CONSOLATIONS FOR THE AFFLICTED: OR, THE THIRD PART OF THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE: wherein is shewed, how the Christian may be armed and strengthened against the temptations of the World on the left hand, arising from trouble and affliction; and enabled to bear all crosses and miseries with patience, comfort and thanksgiving. By I DOWNAME, Batchelar in divinity, and Preacher of Gods word. james 1.2. My brethren count it exceeding ioy, when ye fall into diuers temptations. 2. COR. 4.17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth unto us afar most excellent and an eternal weight of glory. AT LONDON Printed by John BEALE, for W. WELBY, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard at the sign of the Swan. 1613. To the most reverend FATHER IN GOD, GEORGE, by Gods providence, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, and one of his majesties most honourable privy council, I. D. wisheth all riches of Gods graces in this life, and of glory in the life to come. IT will not( I hope) bee thought unprofitable,( R. reverend Father in God) that in this time of peace and flourishing prosperity of our Church and Country▪ I writ of our warfare with the world, and our combat with afflictions, seeing we haue no assurance that these temporal blessings and Halcyon daies will be continued; but rather may probably expect& justly fear, that according to that vicissitude and mutual interchange of worldly things, which both the scriptures& the experience of all ages past haue made known unto us, there may happily come a wane after this full, a low ●ebbe after this high tide, and a dark night of sorrow and mourning, after this bright sunshine day of gladness and rejoicing. And that the rather, because by our sins long ago wee haue deserved to bee despoiled of Gods long continued favours, and with vnresistable violence do pull and hale his just judgements vpon our guilty heads. For to say nothing of the desperate wickedness of profane men, who being rotten members of this body of our Church and country, do deserve to be cut off( which is not commonly effected without the grief and smart of all those sounder parts which are near about them) who doth not see that the best seruants and dearest children of God, are by long ease grown so slothful and secure, and so corrupted with continual peace and prosperity; that they need to bee quickened and roused up with Gods scourges of correction, and to bee purged from their dross and rust by the fiery trial? And therefore it will not bee amiss, if in this summer and sunshine of our prosperity, wee erect shelters to shade us against the stormy tempests of approaching troubles; and in the daies of our peace, do prepare ourselves for this spiritual warfare, building fortresses and bulwarks for our defence before wee bee assaulted by the enemy, and putting on our spiritual armor, before our great Commander do summon us to the fight, and cause the alarm to be sounded to the battle. For then shall wee most securely enjoy our peace, when as we stand vpon our guard, and haue our weapons in readiness to resist the enemy; and then shall our ioy of prosperity bee most sweet and delightful, when it is not embittered with the fear of losing it, nor with the expectation of those afflictions, whose force and fury wee are by due preparation enabled to overcome. Yea though the body of our state had a sound constitution, and did not onely for the present enjoy the health of flourishing prosperity, but were also assured that it would continue for the time to come: yet are there many members of it, which being diseased with the sores of affliction, do need to haue the plasters of comfort applied unto them. And though the whole army of our Church militant do not yet join in a main battle with these spiritual enemies, yet are there many of Gods souldiers picked out by our Lord and general, to skirmish in their courses with them, who need to be instructed in this spiritual warfare, and to be so trained in the skill of this fight, that when they are assaulted, they may manfully stand unto it and obtain the victory. In which respects, I tendering the future benefit of the whole body, and the present good of every particular member, haue undertaken this pains in preparing them for this fight. In which my endeavours, if God so bless me, that I attain unto my end I shall haue no small ioy, seeing I shall communicate with them in all their consolation, and triumph together in their victorious conquest. Or if I fail hereof, yet shall I not lose all my labour, seeing whilst I provided these cordials of comfort for the curing of others, I myself haue been cheered by them in my wants and weakness; and whilst I cooked others meat, haue somewhat stayed my fainting stomach by licking mine own fingers,& tasting of these meats, as they passed thorough my hands. Now these my labours I humbly offer to your Graces patronage, as an unfeigned testimony of that love and duty which your worth and merit do justly challenge. For if the Elder that doth govern well, bee worthy of double honour, especially if he labour painfully in the word and doctrine; how much are wee bound to show by all means, with what zeal wee honour you, who by your government( as chief lieutenant under our dread sovereign) preserve among us the purity of our christian religion, from being tained and corrupted by errors and heresies( herein extending your care not only unto us, but also to our neighbour Churches round about us) and continue with increase the peace of our Church, defending us all you may, from the inroads and invasions of our Romish enemies: and also( as though you were quiter freed from the weight of this burden) do continually employ yourself in sound doctrine, and painful preaching; not only urging those, who are under your government to take like fruitful pains, by your grave authority, fatherly admonitions, and earnest exhortations; but also shaming those who neglect it, by your example, seeing they come far short of you, in that which they haue only to intend, who are otherwise taken up in such multitude of business. The which I writ not to get unto myself the base reward of a servile flatterer,( for who yet could ever challenge me of such self-respecting flattery) but that God may bee glorified in those excellent gifts wherewith he hath enriched you; and that they being continued vpon this record for after ages, you may not only be acknowledged a worthy President& governor unto us, but be imitated as a precedent& pattern unto those who shall come after you; and so leave behind you such a sweet sent of a good name, as it were of a precious ointment, that those who yet breath not, may be refreshed by it. The Lord long continue, increase and multiply these his good gifts and graces in you, that he more and more may haue the glory of them, his Church& children the use& benefit,& yourself both the present comfort of a good conscience, and the greater measure of glory& happiness at the day of Christs appearing. Your Graces in all observant duty, to be commanded, John DOWNAME. ❧ The Contents or chief Points contained in the first book. CHAP. I. Of Afflictions, which are the second sort of our worldly enemies, of their power and danger: what they are, and of the diuers kinds of them. § 1 THe Preface to the following Discourse. § 2 That temptations arising from afflictions are less dangerous then those of prosperity, though in their first aspect they be more terrible. § 3 Diuers descriptions of afflictions, being diversly considered. § 4 That Afflictions are either bare punishments, or else also joined with sin. CHAP. II. Of the causes, effects, subject and adjuncts of Afflictions. § 1 Of the efficient and impulsive cause of afflictions. § 2 Of the ends, effects, subject& adjuncts of our afflictions. § 3 That afflictions are evil in their own nature. § 4 That afflictions are not absolutely evil, but inclinable to good through Gods power and wisdom. CHAP. III. Of the tentation of afflictions, and how it is urged by the enemies of our salvation. § 1 That out of our afflictions ariseth a dangerous tentation. § 2, 3, 4. How the tentation of afflictions is urged by satan, the world, and our own flesh. CHAP. IIiI. Of the preparation which is required before the conflict of afflictions: and first of our spiritual armor, which we must buckle unto vs. § 1 That the dangerousness of these spiritual enemies must not discourage us from the fight. § 2 Of the means to strengthen us against afflictions, respecting either preparation or execution. § 3 That we must prepare and put on spiritual armor against our conflict with afflictions. § 4 Of the first part of our spiritual armour, which is saving knowledge. § 5 Of the second part, which is justifying faith. § 6 Of the third part, which is trust and affiance in God. § 7 Of the fourth part, which is hope in God. § 8 Of the fift part, which is the love of God. § 9 Of the sixth part, which is true humility. § 10 Of the seventh part, which is unfeigned repentance. § 11 That repentance is a notable means to free us from afflictions. § 12 That repentance bringeth unto us singular ioy and comfort, if we still remain under the cross. § 13 Of the eight part of our spiritual armor, which is a good conscience. CHAP. V. Of the rules and cautions which are to be observed in our preparation unto the conflict with afflictions. § 1 The first rule, that we be diligent in the study and meditation of Gods word. § 2 The second rule, that wee be frequent and fervent in prayer. § 3 The third rule, that in prosperity wee labour in moderating and mortifying our affections. § 4 The 4. rule, that wee must not fain unto ourselves afflictions in our conceit and imagination. § 5 6 The fift rule, that wee must not by fear anticipate afflictions. § 7 The sixth rule is, that with Christian providence wee foresee afflictions before they befall vs. § 8 That we must not fix our hearts on worldly things, nor enjoy them as perpetuities, but as movables. § 9 That we must not be secure in prosperity, but forecast what evils may befall vs. § 10 The seventh rule, that we must not securely contemn afflictions, nor faintly yield unto them. § 11 The eight rule, that wee must not wilfully run into afflictions, § 12 That we must carefully use all good means whereby we may be freed from afflictions. ¶ The Contents or chief points contained in the second book. CHAP. I. Of patience in afflictions, what it is, and the causes and properties thereof. § 1 WHat patience is. § 2 That there never was any true patience among the heathens. § 3 That affliction is the object of patience. § 4 Of the properties of true patience. § 5 That we must not with the stoics affect senseless stupidity in our afflictions. § 6 Of the means to avoid secure blockishness in afflictions. § 7 That moderate grief in afflictions is foretold by our saviour, and put in practise by the Saints. § 8 That there can be no true patience, where there is no passion of grief. § 9 That our patience must be joined with constancy. § 10 That our patience must be joined with willingness and cheerfulness in bearing the cross. § 11 That we must show our cheerfulness in thanksgiving and praising Gods name. § 12 That our patience must be joined with ioy and spiritual rejoicing. § 13 That none can attain unto perfection in patience, but yet all must labour after it. CHAP. II. Of the excellency, utility, and necessity of Patience. CHAP. III. Of the means to work in us patience in afflictions; and first of prayer. § 1 That heathen philosophy yeeldeth no sound comfort in the time of affliction. § 2 That we haue by nature no true patience, but that it is Gods free gift. § 3 That seeing wee haue no true patience by nature, wee must seek it of God by prayer: and the reasons moving us hereunto: First, because God requireth us to perform this duty in our afflictions. § 4 Secondly, Because it is a main end why God afflicteth vs. § 5 The third reason taken from Gods gracious promises of hearing us in the time of trouble. § 6 The fourth, because God is our sole saviour and deliverer. § 7 The fift, because the time of affliction is most seasonable for prayer. § 8 The last reason taken from the example of Gods Saints. CHAP. IIII. Of the things which God requireth in the person of him who is to make an acceptable prayer in the time of affliction. § 1 The first thing required, is, that he be regenerate. § 2 The second, that he bee made righteous by faith in Christ, and purged from the corruption of sin by repentance. § 3 The third, that he show his faith and repentance by their fruits. § 4 The fourth, that repenting of all sins he make an humble confession of them. CHAP. V. Of the things required in our prayers in respect of the matter, manner, time and continuance. § 1 That we must in the first place crave the pardon of sins. § 2 Whether we may lawfully pray for deliverance from afflictions. § 3 That wee must come into Gods presence with all fear and reverence. § 4 That we must pray in truth. § 5 That we must pray in faith. § 6 That we must pray earnestly,& with fervency of spirit. § 7 That we must pray in humility, whereby we submit our wils to the will of God. § 8 That we must use perseverance in prayer. CHAP. VI. That God is the chief cause and principal author of all our afflictions. § 1 That God pre-ordaineth us to suffer afflictions. § 2 That God executeth this decree, and actually layeth these afflictions vpon vs. § 3 That it ought much to comfort us, in that our afflictions come from God, the chief goodness. § 4 That wee must not look onely to inferior causes, but principally to God. CHAP. VII. That all our afflictions are ruled and disposed by Gods most wise, just and gracious providence, and of the comfort which ariseth from this consideration. § 1 That all things befall us by Gods appointment. § 2 3 That Gods providence doth rule all inferior causes of our afflictions both unreasonable and reasonable. § 4 That Gods providence overruleth the actions and intentions of wicked men. § 5 6 Why God rather useth wicked instruments, then correcteth by his own hand. § 7 How it will stand with Gods iustice to punish wicked men for having been his instruments in executing his judgements. § 8 That we are not utterly to neglect the inferior causes of our afflictions▪ § 9 That the Lord so disposeth the ends of inferior causes, that he maketh them serve for his supreme ends, namely his glory and our salvation. § 10 That Gods providence ordereth and disposeth of all our afflictions, both in respect of their manner, measure and continuance. CHAP. VIII. Of the meritorious cause of our afflictions which is our sin. § 1 That sin is the deserving cause of all our afflictions. § 2 That though God do not always afflict us for sin; yet this is the best use which we can make of afflictions to ascribe them to our sins. § 3 That all our afflictions must bring us to a sight of sin and repentance for it, not onely in general but also in particular. § 4 That much comfort ariseth from the consideration of the meritorious cause of afflictions, first because we haue no just cause of mourning, seeing Gods iustice and truth is manifested, and we receive no wrong. § 5 Their objection answered who say that they suffer as innocents. § 6 That God inflicteth on us far lighter punishments then our sins deserve. § 7 8 Of the heinousness of sin. § 9 10 That sin is most odious to God, and contrary to his pure nature. § 11 That we are guilty of all maner of sin. § 12 That the smallness of our afflictions, being compared with the greatness of our sins, should much increase our patience and comfort. § 13 That others greater punishments, who haue less offended compared with our lighter afflictions should make us patient. § 14 They answered, who say that they are more grievously afflicted then others who haue more heinously offended. CHAP. IX. That our afflictions are not signs of Gods hatred, nor the punishments of a righteous judge, but the chastisements of a gracious father. § 1 That we can haue no true patience, unless we and assured that all our afflictions do spring from Gods love. § 2 That the world iudgeth of Gods love or hatred by the outward estate. § 3 That this conceit is the ground of a most dangerous tentation. § 4 That afflictions are not signs of Gods hatred. § 5 In what sense God is said to be angry with the faithful and to punish their sins. § 6 That the afflictions of the faithful are not properly punishments, but fatherly Chastisements, proved by many reasons; and the contrary objections answered, from sect. 6. to 15. § 15 That there were no comfort in afflictions, if they were punishments. CHAP. X. That all our afflictions proceed from Gods mere love, and that this love appeareth, first in the measure of our afflictions, both in respect of their quantity and time. § 1, 2. That God loveth his children wisely like a father, and not cockeringly like a mother. § 3 That there is appointed to every one a certain measure of afflictions which cannot be exceeded. § 4 That our afflictions are in their quantity small and light. § 5 That our afflictions are short and momentany. § 6 They answered who say, that their afflictions are long and tedious. CHAP. XI. That God so measureth our afflictions unto us, as that they do not exceed our strength. § 1 That our afflictions exceed not our strength: proved by Scriptures. § 2 That Christ tempereth our cup, and therefore we may be assured that he will fit it to our strength. § 3, 4 That the holy Ghost assisteth and comforteth us in all our afflictions. § 5 That God mingleth comforts and benefits with our afflictions and crosses. § 6 They answered who complain that their crosses exceed their comforts. § 7 That we must comfort ourselves in our wants, by considering what benefits we still enjoy. § 8 That God moderateth our grief for worldly Crosses by giuing unto us spiritual comforts. § 9 That Paul was not afflicted above his strength, as his words s●eme to signify. 2. Cor. 1. 8. § 10 They answered who object the impatiency of some of the faithful. § 11 They answered, who object the example of some who fall away in the time of affliction. § 12 That the former consideration is full of comfort. CHAP. XII. That God afflicteth us no more then is necessary, for his own glory and our salvation. § 1 That our estate of corruption necessary requireth affliction. § 2 That the Lord taketh no delight in our smart, but useth all means to prevent our punishment. § 3 That the measure of our afflictions exceedeth not necessity. § 4, 5. That wee may by the greatness of Gods corrections guess at the grievousness of our faults. CHAP. XIII. That Gods love appeareth in the ends of our afflictions. First as he useth us as instruments in them to set forth his glory. § 1 That God is glorified in the fight of his souldiers, and in the corrections of his children. § 2 That he is glorified in the manifestation of his power and goodness assisting us in our afflictions. § 3 That he is glorified in our afflictions, as they are trials of his spiritual graces. § 4 That it is a great comfort in afflictions to consider that God is glorified by them. CHAP. XIIII. That God by our afflictions doth much advance the good of our neighbours. § 1 That our neighbours receive good by our afflictions: First, as by them they learn to fear God in his judgements. § 2 Secondly, as they restrain them from committing the same sins which they see punished in vs. § 3 Thirdly, as they serve to manifest Gods graces in us for their good example. § 4 Forthly, as we are examples of human frailty, § 5 Fiftly, as by them they are brought to see Gods perfections in our imperfections, that they may glorify him in them. § 6 Sixthly, as by our afflictions we are made more compassionate, ready and able to comfort others. § 7 That the good of our brethren should much comfort us in affliction. CHAP. XV. That afflictions do no● hurt the faithful, nor bring unto them any great evil. § 1 That though afflictions be evil in their own nature, yet their nature is changed to the faithful. § 2▪ 3 Reasons why worldly afflictions cannot hurt the faithful. First, because they do not deprive us of blessings which are of greatest worth, but rather increase them. § 4 That afflictions b●ing not vpon us the chiefest evils, but rather the contrary good. § 5 That it is a great evil to be exempted wholly from afflictions. CHAP. XVI. That God advanceth the good of the faithful by their afflictions, and first as they are trials of their spiritual graces. § 1 That God in afflicting us aimeth at our good. § 2 That our afflictions are sometime trials of Gods graces, and not chastisements for our sins, in respect of their main and chief end. § 3 4 That God trieth us, not to better his own knowledge, but to make us known both to ourselves and others. § 5 That God trieth us by afflictions, first whether we are true christians endued with saving grace or no. § 6, 7 Second, unto what measure of grace we haue attained. § 8 That God trieth us principally for his own glory, and then for the advancing of our good name through the manifestation of his graces in vs. § 9 That God also by afffiction discovereth our infirmities and corruptions for our humiliation. CHAP. XVII. That the former consideration to wit that our crosses are trials tending to Gods glory and our good, may much comfort us in enduring of them. § 1 That we ought to rejoice in our afflictions in that by these trials God is glorified and we assured of our adoption. § 2 How we may know when our afflictions are trials and when chastisements for sin. § 3 That we may be comforted in our trials, in that they haue always a good issue and tend to our great profit. § 4 They answered who object the greatness of their trials and the smallness of their strength. § 5 That our greatest trials should bring greatest comfort, because they are signs of greatest grace. § 6 That God much honoureth us in this fiery trial. CHAP. XVIII. That God useth our afflictions as effectual means to further our conversion. § 1, 2. The former point proved by scripture, and illustrated by examples. § 3 That God by afflictions fitteth and prepareth us for the hearing of his word. § 4 That by afflictions he worketh in us contrition and humiliation. § 5 That afflictions ordinarily are the last means which God useth to convert obstinate sinners. § 6 That those afflictions bring much comfort which further our conversion. CHAP. XIX. That God useth afflictions as an effectual means to prevent us from falling into sin, as also to mortify and subdue our corruptions. § 1 That it is one main end why God afflicteth us, to preserve us from falling into sins, when we are naturally inclined to commit them. § 2 That this consideration should work in us patience in afflictions, § 3 That God first useth means for the prevention of sin, and then for the mortifying and subduing it. § 4 That afflictions effectually move us to forsake sin, and to leave our wicked courses. § 5 That afflictions make us carefully use all good means for the mortifying of our sins. § 6 That God by afflictions especially mortifieth our pride, carnal concupiscence, self-love, and love of the world. § 7 That we would immoderately love the world, if we were not weaned from it by afflictions. § 8 That the Lord in great mercy weaneth us by afflictions from the love of the world. § 9 That we dote vpon the world though it be miserable, and therefore much more would we fond affect it, if wee found in it nothing but prosperity. § 10 That the love of the world, if it were not mortified, would betray us to the divell. § 11 That we are much to rejoice in afflictions, seeing God useth them as means to mortify our sins. § 12 That our grievous afflictions argue our grievous sins. § 13 That if wee endure much with patience to be eased of temporal evils, much more should we willingly bear, to be freed from those which are everlasting. CHAP. XX. That God by afflictions increseth in us al his spiritual graces,& first those which are seated in the understanding. § 1 That afflictions exercise, and by exercising, preserve in us Gods saving graces. § 2 That afflictions increase and multiply in us Gods saving graces. § 3 That God by afflictions increaseth in us saving knowledge and spiritual wisdom. § 4 That the benefit of spiritual wisdom much exceedeth our hurt by afflictions. § 5 That afflictions are notable means to put us in remembrance of God. CHAP. XXI. That God by afflictions doth much confirm, strengthen and increase our faith. § 1 That afflictions strengthen our faith by making us more careful in the use of the means, and by exercising it with these trials. § 2 That our faith is strengthened in afflictions, first through the experience which wee haue of the truth both of Gods threatenings and gracious promises. § 3 Secondly, by causing us to renew our repentance, and by assuring us that our sins thus corrected shall not come into condemnation. § 4 Thirdly, as they are signs of our effectual calling. § 5 Fourthly, as they are signs of our adoption. CHAP. XXII. That God by our afflictions confirmeth and increaseth in us, our affiance, hope, love, fear, and humility. CHAP. XXIII. That God by our afflictions worketh and increaseth in us repentance and new obedience. § 1 That by afflictions we come to examine our ways, to see our sins, and to bewail them. § 2 That by afflictions we are moved to hate our sins, to confess them unto God, to flee and forsake them, and to serve the Lord in the dueties of holiness and righteousness. § 3. 4. That by afflictions God worketh and increaseth in us new obedience. § 5 That these fruits of new obedience springing from afflictions should move us to bear them with patience. § 6 That God by afflictions maketh us more zealous in the dueties of his service. § 7. 8, 9. That God by afflictions maketh us to perform more frequently& fervently unto him the duty of prayer. § 10 That by our afflictions wee are made more sincere in our confession of sin, and more earnest in our petitions. § 11 That by them wee are moved more frequently and hearty to give thankes unto God. § 12 That the former consideration may much comfort us in affliction. § 13 That God by our afflictions worketh and increaseth our patience. CHAP. XXIIII. That God by afflictions worketh and increaseth in us all those virtues which concern either our neighbors or ourselves. § 1 That by afflictions wee are moved to do iustice unto all men. § 2 Secondly, to be more merciful& compassionate towards others in misery. § 3 Thirdly, to be more meek, humble,& courteous towards our neighbours. § 4 That by afflictions wee attain unto the knowledge of ourselves. § 5 That the exercise of afflictions increaseth our strength to bear them. § 6 That God by afflictions increaseth our courage and christian fortitude. § 7 That thereby he increaseth in us temperance, sobriety, modesty, and chastity. CHAP. XXV. That the Lord useth our afflictions as means to convey unto us diuers worldly benefits. § 1 That by afflictions we profit much in worldly wisdom and policy. § 2 That by afflictions we are enabled to discern our friends from flatterers. § 3 That afflictions crown us with a good name, whilst they discover our spiritual graces. § 4 That by afflictions we come to relish better Gods blessings and benefits. CHAP. XXVI. The Lord useth afflictions as a notable means to preserve us from condemnation, and to further our eternal glory and happiness. § 1 That the Lord by afflictions preserveth us from condemnation. § 2 That by them he furthereth our everlasting glory and salvation. § 3 That afflictions fit and prepare us for the kingdom of heaven. § 4 That by them we are assured of everlasting happiness: first, through Gods gracious promises made to the faithful which are afflicted. § 5 That by Gods works the faithful which are afflicted may be assured of heavenly happiness. § 1 That afflictions keep us in the way of righteousness, which leadeth to Gods kingdom. § 7 That afflictions are the way whereby we must enter into heaven. § 8 That wee may comfort ourselves in our afflictions, by remembering that they further us in attaining unto happiness. § 9 That by our afflictions our heavenly ioy and glory shall be much increased. § 10 That this should make us not onely patient, but also joyful in our greatest afflictions, and how by degrees wee must ascend unto this rejoicing. CHAP. XXVII. That afflictions in their own nature do not derive unto us the former blessings, but as they are sanctified unto us for these ends by the spirit of God. § 1 That God by his infinite power& wisdom altereth the nature of afflictions, and maketh them profitable unto vs. § 2, 3. That afflictions tend to the hurt of the wicked, not making them better, but much worse. § 4 The causes why wicked men profit not by their afflictions, but grow worse and worse. § 5 That the present afflictions of wicked men do not free thē from future punishments, but rather much increase thē. § 6 That afflictions sometime for want of a right use of them, bring no present benefit to the faithful themselves. CHAP. XXViII. Consolations taken from the subject place of our afflictions,& from their adjuncts, namely their necessity, profit, brevity and lightness, and from the assistance of our associates. § 1 That God hath appointed us in this world to suffer afflictions, and to inherit happiness in the life to come. § 2 That this world is the place of trial and tentation, and preparation and spiritual exercise. § 3 That this world is the place of our pilgrimage, and therefore we must look for pilgrims entertainment. § 4 That the world is the place of our warfare, and therefore we must expect conflicts and the hard usage of poor souldiers. § 5 Consolations taken from the necessity, profit, shortness and lightness of our afflictions. § 6 That God appointeth his holy Angels to assist us in our afflictions. § 7 That in all our afflictions we haue Christ an assistant and copartner with us in our griefs. CHAP. XXIX▪ That we may receive much comfort by comparing our lesser and lighter afflictions with those greater and heavier which Gods dearest Saints haue suffered. § 1 That it hath been always the portion of the faithful to endure in this world misery and affliction. § 2 to 8. Of the afflictions of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, jacob, Moses, job, david, Paul and the rest of the Apostles. § 9 That the Scriptures foretell these afflictions of the faithful. § 10 That we may receive much comfort by the examples of the afflicted Saints. § 11 A consolation for those who complain, that they are afflicted for their grievous sins. CHAP. XXX. Consolations arising from the comparing of our light& small afflictions, with those grievous punishments which Christ suffered for vs. § 1 Of the manifold afflictions which Christ suffered both in his life and death. § 2 That Christ suffered all these miseries being just and innocent. § 3 That h● suffered them for us who are sinners. § 4 That wee shall be adiudged unworthy to reign with Christ, if we be not content to suffer with him. § 5 That God hath preordained those to be like Christ in his sufferings, who shall be like unto him in glory. § 6 That many would willingly reign with Christ, but few are content to suffer with him. CHAP. XXXI. That we may much comfort ourselves, by comparing our afflictions with the punishments of the wicked from which Christ hath freed vs. § 1 Of the manifold and great miseries which worldlings suffer for the attaining unto earthly vanities. § 2 Examples of Heathen men. § 3 Of the pains, dangers and miseries which worldlings suffer to attain unto earthly trifles. § 4 That we may receive much comfort if we compare our light afflictions with the hellish torments of the damned. § 5 That it will much comfort us, if we compare our earthly afflictions with the heavenly joys. CHAP. XXXII. That we must with our spiritual consolations join worldly comforts, when by lawful means we may enjoy them. § 1 That we ought not to neglect any lawful means of comfort or freedom from the cross. § 2 3 That we must make known our griefs to some wise and faithful friend, of whom we are to make fit choice. § 4 lawful recreations must be joined with honest labours. CHAP. XXXIII. Of the consolations which arise from the assurance which we haue of our deliverance out of our afflictions. § 1 That God delivereth the faithful in that time which is most fit and seasonable. § 2 That God seeth and taketh notice of all our afflictions to deliver us out of them. § 3 That he is present with the faithful in all their afflictions to help and relieve them. § 4 Of the consolation which ariseth from the assurance of Gods presence with vs. § 5 That Gods power is omnipotent and all sufficient to help vs. § 6 That he most dearly loveth us, and therfore is willing and ready to help vs. § 7 That God especially sheweth his love to the faithful in the time of affliction. § 8 Consolations arising from Gods gracious promises of help and deliverance. § 9 That the Lord is the God of comfort and consolation, and therefore will comfort vs. § 10 Examples of those, who having trusted in God, haue been delivered in due time. § 11 Of the consolation which ariseth from these exampls. § 12 That we may comfort ourselves in the remembrance of our own deliverances. CHAP. XXXIIII. How to strengthen our faith, hope and patience, when God deferreth to perform his promises concerning our deliverance. § 1 How we are to understand Gods promises concerning our deliverance out of afflictions. § 2 The first means of comfort is to meditate in Gods word, and first of Gods commandement to wait. § 3 Secondly to meditate on Gods gracious promises. § 4 Thirdly to consider that these promises are infallible. § 5 Fourthly to consider, that God usually deferreth to help those who are most strong in grace and most dear unto him. § 6 Fiftly to consider, that God never failed to perform his promises at last to those who haue waited vpon him. § 7 sixthly, To consider, that the Lord deferreth to deliver us from the furthering of our eternal good and salvation. § 8 seventhly, to consider that the Lord oftentimes delivereth the faithful out of affliction, when their estate seemeth most desperate. § 9 Eightly, To consider, that God waiteth vpon us to save and deliver us in the fittest time. CHAP. XXV. Of certain duties to be performed for the strengthening of our faith, hope and patience, when God deferreth to deliver us, and of our thanksgiving when we are delivered. § 1 The first duty to be performed, is often to renew our repentance. § 2 That unless we perform this duty of repentance, we can haue no assurance of help and deliverance. § 3 The second duty is to renew our faith in Gods promises. § 4 The third duty is humbly to submit ourselves to Gods good pleasure. § 5 The fourth duty is to trust in God at all times, in the presence and absence of inferior means. § 6 The fift duty is frequent and fervent prayer. § 7 That after our delouerance we must render unto God praise and thanksgiving. § 8 What kind of thankfulness is to be offered unto God for our deliverance. A. In the third part of the Christian Warfare against the World, we are to consider. 1. Of the enemies against whom wee must fight, which are the worlds forces on the left hand: viz. afflictions, in which wee are to consider, chap. 1, 2, 3. 1. Their nature and quality, which is deciphered by lib. 1. c. 1, 2. Diuers descriptions of afflictions. lib. 1 chap. 1. sect. 3, 4. showing their Causes: Efficient. final. Effects. lib. 1. c. 2. subject. adjuncts and properties. 2. The manner of their fight by a dangerous tentation l. 1. c. 3. Arising from them. l. 1. c. 3. Strongly urged by 1. satan. l. 1. c. 3. s. 2. 2. The world. s. 3. 3. Our own flesh. s. 4. 2. The meaner to overcome them, which respect either Preparation to the sight: unto wish is required provision of spiritual armour, consisting of many parts: as, lib. 1. cap. 4. 1. saving knowledge. l. 4. c. 4. s. 4. 2. justifying faith. s. 5. 3. Truth or affiance in God. s. 6. 4. Hope in God. s. 7. 5. love of God. s. 8. 6. True humility. s. 9. 7. unfeigned repentance. s. 10, 11. 12. 8. A good conscience, s. 13. Training in this warfare, unto which is required the learning and observing of eight rules, whereby we may be enabled to demean ourselves well in this conflict. lib. 1. cap. 5. Fight itself. B. The fight itself, unto which is required holy and christian behaviour both in the Conflict, in which is required that we bear our afflictions with patience, where we are to consider; First, of patience itself. libr. 1. c. 2. where is shewed: 1. what it is, c. 1. sect. 1. 2. 2. The object of it. 3. The nature and properties of it. sect 4. to. 13. The means to attain to it, which ar of 2. sorts. 1 Reasons commending this virtue to our love,& inciting us to seek after it, as the 1. Ecellency c. 2. sect. I. 2. utility sect. 2. 3. Necessity sect. 3. 2 Actions to be performed of us, which respect either Prayer, where consider Of the reasons which may move us to perform this duty in our afflicitons, c. 3. sect. 2. to. 8. Of the things required in this prayer, both in respect of the Person that prayeth. prayer itself, whereof the matter. maner. time& continuance. Meditation, vie C. Victory, namelythankesgiuing and praising God. lib. 2. c. ult. C. Meditations vpon such reasons as may increase ●ur patience and comfort, which rea●ons concern either the Enduring of the cross: and these are either spiritual, springing out of holy Scriptures, which are either simplo, arising either from the Causes and effects of our afflictions, Efficient. Vide D. final. Vide E. subject& adjuncts of our afflictions: subject: taken from the consideration of the place. c. 28. adjuncts: as the necessity Profit brevity lightness of them. c. 28. s. 5. And our assistants, The Angels. s. 6. Our saviour Christ s. 7. comparative, raised by comparing our lesser afflictions with the greater of 1. Gods dearest children, as either All the faithful. c. 29. Our saviour Christ. c. 30. 2. Of worldlings, for attaining their worldly ends. c. 31. s. 1, 2, 3. 3. With the punishments of the damned. s. 4. 4. With the eternal joys which follow our short affliction. c. 31. s. 5. civil, and worldly, grounded vpon mere moral considerations: which are especially two: Imparting our grief to a friend. c. 3. 2. s. 2, 3. lawful Labour. s. 4. Recreation. s. 4. End, assuring us of a seasonable deliverance: which are taken from Gods Al seeing knowledge. Presence with us to help vs. Omnipotent power. Infinite love. c 33. Gracous promises, where of the means to strengthen our saith when God deferreth to accomplish his promises. chap. 34. D. Causes efficient, are either the causes Inflicting, namely God, in a three fold respect: 1. Predestination, ordaining us unto them: c. 6. s. 1. 2. Execution, whereby according to his purpose he doth effect it. c. 6. s. 2, 3, 4. 3. providence, whereby he rules and disposeth them for his glory, and our good. c. 7. moving the Lord to afflict us, which are either in us, the deserving cause, sin, c. 8. God, namely, his love, correcting us as a father; and not his wrath, punishing as a judge: cap. 9. which love appeareth in our afflictions, both in the Measure, chap. 10. both in respect of The afflictions themselves, and that in respect of their quantity, which is small.§ 4. Time, which is short.§. 5. us who bear them, seeing they do not exceed Our strength. chap. 11. necessity. chap. 12, Ends make known in their effects. E. final causes of afflictions are either Our good, and that whether we respect our Neighbours. ourselves, where is proved that afflictions, are not hurtful, chap. 15. Are profitable, both in respect of this life, and that whether we consider them as trials. chastisements in which respect God advanceth our good, and that both spiritual, vide F. earthly and worldly benefits, which are increased by afflictions, as 1. wisdom and policy, c. 25. sect. 1. 2. ability to discern friends from flatterers, sect. 2. 3. a good name. sect. 3. 4. better taste of Gods benefits, sect. 4. life to come, for by them and preserveth us from condemnation, c. 26. sect. 1. furthereth our salvation, an● increaseth our happiness, sect. 2. to. 9. F. spiritual, seeing by them the Lord furthereth our Sanctification whilst God useth them as means to free us from sin, both by preventing, c. 19. sect. 1, 2. Mortifying, c 19. sect. 3. To furnish us with sanctifying graces, the which is proved: First in general, c. 20.§ 1. 2. 2. More particularly, the special graces wherewith they furnish us, respect either God, either in the understanding which are either the knowledge of God. c. 20 sect. 3. 4. remembrance of God. c. 20. sest. 5. Heart and affections▪ Affiance, Hope, love, fear, humility c. 22. In both together, namely, faith, c. 21. fruits of them all, Repentance. New obedience. c. 23. our neighbours, for by afflictions we are moved to imbracë iustice, c. 24 sect. 1. compassion, sect. 2. humility and meekness, sect. 3. ourselves, for by afflictions wee haue increase of The knowledge of ourselves, sect. 4. Strength to bear them.§. 5. Courage and fortitude,§. 6. Temperance, sobriety, modesty, chastity. sect. 7. Faults escaped in the printing. Pag. 19. l. 26. r. for thus sin. p. 7. l. 32. r. hurt, that it. p. 72. l. 6. in the marg r tam intenperantes in ipsis. p. 103. l. 15. r.& affencted. p. 215. l. 21. r. not for. p. 119. l 18. r. as desperately p. 123. l. 10. r. him alone. p. 152. l. 1. r. our suits granted. p. 169. l. 28. blot ou●, the. p. 184. l. 16. r. good. p. 207. l. 6. 7. r. his secret. p. 219. l. 33. r. do once. p. 267. l. 5. r. crimes▪ all this. p. 276. l. 29. r. also shewed. p. 305. l. 5. r. which pardoneth. p. 314 l. 18. r. discerneth p. 357. l. l. 9. r. this reason. p. 370. l. 26. r. were persecuted. 376. l. 22. r. So the apostle. pag. 388. l. 20 r. scarce and p. 390. l. 26. r new thus. p. 391. l. 19. r. over ween. p. 400▪ l. 8. r. ripe, is.& l. 29. r. transitory vanities. p. 412. l. 5. r endeavour in using.& l. 24. r. and taking. p, 417. l. 14. r. honor accrueing. p. 418 l. 7. in margin. r. maruit.& l. 27. r. towards them.& l. 30. r. love in.&. l. 31. r and corrections. p. 422. l. 14. r. which as a p. 423. l. 2. r. Ahab. l. 22. r. the world. p. 436. l. 1. r and no● only. p. 437. l. 7. in marg. r. parca●. p. 438. l. 21. r. can never. p 448. l, 18. r. way is so.▪& l. 25. r. fond on. p. 453. l. 24. r. small itch. p. 463. l. 27. r But let. p. 465. l. 1. r. scorne● and contemned. p 472. l. 12. r. provide. p. 477. l. 25. and I will& l. 29. r. of our evil. p. 480. l. 16. r. eyes then all other nations in the earth. p. 482. l. 19. r. great evils.& p. 483. l. 6. r. thy stripes but p. 484. l. 6. r. near at. p. 485. l. 12. r. wisdom to be.& l. 19. r. sole power. p. 496. l. 22. in margin. r. curationem l. 24. r. orthodoxogr.& 25. r. patient. 505. l. 17. r. cut down p, 510. l. 13. r. full of. p. 519. l. 2. r. vs, or is. p. 524. l. 31. r. much running. p. 538. l. 20. r. drinks, as. p. 545. l. 32. r. sparing use. p. 558, l. 9. r. childbirth. p. 565. l 13. r. consolation.& l. 19. r. voluptuous plenty. p, 569. l. 1. r. our graces. p. 571. l. 12. and that p. 583. l. 6. r. everlasting torments. p. 595. l. 2. r. is substracted. p, 606. l. 12. r. such scarcity. p. 623. l▪ 13. r. and dislike. p. 658. l. 25. r. may we. p. 662. l. 26. r. our own. OF AFFLICTIONS, WHICH ARE THE SECOND sort of worldly enemies, their nature, properties and the manner of their fight, and how we may be so prepared and armed for this spiritual Warfare, as that wee may be assured to obtain the victory. CHAP. I. Of afflictions, which are the second sort of our worldly enemies, of their power and danger: what they are, and of the diuers kinds of them. WEll may the Christians life bee called a §. Sect. 1. The preface to the following discourse. Warfare on earth, and the whole number of the elect& faithful a Church militant, or royal army of the Lord of hosts, seeing whilst we continue here, wee are beset on all sides with enemies, mighty, and malicious; which never cease to assault and vex us, either with the lighter skirmish of weaker trials, or the main battle of stronger temptations, until by death obtaining a full victory, the retreat is sounded by our great commander, and those received into the Church triumphant, who haue fought valiantly in the Church Militant, that they who haue contemned worldly shane may be crwoned with heavenly glory, and they triumph in ioy and happiness, who to obtain the victory haue fought unto blood. For no sooner are satan and his Angells beaten back, and that huge army of his hellish temptations discomfited and overcome with the word of God, and the assistance of his holy spirit; but gathering again their scattered forces, and adjoining unto them their strong aids the world and the flesh, with these fresh supplies they set forward again with such hope and courage, as though they had never received any overthrow, and( as it were) filled with shane and malice because of their former foil, they redouble their force and affresh assault us with greater fury. The consideration whereof as it should move all Christians to shake off security, and to stand vpon their guard with all care and watchfulness, armed at all points with their spiritual armor, that so they may be ready for the encounter; so should it move all Gods faithful Ministers, who are made Captaines and Leaders under our great commander; to train up Gods people and souldiers under their charge in that skill which is required in this spiritual Warfare, and teach them so to use their weapons, that they may bee the better enabled to defend themselves and offend the enemy. In conscience of which duty I( the weakest and unworthiest of many,) haue undertaken this hard task, and having laid open the malice, might, and politic stratagems of our arch enemy the divell, and instructed the weak Christian( according to my mediocrity of skill) in the art of this Christian Warfare, and taught him how to prepare himself for the day of conflict, and so to buckle unto him the christian armor, and manage his spiritual weapons, that he may be assured to foil his enemy and obtain the victory; no sooner had I ended this labour, but I presently discovered new forces lead under the conduct of the world, one of Sathans chiefest commanders and strongest aids, armed with no less power and malice to work the Christians overthrow, that so they may again be made the captives of sin, and regained to the service of their old master, the Prince of darkness, and god of this world. And being hartened and encouraged by that late victory obtained against that chief enemy of our salvation, and resting assured, by that experience which I haue had of the invincible strength of my great Lord and commander assisting me in this fight, of the goodness of the spiritual armor, and of the excellency of that both defending and wounding sword of Gods word, that if now again I gave the assault, I should also obtain the victory; I willingly reentred the field with a purpose to encounter these new supplies: and first taking a view of the enemy, that I might discover their strength, number, and military discipline, I perceived that they so far excelled in might, multitude, and warlike policy, that they were an army plainly invincible in respect of human strength. In the front and main battle were marshaled the worlds glorious and glittering troops of prosperity, armed with those often approved weapons of honours, pleasures and riches, wherewith few are encountered who are not also overcome. And observing the manner of their fight, I found it to bee no less admirable then dangerous, for they overcame by yielding, wounded by persuading, killed by embracing, and whilst casting away their arms and all signs of hostility, they offered themselves as captives and slaves, they became conquerors of those who took them, jailers of those that kept them, and commanders of those who seemed to hold them in captivity. In the flank and rearward were ranged those terrible troops of adversity and affliction, there placed by the divell and the world, to vanquish those by force, violence, and furious encounter, who could not be overcome by the persuading allurements of deceitful prosperity, and these enemies seemed to bee of hideous strength, and in respect of their stern and grim visage, proud threats, and dangerous weapons, fearful to look vpon. Afflictions less dangerous then prosperity. AGainst the former( as order required) I made my first § Sect. 2. That temptations arising from afflictions are less dangerous then those of prosperity, though in their first aspect they be more terrible. assault, teaching the Christian soldier, who will join with me in this fight, to overcome them by contemning thē,& to stand with impregnable strength against their treacherous fury,& smooth smiling malice, by turning his eyes from their alluring baits, by refusing their false favours, by stoping his ears against their charming persuasions, and by suspecting most their malicious attempts, when as with greatest show of love they smile and fawn vpon him. And thus having enabled him, by the assistance of Gods spirit, and his own careful endeavour to beate back the force of these enemies also, and to put them to flight: it now remaineth that being armed with Gods might,& defended with the Christian armor, especially with the shield of faith, and sword of the spirit, we do encounter those other sort of enemies; not doubting( being thus assisted) but wee shall also give them the foil, and so obtain full victory against these worldly forces. For howsoever this enemy adversity, and those innumerable troops of afflictions, are in show much more terrible then prosperity, and those glorious forces lead under his conduct, yet are they much weaker in truth, and less dangerous when wee come to buckle with them. For these indeed are grim in their outward visage and appearance, but not so fearful, when having experience of their strength, they are become more familiar with us; like those Barbarians which, when they were to fight with their enemies, painted themselves that they might appear more terrible, whereas in truth they were weak and naked, unable to endure the first onset: For so these afflictions haue in them but a painted shadow of fierceness, and do put on but an ugly visard to make them full of terror at their first appearing, whereas if the visard be done away, and we ceasing to look vpon them through the false glass of fear and astonishment, do behold them with a true iudgement, wee shal find them so tolerable and easy to be endured, through the assistance of Gods spirit, that there will bee no cause of terror and amazement. But on the other side those enemies, prosperity, and worldly allurements, hiding hostility under pretence of friendship, and being much stronger, and more forcible then they seem in outward appearance, do bring us into a pernicious security, and without show of assault get the victory. Afflictions like bills and pikes make a terrible show when they cannot ●each us: but the temptations of prosperity like unseen bullets wound and kill us before they are discerned. They like the fiery serpents sting us, but with sense of pain, make us seek for remedy, looking up to the true brazen serpent, that we may be cured; these like the viper putting us to no pain, bring us into a sweet slumber of security, which endeth in that dead sleep of death and condemnation. They wound with pain and enforce us with torment to seek recovery, these with delight, making us to love still the weapons that hurt us, and to abhor the means whereby we may be healed, because even our wounds& sores are pleasing unto vs. The one like the wind boisterously blowing vpon us, make us more careful to hold fast the garment of Gods graces that they be not taken from us; the other like the sun warming us with delight, cause us of our own accord to cast it from vs. Finally they vanquishing us by force make us captives unto sin, who are willing vpon the next opportunity to come out of thraldom and regain our liberty, because wee find but hard entertainment; these making conquest not onely of our strength and power, but also of our hearts, wills and affections, retain us in a voluntary servitude, for the wages of worldly vanities, so as we haue no desire to come out of this pleasing bondage, nor to recover our liberty though the means were offered vs. In all which and many other respects Salomon truly saith, that, It is better to go into the Eccles 7. 4. house of mourning, then into the house of feasting, and prefereth anger before laughter, affirming that the heart of the Eccles. 7. 4. 6. 7. wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. Eccl. 7. 4. 6. 7. But howsoever adversity and afflictions be enemies unto §. Sect 3. Diuers d●s●riptions of afflictions being diue●sly considered. our salvation, less dangerous then those of prosperity and worldly abundance, yet are they strong enough to work our overthrow, unless wee bee assisted with the power of Gods might, armed with the Christian armor, and with care and watchfulness do learn and practise al good means which may enable us to make resistance and obtain the victory. And therefore let us in the next place fit ourselves against the day of conflict,& as we haue learned to contemn the world when it fawneth, so also let us learn not to fear it when it frowneth and rageth; that so when our great commander soundeth the alarm unto battle, wee may with comfort and courage enter the field, and becoming conquerors, may receive the crown of victory, glory matchless and happiness endless. And to this purpose let us consider of the nature, quality and strength of these our enemies; and then of the means whereby wee may be enabled to endure their encounters, abate their strength and fury and so obtain the victory. Concerning the former wee are to know that afflictions diversly considered may bee diversly described; for if wee look vpon them as they are in their own nature,& by God inflicted vpon the wicked; they are those evils of punishment, wherewith he beginneth justly to punish their sins even in this life, and as it were the flashes of hell fire, and first entrance into utter destruction; as it may hereby appear in that they are all comprised under the curse of the law, and denounced and threatened against the transgressors of it. again if we consider them as inflicted by God vpon the faithful, they are those fatherly chastisements, wherewith out of his love and wisdom he either correcteth them for their sins, that being brought to repentance they may not be condemned with the world; or 1. Cor. 11. 32. trieth them that his spiritual graces bestowed on them may more clearly shine to his own glory that gave them, and the furthering and assuring of their salvation who haue received them. So that howsoever the afflictions of the wicked, and of the faithful are all one in respect of their matter, yet they differ in respect of the author, the one being the punishments of an angry and just judge, the other the chastisements and trials of a gracious and loving father; and in respect of their use and end, the one tending to destroy, the other to save; the one to punish, the other to correct; the one to begin the torments of hell, the other to fit and prepare for the joys of heaven. Furthermore if we consider afflictions Ad tantas in●ptias peruentum est vt non dollar tantum said doloris opinione vexemur. Senec. lib. in sap. non. Cad. iniur. cap. 4. in respect of us vpon whom they are inflicted, we may define them to be all that our nature abhorreth,& that crosseth our desires; or all those crosses which either in their own nature, or through our opinion do molest and grieve vs. neither are those alone afflictions unto us which are so in truth, and in their own nature, but those also which we conceit so to be in the estimation of our opinion: yea it may be truly said that as these in number do much exceed the other, so are they much more intolerable to those that bear them. For whereas there is one affliction truly so in it own nature laid vpon men, there are many which they fancy to themselves out of mere conceit, the which wanting strength to hurt them because they haue no true existence, they make powerful enough to deject their minds by the strength of their apprehension. Thus one torments himself with grief, because he hath lost those riches, which if he had still possessed he would never haue used; another vexeth himself about the smoke of honour, eating out his heart with sorrow because he is put from that authority which whilst he had it, oppressed him with the burden;& pining with grief because his superior either frowned vpon or graced him not; because he is bearded by his equals, and not according to expectation respected and reverenced by his inferiors, and because he hath not the wall and precedence, or higher place of those, before whom his proud conceit prefereth him. Thus a bare fear of expected evils which never happen, doth as much vex men, as those which they truly suffer, and a bare suspicion of faultiness in their friends as much tormenteth them, as if they were truly guilty. And as this opinion gives life and being Opinio est ergo quae nos cru●iat, et tanti quodque malum est qua●ti ill●d ta●auimus. In nostra potestate remedium habemus. Senec. consol. ad Marc. cap. 19. to many afflictions, so also their quantity and measure, by reason whereof that which is a light affliction to one, is intolerable to another: and that which maketh one to g●one under it as being an unsupportable weight, is by another carried with ease. One is most tender when his honour is touched; another little respecteth this, but groweth very passionate if he be wronged in his riches, this man is patient in bearing blows, but cannot endure contumelious words; but another is sensible onely of smart, and careth not for the wind of words, so he may sleep in a whole skin. Yea by reason of this opinion, crosses are made comforts, and great blessings in themselves are turned into great afflictions, in conceit: and hereof it is, that that which is one mans delight, is anothers torment, and that which one affecteth as his paradise another loatheth as his hell. One thinketh restraint of his liberty to be an intolerable bondage, though he fare daintelie, lye soft, and abound in all plenty: another would willingly press into such a prison, and could be content to become an immured Anachoret to haue such case with such abundance. One taketh his chief contentment in ease and idleness, and to another it is the greatest pains to sit still and do nothing, seeing all his delight is in business and employment: and accordingly as he is afflicted and tormented with the least labour, so this man is no less molested and grieved, if for want of employment he be forced to wast his time in languishing idleness. finally if we consider afflictions in respect of the world inflicting them vpon the faithful, they are those temptations on the left hand, grounded on all those miseries which are incident to the life of man, whether in respect of his mind, body, name, state or friends, whereby the world as the instrument of satan endeavoureth to discourage and hinder them in the way of godliness and righteousness which leadeth to Gods kingdom, and to divert and thrust them into the way of sin which leadeth to destruction. By all which it appeareth what we understand by afflictions, namely all evils of punishment sent of God, either as from a father to correct us, or as a judge to punish us; al things which cross our desires, and do molest and grieve us, either in their own nature, or through our opinion and conceit; and finally all the miseries of this life which the divell and the world do cast in our way, as we are running in the race of godliness for the garland of eternal happiness, that like briars they may hold us from going forward, or like thorns under our feet may vex and torment us, that so being weary in this unpleasant passage, we may turn aside into that broad and delightful way of sin which leadeth to destruction. And thus our afflictions are but bare punishments only, §. Sect. 4. That afflictions are either bare punishments or else also joined with sin. or else joined with sin: Bare punishments I call all those plagues, crosses, losses, troubles and trials which by God are inflicted vpon men; and that either vpon the wicked for the satisfying of his iustice which is offended, in regard of whom they are properly called punishments as tending to their hurt and destruction; or vpon the faithful for their chastisement or trial, in respect of whom they are improperly, and in a large signification called punishments, because they are not inflicted to satisfy Gods iustice which is 1. Cor. 11. 32. fully satisfied by Christ, but out of fatherly love for their amendment, that they may not bee condemned with the world. Punishment joined with sin is, when as God punisheth one sin with another, not by infusing into men any corruption or maliciousness, for seeing he is most holy and pure, and his will the rule of all iustice, he cannot bee said to be the author of sin, nor to haue any hand in that evil which his nature abhorreth, and his iustice punisheth, but when for their former sins he leaveth them to their own corruptions, lusts, vile affections, and to a reprobate mind, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 1. 24. 26. 28. and being so Rom. 1. 24. 26. 28. left to themselves they run headlong into wickedness: for that men may become as bad as Cain, Saul▪ Ahab, or Iudas, it needeth not that external wickedness should be infused into them, seeing it is enough if they be left of God to their own natural corruption which inclineth them to all manner of sin; even as for the descending of a ston, it is not needful to cast it to the earth, but onely to leave holding of it, and then it will fall down in it own nature; and as the boat goes up the stream by an external strength thrusting it on, but needeth not any to carry it down, seeing it driveth that way of it own accord; so wee go against the stream of our natural corruptions towards the haven of rest by the assistance of the divine power which helpeth us forward; but we need not to be thrust downward, seeing it is sufficient if the Lord withhold his hand& leave us to our own natural inclination. again the Lord punisheth in men one sin with another, when like a righteous judge he doth punish their former sins by delivering them into the power of his executioner satan, to bee tempted and overcome by him; suffering them to bee ruled by him, because they haue pulled their necks from the yoke of his subiection, and to row in his gallies, because they would not freely serve their great King& master. Neither is the Lord hereby made the author of sin, seeing he onely performeth a just act of a righteous judge, in delivering up wicked men for their demerits to satan, as his executioner to be blinded, misled, and punished by him; nor yet are they any whit excused, in that being delivered up of God they run headlong into all sin; because they haue deservedly brought vpon themselves this fearful iudgement, by their former sins, and now are ready to commit all wickedness, not by any outward violence forcing them thereunto, but by Sathans persuasion alluring them, and their own sinful lusts inclining them to perpetrate these sins with all cheerfulness and delight, having therein no respect unto God or his judgements; but onely to please and satisfy their own corrupt will and carnal lusts. So that God punisheth one sin with another, not by infusing wickedness, or by tempting, that is, alluring and provoking men unto sin; for thus God tempteth no man, as the Apostle affirmeth: but by withdrawing Iam. 1. 13. his grace, and by leaving men to bee misled by their own corruptions. he leadeth men into tentation, and delivereth them into evil; not by persuading or compelling them to commit wickedness, for his nature abhorreth it, and his will is the rule of all iustice, but by giuing them over, and delivering them up, as a righteous judge, unto the divell his executioner, to be for their former sins further blinded, hardened& made more wicked, that their condemnation might bee more just and fearful in the life to come. And of this we haue manifold examples in the Scriptures, for thus the Lord hardened Pharaohs heart, when he denied to give him Exod. 7. 3. 11.& 9. 12. the oil of his grace whereby it might bee softened, and left him to his own obstinacy, and Sathans temptations. Thus he punished the spiritual whoredom of the Israelites, by giuing them up to commit corporal vncleannes. Hos. 4. Thus Hos. 4. 13. 14. John. 13. 26. 27. he punished the covetousness and worldliness of Iudas, by permitting satan to enter into him, and so to carry him to the committing of that horrible treason against his master. Thus he punished the Gentiles idolatry, by giuing them up to their own hearts lusts, unto uncleanness, to defile their Rom. 1. 24. 2●. 28. own bodies between themselves; and unto vile affections, and to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. Rom. 1. And thus the Apostle saith, that because men received not the love of the truth, that they might bee saved, therefore God would sand them strong delusions, that they 2. Thes. 2. 11. 12. should beleeue lies, that all might bee damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. The which iudgement we see powerfully inflicted vpon many Apostates in these daies, who are given over of God to be deluded and seduced by Priests and Iesuites, because they haue not loved God his truth, but haue shut their eyes against the light of the gospel. even as the like was threatened against the Iewes. Esa. 6. 9. go and say to this people, ye shall hear indeed Esa. 6 9. but ye shall not understand, ye shall plainly see and not perceive: make the heart of this people fat, make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and he heal them, the which accordingly was inflicted on them as the Apostle observeth. Acts 28. 25. 26. Acts 28. 25. And this is the fear fullest punishment of all others; for other afflictions are usual means to draw us nearer unto God but these make us flee further from him; they sharpen our sight, these made us the more blind; they like good salves draw out the core of our corruptions, but these make us to rot and putrifie in our sins, from which nevertheless Gods seruants are not exempted, as appeareth in the example of Lot, whose drunkenness God punished by giuing him over to commit the sin of incest; in david, whose adultery God punished by leaving him to himself, and withdrawing his grace, whereby it came to pass that he also fell into the sin of murder; and whose pride and confidence in the arm of flesh he punished by moving him, that is, by suffering satan his executioner to provoke him to number the people; as may appear by comparing the story in the second book of Samuel, with the same recorded in the first of Chronicles: 2. Sam. 24. 1. with 1. Chron. 21. 1. for whereas in the one place he saith, that God moved david against Israell to cause them to be numbered, in the other it is said that satan provoked him to do it, whereby is ment, that God as a righteous judge, intending to punish Dauids sin, and thereupon to take occasion to punish the sins of the people, did give or deliver him into the power of Satan, as unto the executioner of his punishments, to bee tempted by him unto the committing of this sin. And thus God punished the pride, presumption, and self confidency of Peter by suffering Satan to sift him like wheat, and to prevail thus far against him, as to move him first to deny, and then to forswear his master. CHAP. II. Of the causes, effects, subject and adjuncts of afflictions. ANd thus we see what afflictions are, both as they are punishments, properly so called, and as they are chastisements and corrections; now briefly §. Sect. 1. Of the efficient and impulsive cause of afflictions. wee will consider of their causes, effects, subiects and adjuncts or qualities, that so their nature being better understood, there may bee a fitter passage to the discourse following. And first wee are to know that the Lord himself is the chief efficient and principal cause of all afflictions, which are not sins; for so himself speaketh by his Prophet; Shall there be evil in a city( that is the evil of Amos. 3. 6. punishment and chastisement) and the Lord hath not done it? not that it is Gods proper and ordinary work to afflict his creatures; for being the chief goodness, he chiefly intendeth doing good, he delighteth in the conversion of Michah. 7. 18. sinners, and in showing mercy; and thus doing he doth his own proper and usual work, familiar to his own nature; whereas the other is his work improperly, and as the Prophet calleth it his strange work, and his strange act, which with a kind of necessity we force vpon his iustice, by our sin Esay. 28. 21. and wickedness, so that the meritorious cause of afflictions is sin, whereby men offend against Gods iustice in transgressing his Law, as shall more fully appear hereafter;& that whether we respect the wicked or the faithful; although there bee great difference in the end why God afflicteth them; for( as I haue said) these punishments are laid vpon the wicked for sin, that they may satisfy Gods iustice by taking due vengeance on them: but howsoever they are also inflicted vpon the faithful for sin, yet not to the former end, but that they may bee brought unto the sight and sense of it, that they may repent of it, and for the time to come forsake it, that so they may not bee condemned with the world. The impulsive or motive cause, whereby the Lord is incited to inflict these punishments and afflictions, is his iustice which is hereby manifested; for if even in this life God punisheth the sins of the wicked, where they are to receive all their good, as Abraham speaketh to dives, then how much more grievous punishments luke. 16. 25. remain for them in the life to come, which is the time appointed for their torment? And if he punish& chastise the sins of his faithful children, where shall the wicked and the ungodly appear? as the Apostle speaketh. If he 1. Pet. 4. 17. will not suffer them to escape without severe correction, whose sins are punished in Christ even by his death as being satisfactory, and in themselves by repentance, as being the fruit of their faith, love and zeal, which cause them to bewail Zach. 12. 10. and lament for him whom they haue pierced, and to afflict their souls with bitter sorrow, for that they haue offended him who hath so loved them; then how certainly will there be a day of iudgement, wherein God will manifest the severity of his iustice, in punishing their outrageous sins, which haue with an high hand sinned against him, seeing they haue not had their punishments here, but haue passed their time in all worldly prosperity, pleasure and delight? Secondly the mercy of God moveth him also to inflict on the faithful these afflictions, that it may be manifested to his glory and their comfort, whilst hereby he stoppeth them in their course of sin, and draweth them nearer to himself when they go astray, that so escaping condemnation, they may walk in that way of holinesse, which will bring them to eternal happiness. The instrumental causes of these punishments and afflictions are the whole army of Gods creatures, which as they are his ready instruments, in deriving his blessings and benefits to those that fear and serve him; so are they no less ready with all cheerfulness, to inflict those punishments, which his iustice hath pronounced against the wicked for their confusion and destruction; and those afflictions wherewith he correcteth the slips and faults of his own seruants, that they may be brought to repentance and amendment. But especially this Lord of hosts employeth in this service his Angells; and that both the good Angels, who are ministering spirits, always prest to do his will, as appeareth in the destruction of the host of Senacherib. and in the seuentie thousand Israelites slain by the angel of God with the sword of pestilence; and also the evil and wicked spirits; as appeareth in the afflictions of job, and in the deceiving and overthrowing of Ahab, in the tormenting of Saul, in the afflicting of the Apostle Paul, and in the tempting of our saviour Christ himself. And for this purpose he no less usually employeth the world, that is, worldly wicked men, sometime to execute his judgements one vpon another, and sometimes as his rods and whips, wherewith he correcteth the faults of his own children and seruants: and that either, when by their allurements, persuasions and evil example; or threats, violence and persecution they draw them into sin; or when after they haue committed it, they serve as instruments to correct and chastise those offences, which through their inducements the faithful haue fallen into. As wee may see in the example of the Israelites thus afflicted with the Canaanites, Moabites, philistines, Aramits and babylonians. All which( if we look to their own intentions) had no purpose at all to be Gods instruments for the correcting of his children; but chiefly aimed at their destruction, being moved thereunto with envy, rage, hatred, covetousness, and ambitious desire of sovereignty; but if we respect the will& work of God, they were so ruled by his power and providence, that they were but his bare instruments for the chastising of his seruants for their amendment. The ends of these afflictions for which God correcteth § Sect. 2. Of the ends, effects, subject and adjuncts of ou● afflictions. his children are manifold; as principally his own glory in the manifestation of his iustice, mercy, wisdom, power and providence; and next hereunto the good and salvation of the faithful, whom he thus chastiseth with these temporary afflictions, that repenting of their evil ways, they may not be condemned with the world: that he may hereby strengthen and increase in them their faith, affiance, hope, patience, humility, obedience and all other sanctifying and saving graces; that hereby they may bee brought to a true hatred of sin, when as they feel and taste the bitter fruits thereof; and to loathe the world where they find no better entertainment; that their flesh with the corruptions thereof may be mortified and crucified, and the spiritual man receiving more strength hereby may hold it in subiection: and finally that being hereby put in mind of their corruption and mortality, they may not fix and settle their hopes& hearts vpon the things of this life, but may be moved to desire earnestly with the Apostle Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ, seeing that is best of all; the which with diuers other Phil. 1. 23. ends of these afflictions, I onely here name, because afterwards I shall haue fit occasion to entreat more largely of them. The effects of these crosses and corrections are al those benefits and blessings, which God propoundeth for his ends in inflicting them; for seeing he is infinite both in wisdom and power, he can fail of nothing which he intendeth, but always attaineth unto his ends, and mightily effecteth all these things at which he aimeth. The subject of these afflictions( if we respect the place) is this miserable world; for this is the valley of death, the vale of tears, the fiery furnace, in which when we haue been tried and approved, wee shall be laid up in Gods treasury of blessedness; the lists of our spiritual combat, in which when we haue fought and overcome, we shall afterwards triumph in glory and be crwoned with victory; the race, wherein having run we get the price and garland of blessedness; the vineyard, in which we labour till the night of death, when as we shall receive the wages of everlasting happiness; and finally the place of our pilgrimage, which when we haue travailed, we shal joyfully arrive at our own country, and enter into the paradise of our delights. But if we respect the subject vpon which they are exercised then is it the whole Christian man with all that belonlongeth unto him; as his body, soul, name, state and friends, there being no part of him or his, which is not a fit subject for sorrow and smart, and a fit place where afflictions usually may keep their residence. The adjuncts, properties, and qualities of these afflictions are manifold; in respect of their time they last onely for this life: and therefore are of 2. Cor 4. 17. short& momentany continuance, they are for their weight, light and easy to bee born by those who are assisted by Gods spirit; in respect of our sense, they are Heb. 12. 11. Lamen. 3. 19. sharp and bitter, until by often tasting them, they are made more familiar unto vs. In respect of the fruit which through the blessing of God ariseth from them, they are unto the faithful exceeding profitable, stoping them in the course of sin, pricking them forward in the race of new obedience, preserving them from the 1. Cor. 11. 32. condemnation of the world, and bringing forth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them, which are thereby exercised, as the Apostle speaketh. Heb. 12. 11. Heb. 12. 11. But this profit and fruit is not to be attributed unto afflictions §. Sect. 3. That afflictions are evil in their own nature. in themselves, for if we respect them in their own nature they are evil, and so the Lord himself styleth them; Esay 45. 7. I make peace, and create evil. So the Prophet speaketh. Amos 3. Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath Esa. 45. 7. Amos. 3. 6. not done it? Yea as they are in themselves evil; so are they of a contagious quality spreading their poison, and making those things evil which are good in their own nature, and therefore the wise man saith, that all the daies of the afflicted are evil, Of which jacob having experience complaineth, Pro. 15. 15. Gen. 47. 9. that the daies of his life had been few and evil, in respect of the manifold miseries which he had endured. And this reason itself will teach us, for what are afflictions( in their own nature) but the punishments of sin, the fruits of Gods just displeasure, a prelude to death, small flashes of those endless flames of torment, the black guard of hell and destruction, the first beginning of everlasting torments, and enemies to our ioy, peace, and comfort, of which the faithful at last shal haue the victory, when as all tears shal be wiped from their eyes, and they received into those eternal joys, from which all these crosses and molestations shall be for ever banished? yea though reason were silent, yet sense itself would learn us this lesson, that afflictions are evil and to be avoided, seeing they are the mother and nurses of smart and sorrow, terrible in their very sound, fearful to look vpon, bitter to the taste, painful to our feeling, and tormenting us whilst they touch us, whereof it is, that the lamenting Church joineth together her crosses& her griefs,& remembering her affliction could not forget her mourning, because though memory should haue failed, taste distasted with this wormwood and gull, would haue brought sorrow to mind, and ministered matter of just complaining. remembering( saith he) Lamen. 3 19. my affliction and my mourning, the wormwood and the gull, my s●ule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled▪ in me. And hereof it is, that not onely wise men, but fools and idiots, yea even the bruit beasts that haue no understanding, taught onely by sense and instinct of nature, do flee these evils, and fear them at their first appearance, as robbing them of their pleasure, plunging them into grief and misery, and tending to the hurt and utter destruction of their essence and being. And as they are in themselves evil trees, so naturally they bring forth evil fruits, unless grace being engrafted in them do alter their nature. As we may see in the example of wicked men, who the more they are afflicted, the more they hate God, despair of his mercy, murmur& repined against his providence, and use all unlawful means, and wicked courses, to ease themselves of these afflictions, which they find so painful to them: the which they would not do, if these afflictions were in their own nature simply good, seeing( as our saviour hath taught us) a good three cannot bring Math. 7. 18. forth evil fruit. And therefore that extreme is to be avoyded, which some undiscreetly run into, who because they often observe men to bee bettered by their crosses, and that much better fruits do usually spring from affliction, then prosperity and worldly plenty, do condemn this estate as evil, and magnify the other, as good and profitable in itself: as though our health and safety were to bee ascribed to this deadly poison, and not rather, to the love and skill of our heavenly physician, who by his wise tempering of it hath altered it nature, and being hurtful in itself, hath made it helpful unto vs. And although afflictions serve as instruments and means to reclaim men from sin, and to increase in them saving and sanctifying graces, yet are we not simply to desire or pray for them, nor yet to afflict ourselves and to pull crosses unto us, and lay them on our own shoulders, seeing they are evil in their own nature, and work those former good effects not properly by themselves, but by accident, as they are so disposed by the infinite wisdom, goodness, and power of God, who is able to bring light out of darkness, and good out of evil. So also with no less care, we must avoid the contrary extreme, § Sect. 4. That afflictions are not absolutely evil, but inclinable to good through Gods power and wisdom. Haec sola mala deputant mala quae non faciunt malos. August. de civit. dei lib. ● cap. 1. whereinto worldly men run more usually, who remaining stil in love with their sin, which is the greatest evil, yea in truth, if we speak absolutely, and properly, the onely evil, do abhor and flee from these afflictions, esteeming them onely, or at least the most intolerable evil, which nevertheless do not make men evil, but oftentimes( through the blessing of God) much the better. To which purpose we are to know, that howsoever afflictions are evil in their own nature, yet not simply and absolutely,( for this sin only is evil) but of an indifferent quality, and inclinable to good. For if we respect the chief efficient and author from whom they come, they are good either as they are punishments inflicted by a righteous judge, or chastisements coming from the hand of a merciful Father; neither can any evil, properly so called, proceed from the fountain of all goodness, whose will is the rule of all iustice and righteousness. And as proceeding from the chief goodness, as their author, they are therefore good, so also because they haue had for their subject the chief goodness, even our saviour Iesus Christ God and man, who whilst he lived in this world was as much afflicted as any other; whose most pure nature cloud not admit of any thing, which in it own nature was simply evil, and was able to turn all things( which was not so) into good. even as the sweet perfume is not sweet to itself alone, but is able to make sweet whatsoever toucheth it. To which purpose one saith, that the man Christ contemned all earthly good, that he might show them to bee contemptible; and sustained Augustine. all earthly evils, which he commanded others to bear with patience, that happiness might not be sought in them, nor unhappiness feared in these. So also they help us to come to this chief goodness, and in this respect also they are not evil; for God in his eternal counsel hath ordained them as means to further his elect in attaining to salvation. For those which he knew before, he also predestinate Rom. 8. 29. to be made like to the image of his son, that is, to be conformable unto him in his sufferings, as elsewhere he expoundeth it. So he willeth, that no man should bee moved or offended with 1. Thes. 3. 3. these afflictions of the faithful, seeing we ourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. And thus they are the means to make us draw near unto this chief goodness in this life, by true repentance, and fervent prayer; and the way which leadeth to this eternal and heavenly happiness, of which we shall haue the full fruition in the life to come: for they are that narrow way and strait gate, which lead to these everlasting joys; and if we mean ever to come thether, wee must by many afflictions enter into the kingdom of God, as the Matth. 7. 14. Act. 14. 22. the Apostle speaketh. Act. 14. 22. So that in respect of Gods decree and ordinance they are good to the faithful, because through his blessing they tend to their good, even the furnishing them with Gods graces and the everlasting salvation of their souls. Whereby it appeareth, that afflictions( in respect of their subject) are of an indifferent nature, good to those who rightly use, and profit by them; and evil to those, who take occasion by them to hasten,& increase their condemnation in their abusing them unto sin, wherein they are not unfitly compared to the read sea, which according to it own nature drowned the Egyptians, but by the power and blessing of God was the means of the Israelites preservation& deliverance: for so these afflictions which drown vnbeleeuers and worldlings in the gulf of desperation, do serve for a ready, though strait way, to conduct the true Israelites into the heavenly Canaan, and as a wall on either hand to keep them from erring and going astray into the by-paths of sin, and to preserve them harmless from the most dangerous assaults of their spiritual enemies. CHAP. III. Of the tentation of afflictions, and how it is urged by the enemies of our salvation. but howsoever afflictions through the blessing §. Sect. 1. That out of our afflictions ariseth a dangerous tentation. of God, and his overruling wisdom& power, become unto the faithful, not onely harmless, but also profitable, and do serve as means to further their salvation; yet are they in their own nature evil and hurtful, and so dangerous and pernicious unto us, that though wee had no other enemies, yet these were strong enough to give us a final overthrow, and to hinder the salvation of our souls, if the Lord should withdraw his helping hand, and leave us to our own strength. For in themselves they are the ground and foundation of a strong tentation; namely that because wee are thus afflicted, it is a certain sign that wee are condemned of God as wicked and reprobate men, and for our sins justly cast out of his love and favour; that we are pursued by his wrath, which beginneth to inflict those deserved punishments vpon us in this life, wherewith we shall be overwhelmed in the life to come; and therefore that our estate is most miserable and desperate, our burden for the present being intolerable, and wee without hope of ease for the time to come; if at least God having forsaken us, we do not help ourselves with our own power& policy, and those means sailing which Gods word warranteth as lawful, we do not find some other means of our own devising, whereby we may bee eased and delivered. The scope of which tentation is to overthrow our faith, hope, and affiance in God, as being our chief enemy, who doth thus afflict us; to plunge us into deep despair and to drive us into al impatiency, that thereby we may be moved to murmur and repined against the divine providence, and even to blaspheme God to his face; to cast off all profession of religion, al fear& service of God as being bootless& unprofitable, and finally to cease relying vpon his power and promises, and to use all wicked and unlawful means for the removal of these afflictions. And this tentation being in itself very dangerous, is § Sect. 2. How the tentation of afflictions is urged by satan. made much more strong and powerful to work our overthrow, as it is urged and enforced by the spiritual enemies of our salvation. For satan is ready to tell us that these afflictions are the just punishments of our sins, and the signs of Gods wrath, and heavy displeasure; that they are testimonies to assure us that wee are cast out of his love and favour; for if God loved and delighted in us, he would communicate his blessings unto us, which are the pledges of his love, and not continually torment us with these plagues and punishments, afflictions of mind and body, sicknesses and diseases, imprisonment and banishment, loss of goods and friends, and innumerable other miseries, which in his law he hath threatened against the wicked and reprobate. And thus he urged this tentation against our saviour Christ himself, using his poverty& want of necessaries, as a reason to prove that he was not the son of God. If( saith he) thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread, As Matth. 4. 3. though he should haue said, thy want and penury, do plainly manifest that thou art not the son of God, as thou dost boast thyself to be, for if thou were so near and deere unto him, he would not suffer thee to want common necessaries; or else at least thou hast power in thyself, to make provision of fit means for the preserving of thy life; and without dependency on him art able of thyself to make bread of stones, wherewith thou maiest nourish thy body; and preserve thy life. But especially the world and wicked worldlings enforce §. Sect. 3. How the tentation of afflictions is urged by the world. this tentation of afflictions. For as they are always ready to persecute Gods seruants, and both in their words and actions to do them all the hurt they can, by wrong, injustice, violence, and oppression, because they make conscience of their ways, and will not run with them into the same excess Psalm. 38. 20. of riot and outrageous wickedness; that so they may discourage them in their virtuous courses, and make them to become as bad as themselves, or else may satisfy their spite and spleen against them by vexing& tormenting them: so when by their means and malice they lie under these heavy burdens, in stead of pitying or easing their distressed estate; with al their skill and power they increase their afflictions, aggravate their sorrows, and labour all they can to disarm them of all patience, whereby they might be comforted in their grievous miseries. So the Lord saith, that when being angry with his people for their sins, he delivered them into the hands of the babylonians: they shewed no mercy unto them, but did lay their very heavy yoke vpon the ancient: And for Esa. 47. 6. Zach. 1. 15. this he professeth, that he was greatly angry against the careless heathen, because when he was angry but a little with his people, they helped forward their affliciton. By all which, these wicked worldlings do add such weight to this heavy burden, as unless the faithful were supported with the power of Gods might, it would presently ouerwhelm them. For first worldly wicked men( with whom sometimes Gods seruants themselves conspire in this unrighteous iudgement) thrust them down, who are already falling, increasing and strengthening the afflictions, and decreasing and weakening the patience of the faithful with their false censures and unjust criminations; whereby they are ready to judge those who are afflicted, to be above all men most miserable, abhorred and forsaken of God; and of all others to be the greatest sinners, either in respect of some open crimes, which the world takes notice of, or of some hidden sins, and gross hypocrisy which the Lord hath seen in them, though men haue thought well of them; which hath moved him in this extraordinary manner to afflict and punish them: of this we haue an example in Iobs friends, who when they could not detect just job of any enormous crime, censured him for an hypocrite because the hand of God was heavy vpon him: of the other we see the experience in those Iewes who condemned the luke. 13. 1. 2. Galilaeans, and them vpon whom the tower of S ●oam fell, to be greater sinners then all other men, because of those extraordinary judgements which were inflicted vpon them, and in the Act. 28. 4. Barbarians, who seeing the viper leap vpon Pauls hand, concluded presently that he was a murderer, whom vengeance would not suffer to live; yea even in the disciples themselves, who conjectured that either the John. 9. 2. 3. blind man or his parents, had by some special sin, brought vpon him this special punishment. again worldly men add unto the weight of affliction by insulting over those who are thus dejected, and treading in their necks, whom the hand of God hath cast down and humbled. And thus they Psalm. 38. 16. insulted over david, Psalm. 3. 2. saying unto his soul that there was no help for him in his God: and elsewhere he complaineth that Psalm. 31 15. and 42. 3. in his adversity his enemies reioyced& gathered themselves together, yea the very abjects assembled themselves against him, tearing him& ceasing not; and that his tears were his meat& drink, whilst they daily said unto him, where is thy God? a particular example whereof we haue in Shemei, who in Dauids affliction insulted over him, 2. Sam. 16. 7. cursing him and saying, come forth thou murderer and wicked man, the Lord hath brought vpon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, &c. And thus they railed on our saviour Christ himself hanging on the cross, Marc. 15. 29. wagging their heads and saying, Hey, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest in three daies, save thyself and come down from the cross. And with this insulting& triumphing is often joined mocking, and derision, as we may see in the example of afflicted job, who though in his prosperity he were reverenced as a King, yet in his afflictions he was job. 30. 1. mocked by those who were younger then he, yea even by abject persons, whose fathers he had refused to set with the dogs of his flocks. So david complaineth, that the wicked made songs of him and Psalm. 80. 6.& 35. 16. laughed him to scorn when he was in misery, yea it was not his case alone but common to him with all the Church, for being in captiuity●, by way of derision they willed them to Psalm. 137. 3 sing some of the songs of Sion. Thus also jeremy complaineth, jer. 20. 7. I am in derision daily, and every one mocketh me. Yea even our saviour Christ himself, as he had the greatest measure of affliction, so was he above all others scorned and derided, for they put on him a crown of thorns, and a purple rob, they bowed down unto and mocked him saying, God save the King of the Iewes. Finally worldly men add unto the Matth. 27. 29. afflictions of Gods seruants by contemning and despising them in their afflictions; for as they labour by all means to make them contemptible and of an abject condition, so having brought them into this estate, they despitefully despise them as the very off-scourings of al things. they make them poor by oppression or deceit, and then contemn them because of their poverty; they load them with slanders and foul imputations, and then despise them as men defamed and of evil report; and in a word, they help to plunge them into all miseries,& then disgrace and lightly value them, as being miserable and of an abject fortune. And this job observeth job. 12. 5. ( where he saith that he who is ready to fall, is, as a spent lamp despised in the opinion of the rich. The which contempt, derision, insulting and spiteful censuring used by wicked worldlings towards the faithful in their afflictions is much more intolerable, and giveth a far more fierce assault to their patience, then all the troubles and miseries which they sustain; for though they can be content to stoop and humble themselves under the hand of God, and quietly bear the burden which he layeth vpon them; yet their stomacks rise, and their hearts are ready to boil with anger, and impatiency, when men, who should rather pitty them, do deride and scorn, contemn and insult over them in their distress. But especially the strength of this tentation is increased, when as the afflictions of the faithful are thus aggravated, not onely by strangers from whom they expect no better, but also by their friends& acquaintance, by their kindred and allies, who are bound unto them not onely in nature and nearness of blood, but also by many benefits bestowed, and many good offices performed unto them. For this made Iobs afflictions grievous and intolerable, when unto them were added the unjust criminations and hard censures of his friends, from whom he expected comfort, whereas their mercy and compassion towards him would haue made his heavy burden light, like a load carried vpon many shoulders. And this made him to complain that they were miserable comforters, because they had opened job. 16. 2. their mouths vpon him, and smitten him on the cheek in reproach, Vers. 10. and had gathered themselves together against him: that Vers. 20. they spoken eloquently against him, vexing his soul& tormenting him with words; that they had many times reproached him Chap. 19. 2. 3. and were not ashamed, but were impudent towards him. This made him to cry out in that great passion. Haue pitty vpon Vers. 21. 22. me, haue pitty vpon me( O ye my friends) for the hand of God hath touched me. Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? And as his afflictions were increased by the unpleasing society of some of his friends, who in stead of comforting tormented him, so by others of them, whilst they did abandon and forsake him, because of his afflictions; the which his misery in respect of this desertion he elsewhere bewaileth; He hath( saith he) removed my brethren ●ob. 19. 13. 14. far from me, and also mine acquaintance were strangers unto me; my neighbours haue forsaken me,& my familiars haue forgotten me, &c. Of this also david complaineth. My louers Psal. 38. 11. and my friends stand aside from my plague, and my kinsmen stand a far off, and elsewhere he saith, thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me, and made me to bee abhorred of them. My louers and my friends hast thou put away from me, and mine acquaintance hide themselves. But most intolerable are the afflictions of the faithful, when as their friends, from whom chiefly they expect comfort, do not onely neglect this duty, but also are the means and instruments to bring vpon them all these miseries and crosses; and of this david complaineth, my familiar friends whom I trusted, which did eat Psal. 41. 9. of my bread, hath lifted up the heel against me: yea so strong was this tentation in his apprehension, that he was ready to sink under it, as he implieth elsewhere. Surely( saith Psal 55. 11. 12. 13. he) mine enemy did not diffame me, for I could haue born it, neither did my adversary exalt himself against me, for I would haue hide me from him, but it was thou, O man▪ even my companion, my guide and my familiar, which delighted in consulting together, and went into the house of God as companions. And as the world doth exceedingly enforce this tentation § Sect. 4. How the tentation of afflictions is admitted and urged by the flesh. of afflictions, partly as the means of inflicting them, and partly as it doth aggravate and increase them being inflicted: so the corrupt flesh is as ready to admit and entertain this tentation; and judging all things according to sense and present apprehension, as in the time of prosperity it swelleth with pride and presumption, persuading men that none more then they are in Gods love and favour, because they haue had the largest draft of temporal benefits allowed unto them; so in the time of adversity and affliction, it is as basely dejected and plunged into the bottomless gulf of horror and despair, persuading men that they are forsaken of God, and pursued with his wrath, which now beginneth to take vengeance against them. From whence proceedeth their murmuring and repining against God and his providence; their impatiency to bear that cross from which they haue no hope to be eased; and their resolution to use all unlawful means to unburden themselves, when lawful means fail and will not help. So that this tentation of afflictions being so strongly urged by the divell and the world, and so readily entertained by our corrupt flesh, must needs be very potent and powerful to prevail against those who are assaulted with it; and that not only mere worldlings, who esteeming the worlds prosperity as their chief paradise, do abhor affliction as their greatest hell; but even Gods faithful seruants, who nourishing this traitor( the flesh) in their bosoms are betrayed by it, and so often foiled in this combat of temptations. Of the former we haue manifold examples among worldly wicked men, who being pressed with the weight of afflictions, seek to ease their stomacks, by belching out their blasphemies against God; and feeling present smart, and having no hope of being eased for the time to come, fall into such impatiency, that some languish in melancholy& discontent, refusing those comforts which they might enjoy, because they are deprived of some which they desire; and becoming in all things miserable through their own wilful choice, because in some things they are miserable through necessity. Others tired with the burden of afflictions grow weary of their lives, and by laying violent hands vpon themselves, shorten their daies wilfully, leaping into the endless torments of hell, to avoid the temporary miseries of this world. Finally others wanting strength and patience to bear their afflictions, and also this courage and desperate resolution to put an end unto them by such a violent course, do willingly fall into any manner of sin, and practise all unlawful means, which seem to promise unto them the least hope of ease and freedom. Of the other wee haue an example in the Israelites, who though they were the sole people of God, delivered by his mighty power from their malicious enemies, and enriched with many blessings ( as it were) from the immediate hand of God, yet being a little afflicted and pinched with want, do murmur and repined against the Lord, their creator and redeemer, being moved hereunto, sometime through a bare and false fear of not prevailing Num. 14. 2. against their enemies, and sometime for want of such Exod. 16. 3. meat as they lusted after, and of Num. 20. 3. water to quench their thirst. Yea even job himself renowned for patience, being fore pressed with the weight of afflictions, doth often break out into great impatiency, uttering such words as were not far from blasphemy, if they had proceeded from a settled iudgement, and not from a sudden and distempered passion. For he nurseth his nativity, and wisheth that he had never been, or that he had miscarried in the birth; he complaineth that God was his enemy, and that he did shoot at him his envenomed arrrowes, that he oppressed him by strong hand, without hearing his cause, and that his terrors did fight against him. Thus also david by his afflictions was brought sometimes to the brink of despair, and sometime to bewray his impatiency; for he crieth out that he was forsaken of God, that he heard not his prayers, nor regarded his roaring, that Gods mercies were clean gone, and his promises utterly failed; that he had rejected his soul and pressed him down with his terrors Psalm. 22. 1. 77. 7. 88. 14. 77. 2. 12. 13. and indignation; that the state of the wicked was happy, and that he had washed his hands in innocency in vain, because he was punished and chastened every morning. And the like or greater impatiency was shewed by the Prophet jeremy, who also nurseth the day of his birth, and the man, jer. 20. 14. 15. that brought first news hereof to his father, and wisheth that his mothers belly had been his grave, or her womb a perpetual conception, because he came forth of it to see labour and sorrow, and that his daies should bee consumed with shane. CHAP. IIII. Of the preparation, which is required before the conflict of afflictions; and first of our spiritual armor, which we must buckle unto vs. BY all which it appeareth, that these temptations of §. Sect. 1. That the dangerousness of these spiritual enemies must not discourage us from the fight. affliction, though they bee not altogether so dangerous and powerful as those of prosperity, yet are they strong enough to overcome us, if we bee left to ourselves, and to make us the captives of sin and satan. And therefore, as on the one side wee are not in such a cowardly manner to fear these mighty enemies, nor despairing of victory to cast away our weapons, and betake ourselves to flight: so on the other side, wee are not securely to contemn them, as being easy to overcome; for if they haue foiled Gods greatest worthies and most valiant captaines; how shall not we be endangered, yea vanquished by them, if we were left unto our own strength, who are but vnexperiensed weaklings and common souldiers? But seeing the strength of our enemies, and our own weakness, we must bee moved hereby by a lively faith, to rest vpon the power of Gods might assisting us, to implore his help and succour in this spiritual conflict; and then in the next place, to use all the good means appointed by God, for the defending of ourselves, and the obtaining of victory. Of which( as order requireth) I am now to speak; for as in worldly wars, it is requisite and necessary that we first know the nature, quality, disposition and strength of our enemies, and then accordingly to think of the means, whereby we may be enabled to make resistance and obtain the victory; so must wee do in this spiritual warfare; and therefore having already entreated of the former point, I come now to the other; in speaking whereof my purpose is( by the assistance of God) to show, first the means whereby the Christian may be strengthened to bear with patience, and by bearing to overcome all afflictions in general; and then, besides the application of the generalls, to insist in the special means, whereby they may be armed, and prepared against some special and particular crosses and calamities. The means, whereby we may be strengthened against all §. Sect. 2. That the means to strengthen us against afflictions, either respect preparation, or execution. afflictions generally, may bee referred to two heads, for either they respect preparation, or else action and execution; for as in warlike expeditions, those who desire victory over their mighty enemies, do first prepare their forces, furnishing them with armor, weapons, and all other warlike necessaries, and then enter the field, courageously withstanding, or charging the enemy; wisely managing al the means provided in the time of preparation for their best advantage, and never giuing over their valiant fight, till they haue put their enemies to flight and obtained victory: so must wee in this spiritual warfare, first prepare ourselves for the fight, and then manfully and christianly demean ourselves in the day of battle. And unto this preparation the son of sirach persuadeth all those, who intend to serve the Lord in this spiritual warfare. My son( saith he) if thou wil● come into Eccles. 2. 1. 2. the service of God, stand fast in righteousness and fear, and prepare thy soul to tentation; settle thine heart and be patient, bow d●wne thine ear, and receive the words of understanding, and sh●inke not away when thou art assailed, but wait vpon God patiently. For if all be deferred to the day of battle, and no preparation made before we enter the field, and the alarm bee sounded; if in the time of peace, wee never think of war, and in prosperity, never prepare for the day of adversity and affliction; if we never expect nor fear the enemy, till he be Non facile inuen●untur in aduersitate praesidia quae non fuerunt in place quaesita. August. senten. in sight and ready to encounter as, but are then to be trained in this martiall discipline, when we should fight; to seek for weapons, when we should use them; and to put on our spiritual armor, when as already the skirmish is begun, it is a thousand to one that we shall be wounded to the death in the first encounter, put to flight, and easily overcome, being altogether unable to make any resistance. Now unto this preparation there is required, first that we § Sect. 3. That we must prepare and put on spiritual armor against our conflict with afflictions. provide and put on the spiritual armor, and then that wee be trained in the knowledge and skill of this Christian Warfare, whereby we may be enabled to use our weapons, and strength to our best advantage; unto which is required the learning and observing of certain rules and instructions, whereby wee may know how to carry and demean ourselves in this spiritual conflict. The weapons and armor required to this warfare are not the sword, spear& canon, nor the harness and shield of iron and steel, for wee wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickednesses, as the Apostle speaketh; but that spiritual armor Eph. 6. 12. of a Christian, even all Gods sanctifying and saving graces, with which if we be furnished, we shall by them be enabled to make resistance and obtain the victory; partly because, knowing the goodness of our armor we shall be more bold and confident, and valiantly sustain the sharpest encounter in hope of victory; and partly, and that more principally, because the Lord of hosts our great commander, when he seeth us armed, with his own furniture, and adorned with his own colours, will graciously aclowledge us for souldiers of his own band, and strengthen and assist us with his own almighty power, whereby we are sure to put our enemies to flight and obtain the conquest. Neither will it stand with the glory of our mighty general, to haue his own faithful souldiers and seruants to bee foiled and overcome, or to haue his own furniture, armor, and weapons to bee found weak and insufficient, when they come to bee tried and approved. Now the first part of this spiritual armor, which we must §. Sect. 4. Of the first part of our spiritual armor, which is saving knowledge. put on in this time of preparation, is saving knowledge; for this is the eye of the soul, which must guide us in al our travels, and that heavenly light, which must direct us in these crooked and rugged ways; which if we want, we shal stumble and fall at every ston of offence, and loose ourselves in Vt navis cum vndarum tempestate quassatur nisi gubernatorem peritissimum habeat, ● fluctibus maris citò conteritur: ita et ●omo cum in aliquibus adversis fuerit constitutus, nisi habucrit ment●m divinis eloquijs erudi●a cito animus eius frangitur et salutis su● sustinet damnum. Basil. tract. de consol. in adverse. this labyrinth of troubles; it is the pilot which must govern and guide us in these tempestuous storms of miseries and afflictions, whilst wee sail in the dangerous sea of this wretched world, without whose help we shall dash against the rocks of desperation, be overset and swallowed with the boisterous blasts, and huge billows of troubles and calamities, and so make shipwreck of our souls; in a word, it is the stern and charred, from which we haue all our direction through this sea of miseries into our heavenly country, without the help whereof we should hold wrong courses, and never find the way into the haven of rest, But if we haue the eye of saving knowledge illightened with the bright shining beams of the holy Scriptures, we shall be so guided thereby, that we shall easily overcome all difficulties, escape all dangers, and notwithstanding al these lets& impediments, safely attain unto the end of our hopes, the everlasting salvation of our souls. For if wee haue learned out of Gods word that all these afflictions come from God, and that not as an angry judge, but as a merciful and loving Father; not as signs of his displeasure, but as testimonies of his favour, and marks of our adoption; not to punish us for sin, but to purge us from it; not to destroy, but to increase and perfect his graces in us; not to condemn us, but to further our salvation, making this straight gate, and this narrow and afflicted way to serve for a passage and entrance into the joys of heaven; and finally, that the Lord our loving Father will not correct us without measure, and above our strength, yea no more or longer then is necessary required for our amendment, and for the better fitting of us for his service and our glory; and that then he will deliver us from all these troubles, wipe all tears from our eyes, and give us beauty for Apoc. 21. 4. Esa 61. 3. ashes, the oil of ioy for mourning, and the garment of gladness for the spirit of heaviness; then shall wee bee sufficiently strengthened against the day of trial, withstand all these sharp encounters, and obtaining victory over these enemies of our salvation, we shal with peace and comfort hold on in our course of righteousness towards our heavenly country, and be rather furthered then hindered in our journey by their assaults. The second part of this armor is a lively and justifying §. Sect. 5. Of the second part of our spiritual armor, which is a justifying faith. faith; for this is that impenetrable shield, which cannot bee pierced with these fiery darts, and that high and impregnable rampire and bulwark, which our spiritual enemies can neither mount with their longest scaling ladders, nor batter and overthrow with their strongest engines of trials& temptations. And therefore, if we would overcome by patience, when we are assaulted with afflictions, wee must in our preparation buckle unto us this shield of faith,& lay this foundation vpon which our patience chiefly resteth: for these two always go together, so that if faith go not before, it is impossible that true and Christian patience should follow after. And hence it is, that they are conjoined in the Scriptures; so the Apostle exhorteth us to bee followers of them, Heb. 6 12. Apoc. 13 10. who through faith and patience inherit the promises, and thus the Apostle John coupleth them together, Here( saith he) is the patience and faith of the Saints. If then wee would overcome the world, as well when it frowneth as when it sawneth, and stand invincible both against his bewitching allurements, and proud threats, let us buckle unto us this saith, as a principal part of our Christian armor, whereby we are enabled to get the conquest, for this is the victory, that overcometh 1. John. 5 4. the world even our faith. The which will evidently appear unto us, if we consider, that it is faith alone which pulleth out the sting of afflictions, and so maketh them to become harmless; for thereby we are assured of remission of our sins, of our peace and reconciliation with God; and therfore that we are not now punished as slaves, but chastised as sons; the which maketh us not onely patient, but even joyful in our afflictions, for as the Apostle saith, being justified by faith we haue peace towards God, through our Lord Rom. 5. 1. 3. Iesus Christ, and in this faith we stand and rejoice, not only under the hope of the glory of God, but also in tribulation. So it is faith onely, which giveth unto us title and interest unto all the gracious promises of the gospel, as being the alone condition of the covenant of grace between God and us; and therefore as without faith, all the comforts of the gospel are no comforts unto us, because we haue no right unto them; so being endued therewith, wee haue our share and part in them all, whether they concern this life or the life to come. For example by this faith we are assured that Iehouah is our Lord and King, our Redeemer and saviour, our sanctifier and preserver; that he is on our side, and therefore we need not to fear who oppose against us; that he will deny nothing unto us which is good and profitable; for if he spared not his own son, but gave him for us all to death, Rom. 8. 31. Vers. 32. how shall he not with him give us all things also, as the Apostle speaketh: that he ruleth and disposeth all things with his providence, and particularly all our crosses and calamities, even to the falling of the least hair of our head, and therefore that all shall turn to our good, and work together for the Rom. 8. 28. best, through his wisdom, power and goodness, ordering them to this end. Furthermore by this faith we are so firmly united unto Iesus Christ our head, that nothing can divide us, whereby we are assured, that there is not any thing, Rom. 8. 39. which can separate us from Gods love, because nothing can part Christ and us, in whom he loveth vs. So hereby we are certainly persuaded, that Iesus Christ did not only suffer for us, but that he doth also suffer with us, who is able to ease and comfort us, by upholding us when we are ready to faint, and bearing the greatest part of our burden. That if wee 2. Tim. 2. 12. suffer ●ith Christ we shall reign with him, and that our light and momentante afflictions shall cause unto us, a far most excellent, 2. Cor. 4. 17. and an eternal weight of glory. Finally by this faith we are assured, that God himself is present with us in all our troubles, that and measureth out unto us this bitter draft in a just and convenient proportion, and when he hath wrought in us his own good work of grace, he will remove the cross,& give unto us a joyful deliverance. So that there are no comforts like those which are brought unto us by a lively faith, unto which when wee haue attained in full measure, we may in al our afflictions say with the Psalmist, God is our hope and strength ready to bee found. Therefore will wee not Psal. 46. 1. 2. 3. fear though the earth bee moved, and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea, though the waters rage and be troubled, and the mountaines greatly shake at the surges of the same. Neither is there any trial or tentation so great, which faith doth not easily overcome, as the Apostle maketh it plain unto us in the example of Abraham, who by faith offered up his onely son Isaac when he was tried; and of Heb. 11. 17. Vers. 35. 36. 39. the rest of Gods Saints, who being strong in faith, bore with patience those great afflictions; being content to endure the rack and would not be delivered, that they might receive a better resurrection; to be tried by mockings and scourgings( the one whipping the soul, the other the body) by bonds and imprisonment▪ by stoning and cutting in sunder, over which they triumphed, as glorious conquerors, by their faith, as the Apostle witnesseth. And therfore if we would stand in the day of battle, we must in our preparation buckle unto us this shield of faith, which is the chief instrument of deriving unto us from God all comfort and consolation. The third part of our armor, is a firm trust and affiance in § Sect. 6. Of the third part of our spiritual armor which is trust& affiance in God. God through Iesus Christ, the which( as also those other parts that remain) is the fruit of a lively faith; for being thereby assured that God is both omnipotent in power, and almighty to save and deliver us, infinite in wisdom and knowledge, beholding and disposing, as all other things, so all our troubles and afflictions; and that as in himself he is love and truth, so he is most loving and careful over us, and always ready to make good his promises, concerning job. 10. 8. 9. his assistance and our deliverance; wee rest and rely vpon him in all our afflictions for help and succour, as vpon our omnipotent and all-sufficient creator, preserver and redeemer; and resign ourselves over unto him our most faithful saviour; having a firm and strong affiance and confidence in him, that he will uphold us in all our troubles, and deliner us from all our afflictions, when as it shall bee most fit for his own glory, and our spiritual and everlasting good. And this is that confidence wherewith if we be endued, wee shall thereby be marvelously upheld in all our trials,& haue our patience so strengthened and confirmed, that wee shall easily bear all afflictions which he shall lay vpon us, in whom we put our trust, and courageously endure the brunt of all temptations, not fearing what may befall us, seeing all things are ordered& disposed by his most wise providence, who is our chief rock of defence, vpon whom we rest in al difficulties and dangers. An example whereof wee haue in job, who being so confident in Gods mercy and goodness, that he professeth job. 13. 15. though he should kill him, yet he would trust in him; was also a pattern of patience to all posterity; and so david resting vpon the Lord, as vpon his Psalm. 18. 1. 2. rock and fortress, his deliverer and strength, his shield, the horn of his salvation and his refuge, is hereby so armed with patience, that in his greatest affliction he saith, 2. Sam. 15. 26. here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good in his eyes; and when as in his greatest distress he was forsaken of all other hope and help, he is said to haue 1. Sam. 29. 6. comforted himself in the Lord his God. This made him, when sense of pain would haue forced him to murmur and complain, to hold his peace and bear al with patience because Psalm. 39. 9. the Lord had done it. Yea as hereby he patiently suffered his present evils, so he was bold and confident against all future crosses, for Psal. 56. 4. 11. trusting in God, he did not fear what man could do unto him; yea he professeth, because the Lord was his Psal. 23. 1. 4.& shepherd, and took care of him, that though he should walk through the valley of the shadow of death he would fear no evil; and that 3. 5. 6.& 4. 8. he slept securely, not fearing ten thousand of his enemies enclosing him about, because the Lord sustained him. And therefore if we would haue our patience confirmed and strengthened both against present and future evils, we must seek to attain unto this affiance, and trust in God, as in our mighty and merciful Father; and so shall we with patience and meekness depend vpon his providence, both for supplying of those wants which pinch us, for our preservation from those dangers we fear,& for deliverance from these present miseries& afflictions, which we feel and suffer; seeing he is all sufficient to provide for us, omnipotent to defend us, and infinite both in power and love to save all those who trust in him. The fourth piece of armor, which wee must provide against §. Sect. 7. Of the fourth part of our spiritual armor, which is hope in God. the day of trial, is hope in God, whereby wee expect the performance of all those promises, which are made unto us in the gospel, and especially such as concern Gods assisting and strengthening of us in the day of tentation, or our deliverance from al our troubles. The which also is a fruit of our faith and affiance in God, for when we beleeue all his gracious promises made unto us, for the supplying of our wants, protection from perils, and deliverance from those evils which wee sustain and suffer, and do rely vpon them with assured confidence; then do wee also wait Gods leisure▪ attend his pleasure, and hopefully expect when these promises shall be performed, and made good unto us for our use and benefit. And this the Apostle teacheth us, where he saith, that Faith is the ground of things hoped for; and the evidence Heb. 11. 1. of things which are not seen; and the Prophet implieth it, where he willeth those that beleeue, not to make hast, but to wait Gods leisure, and hopefully to expect the accomplishment Esa. 28. 16. of his promises. Now as this hope is the daughter of faith and affiance, so it is the nurse of patience, whereby it is fed and nourished, and so strengthened and upheld, that it cannot faint or fall. So the Apostle telleth us, that we are saved by hope which expecteth things invisible, Rom. 8. 24. 25. and if we hope for that we see not, we do with patience abide for it. And thus doth our hope strengthen our patience, as it expecteth the performance of Gods promises, either respecting this life or the life to come. In respect of this life our patience is confirmed, whilst we hopefully expect the performance of Gods promises for our deliverance out of our afflictions, and in the mean time his assistance to strengthen us, in the bearing of all those crosses and calamities which he layeth vpon us: for when we hope that our troubles will haue an end, and that the cloud of calamities being blown away, the sun of Gods favour will shine again unto us; when we expect rest and peace, after our labour and dangerous warfare, and that our mourning shall bee turned into ioy, and our troubles into comforts; then do we bear the present brunt with patience, in respect of these future hopes; and are eased in those miseries which wee feel, by that immunity and freedom which wee expect. And thus doth the master whilst the storm lasteth, take excessive pains to save his ship and life, in hope that it will be overblown, when as again he shall haue faire weather and a good passage; thus doth the poor man patiently endure his toilsome labour, whilst he hopeth that his pains will bring riches, and his riches rest; thus doth he who is tormented with a fever, bear with patience his present grief, whilst he hopeth for the end of his fit,& the recovery of his health; and thus doth the poor traveler patiently hold out in his weary journey, whilst he hopeth for sweet repose at his journeys Ipsa spes peregrinationi-necessaria est, ipsa est quae consolatur in via. viator enim quando laborat ambulando, ideò laborem tolerat, quia pervenire sperat. tolle illi spem perueniendi, continuò franguntur vires ambulandi Aug. in Rom. 8. 31. Tom. 10. serm. 16. Heb. 12. 1. 2. end. Whereas when hope utterly faileth, the sailor letteth his ship rome at the mercy of the wind and weather; the poor man loytereth, preferring easy rest before hopeless labour; the sick man is as much tormented with impatiency, and tired with tossing, as with the sense and smart of his sickness and disease; and the poor traveler ●ainteth not more for want of rest, then for want of hope of attaining the end of his labour. But especially is our patience confirmed by those hopes which respect the life to come; for then we cast away every thing that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth so fast on, and run with patience the race which is set before us, when we look unto Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith, who for the ioy which was set before him endured the cross, despised shane, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. Then do we patiently bear al crosses and troubles, when our faith apprehendeth; and our hope expecteth( after our light and momentany afflictions) a far most excellent and an eternal crown of glory: because we count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy the glory which shall 2. Cor. 4. 17. Rom. 8. 18. be shewed unto us: then do wee with Moses refuse to bee heirs of worldly happiness, and choose rather to suffer adversity Heb. 11. 24. 25. Apoc. 21 4. Psalm. 16. 11. with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the rebuk of Christ greater riches then treasures of this earthly Egypt, when we hopefully expect the recompense of reward, and that all tears being wiped from our eyes, wee shall haue fullness of ioy; and pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore. Then do wee patiently endure the miseries of this life, when in respect of future hopes, they are not all able to make us miserable, and finally then do we with quiet meekness suffer with david long furrows to be made on our backs, and submit ourselves to bee even harrowed with crosses, and to be threshed and winnowed with these temptations, when as faith assureth us, that the feed of happiness is sown in the deep furrows of affliction, and hope expecteth a fruitful harvest. Whereas on the other side if hope forsake us, then our patience also; and no sooner do we despair of help and deliverance, but presently wee begin to bewray our impatiency, murmur and repined against Gods providence, and even to blaspheme him to his face, as Satan judged of job, out of his own experience. The fifth piece of armor, which we must prepare and put §. Sect. 8. Of the fifth piece of spiritual armour, which is charity and the true love of God on, to strengthen us against the assaults of afflictions and temptations, is charity and the true love of God, for as this is the oil which maketh us nimble and active in obedience, and in the works of godliness; so also it suppleth and softeneth the swelling tumours of our corruptions, whereby Christs yoke becometh easy and his burden light, and if this heavenly flamme haue illightened and warmed our hearts, it will so mitigate and even extinguish the fire of afflictions, that it cannot burn us, and make it more like a colour or shadow then any substance or real quality; or if wee be scorched by it, this heavenly and vital heat will draw out that which is earthly, and so take away and ease us of all grief and torment. For it is the nature of love to make things strange to become familiar, difficult things easy, and causeth men both to attempt, and also happily to achieve that which otherwise would seem impossible. So that if wee love the Lord, nothing will be hard unto us which he enjoineth us, his will and pleasure will be the rule of our contentment, and whatsoever cometh from him for the trial of our love and obedience, we will take it well at his hands, and bear it not onely with patience, but even with gladness and rejoicing, seeing wee haue fit occasion to approve our love unto him by these trials. again our love to God is a notable means to work and increase in us patience in afflictions, because our love toward him assureth us of his love towards us, seeing our love is but some small reflection of that heavenly heat, and but a little spark of that infinite divine flamme; neither do we begin with him, but wee love him, because he loveth us first, as the Apostle speaketh. Now 1. joh. 4. 10. 19. whosoever is thus assured of the love of God towards him, he may also with patience bear those crosses which come from him, seing they are not the punishments of a just judge, but the chastisements of a loving Father, in which he aimeth not at his hurt and destruction, but at the bettering of his estate, and the everlasting salvation of his soul. Furthermore this love worketh patience by giuing us hope and assurance of our deliverance, seeing hereby we know, that God taketh no delight in the torments of those that love him. And therefore when he hath effected his own good work in us, and hath recovered our spiritual health by these bitter and unpleasant medicines, he will minister them no more unto us, but as he can, because his power never faileth him, so he will, because his love never faileth us, deliver us in most convenient time out of all our troubles, and in the mean while will be present with us, and so support us with his might, that though we be sometime foiled, yet we shall never bee overcome. And these bonds of love, whereby God hath voluntarily tied himself to help and succour us, he hath further strengthened by the strong and inviolable cable of his truth, promising deliverance( to those that love him) out of all their evils and afflictions; Because( saith he) he hath loved me, therefore will I deliver him, I will exalt him because he hath known my name, he shall call Psal. 91. 14. 15. 16. vpon me, and I will hear h●m, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and glorify him, with long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. Or if in his wisdom he thinketh it fit to continue vpon such their crosses and calamities, yet shall they not hurt them, but be turned to their good. For he hath assured us, that all things( even troubles and afflictions) Rom. 8. 28. Matth. 7. 14. Act. 14. 22. shall work together for the best unto them that love God. Finally seeing afflictions are that narrow way, and strait gate which lead us into Gods presence, and no man can come unto him, but by the difficult passage of trials and tribulations; therefore love, desiring nothing in comparison of Gods presence, and fearing nothing so much as to bee excluded from it, doth make us not to respect the foulness of the way, by which wee are conducted to that faire end of our desires, and to travell not onely with patience, but also with ioy in this unpleasant passage, rushing through those thorns and briars of troubles, which would stop and hinder us, leaping over all blocks of difficulties which lie in the way, and running resolutely through fire and water, tortures& torments, thick and thin, not caring what wee endure and suffer, so we may come unto God, whom wee so dearly love, and in his fruition haue fullness of ioy for evermore. And therefore, if we would bear with ease this cumbersome burden of afflictions, let us labour after love, which will make it light; if we would not be weary in traveling this foul way, let us choose love to accompany us in our journey; and so having the Lord continually for the object of our sight, and hasting to enjoy him whom we so dearly love, we shall not tyre in our travels, but patiently pass all difficulties, and with much ioy and comfort come at the length to our iourneies end. The sixth part of our spiritual armor is true humility, Sect. 9. Of the sixth piece of our spiritual armor, which is true humility. by which our patience is so notably strengthened and confirmed, that wee may surely conclude, where the one is, there is the other, and where there is a great measure of humility, there also there is patience in like proportion. An example whereof wee haue in job, who as he was a pattern of patience, so also of humility: for in sight and sense of his own baseness, he saith to corruption, thou job. 17. 14. art my father, and to the worm, thou art my mother, and my sister. And so vile he was in his own eyes, when he appeared in Gods presence, that he abhorred himself, and repented chap. 42. 6. in dust and ashes. So david who had so denied himself, that he was in his own sight a flay, a partridge on the mountaines, yea, a worm and no man, in his afflictions was armed with like patience, laying his hand vpon his mouth, because Psal. 39. 9. God had done it. But above all is the example of our saviour Christ, who as he exceeded all men in humility and meekness, so also in patience; and as being the glorious Son of God, equal to his father, he was content in his humility to abase himself and to become of no reputation, taking phil. 2. 6. 7. Esai 50. 6. 7. vpon him the state of a seruant, and submitting himself in obedience to his father, to the death, yea the shameful death of the cross; so being in this affliction, he as much exceeded all in patience, offering his back to the smiter, and his check to the nippers, and with meekness suffering his face to be buffeted, his head to be pricked with thorns, his body to bee whipped, and after crucified, and that when almost all scorned and derided him, and none pitied him in his miseries; al which he suffered with meekness, and when he was oppressed and afflicted, he opened not his mouth, but Esa. 53. 7. was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the sheerer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth; and as the Apostle 1. Pet. 2. 23. speaketh, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously. And therefore if we will learn of Christ, and embrace and imitate his meekness and humility, then will wee also with patience take his yoke vpon vs. For if wee haue an humble conceit of ourselves, in respect not onely of our vileness and baseness, but also of our corruption and sinfulness: then will we always conclude, that our condition, though never so mean and miserable, is yet better then wee haue deserved; that if wee had our due, wee should suffer far greater punishments; and that it is the great mercy of the Lord that we are not utterly consumed, as the Church confesseth in her greatest afflictions; and this Lamen. 3. 22. will make us not onely with patience, but also with thankfulness bear lighter crosses, when as wee know and aclowledge that we haue justly deserved to haue far heavier laid vpon vs. moreover, if we be thus humbled in our own eyes, then will we deny ourselves and all that is in us, that God may bee all in all; then will wee submit our will, which is subject to be misled by errrour and ignorance, unto the will of God, and bee contented in all things to bee guided and governed by his providence, because he is infinite in wisdom, and knoweth what is best for us; infinite in power, and therefore able to effect what his wisdom seeth best; and infinite also in love and compassion, and therefore always ready to bring good unto us out of the greatest evil. And this is that which the Apostle requireth, namely, that those who suffer according to the will of God, should 1. Pet. 4. 19. commit their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful creator, resting contented with his good pleasure, in whatsoever estate it is his will to place and bestow them; whether it bee prosperity or adversity, health or sickness, plenty or poverty, honour or dishonour, life or death. An example whereof we haue in david, who in his greatest extremity submitted himself to Gods good pleasure: Here I am( saith he) let him do unto me as seemeth good in his eyes. As also in 2. Sam. 15. 26. just job, who being spoyled of all his great substance, and brought to extreme poverty, humbled himself and worshipped, saying, Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and ●ob. 1. 21. naked shall I return thither; the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken it, blessed he the name of the Lord. And again being grievously afflicted with sores and sickness, and provoked to impatiency by his wife, he saith unto her, Thou job. 210. speakest like a foolish woman. What, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? But above all, the example of our saviour Christ is to be propounded unto us for our imitation, who being to suffer the cursed and shameful death of the cross, and the heavy burden of Gods wrath due to our sins, which his natural and human will most feared and abhorred, yet with all humility and patience submitteth himself to his fathers pleasure; O my father Mat. 26. 39. 42. ( saith he) if it be possible let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt: and again, O my father, if this cup cannot pass away from me, but that I must drink it, thy will be done. And if we can thus submit our wills unto the will of God, and resign our bodies, souls and states to be ordered and disposed of according to his good pleasure, it will exceedingly lighten our burden, and ease our smart: whereas, if this humility be wanting, there will be nothing but impatiency, murmuring and repining, freting and fuming, as though our punishment were above our fault, and we suffered things far unworthy of vs. By which means the weight of our afflictions is exceedingly aggravated, for whereas in their own nature they did onely press us, now also they vex and gaule us; like the yoke carried by the stubborn and refractory ox, which by his much struggling fretteth off the skin, whereas it might be carried with ease and without hurt, if he would go quietly, submitting himself to his owners pleasure. Finally, this humility whereby we deny ourselves, and yield in all things unto Gods good will, is most necessary for the time of affliction, not onely as a means to confirm our patience, whilst the hand of God is vpon us, but also to free us from all our crosses and calamities; for above all other sins the Lord like a wise father correcteth in his children their pride and stubborness, and although other offences may be the causes moving him to chastise them, yet if with meekness and quietness of spirit, they submit themselves in all humility under his chastising hand, he will in tender compassion spare them, and not deal with them according to their sins, nor reward Psal. 103. 10. them according to their iniquities: whereas if they show themselves stubborn and rebellious, proud and impatient, whatsoever their faults be, which were the occasion of their correction, he will in this case lay on load and not spare, till he haue broken and pulled down their stomacks, brought them vpon their knees, and haue caused them to submit themselves with all humility and meekness unto his good will and pleasure. Which when he hath effected, then he will spare us as a loving father spareth his onely son, and being humbled, he will not onely cease correcting us, but also receive us into his former favour, and set his face vpon us for good and not for evil. So the Lord saith, that he taketh Esa. 57. 16. 17. delight to dwell with him, that is of an humble and contrite spirit, to revive the humble, and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart, and that when his children are thus broken and humbled, he will not contend with them for ever, nor be always wrath, for so the spirit should fail before him: but vpon this humiliation he will bee reconciled, exalt them who are thus abased, and take them up in his arms of mercy and compassion, who haue cast themselves down, acknowledging their faults, and craving pardon, as we may see in the example of the prodigal son. The seventh part of our Christian armor, to strengthen § Sect. 7. Of the seventh piece of spiritual armor, which is vnfanied repentance. And that thereby we are preserved from afflictions. us against the assaults of affliction, is unfeigned repentance for our sins, even an hearty sorrow for our sins past, in this respect, because by them we haue dishonoured and displeased our gracious God and merciful father▪ a true hatred of them both in regard of their own ugliness, and also of the bitter fruits of misery and affliction which spring from them; and a steadfast purpose of heart to leave and forsake them for the time to come, and to serve the Lord in the contrary duties of holinesse and righteousness, all the remainder of our lives. For if we do thus begin, and often renew our repentance as we renew our sins, then shall we thereby most assuredly either prevent these afflictions, and keep them from falling vpon us, or be delivered from them, if already they be imposed, or finally bear them with such patience and comfort, that they shal be v●●o us not only harmless, but even good and profitable. Concerning the first, the Lord giveth us a general rule for the expounding of all his threatenings, that they are always to be understood vpon the condition of impenitency, and our perseverance in sin; namely that if we go forward in our wickedness, and will not be reclaimed by these threats, then the judgements threatened shall surely bee inflicted; but if wee forsake our sin, and turn unto the Lord by unfeigned repentance, then this obligation of threatening, binding us to satisfy Gods iustice by suffering punishment, is made void and canceled. So also the same rule is given for the expounding of Gods promises, namely, that if wee continue to fear and serve him, they shall bee made good unto us; but if like wandering Planets, we retrograde in the ways of godliness, and slide back into our former course of wickedness, then also this bond assuring us of Gods blessings, is made frustrate and of no virtue unto us, because the condition thereof is not observed. Of this the Prophet I mas seemeth to haue been forgetful, which maketh him so much out of patience, because N●niuch was not destroyed, according to the outward letter of his threatening; whereas Gods truth and their preservation and deliverance, might well stand both together, seeing this threatening was not absolute but conditional, and they made it void by their public and solemn humiliation and repentance. But the Lord plainly expresseth it by his Prophet Ieromie: I will( saith he) speak jer. 18. 7. 8. 9. suddenly against a nation, or against a kingdom to pluck it up, and to roote it out, and to destroy it: but if this nation against whom I haue pronounced turn from their wickedness, I will repent of the plague, that I thought to bring vpon them. And I will speak suddenly concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build it, and to plant it; but if it do evil in my sight, and hear not my voice, I will repent of the good that I thought to do for them. And hereupon he calleth the people of the Iewes to repentance, that so they might escape his iudgments in the same place threatened against them. speak vers. 11. thou therefore( saith he) unto the men of judah, and to the inhabitants of jerusalem, saying, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I prepare a plague for you, and purpose a thing against you: return you therefore every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your works good. So else where to the same purpose: jer. 4. 4. break up( saith he) your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns, be circumcised to the Lord, and take away the fore-skin of your hearts, ye men of judah& inhabitants of jerusalem, lest my wrath come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the wickedness of your inventions. And again: go and try these words towards the north, and say, chap. 26. 13. thou disobedient Israell return, saith the Lord, and I will not let my wrath fall vpon you, &c. And in another place: Now therefore amend your wa●es, and your works, and hear the voice of the Lord your God, that the Lord may repent him of the plagu●, that he hath pronounced against you. So when by a dream the Lord had threatened against Nabuchadnezar a fearful iudgement for his idolatry, pride and cruelty. The Prophet Daniel counseleth him, to break off his sins Dan. 4. 24. by righteousness, and his iniquities by mercy towards the poor, that this might be an healing of his error. Yea so powerfully doth our repentance prevail with God, for the with-houlding of his threatened punishments, that even after sentence of condemnation is pronounced, execution begun, and Gods messengers and sergeants are sent out already for the attaching of sinners with his judgements; those who haue vnfainedly repented of their sins, haue a protection from God, and being entertained for his seruants, and made known so to be, by his livery and cognizance, are privileged from this general arrest, and exempted from having any part in these common calamities. So the Lord intending to bring destruction vpon the inhabitants of jerusalem, commandeth his angel to go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of jerusalem, and to set a mark Ezech. 9. 4. 5. 6. vpon the foreheads of them, that mourned and cried out for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the other Angels, the ministers of his wrath and vengeance he said, go after him through the city and smite; let your eye spare none, neither haue pity: destroy utterly the old and the the young, the maids, and the children, and the women, but touch no man vpon whom is the mark, and begin at my sanctuary. By all which it appeareth, that unfeigned repentance is a § Sect. 11. That repentance is a notable means, whereby we may be f●eed out of afflictions. notable means for the preventing of Gods judgements, and the escaping of those afflictions, which our sins haue deservedly drawn vpon vs. Whereas if we continue in impenitency, wee shall inflame Gods wrath against us; if wee be not offended with ourselves for our sins, wee shall make God offended with us, if wee will not judge ourselves, wee shall not escape Gods judgements; if we do not in sorrow and humility lay them open by confession before God; the Lord will lay open our shane by our fearful punishments before men. And finally, if we do not by unfeigned repentance take vpon ourselves an holy reuenge, that God may be glorified; Gods anger will wax hot, and he will glorify his own name by manifesting his iustice in our confusion. For sin deserveth anger and iudgment, and anger and iudgment it will haue▪ either from ourselves, or else from God; neither need we to fear that we shall haue them from both, seeing our condemning and punishing of ourselves, by unfeigned sorrow for our offences, doth make us stand absolved and acquitted before the tribunal of Gods iudgment. But as repentance is a preservative to keep us from the tainture and infection of miseries: so being fallen unto them, it is a singular antido●e to expel this poison, and a restorative to recover us unto our former estate and condition. And as the Lord is ready vpon our true repentance to pull back his judgements, when they are ready to seize vpon us; so being plunged into them, he is as ready to pull us from them, as them from us, if now at the last with penitent and contrite hearts we humble ourselves before him, imploring mercy and forgiveness. For as the Lord is slow to anger, so when Psal. 103. 8. 9. jer. 3. 12. he is provoked, he will not always chide, nor keep his anger for ever. And of this we haue continual experience in the people of Israel in the time of the Iudges and Kings, who no sooner repented of their sins, but the Lord presently forgave them, and eased them of their afflictions. And our saviour hath left a perpetual president of it in the prodigal luke. 15. 5 son, whom his father vpon his conversion and humiliation received into his favour, comforted him in his distress, and relieved all his wants. With these examples agree plain places of Scripture: for thus the Lord inviteth his people of the Iewes unto repentance, that he might deliver them out of all their calamities, into which they were plunged by reason of their sins. O ye disobedient children( saith jer. 3. 22. he) return and I will heal your rebellions. So by the Prophet Ezechiel he willeth the people to return from their transgressions, Ezech. 18. 30. 32. that so iniquity might not be their destruction, protesting unto them, that he desired not the death of him that dieth, but rather, that they should return and live. And when as the people thought it too late to return, because not onely the sentence was passed out of Gods mouth, whereby they were adiudged to punishment, but execution also was already begun; for so they say, If our transgressions and our sins be vpon us, and we are consumed because of them, how Ezech. 33. 10. 11. should we th●● live? The Lord returneth this comfortable answer by the Prophet: Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live. turn you, turn you from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O ye house of Israell? And as this well becometh the infinite mercy and goodness of God, so it also agreeth with the rule of reason, that where the cause is taken away, there the effect also must needs cease. For our sins are the causes of our afflictions, as appeareth by the words of the Apostle; where having shewed how the Corinthians sinned in unworthy receiving of the Sac●ament, he addeth, for this cause many are weak and sick among you, and 1. Cor. 11. 31. many sleep. And so the continuing and multiplying of our sins, is the cause which moveth the Lord to continue and multiply our afflictions; for if notwithstanding his mere gentle chastisements we will not obey him, but walk Leuit. 26. 27. 28. 1. Sam. 3. 12. against him stubbornly, then( as he hath threatened) he will walk stubbornly in his anger against us, and will also chastise us seven times more according to our sins; for when he hath begun, he also will make an end, either for our conversion and reformation, or our confusion and destruction, as he saith to Eli. Whence we may infer, that as sin is the cause which moveth the Lord to inflict and continue his corrections vpon us; so the leaving and forsaking of these sins will move him to pardon us and grant deliverance. And thus doth repentance usually through the infinite § Sect. 12. That repentance bringeth unto us singular ioy and co●for● if we still remain under the cross. mercy of God, free and deliver us from those afflictions and m●series, into which sin plungeth us: But if the Lord for his own glory, our trial, and the exercise and increase of his graces in us, doth after our true repentance, suffer still the the cr●sse to lie vpon us; yet are we so eased a●d strong thened hereby, that we bear his chast●zements not onely with patience and peace, but also with ioy and comfort. For then wee are rea●y to si●ke under our burden, when unto the weight of our afflictions is added the intolerable weight of sin, and of the wrath of God which doth accompany it; and then we faint under the easiest load, when we are weakened with self-guiltiness, and consider that the sins which we nourish in our bosoms and are loathe to leave, are the causes of all our miseries. But when we haue cast away every thing that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth fast on, when wee haue vnburthened ourselves of our own load, and bear onely that which God hath imposed, then Heb. 12. 1. shall wee truly find that our afflictions are but light, as the Apostle speaketh, and that when wee are most pressed with them, wee may even run with patience the race which is set 2. Cor. 4. 17. before vs. Now repentance doth take away all our sin, not by merit, but through Gods mercy and his gracious and free promises made unto it; and maketh us to appear innocent, as though these sins had been never committed by us; and consequently it plucketh out of our afflictions this sting of sin, and of Gods anger due unto it, it maketh them to become harmless unto us, so that like the Serpent without a sting, they may fear us with their hissing, but can not hurt us with their biting: Neither( as one saith) can adversity harm us, if iniquity like a tyrant do not reign over Nulla mihi noce●it ad●ersitas, si mihi n●lla dommatu sit iniquitas. Idiot. inter orthodogr. lib. 2▪ cap. 20. 1. Cor. 11. 31. vs. For if we haue truly repented us of our sins, then are we assured by Gods infallible truth, that they are pardonned and quiter blotted out of his remembrance; that we are now reconciled unto him, and of enemies, are become seruants and children; that now there is not onely peace between us, but even love and amity. And that therefore the afflictions we bear, are not the fruits of enmity and wrath for our destruction, but trials, whereby our gracious father proveth and approveth our love& obedience; and whereby our captain and great commander trieth our valour, our skill in the Christian warfare, and the goodness of those spiritual weapons and armor, wherewith he hath fitted us against the day of battle. From which assurance of peace and amity with God, ariseth peace of conscience, which doth exceedingly comfort and stregthen us in al afflictions, poverty and imprisonment, griefs and sicknesses; yea even in the agony of death itself, as our saviour implieth in that speech to the sick of the palsy; Son be of good comfort, Matth. 9. 2. thy for sins are forgiven thee. Finally, this peace with God, and peace of conscience, which followeth true repentance, is also accompanied with ioy in the holy Ghost, whereby we rejoice in Gods mercy and the assurance of our salvation, not onely in prosperity, but also in adversity and tribulation, as the Apostle speaketh. The consideration whereof Rom. 5. 3. should make us earnestly endeavour and labour in the practise of repentance; and not to be discouraged with the present bitterness and vnpleasantnes which wee feel in it; seeing wee shall find, that( as one saith) these tears are full of ioy, and this mourning the matter of our mirth; and therefore let us grieve with this grief which is the mother of rejoicing& not rejoice with that ioy which is the parent Huiusmodi lachrymae multa sunt ●l●nae l●titia, huiusmodi luctus laetitiae materia, &c. ●hrysost. homil. ad pop. 66. of heaviness; let us poure out these tears which are the seeds of pleasure,& not laugh with that laughter, which shall end in wailing and gnashing of teeth; let us( as the Apostle speaketh) repent with that repentance which is never to be repented of, and not embrace the joys of the impenitent, which shall be accompanied with eternal sorrow& lamentation. And because we haue it not at our own beck, let us beg it of God, and seeing in our corrections wee behave ourselves like untamed calves, which are not hurt so much with the weight of the yoke, as with their own struggling and impatience, jer. 31. 18. let us pray earnestly with the Church: convert thou me, and I shall be converted, for thou art the Lord my God. The last part of armor which we must provide& put on, § Sect. 13. Of the eighth piece▪ of our spiritual armor, which is a good conscience. is a good conscience, by which the hart is defended against the assaults of affliction; so that though the outward parts, as it were the utmost sconces and sorts, be battered and beaten down with crosses and calamities, yet so long as this bulwark remaineth sound and strong, it will so defend the castle of the heart, that it will never bee surprised and sacked, nor be cowardly yielded up unto our spiritual enemies. And this good conscience the Apostle requireth in those who will profess the faith of Christ,& suffer for their profession; because( as he addeth) it is better if the will of God bee so: that we suffer for well doing then for evil doing. Now that we may obtain this, there is required not onely that we labour to keep our 1. Pet. 3. 16. 17. conscience clear towards men, by leading a spotless and vnblameable life, but also towards God, by doing all good Act. 24. 16. duties in simplicity and sincerity of heart; and that as much as in us lieth we nourish in us innocency, and bee faultless and unrebukable; as also that we adorn our souls and bodies with all virtue and piety; for this is the chief means of getting and retaining a good conscience, when as wee keep it clear and unspotted of sin. But if through frailty and infirmity, we haue defiled our consciences with the filth of sin and wickedness, then in the next place we must labour to purge and cleanse them, washing out these spots& stains with the precious blood of Christ applied by faith, and by the tears of unfeigned repentance, issuing from the fountain of a contrite heart; for by faith our sins are not imputed unto us▪ and by repentance( as I haue said) they are so done away, and quiter blotted out of Gods remembrance, as if they had never been committed by vs. And this is the means to get and preserve a good conscience, which when we haue attained unto, it will serve as a brazen wall against all the assaults Vacare culpain calamitatibus maximum est solatium. Crantor apud Plutarch. de consol ad Apollonium. Chrysost. ad pop. Antioch. Homil. 25. of affliction, and so strengthen and confirm our patience; that we shall not sink nor faint in the greatest troubles; neither can( as one saith) tribulation, treachery and treason, nor any thing else, deject and cast down a godly mind thus armed& defended. But as a spark or fiery coal falling into water, is presently extinguished: so the heat and excess of all sorrow and grief is cooled and quenched, when it befalleth him, who hath a good conscience. And therfore if we would haue patience in the time of trouble and affliction, let us keep our consciences clear and unspotted from sin, and adorn ourselves with all grace and godliness, for other virtues and patience are inseparable companions; which always accompany the one the other;& therfore the Apostle linketh them together; join( saith he) virtue with your faith and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance, and 2. Pet. 1. 6. with temperance patience, and with patience godliness, &c. For if we haue our souls adorned with these virtues and graces, and bring forth the fruits of new obedience, it is a notable means to confirm our faith and hope in God for help and deliverance, according to that; turn thou to thy God, keep Hos. 12. mercy and iudgement▪ and hope still in thy God; and being assured hereof, we do with patience wait Gods leisure for the accomplishment of his promises. And this appeareth in the examples of Gods saints; for thus doth job in his greatest job. 31. extremity comfort himself, and strengthen his patience, by calling to mind his diligence and uprightness of heart in the service of God; which satan knew well enough, and therefore sought to disarm him of this help, and to pluck from him this stay of his patience, whilst he used his wife and three friends as his instruments, to convince him of hypocrisy and impiety against God. And thus doth Ezechias comfort himself and strengthen his faith, hope, and patience, by calling to mind his integrity of heart in Gods service; I beseech thee O Lord( saith he) remember now, how I haue walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect hart, and haue Esa. 38. 3. done that which was good in thy sight. And so david doth usually comfort himself, and confirm his patience, by remembering his innocency, and sincerity in the performance of all good duties both towards God and his neighbours, as appeareth in many places of the psalms. But contrariwise where the conscience is defiled and stained with sin; there is nothing but impatiency, murmuring and repining, because self▪ guiltiness maketh them that are afflicted to conceive of God as of their enemy, and that the miseries they suffer, are the punishments of a revenging judge, and not the chastisements of a loving Father. So that an evil conscience maketh the smallest& lightest afflictions great and intolerable; because itself being most heavy and burdensome, Inter omnes tribulationes humanae ainae nulla est maior quam conscientia d●l●torum. &c August. ena●rat. in Psal. 45. ●. 8. doth add exceeding weight to this load of the cross, pressing the bearer down, like water in leaden vessels, which would bee carried with case in leather or wood. To this purpose one saith, that among all tribulations and human griefs, there is none greater then a conscience burdened with sin; for if a man be not wounded in conscience, but whole and sound within; when he suffereth any outward affliction, he will fly thither, and there he will find his God; but if there bee no peace there, because God will not bee where iniquity aboundeth, what shall a man then do, and whether shall he fly when he suffereth tribulation, seeing whethersoever he goeth, this enemy will pursue and torment him? In which respect he compareth in the same place an evil conscience to a piece of wood rotten at the heart, which thought it may make a faire show on the outside whilst it is untouched and vntryed, yet if it bee put into the building, it endureth not when it beareth any weight; or if it be touched with the axe or wedge, it easily flieth into fitters, and discovereth it inward rottenness, whereas a good conscience which maketh outwardly no great show nor flourish, is like a piece of timber, which though it be rotten on the outside in the sappie parts, yet is sound at the heart, and appeareth better the more it is tried, and strongly beareth the greatest weight that lieth vpon it. Let this therefore be our care, that having our consciences clear we do not suffer as evil doers, but let us either retain our innocency whilst wee haue it, or regayne it, when we haue lost it, by true repentance; for a good conscience bringeth comfort, and comfort patience in afflictions; whereas there can be no consolation▪ where there is guiltiness of ill deserving, and without comfort nothing but impatiency, shane and horror of mind, as the Apostle implieth, where he exhorteth that none of the faithful suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evil doer, or as a busy body in other 1. Pet. 4. 15. 16. Non qualia said quails quisque patiatur interest. August. de civit. Dei. mens matters; but that if any suffered as a Christian, he should not bee ashamed but glorify God in this behalf. Or though men could show patience in their sufferings for their faults, it were not worthy commendations, neither is it much to be respected what is suffered, but who it is, and for what he suffereth. And this the Apostle elsewhere sheweth. This( saith he) is thanks worthy if a man for conscience towards God, endure greese, suffering wrongfully: For what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently? but if when you 1. Pet. 2. 19. 20. do well, you suffer wrong, and take it patiently, this is acceptable unto God, as appeareth in the example of Christ, who being most innocent, was also most patient, not reviling when he was reviled, nor threatening when he suffered▪ but committing all to him who iudgeth righteously. And with the Apostle accordeth a worthy Father, saying: that the patience of these men who suffer in a bad cause, and for their demerits, is Et tamen in his hominibus miràda est potius quam lauda●da satientia, imo nec miranda nec laudanda, quae nulla est, said miranda duritia, neganda patientia. Aug. de patient. lib. cap. 5. Patientia comes est ●●pientiae, non famula concupiscentiae; amic● bonae conscientiae non inimica innocentiae. &c. ib. rather to be admired then commended; yea in truth neither to bee admired nor commended, because it is no true patience at all; rather their stupid senselessness is to be admired; but that they haueany true patience, it is utterly to be denied: neither is there here any thing which deserveth to bee commended, nor profitably to bee imitated and enforced; yea much more justly may wee judge such a mind worthy greater punishment, being vicious& wicked, by how much the more it hateth the instrument and means of reclaiming it to virtue. And again he affirmeth that patience is the companion of true wisdom, and not the slave of lust and concupiscence, the friend of a good conscience, and not the enemy of innocency. And therefore when you see a man suffer any thing with courage and quietness, do not forthwith commend his patience, which nothing sheweth and approveth, but onely the cause of suffering; for then onely our patience is true, when our cause is good, and discerned from that which is false and counterfeit, when it is not defiled with the corruption of concupiscence, &c. CHAP. V. Of the rules and cautions, which are to bee observed in our preparation unto the conflict with afflictions. ANd thus much concerning the spiritual armor § Sect. 1. The first rule, that we be diligent in the study and meditation of Gods word. of Gods graces: Now we are to speak of the rules and cautions, which are to bee learned and observed, for the well managing of our spiritual weapons, and the better demeaning of ourselves in this conflict of temptations, that thereby our patience may bee confirmed, and wee enabled to endure the encounter of afflictions with assured hope of a triumphant victory. And first we must before the day of battle, carefully& diligently use all good means ordained by God, for the furnishing of our souls with all those saving graces before spoken of, which are that spiritual armor of proof, whereby wee are defended against the assaults of afflictions. And chiefly and principally wee must hear, meditate, and study in the word of God with all diligence, as being an especial means to comfort and uphold us in all our troubles and trials, without the help whereof, it is not possible for us to sta●d in the day of tentation. And this david found by his own experience, expressly concluding, that except Gods law had been his delight, he should haue Psalm. 119. 92. perished in his affliction: for the word of God is the sword of the spirit, whereby wee defend ourselves, repel all the fury of our spiritual enemies, and obtain victory over them in the day of battle; it is our souls armorie, wherein are stored all our wea●ons and munition, which we must use in thi● spiritual conflict; it is our light to guide us in this hard passage; our ●hred to led us out of this labyrinth of troubles; our ch●rd and compass to direct in this sea of miseries unto the happy haven of our eternal rest. In it alone is contained the Art of our Christian warfare, and the sum of our military discipline, which instructeth us how wee must order our forces, and how we must march, when we must assault the enemy, and when we must decline and avoid his force and fury. It is our captain, both to conduct and assist us in this fight of temptations, and our chief encourager in bearing the b●unt of the battle, whilst it offereth unto us the wages of our warfare, and holdeth out the crown of victory to those, who valiantly overcome: it is the food by which wee are nourished, strengthened and made hearty to endure the encounter, and whereby we are refreshed and cheered when we are faint and weary; it is our Second and succour, which raiseth us when we a●e fallen and foiled; yea and( as david saith of it) our quickener and reuiuer, when wee are wounded Psal. 119. 25. 50 to death; it is our ioy in all sorrows, and our delight not only Vers. 143. when wee live in all worldly prosperity, but( as he also speaketh) when trouble and anguish are come vpon us;& that ref●eshing hony●, which if we taste by a lively faith▪ we shall thereby be enabled to bear al assaults, and haue our strength renewed not onely to withstand, but also to pursue the enemies of our salvation. Finally it is our chief comforter in all our miseries and afflictions, as david found by good experience, whilst it teacheth us, that all our crosses and calamities do come from God, as the chastisements of a gracious Father, and are so ordered and disposed by his wise and powerful providence, that they shall all tend to our spiritual good, the enriching of our souls in this life with all saving graces, and the furthering and increasing of our heavenly happiness in the life to come. A second and most especial means, which we must diligently §. Sect. 2. The second rule is, that we be frequent and wont in prayer. use that we may bee strengthened against the day of affliction, is frequent and fervent prayer, even an humble confession of sin, and an acknowledgement, that all Gods fearful plagues and punishments are deservedly due unto us, a desire of pardon in and for Iesus Christ, and deprecation of those punishments, which by our sins wee haue deserved; or finally if it please the Lord either for our trial, or chastisement, to lay affliction and the cross vpon us, that then it will also please him so to arm us with saith▪ patience, and all other sanctifying and saving graces, that wee may with meekness and comfort, bear whatsoever he shall lay vpon us; come more pure and approved out of this fiery furnace; find ourselves bettered and amended, more strengthened in grace and al goodness, and brought nearer unto God, both in respect of the illumination of our minds, and the reformation of all our courses in our lives and conversations. For if we thus humbly and penitently aclowledge& confess our sins, and earnestly endeavour to leave and forsake them, we shall haue mercy, and find the Lord faithful to forgive them. If we thus lay them open, the Lord is ready Pro. 18. 13. 1. John. 1. 9. to cover them, if we condemn and adjudge ourselves to punishment, he will be ready to absolve and acquit us, if with the prodigal we prostrate ourselves at his feet, as not worthy to behold his face, he will embrace us with the arms of pitty and compassion; and if wee confess in regard of our demerits, that the place of a seruant is too good for us, he will receive us into the place of sons, pardon all that is past, and not think the best things he hath too dear for vs. And Luke. 15. as vpon our humble confession, he will be ready to take away the guilt of sin, so also he will free us from the punishment; and if at all he afflict us, our crosses shall bee chastisements,& fatherly corrections, which he will enable us to bear, and turn to our good, which being effected, he will be entreated by our fervent prayers, to free and deliver us out of all our calamities, to wipe all tears from our eyes,& to restore us to our wonted fruition of his gracious benefits, as in many places of the holy Scriptures, he hath premised unto vs. The which also wee see verified in the example of Math 7. 7. Psalm. 50. 15. david, who by his faithful and fervent prayers was often freed from apparent dangers, so as they did not touch him; and was often by the same means delivered out of his afflictions, when for his sins he was overtaken by them; as also in the people of Israell, who confessing their sins, and craving judge 1●. 15. pardon and deliverance out of their affliction, were heard of God, and had their suits granted. And the like might be said of job, jonas, Daniel, Esdra, Nehemiah, M●nasses, and many others. If therefore we would be prepared against the day of afflictions, so as wee may either escape and avoid them, or withstand and overcome them, wee must exercise ourselves in effectual prayer. For this is the horsemen and chariots of Israell, which calleth more and stronger forces to our aid, then all our enemies that stand against us; this is the pillar of our strength, whereby we, who are so weak and ruinous, that wee are ready to sink and fall, when the least storm of adversity bloweth against us, or the lightest weight of affliction lieth vpon us, are upheld and stand fast in faith and patience in the greatest tempests of troubles, and under the mountainous weight of the greatest calamities. This is the hand of our souls, to reach out and receive grace and strength from God, whereby we are supported and kept from fainting in our most grievous afflictions; and finally our hammer, by which knocking at the gates of Gods mercy in our miseries and extremities, we haue legions of Angels sent to comfort us in all our crosses, and to deliver us out of all our troubles. The third rule is, that in the time of our prosperity, we §. Sect. 3. The third ●ule is that in our prosperity, we labour in the moderating and mort●fying of our affections. labour diligently in the moderating and mortifying of our inordinate affections and unruly passions, that wee may bring them into subiection unto the good will of God, and make them serviceable unto holy reason. For whilst they thus hold their place, and yield obedience to them, unto whom God and nature hath made them inferior and subordinate, there will bee in all estates peace, quietness, and good order: whereas if these slavish seruants ride on horseba●k, and make reason and religion, which are their lawful soueraignes to go on foot; if they sit on the throne, and these on the footstool; if they( like common people) usurp government over the other, which should bee their Princes and commanders; and like tyrannicall usurpers, rule when they should obey, then will this anarchy yield nothing but rude disorder and tumultuous confusion; making men in the time of prosperity to commit rapes and riots, insolences and outrages, injustice, violence and oppression; and in the time of adversity and a●fliction, to fall into impatiency and clamorous complaining, mutinous murmuring and traitorous rebellion. and so to become ready instruments of committing any wickedness, which passion( like popular rage) doth prompt and suggest, if it offer the least hope of helping them out of misery. More particularly, if wee would haue strength and patience in the time of affliction, we must before the time of trial subdue and moderate the passion of fear▪ which doth much aggravate the weight of misery, and is often times more burdensome and intolerable then the evil suffered both because it doth disarm and weaken the min●e of resolution, and doth a●ticipate and seize vpon griefs before they come; yea oftentimes on these which are onely feigned in the imagination, and never in truth happen unto vs. So also wee must in the time of our prosperity limit and confine our unlimited hopes, for the further they are extended and enlarged, the more are we dei●cted when they fail us; the higher they lift us up the more grievously are wee crushed, when they forsake and cast us off, and commonly where there hath been no bounds for our expectati●ns, there will be no measure in impatiency and grief, when things much desired and expected answer not our hopes, seeing men usually take it as heavily to haue the contract of hope between their hearts and the things they love, made frustrate and disannulled, as to bee divorced and separated from them after their fruition. The like also may be said of our concupiscence and desires, which if they bee not moderated according to the necessity of nature. but left at liberty to their own inordinate lusting▪ after superfluities and things unnecessary, they will set us on the rack of discontent, when they are not satisfied, making lesser comfort● great crosses; and the lightest affliction intolerable burdens And thus he who immoderately desireth great riches, is not onely impatient of the least loss, but also of small gains, because they do not answer his greedy desires; he who excessively affecteth vain glory and popular applause, is as much tormented in his mind for receiving too small commendations, as another would bee in the greatest disgrace. And thus he who setteth his mind too much vpon worldly delights, afflicteth his tender and effeminate heart, when he sustaineth the lightest cross; yea if either his pleasures fail him altogether, or continueth not in that manner, measure and degree, which he inordinately fancieth and desireth. Thus also must we in the time of our prosperity, exercise ourselves in moderating and mortifying of our unbridled and rash anger; for if a man be froward and choleric, when he is in all his desires soothed and pleased, what is to bee expected but that he will be stark mad with fury, when he is crossed and thwarted? If he be peevish and fretful when he is made prosperities wanton, and the worlds darling; what patience is to be looked for, when he lies groaning under the cross, forsaken of his friends, and scorned by his enemies? So we must labour to mortify discontent, and in all things to submit our wills to Gods good pleasure. For he who out of melancholic wantonness is discontented with plenty; how can he with patience endure want and penury? He who is not well pleased in the fruition of those great benefits of health and strength▪ pleasure and liberty; how vnfauourie and ill relishing will sickness and weakness, pain and imprisonment, be to his dayntie palate? He who cannot be contented, when he enjoyeth all that he can almost wish and desire; how impatient is he like to show himself, when he hath plenty of nothing but wants and grievances, and how sensible will he be of smart and misery? So likewise wee must subdue our pride, haughtiness of spirit, and the( fruit therof swelling) emulation, whereby men study and labour to match their superiors, and excel their equals. For pride is the very nurse of impatiency, making men to fret and rage, murmur and repined, when they suffer those things, which in their proud conceit they think unworthy of them; to grind their teeth with disdain, when they are forced to stoop under the cross; and to gaule their necks, whilst they are constrained to bear the yoke of affliction, more with their impatiency and struggling, then with the weight of the burden which lieth vpon them. So also it maketh the shane of their adversity more intolerable then the smart; and whilst they could with some patience bear their miseries, if they were onely miserable to themselves, they are altogether impatient, because they are known to bear them. So also emulation in prosperity doth much aggravate mens sorrows in the time of affliction, ●hen as those triumph over them, whom they haue emulated; and they disdain them, whom formerly they haue disdained. Neither doth it more trouble men to haue gone backward in the journey of their desires, then that they haue been out-stripped by them, with whom they haue contended; nor to be miserable in their own sense and feeling, then to be so in the sight of the others prosperity and happiness. Finally we must labour in our prosperity, to moderate and keep under those contrary passions of sorrow and ioy; for he who will weep, when( as it were) he but looketh vpon the whip, will howl and cry out when he feeleth it; he who will mourn when he hath no cause, will be mad with grief, when the weight of affliction lieth heavy vpon him. And so he, who immoderately rejoiceth in his prosperity commonly immoderately sorroweth in the time of adversity; he who exsulteth with ioy, because the world smyleth on him, is usually as much dejected with grief when it lowreth and frown●th. Whereas those who with the Apostle use the things of this life, as though they ●. Cor. 7 31. used them not, they can also with him abound and want, hear with patience evil report and good report, rejoice in 2. Cor. 6. 8. 9. in their sorrows, live in dying, and having nothing, possess all things. Those who do not swell with prosperity, are not broken with adversity; and the mind which is so solid and constant, that it is not much raised above his ordidinary pitch with worldly felicity, cannot bee much depressed and abased with the weight of worldly misery and affliction. The fourth rule is, that we do not fain afflictions unto § Sect. 4. The 4. rule is, That we must not fain unto ourselves afflictions in our conceit and imagination. Solum ubi necessitas cogit infortunatè agas; non autem plura propter imperitiam infortunia tibi adsciscas Diphili in Adelph. apud S●obae. Nihil admodum atrox passus es nisi id tu tibi fingis. Menand. apud Plutarch. de tranquil. animi. ourselves, in our conceit and imagination, nor lay crosses vpon our own shoulders by a false opinion, when as God layeth none vpon us, giuing unto accidents that befall us by our impatient apprehension a poisonous sting to torment us, whereas in themselves they would be so void of ill, that we might put them into our bosoms without receiving harm; but that then alone wee take vpon us the burden of sorrow for our miseries and affliction, when as necessity, and not will, layeth it vpon us▪ For how many are there who through conceit become wretched before their time, and are onely miserable, because they are so in their own apprehension; unto whom the saying of Menander may bee well fitted; Thou hast born nothing burdensome, but that which thou hast laid vpon thine own shoulders? For as it is the nature of opinion, to make things worthless, esteemed, bad things indifferent, and indifferent excellent; so also it hath the contrary power of making good things seem evil, and such as are of an indifferent nature to become odious and intolerable; whereby it giveth life, and being unto afflictions, which otherwise would not haue any existence to hurt us, if wee did not make them malignant by our own fancy. Thus some torment themselves with anger and discontent, because they haue not the chief place, and vpper hand at meetings, resalutations from th●se whom they haue H●st. 5.▪ 1. 3 saluted, respect and observance from their inferiors, and commendation and applause for their good parts and well deserving, not because the want of these much hurteth them in truth, but onely in their own opinion, by which they overvalued these trifles, and made them things of great worth; not that they might not be happy without them, but because their conceit hath made them necessary to their wel-beeing. And thus some grievously afflict themselves with sorrow, because they haue lost some part of their abundant wealth, which if they had still possessed, they would never haue enjoyed;& where as they haue no other hurt in truth, but that they are purged of superflu●ty, and eased of a burden, yet they are as much vexed for the loss of these transitory trifles, as for the loss of their lives and salvation of their souls, because their opinion hath over prized their wealth, shrined it in their hearts as their most adored idol, and given unto it that honour and respect which is due only to God; whereas if superfluous abundance were thought a burden, it would also be thought an ease to be freed from it, if riches according to their true value were but lightly esteemed, then their loss would bee as light, and so born without pain or difficulty. And the like may be truly said of all worldly things, which in their absence or presence become the matter and occasion of the most afflictions according to the value and estimation which opinion setteth Non tam rerum natura, quam patientium dispofitio magna vel parua videri facit incumb entia nobis mala. Chrysost. ad Pop. Antioch. homil, 18. on them. Yea so powerful is opinion in producing these effects, that not onely a false apprehension causeth a true affliction, but it is able also to turn comforts into crosses, benefits into miseries,& that which this mans opinion doth make his hell, another mans opposite conceit, would make his heaven and happiness. And so vehemently doth this opinion fasten vpon us these imaginary afflictions, that they become much more intolerable, and we more impatient in bearing them, then those which haue their being& weight from their own nature and true existence; yea and oftentimes they are more hardly removed, and they comforted, who haue cast themselves under them, then in other calamities; because the roote of the disease is internal through the error of our iudgment, and so oftentimes wilful and of choice, rather then imposed by any necessity and constraint, which wee naturally avoyde. Neither is there any other means to cure this sickness, and to ease the mind of the burden of this affliction, but to remove or rectify the cause, which is a false and ill grounded opinion, by spiritual wisdom and a sound iudgment, informed and instructed by the word of God; whereby our mindes being illightened, and the mists of error dispelled, which are cast before the eyes of our understanding, by either sense, passion or carnal reason, we shall be enabled to judge of all things according to truth, and as they are in their own nature, whether they are to be desired as good, or avoyded as evil; or between both, neither much to bee affencted, or much to bee shunned, as being of a mean and indifferent quality. And so shal not imaginary afflictions afflict us, neither shall wee make those crosses to us, which are no crosses in themselves; nor those heavy and intolerable, which in their own nature are light and easy. whereas if we be misled by blind and deceiving opinion, wee shall not onely make those crosses, which wisdom would make benefits, but so aggravate the least afflictions which lie vpon us, that they will become Quaedam nos magis torquent quam debeant, quaedā torquent& omnino non debeant. Aut augemus dolorem, aut fingimus, aut praecipimus. Senec. epist. 