so many summers,Ob. and yet am in safety.

Sol. Though a sinner doe evill an hundred times, and his dayes be prolong'd, yet that's no superse­deas:Patientia Dei erga impios quo d [...]ru [...]ni­or, co mina­c [...]ot. Buchole. Eccles: 8.12.13. for it shall not alwayes be well with the wicked, and so tell him from me, saith God, for the reward of his hands shall be given him, with a woe to boote. Esay, 3.11.

Ey, but when?Ob.

This very instant thou mayst heare that dreadfull doome,Sol. Iac. Revius, hist. Pontif. Roman. p. 177 that sorrowfull sum­mons, that Pope Innocent the fourth did as he was walking in his palace, and was found dead in his neast the next day. Veni miser in judiciū, come thou wretch, receave thy judgment.

I may, and I may not.Ob.

Be not ye mockers, Sol. lest your bonds be increased, Esay, 28.22. 2 Pet. 3.3, 4. If thou goe on in sinne, notwithstanding whatsoever hath beene said to deterre thee, thou art truly accurst even in this life, though not fully, Ioh. 3.18. Thy pre­servation (in the meane time) is but a reservation, as it fared with Sol [...]m and her sisters, who were reseued from the foure Kings; that God might raine downe hell from heaven upon them: and Senacherib, who escaped the stroke of the [Page 74] punishing Angell, that he might fall by the sword of his owne sonnes, Esay, 37.37.38. Say then, that one woe hath passed thee,Praesens in­dulgentia su­tu [...]am poenam accersi [...]. Isid. Pe [...]us. there is a second and a third worse behinde, Rev. 9. 12. and 8.13.

Vse. 2 But, secondly, doth God much afflict those whom he most affecteth? This convin­ceth the blinde world of a dou­ble errour in judgment. First, in guessing of a mans felicity by his outward prosperity. Se­condly, in concluding his mise­ry from his calamity. Of both which estates a wiser then the wis [...]st of them pronounceth (and that by an unerring spirit too) that no man knoweth either love or hatred by any thing that is before them. And that, be­cause all things come alike to all Eccle. 9.1, 2. The sunne of prosperity shines aswell upon brambles of the wildernesse, as fruit-trees of the orchard: the snow and [Page 75] haile of adversity lights upon the best gardens,Scit [...] Lactan­tius, si [...]nt ad verum bon [...] per falla [...]a mala, sic ad verum malam per tallacia bona perve­nitur. Instit. 6.22. aswell as up­on the wild wast. Ahabs and Iosiahs end concurre in the ve­ry circumstances: Saul and Ionathan, though different in their dispositions, yet in their deaths they were not divided 2 Sam. 1.23

Let no man therefore so far delude himselfe, as to conclude his comfortable condition, his good estate to Godward, from his outward prosperity: ex­cept his soule prosper with Gaius, as well as his body 2 Iohn 2.. The men of this world (called other-where, the inhabitants of the earth Revel. 12.12, in opposition to the Burgesses Phil. 3 20. [...]. of the new Ierusa­lem) are those men of Gods hand that having their portion in this life, have their bellies fil­led with Gods hid treasure, inso­much that they are full of chil­dren, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes, Psal. 17.14. Their houses are safe [Page 76] from feare, neither is the rod of God upon them. They are not in trouble like other men: there are no bands in their death. Their eyes stand out with fatnesse: they have more then heart could wishPsal 73 4, 5, 7.. They dance to the Timbrell and Harpe, but suddenly they turne into hell, Iob. 21.13. And so their merry dance ends in a miserable downfall. They swimme merrily downe the streame of prosperity, as the sil­ly fishes doe downe the River Iordan, Solinus. till anon they fall into the dead Sea, whereby and by they p [...]rish. God often gives prosperity in wrath, as he gave the Israelites a King to vex them; as he gave their fore-fa­thers quailes to choke them: as Eutrapelus gave his enemies wealth to spite them;Eutrapelus cutting, no [...]e [...]e vulchat, Vestune [...]i [...] da [...]s precio­sa. Herat. as Saul gave Michal to David to be a snare to him: or lastly, as E­bud gave Eglon a present, that [Page 77] he might sheath his dagger in his panch.Nihil eo in­felicius, cui nihil in [...]elix contigit. Sen. Why should any one then slatter and flesh him­selfe in an evill way, as fa­vour'd of God, because he lives at ease in Sion Amos. 5.1., and feeles no want of outward blessings? which, what are they else, [...]. Soph. to such, but giftlesse gifts. Prov. 20.28? Blessings of the left hand, Prov. 3.16. throwne upon them in great displeasure, and committed unto them no otherwise, than the bag was to Iudas, to detect the rotten­nesse of their hearts?Permulta maximarum non expressa si, na, sed ad­umbrata vir­turum habuit — nec sumptui nec modestiae pepercit Vell. Catiline whiles poore, had many see­ming vertues; but having feather'd his nest, you could hardly say which he was most lavish of, his money or his mo­desty. And yet 'tis a world to see, how men stroke themselves on the head as the onely happy, Gods dearest darlings, and chie­fest favourites, because of their immunity from crosses, [Page 78] and confluence of temporall contentments. Just like Leah, God, saith she, hath given mee my hire, (when he had given her a fifth sonne) because I have given my maid to my husband Gen. 30.17, 18. [...] Arist. Rhet. l. 2.. She should rather have repen­ted then rejoyced: but she was in the common errour, and considered not that God may be angry enough with a man, though he outwardly prosper.

And as far wide is the world in the other extreme: when they judge a man hated of God because rebuked, and chastened. Thus the Jewes censured our Saviour, Esay, 53.3.4. Those three good men misiudg'd of Iob: the Barba­rians of Paul: and those, Luc. 13. of them that died by the tower of Siloam. This is to condemne the generation of Gods children Psa. 73.15., whose portion here is sharpest affliction. In the world ye shall have trouble, [Page 79] saith our Saviour,Ioh. 16. ult. there's no avoyding of it. And all that will live Godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12., every mothers child of them. And through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heaven Act. 14.22.. If any thinke to goe another way to heaven,Erigito tibi scala [...], Acesi, & ad [...]elum solus ascendi­to. Socrat lib. 1. cap. 7. the [...] this, he must (as Constantine the Great once said to Acesius the Novatian heretike) erect a lad­der, and goe up alone. Let no man therefore be worse thought of for his crosses, if other wise godly, nor the bet­ter for his prosperity, if a worker of iniquity. It is e­qually abhominable before God, to condemne the just man and to justifie the wicked Pro. 17.15.; upon such ill grounds especially. You see how the good husband deales with his trees: those in his garden, he is ever and anon medling with them, lopping off the superfluous branches, [Page 80] paring of the mosse, pruning of the roote, digging, and dung­ing, dressing, and using all good meanes to make them fruitfull. Those other in the field or forrest, he lets alone, never lookes after them, never troubles them or takes paines with them, till at length he comes with his axe and cuts them downe to the fire. Loe such is Gods dealing with the sonnes of men. His best plants have most pruning, his best trees most dressing, his best children most whipping, when bastards shall goe without. God will not so much as foule his fi gers, with them, Es. 1.5. t [...] wrath come upon them to the utmost. 1 Thes. 2.16. Or if he wrap them up (both sorts) in one com­mon calamity (as it sometimes befalls) yet as corne is cut downe with the weedes, but to better purpose; so he makes a difference betweene the cha­stisements [Page 81] of his owne, and the punishments of strange chil­dren. Those he fanneth, to cleanse and gather them as wheate, Matth. 3.12. these with the fanne of vanity to drive and scatter them as chaffe, Es. 30.28. The wicked he smiteth with his hand, the godly he phillippeth with his finger. Or if he doe more then so, 'tis with the palme of his hand onely, but the other with his clutch-fist: he layes upon them, as a man doth upon his slave (not as upon his sonne) he cares not how he smites, nor where he hits. Hath he smit­ten him, as he smote those that smote him, saith the Prophet? No: but in measure, in the bunches onely will he debate with him Esa 27.7 8., the roote shall re­maine untoucht. A Christians crosses reach oftimes but to his flesh, Col. 1.25. he can call his soule to rest, when his body is [Page 82] full of unrest. Still he hath somewhat to uphold him, when he is at worstHabac. 3.17, 18., as Da­vid had in that great distresse at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6: and Iehosaphat at that dead lift, 2 Chron. 20.12. when he knew not vvhich way to looke but to heaven: and those good soules in Mi­cah, chap. 7.7, 8. Prisoners they may be (with Ioseph) in the pit of affliction, but they are prisoners of hope: and shall come out of the prison by the blood of the covenant Zach. 9.9, [...]1.. Yea, as one houre changeth Iosephs fetters of iron, into chaines of gold, his ragges into robes, his stocks into a charret, his prison into a Palace, the noise of his Gives into Abrech; so shall it be with Gods afflicted in the day of their deliverance. Then shall Christ (the Judge) stand forth, and say to those wicked, that here haply have flourished, while better men have met [Page 83] with harder measure: Behold my servants shall eate, but yee shall be hungry: behold my ser­vants shall drinke, but yee shall be thirsty: behold my servants shall rejoyce, but yee shall be asha­med: Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howle againe for vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee: but call his servants by another name Esa. 65.13, 14, 15., handle them in another nature.

Vse 3 Next, here's a two-fold in­struction from this point. And first, to looke for affliction, e­ven the best of us, and to make account of it. Secondly, to endure, and hold out under it, not making more hast then good speed, after ease and de­liverance.

For the first of these: you see (all that will live godly in Christ Iesus) what yee must [Page 84] trust to. God chastiseth every Son whom hee loveth. The Son of his love was perfected by afflictions, Hee learn'd obe­dience by the things that he suf­fered Hebr. 5.8.: hee b [...]re his Crosse be­fore he wore his Crowne. He hath begun to us, in the cup of his fathers displeasure, and we must pledge him our part: we must fulfi [...]l the residue of his sufferings C [...]los. 1.24.. Hence the Church (which is mysticall Christ1 Cor. 12.1 [...]) is called Gods Threshing­floore, Isa. 21.10. because it is daily threshed, and exerci­sed with afflictions. Hence shee is set forth by the Myrtle­trees in the bottome, Zach. 1.8. that lye open to all kind of ill weather: by a brand ta­ken out of the fire of afflicti­on, Zachar. 3.2. by Noahs Ark, toss'd to and fro upon the waves of this world: by Mo­ses his BushRubus ar­dens est sigu­ra Ecclesia, &c. Hieron., never without some fierie triall: by that [Page 85] white horseReve. 6. [...], 4 in the Revelation, that is ever follow'd and cha­sed by a red.Hic veteres c [...]ediderunt mystice sig­n sicari pios in hac vita per crucis malleo. & se­cures expoli [...]i &c. Buchol [...]. This also to set forth, the stones of the Temple were first hewen in the mountaine, before they were set into the building: the Sacrifices of the Law were first slaine, before they were offe­red; the vessells of the San­ctuary were first to passe the fire, before they were put to any service: so must Gods lively stones 1 Pet. 2 5., reasonable sacri­fices Rom. 12.1., vessels of honour 2 I [...]m. 2.2 [...], passe the hammer, the knife, and the fire of affliction, before they can be fit for the masters use. You see then your calling bre­thren, 1 Cor. 1.26. You see your condition: no Christian is without his crosse, no hea­ven to be had, but by touching upon hell-coasts. Sit downe therefore, and cast up the cost, thou that intendest to build the tower of GodlinesseLuk 14.28, lest else [Page 86] thou come in with a fooles Had-I-wist, [...]. and be forc'd to give over with shame in the midst of the worke. And ha­ving once set thy foot toward heaven, and finding all faire before thee, bind not upon any long continuance, Say not with Iob, I shall die in my nest Iob 29.18.: or with David, I shall never be moved Psal. 30.: for, as sure as the night followes the day, a change will come; and this calme will be follow'd with a storme: foresee it therefore in the clouds, and provide for it: Let not the tempest take us without our cloakes, light upon the bare, hit us on the blind side: but he wise, and expect that which will cer­tainely befall you: Provide double cloathing against the cold of Winter, which though it linger, and be long in com­ming, yet it never rots in the ayre. Troubles foreseene, come [Page 87] never a whit the sooner, but farre the easier: 'tis a labour well lost, if they come not, and well spent if they doe. Goe forth, then, by an holy Providence, and meet them on the Frontiers, as Lot did the Sodomites before they came to his house. Encounter them as Ionathan did his enemies, before they came into his countrey. Make them present, I meane, in conceit, before God sends them in the event: for after the nature of the Basi­liske, they dye if they be fore­seene: whereas, comming all on the sudden,Nam leviùs [...]dit quic­quid provide­tis ante. they finde weake mindes secure, make them miserable, leave them desperate.

Next, is it the lot of Gods best beloved to be much af­flicted? Have patience then, and hold out; accept of the Chastisement of thine iniquity, Levit. 26.41. and make not [Page 88] haste from under Gods hand. Hee that believeth, will not make hasteEsay 28.16: that is, hee will not get out by a back-doore, seeke redresse by unlawfull vvayes, lift up his soule to e [...]ill meanes, grow to those desperate resolutions of the Jewes in Ezekiel, If our trans­gressions, and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should wee then live Eze. 33.10? but, buckling on his armour of Pa­tience and Wisedome, hee la­bours for a right use, and then doubts not of a good issue. Yet a very little while, and hee that shall come will come, and will not tarry Heb. [...]0 37..

Ob.By, but when?

Sol.When thy bottom-corrup­tion is purged out; and till then (if thou be wise) thou wilt not desire it. Afflictions, like Lots Angels,Prapara ani­n [...]am tuam ad omnem tole­rantiam, & citò eà pres­su a liberabe­ris. Chrys. will soone away, when they have done their errand: like plasters, [Page 89] when the sore is once whole, they will fall off; as till then, they will sticke fast by us. In the meane time, let this su­staine thee, thy present estate is thy best estate, how bad so­ever thou esteemest it. 2. Is it sit, with those Bethulians, to send for God by a Post?

