MIserable are the defects, and many are the infirmities, of the very best of Gods chil­dren in all estates, and degrees; If David a man after Gods owne heart (as the Scri­pture stiles him) be but a while compas­sed about with the hedge of prosperity, he will thinke, nay he will say, he shall ne­ver be moved, Psal. 30. 6. dixi in prosperitate mea non move­bor Psal. 30. 6. in aeternum. If good Hezekiah have but successe in battell, and get the victory over his enemies, he is presently so lifted up with pride of the conquest, and greatnesse of his treasures that he shewes them in ostentation to the Embassadors of Babilon. 2. Kings. 20. 13. So likewise on the contrary, If 2. Kings. 20. 13. God to reclaime his children from this Charybdis of presum­ptuous oblivion or rather indeed oblivious presumption, doe [Page 2] but a little whip them with his rod of adversity, they are in­stantly ready to run into a Scylla of desperate dejection: Thus David himselfe changed his non movebor in aeternum in­to a conturbatus sum, Psal. 30. 7. Nay more, into an Hath God Psal. 30. 7. forgotten to be gracious? and will he shut up his loving mercy in displeasure? Psal. 77. 9. Thus likewise was the Prophet Je­remy Psal. 77. 9. with paine driven to and fro 'twixt hope and despaire, Lam. 3. 18. And I said, my strength and my hope is perished Lam. 3. 18. from the Lord; Such, such (Beloved) is the frailty, and so great is the weakenesse of the very best of Gods Champions, that, what with the considerations of the prosperity of the wicked (at which Davids feete were almost gone, and his steps had well neere slipt: as Psalm. 73. 2) and what on the other side, with the contemplation of the adversity and afflicted life of the righteous, they are so dejected, that they are even rea­dy to faint, if not forsake their colours. Our blessed Saviour therefore with his all-seeing eye observing this pusillanimity in his selected Disciples, to the end they might neither be o­vermuch dejected by viewing the externall felicity of wic­ked worldlings, nor yet on the other side, too farre cast down by reflecting on their owne miseries, he makes them before his assention many choice cordialls against all distractions: As first, Let not your hearts be troubled, ye beleeve in God, be­leeve also in mee, John 14. 1. And againe, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, let not your hearts be troubled nor feare, Jo. 14. 27. And yet againe, These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remaine in you, and that your joy might be full, Jo. 15. 11. And this also of my text, Verily, ve­rily I say unto you, that yee shall weepe and lament, and the world shall reioyce, and ye shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned to joy. Which words doe naturally resolve themselves into these foure particulars, viz. 1 Into serious Prostetation, 2 A sad Lamentation, 3 A mad exultation. 4 A glad alteration,

The serious Protestation in these words, [...]. verily verily I say unto you. The sad lamentation in these, [...]: Ye shall weep, Lament, and [Page 3] sorrow. The mad exultation in these, [...], And the world shall reioyce. The glad Alteration in the last words, [...], but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy. Of these in their order, & first of the first, The serious Protestation [...], verily verily I say unto you.

And here (not to trouble you with any tedious discourse concerning the various acception of this word [...] in the O­riginall) it being taken here neither Nominally for truth, nor Verbally for fiat, or be it so, but for an Adverbiall asseveration, for verè, verily, or truely: The ingemination whereof serves both to invite your best attentions, as also to procure your most heedfull observation to that which followes as most worthy to be received, Verily verily I say unto you; as if Our Saviour Christ had thus said: That which I declare unto you is no doubtfull dreame, no incertaine cogitation; no, nor yet a­ny fickle conjecture, but a most certaine, firme, stable, and in­fallible truth, which shall not be changed, altered, nor revo­ked, it being so decreed by God, and therefore of necessity must really come to passe; doe not therefore thinke that I speake this to you rashly, or slenderly, onely by the way, but know that I am in good earnest, and avouch it constantly, and that with a double asseveration, verily verily I say unto you.

But why did our blessed Saviour thus geminate his asseve­ration? what, would not his single affirmation have beene a sufficient warrant for any to rely on, who was truth it selfe? Or might not his bare word have deservedly obtained credit, who could not lye? For Heaven and Earth shall passe away but not one jot or tittle of his word shall perish or fall to the ground. Surely (beloved) this emphaticall iteration of our Saviours verily here, was to extirpate that secure careles­nesse which he saw lurking in his owne Disciples; he knew full well the parasiticall disposition of mans depraved nature to be such that if it but a while enjoyed peace and prosperity (as altogether forgetfull of its owne miserable condition and never thinking of, much lesse expecting the billowes of imi­nent and approaching adversity) 'twould be ready to sooth [Page 4] up it selfe with a vaine conceit of continued content, even of enjoying perpetuall peace; And therefore, that the suddaine seizure of sad discontents, and fearefull frownings of inexpe­cted oppositions might not over whelme them, our Saviour Christ rouzes them up here, with a most patheticall praedicti­on of their future calamities verily verily I say unto you.