13. intolerable. For as it is the nature of opinion to put shadows and shows, for real existences, so also it doth( as it were) bombase our afflictions, which are truly so called, and like spectacles makes small ones to seem great, whilst it doth aggravate them as though they were new, unheard of, and never suffered of by any other, although in truth they are common and ordinary. And therefore if we would haue patience in the day of trial, and endure the assaults of affliction with undaunted courage, let us pull of these false vizards, which opinion putting on, doth make them thereby to appear more terrible, and let us look vpon their Quid id tua refert, si nec carnem perstringit, nec ad animam penetrat.? Plutarch. de tranquil animi. own natural visage with a wise and judicious eye, esteeming them onely afflictions which haue their strength from themselves, and not from our fancy, and apprehending those alone to be evil, and to be grieved at, which through their own malignant quality do indeed hurt us, either in our bodies, souls or friends, hindering our sensible or spiritual good, and making us to bee truly worse, either in respect of this life or the life to come; and so shows of afflictions will not craze our patience, neither will our sorrow exceed our smart. The fifth rule to be observed is, that we do not by fear Sect. 5. The fifth rule is, that we must not by fear anticipate afflictions. anticipate our grief, making ourselves miserable before our time, and presently pulling crosses vpon us through timorous expectation and conceit, which would either never befall us, or not of a long season. In which respect the greatest part of men fault against themselves, being more tormented with the fear of evils, then with the evils which they fear, and suffering longer& greater sorrows with the expectation of their miseries before they happen, then after they are come and lie vpon them. And as though they could not bee wretched enough with the sense of present crosses, they engross all causes of grief, and wilfully seize vpon needless sorrows; and besides the present afflictions which they suffer, they recall those which are past, making their remembrance to torment their hearts, when as long ago they were freed from the sense of them; and presently apprehended those which are not yet so much as imminent, meeting them in the mid way by a fearful expectation, as though they made too slow hast, and would not come soon enough of their own accord, unless they thus posted towards them. And thus men vex themselves with fear and grief, when they hear but uncertain rumours of great calamities, as though already they were overtaken by them, whereas it may bee they will never happen, or if they do, yet not of a long time, or not so grievous as those which by fear were presented to their conceit. Thus in time of pestilence many are as much afflicted with fear of infection, as they whose houses are already visited with the evils which they suffer. Thus in time of war men as much torment themselves with fear of sacking, spoiling and killing, though oftentimes they escape all these dangers, as if already these miseries did lie vpon and overwhelm them. And finally, thus many when they can not comprehend future means of maintaining their estate, within the compass of their own providence, vex themselves more with care and grief for fear of poverty, though now they enjoy sufficient plenty, then there is just cause they should, when they are pinched with want and penury. In which respect men endued with reason, are through their abuse of it, worse then the brutish creatures, for whereas by benefit of their reason, they might foresee evils, that they might either prevent them, or arm themselves with patience to bear those which are vnauoydable, they abuse their light of understanding to foresee evils to come, that by a fearful apprehension they may ly groaning under them, as if they were present; yea to surmise and prognosticate those miseries to themselves that never befall them; and to amplify and aggravate them before they happen by al circumstances which fear( onely witty in such invention) can offer to their conceit, making them much more grievous and intolerable in the apprehension, then they afterwards prove to the sense and feeling. Whereas the brutish creatures are onely afflicted with present evils, neither grieving for those which are past, nor fearing those which are to come, but haue in their whole life full security in the fruition of their pleasures, except onely that time wherein they are pinched and vexed with sense of pain. If therefore religion, and the light of Gods word can not make us thus wise to put off our miseries, till God call us to suffer them, and layeth the load vpon us; yet shaming to come behind brute beasts, let us learn this wisdom by their example, not to make ourselves miserable Quotiens incerta sint omnia tibi faue: creed quod mauis. Senec. epist. 13. before our time; but if reason help to discover evils before they come, let it also help us to use all good means that we may prevent thē; and whilst we are doubtful of the event, let us temper our fear with hope; and( as one counseleth us) whilst there is uncertainty, let us favour ourselves by believing that which wee had rather should happen; and so though we do not gain freedom, and be fully acquitted of our miseries, yet shall wee be repreeued from them, and receive no hurt until they touch us; though we err in hoping, yet it is more safe and profitable then to err in fearing▪ seeing that brings comfort, but this torment and vexation. And though at last the evils foreseen do fall vpon us yet we shall gain the comfort of all the time until they happen, and bee the better able to bear them when they come; seeing they shall find our strength entire, and not wasted with forerunning sorrows and cares, which fear bringeth always to those who give way unto it. And if there Nulla vitae causa est, nullus miseriarum modus, si tim●tur quantum potest. Senec. ibid be no means to prevent these miseries, let us not spend the time before they come in fearing, grieving& complaining, whereby our strength will be spent, and we made unable to endure their weakest assault, when they set vpon us; but let us employ our reason in finding out such arguments, as may confirm our patience in the day of trial; let us, assisted by it, pull off those vizards from our afflictions, wherewith fear ●ath masked them;& so taking away( from the things to be suffered) the tumult of passion, and looking vpon them Deme rebus tumultum et vide quid in quaque re〈…〉 scies nihil esse ●●ijs terribile praeter timorem. Senec. epist. 24. as they are in truth, and in their own nature, we shal( as one saith) find that nothing was terrible in them, but fear and terror which accompanied their expectation. If therefore we would be the better armed and prepared, to endure afflictions when they are inflicted, two things are to bee observed, when they are but threatened or feared; the first is, that wee do not suffer ourselves to bee dejected with fear and sorrow, when there is any suspicion of future evils, and so give the first part to be acted by passion, which will blind the mind, disturb the heart, and so bring al out of frame and order; but that in the first place, wee employ our reason and iudgement to discern, whether the evils which fear is ready to apprehended, will indeed certainly befall us, or onely stand vpon likelihood and probability. For naturally wee are apt to vex ourselves with causeless jealousies,& needless suspicions, to loose our present comforts, and to mar all our mirth, when wee hear but a rumour of approaching evils, fearing and trembling, but never examining the causes of our fear; and running away and fleeing from those enemies, which onely our imagination hath feigned. Like( as Senec. epist 13. one speaketh) to such dasterdly souldiers, as are ready to leave their standing vpon every false alarm, and to forsake their fortifications, when they see dust raised by an heard of cattle, thinking that a mighty army approacheth to assault them. Which cowardly folly that we may not fall into, let us judge of approaching evils before we fear them, and examine, whether they are likely to come, before wee vex our minds with their apprehension, as if already they had befallen vs. And to this end let us consider, that as we fall into many afflictions which we never foresaw; so wee foresee many in conceit, which in truth never happen. And as there are many occurrents and unexpected accidents, which cross, our hopes, and snatch from us the good things we desire, when wee are ready to receive, and to haue the fruition of them: so there are no fewer vnlooked-for helps, which prevent our miseries when they are ready to light vpon us, or presently pull us from them, when they do but touch vs. And not seldom doth the Lord, to show his infinite power and wisdom, grant deliverance when all hopes fail, and all means forsake us, pulling our heads even from the block, and making us to survive those who were appointed to bee our executioners. So that( as one saith) there is nothing so Nihil tam certum est ex his quae timentur▪ vt non certius sit et formidata subsidere et sperata decipere. Senec. epist. ●3. Plura sunt quae nos terrent quam qu● premunt, et saepius opinione quam re laboramus Sen. ep. 13. certain of those things which are feared, but that it is more certain that things feared are often stayed and stinted; and things hoped do fail and deceive us, when those are feared, and these expected. Let us know that many more things fright us, then pinch us, and that wee are more often pained with a false opinion, then with any real hurt. It is folly to make ourselves miserable before the approach of misery, seeing, evils feared often happen not, or at least, are not already happened. Let us consider that false fears do beget true grief, for by a strong apprehension they press evils vpon us, as if they were already present, and so whilst wee fear least wee should hereafter suffer them, wee even now suffer them by fearing, and as men astonished know not what they do, so we by fear are so amated, that whilst over earnestly we desire to escape afflictions, we in flying fall into them, That he who is given over to the passion of fear, can never bee at quiet, for in time of affliction he is vexed with that which he suffereth, and even whilst he liveth in prosperity he hath no comfort, seeing by expecting of future crosses, he forgoeth the fruition of present blessings, and loseth them for fear of losing them. That vain fears which haue no ground but rumour and suspicion, do commonly more torment Senec. ibid. us, then those which haue a true cause, and some real existence; for( as one saith) true things are confined in some In aequo est dolor amissae rei et timor amittendae. Senec. epist. 98. measure; but those which are vain and uncertain haue no bounds, but are left onely to exorbitant conjecture, and to the unlimited liberty of a fearing mind: that the fear of losing the comforts wee enjoy, is as grievous and intolerable as the grief which accompanieth their loss, yea in this respect worse, in that we know what we grieve for, and so how to find remedy by arming our patience against a known evil with approved arguments, whereas fear is always uncertain, changing and varying into a thousand shapes, not according to the truth of things, but the opinion and conceit of him that feareth. That wee shall easily suffer those afflictions which being laid vpon us by God are vnauoydable, if we do not with fruitless remembrance recall those which are past, and with bootless fear anticipate and apprehended those which are to come; seeing they are few and short that presently torment the body and vex the mind, tes in ipsis miserijs sunt, quam ante illas. Plus dolet quam necesse est, qui ante dolet quam necesse sit. Senec. epist. 98. in comparison of that innumerable multitude which either are not come as yet, or already past: whereas those who grieve before they need, grieve also more then needs, and crack their patience with a needless weight, whilst they through fear bear al their afflictions at once, which would bee light and easy if they would bear one of them after another, in that order and rank which God hath placed them. The second thing to bee observed is, that if after due examination §. Sect. 6. That we must not make ourselves miserable before the time, nor sorrow for crosses before we feel the smart. Matth. 6. 34. it appear that the afflictions, which fear is ready to apprehended, will hereafter certainly befall us, we do not by and by ●ay hold of them through fear, care and grief, and so make ourselves presently miserable, because we must be so in the time to come. And this lesson we are taught by our heavenly schoolmaster, who willeth us, not to care for the morrow, but let the morrow care for itself, seeing the day hath enough with his own grief: for why should wee hasten the speed of our crosses and calamities, seeing they will come soon enough, if we stay their own leisure? why should we loose our present comforts, by a timorous expectation of future evil, and so fill our whole lives with grief and mourning? whereas if wee would take things as they are offered, there would be an intercourse of ioy and sorrow; and a time of breathing, wherein we might recover strength, and make up the breaches which were formerly made by the battery of afflictions: why should we no● rather by al lawful means flee from evils, till they overtake and catch us; then to run unto them when yet they are far off, and to pull them unto us, when as yet they do not touch us? why should wee not delay at least those miseries which wee cannot wholly escape; seeing if it be best in our own conceit, to bee freed from them altogether, it is good also to avoid them as long as may bee? and why should wee ouerskip our comforts as though wee could never soon enough come at sorrow, and not rather rejoice in their fruition whilst wee may haue them, and leave that time alone to grief and discontent, wherein wee are vexed with sense of evil, and can find no cause of ioy? yea( will some say) but how should I prevent this fear, seeing I am naturally inclined to it? I answer that seeing we are reasonable creatures, wee must not like bruit beasts, give ourselves over to bee ruled by sense and passion, but in all things submit ourselves to the government of reason, whom God hath made vice-roy in this little world of man, not giuing way to our turbulent affections, but onely when they haue warrantise from this their sovereign. And so shal we not fear future evils, which are uncertain, because reason will tell us that wee may escape them, and therefore it is folly to take certain sorrow for such crosses as are uncertain; neither will it suffer us to grieve for such afflictions as are certain, because such grief is bootless, and to no purpose; or if it haue at all any use, it is to ease ourselves when we feel the smart, and not when being yet untouched, wee onely see it. A second means to avoid these causeless and fruitless fears, is to avoid melancholic idleness, whereby they are both bread and nourished; and to exercise ourselves with all diligence in the honest works of our callings; for if our minds bee taken up with these employments, they will haue no leisure to fancy these fears, nor to give them strength( after they are conceived) by revolving them in our imaginations; neither indeed shall we, being thus employed, haue cause to fear any approaching evils, seeing the Lord will give his Angels charge Psal. 91. 11. 12. over us▪ to keep us whilst we are thus in our ways, and to bear us in their hands, that we hurt not our foot against a ston. Finally, if wee would be freed from all these fears, wee must not rest vpon our own care and providence, for the preventing of all future evils, for then wee shall never bee at quiet, because our foresight is dim in foreseing perils; and our power impotent and unable to prevent them; but wee must learn, as the Apostle teacheth us, to cast all our care vpon 1. Pet. 5. 7. God, seeing he careth for vs. And for as much as he is omniscient, foreseing all whatsoever may befall us, and omnipotent, able to deliver us out of all our afflictions; or to give us sufficient strength to bear them;& finally, our most loving and gracious Father, who will turn all that befall us, to our good; therefore let us wholly resign ourselves over to his good will and pleasure, and submit ourselves in all estates to be ruled and disposed of, by his most wise and powerful providence; and so shall we be secure in all dangers, and bee freed from these fruitless fears, when we are under his protection, Psalm 91. and rest under the shadow of his wings; then shall we not fear the assaults of our enemies, when as wee haue God for our castle and defence, unto whom we may retire and be in safety; then shall we not, being pressed with the Psalm. 18. 2. weight of miseries, sink in the sands of sorrow and despair, when as the Lord is our strong rock, vpon whom we may rest secure, when the boisterous billows of afflictions do beate vpon vs. The fifth rule is, that with wise and Christian providence § Sect. 7. The fifth rule is, that with Christian providence we foresee afflictions before they befall vs. we foresee crosses, and in the time of peace and prosperity continually expect, when by our great commander we shall be called out to combat with afflictions; that so we may be the better armed and prepared for the conflict, and more easily obtain the victory. For howsoever we are not, by a cowardly and timorous apprehension, to torment ourselves with crosses before they come; yet must we wisely foresee them, that we may prevent those which may lawfully be avoided, and confirm our patience against them, which wee know will necessary befall vs. Though we may not discover our enemies before they approach, that we may cowardly fear them, and idly fit still and bewail our future overthrow before the fight, or else amazedly betake ourselves to flight, when as yet we are not assaulted nor pursued: so must we not retchlesly and securely presume, that we are in safety, till we fall into their ambushments; but like good souldiers we must keep as vigilant sentry in the time of peace or truce, as in the time of war; discover the number and strength of our enemies, and furnish ourselves with sufficient forces, that we may manfully endure their assaults, and victoriously overcome. Though whilst we sail in this sea of miseries, we should not foresee tempests, that we may fit still, and idly lament them; yet like good pilots, wee ought in the faire weather of prosperity, to foresee the storms of adversity, that having all things in readiness, we may be better able to bear and brook them when they approach, and finally though wee may not like lazy and foolish travelers lye in our beds, and timorously forecast all the difficulties and dangers of our journey towards the heavenly Canaan, and afflict ourselves with the apprehension of them all, before we be come to any of them; yet like wise pilgrims wee must foresee all hindrances and encumbrances, as the foulness of the way and weather, the straightnes and roughness of the passage, the stumbling blocks of offences, and the thorns and briars of afflictions and tribulations which we must pass through; the danger of theeues& murtherers, and the hard entertainment that we are like to find in our inn, that so we may furnish ourselves with al things necessary for this journey,& be the better enabled to endure the labour, and to continue unto the end. And thus our saviour Christ requireth, that as he who mindeth to build a tower, sitteth down before, and counteth the cost, whether he haue sufficient to perform it; least having laid the foundation, and not being able to finish it, all that behold it, begin to mock him; and as a King being to make war against another, sitteth down first, and taketh counsel, whether he be able to meet and encounter his enemy when he invadeth him; or otherwise is ready to sand his ambassadors to treat on conditions of peace: so we, before we are assaulted Luke. 14. 28. 31 by afflictions; must foresee and consider of the power of these enemies, and what strength we haue, either in respect of our own spiritual graces, or the aids& succours, which we assuredly expect from God, whereby we may be ascertained that we shall be enabled to withstand their fury, and obtain the victory, that if wee find our forces sufficient, wee may be comforted and encouraged, or if they bee weak and feeble, we may labour to haue them supplied and relieved against the day of battle. And this counsel the son of mirach giveth us; in thy good estate( saith he) remember adversity, and in adversity forget not prosperity; and again, when thou Eccles. 11. 25. and 18. 24. hast enough remember the time of hunger, and when thou art rich, think vpon poverty and need. So the heathen man prescribeth Si vis omnem sollicitudinem exucre quicquid vereris ne eueniat euenturum vtique propone. Senec. episi. 24. Senec. epist. 18. this way to bee rid of care and fear, and to attain unto full security, that whatsoever evil we may fear to bee coming, we do suppose that it will certainly come; and so exercise ourselves to bear it willingly, before wee be constrained to bear it vpon necessity. So( elsewhere) he adviseth us that in our greatest security, we prepare our minds to endure those things which in themselves are hard to bee endured, and that in the fruition of the benefits of prosperity, wee arm ourselves against the grievances of affliction. Like unto a soldier, who in time of peace, inureth himself to painful labour, and when there is no enemy, lieth in armor, fareth hardly, deviseth stratagems, buildeth fortifications, and so wearieth himself with voluntary labour, that he may be enabled by use and custom, to bear and endure it, when it be cometh necessary. howsoever therefore wee may for our comfort enjoy the benefits of prosperity whilst we haue them, and frame our hopes according to our desires in regard of those wants which we would haue supplied; yet must we withall prepare ourselves for the time of adversity, and considering that those things which haue happened unto Quod aequissimum est spera, et ad id te quod est iniquissimum compara. Senec. epist. 24. Quicquid fieri potest quasi futurum cogitemus. ib. Math 16. 24. others, may also befall us, let us at all times bee ready to bear those afflictions, which at any time may bee laid vpon vs. And for this cause hath our saviour in the gospel forewarned us of afflictions, that we may expect them, and bee forearmed against they come: so he saith, that if a man will be his disciple, he must take up his cross▪ and follow him: that his faithful seruants shall weep and lament, whilst the world rejoiceth; and that whilst they abide in the world they shall haue affliction. And his holy Apostle teacheth us, that John. 16. 20. 33. the Lord doth chastise every son that he receiveth, that we are bastards and no sons, if we bee not thus corrected; Heb. 12. 6. 8. Act. 74. 22. and that through many tribulations, we must enter into the kingdom of God. And therefore seeing truth itself hath forewarned us of these afflictions, let us not, because wee haue now the world at will, bee negligent and secure, nor conclude with david in the time of our prosperity, that Psal. 30. 6. we shall never be moved; let us not dream of immunity from these crosses, and put the evil day far from us; let us not say with babylon, I sit as a queen, and shall see no evil; Esa. 47. 7. 8. 9. nor think to find a paradise of delight, in the place of our pilgrimage: but knowing that the Lord hath foretold us, that we must suffer afflictions, let us expect them before they come, and arm ourselves with faith and patience to bear them even long before they are inflicted on vs. More especially, let us not fix our harts vpon any thing in § Sect. 8. That we must not fix our harts on worldly things, nor enjoy thee as perpetuities, but as movables Saepe admo nendus est animus, amet, vt recessura imo tanquam recedentia. &c. Senec. consol. ad Marc. cap. 10. the world, but use the benefits of this life, as though we used them not, and enjoy them so, as those who are presently to foregoe them. For those things which we possess with immoderate love, we lose with immoderate grief; and if wee look vpon our temporal blessings, as vpon perpetuities, we shall subject ourselves to much sorrow, and find small patience, when their loss proveth unto us that they were but movables. For example, when we are honoured in the world, and haue every mans tongue as a trumpet for our praise: let us consider that the time may come, when wee shall bee as much disgraced and defamed, and that those who cry Hosanna, will soon after cry as loud Crucifige; for this hath befallen to many before us, and will happen to many after us; and why then not unto us also among the rest? And vpon this meditation let us examine ourselves, how wee should bear it, if wee should be thus cast down out of the high throne of honour, into the lowest bottom of shane and disgrace; and with what reasons and arguments wee might confirm our patience, and mitigate and moderate our grief and heaviness. So when we abound with riches, and haue such plenty of earthly things, that we haue not onely for ourselves a sufficiency of all wee can desire, but are also able to give unto others, and make all about us beholding for our benefits, let us think that( as it hath been the case of many) our plenty may be turned into poverty and penury; and how we may then retain our patience; when wee are constrained by want to beg of those whom wee haue relieved, when in stead of our beds of doulne, wee must lie vpon the straw or hard boards, when our soft and shining silks shall bee changed into rags or home spun russet, and our costly cates and delicate wines, shall be turned into course and scant fare, brown bread and could water. When we haue our health and strength, let us not conceive that they are durable or permanent, but that the time will come, when being tormented with grievous sickness we shall toss and tumble vpon our restless beds, drink loathsome potions, no less distasteful then the sickness which they should cure, haue no appetite to our meat and drink, or to such onely from which by rules of physic we are restrained; and be so enfeebled, that we must be fain to repeat our first learned lesson of standing and going; and then examine our hearts how we could bear these afflictions; that finding our weakness, we may before they come arm ourselves with patience against the time of trial. So when wee are at liberty, let us prepare ourselves to suffer imprisonment, where wee shall haue light diet and heavy bolts, endure the absence of our friends, and the insolences of our iaylours. When wee are in our country, let us consider that the time may come, when being exiled, wee shall hear nothing but a strange language which wee understand not, and find as strange entertaintment and small comfort, when we stand most in need of it, in respect of our misery. And finally, when we take our greatest delight in our friends and acquaintance, let us call to mind that they are not onely mortal, and may be taken from us; but also so mutable, that of our nearest friends they may become our greatest enemies; that our loving parents, under the shadow of whose providence wee are sheelded and sustained, and by whose wisdom wee are governed, may even the next day be taken from us, and leave us orphans; that our beloved children, which are the comforts of our youth, and the props of our old age, may by their death deprive us of our present ioy and future hopes, that our deere wives in whose love and sweet society we now rejoice, are subject to mortality, and that the time may shortly come, when as by death( as it were by a dead palsy) we shal loose the comfortable use of these halves of ourselves;& haue them plucked from us with no less grief, then if the members of our bodies were torn in sunder. That our friends and acquaintance, who now smile vpon us in our prosperity, may with our estate change their countenance, not onely forsaking us in our afflictions, but vexing us also with the burden of their unkindnesses, and trying and tiring our patience with their wrongs, more then all the injuries and outrages offered by our enemies. In a word, whatsoever wee may lose of that which wee most love, let us think that it is now in losing, or suppose it already lost; that wee may be the better armed and prepared to bear these losses, when in truth they shall befall us; and haue weapons ready in our hands, to defend us from being wounded with impatiency and immoderate grief in our conflict with these afflictions. And if we thus possess our worldly comforts, two great benefits will follow hereupon: the first, that we shall not be made drunk with prosperity, nor be puffed up with pride in the confluence of earthly blessings, and become insolent; but use them with all sobriety and good conscience, when as our expectation, like a continual monitor, doth put us in mind of our loss; for who can swell in the fruition of such benefits which are so momentany& mutable? And the other is, that this daily expectation will make these afflictions, which in themselves are grisly and terrible, so well known and familiar, that when they appear they will not much scare and affright vs. A notable example whereof we haue in the Anaxagoras apud Plutarch. de tranquil. animi. heathen man, who being certified of the death of his dear and worthy son, heard it with patience without any disturbance of passion, because( as he said) he knew when he begot him, that he was mortal, and had brought him up in expectation of this mortality. Whereas these losses when they are unexpected and unthought of, do the more astonish us when they happen, and do more torment us with their fear then with their smart. As the same Author sheweth in the example of ulysses, who at his coming home( after his twenty yeares peregrination) unto his most loving and beloved wife, wept not when she wept, because before his coming he was armed against passion, by the expectation of this joyful mourning at their meeting, but yet could not refrain tears at the sudden death of his dog which he loved, because this accident coming unlooked for, took him unprovided. And unto these benefits wee may add that this expectancy will make us to enjoy with more true comfort whatsoever wee love, when as our ioy in the fruition of it, is not appalled and abated with our fear, wee being name already against these losses, and will make them whilst we haue them more sweet and delightful. For whereas the first possession of earthly things, whilst they are yet new, is most pleasing, this continual expectation of their loss doth make them to seem every day( which we enjoy them afterwards) as new gotten and gained, and with more welcome, because they come as an overplus above our hopes. If therefore wee would haue patience and comfort in the § Sect. 9. That we must not be secure in prosperity, but forecast what evils may befall vs. time of afflictions, let us not pass the time of our prosperity in deep security, promising unto ourselves immunity from future crosses, and the continuance of our delights; let us not foolishly imagine that this world, which is unto other of Gods seruants, a pilgrimage and val●ey of tears, will be unto us a paradise or garden of pleasure;& that when we see many others overtaken with afflictions, that we onely( like Iobs messengers) shall escape; for if our enemies come suddenly vpon us, and take us unprovided, we shall easily be overthrown; if expecting nothing but ioy; wee meet with bitter griefs, and if looking for wealth and honour, wee be at unawares overtaken with poverty and disgrace; then when these afflictions come, there will be no place for patience; and an open passage for immoderate sorrow and desperate mourning, and then shall wee haue for all our violence of passion in these our miseries, onely the fools excuse, that these are evils which we never thought of; and that we well hoped never to haue had such causes of mourning. But respecting the worlds favours, as false and deceitful; Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest. Senec. consol. ad Marc. cap 9. and considering that there are no miseries which befall one, but they may likewise happen to another, let us prepare and arm ourselves against the time of their approaching, seeing on the one side we are assured that they may happen, and haue no assurance that wee shall escape them. Which that we may the rather do, let us further consider that our providence and foresight of afflictions will prevent many of them, and lessen all; neither doth it at all hasten their speed( as many imagine who dare not entertain into their thoughts any conceit of evils to come, nor can with patience haue any warning given of them by others, as though the very naming of them were ominous, and did presage some mischiese towards them) but onely maketh our crosses lighter and easier when they come,& us stronger to bear and suffer them. For evils foreseen do loose Praecogitati mali moll●s ictus venit. Senec. epist. 76. Ausert vim praesentibus malis qui futura prospexit. Senec. co●sol. ad Marc. cap. 9. the greatest part of their poison and strength, and if wee catch these darts of adversity in the hand of providence before they hit us, they will not wound us at all, or not so mortally, as when with their full strength they pierce us at unawares. And as afflictions foreseen, become much weaker, so we also much the stronger to bear and overcome them; partly because before the encounter we haue time to arm ourselves with resolution, and to gather together the forces of our mindes, which being united, are of great strength to overcome all difficulties, and to bear the greatest weight of calamity and misery; whereas if we be assaulted at unawares, and fall into the ambush of afflictions, when never thinking of an enemy, we haue these our chief forces scattered and disordered through deep security; then shall small and weak forces of adversity discomfit and put us to flight, even at the first assault, and wee shall receive a final overthrow before wee haue time to make an head, or so much as to aduize of any means to make resistance. And partly because by exercising ourselves against expected evils, as though they were present, we receive much strength and ability to bear them when they come; even as a man by using to fight at foils, is made both more skilful and bold to fight at sharp; and by skirmishing among his friends and fellow soldiers, becometh more cunning, hardy and valiant in encountering of his enemies; whereas, if we spend our time of prosperity in deep security, wee will neither provide armor against the assaults of affliction, or if we had it in store, we shall not be able to bear it; and for want of exercise, wee shall grow so weak and pursy, that we shall not bee able to hold out in the first encounter. And therefore, if we would bear the burden of afflictions when it is inflicted, let us often in our meditations, voluntarily Magna pars est apud imperitos mali, nouitas etc. Senec. epist. 76. ( as it were) poise it before it bee imposed; seeing( as one saith) the greatest part of the evils which improvident men sustain, is caused through their novelty and unexpected suddainesse; as it may hereby plainly appear, in that those miseries, which at their first coming, they bewail as intolerable, they do afterwards being enured to them, bear them with patience; the which may move wise men, to make themselves acquainted with future evils, by thinking on them before they happen, and to make those afflictions light by meditating on them, which are made light unto others, by their customable bearing them. The sixth rule is, that having in our meditations discovered Sect. 10. The sixth rule, that we must not securely contemn afflictions, nor faintly yield unto them. these enemies approaching, and plainly discerned by manifest reasons, or great probability, that we are likely to be encountered with afflictions and calamities; wee do neither securely contemn the forces of these enemies; nor faintly yield unto them before we are assaulted. The former of these two evils is to be avoided, because there is scarce any force so weak, which is not sufficient to vanquish a secure enemy, seeing he keepeth no watch, nor maketh any provision, whereby he might be armed and strengthened against the assault; but being drunk with long prosperity, lieth snorting in the dead sleep of carelessness and supine negligence, whereby being deprived of al strength, he is easily vanquished, as being rather a prey, lying open to the spoil, then an enemy, which by fight must bee overcome. And therefore that wee may not bee thus endangered with this security, let us when we see afflictions approaching, be content to entertain a valorous fear, which may move us to arm ourselves against the assault, though not a fear of cowardice, which would make us to faint and flee away; and labour to bee as far from presumptuous security, as from the other extreme of dastardly amazedness; seeing it is no unusual thing, for them who neglect the mean, to run out of one extreme into another, and to become timorous cowards when they are encountered, who were quiter without provident fear, and desperately secure in the time of preparation. And to this end let us not onely look vpon afflictions, as vpon evils which must be born, or enemies to bee resisted, but as they are the iudgments of God, wherewith he punisheth our sins, or at least fatherly chastisements, which he would haue us to fear moderately for our amendment; like sons, that we may sue for pardon, though not like slaves, that we may fly away. For he who contemneth his correction, is never like to be reformed by it. And this the Apostle requireth, My son( saith he) despise not the chastening of the Lord: and david practised, Heb 12. 6. where he crieth out, My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy iudgments. As also josias, whose heart did Psal. 119. 120. melt when he did but hear the threatenings of the law. again we shall haue but little cause to contemn afflictions, if wee consider our own weakness, and want of patience, whereby we are ready to sink under the lightest burden,& to faint and yield in the least assault, if wee be not assisted and strengthened with the power of Gods might; but rather we haue just cause to fear lest being foiled and oppressed with their weight, we be moved in impatiency to murmur and repined against Gods providence, and even to blaspheme him to his face. But on the other side, as we are not to contemn afflictions, when we see them approaching; so wee must not cowardly fly away, nor basely yield unto them, as despairing of victory: as we must not be possessed with presumptuous security, in confidence of our own strength, and our enemies weakness; so we must bee bold and courageous in the power of Gods might, and assurance of his assistance, when we most need his help, and as wee must not despise the chastening Heb. 12. 6. of the Lord, so we must not faint when we are rebuked of him: but resting by a lively faith and assured confidence, vpon the Almighty power, all-ruling providence, and infallible promises of our gracious Father, let us bee prepared for the fiery trial, and arm ourselves against the day of conflict, as with other of Gods spiritual graces, so also with a courageous and constant resolution, that when we are encountered by afflictions, we will never flee from them, by using unlawful means to escape their force and fury, nor cowardly yield unto them by casting away our spiritual arms, disclaiming the service of God, and submitting ourselves as captives unto sin and satan: but in our greatest distress let us clean unto our Lord and master, and protest with job, that though he kill us, yet we will trust in him. And this magnanimous job. 13. 15. and Christian resolution, we may observe to haue been in many of the faithful, who haue resolved to undergo any afflictions, rather then they would leave the lord by breaking of his commandements. So the three children Dan. 3. 18. rather then they would worship Nebuchadnezzars image, constantly resolved to endure those tortures in the fiery furnace. And Peter and John, rather then they would surcease to preach the Gospel, resolved courageously to pass through al dangers, neglected the threatenings of the high Priest, and Act. 5. 29. the rest of the council, and feared not to hazard their innocent bodies to the whip, choosing to obey God, though they were tormented for it, rather then to obey men in their unlawful commands, and so to enjoy their liberty and immunity from dangers. Thus also the Apostle Paul armed himself with a constant and Christian resolution to preach Christ, though hereby he endangered himself both to bands and death: yea so strong was he in faith and patience, Act. 21. 13. that he triumpheth over all afflictions, and courageously resolveth that no extremities should divide Christ and him; Who( saith he) shall separate us from the love of Christ? shal tribulation; or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or Rom. 8. 35. 38. peril, or sword? I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shal be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. unto which Christian resolution if wee would attain, we must remember Gods promises, that he will bee with us in all our afflictions, which we suffer for his sake, and for the preserving of our consciences pure and undefiled from the spots of sin; that he is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above our power, but will give a good 1. Cor. 10. 13. issue with the temptation, that wee may bee able to bear it; that he will turn them all to our good, and finally that he will crown our patient suffering these light and momentany afflictions, with a far most excellent and an eternal 2. Cor. 4. 17. weight of glory. The last rule to be observed& practised in the time of our § Sect. 11. The eighth rule, that we must not wilfully run into afflictions. preparation, is that we do not wilfully run into afflictions, nor pull the cross vpon our own shoulders; but that we diligently use al good means, either to escape them before they come; or to bee freed from them, when they are inflicted on vs. Concerning the former, as we ought not to flee those enemies through cowardly fear in the use of unlawful means; so must we not provoke them to assault us when wee might live in peace; as wee must not hid ourselves from them under the covert of sinful shifts, when they are sent of God to find us; so wee must not voluntarily seek them, and dare them to encounter us, when they would be quiet and mean us no harm, and finally as wee must not shamefully retire when God soundeth the alarm to battle▪ nor pull back our shoulder when he enjoineth us to bear the cross; so must we not disorderly march on when he soundeth the retreat, nor thrust ourselves under a load of our own making which he never laid vpon us; for as the son of sirach telleth us, he that loveth danger shall perish therein. Neither is it Eccles. 3. 27. required that we should fill this bitter cup of afflictions unto ourselves, but onely that we drink of it when God putteth it into our hands; nor that we should make crosses, but onely bear them, according to the example of our saviour Christ, who did not carry his cross, till it was laid vpon him. For otherwise we do not take vpon us the cross, but wring it( as it were) out of Gods hand; wee do not submit ourselves unto his will, but rather do our own; the which is not fortitude but madness, which will not bring any comfort in our sufferings; seeing we cannot encourage ourselves with the saying of our saviour, shall I not drink of the cup which my Father hath given me? it being a mixture of our John 18. 11. own making, and a potion of our own providing. Now if wee would know how to discern Gods crosses from our own, wee may easily distinguish them by this one rule, namely that God calleth us then onely to suffer, when wee haue no lawful means to avoid the affliction; and contrariwise we thrust ourselves under the burden; when without sin, and with a good conscience, we might escape the danger, but choose rather wilfully to run into it. An example whereof wee haue in the Papists, who impoverish their estates by voluntary poverty, and torment their bodies with pilgrimages, penance of their own devising, whipping and scourging, resembling herein the ancient Lac●nians, who enured their children in a stockish valour, to contend one with another, who should with patience endure most stripes; or the Baalitish Priests, who lanced and cut themselves before their idols: whose practise let us avoid, not going as voluntaries into the skirmish of afflictions, but staying our time till we are pressed and called out by our great commander; not pulling crosses vpon us, in which wee can haue no comfort, seeing therein wee yield no obedience unto God but serve our own wils, and follow our own fantasies; but patiently bearing those onely which wee are assured that God hath laid vpon us, because wee haue no lawful means to shun and avoid them. And to this end let us consider, that this voluntary thrusting of ourselves into needless afflictions, is expressly contrary to Gods commandements; as if they concern our bodies, we sin against the sixth Commandement, which as it requireth that we do not any way hurt our neighbours body, but use all good means to do them good; so also first and principally, that wee do no harm to our own bodies, but use all good means to preserve them in their health& strength, or if it concern our goods and estate, against the eighth commandement, which requireth no less the preservation of our own estate, then of another mans; and forbiddeth the wilful wasting of our own substance, to our undoing and impoverishing, as well as the robbing and spoiling of our neighbour. So our saviour Christ hath commanded us to use lawful means for the avoiding of afflictions, and that when they persecute us in one Matth, 10. 23. 24. 16. city, we should fly unto another, and foretelling the miseries which should befall jerusalem, he counseleth those who would escape them, to flee into the mountaines. And with his counsel well agreeth the saying of Austine; It is folly( saith he) to admit those miseries which may bee avoided; and Tu quod vitare possis stuitum admittere est. &c. Aug. de beata vita disputat. 3. therefore every wise man will seek to shun death and grief, as much as he can, and as much as is convenient; lest if he do not shun them, he be not in this regard wretched, because they befall him; but because when he might, he would not avoid them, the which is a manifest sign of folly; and therefore in not avoiding evils, he is not miserable in suffering them, but because he is marked for a fool. To the same purpose another persuadeth us after this manner. Chrysost in epist. ad Hebraeos. cap. 2. Homil, 5. Tom. 4. c. 1699. Let us not( saith he) cast ourselves headlong into dangers voluntarily because this is foolish rashness; neither let us faint and flee being turmoiled with afflictions, when we are called to suffer them, for this is fearful cowardice. If wee are called by the preaching of the word hereunto let us not refuse; but let us not rush into them unadvisedly and without cause, we not being moved by any profit or necessity which respecteth godliness; for this were ostentation, and ambitious aspiring unto superfluous honour. Yet if any thing happen which oppugneth religion and holiness, we ought not to shrink although it were to suffer a thousand deaths. Let us not dare and provoke temptations when al things which concern godliness succeed according to our hearts desire; for why should wee invite superfluous dangers which haue no profit? &c. Let us be prepared as becometh valiant souldiers, always armed, sober and watching as those who continually expect an enemy. But let us not of our own accord raise wars, and make a combustion against our own peace, for this is not the part of a good soldier, but of a mutinous and seditious person: but if the trumpet of holinesse sound the alarm to battle; then march on valiantly without delay, contemn thy life, and entering the conflict with much cheerfulness, rush into the main army of thine enemies, put the divell to flight, and set up a trophy of victory; but if godliness sustain no damage, the principles of religion be not undermined which concern our salvation, nor any man do enforce us to do any thing displeasing to God, let us not be superfluous in our sufferings. Furthermore let us know, that as it is unlawful to take §. Sect. 12. That we must carefully use all good means whereby we may be freed and delivered from our afflictions. vpon us voluntarily crosses& afflictions when we may lawfully escape them; so is it also as unlawful to lie under them still, when wee may by good and honest means be freed from them; because this is to tempt the Lord, when as needlessly we desire to make experience of his power, providence,& promised assistance, either for our delivery, or for strength and patience to endure these wilful trials. For herein we resemble stubborn and foolish children, who wilfully fall that their parents may catch hold of them, and being down, lie still and cry, but never offer to rise, because they expect to be helped up by others. And this is the sin unto which our saviour Christ was tempted by the devill, but resisted the tentation, alleging that it is written, that wee must not tempt the Lord our God. We ourselves continually pray that Matth. 4. 7. we may not be lead into tentation, but that we may be delivered from evil; and therefore seeing afflictions are strong temptations, whereby the devil and the world labour to draw us to the committing of sin, as impatiency, murmuring& repining against God, doubting of his providence and such like,& seeing they are evils of punishment, which are threatened against sin; therefore we must not wilfully cast ourselves into these temptations, into which wee pray that we may not be lead, nor of our own accord run into those evils, from which we entreat at Gods hands that we may be delivered. For whatsoever we lawfully desire by prayer, that we are to labour after in the use of al good means that we may obtain it; and that which we pray against wee are bound to use the like means to shun and avoid it, desiring God to give us grace, that we may carefully and prosperously use them, either for the gaining of the one, or escaping of the other, which if we do not, we do but play the hypocrites, praying with our lips for that wc our hearts desire not. So that as we must not wilfully plunge ourselves into temptations; so must we contrariwise use all good means to shun afflictions before they happen, and to be delivered from them if already wee bee overtaken by them; as namely wee must use the lawful means of physic, to prevent or cure our sicknesses, industrious labour in our calling, to preserve us from poverty; or to bee freed from it, if wee bee fallen into it, the authority and assistance of magistrates, to defend us from injuries and oppression; or to recover our right of which which wee are deprived by force and violence; and flight in the time of persecution, unless the glory of God, and good of the Church do require our martyrdom and suffering. The which is waranted unto us, not onely by those testimonies of Scripture, before alleged, but also by the example of the Saints of God from time to time. For thus jacob used al good policy, and neglected no means which he thought available for the appeasing of his brothers fury, and avoiding those mischiefs which would haue accompanied Gen. 32. 11. 13. Exod. 2. 1. Sam. 19. 2 Sam. 15. Act: 9.& chap. 22.& 23. his rage. Thus Moses fled from Pharaoh, david from Saul and Absalon, joseph and Mary from Herods cruel persecution; Paul from the Iewes at Damascus; and those who having vowed his death, did lie in wait to murder him. And thus he escaped bonds by pleading the privilege of a citizen of Rome; and made a great party on his side to defend him from raging violence, by professing himself to be a pharisee. Yea our saviour Christ himself, who came into the world to suffer for us, did flee persecution until the appointed time came; and even then being affrighted with that heavy burden which he was to bear, and abhorring to drink of that bitter potion prepared for him, he did instantly desire,( though with submission of his will to his heavenly father's) that this cup might pass from him. The which examples are sufficient warrant for us to avoid Matth. 26. ● afflictions by all lawful means, taking them as sent by God for our preservation or deliverance, and praising his name in the use of them. Neither is it fit that wee should sit still, and effeminatly complain when wee are in any misery and calamity,; but as it beseemeth a manly disposition, we must aduise with ourselves, take counsel of others, and labour and endeavour in the use of all lawful means to escape afflictions, or to overcome them, if we cannot avoyde them. Nor is it enough that wee desire deliverance, or implore by prayer Gods assistance to free us from trouble; but as the wise pilot doth provide all things necessary against the tempest, and useth them with all care and diligence when the storm cometh, and so craveth Gods blessing vpon his endeavours, because without this, his pains and providence become vain and fruitless; so must we take the same course in all dangers and troubles( having holy jacob for our example, who though he had wrestled with God al the night, by prayers and strong cries, and had prevailed, yet he serveth Genes. 32. Hos. 12. 4. Gods providence by his own endeavours, and useth al good means to pacify or avoyde his brothers rage) and not after a childish manner lie still and cry, beating( as it were) the ground vpon which we are fallen, and complaining of our affflictions which haue hurt and grieved us, but never endeavouring to rise again, nor using any means of ease or comfort. But yet in the use of all means to free us from afflictions, we must carefully observe these rules: first that they be lawful and warrantable, not wicked and sinful, least that reproof of Elihu, intended against job, bee justly applied unto us, that we choose iniquity rather then affliction; job. 36. ●1. for he ill provideth for his own good, who falleth into the evil of sin, to escape the evil of punishment, and that endangereth his soul to most grievous and everlasting torments, that he may be freed from those bodily afflictions, which are light and momentany. For besides that, he hazardeth himself to the suffering of these endless torments for the time to come, that he may be eased of present smart; he doth through the just iudgment of God fail oftentimes of his purpose,& lieth stil under the cross which he thought to haue avoided. And not seildome whilst he thus escapeth one misery, he falleth at unawares into a far greater, finding no more ease and comfort, by all his unlawful shifts then the dearly fish which leapeth out of the frying pan into the fire. And whereas he might haue born the hand of God in the former afflictions with greater patience, because he had inwardly the testimony of a good conscience to comfort him; and outwardly the sweet odour of a good name, he is by his wicked shifts robbed of both, and is forced to bear his more heavy crosses with the terrors of an evil conscience, and deserved infamy and reproach. The second caution is, that in using these means wee do refer the issue to the good pleasure of God, and submit our wills to Math. 6. 39. his will, saying with our saviour, Father let this cup pass from me, howbeit not my will, but thine be done; for as much as he knoweth bettet then ourselves what is fit for us, and will according to his promise in time convenient, give a good issue out of the tentation. And lastly, we must take heed least in using the means we trust in them, and leaving the Lord, who is the supreme cause of our deliverance, do rest vpon our own providence, and vpon inferior causes, which are but his instruments; like unto Asa who trusted in the Physitians for the recovery of his health; for thē we shal rob God of his glory, and in stead of returning the praise of our deliverance unto him, we will, with those whom the Prophet Habackuck Hab. 1. 16. reproveth, Sacrifice unto our nets, and burn incense to our yarn. And these are the cautions, which being observed, wee may lawfully, yea wee ought to use all good means to escape afflictions, or bee delivered out of them; seeing otherwise we shall tempt God, offer wrong against our own persons, and not be accepted of God in our sufferings, seeing herein wee yield no obedience unto him, these not being crosses of his imposing; but follow our own wilful fantasies, in making choice of unnecessary afflictions; nor fight his battels against the world, seeing he hath not called us out, nor sounded the alarm; but( as it were) pick private quarrels against our own peace, seeking out, and provoking an enemy, with whom the Lord hath not commanded us to fight. THE SECOND book, CONTAINING our CONFLICT with afflictions, wherein is entreated of patience in bearing the cross, and of the means whereby wee may attain unto it. CHAP. I. Of patience in afflictions, what it is, and the causes and properties thereof. IN the former book I haue shewed what preparation is required of us, before wee enter § Sect. 1. Patience defined. into this spiritual conflict of affflictions. Now we are to speak of the right demeaning of ourselves when we are entered into the battle, and of the holy and christian disposition and behaviour, which we must exercise and show, both in the bearing of those crosses, whilst it shall please God to let them lie vpon us, and also in returning thankes and praise unto God, after we are through his gracious assistance delivered from them, and haue obtained full victory in this spiritual conflict: unto the well bearing of the cross, is required patience, in all our afflictions, the highest degree whereof is, when we bear them with thanksgiving, and spiritual ioy, and rejoicing in the holy Ghost. And first I will entreat of this grace itself, and then of the means whereby wee may attain unto it. Concerning the former. Patience is our passive obedience, or the obedience of the cross, The description of patience. which is a fruit and grace of Gods holy spirit, arising from the true knowledge of God, and of ourselves, as also from a lively faith, affiance, hope and unfeigned love of God, whereby we bear our cross imposed vpon us by God, quietly, constantly, and willingly. Where first I show the roote whereof this patience is a branch, namely our obedience unto God, whereby we in all things submit our wills unto his good pleasure, both for 1. Sam. 3. 18. the doing and suffering of all which he requireth; saying with Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth good unto 2. Sam. 15. 26. him. And with david, here I am, let him do unto me as it seemeth good in his eyes. And with our saviour Christ himself, Not as I will, but as thou wilt: and again, O my father, Math. 26. 39. 42▪ if this cup cannot pass away from me, but that I must drink of it, thy will be done. And this is that which wee continually beg in that petition of the Lords prayer, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. And therefore if wee pray with upright hearts, and not like hypocrites, we will submit ourselves to this good will of God, when by the event it is revealed unto us, whether it be for the doing of that which he requireth, or the suffering of that which he imposeth vpon vs. And thus it appeareth, that our patience is a branch of that obedience which wee owe unto God; I add further, that it is a fruit of the spirit; for Gods holy spirit is the chief and principal cause both of this, and of all other Gods sanctifing and saving graces, as the Apostle sheweth in the Epistle to the Galathians, The fruit( saith he) of the spirit is love, Gal. 5. 22. ioy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperancy, &c. But because the spirit of God, as the chief and supreme cause, doth for the effecting of this grace of patience in us, use certain other graces as mediate and subordinate causes thereof; even as the main roote doth derive life and sap, first to the chief boughs, and by them to the lesser branches; therefore I express in this description of patience, these subordinate, next and immediate causes from which it ariseth and springeth. And fir●●●he knowledge of God, as of his infinite wisdom, whereby he knoweth what is best for us, his al-ruling providence, whereby he disposeth all things for those ends, which in his wisdom he seeth to be best; his will which is the rule of all iustice, and therefore to be obeied by all his creatures; and finally, his mercy, goodness and love towards us, whereby he turneth all things to our good; as being our most gracious and dear father in Iesus Christ. And also the knowledge of ourselves, that wee are most wicked and damnable sinners, who by our manifold and heinous transgressions, haue deserved to haue the full vials of Gods wrath to bee powred vpon us; and therefore great reason we haue to bear these lesser afflictions with patience and thanksgiving, seeing we haue justly deserved the greatest, even the eternal condemnation both of our bodies and souls. unto this knowledge I add faith, by which we beleeue and apply unto ourselves all wee know for our own use and benefit; for believing that God is our gracious father in Christ, and apprehending all Gods gracious promises of the gospel as due unto us; and particularly those which assure us of Gods assistance, and of our deliverance out of all afflictions, we bear with patience these crosses that are laid vpon vs. The other graces name, as they are the fruits of this faith, so are the causes of our patience, as namely affiance in God, whereby beleeeing his promises, we rest vpon him in all troubles and dangers; and hope, whereby we expect and wait for with patience the accomplishment of them; and finally, love of God which proceedeth from the assurance of his love towards us; the which especially doth work in us, confirm, and increase our patience, according to the saying of the Apostle; love suffereth all things, it believeth all things, it hopeth 1. Cor. 13. 7. 8. all things, it endureth all things, and doth never fall away. And Rom. 8. 38. 39& vers. 2●. that because we are assured that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Iesus Christ our Lord,& that all things whatsoever, even our crosses and afflictions shall work together for the best unto them that love God; for he who is merciful and gracious to his enemies, will bee infinite in mercy and goodness to his friends, who love and fear him, and also because nothing seemeth hard and difficult to him that loveth. By which it appeareth that all true patience is a fruit of §. Sect. 2. That there was never any true patience among the heathens. the spirit, and ariseth mediately from these sanctifying and saving graces: whereof it followeth that it was never to be found among the ethnics and Pagan Philosophers, because they were destitute of these saving graces. It is true that they gave many precepts of patience, which make a faire show at the first sight; as prouerbially it was said among them, that we must bear and forbear, so some haue taught that felicity Arist. in ethick. consisteth not in worldly prosperity, but in the exercise& practise of virtue,& consequently that a virtuous man may bee happy though afflicted; yea that by adversity wee haue occasion so to exercise virtue, that it will appear more beautiful and glorious, the stoics taught that there is no evil in affliction, but onely that it is evil to abandon virtue and follow 'vice; and to the same purpose the orator saith, that besides 'vice and dishonesty, nothing can befall a man whereat he should bee daunted and appalled. And the practise also of many of them was according to these precepts; for so we red of Horatius P●luillus being dedicating of a Temple, and hearing of the death of his son; that he seemed not moved with the news, but without interruption finished that which he had in hand: and Paulus Aemilius, hearing of the death of his children, said with undaunted courage, that the gods had heard his prayer, which was that calamities should rather befall his family, then the common wealth. And the like magnanimous patience they shewed in suffering personal afflictions: as Aristides in his banishment: Scipio in those indignities which his ungrateful countrymen offered unto him; Regulus in his exquisite torments. But yet this was no true patience, because it flowed not from those saving graces of the knowledge of God, faith, affiance and hope; neither was done in obedience to Gods will, and joined with humility; but did arise rather from pride, whereby they desired to eternize their same, or at best from a civil love of their country, or some other worldly respects, to which purpose one saith that the Philosophers professed that they sought after patience; but their patience was as false and counterfeit as their wisdom. For how can he be wise or patient, who hath not known the wisdom and patience of God? And again, if their wisdom was not true, then neither Cyprian. de bono patient. lib. could their patience: for if he alone be patient, who is humble and meek, and we see that these Philosophers were neither meek nor humble; but such as pleased themselves much in their own eyes, and that in those things wherein they displeased God; it plainly appeareth that there was no Ibid. Serm. 3. true patience there, where there was an insolent audaciousnes of affencted liberty, and a manifest appearance of immodest boasting. Finally they did not look to the hand of God exercising them with these afflictions, not yielded obedience to his will in their sufferings; but they ascribed all to fate chance, and fortune, professing that these afflictions were to be born with patience, because they could not bee Optimum est pati quod emendare non possis. ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt. Senec. epist. 107. Non pare● deo said assentior. ex animo illum, non quia necesse est, sequor. Senec. epist. 96. Malus miles est qui imperatorem gemens sequitur. Senec. epist. 107. §. Sect. 3. Of the object of patience. avoided; or if at all they acknowledged Gods hand in them, they yielded unto it, because it was in vain to strive; now he that submitteth himself vpon mere necessity, and because he cannot choose; would resist if he were able,& detract his obedience in his sufferings, if by any means he could escape them; whereas he who is truly patient obeyeth willingly the good pleasure of God, and meekly submitteth himself to bear the cross, not because being necessary he must bear it, whether he will or no; but because it is sinful to detract his obedience, and to resist the will of God which he knoweth to be just in itself, and in respect of him full of mercy and goodness. And thus haue I shewed the causes of patience,& the difference, chiefly arising out of them, between the patience of Christians and of the heathens and infidels: I further set down the object of patience, namely the cross, which is that measure and proportion of afflictions, that God hath allotted and shared out to every one of the faithful, the which is necessary to be born of every one who will bee Christs Disciple, according to the saying of our saviour, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross luke. 9. 23. daily and follow me; of which necessity the Apostle rendereth this reason, because afflictions are in Gods eternal decree joined with our election as a means whereby our salvation is furthered: for having before spoken of afflictions, that if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him; that they are not worthy the glory which shall be revealed, and that they shall work together for the best unto them that love God; he addeth this as another consola●ion, that these afflictions are signs of our election; for th●se which he knew before, he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his son, that he Rom. 8. 29. might be the first born among many brethren. In the last place I set down the manner of suffering necessary § Sect. 4. Of the properties of true patience, and first of meekness and quietness. required to true patience, the which consisteth in three things; the first is that we bear the cross meekly and mildly, peaceably, quietly, and with moderate grief& sorrow; and that not outwardly alone, but especially in the mind and heart. So the Lord saith by his Prophet unto his afflicted people; In rest and quietness shall ye be saved, in quietness Isa. 30. 15. and confidence shall be your strength; And what kind of quietness and peace this is, david expresseth, where he biddeth Psalm. 4▪ 4. us to examine our own hearts vpon our own bed and bee still. showing that our quietness and peace should be as well Psalm. 39. 9. private, as before company, and as well in the heart& mind, as in the speech and countenance. An example of this quiet peacefulnes, and meek silence, wee haue in david, who was dumb, and opened not his mouth because it was God that did afflict him; and in job, who in his great extremities checketh job. 39. 37. himself for having been too talkative in his complaints; and professeth for the time to come, that he would lay his hand vpon his mouth, keep silence and speak no more. But above all examples is that of our saviour Christ, who in his manifold and grievous afflictions is said not to haue opened his mouth, Esa. 53. 7. but was brought out as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearer is dumb; so he opened not his mouth. unto wc quiet meekness is opposed clamorous complaining, crying, howling,& wringing of the hands; murmuring& repining against the providence& iustice of God; as though he were an accepter of persons, punishing us more greeuoullie then greater offenders, or above the quality of our fault, or our strength to endure it, as we may see in the example of cain, who complaineth that his punishment was greater then he could bear. Gen. 4. 13. But howsoever this unruly unquietness and vehemency of passion is to be avoided of all those, who would possess Chrysost. serm. ad populum. 5. Tom 4. their souls with patience; yet it is lawful, yea expedient& needful, that we should in the time of affliction be affencted with moderate grief; yet not so much for the affliction itself, and the smart and sense of pain( in which regard wee are not to mourn out of our iudgement, choice, and will▪ but onely so much as nature and necessity compelleth us unto) as for our sin which is thus chastised and corrected: and that not in respect of the punishment which it deserveth, but because thereby we haue offended and displeased our gracious God and merciful Father. Because all sorrow which is for any thing, having no reference or respect to sin, is vain and unprofitable, yea oftentimes hurtful and pernicious; or if it do any good at all, it is not by lessening of the affliction, but only as it easeth the heart by venting of that grief, which being retained, would suffocate or break it, in which regard sorrow is only to be entertained in respect of the outward expressing therof, as a means to unburden the mind, and not to load it, vpon necessity to ●ase nature by giuing some issue to those floods of grief, which if they were dammed in, would overflow and drown the heart, and not willingly to continue in it, or to aggravate it by our conceit, which inventeth wittily such arguments as will rob our souls of all peace and quietness. For whereas there are several medicines which are proper and peculiar for every disease, which being rightly applied do effect the cure; but if contrariwise that which is fit for one be applied unto another, in stead of helping, it much hurteth& increaseth the malignity of the disease: so the medicines that helpeth the diseases of the hand, are unprofitable or pernicious, being applied to the heart;& that which helps the hearing, would being misapplied, put out the eyes; sorrow and grief is appointed by God to be a medicine proper and peculiar for the curing of sin; and being rightly applied unto it, and in fit proportion, it doth cure and heal it; but if it be misapplied unto our crosses and calamities as unto sickness, poverty, death of friends and worldly losses, it doth not lessen or take them away, but rather much aggravates and increaseth them, like the worm in the nut, eating the heart in which it is bread; and doing us more true hurt and damage, then all other miseries which we lament and sorrow for. But as there is an excess and disorder of our sorrow, §. Sect. 5. That wee must not with the stoics affect senseless stupidity in our afflictions. when as either we mourn too much, or not for that which we ought chiefly to bewail; so there is a defect thereof, when we grieve not at all, but like stocks haue no sense either of our fault, or of our punishment and correction. The which senselessness in bearing afflictions was so much commended by the stoics, who thought him alone magnanimous and wise, who putting off al passion and affection( and with it humanity itself) carried himself at all times alike, both in prosperity and adversity, not affencted with ioy in any delights, nor with sorrow and grief in any misery and affliction. But this is to turn a man into a ston or stock, and to dream of such a patience as never was or shall bee found among men; or if it could, yet hath not in it any magnanimity or Christian fortitude: but dull blockishness and senseless stupidity. Yea in truth it is not onely an unreasonable, but also a senseless dream and dotage, contrary to the law of nature, which hath ordered that all living creatures should fear affliction and misery before it come, and bewail it when it is inflicted: and so far from true wisdom, that it is voided of sense, and full of ridiculous folly, when with some idle rhetoric, and frivolous speculation a man shall bee persuaded to smile when he smarteth, and to give his sense and feeling the lie, when as it telleth him that he is vexed and tormented. And therefore I would pass it over, thinking it more fit to bee confuted with a whip, then with weight of argument; were there not many among us, professing Christanity, that in their practise come near these stoical precepts, who not out of speculation and discourse of Philosophy, but out of their carnal security, and senseless stupidity, and hardness of hart, are not at al affencted, either with Gods mercies, or with his judgements; but when Gods hand is heavy vpon them, put off the feeling therof with desperate contempt, labouring to outface their griefs, or quiter to blot them out of memory, by going into merry company, game, sporting, drinking and such other worldly and carnal delights. In all which they please themselves& would blind others with an opinion of their patience, and contentedness to bear with all willingness whatsoever it pleaseth God to inflict vpon them. But let them know that this is not patience, G●●riatur de virious propriae voluntatis, tanquam de s●●●●ore morbi▪ non ●● ro●●re sanitatis. I●s●●●●a est ●●ta gloriatio, non est p●tientiae said deme●tiae. Aug. de patient. c. 23. but senseless security, and hardness of heart; not a virtue, but a disease of the mind, even the dead palsy or sleepy lethargy of sin: and as one saith, it is not the strength of health, but senseless stupidity proceeding from the desperatenes of their sickness▪& their boasting of it, is not the fruit of patience, but frantic raving. And so far off are such from being either wise or patient, that they are rather like those drunkards, described by Salomon, who sleep securely in the midst of the sea, and on the top of the mast; and when they are smitten feel no smart, and being beaten do not Prou. 23. 34. know of it; and therefore resolve to continue in their sin, or those demoniacs, who plucked their chains and fetters asunder, and could not be tamed by any man, nor kept from mark 5. 4. offering violence against their own senseless bodies. And therefore such stupidity is no fruit of wisdom, but rather of madness or drunkenness in sin, and ariseth not from knowledge, but from the ignorance or forgetfulness of the causes of afflictions; for if they knew or considered that they all came from God, they would tremble under his corrections▪ Heb. 10. 31. because it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; if they understood or remembered that the deserving cause is sin, which hath justly merited not onely these lighter chastisements, but even the most fearful wrath of God, and most grievous and intolerable punishments, temporal and eternal; they would lay them more to heart, and groan in the sight and sense of them. If they did call to mind that the end of these corrections is to bring them unto sorrow for their sin, that so they might amend and turn from it, they would not pass them over with careless neglect, and secure stupidity, l●st not being touched and afflicted with these lighter chastisements, they make themselves liable to Gods more terrible vengeance and fearful plagues. Which senseless blockishness that we may avoid in the §. Sect. 6. Of the means to avoid secure blockishness ●● affliction. time of our afflictions, let us know that the Lord in his word doth condemn this secure indolencie, and stupid hardness of heart, when we are corrected by him; for so he taxeth the Israelites by his Prophet; Thou hast strike them( saith he) jer. 5. 3. but they haue not sorrowed, thou hast consumed them, but they haue refused to receive correction, they haue made their fac●s harder then a ston, and haue refused to return. So the Prophet ●say condemneth their off putting from them their sorrow by feasting and marveling: In that day( saith he) did Esa. 22. 12. 13. the Lord of hosts call unto weeping and mourning, and to baldness and girding with sackcloth. And behold, ioy and gladness, slaying of oxen, and killing of sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, &c. Secondly, let us consider that the Scriptures do not describe unto us such a patience, as is without sense of the evils wee suffer, and not at all assaulted with grief and sorrow; but such an one, as in the feeling of smart doth keep us from bursting out into murmuring and repining, or from sinking into desperate sorrow and deep despair. Not such an one as is exempted from all dolour and anguish; but onely that it moderate this grief with spiritual ioy, and meek submission of our will to the pleasure of God. Neither doth God require that we should haue a patience, not at all pressed with any anxiety or sorrow of mind; but that being tired with bearing the burden, we be somewhat refreshed, and eased with the consolations of his word and holy Spirit. He would not haue us vanquished in the combat of afflictions; but yet he would haue us fight unto weariness, and not obtain such a victory, as hath had no conflict going before it. In a word, that conquest over the cross best pleaseth him, when as our natural sight and sense, seeth, feeleth and abhorreth the afflictions which wee suffer, causing us to grieve and groan under our burden;& in the mean time, our obedience and filial affection to our heavenly father, so far prevaileth, as that in the midst of all the difficulties and distresses, wee can bee content to submit ourselves to his holy will, and bear the cross with patience, which he hath laid vpon us, until he vouchsafe us by lawful means, freedom and delivery. And this the Apostle Paul affirmeth to bee the estate of all the faithful, namely that in their afflictions they are touched with some sorrow in the sense and feeling of thē, but not so overwhelmed with grief and heaviness, but that being humbled, they rise again, and get the victory over the violence of 2. Cor. 4. 8. their passions. We are( saith he) afflicted on every side, yet are we not in distress; in poverty, but not overcome of poverty; we are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but we perish not, &c. An example whereof we haue in Peter, unto whom our joh. 21. 18. saviour saith, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whether thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch out thine hands, and another shall gird thee, and led thee whether thou wouldest not. By which speech we are not to understand, that Peter would be simply unwilling to suffer for Christ, for then his martyrdom had deserved no praise; but that howsoever he was willing with all readiness to lay down his life for the glory of God; that natural fear which he had of death and torment drew him another way; so as he was hereby distracted between a twofold will of grace and nature; the one shunning death, the other yielding obedience to the will of God, that before a sore conflict he could not put fear to slight, nor get victory over his natural affection. So Paul professed that and was ready not onely to suffer bonds but death itself, for Act 21. 13. the name of the Lord Iesus: but yet that natural desire of preserving his life, and avoiding torments, so far prevailed, that he useth all good means to escape affliction and persecution, professing that he was a pharisee, and a citizen of room, reproving the high Priest, who caused him to bee unjustly smitten; and avoiding the laying in wait of those who sought his life. But most notably doth this appear in our saviour Christ himself, who was exceedingly distracted with this double will; the one natural, whereby he earnestly desired to preserve his precious life, and to escape those fearful punishments which he was to suffer, both in his soul and body: the other divine and spiritual whereby he desired to glorify his father, by submitting himself in all things to his holy will; and to perfect the work of mans redemption whom he so dearly loved. Whereof it was that he could not without a great conflict submit himself to those grievous sufferings, but first desireth; Father if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me: and after yeeldeth obedience Matth. 26. 39. to his fathers pleasure; nevertheless, not mine, but thy will be done. And thus it appeareth, that moderate sorrow in the time of affliction, may well stand and agree with that patience which the Scriptures describe unto vs. In the third place I add, that this moderate grief which is eased and refreshed with divine consolation is warranted, yea commanded in the Scriptures. The former is implied, where the Apostle requireth that we should not mourn for them 1. Thess. 4. 13. that are departed in the faith of Christ, as men without hope; where he taxeth and forbiddeth onely heathenish mourning, which was excessive and immoderate, and alloweth such a proportion as is fit for a temporary departure. So also where he saith, that we must not despise the chastening 1. Thess. 4. 13. of the Lord, as on the other side, wee must not faint when we are rebuked of him; where he speaketh of enduring Heb. 12. 5. 7. 11. 12. chastening, which argueth sorrow and vexation, and telleth us, that no chastising for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous, causing the hands to hang down, and weakening Ioel. 2. 12. 13 the knees. The other is manifestly expressed in the prophecy of Ioel, where the Lord crieth out to his afflicted people: turn you unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; and rent your hearts and not your clothes, &c. But most plainly by the Apostle james, Iam. 4. 9 Suffer( saith he) afflictions and sorrow, ye and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your ioy into heaviness. Yea in truth this is the main end which the Lord propoundeth of our afflictions, that they may serve as his chastisements, to bring us to a sight and feeling of sin, true humiliation and unfeigned repentance, by smart and sense of pain; even as the loving and wise father doth correct his son, that by the sense and smart of the rod, he may be brought to a sight of his fault and sorrow for it, and so may amend it for the time to come. And as it is a sign of an ungracious child not to be grieved with his fathers corrections, and a great presumption that they will not amend him, if they do not move him: so doth this make it more then probable, that such are destitute of grace and filial affection, and far from reformation and amendment, who haue no sense and feeling of Gods correction, nor are brought by their smart to unfeigned sorrow for their fall. Yea such haue just cause to fear, that they are not at all the children of God, seeing they are not affencted with his fatherly chast●zements, that they are in the lethargy of security, seeing these sharp stripes will not move or awake them; that their hearts are brawned and of a flinty hardness, when the hammer of Gods iudgments will not bruise them, nor the sharp arrows of his indignation pierce them, or make any entrance for grief and sorrow; yea that they are stark dead in their sins, when like senseless blocks they are not moved at all, when God whippeth and scourgeth them with these stinging whips of misery and affliction. Or if they belong unto Gods election, and haue the life of grace begun in them; if the Lord hath adopted them for his sons, and intendeth to bestow vpon them that heavenly inheritance of his glorious kingdom; then let them assure themselves, that he will not leave them till he haue humbled them for their faults, and brought them to a sight of their sin that they may bewail it. And if his more gentle chastisements will not effect it, because the thick skin of security keepeth them from feeling the smart of his rods, he will take in hand the three stringed whip of his more grievous judgements, and more severely correct them, not leaving to redouble his blows till their sense of pain hath brought them to a sight of sin, to true humility and acknowledgement of their faults; and to an hearty sorrow, both natural for the affliction, and spiritual for their sin. And this the Lord threateneth against his people of Israell, That if Leuit. 26. 21. 24 28. they did walk stubbornly against him, and would not be humbled by his more mildred corrections, he would walk stubbornly against them in his anger, and chasten them seven times more according to their sins. And at this our saviour aimeth when he admonished the man whom he had cured, to sin no more, job. 5. 14. lest a worse thing did happen unto him. And this is just with God to double his punishments, when as men redouble Tantò rectius maiori supplicio dignum iudic●ueris animum, quantò magis vitiosus ●dit instrumenta vir tutis August. de patient. lib. cap. 5. their sins, adding to their other transgressions, stubborness, impenitency hardness of heart, and neglect of Gods more gentle chastisements, which he hath appointed to be the means of their humiliation and repentance. To which purpose one saith, that he is rightly judged worthy so much the greater punishment, by how much being vicious, he abhorreth the instruments of virtue and goodness. moreover, our saviour Christ foretold not onely the afflictions of his disciples, but also that they should sorrow § Sect. 7. That moderate grief in afflictions is foretold by our saviour, and put in practise by the saints. job. 16. 20 and mourn when they were afflicted, ye( saith he) shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice: and ye shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy. Neither did he impute this grief unto them as an infirmity, or fruit of pusillanimity or dejection of mind, but as an action so pleasing and acceptble unto God, that he vouchafeth reward it with eternal happiness. Blessed( saith he) are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted: and blessed are ye that Matth 6. 4. luke. 6. 21 weep now, for ye shall laugh. Finally, it hath been the continual practise of all Gods saints, to sorrow and mourn in their afflictions; for thus Abraham, the father of the faithful, mourned for the death of Sara, Isaac for Abraham, jacob for Isaac, and the supposed death of joseph, and joseph and his brethren for their father jacob. Thus was patient job affencted with moderate grief when he heard of the loss of his riches and children, although he meekly submitted himself to the will of God, and blessed his holy name in his greatest extremity; for so it is said, that he arose and rent his garment, and shaved his head, and fell down vpon the ground job. 1. 20. and worshipped. And thus holy david professeth that in his afflictions he was so much affencted with sorrow, that he Psal. 6. 6.& 38. 6. 8. fainted in his mourning, and caused his bed every night to swim, and watered his couch with his tears, that he was bowed and crooked very sore under the weight of his afflictions, and went mourning all the day. That he was weakened and sore broken, and roared for the very grief of his heart. So it is said of good Esa. 38. 2. 3. 14. Hezekiah, that being in danger of death, he turned his face to the wall, prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore: that he did chatter like a crane or a swallow, and did mourn like a dove. And even of the whole church of the Iewes in her captivity, that together with her affliction she remembered her mourning, Lamē. 3. 19. 20. the wormwood and the gull, and that in remembrance of them, her soul was humbled in her. But above all exceptions is the example of our saviour, who was so much affencted with the fear of his passion, that his soul was heavy unto the death; Mar. 14. 34. luke. 22. 43. 44. in so much as there was need that an angel should be sent to comfort him. And so much oppressed with the sense of Gods wrath, that he was brought into a great agony, in so much as his sweat was like drops of blood trickling down to the ground, and forced him to cry out in his great distress, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Neither Matth. 27. 46. was he thus affencted with his own griefs alone, but did sympathise in his friends sorrows, yea in the miseries of those who persecuted him; for so it is said, that when he saw Mary weep, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled in himself; that he wept when he was brought to the grave of joh. 11. 33. 35. Lazarus. And that drawing near unto jerusalem, and beholding luke. 19. 41. the city, he wept over it, as foreseing the miseries which should come vpon it. And in regard of these manifold griefs which his soul sustained, for his own and others afflictions, the Prophet calleth him a man full of sorrow Esa. 53. 3. and heaviness. And therefore, if not onely all the faithful, but also our saviour Christ himself, the mirror of all true patience, was in his afflictions affencted with grief and sorrow; let no man who is not at all touched when the hand of God lieth heavy vpon him, nor hath so much as any conflict with heaviness and grief, when he is pursued with Gods heavy iudgments, say and boast, that he doth all this by virtue of his patience and magnanimous fortitude; but rather confess, as the truth is, that it is his carnal security, and hardness of heart, his blockish stupidity, and obdurate senselessness, which is the true cause of his indolencie, and want of grief; unless he would prefer himself in his patience and fortitude before the patriarches, Prophets, and Apostles, yea our Lord and saviour Iesus Christ. Lastly, whereas men glory in their patience as being free § Sect. 8. That there can be no true patience where there is no passion. from all grief and sorrow, their words imply a contradiction, for there is no place for patience, where there is no passion, seeing the very object of our patience is grief and misery, about the bearing and moderating whereof our patience is exercised, so that as there is no occasion of grief where there are no crosses and afflictions; so there is no occasion to show our patience, where the heart is not assaulted with grief and heaviness; and as there can be no occasion to manifest valour and fortitude, if there bee no enemy, nor any victory or triumph, unless a fight go before: so unless there be, not onely miseries and afflictions, as poverty, infamy, sickness, death and such like calamities; but also a sense and apprehension of them, as great enemies to our peace and comfort, there can bee no occasion of using patience, which is only exercised in moderating our griefs, and Nulla virtus est quae non sentias perpeti. Senec. in Sap. non Cad. iniur. Cap. 10. bearing our miseries; nor any praise of fortitude, virtue or victory, when as there is no enemy to assault vs. But when we are pinched with sharp afflictions, and do exceedingly abhor them in our natural disposition, and are much vexed and turmoiled with grief because we cannot shake them off, nor be freed from them, then to show fortitude& magnanimity in bearing those bitter and abhorred miseries, valiantly resisting the tentation of murmuring and repining against Gods providence, of sorrowing without mean or measure, or using unlawful means to bee delivered from these evils; to drink willingly this bitter potion which God hath tempered for us, to be restrained by the fear and love of God, from bursting out into any intemperancy: and finally to submit our wills with all meekness and humility to the good pleasure of God trying us with these afflictions, which in our sense and feeling are so irksome& grievous. These are the fruits of true patience which commend our victory, and increase our triumph, and herein our Christian prowess and courage will appear, when being assaulted with sorrow and heaviness, it is confirmed and made invincible Non habent fortitudinis laudem qui stuporem magis vulnerum tulerint quam dolorem. Ambr. in luke. 22. by the sweet consolations of Gods holy spirit, assuring us of victory, and of the crown of glory prepared for them which overcome. Whereas contrariwise that is stupidity and senslesnes, and not virtue and Christian fortitude, to bear afflictions, when we do not feel or apprehended them; neither( as one saith) do they deserve the praise of patience who endure( without complaining) the wounds of adversity, when being benumbed they haue no sense of pain. And so much concerning the first thing required in our §. Sect. 9. That our patience must be joined with constancy. patience, or manner of bearing the cross, which is, that wee bear afflictions quietly and meekly, with moderate grief and sorrow: the next thing is that we bear them constantly, neither seeking to shift them off by unlawful means, nor murmuring and repining against the providence of God, whilst we lie under this burden of misery. For as it is not sufficient for a good pilot to take pains in breaking one dangerous billow, or in passing one storm; but he must show the like care and diligence in well governing the ship, Patientia est honestatis aut utilitatis causa rerum arduarum et terribilium voluntaria et diuturna perpessio. Cic. in 2. Rhetoric. till he safely arrive at the wished haven; and as it is not enough for a good captain or soldier to show great valour in the first brunt of the battle, if afterwards he shamefully flee, or fight faintly and cowardly; but he must courageously continue fighting, till he haue vanquished the enemy and obtained victory: so it is not sufficient to the being of Christian patience, that wee bear and brook well one storm of misery, and through our slackness and negligence sink or be wracked in the next, but after one billow of affliction, and tempest of trouble is past and escaped, wee must expect and prepare ourselves to endure an other, until we safely arrive in the haven of happiness. It is not enough for a Christian soldier, that he demean himself well in the first conflict with afflictions, if he afterwards grow weary of fighting,& flee out of the field by using unlawful means to escape; or fight faintly and not without grudging and murmuring against his commander, for bringing him into the troubles and dangers; but he must constantly continue his courage and resolution, after one encounter expecting& preparing himself to sustain another, and never cease showing his fortitude and unwearied magnanimity, till he haue obtained a full and final victory. And this duty of continuing Act. 20. 23. constant in bearing our afflictions with patience, our saviour intimateth and implicitly requireth, whereas he saith, that if a man will be his disciple, he must take up his cross daily,& follow luke. 9. 23. him: and the Apostle exhorteth us not only to begin well, but that wee will let patience haue her perfect work, that wee Iam. 1. 4. Psalm. 37. 7. may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing; and the Psalmist, that we should wait patiently vpon the Lord, and hope in him; the which the afflicted Church doth commend as a good thing to those who perform it: It is good( saith shee) both to trust, and to wait for the salvation of the Lord. An example Lam. 3. 26. of which duty we haue in job, who after one affliction, patiently endured another, until they were exceedingly multiplied in number, and increased in weight: as also in david who after he had received Gods promises of being king, endured manifold afflictions with much patience, and with great constancy, waited Gods leisure for the accomplishment of them. And so likewise in Paul, who armeth himself to bear all afflictions without fainting, both present, and to come; for so he professeth, that he was ready, not onely to bee bound, but even to die for the name of the Lord Acts 21. 13. Iesus: And elsewhere he saith, that therefore we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed 2. Cor. 4. 16. 17. daily, because our light▪ affliction, which is but for a moment, causeth unto us a far most excellent, and an eternal weight of glory. But of this point I shall haue occasion to entreat more largely, when I come to speak of our perseverance in faith and patience, when God deferreth to help and deliver us out of trouble. The last thing required in our patience is, that we do not §. Sect. 10. That our patience must be joined with willingness and cheerfulness in bearing the cross. onely meekly and constantly bear our afflictions, but also willingly and cheerfully; submitting ourselves herein to Gods good pleasure; not because we cannot choose, and must whether we will or not, but with alacrity and readiness, as being a thing not onely not hurtful and pernicious, but through the wisdom and goodness of God ruling and disposing them, good and profitable. And this our saviour implieth, where he enjoineth us to take up our cross; whereby as it is not meant, that we must voluntarily draw crosses vpon ourselves of our own making, but our receiving of those which it pleaseth God to lay vpon us; so it signifieth that wee must not undergo& bear them as a burden forced vpon us whether we will or no, with grudging and repining; but willingly, cheerfully, thankfully and with ioy in the holy Ghost. And these are the highest degrees of patience, which though few attain unto in full measure, yet all the faithful desire and labour after them, using all good means to attain unto this perfection. Yea will some say, but before you required, that wee should bee affencted with sorrow in our sufferings, and moderately mourn in our crosses and afflictions, and how then can wee at the same time rejoice, seeing ioy and mourning are opposite the one to the other? to which I answer that Christian sorrow and rejoicing may well stand together, seeing the one maketh way for the other; for therefore we bewail our sins, that we may rejoice in the assurance of the pardon of them, of our reconciliation with God, and of our interest in all the gracious promises of the gospel. So that though wee give the first part to bee acted by sorrow, yet wee would not haue it to continue always in the hart of a Christian▪ for so it would grow immoderate and excessive: but after this our unfeigned repentance for sin, and assurance of pardon and our peace with God, followeth spiritual rejoicing, not onely in the confluence of worldly benefits, but also in tribulation and affliction, as the Apostle speaketh. again, opposites may agree in the same subject, at the same time in a diuers respect, Rom. 5. 3. for so we may mourn because by our sins we haue crucified the Lord of life, but rejoice in that by his death he hath wrought the work of our redemption, we may at the same time mourn in the sight of our sins, because wee haue dishonoured by them our gracious Father, and yet rejoice in that our sorrow assureth us that they are forgiven, and we received into Gods favour, wee may mourn in the sense of our pain and smart, but yet rejoice in it, as it is a sign of our adoption, when God correcteth us as his sons, that we may not bee condemned with the world; wee may mourn in the sight of our miseries, as being the fruits of sin, but rejoice in them as they are means to mortify the flesh and our natural corruptions. Finally as wee haue just cause of sorrowing, in that wee haue deserved that the Lord should deprive us of all those worldly comforts, so to be filled with ioy, when we consider that these light and momentany affliction▪ shall cause unto us a far most excellent and an eternal ●. Cor. 4. 17. weight of glory. In which regard it may truly bee said, that the Christian spendeth his daies in joyful mourning, or mournful ioy, and that by these two actors the comedy of his li●e is played, the one no sooner entering the stage, but the other followeth; and interchangeably acting their parts, the one beginning as soon as the other endeth, and this beginning again, when the other hath done. Lastly, opposites may be in the same subject in respect of diuers parts; now we are partly flesh, and partly spirit; and as in the one wee do in time of affliction, grieve and sorrow, groan and complain, in the sense and feeling of our smart and pain; so in the other we rejoice in the assurance of the pardon of our sins, and that the sting of afflictions i● plucked out; of our reconciliation with God, and that heavenly inheritance which is provided for vs. And thus by sense of pain the Lord maketh the flesh to mourn that it may be mortified, restrained from sin for fear of punishment, and subdued unto the spirit; and by this spiritual ioy apprehended by faith he refresheth the spiritual part that it may not faint& yield when the flesh tempteth it to murmuring or despair. And therfore if we speak properly, as we cannot say that the flesh rejoiceth in tribulation with this spiritual ioy, so neither that the spirit mourneth with worldly& sensual sorrow. For as the 1. John 3. 9. Gal. 5. 22. Apostle tells us, the fruits of the spirit are not this worldly sorrow grief and mourning but love, ioy, and peace; only it sorroweth with godly grief, in that by our sins we haue offended God our gracious Father, and moved him in his just displeasure to inflict vpon us these chastisements and afflictions. Although therfore we must lay our afflictions to hart, that we may not only naturally sorrow for our smart▪ but also spiritually § Sect. 11. That we must show our cheerfulness in thanksgiving& praising Gods name. for our sins, yet in the regenerate part we must bear them with cheerfulness considering the causes and ends for which the Lord chastiseth us, and the notable fruits and benefits which accompany his corrections; and this our cheerful willingness and alacrity must bee shewed and expressed, first by thanksgiving unto God, and praising his holy name; neither are we bound onely to perform these duties in the time of our prosperity, and in the confluence of all Gods blessings and benefits, but also in our afflictions and troubles; not for the crosses and calamities themselves, which are to bee shunned as the evils of punishment; but for the wise care, and loving providence of our heavenly Father, whereby he ordereth and disposeth them to our good; as the mortifying of our sins and corruptions, the enriching of our hearts with his spiritual graces, and the furthering and increasing of our heavenly happiness. For if the child bee bound to his Father in all love and duty, not onely because he feedeth and clotheth him, but also because he governeth and correcteth him; nor for the blows and smart which he sustaineth, for these his nature abhorreth as sharp and bitter, but for his care in reclaiming him from his faults, which being nourished would in time justly disable him from receiving his inheritance. And if being grievously sick, wee are content to require the physician and chirurgeon for their distasteful and loathsome potions, their sharp corrasiues, cutting, lancing, searing, not onely with thanks and deserved praise, but also with rewards; not because of the things themselves, which for the present increase our pain and torment; but because out of their skill and care they use them, as means for the recovery of our bodily health: then how much more are we to bee thankful unto our heavenly Father ch●stising us? seeing in his love and care he doth hereby reform us of our sins, and so maketh v● fit to bee heirs of that everlasting patrimony of his glorious kingdom? How much should wee magnify this spiritual physician of our souls? not for the bitter potions which he maketh us to drink; but because he intendeth, and accordingly effecteth our recovery unto health, and that not the health of our corruptible bodies, which onely repriueth them to the next assizes of sickness, but of our precious and immortal souls; not such as is momentany and temporary, but perpetual and everlasting. It is not therefore enough that wee take these great benefits, which Gods chastising hand doth reach out unto us with patience, and without murmuring; but wee must also receive them with praise and thanksgiving. For so the Apostle requireth, If any man( saith he) suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, 1. Pet. 4. 16. but let him glorify God in this behalf. And the Apostle Paul prayeth, that the colossians might be strengthened with all Col. 1. 11. 12. might through Gods glorious power, not onely unto patience and long suffering, but also that it might be performed with joyfulness, and with thanksgiving unto God the father which had hereby made them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Of which we haue an example in job, who in his grievous afflictions, sheweth not onely his patience, but also his thankfulness; The Lord( saith he) hath given, and the job. 1. 21. Lord hath taken; Blessed be the name of the Lord. So the Church being in great tribulation, acknowledgeth Gods Lamen. 3. 22. great mercy, in that they were not utterly consumed. And the Apostles Paul and Silas, being cast into the dungeon, and Act. 16. 25. having their feet fast in the stocks, do not onely patiently bear these afflictions, but also sing praises unto God. Yea, we must labour to go yet further, and not onely Sect. 12. That our patience must be joined with ioy and spiritual rejoicing. with our cheerful patience join thanksgiving, but with them both spiritual rejoicing and ioy in the holy Ghost; the which our ioy must not arise from the afflictions themselves, which were unnatural senselessness, and more then brutish inhumanity;( for who can laugh when he feeleth smart, and rejoice in his torments and tedious troubles?) but from those notable signs of Gods love, which appear in his fatherly chastisements, and those singular fruits, both respecting grace and glory, which do not onely accompany, but also follow after them. And in this regard our saviour willed his disciples, and with them all the faithful, to rejoice and bee glad in their bitter afflictions and cruel persecutions, because their reward was great in heave. So the apostle Matth. 5. 11. 12 Peter willeth those who are exercised in this fiery trial, 1. Pet. 4. 13. not to think it strange, but to rejoice, in as much as they are herein partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shal appear, Col. 1. 11. they may be glad and rejoice. And this S. Paul prayeth in the behalf of the colossians, that with their patience and long suffering, there might be joined joyfulness. An example Act. 5. 41. whereof we haue in the holy Apostles, who being afflicted& persecuted for the profession of Christ, departed from the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuk for his name. So the Apostle Paul saith of himself, that he reioyced in his sufferings for the Church of the Col. 1. 24 1. Thess. 1. 6. colossians; and giveth testimony to the Thessalonians, that they received the gospel with much affliction, and with ioy of the holy Ghost. So of the faithful Hebrewes it is said, that though they sorrowed with the Apostle for his bonds, yet they suffered with ioy the spoiling of their own goods, knowing Heb. 10. 34. that they had in heaven a better and more enduring substance. Neither did he onely thus rejoice in his suffering persecution for Christ and the profession of the gospel, but in those spiritual afflictions which he endured, in the sight and sense of his infirmities, when he knew that in them Gods power and grace was advanced and magnified: for having received answer, when he desired to be freed from them, that Gods grace was sufficient for him, and that his divine power was made manifest in his humane frailty and weakness; he professeth that very gladly he would rejoice in 2. Cor. 12. 9. 10. his infirmities, that the power of Christ might dwell in him; yea that he did take pleasure as well in these infirmities, as in reproaches, necessities, persecution and anguish for Christs sake, because when he was weak in himself, he was strong in Christ. Finally, if wee desire to conform ourselves to the doctrine and example of the holy Apostles, we must not onely be patient, cheerful, ready to give thankes, or yet rejoice in our afflictions in some small measure, and( as it were) with ordinary ioy and gladness; but with ioy very great, and as it were, in the highest degree; not onely rejoicing, but even triumphing, glorying and exsulting in our ioy. And as it is said of the Ostrich, that she doth not onely eat iron, but also disgesteth and turneth it into her nourishment; so must wee not onely be content( as it were) to swallow in silence and patience the difficulties of afflictions, which the carnal man can by no means digest, without being sick unto the death with sorrow and heaviness; but we must labour also to suck out of them such wholesome nourishment, at may exceedingly refresh and comfort vs. And Salamander like wee are not onely to live, but also chiefly to rejoice in the fire of affliction and tribulation. For so the Apostle james requireth, that we count it exceeding Iam. 1. 2. ioy, when we fall into diverse temptations, not in the sight of the afflictions themselves, but because wee know that they serve to increase in us Gods spiritual graces, and that the trying of our faith bringeth forth patience, which in the end will attain to such perfection, that it will lack nothing. And this the Apostle maketh a fruit of that fullness of faith which we must labour after; for after that it hath assured us of the pardon of our sins, and of our peace with God, wee rejoice, yea glory and triumph, not onely in our hope of heavenly happiness, but also in affliction and tribulation. Rom. 5. 3. An example whereof wee haue in the faithful Corinthians, who as they abounded in the great trials of affliction, so their ioy also abounded; and in the Apostle himself, who 2. Cor. 8. 2. professeth that he was filled with comfort, and was exceeding joyous in all his tribulations; insomuch as when he would 2. Cor. 7. 4. chiefly glory and show such excellency, wherein he was to be matched with the rest of the Apostles; he setteth down 2. Cor. 11. vers. 16. to the 31. a large bead-rowle of his many and grievous afflictions, and concludeth, that if he must needs boast himself and rejoice, he would rejoice and glory in his infirmities. And this is the patience of the Saints, which every faithful Sect. 13. That none can attain unto perfection in patience, but yet al must labour after it. man must labour to attain unto, and never to be at rest until in some measure he be endowed with it. It is true, that none can attain unto this perfection of patience, but those who are come to fullness of faith; and even among Gods greatest Worthies, who had this fullness of persuasion, wee may observe, that when their faith was shaken with grievous temptations, their patience also was crazed and much blemished with murmuring and complaining. As wee may see in just job, the pattern of true patience, who by the job. 3. 2. 3. weight of his affliction, is moved to curse the day of his nativity; Chap. 9. 33. 34. 35. to complain that God dealt against him by strong hand, and laid punishments vpon him which he could hardly justify, if he might vpon equal terms dispute with him, or had some umpire between them, who would indifferently Chap. 10. 16. hear and judge his cause. Yea as a desperately impatient of enduring long misery, he provoketh God to increase his afflictions, to hunt him as a lion, and to show himself marvelous vpon him. And this was the case of holy david, who vpon the occasion of his grievous afflictions penned many psalms, full of doleful complaints, which savour of much impatiency. And also of the good Prophet ieremy, who in the bitterness of his grief nurseth the day jer. 20. 14. 18. wherein he was born; and repineth against his creation, because he came out of the womb to see labour and sorrow. And so the Prophet jonas maketh his light affliction burdensome, through his own impatiency in bearing it, and then murmureth, and even chideth with God for his over much mercy in sparing niniveh, and his too much severity towards him in spoiling the gourd, and causing him to bee suspected for a false Prophet. And therefore seeing Gods chiefest champions haue thus shewed their infirmities, let us who come so far short of them, not dream of having such a patience, as is at all times perfect and free from all imperfection▪ much less be cast down and utterly discouraged, when in the time of trial we bewray our weakness, growing into rage and impatiency, because wee fail in the degree of our patience: but let us onely desire earnestly, and diligently labour after this height of perfection, and when we come short of it, bewail our imperfection. And forasmuch, as we haue not this patience of ourselves, but it is the gift of God, the fountain of all goodness, let us often haue our recourse unto him by fervent and effectual prayers, laying open our miseries and afflictions, with our inability to bear and suffer them; and craving that he will strengthen and increase our patience, whereby wee may be enabled to endure all those crosses that he is pleased to lay vpon us, grounding our faith vpon that gracious promise, luke. 11. 13. that if wee ask his holy Spirit in the name of Iesus Christ, he will give him unto vs. And this the Apostle admonisheth us to put in practise, If any of you( saith he) l●ck wisdom, let him ask it of God, which giveth to men liberally, reproaching Iam. 1. 5. none, and it shall be given him. Which words are properly to be understood of that special wisdom, which teacheth us to bear our afflictions patiently, as the coherence of the words doth plainly show. Which duty if we constionably and diligently perform, it will both increase our patience, the Lord being as ready to give his spiritual graces, as wee to ask them; and much lessen the load of our afflictions. For if we receive much ease and comfort, when wee unburden our hearts of our griefs, by laying them open before a dear friend▪ if he will with patience, though with some weariness hear them, and but pity us, though he cannot help us; then how much more ease and comfort must wee needs feel, if in our afflictions wee often power out our souls before the Lord by fervent prayer, and unfold unto him all our griefs, seeing he is never weary in hearing our complaints, and hath not onely more pity and compassion on us in our distresses, then the most tender father or mother over their beloved child; but also power sufficient to deliver us out of all our afflictions, and either to lessen our burden, or to give us more strength and patience to bear it with comfort, yea with thankfulness, cheerfulness and ioy in the holy Ghost. And having thus commended our cause unto God, let us by a firm affiance rely ourselves wholly vpon his providence and promised assistance, neither must we for the well bearing of our afflictions rest vpon our own natural strength and magnanimity, but labour to furnish our hearrs with that true patience, which is the gift of Gods holy spirit. unto which when we haue attained in some good measure, let us not think that wee can now stand, fight and overcome, by sole virtue of this grace received, without any further help from God; but considering that these graces are in this life imperfect, and mingled with much infirmity and corruption, let us not make too bold in resting vpon our own strength, but rely ourselves wholly vpon Gods assistance, presuming vpon his promised aid, that we can thereby overcome all difficulties and dangers, Phil. 4. 13. according to the example of the Apostle, who saith that he could do all things through the help of Christ which strengthened him. CHAP. II. Of the excellency, utility and necessity of patience. having spoken of patience itself, and shewed § Sect. 1. Of the excellency of patience. what it is, together with the causes and properties thereof; it followeth, that according to our order propounded, wee come to in▪ treat of the means whereby it may either be wrought in us, or being begun, may bee increased and confirmed. And these are of two sort●; the first are certain reasons and arguments, by which this virtue being commended unto us, wee may bee inflamed with a true and unfeigned love thereof, and answerably with all fervency of desire may use all diligence, and bend all our strength for the obtaining of it. For as it is in vain to prescribe the means of thriving in estate, to him that contemneth riches; or to provide the daintiest meat for him, who having quiter lost his stomach, will not feed vpon it; so is it to little purpose to prescribe means for the attaining unto this rich treasure, or to provide this restorative nourishment of patience, which being fed vpon, would strengthen us for the bearing of the greatest afflictions; if we haue no desire to be thus spiritually enriched, nor any appetite to feed on this dainty food of our souls; seeing wee will make no use of this means when wee haue them, but carelessly contemn and cast them behind our backs. The second sort of means are those arguments of comfort and consolation, which are the food and nourishment of our patience, whereby it is strengthened and preserved from languishing and fainting. The former sort may be referred to these three heads, namely the excellency, utility, and necessity of this virtue; for if it be in it own nature most excellent, unto us most profitable, and of such necessary use, and great& urgent consequence, that wee cannot possibly bee without it; but that a mortal maim will follow this defect; then haue wee great cause to love it, and out of our affection to a jewel so precious, to use all good means that we may attain unto it. Now the excellency of patience may diversly appear unto us; for first it is ennobled by the author, who is God himself; for he alone engraueth this virtue in us by the finger of his holy spirit, as an image and lively picture of that infinite patience which is in his own most perfect nature, and a small spark of that most glorious and mighty flamme; for he is oftentimes pressed with the weight and heinousness of our sins, as a cart is pressed which is full of sheaves, as the Amos. 2 13. Prophet speaketh, and yet he beareth with us; he is content through his infinite patience to suffer all those wrongs and 2. Chro. 36. 16. injuries which we offer against him, till there bee no remedy; yea he not onely beareth with his own seruants which love him, but also with the wicked which are his enemies, Rom. 9. 22. suffering with long patience the vessels of wrath, prepared to destruction, not presently punishing their outrageous sins and high treasons against his majesty, but deferring it to the end of the world,& therefore needs must this grace be excellent Est nobis cum Deo virtus ista communis. ind patientia incipit, ind claritas eius et dignitas, caput sumit. ex Cyprian. lib. de bono patient. which we not only haue from God, but also communicate with him. To wc purpose one saith, that this virtue of patience is common unto us with God, for it taketh it beginning from him;& from him above as from the fountain of al goodness, it hath it excellency& dignity,& therefore great cause there is, that man should love that, which is so glorious in Gods sight. Secondly the perfection of patience is the perfection of Christianity, and they who haue attained unto it, haue nothing wanting; for so the Apostle teacheth us; Let patience( saith he) Iam. 1. 4. haue her perfect work, that ye may be perfect& entire, lacking nothing. And hereof it is, that the act of suffering for the name of Christ, is made by the Apostle an higher degree of Christian Phil. 1. 24. excellency vouchsafed unto us by God, then the act of believing: unto you( saith he) is given for Christ, that not onely ye should beleeue in him, but also suffer for his sake; which is not to be understood simply of al suffering for Christ, for we leave est miserias far, perferre est grave. Senec. in Thyest. may suffer whether we will or no, or with much murmuring& repining; but of suffering with patience, when as by bearing we do overcome, and get the vpper hand of all our afflictions. In it consisteth the chief part of our Christian valour and fortitude, which is not so much seen in doing, as in suffering; nor in resisting, as in yielding and patient enduring. Neither in truth is it any great matter to struggle, strive and make resistance, when the burden of affliction doth lie vpon vs. For even the basest creatures in their greatest impotency and weakness, are ready in their kind to repel harm; to reuenge themselves vpon them who hurt them; and to strive and resist when they can, neither scape by flight, nor defend themselves by hiding their heads from the danger of the enemy; and according to the p●ouerbe, a worm trodden vpon will turn again: but this is the true valour of a Christian, when he can bear his cross without murmuring; overrule his own nature, drawing him to reuenge, return benefits for injuries, and overcome evil with goodness, according Maxima virtutum patientia pugnat inermis, Armatosque solet vincere s●pe vi●os. to the example of our heavenly father: then doth he show his fortitude, and most gloriously triumph over his spiritual enemies, when as he vanquisheth without striking, and though unarmed of all offensive weapons, doth courageously march into the field, having nothing in his hand, but the shield of patience, and by bearing the blows doth get the victory. Then doth he show his valour and unmatchable strength, when like a firm rock he standeth in a sea of miseries, and when the huge billows of afflictions do beate against him, is not moved, but breaketh them in pieces with their own violence. Finally, then doth Christian prowess and magnanimity appear, when as we keep our standing, as it were daring afflictions after one assault to encounter us again; and with unwearied and invincible constancy and courage continue the fight, till our enemies being overcome, our great commander the Lord of hosts doth sound the retreat, either giuing us the warrant of his word for our leaving the field, or calling us by death to receive that glorious crown of victory, and not when according to that heathenish and stoical fortitude, wee are ready to shift off the burden of afflictions by violent death: the which in dead was nothing but base pusillanimity, which made them choose to yield as conquered, rather then to endure the pains of the fight; and timorous cowardice, which caused them to Rebus in angugustis facile est contēnere vitam, Fortiter illefacit qui miser esse potest. Martia●. ●pigram lib. 11. cut their own throats, for fear of sustaining some greater evil, neither is it, as one of themselves confessed, a thing hardy and praise-worthy, to contemn life in the time of adversity, but when wee can with patience endure afflictions, and live in misery, and not be miserable. moreover the excellency of patience herein appeareth, in that it maketh us according to the degree of our sufferings, living Martyrs. For as those who are truly so called, endured death, that they might give testimony to the truth of Gods word, so those who suffer afflictions with patience do give testimony to the truth providence, power, mercy& goodness of God towards them, seeing these only are the causes wc move them with all meekness& cheerfulness to bear those tedious& grievous afflictions, under the least part whereof others murraure, Mori● f●rsequente martyrium in aperto opere est; far vero contumelias et odientem diligere, martyrium est in ●culta cogitatione. Gregor. supper Ezech. Homil. 35. Sine ferro et flammis martyres esse possumus, si patientiam in animo veraciter conseruemus. Idiota inter Orthodoxogr. de patient. ver. contempl. chap. 10. yea blaspheme, who do not know or beleeue that God is such an one in himself, or at least towards thē. To this purpose one saith, that patience is a kind of martyrdom; for as to die by the hand of a cruel persecutor is martyrdom in open action, so to bear afflictions with patience, to suffer contumelies in obedience to God,& to love him that hateth us, is martyrdom in the secret intention& cogitation. In which respect we may( as another saith) be martyrs without either fire or sword, if being afflicted we do inwardly in our minds preserve patience; neither can we presume with any certainty that such an one is good, who hath not been tried& approved by enduring of evil. Lastly hereby it may appear of what excellency patience is, in that by virtue therof evil is turned into good; and that which naturally hurteth& destroyeth us, it maketh to serve for our use& benefit; for of curses it maketh blessings,& of miseries mercies; it turneth severe punishments into fatherly corrections, whereby our spiritual estate is much bettered& amended;& signs of Gods wrath, into signs of his love. And whereas afflictions in their own nature are the beginnings of hell torments, by the help of patience, bearing thē aright, they become furtherances to the joys of heaven,& Chrysost. in 1. Thes. 5. Hom. 10. make our crown of blessedness much more glorious. To this purpose one saith; perhaps some evil doth lie vpon thee, but if that wilt, though it be evil in itself, it shal not be evil unto thee give thanks unto God for it,& thy evil shall bee turned into good. And hereof it is, that if a Christian be armed with patience, Quemeunque fortem videris miserum neges. Senec. in Herc. furente. misery itself cannot make him miserable; seeing it maketh medicines of these poisons; tortures the occasions of triumph; profitable salves of tormenting corrasiues, for the curing of the sores of sin,& drawing out the core of our corruptions; and whereas afflictions in their own nature do make us to flee from God, as from the face of a terrible judge, by our patient bearing of them we approach nearer unto him, as unto a gracious Father, who correcteth us for our good, and maketh these slight and momentany affliction, to help us forward in the obtaining of that superexcellent and eternal weight of glory. The second argument to commend patience unto us, is § Sect. 2. Of the utility& profit of patience. Cyprian de bono patientia Serm. 3. the great utility and profit which it bringeth to those that haue it, for it serveth for all good uses, and furthereth us in all our virtuous endeavours; And( as one saith) it both commendeth us unto God, and preserveth us through his providence and protection; it tempereth anger, bridleth the tongue, governeth the mind, keepeth peace, ruleth and moderateth discipline,& breaketh the violence of lust; it assuageth the swelling of pride, extinguisheth the fire of displeasure, and unkindness, restraineth the power of the rich, and cherisheth the penury of the poor, &c It maketh men humble in prosperity, courageous in adversity, meek towards those who offer injuries and contumelies; it teacheth us quickly to forgive others offending us, but if ourselves bee faulty, to be long and instant in craving pardon; it repelleth temptations, endureth persecutions, and bringeth our sufferings and martyrdom to perfection. It is patience which layeth a firm foundation for our faith, and advanceth on high the progress of our hope; it directeth our actions that we may hold on in the way of Christ, whilst we follow him in his sufferings and makes us to continue the sons of God, whilst we imitate the patience of our heavenly father. More especially this virtue of patience is very profitable unto us, both in respect of God and of ourselves. For it tendeth much to the aduancement of Gods glory, as it is a means to manifest not onely itself, but also the rest of Gods saving graces to the praise of him that gave them, whilst it enableth us to bear all manner of afflictions and calamities for his sake; for as the excellency of the work or gift doth exceedingly commend the workman or giver; so these graces of patience, faith, hope, love and the rest, being the gifts of God and fruits of his holy spirit, do magnify the power, mercy, and bounty of the Lord, when they are made manifest by our sufferings, and this Christian armor of proof doth much commend the skill of the workman, when it beats back these fiery bullets of the worlds temptations; as it may appear in the example of job, david, Daniel, and the three children, and the Apostles of our saviour Christ, who were in all things ready to submit themselves to the good pleasure of their Lord and master, and to testify their obedience and desire to glorify him, even unto the death. So also it is very profitable unto us in respect of ourselves: for first this patience doth lighten all our crosses, and lessen our pains; and that in a twofold respect: first as it doth strengthen Cedamus; leave fit quod been fertur onus. ovid. and enable us to bear all miseries and calamities, in which respect it may truly bee said that there is no burden of affliction so heavy, which may not easily and comfortably bee born vpon the shoulders of patience. And in this regard one saith, that patience is an impenetrable shield, and impregnable tower repelling all manner of evil; and as a spark falling into the deep sea, doth not at all hurt it, but is itself extinguished; so the greatest evils which can happen, meeting with a patient mind, are themselves quelled and quenched, and do not at Chrysost. in 1. Cor 13. homil. 33. all amate it, because the strength of patience is able to overcome all troubles and afflictions. Whereas contrariwise when men through impatiency do struggle and strive against their crosses and calamities, they are, like the bide in the lime-bush, or fish in the net, the more entangled; and being caught, are the more disabled to bear them, or to endure the brunt of their sharp e●counter; for as this faintness and weakness of mind doth disable them, so as they cannot employ their strength to their best advantage, but at the first onset be take themselves to flight; so doth it add much strength and courage to their enemies, when as they pursue flying and fainting forces, having now no need to fight, but onely to follow, kill, and seize vpon the pray; whereas it would much stay the violence, and pull down the daring pride of these spiritual enemies, if they would manfully keep their standing, or being at the first somewhat disordered, would with undaunted courage recollect the scattered forces of their minds, and again make head against them. Neither in truth haue these afflictions any force and strength to foil or overcome us, but what through our impatiency, fear, and cowardice we give unto them; for as one well saith, it is with pain, as it is with precious stones, which take either an higher or deeper colour according to the foil in which they are set, seeing it holdeth no other place, nor receiveth more strength then that, which in our estimate wee are content to give unto it. Secondly, this patience and meek bearing of the cross doth much lessen our afflictions in respect of God, who like a wise and loving Father doth commonly cease further to correct us, when as he seeth us thoroughly humbled, and that wee bear his chastisements with patience and meekness, in all things submitting ourselves to his good will and pleasure, without any struggling, murmuring, or repining, whereas contrariwise when being corrected for our faults we show ourselves impatient, stubborn and unruly, striving by all means lawful and unlawful to escape Gods hand, this moveth the Lord to as much displeasure, as the offences themselves for which wee are chastised, and causeth him to lay on us more and sharper stripes, till by our sufferings& smart we haue learned dutiful submission to our heavenly Father, which we would not practise out of our own obedience. So that by our impatiency we shall get no greater advantage, then the refractory and unruly ox by his struggling to cast off the yoke; for the more he striveth, the faster his owner maketh it, and whereas his patient bearing of it would make it much lighter and easier, by wrestling and struggling he doth but gull his neck, tyre himself, and to his other labours getteth sore blows and stripes for his unruliness. moreover, patience is exceeding profitable unto us, as it maketh us constant, and in all estates like unto ourselves, not varying and changing with the mutability of our outward condition, but in all alterations continuing one and the same; neither yet depending vpon external accidents for peace and contentment, but making all conditions to serve our minds, and our mind subject to none; and retaining our own habitual sweetness of ioy and comfort, though we run through( as it were) a salt sea of misery and affliction. And howsoever others who are tossed with the tempestuous storms of worldly miseries are much endangered, and every hand while are ready to make shipwreck of faith& a good conscience; yet he who is endowed with this virtue of patience, is like one who hath passed and escaped all these dangers, and being now entered into the haven of rest, sitteth there secure from all storms and tempests, because though they rage never so much, yet they cannot reach him; and though these huge billows of afflictions appearing in his sight, threaten to overwhelm him, yet when they approach near, their proud waves fall down and abate their fury, and either touch him not at all, or beat vpon him as against an immovable rock which breaketh them, itself receiving no damage. And thus doth the Christian man with patience settle his heart, as the Apostle teacheth us, making it firm and constant against all the storms of troubles and calamities; and thus doth he possess his soul with patience, as our saviour speaketh, keeping it luke. 21. 19. safe thereby▪ as in an impregnable sort, which may well be assaulted, but never scaled or overthrown; and though, like the bush appearing to Moses, he seemeth to bee burnt with the fire of afflictions; and with the three children, to walk in the midst of this scorching furnace, yet doth he sustain hereby no hurt, but by the help of patience easily overcometh all these difficulties and dangers. So that it fareth with men endowed with this virtue, as with those who being of a strong constitution, continue in good plight in all airs, and enjoy their health as well on sea as on land; or as with those who having good stomacks, are able to digest all meats, and to suck wholesome nourishment out of the coursest commons; whereas contrariwise those who are enfeebled with the sickness of impatiency, can( like tender and weak bodies) brook no hardness, nor agree either with the heat of prosperity, or with the chilling could of adversity and affliction; neither can they well digest the wholsomest food which this earth can yield them, but through the malignity of their disposition turn that which should nourish them into poison, and make heavy crosses of those things, which are to others their sweetest comforts. Furthermore, this virtue of patience is most profitable to defend us against Satans temptations, and strong armor of proof to preserve us from being hurt by his malice and fury. For whereas his main end is by these assaults of affliction, to move us to leave our standing, to murmur and repined against God, and even to blaspheme him to his face; and when he can in this kind gain ground of us, he will double and redouble his blows; patience crosseth him in all these attempts; for when a man supported thereby, can with meekness bear all these burdens, they will bee of no force to make him disist from his good endeauoures, nor to digress out of the right path; yea when he can by virtue of this patience suck sweetness out of the gull of afflictions, and take occasion out of his crosses and troubles the more fervently and heartily to give God thankes, and to praise his holy name; then will it weary Satan in this fruitless fight, and make him willing to desist from these encounters, which do but weaken himself, and strengthen his enemy. Finally, this patience in bearing the cross doth much benefit us, as it is a means of receiving comfort from others; for when wee endure Gods chastisements with meekness and humility, it is an effectual argument to move pity and compassion in the beholders, to make them to condole with us,& to afford unto us their best means of refreshing and consolation; al which helps are so many hands, supporting us that wee may not sink under the weight of our afflictions: whereas if we with impatiency do murmur and repined, curse, swear, and show all manner of distemper and outrage, we are liable to the just rebukes of al that behold us; and every one thinketh that we are well worthy to continue still in these crosses and calamities, until we haue learned to bear thē better. Lastly, as this virtue of patience is very profitable in respect of this life, so much more in respect of the life to come. For as the Saints of old, so we now do through faith& patience inherit the promises, as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 6. 12. and that first as it furthereth& assureth us of our saluauation, For he who endureth to the end shall be saved; and it is a Matth. 10. 22. righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to thē that 2. Thess. 1. 6. trouble his seruants, and to them that are troubled, eternal rest at the appearing of Iesus Christ. And secondly, as it maketh our crown of glory much more glorious; for the greater our conflict is, the greater shall bee our triumph; and the more we suffer in love and obedience to God, the more rich shall our reward bee; it being just with God to crown his greater gifts and graces, with a proportionable degree of glory and happiness. But of this I shall haue occasion to speak more hereafter. The last argument to commend patience unto us, is the §. Sect. 3. Of the great necessity of patience. Heb. 10. 36. Cyprian. de bon● patientiae. lib. Rom. 8. 25. necessity thereof; for as the Apostle speaketh, We haue need of patience, that after we haue done the will of God, wee might receive the promise: In which regard one saith, that as faith is the foundation of Christianity, so patience is the roof and covering; for as this, that wee are Christians, is to be attributed to our faith and hope; so that this faith and hope may come to be fruitful, it is necessary that wee haue patience. But this necessity of patience will further appear, if we consider that God enjoineth and requireth it of us, as a part of that service which we owe unto him. So our saviour Christ having foretold the afflictions of the faithful, doth will them to possess their souls ●ith patience. And the Apostle luke. 21. 19. requireth, that we be patient in tribulation; and that we run with patience the race that is set before us; neither is it sufficient Rom. 12. 12. that we haue this virtue in us in some small measure, but we must let patience haue her perfect work, that we ourselves Heb. 12. 1. also may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing; as the Apostle Iam. 1. 4. james exhorteth vs. Nor is it enough that we be patient by fits, one while meekly bearing the hand of God, and another while storming and raging, but having entertained it, we must constantly continue in it; until we receive the fruit of our patience, even the salvation of our souls. For so the same Apostle exhorteth us; to be patient to the coming of the Lord; and as the husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit Iam. 5. 7. 8. of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the former and the latter rain; so we must be patient and settle our hearts. seeing this coming of the Lord draweth near. again the necessity of patience will appear if we consider our present state and condition in this life; for we are in a continual warfare; and patience is a chief part of our armor to defend us from being pierced with the fiery darts of troubles and afflictions, without which wee lie open to their force and violence, and are endangered by their cruel blows to be wounded even unto death. Our life is a race, wherein we run to obtain the crown of glory, and patience is a chief means to make us well breathed, to keep us from fainting and tiring, and to enable us to hold out unto the end. It is a tedious pilgrimage, in which wee are often pulled back with the briars of troubles, and often discouraged by the foulness or roughness of the way; the danger of those mighty enemies which lie in wait for us, and our hard entertainment which wee find in our inns; all which difficulties and dangers wee can no otherwise help, then by possessing our souls with patience, suffering with meekness whatsoever it shall please the Lord to lay vpon vs. For when this virtue faileth us, then presently we are utterly discouraged, faint in our journey and sit still; or haue our hearts hardened by our afflictions& become desperate; so as we are ready to turn back again into the world, that we may mitigate our sorrows by enjoying carnal delights and the pleasures of sin. whilst wee continue here, it is of necessity that we must suffer many afflictions; for wee were preordained to be made like to the image of our saviour Christ, not onely in glory in the life to come, of which the Apostle speaking saith, that 1. joh. 3. 2. when he shall appear, we shall be like unto him, but also in Rom. 8. 29. his afflictions and sufferings in this life present, as S. Paul affirmeth. And as we are predestinate, so also are wee called to suffer afflictions, as the Apostle Peter sheweth; where speaking of suffering wrongs patiently, he saith, that 1. Pet. 2. 21. we are hereunto called; for Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an ensample that we should follow his steps. Neither is this the lot of some few alone, but of all the faithful. For the Apostle telleth us, that 2. Tim. 3. 12. all who will live godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution: that Heb. 12. 6. 8. God correcteth every son whom he receiveth; and that they are bastards, and no sons who are not thus chastised. And this our saviour hath foretold, Matth. 10. 22 And you shall( saith he) be hated of all men for my name. And again, joh. 16. 2. 20 the time shall come, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God service: and a little after, ye shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice, &c. So he hath taught us, that it is Matth. 7. 13. a narrow way and strait gate, that leadeth to heavenly happiness, which is so difficult and unpleasant to flesh and blood, that few will bee at the pains to find or enter into it. And the Apostle likewise telleth us, that none shall 2. Tim. 2. 17. reign with Christ in his glory, who do not participate with him in his sufferings; and that Act. 14. 22. by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdom of heaven. Now from this necessity of suffering afflictions, we may also infer the necessity of patience; for as this is our chief stay to uphold us in all our troubles and trials; so when we want it, we presently sink under their weight; for as the ship which hath her ballast and burden equally disposed, is speedy and safe in her passage, though shee bee deeply laden; whereas contrariwise, if either through the vn●kilfulnesse of them who fraught it, or the rage and fury of some cruel tempest, the burden being tossed and tumbled from place to place, doth lie all on one side, it is easily overset with every blast, and sinketh into the sea: so if the heaviest burden of afflictions be quietly carried with meekness and patience, they will not hinder our passage to the haven of rest; but if through impatiency, frowardness, and murmuring, they be tossed in our hearts to and fro, we shall quickly sink in this sea of sorrows, yea so far are wee from well bearing of our afflictions, without the help of patience, that without it, the best estate which this life yeeldeth, cannot give us comfort and contentment. But as weake● and sickly bodies agree well with no air, and are not much bettered by their often removes and changes of place, because they carry about them their distempered humours, which are the causes of their disease: so he who is sick of impatiency and peevish discontent, agreeth well with no condition, but picketh quarrels as well against his prosperity, as affliction, and is well( as we say) neither full nor fasting; but( like those who are sick of a fever) bitter and sweet do alike distaste him; loathing the very sight of wholesome nourishment, because his humour maketh every thing to rellishe of his aguishe distemper. again, from the necessity of afflictions, wee may conclude the necessity of patience; seeing it is our wisest way to bear that burden with meekness, which wee cannot shake off; and to follow the Lord without murmuring and complaining, when he calleth us to suffer those afflictions, unto which he Malus miles est qui imperatorem gemens sequitur. Senec. epist. 107. hath preordained us; for( as one saith) he is a bad soldier who followeth his commander with grudging and repining; and( as I add) a fool too, seeing if his pains and dangers, which he must undertake vpon necessity, were voluntary and cheerful, he might well hope after the conflict for praise and reward, whereas his repining service, is sufficiently rewarded, if it bee pardonned. And so it were not onely faithfulness but wisdom in us, to bear with patience and cheerfulness the crosses which God layeth vpon us; seeing though we grudge and complain never so much, we must bear them whether we will or no, being appointed Ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt. Cleanthes apud Senec. epist. 107. thereunto; for as one saith of fate, I may truly say of Gods providence, that it leadeth the willing, and the unwilling it draweth; and therefore we are put to our choice, whether wee will bear the cross willingly and joyfully, with praise and reward; or else whether we will or no, with repining and murmuring, having onely our labour for our pains, if at lest wee escape further punishment for our impatiency. Finally, this virtue of patience is necessary to the well bearing of these vnauoydable afflictions, as being a notable means to moderate and mitigate all our griefs and sorrows; whereas if wee be destitute of this singular grace, wee shall be as much vexed and turmoiled with our impatiency, as with all other our afflictions, it being the nature thereof, to make light crosses heavy and intolerable, whilst it doth aggravate them by all circumstances, and maketh them worse by a false opinion, then they are in our sense and feeling. Now what folly is this to molest and disquiet ourselves with grief and impatiency, when as wee are already too much disquieted with our smart and pain? and wilfully to hurt ourselves, because against our wills we are hurt by others? What is this, but to add more to our burden, because it is already too heavy? and in childish simplicity and peevishness to beat the ston vpon which we are fallen; harming ourselves more with our impatiency and foolish reuenge, then the hurt itself would haue done, if wee had born it patiently? If indeed sorrow and frowardness would lessen& lighten our afflictions, though they be unpleasant guests, there were some reason why wee should give them entertainment; but seeing contrariwise, they much increase the evil which we sustain, by adding unto the torment of the body, the torment of the mind; and do nothing else but vex ourselves, offend others; and displease God▪ from whom we might expect a crown for our Non potest accipi dolorum et passionum Corona, nisi praecedat in dollar& passione patientia. Cyprian de bono patitiae. sufferings, if we endured them patiently, what reason haue we to give way unto them? neither is it our sufferings alone that can make us happy; nor is it the cross itself that will bring us that glorious crown, unless wee carry it weakly and quietly, in love and obedience to him who hath laid it vpon vs. CHAP. III. Of the means to work in us patience in afflictions, and first of prayer. AND thus haue I set down such reasons and § Sect. 1. That heathen Philosophy yeeldeth no sound comfort in the time of affliction. arguments, as do sufficiently commend unto us patience in afflictions, that thereby our hearts may bee inflamed with the love of so excellent, profitable and necessary a virtue, and to be moved with all desire and endeavour to use al good means to attain unto it; now it followeth according to my order propounded, that I also show those means whereby this singular grace of God, may bee either begun where it is not, or confirmed and increased where it is. And lest we should seek for patience where it is not to be found, and so loose our labour, wee are to know, that it is no natural faculty, which hath it beginning in our being; no inherent quality, fortitude or constancy, which is born and bred with us; for we are naturally-peeuish and impatient, froward and fretful, complaining and crying out in the least sense of pain; and murmuring and repining against the divine providence, when we are never so little crossed of our wils. And therefore they who would find this flower of patience, must not look for it in the barren desert of corrupted nature where it never groweth. neither is it to bee attained unto by the help of natural reason and Philosophy, which propoundeth unto us onely shadows of comforts, that haue a seeming show a far off, but vanish away when wee seek to catch them; and offereth unto us rotten props for the upholding of our patience; which being guilded over with human wit, arte and eloquence, do seem to be of some strength, so long as our patience being vnburthened, standeth upright in it own strength; but when it is tried and pressed with the least weight of afflictions, then they fail, and( as it were) break in fitters, bewraying their weakness and insufficiency; together with the folly of those who invented them, and of us who trusted in them; and like false friends they leave and forsake us, when needing their help we resort and fly unto them. For as the heathen Philosophers were for the most part ignorant of the chief causes of al afflictions; not ascribing them unto God, and his wise and just providence, but unto fate and destiny; chance and fortune; not looking unto the chief deserving causes, which are our sins, and principally the whole corruption of our nature, the ignorance of God, and the neglect and contempt of his true worship and service; but imagining that all happened by the guidance and direction of blind fortune, which put no difference between the good and bad, just and wicked: so accordingly they applied false remedies, and used medicines which were as loathsome as the disease which they sought to cure. As namely that we must bear with patience that which we cannot avoid; whereas that alone is enough to make a man break out into al impatience, when as he considereth that his miseries which are presently intolerable; are also remediless, and not to bee avoided for the time to come. That it becometh not a wise man to be passionate; and that it is folly to add to our other miseries, which are already too heavy, the weight of sorrow and vexation of mind, that we bear a burden which is common to many, and that wee haue innumerable companions in our griefs; finally that all mankind are liable and subject to manifold miseries and afflictions, and therefore wee must not take it ill, if we be not exempted from the common lot. But in the mean time they make no mention of Gods providence disposing all our afflictions, and turning them to our good; they do not show that they are proportioned to the measure of our strength, so as they shall never overwhelm us; nor that they are the chastisements of a gracious Father, and the fruits of his love; nor that they are by him made profitable for the advancing of our spiritual estate, the enriching of us with heavenly graces, and the furthering of our eternal salvation. Finally they put us in no hope and assurance that God is present with us in all our troubles, and in his good time will deliver us out of all our afflictions;& therefore they are not to be resorted unto by those that lie under the cross, as being but miserable comforters, who only utter some magnific and glorious speeches, which haue no sound ground of reason to rest vpon; and require great matters of their Disciples; but do not with any weight of argument arm their patience and resolution, nor enable them to perform that which is required of them. But if we would haue sound comfort in all our crosses and § Sect. 2. That we haue by nature no true patience, but that it is Gods free gift. afflictions, we must seek for it in the word of God,& carefully use those means which are there prescribed for the strengthening and increasing of our patience. And these may be referred to two general heads, namely prayer, and meditation. The first and chief means of patience and comfort in all our troubles, is that wee daily haue our recourse unto God by fervent and effectual prayer, where ●n we are to crave, that by his holy spirit he will work in us these gifts and graces, whereby we may bernabled to bear afflictions, for howsoever we seem in the time of prosperity so constant, comfortable and courageous, that nothing can dismay us▪ yet no sooner is the sun of worldly happiness set, but presently all our comfort is cooled, and ioy quenched; and being nipped and pinched with the frost of affliction, we break out into all impatiency, and pass our time in horror and despair; for naturally we abhor afflictions, and all chastisement Heb. 12. 11. is for the present grievous, as the Apostle speaketh, so that we tremble when we do but hear of their approaching; shrink and pull back the shoulder when wee are called to bear the cross, and impatiently cry out and complain when we are but touched. Neither is this fear of afflictions a corruption onely of our natures, but a created quality, which may be without sin, as we may see in the example of our Saniour Christ, who earnestly desired that he might not drink of that bitter cup of affliction, and was brought into such an agony that he sweat water and Luk. 22. 42. 43. 44. blood, so as he needed to haue an angel sent to comfort Matth. 27 46. him. And when he was put to drink the dregs of this loathsome potion, he was forced to cry out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. The which abhorring& loathing of the cross in Christs most holy nature, was just and lawful, being joined with patience, obedience and conformity to Gods will; because we are even by the Law of nature bound to seek our own preservation, and to shun all causes and occasions which may hinder our happiness, but being joined with our corruption, it becometh unlawful and wicked, making us to break out into all impatiency, and to murmur and repined against God. So that naturally we haue no patience or comfort in our afflictions, but it is the free gift of God, as the Apostle implieth whereas he saith, that it was given to the Philippians to suffer for Christ, because Phil. 1. 29. Gal. 5. 22. no man can suffer as he ought unless he receive it of God. So elsewhere he maketh this patience a fruit of the spirit; and affirmeth that it is God alone who doth comfort us 2. Cor. 1. 4. Rom. 15. 5. 2. Cor 1. 3. Phil. 4 13. in all our tribulation. And hereof it is, that this is made one of his royal titles; The God of patience and consolation; and the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. By whose power assisting us, and spirit enabling us, wee who can neither do no● suffer any thing of ourselves, can do all things, as the Apostle speaketh. In all our afflictions therefore we must haue our recourse unto God by earnest and effectual prayer, that wee may § Sect. 3. Reasons moving us to prey when we are afflicted, first, because God then requireth us to perform this duty. from him receive this comfort and patience which we haue not of ourselves; and in his good time haue help and deliverance out of all our troubles. Which duty that wee may perform let these reasons persuade us; First, because as the Lord doth at all times require, that we should perform unto him this duty of his service, so more especially in the time of affliction& tribulation. Call vpon me( saith he) in the day of Psalm. 50. 15. Iam. 5. 13. trouble, so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And again, is any among you afflicted? let him pray: Is any merry? let him sing psalms. So having foretold the afflictions of his Church for their iniquities, he willeth them to return unto the Lord their God by true repentance, and to call vpon him; and not onely requireth that they should pray, but also teacheth them a form of invocation. Take unto you words Hos. 14. 2. 3. ( saith he) and turn to the Lord, and say unto him, take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips. And thus our saviour Christ at the approaching of his own passion, and his Disciples affliction and persecution, which was to follow thereupon, doth enjoin them after a more special manner, that they should watch and pray, Matth. 26 41. luke. 21. 36. that they did not enter into tentation. And having foretold the great miseries and tribulations which should follow his ascension, vpon the people of the Iewes, and all the Church before his second coming to iudgement, he doth prescribe this as a special and most sovereign antidote and preservative against all these evils, that they should watch and pray continually, that so they might bee thought worthy to escape all these things which should come to pass. Secondly, wee must in our afflictions fly unto God by § Sect. 4. The second Reason, because it is a main end why God afflicteth us prayer, because it is one especial end wherefore the Lord correcteth us; for as the loving and kind mother causeth strangers to affright her tender and dearly loved child, when he neglecteth her,& taketh delight to stray from her, that so shee may hereby prevent the danger of losing him, and may cause him to return unto her for safeguard, and to cast himself into her arms, hereby inflaming his love more towards her, and increasing his confidence in her protection: So doth the Lord our gracious Father cause these bugbeares of afflictions to meet and terrify us, when wee are straying from him, that wee may flee into his arms for help and succour; and suffereth us to be deprived of other helps and comforts, that wee may with fullness of affiance rest wholly vpon him; whereas if either we were not at all afflicted, or had other succours whereunto we might resort in the time of our distress, we would not seek unto him at all, or at least, after a could and loose manner. And this end the Lord expresseth, where he saith, unto his people Israell, that Ashur should not be able to cure the wound of their afflictions; and that he would be unto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a Lions whelp to the house of Iuda, rending and tearing them with afflictions and miseries, and that he would spoil, go away and take them with him, as a pray which none should rescue, Hos. 5. 14. 15. and that he would go and return to his place, clouding from their sight the beams of his love and favour, till they acknowledged their fault, and sought him diligently. The which his end he attaineth unto in all the faithful, as appeareth by the words following; In their affliction( saith he) they Chap. 6. 1. will seek me diligently, saying, come and let us return unto the Lord▪ for he hath spoiled, and he will heal us; he hath wounded, and he will bind us up. So the Prophet Esay speaking of the Esa. 26. 16. faithful in their afflictions, saith, O Lord in trouble haue they visited thee, they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. Thirdly, Gods gracious promises of hearing our prayers, § Sect. 5. The 3. reason taken from Gods gracious promises of hearing us in the time of trouble. Matth. 7. 7. and granting our requests, may be an effectual argument to move us to the performance of this duty, when we most need his help, thus generally he willeth us to ask and it shall be given us, to seek and we shall find, to knock and it shall be opened unto us, for whosoever asketh, receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall bee opened. So our saviour hath assured us that, whatsoever wee shall ask 1. joh. 5. 14. 15 the father in his name he will give it vs. And the Apostle John telleth us, that we haue his assurance in Iesus Christ, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth vs. And if wee know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him. Yea so ready is the Lord to hearken unto the suits of those that pray unto him, that when he seeth this disposition in them, he promiseth, that before they call, he will answer; and whilst they speak, Esa. 65. 24. he will hear. But as God hath generally bound himself by promise to hear and help those that call vpon him, so more especially such as flee unto him by prayer in the time of their affliction; according to that of the Psalmist; call vpon me in the day of trouble, so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Psal. 50. 15.& 91. 15. Psal. 145. 19. me. And again, speaking of those that love God, he saith, He shall call vpon me, and I will hear him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and glorify him. And else where; he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them. And this promise the Lord doth specially fit to his Church and chosen people; namely, that if for their sins they were lead into captivity by their enemies, Deut. 4. 29. 30 31. and if from the land of their captivity they would seek the Lord their God, they should find him, if they did seek him with all their heart, and with all their soul, &c. And particularly it is applied to job by one of his friends; If( saith he) thou wilt early seek unto God, and pray to the almighty; job. 8. 5. 6 if thou be pure and upright, then surely he will awake up unto thee, and he will make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. And these are the promises which are made unto those who call vpon God in the time of their trouble; which who so applieth unto himself vpon the performance of this duty, shall in the day of his affliction find singular consolation; and out of the death of sorrow and despair, shall be raised to the life of true ioy and comfort. And this david found in his own experience, where speaking of Psal. 119. 50. these gracious promises, he saith, that they are his comfort in trouble, and that he is by them quickened, and as it were, restored to life again. § Sect. 6. The fourth reason, because the Lord is our sole saviour and deliverer, and from him alone we haue deliverance from afflictions, or patience to bear them. Fourthly, wee must in the time of our affliction haue our recourse unto the Lord by prayer, because he is our sole saviour and deliverer; for if every man out of reason and discretion will resort unto those, in their troubles and dangers, of whose love and power they are most assured; yea if the bruit creatures by instinct of nature will flee thether in their extremities, where their chief refuge is; then by the same reason ought we in all our tribulation and calamities to flee unto the Lord for help and deliverance, seeing his love is matchless, and his power infinite. For he is our chief strength, our rock, our fortress, and deliverer; he is our Psal. 18. 2.& 46 1. sh●eld, the horn of our salvation and our refuge: as david calleth him, he is our hope and strength, and help in troubles ready to be found, as else where he speaketh, and he is approved thus to be by the manifold experience of his Church and chosen people, for in the palaces of mount Sion God is known Psal. 48. 3. for a sure refuge. It is he that delivereth us out of al our adversities and tribulations, as holy Samuel affirmeth; he is good, and 1. Sam. 10. 19. as a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that Nahum. 1. 7. trust in him, as the Prophet Nahum teacheth vs. he is our king that protecteth us, our father that taketh care for us, our husband and head, who loveth us as his spouse and members; and therefore to whom should wee his subiects, children and spouses, resort to flee in the time of our dangers and distress, but unto this our powerful and glorious king; our careful father and loving husband? Especially considering that as the Lord is our chief hope and help, from whom wee may expect deliverance from afflictions, or patience to bear them; so he hath appointed prayer as the onely means for the obtaining of these benefits; for as the loving and wise parent hath in himself a disposition to bestow all things needful vpon his dear child, and sometime to pardon his fault when he hath offended him, and sometime to content himself with the taking of less correction on him then it deserveth; yet doth he expect that his son in all duty and humility, should entreat these favours from him; and will neither bestow his gifts before he sue unto him for them; nor pardon the offence committed, before he humble himself, aclowledge his fault, and crave pardon; nor yet ceaseth willingly from laying on stripes when he hath begun to chastise him, till he haue promised to amend, and desireth to be spared. even so our gracious and loving father is always most ready to bestow his gifts and blessings, to pardon our sins, and to cease correcting of us, because he taketh no delight in our smart and pain; but yet vpon this condition, that wee sue unto him for these favours, and( as it were) by the hand of prayer take these benefits out of the rich treasury of his bounty and goodness. And this the Apostle Paul implieth, for though he were persuaded that he should be freed out Philem. 22. of his imprisonment, and set at liberty, for the further service of God& benefit of his church, yet he requireth the prayers of Philemon& the rest of the Saints, as the means of his enlargement. Act. 12. And thus also Peter was freed from his chains,& as it were drawn out of the jaws of death; but it was at the instant suit of the faithful, as the holy Ghost noteth. So though the Lord were purposed to add fifteen yeeres to the life of Ezechias, and to acquit him from the sentence Esa. 38. of death pronounced against him, yet he doth not assure him of it till he had humbled himself, and powred out his soul by fervent and effectual prayer. And therefore if in our wants, miseries and afflictions, wee would haue help from God, either for deliverance or patience; let us use this means which he hath sanctified for this purpose; and seeing God doth require it at our hands, let us go boldly unto Heb▪ 4. 16. the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Seeing he doth not deny help unto any that sue unto him for it; let us flee to him for succour in all our wants and dangers, according to that of the Psalmist; Psal. 6. 5. 2 Because thou hearest the prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. And when wee are assaulted by our enemies, and pursued by them that hate us, let us with david cry out unto Psal. 60. 11.& ●08. 12. 2. Cor. 20. 12. him: give us help against trouble, for vain is the help of man. And say with good jehosaphat, O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for there is no strength in us to stand before this great multitude that cometh against us, neither do we know what to do, but our eyes are towards thee. And as prayer is the means of deliverance out of afflictions, so also of obtaining patience to bear them, so long as it pleaseth the Lord to continue them vpon us: in which respect patience and prayer are by the Apostle fitly joined together, rejoicing( saith he) in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing in prayer. Neither in Rom. 12. 12. truth can there bee a stronger prop to uphold our patience, then fervency in prayer; both because it receiveth hereby virtue and increase from God, and hath the measure thereof doubled by his holy Spirit, according to that of the Apostle, Iam. 1. 5. if any of you lack wisdom( namely that special wisdom which enableth us to bear the cross with comfort and patience) let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man, and it shall be given unto him; and also because it much easeth us of our grief, and lighteneth our hearts of the burden of our afflictions, when as we can lay open our grievances before God, and power out our complaints into his bosom. For if it bee an ease to an afflicted mind, when as a man hath some special and dear friend, to whom he may communicate his griefs,& make known his troubles and discontents, that at least he may be pitied and bemoned of him, though he haue no power or ability to relieve and help him: then how much more ease and comfort shall wee find in laying open the causes of our griefs before God our heavenly father? who as he infinitely § Sect. 7. The fifth reason, is because in our afflictions it is the most fit and seasonable time for prayer. excelleth all mankind in tender love, pity and compassion, so he is able, when as it shall bee most for his glory and our comfort, to free and▪ deliver us out of all our miseries and afflictions. Fifthly, we must in all our troubles haue our recourse unto God by prayer, because it is the most opportune, fit and seasonable Psal. 50. 15 time for this holy exercise; and this may appear, not onely because the Lord, infinite in wisdom, and knowing what actions best sort with all times and occasions, doth more especially enjoin us to call vpon him when wee are in trouble and affliction: but also because we are then most ready and best disposed to the performance of this religious duty; and that with greater efficacy and fervency then at other times. For if ever we will poure out our souls before God by prayer, we will do it in our misery and adversity; and though we haue neglected it in the time of our peace and flourishing prosperity, yet if we haue any spark of grace in us, we will resort unto God, when with the rod of affliction we ar whipped unto him; according to the saying of the Prophet, O Lord, in trouble they haue visited thee, they Esa. 26. 16. poured out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. And howsoever even Gods dearest seruants are in the time of their health and worldly welfare, loose and slacken, could and negligent in their suits and supplications, roving in their prayers at large, and uttering them weakly and remissly; like riuers in a large current or spacious plain; yet are they in their afflictions and miseries most zealous and fervent, vehement and almost violent in preferring their suits; and then their prayers like strong streams in narrow straights, issue from their troubled souls with vnresistable force, and admit of no stop and opposition. An example whereof we haue in the afflicted Church of Iuda, of whom it is said, that their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Sion, let Lam. 2. 18. 19 tears run down like a river day and night; take thee no rest, neither let the apple of thine eye cease. Arise, cry in the night, in the beginning of the watches, poure out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord, lift up thine hands towards him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the corners of al the streets. And the like we may see in the practise Esa. 38. 14. of Hezechias, who when his soul was afflicted, is said in the fervency of his spirit, to haue chattered like a crane or swallow; and in holy david, who in his greatest calamities and distresses, did make his most fervent and effectual prayers, as we may see in many of his psalms. Lastly, the example of all Gods seruants from time to § Sect. 8. The last reason taken from the example of Gods Saints. time, who haue most diligently and zealously performed this duty of prayer and invocation in their afflictions and tribulations, may serve as a strong inducement to move and persuade us to follow the like practise. Thus david in all his afflictions fleeth unto God as unto his rock, castle and strong hold, by whom alone he was safeguarded from dangers; and as unto his deliverer, and mighty saviour, who freed him out of all troubles, and plucked him out of the jaws of death. The Lord( saith he) is my rock and my fortress, and he that delivereth me, my God and my strength, in Psal. 15 2. 3. 4. 6 him will I trust, my shield, the horn also of my salvation, and my refuge▪ I will call vpon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised, so shall I be safe from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of wickedness made me afraid, &c. But in my trouble did I call vpon the Lord, and cried unto my God. And he heard my voice out of his temple▪ and my cry did 2▪ King. 1. 2. 14. 15.& 20. 2. 3. come before him, even into his ears. So Hezechiah when he was to be beseidged with the mighty host of Senacherib, and also when the sentence of death was by the Prophet, as Gods ambassador, pronounced against him, resorteth unto God by prayer, as unto his onely refuge. The Prophet Ion. 2. 1. 2. jonas likewise when he was in the Whales belly, prayed unto the Lord his God, and said, I cried in mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me▪ out of the belly of hell cried I, and Nehem. 9. Dan. 9. thou heardest my voice. The like duty was performed by Nehemiah and Daniel when they were in captivity in the behalf of themselves and of their people. So the disciples being tossed with a cruel tempest; and now ready to sink, flee unto Christ by prayer▪ crying ou● Lord save us, we perish. And Math. 8. 25. the Apostle Paul in the behalf of the colossians, prayeth unto God, as unto the onely fountain of all these gifts and graces, that he would strengthen them with all might, Col. 1. 12. through his glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness. Neither hath this been the practise of these few about, whom I haue produced for examples, but of all Gods faithful seruants in all their distresses; and therefore the Psalmist reckoning up a number of afflictions, wherewith the Church and people of God were tossed and turmoiled, maketh this the conclusion of all, and( as it were) the foot of his song; then they cried unto the Lord in their troubles, and be delivered them out of their distress. But above Psal. ●07. 6. al is the example of our saviour Christ, who being to drink of thi● bitter cup of most grievous afflictions, doth power out his soul before his Father in most fervent prayers; and as the Apostle speaketh. In the dayes of his flesh did offer up prayers Heb. 5. 7. and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him, that was able to save him from death, and was also heard in that which he feared. And therefore if he who was the deere and onely son of God, had not those things which he desired in the time of his afflictions, but by the means of frequent and hearty prayer; how shall we think that God will of his own accord, without our entreating bestow vpon us those gifts and graces which wee need, or sand us deliverance out of all our troubles? But if these examples seem too high for our imitation, as being taken from the practise of such saints of God, who had attained to a great measure of excellency and perfection; let us set before us the example of Manasses, who though in the time of his prosperity, he fled from God and forsook him, committing all outrageous wickedness both against him and the whole church; yet when he was in tribulation he prayed unto the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers, and praying unto him 2. Chron. 33. 12. 13. God was entreated of him, and heard his prayer and brought him again to jerusalem into his kingdom. Yea even the heathen mariners though they were ignorant of God and his true religion, yet by the very light of nature they were guided to the performance of this duty in the time of their extremity and danger, crying every man to his God for help and deliverance. Ion. 1. 5. And the ninivites likewise when they heard destruction Chap. 3. 8. denounced against their city by the Prophet of God, fasted, put on sack cloath, repented of their sins, and cried mightily unto God. And therefore if wee would bee conformable unto the practise of all the saints, and our saviour Christ himself; yea if we would not be worse then Manasses, the most outrageous sinner that ever obtained grace and salvation; or then the very heathens themselves, who being ignorant of the knowledge of the true God, had onely the light of nature to be their guide, let us in all our troubles and afflictions flee unto God by fervent and effectual prayers, that so wee may either bee delivered from the burden of the cross, or haue strength to bear it with patience, comfort and ioy in the holy Ghost. CHAP. IIII. Of the things which God requireth in the person of him who is to make an acceptable prayer, in the time of affliction. AND these are the reasons which may move § Sect. 1. The first thing required in the person is, that he be regenerate& sanctified. us to perform this duty of prayer in the time of our afflicitons; now that wee may pray with assurance to haue our suits and petitions granted, there are diuers things required; some whereof respect the person of him that prayeth; and some the prayer itself. In respect of the person, that wee bee regenerate, sanctified, and the sons of God by adoption and grace; that so having received the spirit of adoption, Rom. 8. 15. 26 we may cry in our hearts Abba, Father; for wee know not how to pray as we ought, but this spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh request for us, with sighs and groans which cannot be expressed, framing our prayers( not according to the lusts of our own flesh, but the holy will of God. And if we be thus qualified, we may be assured, that we shall haue our spirits granted; for what request can God deny which his holy spirit inditeth, and maketh? or how shal we not obtain that grace and mercy from him, which is consonant to his most just and holy will? Besides the Lord hath bound himself by his most free promises, that he will hear the prayers of his faithful and righteous sons and seruants, and will grant unto them that love and fear him all their suits and requests: so the Psalmist saith, Psal. 34. 17.& the righteous cry and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of al their troubles, and elsewhere; 84. 11. the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly, so by the same oracle the Lord delivereth this gracious answer: Ps. 91. 14. 15. Because he hath loved me therefore will I deliver him, I will exalt him because he hath known my name; he shall call vpon me and I will hear him; I will bee with him in trouble, I will deliver him and glorify him. And again he saith, that God will and 145. 19. fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry and will save them. So our saviour promiseth, that John 15. 7. if we abide in him and his words do abide in us, then wee may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto vs. And his beloved Apostle teacheth us, that 1. John 3. ●2. whatsoever wee ask, wee receive of him because we keep his commandements, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight. Yea this was a received axiom among the Iewes, and therfore the blind man herein appealeth to their own knowledge, joh 9 31. we know( saith he) that God heareth not sinners, but if any man bee a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him heareth he. And therefore howsoever the Apostle attributeth much to prayer, yet all is limited to the prayer of a man who is just and righteous; the prayer( saith he) of a righteous man availeth much, if it be fervent. So that if we would pray in assurance of Faith to bee heard, and haue our requests granted, we must be sanctified and purged from our corruptions; and therefore these are well joined together by the Apostle, 1. Tim. 2. 8. I will( saith he) that men pray every where, lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting. For if we come unto God defiled and polluted with our natural corruptions; and ouerburthened also with our manifold and heinous transgressions and actual sins; the Lord will not hear us; neither can we hope that our prayers and suits can be acceptable unto him, when our persons are odious in his sight. Manifold testimonies of holy Scripture might bee alleged to this purpose, the Prophet david saith, that if Psalm. 62. 18. he should regard wickedness in his hart, the Lord would not hear him. And the wise man telleth us, that Pro. 15. 8. 29. the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable unto him; that the Lord is far from the wicked, but heareth the prayer of the righteous, and that and 28. 9. he who turneth away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer shall be abominable. So the Prophet Esay telleth the Iewes, that there was in God no want of love to hear their prayers, nor want of power, to effect their desires: but the onely let and impediment was their sins, which like a wall of separation, or thick and impenetrable cloud, did hinder their prayers from ascending unto God, and his blessings and benefits from descending unto them. Esa. 59. 1. 2. See ver. 9. 10. 11. 12. and Ierem. 14. 12. job. 27. 9. John. 9. 31. behold( saith he) the hand of the Lord is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear, but your iniquities haue separated between you and your God, and your sins haue hide his face from you, that he will not hear. The which heavy iudgement the Lord had before threatened against them, for their heinous transgressions; Esa. 1. 