My crosses come thicke,Ob. Fluctus slactū trudit. [...]. as Iobs messengers, or as vvaves of the Sea, one in the necke of another; changes of sorrowes, armies of afflictions, so that I have scarse time to breath, to swallovv my spettle, to—

Spare your Rhetorick,Sol. and see vvhom you have to thanke for all your smart. If thou vver't not a frovvard child, vvhat needed so much vvhip­ping? if not a knotty piece, vvhat needed all this hewing? if thy disease vvere not com­plicate, and the matter of it tough and viscous, an easier purge should serve the turne. [Page 90] Those that are in a Lethargy or Apoplexy must have double the quantity given them, that others have: to avvaken their dull senses, and arouse their dead spirits. So it is here; God is a vvise Father, and Physitian; hee knovves vvell enough, that hard knots must have [...]ard vvedges, that stro g eff [...]ctions must have strong af­flictions, and great corrupti­ons, great crosses to cure them.

Ob.My afflictions are not onely strong and grievous, but long­lasting and tedious.

Sol.That's because your disease hath beene long-growing on you, and will not avvay hasti­ly. P [...]ysitians, saith one, to bring avvay sicke matter more fully & safely, are fore'd againe and againe to open the veine, taking avvay now some mat­ter, novv other some, as the Patient may beare it. But for [Page 91] thy comfort, and that thou maist not grow weary of Gods correctionHebr. 12.5., though from thy youth up, thou shouldest beare Gods terrours Psal. 88.15. & 129.1, 2., with David: Consider first, that thou art afflicted lesse than thy Sins; secondly, lesse than thy Saviour, vvho endured many a little death all his life long for thy sake, and at length, the painfull and cursed death of the crosse.See Purcha [...] his Microcos­mus. To say nothing of that soule of sufferings, which [...] suffered, vvhen hee sweat clotty blood Luk 22 44. [...]. in the garden, and cryed out on the crosse as forsaken of his Fa­ther; after hee had beene set upon, and laid at with utmost might and malice by the infer­nall Spirits in that three-hours darknesseMatth. 27.45, 46.. Thirdly, that it is a blessed thing to beare Gods yoke from thy youth Lam. 3.: to be betime, and a good while, in Gods nurturing-house, and un­der [Page 92] his discipline. It is most hard, and happy, not to grow vvorse with liberty: the se­dentary life is most subject to diseases. Fourthly, that these light and momentary afflicti­ons are nothing, if compared either to those vvoes we have d [...]served in hell, or those joyes vvee are reserv'd to in heaven. Looke thorovv the present cloud then, whatever it be, and see the Sun-shine of com­fort on the other side: eye not the streame thou vvadest tho­row, but the firme land thou tendest to; and be not over­hasly, nor thinke long of thy Sea-toile, so long as thou canst looke up, and see thy place of arrivall a little before thee. Master thy crosses by Christian patience: Hee that delicately bringeth up his servant, saith Salomon, shall have him become his Son Pro. 29.21., nay, his Lord at the length. Afflictions, like fire [Page 93] and vvater, are good servants,Fe [...]tur equis auriga, &c. but ill Lords. Give them the head once, and there will be no hoe vvith them. Remem­ber the children of Ephraim; they growing weary of the Aegyptian bondage, sought to breake prison before Gods goale-delivery, but had more waight said upon them for their labour. They went for [...]h arm'd, and carried bowes. saith the Psalmist, but they turned backe in the day of battel, Psal. 78.9. This fell out about the birth of Aaron, vvhile their father Ephraim was yet li­ving, 1 Chron. 7.21. and the story is this: God had pro­mised them the land of Ca­naan: but they, impatient of the Aegyptian bondage, not waiting Gods command, nor tarrying out his time, vvould needs, in all haste, set upon the men of Gath, that held a part of the promised Land; but they [Page 94] lost their hopes and lives toge­ther:Hoc c [...]at im­portuno tem­pore p [...]ma [...]uhu. [...]erba & [...]uda de­c [...]e [...]c. Cy­ [...]es. vvhich made Ephraim mourne many daies, because it went evill with his house, and haply gave occasion to Pharaohs cruelty, according to that in Exod. 1.10. Come on, let us deale wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to passe, that when there fall out any war, they joyne also with our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

Vse 4 Lastly, this speakes comfort to all Gods afflicted, to consi­der, that As many as hee loves, he rebukes and chasteneth. Wee must frame a new Bible, saith one, e're wee can find any co­lour out of Gods afflicting us, to prove that he doth not love us. It is a very foolery to con­clude after that manner. Gods rod (like Ahashuerosh his seep­ter) is never stretcht out to­ward any of his, but in love: [Page 95] hee never sends forth his ar­mies to chastise us, but he gives Davids charge, Handle the young man gently for my sake. It is our Isaacs use, first to handle us, and then to blesse us. By afflictions wee may understand our fathers hand­ling of us. And after wee have suffered a while, then take a blessing, my Sonne. Watch therefore against dis­couragements, and faint not in thy good way. The way is not to be judg'd by the affli­ctions, but the afflictions by the way: let not the outward distresse drive us, either into hard conceits of God, or heavie conceits of our selves.

Ob. My crosses are such, as no good man hath had the like.

Sol. What? not Iob? his story is a booke-case to answer this objection. Never any before or since his time was so hand­le [...]; insomuch, as his friends [Page 96] said unto him, Call now, if there be any that will answer: and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne thee Iob 5.1.? as vvho should say, what good man was ever in so bad a taking? And yet yee have heard of the patience of Iob, and what end the Lord made with him Iam. 5.11..

Ob. Iob had his trouble laid up­on him for his triall, but I have pulled mine upon my selfe by my sinne.

Sol. Fooles because of their trans­gression are afflicted, so that their soule abhorreth meate (through extremity of sicknesse) and they draw neare to the gates of death: Psal. 107.17, 18, 19. yet they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. See this exemplified in Ionah. How came he into the whales belly? was it not by his owne unduti­fulnesse? See it in David: whence came all his trouble [...] by Absalom, Amnon, Adonijah? [Page 97] was it not for his fondnesse, and indulgence? See it in Iacob: what might he thanke for all his afflictions, whereof God gave him not a draught, but made him a diet-drinke: so that he had scarce a merry day, for one trouble or another? Laban followes him, with liue and cry, as a theefe: Esau meetes him with foure hun­dred cut-throats at his heeles; Rachel, and Deborah dye upon his hand: his daughter is ra­visht: his sonnes are some a­dulterers, othersome murthe­rers: the famine pincheth him, the losse of Ioseph afflicts him, &c. But whence all this? and whom had he to thanke for it? did he not thrust his owne feete into the stocks, by that three-fold lye of his, utter­ed in a breath, to get the bles­sing? And yet before he was borne, it was, Iacob have I lo­ved: and before any of this [Page 98] befell him, God said unto him, Be not afraid, I am with thee, and will doe thee good Gen. 31.. And so he did by his crosses: and that's my good, we say, that doth me good.

Ob. Oh! but I find not that mine afflictions have done me good, and therefore I feare they were not laid upon me in love.

Sol. First, if that be true indeed, you have cause to feare:Que enim in i [...]spes ant re­medium est, qu [...] ab usitata impuritate, ne [...] miseria­rum ogestate, nec vitae ex­tre [...]mtate re­vocantur? Salu [...] au. de gub. Dei, lib. 7 for it is a sore signe of a man given up by God, when afflictions will not worke upon him. But secondly, it may be thou mista­kest; and art better'd by that thou hast suffered, but seest it not as yet, because thy soule is bemisted, or imbittered, as those, Exod. 5.21. But third­ly, say it be as bad with thee, for present, as is possible, yet de­spaire not. Asa was not one pin the better at first, for all his af­flictions. God sent him a Pro­phet, and he imprisoned him. [Page 99] God sent the gout to reduce him, and he put his trust in the physitians, &c. But he lived, I doubt not, to see and retract his errour: for it is reported of him (and all in one verse) that the high places were not remo­ved, that, was his fault: yet the heart of Asa was perfect before God all his dayes 1 King. 15.14.. That's thy comfort, it is certaine there's no godly man but is or shall be shortly a gainer by his afflicti­ons: he shall exercise patience, prayer and praise, and be dayly more and more perfited and purified by this fiery triall, 1 Pet. 4.12. In a word. The God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternall glory by Christ Iesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, shall make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, set­tle you. To him be glory and do­minion for ever and ever. Amen1 Pet 5.10, 11..

FINIS.
THE AFFLICTED MANS L …

THE AFFLICTED MANS LESSONS, Laid downe to Him in a second Discourse upon Revel. 3.19.

By JOHN TRAPPE, Preacher of the Word.

PSAL. 94.12.

Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest, O Lord: and teachest him in thy Law.

Chrys. ad pop. Ant. hom. 17.

[...].

LUTHER.

Christianorum Theologia, Crux.

LONDON, Printed by RICHARD BADGER. 1637.

TO THE RIGHT Honorable, his very good Lady and Patro­nesse, the Lady Katha­rine, Viscountesse Do­wager Conwey; Late wife to the Right Ho­norable, Edward, Lord Vis­count Conwey, Lord President of his Majesties most Honorable Privie-Councell.

MADAME,

IF deepe ingage­ments may war­rant a Dedica­tion, I have enough to pa­tronize this my bold at­tempt, in craving your No­ble [Page] Patronage in this little Treatise. All that I seeke herein, is, to be reputed ob­sequiously thankfull to your Honour, for a great part of my little livelyhood. All that I am able to returne, for so many reall courtesies, is this poore Paper-gift. Had I a better present, your La­dyship should be sure of it [...]: ut non malè ohm ille Gr [...]culus Augusto.. But blind Nature saw, and could say, that Bountie con­sists not in the worth of the gift, but in the will of the GiverArist. E­thic. lib. 4. ubi au libe­ralitatem metiendam este, [...].. And the God of Nature hath seal'd to this truth in many sacred instan­ces. Noah's sacrifice could not be great, yet was greatly accepted. The Poore-mans goates-haire takes as well at the doore of the Tabernacle, [Page] as the Rich mans purple: The womens Bracelets and Looking-glasses, as their husbands Gems and Iewels. Hee that had not an Oxe, might offer a Lambe: If a Lambe be not in the power of his hand, a paire of Tur­tles shall excuse him. If hee have not that, a handfull or two of Flowre, with a corne or two of Salt, shall sufficeLevit. 5.6, 11, 12, & 14.10, 21, 30, 31.. So low doth the Most High stoope to our meanenesse. The Widdowes two mites went as far, as some other mens two millions. And those poorest of Christs people that were willing indeed, but never (alas) able to deale almes in all their life, shall yet heare at their death, Come yee Blessed: for I was an hun­gry, [Page] and yee fed mee. The high heaven may be seen tho­row a low lattise: and so may a large heart in a little gift. Howbeit, who can call a thankefull acknowledgement (if heart-sprung) little, when all the Fee that our Saviour called for, for his cures was, Go, and tell what God hath done for thee? This, though I, and other your Honours Beneficiaries should faile to do, yet God is not unrighte­ous to forget your worke, and labour of love which you have shewed toward his Name, in the support of his publike service; and in that yee have ministred to the necessities of his Saints, and doe also minister Heb. 6 10. Goe on, good Madam, to sow yet [Page] more of these good workes, both of Piety and of Cha­rity, into Gods blessed bo­some: the fruit and comfort whereof, you shall be sure to reape in your greatest need. For hee that soweth bounti­fully, shall reape bountifully, saith that great Apostle. Now, God All-sufficient, make all grace to abound to­ward you: that you alwaies, having all sufficiencie in all things, may abound more and more daily to every good worke2 Cor. 9.6, 8.. This, after S. Paul, is the constant, and instant Prayer of

Your Honours most humble Chaplein, and Remembrancer at the Throne of Grace, John Trappe.

THE AFFLICTED MANS LESSONS. Laid before him in a second Discourse VPON

Revel. 3.19.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

WHo they are whom God corrects, hath beene said already out of that which first offers it selfe in the text, As many as I love. Followes now Gods act about this object, and that's double: first I rebuke; Se­condly, I chasten. To each of these something: [...]. conser, Iobis 16.8. and first to the first, I rebuke] That's one [Page 110] signification of the word: but there's more in it then so; I charge and cheek them for their undutifulnesse, I evict and give evidence against them, I refute and refell their false rea­sonings, I set them downe, and overthrow them by plaine de­monstration,We have no one English word capable of the whole contents of the two words in the Origi­nall. D. Feat­ly. by unanswerable arguments, that is, by my fa­therly chastisements, I doe them to know, I give them to see their sinnes (as in a mir­rour) the ground of all their griefes, the source of all their sufferings: I expostulate with them sharply upon this point, and secretly upbraid them with their wickednesse, as the roote of their wretchednesse, the ori­ginall of all the evill that befell them from their youth. Doct. 1 Hence observe, That however God chastiseth his best children, and that in great love, yet he would they should know it is for their sinnes that they suffer, [Page 111] and for their deserts that they are disciplined.Nostro ergò merito insti­guntur, Pareus This is a truth undeniable: For first, God af­firmes it, Esay, 57.17. Ier. 30.15. Hosea, 13.9. Second­ly, his best servants confirme it, 1 Chron. 21.19. Isay, 64.5. Dan. 9.7, 8. &c. Lam. 1.5.8. et 3.39. &c. Ezra, 9.13. Luke 23.41.

Thirdly, good reason makes for it, whether we looke upon sinne the procuring, or God the inflicting cause of that we suf­fer.

Reas. 1 For sinne, first, it must needs create us much misery: whe­ther we consider it in the cause, or in the effects. The procreant cause of Mans sinne, is that Murtherer of Man-kindeIohn 8.44. 1 Iohn. 5.18., as saith the proverb of the anci­ents; Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked 1 Sam. 24.13.: from that wicked one. It is the spawne of that old Serpent, the birth of hell, the vomit of the De­vill: [Page 112] [...] [Page 113] [...] [Page 112] and is therefore fitly sti­led by St. Iames, earthly, sen­suall, and devilishIam. 3.15.: yea it is worse then the Devill, who had not beene a Devill but for sinne: worse then Hell; which is onely contrary to the good of the creatures: but sin is con­trary to the good of the Crea­tor; whom it dishonoureth in an high degree, and so provo­keth him to dishonour us a­gaine1 Sam. 2.30, and to make us heavy with manifold evills 1 Pet. 1.6.: for can there any good come out [...]f such a Nazareth Iohn 1.46.?

