1. Why? This quaere reproueth, by exacting a cause: the Pro­phet wrastleth with his own sorrowes, and in this que­stion both deriueth them from their fountaines, and implieth, hee ought so to moderate them, that he of­fend not GOD by impati­ence. Luk. 16. 21 Why art thou cast downe? Why thou? For a poore Lazarus to bee cast [Page 55] downe, when rich mens dogges enioy the crummes hee wanteth; for some di­stressed Gen. [...]1. 19. parent, some Hagar, whose helplesse comfort is not to behold the end of her staruing Infant: for some poore widdow of Zare­phath, 1 Reg. 17. 12. protesting to the man of GOD, As the Lord thy God liueth I haue not a Cake, but euen an handfull of meale in a barrell, and a little oyle in a Cruse, and behold I am gathering two stickes, that I may goe in and dresse it for me and my son, that we may eate it & dye: For some afflicted Iob, but now rich, and pre­sently stript of al, lying sick, sore, and (which is a double disease) so poore, that he is not worth one true frrend: [Page 56] for some indigent widdow of a Prophet, fallen into the arrests of Creditours so pit­tilesse, that they will take her sonnes to be slaues for the debt: for some necessi­tous attendant, exhaust, and starued with long feeding on the heartlesse ayres of dilatorie promises, noble breathes, thin dewes of Court-holy-water, while hee seeth worthlesse giuers receiuing, godlesse recei­uers giuing, Iudas the Clerk of the Market, with his Math. 26. 15. what wil ye giue me? & all the seeming friends of desert, Thomas Schollers, who can beleeue nothing without some feeling: for such men to bee deiected, it were no wonder: but why thou O [Page 57] rich man? Why thou O King, whose cōdition is in­dependent? What wantest thou Dauid, loued in peace, feared in warres, to make thee content? doubtlesse there is no externall condi­tion can allay the mindes disquiet: there is no Super­sedeas in greatnesse against cares and sorrowes: whilst Gen. 28. Iacob sleepeth securely in the fields of Luz, that vgly empuse feare, with swarmes of cares & discontents cr [...]e­peth like those Egyptian Frogges into Kings Cham­bels, the impudent Hag da­reth looke Maiestie in the face, serue her arrests vpon greatnesse, and without re­spect of titles, lay rude hands vpon sacred robes.

[Page 58] For fooles to cause, and then complaine of the fruits of their own inuentions, or to be cast downe it were no great matter, but why thou O man of GOD? Surely there are remainds of folly in the most improued na­tures, and refined braines: there is no more wisedome without some madnes, then mortall perfection without some blemishes, some Re­liques of the old man.

For some bloody Caine, conscious Herod, guilty A­hab, godlesse Belshazzar, de­sperate Iudas, to bee cast downe and disquiet, it is no maruell, the wonder is they Isai. 57. 2 [...]. can be merry or quiet, there is no rest to the wicked: But why thou holy Psalmist? is [Page 59] not the Kingdome of God Requiem in se non poterit hae­bere quoni. am [...]llum dereliquit in quo ha­bitare et requies [...]ere debuit. Ber nard. de censes. l. c. [...]. Rom. 14▪ 17. in righteousnesse, and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost? Why art thou disquieted? truely the most holy haue their trials, their disquiet of minde: because we are not yet wholly spirituall, that wee might rest secure C [...]n­querours; since then nei­ther riches, honours, po­wer, humane wisedome, or perfection, can free from this sicknesse of the minde, there are none too great, too wise, too good to fol­low our Psalmist to the cure, which by his practise he teacheth vs, that is:

Doct. In euery disquiet of mind, first examine, and finde out the cause: without this, there is no hope of a s [...]und [Page 60] cure: for whereas Sathan assaileth vs diuers wayes, in our ioy he saith reioyce, and let thine heart cheere thee, that hee may add drunken­nesse to thirst. In prosperi­ty, Math. 4. all this will I giue thee. But in our sorrowes hee Iud. 9. saith, Cast thy selfe downe, we must not deale with him, who tempted Christ [...], and could deale with the Arch­angell, disputing about the body of Moses, hee is too Non ea [...]sas pro [...]a [...]sis. sharpe a Sophister for vs, and can obtrude fallacies, false causes: the best way to ouercome him, is to keep vs to our close fights, not to bee drawne out of our en­trenchments, and fortifica­tions, Iosh. 8. 22. like the men of Ai to their destruction; we are in­competent [Page 61] assaylants, and must content vs, to defend: therefore we must make sure at home, wee must deale with these domestick ene­mies, our owne inordinate affections, calling them to account, not suffering them to get an hand ouer our rea­son, as Samson tooke an oath of the 3000 men of Iudah, Sweare vnto mee that yee will Iudg. 15. 12 not fall vpon mee your selues, and being secured of them, he feared not; so if our own affections prooue not false, no assaults can hurt vs with­out.

How many thousands fret and grieue themselues to death, and neuer come so farre as this point of expo­stulation: why doe I this? [Page 62] Why art thou cast downe O my soule? How many think they haue iust cause of sorrow, whē indeed as it was said of Dauids weeping, the salua­tion of that day is turned in­to 2 Sam. 19. 2 mourning, and they haue more cause to reioyce then grieue? How many weep­ing Magdalens see not how Christ offereth himselfe to them, and speaketh com­fort, in their afflictions, whilst they mistake Christ for a Gardner, they know not the blessing that is neere them? How many in bitter­nesse of soule wish death might end their sorrowes, when they ought to see their happinesse? they ha­uing little other danger, then being made vnhappy, [Page 63] by seeming so to them­selues.

Mee thinketh, this inter­rogatorie particle standeth before the disconsolate minde (like the Angell by Peter in prisō) with a touch, Act. 12. 7. shaketh off the chaines, and leadeth him out: for tru­ly, if wee could once bee brought to learne this les­son rightly, and throughly to examine the cause of our sorrowes, wee should bee soone freed from them: for discouering them either to be without good cause, or the cause to bee some foule euill in which wee yet lye, wee shall bee ashamed of them, and turne our sorrow vpon a right obiect, and so bee cured. Two things are [Page 64] therefore to be obserued in this case.

1 We must examine, and sinde out the first cause of our sorrow: euery man knoweth the next and im­mediate cause of his griefe, but we must not rest there: it is not enough for Israel to sorrow, because the Lord Exod. 33. 3. 4, &c▪ said, I will not goe vp in the midst of thee, except they consider, why God said so, which was, because they were a stiff-necked people: Iosh. 7. 6. It is not enough for Ioshuah, and the Elders of Israel, to rent their cloathes, lament their danger, and losse of their brethren, except they looke to the cause of Gods displeasure: there is an A­chans wedge, some neglect, [Page 65] some sinne if Israel be smit­ten: if the Lord giue thee a trembling heart, failing eyes, Deut 28. 65, 66, 67. and sorrow of minde, so that thy life hang in doubt before thee, and thou fearest day and night, if thou haue no assu­rance of thy life, so that thou say in the morning, Would God it were euening, and at euening, would GOD it were morning, for the feare of thine Ver. 58. heart which thou shalt feare: know, it is because thou do­est not obserue to doe all the words of this law, neither do­est thou feare, this glorious and fearefull name, the Lord thy GOD. All sorrowes are the vndoubted effects of sinne: therefore the readiest way to the cure, is, not to rest, till wee haue found out [Page 66] Causa m [...]r b [...] primium excid [...]nda guam mor­bus. lo. Heurn in­stitut. med. l. 12. [...]. 3. the mischiefe which is hid, the excommunicate thing; to begin at the roote, and cause of the euill, which we suffer. The Prophet like a skilfull Empericke went roundly to worke. Where­fore doeth a liuing man com­plaine, a man for the punish­ment I. am. 3. 39, 40. of his sinne. Wee haue transgressed, and haue rebel­led, and thou hast not pard [...] ­ned: And the Psalmist saith, Psal. 107. 17. Fooles because of their trans­gr [...]ssion: and because of their iniquities are afflicted. So Ier [...]m. 8. 14 Ieremie: The Lord our GOD hath put vs to silence, and giuen vs waters of Gall to drinke, because we haue sinned against the Lord.

Whence it appeareth, that sinne in generall is the [Page 67] true cause of griefe and im­patience. More particular­ly, & especially these three, 1. Ignorance. 2. Vnbeliefe. 3. The distempers and in­dispositions of mind which follow them.

1 Ignorance hath the first place, vnbeliefe the second, (which the order of the cure importeth: to helpe our vnbeliefe wee must first dispell our ignorance, the cloudes which darken our minde; for, How shall they Rom. 10. 14 belee [...]e in him, of whom they ha [...]e not heard?) Though it be true, vnbeliefe was be­fore ignorance, in time, and order of causing, in the first sinner, who did know all things which hee ought to beleeue, till beleeuing the [Page 68] Serpent (which was his vn­beliefe) he transgressed, and so brought a natiue igno­rance, and spirituall blind­nesse on all mankinde. This ignorance is first, our igno­rance of God: When wee know not, or consider not his power, and all-disposing prouidence, gouerning all things, with a sweet, and vnresistible omnipotencie: then wee repine, and mur­mur, then wee striue and wrastle, as if wee could pre­uaile against him. Our ig­norance of Gods goodnesse and mercy, working all things for the best to them that loue him, curing their soules with ass [...]ictions tem­porall, healing with part of that Scorpion which did [Page 69] sting them; our ignorance (I say) of the worke of God herein, causeth, that wee looke not beyond our pre­sent condition, and there­fore distrust the issue, wher­vpon wee are deiected, and so impatient, as if wee were vtterly lost for want of loo­king to. Secondly, of our selues, and our owne vnwor thinesse, which when wee know not, or remember not, wee thinke we are too good, to be so sharply dealt withall: that our sorrowes are greater then our sinnes: that wee haue not deserued all the miseries wee suffer. This ignorance of our selues causeth vs to build hopes farre greater then our foun­dation, to vndertake affaires [Page 70] abone our strength, and in the whole course of our liues to carrie a saile too great for our bottome▪ so that when our disproporti­oned hopes and proiections faile, and are ouerset, wee grieue, we vex, as if GOD had done vs iniurie, because he gaue vs not so much, as our foolish hopes promi­sed vs.

2 2 Vnbeliefe is a genuine cause of disquiet of minde: wee could not be immode­ratly grieued, or troubled for any temporall euill, if wee did confidently be­leeue GOD, our powerfull and gracious deliuerer at hand: This is that old man, which lieth murmuring and vexing within vs; this is that [Page 71] vnregenerate part, which because it is conscious of nothing but sinne, therfore can conceiue nothing but iustice in God, and feare in it selfe, which suspition so multiplieth, that vpon euery (the least) appearance of 1 Reg, 18. 44. danger, bee it but like the cloude arising out of the Sea, which Eliahs seruant saw on Carmel, as little as a mans hand, it presently re­solues of perpetual stormes, hopelesse and helplesse con­ditions: therefore our Psal­mist saith, Hope in God; by the cure shewing the cause of the disease, that is, distrust and want of faith, as we shall see hereafter.

3 3 The distempers of mind are diuers.

[Page 72] 1 Want of foresight, and fore expectation of calami­ties: it must needes be, that affliction fall very heauily vpon that man who neuer looked for it, who made no other account to himsulfe, but to be carried to heauen vpō downy pillows, he that looketh for tryals, armeth his minde to entertain them when they come.

2 Leuity of minde, and weakenesse, which cause that euery breath (euen common accidents) ouer­throw a man, and moue him to impatience.

3 Surfetting on prospe­rity, (whence men grow ef­feminate, and, like formall Souldiers, trained vp onely for a quiet pomp, are dead [Page 73] at the sight of an enemie, euery distresse disordereth and confoundeth their thoughts.) Hee that is not Aug. in Io­ha [...] Serm. 42. deceiued with prosperity, shall not be broken with ad­uersity: therefore GOD saith, it is good for a man, that hee beare the yoke in his I. am. 3. 27. youth, as we shall see in the following parts.

4 Enuie, which hath a long eye into other mens estates, not contented with that it selfe hath, except o­thers might want that which they haue. It is not onely afflicted with it own aduersity, but with the pro­sperity of others also.

We may add to these and other causes of the mindes disquiet, which are in our [Page 74] selues, one externall: that is the deuill, who loueth to bee fishing in troubled wa­ters, especially those Ma­rahs of mans sorrow and impatience, which are his Nectar, and his musick, be­cause his desire is, to make man repine at GOD, be at enemity with men, discon­tented with himselfe, im­patient at his estate; in fine, to make the whole life of man mis [...]rable, euery oc­current hurtfull, the whole man lesse then a possessour of his owne soule, and all this out of a d [...]mned malice against God & man, whom he would fa [...]ne [...]qua [...]l with himselfe in a fear [...]full apo­s [...]cie.

Vse. God doth sometimes to [Page 75] the eye of man, strike wide, and shor [...], yet hee euer doth iastly [...] he seemeth [...] wid [...], when he pu­nisheth Da [...]id on his sub­iects 2 Sam. 24 1 [...]. backes: short, when Ioab and Shime [...] in their age, 1 Reg. 2. 34. 45. pay for the sinnes of their younger dayes, or the rich man sossereth the torments of hell, after his dayes of pleasure: yet it is alwayes iust, and oportune which God doeth: and often such, as the punishment sheweth it derination from the of­fence: Pharaohs plagues were sitted to his offence, his cruelty to the Infants, was rewarded him in the death of all the first borne Exod. 1. 16. in the land of Egypt: hee that drowned was drow­ned: Exod. 12. 29 [Page 76] Exod. 14. 27. 28. Adonibezcks imanity was retaliated in the same I [...]d. 1. 7. kinde, As I haue done so God hath requited mee. Sodoms vnnaturall burning with a Gen. 19. 24. supernatutall showre of fire and brimstone. Ahabs bloodshedding with the blood of himselfe and fa­mily. I neede not speake of these: euen for his owne children, GOD maketh choyse of the rod. Da [...]ids bloody sinne is followed with a sentence, which like a drea [...]full come [...], hung pointing downe vpon his [...]ouse Now therefore the [...] [...] shall neuer depart from [...] His [...]dulgence [...] with [...] the people with a dimi [...]ution [Page 77] of the people: it is of [...]en so, that the punishment may leade thee back to thine of­fence.

Thou art grieued for a debaushed childe? see whe­ther thou didst not neglect to breed him better, whe­ther thou wert not an Eli, and thy reproofes gallesse, when God was dishonou­red, and highly displeased? thou grieuest for some dis­honour? See whether some popular breath had not dan­gerously puffed thee vp? thou art reiected for thy sicknesse? See whether thy surfetting were not so onely to be ended, whether thou didst not abuse thy health and strength? thou grieuest for thy pouerty? it is an [Page 78] heauy triall, b [...]t consi [...] r well whether thou didst not desperatly cause it, whether thou we [...]t not an cuill, an expensiue seruant before GOD called his goods out of thine hands? whether thou didst not dis­honour him with riches? See whether thy possessions be too little, or thy minde to great? whether the mise­ry, of which thou complai­ [...]est, be in the estate, or mind of a foolish and vnthankfull possessour? whether if thou wouldst lessen thy desires, thy riches would not bee great enough? thou grie­uest at thine imprisonment, exile, persecution, and ab­sence from holy assemblies? See if thou didst not abuse [Page 79] thy liber [...]y, disregard the peace of the Gospell, wert not a negligent frequenter of the Church, or a pro­phane and carelesse hearer? search out thy sinne, en­quire out the cause: Why art thou cast downe, O my soule? How haue I displeased God, and prouoked him to strike me? rest not till thou finde the cause, deceine not thy selfe. Many a man is miserably p [...]rplexed in minde, [...]n [...] by imputing his [...] [...]rong ca [...]fe [...] addeth som [...]thing to the euill, by labouring in vaine for helplesse remedies: as it often befalleth a man with some paine in his sleepe, [...]i­sing from the [...]neuen posi­tion of his body, of which [Page 80] his phantasie presently fra­meth some externall anoy­ance, which the troubled minde labo [...]r [...]th to cast off, as if it were an external euil: such are these supposed E­phialts of a disquiet heart, vnder which wee often groane, when the best way is to awake out of the sinne in which we sleepe, so may wee finde cure with the dis­couery of our errours. Search therefore into the bottome of the Ship for the [...], &c. [...]atit [...]r quod no lit, qui non pec­cat [...] ber­nard. [...].d [...]gr [...] & [...] sleeping Ionah, which cau­seth the storme, and i [...] thou sinde the cause in thy selfe: [...]now that he suffereth iustly what hee would not, who sinneth not except he will.

2 Consider whether the pretended occasion or cause [Page 81] be a sufficient reason, why thou shouldst bee so deie­cted, and disquiet: Why art thou cast downe? It was not for an Absolom, it was not for the sicknesse of a loued Insant: it was not for that in his banishment hee wan­ted the company of his deare friends; but because hee was depri [...]ed for that time of the vse of the Taber­nacle, and the ontward ex­ercise of Religion: this Psalme sheweth, first, with what griefe hee was absent from holy assemblies: God was present with him in ex­ile, but his sorrow was, hee could not come to the San­ctuarie; for that hee was sensible, that externall meanes and exercises of Re­ligion, [Page 82] are like Iacobs l [...]d­der, whereby holy mindes climbe to heauen: the face of God was seene through those types, the Tabernacle, sacrifices, altars, clensings, and other rites, as now more clearely in the word and holy Sacram [...]nts: ther­fore good men loue the ex­ternall worship of God, as his ordinances, and Chur­ches as his amiable Taber­nacles, and the places where his honour dwelleth: so that how euer some, with vaine opinion of holinesse, some for pleasures, some for profits are withdrawne, it is the sharpest among the many sorrowes of the chil­dren of God, if either some cloud of feare fill the Tem­ple, [Page 83] that they cannot enter, or any prescription barre them from this house. Se­condly, here appeare the things which aggrauate his sorrow, that is, an heauie re­membrance of the happi­nesse he had, when he went with the multitude, and led them ouant and reioycing into the house of God, (a condition which cannot be wanted and remembred with patience) and the op­probious taunts of his ene­mies, who measuring Reli­gion by externall conditi­ons, said: Where is thy God? Hence that sorrow: it is a bitter triall to f [...]ele the insolency, and heare the blasphemy of the ad [...]ersa­ry, if any thing in the world [Page 84] would breake a good heart, and disquiet a religious minde, doubtlesse this would: yet he reprehend­eth himselfe for it, by this question: intimating, that there is no iust cause of im­moderate sorrow, no not in the most heauie tryals.

Vse, If so iust a gr [...]efe (which onely the Saints of GOD could conceiue) cannot iu­ [...]ifie excesse of sorrow: what must wee thinke of theirs whose mindes, like some crazie body, or sore part, are hurt, and almost killed with euery light [...] touch? or their bitternesse of spirit, whose mindes like disaffected pallats relish e­uery thing bitter? who are presently drowned with [Page 85] griefe, for those things, pere aliqui [...] d [...]lce, sed o [...]nia vi­dentur e [...] am [...]ra. Aquin. 1. q. 7 [...]. [...]. 2. [...]. which are not worth a teare from a sound braine: nay, perhaps duly examined, were a most iust cause of re­ioycing? How vni [...]stly do wee deale with a gracious Father, when we are mur­muring and querulous; not onely without cause, but when we haue great reason to praise him; for that of which we complaine, at last to put our mouthes in the dust, and keepe silence, since we caused that which grie­ueth vs.

If the spirit of GOD should search for this fauls, as Ierusalem with lights, as the Idolatry of the Elders in Ezekiels vision, he should Ezek. 8. finde a good Baruck, cry­ing, [Page 86] Ier. 45. 3. Woc is me, for the Lord hath added griefe to my sor­row, I fainted in my sighing, and I can finde no rest. Be­cause, when the Lord would destroy, hee looked for great things for him­selfe. Hee should finde the poore man in his empty Cottage, grieuing so de­spairingly for a dearth, as if GOD could not open the windowes of heauen, and powre out a blessing with­out measure, as if hee could not encrease the oyle and the meale: as if hee, who doth feede the Rauens, and cloathe the Lillies without their spinning and sowing, could not also blesse honest labours, or would suffer a sonne to starue for want of [Page 87] meate, whose prouidence d [...]scendeth to the smallest things. He should finde the impious Prodigall casting his Fathers Natiuity, Esau-like, Gen. 27. 41 reckoning his gaines, from the dayes of mour­ning, impatient, that a good Father yet liueth to keepe a brainelesle Phaeton from precipitation and rui [...]e. He should finde the discarded Fauourite, pining with en­uie, and with an euill eye fretting, like the deuill, to see any good conferred on others, because himselfe is made incapable of it. Hee should finde some worth­lesse Haman, though alrea­die vnequall to his honors, yet inwardly swelling at the sight of poore Mordecai. [Page 88] All this doth nothing auatle 1 Sam. 28. 20. me, as long as I see Mordecai sitting at the Kings gate: He should finde some despe­rate Sauls, as deiected in minde, as hee prostrate in body, because his Endor voyage pleased him not. 1 Reg. 21. 4 He should finde an oppres­sing Abab, deiected and dis­quiet for poore Naboths Vineyard: He should finde [...]2 Sam 13. 2. the wicked Amnon to, in a melancholly fit, so sore vex­ed, that he falleth sicke for­sooth, because hee cannot satisfie his lusts: in which, as many other particulars, a due examination would shew those sorrowes friuo­lous, wicked, and vniust.