15. when you shall stretch out your hands( saith he) I will hid mine eyes from you, and though you make many prayers I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. So the Prophet ezechiel threateneth them from the Lord, that for their gross idolatry and bloody cruelty, he would not hear their Ezech. 8. 18. prayers in the day of their afflictions, though they did cry in his ears with a loud voice. And the Prophet Micah. 3. 4. Michah to the same purpose; Then( saith he) shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hid his face from them at that time, because they haue done wickedly in their works. And therfore if in our afflictions we would make our prayers with any hope to be heard, let us not approach unto God in our sins; and according to the exhortation of the Apostle, 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let as many as call vpon the name of the Lord, depart from iniquity. For as the Psalmist teacheth us, the Lord imputeth it as great Presumption to the wicked, that they take Psal. 50. 16. his holy ordinances into their mouths,& he hateth the very sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving which are offered unto him by impure hands,& unhallowed lips. There is no man in his right wits would come as a suitor unto his Prince, and bring his accuser with him, who is ready to testify and prove to his face his treason and rebellion; much less would any present himself before so great and powerful a majesty, to make petition for some benefit after he had killed and murdered his Soueraignes only son and heir, having stil in his hand the weapon wherewith he committed this wicked act, embrued and defiled with his blood: There is no adulteress so shamelessly impudent, who would desire pardon of her jealous husband, having still her lover in her arms, with whom shee hath often committed filthiness in times past, and is resolved again to commit it for the time to come: or if any be so mad to make such suits in this odious manner, they are sure to be repulsed, and to find wrath and vengeance, where they look for grace and mercy: but thus do they behave themselves towards God, who remaining polluted with their sins do offer up their prayers unto him; for they bring their accusers, even their defiled consciences and crying sins, which continually accuse and condemn them, and call for that due iudgment and punishment which they haue deserved: they bring the weapon into Gods presEnce,( even their sins) whereby they haue crucified and slain the onely son of God; and they present themselves into Gods presence to sue for grace; embracing still with ardent love and affection the world and worldly vanities, with whom they haue often committed spiritual whoredom, with a purpose to continue still in their former uncleanness; and therefore let not such fond imagine that the Lord will hear them, and grant their suits, but rather expect that in his terrible wrath he will take vengeance on them, and turn their temporary afflictions, into hellish torments and everlasting punishments. Yea( will some say) but this is but small comfort to those Sect. 2. That being in ourselves sinners, we are made righteous by faith in Christ, and purged from the corruption of sin by repentance, and so are heard of God when we pray unto him. who are in affliction, to hear that God onely regardeth the prayers of the righteous, and that he heareth not the prayers of thē who come unto him in their sins; for who is righteous, and sinneth not daily? And what other cause is there of our afflictions, but our sins, which God in his iustice correcteth and punisheth? To which I answer, that howsoever we are all naturally defiled with original corruption, and haue the relics of sin remaining in us, even to the day of our dissolution; and though wee continually add hereunto innumerable actual transgressions; yet wee may appear righteous before God, and bee as clean purged from all sin, as if wee had never fallen into it; as first when wee lay hold vpon Christ by a true and lively faith, and do apply unto us his obedience and merits; for then our unrighteousness is covered with the rich robe of his perfect righteousness, and our corruptions are washed and cleansed away in his most precious blood, whereby it cometh to Esa. 1. 18. pass, that though our sins were as crimson, they shall be made as white as snow; and though they were as read as scarlet▪ they shal be white as wool, as the Lord hath promised. And this is the purging of justification, whereby God in Christ doth freely forgive al our sins, and reputeth us as just and righteous. But besides this, there is also a purging away of our sin and corruption by sanctification, when by virtue of Gods spirit& a lively faith, we are made partakers of the power of Christs death, which mortifieth the flesh& the lusts thereof, and the power of his resurrection, whereby wee are raised to holiness and newness of life. And hereof it cometh to pass, that though sin dwell in us, yet it doth not reign in us; though some relics thereof remain in us, yet wee are not reputed sinners before God; not onely because we haue received the grace of justification, and so haue all our sins forgiven, and are clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ, applied unto us by a lively faith; but also the grace of sanctification, whereby the power of sin is abated in us, and all our corruptions, partly mortified, and partly deputed to mortification, and shall at last bee fully abolished. And therefore seeing our sins haue received a mortal wound, and still languish unto death, we cannot properly be called sinners, seeing it is dead to us, and wee to it; but just and righteous, because righteousness and holinesse is begun in us by virtue of Gods spirit, regenerating and sanctifying us, and shall daily grow and increase, until it come to full perfection; neither can sin bee said to live in us, being appointed to death and final abolishment; but rather to be crucified and destroyed, even as wee commonly say of a condemned person, that he is but a dead man, when as he is condemned and deputed to death, though he be not as yet brought forth to execution. And in these respects and no other were the saints of God in the Scriptures, called righteous and just, and had all the gracious promises of the Gospel applied and made good unto them; not that they were free from sin, for there is no man righteous that doth Eccles. 8. 22. Iam. 3. 2. good and sinneth not, and in many things wee sin all; nor because there way any perfection in their legal righteousness, or any full and exact conformity with the law of God; but because they were justified by Christs righteousness, applied by faith, and were sanctified by his holy spirit: the which their sanctification was( like ours) imperfect, consisting in a sight and sense of their corruptions, and an hearty sorrow for them; and also in a sincere desire and earnest endeavour in the use of all good means appointed by God, to mortify these corruptions, forsake all their sins, and serve the Lord with upright hearts, in the contrary duties of holinesse and righteousness. And therefore if we be endued with this lively faith, and labour in the practise of sanctification, then shall not wee be reputed sinners, but be accepted as just and righteous in Gods sight; and consequently haue full right and interest unto all Gods gracious promises; and particularly to those which assure us of deliverance out of all our afflictions, or of strength and patience to bear them with ioy and comfort. But yet it is not enough that we be persuaded of our justification Sect. 3. That we must show our faith by our repentance and our repentance by the fruits thereof. by Christs righteousness applied by faith, and of our sanctification by his holy spirit, unless we approve them both to ourselves and others, by the fruits of unfeigned repentance, whereby( as it were by sense and motion) this spiritual life is made known to the glory of God and our own comfort; and unto this God requireth that we should not onely in general bewail and forsake all our sins; but especially and principally, those which we think to be the causes and occasions of our present crosses and afflictions; and then when the causes of our calamities and tribulation are taken away, these miserable effects also shall soon cease and be removed. And if wee thus draw near unto Iam 4. 8. God by unfeigned repentance, he will also draw near unto us hear our prayers and deliver us out of all our afflicitons; if we will cleanse our hands, and purge our hearts, and sorrow and weep because of our sins, turn our laughter into mourning▪ and our ioy into heaviness, and humble ourselves before the Lord, he will lift us up, as the Apostle Psal. 34. 18 speaketh. For the Lord is near unto them that are of a contrite Esa. 66. 2. heart, and will save such as be afflicted in spirit, as the Psalmist telleth vs. And this is his own gracious promise by the Prophet Esay, that he will look unto him, even unto him, that is poor& of a contrite spirit, who trembleth at his words. From which mercy, the greatness and multitude of our sins cannot exclude us, so that wee turn unto the Lord by unfeigned repentance, as wee may see in the example of the Iewes; whom though the Lord had taxed and accused by his Prophet to be most heinous and notorious offenders, yet he offereth them mercy vpon the condition of their repentance. Wash you( saith he) and make you clean, take away Esa. 1 16. 18. the evil of your works from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, &c. and then, come and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins were as crimson, they shall be white as snow, though they were read like scarlet, they shal be as wool. And this is that repentance which must continually bee §. Sect. 4. That repenting of our sins, we must make humble confession of thē. renewed when we present ourselves in prayer before God, even as we daily and hourly renew our sins; with which we must join as an inseparable companion, an humble confession of all our transgressions, together with an unfeigned acknowledgement, that by reason of them, wee are utterly unworthy of Gods least mercy, and most worthy if he should enter into iudgment with us, not onely of those light and momentany afflictions which lie vpon us, but also of the fearfullest of Gods plagues in this life, and of everlasting destruction, death and condemnation in the life to Psa. 103. 8. come; and finally, that it is Gods wonderful mercy that he dealeth so favourably with us, not punishing us according to the merit of our sins, but like a gracious father with all love and tenderness for our amendment. Concerning the confession of our sins, whereby wee lay them open before the Lord, wee are encouraged thereunto by Gods most gracious promises; namely, that if wee confess and forsake our Pro. 28. 13. 1. joh. 1. 9 sins, we shall find mercy; and that if we aclowledge our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from al unrighteousness. And contrariwise, we are terrified from the neglect thereof by Gods severe threatenings; for he that hideth his sins, or denieth them, shall not prosper; because he maketh God a liar, who by his word convinceth all men of sin, as it is in the same places. So the Lord threateneth that seeing the Iewes said, that surely Gods wrath should jerm. 2. 35 turn from them, because they were guiltless, therefore he would enter into iudgement with them, because they said, wee haue not sinned. In regard whereof job professeth, that though he were job. 9. 15. 21. just, yet he would not answer, but would make supplication to his judge; and that though he were perfect, yet because he did not know his own soul, therefore did he abhor his life. And of both this displeasure of God threatened against those who hid their sins, and of this mercy promised to those that aclowledge and confess them, david had experience; for he saith, that being in affliction, and having Gods hand Psal. 32. 3. 5. heavy vpon him, and holding his tongue, his very bones consumed, though he roared all the day. But then( saith he) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, neither hide I mine iniquity: for I thought I will confess against myself my wickedness unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the punishment of my sin. And of this we haue innumerable examples in the Scriptures. As in the Israelites, who being afflicted for their sins do continually after their repentance, make their humble confession of their wickedness, as an introduction unto their prayers for help and deliverance, as wee commonly red in the history of the Iudges and the Kings. Thus also in the time of their captivity, they cry out unto God; We haue sinned, we Lamen. 3. 42. haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared. So job in the time of his affliction, maketh the like confession unto God; I haue job. 7. 20. sinned( saith he) what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? And david likewise, as appeareth throughout the whole book of the psalms. Yea not onely these and all other the Saints of God, but even Pharaoh himself, who in Exod. 10. 16 the time of his prosperity, asked who was the Lord, yet in his affliction, maketh confession of his sin, and craveth pardon. How much rather therefore should we lay open our sins before our heavenly father, who is ready to forget them, when we remember them; to hid them, when we discover them; and to forgive them, when we confess them? For he is our spiritual chirurgeon and physician of our souls, and therefore to whom should wee lay open our festered sores of sin, but unto him, who by applying that sovereign falue of his mercy, and the precious balm of Christs blood is able to heal them? To whom should wee make known the sicknesses& diseases of our souls, but unto him who hath both will and skill to cure them? But as wee must in our afflictions confess our sins before God, so must we in all humility aclowledge, that we are not worthy of the least of those benefits which we still enjoy,& that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with us, he might as well deprive us of all his blessings that remain, as of those which for our sins he hath justly taken from vs. We must say with jacob, that Gen. 32. 10. we are not worthy of the least of Gods mercies, and of all the truth which he hath shewed unto us, in fulfilling of his gracious promises; but contrariwise deserve much more heavy plagues and punishments, And this humiliation the Lord requireth of his People, Ezech. 36. 31 Then shall you( saith he) remember your own ways, and your deeds that were not good, and shall judge yourselves worthy to haue been destroyed for your iniquities, and for your abominations. An example whereof we haue in the afflicted Iewes, who in all their great extremities, humbly confenssed it to be the great Lament. 3. 22 mercy of God that they were not utterly comsumed;& adiudged themselves to haue deserved Cap. 5. 16. woe because they had sinned. As also in Ezra who humbling himself in the sight and sense of his own and the peoples sins, crieth out, Ezra. 9 6. O my God, I am confounded and ashamed, to lef● up mine eyes unto thee my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our tresp●sse is grown up unto the heaven. And if we thus 1. Cor. 11. 31. judge ourselves we shall not be judged of the Lord; if we accuse& condemn ourselves, he will excuse, and acquit us; and if Iam. 4. 10. wee thus cast down ourselves before the Lord, he will lift us up. For Esay. 66. 2. he● looketh to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, who trembloth at his word. Yea and 57. 15. he dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to re●iue the spirit of the humble, and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart. An example hereof wee haue in Rehoboam and in the rest of the Princes of judah, who 2. Chro. 12. 7. humble● themselves and said, the Lord is just; and when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah saying; they haue humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them, but I will sand them deliverance shortly, l 2. Chro. 33. 12 13. &c. As also in Manasses, who when in his tribulation he prared to the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before him, God was entreated of him, heard his prayer, and restored him to his kingdom. And thus daniel praying and humbling himself before God, received this comfortable message from God. Dan. 1●. 12. fear not Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thine hart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, &c. Yea so much doth the Lord esteem of this humiliation, that he would not let that counterfeit humiliation of Ahab go unrewarded, but gave him in regard thereof, a 1. King. 21. 27. temporary immunity from those judgements and punishments, which by his Prophet he had threatened against him. If therefore in our afflictions wee would poor forth unto God such acceptable prayers, as may obtain comfort in our crosses, and deliverance from all our calamities; we must confess our sins, and humbly aclowledge that wee haue not deserved Gods smallest benefits, but are worthy to haue the wrath of God to burn more hotly against us, and to be overwhelmed with much more heavy plagues and punishments. And so the Lord will Si seruulum tuam videas peccata propria confitentem, vlt●ò ●fferre se poenae, inflecteris et ignoscis; de domini miseratione diffidis? Ambros. in Psal. 37. excuse us, when we accuse ourselves; remit our sins when we remember them; and absolve us from punishment, when in al humility we aclowledge that we haue justly deserved the fearfullest of his plagues. For if we, who haue but a little mite of mercy, are moved with compassion, when either our son or seruant do humble themselves, aclowledge their faults, and of their own accord offer themselves to suffer that punishment which they haue deserved; then how can we doubt that God will be pitiful and ready to forgive us, when he seeth us thus humbled, whose love and mercy towards us is infinite and incomprehensible? As therefore a man skilful in the Art of swimming, being through casualty cast into the sea, and labouring by his skill and labour to recover the shore, doth not when he seeth a billow approaching oppose against it, because it would cast him further into the main, his weaker force being far too feeble to withstand the violence of the mighty wave; but stoopeth and diueth under it, and so suffereth it to pass over him without receiving any hurt; so when wee see the huge billows of troubles and afflictions raised by the stormy blasts of Gods wrath and anger, near approaching, and coming against us; it is both vain and dangerous to oppose against them by pride and impatiency, or to imagine that wee can resist and withstand them with our struggling, murmuring and repining; seeing this will rather hinder us from arriving in the haven of safety, and cast us back into the depth of misery; but like these cunning swimmers wee must dive under these waves, which it is ●mpossible to withstand; bearing ou● burden with patience, meekness and humility, and acknowledging that far greater punishments are due unto vs. And of both this confession and humiliation we haue notable presidents in those excellent prayers of Ezra. 9. Ezra, Nehem. 9. Nehemiah, and Dan. 9. Daniel. As also in the speech of the prodigal son after his conversion, and returning to his Father; luke. 15. 21. 22. Father( saith he) I haue sinned against heaven,& before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son; vpon which humiliation he was raised out of his afflicted estate, and received both the pardon of his faults, and large testimonies of his Fathers favour. CHAP. V. Of the things required in our prayers in respect of their matter, manner, time and continuance. AND thus much concerning those things §. Sect. 1. That we must in the first place crave the pardon and remission of our sins. which respect the person of him that prayeth; In the next place wee are to speak of those things which are required unto the prayer itself; and these either respect the matter of our petitions, the manner, or the time and continuance of this holy exercise. Concerning the matter of our prayers; we are first and principally to desire the pardon and remission of our sins; for they are the wall of separation( as I haue said) which hinder all our suits from ascending& entering into Gods ears, and his blessings from descending unto us; they are the poisonous sting of all our afflictions, which being pulled out, they become harmless, yea beneficial and profitable for the advancing of our spiritual good, and the furthering of our salvation. They are the causes of all our crosses& calamities, which being taken away, either our afflictions shall haue an end, or of crosses be turned into comforts; and of noisome evils, become joyful blessings. Whereas contrariwise if our sins remain vnpardoned, even our freedom from our afflictions, is but a bondage, Gods sparing of us, a grievous punishment; and the greatest misery, to bee freed from misery; seeing wee are left of God as a desperate cure, because the physic of affliction will do us no good, and given up unto the hardness of our own hearts, to run on in our wicked courses which led to destruction, without check and controlment. And hereof it is that the faithful being in affliction observe this usual method in their prayers, first to aclowledge their sins, and then to crave pardon for them, and deliverance from their crosses and calamities. So Daniel in that excellent prayer Dan. 9. which he maketh for Gods afflicted Church and people, maketh first an humble confession of their sins, and then prayeth for mercy and the turning away of Gods wrath,& for their deliverance and restoring out of the land of their Psal. 6. 1. 2. 4. captivity. And david joineth these together praying first for the appeasing of Gods wrath and anger▪ and for mercy in regard of his sins, and then desireth to bee healed, delivered and saved out of his affliction and tribulation. So elsewhere he desireth the Lord to look vpon his affliction& travell, Psalm. 25. 18. but because though he beholded it, yet he would not pitty him, so long as his guilt and faultiness remained, therefore he addeth; and forgive me all my sins. And in the one and fiftieth psalm he laboureth earnestly for the pardon of his sins, and maketh humble confession of his wickedness, and then beggeth for the comfort and ioy of Gods spirit. Yea this order was observed by our heavenly physician in the curing of bodily infirmities and diseases, first to take away the cause of their sickness, son be of good comfort, Matth. 9. 2. 6 thy sins are forgiven thee, and then the sickness itself, Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thine house. And thus having craved and obtained the pardon and remission §. Sect. 2. Whether we may lawfully pray for deliverance from affliction, and after what manner. of our sins, in respect of their guilt: in the next place we may desire to bee freed from the punishment; for that wee may lawfully pray for our deliverance out of our afflictions, even common sense and the instinct of nature teacheth us, moving us to flee and avoid whatsoever hurteth us, and to follow and embrace whatsoever is helpful and profitable. And this natural appetite of shunning evil, and seeking our own good, is further warranted by Gods express commandement, enjoining us in the time of our Psal. 50. 15 afflictions to call vpon him for help and deliverance. unto which we may add the example of the Saints from time to time, who haue prayed against these crosses and calamities when they saw them approaching; and for deliverance out of them after they were inflicted; which is so common and usual in the Scriptures, that it is but lost labour to produce examples; only that example of our saviour Christ above al exception is sufficient in itself; who as he used all good means to preserve himself from affliction and persecution; so he earnestly prayed unto his father, that the bitter cup of his passion might pass from him. But howsoever wee may lawfully pray against afflictions before they come, or for deliverance out of them when they are inflicted; yet not absolutely and without any condition or exception; for thus onely wee must pray against sin which is simply evil, and in it own nature, without any respect of good; and for spiritual graces and eternal life and happiness which are simply good, and haue in them no respect of evil. But as temporary and earthly benefits are not simply good, but being mutable and liable to our abuse, become unto us through our corruption, not onely vain and unprofitable, but also hurtful and pernicious; so these momentany crosses and afflictions, are no● simply and absolutely evil, but through the infinite wisdom, goodness and power of God, disposing and ordering them, become to the faithful exceeding good and profitable( as we shall afterwards show at large) and that both for the manifesting and advancing of Gods glory, and the furthering and assuring of our salvation. And therefore wee must not simply pray against them, because so wee should pray against Gods glory and our own everlasting good, but onely so far forth as they tend to the hurt or hindrance of either of them. again the promises of God, which in all our prayers are the onely ground and foundation of our faith, are not in respect either of temporary and worldly benefits, or deliverance from these momentany crosses and afflictions, absolute and without limitation; but always restrained to the condition of his own glory, and our spiritual good and eternal salvation; and therefore in all our prayers, this condition is either to be expressed or understood, because wee are no otherwise to ask it then he hath promised it. Neither were it in truth a benefit to receive freedom from our misery and tribulation, when as it will not stand with the glory of God& our own salvation, but rather an exceeding great iudgment and punishment; and consequently it should rather be a terrible threatening, then a comfortable promise, if the Lord should tel us that he would thus deliver vs. And therefore he doth not promise us all things which wee desire, nor to deliver us from all things which wee abhor and fear, for this were the part of an indulgent and cockering parent, who desireth to please his child in his foolish wantonness for the present, rather then to seek his profit& good for ever after; but rather like a wise, discreet, and truly loving father he promiseth, that if we fear and seek unto him, nothing shall be wanting unto us which is good; and that either he Psal. 34. 10. Rom. 8. 28. will not afflict us at all, or else that he will by his power and wisdom convert all our crosses and calamities, to our comfort and benefit. And as the learned and faithful physician, or skilful Surgeon, do not promise their patients which are full of corrupt humours, or endangered with old and festered sores, that they will not distaste their appetite, or any way molest and trouble them; but only that they will effect the cure, and to this purpose use both the best and easiest means and medicines which they can; and as the wise patient is well satisfied with this promise, being contented rather to suffer for the present a little smart and pain, then to hazard his life by neglect of the means, or to haue his sore turn to a fistul● or incurable cancer. So the Lord doth not promise, that he will not at all afflict us, but that our afflictions shall not hurt us; not that wee shall feel no smart or pain, but that he will cure and save us by the best means which will stand with his own glory and our good. And therefore like wise patients we are to desire, not that he will please our appetites, but that he will effect a perfect cure, not that he will at our pleasure pull off the corrosive or working salve of affliction and tribulation, but when it hath drawn out the core of our corruptions, and made us fit for the healing plasters of his mercies and gracious benefits. For otherwise if wee would enlarge Gods promises according to our own lusts and foolish fantasies, and desire that which is pleasing to our carnal appetites, and not that which is good and profitable; our careful father will not hearken unto vs. And if in the frenzy fit of our distempered passion, we either desire things hurtful for us( as it were could water in a burning fever) or would haue the unpleasing plasters of tribulation removed, or the bitter potion of affliction taken from us, which our wise physician hath appointed for the effecting of the cure; he will not regard our suits, seeing he desireth rather to cure us, then to please us; and regardeth our well grounded request, which out of a settled and sound iudgment wee made unto him, namely, that he would use the best means for the purging of our corruptions, the recovery of our spiritual health, and the everlasting salvation of our souls; rather then a new motion arising from our present sense; whereby in a raving maner we prefer our bodies, before our souls; and freedom from present and momentany smart and pain, before deliverance from never ending torments, and our everlasting salvation in the life to come. And therefore, if we would haue our prayers heard in our afflictions, wee must pray for that which God hath promised; not absolutely that crosses may not befall us, or that being inflicted we may bee delivered out of them; but conditionally, if this our suite will stand with Gods glory and our salvation; not that they may not happen, but that they may not hurt us; not that wee may be quiter exempted from sense of pain; for this perhaps would hinder the cure, and cause us to rot in our corruptions; but that like a wise, faithful and pitiful physician, he will handle us as gently as possibly he may, so as in the mean time the medicines used may bee effectual for the purging of our corruptions, and recovery of our health. For thus( as one saith) God delivereth his from tribulation, not that it may not at all befall us, but that when it happeneth, it may not harm us, and that Deus suos liberat à tribulatione, non quidem ne veniat, said ne laedat, ne noceat, ne tanga● te malum, &c. Bernard in job. 5. in sex tribulationibus. Non ●rgo exaudiuit dominus Paulum ad voluntatem, quia audivit ad sanitatem, &c. August. Serm. 53. Tom. 10. we may remain untouched of evil. For even death itself,( which in it own nature is the greatest and last of worldly miseries) will in the end seize vpon us; but to those whom God loveth, it shall be a sleep, the gate of life eternal, the beginning of our comfort and refreshing; and the very ladder whereby we ascend into the joys of heaven. To the same purpose another saith well, that God heard Pauls prayer, not according to his will, but so as it stood best with his spiritual wel-fare. And then infereth, that it is not a thing much to be esteemed; to be heard according to our appetite and desire; but so as it may further our profit and benefit: for even the divels themselves were heard according to their will, when they desired to enter into the heard of Swine; and the chief of them had his suite granted, when as he requested that he might tempt job, but it was to this end, that job might be tried, and the tempter confounded, And so the Israelites were heard when they lusted after flesh; but ye know what followed, whilst the meate was in their mouths. And therefore do not much esteem it to be heard according to thy will; for sometime God in his anger giveth that which thou desirest; and in his mercy denieth that which thou askest. But when thou prayest for those things which God commendeth, commandeth and promiseth in the life to come, thou maiest ask securely, and intend thy fuit with all earnestness, that thou maiest haue it heard and granted, as being bestowed by God in his mercy, and not in his anger and displeasure. But when thou askest temporal benefits, ask them with moderation and fear, and commit the issue of thy svit wholly to him, namely that he will give them if they be profitable, and deny them if they bee hurtful; for the physician knoweth better then the patient what doth hurt him, and what doth help him. The second thing required in our prayers respecteth the §. Sect. 3. The first thing required in respect of the matter is, that wee must come into Gods presence w●th all fear& reverence. manner how wee are to pray in the time of our afflictions; which is in part touched occasionally in the former section, where I entreated of the matter of our requests, namely, that we must not pray simply and absolutely for deliverance, but onely so far forth as it will stand with Gods glory and our own spiritual good; not that the burden of our afflictions should at our pleasure bee taken from our shoulders; but that either the Lord would ease us of our load, or give us strength and patience to bear whatsoever it shall please him to lay vpon vs. And this virtue of patience and spiritual wisdom we may absolutely and without condition ask of God, both because it is absolutely good and therefore liable to no abuse, but always tendeth to his glory and our salvation; and also because wee haue an express promise, that if wanting this grace we pray for it, the Lord will give it unto us liberally; and withall a commandement, that wee ask it Iam. 1. 5. 6. in faith& waver not; because the Lord hath absolutely promised it, and therefore will undoubtedly bestow it. But besides this there are diuers other things required, which I will briefly touch, because it is not my purpose to set down any full treatise of prayer, but onely so much as is necessary for the doctrine of afflictions. As first that we present ourselves before God with all fear and reverence; for if wee bee thus affencted when wee come into the presence of an earthly Prince, though he be but a mortal man like unto ourselves, onely because he is Gods deputy, who hath in him but some small sparks of that infinite majesty, which is in him whom he representeth; then how much more should wee bee thus affencted, when wee come into the presence of God who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? And this reverence and respect of his glorious presence, the Lord at all times requireth of us, as he is our Father and Master; if( saith he) I bee a Father where is mine honour, if a master, where is my fear? but Mal. 1. 6. Leuit. 10. 3. Psal. 2. 11. especially when we draw near unto him in performing the duties of his service, in which respect the Psalmist willeth us, to serve the Lord in fear, and to rejoice in trembling. And the wise man counseleth us that we do not perform these duties of Gods worship rashly and irreverently, Bee not( saith he) rash with thy mouth, nor let thine heart bee hasty, to utter a Eccles. 5. ●. thing before God; for God is in the heauens, and thou art on the earth, therefore let thy words be few. The which argument our saviour prefixeth before that perfect form of prayer, to prepare us thereby to call vpon God with all reverence; because he is not onely a Father, but heavenly and the full of all glory and majesty. Let us therefore in the first place present ourselves and our prayers before God with al fear and reverence; and to this end let us both consider, what the Lord is before whom we come, namely, a God infinite in majesty, glory, greatness, power, seeing all things even the secret corruptions of our harts, most pure, just, holy, the creator and preserver of all things, &c. And also what we are, namely, vile, wretched, miserable, dust and ashes, worms and no men, defiled with sin, and full of all imperfections, with which considerations being humbled, wee shall be the better fitted to receive mercy and help from God. For he giveth his grace to the humble,& dwelleth with those who are of a contrite spirit. Esa. 57. 15.§ Sect. 4. The 2. thing required is that we pray in truth Secondly, God requireth that we pray in truth; whereby I do not onely understand, that we must indeed desire the things we pray for, which is not necessary to be stood on in this place; because there are few hypocrites in suits of this nature, seeing all desire with all their hearts and souls to be freed out of their afflictions; but more especially that wee draw near unto God in the time of our trouble, not only Esa. 29. 13. I●h. 4. 23. 24. with our lips, but also with our hearts; that so it may bee a prayer of the heart and soul, as well as of tongue& speech, and be performed not onely with the outward gesture of the body, but also in spirit and truth. For as it is always a thing odious, to bee in our prayers distracted with wandring thoughts; and to haue our harts and minds going a roving after worldly vanities, when our tongues and lips make our suits and petitions unto God; so especially when wee fault after this manner in the time of our afflictions, seeing the Lord hath purposely brought us into these straights, that we may more seriously, and with greater attention and intention of our minds call vpon him; and putteth( as it were) these pricks in our sides, that we may the rather be moved to keep the right way without any vain wandring, or wanton digressions. And if wee do not thus call vpon God in Quomodo te audiri a Deo postulas cum te ipse non audias? vis esse deum memorem tui cum rogas, cum tu ipse memor▪ tui non sis? Cyprian. de orat. Domin. truth, with our hearts, as well as with our tongues, we can haue no assurance that our petitions shall be heard or regarded of God; for( as one saith) how can wee desire that the Lord should hear us, when wee do not hear ourselves? Or how can wee hope that God will regard our suits which wee make unto him, when we ourselves do not regard them? especially considering that the Lord hath restrained his promise of hearing our prayers unto those onely, who do in truth call vpon him, for as the Psalmist saith, the Lord is near unto all them that call vpon him; yea Psalm. 145. 18. to all that call vpon him in truth. As therefore in the time of the Law, when for their sins they were to offer up unto God whole burnt offerings, it was not enough, that they offered up the outward parts alone, but they must also burn the very Leuit. 1. 13. entrails and bowels: so when in the time of our tribulation wee offer up this sacrifice of prayer, let us as well lift up our Psalm. 25. 1. hearts and souls, as our hands and eyes; and pray as well with the mind 1. Cor. 14. 15. and understanding, as with the tongue and voice; or else wee shall hear that just censure, that we worship God in vain, and haue no assurance that he will hear our prayers. Thirdly, wee must pray in faith, whereby wee are to § Sect. 5. The 3. thing required is that we pray in faith. bee persuaded not onely that our persons▪ are accepted of God as just and righteous, but also, that our prayers are heard of him, and shall most certainly bee granted being framed according to Gods will; more especially we are to beleeue that God in his most seasonable and due time will deliver us out of all our afflictions, and in the mean time will give us strength and patience to bear whatsoever it shall please him to lay vpon vs. And this our faith must bee grounded not vpon our own works and worthiness, but vpon Gods gracious and free promises, namely, that if we ask any thing of him in the name of his son, according to his will; it shall bee given unto us; and more especially that if 1. John. 5. 14. Psalm. 50. 15.& 91. 15.& 103. 8. 9. job. 5. 18. 19. wee call vpon him in the time of our trouble, he will deliver us, that wee may glorify him. That he will bee with us in trouble, hear, deliver and glorify us, and finally that he will not always chide nor keep his anger for ever, as the Psalmist telleth vs. And this special faith thus grounded on Gods promises, is most necessary unto our prayers in the time of affliction, because the Lord by his holy Apostle doth require it; for having willed us, that if wee lack wisdom wee ask it of God, who giveth unto all men liberally; he biddeth us to ask in faith and waver Iam. 1. 6. 7. not: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea, tost of the wind and carried away. Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. And Secondly because al Gods promises of hearing our prayers are restrained to the condition of saith applying them to our own use, for the Lord will not stretch out his hand of bounty and grace to give, if we do not also stretch out the hand of faith to receive. And therefore our saviour biddeth us whatsoever wee Mark. 11. 24. desire when we pray, to beleeue that wee shall haue it, and it shall be done unto vs. And the Apostle exhorteth us in this faith and assurance to go boldly unto the throne of grace, that wee may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4. 16. The fourth thing required in the manner of our prayers § Sect. 6. The fourth thing required is fervency of spirit& earnestness. Psal. 62. ●. 1. Thes. 3. 10, Rom. ●. 26. is, that we pray fervently, pouring out our hearts and souls with great ardency and earnestness in our suits unto God; and this is required in all our prayers at all times according to that of the Psalmist, trust in the Lord all ye people, poure out your hearts before him, for God is our hope; and practised by the Apostle, who saith that he prayed unto God exceedingly day and night, and to this end the Lord gives unto us the assistance of his holy spirit for the helping of our infirmities; that we who know not how to pray as we ought, but are ready naturally to pray with great coldness and negligence, may hereby bee enabled to make request unto God with fighes and groans which cannot bee expressed. But especially we are to pray thus fervently and earnestly unto God in the time of our afflictions; as it is required of the Church of judah in her captivity and misery. Let tears run down Lam. 2. 18. 19. like a river day and night: take thee no rest, neither let the apple of thine eye cease; Arise, cry in the night: in the beginning of the watches poure out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. Whereby is understood, that like as water, whose course and current hath been long stopped in a strait and narrow passage, doth swell above his banks or breaketh down the damme which stoppeth it with vnresistable forc● and violence: so must our prayers haue the like force and vigour to overcome all opposition, when we are brought into these straights of affliction& can find no issue out of them. A notable example whereof wee haue in jacob, who being in Gene. 32. 24. danger of his brothers rage and violence, is said to haue wrestled with God all the night until he had prevailed with him; in which contention he did not onely use his bodily strength for the holding fast of the Angel of the covenant, that he might not depart from him until he had obtained his svit, for this would haue been a small& feeble means to haue prevailed with God; but as the Prophet Hosea expoundeth it, Hos. 12. 4. by his strength he had power with God, and over the angel, and prevailed, when as he wept and prayed unto him. Thus the Church and people of God, are said in their troubles to haue visited God, and to haue powred out a prayer when his chastening was vpon them; and that not coldly& remissly, but like a woman in travail, who being in great sorrow and distress, crieth out in her pains, as the Prophet Esa. 26. 16. 17. there compareth it. A form of which zealous prayer he setteth down else where: look down from heaven, and behold from the dwelling place of thine holinesse, and of thy glory, where is thy zeal and thy strength, the multitude of thy mercies Esa. 63. 15. and of thy compassions? they are restrained from me, &c. And so Hannah being afflicted and troubled in mind, because of her barrenness, and the insulting provocations of Peninna her adversary, is said to haue prayed and wept sore; and as herself speaketh unto Eli in her just excuse, to haue powred out her soul before the Lord, and of the abundance of her complaint to haue made known her grief unto 1. Sam. 1. 10. 15▪ 16. God. And this earnestness in prayer the Prophet david used in his afflictions, even thirsting( as he saith) after Gods mercy for the granting of his suits, like the thirsty land, which being chopped with drought, seemeth to gape continually after rain, never shutting the jaws till it bee filled and satisfied. Thus also the disciples being endangered by a Psal. 143. 6. Matth. 8. 25. Mark. 4. 38. tempest, flee unto Christ for help, and with great earnestness cry out unto him, master, master, save us, we perish, and as mark recordeth it, in their fervent heat they expostulate the matter with him, saying, master, carest th●u not that we perish? of which kind of expostulations uttered to show theseruency of spirit, we haue many examples in the book of job,& of the psalms. And thus our saviour Christ himself in the time of his greatest affliction, sheweth also his greatest fervency in prayer, praying more often and instantly then at other times; for he is said to haue prayed thrice, that the bitter cup of his passion might pass from him; and being in his Heb. 5. 7. agony to haue prayed more earnestly, and to haue uttered his prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death. Yea not only the faithful, but even the heathenish Nineuits, who in Ion. 3. 8. the time of their prosperity were so careless and secure, that they had need to be awakened with that heavy denunciation of their destruction; when they were brought into these narrow straights, are said to haue cried mightily unto God for deliverance out of that danger. So that if wee would not be unlike all Gods Saints and seruants, yea if we would not come behind the Nineuits themselves, wee must in the time of our afflictions, not onely pray unto God, but perform this duty with great fervency and earnestness. For indeed, this is a chief end why the Lord afflicteth us, and why also he differreth to deliver us at the first motion, because he would haue us more urgent and instant in our Luk. 11. 7. 8. prayer; as our saviour Christ plainly sheweth us in the parable of the two friends, the one awakening and raising up the other to supply his wants by his importunity; and of the unrighteous judge, who by the poor widows incessant suing and troubling him, was in the end moved to do Luk. 18. 5. her iustice. An example whereof we haue in the Canaanitish woman, who received from our saviour many repulses, not that he was unwilling to harken unto her, and granther petition; but because he would give her occasion Matth. 15. to show her faith and fervency in following her suite. unto which seruencie, if wee do not attain in the time of our afflictions wee cannot hope to haue our requests heard and regarded, for if wee be slack, cold, and negligent in offering our suits unto God, the Lord will bee slack and slow in granting them; and if through our slothfulness we frustrate Gods end in afflicting us, he will also frustrate the end of our prayers, and will not hear nor deliver us out of our afflictions. For although he hath made many gracious promises, that he will hear and help us, when wee call vpon him in the time of our trouble, yet they are restrained unto this condition, if our prayers bee fervent and effectual. So he promiseth the Israelites, that if being in tribulation, in the land of their captivity, they did from thence seek the Lord, they should surely find Deut. 4. 29. him; if they did seek him with all their heart, and with all their soul. And the Apostle james telleth us, that the prayer Iam. 5. 16. of a righteous man availeth much, if it be fervent or effectual. And therefore though wee be never so eloquent and ample Hos. 7. 14. in our prayers with our tongues and lips, yea though outwardly we howl and cry with our mouth and voice in our suits unto God, yet the Lord will not regard them, if in respect of the heart and affection they be could and negligent. Whereas contrariwise if wee poure forth our hearts before God with fervency of spirit, then though with Moses wee say nothing at all, yet our prayers will be loud and strong cries to move his attention; though with Hannah we make Exod. 14. 15 our suits after such manner, that we only move our lips, and haue no voice heard, and in regard hereof seem unto men 1. Sam. 1. 16. drunk or distracted of our wits, yet if wee poure forth our souls unto God, he will look vpon our affliction and hear our prayers. Though with Hezechiah wee are notable through the violence of our affliction to utter a perfect sentence, but chatter like a Crane or Swallow, our prayers will Esa. 38. 14. be as effectual to prevail with God, if they proceed out of hearts inflamed with zeal and fervency, as though they were uttered in the smoothest style, and adorned with all the flowers of thetorick. Yea, if we can not speak at all, but only sigh and groan, yet this being the language which his own holy Spirit teacheth us, wee may bee assured that he Rom. 8. 26. both understandeth it, and will also regard and hearken unto it. The fifth thing required is humility, whereby acknowledging §. Sect. 7. The fifth thing required, is humility, whereby we submit our wills to the will of God. our own blindness and ignorance, by which it cometh to pass, that wee know not what is good for us, nor what to pray for, but with Zebedeus sons, ask wee know not what; and on the other side, the infinite wisdom of God, whereby he knoweth what is best for us; and his boundless bounty and mercy, whereby according to his most gracious and infallible promises, thee is always ready to bestow vpon us all things which are good and profitable; we do wholly resign up ourselves unto his good pleasure, submit our wills which are continually subject to error and mistaking, unto his most holy will, which is privileged from these infirmities; and wholly refer all our suits and petitions unto his most wise consideration, to be granted or denied, as will stand best with his glory, and the good and salvation of our own souls. And this duty our saviour Christ hath taught us in that most perfect form of prayer, where next after the advancing of Gods glory and kingdom, he willeth us to desire, that his will may bee done in earth as it is in heaven. Which if wee observe, comforming our will in all things to the will of God, we are sure not onely to haue all our requests granted, but also in such manner and measure, as shal be most for our spiritual profit, and the furthering of Gods glory, and our own salvation; seeing God knoweth, when and by what means to effect them better, then wee out of our ignorance can prescribe unto him. Yea in truth wee can haue no assurance that any of our prayers which wee make according to our own lusts, and not according to the will of God shall be heard or granted; unless it be in Gods displeasure, for our iudgment and punishment; seeing these humble prayers, which wee wholly submit to the will of God, haue the promise of being heard, made unto them; according to that of the Psalmist, Commit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to Psal 37. 5. pass. So the Apostle John more expressly telleth us, that in this conformity unto the will of God, consisteth all our assurance of having our petitions heard and granted; This( saith he) is the assurance that wee haue in him, that if wee ask 1. joh. 5. 14 any thing according to his will, he heareth vs. A notable example whereof we haue in our saviour Christ, who though he did most earnestly desire to haue the bitter cup of his passion to pass from him, yet doth he submit himself and his suite to the good pleasure of his heavenly father. O my father Matth. 26. 39 ( saith he) if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And thus we submit ourselves and our suits unto Gods will, first in regard of the substance of them, when having prayed for deliverance out of our afflictions, wee can be content whether he will deliver us or no, leaving it wholly and freely to his choice and pleasure, whether he will free us from our crosses, or seeing it good for us that wee should still lie under them, will give us strength and patience, so as wee may bear them with comfort and contentment. Secondly, when as wee do not prescribe any means unto him, whereby we would be freed from all our afflictions, but leave it wholly to the disposing of his wise providence; who with these, or other means; yea above, without, and contrary to all means, is able through his own omnipotent power, to effect and bring to pass whatsoever it pleaseth him. Thirdly, when wee do not limit or restrain him to either time or place, but leave it wholly unto his good pleasure, who knoweth best when it is most seasonable for the effecting of his own good purposes; onely in general, pray that he will then and not before free us out of our troubles and afflictions, when as they haue effected those good ends for which he sent thē; that is, enriched us with his spiritual graces, and brought us nearer unto him by unfeigned repentance. Fourthly, when we conform our wills to the will of God in respect of our ends, not craving his blessings and benefits for worldly, carnal and 〈◇〉 respects; but that we may employ them to those uses and ends, for which he hath bestowed them; and principally that wee may the better be enabled to glorify God; and be furthered in the way of our own salvation. And if wee do not thus conform our wills to Gods will, by propounding these ends to our desires, we can haue no assurance to be heard of God, or to haue our petitions granted, unless it be in his wrathful displeasure. And thus the Apostle james telleth those hypocrites to whom he writeth, that they asked of God, and received not, because they asked amiss; Iam. 4. 3 that they might consume Gods blessings received vpon their own lusts. Wherein the Lord dealeth graciously with his children and seruants, seeing the abuse of his benefits would much more hurt and endamage them, then the obtaining and having them would do them good. And therefore, as the wise father doth out of mere love deny his child a knife, though he earnestly beggeth it, when he knoweth that he doth desire it to play the wanton with it, to the endaungering of himself or others: and keepeth him bare of money, when he desireth it, that he may spend it in riot, wantonness, drunkenness, and such other wicked courses; and would not cease to give him more stripes, if he should perceive by his plain speeches, that he therefore craved to be spared, that he might return to his old ways, and again incur his displeasure, by committing wilfully his former faults: so the Lord will in love and mercy deny to hear us, crying unto him for deliverance out of our troubles, when our suits haue ill ends propunded unto them, and not such as are pleasing unto him, and agreeable to his revealed will. For example, the end which he propoundeth of our deliverance out of affliction is, that being set at liberty, we might thankfully remember so great a benefit, and so be moved to glorify him by our obedience, and by rendering unto him deserved praise. Now contrariwise, if wee desire to bee freed from our afflictions, that wee may with more pleasure and delight go forward in our old worldly and wicked courses, and not that wee may be the fitter for his service; as for example, if we desire health and strength, that we may follow our carnal pleasures, and not that wee may the better be enabled to serve God in the general duties of christianity, and the special duties of our callings; if wee desire to be eased of our poverty, and to be enriched, that we may match or put down those which are either our equals or superiors, or that we may spend these blessings in gay apparel, surfeiting and drunkenness, or contrariwise, to fill up gabs onely, that we may be counted rich, without any purpose to use thē when we haue them; and not that we may glorify God in his own gifts, by our wise disposing of them for the good of ourselves and others, in the works of christianity, iustice and mercy; the Lord will not bestow these blessings vpon us, though we beg them never so earnestly; or if he should, they would bee curses and not blessings, and signs and pledges, not of his mercy and love, but of his wrath and heavy displeasure. And therefore if wee would be heard, when wee call vpon God for deliverance out of our afflictions, let us propound right ends of our freedom and immunity; and because wee are forgetful and negligent in performing those good duties, which in the time of our troubles we propounded as the end of our deliverance; Gen. 28. 20 1. Sam. 1. 10. 11 Psa. 66. 13. 14& 32. 1. 2. therefore it were not amiss to bind ourselves hereunto by holy and solemn vows, according to the example of jacob, Hannah, david, and other of Gods Saints and seruants. The last thing required in our prayers, respecteth their §. Sect. 8. What is required in our prayers in respect of their time and continuance, namely perseverance. time or continuance; namely that we do incessantly persevere in prayer without discouragement, although our suits be not presently heard and granted; and though after many prayers wee haue neither deliverance out of our afflictions, nor any sense of comfort, or patience in bearing them. It is true, that it is a dangerous tentation for a poor Christian to cry and call for help in his trouble, and not to haue his suits regarded. For a man would think that if God would hear the prayers of any, then especially of those who are in Psa. 50. 15.& 91. 14. 15 affliction, seeing they above others haue his special promimises; that if he would hear at any time, then after much crying and calling; and if in any thing, then in this suite for mercy and deliverance which himself hath commanded us to make, with a promise to hear us; but for a man to pray, yea an afflicted man to pray; and for such an one to pray often, and to pray thus with david out of the depths of misery, and that with all fervency and earnestness, and yet not haue his prayers heard, nor his suits granted; this striketh at the roote of faith, and shaketh the very foundation, if it be not built strongly vpon the rock. For then wee are ready to despair of help, and to conclude, that seeing we haue found our prayers vain and bootless; therefore we will save that labour, and not spend our strength to no purpose, But the more strong and dangerous this tentation is, the more carefully ought every Christian to arm himself against it. And to this purpose let us consider, that the Lord requireth not onely that wee should make our suits known unto him once or twice, or some few or many times, but that we incessantly continue in prayer, and never give over till wee haue our petitions heard and granted. So the Apostle willeth us to Rom. 12. 12. rejoice in hope, to be patient in tribulation, and to continue in prayer; that 1. Thes. 5. 17 we pray continually; and Ephe. 6. 18. always, with all manner of prayer& supplication in the spirit,& watch thereunto with all perseverance, and finally, that we Col. 4. 2. continue in prayer, and watch thereunto with thanksgiving. luke. 18. 2. 3 Chap. 11. 6. 7 Yea thus are wee bound to pray, when there is after much supplication no help appearing, no sense of comfort for the present, nor any outward ground of hope for the time to come; as our saviour teacheth us in the parable of the widow, incessantly suing unto the unrighteous judge; and of the importunate friend, who would admit of no answer till his suite was granted; for to this very end the Lord purposely differreth to help us, though even at the first call he earneth in the bowels of his compassion towards us, that he may hereby try, and by trying, exercise; and by exercising, increase our faith, hope and affiance in him; as also that wee may be moved more seriously to repent of our sins, and with more fervency and earnestness to call vpon him. And therfore when the Lord seemeth to slacken his place in coming to deliver us, we must not slacken ours too in going unto him, but with more diligence and speed we must run and meet him, and with the greater importunity desire him to hasten his help. An example of which persevering in prayer wee haue in david, who never ceased to cry and call vpon God for mercy and deliverance, though he had no sense of comfort, but was much perplexed in his distressed estate. In the day of trouble( saith he) I sought the Lord. My Psal. 77. 3. sore ran and ceased not in the night, my soul refused comfort. I did think vpon God, and was troubled; I prayed, and my spirit Matth. 15. was full of anguish. So in the woman of Canaan, who being patient of all repulses, continued her earnest suite,& would take no denial. And thus though the afflicted Church complaineth, that the Lord had covered them with wrath, persecuted, slain, and not spared them; and that when they were in this Lam. 3. 43. 44 50. distress; he had covered himself with a cloud, that their prayers Psal. 34. 17. could not pass through; yet shee continueth her suits and petitions unto God, till he looked down from heaven, and sent them help and deliverance out of all their miseries and afflictions. Which examples if we likewise will follow, we shall assuredly haue the like issue and success in our prayers and supplications; for this gracious promise& comfort is common to all the faithful, that if they cry, the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. And though he hath given them no assurance that he will hear them at the first or second call, nor prescribed and limited a time or day when he will help and deliver them; yet he exhorteth us all to go boldly unto the throne of grace, assuring Heb. 4. 16. us that wee shall receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. But of this perseverance in faith and patience, when the Lord deferreth to hear and help us, I shall haue occasion to speak more fully hereafter, and therefore I do here with the greater brevity pass it over. CHAP. VI. Of the comforts which arise out of meditation, and first from the consideration of the causes of our afflictions; as namely, that God is the chief cause and principal author of all our afflictions. AND thus haue I shewed what is required in § Sect. 1. That the Lord is the chief cause of all our afflictions, first as he doth preordaine us to suffer thē. our prayers, that they may bring us comfort and deliverance in all our troubles and afflictions. Now wee will propound such arguments of consolation, as do arise out of meditation and consideration, which being well weighed and pondered, may strengthen our patience, and enable us to bear all our afflictions with much comfort and inward rejoicing. All which for order sake, I will reduce unto two heads. The first are such as may serve to comfort us in our crosses and calamities, though wee should continually lie under them, even to the day of our death; the second, such as arise from the assurance which wee haue of Gods gracious and most seasonable deliverance. The arguments and reasons of the first sort, are either spiritual, arising and springing out of the holy Scriptures; or else ●iuil and worldly, grounded vpon some earthly means, and mere moral considerations. The arguments of comfort which are spiritual, are either simplo or comparative. The reasons simply to be considered do arise either from the causes and effects, or the subject and adjuncts of our afflictions. The causes of our afflictions to bee considered of▪ are either efficient or final; the efficient causes, are either the inflicting, or moving causes. The principal cause inflicting all troubles and afflictions vpon us is God himself, and that in a three fold respect. First, because he hath predestinated and fore-ordained us to suffer these afflictions. Secondly, as he doth according to this his purpose execute his decree. And thirdly, as he doth by his most wise and powerful providence, order and dispose of al our crosses of calamities, with all circumstances which belong unto them. That the Lord hath preordained us to suffer afflictions, the Apostle sheweth in the eighth of the romans, where speaking of afflictions he saith, that whom God knew before, he did also predestinate, to be made like to the Rom. 8. 29. image of his son,( namely, in suffering worldly miseries, and bearing the cross) that he might be the first born among Luk. 24. 26 many brethren; and so by suffering these things, might enter into his glory, as our saviour Christ himself speaketh. To which purpose Eliphaz also saith, that misery cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth; job. 5. 6. namely, as from their first fountain and original, But man is born unto travail, as the sparks fly upward. And this consideration the Apostle useth as a singular consolation in that place, seeing God had not onely appointed unto them all the afflictions which they did suffer, but also had herein made them conformable to his dear and onely son; prescribing unto them no other way to glory and happiness, but that which his best beloved had gone before them. So the holy Apostle useth the same argument of comfort unto the afflicted Thessalonians, saying, that no man should be moved with these afflictions, because themselves do know that they 1. Thes. 3. 3. are appointed thereunto. And surely it is a singular consolation when wee consider that the miseries which wee suffer, come not of themselves, or by chance or fortune, but by the determinate counsel and appointment of God; nor are inflicted on us at the command of some cruel tyrant who hateth us, or at the disposing of our arch-enemie the divell, who seeketh our destruction; but according to the most wise and just counsel of our gracious God, from whom we haue our being, and all other blessings and benefits which we enjoy. Secondly, God is the principal efficient and chief author § Sect. 2. That God is the chief cause of al our afflictions as he executeth this decree, and actually layeth these cr●sses vpon vs. Esa 45. 7. of all our afflictions, as he doth execute this decree both for the correction and trial of his seruants, or the just punishment of the wicked and ungodly. For so the Lord himself speaketh; I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil, I the Lord do all these things. And again, Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not bee afraid? or shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? And elsewhere; Behold now, for I am he, and there is no gods with me; I kill and I give life, I wound and I make whole; neither Amos. 3. 6. is there any that can deliver out of mine hand, And with this agreeth the song of Hannah: The Lord killeth and maketh Deut. 32. 39. alive; bringeth down to the grave, and raiseth up, the Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich, bringeth low and exalteth. And 1. Sam. 2. 5. 6. Lamen. 3. 38. the question of the afflicted Church in her Lamentations: Out of the mouth of the most high, proceedeth not evil& good. And thus the faithful( whatsoever the inferior causes and instruments haue been of their afflictions) haue stil acknowledged the Lord, to be the chief agent and principal cause of them. So joseph being betrayed by his brethren, saith that God had sent him into egypt. And Naomi in her afflictions ascribeth them all to the will and work of God; The Gen. ●5. 8. Ruth. 1. 20. 21. almighty( saith she) hath given me much bitterness, I went out fall, and the Lord hath caused me to return empty. Why call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath humbled me, and the almighty hath brought me into adversity. Thus job being spoiled by the Chaldeans and Sabaeans saith, that the Lord had given,& job. 1. 2●. the Lord had taken away: And holy david being reviled and cursed by wicked Shemei, acknowledgeth that God had sent 2. Sam. 16. 10. him to curse him. So the afflicted Church saith: come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath spoyled and he will heal Hos. ●. 1. 1. Cor. 11. 32. us, he hath wounded us, and he will bind us up. And the Apostle Paul giveth it as a general rule, that whatsoever the next causes and means of our afflictions be, yet when wee are thus judged, we are chastened of the Lord, because wee should not bee condemned with the world. The consideration whereof should serve much to confirm in us patience and contentedness in all our afflictions and tribulation; first because the Lord from whom they come is infinite in glory, power, and majesty, who having created us of nothing may dispose also of us according to his pleasure; for why should the day murmur against the potter; the seruant against his master, the subject against his Prince; or silly worms, yea dust and ashes against the glorious King of heaven and earth? wee see that the same man who will not take an hard word from his equal, suffereth with patience a ●low given unto him by his King and sovereign; and standeth not to dispute with him why he doth it, being overawed with his power and majesty: But what are all the princes of the world in glory, power and majesty, being compared with the great Iehouah King of heaven and earth? who made of nothing this glorious frame of the world, the sun, moon, and stars, calling every one by his name; with al the huge host of the creatures which inhabit the heauens and the air, the earth and the great deeps. Who measureth the earth with his span, and poyseth it as in a balance, who upholdeth all things by his word, and ruleth them at his good pleasure. In whom we live, and move, and haue our being; so that if he he sustain us we continue, but if he blow vpon us we are presently destroyed, and return again unto our dust. Who hath in his hand the keys of heaven and hell, of life and death, shutting and no man openeth, and openeth and no man shutteth. Who sendeth out of his treasury the rain, hail and snow, the thunder and lightning, and both raiseth and stilleth the boisterous winds, causing at his pleasure both cruel tempests, and pleasant calms. Who ruleth the great Behemoth and leviathan, and putting his hook into his nostrils, turneth him how he will. And this is that argument of power and majesty which Elihu first propoundeth, and God himself job. c. 32. to 42. more fully insisteth vpon, to work patience in job being grievously afflicted, and to keep him from murmuring and repining. Secondly, wee must with patience Psal. 119. 137. bear all our afflictions which come from God, not only because he is in majesty glorious, and in power almighty but also because he is just in al his judgements,& righteous in al his ways, as the Psalmist telleth vs. And therefore if he correct us we should bear his blows, because his exact iustice assureth us, that he inflicteth no more thē we haue deserved. If he taketh any good thing from us which we enjoy, Let us know that he taketh nothing but what he gave, and that not absolutely, and for ever; but onely to use for a time, till he again did call for it. And therefore seeing God taketh nothing Ex Ep●●teti en●hir. cap▪ 10. apud Stobaeum. 〈◇〉 108. T. 2. Iam. 1. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 7. but his own; we are not( as one well observeth) when we are deprived of any benefit to say that we haue lost it, but onely that we haue restored it to the right owner. For as the Scriptures teach us, every good gift descendeth from the Father of light; for as for us, we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. So our saviour Christ teacheth us in the parable, that all the good things which we enjoy are but talents lent of God, which we must Matth 25. 14. Luke. 19. 12. not use at our own pleasure, but to our Lord and masters best advantage; the which we are to give account of when he calleth us to a reckoning, and patiently to restore them when he is willing to resume them. And this made job when he was spoyled of all his goods to bear it patiently, because the Lord had taken them who before had given them. The Lord( saith he) hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Thirdly, we are to bear all our crosses with patience seeing they come from God; not only because he is powerful and righteous, and therefore must and ought bee yielded unto; but also because he is the chief goodness, from whom there can come no evil, for whatsoever God doth, he willeth, and whatsoever he willeth is therefore good because he willeth it; and what is good ought also to be taken in good part; especially of those who would themselves be reputed good. For as one saith, he Senec epist. 76. onely is to be reputed good, who approveth himself so to be, by his piety towards God, namely by bearing patiently whatsoever by his providence happeneth unto him; because he knoweth that it is befallen him by the disposing of that divine Law by which all is governed. To which purpose else where he affirmeth, that it is the first part of divine worship to beleeue God, and the next to ascribe unto him due majesty, and goodness, without which there is no majesty. To know that he who ruleth the world, and tempereth and ordereth all things as his own; and especially taketh care of mankind, yea of every particular person; neither doth nor hath any evil in him. Yea, much more may wee bear all our afflictions patiently, § Sect. 3. That this consideration may much comfort us, that all our afflictions c●me from him who is the chief fountain of all our good. Grego. Nazianz. yea joyfully, if we further consider that they proceed from God, who is not onely the chief goodness in his own nature, but also in respect of us the roote and fountain, from whom all goodness doth grow and spring, in which regard one saith, that afflictions are bitter and sharp arrows shot from a sweet and merciful hand. For he is our gracious creator, who hath given unto us our being when we were not, making us men, when he might haue made us serpents; and our careful preserver who sustaineth our lives, and ministereth unto us all the good things which we enjoy, and who may beter chastise us, then he who created us? who hath more right to correct and nurture us, then he who feedeth and nurseth us? wee see that the most savage beasts which will not endure the look of a stranger, take stripes from their owner, who feedeth and tendeth them; and shall we, more brutish then they, snarl& repined when the Lord, who not onely giveth us food, but also maketh it nourishment, doth chastise us for our good? he is our general and commander; and every good soldier submitteth himself with patience to his captaines discipline; and with chearefulnes obeyeth al his commands, marching and encamping, watching and labouring, fighting and retiring, according to his appointment; and all for a trifling pay, and in a doubtful hope of uncertain victory, and shall not wee yield the like, and greater obedience and submission to the Discipline of the great commander of heaven and earth, who assureth us that by following his directions, wee shall obtain a glorious conquest, and of common souldiers become crwoned Kings. The Lord is our King and sovereign, unto whom we are to yield absolute obedience; and therefore if earthly Princes punishing their subiects, judge them insolent if they repined, and rebellious if they resist, not enduring expostulation, or to haue their actions called to account though they In regno nati● sum●●, deo par●re libertas est. Senec. de vita be●ta. cap. 15. be unjust, and aim more at their own pleasure, then their profit: how shal we be acquitted, if being corrected by God we impatiently murmur, and by using unlawful means to free ourselves, as much as in us lieth, resist him in his most righteous judgements which are all disposed to our good, if we submit ourselves unto them; seeing by ruling us thus on earth, he fitteth us to reign with him in heaven. He is our most skilful and faithful chirurgeon& physician, who in al he doth, aimeth at the curing of our sickness,& the recovery of our health; and therefore when the working of the corrosive, the searing and searching of our wounds, the bitter pills and potions, which for the present make us sick unto death in our own sense, would force us in impatiency to cry out and complain; let us bear all with meekness and quietness, considering that in all this he intendeth the cure, and that his love would not suffer him to use these rougher and more distasteful remedies, if those which are more gentle and easy were also effectual for our recovery. Finally he is our most gracious and loving Father who grieveth at our griefs, and even earneth in pitty& compassion, when contrary to his own nature, we by our sins do move him to correct us, and to do this his strange work, wherein he taketh no pleasure, but onely out of his love and wisdom is Esa. 2●. 21. forced( in some manner) to take these severe courses for our amendment, that he may preserve us from destruction. And therefore let us bear with patience that which he inflicteth, and say with our saviour, shall I not drink of the cup which joh. 18. 11. my father hath given me? He is our eternal and heavenly father, unto whom we daily pray, that his name may be hallowed; and how can it according to our prayers be better sanctified and glorified, then when with patience and meekness wee submit ourselves unto his good pleasure, both in prosperity and adversity; and by assured affiance and resolved patience rest vpon his promises and providence, attending his pleasure and leisure for help and deliverance? So we pray unto him that his kingdom may come and bee advanced; and how can this bee better done, then when by his fatherly chastisements he destroyeth in us the kingdom of sin and Satan, and maketh us tractable and obedient to his laws and government? And finally▪ wee pray that his will may be done; and therefore when we see it performed, why do we not willingly, yea joyfully submit ourselves unto it? Why do we murmur and repined, struggle and strive against it through our impatiency,& so proclaim our hypocrisy, in craving that which our iudgment approveth not, and unto which our heart assenteth not? Lastly, the Lord is our husband and head; by virtue of which communion with him, as wee participate with him in all his graces and goodness, so he doth( after a sort) sympathise with us in our sorrows; and is more then ourselves delighted with our wel-fare. Now who having a most careful and loving husband would fear to receive hurt from him? Or what member of the body would doubt of the care and providence of the wise head, whereby it is ruled, or would impatiently complain of hard usage, though it should invent and approve of some rough and painful courses, whereby it might bee cured of some infirmities? And how much less should wee murmur and repined against God, and his providence, who infinitely excelleth in wisdom and love, all heads and husbands? Or how can we doubt of receiving from him help, deliverance, freedom from evil, or fruition of good; whose mercy is so unmeasurable, and goodness unspeakable; that he spared no● to give his onely and best beloved son to the death, even the bitter death of the cross for us, when wee were strangers, yea enemies unto him? What will he deny unto us thus nearly allied, and being now become friends, yea sons, and which is more, spouses, yea members of his glorious body▪ who gave his blessed self unto us and for us, when we were so much estranged, and so far at odds? And these and such like were the meditations, which moved the Saints in former times to bear their afflictions with patience and comfort, seeing they looked not so much to their crosses, as to the hand of God by which they were imposed. So Ezechias looking to the Lord from whom his affliction came, crieth out, What shall I say? for he hath said it to me,& he hath Esa. 38. 13. done it. And david professeth, that he was dumb, and opened Psal. 39. 9. not his mouth, because he saw that the Lord had done it. So looking rather to Gods righteous iudgment, then to his sons wicked malice, pursuing him; and espying Gods just displeasure, through proud Absalons unjust and rebellious fury; he submitteth himself with patience to be afflicted at his good pleasure; But if( saith he) he thus say, I haue no delight in thee; behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth 2. Sam. 15 26. good in his eyes. unto which measure of patience if we would attain, we §. Sect. 4. That if we could haue patience in afflictions, we must not look●nly to inferior causes, but principally unto God the supreme cause of them. must learn to imitate this example; not looking to the inferior causes and subordinate means, by which our crosses are immediately imposed; but unto the Lord our God, who is the chief and supreme cause of all our afflictions. For if wee haue no eye to God, who is the first mover and principal agent; but look onely to the inferior and next means; there will bee no place for patience, seeing the malignity of the instruments will poison our sores of impatiency and repining, and so make them the more to fester and rankle, not suffering the wholesome salves of afflictions, which is sovereign and profitable, as it cometh purely from Gods hand to be effectual for our humiliation, and the cure of our corruption. But will cause us to fret and fume more at the circumstances, which we are ready wittily to aggravate for our own greater torment and vexation, then at the matter and substance of the afflictions themselves. Thus sometime when we could well bear the cross itself, as it is sent from God, we make it intolerable, and so fall into most impotent impatiency, when being inflicted vpon us by the means of some worldly enemy, wee look vpon his malice, cruelty, and proud insolency in the carriage of the matter, and not unto the Lord, who therein aimeth at our good, humbling us by his chastisements, and by these trials enriching us with his spiritual graces. And much more do wee aggravate the burden when it is laid vpon us by the treachery, neglect, or unkind dealing of some friend of whom wee haue deserved well, and therefore least of all suspected to haue received from him such hard measure. Or when it befalleth us through our own default, negligence, or want of providence; in which case we add unto it the weight of many criminations, and oftentimes false accusations against ourselves, as though it were not heavy enough in itself to press us down; unless wee added thereunto the load of bitter invectives against our own negligence, and of sharp censures for our own faultiness, as being the cause which hath brought vpon us these crosses and calamities. All which motives and enticements unto impatiency if we would avoid, we must not look to inferior causes and means whereby our crosses are imposed; for this is all one, as if wee should regard onely the staff which giveth us the blow, and neglect the smiter who ruleth it; and like the foolish cur to bite at the ston which hit and hurt us, not regarding him who threw it at us; but wee must lift up the eyes of our mind above the earth unto heaven, and consider that the Lord is the chief cause of all our afflictions, and like a just judge useth wicked enemies, false friends, the dumb creatures, as also our own improvidence and negligence, as the executioners of his righteous judgements, and inferior instruments, whereby he serveth his most wise providence, effecting by these means, his own purposes for the advancing of his glory, and the good and salvation of the elect and faithful. And Gen. 45. 5. 8. 50. 20. Psal. 105. 17. thus did joseph arm himself with patience, when passing by the malice of his brethren, who sold him into egypt; he looketh to the supreme cause, and considereth that God for his own glory, and the good of his Church, had sent him thither. Whereas if he had looked no higher but to their wicked treachery and cruel spite, he could never haue used that meekness and moderation; but rather having gotten opportunity would in stead of comforting, haue insulted over them, and onely thought of taking sharp reuenge. So job retaineth patience in his grievous affliction, because he had an eye to the chief cause, which was the hand of God correcting him; the Lord( saith he) hath given, job. 1. 21. and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Whereas if his thoughts had mounted no higher then those inferior instruments which the Lord used, as the malice of his enemies, and the theft and violence of the Chaldeans and Sabeans, he would wholly haue been transported with desire of reuenge, and burst out into all impatiency, if being shortened of means, he could not attain unto his will. And david likewise being exceedingly provoked by wicked Shemei, doth with admirable resolution bear all his outrageous injuries meekly and patiently, and when but by speaking the word, he might haue had all his wrongs revenged, looking not so much to this wicked instrument, as to the just hand of God, who used him for the correcting of his sin, he would not yield to his own passion, and his friends provocations enciting him to give way to the deserved punishment of his malicious enemy, but rather reproveth them for making the motion: What( saith he) haue I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? for he nurseth even because the Lord hath bidden him to curse david. Who dare 2. Sam. 16. 10. then say, wherefore hast thou done so? Whereas if he had onely regarded the malice, insolency, and notorious outrag● of this lewd person, he would haue been impatient of these indignitie●, and the first man that would haue laid hands vpon him for the revenging of th●se wrongs. Finally, our saviour Christ himself doth not in those intolerable injuries which were offered unto him, look unto the treachery of Iudas, the malice of the Priests and pharisees, nor to the corruption and injustice of Pilate and Herod, but he considereth of all his afflictions, as of a cup put into his hand to drink by his heavenly Father, and so forbidding his Apostles to take reuenge, he doth with meekness and patience suffer all, and without grudging and repining drinketh up joh. 18. 11. the very dregs of this bitter potion. Which notable presidents, if wee propound unto ourselves for our imitation, then will we not in distempered passion and unbridled fury, storm and rage▪ against the means and instruments of our crosses and afflictions, nor in burning desire thirst after reuenge, seeking to ease our griefs by requital of those wrongs vpon our enemies, which they haue offered unto us; but rather with our saviour, we will pray for them that persecute us, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do; for whilst they onely aim at their own designs, and to achieve their malicious ends; they unwittingly and unwillingly serve the providence of God in executing his righteous iudgments, and correcting the faults of his children and seruants; yea in truth they serve also the faithful themselves, even whilst they seem to insult and tyramnize over them, being used by God as bugbeares, to make his children to flee unto him, as fires to purify them from their dross; as files to scour thē from the rust of their corruptions; and as rods to correct their faults, and to reclaim and Gr●gor. Moral. lib. 20. chap. 22. amend them for the time to come. To which purpose one saith, that the wicked man, as a fool even in ruling doth serve the wise and virtuous, and whilst he presseth him down, advanceth him to a better state; herein like unto seruants, who being made overseers and teachers to their young masters in their none-age for their instruction and education, do keep them under and correct them; and yet notwithstanding all this, they are their seruants still; because they are ordained to this use, that they may serve their young masters, whilst they profit them by their beating: and therefore, because the tyranny and ill usage of the wicked towards the good, doth purge them whilst they afflict them, even their power doth serve for the profit of the just. In which respect wee haue little cause to be furious in our anger against these instruments of our afflictions, seeing they are so ●oueruled by God, that wee haue by them great profit and benefit; all the hurt redounding to themselves; for whilst like rods they serve our heavenly father to chastise and amend us, themselves are torn in pieces, worn to stumps, and being no longer fit for this use are cast into the fire. In which respect one saith, that when traps are laid for us by our enemies, and injuries offered; wee do not suffer injury, but they that do it. For the Lord hath said, that the soul that sinneth, shall die; and he hath sinned, who hath done the evil, and not he who hath born and suffered Chrysost. in 1. Thess. 5. Homil. 10. it; and therefore let us not reuenge these injuries; for then( like them who hurt us) wee shall with the dearly bees, by stinging them loose our own lives. And as we must not be enraged against these instruments of our grief; so much less must wee in our troubles and afflictions sue unto them for ease and deliverance; for as the malefactor doth not sue unto the executioner, but onely unto the judge, who hath sole power to pardon, reprieve or hang him; so must not we put up our petitions and supplications to these executioners of Gods righteous iudgments; but haue our recourse by humble prayer to the Lord cheefe-Iustice of heaven and earth, who hath power in his hand to restrain their power, and to bridle their malice that they cannot hurt vs. CHAP. VII. That all our afflictions are ruled and disposed by Gods most wise, just and gracious providence, and of the comfort which ariseth from this consideration. AND thus haue I shewed that the Lord is the § Sect. 1. That God by his providence governeth all his creatures, and especially man, so as nothing happeneth unto him but by his appointment. principal and chief author of our afflictions, both as he doth ordain us unto them; and also as he hath the chief hand in executing this decree. But besides both these, the Lord is the chief author and agent in all our afflictions, as he doth by his wise and powerful providence rule and dispose of them, maugre the malice and might of all our enemies, so as they shall all turn to his own glory, and our spiritual& everlasting good. Neither are we fond to imagine that the Lord created his creatures, and then left them to the ordering and ruling either of themselves, or unto fate, chance and blind fortune; but he doth by the same wisdom and power govern and dispose them according to his own good pleasure; so that howsoever they oftentimes transgress and violate his will revealed; yet they never cross or hinder his secret will and counsel, but in all things, notwithstanding their malice and opposition, he maketh them serve his providence, directing them unto those ends for which they were created. Nor doth the Lord onely thus rule his chiefest creatures, or those which are inferior, at some times, or vpon some weighty occasions, but this all-seeing and all-ruling providence of God, doth extend itself to the ruling and governing of the meanest, even of the dearly sparrows, yea of a worthless hair, so as without his direction and appointment they cannot light or fall vpon the ground, as our saviour speaketh. From which consideration ariseth singular comfort unto all the faithful; for if nothing befalleth the most contemptible creatures, but by the wise guidance and appointment of their creator; then how much less unto men( the noblest piece of this worldly workmanship) who are worth many thousands of them, yea unto his faithful seruants and children, who exceed in his valuation many thousands of other men? and this is that argument of consolation which our saviour useth to comfort his disciples, and to arm their patience against those persecutions, crosses and calamities, which should afterwards betid them for the profession of his name. Are not two sparrows( saith he) sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Math. 10. 29. 30 31. Father, yea and all the hairs of your head are numbered. fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value then many sparrows. But as Gods providence doth extend itself in more especial manner unto the faithful above all other men, so above all other times, in the time of their afflictions, according to his Psalm. 91. 15. gracious promise; he shall call vpon me, and I will hear him, I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and glorify him. And thus the Lord taketh special knowledge of the afflictions of his people that he might deliver them; I haue surely seen( saith he) the trouble of my people which are in Egypt, Exod. 3. 7. Lamen. 3. 59. 60 and haue heard their cry because of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; therefore I am come down to deliver them. With which meditation the afflicted Church comforteth herself in all her troubles and miseries: O Lord( saith shee) thou hast seen my wrong, judge thou my cause. Thou hast seen all their vengeance, and all their devises against me, &c. Yea the Lord doth in his wise providence, not only look § Sect. 2. That Gods providence doth rule all the inferior ca●●es of our afflictions; and first such as are vnreason●ble. unto, rule and dispose of the afflictions themselves which befall the faithful, but of all the causes and circumstances, their ends and issues, manner, measure▪ and time of their continuance. For as for the causes of all afflictions, they are all subordinate unto him who is the supreme and principal cause, and serve but as inferior means and instruments to effect his will and pleasure. For the better understanding whereof, we are to know; that there is in nature a concatenation, inter-linking and chaining of causes together, whereby inferior causes are so subordinate one to another, as that they all hold their subordination unto God, who is the first and principal cause; whereof it cometh to pass, that as one of them cannot work and move without the help of the next cause unto which it is subordinate, as for example, fruits cannot nourish us, unless the earth nourish them neither can the earth bring them forth, unless the sun shine and the rain fall vpon them: so none of them can move or work, but by that virtue which they receive from God, the first and chief cause, whereby they are enabled to produce all their actions and operations. In regard whereof all the effects and actions of secondary causes( being considered simplye in themselves without their poison and malignity of sin) are not so properly the effects of them, as of that cause which is first and principal. As for example wee cannot so properly say, that our meate doth nourish us, or clothes keep us warm, or that the sun doth lighten us, or our friends provide for us; as that God doth all these things by them, namely as the chief cause working by his instruments. And although these effects be properly and fitly attributed to their next and immediate causes; yet more fitly and properly may wee say, that God doth by them nourish, warm, lighten and provide for us, seeing from him alone they haue all their virtue and efficacy, without which they could do nothing. For as the Scribe is more properly said to writ, then the Pen, and he that maketh and keepeth the clock is more properly said to make it go and strike, then the wheels and peyzes that hang vpon it, and every workman to effect his work, rather then the tools which he useth, as his instruments: So the Lord who is the chief agent and first mover in all actions, may more fitly and properly be said to effect and to bring to pass all things which are done in the earth, then any inferior or subordinate causes, seeing they are all but his tools and instruments, which cannot move of themselves, but as they are ruled and guided by the power and providence of this heavenly workman. And thus the Lord useth all his creatures both unreasonable and reasonable to serve his providence in the afflicting and chastising of his children. Of the former sort the examples are innumerable like unto the huge host of the creatures themselves; for thus the Lord useth the fire and water, the infection of the air, the barrenness of the earth, the winds and weather, rain, drought, frosts and mildeawes; the wild and bruit creatures; and that not onely the savage beasts which excel in strength, and are armed by nature to do hurt; but even the selie flies, grasshoppers, cankerwormes, and caterpillars as the Lord threateneth, and the Prophet Ioel sheweth. In which regard, howsoever these crosses inflicted Deut. 28. Ioel. 1. by these unreasonable creatures a●e of all others most uncomfortable, because▪ as it is said of fire and water, so may it of the rest, that they haue no mercy, seeing their fury is not mitigated by yielding, their pitty not moved by complaining, nor their destroying force stayed by our entreating and persuading; yet in this haue the faithful sufficient consolation, when they consider, that these no less then the other are God instruments for the effecting of his will, and but as rods in the hand of our heavenly Father, which are content( as it were) to be tawed and torn in pecces in vexing and tormenting us, if it be the pleasure of him that made and ruleth them; but yet cannot of themselves give us one blow or stripe, but as they are moved by Gods will and power, as wee may see in the preservation of the Israelites from the plagues of egypt, and from being overwhelmed by the merciless Sea; in the preserving of the three children in the §. Sect. 3. That Gods providence doth rule the inferior causes which are reasonable, and first the good and evil Angells. fiery furnace, daniel in the Lions den, and of Paul from the mortal sting of the cruel viper. The like also may bee said of the reasonable creatures, which howsoever they may seem at their own will and pleasure to afflict and punish us; yet is both their will and power so overruled, limited and ouermastered, by the allgouerning power and providence of God, that they cannot go one foot beyond their tether, but when they are come to the utmost bounds of their permitted liberty, there, will they▪ nill they, they must make a stand, and howsoever they may fling and kick to show their will and malice, yet their power is so kerbed and restrained, that they cannot beyond their allowed limits do us any harm. And thus the Lord ruleth as his instruments in o●r afflictions both Angells and men; and that both good and bad. For howsoever the good and holy Angels are Gods willing ministers, to watch over and guard the faithful in all dangers, and his ready messengers to convey unto them his blessings and benefits; yet when the Lord their master and commander is pleased to use them as his instruments in afflicting& correcting them, they are prest to do his will. Howbeit they haue their commission which they must observe, their time appointed when to begin, and when to make an end, and the very number and measure of their blows that they are to give, which they neither can nor will exceed. An example whereof wee haue in the destroying angel smiting the Israelites with 2. Sam. 24. the plague and pestilence; who continued the execution of Gods judgements till the Lord restrained him, but no sooner doth the Lord c●mmand him to cease, but presently he sheatheth his sword of vengeance, and desisteth from doing any further harm. So the Lord intending to plague jerusalem by the ministry of an angel, first giveth commission to another angel that he should set a mark vpon the foreheads of them that did mourn, and cry for all the abominations that were done in the midst therof; and then biddeth the destroying angel to go through the city and smite, neither sparing nor pitying any, old or young, maids or children, Ezech. 9. 4. 5. 6. but with all chargeth him not so much as to touch a man, who by his mark was exempted from the common calamity and destruction. And thus the four Angels who had power given them to hurt the earth and the Sea, are restrained from the execution of their commission, till the seruants Apoc. 7. 3. of God were marked in their foreheads. Neither doth the Lord thus order and dispose by his wise and powerful providence the good Angels onely, who being his seruants take their chief delight in doing his will; but also he doth often use,& by the same wise providence dispose of, the wicked Angels and divels, as his instruments for the afflicting of his faithful children. And when they think of nothing less then of doing his will, glorifying his name, or doing good to his Saints and seruants; but contrariwise wholly aim at Gods dishonour and their destruction: even then he overruleth them by his powerful providence,& maketh them( maugre their malice) to effect his will, and to serve him unto those ends for which he employeth them. In which respect one well saith, that though the will of satan be always wicked, yet his power is never unjust, because he hath his will from himself, but his power from God, and therefore what he unlawfully affecteth to do, that God will not suffer to bee done but justly and lawfully. And this is the cause why the spirit which vexed Saul is called the evil spirit, and the Spirit of the Lord; namely the spirit of the Lord in respect of that just power which was granted unto him by God; and the evil spirit in regard of the desire of his unjust and malicious will. And thus he used Satan in afflicting job for the trial of his patience, that it might be crwoned with the greater glory; when as the devill aimed at nothing less, but onely sought to cause job by these afflictions to blaspheme God unto his face. And thus he gave him from time to time his commission which he could not pass. And so the Lord telleth the angel of the Church of the Smyrnians, that the Apoc. 2. 10. devill should cast some of them into prison; but willeth them to be of good comfort because it was not at his own pleasure, but at Gods appointment, who foretold them of these afflictions; not as long as he list but only for ten daies, which was the time limited by God: not that he might hereby attain unto his own malicious end, which was that they might bee destroyed, but that he might further and advance Gods end, namely that being tried and found faithful they might obtain the crown of life. And therefore howsoever there can bee nothing more terrible and fearful then to know that satan who hath been a murderer from the beginning, and an ancient enemy of mankind, exceeding us so much in power, and having his power so much exceeded by his malice, should bee the next and immediate cause of our afflictions; yet when wee consider with all, that he is but a bare instrument in the hand of God, which by his power and providence he turneth and windeth at his good pleasure; and always forceth him, whether he will or no, to serve for the advancing of his own glory,& the spiritual good& everlasting salvation of his elect, there is in this meditation sufficient cause to expel all fear and horror, and matter enough of patience& consolation. § Sect. 4. That Gods providence overruleth the actions and intentions of wicked men: and of the comforts which aris● from this consideration. Finally the Lord thus ruleth and overruleth all the intentions and actions of wicked men, when he useth them as his instruments for the afflicting of his seruants; so as they cannot begin to hurt them but by his permission; nor continue to vex& mol●st them longer then the appointed time. And when they aim at nothing else but the disgorging of their spite, the enlarging of their rule and sovereignty, and the enriching of themselves with the spoil; the Lord aimeth at the good of the faithful, and by these chastisements humbleth them by unfeigned repentance, that they may not bee condemned with the world. And thus the Lord used the Chaldaeans and Sabaeans as his instruments for the afflicting of job, Saul, Shemei and Absalon, for the chastising of david; Nabuchadnezer, the babylonians and Assyrians, for the correcting of his people Israell. In which regard he calleth him his seruant whom he had appointed to this work; and affirmeth that he was but as a rod in his hand, wherewith he did visit their sins, and execute his righteous judgements. O Ashur( saith he) the rod of my wrath: and the staff in their hands is mine indignation; I will sand him to a dissembling nation, and I will give him a charge against ●he people of my wrath Esa. 10. 5 6. to take the spoil, and to take the pray, and to tread them under feet like the mire in the street. And not to insist vpon more examples; thus he used the Scribes, Priests and pharisees, Iudas, Caiphas and Pilate, for the afflicting and killing of his only son, that his death might be the price of our redemption: In which respect our saviour is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, namely, in Gods, eternal decree and purpose; and the Apostle Peter plainly affirmeth, that he was delivered into their hands by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God to bee crucified and slain. And howsoever these wicked instruments which Acts. 2. 23. the Lord useth for the chastising of his seruants, aim at nothing less then the effecting of his will and advancing of their good; yet doth he by his wise providence always so overrule them, that they serve for these purposes;& though they intend their ruin and even thirst for their destruction; yet when they haue, as Gods instruments effected his work he curbeth& restraineth their power and malice, so as they cannot go one jot further then he hath appointed them. Though at all times they are alike set vpon mischief, and continually vpon all occasions breath out their malice and reuenge; yet onely then they haue power to touch the children of God, when he permitteth them for his own glory Gen. 31. 29. and their good. As wee may see in the example of Laban, who implicitly confesseth that he pursued jacob to do him mischief, but could not because God by a dream had forbidden him. In Senacherib, who came purposely to destroy jerusalem, but could not effect his will, because the Lord put Esa. 37. 29. his hook in his nostrils, and lead him back from whence he came. In Saul, who oftentimes practised to take away Dauids life, yet was never able, not that he wanted worldly power to effect his will, but because the Lord overruled him by his providence, so as he could not hurt him. By all which and innumerable other examples it appeareth that wicked men are but the Lords instruments, who correct his children when he pleaseth, but cannot so much as touch them till he permitteth them. And with this argument the Lord by vision encourageth Paul to the work of the ministry, fear not( saith he) but speak and hold not thy peace; Act. 18. 9. 10. for I am with thee, and no man shall lay hands on thee to hurt thee. The consideration whereof serveth for the singular consolation of the faithful in their affliction; for when( as it usually cometh to pass) they are more vexed with the sight of their enemies pride, tyranny and cruel insolency, then with the sense of the evils which they suffer from them; and are more troubled and frighted with the apprehension of those dangerous effects, which their malicious rage may produce for the time to come; then with all their miseries either past or present; then they are to remember, that these wicked men can do nothing by their own absolute will and power; but that they are wholly at Gods disposition, as being inferior instruments of this supreme and chief cause, by whom he correcteth them, not according to their malicious lusts, to their ruin and destruction; but according to his own wise and judicious pleasure, for their spiritual good, and the eternal salvation of their souls. Then they must call to mind that these impious worldlings are but the slaves and seruants of our heavenly father, whom he hath appointed to correct us for our faults;& although they much malign and be at enmity with us; yet wee shall receive no hurt hereby; seeing our gracious father standeth by and will not suffer them to torment us at their own wils, but appointeth the number of stripes, and the measure of our correction, which notwithstanding all their malice, they cannot exceed, nor enlarge their cruelty above that which is permitted unto them. Yea but why doth not the Lord correct his seruants rather § Sect. 5. Why God rather useth these wicked instruments, then correcteth us by his own hand. by his own hand, then by the hand of a stranger, or an enemy? And why doth he not let his chast●zements come purely from himself, or by the means of innocent creatures, or righteous men, executing his just iudgments by just instruments, rather then by wicked and ungodly men? who infuse into them the poison of their maliciousness, embitter them with their gaule and spleen, and pollute and defile them with their corruption? To which I answer; that the execution of punishment in itself, being a servile thing, doth not so fitly agree with the nature of God, who being the chief goodness, taketh his chief delight in doing good,& in communicating himself unto his creatures; neither doth he willingly punish us, but that wee enforce it vpon his iustice by our sins; whereof it is, that when the Lord doth execute his iudgments, he is said by his Prophet, to do his strange work, and his strange act. And therefore, Esay 28. 21. because it is not familiar and delightful unto his nature, he doth it not by himself, but commonly alotteth it to the divell and wicked men, who are the fittest to be his executioners, as being naturally disposed to hurt and destroy. even as among men it is an usual thing for the righteous judge to use wicked and base wretches, for the executing of his just sentence vpon malefactors, who haue deserved punishment; with whom notwithstanding he doth not at all communicate in their bloody cruelty and spiteful malice, which they sometimes exercise towards the persons executed. Neither doth it at all disparaged, or any whit detract from Gods iustice and goodness, that the wickedness of sinful and ungodly men is intermixed with the execution of his righteous iudgments; but doth rather magnify his wisdom and power, in that he can bring good out of evil, and light out of darkness; effecting his just designs by wicked instruments, contrary to their nature and intention. For as it doth much commend the exquisite skill of the workman, when as he can work curiously with bad tools; and the arte of the physician, who of the flesh of the Viper can make sovereign mithridate, and change this malignant poison into an wholesome preservative and counterpoison; and as the power and wisdom of so●● great commander doth gloriously shine; when as he cannot only vanquish his enemies; but also make them fight on his own side, and become his instruments of conferring good vpon his own souldiers: So what can more magnify the wisdom, goodness and power of God, then that he should be able to perfect the faire and strait works of his righteous iudgments, by these crooked and crabbed instruments? then to make the viperous generation of wicked men to serve for wholesome preservatives, which keep his seruants from the contagious infection of sin? And so to conquer these enemies of his glory and our salvation with his divine power, and overrule them by his wisdom, as that they shall in despite of all their pride and malice, serve his children for their spiritual use and benefit; and being themselves wicked and evil help to advance them to a higher Melius iudicauit de malis bona facere, quam mala nulla permittere. August. degree of grace and goodness? And this is one cause why the Lord thinketh it fitter to serve his own providence of wicked men, that he may bring good out of evil, then not to permit any evil at all. And unto this wee may add, that as the Lord by using §. Sect. 6. That God by using these wicked instruments, maketh way for the manifestation of his iustice in their destruction, when there is no further use of them. these wicked instruments for the chastising of his children, doth manifest his mercy and goodness, in making them serve for the aduancement of their good; so doth he make way for the manifestation of his iustice, whilst he giveth these wicked men up to the exercising of their own malicious and cruel lusts in the chastisements of his seruants, whom they unjustly hate and malign; that so he may after he hath punished one sin with another, make way for deserved vengeance, and take occasion justly to increase their punishments in this life, and their more fearful condemnation in the life to come. For as the wise and loving father having reformed his child by correction, and made him respective and careful in the performance of all god duties; doth to give him contentment, and assurance of his love and clemency, vpon the continuance of his good courses, cast the worn rod which is past use into the midst of the fire: So doth the Lord cast these wicked instruments; which are( as he calleth them) the rods of his wrath, into the fire of destruction, when he hath no further use of them for the chastisement of his children, that so they may the more securely rejoice in the assurance of the love of their heavenly father, and in the ruin and overthrow of his and their enemies. So the Lord threateneth that when he had accomplished all his work vpon mount Sion and jerusalem, he would visit the fruit of the proud heart of the king of Ashur, and his Esa. 10. 12. 16. glorious and proud looks, sending among his fat men leanness, and kindling under his glory a burning, like the burning of fire. The like iudgement is denounced against proud Babylon, that because when the Lord being wrath with his people▪ did pollute his inheritance, and give thē into their hand, she did show no mercy unto them, but did lay her very heavy yoke vpon the ancient, therefore he would bring vpon her suddenly in one day, the loss of children and widowhood, that is, desolation, and shameful dishonour. And thus the Lord professeth, that he was greatly angry with the careless heathen, Esa. 47. 6. 9. Zach. 1. 15. in that when he was angry with his people but a little, they helped forward the affliction. Yea but how can the Lord in iustice so severely punish § Sect. 7. How it will stand with Gods iustice to punish wicked men, for having been his instruments in executing his iudgments. wicked men for afflicting of his children, seeing they are but his instruments, which haue done that onely which he appointed them? I answer, that this serveth nothing for their excuse, nor doth any thing at all extenuate their faultiness; for howsoever they in afflicting Gods seruants do the secret will of God, which no creature in heaven or earth is able to withstand; this maketh nothing for them, seeing this hidden will was never propounded as a rule unto which they should conform their actions: but the Lord hath given unto us the knowledge of his will revealed in his word, unto which he requireth conformity and obedience. And by this they are enjoined to love the faithful above all others, and by all good means to seek the advancing of their good; whereas contrariwise they do hate them so much the more, afflicting and persecuting them even for this thing above all others, because they are of the household of faith, and of Gods own family; who make conscience of their ways, and will not run with them into the same excess of riot. Neither do they at all aim at Gods end, or ever think of effecting of his counsels& secret will; but they only labour to effect their own malicious designs, and to accomplish their own wills, whereby they desire to glut their cruelty, and to advance themselves out of the ruin of Gods seruants. So the Lord saith, that whereas in his cret counsel, he sent the King of Ashur against his people Esa. 10. 7. 8. to afflict them for their sins, he thought of nothing less; neither did his heart esteem it so; but he onely imagined to destroy 2 Sam. 12. and cut off not a few nations; that he might make all his Princes Kings; and so himself a mighty Monarch. Thus it was the will of God to afflict david by wicked instruments, as he also revealed it unto him by his Prophet; but they never once dreamed of doing that which God had decreed; for Absalon aimeth at the satisfying his ambition by usurping the kingdom; Achitophel at the making of the people more bold and resolute in following of Absalon against his father, when by his abominable fact all hope of reconciliation between them, should be quiter cut off; and Shemei aimed at nothing but at the easing of his spleen, and disgorging his malice by his railing and reviling. Finally, it was the will of God that his son should die for the redemption of mankind; but those wicked instruments which were used for that purpose, never so much as thought of accomplishing this will of God. But the Priests, Scribes, and pharisees sought in all their proceedings to establish their own estates, to maintain their reputation among the people, and withall to reuenge themselves and satisfy their malice against our saviour, who by discovering their hypocrisy blemished their glory, and wrought then out of the favour of the people. And so Iudas aimed at a little gain, and to enrich himself with the price of blood. And Pilate feared the loss of his place by offending Caesar, or to haue in it those inconveniences which might befall him by displeasing the people. In all which respects, as the sin of these wicked instruments towards God is not at all extenuated, by their executing of his hidden counsel, seeing they do it not in obedience unto God, but( being overruled by his providence) whether they will or not: so doth it nothing at all lessen their wrongs and injuries against the faithful, in that they are but bare instruments, and the Lord the supreme and principal cause of all their afflictions, seeing whereas he aimeth in them at their spiritual good and salvation, these wicked men do al they do out of malice and hatred, and that to the end, that they may hereby bring them to ruin. And in this regard as they are not to look wholly unto thē §. Sect. 8. That we are not utterly to neglect the inferior causes of afflictions. who are but the instruments, nor to respect onely their malicious purposes and designs; but to haue their eyes fixed principally vpon God who is the supreme cause, and vpon those excellent ends at which he aimeth in these their chastisements and corrections; so neither are they wholly to neglect them; but as in receiving benefits we do so aclowledge the Lord to be the principal author and fountain of them; as that we do not forget to render due thanks and respect unto those, whom he useth as the instruments of our good: so in all our afflicitons which are imposed vpon us by the means of these wicked men; as wee are to look unto the Lord, the supreme cause of them, that hereby humility and patience may be wrought in us; so we are also to look unto the wicked men themselves, as instruments and means of our crosses and miseries; hating( though not their persons yet) their malice, rage and cruelty; and using all good and lawful means, which either the word of God or spiritual wisdom can suggest unto us, whereby we may cross them in their wicked purposes, and free ourselves from their injuries and oppressions; having herein the word of God for our warrant, which enjoineth us to use all honest courses for our preservation, the repelling of injuries and the advancing of our own good; as also to hate all evil and injustice wheresoever we find it; whether it bee directed against ourselves, or any other: and the Saints of God for our precedents, as Moses, david, Ezechias, the Apostles, yea our saviour Christ himself, as might bee shewed by many instances, if it were not in itself clear and evident. So that howsoever in diuers afflictions we are to look only to the hand of God, which doth use inferior causes as means and instruments to inflict his judgements and chastisements, having in themselves no malignity nor will to hurt us, as when he causeth the air to infect us, the water to drown us, the fire to burn us; in which cases we are not to blame the creatures which are privileged from malice and sin, and are but Gods bare instruments for the effecting of his will: yet when he useth wicked men for his instruments, as wee are chiefly to look unto the hand of God, so wee are to haue some respect unto them in regard of that malignity and sin which is in them, whereby they desire our hurt and destruction. For in all afflictions we are to consider not onely the action and work as it is simply natural, and the disposition of them to the manifestation of Gods glory, and our good, in which respect God is the chief author of them; but also an accidental confusion& malignity of the action; which is wholly to be ascribed to mans corruption by whom it is performed; the former whereof being good and just we are to like love and embrace; the other we are to hate and flee as being unjust, corrupt and wicked. And thus it appeareth that the Lord who is the principal §. Sect. 9. That the Lord so disposeth of the ends of inferior causes that he maketh them serve for his supreme ends; his own glory, and the salvation of the elect. and supreme cause of all our afflictions, doth so govern and overrule all secondary and inferior causes and means by his most wise and powerful providence, that when they seem most to oppose against him, they do but effect that which he willeth and hath purposed to be done. whereupon it also followeth that as he disposeth at his pleasure of the causes themselves, so also of all their ends, making them all serve to the furthering of his ends, which are the supreme and chief of all, as namely his own glory,& salvation of his elect, and that when they seem to look another way, and to be not onely opposite to his purposes, but also infinitely contrary one unto another. And as the Planets haue every one their own motion in their proper orb differing from all the rest, and most of all from the motion of the primum mobile, or that which is first moved, but yet contrary to their own motion are overruled and daily carried with it, and as a man walking on the top of the hatches a contrary way to the motion of the ship, doth notwithstanding go that way which it goeth, because he is moved with it; so when the motion of our wills doth exceedingly varie the one from the other, and all seem to drive to a contrary end then that at which God aimeth; yet are they all so overruled by his power and providence, in whom we live, move and haue our being; that at last we meet together and bend that way whether he intendeth. All which is brought to pass after an unknown manner and by such hidden courses, that we know not whether wee go, much less are we acquainted with the motion of others, carrying them to the same main end; like unto many riuers, which by diuers and contrary ways, run naturally and freely in their own current unto the main Ocean, and yet never think whether they go, and much less of their meeting in the same Sea. And thus all the ends of the King of Ashur, Esa. 10. 7. and all his army were by God directed to that main end of chastising his people and punishing the wicked and rebellious; although( as the Lord plainly affirmeth) he never so much as thought so, or ever aimed at this end. So the divels end in casting the Saints into prison, was that being tormented they might be brought to make an apostasy from the faith; but the Lord maketh Sathans end and action serve to Apoc. 2. 10. further the end which he had propounded; namely that by these afflictions they might be tried, and being approved might be crwoned. It was his end in afflicting job to bring him unto destruction, by causing him to curse God unto his face: but God maketh the devils action and end to further his, which was, that he might bee glorified in the trial of his graces, the faithful edified by his example, and that job himself might be fitted and prepared to receive a greater measure of his blessings here, and of glory and happiness in the life to come. But this will more plainly appear in the afflictions of joseph, wherein as there were many agents, so likewise many ends. His brethren being full of envy, sought to haue him removed, whom their father( as they supposed) ouerloued. The Ismaelitish marchants respected their gain, his mistress aimed first at the satisfying of her filthy lust, and after at the reuenge of her scorned love; his master, in his wrong conceived iealousy, at the punishment of so great an injury as he thought he had received; the jailor at his ease and safety; the ungrateful Butler thought of nothing but pleasing the King; the King sought to ease his troubled mind by understanding the meaning of his dream; the divell to bring by the sin of many, innocent joseph unto destruction. But all these ends so diuers and opposite one to another, the Lord so overruled by his wise and powerful providence, that he made them all concur to the effecting of his own ends, which were the trial of Iosephs graces to the glory of him that gave them; which joseph in modesty Gen. 45. ●. passeth over; and the preserving of his Church in the time of extreme famine, by sending him into egypt to make provision for them. The like may also bee observed in the death and passion of our saviour Christ; wherein Iudas out of his covetousness betrayeth him to gain the silver pieces; the Scribes and the pharisees out of their malice and envy persecute and accuse him, to uphold their state and honour by removing their enemy; Pilate condemneth him out of fear and flattery to keep his grace with Caesar, and to please the people; the souldiers crucify him out of ba●barous greediness to receive a reward, and to benefit themselves with the spoil of his garments, the divell useth them all as his slaves and vassals out of his malice to mankind, that he might hinder our salvation by destroying our saviour. But God overruleth by his gracious and wise providence both him and them; making all their ends and actions to serve for the furthering of his most loving and merciful end, even when they most opposed against it namely the redemption and salvation of all his elect by the precious death, and all-sufficient sacrifice of his innocent son. By all which it appeareth, that whilst the divell and wicked men pursue their own ends the Lord attaineth his, and whilst in afflicting Gods seruants, they wholly aim at their destruction; the Lord by his providence overruling all their purposes and endeauou●s, maketh them when they think of nothing less to serve for the glorifying of his holy name in the manifesting of his graces, and the salvation of the souls of his afflicted children. So that they are in his hand in this respect, like the arrow in the hand of a cunning archer, which fl●eth to the mark, and yet knoweth not whether it is going; for though they bee well acquainted with their own malicious ends, and pursue with all greediness their own intentions; yet oftentimes failing of them, they never fail the furthering of those ends which God hath propounded unto all their actions, although they go blindfolde to them, and never so much as think of them. The consideration whereof may greatly comfort us in all our afflictions imposed on us by wicked men; for when wee see ourselves assaulted by them on every side, all of them aiming at our hurt and destruction in the general, but yet carried thereunto by their particular ends; one out of malice to our persons, another out of desire to reuenge misconceived wrongs, and supposed injuries. This man out of covetousness hunting after a prey in our spoil; and another out of pride and ambition seeking our down fall, that he may lay the foundation of his own glory and honour, in the ruins of our estate; he out of envy and hatred, thinking that he is better, if he make us worse; and another out of his greediness labouring to make us worse, that he may make himself better; then are wee to remember there is a supreme providence, wisdom and power, which overseeth and ouerlooketh all their actions and ends, and when they are most eager in pursuing their designs, doth make them, when they think least of it, to serve him for the effecting of all his counsels and purposes, and the furthering and advancing of those his main ends, even his own glory and the salvation, as of all the faithful, so also of us among the rest. And thus doth Gods providence show itself in the ends § Sect. 10. That Gods providence ordereth and disposeth of all our afflictions, both in respect of their manner, measure and continuance. of our afflictions, and of them that do afflict us, disposing of them all for his own glory and our good: The like also may be said of the manner, measure and time of our afflictions; all which he so ordereth and overruleth, that nothing befalleth us, either in the manner, measure or continuance of them, but by the wise guidance of his all-seeing providence. For he hath as well appointed how we shal come into afflictions, as what we shal suffer;& though there be in thē a thousand strange circumstances, and ten thousand unthought of accidents, and unexpected casualties; much confusion and disorder in respect of secondary means, and innumerable errors and mistakings; yet is there nothing in them all unto him casual and accidental, but all foreseen and fore-ordained long before; neither any confusion or error, but all in a direct order and method, one cause producing and drawing on another, like the diverse links of the same chain, as may plainly appear if wee do examine the former examples. So doth he by the same providence share out unto us the measure of our afflictions, giuing unto us a convenient draft of this bitter potion, according to the proportion of our strength and patience. Neither doth he let loose the divell and wicked men to assault us all at once, according as their fury would carry them; but like the master of the masteries he sitteth by, and appointeth such aduersaries to contend and wrestle with us, as may onely exercise our patience, and not wholly vanquish and overcome it. And as he appointeth the manner and measure, so also the time of our afflictions, which al the malice and fury of our enemies cannot any jot lengthen or prolong. As wee may see in the 400. yeares appointed to the Israelites in the egyptian servitude, which being expired, they came out, Exod. 12. 41. maugre all the malice of their enemies, the same day; in the 70. yeares of the Babilonishe captivity, at the expiring Daniel 9. 2. 21. 23. whereof Daniel prayeth for deliverance, and hath presently his suite heard and granted; and in the afflictions and persecutions Apoc 2. 10. of the Church of Smyrn●, raised by Satan, which is restrained to a determinate time of ten dayes. And thus the Lord ordereth our afflicitons, both in respect of the causes, manner, measure and end,( as I shall haue occasion to show more fully hereafter) in regard whereof he is said, to correct us in iudgment for our amendment, and not in wrath to cut us off. Which argument the Lord useth to comfort his afflicted Church in her captivity; fear not( saith he) O my seruant jacob, for I will deliver thee, &c. I am jer. 30. 11. with thee( saith the Lord) to save thee, though I utterly destroy all the nations where I haue scattered thee, yet I will not utterly destroy thee, but I will correct thee by iudgment, and not utterly cut thee off. The which consolation let us apply unto ourselves in all our crosses and afflictions, and considering on the one side, that the Lord is the chief cause and author of them, and also ordereth and disposeth them by his wise and powerful providence; that Satan and wicked men are but his bare instruments whom he ruleth at his pleasure, and that whatsoever they intend and aim at, he maketh al their purposes and devices to serve his own ends; and finally, that he appointeth both the manner, measure& time of our conflict and trial; and on the other side, that he who doth all this, is unto us no stranger or enemy, but our most dear and gracious father, who hath so loved us, that he hath not spared to give his onely and best beloved son to the death for our redemption, who can, because he is able, and will, because he so much tendereth us, turn all our crosses into comforts, and makes them serve as means to further our salvation; let us not onely with patience and comfort, but even with thanksgiving and rejoicing hold out in all our trials and suffer with meekness and quiet contentedness whatsoever it shall please him to lay vpon vs. CHAP. VIII. Of the meritorious and deserving cause of our afflictions, which is our sin: and of the comforts which arise from this consideration. ANd thus haue I shewed what are the efficient § Sect. 1. That sin is the deserving cause of our afflictions. causes of all our afflictions; as also the comforts and consolations which do arise from the consideration of them; now wee are to proceed unto the causes moving and inciting the Lord to lay vpon us these afflictions: and these are of two kinds; the first is in us, which is the meritorious cause of all our crosses; the other is in God, which is his love inclining him thus to chastise us, that we may not be condemned with the world. First therefore( as order requireth) wee will entreat of the meritorious and deserving cause of all our miseries and calamities, that out of the meditation thereof wee may lighten the burden of our crosses, and make them more easy to bee born vpon the shoulders of patience. The cause meriting and deserving affliction is sin, which is that strong cart rope or cable, whereby we draw vpon us al afflictions& miseries, whether we consider them as the punishments of a righteous judge; or the chastisements and corrections of a gracious Father. And this the Lord plainly sheweth unto us in the 28 chapter of the book of Deuteronomy; where having promised Deut. 28, 15. all blessings and benefits, and also protection and exemption from all miseries and evil, to those who keep the commandements of God; he afterwards annexeth a severe threatening to the transgressions thereof, namely, that if they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, to keep and do all his commandements, then all his curses, should come vpon and overtake them; and so expresseth a large catalogue of them, from the fifteenth verse to the end of the Chapter. So the Psalmist speaking of those that are in prison and captivity, saith that they dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death, being Psalm. 107. 11. 12. fast bound in misery and iron; because they rebelled against the words of the Lord, and despised the counsel of the most high. And a little after he affirmeth, that fools( he meaneth sinners) by reason of their transgression, and because of their iniquity Vers. 17. 34. are afflicted: and that God turneth a fruitful land into desert barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. So the wise man maketh affliction to be( as it were) the shadow of sin, which doth always attend vpon it; affliction Pro. 13. 21. Pro. 22. 8. ( saith he) followeth sinners; but unto the righteous God will recompense good; and the fruit and harvest which cometh of the sinners seed time, for as he saith, he that soweth iniquity shall reap affliction, and the rod of his anger shall fail. And most plainly the Church in the Lamentations, affirmeth Lam. 3. 39. sin to be the cause of al our sufferings; man( saith she) suffereth for his sin. In regard of which near neighbourhood, Gen. 4. 7. and inseparable union between sin and punishment, linked together with the bond of Iustice and Gods righteous iudgement, they are confounded in their names, and punishment is signified by the name of sin, for so the Lord saith unto cain; If thou dost not well, sin lieth at the door; that Vers. 13. is, due punishment deserved by this sin, and contrariwise whereas it is said, that his punishment was greater then he could bear, it may be also rendered, that his sin was greater then could be pardonned. And as this truth appeareth directly by the former testimonies; so also both by the examples& confessions of those who haue been afflicted. Concerning the former the Lord saith unto the people of Israel, that their sin was the cause of their divorcement from him; and that for their iniquities and transgressions they were sold into Esa. 50. 1. captivity, and their mother( that is their Church and nation) was forsaken. So the Prophet jeremy in the name of the Lord saith thus unto them; thy ways and thine inventions jer. 30. 14. 15. haue procured thee these things, such is thy wickedness. And again, I haue strike thee with the wound of an enemy,& with a sharp chastisement, for the multitude of thine iniquities, because thy sins were increased. Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable, for the multitude of thine iniquities. Because thy sins were increased, I haue done these things unto thee. And this the Prophet acknowledgeth in his lamentations, Lam. 1. 5. 8. in the name of his Church and people; the lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions, and her children are gone into captivity before the enemy, jerusalem hath grievously sinned, therefore she is in derision, &c. Finally our saviour implieth this truth in his speech to the man whom he had cured of his grieeuous diseases; Behold( saith he) thou art made whole, sin no more, least a worse thing come joh. 5. 14. unto thee. And to the same purpose one of the ancients vpon the example of jonas, speaketh fitly. As soon as jonas( saith he) entred into the ship; God caused the surging waves to rise and swell, to teach us hereby, that where there Chrysost serm. ad pop. 5. Tom. 4. is sin, there also is a tempest, and after disobedience followeth a storm. But being devoured of a whale, he notwithstanding liveth; to learn us hereby, that as to him that liveth in sin, a ship is no safeguard, so to him who by repentance hath put it off, neither Sea nor beasts are hurtful or pernicious. And hereof it is, that being to cure one sick of a palsy, he first taketh away his sin, before he taketh away his disease. son( saith he) bee of good comfort, Matth. 9. 2. 6. thy sins are forgiven thee; and then Arise and take up thy bed, and go to thine house. And so the afflicted Church having affirmed that man suffereth for sin, persuadeth to repentance as the onely means to remove their crosses and calamities, Lamen. 3. 40. because thereby sin which is the cause of them is removed Let us( saith she) search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. By all which it appeareth that sin is the onely deserving cause which moveth the Lord to sand afflictions; the which is most consonant with Gods most infinite truth and iustice; and that whether wee consider them as punishments inflicted vpon the wicked; or chastisements whereby he correcteth his own seruants& children: for what can be more righteous, then that he should inflict those judgements& punishments vpon wicked men, which he hath denounced in his law against the transgressors therof, whether they concern this life or the life to come; seeing all both by right of creation& continual preservation, are bound to obedience vpon condition of reward and punishment, as being the vassals and subiects of this great King of heaven and earth? and what can bee more just, yea and full of mercy then for the Lord to chastise the faults of his children and seruants, that he may reclaim them from their sins, and withhoulding them from the broad way which leadeth to destruction, may draw them by this afflicted and strait path, unto that happiness which they formerly lost by following the delights of sin? To which purpose one saith, that it is just with God to scourge every son whom he receiveth, that we who were banished out of the joys of Paradise for our rebellious desiring unlawful delights, should again be restored August. de patient. lib cap. 14. Tom. 4. & received, by our meek suffering of sorrows& crosses,& being runawaies by doing evil, should be brought again and repossessed of our happiness by suffering evil; doing there against iustice, and suffering here for iustice. In which regard wee are to justify God in all his judgements, and bear with patience that which he sendeth, not onely because it is unlawful to repined and strive against them; but because the Lord herein willeth nothing but that which is Psal. 119. 137. Vers. 75. lawful and expedient. For which we haue the Prophet david §. Sect. 2. That though God do not always afflict us for sin: yet this is the best use which we can make of afflictions to ascribe thē to our sins. for our example, who approveth Gods judgements; not onely in general crying out, righteous art thou O Lord, and just are thy judgements; but also particularly in those which himself suffered; I know O Lord( saith he) that thy judgements are right, and that thou ●ast afflicted me justly or in truth. Yea but the Scriptures teach us, that our sins are not always the causes of our afflictions, and that there are diuers other causes which move the Lord to lay vpon his children these crosses and calamities: for thus the Lord afflicted Abraham whilst he required obedience to that difficult& grievous commandement of sacrificing his son, not for the punishment of his sin, but for the trial of his faith; and thus job endured many crosses and calamities, not for any sins committed by him, but for the trial and approving of his love, faith, patience, obedience, and other of Gods graces, against the calamities and wicked slanders of the devill. And our saviour saith directly of the blind man, that he was not punished with that great infirmity, either for his own sin or the sin of his parents; but that the works of John 9. 2. God might be made manifest in him. To which I answer that in truth God doth by afflictions as well make trial of his graces in us, as chastise us for our sins, and that besides our iniquities and transgressions, there are in Gods secret counsels other causes of our crosses and calamities, but seeing the Lord hath in his word denounced these miseries and afflictions against us, as punishments and chastisements for our iniquities and transgressions; and doth not reveal unto us when he trieth us, and when he correcteth us; therefore leaving Gods secrets unto himself, we are not to look unto his hidden counsels, but unto his will revealed, and according thereunto we are always to make this use of our afflictions, that when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, 1. Cor 1●. 32. and justly corrected and punished for our sins? Neither shall we need to fear any great error in this behalf, seeing besides all our other transgressions wee brought enough sin and corruption into the world with us, to deserve all the punishments of this life, and the life to come; and every man hath in him sufficient fuel for the fire of vengeance and punishment▪ if Gods iustice and wrath do onely inflame it. Yea rather let us know, that this is the best and safest course to ascribe our crosses to our sins deserving them, because( though we err in respect of Gods secret purpose, in sending this affliction which wee presently suffer) wee shall take occasion thereby the better to humble ourselves under the hand of God, to approve and justify his righteous iudgments, and to renew our repentance by sorrowing for our sins, as being the causes of all our smart, and labouring to mortify and forsake them for the time to come. Whereas contrariwise the error of not ascribing our afflictions to our sins deserving them, when they are in truth for this onely cause inflicted by God, is most dangerous and pernicious; seeing it continueth us in our wickedness, and hindereth our repentance; according to that complaint of the Lord by the Prophet. They gave themselves to deceit, and jerm. 8. 6. would not return; I harkened and heard, but none spake aright, no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, what haue I done? every one turned to their race, as the horse rusheth into battle. And therefore the saints of God in all ages, leaving Gods secret counsels to himself, haue evermore insisted in their sins, as the onely cause of all their afflictions; so holy david complaineth; There is nothing sound in my flesh, Psal. 38. 3. Esa. 64. 5. Dan. 9. Ezra. 9. Nehem. 9. because of thine anger; neither is there rest in my bones, because of my sin; and the Prophet crieth out in his prayer for the people, Behold thou art angry, for we haue sinned; and those there famous worthies, Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, in those excellent prayers which they make in the behalf of themselves and their people, aclowledge their sins to be the causes of all their calamities. Yea even job himself who was in truth afflicted for the trial of his spiritual graces; howsoever he defendeth his innocency against his three friends, to maintain his uprightness and sincerity from their false calumniations and aspersions; yet having to deal with God, he acknowledgeth his sin to be the cause of all his calamities. I haue sinned( saith he) what shall I job. 7. 20. do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? &c. And why dost thou not pardon and take away mine iniquity? §. Sect. 3. That all our afflictions must Whose example we must imitate, labouring in all our afflictions to be brought unto the sight of our sins, that we may bewail and forsake them. And considering that God bring us to a sight of sin and repentance for it, not onely in general, but also in particular. doth not onely in general correct us for sin; but visiteth our special sins with special iudgments and afflictions; therefore let us not content ourselves to haue in some general manner ascribed our crosses to our iniquities as the causes of them; but let us also search out our special and particular sins, which are the causes and occasions of those miseries which we presently endure and suffer: that taking more particular notice of them; wee may in more especial manner repent of them, and more effectually labour in subduing and mortifying them. And for our direction herein, let us consider of certain signs, whereby wee may know when the Lord correcteth a particular sin with some special punishment or chastisement. Whereof the first is, when being afflicted with some special iudgment, after examination we find that in the Scriptures such a punishment is denounced against such a sin; as when affiance in the creature is punished with their insufficiency and impotency whereby they cannot, or infidelity and treachery, whereby they will not afford unto us that help which we expect from them. When pride is punished with dejection and contempt; whoredom with barrenness or want of posterity; idolatry with adultery, and such like. Secondly, when as our sins are punished by law of requital like for like; as when having dishonoured God by scandalous sins, the Lord in the very same doth dishonour us; when having committed spiritual adultery, we or ours are left of God, to commit corporal filthiness; when having neglected our duties to our parents, our children do neglect theirs unto us; and when having oppressed our inferiors, we ourselves are oppressed by our superiors. And thus did God fit Dauids chastisement to his offence, in the sin against uriah; for because he took his neighbours wife to commit adultery with her; the Lord took his and gave them to one of his own house, yea unto his own son, his dear 2. Sam. 12. 10. 11. darling Absalon, to be abused by him in filthy incest. And because he had slain uriah with the sword; therefore the sword did not depart from his house, but the same Absalon doth first slay his brother Ammon, for that incestuous rape committed with his sister Tamar; wherein there was a double punishment of Dauids double sin; and afterwards rebelling against him, never restend till he had expelled him out of his kingdom, and seated himself in his royal throne. So when the people of Israell inquired in the land of their captivity, wherefore the Lord did bring vpon them those afflictions of bondage and cruel servitude, the Prophet is commanded by the Lord to give them this answer; Like as ye haue for saken me, and served strange Gods in your land; so shall ye serve jer. 5. 19. strangers in a land that is not yours. Thirdly, when as we are taken in the very act, and our sin presently is attended by our punishment; as Dauids numbering of the people with that fearful pestilence; jonas his fleeing from God with that dangerous tempest; and Pauls cruel persecution with sudden blindness and astonishment. Fourthly, when as our own consciences do judge and condemn us, as having brought vpon ourselves such a punishment by committing such a sin; for the conscience is Gods deputy to convince us, being guilty as worthy of such iudgments; and to put us in mind that some special sins committed, haue brought vpon us such special punishments; as we may see in the example of Iosephs brethren, who adiudged themselves as worthy of all the miseries which they suffered, because they so little regarded the cry and entreaty of their brother in his afflictions. Lastly, when as our sin in it own nature bringeth forth such a punishment as the fruit thereof; as when beggary followeth idleness or wastefulness; weakness and sickness, the sins of uncleanness, and double plagues do accompany impenitency and hardness of heart. § Sect. 4. That much comfort ariseth from the consideration of the meritorious cause of afflictions, which is our sins, First, because we haue no just cause of murmuring seeing Gods iustice and truth is manifested, and we receive no wrong. And thus haue I shewed, not onely that our sins in general are the causes of all our crosses and calamities, but also our special sins, of our more special miseries and afflictions: of which truth when our iudgments are thoroughly informed; after we haue made use of this knowledge for the renewing and increasing of our repentance, both for our sins in general, and those which more especially press the conscience with their guilt, and the whole person with their punishment; we may in the next place make use also thereof for the strengthening of our patience: and that in diuers respects. First, because wee haue no just occasion of murmuring and repining; seeing God, as his iustice necessarily requireth, doth justly execute his righteous iudgments vpon us for our sins, and according to his revealed truth inflicteth those punishments which he had in his word formerly threatened; and if he should not thus do; punishing sin wheresoever he findeth it, and showing his detestation of it in whomsoever it is, he might be esteemed partial, and his iustice and truth would receive impeachment. When therefore the Lord acquiteth and cleareth himself from such imputations, and manifesteth his iustice and truth by correcting and chastising us for our transgressions; there is no cause of sorrow and mourning( but onely for our sins, whereby we haue urged God vpon the necessity of showing his truth, and iustice to take these courses with us) unless we would be found enemies unto God, and aduersaries to these excellent attributes, whilst we grieve because he is righteous in his iudgments, and true of his word. Neither is there any cause of impatiency, yea rather in this respect we haue just cause of ioy and comfort; in that Gods iustice and truth are magnified in our afflictions; for better it were that heaven and earth were utterly destroyed, yea both men and Angels damned unto hell, then that the glory of God, who is the chief goodness and supreme end of all the creatures, should in the least degree be dimmed and blemished. But especially haue we cause of rejoicing and thanksgiving, if we consider that in all these our afflictions the Lord doth not so much punish us for sin, as sin in us, mortifying and subduing it, that by the death and subiection thereof, we may live and reign with him. even as the Surgeon in applying of the corrosive, hath no quarrel to his patient, nor aimeth at his torment; but onely seeketh to abate the swelling tumour, and to draw out of the sore the core of corruption that it may be cured. Secondly, as this consideration may work in us patience in respect of God, so also in regard of us, seeing wee are not at all wronged in our punishments, nor haue any injustice offered us by God, but do onely suffer those miseries and crosses which wee haue justly deserved, and haue pulled vpon us by our own sins. And therefore when wee are exercised with any affliction, we haue no more reason to complain of God, nor to repined against his righteous iudgments, then the malefactor hath to cry out against the righteous judge, or to grudge against the just sentence pronounced by him; nor haue more cause when we are in sickness, prison, poverty or banishment, to bend all our anger and malice against Gods ministers and inferior instruments, exclaming against the oppressions of our magistrates, the falsity of our accusers, the ilnesse of the air or vnholesomenesse of our diet; then the condemned person hath to malign the prison walls that enclose him, the fetters and bolts that bind and clog him, the Scherife and officers that led him to execution, or the hangman who by authority is appointed to execute the sentence which the just judge hath worthily pronounced. But if there bee any cause at all of complaining and exclaiming, it is at our sins which haue caused the Lord our righteous judge to take these severe courses against us, for his own glory, in the manifesting of his iustice, and our everlasting good, by reforming us of our sins. If there be any reason of grieving and mourning; it is because wee haue deserved these iudgments, and not because the Lord hath justly inflicted them. In which regard the afflicted Church demandeth, wherefore the living man is sorrowful, seeing he Lam. 3.. 29. suffereth for his sin. unless we had rather understand the last words as an answer to the question, namely that there is no other cause of sorrowing, but that his sins haue deserved Micah. 7. 9. to be thus punished. And in another place she saith▪ that she will bear the wrath of the Lord, because shee had sinned against him. To this purpose one saith, that by a right knowledge of the weight of our sin, wee do much lighten the Per hoc quod culpae pondus cognoscitur afflictionis poena leuigatur. Gregor. Moral. lib. 10. cap 5. weight of our punishment. And that the grief of the whip is much tempered and mitigated, when the fault deserving it is duly acknowledged, even as every patient doth more quietly suffer the launcher of the surgeon, by how much more corrupt the sore is which he cutteth. Yea but it may bee that the party afflicted may truly object, § Sect. 5. Their objection answered, who say that they susfer as innocents. that he is innocent of the fault which is made the occasion of his punishment; that he is wrongfully slandered, unjustly oppressed; and hardly entreated for his kind usage;& what place can there then be for patience? or how can he make use of the former comforts, seeing he suffereth those punishments which he hath not deserved? I answer with the Apostle, who art thou O man that disputest with God. And with Eliphaz, I demand; shall man be more just then God? or shal Rom. 9. job. 4. 17. 18. a man be more pure then his maker? behold he found no steadfastness in his seruants, and laid folly vpon his Angels; how much more in them that dwell in houses of day, whose foundation is in the dust, which shall be destroyed before the moth? But if thou wilt yet further reason the matter, then know, that howsoever thou art innocent in respect of the sin, which is the occasion of thy cross, yet the Lord doth not punish thee unjustly and before thou hast deserved it; for thou wast born the slave of sin and satan, the child of wrath, and enemy unto God; and therefore art deservedly liable to punishment; thy body and soul were wholly polluted with original corruption; and therefore are justly the subiects of crosses and calamities; for where sin pleadeth full possession, there punishment also may of due, challenge admission and entertainment. Besides what a numerous offspring of actual transgressions, hath sprung out of the womb of this fruitful mother? and of how many grievous sins dost thou stand accused and condemned before the tribunal of Gods iustice by the verdict and testimony of thine own conscience; for every one whereof the Lord may justly inflict vpon thee this and far greater punishments, although thou be innocent of that fault which being imputed unto thee is the cause of thy affliction? But thou wilt further object that though being guilty of many sins against God thou art deservedly punished, and therefore hast great reason to bear it with patience; yet thou art innocent in respect of men; and therfore being by them unjustly punished and vexed; thou hast just cause of impatiency and complaining. To which I answer, that wee haue little cause to stand much vpon the secondary causes and inferior instruments, when as we consider that God the supreme and principal cause of all our afflictions doth punish us justly; nor so much to insist vpon our righteousness towards men, when as our consciences are guilty of many sins against God, which haue▪ justly deserved these and far greater punishments, especially considering that the former worketh in us rage and impatiency, whereby wee are made utterly unfit to bear our burden; Patienter iniuriam illatam tolerat qui piè meminit quod fortasse adhuc habeat in quo debeat ipse tolerari. Tunc illata conuitia benè toleramus cum in secreto mentis ad malè perpetrata recurrimus. Gregor. 2. Sam. 16. 10. whereas the latter being duly thought on maketh us to bear with humility and meekness, all crosses and miseries which by these inferior instruments do happen unto vs. For( as one saith) he patiently suffereth wrongs and injuries, who religiously remembreth that he hath in himself sins& corruptions which in respect of God do need ●oleration, and then with meekness we endure railings and settlings, when in our consciences and secret cogitations we look back to our evils committed; an example whereof wee haue in david who patiently heard Shemei railing against him, because though he were innocent in respect of him, yet he found himself guilty of many sins against God, which had justly deserved far greater punishments. And secondly I answer that as it is a means of patience to consider that wee suffer justly deserved punishments from the hand of God; seeing it is most uncomfortable once to imagine that the chief judge of heaven and earth, should deal vnrighteouslye, Gen. 18. 25. because there is no limits in doing where the power is infinite; so is there great cause of patience and comfort when we suffer unjustly at the hands of men, both because it is a singular mercy of God, in that when we are guilty of so many sins for which wee might justly haue all the afflictions of this life imposed vpon us, he passeth by them all,& is content that we should suffer in our innocency& righteousness; and also because such sufferings are very beneficial& fruitful unto us, as having the promise of everlasting happiness; For blessed are they( as our saviour hath pronounced them) Matth. 5. 10. 11 which suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And blessed are ye when men revile you& persecute you,& say all manner of evil against you for my names sake falsely; rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven. 1. Pet. 3. 14. Vers. 17. 18. So the Apostle Peter saith, we are blessed if we suffer for righteousness sake,& in this regard, we haue no cause to fear their fear, neither to be troubled. And affirmeth it to be much better( if the will of God be so) that we suffer for well doing, then for evil doing; seeing herein we be like our master Christ, who suffered for sinners, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. And therfore he exhorteth that none of us suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evil doer, or as a busy body in other 1. Pet. 4. 15. mens matters. But if as any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this behalf. Of Act 5. 41. which precept himself and the Apostle John are good precedents and examples, who being beaten for a good cause even for preaching in the name of Christ; depart from the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuk for his name. Whom we are to imitate, comforting ourselves, when like the Apostles wee may suffer in our innocency for a good cause, rather then when like offenders and malefactors, unto the heaviness of the punishment is added the weight of faultiness and the guilt of sin. For as the Apostle saith, this is thanks worthy, if a man for conscience towards God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what praise 1. Pet. 2. 19. 20. is it, if when being buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently? but and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it patiently, this is acceptable unto God. And thus may wee strengthen and confirm our patience §. Sect. 6. That God inflicteth on us far lighter punishments then our sins deserve. in the consideration of Gods iustice, punishing and correcting us for our deserts and demerits; but much more may we comfort ourselves in the consideration of his mercy and goodness whereby he is moved graciously to spare us, inflicting vpon us far lighter and lesser punishments then our sins haue deserved. For he doth but lightly touch us, when he might justly crush us in pieces; and( as it is said of the Persian nobles) when wee offend against our Prince and sovereign; in stead of tormenting our bodies he doth but beat our garments, depriving us of the trifles of this life, and correcting us either by some corporal infirmity, or in our outward estates when our sins haue deserved the fearfullest of his plagues. So that in our greatest afflictions, wee haue just cause to confess, and thankfully to aclowledge, with the Prophet david, that he hath not dealt with us after our Psal. 103. 10. sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For he doth not correct us in the rigour of his iustice, but( as he saith) in iudgement, not looking what our sins haue deserved, jer. 30. 11. but what wee are able to bear; and knowing whereof wee bee made, and remembering that we are but dust, full of frailty and infirmity, he proportioneth our afflictions, not to our sins, but to our strength, which being so feeble that wee cannot endure much, he doth lay vpon us light chastisements for heinous sins, and but seldom correcteth us for our innumerable offences. he doth not punish us as a judge according to the quality of our offences, but he spareth us as Mal. 3. 17. Psal 103. 13. a man spareth his own son that serveth him; and as a Father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him. All which mercy and pitty shewed unto us by God in our § Sect. 7. The heinousness of sin in it own nature, shewed first by the person who is thereby offended. chastisements, will more evidently appear, if we consider on the one side, both how heinous and capital sin is in it own nature, and also how detestable, odious, and obhominable it is in his sight, and on the other side in what monstrous manner, and measure, we are defiled with it. The heinousness of sin will appear if wee consider the person against whom it is committed, or the punishment which by the iustice of God is allotted to it. The person against whom it is committed is the Lord himself, the sole King and monarch of heaven and earth, who is in his own nature infinite in glory, majesty, power, mercy, goodness and all perfection; and in respect of us most worthy to be served and obeied, as being obliged unto him in that triple band of creation; preservation and redemption; whose will and law is violated and transgressed by every sin, and such a contempt and outrage offered by the sinner against his crown and dignity, that as much as in him lieth he taketh away his rule and government, defeateth him of his kingdom and sovereignty, and denying subiection and allegiance unto him, yeeldeth obedience unto his arch▪ enemy the devill, and acknowledgeth him as his Prince and King. Now if a fault be to bee aggravated either by the dignity of the person against whom it is committed; or by the ungratitude of the par●y who doth commit it, as offending against such an one as hath well deserved of him; then how infinite is the guilt of our sin, committed against so infinite a majesty, the King of heaven and earth, in whom, we live move and haue Act. 17. 28. our being, and from whom wee haue received whatsoever good thing we do enjoy; and that by us who are not onely so base and contemptible, but also so infinitely indebted and beholding unto him. § Sect. 8. The heinousness of sin shewed by consideration of the punishments which Gods iustice alotteth to it. Secondly the heinousness of sin appeareth by the punishments which the iustice of God hath allotted unto it; the which may be considered either as they are denounced in Gods word, or inflicted in his works; the one being the sentence of condemnation, the other the execution. In respect of the former we find that the least sin, and but once committed, and that in thought onely doth make him who committeth it liable and subject to the curse of the law, according to the sentence pronounced by God, and repeated by the Apostle: Cursed is every man that continueth not in all Deut. 27. 28. Gal. 3. 10. things which are written in the book of the law to do them, under which curse is contained and comprised all the fearful plagues and punishments which are incident unto this life, as all sicknesses, diseases and sores of the body, which are so many that they would require a great part of our lives to number them; and so grievous and intolerable, that the very naming of them would appall and terrify us: all disastrous accidents which impoverish and ruin our estates; all shane, contempt, disgrace and infamy, wrongs and injuries, whereby our names are blemished and blotted, and our persons oppressed; scorned and trodden under foot: all terrors and troubles of mind, horror of conscience, doubting and despair; with that unspeakable grief which doth accompany them; a large catalogue of which miseries we haue set Deut. 28. 15. down by Gods own direction in the eighth and twentieth chapter of the book of Deuteronomy. All which though they be incomparablie more and greater, then any one man endureth in this life, yet are they without all comparison less then those hellish and everlasting punishments, which the Lord hath threatened against wicked men in the life to come. For as one saith, the damned suffer in hell an end which hath no end; a death without death, a continual consumption without wasting; because their death euerliueth, their end is always in beginning, and their decay never decayeth; but they are daily healed that they may bee wounded, and repaired a fresh that they may bee destroyed, they are ever dying, but never dead, ever consuming but never consumed, always burning and broiling, but never Gregor. Moral. lib. 9. cap. 48. quiter wasted and burnt up. But that we may not think these terrible threatenings of iudgement and punishment denounced against sin in the book of God, to be but paper-shot, which by the sound thereof onely affrighteth, but hurteth not: let us look into the just execution of this dreadful sentence in this life; where we shall find how heinous sin is in Gods sight by those fearful punishments, which he hath inflicted on those who haue committed it. And to pass by the examples of Gods vengeance executed vpon sinners in all ages, recorded in heathenish and human Histories; and those which every man hath observed in his own experience, let us onely look into the holy Scriptures, and set before our eyes some few examples of many, which wee find there registered for our use. And there we shall behold the whole world drowned saving eight persons; and all that goodly beauty of the earth defaced and neglected; all her gay ornaments stripped off and cast away, because they were stained and blemished with mans sin. There we shall see sodom and Gomorrah flaming and smoking with fire and brimstone, that the land might be vnburthened and purged from these filthy inhabitants; and( as it were) aired and freed from the noisome stink of their sins: And egypt plagued with great variety of grievous punishments, because unto the huge multitude of their other sins, they added outrageous oppression, and malicious cruelty against the people& church of God. Yea there we shal see the Israelites themselves after they were chosen for Gods peculiar, ennobled with so many royal titles, and special favours from God, endowed with so many privileges and prerogatives above al the nations of the earth, and made famous by the destruction of their enemies, and their marvelous and miraculous deliverance; yet for all this exposed to Gods wrath, and destroyed by his fearful plagues, when they transgressed his commandments and sinned against him. Among these wee shall find Corah, Dathan and Abiram, men noble and great in their families and tribes, and much Num. 16. 30. advanced in special favours from God above the common sort, yet when they sinned by their rebellion, swallowed alive by the earth, and descending quick into the pit. Yea when the Lord had chosen again out of this choice, and rejecting the ten tribes of Israell for their sins, retained in his special favour the people of the Iewes; yet when they likewise sinned against him, wee shall find them, first grievously plagued at home, and afterwards by their enemies overthrown, lead into captivity, and afflicted with much misery; and being restored vpon a second trial, for their sin in rejecting and crucifying Christ our saviour, finally cast off, their cities sacked and ruined, their land made desolate, innumerable numbers destroyed by the sword and famine, and the remnant reserved to be scattered among all nations, that they may be unto them a scorn and hissing, and daily spectacles of Gods wrath, examples of his hatred unto sin, and continual remembrancers to put them in mind what they are to expect for the like sins, who being wild branches, were grafted into the true olive three, when the Lord hath left such a fearful testimony of his hatred against all impiety and unrighteousness, in breaking off and destroying the natural branches, for bearing and bringing forth these fruits of wickedness. But above all examples of Gods wrath in the severe punishing of sin, are those of the first and second Adam. The former of which for transgressing one onely commandement, by eating the forbidden fruit, and that but once onely, was cast out of Paradise, and that which was worse, out of Gods favour, despoiled of all his former happiness, deprived of all those excellent gifts and graces, and disrobed( as it were) of those rich ornaments wherewith he was endowed& beawtified in his creation; and contrariwise was subjecteth both in his soul and body unto all afflictions and crosses, torments and tortures, terrrours and fears in this life, and to eternal destruction, death and condemnation in the life to come. Neither was he alone thus fearfully punished for this one onely sin committed by him, in his own person alone, or next heires, but in all his posterity from the first beginning, to the end of the world, because they fell with him and sinned in his loins. In which regard we may truly say, that all the evils of this life, either the evils of sin, or the evils of punishment, all the atheism, paganism, idolatry, blasphemy, murders, whoredoms, rapes, incest, sodomy, buggery, robbing, oppressing, slandering and all manner of outrageous wickedness; and also all plagues, war, famine, sicknesses and diseases, all leprosies, consumptions, agues, gouts, apoplexies, palsies, and the rest; all want, poverty, shane, reproach, with all other miseries of this life; yea all the dreadful torments of hell fire, and the everlasting condemnation of those innumerable millions of reprobate and wicked men; are all of them the deserved punishments but of this onely sin. So the second Adam our Lord and saviour Iesus Christ, is a notable example of Gods severe iustice in punishing of sin; who though he were most pure and innocent in his own nature, and no corruption found in his heart, nor guile in his mouth, yet because as our surety he undertook to make satisfaction for our sins, by suffering those punishments which we had deserved, endured innumerable miseries and afflictions in the whole course of his life, as poverty, hunger, weariness, slanders reproaches, the temptations of the divell and the world, conspiracies and layings in wait of his malicious enemies, treachery and treason, hard censures and forsaking of his nearest friends; false accusations, unjust condemnation, mockings and scornings, buffeting, whipping, and crowning with thorns; and lasty, a bitter agony, causing him to sweat blood; the crucifying of his blessed body, and which was above all the rest, the horrible and intolerable burden of Gods fierce and fiery wrath, due unto us for our sins. By all which it appeareth of what unconceivable guilt sin is, and what infinite torments and plagues it justly deserveth, seeing God hath thus fearfully punished it from time to time; especially considering that all these punishments were inflicted by him, whose iustice is so perfect and exact, that it is impossible he should do the least unjustice, injury, or cruelty above the desert of sin; yea in whom there also eternally resideth infinite mercy and goodness; which vpon all due occasions, are ready( if there were cause) to temper and qualify this scorching heat of Gods fury, and rigour of his iustice. And thus haue I shewed how heinous and capital sin § Sect. 9. That sin is most odious unto God, shewed first by the persons whom he hath punished for it. is, both by considering it in it own nature, and in the punishments which by Gods iustice are allotted unto it. Now further we are to show that it is also unto God most odious and abominable: the which as it doth already in part appear by that which hath been said concerning those fearful punishments which he inflicteth vpon the offenders; so will it be more manifest if wee consider the persons vpon whom he hath inflicted these punishments, and the contrariety which is between sin and his mos● holy nature. The first vpon whom God inflicted his heavy iudgments for sin, were the divell and his Angels; who before sin committed were highly in Gods favour, as being his most glorious and excellent creatures, endowed with a rich and unvaluable dowry and portion of his singular gifts and graces, as purity and simplicity of nature, wisdom, power, beauty, iustice, and such like; but yet when by committing sin they fell from him, they became hereby more odious and loathsome then the vilest of his creatures, and are still, and shall be for evermore pursued by his wrath, and subject to his most heavy iudgments and hellish torments. If therefore sin could make such lovely and excellent creatures, above all others most loathsome and ugly in Gods sight, then how loathsome, monstrous and misshaped is it when it appeareth in it own nature, and receiveth no grace from the excellency of Gods workmanship in the creatures who commit it? And how bitter is it in itself, when it is quiter without any mixture of their sweetness? when wee would to the full set forth the ugliness and evil of any thing, we usually say, that it is as black or bad as the divell himself; but yet as black and bad as he is, he is nothing so evil and ugly as any sin; seeing this onely deformed and corrupted him, who was before glorious and beautiful; and if it were possible for him to wash himself clean from this pollution and filthiness, he would again appear lovely and graceful, like the sun in his brightness, or as an angel of light, glorious and beautiful. The next whom God punished for sin were our first parents, who also were before their transgression most dear unto God and amiable in his sight, as being the most excellent part of this earthly workmanship, and not much inferior to the Angels themselves, seeing they were created according to his own image, in wisdom, righteousness and holinesse. But yet when they sinned against God by breaking his commandement, he cast them out of favour, banished them his presence, stripped them of all his gifts, and adiudged them to suffer all the plagues and miseries of this life, and hel torments and eternal condemnation in the world to come. From which just sentence few are acquitted, notwithstanding that all-sufficient price of redemption payed by our saviour, but remain still( for want of applying Christs merits by faith) reprobated and adiudged to everlasting punishments with the divell and his Angels. But above all the rest, the hatred of God against sin, appeareth most fully and clearly in the example of Christ himself, who though he were his onely begotten and most dearly beloved son, of his own nature and essence, and therefore of more worth then all men and Angels, with all other creatures of heaven and earth; and though he were his immaculate lamb free from the least spot or blemish of sin and corruption in his own most pure nature; yet when he found sin vpon him, though it were not properly his own, but the sins of the elect, for which as our surety he did undertake to satisfy his fathers iustice; he so much abhorred sin assumed by him, that he spared him no more then if he had been a mere stranger or utter enemy, but made him to drink up the full vials of his wrath, until by his sufferings he had fully satisfied for sin, and washed it clean out of Gods sight, both from himself and all the faithful, in the pure streams of his precious blood. §. Sect. 10. The odiousness of sin shewed, by the contrariety that is between it and Gods most holy nature. Secondly, the odiousness of sin unto God appeareth in that contrariety which is between it and his most holy nature; neither are fire and water, light and darkness, heaven and hell, God and the divell, so opposite and contrary the one to the other, as the evil of sin is to this chief goodness. In respect whereof, though Gods infinite power can do all things, yet he cannot sin, though Gods essence being incomprehensible be in all things, and all things in it; yet can neither sin bee in it, nor it in sin; though his goodness and love in some kind and measure be extended to all his creatures, for he causeth his sun to shine, and rain to fall vpon the evil and vpon the good, yet do they not in any respect extend unto sin, but he pursueth it wheresoever he seeth it with mortal and implacable hatred; neither can the beauty, excellency or louelinesse of any creature in whom he findeth it, any whit mitigate or abate it; but as the infusion of Coliquintida doth make all things bitter which are mixed with it, and is itself made sweet by nothing; so sin doth make the most sweet things bitter, the most beautiful things ugly, and the creatures which are amiable and lovely, to become most loathsome& odious in Gods sight; itself in the mean time being not made by any thing in which it subsisteth more sweet, beautiful or amiable, or any whit less bitter, ugly or odious. As therefore wee would account that a most palpable and miraculous darkness, which the brightest beams of the sun could not penetrate and enlighten; that most bitter which nothing can sweeten; and most hard, which nothing can mollify or make ere the softer: So must wee needs confess sin above all things in the world to bee most ugly and deformed, seeing beauty itself can in no degree beautify it; most exorbitant and execrable, which omnipotency cannot do; most evil, which cannot bee bettered by the chief goodness, and most odious and abominable, seeing God who is love itself, cannot choose but detest and hate it. And thus haue I shewed how heinous sin is in it own §. Sect. 11. That we are guilty of all manner of sin. nature, and also how it is unto God most odious and abominable: now wee are further to consider how far forth we are guilty of it, and so liable to that wrath& vengeance, which is due unto it. Where after unpartial examination, we shal find, that we are every way most sinful and wicked; for wee are not onely guilty of the sin of our first parents in whose loins we also transgressed; but wee haue derived from them that contagious leprosy of original sin, which hath infected and corrupted, defiled& disabled all the powers and faculties of our souls, and all the members and parts of our bodies. Our understandings are blinded with ignorance, our imaginations onely evil and that continually, our wils perverse to any good duty, and cheerful in embracing sin; our memories registers of wicked sayings, sights, examples and actions, for our sinful imaginations and concupiscence to work and ruminate vpon, till they haue conceived the like wickedness, and offered it to the will, to be born and brought forth by consent and fact: our consciences seared, senseless and benumbed, not performing their duty in admonishing and accusing us for our sins; our hearts and affections are the fountains of all corruption, and the filthy forges wherein al concupiscence and sin is hammered and forged, till it come to it ugly shape and fashion. Our bodies which should be undefiled temples for the holy Ghost to dwell in, are filthy stews and brothel houses, wherein our souls and satan commit together spiritual whoredom and vncleannes, our eyes are full of adultery and open passages, whereat the devil at his pleasure sendeth into us whole troops of temptations to besiege and surprise our souls; our ears like two wide gates give free admittance to all filthy and sinful discourses which defile and corrupt the hart; and all the rest of our senses, what are they but pandors to the pleasures of sin; continually betraying and exposing our souls to be defiled and abused by them. unto which original corruption of our whole natures we haue added actual transgressions, which as they haue been heinous in their quality, so they haue matched and far exceeded the hairs of our heads and the stars of heaven in their number and multitude; the which wee haue committed through the whole course of our lives, both in our childhood, youth and riper age, before and after our conversion, and that not only through ignorance and infirmity, but also against knowledge and conscience, deliberately and wilfully, presumptuously and with an high hand against God. By all which it appeareth that as sin is heinous and of §. Sect. 12. That the smallness of our afflictions being compared with the greatness of our sins should much increase our patience and comfort. infinite guilt, and consequently deserveth infinite punishment, so we are infinitely guilty of this guilt, and innumerably culpable of all kinds of wickedness: now further( that we may apply that which hath been said to our present purpose) we are to consider that the knowledge here of serveth much for the strengthening of our patience in our greatest crosses and calamities; and that whether we compare our afflictions with our sins; or with those crosses and miseries which God hath justly inflicted vpon others, who notwithstanding haue not so grievously offended. In respect of the former we are thus to meditate& reason with ourselves; I am indeed greeuosly afflicted, but what is my punishment in comparison of my sin? For if the least transgression of the law deserveth the curse and wrath of God, his mortal hatred, all the plagues of this life, and eternal condemnation, hell and destruction in the life to come, then to how many curses, to how much wrath and hatred, to how innumerable and fearful plagues, to what and how great condemnation and hellish torments am I worthily liable and subject, who haue committed sins innumerable in their number, and in their quality and quantity heinous and grievous? Seeing therefore the Lord for his Christs sake is content to remit so much of the extremity of his iustice and my deserved punishment, as that he is willing to forgive and free me from those everlasting torments of hell fire, and contenteth himself with inflicting on me temporal chastisements, and that to this end that I should not bee condemned with the world, surely I haue great cause to bear his hand with patience, and meekly and quietly to submit myself unto his will, though it should be his pleasure to inflict vpon me all the plagues and miseries which are incident unto all mankind; and not onely with patience, but also with thankfulness to aclowledge in my greatest miseries with the afflicted and captived Church, that it is the great mercy of God Lamen. 3. 