Neither are the effects of sin lesse demonstrative of the point. 1 For first, it hides God from us, as a cloudeEsay 59.2.: and with him all that's good. For he is the Father of lights, from whom (as naturally and freely as light from the Sun) descendeth every good gift, that is, temporall comforts, and every perfect gi­ving Iam. [...].19., that is spirituall graces. [Page 113] These good things sinne with­holds from us, Ier. 5.25. or (which is much at one, upon the matter) it causeth God ei­ther to curse our blessings, Ier. 12.13. or to consume us after he hath done us good, Iosh. 24.20. And all this, for want of Gods gracious presence, where­of sinne bereaves us: for woe be unto you, saith he, when I de­part from you, Hos. 9.12. When God was once gone from Saul, the evill spirit came upon him, the Philistins came upon him, the Amalekites pillaged his country; all mischiefes came trooping and rushing in upon him at once, and on every hand, as it were by a sluce, &c. So in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh Chapters of Ezekiel, God ma­keth diverse removes, and still as he goes out, some judgment comes in. The same we may see in Sampson, Ioash, Asa, and others. The Lord is with you, [Page 114] saith the Prophet, whiles yee are with him If yee seeke him, hee will be found of you: but if yee forsake him, hee will for­sake you 2 Chro. 15.2..

2 Secondly, it betrayes us in­to the hands of the Devill, as Dalilah did Sampson into the hands of the Philistines. Sinne gives Satan (the father of it) advantage, both to accuse us, as Iob 1.9, 10. and to lay spe­ciall claime to us, as those that beare his Badge, weare his Li­very, doe his workes, Ioh. 8. Now, ever the more worke, the more wages; for, The wa­ges of Sin is death Rom. 6.23. [...]. Na­zian., saith Saint Paul: that is, all crosses and curses, Temporall, Spirituall, and Eternall; even to the very Itch, as Moses sets forth, Deut. 28. God may justly expose us, to his malice, whom we have served in his lustsIohn 8.44.; for, Know yee not that his servants yee are, to whom yee obey Rom. 6.16.? Yea, hee [Page 115] may turne him loose upon us, to afflict us with many sor­rowes, to breake in upon us, and leape over our hedge, Iob 1.10. when once wee take liberty to break Gods mounds; and like the Hart that hath leap't the Pale, wee are found wandring, and biting upon the devils Commons. Dinah fell into foule hands, when her fa­thers house could not hold her; shee lost at once, her virginity and liberty: neither speed wee better, when extravagant. Da­vid by venturing, had his bones broken, Psal. 51.8.

Reas. 2 Secondly, if wee turne our eyes from Sinne, the greatest Evill, to God the chiefest Good, wee shall see Reason for the point: when we shall see him, 1, Holy in his nature; 2, True of his word; 3, Iust in his proceeding; 4, Good to his children, whom therefore hee will not suffer to fall into Sin, [Page 116] without a sensible checke.

First therefore, hee is an holy God; and this is Ioshua's argument, chap. 24.19, 20. Ye cannot serve the Lord (saith hee, to those that had a mind to make a mixture of Religions) for hee is an holy God, hee is a jealous God, hee will not forgive your transgressions, and your sinnes, &c. Hee is of more pure eyes, saith another Pro­phet, than to behold evillH [...]b. 1, 13. with patience, though it be in his owne. He hateth it in any person, (his onely Son not ex­cepted, who became a Sinner, first, by imputation; for, Hee made our Sinnes to meet upon him; and secondly, by reputa­tion; for, Hee made his grave with the wicked Esa. 53.6, 9., and passed for a Malefactour) and worse than any thing, the Devill himselfe not excepted: for hee hates the Devill for Sins sake, not Sin for the Devils sake. [Page 117] Now, Revenge is the next ef­fect of hatred. And hence, Gods sword was upon the man his fellow: (I meane, the Man Christ Iesus, [...], &c. Litan. Graec. whose sufferings vvere unconceivable) and hence also, His hand is still up­on the little ones, Zach. 13.7. who fill up that which is be­hind, of the sufferings of Christ [...]., Coloss. 1.24. and are baptized with his baptisme, Math. 20.22. plunged over head and eares in the waters of Afflictions.

Secondly, as God is holy in his Nature, so hee is true of his Word: and that which hee hath spoken with his mouth, hee will fulfill with his hand 1 Kin. 8.15, as Salomon hath it. Now, this is that which the Lord hath said, I will be sanctified in all them that draw neere unto mee Lev. 10.3.. Who these are, see Psal. 89.7.Omnes sancti in circuitu ejus. & Psal. 148.14. How he will be sanctified, heare S. Austin: [Page 118] Sanctified he will be, saith that Father, Aut à nobis, aut in nos, either of us, or on us, one of the two. For this is one of Gods penall Statutes, and it is sure hee'l be no loser by us. But lose hee should (and in his glory too, that dearest Ie­well) should hee winke at such things in his owne, as hee takes notice of, and dislikes in others. Hence his fatherly se­verity. For, hath hee spoken the word, and shall hee not doe it? As hee cannot dye, so he cannot lye, Hee cannot deny himselfe [...] Tim. 2.13. Let God be true, and every man a lyarRom. 3.4.. For ever, O Lord, thy Word is sta­blisht in heaven Psa. 119.89..

Thirdly, hee is just in his dealings; for, shall not the Iudge of all the world doe rightGene. 18.25.? Now, It is a righ­teous thing with God, to render tribulation and anguish upon every soule that doth evill: upon [Page 119] the Iew first, (because of his priviledges, according to that of the Prophet, You onely have I knowne, of all the families of the earth: therefore I will pu­nish you for all your iniquities Amos 3.2.) and also upon the Grecian Rom. 2.9.. For the evill there spoken of, is contrary, first to Gods I­mage, sith hee is light, and in him is no darknesseRom. 7.12.: second­ly, to his Law, which is holy, and just, and goodRom. 7.12.: so equall, and grounded upon so much reasons, that if God had not given it, yet it had beene best for us to have observed it. Now, no Law-giver can su­staine, to see his owne law broken before his eyes, and not proceed against the delin­quent (as is to be seene in the examples of Saul 1 Sam. 14.44., Nebu­chadnezzar Dan. 3.13., Zaleucus Lo­crensis, &c.) much lesse the Lord; who, as hee gave the Law in fireDeut. 33.2., so in fire hee [Page 120] will require it. And although the Law admit of an excep­tion in the Gospell to those that are penitent, who are not under the Law, but under grace Rom. 6.14.; yet in regard of tem­porall scourges, the repentance even of a Moses Deut. 3.26., or a David 2 Sam 12.10. & 24.15, may come too late.

Lastly, God is good to his Children: hence hee lasheth them in their lapses now, that hee may free them from a fur­ther mischiefe, that Wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10. Hee delighted in the creature at first, Gen 1. and doth still delight in that habi­table part of his earth, the Sons of men Prov. 8.31.. How much more in the New-creature, that master­piece of his work manshipEphe. 2.10. [...].? for, Hee plants the Heavens, and layes the foundation of the Earth, that he may say to Zion, Thou art my people Esai. 51.16.. Hence it is, that although he can cor­rect us, nay confound us, as an [Page 121] ab­solute Lord: yet hee doth nei­ther the one nor th'other, without just ground of reason in our selves. And albeit,Vel ad de­monstrationē debitae mise­riae, vel ad e­mendationem labilis vitae, vel ad exerci­tationem ne­cessariae pati­enciae. Aug. tract. in Ioan. 124. hee chastise those whom he loves, sometimes for his owne glo­ry, Ioh. 9.3. sometimes for their good, for Prevention, Probation, Purgation, &c. yet, still Sin is the originall. For this cause, many are weake (by chronicall and lingering dis­eases) many sicke (by sharpe and violent maladies) and ma­ny sleepe, are dead out-right: but all in love, Whiles wee are chastened of the Lord, that wee may not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.32.

Vse 1 Now for Application: See hence, first, whither to refer, & what to thanke for all your crosses. Sin is the great Make-bate, Hell-hag, Cut-throat, Trouble-towne, that (Pandora like) brought at first a curse upon the Creatures, and hath [Page 122] made them ever since unusefull and unserviceable; nay, perni­cious and destructory (many of them) to Man their first master. The very visible hea­ven and earth is defiled with our Sins, and must therefore partly be dissolved, and partly purged by the fire of the last day; as the Vessels of the San­ctuary were, that held the Sin-offering. Hence our so many diseases, distresses, miseries, maladies, Troubles without, terrours within; they issue one­ly from our defilements. It is this thiefe in the candle that wastes us, this Fly in the box that corrupts us, this traitour in the heart that betrayes and exposeth us to armies, and changes of trials, and afflicti­ons. In which regard, it was a sound and savory reply of an English Captaine, at the losse of Callice: When a proud French-man tauntingly de­manded, [Page 123] When will yee fetch Callice againe? Pressely, and ponderously he was answered, Quando peccata vestra erunt nostris graviora; When your Sinnes shall vveigh downe ours.

Vse 2 Secondly, in all evill of pu­nishment, take occasion to set upon the evill of Sin (as the cause) and revenge upon that, complaine of it to God and men; murmur and grudge at nothing else. When God strikes us for Sin, saith one, Satan deales with us as the Iewes did with Christ, blind-fold him, and then bad prophesie vvho smote him: so in afflictions, wee commonly grope as blind men; guessing at this cause, and that, but seldome fasten on the right. Here then the method is, first, to find out the Tray­tour; secondly, to bring him to condigne punishment; thirdly, to banish him the bor­ders [Page 124] of our hearts, and to have no more to doe with him, that hath done us so much seath, and caused us so much heart­breaking. First, learne when­soever ye smart, to gather your wits Zeph. 2.1., to summon your sen­ses, to sift, canvasse, and un­bowell, as it were, your owne hearts, to turne short againe upon your selves, and make privie search for the Sin God smites at; to find out the plague of thine owne Soule 1 Kin. 8.38., the ground of that other stroke, what ever it be thou gronest under. Doth man suffer for his Sin? let him thanke himselfe, saith the Prophet. But, for helpe; let him search and try his waies, and turne againe to the Lord Lam. 3.39, 40.. Let no man say with the Philistines, It is a chance 1 Sam. 6.9., a thing that comes by course, had a time to grow in, and must have a time to goe in, &c. This is, to be worse [Page 125] than ox and asse, who as they know their masters crib, so the wild colt knowes when the damme striketh it.

'Tis sure; as there's no winde, but may blow raine if God will: so there is ever something in the winde, when it blowes in a crosse-point to our comfort. Sinfull men strike not their dogs, much lesse their children, without a cause. The iust God never smites, but he hath some iust reason: his iudgments are sometimes secret, saith a Father,Aug. alwayes iust. Wherefore liest thou on thy face? said God to Ioshua, Israel hath sinned: Vp, search diligently, &cIosh. 7.10, 11.. What evill hast thou done (said the Marriners to the di­stressed Prophet) that this e­vill is come upon us Ion. 1.8.? Let eve­ry such Ionas reflect upon him­selfe and say, what evill have I done Ier. 8.6.? What sinne have I [Page 126] committed, or admitted? what good have I omitted or intermitted? No rod but hath a voice in it, Heare ye the rod, and who hath appointed itMich. 6.9.. Something, surely there is a­ [...]isse, that God would have amended. Search therefore, and follow your worke close. And that ye may worke by rule. First, set thy selfe in Gods presence, and there lay a charge upon thy conscience, to deale truly with thee in the discovery of the traitor, to shew thee where his haunt is; for I tell thee, he will deale sub­tily 1 [...] 23. [...]2., as Saul told the Ziphites concerning David his supposed enemy. Our consciences (saith one) are like looking-glasses; which being ore-spred with dust, shew nothing: but if cleane wip'd, represent things clearely. And as lines that are written with the juyce of lim­mons, when they are held to [Page 127] the fire, are made legible, but not otherwise: so conscience set before those everlasting bur­nings (so God is called, Esay, 33.14.) will bring us out our sinnes: we shall be able to say of it as she said of our Saviour, Come see a man that told me all that ever I did Iohn 4.29.. It will be­speake us in the language of that Prophet. Hast thou not procured this unto thy selfe, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way Iere. 2 17.? Secondly, single out and set a jealous eye upon thy be­loved sin, that bosom-devill what ever it be: and suspect that, above other, for the sinne God strikes at. For as in every man there is some one element, humour, passion predominant: so likewise some speciall sinne that playes Rex in his soule; turnes him about as the rudder doth the ship: hath him at a becke, as the Centurion had his [Page 128] servants: is to him as a right hand for profit, or a right eye for pleasure. This the Devill studiously hides from us, as be­ing his chiefe hold, his castle, his throne; out of which if he be ejected, he looseth his kingdome, he falls as lightning from the heaven of mens heartsLuk. 10.18.. As therefore he set A­dam to a contrary tree, that he might not eate of the tree of life; so he would turne our thoughts from this to some o­ther sinne: make us mistake as the Syrians did the King of Iudah for the King of Israel, that he may sit as sole King in our hearts, to our utter over­throw. You may easily know it. 'Tis that (among other notes) which thou art lothest, and wouldst least be a knowne of: or if it be laid open before thee by God in his word, or thine, owne selfe-accusing con­science (that domesticall chap­laine) [Page 129] thou art ready to colour and cloke it, to pleade and con­tend for it, to say of it as Lot of Zoar, Is it not a little one? or as David of Absalom, handle it gently for my sake2 Sam. 18.5., or as Iacob of Benjamin, If he dye, I cannot live. In this the Lord be mercifull unto me &c2 Kin. 5 18 Micah. 6.7.. Oh that he would ac­cept of rivers of oyle for a dis­pensation. Or if he will not, thou departest sorry (with the rich young Pharisee) that Christ should call for that sin, which thou art not willing to part with. The true Mother (such was her love) could not yeeld to see the child divided: no more can many endure to be sundred from their beloved sinne. This, their iealous God cannot away with in his owne; and therefore followes them with one affliction upon ano­ther, till he have strucke a par­ting blow betweene them and [Page 130] their paramour, that peccatum in deliciis, their darling cor­ruption. Men are sure to be met with most and soonest in that which they make a corri­vall with God.