Thou hast lost thy goods, and thine heart is cast [Page 89] downe; thou sayest in [...]hy Iud. 6. 13. seuerall losses, as Ged [...]on to the Angell: O my Lord, if the Lord be with vs, why is all this befallen vs? When God tooke away nothing but his owne: when wee Totum li­cet seculum periat dum patientiam lucrifaci­am Tertul. de patten. l. c. 7. are loosers especially in the losse of patience, which is greater then the losse of a world: let mee haue pati­ence to ouercome the euill, and all that the deuill, or wicked men can doe, is, but by encreasing and multi­plying my afflictions, to greaten the glory of my victories. Perhaps thou ga­uest those riches such place in thine heart, that when thou seruedst them, thou couldst not serue God: if God freed thee from so vn­iust [Page 90] a tyrannie, and made thee his owne seruant; if God tooke that from thee, which tooke thy loue, thine heart, and thee from him, doest thou well to com­plaine?

Thou art deiected for some disgrace which is done thee: Hast thou not cause to praise God for af­flicting thee so? the Sonne of God suffered the igno­minie of the Crosse, and [...]Bt [...]s apud Laert. l. 1. Magna wa est quando pec [...]antibus non [...]rra [...]c [...]. tur Deus. l. 1. ep. 3 [...]. doest thou thinke them blessed, who enioy the de­lights and pleasures of this world? The Heathen said wisely, He is vnhappy who beareth not vnhappinesse: And lerome saith well. It is great anger, when God is not angry with sinners. O Lord [Page 91] correct m [...]e (saith the Prophet) but with iudgement. It is a fearefull condition, Icr. 10. 24. Isai 1. 5. when God saith, Wherefore should you bee stricken any more?

Thou art disquieted, be­cause thou sufferest the in­iurie of gallfull tongues: who heareth all the euill he hath done? Perhaps God stirred thee vp enemies, who might giue thee a tast of that iniurie which thou hast done to others: if not, is it not enough for the Dis­ciple to be like his Master? Some say I am euill (saith lerome) Titulum fidei servus agnosco, They termed my Lord, Magitian, and his Dis­ciples seducers. How neg­ligently wouldst thou haue [Page 92] looked vnto Iesus, the Au­thor and finisher of our faith; how seldome wouldst thou haue considered what contradictions he hath suf­fered for thy sake, except some such like speaking a­gainst of sinners, humane­serpents-biting had necessi­tated thy occasion of look­ing vp to the brazen Ser­pent for helpe: onely let God amend me, I will not contend about the meanes: let him bid a thousand Shi­meis curse me, onely let the Lord looke vpon mine af­fliction. I haue neglected good words, his milder warnings, if hee will force me home by euill tongues, blessed bee his Name; let the wicked lips runne ouer [Page 93] me; onely let me be saued, Gratia [...] ago deo [...]eo quod um dign [...] quam mun­das oderit. l 1 ep 45. Tertul. de [...]ati. O dementi­am nesci­entem dili­gere homi­nes huma­nitor, &c. A [...]g c [...]n­fess.l. 4. c. 7. and I will say as Ierome to As [...]lla, I thanke my God that I am worthy to be hated of the world.

Thou hast lost a loued sonne, a deare friend: why doest thou lament immo­derately, if thou beleeuest hee is not perished, but shall rise againe? O madnesse, not knowing how to loue men like men! O foolish man immoderately bearing thinges humane. Perhaps thou wert too fond, or con­fident in man, and wilt thou bee impatient for that which GOD saw, thou couldst neither wisely pos­sesse, nor safely haue.

Thou grieuest, because thou canst not be quiet: Is [Page 94] not this vnrest as the winds, which keepe the waters from corruption? Would not thy thoughts corrupt with rest? would they not proue like Egyptian waters bloody, and thy designes, as the Prophet saith of the waters of Dimon, full of bloud, as Danids rest be­came deathfull to those hee should haue preserned: Will they not be as Iericho streames, with some vn­wholsome veines falling in­to them▪ till the b [...]ing salt bee cast i [...]? Tho [...] that art imp [...]ient [...] thy a [...]li [...]ti­ons, chuse thy condition. Let him take away his hand from me [...], that I may bee comforted, that I [...] and be f [...]ee as others [Page 95] are; that I may dispose of my selfe as I would. So said the Prodigall, Damihi Luc. 1 5. 12 portionem quae redit ad me. Well, goe thine owne cour­ses, thou that doest not like of Gods gracious gouern­ment, thou art giuen ouer to thy selfe; enioy thy selfe, and let thine heart cheere thee. Is there any thing in the world more vnhappy then this man? A man de liuered to afflictions is cha­stised to life euerlasting: a man deliuered to Sathan▪ for the destruction of the 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2 Cor. sl [...]sh may bee saued in the day of the Lord Iesus. Nay, a man giuen as Iob was into the deuils hand ( [...]cce eum Iob 2. 6. in manutua) is safe, for this deuouring Lyon must no [...] [Page 96] crush the prey betwixt his teeth. Wee neuer read of a man finally giuen ouer to Ron. 1. 24. 28. hims [...]lfe, to his owne hearts lusts, to a reprobate minde, any lesse then truly and finally wretched: if GOD will not suffer thee to perish; doest thou well Ezek. 18. 31. to complaine? Why will yee dye O house of Israell? Why art thou cast downe? What, because thou mayest not Pas [...]e po­palum in virg: [...] Mich. 7. 14. perish? Feede thy people with thy rod, the Flocke of thine heritage, saith the Prophet, bee compareth Gods gouernment of his Church, to a Pastorall fee­ding. Hee leadeth them, he giueth them pasture, but he hath his staffe, his crooke in his hand, to pull them in, [Page 97] when hee pleaseth. It is a troublesome delight, to be Pasci & pati simul, nonne mo­lest a iucun­ditas est? Bernard. sup. cant­serm 33. Tentatur &c. ani­ma n [...] pro­speritate corrumpa­tur, et ad [...]ersitate n [...] f [...]anga­tur Aug in P [...]l 64. Fe [...]t de peremptore custodem * de c [...]r [...] [...] sit ci [...]s lib. fed and a [...]flicted together; yet such are wee, as that feeding without the rod would make vs lewd chil­dren: therefore God try­eth vs, lest prosperity should corrupt vs, or aduersity breake vs, he greeuerh vs a little, that we may reioyce eternally.

What euer thy afflictions be, as Augustine saith of the old Prophets cark [...]sse, the same Lyon which killed it kept it▪ he made a keeper of a destroyer: Why art thou then cast downe? It is onely the per [...]ersenesse of man, to [...] salut [...]rie things, and to take the hurt­full willingly: to desire ra­ther [Page 98] to perish pleasantly, then to be cured with pain, to dye for feare of killing: to these men medicine is meere cru [...]lty: the searing Iron, and Lancet, are instru­ments of death: yet because they bring profitable griefe, and necessarily make sad, Horrorem operis fru­ctus excu­sat, Tertul. ad [...]. Gno­stic. c. 5. [...] vt [...]onsule­b [...]t Solon. [...] in­ [...]ti t [...]med l. 12. c. 3. they are vsed. The effect excuseth the horrour of the worke, and that same shrie­ker, sigher, and roarer vn­der the Chirurgians, wil af­ter fill with rewards those once esteemed cruell hands, he will commend them for excellent skill, hee will de­nie that they are cruell: So it is lawfull for God, (who, as the rule is, preseribeth, not the sweetest, but the wholesommest things) to [Page 99] heale vs to eternall life, by fire, sword, and what so euer is most bitter: or is it lawfull for Physitians, and not much more for God? Doe we admire them, when they so follow our disease that they cure by that which grieueth vs, heates with heates, the ouerflow­ings of the gall with bitter Portions, fluxes of blood by opening of veines; and wilt thou blame a icalous God, if he striue with the causes, and helpe, as it were by e­mulating the euill? if hee dissolue death by death, if hee preuent killing by kil­ling, torments by tormen s, punishments by punish­ments, if be giue life by taking it away? that which [Page 100] Na [...]seabit ad antide­tum qui hi­au [...]t [...] nenum? Tertul q s. thou thinkest peruersenesse is reason, and grace which thou esteemest cruelty: therefore shall hee be quea­zie-stomacked to the anti­dote, who was greedy of the poyson?

To conclude, if we would not, like way ward children, cry because we will cry, and like fooles, pay with mur­muring, where wee owe thankes, but duely, & wise­ly weigh, what cause wee haue of impatience, wee should in euery correction, kisse the rod with Dauid, and say it is good for mee that I haue been in trouble, or at least in the words of my Text, Why art thou cast d [...]wne my soule?

My soule.

IN the second place of the expostulation, wee are to consider the party speaking, and spoken to. The Psalmist speaketh to himselfe, which manner of a Treatie▪ is a Soliloquie, and parly of a solita [...]y man, whether the soole speake within it selfe, in the spiri­tuall language of thoughts, whereby it recedeth from vsuall workes and imploy­ments▪ receined from things externall, and commeth home to it selfe, conside­ [...]eth, suruayeth, and examineth it owne condition, ac­cording to which, it either r [...]ioyceth, cōforteth, coun­saileth, [Page 102] bemoneth, or re­proueth it selfe, or expres­seth it selfe to it selfe, by words spoken, to stirre vp the affections, and to leaue a more firme impression in the minde, then those slen­der and vnuttered thoughts could haue done.

There is an inward speak­ing of the soule within it selfe: for whosoeuer vnder­standeth, in that he concci­ueth, something proceedeth within him, which is the conception of that which is vnderstood, comming of of the intellectiue vertue; which conception a word signifieth, and it is called Aquin. 1. q. 27. a. 1. verbum cordis, the word of the heart, signified verbo vo­cis, by the word of the voyce. [Page 103] Primarily that inward con­ceit of the heart, is called a word: secondarily the voyce [...]rbum [...]st [...]dnon verbo pro­ [...]ertur, sed in corde pronuncia­tur. Aquin. 1. q 34. a. 1. expressing that inward thought, which was first pronounced in the heart. So that thoughts are the Mentis verbum ip­saratio [...]st, &c. v [...]r­bum & quod [...]st nuntius mentis. Alex. A­lens. part. 1. q. 43. minds words, and words are the Messengers and Interpreters of the minde. In the one the soule speaketh inwardly either to it selfe, onely con­scious of it owne senses, which God alone knoweth with it, or to God, who be­cause hee heareth not like man, needeth not audible sounds, hee knoweth the vnutterable groanes and Rom. 8. 26. sighes of the spirit, yea when we know not what to pray, as we ought, he know­eth the meaning of his own [Page 104] spirit speaking in vs, as a tender Nurse doeth the wants of a c [...]ying Infant: in this, the soule, after a wonderfull manner, sendeth vp votes to God, as it were by a priuate do [...]e, not knowne of men or Angels themselues, or more pro­perly to speake▪ talking with that Spirit, which ma­nifesteth to vs, a secre [...] and Fxod. 14. 15 awfull presence in vs. Mo­ses why c [...]yest then to mee? (said God▪ yet we heare of no voyce. In the other, the soul sendeth out that▪ which it hath framed within, through that p [...]slage which openeth towards externall [...] [...]s, making the thoughts sensible▪ & by the Ministrie of the [...] & vocall in­struments, [Page 105] framing such sounds as serue to conu [...]y them to the eares, & soules of others: how else could a spirit (which is not heard, but through the tongue) cō ­uay it inward sense & mea­ning, to the soul of another, but that both these spirits (the one speaking, the other hearing, being now impri­soned in their bodies, & shut vp frō ech others interuiew) do speake & heare through those dores of the body, which God hath set open in man for such entercourse?

These words of our Psal­mist, doe both discouer the soule to bee the part affe­cted, (by some dist [...]mper causing that immoderate gri [...]f wherof he cōplaineth) [Page 106] and teach vs a way to the cure in the like distresses: which is, by such a [...]cesse from all euill, and worldly thoughts, as that the soule may freely enioy, examine, and search it selfe, & with­out hinderance, and distra­ction, enter into, consider, and rectifie it selfe.

The ground of all is, be­cause the onely way to help a sick and troubled minde, is to raise it vp to that sound­nesse, and integrity, which it shall have in it vnion with God, in whom alone con­sisteth all our blessednesse: in whose fauour is life, in whose loue happinesse, in whose presence fulnesse of ioy. Our vnion therefore with him, his gracious pre­sence [Page 107] in our soules and con­sciences, our assurance of re­conciliation with him in Christ, and a true sense and feeling of the Kingdome of lesus established in vs, is the foundation of all our com­fort: and this cannot stand with the Kingdome of Sa­than in the soule, for Christ will haue no vnion with Be­lial, hee admitteth no part­nership, and it is for sinne, for which the wrath of God comming on our dis­obedience, a [...]cteth vs, as hath beene shewed before: lest then, sin doe by stealth possesse the soule, and wee seeke comfort in vaine, we must seriously enter into our selues, and search and try our wayes.

[Page 108] For the clearing my way into this, and the following parts, I will here lay downe these fiue conclusions fol­lowing.

1 There is a carnall se­curity, an enioying the plea­sures of sinne for a season, amongst the vnregenerate, whose sinnes neuer cost them tea [...]e, neuer brake them an houres rest: there­fore this point▪ I speake of, is a me [...]e riddle to such: when they heare these dis­courses, of comforting an afflicted soule, by a fruitfull Solil [...]quie, they think as the Act. 8. 34 Eunuch said to Philip con­cerning the Prophesie of our Sauiours Passion, Of whom speaketh the Prophet this? of himselfe or of some [Page 109] other man? I speake not now to these men: they Index [...] ­ [...]us peccati cst mens quieta. Chrys. haue a spirituall lethargie vpon them, a fearefull apo­plexie of the minde, their soules are rather dead then quiet; Bernard obserueth Alia lona & iran quilla, alia bonaet tur­b [...]ta, alia mala & tranquill [...], alia mala & turtata de conse. l. [...]. 1. that there is a conscience good and qui t, and ano­ther good and disquiet. Againe, there is a consci­ence, euill and quiet, and a conscience euill and di [...]qui­et. The first, is when the spirit of God testifieth to a mans soule, that hee is the Sonne of GOD, in which Rom. 8. 10. Rom. 5. 1. assurance it rest [...]th, and such a man hath peace to­wards God. The second is, when God do [...]h exercise a man with sundry fea [...]es, to cause him more zealously [Page 110] to call vpon him: the third is when a man sleepeth in so deepe a security, that h [...]e hath no sense of his owne misery: The last is when affrighted at the sense and memory of his sinne, a man can res [...]lue of nothing, but to dispaire.

2 There are in the rege­nerate such remainds of the [...]Pyr [...] ▪ a­p [...]d Illu­strium. old man, that their consci­ences doe sometimes sleepe like Ionas in the storme, (so hard it is absolutely to put off the man, and cease to be what wee were borne) but that rest causeth their fur­ther vnrest, and disquiet of minde to awaken them.

3 As we haue in this life no absolute freedome from sinne, so no absolute immu­nity [Page 111] from disquiet of mind: which though it be the Caa­nanite, left to exercise vs in a continuall and carefull watch against sinne (and therefore the Psalmist here speaketh as it were to one within him, like a man con­sisting of two opposite parts, one casting downe, and the other raising vp and comforting) yet wee haue such assurance of the death of sinne, faith in Iesus, and the dayly decaying of Sa­thans Kingdome, by the po­wer of Gods holy Spirit dwelling in vs, such peace of conscience, and [...]oy of the holy Ghost, as that we are not vtterly ouercome of 2 Cor. 4. 8. sorrowes, [...], wee are per­plexed, [Page 112] doubting but not despairing.

4 The more the soule is freed from sinne, the more it feeleth in it selfe, the life of Iesus, the more assured quiet and peace it hath, and therefore is the lesse subiect to those spirituall tyrants, which vexe and torment the soule.

Sinne is euer to be auoy­ded, but the assaults and charges of sinne are to bee receiued diuersly, some by flying, some by resisting: by flying, when the ser­pents presence is infectious when thinking encreaseth the incentiue, as in luxu­rie and wantonnesse, and the like: therefore hee [Page 113] commeth with his He [...] fuge 1 Cot. 6. 18 2 Tim. 2. 22. nate Dei, Flee fornication. Flee from the lusts of youth: It is a serpent, there is no surer way then flight, wee must Parthian-like fight flying: So hee saith of couetousnesse▪ [...] man of 1 Tim. 6. 11 GOD, she these thinges: because the more we look [...] vpon the world, the more wee are [...]n [...]mou [...]d. Sometimes wee must re­s [...]t, when Sat [...]an com­meth vpon vs with his scar [...]e crowes, or wher continuall meditation dis­co [...]ereth the sin [...]e, and breakreth the power of it: so in sorrow [...]nd impati­ence, wee shall ou [...]ome▪ if wee wisely and valiantly resist the [...] [Page 114] by meditating on all the circumstances, causes, and effects thereof, till by find­ing our errour, wee find [...] cure.

These things layed down, it appeareth farther, that to the attaining that quiet, which is the health of a sound minde, we must deale with the part affected, which is the soule: foure things may perswade vs to an especiall care hereof.

First: the worth and ex­cellency of the soule: which besides it being eternall and incorruptible, is so diuine, that it was created to the most holy image of God, in sanctity and righteousnesse, endued with that admirable light of reason, that it is not [Page 115] onely apprehensiue of the creatures, but of it selfe, and some knowledge of the Creatour of it selfe, by the booke of Scripture, and the booke of grace; wherein he hath reuealed himselfe: Augustine vpon this Pfalme Quid agam [...]t inueni­am Deum meum, &c. expostulateth after this manner, What shall I doc to finde my God? I will consi­der the earth, the earth was made: there is great beau­ty of the earth, but it had a maker. Great are the wonders of seedes, and things which bring forth: but all these haue a Creator: I see the vastnesse of the broad sea, I am amazed, I admire, I seeke for the Author: I see the heauens, the beauty of the starres, I wonder at the [Page 116] sunnes brightnesse, seruing to our dayly labour, the Moone comforting the vnked shades of night: these things are wonderfull, and to be praised, these things I doe admire and praise, but I long for him who made all these: I came to my selfe, I search what I am who enquire after such things? I finde I haue a bo [...]y, and a soule, one to bee go [...]ned, one to go­u [...]ne: my body to serue, my soule to rule: I [...]iscerne my soule is something bet­ter then my body: I per­ceiue that which e [...]qui [...]eth after these things, is not my body, but my soule: and v [...]t the things which I haue be­hold on euery side, I know I [Page 117] see them through my bo­dy: I praised the earth, I know it by mine eyes, I praised the sea, I knew it by mine eyes, the Heauen, the Sunne, the Moone, I knew them by mine eyes; these are windowes of the Fenestra mentis. minde; there is one with in who seeth through them▪ when hee by some other thought is absent, they are open in vaine: My GOD which made al these things, which I see with mine eyes, is not to be found with these eyes: something the minde [...]pprehendeth of it selfe, whether it be that which it [...]rceiueth not through the ei [...]s, as it do [...]h colour and light, nor through the ca [...]e, as sounds, there is somthing [Page 119] [...] [Page 120] [...] [Page 119] within, which is neither colour, nor sound: Let any tell me what colour wisedome hath, yet it is within, it is beautifull▪ i [...] is commen­ded: and when these eyes are shut, or in darknesse, the soule enioyed the light thereof: hee con [...]l [...]deth Seipsum per seipsum videt. therefore. It seeth it selfe by it selfe: as it knoweth it selfe, it seeth it selfe: it re­quireth not the helpe of the bodies eyes, to see it selfe; Abstrahit se [...] se, v [...] videat se in se. yea rather, it withdraweth it selfe from it selfe, that it might see it selfe in it selfe: it recedeth from all the sen­ses of the body, as it were obs [...]perous & distractiue: but is Go [...] any such thing as the soule? truely wee cannot see GOD but with [Page 120] the soule: yet hee cannot be seene as the soule. And a little after he saith. There­fore seeking God in things visible and bodily, and not finding him: seeking his substance in my selfe, I finde hee is something aboue my soule: that I may therefore apprehend him by my vnderstanding, I meditated on these things, when should my soule come neere that which is aboue my soule, except my soule should as­cend aboue it selfe?

What are these things which are seene with the eyes? how beautifnll are they? These are not seene without the soule: how much more excellent is the soule then these. Yet nei­ther [Page 120] is the soule satisfied with the contemplation of these, nor of it selfe: send it to the earth, sea, ayre, heauens, busie it vpon the reflexes of it selfe, it will not rest here, it must come to a glorious Creatour of all these, then (as those holy E [...]ck. 1. 2 5 beasts in Ezekiels vision when there was a voyce, as the voyce of the Almighty in the firmament aboue V [...]. Bern. de i [...]ter. Do [...]. them) it standeth still, and letteth fall the wings.