22. that I am not utterly consumed. For if every malefactor quietly and patiently suffereth his lesser punishments, when he deserveth far greater, and thankfully acknowledgeth the mercy of the judge, when by adjudging him to the whip, he acquitteth him from the gallows? then how much more patiently and gratefully should I endure all temporal afflictions? seeing my judge freeth me from those which are everlasting, although my sins haue justly deserved them; and then how much more seeing he remitteth the most of these worldly miseries also? and in stead of all inflicteth but some few, and that not those which are the greatest of all, with which nevertheless he graciously mixeth many benefits and comforts, whereby their smart may bee mitigated, and their sowernesse sweetened. I am indeed grievously sick but alas I haue deserved the death of the soul; I haue many crosses lying vpon me, but if I had my due, I should haue far more and greater, even all the miseries of this life and the life to come. I am tortured with sores, aches and pains, but what is all this in comparison of the merit of my sins, which haue justly deserved the terrors of conscience and torments of hell? I am by death deprived for a time of my children and friends, but my sins haue deserved to be deprived of the presence of God, and his Saints and Angels, where is fullness of ioy for evermore; my earthly delights are taken from me, I haue lost my riches,& my worldly honours haue left and forsaken me; but if the Lord should deal with me according to his righteous iudgement, I might justly for my sins loose all my interest in the joys and treasures reserved for me in heaven, and be overwhelmed with shane and confusion among the damned spirits. I am in prison, but if I had my due I should be in hell; I am banished my country, but if the mercy of God were not far above my desert, I should everlastingly bee exiled from the presence of God and from the heavenly Canaan. I am now subject to the pangs of death, but it is such an one, as endeth all my misery, and beginneth my glory and felicity; whereas my sins so grievous and innumerable haue justly merited the everlasting death of body and soul. And therefore seeing the Lord dealeth with me not according to my deserts, but his own infinite mercies, inflicting vpon me short and light afflictions, in stead of hellish and everlasting torments, and( as it were) doth but prick me with a pin to awaken me out of the sleep of sin, whereas I haue deserved to bee mortally wounded and stabbed to the heart; I will not only with patience and meekness, but also with thanksgiving and ioy, praise and magnify his infinite mercies in the midst of those afflictions which he layeth vpon me. And thus may we strengthen our patience, if we compare § Sect. 13. That the consideration of others greater punishments who haue less offended, compared with our lighter afflictions should make us patient and comfortable in our troubles. the smallness of our affliction with the greatness of our sin: the like help we may haue, if we will compare our light crosses with others more heavy punishments, though( for ought we can see) their lesser offences are far exceeded by our more heinous sins: for how many may wee behold( if self-love and impatiency blind us not) whose afflictions so far exceed ours, that if they bee compared, will make us confess that our heaviest crosses are but fatherly favours, in comparison of their fearful punishments? thou hast lost thy riches; but yet some friends regard and take care of thee; but how many haue there been, who having had far greater wealth, haue with it lost their friends too, and so haue been enforced to beg from door to door, and yet notwithstanding haue miserable starved for want of relief? thou art pinched with poverty, but thou hast thine health, or wanting this, thou hast some wealth to procure thy comfort: but how many haue been deprived of both at once, and being as well beggars as lazars and diseased persons, would haue thought it a great happiness if being admitted into a spittle, they might haue had any hope of help, and in the mean time begged by privilege? Thou art hated and oppressed by thine enemies from whom thou couldst expect no better; but how many suffer far greater evils from those whom they esteemed their dearest friends? thou art tormented with pain in thy body; but how many feeling no less outward smart, are also inwardly afflicted with the sickness of the soul, the terrors of conscience, and sorrows of mind? thou art afflicted in thy conscience with the burden of sin, and the temptations of satan, but thou hast some wise& faithful friends unto whom thou maiest boldly unfold thy doubts and griefs, and so receive some comfort for the refreshing of thy fainting soul; but how many are there as deeply perplexed and strongly assaulted, over whom satan obtaineth an easy victory being utterly forsaken of God and men, and so left destitute of all means of recovery? Finally thou art assaulted with afflictions, but others are overcome; thou art shaken, but many are overthrown. Thou hast time and respite granted thee by God, not onely to take breath and gather strength, but also to make good use of thy afflictions for the beginning or renewing of thy repentance and strengthening of thy faith, that so they may indeed be unto thee chastisements and fatherly corrections, which reform thee of thy sins and preserve thee from condemnation; but how many hast thou heard of who haue suddenly been cut off with Gods vengeance, and presently destroyed in the very act of sin, whose judgements might even in the censure of charity be entitled to the name punishments, which are not inflicted for the good of the party who suffereth them, but for the example of those who see them? wherein thy state resembleth Gods faithful people, and theirs the cursed nations; of both which God thus speaketh by his Prophet; I am with thee( saith the Lord to his people) to save thee, though I utterly destroy all the nations where I haue scattered thee, yet I will not utterly destroy thee, but I will correct thee by iudgement, jer. 30. 11. and not utterly cut thee off. But though it were imagined, that thou canst not truly apply unto thee any of these consolations, because thy afflictions do exceed al other mens. And though it were supposed that thou hast no comforts to alloy thy crosses, but hast with thy riches lost thy friends,& so art brought to extreme penury; that with thy poverty is joined sickness; and that thou art alike wronged and oppressed with thy friends and enemies; that thou art both tormented in body and mind, and hast no friend unto whom thou maiest impart thy griefs; yet consider that there are many whose sins haue been fewer and less heinous, who after all the miseries of this life, do now suffer the everlasting torments of hell fire, in comparison whereof al these worldly punishments are no more then smoke to the scorching flamme,& a painted fire, to one which truly burneth. For how many children and fools are( for ought wee know) in the state of condemnation, and in the place of the damned; whom we usually call innocents, and that not unfitly if wee compare their lesser sins with our enormous crimes, many of them having never committed any actual sin, but standing onely guilty of that original corruption in which they were conceived and born. How many hypocrites haue their portion with the devill and his Angels, who haue seemed to serve God religously in their whole lives, and haue kept themselves vnblameable to the world, of many heinous faults and great crimes, of which if we were arraigned, wee must needs pled guilty? How many Pagans and ethnic infidels are in the same condemnation, who haue been excellently adorned with moral virtues, and haue carried themselves justly in all their ways, so as no man could accuse them of any notorious fault and gross crime, of which our consciences tel us we are not innocent? And finally how many of them broil in these hellish torments, who had they seen and heard that which we hear and see, even the sound and light of the gospel, sounding and shining in their ears and eyes, would haue truly repented in sackcloth and ashes, and haue brought forth better fruits of this their conversion then we, in their lives and conversations? If therefore we who by our more heinous sins haue better deserved these hellish tortures and everlasting condemnation, are notwithstanding through the mercies of God, and faith in Christ( for unto believers only these comforts belong) delivered and freed from them, whereas they perish in their infidelity for their lesser sins, then surely haue wee great cause to bear not onely with patience, but also thanksgiving, all the crosses and afflictions which are incident unto this life; seeing notwithstanding our demerits, we haue obtained so great a deliverance, especially if wee consider that wee receive this mercy and special favour, of Gods mere grace, and free bounty and goodness, having done nothing more to merit Gods love, nor deserve better respect by any thing which we haue performed unto him, then those who are plunged into the deepest condemnation. And this the Lord himself professeth, that in bestowing his benefits and withholding his punishments, he hath respect to his own glory, name and covenant, and not to his peoples deserts and merits. For my name sake( saith Esa. 48. 9. 11. he) will I defer my wrath, and for my praise I will refrain it from thee, that I cut thee not off. For mine own sake, for mine own sake will I do it. And although in his iustice he might Ezech. 16. 59. ( as he saith) deal with them as they had done, when they did despise his oath in breaking his covenant; nevertheless, he promiseth to remember his covenant, made with them in the dayes of their youth, and to confirm unto them an everlasting covenant. So else where he saith, Ye shall know that I am the Chap. ●0. 44. Lord, when I haue respect unto you for my names sake, and not after your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt works, O ye house of Israell. The which should be an effectual argument to arm our patience, and a strong motive to stir us up to praise and thanksgiving in our greatest afflictions. For as when two malefactours are alike guilty of the same crime, if the judge should inflict vpon the one the full punishment which his fault deserveth, and mitigate the rigour of his iustice to the other, adjudging him to some light chastisement in comparison of those exquisite tortures, which his fellow suffered, and he alike deserved; he who is thus favoured and spared, would never murmur against so gracious a judge, nor bear his correction with impatiency and complaining, but rather would think himself much obliged by so great a favour, and bee always ready to aclowledge it, to his iudges praise; so we haue the like, yea much greater cause of patience and thankful acknowledgement of Gods infinite mercy and goodness towards us; in that being alike guilty with many others of innumerable and grievous sins, and consequently obnoxious unto equal punishments; the Lord inflicting vpon them those torments and tortures which their sins deserved, doth of his mere grace and love spare us, inflicting vpon us the short and momentany afflict●ons of this present life, in stead of those pains of hell and everlasting condemnation, which our sins deserved as well as theirs. But yet one objection may seem to deserve an answer, § Sect.. 14 Their objection answered, who affirm that they are more grievously afflicted, then others who haue more hai●ously offended. whereby some do justify their impatiency and complaining; namely, that howsoever they cannot deny, but that they haue deserved far greater punishments then God hath inflicted on thē; yet they are more grievously afflicted then many other, who haue more heinously offended, and deserved far greater crosses by their far greater sins. Of whom I would ask, how many likewise they might observe, whom in their own consciences they aclowledge to haue been less sinners then themselves, and yet haue been subjecteth to far more and greater crosses. For are they as just as ilb, as holy as david, as full of grace, and free from sin as the Apostles of Iesus Christ; and yet how much did the afflictions of these holy men exceed theirs, if they were compared? But he hath deserved more punishment then thou, and yet suffereth less: Yea, but dost thou suffer more then thou hast deserved? If not, then why is thine eye evil because God is good? or if thou wouldest haue a proportion equally observed, then what can privilege thee from the everlasting torments of the damned, seeing thou hast no less, yea much more deserved them, then many of those who do now suffer them. again, why dost thou judge another mans seruant, who standeth or falleth to his own master? It may be thou hast more heinously sinned, did not hellish pride and partial self-love blind thine eyes, causing thee to put thine own sins in the hinder part of the wallet, and thy neighbours in the former; and to look vpon thine own faults under the cloud and vail of false excuses, which will scarce suffer them to be discerned, or at least not to appear in their natural greatness and scarlet die; but vpon others offences through the spectacles of hatred, envy or hard conceit, which maketh them seem far greater then they are. Yea it may be also( though thou thinkest the contrary) that they are much more grievously afflicted; seeing the heaviest punishments are for the most part unseen; and that being wicked( as thou judgest them) they do not escape a measure of punishment according to the proportion of their sin. For, for ought thou knowest they may bee pursued with those hellish furies, the terrors and horrors of an evil conscience, and daily tormented with the scorching flames of Gods fearful wrath due to their heinous sin. Or, though they be free from all these present evils, yet are they but like the ox fatted to the shambles of destruction, and rocked in the cradle of worldly prosperity, that being brought into the deep sleep of carnal security, they may more quietly be carried into hell. And therefore let us not judge before the time, but resting assured that, howsoever it fareth with the wicked, it shall go well with those that fear the Lord, let us bear with patience that portion of affliction which God hath allotted us, knowing that it is most fitting for us, if wee bee in this number, seeing our draft is measured out unto us by the hand of iustice and direction of wisdom, and qualified and mitigated when it exceedeth our strength, by an infinite mercy and compassion; which will not lay more vpon us then wee are able to bear. CHAP. IX. That our afflictions are not signs of Gods hatred, nor the punishments of a righteous judge, but the chastisements of a gracious father. AND thus haue I shewed the first cause moving § Sect. 1. That the former consolations are not comfortable unto us, nor work in us true patience, unless we be further assured that all our afflictions do spring from the fountain of Gods love. the Lord to inflict vpon us these crosses and calamities, namely our sins which are the meritorious cause of all our afflictions; as also how wee may arm ourselves with patience by this consideration, seeing our sin doth exceed our smart, and our punishments are far less then we haue deserved: Now we are to proceed to the other cause moving the Lord thus to chastise and correct us, which is out of ourselves in him, namely his infinite love and boundless mercy, which moveth him to apply these wholesome, though sharp medicines, for the curing of our desperate diseases; and to use these profitable, though unpleasant means for the purging of our sins, the enriching of us with the vnualuable treasures of his spiritual graces, and the furthering of our eternal happiness. From whence ariseth our chiefest consolation in all our distress and misery, and not onely patience in troubles, but also contentedness, thankfulness, and ioy in the holy Ghost. It is true that the former considerations, of Gods providence appointing, ruling and disposing all our afflictions, and of his iustice mixed and moderated with his love and mercy, which layeth nothing vpon us but what our sins haue deserved, yea far fewer and lighter punishments then wee haue justly merited with our innumerable offences, and most heinous rebellion, may well persuade us to patience in our greatest calamities; but yet if we stay here and go no further, our patience will be but unpleasant and forced having in it no comfort, sweetness or spiritual ioy; for our flesh being sensible of nothing but of present pain, and being hopeless either of deliverance, or of future profit by our sufferings; will make us easily to forget Gods moderation in punishing, and the heinousness of our sins deserving far greater punishments, and never comparing our faults with the evils which we feel, but onely looking vpon the miseries which we endure, and our own weakness and inability to bear them any longer, will cause us in all impatiency to murmur and repined against Gods providence, which hath inflicted on us more heavy punishments then others suffer, who( as self-love persuadeth us) haue more offended. Or if our consciences tell us that our sins haue justly deserved these and greater punishments; yet( howsoever this may justly cause us to bear with more outward patience that which wee haue deserved) it will not much abate our inward grief, or increase our comfort, unless wee be assured that God measureth out unto us this proportion of affliction by the standard of his love, and will in the end convert it to our good, bringing sweetness out of bitterness, and ioy out of mourning. Yea, rather the weight of sin being added to the weight of our punishment; our evil of doing concurring with our evil of suffering, and both joined with self-guiltiness, and the apprehension of Gods inflamed wrath, will but the more oppress us with grief; when as we cannot so much as with any show of reason case ourselves by expostulation, nor vent out any part of our sorrow by just complaining, seeing wee are the onely causes of our own harms. And look how much it addeth to our patience in respect of God, whom we justify in his righteous judgements; so much it increaseth our impatiency in respect of ourselves, who haue incensed and inflamed so just a wrath, and so merciful a iustice to our ruin and destruction, and whilst it emptieth our hearts of grudging and repining, and our mouths of murmuring and exclaiming against Gods wise providence, which selfe-guiltines causeth us to justify in al the evils which are inflicted on us: it filleth them with freting indignation, quarrelsome complaints,& impatient invectives both against ourselves, who haue been the chief causes; and also against al secondary and inferior means, which the Lord hath used as his instruments for the execution of his iudgments. Neither is it likely that we should stay here, but if wee do not labour to see Gods Fatherly affection even in his frowns, and to discern the beams of his love& favour through the cloud of our miseries and afflictions; we will in short time like malefactours fall out with iustice itself, because it maketh against us, hate the unpartial uprightness of our judge, as though it were the extremest cruelty, and fly from his sight and presence as though he were our greatest enemy. That therefore those who are exercised in this irksome § Sect. 2. That the world iudgeth of Gods love& hatred towards men by their outward estate. combat of afflictions may haue not onely quiet patience, but also sweet comfort and contentment in all their crosses and troubles, we will in the next place show, that the cause moving the Lord to afflict the faithful is, not his wrath and displeasure, much less any malice or hatred which he beareth them, but his mere mercy, love and goodness, which moveth him thus to chastise and correct them, that they may not run on in the pleasing course of sin, and so bee condemned with the world. The which point and passage I hold the more necessary in this discourse, because both the world and our own flesh are always ready to judge of Gods love and favour, and of his hatred and displeasure, by the outward estate; and therefore as they think those most blessed and happy, vpon whom God multiplieth, and ( as it were) showreth, his earthly benefits; so they judge thē most miserable and forlorn, who are in adversity and affliction, as being men rejected and forsaken of God, because( whatsoever show they haue made in the world to the contrary) they haue more grievously offended him by their sins then any other. An example whereof we haue in the Iewes, who judged those vpon whom the tower of Siloam fel greater sinners then other men, because they were oppressed with this heavy iudgement; and in the Barbarians, who condemned Luk. 13. 1. 2. Act. 28. 4. Paul as a murderer, or some notorious sinner, because they saw him endangered by a viper; and contrariwise magnified him as a God, because he had escaped this bodily harm. Yea so fast doth this corruption cleave unto us, that as long as we carry this flesh about us, wee are subject to be overtaken by this false and deceiving iudgment, though we bee in some measure enlightened and sanctified by the spirit of God. As we may see in the example of Iobs friends, who job. 11. 6. being otherwise wise, religious and worthy men, yet when they saw the greatness of his afflictions, they passed vpon him a most uncharitable censure; and when they could not with any probability judge him a profane and notorious sinner, because his life had been vnblameable and unspotted, they condemned him for a cunning and secret hypocrite; who had made show of those virtues which were not in him: yea even holy david himself was much shaken Psa. 73. 2. 17. 22 with this tentation; for as himself confesseth his feet slipped, and were almost gone out of the path of godliness and integrity, when on the one side he saw the prosperity of the wicked, and on the other the afflictions unto which himself, and other of the faithful were daily subject; yea so was the eye of holy reason dazzled, and the light of the Scriptures clouded and as it were eclipsed from him, with the interposition of worldly and carnal temptations, that following onely the iudgement of sense, he acknowledgeth that he was become foolish and ignorant like a beast, judging of all things by the outward show; until having recourse unto the sanctuary, the light of Gods word again appeared and dispelled those mists and fogs of earthly and carnal errors which before blinded him. And howsoever being enlightened with Gods word and assisted with his holy spirit, he still got the victory over this tentation, yet how often regaining strength by new afflictions doth it return vpon him, and encounter him a fresh as though it had been never foiled. For Psalm. 13. 1.& 22. 1. and 79. 5. and 77. 7. 8. 9. if we look into the book of the psalms we shal find, that being exercised with afflictions he complaineth, that God hide his eyes, and would not see his miseries, and stopped his ears and would not hear his prayers, that he was corrected in Gods wrath and anger, and that his iealousy did burn against him like fire: and finally that God had forgotten and forsaken him, that his favour was clean gone, that he would bee no more entreated, and that he had shut up his tender mercies in displeasure. Thus also ieremy was so far transported with the violence of this tentation grounded vpon the prosperity of the wicked and afflictions of the faithful, that though he durst not dispute with God because he knew him just and righteous in all his ways, yet he dareth to offer jer. 12. 1. a parley and conference about the administration of his judgements. And the disciples themselves who were enured to afflictions, yet when they saw an heavier iudgement then ordinary inflicted vpon the blind man, were ready to John. 9. 2. 3. judge that it was either for his own sins or the sins of his parents. Yea this is not the error of some few men alone, but even of the whole Church in her afflictions; for even Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me; and my Lord hath forgotten Esa. 49. 14. me. And therefore seeing this tentation is so strong and dangerous, § Sect. 3. That the former conceit is the ground of a most dangerous tentation. it behoveth us to arm ourselves against it, lest in the time of trial we likewise bee surprised and overcome, and that the rather, because it maketh way for another tentation much more pernicious then itself, namely, for hopeless despair, and hellish profaneness which attends vpon it, for even david himself being pressed and pinched with the weight of his afflictions, was ready to conclude that he Psal. 73. 13. 14. had cleansed his heart and washed his hands in innocency in vain, because whilst the wicked flourished, he was daily punished and chastened every morning. But the violence of this tentation more plainly appeareth when those are tried with it, who being wholly carnal haue no grace to make resistance, for the flesh being pressed with the burden of the cross, is ready to conceive, that the afflictions which it beareth are the signs of Gods wrath, and implacable anger, and that there is now no hope of receiving any good by serving of God, being so much displeased, nor of freedom from these evils, though there should bee a surceasing from the course of sinning; and therefore in this desperate case being tempted by the divell or the world, to leave the service of God, wherein there is no profit, and to run on in a headlong course of sin, wherein for the present there is pleasure and delight, it doth with all readiness give way unto this tentation. An example whereof we haue in the stiffnecked Iewes, who because for their outward and formal service of God, they had not for their reward that worldly prosperity which they expected, but rather were exercised with troubles and afflictions, they burst out into these desperate speeches; It Mal. 3. 14. 15. is in vain to serve God; and what profit is it that wee keep his commadement,& that we walk humbly before the Lord of hosts? therefore we count the proud blessed. even they that work wickedness are set up, yea and they that tempt God are delivered. So else where, when the Lord by the summons of afflictions did call them to weeping and mourning, to baldness Esa. 22. 13. 14. and girding with sackcloth, they spent their time in ioy and gladness, in feasting and drinking, resolving to take their pleasure whilst they might haue it, because on the morrow they should die. And in another place they profess that they thought it bootless to repent, because being punished in Gods wrath for their sins, they had no hope of mercy and deliverance, though they should forsake their wicked ways; If( say they) our transgressions and our sins be vpon Ezech. 33. 10. 11. us, and we are consumed because of them, how shall wee then live? And therefore being at this desperate point, the Lord is fain to admonish them by his Prophet, that he thus corrected them in his love and mercy for their conversion, and not in wrath and anger for their destruction: Say unto them( saith the Lord God) as I live, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. turn you, turn you, from your evil ways, for why will ye die O ye house of Israel? That therefore these and such like temptations may not §. Sect. 4. That afflictions are no signs of Gods hatred. foil our faith, and cause us to make shipwreck in the tempestuous storm of troubles and afflictions; let us first generally know, that as worldly prosperity is no certain sign of Gods favour; nor of his sincerity, piety and righteousness who hath it,( the which I haue in the former part of this treatise plainly proved) so contrariwise worldly adversity, crosses and calamities, are no infallible tokens of Gods displeasure; nor of his impiety and wickedness who is tossed and turmoiled with them. For these things fall out alike to all, and as the Lord doth in mercy and goodness give these temporal benefits unto his children, whose godliness hath the promises of this life and the life to come; so doth he give them oftentimes to the wicked and reprobate 1. Tim. 4. 8. as their portion in this life, and that in his wrath and heavy displeasure, onely to increase the bills of their account and fearful reckoning at the day of iudgment, and to aggravate the dreadful weight of their hellish condemnation. And so in like manner as he doth sometimes lay these temporary crosses and calamities vpon his own children and faithful seruants, for their trial or chastisement, that hereby he may further and increase their eternal happiness; so doth he sometimes inflict them vpon carnal worldlings and desperate sinners, that he may begin their hell in this life, and whilst they remain on earth, may enter then into the possession of those never ending torments of hell fire. To this truth the wise man giveth a plain testimony, where speaking Eccles 9. 1. 2. of these earthly benefits and crosses, he saith, that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all; and the same condition is to the just and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted: and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, and he that feareth an oath. This is evil among all that is done under the sun, that there is one condition to all, &c. So our saviour Christ sheweth in the parable of dives and Lazarus, that neither Luk. 16. worldly prosperity is a sign of Gods love, nor adversity of his hatred, and correcteth this perverse iudgment, both in his disciples censuring the blind man, or his parents as enormous sinners, because of this punishment which God inflicted on him; and in the Iewes, who thought, that the eighteen vpon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, were greater sinners then other men, because they were overtaken by these great and sudden iudgments; showing that the former cross was inflicted, not for the sin of the joh. 9. 2. 3. party or his parents, but that the works of God might be manifest in him; and that the other were not thus punished because they were greater sinners then other men, but that Luk. 13. 3. they might be examples unto others, of Gods anger against sin, that they might bring them to repentance. But I shall not need to illustrate this truth by examples, seeing they are so ordinary in the Scriptures, that a man shall not lighty red any page. in the history of the Bible, where he shall not find both afflictions and temporal benefits( as it were) in common cast out to the good and bad, sometimes the one, and sometimes the other flourishing in prosperity, or dejected § Sect. 5. In what sense God is said to be angry with the faithful, and to punish their sins. and cast down into misery and adversity. But though this which I haue said generally, may justly take away all secure presumption from carnal worldlings, whereby they persuade themselves of Gods love, because they flourish in outward prosperity, and also all cause of horror and desperation from them who are in misery and affliction, because there is no certain iudgment by this external estate, all things falling out alike to all: yet seeing no man out of this generality can gather unto himself any sound comfort, seeing he may be as well one of them whom God punisheth in his anger and wrath, as of them whom he correcteth in love and mercy: therefore in the next place I will more specially show, that every faithful man, who feareth God, both in his mercies and iudgments, and desireth to profit by his chastisements and corrections, may to his comfort bee most certainly assured, that the afflictions which he suffereth are not the fruits and effects of Gods wrath and hatred towards him, but of his fatherly love and goodness; not the deserved punishments of his sins, but gentle chastisements and profitable trials, which shall tend to the advancing of Gods glory, in the further enriching him with his spiritual graces in this life, and in the everlasting salvation of his body and soul in the life to come. For the clearing of the former point, namely, that the afflictions of the faithful are not the fruits of Gods anger, nor imposed vpon them as punishments for their sins, wee are to know that these words, wrath, anger and punishment, are either taken largely, or strictly and properly. In a large signification God is said to bee angry with his seruants and children, when he doth afflict them, but not as a severe judge out of the rigour of iustice to punish the person for the sin sake, but as a gracious father out of mere love that he may destroy sin for the persons sake; neither hath he any quarrel to the party, but onely to the sin; and therefore in love to his child, and in hatred to his faultiness, he doth by affliction mortify the sin which he abhorreth, that by the death thereof he may reserve his son whom he loveth unto everlasting life and happiness. And so he may be said to be angry, not with the person for his hatred to the sin, but with the sin, for the love of the person. He is not angry with his children in truth, because he always looketh vpon thē in his Son Christ in whom he is well pleased, nor correcteth them in wrath after they are in Christ reconciled unto him, seeing the cause of reconciliation for ever remaineth, even the merit of Christs death and blood shed, whereby his iustice is satisfied, and his wrath appeased; but onely in semblance and show, he( like a wise father) frowneth vpon them, that they may be more watchful over their ways for the time to come, and not run on in such a course of sin as would justly deserve his wrath and displeasure. he is not angry in iustice, because we haue sinned, but in mercy, that we may sin no more; not in his own affection and disposition, but in our feeling and apprehension, because our guilty consciences tell us what wee haue deserved; and because the corrupt humours of sin adhere and cleave so fast unto us, that our spiritual physician is fain to give us these bitter potions of afflictions to purge thē away, which for the present making us sick, in our sense doth cause us to conceive and complain of him as an enemy who hateth and hurteth us, if wee look to our present feeling, and no to his end, which is our spiritual cure& the recovery of our health. The like also may be said of punishment, for if we take it in a large signification, it comprehendeth both the afflictions of the godly and the torments of the wicked: first because if we respect the matter of them, and the evils themselves which are suffered both by the faithful and the wicked, they are al one. Secondly, because in the law they are threatened as punishments of sin against every one who offendeth. And thirdly, because in the sense and feeling of the outward man, they are both alike; even as there is no difference between the smart of the stripes felt by a slave and by a son, saving that these are some time inflicted by a more light and gentle hand. But if wee take it in a strict and proper sense, then is punishment so appropriated and peculiar to the wicked, that it is no way incident to the faithful and righteous. For punishment is inflicted vpon enemies, and not vpon friends; by a just judge and not by a gracious Father; to satisfy iustice by suffering that punishment which the fault hath deserved, though it be to the utter destruction of the party offending; and not out of love to preserve him from greater harm by reclaiming him from his faultiness; because he hath offended already, and not that he may take heed of offending for the time to come. Finally the cause of punishment is the fault of the party, and not desire of his amendment; and the end of the punisher is to reuenge and hurt the malefactor for the good of others, to whom he serveth for an example of iustice; and not to seek his profit and benefit by reclaiming him from his fault; for iustice in punishing will haue it course for sin already committed, though the offender could give assurance of his amendment for the time to come. But that the afflictions of the faithful are not the fruits §. Sect. 6. The first reason to prove that the afflictions of the faithful are not punishments but fatherly chastisements. of Gods anger, nor punishments for their sins, it may further appear by these reasons; first because Christ our saviour bore all our sins in his body vpon the three, as the Apostle Peter speaketh, and suffered the punishment which was due unto them, that we might be freed from it, according to that of the Prophet: Surely he hath born our infirmities, and carried our sorrows, &c. He was wounded for our transgressions, 1. Pet. 2. 24. Esa. 53. 5. 6. he was broken for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was vpon him, and with his stripes wee are healed. But I demand to what purpose did he bear our infirmities and sorrows, if wee must still bear them? to what end was he wounded and broken for our sins, if they still wound and break us? or finally how haue we peace by his sufferings, or how are we healed with his stripes, if we are still at war with Gods iustice, and stil receive stripes and wounds in this conflict? again had not Christ freed us from all the punishment due unto our sins, he were not a perfect saviour, nor did not offer unto his Father a full and all-sufficient price for our redemption; for if he did perfectly deliver us from all enemies, then from lesser sins as well as from greater; if he did perfectly save us, then from temporal punishments, as well as from eternal; if his sacrifice were all-sufficient for the sins of the whole world, then need we not( as the Papists Esa. 63. 1. luke. 1. 74. Heb 7. 25. and 9. 12. 26. Matth. 20. 28. and 26. 28. joh. 1. 29. affirm) to haue the sacrifice of our own sufferings stil offered to make satisfaction for our venial sins. But the Scriptures every where, and especially in the epistle to the Hebrewes, teach us, that Christ is a perfect saviour that he hath delivered us from all our enemies, and hath offered unto his Father an all-sufficient sacrifice, and full price for our redemption; and therefore there remaineth unto the faithful, who apply Christ and his sufferings unto themselves, no more punishments, nor satisfaction thereby to be made unto God: for Christ hath fully satisfied for us by his all-sufficient sacrifice of himself, and the precious blood of Iesus Christ hath 1. John. 1. 7. cleansed us from all our sins, as the Apostle teacheth vs. Now if it haue cleansed us from all sin, then also from venial sins( as the Papists term them) and consequently from all punishment, for where there is no guilt, there punishment hath no place,& if we be freed from transgression of the law then also from the curse. It is true indeed that the afflictions which the faithful suffer, are in their own nature the punishments of sin, and as punishments are denounced against the transgressors of the law; but Christ by his sufferings hath changed their nature,& as by reconciling us unto God, he hath made him of a severe judge, a merciful Father, so he hath made our sufferings to become the chastisements of a gracious father inflicted for our good, and not the punishments of a righteous judge imposed for the satisfying of his iustice, and the destruction or hurt of him who suffereth them, neither is it material, that in matter the sufferings of the faithful and wicked be the same, that is, the same sickness, poverty, imprisonment and the like; for even the son and the slave do often suffer the same stripes, but yet these are punishments, being inflicted by the hand of an angry master, for the fault committed; those the chastisements of a loving Father correcting his child for his good and amendment. And so though the afflictions of the faithful and the punishments of the wicked are of the same nature in respect of themselves, yet their nature being changed by the sufferings of Christ, they do now much differ both in respect of their agent, and their end, the one coming from a Father; the other from a judge, they to profit and do good, and these to hurt and bring to destruction. And though these waters of Meribah bee all alike bitter to the Canaanitish sinner, and the true Israelite in whom there is no guile, in respect of their natural taste, yet the wood of Christs cross doth make these bitter waters sweet; and purifying them from the coliquintida and gull of sin, doth make them wholesome drink and profitable potions, which will quench our thirsting after the pleasures of sin, and the poisonous cups of worldly vanities. Secondly, Christ taking vpon him to bee our surety hath § Sect. 7. The second reason taken from the full payment of our debt by Christ our surety. paid our debt to the uttermost farthing, fully satisfied Gods iustice, and appeased his wrath towards us by taking away our sins which were the cause thereof. For standing in our stead and taking vpon him to discharge our debt, he was arrested by death at the svit of Gods iustice, and cast into the prison of the grave, till he had discharged our debt to the uttermost farthing, but now he hath broken the bands of death, and being delivered out of this prison is risen again; and gloriously ascended; whereby he hath certainly assured us that he hath satisfied Gods iustice by full payment of our debt, and therefore hath left nothing vpon the score for us to satisfy; yea he hath canceled the hand-writing Col. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 13. of ordinances and the obligation of the law by nailing them to his cross, and hath taken away the penalty of the curse, by bearing it himself. And therefore seeing Christ hath fully satisfied by his sufferings the iustice of God; he will not require a new satisfaction by our sufferings and punishments; seeing he hath fully discharged our debt to the utmost farthing, he will not unjustly require from us a second payment, or though it could bee imagined,( as bee it far from us that we should so imagine) that the judge of heaven and earth could use this rigorous strictness; yet he hath nothing to show if he should commence suite against us, seeing our surety vpon the discharge of our debt, hath canceled all the writings whereby we were obliged to his iustice, either to make payment or to suffer punishment. Neither is that of any force which is objected by our aduersaries; namely, that he suffered to satisfy Gods iustice for our greater sins, and so hath freed us from eternal punishments; but hath left our venial sins to be satisfied for by ourselves, from the which we are freed, whilst we satisfy Gods iustice by our temporary punishments: For the word of God hath taught us, that he is a perfect saviour, that in him we haue full redemption, and that his blood purgeth us from all our sins, without any exception or limitation. again, as the satisfaction which Christ made for us was all-sufficient, and the price which he offered for our redemption of infinite merit and value; so both the iustice and mercy of God, whereby he accepted them for full payment, are also infinite. Whereas, if( as our aduersaries affirm) we are to satisfy by our temporary punishments for our venial sins, then must it needs follow, that either Christs satisfaction was imperfect, and his sufferings so insufficient, that they needed to be patched up with our punishments; or that being perfect and all sufficient, God should be, not onely unmerciful but injust also, in not accepting of this full discharge, but requiring payment of a debt by us, which our surety hath already discharged: either of which were blasphemous to speak or think. For he that suffered for us was not man onely, but God also, and therefore needs must Act. 20. 28. his sufferings be all-sufficient and of infinite value and merit; and the mercies of God being infinite, and far above all his works, do make him so far off from punishing, where his iustice being satisfied, willeth him to spare, that when he doth afflict his Church and people for their sins, he is said to do his strange work, unto which out of his own nature he is averse and indisposed; to haue his soul Esa. 28. 21. grieved for the misery of Israell; and to make stay of the execution Iud. 10. 16. of these judgements, till by reason of the multitude of their sins joined with impenitency, there be no remedy. 1. Chro. 36. 16. But as in these respects this assertion savoureth of impiety; so also of extreme folly, unless they will with like impiety shift it off themselves by imputing it unto their creator: For who can imagine that God infinite in wisdom and bounty should frankly, for the merits of his Son, forgive our enormous and grievous sins; and punish us for these which are small and venial? that his love should enlarge itself to the remitting and releasing us from the everlasting torments of hell fire; and be straightened in forgiving us those sins which are small, and( as they call them) venial: as if a King should out of his great liberality forgive his poor and miserable subject ten thousand talents; and afterwards miserable exact a base reckoning of some few pence; or as though a judge should pardon a malefactor for his horrible treasons or cruel murders, and should punish him for some petty theft. But it is further objected, that the iniquity of jerusalem is pardonned, because she had Esa. 40. 2. received double of the Lords hands for all her sins. unto which I answer, that this is not the speech of a judge punishing malefactours for their sins, and surceasing from punishment after that his iustice is satisfied; but of a most gracious and compassionate father, who having severely corrected the faults of his son for his amendment, earneth in his bowels of love and tender mercy, when he knoweth his smart and pain, and seeth him humbling himself before him by true repentance. For that it cannot with any probability of truth be understood of the satisfying Gods iustice by their suffering of punishment, it hereby appeareth in that he saith, that they had suffered double for their sins; the which must needs haue relation to the compassion of a tender father, the greatness of whose love moveth him to think that a few stripes inflicted on his humbled child, are enough and too much for his great faults; and not to the iustice of a judge, proportionating his punishment according to the demerit of the offence; seeing the least of our sins being committed against the infinite majesty of God, deserve the everlasting torments of hell fire, and therefore cannot be truly said to be punished double, though all the plagues of this life were inflicted vpon vs. Besides, if wee should understand these words of punishments inflicted to satisfy for sins, how will it stand with Gods iustice, and much less with his mercy and goodness, to inflict vpon his seruants twice as much punishment as their faults haue deserved? And thus it appeareth that the afflictions of the faithful §. Sect. 8. The conclusion of the two former reasons. are not punishments for their sins to satisfy the iustice of God, seeing our saviour hath born all the punishments due unto our sins, fully satisfied Gods iustice and discharged our debt, by offering himself unto his Father, as a sacrifice for sin, and by paying a price of infinite value and merit for our redemption. And therefore, wee are not punished as slaves, but chastised as sons, not so much because we haue offended our heavenly father, as because wee should, being in awe and under discipline, offend no more. For if an earthly parent doth not correct his son, to take reuenge for the fault committed, but to keep him from running into the like fault for the time to come; and taking no pleasure, but rather grief and compassion in his smart and torment, would willingly pardon his fault and remit his punishment, if he were fully assured, that he would offend no more, unless it be in regard of the rest of his children, whom he would not haue encouraged to commit the like fault through this conuinencie and impunity; then how much less will the Lord who is love, mercy, and goodness Suscipiendo poenam& non suscipiendo culpam,& culpam deleuit.& poenam. August. de verb. dom. ser. 37. t. 10 itself, punish his sons to satisfy his iustice in taking reuenge by their pain and torture? especially considering that his iustice is satisfied, and their faults pardonned by the sufferings and obedience of Iesus Christ. For so one saith, that Christ by taking vpon him our punishment, and not being guilty of our faults, hath quiter done away both fault Filius Dei carnem peccati suscepit& poenam sine culpa, vt in carne peccati,& culpa soluetur& poena. August. de baptism. paruul. lib. 1. cap. 32. and punishment. And again, the son of God hath taken vpon him the flesh of sinners, and the punishment without the fault, that in the flesh of sinners, both the fault and punishment should be discharged and remitted. And therefore our afflictions are no punishments for sin past, but are inflicted by our heavenly Father to prevent sin for the time to come, either in us, after we haue felt the smart of it, or in other of our brethren, who seing sin corrected in us, are warned to take heed of it by our example. The third argument, to prove that the afflictions of the § Sect. 9. The third reason taken from Gods free forgiving us of our sins. faithful are onely chastisements of a father, and not punishments of a judge may be this; where there is no sin, there is no place for punishment; but in the faithful there is no sin, because it is not imputed unto them, for first all their sin is washed and purged away by the blood of Christ; and they being justified for his righteousness and obedience are accepted as righteous in Gods sight. So the Apostle Paul saith, that we haue redemption through his blood, that is, Col▪ 1. 14.& cap. 2. 13. the forgiveness of sins; and again, ye which were dead in sins, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, forgiving you all your trespasses. To the same purpose the Apostle John saith, that, he hath washed us from our sins in his blood: and else where, that the blood Apoc. 1. 5. 1. joh. 1. 7. joh. 1. 29 of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. In which respect he is called by John the Baptist, the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Secondly, all the faithful are in the covenant of grace, this being the onely condition which God requireth, that we do beleeue; but it is one special branch of this covenant, that God will forgive their iniquity, and will remember their sins no more: and therefore jer. 31. 34. if God so remit the sins of the faithful, that he doth not so much as remember them; how far is he from punishing them when they are thus forgiven? So when the Lord would express this covenant of grace by the similitude of marriage, he promiseh to mary the faithful unto himself in righteousness and iudgment; and because on the one side, Hos. 2. 19. it was unfit to beate and punish his spouse, because of this near union between them; and because on the other side, shee was so full of faults and infirmities, that by her sins she would deserve to be punished, therefore he addeth, that he will mary her also in mercy and in compassion, whereby in and for his son Iesus Christ, he would remit and pardon her sins, and not inflict these judgements and punishments, though she did deserve them. Finally, the places of Scripture where the Lord promiseth forgiveness of sins, do plainly evince that God doth so pardon them, that he doth never call them into iudgment, neither in this world to punish them with temporal punishments, nor with everlasting condemnation in the world to come. So he promiseth the Iewes, that if they would turn from their sins by true repentance, though they were as crimson, they should be made Esa. 1. 18. white as snow; though they were read like scarlet, they should be made like unto wool. So the Lord saith by the Prophet ieremy that he would so pardon the iniquities of his people, that though one should diligently seek thē, yet he should by no means find thē. In those days, and at that time( saith the Lord) the iniquities of Israell shall be sought for,& there shal be none; jer. 50. 18. and the sins of judah, and they shall not be found; for I will be merciful unto thē whom I reserve. Now how can they be thus clean purged and washed, if some part of the punishment doth still remain? Or how are they not to be found, if he who committeth them be punished for them? again, the Esa. 44. 22. Lord saith by the Prophet Esay, that he would put away the transgressions of his people like a cloud, and their sins like a Mica. 7. 19. mist: and by Micah; that he would cast all their sins into the bottom of the sea. And david, to signify the forgiveness of Psa. 31. 1. sin, useth the phrase of covering, and not imputing them; but if the Lord looketh vpon our sins to punish them, how can he be said to put them away as a cloud? If in this life he bring them into iudgement, how doth he cast them into the bottom of the sea? And if by punishing he bring them to an account, how can he bee said to cover, or not impute them? Finally the contrary phrases used in the Scriptures job. 14. 17. jer. 17. 1. Hos. 13. 12. being truly expounded, may serve as a comment to show what these mean, for if to seal up iniquity in a bag, to writ and register up the sin of the people with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, to bind up iniquity▪ and to keep it in store, do signify that God will bring them to iudgement, by punishing them in the wicked, and correcting them in the faithful; then contrariwise not to remember sin, to wash it away, to hid it out of fight, and cast it into the bottom of the sea, must needs signify, that God will never lay it to the charge of the faithful, nor inflict any of that punishment on them which they haue deserved. The fourth argument, which proveth that the afflictions § Sect. 10. The fourth reason is, because our afflictions tend to the advancing of our good. Rom. 8. 18. 28. of the faithful are not punishments, is because they do tend to our good, even to the mortifying of our sins, the multiplying and increasing of Gods spiritual graces in us, and the furthering of our everlasting happiness. And this argument the Apostle purposely useth to comfort those who are under the cross, not only because our present afflictions shall bee ouerwaighed with an incomparable weight of future glory, but also because all things whatsoever, and they among the rest 1. Cor. 11. 32. work together for the best unto them that love God. So elsewhere he telleth us, that when we are thus judged wee are chastened of the Lord because we should not bee condemned with the world; that he chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness; that though for the present it bee grievous to the sense, yet it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness Heb. 12. 10. 11. unto them which are thereby exercised, and that these short& light afflictions shall cause unto us a far most excellent& an 2. Cor. 4. 17. eternal weight of glory, And this good and singular profit which cometh to the faithful by their afflictions the Prophet david out of experience confessed that he had received; Psalm. 119. 71. It is good( saith he) for me that I haue been afflicted, Iam. 3. 27. that I may learn thy statutes; and the Church in the lamentations affirmeth, that it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. By all which it plainly appeareth that these afflictions are not punishments unto the faithful, seeing they are inflicted for the hurt, and not for the good of the party, to satisfy iustice, and not out of any love, to take vpon them due reuenge for the evil they haue committed, though it be to their utter destruction, and not to confer and derive unto them any temporal benefit, and much less that main benefit of their everlasting ioy and happiness. Lastly that cannot be a punishment which is either a cause §. Sect. 11. The fifth reason is, because our afflictions are a means of eternal blessedness. or means of eternal blessedness; but by the testimony of the holy Ghost they are pronounced blessed who are thus afflicted and corrected, the Lord using it as a means to keep them in his fear, and to instruct them in the way of his commandements, which leadeth unto this everlasting blessedness and happiness in his kingdom, according to that of the Psalmist; Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord, Psal. 94. 12. 13. and teachest him in thy law: that thou maiest give him rest from the daies of evil, whilst the pit is digged for the wicked. And Psalm. 23. 4. hereof it is, that he received comfort; not only from Gods Psalm. 16. 11. staff supporting and defending him, but also from his rod correcting and chastising him, because it was a means to contain him in the way of righteousness, which is the path of life, bringing us into Gods presence, where is fullness of ioy and pleasures for evermore: and to reduce and bring him back into this way when through frailty and infirmity he erred and digressed out of it, as he also confesseth in another place, Psalm. 119. 67. before I was afflicted( saith he) I went astray, but now I keep thy word. But what blessedness, or what comfort and consolation could there be in afflictions, if they were punishments, seeing they are fruits of the curse, and tend not to advance the happiness of the party punished, but to his hurt& ruin? neither are they the causes or signs of blessedness, but the forerunners of his everlasting destruction; seeing God by them, even in this life, doth begin to show his anger, and to satisfy his iustice by inflicting on them those tortures& torments which their sins haue deserved. And thus it appeareth that the afflictions of the faithful §. Sect. 12. Their objection answered who affirm that Dauids afflictions were punishments of his sins. Arminij respons. ad. 31. articulos. Art. 9. are not the punishments of a righteous judge, but the gentle chastisements of a loving Father. Against which too main objections are made, not onely by our common aduersaries, but also by some amongst ourselves: the first is taken from the example of david, who though his sin was pardonned, yet he was not freed thereby from temporal punishments; and though his fault was remitted so far forth as it merited eternal condemnation; yet it was reserved by God to bee punished with such punishments as were corporal& temporary. But unto this objection the answer is easy, if wee do but remember what hath been delivered already; for the rule generally holdeth, that where sin, which is the cause, is taken away, punishment, which is the effect, ceaseth; but presently vpon the confession of Dauids sin the Prophet assureth him from God, of the forgiveness of it, 2. Sam. 12. 13. though before he had denounced those temporal afflictions against him and his house. And therfore seeing the forgiveness of sin is( as hath been said) the not imputing, covering, hiding, not remembering, casting of it into the bottom of the sea, and( as it is there said) the putting of it away; it is manifest that Dauids sin thus before remitted, was not afterwards brought into iudgement, and he punished for it, but that these afflictions were the chastisements of a gracious father, inflicted vpon david, not in hatred and reuenge, or for the punishment of the sin committed, but our of mere love, to bring him hereby to more serious and sound repentance, that he might with more bitter grief bewail his sin past, and bee more watchful and careful to prevent it for the time to come. unto which end of Dauids ●. Sam. 12. 24. good, wee may add another end respecting the glory of God, which by these afflictions, whereby he corrected Dauids sin, was vindicated from the slanderous blasphemies of the heathen, for whereas if david vpon his repentance had not been thus corrected and afflicted, they would haue been ready to haue accused the Lord of partiality, seeing howsoever he punished such heinous sins in others with rigour and extremity, yet he liked them well enough in his own seruants, and could bee content to wink at their faults, suffering them with impunity to live in enormous crimes. All which occasion of slander jer. 25. 29. was taken away, when as God did thus begin iudgement in his own house, and with such severity corrected the faults of his seruant, vpon whom his name was called. But yet with Gods glory was joined Dauids good; neither did God punish him as a judge, but chastise him as a father, not to satisfy iustice, or to reuenge his fault vpon him to his hurt, but out of his mere love and mercy to bring him hereby to an hearty sorrow for his sin past, and to make Si texit peccata Deus noluit advertere, si noluit advertere, noluit animaduertere, si noluit animaduertere noluit punire, noluit agnoscere, maluit ignoscere. Aug. Caluin. instit. lib. 3. cap. 4. sect. 3. him abhor and flee from the like for the time to come. For( as one saith) when God forgiveth sin, he covereth and forgetteth it; and if he covereth it, he will not observe it, and if he do not observe it, he will not reserve it in memory with a purpose to punish it. He will not aclowledge it, but rather pardoneth it. To conclude this point with the words of that excellent and worthy seruant of God; it is strange( saith he) that they should so cast their eyes vpon this one example of david, to prove thereby that the faithful are punished for their sins, as that they are nothing moved with so many other examples, wherein they may clearly behold the free forgiveness of sin without any temporary punishment; for we red of the publican, that he departed out of the temple justified, and no punishment followed; Peter also obtained the pardon of his sin, and( as Ambrose saith) we red only of his tears, but not of his satisfaction. So Christ saith to Math. 9 2. the sick of the palsy: thy sins are forgiven thee, but he doth not withall impose any punishment. § Sect. 13. Their objection answered who affirm that the death of the faithful is a punishment of their sins. The second objection is, that the bodily death of the faithful is a punishment to the body, because though the soul pass after the separation into ioy and happiness, yet the body is punished for the time; seeing it corrupteth in the grave, and is not actually delivered from death, until the time of the resurrection. The right indeed of holding us under his dominion is taken away from death by Christ, but from the actual dominion thereof we are not freed till wee rise again. To which I answer that death is to bee considered in it own nature, or as it hath relation to the faithful, in it own nature it is indeed a punishment of sin. But to the faithful the nature therof is changed, and of a curse it is turned into a blessing. For Christ hath taken away the sting thereof which is sin, and where there is no sin, there can be no punishment. It was indeed a deadly stinging serpent which destroyed us, but since sin was taken away, like a serpent without a sting it cannot hurt vs. And there cannot be any punishment where there is no hurt or damage. Neither hath now death( as he affirmeth) actual dominion over Arminius. us, seeing in Christ we haue gotten the victory over it; so as we need not to crouch unto it, as captives to those who haue dominion over them, but as conquerors after victory obtained by Christ, we may triumph over it, saying with the Apostle, O death where is thy sting, O hell where is 1. Cor. 15. 55. thy victory. Heretofore it held us like prisoners under his arrest till Gods iustice was satisfied, but this being done, this arrest is turned into a rest, death into a sleep, and the grave is become to the bodies of the faithful, as a bed of down, wherein they quietly rest without all sense of evil, until the day that they are raised by virtue of Christ their head to be glorified with him. Neither is there now any hurt in death,( which hurt nevertheless always accompanieth punishment) but much fruit and benefit; and that not onely in respect of the soul, which by this separation is joined with God, and enjoyeth fullness of ioy and pleasures at his right Psalm. 16. 11. hand for evermore; but also in regard of the body. For hereby it is freed from all miseries and afflictions wherewith in this life it is turmoiled, as heat, could, hunger, nakedness, sickness, pain, with many such calamities; it is eased and resteth from those painful labours, wherewith it was spent and wearied, it is delivered both from the oppressions and injuries of wicked worldlings, yea even from their society and company which was in this world so irksome& cumbersome. To which purpose one demandeth, how it cometh August. de vita Christian. lib. c. 4. to pass, that wee see the good and evil perish together? and then answereth, that they perish not, but make an escape out of their miseries, who are freed from the company and persecutions of wicked men: but they truly die and perish, whom the pain and punishment of a more fearful iudgement doth attend after they depart this life. And lastly( which is a benefit above all the rest) it resteth from the works of wickedness, being no more subject to our sinful souls to bee abused by them, as their instruments for the committing of iniquity. Finally the Apostle reckoneth death among the chastisements wherewith the Lord corrected the Corinthians for their unworthy receiving the Lords Supper; for this cause( saith he) many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep, that is, are dead; and then addeth that when they were this judged, they were( not punished but) chastened of the Lord, because they should not bee condemned 1. Cor. 11. 30. 32 with the world. And therefore if death to them were onely a chastisement of a gracious Father, and that out of mere love to preserve them from everlasting condemnation, it was a benefit, and not a punishment, proceeding from so gracious an author, to so good an end. Yea, but by death the body is made subject to corruption, § Sect. 14. The former objection further urged and answered. & therefore it is a bodily punishment. I answer, that though this argument holdeth in respect of mere natural men, yet not in regard of the faithful, the corruption of whose body is but a preparation to their glorification; for they are sown in corruption, that they may be raised in incorruption; they are sown in dishonour, that they may be raised in glory; they are sown in weakness, that they may be raised in power; in which respect they haue no more hurt, and 1. Cor. 15. 36. consequently no more punishment by this temporary corruption, then the corn hath, which must first die that it may bee quickened, as the Apostle likeneth it; or then the gold hath which is melted, that being purified from the dross, it may bee framed into glorious vessels fit for the Kings table. Neither is it a punishment to bee corrupted, when the corruption tendeth to perfection, but onely when 1. Cor. 15. 26. it tendeth to destruction; seeing in natural reason it is necessary that the worse form must first be lost by corruption, before a better and more excellent can be acquired and obtained. Yea, but death is called an enemy, which is to be destroyed, and therefore until it be brought to this final destruction, it is a punishment. I answer, that it followeth not; that because death is an enemy, therefore it is a punishment, seeing punishments haue their name and nature, not from the enmity and malignity of the secondary causes and instruments, but from the chief author who inflicteth them, from the end of their imposing, and the effects and fruits which they work in the party that suffereth them. As namely, when they proceed from an angry judge, and not a gracious father, to satisfy iustice, and not to reform and benefit the party; and when accordingly they hurt and profit not, they damnify and destroy the offender who suffereth them, and do not by his reformation make way for his salvation. And therefore though death be an enemy, and in it own nature full of malignity, yet seeing it is an instrument, and as it were a rod in the hand of our heavenly father, which he useth for our benefit, and maketh it to serve as a means for the deriving much good, not onely to our souls, but also to our bodies, the enmity and malignity thereof doth no more prove it to be a punishment unto the faithful; then the enmity and malice of a slave, who is commanded by a loving father to chastise his son according to his appointment and no otherwise, doth make it cease to be a fatherly correction, and to become a punishment, when as the father doth it out of mere love to his child, and notwithstanding the malignity of his instrument or deputy, intendeth and powerfully effecteth the good of his son by this his chastisement. Neither doth this prove it to bee a punishment, because it is an enemy which is to bee, and therefore is not, yet destroyed; seeing hereby is meant the utter destruction and full abolishing of it at Christs second coming. For even now death is destroyed, as he is, who hath the power of death, the divell, and the rest of our spiritual enemies; namely, not that they should not assault us, but that they should not hurt Heb. 2. 14. vs. It is true, that at Christs second coming wee shall haue full redemption and perfect deliverance from the hands of our spiritual enemies, when as they shall, not only, not overcome us, and hold us in their captivity, but not so much as molest us, or disturb our peace; but in the mean time their poison, sting and strength is taken away, so that though they assault and tempt us, yet they shall never be able to hurt us, seeing the Lord so directeth us with his wisdom, and assisteth us with his power, that wee still obtain the victory, and receive much profit and benefit by their encounters. And as this is true of all the rest, so especially of death, who in itself is an enemy, which is wholly to be abolished at Christs appearing; but in the mean time, the poison and sting thereof is taken away by the death of Christ, and the nature thereof is quiter changed, so as it is no longer a tyrant, which holdeth us to our hurt under his dominion, but as to the soul it is a passage to glory and happiness; so to the body it is but a sleep a little longer then ordinary, whereby it resteth from labour and sin, that when the day of glory breaketh, and the sun of righteousness appeareth, wee may lay aside corruption, and put 1. Cor. 15. 53.§ Sect.. 15 Of the manifold differences between the afflictions of the faithful and the punishments of the wicked. on incorruption, and having our mortal swallowed up of immortality, may rise with full strength, beauty and vigour, to serve and praise God without pain or weariness. And thus haue I shewed, that none of the afflictions of the faithful, no, not death itself, the greatest and last of temporal evils, are unto the faithful punishments for sin, but onely the chastisements of a loving father, inflicted for his glory and their good; for howsoever the punishments of the wicked, and chastisements of the godly be in matter and in outward appearance, yea even in respect of bodily sense, and the apprehension of natural reason all one; yet is there great and manifold difference between them to bee observed by the eye of spiritual iudgment, enlightened by the bright beams of Gods truth shining in his word. As first the chastisements of the faithful and punishments of the wicked do differ in their efficient causes who inflict and impose them. For they come from the hand of a gracious father reconciled unto us in Christ; these from a just judge, and from a powerful and incensed enemy. They are inflicted in love and fatherly compassion, which causeth his bowels to earn, and his heart to relent, so as he cannot cast off his children like the wicked, but receiveth them again into his former favour, after that they are humbled under his chastising hand; according to that of the Prophet Hosea, How shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deliver Hos. 11. 8. thee Israell? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings Deut. 29. 23. are rolled together. As if he had said, though your sins are so many and grievous, that I might justly destroy you with fire and brimstone, as I did those cities adjoining to sodom and Gomorrah; yet in regard of my covenant, and my love which in Christ I bear you, I cannot deal with you as I did with those cursed nations; but when your sins enforce me to correct you, I do compassionate your griefs, and am ready to repent and surcease your afflictions, when you repent of your sin against me. And with this agreeth Gods promise made to david concerning his son Salomon. If he sin, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with 2. Sam. 7. 14. the plagues of the children of men; but my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I haue put away before me. So that the Lord in correcting his children, doth Hab. 3. 2. ( as the Prophet Habakkuc speaketh) In wrath remember mercy, and he doth chastise them in his iudgment, not in his jer. 10. 24.& 30. 11. anger to bring them to nothing, and utterly cut them off. But contrariwise, the punishments of the wicked are inflicted vpon them in Gods wrath and heavy displeasure; neither doth he take any compassion on them in their miseries, but rather delighteth himself in the exercising his iustice and judgements vpon them for their utter ruin and destruction. Secondly, they differ in their impulsive or moving cause; for the cause moving the Lord to chastise the faithful, is his love and goodness, whereas his wrath and just displeasure conceived against the wicked for their sins, moveth him to inflict deserved punishments vpon them. Thirdly, they differ in their end, for the Lord chastiseth the faithful, that he may manifest his mercy in their conversion, Rom. 9. 22. but he punisheth the wicked, that he may manifest his iustice in their confusion. he chastiseth them in love for their amendment, that they may not sin; he punisheth these in wrath to satisfy his iustice, because they haue sinned. he chastiseth them that they may like gold be purified in the fire of affliction from their dross and corruption, and so be made fit for Gods heavenly treasury; he punisheth these that like chaff or stubble they may be consumed with the fire of his wrath. He chastiseth them that they may not 1. Cor. 11. 32. be condemned with the world; he punisheth these that their earthly miseries may bee the beginning of their condemnation, Iam. 1. 3. and( as it were) their first step into hell. he chastiseth them to try them, that in trial they may bee approved; he punisheth these to vex and torment them, by bringing vpon them that vengeance which their sins haue deserved. Fourthly, they differ in their effects; for the afflictions of the faithful do much profit them, and further their salvation; but the punishments of the wicked do much hurt them and further their condemnation. They soften and mollify their hearts, and make them to humble themselves before their heavenly father, imploring mercy and forgiveness; these do make them more hard and obdurate, and in fury and desperate madness to blaspheme, murmur and repined against their judge, because he doth execute vpon them his righteous iudgments. They not onely help to increase in them all spiritual graces, but also manifest them to Gods glory and their own comfort; these both multiply and manifest the sins and corruptions of the wicked to their everlasting horror and confusion. They beating, and( as it were punning) the faithful, do make them like odiferous spices to smell the more sweetly, the more they are bruised, these vexing the wicked do make them like filthy sinks and puddles to stink the more noysomly the more they are troubled. Finally, they serve as an unpleasant, yet strait and direct way which bringeth the faithful into the kingdom of heaven; but these are( as it were) the porch and first entrance of hell, and like a stormy and tempestuous sea, which splitteth and sinketh the wicked on the sands of desperation, Ideota inter orthodoxogr. de patient. verae contemplat. cap. 20. and maketh them to wrack their souls on the rocks of destruction. To which purpose one saith, that to the damned and reprobate, tribulation begetteth pusillaminitie, pusillaminitie perplexity, perplexity desperation, and desperation confusion and condemnation. Fifthly, the afflictions of the faithful, and the punishments of the wicked do differ, in respect of their several subiects, or the persons vpon whom they are imposed; for they are inflicted on sons, these on slaves, they on friends, these on enemies; they on Gods faithful and courageous soldiers, whom after the victory he will crown with glory; these on malefactours and offenders, whom it is his purpose to punish according to their demerits. Sixthly, they differ in time and continuance; for the afflictions of the faithful are short and momentany; but the punishments of the wicked are endless and everlasting; for as the happiness of the elect and their glorification, is inchoate and begun even in this life, when they haue attained unto some measure of sanctification, unto peace with God, peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost; so contrariwise the torments of the reprobate, are even begun in this world, when as they suffer for their sins temporal plagues and punishments, seeing they are the earnest of their condemnation, and the very flashing of that infernal fire. eleventhly, they differ in their measure and quantity, in which respect the afflictions of the faithful are that gentle rod, whereby like children they are lovingly corrected by 1. Cor. 11. 32. their heavenly father; but the punishments of the wicked are that three stringed whip, whereby the wicked are scourged and tormented like slaves and malefactours, at the appointment jer. 30. 11. of their judge. They tending to correct in iudgment for the good of the party, and these to destroy and utterly cut off, as the Prophet speaketh. And though there seem to be no difference in outward appearance between the stripes of the son, and the lashes of the slave; yet is there great difference in their inward feeling, seeing they haue much internal ioy, and comfort from the assurance which they haue of the love and favour of their heavenly father, even whilst he correcteth them, whereby they are ascertained that all their afflictions shall haue a joyful and happy issue; whereas these conceiving God to be a severe judge, and an incensed enemy, do with horror and fear suffer the evils which lye vpon them, as the deserved punishments of their sins, having no better hopes for the time to come, but rather a terrible expectation of hellish condemnation after all their worldly miseries, and calamities. To this purpose one saith, that there is great difference between Chrysost. de fide& log naturae. serm. t. 3. the chastisements of a son and the punishments of a slave. For the son is beaten, and so is the seruant, but he like a seruant who hath offended, but the other as freeborn, and as a son unto whom discipline is necessary. Neither do their like stripes prove them to be of like honour, nor doth it hereupon follow, that because the wicked and godly suffer the same things, therefore they are of the same condition; but correction is inflicted vpon the son, for his humiliation or trial; vpon the slave, for his torment and punishment. And therefore david knowing these differences, saith of the just, that many were their tribulations, but presently addeth, that the Lord delivereth Psal 34. 19. vers. 21. them out of all: showing the cure and remedy as soon as the disease and malady. But speaking of the wicked, he saith, that many are the torments of the sinner, but addeth no comfort of help and deliverance. Finally, as there are these and many such like differences between the chastisements of the faithful, and the punishments of the wicked, for the present in this world; so far greater shall the difference be between them in that which followeth in the life to come; for the afflictions of the godly in this present life are not( as the Apostle speaketh) worthy the glory which shall be revealed. Seeing as he saith in another place, These Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. light and momentany afflictions, shall cause unto them a far most excellent, and an eternal waight-of glory Whereas the temporary punishments of ungodly men, working in them no reformation and amendment, but rather( as hath been shewed) increasing and multiplying their heinous sins, are accompanied with everlasting torments, and hellish condemnation in the world to come. And thus haue I proved that the afflictions of the faithful, § Sect. 15. That there were no comfort in afflictions, if they were punishments. are not punishments of their sins, inflicted by an offended judge, for the satisfying of his iustice; but the chastisements of a gracious father, by which he correcteth his children for their profit& amendment; and haue also shewed the manifold and greater differences between the punishments of the wicked and the afflictions of the godly, vpon the which I haue the longer insisted, because the contrary opinion of the aduersaries, opposed against this truth, striketh at the very roote of all true and sound comfort. For as it is the chief stay, to uphold fainting souls oppressed with the heavy weight of grievous afflictions, to know, and to be assured that all which they suffer are the chastisements of a gracious Father, whereby he correcteth them out of mere love, for their own profit and benefit, and not for any pleasure which he taketh in their smart and pain, but vpon mere necessity to reclaim them from their sins, and to fit them for his kingdom: so when this stay is taken away, and the afflicted party is persuaded, that the miseries which he endureth are deserved punishments of an angry judge, inflicted for the satisfying of his iustice, being robbed of all consolation, he fainteth under his burden, and sinketh into the bottomless gulf of deep despair. For if he were unable to bear the burden of his afflictions when they were alone, what will become of him when the double load of Gods wrath and displeasure is added unto it? or whether should he flee for comfort, when he seeth, that he who is onely able to reeleeue him is an incensed enemy? How should he haue any hope to haue his afflictions lightened or shortened, which are inflicted to satisfy iustice, when as his own conscience telleth him that his least sins are of infinite guilt in respect of that infinite majesty which is offended? or what shal stay him from fleeing out of the presence of God, when like a righteous judge he pursueth him in wrath to take due vengeance on him for his wickedness? Finally how shall a faithful man conclude with david, that it Psalm. 119. 71. is good for him to be afflicted, if his afflictions be the fruits and effects of Gods wrath and the deserved punishments of his sin, which hurt and profit not? or how shall he pronounce them blessed whom God correcteth, if they bee still Psalm. 94. 12. under the curse, suffering those punishments which the Law threateneth? Whereas contrariwise if we be persuaded that the Lord is still our gracious Father, we will flee into his bosom for refuge against all evils, and humble ourselves under his mighty hand whom wee haue offended, hoping to receive vpon our submission, mercy and forgiveness, if wee conceive that he correcteth us for our profit, our future hopes will strengthen our patience to endure present smart. If wee be assured that God loveth our persons, and in all his corrections aimeth at nothing but the mortifying of our sins, and our reformation; this will make us also labour to subdue them, and to amend what is amiss, that so wee may bee freed from our pain and smart. Which a malefactor who is punished for his fault never aimeth at, seeing he knoweth that the end of his suffering is not to amend him, but to satisfy iustice, which will haue it course, and not remit any of the punishment vpon the repentance of the party. CHAP. X. That all afflictions are imposed vpon the faithful out of Gods mere love. And that this love plainly appeareth in the measure of their afflictions; and first in regard of themselves, whether we respect their quantity, which is but small, or their time, which is but short. AND thus haue I shewed the first branch, and § Sect. 1. That God loveth his children truly and substantially like a Father to profit thē& not fond& effeminately like a foolish mother to please them. main ground of the Christians comfort in the time of trouble and affliction, consisting in the knowledge and assurance of this point; that the crosses and calamities which he endureth are not punishments inflicted for the satisfying of Gods iustice: now the other point propounded followeth to be proved, namely that they are to the faithful the chastisements of a gracious Father, wherewith out of mere love he correcteth them as his children, not for any displeasure conceived against their persons, or for any pleasure which he taketh in their smart and pain, but onely for their profit and benefit, both here, and in the life to come. For the clearing whereof wee are to know, that there is a twofold kind of love to bee observed in earthly parents, the first a fond and cockering love commonly incident to the weaker sex, whereby in all things they endeavour to please their children, to follow their foolish appetite and lusts, and let their own will bee the rule of all their actions, and therfore if so it please them, they are content to let them languish in idleness, or to run riotous courses, which in all likelihood will bring them to perdition. But this is nothing else but with the ape to kill their young with clipping, to play the enemy under the vizard of a friend; and to make them drink the poisonous dregs of all mischief because it is sugared with love, and sweetened with the fond affection of an ouer-tender mother. The other kind of love, though it make not so plausible a show, is not in truth weaker, but much wiser; not less entire and heartye, but much more discreet and profitable, as wholly aiming at the good of the party beloved; not caring much whether it please or displease, whether the things which it enjoineth be easy or difficult, tedious or delightful, so they bee importantly behouefull, and greatly beneficial to him who is to undertake them. And this is the profitable love of a wise& discreet father, who sometimes withholdeth necessaries from the son whom he loveth, not because he grudgeth to give them, but because he would enure him to hardness, and make him more securely enjoy his plenty, when he knoweth how to want sometimes, also he crosseth him of his will, to teach him humility, and inureth him to such painful labour, as doth often press forth of him sweat, and sometimes tears. But especial this wise and fatherly love doth show itself, in keeping his son under a strait and severe discipline, in restraining him of his liberty, in containing him within the bonds of modesty, temperance and civility, in keeping him from running into licentious courses, and in reclaiming him from such vices and faults by due correction which being continued in without amendment, would frustrate the fathers expectation, and make him together with his comfort and ioy to lose his son; and cause the child together with his Fathers displeasure to incur the danger of losing his inheritance. Now that witless and worthless love of a fond mother, as it deserveth not to bee respected and esteemed, seeing it tendeth to the hurt and destruction of the party beloved; so it is not to bee expected of Gods children, from so wise and worthy a Father, who in all things aimeth at their good, and chooseth rather to profit then to please them. For he knowing the corruptions of our nature, how easily wee are puffed up with pride, when we enjoy worldly prosperity, and made foolishly wanton with a little cockering; how ready wee are to languish in idleness, and to become effeminate with earthly delights; how prove wee are to dishonour him in his gifts, and how usual it is with us to abuse these remembrances of his love, as occasions to make us both neglect and forget our benefactor, and finally how liberty bringeth us to licentiousness, wantonness to wilfulness, and want of due correction to all dissoluteness and disorder; like a wise Father out of mere love he keepeth us under severer discipline; and though he suffereth wicked worldlings and damned reprobates to flourish in their impiety, to live with impunity in all manner of wickedness, and to revel and ruffle it out in all pomp and pleasure, because he intendeth to give them their portion in this life, and to let them fat themselves against the day of slaughter: yet Qui dedit tibi felicitatem huius saeculi, ad consolationem tuam dedit non ad corruptionem, &c. August. in johan. tract. 12. T. 9. such is his love and care over his own sons and children, that they no sooner begin to wax proud and wanton, but he presently humbleth and keepeth them under, and no sooner do they enter into a course of sinning, but he forthwith reclaimeth them from their wicked ways by his chastisements and corrections. For( as one saith) he granteth unto his child worldly felicity to comfort& not to corrupt him; and when he seeth it thus abused, he doth scourge him in this world for his amendment, and not for his condemnation; and therefore wee must suffer him with patience, correcting us like a father; least we should feel him hereafter punishing us as a judge. And this truth is manifest unto us in the Scriptures, both § Sect. 2. That God sheweth his fatherly love in correcting his children. jer. 25. 29. 1. Pet. 4. 17. Amos. 3. 2. by testimonies and examples. So the Lord saith, that he will begin to plague the city where his name is called vpon. And the Apostle telleth us, that iudgement must begin at the house of God. So by the Prophet Amos the Lord thus speaketh to the people of Israell: you onely haue I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit you for all your iniquities. The wise man also useth this argument to persuade us with patience to bear the chastening of the Lord, and not to bee grieved with his correction, because he correcteth him whom he loveth, even as the father doth the child in whom he delighteth. To which place the Apostle alluding Pro. 3. 11. 12. Heb. 12. 5. 6. saith; My son despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither saint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth every son that he receiveth. Finally the Lord himself professeth, that he doth rebuk& chasten as many as he loveth, and useth it as an argument to persuade unto repentance and zealous reformation, because Apoc. 3. 19. whosoever escape, yet they shall be sure to bee corrected( if they offend) whom he loveth and respecteth; that they may 1. Cor. 11. 32. hereby be reclaimed from their wicked courses, and so bee delivered from the condemnation of the world. And this also appeareth by the examples of the faithful from time to time, for who more in Gods favour then Abraham the Father of the faithful, and yet how many crosses did he endure? as the leaving of his friends and country, and the leading of his life, as it were, in a voluntary banishment among a strange people, the offering of his beloved Isaac, and fear of his own life? who more dear unto God then jacob, of whom he said, before he was born Gen. 47. 9. jacob haue I loved? and yet so many were his afflictions that he affirmeth his daies to haue been few and evil. Who more respected of God then job, whom he pronounced to be the justest man vpon earth? and yet who more dejected and loaded with afflictions? Who more gracious with the Lord then holy david, whom he affirmeth to haue been a man according to his own heart? and yet he complaineth that when his wicked enemies wallowd in worldly delights he was afflicted daily, and punished every morning. So it is said of Salomon his son that by Gods appointment he was called jedidiah, because the Lord loved him: and that david received 2. Sam. 12. 25. this promise from God in his behalf, that he would bee his Father, and he should be his son; and yet the Lord addeth, that if he did sin he would chasten him with the rod of men, 2. Sam. 7. 14. and with the plagues of the children of men; notwithstanding his mercy should not depart from him as he took it from Saul. Yea Psalm. 89. 31. 32. 33. of all his Church and people the Lord saith, that if they did break his statutes, and would not keep his commandements he would visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stroke, but yet his loving kindness he would not take from them, nor falsify his truth by breaking his covenant. But of such examples I shall haue occasion to speak more hereafter, and therefore refer them to their place: onely for the present let us both by these testimonies and examples bee persuaded of this truth, that the Lord correcteth those who are most dear unto him, out of mere love for their profit and benefit, and that Gods love, and these seeming fruits of his anger in our crosses and afflictions may well stand together; according to that of the Psalmist; Thou hardest them O Psalm. 99. 8. Lord our God: thou wast a favourable God unto them, though thou didst take vengeance for their inventions. And therfore when we are in the midst of our afflictions, notwithstanding these crosses and calamities, we may triumphingly cry out with the Apostle. Who shall separate us from the love of Rom. 8. 35. 38. Christ? shall tribulation or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? &c. I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But let us not content ourselves with the general knowledge § Sect. 3. That God in his love appointeth to every one of his faithful children a certain measure of affliction fit for them, which cannot be exceeded. of this truth, that the Lord out of his infinite and endless love doth chastise the faithful for their good; but let us further consider how this love of God is manifested unto them in their afflictions, by insisting in some particulars. To which purpose we are to know that Gods wonderful love appeareth unto his children, both in the measure of their afflictions, and in his ends which move him to lay vpon them his fatherly corrections; the which his ends being secret in himself, he maketh known unto us by those fruits and effects, which by these his chastisements he powerfully produceth and worketh in vs. Concerning the former, Gods love appeareth in the measure of our afflictions, first generally in that he is content to afflict us in some measure; for seeing our sins haue been without measure both in their greatness and number; and haue been also committed against an immense, infinite and incomprehensible majesty; therefore if the Lord should deal with us according to his iustice and righteous iudgments, wee haue deserved that our punishments should bee without measure, number or end. But God infinite in mercy and goodness doth not deal with us according to our deserts; but as he hath graciously turned the punishments of slaves, inflicted by a righteous judge, into chastisements of sons inflicted by a loving father: so according to this love and mercy he hath measured out such a certain stint and proportion of these afflictions unto every one of his children, as in his wisdom he knoweth to bee fittest for them, and that both in respect of their quantity, what and how much they shall bear, and also in respect of their time and continuance, when and how long they shall endure them. In which respect we may truly affirm, that as there is no cross, calamity or affliction, which is not foreappointed of God; and ordered, ruled and disposed by his most wise and all-ruling providence; so the quantity how much, and the time how long, is also by the same wisdom, and providence ordained and appointed, in such an exact and strict manner, that as it is impossible for any man to free himself, in whole or in part, from any of that measure which is shared and allotted unto him; or to prevent it from coming, or to escape from it, being come before the appointed time; so is it alike impossible, that all the power of divels or men should add one dram to the weight, or one minute to the time of our afflictions, more then that proportion which God by his powerful wisdom hath measured out unto them. For as he hath said to the waters of the sea, so also to these floods of affliction, Hitherto shall job. 38. 11. ye come, but no further, and here shall ye stay your proud waves. Psal. 80. 5. To this purpose the Psalmist saith, that God had fed his people with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink with great measure. So the Church in her afflictions groundeth her faith vpon this truth in her prayers unto God for help and deliverance. Be not angry, O Lord, above measure, neither remember iniquity for ever: and again, Wilt thou Esa. 64. 9. 12. hold thy peace, and afflict us above measure? As though shee should say, I am assured that thou wilt not do it, seeing it is contrary to thy nature, word and usual custom. And with this agreeth the book of wisdom, where it is said, that the Lord wanted not means, to haue corrected his people with much more grievous afflictions, then those which they endured, but yet he had not done it, because he had ordered Wis. 11. 17. 20. all things in measure, number and weight. As also the saying of our saviour Christ himself, who affirmeth, that not onely our greater afflictions, but the least and lightest, mat. 10. 30▪ luke. 21. 18. even to the falling of an hair from our heads, are ordered by Gods providence, so as they cannot without his appointment happen unto vs. An example whereof we haue in job, job. 1. 12.& 2. 6 for as Satan at the first could not touch him till he had received a commission from God; so neither could he add any thing unto his first afflictions, till his commission was renewed. And as the Lord measureth out unto us our afflictions, in respect of their quantity, so also in regard of their time; as we may see in the egyptian bondage, which was Exo. 12. 40. 4●. jer. 25. 11. appointed by God to continue 430. yeares, which being expired, the people of Israel were in the very same day delivered out of it. And also in the captivity of Babylon, which was to continue by Gods decree 70. yeares, which being jer. 29. 10. 2 Cro▪ 36. 2●. 22. expired according to Gods promise made unto them by his Prophet, they were delivered out of their captivity. And thus the Lord appointeth a certain time for the afflictions of the Church of Smyrna, It shall come to pass, that the divell shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and Apo. ●. 10. ye shall haue tribulation ten dayes. And also to the whole Church militant, where it is said, That the woman( that is the Church) fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared Chap. 12. 6. of God, that they should feed her there a thousand, two hundred, and threescore dayes. By all which it appeareth that the Lord doth not chasten his children rashly and in his fury, but with great wisdom and discretion, and vpon mature deliberation appointing before hand both the quantity of their afflictions, and the time of their continuance; and no marvel, for if( as the author of the book of wisdom speaketh) the Lord doth punish the enemies of his children, and the condemned to death with such deliberation, giuing them Wisd. 12. 20. 21 time and place, whereby they might be delivered from their malice; with how great circumspection will he judge his own sons? Now the consideration of this truth, that God doth not lay us open to afflictions, nor leave us to Satan and our spiritual enemies to be loaded with miseries at their pleasure, as our sins which are without number or end haue justly deserved; but doth in his fatherly wisdom measure out unto every one of us such a proportion of afflictions as is fitting for us; as it doth sufficiently show the greatness of Gods mercy and love, so it may strengthen our patience in the time of our afflictions, and replenish▪ our hearts with ioy and consolation. Seeing wee stand not to the cruel courtesy of the enemies of our salvation, to endure what pleaseth them to lay vpon us; but only haue such a measure allotted unto us, as God in his infinite love and goodness knoweth best; and howsoever they are oftentimes the instruments of our calamities, and are used by our heavenly physician as his Apothecaries to minister unto us these unpleasant potions, for the purging away of our corrupt and sinful humors, yet doth he strictkly prescribe such an exact bill of the ingredients, and carrieth such a watchful eye over them, whilst they are making these confections, that they are not able to add one scruple unto his proportions, nor to give us a grain more of these loathsome drugs then is fit for the effecting of the cure,& the recovery of our spiritual health. And thus it generally appeareth that God sheweth § Sect 4. That our afflictions are in their quantity small and light great love and mercy unto us in that he doth afflict us in measure, seeing our innumerable and most heinous sins haue deserved, and the enemies of our salvation are willing and ready to inflict on us all his plagues and punishments: in which respect we haue just cause to think that we are well dealt with, if we escape any of them, and to aclowledge in our greatest afflictions with the distressed Lamen. 3. 22. Church, that it is the infinite mercy of God that we are not utterly consumed: seeing it is not to be attributed unto any of our deserts, whose sins haue pulled down Gods judgements vpon us, nor to want of will or power in satan and the world who are always able and desirous to do us mischief, but onely to Gods infinite love and mercy in Iesus Christ, with pardoneth all our sins, and to his almighty power and providence, whereby he preserveth and defendeth us from the malice and might of all these our enemies, so as they cannot punish us at their own pleasure, but only as Gods instruments afflict and correct us in such a maner and measure as he prescribeth. Now let us descend to a more special consideration of the measure of our afflictions, and take a more clear view of Gods love and mercy brightly shining therein, and that both in respect of the cross itself which we bear, and also in regard of us who endure and bear it. The love and mercy of God appeareth in the measure of our afflictions, both in respect of their quantity which is but small, and in their time which is but short; for either they are light, or they are not long and if they be great in quantity, they are but momentany in their continuance; or if they be tedious in time, they are easy in weight; and therfore may be born with patience, either in regard of our sense, because they do not trouble us much, being themselves light and small, or in respect of our hope, because they will not trouble us long, seeing they are but short▪ and momentany: yea in truth we may well join both together, and affirm with the Apostle that they are both light in their load and weight, and also short and momentany in their time and continuance. And therfore well may we bear them not only with patience, but also with ioy and thankfulness; especially if we consider, that through the infinite mercies of God and merits of Christ, we are corrected with these small and short chastisements, that we may be freed from intolerable torments and everlasting 1. Cor. 11. 32. condemnation, and do therefore endure these light and 2. Cor. 4 17. momentany afflictions, that through the blessing of God, they may cause unto us a far more excellent and an eternal weight of glory. First then Gods mercy and love towards us doth ●ppeare in the measure of our afflictions, in that they are but light and small: for whereas our sins haue deserved the unsupportable weight of Gods wrath and the intolerable torments of the damned in hell fire; the Lord hath graciously spared us, and caused his only dear son in our stead to bear our iniquities, together with the punishment due unto them: he hath withheld it from lighting and lying vpon us, whom it would haue overwhelmed, and pressed down to the bottom of hell; and hath laid it vpon the shoulders of our saviour who was able to bear it, and in bearing also to abolish and take it away. And now he hath fitted another burden for us, not according to the measure of our sins but of our strength: not that intolerable burden of sin and punishment, which would oppress us, and cause us to sink into the gulf of desperation, but a sweet, light and easy burden of afflictions, as our saviour calleth it, to keep us who are light vpon the balance Math. 11. 30▪ ( as the Psalmist speaketh) from being puffed up Psal. 62. 9. and blown away with the wind of worldly vanities. And this he layeth vpon us, not to toil and tyre us, but that it may serve as an easy yoke to keep us in obedience, and to enable us the more fitly to draw and labour in the way of Gods commandements, which in the end will bring rest to our souls: not to over burden and sink us in this sea of miseries; but rather to ballast us, that we be not over set with the boisterous blasts of sathans temptations, and to keep us in a right course that we be not wracked vpon the rocks of sin. So the author of the book of wisdom saith; Therefore thou chastnest them by little and little that offend; and warnest them by putting Wis. 12. 2. them in remembrance wherein they haue offended, that leaving their wickedness they may beleeue on thee O Lord. And this small measure of affliction which the Lord hath prepared for us, is signified in the scriptures by the name of a cup, which by our heavenly father is mingled and provided for our drinking; for it is not said that we must drink a sea of sorrows, or an infinite measure of punishment, as our sins haue deserved; no nor yet a Non cadus said calix. barrel or great vessel, but onely a little cup. The which we must not drink alone; for the Lord hath caused his son our saviour to drink the very dregs thereof, even to the bottom, and hath onely left a little pittance for us to taste& sip of, which by the death of Christ is so corrected and purified from the poison of Gods wrath, and so sugared and sweetened with his merits and obedience, that not only the chief loathsomeness thereof is taken away, but also it is made hereby, of a mortal poison which would haue killed us, a wholesome preservative to keep us from the contagion of sin, and a profitable potion to purge us from our corruptions. In regard whereof our afflictions and griefs are but shadows and resemblances, rather then substantial evils,& are rather vizards to fright children in Christ, then true enemies which intend us hurt. And therfore the Apostle speaking of them saith, As dying and behold we live, as chastened, 2. Cor. 6. 9. and yet not killed, as sorrowing, and yet alway rejoicing, &c. Whence one observeth that our sorrow hath a quasi, as though, or as▪ it were added to it, but so hath not our rejoicing, because in hope it is most assured. And why is it said, not simply that wee sorrow, but as it were August in psal. 48 ●●narrat. are sorry? because like a sleep or dream it vanisheth away, and the just shall triumph over it in the morning &c. And howsoever these shadows of evil which are inflicted vpon us, do at their first appearing& approaching, seem fearful, and terrible, yet do they vpon some small acquaintance, grow so familiar with us, that wee do not much avoid their company. For as the child seeing even his friend and familiar acquaintance approaching towards him, disguised with some ugly vizard, is at first sight much affrighted, and ready to cry out, and run away; but when the vizard is laid aside, returneth to himself, and being freed from fear, doth take knowledge of the party, and turn all his fear into iest,& merriment: so our afflictions like a vizarded friend, do at the first appearing much amate us, but when the vizard is removed, and wee vpon better acquaintance find, that they are not enemies that hurt us, but friends, from whom wee receive much good& benefit, then do we grow familiar with them, and notwithstanding that their company is unpleasant to our sense, yet do wee not with any great earnestness desire to bee freed from it, because wee find it so necessary and profitable. And thus it appeareth that our afflictions are both light and small; not that our sins haue not deserved more sharp chastisements; but because a little correction seemeth enough, unto our most dear and loving Father, who so tenderly affecteth us, that when he hath given us scarce the hundreth part of the stripes which our faults haue deserved, he earneth and relenteth in the bowels of his compassion,& thinking our correction more then enough, yea double to our sins, he pardoneth our iniquities, and graciously Esay 40. 2. receiveth us into his former ●avour. But as our afflictions are in their quantity, small and § Sect. 5. That our afflictions are momentany,& but of short continuance. light: so are they in their time short and momentany: for though our sins haue deserved eternal condemnation in hell fire; yet God of his infinite mercy& goodness, doth for the death& obedience of Iesus Christ, freely remit unto us all those everlasting punishments; and contenteth himself to visit our iniquities with some temporary chastisements in this life, and with the rods of the children of men; not for our hurt and punishment, but for the amendment of our lives, and the salvation of our souls. And thus the Lord saith that he will afflict the seed and posterity of david, but not for ever; 1. King. 11. 39. 2. Sam. 7 14. and particularly of Salomon, that of he sinned, he would chastise him with the rod of men, and with the plagues of the children of men; yet his mercy should never depart from him. Yea this gracious promise he maketh to his whole Church, that he would not contend with her for ever, nor bee always wrath, because so the spirit would fail before Esay 57 16. him, and all mankind should bee destroyed in his displeasure. The which truth the Church by faith layeth sure hold of, for her comfort; in her great afflictions; The Lord( saith shee) will not forsake for ever; but though he sand affliction, yet he will haue compassion▪ according to Lam. 3. 31, 32. the multitude of his mercies. And that not because our sins are few in number▪ or light in weight, and therefore deserve but gentle chastisements; but because being a gracious ●ather, he doth not punish willingly, ver 33. not afflict the children of men with pleasure and delight; but rather taketh his chief pleasure in exercising his own nature, and in extending his mercy and goodness towards repentant sinners. And in this regard the Church crieth out: Who●● God like unto the● that Micah. 7. 18. taketh away iniquity▪ and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his wrath for ever, because mercy pleaseth him▪ But most notably doth the Psalmist set forth this truth, of Gods moderating and stinting our afflictions, in his love and mercy without any respect to our deservings. The Lord( saith he) is full of compassion and mercy, ●low to anger, and of great kindness; he will not alway chide, nor keep his anger Psal. 103. 8. to 5. for ever. he hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; for as high as the heaven is above the earth, so great is his mercy towards them that fear him. As far as the East is from the West, so far hath he removed our sins from vs. As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him. For he knoweth whereof wee bee made, he remembreth that wee are but dust. The daies of man are as grass, a● a flower of the field, so flourisheth he, &c. To the same purpose is that of the Prophet Malachi, where the Lord promiseth to spare his Church, and people, as a man spareth his own Mal. 3. 1●. son, that feareth him▪ For as the loving father accepteth of the weak endeavours, and imperfect obedience of his child; and when he offendeth him, doth not long continue in his anger and displeasure, but after that he hath corrected him for his faults, that he may not continue in them to his destruction, he receiveth him into his wonted favour, that he may not by overmuch and too long severity become hopeless& desperate: so dealeth the Lord with his children, neither cockering them in their faults, which would make them wanton and dissolute; nor yet for ever frowning vpon them, and correcting them as their sins deserve: but moderating his iustice with mercy, he doth, after that by his chastisements he hath humbled them,& brought them to an hatred, and acknowledgement of their faults, withdraw his hand, lay his rod aside, and manifest unto them the wonted signs of his mercy and love. In which respect one compareth the Lord to a skilful musician, who in tuning his instrument doth neither too much stretch his strings, least they should break, nor let them remain too loose& slack, because it would quiter dull and dead their sound and sweetness, and so spoil their musical harmony: for so the Lord dealeth Crysost. ad pop. Antiochen. homil 4. de patientia. with us; neither suffering us to languish in continual remissness, nor to be broken,& worn out with tedious tribulation; least too much ease should make us sluggish, or too much trouble faint or desperate. Yea in truth so far off are our afflictions from being irkesomely tedious, and of long continuance, that they are exceeding short and momentany. For so the Psalmist telleth us, that God endureth but a while in his anger, but in his favour is life. Weeping may abide at evening, but ioy Psal. 30. 5. cometh in the morning. And with this assurance of hope, the people of God encourage one an other to the practise of repentance. Come( say they) and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath spoiled, and he will Hos. 6. 1, 2. heal us, he hath wounded us, and he will bind us up. After two daies will he revive us, and in the third day he will raise us up and wee shall live in his sight. Yea so short is the time of these temporary afflictions, that the Lord reputeth it but as a moment; For a moment( saith he Esay 54. 8. to his people) in mine anger I hide my face from thee for a little season, but with everlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee. In regard whereof, we may fitly say with the Psalmist, Psal. 71▪ 20. that God hath shewed us great troubles& adversities, but will return and revive us, seeing the time of their continuance i● so short, that they are rather shewed, then truly suffered; even as the loving father maketh show only of his rod, and striketh therewith his childrens coats, when his tender love will scarce suffer him to touch their skin. §. Sect. 6 Their objection answered, who affirm, that their afflictions haue been long& tedious But here some will say; To what purpose do we hear words of the brevity of our afflictions? when in our own sense and experience they are long and tedious? or what comfort is this to tell us that the afflictions of Gods children last but for a moment or little space, when as we may hence conclude that we are not in this number, seeing we haue passed a great time in sickness, poverty, and such other miseries? To which I answer, that our short▪ lives will not suffer us to in●●re long afflictions; for they are momentany and but a span long, as the Psalmist speaketh, and yet he who is most afflicted, hath in Psal. 36. 5. part of this moment, some comfort and refreshing. If therefore we complain with jacob, that our dayes are evil, in regard of the miseries which we haue endured, let us aclowledge with him, that they are few also: and if with the Church we complain that all our dayes are Gen 47 9. past in Gods anger, and wasted away in labour and sorrow, let us also confess with her, that our yeres haue been spent Psal. 90. 9, 10. as a thought▪ that our life is cut off quickly and we fly away. It is true that in the sense and feeling of our frail flesh these our short afflictions do seem long and tedious; but unto the spiritual man who liveth not by sense but by faith, and in the expectation of everlasting happiness, his afflictions, though they should last his whole life, would seem but short and momentany: seeing he doth not compare the time of the●● continuance, with the rest of his life, which he leadeth in this world in ioy and delight; but with that eternal glory, and never ending blessedness which he is to inherit in the world to come. Neither doth he number the daies of his affliction according to the present sense and apprehension of the flesh,( which expecteth no other ioy▪ or comfort▪ but what it hath in the pleasures of sin,& ●●●he fruition of worldly vanities, seeing it is deputed to mortification, and is to be wholly destroyed and abolished by death; and therfore thinketh all this time lost which is not spent in earthly delight● and every day a year which bringeth with it any crosses and afflictions▪ because though it be short in itself, yet in truth it is long being compared with the momentany continuance of our life vpon earth where of it is a great share) but the faithful man numbereth his daies according to Gods arithmetic, in whose estimation a thousand yeeres are as yesterday when it is past, Psal. 90. 4. and as a watch in the night; because he compareth this finite time with that which is infinite and everlasting. And therefore considering on the one side, that all his whole life is but a moment, and less then the twinkling 2. Pet. 3. 8. of an eye, in respect of that eternal life and happiness which is to follow;& on the otherside, that in this momentany life, he hath many comforts and refreshings, both in regard of his outward relaxation from troubles, when being freed from his afflictions, he enjoyeth the comforts of this life, and also in respect of his inward feelings through his future hopes, and the present consolations of Gods spirit and ioy in the holy ghost; he is ready to conclude, that his longest afflictions are but very short, even a moment of a moment, seeing they last but a part of this life, which altogether is but short and momentany. CHAP. 11. That God so measureth our afflictions unto us, as that they do not exceed our strength to bear them. AND thus doth Gods love appear in the measure of our afflictions, being considered in § Sect. 1. That our afflictions exceed not our strength proved by scriptures, and illustrated by similitudes. themselves both in respect of their quantity and time: but yet this love and goodness of God will shine much more clearly, if we further consider how he measureth them unto us; first in that he doth not suffer the measure of our afflictions to exceed the measure of our strength; and secondly, in that he proportioneth them according to the scantest measure of necessity, laying no more vpon us, then he is necessary enforced to impose, having herein respect to his own glory and our benefit and salvation. Concerning the former, the Lord doth not measure out our afflictions according to our faults but according to our strength, and looketh not what we haue deserved, but what we are able to bear; for as the Prophet saith, in his anger he Habac 3. 2 doth remember mercy, which maketh him in all our chastisements to intend our profit, and not our punishment. Neither doth he give unto all his seruants a cup of the like size, or a burden to bear of the same weight; but either fitteth their afflictions to the measure of their strength, or their strength to the measure of their afflictions, abating of the burden because it is too heavy, or adding to their power who bear it, because they are too weak. He doth not observe in sharing of afflictions an arithmetical proportion, giuing to all indifferently the same number and measure; but like a wise Geometrician he doth proportionate& fit them to the strength of the bearers, alloting a greater burden to the strongest, and a less to the weakest. In which respect he is said jer. 10. 24. 30. 11. to correct us, in iudgement, because he wisely deserveth( not only who deserveth most correction, but also) of their strength and ability who are to bear his chastisements; which not being observed, in stead of loading them, he should overwhelm them,& in stead of amending them, he should destroy them. But this truth will more manifestly appear, both by the scriptures, and by reason itself grounded vpon them. For in the word of God we haue an express promise, made by him who is faithful and true, and neither can nor will deceive us, that the Lord will not suffer us to be tempted above that we 1. Cor. 10. ●3. are able, but will give the issue with the temptation, that we may be able to bear it. And even reason itself enlightened by the scriptures will teach us, that it can be no otherwise, if we consider who is the author of our afflictions. For first they proceed from God our heavenly father, whose wisdom is infinite, and whose love is in comprehensible; and therefore if earthly parents out of their small model of love, and little pittance of affection, guided and directed with their shallow iudgement and discretion, do not give unto all their children the like measure of chastisement, though they be alike guilty of the same fault; but haue respect to their age and bigness, giuing less to the youngest& weakest, and more to those who are older and of greater strength: because if they should receive these greater stripes, they would( exceeding their strength) make them dull or desperate; and if these should haue their lighter chastisements, they would hereby grow careless and negligent; how much more then will the Lord, so far exceeding them in love and wisdom, thus proportionate his chastisements to the strength of his children, not punishing his babes in Christ, and those of riper age in the same measure; but correcting them with such gentleness, that they may be amended and not oppressed, and these with such severity that they may lay them to heart, and not for their lightness scorn and contemn them; seeing he doth not in his chastisements aim at the satisfying of his iustice by punishing the fault, but doth all ou● of mere love for the reformation of the offender? again the Lord is our heavenly physician, who hath undertaken to cure us of our corruptions; and afflictions are the potion which he hath prepared for the effecting of the cure; and therefore if we so far trust earthly physicians whom we think faithful and skilful, that for the recovery of our bodily health, we dare adventure to drink the potions which they haue appointed, being persuaded that they will haue respect to our constitution and present condition, and not give us a medicine above our strength; notwithstanding that common experience telleth us, that they themselves for want of skill are often deceived,& sometime for want of care or honesty are ready to deceive: then how much more willingly should we for the health 2. Pet. 2. 9. of our souls, receive this potion of afflictions prepared by our heavenly physician, seeing we can make no question either of his skill, love or faithfulness; and therefore may be assured that in making this medicine he will haue respect to our strength and ability, and will so correct this poison of affliction before he do give it us, that it will cure us and not kill us; and though it make us sick for the present even to the death, as we imagine, yet we shall find in the event, that it will not hurt us, but only by working thus effectually, will purge away the noisome humors of sin. He is also our king, and Emperor, who having pressed us to the spiritual warfare, guideth and directeth us in all our ways, and alotteth unto every of his souldiers their office, place, employment and enterprises; and therfore if even earthly commanders both in their discretion and love to their souldiers, fit their employments according to their abilities, appointing the stronger and valianter for attempts of greatest difficulty and danger, and the weaker and fainter to more easy services; how much more will the great commander of heaven and earth, out of his infinite wisdom, love and care, appoint unto every of his souldiers whom he hath pressed out to fight in this battle of afflictions, a fit task for their undertaking; and allot fit employments both in respect of labour and danger for the strength of those which are designed to them? To conclude, if we fee all who are wise and just, to haue this regard, not to oppress their inferiors with labours, but to fit their employments according to their abilities, if no good schoolmaster will appoint his scholar longer or harder lessons then they can learn, nor correct them with more or greater stripes then is fit for their age; but observe a proportion& measure, both in their instructions and corrections, according to their several capacities to conceive or strength to bear and endure; if no good master will appoint his feruants a greater burden then they can carry, but allotte the heaviest to the strongest, and the lightest to the weakest; yea if a good man be merciful to his beast, fitting his load to his strength, and not oppressing him with more then he can bear; how much more may we be assured that the Lord will be more careful over his own children, in proportioning their burden to their strength, that they may not sink under the weight of their afflictions, especially considering that he perfectly knoweth their power and ability, and can as easily add to their strength, as detract from their burden. Secondly God the father hath committed the tempering § Sect. 2. That Christ Iesus tempereth our cup, and therefore we maybe ass●red that he will fit it to our strength. of our cup unto Christ our saviour, who as he hath manifested his love unto us in giuing his life as the price of our redemption; and in not thinking those precious dainties too dear for us, even his body to be our meat and his blood our drink, that by them we may be nourished to everlasting life; so hath he no less skill in tempering a cup fit for our strength, and the curing of our spiritual diseases, not only as being our creator who knoweth whereof we be made, and remembreth that we are Psal. 103. 14. but dust; but also as being our mediator, he had experience both of the cup which he tempereth for us, and of our weakness and infirmities who are to drink it. For himself hath begun to us of this cup of afflictions, as it was tempered for him by his heavenly father, and did not only taste or sip of it, but drink it off to the very bottom: and herein alone the difference is between his cup and ours, in that his was far bigger, and the potion much more bitter and distasteful, ours lesser, and less unpleasant and loathsome; his was given unto him in anger for the purging away of our punishment in respect of sin past, but ours in love, either to be a profitable potion to purge and cleanse our bodies and souls from their present corruptions, or to be a preservative to prevent the contagious diseases of sin for the time to come. And as he hath good experience of our medicine, so also of our weakness and frailty: for as he hath drunk of our cup, so likewise also he hath born our infirmities, and carried our sorrows; and being sick of our sins which as our Esa. 53 4. 5. s●●ety he took vpon him, he was also smitten with our plagues wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities. Neither haue we an high Priest which cannot Heb. 4 15. be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but he was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin, as the Apostle speaketh And therefore as those who are pitiful and merciful in their own nature, do take the greatest compassion, and do most commiserate them who are afflicted with those griefs and diseases unto which themselves haue been formerly subject: so may we assure ourselves, that our saviour Christ, who hath had the feeling of our sicknesses and infirmities, and hath tasted sufficiently of these loathsome drugs of affliction, which are now ministered unto us, doth compassionate our griefs, and hath a fellow feeling in our miseries: and therefore having the mixing of our cup committed unto him, he will haue regard to our ability, and not make it so loathsome, but that we may well take it: and having all power committed also unto him, he will help our infirmities, and give such strength unto us in our greatest weakness, that we shall be able to take so much of this unpleasant physic, as is fit for the recovery of our spiritual health. And hereof it is that the Apostle having taught us that Christ our high Priest was touched with our infirmities▪ and tempted like unto us, maketh this the ground of our faith in all our troubles, and encourageth us hereby to go boldly unto the throne of grace, that Heb. 4 ●. we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. So elsewhere he telleth us, that it behoved our saviour to be like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and Heb. 2. 17. 18. faithful high Priest, &c. for in that himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted, and that now he can haue compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, because he himself also hath been compassed with infirmity. And therefore we need Heb. 5. 2. not now to fear ●ither to be oppressed with an over heavy weight of troubles and afflictions, or that we should be tempted above our power, in regard of our frailty and infirmity, seeing he who maketh the wounds, hath also power to cure them, and he that mixeth our cup can also give us strength to drink it, according to the saying of Eliphaz unto job, He maketh the wound, and job. 5. 18. 19. he bindeth it up, he smiteth and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles, and in the seventh the evil shal not touch thee, &c. And he hath also bound himself Math. 12. 20. by his most gracious promise, that he will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, till he bring forth iudgement unto victory. Thirdly, God the holy ghost is always present with § Sect. 3. That the holy ghost is present with us and powerfully assisteth and comforteth us in all our afflictions. the faithful in all their afflictions and tribulations, supporting their impotency with his might, and manifesting his greatest strength in their greatest weakness; so that though their temptations are grievous and manifold, yet are they always enabled both to bear& overcome them. It is true indeed that the Lord suffereth the faithful to run into desperate dangers, and in the sense and feeling of the flesh, to be almost ou●rwhelmed with the unsupportable weight of their afflictions▪ as wee see Math. 8. 24. in the example of david, job, Elias, the disciples of our saviour, who were almost covered with waves before they were freed out of danger; and in the whole Church grievously afflicted in Egypt, and in most despur●te danger Exod. 2. 23.& 14. 10▪ at the read sea, the former making them cry out in sense of pain, the other in expectation of greater evils; but most plainly in the example of Christ himself, who was so loaded with afflictions, that drops of b●ood were pressed out of him, and so oppressed with the unsupportable weight of the evils which he suffered, that speaking according to his present sense and feeling, he complaineth in agony of spirit, that he was left and forsaken of God. And all this may well stand with the truth of Gods word; for he hath promised, not that we shall not be sorely loaden with an heavy weight of affliction; but only that we shall not be oppressed and overwhelmed; not that we shall escape the assaults of terrible enemies, or never be foiled in the fight, but that in the end we shal obtain the victory; not that we shall be freed from temptations of any kind, yea even of the highest and most dangerous nature, but that we shal not be tempted above our power, but shall haue a good issue with the tentation, so as we shall be able to bear it. And thus the Lord is as good as his promise, when as loading us with the greatest weight of afflictions, he giveth unto us an answerable measure of strength, whereby we are enabled to bear and overcome them; the which he never faileth to do unto his faithful children who trust and depend vpon him. So that in their greatest afflictions they may say with david: The Lord hath chastened me sore, but he hath Psal. 118. 18. not delivered me to death; and with the Apostle Paul, we are 2. Cor. 4▪ 8. 9. afflicted on every side, yet are we not in distress; in poverty, but not overcome of poverty, we are persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but we perish not. Not that we haue any strength in ourselves to endure the fiery trial, or to resist the violence of these cruel enemies, but because in our greatest weakness we are supported with the power of Gods might, and held so fast by the hand of Christ, that the strongest afflictions enforced with all the violence of sathans temptations, are not able to pull us from joh. 10. 28. him. So that notwithstanding our greatest calamities, and little strength, we may rest persuaded with the Apostle, that neither tribulation, anguish, persecution, famine, Rom. 8. 35. nakedness, peril, sword, nor any thing else, shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ. For first the spirit of God dwelling in us doth according to the greatness of our outward afflictions give us an answerable measure of inward consolation; so that where there are great crosses, there also are great comforts: and when God sendeth an extraordinary measure of worldly miseries, which in respect of our own strength would, in trying, tyre us, he sendeth also an extraordinary measure of spiritual refreshings, and comfortable feelings of his love, which make ou● intolerable burden to become light and easy; of which the Apostle sheweth that he had good experience, where he saith that as the sufferings of Christ 2. Cor. 1. 5. abound in us, so our consolation aboundeth through Christ. Whereupon he professeth his hope that the afflicted Corinthians should be made partakers of the same comforts. And our hope is steadfast( saith he) concerning you, vers. 7. knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings; so shall ye be also of the consolation. The like experience of these inward consolations had the Prophet david, In the multitude( saith he) of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight Psal. 94. 19. my soul. All which inward comfort and consolation we haue from the holy spirit of God dwelling and reigning in us, whilst it doth apply unto us the mercies of God, and merits of Christ, and so assuring us that we haue our part and interest in all the gracious promises of the gospel, which either concern this life or the life to come, doth replenish our consciences with such peace as passeth all understanding, and with such unspeakable ioy and gladness, as none conceive but they who feel it. For it is the water of the spirit which like joh. 4. 14. joh. 7. 38. a living fountain ever springeth in us unto everlasting life, and like a clear river floweth with the heavenly streams of sweet consolation, wherein being bathed and washed, in the scorching heat of afflictions and persecutions, we are presently cooled and refreshed, and so filled with ioy and delight, according to that of the Psalmist. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the Psal. 46. 4. city of God, the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most high. It is this spiritual anointing and heavenly oil, which preserveth us from being consumed in this fiery furnace of affliction, and wherewith being anointed after we are scorched with these flames, our sores are suppled, and the fiery heat of the burning so extracted and drawn out, that we receive no more hurt thereby, then Moses bush, which in burning was not consumed, or the three children in the fiery furnace, whose very hairs were not touched with the violence of the flames. So that though we were deprived of all worldly comforts, yet haue we no cause▪ to be faint in our afflictions, or to show impatiency in our greatest griefs, as long as we haue this inward comforter to refresh and cheer job. 15. 11. us: for the consolations of God should not seem small unto us, as Eliphaz speaketh, seeing they so far exceed al earthly delights; neither should we be dejected in our minds though we want these earthly shadows, when as we are replenished with this heavenly substance. But as the afflictions of the faithful, though never § Sect. 4. That Gods spirit giveth unto us strength to bear our afflictions. so unsupportable, are made tolerable with the consolations of Gods spirit, so also by that vigour& strength which it ministereth unto them: for this holy spirit which is the strong power of God, doth so comfort by strengthening, and so strengthen by comforting them, that though they are in themselves most weak and feeble, yet being supported with this divine might; the heaviest weight of troubles and calamities shall not oppress and overwhelm them. And this the Prophet Esay plainly teacheth vs. He giveth strength( saith he) to him Esa 40. 29. 30. 31. that fainteth, and to him that hath no strength he increaseth power; so that though young men who are in their chiefest vigour, being weary do stumble and fall, yet they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and walk and not be faint. So the Psalmist pronounceth him blessed who considereth the poor, because the Lord will either deliver him in the time of trouble, or else at least Psal. 41. 1. 3. will strengthen him vpon the bed of languishing, and will make all his bed in his sickness. And the Apostle assureth us, that because the Lord is faithful in keeping his promises, he will stablish us, when we are ready to stagger, 2. Thes. 3. 3. and keep us from evil, either that it may not touch us, or may not hurt vs. According to that of the Psalmist; thou shalt walk vpon the Lion and asp, the young Lion and Dragon Psal 91. 13. 14▪ shalt thou tread under thy feet. Because he hath loved me therefore will I deliver him &c. he shall call vpon me, and I will hear him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver and glorify him. In regard of which help and assistance which we haue from God, he would haue us to lay aside all fear and cowardice, and to be bold and courageous in all our dangers and distresses. fear thou not( saith Esa. 41. 10. 13. 14. he) for I am with thee, be not afraid for I am thy God: I will strengthen and help thee, and will sustain thee with the right hand of my righteousness. And again▪ I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not, I will help thee. fear not thou worm jacob, and ye men of Israell, I will help saith the Lord and thy redeemer, the holy one of Israell. And unto this strength of confidence and undaunted fear, the faithful do attain, as we may see in▪ Psal. 23. 4. the example of david, who professeth, that though he should walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he would fear no evil, because God was with him, and his rod and staff did comfort him: neither could he be dejected with the rod of his corrections, so long as he was strengthened and upheld with the staff of his consolations. And thus the whole Church and people of God profess, that being by faith, and their manifold experience assured, that God was their hope and strength, and help in troubles, ready to be found, therefore they would not Psal 46. 1. 2. 3. fear, though the earth were removed, and though the mountaines should fall into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof should rage and swell, and the mountaines shake with the swelling there of, &c. By all whic● it appeareth, that God dealeth with his children in their afflictions, as with jacob in wrestling with him; for as in outward show he did seem to contend and strive with him, as though he desired to foil and overthrow him, so indeed and truth he gave unto him all that strength whereby he was enabled to stand, and in the end to overcome: for so no sooner doth the Lord by sending afflictions seem to contend with us, and to desire to overthrow and cast us down, but presently he enableth us with strength& assistance of his holy spirit to overcome in this conflict; and as soon as we are ready to stagger he stayeth us from falling, and when we haue received a foil, he raiseth us up again, till at last we prevail in the conflict and obtain his blessing. Neither can Phil. 4. 13. our weakness be any hindrance to our victory seeing we stand not by our own strength, but by the power of God assisting us, which is more manifested in our weakness, and magnified in our frailty and infirmity. And as the tender mother teaching her young or sick child to go ●. Cor. 12. 9. doth oftentimes seem to leave him to his own strength, when as in truth he goeth by her help supporting him; and to let him alone to his own care and providence, when as in the mean time she hath a watchful eye unto him, so that he is no sooner ready to fall, but with nimble speed she catcheth hold of him, and prevents his danger; so doth the Lord deal with us his children, whilst in our nonage and greatest weakness, he teacheth us to go in this rough path of afflictions, which leadeth to his kingdom; for when he seemeth to neglect us, he watcheth over us: and when in our sense and feeling he leaveth us to ourselves, even then he stayeth us by his strength: and when we are in greatest danger of sinking and falling, he stretcheth out with speed his powerful hand, and preserveth us from receiving any harm. An example whereof we haue in david: who professeth that if the Lord had not holpen him, his soul had almost dwelled in silence, but when( saith he) I said, my foot Psal, 9417 18. slideth, thy mercy O Lord stayed me up. And thus are wee both comforted and strengthened, § Sect. 5. That God mingleth comforts and benefits with our ●fflictions and crosses. with Gods holy spirit, so as our afflictions cannot oppress and overwhelm us, though they bee never so great and manifold, and wee never so weak and impotent in our own strength. unto which wee may further add, that the Lord in his infinite love towards us, doth not content himself to haue given unto his children, this inward strength and comfort in their afflictions; but also in their greatest extremities, he giveth them the fruition of many outward benefits, joining comforts with his crosses, blessings with miseries, blandishments with chastisements, and good things with evil; so that in our greatest mourning, wee never want matter of ioy, and thankes giuing. For as the Lord in his infinite wisdom hath made such a mixture of things in this life, that as there is no man so aboundeth and flourisheth in worldly prosperity, but that he hath some crosses and afflictions in his greatest jollity: so there is no man so dejected and overwhelmed with nile ade● fortuna gravis, miserabile secit, vt minuant nulla ga●dia parte malum. ovid. 4. Pont. cleg. 4. troubles and calamities, but he hath some comforts and refreshing. As no man is so loaded with benefits, as that he is in al respects happy, without any taste of misery; so there is none so oppressed with afflictions, that he is every way miserable, without any taste of this earthly happiness. And this mixture the wise judge of heaven& earth hath made, to keep us in a mean, who are too prove to run into extremes; and because wee would bee too much exalted with continual prosperity, and too much dejected if wee should feel nothing but misery, and affliction; the Lord never suffereth us so to abound with worldly happiness, but that wee haue something to humble us, nor so to bee plunged in misery and affliction, but that wee haue some cause of present comfort, or future hope. And like a wise father he doth not too much dandle us, which would make us wantons; nor always beate us, which would make us desperate; but he judiciously mingleth the one with the other, not letting us haue our wils in all things, least we should neglect him; nor yet always crossing us in them, lest we should hate& rebel against him; not always cockering us, lest we should grow proud and insolent, nor always correcting us, lest we should become base& servile; but he giveth gifts, that we may love him,& stripes, that wee may fear him. Yea often times he mixeth frowns with his favours, when they make us malepart; and kind speeches with his rebukes and chastisements, to show in the hatred of our faults, his love to our persons, when he seeth us humble and penitent; that so he may make us in all things to reverence him, and no less to fear him in his favours, then to love him in his chastisements. And as the wise captain and commander doth not always tyre and wear out his seruants, with long marches, wearisome watchings, and fierce skirmishes and assaults; but after their tedious labours bringeth them into garrisons, that taking their rest and repose, and refreshing themselves with wholesome diet, good lodging, and pleasant recreations, they may renew their strength and courage, and afterwards bee more fit for service and employment: so dealeth our great commander with us, in this spiritual warfare, giuing unto us a breathing time after our fight, rest after our labours, recreation after sorrows, and after troubles and afflictions, comforts and refreshings; that so having recovered our strength, and taken new courage unto us, wee may the better bee enabled to do him further service. Yea he doth not only▪ interchangeably let one of these succeed the other, but like a prudent general he intermixeth them together, giuing unto them in the time of their greatest labours, some rest, and in their sharpest conflicts and encounters with afflictions, some breathing, and refreshing; even as contrariwise he doth not, when they are in the garrison of prosperity suffer them to languish in idleness, and to spend their whole time in eating, drinking, pleasure, and delight, which would effeminate their mindes, and make them unfit for service; but sometimes inureth them to labour, watching, and warlike ex●rcises, for the preserving of their strength, and manlike Chrisost. in Math. 16. H●mil. 54. courage. To this purpose one sai●h, that God in governing the world, doth now sand one thing, and then an other, and doth not at all times grant prosperity, nor always inflict trouble, and adversity; but as there is in nature a vicissitude,& intercourse of al things, day following the night, and night the day; summer the winter, and winter the summer: so even in us, sorrow, and pleasure, sickness▪ and health, haue their tu●nes, and changes. And therefore wee should not think sickne▪ strange, for then by the same reason wee should think it strenge also when wee haue our health; nor bee much moved when sorrow cometh; for then wee should bee alike troubled at the approach of ioy: because, in course of nature, these do follow one the other: &c. Neither now say, that this is no comfort unto thee, who always livest in misery, and affliction, seeing hereby thou shalt but bewray thy unthankfulness, and forgetfulness of Gods blessings; for no man can be always in grief, neither will our nature bear it: but because wee desire to spend all our time in pleasure and delight, therefore wee think the shortest griefs, to be as it were an age of sorrow. Besides, those things which are good, and delightful, do when they are past, easily slip out of memory, but that which is evil and grievous maketh such a deep impression, that though it bee past, yet it is never forgotten. even the weary hireling, and the idle gentleman, the King, and captive haue both their comforts, and their crosses For he oftentimes in his prison, hath his pleasures, laughing, leaping, and playing to express his mirth; and the other, under his crown hath his cares, and many a pang under his purple rob, sorrowing, shaking, carking, and dying, for fear of dying. So that there is no mans life, either without pain, or pleasure, matter of mirth, or cause of mourning, the which mixture, the Lord hath made for our profit and benefit, if wee had eyes to see it, or grace to aclowledge it; for we could never well relish these dishes of prosperity, unless they were seasoned with afflictions, and made pleasing to our palates, with these sharp sauces; wee would take no delight in the day of ioy, unless the dark night of sorrow went before it; nor esteem of health, if we were never sick; nor think plenty a benefit, unless wee were sometimes pinched with want, and penury. Neither is the value of any of Gods benefits known in the fruition, but in their want. Delicates would not delight us, if they were not dainty; neither do wee account any thing rare in excellency; unless withall it bee rare in use. even continual pleasure would displease us, and sweetness itself without change, or mixture, would become as loathsome as gull or wormewod▪ perpetual ease, is worse then wearisome labour; and according to the proverb; he had need to haue strong bones that O ●ertet essa esse robusta, quae ferant dies bonos. beareth the weight of continual prosperity. For it is a kind of misery, never to haue tasted misery; and no more delight to abound always in pleasure, and plenty, then it is to haue always a full stomach: seeing wee surfet of this satiety, and are more dangerously sick, being pampered with these worldly dainties, then when wee use the most spare diet. And therefore it is in mercy, that the Lord mingleth our prosperity with adversity; seeing by the want of earthly benefits, he doth but whet our stomachs, and sharpen our appetites, that after when wee haue them, wee may feed on them with more delight. For our health is sweetened, and endeared by our sickness, our plenty with our want, our liberty by our restraint, our rest by our labour, and the having our wils, by our sometimes wanting of them. But here some will say, that howsoever there might § Sect 6. Their objection answered, who affirm, that their crosses do far exceed their comforts. bee some pleasure or profit in an equal mixture of prosperity, and affliction; or when wee haue a little sour to relish all our sweet; yet there is no great comfort, when the sauce exceeds the meate; neither can I find any place for patience in mine afflictions, seeing I haue so many crosses, for so few comforts, and a pound of misery, for a dram of delight. To whom I answer, that these complaints arise from the corrupt flesh, which is so wholly intent, vpon that present smart which it feeleth, that it utterly forgetteth all Gods blessings, and benefits, which wee either haue formerly enjoyed in time past, or do enjoy, in and after our afflictions; and through impatience, robbeth us of those comforts which God hath given us; which if they were duly pondered in the balance of an unpartial iudgment, they would not only counterpoise, but even much overweigh the causes of our griefs. Wherein wee are not unfitly compared unto flies, who leave all the sound flesh, though of far greater quantity, and seek out only sores to suck in; or unto little children, who if any of their many delights bee taken from them, in their peeuishnes and discontent cast away all the rest, and fall a crying: for so in our frowardness and impatiency, if wee haue not all wee can desire, wee think that wee haue nothing; and if God cross us in any one benefit, by taking it from us, we are ready to cross ourselves in all the rest; casting them away by contempt, or careless neglect, when as they should serve as comforts to moderate our grief. And being resolved to torment ourselves with excessive sorrow, wee voluntarily forget all the good things which wee enjoy, and employ all our wit to invent and find out arguments, to justify our grief; that so wee may haue some reason for our madness; and to aggravate the causes of our discontent with many circumstances, that according to the greatness thereof, wee may also enlarge our sorrows, and haue some pretext for our excessive mourning. Like unto those who being foul by nature, do paint their faces, that they may bee faire by art, and so may bee liked of others, who are deceived with their false beauty; or( if the deceit being discerned, they appear hereby more ugly to their iudgment, then amiable to their eye) they may at least please themselves, who are willing to bee deceived, with these adulterate, and adulterous colours, that they may increase their love and liking to their own persons: for so these passionate mourners, being in love with their sorrows, and knowing that they are ugly and monstrous when they are immoderate, they paint and set them out with false colours, that thereby they procure others approbation of them, or else fit them for their own liking. And removing out of sight all Gods blessings and benefits they still enjoy, which would be so many arguments to convince them of folly, in their impatient sorrow; and so many blots and aspersions to blemish the counterfeit beauty of their painted grief, they do by all means amplify, and aggravate their crosses, and if they be not heavy enough of themselves to press them down, they will increase their weight by calling to remembrance al their miseries past, and by fear will anticipate all that are to come. § Sect. 7. That we must comfort ourselves in afflictions, by considering wha● benefits we do still enjoy. Such foundlings, it is hard to wean from this loathsome love; because they wilfully stop their ears against al cōlations, and therfore must for a time haue leave to whip themselves, with these rods of their own making; till sense of pain haue brought them out of this fit of frenzy, and made them more capable of reason and persuasion, and till being wearied with their own waiwardnesse they become wiser, and more desirous of their own good. But if we haue any desire in the time of our afflictions to haue our sorrowful souls refreshed with true comfort,& to endure Gods fatherly chastisements with patience and thankfulness: let us not fix our eyes only vpon our present troubles, and turn them away from all causes of comfort, which God offereth unto us in the midst of our miseries: neither let our minds be only intent vpon the evils which afflict us, to aggravate them in our conceit and apprehension, that with them we may increase our sorrowes; but let us rather exercise them in meditating vpon the manifold and great blessings which we haue received from God in time past, vpon those also which we presently enjoy, and vpon such as we expect in the time to come. For, there is no faithful man, though for the present never so miserable, who hath not had the fruition of many of Gods fauous in former times; the which he may to his comfort enjoy by a grateful remembrance, not taking occasion thereby to aggravate his griefs, by calling to mind what he hath lost, but rather to renew his ioy in himself and thankfulness towards God, by thinking how long he did enjoy them. As we may see in the example of job, who in his greatest extremities armed his patience, with the remembrance of those manifold blessings which he had received from God in former times; Shall we( saith he) receive good at the hand of God, and job. 2. 10. not receive evil? Yea there is no man so overwhelmed with miseries, but that if it would please him to number them, he might find as many of Gods mercies to set against them, which might serve to counterpoise the weight of his afflictions, and as much raise him with ioy and comfort, as he is dejected with grief and heaviness. Thou art troubled with sickness; but thou hast sufficient wealth to provide diet, physic and other necessaries. Thou art weak and of a tender nature; but thou inioyest such a competency, as may maintain thee without any great labour. Thou art poor in estate; but thou hast thine health and strength, whereby thou art enabled to take such pains as may earn thy living. Thou hast a troubled mind; but thou hast a strong body, or many friends which refresh thee with their comforts. Thou hast a weak body; but thou hast a courageous heart. Thou hast no goods nor means of getting them; but thou hast some friends which take care of thee. Thou art destitute of friends; but thou art able to live of thyself without their help. Thou hast some bad children which grieve thee; but thou hast some other good which do delight thee: or, thou hast a virtuous wife which may supply the defect of all other comforts. Thou art vexed with miseries all the day, one grief pursuing another; but thou hast rest in the night, and when sleep cometh thy sorrows vanish. In a word, God vexeth us not with a continual fever of afflictions, but onely with some ague fits, which haue a good day as well as a bad; or at least haue many intermissions, if they be quotidian. he doth not suffer these spiritual enemies so continually to assault us, but that he granteth unto us many breathing times to recover our strength; and if he suffer them to give us great blows, he grueth us also strong armor to bear them off: He will not deprive us of all his benefits at once, but if he cause the sun of our chief ioy to set, he will make it to rise again( as it were) the next day, and in the mean time he will supply the absence of this our great light, with the innumerable stars of lesser comforts. Yea( as I said) he so intermixeth comforts with our crosses that we never haue such cause of grief, but that we haue as much cause of gladness. Thus he taketh away a good mother from Isaac, but he comforteth Gen. 24. 67 1. Sam. 1. cap. 29. 31. him in his loss by giuing him a virtuous wife: thus when Leah was despised he made her fruitful; and when Rachel and Hannah were barren, he comforteth them in their husbands love. Thus david, when he served a malicious King who sought his life, was recompensed in the love of a gracious Prince, who was as careful to preserve him, as his father violent in seeking his destruction; and when he was vexed with ungracious sons, he was comforted in the love of most faithful seruants. And therefore, when as wee still enjoy from God so many benefits with our crosses, let us not so wholly be taken up in thinking on our afflictions, as that wee never meditate vpon Gods blessings joined with them: for this is but like the leech, to feed vpon corrupted blood, and to leave that which is pure and sound; or like the foolish Merchant, of whom Plutarch Pl●●arch. de tranqu, animi. speaketh, who reserved all his good wine for the use of others, and drunk himself that which was palled, and no better then vinegar: but let us think vpon that which is left, as well as vpon that which is lost, and not vex ourselves for that which we haue not, but enjoy with comfort that which we haue. For otherwise though we profess Christianity, we shall come short of the wisdom which was in the Heathen Philosopher, who having Plutarch ibid. lost one of his four goodly manors, said unto one who seemed much to condole his loss; dost thou not know, that whereas thyself hast but one little farm, I haue three faire manors still remaining? which being acknowledged by the party, he further demanded: why then he should not rather condole with him, for having but one, then the other with him who was Lord of so many. Finally, as we haue had, and haue, many good things before and in the time of our afflicitons, which may serve as comforts to lighten our calamities: So may we also refresh our fainting minds, in assurance of hope, and in the certain expectation of future blessings; when as rest shall follow our labour, and matter of mirth our causes of mourning. For, though weeping may abide at the evening, yet ioy cometh in the Morning: Psal. 30. 5. though we haue a dropping seed time, yet our harvest shall be faire and dry; for as the Psalmist saith: They that sow in tears shall reap in ioy; and whereas Psal. 126. 5. 6. they went weeping carrying precious seed, they shall return with ioy and bring their sheaves. And well this agreeth with the love of our heavenly Father, to turn his terrible frowns into gracious smiles, and to give some comfort to his children, after that by correction, he hath thoroughly humbled them; well doth it befit the skill and grace of our wise Physician, to minister the cordials and restoratives of consolation, after the vomits and purges of affliction, that as by the one wee are cleansed from the gross humors of sin and corruption, so by the other we may be strengthened and enabled, to lead a new life, and to perform with comfort and encouragement all holy and christian duties both to God and our neighbours. But though it were supposed that our whole life § Sect. 8. That God moderateth our grief for worldly crosses, by giuing unto us spiritual comforts. were full of miseries, and that we had no taste of earthly comfort, nor had ever spent a day in worldly contentment, yet haue all the faithful so many spiritual consolations, both in respect of their present feelings and future hopes, that they are sufficient to out-countenance all their crosses, and to sweeten all their afflictions in their greatest bitterness. For having the assurance of the pardon of their sins, and reconciliation with God, there followeth this peace with him, such peace of conscience, as passeth all understanding, and such inward consolation and ioy in the holy Ghost, as maketh them to rejoice, not only in their prosperity, but also in their greatest miseries and afflictions, as the Apostle Rom. 5. 3 speaketh. Neither do they make any reckoning of all the crosses and calamities which this world can inflict vpon them: seeing all the miseries and evils which are to be found vpon the whole earth are but as one little drop, in comparison of that infinite Ocean of woe and hellish condemnation, from which through Christ they are delivered. Besides, they haue assurance by a lively faith, that in all their troubles and dangers, they Psal. 91. 11. haue the guard of Gods holy Angels attending on them, who having taken charge over them, do keep them in all their ways that they hurt not their foot against a ston; and that though they haue many and great enemies to assault them, yet they haue more and mighty friends who daily stand in their defence, to protect them from all their fury. Yea, they know that Gods own holy providence watcheth over them; which as it sendeth, so it ordereth, moderateth, and mitigateth all their afflictions, converting and turning all to their good, and the everlasting salvation of their souls. Finally, Act. 14. 22. by faith they haue assurance that this unpleasant way of earthly tribulations, doth conduct them to their heavenly country, where they shall haue pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore; and that these short and 2. Cor. 4. 17. momentany afflictions shall cause unto them a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory: and this maketh them to bear, whatsoever crosses God layeth vpon them, with patience, seeing they know that the afflictions Rom. 8. 18. of this present life, are not worthy the glory which shall be revealed. For if that trojan captain thought it a Forsan& haec olim meminisse inuabit. Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum Tendimus in Latium, seeds ubi fata quietas. Ostendunt. Virg. Aeneid. 1. sufficient encouragement, to comfort and hearten his souldiers in all their difficulties and dangers, when as he could give them some hope, that after all these cruel tempests and toilsome labours, they should at length arrive in a pleasant country, where they should take their rest and pleasure, and delight themselves in the remembrance of their passed troubles: how much more should we with patience and courage pass through this sea of worldly miseries, who haue far better assurance of far better hopes; even that we shall after these our painful labours, safely arrive at the haven of everlasting rest, where it shall not be possible for all our enemies, so much as to interrupt our happiness, or disturb our ioy. And thus was Elias comforted, when being forsaken 1. King▪ 19. 5 of men, he had the Angels of God to minister unto him: Thus was Elizeus faint-hearted seruant encouraged, when as being beset with enemies, he had his eyes opened, and saw more on his side then were against him. 2. Kin. 6 16. 17 Act. 7. 76 Thus was the martyr steven replenished with ioy and gladness in all his persecutions, by looking into heaven, where he saw his saviour, and that unspeakable ioy and happiness, which was there reserved for him; and this made him when the stones flew about his ears, to forget his own pain, danger, and death, and in most fervent charity to pray for his enemies, that their sins might not be laid to their charge, and so debar them of all these joys. And finally, this made Moses choose Heb. 11. 25. 26 rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the rebuk of Christ greater riches then the treasures of egypt, because he had respect to the recompense of reward. To this Mala vitae praesentis tantò durius animus sentit, quanto pensare bonum quod sequitur negligit &c. Greg●r. Moral. lib. 10. cap. 12. purpose one saith well, that the mind of man so much the more grievously apprehendeth the miseries of this life present, by how much it neglecteth to ponder the good that followeth; and because he will not meditate on the rewards which are reserved for him, he thinketh every trifle burdensome which he beareth: whereof it is, that his blind cogitation causeth him to murmur and complain, when he feeleth but the blow of a whip, and thinketh that an intolerable calamity, which is daily ended with the course of sliding time. But if a man once contemplate those joys which are eternal, and fix the eye of his heart vpon those things which do for ever continue without change; he thinketh al that to be nothing which is still running towards an end, and beareth the afflictions of this present life so lightly, as though he thought all that nothing which slideth so fast away. For the more deeply those inward joys are rooted in him, the more slightly he apprehendeth all these outward griefs, &c. In which respect Zophar fitly compareth the miseries of this present life, to waters which job 11. 16. run and pass away; because these sliding calamities do not with their violence oppress the mind of a faithful man, but only give him a little touch of sorrow as they pass by; and though he be moistened with the blood of his wounds, yet he is not rent and plucked away from the assurance of his salvation. And thus haue I shewed, that the Lord afflicteth none § Sect. 9. That Paul was not afflicted above hi● strength, as his words seem to portend. of his faithful children above their strength, but when he sendeth any adversity or tribulation, he withall sendeth the comforter, his holy spirit, who refresheth them with inward consolations, and both outwardly and inwardly mingleth many good things with their evils, and his gracious benefits with their afflictions, that by all these helps he may support their weakness, and enable them to bear all their corrections with patience and comfort. Against which may be objected the example of the Apost. Paul, who affirmeth that in his afflictions 2. Cor. 1▪ 8 which he suffered in Asia, he was pressed out of measure, passing strength, so that he doubted of his life. unto which I answer, that the Apostles end is not there to show the vnmeasurablenes of his afflictions, but he doth only aggravate them, that he may the more amplify Gods mercy in delivering him from such great evils. To which purpose he saith, that he was pressed out of measure and above strength, that is, beyond his own ability and natural power, which was far unable to bear so great afflictions, that so he might magnify the greatness of Gods mercies, who had strengthened him above nature, and when all natural ability failed, had supported him by his spirit, and raised him to health and strength when all worldly and natural helps and hopes failed and forsook him, as though he should haue said, I was in respect of my frail nature so unmeasurably pressed with grievous sickness, that there was no possible means for me to haue continued in this extremity, had not Gods power supported me, and raised me to life, who was even but a dead man in mine own apprehension. And that this is the meaning of the words, it plainly appeareth, both by that which goeth before, and that which followeth. For before, he affirmeth that God ●er. 4, 5. comforted him in all his tribulations, and that as the sufferings, which he endured for the name of Christ, abounded, so his consolation did abound through Christ. And the words following also, show that he speaketh of the greatness of his sickness, which was out of measure, not in respect of that power which he had from▪ God, but of his own natural strength: for so he faith, that he received the sentence of death in himself, because he should not trust in himself, but in God which raiseth the ver. 9, 10. dead, and delivered him from this great death. So afterwards speaking of his afflictions, he faith: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, or without hope of help, we are persecuted 2. Cor. 4. 8, 9. but not forsaken, cast down but we perish not. Yea but the faithful do in their afflictions fall into § Sect. 10. A second object. answered taken from the example of di●ers of the f●ithfull. job. 6 2, 3, 8, 9, 11, 12. impatiency, and make grievous complaints like men for-lorne, and forsaken of God, which they would not do unless their afflictions were above their strength. Many such complaints we find in the book of job. For he crieth out: O that my grief were well weighed, and my miseries were laid together in the balance, for it would be heavier then the sand of the sea, &c. O that it would please God to destroy me▪ that he would let loose his hand and cut me off; what is my strength that I should hope, or mine end that I should prolong my life? Is my strength the strength of stones, or my flesh of brass? Thus also david complaineth, that God had forsaken him, that he had forgotten to bee merciful, and shut Psa. 22. 1. Psal 77. 9.& 6. 6.& 38. 8, 10. up his tender mercies in displeasure, that he fainted in his mourning, that he was weakened and sore broken, and roared for the very grief of his heart, that his heart panted, and his strength failed him, and that the light of his eyes was gone away from him. And the whole Church in her lamentations crieth out with great passion: Haue ye no regard Lam. 1. 12 all ye that pass by this way. Behold and se● if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherwth the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath? To which I answer, that all these are the complaints of the weak and frail flesh, out of the present sense and feeling of Gods heavy judgements, joined with a sight of it own, infirmity and inability to bear and endure them by it own strength, unto which the spiritual and regenerate part consenteth not, having in the midst of all extremities some taste of spiritual comfort, and some assurance of Gods presence& power assisting and st●engthening it; but resisteth these temptations of the flesh, and never ceaseth opposing and labouring against them, until it haue overcome them and confirmed the Christian with patience and comfort, Yea, even when the flesh most doubteth and despaireth, in regard of it own strength, failing, and fainting in the time of trouble, because resting wholly vpon itself, it is forsaken of all hope, when it seeth this strength enfeebled, and the affliction increasing in weight and violence: then doth the spiritual part labour and endeavour to rest securely vpon God, knowing that we stand not by our own power, but by the power of his might; that when we are weakest, then he is strongest, and taketh delight to manifest his great power, in our greatest infirmities: and finally that he hath bound himself by his most gracious promises never to fail us nor forsake us, but will assist and hold us up in all temptations until at the last we obtain the victory. It is true indeed, that the Christian is diversly affencted in this spiritual conflict, in respect of these diuers parts, which like mortal enemies fight one against the other, sometime ●ighing and groaning, and sometime singing and rejoicing; one while complaining as one forsaken of God, and overwhelmed with his heavy judgements, and another while refreshed and comforted in his inward feelings, when as the love of God breaketh out and appeareth unto him, through these clouds of trouble and affliction; now murmuring and repining in sense of pain, and utterly desperate and destitute of all hope and help; and soon after rejoicing in tribulation, and triumphing over all his miseries in assurance of Gods love, whereby he refleth persuaded, that God will turn all to his good, and in the mean time never cease to assist him in all difficulties and distresses. And all this will well stand, both with the truth of Gods word and promises, and also with this christian consolation; that God measureth unto the faithful such a proportion of affliction, as befitteth their strength, laying vpon no man more then he is able to bear. For the Lord hath not promised that we shall not be soiled in this conflict, but that wee shall not be overcome, not that we shall not be pressed and pinched with the weight of afflictions, but that wee shall not be oppressed and perish in them, not that wee shall not sorrow and sigh, lament and weep in our miseries; but that our sorrow shall be turned into ioy, and all tears shall be wiped from our eyes; that our mourning shal end in mirth▪ and our impatient murmurings, shall be changed into cheerful movings and songs of deliverance: he hath not promised that we shall always feel power sufficient in ourselves to endure all temptations, for where is always feeling, there is no place for faith; but that in our greatest weakness his power shall be sufficient for us, and that when we are most feeble in ourselves, we shall be strong in him. Finally, he hath not stinted himself to any number or weight of afflictions, nor promised that we should bewray no impatiency and infirmities in the time of our trials, whilst this Rom. ●. 28 1. Cor. 10. 13. heavy weight dothly vpon us, but that he will in the end turn all to our good, and not so suffer us to be tempted, but that at the length he will give a good issue unto our temptations, that we may be able to bear and overcome them. Yea but we see many, who haue formerly made profession § Sect. 11. A third objection answered, taken from the example of some who fall away in th● time of affliction. of religion, and seemed to make some conscience of their ways, who are quiter overthrown in this combat of afflictions, falling into extreme impatiency, murmuring and repining against Gods providence, and uttering fearful blasphemies against his majesty; and that which is worst of all, do continue in these desperate courses unto the end. To which I answer, that what show soever such haue made, they were at the best but mere hypocrites, unto whom Gods promises of not tempting above power, and afflicting above strength are not made, seeing they are appropriated only to true believers. And therefore it is no marvel, if this chaff which before did lye quietly with the wheat, is scattered abroad when the wind& fan of trial cometh, no marvel if this dross be consumed in the fiery trial, though, before it was put into the furnace, it made some glittering show. Neither should it seem strange unto us, that these green blades, which for want of ground never took root, do whither away when the sun of tribulation and affliction ariseth, seeing our saviour Christ hath long ago given us warning of it. Mat. 13. 20, 21. Neither doth this befall them because God layeth vpon them intolerable affliction; but because through their weakness and natural corruption, they are able to bear nothing; nor is their destruction to be imputed to the greatness and grievousness of their miseries, but to their infirmnesse and impotency in enduring any trial. For if a man through the weakness of his stomach do not receive or retain a profitable potion, which would purge him from his corrupt humours and restore him to health, because it is unpleasant and bitter to his taste, and so death for want of help, his death and destruction is not to be ascribed to the physic, but to his indisposition who would or could not take it: So the ruin and overthrow of hypocrites is not to be ascribed to their bitter potions of afflictions, which if they were taken according to the prescript of our wise physician, would purge them of their corruptions and recover their strength; but to their own impotency and sinful imbecility, which cannot bear nor profit by them. And Chrysost. in Rom▪ 5. ser. 9. Nulla infoelicitas fra●git, quem nulla foelicitas corru●pit August in sente●. of these wee may truly say with that ancient Father; That if they are overthrown with tribulation, they would much more haue come to the like destruction by pleasures and prosperity, rest and ●dlenesse. For, if being bound, and( as it were) fast tied unto God by the cords of tribulation, they notwithstanding fall away from him; how much more would they haue fallen if they had been loose and left to their own liberty. And to the same purpose he saith else where, that if tribulation Chrysost. in Epist. ad Hebraeos. cap. 12. Homil. 28. do overthrow and destroy any, it is not to be imputed to the strength of these assailants, but unto their own sloth and cowardice For if being sober and watchful we pray unto God, that he will not suffer us to be tempted above our power, if we always adhere and cleave unto him by faith and affiance, stand to it valiantly▪ prepa●e our armor and set ourselves to fight, we shall always find him to be our helper and defender; and although temptations come rushing vpon us like a furious tempest, yet they shall be unto us as light as stubble, and like a leaf that is carried in the air. Now this doctrine whereby we are assured, that God Sect. 12. That the former consideration is full of comfort. measureth our afflictions according to our strength, and never tempteth us above our power( but always g●ueth a good issue to our troubles and temptations) is so full of christian comfort, that if there were no other argument besides to persuade us, to bear all our crosses and calamities with patience and comfort, this alone were sufficient. For who would not bee content to bear a burden of Gods own imposing, when as he is sure he shall not be ouerloaded? who would refuse to be tried in this furnace of affliction, if he certainly know that it will not consume, but onely purge and purify him from the dross of sin? Who being pressed into Gods service would not courageously fight against such enemies, as being inferior in strength, he is sure to overcome? and who would refuse to receive a potion prepared by this most heavenly and wise physician, though it be bitter and unpleasant unto the taste, if he be ascertained, that the poison of affliction is corrected with so many preservations of his love, and testimonies of his favour, and so mingled with innumerable numbers of Gods blessings and benefits, and fitted to his constitution and strength who is to take to it, that howsoever whilst it worketh vpon his gross humors, and purgeth away those tough corruptions which naturally adhere unto him, he is for the present sick in his sense and feeling, yet he shall thereby be recovered and restored to his health? To this purpose one saith, that it is a singular Gregor. moral. lib. 3. cap. 7. comfort in the time of affliction, to call often to mind Gods blessings and benefits; neither will our griefs break and depress us, if wee uphold and comfort our fainting and sinking souls, by calling to our remembrance the gifts of God bestowed on vs. And therefore it is well said: In thy good dayes be not unmindful Eccles. 11. of the evil, and in thy evil dayes bee not forgetful of the good: For whosoever daily receiveth gifts, and feareth not correction, through too much ioy he perisheth in his pride; and contrariwise he who is worn out with chastisements, and doth not comfort himself in the gifts which he hath received, is destroyed through despair. And therefore both these are to be joined together, that one may help to support the other; in as much as the remembrance of the gift doth temper and mitigate the grief and smart of the rod; Bernard. in ram● palmaru. serm. 2. and the suspicion and fear of the rod, doth temper and moderate the ioy of the gift. And to the same effect another saith, that the faithful are mindful of their good things in the day of adversity, lest they should be faint hearted and impatient; and in the day of prosperity they are not unmindful of evils and affliction, least being exalted and lifted up, they should Psal 30. 6. say, we shall never be removed. As therefore when our eyes are dimmed and dazzled by looking vpon hurtful objects, or by too much intention of the sight, we do again refresh and repair their strength and vigour, by beholding of green colour: so when our hearts and minds are tired and vexed by considering the good things we want, or the evils and miseries which lye vpon us; wee must not suffer them to bee wholly intent vpon these hurtful and pernicious objects, but exercise them in meditating vpon those manifold blessings which God suffereth us presently to enjoy, for the mitigating of our smart, and moderating, and as it were sweetening the bitterness of our grief; and also vpon that future happiness which we enjoy in hope, and that everlasting and incomprehensible ioy and glorious blessedness, which wee shall receive in the kingdom of heaven, when our course is ended, and our conflict finished. CHAP. 12. That God afflicteth us no more then is necessary for his own glory, and our salvation. ANd thus Gods love and mercy appeareth in § Sect. 1. That our state of corruption necessary requireth affliction measuring our afflictions, according to our strength: the other point propounded is, that God sheweth the like love unto us, by measuring the proportion of afflictions, according to the scantest measure of our necessity, laying no more vpon us then is necessary for the magnifying of his own glory by our sanctification in this life, and our salvation in the life to come. For the Lord is chiefly delighted in exercising hi● love, mercy, and goodness towards his saints, and seruants; and would not willingly afflict and correct us, if wee did not urge him thereunto by a kind of necessity. For such is our natural corruption, that wee are easily ●ock●ed, and made wanton, with the fruition of Gods blessings, and grow to such pride, and insolency through his continual savours, that wee are ready to forget, and con●●mne him, who is the author of all our good; and to run into all excess, and riot, with the wicked of the world, turning our liberty into loose licentiousness, and abusing our plenty of Gods blessings, as a means of maintaining us in our luxurious, and wicked courses. And therefore the Lord is after a sort enforced to correct us, that by sorrow and smart, he may bring us to know ourselves, and to remember him, of whom ease and prosperity haue made us ignorant, and forgetful; and by these sharp whips and rods, he reclaimeth from our lewd courses, wherein if he should let us alone, we would run on with headlong hast unto our endless perdition and condemnation. And as the wise and faithful physician is constrained, vpon the necessity of recovering his patients health, to prescribe unto him fasting after feasting, abstinence after surfe●ing& excess, and bitter potions& purges when he findeth his body distempered with corrupt humors, and overmuch fullness: so vpon the like necessity of recovering our spiritual health, the Lord is fain, when wee surfet on his blessings, to withdraw them from us, and to appoint us abstinence, or a shorter diet; and when he seeth our souls full of sinful corruptions, to give unto us these bitter potions of afflictions, to purge us from them. And when wee haue pampered ourselves by feeding on the forbidden fruits of sinful pleasures, and haue greedily drunk of the poisonous cups of excess, and rapine, of whoredom, and fornication, and the wine of violence and oppression, wherewith our natures being tainted and infected, the life of our souls is hazarded and endangered: the Lord out of his love& care is enforced to prepare another cup for us,& to make us drink of the antido●e,& counterpoison of afflictions, that the poison of sin may be purged,& expelled,& we freed from the danger of everlasting death. And as in these regards there is necessity of sending these afflictions in respect of every particular faithful man, so also in regard of the whole Church in general. For as it is never more spiritually poor and lean, then when it is pampered in worldly pomp, and prosperity; so it is never richer, or in better liking, then when it is outwardly pinched with misery, and affliction. And as by too much fullness it falleth into a consumption, and by being too rank, is easilier laid,& cast down with every storm of tentation, whereby it is endangered to rotting, and perishing: so it groweth fatter by fasting, prospereth better when it is bitten and nipped, nor ever thriveth so well, or groweth so fast, as when it carrieth the cross on the shoulder. To which purpose one saith, that it is most Agust. in Homil. 