Thirdly, take speciall notice of what kinde thy crosse is, and where it most of all pincheth. It is Gods usuall order to pu­nish sinne in kinde. Thus A­dams desire of the God-head was punisht with mortality and misery: Davids two sins of adultery and murther were punished with Absaloms and Amnons incest, and untimely ends. Yea for one life treache­rously taken away, he lost foure, Amnon his eldest sonne, Absa­lom his next, Adoniah his dar­ling, and the child borne in a­dultery: according to his owne sentence unwittingly passed upon himselfe, he shall restore the lamb fourefold 2 Sam. 12 6. be­cause he did this thing, and had [Page 131] no pitty. Iacob fain'd himselfe the elder brother for the young­er, and is therefore couzened by Laban, in the elder sister for the younger. Thus God comes home to us in our crosses, payes us often in our owne coyne, over-shoots us in our owne bow:Per quod quis peccat, per 1. dem punitur & ipse. yea many times takes notice of the offending member to punish it. Thus those blas­phemers in the Revelation gnawed their tongues for an­guish Reve. 16.10. Dives [...]lso was tortu­red most in his tongue, which he had most abusedQuia plus lingua pecca­ve [...]at. C [...]pr.. Abime­lechs head had stollen the crowne: and therefore in his head is he smitten. Sampsons eyes were the first offendours, which betrai'd him to lust, therefore his eyes are first pul'd out, and he is led a blinde cap­tive to Gaza, where he first gaz'd on his curtisan Dalilah. Thus many times the child is so like the father, that ye may [Page 132] safely say, such a sinne was the father of such a crosse.

Fourthly, pray God to point thee to that sinne he strikes at: cry out with Iob, How many are mine iniquities and sinnes? make me to know my transgressi­on and my sin Iob 13 23.. And againe, I will say unto God, doe not con­demne me: shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Iob 10.2.: This is Elihus advice: surely it is meete to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou mee: if I have done iniquity, I will doe no more Iob 34.31, 32.. Let God but heare such words fall from us, and he cannot but instruct aswell as cor­rect us, Psal. 94.12. He that will have sinfull men ioyne in­struction with correction, will himselfe much more, if we seeke it at his hands.

Secondly, having by dili­gent search found out the tray­tor [Page 133] that God strikes at, lay hold upon it presently, take it by the throate, drag it by the haire to the place of execution; there, strip it by confession, whip it by humiliation, rip out the heart of it by the pra­ctise of mortification. Afflict thy selfe with voluntary sor­rowes, not so much for thy paine as thy sinne, thy crosses and losses as thy vices and lusts. This is that sorrow to God-ward the Apostle speakes of, [...]. that ei­ther removes the affliction or sweetens it, and is found in none but those that have sor­rowed to repentance2 Cor. 7.9.. It is for a Pharaoh to cry out of the plague as a man upon the racke, for an hypocrite to howle upon his bod Hos. 7.14., as a dog tyed up in his kennell, when he lusts but hath not: when he kills and de­sires to have, but cannot ob­taine Iam. 4.2.: for a reprobate to bel­low, like a baited bull at the [Page 134] head of every streete Iere. 50.11.. It's sin that most afflicts a Christian, when he pants under the stroke of his fathers displea­sure. David cries not Perij, but peccavi, not I am undone, but I have done foolishly; Daniel complaines not, we are re­proacht and oppressed, but we have rebell'd and offendedDan. 9.5.. It was not the malice of his persecutours, but the law of his members that put St. Paul. to that piteous out-cry. O wret­ched man that I am Rom. 7.24. &c. No­thing greives a good child so much as that he hath grieved his father: this paines him more than the sharpest whip­ping: so here. It is sinne that puts a sting into every crosse. And as hell would be no h [...]ll but for the worme of consci­ence there, that never di [...]s; this is worse to [...]han then the fire that never goes out: so troubles to Gods Saints would [Page 135] be no troubles; we could not be properly said to be miserable in them, were it not for sinne that sets them on. You see then where to spend your greatest sorrowes, and what to fall out with, when things fall out o­therwise then you desire. Hast thou a right hand that offends thee? off with it. Is it a right eye that troubles thee? out with it. Say it be as deare to thee as Ismael was to Abraham, as Esau to Isaac, as Benjamin to Iacob; send it away, discharge thy house, thy heart of it out of hand. Is it not better doe so then dye? Surely except we had lingered we had returned twice by this, well victualled Gen. 43.10., as he said. Whereas if this be done to purpose, looke how old Ia­cob met with such joyes as he lookt not for, saw such sights, heard such newes, was sent for in such wagons as that his heart first fainted (for he belee­ved [Page 136] it not) and then revivedGen. 45.26, 27., when he found it to be true: so shall it be with us, if, for Gods sake, we mortifie our old sins, the cause of his high displeasure against us. We shall have our delight in the Al­mighty, and lift up our faces unto God Iob 22.26.: we shall heare and see such things, (even in this life) as carnall eye never saw, carnall care never heard, &c1 Cor. 2.9.. And although God should send for us into his Go­shen which is above, by a char­ret of fire, (some sharper tri­all) yet his very fire shall pre­serve us. It is well observed, that both those charrets that came to fetch Eliah, and those that came to defend Elisha were fiery. God is no lesse lovely to his owne in the mid­dest of his judgments,L. Bish. of [...]ixet. then he is terrible to his enemies in the demonstration of his mer­cies.

Thirdly, beware of med­ling any more with Sin, con­sidering the after-claps, and ill-consequents. Could wee but fore-thinke vvhat Sinne would cost us, wee durst not but be innocent: for, Knowest thou not, said hee, that it will be bitternesse in the end 2 Sam. 2.26.? A man cannot bathe himselfe in the sweet pleasures of Sin, but hee shall bee sowe'd as deepe in the salt-brine of sor­row. Rebecca may make a Kid taste like venison, but Death is in Sins pot. It may pretend and promise faire at first, with Laban, but at par­ting it vvill shew it selfe. Fawne upon us it may (as a dirty dog upon his master) but it doth but defile us with faw­ning; yea, such deepe spots it sets upon the soule, as nothing will fetch out, but the blood of Christ, or fire of hell. Sin is a serpent in our bosomes, [Page 138] that cannot live but by sucking out our life-blood. Well it may, Serpent-like, glide smoothly over the body, but at last it will bite like an Ad­der, and sting like a Cockatrice Prov. 23. [...]2.. Honey it may be in the mouth, but gravell in the mawProv. 20.17.: like Ionathans honey, of which he had no sooner tasted, but his head was forfeited. Plinie tels of a certaine country, where their honey is poysonous, be­cause it is suck'd out of vene­mous hearbs. Loe, such is the pleasure that is pluckt out of Sins botches. What should I say more? there is a deceitful­nesse in Sin Hebr. 3.13., saith the Apo­stle, trust it not: A lye in all these vanities I [...]. 2 8., saith the Pro­phet, beleeve it not. It will pro­mise golden mountaines, this and that contentment, but it payes pro thesauro, carbones, instead of Mines, Coale-pits. Sin promised Adam he should [Page 139] much mend himselfe, Achan hee should much make him­selfe, David hee should much satisfie himselfe. But, did e­ver any oppose God, and pro­sper Iob. 9.4.? saith Iob: are there not large rolles of Enditement written on both sides before him, full of sinnes and woes? Adam had no sooner bit, but hee was banished. Achan had no sooner toucht the consecra­ted Gold, but hee was a Son of death. David had no soo­ner imbrac't the bosome of a Stranger, but hee felt himselfe in a deepe ditch Pro. 23.27.; such, as hee that pleaseth God, shall be blest from Eccles. 7.16.. Be wise now there­fore, O yee Christians: be in­structed ye Godly of the earth; serve the Lord with feare, and rejoyce vvith tremblingPsal. 2.10, 11. Tremble, I say, and sinne not: Psal. 4 14. Commune with your own hearts of these things, and be still, or pawse, and make a stop; sith [Page 140] there is no safety in running forward. Kisse the Son, who hath [...]ver'd you indeed from the w [...] to come; but yet, so as he can be angry if yet [...]rish from th [...] way; that is, wander out of it. And, if his wrath be kindled, yea but a little Psal. 2 11., hee will so fall upon you, as that yee will accou [...]t it greatest madnesse, to buy the sweetest Sin at so deare a rate. The Judge, you know, besides the blocke, or gallowes, hath lighter punishments for lesser Offendours: as the Stockes, Little-case, Whipping-post, Pillorie, Jayle, &c. And so hath God, for such as hee meanes not to damne eternal­ly, hee can load them vvith judgements, not temporall onely, in their Bodies, names, estates, friends, labours; but spirituall also. Such as are; hiding his face from them in deepe displeasure; hardening [Page 141] their hearts from his feare Esa. 63.17.; im­penitent continuance in an evill course; punishing one Sinne with another, as in David, Salomon, Sampson, Peter, &c. excommunicating them from the power of his ordinances; delivering them up to Spiri­tuall wickednesses, to be lasht and buffetted, till they returne to themselves with the Prodi­gall, and recover their lost wits againe. For, Sin works such a distemper in the soule, that the Scripture calles it, Wickednesse of folly, even foo­lishnesse of madnesse Eccles. 7.25. Now, what should God doe with his servants when they run mad, but turne them into Bedlam? And, oh the bloody wailes that his rod hath left upon the backes of his best children, when they have return'd a­gaine to follyPsal. 85.8., till they be­thinke themselves, and repent, and make supplication, and say, [Page 142] Wee have sinned, and have done perversly, and haue committed wickednesse, 1 King. 8.47. All which considered; what should wee d [...], rather than shake off any sollicitation to Sin, as Saint Paul and the vi­p [...]rA ts 28.5.; silence it, as our Saviour did the devill in the GospellMat. 1.25. [...].; say nay to it, as the vine and olive did to the rest of the tree in Iothams parableIu [...]. 9.9.; stoutly re­pell, and sternely reply upon it, as our Saviour to the Pha­risees, Why tempt yee mee, yee hypocrites Mat. [...]2.18.? as Naboth to Ahab, God forbid that I should part with my patrimo­ny; as Salomon to his mother, interceding for Adonia, Aske for him the Kingdome also 1 [...]. 2.2 [...].; or as the Witch of Endor to Saul, Why seekest thou to take mee in a snare, to cause mee to dye 1 Sam. [...]8.9? To multiply Sinne, is to multiply sorrow Psa. 16.4.: and to trea­sure up Sinne, is to treasure up [Page 143] wrathRom. 2.5.. Is not destruction to the wicked, saith Iob., and a strange punishment to the wor­kers of iniquitie Iob 31 1, 2, 3? And this was that, whereby hee frigh­ted his conscience from fur­ther meddling. So did Da­vid, Psal. 119, 120. So did Paul, 2 Cor. 5.10. And for this it was, that the Lord (knowing the canker of our natures, that we are flesh also, as well as spirit; that the flesh is a slave, and must be terri­fied) hath purposely proposed to us thrice so many curses as blessings, Deut. 28. that loo­king up, as David, and seeing the punishing Angell stand over our neckes, we may feare and forbeare, and Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto us Ioh. 5.14.. Take heed therefore (that I may resume, and shut up this Exhortation) take heed, I say, of Sin, if but for the evill con­sequents. Cast away all your [Page 144] transgressions (as Moses did his staffe, when once it be­came a serpent) For, why will yee dye, O house of Israel Ezek. 18 31? fortifie your purposes against it, and stand unchangeably re­solved against Sinne, against every sinne, though never so deare or delicious. Hee that favoureth any, though hee for­goe many, doth but as Benha­dad, recover of one disease, and dye of another2 King. [...].10: yea, with­out timely repentance, he doth but take paines to goe to hell. Sin ever ends tragically:Cavete [...] Me­ [...]ampygo. Prin. avoid it therfore, if but for the blacke taile of plagues and crosses it drawes after it.

Vse 3 Lastly, is it for Sin that wee suffer? how should this patient our hearts, compose and allay our fretting spirits under any affliction: yea, how should this make us active and cheerfull in bearing Gods indig­nation, because wee have sinned [Page 121] against him Mic. 7.9.. It is the wicked­nesse of a man, saith Salomon, that perverts his way, and his heart frets against the Lord Prov. 19.3.. Some secretly repine at Gods hand, like those horses, that disgest their choller by biting on the bridle. Others more boisterous, set their mouthes a­gainst heaven Psal. 73.9.; and like beasts of prey, having beene long ac­customed to the darknesse of corrupted Nature, they are more fierce and furious, and have brutish and fell affecti­ons, full of rage and wrathful­nesse. When they are provo­ked by any smart or paine, they flye upon God; and all that comes next to hand, as that raging Turke did at the battell of Belgrade. Punccius. Chrysost. in Math. Hom. 19. This is to howle against heaven with the Wolfe, when the sheepe is dumbe before the shearer Esay 53 7.. This is to flye in the face of the fan­ner as chasse, when the heavier [Page 146] wheat falls low at his feet. And yet there is a spice of this disease abiding still in the best: they are not so wholly freed from their spirituall frenzie, but at some times they are rea­dy to play the mad men. Not to speake of David, and Iere­mie, 'twas Iobs weaknesse, cha. 23.3, 4. Hee challengeth God into the schooles, as it were, and thought to have had the better of him. But he was sharply reproved for his pee­vishnesse, chap. 40.2. and cryed Peccavi, chap. 42.1, 2. and so must wee. God will have us confesse against our selves, our Sins Psal. 32.5., with David, and say, I know that thy judge­ments are right, and thou hast afflicted me justly Psa. 119.75. Let no man say, when hee suffers ought, what an hard case is this? how can it stand with divine ju­stice? but let God be justified, and every mouth stopped: for [Page 147] it is not possible that he should wrong us,Quāvis aspe­ra & adversa patiamur, mi­nora tamen patimur quam merimur. Sal­vian. were it worse with us than 'tis. Say then, It is of the Lords mercie that wee are not consumed Lam. 3.22.; that wee are any thing out of hell; that our affliction, what ever it be, is not an execution, but a corre­ction onely; and that not in extremity, but with a merci­full mitigation. Why is li­ving man sorrowfull? saith the Church. 'Tis Gods mercie that hee is alive amidst all his sorrowes, especially since Man suffereth for his Sin Lam. 3.39., the just hire whereof, is death eter­nallRom. 6. ult.. This David saw, and was thankfull; Thou hast cha­stened mee sore, saith hee, but hast not delivered mee to death Psa. 118.17 18.. I shall not dye but live, and declare the workes of the Lord Psa. 118.17 18.. Hee that hath de­served hanging, may be glad if hee scape with a whipping. Christ hath already suffered the [Page 148] worst of it for us, the just for the unjust. The good theefe could say, Wee are here for our deserts Luk. 23 41., but hee is innocent: and yet hee suffered willingly, for hee could lay downe his life, and take it up againe at pleasure. Now Christ on his crosse, is a Doctour in his chaire, where hee reades unto us all a lecture of Patience. How should wee take up Da­vids words, and say. Loe I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but that immaculate lambe of God, what had hee done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against mee 2 Sam. 24.17., &c. And what though it should be a­gainst us as long as wee live, yet what's that to the wrath to come 1 Thes. 1.10., from which hee hath delivered us? Howbeit, there is none of Gods afflicted that hath not his lucida intervalla, his intermissions, respites, brea­thing whiles. Yea, so small a [Page 149] while doth the hand of the Lord rest upon us, that L [...]ther cannot get deminutives enow, to extenuate it: for he cals it a very little little crosse that we beare. So the Scripture in both testaments. The Prophet calls it a moment, and a little mo­ment; and saith, the indignati­on doth not transire, but per­transire; passe, but over passe Esay 26. [...].. The sharpe of it is but short and sudden,Nubecula est, cito transibit. Mourning la­steth but till morning. Psal. 30 5. and is therefore set forth in the new Testament oft, by the travell of a wo­manIoh. 16.21.: as shee soone forgets her sorrow, so shall wee re­member our troubles, as wa­ters that are past Iob 11.16.. Yet a very little while, saith the Apostle, even as little as may be, and hee that shall come, will come, and will not tarry Heb. 10.37.: hee will come leaping, as a Hind, over the mountaines of Bether, (all lets and impediments) to our release and deliverance. Our [Page 150] song, [...], tamil­lum tantillū, adhuc pusillū, after a while, shall be louder than our cries, as it was with Israel at the Red-sea. Wait therefore patiently, and see the salvation of the Lord Exod. 14.13. The red sea of affliction,22. that might justly swallow us, shall onely preserve us; a wall it shall be on the right hand, and a wall on the left, till we have passed thorough the midst of it dry-shod, into the promised inheritance. Surely, in the floods of great vvaters they shall not come nigh us, Psal. 32.6. or if they doe, yet we shall bee onely wash't, not drown'd, as Paul was in the shipwracke. Troubled we are, saith hee, on every side, but not distressed: perplex't, but not in despaire: persecuted, but not de­serted: dejected, but not de­stroyed [...] Co [...]. 4 [...].9.. Considering there­fore, at worst, how well wee are dealt with; and that God hath punished us lesse than our [Page 151] iniquities deserve, Ezra 9.13. fret not with Ioash 2 Kin 6.33., but sub­mit with Hezekiah Esay 39 8.. When Gods hand is on thy backe, let thy hand be on thy mouth; yea, put thy mouth in the dust, and say with Iacob, I am lesse than the least of thy merciesGene. 32.10., but worthy the worst of thy punishments. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and just are thy jugdements, as that good Em­perour (after David) cryed out,Mauricius. vvhen the traytour tooke away his life, after his wife and children had bin butcher'd before him.