Since then the life and fe­licity of man is in knowing God, and in him, and by him, those infinite good things, which he hath com­municated to man, & these onely the eye of the soule can s [...]e, it importeth vs to [Page 121] care for this soule, about all that which GOD hath giuen vs with it. The bo­dily eyes which perceiue onely things mortall, cor­ruptible, fraile, or change­able, are of such excellent vse, that if we wanted them, wee would giue all wee haue for them: If Iesus should now come by the blinde man, would not his petition be that of Bartime­us. Lord that I may receiue Mark 10. 51. my sight: How much more pretious is the soules eye? Which of vs had not rather dye many deathes, then be metamorphozed into the shape of some beast, though wee might still retaine an humane minde? how much Lac [...]am. [...]. 5. c. 11. more had we [...]ather suffer, [Page 122] then be depriued of reason and vnderstanding, & haue the soule of a beast in an hu­mane shape?

Therefore, because God hath made man of parts so different: of a soule, a spi­rituall and heauenly sub­stance: of a body, of earth, to serue all our conditions and estates: neither all soule, because our first part is to deale with earthly things; nor all body, be­cause though wee liue, and are lashed, for the present, about earthly affaires, yet we must liue a life spirituall, heauenly, and free from ne­cessities, cares, and negoti­ations. Therefore we must now care for our soules, and not be like those, who, [Page 123] (as if they were all body, all earth, and no soule) liue out of themselues: all their thoughts, words, and acti­ons, are for the body, and things temporall, as foode, rayment, riches, possessi­ons, titles of honour, plea­sures, and the like: but as if the soule were some Idea, and dreame of a Phyloso­pher, nothing, or nothing worth, they seldome, if e­uer thinke of it: the reason is, because for the most part, men are either ouer­come & captiuated of their owne affections, so that Andr. La­cana epit. Galen. sect. 4. ep. they onely serue them: or are so lazie and stupid, that they know not whether they haue a soule or no: they cannot looke vp, for [Page 124] the most excellent light most offendeth tender eies: this maketh those frequent confluences of people to any idle spectacle: if it be but to see tripudiantem Si­miam, a dancing Ape, or the like, they forget them­selues, runne in, and ad­mire it: but for so admi­rable and excellent a part of themselues, as is the soule, they haue ney­ther time to consider, nor delight to heare of it.

What madnesse is it to neglect that, for any pos­session, without which, wee cannot truely possesse any thing? What should a man gaine to get all the world, with the losse of [Page 125] the soule, without which hee possesseth nothing? Thou foole, this night thy Lu [...]. 12. 2 [...]. soule shall bee required of thee: then whose shall those things bee which thou hast prouided? What exchange Cum amis­sa quaerere­tur. Hilar. Canon. 16. shall hee giue for a soule, who would redeeme it lost? Can these acquests for which the whole world sweateth, cause or quiet the soule? There is no­thing of the world worth this little part of heauen, Vnhappie therefore and desperate is the neglect of it: if our estate bee impayring, wee con­sult with our friendes: if our possession bee in hazard through some cracke in our title, we soli­cite [Page 126] the Lawyer: if our bo­dies, the Physician, if our soules, we will not so much as aduise with our selues: alas, if the soule be negle­cted, what is the externall man? The strong is like blinde Samson, puissant to his owne destruction: the rich like the Isis-bearing Asle: the worldly-wise like the deuill, subtill, but not innocent: the honourable like those images carried in Precession, and after their liues holiday, cast by into some mustie corner of a dark rood-loft: the beauti­full but pleasing mischiefs, like curious spring-flowers, of excellent colours, but noysome smells. Strength, riches, wisedome, honour, [Page 127] and beauty, are principally Psal. 45. 13 in the soule, which like the Kings daughter, must be all glorious within: the beau­ty of the soule is a diuine and vndecaying beauty, not subiect to time and age, wormes and corruption: and if God hath expressed such excellencie (which is but a reflex of the beames of his incomprehensible glory on the creature) in a corruptible body: what is that yet vnseene excellen­cie and beauty of the soule? If Moses face (yet subiect to corruption) was so glorious when hee had talked with God, that it must be vayled, what shall bee the counte­nance of a glorified body, Phil. 3. 21. conformed to the image of [Page 128] Christ? and by that thinke what manner of creature the soule shall be, when the face of God shall shine vpon it, without these cloudes of mortality interposed, when Reuelat [...] fac [...]e. we shall be more then resto­red to that excellency of our first being.

If thou vnderstandest not this, know that the most excellent beauties of the world are seene by light, without which they are not: and to see spirituall excellencie, holinesse, and purenesse of heart, is the light; without which thou canst neither see God, bee sensible of goodnesse, nor know thy selfe; this is like the Sunns brightnes, which cannot be helped with any [Page 129] baser light, therfore be ho­ly, be pure, and thou shalt see what excellencie there is in vertue, what vertue in the soule: Lord how curi­ously doe men order their gestures of body, how doe they bring their words to the file, before they haue admittance to the tongue? how do they examine their countenance? the least er­rour of their garment is seene and rectified, but as if the soule were lesse obser­ued of the all-seeing God, then their lineaments of men, here they are precise­ly curious, there negligent and stupid: loue thy soule, and thou wilt be iealous of it; thou wilt bee looking what it wanteth, thou wilt [Page 130] confer with it, and chee [...]e it vp, as the Kingly Pro­phet here, Why art thou cast downe?

2 The second reason to perswade vs hereto, is be­cause the cuill here to bee cured, is a sickn [...]sse of the soule: whether w [...] speake of the affection, vnder which the Prophet groa­ned: true sorrow like a da­ring enemie, ma [...]cheth to­wards the heart, the soules Corp [...] ren p [...]test dol [...] ­re nisi d [...] ­lente ani­ma. Aq [...]sn. 12. q. 35. 1. 1. imperiall seat: the body is not pained without the suf­fering of the soule: Some indeede can faigne, and set off their g [...]iefes with words, as if they meant their sale: like those counterset Va­grants, who lance and s [...]a­rifie sound parts, and make [Page 131] them sores to gaine com­passion: Orbitates corporis ac vlcera mer­catura cu­iusdam ma­teriam & occasionem pretent. Basil. in Psal. 14. the talkatiue can tell you sad Tragedies, In exiguo Pergama tota mero, Of martyrdom in his cups, sorrowes in his wine: light cares are full of tongues: but, as here, abyssus abyssum, depth of griefe called for a depth of talke, a Soliloquie: It is vsuall in great sor­rowes, their deepest sour­ces runne stilly, and wee talke inwardly, our soule to it selfe within it selfe: There is an hypocriticall re­pentance also, coloured with faire complexion of re­ligious sorrow, which look­eth like Iezabel out of her 2 Reg. 9. 30. windowes, to make loue to the vulgar: there are [...], but if it be not [Page 132] Math. 6. 16 in the soule, it is no peni­tent griefe: there may bee Ezek. 8. 14. an elegiacall tongue where the heart is no more affe­cted, then were those hi­red Who ce­lebratèd Ad [...]nis feasts with shew of great mourning. mourners for Tamuz: but true sorrow affecteth the soule, and thither must be followed to the cure. Or if wee speake of sinne, the cause of all sorrowes; except wee pull it vp by the roote, it is nothing worth which wee doe: out of the heart come adulte­ries, murthers, and all other si [...]nes, for which God smi­teth: there is the fountain: if we could reach a bl [...]sphe­mous tongue not to exceed his yea, and nay, if the min [...]e be full of blasphemy, wee haue but taught him to sin [Page 133] more inwardly: if a lasciui­ous speaker learne a better and more gracefull lan­guage, then that which wont to defile and embace an obscene tongue, if yet, these nasty deuils, lost, and vncleanenesse possesse his heart, if he whose eyes were full of adulteric, now shew their whites to heauen in prayers, yet hath sworne al­l [...]agean [...], with opportuni­ty, and darknes to s [...]rue this [...]in, his ca [...] without a caste, is nothing worth before the sea [...]h [...]r of hearts: teach a man the laguage of Canaan, that his wor [...]s may admi­nist [...]r grace to the hearets, teach him to [...] m [...]r [...]ifull, to giue all his goods to the poore, teach him till his [Page 134] actions seene, to say for him, as Saul said for him­selfe, I haue performed the 1 Sam. 15. 13. word of the Lord, yet if hee 1 Cor 13. 2, 3. haue not charity, he is no­thing. I [...]ai. 13. 21. If malice, pride, en­uie, or couetousnesse, cry in the soule like wilde beasts of the Desert, and dolefull crea­tures, if vnchaste thoughts reuell there like the Satyrs in the ruines of Babylon, I may say as the Prophet of the bleating of those Amalcki­tish cattell, Quid ergo vox 1 Sam. 15. 14. pecudum istarum? How euer a man learne to personate, how holy so euer he seeme, except he be such within, he is no better then a Pharise: How euer to the world Re­ligion may be like a picture, where that is most com­mended, [Page 135] which most neere­ly resembleth life, but is not liuing; yet God is not de­ceiued with disguises, sha­dowes, colours, or repre­sentations: he condemneth sinne in the heart, in the se­crets of the soule. What euer reformation bee in words or outward actions, the soule not amended, it is but a false cure, a whole skinne ouer-hu [...]ts, inwardly festring, a palliatiue wound, healed without, before it is sound within, which (ex­cept Hip. Coac. P [...]aenot. it breake out againe, and admit of cure more sin­cere) is mortall. Sinne and griefe begin at the heart, which first co [...]i [...]h them, and there must finde helpe.

They are much deceined [Page 136] who thinke to ease the soules griefe with secular mirth: so oft the poore▪ Deere shifteth from brake to brake before his liuing passing-bells, whiles the messenger of death sticketh in his side, and he slyeth the danger which hee carrieth with him: all tēporal mirth, to a grieued soule, is but as 1 Sam. 16. 2 [...]. Dauids Harp to a distressed Saul, the vexing spirit de­parting for a time, present­ly returneth again: it is not Musicke, merry company, change of place, encrease of riches, friends or the like, (though some of these may haue a part) cā cure a deie­cted soule: it must be som­thing which can enter into the soul, & powerfully work [Page 137] vpō the cause of sorow, that must certifie & comfort it.

They are also deceiued who think that any means, any words, any counsell can redresse that man, whose heart and inward powers of his soule, are not both mo­ued & reformed with that hee heareth: till the soule attend, and let in the word, the lowdest sonnes of thun­der cannot awaken.

3 A third reason is the ne­cessary method of curing this euill, which is by sear­ching, examining, iudging, correcting, or reforming▪ and comsorting the soule. As it is a vain inquest which is made after sinnes in ge­nerall, except wee come home and examine the wit­nesses [Page 138] of our owne consci­ence, so if we finde not the secrets of our soule, sinne will easily auoyde our exa­mination: some thinke it an easie matter to bee ac­quainted with our owne minds: but God (who made I [...]r. 17. 9 it) saith, The heart is deceit­full aboue all things: How farre doth the wisedome of man search? What corner of this great vninerse hath it left vn [...]rnay [...]d? High are the starry o [...]bes yet Art hath found out many of their motions; secret are the vnseene pathes of the deepes, yet they are soun­ded; darke and hidden are the deepe veines of the earth, yet Art hath found a way into her bowels, to ran­sack [Page 139] her treasuries. But a­mongst all Arts, that Art of Bernard. de interior. Dom. c. 2 5. Arts is not inuented, to hold the heart: it is easie to finde thy words, others can tell thee of them: it is easie to find thine actions, others obserue them: it is not much to know the secrets of thy family, though some­times Solom us ma [...]a do▪ [...] ac [...]on [...]gum [...]it [...]a, [...]ici­nis canen­ti [...]us igno­rar [...] Hie [...]nym. l. 2. ep. Sabin. diac. wee are the last that know those disorders, wee are ignorant of those vices of our wiues and children, which are in our neigh­bours songs: but with what light wilt thou search the inward house of thy seule? this is wrapt vp in suel▪ cloudes and obscurity of spirituall blindnesse, that the hardest taske is, to finde thy selfe in thy selfe, if there [Page 140] be any good thing in thine heart, how readily doeth it oft eate that? not like the Citie Shop-men, the worst first, that the better may seeme best, but all appea­rance of good first, and at once is cast vpon thine heart, like the ground 2 Sam. 17. 19. Corne ouer the Well at Bahurim, that thou maist not search deeper for the spies.

The Pharise found what he seemed; hee could not I uk. 18. finde what he was. Let vs I▪ am. 3. 40. search and trie our wayes: Our workes doe sometimes deceiue vs (when erring we thinke we goe right, or go­ing once right, we think we doe so alwayes) our hearts oftner (when he who know­eth [Page 141] he sinneth, thinketh in his heart and intention hee is more sound, and mea­neth better things) but let vs search and trie our wayes, the vsuall passages of our thoughts and actions: their beaten pathes will best lead thee to thy selfe. Thou art not such as thou some­times seemest: but as vsually thou art. Saul had bin much deceiued in taking himselfe for an holy man, because he was once among the Pro­phets: Herod could not haue found himselfe among the obedient hearers, because sometimes hee heard Iohn Mark 6. 20. gladly, and did many things. The wicked mā strayeth, & is not in his own way, when hee strayeth not from the [Page 142] Lords: good thoughts, words, or actions, are no more proper to him, then truth to the deuill, who speaketh it not, but for ad­uantage, Ioh. 8. 44. When hee speaketh a lye, he speaketh of his owne.

The tempter laboureth in nothing more, then to hide a man from himselfe, and to keepe from him the knowledge of his own cor­ruptions, till it bee too late, and there be no more time for repentance: to which end, he that is the accuser of the brethren, hee that durst Iob 1. Iob 2. calumniate holy Iob before God, who iustified him, will tell the wicked they are ho­ly: the deuill is the greatest flat [...]erer, and all other Sy­cophants (what euer they [Page 143] stile themselues) are but his Pupils: hee holdeth false glasses before men, and they appeare not to them­selues, such as they are.

To this may bee added, that the deceiued heart hel­peth to beguile it selfe: doe but search out thy soule, that thou mayst throughly examine it, and tell me if it will not shift into a thou­sand formes: if it will not vanish as swiftly as the lightning, leade thee impor­tuning it stay, (yea too of­ten from Church, or the closet where thou art knee­ling to pray) from heauen to earth, from east to west in a moment, from businesse to businesse, and when thou hast with strong cries, tears, [Page 144] and sighes, forced it into the presence of God, and art secure of thy hold vpon it; tell me, if with the flight of a thought, it wil not plunge it selfe into the deepes of se­cular things, if like some dreame thou shalt not loose it as thou findest it, if (at the best, when it seemeth to render it selfe to thine in­quisition, behold I am here) it bee not then as Obadiah said to Eliah, When I am gone 1 Reg. 18. 12. from thee, the Spirit shall car­rie thee into some place that l doe not know. Tell mee if it will not put thee off to ano­then day, with pretences of present importunity, af­faires, and the like; that thou hast no need of troub­ling thy selfe now: tell me [Page 145] if it deceiue thee not with shewes of holinesse: tell me if when thou hast sound it, it startle not as one impati­ent of being toucht: tell me if thou canst with any violence hold it, but that it will bee lost in a thousand distractions: The reason of all this is, because sinne can abide no examination, lest the vglinesse of it should make it hatefull: therefore so soone as it was borne, it ranne with the sinner, like Gen. 3. 8. It a gra [...]is culpa est conscientiae: vt six [...] [...] ­dice ipsa se p [...]iat, & velure se cupiat: & t [...]n [...]e [...] a [...] Deum [...]u­da fit. Am­bros d [...] pan. Iob. 2 c. 11. some night-louing monster to hide in the thickets: therfore it filleth with feare and shame, that wee might hide it, if it were possible, from our own consciences, and our owne consciences from our selues: first there [Page 146] fore remooue those letts which stop the way to the examination of thy soule.

Secondly, duely and care­fully consider thy soules e­state; Psal. 4. 4. Examine your owne 1 Cor. 11. 28. heart vpon you bed [...] Let a man therefore examine him­selfe: 2 Cor. 13. 5 Prone your selues, exa­mine your selues, know ye not your owne selues? Returne vnto thine heart, and dili­gently consider thy selfe: whence thou camest, whi­ther thou goest, how thou liuest: what thou doest, what thou losest; how much euery day thou profitest, how much thou art defec­tiue: what thoughts make mostfrequent incursions in­to thy minde, what affecti­ons mooue thee most: what [Page 147] temptations & stratagems of the wicked spirit giue the fiercest assaults: when thou hast, as much as is possible, gotē knowledge of the state of the inward and outward man, not onely what thou art, but wharthou oughtest to be, then maist thou in thy thoghts be caried vp to the contēplation of God: for by how much more thou profi test in the knowledge of thy selfe, by so much more thou aspirest to higher things: if thou hast already lifted vp thy soule, & set thy affectiō on things aboue, learne to dwel ther, & with whatsoe­uer distractiō thou art with­drawn euer hastē to returne thither: custom will make it easy for thee todwel ther by [Page 148] Pana poti­us tibi sit alibi quam ibi moram facere, Ber. de inter. dom. holy thoughts: nay, it will be a punishment to thee to remaine else-where. This cannot bee without a fre­quent and seuere examinati­on of our soules: And on the other part whilst wee finde not our sinnes, those wayes will please vs, which prouoke God to wrath: when disobedient Saul said 1 Sam. 15. I haue fulfilled the word of the Lord, then his iudge­ment is denounced: so Sa­than fighteth with his dou­ble weapons, killing some with their owne sinnes, but some also by their vertues, either by the knowledge of them, as the presuming, or the opinion of them, as the erring. Such is our selfe­loue, and spirituall blind­nesse, [Page 149] that when wee feele the rod, wee will not feele our sinnes, when wee lan­guish vnder our afflictions, wee dare pronounce our selues iust and innocent, so not finding our hearts cor­ruption, for which God stri­keth, wee are smitten still. I hearkened and heard, but Ier. 8. 6. 10. none spake aright, no man re­pented him of his wickednesse, saying, what haue I done? therefore the Lord threat­ned the iudgement.

Thou groanest vnder some affliction? search to the bottome of thine heart, there is some Ionah sleeping in hold, cast him out, and the storme will cease. Other­wise, for a man Pharash-like, to grieue at his plagues, [Page 150] and not consider the hard­nesse of heart which cau­seth them, is to cast on more and more wood, and to Ier 3. 13. 14. complaine of the fire: Knew thine iniquities, for thou bast rebelled, and then returne thee againe, saith the Lord. Be­fore wee can turne we must know our sinnes, and ex­amine our selues before wee can know them.

Neither is it casic by ex­amination to finde our sins, Lu [...]. 1 [...]. [...]. wee must (as the Woman for the piece of Siluer) light and sweepe: wee must let down the word of God into our hearts. The Iewes could not finde their sins: Peters Sermon found them, and Act. 2 37. they were pricked in their hearts. Dauid could not [Page 151] finde his, till the Word of God came to him by the 2 Sam. 1 [...]. Prophet Nathan, then hee findeth them: examine therefore, but by the word of God, and take this rule with thee. So oftē thou hast happily examined thy soule & not bin deceiued in thine inquest, as thou findest by searching, more cause to search further, rest not con­tented Isai. 6. Primus fe­licitatis gradus est non delin­quere, Se­cundus de­licta cog­noscere: il­ [...]ic currit innocentia integra & illsbata qua seruet, [...]ic succedit medela qua sanet. Cypr. ep. 3. when thou thinkst thou hast no sinne; it is the wrath of God, which cau­seth that for thy sinns, thou shouldst not vnderstand thy sins, lest thou shouldst repēt. The first degree of hapines, is, not to sin; the second is, to acknowledge our sins. Ther rū neth that entire & vndemi­nished innocēcy which may [Page 152] saue. Here followeth the remedy which may heale.

Thirdly, iudge thy soule: if wee would iudge our selues, wee should not bee iudged: the onely way to preuent afflictions, is to 1 Cor. 11. 31. condeme thy selfe as most worthy to be afflicted: God like a gracious Father, stan­deth with his rod in his hand to preuent striking, he sheweth and threatneth his iudgements, that he might not execute them vpon vs: he sayeth, Why will yee dye O house of Israel? Hee desi­reth not the death of a sin­ner: and mercy pleaseth him, therefore he expecteth our repentance that hee Hos. 5. 15. might forgiue. I will goe and returne to my place, till they [Page 153] acknowledge their offence. Take thee a roule of a booke I [...]r. 36. 2. [...]. (saith the Lord to Ieremie) Ne [...]it [...]m­nia Domi nu [...]: sed ex­pectat vo­cem t [...]a, non vt p [...] ­nict sed vt ignoscat. &c. Pre­veni accu­satorem t [...] ­um, Si te [...]pse accusa­ueris, ac­cusatorem nul [...]m ti­mebis. Am­bros. de pa­nit. l. 2. [...]7. and write therin all the words that I haue spoken to thee a­gainst Israel, and against Iu­dah. It may be that the house of Iudah will heare all the euill which I purpose to doe vnto them, that they may returne euery man from his euill way, that I may forgiue their ini­quity and their sinne. He ex­pecteth thy voyce, that he may not punish but par­don. Preuent thine accu­ser, if thou accuse thy selfe, thou shalt feare no accuser: sinne can hope for none o­ther sentence but condem­natory, which if thou faith­fully pronounce vpon thy selfe, God will not.