35. T. 10. necessary for the catholic Church, to bee exercised, and tried with continual temptations: because in the midst of temptations it liveth, flourisheth, constantly endureth, and cometh to perfection: unto which, when it hath attained, rest succeedeth labour, and the temptations departing, the blessing remaineth. Neither doth the Lord take any delight in our smart, § Sect. 2. That the Lord taketh no delight in our smart, but useth all means to prevent our punishment. Amos 2. 13. or maketh any hast to inflict his chastisements, but with great patience, and long suffering, he expecteth our repentance, that he may haue mercy vpon us; and doth not take his rod of correction into his hand, till he bee pressed with the weight of our sins, as the Cart is pressed which is full of sheaves, as the prophet speaketh, and till there bee no other remedy. And even then when we haue urged him with a kind of necessity to chastise us, because otherwise we would go on in the ways of wickedness to our perdition, and everlasting condemnation, he doth not punish us willingly, as one that taketh delight in Lamen. 3. 33. our smart, and torment; but performeth it as an action, which is rather fit for us to suffer, then for him to do, ●t being unto him, as the Prophet speaketh, his strange work Esay 28. 21. and not familiar unto his nature, which is full of love, mercy, and goodness, and is most delighted and pleased Mich. 7. 18. in showing and extending grace and compassion to those who are in misery. And therefore in all his courses and proceedings, he avoideth as much as will stand with his glory, and our everlasting good, all hard, and rigorous courses towards vs. For first like a gracious father he lovingly acquainteth us with his will, and informeth us in the duties which wee ought to perform unto him, alluring us to obedience, and encouraging us to serve him, with innumerable benefits in present possession, and with many gracious promises of bestowing much more excellent things vpon us in time to come. And if wee bee so forgetful of him, and ourselves, that notwithstanding all his favours, wee neglect our duty, and abuse his mercies, as occasions and means of sin; he doth in the next place after a fatherly manner admonish us, in the ministry of the word, of the neglect of our duty, and putteth us in mind of our faultiness, that wee may amend it, which if wee do, he stayeth here, and goeth no further: but if wee persist in our evil courses, he doth by the same his holy word, sharply rebuk and reprove us for our sins; and threateneth his judgements and chastisements, if by gentler means wee will not bee reformed. And if he yet prevail with us, he stayeth his hand, and proceedeth no further against vs. But if all this will not reclaim us from our wicked ways, and bring us to repentance; then is he forced to let us feel the smart of the rod, and though in his fatherly affection he much pitieth us, and tendereth our griefs, yet both in his wisdom and love, he seeth it necessary that wee should rather presently bee vexed with some momentany affliction, then that wee should run a course through impunity, and want of correction, 1. Cor. 11. 32. which in the end would plunge us into everlasting condemnation. And yet he doth not presently deal with us in that § Sect. 3. That the measure of our afflictions exceedeth not necess●●y. straight and just severity, which our sins haue deserved he should use towards us, but at first, doth correct us lightly, and gently, with all tenderness and compassion; with which small chastisement if wee bee amended, he stayeth his hand, having attained unto that which he desired& intended; but if fewer stripes will not reform us, he is necessary urged to lay on more; and if wee bee so stubborn, as to contemn his rods, whereby he gently correcteth us, he is constrained to scourge and beate us with the whip& cudgel of more grievous afflictions; being resolved out of more love, and fatherly affection, to use towards us any present rigour and extremity, then he will suffer us by persisting in our sins, to fall into everlasting perdition, or to become so desperate in our wickedness, as that he should goody forced to disinherit us of our heavenly inheritance, So that if wee endure grievous afflictions, and do find that our heavenly Father doth correct us sharply, and with great severity, wee are not to impute it unto any want of love in him, as though he took any pleasure in our pain, but are to lay the fault wholly vpon ourselves, who are so stubborn, and undutiful, that more gentle corrections would not reclaim vs. For if there bee such love and tenderness in earthly parents( which notwithstanding is but a little drop distilled into them, from this fountain, or rather ocean of mercy and compassion) that they desire, and chiefly delight in showing their kind affection to their children, and in giuing unto them all testimonies and signs of love: and are loth to correct them for their faults, if any admonitions& rebukes will reform& amend them; never thinking stripes seasonable, but when they see them necessary, in regard that other means will not reclaim them from their faults, and bring them to good: yea, if their love bee such, and so great, that according to the same necessity, it measureth out the number of their stripes, and quantity of their correction, so as they are not willing to give them one blow more, then they think necessary for their amendment: then how much less will the Lord exceed this measure of necessity, seeing he both infinitelty excelleth al earthly parents in love, and goodness, as being not only gracious, but the God of grace, and not only loving, but love itself, as the Apostle styleth 1. John 4. 8. him; and is alike infinite in wisdom, and therefore cannot( like earthly parents) bee deceived in the proportion of his chastisements, but justly knoweth how much is necessary▪& neither too much, nor too little, for the amendment of his children? yea if there bee such love, and care in an honest, faithful, and learned physician, that according to his skill, he will take for the ease of his patient the gentlest, and most pleasing courses which he thinketh sufficient for the effecting of the cure; and will never use sharper and more painful remedies then the necessity of the soare or sickness doth require: as for example, he will not mix a greater quantity of poison in the purgation, then by the rules of arte he findeth necessary for such a patient, and such a disease; he will not appoint a cortasiue, launcher or burning iron, where a healing plaster will effect the cure: he will not prescribe violent purgations, when gentle potions are sufficient; nor give unto his patien● bitter and loathsome drugs, which he hateth as much as his disease, when as he seeth that he may as well recover him by pleasant electuaries, and comfortable restoratives: how much more may we bee assured, that our heavenly physician, who never faileth for want of skill, and is also infinite in love and goodness towards his diseased patients, will never for the curing of our spiritual diseases use sharper means then our sickness requireth, nor ever give us more of the bitter medicines of afflictions& misery, then is fit for the recovery of our spiritual health? And therefore if wee with patience and contentment, resign ourselves over to the skill and fidelity of our earthly physicians, though sometime they fail in both; and do not limit them, either in respect of the quantity, or quality of their physic, but refer it wholly to their discretion, and only desire that they will use the easiest, speediest,& safest means, for the effecting of the cure: then how much more should wee wholly rely vpon the Lord, who is as well a father in love, as a physician in skill; neither prescribing unto him what wee must take, or how long wee must bee under cure, seeing wee are assured that he will not vnfaithfully protract it for his own profit, for he needeth nothing, and expecteth no reward, but thankes; nor yet put us to more pain then is profitable, yea necessary for our recovery, seeing he is not delighted in our torments, but taketh much more pleasure in hearing us sing psalms and songs of deliverance, then in our lighing, and sorrowing, crying, and complaining? § Sect. 4. That wee are by Gods corrections& medicines to guess at the greatness of our foults,& grievousness of our diseases. When therefore wee see that our heavenly physician hath provided diuers kindes of medicines for his diuers patients; for one a greater and more bitter purge, for an other a less and more pleasant potion; for this man a corrosive,& for that an healing plaster; Let us not wonder at it; for either their diseases are diuers, or they are diuers in their temperature, and constitution; and it beseemeth not the skill of our heavenly physician, like the ignorant Empericke to apply one salve for all sores, and the same medicine for all kind of maladies and diseases, but to fit the remedy according to the nature of the infirmity, and condition of the party. And if wee haue a potion of the largest size, and loathsome in taste, appointed for us, let us not think it too much, and murmur against our physician, who knoweth better then wee, what medicine is fittest for the curing of our diseases: neither let us say that others haue worse soars, and more gentle salves; more dangerous sicknesses, and more easy remedies; for if wee are often mistaken in our bodily diseases, and think that wee are in no peril, when the physician seeth that our sickness is almost desperate, and in this regard, rest not vpon our own feeling, but vpon his skill, and willingly take that which he prescribeth; then how much more may wee bee deceived in the sicknesses of our souls; thinking our damgerous diseases, to be but small infirmities;& deep consumptions in grace but some little distemper,& faint languishing;& therefore how much rather should we refer ourselves wholly to the skill and wisdom of God, who cannot err for want of iudgement, because he knoweth all things, nor for want of care, because his love is infinite, patiently drinking a more bitter potion, then wee see provided for others, who outwardly seem more dangerously sick, because wee may bee assured, that either our physician seeth our diseases inwardly to be more perilsome, and therefore need sharper medicines; or that wee are of greater strength, and therefore better able to brook their bitterness? And when we find and feel that our heavenly father doth diversly chastise his children, some with fewer and lighter, and others with more and harder stripes; and that wee haue our part among those who haue the greatest measure, let us know that he correcteth diuers faults, and that in those who are of a diuers nature. Some faults are lesser, either in themselves, or as they are extenuated with circumstances, and are with little ado left and amended; some are greater, either in their own nature, or as they are by circumstances aggravated, and are not forsaken without great difficulty: Some sins are like the cloak or vpper garment, easily shaken off, without any trouble to him who layeth them aside, and some cleave to our corrupt nature like the skin to the flesh, or the flesh to the bones, and cannot be partend from us without great pain in the parting: of those we may be reformed with the least word or lightest correction, but of these not without many stripes and bitter pain. again, the children of God whom he chastiseth, are of diuers natures and dispositions; one is mild and gentle, and is easily rebuked with an angry word, another is so sturdy and stomackfull, that he will not be reformed with many blows; one needeth no more but the shadow or shaking of the rod, and he is presently humbled, and beggeth pardon with promise of amendment; but unto another the smart of the rod is not sufficient, but he needeth also a whip to pull down his stomach, and to make his stout heart to yield and relent. And therefore seeing there is such great diversity both in faults committed, and natures who offend, it is no great marvel if Gods chastisements be also diuers. Neither doth it follow hereupon, that the greatest measure or hardest stripes exceed necessity, or be more then needs. For our most wise Father, in his corrections resolveth to reform all his children, and to free them from the greatest, as well as from the least sins, as well from those which they are most in love with, and loathest to leave, and from which they part with greatest pain and difficulty, as from them with which being in least league and liking, they are willing to leave at the first admonition. And when he taketh us in hand, he will master the proudest heart and stoutest stomach, as well as that which is mild and gentle; and for this end if fewer and lighter stripes will not serve the turn, he will inflict more and harder, never ceasing till he haue thoroughly humbled us, brought us vpon our knees, and made us to promise reformation and amendment; because if he give over before he haue att●ined unto his end, we shall be but hardened in our stubbbornnesse, and all the stripes which we haue formerly suffered shall be in vain. From whence we may conclude, that if we haue great Sect. 5. That our great afflictions argue our great sins, either in their own nature, or as they are aggravated by circumstances. or tedious afflictions lying vpon us, either we haue great faults or great stomachs; or if we be nor guilty of heinous sins in their own nature, yet wee make them heinous unto us by diuers circumstances; as by committing them willingly against knowledge and conscience; by continuing in them after we are admonished of them, and persuaded to leave them, both by Gods promises and threatenings: and finally, when we are in such love and league with them, that no ordinary chastisements will move us to leave them. Neither let any man here say, that he hath humbled himself already under Gods chastising hand, and hath long ago resolved to forsake his sin, and many times promised amendment; and yet the Lord continueth to correct him, and therefore inflicteth stripes more then necessary: For thus not only the natural child, but the child of God likewise, when they are under the rod, do seek to dece●ue their Parents, to escape further correction; yea are even themselves oftentimes deceived. For though in sense of present smart they resolve to amend, and haue some purpose to be as good as their word; yet being not thoroughly settled in their resolutions, they are unconstant in them; and together with their pain forget their promises. But though we may be deceived and deceive others, yet we cannot our heavenly father, because he searcheth the heart and reins, and knowing when our resolutions of amendment are flickring and unsettled, and when they are well grounded, firm and constant, he doth accordingly continue his chastisements, till he hath fully confirmed them; unless vpon our faire promises he sometimes spareth us for a time, that we may vpon our own experience, see how little credit is to be given to them; but no sooner doth he see us thoroughly settled in our good resolutions, and steadfastly purposed to forsake our sins, but presently he casteth away his rod, and not giuing one blow more, doth ease and release us from all afflictions. To which purpose one saith, that God could, if he pleased, even in the very day that we first call vpon him, lighten us of all our load, but he deferreth to do it, till he see us thoroughly humbled and amended; and till he know that our conversion and repentance be constant, and without danger of flitting, he will not remove our tribulation; Chrysost homil. ad pop. Antioch. 4. de pati●ntia. but as the Gold-smith which draweth not his gold out of the melting furnace, till he perceiveth it to bee thoroughly purified from the dross, and when he seeth it purified to his mind, will by no means suffer it to stay there any longer, because it would but waste and loose of it weight; so doth the Lord suffer us to remain in the furnace of affliction till wee bee purged from our dross of sin, by renewing our faith and repentance; but no sooner are wee according to his purpose purified, but he pulleth us out, and will not suffer us to waste and consume ourselves with sorrow, and heaviness. And therefore let us with patience endure our trial; seeing he who putteth us into the furnace, knoweth when it is fittest time to take us out; let us with comfort and thankfulness bear all our chastisements; seeing we haue assurance, that we shall not haue one stripe more then our heavenly Father in his infinite wisdom seeth necessary, for the amendment of our lives and the saving of our souls. CHAP. XIII. That Gods love appeareth in the ends of our afflictions, in that ●he useth us as instruments in thē to set forth his glory. AND thus haue I shewed how Gods love § Sect. 1. That God is glorified in us both as his souldiers fighting his battail●,& as his children corrected for our faults. appeareth in the measure of our afflictions: now wee are to entreat of their ends, wherein the like mercy and love of God clearly shineth. The ends which God propoundeth to himself in our affliction● are his own glory, and our good. For howsoever the Lord is in himself so infinite and absolute in glory and majesty, that nothing can be added thereunto, yet such is his grace and goodness, that he is content to use us, poor sinful creatures, for his instruments, to manifest and declare to all the world his glory and praise by those things which he worketh by and in vs. The which as he powerfully effecteth in many other respects, so especially by our troubles and afflictions; for as when a soldier behaveth himself valiantly in the fight against his enemies, with invincible courage encountering, foyling and putting them to flight, the honour of his fortitude and prowess, redoundeth also to his captain and general, under whom he serveth: so when in this Christian warfare wee are assaulted with the enemies of our salvation, and namely with the world fighting against us, and seeking to overcome us, sometimes with the politic stratagems, of prosperity, and sometimes with the downright blows of adversity and affliction: God the great general of our army is glorified in our christian valour and courageous magnanimity, when we do with patience, fortitude and resolution, endure all these encounters and bear the brunt of this battle, and not only vndauntedly sustain the assaults of our enemies, but also do foi●e and put them to flight, using their own weapons against themselves, and their force and violence for their own overthrow and destruction. And that the rather, because as we fight under his conduct; so the weapons, armour, strength and policy which wee use in this warfare, and whereby we are enabled to overcome are not our own, but such as he our grand captain hath imparted unto vs. But that this point may bee the better cleared, we may more specially consider, that God is glorified in our afflictions, whether we consider them as the chastisements of our sins, or as temptations& trials of the gifts and graces which wee haue received from God. He is glorified in our chastisements; for as the sins which are committed by us, who draw n●ere unto him, and are of his house and family, do above all other dishonour him: so when he correcteth these sins in us by troubles and afflictions, he vindicateth his honour from the blasphemies of Infidels and carnal worldlings, in that he is so just and unpartial, that he will not wink at sin in them who are so near and deere unto him, but rather( when he goeth his circuit of visitation and assizes) he beginneth first with his own children 1. Pet. 4. 17 and seruants; that by their chastisements, whose sins are pardonned in his son, he may teach his professed enemies, who remain still in their guilt, what they are to expect, both in this quarter sessions, on earth, and at the general assizes at the day of iudgement. And thus the Psalmist saith▪ that the Lord is known by executing Psal. 9. 16. iudgement,& that both in the punishing of the wicked& chastening of his own seruants. So the Prophet Esay having Esa. 5. 16. denounced Gods plagues against his people of Israell for their sins, saith, that the Lord of hosts shall bee exalted in iudgement, and the holy God shall be sanctified in iustice. An example whereof we haue in the sons of Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, who were chastened with that severe correction of a temporary death, God giuing Leuit. 10. 3 this occasion hereof, by the mouth of Moses; I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified: As also in david, who because he had dishonoured God among the Nations, in causing thē to blaspheme his name, by his heinous sins, was therefore chastened by the death of his child, that 2. Sam. 12. 14 the aspersion and stain which his crimes had cast vpon the glory of God, might by his sharp correction be wiped away. again, God is glorified in the chastisements of his children, when as they profit and amend by his gracious corrections, not flying from him as an angry judge, or pursuing enemy, o● desperately contending against him by multiplying their sins▪ bu● runn●ng unto him as unto a merciful Father, in hope and assurance to receive pardon and forgiveness. For, the more God scourgeth his children, with the greater readiness they run unto him, humbling themselves under his chastening hand, by unfeigned repentance for their sins, whereby they haue offended him; and craving by fervent prayer, mercy& pardon, according to that of the Prophet: O Lord in trouble they haue visited thee, they Esa. 26. 16§ Sect. 2. That Gods glory is magnified in the manifestation of his power& goodness assisting ●● in our afflictions. haue powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. moreover, Gods glory is magnified in the manifestation of his power and goodness, when as we who are weak in ourselves, are so supported and upheld by the power of Gods might, that we are able to bear and overcome the greatest temptations; and when as beng in ourselves cowardly and fearful, feeble and impotent, wee are so strengthened and encouraged by his spirit assisting us, that we are able to stand against all the malice and might of satan, the world and wicked men, and notwithstanding all the afflictions which wee endure, and per●ecutions which they raise against us, do put them to flight and obtain the victory. Neither is this power and goodness of God so manifested or magnified in our prosperity, either by others or by our Psal. 30. 6. selves; for then we seem to stand in our own strength, and to haue little need of Gods assistance, when as wee haue in outward appearance no enemies to assault us, but are walled and fenced in, on every side with abundance of worldly benefits, as honors, riches, friends, health, strength, liberty and the rest: but when wee are assaulted with these mighty and terrible enemies, and haue an heavy and sensible weight of temptations laid vpon us; and withall feel and find in ourselves nothing but feebleness and faintness, terror, and cowardice; if we bear this insupportable burden without fainting, and valiantly resist these our enemies, until we haue put them to flight and obtained victory; then is Gods power manifested in our infirmity; whose treasures of great faith, patience, strength and christian courage▪ are carried in us as in earthen vessells▪ that the excellency of these virtues and 2. Cor. 12. 9.& 4. 7. power might be of God and not of us, as the Apostle speaketh. Finally when with the same apostle we can say, that we are afflicted on every side, yet we are not in distress; in poverty but not overcome of poverty; persecuted but not forsaken cast down but perish not, and yet are unable of ourselves to bear the least weight, or to sustain the assaults of our weakest enemies; then are we necessary driven to give all the glory unto God, and to cry out, that it is Psal. 44 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. not our own arm that saveth us, but Gods right hand and arm and the light of his countenance because he had a favour unto vs. And again, through thee haue we thrust back our aduersaries, by thy name haue we tr●den down them that rose against vs. For I do not trust in my bow, neither can my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our aduersaries, 2. Cor. 10. 17. Psal. 115. 1. and hast put them to confusion that hate vs. Therefore will we praise God continually, and will confess his name for ever. Then will he that glorieth& rejoiceth, rejoice and glory in the Lord, and say with the people of God, not unto us o Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory. Yea then will others also aclowledge to Gods glory, that it was hi● power alone which supported us in our weakness and enabled us with patience to bear so great Esa. 25. 3 4. temptations. According to that of the Prophet, Therefore shall the mighty people give glory unto thee, the city of the strong nations shall fear thee, for thou hast been a strength unto the poor, even a strength to the needy in his trouble; a refuge against the tempest, a shadow against the heat &c. And as Gods mercy and power is magnified by supporting us in our afflictions; so also when being oppressed with their unsupportable weight, and brought into desperate dangers, he above all hope and strength, granteth deliverance. For then we aclowledge with Hannah, 1. Sam 2. 6. that the Lord killeth and maketh alive, bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up, and are ready according to the example of Gods saints to sing unto his praise songs of deliverance. And this is the end why the Lord doth chastise our sins by troubles and afflictions, that we might glorify him by our prayers& praises, and he might glorify himself in our marue●lous deliverance, according to that of the Psalmist, call vpon me in the day of trouble, so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me An example Psal. 50. 15. whereof we haue in the people of Israell, who being in grievous bondage cried unto the Lord for help and freedom, Ex. 2. 23. 24.& 9 16. 14. 4.& 15. 1. and the Lord not only glorified his love and mercy in hearing their cry and mone, and delivering them out of their servitude and misery, but also his power and iustice in plaguing and overthrowing their enemies and oppressors. And so likewise the people glorified God, both in flying unto him by prayer in their distress, as unto their only refuge; and also being freed, by singing unto him songs of thanksgiving for their great deliverance. Thus our saviour saith of the blind man in the Gopell, that this iudgement was laid on him, not for the punishment either of his own or parents sin, but that the works of God should be shewed on him, both in his temporary joh. 9. 3. trial or chastisement, and by the miraculous restoring of his sight. And thus he speaketh of Lazarus, that his sickness was not unto death but for the glory of God and that the son of God might be glorified thereby, when joh. 11. 4. as it served as an occasion to manifest the infinite power of his divine nature, by raising him from death to life. Finally Gods wisdom, power and goodness, are manifested and magnified in our afflictions, when as contrary to their own nature he turneth them to our good even the confirming& increasing in us of all his spiritual graces and the everlasting salvation of our souls. For what doth more show and extol the infinite wisdom and omnipotency of God, then to be able to bring good out of evil, light out of darkness, sweetness out of bitterness, and blessings out of curses? then to make of a deadly poison a wholesome medicine, to turn the punishments of sin into means of furthering us unto the rewards of righteousness, and of the path of perdition which lead unto hell, to make a direct and p●ain way unto Act. 14. 22. the kingdom of heaven? Thus also is the Lord glorified in our afflictions as § Sect. 3. That God is glorified in our afflictions as they are trials of his spiritual graces joh. 21. 19. they are trials of our graces, and virtues which we haue received of him; for seeing he is the author of them all, therefore when being tried they appear and shine in us the glory of their excellency chiefly redoundeth to him that gave them. And as the excellency of the work doth manifest the skill of him that made it; so these virtues and graces being not our own, but the excellent workmanship of Gods holy spirit, do much magnify the author of them when being tried their worth is discovered And therefore after the Lord hath made for us an excellent armor of his spiritual graces, which is high proof and sufficient to bear and beate back all the fiery darts of sathans temptations, the piercing bullets of worldly prosperity, and these swords and spears of outward crosses and afflictions; and hath buckled this armour close unto us by his holy spirit; then doth he exercise us in his warfare against the enemies of his glory and our salvation,& suffereth them to bend against us al their strength, and to assault us with all their weapons, darts and shot, that so our armor being tried and in trial approved, he may haue the honor that made it, and put it on vs. again whilst we enjoy worldly prosperity, and haue all job 1. 9. things according to our hearts desire, we do with job lye open to the slander of satan and wicked men, who are ready to say that we do not serve the Lord,& yield obedience to his commandements, because of any goodness and excellency which is in himself; or for any conscience of our duty, or any love which we bear unto him for his own sake, as being our chief happiness, and the supreme end of us and all his creatures; but because he hath hedged us in on all sides, multiplied on us earthly benefits and as it were hired us, to serve him with the present wages of worldly things, not out of any love to him, but out of self love, to attain unto some preferment which we ambitiously aspire unto, or to obtain some temporary profit or pleasure which we desire; therfore doth the Lord strip us of these worldly blessings, and loadeth us with troubles and afflictions for the trial of our faith, love and obedience, to the end that it may appear that we serve him freely, for that excellency and goodness which we see in himself, and not for self love and outward respects, by which our service he is chiefly glorified; for when being stripped of all worldly benefits, we can with job bless the Lord; when with him we can say, though he kill me yet will I trust on him; job. 1. 21.& 13. 15. Psal. 44. 22. Act. 5. 41. when we can profess with the people of God, that not for our own, but for Gods sake are we killed al the day long; and with the Apostles rejoice, because he thinketh us worthy to suffer for his name any misery or affliction; then do we give glory unto God by acknowledging his own worth and excellency, when we think nothing too much which we suffer for him; then do we confess him to be the chief goodness, when as we are glad, even by our miseries to manifest and magnify his glory and majesty. Now the consideration hereof, that God is glorified § Sect. 4. That it is a great comfort in our afflictions to consider that God is glo●ified by them. Psal 44. 22. Act. 5. 41. in our afflictions, may serve as an effectual argument to make us bear them, not only with humility and patience, but also with ioy and thankfulness; seeing we may say with the people and Church of God, that we do suffer, not for our sins, but principally for Gods sake, that he may be magnified and glorified in our afflictions. An example whereof we haue in the holy Apostles, who reioyced in their afflictions and persecutions, because they were thought worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. 2. Cor. 11. 16. 23. And especially in the Apostle Paul who intending somewhat to boast himself for the gracing of his Apostleship, doth chiefly glory in his afflictions, because in them God was glorified; even as elsewhere he rejoiceth in his infirmities and afflictions of mind, that the power of Christ might be magnified in his weakness; and taketh pleasure in his infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions and anguish for Christs sake, because in his greatest Chap. 12. 9. 10. weakness he was strong in him. Which examples we are bound to imitate for diuers causes: for first the Lord is our creator who gave us our being and made us of nothing, that we might serve as instruments for the setting forth of his glory, according to that of the proverbs; The Lord hath made all things for his own sake, yea Pro. 16. 4. even the wicked for the day of evil. If therefore we can by any means advance his glory, though it be by our own smart and pain, we haue just cause of comfort and rejoicing, seeing whilst we glorify our creator we attain unto the end of our creation. Secondly he is our redeemer 1. Cor. 6. 20. and saviour who hath bought us with the precious price of himself, that not being our own, but his that bought us; we might glorify him both in our souls and bodies, as the Apostle speaketh. And in this respect he also tel●eth us, that none of us liveth to himself, neither Rom. 14. 7. 8. doth any die to himself; for whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord; and that whether we live or die, we are the Lords. Seeing therefore we are the Lords, by a double right, both because he hath created us of nothing,& hath also bought us, who had sold ourselves to sin and satan; and that to this end that we should become his seruants, and in all things seek the aduancement of his glory, great reason we haue to rejoice when any occasion is offered whereby we may glorify him our Lord and redeemer, whether by prosperity or adversity, honor or dishonour, sickness or health, imprisonment or liberty, life or death: and that whether we consider the greatness of the price which he gave for our redemption, namely himself for us; or the evils and miseries from which he hath delivered us, to wit, the wrath of God, the curse of the law, and eternal death and condemnation of body and soul in the fire of hell. For well may we with comfort and patience yea with ioy and thanksgiving suffer afflictions that his holy name may be glorified; seeing he hath been content to suffer much more grievous punishments in the whole course of his life, as hunger thirst, weariness, persecution the wrath of God and death itself, that he might by his sufferings procure our glory; well may we rejoice and triumph in our momentany and light afflictions which advance the glory of our redeemer, who hath delivered us by his death and obedience from the intolerable and everlasting torments of hell fire: especially considering, that this was the end of his paying so great a price for us, that being bought, we might become his seruants, and he our Lord, whom we are to glorify in all we do or suffer. For so the Apostle saith, that Christ therefore died Rom, 14 9. and rose again and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the quick, and that we are predestinate unto eternal happiness in Christ, that trusting in him we should be to the praise of his glory; and finally that he Eph. 1. 12. 14. purchased the possession of heavenly felicity for us, not only to glorify us, but that we also might advance his praise and glory. To conclude this point, the Lord is our summum bonum, and chief happiness, and his glory is the supreme end of all things. In regard whereof we are to rejoice in our afflictions which tend to the manifestation of his glory, seeing thereby we attain unto our chief end. Yea we should desire rather in this respect to be excluded out of the joys of heaven, and to perish everlastingly; 1. Cor. 10. 31. then that Gods glory unto which all things are destinated, as unto their chief end, should be blemished or impaired: as we may see in the example of Moses who rather then he would haue the name of God dishonoured among the nations in the destruction of the people of Israell, desired to be razed out of the book of life. Exod. 32. 32. As also in the Apostle Paul, who in penning of the holy Scriptures by the immediate inspiration of Gods holy spirit, which privileged him from erring through blind and preposterous zeal, did earnestly wish to be an Anathema, or one separated from Christ, and the everlasting joys of his kingdom, on this condition that God might be glorified in the salvation of the people of the Rom 9. 3. Iewes. And therefore if we ought to be content, though we should be deprived of everlasting salvation, and be subjecteth unto everlasting punishments, that God may be glorified in us; then how much more should we endure with patience and comfort the loss of worldly joys, and the smart of these short& light afflictions when Gods glory is hereby manifested; although we should never haue further benefit of our sufferings not reward of our patience? But yet much more haue we cause of 1. Sam. 2. 30. rejoicing and glorying in these our afflictions; if we further consider, that if we thus honor God in suffering for his glory, he will eternally honor us; if we glorify him on earth, in the quiet and comfortable bearing of our cross, he will glorify us in his heavenly kingdom and crown our patience with endless happiness. If we honor our saviour in our suffering with him, he will honor 1. Tim. 2. 12. us in our reigning with him. And finally if with comfort and ioy we do for Gods sake bear our cross which he layeth vpon us, then shall these light and momentany afflictions cause unto us a far most excellent and an eternal 2. Cor. 4. 17. weight of glory, as the Apostle speaketh. CHAP. XIIII. That God by our afflictions doth much advance the good of our neighbours. THe other end of our afflictions is our Sect. 1. That our neighbours haue good by our afflictions as they learn by them to fear God in his judgements. own good, or the good of the elect; and that whether we consider our neighbors, or ourselves. For the Lord our great King and commander respecteth us, not only as we are private and particular men, but as we are subiects of the same kingdom, and members of the same body: and therefore as he doth communicate his benefits unto us, not for private use alone, but for the good of the whole christian common wealth; so also he inflicteth his chastisements vpon the particular members of this body and society, that they may redound to the use and benefit of all the rest. And this the heathen man could Plato in Gorg. discern by the light of nature; calamities( saith he& punishments are very profitable both to those that suffer them,& those that see them; for both by them are made better, they by pain, and these by example. As therfore the skilful musician doth strain his strings not to break them, but to bring them to their perfect sound, that not only himself, but also all the standards by may take delight in their melodious harmony: so the Lord doth, as it were, stretch and strain us with troubles and afflictions, not to crack our patience, or to break us with their stress, but to bring us to our best perfection, that not only he may delight in us when we sound out unto him, the harmonious music of his praises, but also may make all our neighbours the better with the sweetness of our melody. But this will better appear if we insist in some particulars; for first others receive benefit by the afflictions of the faithful, in that they learn hereby to fear God, when as they see his righteous judgements, seeing he winketh not at sin in those who are dearest unto him, but whippeth and chasteneth them for their amendment; and therefore if he so severely correct the slips and infirmities of those whom he so tenderly loveth, how grievously will he punish the heinous crimes of wicked men who are as yet at enmity with him: unless they prevent their destruction by unfeigned repentance? according to that of the Apostle; If iudgement begin at Gods own house and family, 1. Pet 4. 17. what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel? If he deal so sharply with those whom he justifieth and acquitteth, what rigour are they to expect who shall appear before him in their guilt of sin at the last iudgemen? If he make them thus to smart for their sins whom he loveth,& in whom his soul delighteth; what torments hath he prepared, for those whom he hateth and abhorreth? But especially they receive fruit and benefit by their afflictions, who are of the same society and household of faith; for as in the same family, when one of the children or seruants are justly corrected for their faul●s, it moveth all the rest( if they haue any grace in them) to reverence the father& master of the family, and to carry themselves so, as they may avoid his displeasure; and as schollers in the same school, when they see one of their fellowes whipped for their negligence, do( being warned by his example) become the more diligent in learning their lesson: so the children and seruants of God, and disciples of Iesus Christ, when they see any of their company chastened by the hand of God they are moved hereby to fear and reverence him, seeing he is such an one as will not bee dallied with, but expecteth and requireth observance and duty of all whom he admitteth into his house, and family. Secondly, others take profit by the afflictions of the § Sect. 2. Secondly, our afflictions benefit others, as they serve to restrain them from committing the same sin which they see punished in vs. faithful, whilst by their example they are restrained from the committing of sin, especially of those faults which they see corrected in their fellowes, least they also taste of the same cup: and that the rather, because if they take not warning by their chastisements, they are justly to expect double payment, both because they are culpable of the same faults, and because they are not reformed by their example. For as the wise commander, finding a great parte of his army guilty of such faults, as are by no mea●e● to go unpunished, and yet is so gracious, that he will not haue all suffer the same punishment who are guilty of the same offence, as not aiming at their smart and pain, but at their reformation and amendment, doth decimate, or cull out the tenth person of the delinquents, whom he chasteneth, for the example of all the rest: so our Lord of hosts, and captain general, seeing many in the Church militant, guilty of the same faults, and on the one side, k●●wing that connivency would emboulden his souldiers in sin, work neglect of duty, and bring all disorder and confusion in his royal army, and on the other side, being in his own nature so gracious, that he will not let his corrections exceed necessity, either in their measure, or extent,; doth usually chasten one, of many that offend, that by his example the rest may bee brought to amendment. But if any vn●ouched, take no warning by others corrections, and continue in his faultiness, though God hath given him this means to reform him, then is he like to haue his punishment doubled, and to suffer both for his sin, a●d his secure neglect of Gods severity to others, and mercy to himself. And thus God chastened severely Moses, and Aaron for their diffidence and distrust in his providence, that others might beware of the like infidelity: thus he sharply corrected david for his adultery, and murder, that others by his example might flee uncleanness, and the shedding of innocent blood. So he turned Lots wife into a pillar of salt, that others by her example might take heed of too much liveliness, and love of earthly things: to which purpose our saviour bids us to remember Lots wife, that being warned by her Luk. 17. 32. punishment, wee do not as wee are traueiling out of this Sodom of sin, for the safeguard of our souls, look back to the baits of worldly vanities, which will but 'allure us to think of returning. For to what end( as one Vt quid enim in statuam s●lis versa est, si non homines conduit vt sapiant? ergo exemplum illius malum, tibi sit bonum si caueris. Aug. in Psal. 83. enar. saith) was shee turned into a pillar of salt, but that being seasoned with her example, wee might become the wiser? and therefore her ill example becometh good unto thee, if thou takest warning by it. But most plainly is this expressed by the Apostle Paul, who having spoken of many sins committed by the Israelites in the wilderness, and withall of those great crosses and calamities which the Lord for these offences inflicted on them; saith, that all these things came vpon them for ensamples, 1. Cor. 10. 6. 11. and were written to admonish us, vpon whom the ends of the world are come, to the intent that wee should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Thirdly, others are much benefited by the afflictions § Sect. 3. Thirdly, our afflictions profit our neighbours, as they serve to manifest Gods graces in us, and make us examples of piety unto them. of the faithful, because in their fiery trial, Gods graces and gifts clearly shining in them, they are made unto them notable examples, and presidents for their imitation. For the Lord pitying our ignorance in the way of virtue, especially when it lieth through the deserts of afflictions, and knowing how uncouth in itself it is unto us, doth cause others whom he hath taught this way, to go before us( even as he causeth us also when wee haue learned it, to go before others, who follow after us) that the path being beaten and made plain, may more easily bee found of those who are to travail it. For example, thus doth the Lord by afflictions make manifest the faith, affiance, hope, love, patience, obedience, and such like graces, which he hath bestowed vpon others, that wee admiring and loving them, may seek and labour after them, and so carry ourselves alike virtuously when wee come into the like trials; and as a man having lighted a candle, doth not hid it in a hole, or as our saviour speaketh, put it under a bushel; but setteth it in a candlestick, that by the light thereof, they of the family may bee guided, and directed; so the Lord having put into these chosen lamps, the oil of his graces, which being kindled with the fire of afflictions, doth give a great and glorious light, he would not haue them to shine to themselves alone, or to the Lord, who delighteth in their brightness, but he placeth them like lights on a hill, which give direction to all passengers, or like candles on a table for the use and benefit of the whole family. And thus God tried Abraham when he willed him to sacrifice Gen. 22. his son, that wee by his example might learn faith and obedience, if wee should bee called to the same rriall. Thus he tried Moses, both with the prosperity, and afflictions Heb. 11. 25▪ of egypt, that wee might learn to make his election, choosing rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: and esteem the rebuk of Christ, greater riches, then th● treasures of this earthly egypt, because we haue respect to the recompense of reward. Thus was david afflicted, that wee might learn by his example, when we are in our greatest distresses, and fors●k●n of all worldly help, to comfort ourselves in the Lord our God; and when 1. Sam 30. 6. we are in most desperate dangers, to humble ourselves before him, and to submit our wills and states unto his good pleasure, saying, Behold here I am, let him do me 2. Sam 1. 5. 26. as seemeth good in his eyes. Thus God afflicted job, that he might bee unto us a pattern of patience, and that we might learn by his example to praise God in all our l●sses, and though he should kill us, yet to put our trust in job 1. 21. and 13. 15. him. As also that by so gracious a c●●uerance of ●●m out of such great troubles and miseries, wee may bee assured that God who is ever one,& the same, without change or shadow of change, will also deliver us if wee wait and depend vpon him. To which purpose the Apostle james propoundeth his example unto vs. Behold( saith Iam. 5. 11. he) wee cout them blessed which endure. ye haue heard of the patience of job, and haue known what end the Lord made; for the Lord is pitiful and merciful. Finally, thus was steven persecuted to the death, that by his example, wee might learn to give our lives for the name of Christ, and the gospel; and to pray for our persecutors and tormentors. And thus Peter, John, and Paul, persecuted, and Act. 5. 41. even loaded with miseries and afflictions, that wee might by their example learn to rejoice in all our tribulations, 2. Cor. 11. 16. 7 to triumph over all worldly miseries, and in respect of the manifold benefits, which wee receive by our crosses and afflictions to boast& glory in them. And that this use& benefit is to bee made of the afflictions of these holy seruants of God, it may appear in that not only the Scriptures propound their example to this end, but exhort also us to imitate and follow them. So the Apostle james, persuading to patience in afflictions, biddeth to take up the Prophets for an example of suffering adversity, and of long patience, which haue spoken in the Iam. 5. 8. 10 name of the Lord: and our saviour Christ willeth us to rejoice in our sufferings for his sake, not only because our reward is great in heaven, but also because we haue Gods holy Prophets, who were so dearly beloved of him, copartners with us in such like persecutions. And Math. 5. 12 thus doth the Apostle propound the manifold examples of Gods saints, who endured many trials, afflictions and persecutions of all kinds, that wee who follow in these after ages, being compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, should cast away every thing that presseth down, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and notwithstanding all worldly hindrances, run with patience the race that is set before vs. So the Apostle Paul saith, that Heb. 11. 35, 36& 12. 1. 2. Cor. 1. 6. whether he were afflicted it was for the Corinthians consolation& salvation, which was wrought in the enduring of the same sufferings which he suffered, or whether he was comforted it was for their consolation and salvation. By all which it appeareth, how behouefull the afflictions of some of the faithful, are for the use and benefit of all the rest, seeing they become patterns and examples for their imitation, and haue their virtues and graces by these trials discovered, that whereas before they were profitable onely to themselves, and enjoyed alone the comfort of their own light, now they shine also unto others, and encourage them to use all good means that they may attain unto the like brightness and perfection. To which purpose one saith, that it was necessary, Gregor. Moral. lib. 3. cap. 2. that holy job who was onely known unto God and himself, how much he excelled in virtue and piety, should by his afflictions be known unto all the faithful that he might be a president for their imitation. Neither could he haue been an example of virtue unto others, if he had continued in his prosperous estate without any trial or tentation. And another affirmeth, that if satan had not pierced, and( as it were) bored holes through his body with Nisi Satan Iobi corpus plagis perf●rasset, rad●j intrinsecus non renituissent. &c. Chrisost. serm. ad pop. 5. To. 4. Aug. de Gen. ad literam lib. 3. cap. 15. all those plagues and punishments which he inflicted on him, the bright beams of his graces would haue been hidden within him, and would not haue shined unto us, if he had never sate down in the ashes, we had never come to the knowledge of his spiritual riches. And another saith, that the faithful are afflicted to this end, because they are to be propounded as examples of patience for the benefit of all the rest: and as other of the faithful are thus by their afflictions profitable unto us, so are we in ours alike profitable unto others, if in the fiery trial, Gods graces, and the good virtues which we haue received do shine unto them. For, if like spices we be punned in this mortar of afflictions, the odiferous smell of our spiritual graces, which before were scarce discerned, doth now spread abroad, to the comfort and refreshing of all that stand about us; and whereas if like roses we grow untouched, we do but for the present sand forth some sweet smell to those who are next unto us: contrariwise, if we be distilled with the fire of afflictions, we shall yield sweet waters of durable comfort, even to those who are far distant, and such as live in after-ages, when by report this sweet odour of our famed shall come unto them. And thus the Apostle saith of himself, that his bands in Christ were famous throughout all the iudgement hall, and in all other Phil. 1. 13. 14. places, insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord, were emboldened by his bands, so that they durst more frankly speak the word. Yea, not onely haue the faithful much benefit by § Sect. 4. That we benefit our neighbours in our afflictions, as they are patterns of human frailty. the afflictions of others of the same family; as they are unto them notable examples for their imitation, when as they see the beams of Gods graces shining in them; but also as they are patterns of human frailty, whilst in their afflictions they bewray their impatience and their infirmities; for what comfort could any man now haue in bearing his cross with so great weakness and imperfection, if he did not discern that Gods dearly beloved seruants and great worthies had shewed the like frailty? Whereas when wee see in job( the pattern of patience) so much weakness and impatiency, by fits, when he was most pinched with his weight of affliction oppressing him; when as wee behold david( an example of piety, and man according to Gods own heart,) in his great afflictions as a man forlorn, forsaken of God, and in a desperate condition; Elias desiring by death to be freed from a troublesone life; jonas freting, fuming and even chiding with God, because he thought himself impeached in his credit and reputation; and jeremy a worthy Prophet, cursing the day of his nativity, because he came forth of the womb to jer. 20, 18. see labour and sorrow, that his dayes should bee consumed with shane; then are we comforted after we haue in the like crosses bewrayed our infirmities, if with them, when the conflict is over, we return unto ourselves, and bewail these slips and falls by true repentance. And as we haue this consolation by others, so haue our poor weak brethren the like by us, when being adorned and well furnished with Gods gifts and graces, we do notwithstanding in our afflictions bewray our weakness and frailty, whereas if they had only experience of their own infirmities and imperfections, and could not observe the like in other of Gods seruants, whom they aclowledge endued richly with his graces, and notable instruments of his glory, they would easily conclude, § Sect. 5. That our afflictions benefit our neighbours when by them they are brought to see Gods perfections in our imperfections, that they may glorify him in them. that they are not in the number of the faithful, but in the rank of the damned and reprobate; and so the weight of their sins and an evil conscience, being added unto the already-heauy burden of affliction, would overwhelm and press them down into the bottomless gulf of desperation and perdition. moreover, other of the faithful haue much profit and benefit by our afflictions as they are occasioned hereby to aclowledge, praise and magnify Gods power appearing in our weakness, his wisdom in our simplicity and feelinesse, and his goodness and the virtue of his graces, in our frailty and natural corruption; for when as they plainly see, that we who are weak and impotent of ourselves, and ready to faint and fall under the lightest burden, do nevertheless stand stoutly and courageously in the greatest temptations▪ and under the heaviest weight of afflictions, they are forced to ascribe the glory to God, by whose power we are supported; 2. Cor. 1. 11. and when they behold us delivered out of all our troubles, who in respect of all outward helps, were in a desperate condition, they are necessary hereby moved to give God the praise, by whose wisdom and might we are delivered. And as when we see one of our friends and companions, whom we knew weak, impotent and vnskilfull in all feats of activity, wrestling with a mighty and cunning adversary, we presently give him over in our thoughts as foiled, shamed and overthrown; but if contrary to our expectation, he foil and cast down his strong and skilful enemy, we so triumph in his victory, as that wee give the chief praise unto the master of the masteries, from whom he hath had his ability and cunning: so when we behold any of our brethren, whom we know to be naturally weak, impotent and impatient of the least pain, combating& wrestling with our puissant enemy the world, who striveth might and main to overthrow them, with those powerful forces of miseries and afflictions, as we cannot but give them over for vanguished, if we respect their own skill and strength; so when contrary to exexpectation we see them get the victory, and overthrow their enemy; as we haue just cause to applaud them and to rejoice in their conquest; so most of all, to praise and magnify the Lord, from whom alone they haue received all their strength and skill. Finally, others haue fruit and benefit by our afflictions, Sect. 6. That by our afflictions we are made compassionate and more ready and able to comfort others. both because our harts are made tender by them, and apt to pity those whom we see subject to the like miseries; and also because after we are delivered, we are able out of our own experience to comfort them with those consolations wherewith we ourselves haue been comforted. For, in the former respect it may truly be said of pity and mercy, as of love and charity, that they begin at home; neither is ever a man so pitiful and merciful unto those whose case is miserable, as when himself hath been pinched with the like miseries; nor is there any place in his heart for compassion of others griefs, till passion and suffering of the same evils haue been there before. And for the other it may be affirmed with like truth▪ that there is no man so fit to comfort others, as he who speaketh out of his own experience, raising up their dejected minds with those consolations, wherewith himself hath formerly been comforted and refreshed. For, as in the body, the same salve serveth for the some sore, and the same medicine for the same disease, though they be applied to diuers persons, so that respect be had to fit them to their strength, constitution, and temperature; and therefore no physician is more able to cure another man, then he who hath first cured himself of the same disease; because unto his art is joined experience, whereby it is made perfect: so in the mind, the same consolations are most fit for the same crosses, so that there be a wise consideration of the disposition and spiritual constitution of the parties to whom they are applied. And therefore when we coming to comfort others, can out of our own experience say, I myself haue been thus afflicted; and thus, and thus did I receive consolation and was strengthened in patience to bear my crosses: These& these great things did the Lord for me in the time of my trouble, thus did he strengthen me in my greatest weakness, and thus did he support me with his might, when being feeble in myself I was ready to faint and fall; thus was I refreshed with spiritual consolations and the inward feelings of Gods love and mercy, and thus did he powerfully deliver me, when in respect of all outward means my case was desperate. These comforts, as they will be in all likelihood more effectual to cure a diseased mind, because they are approved by experience; so will the sick patient more willingly take them, when he knoweth that his physician doth not try new conclusions out his art and theory, but doth practise out of his own experience, prescribing the same medicine to his patient, where with himself being so affencted was lately cured. And thus doth david, being delivered from his troubles comfort others out of the experience which he had of Gods mercies. I sought the Lord( saith he) Psal 34. 4, 5, 6 and heheard me, yea he delivered me out of all my fear: and how effectually this would be for this use, he sheweth in the words following; they shall look unto him and run unto him, and their faces shall not be ashamed, saying; this poor man cried and the Lord beard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The Apost. Paul saith plainly, that God comforted him in all his tribulations, that he might be able to comfort them who are in any affliction, by the comforts wherewith himself was comforted 2. Cor. 1. 4. of God; and that he was afflicted for the consolation& salvation of the Corinthians, which was wrought in the enduring of the same sufferings which he also suffered. Yea, thus was the great physician of our souls, Iesus Christ, the better enabled to raise us, fainting in our infirmities, with the cordials of comforts, by having first in himself experience of our griefs and miseries: for as the Apostle saith, in that he suffered and was Heb. 2. 18 tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. And therefore if Christ himself, as he was man and our mediator, though he were most exquisite in skill, had need for the full perfecting of it to haue experience of our trials and tent at ons, that so he might be the better enabled to relieve and comfort us in all our afflictions and distresses; how much more need haue we of this experience that we may be fitted to give consolation unto others, seeing we come infinite degrees short of him in skill and wisdom? And thus it appeareth that our neighbours and brethren who are of the same household of faith, children of § Sect. 7. That the good of our brethren by our afflictions should much comfort us in suffering them. the same heavenly father and fellow members of the ●ame head Iesus Christ, do receive many singular benefits by our troubles& afflictions, and that when we are like fruitful grapes preffed with the weight of tribulation, they do drink from us the pleasant wine of consolation, whereby their fainting hearts are cheered and refreshed. The consideration whereof should much comfort us in all our crosses and calamities, because they not only tend to the aduancement of Gods glory, but also redound to the use and benefit of those who are so near and deere unto vs. For if we are bound by the law of charity to love our neighbours, as we love ourselves; and if we come into the world that we should not live for our own benefit, but for the good of every one of that christian society, whereof we are parts and members; then ought we as much to rejoice when we haue any occasion of advancing the benefit of every one who li●eth in the Church, as if it ●ended to our own private profit, and did much further us in our own particular. Wee see that every true member of the body doth suffer much with all cheerfulness for the good of a fellow member, and is content to indore any torture and torment, even to the separation of itself from the rest, for the good and preservation of the whole body; and we may perceive that the same affection and love is in the spirirituall members of the mystical body of Iesus Christ, as we haue shewed in the example of Moses and Paul, who as they induced much with patience for particular members, so they wished to be out off and separated for the welfare and salvation of the whole Church. We hear also the same Apostle teaching us, that it is the nature of true charity not to seek her ●●●shings, but suffereth all, and endureth all, for their saken whom it loveth and affecteth. And therefore we must be ready to seek others good as well as our own and with patience and cheerfulness to endure crosses and afflictions, which we see so much to advance their profit and benefit, or else we must conclude hat we are destitute of charity, and consequently of all saving grace, and that we are no true members of Iesus Christ. But with much more comfort and spiritual rejoicing may we bear our cross, when as we further consider that it doth advance the good, not of one alone, but that our single sufferings are fruitful unto many; and that not in any equality of proportion, seeing our bodily sufferings redound to the good of their souls, our corporal tribulations tend to the enriching of them with spiritual graces, and our temporary, light and moraentany afflictions do further them in attaining unto that far most excellent and eternal weight of glory. Wherein we haue our saviour Christ an example for our imitation, who with all alacrity and ioy suffered for us all the miseries of a wretched life, and the unspeakable torments of a cursed death that by his miseries he might advance our happiness,& by the torments of his death Col. ●. 24. might procure for us heavenly joys and everlasting life. Or if we think him a president and pattern above our pitch and reach, let us set before us the example of his holy Apostle, who joyed in his afflictions which he enduerd for the Churches sake. Now I rei●i●e( saith he) in my sufferings for you and fulfil the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodies sake which is the Church. Where by the rest, ● 〈◇〉 which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, we are not to understand the remainder of Christs sufferings, which he suffered for the redemption of the Church and the satisfaction of Gods iustice for sin: for these sufferings Christ himself alone endured and perfectly finished: but whereas there are two kinds of the sufferings of Christ, the one born by himself alone, as out head for the whereupon of his body, which was his own peculiar part, allotted unto him by the decree of his father, for the satisfying of his iustice for our sins: the other to be born by his Church and faithful people, who are his mystical body, of which sufferings every particular member hath his part and share appointed unto him by the same decree of God; this place is to be understood of afflictions of this l●tter kind, and not of the former; in which regard the Apostle calleth them here the afflictions of Christ,& not the sufferings: so that the meaning is, that as Christ himself suffered those first and chief afflictions for the redeeming his Church, which Rom. 8. 729. {αβγδ} was his own part appropriated unto him: so the Apostle suffered his part in the remainder of these afflictions which were to be suffered in his body, that it might be conformable to him the head in sufferings, unto whom it was afterwards to be conformable in glory. The Act. 9. 4. which afflictions are called the afflictions of Christ, because he suffereth with every member, as being the head of the whole body, as appeareth by those his own words Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And the Apostle here saith that he suffereth them for the Churches sake, not to redeem it in whole or part, or to satisfy God iustice for sin( which had been blasphemous) but for the Churches use and profit, namely as his afflictions were the means of deriving unto all the faithful all those excellent benefits of which I haue already spoken. CHAP. XV. That afflictions do not hurt the faithful, nor bring unto them any great evil. having already proved that God out of ●ect. 1. That though afflictions be evil in their own nature, yet their nature in changed to the faithful. our afflictions advanceth and manifesteth his own glory and also furthereth by them the good of our neighbour: it now followeth that I also show, that the Lord in our crosses aimeth at and accordingly powerfully effecteth our own good Neither doth the Lord inflict them as punishments of sin to satisfy his iustice by our harms, but as chastifements of a gracious father inflicted out of mere love for our singular use and great benefit. The former of these two points is first to be proved, as being a paradox to the world and our corrupt flesh, who fear and fly from afflictions as the greatest evils, and do in no other respect mislike this life, but because it is obnoxious and subject unto them. And surely it cannot be denied but that these afflictions( as before I haue shewed) are in their own nature evil, and that to wicked men they are exceeding hurtful, seeing they thrust them into many temptations, and cause them to fall into many sins: they much vex and torment them both in their souls and bodies, and are unto them the beginnings, and( as it were) the first flashes of their hellish tortures: but unto the child of God and true believer, their nature is changed, their sting of Nulla no●ebit aduersit as si nulla dominabitur iniquitas Bernard. in psal qui babitat serm▪ 7 sin is taken away, and so though in themselves they b● harmful they become harmless unto them. For as one saith, adversity hurteth not, where iniquity reigneth not. And this cometh to pass chiefly and principally through the infinite wisdom and power of God, who taketh away the strength from this poison, and the hurtful sting from this serpent; and also through the virtue of the precious death of his son Iesus Christ, who is the true brazen serpent lift up vpon the cross, vpon whom whosoever looketh with the eye of faith, after they feel themselves stung with these fiery serpents of afflictions, they are presently cured and find no harm at all by these wounds. And partly they become harmless through the inward virtue of their spiritual graces received from God, which as singular preservatives dispel the poison of afflictions; and so alter their nature through that right use which they make of them, as that they become not only harmless but also good and profitable. To which purpose one faith, that as wicked men do wickedly use, not only evil things, but also those A●gust de civit. dei lib. ●3 cap. 5. which are good: so they who are just do use well, not good things alone, but also those which are evil. whereof it is that they abuse the law of God, although it be good; and these do die well, although death itself be evil. And this may well be, because( as I haue shewed) no worldly thing is of simplo and absolute goodness, and therefore is subject to be abused unto evil; neither Malum pati malum non est: malum facere malum est &c. Chrysost. de prodit. Iud●. is there any thing in the earth( sin only excepted) simply and absolutely evil, and therefore it may be used unto good. So one faith, that it is not evil to suffer evil, but to do evil, that is evil. And therefore the patient enduring of evils assureth us of the kingdom of heaven; but the committing of evils threateneth us with the torments of hell fire. There is no hurt therefore in afflictions to them that Sect. 2. Reasons why worldly afflictions cannot h●rt the faithful. can make aright and holy use of them; neither can all the miseries of the world make a faithful man miserable; both because as his happiness consisteth not in earthly things, but in spiritual and heavenly; so he cannot be made unhappy, either with the want of the best things that the world can brag of, or with the presence and feeling of the worst things which it can threaten: and also because that grace& goodness which he hath received from God as a little spacke of that infinite flamme, is( like unto fire) of such a quality, that it turneth and changeth every thing which toucheth it into it own nature, Sapiens potest miser dici, non potest esse. Sen. de provident. lib. Cap. 3. and by a predominant virtue, and powerful working converteth evil into good, and curses into blessings. But chiefly and principally this cometh to pass through the infinite wisdom, power, and goodness of God, who is able to bring good out of the greatest evil; and so to order and dispose of our most grievous afflictions, as wee shall receive no hurt by them, but like the three children remain untouched, even when wee are in the midst of this fiery furnace. The which will the better appear, if we further consider, § Sect. 3. That afflictions do not deprive us of blessings which are of greatest worth; but rather increase them. Rom. 8. 38. 39. that the afflictions of this life, do neither deprive us of any of those things which are of chiefest excellency; nor bring vpon us any of those evils, which are principally to bee avoided. As for example, they do, nor cannot separate us from the love of God, as the Apostle witnesseth, in whose favour is life in death, and happiness in the greatest misery; yea rather, to those who use them well, they are testimonies and pledges of his love, seeing whom he loveth, he correcteth, and Heb. 12. 6. se ourgeth every son whom he receiveth. They do not extinguish nor diminish in us Gods sanctifying and saving graces; but rather their heat is intended and increased, when as they approach and come nere unto this fire of afflictions. They do not make us more slack and negligent in the duties of Gods service, in hearing the word, prayer, and all holy and religious exercises; yea rather the fire of afflictions is a chief help for the offering of those sacrifices; and if wee bee not sometimes warmed with the heat thereof, wee quickly grow could in our deuotions, performing either no service unto God at all, or else with great carelessness, sloth, and negligence. Finally they do not at all hinder our heavenly happiness; but further hasten, and increase it. In which respect wee may say of all afflictions, as one speaketh of persecution; whatsoever rageth against Aug. in senten. the name of Christ is tolerable, if it may bee overcome; and if it cannot, it hasteneth the receiving of our glorious reward; for the faithful man in the end of his temp●rall evils, passeth into the fruition of his eternal good. And as they do not deprive us of those chief blessings Sect. 4. That afflictions bring not vpon us the chiefest evils that are to be feared and avoided, but rather the contrary good. and benefits which are to bee chiefly desired and esteemed: so th●y do not bring vpon us those greatest and most capital evils which are principally to bee feared and avoided. They do not impair our spiritual estate or make us worse; but contrariwise, bring more good to our souls, then hurt to our bodies; for as by them the outward man dec●yeth, the inward man is renewed daily; and as they are notable means to mortify the flesh, so also to make the spiritual man more strong and vigorous. They do not defile the faithful man with sin, nor make him in himself more vicious,& in his life and conue●sation more lude& licentious; but rather serve as fire& files, to purge& scour him from the dross& rust of sin, as profitable corrections to reform him of his vices, as bridles to restrain him from running into licentious courses; and as hedges of thorns to keep him from pampring his flesh in the pastures of sinful pleasures: or if he bee fallen into any sin, they are not encouragements heartening him to live and continue in it; yea rather they warn him from wickedness, when as he finds this gull and wormwood miugled with sinful delights; and serve as strong cords and cables to pull him out of the sink of sin, and to d●aw him unto God by unfeigned repentance. They do not subject us to the curse of the lawe, the wrath of God, the torments of hell, and everlasting condemnation: but rather they help to bring us to a sight of sin, and to a sense of our own misery, and so drive us out of our selves unto Christ, hungering after his righteousness& resting vpon him by a lively faith for justification and salvation. The which being the onely condition of the covenant of grace, wee are assured by it, that wee haue our part in Christ his righteousness and obedience, and all the gracious promises of the gospel made in him ● and consequently that he hath freed us from the curse of the lawe, by being made a curse for us, appeased Gods wrath, by satisfying his iustice, and delivered us from hell and condemnation, by suffering the punishments which wee had deserved. So that our afflictions are not unto us( as they are unto the wicked) the punishments of sin, and first beginnings of hell torments: but rather when wee are thus judged, wee are chastened Cor. 11. 32. of the Lord, that we might escape this hellish condemnation. They will not hurt us in the day of death, but by being enured to suffer them, death becometh much more tolerable, and wee bid it welcome with far greater cheerfulness: because wee know that it will put an end unto all these earthly miseries. Neither will they cause any cuill unto us in the day of iudgment, seeing then wee must answer for the evil which wee haue done, and not for the evil which we haue suffered: but contrariwise if wee haue born these afflictions in patience, and profited in grace by these corrections; then shal we receive the crown of our patience and for our short and momentany afflictions, a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory. Yea so far are they from Nemo frangitur aduersarum molestia; qui prosperarum dilectione non capitur. Aug. de serm. in monte. lib. 2. 1. Cor. 10. 13. plunging us into these intolerable& everlasting evils, that they do not subject to the greatest of those miseries which this life affordeth, for God sendeth them to try us, and not to destroy us, that they may purify us, and not bring us to utter perdition; for( as hath been shewed) he suffereth us not to bee tempted above our power, but still giveth a good issue unto the tentation; and though he cast us into this fiery furnace of afflictions, yet even when( like the bush appearing to moses) wee Exod 3. 1, 2, 3. seem to burn, we are not consumed: though he bring us into many miseries, yet he doth not suffer us to perish in them. For though great bee the troubles of the righteous, Psal. 34 19. yet the Lord delivereth him out of all; though for a time he seem to embondage them to afflictions, yet at last, the Lord redeemeth the souls of his seruants, and none that trusteth in him shall perish. Though he seemeth ver. 22. to give them over to the cruelty of their enemies, yet he so continually protecteth and watcheth over thē with his power& providence, that they may always say with the Church, They haue oftentimes afflicted me from Psal. 129. 2. 3. my youth but they could not prevail against me. The plowers haue ploughed vpon my back and made long furrows: but the righteous Lord hath cut the cords of the wicked. And with the Apostle Paul; wee are afflicted on every 2 Cor. 4. 8, 9. side, yet are wee not in distress; in poverty, but not overcome of poverty; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but wee perish not. For though wee bee weak in ourselves, yet are wee strengthened with the power of Gods might; though we are faint and feeble, and our enemies mighty and many, yet being built vpon Christ the rock Math. 16. 18. of our salvation, the gates and power of hell shall not prevail against vs. § Sect. 5. That it is a great evil to be wholly exempted from the evil of afflictions. And thus it appeareth that the afflictions of the faithful do not hurt them, especially in those things which are chiefly pernicious: but I may add further, that it much hurteth them, not to be thus afflicted; that it is a miserable thing never to haue been in misery; and a great unhappiness to haue always enjoyed worldly happiness. For want of correction maketh us to become, Nihil mihi videtur infalicius eo cvi nihil unquam evenit aduersi. Deme●. apud Senec. de provid Cap. 3. like cockred children) contemptuous towards our heavenly Father, forgetful of his mercies, negligent in all duties which wee owe unto him, dissolute and licentious in all our courses, secure in wickedness, and so wanton in following our own wills, that wee are ready to bee displeased, because nothing displeaseth us, and to grow foolishly discontented, because wee Impunitas est securitatis et negligentia ma●er, n●uerea virtue tum, religion● tirus, ●inea sanctitatis. Bern. de Cons. lib. cap. 3. haue no cause of discontentment. To which purpose one saith well, that impunity is the mother of security, and negligence, the step-mother of virtue, the poison of religion, and moth of holiness. For such is the corruption of our nature, that wee never come to good, if wee haue free leave to bee as bad as wee will; neither is the bare commandment of our heavenly Father enough to make us yield simplo obedience, unless it be strengthened and made powerful in our mindes, both by rewards and punishments. And although virtue and goodness be in themselves so lovely and beautiful, that they are most worthy of entertainment, though they should come alone, having no other to solicit for them: yet are we so carnally poreblind& owle-sighted, and so wholly wedded to the things of this life, that wee are not willing to admit them, unless wee haue the hire of some earthly reward. And so contrariwis●; though sin be in it own nature so ugly and hateful, that wee haue great cause to abhor it, and flee such loathsome company, though nothing should discommend it, but it own deformity; yet doth our carnal appetite so transport us, that like filthy swine wee would take delight to wallow ourselves in this loathsome puddle; if we were not beaten out of it, with these rods of correction, and made to forsake it with sense of pain. CHAP. XVI. That God advanceth the good of the faithful by their afflictions, and first as they are trials of their spiritual graces. but if this bee not sufficient to make us Sect. 1. That God in our afflictions aimeth at our good. bear our afflictions with patience and comfort, because in them God neither intendeth us any harm, nor in effect bringeth by these evils any evil vpon us, either in this life or the life to come: Let us now further consider that in all our crosses he aimeth at, and accordingly doth by them powerfully effect our good, being of such infinite wisdom, power, and goodness, that he can bring sweetness out of this gull, blessings out of these curses, and wholesome nourishment out of these deadly poisons. So the Apostle telleth us, that all things( and namely afflictions of which he there specially entreateth) work together for the best Rom. 8. 28 unto them that love God, even to them that are called of his purpose; and else where he saith, that the Lord giveth( not only a harmless, but also) a good issue to all our temptations: Thus the Lord himself affirmeth, that he brought the Israelites into the wilderness, where they endured much affliction, to humble them, and prove them, Deut. 8. 16 that he might do them good at their latter end. And the Church in the midst of her greatest calamities out of Lam. 3. 27 her own feeling and experience saith, that it is good for a man that he bear the yoke from his youth. And david Psal. 119. 71 for his own particular saith; It is good for me that I haue been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Yea, not only doth the Lord always advance by afflictions the spiritual and everlasting good of the faithful, but sometimes also turneth them to their greater benefit even in the things of this life; as we may see in the example of joseph who was sold as a slave that he might be made a great commander, and lost his patrimony at home, that he might receive a much more la●ge inheritance in a strange country; and therefore he professeth that when his brethren intended evil against him, God Gen. 50 20 disposed it to the good, not of himself alone, but of many others. And thus also job by his afflictions was not only assured of heavenly glory, but also got endless ●ame on earth, and was not alone enriched much more with Gods spiritual graces, but also had a twofold increase in his worldly estate. Neither ought this to seem strange, that God through his infinite wisdom and power, should be able to bring happiness out of misery, comfort out of crosses, and so much good out of these afflictions, which both to the flesh and the world do seem so evil; seeing it is a familiar course with earthly physicians, by medicines to make men weaker, that they may recover strength, and sicker for the present, that they may be more healthy ever after, and with Surgeons to cut, launch, scar and torment their Patients with torturing corrasiues, that they may cure their wounds, and give them perfect ease for the time to come. But because the knowing and acknowledging of this § Sect. 2. That ●●r afflictions are sometimes trials of Gods graces, and not chastisements for our sins, in respect of their main& chief end. point is the chief fountain of all true comfort and consolation, and the want of this assurance is the cause of all impatience, murmuring, and complaining; I will the more largely insist vpon it; and will plainly prove, and by clear evidence of truth demonstrate, that in all our afflictions& chastisements, the Lord both intendeth our good, and also doth accordingly by his wisdom, power and providence, effect it and bring it to pass. To which purpose let us consider, that God by our afflictions intendeth, and powerfully worketh our good, both in respect of this life and the life to come. In this life we haue much good by our afflictions whether wee consider them as trials, or as fatherly chastisements and corrections. Concerning the former we are to know, that the afflictions which we suffer are not always chastisements for our sins, but sometimes gracious trials wherewith God trieth and tempteth us for his own glory and our own good. And this may appear both by testimonies of Scriptures and by examples: For thus the Lord saith, that he lead his people forty yeeres in the wilderness, Deut. 8. 2 for to humble them and prove them, to know what was in their heart, whether they would keep his commandements or no. So speaking of the remainder of his people, whom he did not utterly cut off in iudgement, he saith by the Prophet Zachary: I will bring that third part through the Zach. 13. 9 fire, and will fine them as silver is fined, and will try them as gold is tried. And the Apostle Peter comforting the faithful in their afflictions, would not haue them astonished and dismayed with them; for though they were hot and fiery, yet they were but trials to prove, and in proving to purify them, that when they came to the touchstone, they might also be approved and allowed. Dearly beloved( saith he) think it not strange concerning the 1. Pet. 4. 12 13 fiery trial, which is among you to prove you, as though some strange thing were come unto you: but rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall appear, ye may be glad and rejoice. So the Author of the book of wisdom speaking of the afflictions of the faithful saith, that God proved them, and found them worthy for himself, as gold in the furnace Wisd. 3. 5, 6 hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. And of this we haue many examples in the Scriptures: For thus the Lord excercising Abraham with that great affliction of offering up his own son even his Isaac, Gen. 22. 1 so dearly beloved, and the ioy of his heart, is said herein not to haue corrected Abraham for his sins, but only to haue proved him, that his faith and obedience might be manifested and approved, to the glory of Gen. 22. 1. him who gave them, to his own comfort who had received them, and that he might be a notable example unto all the faithful who were to follow him. Thus the Lord tried job that by his afflictions, his faith, affiance and patience might be manifested, and that it might appear to bee a slander, which satan laid to his charge; namely, that he served God for rewards, and job. 1 9. 10. 12. not for love, to which purpose job himself saith, God knoweth my way and trieth me, and I shall come forth like cap. 23. 10 the gold. Thus also sometimes was david tried, not for the chastisement of his sin, but that his innocency and righteousness, faith and holinesse, might be more manifest. Thou hast proved( saith he) and visited my heart in the night; thou hast tried me, and foundest nothing; for I Psal. 17. 3. was purposed that my mouth should not offend. So the whole Church speaking of her afflictions saith, Thou Psa. 139. 1. 5. O God hast proved us, and hast tried us as silver is tried. Thou hast brought us into the snare and laid a straite chain vpon our loins. But most plainly doth this appear Math. 4. 2. in the example of our saviour, who being free from sin, was notwithstanding tempted and tried by satan and the world, that his heavenly and divine virtues, and the infinite wisdom, power and goodness of his divine nature might appear. Now that the Lord trieth the faithful by crosses and afflictions, not because he himself is ignorant of § Sect. 3. That God trieth ●s not to better his own knowledge, but to make us known both to ourselves and others. job. 42. 2 jer. 17. 10 Heb. 4. 13. their estate and condition, and needeth these trials and experiments, that he may come to a more perfect knowledge of them; for, as the scriptures teach us, He knoweth all things, and there is nothing hide from him, he searcheth our hearts and reins, and understandeth our thoughts long before we think them. Yea as the Apostle saith, there is not any creature which is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him, with whom w● haue to do: But God is said, after the maner of men, by these trials and afflictions to know us, when by them he discovereth and maketh known, both unto ourselves and others, either his hidden graces, or our secret infirmities, of which before we were ignorant, or not so well assured. And thus he saith unto Abraham, now I know that thou fearest God, seeing for Gen. 2●. 12. my sake thou hast not spared thine only son; that is, by this trial I haue made known and discovered thy faith and obedience, that I may haue the glory, thou the comfort, and others the benefit of thine example. For otherwise, God himself knoweth all before he trieth them; and therefore job placeth knowledge first, and trial after: He knoweth my way, and trieth me, and I shall come job. 23. 10. forth like the gold. And this trial of the faithful by afflictions is most necessary, for the rectifying, both of their own and others judgements in the true understanding of their estate and condition; For either wee are so blinded with natural pride and self love, that we overcome our graces and good parts, thinking that we are strong, when we are weak and feeble, constant and courageous, when as we are cowardly and faint-hearted; invincible and fully assured in our faith and affiance, and that our patience is come to such perfection, that we can with ioy and contentedness bear all, which God sendeth, when as we are full of doubting and infidelity, diffidence and distrust, impatience, murmuring and repining; like the angel of the Church of Laodicea, Apoc. 3. 17 who thought himself, rich and increased in goods, and needed nothing, when as he was wretched and miserable, poor, blind and naked; or like the Apostle Peter, who imagined that he was so furnished with faith, courage and love towards Christ, that though all the world should deny and forsake him, yet he would not, whereas he was so feeble, infirm and faint-hearted, that he was ready before any other to make this apostasy in his outward profession: or contrariwise, when we are dejected with the sight of our natural infirmities, wee are ready to make our estate desperate, to think that we are destitute of all grace, and unable to stand in the least tentation. And therefore the Lord bringeth us into these trials, that wee may come to a true estimate of that which is in us, and neither overween and magnify our gifts and good parts, to be thereby puffed up in pride, through a conceit of our own excellency; nor too much vilify and under value the gifts and graces which we haue received of him, and so rob him of that glory and praise which is due unto him. So that as one Chrysost. in Math. 3. Hom. 3. saith of Christs righteous judgements, so may I say of his trials, that he doth by them search and examine us, not so much that he may know how to judge justly, as that man himself may know that he is justly judged, his own heart& conscience approving his righteous sentence, according to that which is written: Their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing Rom▪ 2. 15. one another or excusing: for so in like manner God trieth us, not that he may know us, but that we may know ourselves, and may rightly conceive both of his graces and our own infirmities, that our own weakness may humble us, and his strength shining therein so much the more, when we are tried, may move us with greater ardency of affection to praise and magnify him. And this Miserum te judico quod nunquam fuisti miser, transisti sine adversario vitam. Nemo scit quid potueris; ne tu quidem ipse, &c. Senec. de provid. cap. 4. knowledge of ourselves, arising from our afflictions is so profitable, that even the heathen Philosopher pronounceth him miserable who had never been in misery, because passing his life without an adversary, no man could know, no not he himself what was in him: for that we may attain unto this knowledge, it is needful that we haue some experience what we are able to do, and this experience is not learned, unless we haue been tried; In which respect magnanimous spirits rejoice no less in their afflictions, then valiant souldiers do in the warres. So also the Lord by these trials doth make us known § Sect. 4. That God by our afflictions maketh us better known unto others. unto others, either discovering by them our graces or infirmities: For nothing is more common then to err grossly in our judgements, whilst we censure their virtues and good parts, we being easily deceived, either by their outward shows, because our weak and dull sight cannot pierce their secrets and inward parts; or by our own affections, according as we overmuch like, or dislike the parties of whom we judg●. And thus do wee judge some to haue little or none of Gods saving graces, because they make no glorious show in their outward profession, that in truth do much exceed others, who by external flourishes and formalities, haue not on●y drawn from us excessive praises, but brought us into a kind of admiration of their virtue and excellency: Thus we judge some who are in their nature and disposition mildred and gentle, to haue little or no zeal of Gods glory, or of the good of his Church; whereas herein they far exceed others, whom, being naturally hot and violent in their passions and affections, we admire as most fervent and zealous; though when they are brought to the trial, their natural affections& passions which gave so faire a blaze quickly going out( as not enduring long the heat of this fiery furnace, because they are but blazing straw, or crackling thorns, which are no sooner kindled then extinguished) do leave them scarce lukewarm in their chiefest heat. So we vnder-valew some as cowardly, faint-hearted, and unable to bear any thing for the name of Christ, because they are of a still and quiet disposition, yea it may be timorous, in respect of that sense which they haue of their own natural frailty and weakness, who when they come to the fiery trial, do prove more constant and courageous then others, who by their great brags and confident speeches, haue possessed us with an opinion of their undaunted magnanimity, and immovable constancy. Finally, we are apt to judge some destitute of all patience, because in their natural disposition they are inclined to anger and choler; when as coming to this touch-stone of trial, they bear with much more meekness and contentedness all their crosses and calamities, then others whose untried patience we haue praised and extolled, whereas indeed they had never the true grace of patience, but some natural mildness and quietness, which though it made a glittering and golden show, yet( like drossy brass) it flieth all into fitters, when it is brought to be tried vpon this anvil of afflictions. And therefore, that false shows and natural shadows, may not rob his substantial virtues and saving graces of their due esteem and deserved commendation, God bringeth all to the touch-stone, and by pu●ting all into the fiery furnace of tribulation, he maketh us easily to discern, his true golden gifts, from the counterfeit copper, and impure dross of our natural faculties and abilities, which through our ignorance we could never distinguish the one from the other. Now the Lord thus trieth us with afflictions, first to § Sect. 5. That God trieth us by afflictions, whether wee are true Christians endued with saving graces, or no. make it known, whether we are true and sound christians or no, endued▪ with his sanctifying& saving graces; or whether we deceive both ourselves and others with shows and shadows only: and secondly, if we be sincere professors of religion, he trieth hereby, how much we haue profited, what progress we haue made, and how rich we are grown in these spiritual treasures. Concerning the former, our saviour hath taught us in the parable, that there are some hearers like unto the stony ground, who receive the seed of the word with ioy and bring forth a faire green blade of an outward profession, Mat. 13 5, 6 but yet having no root in themselves they endure but for a season, and when the hot sun of affliction and persecution ariseth and shineth vpon them▪ they withe● and fall away. And therefore that these time serving hypocrites may be known& discerned from true professors and sincere christians, he causeth this sun of tribulation to arise, that these may be tried and approved, and they discovered and rejected. We all make profession that we are the children of God, though many in truth remain still the seruants of sin and slaves of satan; and therefore the lord, like the eagle, taketh all his young eaglets, after that he hath for a time fed and nourished them in the nest of the Church, and maketh them to look vpon the piercing beams of this sun of affliction; that he may discover and sever the bastard brood whose weak sight endureth not this blazing brightness, from those who being true bread are able to behold it with vndazeled eyes. We profess ourselves to be gold fit for Gods treasury, and pure corn meet for the graners of eternal blessedness: and yet there is among us more dross then gold, and more chaff then wheat: and therefore the Lord casteth us into the fiery furnace of affliction, that the pure mettall may be tried and in trial purified, and the drossy substance may be severed, and in the separation burned and consumed: and fanneth and winnoweth us with the strong wind of tribulation, that the chaff may be blown away, and the pure corn remain for his own use. We profess ourselves trees well planted by Gods own hand in his garden of grace, and that we are houses fit for his own dwelling, which haue a good ground and sure foundation, even the rock Iesus Christ: whereas in truth there are many plants of the devils setting, which haue no other hold but the weak and short roots of carnal ends and worldly respects: which are there planted by satan, to hinder the growth, to suck away the nourishment, and to shade and annoy, disorder and disgrace those fruitful and choice trees of Gods own grafting; and many houses which are not built vpon the rock Christ, but vpon the sands of human inventions and traditions, vpon the examples of their superiors, or their own good meaning and ungrounded superstition: and therefore the Lord causeth the winds to blow, and the tempestuous storms of trials and troubles to arise; that his own trees may be approved, and take the more deep rooting by how much the more they are tossed and shaken, and that those plants of sathans setting may bee overturned and rooted up, and maketh these boisterous blasts of trouble to blow, and these billows of temptations to beat vpon these buildings, that the temples of his own erecting, for the habitation of his holy spirit, may by their standing in all these storms, approve the skill of the workmaster and the excellency of the work, and that these chapels of the divell, which being guilt with hypocrisy, make no less a show may be overturned and utterly ruinated, having no other foundation but the sandy respects of worldly vanities, which fail and sink when these waves of affliction d●e beate vpon them. Finally we profess ourselves to be souldiers in the Church militant fighting under the standard of the Lord of hosts, and we haue in our baptism( as it were) taken our oath, received the press▪ money, and taken vpon us the colours& cognisance of our great cammander and chief cap●aine Iesus Christ: And therefore the Lord suffereth satan and the world to assault us with afflictions and persecution, to try us whether we be traitors, who vpon the first encounter will join with the enemy or true-harted souldiers, who will live and die in our Lords quarrel; whether we be such cowards and dastards as will presently yield at the first on-set, though before we haue made many brags of our strength and valour: or of such courageous and magnanimous spirits, as will not fly back one foot to save our lives. And this our saviour M●●. 10. 22. tried the young man in the gospel, who though he seemed at the first sight, a great worthy of undaunted courage, yet when our saviour did but speak of those two enemies poverty and the cross, at the very naming of them he was discomfited and did run away▪ And as we are thus tried with afflictions whether Sect. 6. That God by our afflictions ●rieth unto what measure of grace we haue attained, and first of the measure of our faith and affiance. we be true christians and endued with any grace or no; so also thereby he sheweth what progress we haue made in christianity, and unto what measure of grace we haue attained. For as when we are winnowed with the wind of afflictions every small blast is sufficient to separate& drive away the chaff from the wheat, so when a stronger gale bloweth, there is a second division made; for howsoever the weaker and stronger christians remain together in the same Church and communion, as it were in the same floor and heap, yet when any strong blast of tentation bloweth, those that are weaker in grace like the lighter corn, shake, stagger and fly somewhat back, whereas the stronger are not moved, but keep their place, like the purer wheat and weightier grain, with great constancy and undaunted courage. And thus doth the Lord try our faith, and by these afflictions show us unto what degree and measure of assurance we haue attained; for when it is weak and but of small growth, though we imagine with Peter, that we can walk unto Christ vpon the deep waters, yet if but a small wave of affliction arise and come against us, we are through infidelity ready to sink and perish, if Christ did not catch hold of us; howsoever in self confidence and conceit we are ready to boast with him, that though al the world should forsake Christ, we will not: yet when we come to the trial, the voice of a poor damsel is enough to quell all our courage▪ and to make us shamefully fly back and forsake our master. But when we are come unto fullness of persuasion, then are we ready to say with Paul, unto those who dissuade us from bearing the cross which God layeth vpon us; what do you weeping and breaking my heart, for I am ready not only to be bound, but also to suffer death for the name of Christ; and to profess Act. 21. 13. with him in another place, that neither tribulation nor anguish, n●r persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor Rom. 8. 35. 38. peril, nor sword, nor death, nor divell shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. So by this fiery trial appeareth the measure of our affiance; for when it is weak, then if God withdraw from us visible and outward means, and thrust us into some danger not showing us an evasion, nor putting a thread into our hands which may guide us out of this labyrinth▪ we are presently dismayed, and without courage or comfort, and bee ready to think of unlawful means for our safety or deliverance; but when we haue attained unto some high degree of confidence and affiance, then can we firmly rely ourselves vpon the power and providence of God, with comfort and assurance, as well when we are weak in secondary helps, as when we are strong; yea when in outward appearance we are destitute and abandoned of them, as when they guard and compass us about, offering vpon all occasions their aid and assistance: neither do we only confess our confidence in God when as we are hedged in on all sides with Gods blessings and benefits, but in our greatest miseries and extremities, in assured affiance, we a●e ready to cry out, with holy job, though he kill me yet will I trust in him. Thus also doth the Lord by these afflictions make job. 13. 15. trial of our love. And as the tender mother sometimes § Sect. 7. That God by our afflictions ●aketh trial of the measure of our love, patience humility and obedience. withdraweth and hideth herself from her child, to try how he will brook her absence, taketh again the things which she had given him to try his love and obedience; and vpon fit occasion correcteth him, not only to mend him of his faults, but to make an experiment of his nature, how loving he is unto her: and if in all th●se trials he approveth himself, bewailing her absence, patien●ly parting with hi● delights for the love he beareth her, and increasing in love and fondness after his chastisement; it doth notably enlarge her affection towards her son; whom she now loveth▪ not only out of motherly duty, but with much comfort and delight: even so doth the Lord make trial of our love by withdrawing himself and his gifts, and by inflicting vpon us his fatherly corrections; that our love and obedience being approved by experience, he may increase his favours towards us, and entirely love us with more pleasure. For to show our affection towards him, when being in prosperity we abound with his blessings, is no great matter; seeing we are hired thereunto with the wages of worldly benefits, and do therefore love God because we first love ourselves, not for his own sake, but because of his gifts and rewards: but if our love continue in his wonted heat, when as God withdraweth this fuel of earthly plenty, and we embrace him with ardent affection, when( as it were) he stoppeth our wages, or resumeth into his hands that which formerly he bestowed on us: then will it plainly appear, that we love the giver, better then his gifts, and that we find cause enough in God himself to unite our hearts unto him, though all these bands of earthly blessings be broken or taken away. Yea if the fire of affliction do not lessen, but much intend and increase the heat of this our love, and no danger seem difficult into which God thrusteth us▪ no burden heavy which he layeth vpon us; if( as it fared with jacob being in love with Rahel) many yeeres miseries do seem but a few daies because we suffer them for his sake; yea if we are glad being assaulted with these enemies, to endure many wounds, to receive many foils, and sustain much grief and labour, that by these trials we may show our affection, and that loues triumph may be more glorious, after it hath obtained victory over so great forces; ther● are our hearts thoroughly warmed with this heavenly flamme, and our love is strong yea( as the wise man speaketh) Cant. 8. 6. 7. stronger then death, seeing these waters of worldly miseries cannot quench it, nor these floods of afflictions cool or drown it. And as the Lord by these afflictions Chrysost. Math. cap. 3. Homil. 3. sheweth how great the measure of our love is towards him, so because the love of him and the world are quiter contrary, he doth by the same means discover, how much we haue profited in the contempt of the world, and are weaned in our affections from doting vpon it. For as the grain of come which is full& ripe,& is no sooner touched with the flail but it presently flieth from the straw and empty ear, and if it be small and light is not beaten out, unless it be with much more difficulty, but if it be altogether empty and unripe it cannot with much thrashing be severed, but remaineth still in the straw, and is cast out or burnt with it: so those who adhere unto worldly delights like the corn to the chaff& care, if they be full of grace& ripe in godliness, are with the least touch of this flail of afflictions severed from the love of the world; and being united in their heart and affection unto God, they fly unto him; whereas if having begun to embrace virtue and holinesse, they haue made as yet but small progress, they are not weaned from these worldly vanities except they be much beaten with many crosses and calamities, but if they be quiter empty of all grace and goodness, then do they in their heart and affections stick so inseparably fast unto the things of this life, that though they be never so much beaten with afflictions and tribulations, yet they cannot be disjoined and partend, and so are cast out and rejected of God, perishing together with these transitory evils, because they will not be divided from them. Finally God by these afflictions doth try the measure of our patience, obedience and humility; for where there is no passion and suffering, there is no place for patience; where there is no difficulty danger or burden to be undergone, there is no trial of obedience; and when Gods will doth not cross ours, every man can show humility and submission; but then our patience is manifested and magnified, when being under heavy crosses and calamities, we bear them with meekness and cheerfulness, without any murmuring and repining; then are we truly obedient, when with the Apostle, we can serve the Lord with all modesty,& with Act. 20. 19▪ many tears and temptations, in respect of the miseries which accompany our service, and the dangers which attend vpon it; and( as elsewhere he saith) when we can hold on a constant course in godliness and righteousness, and in all things approve ourselves as the seruants of God, In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in tumults, in labours, by watchings, 2. Cor. 6. 4. 5. by fastings, &c. by honor& dishonour, by evil report and good report, &c. then is our humility shewed and approved, when in our greatest distress and danger, we can say with david, Behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth 2. Sam. 15 26. Mar. 14 36. good in his eyes, and with our saviour Christ, not my will but thine be done. In a word all sanctifying and saving graces, both in their truth and measure, are much better tried and known, in the time of trouble and affliction, then when they are enfolded and wrapped up in the rich furniture of plenty and abundance. For as the stars do not appear in the day time; but shine most brightly in the darkest night; so these glorious stars of Gods saving graces, which were hardly discerned in the day of prosperity and worldly happiness, do shine clearly, and( as it were) in their full strength, in the dark night of troubles and afflictions. And as in Maisteries, men healthful, strong, and of good habitude and proportion of lims, do not plainly appear so to be, when having their garments on, they come marching in all their bravery, but when they haue stripped themselves, and appear naked on the theatre; then are the beholders most rapt with admiration, when nothing shadoweth or hideth the excellent proportion and strong making of all their parts and lims: even so the inward graces and good parts of a Christian, are not so well discerned when the ornaments of prosperity, the riches, honours and delights of this life do shade and cover them, but when they are stripped of all, and are with job brought to the theatre to contend and strive with the aduersaries of our salvation, that they obtaining the victory, may bee crwoned with the garland of glory and happiness; then all vailes and shadows being taken away, the gifts and graces received from God do appear in their naked beauty, and then are the beholders ravished, when they view their worth and excellency, which were neither discerned nor regarded whilst they were hide and covered. And thus the Lord trieth, and by trial discovereth, § Sect. 8. That God trieth us principally for his own glory: and in the next place for the advancing of our credit and esteem, through the manifestation of his graces in vs. both his gifts and the measure of them; chiefly and principally for his own glory from whom we haue received them: for as the art of the shipwright appeareth when the ship brooketh all weathers, continueth firm and strong in al storms and tempests, and say leth well with all winds and in every sea; and as the cutlers and armorours skill is made manifest, not whilst the sword hangeth by the side in a velvet scabbard; or whilst the armor is clean kept and well oiled in the armorie; but when the one is tried in fight, or by smiting the anvil or bar of iron; and the other in the field with the caliver or musket shot: so these works of Gods spirit, these sanctifying and saving graces, do then most commend their workmaster, when they come to be tried in this sea of miseries, and with these bullets of tentation; for if they then hold out, and neither leak nor sink, and being neither pierced, nor much battered, do preserve us from all outward violence in this combat against our spiritual enemies, then the wisdom and skill, power and bounty of God, who both made and gave them, doth clearly shine and manifestly appear. And as the Lord the donor of these gifts and graces is glorified in the trial of them, so we the owners, coming by these means to the knowledge and sight of them, haue in ourselves much more ioy and comfort, and are more highly valued and esteemed in others judgements, when these rich treasures and vnualuable jewels of Gods saving graces are discovered unto them: which if they were not thus tried would be obscured, and lie hide both to them and vs. To this purpose one saith▪ that to be always in a prosperous estate: and to pass all a mans time without any vexation of mind, is to remain ignorant of the one half of nature and humane affairs: thou maiest be a man of magnanimous spirit, but how shall I know it, if thou never haue occasion to show thy Senec. de Prou. cap. 4. virtue? thou comest into the theatre to strive for masteries: but there cometh no adversary to contend with thee, thou maiest well haue the prise, but not the victory. And again; how shall I know with what patienco thou canst bear poverty, if thou dost always abound in riches? how shall I discern what heart and courage thou hast to endure shane, infamy, and popular hatred, if thou wax old in vulgar applauses,& the stream of their favours flow unto thy grave? how shall I know with what constancy and contentedness thou couldst sustain the loss of thy children, if all, which haue been born unto thee, are still in thy sight? well may I hear thee whilst thou art comforting others: but then only I truly see and discern thee, when thou givest comfort unto thyself, and commandest thy griefs to avoid thy presence. He that would know the skill of the Pilate must not look on him lying quietly on his bed in a safe port: nor sailing in a faire sea, with a prosperous wind: but when he is in the midst of syrts and sands, tossed& endangered with boisterous storms and cruel tempests, then to quit his ship and self out of these perils, and to bring it safe into the wished haven, argueth the greatness of his skill, and gaineth him the reputation of a cunning master. The prowess, fortitude, and undaunted courage of a soldier is not discerned whilst he securely resteth in the garrison without fear of foe: but in the fight and skirmish, when as he is in the throng of enemies, beset with dangers; and( as Senec. in sap. non Cad. iniur. lib. cap. 3. one saith) his strength is more approved, who fighting is not vanquished; than his, who is not at all assaulted: and whereas untried valour is very doubtful and questionable, that fort●tude is most assured which overcometh in all encounters: So the sweet odour of the precious ointment, whilst it is kept in the glass, safe and close, is scarcely scented; but being stirred and powred out, it perfumeth all the room, and is highly commended of all that haue the benefit of this fragrant smell. The gold is accounted( of those who judge by outward appearance) base and of small worth, whilst it lieth in the oar, but when it is purified in the fiery furnace, and tried by the touchstone, then is it valued and esteemed. And therefore the Lord bringeth us into a sea of miseries, and tosseth us with the tempest of temptations, that by well acquitting ourselves in these perils, our skill, wherewith he hath endued us, may be manifested and approved. He suffereth us not in this christian warfare to lie at ease in garrison, but bringeth us into the field, and suffereth many and strong enemies to encounter us; that demeaning ourselves manfully in this fight, he our grand captain may haue the chief glory,& we that due approbation& praise, which of right belongeth to our courage and fortitude. He will not let the sweet ointment of his spiritual graces to be kept close,& so to become unprofitable both to ourselves and others, but rather battereth and breaketh these glassy and ●arthen vessels of our bodies, that they may sand out a sweet perfume to the great comfort of others and ioy of our own hearts. Finally, he will not suffer us to lie in the oar of our earthly corruptions, but casteth us into the fiery furnace, that being purified from our dross, we may be approved in the touch, and be esteemed and prized, as well befitteth our worth and value, according to that of the proverbs: As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold: so the Prou. 17. 3. Lord trieth the hearts. Yea the Lord thus trieth us, not onely for the discovery § Sect. 9. That God also discovereth by afflictions our corruptions& infirmities for our humiliation. of his graces to his glory and our comfort; but also of our infirmities and corruptions, for our humiliation, and others instruction. For naturally we haue an overweening opinion of our own worth, an high conceit of our own gifts; and presume too much vpon our own strength; and like fresh-water souldiers we think ourselves, before we come into the field, so strong and valorous, that no enemy is able to withstand us: whereas contrariwise there oftentimes lieth hide in us much infirmity and weakness, many imperfections, and such a huge mass of gross corruptions, that no sooner are we assaulted, but we presently yield or run away; or if we stand to it, we are either foiled by our enemies, or taken captive, and lead away in the fetters of sin; showing our impatiency and murmuring against our ground, captain who by his providence hath brought us into this fight. Now to be thus conceited of our abilities, is exceeding dangerous and pernicious; for it puffeth us up with pride, it maketh us to rest and rely vpon the broken ●●ffer of our own strength, and not vpon the Lord afflicta●●●●; it maketh us negligent and could in prayer for help and succour from God, and in praises and thanksgiving, when he hath supported vs. And therfore the Lord; to prevent these great mischiefs, bringeth us into the field to be encountered by our spiritual enemies; and as he sometimes strengtheneth us with the power of his might, that he may haue glory, and we comfort, and encouragement by the victory: so sometimes he leaveth us to our weak abilities,& suffereth us to receive many foils and wounds; that we may be truly humbled in the sight of our infirmities, flee out of ourselves, as wholly distrusting in our own strength, crave his aid and assistance, and that having obtained it, and with it victory over our spiritual enemies, we may not rob him of his glory by attributing any part of the praise unto ourselves, but ascribe all the honor unto him onely; by whose power alone we know that and haue overcome, seeing we find by experience that we are in ourselves so weak and impotent, that when we are left unto our own strength, we are in every small tentation easily overcome. An example whereof we haue in job, who was no sooner left of God in that grievous conflict of affliction, but he nurseth the day of his birth, repineth against Gods providence, and is ready to utter blasphemies against his iustice; and no sooner again is he supported by Gods assisting spirit, but he is humbled in the sight of his infirmities, giveth glory to God, and easily overcometh all those temptations, which formerly finding him in his natural weakness, did with greater ease give him the foil. And thus also the Lord Psal. 81. 7. tried the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah, when as leaving them to the frowardness of their own disposition, they presently forga●e what great things he had done for them, and began to murmur and repined against his providence. And the Apostle Peter likewise was thus Matth. 26. 70. 7●. tried by God, that being foiled after all his brags, with the voice of a sillie Damosell, he might be humbled in the sense of his infirmity, boast no more of his own strength, and that overcoming afterwards in far more dangerous conflicts, he might ascribe nothing to himself, but give the whole glory unto God, by whose might alone he obtained victory. CHAP. XVII. That the former consideration, to wit, that our crosses are trials of Gods graces in us, may much comfort us in all our afflictions. ANd thus haue I shewed that our afflictions Sect. 1. That we ought to rejoice in our afflictions, in that by these trials God is glorified; and we assured of our adoption. are not always chastisements for our sins, but sometimes gracious trials, whereby God trieth us as children, what and how much we haue profited in his saving graces, that hereby he may be glorified, and we comforted in the manifestation of them; as also with what infirmities and corruptions we are still stained, that we may be humbled in the sight thereof, and labour after more grace, and the merciful assistance of Gods holy spirit. Now this consideration may justly move us to bear al our crosses and afflictions, not only with patience and humility, but also with thanksgiving and spiritual rejoicing: first, because God is glorified in the manifestation of his graces bestowed vpon us by these trials of affliction; and nothing ought to seem two difficult and dangerous to be attempted, nothing too grievous and heavy to be born or suffered, if it tend to the furthering and advancing of his glory, which is the supreme end of all things, and the chief mark at which we must aim in all that we do or suffer. Secondly, because hereby we may gather assurance, that wee are Gods children and of the household of faith; for the Lord trieth and in crying purifieth us, that we may be vessels of glory, chosen for his own use, according to his word by the Prophet; Behold I Esa. 48. 10. haue fined, thee but not as silver, I haue chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. So the Psalmist saith, that God Psal. 11 5. will try the righteous; but the wicked man, and he that loveth iniquity, doth his soul hate. And therefore as they with Ahaz refuse to make trial of his mercy, goodness Esa. 7. 12. and truth of his promises, that they may rest and rely vpon him; so he will not try them, but giveth them over to be ●emp●e● and carried headlong by satan into all evil, that when the measure of their sin and iniquity is full, he may power out vpon them the full viols of his wrath, and( as it followeth in the psalm) they rain Vers. 6. vpon these wicked 〈◇〉 s●●res, fire and brimstone, and stormy tempest; that this may be the portion of their cup. And hence it is that the son of sirach willeth us, to bear with alacrity all afflictions which God layeth vpon us, because it is a sign when we are thus tried that we are accepted. whatsoever is brought vpon thee( saith he) take Eccles. 2. 4, 5. cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate: For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. And the Apostle james persuadeth us to count it exceeding ioy when we fall into diuers temptations; Iam. 1. 2, 3. because they are but the trials of our faith, which work patience,& after it is begun, do bring it to perfection. Yea but how shall wee know that our afflictions are § Sect. 2. How we may know when our afflictions are trials,& when chastisements for sin. trials, and not either punishments or chastisements for our sins▪ I answer, that 〈◇〉 may be assured that they are not punishments, when by then we are purified from our dross, and shine gloriously in the sight of God and men, through the brightness of those sanctifying and saving graces which are manifested by them;& when we are not overthrown in the conflict, and moved by these sharp encounters▪ to rep●●●● and murmur against God, who hath pressed us to this warfare, but do show our christian courage, valour and magnanimous fortitude, in withstanding and overcoming all these assaults. And further we may know them to be trials& not chastisements, when we haue effectually profited by them, truly humbled ourselves, vnfainedly repented of our sins, and earnestly by prayer haue sought reconciliation from God, and freedom from those afflictions, and yet notwithstanding, after all this, we still remain under the burden without finding any ease: for then we may be assured that God doth not correct faults already amended, but rather useth these crosses as trials for the manifestation of his graces, to his own glory, and our spiritual good, as hath been shewed. But whether they be trials of Gods gifts, or chastisements for sins, we haue no cause of impatience or excessive sorrow▪ yea rather in both respects there is great cause of ioy and gladness, to which purpose one saith; let the righteous man rejoice in his troubles and afflictions; August. Hom. 46. Tom. 10. because he is either proved if he be just; or amended if he be a sinner: But let them break their hearts with grief, whom the stripes of this divine hand do torment, but not correct and make better; let them justly fear future punishments, who haue contemned, and not profited by these present remedies of our gracious father. Thirdly, we haue just cause to rejoice in these trials, because § Sect. 3. We may bee comforted in our trials in that they haue always a good issue, and tend to our great profit. they haue always a good issue, and tend to our great profit and benefit, both in this life and the life to come: For howsoever, it is the end of wicked men, who are the instruments and inferior means, to bring these crosses vpon us, that they may satisfy their malice and cruelty in doing us▪ hurt and mischief▪ and though Sathans end in setting them on, be to bring us into these evils▪ that wee may sin in il-bearing them, or in ridding ourselves out of them by wicked means; and so be brought into the estate of condemnation, and pass out of these temporary miseries into everlasting torments: yet God doth not propound these ends unto his trials: for he tempteth no man Iam. 1. 13. with evil, as the Apost speaketh: but he thus trieth us, that he may do us good in the latter end( as himself speaketh) Deut. 8. 16. & that the trial of our faith being much more precious than gold that perisheth▪( though it be tried by the fire) may be found unto our praise, honour and glory, at the appearing 1. Pet. 1. 6, 7. of Iesus Christ. He trieth us, that being in this trial approved, we may receive after our conflict and victory the crown of blessedness and eternal glory. In regard whereof the Lord exhorteth the angel of the Church of Smyrna to fear none of those things which he should suffer, Ap●c. 2. 10. because he was but tried with these tribulations, that continuing faithful unto the death, he might bestow vpon him the crown of life. So the author of the book of wisdom saith, that the faithful having been a little Wisd. 3 5. 6. chastised shall be greatly rewarded; for God proveth them and findeth them worthy for himself; as the gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering: And job out of his own experience saith: he job. 23. 10. knoweth my way and trieth me, and I shall come forth like the gold. In respect of which happy issue given by the Lord unto all our trials, we haue just cause to bear them all with patience and comfort, with ioy and thanksgiving. For if we be not counterfeit mettaile, but good gold, why should we fear the furnace of affliction, seeing it will not consume us like straw or chaff, but only try us, and in trying purify us; that coming to the touchstone wee may be approved, and so be reserved for ever in Gods treasury of blessedness? If we be good grapes, why do we fear the press of tribulation, which will not destroy us, but bring us to perfection, making us fit wine for Gods own use? If we be good whea●e, why should we be grieved to come under the flail or fan, seeing it will not hurt us, but only separate and cleanse us from the straw and chaff, that we may be laid up for Gods own store in the graners of heavenly happiness? Finally, if we be Gods souldiers in the Church militant, why should we not with ioy and Christian courage skirmish with the world assaulting us daily with troubles and afflictions, seeing by this conflict our valour is tried, that being approved it may be crwoned; and we assured of Gods continual assistance, which will defend us in the fight, and in the end give us victory? Let us therefore leave fear and horror, murmuring and repining, to false dissemblers and faithless men, to whom alone these miseries are hurtful and dangerous. Let counterfeit and drossy Christians fear the fiery trial, seeing in it they are sure to be consumed. Let hypocrites, which like faire green leaves make a goodly show, but yield no sweet juice of holinesse, fear the winepress and vintage, because their pressing will bring no profit, but they shall be cast away or trodden under foot: let the chaff and straw fear the flail and fan, because being thereby separated from the good wheat, they shall be either burnt with fire▪ or cast vpon the dung-hill. Let dastards& cowards, traytors and enemies, tremble and grieve, when they are encountered by afflictions, seeing in this fight they are lead captive of sin, and afterwards for ever imbondaged in the prison of hell and destruction. As for Gods faithful ones, let them endure all these trials with patience, comfort and rejoicing; seeing they do by exercising, manifest Gods graces, that he may be glorified in his gifts, and his gifts crwoned in them. Yea wilt thou say, but my afflictions are great, and § Sect. 4. They answered who object the greatness of their trials, and smallness of their strength▪ my strength small; so that in my trials I show so many infirmities and corruptions, that he who trieth me will never approve me. Fond man, dost thou think that the Gold-smith hath skill enough so to proportion the heat of the fire to the mettaile, that it may be purified and not consumed; and canst thou imagine that the Lord knoweth not how to fit his trials to thy strength? Or if he haue knowledge and wisdom enough, canst thou doubt of his will, seeing he hath bound himself by a most gracious promise, that he will not suffer us to be tempted or tried above our power and strength, but 1. Cor. 10. 13. will give a good issue with the tentation? Yea, but in the mean time thou art pressed with such an heavy weight, that thou bewrayest thine infirmities and corruptions. And happily it is necessary and profitable for thee so to do, that by this trial thou mightest come to the sight and sense of these corruptions and imperfections which before were in thee, though hidden and unknown, to the end, that now beholding them, thou mayst be truly humbled, brought to unfeigned repentance, and to an hearty endeavour in all, using all good means to be cleansed and freed from them. And thus it is necessary that the dross of our corruptions should be discerned, that it may be purged away, and we purified; and that our secret diseases should be discovered, that we might be cured and freed from them. It may be also, that the Lord letteth thee bewray in these trials of afflictions, thy lesser corruptions of immoderate grief and impatiency, to free thee from such sins as are much more heinous and enormous; as from pride, selfloue, and carnal confidence, whereby we rob God of his glory to magnify ourselves, and our souls of all sound comfort, seeing our greatest strength being weakness and impotency, must needs fail us when we most rely vpon it. In wonderful mercy and love therfore doth the Lord deal with thee, if by these trials he causeth thee to bewray thy smaller infirmities, that he may free thee from grosser sins, mortify thy hellish pride, and deck thee with that excellent ornament of humility; taking away all self confidence in thine own strength, do cause thee with full affiance to rest vpon him, who will never fail those who trust in him. Finally, we haue just cause to bear our greatest afflictions § Sect. 5. That our greatest trials should bring greatest comfort, because they are signs of greatest grace bestowed upon vs. with patience, comfort and rejoicing, if wee consider that God doth proportionate our trials, according to our strength, and the measure of grace which he hath bestowed vpon us; for hereupon it will follow, that if our crosses be exceeding great, then also wee abound in virtue, grace and spiritual strength; if the huge water-flouds of affliction do arise and swell so high, that they drown and overflow the high towers, and losty turrets of human strength; then shall our spiritual graces( like those in the ark) arise and mount up with them, triumphing over these seas of misery with comfort and rejoicing, which overwhelm and drown others, who stick fast unto earthly helps, with sorrow and heaviness. Neither is it to bee imagined, that the Lord who best knoweth our strength, because he made us, and hath approved his infinite love towards us, because he hath with so inestimable a price redeemed us, will in trying destroy us, or lay vpon us a burden which will overwhelm us; yea rather we may assure ourselves, that where he hath laid the heaviest load, there he hath given the greatest strength, and where there is abundance of afflictions, there he bestoweth abundance of patience, faith and other graces, whereby they may be enabled to bear and overcome them. We see that the wise commander employeth his souldiers, according to that opinion which he hath of their worth and valour; and when he hath some daungerous and high exploit to be achieved, he doth not make choice of fresh-water and white-liuerd souldiers, but of such as are of most magnanimous spirits, and fullest of courage, valour and approved fortitude. The discreet schoolmaster doth give the longest and hardest lessons to be learned, not unto those who are of smallest capacity and dullest conceit; but unto their best scholars, who are of ripest wit and readiest apprehension. The skilful armoure●●oth not try common armor with musket-shot, for so he should by trial spoil it, and with his pains loose the reputation of his cunning; but first he is assured that he hath made it high proof, and then he trieth it with these piercing bullets. And finally, the wise lapidary bringeth not his tender crystal, or softer stones, to be tried by the stithy and hammer, but the hard Adamant which will rather bruise the iron and steel, then be broken by their blows. And therfore, if there be this wisdom and care to be found in men, let us certainly conclude that the Lord, infinite in wisdom and love, doth much more fit his trials to the strength of his children, whose good& wel-fare he so much tendereth, choosing out his most valorous souldiers, for the strongest encounters, his best scholars, for the hardest lessons, his choicest armours for the highest proof, and hammering none vpon the anvil of afflictions, but such as he hath made of adamantine hardness, to bear without breaking all these blows. Thus Abraham, the father of the faithful, having attained unto fullness of persuasion& assurance, was exercised with the strongest tentation, even the sacrificing of his dear Isaac with his own hands. And job, the justest man vpon the earth, and endued with greatest patience, was accordingly tried with the greatest afflictions, and as it were cast into the fiery furnace by the Tyrant satan, being heat seven times hotter, then for other ordinary men. Thus david, a man according to Gods own heart, excelling all others in piety and religion, had answerably an exceeding mass and multitude of afflictions, laid vpon him for the trial of his graces. And the Apostle Paul, abounding in the riches of Gods spiritual gifts, and going beyond all the rest of his rank, in care and labours for the glory of God, and good of his Church, did as far exceed them all in crosses and trials. And as those are assaulted with the strongest forces, who 〈…〉 ue greatest valour and fortitude bestowed vpon them; so those who are weak in Gods saving graces, do answerably sustain weak encounters, as we may see in the example of the Iewes, whom Esa. 48. 10 God, saith he, had fined, but not as silver; because having in them more dross of corruption, then pure mettaile of grace and virtue, they would haue been consumed in this fiery trial. And finally where there is no grace or goodness, there may well bee inflicted deserved punishments of sin, but no trial in this conflict of afflictions. Neither may wee think that those who are not exercised with these crosses, are more highly in Gods favour then other men, seeing the Apostle telleth us, that God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, and they who are exempted Heb. 12. 6 from these corrections, of which all are partakers, are bastards and not sons. Nor may we imagine that our wise commander in love spareth these men whom he never calleth out to the fight; but rather rejecteth and excludeth them out of his camp, the Church militant; either because he knoweth them to bee such dastardly Cowards, as will flee from, or yield to the weakest enemies; or such rebels and traitors, as either professedly or in their hearts join with satan, and the world, against him and his holy army. And this the heathen man discerned by the light of nature; When Senec. de provid. cap. 1. ( saith he) thou shalt see men which are good and acceptable unto God, take pains, sweat and labour against the hill with great difficulty; and contrariwise, wicked men playing the wantons, and wallowing in delights: think with thyself that even we are delighted in the modesty of sons, and in the licentiousness of slaves; and that they by a stricter discipline are kept in good order, whilst the audacious boldness of these is nourished, and then know that God taketh the same course, for he doth not cocker him that is good, but by trying and hardening he fitteth him for himself. When therfore we are exercised with great and grievous § Sect. 6. That God much honoureth us in these fiery trials afflictions, let us not murmur and repined against him that inflicted them, as though some great evil had befallen us; but let us bear all with patience and comfort, yea with ioy and thankfulness: For so we may assure ourselves, that as wee much glorify God by our sufferings, so by these trials he vouchsafeth unto us treble honour; for first he honoureth us by enriching us with his graces, and then by trying of them, whilst thereby their worth and excellency is manifested unto all that behold us in these conflicts. And lastly, he will honour us by crowning his graces in us, when as by trial they are approved: even as the skilful armorer, first graceth his armor by good workmanship, then by bringing it to the proof; and lastly by causing it to be employed in the Princes service; or as the general honoureth the soldier, first, by training him to the wars, and making him expert in all feats of chivalry, then by giuing him a place of employment fit for his gifts and good parts; and finally by rewarding and crowning his victories, causing him to sit with himself in his chariot of triumph. As therefore the valiant soldier murmureth not against his captain, when having an high opinion of his worth and magnanimous fortitude, he appointeth him to high attempts and services, full of danger and difficulty, but accounteth himself much honoured, in that he thinketh him worthy of such employments: and contrariwise, thinking his valour and abilities vnderualued, is full of discontent, if he should be appointed unto base and easy services, which any coward or fresh-water soldier could achieve without difficulty or danger: So, much less haue we any cause of repining, when our great commander, who best knoweth our abilities, doth employ us in services of an high nature; yea rather we haue cause of thanksgiving and rejoicing, seeing he hath first honoured us with gifts fit for these attempts, and now honoureth us by giuing us opportunity of employing them, and approving them in the trial, and will hereafter crown us with victory; neither doth any of his souldiers perish in their magnanimous attempts, seeing he protecteth them in all dangers, and never matcheth them with any enemy, but such as he enableth them to overcome. Thus also the courageous champion, or expert and strong wrestler, think themselves Ignominiam judicat gladiator cum inferiore componi;& scit eum sine gloria vinci, qui sine periculo vincitur. Senec. de providen. lib. cap. 3. much graced, when as fit aduersaries are matched with them, and being thus fitted provoke them, with whom they contend, to do their best, and use all their skill; that so they likewise may haue the better opportunity to show all their courage and cunning, and obtain the greater glory and praise, after they haue got the victory: and contrariwise, hold themselves much disparaged in their honour and esteem, when they are called to contend with such an adversary, as is contemptible through weakness and want of skill; or else with such an one, as being of some ability, doth but daily with them; because it is a disgraceful combat and contention, where there is no grace or honor occurring unto him who obtaineth the victory. Thus the learned scholar taketh great delight when he is posed in high and difficult questions, according to the measure of his knowledge& gifts, that he may approve his sufficiency both to his master& fellowes: and contrariwise, thinketh himself wronged& disreputed, if having red the best Authors, he be examined in the first rudiments of grammar, or in the A. b. c. And finally, thus the hardest Adamant is most commended, when it is tried with the hammer and anvil; but much disgraced in the esteem of all, if he who oweth it, will try it no otherwise then with the blow of a cudgel: And so in like manner we are much honoured by God, when having received from him many and great virtues, he doth also bring us into great and many trials; seeing as our virtue and strength are fitted, according to the power of our enemies which do encounter us, so shall our crown bee fitted to our graces, and the glory of our crown to the greatness of the victory. But on the other side, we haue just cause of mourning and discontent, if wee be never exercised with any trials, seeing it is a sign that the Lord esteemeth us, to be at the best, such weaklings as are fit to bear nothing; or men utterly destitute of all grace and goodness, and therefore cassiereth us out of his camp the Church militant, as being utterly unworthy to fight his battailes, or to do him any service. So one saith, that a soldier is in all his bravery, when being in his armor he marcheth valiantly; but is contemptible, when he idly sitteth still, having no exercise for his virtue, whereby he might be known unto himself or others, then he wanteth praises, he wanteth rewards, and therfore S●a infoelicita. te miser est, qui cum inf●licitatibus quibus gloria gignitur nunquam meriunt habere conflictum. Hyer●n. epist. ad amicum aegr●tum▪ Tom. 4. those dangers are not to bee shunned as hurtful which bring rewards with them. Yea rather, he is miserable in his felicity, who never was thought worthy to wrestle with miseries, by which contention honor is obtained. Yea even the heathen man could say, that whom God loveth& approveth, them he hardeneth, trieth and exerciseth; but whom he seemeth to cocker and spare, he reserveth them as effeminate cowards for the evils to come. CHAP. XVIII. That God useth our afflictions as an effectual means to further our conversion. BY that which hath been said it may plainly § Sect. 1. That our afflictions further our conversion, proved by testimonies of scripture▪ appear, that God sheweth in the afflictions of the faithful his great mercy and love towards him, as they are trials: Now according to my order propounded, we are to show, that the Lord manifesteth the like mercy and love and these crosses, as they are fatherly▪ chastisements in corrections; for the cleared whereof we are to know, that in all our afflictions thus considered, the Lord intendeth and accordingly powerfully effecteth the good and benefit of his children, and that both spiritual and also earthly. The Lord by these crosses and calamities which he sendeth, much advanceth our spiritual good, in that he ordinarily useth them as powerful helps and means, for the furthering of both our effectual calling, and sound conversion, and also our sanctification and regeneration. For, whereas naturally Gods elect do in their hearts and affections adhere unto the world and the things of this life, like the good grain to the chaff and straw, and, if they were not severed, would perish with them; the Lord by these crosles doth wean them from these earthly vanities, and with the flail and fan of afflictions doth make a separation between them, choosing, culling, and setting apart his Elect for his own service, that they may be saved, and leaving the rest like light and refuse corn, to adhere stil unto their carnal delights, till they perish in them. Whereas( like young Prodigals) whilst we haue the world at will, we run away from our heavenly Father, and abuse the portion of his gifts in wanton and riotous courses, to his dishonour, and our own utter ruin& destruction: When we are brought into misery and affliction, and desire, at least, to comfort and relieve ourselves with the husks and swill of worldly and carnal pleasures, but cannot haue them, then are we brought to make a stand in our former loose courses, and begin to think of returning to our Father. And this purpose of God, in afflicting his loose and dissolute children, that he may convert and turn them from their wicked ways unto himself, he doth notably set forth unto us in the prophesy of Hosea: I will Hos. 5. 15 go( saith he) and return to my place,( that is I will withdraw all the signs and testimonies of my love and favour from them) till they aclowledge their fault and seek me: In their affliction they will seek me diligently, the which was accordingly verified in the event, as he sheweth in the next words, where he bringeth them in speaking thus in their afflctions. Come and let us return to Chap. 6. 1. 2 the Lord, for he hath spoiled, and he will heal us, he hath wounded us, and he will bind us up; after two dayes will he receive us, and in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. So the Lord saith by the Prophet Esay, that when he had brought vpon ●is people Israell a common destruction for their sins, and had reserved and pulled out of those miseries, some few of many, like the remainder of the grapes after the vintage, and of the oliues after the three is shaken, then should a man look to his Maker, and his eyes should haue respect to the holy one Esay. 17. 7 of Israell. And in this regard the Psalmist out of a spiritual charity towards his enemies, preferring their eternal salvation before their worldly estate, prayeth Psal. 83. 16 thus in their behalf: Fill their faces with shane, that they may seek thy name, O Lord. For it fareth with us as it doth with foolish children; for if our heavenly Father should continually cocker us, and never cross us of our wills and earthly desires, we would in wantonness and insolency forget and neglect him, casting his Commandements with proud contempt behind our backs; whereas when he intermixeth severity with love, frowns with smiles, and chastisements with his benefits, then no sooner doth he estrange himself from us, abusing our liberty to licentiousness, and his gifts to his dishonour, but we presently return, labour to amend our former errors, and seek his face and favour, with the continuance or renewing of his blessings and benefits. To this purpose one saith, that God almighty doth two ways wound those whom he purposeth to save and cure; for sometimes he smiteth the flesh, and mollifieth the heart Gregor. Mor. lib. 6. cap. 18 with his sear, he woundeth us that he may recall us,( when wee go astray) into the way of salvation, and outwardly afflicteth our bodies, that our souls may inwardly live &c. He killeth that he may quicken them, and hurteth that he may heal them: for therefore he inflicteth external stripes, that he may inwardly cure their wounds of wickedness. And sometimes ceasing to scourge us outwardly, he doth inwardly afflict us in soul and spirit, correcting and crossing the hardness of our hearts with it own desires, and unruly passions; but by wounding he healeth them, whilst piercing them with the dart of his fear, he enlighteneth them with the understanding and knowledge of the right way, &c. An example hereof we haue in the Israelites of whom the psalmist saith, that when the Lord slay them, they sought § Sect. 2. The former point illustrated by exemples out of the scriptures. Psal. 78. 34. 35. Esa 26. 16. him, and they returned and inquired early after God, &c. And the Prophet Esay saith thus of them; O Lord in trouble they haue visited thee, they haue powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. And this is usual to be observed in the history of the Iudges and Kings, that when this people abounded in worldly prosperity, they forsook the Lord and served idols; but when he afflicted them sharply for such apostasy, then they were brought to a sight of their sins, they turned unto the Lord, and repented and humbled themselves before him. Thus the Nineuites, who by their sins, committed in their prosperity, deserved an universal destruction, when God threatened his judgements against them, turned unto the Lord with fasting, weeping and prayer. So Manasses, who in his flourishing estate had forsaken the Lord, when he was in tribulation prayed to the Lord his God, and humbled 2. Chro. 33. 12. himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And Saul, who raged against Gods Saints, when he was thrown Act 9. 5. down to the earth and deprived of his sight, he doth in the time of his blindness, seek and find the Lord, who ran away from him whilst he had the use of his eyes, when blinded inwardly with an ignorant zeal, he thought to approach nearest unto him. To this purpose one saith, that God hath chosen them whom the world despiseth, because commonly when men are contemned of the world they come hereby to the sight and knowledge of Gregor. Homil. 36. in luke. 14. themselves. He that left his father, and spent his portion in riotous courses, returned unto him when he was pinched with hunger, and if he had not hungered he had not returned, for when he felt the want of earthly things, then he began to think of his spiritual losses. So when those who had oxen, farms, and wives, refused being invited to come to the supper; the poor, weak, blind and lame became willing guests at the first call, because those who Math. 22. are impotent and despised in the world do so much the more cheerfully hear the word of God, because they haue no earthly delights to distracted and hinder them. Besides, the flesh which is as a notable pull-back, hindereth our conversion and turning unto God, whilst we enjoy the world at will, and prosper in our evil courses, doth give way unto the part regenerate, when it is pinched with crosses and afflictions, that it may by this means be freed from present smart, and as the resty horse, or the refractory and sturdy ox, do not only, not draw themselves, but also pull back and hinder their yoke-fellow, galling and hurting them with their struggling and striving; but when they feel the smart of the whip, or the prick of the goad, they go on forward, and help in the draft: so our flesh and unregenerate part, doth hinder the spiritual man in all religious courses, galling and vexing it, when it would go forward in the ways of godliness; but when it is whipped and pricked for this reluctation and backwardness, to be freed from pain, it is content to yield to an outward reformation, to turn unto God, and to perform that service unto him, in formality and hypocrisy, which the regenerate part performeth in sincerity and truth. Yea itself alone is ready to make a feigned conversion, to avoid smart and punishment, even when there is no dram of Gods spirit to help it forward, merely out of self love, and not the true love of God: as we may see in the feigned humiliation of Ahas, when he heard Gods judgements denounced 1. King. 21. 27. 29. against him: how much rather therefore will these afflictions drive a man unto God, when besides these pricks and goads in the sides of the flesh, the spiritual part doth drag him forward. But this will better appear if wee consider the Sect. 3. That God by afflictions fitteth& prepareth us for the hearing of his word. means of our conversion. The first and chief whereof is the saving hearing of Gods word, of which as the spirit of God is the principal cause, seeing he boareth the eat, and openeth the heart, that wee may attend unto it and receive it; so an especial means which he useth for the fitting and preparing of our hearts hereunto, is affliction and tribulation: for when our former husband the world hath dealt churlishly with us, rejected and divorced us from him; then are wee more ready to hearken unto the motion of Iesus Christ, when by his ambassadors in the preaching of the gospel, he su●th for our love; and the mach& union between us and him, is in a good forwardness, when by rough and unkind usage, wee are in our hearts and affections alienated from the word. And therefore the Lord, when wee dote vpon these earthly idols, and will not bee estranged from them, doth set between us and them the thorny hedge Hos, 2. 6. 7. of afflictions,( as he speaketh by the Prophet) that being by this forcible means separated from them, and pricked with tribulations, when we seek after them to renew our love, wee may at last return unto him our true and first husband, because, when we serve him, our condition will bee much better, then whilst wee adhered to the world, when wee hear from it nothing but threatenings, and terrors, we are more willing to hearken unto Gods sweet and gracious promises. And when with Elias wee haue hard and seen, yea also haue felt and hard our share, in the stormy tempest of troubles, 1. King. 19. 11. 12. haue been shaken with the earthquakes of dangers, and even schorched with the fire of affliction and tribulation, then are wee well prepared to hear the still and soft voice of the Lord, speaking comfortably unto us in the ministry of the gospel. And thus Elihu saith, that God openeth the ears of men even by their corrections, job 33 16, 17& 36. 15. which he had sealed: that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise, and that he might hid the pride of man; and keep back his soul from the pit, and that his life should not pass by the sword. And again, he delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their Aurem cordis tribulatio aperit quam saepe buius mundi prosperitas claudit Gregor moral. l. b. 26. cap. 23. ear in trouble. To which purpose one faith, that tribulation openeth the ear of the heart, which the prosperity of this world usually shutteth, making it deaf unto all good admonitions. Yea not only do afflictions further our conversion, as they prepare and fit our ears for the hearing of the word, but also as themselves are a real ●ermon, whereby God inviteth us unto repentance; for as we hear him speaking to us by his ambassadors in the public ministry; so we may see his will in his works& iudgments, namely how ugly and loathsome sin is unto him,& how much he is displeased with those that commit it. The other means of our conversion is our contrition and humiliation, of which as the chief cause is Gods § Sect. 4. That God by afflictions worketh in us contrition and humiliation. holy spirit, applying unto us the threatenings of the law, so another principal means which he useth are crosses and afflictions. For when the oil of spiritual grace will not mollify our iron& brassie hearts, then doth he melt them and make them soft and liquid in the fiery furnace of tribulation, when as they are such stiff and stubborn grounds, that they are not fit for the seed of the word, then doth he break up, plough, and harrow them with crosses and afflictions, that so they may become fruitful. And whereas naturally we are so blinded with love, that we do not see our sins, and so puffed up with pride, that we will not cast down ourselves before God, and aclowledge and confess them, when our eyes are anointed with this sharp eie-salue of afflictions, we cafily discern al our former wicked courses; and when our lofty hearts are pressed down with the weight of tribulation, then do we humble ourselves before God, and aclowledge our sins; saying with david, Behold here 2. Sam 15. 26. I am, let him do unto me as it seemeth good in his eyes, and is it not I that haue commanded to number the people? It is even I that haue sinned, and haue committed evil, &c. and 1. Chron. 21. 17 with the Church in the Lamentations, It is the Lords Lamen. 3. 22. mercies that we are not consumed. To this purpose one saith, that it is the highest degree of virtue, not to commit, Prima virtus ne perpetrari debeant said vitari peccata secunda sal●em perpetrata corrigere &c. Gregor moral. lib. 6. cap. 17. but to fly sin; and the next unto that is to repent of it, when it is committed. But usually we neither avoid sin when we are tempted unto it, nor willingly aclowledge it when we haue done amiss. And so much the more desperately is the mind of sinful man blinded, by how much the less he discerneth the damage of his blindness. Whereof it cometh to pass through the bounteous mercy of almighty God, that punishment attending vpon the fault, doth open the eyes of the offender, which security made blind; so as he could not discern his manifold sins. For the slothful and sluggish mind is awakened and roused up with the smart of stripes; and whereas being carnally secure it lost it state of innocency and integrity; being afflicted it considereth whether it is declining and falling. By all which it appeareth, that afflictions sanctified § Sect. 5. That afflictions are the last means which God ordinarily useth to convert obstinate sinners. by Gods holy spirit for this end, are a most powerful and effectual means for the furthering of our conversion; for when neither the oil of Gods gracious bounty will soften& suppling our stony hearts; nor his word, which is the sword of the spirit, pierce them; and when neither the sweet sound of his gracious promises will 'allure us to obedience, nor the terrible thunder of his fearful threatenings will restrain us from sin: then in the last place he visiteth our iniquities with the rod, and our sin with scourges; knowing that if our case be not utterly desperate, we who haue neglected his word, will at least be reclaimed& reformed with his chastisements and corrections. And this the Lord implieth where he saith that jerusalem, after that he had dealt with her not only by his word but by afflictions and chastisements, did notwithstanding continue in a perpetual rebellion, and would not return. I hearkned( saith he) and heard, but none spake jer. 8. 5. 6. aright, no man repented of his wickedness, saying what haue I done, every one turned to their race, as the horse rusheth into the battle. So by the prophet Amos he intimateth, that they were in a desperate condition, seeing they would not be reclaimed from their evil ways, neither by his word, nor by afflictions, for though he had grievously punished them with famine, pestilence and the Amos 4 6. 12. sword, yea had overthrown them as he overthrew sodom and Gomorrha, and had only reserved a remnant from the common destruction, as it were a firebrand plucked out of the burning, yet for all this, they had not returned unto the Lord. The consideration whereof serveth first for the exceeding terror of those, who do not in their afflictions draw nearer unto God, forsake their wicked ways, nor any whit profit by their corrections; for this discovereth the desperateness of their estate, seeing if any thing would convert and turn them unto God, then would these afflictions and corrections, which because they do not, therefore are they daily in danger to be given over of God as a hopeless cure, and to haue these fatherly chastisements turned into utter destruction and hellish punishments. The former the Lord threateneth against the people of the Iewes. Wherefore( saith he) should you be smitten any more, seeing you fall away more Esay 1. 5.& 9 13. and more, and the latter likewise elsewhere. The people( saith he) turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. Therefore will the Lord ●ut off from Israell head and tail, branch and rush in one day. To which purpose one saith, that our present punishment Paena presens si animum afflicti convertit, finis est culpae precidentis: si autem ad timorem domini minime convertit, initium est paenae sequentis &c. Gregor. Epist. lib. 11. cap. 25.§ Sect. 6. That those afflictions bring much comfort which further our conversion. if it turn and convert the heart of the afflicted, is the end of foregoing faultiness; but if it do not work in us the true fear of God, it is the beginning of following punishments. And therefore we are carefully to take heed that in our afflictions we rent our hearts and turn unto the Lord, with weeping and mourning, least we change from bad to worse, and pass out of earthly punishments into hellish torments. Secondly it serveth notably for the comfort and refreshing of all, who make profitable use of their afflictions, and are moved by them to forsake their former evil courses, and to draw near unto God by repentance and amendment of life. For how happy may they think themselves in their crosses and calamities, when as God thereby doth but clip their wings, that they may not fly from him; and cast these thorns, briars and blocks in their way, that they may not go forward in that plain and easy passage which leadeth to destruction, but may leave this course and return unto him? how much may they think themselves bound to their heavenly father, if when they are going like foolish children towards the pit of destruction, and ready to fall into a gulf of dangers, he setteth these bugbeares in the way to deter and hinder them from going on, and to cause them to return unto him, in whose presence and protection they haue all their saftety. And if when they are snorting in the spiritual lethargy of carnal security, which, if they were let alone and left to their ease, would bring them to death and destruction, they be nipped and pinched with troubles and vexations, that so being awakened, the life of their souls may be preserved, and their health recovered? what cause is there of murmuring and complaining, yea what cause haue we of thanksgiving and rejoicing, if being( with Lot) loathe to leave this sodom of sin, we be pulled out of it with some violence, and be pricked in our sides with these goads of affliction, to hasten our speed towards Gods heavenly mountain, where we shall be safe from the common destruction? How happy may we think ourselves, if the pricks of tribulation do further our conversion; if the thorns of affliction pricking our bodies, do work true compunction in our souls, and prick our harts and consciences with a sight and sense of sin, that so wee been sentibus tribulationis confixus, qui conversus exind● est, benè pungeri● si compu●geru. Multi cum sentiunt poenam, corrigunt culoam. Bernard serm. 48. may seek to haue our wounds cured with the precious balsam of our saviours blood, and by feeling this temporary punishment, may amend our faults and be freed from that guiltiness which is accompanied with everlasting death? And how are we bound to bless that necessity which driveth us unto God, not suffering us to go on in such licentious courses as would in the end bring us unto destruction? CHAP. XIX. That God useth our afflictions as an effectual means to prevent us from falling into sin, as also to mortify and subdue our corruptions. AND thus Gods love appeareth in our § Sect. 1. That it is one main end why the Lord afflicteth us, to preserve us from falling into sins when we are naturally inclined to commit them. Heb. 12. 10 afflictions, as he useth them for means of our vocation& effectual conversion. The like love& mercy he sheweth unto us by them, in that he useth them as his powerful instruments, for the furthering of our sanctification; for at this end God also aimeth in his corrections, as the Apostle witnesseth, where he saith, that he chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holinesse. And this the Lord effecteth by our afflictions, whilst he useth them as means to free us from sin, and also to furnish us with all sanctifying and saving graces, whereby we are enabled to bring forth the fruits of obedience, and to walk before him in newness of life. he doth by our afflictions free us both from the outward and inward corruption of our sins, not only by preventing them, that we do not entertain or fall into them, but also by mortifying them, when we are already tainted and infected with them. Concerning the former, we are( through our natural corruption) so prove unto sin, that if we be left unto our own courses, we are apt to abuse our liberty unto licentiousness, to turn aside out of the path of holinesse and righteousness, and like unbridled horses to run in the ways of wickedness( as it were) with a full career: and therefore the Lord in great mercy by▪ sending afflictions, doth put a bridle into our mouths, wherewith he raineth and pulleth us back, that we may not stumble and fall into sin, and so ma●●ereth and ruleth us, that we are fain to travell in the right way, which will bring us unto happiness, and cannot satisfy our carnal desires by running into the by-ways of sin, which would lead us to destruction. Wee are ready like wanton Oxen to leap into the forbidden pastures of carnal pleasures, because they are delightful to our fleshly appetite; but the Lord fetteth these thorny hedges of troubles and afflictions in our way to restrain us from entering into them, and that out of mere mercy and love, seeing howsoever these pastures are for the present, pleasing to corrupted nature; yet, even now they ly open to the thunder and lightning of Gods fearful vengeance, and for the time to come, will but fatten and fit us for the shambles of destruction. And as they are an hedge of thorns to keep us from companying and feeding with the bulls of Bashan, even wicked worldlings in the fields of iniquity; so also are they hedges& walls of defence, to preserve us from the assaults of our spiritual enemies, and to keep them aloof, when as otherwise they would encounter us with their temptations. For, whereas wicked worldlings would haunt us with their company, and corrupt us with their evil example, and filthy communication, if we enjoyed worldly prosperity, and had such fullness of earthly things, that they might suck from us any profit and advantage: these troubles and afflictions do make them to loathe our company,( as Moths do leave the garments that are embittered with gull) and to flee our fellowship, seeing neither ourselves, nor any thing about us is pleasing and delightful to their carnal appetite. And surely this is a main end why God afflicteth us, not because we haue formerly sinned, but that we may not sin for the time to come; not to punish us because we haue committed it, but to prevent us, that we be not again overtaken by it. So Elihu saith, that God openeth the ears of men by their corrections, job. 33. 16. 17 which he had sealed, that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise, and that he might hid the pride of man, and keep back his soul from the pit, and that his life should not pass by the sword. And thus the Lord Hos. 2. 6. 7 himself saith, that he would stop his peoples way with thorns, that they might not go on in their idolatry, but return unto him. To this purpose one saith, Bernard. de interiori dom● cap. 46. that God foreseing, that some of his seruants would( if they were let alone) fall into grievous sin, doth for their souls health afflict their bodies to preserve them from it; because it is more profitable for them to be weakened with diseases, that they may be saved, then to remain still in health and be condemned: For that is pernicious health, which leadeth us to disobedience; and that is wholesome sickness, which being inflicted by God as the chastisement of our sins, doth bruise our stony hearts, and make them to become meek and humble. An example whereof we haue in jonas, who when he jo●. 1. 3 intended to fly from Gods presence, with full purpose to neglect the service which he had in charge to perform, was swallowed by a Whale, that so he might fly unto God, when he could go no whither else, and execute his commission with boldness( having learned that God was able to deliver him out of the very jaws of death) the neglect whereof had been a grievous sin. And thus the Lord taketh away from his children worldly honours, when he seeth that they would by them be puffed up with pride, and become insolent and vainglorious: thus he depriveth them of riches, when they would be unto them thorns, to choke and hinder the growth of his heavenly graces, or provocations, and incitements unto sin, or the means and instruments to further them in wicked actions, or like camels bunches hinder them from entering into the straite gate, which leadeth unto happiness. Thus he taketh from us parents, children, and dear friends, when as( if we should still enjoy them) we would make them our idols, setting our hearts vpon, loving, or trusting in them, more then in God himself. So he depriveth us of our earthly pleasures, when he seeth that we would prefer them before heavenly joys; and causeth us to find many troubles, crosses and afflictions in the world, because he knoweth, that if it should smile and fawn vpon us, wee would make a paradise of the place of our pilgrimage, set our hearts and affections vpon these transitory trifles, and never care to travell in the way of holinesse and righteousness which leadeth to our heavenly country. As therefore the wise and skilful physician, doth not only apply medicines for the curing of diseases, when men are fallen into them, and restoratives to repair their decayed strength& to recover their health; but also in time of infection, and when they see some distemper in them through the abounding of humours, do give wholesome preservatives, and preventing purges, to maintain health,& to drive away the approaching disease: so doth our heavenly physician use these potions of afflictions, not only to recover and cure us of the diseases of sin, when wee are fallen into them; but also to purge away our inward corruptions, and so to prevent these deadly sicknesses of the soul, before they haue seized vpon us, and to free us from al causes& occasions which would otherwise bring us into this dangerous condition. For; as if we be left unto ourselves, and be neither terrified from sin by sense of our own chastisements, nor the terror of others punishments, the unregenerate part will grow so carnally secure, and proudly insolent, that it will tempt, yea pull and drag us into much wickedness: to which purpose the wise man saith of professed worldlings; that because sentence Eccles. 8. 11 against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evil: So when we feel the smart of our former sins, and Chrysost. in Math. 3. Hom. 3. when our flesh looseth all the pleasure it hath taken in these sweet meats, by the after-taste of these sharp and bitter sauces of afflictions, which it is forced to feed vpon, whether it will or no, then it is less licorous for the time to come, or at least doth not with that boldness give way to it carnal appetite, in swallowing these sinful delicates, when it knoweth that they will upbraid it, with such a loathsome after-relish of smart and punishment. For as the spiritual man feareth only spiritual punishments, and contemneth carnal; as namely, the curse of the law, the wrath of God, the last iudgement, and hell torments; but not famine, sword, the rack or gibbet. So the flesh and part unregenerate feareth only these corporal punishments, and neglecteth those which are spiritual and eternal: whereof it is that they who are wholly carnal, do utterly despise all threatenings of spiritual judgements, and run on in a headlong course of sin, unless they bee bridled and restrained with bodily punishments. And therefore the Lord knowing this, inflicteth vpon his seruants these outward crosses, that thereby he may curb in their carnal concupiscence from lusting after evil, from which if the unregenerate part were thoroughly secured, it would be so importunate, and audacious in assaulting and tempting them unto sin, that if it did not wholly vanquish them, yet it would often foil them with these in counters, or at lest continually trouble them and disturb their peace. The consideration whereof should move us to bear § Sect. 2. That the sermer consideration should work in us patience in afflictions. all our afflictions with much patience and comfort. For if a valiant soldier is willing with all cherefulnes to run through a world of miseries, rather then he would bee vanquished, and lead captive by his enemies, if with patience he bare his heavy armor, endure hunger and thirst, heat& could, spend the night in watching, and the day in fighting, not reckoning of his rest, nor regarding wounds, that he may in the end put his enemies to flight; and if the wise patient is content not onely to suffer, but to reward his physician, when he goeth about by bitter pills and loathsome potions, by long abstinence and strict diet to prevent diseases when they are approaching: then how much more cheerfully and willingly should we undergo all the miseries and troubles of this spiritual warfare against sin, Satan, and the enemies of our salvation, when as they serve as means and helps, whereby wee are enabled to vanquish these deadly foes, and to obtain a glorious victory? with how much more patience and comfort should wee at the appointment of our heavenly physician take these bitter pills and potions of crosses and afflictions, seeing he useth them as sovereign preservatives to keep us safe and sound from the contagion and poisonous infection of sin, and from falling into these dangerous diseases, which would bring body and soul unto everlasting death. And thus it appeareth that the Lord in our afflictions aimeth at the preventing of those sins, which otherwise if wee were left unto ourselves, wee would readily § Sect. 3. That God first useth means for the prevention of sin; and then for the mortifying& subduing it. fall into: it followeth now further to show, that he usually by the same means mortifieth our corruptions, wherewith we are already defiled, and even separateth& diuorceth us from those sins unto which our carnal affections are wedded& united. For as the wise and faithful physician sheweth his first care in preventing the sickness of his patient,& in preserving him from falling into dangerous diseases; but if through the abundance of corrupt humors, external accidents,& especially his own ill diet and disorder, he be already fallen into them, then his second care is to apply fit medici●s to cure him, and recover his health: so the Lord our spiritual physician▪ in the first place giveth us wholesome preservations, to keep us in health, and to repel these diseases of the soul, that they do not seize vpon us, but if through the inward corruption of our nature, the outward temptations of the world, or through our own disorder and misdiet, neglecting our spiritual food, which would nourish us unto life eternal, and furfeting vpon carnal pleasures, and worldly delights, wee bee already fallen into the sickness of sin▪ then doth he by fit( though not toothsome) medicines▪ seek to heal us, and to recover again our spiritual health, wherein like a most wise and loving physician he doth not labour to please our appetite, and delight our taste, but to cure our diseases which in their own nature are most deadly, and to preserve our souls from everlasting death. To which purpose he prescribeth us a long fast, after fullness, and appointeth us a strict diet, causing us to use sparing, or totally to abstain from worldly delicates, whereon formerly we haue surfeited, or because wee cannot rule our appetite, he doth out of his love& care take them from us, and as it were locketh them out of our sight. Yea, if this bee not sufficient for our recovery, he doth unto these privative remedies, add positive medicines, purging away our corrupt humors of wickedness, which haue been bread in us by our greedy feeding vpon delicious pleasures& sweet delights with the bitter pills and loathsome potions of troubles and afflictions, and launching our fores and impostumes of sin and corruption, with these sharp razours and keen knives of outward calamities and tribulations, which haue been bread and gathered in us through idleness and excess. And thus the Prophet saith, that the Lord shall wash the filthiness of the daughter of Sion, and purge the blood of jerusalem Esa. 4. 4. out of the midst thereof by the spirit of iudgement, and by the spirit of burning. And that by the fire of Ezek. 24. 11. afflictions he will melt, and so by melting purify the filthiness, and consume the scum of the people of Israell. So the Author of the book of wisdom saith, that therefore the Lord chastened them by little and little, that Wis. 12. 2. offend; and warned them by putting them in remembrance wherein they had offended; that leaving their wickedness, they might beleeue on him. And surely these afflictions and calamities are a most § Sect. 4. That afflictions effectually move us to forsake sin, and to leave our former wicked courses. powerful and profitable means to pull us with violence out of our sins, and to purge& cleanse us from our spiritual filthiness. According to that in the proverbs: The blueness of the wound serveth to purge away evils; and so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. For in the time of our prosperity wee hearten ourselves in our wicked courses, supposing that God liketh and approveth, or at least is not much offended with our evil conversation, because all things go well with us, and no inconvenience accompanieth our sins,( the which conceits bring us to carnal security, and to such hardness of heart, that wee shut our ears against all admonitions and reproofs, and neglect of Gods terrible threatenings, as though they were a vain sound, and as it were but paper shot) but when wee are brought into afflictions, not only see our sins accompanied with sense of present smart, but also expect the continuance and increase of our calamities; then do wee begin to examine our ways, and to call ourselves to a reck●ning: and when our consciences tell us, that it is our sins which haue brought vpon us all these miseries, and that there is no means to bee eased of our smart, unless wee leave and forsake our former wickedness, and betake ourselves to a new course of life; then do wee begin to loathe these sweet meats of sinful delights, when they are thus distasted with the sour sauce of trouble and affliction; and though heretofore there hath been a league and friendship between our sins and us; yet now( like malefactours when they are apprehended) we begin to accuse and exclaim against them, as the authors of all our miseries; and are content to bring them out before our judge to bee condemned, mortified, and crucified, that we by their ruin may escape punishment. In our prosperity wee do not only grow could and negligent in holy duties, but also lye open to the temptations of satan and the world, alluring us unto sin, by casting before us the baits of earthly vanities; and though the pure gold of Gods graces remain in us, yet it is much dazzled, if not quiter covered with the dross of our corruptions: and therefore the Lord is fain to cast us into this fiery furnace of afflictions, that hereby he may try us, and by trying purify us, burning and consuming away the dross of our sins, that wee may shine again in our wonted beauty. So he saith by the Prophet to his sinful people, I will turn my hand vpon thee,& purely purge away thy dross, and Esa. 1. 25. take away all thy tin. With which consideration one Venit tribulatio mea, ve●iet ●t purgati● m●●. August. in Psal 61. ●nar. comforteth himself, because his tribulation was but his purgation, whereby he was freed from the dross of sin. For which purpose the Lord like a skilful goldsmith useth the world for his furnace, the divell and wicked men as straw and fuel to maintain this fire of affliction, which do but consume themselves whilst they purify Gods elect( like good gold) from the dross of their corruptions. In the time of our prosperity, though we be Gods good grain, yet is our spiritual part mixed and joined with the chaff and straw of our corruptions, and therefore our heavenly husbandman doth as it were thrash us with the flail of affliction, and fauneth and winnoweth us with trials and tribulations, that being purged and made clean, we may be fit for his own store. Whilst we lye at ease and are not moved, we become, like standing waters, corrupt and noisome, and are fit to breed and bring forth nothing, but those ugly toads and venomous serpents of sin and wickedness which viper-like kill and destroy them, from whom they haue their existence and being; but when we are stirred and troubled, or haue a passage and current over the sands and stones of affliction and misery, then are we purified from the slime of corruption, and do attain unto crystalline purity. We are ready in our prosperity like iron unused, to rust in our corruption; and therefore the Lord useth these files of affliction to scour away this rust and canker of sin, that we may become bright and smooth in our integrity and holinesse, and when like clothes we are soiled, and become fowle with the filth of iniquity, then doth he wash and rinse beate and wring us in those waters of tribulation, that so we may bee Exteri●ri vulnere ●●n●tur plaga interi●r. Sic ●nim irasceris vt mansuescas, affl●gi●▪ ●t part as▪ pr●st●rnis vt erig●● Idiota inter ●rthod●x. de patien. v●r● contempl. ca. 1● made clean from this spiritual pollution. By all which, Gods love appeareth in our afflictions, seeing they tend not at all to our hurt and destruction, but only to purify and cleanse us from the loathsome filth of sin, and from those foul corruptions which make both our bodies and souls ugly in Gods sight; and fit for no place, but that dark black dungeon of hell and destruction. So that as one saith, he doth by wounding us outwardly cure us inwardly, he is angry for the present, that he may be mildred and merciful for ever after, he afflicteth us that he may spare us, and casteth us down that he may more highly adu●unce vs. Neither do we in our part regenerate receive hereby any hurt and damage, but rather much profit and benefit; for whilst the outward man decayeth, the inward man is renewed daily, whilst the dross of our corruption is consumed, the golden graces of Gods holy spirit are purified, and shine more gloriously in the sight of all men: whilst the flesh with the Sub manu tant● artificis auri mica in magn● palea perire non potest▪ Quanta ibi palea? quam modicum aurum? said noli timere, tantus est artifex vt purgare posset, perdere non posset. Aug. serm. 254. Tom. 10. lusts thereof are mortified and subdued, the spirit is revived, ruleth and reigneth; and the more fiercely our old man is encountered with crosses and afflictions, the more weak assaults it giveth to the new man and part regenerate. Nor need we, whilst we are thus purified, to fear that the small scruples and few grains of Gods graces in us will be lost, and perish in the huge heap of our dross and chaff; for( as one saith) in another case, the least grain of this spiritual gold cannot miscarry under the hand of such an excellent artisan: and so skilful and careful is this heavenly workman, that in our purging we cannot never perish. And unto this efficacy and virtue of afflictions freeing § Sect. 5. That afflictions cause us carefully to use all good means for the mortifying of our sins. us from our sins and corruptions, when they are inflicted on us, we may further add, that they are of necessary use, as they work in us a care and desire of applying unto us both these and all other good means, that we may be freed from them; for though we be in our souls sick in sin to the very death, yet naturally we are so in love with our diseases, that we never seek to be cured of them, but rather this sickness seemeth health, and our spiritual health is shunned as a disease, and therfore( as one saith) seeing when our souls are grievously Chrysost. in joh. Hom. 37. sick, we haue no sense of pain, nor desire of remedy, but with great diligence seek to ease the body of the least infirmity; therefore God for the sin of the soul doth afflict the body, that by the punishment and pain of the worse part, the better and more noble may be moved to seek after the curing of it spiritual diseases. Though we are much indaungerd by our inward impostumes of sin and corruption, so long as we are at ease, and in our outward estate in good plight and liking, we never look for help and remedy; but when rankling and festering in our terrified consciences and afflicted spirits, they put us to grievous pain and intolerable torment, then do we sue and seek unto our heavenly Surgeon, and are content that he should not onely apply unto us, the healing plasters of his mercies, but also the sharp corrasiues of crosses and afflictions; yea, that he should cut and launch, bind and sear us, that by this present pain, wee may be freed from everlasting torment. Finally, though our sins and corruptions, like filthy Sodomites, do vex our righteous soul and regenerate part dwelling with them, through their impiety; yet so are we made drunken with their sweet delights, and alured with the bewitching pleasures which do accompany them, that we are loathe, even when God commandeth us, to leave their society, if we were not pulled from them with a divine violence, and as it were forced to flee from them, by this fire of afflictions. But as our crosses and calamities serve notably for the mortifying of all sins, so more especially these sins § Sect. 6. That God by afflictions mortifieth our pride, carnal concupiscence, and self-love. of pride, carnal concupiscence, self-love, and love of the world; for whereas in the time of our prosperity, we are apt not only to magnify ourselves, and to haue a great opinion of our worth and excellency, but haue also the applause of others to puff us up, which maketh pride to go with full sails, having got so faire a gale of vulgar breath and the wind of vain glory to blow it forward: when we are in adversity and affliction▪ we are as much humbled and cast down in our own conceit, as in the opin●on of others, who now as much neglect and contemn us, as they did before extol and magnify us; and when these tempests of troubles blow, we strike all the sails of pride, coming then to a true sight and unpartial valuation of ourselves, when as being stripped of worldly ornaments we appear in our nakedness. And thus Elihu saith, that God openeth the ears of men by their job. 33. 