mos

nos è con

trario di

micimus

Cap.4. fhould please him, in the purity of actions undefiled, in the holiness of a life unfpotted, by fo much the more is our faithfulness and devotion indebted to him, because he requires of us fmaller things, and hath granted greater things unto us and therefore feeing Princes are Chriftians, there is no perfecution, Religion is not difturbed, we are not compelled to manifeft the proof of our faith by harder tryals, we ought fo much the more to pleafe the Lord in inferior duties. He inftanceth in divers particulars: as Dimicave Chrift (fays he) commands us not to ftrive, and runt patres contend with one another, but rather to put up noftri conra afperi- wrong, let us obey him in this, feeing he frees us from dolores fuch great and dreadful miferies, which others have fuffered before us. Again, Chrift would have us do that to others, which we would have others do to us, contra no- let us obey him in this. He commands us by his biliffimas voluptates; Apoftle, that we fhould not feek that which is our vicerunt own, but every one feek the good of another: he reflamma quires of us to love our enemies, and to take heed of rum, nos the occafions of evil, &c. Although duties be never vincamus fo hard to flesh and blood, yet let us fet upon them. ignea tela vitiorum. It was an excellent fpeech of Eufebius Emefenus, Eufeb. Our forefathers did ftrive against fharp piercing milia Na griefs, let us be willing to ftrive against the most extalis San cellent pleasures; They overcame the torments of Hi Genefii. the flames, let us overcome the fiery darts of vices.. Fourthly, let us take heed of the leaft froward murmuring and repining at little croffes, that fometime we meet withal. What, are we difcontented at fuch small afflictions? at fuch light things? when as others (our betters) have fuffered fuch hard, fuch grievous, fuch lamentable things; that our hearts do ake

tormenta

Emef. Ho

4.

at

at the very hearing of. What is our flesh better then Cap.4. theirs, that we must have ours fo pampered, when as theirs was fo grievously tormented? How far are you from refifting unto blood? O what an unworthy thing is this in Chriftians,to vex and fret at every fmall cross; when they read and hear what others have fuffered before them! all our troubles are but as the flivers and chips of that cross,upon which they have been crucified.

Fifthly, be willing to abate fomewhat of your delight in the creature that you do enjoy, do not give liberty to your felves,to fatisfie your felves to the full: Is it feemly that when Gods choice Servants have fuffered, and still do suffer fuch hard things, that you fhould delight and rejoyce to the utmost in giving content unto the flesh? You know how it was with Uriah, while the Ark, and his Lord Foab was in the field, he would not go down to his house to folace himself there. Fofephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. reports of Titus, when he had by his conqueft brought the Jews into miferable extremities, that fome of the Priefts petitioning him for their lives, he commanded them to be flain, faying, they were of degenerous mindes that they defired to live, when their people and Religion fuffered fo much as it did : Titus a Heathen judged thus of them; of what degenerous mindes then are thofe, who not onely defire to live, but to live in pomp, in bravery, in giving liberty to themselves in all fenfual delights, in abating nothing of their carnal contentments, when they fee and hear of the Churches of God fuffering grievous things, brought unto lamentable straights under the burthen of moft heavy and fore afflictions? The like we finde

related

5.

Cap.4. related of Anchifes Aneas his father; when Aneas would have faved his life, Far be it from me, fays he, that I fhould defire to live when Troy fuffers that it does:

Cum extrema fiti la

latam a

quia du

Abfit, ut excifa poffim fupervivere Troia. Far then be it from us to defire to live diliciously, boraret ob- when not Troy, but the Churches of God fuffer fuch quam acci- things as they do. It is reported of Alexander, that perc noluit, being in extream thirst, when a little water was offered to him, he thought it a hard thing and not Princebat& paly, for him alone to quench his thirst, when others rum regi- in his Army had not wherewithal to abate theirs; um, fi ipfc folus fitim wherefore he gives back again the cup with this extinguere fpeech, faying, I cannot bear to drink alone,and here is not enough to divide amongst the reft.