And Chasten.

Or, I nurture, discipline, by chastening instruct, and put learning into them by the rod. A metaphor from a fathers handling his children, whom hee is bound to bring up, in nurture and admonition, [...]. Ephes. 6.4. and applyed to the father [Page 152] of spirits, [...]. Heb. 12.7. and 1 Cor. 11.32. for when we are judged, that is, afflicted, we are chastened of the Lord. The word signifies, we are dealt with as children, that we should not be condemned with the world: like as the carefull father whips his young stripling, when he takes him tripping, to teach him more grace, and to save him from the gallowes.Castiga [...]e est cum fanctu corripe [...]e. P [...]gne [...]s. To chasten here, saith an Interpre­ter, is more then to rebuke: and is therefore set after it in the text, as a further favour; for it imports instruction as well as correction, according to that of the Psalmist. Blessed is the man whom thou chaste­nest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law. Psal. 94.12. what may we hence learne, but this?

Doct. Nocun e [...]ta, doctuncnta.That Gods corrections are our instructions, his lashes our les­sons, his scourges our schoole­masters, [Page 145] his chastisements our advertisements. For, when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse Esa [...] 26.9.. Hence those close connexions, Psal. 94.12. Prov. 3.12, 13. Prov. 6.23. And this to note, the Hebrewes and Greekes both ex­presse chastening and teaching by one and the same word, [...]. be­cause the latter is the true end of the former, according to that in the proverb, [...]. Hes. smart makes wit, and vexation gives under­standing. The schoolmaster when a lesson shall be learnt indeede, sets it on with a whip­ping. Now, Afflictions are [...] as one calls them, Gods free-schoolemasters, curst enough and crabbed, but such as whereby he openeth mens cares to discipline, and command­eth them to returne from iniqui­ty. Then he sheweth them their worke, and their transgressions [Page 154] that they have exceeded Iob 26.8, 9, 10.. Hence affliction is said to have a voice, and men are called upon to heare the rod, and who hath ap­pointed it. And hence it is, lastly, that some render those words Heb. 12.7. If ye endure chastisement,Biblia Ta­bingent. If ye persevere in discipline. And where we reade ver. 5. My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord, the vulgar reades, the discipline of the Lord: which although it be not all out so good Latine (as Beza there notes) yet the sense is very good: it being the proper end and effect of Gods corrections to mend and make us better, to teach us the know­ledge of God and his will, our selves and our duties.

Quest. But whence, first, and what is it next, that affliction t [...]a­cheth us?

Ans. To the first. It is not by any either aptnesse in them, or ha­bility in us that afflictions in­struct [Page 155] us. For such, alas, is the hardnesse of mens hearts, that untill the spirit mollisie and make them malleable, Afflicti­ons, Gods hammers doe but beate cold iron, little good is done, nay much hurt, by acci­dent: for wicked men grow worse for afflictions, as water more cold after a heate; as naughty boyes more stubborne or more stupid after a whip­ping. But now to Gods chi­ldren his rods are speaking as well as smiting: his correcti­ons are not mute, but mingled with instructions, his strokes may be strokes of warre, yet his words are words of peace, Psal. 85.8. And though the Lord give you the bread of affli­ction, and the water of adversity, yet shall not thy teachers be re­moved into a corner: but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. And thine eares shall heare a word be­hind thee saying, This is the way, [Page 156] walke ye in it Esay 30.20, 21.. What dost thou here Elias 1 Kin. 19.9.? Hagar, Sarahs maid, whence camest thou? whither wilt thouGen. 35.1.? Arise Iacob, goe up to Bethel, and make there an AltarGen. 3.51., &c. What meanest thou ô sleeper? arise, and call upon thy GodIob. 1.6.. Get thee up: wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Is­rael hath sinnedI [...]sh. 7.10. &c. Loe such, and to like purpose is that still voice and that sweete supply of the Spirit of Iesus Christ, [...] Phil. 1.19. whose office is to con­vince us, of sin, of righteousnes, and of judgment, Ioh. 16.8. who in chastening David in­structed him every morning, Psal. 73.14. his reines also taught him in the night seasōsPsal. 16.7.. Who guides gods people into all truth: for he shall not speake of himselfe, (saith our Saviour there) but he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you, Ioh. 16.13, 14, 15. And hence it [Page 157] is that unto the upright there ariseth light in darknessePsal. 112 4., that the rocks powre him forth wa­ter, that whether North or South blow, both blow good to him, and make his spices flow out, Cant. 4.16. Hence it is, that afflictions teach Gods chil­dren and not tire them: mend and not mad them: draw them nearer to God, and not drive them further from God, and all because they are taught of God. Ioh. 6.45.

Quest. But what is it (in the next place) that afflictions teach us?

Answ. Many wholesome lessons: such as we are hard to get, and apt to forget, if not well fol­lowed: whence Luther fitly calls affliction, Theologiam Christianorum, the Christian mans Divinity,

First, they humble us, and so fit us for instruction; for the meeke he will guide in judg­ment, & the meek he will teach his way, Psal. 25.9. Now af­fliction [Page 158] and meekenesse have names alike, [...] such as grow both upon one roote in the holy tongue, because this is the effect of the other. Heare and give care, saith the Prophet, be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken it Iere. 13.15.. As who should say, Let the Lord speake never so long, never so loud, till he hide pride from man by afflictions, he shall but speake in the ayre, lose his sweete words, prevaile nothing at all with the sonnes of men, the best discourses fall as raine upon a rocke, when they light upon proud and unbroken hearts. God speakes once, yea twice, yet men perceive it not, saith Elihu. But what? shall they carry it away so, and heare no further of him? No: God casts them, saith he, upon the bed of affliction, and scourgeth them with the rod of his indignation. Thus he openeth the eares of men, and sealeth their instructi­ons. [Page 159] And this done, then, If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, &cIob 33 19, 20.16. &c.. He may have audience then, that afore could have none, then he shall be one of a thousand, that afore was the least of a thousand: then men will lend both eares to a good discourse, that before plaid the deafe adders to the wisest charmers. Manasseh, that unruly beast hamper him once, and you may have what you will: Feed the prodigall with husks, & no service shall be too base for him, that before took scorne to be a Son. The Gal­lants of our time cannot be staid in their gallop, till God (to coole the heate of their high-blood, and rebate the edge of their furious resolu­tions) touch their soule with some terrour,Morbus vel coronas tibi parturit, vel arrogantiam reprimet. I­sidor. Pelus. or their bo­dies vvith some sicknesse, turne their fooles feathers in­to kerchiefes, summon them [Page 160] by a disease, to death, and by death, to judgement: teare off that covering, wherwith sloth and security have muffled their consciences, and make them to possesse the Sins of their youth Iob. 13.26., and now you may talke with them, who before laugh't at instruction, as the wilde asse doth at the horse and his ri­derIob [...]9.18.. The wilde asse that is used to the wildernesse, though shee kicke up her heeles, and snuffe up the wind at her plea­sure, so that they that seeke her will not weary themselves; yet there is a time when shee may be taken, in her month they shall find her, Ier. 2.24. Tullus Hostilius, Tanta adeò, cum re [...]tipei­da, reverentia divum Naler­tu [...] — Sy [...]vius Ital. l. 7. Liv. Decad. 1 lib. 5. while hee was well and lusty, thought nothing lesse fitting a King, than to doe sacrifice, as Numa had done before him. But pined with long sicknesse, he yeelded him­selfe to all, both great and small superstitions; yea, hee [Page 161] fill'd the peoples heads with multitudes of Religions. This was Tullus: But wee have a better example. Saint Paul, I meane, that precious man, that elect vessellAct. 9.15.. Him, when the Lord Christ would tutour, and teach his Gospell (for hee nei­ther received it of man, nor was hee taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ him­selfe, the Arch-prophet, Gal. 1.12. with Act. 9.16, 18, 20.) hee met him on the way, as hee was marching furiously to Damascus; unhors't him, laid him low as earth, and yet lower in his owne eyes, aba­seth and drives him downe to the utmost, till he had not one­ly withdrawne him from his bloody purposes, but hid pride from him, Iob 33.17. made him of a wolfe, (that raving wolfe of Benjamin Sunt qui an­tumant partē illam prophe­tiae Iacobi, de Lupo proces­suro è tribu Benjamin, Paulo appli­carl debere. Beza ann. ad Act. 9.3., Gen. 49.27.) a lambe, Esa. 1.6. not once opening his mouth, un­lesse [Page 162] it were to crave direction, What wilt thou have mee to doe Lord? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, goe into the City, and it shall be told thee what thou must doe. Told thee? by whom? by Ananias? 'twas but a little, surely, that hee told him. It was Christ him­selfe that told Paul in that three-dayes-darknesse, those [...], words not sit to be uttered. For now is the time (as some learned con­c [...]ive) when he was rapt into the third heaven,Lud. Capel. 1 Cor. 12.2. At which time, lest he should be lifted up with the abun­dance of Revelations, (so care­full is the Lord Christ to keepe his Schollars humble, they shall sit downe at his feet, every one to receive his words, Deut. 33.3.) there was given unto him a pricke in the flesh; that is, some violent corruption edg'd with a temptation of Satan, to [Page 163] keepe him low, and make him pray.

And that's a second lesson wee learne by Affliction, (sith wee are falne upon't.) It tea­cheth us to pray, puts affecti­ons of prayer into our hearts, and words of prayer into our mouthes, Hos. 14.2, 3. Math. 26.41. makes us returne to him that smites us, to treate with him by hearty and affe­ctionate prayer, and to meet him with entreaties of peace. See this in Iacob Genes. 32., and Iabez, 1 Chron. 4.10. the Israelites in Iudges, the Church in the Lamentations, chap. 3.42. up goe their hands and hearts and all, when they suffer'd for their Sinne. So Daniel, what an ef­fectuall prayer doth he powre forth in that common calami­tie, and how doth he be labour the businesse, while hee tugges with God, chap. 9.18, 19? So Ionas; hee had scarse a brea­thing [Page 164] roome in the Whales belly, and yet hee prayes, yea, hee cries in prayer, Ion. 2.2. So Hannah; when her adver­sary provoked her s [...]re, to make her to fret, or to make her thunder, (as the word there signifies) because the Lord had shut up her w [...]mb, shee was in bitternesse of soule, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And s [...]e vowed a vow, 1 S [...]m 1.6.10. &c. [...]o David, Psal. 116.4 and the Son of David, Heb. 5.7. And Paul, being reviled, saith hee, wee blesse, and being defa­med, wee pray 1 Cor. 4.12 13.. The sense of our present misery sets an edge upon our prayers, puts life and spirit into them, yea, gives them wings to flye aloft, even to the throne of Gods grace, and to offer a holy violence to his Majestie, till wee have wrung out of his hands, the blessing of deliverance. Oh how fervently have Gods chil­dren [Page 165] prayed in affliction, how feelingly, how forcibly! Esa. 26.16. Master, said those drowning disciples, carest thou not that wee perish? Even Darius a Heathen, can give order for prayers to bee made at Hie­rusale [...], for the Kings life and his sons, when hee had seene divers of his childrē dye before him Ez [...]. 6.10 Cresias. In prospe­rity wee are apt to thinke our selves men good enough, see not our need of God, make not out after him, imagine we can doe well enough without him. Now the Crosse comes, and confutes us cleerly; shews us our dependance upon God, our happinesse in him, our no­thingnesse without him: and so sends us to him with earnest sutes, issuing from our trou­bled soules, like strong streams in narrow straits, that beare downe all that stands in their way. Thus the father of our spirits, the Shepherd and Bi­shop of our soules 1 Pet. 2.25, sets these curres upon us when wee are stragling, not to devoure us, but to drive us into the fold: turnes these bug-beares loose [Page 166] upon us, that vvee may flye into his everlasting armes Deu. 33.27: sends out these summoners, and messengers to cite us first, and, if that serve not turne, to com­pell us to come in, that his house may be full; as they did that sturdy rebell Manasseh: Who prayed unto God, when hee was in affliction, yea, hee hum­bled himselfe greatly, and be­sought the Lord his God, and hee was intreated 2 Chro. 33. [...]2, 13.. For indeed there is no time for hearing of sutes, like the time of trouble, Zach. 13.9. And howsoever wee cannot, to our thinking, pray at such a time, but onely chatter as a Crane, or mourne as a Dove [...]sa. 38.14.; utter some con­fused and broken Petitions, &c. yet God that searcheth the hearts, knowes what is the meaning of the SpiritR [...]m. 8.27. [...]., then vvhen the flesh with her mur­murings, keepes such a dinne (as one saith) that wee can [Page 167] hardly heare the spirits mixing with the fleshes roarings and repinings, his praying sighes. He heares not onely the pray­ers of his afflicted, but even the sighes of his Prisoners Psal. 79.11.; yea, their breathing, out of the low dungeon, Lam. 3.55, 56. And hence our recourse unto him in the day of di­stresse, Psal. 65.2. and hence the returne of our praises unto him, when hee hath turn'd a­gaine our captivity, as the ri­vers in the SouthPsal. 126.1.: while the wicked gnaw their tongues for sorrow, Apoc. 16.10. or are silent in darkenesse, 1 Sam. 2.9.