17 corrections, that he might cause them to turn from their enterprise, and hid the pride of man. So also our carnal concupiscence and lusts of the flesh, are exceedingly mortified with troubles and afflictions; for whereas case and prosperity is the fuel of this fire, affliction and misery is the water wherewith it is extinguished and quenched, whereas that is the dainty food and plentiful nourishment, wherewith the flesh with the lusts thereof are fed, and the old man made strong and vigorous, this bread of affliction and water of tribulation, doth pine and weaken it, so as it is easily mastered and subdued by the spiritual part: whereas that affordeth plentiful matter of temptations, and ministereth in this spiritual warfare weapons and munition unto this enemy of our salvation; this disarmeth him of all his strength, pulleth out of his hand his prevailing weapons, and so maketh him easy to be overcome. And therefore, if when ou● houses be a fire, wee are much comforted, if store of water bee brought whereby it may be quenched; how much more should we be filled with comfort and consolation, when our souls inflamed with the fire of concupiscence, haue this fire extinguished with the water of afflictions? and if, when a pernicious and bloody enemy maketh war against us, we exceedingly rejoice, if we can by any means weaken him, famishing him for want of victuals, and intercepting his provision of armor, weapons and munition: then surely we haue no cause of excessive sorrow in our afflictions, but rather in this regard may justly triumph with ioy; seeing by this means those mortal enemies, the lusts of our flesh, which continually fight against our souls, are weakened of their chief strength, famished for want of food, and spoiled and disarmed of their most prevailing weapons. The like also may bee said of self-love, the heat whereof is exceedingly cooled and abated with troubles and afflictions; for howsoever, when we are adorned with worldly ornaments, and curiously painted with the false colours of prosperity, like vain women we admire our counterfeit beauty, and like the young fonling, wee dot● vpon the deceiving shadow of a lying complexion, as though it were natural and affixed unto us by God, and not accidental and aduentitious, acquired and gotten by our deceiving art and industry: yet when by outward calamities wee are dis-roabed of all our glittering bravery, and haue our false colours washed away with the waters of afflictions; when we are weather-beaten with the tempests of tribulation, and appear no better then we are, in our own favour and complexion, then as the love of others is weaned from us, who affencted us onely for our counterfeit beauty and outward bravery, so do we begin to loathe ourselves, when looking in the glass of the lawe, wee see that all outward helps haue failed and forsaken us, and that we are left in our own foulness and deformity. An example whereof wee haue in job, who though he were but too much in love with his own worth and excellency in his prosperity, as may appear by his discourses in the time of his afflictions, wherein he complaineth that this smart exceeded his sin, and justifieth himself with some impeachment to Gods infinite righteousness; yet when at length he was thoroughly humbled, his self-love is turned into job. 42. 6 loathing, and abhorring himself, he repenteth in dust and ashes. § Sect. 7. That we would immoderately love the world if we were not weaned from it by afflictions. But above all other sins these afflictions are most powerful and profitable, for the mortifying of the love of the world and worldly vanities, unto which naturally we are so much addicted. For howsoever these earthly things are most vain and momentary, and the love of them not only foolish and fruitless, but also dangerous and pernicious; yet is there such an inseparable league and liking between them and our corrupt flesh, that the child doth not with greater fondness cling to the mothers breast, then our affections do naturally adhere unto these transitory trifles. Yea so are we fixed and fastened, and( as it were) glued, nailed and riuetted unto them, that whilst we securely enjoy our carnal love, and haue the full fruition of our worldly desires, we might as easily be persuaded, to pull the skin from our flesh, or the flesh from our bones, as to wean our affections from this bewitching strumpet. Now this worldly love is such a dangerous sickness, that if wee were not cured of it, it would bring us at last to a dessperate consumption in all grace and goodness, and to everlasting death both of body and soul; for faith in God, and confidence in earthly things, will not stand together, we cannot serve God and Mammon, we cannot love the Lord and love the world: for,( as the Apostle saith) the amity of the world, is the enmity of God, and whosoever Iam. 4. 4 maketh himself a friend to the one, he thereby maketh himself an enemy to the other. For though our heart be a vessel which is capable of the liquour of love, yet that which is heavenly and spiritual will not be mixed in it with that which is worldly and carnal; and the more full it is of the one, the more destitute and empty it is of Vas es, said vas plenum; euacua quod tenes, ad recipi endum id quod desideras, e●aeua a●●rem mundi, vt replearis amore Dei, Aug. in terminis suis. the other. And therefore if we would be replenished with the divine love of God, we must power and cast out our unprofitable love of earthly things. To which purpose one saith; Thou art a vessel, but such an one as is already full▪ empty out that which thou containest, that thou maiest receive that which thou desirest, cast out the love of the world, that thou mayst be filled with the love of God. again, it is the nature of love to make louers like, and to transform the party loving, as much as may be, into the party beloved; and therfore whosoever loveth Sicut cibus adhaeret vasi in quo coquitur nisi moueatur,& perdit saporem debitum, debitum queen colorem: sic cor hoins adhaeret isti mundo nisi moveatur per afflictiones. Idiota in orthodox. de patien. verae contempl. cap. 3. the world,& in his heart and appetite adhereth unto it, he becometh carnal and worldly, if by some crosses and afflictions he bee not weaned from it. And as the milk or meate, if it be not moved and stirred, adhereth and sticketh to the vessel in which it is boiled, and losing it own sweetness and savour, receiveth from it a loathsome sent; so if wee be not often tossed and troubled with crosses and afflictions, we will easily in our affections stick fast unto the world, and losing the sweet relish of virtue and piety, we will savour of this stinking vessel, and so become noisome in the nostrils of God: yea, if we always enjoyed the world at will, and had continually our fill of earthly delights, then would we never care for the joys of heaven, nor use any means to come unto them; if our earthly house were safe and pleasant, and neither tottering and ruinous, nor haunted with these spirits and bugbeares of misery and affliction, wee would never bee willing to flit and change our habitation, but after one lease of life were expired, we would desire above all things to haue another renewed, and never care to come into those heavenly mansions which our saviour Christ hath prepared for vs. If this our pilgrimage in the world were full of pleasures and delights, and had in it no crosses or dangers; if we had always faire way and easy iourneies, still passed through sweet fields and flowery meadows, if we had merry company and faithful friends in all our travails, and had not onely dainty fare, soft lodging, and kind entertainment at our ●nnes, but also had wealth at will to defray all charges; then surely would we make a paradise of our pilgrimage, and never think of going forward towards our heavenly country. As wee may see by plentiful experience in the world, where it is hard to find any which are noble, rich, and abounding in earthly pleasures, who would not be content to set up here their rest, if so they might; and never desire heavenly happiness and eternal glory. Yea contrariwise, they abhor death which separateth them from their earthly delight, as the greatest evil, and therefore are never so grievously sick, but that they would still be content to endure their pain, that they may stil enjoy the world, and are patient of all things but of parting with their love. And therefore the Lord in infinite mercy and goodness § Sect. 8. That the Lord in great mercy sendeth afflions to wean us from the love of the world. towards us, doth cause us to meet with many crosses and calamities, that they may wean us from this fond love, and make us more ardently affect the joys of his kingdom. he causeth us in our pilgrimage to pass through the thorns and briars of troubles and afflictions, to be assaulted with enemies, and endangered by theeues, to find in our travels fowle weather and filthy ways, to bee pinched with wants, and tired with labours, to haue rude entertainment, hard lodging, and course fare in these our inns; and in a word, he afflicteth us with sickness and poverty, with toil and travell, hunger and thirst, cares, fears and troubles of mind, oppressions of superiors, and injuries of our equals, that so we may loathe the world where we haue such hard measure offered us, and long to arrive safely in our heavenly country, where wee shall be freed from all these miseries, and enjoy perfect happiness. For, though with jacob we were spent with cares, and worn with labours, yet we could be content to dwell stil with this worldly Laban for the base hire of earthly vanities; and though he often deceive us of our wages, and promise that which he never mindeth to pay, yet so long as he speaketh us faire and fawneth vpon us, wee never think of leaving his company; and therefore the Lord causeth this churl to change his countenance, to turn his smiles into frowns, his flattery into furly menaces, and unjust oppression, that so we may bee moved to loathe his base servitude, and haue a desire wrought in us of returning into our country. Wee are far in love with this earthly egypt, and take such pleasure in the garlic and onions of worldly profits, and to glut ourselves with the flesh-pots of carnal delights, that if with some peace and ease we might still enjoy them, and haue Iosephs honour and esteem joined with our plenty, we would never desite to come out of this servitude, nor make any hast towards our heavenly Canaan. And therfore the Lord suffereth the spiritual Pharaoh and these worldly egyptians to rage against us, to spoil us of our goods, rob us of our children, and to oppress and wear us out with unrewarded labours, that wee may groan and cry unto the Lord for deliverance earnestly desire that glorious liberty of the sons of God, and travell more cheerful towards the holy land: we adhere to the world with our hearts and affections, like the where in the ear, to the chaff and straw, and if wee were let alone, would never part with it, till we were both consumed in the furnace of Gods wrath; and therefore the Lord in love and mercy towards us thrasheth us with afflictions, that he may separate us from it, and preserve it from perishing. And as the nursing mother, being with child, desireth to wean her sucking infant from her hurtful and unwholesome milk; and for the effecting of it, thinketh it in vain, in respect of the childs fondness and small understanding, to use only reasons to dissuade it from the breast, or to tell it, that her milk is vn wholesome and will breed diseases, but rather layeth mustard or wormwood vpon the teat, the bitterness where of he no sooner tasteth, but he beginneth to loathe his former love, and though he wanteth the use of reason, yet is taught by sense to leave that which is so distasteful: so the Lord intending to wean us foundlings from worldly delights, and seeing it is not enough( in regard of our childish dotage, found affection and small wit) to tel us by his word what manifold mischiefs accompany our foolish love; he doth therefore embitter these paps of pleasure with the wormwood of afflictions, and so intermixeth with miseries our carnal delights, that though reason will not rule us, yet at least by our sense and taste, wee may be moved to loathe these earthly vanities. To which purpose one saith, that our afflictions in Gregor. epist. ex regist. indict. 4. cap. 70 the world befall us through the dispensation of Gods most wise and gracious providence, that whilst God by his word and truth, out of mere love, calleth us out of the world; the world also at the same time should by the tribulations which it inflicteth, alienate our harts, and even thrust us from it: for the mind doth so much the more easily escape and come out of the labyrinth of worldly love, by how much the more forcibly it is thrust forward when God calleth it. For, then do wee most earnestly desire to leave the world, and to go into our heavenly country, when with Elias we are persecuted by it and flee for our lives. Then do we with Paul desire ●. King. 19. 4 Phil. 1. 23 to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ, when the world esteemeth us the off-scouring of al things and inflicteth on us most grievous afflictions; then do wee long after the glorious crown of victory, when we are toiled and tired, foiled and wounded in the spiritual war-fare; then do we hearty wish to arrive in the haven of eternal rest, when as we are endangered with boisterous tempests, and tossed and turmoiled with the waves of misery: then do we desire the end of our journey when we are tired with weary travail, pass many dangers, and find hard entertainment in this strange country. And in a word, then do we only with ardency of affection, seek after the fruition of God and the joys of his kingdom, when being in sickness and poverty, contempt and disgrace, forsaken by friends and oppressed by enemies, wee cannot enjoy any worldly comforts. And surely happy is our estate, if at least, afflictions § Sect. 9. That we dote on the world though it be miserable, and therfore much more fond would we affect it, if wee found in it nothing but prosperity. can move us to loathe the world, and to long after true happiness, using all good means to attain unto it; for though in themselves they be a most powerful means to wean us from the love of earthly vanities; yet so do our hearts naturally clean to the world, and so are they not onely glued, but even pinned and nailed unto it, that the water of afflictions cannot dissolve and sever them, but like the Israelites, after wee haue long been oppressed in this grievous servitude with innumerable miseries, and through Gods mercy being delivered out of it, haue set our faces toward the heavenly Canaan, with a purpose to travell towards the place of our rest, we are ready to forget all our oppressions and calamities, our toilsome labours and tormenting stripes inflicted vpon us by the unjust world our former master, and onely remembering the flesh-pots of carnal pleasures, and the transitory benefits which wee enjoyed in the land of our captivity, wee are weary of our journey, and think of returning into our former bondage, that so wee may re-gaine our sinful delights. The which we would accordingly put in practise, if the Lord should leave us unto ourselves, and should not onely draw us forward by his word and holy spirit, and 'allure us to go on by his gracious promises, and by setting before us, as in a map, the pleasantness and excellency of our heavenly country: but also cause the world to renew daily our troubles and afflictions, to pursue and perseoute us with fresh rage and malice, and( as it were) to follow us at the heels, and whip us forward with new calamities. By al which it may appear that the Lord in great mercy and love doth sand vpon us these crosses and calamities, that he may hereby wean us from the love of the world, which is so dangerous and pernicious, vpon which wee would unmeasurably dote to our destruction, if our affection ●ere not somewhat cooled; yea, even pulled from it by these violent means. For if the world being bitter to our taste, is not for all this loathsome and distasteful to our carnal appetite, how unmeasurably would we affect A marus est mundus& tamenamatur; caducus est& tamen inhabitatur. Quid acturi si mundus esset dulcis& stabll i●? ● munde immundi cum decipias cum si● amarus, cvi non imponeres, si esset dulcis? August lib. de symbolo. it, if it were sweet and toothsome? if these earthly habitations being ●●●tering, ruinous, and ready every day to overwhelm us with their fall, we nevertheless desire to dwell in them, how loathe would wee be to leave them if they were strong and stately, d●rable and permanent? If we delight still to sail in this sea of worldly miseries, being obnoxious to storms and tempests, wracks and piracies, and never care to come into the haven of happiness, what would we do, if we had at pleasure quiet calms,& prosperous winds, a faire passage and safe from all dangers? If we take contentment in our pilgrimage, and make no hast unto our heavenly country, when as our way is not so fowle and full of thorns, our journey so painful and dangerous, and our entertainment among these worldly Cannibals so bad& barbarous; what a paradise would we esteem it, and what little account would we make of our everlasting mansions, if we bad a pleasant passage, an easy journey, and kind usage in this strange country? If wee be found on this worldly harlot being so ugly and desormed, how would we dote on it, if it were faire and beautiful? This false world deceiveth us, and yet we trust it, how then would we rest and rely vpon it, if it were faithful& never failed us? It frowneth vpon us and yet wee affect it, how fond therfore would we be on it, if it smiled and fawned? It crosseth& afflicteth us, and yet we hug and embrace it, O then! how would our hearts cling& cleave unto it, if it made us his darlings, and did cocker us with favours? The Lord hath filled it with miseries, and yet we are loathe to exchange them for ioy& blessedness: what cart-ropes then or cables could pull us from it, if it were full of comforts without crosses,& had no gull iningled with it sweetness? It is full of troubles, wars, and contentions, secret traitors, open enemies, and false friends, and yet we grieve when wee think of leaving it: how would wee therefore surfeit of sorrow, if enjoying quiet peace, sweet concord, and faithful friendship, wee should be forced to foregoe it? we are still, whilst wee continue in it, tormented with cares and fears, subject to innumerable dangers, and haue still in sight terrible tragedies, expecting daily when wee shall be called out to act our part, and yet we cannot with patience think of our departure; O! what a death then would departing be, if we were quiet and secure, having all that we could desire, and not fearing to be robbed of any of our delights? we are, whilst we remain in this vale of tears, subject to sickness& poverty, contempt and disgrace, and yet we do not sigh and groan after our full redemption, when as we shall bee freed from all these miseries: how far therefore would we be from the least desire of exchanging our estate, if we were healthy Quamuis inaestimabilis sit coelestis patriae d●l● edo quae trahat, multi tamen in hac vita dolores sunt qui ad amorem coelestium quotid●è imp●llunt; qui mihi in hoc ipso sol●m vehementer placent, quia placere in hoc mundo aliquid non permittunt Gregor. epist. ex Register. lib. 4 Indict. 13. cap. 79. and wealthy, highly honoured, and in all wee do applauded with mens praises? In a word, the world persecuteth and killeth us and yet we love it as our lives, what an idol then would we make of it, and how far would wee prefer it before the salvation of our souls if it did like and love us, cherish and descend us? Most graciously therfore doth our good God deal with us when seeing us besotted with this pernicious love, he causeth the world to deal roughly with us, that so by smart and sense of pain, our minds may be somewhat alienated and weaned from it. And thrice happy are we in our greatest afflictions, if Gods spirit working with them, they become means to make us contemn the world, as being in itself vile and of no worth, and unto us a dangerous and mortal enemy; or at least do so moderate and qualify the heat of our love, that it do not exceed the love of God and joys of his kingdom, nor hinder us from using any good means whereby we may attain unto the fruition of them. And thus do afflictions not only mortify our carnal lusts, but also our worldly love, preserving us from lusting § Sect. 10. That the love of the world if it were not mortified in us would betray us to the temptations of the divell. and longing immoderately after these earthly vanities, and consequently from many snares of the devill with which we should easily be entangled, if wee were in love with these alluring baits. For if wee were left to our own liberty, we would lye open to innumerable dangers, and like silly birds hungering after our worldly pray, wee would be ready to stoop to every bait which satan, like a cunning fowler, layeth before us, and so bee catched in his nets of perdition. From which which dangers the Lord preserveth us whilst he useth afflictions as a cage to keep us from our hurtful liberty, and to restrain us from the seeing, desiring, or preying vpon these baits of destruction. To which purpose one saith, that God in his infinite Greg moral. l●b. 33. cap. 17 wisdom doth threaten, correct and keep under with painful labours his most faithful and best deserving seruants, because he seeth that if they enjoyed ease and liberty, they would lie open to the wounds of their spiritual enemies. And therefore he exerciseth them outwardly with stripes and labours, that they may not be pierced inwardly with the fiery darts of the devils temptations. whilst we enjoy the prosperity of the world, we are easily lulled a sleep in carnal security; and then as wee may be easily wounded with Sathans temptations, when we do not stand vpon our own defence; so are we easily robbed by this subtle thief of the riches of Gods graces; for then they are pulled from us at unawares with the least strength of temptations, yea( as it fareth with them who sleep soundly and securely) forgetting what jewels wee hold in our hands, wee let them fall of ourselves, though no outward violence should pluck them from us: But when wee are kept waking with troubles and afflictions, then wee watch over these spiritual treasures, and neither suffer satan to spoil us of them by his thievish sleights, nor to pull them away by force and violence, but the harder the divell draweth, the faster we hold; the more earnestly he endeavoureth to disroabe and strip us of these rich ornaments of spiritual gifts, the more carefully we wrap them about us; and the more seruently we implore the Lords aid, when wee find ourselves unable to withstand his might. By all which it appeareth, that the afflictions of the § Sect. 11. That we are much to rejoice in afflictions, seeing God useth them as means to mortify our sins. faithful are used by God as a notable means, to strengthen and defend us from the spiritual enemies of our salvation, and to heal those grievous wounds of sin which we get in this spiritual conflict. The consideration whereof should make us bear all our crosses and calamities with patience and comfort, yea with ioy and thanksgiving, seeing by suffering these smaller evils of present smart, wee are freed from these greater evils of sin and corruption, which if they still continued and lived in us, would make us obnoxious, not onely to Gods temporary plagues and punishments, but to everlasting condemnation of body and soul. For are wee vexed with sickness,& pained with outward griefs? Let us bear them with patience, seeing God by the sickness of the body, doth cure the soul of more desperate diseases; and much better it is to burn with the heat of a fever, then with the heat of sinful concupiscence, which will inflame against us Gods fearful wrath, and everlastingly burn us in the fire of hell. Are wee in painful servitude and subiection, and misused and oppressed by those who rule over us? let us bear all with comfort, seeing God hereby doth free us from the servitude of sin; and much better it is to be seruants unto men, then to be slaves to our own vices; for that is temporary and will soon haue an end; but the slavery of sin, maketh us to become also Sathans bond-men, out of whose thraldom if we escape not in this life, by true repentance, we shall by this tyrant be for ever embondaged in the prison of hell: are wee spoiled and disposessed of our worldly riches, and are wee pinched with poverty, and want earthly necessaries? let us bee well contented with Gods good pleasure, seeing by these worldly wants he preserveth us from spiritual penury, and taketh away from us these momentany trifles, that satan may not rob us of our heavenly treasures: when we haue in our bodies wounds or deep festered sores, we voluntarily sand for the Chirurgeon, and yield ourselves into his hands to be used at his discretion, for the effecting of the cure; we are content that he should not only apply healing plasters, but tormenting corrasiues, and that he should search our sores to the bottom, launch and sear, yea cut of a member for the preservation of the whole body: And fearing lest we should not haue courage and strength enough to endure these tortures, we are willing to bee bound, that we may not by our struggling and striving hinder him in his courses: So when we are diseased we crave the help of the learned physician, and are content for the curing of our sickness, to follow his direction, to swallow bitter pills& loathsome potions, to use strict diet or total abstinence, and to eat, drink, sleep and labour, not according to our appetite and natural disposition, but according to his direction and prescription; yea, all this we not only patiently endure, but are ready to gratify their pains Vide●e fratres mei in istis languoribus corporis, quanta homines tolerent, vt p●u●os dies victuri moriantur,& h●s paucos dies incertos, &c. Aug. in Psal. 102. enarrat. with thankfulness and reward. And therefore if in uncertain hope to recover the health of our body, which can last but for a moment, and is ready presently after the cure to languish again, falling into a relapse of the old grief, or into other diseases more dangerous then they, we are content to endure all these miseries at the appointment of mortal men, who often are unfaithful, seeking more their own gain then our health, and often vnskilfull; neither truly knowing the nature of our disease, nor the means how to cure it: How much more should we with all alacrity and cheerfulness, endure any crosses and afflictions, when they are used as medicines and salves by our heavenly physician& Chirurgeon, for the curing& healing our souls of the dangerous diseases and sores of sin, which would bring us in the end unto everlasting death; seeing we are certainly Ideo Domine percutis vt sanes nos,& occides nos, ne moriamur abs te. assured that he will by this means recover us unto perfect and neuer-decaying health; as being most faithful and careful over us, and in his wisdom and skill infinite and all-sufficient for the effecting of the cure. Let us not therfore look so much to our present smart as to our future health; not to the pain we feel, but to the ease and comfort which we assuredly hope for, and considering that the Lord woundeth to the end he may heal us, and killeth our bodies with a temporary death, to preserve bod●●nd soul from death everlasting: Let us joyfully submit ourselves unto his will, crying out with one: O Lord here lance and sear me, so that Domine hic ure, hic seca, vt in posterum sanes. thou wilt be pleased hereafter to heal me. Our Physisition doth make these outward blisters in our bodies, to draw out the poisonous corruption that is in our souls, and doth trouble us a little( as it were) with some special itch or bleach in the skin, that he may free us from the inward putrefaction of sin, and alloy the heat of our inflamed concupiscence: And therefore let us endure that which he imposeth with patience, and never murmur against him for effecting his cure; knowing that it is but childish folly to abhor the medicine more then the disease, and that we count them mad men which rage against the physician, who intendeth their recovery. Let us rather rejoice that the Lord is contented to minister unto us, because, seeing he undertakes to cure us by these medicines, it is a sign that we are not past recovery; for when in our diseases our estate is desperate, he leaveth us to our own appetite, to haue what our hearts can desire, and to take our fill of the pleasures of sin: whereas he giveth bitter potions, and prescribeth a strict diet, launceth and seareth, cauterizeth and cutteth those who are curable and likely to recover. And better it is( as one saith) to sustain under Hieron. in epist. ad ●grotum ●micum. Tom. 4. the hands of our physician a transitory torment, then forsaking him and refusing the means of our recovery, to incur such a punishment as will everlastingly vex us with hellish tortures. For these medicines of afflictions put to pain those whom our physician in love intendeth to cure, who by grieving us freeth us from our griefs, &c. and by hurting cureth us, that our health may be endeared by our former heaviness. But thou wilt say that thy affliction is so grievous and intolerable, that there can be no place for patience in § Sect. 12. That our grievous afflictions argue our grievous sins. the bearing of it. To which I answer, that if thy affliction be grievous, so likewise is thy 〈…〉 e; for the Lord our heavenly physician and Chirurgeon, fitteth his medicines and means of curing, according to the nature and quality of our diseases and sores: And as earthly physicians vary their remedies, according to the state of their patients and nature of their sicknesses, giuing unto one gentle potions, and to another strong purgations; and as Surgeons out of their skill and discretion apply unto small cuts healing plasters, but when they meet with an imposthume or deep festered wound, they cauterize and launch, sear and burn: so the Lord for the curing of lesser corruptions inflicteth lesser crosses, and for those sins which are heinous and enormous, more grievous miseries and more heavy calamities. An example whereof wee haue in the people of Iuda, who for their outrageous sins had heavy punishments inflicted on them. I haue strike thee( saith the Lord) jer. 30. 14. 15 with the wound of an enemy, and with a sharp chastisement for the multitude of thine iniquities, because thy sins were increased: Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable, for the multitude of thine iniquities, because thy sins were increased, I haue done these things unto thee. Look not therfore so much to the greatness of thy smart, as to the hamousnesse of thy sin, not to the bitterness of the medicine, or the torture of the corrosive, but to the desperatnesse of thy disease, and to the deepness of thy festered wounds; for( as one saith) Dolor flagelli temperatur, cum culpa cognoscitur, quia tantò quisq▪ ferramentum medici patientius tolerat, quanto magis putridum conspicit esse quod secat, &c. qui● per hoc quod culpae pondus agnoscitur, afflictionis poen● leuigatur. Gre. moral. lib. 10. cap. 5. the grief of affliction is much qualified, when as wee see and aclowledge the greatness of our sin, even as every one doth more patiently endure the launcher of the Surgeon, the more rotten and festered he seeth the sore to be, which is cut and preached; and the heavier we feel the burden of sin, the more light wee shall find the burden of affliction. Yea,( wilt thou say) but my sins are not so great, nor my sores so incurable, that I should need such sharp remedies and grievous afflictions to bee freed from them▪ I answer, that thy judge is able to discern of the greatness of thy faults, and thy physician of the disease, better then thyself who being a party and Patient, art blinded with love, and partial in thy iudgement. Either then thy sins are in their own nature heinous, or are aggravated by circumstances, being committed against knowledge and conscience, or exemplary to the scandal of others; they are great in themselves, or through the hardness of thy heart, hard to be cured, or being small alone, they are not small to thee; seeing thou wilt by no means part with them, but resoluest still to continue in them. For, as a man holdeth fast in his hand a small staff, when as a great post is easily pulled from him: So do we oftentimes retain our lesser sins with greater pertinacy, then our more heinous offences, and so make them grievous by our persisting in them, which were more light in their own nature. Neither is there any thing that doth more aggravate our sins in the sight of God, then when they are joined with impenitency, and answerably nothing doth more incense him unto wrath, or draw down vpon us more heavy judgements; according to that sentence, so often in the same chapter repeated: If ye walk stubbornly against me, and will not obey Leuit. 26. 21 me, I will then bring seven times more plagues vpon you, according to your sins. Yea,( will some say) but mine afflictions are not only grievous, but also in their continuance long& tedious. I answer, that as thou makest them heavy through thine impatiency, so thou makest them long by continuing in thy sin; for, our afflictions are light, or they are not long, either they may bee born with some ease, or else they are soon taken from us: howsoever it is, assure thyself that whether they are light or heavy, they continue vpon thee, not for want of mercy in God to ease thee, but for want of grace in thee which might make thee fit to find ease. For, if thy sores of sin were healed, there would bee no need further to apply these salves of afflictions; If thy wounds were open and the core of corruption drawn out, thine heavenly Surgeon would not lay vpon them still these corrasiues of calamities. If thou were thoroughly cleansed from these corrupt humors of sin which overthrow thy spiritual health, thy physician would not vex thee with any more strong& loathsome medicines: but though these salue● haue been often applied, yet thy sores are stil festered in the bottom; though thou hast already drunk many potions of trouble and afflictions, yet the melancholic humours of sin, are so tough, and stick so fast in the inward parts, that they are Sub medicament● positus vrcris, secaris. Clamas, non audit medicus advol●ntatem said ad santtatem. August in Psa. 21. enarrat not yet purged away. And therfore though thou callest and criest to haue the corrasiues removed, and to haue no more of these loathsome purges of tribulation and misery ministered unto thee; yet thy heavenly Surgeon& physician having undertaken to cure thee, and not to please thee; continueth still the use of these means till thy sicknesses and sores of sin be sufficiently healed, and therefore though thou criest and callest for ease, yet he heareth thee not, according to thy will, but so as it will agree with the recovery of thy health. whatsoever then our afflictions bee, and how long soever they continue vpon us, let us labour to bear them § Sect. 13. That if we endure much with patience to be ●ased of temporal evils much mor● shoul● we b●are to be freed fr●● those whi●● are eue●lasting. August. in Psa. 102. Enarrat. with patience and comfort, seeing we are naturally sick in sin, and he that made us, best knoweth how to cure vs. He understandeth our secret infirmities and inward diseases, and well knoweth how to apply fit means for our recovery, and when it is best for us to haue them taken away. We trust earthly physicians, though they commit many errors: for( as one saith) they that go about to cure us▪ did not make vs. How much more then should we commit ourselves into the hands of God? who hath made our souls and bodies; and therefore well knoweth how to re-create that which he hath created, and to reform that which he hath formed? we suffer under the hands of men certain torment for uncertain health, and many, whilst they are drawn on with false hopes, die under the hands of their surgeons and physicians; or if they recover, their lives are but reprieved for a few daies longer: what therefore should we be content to suffer at the appointment of our heavenly physician, for the everlasting health and salvation of body and soul, s●eing he is so infinitely wise, that he can never be deceived, and so all-sufficiently skilful, that he never mistaketh our diseases, or his medicines, nor ever faileth in effecting his cure? Though we much esteem our gold ubi me p●nit artifex tole●o. iubeor ego to●●▪ rare, novit ille purgar●. August. in Psal 61▪ Enarrat. yet we w●llingly commit it to the finer, that he may cast it into his furnace and purify it from it dross; and yet his skill may fail either in not thoroughly purifying the mettall, that it may abide the touch, or elf in refining it more then enough, and so wasting in stead of purifying it: much more then let us commit these treasures of our souls and bodies into the hands of this heavenly workman; for though he cast us into his furnace of afflictions, it is not to hurt us, but to purify us from the dross of our corruptions And he that is not purged in this fire, but burnt and consumed with the heat of impatiency, he is to be esteemed chaff and not gold, and hath just cause to fear, least after he is consumed in this temporary Math. 3. 12. blaze of tribulation, he shall with the chaff, that the Baptist speaketh of, be cast into that unquenchable fire of hell. The Lord now iudgeth us for our sins in this life, and his judgements are heavy and distasteful to flesh and blood; but let us not be discouraged, for the end of them is, that being chastised for our sins of the Lord, we may vnfainedly repent of them, and so may receive 1. Cor. 11. 32. pardon and forgiveness, and not come into condemnation with the world. In regard whereof we haue just cause to account it the heaviest iudgement, not to be at all thus judged of the Lord; for our heavenly physician ministereth this physic of afflictions to al his patients Vlti● quae suspendu●r in fine grauior servatur. Gregor. sick in sin, saving to those whose diseases are desperate. Our gracious father chasteneth every son whom he receiveth, and leaveth none to prosper in their wickedness, but those bastards whom he purposeth to disinherit of that heavenly patrimony, reserved in store for his own children. Our Lord and master correcteth in the family the faults and heinous crimes which are committed by his seruants, or else his purpose is to turn them away, and to reserve their sins to be punished at his great assizes. And therefore God threateneth it as an heavy iudgement against the Israelites, that he would not correct them for their sins. I will not( saith he) visit your daughters when they are harlots, nor your spouses when Hos. 4. 14. they are whores; namely to reclaim them by fatherly chastisements, that they might not run on in a headlong course which would led to destruction. In regard whereof, the estate of sinful man is then most wretched, when continuing in his sin he is exempted from punishment. For as those who are sick of the gout and dropsy, are then in the most miserable condition, when they use excessive diet and haue plenty of delicate wines, and Qui adeò auertitur& prosperatur tan●● perditioni fit proximus, quante z●l● disciplin●, invenitur alienus. Gregor. pleasant drinks to please their unsatiable appetite, because by all these dainties their diseases become more desperate; whereas contrariwise, they are mitigated and cured by hunger and thirst, strict diet and vnplesant physic: So, if being infected and tainted with sin and corruption, we notwithstanding prosper in our wickedness, and ruffle it out in worldly pleasures, our case is so much the more dangerous and desperate, because these worldly allurements do but increase our sins, and so settle& harden us in our evil courses, that we can hardly by any means be cured and recovered: But if God admitteth us into his hospital, and ministereth unto us the physic of afflictions, restraining our gluttonous appetite, and withholding from us theso earthly vanities which do but feed and increase the diseases of our souls; then haue we great cause of comfort and thanksgiving, seeing we are hereby put into assured hope of recovering our spiritual health, and of continuing still in the life of grace, until we be admitted into the life of glory. CHAP. XX. That God by afflictions increaseth in us all his spiritual graces, and first those which are seated in the understanding. AND thus haue I shewed how the Lord useth Sect. 1. That afflictions exercise and by exercising preserve in us Gods saving graces. afflictions as a notable means to free us from our sins: It now followeth that I also show, that he doth by them exercise and strengthen, multiply and increase in us all christian virtues, and the sanctifying& saving graces of his holy spirit. To which purpose we ar● to know, that as the master of the masteries will not suffer his scholars to spend their time in idleness, but keepeth them in continual exercise, as running, wrestling, leaping, fencing, and accustometh their bodies to painful labours, to keep them in breath, and not only to preserve their strength and agility, but also to increase it; so doth the Lord exercise the faithful in this world, as in a school of masteries, making them to wrestle and strive with troubles and afflictions, that he may hereby both confirm& preserve the strength of his sanctifying graces in them,& also increase and multiply them by this spiritual exercise; whereas they would Torp●scit virtus ubi certam●n defuerit,& facilè hostis malitia coalescit, si pgrescat ●▪ animus repugnantis Chrysost de interdict. arb●ris serm. languish and grow faint with sloth and idleness. For as it fareth with the strength of the body, so also with the virtues and powers of the mind; the more they are disused from labour, and rest at their ease without an enemy, the more weak and impotent they daily grow, but the more they are exercised and assaulted, the more they are strengthened and confirmed. And as the trees which are tossed in the winter with tempestuous storms, do thereby take the deeper rooting, so Gods graces are not overturned with these boisterous blasts of trouble and affliction, but are the more firmly rooted in us; and the more that the flesh is weakened by them, the more strong we grow in the spiritual part; and though hereby our outward 2. Cor. 4. 16. man perisheth, yet the inward man is renewed daily. It is true that whilst we are in this combat of afflictions, Nauigium vitae nostrae agitationibus gaudet; sola tranquillitate turbatur. Stupet enim cursus cessantibus ventis. periclitatur si periculis non probetur. Hieronym. ad aegrotum amicum epist. T. 4. wearied with labours, and tired with resisting; this spiritual strength doth not so sensibly appear, but rather seemeth to be abated and weakened( even as it also befalleth us in the exercises and contentions of the body) but yet after the conflict is ended, our strength vpon a little rest is presently renewed,& becometh much more able and active then it was before. Yea sometimes it cometh to pass, that afflictions like a cloud do hid out of our sight the bright beams of these spiritual graces, and these miseries and calamities, like ashes, cover these shining and burning coals of Gods saving gifts, so as neither their heat nor light is discerned by the outward sense, but whilst they hid them, they also preserve them, which otherwise would be more subject to wasting and going out, if they did lye open to the outward air of worldly prosperity. Yea these troubles and calamities do not only confirm Sect. 2. That afflictions do not only preserve and confirm, but also increase and multiply in us Gods saving graces. and preserve in us Gods spiritual graces, but also do( as I said) increase and multiply them. For these holy seeds of Gods saving gifts do become most fruitful when as they are pinched with the frost of afflictions; and this heavenly fire of sanctifying grace doth much increase both in heat and brightness, when the wind of tribulation doth blow vpon it. And this cometh to pass, both because the Lord is then most willing to bestow vpon us these rich treasures of grace and sanctification, when by these crosses and calamities we are fitted to receive them, and also because we then above all times, most earnestly desire to be thus spiritually enriched, when as we are impoverished in worldly comforts, and utterly spoiled of all earthly delights. For the Lord will not cast the seed of his graces into the ground of our hearts, before they are prepared to receive them. And as the wise husband man will not hazard his wheat by sowing it in all kinds of land, but maketh choice of that which is fittest, and then ploweth, falloweth, and harroweth it, that it may be the better prepared to receive the seed: so much less will the Lord sow that much more precious grain of his saving graces, in the stony and thorny hearts of wicked worldlings, but maketh choice only of his elect, which being made good grounds by his alone goodness, and the sole sun-shine of his grace and favor; he first prepareth them for this holy seed by ploughing, breaking up and harrowing of their hearts full of natural hardness, with troubles and afflictions, and then casteth it into them with a liberal hand. He will not give his graces to the proud and lofty, who would contemn and despise them, but to the humble& lowly; and because our harts are naturally haughty and exalted above measure, therefore the Lord first humbleth and presseth them down with the weight of affliction, before he will give unto them this spiritual aduancement. He vouchsafeth these precious gifts unto none, but them whose hearts are enlarged to receive them, because such alone will esteem them when they haue them; and whereas they are naturally streight, and haue this narrow room, filled with carnal, and worldly love, therefore he first emptieth them of this earthly trash by taking it from them, and then stretcheth and enlargeth the heart in holy desires with troubles and afflictions, and so satisfieth and filleth them with his heavenly treasures. He will not give these spiritual dainties to be fed vpon by full stomachs, seeing they would loathe this divine sweetness and be cloyed with it: but he filleth the hungry with these good things,& because we naturally want this appetite, he usually getteth us a stomach and sharpeneth our hunger, by withholding from us all worldly delicates, and by appointing us to feed on the bread of affliction and water of sorrow. And as the Lord most willingly giveth his spiritual graces to those, who are by afflictions and tribulations fitted to receive them: so do they who are in this afflicted estate, above all others, esteem these precious gifts, and accordingly desire, and with all diligence use the means to attain unto them: for when by our afflictions wee are so humbled that we become nothing in ourselves, then do we most earnestly desire, that God by his grace and holy spirit may bee in us all in all; when by calamities we are emptied of all earthly consolations, then do we most eagerly hunger after these spiritual comforts: when we are despoiled of worldly riches, honours, pleasures, health, strength and the rest; then do we most covet to bee enriched with that chief riches of Gods saving graces which can never be taken from us, and with great diligence seek them from God by prayer, hearing the word, and using all other good means for the satisfying of our holy desires with unwearied cheerfulness. And thus do the faithful, like painful Bees, gather the greatest store of this sweet hony of Gods graces, out of the bitter thyme of trouble and affliction; and grow most rich in God when they are most impoverished in the world. In regard whereof one calleth affliction Tribulatio est virtutum omnium matter. Chrysost. in Math. 12. Hom. 29. the mother of Christian virtues, because as in a fruitful womb, shee breedeth, nourisheth and increaseth them to their perfect growth and full strength; the which is not to be understood of it being considered in it own nature, but as it is sanctified by God for this use and purpose; for in herself this mother hath a barren womb and dry breasts, or is only fruitful in bringing forth sin, unless the spirit of God, the father of all grace and goodness, do make it fruitful by infusing vital power and strength into it; and these waters of affliction in themselves are ready to drown us, if they were not scattered with the breath of Gods spirit, whereby they become like fruitful showers fit to water us, that these fruits of Gods saving graces, may spring and grow in vs. But to let us descend to some particulars, and for orders § Sect. 3. That God by afflictions increaseth in us saving knowledge and spiritua●l wisdom. sake consider these graces as they respect God, or else our neighbours and ourselves: The graces which respect God, are either seated in the understanding mind and intellectual part, or in the heart, will and affections, or in both together; or else the fruits of them all, appearing in our unfeigned repentance and new obedience; all which are either confirmed and preserved, or else increased and multiplied by our troubles and afflictions. The graces which are seated in our mind and understanding, are knowledge and remembrance of God and his will, which in his word is revealed unto vs. The first grace is saving knowledge and spiritual wisdom, the which is notably preserved, and exceedingly increased by crosses and calamities: for this fire of afflictions doth give great light to the understanding; and this sharp eye-salve, though it doth for the present dazzle the sight, yet afterwards it doth singularly clear the eyes of the mind, so as they are much fitter to see spiritual things, and to discern the ways of God. And whereas prosperity, usually making men drunk with worldly pleasures, doth so take away the heart, intoxicate the brain, and infatuate the understanding, that it is not capable of the knowledge of God and spiritual things: when by a fast of afflictions wee are freed from this surfet, and by long abstinence haue these intoxicating fumes of worldly vanities taken away, then do we come unto ourselves, and recover our understanding, whereby we are enabled to judge and discern of spiritual things, and to conceive of God and his will, as they are revealed unto us in his word. So the wise man saith, that the rod and correction give wisdom. Pro. 29. 15 And the Prophet telleth the people, who were grown desperate in their wickedness, that seeing they did not regard Gods word and terrible threatenings, to be reclaimed by them from their sins, and nothing but fear, proceeding from sense of Gods judgements, would work vpon their hard hearts; therfore the Lord would inflict vpon them plagues and calamities, that these punishments might cause them to fear him, and this fear might make them so attentive to his word, that they might understand it and profit by it; and there shall be only fear( saith he) to make you understand the hearing; that is the word of the Lord, sounding in your Esa. 28. 19. ears by the ministry of his Prophets, which in your security caused by prosperity, you would not understand, but scorned and tormented. Thus the people of Israell being in great afflictions, are brought in by the Prophet saying one to another: Come and let us return Hos. 6. 1. 3 to the Lord: for he hath spoiled and he will heal us, &c. then shall wee haue knowledge, and endeavour ourselves to Chap. 8. 2. know the Lord. So afterwards he saith, that being in great straights, by reason of their mighty enemies prevailing against them, they should cry unto the Lord; My God we know thee. That therefore which Salomon speaketh of natural children, may be truly said of the children of God; foolishness is bound in their heart, but Pro. 22. 15 the rod of correction shall drive it away from them. And as experience teacheth us, that cockered chilren are seldom wise, because the Parents indulgence and fondness maketh the child wanton, and wantonness is the cause of much foolishness; and contrariwise, that those, who are kept under a severe discipline, do most excel in knowledge, discretion and understanding, because they are made hereby more watchful over their words and ways, powdering them with wisdom, before they dare offer thē to be tasted by their gouernours: So likewise, when our heavenly father suffereth us to abound in earthly delights, and to haue the world at will, we become wanton through prosperity, and foolish through our wantonness: but when he nurtereth us in the school of afflictions, we labour to inform ourselves in those things which please ordisplease him, and so accordingly we frame our words and actions. An example whereof we haue in nabuchadnezzar, who being in prosperity, was blind in his understanding, and ignorant of the true God, from whence proceeded his foolish boasting and vainglorious bragging: Is not this great babel, which I haue built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the glory of my majesty? Dan. 4. 27. 31. But when he was humbled by a grievous affliction, then his understanding was restored unto him; and he doth not foolishly magnify himself, but giveth thanks unto the most high, and praiseth and honoureth him that liveth Dan. 4. 27. 31 for ever: whereby it appeareth, that as the sun-shine of prosperity doth so dazzle our spiritull sight, and so dim the eyes of our understanding, that wee are not capable of the knowledge of God and heavenly things, so the darkness of afflictions doth notably recover and clear them, so that they can discern the will of God, when the light of the word appeareth to them. And this cometh to pass first, because in our afflictions we are made more diligent in harkening unto those admonitions and instructions, which we haue contemned in the time of prosperity, and are more industrious and laborious in learning those spiritual lessons of wisdom, when as we fear the rod of correction, and do feel the smart of our negligence and ignorance. So Elihu saith, that God openeth job. 33. 16.& cap. 33. 15 the ears of men by their corrections, and causeth them to harken unto his word in the time of trouble. An example whereof we haue in david, who professeth that it was Psal. 119. 71 good for him to haue been afflicted, that he might learn Gods statutes. So the Iewes when they were troubled in conscience,& afflicted in mind, through the sense which they had of their 〈◇〉; do exceedingly hunger after this saving knowledge, crying out, Men and brethren Act. 2. 37. what shall wee do? And the jailor, being in great fear and astonishment, and thoroughly humbled in the sight of his sin, came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, saying: Sirs, what must I do tobee saved? Chap. 16. 29 Secondly, these afflictions do notably increase spiritual wisdom and saving knowledge, as they do season our natural wit, and that knowledge which we haue attained unto by the light of Gods word, making them which are vnsauoury and fruit less in then selves, to become savoury and profitable. For, by our afflictions wee haue experience, and by experience wisdom; in which respect it is truly said, that afflictions do make fools wise; for whereas almost none can make any use of that knowledge which they haue by their own wit and natural understanding( in regard whereof it is truly said, that wit is nothing worth, until it bee dearly bought) no nor yet by the experience, which they haue by others evils: when their knowledge is seasoned& approved by their own experience, then they make use of that they know, and every notion in their understanding thus confirmed, becometh a principle to inform their judgements, and a rule to reform and direct their lives. And thus in our afflictions we haue experience of Gods wrath and anger against sin, seeing he doth chastise and correct it even in his own children; and so having felt the smart of our former folly in committing it, we become wiser for the time to come, and will not easily be alured to swallow this hook again, after wee haue been once pricked with it, though it bee covered with the enticing baits of worldly vanities, or to feed on the dainty meats of sinful pleasures, when we by experience find what a bitter and loathsome after-tast they haue left behind them. Thus also wee haue experience in our afflictions of Gods infinite wisdom, whereby he bringeth good out of evil, light out of darkness, blessings out of curses, and maketh the fruits of sin the means of salvation, causing us to find a ready way into the joys of heaven, by the gates of hell, and the first flashes of hellish fire: And also of his omnipotent power, whereby he mightily effecteth all this which he hath in this wisdom purposed, supporting us in our greatest weakness, and defending us, when we are most unable to help ourselves, against all the furious assaults of our malicious enemies. Thus we haue experience of his wise and powerful providence, when as we perceive that all our afflictions, with whatsoever circumstances belong unto them, are ruled by it; and though in themselves they are evil and hurtful, yet that they are so wisely disposed, that in the end they turn to our good, and do much further the salvation of our souls; of his infinite mercy and love whereby he moderateth and mitigateth all our afflictions, so as they may not exceed our strength, and sweeteneth them by the inward comforts of his spirit,& the taste& feeling of his grace and favour, that we haue more true ioy in them, then worldlings in the fruition of all their pleasures: And finally of his truth, both in afflicting those chastisements which he hath threatened, and in performing of all his promises, both in strengthening and supporting us whilst we are under the burden of the cross, and in delivering us from all our afflictions, in such time as is most convenient and seasonable, both for his own glory, and the advancing of our spiritual good. Yea, not onely do wee by afflictions attain to the knowledge of Gods excellencies and perfections, but also of the worlds mutability and vanity. For howsoever looking vpon men in their flourishing prosperity we think their estate so excellent that it cannot be matched, and so permanent that it cannot be changed; when we see our health turned into sickness, and strength into weakness, our riches into poverty, and our honors into disgrace and contempt, our mirth into mourning, and our liberty into imprisonment, then do wee plainly discern that worldly felicity is but a smoke or dream which suddenly vanisheth and leaveth nothing behind it; and therefore we will not, when we enjoy it, put our confidence in it, nor set our hearts vpon it, and as we will not much rejoice when it befalleth us, so will we not unmeasurably mourn when it departeth. Sect. 4. That the benefit of spiritual wisdom much exceedeth our hurt by afflictions. And therefore, seeing these worldly afflictions do so much increase saving knowledge& heavenly wisdom, this consideration should move us to bear them with great patience and comfort, in as much as our earthly losses, are far exceeded by our spiritual gain; and our outward grievances are abundantly recompensed with inward benefits. For this wisdom is better then precious Pro. 3. 11. 19.& 3. 15. stones, and all pleasures are not to be compared unto her, her fruit is better then gold, even then fine gold, and her reuenews better then fine silver. It is more precious then pearls, and all things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her. It is that by which wee haue our very essEnce, and being in christianity; for as by natural reason& understanding we are men, so by sanctified reason, spiritual wisdom, and saving knowledge we are christian men; and as( our saviour saith) this is that life, whereby wee must live for ever, to know the only true God, and whom he joh. 17. 3. hath sent Iesus Christ. It is the fountain& foundation of all true religion, and the only sure ground of all other saving graces: for as they all arise from faith, so faith itself from this saving knowledge. In all which respects holy david is so far from thinking a man miserable that is afflicted with worldly crosses that he accounteth him happy, when as he profiteth by it in wisdom and knowledge. Psal. 94 2. Blessed is the man( saith he) O Lord whom thou chastisest, and teachest him in thy lawe. § Sect. 5. That aff●ct●ons are notable means to put us in remembrance of God. The other grace seated in the intellectual part of the soul, is the remembrance of God and his will, which is also much increased and renewed by afflictions. For whereas plenty and prosperity make us to look unto, and rest in our own provision, in secondary causes and inferior means, forgetting in the mean time God, who is the author of al our good, because we are so supported with outward helps, that wee do not sensibly feel any need of his assistance: when wee are forsaken of these worldly succours, and are left of these false friends in our greatest need, then do we begin to remember him, who never forsaketh those that trust in him, and is always willing, able, and ready to comfort us, when wee flee unto him in our distress. An example whereof wee haue in the prodigal child, who whilst he had goods in his own hands, spent all his time in marveling Luk. 15. and riot, in banqueting& whoring, and never thought of his gracious father, from whom he had received these gifts, which he thus abused, till( all being consumed) he was brought into extreme poverty and misery; and then he remembered him, and thinketh of returning. And as in our afflictions wee are put in remembrance of God himself by standing in need of help and comfort from him; so also of his word and commandments, and those profitable admonitions, instructions, and consolations, which wee haue formerly heard out of them. And whereas in the time of our prosperity, wee carelessly forget them, and negligently cast them behind our backs, when wee are pinched with miseries and crosses, wee do not only diligently harken unto those profitable lessons which are presently delivered unto us, but also for our comfort, recall that which wee haue formerly heard; and is now through sloth& neglect carelessly cast( as it were) into some by-corner of the memory. And as the seed in time of drought, lieth, long after it is sown, butted under the clods, and seemeth lost and perished because it appeareth not; so the seed of Gods word being sown in the furrows of our hearts, doth lye butted often times under the heavy clods of worldly encumbrances, appearing neither to ourselves nor others: but when it is soaked and steeped in these waters of tribulation, then it sprouteth, springeth up, and bringeth forth abundant fruits to the ioy of others, and comfort of ourselves. And as slothful triuants, whilst their play daies last, cast their books carelessly under the cupboard, and for want of care and meditation quickly forget that which they haue been long in learning; but when they are constrained to come to the school, and dofeele the smart of their former negligence, then they labour to recall to mind their lost lessons, and recover that which was slipped out of memory: so it usually fareth with us; for whilst the world affourdeth unto us the play daies of prosperity, wee revel and play the wantons, securely casting all those instructions, which we haue learned in the school of Christ, behind our backs, as though wee should never haue further use of them; but when our heavenly schoolmaster putteth an end to our play, and with the rod of affliction whippeth us for our former sloth, then do wee take pains to regain our lost learning, and to recall to mind those fruitful lessons which haue been taught us in this spiritual school. In which respect afflictions are of singular profit; in that by an urgent necessity they make us to esteem& treasure up in the closet of our memories these treasures of knowledge, which wee would otherwise vilify and cast out of doors: for so are wee ruled by the senses, which only apprehended present objects, that wee value every thing according to present and carnal use, and do not care for the glad tidings of the gospel, and the sweet consolations of Gods spirit before wee bee brought into misery and distress. And as he who is in perfect health contemneth the physician, and is ready to cast his drugs and medicines out of doors; but being visited with some grievous sickness, doth honour and reward him, and thinketh the best room in his house not to good for his potions and cordials; and as in the time of secure peace, wee let the sword rust in the scabbard, and our armor vpon the wall; but in time of war do highly value them, and do rub, scour, and gird them to us: so whilst in the time of prosperity wee haue no sense and feeling of our spiritual diseases, wee carelessly cast at our heels the physic of our souls, and never gratefully remember our spiritual physicians, because wee do not find any need of them; wee let the sword of the spirit rust in the scabbard, and the book of God to ly moulding under our cup-bords, and never think of preparing and fitting our spiritual armor, that wee may haue it in readiness, because, though wee bee in the greatest danger, yet wee can discover no enemy which is ready to assault us: but when wee are diseased in our worldly estates,& f●ele the smart and pain of miseries and calamities; when afflictions like mighty enemies do assault and vex us, and wee find ourselves so weak, that wee cannot in our own strength, make resistance; then do we highly esteem, and accordingly think vpon, both our spiritual physicians, and that physic of our souls, which they providence for the procuring of our ease, and the recovery of our health; then do we think of drawing the sword of the spirit, and of buckling unto us the armor of Gods graces, that wee may bee enabled to withstand the violence of our enemies, and obtain the victory in this dangerous conflict. CHAP. XXI. That God by our afflictions doth much confirm, strengthen and increase our faith. THe next grace is faith, which is seated § Sect. 1. That afflictions strengthen our faith by making us more careful in the use of the means; and by exercising it with these trials. both in our head and heart, in our understanding and also in our will and affections, for it is not only a persuasion which is an act of the understanding arising from knowledge, but also a willing assent and application of that we beleeue unto ourselves for our own use; vpon which followeth our voluntary cleaving unto the Lord, and our reposing and sole resting vpon his power, providence and gracious promises in Iesus Christ. And this faith is exceedingly strengthened and increased through our troubles and afflictions; first because we are then most careful in the use of the means for the increasing and confirming of it, as having in our sense and ceiling much more use of it, then in the time of our prosperity. For whilst we live in secure peace, and do not find ourselves molested with any enemy, we cast the shield of faith aside, and count it but a burden, if we should bear it: but when satan and the world daily cast against us the fiery darts of trouble and affliction, which as soon as they hit us do in a sensible manner burn and torment us, then do we make precious account of this impenetrable shield, and are never at rest, but whilst we find it fast buckled unto vs. Secondly our faith is stenrgthned and increased by afflictions, as they are unto it a spiritual exercise, wherein all the virtue and powers therof are tried and employed. For as when our bodies are enured to sloth and idleness, their strength doth languish and decay: but when they are in daily exercise, they increase much in vigour and ability; so when our faith hath no spiritual exercise, it is in short time enfeebled and groweth faint and weak; but when we are in adversity and affliction, vexed with sickness, pinched with poverty, forsaken of friends, blemished and defamed for our love to goodness, and subject to innumerable dangers, then our faith having enemies to resist and aduersaries to strive and wrestle with, doth stir up it own vigour, gather all it strength and powers together, and finding itself too weak to make resistance, doth earnestly seek to haue it strength increased and renewed, and to this end it first wrestleth with God by prayer, instantly imploring and beseeching him to perfect the good work which he hath begun, and so to strengthen and confirm it, that it may not be destroyed and trodden under foot in this spiritual conflict; and also meditateth in Gods gracious promises, whereby he hath assured all those that beleeue in him, that he will never leave and forsake them, but will hear them in the day of trouble, deliver them out of all their dangers and give a good issue to all their temptations. And thus our faith is exercised and by exercise increased in our afflictions; the which is one of the most special ends, why the Lord doth bring us into these troubles and calamities. For whilst we haue the world at will, and are on all fides hedged in with the blessings of prosperity, our faith may seem both to ourselves and others a mere speculative virtue, whereof there is little use, and like an untried arm or which doth not assure us of defence in the day of danger; but when we are in the midst of afflictions, it is tried with the bullets of temptations, and the more it is tried the more it is approved, and the more it is approved, the more it is strengthened against the next encounter. And in this manner was Abrahams faith exercised: for after that the Lord had made his gracious promise unto him of multiplying his posterity, and that in his feed all the nations of the earth should be blessed, he long exercised his faith with that great affliction of his wives barrenness, which seemed directly to cross Gods promises and overthrow all his hopes; and gave him no child till he and his wife were grown so old, that in natural reason the promise seemed impossible to be performed. With which exercise his faith was so strengthened and increased, that after he had his promised son, and was commanded for his further trial to sacrifice him with his own hands he became also victor over this tentation, because by the former trial he had learned that God was able to raise him to life again, seeing in respect of the deadness of Saraes womb, he had before after a sort( as the Apostle saith) received him from the dead. Thus also after he had promised Heb. 11. 9. to give unto the posterity of Abraham the land of Canaan, he long exercised their faith, first by bringing them into a cruel bondage in the land of Egypt, and after their deliverance by afflicting them with so many calamities in the wilderness, that they seemed, not to haue escaped, but only to haue exchanged their misery and tribulation. And so the Lord after he had promised david the crown and kingdom, did euercise his faith with innumerable afflictions, and by this exercise did wonderfully confirm and increase it, as appeareth by the history of samuel,& that singular book of the psalms, the most part whereof was penned in the time of his trouble and persecution. Thirdly our faith receiveth much strength and power § Sect. 2. That our faith is strengthened in afflictions through the experience which we then haue of the truth both of Gods threatenings and gracious promises. in our afflictions, because in them we haue experience of Gods truth, both in his threatenings, in that for our sins he hath inflicted those chastisements and judgements which in his word he hath denounced; and also in his promises; seeing he performeth all which he hath undertaken, not only in assisting us in our afflictions, but also in delivering us in due time; in both showing his infinite wisdom, omnipotent power, and all-gouerning providence, whereby he hath disposed of all things to the best. For when by experience we find, that the Lord hath shewed us great mercy in crossing of our most earnest desires, hath brought unto us much comfort out of our greatest calamities, turned our fears and dangers, into safe security and joyful triumph, and hath made the Whale, which in swallowing seemed to devour us, to be a means of our safety and deliverance: then is our faith by this experience marvelously strengthened and increased, and we thereby are enabled to endure the next afflictions with much more patience and contentment. And as the Pilot having escaped out of many storms, and the soldier out of many dangerous conflicts, are so hartned hereby that they are marvelous confident& courageous when they are tossed with tempests, and assaulted with their enemies; whilst unexperienced passengers and freshwater souldiers tremble and fear in the least danger: so those who haue been exercised in afflictions, and haue had manifold experience of Gods mercy, power and love, both in assisting them in their troubles and in delivering them out of their greatest dangers, haue their faith in God hereby so strengthened and increased, that they are much more patient in afflictions, and more courageous in perils, then those who were never exercised with these trials; because they know that God is immutable in his goodness, and is now as ready and willing to help and deliver them as he was before. So david concludeth that because he had found God merciful and powerful in delivering him from the lion and the bear; therefore he would assuredly deliver him in like manner from the uncircumcised Philistine, 2. Sa. 17. 36. 37 and make him to become as one of them. And Paul being raised by God, when the sentence of death by the verdict of nature, had passed against him, by this experience confirmeth his faith for the time to come in this 2. Cor. 1. 9. 10. assurance, that the Lord would again deliver him, if so be he were overtaken by the like danger. Fourthly, afflictions confirm and increase our faith as they are notable means of working or renewing our § Sect. 3. That afflictions do strengthen our faith by causing us to renew our repentance: and assuring us that our fins thus corrected shall not come into condemnation. repentance, for as sin doth wound and weaken our faith, making us to doubt of Gods favour by reason of self guiltiness; so repentance doth cure and strengthen it, because by it( through Gods mercy and free promises made in Christ) sin is done away, as though it had never been committed, and so we are assured that we are reconciled unto God and received again into his former favour. And fiftly our faith is strengthened by our afflictions, as they give assurance unto those who are exercised with them and profit by them, unto amendment and newness of life, that their sins which are here in this world thus corrected, shall never appear to their condemnation in the world to come. For as they who prosper and flourish in their wicked courses, haue just cause to fear, that they are in dives his estate, who had Luk. 16. 25. all his good in this life, and was reserved to torment in that life which is endless and everlasting: so they who haue no sooner sinned but they are presently corrected for it, and by their chastisement reclaimed and amended may assure themselves, that as now they are like unto Lazarus in his pains, so they shall hereafter be made like unto him in his joys and comforts, and not suffer both 1. Cor. 11. 32. now and then too, seeing( as the Apostle plainly telleth us) we are purposely chastened with these afflictions, that we may escape the condemnation of the world. But most notably is our faith strengthened& increased §. Sect. 4. That afflictions strengthen our faith as they are signs of our adoption. Rom 8. 29. by our afflictions, as they are unto those who profit by them in newness of life, infallible signs and notes of their election, vocation and adoption. They are signs of our election, for as the Apostle teacheth us, those whom God hath predestinate to be made like unto his son in glory, he hath also predestinate to be made like unto him in afflictions; and as by this holy decree his natural son Luk. 24. 26. was first to suffer, and then to enter into his glory; so we, who are adopted in him, must follow him in the same way to our heavenly home, first suffering, and then reigning 2. Tim. 2. 12. with him as the Apostle speaketh, This also appeareth in the Lords own speech to the people of Israel, you only( saith he) haue I known( or chosen) of all the families of Amos 3. 2. the earth, therfore I will visit you for all your iniquities. And to Ananias concerning Paul: Go thy way, for he is a chosen Act 9. 15. 16. vessel unto me, &c. I will show him how many things he must suffer for my names sake. The consideration whereof should much comfort us in all our afflictions and persecutions, which though to those who are the instruments of our will, they are tokens of perdition, yet unto Phil. 1. 28. us who patiently suffer them they are signs of our salvation through the grace of God, as the Apostle telleth vs. In regard whereof the same holy Apostle doth not onely bear with patience& comfort his troubles& grievous 2. Cor. 11. 23. to 31.& ca. 6. 4 afflictions, but being to maintain his credit against the false Apostles, he maketh choice of his sufferings to glory and rejoice in them, rather then of those excellent graces of Gods holy spirit wherewith he was so richly adorned. Thus also our afflictions are notable signs of our effectual § Sect. 5. That afflictions strengthen our faith as they are signs of our effectual calling. 2. Tim. 3. 12. calling, whereby we are severed from the world, and admitted into Gods church and family. For they are Gods livery and cognisance which he giveth all to wear who will be his seruants; for, as many as will live godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution, and our saviour telleth us, that if any man will come after him, and wait vpon him as his seruant and disciple, he must deny himself, and Luk. 9. 23. take up his cross daily and follow him. Neither may we live like libertines when we are entertained into his family, and run on in wicked courses without correction: but we must make account that our wise Lord and master will keep us under a severe discipline, chastising us for our sins, that we may be reclaimed from them, and not suffering us to go on in evil ways without check and controlment, to his dishonour and our destruction: and howsoever he suffereth others that are without to prosper in their wickedness, and without any punishment to add sin unto sin, yet he will be honoured of those 1. Pet. 4. 17. jer. 25. 29. who draw near unto him, and as the Prophet and Apostle speak, he will cause iudgement to begin at his own house, and first plague the city where his name is called vpon. As therefore when the Mason and Carpenter polish their stones, and square their timber with their tools and axes; it is a sign that they haue chosen them for the use of building, whereas that which is untouched is left as refuse, fit for nothing but to be cast into the high-way, and to be burned in the fire: So when the Lord doth polish, square and plain us with troubles and afflictions from the knots and knobs of sin and corruption, it appeareth hereby, that he hath made choice of us to be stones in the building of his spiritual Temple; whereas those which are let alone, and not hammered and squared by this heavenly workman, are rejected as refuse stuff, which is altogether unfit for this holy building. again the world onely loveth her own, and therefore when our saviour Christ by the preaching of the gospel hath chosen and joh 15. 19. c●lled us out of the world, then presently it beginneth to malign and hate us, and to use all means whereby it may bring vpon us misery and affliction. In regard whereof we may conclude, that when we are hated of the world we are beloved of God; when it basly esteemeth us and cruelly useth us, as though we were the very out-casts and of scouring of all things, then may we be assured( if we make good use of these afflictions, by contemning the world which contemneth us, and drawing nearer unto God by repentance and hearty prayer) that the Lord highly valueth us, and hath chosen and severed us like pure gold and good grain, out of this mass and heap of dross and chaff. Finally as our afflictions are notable signs of our calling § Sect. 6. That afflictions strengthen our faith as they are signs of our adoption, Gal. 4. 1. and admission into Gods family, so also of our adoption whereby we become sons of God and heires of his promises. For( as the Apostle speaketh to anoth●er purpose) the heir as long as he is a child differeth herein nothing from a seruant, though he be Lord of all, but is under tutors and gouernours until the time appointed of the father; and is subject to the like chastisement and correction: yea oftentimes our heavenly father( according to the custom of men) when his son and slave do both offend, correcteth his child, but letteth the other escape unpunished, because he is purposed to thrust him out of doors, and to take no further care of him; whereas he intendeth to make his son his heir, and therefore keepeth him under discipline, that he may be found worthy to receive the inheritance. And this the Apostle plainly expresseth, saying, whom God loveth he chasteneth, and he Heb. 12. 6. 7. ● scourgeth every son whom he receiveth: If then ye endure chastening, God offereth himself unto you as unto sons; for what son is it whom the father chasteneth not? If therfore ye be without correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Thus also God promiseth david, that he would choose Salomon for his son, and approve himself to be a father unto him, by correcting him for his sins, and continuing his love unto him. I will be( saith he) his father and he shall be my son: and 2. Sam 7. 14. 15. if he sin I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the plagues of the children of men, but my mercy shall not depart from him, &c. And therefore we must not doubt of our adoption, and imagine that we are not the children of God, because we endure such grievous and tedious afflictions; for though Salomon was Gods chosen child, and was called jedidiah, because he was beloved of him; 2. Sam. 12. 25. yet he saith, that if he sinned he would correct him, but in the mean time, would not take his mercy from him. So though Israel were chosen for Gods first born son, and were as much more precious in his eyes, as the purest gold then the basest dross, or the wheat then chaff; yet were this beloved people grievously afflicted in a miserable bondage and captivity, whilst Pharaoh and the egyptians their cruel enemies, insulted over them as their lords and masters, in all prosperity; and whilst the cursed canaanites lived in voluptuous pleasures, having al those delights and comforts, which the land of promise could yield unto them. And thus also before the flood, the wicked Caynites, and after the flood, the filthy Sodomites, had all the pleasure and glory of the world, whilst the posterity of Shem, and the worthy patriarchs, passed their time like pilgrims and strangers, and were turmoiled with innumerable afflictions: yea the Lord not only spareth the bondman and slave, when he scourgeth his beloved son; but oftentimes correcteth his child by the hand of his seruant; according to that of the Apostle. He that was born of the flesh persecuted him that was Gal. 4. 29. born after the spirit: the which is so evident by the innumerable examples of all ages, that it were but lost labour to stand vpon it. The consideration whereof as it may keep us from envying the impunity and felicity of worldly wicked men, and from grudging and repining against Gods providence, because they who sin more suffer so little, and we who sin less suffer so much; they who rebel against God and despite him with their abominations, haue plenty of worldly blessings, and all things at their hearts desire, and we who serve and fear him suffer miseries and want necessaries; so may it much confirm our patience and increase our comfort when we are vexed with afflictions, and feel the bitter smart of Gods chastising hand: seeing it is a sign that they are rejected as slaves, and are therefore left to their own liberty; and we adopted as sons who are kept under severe discipline that we may be reclaimed from our sins, incited to the performance of all good duties, and so be prepared and fitted to receive our patrimony. Neither haue they herein any more privilege then the ox who being appointed to the shambles, is freed from the yoke and suffered to run at liberty and take his pleasure in faire green pastures; or we more hurt then the ox enured to labour, who endureth the yoke, suffereth more pains and feedeth vpon bare fields, because his master loving him, is purposed to reserve him for his own use. In regard whereof as wicked men haue no just cause of glorying and rejoicing in their worldly prosperity, whereby they are but fatted against the day of slaughter; so the faithful haue little cause of sorrow and impatiency in their afflictions, seeing their present smart increaseth their future hopes, and these corrections which they suffer and profit by, are unto them undoubted signs of their adoption, and that God is their loving father in that he taketh such care for their amendment? for as when a man, taking two children as they are committing the same fault, doth correct the one and let the other go untouched, we seeing it, are ready to conclude, that he is a father or governor to him that is chastened, and but a stranger to him that escapeth, seeing he taketh no care for his reformation: so when we see and feel that God correcteth sharply those sins in us which others commit and escape unpunished, let us not grieve so much in our smart and pain, as rejoice to haue this assurance of our adoption. And this an holy father illustrateth and enforceth by this similitude. A man( saith he) hath two sons; the one he chasteneth, the other he leaveth to his own courses. This faulteth heinously and is not corrected by his father; August. enarrat. in Psa. 93. the other can scarce look awry but he is rebuked or scourged. But why is he let alone, and this beaten? surely because he intendeth to make this his heir and to put the other from the patrimony, seeing he conceiveth no possible hope of his amendment. Now he that is kept under this severe discipline, out of his childish folly judging all things according to present sense, thinketh his brother happy because he is not beaten, and lamenting his own estate is ready to say: My brother hath done such and so great wils, and at his pleasure transgresseth the commandements of my father, and for all his faults hath not so much as a hard word given him; but I am beaten if I but step awry. Wherein he bewrayeth his folly and want of wisdom, seeing he onely looketh to that which he suffereth, and not unto the inheritance reserved for him &c. And therefore( as he saith) in another place) patiently Agust. in Psal. 88. Concione 2. bear the hand of thy heavenly father vpon thee, and though thou be a good son do not refuse his discipline; for he correcteth us that he may not take his mercy from vs. If thou be contumacious let him beat thee, that he may not in just displeasure disinherit thee &c. for why should the adopted sinful son grudge to be corrected when he seeth Gods only and innocent son to be whipped and so severely handled? Let him in rage fly vpon thee, yet he is thy father: Let him whip, afflict and break thee( as it were) in pieces; yet he is thy father. If therefore thou criest, cry as under the hand of a father with humility and meekness and not with pride and indignation. Noli repellere flagellum si non vis repelli ab haereditate. Noli attendere quam paenam habeas in flagello, said quem locum in testamento. August. in psa. 102. enarrat. Heb. 12. 9. 10. Thy sufferings which thou bewailest are a medicine and not a punishment, correction and not damnation: do not put back the rod, if thou wouldest not be put back from the inheritance. do not regard what smart thou hast by thy but stripes what place thou houldest in thy fathers testament. For if( as the Apostie reasoneth) we haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected us and haue given them reverence: should we not much rather be in subiection to the father of spirits that we may live? For they verily for a few daies chastened us after their own pleasure: but he chasteneth us for our profit that we may be partakers of his holinesse. CHAP. XXII. That God by our afflictions confirmeth and increaseth in in us aur affiance hope, love, fear, and humility. ANd thus it appeareth that our faith is § Sect. 1. That by afflictions our affiance in God is confirmed& increased. much confirmed by afflictions, as in other respects, so especially as they are to those who profit by them, notable signs of their election, vocation, and adoption. The like also may bee said of other graces, which are chiefly seated in the heart, as affiance, hope, love, fear of God, humility, and the rest. For first our affiance and confidence in God is notably strengthened and increased by our afflictions, when as being forsaken of all human help& inferior means, he by his own wisdom and power saveth and delivereth vs. And this is one special end why the Lord in mercy and love, bringeth us into tribulation and distress, that wee may not trust in secondary causes and worldly helps, when wee haue experience of their weakness and insufficiency, but may put our whole affiance in him, having made trial of his all sufficiency, and omnipotent power, whereby he helpeth and delivereth us, when as they forsake and fail vs. For naturally wee put our affiance in outward and inferior means, because they are subject to our senses, and trust in any thing were at hand, rather then in God, who alone is able to relieve and succour us, because he seemeth fearre off to carnal reason, and is only beholded and apprehended by the eye and hand of faith; and as those who are ready to fall into some deep pit, being astonished with sudden fear, do not consider what is sufficient to stay them, but catch hold of that which is next unto them, and so often times pull that vpon them which they hoped would haue held them up: so wee no sooner fall into any danger, but wee presently lay hold vpon worldly helps, and trust to bee delivered by earthly means, as by our own wisdom, strength, and riches▪ or by the aid and support of our friends, and the arm of flesh; and therefore the Lord in mercy doth often times withdraw them from us, because they are but weak reeds and broken staues, which would fail and deceive us, when wee most restend on them; to the end that being forsaken of these vain succours and supports, wee might with full affiance rely vpon him, who is alone able to help and save vs. And thus when the people of Israell being overtaken with dangers, did not put their trust in God for their delivery, but did flee for help to the Assyrians& egyptians; the Lord caused them not only to forsake them in their greatest need, but also to be unto them the means of their great misery and calamity, by invading their country, overcoming and leading them captive, and miserable vexing and afflicting them, in the land of their captivity. By which experience, coming to a sight of their vain& sinful confidence, they presently leave and sorsake it, and putting their whole affiance in God, cry out unto him; There is none like unto thee O Lord: thou art great, jer. 10. 6. and thy name is great in power. And after the same manner wee, herein no better then they, trust in worldly helps, rather then in God, thinking that our wisdom and power shall deliver us from dangers, our friends from poverty and want, and that our physicians shall preserve us in health, or recover us out of sickness; and therefore the Lord bringeth these things wherein wee trust unto the touch-stone of trial, causing us to fall into perils, poverty, and diseases, that wee may haue experience of the weakness and vanity of these earthly succours; and then finding our wisdom is to bee so infatuated, that in steede of freeing, it doth the more entangle and ensnare us in the net of dangers; that our friends do not only forsake us in our need, but also further oppress us with fraud and violence; and that our physicians do rather increase our pains, then ease us of them; wee leave these vain helps, and flee unto the Lord, resting vpon his whole power and promises for comfort and deliverance. And being relieved by him in our greatest distress, by this experience our confidence and affiance in him is exceedingly strengthened and increased for the time to come; for as wee are confident in the assistance of such a friend, who hath often helped us in our greatest dangers; as wee trust muc● unto such a physician, who hath in former times recoueted us out of many desperate diseases; and boldly rely in the storm vpon the approved skill of such a pilot, as hath formerly brought us safe out of many daungerous tempests into the desired haven: so when the Lord hath delivered us out of many tribulations, and hath been our help and comfort in our grievous miseries, when as being forsaken of all worldly succour, our estate seemed utterly desperate; then is our trust and affiance in God so strengthened and increased, that wee are ready to say with david, that though wee should walk through the valley of the shadow of death, wee will fear no evil, because Psal. 23. 4. God is with us, and his rod and staff do comfort us; and with the Church to sing that song of thanksgiving; God is our hope and strength, and help in troubles ready to Psal▪ 46. 1, 2. bee found. Therefore will wee not fear though the earth be moved, and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea. An example whereof we haue in the Apostle, who having received the sentence of death in himself, because he should not trust in himself, but in God, which raiseth the dead, and being delivered through the power& goodness of God from this deadly danger, doth hereby confirm his affiance in him for the time to come, concluding, that because he already had experience of Gods might and mercy in delivering him, 2. Cor. 1. 9. 10. therfore he would trust in him, that yet hereafter he would deliver him. As also in holy job, who having had manifold job 13. 15. experience of Gods love and assistance in his miseries and afflictions, groweth hereby so confident and courageous that he professeth; though God should kill him yet he would still trust in him. And thus also doth the Lord by our afflictions exercise, § Sect. 2. Tha● God by afflictions streng●h●●th our hope in him strengthen, and increase our hope; for then is our spiritual hope in the full tide, when our worldly hopes are at their greatest ebb; then do wee with all fervency and patience wait upon God for the accomplishing of his promises, when wee are frustrated of all earthly expectation; and then wee fix this sure anchor upon Gods never decaying truth, looking for comfort and stay from him alone▪ when our worldly hopes appear false and deceivable, leaving us desperately forlorn in our greatest miseries, when as they promised unto us greatest security. unto which our spiritual hopes when God answereth according to his word and truth, and hath often given unto us that help and deliverance which wee expected from him▪ then doth this experience work hope( as the Apostle speaketh) strengthening and assuring us in our expectation, that the Lord will help and deliver us, as in former times. And this hope maketh us not ashamed, in our greatest miseries; because Rom. 5. 4. though wee wait long▪ yet are wee sure at length to be satisfied in our expectation. And though help and deliverance out of afflictions seem as impossible to natural reason▪ as for old Sara to haue a son, yet if by manifold experience wee haue found, that our hope in God did never fail us, then will wee learn with Abraham, as to beleeue above belief, so also to hope above hope being fully assured that he who hath promised, Rom. 4. 18. 21. is able to effect it. So our love of God is exercised, confirmed, and increased § Sect. 3. That God by afflictions increaseth and confirmeth our love towards him. by our crosses; for this love towards God( as the spouse in the Canticles speaketh) is such a vehement flamme, and( like wild-fire) so unquenchable, that much waters of affliction cannot extinguish it, nor whole floods drown it. Yea rather these waters of tribulation, being Cant. 8. 6, 7. cast vpon it, do( like the water in the forge) add much heat to this holy affection, when withall, the Lord with the breath of his spirit doth blow vpon it. And this will manifestly appear, whether wee respect the instruments of our corrections, the world, and wicked men, or the chief and principal cause, which is our gracious God, and merciful Father. For the more the world maligneth and persecuteth us, the more our affection is weaned from the world, and the less that wee love the world▪ the more is our affection inflame● towards God. And therefore the Lord being iealouze of our love, and desiring to haue our whole hearts without corrival, or copartner; doth suffer the world to use us roughly and unkindly, that our love being withdrawn from it, may bee fixed wholly vpon him. And as the loving mother when shee seeth her child fonde on her seruant, and to neglect her who so much affecteth him, doth cause the seruant when the son offendeth to correct him, and to use him hardly, that being estranged in his affection from him, of whom he receiveth such hard measure, his whole love may bee set on her: so when wee dote vpon the world with excessive fondness, and neglect our heavenly Father who deserveth all our love; he maketh it, as being his slave, to correct all our faults, and to use us harshly& unkindly, not only to bring us unto amendment, but also to wean our hearts from this pernicious love, to the end that he may haue the whole interest in our affection. Yea our love towards God is increased, not only in regard of these inferior causes and instruments of our afflictions; but also, if lifting the eyes of our mindes higher, wee do take knowledge of the chief& supreme cause of our chastisements, and discern that it is the hand of our heavenly Father, who useth these rods and scourges to correct us for our sins. For as wee find by worldly experience, that cockering in the parent, breedeth contempt in the child; and that contempt and love do never match together; whereas severer discipline worketh in his heart awful reverence, which is a true mixture of fear and love, and maketh him to show all affectionate duty to his parent, that he may obtain his favour; and so by continual enuring of him in these duties of love, it is at last made hearty& habitual, though happily fear and formality did first begin it: so if our heavenly Father should cocker us with pleasure and prosperity, his kindness would cause contempt; and contempt would like a freting canker eat out the heart of love, and make us neglect all filial respect: but by keeping us under strict government, and by correcting us when wee do amiss, he worketh in our hearts an awful reverence, whereby we are incited to the performance of all filial duties, and to show all love towards him, that so wee may gain some assurance of his love and favour towards us, of which we make highest account, when as it is endeared by the difficulty of obtaining it. Besides our love towards God is much increased in our afflictions, when as in his sharpest chastisements, we plainly discern his fatherly love and goodness towards us, and that not only in regard of their end, which is the amendment of our lives, and salvation of our souls, but also in respect of his whole course and carriage in the inflicting of them. For looking into our afflictions with a spiritual eye, wee shall plainly discern Gods wise providence, both in the inflicting and disposing of them. Wee shall perceive how he bridleth and curbeth in the rage of our enemies, so that though their malice be never so great yet they are not suffered to go beyond their tether. Wee shall see his fatherly love and care whereby he moderateth and measureth our afflictions according to our ability to bear them, making our cross lighter when it is ready to oppress us, or us stronger to sustain the weight. Wee shall sensibly find, how he supporteth us with his might, when wee are ready to faint, and lifteth us up again, when wee are foiled or fallen. Wee shall in our outward crosses feel the inward comforts of his spirit, the which are so pleasant and delightful, that they are sufficient to sweeten a world of miseries, and as the Apostle saith, the more our sufferings abound 2. Cor. 1. 5. in us, the more our consolations shall abound through Christ; the more he restraineth us from feeding vpon worldly delicates, which would glut& cloy, but never satisfy us; the more liberal banquet he maketh us of spiritual blessings, giuing us to drink full flagons of his love, filling us with inward feeling of his favour, and with those precious cates of his saving graces. Finally seeing our love towards our benefactor is proportioned according to our valuation of his gifts, and seeing wee are brought to esteem of Gods benefits rather by wanting, then by enjoying them; hereby it cometh to pass, that wee love the Lord much better when he taketh his gifts from us, then when we do securely possess them. For by the want of them finding their value, we then know and aclowledge how much wee are bound unto God for suffering us graciously so long to enjoy them; we come also by this consideration to a sight of the excellency of those benefits, which still God is content to continue unto us; and so are more loving and thankful for the remainder of Gods blessings, then when we had all without any partition, thinking ourselves( with the afflicted Church) more behold●ng unto God, that we are not utterly consumed, then we did when Lamen 3 22. we abounded in worldly prosperity, and wanted nothing that our hearts desired. Thus also our fear of God receiveth much growth § Sect. 4. That God by our affl●ct●ons worketh and increaseth his fear in vs. and strength by our afflictions, which usually is weakened and impaired with that wretchlesnesse and security which ariseth from long prosperity. For howsoever our fear of God, being a filial affection, should chiefly spring from faith and assurance of his love towards us, and from that love which is inflamed in our hearts towards him, by the apprehension of this his vndeserued favour, and the consideration of those innumerable benefits which as fruits of this fatherly affection, haue been communicated unto us; chiefly fearing to offend and displease such a gracious God whom we so love, because he so loveth us: yet so is our spiritual part hamp●ed with the flesh, and our filial affection assaulted with carnal negligence and security, that( herein like unto earthly children) wee fear our heavenly Father most, when he holdeth in his hand the rod of correction, and when we see that by offending him, we make ourselves obnoxious unto his heavy judgements, the which we cannot possibly escape, either by resisting his power or avoiding his presence. And so reckless we are in all good duties, and so much delighted with the pleasures of sin, that if we had a privilege of impunity, doing what we list without controlment, and did not fear the smart of correction which followeth sin, as well as the displeasure of our loving father, we would grow dissolute in our courses, and be hardly kept either in awe or order. And therefore the Lord, out of his mercy and love towards us, maketh us to fear him for his judgements, seeing we will not, as we ought, fear him for his mercies▪ and to stand in awe of him to avoid our own pain, when we take no care to avoid his fatherly displeasure: as wee may see in the example of ho●y david himself, who having often felt the smart of Gods chastising hand, crieth out: My flesh trembleth for fear Psal. 119. 120. of thee,& I am afraid of thy judgements. For the burnt child dreadeth the fire, and he who hath once been scorched with the heat of Gods wrath, and felt the smart of his di●pleasure, will hardly ever after be alured with the sweetness of sin to ineurre the danger therof again, knowing that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of Heb. 12. 31. the living God. Whereas they who never tasted the bitterness and sourness of these heavy judgements, and never felt the smart of these whips, are ready to nibble at every worldly bait, and to ha●ard the committing of any sin, out of wanton contempt and hope of impunity. For as the wise man speaketh, because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of Eccles. 8. 11. the children of men is fully set in them to do evil. To which purpose the Lord thus reasoneth with his own Church and people; Whom didst▪ thou reverence or fear seeing Esa 57. 11. thou hast lied unto me, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to the heart? Is it not because I hold my peace, and that of long time, therefore thou fearest me not? And therefore seeing afflictions work in us the fear of God, whereby we Psal. 111. 10. are incited to all good duties, and restrained from sin, which would in this life fill our consciences with horror and terror of Gods wrath, and cast us into eternal condemnation in the life to come; great cause haue we to kiss our earthly crosses with comfort and contentment; seeing they do not so much crucify us as our sins, by the death of the flesh preserve us from death everlasting▪ and by pricking us in the sides hasten our speed in the way of righteousness and holinesse, which at last will bring us to endless ioy▪ and heavenly happiness. Finally the Lord useth these afflictions, as a notable §▪ Sect. 5. That God by afflictions worketh and increaseth in us the grace of tr●● humility. means to work and increase in us that excellent grace of humility, bringing us thereby to a sight and sense of our own vileness and unworthiness, to a true acknowledgement of our infirmities, weakness, and great insufficiency, and to a voluntary subiection and submission of our wills in all things to the good will and pleasure of God. For whereas in the time of prosperity we are so blinded with natural pride and self love, that we never come to a clear knowledge of ourselves, nor to a true valuation of our own gifts and good parts; but are puffed up with selfe-conceipt, having a great opinion of our own excellency, strength and abilities; imagining Psal. 30. 6. that though God should leave us to ourselves, we could stand in our own might, resist any tentation, and encounter and overcome any enemy; when God bringeth us into trouble and affliction, and exerciseth us with those usual trials of sickness, poverty, disgrace, or loss of our nearest and dearest friends; then are we by them brought to a sight of our own frailty and infirmity, and by this experience find, how unable we are by our own strength to endure the weakest trial, or to get the vpper hand over the least tentation. And then casting from us our vain self confidence, we implore the Lords assistance, and trust wholly in the power of his might, through which obtaining victory, we disclaim all praise as not due unto us, and return it unto God to whom of right it appertaineth, saying with the Church, not unto Psal. 115. 1. us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory. And whereas in the time of our prosperity, we would haue all the glory ourselves, and will scarce admit the Lord to be a sharer with us; In our affliction we see Dan. 9. 7. and aclowledge that nothing belongeth unto us but shane and confusion of face, and whatsoever is praiseworthy in us, we ascribe it wholly unto the Lord, as unto the sole author and fountain of all our good. Finally whereas in our prosperity we grow so wilful and stubborn, that we cannot with meekness and patience submit our will to the will of God, but rather wish that ours, then his should be fulfilled; and wax through pride and insolency so impatient, that we storm and rage▪ when we are but touched with any slight affliction; as though we thought that some wrong and injury were offered us by God, when we, who haue in our own conceit deserved so well, are thus put to suffer this smart and misery: this fire of affliction melteth& softeneth our hard and stubborn hearts, making them tender and pliable unto the good will and pleasure of almighty God, and these chastisements and corrections, bringing us to a sight and sense of our manifold and grievous sins, do cause us to ●udge& condemn ourselves as worthy of far greater punishments,& then do we not only with meekness and patience suffer these fatherly corrections, but are ready to aclowledge, that it is the wonderful mercy of the Lord that we are not utterly consumed. And as cockered children do struggle and strive with their parents, when they go about to chastise them for their faults and with great impatiency roar and cry out, when they feel the smart of the first stripes, but when they see them resolved to continue and redouble their blows, till they haue broken them of their stubborness, they at last become as mildred as lambs, and with al meekness and humility submit themselves to their parents pleasure: so when our heavenly father first taketh us in hand after we haue been long cockered in plenty and prosperity, and beginneth to correct us for our sins; we murmur and repined, straggle and strive with great impatiency and rebellion against his will and providence, but when he still beateth us with these rods, and either continueth or increaseth our afflictions, and addeth one cross unto another, then our proud and sturdy stomacks being mastered, we humble ourselves under his holy hand, and endure whatsoever correction he is pleased to inflict with all meekness and patience. And this is a principal end why the Lord afflicteth us, that he may abate our pride, tame our unruliness, and work in Deut. 8. 2. us that excellent virtue of humility. For so himself saith that he afflicted his people for the space of forty yeeres in the wilderness, that he might humble and prove them; And the Apostle Paul affirmeth of himself, that God 2. Cor. 12. 7. gave him that prick in his flesh, and the messenger of satan to buffet him, that he might not be exalted above measure with the multitude of revelations. The which his end be powerfully effecteth as we may see by many examples. Thus david in his greatest afflictions humbleth himself before God▪ saying Here am I, let him do to me as seemeth 2. Sam. 15. 26. good in his eyes. So R●hoboam, who whilst he enjoyed peace and prosperity, was so proud and insolent, when he was brought into the straights of affliction by reason that the King of Egypt made war against him, humbled himself before the Lord, acknowledging that the Lord was 2. Chro. 12. 6. Dan▪ 4. 27. 31. just. And nabuchadnezzar who in pride of heart had so gloriously boasted of his might and majesty, being grievously afflicted humbleth himself and giveth unto God all praise and glory. Yea wicked Manasses himself, who had raged against God and his saints, with wonderful insolency, when he was lead captive by his enemies in fetters and chains, then was this wild colt and savage lion broken and tamed, and be humbled himself greatly 2. Chro 33. 12. before the Lord his God. Yea even where there hath been no place for true humility in the reprobate hearts of wicked men; afflictions haue wrought so powerfully in them, that they haue been brought hereby to an outward and Exod. 10. 16. 1. Kin. 21. 27. hypocritical humiliation, as we may see in the example of Pharaoh and Ahab, who in their afflictions confessed their sin and humbled themselves before the Lord. And thus it appeareth that the Lord by affliction doth powerfully pull down our pride, and worketh and increaseth in our hearts that excellent grace of humility, which being the foundation and ground of other virtues, doth, the deeper it is laid in our hearts, make the building of spiritual grace so much the more firm and strong, that the tempests of tentation cannot overthrow it. Of which the afflicted Church having good experience, professeth it to be good for a man to bear the yoke of Lame●i 3. 28. 29. 30. affliction even in his youth. Seeing he sitteth meekly alone& keepeth silence, because he hath born it vpon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust if there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him, and is filled full with reproach. The consideration whereof should move us to bear all our afflictions with patience and comfort, seeing we receive this singular fruit by them, and haue this excellent grace of humility, which is the ornament that graceth al our other graces in the sight of God and men, both begun and also continued and increased in us; and that damnable sin of pride mortified and subdued, which is so odious and abominable in the sight of God, that he loatheth his own gifts which are tainted and stained with it; and chooseth rather to suffer his dearest children to fall into other grievous sins, that in the sight of them they may be humbled, then endure that pride should harbour in them; because their other sins do not so much dishonour God, nor hinder the salvation of their souls, as this sin of pride, if it were suffered to reign in them in it full strength. In which respect one August. de civit. dei lib. 14▪ saith; I dare be bold to affirm, that it is profitable for the proud to fall into some open& manifest sin, that hereby they may displease themselves, who formerly sinned by too much pleasing: So Peters displeasure, was more wholesome to his soul when he wept and wailed, then his pleasing of himself when he presumed. CHAP. XXIII. That God by our afflictions worketh and increaseth in us repentance and new obedience. ANd thus haue I shewed that afflictions are § Sect. 1. That by afflictions we come to examine our ways, to see ●ur sins and to bewail them with bitter grief. Tua enim paterna tribulatio pr●ducit maerorem& compunct●onem, inducit timorem& contritionem, educit languorem& infectionem, adducit vigorem& cucationem Idi●ta inter orthodoxagr. de petient. verae c●ntempl. c. 6. used by God as a notable means to work in our mindes and hearts all sanctifying and saving graces: It now followeth to declare how the fruits of these graces, repentance and new obedience, are by these f●therly corrections furthered and increased. For as afflictions do notably help forward our effectual calling and first conversion unto God, so do they much further our repentance, and provoke us continually to renew the act thereof after our many relapses and daily slips into sin. And when having resolved to walk in the way of holinesse and righteousness towards our heavenly home, we are in our passage alured to turn out of the right path into the byways of sin and wickedness, by having the baits of worldly vanities set before us, the Lord casteth into our way these thorns and briars of affliction and tribulation, making thereby our wandring and digressing so distasteful and unpleasant, that we are never at rest until we be returned by repentance into the right way again: So one saith that God striketh into the heart of man terror and fear, that he may wean and with-draw it from the love of the world, and pricketh him with tribulations, that he may not love his way better then the end of his journey, nor his pilgrimage better then his country. For his fatherly chastisements produce sorrow and compunction, bring into us fear and contrition, draw out of us infirmity and infection, and cause unto us strength and recovery of our health. But this will better appear if we particularly show how affliction furthereth us in all the duties and actions, which are performed by us in the practise of repentance; for first, when God correcteth us, we look back unto our former courses, and consider and examine ourselves what sins wee haue committed, which haue moved the Lord to inflict vpon us these judgements and chastisements; and by this examination we come to a sight and sense of sin, and to an humble acknowledgement, that we suffer nothing from God, but that which our sin hath justly deserved: an example whereof we haue in Iacobs sons, who by their troubles and affliction were brought to a sight and feeling of that grievous crime, of betraying and seling their brother joseph. We haue verily sinned( say they) Gen. 42. 21. against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him: therfore is this trouble come vpon vs. And because pride, self-love and liking of our most esteemed sins, doth commonly dazzle our sight and make us even stark blind in this search& disquisition; therfore doth the Lord oftentimes observe( as hath been shewed) an analogy, proportion and similitude, between the quality of the sin and the correction which he inflicteth for it, and so leadeth us( as it were) by the hand, that we may come to find and feel it by this his guidance and direction. An example whereof we haue in david, whose sin of murder and adultery, was corrected with the rape of his daughter and concubines, and the murder of his children and subiects by one another. Secondly, when by affliction we are wakened out of our security, brought to look back and to say, what haue I done; and when by searching and examining our own consciences we see and aclowledge, how heinously we haue offended God, and feel the burden and smart of sin pinching and oppressing us both at once, then are we hereby moved to bitter grief and hearty sorrow, because we haue offended our gracious father, and forced him by our wickedness to proceed in these severe courses for our correction and reformation. For when our hearts are so hard that sin alone will not work in them sorrow and remorse, afflictions and sense of smart being added to them as a double weight, do bruise and press out of them sighs and groans: and this rod of correction beating vpon these hard rocks, doth cause them to yield streams of tears, and( as it were) to wash and bath our sinful souls in the waters of true repentance. For howsoever in Gods dearest children grief for the afflictions themselves which they suffer, hath commonly the first place, yet this sorrow for smart, doth always end in sorrow for sin and when correction with sense of pain hath made the heart soft and tender, and hath filled( as it were) the cisterns of the eyes with plenty of water; then grace cometh and altereth the use, and whereas it was provided by nature for the deploring of our affliction, it is now employed and powred out by grace for the bewailing of our sins, which are the deserving cause of all our smart and misery. Thus also doth the Lord by our afflictions work §▪ Sect. 2. That by afflictions we are moved to hate our sins, to confess them unto God, to flee and forsake them, and to serve the Lord in the duties of holinesse and righteousness. in us a true hatred of sin; and▪ hereas it is so sweet to corrupted nature, that we are ready( as licorous children do sugar) to keep it under our tongue; yet when it is embittered with this gull of afflictions, we spit it out like a loathsome medicine, and begin to abhor that before liked meate, when such unpleasant sauce is mingled with it. By them likewise are we brought to an humble confession of sin unto God whom we haue offended, and to an earnest desire of pardon and forgiveness, that so being freed of our sins, we may also be eased of our smart. And thus david, when the hand of God was heavy vpon him day and night, and his moisture thereby turned into the drought of summer; laid open his sins before the Lord by humble confession, and spread in his sight all his bonds of debt, that having his sins pardonned and bonds canceled, he might be delivered from that affliction and correction which did accompany them. Then( saith he) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, Psal. 32. 4▪ 5. neither hide I mine iniquity; for I thought I will confess against myself my wickedness, and thou forgavest the punishment of my sin. And furthermore having tasted and felt the bitterness and smart of these loathsome sauces and sharp whips, we flee sin with all watchful care for the time to come, which( as wee haue found by experience) hath made us obnoxious to them, and heedfully avoid the committing of any wickedness least we thereby displeasing again our heavenly father, do move him to resume into his hands these rods of chastisement and to correct our new sins with new afflictions, which in al likelihood will be more sharp and severe, then those which we suffered in time past, because we haue no better profited by our former corrections. And this benefit of afflictions moving us to flee and forsake sin, is implied in that excellent prayer made by Salomon: when heaven 1. King. 8. 35. 36. ( saith he) shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain, because they haue sinned against thee; and shall pray in this place and confess thy name, and turn from their sin when thou dost afflict them; then hear thou in heaven and pardon the sin of thy seruants, &c. Neither do afflictions serve onely as a means to make us see, bewail, confess, hate and forsake our sins, but also do incite and provoke us to serve the Lord in all holy and christian duty, which respect him, our neighbours or ourselves; nor are they behoveful alone for the mortifying of our sins, but also for the quickening and enabling us to perform all the works of holinesse and righteousness which God in his law requireth of vs. For though our hearts( through the gift and grace of God) are become good ground, and fit to receive and retain the seed of Gods word, yet are they made much more fruitful by the winter of affliction, and by having the could snow of trouble and misery lying vpon them. Though wee are already inflamed with a true zeal of Gods glory, yet doth this heavenly fir● burn much more fervently when the wind of tribulation doth blow vpon it: though for the present it seemeth to be kept down and hindered from burning by these tempestuous blasts. And this the Apostle plainly expresseth: Heb. 12. 11. No chastising( saith he) for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous; yet afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them which are thereby exercised. To which purpose another saith that the sweetest Nonsic semina d●l●tus imber germinare& crescere facit, vt pietatis seemen ●xcitat& vernare facit ex lachry mis ruens imber. &c. Chrysost. ad pop. Anti●ch. Homil. 4. tom. 5. showers do not so cause the seed to bud and grow; as this shower of tears doth make the seed of godliness to sprout and spring. For when the soul is washed and the mind watered with these tears of repentance, the bud and branch of wholesome doctrine within a while springeth and shooteth up. The consideration whereof should much comfort us in all our afflictions, seeing this profitable fruit of repentance ariseth from them; for thrice happy are those blows and stripes which by making the body to smart for the present, do inflict mortal wounds into our killing sins, and preserve both body and soul from these deadly stings, which otherwise would wound them unto death everlasting. Most blessed unto us are these rods and whips which by causing the skin to smart, do cure those deadly wounds in our hearts and souls; and by vexing us with their stripes, do keep us from vexing God with our sins. And most happy may we think ourselves when the Lord useth these afflictions, as spurs and goads in our sides to prick us forward in the way of holinesse and righteousness, when in ourselves we are drowsy, dull and dead, unto all good actions; and as cords to draw us on in holy and christian duties, when in our own disposition we are backward and sluggish. And thus it appeareth that by afflictions our repentance is daily renewed and increased: The like may be § Sect. 3. That God byafflictions worketh and increaseth in us obedience to his will. Heb. 12. 11. said of our new obedience, and that whether we understand that active obedience, whereby we strive and endeavour to do the will of God; or that passive obedience, by which we are content with meekness and patience, that Gods will may be done in vs. Both which the holy Apostle propoundeth unto us in our onely pattern and precedent Iesus Christ, whose example he exhorteth us to follow, both in willing and meek suffering that which our heavenly father inflicteth on us, in ceasing from sin, and in living for the time to come, not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God. Concerning the former we are to know, that whereas we like pampered or resty horses, are ready either to go out of the way of righteousness, or else to stand still, or goslowly forward; the Lord useth afflictions as a staff to beate us into the way, and to make us to return into our right course, from which we haue digressed; and also as a spur or goad to prick us on when we make a stand, or but small hast in going on in this spiritual journey. And whereas like children wee cast the commandements of our heavenly father behind our backs, when wee are too much cockered: and grow carlesse and negligent in all good duties which we owe unto him, being left to our own liberty; when he strictly calleth us to account, and finding us idle and slothful, doth sharply chastise us for our neglect of that duty which he hath required; then do we with all care and diligence inform ourselves in his holy will, treasure up his commandements in our hearts and memory, and with all readiness put in practise, as occasion serveth, whatsoever duty is enjoined unto vs. So that this sweet incense of our new obedience doth then sand forth the most delightful odour, when as it is offered unto God by the fire of affliction: And as the sweetest rose doth spring out from among the sharpest prickles, so the duties of obedidience which we owe unto God, do then appear in their chief beauty and bravery; and yield the most sweet and pleasing sent, when they grow and sprout up from among these prickles and briars of affliction and tribulation. And this the Apostle plainly testifieth, namely that though afflictions in themselves are unpleasant and grievous, Heb. 12. 11. Esa. 26. 9. Psal. 119. 67. Minus p●è vivis, si minus persecutionem pertuleris, Gregor. epist. lib. 6. cap. 191. yet being watered with the due of Gods grace, they bring forth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them that are thereby exercised. So the Prophet telleth us, that seeing Gods iudgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shal learn righteousness. Yea so necessary are these afflictions for the keeping of us in the right way& the furthering of our fruitfulness in holy duties, that when we are freed& secured from them, we are ready to err out of Psa. 44. 17. 18. vt terra nisi cultaf●●rit licet fertilis sit, tamen non solum fructus hominibus denegat, said è contrario generat spinas: ita justus nisi● ariis tentationibus fuerit Confectus assiduè non solum ipse non pr●ficit said aliquoties in lapsum incurrit. Basil. tract. de consol. in adverse.§ Sect. 4. The former point illustrated by similitudes and examples. the path of Gods precepts,( as we may see in the example of david who out of his own experience saith; before I was afflicted I went a stray; but now I keep thy word) yea and to become barren and unprofitable, not yielding any store of these fruits of obedience; whereas when we are continually under the rod, and feel the smart of our sloth and negligence; then do we heedfully remember what God requireth, and dare not falter and fail in the performance of our duty, as we may see in the example of the afflicted church, who saith; All this is come vpon us yet do we not forget thee, neither deele we falsely concerning thy covenant: Our heart is not turned back, neither our steps gone out of thy path, &c. In which respect wee are fitly compared unto Walnut-trees, which are so much the more fruitful, by how much they are the more beaten; or unto arable grounds, which bring forth no good grain but weed● and thistles, briars and thorns, unless they be broken and torn insunder with the plow and Harrow. We are indeed a fruitful vineyard of Gods own planting, and we who were wild branches barren of all good fruit of holinesse and righteousness, are through Gods infinite mercy and love engrafted into the true Vine Iesus Christ, from whom receiving all our life and sap, we are enabled to bring forth the pleasant grapes of new obedience; but yet if we were let alone, and suffered to run out with uncontrolled liberty wee would like the fruitful Vine, which is never pruned, return to our old natural wildness, and bring forth no other fruit, then those sour grapes of iniquity and sin. And therefore our heavenly vintager for his own glory and our good cutteth away the superfluities of our licentious liberty, and pruneth us with this pruning knife of trouble and affliction, that being kept short in our worldly and carnal desires, wee may become more fruitful in all holy duties. So our saviour saith; I am the true vine, and my joh. 15. 1. 2. father is an husbandman. every branch that beareth not fruit in me, he taketh away: and every one that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. We are fruitful trees of righteousness planted by God himself; but yet that we may continue in this good estate, we had great need to be washed with the boisterous storms of tribulation, and to be nipped with the pinching frosts of trouble and affliction, that so those cankers and caterpillars of pride, forgetfulness of God, and carnal security which the summer of prosperity& reckless Arbores numerosiore grauantur fructu, quando acerbioris frigoris violentia reprimuntur. Hieronym. epist. ad aegrotum amicum. tom. 4. ease do breed in us may be killed and destroyed; as also that we may be hindered from sending forth the unprofitable shoots of will-worship and superstition, through the unseasonable warmth of preposterous zeal which, if they were not nipped in with the fear of God arising from his correction, and making us careful, that we offer nothing unto him, but that pleasing service which he hath required; wee should spend our whole strength in bringing forth these fruits of our own inventions, and be utterly barren and bare of those timely ripe fruits of new obedience. Wee are through the election of grace Gods faithful seruants, but yet not thoroughly purged from our servile disposition; for the more bountiful our master is, the sooner we forget him; the more richly he rewardeth us, the more negligent wee are in performing of our duty; and the more liberally we are used, the more licentious we wax, growing unto such pride and insolence, that whatsoever we lust after, we think to be lawful, and make our will the rule of al our actions: and therefore we force our Lord and master to alter his course, to with-draw his wages of worldly blessings, to handle us roughly, and to keep us under severe discipline, correcting our negligence,& forcing us to the performance of our duties with chastisements and afflictions. Which means if they be not powerful enough to work in us this reformation, then doth he oftentims turn us out of his outward government and protection, and suffereth our enemies to prevail against us, and to bring us into their slavery, that finding the difference of these two services, and growing weary of this present bondage; we may more earnestly desire to be re-entertayned by our old master, and being admitted may be more careful& diligent in the preformance of our duty. And thus the Lord dealt with the Israelits; for when they had neglected his service, and sinned against him, yet he saith because they had humbled themselves he would not destroy them, but would sand them 2. Chro. 12. 8. shortly help and deliverance; nevertheless they should for a time become the seruants of Shishak that they might know the difference between the service of the Lord and the service of the kingdoms of the earth. § Sect. 5. That these fruits of new obedience springing from afflictions, should move us to bear them with patience and comfort. Seeing therefore the Lord by our afflictions doth not intend our hurt, but out of his mere love, and mercy useth them as a notable means to make us more fruitful in all holy and christian duties, which shall hereafter be crwoned with all glory and felicity, let the expectation of this rich harvest of holinesse and happiness replenish our hearts with patience, comfort and spiritual rejoicing in the winter of afflictions, seeing there is no proportion between our pain and the profit which it bringeth. We are trees of righteousness which Gods right hand hath planted, let us not therefore fear to be cut and pruned with troubles& afflictions, seeing God Esa 61. 3. thus purgeth and pareth away our superfluous branches that we may bring forth more fruit, as our saviour teacheth joh. 15. 2. vs. Yea rather we had great cause of fear, if we were exempted from these calamities, fos as that is a fruitless three which is suffered to grow wild and untouched, and is never beaten with poles nor shaken with mens hands, nor hit nor hurt with any stones or cudgels; which is therefore daily in danger to be cut down and cast into the fire, because it doth no good by standing and growing: so it is a sign that we are fruitless trees still growing in the wild wood of the world, which must one day be cast down and cast into everlasting fire; if our heavenly husbandman taketh no care to purge& prune us with crosses and afflictions,& if no blows or stroke of adversity and tribulation do light vpon us, who haue far greater cause of sorrowing in our expectation of our future burning, then of rejoicing in our present flourishing. We are▪ vines of Gods own setting, whose glory and excellency consisteth not in the broadnesse and beauty of our leaves, nor in the handsomeness and straightness of our body and branches; but only in our fruitfulness, whereby we bring forth great plenty of the ripe and sweet grapes of holinesse and righteousness; and therefore when we haue the beauty and bravery of our outward estate taken from us, and haue these leaves of earthly vanities blown away with the winds of adversity, and our superfluous stems of worldly substance pruned and plucked from us in this winter of affliction, there is no cause of grief and mourning, seeing our chiefest excellency is not hereby impaired, yea rather because it is much advanced, in that we are made more fruitful, by how much the more we are by these afflictions pruned from our superfluities, this may justly increase our ioy and comfort. But for the better clearing of the former point, let us § Sect. 6. That God by afflictions maketh us more devout and zealous in the duties of his service. descend unto some particulars, and insist in some special fruits of this new obedience. And to this end let us consider, that by these our afflictions we are made much more devout, diligent and zealous in performing of all holy and christian duties of Gods service, then when we flourish in prosperity; the which is so evident that it needeth no other proof or witness then common experience in others, and the testimony which every mans conscience is ready to give unto this truth by that which he findeth in himself. For who seeth not that when we abound with earthly blessings we grow forgetful of God,& negligent in his service, either not performing it at all, or but with great coldness and drowsiness, in mere formality and hypocrisy, because we seem then to stand in our own strength, and to be so well stored with our own provision, that we need not his help for our preservation and defence? whereas when we are brought into the streights of afflictions, and are despoiled of all our worldly succour, when we feel the smart of poverty, sickness, imprisonment, infamy; and haue no means of our own whereby we may be delivered; when we are not only sensible of present pain, but apprehended future dangers, and unto our private evils, expect, that God will for our sins add those public miseries of plague, famine, war and desolation: then are we awakened out of our drowsy lethargy of security, shake off our sloth and negligence, and finding that all our help is in the Lord both for deliverance from present smart, and preservation from approaching calamities, we think how we may appease his anger, and make him propitious, that together with his wrath the judgements which we feel or fear may be removed from vs. And then with all diligence and devotion we worship and serve the Lord not for form and fashion, but with all intention of mind and fervency of zeal, that so our service may be pleasing and acceptable in his sight. The which great difference in mens carriage and behaviour will evidently appear, if we will but compare flourishing courtiers with poor cotagers; the mariners which are in a dangerous storm, with those which are arrived in the safe haven; those which are sick, weak and in expectation of death, with those who are lusty, healthy and in their full strength; prisons, with theatres; burials with banquets, and those who are invaded by their enemies and in danger of utter desolation, with those who invade them and haue got the victory. For as among the one sort a man shall seldom observe any example of religion, piety and the true fear of God, but contrariwise contempt and neglect of all the duties of Gods service, blasphemous swearing, impious cursing, profanation of Gods sabbaths, wantonness, ribaldry and vnchast dalliance, lying, dissembling, treachery and supplanting one another, game, marveling, drinking, gormandising and such like fruits of darkness: so among the other we shall find, that the fire of affliction hath inflamed the heat of their devotion, making them to break of their sins by unfeigned repentance, and to turn unto the Lord with an earnest desire and endeavour to perform all the duties of his worship and service, in that maner and measure which he requireth; then they humble themselves before God in fasting and prayer, acknowledging their impotency and insufficiency to defend or deliver themselves, and unworthiness to receive any help and comfort from God. And yet being encouraged by his gracious promises, and the experience of his love and mercy; they flee unto him as their only refuge, protector and defender, and place all their hope and affiance in his alone help and almighty assistance. Then they receive his word with fear and trembling, and withall reverence and attention hearken unto it, that their sins which haue brought them into all their miseries, may be mortified and slaughtered by the sword of the spirit: that they may be informed in the knowledge of Gods will, and also by effectual reasons and powerful exhortations, may be persuaded and pricked forward to the performance and practise of that which they learn and know, to the end that by this means they may be delivered from their present afflictions vpon their reformation and amendment, and may not be endangered to suffer the like or greater miseries for the time to come, that they may haue their patience confirmed and increased with such arguments and reasons as the word of God plentifully yeeldeth, which will much lessen their miseries and make the weight of all their afflictions much more light and easy to be born. Finally being forsaken of worldly comforts, they do with so much the more diligence hearken unto the word of God, that thereby they may replenish their souls with spiritual consolations arising from the feeling of Gods love, and favor towards them in this their afflicted estate, and the assurance of future happiness in the life to come. For as those who flourish in worldly prosperity, do with Ahab refuse to hear the word of the Lord, because it prophesieth no good unto them, but telleth them that they haue their portion in this life: Luk. 16. 25. Psal. 17. 14. and that after the fruition of their worldly joys, they must come into iudgement, and render a reckoning of their abused blessings and misspent talents; so they who are in affliction do with hungering appetite feed vpon this food of their souls, and with reverent and cheerful attention listen unto this heavenly embassage, because it assureth them, that if they make an holy use of these fatherly corrections, they shall haue heavenly mirth, after their earthly mourning, laughter and rejoicing, after their wailing and weeping, a most delightful Luk 6. 21. 2. Cor. 4. 17. country and glorious kingdom, after their painful pilgrimage and weary journey; and that these light and momentany afflictions, shall cause unto them a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory. But above all other parts of Gods worship and service, § Sect. 7. That God by afflictions maketh us to perform unto him the duty of prayer. afflictions and miseries do make us most frequent and fervent, diligent and zealous in powring forth our prayers and supplications unto God. For whereas in our prosperity we either utterly neglect this duty, or perform it carelessly and slothfully, more for custom then conscience sake, and for form and fashion, rather then out of any respect of duty which we owe unto God, or of any need which we think we haue of his help: when we are brought into miseries and calamities, and haue a sense and feeling of our own wants, and of the great need which we haue of Gods assistance, then do we flee unto him by earnest prayer, craving his aid and help for the supplying of our wants, ease of our griefs, or protection from dangers. And as the child, fearing nothing, is so fond of his play that he straieth and wandereth from his mother, not so much as thinking of her; but if he be scared or frighted with the sight or apprehension of some apparent or aproaching danger, doth presently run unto her, cast himself into her arms and cry out to be saved and shielded by her: so we securely enjoying the childish sports of worldly prosperity, do so fond dote on them that we scarce think of our heavenly father, but when perils and dangers approach, and are ready to seize vpon us, then do we flee unto him, and cast ourselves into the arms of his providence, and protection, crying and calling unto him by earnest prayer, for help and deliverance in this our extremity and distress. The truth whereof will more manifesty appear, if we consider the examples of the faithful in former times, who being in affliction haue shewed themselves forward in performance of this duty; thus Hezechias being besieged by the host of Senacherib flieth unto God as his only aid by effectual Esa 37. 1. 2. 3. prayer, whereas being delivered in the time of his prosperity, he was ready to glory in his own provision of riches, and to rely too much vpon his treasures. So what excellent prayers and Psalnies did holy david make in the time of his afflictions, flying unto the Lord, as unto Psal. 18. 1. 2. his only rock and refuge, shield and strength; but being possessed of his kingdom, and become famous through many victories, glorying in his power, and relying too much vpon his own forces, he giveth commandement 2 Sam. 24. 2. Chro 33. 12. to number the people. Yea even Manasses himself whose hart was full with idolatry, his mouth with blasphemies, and hands with blood, whilst he flourished in his kingdom; when he was lead captive by his enemies and fast bound in fetters and chains, powred forth effectual prayers unto the Lord his God. Neither was this the practise of some private men only, but even of the whole people and Church of God; for though in jer. 2. 27. their prosperity( as the Lord himself observeth) they turned their back unto him and not their face, yet in the time of their trouble they say arise and help vs. So the Prophet Esai saith; Lord in trouble they haue visited thee, they Esa 26. 16. haue powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. And the Psalmist speaketh to the same purpose, when he Psal 78. 34. slay them( saith he) they sought him, and they returned and sought God early. Yea speaking of the manifold kinds of misery wherewith the faithful are exercised, he maketh this the foot of his song: then they cried unto the Lord in Psal. 81. 7.& 107. 6. &c. their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distress. And this every man may find verified in his own experience, for such is our corruption, that whilst we abound with worldly blessings, as we set our hearts vpon them by loving them above measure, so also in trusting and relying vpon them without reason; and howsoever they are but vain hopes and helps to save and deliver us, yet when we may haue free recourse unto them, we seldom and slackly fly unto the Lord for aid and succour. But when he taketh from us these earthly idols, and emptieth our hearts of all worldly confidence, bringing us into desperate dangers, and hiding from us all inferior helps; then having no other place of safety unto which we may resort, we fly unto the Lord for succour and relief, crying out with the Psalmist, O Lord give us help in trouble, for vain is the help of man. And with good Psal. 108. 12. 2. Chro. 20. 12 jehoshaphat, O God wilt not thou judge them? for there is no strength in us to stand before this great multitude that cometh against us, neither do we know what to do, but our eyes are towards thee. Yea being in this difficulty and distress, we are not § Sect. 8. That in our afflictions we incite ourselves to call vpon God with many reasons. only content to be pricked on to the performance of this duty with the spur of afflictions; but we also incite and stir up ourselves, to call vpon the Lord for help and deliverance, by many other arguments and reasons. As first by the consideration of Gods express commandement, unto which he hath encouraged us to perform obedience by his most gracious promises. So our saviour willeth us to ask and we shall receive, seek and we shall Math. 7. 7. find, knock and it shall be opened unto vs. More especially by his holy Apostle he hath required us to perform this duty in the time of our afflictions, Is any among you( saith Iam. 5. 13. he) afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry let him sing. And again, Let us go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we Heb. 4. 16. may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. So the Lord himself hath enjoined us after a more especial manner to make our supplications unto him in the time of our afflictions. Call vpon me( saith he) in the Odit dum offenditur, i●●scitur dum non rogatur offensus. Hieronym. ad Aegrotum ancicum ●pist. time of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. The which duty if we at this time do neglect we shall double his displeasure against us, for be is not more offended with our sin which hath deserved this chastisement and affliction, then at our negligence or stubbornness whereby we refuse, or slothfully neglect to beg at his hands, pardon and deliverance. Secondly, by calling to mind, that he alone is of omnipotent power, and therefore able to shield us from all dangers, and to deliver us out of all our afflictions; and infinite in his love and mercy towards us, and therefore willing to extend his power for our preservation and freedom from all our troubles Both which are strong motives to make us flee unto the Lord by earnest prayer: for as when the storm bloweth and the sea rageth, the poor passenger can see no place of safety till he be arrived in the quiet port, so when we are tossed and turmoiled in this sea of miseries, and can see in all the world no safety or security, then do we by fervent prayer flee unto the Lord, as being the only haven and harbour which can keep us safe in these tempests of affliction. Thirdly, by considering that whatsoever the instruments of our troubles be, the Lord is the sole author and chief cause of them; And therefore as the offender sueth not to the executioner for pardon, because he knoweth that he hath no power to punish or spare him, saving that which he hath received from the judge, but beggeth and entreateth that he will forgive and release him, who alone had authority to condemn and deliver him up, to suffer deserved punishment for his offences; so we will not so much sue unto the inferior means of our afflictions, when we are in trouble and misery, because of themselves they can neither hurt nor help us; but with job we will make supplication unto our job 9. 15. judge, and by hearty prayer crave of him pardon and deliverance, who hath absolute power in his hand to grant or deny it. Finally by calling to mind that he is( as the Apostle styleth him) the God of consolation, who comforteth Rom. 15. 5. us in all our troubles, causing our consolations to abound and exceed our sufferings, as himself prosesseth; 2. Cor. 1. 4. 5. Esai ●1. 12. I even I am he that comforteth you. And therefore when being in afflictions all worldly comforts fail us, it will be an effectual reason, to move us by daily prayer to flee unto him who is the God of all consolations, that we may receive from him some comfort and refreshing, in the time of our heaviness. And thus by our afflictions and by these considerations § Sect. 9. That God by afflictions maketh us more frequent and fervent in prayer. arising from them, we are moved to perform this duty of prayer, and that not only after an ordinary manner, but with great earnestness, heat of zeal, and fervency of spirit; for though we be slack and loose in this holy exercise, whilst we are at ease and rest, and not so much as touched with any trouble, yet when the weight of affliction lieth heavy vpon us, it presseth out of us strong cries, and salt tears; bitter sighs and deep groans; and as waters running at their full liberty in an open plain haue little force and strength, but when they pass through a streight and narrow current, are of such might that nothing is able to withstand their violence, so when our prayers proceed from hearts enlarged with worldly liberty, and not straightened or bounded with any trouble, they are very weak and wandring, and of no force to prevail with God; but when they issue out of the straits and narrow passages of trouble and affliction, they offer an holy violence even to God himself, holding as it were his hands when he is ready to strike, so as he is fain when we cry unto him, to cry unto us again, Exod. 32. 10. as he did unto Moses, let me alone, that I may proceed in the execution of my judgements. And this fervency and zeal was in the prayers of holy jacob, when he was in danger of being destroyed by his enraged brother; for as he outwardly with his body wrestled with God, not leaving his hold till he had the blessing; so much more powerfully did he contend and prevail with him, when as inwardly he powred forth his soul in fervent prayer, weeping and crying unto God for help and deliverance Hos. 12. 3. 4. as the Prophet sheweth. The like we see verified in his posterity Israel, who in their trouble sought the Lord, and powred out a prayer when his chastening was vpon them, and that not in a could and formal fashion, but with great fervency and earnestness, crying like a woman in her Esa 26. 17. pains of child bearing, as Esay witnesseth. And this heat of zeal and fervency of spirit they shewed when being in danger to be destroyed by the great army of the philistines coming against them, they humbled them by fasting and prayer before the Lord, weeping so abundantly, that by a strange, yet excellent metaphor, they 1. Sam. 7. 6. are said to haue drawn out water from their eyes, as with buckets out of a well, and not only to haue besprinkled the ground with distilling tears, but to haue powred them out in full streams. So the Church and people of God being grievously afflicted in the time of their captivity do in a most pathetical manner show this fervency of spirit and importunate earnestness in their prayers unto God for help and deliverance. For their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Sion, let tears Lam. 2. 18. 19 run down like a river day and night, give thyself no rest, let not the apple of thine eye cease. Arise, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches power out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands towards him for the life of thy young children that faint for hunger in the corners of every street. And this was usual with them, as we may see in the history of the Iudges and Kings( as also Nehemiah observeth) namely, that when for Nehem. 9. 27. their sins they were delivered into the hands of their enemies, then they would cry unto the Lord in prayer, till he heard them from heaven and sent them saviours. Yea so fervent were they at such times in their supplications, that they could not content themselves with their own importunity, but earnestly entreated Gods Prophets to become suitors and solicitors for them. For in that wonderful humiliation before spoken of, they say unto Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us ●. Sam. 7. 8. that he may save us out of the hand of the philistines. And being terrified with an extraordinary thunder and rain in the time of harvest, they earnestly desire him, to pray for them unto the Lord his God that they might not die and perish. Thus also the ninivites being in danger of Chap. 12. 19 destruction, are commanded by their King, to humble themselves by fasting and putting: on sackcloth, and to cry mightily unto God. And the disciples who left Christ quietly asleep, when they were secure, being in danger of drowning run unto him with great earnestness, and cry aloud, master, master, save us we perish. Yea our saviour Math. 8. 24. Christ himself, though he was continually conversant in offering up the sacrifice of prayer unto his father; yet was he most frequent and fervent in performing this duty in the time of his greatest afflictions; for being in Math. 26 44. Luk 22. 44. his agony, he is said to haue prayed more earnestly, and in fervency of spirit, to haue uttered thrice the same words; and to haue offered up his prayers and supplications, with Heb. 5. 7. strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, as the Apostle witnesseth. By all which it appeareth that afflictions do make us more frequent, instant and earnest, in this holy exercise of prayer, whereof it is, that the Lord taking special delight in this zeal& fervency, doth after a more especial manner command us to offer up unto him our prayers and petitions in the time of affliction,& encourageth us thereunto by a special promise of help& deliverance. Call vpon me( saith he) in the day of trouble, so will I deliver thee and thou shalt glorify Psal. 50. 15. me. So by the Prophet Ioel, he commandeth them in their grievous famine, to sanctify a fast, to call a solemn assembly, to gather the Elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of their God, and to cry unto the Lord. Ioel. 1. 14. Yea in truth this is one especial end why the Lord bringeth the faithful into troubles and afflictions, that whereas they in the time of their prosperity neglect this duty of his service, or perform it formally and coldly, they may be moved with the sense and smart of these evils to call vpon him with all zeal, earnestness and fervency of spirit, as appeareth by the scope and drift, Luk 18. 1. 7. at which our saviour aimed in the parable of the distressed widow and unrighteous judge, who by her often crying and calling vpon him, was moved to do her iustice; and of the two friends the one whereof borroweth Luk 11. 8. of the other three loaves, through his importunity, though he had a denial at the first motion. And thus our saviour Christ gave unto the woman of Canaan diuers repulses, not because he was unwilling to grant her svit, but to make her more instant and earnest in praying for Math. 15. 28. help and deliverance from her grievous affliction. And thus haue I generally shewed, that troubles and calamities make us more diligent and wont in performing § Sect. 10. That by afflictions we are made more sincere in our confession of sin and more earnest in our petitions. this duty of holy prayer, the which is a sacrifice most acceptable unto God and most profitable for vs. Now further this will also appear, if we consider the several parts of prayer; for first howsoever in the time of our prosperity we disguise and so cunningly hid our sins, that even ourselves haue no sight or sense of them, yet when we are brought into misery and affliction, we straitly examine our ways and works, yea and narrowly search into the secret corners of our harts, that so we may find out those sins whereby we haue provoked Gods displeasure; and having found them, we( as it were) hale them into Gods presence, and with all sincerity lay them open in his sight by humble confession, being encouraged by Gods gracious promises, that if we confess and forsake our sins we shall find mercy; Pro. 28. 13. and that if we aclowledge our sins we shall find him faithful 1. joh 1. 19. and just in forgiving them and in cleansing us from all iniquities& not only so, but in delivering us from those evils of punishments which do accompany them. An example whereof we haue in the people of Israel, who Num. 21. 6. 7. being stung with the fiery serpents confess their sins and pray unto the Lord. So being sore vexed and tormented by their enemies, they cry unto the Lord saying, we haue finned against thee, because we haue forsaken our judge. 10. 9. 10. own God, and haue served Baalim. And thus the prodigal son being pinched with hunger and grievously afflicted returneth unto his father, and with an humbled soul and prostrate body, crieth out, Father I haue sinned Luk. 15. 21. against heaven and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. So daniel in the time of the captivity Dan. 9. humbleth himself before God, and confesseth his own and the peoples sins. Yea Pharaoh himself though he had no grace or goodness in him, yet by the weight of affliction had the confession of his sins pressed from Exo. 11. 16. 17. him. Thus also by afflictions are we made diligent and earnest in making our petitions unto God, and that both deprecations whereby we fervently desire to be freed and defended from the dangers which hang over our heads, and from the afflictions and miseries which do presently vex us( neither are we ever more zealous, earnest and importunate with God, then when we are forced hereunto with smart and sense of pain;) and also our suits and requests, especially that God will give us grace so to profit by our afflictions; and in such sort direct and guide us with his holy spirit for the time to come, that we may amend our sinful lives, and so walk in the ways of his commandements, that we may not hereafter provoke the Lord to anger by our sins, and move him in his just displeasure to inflict again vpon us the like or more heavy judgements. Finally by our afflictions we are provoked to render § Sect. 11. That by our afflictions we are moved more frequently and heartily to give thanks unto God. thanks unto God, and to magnify and praise his holy name; first because( as I haue shewed) we haue then the truest valuation and estimate of Gods rich mercies, when we are for a time deprived of them, the which is one end why the Lord taketh them from us, that by wanting them we may learn their worth, and accordingly show ourselves thankful unto God, either because he vouchsafed unto us the use of them so long, though now for our sins they be taken from us, is pleased again Q●●n●em ob bena presentia gratias deo non agimus, necessaria nobis est priuatie, vt quid habueri 〈◇〉 sentiamus Basil. Tom. 1. p. 368. to restore them unto vs. For because( as one faith) we do not render thanks unto God for his present benefits, it is necessary that we should be deprived of them that by wanting them we may know what we did once enjoy: for as the eyes cannot discern glorious objects when they are held close unto them, but when they are removed in some proportionable distance: so our unthankful minds cannot judge of the greatness and excellency of present benefits; but when they are taken a little from us, then in their departing we clearly discern the riches of Gods bounty. Secondly because Gods infinite wisdom, powerful providence, iustice, mercy& truth, do most clearly shine, like glorious stars, in the night of our afflictions; namely as he doth inflict them,& also order& dispose them, appointing their manner, measure, and all circumstances, and so moderating them, that not exceeding our strength, we plainly discern mercy in his greatest judgements. And also his love& compassion do plainly appear unto us, in that the doth not deal with us according to our iniquities, nor punish us according to the greatness of our offences, but contenteth himself to haue Psal. 103. 8. inflicted small corrections for great faults, and light& momentany afflictions for such heinous& grievous sins, as haue justly deserved everlasting condemnation. In consideration whereof we haue great cause to magnify and praise the Lord, acknowledging with his afflicted Church, that it is his wonderful mercy that we are not utterly consumed. So also his mercy, goodness and truth Lumen. 3. 22. do clearly shine in our afflictions, as he doth bring light out of darkness, and good out of evil, making these punishments of sin to serve as effectual means to further us in attaining unto both grace and glory: and finally his love appeareth both by his supporting us with strength to bear whatsoever he is pleased to inflict, by refreshing us with inward consolations, and by saving and delivering us out of all our troubles, when in respect of outward means our estate seemeth desperate. All which and much more being observed by the faithful, do move them to break out in admiration of Gods wisdom, power, mercy and goodness into praises and thanksgiving, as we may see in the example of the Israelites delivered out of the Egyptian servitude, in the song of Deborah and Barak for their freedom from Exod. 15. 1. judge. 5. 1. jabin, and victory over Sisera; In the psalms of david, many of which were penned vpon this occasion, that this holy prophet and other of the faithful might show their thankfulness unto God for his powerful protection in the time of danger, and his gracious deliverance of Psal. 30. 11. 12 them out of all their troubles. Thou hast turned( saith he) my mourning into ioy, thou hast loosed my sack and girded me with gladness, therefore shall my tongue praise thee and not cease: O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever. And again, I will sing of thy power and will praise thy Psal. 59. 16. 17. mercy in the morning, for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble; unto thee O my strength will I sing, for God is my defence and my merciful God. Neither do the inferior means of their deliverance so dazzle and blunt their sight, but that they are still able to overlook them, and to behold the Lord as the principal cause of all their good, working by these inferior instruments, as we may see in the example of Paul, who being delivered by the chief captain, when the Iewes went Act. 21. 31. about to kill him, doth in reporting this story unto Agrippa, attribute the praise of his deliverance only unto God. For this cause( saith he) the Iewes caught me in the Act. ●6. 22. temple, and went about to kill me, nevertheless I obtained help of God, and continue unto this day. And this is one special end which God propoundeth unto our afflictions and his gracious deliverances, that being afflicted we may pray, praying we may be heard and delivered, and being delivered we may take occasion thereby to glorify and praise him who is the chief author of our deliverance; according to that of the Psalmist; call vpon me in Psal. 50. 15. the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And hereof it is, that when our saviour had helped one possessed with a divell, he willeth him to go home to his friends, and to show what great things the Lord had Mark 5. 19. done unto him. Yea this end the faithful themselves do also propound of their help and deliverance which they haue from God, according to that of the Psalmist, Haue mercy vpon me O Lord, consider my trouble, which Psal. 9. 13. 14. I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death; that I my show all thy praises within the gates of the daughter of Sion, and rejoice in thy salvation. And thus it appeareth that the Lord useth our afflictions § Sect. 12. That the former consideration may much comfort us in our afflictions. as notable means, to further and help us in this excellent duty of prayer, and all the parts thereof, confession, petition and thanksgiving. The consideration whereof may exceedingly comfort us in all our crosses and calamities; seeing all our griefs and losses are sufficiently countervailed and abundantly recompensed by this alone benefit which we haue by them. For prayer is a most especial part of Gods worship and service whereby he is glorified, and becometh gracious and propitious unto us; it is a most notable fruit of the spirit whereby we are undoubtedly assured that we are the adopted Rom. 8. 15. sons of God, seeing we cry in our hearts Abba father. It is the means to enrich us with all spiritual graces, for Iam. 1. 17. as every good and perfect gift descendeth from God the father of lights; so prayer is the hand whereby we receive Math. 7. 7. them, and which we thrust into the rich treasury of his graces, taking unto us whatsoever we need. It is a chief part of our spiritual armor whereby we are not only Eph. 6. 18. enabled to resist all the spiritual enemies of our salvation, but also to overcome and put them to flight. Finally it is our chief comfort, our strength and stay; for as all Psal. 121. 2. our consolation, abilities and support is from the Lord alone, who made heaven and earth; so the means which he hath appointed unto us, to receive help, assistance and inward refreshing from him is prayer and supplication. And therfore let us patiently and thankfully endure the small smart of our short troubles, which derive unto us so much spiritual good, let us be content to be pricked with these thorns of afflictions, seeing they keep us from falling into the sleep of carnal security, which would make us a pray to our ravenous enemies; and give us occasion to sing these most melodious notes of prayer and thanksgiving, which is the most sweet and delightful music in the ears of God. And thus haue I shewed that our afflictions are used § Sect. 13. That God by afflictions werk●th and increaseth our patience. by God as notable means to further us in our new obedience, as it is active and exercised in doing his will. The like may be said of our passive obedience, whereby we are content that his will may be done in us; suffering with meekness and patience whatsoever crosses and afflictions it shall please him to inflict vpon vs. For whereas by prosperity our mindes are made weak and effeminate, by reason that our too much having our wils doth make us wanton, and wantonness doth make us way ward and peevish, which causeth us to show great impatience, in our smallest crosses, and to murmur and complain when but the sight or shadow of any affliction doth appear, and approach towards us; when we are daily exercised in carrying the cross, and enured to bear heavy burdens, and to endure smart and pain, then are we freed from our peevish wantonness, and nice tenderness, and taking unto ourselves manlike hearts and christian courage, and by daily use growing better acquainted with our afflictions we now esteem them small and light, which before seemed grievous and intolerable. In which respect one saith, that a man may well call them miserable, who by too I●●os m●riti quis dixerit miseros qui nimia s●elicitate torp●scunt, quos velut in mari lento tranquillitas ●uers detinet. &c. Senec. de provid. l. b. c. 4. much prosperity do grow sluggish and weak, and whom flothfull ease hath as it were becalmed in an unmoved sea: seeing whatsoever befalleth them will seem strange. Crosses seem heaviest to those who never used to carry them; and the yoke is grievous to a tender neck: the fresh-water-souldier waxeth pale, when he but suspecteth himself wounded, whereas the old soldier beholdeth his own blood with undaunted courage, because after the effusion of blood he hath oftentimes obtained victory. again by our manifold afflictions wee haue experience of Gods power and love, mercy and truth both in strengthening us to bear whatsoever cross he layeth vpon us, in turning them all to our profit and benefit, and also in delivering us out of them in his good time, when his good work which he intended is effected by them; from which experience as we grow stronger in faith and affiance towards God, persuading ourselves, that as he hath in former times, so he will now also uphold us in all temptations and save 2. Cor. 1. 10. and deliver us out of all our afflictions: so also thereby is our patience confirmed and increased, whilst with quiet meekness and contentedness we wait Gods leisure for our deliverance, and in the mean time submit ourselves willingly to endure his good pleasure; being assured by our manifold experience, that as he hath, so he will help and free us from all our calamities, and in the mean time give us strength to bear them. And this is manifest by plain testimonies of the scriptures; for so the Apostle Paul saith, that tribulation bringeth forth patience; Rom. 5. 3. And the Apostle james saith, that the trial of our Iam. 1. 3. faith, by afflictions and tribulations, bringeth forth patience. And the examples of the Saints do clearly show, that by their much suffering they were enabled to suffer, and grow stronger in patience the more they were enured to bear the cross. Thus job as he exceeded all in afflictions, so also in patience; and holy david by suffering innumerable crosses and calamities, came at last to that meek submission of himself in all things unto the will of God; Behold here am I, let him do unto me, as 2. Sam. 15. 26 it seemeth good in his eyes; yea our saviour Christ himself the pattern of all true patience, and the quiet lamb that opened not his mouth, though he were th● son( as the Apostle speaketh) yet learned he obedience by the things Heb. 5. 8. which he suffered. And this every man may find true by his own experience: for how bitter is sickness unto us when wee haue from our child-hood enjoyed health? How irksome is hunger, to those who haue been accustomend to full diet? How grievous is want and misery, shane& disgrace, to those who haue had always plenty, prosperity, and the praise and applause of all about them; whereas when men are a while enured to suffer these crosses, and are grown into better acquaintance with these afflictions, they grow so ordinary and familiar, that they do not much trouble them, nor yet move them to show any impatiency. The consideration whereof should greatly comfort us in all our crosses and troubles, seeing this excellent grace of patience is much strengthened and increased by them, which is a salve that easeth all sores, a shield of proof which defendeth the vital parts from being pierced with any fiery darts of the worlds temptations, and a faithful helper which enableth us to bear the greatest burden, making those things which are heavy in themselves light unto us, and those easy to be endured, which to a natural man seem intolerable. In regard whereof the Apostle james willeth us, to countit exceeding ioy when we fall into diuers Iam▪ 1. 2. 3. temptations, because this trying of our faith bringeth forth patience; and the Apostle Paul making himself with the Rom. 5. 3. rest of the faithful examples of this rule and precept, saith, that because patience was increased by tribulation, therefore they reioyced and even gloried in it. CHAP. XXIIII. That God by afflictions worketh and increaseth in us, all th●se virtues, which concern either our neighbours, or ourselves. ANd thus haue I shewed that our crosses& § Sect. 1. That by afflicti●ns wee are moved to do iustice unto all men. afflictions are used by God, as effectual means, to work in us all saving graces, and to stir us up to perform new obedience, and all holy duties which respect himself and his service: now wee are to show that they haue the like efficacy in moving us to embrace al those christian virtues, which respect either our neighbours, or ourselves For first, wee are moved by them to do iustice unto all men, giuing every man his due, and doing unto others, as we would haue them to do unto vs. And this cometh to pass, not only because the afflicted estate is more unable to offer injustice, wrongs, injuries, cruelty, and oppression; and more unwilling and fearful to attempt, and run into such unjust courses, because it commonly wanteth both power in itself, and assistance from friends to maintain these oppressions and injuries, and to defend men, when they haue done them, from deserved reuenge: but also, because it maketh the conscience more tender, the iudgement more ready to examine, and more quick-sighted and unpartial in judging of right& wrong▪ and the heart more fearful and unwilling to give assent or approbation unto any injurious actions; because being under the hand of God, and already feeling the smart of his corrections, we fear least by committing these wrongs, wee shall provoke the Lords anger, and move him either to continue our afflictions, or to double and multiply them in number and weight, because our sins by this new addition, become more numerous& grievous in his sight. It is true indeed, that some kind of afflictions, as namely, losses, want, and poverty, do thrust many into unjust actions, and do move them to use fraud and deceit, theft and robbery, to patch and piece up their broken estate, and to make a supply of the things which they want, by these unlawful courses: but I do not speak of those effects which afflictions in the● own nature produce, when they fall vpon wicked men; but as they are used by God, for the bettering and amending of his own children, by causing them in fear of his fatherly displeasure, with all care and good conscience, to avoid all sins whatsoever. In which respect it may bee truly said, that the same rods and whips, which make the slave to run away from his master, and to become more desperate in his wicked courses, do make the son and true seruant of God to draw ne●re● unto him by repentance and humiliation, and to promise▪ and accordingly to endeavour amendment of all his faults, that together with the enjoying of his fathers favour, he may also bee secured from suffering the smart of his corrections. § Sect. 2. That by afflictions wee are made more merciful and compassionate towards others in misery. Secondly, by these afflictions wee are made more merciful, pitiful, and compassionate unto others who endure the like crosses, and miseries; and our hearts which are hard in themselves, are softened and made more tender, and in fellow feeling of their griefs, more ready and willing to yield unto them any comfort and refreshing. And thus those who haue been ficke, are apt to pitty those most, whom they see pained with the like diseases; those who haue been imprisoned, do more readily compassionate, and accordingly help and relieve those who are restrained; they who haue been pinched with penury, and pined with hunger, do above others pitty them, who being poor do want food to feed them, and clothes to cover them. And this was one end, why God laid vpon our saviour Christ himself, so many crosses and afflictions, that he might bee able sufficiently to haue compassion of them that are ignorant, Heb. 5. 2. because he was compassed with infirmity, as the Apostle speaketh. For as he saith in an other place, in and 2. 18. that he suffered, and was tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. In which regard, wee may with more confidence& assurance go unto him for help and succour in al our miseries, because himself hath tasted of Heb. 4. 15. 16. them. So the Apostle saith, that we haue not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in al things tempted in like sort, yet without sin. And from hence he raiseth this exhortation, that therefore we must go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and grace to help in time of need. And therefore if the Lord thought it fit that our saviour Christ( which was so full of love, mercy, and compassion, that in commiseration of our wretched estate, he was content to lay down his precious life for our sakes, that he might free us from our woe and misery) should bee partaker of our infirmities and afflictions, that his tender heart might be the more en-tendred,& made more sensible of our sorrows by his own sufferings; how much more need haue wee to haue our hard hearts thus suppled and softened, who haue little compassion in us but that which ariseth from our own sense and feeling? Finally, by our afflictions wee learn to carry our § Sect. 3. That God by afflictions maketh us more meek, humble& ●urteous, towards our neighbours. selves humbly and meekly, courteously and gently, towards all men; for whereas wee are by prosperity puffed up with pride, and become harsh, skornefull and insolent, in all our behaviour towards our neighbours; when our proud hearts are humbled with crosses and miseries, and wee being stripped of our outward bravery, do come to haue a true sight of our infirmities and deformities, then do wee think better of others then of ourselves, and accordingly use them, with al ciuillity and humanity, being ready with a sweet mildness to depart from our own right, rather then to encroach vpon any thing which is due unto them. And as the wild colt which runneth at liberty in fruitful pastures, is ready to break all bounds, and to run over any that stands in his way; but being well bridled and broken, submitteth himself to be backed with his rider, and to bear his blows without any resistance: so wee being fat●ed and pampered in the pastures of prosperity, break all the bounds of humanity and civility, and are ready in our pride and insolency to bea●e down all that stand in our way, and to trample under our feet those who are near unto us; but when God hath put into our mouths this bit and bridle of trouble and afflictions, and with many blows hath broken our proud stomachs; then are we more ready to suffer then to offer injuries, and quietly to hold on in the courses of our callings with all lowliness to our betters, and with all courtesy and humanity to our equals and inferiors. So the wise man Pro. 18. 23. saith, that the poor speaketh with prayers, but the rich answer thoroughly. And example whereof we haue in Nebuchadnezer, who being in his prosperity, uttered nothing but thundering threats and proud menaces; but being Dan. 3. 13, 14, 15, 26& 4, 34. humbled first by Gods miracle, and afterwards by his own misery, he becometh meek and full of courtesy. Thus Saul when the world fawned on him, breathed out threatenings and slaughters against the disciples of the Lord, and like a raging lion pursued them to the death; but being beaten down to the ground and humbled Act. 9. under the hand of God he waxeth mild and gentle as a 1. King. 20. 10. 18, 30, 31. lamb. And even wicked Benhadad himself, who being in his strength and presuming of victory was so unmeasurably proud and insolent, that he became vain and foolish in his boasting, and with marvelous disdain scorned all that resisted his fury; when his forces were foiled, and he overthrown in battle by the people of 1. King. 20. 