[Page 154] Fourthly, thou must cor­rect and reforme the euil in thy soule. Phareah, Sa [...]l, & Iudas could say they had sinned, but could not amēd: What auaileth knowledge of our finn, without refor­mation? what profiteth the light without sweeping this Beati qui gaudent quando in­trant ad cor suam in Psal. 33. inward house? Blessed (saith Augustine) are they who re­ioyce when they enter into their owne hearts, and finde Hic est lec­tu [...] an [...]ma, &c. B [...]rn. ser par [...]. no euill there: Bernard gi­ueth a reason. The soule is in paine or ease in the Con­science; and presently after, Heere is the soules bed, in this she taketh rest: What is thereason why men doe so seldome, and so vnwil­lingly come home to them­selues, to confer with their [Page 155] owne soules? because there is an hell within: and whatsoeuer faire shewe these paineted Sepulchers doe make, there is no­thing but corruption and ga [...]tly fights, full of ter­ror and aftrightment with­in: Do but marke how vn­willing they come home, whose houses are possessed with some vnquiet spirit, who haue somevexing fa­miliars [...]ntraturi sunt, [...] ad tadia, ad murm [...]a, ad [...] Aug. [...]. s. there, they knowe they must goe in to irksom­nes, murmurings, and bit­ternes: they are euer home­sicke, and gaspe after any other ayre: the Fieldes, Markets, Tauernes, ob­streperous Common-pleas, any prisons and stages of warres are esteemed more [Page 156] quiet places: how much more wretched is it to haue this intestiue▪ shrew, a refra­ctoric minde, a peacelesse conscience, which will goe with thee till thou leauest thy selle? whose shrill tongue no Bedlam can tame, no sleepe pacifie, no weari­nes allay, no distance inter­cept, no indulgence swee­ten, no good words satisfie, giue it it owne will, it only will more insolently grieue thee; curb it, it will be furi­ous. Therefore that thou maist come willingly to thine owne heart, clense it: [...] it­l [...]d Aug. q. s. among all the diseases of the minde, there is none so miserable as an euill con­science, among all com­forts, none greater then a [Page 157] good: if all be found with­in, S [...] tibi vul­nus non sit & Aug. in Psal. 45. what euer or where-euer a man suffer, he will retraict to his conscience, for there hee shall finde the comfor­ter: but if there be no rest for the abounding of sinne: if Gods spirit bee not there to comfort, what shall a man doe? whither shall he flye? from the field to the Citie, from the publicke to his house▪ thence to his clo­set, his affliction followeth him, they are not locks and barres, they are not double guards can shut out these disquiets, no not from the sacred bosomes of Kings, if they could, I might say as▪ Dauid cryed to Abner, Wherefore then hast thou not [...] Sam. 26. 15, 16. kept the Lord thy King? yee [Page 158] are the Sonnes of death, be­cause yee haue not kept your Maister. Whither should he flye, but to his owne soule, who can finde no sanctuarie out of it? but if there bee tumults, if there bee the Aug. q. s. smoke of iniquity, and the flame of wickednesse, where shall hee then rest? while the men of Ai had a Ci­tie to retire to, they vali­antly repulsed Israel, but when the ambush was discouered, when the e­nemie was before, and the smoke and flame of the fire were seene in their owne Citie, then their hearts failed, then they pe­rished: so long as wee haue a good conscience to re­tire vnto, wee cannot bee [Page 159] ouercome of any af [...]licti­ons: for what hath hee to feare who is conscious of no sinne? but when feare of present death affrigh­teth on one part, and the conscience within on the other part, cryeth (as Io­sephs brethren in their feare) Wee haue verily sin­ned Gen. 42. 21. against our brother, therefore is this trouble come vpon vs, which guilt of conscience is as it were the smoke, and flame of hell fire, di [...]couering it selfe in the sinners bosome, then he is cast downe.

T [...] ips [...]m qu [...] sugies no [...]ne quo­c [...]nque fu­geris [...]e se­queris? Aug in Psa. 74. Whither then goest thou? thou ca [...]st not slye thy selfe: why do [...]st thou hide? thy keeper followeth thee, what aua [...]leth it a man [Page 160] Quid pre­dest non ha­bere consci­u [...] habenti conscienti­am? Lac­tant. l. 6. [...]. 23. Non e [...]t quo fugias d De [...] irat [...] nisi ad De­um placa­tum. Aug. q. s. to haue no witnesse, who hath a conscience? thou canst not auoyd thine own conscience, much lesse God. There is no way to flye from God, but to God. from God angry for sinne, to God pacified by the obedience of [...] There is no way to please God till wee re­forme, because hee is iust, and cannot iustifie the wic­ked: since then our life is a continuall warfare, and fight against seuerall tryals, we are to take that warning of sinne, which the Princes of the Philistims gaue con­cerning 1 Sam. 2 [...]. 4, 5. their enemie, Let him not go down to the battell with vs, lest he be in the bat [...]el an aduersarie to vs. Since we sayle with sundry windes, [Page 161] wee must with a diligent watch free our Ship from dangerous places, lest it split among the rockes: no Nemo diu tutus est p [...]ricul [...] proximus. Cypr. l. 1. ep. 11. man is long safe neere dan­ger. Neither can he escape the deuill who w̄il entangle himselfe in the snares of the deuill. If thou wilt be safe let not the serpent lye in thy bosome, shut sinne out of thy soule: if thou wilt haue a tr [...]stie refuge in af­fliction, keepe a good con­science, Hic m [...]rus a [...]enius esto: Let this be thy wall of brasse.

Some can say why art thou so my soule? yet they are but Elies, so milde to themselues, that in the exa­mination of their [...]aylings, they rather confirme, then [Page 162] correct their errours: the drunkard often expostula­ting with himselfe (but slen­derly) why hee is so ouer­taken, at last with frequent thinking, thinketh drun­kennesse but good-fellow­ship, himselfe naturally or habitually enclined to that vitious thirst, and there­fore of necessity a drun­kard. Sinnes, like trees in an hollow ground, if they Male enim natura tē ­tat quod nō perficit I. Heurn. inst. med. l [...]1. [...]. q. be not ouerthrowne with much shaking, take deeper roote. Iustice by animad­uersion, as Nature by her offices in a sickly body, doth dangerously assay that which it cannot perfect, and giueth the disease new strength. This ill iustice in the soule (as in the state) [Page 163] whih examineth faults but Ex irrita contentione nat [...] ae fru­strague tan­tata excre­tione, ma­tor fit in­fi [...]mitas et morbus [...]i­res acqui­rit, inde era [...]iorsbus symptoma­ [...]tus natu­rae iam ef­soeta oppri­mitur [...]b. for fashion, not pursuing them to the due execution of lawes, teacheth men more presumptuously to sin: better faults were pas­sed by vnseene then disco­uered & not corrected: the same care which bringeth to this enquiry and repre­hension, (Why art thou so my soule?) must reforme and amend the euill re­prooued, that it may be no more so.

Fiftly, thou must hereby comfort thy soule; and raise it to a sound hope. There are three common errours in this case: the one of them whose thoughts in any distresse, like Iacobs sonnes in the Gen. 42. 1. [Page 164] dearth, stand gazing one vp­on the other, all expecting reliefe, but either voyde of counsaile or endeuor; these men tyre themselues in those endlesse Meanders of pensiue thoughts, neither finding nor wisely looking for helpe: or in the weake­nesse of their resolutions, put it all vpon time (the supposed vulgar Physitian for euery malady) herein falling short of the wiser Heathens, who (though without true reason) sought cure for their afflictions in reason: such men are cor­rected in vaine, they not only loosing the quiet fruits of righteousnesse, which good men gather frō those thornes, but prouoke God [Page 165] to strike more fearefully, because they contemne and neglect his iudgements, who make eyther none, or a wrong vse of them.

The second, is of those sad malecontents, who in any great affliction, put on the soule to some desperate resolutions: such mens thoughts are vsually asto­nied at first, and being re­couered, furious: or like Iobes miserable comforters, at first mute, at last vexing­ly talkatiue: To this se­cond kinde may be refer­red Saules heauinesse which carried him to Endor: and in this manner did Iudas and Ahitophel wrastle with their sorrowes, and vio­lently deale with their [Page 166] griefe, when they executed them by a fearefull preci­pitation, and leaping at once to hell. Whereas they ought to haue submit­ted to the mercy, and good pleasure of God, to haue depended on him (who willeth all things iustly, and happily to those who loue him, and trust in his mer­cies) and with meekenesse and patience to haue dealt with their afflicted mindes, whose distresses are like wounds, and cannot bee [...] Hip de art. l. Facilitate pot [...] qui v [...]. [...]eur [...]. de method. med. li. 12. [...]. 3. healed by rough handling and tearing open, but must be helped as the diseases of the body, by facility rather then force.

The last is of those who comfort themselues too [Page 167] soone: like vnskilfull Chi­rurgians, vsing Cataplas­mes before searching or cleansing; lenitiues, be­fore corsiues, haue eate out the proude and vnsound flesh of the heart, that is comforting before a due examination, humbling and amendment of them­selues. These suffer a false Cure to their greater griefe to come: These men aske of peace, while their sinnes are in their greatest numbers: What peace, since there is no a­tonement, no reconcilia­tion to God? It is impossi­ble either to finde true comfort out of God, or in him, while wee, lying in our sinnes and obstinacie, [Page 168] haue him not for our God, whiles our soules, conscious of all the euill which wee haue committed, flye the remembrance of him, as the greatest torment to a guilty conscience, as wee shall see more in the last part. To heale the minde then, there must be oyle to supple, but after the wine hath clensed, there must be comfort, but in the order which you haue heard: so that whe­ther wee finde, or fit our mindes, examine, iudge, correct, rectifie, or comfort them, it must be with deepe sense, apprehension, medi­tation, and application of the remedies to the soule: it is not any thing externall can doe it, they are not all [Page 169] the quaint amulets of hu­mane reason & discourse, (though words haue an admirable vertue & power to asswage a troubled minde) there must be some diuine alexipharmacum, & pres [...]ruatiue against that inward venome of wordly sorrow.

4 The fourth and last rea­son, to perswade to a seri­ous care of the soule, is drawne from the lets and hinderances, arising of di­stractions externall or in­ternall, intercident to the sound cure of a perplexed minde, wherein as the vn­deniable necessitie, so also the true vse of Soliloquie is to be considered. Vntill we can be at leisure to speak [Page 170] to our soules, till our minds can be freed of all incumbe­rances, so that they may without interruptiō confer with themselues, in al coun­saile, in al consolation▪ in the diuinest influences of holy tongues, God▪ peaketh to vs 1 Cor. 14. [...]1. at it were [...], let the most gracious lips say, (the Lord will cōfort thee) till thy soule saith the same to it selfe within, it shall be, as words spoken to the deafe, or vnattentiue: such are wee, as that in our mindes deuiation, and di­straction, hearing we do not heare; and multiplicitie of thoughts, the mind looseth it selfe, and being variably possessed of those deceit­full suggestions, and impor­tunate [Page 171] phantasies which throng into it, it cannot en­ioy it selfe, or apprehend that which should cure it.

To auoid this euill then, it must necessarily enter in­to a setled and quiet Solilo­quie; which is a retiring of the soule into it selfe, a re­ceding from all noysome thoughts and distractions of the world, to intend and deale with it selfe, concer­ning the cure & reformatiō of it selfe. Such is the vio­lence of some thoughts (e­specially Extorquent [...] a [...] [...]ndo in sere it a­tem▪ s [...] ­ctaru [...] [...] resp [...]r [...]us, Bern. ae triol g [...]. b [...]n. Ser. the pensiue, which finde aduantage vpon the weakenesse of a sicke and deiected mind) as that they wrest and forcibly carry vs [...] way, so fast, as that they suffer vs not to take breath [Page 172] in the calme of holy Medi­tations. It behoueth vs Pro. 4. 23. therefore to keepe the heart with all diligence, and to beat off these Birds of prey, which fall vpon our sacri­fice, and would take vs from our selues.

Discat ergo dispersiones cordis con­gregare, studeat co­gitationes ment is re­stringere, et exteriora [...] ass [...]s [...] at in intimis suis immorari, &c. Ber­nard. d▪ in­ter. d [...]. Let a man therefore learn to recollect the dispersions of his heart, let him study to restraine the thoughts of the minde, to forget things externall, let him accustome to dwell within himselfe, and to loue internall goods; for as in multiplicitie of sounds and varieties of voi­ces, one so confoundeth another, as that the eare can gather nothing certain­ly or distinctly: so is it in the minde. As in a bodi­ly [Page 173] cure, the light, the noise, frequency of friends, and formall visitations, hinder the sicke mans rest, so that he cannot comply with the meanes of recouery. So is it in the minde, distractiue thoughts hinder that health which must bee obtained by a prudent composing thereof; but especially those, which either as causes, or occasions more remote or neere, doe re­crude those wounds, and put backe the cure; so that the minde must bee withdrawne, as Christ Mar. 7. tooke the Deafe man from the multitude to helpe him: the obstreperous compa­ny must bee put out; as the Minstrills at Iair [...]s [Page 174] Seorsum [...] turbulentis cogitatio­nibus et a­ctionib [...]s inordinatis &c. educi­t [...]r, qui s [...] ­nars mere­tur: Al. Alexs▪part. 4. [...], 17. house: inordinate acti­ons, incomposed speeches, businesses, and turbulent thoughts diuide the minde betwixt them, like those vn­manerly Bethleemitish guests leauing no roome within dores for Christ, the life and comfort of our soules: hee that will bee cured must bee ledde out from these. I haue bought a Farme, I haue bought Oxen, I haue Married is (to many) a Supercedeas a­gainst any warrant out of the Court of Conscience, because they cannot in­tend Religion & the world, to serue them both. Therefore our Sauiour gi­ueth a necessary causion Luc. 21. 34. to his, Take heede to your [Page 175] selues, lest at any time, your hearts bee ouercharged with surfetting, and drunken­nesse, and cares of this life. Hee saith not, take no care, drinke no Wine, eate not: As the body is nourished by a due pro­portion of the one, so the minde is exercised and beareth a moderate weight of the other, but in both, take heede you ouerloade not, and oppresse the minde, take heede you make it not heauy, incom­petent, vnable, vnapt to it [...], &c. A seruit [...]te Des diuel­lunt, in­quit Chris. de d [...]it [...]is. ho [...]. 22 in Matth. 6. offices: take heede of those cares which doe [...], diuide and pull from the seruice of GOD: there is a spi­rituall drunkennesse and [Page 174] [...] [Page 175] [...] [Page 176] surfet, which surchargeth the soule with sorrowes al­so, vnder whose heauy ephialts the minde lieth groaning and cannot rouse it selfe, to shake off those imaginary burdens. The reason is because the asto­nied minde plunged into these Marabs, at euery breath drinketh in those fearefull and despairing suggestions, with which Sathan plyeth it to de­stroy it, till filled with griefe, it drowneth with it owne thoughts.

Who euer then will haue a sound minde, must not onely shut out that sinne, which is the Sheba for which afflictions besiege him, but must also some­times [Page 177] withdraw himselfe, and leaue the world, and all the tumults thereof, as Abraham left his seruants at the hill foote. Let vs as­cend into the mountaine of God: O my intentions, will, Bernard. Soli [...]oq. thoughts, affections, and all that is within me, let vs as­cend into the mount where God seeth and is seene. Cares, perplexities, anxieties, la­bours, expect me here againe. Wee must not onely, not oppr [...]sse our hearts with cares, but sometimes leaue our selues, that wee may enioy our selues, wee must leaue the outward man, to conferre with the inward: and to this purpose, such places are to bee made choise of, as will best serue [Page 178] vs to meditation. Ierome aduiseth after this man­ner. So haue thou care of thine house, that yet thou Elig [...]tur t [...]b [...] oport [...] ­nus & ali­quantum [...] [...]amil [...] [...]repitu re­motus loc [...] [...]n guē ve­lut in portū quas [...] ex [...]lta te [...] ­pestate cu­ [...]rum [...]e recipias, &c. l. 2. ep [...]st 22. afford▪ thy soule some vo­cation: choose some fit place, a little remote from the noyse of thy family, in­to which, as into an Hauen, thou maist goe from the great stormes of cares, and in that priuate shelter maist thou compose the surges of thy minde, which were mo­ued without.

Surely there is danger in secure solitarinesse: for t [...]e deuill doth most assaile those alone, against whom h [...]e can [...]east preuaile in comp [...]ny. Hence tooke he courage, and when our [Page 179] Sauiour was led out into the wildernesse, that hee might ouercome for vs. Then came to him the temp­ter. Marth 4. 3. God who made man a sociable creature, said, It Gen. 2. 18▪ is not good the man should bee by himselfe alone; and such is man, as that there is no pleasant possession, (no not of a Paradise) yet there is an admirable vse of well­garded, and moderate soli­ta [...]inesse to some mindes: That they may call them­selues to account, that they may emptie their hearts of those cares which wea [...]ied them: thus cloyed with company, it is a sweet rest to be alone. But much Math. 6. 1 [...] more is that, for which our Sauiour bad vs to enter in­to [Page 180] our Chamber, and shut the dore, for which him­selfe Mat. 14. 23. left the multitudes, and went into the moun­taine in the euening, that Luk. 9. 18. was, that he might fit him­selfe to prayer: for the Gen. 24. 63. same purpose Isaack chose the still fields and silent euenings. Yet it is true Ad Gregor. Naz de vit▪ solitar. which Basil obserueth, the rowling and vnsteadie eye cannot see a thing at hand: neither can a minde distor­ted with a thousand cares, perceiue the trueth of Quid pro­d [...]st solitu­de corporis so solit [...] ▪ do defuerst cord [...] Gre­ger. et 7 [...]. Aq [...]in 22. q 188. 8. things: Idle and vnsetled thoughts (euen in solitude) are, like the stragling beasts in the silent and quiet Groues, easily en­toyled: therefore if our secesse bee not as well of [Page 181] minde, as body, what shall any solitarinesse auaile vs? What profiteth it to shut thy Chamber dore, if thou leaue thine heart o­pen? It is good, no doubt, Debes p [...]ri­tati cordis studere, vt &c clausis se [...]sibus carnalibus in temetip­sum conuer­taris, e [...] cordis ostia [...] formis sensihilium, &c. habe as diligenter serata, &c. Bern. octo. punct [...]. sometimes to bee alone, that wee may haue con­uenience for holy Solilo▪quies, but wee must know, they are not solitarie Groues, silent walkes, a desolate Cell, or melanchol­ly Hermitage, which can shut our selues from our selues: shew mee that ho­ly recluse, that mortified Anachorete, whose walls can keepe out cares, sinfull and tumultuous thoughts: shew mee that little Zoar, those secure mountaines whither sinne cannot fol­low [Page 182] an holy Lot. Shew mee that Eden into with the Serpent cannot come. q s. Cum soli­tudinis me­de [...]erta vallarent, lib 2. ep▪ 15. I left (said Basil) a thou­sand occasions of euill, my selfe I could not leaue: and Ierome confesseth when hee was inuironed with de­serts, hee yet had euill thoughts, incentiues of vice Quasi mu­tasse sit ho­minem mu­tare regio­nem Cypr. l. 2. ep. 2. following him: to change our place is not to change our minde: Moderate so­litudes are excellent helpes to a retyred minde: yet the solitarie man, (as the prouerb goeth) is either a Saint, or Deuill: as a man may enioy himselfe, and bee spiritually alone in the midst of multitudes, so hee may bee, neuer lesse alone, then when alone: the [Page 183] minde is so actiue, that it cannot be idle: it will bee euer working vpon some­thing: when thou art with­drawne from company, ex­cept thou art cautious, a thousand wicked thoughts, or at the best, headlesse [...]antasies, barren streames of idle imaginations, will runne through thy minde: all such conceptions proue [...]ither vipers, or embri [...]es mere abortiues of the soule: thou must therefore as carefully auoyde these in­ward, as those outward tumults, and spend thy time to good purpose, when thou art alone: thou must thinke and meditate of some d [...]finite thing, and that tending to Gods ho­nour, [Page 184] and thy soules health. Si solus ipse nunti [...]m bonā in ore ci [...]s. 2 Sam. 18. 25. An holy thought in medi­tation, (as Dauid said vp­on discouery of the first running messenger) If hee bee alone, there is good ty­dings in his mouth. Multi­tudes of vaine thoughts, are but the foolish Chi­marae's of the minde. Therefore suffer not thine heart to runne the paces of those night-rouing fires, whither euery breath of winde leadeth them, nor Martha-like to bee cum­bred about many friuolous things, with the neglect of the one necessarie. Fasten vpon some course, for the reliefe of the minde, and giue it not ouer, till thou hast brought it to some [Page 185] good perfection: as this happy sequestration of thy soule to repentance, re­cesse from euill thoughts. euill men to the inward Temple of Gods Spirit, where thou maist with a Secreta li­bertate. &c. Bede in [...]oh. 5. secret liberty call vpon him: then shalt thou not onely ease thy minde, but finde an happy issue of thy sorrowes: they shall bee a Bethesda to heale thy minde of some other languor, if thou canst wisely descend into those troubled waters. I know how willingly wee thinke of our businesses, and things of the world. Cares, pleasure, and de­sire, are like the teeth of the flesh-hooke, which [Page 186] Sathan thrusteth into our hearts as importunately, as those vngodly Impes, who 1 Sam. 2. 13. 15. 16. woont to say to the Sacri­ficers in Elies time; No, but thou shalt giue it now, and if thou wilt not, I will take it by force: How ma­ny houres doe these take from our sleepe, and wee consenting to the theft, are pleased that our soule should entertaine the rob­bers with long parleys: when alas all these proie­ctions are but as visions of the night, and as a dreame when one awaketh.