rum puta

ut levaret

fuam, cum lii co tem

bore nihil baberent, que arida

corpora re

ficerent;

tunc poculo Leno ficut

oblatum

nec folus

(inquit)

li

Sixthly, let us learn to be compaffionate towards them that do fuffer; while the bowels of others are torn out by the rage of men, let the bowels of our compaffions work towards them, let us be even in bonds with those that are bound, in all our peace, berties, and comforts, let us remember them, let us fait redite, pray for them, and as much as we are able, relieve them, and help to bear their burthens. Seventhly, let us lay hold upon our opportunities and liberties that we do enjoy, to edifie our tam exigu felves in our most holy faith: let us make use of our peace to prepare us for the times of affliction, which God may call us unto. This was the care of the Quintus Churches, when they had got a little reft from their Curtius. enemies, Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches reft through all Indea, Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghoft, were multiplyed. It

bibere fu- of peace

ftinco nec

um divide

rc omnibus

poffum.

1.7.

is wisdom while our fhip is in the haven, to mend it Cap.5. there, and to prepare it for storms, that it may meet withal at fea, when ftorms arife, it is no time then: fhips lie in the harbor on purpose to prepare them for the dangers they meet withal afterwards in Sea. Naturalifts tell us, that while the Halcyon bird is brooding her eggs, and bringing forth her yong ones, there is ufually fair weather; from whence we call pleasant weather, Halcyon days; the neglects not any of those days,but is diligent inbringing forth her yong: God gives us fair weather, much peace, that we may be diligent in our work, to provide for after-times: let none of thofe Halcyon days be loft.

CHAP. V.

The Reafons of the afflicted eftate of Gods people, from the malice of the Devil and wicked men.

B

ut what are the reasons why it muft needs be, Quest. that the eftate of Gods people must be an af

Alicted eftate?

iliquando perfecuto

rem tuum nimis favientem

First,as long as there is a Devil in the world it muft Anfw. 1. needs be; he in his inftruments is that red Dragon, red with fury and rage; he is that old Serpent, full si videris of poyfon and deadly malice. Pling speaks of the Scorpion, that there is not one minute, wherein it does not put forth the fting, as being unwilling to lofe any opportunity of doing mifchief. He is called Satan, an adverfary, the deftroyer, roaring Lyon, he infinitely hates God, and fins that fin, that is the fin against the holy Ghoft, every moment: he hates tur. Ber. the holiness of God, and the glory of God, (which de Inter.

eo quia bafcenfort

fuo damone er urge

donio c.

efpecially sz.

Cap.5. efpecially fhines in his Saints) with deadly hatred: he is caft out himself, and therefore envies and vexes at the Salvation of any: as one that had committed the fin against the holy Ghoft faid, he wished that his wife,and children, and all the world might be damned together with him: hence he is refolved, that if any be faved, it fhall be with as great difficulty as he can procure.

.2.

I.

2.

3.

Secondly, the poyfon of this old Serpent, ungodly men have fucked up, they fwell with it, and by it are enraged against godliness. It is reported of Tygers, that they enter into a rage upon the fcent of fragrant fpices;fo do ungodly men at the bleffed favor of godlinefs. I have read of some barbarous Nations, who when the Sun fhines hot upon them, they fhoot up their arrows against it; fo do wicked men at the light and heat of godliness. There is a natural antipathy between the spirits of godly men, and the wicked Gen. 3.15. I will put enmity between thy feed, and her feed; Prov. 29. 27. An unjust man is an abomination to the juft, and he that is upright in the way, is an abomination to the wicked. Now the contrariety of antipathy is:

Firft,deep rooted, in the very natures of the things: a contrariety of act is not so much, as a contrariety of nature; two sheep may oppofe one another, but there is not that oppofition between them,as between a wolf and a sheep.

pre

Secondly, it is an active oppofition, that will fently ftir at the first appearance; the wicked will prefently difcern a godly man,and their hearts do quickly rite up against him.

Thirdly, it is a strong vehement oppofition.

For