10, 18, 30, 31. Israel, with what b●se abjection doth he humble himself▪ to Ahab in his misery? sending his seruants with sackcloth vpon their loins, and ropes about their necks, and putting a message in their mouths suitable to their habit; Thy seruant Be●hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. But this point shall 〈◇〉 need further proof either by testimony or example, seeing common experience teacheth us, that as when men flourish in wealth and worldly preferments, they presently become churlishly surly, and proudly disdainful, their chests being no faster filled with riches, than their hearts with pride, nor they higher advanced in their preferments, than they are exalted in conceit of their own worth and excellency: so being brought into misery and affliction, they presently strike sail, and carry themselves with all lowliness and humility, as to all others, so especially to those from whom they expect comfort and relief in this their affliction. And thus it appeareth, that afflictions are used by God § Sect. 4. That by afflictions wee attain unto the knowledge of ourselves. as notable means to furnish us with those moral and civil virtues which concern our neighbours▪ The like also may be said of those virtues and graces which directly respect ourselves: Neither do our crosses& chastisements only enrich us with those spiritual and saving graces, which tending chiefly to Gods service, do also further and assure our own salvation,& those moral virtues which principally respect our neighbours benefit; but also with those gifts& abilities, which do more properly and peculiarly respect our own use and profit. For first, by these afflictions wee attain unto the knowledge of ourselves, and whereas in our prosperity, pride and self-love do so hudwinke our eyes, that we can neither see our sin nor misery, and do cause us to put all our gifts and good parts into that end of the wallet which hangeth before us, and all our vices, faults and imperfections into that end which is cast behind us; affliction pulleth this vail from our sight, and causing us to look backward, doth make us to behold our filthiness and spiritual blemishes& deformities, through the corruption and pollution of our nature; and those manifold sins and actual transgressions, whereby wee haue brought these crosses vpon us; and also our guiltiness in respect of them both, whereby we stand obnoxious to the anger of God, and to temporal and everlasting punishments; all which our misery and spiritual nakedness doth plainly appear, when the figleaves of worldly prosperity are taken from us▪ So whereas in our prosperity, looking through the false spectacles of pride and self-love, wee are ready to over ween our gifts, to mistake shadows for substances, worldly policy which is mere foolishness, for sound wisdom; proud presumption and carnal s●curitie, for true faith, constant hope, and firm affiance in God; covetousness for frugality, and prodigality for▪ bounty and liberality: as also to imag●ne that the smallest mites of grace and virtue, are the richest talents, and the least and first degrees to be the highest and greatest perfection of them: when these d●ceiuing glasses are token from our eyes, we see our graces& spiritual abilities in their own nature and proportion; and then counterfeit virtues which like guilded papers or posts, make in the time of our prosperity a glorious show, seeming pure gold in outward appearance, do consume and vanish in the fiery trial, as not enduring the heat of this furnace of affliction: and then the weakness and imperfection of our new-borne graces will easily be discerned, when as they are put to struggle and wrestle with misery and calamity. Then our faith, which in our prosperity seemed so strong, that in the greatest tentation it could not receive the least foil, will appear so weak and feeble, that the slightest trial would overturn it, if it were not supported by Gods assistance: and though before trial we haue ●n opinion with Peter, that in the strength of our ●aith we ●●n wa●● vpon the waters, and presume so much vpon our own strength and undaunted courage, that albeit the whole world in the time of persecution should deny Christ, yet we will not; when the waves of trouble and misery do approach towards us, we are ready to sink in doubting, and to cry out for fear; and being but examined by a poor Damosell, wee are ready to deny and forsake Christ and the gospel, least by s●icking to our profession wee should bee exposed to the danger of persecution. Then our affiance in God which whilst wee flourished in the world seemed so bold and confident, so strong and steady in Gods promised assistance, will show itself to be weak, tottering and ruinous, when these outward props of worldly help are pulled from it. Then our hope, which before it was tried appeared so constant and assured, that no delay could ever daunt it, when wee are in affliction, and find the promises of Gods help and our deliverance for a while deferred, is ready to faint and to be presently turned into doubting and despair. Then our wisdom which we thought to be of so great a reach, that wee could easily▪ find means either to prevent▪ or to escape out of all difficulties and dangers; when wee are brought into these straits and snares, doth appear ●●ight and shallow, being altogether insufficient to deliver us from these miseries and troubles and finally then our patience which we imagined to be so firm, well-grounded, and of such samson- 〈…〉 e strength, that it was able to stand upright under the heavy weight of the greatest crosses, when it cometh to the trial, and hath but a small burden of misery lying vpon it, ●t is ready to crack and break into murmuring and impatiency, and to be pressed down fla● when 〈◇〉 least and ●igh●est affliction doth ●ye vpon it. To which purpose one saith, that every man is unknown Ignotus enim sibi quisque est ante inter●ogationem tentationis, sicut se Petrus presumend● ignorabat& neg●●d● didicit quails vires haberet. In sua titubatione intellexit falsò se presumisse, fleuit& flendo m●ruit fructu●sê nosse quod fuit,& esse quod non fuit. August. in Ps●. 58. enarrat. to himself before he be examined and tried by tentation; even as P●ter was, in presuming, ignorant of himself, but by denying his master learned with what strength he was endued. For in his stumbling and falling he sa● how vainly he had presumed, he wept, and by weeping came fruitfully to know what he was, and to be that which before he was not. So whereas in our prosperity, we through▪ our ignorance are much deceived in our outward estate, thinking it in respect of our own wisdom, riches, power and external help●, to be so firm and strong, that it cannot be weakened, and much l●sse▪ over thrown by any violence, as wee may see in the example of david, who in his prosperiti● concluded, that he should never be r●●oued: no sooner doth the Lord hid his face in the time of trouble and affliction, and withdraw from us his helping hand, but we presently see our exceeding fra●●tie and ●●becillitie, that our strength is weakness and o●● wisdom foolishness,& that we, with al we haue ●●e mortal, Psal. 30. 6. Psal. 104▪ 29. momentany, mutable, and but of short and that uncertain continuance, so that if God take our breath from us wee Hag. 1 9. are gone and return to our dust; and if with his breath he do● but blow vpon our wealth and strength, they are presently wasted& enfeebled. Finally, whereas when wee abound with worldly blessings, we are ready falsely to flatter ourselves with an opinion of our happiness; and to conclude vpon this weak ground, that we are in the estate of grace, and highly advanced in Gods love and favour: when affliction cometh, these fond and pernicious conceits, which are not the fruits of faith, but the cursed brood and offspring of presumption and security, do together with our outward prosperity vanish away; and then we seek to g●ther better assurance, and to ground our faith vpon more firm foundation, not judging of our state by external things, which happen alike to all, both just and unjust, elect and reprobate; but by the sanctifying gifts and graces of Gods holy spirit, wherewith we are endued, and by the notable fruits of righteousness and holinesse, which springing from them, do plainly appear in our lives and conversation. And thus do wee by our afflictions attain unto that excellent benefit of knowing ourselves; which, next unto the true saving knowledge of God, exceedeth all other kinds of knowledge in use& profit: for as he who ruleth his own mind, is better than he Pro. 26. 31. that ●inneth a city: so he that knoweth this little world of himself, and his own heart with all the secret turnings and windings of it, is in far better state thereby, than he who knoweth the great universe& frame of heaven and Earth, the secrets of nature, the deep& mystical policies of commonwealths, yea al the liberal Arts and sciences,& whatsoever other skill or wisdom in the world, which is attained unto by painful instruction, or dearly purchased by long experience. For being well acquainted with ourselves, he plainly discern our own vileness, filthiness& guiltiness, and so are brought to seek righteousness and perfection out of ourselves in Iesus Christ; and our own weakness, impotency,& insufficiency, that we may not rest vpon the reed of our own strength, which would most deceive us when we most learned vpon it; but vpon the power of Gods might& the promised assistance of his holy spirit, which never faileth or forsaketh any that rely vpon him. And also hereby we come to the knowledge of those rich gifts& graces, wherewith God hath endued us,& perceive what excellency is in these peerless pearls,& spiritual armour& munition, that so we may give God the glory of his own gifts,& rejoice ourselves in the fruition of thē. But as the Lord useth afflictions as a notable means § Sect. 5. That the exercise of afflictions increaseth our strength to bear them. to discover unto us our wants and weakness: so also for the confirming and increasing of our spiritual strength; for loving us( as I haue shewed) not like a fond mother, who by her cockering and tender using of her children maketh them so weak, neash and effeminate, that they are not able to endure any hardness; but like a wise father, seeking our good rather than our delight, he putteth us to toil and labour,& exerciseth us in this conflict of afflictions not only unto sweat& tears, but sometimes also unto blood; that hereby he may both preserve the strength we haue from languishing with idleness; and also may by this exercise increase it, and make us more able for further service. For( as one saith) when we are fatted and pampered Languent per incrtiam saginata, nec labour tantum, said m●le& ipso sui onere deficium. Non fear ullum ictum illaesa soelicitas. Senec. de provid. cap. 2. with ease and sloth, wee grow faint and feeble, and are soon tired not only with labour, but also with bearing our own weight; neither is unhurt happiness able to sustain the weakest blow of adverse fortune. But when we daily contend with new calamities, continual use and exercise in these evils, so thickneth and hardeneth the skin, that being unsensible of smart, we do not faint or yield in any adversity; or if we be overthrown through the violence of our afflictions, yet( as it were) vpon our knees wee will fight and strive against them. But this will better appear if wee further consider more distinctly, that our afflictions confirm and increase in us both our strength and power whereby we are enabled to bear the burden of any calamity without sinking under the weight, and also our courage, fortitude, and christian valour, whereby we are hartned to endure the brunt of any encounter without shrinking or base yielding in this spiritual warfare. Concerning the former point experience teacheth us, that as other creatures, so also men, are made more weak and tender by soft and gentle usage, and much disabled to bear the brunt of any outward violence or adverse casualty, when( according to their kindes) they flourish in ease and prosperity; and contrariwise that they are much strengthened to endure any hardness or adversity when they are used and enured unto it by continual custom. Thus wee see that oxen which are bread and brought up in hard countries and common pastures, are stronger to endure labour then they which are fed and fatted in sweet and pleasant meadows; and that by their labouring they are enabled to take much more fruitful pains, than others that are pampered with ease and plenty. Thus the trees which grow in the soft and sun-shine valley are neither strong, solid nor firmly rooted; but those which standing on the top of the mountaines are exposed to all kindes of wind and weather, to boisterous blasts and stormy tempests. So we find by experience that their bodies are most able and active, who are enured to pains and labour; and that part of the body to be most strong and fit for employment, which is most used and continually exercised;& contrariwise, that those are most weak and wearish, faint and feeble who languish in idleness, and spend their time in ease and plenty; and that hand which is not accustomend to labour, to be soft& tender, that it cannot endure the smallest pains; that hard and poor education maketh the best souldiers, and by continual custom causeth want and watching, pains and toilsome labour, scant diet and hard lodging to become familiar and easy to be endured: whereas plenty and prosperity, soft clothing and dainty fare, doth so weaken& disable the body, that it can endure no hardness, but is more endangered with wind and weather, could and hunger, than with the force and violence of the most warlike enemies: that Mariners who haue been accustomend to storms& tempests, find small alteration in their bodies in the roughest Seas& foulest weather; whereas fresh-water souldiers, and tender passengers cannot brook the smell of the ship, nor sight of the water, and are extremely Sea-sick when they are but a little tossed with some ordinary winds. Finally, thus we see that by much cunning men become more nimble& better breathed, whereas sloth and ease maketh them slow and putsie; that the daily quarreler goeth longer journeys with little weariness, whereas they that keep home are soon tired and surbaited with going a a few miles: and that the tender gentleman taketh could being in a warm house and well clothed, whereas the poor husband man dareth the could winds and nipping frosts with his bare head and naked breast; and is strong to endure the whole day any toilsome labour, when as the other panteth and fainteth with weariness, if he work but one hour. And as it thus fareth with the body enured unto pains and labour, so with the mind exercised with troubles, and accustomend to bear the burden of the cross; neither is the one more strengthened with continual use and practise to endure any outward toil; then the other enabled with patience and comfort to bear by the same means any crosses and calamities. And therefore how weak and waspish soever we be in bearing afflictions, after we haue long lived in ease and prosperity, yet if after much trouble and many trials we remain weak and wayward, peevish and impatient, it is a dangerous sign that we haue little or no spiritual virtue and ability in us, according to the wisemans saying, If thou be faint in the day of adversity, thy Pro. 24. 10. strength is small: seeing if any thing would make us strong, then would this exercise of bearing the cross. In regard whereof the afflicted Church out of her own experience saith, that it is good for a man to bear the yoke Lamen. 3 27. from his youth, because as it is said of Milo, that by accustoming himself to bear a calf at the first, he came after to bear him when he was a bull; so shall we find our spiritual strength increase with our burden, sustaining with patience and comfort the most intolerable weight of calamity and misery, though at the first wee were ready to murmur, repined and show great impatiency, § Sect. 6. That God by afflictions increaseth our courage and Christian fortitude. when wee were but touched with the least trouble. And as our afflictions do much increase our strength and ability, so also our christian courage and undaunted fortitude; and whereas prosperity maketh us cowardly and fearful, not daring to endure any danger, or to stand to it when we are encountered with any calamity; our often conflicts with crosses do make us valiant& courageous in bearing the greatest brunt of these spiritual battles, and so bold and hardy, that we endure with patience the sharpest assaults, and give not one foot back in the most desperate dangers. The soldier when he first entereth into the field, feareth when he heareth but a false alarum, and is ready to duck at every shot; whereas after he hath passed desperate dangers, and hath been long exercised in many conflicts and skirmishes, he becometh so valorous and courageous, that he dareth to venture vpon the push of the pike, and to fight at the cannons mouth: now less fearing the cruel enemy, and killing bullet in a doubtful and dangerous battle, then, when he was first trained, the paper shot, and the seeming encounters of his friends and fellowes. There is no wrestler, fencer, or combatant, that contendeth against his adversary with that spirit and courage, when he first cometh into the theatre; as he doth who hath been accustomend to these exercises; and is not only heartened with easy victories, but also after many foils and falls, dangerous wounds and much blood-shed, hath in the end prevailed, and by many perils hath made his way to a glorious triumph. There is no master is so bold and cheerfully confident in the least show of a Sea-faring danger, when he first entereth the ship, and in his moving house becometh an inhabitant of this new appearing world of dreadful waters; as he who after innumerable storms and dangerous tempests hath oftentimes arrived safely at the wished haven. And thus it also fareth with us in these spiritual combats with troubles and calamities; for howsoever in the first conflict we are marvelously cowardly& impatient in suffering the least pain; yet when as we haue been long exercised in these skirmishes, and after many foils and falls, haue in the end through Gods gracious assistance obtained a joyful victory, wee exceedingly increase in christian Contemptum periculorum assiduitas periclitand● dabit. Senec. de provid. cap. 4. valour; both because this common familiarity with dangers and distresses breedeth in us a careless contempt,& neglect of them;& also because it is the nature of true fortitude and christian courage( like the grain of mustard seed) the more it is bruised the more to show it strength& virtue, and( like the palmetree or sweet camomile) to thrive the better and spring the Multum adijcit sibi virtus lacessita. Senec. epist. 13. faster, when it is pressed and kept down with the weight of afflictions. And therefore seeing by sustaining the burden of the cross we become stronger and more able to bear; and by often encountering these spiritual enemies, wee are made much more valorous and courageous, Verberat nos& lacerat fortuna: patiamur. Non est saeuitia, certamen est; quo saepiu● adierimus fortiores cri●us. Senec. de provid. cap 4. let us not fear that weight which will not crush us, but increase our strength; nor be daunted with the approaching of those forces, which the more and stronger they are, the more they increase our fortitude and magnanimity, and by their sharper assaulting do but make our victory to become more glorious. It may be at the first this combat with afflictions will seem irksome in present sense, and terrible in respect of future expectation; but a little experience in this warfare will bring us into better acquaintance and familiarity with these troubles and miseries, and make us neither feel their blows when our skin is hardened, nor to fear their greatest violence, when as wee find that they do not hurt vs. Now we seem weak and our burden heavy; feeble in strength and our enemies mighty and vnresistable; but let us possess our souls with patience, seeing time and custom will make us equal, by lightning our load and increasing our strength; by quelling their courage, and causing us to become more valiant and magnanimous. There is in truth a seeming misery in crosses and calamities, because they are strong at their first appearing, and terrible to flesh and blood, because they come masked in an ugly vizard, and do press vpon us Nihil miserum est quod in naturam consuetudo perduxit. Paulatim enim voluptatisunt quae necessitate caeperunt, Senec. de provid. cap. 4. with a kind of necessity; but being accustomend a while to bear them company, we become familiar and well acquainted with them;& then al fear vanisheth when we find them harmless, and we would not( when they are gon) but that we had enjoyed their society. Then necessity is turned into a virtue, and the yoke, which being taken vpon us by compulsion, was so painful and grievous, doth by our patient bearing it become light and easy. Finally, the Lord by our afflictions doth usually § Sect. 7. That God by afflictions doth work and increase in us temperance, sobriety, modesty and chastity. work in us those excellent gifts and graces of temperance, sobriety, modesty, chastity and purity: the which he effecteth both by an outward necessity, and by an inward care and watchfulness. For whilst in the time of our prosperity wee abound with worldly blessings wee usually abuse them as provocations unto our own lusts, and fuel unto our sinful pleasures; as abundance of riches to maintain us, in light wanton and garish apparel; delicate meats and drinks, and as the means and occasions of surfeiting and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, lust and uncleanness, riot and all maner of excess. And therefore the Lord seeing us thus to surfet of this fullness and plenty, and thereby to fall into most dangerous and desperate diseases of the soul; like a good physician preserveth or restoreth our spiritual health, by keeping or taking from us these his benefits which we pervert to our own destruction. And when like madmen wee would abuse these blessings as instruments and weapons, to wound ourselves with worldly and wicked lusts, he taketh them away, and turneth our riches and plenty into poverty and penury, our health into sickness, our strength into weakness, our pleasures into pain and misery, and our liberty into restraint, that he may make us to be such as he would haue us by urgent necessity, when we will not be so out of our own choice; causing us( as it were) to fast for want of meate, when we will not do it out of devotion; to become chast for want of strength and health, temperate in our meats and drinks, and modest in our apparel, because we want means to maintain us in excess of diet, and variety of strange and vain attires. Neither doth the Lord by our afflictions make us thus temperat& sober only by this necessity; but by our own care and watchfulness. For thereby being brought unto a sight of our sins in abusing Gods blessings and benefits as incentatiues and provocations to our own lusts, whereby wee haue justly deserved that he should thus straighten his hand, and shorten our allowance; we will ever after take better heed unto ourselves, that we do not by the like sin incur the like or greater punishments: and be even ready to bind ourselves by an holy vow, that we will for the time to come live temperately and soberly, modestly and chastened, and never more so abuse Gods blessings to his dishonour and our destruction, if once again he repossess us of them. CHAP. XXV. That the Lord useth our afflictions as means to convey unto us diuers worldly benefits. NOw having spoken of the spiritual § Sect. 1. That by afflictions we profit much in civil wisdom and policy. blessings which the Lord by afflictions deriveth unto us, respecting either God, our neighbours or ourselves; we are in the next place according to our order propounded to show, that he useth them as means and instruments to convey unto us also diuers worldly benefits. As first, by these crosses and calamities wee profit notably in wisdom, sound policy, and useful knowledge; for as prosperity maketh men wanton, and wantonness causeth them to become foolish and childish; in regard whereof it is truly said, that the more the land exceedeth in fruitfulness, the more the people exceed in foolishness: so adversity and affliction doth quicken the understanding, and maketh us to pull and gather all our wits together for Nam quasi inter se contraria sint bona fortuna& mens bona; ita mel●us in malis sapimus; secunda rectum auferunt Senec. epist. 94. our own necessary use and benefit, and whereas whilst we flourish in the world, and abound in outward helps, wee wholly rest vpon them, and give ourselves to sloth and ease; when these outward props are taken from us, and we put to stand by our own strength; then we do beate our brains and seriously study, how we may by our wisdom and policy, supply that which is wanting in these worldly helps. In which respect affliction is fitly called the perfectour of wit, and the refiner of invention, because it forceth men by a kind of urgent necessity to look about them, to search into the secrets of nature, to observe the times and dipositions of all with whom they are to deal, and to try a thousand conclusions, that they may find out the best and fittest means for the removing their crosses, and the supporting or repairing of their estates. Whereas if they should haue authority and friends, health and wealth at will, their wits would mould and rust for want of use, seeing they need not their help for the supplying of any wants: but are able to maintain their estate by the present means which they haue about them. Neither do our troubles and afflictions increase our wisdom and knowledge only, as they sharpen our invention and quicken our wit, but also as they better our iudgement and discretion, by that experience which we gain in the time of our tribulation, without which the other were to small use; for wit is best when it is bought at the highest rates, and then onely is profitable when it is seasoned and( as it were) sealed unto us by dear experience; neither is it of any value whilst it swimmeth in the brain, and onely sitteth men for discourse; but when it is brought into use and practise, and confirmed by experience, then it attaineth to higher perfection, and of wit becometh prudence and wisdom. As for example every one can discourse of the evils which accompany unthriftiness; but he onely wisely understandeth them, who hath felt and tasted of them. So many can talk of the dangers of suretyship, and yet vpon the next occasion run into it, thinking that though others haue been undone by the failing of their friends, yet they shal not; but when this is confirmed unto them by their own experience, and their goods are sold to pay other mens debts, and their bodies imprisoned because al they haue will not satisfy the creditor; then, when they are once quit of these troubles they will be wiser for ever after, and( like the bide) warily avoid this snare wherein they were formerly catched and ensnared. So who knoweth not that innumerable mischiefs follow sudden rashness, and inconsiderate headiness; and yet so are men transported with the heat and violence of their passions and affections, that they are ready to rush into sudden courses; till being beaten with their own rod and feeling the smart of their unadvisedness they learn to use deliberation in their actions, and( as we say) to look before they leap. And finally, who understandeth not that surfeiting and drunkenness are the common causes of almost all diseases; and yet men are ready to follow their appetite rather then their reason; and through immoderation to abuse such meats and drinks as please their pallet; but when they haue once learned it by their own experience, having by their intemperance fallen § Sect. 2. That by afflictions we are enabled to disc●rne our friends from flatterers. into some dangerous, and painful sickness, then no more doth the burnt child dread the fire, then they do carefully shun the causes of their grief and smart. Secondly our afflictions are notable means to make us plainly to discern our hearty& faithful friends who love our persons, from parasites and flatterers who only love our prosperity and flourishing estate. For when we abound with earthly blessings every one is ready to fawn vpon us, and to perform all good offices with an vsurious intent of deriving hereby unto themselves some greater benefit, as it were lending out good turns that they may be returned unto them with fruitful increase. Whereby it cometh to pass that wee cannot easily discern who truly love us, and who only seek their own good, or ours for their own sake; for oftentimes the flatterer in show and outward services excelleth the faithful friend, being more diligent to please and more ready at every command: because the true friend performeth al duties for his sake whom he loveth, the flatterer for his own sake that he may advance hereby his own profit. And therefore seeing no man loveth another so much as himself, hereof it cometh to pass that as self-love doth in heat, zeal and fervency much excel that love which one friend usually beareth unto another; so the duties and services which arise and spring from it must needs according to the nature of the cause from which they grow, so much exceed all those duties which proceed from friendly love in outward diligence and seeming zeal, as self-love excelleth the love of a friend; and the desire of our own good, the desire of advancing the good of another. In regard whereof he greatly erreth who chooseth Err●t qui amicum in atri● quari●, in con●iui● probat. a friend among suitors who throng about his gate, and afterwards proveth him at a feast or banquet; because every one will be a friend for his own benefit, yet he who is tied with no other bond then profit and advantage, will when greater gain is offered become a traitor. But affliction like the wind or fan severeth the chaff of flattery, from the solid grain of faithful friendship, making parasites to flee from us( as smoke driveth away Bees) when they can raise from us no further advantage. And as the only true touchstone it discerneth a lover of a mans self from him who is a lover of us; for according to the proverb, he who is a friend in need is a friend indeed; and he who sticketh unto us in the time of adversity▪ and forsaketh us not when we are forsaken of the world, doth evidently show that our person, and not our prosperity, was the object of his love. In this respect therfore our afflictions are profitable, as they pluck from us false hearted parasites, which like the iuy cling about us to suck our sap, and to make themselves fat with our spoil; and to discover unto us our true friends, who are hardly discerned from the other till this time of trial; for as the son of sirach saith, a friend cannot be known Eccles. 12. 8. in prosperity, and an enemy cannot bee hidden in adversity. Thirdly afflictions are notable means to crown us, § Sect. 3. That afflictions do crown us with a good name whilst they discover our spiritual graces. Pro. 22. 1. Eccles. 7. 3. ● even in this life, with a good name, which is better then gold and all riches, and sweeter then the most odiferous perfume or most costly ointment. For whereas whilst we live in ease and prosperity, the spiritual gifts and graces, which God hath bestowed vpon us, do lye hide and vndiscerned; when they come to the trial of tribulation, they are plainly discovered and made known unto all men. And as the stars cannot be seen in the sun-shine day, but when the darkest night cometh they appear in all their beauty and bravery: so these shining virtues and graces of God, haue their light much obseured in the day of prosperity, but when the dark night of affliction cometh, then they shine gloriously in their chiefest brightness. Then do these precious ointments sand forth their most odiferous smell when our earthen vessels and these brittle glasses of our bodies wherein they are contained, are cracked and broken, by being smitten with crosses and calamities. Then doth this sweet incense of grace and virtue yield the most fragrant sent▪ when as it is cast into this fire of afflictions. Then doth this spiritual gold appear true and good, when it is tried in this hot burning furnace. Then is the strength of our faith manifested to Gods glory and our praise, not when we idly sit still, but when we wrestle and contend with strong temptations. Then doth our christian valour& fortitude most plainly appear, not whilst we lye at ease in the safe garrison, but when we are assaulted with these mighty enemies, and after many conflicts get the victory. Finally then doth that precious diamond of true patience come to be approved and highly valued not whilst it lieth untouched in the rich cabinet, but when it is tried vpon the anvil of afflictions. For example; Gen. 12. 1 4& 2● 2. 3. who had ever known, or knowing commended, the faith and obedience of Abraham, if at Gods commandement he had not first willingly gone into voluntary banishment, and left his own country and kindred; and afterwards been ready to offer up in sacrifice his dearest son? Who had known of Iacobs faith& piety if he had not, being endangered by his brother, wrestled with God in prayers and strong cries,& so by an holy violence obtained Gen. 32. 24. the blessing? Who had discerned those excellent graces of piety, fidelity, the fear of God, wisdom and patience, which were in joseph, if he had not been sold into Egypt, accused by his mistress, and cruelly entreated both by his own kindred and strangers? Who had ever Exod. 14. heard of those glorious deliverances of the Israelites, or understood how dear they were unto God, had they not been first vexed in the captivity of Egypt? Finally who had known, or knowing magnified the patience of job. 13. 15. 2. Sam. 15. 26. Act. 5. 45. job, the piety and humility of david, the undaunted courage and constancy of the holy Apostles, if they had not been manifested by their troubles and afflictions? And this is one chief cause which moveth the Lord to bring his children into these trials of tribulation, that the riches and excellency of his graces and virtues bestowed vpon them, may clearly appear, both to the aduancement of his glory that gave them; and the famed and estimation of those that haue them. For so the Apostle saith, that God afflicted the faithful of those times, that the trial of their faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth( though it be tried with fire) might be 1. Pet. 1. 7. found to their praise and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Iesus Christ. And therefore if men are ready to take any pains, to hazard themselves unto any danger, and to suffer innumerable miseries and extremities, that they may attain unto the vain honor and glory of the world, though oftentimes they long outlive it, or if it last so long, doth but accompany them to the grave, and then rotteth as fast as their carcase: how ready& willing, yea how cheerful and joyful should wee be in suffering these crosses and calamities, which do so much advance our spiritual famed and reputation, and set forth the praise of Gods rich graces and virtues in us; and that not among the inconstant vulgar who are ready to extol and disgrace with the same breath, but among Gods faithful saints and seruants, who being truly judicious are also constant in their praises? § Sect. 4. That by afflictions we come to rell●sh better Gods blessings and benefits. Lastly by our afflictions our ensuing prosperity is made more delightful and grateful; and these bitter crosses make us to relish much better the sweetness of Gods blessings. For there is no worldly thing so good and excellent, that hath not in the continual use of it some glutting satiety, which would in short time make it to become loathsome; unless our appetite were sometime sharpened, by the forbearing or wanting of it. There is a fullness even of honey itself, though it be never so sweet and delightful, and this fullness is accompanied with neglect and loathing; whereas the sparing of the coursest fare maketh it to haue a good relish, and to become pleasant to the taste and appetite. So the wise man Pro. 27. 7. saith; that the person that is full, despiseth an hony comb▪ but unto the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. The dantiest fare, if it be ordinary, bringeth no delight, and we find no daintiness in the taste of it, unless it be rarely fed vpon, and so made dainty in the use; whereas the homeliest meat hath an excellent relish, if it be eaten after long fasting; and hereof it is, that men after full tables, do voluntarily use some spare diet, and sharpen their stomach and appetite by long abstinence. The daies brightness if it were continual would become tedious; and the glorious light of the sun would bring weariness, unless it were made grateful by the nights darkness. In a word pleasure itself would not long please us; if the glutting satiety of these sweet meats were not taken away by abstinence, or sauced( as it were) with the sour sauce of intermingled miseries. And as common use of worldly benefits doth dull the appetite, and maketh it to loth them; so it taketh away from them their excellency and worth in our opinion, and causeth the iudgement to vilify and contemn them; whereas if we enjoy them sparing, and sometime be utterly deprived of them, then their worth is increased by their want, and they haue much better welcome at their coming again, then they formerly had before they departed from vs. Thus that excellent jewel of health when it is continually enjoyed is scarce thought on, but then it is sweet and most highly prized, when we haue long wanted it through some tedious and grievous sickness; So liberty, though it be as precious as life, is but little regarded of those who never felt the misery of restraint; but after long imprisonment it becometh most grateful and delightful. And thus riches are most esteemed by them who haue formerly been pinched with poverty, and meat is most savoury, when it is sauced with hunger. Thus that victory is fullest of ioy which is hardly obtained after a long, doubtful and dangerous fight; and the safe harbour is then descried with most comfort& contentment of the passengers, after they haue escaped the perils of tempestuous storms. Thus the delights of the spring are much more delightful because they follow the nipping frosts and fowle weather of lowering winter; and in a word thus all pleasures which satiate and glut without mixture, do become much more pleasing, when they succeed, and are often interchanged with crosses and miseries. To which purpose one saith, that in all human affairs there can scarce be any true ioy, unless doleful Hieronym. epist. ad aegrotum amicum Tom. 4. sorrow haue gone before, and the bitterness of fore passed griefs doth the more commend the sweetness of ensuing gladness. So the husbandman is moved by his painful seed time, to rejoice so much the more in his plentiful harvest, &c. And therefore seeing by these affliction● the Lord doth but sauce his benefits, that we may enjoy them with the more delight; and taketh away for a while his earthly blessings that after they are restored they may bring with them the greater pleasure; let us by this consideration be moved to bear these crosses with patience and comfort; and as the usurer, though he make an idol of his gold, yet is content to want it for a time, because when the term is expired, he expecteth to haue it returned with some increase; so though our hearts too much adhere to earthly things, yet let us be content to forbear their company for a while, seeing vpon their return the ioy and comfort which we take in them shall be much increased. even the veriest epicure( as we see) useth sharp and sour sauces to make his pleasant meats to become more savoury, and is sometime content to prescribe unto himself a voluntary fast to sharpen his stomach, and set an edge on his appetite; that so afterwards he may feed vpon his dainty cates with more delight: and why then should we not bee willing to use this temporary abstinence when God precribeth it, who being infinite in wisdom and love towards us, knows best how to delight his children for their greatest benefit, and so to sauce those earthly comforts, as that they may bring unto us the greatest pleasure and content? Finally seeing that is sweet in remembering, Quod durum fuit pati, meminisse d●lce est. Senec in Hercul. furente: which was sour in suffering, and seeing when we are in the midst of our delights, it is not the least pleasure to think that we were once miserable, and casting our eye backward, to look unto the snares out of which we are escaped, let this addition unto our future joys give some ease to our present smart; and let us for a time endure these miseries with patience, the remembrance whereof will make us the more happy for ever after. CHAP. XXVI. That the Lord useth afflictions as a notable means to preserve us from condemnation, and to further our eternal glory and happiness. BY that which hath been said it appeareth, that the Lord by our afflictions communicateth § Sect. 1. That the Lord by afflictions preserveth us from c●ndemnation. unto us many temporary benefits, making us thereby partakers both of his spiritual and saving graces, and also of earthly and worldly blessings. Now according to our order propounded we are to show, that he also useth them as means to convey unto us such benefits as are everlasting, and do respect the life to come. And these are of two sorts; for by these chastisements and fatherly corrections the Lord both preserveth us from everlasting condemnation, and also furthereth and advanceth our eternal glory and endless happiness. Concerning the former we are to know, that whereas we in our own nature and disposition are ready to take such ways, and to run such courses, as would, if we continued in them, bring us in the end to endless woe and misery; the Lord in his infinite love and mercy stoppeth and stayeth us from going on, by casting these blocks and bushes before us, that by an holy violence and profitable necessity we may be forced to turn back again unto him, and so be saved from this desperate danger. And as the careful husband-man setteth a hedge of sharp thorns about his wels and deep pits to keep his cattle from falling into them: so our gracious God, out of his special love and care over us, doth with these thorny hedges of trouble& affliction, preserve us( as we are ranging and roving in the fields of this world) from falling into, and perishing in the pit of perdition. In ourselves we are ready like silly sheep, to wander out of the right way which leadeth unto happiness, into the by-paths of sin and wickedness; and so to become a pray unto satan, who like a greedy wolf rangeth about, that getting us within his reach, he may seize vpon and utterly destroy us: and therefore our careful shepherd watcheth over us with his providence,& when he seeth us thus to go astray, he useth these afflictions, as it were the dog of the flock, to fetch us back again, and therewith as with the shepherds crooke and rod, he pulleth us unto him, and driveth us forward in the paths of holinesse and righteousness, which will safely bring us into those heavenly folds of endless happiness. If wee were left unto our own liberty, we would like the foolish bide flee from our Lord and master, and so become a pray to hellish fiends, who like ravenous kites, would seize vpon us; and therefore with these sharp knives of affliction he clippeth our wings to hinder us from taking this pernicious flight, and restraineth our licentious liberty, by putting us into these cages of restraint, that so wee may be preserved safe from perishing in these dangers. Finally if we might haue our own wils, we would, like wanton and untamed heifers, feed and take our pastime in the pleasant pastures of sin, and would gladly keep company with wicked worldings ordained to destruction; but howsoever the Lord suffereth these fat bulls of Basan to feed and Pamper themselves with these delights, to live at ease, leap and frisk about and take their pleasure, because he hath appointed them to be slaughtered in the shambles of perdition; yet he restraineth us from this wicked fellowship, by putting vpon us this yoke of chastisement; and causeth us to feed in bare fields, because he is purposed to use our service, that we may enjoy life eternal, and not accompany them in a common destruction. So that when wee are judged( we may say with the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 32. that) wee are chastened of the Lord that we may not for ever be condemned with the world. To which purpose a worthy father saith, that when God doth correct his children, and vex them here with the stinging whips Diligit quem flagellat, nolen● invenire quem damnet August. senten. Tom. 3. of wholesome and holy chastisements, he exerciseth discipline before iudgement, and sheweth his love in scourging them, in that he therefore correcteth them that he may not find them such as are fit to be condemned. And therefore seeing the Lord useth our afflictions as notable means, to preserve us from falling into everlasting condemnation, by severing us from wicked worldlings, and keeping us from accompanying them in the pleasant broad way which leadeth to destruction: as also by restraining us from sin when we are ready to fall into it, or pulling us out of it by unfeigned repentance, when wee are already fallen( as I haue before more largely proved) great reason haue wee to bear these chastisements, not only with patience and meekness, but also with ioy and thankfulness; For( as one Quis nescit quòd multō melius est ardere flammis febrium, quam flammis vitiorum? Gregor. saith) it is better to be burned with the flamme of a fever, then with the flamme of vices; seeing by this the fire of Hell is kindled against us, the torment whereof is intolerable and everlasting. Let us not then think any momentany afflictions heavy and hard to be born, which help to free us from those endless tortures, yea rather let us praise and magnify Gods mercy in them, in that being in comparison less then the by thing of a fly, they by awakening us out of the sleep of sin and security, do preserve us from being stung everlastingly with that deadly stinging serpent of death and destruction; and being less to be esteemed then the prick of a pin, do help to free us from the tormenting rack of Gods enraged wrath. But let us consider further, that as the Lord in his infinite § Sect. 2. That God by our afflictions furthereth our everlasting glory and salvation. Cum torquent aliqua mala,& non extorquent opera mala, non solum anima per patientiam possidetur &c. August. lide patien. cap. 8 2. Cor. 4. 10. love useth afflictions as a notable means to preserve us from condemnation: so also for the furthering of our salvation, and increasing of our happiness. For as one saith, when as these evils of punishment torture us, and in torturing do not extort from us the evil of sin; not only the soul is possessed by patience, but also when the body itself doth meekly endure affliction or temporary destruction, it gaineth hereby secure and immovable safety, joined with everlasting felicity; and so by sorrow and death, inviolable health and happy immortality is procured. And this is the chief end at which( next unto his own glory) God aimeth in al our afflictions; for every where wee bear about in our body the dying of our Lord Iesus, that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies, as the Apostle speaketh; and as elsewhere he saith, therefore are we tried with tribulations, that our patience and faith being approved wee may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God; yet not 2. Thes. 1. 5. through our own merit, but through Gods gracious acceptance; for there is no comparison between the Patior in terris vt potiar Coelis. smallness of our sufferings, and the greatness of the reward, though the Lord in his infinite mercy is content to repute us worthy of this superexcellent weight of glory for these our light and momentany afflictions. So the Author of the book of wisdom saith, that the 2. Cor. 4. 17. righteous having been a little chastised shall bee greatly rewarded; for God proved them& found them worthy Wisd. 3. 5. for himself. To the same purpose an ancient father speaking of Gods end in chastening his children saith; Thou givest them correction, that thou maiest not take Das disciplinam vt non auferas misericordiam. Cadis reddas ei promissam haereditatem &c. Idioat. apud Orthodoxogr. de patien. verae contempl. c. ●. Erudit ad scientiam, exercetad timorem vt coronet ad gloriam. ibidem. c. 12. August. de civit. dei lib. 12. cap. 6. thy mercy from them; thou beatest them for their contumacy, that thou maiest bestow vpon them the promised patrimony: Neither is it any wonder if thou correctest those being little, whom being come to ripe age in Christ thou wilt make thy heires. Thou therefore scourgest these, but withall thou instructest and preservest them in safety; whereas thou sparest the wicked for a time, that thou maiest condemn them for ever. Thou instructest them to know thee, thou exercisest them to fear thee, that thou mayst crown them with glory. So another asketh the reason why God permitteth the faithful to be temped? Is it not( saith he) that his virtue may hereby be tried and exercised, and he attain unto greater happiness, for it is a more glorious victory not to consent being temped, then if he could not at all bee subject to temptation. And this consideration moved Moses not only to bear with patience affliction, when through urgent necessity& vnauoidable violence it was forced vpon him; but voluntary to choose tribulation with Gods children, rather then to be divided from their society, because he knew that after his trials being approved, there was a crown of happiness reserved for him. For so it is said that he refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11. 25. 26. and choose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the rebuk of Christ greater riches then the treasures of egypt; because he had respect to the recompense of reward. Yea this was a notable encouragement to our saviour Christ himself in bearing those great afflictions and calamities which were laid vpon him, whose example the Heb. 12. 1. 2. Apostle propoundeth unto us for our imitation. Let us run( saith he) with patience the race that is set before us; looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the ioy that was set before him endured the cross, and despised the shane, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. And surely if we also would continually fix the eyes of our mindes vpon the excellency and eternity of these heavenly joys, and consider with ourselves that our short and light afflictions do much further us in attaining unto them, it would be a notable inducement to make us bear them, not onely with patience and comfort, but even to triumph over them with great rejoicing. Especially if we consider further, that it is not the bare bearing of these afflictions that doth entitle us to this happiness, but when with our patience we do overcome them; for as the Apostle saith, then are we to be accounted blessed not when we suffer, but when wee Iam. 5, 10. 11. patiently endure in these sufferings; then shall we be copartners with Gods saints in that glorious kingdom, when we are companions with them, not onely in tribulaon, but also in patience, as the Apostle John conioyneth Apoc. 1. 9. Apoc 2. 10. them: then will God give us the crown of life, when having tried us with afflictions he hath found us faithful unto the death: Then shall we receive the garland when we haue got the victory. And then▪ and not before, shal we triumph in glory when we haue fought a good fight, and overcome and put to flight these our spiritual enemies. But let us somewhat more particularly consider, how § Sect. 3. That afflictions fit and prepare us for the kingdom of heaven. and in what respects these momentany afflictions do further us in attaining unto everlasting happiness. And first we are to know, that our crosses and calamities do help us forward towards these heavenly joys, as they do fit and prepare us for the fruition of them. And this they do in a double respect: first, as they make us weary of the world, when we find such hard entertainment, and willing and desirous to arrive in our heavenly country, where we expect better welcome. For as by the afflictions of egypt, the Israelits were inflamed in their desires to leave that country, whereas they could haue been contented to haue lived and died, if they had enjoyed in it ease, peace and plenty, and when their oppressions were increased, then and not before, set their hearts on the promised land, their face to seek it, and their feet in the way which lead unto it: So when as we are so addicted to the world, that if without molestation we could enjoy the vanities of it, we would be content, yea earnestly desire to continue still in it; the Lord causeth this spiritual Pharaoh to vex and oppress us, with which servitude being thoroughly wearied, we desire to forsake the place of our miserable bondage, that we may be freed from these afflictions; and earnestly desiring to be in our heavenly country, where we expect to find and enjoy sweet rest, peace and fullness of all spiritual ioy, we think of setting our feet toward the holy land, and of walking in the way of righteousness and holinesse which leadeth unto it. To this purpose Gregor. epist. ex registr l. 2. indict. 11. c. 90 one saith, that if we rightly observe the course of this life we shall find nothing firm or constant, but as the traveler passeth sometimes by pleasant plains, and sometimes by rough and vneuen ways; so we, whilst we remain in this life▪ do one while meet with prosperity, and another while with adversity, which interchangeably succeed one another, and change their course by turns. And therefore seeing we are in all estates subject to changes and alterations, our mindes should neither be exalted with prosperity, nor dejected with adversity: but with all our hearts we are earnestly to desire to be in that place, where all things which are good are also permanent, and where there is no interchange between prosperity and adversity. To which end God so ordereth it by his divine providence, that in this life either adversity followeth prosperity, or prosperity adversity; that one while being humbled we may learn to mourn for our sins, and another while being exalted wee may retain in our mindes the remembrance of adversity, as the author of humility. again afflictions do fit and prepare us for our heavenly happiness, as they serve for helps and means, to cleanse and purify us from the filth of our corruptions and pollution of sin; For whereas no impure or base mettall, can ever come into this treasury of blessedness; afflictions are that fiery furnace wherein we are purged and refined from the dross of our corruptions, according to that of the proverbs; Take the dross from the silver, and Pro. 25. 4. there shall come forth a vessel for the siner. Whereas onely the purest grain shall be stored up in these grainers of happiness, afflictions are the wind and fan which purge and cleanse us from the chaff of sin; whereas no unclean thing can enter in thither, these troubles and cross●s are the means to wash, and purge us, as they bring us unto God by unfeigned repentance. Finally, whereas faire and well-squared stones only shall be placed in that heavenly building of the new jerusalem, afflictions are those hammers and tools whereby wee are smoothed from the bunches and knobs of worldly superfluities, carnal cares, and earthly loan. And as the Lord in building his material Temple took order that the stones should be hewn, cut and polished, in the quarreyes, because he would not haue so much as the noise of a hammer to be heard in his house; so in the building of his spiritual and triumphant church his will is that the lively stones appointed for this work should be hewed and hammered, squared and prepared with crosses and troubles in the quarry of this world; because he is purposed that no touch of tribulation should disquiet and molest us, when as wee are once placed in his heavenly Temple. For there all tears shall be wiped Apoc. 21. 4. from our eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, as the holy Ghost speaketh. In which respect one fitly compareth the Christians life Gregor. moral. lib. 19. cap. 25. to the engraff which in it lower parts is enfolded with dry and rough bark, and therefore unpleasant to be touched; but in the vpper parts it is green, beautiful and fruitful, spreading itself abroad with comely largeness: for so the faithful mans life is here below on earth despised, unpleasant, enclosed and and compassed about( as it were) with a rough rind of troubles and afflictions; but above in heaven it shall be delightful, glorious, and abounding, through our fruition of God, with the fruits of blessedness. Secondly, afflictions do further us in attaining § Sect. 4. That by our afflictions we are assured of everlasting happiness; first through Gods gracious promises made to the faithful which are afflicted. unto heavenly happiness, as they do whilst wee live here ascertain and assure us, that we shall enjoy them in the life to come; and so enter us by the assurance of faith and hope into the present possession of everlasting glory. The which assurance we attain unto, both by meditation in Gods word, and by the consideration of his works and administration of his righteous iudgment. For in the scriptures we shall find, that the Lord hath bound himself by manifold gracious promises, that he will give everlasting life and happiness unto all who being afflicted in this world, do with faith, patience and humility bear their cross. So he saith to his afflicted church: For your shane you shal receive double,& for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: for in their land they shal possess the double: everlasting ioy shalbe unto them. And Esa. 61. 7. the holy Apostle assureth us, that if we be dead with Christ we shall also live with him; if we suffer with him, we shall also 2. Tim. 2. 11. 12 reign with him, and that the crosses of this life, are not wor thy the crown and glory which shall be shewed Rom. 8. 17. 18. us in the life to come; seeing as else where he saith, Those short and momentany afflictions shall cause unto us a far most excellent and an eternal weight of glory. And hereof it is that our saviour pronounceth them blessed, 2. Co. 4. 17. who in this life are exercised with afflictions, because, profiting by them, they are so many certain signs and undoubted pledges of their future happiness. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are Math. 5. 4. Luk. 6. 20. 22. 23. ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now, for ye shall be satisfied; Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall laugh, Blessed are ye when men hate you, and when they separate and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the son of mans sake. rejoice ye in that day and be glad, for behold your reward is great in heaven. So the Apostle james saith that, the man is blessed that endureth Iam. 1. 12. tentation, because when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. By which it appeareth, that if with patience wee bear the cross, wee shall be also partakers of the crown; if we endure the fight and obtain the victory, then shall we also triumph in glory: with which consideration Eliphaz persuadeth to patience in afflictions; Behold( saith he) Blessed is the man whom God correcteth: job. 5. 17. therefore refuse not thou the chastening of the almighty. And Christ encourageth the Angel of the church of Smyrna with this consolation to be constant and faithful in his sufferings. fear none of these things( saith Apoc. 2. 10. he) which you shall suffer, behold it shall come to pass that the divell shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall haue tribulation ten daies. Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. And the Apostle Paul thus comforteth himself after all the miseries which he had suffered in his spiritual warfare; I haue fought( saith he) a good fight and haue finished 2. Tim. 4. 8. my course; I haue kept the faith, from hence-forth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day. Neither in truth can there be a more effectual consolation in our troubles and distresses, then when we are by them assured out of Gods word that after these light and momentany afflictions, wee shall enjoy unspeakable and endless happiness; For( as one saith) we shall not feel the pinching miseries of this life, whilst with the whole intention of our minds we fix our thoughts vpon our future hopes. But we shal be like a valiant warrior, who either feeleth not, or contemneth the grief of his wounds, whilst all the powers of his mind are wholly taken up with thinking vpon his future victory. &c. For so doth assured hope overcome things instant, that that in a sort beginneth to be which is to come,& that endeth which is present, and maketh us like to a woman in the pains of childbed, who whilst she hopeth assuredly to haue a son, lightly esteemeth of her sorrows in bearing him. But as by afflictions we gather assurance of everlasting § Sect. 5. That by Gods works the faithful which are afflicted may be assured of heavenly happiness. happiness belonging unto us out of Gods word; so may we be more confirmed in this assurance by Gods works, and the administration of his righteous judgements. For the Lord to show the infiniteness and omnipotency of his wisdom and power, doth bring usually one contrary out of another, as light out of darkness, good out of evil, happiness out of misery, ioy out of sorrow, and the highest exaltation unto heavenly glory, out of the lowest abjection and humiliation through earthly afflictions and calamities. And as our saviour was sent, by his word to cast down strong holds, and to level and make equal with the ground all that lifteth up and advanceth itself, and contrariwse to raise him up that is dejected, to preach good tidings unto the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to preach liberty to captives, to comfort all that mourn, giuing them beauty for ashes, the oil of ioy for mourning, and the garment of gladness for the Esai 61. 1. 2. 3. spirit of heaviness; so accordingly he doth in act and dead powerfully effect this his good will and pleasure, bringing men out of misery unto felicity, and out of the depths of hell into the kingdom of heaven. Whereas contrariwise he usually pulleth down that which is exalted in the world, and out of the greatest worldly prosperity, bringeth men into everlasting woe and misery. Both which our saviour signifieth in that parable of dives and Lazarus; for as the rich man who surfeited of Luk. 16. worldly delights, and abounded with all earthly blessings, was stripped of all, and cast into hell torments, whereas he could not obtain so much as a drop of could water to cool his tongue; so Lazarus( who wanted both means and friends,& had not the privilege of the dogs granted unto him, which were allowed to eat the crumbs that fell under the rich mans table) was out of this worldly misery, carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosom; And this vicissitude of weal and woe, earthly misery and heavenly happiness, not only was signified in the dead done, but also in Abrahams speech, which being spoken in a parable belongeth unto all who are in the like condition. Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures, and likewise Lazarus pain; now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented. And thus those, whom the Apostle John seeth adorned with the long white robes of glory and immortality, are said to be such, as came out of great tribulation, although their garments had not their whiteness by being washed in the tears Apoc. 7. 14. of their sorrows and trouble, but in the blood of the lamb, as it is there expressed. And this is just with God that the faithful should( as it were) by the gates of hell travail towards heaven, and through many miseries Et just salve illa perpetua quae turpiter amissa est per voluntatem, fortiter r●cipitur per dolorem August. de Genes. ad literam lib. 3. c. 15. pass into everlasting felicity, that( as one saith) that salvation which was willingly lost for the obtaining of momentany pleasure might again be recovered by patient sustaining of temporary grief& misery: And contrariwise that the ungodly and wicked, who flourishing in worldly prosperity, abused Gods good blessings for the dishonour of God, and oppression of his seruants, should come to a day of reckoning, when as being found guilty, they shall be stripped of all, and receive punishment according to their deserts; And with this fitly sorteth the saying of the Apostle, It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you which are troubled rest with us, when the 2. Thes. 1. 6. 7. Lord Iesus shall show himself from heaven with his mighty Angells, &c. Neither haue we only by our afflictions when we profit by them, some assurance fom that viciffic●de of earthly misery and heavenly glory before spoken of; but also may haue it most strongly confirmed by an argument taken from the iustice, which must needs be in the administration of Gods righteous judgements. For when we see that ourselves and others, who truly and sincerely fear and serve the Lord, are subject to innumerable troubles, and( as the Prophet speaketh) are afflicted every morning, one misery( like the waves of the sea) following in the neck of another, whereas contrariwise the wicked contemners of God and goodness, abound with all earthly blessings, and flourish in the prosperity of the world; from hence we may necessary and infallibly conclude, that the righteous judge of heaven and earth, who will render unto every man according to his works, hath most certainly appointed a time for the punishing of their sin, and the rewarding according to his gracious and free promises, our virtues and holy endeavours; for the full freedom of his faithful seruants out of all their miseries, and crowning of their faith, patience and obedience, with glory and happiness; and also for the condemnation and destruction of wicked reprobates, who like malicious enemies haue all their life provoked his wrath, and dishonoured his name by their sin and impiety. Neither will it stand with natural reason, that God infinite in iustice and goodness, should create and ordain his best creatures who are most careful of his glory unto woe and misery in the world; and those who are outrageously wicked to flourish in prosperity and and abound in all earthly blessings, if he had not appointed an after reckoning, and second iudgement, for the rewarding of the godly, who are here afflicted, & the punishment of the wicked, who are in worldly privileges and prerogatives so highly exalted and advanced. And therefore seeing by our afflictions we haue so many ways assurance of everlasting life and happiness, let us endure them with patience, comfort and rejoicing; for if there were no other fruit or benefit arising from them, this alone were sufficient to countervail and infinitely to overweigh all the griefs and miseries which are incident to the momentany and uncertain life of man; seeing they being light shall haue an end before or with us; whereas this superexcellent weight of glory, which they seal and confirm unto us, is infinite and everlasting. If then worldly men are content to endure any labour, to hazard themselves to innumerable dangers, and to suffer many and grievous miseries, that they may be assured of earthly things, their strongest assurances, being but uncertainties, and the best things assured, but trifling vanities; if the husbandman toil and labour in the seed time, in hope of a plentiful harvest; notwithstanding that his expectation is often frustrated, by many accidents, as foul and unseasonable weather, too much drought, or too much rain, worms, cankers, caterpillars, and such like; If the soldier suffer all those miseries which are incident to his profession, as watching, could, hunger, and be ready with patience and courage to run into innumerable desperate dangers, which every day bring him to the very confines of deaths kingdom, and all to obtain either the vain breath of mens praises, or some small pay to defray his charges; and if the merchant compass sea and land, and run unknown courses, with much pains and great peril, to get some wealth which he is uncertain whether he shall obtain or no; or having obtained it may after a tedious voyage perish in the long desired port, or be stolen or taken from him, by outward violence, when he cometh to land; with what patience and comfort should wee endure all our pains and labour, and bear all the crosses and calamities, which give unto us when we profit by them, most certain assurance of such riches, honors, and pleasures, as being vnualuable and unconceivable, are also out of all danger of coming, by any outward accident, either unto loss or end. Thirdly we are furthered by our afflictions in attaining unto heavenly happiness, as they are used by God § Sect. 6. That afflictions keep us in the way of righteousness which leadeth to everlasting happiness. as means to keep us in the right way, or way of righteousness, which leadeth unto them. For whereas by our natural corruption we are ready to wander into the by paths of sin, and to go into the broad way which leadeth to destruction, being alured by the enticing baits of worldly vanities, the Lord( as hath been shewed) maketh afflictions to serve as a thorny hedge and strong fence to keep us in our right course, and to restrain us from digressing and going astray. And when being sailing in the sea of this miserable world, towards the haven of everlasting rest, we are ready to listen to the sweet siren tunes of carnal pleasures, and leaping out of our ship of safety the true and invisible Church, to perish by adhering to them in the gulf of destruction; God in love unto us useth our afflictions, as wax, to stop our ears, that we may not harken to these bewitching songs, but may without distraction hold on our course which will bring us at the last to the po●t of blessedness. Neither do our crosses only keep us in the right way which bringeth us to heavenly ioy and glory, but also they hasten our speed in travailing of it; and whereas in our own disposition we are sluggish and slothful in our journey and either ready to turn back again, to sit still, or at least to make slow hast in going forward, the Lord useth afflictions as goads and spurs to quicken our dulness, and as rods to drive us on, and to compel us to make more hast, that we may more safely and seasonably come unto the end of our journey, and be better assured of the salvation of our fowls. Finally our afflictions do much further us in attaining § Sect. 7. That afflictions are the way whereby we must enter into Gods kingdom. Math. 7. 14. Act. 14. 22. unto glory and immortality, as God hath appointed them to be the way that must bring us unto this everlasting rest. For there is no coming into heaven unless we will be content to pass through the straight gate and narrow way of trouble and affliction, as our saviour teacheth us; and if we will ever come thether, we must by many tribulations, enter into the kingdom of God, as the Apostle Paul affirmeth. We cannot enter into the heavenly Chanaan unless we pass through this wilderness of sin: we cannot come into the port of happiness, unless we fail through a sea of miseries; we cannot obtain 2. Tim. 2. 5. 1. Cor. 9. 25 the garland of glory unless we run and wrestle for it, striving as we ought to do till we haue gotten the victory, which cannot be performed by us, but with much pain and irksome labour. We must never look Tribulatio m●teriam habet pugnae, vnde fit vt occasionem praebeat victoriae,& per consequens coronae, quia non coronabitur nisi qui legitime certauerit idiot inter orthodox. de pat. ver. contempt cap. 3. to be crwoned with happiness, till we haue overcome the enemies of our salvation, and there is no notable victory obtained, unless a painful and perilous fight haue gone before; we cannot come into heavenly happiness, but by earthly misery, and here we must endure wants and watching, wounds and weariness, weakness, sickness, and many infirmities, before we can attain unto heavenly plenty, rest, security and that everlasting health which cannot be impeached with any sickness. Neither must we look for a privilege of having any other way then this narrow and straight path of afflictions to bring us unto heaven, seeing( as hereafter I shall show) it is the common high way, by which all Gods dear saints and faithful seruants haue travailed before vs. Yea not the only son of God himself, had any prerogative herein above others, but though he were most pure and innocent, yet he was fain by the ladder of the cross to climb into his kingdom; for as himself saith, he ought to haue suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory; namely Luk. 24. 26. that the predictions of the Prophets might be fulfilled who declared first the sufferings which should come unto him, and then the glory which should follow after, as the 1. Pet. 1. 11. Apostle speaketh. And therefore if wee ever mean to come unto this heavenly happiness, we must not think to find out some new way which is faire, pleasant and full of ease and carnal delight; but we must tread in the footsteps of Christ our guide who is gone before us, and keep in the same strait and afflicted way which he hath traveled; for none come unto heaven but his Disciples and the scholars of his school, and every one who will be his Disciple must make account to take up his Luk. 9. 23. cross daily, and follow him, as himself hath told vs. whereof it is, that the Apostle saith, that we haue need of patience, Heb. 10. 36. for the obtaining of our heavenly patrimony which God hath promised us; because there is no way of coming unto it but through afflictions and tribulations, in which we would quickly faint if we were not strengthened by faith and patience. And therefore the Apostle prayeth, that the God of all grace who hath called, the faithful to eternal glory by Christ Iesus, after they haue suffered a little would make them perfect and constant, implying thereby, that first wee must be cast down and humbled by afflictions, before we can be exalted to glory and happiness. And this( as one saith) is just with God, August. de patient. lib. c. 14. that we who were cast out of the joys of Paradise, for our rebellious lusting after the forbidden fruit, that thereby we might please and delight our taste and appetite; should be readmitted into our lost happiness by patient enduring unpleasant griefs and distasteful miseries, that wee who fled from Gods presence by doing of evil, should be brought back unto him by suffering of evil; and that as wee there did against righteousness, so wee should here suffer for righteousness: whereby it appeareth that they are in a miserable condition who haue always flourished in prosperity, and never tasted of any misery, because they are quiter out of the narrow and afflicted way which bringeth us to eternal blessedness, and walk in that broad and pleasant way which leadeth Miser et inf●lix est qui non fuerit in foeli. citate tentatus. Caret enim munere qui caret certamine. Hi●r. ad aegrotum amicum▪ T. 4. idiot inter orthodox. de patien verae contempt. Cap. 2. Bernard in Psal. qui habitat. Serm. 17 to destruction. For as one saith, he is unhappy in his happiness, who was never thought worthy to combat with crosses, whereby we attain unto the crown of everlasting glory: And again; he is wretched and unhappy who in his happiness is not exercised with temptations; for he hath not the crown of victory who hath not first sustained the pains and danger of the fight. To which purpose another affirmeth, that he who is exempted from suffering the smart of afflictions, is exempted also from the society of Gods elect children, because a woe is denounced against them who haue here their collation, and contrariwise they are pronounced blessed who sorrow and weep. In which respect tribulation and affliction is much more profitable unto us then abused prosperity; an abject and mean condition, better then an high estate and ouer-topping greatness; and pinching necessity, then voluptuousness plenty; because § Sect. 8. That we may comfort ourselves in all our afflictions by remembering that they further us in attaining unto happiness. Tendimus per viam laboriosam ad quietam patriam ubi retractis omnibus actionibus nostris non remanebit nisi alleluia. August Serm. infesto paschae de Allleuia. T. 10. both being momentany and passing away with posting speed; the one leaveth behind it hellish punishments, the other causeth unto us an heavenly crown of everlasting glory. Seeing therefore the cross of Christ is( as it is called) the ladder to heaven, his sufferings being the cause, and ours the way that leadeth us unto happiness, as there is no cause of shane in hearing of the one, so there is no cause of sorrow in bearing of the other; for what matter is it, though the way of our pilgrimage bee rough and unpleasant, if we can be assured that by travailing of it, we shall be brought into heaven? what though it be foul and dirty( like Ieremies dungeon) so that our feet, as we are going, stick fast in the mire? yet let not this discourage us, for as the way is filthy, so it is short, and after we haue endured a little pains in passing it, our momentany labour will bring us to everlasting rest, and this short foul lane being soon traveled will conduct us unto a palace of all pleasure, and unto those glorious mansions of ioy& happiness which our saviour Christ hath prepared for vs. What though wee must pass through a Sea of miseries, where wee shall be subject to the storms and tempests of affliction and trouble, and be in danger of the spiritual enemies of our salvation, which like cruel pirates are ready to rob us? yet let not this dismay us, seeing God is our guide& master Pilot, who is both willing and able to safeguard us from all perils, and it is but a short cut, which being quickly passed, will bring us into the safe harbour of heavenly happiness. What though we cannot enter into heaven, but by passing through the hot burning furnace of tribulation and affliction? and what if with Elias we must be taken up in a fiery Chariot into the place of our ioy and rest? let not this discourage us or abate our comfort, Rom. 8. 18. seeing we are assured, that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy the glory which shall be shewed us, for they are light and momentany but the glory and happiness which they cause unto us is superexcellent and eternal. 2. Cor. 4. 17. Finally, what though others find a way much more faire and easy that bringeth them to glory? let us not envy them their greater delight, but travell with patience in that path which God hath appointed vs. For though theirs is fairer, yet it may be that ours is shorter and more direct; though theirs is much more pleasant, Dura videtur, said ipsa est tuta via, alia fortè delici●s habet said latronis bus plena est. August. in Psa. 36. enarrat. Nehem. 2. 13. it may be ours is much more safe; not so sweet and delightful in the passage: but withall not so much beset with theeues, or though ours were behind theirs in all worldly privileges, let us not be sorry because we go this way, but glad that wee may go by any way, unto the place of our ioy, and rejoice in Gods mercy, if wee may through the dung-port, or by a posterne-gate, be admitted to enter into the new jerusalem. Let not these small losses grieve us which shall be accompanied with such inestimable gain, let us not like slothful husbandmen impatiently repined at our pains in the seed time, but comfort ourselves in the expectation of our heavenly harvest, and let the assurance of our future joys mitigate our mourning for present miseries. Let us not like timorous passengers fear those winds and seas which will safely bring us into the haven of rest; let us not like loitering travelers refuse that way for a little foulness, which will directly bring us to our heavenly home; let us not like idle workmen murmur at one daies labour, which will be rewarded with the wages of heavenly happiness and everlasting rest. Finally let us not like cowardly soldiers fear to hazard ourselves unto the pains and perils of such a fight, as will assuredly bring with it such a glorious victory. And seeing heavenly joys shall follow our earthly sorrows, great and inestimable rewards our small and easy labours, and everlasting happiness our momentany afflictions, there is no cause of care and sorrow unto any, but unto those alone who haue neither faith nor hope. To which purpose one Cyprianus contra Demetrianum tract. pri●o. saith, that he alone truly feeleth the smart of worldly adversity, as of a painful punishment, whose ioy and glory is all in this life; he mourneth and weepeth if he be crossed in the world, who expecteth no happiness after this world, but hath all his comfort continued and concluded with his life, and after his departure looketh for nothing but pain and torment. But there is no cause of grief when we are invaded with present calamities; if by faith we are assured of future comforts: neither is there any reason why we should unmeasurably mourn for earthly afflictions, if they any whit further us in attaining unto heavenly glory. And therfore let us not in our afflictions fix our mindes on the evils which we suffer, but look higher to the happiness which they cause unto us;& being to pass( as it were by a narrow bridge) over this deep flood& gulf of worldly miseries, let us not cast down our eyes to our feet and behold the dangers which threaten to swallow us; which will but intoxicate the brain and hinder our passage; but let us look aloft to that heavenly happiness which as the end of our hopes are set before us, and so shall we hold a steady course and undaunted resolution in passing over with patience these depths of difficulties, and safely arrive at the land of blessedness. But our momentany crosses do not only further our § Sect. 9. That by our afflictions our heavenly ioy and glory shall be much increased. everlasting happiness, but also do much increase it; for the more painful our labours are in Gods service, the more rich shall be our wages; the more laborious and dangerous our fight is, the more glorious shall be our crown of victory; and the more our sufferings exceed in number and measure, the more shall our joys be multiplied and our glory augmented. So one saith, Gregor. Nissen. de provid. c. 8. that our life is a warfare and this world a place of masteries; wherein the best garlands are allotted to them who sustain the greatest labours. And according to the measure of our affliction shall be the measure of our glorious retribution. The reason whereof is clear and evident; for the more the Lord increaseth our afflictions, the more he increaseth our strength to bear them; for he is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above our power 1. Cor. 10. 13. but will give a good issue with the temptation, that we may be able to bear it. And his corrections are trials to prove us, and not intolerable burdens to overwhelm us; And therefore the more he multiplieth our griefs and sorrows, the more he enlargeth and increaseth our spiritual graces, as faith, hope, patience, humility and the rest; that we may be enabled in bearing to overcome them; and according to the greatness of our graces shall be the gloriousness of our reward, seeing he crowneth his own gifts with proportionable blessedness; and as he advanceth us above others in grace in this life, so he will exalt us above others in glory in the world to come. So that God measureth our greatness according to the measure of our crosses: and our glory according to our graces; whereof it followeth that our greater afflictions are signs of our greater grace; and the more we excel in Gods graces now, the more shall we excel in glory, in the day of retribution. Thus one saith, that our said& ijsdem flagellis crcuit virtus patientia; atque, ex dollar verberis aucta est gloriae remunerationis Gregor. moral. lib. 3. cap. 2. patience increaseth with our corrections, and that by the smart of our stripes, is augmented the glory of our reward. And this is one principal end why God afflicteth the faithful, when he spareth the wicked, that their conflict may occasion their victory; and their crosses may ●it them for the receiving of their crown; whereas he employeth not the other in any service, because he is not purposed to give them any wages, and will not let them suffer with Christ in this life, because he will not haue them to reign with him in the life to come. Yea this moveth him chiefly to afflict those whom he chiefly Affligimur, ut coronae& premia nobis augeantur: quantum enim tribulationes intenduntur, tantum& retributiones ampliabuntur Chrysost. in illud, modic● vino utere. Inferiora sunt premia inferi●ribus pugnis; ubi denique fortia fortibus imperantur, fortiorem fortior muneris sequitur census. Hieronim. ad aegrotum amicu● loveth, and to subject them to the greatest trials, who are endowed with the greatest graces, because he would fit them for a richer reward,& advance them to an higher degree of glory, and happiness. So one saith, that we are afflicted by God, that our reward and crown may hereby be increased; and as much as he addeth to our tribulation, so and much more will he add to our retribution. And whereas our great commander bestoweth lesser rewards for lesser conflicts, when he commandeth his valiantest souldiers to attempt and achieve the most valorous employments, it is his purpose for their greater worth to give unto them a greater reward. And therefore noble champions think it to be a disgrace and great disparagement unto them, when they are employed in some ordinary service, or matched with a weak and contemptible adversary; because his glory is greatest, which getteth the greatest victory, his devotion& love towards God is most zealous and entire who for his sake is content to undergo the greatest difficulties and dangers, and then doth our virtue and fortitude shine brightest, when as they triumph over the strongest enemies: And he excelleth others in the kings esteem, who sustaineth the brunt of the battle, and hath his valor t●ied in the hottest conflict, the might of his vanquished enemies adding much to his victory, and the strength& violence of their repelled encounters, greatly increasing the glory of his triumph. Seeing then our light and momentany afflictions, do § Sect. 10. That the former consideration should make us not only patient but also joyful in our greatest afflictions: and how by degrees we must ascend unto this rejoicing. Rom. 5. 3 not only further our heavenly happiness, but also augment and increase it, making our state of blessedness much more blessed, our excelling joys super-excellent; and our crown of glory far more glorious; let us in this faith and assurance not think it sufficient to bear those crosses which God imposeth with patience and contentedness, unless wee can attain unto that pitch which the Apostle appointeth us, and endure all our tribulations with thanksgiving and spiritual rejoicing. And this perfection of patience in bearing the cross our saviour requireth in his Disciples: namely, that in the day of their greatest perfecutions& afflictions, they should rejoice and be glad because their reward is great in heaven. Luk. 6. 23 So the Apostle Peter exhorteth to this spiritual ioy: dearly beloved( saith he) think it not strange concerning 1. Pet. 4. 13 the fiery trial which is among you to prove you, as though some strange thing were come unto you, but rejoice, in a● much a● ye are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall appear ye may be glad and rejoice. And the Apostle james willeth us, to count it exceeding ioy when ●am. 1. 2. we fall into diuers temptations, because this trial, by increasing our graces, augmenteth our glory. But yet( as I haue before shewed) we must take heed that wee do not at the first step jump into this ioy, rejoicing in the sight and sense of our afflictions themselves, which were stoical and stockish senselessness; or in the sight of our sins which haue deserved them, and drawn vpon us these heavy crosses, which were a testimony of an hard heart and seared conscience, seeing they will not melt and relent in this fiery trial: But wee must arise unto this height of perfection by steps and degrees, first lamenting our sins with bitter sorrow, because we haue moved our heavenly father in his just displeasure to chastise and correct us; and then bewailing our afflictions themselves with moderate grief, that our harts may be eased by breathing out those sorrows, which if they had no vent would drown& stifle them. And when by this repentance we are assured of reconciliation with God, that our sin which is the sting of our afflictions, is taken away; then from this faith must arise patience first, and then thanksgiving and spiritual rejoicing, and that not in respect of our crosses themselves, but in regard of our hope and assurance of that heavenly happiness, which they seal unto vs. And this order our saviour himself observeth and requireth: verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep joh. 16. 20 and lament, and the world shall rejoice, and ye shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy. And the Apostle Peter noteth, that these were conjoined and intermingled in the faithful; rejoicing in the assurance of salvation prepared for them, and heaviness for a season through manifold temptations; mourning( if need require) in the sight and sense of our afflictions, and rejoicing in Christ with ioy unspeakable& glorious, as they further us in rec●iuing the end of our faith, even the salvation of our 1. Pet. 1. 6, 7. 8, 9. souls. And this the Psalmist representeth unto us in the similitude of the husband-man, who sows in tears, and reaps in ioy; weepeth when he carrieth out his Psal. 126. 5, 6 seed, but rejoiceth when he bringeth home his sheaves: And our saviour Christ likeneth us in this behalf to a woman in travell, who in her labour hath sorrow because her hour is come, but as soon as shee is delivered of the joh. 16. 21 child, shee remembreth no more the anguish, for ioy that a man is born into the world: For so though wee wail and weep whilst we travell in pain, through the sharp pangs of our troubles and afflictions, yet no sooner are we assured by ●hem of our adoption and salvation, but we presently forget our griefs, and rejoice in this, that we are born unto God, not onely as sons, but heires also to his heavenly kingdom. And this is that true and seasonable rejoicing in our afflictions which wee must labour to attain unto, first sorrowing for our sin and chastisement, yet not resting in this sorrow; and then rejoicing in the midst of our grievous afflictions, and not at the first step leaping into this ioy; but considering them not as fruits of sin, nor as scourges in the hand of our displeased father, but as signs of our adoption, and seals whereby our heavenly inheritance is assured( yea improved and bettered) unto us; let us from hence take occasion to rejoice, yea to triumph in ioy and gladness. For what is the pain of our seed time, in comparison of the profits of our harvest? what is our present smart, in respect of our future joys? how small are our griefs being compared with the greatness of our glory? what are our earthly sorrows, to our heavenly comforts? our momentany mourning, unto our everlasting rejoicing? these fears to those hopes, these sufferings to those solaces, these pains to those rewards, these light and 2. Cor. 4. 17 short afflictions, unto that far most excellent and eternal weight of glory, which they cause unto us? and Rom. 8. 18 what are the tribulations of this present time, in comparison of the glory which shall be revealed? Let us therefore with the wise husband-man, not mourn so much to part with our precious seed, as rejoice in our expectation of a plentiful harvest; let us not look so much to our bodies decaying by afflictions, like the corn which rotteth in the earth before it springeth, but rather consider that by this means we rise from our corruption, first growing like faire green blades in grace, and then flourishing like ripe ears in glory and felicity. Let us not respect the present loss of our seed, but think of the returning of it with manifold advantage: yea, let us rejoice though wee haue a wet and weeping seed time, and a hard, stormy, and fros●y winter, because they are seasonable, and do the better assure us of a fruitful harvest. And( that I may conclude this point Iam cum se● queris via● Christi, non tibi s●culi prosperitate● promittas, per dura ambula●it, said magna promisit. Sequere. Non tantum attendere qu● iturus es said quo venturus sis, &c. Aug. in Psal. 36. euarra●. with the divine meditation of a worthy father) whilst we are walking in the way of Christ towards the kingdom of heaven, let us not promise unto ourselves the prosperity of the world. The path was hard which he traveled, but the happiness great which he promised; follow him therefore, and think not by what way, but whither thou art going; for thou shalt suffer temporal adversity, but it will bring thee to everlasting felicity. If then thou wilt endure the labour, thou must be still mindful of the reward; for even the workman would faint in the vineyard, if he did not remember the receiving of his wages. But if thou attendest unto that which thou shalt receive, thou wilt lightly esteem whatsoever thou sufferest, and not think thy present pains worthy thy future profits. Yea thou wilt wonder, that so great and rich a reward should be given unto the●, for such small and easy labour: For we should( brethren) for the obtaining of everlasting rest, haue undergone endless pains, and for the gaining of eternal felicity haue endured and suffered eternal misery: but this could not be; for if we should haue sustained endless labour, how could there haue been a beginning for our endless rest? and therefore it was necessary that our tribulation should bee but temporary, that being ended, wee might come to everlasting felicity. But yet out of question( brethren) we might haue endured long afflictions, for the attaining unto this never ending happiness, &c. For if we should haue suffered them the space of a thousand yeeres, what is a thousand yeeres in comparison of eternity? Yea, what proportion is there between the longest finite time, and that which is infinite ten thousand yeers, yea an hundred thousand; or if ye will, millions of millions, because they haue an end, cannot be compared with eternity. But Gods love& free mercy herein shineth, in that he would haue our pains not only temporary, but also short and momentany: for the whole life of man lasteth but a few daies, and therefore though no pleasures were intermingled with our crosses( as there are many) though we should spend all our time in labour and sorrow, in grief and torment, in prison and tortures, in hunger and thirst; yet because we continue here but a few dayes, our miseries also would bee but momentany:& after these short sufferings thus quickly ended: we shal receive an eternal kingdom, endless felicity, equal glory with the Angels,& an everlasting inheritance with Iesus Christ. O how great is our reward for our little labour! we see old souldiers which live& labour in the wars, even from their youth unto old age, and are still subject to wounds and in danger of death, that they may enjoy a few quiet dayes, when their life draweth towards an end, and when old age beginneth to burden them, who were not burdened with the weight of war; what hardness they are content to suffer, what iourneies and labours, what could and heat, what watchings and wants, what wounds and dangers they endure with patience, not looking unto the things they suffer, but unto those few daies of peace and plenty, which they hope to enjoy in their old age, unto which they know not whether they shall ever attain or no. And how much more then should wee endure the troubles and miseries of our momentany warfare, with patience and contentedness, yea with thanksgiving and rejoicing; seeing we are certainly assured, that we shall haue everlasting rest, after our few daies labours, and most excellent and never ending ioy and felicity, after our short sorrows, and temporary miseries? CHAP. XXVII. That afflictions in their own nature being evil and the fruits of sin, do not derive unto us all the former blessings and benefits; but as they are sanctified unto us for these ends by the spirit of God. BY that which hath been said it may appear, § Sect. 1. That God by his infinite power& wisdom altereth the nature of afflictions and maketh them profitable unto vs. that al the afflictions of the faithful proceed out of Gods mere love, seeing in these fatherly chastisements, he wholly aimeth at his own glory, and their good; and accordingly, through his infinite wisdom& power doth effectually achieve it, causing many excellent fruits to spring from the three of the cross, and using our corrections as means to derive unto us many incomparable benefits, both spiritual and worldly, temporal and eternal: But least any man should misapply unto himself these comforts to whom they do not belong, imagining that the sole suffering of afflictions, will entitle him to the goods of Gods temporary blessings, and the lands and inheritance of the heavenly Canaan; or that the cross hath some virtue in itself for the working in us, or deriving unto us these precious graces and inestimable benefits: we are to know that these are not the fruits of afflictions in their own nature, but of Gods mercy and love, wisdom and power, who by his allruling providence doth order and dispose of them that they may be means for the conferring of this good unto vs. For being considered in themselves, they are( as hath been shewed) 〈◇〉 the fruits of sin, the evils of punishment, the testimonies of Gods wrath, the curses of the lawe, and the first flashes of hell sire; and therefore these trees being so evil, must needs be in their own nat●re barren of those excellent fruits of Gods spiritual graces, and heavenly glory, and fruitful only in malicious thoughts, wicked words, and evil works; but God alone to show the infiniteness of his wisdom, power and love towards us, doth change their nature, turuing these stones into bread, and making them fit to nourish in us all saving graces, which in themselves are more likely to choke and stifle them; that hereby he may show unto us that as in the life of nature, so in the life of grace we do not live by the sole virtue of ordinary means, but by every word that proceedeth out of his mouth; and causeth this birth and fruit of sin to kill the mother who brought it forth, this temporary punishment to become a fatherly chastisement, whereby we are preserved from the everlasting punishment of hell fire; these testimonies of his wrath to become signs of his love and seals of our adoption, and these curses of the law and flashes of hell to become evangelical blessings, and an ordinary and direct way whereby wee may travell towards his heavenly kingdom. But this will better appear if wee further consider § Sect. 2. That afflictions tend to the hurt of the wicked, not making them better but much worse. what fruits afflictions bear in wicked men, when as they follow their kind, and haue not their nature by any superior power changed and altered. For if we observe them wee shall find, that their miseries and calamities do not at all profit, but exceedingly hurt them; nor make them any whit the better, but rather cause them to become worse and worse: wee shall see that when they first fall into them they storm and rage with great impatiency, tormenting themselves more with their own unruly passions, and with their struggling and striving to shake off their yoke, then they are tormented with any sense or smart of the evils which they suffer; and that( looking only unto secondary causes) they are carried with mad fury, and desperate malice against the instruments and means of their miseries, and think of nothing but of mortal reuenge, which if they be unable to execute, they keep themselves from bursting with rage by bitter railings, wicked reproaches, and with damnable curses and execrations. Yea when their calamities still continue, and their horns are so shortened that they cannot show their curstnesse, in wrecking their malice vpon the causes of their crosses, they are ready to murmur against the divine providence,& to tax it of unjustice, or unmercifulness, because they are punished above their strength, or more then any other, yea above their deserts, and with greater rigour then others who haue much more heinously offended; yea they stick not oftentimes in desperate malice to belch out blasphemies and horrible impieties against the sovereign majesty of God himself, and seek to ease themselves of the smart which they suffer, by bursting out into this railing reuenge, and by casting out of their black and hellish mouths the poison of asps, unjust accusations and false aspersions, whereby in the depth of their malice they labour to blemish the beauty of the chiefest goodness. Or if their punishments open their eyes to behold their nakedness, and call all their sins to their remembrance; and if with the noise or sense of these heavy judgements, their sleeping consciences are awakened, and begin to accuse and testify against them, that they haue not only deserved the miseries which they suffer, but may justly expect the full vials of Gods fierce wrath to be powred vpon them in this life, and everlasting tortures and hellish torments in the life to come; then are they filled with horror and desperation, crying out with cain that their smart exceedeth their Gen. 4, 8 sin, and that their punishment is greater then they can bear, and then either with him they labour to bring a callum or thick skin over their galled consciences by giuing themselves over to all luxurious pleasures and carnal delights, and stop the cry of their inward accusations, with the loud clamour of their sports and merriments, or if their calamities do so hedge them in, that they cannot come at these worldly pastimes, then having no help in themselves, nor hope in God, they flee from him as from an incensed enemy, and either 1. Sam. 28. 8 with Saul they resort unto witches and wizards, and seek the divels help for the removal of those punishments which God hath imposed; or being quiter forlorn and utterly desperate, they do with Iudas become Math. 27. 5 their own hang-men. So that the same fire of afflictions which purifieth the faithful, like gold, from the dross of their corruptions; doth utterly consume the wicked like straw or stubble; the same wind of trouble which purgeth Gods good wheat, that it may be fit for his own use, doth blow away reprobate men from his presence vpon the face of the earth: The same anvil and hammer of tribulation, which break and bruise in pieces Gods elect vessels, that being molten again they may be framed a new for his use, do make the adamantine hearts of wicked men to become the harder and much more obdurate; the same dosse of misery which is a good antidote and preservative to Gods own children, to keep them from falling into the spiritual diseases of sin, is unto ungodly men deadly poison, bringing them to eternal death and utter destruction. The same strait way of affliction and tribulation which leadeth the faithful to the kingdom of heaven, conducteth the faithless to hell and condemnation; and the same bitter potion which keepeth those who haue grace in temperance and sobriety, doth make the graceless the more intemperatly to swallow down the intoxicating cups of worldly vanities. So as we may Lam. 3. 15 say of them, as the Prophet jeremy in another case of the afflicted Church, that they are made drunk with wormwood, whilst they labour to sweeten their embittered mouths by drinking vnsatiably of their carnal pleasures. In al which the saying of Salomon is plainly verified, that though a fool( that is a desperate sinner) Pro. 27. 22.& 17. 10. should be brayed in a mortar, yet his foolishness( that is his wickedness) will not depart from him; and that a reproof entereth more into him, that hath understanding, then an hundred stripes into a fool. And this will manifestly appear by manifold examples; § Sect. 3. The former point illustrated by diuers examples. Exod 8. 15. Cha. 10. 16. 17 Ver. 20. 28. for thus we see that the more Pharaoh was punished, the more his heart was hardened in his rebellion against God; and though to be freed from the sense of present smart, he confessed his sin and craved pardon, desiring also Moses and Aaron to pray for him, yet no sooner was he reprieved from Gods judgements, but he hardeneth his heart, and banisheth Gods seruants out of his presence, unto whom he had formerly so humbly sued. So jeroboam profited nothing by that miraculous iudgement of God whereby his hand was dried up, but howsoever for the instant he implored the Prophets 1. Kin. 13. ●. prayers for him, and entreated him kindly when it was restored, yet presently he forgetteth this memorable work of God, and returneth as eagerly as before to the practise of his wicked and abominable idolatry. Thus also it is said of Ahaz, that in the time of his tribulation he did 2. Chro. 28. 22 yet trespass more against the Lord: for which he is branded with the mark of a desperate sinner, of whom all are to take knowledge( This is King Ahaz:) And of the thief vpon the cross, that he mocked and railed at the Lord Luk. 23. 39. of life, when himself was near unto the pangs of death. Finally the holy Ghost observeth, that the remnant of men in the world, who had hardly escaped out of the common destruction, like brands pulled out of the fire, Apoc. 9. 20. for all that, repented not of their sins, but continued in their idolatry, murder, sorcery, fornication, and theft: and that others who were tormented in the fiery furnace of Gods iudgement, whilst they boiled in this great heat, Apoc. 16. 9. blasphemed the name of God, who had power over those plagues, and repented not to give him glory. And again, that others in like case, did bite their tongues for sorrow; Apoc. 16. 11. but withall blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, and repented not of their works. And these fruits and effects so commonly spring from the plagues and punishments of wicked men, that the divell presumed vpon manifold experience, that if the Lord would but try job with them, he would blaspheme him to his face. And howsoever Gods faithful seruants, through job. 1. 11. the blessing of Gods holy spirit, do reap from their crosses and calamities far better fruits of grace and glory,( as hath been shewed) yet those other fruits of sin and condemnation, do so much exceed in numerous multitude; as the small handful of Gods elect are in number exceeded by the wicked and reprobate. The which cometh to pass because they never look up unto the hand of God striking them, nor unto § Sect. 4. The causes why wicked men profit not by their afflictions, but grow worse& worse. their sins deserving these punishments, but rather attribute them unto any other cause which is next at hand and subject to the senses, then unto the supreme cause which setteth all the rest a working, and to the defect, disorder or malice of any inferior means, then to their own wickedness and ill-deseruing. As for example they usually ascribe all their calamities( in stead of the supreme and highest cause) to destiny, chance and fortune, as though they might haue lighted vpon any other as well as vpon them, but that it was their hard hap to come in the way when as blind fortune, having these afflictions in her hand, did by hap-hazard stumble vpon them. Sometimes also they attribute them wholly to secondary causes and inferior means, which are more subject to their senses; to the casual concurrence of circumstances, which accidentally meeting together, produced these effects; or to their own oversight, rashness and want of providence, whereby if they had foreseen they might haue prevented them. Yea sometimes they ascribe all their miseries to Gods ministers and faithful Exod. 10. 28. people who live amongst them, affirming like wolves, that it is these lambs of Christ which trouble their waters, as we may see in the example of Pharaoh, who banished Moses and Aaron, out of his presence, as the causes who brought all those plagues vpon Egypt, and in ahab who when the land was grievously punished with a long famine for want of rain, accused not himself and his own sins, but the Prophet Elias, as the 1. Kin. 18. 17. troubler of Israel. And thus the heathen persecutors usually accused the christians as the only causes which brought vpon them all their calamities. Yea rather then fail, they will not stick to flander the gospel, and true religion of Iesus Christ, as the cause of their troubles and miseries, affirming that there was never good world, never such plagues, wars, wants, and penurious scarcity of all things, as haue be fallen them since this new learning and religion( as they term it) was preached among them. Or if Gods judgements are so fitted both in time and quality to their sins, that they led them( as it were) by the hand to him that smiteth, yet they profit no whit by these stripes, because they haue not the eye of faith, whereby they might behold God as a gracious father lovingly c●●recting them for their amendment, that they may be saved; but look vpon him through the glass of the law, with a guilty eye, as vpon a severe judge who punisheth them for the satisfying of his iustice in their present torments, which do but make way for their everlasting condemnation. § Sect. 5. That the present afflictions of wicked men do not free them from future punishments, but rather much increase them. And as wicked men are not bettered by their afflictions in regard of their sins; so neither haue they any benefit by them, as they serve to free them from future punishments and everlasting condemnation. Yea contrariwise, as they harden their hearts, and make them more desperate in wicked courses, so consequently they i●rage Gods wrath the more, and bring vpon them more fearful judgements. For it is usual with God, when he seeth wicked men contemn his lesser punishments, Solos pana a supplicio liberat quos immutat: nam quos praesentiae mala non corrigunt ad sequenti● perducunt. Gregor. moral. lib. 9. cap. 24. and not apply them to their hearts for their conversion and amendment, to proceed like a wise and righteous judge in the administration of his judgements,& as they multiply their impieties, adding impenitency and hardness of heart to their other sins, so he also multiplieth their plagues, till he hath utterly destroyed them, according to that threatening denounced in the law; If ye will not for these things obey me, then will I Leuit. 26. 18. punish you seven times more according to your sins. An example whereof we haue in Pharaoh, who not relenting when Gods hand was vpon him, nor repenting of his sins after so many plagues, was at last with his people overwhelmed and drowned, in the read sea. So when Saul profited not by so many admonitions and more gentle punishments, at last he was crushed and quelled under that fearful iudgement of being his own executioner, and became merciless to himself in his death who in his life had been cruel unto others. Thus when jeroboam amended not by the death of his son, nor drying up of his hand; and when ahab repented not, neither for Gods threatenings, nor for the plagues of drought and famine, which were in the land; they were both rooted out with all their posterity, and became fearful examples of Gods terrible vengeance. And thus when Senacherib repented not of his idolatry after the destruction of his army, nor acknowledged the true God in this miraculous iudgement, he was overtaken with Gods wrath in the very act of his sin, and slain by his own sons, even whilst he was worshipping his 2. King. 19. 37. idols. Or if the Lord do not lay vpon the contemners of his afflictions thief outward and visible punishments he doth certainly inflict vpon them inwardly much more fearful judgements, giuing them over unto their own sensual lusts, vile affections, and unto a reprobate mind, to commit all manner of sin with greediness, for the further sealing and increasing of their hellish condemnation. For as sure as God is just, so assuredly will be severely punish this outrageous wickedness; if not in this world yet in the world to come. And their everlasting torments shall be much more fearfully increased, because unto their other sins they haue added cursed security and hardness of heart, and haue contemned Gods righteous judgements, growing worse Quicquid hic passus fuerit home, si corrigatur emendatio est, si non corrigatur duplex damnatio est. &c. Chryso. de patient. job Homil. vltima Gandeat Christianus in adversis quia aut probatur si justus est, aut si peccator est emendatur August. Homil. 46. Tom. 10. and worse, and more desperate in their wickedness, when as they should haue been reclaimed by the feeling of his punishments. In which respect one saith, that all which a man suffers in this life is but a correction if he amend, and double damnation if he be not thereby reformed: for here he suffereth temporal punishments and hereafter he shall suffer those which are eternal. And another willeth the faithful to rejoice in adversity, because if he be righteous he is tried, or amended if he be a sinner. But( saith he) let him mourn in his afflictions who is not bettered and amended with divine chastisements, and let him fear future punishments, who hath contemned Gods present correction, which he appointed to be the means of his reformation. Yea so far are afflictions from conferring any good unto the wicked and reprobate; that sometime they § Sect. 6. That afflictions sometime for want of a right use of them, bring no prèsent benefit to the faithful themselves. bring no present profit to Gods own Church and chosen people. The which cometh to pass either because they do not rightly bear them, or do not labour after they are taken away to be better●d by them. For we receive no good by these crosses and calamities when they take us unprovided and unprepared, either having a small and weak measure of those graces which are required to this conflict or rather le●ting them lye wretchlesly by us, not renewing, surbushing& putting them on before we are assaulted with these spiritual enemies Wee profit not by them, when, through our negligence, we do not ●ooke to the hand that smiteth us, nor consider that all our afflictions are sent, ruled and disposed, by Gods wise and gracious providence, but rest in secondary causes, and ascribe all our troubles to inferior means, which are in truth but Gods bare instruments, in bringing us into these miseries and calamities; wee are not bettered by them, when through our sloth wee do not examine ourselves, search out our sins, and aclowledge that they are the onely cause of all our smart, but still securely sleep in them, ascribing our crosses unto outward accidents, our own negligence the malice of our enemies, or unfaithfulness of our friends; and also when we are wholly intent vpon our smart and sense of pain, and never consider of those gracious ends, which the Lord out of his endless love propoundeth unto our chastisements. And finally, wee receive no good by our afflictions when being delivered, we take no pains nor care to bee bettered by them; and when wee do not labour to make a profitable use of them, to forsake our sins which were the causes of our crosses, and to draw nearer unto God by hearty repentance, more zealously and constionably serving him in the performance of all holy and Christian duties: but either continue in our sins, or after some slight and short reformation, return again into our former course of wickedness. In all which cases the faithful are so far from receiving the former benefits and blessings by their corrections, that they do for the present but increase their sin, and make their temporary chastisements much more sharp and grievous. In respect of the former the Lord complaineth of his people, that they were not by his chastisements brought unto unfeigned repentance, but rather waxed worse and worse under his corrections, so he crieth out by the Prophet Esay: Wherefore should you Esay 1. 5 goody s●itten any more, seeing you fall away more and wore: and again; The people turneth not unto him that smiteth Chap. 9. 13 them, neither do they seek unto the Lord of hosts. So he complaineth by the Prophet jeremy, that he had smitten jer. 2. 30 their children in vain, because they received no correction: namely, in their harts to make an holy use of it, though it was outwardly inflicted vpon their bodies. And though they reasoned thus: Will the Lord keep his anger for ever? Chap. 3. 5 will he reserve it unto the end? Yet having thus spoken, they did still evil more and more. And this the Prophet himself observed and lamented in his prayer to God: O Lord( saith he) are not thine eyes vpon the truth, thou jer. 5. 3 hast strike them, but they haue not sorrowed, thou hast consumed them, but they haue refused to receive correction, they haue made their faces harder thē a ston,& haue refused to return. And thus the Lord complaineth by the Prophet Amos, that he had afflicted his people with famine, Amos 4. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 pestilence, and the sword; yea overthrown them as he overthrew Sodom& Gomorrah, reserving only a remnant, which were as a fire-brand plucked out of the burning,& yet they returned not unto him by unfeigned and renewed repentance. And for the latter it is manifest in the administration of Gods judgements towards his children, that if gentler chastisements will not reform them, he will use more sharp discipline, and if they will not be reclaimed with his smarting rods, he will correct them with his stinging whips, and never leave them until he haue brought them to some amendment. For so the Lord threateneth in the former places, that because they had not profited by his former corrections, he would increase their calamities, and deal with them so severely, as if they were aduersaries& enemies; that he would make Esa. 1. 2●. 25. the fire of their afflictions hot enough to burn out their dross purely, and take away their tin; that he would bring vpon them a fearful destruction, cutting Chap. 9. 14. off from Israell head and tail, branch and rush in one day; and that he would cause a lion out of the forest jer. 5. 6▪ to slay them, and a wolf of the wilderness to destroy them; that a Leopard should watch over their Cities, and that every one going out thence should be torn in pieces, because( after all their former afflictions) their trespasses were jer. 5. 6. many, and their rebellions were increased. And therfore seeing afflictions in their own nature, or by any virtue that is in themselves, do not derive unto us those spiritual graces and heavenly blessings, but contrariwise, through our corruption, are fit means to increase both our sins and punishments; for the attaining unto grace and glory, let us not think it enough to be afflicted in the world; but let us labour withall to make such an holy use of our troubles,( humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God, bewailing our sins whereby we haue deserved them, and drawing near unto God by hearty repentance, and an earnest endeavour of serving and pleasing him in holinesse and newness of life) that they may be unto us testimonies of his love, and so assure us of all the former benefits. And because afflictions in their own nature derive them not unto us, but as they are sanctified by Gods holy spirit, and made fit for these purposes by his alone wisdom, power, and love, therefore let us continually implore by faithful& fervent prayer his gracious assistance, that by his blessing they may be made fit means for the working of his graces in us; and that we may be enabled by his spirit to make such an holy and profitable use of them, that wee may be fit to receive them, when as by this means he offereth them unto vs. CHAP. XXVIII. Consolations taken from the subject place of our afflictions, and from their adjuncts, namely their necessity, profit, brevity and lightness, as also from the assistance of our associates. ANd thus haue I shewed the singular § Sect. 1. That God hath appointed us in this world to suffer afflictions; and in the life to come to inherit happiness. consolations which arise from the consideration of the causes and effects of our afflictions▪ now we will proceed unto other arguments of comfort according to our order propounded, the which arise either from the subject or adjuncts of our crosses and calamities. The subject place of all our troubles is this world and vale of tears, which is purposly appointed of God to be a place wherein all his Saints and faithful seruants shall be subject to many tribulations and miseries; that being by them purged and refined, tried and approved, they may after this life be admitted into those pure and Apoc. 21. 27. holy habitations into which no unclean thing can enter; and receive that crown and garland of everlasting happiness, with which the Lord hath promised to adorn and honour his own gifts and graces wheresoever he findeth them. So our saviour telleth us that howsoever in him we shall haue peace, yet in this world we shall haue joh. 16. 33. affliction; and that whilst we continue here wee shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice, that we shall sorrow, but our sorrow shall be turned into ioy: and finally, that here wee shall pass our time, like a woman in the pains of childbirth, but in the kingdom of heaven our vers. 20. 21. ioy shall be so great, because wee are acknowledged of God, as his children, and heires of glory and happiness, that we shall quiter forget our former miseries, as a woman forgetteth hir sorrows in childbearing for ioy that a man is born into the world. Let us not then expect in this world our glory and gladness, our pleasures and delights, seeing the Lord hath appointed it to be a place of misery, and mourning; let us not in this showry seed-time of sorrow and tears think to reap the harvest of ioy and consolation; nor to take our ease and repose in this valley of affliction, which can onely be enjoyed in Gods heavenly mountain. here we must shed those tears which there must be dried up: here is the house of mourning, and there is the palace of ioy and rejoicing; here is the place of prayer, which is most fervent when it floweth from an afflicted spirit; there is the place of praises which are most cheerful when our happiness is not distasted with any heaviness. Finally, here must the Christians life be spent in doing good and suffering evil, and there wee must look to haue our good works rewarded, and our sufferings recompensed. And therefore let our worldly sorrow work in us spiritual rejoicing, seeing these pangs and throws of grief will bring forth the fruit of heavenly pleasure and rejoicing. Let us not here expect faire weather and the sun-shine of our comfort; for a dry seed-time, will bring but a barren harvest; but let these tears of worldly sorrow, cause tears of spiritual ioy, because they are now seasonable, and do but water our hopes, and make our harvest of happiness much more plentiful. Finally, let us now mourn, if there be unto us no cause of mourning; and rejoice if we can find in this world no matter of rejoicing; because they which laugh here shall joh. 16. 20.§ Sect. 2. That this world is the place of trial and tentaon, preparation and spiritual exercise. for ever weep, and they that mourn here shal haue their sorrow turned into ioy. Now is the time, and this is the place of our trial and tentation, and we must like pure gold be proved before we can be approved, and first pass the fiery furnace, before we can be admitted into Gods treasury: we must like iewils and precious diamonds here endure the hammer and anvil, that hereafter wee may bee reserved in Gods heavenly cabinet: We must here be probationers in Gods school, that after examination we may be admitted into that happy society of Saints and Angels. And( as one saith) it is a sign, not of an upright, but of Virtus gradus ad gloriam: virtus matter glori●. Berner. in Natali St. victoris. a perverse mind, to desire glory, before we haue exercised and shewed our virtue; and to covet the garland, before we haue overcome in wrestling: which glory, being vndeserued, where there is no virtue, is preposterously affencted, and dangerously attained. Now is the time of our preparation, when as wee must be washed, trimmed and dressed, that wee may be fit to meet our bridegroom; and after this life shall be the solemnizing of our marriage; and therefore wee must not here expect our solace, and delight; but hereafter when wee shall haue the fruition of our husband, and those heavenly habitations which he hath prepared for vs. Here we must be purged from our chaff of corruption, that like pure grain we may be laid up in garners of blessedness; and therefore we must not now look for rest and far weather: but to be tossed and turmoiled with the wind and fan▪ Now is not the time of feasting and pampering ourselves with carnal pleasures, but of fasting Nun quid enim mactandi sumus quod nos ipso● saginemus? quid tantam vermibus mensam apponis? quid matorem agis saniem? quid ad omnia temetipsum reddis inutilem? Chrysost. Homil. ad pop. 54. Tom. 4. and mourning, seeing our bridegroom is absent from us▪ but then are we to expect these bowels and delights, when he cometh again to solemnize our nuptials. And those( as one faith) who here fat themselves with worldly: fullness, do but fit themselves for the slaughter, and prepare a more dainty banquet for the crawling worms. This world is the theatre which is appointed for the exercise of masteries; and therefore we must not here look for ease and pleasure, seeing none obtain the prise of blessedness, but those who haue so runned, wrestled and contended, that they haue also obtained the victory: 〈◇〉 not like 〈◇〉 lo●els here expect full tables, soft beds, sweet baths and such like Aliud est quietu tempus, hoc aerumuis deputatum est atque sudoribus, nullus ubi ad certamen se exuit vnctusque est, requiem quarit Chrysost. in 2. Tim. 3. Hom. 8. 2. Tim. 2. 5. effeminate delights in the place of our exercise; but like valiant champians, having in stead of costly clothing, our naked bodies covered with dust and oil, we must wrestle in the heat of the sun, and with much sweat and labour obtain the garland; for as the Apostle telleth us, If any man strive for a mastery, he is not crwoned, except he strive as he ought to do. Here man is ordained to labour, and rest is not to be expected till we keep an everlasting sabbath unto God in the heavenly Canaan; now we are appointed to take pains in Gods vineyard, and we must not look for our reward, before with our labour we make an end of our lives, and( as the Apostle verse. 6. telleth us) we must like good husbandmen take pains in this seed-time, and hereafter wait for the fruits of harvest; and not be dismayed, though wee be tired with troubles and sweat at our labours; seeing they are much sweetened with this consideration, that they are so seasonable. Now is the time of our exile and banishment, and what comfort or contentment can be expected till wee be admitted to the presence of our king? In this world wee are sailing as in a sea of miseries; and therefore we must not think it strange, if one wave of affliction doth follow in the neck of another, if wee be still in danger of cruel pirates, rocks, and wrecks, shelves and sands, storms and tempests, nor expect ease and rest, safety and security, before we arrive at the haven of happiness. This world is appointed by God to be the place of our affliction and punishment; and therefore we are not foolishly to imagine that wee shall find it a paradise of delights; nor to be discouraged if we meet with troubles and miseries, seeing it well sorteth with Gods ordinance, who hath appointed that we should bee crossed on earth, that wee may bee crwoned in heaven. Here is not our country, and the place of our perpetual § Sect. 3. abode; and( as the Apostle saith) here wee haue no That this world is the place of our pilgrimage and therefore we must look for pilgrims entertainment. Heb. 13. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 4. joh. 18. 36. continuing city, but we seek one to come, even the heavenly Canaan and new jerusalem, where an inheritance immortal, undefiled, and that fadeth not away is reserved for vs. Here we are not Citizens and free denizens, seeing the kingdom of our sovereign is not of this world; and therefore we are not here to look for our privileges and prerogatives; but we are in the earth pilgrims and strangers, and consequently like men of that quality, we must make account to be daily subject to many miseries and indignities, and expect our happiness when we come safly to our home. Our poverty must not much trouble us: for who desireth in his pilgrimage and travels to carry his wealth and riches about him? onely let it content us, if wee haue sufficient to defray our charges,& to supply necessaries in our journey, and then expect to enjoy our riches and chief treasures, when as we safely arrive in our heavenly country. Wee must not lay it much to heart, if we find hard entertainment in the world, and be not esteemed and accounted of according to our worth and desert; for we are not at home among our friends and kindred, where we might expect such kindness, because they know our state and quality; but in our pilgrimage, and at our inn, among strangers who are unacquainted with our persons and condition; and who examine not our virtues, but our purses and outward pomp; not what we haue in our own country, but what wee carry about us, and measure all their respect and service unto us, by that profit and benefit which they may receive from vs. And who careth much for hard usage in his inn, where he is to remain but one night? Who looketh for respect and duty in a far country where he traveleth, or careth for uncivil entertainment among those who know him not, although he be a man of great place and esteem in his own country? our toilsome siues and wearisome labours must not much grieve us, seeing they are so suitable for the life of a pilgrim, who prepareth himself to take pains in his journey and beareth it with patience, though he be sometimes tired in his travels, then only expecting rest and sweet repose, when he safly arriveth at his own home. Yea we must not be much vexed, if in this life we receive wrongs and injuries, and if we be robbed and spoiled through violence and unjust oppression; for it is not strange with travelers to fall into the hands of theeues and robbers, especially when they travell in barbarous countries or in the dominions of professed enemies. But herein is both their and our comfort, that they can only spoil us of some small trifles, which we carry about us, whereby we only sustain some present want and misery in the short time of our travels; but cannot take from us our inheritance, our principal jewels and chief treasures, because those are safely reserved for us in our heavenly country; and we shall certainly enjoy them when wee haue finished our pilgrimage. And with this argument of consolation Abraham strengthened his faith and patience in all the miseries Heb. 11. 10. which he endured in a strange country, because he looked, not to his present condition, but for a city having a foundation, whose builder and maker is God. Finally, this world is appointed of God to be the § Sect. 4. That this world is the place of our warfare, and therefore we must expect conflicts, and the hard usage of poor souldiers. Chrysost. in Math. 20. Homil. 34. place of our warfare, wherein wee must combat, not onely against satan and our own flesh, but against all other enemies of our salvation; and wee are not to expect our crown, and to triumph in happiness, till wee haue finished our fight and obtained victory. For( as one saith); Christ Iesus hath built the whole universe, like an house of three stories, namely Hell, Earth and heaven: appointing the earth for warriors, Hell for the conquered, and heaven for those who obtain the victory. he hath not promised peace, but hath denounced war whilst we continue in this life, reserving secure peace& quiet rest for his heavenly kingdom. And therefore( as one saith) if we here seek peace, Omnis hom● requiem quaeri●! bonam rem quaerit said non in regione sua. Non est pax in hac vita, in caelo nobis promissum est quod in terra quaerimus. August in Psal. 48. enarrat. we seek a good thing, but we do not seek it in the place where it is to be found; for there is no peace in this life; and in vain do we seek for that vpon earth, which is only promised in heaven. Now valiant souldiers in the time of warfare do not set their minds vpon ease and sloth, vpon soft beds& dainty fare; they do not take care for soft& costly raiment, nor to haue about them abundance of riches: but they are wholly transported with a desire of victory, and to this end endure with patience all pains& labour, fare coarsely,& lye hardly,& either watch the whole night, or make the earth their bed, their helmet a pillow and the sky their canopy; expose themselves to desperate dangers, and with patience suffer many wounds and foils, that they may in the end obtain the victory. Yea even Kings themselves who in peace abound with plenty and pleasure, in the time of war accustom themselves to hardness, because it best fitteth this season; making them more valiant and hardy; and( which is the end of all) much more able to overcome their enemies. And therefore though our future estate be never so great, as being the sons of God, and heires apparent of his glorious kingdom, yet seeing we are now in the place of our warfare, let us with patience endure all hardness, pains and poverty, as best sorting with our present condition, and not expect ease and idleness, wealth and dainties, worldly pleasures and carnal delights, which would effeminate our minds, and utterly disable us to withstand our enemies. We are Gods souldiers, and it better becometh his worthies to be in the field, then in the garrison; in a painful march, then in a soft bed; well armed, then gorgeously clothed, and assaulting their enemies with manlike courage, then to spend their time, like carpet-knights in feasting and marveling. Here we must look for impregnable forts and strong holds, and expect stately buildings and rich furniture in the new jerusalem; here we must labour, fast and watch that there we may feast, rejoice, and take our ease; here we must endure many miseries and afflictions that there we may enjoy all glory and happiness; here we must Interim merely premi magnis quam perimi videtur vtibus,& sustinere pondus clypei& loricae quam maligni taculis igne● vulnerari. Bernard de dedicat. Eccle siae serm. 2. fight and obtain the victory, that there we may triumph in blessedness, having a crown for our helmet, a sceptre and palm, for our sword and spear; glorious garments and gorgeous clothing, for our heavy shield, and steely breastplate. For it is better for the present to be a little pressed with the weight of the armour, then to perish by lying open to the wounds of an enemy; it is better to bear the weight of a shield or breastplate, then to be pierced with the fiery darts of the evil one. And this allegory and argument the Apostle useth to persuade Timothy to the patient enduring of the cross. Thou therefore 2. Tim. 2. 3, 4. ( saith he) suffer affliction as a good soldier of Iesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, because he would please him, who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And afterwards he propoundeth himself for an example of this precept; in that he did not covet after the crown, till like a valiant soldier, he had fought this spiritual battle and obtained the victory. I haue fought( saith he) a good fight, and haue 2. Tim. 4. 7, 8. finished my course; I haue kept the faith, from hence forth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. To conclude this point, the Lord hath appointed this world as a valley of misery& mortality wherein we are to live a dying life, or living death, till being thoroughly mortified both in body and soul, we may by mortality attain unto immortality, by corruption unto incorruption, and by a temporary death find a way unto life everlasting. For our lives are in a continual consumption from the time of our birth, and the faster we grow the faster we decrease, the more is added to our lives, the more they are diminished; and the more the number of our daies is multiplied, the more it is abated, because what is annexed to the time past, is subscribed and taken away from the time to come. And therefore seeing there is no way to immortality unless here we be subject tomortality; no way to live and reign with Christ, unless in this world we 2. Tim. 2. 11. 12 suffer and be dead with him, let us not dream of a flourishing estate, pomp and earthly prosperity whilst we continue here, but prepare ourselves by the cross to attain unto the crown, by the vale of misery to ascend unto the mountain of glory; and by temporary death and destruction to pass unto salvation and everlasting happiness. § Sect. 5. Consolations taken from the necessity, profit, shortness and lightness of our afflictions. And these are the comforts which arise from the subject place of our afflictions; besides which there are other consolations, which may be gathered from their adjuncts and properties, as from the necessity, benefit, brevity and lightness of them. For first, our afflictions are necessary in respect of Gods decree, by which they are inseparably annexed unto our election, vocation, and salvation; for those which he knew before he hath also predestinated Rom. 8. 29. to be made like unto the image of his son, whom he appointed first to suffer, and so to enter into his glory. Luk. 24. 26. So the Apostle telleth us, that we are hereunto called; for Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we 1. Pet. 2. 21. should follow his steps. And our saviour teacheth us, that Math. 7. 12. 13 Act. 14. 22. we must by this straight gate and narrow way, enter into his glory; with whom his holy Apostle according, saith, that we must by many afflictions enter into the kingdom of God. Secondly they are most necessary in this state of corruption in respect of us, that by these wholesome corrections we may be contained in our duty and restrained from sin; in which regard that is truly verified of us, which we usually say of our little children, namely, that there is a greater necessity of our corrections, then of our meat& drink, seeing the want of the one tendeth but to the temporary destruction of the body, but the want of the other endangereth us to the everlasting condemnation and utter perdition both of body and soul. For if the Lord should continually cocker us with worldly blessings, and let us never feel the smart of his chastising hand, we would quickly forget and contemn him, neglect his commandements, securely go on in sin, and grow wanton in our wickedness. The utility also and profit of afflictions is( as hath been shewed) exceeding Heb. 12. 11. great, seeing the Lord useth them as the ordinary means of strengthening and increasing in us all his fanctifying and saving graces, of conferring unto us many temporary and worldly benefits; and of furthering and advancing our glory and everlasting happiness in his heavenly kingdom. For the attaining of which incomparable blessings respecting both this life and the life to come, we are not bound to bear a proportionable measure of misery and tribulation; for these afflictions which through Gods mercy bring unto us these unvaluable graces, and unmatchable weight of eternal glory, are in respect of their burden light, and easy to be born; and for their time, momentany, and but of short continuance; All which points haue in the former part of this treatise been so clearly proved, that I shall not need here any further to insist vpon them. Yea such is Gods love and mercy towards us, that though the afflictions which he layeth vpon us be but ● Sect. 6. That God apprinteth his holy angels to assist us in our afflictions. light, momentany, and in their own nature easy to be born, yet having respect to our wonderful infirmity and great weakness, he never suffereth us to bear the● alone; but he always appointeth unto us copartners and assistants, who by their help keep us from fainting, either by taking from us part of our burden, when it is too heavy for our little strength; or by encouraging and comforting us when wee are dismayed, or finally by beating and sustaining part of the weight, that it may not oppress and overwhelm vs. For first the Lord giveth his holy Angells charge over us; to assist and compass us about, to preserve us in all dangers, and to keep us in all our ways, that no other crosses befall us then those which he hath appointed, nor yet in any greater measure, then that which in his wise providence he hath allotted unto vs. For as the Angells ministered unto our head Iesus Christ at all times, but especially in his greatest trials and afflictions, as namely after that conflict of tentation with satan our spiritual enemy, Math. 4. 11. Luk. 22. 43. and in his bitter agony, when as an angel appeared from heaven to comfort him; So do they by the appointment of our common Lord and master attend vpon us who are his members, to preserve, defend, strengthen and comfort us, that we may not faint and fail through our natural weakness under the burden of the cross. Thus the Psalmist saith, that the angel of the Lord encampeth Psal. 34. 7. round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. And again, He shall give his angells charge over thee to keep Psa. 91. 11. 12. thee, in all thy ways; they shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a ston: the which as it is principally to be understood of our head Iesus Christ, as himself applieth it, so likewise it belongeth to all those who are the true members of his body; as it may appear by manifold examples. Thus the Angells attended vpon righteous Lot to deliver him, and his out of Gen. 19. 15. the common destruction of sodom and Gomorrah. And an whole host of them encamped about jacob when he Chap. 32. 12. feared his brothers armed rage; which at all times were ready( as he saith elsewhere) to deliver him from all evil. Chap. 48, 16. Thus the angel of God standeth between Israell and the host of the Egyptians, pursuing them, and preserveth Exod. 14. 19. them from being overtaken by that imminent danger. And afterwards the Lord sendeth him before them to Cha. 23. 20. 23& 33. 2.. keep them in their way, and to bring them to the place which he had prepared: casting out al their enemies from before them which opposed against them. Thus an whole army of these holy Angells encompass the Prophet Elisha, and his seruant round about, to preserve 2. King. 6 17. them from being destroyed by the host of the Aramites. So an angel of God preserveth the three children in the fiery furnace, and daniel in the Lions den. And thus by Dan 3. 25.& 6. 22. Act. 12 7. the ministry of Angells Peter is delivered out of prison; and Lazarus is carried into Abrahams bofome. And howsoever the faithful haue not in these daies such visible apparitions of these heavenly spirits, nor such miraculous deliverances from dangers by their ministry; yet Gods love and care over his Church being now as great as in former times; their diligence and watchfulness is no less to safeguard and preserve from all perils, and to comfort and uphold in all afflictions those who are so deere to their Lord and master. And therefore if in all griefs and miseries it be a great comfort unto us to haue the company of some able and loving friends, which haue both some power and will to succour and relieve us; how sweet and comfortable is this happy society of the holy Angells to those who being afflicted do by faith apprehended their continual presence, seeing without all comparison they are more powerful and willing, then our most potent friends, to comfort and preserve us in all our extremities. But it will be much more comfortable unto us if we § Sect. 7. That in all our afflictions we haue Christ an assistant and copartuer with us in our griefs. Math. 28. 20. further consider, that we haue in all our afflictions not only the fellowship and assistance of Angells, but also of Iesus Christ the Lord of Angells, who according to his gracious promise is with us unto the end of the world; and that both as our King to preserve us from dangers, protect us from enemies, and to govern, guide and measure out unto us a burden of afflictions proportionable to our strength; and also as our head to condole▪ and compassionate our griefs, and to ease us of the irksomeness of our load by bearing the greatest part of the weight thereof with his own most powerful strength. For not only hath he learned pity and compassion by suffering the like afflictions in the body of his flesh, and in Heb. 2. 18& 4. 15. 16.& 5. 2 his state of humiliation as the Apostle teacheth us; but also now in his state of glory, as our head he suffereth in us who are the members of his body, accounting our afflictions his afflictions, and our smart his own pain, as appeareth in that speech to Saul, Saul Saul, why persecutest thou me? And to the faithful at the day of iudgement: Act. 9. 4. I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, I thirsted and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye lodged me, I was naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me, I was in prison and ye came unto me. And when they asked, when they saw him in this afflicted estate, he answereth, verily Mat. 25. 35. 40 I say unto you, in as much as ye haue done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye haue done it to me. And hereof it is that the sufferings of the faithful are in the scriptures called the sufferings of Christ; Because as they suffered with him in his passion as being their head and surety, and satisfied Gods iustice for their redemption and justification; so he suffereth with them in their afflictions as being his members, with his strength and power so assisting them, that they do not overwhelm and consume them, but only tend to their sanctification and the purging and purifying them from thei● sin and corruption. Thus the Apostle saith, that every where we 2 Cor. 4. 10. bear about in our body the dying of our Lord Iesus, that the life of Iesus might be made manifest in our bodies. And elsewhere more plainly: Now rejoice I( saith he) in my sufferings for you, and fulfil the rest of the afflictions of Christ Col 1. 24. in my flesh, for his bodies sake which is the Church. So the Apostle Peter exhorteth the faithful toreioice in the fiery 1. Pet 4. 13. trial in as much as they were partakers of Christs sufferings. And hereof it is that our saviour Christ calleth that portion of afflictions which he alotteth unto us, and exhorteth us to bear, his yoke( take my yoke on you, and learn of me) not only because he imposeth it, but also as our yoke-fellow doth bear the greatest part of the weight: For, as when two Oxen which are far unequal in their bigness are yoked together, the heaviest part of the load is born by the tallest and strongest, the yoke scarce touching the neck of him that is least and lowest; so is it between Christ and us, in regard whereof he encourageth us to join with him in bearing this burden, because his yoke is easy and his burden light; Mat. 11. 29. 30 he who is high and mighty sustaining the chief weight, and keeping it with his omnipotent power, that it cannot oppress and overwhelm vs. The consideration whereof may minister unto us singular comfort in all our crosses and calamities; seeing wee haue such a coparture and assistant in bearing all our afflictions, who is able and willing to uphold us when wee are ready to sink, and to comfort us when we are ready to faint; for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation 2. Cor. 1. 5 aboundeth through Christ; and as he addeth to the weight of our burden, so also to our strength, in as much as we may say with the Apostle, that though wee be never so Phil. 4. 13 feeble in ourselves, yet we are able to do all things, through the help of Christ which strengtheneth vs. Yea, herein we may rejoice, in that though our burden b●e never so great, yet it is impossible that we should sink and fall down flat under it; for as the lesser and weak ox, drawing in the same yoke with one which is much bigger and stronger, cannot fall because his fellow supporteth him, by reason of that coniunction which is between them, unless he should also pull him down together with him; so neither can wee, being yoked and united unto Christ our head, in a far nearer and more inseparable union, sink under our burden, seeing he is all-sufficient to hold us up, and cannot bee pulled down with the greatest weight. And as by virtue of this spiritual union with Christ, he as our head doth partake with vain all our afflictions, so also all his saints and faithful seruant do communicate with us in them, as being fellow members of his mystical body: for as when any part of the natural body is vexed and pained with any infirmity, all the rest do sympathize in these sorrows, and by mutual compassion and fellow-feeling do partake in these griefs; so is it in the spiritual body of the Church. By reason whereof great comfort redoundeth to every particular member which is thus afflicted; not onely because the burden is made much lighter which is born vpon so many shoulders; but also because from this compassion, do issue most fervent and effectual prayers of the whole Church▪ whereby they commend all the afflicted parts of their body to Gods special care and providence, to be upheld and preserved by him in these their distresses, the which are most powerful to prevail with God, for the obtaining of help and comfort; for if the prayer of one faithful Iam. 5. 16▪ man availeth much if it bee effectual and zealous; then how much more the prayers of all the saints when they are joined together? Finally, we haue in all our afflictions God himself present with us to assist and support us; for as by his most wise and gracious providence, he appointeth unto the faithful their afflictions for their trial or chastisement, so thereby he is present with them and watcheth over them, that he may support and strengthen them when they are ready to faint and fall, according to his gracious promise whereby he hath assured them, that he will not suffer them to be tempted above their power, but will 1. Cor. 10. 13▪ give a good issue with the tentation, that they may be able to bear it. But of this I shall haue occasion to speak more hereafter. CHAP. XXIX. That we may receive much comfort, by comparing our lesser and lighter afflictions, with those greater and heavier which Gods dearest saints haue felt and suffered. ANd thus haue I shewed what arguments § Sect. 1. That it hath always been the portion of the faithful to endure in this world misery and affliction, and first that our father Adam endured great afflictions. of consolation do arise from our afflictions, being simply considered in themselves with relation to their causes, effects, subject, and adjuncts: now wee are, according to our order, to entreat of those comforts, which arise from them as they are compared with the afflictions of others, or with those heavenly and everlasting joys, which these short and light afflictions do cause unto vs. Concerning the former, we may receive much consolation, if we compare our crosses, either with the greater afflictions which Gods dearest children haue suffered before us; or with those miseries and punishments which are inflicted upon the wicked both in this life and in the life to come. And for the first, if we look into the book of God we shall find, that it hath been the porti●n of all the faithful, to endure in this world miseries and afflictions; and that they haue not only sipped and tasted of this bitter cup, but as they haue exceeded in grace, so they haue drunk a far deeper draft then wee, in this unpleasant potion. For to begin with our great grand-father Adam, what miseries did he endure in his whole life, partly through the remembrance of his lost happiness, and partly through the pressure and vexation of present afflictions. For he, who formerly passed his time in pleasure and delight, and abounded so in Gods blessings that he wanted nothing which his heart could desire, must now labour in a new plantation for the furnishing whereof all things were to be invented, and all necessaries to be provided; now the earth which formerly brought forth all good fruits of it own accord, being for his sin subject to the curse, bringeth forth nothing but briars and thorns, unless it were tilled and manured with his toilsome labour; now he who formerly lived at ease, if he will haue his penury relieved, and obtain necessaries for the sustaining of his life, must buy them with his sweat, spend part of his bodily substance, that he may nourish the rest, and waste his strength that he may preserve it. Now he who needed nothing, needeth all things, and hath no body to comfort him in his miseries, but she that caused them; none to help him in his wants but she who helped him to fall into them. He is indeed Emperor of the world, but he hath no subiects to obey him; he is Lord of all, but he hath no seruants, no not for the basest offices. If he will cat the fruits of the earth, he must be his own husbandman, his own purueier. If he will haue clothes, he must be his own tailor, and make them before he can wear them; if he will haue a lodging, to keep him from the bruit beasts and the violence of the weather, there is no man to build it unless he will be his own carpenter and tent-maker, and in a word if he will haue the pleasure of any earthly necessary, he must first endure the pains of getting and procuring it. Yea afterwards when he expected the comfort of society, and hoped to haue all his other miseries sweetened with the pleasure of his posterity, his hony is turned into gull, and there, as he thought to haue found his chief contentment, he findeth his greatest crosses and calamities. For his dearest son Abel is cruelly murdered, and his other son Cain the first born like a butcher or hangman imbrueth his hands in his innocent blood. And so by the death of the one he is deprived of his comfort, and by the life of the other he endured a greater cross: For he seeth him a vagabond, a reprobate, an enemy to himself, and the whole Church of God, and whilst he lived, dead in his sin, obnoxious to Gods wrath, and as it were all ready adiudged to eternal condemnation. Now what a grief was this to consider that his first fruits should offer himself to the divell, that the heir of the world, should be the son of perdition, and the first that should handsel the fire of hell. But above al these worldly crosses he was pressed with the burden of his own sin, which was the cause that brought all the rest vpon him, and the very sting that made all his pains truly painful, and all his other miseries out of measure miserable. For he who was holy and righteous according to Gods image, now looking into the glass of the law of nature, seeth himself made by himself most ugly and deformed; he seeth himself spoiled of the inestimable treasurs of Gods gifts and graces, and that himself was the thief who had thus robbed him. He seeth nothing in him but the guiltiness and filthiness of sin, ignorance in the place of knowledge, perverseness in stead of obedience,& hatred of God in stead of love. And one while he is filled with grief whilst he considereth his loss, and another while with anger against himself as being the cause of all his misery. wheresoever he looketh he findeth cause of lamentation; but yet when he is about to complain on those who haue brought him into these miseries, his own conscience apprehendeth himself as the malefactor, and he hath nothing to cry out on but his own sin. The like afflictions were that part of his posterity, which feared God, subject unto; for in that short story of righteous Abell, who was his true heir in virtue and godliness, there is only mention of his birth, sacrifice and slaughter, his serving of God giuing the occasion unto his wicked brother to resolve vpon and execute that bloody design. So whilst the posterity of Cain● flourished in the world, built cities, invented music and spent their time in carnal pleasures; Sheth and his progeny were obnoxious to their tyranny, and oppression, Gen. 4. being innocent lambs among ravenous and cruel wolves. Thus also Noah the preacher of righteousness had his life made bitter unto him with many and grievous afflictions; for what great pains did he take in building the ark? unto what scoffs and scorns, mocks and stouts was he subject, when as the wicked of those times did see him to undertake( in their opinion) such a fruitless task and useless labour? with what sorrow was he oppressed when he saw his ministry contemned and unprofitable to his hearers, and when afterwards he beholded Gods goodly workmanship defaced, the creatures destroyed, all mankind, and among the rest his friends, kindred and acquaintance drowned and overwhelmed in that universal deluge? what a close and noisome prison was the ark unto him, for the space of ten moneths together, when as being constrained to lodge amongst so many bruit and filthy beasts, he could not choose but be almost choked and stisted with their filth, excrements, and stinking savours? And to say nothing of those innumerable miseries which he must needs endure in the new plantation and rennouation of the world, what a corrosive must it needs bee unto his heart, to be scorned by his own son, when as he considered that his sin gave occasion unto it? what a torment was it to his mind to think that amongst all men three only besides himself, had escaped the flood, and that now one of them was drowned in a flood of wickedness, which would carry him dead in sin unto the sea of endless perdition? After the flood wee see Abraham the father of the § Sect. 2. Of the afflictions of Abraham the father of the faithful. faithful subject to the like or greater afflictions. For by Gods commandement he is enjoined to leave his own country, his friends, kindred and acquaintance, which are as dear unto a man as his life, and to spend his daies in a voluntary banishment, in a strange land, among a barbarous nation, who were gross idolaters, and polluted with all maner of abominable wickedness, where every day his soul was vexed with their gross impieties, the sight whereof was as grievous as death itself. Gen. 12. 1, 2. The which country, though it were promised unto him as the reward of his faith and obedience, yet in respect of fruition, he was for the present but a titular king only, without land or subject, having not so much as a foot of his inheritance in present possession. Neither doth it give unto him any great comfort in the full assurance of future fruition, seeing he found such security and penury in it, that he was fain to leave it for want of bread, and to flee into egypt to seek relief. And being vers. 10. come thither he is constrained( through the wickedness of the people) for the safeguard of his life to suffer his dear Sara to be taken from him, which could not be much less grievous unto him, then the separation of his soul and body, and to redeem his life from famishment by prostituting his beloved wife to be defiled by awicked infidel. Out of which dangers he was through Gods gracious providence no sooner escaped, and again returned to his own home, but there fell out such implacable contentions, between his, and Lots seruants, that he hath no means to preserve peace and love berweene them, but by parting with his dear nephew, who was then in the place of a son unto him, and the chief stay and comfort of his life, confining himself unto that part Gen. 13. 7, 8. of the country which he refused, though by a donation from God he was Lord of all. Vpon which parting he presently heareth of the overthrow and captivity of his beloved kinsman, and is constrained to redeem his life, and liberty with the hazard of his own. Afterwards Gen. 14. 12, 14. God maketh a gracious promise unto him of a numerous posterity, and that in his seed both himself and all the nations of the earth should be blessed, when as yet he had no child, which promise was so long deferred until in natural reason it seemed impossible to be performed, by reason of Sarahs barrenness, and therefore believing the thing promised, but staggering in the manner how it was to be accomplished, he hearkeneth unto his wife, persuading him, that seeing there was no Gen. 16. 2. hope of issue by her, he would take unto him Hagar his maid, that out of her might spring this numerous posterity. By whom he no sooner had a son▪ but all his comfort is crossed through their bitter contentions, which could no otherwise be pacified but by granting an overruling power unto Sarah, which shee exercised with such rigor, that his late espoused wife and onely son as yet unborn forsake him and flee away: vpon Gen. 18.& 19. her return he is afflicted with care and fear over his nephew Lot, labouring for his preservation out of the common destruction of Sodom● and Gomorrah; and soon after he is constrained to leave his habitation, and to dwell as a stranger in the land of Gerar, where the Gen. 20. 2. second time his beloved Sarah is taken from him, and in great danger to be defiled by Abimelech, the King of the country. At last Isaac is born unto him, of which ioy, least he should surfet, it is embittered with an unexpected accident; for the son of the bond-woman scoffeth and scorneth at the child of promise, which being Gen. 21. discerned by Sarah, he is fain to give her satisfaction by sending Hagar and his young son ishmael wh●m he dearly loved, into perpetual banishment. An● now when after this loss he had no comfort left but us dear Isaac, he is by Gods commandement enjoyed to foregoe him also; and that not by natural ●icknesse, or through the rage of enemies which ha●●eene grievous had it been no more; but which w● most intolerable, he himself, the father of the fair●ull and the forwardest professor of Gods true rel●●ion, must in the sight of the Gentiles and infidels▪ ●oe an act in outward appearance abominable and execrable. For he must take his own son, his onely son, his son Isaac, whom he loved, in whom all the promises of life and salvation were made, to be fulfilled in that seed which should come of him; and after three daies deliberation vpon the matter, he must take the life of his life and comfort of his soul, and with his own hands( like a cruel butcher) cut his throat, and( least there should any relic remain of him to comfort him with any hope of his restoring) he must offer him in sacrifice, and see him with his own eyes consumed to ashes? By all which it appeareth that God did set forth this holy Patriarch as a president of human misery, to teach us, that seeing he thus dealt with Abraham the father of the faithful whom he so much loved and esteemed, we, who profess ourselves his children, should not expect any privilege whereby we should be exempted from drinking of this cup. Neither in truth had his posterity, being children of § Sect. 3. Of the afflictions of Isaac. promise, as well as his children after the flesh, any prerogative or exemption from bearing the cross; only it may be that as their faith was lesser, so their burden was lighter, being fitted by God according to their strength. For to go no further; who seeth not, that as Isaac was his heir in respect of the promises, so also in respect of miseries and afflictions. In his child-hood he was abused, mocked, and( as the Apostle saith) persecuted by Gal. 4. 29. Ism●●l the son of the bond-woman; after his marriage he was like his father enforced through dearth and famine, to lee for relief into the land of the philistines, for the preserua●ion of his life; where he was fain for fear of incurring d●●ger for his wives sake, to put in practise his fathers policy and to call her his sister. And the more that God blessed hi● the more he was envied by the philistines, insomuch a when he had by his great labour digged diuers wells, the ● for spite either filled them up, or forcibly took them from him, not suffering him to Gen. 26. drink of that water which he had dearly purchased with his pains and sweat. He was also like his father long afflicted with the barrenness of his wife, and no sooner, at his earnest prayer, had she conceived two children in her womb, but( after a monstrous manner) they Gen 25. strive the one with the other in their mothers belly, in which contentions they continued long after they were born. He saw his first-borne rejected of God, and him cast off, whom he had chosen and most dearly loved; he beholdeth this his reprobation sealed by his profane contemning of the birth right, and in his wicked vers. 35. choice of wives against his fathers will from among the cursed nations, who were through their impiety a continual grief of mind to Isaac and Rebeccah. Finally, God crosseth his will in making him unwittingly to give the blessing unto his lesse-loued, yet best-deseruing son jacob; and then heareth that Esau doth impiously thirst after his blood and threateneth his death, whereby he and his wife are enforced to sand him away like a banished man from his fathers house for the space of twenty yeares, all which time they had just cause to bewail no less his absence then his brothers presence; the one spoiling them of their comfort, the other every day ministering new matter of grief and mourning. The like and greater miseries was the Patriarch jacob Sect. 4. Of the many and grievous afflictions of jacob. subject unto, in the whole course of his life. For even in his mothers womb his brother striveth with him; and no sooner had he received Gods blessing by the hands of his father( which also he obtained with great difficulty and danger) but presently his brother hateth him and resolveth on his murder: whose cruelty he could no otherwise avoid, then by leaving his father Gen. 27. and mother with all the means of his in intenance and preferment in their family, and by living like an exile a great part of his age in a strange country; where he endured a long and hard servitude under an idolatrous▪ churlish and deceitful master; by whom he was deluded in his wife for whom he served, and defrauded of his deserved wages. And instead of comfort at home to sustain him in these sorrows, he is vexed with the disagreement, aemulations, and chiding of his wives, whilst they contended who should haue the greatest interest in his love. Being to return to his fathers house, he is fain to steal away from Laban, and to depart from his Step-father, of whom he had so well deserved, like one that fled from an enemy, of which no sooner is notice taken but presently he is pursued like a run-away rebuked like a slave, and ransacked like a thief. Being escaped the jaws of this greedy wolf, he is ready to fall into the paws of a raging Lion: for his brother Esau who had formerly threatened his death cometh against him with four hundred men, whose cruelty not knowing how to resist or avoid, he is exceedingly perplexed with terror and fear, and after much care and distraction of mind, he is fain in the most abject manner to prostrate and humble himself before him, for the pacifying of his wrath. Afterwards his most dear wife Rachel death in her travell, and joseph the comfort of his old age is taken from him, and as he supposed, devoured with wild beasts, which error and false conceit brought unto him as true and bitter sorrow as if indeed he had been destroyed; for refusing all Gen. 37. 35. comfort he professeth that he would go mourning to his grave. unto which afflictions we may add the ravishing Gen. 34. Gen. 35. 22. of his onely daughter, the bloody and unjust reuenge taken by his sons Simeon and levi vpon Shechem Hamor and the whole City, who were innocent of the fault, getting their opportunity of perpetrating this wickedness, by abusing and profaning Gods holy Sacrament: the defiling of his Concubine by his firstborn Reuben: the incest of judah; the dearth and famine which pinched him and his whole family, and whilst he used means to provide bread to preserve them from famishment, he was much more vexed with the trouble of his sons, the imprisonment of Simeon, and above all the rest with the constrained departure of his dearly loved benjamin. By all which it appeareth that he had just cause to profess( as he did unto Pharaoh) Gen. 47. 9● that the daies of his pilgrimage were but few and evil, seeing he begun and continued his life in the suffering of such grievous and innumerable miseries. Thus Moses, whom God so dearly loved and entertained § Sect. 5. Of the afflictions of Moses. into the nearest familiarity, talking with him as one man talketh with another face to face, was notwithstanding continually exercised with grievous afflictions. For at his very birth he hardly escapeth death according to the cruel decree of wicked Pharaoh. Three moneths together he was in danger to be butchered, if he were discovered. And then he is exposed and laid out by his parents, who for fear of their own lives durst preserve his no longer. And though in his childhood and youth he were nourished by Pharaohs daughter and so enjoyed for a time the pleasures of egypt; yet when he came to mature age, he refuseth to be called her son, and abandoning all his worldly preferments, he chooseth rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. For he seeketh to right the wrongs of his oppressed brethren; and slayeth an Egyptian who did him injury. Which being discovered he is fain for the Heb. 11. 25. safeguard of his life to fly into the land of Madian, where he lived as a stranger, and for the sustaining of his life was contented to submit himself unto the base condition of an hired seruant. Afterwards at Gods appointment he returneth into Egypt, vpon a dangerous and difficult embassage, and runneth himself into many perils, whilst he laboureth for the delivery of his people out of their captivity. For not onely Pharaoh and all the Egyptians become his enemies, but even his own nation, for whose freedom he laboured, when contrary to their expectation they were for the present more grievously oppressed, are much incensed, and in bitterness of soul murmur and cry out against him. And after their deliverance with what afflictions and troubles was he continually vexed? For no sooner was he come to the read sea, but they begin a fresh to murmur and repined against him and thus vpon all occasions afterwards they fall into the like grudging and unjust complaining, of which his own brother and sister were not innocent, but together with the rest they vex him with their murmurings. He is continually toiled in judging their causes and in taking up their suits and contentions; he is vexed with their stiffeneckednesse and froward conversation; he is exceedingly grieved with their apostasy and odious idolatry; he sorroweth their slaughters and lamenteth those manifold plagues, which by their grievous sins they brought vpon them; and whereas he had no worldly comfort to cheer him in suffering all these afflictions, but the remembrance of the land of promise, the fruition whereof he long expected, he is at last cut off from this hope, and heareth Gods definitive sentence pass vpon him, that he should die in the wilderness▪ and never enter into the promised land. So holy job, though he were the justest man that lived vpon earth, and above all others in his time most highly § Sect. 6. Of the afflictions of job and david. advanced in Gods favour, yet did he endure so manifold and grievous afflictions( as the spoiling of his goods, the death of his sons and seruants, the outward torments of boils and botches, and the inward terrors of an afflicted mind; the scorns of the wicked, the hard censures of the godly, the temptations of his wife, and the unkind usage of his friends, who in his chiefest misery Iam. 5. 11. and perplexity applied to his troubled mind corrasiues in stead of comfors, tthat in these respects he was thought the fittest man to be propounded by the holy Ghost as a pattern of patience. And thus david though he were a man according to Gods own heart, yet passed all his daies in trouble and misery; and that not only before he came to sit on the throne, when as he was continually persecuted by Saul, and every day within an inch of death, forsaken of his faithless friends, who stood bound 1. Sam 30. unto him in many benefits, slandered and traduced by his cruel enemies, and robbed and spoiled of his goods and wives, who were carried away captive by merciless infidels. But also after he was crwoned king, he endured so much more grievous crosses and calamities, as those were nearer unto him who were the authors of them. For to say nothing of his warres, both civil with the house of Saul, and foreign with the enemies of his people; nor of the conspiracies and treasons of his own subiects, who did rise against him, and the fearful plague wherein he lost 70000. of his people, how much more grievously was he afflicted in his own posterity? for Amnon his own son defileth, yea rauisheth Thamar his own daughter. And wicked Absalon in cruel reuenge becometh his murderer: For which bloody crime david taking vpon him to pardon him though he were by God adiudged to death, he doth afterwards conspire and rebel against him, he driveth him out of his kingdom, he defileth his concubines and bringeth him into most desperate extremities. And finally when by his death david was freed out of these dangers and miseries, the means of his deliverance was more grievous unto him then all the former evils which he endured. For with such unbridled love did he affect this ungracious son, that he layeth his death to heart more then all other his affliction, so that like a man oppressed with the weight of sorrow, he seeketh ease by venting his grief in that pitiful lamentation. O my son Absalon, 2. Sam. 18. 33. my son, my son Absalon would God I had died for thee; O Absalon, my son, my son. unto whom I might add all the Prophets and holy men of God who( as our saviour witnesseth) were persecuted of their and Gods Math. 5. 12. enemies, and through their means and malice, afflicted in their whole lives with innumerable and most grievous crosses and calamities. For, as the Apostle witnesseth, they were racked and tried by mockings and scourgings, bonds Heb. 11. 36. 37 38. and prisomment; they were stoned, hewn asunder, tempted and slain with the sword, they wandered up and down in sheeps skins, and in goates skins, being destitute afflicted and tormented; they wandered in wildernesses, and mountaines; and dens and caues of the earth; and that not for any faults or demerits of their own, for they were so excellent in virtue and holiness, that as he there testifieth, the world was not worthy of them. The like also may bee said of the holy Saints, Apostles § Sect. 7. Of the afflictions of the Apostles, and especially of the Apostle Paul. and Martyrs of Iesus Christ under the new Testament, who though they were above all other advanced in Gods favour▪ yet were they above all other vexed and tormented with afflictions and persecutions. For to begin with John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, the friend of the bridegroom,& the greatest of al the Prophets; we find that after an austere and afflicted life, he was for reproving Herod for his sin of incest wrongfully imprisoned, and afterwards at the svit of a dancing dansel without any course of law unjustly beheaded. And of the same cup all the Apostles and Disciples of Christ tasted after him; for besides all the miseries and afflictions which they endured in their lives, as want and penury, travell and weariness, infamy and reproaches, slanders and unjust censures, mockings and scornings, imprisonment and scorgings, all the twelve Apostles were put to violent deaths, John onely excepted, who being miraculously preserved in the cauldron of boiling oil, was afterward by the tyrant banished into the isle Pathmos. But most grievous and manifold were the afflictions of the Apostle Paul above all the rest, being a vessel of mercy, purposly chosen of God to carry his name before the Gentiles, and the children of Israel, and to suffer many things for his Act. 9. 15. 16. names sake. For thus he describeth his own miseries and calamities; I think( saith he) that God hath set forth us the last Apostles, as men appointed to death: for we are made a gazing-stocke to the world, and to Angels and to men: Wee are fools for Christs sake, weak and despised. unto this hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked, 1. Cor. 4. 10. 11. 12. 13. and are buffeted, and haue no certain dwelling place; and labour, working with our hands: wee are reviled, and yet wee bless, wee are persecuted, and suffer it: Wee are evil spoken of, and wee pray: wee are made as the filth of the world, the ofscowring of all things unto this time. So in another place he saith; Wee are afflicted on every side, 2. Cor. 4. 8. 9. 10. yet are wee not in distress; in poverty, but not overcome of poverty. We are persecuted but not forsaken, cast down, but wee perish not; every where wee bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the life of Iesus might be made manifest in our bodies. And again, In all things we approve ourselves as the Ministers of God; in much patience, Chap. 6. 4. 5. 6. in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses; In stripes, in prisons, in tumults, in labours, by watchings, by fastings, &c. And comparing his sufferings with those which were born by the rest of the Apostles, he saith, that he was in labours more abundant, in stripes 2. Cor. 11. 23. 44. above measure, in prison more plenteously; in death oft: of the Iewes five times received I forty stripes save one; I was thrice beaten with rods, I was once stoned; I suffered thrice shipwreck, night and day haue I been in the deep of the sea. In iorneying I was often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in could and in nakedness. Besides the things which were outward, I am cumbered daily and haue the care of all th● churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? unto which outward vexations of his body, and inward cares and distractions in his mind, we may add his spiritual afflictions, as the fight between the flesh and the spirit, and the buffetings of satan, which were incomparably greater then Rom. 7. 24. all the rest, for whereas out of the strength of his saith and patience he reioyced, yea even boasted himself in his other tribulations; by these he is much humbled and cast down in the sight of his corruptions, forced to cry out in perplexity of spirit; wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death; and driven unto God in frequent and fervent prayer, that he 2. Cor. 12. 8. might be freed from these temptations. Neither is this the state and condition onely of some § Sect. 8. That it is the lot of the whole Church militant to suffer afflictions. Esa. 41. 14. few particular men, but even of the whole Church militant here on earth, which is continually subject to the injuries and oppressions of wicked worldlings, which live with it and about it, in regard whereof God calleth it a worm( fear not thou worm jacob) because it is easily trodden under foot, and is notable in itself to make resistance. And making a description of the Church, whereby it might be discerned from a●l other people, he styleth it with these properties: O thou afflicted Esa. 54. 11. and tossed with tempest, that hast no comfort. In which regard the Apostle saith, that the Thessalonians became ●. Thes. 2. 14 followers of the Churches of God, because they had suffered the same things. And this manifestly appeareth in the example of the Church of Israel, which from the first to the last was afflicted above all other Nations. For what a miserable captivity did they endure three or four hundred yeeres in the land of egypt, whilst the wicked egyptians as their Lords and Masters flourished in the world, and reigned and ruled over them? What miseries and afflictions did they endure in the wilderness fourety yeares together, as hunger, thirst, stinging and burning Serpents, and grievous plagues, till all of them that came out of the land of egypt saving Caleb and josuah were utterly destroyed? And after that by so great warres and troubles they were settled in the land of Canaan, how often were they in the time of the Iudges vanquished and made tributaries and slaves to their cruel enemies? What a miserable captivity did they endure in babylon seventy yeeres together? And what oppressions and persecutions did they suffer under Antiochus, and afterwards under the Herods, for many yeares? so that the life of that whole state was but a continual conflict with troubles and calamities, saving that the Lord, now and then, gave unto them some little breathing time, whereby they renewed their strength against the next combat and encounter. The which their lamentable condition, we may see notably described in the book of the Iudges, and Kings, in the 44. 79. and 139. psalms, in the Lamentations of ieremy and many other places of the old Testament, unto which for brevity sake I refer the reader. And the like, yea much more miserable and afflicted was the condition of the Church after the ascension of Iesus Christ, not onely by reason of those persecutions raised against it by the malicious Iewes, but also those much more cruel and bloody persecutions under the heathenish Emperors, wherein many thousands of the godly christians were murdered and massacred, and that not by ordinary deaths, but by the most exquisite tortures and torments which wit assisted with malice could invent. By all which it appeareth that afflictions and tribulations in this world are the portion allotted both § Sect. 9. That the scriptures foretell these afflictions of the faithful. to the whole Church in general, and to all the special members, even every particular faithful man; and that the more near and deere they haue been unto God, and the more that they were enriched with excellent virtues and saving graces, the greater share and measure of crosses and miseries hath been inflicted vpon them. The which needeth not to seem strange unto any, seeing these works of God in the administration of his judgements are so consonant and agreeable with his word, which sheweth that all Gods saints and seruants are continually subject to these crosses and afflictions. For so our saviour saith, that whosoever will be Luk. 9. 23. his Disciples they must take up their cross daily and follow him: that all his faithful ones shall weep and lament, joh. 16. 20. when as the world shall laugh and rejoice; and that as many as he loveth he doth rebuk and chasten. And his holy Apostle telleth us, that all who will live godly in Christ Apoc. 3. 19. 2. Tim. 3. 12. Iesus shall suffer persecution: That whom God loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth( not some but) every son whom he receiveth; and therefore that if wee be without correction, whereof all are partakers, then are we bastards Heb. 12. 6. 8. and not sons. And finally, that afflictions are the Kings road and high-way, by which we must travell unto the Act. 14. 22. kingdom of heaven, if ever we purpose to come thither. And so the Apostle Peter comforting and strengthening 1. Pet. 5. 9. the faithful unto whom he writeth in their temptations, telleth them that their estate was common with them unto all Gods children, and that the same afflictions which they suffered were also accomplished in the rest of their brethren which are in the world. In which regard the son of Syrah, admonisheth us, that if we resolve to serve the Lord we should also prepare our souls to Eccles. 2. 1. endure temptations. Yea not onely are the Saints of God continually exercised with their own afflictions, but they also communicate with the rest of the faithful in their crosses and calamities, as being members of the same body; so as though it could be imagined that they had no troubles or miseries of their own, yet is their life much afflicted, by compassionating others in their afflictions,& partaking in their griefs. And both these are comprised together by the Apostle where he saith, that the Hebrews endured great afflictions, partly whilst they were Heb. 10 33. 34 made a gazing stock both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while they became companions of them which were so tossed to and fro. For both ye sorrowed with me for my bonds& suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that you haue in heaven a better and an enduring substance. unto which duty every Christian is bound not only by virtue of their union with Christ, and of one of them with another as fellow members, but by an express commandement from God by his holy Apostle; Remember them that are in bonds, as though ye were bound Heb. 13 3. with them, and them that are in affliction, as if you were afflicted in the body. And again, rejoice with them that Rom. 12. 