Diseases once discovered are accounted as halfe cu­red, and miseries foretold as halfe prevented premonitio est premunitio, forewarning is thus a fore-arming. Afflicti­ons greatest augmenter is inexpectation: when thwar­ting crosses come suddainely and unlooked for, they di­stract the mind and drive the faculties from their due con­sultation of remedy; Thus the suddaine falling of a house is more perillous then the rising of a flood; for while of the for­mer, the hurt is unavoydable by reason both of the violence and precipitation, the latter through the warning and appea­rance of it's coming is lesse dangerous, lesse prejudiciall; Te­la previsa minus feriunt quam repentina. Christ therefore that neither the suddaine aspect of distastfull afflictions might distract his chosen, nor yet the unlooked for accesse of cruell calamities might offend his children, he forewarnes them Jo 16. 2. here of them: They shall excommunicate you, yea the time shal come that whosoever kills you will thinke that he doth God ser­vice; Jo 16. 4. But these things have I told you, that ye should not be of­fended; and these things have I said unto you that when the houre shall come, ye might remember that I told you them, For Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weepe lament and sorrow.

O then put we not far off the evill day, but rather provide we for perillous times, for much more hard is the winter to the grassehopper then the pismire, who before having stored 1 Thess: 5. verses 6 & 8. her garner, is now able to withstand a famine. Let us not therefore sleepe as doe others, but let us watch and be sober, let us which are of the day put on the breast plate of faith, and love, and the hope of salvation for an helmet, for verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow. And this be breifly spoken of my first particular, the serious protestation, verily [Page 5] verily I say unto you. The second followes, which is the sad Lamentation, exprest in these words, ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow.

Ye shall weep, lament, and sorrow. These three words they have their severall significations: For first [...] ye shall weepe imports a clamourous kind of howling, as Mat. 2, 18. Math. 2. 18. [...], In Rama was a voice heard, mourn­ing, and weeping, and great howling, Rachel weeping for her children &c. Secondly [...], ye shall lament or mourne, denotes a continued course of sorrow and implies an habi­tuall kinde of heavinesse. Thirdly and lastly [...], ye shall sorrow or greive, signifies a dumpish sadnesse or contri­station of the spirits, [ [...], & ne contristate] and greive not the spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. Ci­tius Eph 4. 30. desint lacrymae quàm causa lacrymandi: (so sometime Se­neca) far sooner shall watery teares be wanting, then cause of Seneca. weeping shall cease. For indeed infinite are the causes that force the faithfull to weepe and lament from birth to buriall, yea and of exceeding efficacy are the motives that make the righteous thus to sorrow even from Cradle to Coffin: which as for brevity, so likewise for perspicuities sake I shall en­deavour to reduce to these six subsequent heads.

First therefore every true child of God shall and must 1 cause of wee­ping, our owne sinnes. weepe, both for the Remnants of sin remaining in him, as al­so for his owne actuall sinnes daily committed against God. For this cause Saint Paul wearied with miserable and conti­nuall conflicts, and as yet in part subject to sin cryes out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of death. Rom: 7. 24. And as originall sin wrested this heavy Rom. 7. 24. exclamation from this holy Apostle, so likewise did actuall sinnes wring from that sinfull woman (for so she is stiled Luke 7. 37.) abundance of teares: they turned her lascivious Luk: 7. 37. lookes to lamenting, and her wanton eyes to weeping. Yea and this was the cause that made Saint Peter goe out, and weepe bitterly. Math. 26. 75. Flevit amarè ut lachrymae lava­rent Math: 26. 75. Ambr. delictum, tu similiter lachrymis dilue culpam, So Saint [Page 6] Ambrose, he wept bitterly that teares might cleanse or wash a­way Ambr: his offence, doe thou in like manner purge, and put away thy fault with teares: shed thou teares for thy intemperance, for thy impatience, for thy anger, for thy malice &c.