Vse Sweet and excellent is the contemplation of things diuine and heauenly, wher­by [Page 187] the minde is carried vp on high, a man is rauished in Spirit, illuminated with knowledge, enflamed with desire of goodnesse: all in­ordinate affections, wan­dring thoughts, and fluctu­ation of the minde, e [...]a­gations of the spirit, and distractions of the soule, are recollected into one, and the whole desire faste­ned in that fountaine of blessednesse, when the Rom. 1. soule commeth to a neerer view of GOD: wee may see him in his creatures, Psal. 19. 1 the heauens declare the glo­rie of GOD, and the [...]irma­ment sheweth the worke of his hands, as wee see the pow­er, actions publicke, and [Page 188] gouernment of a King in euery poore Hamlet of his dominions: but by medi­tation, as by prayer, wee are let into his presence: but though wee could see the heauens open, and Iesus standing at the right hand of GOD, though the soule, and all it affections and faculties were filled, with a sweet vision of cae­lestiall things, though wee should bee rapt vp into the third heauen, and heare the vnutterable secrets of that place, yet if wee haue not a Cherubs wing to co­uer the feete, as well as to five, if, for all our high­flying knowledge, our soules infirmity bee negle­cted, [Page 189] what were all that which wee could know, better then glorious ob­iects to sore eyes, which helpe not, but greaten the paine, by the intensions of the disaffected sensorie?

Let euery one then im­prooue some houres to deale with his soule (pure and sequestred from all distractions) that hee may relieue and comfort it: neither let any man thinke this practise concerneth him not: hee that hath not sorrow, should haue, because hee hath sinnes to repent.

You humane Parrats, [Page 190] whose eares haue runne out into tongues, whose braines labour with a dan­gerous flux: leaue your much vselesse talke, and learne a godly Soliloquie, it is more requisite you should enforme your owne soules, then tire others eares: You prophane and lasciuions speakers; learne to talke chastly in your hearts, and your tongues shall not so offend God and good eares. You punctuall Orators, know that the sure rule, Recté et benê loquendi, is the word of God, which Psal. 4 biddeth you Commune with your owne hearts: You po­werfull Oracles (whose deep senses testifie a watch­full [Page 191] conference with your sweet friends, your learned Authors) who can eft­soone make (as Paul his Fae­lix) your happy Auditors tremble, who can, with pa­theticall discourses, pull vp the double sl [...]ces of their soules for teares, sometimes of ioy, sometimes of sor­row: giue mee leaue to re­member you; if you speake not to your owne soules what you speake to others eares, if you haue not let downe into your bowels that rowle of Gods word, whose contents you deliuer to the people▪ your curious lines shall nothing profit you: your labour shall bee to build an Arke for others, [Page 192] [...]. Cleanth. de per [...]pat. a­pud D. La­ [...]rt. not your selues: you shall be (as that wise man said of the Phylosophers Schoole) like a well sounding Harpe which heareth not it selfe. You externall men, who in your obseruance to others, liue▪ so much out of your selues, as that you must speake their thoughts, act their inuentions, goe with paces, and as if their fauour animated you, & you brea­thed their breath, as if you had no soule, or that you haue, a vassall to the world (where your desires haue placed your heauen) you neuer looke home, come hither, see the excellen­cie of the soule, which can euery moment bring [Page 193] you into the presence of the King of Kings: you that are in loue with your stately Piles, come see this liuing Temple of the Lord: you that are enamoured of pleasures, seeke them in your soules; these only (as Iaakob said of his Asher) Gen. 49. 20. shall giue pleasures of a King. Laughter is a pleasure for a foole; delights and sinnes are pleasures for Sathans slaues: riches are pleasant to vnhappiest vassals; but heere onely are those plea­sures, which none but they enioy, who are admitted into the glorious freedome of the Sonnes of God; who are Kings, and a royall Priesthood. You that would be rich, be assured, it is not [Page 194] laying house to house, and land to land; it is not exten­ding your Fathers bounds, by the purchase of the next Tenements, (for how mi­serably poore is a couetous man?) but heere are true riches, heere is that better part, which shall neuer bee taken away; heere is the vn­valuable treasure of know­ledge, vertue, faith; heere God manifesteth the riches of his grace and mercy, here hee layeth vp the assurance of our eternall inheritance, and the seales of our re­demption. You heartlesse worldlings, and outsides of men, consider and vnder­stand, that the vaine Idoll which you adore, doth euer finally torment and crucifie [Page 195] those who doe most zea­lously worship it. Ambition Ambitio crux am­bitiosorum. is an Hamans Gibbet, how high soeuer; it is a torment to the proud: Auarice, a Ia­els tent-nayle, to fasten the rich man to the earth: Glut­tonie, and Ehud, which vnder pretence of secret messages, striketh into the bowels: Wine, a Serpent, which bi­teth Prov. 7. 23 as it pleaseth: Lust, an vncleane and lightlesse fire, through whose Moloch-flames, blind libertines (am­bitious of their owne de­struction) are sacrificed to the Deuill: Surely her house Prov. 2. 18. tendeth to death, and her paths vnto the dead. All sins (to which so many sacrifice their thoughts and times) are like Egyptian taske-ma­sters, [Page 196] adding stripes to hea­uie burdens, and their wages is death. I neede not say more then this, With how many cares, feares, griefes, vnrests, and perplexities, doth the world, or sinne, racke the braines, presse and wring the very heart of a man, that hee may serue them? All this while, how happily doth that man liu [...], who enioyeth, and confer­reth daily with GOD in a contented soule? What madnesse is it then, to seeke that happines abroad, which is only to be found at home? to looke for that in others, which is onely to bee found and enioyed in our selues? There is more sound con­tent in one houres wise and [Page 197] holy enioying a mans owne soule, then in an ages succes­full pursuit of the ambitious mans deluding dreames. The world fauoureth mee not? only let GOD assure my soule of his fauour. This one thing haue I desired of the Lord; only let him say to my soule, I am thy sal [...]a­tion, it shall be a sanctuarie to me against all sorrowes.

Why art thou cast downe, &c?

IN the third place wee are to consider the disaffecti­on, which is the matter of this reprehension; and this is necessary to bee handled, that the pensiue minde may [Page 198] N [...] enim possibile est alicui cu­rare quosd [...] mal [...] haben­tes, qui ig­ [...]or at passio­nem corum qui mal [...] valent. I­renae. pro­leg. lib. 4. be helped: for how can we cure, except we acquaint vs with the passions of the sicke? This maladie is not simply one, but double, that is, dejection and disquietnesse, the effects of immoderate sorrow and care: they seeme extreame and contrarie fits: the first, a dull and heauie stupidity, a kind of hopelesse apoplexie of the minde, yeelding it selfe to the re­quests of despaire, as if there were no hope, no helpe. The second is a restlesse selfe-vexing impatience, as if the minde could helpe it selfe without God.

There is no estate with­out some complaint: dis­content cannot be confined with any limits, but the fru­ition [Page 199] of the chiefe good; therefore it reigneth ouer all that haue lost their inter­est therein, till they doe, ey­ther actually, or in firme hope re-obtaine it. There hath an vniuersal distemper, for mans sake, infected the world, and euery creature groaneth with vs also, and Rom. 8. 22, 23. trauaileth in paine together vnt [...] this present: and not only the creature, but we also, which haue receiued the first fruites of the Spirit, euen we doe sigh in our selues, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our bodie. Meane time the soule of man is exercised, like Israel in the way to the holy Land, with continuall disturbances, that wee may know, that in this life is not [Page 200] Deur. 12. 9. our rest: for (as Moses told them in the wildernesse) we are not as yet come to the rest, and to the inheritance which the Lord will giue vs; therefore the mind can not bee absolutely conten­ted: it is satisfied with no­thing, lest it being satisfied with this nothing (which it loueth) should rest and settle heere, and so not aspiring to better, bee depriued of the best object of desire, in which is happinesse so com­pleate and full, as that out of it, there is nothing happy or good: whence it com­meth to passe, that all, that can desire or wish, doe natu­rally wish and desire some other estate then that they haue, all present desire be­ing [Page 201] but a continued motion to that which is finally desi­red: and therefore there can bee in this life no abso­lute content, (which is a true rest in the fruition of the chiefe good) till the mind rest in obtaining that vnmeasured goodnes, which can not onely satisfie or e­quall, but exceed the mind, and giue vs aboue all that we desire or thinke.

Hence it is, that from the most loathed to the most emulated; from that poorest and most wretched condi­tion, which all men hate and dislike, to the best that can be heere enioyed; from the lowest or highest, to which pitty can descend, or enuy looke, you shall finde none [Page 202] vvho wisheth not some change: the poore man would faine be rich, the rich man honourable, the ho­nourable powerfull, the mighty would reigne; and hee that commandeth many millions, cannot command his owne minde this one thing, to bee content: the King of Kings displayed (in his owne Crowne) those soueraigne thornes, which pricke the sacred temples of Kings. There are two rest­les tormenters of the soule, feare and griefe; one wai­ting Quando ti­b [...] be [...] est times, quan­do [...] do­les▪ Aug. de ve [...]b. Dom. [...]e [...]m. 42. on the prosperous, the other on the wretched, rea­die to giue a spunge of vine­ger to their sufferings: when we are well, we feare; when ill, wee grieue: there's no [Page 203] condition secure from feare, or void of sorrow:

So that if the question were, Why art thou sad? the answer were at hand: looke on thy conception, birth, in­fancie, middle age, old age; looke into thy body, and the sundry distempers, fay­lings and decayes thereof doe answer for thee; looke into the whole course of thy life, how often hath one day mingled thy wine with gall? how often hath one hower shut vp a carelesse mirth with sorrow and bit­ternesse of spirit? looke a­mong thy friends, how ma­ny lesse dost thou now rec­ [...]on, then once thou didst enioy? how many depri­uings seemed (not at once, [Page 204] [...] [Page 205] [...] [Page 204] but in sundry funerals) to haue buried a great part of thy life with them? looke into thy family, how many breake-hearts hast thou out­worne with time, besides those which yet liue to grieue thee? looke round about, how many euils are there in the world, to make thee feare or sorrow? not to speake of depopulated Prouinces, famine, murders, rapes, mangled carcases of halfe-demolished Cities, and all that wofull equipage and effects of warre, which we haue felt in others suffe­rings, (wherein the compas­sionate doe vent their mute impatience with teares and sighes,) nor of so many fa­mous Churches of Christ, [Page 205] (surprized, and filled with Babylons vncleane birds) crying with one voice: Woe is me for my destruction Icr. 10. 10, 20. and my grieuous plague,—my Tabernacle is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone from mee, and are not: there is none to spread out my Tent any more, and to set vp my curtaines.

Lament. 1. 12. Haue ye no regard, all ye that passe by this way? behold, and see, if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow, which is done vnto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath? Not to speake of those warlike tumults, warres and rumors of warres, which threaten the world, as if the Angell which came out from the [Page 206] Altar, now cryed to him that hath the sharpe sickle; Reucl. 14. 18. Thrust in thy sharpe sickle, and gather the clusters of the Vineyard of the Earth; for their grapes are ripe. Looke about thy selfe, on what side art thou free? where hath not death layed his ambush? where dwelleth that light heart, which can promise it selfe one houres secure mirth? Consider thy soule, how many are thy cares, (e­uen for worthlesse trifles) griefes, perplexities; or, to speake the most, the most vnspeakable miserie which sinne bringeth with it; and it may seeme a more pro­per question, (Why art thou merry?) but he saith, Why art thou cast downe? Why dost [Page 207] thou disquiet thy selfe?

Great reason hee should call his soule to account: for in the one, it lyeth wel­tring in the bitter floods of griefe; in the other, it pos­sesseth not it selfe, (as wee shal see in it place;) and both these excesses proceed of some distrust.

It is true, that when all o­ther passions in their meanes doe helpe the naturall vigor and life of man, these are (of themselues) destructiue, as being (like all their allies) an appendix of death, the curse of sinne: yet in respect of mans present being, sancti­fied sorrow, is, among all passions, an antidote, not only good, but necessarie to the soule, as bitter Pills are [Page 208] to a surfeited body. Satan, Maleuola bencuoletia. in his mischieuous beneuo­lence, promiseth the soule an excellent estate in de­lighting it; but he knoweth that pleasure euer vateth and softneth it, leauing it ill af­fected: hee knoweth it is Lactant. 1. 6. c. 20. Vertues domesticke enemie; therefore when hee would depriue men of all holines, (which he can no wayes do, but by that which pleaseth) with these alluremēts he ra­uisheth the mind, being assu­red that these are the golden Apples at which wee will stoope; the onely baites, the onely stales, through whose vnsuspected disguisements, he may let fly his venomed arrowes at the beguiled soule. This is that, for [Page 209] which fooles not onely en­dure, but dotingly loue the dreadfull approaches of sin. God leadeth to life through sorrowes; Satan to death through pleasures: so that —Sicut ad verum bo­num per fal­lacia mala: sic ad ver [...] malum per fallacia bona peruenitur. Lactant. l. 6. c. 22. 1. Sam. 18. 21. men come to true good through seeming euils, and to true euils through fallaci­ous good. So then, the tempter giueth pleasures, as Saul gaue Dauld his Michal, that she might bee a snare to him. Thus (as Cyprian said of the Potentate) [...]rridet vt —blanditur vt fallat, il­licit vt occi­dat, ext [...]llit vt deprimat. Cyprian. l. 2. cp. 2. saniat, hee smileth that hee may rage; he flattereth that he may deceine, he enticeth that he might kill, hee exal­teth that hee might cast downe. It is vertue to bee abstemious in lawfull de­lights, and to vse them cau­tiously. [Page 210] lest they prooue snares, lest their alluring charmes bewitch vs, and we perish.

No doubt there is a law­full and vsefull delight, Pro [...]. 17. 22. which comforteth the heart, causeth good health to the body, and so sweetly ac­commodateth the minde, that a man is more cheere­fully enabled to the seruice of God, who gaue not so many seuerall kinds of crea­tures and conueniences for delight to ensnare men, but that in the wise vse of them, we might admire and praise the goodnesse of a bounti­full God; the abuse and ex­cesse is euill and dangerous: so is it in all passions of the mind; when they are mo­derate, [Page 211] and their streames keepe within their owne channels▪ they are sweet and vsefull; but when they o­uerflow their bankes, they become muddy and pollu­ted: and so it is in the kinds of good sorrow: feare and sorrow are, for the present, necessary to good and euill men; to bridle the euill, to exercise and amend the good. The three children Dan. 3. were cast into the fire bound, but they were pre­sently loosed, and walked without danger: such are wee; the world, sinne, and many idle affections haue strong bands vpon vs, but so soone as we are put into the fire of affliction▪ we are loosed, so that wee walke [Page 212] more comfortably and safe­ly, we come out like refined gold. Dauid confesseth it of himselfe, Before I was af­flicted Psal. 119. 67. I went astray; but now haue I kept thy Word.

Such is sorrow, as the Se­nate iudged of Seuerus, hee seemed nimis crudelis, and nimis vtilis; very cruell, but very profitable: without it, the mind is in danger of ta­king by security, impeni­tency, and presumption, the Diuels great Generals, who 2. Sam. 12. 27. say to him of such, as Ioab of Rabbah; I haue taken the Citie of waters, come now and smite it. How easily is that heart surprized, which can haue no remorse? there­fore he saith not (Why art thou sorrowfull?) for God [Page 213] made that affection to forti­fie the soule, that hee that could not reioyce in doing iustly, might yet sorrow fo [...] that he did vniustly: but he saith, Why art thou cast downe? There is a naturall affection warranting some sorrow, euen for things temporall, neither vnseason­able nor vnlawfull: Ioseph mourned, Dauid mourned, Iesus wept; which proueth, Ioh. 11. that sorrow may be without sinne. But Why art thou cast downe? Sorrow may be in­tense; Christ's soule was heauie to the death, hee sor­rowed — quantita­te absolutā. Aquin. 3. q. 46. 6. 2. the greatest sorrow, yet not excessiuely, for hee was not ouercome of it; and so it became him to sorrow, who was to beare all our [Page 214] sorrowes at once. This sheweth, that sorrow may preuaile very farre, without D. sinne: and therfore we may perceiue, that these two things especially, a wrong obiect, and excesse, make sorrow dangerous and euill.

That this may the better appeare, we must consider, Malum pro­prium. A­quin. 12. q. 36. [...]. 1. that the proper obiect of sorrow, is euill, and that our owne, and also present; whence an extraneous ob­iect is sometimes deriued: as when we sorrow for some e­uill, which is not our owne, but anothers, and only estee­med ours: so the cōpassionat sorrow: or when we sorrow for that which is neither e­uill, nor ours, but is indeed anothers good, which wee [Page 215] thinke is euill to vs; so the enuious man pineth and is grieued. This being layed downe, wee shall perceiue that sundry kinds of sorrow are euill, in as much as they haue a wrong and vniustifia­ble obiect: as the enuious mans griefe is deuillish, when it is conceiued of that prosperity which hurteth or endangereth him not: for if he grieue at that prospe­ritie of another man which hurteth him, hee is angry, not enuious: if hee grieue for that prosperitie which he feareth may hurt him, it is feare, not enuie: if hee grieue because the vnwor­thy prosper, it is indignati­on: if hee grieue that ano­ther enioyeth what he desi­red, [Page 216] it is emulation: if emu­lation be of vertue, and wee grieue that wee cannot bee is holy or good as they, whose deportments we pro­pose to our selues as patterns for imitation, it is a com­mendable sorrow: but if it bee because others obtaine that good opinion of the world, which we desire, but deserue not, or that excel­lency and approbation with God, which wee would haue, but not endeuour for; this is a Cain-like griefe, 1. Ioh. 3. 12. which was because his owne workes were euill, and his bro­thers good.

Also, that griefe which the compassionate haue, may haue a wrong obiect, and so prooue dangerous [Page 217] and euill; as when Saul will saue in pitty, where God said spare them not. All foo­lish 1. S5. 15. 3. pitty hath euill sorrow: in that dolefull Hag, which haunteth vnhappie houses, Iealousie, there may bee ill­grounded suspitions, bring­ing forth sorrowes no more reasonable then their cause. to these may be added those sorrowes which are concei­ued, because a man hath not, or cannot obtaine, or doe that euill which he desireth: or which arise from some light and friuolous matter. All these are to be auoided; for, as the people cryed at Maximinus death, we must — [...] pessimo genere ne catulum quidem ha­bindum. not saue a whelpe of so bad a race.

Secondly, excesse deno­minateth [Page 218] sorrow euill: as acedia. Grae­cis. [...]. appeareth in that bitter griefe, which so oppresseth the minde, that it is vnfit for any good office; which is vsually accompanied with a drawzie lazinesse, dulnesse and heauinesse of the spirits, a torpor of the soule, and e­uagation of the minde; which being inuested of the soules most excellent facul­ties, draweth them to a thousand headlesse resoluti­ons, which, like mad mens Roma Ti­bur amo &c. inuentions, are but framed and dasht againe: at the e­uening, morning is wished; in the morning, euening; summer in winter, winter in summer; in one place, wee thinke another better, and in that, another: no present [Page 219] condition is liked; for that dedolent sorrow, which vexeth and disquieteth the soule, suffereth it not to rest in any place or estate. The like is to be seene in extreme anxiety, and sollicitous cares, and (as we shall see a­non) in despaire: all which, and their like, whether they be effects, or concomitants of excessiue griefe, are very euill and dangerous.

There are sorrowes, with which God casteth a man downe, to exalt him more; in which wee must bee con­tented to put our mouth in the dust, and beare quietly, and with a holy silence, as Aaron did, when his sonnes Leuit. 10. 3. were deuoured with a fire from the Lord: But why [Page 220] doest thou cast downe thy selfe? Eliah would dye, Ie­remie and Iob will haue the day of their natiuity perish: Why this excesse? this dis­couereth a great frailetie in the Saints of GOD, when they say in their haste, Psal. 31. 22. as our Psalmist, I am cut off from before thine eyes: when they will fall downe vnder the burden, teare open their owne wounds, and adde — ad bonā habitudine anin [...]ae per­tinet. Aquin. 12. q. 39. 3. 3. more waight then God lay­ed vpon them. Moderate sorrow belongeth to the good disposition of the minde, according to our present condition; but ex­cessiue sorrow is a sicknesse of the soule: it is good to grieue for sinne, the contra­rie concludeth want of sense [Page 221] or iudgement, to know how hurtfull they are: this sor­row (as the Rain-bow) is both a signe of euill and of good, iudgement and mercy: or, as they say, a Aquin. 1 [...]. q. 39. 1. good signe of a bad cause: euill, in respect of the euill affecting; good, in regard of the part feeling, and la­bouring to abandon the e­uill felt; for this supposeth a knowledge, and hate of Adhuc est bonum quod dolet am [...]s­sum bonum. Aug. the euill: that must bee good, which lamenteth the losse of good. God com­mandeth sympathy, and sense of others miserie, (Weepe with them that weepe) Rom. 12. 15. and sorrow for our own: Turne ye euen vnto mee with Iocl. 2. all your heart, and with fa­sting, and with mourning, and [Page 222] rent your hearts, &c. not that God delighteth in our misery, but as Physicians prescribe bitter Pills, cau­terizing and cutting; hee is the patients friend, who is his diseases enemie: so God will haue vs sorrow, because he hateth, and would haue vs hate our sinnes, as the greatest obiect of griefe.