Thirdly, a Christian learnes obedience by the things that he suffereth, growes more buxom and pliant to the whole will of God, understands it more, exe­cutes it better. There shall be onely feare to make you under­stand the hearing, Esay, 28.19. [Page 168] We heare and reade much of the corruption of our natures,Vetus Scrip­tura com­mentarine crux est. odiousnesse of our sinnes, ne­cessity of a Saviour, sweetnes of Gods love in Christ, &c. but we never fully apprehend these things, or tast how good the Lord is, till some sharpe affli­ction. Pauls bodily blindnesse opened the eyes of his minde: Ionas his sinne had not beene found out but for the tempest. A man is occasioned by his crosse, to enquire into sundry passages betweene God, and his owne soule, and to see such things to be sinnes, or duties, as before he tooke no notice ofThey are Pillutae lucis, pills made on purpose to cleare the eye-sight. Afflictio [...]es sunt lex pra­ctica. Pareus in Gen. col. 20 29.. Afflictions, saith a great Di­vine, are a practicall law. When this law commeth, sinne revi­veth, as in Iosephs brethren: consent is also yeelded to the written law that it is good, Rom. 7.9.16. yea that it is good for a man that he hath beene affli­cted, that thereby he might [Page 169] learne Gods statutes, Psal. 119.71. Many a good word is e­ven worse then spilt upon us, till God set it on with his rod. It lies asleepe, as it were, like the husbandmans seede under a clod, till God come with his clatting-beetle, and give it roome to rise. All Elihues sweete words were lost upon Iob, till God had thundred him: then he is ready to say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou mee, &cIob 31.31, 32.. So David, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept thy word, Psa. 119 67. Zipporah presently falls a circumcising her sonne, when she sees her husbands life lies upon it. N [...]omi lookt not homeward (nor we heaven­ward) ti [...]l the Almighty had dealt very bitterly with her, [Page 170] yea the losse of her husband and children set her former crosses a vvorke; as in physicke, a se­cond potion doth a former, that lay asleepe in the body. Thus God beates us, that he may bet­ter us: and gives us to grovv after an affliction, as children doe after a sit of sicknesse.

Afflictio ad patientiam in­struit ac veiut inungit. Chrys. Cum inven [...]ret ista patientē, ad majora crudit. Chry­sol. [...]er. 110.Fourthly, tribulation tea­cheth patience, Rom. 5.3. yea such a vvell-knit patience, as makes a man suffer after he hath suffered, as David did from Shimei, but first, from Absalom. In this schoole of affliction Paul had learn'd, in what e­state soever he was, prosperous or adverse, therewith to be con­tent Phil. 4.11. [...] Sacris mitia­tus sum.. Yea vve finde, saith a Father, that the Patriarchs, Prophets and all the just ones vvhich vvere types and figures of Christ, did keepe nothing more to the praise of their ver­tue, then this, that by all that they suffered, they had learnt [Page 171] patienceInve [...]timus deni (que) & Pa­triarchas, &c. Cypr. de bino patient. fol. 105. A man that hath not beene used to this bitter cup, will sputter at it: when another that hath, will cry out in Christs language, O my fa­ther, if this cup may not passe a­way from me except I drinke it, thy will be done Math. 26.42. And this said; he sits alone and is silent, because God hath laid it upon him, Lam. 3.28. he chargeth not God foolishly, but is in meditation, according to that advise of the Preacher, Eccles. 7.14. If his soule begin to bustle, as it will, he chides downe his distemper, and prayes himselfe patient: he comforts himselfe in the Lord his God1 Sam. 30 5, and foreseeing his deliverance (though but afarre off, as Abraham saw Christ) he counts it all joy, though he fall into diverse temptations: knowing that the triall of his faith worketh pa­tience, Iam. 1.2, 3. and the pa­tient abidi [...]g of the afflicted [Page 172] shall not perish for ev [...]r, Psal. 9.18.

Fifthly, as affliction tea­cheth patience, so experience too, as it followes in that Rom. 5.3. It is a speciall helpe to ex­perimentall knowledge: And first, of God, who is never so much enjoyed of us, as when we are in the deepe with Da­vid Psal. 130.1, as when we lye hardest with Iacob Gene. 28.12, as when we are worst of all bestead with Ieho­saphat 2 Chro. 20.12., as when we are slaine all day long for his sake with the Martyrs. Then we are gi­ven to see him with our eyes, as Iob did, who till that time, had heard of him by the hea­ring of the eare onely. Then we come to know that the Lord he is God with Manasseh, 2 Chron. 33.13. yea that he is our refuge and strength, a very present helpe in trouble Psa. 46.1.. Then we have a cleare sight of first, his power, whereby he [Page 173] could as easily have consumed as corrected us,Non erube [...]o profiteri nun­qua [...] prove­ctum me ad tam sublime notiti [...] Dei fast [...]gui quam hoc mo [...]bo attigi. Rol­lo [...]cus apud Melch A­dam. in vit. exter. Theol. hurld us into hell, as held us a while over it, like as David told Saul, he could as easily have cut his throate as he had cut his coate: and as Caesar boasted to Metel­lus, he could as soone make him hop headlesse, as bid it be done. It appeares, we are no more able to stand before God, then a glasse-bottle before a cannon-shot. Secondly, his wisdome and providence ap­peares in sitting our afflictions both for kinde, such it shall be and no other: for time, such a space it shall lye upon us, and no longer; and for weight so much it shall be, & no more. He afflicts his, by line and by plum­met, according to their neede and ability to beare it. 1 Cor. 10.13. And as he carefully chose out their way out of E­gypt, not the nearer but the sa­fer: so he doth ours to the hea­venly [Page 174] Canaan. Thirdly, we have experience of his love, most seene and most seald up unto us in afflictions, his season of shewing m [...]rcy, for mans extremity is Gods opportu­nity.

Next, as the crosse gives us experience of God, how wise, seasonable, mercifull, compas­sionate he is, so likewise of our selves. It shewes a man first, the frailty of his matter. Some, saith one, are more painted then some, but all earthen vess [...]lls: some more cleare then some, but all brittle glasses. Iob saw himselfe but dust and ashes when he was in affliction, that afore had dream't some greater matter of himselfe, and made no other account but to dye in his nest I [...]b [...] 18.. David, when gotten upon his hill, began to crow, that he should never be remo­vedPsal. 30 [...]: but when God hid his face, clang'd his hand, David [Page 175] was a worme, and no man, [...] and concludes him that is best un­derlaid to be very vanity, Psal. 39.5.

S [...]condly, It shewes us by exp [...]rience the sinfulnesse of our disposition, and what is in our hearts, Deut. 8.2. what a deale of infidelity, impatiency, techinesse, frowardnesse, faint-heartednesse, and insufficiency to manage the smallest affli [...]ti­on; according to that of the wise-man. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is but small. Prov. 24.10. A puddle seemes cleare at the top, but stirre it with a sticke, and the mud will rise straight. A Christian, whiles all goes well with him, is apt to thinke him­selfe a jolly fellow, reasonable wise, humble, patient, &c. till put to't: and then hee soone sees himselfe to be none of all these, nor any thing else that's good, further, and longer then [Page 176] [...] is upheld by God. A man [...]nowes not where his house is ill cover'd, till winter: a [...] findes not his want of skill, till he hath receaved a wound or two: so tis here. Crosses, saith one, are like pinch­ing frosts, that will search us: where we are most unsound, we shall soonest plaine: and where most corruption lyes we shall most shrinke,Absol. [...]. when the burthen comes. Thus we learne to know our selves by that we suffer.

Lastly, Affliction sanctified teacheth what the world is, and gives us to know by expe­rience (that which vve might better have taken Salomons or rather Gods vvord for, vvith­out trying further conclusi­ons) that all both persons and things under the Sunne are first v [...]nity, secondly, vexation of Spirit.

For persons first: take the [Page 177] best and likeliest of them to doe us good, they prove mise­rable comforters, physitians of no value. Surely men of low de­gree are vanity: Ionathan was a [...]ust friend to David, yet hee calls to God his Buckler. and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the ballance, they are altogether lighter then vanity, Psal. 62 9. This is vvhile they live: it is little or nothing they can doe for us. And when death comes, His breath goeth forth, he re­turnes to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish Psal. 146.4.: even those glittering and golden thoughts and projects he had for thine helpe and preferment, as the word there signifie. Thus either our friends dye from us in the height of our expectancies, or else their af­fections toward us dye; e­specially when we are in ad­versity; as they dealt by Iob up­on the dunghill, my kinsfolke saith hee, have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten [Page 178] mee. Yea, all my inward friends (or the men of my secrets) ab­horred mee: and they whom I loved, are turned against mee. Iob 19.14, 19. Loe, this is the worlds kindnesse to their friends2 Sam. 16.17.; as hee upbraided Hushai: and thus is a man ser­ved in the house of his friends, Zach. 13.6. But what for the things of the world? finds the afflicted any more solidity or constancie in them? No­thing lesse: The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof, saith one Apostle1 Iohn 2. [...]. The very fashi­on of this world, the hiew of it passeth away 1 Cor. 7.31. [...], a Mathema­ticall figure. [...] 23.5. saith another. Wilt thou set thine eyes, saith a third, upon that which is not? It is heaven onely that hath a foundation, earth hath none: God hath hang'd it upon no­thing,The glory of this world is [...]an o [...] im­ [...]n, [...]. Matth. 4 [...]. the pompe of it a phantasie, Acts 25.23. [...]: life it selfe an imagination, Psal. 39 6. Surely in an image walk­eth each man. and the things therein are a very nothing. Nothing, I say in themselves, and yet full of power and activity to [Page 179] inflict vexation upon others.

And this, none can so fee­lingly say as the afflicted. Hee finds by experience, the truth of that sacred Proverbe, (for persons first) that Confidence in an unfaithfull man, in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joynt Prov. 25.19 The staffe of such reeden friend­ship, will not onely breake under him that leanes on it, but run into his hand and breed vexation of spirit, Esa. 36.6. To him that is afflicted, pitie should be shew'd from his friend: but hee forsaketh the feare of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brooke I [...] 6.14, 15, saith Iob, The best of them is as a brier, saith the Church, the most upright as a thorne-hedge, &c. And th [...]ne [...] [...]nfers, Trust ye not in a friend, put not confidence in a guide Mica. 7.4, 5, lest hee serve us as Davids guide did him, Psal. 55.13. [Page 180] [...] [...]as Iudas did Iesus, who was guide to them that tooke him, Act. 1.16.

Quest. But may not a man relieve himselfe in such unfaithful­nesse of friends, by the abun­dance of oth [...]r meanes?

Ans. No, saith our Saviour, nei­ther a mans being, nor well­being consisteth in the abun­dance of the things that hee pos­sesseth Luk. 12.16. First, in the very pursuit of them is much an­guish, many grievances, feares, jealousies, disgraces, interrup­tions, discontentments, (for, be a man never so well under­laid with the things of this life, yet while his flesh is upon him, hee shall be sorrowfull: and while his soule is in him, it shall mourne, Iob 14.22.) Second­ly, they are far swe [...]ter in the ambition, than in the fruition: for besides that, wee are never sure of them for a day (where­upon they are called riches of [Page 181] uncertainty 1 Tim. 6.17, subject to vanity in themselves, and violence from others, Math. 6.19, 20. to our great vexation; to see, that wee can no more hold them, than a flocke of birds sitting in our garden: nor stay them, than the streames that passe by the sides of a citie) if wee were sure of their pre­sence, yet wee could not be sure of their comfort; because wee cannot make our hearts delight in the same things still. Not the vvorld onely passeth away, but the lusts ther­of 1 Ioh. 2.17. also. And this is an evill which I have seene under the Sun, and it is common among men, Eccles. 6.1, 9. though most observed by the children of affliction, whose eye-sight is more cleered by those sharp and smart waters. This made David such a weaneling to the worldPsal [...]31.. God had by his ma­nifold afflictions, laid such a [Page 182] deale of wormwood upon the worlds dugs, that hee had no mind to sucke there any more. My soule, saith hee, is even as a weaned child, Psal. 131.2. And thus affected stands every one of Gods afflicted to the things of this life. He knowes them too well (and hee hath paid for his learning) to trust them too farre, or to meddle much with them. His profes­sion to the world is the same, that the Israelites was to Si­hon, Num. 21.21. Let mee goe thorough thy land: wee will not turne aside into the fi [...]lds or vineyards (trouble our selves more than needs about neces­saries) neither drinke of the waters of the W [...]lls (lye suck­ing, like Flies, at those botches of carnall pleasures, or earthly preferments) wee will goe by the Kings high-way (that good old way that God hath scored us out in his Word) untill wee [Page 183] be past thy countrey (untill wee be safe arrived at the key of Canaan, at the Kingdome of heaven.) And this is that Ex­perience that wee get of God, our selves, and others, both persons and things by that wee suffer.