15. 16. rejoice, and weep with them that weep, be of like affection one towards another. Seeing therefore crosses and afflictions haue from the § Sect. 10. That we may receive much comfort by considering the examples of Gods afflicted saints. very beginning of the world to this day been the lot and portion of all Gods saints, let this be our comfort, that we haue such and so many copartners of our griefs, for it is better to hold our communion with them, though we be fellowes also in their miseries, then being severed from them to enjoy all maner of worldly prosperity, It is better to accompany them in the foul and afflicted way which leadeth to Gods kingdom, it being the only known passage towards this heavenly city; then to go alone in an uncouth way which hath not been beaten and tracted by others of our godly brethren who haue gone before us, though it be never so pleasing and delightful. If travailing towards a town we were assured by some man of credit that we should go unto it by narrow and filthy lanes, and that by no other means we could come to the end of our journey, then by travailing through them, we would not rejoice, if in our passage we found only flowery sweet meadows and a faire and champion country, because wee would conclude that because it was so contrary to our friends description, it could not be the right way which would bring us to the city: but Christ hath ascertained us, that it is a narrow, foul and afflicted way that leadeth us to the new jerusalem; and by the Scriptures we are assured that Gods dearest saints and seruants haue traveled by this way towards this heavenly city; so that we haue no cause to be dismayed if we find our passage such as Christ hath described it, and the Saints haue formerly tracted before us, but rather we should haue just cause to doubt and fear, if we found it faire and pleasant, least we were not in the right way that leadeth to blessedness. For we are not better, yea we are many degrees worse then the holy patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles and why then should we expect to haue this privilege above them, that whereas they by many afflictions entred into the kingdom of God, we should hope to come thether by the faire broad way of worldly prosperity? Yea rather let us with patience travail in that Nec enim fortuna querenda sola tua est; similes al●orum respice casius, mitius is●a f●res. ovid. m●tam●r. li. 15. way which they haue beaten before us; let us rejoice& be glad if in our passage we may see the print of their footsteppes, though it be in the mire and day of trouble and affliction; seeing it is the greatest comfort and assurance of attaining unto happiness, when we haue such companions in our journey, or rather such precedents to lead us the way. Let us not think much to put our shoulders Onus est levius quod ab omnibus pertatur. under that burden which is born by all, seeing it is not likely that we should sink under it, when as wee haue so many assistants and copartners. Let it be our comfort that in our afflicted estate we be carried with the motion of the universe, and haue all the whole Church either going before, accompanying, or following Grande solatium est cum vniuerso rapi. Senec. de provid Cap. 5. Patienter ab un● sustinendum est▪ quod mult●s accidit. Bernard. de modo vivendi cap. 42. Plutarch. de consol. ad Apol. after vs. And let us not take it ill if we sustain that which is suffered by all: neither let us falsely complain that our burden is heavier then other mens; seeing if we compare our afflictions with those which haue been formerly suffered by the patriarchs, Apostles and Saints of God, their weight will appear to be but a few ounces, to their many pounds; and if now( according to Socrates conceit) all the faithful should agree together to cast all their crosses and miseries into one heap, to the end that there might out of the whole be an equal part shared to every one, the most of those who came thither whining and complaining, would rather take again their own burden which they brought, and go their way, then yield to haue a share in that proportionable division. Finally let us not onely look to those afflictions which other of Gods Saints haue suffered before us, but consider with what comfort and patience, yea with what thanksgiving and rejoicing they haue sustained and endured them;& so shal we plainly see that our murmuring and repining proceedeth not from the w●ight of these crosses, seeing they haue born far heavier with comfort and contentment, but from our own impotency and impatiency of bearing the lightest burden. For as all meats and drinks seem bitter, clammy and distasteful to him who is sick of a burning fever; but yet when he seeth those who are in health to feed hungerly and with a good stomach on such things as his appetite loatheth and abhorreth, then in his reason and discretion he imputeth not the vnsauorinesse to the meate and drink, but to the nature of his disease and his own distemper: so when wee behold other of Gods Saints bearing far greater afflictions then those which we suffer with comfort and rejoicing, wee will no more complain of our intolerable burden, but of our own impotency and impatiency which more vex us then our load. But here the afflicted sinner may object, that this § Sect. 11. A Consolation for those who complain that they are afflicted for their grievous sins. comparing of the crosses and calamities of the patriarchs and Apostles with those which he suffereth can bring unto him no patience or comfort, because they were holy men of God, who suffered in their innocency, for their trial, and the manifestation of Gods graces in them; and therefore no marvel if they bore their crosses with ioy and thanksgiving; whereas they being grievous sinners are afflicted for their transgressions, and besides do show many corruptions and much wickedness whilst the hand of God lieth heavy vpon them: To which I answer, that the fire of affliction serveth not only to try and prove us, but also to refine and purify us; neither are our crosses and calamities onely exercises for those which are strong and in health, but also physic to purge those of the corrupt humours of sin, who are spiritually sick; and therefore wee may well bear them with patience and comfort, if they either find us purified and so onely try us, or make us more pure by burning away our dross; if either they exercise our graces, that they may be increased and we preserved in our spiritual health; or purge away the corruptions of sin that our souls may be recovered out of their dangerous diseases: If either they find us in the way of righteousness and keep us in it, or going astray in the byways of sinnne, do reduce us into a right course, making us more careful in the use of all good means for the mortifying of our corruptions, and the renewing of us unto holinesse and newness of life. Besides wee are to know that howsoever those Saints and seruants of God were holy and righteous, yet had they the relics of sin and the corruption of nature remaining in them, as well as we, although not in so great a measure and degree; and that they also shewed many infirmities and corruptions in their afflictions both by impatiency in bearing them, and in using unlawful means to be freed from them, as it may easily appear to those who are but a little conversant in the holy scriptures. And therefore if being like unto them in afflictions, we be also like, yea superior unto them in sin, frailty and human weakness; this should not dismay and discourage us, if with them wee see our corruptions, dislike, bewail and labour against them, using the means whereby they may be mortified and subdued. Yea rather the more wee exceed them in these spiritual diseases, the more wee abound in the dross of sin, the more should be our patience in using the medicines which God hath prescribed for the curing of our dangerous sickness; the greater should be our ioy and rejoicing, when as God purgeth and purifieth us in this furnace of afflictions, from so much dross and rust of sin and corruption, even as he hath more cause of rejoicing, who is cured of the plague, and healed of griesly wounds and deep festered sores, then another who is recovered of a gentle ague, or hath his finger c●red of a little cut. CHAP. XXX. That wee may receive much comfort by comparing our light and small afflictions with those grievous and intolerable punishments which Christ suffered for vs. ANd thus may we comfort ourselves § Sect. 1. Of the manifold miseries and afflictions which Christ suffered both in ●i● life and ●eath. by comparing our lesser and lighter crosses and afflictions with those greater and heavier which the dearest Saints and seruants of God haue formerly suffered: but much more may wee strengthen our patience and replenish our hearts with consolation, yea with spiritual ioy and rejoicing, if we compare our miseries and tribulations, with those greater afflictions and calamities which were sustained by Iesus Christ our Lord and King; in respect of whose sufferings we may truly say, that our greatest crosses are but small sparks of that fiery furnace into which he was cast; and but a few after-droppes of that cruel tempest and storm of Gods wrath, which with full violence did beat vpon him. For as he never( that we know of) laughed in the world; so never did the world so much as smile vpon him; unless it were with some false favour to make ensuing disgraces and injuries more grievous and intolerable: yea contrariwise from the day of his birth to the day of his death, it pursued him with deadly malice, and heaped vpon him miseries and indignities. For though this rod and graffe springing from the stock of Ishai, were glorious in his rest, as the Esa. 11. 1. 10. Rom, 15. 12. Prophet speaketh, when he was come to the top of his perfection, covering and shadowing all the Gentiles under his patronage and protection, as the Apostle expoundeth it; yet( as else-where the same Prophet Rom. 15. 12. saith) he was in his first growth, as a branch springing from a roote in a dry and barren ground, having in him neither form nor beauty, so that those who should behold him, would see no form in him that they should Esa. 53. 2▪ 3. desire him Yea he further addeth, that he should be, as one despised and rejected of men, a man full of sorrows, having experience of infirmities, so as they should hid their faces from him, and not esteem him. So the Apostle saith, that though he were the prince of our salvation, Heb 2. 10. 5. 8. yet God thought it good to consecrate him to this office by afflictions; and that though he were the son of God, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. And himself affirmeth, that it behoved him to haue suffered all those miseries of his life, and Luk. 24. 26. afterwards a cursed death, before he could enter into his glory. Now what and how great these miseries and afflictions were, it will easily appear, if we take a view of the whole course of his life. For in his birth he had a common inn for his kingly palace, a stable for his chamber, a manger for his cradle, and the horses and bruit beasts for his chamber-fellowes. In his infancy before he could go he is constrained to flee into egypt, that his life might be preserved from cruel Herod who thirsted after his blood. In his youth he taketh pains in that poor occupation of his supposed father joseph, as appeareth by the question of the people; Is not this the Carpenter, Maries son? In his Mar. 6. 3▪ whole life he was subject to all human infirmities& afflictions which are generally incident unto al men, as heat and could, hunger and thirst, weariness and poverty. Yea so poor he was, that he lived by alms Luk 8. 3. Luk. 9. 5●. and had not the privilege of poor foxes, and silly birds, for the Foxes haue their holes, and the birds their nests, but the son of man had not whereon to lay his head. But especially was our saviour pinched and pressed with miseries and afflictions, when he began to execute his office, and to work the work of our redemption. For he fasted forty daies and hungered for want of necessary food; he is grievously assaulted with Sathans powerful and subtle temptations, and getteth not the victory without a painful conflict. he spendeth his life in doing well and hearing evil; he doth works of mercy, and is maliciously censured; he teacheth the truth, and hardly escapeth outward violence: his friends enviously backbite him, his enemies maliciously slander him; and he who being the power of God, did admirable miracles by his onely word, is accused to work them by beelzeebub the Prince of divels. he cannot speak, but they are ready to entrap him, and out of the words of life and salvation, they are ready to gather matter of his death and destruction. He is reproachfully called a wine-bibber, a glutton, an impostor, a deceiver, a Samaritan, a sinner, and being the onely true and natural son of God, he is said to be possessed with a devill. He is betrayed of his own Apostle, and apprehended with swords and staues, as if he were an heinous malefactor. He is bound who came to set us at liberty, and to redeem us out of the cruel bondage of sin and satan; and arraigned before a mortal, yea wicked man, being the Lord chief iustice of heaven and Earth. He who is truth itself is falsely accused, coming to be our advocate to plead our cause and excuse us to Gods iustice; and is unjustly condemned being innocent and full of all virtue and goodness. he is mocked and scorned, ranted and reviled, blind-foulded and buffeted; he is shamefully spit vpon, who with his spittle had healed and recovered the eyes of the blind; and a bloody murderer preferred before the holy and righteous. He is cruelly whipped, as though he were some rogue or runagate, and his blessed head is crwoned with sharp pricking thorns, unto whom of right belonged the crown of glory. He hath a purple rob in derision put vpon him, and a reed in his hand instead of a sceptre, and so he is scornfully saluted as a King in a May-game, who is the sovereign Monarch of heaven and earth: The Lord of life is adiudged to death, yea the shameful and cursed death of the cross, and he who is most innocent& righteous is crucified between two theeues as though he were the greatest malefactor. The which kind of death as it is exceeding painful to all that suffer it, because the hands and the feet being above all other parts most sensible of torment, by reason that they abound with nerves and sinews the instruments of sense and feeling, were pierced and nailed to the cross; and because the tortures though sharp and bitter, are yet also long and lingering; so especially( as some probably judge) to our saviour; for whereas all the powers and faculties of our bodies and souls are by reason of sin, and the corruption of our nature dulled and deadded, and our senses among the rest; the body of our saviour Christ as it was most pure and free from sin, so was it most quick and perfect in all these faculties, and consequently most sensible of smart and pain. And thus also instead of drink to quench his thirst, they give him vinegar mingled with gall; and in stead of sweet comforts in the terrors of death, they wag their heads, flout and deride him, saying; Thou that destroiest the Temple, and buildest it in mat. 27. 38. 39 40. three daies, save thyself, if thou be the son of God, come down from the cross. He saved others, but he cannot save himself, if he be the King of Israell, let him now come down from the cross, and we will beleeue in him. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will haue him, for he said I am the son of God. But among all the torments which he suffered, not any one nor all together are to be compared with those tortures of his soul, when as he bore the unsupportable weight of Gods anger due to our sins, which brought him into a grievous agony, and pressed out of him in the garden, Math 27. 46. those clots of blood in stead of sweat, and vpon the cross that rueful cry; my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me. By all which it manifestly appeareth, that there is an incomparable difference between Christs and our greatest sufferings, and that our afflictions being compared unto his, are but a drop to the ocean, a flea-bite to the sting of scorpions, and a little fillip to the torturing rack. It is true indeed, that we and he drink of the like cup, and the like ingredients, but like in quality, not in quantity; for his cup was Ezech. 23 32. large and deep, like that cup of which Ezechiel speaketh; ours small and shallow. His cup was bitter through the terrors of Gods wrath which he apprehended, ours is sweetened through the mixture of spiritual comforts. He drunk a deep draft, and as it were the lowermost dregs of Gods fierce wrath, we( as it were) drink of the uppermost part of the potion, and do onely but sip and taste of it; to him this draft was like a deadly poison which caused death, to us it is but a physical medicine, which by purging away the corrupt humours of sin, preserveth § Sect. 2. That Christ suffered all these miseries and afflictions being just and innocent. Esa 53. 9. our spiritual life, and furthereth us in attaining unto life everlasting. And these with many other miseries and afflictions Christ our head suffered in the world, being most innocent, just and holy; for as the Prophet speaketh, he made his grave with the wicked, though he had done no wickedness, neither was any deceit in his mouth. So the Apostle Peter saith, that in him was no sin, and in his 1. Pet. 2. 22. mouth there was found no guile. And the Apostle John 1. joh. 3. 5. affirmeth, that he appeared, that he might take away our sins, and that in him was no sin. And therefore as one Cur ita asperum creditur vt à deo homo toleret flagella pro malis; si tanta deus ab hominibus pertulit mala pro bon●s: Gregor. pasioral. part. 1. cap. 13. saith, if he departed not out of the world without correction, who came into it without corruption, how much more are we to expect stripes, who by our sins haue so often deserved them? And why should it be thought hard, that man should be afflicted by God for so many evils, seeing God suffered so many evils at the hands of men, onely for doing good? or who in his right wits can ungratefully complain of his correction, if he escaped not the whip, who never was tainted with the least corruption? And as another August. in Psal. 40. enarrat. saith, if Christ were content to be launched and seared who had in him no putrefaction, and if he who is our medicine, refused not the medicinal fire and burning iron, much more ought we to endure patiently the hand of our heavenly chirurgeon launching, searing& searching our festered sores of sin with afflictions and tribulations, that he may heal and cure vs. And therefore let us wholly commit ourselves into the hands of our physician, for he cannot err in misapplying his medicines to the sound flesh, in stead of rotten and putrefied, seeing he who made nature must needs know the faults and defects of nature, and what imperfections are come unto it through our concupiscence and corruption. He knoweth that he gave a commandement to man in his perfect health, that he should not run a course which would bring him to sickness, saying unto him in Paradise; eat of this, and this forbear: but whole man hearkned not to the prescript of his physician, that he might not fall; and therefore now at least let him harken unto him, that he may rise again and recover health. But let us further consider, that Christ in himself just § Sect. 3. That Christ being righteous in himself, suffered all these afflictions for us who are sinners. and innocent, suffered all these miseries for us, who were dead in our sins, the children of wrath, strangers, yea enemies unto God and his grace, that by these our sufferings he might satisfy Gods iustice in bearing that punishment which he had deserved, justify us by his righteousness and obedience, and reconcile us unto his father, and so might not only free us from the everlasting torments of hell fire, which was the merit of our sins; but also might by the wood of his cross sweeten these bitter waters, pull out the sting of our temporary afflictions, and so not only make them harmless, but also good and profitable. For by his holy and innocent sufferings he hath so sanctified all our afflictions, that our poverty is made the way to riches, our shane to glory, our punishments to everlasting pleasures, our curse to blessings, and even our death itself to everlasting life and happiness. So the Prophet Esay witnesseth, that he hath born our infirmities, and carried our sorrows, he was Esai 53. 4. 5. wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was vpon him, and with his stripes we are healed. And the Apostle Peter affirmeth that his own self, bare our sins in his body ● Pet 2. 24. on the three, that being delivered from sin we should live in righteousness. If therefore jacob, seeing his son Iosephs coat embrued with his blood, was so wholly taken up with this sorrow, that he had no place left for any other, this greater grief making all the less easy and insensible, how much more, when we see our dear saviours body embrued with blood, torn with nailes and pierced with a spear, yea crucified and tormented thus with our grievous sins, which caused and made way for all other tortures, should we be so wholly possessed with this grief and mourning, that we should be scarce sensible of any worldly sorrow, but bear all earthly troubles and afflictions with patience and comfort? Especially considering further that he willingly suffered for our sakes all those afflictions, torments, and death itself, with all meekness and patience; for though( as the Prophet speaketh) he were oppressed, and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth, but Esai 53. 7. was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearer is dumb, so opened he not his mouth. And as the Apostle saith, when he was reviled, he reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but committed 1. Pet. 2. 23. it to him that iudgeth righteously. Yea so meek was our saviour in all his sufferings, that when he was so horribly abused, mocked, buffeted, spit on, scorned whipped, and crucified, he did not show the least sign of impatiency, he refuseth not the murdering kiss of a known traitor, he healeth the ear of him who came to apprehended him; he is falsely accused and maketh no apology, yea he excuseth and prayeth unto his father for his bloody persecutors; father( saith he) forgive them they know not what they do. All which he Luk. 23. 34. did for our sakes, not onely to perfect the work of 1. Pet. 2. 24. our redemption, but also to leave us an example, that we might follow his steps. For if Christ suffered patiently such great miseries and indignities for our sakes himself being innocent, what troubles and afflictions, what crosses and miseries should we be content with all meekness to bear for his sake and at his appointment, being guilty sinners who haue deserved eternal condemnation? especially considering that by his blessed sufferings he hath so seasoned and sanctified all our worldly tribulations, that they are become harmless and without sting, yea wholesome happy& the means of blessedness. If he for the love that he bare unto us, thought not his precious life to good to give it unto his father as the price of our redemption, how ready should we be in lieu of thankfulness to forsake wealth and health, house and lands, kindred and friends, yea life itself at his appointment? To which purpose one hath a singular meditation; If( saith he) I wholly owe myself unto God for my Bernard. de diligend. de●. creation, what shall I now give him for my restauration, especially being restored after this manner? Neither was I so easily restored as I was created. For he did but say the word and I was made, but he that made me by speaking the word only, for my restoring both spake many things, and wrought wonders, and suffered hardness; and not only hardness, but things unworthy of him. What therefore shall I return unto the Lord for all the benefits which he hath bestowed vpon me? In his first work he gave me unto myself; in his second, he hath given himself unto me, and by giuing himself hath restored me unto myself. Being therefore given and restored, I owe myself for myself, and so owe myself unto God by a double right. But what shall I render unto God for giuing himself unto me? for though I could give myself a thousand times for recompense, what am I in comparison of him? And if we bee not thus willing and ready to suffer § Sect. 4. That we shall be adiudged unworthy to reign▪ with Christ if we be not cont●●t to suffer w●th him. afflictions for Christs sake, and to bear the cross at his appointment, we are not worthy of him, nor to be esteemed among his seruants and disciples: for if he, being the glorious son of the eternal God, was content for our sakes to abase himself, to refuse all worldly glory and riches, and to suffer most grievous miseries, poverty and contempt, ignominy and disgrace, yea the cruel, cursed, and shameful death of the cross, and the wrath of his father, much more ●●arefull and intolerable then all the rest; then are we unworthy to bee acknowledged for his, if being poor worms and sinful wretches, we should be so ungrateful for those inestimable pains sustained for us, as not to bee willing to suffer what it shall please our saviour Christ to impose vpon us, seeing our load is light, incomparison of his unsupportable burden; or to grudge to drink of that cup which he hath prepared for us, himself having drunk it to the bottom, especially considering it was to him a deadly potion; but unto us a physical medicine, and an wholesome restorative, tending to the preserving or recovering of our spiritual health. So our saviour plainly saith, He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me; and he that Mat. 10. 38, 39 loveth son or daughter more then me, is not worthy of me; And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. And again, If any man will follow me, let him forsake himself and take up his cross and follow me: For whosoever will save his life, Mat. 16. 24. 25 shall loose it, and whosoever shall loose his life for my sake, shall find it: and what will it profit a man▪ if he shall win the whole world, and loose his own soul? or what shall a man give for recompense of his soul? And else where, Luke 14. 3●. whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all he hath( that is, hath not a disposition of forsaking all when I require it) he cannot be my disciple. He that will serve a master, must make profession thereof by wearing his livery, but the cross is the livery and cognisance of Christ, which that his followers might not scorn nor grudge to put it on, himself first bore and wore it. Haman though it the greatest honour that could Hest. 6. 8. be done unto a subject, that he should b●● thought worthy to wear th● Kings apparel. The soldier thinks himself much honoured, when, his general admits him to wear his colours, and to go into the field in his own arms; and jonathan when he would show his greatest love towards david and how much he esteemed of him, he puts vpon him his own robe 1. Sam. 18. 4 and garments, his sword, bow and girdle: but these afflictions are the bloody colours of our great commander, this read apparel, and these garments sprinkled with blood, were such as himself wore ●sa. 63 2. 3 Heb. 2. 14. whilst he dwelled on earth, as the Prophet witnesseth; In this bloody arms he fought and vanquished satan and sin, with all the enemies of our salvation: And therefore let us think it no disgrace, yea let us esteem it our highest honour, and a great testimony of our Lord, and saviours greatest love, when he thinketh us worthy to wear his colours, to bee clothed in his own apparel, and in his own arms to fight against the enemies of our salvation. * Sect. 5. That God hath preordained those to be like Christ in his sufferings, who shall be like unto him in glory. Rom. 8. 29. Mat. 20. 22. 23 Finally let us consider that whomsoever God hath preordained to be like unto his son in glory, he hath also preordained, that he should first bear his image in afflictions, as the Apostle telleth us; that before we can be exalted to sit with Christ in his kingdom, we must first drink with him in his bitter cup, as himself speaketh to his beloved Apostles, that before we are called of God to enter into his joys, we are first called to suffer tribulation, for Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that wee should follow his steps, as Peter affirmeth, that if wee bee heires 1. Pet. 2. 21. Rom. 8. 17. with Christ, we must first suffer with him. that we may also be glorified with him, as Paul joineth them. And finally, that though Christ of his infinite grace, being rich for our sakes became poor, that through his poverty we might be made rich, that these spiritual and 2. Cor. 8. 9. heavenly treasures are bestowed vpon none, but vpon those, who being humbled with sorrows and afflictions, are poor in spirit, as himself teacheth vs. And therefore the holy Apostle preparing us for this glory and aduancement, doth exhort us to let the same Phil 2. 5. 6. 7. mind be in us which was in Iesus Christ, who being in the form of God, made himself of no reputation, but took vpon him the form of a seruant, and humbled himself and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the cross. So that if we will feast with Christ in heaven we must fast with him on earth; if we will eat with him at his table of the bread of life, and( as and speaketh) drink wine with him in his kingdom, we must, in this worldly prison and pilgrimage, eat with him of the bread of affliction, and drink of the water of sorrow; and here we must labour and travell whilst these working-daies of life last, if there we would keep an everlasting Sabbath; and work in the Vineyard, if we will at the evening, receive that penny and wages of eternal happiness. To this purpose one saith, thou Bernard. supper. Cantica. Ser. 47 O Lord Iesu art unto me both an example and reward of suffering, and both do strongly provoke, and vehemently inflame me; thou teachest my hands to fight by the example of thy fortitude, and after victory thou crownest my head with the presence of thy majesty; and therefore whether I see thee fighting, or expect thee to crown me, or rather as the crown of my glory, in both thou dost wonderfully 'allure me, and both is a chain vnresistable to draw me. Pull me then after thee,& I will gladly follow thee, but more gladly enjoy thee; for if thou beest so good, O Lord, to those that seek& run after thee, what wilt thou be to those who find and possess thee? And this is very consonant,& agreeable with reason, that none should reign with Christ, but those who haue first suffered with him: for the disciple is not above his master, nor the seruant above his Lord: it is enough for the disciple to bee as his master is,& the seruant as his Lord. If they haue called the master of the house beelzeebub, how much more Matth. 24. 25. them of the household? If they haue done these things to green three, what shall be done to a dry? And our saviour telleth all his disciples, that as the men of the world had persecuted him, so they would also persecute Luk. 23. 31. them. The adopted sons of God are not to be joh. 15. 20. preferred before the natural son, who is the chief of the family: it is sufficient▪ and a wonderful favour, if they be admitted to any equality. And therefore if the Prince of our salvation, was consecrated by afflictions, Luk. 24. 26. and by his grievous and manifold sufferings entred into his glory, why should wee expect a preuiledge above him? It is not suitable and fit that an afflicted head should haue a pampered body and members even languishing in ease and delicacy. It becometh not the seruant to live in idleness and pleasure, when as the master wearieth himself with pains and labour; nor that the soldier should be in garrison, faring daintily and lying soft, when as the captain is in the field, enduring all hardness, and exposing himself to innumerable dangers. And therefore seeing our head Christ was crwoned with pricking thorns, let not us his members expect to be crwoned with worldly glory. Seeing our master hath taken such pains, in our work, and for our sake, and our great Commander hath so courageously encountered our enemies, fighting unto blood, and losing his precious life, that we might obtain the victory: let us his seruants and souldiers enure ourselves with patience to sustain any labour, and attempt any service, though never so dangerous, which he appointeth, that overcoming, we may also triumph with him in glory and happiness. But this( alas) is above the strength and courage which we haue by nature, where of it cometh to pass that howsoever many would gladly be conformable § Sect. 6. That many would willingly reign with Christ, but few are content to suffer with him. with Christ in glory, yet few would be like unto him in afflictions; many would be partakers of his crown, but few are content to bear his cross; many would follow him to eat of his bread, but few are willing to drink of his cup; many would triumph in his glory, but few are courageous and constant in fighting his battels: Finally, many would gladly go unto heaven; but they are utterly unwilling to follow Christ in the same way; they would ascend with Christ gloriously from Mount olivet in the presence of their friends, but they will not first accompany him to Mount calvary ignominiously to suffer with him in the midst of their enemies. But as one saith, if thou Chrisost. in Heb. 12. Homil. 28. in morali. wilt be a Disciple, it is thy duty to follow thy master; now if he went by affliction unto his kingdom, and thou wilt go thither by ease and prosperity, thou refusest his way and choosest another, and therefore how wilt thou not following follow him? how wilt thou be called his Disciple, seeing thou art not content to walk in his steps? If( as the Apostle speaketh) thou wilt know him and the virtue of his resurrection, thou must first haue fellowship with him in his afflictions, Phil. 3. 10, 11 and be made conformable unto his death, that by any means thou maiest attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Which that we may do with patience and comfort, let us often meditate on those afflictions& miseries which our Lord& saviour Iesus Christ( being the eternal son of God,& so dearly beloved, that in him alone he is well pleased) hath suffered for vs. As for example, when we are in poverty and pinched with worldly wants, let us remember that the Lord of heaven and earth, was for our sakes so destitute of earthly comforts, that he had not an house to hid his head in. When we are injuriously traduced and unjustly slandered, let us call to mind that our saviour, who was the Lamb without spot, most innocent and full of al goodness, was called a wine bibber, a friend to publicans and sinners, an impostor, and one who did all his miracles by the help of Beelzebub the prince of divels. When we are ill requited by those of whom we haue well deserved, forsaken by our friends in the time of our need, and betrayed by those who stand obliged unto us by many benefits; let us think with ourselves, that our dear Lord was thus used before us; for those sought his destruction whom he came to save; his disciples and followers forsake him and fly away in his greatest extremity; and one whom he had dignified with the honor of an Apostle, and among all the men of the world, had chosen for one of the twelve, and honoured with his chief service and choice preferments, doth in lieu of all his benefits, plot his ruin, and betrayeth him into the cruel hands of his bloodthirsty enemies. Finally are we disgracefully apprehended, haled to the iudgement seat, falsely accused, unjustly condemned, buffeted, whipped, mocked, scorned, and adiudged to die a shameful and painful death? let us comfort ourselves with this consideration, that the only son of God, who above all others was most dear to his heavenly father, did suffer these and many other miseries, and hath seasoned and sweetened these bitter waters, by bathing in them his most blessed body. And to conclude, are we not only thus afflicted in our bodies and states, but also in our souls much vexed and troubled, with the temptations of satan and the world, with the burden of sin, and the apprehension of Gods wrath and terrors of death and hell? then let us strengthen and refresh our fainting hearts with this meditation, that Christ himself was thus tempted, that he bore at once the burden, not of one mans sin alone, but of all the faithful and elect, and did not only( like us) taste and sip of the wine of Gods wrath, but did drink the very dregs thereof even to the bottom. As therfore they were accustomend to provoke Elephants 1. Mach. 6. 34. unto the fight, by showing them the blood of Grapes or mulberries: so let us encourage ourselves to fight courageously against worldly afflictions, that wee may with patience conquer and overcome them, by looking on the afflictions, miseries and wounds of our saviour, and vpon those streams of blood which so abundantly flowed from his head& shoulders, hands& feet, and lastly from that precious fountain of his pierced heart. For as one saith, We Parua tol●rabimus, si recordemur quid biberit ad patibulum, qui nos inuitat ad caelum Cassian. supper psalmos. will with ease bear our light and little afflictions, if we would but consider what greater things he suffered for us vpon his cross who inviteth us unto heaven. From thence as out of a pulpit he powerfully preacheth a sermon of patience,& effectually persuadeth us to suffer a little for him, who for us hath suffered so much. For as the physician cannot use a stronger reason to move his patient to take a loathed& suspected potion, then when before him( to show that there is no hurt or danger in it) he is content not only to taste his medicine, but to drink a much stronger of the same kind in a double quantity; so there cannot bee a more effectual motive to persuade us to drink of Christs bitter cup, then when wee consider, that he himself hath not only begun to us, but hath drunk a far greater measure,& the very dregs thereof even to the bottom. And thus the Apostle persuading us with patience to run in the afflicted race that is set before us, doth will us to look unto Heb. 12. 1, 2. 3. Iesus the author& finisher of our faith, who for the ioy that was set before him, endured the cross,& despised the shane,& is set at the right hand of the throne of God;& to consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners, least wee should be wearied& faint in our mindes. And thus our saviour joh. 15. 20. armed his disciples against the hatred of the world, by putting them in mind that it hated him first. And an holy father exhorteth us, with patience to suffer afflictions, encouraging Bibe, ager ealicem amarum vt sanus sis▪ cvi non sursona 〈…〉 rs, N●● trepidare quia ne trepideres prior hibit medicus &c. August▪ in Psal 48. ourselves by Christs example; Drink( saith he) O thou sick man, this bitter potion, that being diseased thou mayst recover health. fear not to take it, seeing to free thee from this fear, thy physician hath begun unto thee& drunk a full draft of his bitter passion. He drunk unto thee who having no sin, had nothing in him that needed curing; refuse not then to pledge him who art sick in sin,& being full of corrupt humours, needest purging; but be content to drink till the bitterness of this world passing away, that happy time shall come, wherein there shall be neither fever nor consumption. Let us therefore in all our afflictions set before us the sufferings of our innocent saviour which he endured with all meekness for our sakes, saying with Thomas when we hear of his death, Let us also go that we may die with him. Let us look vpon joh. 11. 26. our great commander fasting, watching,& fighting unto blood, in the midst of the royal army of his Saints; and say with uriah, My Lord Iesus,& the seruants of my Lord abide in the open fields;& shall I go to my house, eat, drink, 2. Sam. 11 11. and take my pleasure? And when we are stung with these fiery serpents of affliction let us cast up our eyes unto the true brazen serpent Iesus Christ, hanging vpon his cross,& this will heal us& mitigate the heat of our impatiency: Yea this consideration will enable us, not only to bear a lour crosses, with patience& comfort, but also( with Paul▪ to rejoice Col. 1, 24. in our suff●ings in that we do fulfil the rest of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church. the which also the Apostle Peter requireth of us; rejoice( saith he) in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings, 1. Pe●. 4 13. that when his glory shall appear ye may be glad& rejoice. For we shall be heires with him in his glory if we be copartners Rom. 8. 17. with him in his afflictions, & if we suffer with him wee shall also reign with him, as the Apostle teacheth vs. 2. Tim 2. 12. CHAP. XXXI. That we may much comfort ourselves by comparing our afflictions with the punishments of the wicked, from which Christ hath freed vs. § Sect. 1. Of the manifold and great miseries which worldlings suffer, for the attaining unto earthly vanities. AND thus may we comfort ourselves in our crosses and miseries, by comparing them with those much more grievous afflictions, which the holy Saints of God, yea, our saviour Christ himself, the onely begotten and dearly beloved of his Father, haue suffered before us: Now in the second place let us compare our crosses and calamities which we find in the strait way that leadeth unto life eternal, with those troubles and miseries which worldly wicked men meet with, whilst they labour to satisfy their earthly desires, in the fruition of mere trifles and worldly vanities; and that both in respect of this life and the life to come. In this life they purchase the things which they set their hearts vpon at such dear prizes, that none in their right wits would envy their bargain, or desire their penny-worth, if they did but know how dear they cost them. For to say nothing of their spiritaull punishments, which like furies continually haunt them as the wrath of God inflamed and enraged against them, for their gross crimes and grievous wickedness committed by them, whilst they seek by ungodly means to compass their desires, which their guiltiness maketh them often to apprehended, and must needs bee most terrible when it is apprehended; the affrighting terrors of an evil conscience, which night and day, alone and in company, do continually pursue them, as it were with an Hue-an-cry. The dreadful expectation of Gods terrible iudgments, which daily hang over their heads in this life, and the day of death, which they know not how soon it will approach, and take them from al their worldly delights and comforts, which they love more dearly then their own souls, and hale them, will they, nill they, before Gods fearful tribunal feat, there to receive the sentence of condemnation, whereby they shall be adiudged to those everlasting torments of hel fire; to let pass, I say, these spiritual plagues and punishments of wicked worldlings( which notwithstanding are incomparably greater then all the afflictions and miseries which are possibly incident unto any faithful man or sound Christian) how great are the corporal and outward miseries which they willingly undertake and suffer, being hired with bare hopes of attaining unto worldly vanities? How do they spend themselves, weaken their strength, hazard their health, weary, and even wear out their bodies with toil and labour, for the obtaining of earthly trifles? Yea, how do they tyre themselves in the works of wickedness, thinking no danger too dangerous, no pains too painful which they undergo and take, for the fruition of their sinful pleasures; by their worldly and temporary torments, making way and preparing themselves, for those which are endless and everlasting? So the Prophet speaking of the wicked of his times, saith, That they taught their tongues to speak lies, and took great pains to do wickedly. And in the jer. 9. 5. Wisd. 5. 7. book of wisdom they are brought in complaining, that they had wearied themselves in the way of wickedness and destruction, going through deserts where there lay no way; and so passing through worldly torments into the torments of hel. The which is noted by the Prophet, as a fearful iudgment of God vpon them. Behold( saith he) is it not of the Lord of Habac. 2. 13. h●asts, that the people shall labour in the very fire, and weary themselves for very vanity? For whereas the faithful by their many tribulations do enter into the kingdom of heaven; these professed martyrs of the world, do by as great troubles and miseries enter into the kingdom of darkness, and by their temporary pains, make purchase of everlasting punishments. But for the better clearing of this point, let us consider of §. Sect. 2. Examples of heathen men patiently enduring great afflictions for the compassing of the earthly desires. the examples both of former ages, and of our own present times; and wee shall plainly see that the miseries which worldlings haue and do sustain, are no less grievous, and incomparably more uncomfortable then those which the faithful endure in their way to Gods kingdom, they being deprived of the present consolations of Gods holy Spirit, and the hope of future happiness, the want whereof maketh the lightest burden of affliction heavy and intolerable, even as their presence doth make the heaviest and most bitter, light and sweet. For what afflictions do the Saints suffer for God and his kingdom; which even mere heathen men haue not voluntarily and cheerfully endured for the world and the fruits of worldly vanities? Are they afflicted with poverty? Fabricius willingly and cheerfully bears it, and after so great command and many victories, he is content to follow husbandry to get his living, to sup in his chimney corner with roots and herbs, and for want of means is constrained to accept of portions for his daughters out of the common purse. And Valerius Publicol● after his famous consulship dieth so poor, that he was butted at the public charge. Are they afflicted with the death of their dearest friends, of their children, yea, of their own, onely, and most hopeful sons? Many of the Heathen haue born this cross with great patience and magnanimous courage, as Anaxagoras, P●ricles, Xenophon, Demosthenes, Plutarch. de Consol ad Apol. lon. t. 1. Di●, Antigonus, and many other, as Plutarch witnesseth. Are they exiled from their native home? Rutilius and Aristides, though unjustly banished out of their dearly loved countries, do with constant meekness bear the weight of this heavy burden. Are they whipped and cruelly scourged by merciless enemies? The Lacedem●nian children made this but a game& mastery, wherein they contended one with another, who should endure with patience most& sharpest stripes, till their bodies were so cruelly torn, that they hardly escaped with their lives. Are they subject to the fiery trial? Mucius Scaeuela voluntarily and vnmoueably endures this torment, until his greatest enemy was more weary in seeing, then he in suffering it. Are they adiudged to death and brought out to execution? Socrates having drunk the deadly hemlock, dieth discoursing in his divine philosophy. M. Curtius leapeth voluntarily into the noisome and devouring gulf; and the Decij devote themselves to assured death for the preservation of their armies. Are they vexed with torments, and see death approaching, with his most ugly visage and vizard, and appareled in his most terrible habit? A●●ilius Regulus willingly offers himself to suffer these exquisite tortures,& when he might haue fled from them with some small impeachment and disparagement to his paganish faith, he standeth still, till they catch him, or rather meets them in the mid way. Finally, Senec. lib. de providen. cap. 5. Demetrius( as Seneca reporteth) professeth himself ready and willing to endure the encounters of any afflictions. Herein alone( saith he) O ye immortal Gods, ye give unto me just cause of complaining, in that before ye brought vpon me these crosses and calamities, ye did not acquaint me with your will, for had I known it, I would willingly haue offered myself to suffer these things, which I now endure being called by you to undergo them. Will you take away my children from me? I haue bread and brought them up for you. Will ye haue any part of my body? Take it unto you; neither is it much that I offer, seeing shortly I shall leave the whole. Will ye haue my soul? Why should you not? neither will I be against it, that you should at pleasure resume that which you haue first given. You shall haue whatsoever you require from one that is willing to part with it. What then do I complain of? I had rather voluntarily offer unto you what you would haue, then deliver it vpon demand. What need you to haue taken it by force, seeing you might haue received it on free-will. But now you shall pluck nothing from me, seeing nothing is wrested, but that which is retained. I am in nothing constrained, I suffer nothing against my will. Neither do I servilely serve God, but voluntarily assent unto him. By all which and many other examples, it may appear that the pagans and infidels haue with great patience, constancy and courage, suffered as great and heavy crosses and calamities, as are incident unto us; having no other end, for the most part, but worldly glory, and to continue and eternize their name and famed unto all eternity; and therefore how much more should we endure and suffer far greater miseries with all ioy and cheerfulness, seeing they tend not onely to the glory of our gracious God, but also to the furthering and assuring of our everlasting happiness. But not onely haue men in times past been subject to §. Sect. 3. Of the pains, dangers and miseries, which worldlings suffer, for the attaining unto earthly trifles. great and innumerable afflictions, for the compassing of their worldly desires, but even in these dayes, they are, in aiming at the same ends, liable to the like miseries. For what difficulties and dangers, what excessive pains and toilsome labours, do ambitious men undertake that they may aspire unto worldly honours? How are their heads broken with cares, and their hearts with griefs, in plotting the means of their preferments, and in being crossed in their designs? how do they beate their brains in studying Machiauells policies, and in contriving means for the overthrowing of their enemies, for the supplanting of their competitors, that themselves may rise by their fall, yea for the cunning betraying of those unto, whom they profess love& friendship standing in their way, so as they may haue their bane, and yet never know who hurt them? With what fears are they racked lest they should be catched in their own nets? And what sorrows do they sustain, when as they are overtaken and supplanted by them at whose heels they tripped? Neither do men take less pains, or undergo fewer dangers, or endure smaller or lighter miseries for the obtaining of the Mammon of iniquity. The husband man is vexed with the could of Winter, and the heat of summer. He toileth in the mire and dirt, and his body is subject to the ini●ries of flormie tempests, boisterous winds, hail, snow, and all weathers; he wasteth his body, and consumeth his strength in digging, ditching, hedging, ploughing, threshing, sowing, reaping, carting, having no other comfort to strengthen him, but the hoped harvest which seldom answereth unto his over greedy expectation. The Merchant traveleth by sea and land, and is exposed to innumerable dangers, to storms and leaks, to rocks and wracks, to the robberies of merciless pirates, and the injuries of lawless barbarians, by many whereof he is oftentimes overtaken, and seldom escapeth them all. And all these pains and dangers he taketh and runneth into, onely in hope of obtaining some riches, of which he sometimes faileth, running into great losses, whilst he pursued small gains; or though he do attain unto that which he seeketh, yet is he as much troubled in the possession, as in the pursuit; and after al his pains in getting, and care in keeping, he is most of all tormented, when as losing that which is endeared unto him by enduring so much for it, his heart Quaeris vt acquiras, acquiris vt perdas, perdis vt doleas. Bernard. serm. de quinque negotiationib. lieth open to let in grief and sorrow. So that( as one saith) by all these excessive cares, labours and manifold dangers; they seek to obtain, obtain to loose, and loose to grieve. The soldier to maintain himself in his estate and calling, endures innumerable and grievous miseries; he watcheth and wardeth, he lieth hardly and fareth barely, he runneth desperately into any dangers, and endureth the encounters of mighty enemies, he is subject daily to wounds and maims, and is continually exposed to peril of death; all which he undertaketh and sustaineth with courage and comfort, for the gaining of some small pay, which he no sooner receiveth but he presently spendeth it; or for the purchase of some smoky honour, the commendation of his general, or the applause of his fellow soldiers. So what pains and torments doth the seek man endure, that he may recover his impaired health? What cutting and lancing, what searching and searing, what corasiues and cautarizing, what distaste and loathsomeness doth he endure, whilst he chaweth the pills which he cannot swallow, and whether he will or no, casteth up again the loathed potion? and yet oftentimes he is deceived of his hope, his medicine being his poison, which killeth, in stead of curing him. Or though he attaineth unto that health which he expecteth, it is onely a repriuall from death and no deliverance; no full freedom from griefs and pains, but a further enabling of him by recovery of strength, to endure them longer. Finally, we see what pains are sustained by ignorant idolaters, and what afflictions and miseries are with patience endured by the blind and superstitious in their will-worship and idolatrous service. The Baalits cut and lance themselves before their idol; the Papists go barefoot on pilgrimages to their images of Saints, and cruelly whip themselves before their crucifix; many of the Iewes would endure any torments, rather then they would eat swines flesh; and the Turkes themselves would rather die, then blaspheme their false Prophet Mahomet, or lying Alcharon. In a word, worldlings of any sort are content with patience to suffer any misery for the fruition of their earthly desires, and the pleasing of their Si tanta suffert anima mundana vt possideat vnde pereat, quanta debet sufferre ne pereat. August. lib. de patient. cap. 6. carnal appetite; and though they are not assured to attain unto them, yet the very bare hope of enjoying doth lighten all their labours, and sweeten unto them their most distasteful sorrows. And therefore, if worldly men are content to suffer so many afflictions, that they may obtain those things which further their destruction, how much more cheerfully and patiently should we suffer far greater crosses, that wee may attain unto salvation. If they suffer so much for Mammon and things of no worth, let us be ashamed, to be unwilling to suffer so much and more for Christ, and the fruition of heavenly happiness. If they endure so many miseries for temporary trifles, which they are not sure to obtain after all their pains and travails, nor to retain them for one hour, though they should haue them in possession; how much rather should wee with ioy and thankfulness endure all cross and calamities, for the assured fruition& everlasting possession of God himself, and those unspeakable joys of his heavenly kingdom? It is the lot of the most to suffer many miseries in this life; and( as one saith in this world, not to fear, grieve, labour and bee in Alia est autem spes piorum, alius laboris fruct●s, alia periculorum merces. &c. August. epist. ad La●gum. epist. 82. danger, it is merely impossible; but seeing far other is the hope of the godly, then of the wicked, far other the fruit of their labour, and much richer the reward of their dangers; it is principally to bee respected for what cause, with what expectation, and to what end every one endureth these crosses and miseries. And therefore( as another persuadeth) Chrysost. in 2. Cor. 12. Hom. 26 if thou art a disciple of Christ grudge not, nor take it grievously to enter into the strait and afflicted way, considering that if thou be not by this means afflicted thou wil● assuredly suffer for some other cause; though fruitless and unprofitable. For the envious and covetous man, he that is inflamed with the love of harlots, and ambitious of vain▪ glory, yea every one whosoever runneth wicked courses, doth sustain many molestations& afflictions &c. And therfore seeing howsoever we carry ourselves, it is altogether necessary that we should suffer tribulations; why should we not make choice to suffer in the way of righteousness, which with our afflictions will bring unto us innumerable crownes of happiness. And thus many we comfort ourselves, by comparing our crosses and afflictions, with those which worldly men suffe● § Sect. 4. That we may receive much comfort, if wee compare our light afflictions with the hellish torments of the damned. for the obtaining of monentany vanities: but much more may we be comforted, if we compare them with those everlasting and hellish torments, which after these temporary punishments they shall endlessly suffer with the devill and his Angels. For they shall eternally bee pursued with the fierce wrath of God, which lying vpon our saviour, but for a while for our sins, and that, at the same time, with some comfortable assurance of Gods love, did force him to cry out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me; they shal for ever boil, burn and broil, in those unquenchable flames without having so much as a drop of could water to cool their heat. Their tortures and pains shall bee intolerable, and yet without end. Their misery shall be comfortless, and yet without hope of future amendment, for the fire shall never go out, and the worm dieth not. And as they are outwardly burned and tormented, so inwardly they shall bee racked and tortured with the guiltiness of sin, and the terrors of an evil conscience, which shall accuse them as self▪ murtherers,& the onely causes of al their hellish misery▪ All which positive punishments will not be so grievous unto them, as their deprivation of glory and happiness, and their everlasting banishment out of the presence of God, and the inestimable joys of his heavenly kingdom. For their torments though never so great, are nevertheless finite in their quantity, whereas their loss is infinite, seeing they not onely loose the joys of heaven, but the fruition of God himself. Now unto these punishments which they suffer directly and properly in their own persons, we may add those which shall lie vpon them in regard of their company; for besides those hellish fiends and unclean and filthy spirits, who will be ready to scorn, deride and insult over them in their miseries, executing Gods fearful judgements with al malicious tyranny, they shall haue the fellowship of damned men like themselves, among whom they shall hear nothing but direful yelling and hideous crying, shrieking and blaspheming, which will double and redouble their tortures and grievous pains. All which and much more( which might be spoken of this argument, if it were pertinent to our present purpose) being considered, may serve to lighten all our afflictions, and to yield us comfort in all our crosses, for seeing the Lord of his free grace and infinite mercies, hath through his son Christ saved and delivered us from these greatest evils, and those intolerable& everlasting punishments, though by nature we are no better then they that suffer them, and both by our original corruption and our actual transgressions, which we haue innumerable times committed against Gods infinite majesty, haue deserved to be partakers of those endless torments; well may we with patience and comfort, yea with exceeding thankfulness and ioy unspeakable, endure these light and momentany afflictions, as thinking ourselves happy, that we are not utterly consumed, and everlastingly swallowed up of that hellish condemnation which others suffer. Lastly, wee might receive much consolation in all our §. Sect. 5. That we may receive much comfort if wee compare our earthly afflictions with our heavenly joys. crosses and calamities, if wee would often compare them in our meditations with those eternal and heavenly loyes, which we shal attain unto at the end of our wearisome pilgrimage, after we haue been a while tried and tired with these light and momentany sufferings. For there wee shall find a most happy catastrophe and blessed change of all our crosses and miseries, there not onely shall we haue all tears Luk. 6. 21. John 16. 20. Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. wiped from our eyes, but our weeping shall be turned into laughter, and our sorrow into ioy, as our saviour hath promised vs. There shall wee find that truly verified which the Apostle speaketh, namely, that our present afflictions are not worthy the glory which shall be revealed. For( as elsewhere he saith) these light and momentany afflictions shall cause unto us a far most excellent and an eternal weight of glory; and after our slight and short pains which we take in traveling our journey, we shall come to an inheritance, immortal and 1. Pet. 1. 4. 6. 7. undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us; wherein wee haue cause to rejoice, though now for a season( if need require) we● are in heaviness, through many temptations; that the trial of our Faith, being much more precious then gold that perish●th( ●hough it be tried with fire) might be found unto our praise, and honor and glory, at the appearing of I●sus Christ. Finally there we shall not onely be freed both in our souls and bodies, from all worldly miseries, but also be made partakers of such surpassing and inestimable joys, as neither the eye hath seen, the ●are hath heard▪ nor the hart of man conceived. 1. Cor. 29. There we shall haue the society of the blessed Saints and Angels to communicate with us in all our happiness, yea we shall haue fellowship with our saviour Christ, who hath so dearly loved us, and is now advanced above al powers and principalities, and all things in heaven and earth. Yea we shal haue the fruition of God himself, our summum bonum, and chief happiness, in whose presence there is fullness of ioy for evermore, he being infinite in all perfection& containing in himself alone all beauty, majesty, glory, excellency, virtue, goodness, and whatsoever may bee loved, desired or admired. But of these points I haue largely spoken See contempt of the world. lib. 3. chap. 3▪ to 11. in the other part of this treatise, and therefore need not here to insist longer vpon them: onely let us consider, that if after these short and light afflictions we shall attain unto such unspeakable happiness, and having possession of this glorious kingdom shal never be dispossessed, but after many millions of yeares shall be as far from the ending of our joys, as we were at out first entrance unto them, wee haue great cause not onely to bee patient, but also to rejoice in our greatest miseries and afflictions. For if worldly men do comfort themselves in all their labours? dangers, and sorrows, by remembering that they shall haue an end, and that they are the means to help them to the attaining of earthly riches, honours and pleasures? which when they enjoy, they think all their pains and griefs sufficiently recompensed, although they are both vain and momentany, so as they may outlive them, or are assured that at their soone-approaching death they shal die with them,& leave them comfortless in this last and greatest extremity; then how much more should our hearts be comforted, yea replenished with ioy in all our crosses and afflictions? when as we think with ourselves that they are but short and momentany, and that when they are passed, wee shal obtain those euerduring riches, and never fading glory, those endless pleasures& everlasting joys, which the Lord who is a most sure paymaster doth reserve for us in his heavenly kingdom. CHAP. XXXII. That we must with our spiritual consolations join worldly comforts, when by lawful means we may enjoy them. AND thus haue I handled those spiritual reasons § Sect. 1. That we ought not to neglect any lawful means of comfort or freedom from the cross. and arguments, which being duly considered, may bring unto us much comfort in all our crosses. Vpon which consolations as we are chiefly and principally to rely; so we are not to neglect those outward means and helps, which God out of worldly things shall vouchsafe unto us, either for the taking away of our afflictions, or for the easing of our griefs, and confirming of our patience in bearing and sustaining them. Concerning the former, there is no lawful means, which is not to be used for the removal of our crosses; for as then alone we are called of God to suffer afflictions, when as we haue no lawful means to avoid or escape them; so can wee onely lye under the weight of this burden with comfort and good conscience, whilst we want these means of freedom and deliverance. For if when the Lord graciously granteth them unto us, wee will not vouchsafe to use them, either because wee would not part with our afflictions, as thinking them meritorious and satisfactory for sin, or because wee would haue the Lord grant unto us other means, more extraordinary, and better fitting our proud humours; wee do therein but tempt the Lord, and are guilty of all own harms, bearing now no more a cross sent from God, but a burden of our own making and imposing; neither yet serving God any longer in our obedience to his will, but becoming voluntary seruants and slaves unto our afflictions, whereby we justly deserve to bee used like seruants under the law, who refusing their liberty, when as it was lawfully offered unto them, had in token of perpetual servitude their ears bored with an awl unto the door, and had never again any offer of their freedom. Howbeit we must carefully take heed, that the means which wee use for our delivery be just, honest and lawful; for otherwise we shall be in worse case then we were before, wounding our souls to cure our bodies, and hazarding our everlasting happiness, for our deliverance out of light and momentany miseries. But of this I See first book chap. 5. Sect. 12. haue before spoken, and therefore will here thus briefly pass it over. But as wee must use these worldly means of our deliverance §. Sect. 2. That we must make known our griefs to some wise and faithful friend. from affliction when we haue them, so when we want these, wee must not neglect such other means as may lighten our load, and sweeten the bitterness of this loathsome potion. Of which, among many other, there are two chief and principal. The first, is to impart and lay open our griefs unto our discreet and approved friends, that wee may receive counsel and comfort from them. For as an heavy burden( which to one alone is unsupportable) is made light and easy, when as it is born vpon many shoulders; and as those wounds are most desperately dangerous, and do soonest drown the heart, which do bleed inwardly, and those less perilous& sooner cured which haue an outward issue; so the burden of sorrow which is intolerable to one onely, is made much more easy when it is born by diuers friends; and these bloody streams of tribulation, which having no external vent, will drown the heart with grief; when they find an outward passage into the bosom of a faithful friend, are easily cured by those sovereign salves of divine and moral consolation, which he through his wisdom is able to apply unto them. And therefore, as when we haue more labour and business then we can well by ourselves dispatch, we usually call in others to assist and help us, because labour communicated, becometh easy to many, which is impossible to one: so when the yoke of affliction doth lie so heavy vpon us, that in our own sense we are ready to faint and sink under it, let us call in to our aid, our dear and faithful friends, that by the help of their counsels and comforts, we may be refreshed and supported. And of this wee shall find a double benefit; first, as it is an ease unto our hearts, when as they unburden themselves of grief by complaining; for as when the flood of sorrow is penned in& dammed up, it so much the more swelleth and inwardly rageth, so when it hath a vent and free current, it will run much more weakly and with greater stillness. In which respect, men to ease themselves are ready to make mone to the bare walls and senseless trees; because, as they are more irksome when they are smothered, so it is a comfort, if by any means they can but utter them; and secondly, because as sorrow issueth, and the heart emptieth itself, so comfort entereth and replenisheth it, whilst our friend to whom we make known our calamities, doth give us ease and refreshing, partly by his compassion, fellow-feeling, condoling and pitying us in our griefs, and partly by his wise counsels and sweet consolations both divine and moral. But yet we are to know, that not every friend is fit, unto § Sect. 3. That choice is to be made of a fit friend, when we would communicate our griefs. whom we may communicate and lay open our griefs, for there are some that handle sores with so rough an hand, that they rather bruise and hurt them, then cure and heal them, and are so austere and ha●sh in their disposition; so tart and cynical in all their carriage and behaviour, that they are more likely to gaule new skinned wounds, and to make the sores of sorrow all most healed to bleed afresh, then by the sweet balsam of comfort and discreet counsel to give unto their grieved patient any refreshing. There are some also which being in the contrary extreme are too too sorrowful and over passionate, weeping over wounds in stead of curing them; unto whom sorrow and grief being imparted by pitiful cries and mournful complaints, is echoed back again, and so redoubled both in the sound and strength, like two fires when they meet together. And finally, there are some both faithful and willing, who through their want of wisdom and experience, are not able to apply unto us fit comforts; unto whom we are no more to resor● for the refreshing of our souls tired with sorrow, because of their friendship and love towards us, then wee do for the curing of bodily diseases, make choice of vnskilfull empirics because they affect us; knowing that not love, but skill and learning do cure diseases, although they are best when they are joined together. And therefore wee are to make choice of such a comforter, as is both compassionate, temperate in his affections, and wise and discreet in his comforts and counsels; and not so onely wise, that he is withall proud and cynical; nor so onely pitiful and passionate, that he is fit for nothing; but with the showers of tears to increase the flood of grief, and to make the stream of sorrow to run with double violence. And because Gods faithful ministers are for the most part the best able, and most ready to perform this duty, who haue received from God the tongue of the learned, that they should know to minister a word in time to him that is weary; Esa. 50. 4. therefore above all others, choice is to be made of them for this purpose, especially when as their knowledge is sweetened with love, meekness and humility; for otherwise it is as good to be without their help as haue it, when the danger of the disease is much exceeded by the pains which they put us to, in their rude and rough curing it. Now that we may find such a friend in the time of our adversity, the readiest way is to be such an one unto others in their griefs, In adversis habet auxilia qu● in secundis commodat. in the time of our prosperity. For if in our plenty we are no niggards of our good counsels and consolations, but lend them freely unto all distressed christians, when they are ready to faint in their afflictions; then shall wee in the time of our need find them returned unto us with plentiful usury and increase, the Lord rewarding our piety and love into our boosomes, and never suffering us to bee confortlesse, who haue been so comfortable unto others. The second means of refreshing our hearts oppressed § Sect. 4. The second means of worldly comfort, is lawful recreations joined with our honest labours. with grief, is by joining seasonably our honest labours with lawful recreations. For whereas idleness giveth full scope and opportunity unto Satan and our own corruption, to aggravate and amplify our afflictions, and gather arguments against our own peace and contentment, tormenting ourselves with our own conceit and apprehension, and( as it were) whipping our souls with rods of our own making; this serious employment in the businesses of our callings, will put all these conceits out of our mindes, and free us from all other grief, then that which wee are subject unto in present sense and feeling. And whereas idleness maketh us fall into deep melancholy, by giuing unto us full leisure and liberty, not onely to meditate on present miseries, but to recall those which are past, and through fear to anticipate those which are not yet come; the which humour is the very rurse of discontent, and impatiency, and the tindar into which when the least spark of affliction falleth, it is increased in the apprehension, and within a short time, becomes a great and unquenchable flamme; labour and continual exercise, doth so wholly take up the mind, that there is no place for this idle humour to settle in, nor any means to nourish it, though at the first we haue given way unto it. But yet excessive and vnremitted labour, doth as much prepare the mind for the admitting of melancholy, as sloth and idleness, and doth no less possess it with impatiency and discontent; and therefore as the chief part of our time must be spent in taking pains, and in performing the duties of piety and of our callings, to put out of our minds all false apprehensions and idle conceits; so must wee allot some share thereof unto honest and lawful recreations, as walking in pleasant places, conferences which are delightful without offence, poetry, music, shooting, and such other allowable sports as best fit with mens several dispositions for their comfort and refreshing. And this is alike, though not equally, necessary as the other, because as too much ease breedeth wantonness; so too much labour causeth weariness, of which the one, as well as the other, is the mother and nurse of wawardnesse and impatiency. But yet we must not at the first approaching of our afflictions so use these delights and recreations, that they keep us from applying them to our hearts, and making an holy use of them, for the furthering of our repentance and mortification; as it is the custom of worldly men, who laugh out their sorrows, discountenance their new approached griefs, drown their dolour with excessive drinking, and keep the noise of their afflictions from piercing their ears or hearts, with the louder clamour of their merry company; for so they will bee unto us as bewitching Syrens, which will rock us a sleep in carnal security, bring us into a spiritual lethargy, and to become senseless both of smart and sin: but in the first place wee must give way unto God by sorrow for sin, which is the cause of our afflictions, and use our crosses, as hammers to drive repentance more deeply into our hearts, and that being there thoroughly fixed and fastened, our peace made with God, and the mortal poison of our miseries( which is sin) being taken away, then wee are by these comforts and recreations to refresh our mindes, when they are tired with the weight and continuance of our calamities, in the mean while carefully taking heed, that neither at first nor last, our sports and delights do not lessen our sorrow for sin, which is always too little and far short of that it should be; but onely mitigate our grief for our miseries and afflictions, which too too often is excessive and immoderate, for as the salve being rightly applied to the sore, doth heal and cure it, but being laid vpon the hole skin, doth draw a blister, and make the patient in worse case then he was before; so if this medicine of delight and lawful recreation, be well applied to that sorrow which ariseth from afflictions, it will do us much good, and help to recover our spiritual health; because this is a disease of the mind which needeth curing; whereas if it be misapplied unto our sorrow for sin, which is a saving grace, and one of the soundest parts of a true Christian, it will exulcerate the soul, and make the faithful patient in far worse estate then he was before. CHAP. XXXIII. Of the arguments of consolation which arise from the assurance which we haue of our deliverance out of all our afflictions. HItherto we haue spoken of such arguments as §. Sect. 1. That God delivereth the faithful in that time which is most fit and seasonable. Lib. 1. cap. 11. are fit and sufficient enough, if they be duly thought vpon, to make us patient& thankful in al our afflictions, although we should continually lie under them even unto the day of our death. And now, according to our order first generally propounded, we are come to speak of such consolations as arise from the assurance which wee haue of Gods gracious and most seasonable deliverance: For though the Lord doth not remove our afflictions at our own pleasure; yet he will do in his own good time, when as it shall be most for his own glory and our spiritual and everlasting good; though our troubles be tedious, yet he will not suffer them to be endless; and though( as the Psalmist speaketh) Psalm. 118. 18. he chasteneth us sore, yet he will not deliver us unto death. And as the loving Father doth not, when he correcteth his son, leave off at his first motion( for then he would neither care for him nor his correction) but when he thinketh the chastisement sufficient for the reclaiming of him from his faults and vices; so the Lord our heavenly Father heareth our cries in the time of affliction, not according to our lusts& childish will, but so as in his infinite wisdom he seeth it to Act. 16. stand best with our profit& the reformation of our former evil courses, which when he seeth effected, he will cast his rod aside, and( like the jailor wash and heal the stripes which before himself had made. So the Psalmist saith, that the Psal. 34. 17. 19.& 147. 3. righteous cry and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles; and that though they be very great, yet he delivereth them out of all. That he healeth those which Psalm. 9. 9. 1. Cor. 10. 13. are broken in heart, and bindeth up their sores; and that he is a refuge for the poor, a refuge in due time, even in affliction. For the Lord( as the Apostle saith) will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, but will give a good issue with the tentation that we may be able to bear it. And as elsewhere he affirmeth, he correcteth us( not for any pleasure which he taketh in our pain and smart) but for our profit, that he might make us partakers of his holinesse; not to punish us, but to polish and perfect us; not to disable us and weaken our strength, but rather to exercise& it make us stronger. Now if our burden of affliction should bee intolerable, either in respect of the weight or continuance of it, it would not accomplish Gods end, at which he aimeth in our chastisements, but rather hinder and defeat it, it would not make us more holy, but rather more wicked and profane; not more patient, humble, and meek; but more raging, desperate and wilful, murmuring and repining against Gods wise providence, as though thereby some wrong were offered unto vs. And therfore the Psalmist saith, that the rod of the wicked shall not rest Psalm. 125. 3. Esa. 57. 16. vpon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hand unto wickedness. And the Lord himself promiseth, that he will not contend for ever nor be always wrath, because so the spirit should fail before him. And this love and care we see even in mortal men; for the wise and discreet schoolmaster doth so correct his scholar, that he may make him more quick in pulling his wits together, and more diligent in labouring his lesson, and not so, as his wits should be thereby dulled, and he made uncapable of learning. The loving Father chastiseth his son in such measure as is fit for the amending of him; and not so much as will dead his spirits and make him to become foolish or desperate,; yea he that breaketh a wild colt so moderateth his stripes, that he may thereby be t●med and made more serviceable; and will not beate him so unmeasurably, that he should become lame and unprofitable for his use. And therefore we may be assured, that the Lord infinite in mercy and goodness; will show this love and care in our corrections, not suffering our afflictions either in weight or continuance to exceed the measure of our strength, whereby wee should become unserviceable and good for nothing, but will moderate our corrections according to our ability, and put an end unto all our troubles and trials; when as he seeth us sufficiently purged from the dross of our corruptions in this fiery furnace, or his graces tried and approved in this spiritual conflict, which were the ends for which we were brought into them. But for the better confirmation of our faith in this assurance §. Sect. 2. That God seeth& taketh notice of all our afflictions to deliver us out of them. of our deliverance out of all our afflictions in such opportune and seasonable time, as will best stand with Gods glory and our own good, let us well weigh and ponder these considerations following. First that God seeth and taketh notice of all the crosses and calamities which by any means whatsoever do happen unto vs. So the Psalmist saith, that the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous, and his Psalm. 34. 15. ears open unto their cry. And howsoever the wicked flatter themselves with a conceit, that God regardeth not the oppressions of the faithful, and say in their hearts God hath forgotten, he hideth away his face and will never see; yet as he affirmeth, the Lord doth see it, and beholdeth mischief and Psal. 10. 11. 14. and 94. 7. 9. wrong, that he might take it into his own hands. Neither is the Lord onely a bare beholder of the troubles and afflictions of his seruants, but he so seeth and knoweth them, as withall he seeth and knoweth the means of their deliverance, yea and also doth indeed save them in their greatest need, according to that of the Psalmist, Behold, the eye of the Lord is Psal. 33. 18. 19. vpon them that fear him, and vpon them that trust in his mercy, to deliver their souls from death, and to preserve them in famine, with whom the Apostle Peter according, saith, the 2. Pet. 2. 9. Lord knoweth to deliver the godly out of tentation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of iudgement to be punished. With which consideration david comforteth himself in his distress. Though I be( saith he) poor and needy, the Lord thinketh Psalm. 40. 17. on me; thou art mine helper and my deliverer; my God make no tarrying. And certainly it must needs add much to our consolation in afflictions and our assurance of deliverance, when as we are persuaded that the Lord seeth and knoweth all our miseries. For whereas if he had never so much power and will to help us, we might nevertheless be obnoxious to many wrongs, and be overwhelmed with many calamities, if he were ignorant of our afflictions and did not see and know our state and condition; now when wee are assured, that he not only dearly loveth us, and is of power and ability to save and deliver us, but also doth behold and consider al our griefs& crosses, we may be assured also that he will suffer them no longer to lie vpon us, then shall bee for his own glory, and the everlasting good of our souls, for if wee put such trust in earthly parents, that they will not see us want, suffer wrong, or be oppressed with any misery,( they being able to relieve and help us) further then will stand with our good and benefit, as in the case of trial and chastisement: then how much more should we put our confidence in God for help and deliverance, seeing he loveth us much more entirely, and is able to defend and save us much more easily, and continually seeth and knoweth all our wants and miseries? Secondly, let us consider, that the Lord doth not only § Sect. 3. That God is present with the faithful in all their afflictions to help and relieve them. see and behold our tribulation( as it were) a far off, he being included in heaven, as we are in the earth, but that as he filleth all places with his essence, so after a more especial manner he is present with the faithful in all their miseries and afflictions, And as the careful physician attendeth vpon and watcheth over his dearly loved patient, that he may apply unto him, fit medicines, which may so purge away the corrupt humours, as that in the mean time nature itself be not too much weakened: and as the cunning goldsmith when as he hath cast his gold into the fiery furnace, doth not there carelessly leave it, but watcheth by it, that he may moderate the fire, and so order it in respect both of the heat and the time of enduring it, that it may bee refined and not burned, purified from the dross, and not spent and consumed in the purest substance, so doth the Lord stand by us when wee are in our sick beds like a careful physician to cure and recover us, and like a wise artisan he watcheth over us, when he hath cast us into the furnace of affliction: that when we are according to his own mind purged and purified, he may withdraw his bitter potions, and pull us like pure mettall out of the fire, that we not in our spiritual parts receive any hurt or detriment. neither is the Lord onely present with us as a pitiful friend to take compassion on our griefs, but also as a powerful and wise helper he putteth to his hand, that wee may bee delivered from them; taking the best course, and using the fittest means, for the effecting of that which he willeth and intendeth. And according to the saying of Eliphaz and Elthu; he saveth job 5. 15. 16.& 36. 15. the poor from the sword, from the mouth of the wicked,& from the hand of the violent man; so that when they expect his help they are not frustrated of their hope. he delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ear in trouble. So the Psalmist more plainly speaking of this powerful and working Psalm 34. 18. presence; saith, that the Lord is near unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as are afflicted in spirit. That he is our keeper, and our shadow at our right hand, so that the Psalm. 121. ●. sun shall not smite us by day, nor the moon by night. And again, that the Lord is near unto all that call vpon him, yea to all that call vpon him in truth, he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that love him, &c. And this the Psal. 145. 18. 19 Lord himself promiseth because( saith he) he hath loved me, therefore will I deliver him, I will exalt him, because he hath known my name. He shall call vpon me, and I will hear him, I Psal. 91. 14. 15. will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and glorify him. And our saviour ascending into heaven in his bodily presence, promiseth his disciples, and, in them, all the faithful, Ieh. 14. 18. Matth. 28. 20. that he would not leave them comfortless, but would come unto them, by his holy Spirit, and be present with them unto the end of the world. The which gracious promises wee see accomplished in the examples of the afflicted Saints, for thus God was present with jacob in his greatest extremity, holding Gen. 32. 24. him up when he wrestled with him, and defending him Gen 39. 2.& v. 21. 22. when he seemed to oppose against him. Thus was he present with joseph to save and deliver him in the land of his banishment, yea he was with him in prison, giuing him grace and favour in the sight of the jailor, and afterwards an happy deliverance out of trouble. And thus he was present Dan. 3. 25. with the three children in the fiery furnace, in a visible manner, walking with them in the midst of the fire, and preserving them from sustaining any harm. And thus even in these dayes he is present with the faithful in all their troubles, though not thus sensibly and miraculously, yet spiritually and invisibly by his wisdom and power, finding out fit means for their deliverance out of all their afflictions, in such a time as is most seasonable. The which consideration may serve to replenish our § Sect. 4. Of the consolation which ariseth from the assurance of Gods presence with vs. hearts with singular comfort, in that he is always present with us who is most loving, and best able to give us succour and relief. And therefore the Lord himself, when he would cheer his Church drooping in her afflictions, doth much insist and beat vpon this argument of his gracious presence. fear thou not( saith he) for I am with thee; be not Esa. 4. 10. 13. 14 afraid, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee and help thee; and will sustain thee with the right hand of my iustice: The men which war against thee shall be as a thing of nought; for I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not, I will help thee. fear thou not, thou worm jacob, and ye men of Israel: I will help thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer, the holy one of Israell. And again, Thus saith the Lord that Esa. 43. 1. 2. created thee, O jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israell, fear not, for I haue redeemed thee, I haue called thee by name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the floods, that they do not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the very fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flamme kindle vpon thee. And thus the Lord encourageth Paul to be constant and courageous in all troubles and afflictions which should happen unto him, for the preaching of the gospel. fear not( saith he) but speak, and Act. 18. 1●. hold not thy peace, for I am with thee, and no man shall lay hands on thee to hurt thee. And accordingly thus haue the Saints and seruants of God comforted themselves in al their afflictions, by calling to mind, that the Lord their God was always present with them, to save and deliver them out of al their troubles. For so david professeth, that though he should walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he would Psa 23. 4.& 118. 6. fear no evil, because God was with him,& his rod& staff they did comfort him: and else where, The Lord( saith he) is with me, therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me. The which his profession he putteth in practise in his greatest extremity. For when the Amalakits had sacked and burnt his city, spoiled him of al his goods, lead his wives captives, and when his own people adding sorrow unto sorrow, were ready to ston 1. Sam. 30. 6. him, even then he comforted himself in the Lord his God. Thus also Hezechiah comforted himself and his people, when his country was invaded with the huge army of the assyrians. Be strong( saith he) and courageous; fear not, neither 2. Chro. 32. 7. 8. be afraid for the king of Ashur, nor for all the multitude that is with him, seeing there are more with us then with him. For with him is an army of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battels. And thus the whole Church triumpheth over all troubles and dangers, in the assurance which shee had of Gods powerful presence. God is our hope Psa. 46. 1. 2. 3. and strength, and help in troubles ready to be found. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the sea. Though the waters thereof rage and be troubled, and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same. Yea, thus did the head of the Church, Iesus Christ, comfort himself in all his great sufferings by the presence and assistance of the divine nature. I gave( saith he) my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers; I Esa. 50. 6. 7. hide not my face from shane and spitting; for the Lord God will help me, therefore I shall not be confounded: therefore I haue set my face as a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. According to which examples, let us labour to carry ourselves with comfort and patience in our greatest afflictions, being assured that God is alike present with us, as he was with them, to save and deliver us out of all our troubles; for it is better to haue him wrestling with us like an adversary, as he did with jacob; then to be vpon any terms without his company, seeing his gracious presence is all-sufficient to sweeten and lighten the bitterness and burden of all our crosses, to turn our groans and cries into the heavenly music of praise and thanksgiving, and to make hel itself better& more delightful, then the chiefest Paradise of worldly pleasures. And therefore because Gods presence is so sweet and comfortable, and he hath promised to vouchsafe it unto those who are in misery and affliction, some haue desired and been in love with their crosses and calamities, though not simply for their own sakes, yet in this respect, because through Gods gracious promises, they had the better Da mihi semper tribulationem vt semper possis esse mecum. Gregor. Idiota inter orthodoxogr. de patient. verae contemplat. 1. lib. cap. 10. Bernard. in Psa. qui habitat. vers. ult. assurance of the enjoying his company. To which purpose one saith, seeing thou hast promised, O Lord, to bee with me in mine afflictions, therefore let me ever be afflicted, rather then at any time be without thee. And another. It is better for me to embrace thee in tribulation, and to haue thee with me in the fiery furnace of affliction, then enjoying all worldly prosperity, to be without thy company. And a third making the like profession, saith, It is better for me, O Lord, to be in trouble whilst thou art with me, then to reign and revel, feast and flourish in worldly pomp,& be without thee. It is a far greater good to embrace thee in tribulation, and to enjoy thy company in the fire of affliction, then to be in heaven itself, being deprived of thy presence. Thirdly, let us consider, that the Lord who seeth all our §. Sect. 5. That Gods power is omnipotent and all-sufficient to help vs. afflictions, and is always present, and ready to help and deliver us, is also Omnipotent and almighty, and therefore able and all-sufficient to save us, and to give unto us an happy issue out of all our troubles. For as the Psalmist speaketh, Who is God besides the Lord? and who is mighty, Psal. 18. 31. job. 42. 2. Esa. 63. 1. save our God. he can do all things( as job saith) and there is nothing hard unto him. he is glorious and walketh in his great strength, he speaketh in righteousness, and is mighty to save, as himself affirmeth. And therefore the faithful when they haue been forsaken of all their other hopes, haue notwithstanding restend vpon the Lord in all their troubles and dangers for help and deliverance, as being their onely strength and stay, as wee may see in the example of the Prophet david, The Lord▪( saith he) is my rock and my for tresse, Psal. 18. 2. and he that delivereth me, my God and my strength, in him will I trust; my shield, the horn also of my salvation and my refuge. So the Prophet Nahum having spoken of the wrath and Nahum. 1. 6. 7. vengeance that should befall the Assyrians, affirmeth that God would be good to his Church, and as a strong hold in the day of trouble, knowing them that trust in him. Yea this the whole Church knew& acknowledged, according to that of the Psalmist, In the palaces thereof( that is, of mount Sion) Psal. 48. 3. God is known for a refuge. And vpon this ground of knowledge they exhort one another, to rest vpon the Lord in all troubles for help and deliverance. Trust in the Lord( say they) for ever; for in the Lord God is strength for ever more. Esa. 26. 4. Now if nothing can be more comfortable unto those who are in any danger& distress, then to be assured that their dearest friends are not onely present with them, and beholders of all their griefs; but also haue ability and power sufficient to free them from the things they fear, and to deliver them out of all difficulties; then ought our hearts much more to bee filled with all ioy and consolation in our greatest afflictions, seeing we are assured, that the Lord who is infinite in power and love, is continually present with us, and both able and ready in the fittest and most seasonable time, to grant unto us deliverance, and freedom from all those crosses and miseries which do vex and trouble vs. Neither are wee onely to comfort ourselves in the assurance §. Sect. 6. That God is most loving towards us, and therefore willing and ready to help vs. of Gods presence and power to help us, but also of his infinite love and goodness towards us; the which now cometh in the fourth place to bee considered, as a chief and main argument of our consolation; for if God knoweth all our afflictions, and is near at hand and ready to help us; if he be almighty in power, and able to do for us whatsoever he will, far above all that wee can ask or think, and doth also dearly love us, and in regard thereof is still willing to defend us from evil and to do us good, then is there no doubt to be made of Gods help, and our deliverance in his due and most convenient time. But as the former points appear plainly by that which hath been said, so is it easy with the like evidence of truth to demonstrate the infinitnesse and immutability of Gods love towards vs. For not onely doth he as our Creator, love us his creatures Deut. 7. 6.& 32 9. Tit. 2. 14. 1. Pet. 29. and the works of his own hands; but also as our God, Lord and master, who hath made choice of us above all others to be his own peculiar people, subiects of his kingdom, members of his Church, and seruants of his family, unto whom he sheweth himself, and by whom he is continually worshipped and served. Yea, in far nearer bonds hath he in his infinite love and mercy united us unto himself, for he is our heavenly father, and wee his children by grace and adoption; he is our husband, and we his spouse; yea he is in Christ our head, and we the members of his body; whose love, mercy and goodness towards us, do as much exceed that which is to be found in earthly parents, husbands and heads, as himself doth exceed them, being infinite and incomprehensible. And this the Scriptures do plainly declare unto us; for thus the Lord himself saith to his Church, that he had loved them with an everlasting love, and in mercy had drawn them unto him, when being ignorant jer. 31. 3. of his excellency, they made no hast to come. The which his love, as it is in time endlesle, so it is in quantity matchless, howsoever in the Scriptures it hath some resemblances that we might the better conceive of it. For it is compared to the love of a father, according to that of the Psalmist. As a father hath compassion on his children, so will the Lord haue Psa. 103. 13. Mal. 3. 17. compassion on them that fear him. And by the Prophet malachi the Lord promiseth, that he will spare the faithful, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Yea the love of Esa. 49. 15. God is by himself compared to the love of a tender mother, and preferred before it. Can a woman( saith he) forget her child, and not haue compassion on the son of her womb? though they should forget, yet will I not forget thee. behold I Hos. 2. 19. haue graven thee on the palms of my hands, thy walls are ever in my sight. Yea he loveth us as the husband loveth the wife, for he hath married us unto himself for ever in righteousness, iudgment, mercy and compassion: the which his conjugal love is notably set forth unto us in the book of the Canticles. And if we would yet haue a love above this, he loveth us as the head the members of the body, pitying and preserving us, as those parts, which being of greatest use, are also most tender and subject to injury. For so the Prophet saith, Zach. 2. 8. Deut. 32. 10. that he who toucheth the faithful, toucheth the apple of Gods eye. And Moses in his song saith, that God taught his people, and kept them as the apple of his eye. In assurance of which love david maketh that prayer. show thy marvelous mercies, Psal. 17. 7. 8.§ Sect. 7. That God especially sheweth his love to the faithful in the time of their afflictions. O thou that savest by thy right hand them that trust in thee, from such as rise up against them. keep me as the apple of the eye, hid me under the shadow of thy wings. And as God sheweth this his infinite love unto the faithful at all times, and vpon all occasions, so especially in the time of their troubles and afflictions, and that both by compassionating and as it were condoling with them in their griefs, and also by saving and delivering them out of them in due time; for so he saith of the afflictions of his people, Esa. 63. 9. that in all their troubles he was troubled, and the angel of his presence saved them. That his soul was grieved for the misery judge. 10. 16. of Israel; and that he earned in the bowels of his compassion, according as himself speaketh by his Prophet. Is Ephraim my dear son or pleasant child? For since I spake against him, jer. 31. 20. I, do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely haue mercy vpon him, saith the Lord. For this his love and compassion cannot be idle; but as it will show itself in pitying the miseries and troubles of vers. 9. his children, so also in giuing unto them seasonable help and deliverance. For so he saith of the same people, and in them of al the faithful. They shall come weeping, and with mercy will I bring them again. I will led them by the riuers of waters, in a strait way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father unto Israel, and Ephraim is my first born. And so the afflicted Church speaketh out of her own experience. The Lord will not forsake for ever. But though he sand affliction, yet Lam. 3. 31. 32. 33. will he haue compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies; for he doth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men; yea contrariwise, he taketh the greatest delight in showing his mercy and goodness to those who serve and depend vpon him, as being an action most natural and familiar unto him, according to that of the Prophet Micah. Micah. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that taketh away iniquity, and passeth Psa. 103. 14. by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because mercy pleaseth him. All which his mercy and goodness he is above all other times most ready to extend towards us in the time of our afflictions, in regard of our weakness to bear these burdens; for he knoweth whereof we be made, and remembreth that we Esa. 53. 3. are but dust, and he hath experience of our infirmities, as the Prophet speaketh, knowing what to lay vpon us, and the fittest time to ease us of our burden. The which may serve as a singular consolation unto us in all our troubles and afflictions, in that the Lord who is almighty and most able to help us, is also infinite in love and compassion towards us, and therefore always ready and willing to give unto us deliverance in time most convenient. For if the child so presumeth on his Fathers love, that having also power in his hand to supply his wants, protect him from dangers,& free him from any evil, he comfortably resteth vpon him in his greatest poverty and misery; If the beloved wife so trusteth in her husbands love, that shee careth not to haue much in her own keeping, so she be assured that he hath enough for both, nor feareth any enemy in his presence which she knoweth he is able to resist and overcome; nor is much troubled with any present pain or sickness, if she be persuaded, that he at pleasure can give her ease by curing of it; And finally if the members of the same body do securely rest vpon the wife providence and direction of the head, and when it so appointeth are content with meekness and patience to endure any pain or torture, as binding, lancing searching, searing, for the helping and healing of their infirmities and sores, because by natural instinct they know, that it will impose vpon them no more then necessary pains, seeing in all their troubles and vexation it doth condole with them: then how much more should wee in all our afflictions and miseries rest and rely vpon Gods aid and assistance with security, comfort and spiritual ioy, seeing we can make no question of his power and ability to deliver us, and may be assured that he infinitely more loveth us, then the most loving father his onely son, the kindest husband his dearest wife, or the natural head the true members of his own body. Lastly, let us consider, that the Lord is not onely powerful § Sect. 8. Consolation arising from Gods gracious promises of help and deliverance. able, and graciously willing to give unto us help and deliverance out of all our afflictions in respect of those relations of love between him and us; but hath also freely bound himself by his most infallible promises, which therfore can no more possibly fall to the ground vnaccomplished, then he and his truth can bee severed and partend, who are of the same infinite essence and being. So he saith, Call vpon me Psal. 50. 1. and 91. 15. in the time of trouble, so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And else where. Because he hath loved me, therfore will I deliver him, I will exalt him, because he hath known my name. He shall call vpon me, and I will hear him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and glorify him. And in another place; Cast thy burden vpon the Lord, and he shall nourish thee, Psalm. 55. 22. and 145. 19. he will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that love him, &c. And again, Before they call I will answer, and whilst they speak I will hear; And that I may not multiply more places, because Esa. 65. 24. they are obvious and easy to find, unto any that look into the holy Scriptures, the Apostle assureth us, that he will not suffer us to be tempted above our power, but will give a good 1. Cor. 10. 13. issue with the tentation,( both in respect of weight and continuance of it) that we may be able to bear it. The which gracious promises are most infallible, because( as the Apostle there speaketh) he is faithful and true who hath made them. 2. Thes. 3. 3. Christus dixit plorabitis et flebitis, said tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium. Ergo quia praedicta patimur, restat vt etiam promissa sperare debeamus. Gregor. lib. 7. indict. 1. cap. 3. Yea he is not onely true but truth itself, and therefore no more able to go from his word then to deny and forsake his very nature and being. And therefore if when we are in distress we are cheered and refreshed, when a faithful and able friend doth promise his aid and assistance for our help and deliverance, from the evils which gaule and vex us, though their power be often subject to crossing, their will to changing, and their faith to failing: then how much more should our hearts bee replenished with ioy and comfort, when as we haue the promises of God, who is omnipotent and subject to no thwarting, immutable in his love, and cannot § Sect. 9. That God is called the God of comfort and consolation in the former respects. alter, and truth itself, who cannot fail in performing of any thing which he undertaketh? In all which respects God is said to be our chief and only comforter in all our troubles and afflictions, because all true and substantial consolations do issue and flow from him, as the fountain of ioy and comfort. Thus the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. 3. 4. styleth him, the Father of all mercies, and God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation. And the Lord appropriateth it unto himself. I even I am he that comforteth you, who art thou that thou shouldst fear mortal man, and the son Esa. 51. 12. and 66. 13. of man which shall be made as grass, and again, as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in jerusalem. In respect whereof our saviour Christ calleth joh. 16. 7. his holy spirit, by the name of comforter, because it is a special office of his to comfort Gods saints in all their tribulations. And of this david had experience where he saith in the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight Psal. 94. 19. my soul. Whereof it is that in his afflictions he desireth no other comforter; I pray thee that thy mercy may comfort me, and 119. 76. 77. according to thy promise unto thy seruant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live▪ for thy Law is my desire. Neither in truth is there any other in comparison of him to bee sought or looked after, for as one saith, he is our onely and singular remedy in all our afflictions and miseries. He is the best physician, a captain and leader that never misleads us; a King that always comforts and raiseth us up being dejected, and a most valiant champion, who onely fighteth in us and for us against al enemies, and after our victory crowneth us with glory, when by his help alone we haue overcome. And what can we seek which wee may not find in In omnibus aduersitatibus Christus quaerendus est tanquam unicum et singular remedium. Ille optimus medicus, dux non seducens, rex suos erigens &c. Bernard. de passione Domini. cap. 22. him? If we be sick, he is our physician; If like pilgrims we wander in a strange country, he is our guide; If wee be desolate, he is our King; If we be assaulted, he is our champion; If we thirst, he is our drink; If we be could, he is our garment; If we be sorrowful, he is our ioy; If wee be in darkness, he is our light; If we be Orphans, he is our Father, husband, friend and brother? he is the chief goodness. Most merciful, most mighty, most beautiful, most wise, who everlastingly governeth and disposeth of all by his most wise and powerful providence. And these are the reasons whereby wee may be assured of §. Sect. 10. Examples of those who having trusted in God haue been delivered in due time. our deliverance out of all our afflictions; which are not grounded vpon our works, merits, worthiness, or any thing which is in us; but vpon God his all-seeing knowledge, gracious presence, power, love and truth; which being things without us, cannot bee crossed by our sins and unworthiness, if we perform that condition of faith, laying hold on these mercies and gracious promises of God, and bringing forth the fruits of repentance, whereby wee bewail, hate and forsake all those sins, which haue moved the Lord to inflict vpon us all these crosses and afflictions. Now unto these arguments of comfort arising from our assurance of deliverance, let us add briefly some examples of the faithful from time to time, who having trusted in God, haue in his due time been saved and delivered out of all their troubles and afflictions. And thus we red, that God saved Noah and his family from perishing in the universal deluge, and Lot from the common destruction of sodom and Gomorrah. Thus he freed Abraham from the danger of losing either his life or wife, by plaguing the heathenish kings, and also of losing his son, by providing in an instant another sacrifice to bee offered in his place. And thus he delivered jacob from the grievous servitude of churlish Laban, as also from the mischiefs which he intended against him at his departure; from the armed malice of his brother Esau, and out of innumerable other afflictions and dangers, as appeareth in his story. So how graciously did the Lord deliver joseph from the bloody conspiracy of his brethren, making their malice to serve his providence, as a means of his preferment; as also out of all those miseries into which he was deeply plunged through the lustful rage and false slanders of his dishonest mistress? how miraculously did he deliver Moses in his infancy from killing, drowning and starving; and in his mature age from the malicious intendments of Pharaoh and the egyptians, as also from the mutinings and often rebellions of the ungrateful Israelites: What an happy issue did he make for job out of all his troubles? and how marvelously did he protect david from the Philistines, from the persecutions raised against him by Saul, and the rebellious treason of his own son? how did he manifest his omnipotent power and watchful love, in preserving Elias from the malicious rage of Ahab and Iesabell, in feeding him by the ministry of his angel, and afterwards by the ravens, and the poor widow; in safe-guarding Elizaeus from the army of the Aramites, and the bloody designments of his own ungrateful King? in preserving the three children in the fiery furnace. daniel in the Lions den, jonas in the whales belly; and Ezechias from the mighty host of Senacherib, and afterward from the jaws of death when as it was ready to seize vpon him? yea how wonderfully did he deliver the whole people and church of Israell; first out of the bondage of egypt, and afterwards in the time of the Iudges from the subiection and oppression of their many and mighty enemies, as from the Amorites, Ammonites, Iud. 10. 11. 12. Nehem. 9. 28. philistines, Zidonians, Amalakites, and Maonites, as the Lord himself telleth them? So likewise out of the captivity of Babylon; and from the most cruel conspiracy of Haman, whereby he intended at once, to roote them out from being a people. Finally, in the new Testament, when as nevertheless he was purposed to make the blood of his Martyres the seed of his Church, yet till the appointed time came, how strongly and powerfully did he preserve them from the cruelty and malice of the Scribes, pharisees, and the rest of the Iewes, delivering Peter, Paul and Silas out of prison by the ministery of hi● Angels; and Paul himself from the conspiracy of the Iewes at Damascus, and afterwards at jerusalem, from their rage and uproars, out of desperate dangers both by sea and land, and lastly, from the persecution of bloody Nero, who like a ravenous lion( as himself speaketh) gaped vpon him, thirsting for his blood. In a word, we may see this verified in the examples of all the faithful, who depending vpon the Lord, haue had experience of his love, power and truth of his promises, in their marvelous deliverances out of all their afflictions. So Psa. 9. 9. 10. the Psalmist saith, that the Lord will be a refuge for the poor, a refuge in due time, even in affliction, and that they who know Psalm. 34. 19 his name will trust in him, because he hath never failed them that seek him. And else where speaking out of his own experience, both in himself and others, he saith, that great are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all. Yea setting down the manifold miseries and afflictions unto which Gods people are in this life subject, he still concludeth with this, as the foot of his song, So they Psa. 107. 6. 13. 19. 28. cried unto the Lord in their troubles, and he delivered them out of their distress. The Prophet Esay likewise out of his own observation speaketh to the same purpose; Thou hast( saith he) been a strength unto the poor, even a strength unto the needy in his trouble, a refuge against the tempest, and a shadow against the heat. The Prophet Asariah also saith, that who so ever returned in his affliction to the Lord God of Israel, and sought unto him, he was found of him. And the son of sirach maketh a challenge to whomsoever should take vpon him to contradict this truth, namely that he should find out one, who hath trusted in God, and been forsaken of him in his afflictions. look( saith he) at the generations of old, and see, did ever any trust in the Lord and was confounded? or did eccle. 2. 10. 11. despise that called vpon him? for the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long suffering and very pitiful, and forgiveth sins, and saveth in the time of affliction. The consideration whereof should exceedingly comfort §. Sect. 11. Of the greast consolation which ariseth unto us, by remembering the deliverance of others out of their afflictions. us in all our crosses and calamities, seeing we haue not onely Gods gracious promises of help and deliverance out of all our troubles, but such manifold experience of the performance of them, unto all the faithful who haue trusted in him, and reposed themselves under the shadow of his wings; especially considering that there is in him no mutability or shadow of change;& therefore if we in like manner rely ourselves with firm affiance, vpon his providence and promises, we shall find him alike ready to save and deliver us out of all our afflicitons. When then we see me to be forsaken of God in the day of our tribulation, let us comfort ourselves with david and say, Our fathers trusted in Psa. 22. 4. 5. thee, they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them; they cried unto thee, and were delivered; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. For this is the right use of their deliverances, that our faith and affiance may be confirmed and assured, that the Lord will bee alike gracious unto us, if wee rest and rely vpon him. According to that of the Psalmist. Psa. 9. 9. 10. the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble: and they that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee. And this use he affirmeth the faithful would make; of his marvelous deliverances; for having said, that vpon his seeking the Lord, he was heard of him, and delivered out of al his fear; he infereth, that others also shall look unto him, and run Psa. 34. 4. 5. 6. unto him, and their faces shall not be ashamed, saying, This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. Yea, not onely may we comfort ourselves in the remembrance §. Sect. 12. That we may comfort ourselves in the remenbrance of our own deliverances. of these examples in former times, and those which wee may daily observe in our own daies; but also in the consideration of those manifold and wonderful deliverances, which either together with the rest of Gods Church, or particularly by ourselves, the Lord hath in mercy vouchsafed unto vs. As namely our freedom from that most miserable captivity of sin and Satan; our deliverance from the grievous yoke and slavish subiection, both in respect of body, soul and state, unto the Romish Antichrist, by the preaching of the gospel; when as there was impossibility, in regard of his strength, and our weakness of ever coming out of his cruel thraldom; our wonderful deliverance in the year 1588. from the invasion and bloody intendments of the Pope and Spaniard; the raising up of our heads hanging down with sorrow,& refreshing our hearts dejected with fear, at the death of our late worthy and renowned queen, by repairing our loss in our gracious sovereign, by whose means the sincere preaching of the Gospel and the flourishing estate of the Church and kingdom is continued and preserved. Finally, our strange and almost miraculous deliverance from that horrible conspiracy, and unmatchable treason of the blood-thirsty Papists, who had intended to blow up at once both King and State, and within some few houres had brought their damnable design into act and execution. unto which public deliverances every one may add all those which they haue had experience of in their own particular; as protection from enemies, preservation from dangers, supply of necessaries in the time of want, recovery of health after most dangerous sicknesses, and such like; which being innumerable in respect of particular men, I leave them to the consideration of every one, as they haue observed them out of their own experience. All which gracious deliverances from dangers and passed miseries, should serve as effectual arguments to comfort our hearts in our present afflictions, seeing in regard of Gods unchangeable love, they give unto us assurance of the like freedom from our present afflictions, being so many pledges and pawns of Gods mercy, truth and careful providence, still watching over vs. And thus david concludeth, that the same God 1. Sam. 17. 37. who had delivered him from the lion and bear, would also save him from the uncircumcised Philistim. And Paul having experience of Gods power and love, in delivering 2. Cor. 1. 9. 10. from that great affliction, which so much pressed him, that he doubted of his life, professeth his confidence in God for help and succour in all future dangers. And being delivered out of the mouth of the lion; that is, from Nero that cruel persecutor, he comforteth himself, and strengtheneth his faith in this assurance, that God would deliver 2. Tim. 4. 17. 18 him from every evil work, and preserve him unto his heavenly kingdom. Yea even the heathen captain calleth to O socij( neque enim ignari sumus ante malorum) O passi grauiora dabit Deus his quoque fiaē. Ae●eid. 1. remembrance the former deliverances of him and his fellowes, that he might hereby comfort himself and them, in assurance of like preservation from present troubles, whose example may convince us of greater weakness and infidelity, if having many more pledges and experiments of Gods love and power, wee come short of him in our courage and confidence. The which will lie as an heavy sin vpon our souls, and add much to the weight and bitterness of afflicitons; seeing we so much distrust God, that we will not onely, not give credit to his word and promises, but not so much as beleeue him when he hath, by former experience, put into our hands the pledges and pawns of 2. Chr. 16. 7. 8. his love and care over vs. And this was the sin of Asa, who having been delivered from the huge host, chariots and horsemen of the Aechiopians and Lubims; did not after this experience of Gods mercy rest vpon him for deliverance and victory over B●astra king of Israel. As also of the Israelites, who having had continual experience of Gods care, power and love, in defending and providing for them, did in their next wants and dangers, show so much diffidence Psa. 78. 19. to 25.& v. 42. and distrust, as though they had never seen any of his works of wonder, as the Prophet doth at full declare it, in the 78. psalm. CHAP. XXXIIII. How we may strengthen our faith, hope and patience, when God deferreth to perform his promises concerning our deliverance. but against that which hath been said, some §. Sect. 1. How we are to understand Gods promises concerning our deliverance out of afflictions. happily may object, that they haue known many who trusting in God, and waiting for his help, and fervently calling vpon him for deliverance, haue notwithstanding long lived, and at last died in their afflicitons; yea, that they themselves do still remain in great misery and tribulation, though they haue often by wont prayer cried unto him, and depended vpon no other for succour and freedom from their evils. To which I answer. First, that all Gods seruants haue deliverance out of their afflictions in due time, whether it bee by life or death; and therefore seeing our longest lives are short and momentany, being compared with that everlasting happiness which is to follow after, the time of our afflictions cannot be long, nor our deliverance far off, although it should bee deferred to the day of dissolution. Whereas contrariwise the punishments of the wicked being begun, do never end, their earthly miseries leading and bringing them into those everlasting and hellish torments. Secondly, I answer, that Gods promises of deliverance from temporary afflictions are not absolute, but always to be understood with this conditiion, if it will stand with his own glory, and the spiritual good and saluaiton of the parties unto whom he maketh them. For otherwise our freedom from affliction would be no benefit, but the greatest hurt, Gods promise would degenerate into a threatening, bringing unto us evil in stead of good, and it would prove unto us the greatest cross, not to be thus crossed and afflicted. Now often times Gods glory and our salvation, are more advanced by the continuance, then by the removal of our crosses; as when God trieth by them his graces in us, that he may afterwards crown them, and causeth our sight to be so much more long and dangerous, that accordingly our ensuing victory may bee the more glorious; or when he doth use them either for an hedge to keep us from leaping into the forbidden pastures of carnal pleasures; or fo●● fiery furnace to purge and purify us from the dross of our corruptions. In which cases it is the greatest freedom not to bee freed; and Gods greatest mercy towards us, when as he continueth us in our temporary misery. And therefore in all our crosses and calamities wee are to comfort ourselves in this assurance, that if it will stand with Gods glory, and the everlasting good of our souls, wee shall most certainly obtain deliverance; or otherwise, if it bee better for us in these respects, that wee should continue in them, then will the Lord assuredly give unto us such strength, patience and inward comforts of his spirit, as shall ●nable us to bear them without fainting and sinking under them. But oftentimes the Lord deferreth his help and our deliverance, § Sect. 2. The first means of comfort is meditation in Gods word,& first of Gods commandement to wait. either for our further trial, or for the restraining or mortifying of our corruptions, or finally to move us hereby with more earnestness and fervency of spirit to emplore his assistance; that being delivered, wee may be more thankful, for this benefit, the want whereof hath made us to value and prise it, according to it worth. And when he hath purified us from our dross, and exercised our faith, hope, affiance and love towards him, he will then free us out of all our miseries. And therefore seeing▪ wee are vncertain●, whether our deliverance bee near at hand, or far off; whether the Lord will now, or hereafter, or not till the day of death give us freedom from the miseries which afflict and grieve us; therefore it behoveth us to persevere and continue in faith and hope, with patience and humility to wait the Lords leisure, and to stay the appointed time whether it be in life or death. The which duties, because they are not onely hard, but merely impossible to flesh and blood; let us earnestly labour in the use of all good means which may enable us to perform them. And these means enabling us to wait and depend vpon God, when he delayeth the accomplishing of his promises, in delivering us out of our afflictions, do either respect meditation or action. Concerning the former, if wee would attain unto this hope and patience when God deferreth to help us, wee must diligently meditate in his word, which alone containeth in it all such comforts as may uphold us in this trial. For so david saith of it; It is a comfort in my trouble, for thy promise hath quickened me. I haue remembered Psal. 119. 50. 5● thy judgements of old, O Lord, and haue been comforted. Thy statutes haue been my song in the house of my pilgrimage. And a little after. Except thy law had been my delight, Vers. 92. I should now haue perished in mine affliction. More especially wee must meditate on the commandement of God, whereby he enjoineth us to wait vpon him, and to persevere in our faith, hope and patience, notwithstanding that he deferreth to deliver vs. So the Lord having by vision, revealed the deliverance of the people of Israell from those miseries where-with the Chaldeans did afflict them, willeth to attend his leisure, for the accomplishment of it. For the vision( saith he) is yet for an appointed time, Habac. 2. 3. but at the last, it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait● for it shall surely come, and not stay. And the Apostle to this purpose useth that notable exhortation. Bee patient( saith he) brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. behold, Iam. 5. 7. 8. the husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the former and the later rain. Be ye also patient therefore and settle your harts, for the coming of the Lord draweth near. So the son of sirach exhorteth us to prepare our souls for tentation, if we come with a resolution to serve the Lord, to set our hearts aright, and constantly Eccle. 2. 2. 7. endure, and not make hast in time of trouble; and willeth all those that fear the Lord to wait on his mercy, and not to go aside,( namely, by using indirect and unlawful means to deliver themselves) lest they should fall. Secondly, let us meditate and consider, that unto this § Sect. 3. The second means to meditate on Gods gracious promises. commandement, the Lord hath added his most gracious promises, to encourage all to yield unto it their obedience; with which the book of the psalms abounds in every place. So he saith, Psa. 9. 18. The poor shall not alway be forgotten: the hope of the afflicted shall not perish for ever. Psa 27. 14. Hope in the Lord, be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart,& trust in the Lord. Psa. 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is vpon them that fear him, and vpon them that trust in his mercy; to deliver their souls from death, and to preserve them in famine. Psa. 34. 22. The Lord redeemeth the souls of his seruants, and none that trusteth in him shall perish. Psa. 37. 7 9. wait patiently vpon the Lord, and hope in him, &c. Psa. 41. 31. For they that wait vpon the Lord shall inherit the land. And the Prophet Esay assureth us, that they who wait vpon the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall lift up their wings as the Eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint. And else where, Thow shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. And again, Chap 49. 23.& 64. 4. Since the beginning of the world, they haue not heard, nor understood with the ear, neither hath the eye seen another God besides thee, which doth so to him that waiteth for him. Yea not onely help and deliverance are promised in this life to those who wait vpon God, and persevere in their affiance and hope, when he deferreth the accomplishment of his word; but also everlasting blessedness in the life to come, according to the saying of the prophet▪ The Lord is the God Esa. 30. 18. of iudgment; blessed are all they that wait for him. Yea▪ so are present and future benefits promised to those that persevere in their hope and affiance, that they are all appropriated unto them only. For there is none attaineth unto the crown of glory, but he who hath first obtained full and small victory over all the spiritual enemies of our salvation, and among the rest over these trials, afflictions and tribulations, which fight against us under the conduct of the world. For ●● onely that endureth unto the end shall be saved, as our saviour Matth. 24. 13. teacheth vs. He alone that overcometh is admitted to eat of the three of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Apoc. 2. 7. 10. 11. 17. death; he that is faithful unto the death, shall be crwoned with the crown of life. he that overcometh shall ear of the Manna that is hide, and shall haue that wh● 〈…〉 ● ston, and in it a new name written, which no man knoweth, but he who receiveth it, &c. Now the means of obtaining this victory, is to persevere and continue constant in our faith, affiance, hope, and patience, in all our afflictions and tribulations. For( as 1. joh. 5. 4. the Apostle saith) All that is born of God, overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. And because all Gods promises are made to those and those onely who persevere in these graces, and wait vpon the Lord at all times, and in al estates and conditions, therefore vpon this foundation the Church groundeth her prayers for help and deliverance out of her afflictions. O Esa 3●. 2. Micah. 7. 7. Lord( saith she) haue mercy vpon us; we haue waited for thee, be thou which wast their arm in the morning, our help also in time of trouble. And to the same purpose the Prophet Micah saith, Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for God my saviour: my God will hear me. Thirdly, let us comfort ourselves when God deferreth § Sect. 4. The third means is to consider that Gods promises are infallible. his promises, and continueth our conflict of afflictions, after we haue long waited for help and deliverance, by considering that in his good time they shall most certainly be accomplished; seeing his truth being of his essence, it is no more possible that he should fail of his word, then it is possible that he should deny himself; and therefore seeing he hath promised that wee shall overcome the world, that we shall haue strength to endure all temptations, and haue an happy issue out of them, that if we suffer with Christ, wee shall reign with him, and that by many tribulations and afflictions we shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; wee may be assured though our way be long and soul, yet at last we shall come to our journeys end; that after our painful sufferings, shall come our glorious reigning, and that after our dangerous and irksome fight, we shall obtain an happy victory, and bee crwoned with everlasting glory. In Securus potes pugnare, cum securus es de victoria. O verè tuta pro Christo& cum Christo pugna &c. Bernard. epist. ad Robertum nepotem epist. 1. a. which regard( as one saith) wee may be secure in fighting, seeing wee are sure of overcoming. O onely safe fight, which for and with Christ is undertaken; in which the christian soldier neither wounded, nor overthrown, nor trodden under foot, no nor slain can loose the victory; if he manfully stand to it, and do not betake himself to a shameful flight. FOr the onely means of losing the victory, is by shameful and sinful flying from our enemies, By flying we may loose it, but by dying we cannot. For blessed is he that dieth fighting, because he shall be crwoned dying. But woe be unto him who by cowardly avoiding the conflict, doth loose both the victory and the crown. Fourthly, let us consider, that the Lord usually exerciseth § Sect. 5. The fourth means, is to consider▪ that God usually deferreth to help th●se who are most strong in grace and most dear unto him. the faith, hope, affiance and patience of those who are most dear unto him, and enriched with the greatest measure of these saving gtaces, with these delays, and deferreth the accomplishment of his promises unto those especially, who haue received the greatest strength to endure this trial. Neither doth the Lord shoot his most piercing bullets of temptations against his weakest armor, which would but disgrace his workmanship, and in mortal manner wound the wearer; but he dischargeth them onely against such as he hath made high proof, which repel the shot without harm, and set forth the skill of him that made it. he will not lay a great weight vpon weak shoulders, which would crush them down and make them unprofitable for use, but he loadeth those with the heaviest burden, whom he hath first enabled with sufficient strength. He will not lean too hard vpon his bruised reedes, nor cast water vpon his new kindled fire, which he would haue increase to a great flamme; but he putteth to the greatest stress his most solid timber and heart of oak, and casteth these waters of trial vpon such a thoroughly inflamed zeal, as is but the more increased in heat by this opposition and reluctation. And thus the Lord dealt with Abraham, the father of the faithful; for having made many notable promises unto him and his posterity, he kept him a long time without any issue, and having assured him, that in his seed both himself and al the nations of the earth should be blessed; he exercised his faith in this promise, by deferring the accomplishment thereof, until he was grown so old that it seemed impossible in nature to be performed. So he gieth jacob the blessing, and promiseth him the land of Canaan in possession, but afterwards he is fain to wait for the accomplishment twenty yeares, as a stranger and seruant in another country. he promiseth joseph many privileges, and the sovereignty over his brethren, but in the mean while they use him at their pleasure, they sell him for a slave into egypt, where he passeth many dangers, and endureth many miseries, before he seeth any likelihood of the performance of Gods promise. And finally, thus he used david, a man according to his own hart, for after that he had chosen him for King over his people, and had assured him by his promise, that he should sit vpon the royal throne, he deferreth the accomplishment thereof for many years, in the mean while exposing him to the persecution of his enemies, and to such innumerable troubles and temptations, that his faith sometimes received foils, and brought into question the truth of Gods word. And this appeareth in many places of the, psalms, where he maketh these Psa. 13. 1. and such like complaints. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for ever? how long wilt thou hid thy face from me? How long shal I take consel within myself, having weariness daily in mine hart? how long shall mine enemies be exalted about me? Yea, he crieth out as one utterly cast off; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me▪ and art so far from my health, and from the words of my rearing? O my God, I cry by day, but thou hearest not, and by night, but haue no audience. And again. Will the Psa. 22. 1. 2. Lord absent himself for ever? and will he show no more favour? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for ever & 77. 7. 8. 9. more? hath God forgotten to be merciful? hath he shut up his Psa. 116. 11. tender mercies in displeasure? and I said, this is my death. Yea, so was his faith shaken with these long delays, that he said in his fear all men( and among the rest the Prophet Samuel, who had reported unto him Gods promises of the crown and kingdom) were but liars and deceivers; and professeth Psal. 119. 123. that his eye failed in expecting Gods salvation, and the accomplishment of his just promise. And even thus the Lord dealeth with the faithful in these dayes; for howsoever when we are babes in Christ, and weak in faith, he will not break the bruised reede, nor quench the smoking flax, and therefore is pleased to perform his promises speedily, and to encourage us in his service with the liberal wages of his rich and plentiful benefits; yet when we are grown strong in grace, and are endowed with a great measure of faith, affiance, hope and patience, he will not lay light burdens vpon our able shoulders, nor exercise these gifts with his slightest trials; but he will prove us with great and dangerous temptations, and seem to leave us in them without help and deliverance for a long time together. And therefore, when this befalleth us, wee are not to bee discomfited and discouraged, yea rather we are to rejoice in these trials and afflictions, seeing they are signs of Gods greater love towards us, and that he hath vouchsafed unto us a greater measure of his gifts and graces; and comfortably to attend Gods good leisure for our deliverance, seeing we know that the Lord delighteth in them that fear him, and attend vpon Psal. 147. 11. his mercy: as the Psalmist teacheth vs. Fourthly, let us consider, that howsoever the Lord hath § Sect. 6. The fifth means is to consider that God never failed to perform his promises, at lest tothose that haue waited on him. made his faithful and beloved seruants, to wait long for the accomplishment of his promises, yet at last he never failed to be as good as his word. For though he long delayed it, yet in the end he gave Abraham children; he made way for the return of jacob into his own country; he advanced joseph above all his brethren; and delivering david from al his persecutions, he set him vpon the throne of the kingdom, and made him happily to wield the royal sceptre. For so himself speaketh. I waited patiently( saith Psa. 101. 1. ● he) for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry, he brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the miry day, and set my feet vpon the rock, and ordered my goings. And thus the Lord suffered his promises to be long unperformed unto the people of Israell, whilst they remained in the egyptian servitude, but no sooner the day came which he had appointed, but they were presently freed out of their Exo. 10. 41. cruel bondage. And after he had brought them into the promised land, he tried and corrected them with many afflictions, and suffered them to bee lead captive of their enemies, deferring their deliverance out of these troubles, till he had caused them to wait long, and had made trial of their faith and patience, by absenting himself for a time,& withholding from them his promised help. So the Church saith. Therefore will I wait vpon the Lord, that hath hide his Esa. 8. 17. face from the house of jacob, and I will look for him. And again, In that day shall men say, lo this is our God, we haue Esa. 25. 9. waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we haue waited for him, we will rejoice, and be joyful in his salvation. And in another place, We O Lord haue waited for thee in the Chap. 26. 8. way of thy iudgments, the desire of our soul is to thy name,& to the remembrance of thee. After which expectation they were not disappointed of their hope, for when the 70. yeares were expired, which was the appointed time of their delivery, then maugre the malice, policy and power of all their enemies, they were graciously freed out of this their captivity. And therfore seeing we haue such assurance of the truth of Gods promises, and so manifold experience in others and in ourselves, that his delays though they sometimes cause doubting, yet they never bring unto us any danger; let us by a lively and constant faith lay hold vpon them, even when they are long deserred, being assured that if with our father Abraham we tarry patiently, wee shall at length Heb. 6. 15. with him enjoy the promise. And so shall we haue a testimony unto our own consciences, that wee are endowed with a true and lively faith, when as wee do not make hast( as the Prophet speaketh) but wait the Lords leisute for the accomplishment Esa. 28. 16. of the promises. For these two go together and admit of no separation; but as faith causeth hope, being( as the Apostle saith) The ground of things hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seen; so hope accompanieth Heb. 11. 1. & demonstrateth faith, expecting the appointed time, when as the things believed shalbe enjoyed. Whereas on the other side we bewray our incredulity, when wee will not hopefully wait vpon God, for the accomplishment of his promises, but covet in post hast to haue our desires satisfied; resolving that if God will not give us lawful means of freedom from danger, or deliver us out of our afflictions when we would haue him; that wee will no longer attend his leisure, but use such means as are next hand, not weighing or regarding whether they be lawful or unlawful, so they be but likely to satisfy our desires in the removal of our crosses. And of this hast wee haue an example in jehoram, who professeth in plain terms that he would not 2. King. 6. 33. attend on the Lord any longer then pleased him, but would use his own means for his deliverance. And in many men who live in these dayes, who will not wait on Gods leisure for their recovery of health, but sand to witches and wizards; nor for the repairing of their poor estates in the use § Sect. 7. The sixth means is to consider that the Lord deferreth to deliver us for the furthering of our spiritual good and salvation. of lawful means, but fall either to oppression and violence, or to fraud and deceitful dealing. Fifthly, us consider, that if the Lord deferreth to perform his promises for our deliverance, he doth it not because he is unable or unwilling to help us, or because he taketh any delight in our miseries and afflictions; but as he doth at the first inflict vpon us these trials and chastisements for our spiritual good and the furthering of our everlasting salvation; so he onely continueth them so long as is fit for the effecting and perfecting of these his gracious ends. As for example he afflicteth us for our trial, that his graces vouchsafed unto us may bee exercised and manifested to the glory of him that gave them; and increasing of the happiness of those that haue them; and therefore if after the renewing of our faith and serious and sound repentance, our crosses are continued, we may be assured that the Lord is pleased to use further as the instruments of his glory, and that he is purposed by continuing the conflict to magnify our victory, and to make our crown much more glorious. Sometimes also he afflicteth us, that here by our sins and corruptions may be mortified and subdued, and we purged and purified by this fiery trial: and therefore if after much praying and earnest suing wee are not freed, wee are to know that the dross of corruption is not yet sufficiently consumed, and wee refined and purified, seeing the Lord continueth us still in this fiery furnace; and that the sores of sin are not yet cured, nor the core of corruption yet drawn out, seeing ou● skilful and loving Chirurgeon doth still cause these corrasiues to be applied unto vs. More especially he useth these bitter medicines to wean us from the love of the world and worldly vanities; and therefore if after much loathing and complaining we are still compelled to taste of them, we may hence conclude, that our love and affection still too much doteth on these earthly things, and that we haue as yet a desire to suck this hurtful milk, and to return unto these poisonous breasts, if the Lord did not still anoint them with the woremewood and gull of these temporary afflictions. So the Lord doth afflict us, that his sanctifying and saving graces may bee confirmed and increased in us; and therefore if they are still continued vpon us after we haue often sued for help and deliverance, let us know that we haue not as yet profited by them as we ought, and that in infinite love the Lord will not leave us, until he haue brought us to greater perfection. More especially wee are corrected by the Lord, that by his chastisements our faith, repentance and obedience might be increased, and therefore if after earnest suite we are not eased of them, wee may assure ourselves, that our faith yet needeth more exercise, and longer and greater experience of Gods love, power and truth, in moderating our afflictions and supporting us with the power of his might, that we may be able to bear thē;& that we haue not yet, as we ought, bewailed our former sins, hated our present corruptions, nor firmly( as we should) resolved to labour in the use of the means for the mortifying& subduing them; and for the time to come, to serve the Lord in holinesse and righteousness, with zeal, integrity and uprightness of heart. Finally, the Lord bringeth us into these dangerous straights of trouble and misery, that we may flee unto him by hearty prayer for help and deliverance; and therefore if we haue already prayed often, and are not yet heard according to our desires, let us persuade ourselves, that the Lord stoppeth not his ears to our suits, but seeing that we are could and negligent in soliciting of them, he doth by these seeming refusals and temporary repulses, but make us the more fervent and earnest in suing for his help, and in begging such benefits and deliverances, as are much endeared unto us by his momentany denials and our own wants; as it notably appeareth in the example Matth. 15. 22. 23. of the woman of Canaan, who received at Christs hands diuers sore repulses, not because he was purposed to deny her request, but because he would haue her prosecute it with greater earnestness, to which purpose one saith, that God in August. in sentem. tribulation stirring up the faith to ask, and himself deferring to grant, doth not deny his aid, but only intendeth our desire. And therefore if being impatient of our crosses wee should immoderately covet to haue them removed before we haue by them attained unto these ends, wee do in effect jer. 2. 30. desire that our corrections should become( like those of the Israelits) vain and fruilesse. If we should sue to haue the plasters removed, and the bitter potions taken away, before our sores and sickness of sin be healed and cured, wee do thereby desire that the Lord would give us over as a desperate cure, and leave us to rot and perish in our diseases and corruptions. Sixthly, let us consider that the Lord oftentimes cometh § Sect. 8. The seventh means is to consider, that the Lord oftentimes delivereth the faithful out of affliction, when their estate seemeth most desperate. to our aid, and saveth and delivereth us out of our troubles, when wee are brought into the greatest extremities, and past all hope of recovering out of our miseries, for then is he most glorified and his wisdom magnified, when as wee being brought unto our wits end, and seeing no possible means of escaping out of our tribulations, he findeth an easy passage and egress out of them; then is the omnipotency of his power manifested, when he delivereth us out of such evils as do quell and overwhelm all humane strength; then is the prowess and might of our general best known, when he supporteth us in most terrible conflicts, and giveth us victory over invincible enemies, wee seeing no strength in ourselves to make resistance. And finally, then principally wee are occasioned to extol and praise our heavenly chirurgeon and physician, when as he cureth our incurable wounds, and recovereth us out of our most desperate diseases. An example whereof wee haue in Abraham, whom God continued childless( though he had made gracious promises unto him of multiplying his seed) until he and his wife were so strike in age, that there was no hope remaining: And yet he abou● hope, believing under hope, that Rom. 4. 18. he should bee the father of many nations, as the Apostle speaketh, And not weak in faith, neither considering his own Heb. 6. 15. body, which was now dead, being almost an hundred year old, nor the deadness of Saraes womb, but tarrying patiently, he did at length enjoy the promise. So he promised the people of Israell that he would bring them out of egypt, and give them possession of the Land of Promise; but this he performeth not whilst Pharaoh lived, who was their friend, when as in reason there might haue been some likelihood of it, but when they were most endangered to the rage and malice of their tyrannicall enemies, and had no appearance of hope to be freed out of that cruel bondage, or to shake that iron yoke from off their necks. And thus afterwards he delivered them from the captivity of Zach. 3. 2. Babylon, not when they were in their chief floure and strength, and able to make some shift for themselves; but when their case was utterly desperate, the Lord freed them out of this misery, plucking them( as the Prophet speaketh) like firebrands out of the fire. So he saved david when he Psa. 22. 1. seemed unto himself utterly forsaken, and delivered him out of the hands of Saul, not by keeping him far off from danger, but when having environed him about with a strong army, he was even ready to seize vpon him. And thus our 1. Sam. 23. 26 saviour being in the ship with his disciples, did seem to neglect them in their greatest danger, and did not awake out of sleep, nor arise to deliver them, till the ship was covered Mar. 4. 37. 38. with waves, and ready to sink. And afterwards he suffered them to be tossed with a tempest, and by his miraculous walking on the sea to be astonished with fear; and then being brought into the last extremity, and past hope of escaping out of danger, he giveth unto them comfort, by assuring them of his presence. Finally he would not preserve Lazarus life by going unto him in the time of his sickness, nor yet joh. 11. 6. when he was newly dead and butted, but he purposely stayeth from him four daies at the least, after his death, and then goeth and raiseth him to life. Neither did he by his angel deliver Peter out of prison presently after he was apprehended, but the very night before that herod intened to proceed to his execution, when as he was strongly guarded between two soulidiars, bound with chains, and had the keepers besides, waiting before the prison door▪ even then when all hope was past to natural reason, he saved and delivered him out of that imminent danger. And so to conclude this point with an example which is fresh in memory, the Lord saved us from the gunpowder treason, not by discovering it when it was first plotted, but even a few houres before it should haue been put in execution, when as in humane reason it was much more likely to haue been still concealed, then to haue been kept secret so long before, especially considering that besides those who were actors in this tragedy, they had so many lookers on, who were well acquainted with their courses and proceedings. The which experience of Gods mercy and power in delivering us and others, out of most desperate dangers, should move us still to depend and wait patiently vpon God in all our troubles and afflictions, not onely when wee haue any likelihood of help, but when we seem past all hope of recovery, seeing even then the Lord is as able and ready to save and deliver us out of these miseries; and will assuredly do it in his good time, if it will stand with his own glory, our spiritual good and the everlasting salvation of our bodies and souls. And therefore in our greatest extremities, let this consideration move us to wait vpon God, and raising and encouraging our dejected and fainting mindes, let us say with the Psalmist, Why art thou cast down my soul, and unquiet Psa. 42. 5. within me? wait on God, for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his presence. Lastly, if we would with patience wait the Lords § Sect. 9. The eighth means is to consider, that God waiteth vpon us to save and deliver us in the fittest time. Esa. 30. 18. leisure when he deferreth to help us in affliction, let us consider, that God no less waiteth vpon us to do us good, then wee to receive it, expecting a convenient time, when as he may most fitly and seasonably extend his mercy in our deliverance, both for his own glory, and the furthering of our salvation; according to that of the Prophet; Yet therefore will the Lord wait, that he may haue mercy vpon you; and therefore he will be exalted, that he may haue compassion vpon you. The consideration whereof should move us, with patience to attend Gods leisure for our freedom out of misery; for if the Lord wait vpon us to show mercy, much more should we wait that we may be partakers of it. If he be content to watch for the most convenient time of delivering us out of trouble, and will not when it is come defer his help( for who waiteth longer then he must needs, and who that is wise letteth pass his best opportunity of doing that good which he intendeth?) then how much more should wee watch and wait with patience and comfort till this seasonable time come, when as it is best and fittest, that this promised mercy should be emparted unto vs. Furthermore, let us consider, that our greatest and Rom. 8. 35. longest afflictions shall not bee able to separate us from the infinite and everlasting love of God, as the Apostle telleth us; but as in love he began to correct us, so in the same love he continueth our chastisements, that he may by mortifying our sin preserve us from condemnation, and by perfecting his gifts and graces in us, make us fit for his everlasting kingdom; being ever ready in his tender compassion to uphold and strengthen us in our greatest conflicts, and to give us victory by delivering us from them, when as it shall be most seasonable for our profit and best advantage. Finally, let us remember, that though our crosses and afflictions in this world be exceeding grievous and tedious, yet 1. Cor. 11. 32 they are light and momentany in comparison of those intolerable tortures and everlasting torments of hell fire, from which the Lord in his infinite goodness hath saved us; using for this purpose the afflictions and sufferings of his dear son, as the onely meritorious cause, and our afflictions who are the members of this body, as an inferior, yet effectual means of our freedom from these evils. And on the other side, let us call to mind those unspeakable and eternal joys which wee shall come unto by this rough and thorny way of afflictions; which can in no comparison bee Rom. 8. 18. matched with our miseries; For the afflictions of this present world, are not worthy the glory which shall be revealed, seeing, they being light and momentany, do cause unto us, a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory, and being tolerable 2. Cor. 4. 17. to him who beareth them vpon the shoulders of patience; and temporary, not outlasting the uncertain time of our short( though longest) lives, do bring us unto an inheritance, Vers. 6. 7. immortal and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for us in the heauens, and that not through our own power, which would soon fail, and at every encounter hazard our salvation, but through the omnipotent power of God, out of whose almighty hand none can pull vs. In which regard we haue just cause of rejoicing, though now for a season( if need require) we are in heaviness through manifold 1. Pet. 1. 4. temptations, seeing the trial of our faith, which is hereby exercised, being much more precious then gold that perisheth, shall be found unto our praise, and honour and glory, at the appearing of Iesus Christ, as the Apostle speaketh. CHAP. XXXV. Of certain duties which we are to perform for the strengthening of our faith and patience, when God deferreth to deliver us out of our afflictions, and of our thanksgiving when we are delivered. AND these are the things whereon we must §. Sect. 1. The first duty is often to renew our repentance. meditate for the confirming of our faith, affiance, hope and patience, when God deferreth the accomplishment of his promises, and doth not deliver us from our crosses and afflictions; now wee are to entreat briefly of certain duties to be performed of us for the same purpose which respect action. And first we ought carefully when God continueth vpon us these crosses and corrections, to renew oftentimes our repentance towards God, and faith in Iesus Christ. unto the former, namely the practise of renewed repentance in the time of our afflictions, the Scriptures every where exhort vs. So the Lord by the Prophet stirreth up the people in capriuitie to the performance of this duty. turn unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto Zac. 1. 3. you, saith the Lord of hosts. And the Apostle james likewise persuadeth unto it, Draw near unto God, and he will draw Iam. 4. 8. 9. near unto you, cleanse your hands you sinners, and purge your hearts ye wavering minded. Suffer afflictions, and sorrow ye, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your ioy into heaviness. Neither are we in the time of affliction to perform this duty after an ordinary manner, but with great earnestness, vehemency, and with all the powers of our heart and souls, according to that of the Prophet; Ioel. 2. 12. 13. turn you unto me with all your hart, with fasting, weeping and mourning; and rent you heart and not your clothes, and turn Lam. 3. 41. 42. unto the Lord your God. unto which earnest and sound conversion the people of God exhort one another in the land of their captivity. Let us( say they) search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord; let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heauens. And thus seriously haue the faithful from time to time renewed their repentance, when they haue by the hand of God been brought into trouble and extremity, as we may see in the example of the Israelits oppressed by the Philistimes, who humbled-themselues greatly, and wept so abundantly, that they are said to haue drawn water( as with buckets out of a well) and to haue powred it out before the Lord. So david saith, that he fainted 1. Sam. 7. 6. in his mourning, and caused his bed every night to swimms, and watered his couch with his tears And among the people Psa. 6. 6. of the Iewes being in that great danger through Hamans conspiracy, it is said, that there was great sorrow, and fasting, Hest. 4. 3. and weeping, and mourning, and many lay in sackcloth& ashes. And in the time of their captivity, the Prophet saith Lamen. 1. 2. of the whole Church, that she wept continually in the night, that her tears did run down by her cheeks, having none to comfort her. Which examples we are to imitate when we are in affliction, if we would haue our faith assured in Gods promises, when he deferreth to perform them; and our patience so confirmed that wee may endure and bear al crosses with comfort and contentment. For if our new committed sins, since the time of our first and general repentance do lie vpon our consciences unrepented of, defiling our bodies and souls with their guilt and filthiness; they will exceedingly weaken our assurance in Gods promises of help and deliverance, and accordingly disable our patience, when as faith and hope, the chief pillars vpon which it resteth are taken from it. For without this renewed repentance we cannot with § Sect. 2. That unless we perform this duty of repentance, we can haue no assurance of help and deliverance. 2. Chro. 15. 2. Esa. 55 6. 7. any good ground of reason wait vpon God for freedme, and deliverance with assurance and expectance of his help. First, because the promises are made unto those onely who forsake their sins by true repentance, according to that of Azariah the Prophet, The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. So the Prophet Esay, seek the Lord whilst he may be found, call ye vpon him whilst he is near. Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous his own imaginations, and return unto the Lord, and he will haue mercy vpon him, and to our God, for he is ready to forgive. And Ezechiah to the same purpose saith to the people: If ye return unto the Lord, your brethren& your children, shal find 2. Chro. 30. 9. mercy before them that lead them captives, and they shall return unto this land, for the Lord your God is gracious,& will not turn 1. Cor. 11. 31. away his face from you, if ye convert unto him. And the Apostle telleth us, that if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged of the Lord. So that still repentance is the condition of Gods promises, vpon the performance whereof they are 2. Chro. 15. 4. likewise performed, according to that of Azariah, whosoever returned in his affliction to the Lord God of Israell, and sought him, he was found of them. Especially when as this duty is performed with all earnestness and serious heartinesse, because this hath a more special promise from the Lord, jer. 29. 13. speaking after this manner by his Prophet, Ye shall seek me, and find me, because ye shall seek me with all your heart. And consequently, they who live in their sins without repentance, cannot apply unto themselves these promises, because they do not perform the condition, and so failing and faltring in their faith and hope, they easily fall into murmuring and impatiency. Secondly, it is Gods main end in correcting us, to bring us by his chastisements unto unfeigned repentance, and therefore if impenitently we continue in our sins, wee cannot wait vpon God for help and deliverance, seeing so he should be frustrate of his principal end, but may justly expect that he will double and redouble our afflictions, until according to his purpose he hath brought us unto repentance& amendment; unless we be in the number of those whom he giveth over as a desperate cure, reserving them for everlasting and hellish condemnation. So one saith, that God can this present day free and Chrysost. ad Pop Antioch. Homil. 4. de patientia. deliver us out of all our afflictions, but he will not do it till he see us purged and purified from our sins, soundly, converted from our evil ways, and our repentance not only begun, but well settled and thoroughly confirmed in vs. And as the gold-smith will not take his gold out of the furnace, until he see that it is well purified from the dross, because this was the end why he cast it in; so the Lord will not deliver us out of this furnace of afflictions, until the dross of sin bee by our repentance purged away, because this was the end that moved him to cast us into it. Thirdly, wee must know and remember that our sins are the causes of our afflictions, and therefore till they be taken away by unfeigned repentance, we can haue no hope of the removal of our crosles; for as the fire must needs burn us which we carry in our boosomes unless it bee cast out, or extinguished with water, because it is an effect which inseparably accompanieth it very essence and nature; so will this fire of sin continually scorch us with the heat of punishment, seeing they cannot be severed asunder, unless we do put out and extinguish them, by casting vpon them the water and tears of unfeigned repentance. Fourthly, sin is the sting of afflictions, which being pulled out, they become harmless; but if it still remain in them, it will infuse into them such a tormenting and deadly poison, that the pain will grow intolerable, and impossible to be endured with any patience. It doth exceedingly wound and weaken our faith, making us to doubt of Gods love towards us, seeing wee show in our obedience so small fruits of love towards him; which wounds will not be cured till sin the sting that made them be pulled out, and the sores washed and bathed by unfeigned repentance. And the guilt of sin is unto the conscience an intolerable burden, which being added to the burden of afflictions cannot possibly be sustained with human strength;& therefore is no way able to bear thē with patience, unless we lighten our load, casting away sin that presseth down, by turning unto God in unfeigned repentance. And then bearing no burden of our own imposing, but that alone which God layeth vpon us, wee shall easily sustain it with comfort and contentment, both because it is light in weight, as the Apostle telleth us, and also wee haue assured hope by Gods gracious promises, that within a short time we shall be freed from it. Secondly, having thus renewed our repentance, wee are § Sect. 3. The second duty is often to renew our faith in Gods promises. in the next place to renew our faith, applying unto ourselves all the gracious promises of the gospel, made unto repentant sinners, especially those which concern the free forgiveness of sin, both in respect of the guilt and punishment, and our deliverance out of all our afflictions and calamities in Gods due& appointed time, when as it will most stand with his glory and the everlasting good of our own souls. Whereby our faith being renewed and strengthened, we shall be the better enabled hopefully to expect the performance of Gods promises, although the things promised be not subject to sight, and above the reach of natural reason, for as the Apostle saith; Faith is the ground Heb. 11. 1. of things which are hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seen. And although God trieth us with many delays, yet we will patiently attend his leisure; for as the Prophet speaketh, He that believeth shall not make hast; because Esa. 28. 16. he is assured by faith, that though he haue not from God help and deliverance, when he first desireth it, yet he shall most assuredly obtain it, when as it will tend to his greatest benefit. The third means whereby we may be enabled to wait § Sect. 4. The third duty is true humility, whereby we meekly submit ourselves to Gods good pleasure. vpon God, when he deferreth to accomplish his promises, and to deliver us out of our troubles and afflictions, is to labour after true humility, whereby knowing and acknowledging our own ignorance, which maketh us unable to discern truly what is good or hurtful for us, we do wholly deny ourselves and our own wisdom, and resign ourselves over freely and wholly unto God, to be ruled and ordered by him, as he thinketh good, whether it be to live in prosperity or affliction, plenty or poverty, health or sickness, life or death, being persuaded, that he is infinite in wisdom, and knoweth what is best, infinite in power, and therefore able to bring it to pass maugre the malice and might of all opposers, and infinite also in love and compassion; and therefore willing and ready to do that which in his wisdom he seeth to bee fittest for vs. And this ground of patience the Apostle propoundeth, where he saith, that the Lord knoweth to deliver the godly out of tentation, that is, he so knoweth, that he also both can and will powerfully effect 2. Pet. 2. 9. it. Vpon which foundation we must also build our patience and comfort, when as wee continue long in trouble and affliction, and being persuaded of Gods infinite wisdom, power and love, let us resign ourselves wholly to his good will and pleasure, knowing that nothing ever miscarried which was entrusted to his care and providence. And though our afflictions bee tedious and bitter to flesh and blood, yet let us patiently endure that which he in his wisdom and goodness is pleased to inflict, neither prescribing unto him the measure of our afflictions( for it is absurd and ridiculous for the child to make choice of his rod, and to appoint unto his father what number of stripes he shal give unto him) nor the means by which we would be delivered, which are better known to God then unto us; nor finally, the time of our troubles, how long they shall last, and when we would haue him to free us from them. For so wee shall but fall into a dangerous praemunire, and make forfeiture of our spiritual estate, by encroaching vpon Gods royal privileges and prerogatives, seeing our office and duty is Nostri est cuspidem far, Dei vero auferre. Nosse enim quando tribulationes auferri oporteat illius est qui eas permisit inferri. Chrysost. in Math. 3. homil. 10. onely to bear the cross, and it is Gods part to take it away. According to the saying of an ancient father; to know( saith he) the time when our tribulation and afflictions are to be taken from us, it belongeth to him who hath inflicted them but to bear them meekly with thanksgiving, it is the proper work of our patience. And if we thus meekly submit ourselves to the will of God, it will hereof come to pass, that both we shall bear our greatest afflictions with greater comfort and contentment, then worldly men the least defects of their earthly prosperity; and also that wee shall much the sooner bee freed from them, seeing our gracious father will no longer smite and beate us, when as he seeth us already thoroughly humbled, unless it be in the case of trial, for the▪ better manifestation of his graces in us, that hereafter he may crown them with the greater glory. The fourth means, enabling us to wait vpon God in § Sect. 5. The fourth duty is to trust in God at all times, in the presence and absence of inferior▪ means. job. 13. 15. trouble and affliction, is to work our hearts unto firm affiance in him in all estates and conditions, that we may say with job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him; and that both in the presence and absence of inferior means. For if in our crosses and calamities, we do not as we ought look unto God, but rest in the help of our worldly hopes and secondary causes; it is not possible to preserve our patience, seeing they will through unfaithfulness bewray us when we trust in them, through impotency and insufficiency fail us, when we rest vpon them, and when they haue pulled us up( as we were) sinking to the top of the waters, and wee think ourselves escaped out of the danger, they will let go their hold for want of strength, or wilfully thrust us back again into the gulf of destruction, whereas if our whole affiance and confidence bee in the Lord and his promised help, wee shall be well freed from the violence of passion, and neither bee much lifted up with hope in the abundance of earthly helps, because we know, that if he do but blow vpon them, they do presently vanish; nor dejected with fear and despair, when as they fail and forsake us, because wee are assured, that God in whom wee trust, is able to deliver us without them, by his all-sufficient power, or else can when he pleaseth provide us other means in their stead, which are more convenient and better able to help vs. Let us therefore in all our afflictions put our trust in the Lord, saying with the Church when he deferreth his help. Be not terrible unto me, thou art my hope in the day of adversity. And again, give us help against trouble, for vain jer. 17. 17. Psa. 108. 12. Psa. 118. 8. 9. jer. 17. 7. is the help of man. For it is better( as the Psalmist speaketh) to trust in the Lord, then to haue confidence in man: It is better to trust in the Lord, then to haue confidence in Princes, for blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord i●; as the Prophet pronounceth him; blessed in respect of his present condition, seeing he is assured in Gods good time of help and deliverance, and in the mean time of his gracious presence and assistance, enabling him to bear with patience and comfort whatsoever he is pleased to lay vpon him; and blessed in respect of his future hopes, seeing he shall haue his patience, and humble waiting on the Lords leisure, rewarded and crwoned with everlasting happiness. jer. 17. 5. Whereas contrariwise, Cursed is the man who trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord; because he shall but inherit the wind, and bee frustrated of his hope and confidence, leaning vpon such weak reeds and broken staues, as will most fail and deceive, when as they are most restend vpon. According to that lamentable complaint of the afflicted Church. whilst we 〈…〉 for our vain help, our eyes failed; and in our waiting Lam. 4. 17. 〈…〉ed for a nation that could not save vs. 〈…〉 ly, because in our afflictions wee are so weak and §. Sect. 6. The fifth duty is frequent and fervent prayer. 〈…〉 d, that we are impatient of any delay, therefore we 〈…〉 aue often our recourse unto God by fervent and of 〈…〉 prayers, earnestly crying and craving for freedom 〈…〉 iuerance in such a time as the Lord seeth fittest for 〈…〉 e glory and our spiritual good; and that in the 〈…〉 time he will give unto us such strength and patience, 〈…〉 inwardly refresh us with the sweet feeling of his 〈…〉 nd comforts of his holy Spirit, that wee may be able 〈…〉 ndure our afflictions, as long as he shall be pleased to ●●ntinue them vpon us; grounding these our prayers vpon his word and gracious promises, whereby he hath assured us, that he will save and deliver us, if we call vpon him, when as it shall bee most profitable for us to receive this mercy; and that in the mean while he will so support us with the power of his might, that wee shall not faint in the day of trial, nor bee overwhelmed with the weight of afflictions. And thus haue I shewed how the Christian is to carry and §. Sect. 7. That after our deliverance we must render unto God praise and thanksgiving. demean himself whilst he is under the cross: Now in the last place, according to our order propounded in the beginning of this second book, wee are briefly to declare what duty he is to perform, after that through Gods grace and merciful assistance he is freed from his afflictions. And this in a word is out of a heart truly and vnfainedly thankful to render unto the Lord all glory, praise and thanksgiving for his deliverance out of these troubles. For this duty Psa. 50. 15. jer. 20. 13. Heb. 13. 15. the Lord himself requireth of us; Call vpon me in the day of trouble; so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. So the Prophet jeremy, Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord, for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of the wicked. And the Psalmist diuersifying the several miseries, out of which the Lord delivereth his people, doth take occasion thereby to incite and stir men up to praise his holy name. Let them therefore( saith he) confess before the Lord his 〈…〉 Psa. 107. 22. 23. 32. kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons 〈…〉 and let them offer the sacrifice of praise, and declare hi 〈…〉 with rejoicing. Let them exalt him in the congregati 〈…〉 people, and praise him in the assembly of the Elders. 〈…〉 duty the Lord highly prizeth, preferring it far a 〈…〉 Psa. 50. 13. 14. sacrifices and burnt offerings. According to that of 〈…〉mist. Will I eat the flesh of bulls? or drink the blood o 〈…〉 Offer unto God praise, and pay thy vows unto the mo 〈…〉 In regard whereof he professeth, that he will mu 〈…〉 ther perform it then the other, as being much more a 〈…〉 table: I will praise( saith he) the name of God with a song, 〈…〉 magnify him with thanksgiving; for this shall please the Lor● Psa. 69. 30. 31. better then a young bullock that hath horns and hoofes. Yea, this is the end which not onely God propoundeth of our deliueanrces, that we should glorify him, but which the faithful also propound unto themselves in all their troubles, therefore especially craving help and succour at Gods hands in their afflictions, that they may haue occasion of thanksgiving, and of lauding and magnifying his holy name for their deliverance. So david prayeth, Haue mercy vpon me, O Lord, consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate Psa. 9. 13. 14.& 106. 47. me, thou that liftest me from the gates of death, that I may show all thy praises within the gates of the daughter of Sion, and rejoice in thy salvation. And else where, save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, that we may praise thy holy name, and glorify in thy praise. And because through their great corruption of nature the faithful haue feared to forget so excellent a duty after their deliverance,( like unto the lepers who being cleansed, onely one of ten returned to give thanks) therefore they haue been ready to bind themselves by solemn vow& promise to the performance of it, according to that of the Prophet, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously, so will we render the calves of our Hos. 14. 3. lips. And thus david having bound himself by vow to praise God for his deliverance, after he was delivered penned an excellent psalm of thanksgiving, wherein he performeth Psa. 116. 3. 12. 13. 14. 17. his vows unto God. What shall I render( saith he) unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me. I will take the cup of salvation, and will call vpon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, even now in the presence of all his people. I will offer unto thee a sacrifice of praise, and will call vpon the name of the Lord. And again, I will praise thee, because Psa. 118. 21.& ●0. 14. thou hast heard me, and hast been my deliverance. The which vows of thanksgiving, the Lord himself requires, Offer unto God praise, and pay thy vows unto the most high. And therefore seeing these thankes and praise are the main end of our deliverances, which both God and the faithful do chiefly aim at, let us carefully endeavour to attain unto it; for by the rule of reason the end is always better then that which is destinated unto it; and consequently if we must esteem our deliverance itself, by which we are freed from all our troubles; much more account are we to make of the praises of God, and our thanksgiving after that we are escaped; seeing it is the end for which God delivereth us, and we desire to be delivered. And as in the time of our affliction we are diligent in prayer, and earnest suitors unto God for his help and aid; so having obtained it, let us be as forward and ready to return unto him thanks and praise for his mercy and goodness. For otherwise we shall discover unto God and our own consciences most shameful ingratitude, in that being such bare banke-rupts, that we haue nothing to return unto God for all his benefits, wee will not remain thankful debters; and having nothing else to render unto him for all his mercies, we will not so much as yield unto him praise and thanks. Yea, wee shall plainly prove, that we are not in the number of Gods faithful people, whose constant practise in all ages hath been, to magnify and glorify the holy name of God, when they haue been delivered out of any afflictions, as it plainly appeareth in so many places of the sacred Scriptures; that it is but lost time to insist vpon them. Now this thankfulness whereby we glorify God, for his § Sect. 8. What kind of thankfulness is to be offered unto God for our deliverance. gracious deliverance of us out of trouble and affliction, is not to be onely formal and external, but is first and principally to be seated in our minds and hearts, wherein we are perpetually to retain a grateful remembrance of Gods mercy towards us, with a resolved purpose and intention in all things to glorify his holy name, when as any occasion is offered or may be taken by vs. For the Prophet malachi threateneth a curse against the Priests which was to fall vpon Mal. 2. 2. them, if they did not consider, or put it in their heart to give glory unto the Lord. And the Apostle exhorteth us in all things to intend and aim at Gods glory, Whether( saith he) 1. Cor. 10. 31. ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. But yet this thankfulness is not wholly to be reserved( as it were) in the close prison of our own breasts, for so God should lose the glory, our neighbours a good example, and we fail in the performance of our duty, but it is also to be professed with our mouths, and our profession to be approved by our works and actions. In our speeches we are to declare what great things the Lord hath done for us, to magnify his mercies for our deliverances out of trouble, and to praise his holy name in psalms, hymns and spiritual Col. 3. 16 songs, sweetening the music of the voice with the harmonious melody of our hearts. And because the Lord is glorified, not onely in his praises, according to the saying in the psalms, He that sacrificeth praise, doth glorify me; but Psa. 50. 23. also in all our holy communications, and in our religious, honest and savoury speeches; therefore wee must acquaint our tongues with the language of Canaan, and avoiding all corrupt and vprofitable words, we must set a watch before Col. 4. 6. Ephes. 4. 29. the door of our lips, and carefully take heed that our speeches be so powdered with the salt of wisdom and holinesse, that they may not onely glorify God, but also tend to the edification of those that hear vs. Finally, because thankfulness professed is not sufficient, unless it be also approved by our works of godliness and sanctification; therefore we must endeavour also that our lights may so shine before Matth. 5. 16. men, that seeing our good works, they may glorify our father in heaven. And to this end let us take heed that wee do not dim or dazzle this light, by overshadowing it with the black cloud of sin and wickedness; but especially let us labour to mortify those corruptions, and to forsake those sins, which our own consciences do condemn to be the likeliest causes of our late afflictions, lest lying and living still in our sins, and impenitently going forward in our former evil courses, we fall into a relapse of Gods escaped judgements, and after our deliverance from lesser afflictions, haue( as our saviour speaketh) some worse punishment inflicted vpon vs. And withall, let us labour in the contrary works of joh. 5. 14. holiness and righteousness, endeavouring by our abundant fruits of an holy& sanctified life, that our heavenly father joh. 15. 8. may be glorified;& so may we be assured that the Lord will for the time to come, either preserve us out of such afflictions, as we haue formerly suffered, or will inflict them onely for our trial, and the manifestation of his gifts and graces in us; bringing us as his most approved soldiers into this conflict of temptations, that we may obtain victory over all our spiritual enemies, and afterwards be crwoned with all glory and happiness in his heavenly kingdom, which he grant unto us that hath dearly bought it for us, Iesus Christ the righteous, to whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be rendered of us, and his whole Church, al honour and praise, power, majesty and dominion both now and for evermore. Amen. FINIS.