Some thinke it an incom­parable miserie, to diet the Psal▪ 42. 3. soule, as Dauid, who saith, Psal. 102. 9. his teares were his meate day and night, and that hee mingled his drinke with weeping: but the teares of the faithfull for their sinnes, are excellent signes, and Psal. 56. 8. [...]sa [...]. 38. 6. Luc. 6. 21. Math [...]. 4. GOD regardeth them, though they seeme to pe­rish. And Christ saith, Bles­sed [Page 223] are yee that weepe now; for yee shall laugh. GOD will appoint vnto them that mourne in Sion, to gi [...]e vnto Isai. 61. 3. them beautie for ashes, the oyle of ioy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse: so that I may say of such, as that re­uerend man answered. Mo­nacha, Augustines [...], Fieri no [...] potest vt [...] ­liu [...] istaru [...] lac [...]ymar [...] p [...]rcat. Aug. Conf [...]. [...]. 3. c. v [...]e. Vsu [...] d [...]l [...] is ablegat [...] ­xuriam cr [...] ­mini [...] error is de [...]ia [...]: ita cum dolemu [...] admissa ad­mittenda excludi [...]: Amb. de poenit. l. 2. c. 10. lamenting for her Sonne, who was then a Maniche; It cannot bee, that the sonne of these tea [...]es should perish. Am­brose hath a reason s [...]ruing thereto: The [...]se of sorrow, remoueth the abounding of the crime, and delight of the errour; so that while wee grieue for sinnes com­mitted, we preuent the com­mitting of them: those [Page 224] teares which wee shead for sinne, are a kinde of eye­salue to the soule, and barre to sinne: ioyes dilate the heart, and set open its passa­ges to the enemy; sorrow restraineth and locketh vp: where a thousand war­nings are like so many let­ters written in the dust, neg­lected, forgotten: we can­not easily forget that for which wee haue heartily grieued: sorrow writeth in —quasi col­ [...]y [...]iu [...] quod­dam quo purgat [...]r [...] inte­rior. Al. Alens. To. 4. marble. Griefe and loue do mutually exclude each o­ther, from the same subiect and respect: Who loueth that which onely grieueth him? We must then sorrow for our sinnes, that we may not lone them; for they haue no power to hurt, but [Page 225] where they are loued.

There can bee no sound cure (as you haue heard) without searching, nor true searching without smart: security telleth vs, wee are surely good, because pro­sperous: Because I am guilt­lesse, Ier. 2. 35. surely his wrath shall turne from mee: therefore [...]fflicta mens malum in­venit. Greg mor. we looke not after our sins: it is the afflicted minde which findeth out the euill: griefe is quick-sighted; it looketh into the earth, and findeth the theft; it spieth faults very remote and long Iosh. 7. [...], 22. past; it is a sure remem­brancer; it [...]xclud [...]th that le [...]ity, which choaketh eue­ry Gen. 42. 21. good intent, and, like a cruell Ammo [...]ite, rippeth Am [...]s 1▪ 1 [...]. vp the soules wombe, to [Page 226] make her best conceptions, her fairest purposes abor­ [...]iue: it is an importunate soliciter for helpe; it think­eth all hopes and endeuours slow-paced and lame, till the remedie bee come: it healeth the heart by brea­king it, and so maketh it an acceptable sacrifice to God: Psal. 51. [...]. A contrite and a broken heart, ô God, thou wilt not despise. Where wee may obserue, that not onely a simple griefe is required: for con­trition importeth associati­on, wherein the sinner grie­ueth much, and for many adjuncts of sinne together, which do not lightly affect, but breake the heart: it is like some close-mouthed vessell, filled with the ve­nome [Page 227] of sinne, it most bee C [...] quasi v [...]s fictile repletum ve [...]eno pec­cati, &c. Alens. par. 4. q▪ 17. qua in peca­tis moesti [...]i [...] est, exi [...]ial [...] immod [...]rata fit. Chrys. de po [...]n. ser. 10. broken, that euery rellish, or delight in sinne may bee let out; which can onely be by a sharpe and intense sorrow: sinne caused sorrow▪ sorrow must kill sinne: Goliahs sword must cut off his owne head. Yet euen in sorrow for sinne, there must bee a moderation, lest beeing ex­cessiue, it proue dangerous. Paul would not haue the pe­nitent Corinthian swallow­ed 2. Cor. 7. vp of sorrow. In true re­pentance, we sorrow for sin, — Cum [...] ­mmdationi [...] proposito. A. Alens. par. 4 q. 12. m. 3. with firme purpose to a­mend; which purpose necessarily presupposeth an hope of pardon; that hope cannot but raise the mind [...] to much cheerfuln [...]ss [...]. Where then there is a mind [Page 228] vtterly and constantly deje­cted, there is despaire, a worldly and excessiue sor­row, therefore no faithfull repentance; which, though it 4. sent. dist. 14. be very much, and with true griefe, for that wee cannot vndoe the euill which wee haue done; yet, being it is a true hate of sinne commit­ted or to bee committed, with desire to satisfie, and to please GOD, it cannot bee without some comfort.

True it is, the penitent man may be without present sense of comfort, as without present feeling of faith; yet, as that then hidden faith is not extinct, but couered du­ring the tryall, so neither is our ioy, which euer accom­panieth it. Yea, in the very [Page 229] act of sorrow for sinne, the faithfull man hath comfort, ▪ [...]x con­iunctione disconueni­ [...]n [...]is. A. A­lens. 9. s. q▪ 17. m. 1. that griefe being an vnion of things in themselues differing; a sorrow with ioy: neither doth that ioy diminish the griefe, as it procee­deth out of dislike of sinne, but as it is an abounding passion. As a true griefe followeth the delight in sin, so a true ioy that griefe. Griefe is conceiued of things that befall vs vnwil­ling; that is, which now (in our repentance) wee would had neuer beene: as in sinne there are two things, delight, in which sinne is b [...]gunne; consent, in which it is per­fected by actions; so ar [...] there opposite to these, two things in repentance, griefe [Page 230] for the act and compla­cence, which was in the Doleas, & dolore gau­deas. Aug. de vera et falsa poen. l. c. 3. conception of that sinne; and a delight in that griefe, wherein wee reioyce the more, the more we are sor­rie for the euill wee haue done; because thereby wee are more assured of pardon; knowing it is grace which maketh vs sensible of finnes, and sense and smart make vs desire and seeke remedie, which is a great part of the cure: and wee doubt not, but hee who hath begun to heale vs, in giuing a new will, will perfect his owne worke, so that wee shall not will in vaine.

So then he saith, Why art thou cast downe? not Why art thou sorrowfull? Godly [Page 231] sorrow, not onely eateth vp all other sorrow, (as Moses Serpent did the Serpents of the Inchanters) but euen it selfe, because it beginneth true ioy, and in that ioy it endeth. There must be sor­row, that there may be com­fort, but weighed with that same statera Sanctuarij, the golden meane: for though there be with repentance an Contriti [...] a­ctionem di­cit, &c. agē ­tis in seip­sum. Alen. q. s. action of the mind against it selfe, to deject, iudge, con­demne, and correct it selfe, (without which there is no rising to comfort, because, if we beleeue not the truth, what-euer we thinke or be­leeue, our comfort is false: if we doe beleeue the truth, then we beleeue that God is most iust; and therefore, al­though [Page 232] in his boundlesse Isa. 30. 18. goodnesse, he will waite, that he may bee gracious vnto vs, yet he cannot be so remisse, at to approue our sinnes by an absolute discharging vs, and proclaiming forgiuenes to our consciences, before wee acknowledge and re­pent vs of them,) yet the soule must not cast it selfe downe to despaire of mer­cie: for, as in Grace, that cannot be too little to saue, which is gratum faciens, which setteth vs in the fa­uour of God; so neither is griefe in contrition little, if it bee true; or true, if too much. There cannot be too great a griefe for sinne, if it bee with faithfull repen­tance, which cannot subsist [Page 233] with despaire: because de­spaire casteth downe the soule, but exalteth sinne, Nihil ita of­fendit D [...], quam despe­ratione me­liorum b [...] ­rere peiori­bus. Hier. l. 2. ep. 10. (that very distrust of Gods mercie being a fearefull sin, for that it questioneth his goodnesse, and by despaire of better, holdeth a man still in euill) but repentant sor­row casteth downe sinne, and lifteth vp and comfor­teth the mind, there beeing ioy in and for that sorrow: as a man wounded with the lancet, smarteth, and there­fore is grieued, but yet re­ioyceth to see that corrup­tion come away, which hee knew must else haue killed him. In respect then of the true hate we owe to sinne, sorrow cannot bee too much: in respect of our [Page 234] frailetie (we being as much subiect to despaire as pre­sumption) it must be mode­rated, lest we be swallowed vp of it, and in auoiding one extreame, foolishly perish in the other.

Vse. Vniust anger is an appa­rent mischiefe; enuie is the hearts canker; malice is a noonetide-Deuill; iealousie the soules wild-fire; feare weakneth the hands, and strangely tyrānizeth ouer its subiects, beating them with shaddowes, making them dye for feare of dying. Hopes haue their strong de­lusions, and many times greater despaire: mirth o­peneth the heart, like wine, leauing all vngarded and ex­posed to slaughter, like Isbo­sheth [Page 235] to those craftie Mar­chants, [...] Sam. 4. whose trade was in blood. Of all the passions Quod de spe dicit. Aug. de verb. dom. in Luc. 11. serm. 29. and affections of the soule, sorrow seemeth an harmles silly one, not to be blamed, but pittied: yet,— o [...]o tuo scorpium time: crush it in the egge, left it prooue a Cockatrice. Worldly sor­row is a cunning Sinon, whose harmeles and suspect­lesse visage so beguileth ma­ny, that Satans full-bowel­led stratagems, armed and most desperate resolutions, are by it conueyed into the soule: it is a mischiefe which secretly biteth the heart­roote; it eateth vp the life; it is more generall and grea­ter [...] of [...], and [...] of [...]. then bodily sorrow; it dulleth and hindereth the [Page 236] vigour and apprehension of the mind, perpetually draw­ing the sight and intention thereof to that obiect, which is dreadfull, offensiue, and vnpleasing: it taketh away the rest of the mind, which should refresh it by diuersi­on to better hopes: it weak­neth the liuely and cheere­full flight of the thoughts, leading them to conceits, as incongruous and irksome, as are the tedious complaints of [...]ooles and mad-men: it hindreth the vitall motions of the heart, and operations of the body; it dryeth vp, consumeth and weakneth i [...]; it is a miserable anguish, an hidden wound, an vnsuffe­rable mischiefe: such is ex­treme worldly sorrow, and [Page 237] yet more, like the Croca­ [...]ile, Qua [...]diu vi [...] i [...] cres­c [...]. it groweth as long as [...]t li [...]eth: if it be not killed [...]etimes, it will proue an in­superable Monster to de­ [...]oure t [...]ee, by making thee [...]epine and murmur against God▪ to thine vtter confu­sion and [...]obiection, which is a due [...] of the vn­thankfull.

Hope in God, &c.

THese words containe the counsell which the psalmist giueth his owne soule: in which are the an­tidote against sorrow and disquiet of mind; hope, with its ground and foundation, God. Heere are two disaffe­ctions, deiection and disq [...]i­etnesse; and a remedy to cure them both, hope. These two doe mutually be­get Chryso [...]t. [...] [...]om. [...]7. each other; patience▪ hope, and hope patience. The Scripture often vniteth them:— reioycing in hope; Rom. 1 [...]. 1 [...]. [...] patient in trib [...]l [...]tron. Loue, saith the Apostle, hopeth all all things▪ end [...]reth all things. It is impossible for ho [...] [...]o [Page 324] liue without patience, or pa­tience to be sustained with­out hope.

Most pleasing is hopes perswasion, and very neces­sary for this life, amongst so many miseries, calamities, things hard and intolerable. What were wretched man without hope? This life were as a Ship without an helme, a body without an eye, a Firmament without a Sunne. Without hope, what rellish could there bee in griefe, what comfort in afflictions? Euery aduersity would seeme, for the pre­sent, a full period and end of comfort, which must as often dye, as we could num­ber sorrowes betwixt the two limits of mortalitie, the [Page 325] Wombe and the Graue. There is nothing so bitter, which hope doth [...]ot swee­ten. The A [...]cients w [...]sely intimated Hope, the la [...] l [...] ­uing comforter of aduersi­tie, when they said, that in Pandora's Table, the box emptied, all things powred out and lost, Hope onely re­mained in the bottome: and that when Faith, Iustice, Pie­tie, and Peace tooke wing, and soared to heauen, Hope onely was left to men on earth.

There is nothing so light, so little, so remote, so strange, to which the mind, animated by hope, doth not adhere: so light is hope, so obscure, so blind, so ambi­guous, incertaine, slender, [Page 326] vaine. So pleasing is that sweet libertie of hoping for our selues, as that it will feed vpon coniecture and opini­on either probable or possi­ble, because the like hath been; sometimes it happe­ned to others, it hath some reason, it is iust, it should bee so, it is credible, it was pro­mised, or the like; and where wee haue no ground, on which hope can set the ligh­test foot, we frame some to our selues, imagining there is, or may be something bet­ter then yet wee see, or can imagine.

It may seeme requisite, that hopes should bee borne of the lightest causes, that the mind, obuious to so ma­ny sorrowes, might also eue­ry [Page 327] where find some solace to refresh and sustaine its often fainting: and that there is some vse euen of those triui­all things it presenteth to the sorrowfull; when the imprisoned maketh him roomo, with hope of en­largement; the meager fee­deth on hopes of future sa­ciety; the exiled sendeth his minds home, [...] tell his friends (at least himself) that hee is returning; the sic [...]e thinketh of walking into the fields, captiues of libertie, the poore of plentie [...] al [...] this [...]. time, though it bee but a dreame, it shor [...]e [...]h misery, and [...]ealeth some houres from sorrow, by deluding the afflicted soule for that time t [...] it is a common so­lace, [Page 328] it maketh him beleeue he is rich who hath not: it is the [...] trou­bled fool [...], from whose al­tars it seemed [...] an intolera­ble sacriledge to take the mind.

But since there is nothing more deceitfull then vaine hopes, which howeuer, like a draught of cold water they refresh the sicke for a little­time, yet in the end they do wonderfully exasperate our sorrowes, by mocking our desires, and giue our soules the strappado; for we do the more dangerously despaire: the more wee hoped in vaine, the fall being great­ned by the height of ou [...] sta­tion or exaltation, it remai­neth, that the onely way to [Page 329] comfort and quiet a per­plexed and troubled soule, is to cast all our care on God, to raise the mind to a true hope and affiance in him.

For first, wee must consi­der, that this hope is a vertue infused into our hearts by the Spirit of God, who be­ing 1. Pet. 1. 3. the God of truth, cannot giue a deceitfull perswasion, by which we doe cheereful­ly and constantly expect his future benefits, in mitigati­on of our present calamities, according to his good plea­sure: in which assurance his seruants say; Though I should Psalm. 23. 1, 3, 4. walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare none euill. He must needs be safe, whom God assureth of his protection; therfore this [Page 330] 1. Thes. 5. 8 Heb. 6. 19. hope is the Helmet of saluati­on, and the Anchor of the soule.

T. Aquin. 22. q 4. 7. Secondly, this hope is an adiunct of faith, and indiui­dually followeth it: faith is Heb. 11. 1. the substance of things hoped for: it is not a light and groundlesse opinion; it is firme and continuing. We doe hope for, and expect the fulfilling of Gods promises, because we beleeue them to bee true. Faith is a stedfast perswasion of the truth of Gods Word and promise; hope looketh for the fulfil­ling 1. Cor. 2. [...] [...] [...] of it: Faith saith, The things which eye hath not seene, neither care hath heard, neither came into mans heart, are which God hath prepared for them that loue him: Hope [Page 331] saith▪— henceforth is layed 2. Tim. 4. 8 up for me the crowne of righ­teousnesse, which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day. Howeuer then, a [...] faith looketh vpon the p [...]ishments, which are due to sinners, it is the cause of feare, yet as it looketh on tho reward which God hath 22. q 7. 1. [...] promised, it is the cause of hope: this hope is fixed vp­on eternal blessednesse as its last end, and on the grace of God, as leading vs thereto: it maketh vs cleaue to God, 12. q. 69. 2. 1. the fountaine of all blessed­nesse, as Faith maketh vs ad­here to him the fountaine of truth: it sheweth our refe­rence to the helpe of God, in whom & through whom we looke for all felicity▪ O [...] Psal. 124. 8 [Page 332] helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth.

Hauing then such a cause as apprehendeth and appro­priateth to vs all the promi­ses of God, it must [...] that though hope bee only of things future and ioy of Spes prace­dit gaudium & causat il­lud. 12. q. 25. 1. e. the present; yet that hopes doe both precede and cause that ioy, which is a soue­raigne remedie against all griefe and disquiet of mind; as also, that although hope bee a meane betwixt pre­sumption and despaire, yet hauing no participation of either extreme, it expelleth despaire as its contrary: be­ing iustified by Faith, wee 12. q. 64. 4. 3. haue peace towards GOD through our Lord [...]esus Christ: [Page 333] and,— We rei [...]yce in tribulati­on; Rom. 5. 1. Knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience, pati­ence experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not a­shamed.

Thirdly, it doth much stay a troubled mind, to consider that howeuer the afflictions which it suffereth, are com­mon to good and bad, yet it neither suffereth vpon the like▪ termes (for calamities are mercies to the Saints, out iudgements to the vn­godly; to them the rods of Heb. 12. 6. alouing father, to these the swords of an angrie reuen­ger) neither, are those suffe­tings followed with one and the same, but contrary is­sues: the wicked (like the Egyptians in the Red Sea) [Page 334] is ouerwhelmed, where the righteous is not onely pre­serued; but bettered. Admi­rable is the confidence of the faithfull; euen in com­mon Hab. 3. 16, 17, 18. calamities: When I heard (saith the Prophet,) my belly trembled, my lipp [...] shooke at the voyce▪ for the figge tree shall not flourish, nei­ther shall fruit be in the vines▪ the labour of the Oliue sha [...] faile and the fields shall [...] no meate: the sheepe shall [...] cut off from the fold, and there shall bee no bullocke in the stalles: But I will reioyce [...] the Lord: I will reioyce in the Lord of my saluation. The Lord is my strength. Cypria [...] Contra De­mel. giuing a reason why the heathens were impatient and querulous, where the Chri­stians [Page 335] were valiant & meek­ly expected the time of Gods promises, speaketh af­ter this manner: We know (saith he) there is no way to auoide the common condi­tion of all men, which is calamitous: wee are now good and bad within one Parisorte perpetimur. lb. Cypr. house, whateuer how befal­leth, wee share and suffer a­like, till in the end of this mortall life wee be diuided into seuerall lodgings of life or death: Yet (saith he) we are not equall with you, though wee suffer the same things; for since in the sense of griefe, consisteth all that which punisheth, it is man­fest, that he partaketh not of thy punishmen, whom thou feest not grieuing equally [Page 336] with thee. The mind of an holy man is erect and stead­fast, euen amongst the ruines of a perishing world: pati­ence is euer cheerefull, and that mind euer secure in God: hee neuer deceiueth trust, in whom▪ wee hope When the Psalmist, out of a learned experience hauing discoursed of the estate of the wicked and the holy, sendeth vs to the issue of the Psal. 37. good mans trials, Marks the vpright man, and behold the iust: for the end of that man is peace. The quiet fruits of righteousnesse are later, (liker the blossom and fruits of Aarons drie rod) when it seemeth there is no hope, yet they are sure and excel­lent.

[Page 337] Fourthly, because they that are begotten againe to this liuely hope, (being kept 1. Pet▪ 1. 5. by the power of GOD through faith to saluation) are euer assured of a better life to come, an inheritance incorruptible, vndefiled, and immarcessible, reserued in heauen for them, a crowne of glory. And (howreuer fierce he seemeth) wee shall (as Dauid from the subdued King of Ammon) take our 1. Chron. 20. 2. Crownes from the enemies head: for the mischiefe which hee inuenteth against vs to make vs suffer, shall adde to our glorie. In this confidence wee stand, as it were on Nebo, to view th [...] holy Land, the promised rest. If in this life onely we 1. Cor. 15. 2 [Page 338] had hope, then were wee of all men most miserable. Cypr. q. s. That man indeed mourneth and complaineth, if any ad­uersity befall him here, who can hope for nothing good in the life to come; who hath reposed all his hope and comfort here, and look­eth for nothing but tor­ments so soone as hee goeth hence. If a man did con­stantly beleeue hee should come safely home, there to find and enioy an eternall quiet, the hoped fruites of his trauaile, could any vn­euennesse of the way deterre 1. Sam. 14. 4, 13. or diuert him? Ionathan and his Armourbearer stood not vpon the difficultie of the passage, they climed vp B [...] ­zez and Seneh vpon their [Page 339] hands and vpon their feet, because they hoped for a glorious victorie. The way to honour is through dan­ger; the way to life, through death; the way to heauen, through afflictions. It is ex­treme childishnesse to bee discouraged for the way, where the end hath assured comfort. Adde to this, they liue not to the World, but to God, and already haue their conuersation in hea­uen, so that their soules be­ing Phil. 3. 20. as it were Gods do­mesticks, & euer in his graci­ous presence, hearing him, Eppes. 2. 19. contemplating, or speaking to him, they are aboue the stormes of humane calami­ties, though they are sensi­ble of them according to [Page 340] their outward man, yet their better par [...]is so much aboue them so ready; in euery ap­pearance of difficulties, to flye vnder the shadow of Gods wing, there to be shel­tered, thence to fetch com­fort, that they not only haue a blessed accesse through faith vnto his Grace, where­in they stand, and reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie Rom. 5. 2, 3 of God, but they reioyce in tribulation; and therefore thus they reckon: whatso­euer affliction befalleth vs here, it findeth vs vpon the 2. Cor. 5. 6. way, (fo [...] whilest we remaine in the bodie, wee are absent from the Lord:) and there­fore like theeues and rob­bers, stormes and dangerous passages, or whateuer els ma­keth [Page 341] a iourney tedious and vnpleasing, it maketh vs loue home the better: the worse the way is, the more we de­sire to bee at the end of it. Thus they ouercome the in­firmitie of the body, by the strength of the mind: so con­fident —firmitate animi infir­mitatcin corporis [...]in­cimus. Cypr. q. s. Heb. 11. 35. are they, that when they haue been racked, they would not bee deliuered, that they might receiue a bet­ter resurrection.