Sixthly, (for the afflicted man is still at his lesson.) Tri­bulation, as it teacheth Pati­ence, and by Patience Expe­rience, so by Experience, Hope:Rom 5.4. while it puts a man to his proofe, makes him looke up his Evidences, what time hee is assaulted with these and these doubts & temptations of satan; who will labour to leape over where the hedge is lowest; to oppose us then most, when we are least able to resist. At which heavie times, a Christian fin­ding by good experience, that God supports by his suffici­ent grace, heares him, heales him, sweetens and sanctifies [Page 184] the crosse, gives him taste and experiment of his mercie, when nothing else can yeeld comfort, this rivets him fast to God, and makes him con­fident for the future. The Lord, saith David, that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the Beare, hee will deliver mee out of the hand of this Philistim 1 Sam. 17.37. Loe, this was it that put so much cou­rage into him in that most dangerous incounter. So Saint Paul in like case, Wee were pressed, saith hee, cut of mea­sure, even above strength, in­somuch that wee despaired even of life. But wee had the sen­tence of death in our selves. And what did hee make of i [...]? what good instruction drew hee out of this deepest affliction? that we should not trust in our selves, but in God, which raiseth the very dead. i. e. reseueth such as were appointed to dye. [Page 185] Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deli­ver: in whom wee trust, that hee will yet deliver us2 Cor. 1.8, 9, 10.. God takes and puts a man some­times past the helpe of all crea­tures, that hee may bring the glory of all our confidence home to his own doore, where it is onely due: For till then (such is our untowardnesse) wee seldome seeke to him. The Prodigall never thought of his Father till hee had no more huskes. The Hemorroisse never made out to Christ, till all her money was gone. The unreasonable creatures, many of them, never looke home­ward, till hunger-bit. The widdow that is left alone tru­steth in God 1 Tim. 5.5., saith the Apo­stle: who while she had an husband, lean'd too much upon him. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poore people: and they shall trust [Page 186] in the name of the Lord Zeph. 3.12., saith the Prophet: who till they were poore, trusted in uncer­taine riches. Asa bore him selfe bold upon his forces, as being five hundred and foure­score strong, till he was over­matcht with an army of a thousand thousand. Aethiopians. This made him cry, Helpe us O Lord our God, for we rest on thee [...] Chron. 14.3, 9, 11.. God crosseth many times our likeliest projects, and makes the sinewes of the arme of flesh to cracke, that being unbottom'd of the creature we may trust in the living God who giveth us richly all thinge to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6.17.

Lastly, (to let passe many o­ther wholesome lessons that Affliction learnes us; as thank­fulnesse upon blessings reob­tained, the worth whereof we have now seene best by the want: selfe-examination, and a setting all to rights betwixt [Page 187] God and our owne soulesLam. 3.40, 41.: watchfulnesse and tendernesse of Conscience, as in Da­vid, while an exile: love to the like afflicted; misery breeds unity, as in Hooper and Ridley that could agree well enough when they were both in prison: bowels of mercies, kindnesse and com­passion towards others in like case, as he that hath had the tooth-ach, or hath beene poore and necessitous himselfe will pitty such as are so: see Exod. 12.21. heavenly-mindednesse, a breathing after the place of rest, the day of refreshing, &c. David knew not so well what it was to be a courtier in heaven, till he was a soiourner in Meshech. But (to let passe all these and many more, I say, and to goe on as we began with the Apostle) Affliction as it teacheth patience and by pa­tience, experience, and by expe­rience [Page] Hope, so it worketh such a glorious hope as maketh not ashamed, doth not abuse, be­foole, disappoint us, as that of the Hypocrite: ar [...] that because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5.: who then especially rests upon us as a spirit of glory and of God 1 Pet. 4.14., when we are under the crosse. God is never so much enioyed of his children (which was the end wherefore we were placed in the world) as in time of trouble. Then we turne us to God,Math. 11.23, 24, 25. as our Saviour did, Matth. 11. when tired out with the peoples obstinacy: then we runne into his presence, as the doves into their windowes, ho­ver and cover under his wings as the chicken under the hens in a storme, hide us in his bo­som, rest us in his lap, shelter us under the hollow of his hand, untill the indignation be over-pastPsa. 26.20.. Our hearts are [Page 189] naturally full of harlotry, our live [...] little else than a spirituall fornication: there is nothing more common with us, than to forsake the guide of our youth, and to forget the covenant of our God, Pro. 2.17. disloyally to estrange our selves from him, and to run a whoring af­ter other lovers: Wee set our hearts upon earthly things (as the Bee doth his sting) with all our might, and suffer them to carry away our most lively and tenderest affections. Now our jealous God, that hates put­ting away Mal. 2 19. Dū omnibus humani prae­sidus vallatus esse [...], vix de Deo cogitādi d [...]batur spa­tium: nunc omnibus illis exutus, solum De [...]m cogito, qui me, sat scio, invocan­tem exaudiet. Wencesi [...]tus B [...]hem Rex ca [...]tivus, apu [...] A [...]n Sy [...] in hist. Bohem., though he may say, Pleade with your mother pleade, for shee is not my wife, neither am I her husband, Hos. 2.2. yet, not willing to lose us altoge­ther, Behold, saith he, ver. 6, 7. I will hedge up thy way with thornes; that is, vvith afflicti­ons: and make a wall, that shee shall not find her pathes. And she shall follow after her lovers, but [Page 190] shee shall not overtake them: and shee shall seeke them, but shall not find them: then shall she say (loe here the happy effect of affli­ction sanctified) I will goe, The Spouse in the Canticles found not her beloved in the day of prospe­rity, but in the night of ad­versity. [...]. bea [...]y. and returne to my first husband, to wit, God: for then was it bet­ter with me than now. Thus the Lord arresteth us by afflictions, as by his Sergeant: fetcheth us in, in our out-strayes, as the Shepherd doth his sheep by set­ting his dog after them: brings us into his presence, as Absa­lom did Ioab, by firing his field: causeth us to confesse and cove­nant with that good Sheca [...]iah, Wee have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives, yet now there is hope in Is­ra [...]l concerning this thing. Now theref re, let us make a cove­nant with our God, to put away all the wives [...]za. 10.2, 3. &c. And then, as lover [...] [...]re never great [...]r friends th [...] after sailing out: so is it [...], Because he hath set his love [Page 191] upon me, saith God, therfore will I deliver him: yea, I will be with him in trouble to deliver and honour him, with long life will I satisfie him, and shew him my salvation Psa. 90.14, 15, 16.. Whereupon the good soule, inwardly warm'd and inlarged with the sense of such a love, reciprocates and re­plyes, with utmost strength of all heightned and indeered af­fection, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart saileth: but God is the strength of mine heart, and my portion for ever. Psal. 73.25, 26.

And these, with many more, are the lessons God layes be­fore his children by their affli­ctions, and puts into them with his rod. There are also divers others (as is well observed) that the Lord by his servants troubles, vvould teach the world. As first, that the evils [Page 192] cheifly so esteemed, are not so indeed: sith the Saints have share in them, vvho yet their are [...]eed from the greatest mischiefes. Secondly, how such evill; should be borne, by example of their patience. Thirdly, That there shall be certainly a Resurrection, Luke 16 25. Fourthly, to marke the upright man, and be­hold the just, for (whatever his beginning or his middle be) the end of that man is peacePsal. 37 37., &c. But I hasten to the Appli­cation.

Vse 1 And first, Doth God by cha­stening, tutour and teach his children? doth hee in lashing them learne them their duties, and by corrections instruct them in the way of life? How may this strike cold to the hearts of all such as make no­thing of their afflictions: are not taught better by them, profit nothing under them, nay [Page 193] doe proficere in pejus, Sunt non [...]ulli qui molesti­am quidem iust [...]nent, ta­men finctu privantur. Chrysost. de Laz. conc. 3. as those impostours in Timothy; grow down-ward, backward, are worse for their crosses, drunke with affliction, as those, La­mentations 3.15. nay starke mad, as Pharaoh, and Nero that monster of mankinde, vvho threatened his Iove for marring his Musicke vvith a thunder-clap; and dared him to a single combat. Such a­nother vvas that stigmaticke Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.22. the railing Thiefe, that suffered with our Saviour: the Sodo­mites, vvhose captivitie by Kedorlaomer, had not yet made ten good men in those five cities of the Plaine: those incorri­gible and desperate sinners in Sion, those sacrificing Sodo­mites, Esay 1.10. of whom the Prophets cry out so much and often, that no meanes will reclaime them. Let fa­vour be shewed to the wic­ked, [Page 194] yet hee will not learne righteousnesse. Let God lift up his hand, yet they vvill not see, nor startle. See Esay 26.10, 11. Ierem. 2.30, 31. & 5.3. Esay 1.5. Sin hath transformed them, as it vvere, into those Beares in Plinie, that could not bee stirr'd with the sharpest pric­kles:Hist. Animal. lib. 4. c. 10. or those Fi [...]hes in Ari­stotle, that though they have speares thrust into their sides, yet they awake not. Into such a dead lethargy hath Sin cast some mens soules, that though they are put to paine, yet they profit not, Ierem. 12.13. or if they be in tra­vell for the time, yet they bring forth nothing but wind. They are never the better when they come out of their affliction, no, though they powred out a prayer when Gods chastening was upon them, Esa. 26.16, 18. What is this, [Page 195] but to adde rebellion to their sinne? Iob 34.37. and rebel­lion, yee know, is as the sinne of Witchcraft, 1 Sam. 15.23. But let such reade their sinne, and their sentence at once: Ierem. 6.29, 30. The bellowes are burnt, the lead is consumed with fire: the Foun­der melteth in vaine, for the wicked are not pluckt away. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. And surely, if God will vvalke stubbornely with his owne people, till their uncircumcised hearts be humbled; Leviticus 26.41. how much more with his stubborne enemies, that stand out against his strokes, refu­sing to be reformed, hating to be healed? Looke how a stubborne man seekes all the hurt hee can to him vvhom hee spites; shuts his care to intreaties of peace, and rejoy­ceth [Page 196] to see his hurt: so the Lord, (but in a way of ju­stice) findes out plagues a­gainst these obstinate rebels; will not be pacified, till hee hath his peny worths of them; laughes at their destruction, and mockes when their feare commeth, Prov. 1.26. With the froward man thou wilt wra­stle, saith David, Psalm. 18.26. Now, if God wrastle with a sinner, the first that shall come to the ground is his head; hee is sure to have his necke broke, even the necke of his soule, in the bot­tome of hell, Iob 15.26. to the fire whereof hee is conti­nually carrying a faggot to burne himselfe withall, Ro­manes 2.5. In the meane space, all hee suffers here, is but a beginning of those sor­rowes, a pledge of more in a worse place, a typicall hell, a foretaste of that old Tophet, [Page 197] an hell above ground. Well therefore might one cry out,Insoelices au­tem q [...] nec verberibus [...]em [...]llescunt. S [...]ultet. in Is. 1.5. Oh unhappy persons, whom stripes amend not! They that will not bend by the rod of Gods mouth, must be bro­ken with the iron rod of his hand, Psalm. 2. or if the rod will not rule them, his sword shall be drencht in their gall, and bathed in their blood, Deuteronomie 32.41, 42. Or if they scape here, yet their preservation from one, is but a reservation to seven, Leviticus 26. hee will sure­ly pay them for the new and the old, and let them looke for it. Saul lived a long while after God had forsaken him, and you could see no alteration in his outward con­dition: but saith the Prophet (and it is most fearefull) The strength of Israel doth not re­pent, 1 Sam. 15.29. I infer (for a second Vse) with that [Page 198] other Prophet.

Vse 2 Bee thou instructed there­fore, Oh Ierusalem, lest Gods soule depart from thee, Ierem. 6.8. lest while hee chasten thee with the rods of men, and thou bee never the bet­ter, hee take away his mer­cie from thee, as hee tooke it from Saul, 2 Sam. 7.14, 15. Take heed yee bee not truants in the schoole of Af­fliction, but be diligent, and so ply your businesse, that your profiting may appeare to all men, 1 Timothie, 4.15. Seeke it of him who teach­eth to profit, Esay 48.17. and gi [...]eth wisedome to his affli­cted without upbraiding, Iam. 1.5. Seeke it, I say, by his in [...]an [...]s, and take it upon his term [...]s. First, see him angry in every crosse, and for no­thing angry so much, as for Sinne. For his wicked cove­tousnesse I was angry with him, [Page 199] I hid mee, and was angry, E­say, 57.17. Secondly, see it a blessed thing to beare Gods yoke betimes, and therefore be not weary in your minds: for in due season yee shall reape the quiet fruit of it, if yee faint not, Galatians, 6 9. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest, and teachest in thy Law. That thou maist give him rest from the dayes of ad­versitie, &c. Psalm. 94.12, 13. Bee sure, if there were any other way to doe us good, hee would spare a labour of whipping us, Ierem. 9 7 but hee knowes, and so should wee, that the crosse will beare us to heaven, when nothing else willIf there be any way to heaven on horsebacke, it is by the crosse. Bradford.. Gods cloud in the vvildernesse, staid some­times a whole yeare or longer in a place; to their griefe, no doubt, but yet to their gaine; that hee might humble them, and try them, and doe them [Page 200] good in their latter end, Deu­teronomie, 8.16. as Moses hath it. Thirdly, melt and mourne kindly before the Lord, as Iosiah, in the sense of your sinnes, Gods deserved displeasure, but especially his infinite love in chastening you here, that you may not bee condemned hereafter. This is the onely vvay to difarme GODS indignation, to get from under his mighty hand, and to be rid of his rod, 1 Pe­ter, 5.6. By such a course as this, Iacob appeased that rough man Esau: Abigail diverted David from his bloo­dy purposes: the Syrians found favour with Ahab (that Non-such, as the Scripture stiles him) by an humble submis­sion, 1 King. 20.13. And one of our Edwards riding furiously after a servant of his that had displeas'd him, with a drawne sword in his hand, [Page 201] as purposing to kill him:Si servulum tuum videas, peccata pro­pria consiten­tem, ultrò offerre se poe­nae, instecte­ris, & ig­nosces: de domini mi­seratione dis­sidis? Ambr. in Psal. 37. see­ing him submit, and on ben­ded knee sue for his life, was content to spare him, and re­ceive him into his favourActs and Monuments, in Edw. 1.. Loe, this is the way to make our peace with God, and this is the very course, that hee points and prompts us to in the text,

As many as I love, saith hee, I rebuke and chasten. But what lesson may wee hence take out? Be zealous therefore, and repent.