If it be obiected, that the most faithfull haue their tri­als, and doe often expresse great sorrow and disquiet of mind: we must know; that we are already partakers of the promised rest in firme hope, we are there in desire; these wee haue already cast out as the anchors of our [Page 342] soule; therefore as wee say of a ship riding at anchor, she hath hold on the earth, though yet she ceele, heaue and set, and those anchors hold her from bestrauning Aug. in Psal. 65. and running aground, euen against the windes, floods, Facit nos now abripi in saxa. Ib. and angry billowes. So, a­gainst the temptations of this our pilgrimage, out hope is grounded on that heauenly Ierusalem, which causeth that we are not split and bilged vpon the rockes: like the needle in the Com­passe, so mooueth our hope, it is euer shaking, yet it ceas­eth not, till by its vnrest, it returne to the same point.

If it be vrged, that we are yet fraile, and full of euill, which may make our, hopes [Page 343] decline, we say with Bernard; There are three things in In Psal. 91 ser. 10. which all our hope consist­eth: First, his loue which 1. Charitaes adoptionis. adopted vs: he, who for his owne loue, without any de­sert of ours, euen when wee were enemies, reconciled vs, and adopted vs sonnes, will not now cast vs away, whom he hath made better, though not yet perfect. Secondly, 2. Veritas promissionis. the truth of his promise: though all the world de­ceiue vs, and we deceiue our selues, God cannot but bee veritable: in his Word we Hic speran­dus adiutor est, in quo dolus non est. Hilar. in Psal. 145. haue generall promises, and in our consciences, the par­ticular testimony of his ho­ly Spirit, assuring vs that we are the children of God, and Rom. 8. 16 therefore neither life nor [Page 344] death can separate vs from 3. Pot [...]slaes redditionis. his loue. Thirdly, his pow­er to performe: if it were in man our hopes were fixed, how vnhappy were our con­dition? Man often faileth, and when he hath a will, he 2. King. 5. 7 wanteth power, Am I God to kill and giue life, said the King of Israel? God onely can doe all he will, and will doe all hee hath promised. Vpon this ground the Apo­stle 1. Pet. 1. 5. comforteth the Chur­ches, when, hauing praised the Lord for that liuely hope to which they were begotten againe, hee saith, they were kept by the power of God through faith vnto salua­tion.

Lastly, we must consider, that there is none other [Page 345] comfort in afflictions, but hope of deliuerie out of them, or sure p [...]eseruatiues against them, neither true hope or preseruation but in God. Therefore the Scrip­tures do distinguish betwixt true and false hopes, magni­fying the one, and shewing the true vnhappinesse of the other: Cursed bee the man Ier. 17. 5, 6, &c. that trusteth in man, and m [...] ­keth flesh his arme, and with­draweth his heart from the Lord: for hee shalbe like the heath in the wildernesse, and shall not see when any good commeth.—Blessed bee the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is, for he shal [...]be like a tree that is planted by the water, which spreadeth out his rootes [...] the [Page 346] R [...]uer, and shall not feele when the heate commeth, but he [...] lease shall bee greene, and shall not care for the yeere of drought, neither shall cease from yeelding fruite. There­fore Naum. 1. 7 Psal. [...]2. Psal. 34. 8, 9. Lam. 3. 25, 26. Psal. 40. 4, 17. Psal. 107. 25, &c. Ier. 14. 22. Hag. 1. 6, &c. the Scripture addres­seth vs onely to him for comfort, because he onely is good, hee onely is omnipo­tent, and in the ordinarie course of his prouidence, all things serue him, for the vse and good of his; and when hee pleaseth to disco­uer his holy Arme, and dis­pence with the lawes of Na­ture, hee doth wonderfully satisfie their hopes, & make good their confidence in E [...]d. 14. him. Then the waters must cease from their sauage [...] 3. 27. courses, the fire must not so [Page 347] much as leaue any scent vpō the garments of the three children: the lyons must not touch the Prophet: the Rauens must feed Eliah: the oile and meale must en­crease, fiue loaues and two fishes feede multitudes, and the fragments bee greater then the feast. Therefore thou shalt in all distresses of Chry [...]o [...]t. in Psal. 43. mind find ioy and quiet, if thou canst ascend to that hope which is fixed on God. In God we haue all things which are good. Tu [...]olu [...] requies. Aug. con­fe [...]. [...]. 6. c. 16. Vse. 12 q. 25. Health, riches, honors, com­fort: thou only, O Lord, art the rest of our soules.

All labour for hope, to comfort themselues against afflictions: for hope addeth to and aboue desire, an en­deauor, [Page 348] and eleuation of the mind, to obtaine a difficult good, which cheereth them: But there is much difference Aug. de verb. dom. in Ioh. serm. 59. vpon what ground a man hopeth or reioyceth: for two things equally kill the soule, despaire and peruerse and vaine hopes. The ioy of the faithfull is incompara­bly distant from the vanitie of the hypocrites hope, which how farre soeuer it carrie them confident a­gainst all dangers, yet is it but like Pharaohs Charriot whe [...]l [...]s, which then fall off, when they are most enga­ged, and like Iericho walles then falling downe when they haue most neede of them.

According to mens seue­rall [Page 349] griefes, they apply seue­rall remedies: and it is true, they may be vsefull in their kinds. Teares helpe vent some tongue-tied sorrowes, because euery hurtfull thing shut vp within, doth more vehemently afflict. Friends Omne n [...]ci­uum interi­ [...]s clausum, magis aff [...]i­git. Aquin. 12. A. 2. haue a part, either diuiding the burden by lamenting it, or by expressing sure argu­ments of their loue, and fee­ling of our griefes. Baths and Physicke (if the body either cause, or adde to the distemper,) yea, Musick and merry company may haue a part. Time, Reason and Sleepe (that vulgar medi­cine for cares) haue good vse; aboue all these, con­templation of the truth is excellent: for it hath not, as [Page 350] other delights, any griefe properly contrary to it; by how much more wee know the truth, by so much lesse we grieue at seeming euils: but all these, and whateuer other meanes the reason or experience of man can in­uent, without this hope in God, fall short of any sound cure, some of them feeding, some exasperating, the best but astonying the maladie for a time, all being but as draughts of cold water in some hecticke fits, by a little ease much enflaming the dis­ease.

Sound hope, like the An­gell Gen. 21. 17 to Hagar in the D [...]sart, cryeth from heauen, Feare not: it openeth our eyes, that wee may [...]see our relie [...]e [Page 351] which is neere vs; it sheweth vs our dwellings, defended with a Mountaine full of fi­ery 2. King. 6. 17. Centinels, like the be­leaguered Dothan. Hope was clothes to Iacob against Gen. 31. 40. the cold; shade against the heate: an armour of proofe to Dauid in his combate; 1 Sam. 17. 37. health and riches to Iob; a natiue soyle to Abraham; a Crowne of righteousnesse to Paul: it is all things Heb. 11. 8, 2 Tim. 4. 8. which are desireable. But how wretched and vnhap­pie are the hopes of worldly men? Name me that Syren on earth, whose alluring notes can preuaile against the dolefull cries of a reprō ­bate conscience. To say lesse, and yet all in a word, Name mee that estate in the [Page 352] world, which can giue that dying man comfort, who cannot hope in God. Trust in riches, honours, learning, fame, what thou canst else thinke of, can these keepe thee aliue? Why then doe the rich or Noble dye? Doest thou hope thou shalt dye at once, and neuer come to Iudgement? Alas, thou shalt presently know that hell, which before thou couldest not beleeue; and feele those torments, which thou esteemedst as dreames. Doest thou comfort thee in hope of Gods indulgence? Iob. 8. 13, 14. Bildad said right, The hope of hypocrites shall perish, his considence shall be cut off, and his trust shall be as the house Prou. 10. 28. of a spider.—The patient abi­ding [Page 353] of the righteous shall bee gladnesse, but the hope of the wicked shall perish.

There are that trust in riches, yet surely are farre from content or quiet of mind. Augustine confesseth what a bridle it was to his ambition, when, the same day that he was preparing to make a flattering Oration in praise of the Emperour; when his heart was troubled with that businesse, passing through a street of Millan, he saw a poore beggar (per­haps with his belly full) io­cund and merry; wherefore hee sighed; saying to his friends who accompanyed Confess. l. 6. c, 6. him, what griefe he concei­ued of such their madnesse, who with all their vnhappy [Page 354] cares and labours, intended to attaine no more then that secure mirth, which the beggar before them had gotten, and they (perhaps) should neuer get: for, that (said he) which he hath pur­chased with a little beg'd monies, I was ambitious of aspiring to, by such painefull turnings and windings, that is, the mirth of temporall felicity.

There are that trust in possessions, yet when these grand masters of earth boast Luk. 12. 19, 20. of their store, and sing a re­quiem to their soules, their soules are taken away.

There are that trust in popularity, that vainest and most inconstant breath of a giddy multitude: and when [Page 355] they say,— The voyce of Act. 12. 22. God, and not of man, then some desperate griefe smi­teth them, as the Angell He­rod, and they are eaten vp.

There are a foolish kinde of Idolaters, which worship the Idoll of Horeb, the shaddow of supposed greatnesse: and when they haue sacrificed much time, obseruance, and expence, for a little hope of some subordinate fauour, they are deceiued in their diuinati­on. Pharaoh trusted to his Charriots; Asa to Physici­ans; Iona to his heeles; hee would runne away from an omnipresent GOD: Nebu­chad-nezzar, Belshazzar, Sa­nerib, and their like, trusted in their power: Israel ho­ped [Page 356] in Egypt: but when God will meere with them, how easily doth he send the sword after them? How ea­sily doth he speake concer­ning a mighty and oppulent Nation, to root it vp, and As the Wise man saith of pride, ri­ches, and hope of the wic­ked: [...], &c. Wisd. 5. cast it out? And the strong men shall be feeble-handed, the flight shall perish from the swift, and their hope shall make them ashamed. All vaine hope is like a shaddow, a Poast, a ship vn­der sayle, which makes no path in the floods; the flight of a bird, or arrow thorow the ayre; the dust blowne away with the wind; a thin fome scattered abroad in the storme; smoke dispersed with the wind, va­nishing by being greatned; [Page 357] the memorie of some one dayes guest.

There is no cause of the minds disquiet more famili­ar, then hope in things de­ceitfull, such as are the fore­named, riches, honours, pleasures, and fauour of great men; which, because they are inconstant, and of­ten change, most needs de­ject and torment that mind, which is only grounded on them▪ To this may bee ad­ded, that since our owne hearts are apt to deceiue vs in our hopes, it importeth vs, for the sound cure of a distressed mind, carefully to examine our hopes▪ which we shall doe, if we diligently obserue the condition of them in their proper

• [Page 358]1. Cause,
• 2. Subiect,
• 3. Obiect,
• 4. Effects and Adjuncts.

Eph. 2. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 3. The efficient cause of sound hope, is the Spirit of God: if then our hope bee in or▪ of euill, it is not the perswasion of him that cal­leth vs to a liuely hope in Christ Iesus: for he neuer crosseth his owne reuealed will. The Diuell hath lear­ned to imitate the inward and gracious working of Gods Spirit: therefore hee suggesteth an hope, but a false, that hee may depriue Gen. 3. men of the true. Yee shall not dye at all: Marke the in­ference and conclusion of the perswasion: If it be, Yee [Page 359] shall not dye, therefore eate the forbidden fruit, thou art redeemed, thou canst not perish, thou art in CHRIST, there is no condemnation to thee, therefore bee bold to sinne, that grace may a­bound; it is a temptation of security, and not any testi­monie of the Spirit of God, which bearing witnesse to the Elect, that they are the sonnes of God, inferreth to their consciences, that there­fore they must walke after the Spirit, that they must be holy, that they must walke worthy of their calling; and because they call on the Father, who without respect of persons, iudgeth accor­ding to euery mans workes; they must therefore passe [Page 360] 1 Pet. 1. 17. the time of their soiourning heere in feare. In a word, whatsoeuer hope moueth vs to any resolution, against the expresse Will & Word of God, it is false and vn­sound, and commeth not of God, whose Spirit cannot perswade to contraries, nei­ther can crosse that one truth, which is deliuered in his Word. Looke to this, you that blesse your selues in your wickednesse; and perswade your selues, you may goe on in your sinnes, and yet God will conni [...]e; or that hee is not so seuere and rigorous, as is preached vnto you.

The instrumentall cause Rom. 15. 4▪ and ground of hope, is the promise and Word of God: [Page 361] if our hopes are groun [...]ed on the Oracles of humane▪ wisdome, or po [...]cie▪ if on the litigious plots of opi­nion; if we say as [...]haraoh, Come, let vs worke wisely, when we doe wickedly: if they stand on the fond argu­ments of Epicures, ▪Atheists, o [...] Origenists▪, some hoping there is no God, some, that he regardeth nothing; o­thers, that his grace is vni­uersall; or any other [...] of man; they are vaine and deceitfull; and, with whatsoeuer large promises they doe for a time beguile men, they yeeld no comfort at [...]eed▪ but are a [...]aets Tent to the wearie, a dan­gerous repose.

The subiect to which [Page 362] hope belongeth▪ is onely a Christian mind: for as faith, so hope is proper to them. If the vnbeleeuer & wicked man hope for pardon, and life euerlasting, his hope is in vaine: I must say to him, as Peter to Simon Magus, Act. 8. 21, 23. Thou hast neither part [...] fellowship in this businesies for thine heart is not right in the sight of God; I see thou art in the gall of bitternesse, and in the bond of iniquitie. If the Noble, great or rich man would bee comforted with it, he must know, all that he hath in the world cannot purchase the least dram of it. If any p [...]ophane Es [...] (who hateth to bee refor­med) shall seeke it with teares, and cry in the bitter­nesse [Page 363] of his soule, Blesse mee, euen mee also, my Father; the best we can promise, is, the fatnesse of the earth shall be thy dwelling place: but this hope appertaineth only to the sonnes of God.

3 Concerning the object of hope, there are foure condi­tions required. First, it must 12. q. 40. 1. c. 1. Bonum. be good; and properly the chiefe Good. In a second place, goods subordinate: as first, the honour of God; secondly, the soules health; thirdly, temporall necessa­ries, daily bread, but bread of thy stature: thou hopest for abundance of riches; I cannot warrant thy hope ei­ther good or sound: for how canst thou bee assured, that that which thou hopest for, [Page 364] is good for thee? Doest thou know no man the worse for his wealth? How canst thou call that good, which hurteth the posses­sour? To iudge of the goodnes thē, look vpon the things which God hath pro­mised his deare children: he hath promised life euer­lasting: hee hath promised, not to faile thee nor forsake Heb. 13. hee: hee hath promised, that all the things whereof Mat. 6. 32, 33. thou hast need, shall be mini­stred vnto thee, if thou first seeke his Kingdome, and his righteousnesse: but for ri­ches, or things temporall, whereof he seeth thou hast no need, but rather of the contrarie; how-euer displea­sing it bee to thee, it is his [Page 365] wisdome that hee hath not promised them, and his mer­cie that hee doth not giue them. If God knew riches or honours absolutely good, the good should neuer bee poore, nor the wicked no­ble. If thou wilt hope for that which God hath pro­mised, thine hopes are se­cured by his truth who hath promised. But if thou wilt make thy selfe great and glorious to the world in thine hopes, if that faile thee, and thou art perplexed and grieued, because thou art not such as thou hopedst to be, what remaineth more iust and necessary, then that thou lessen thine ouer­growne desires, and empty thine heart of that ambiti­on, [Page 366] so that it may bee filled with better hopes; that thou conforme to the will and promise of God, and thinke not to encline his holy will to satisfie thy vniust and wicked desires.

2. Arduum. Secondly, it must be dif­ficult: we doe not hope for Exercitatio spei, dicit respe­ctum ad au­xilium D [...]i. Aquin. things easie, or in our po­wer: Hope presupposeth the helpe of another, that is, of God: and heerein it is distinguished from desire, which is of things easie as well as difficult; and from presumption, which trusteth in it selfe: if thine hope bee on the maine and greatest matter, the honour of God, saluation of thy soule, and all things seruing thereto, blessed is thine hope, it shall [Page 367] bring thee comfort, though now it liue among those dif­ficulties, which none but the power of God can faci­litate and ouercome. To be honorable, is not the proper obiect of the Saints [...]ope: they obtaine that, who haue not the least acquaintance with this. Kings make ho­nourable, but God only ma­keth happy, in the hope of life euerlasting: Riches and possessions are not this ob­iect: wicked and dishonest men know, how easie it is to bee rich: but that which neither honour, riches, nor humane wisdome, no not all the Kings of the earth can giue, is this ard [...]m▪ which the Saint hopeth for. Third­ly, 3. Futurum. it is not present, but fu­ture: [Page] hope that is seene, i not hope: herein it is distin­guished▪ from ioy, which is of things present: and here­in our patience demonstra­teth our hope; for if wee hope for future blessed [...]sse▪ Rom. 8. 24, 25. we doe with patience abide for it. Those worldly men▪ whose faiths are tender-ey­ed▪ and cannot look beyond things present; those impa­tient Esan's, who for their present supplies▪ make so base an estimate▪ What pro­fit Gen. 25. 32. shall this birth-right do [...] to me▪ haue not hope▪ whose proper obiect is future▪

4. Possibile. Lastly, it must be possible: it standeth on the reueiled will of God▪ to whom all things are possible▪ which he will doe; by which, not [Page 369] by humane reason, this pos­sibilitie is to be valued. A­braham Rom. 4. 18 21. beleeued against hope, vnder hope: against hope, if wee respect the rea­son of man; wherein there appeared no argument, but all things contrary to that he hoped: but vnder hope, in respect of Gods all-suffi­ciency, because hee was fully assured, that he which had pro­mised, was able to doe it. Such is our hope, that except it take wing, and mount aboue our senses, it shall euer bee carnall and fraile. It is true, that which is impossible to man, may be, and is some­times an obiect of true hope, because it is possible with God: but that which is im­possible with God, can ne­uer [Page 370] be apprehended by any sound hope, how possible soeuer it seeme to a deceiued man. Hence it appeareth, that the hope which ex­pecteth Gods conniuence in point of iustice, his iniu­stice in the obstinate sinners impunitie, is wicked and des­perate: when the wicked will blesse himselfe in his re­bellion, and thinke by cry­ing, Lord, Lord, howeuer he will enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season, yet to find mercy: when the adulte­rer, oppressour, drunkard, or malicious man, shall conti­nue in their sinne, and yet pray in hope: when theeues or deceiuers keepe another mans goods in their hands, L [...]ke 19. and will not Zache ▪like re­store, [Page 371] or at least, so much as they can: but if they can giue an holocaust of a ra­pine, and couer the Altar with teares; if with vndo­ing, and depopulating whole Lordships, they build a poore Almes-house, and can but pray God to forgiue them that sinne, which they committed by fraud and ra­pine, and in tend still to com­mit, by retaining those goods and possessions, ma­king the very bread, which they pulled out of Orphans mouthes, serue their pride and Iusts; do not these men, when they say, Lord bee mereifull, in effect, desire God to be vn [...]ust? Do they not pray him to winke at their sinnes? Such men [Page 372] would faine bee saued, but being wicked, faine goe to heauen, but not [...]ore: they would driue God to impos­sibilities; but because hee cannot be vniust, therefore it is impossible for such men to haue any comfort, or sound hope. To shut vp this point then, hope not vnwor­thily, nor for things vnwor­thy. What are present ho­nours to the future? What riches, fields, houses, to hea­uen and heauenly things? Because wee repose not our hopes on a right ground, God often taketh away that we trust in, and withholdeth that which would truely comfort vs. How iniurious are we to our soules, when wee set our hopes Egyp [...]ian [Page 373] taskes, workes of seruitude? when (desiring it should [...]ie cheerefully into the pre­sence of God) we yet, either impe its wings with bastard feathers, trusting in others, or our selues▪ or load its An­gell quilles with dirt, ho­ping for triples, or impious impossibilities. When God made this affection, to su­staine the drooping soule, to fetch tastes of the heauenly Paradise-fruites; by such madnesse they come home, like Salomons▪ That shish mer­chants, 1. King. 10. 22. with A pes and Pea­cockes among their preci­ous lading. This mans hope is for fauour; anothers, for full barnes; anothers, for prosperous flocks, anothers▪ for some maintenance for [Page 374] pride and lust; anothers, for food and raiment▪ (Iacobs words without Iacobs mea­ning;) giue him but that poore obiect of his ambiti­on, hee careth for no more. Are these the hopes which can relieue a distressed soule? Shall Cain's Henoch, Gen. 4. 17, 21. or Iubals Organs comfort, where there is no hope of Heauen? Howeuer the pre­sent world say, I will not purchase hope with a price: a graine of pleasure is better then any spirituall Iewell; yet the wise Merchant sold all, to buy that of which this hope gaue him intelligence, because he found the worth of it: there is no comfort without it, no miserie with it.