There seemes to be an hy­sterosis in the words, q. d. repent thee of thy remisnesse, lazinesse, luke-vvarmnesse, and learne by that thou suffe­rest, to bee zealous of good workes, fervent in spirit, ser­ving the Lord. Or, (which I rather incline to) 'tis a tra­jection; Be zealous and re­pent, that is, be earnest and thorough in thy repentance, [Page] and each part thereof, con­trition, or humiliation, and Conversion or Reformation: The former is called in Scrip­ture Repentance for, or, of sinne, [...]. 2 Cor. 12.21. Rev. 9.20. The latter, Repen­tance from sinne, Act. 8.22. Heb. 6.1. In both vve must be zealous, doing them vvith all our might, as David is said to have danced before the arke: and this, as at all times, so espe­cially when Gods hand is gone out against us and seemes to thrust us downe, as it were, with a thumpe on the backe.

For contrition, first, know that God will never leave pur­suing thee till the traitours head be throwne over the wall, till thou humble thy selfe to walke with thy God. As one cloud followes another, till the sun consume them: so one iudg­ment after another, till godly sorrow dispels them. Gather [Page 203] your selves Zeph. 2.1. therefore, and call in your wits, that are wandring after vanity: turne your eyes inwards, that you may see for what you suffer. And this done,I [...]sdem qui­bus videmus, oculis flemus. let your eye affect your hearts till they ake againe, yea till they fall asunder in your bosomes like drops of water: labour, and leave not, till you feele your sinnes as so many daggers at your hearts, [...]. as Pe­ters converts did, Act. 2.37. yea as so many daggers at Christs heart, as those in Za­chary, Zach. 12.10. that loo­king upon him whom ye have pierced, y [...]ur hearts may be like so many Hadadrimmons: you may weepe over him that bled for you: your eyes may be a fountaine of teares Ier. 9.1. hee se [...]mes to attude to 1 Sam. 7.6. to wash his feete in, who hath opened a fountaine of hi [...] own blood to bath your so [...]s in, Zach. 13.1. In the twelfth Chapter, the Prophet seemes [Page 204] to be at a stand, knowes not whence to borrow com­parisons, sufficiently to set forth the depth of their godly sorrow. They shall mourne for it, saith he, as one mournes for his onely sonne (thinke here how great the griefe was of that disconsolate wi­dow of Naim, Luke 7.13. of Iacob for his Ioseph, of David for his Absalom) and shall be in bitternesse for it, as one that is in bitternesse for his first-borne: yea the lamen­tation of some one poore wo­man in her closet for her sin, shall exceede that mourning at Megiddo, for the losse of good Iosiah. Mary Mag­dalen is a iust instance hereof; whose eyes were a laver, and haire a towell to wash and wipe the feete of Christ. Some others of Gods Saints have exprest their hearty hu­miliation in time of affliction, [Page 205] by bowing downe the head, casting downe the body, a softly gate, a lovv kinde of language, like broken men; put­ting sackcloth on their loynes, and ashes on their heads, as those that had deserved to be as farre under ground as they vvere novv above. Yea in a time of common calamity the Lord called his people to bald­nesse Isa. 22. for sinne, vvhich in o­ther cases vvas forbidden, Deut. 14.1. And Ezra practised it accordingly, vvhen he rent his mantle, and his gar­ment, and pluckt off the haire of his head and of his beard, and with knees bent, and hands spread out, he cried, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, &c. Ezra, 9.3, 6. Yea David vvent further then this: for not content to vvash his bed, even his under-bed vvith his teares vvhich he had defiled [Page 206] vvith his sinnes, he made a reall resignation of himselfe and all he had into Gods hands, as having forfeited all. If hee thus say, I have no delight in him, behold here am I, let him doe to mee as seemeth good unto him, 2 Samuel, 15.26. So another time, vvhen the Lord pleaded against him with pestilence and blood: Ezekiel, 38.22. he stood forth and offered himselfe to the stroke of the punishing Angell, vvith Me, Virg. A [...]ncid. me, ego qui feci, in me convertito ferrum: 'Tvvas I, 'tvvas I, let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me and my fa­thers house. 2 Sam. 24.17. And the like must be done of us, in case of Gods displeasure iustly conceived a­gainst us. Let the glory be to him, take the shame and blame of it to our selves, submit to any thing that he shall see good to inflict. Say, Here I am, let him doe to me as [Page 207] seemeth him best. If God vvill have my life, here it is: if my goods, here they are; if my children, or any other deare pledge of his for­mer favour, I resigne them freely into his hands. I am lesse then the least of his mer­cies; I am worthy the hea­viest of his judgments: I have deserved to be destroyed, yea to be hurl'd into hell. This is that judging of our selves that the Scripture calls to: and this is that submit­ting our selves to God, that Saint Iames presseth with such variety of expressions: chapt. 4.7, 8, 9, 10. Draw nigh to God, saith hee, and God will draw nigh unto you. Come neere unto him, as Iu­dah did once to Ioseph, and say, O my Lord, let thy ser­vant. I pray thee, speake a word in my Lords eares, and let not thine anger burne a­gainst [Page 208] thy servant, Genesis 44.18.

Ob. Wee dare not draw nigh to God, for hee is an holy God, hee will not forgive our transgressions nor our sins, Iosh. 24.19.

Col. Cleanse your hands, yee sin­ners; purge your hearts, yee double-minded: not your hands onely, with Pilate, but your hearts also, with David, Psal. 51. who washt himselfe so thoroughly, that hee became cleere as the picked glasse, and white, as the snow in Sal­mon.

Quest. But where, and how must wee wash?

Ans. Yee cannot wash in inno­cencie, wash you therefore in teares: Be miserable (saith the Apostle:) so yee are, but feele your selves to be so, [...]vo unto mourning. Nay, dwell upon it so long, till yee draw teares from your eyes; yea, [Page 209] teares of blood from your hearts, if it were possible. Sinne in the soule, is like the head of a bearded arrow in the body; and is thereto compa­red (as some of good note conceive) in that 2 Corinthi­ans, 12.7. [...]. which will not be pull'd out, without paine and blood-shed.Poenite [...]tia q. punientia. Afflict your selves therefore, (be active in it, for some are humbled, but not humble; low, but not lowly) and mourne and weepe: or if thou canst not weepe, let it be the fruit of thy constitution, and not of thy corruption; in vvhich case, dry sorrow may be as good as wet. But, weepe if thou canst; yea weepe, till yee can vveepe no longer. They which will not weepe here, shall have their eyes whipt out in hell: they that will not waile among men, shall howle among devills. [Page 210] For your helpe herein, Let your laughter be turn'd into mourn­ing, and your joy into heavi­nesse: As vvho should say, Call off your thoughts and affections from matters of mitth, and set them all a­worke upon sorrowfull ob­jects. Make use of all meanes, improve all occasions, turne all the streames into this one channell, for the driving of that mill may grinde the heart. Thus, Humble your selves un­der the mighty hand of God, and be ze [...]lous in it, [...] 1 Pet. 5.7. and hee shall lift you up in due time. As in the meane while, this zeale in repenting, shall speake you sound and serious in your godly sorrovv, one effect whereof is Zeale, 2 Corinthi­ans, 7.11.

But then, secondly, our sor­row must be, (as that of those Corinthians was) unto a trans­mentation, [...]. or inward change. [Page 211] Our Contrition must be ioyn'd with Conversion, else all's lost, for this latter is the consummation of the former, and the seale of its sincerity. Here then, you must set to worke againe, and be zealous in it. Let your crosses teach you, to cast away all your transgressions, Ezekiel, 18.31. to turne from all your wickednesse, Acts, 8.22. re­pent of all your dead workes, Hebrewes, 6.1. put off all the fruites of the flesh, Colos­sians, 3.9. Spare no sinne, but least of all thy beloved sinne, thy familiar-devill: pitch thy hatred chiefly up­on that, fight neither against small nor great in compari­son of that: say of it, as Ha­man of Mordecai, What availes me any thing so long as that liveth? but that once dead, the rest will soone follow, as all the servants [Page 212] attend the masters funerall. Let Ioab dye, though it be by the hornes of the Altar. Let Adoniah loose his head, though Bathsheba intercede for him: bring out the dead car­cases of these Arch-rebels out of the palace of your hearts, thorough the dung-port Neh. 3.13. of your mouthes: yea spet forth that filth with utmost indigna­tion. And as Amnon put away Tamar with extreme distaste, after he had abased her: so let us deale by our sweete sins. Affliction sanctified will soone reach Gods Israel to pollute the idols which themselves had perfumed, and to say to the workes of their owne hands, Get thee hence: Isay 30.20, 21, 22. What have I to doe any more with Idols? Hoseah 14.8. those idols of mine owne heart? said E­phraim, after that he had bewai­led his owne untamednesse [Page 213] with teares, and upon cor­rections of instruction smote upon his thigh. Ieremiah. 31.18, 19: as that Publican upon his brest, who would as willingly have beene knock­ing upon the sinne in his heart, & giving it the blew eye1 Cor. 9.27. [...]. that Saint Paul did, if he could have come at it. This then is that we have all to doe: and this the Lord lookes for at our hands (special­ly) when we are in any affliction; to cease from our owne workes, Hebrewes, 4.10. to keepe us from our owne wickednesse, 2 Sam. 22.23. and not turne after the way of our owne hearts, Esay, 57.17. to purge our selves from all filthinesse of flesh, and spi­rit, (as the Viper, when he is lashed, casts up his poison) and to perfect holinesse in the feare of God: 2 Cor. 7.1. For else, all our pretended [Page 214] contrition, if it be not atten­ded with Reformation, is but as the crouching of a fox; which being taken in a snare lookes lamentably, but 'tis onely to get out. It was a grievous complaint God made of his people. Isay, 53.17. I hid mee, and was an­gry, yet they went on frow­ardly in the way of their owne hearts. And againe by the Psalmist; whiles hee slew them, then they sought him, yea they returned, and enqui­red carely after God. Ne­verthelesse their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant, &c. Psalme, 78.34, 37. While God was in whip­ping them, they cryed, as children. I'le doe no more, I'le doe no more: but when the rod was removed, and the smart a little over, their promise was forgotten, and [Page 215] they as bad as before: Like as a dog when he comes out of the water, shakes his eares, and as a swine when washt, returnes againe to the guzzle. How much better David? He sware (and he would stand to it) to keepe Gods sta­tutes. Psal. 119.106. And when did he sweare, but in the time of his affliction? Re­member David, Lord, with all his afflictions. Who sware unto the Lord, and vow'd unto the mighty God of Iacob, &c. Psal. 131.1, 2. And this he perform'd as well Psalme, 66.14. &. 61.8. for he knew 'twas better not to vow, then to vow, and not to pay, Eccles. 5.4. Hence his f [...]r­vour and fidelity. He knew the Lord takes no pleasure in foole [...], ib: such as though they be brayed in a mortar, yet will not [...]ut away their folly. All Gods children are the better for [Page 216] whipping, the brighter for scouring, the purer for fi­ning, the healthier for phy­sicking. If the outward man decay, the inward is renued, 2 Corinthians, 4.16. the win­ter of the one, is the Spring of the other. If they be pru­ned by afflictions, they bring forth more fruit, Iohn 15.2. If launced by Gods hand, the very blewnesse of the wound purgeth out evill; Proverbes, 20.30. If they passe the Flaile,Dei s [...]men­tum sum, & bestiarum dentibus mo­lor, ut puius & sincerus panis repe­ [...]iar. Ignat. Iohn Careles in a letter to M. Philpot. Fanne, Milstone, O­ven, it is all but to fit them for the Lords owne tooth, as a sweet meate-offering in a cleane vessell, Esay 66.20. You know, (said that holy Martyr) the vessell before it bee made bright, is soyled with oyle and other things, that it may scoure the bet­ter. Oh happy be you, that you be now in this scouring-house: for shortly you shall [Page 219] be set upon the celestiall shelfe, as bright as Angels. Every affliction sanctified, rubbs off some rust, melts off some drosse, straines out some cor­ruption, (Iob 10.10. God straines out our motes, whiles our hearts are powred out like milke, with griefe and feare) empties and evacuates some superfluitie of naughtinesse, be­nums our lusts at least, (as winter doth the Serpent) that they cannot doe us so great hurt: makes us partakers of some more of Gods holinesse: brings forth some quiet fruit of righteousnesse, to them that are thereby exercised. Some good is ever done; the least that can come of it, is to doe good duties better, with grea­ter zeale, and larger affecti­ons, Esa. 26.11. raked out of the ashes, 2 Tim. 1.6. [...]. and kindled by this coale from Gods altar, whereby wee be­come [Page 220] more active, and ready to every good vvord and worke. Some blessing it ever leaves behind it; as the river of Nilus, which by over-flow­ing the land of Egypt, fattens and fills it with flowers and fruites. What though the Saints lye drown'd (as the fer­tile meddowes doe, under the floods) all winter long? the comfort is, God sits upon the floods, Psal. 29.10. and shall shortly set them upon a rocke that is higher than they, Psal. 61.2. out of the reach of trou­ble.Nube solce pulsa candi­dus ire die [...]. As certaine as is the vi­cissitude and interchangeable course of Winter and Summer darknesse and light, Evening and morning; so certaine shal. the change of the godly bee. God will bring them from Marah to Elim, Numb. 33.9. from a place of bitternesse, to springs of sweet water; from a dry and barren wildernesse [Page 221] to a pleasant station. Hee will remove them ere-long (after they have suffer'd a while1 Pet. 5.10, and paid a little for their lear­ning, under this sterne and sharpe schoolemaster, Affli­ction) into an higher forme in Christs schoole,Q [...]s non pa­tia [...]ur, ut po­tia tur? yea to the Vni­versity of Heaven; Where the Arch-prophet himselfe shall teach us immediately with his his owne mouth, and shew us great and hidden things that we knew not, Ierem. 33.3. such as Saint Paul heard in his hea­venly rapture: and such as those good soules are ever in hearing, which came out of great tribulation, and have wa­shed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lambe, Revel. 7.14. Here wee are but learning our A B C, and our lesson is never past Christs-crosse (as that Martyr phrased it) and our walke is still home by the Weeping-crosse: but [Page 222] then, the Ransomed of the Lord shall returne, and come to Sion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall ob­taine joy and gladnesse, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away, Esay 35.10.

FINIS.

PErlegi tractatum hunc, dignum­que judico qui typis mandetur.

THO: WYKES R. P. Episc. Lond. Cap. Domest.
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.