[Page 375] Lastly, we must examine our hopes by its effects, and adiuncts, the effects are ma­ny. It giueth a man the true ground of Religion, by tea­ching him to thinke more humbly of his owne works, and not to depend vpon himselfe. This is the cause why God doth sometimes giue trials: Wee receiued the 2. Cor. x. 9. sentence of death in our selues, because wee should not trust in our selues, but in God which raiseth the dead. It will bee a perpetuall comfort euen in afflictions, which he beareth Rom. 5. not only patiently, but with ioy and reioycing, because he hopeth assuredly, through the merits of Christ Iesus, that after hee hath glorified God in his sufferings, he shal [Page 376] bee glorified in the King­dome of God▪ and that as 2. Cor. 1. 5. his sufferings abound, so also his consolation shall abound by Christ.

The adiuncts of hope are many: 1. Preparation and alacritie of mind, lest any thing should hinder vs in that we hope for. Hope kee­peth 1. Pet. 1. 13 1. King. 18. 46. Heb. 12. 1. vs with our loynes girt, like Eliah before the storme: therefore the Apostle saith; Let vs also, seeing we are com­passed with so great a cloud of witnesses, cast away euery thing that presseth downe:—Let vs run with patience the race that is set before vs. He that hath a firme hope, shall so pre­pare for it, that, if need re­quire, hee shall part with [...]hings pleasing and necessa­tie: [Page 377] Heb. 11. so Abraham parted from his natiue soile: to the Disciples (as the necessities of those times required) sold, and gaue away, as A­lexander, all his goods, and houshold vtensils▪ because he was confident of supply, in the spoile of Darius. If a man haue this hope, hee can forgoe whatsoeuer hindreth it▪ and if neede bee▪ hee can lessen his mind, pull in the [...]ailes of that opinion of vaine reputation▪ which dan­gerously greatneth many minds▪ and, when [...]ee is be­come poore and indigent, thinke any estate good e­nough, in which hee hath a firme hope of a better life.

2. An holy life is an ad­ [...]nct, [...] 1. Pet. 1. 13▪ as certaine a Bee sob [...]r [Page 378] and trust perfectly on the gr [...] that is brought vnto [...] saith Saint Peter: euery man that hath this hope in him, 1. Iohn 3. 3. pargeth himselfe as he is p [...]re. It is a dangerous hope which the wicked haue: ei­ther resolue to bee holy, or be assured, whateuer hope thou conceiuest, it is de [...]i­full and damnable. True hope, like Aarons Miter bea­reth this golden inscription (fastned to it with that [...]it­ta [...]yacin [...]hina, the blood of Exod. 18. 36. Iesus) [...]ol [...]nesse, to the Lord.

3. Another adiunct of sound hope is constancy: for the Spirit of God will still follow it with fresh vigour, and secretly dictate ioyfull I [...]. 31. 12. things to the soule, so that is shal be like a watred garden, [Page 379] trust, or hope perfectly, or to 1. Pet. 1. 13 [...]. the end, for that is the per­fection of hope: if hopes bee fleeting and wauering, they are weake, but if they once faile, they were neuer sound: they must bee there­fore certain and permanent. Wee shall bee holy and vn­blameable, if wee continue Phil. 1. 20. Colos. 1. 22 Heb. 3. 6. Heb. 10. 23 grounded and established in the faith, and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gos­pell. We are Christs, if wee hold fast the confidence, and the reioycing of the hope vnto the end. It is not hard to con­ceiue hope for a time, the danger is in the delay. When we consider what wee haue hoped for, and amongst ma­ny secular cares, and present trials, loose sight of our [Page 380] hope, and cannot tell what is become of it; when it tar­rieth Exod. 32. long, like Moses in the Mount with God, then the danger is, the mutinous thoughts will fall to some idolarrie. But if hope con­tinue and endure the fierie triall, it is pure. If when thou hast receiued the sentence of death in thy body, thou canst hope in God, thy hope is sound.

4. A fourth adiunct of hope, is loue of God, and of our brethren: Hope is, as it were, the breath of loue, which may gaspe and re­taine the pangs of a dying passion for a little time; it cannot liue without it. We cannot be happie, except we loue God; nor loue him, [Page 381] except wee can truely hope, and trust in him; and it is impossible (though some 1. Iohn. suppose they can doe it) to loue God, and hate thy bro­ther: therefore Saint Peter, hauing spoken of brotherly kindnesse and loue, saith, Giue diligence to make your 1. Pet. 3. 8. 2. Pet. 1. 7, 10. calling and election sure, for if yee doe these things, ye shall ne­uer fall.

5. To these may bee ad­ded many more, as, boldnes in professing the name of Christ, meekenesse, tempe­rance, Heb. 11. 35. alacritie, and the like; and with these a good con­science, of which the Apo­stle saith; Sanctifie the Lord 1. Pet. 3. 15. God in your hearts, and be rea­dy alwayes to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a [Page 382] reason of the hope that is i [...] you, with meekenesse and re [...]e­rence, hauing a good consci­ence.

By these and such like ad­iuncts, and effects of hope, examine and iudge of thy condition, and do not blind­ly trust to that which may deceiue thee: all are not good hopes, which promise much good: thou shalt meet with many wrangling Labans, often changing the couenant, which howsoeuer surely the wicked make with the graue and hell, yet the Rom. 6. wages of sinne is death. To trust in any but God, is to leane to a falling wall.

To these rules of exami­nation, and that which may be gathered from that which [Page 383] hath▪ beene formerly said▪ concerning the examinati­on, reformation of the soule, and sequestration to an holy soliloquie, let a man also put these following rules in pra­ctice, for the obraining and strengthening of a sound hope.

1. In euery affliction which shaketh thy hope, consider the iustice and mercy of God: it much abateth the violence of griefe to consi­der the equitie of him▪ that striketh, whose iudgements, though they are often se­cret, yet they are alwayes iust. The Emperour Mau­rici [...]s expressed the greatnes of his afflicted minde▪ when, to aggrauate his own death now imminent, at [Page 384] Phocas command, his wife and children being butche­red before his face, he onely said▪ Iust art then, O Lord and right is thy indgement. It would easily stop out complaints, [...] we could tru­ly consider, what wee haue deserued; how much grea­ter, and more frequent out sinnes are, then our punish­ments. Herein if we learnt patience, we must looke for hope in the issue of our try­als, considering that God correcteth vs, to saue vs, and that all things must be good, Nec caret [...]otestate qui iudex est, nec misera­t [...]one qui Deus est. Hilari. in Psal. 62. which come frō him, who, as God, is merci [...]ull aswell as powerfull, and cannot but be good. This well vnder­stood, shall make thee know that estate, which thou so [Page 385] much abhorrest, thinking thy selfe vnhappie in it, is best for▪ thee. I but thou vr­gest thy▪ present enduring many things, not only in­conuenient, but intolerable. I answer in this one saying of my text, hope in God. Do­est thou not hope in him▪ I can giue thee no comfort. Doest thou indeed hope in him? Why art thou discon­solate? Thou saiest, Because my present estate is calami­tous, and euill. I say so too, if thy hope bee in riches, pleasures, or any thing which thou doest now, or▪ canst want hereafter: but if it be in God, how can it bee bu [...] good, which he giueth those that depend on him? Nam [...] me that man who trusted in [Page 386] the Lord, & perished. Sayst thou, It is euill for me which I suffer? Whether can best judge, what is good for thee, the patient or the Phisicion, God or thy selfe? Thou wilt say, God knoweth. I returne to my ground, if then thou doe hope in him, doest thou not hope he is a good & gra­cious God, and will doe the best forthee? Doest thou not think him omnipotent, and not to be preuented? Doest thou not think him omnisci­ent, & not to be deceiued? Doest thou not think hee lo­ueth thee most tenderly; & therfore in his loue and mer­cy, wil make all things, euen afflictions, work for the best [...] thee? Learne therefore to [...]cerne, & know the work [Page 387] of God in thy correctiō, and thou shalt haue hope. They Psal. 9. 10. that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for then, Lord, hast not forsaken thē that seeke thee. 2. Learne to liue within thy selfe, and set not thy hopes on things exter­nall; for as they change, they [...]rment. He that maketh the testimony of Gods Spirit which is within him, his ioy, his hope, his delight, shall be cheerefull and con­stantly resolued, when hee shall heare the ambitious crying out for the wheeles vnconstancy, in which hee trusted, and great Fauorites, whilest they liue, dead of the falling sicknesse. Call home thy thoughts, thy desires, thy hopes, from the tumul­tuous [Page 388] world; and teach them [...] [...]iue within [...] [...] [...] let them wait in that liuing temple, where the glorious and blessed Spirit of God manifesteth his gra­cious presence, to the secrets of thy soule; thinke there is no beauty, strength, health, [...] pleasures or [...] not [...] and [...] consideri [...], thou shal [...] free thy? soule from a thou­sand [...] and [...] which thou [...] not auoide; [...] thou will de­pend vpon any thing exter­nall, or of the world, whose in [...]essand changes will neuer suffer thy [...].

3. Leaue thy false, and seeke confidence in God, that is, leane not to thy f [...]lse, [Page 389] but to him; we must forsake our selues, to follow Christ, it is so in hoping also▪ Wouldst thou not haue thine heart troubled (saith In Psal. 41 Augustine?) remaine not in thy selfe. Hope in the soule, was like the [...]ree of life in Eden; but since we haue sinned, we are, as it were, cast out from it, and it is k [...]pt by feare, as with a fiery sword, whose blandishing b [...]rreth vs from an euill confidence in our selues, that we might seek a better, eud than tree of life in the holy City, where shall bee no more ourse, no more feare, Dauid cry [...]h in his affliction, O that I had Psal. 55. 6. [...] then would [...] Whither wouldest thou [...] [Page 390] awav, blessed man of God? Where is that wildernesse? From God? Thou canst not: From the World? What is the worst thereof, if thou hurt not thy selfe? from himselfe to God, is the securest flight. So long as we depend vpon our selues, we shall neuer haue a found hope, and therefore neuer be quiet within our selues; ex­cept a man leaue himselfe, he Bed. in Luc. can neuer aspire to that which is aboue himselfe: in himselfe hee hath a thou­sand arguments of despaire, none of hope; and at the best, hee is full of inconstan­cy and change.

4. Learne meekenes and Lam. 3. 19, 20, 21. humilities Remembring mine affliction and my miserie, the [Page 391] wormewood and the gall: my soule hath them stil in remem­brance, and is humbled in me: this I call to my mind, there­fore I haue hope. The rich man trusted in his increase, and said, This will I doe, I will Luk. 12. 18, 19. pull downe my barnes, and build greater,—and I will say to my soule, Thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres, take thine ease.— But he was deceiued in that hope: the Matth. 11. 29. surest way is to learne meek­nesse and lowlines of Christ: for so wee shall find rest for our soules, the rest we hope for, the hope we rest in.

5. Labor for the peace and testimony of a good consci­ence, by submitting thy self to the gouernmēt of his ho­ly spirit, & a careful and con­stant [Page 392] abandoning those fins, which by a strict examina­tion thou findest most reig­ning in thee: for the king­dome Rom. 14. 17. of God is in rightcous­nesse peace, and ioy of the holy Ghost: the ground is layed downe, Rom. 5. 1, 2. and S. 1. Iohn 3. 21. Iohn saith, If our beart con­demne vs not, then haue wee boldnesse toward God. But there is no peace to the wic­ked, nor any true hope but in the death of sinne, by the Spirit of Iesus working new­nesse of life, and giuing wit­nesse to our spirits, that wee are his. In the multitude of my thoughts in mine be art thy comforts haue re [...]oyced my Quo [...].odo mala consci­entia tota in desperatione est, sic bona conscientia tota est in spe.—ille sperat, qui bonam con­scientiam gerit. Aug. in Psal. 30. Amor non habit [...] p [...]e­suppo [...]it spe [...]s. 12. q [...]o. 1. Cor. 13. 7. 1. Iohn 4. 17, 18. soule, saith the Psalmist. But how should he bee comfor­ted, who hath no hope, or [Page 393] hope in God, whose consci­ence flyeth him, [...]as [...]a seue [...] reuenger? Be not deceiued, it is not an easie thing to hope in God: the cries of a guilty conscien [...]o will easily preuaile against thy vaine hopes.

6. Loue God, delight in him and his lawes; learne to liue to him that which wee loue, and doe not yet enioy▪ wee hope for. Lone suffereth all things, it be­leeneth all things, it hopeth all things, it endureth all things. Hereby is loue perfect in vs, that wee should haue boldnesse in the day of iudge­ment: There is xo feare in loue, but perfect loue casteth out feare. Faith must giue thee an ass [...]red interest in [Page 394] God, or thou canst neuer de­light in him. The best things delight vs not, except they be some waies ours: the euill man, who delighteth in wic­kednesse, cannot delight in God, nor his lawes, but (like aguish palats, all things, euen the best, distaste them) so rel­lisheth he, as his hart is affec­ted: to those who loue God, 1. Ioh. 5. 3. his commandements are not grituous: Nay (saith the Psal­mist) Psal. 119. 92. vnlesse thy lawes had bin my delight, I should haue peri­shed in mine affliction. Againe hee saith, Delight thy selfe Psal. 37. in the Lord, and hee shall giue thee thine hearts desire. He saith not, Loue nothing, delight in nothing. God for­bid: if yee should loue no­thing, yee should bee dull, [Page 395] dead, loathsome, miserable. Pigri, mor­tus, dete­siandi, miseri eritis. Aug. in Psal. 30. Loue and delight, but not in the world, not in sin (if any man loue the world, the loue of God is not in him) but in him whose loue shall make thee happy, and giue thee firme hope against all mise­rie. Thou must loue him Haec est illa haer [...]ditas—qu [...] bea­tos suos faci [...]s haered [...]s. Bernard. de caen. dom ser. 7. Sine medo [...] te d [...]exit: sine m [...]do e [...]m d [...]lige­re deb [...]. Ib. ser. 1. without measure, because he hath loued thee infinitely: this loue of God is an infal­lible argument, that God lo­ [...]eth thee (for no man can loue him first) which is the most blessed possession. It giueth health to the sicke, light to the blinde, pardon to sinners, life to the dead, ioy to the sad, heauen to the earthly, hope to the discon­solate, assurance to the feare­full: it is the fountaine of [Page 396] blessednesse; it is that sweet and vnspeakeable goodnesse of God, which disuested Sa­tan of his possession in vs, and of enemies, made vs the sonnes of God: it is that soueraigne and diuine anti­dote, which turneth the poi­son of the old Dragon, the Deuils malice, into cordials; and maketh all that he doth against vs in spite, turne to the best for vs. There is but one sure way to an inuinci­ble hope, to liue to this good God, and to haue our con­uersation in heauen, to heare and seuerence him in his lawes, and reioyce in his works: the world smileth, wee are not taken thereby, because our indiuisible loue is to God: one, and to one. [Page 397] It frowneth? Wee depend not on her brow, wee serue her not, we liue to God; it sufficeth vs, that hee loueth vs, and his seruice is our maine care, his power our refuge, his mercy our hope.

7. Learne a Christian mo­deration in prosperitie: mo­derate thy ioyes, allay thy hopes, let neither bee too great in things temporall, and thou hast subdued thy sorrowes. Climbe not too high, or to such place, as hath neither securitie of standing, nor safetie of com­ming downe. Keepe thy mind low; hope not for things greater then necessa­ry vse. Vndertake not things too great for thy managing, but deale in thine owne cal­ling, [Page 398] and according to thine owne strength. Mans hopes are like) the Moones bor­rowed light, the more they are towards heauen, the lesse they shew towards earth; the more towards the earth, the lesse vpward. The [...]oue­tous and ambitious can ne­uer bee truly contented, or haue a sound hope▪ because their desires are either ouer­growne, or euer growing, and aspiring to things aboue their reach.

8. Learne constancy in the practices of Religion: many men would faine find helpe for their distresses of mind, and to this end they are contented to heare, or reade good aduice, which they take, as drunkards phi­sicke, [Page 399] the obseruation of whose strait rules, for a day or two, they follow with a moneths ill dyet, and so, not mending vpon it, they blame that good medicine, which could not enable them to be more euill. Hee that will learne patience to sustaine his hopes, must accustome himself to beare small cros­ses patiently, that by them winning vpon himselfe, and insensibly subduing his own naturall frowardnesse, hee may gather strength to vn­dergoe the greatest. Wee must not thinke, that good habits grow vp, like Ionahs Gourd, in a night; or ripen, like the G [...]pes in the But­lers Gen. 40. 10. dreame: it is not so easie a thing, to learne that [Page 400] true▪ gouernment [...] of thy minde, in which a Christian hope can liue: the Prophet Lam. 3. 24, 25, &c. saith; The Lord is my porti­on, saith my soule, therefore will I hope in him: the Lord is good vnto them that hope i [...] him, and to the soule that seek­ [...]h him. It is good both to trust, and to wait for the salua­tion of the Lord. I; but how shall I gaine this patience [...] Vse is a good teacher: It is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth: hee sitteth a­lone, and keepeth silence, be­cause [...]ee hath borne it vpon him: hee p [...]iteth his mouth in dust, of there may be hope.

9. Passe by none of Gods benefits, without due re­gard and thankfulnes. I shall meet with this point againe [Page 401] in the following parts.

10. Heare the Word of God diligently, and atten­tiuely: sit not at Church, Rom. 10. like those dease Adders which will not be charmed: for as faith, so hope is by Rom. 15. 4. hearing: whatsoeuer things are written aforetime, are written for our learning, that wee, through patience and comfort of the Scrip­tures, Spes funda­ta in diuinis eloquijs. Hy­er [...]. s. Iob. Ier, 17. 7. 8 might haue hope. Hopes grounded hereon; are like trees planted by the water, which spread out their roots by the Riuer. O, did the prophane and careless [...] he a­rer but know, what a sure hope in God were worth at the houre of death, hee would not, for all that wealth or pleasure, which [Page 402] he now idoleth, loose one word or sentence, which falleth from the mouth of the Prophet.

Lastly, Bee frequent in prayer. These two excel­lent precepts are necessarily 1 The [...]. 5. 16, 17. vnited; Reioyce euermore, and Pray continually. We can­not haue any solid hope, in which wee can reioyce, ex­cept we come often into the presence of God by Rom. 15. 13. heartie prayer. The God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing, that yee may abound in hope. It was Pauls prayer for the Romans, it must bee ours for our selues. Prayers must ascend, that grace may descend. Prayers, like a thin vapour drawne vp by the power of [Page 403] the sunne, fall downe in showres of blessings: sweet issue of faithfull prayers. Titus Vespasians Sonne was sayed neuer to send any man sad out of his presence: surely, God neuer dismisseth the humble and faithfull pe­titioner comfortlesse away. Baal beeing called vpon, could not answer, for he was no God, but a senselesse stocke: but our GOD hea­reth his, euen before they speake; he seeth the desire in the heart, euen before it breake out into the tongue: hee helpeth our infirmities, when we know not what to pray, and knoweth the mea­ning of the Spirit. Before Isai. 65. 24. they call, I will answer (saith hee,) and while they speake, I [Page 404] will heare. Diuine efficacie of zealous prayers! Dauid, Psal. 116. sang he de profundis, euen at the gates of death; so did Ion. 2. 17. Ionah in the bellie of his li­uing graue▪ In feare and danger▪ when my soule sain­ted within mee, I remembred the Lord, and my prayer came vnto thee in thy holy Temple: Tell mee, you that forsake your owne mercy, by wai­ting vpon lying vanities, what messenger could haue fetcht comfort so fur? Giue me the vse of that word,— Quis ascendit in [...] Send eloquence to pleade at the gate of Heauen▪ send wisdome to sollicit; send reason to negotiate for thee; send riches, which on earth Act. 12. goeth like the Angell tho­row [Page 405] euery ward of the pri­son, euery doore, (euen the gates of the Temple also;) send greatnesse, send honour to complement; nothing could bring thee hope; only prayers finde accesse to his fauour, through our Media­tor Iesus Christ.

O blessed prayers! ô bles­sed hope! How dost thou carry men beyond reason, beyond expectation▪ be­yond i themselues [...] beyond thy selfe▪ and p [...]ac [...]st them in that estate, which is not onely aboue thee, but with­out thee? For, enioying en­tieth hope▪ as hope begin­neth eternall happinesse in our present assurance.