Secondly ye shall weepe for the sinnes of others too: and 2 cause of wee­ping, others sin. though it be true that the best of Gods children cannot weep too much or rather indeed enough for their owne sinnes, yet must they weepe for the sinnes of others also: like the wi­dow of Zarephta who though she had not meale in her fer­kin nor oyle in her cruse for the susteining of her selfe and her child, yet spared some for the Prophet Elijah. And thus did 1 Kings 17. just Lot weep for the sinfull conversation of the wicked So­domites; for he being righteous & dwelling among them, in seing and hearing, vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds, as 2. Pet: 2. 8. For so great is the holy Indig­nation 2 Pet. 2. 8. that Gods children beare against sinne, and such deepe impression of greife doth the perpetration thereof strike in the righteous, that if it were possible for them to weepe even rivers of teares, yet could not their sorrow be exhausted, un­lesse sinne did cease; witnesse the man after Gods owne heart, mine eyes gush out with rivers of water because men keepe not thy law Psal: 119: 136. This was it that caused Saint Paul Psal. 119. 136. with sorrow and teares, to paint out the false Apostles in their colours Phil: 3. 18. For many walke (saith he) of whom I Phil. 3. 18. have told you often; why then (may some man say) do you tell us any more? Yes and now I tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ. Yea Christ himselfe wept thus for Jerusalem Luke 19. 41, 42. And when he was come Luke 19. 41, 42 neare, he beheld the City and wept for it, saying, O if thou hadst even knowne, at the least in this thy day, those things which be­long unto thy peace! but now are they hid frrom thine eyes. This, this (beloved) is a sure signe of a good Nathaniell and an in­fallible token of a true Israelite, viz: to weepe in secret for the sinnes of others, yea and cry out against the wickednesse committed against God in the land. And the Lord said unto him (viz. the Angell) goe through the midst of the City, even [Page 7] through the midst of Jerusalem and set a marke upon the fore­heads of them that mourne, and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. so ye may find it, Ezekiel. 9. 4. Ezek. 9. 4.

Thirdly, ye shall lament or mourne for the Judgements of 3. Cause of weeping, Open and ge­nerall Judge­ment. God on the land take the Prophet Jeremy for a patterne, who in this case thus cryes out Jer. 4. 19. My belly, my belly, I am pained even at the very heart, mine heart is troubled within mee, I cannot be still: for my soule hath heard the sound of the trum­pet Jer. 4. 19. and the alarme of the battaile, destruction upon destruction &c. and againe Chap. 8. 21. I am sore vexed for the hurt of Jer: 8. 21: the daughter of my people, I am heavy, and astonishment hath ta­ken mee. Nay yet more pathetically doth this Prophet declare his compassionate greife for this people, and therefore as one that could never sufficiently lament their destruction, he cryes out, Oh that mine head were full of water, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people. Oh that I had in the wilder­nesse a cottage of way-faring men &c. as Jer. 9. 1, 2. Jer 9. 1, 2.

Fourthly ye shall mourne for the afflictions of poor Ioseph; 4 Cause of weeping, private and par­ticular Afflicti­ons. and as feeling members one of anothers misery, ye shall la­ment for those that are tost from post to pillar, that are dri­ven from house and home, (in a word) that are for Christs sake brought to great extremity. They drinke wine in bowles (saith the Prophet Amos) and anoint themselves with the cheif ointments, but no man is sorry for the afflictions of Ioseph There­fore now shall they go captive, with the first that go captive, &c. Amos 6. 6. 7. Amos 6. 6, 7. mine eye casteth out rivers of water for the destru­ction of the daughter of my people, yea mine eye droppeth with­out stay and ceaseth not, Lam: 3. 48, 49. Lam. 3. 48. 49.

Fifthly, ye shall sorrow for the losse of deare freinds, thus 5 Cause of weeping, losse of freinds. 2. Sam. 1. 26. 2 Sam. 18. 33. Jo. 11. 35. 6 cause of weep­ing, our pilgri­mage here, David sorrowes for the losse of deare Ionathan, woe is mee for thee my brother Ionathan 2 Sam. 1. 26. and he is likewise greatly perplexed with the untimely death of his sonne Ab­salom 2 Sam: 18. 33. thus Mary yea and Christ himselfe doe weepe for Lazarus Io: 11. 35.

Sixthly and lastly, ye shall sigh and sorrow to because you [Page 8] are but as Pilgrims here, sitting by the rivers of Babel, (the world according to Saint Chrysostomes glosse, opprest with various calamities) weeping at the remembrance of your spirituall Sion. For therefore we sigh, earnestly desireing to be clothed with our house which is from heaven, so Saint Paul, 2 Cor: 5. 2. verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weepe, la­ment, 2 Cor. 5. 2. and sorrow. [Ye shall weepe] for your owne sinnes, and 2 for the sinnes of others: [Ye shall lament] 3 for the Judge­ments of God on the land, and 4 for the afflictions of poore Joseph: [Ye shall sorrow] 5 for the losse of deere freinds, and 6 for your owne bitter peregrination here in this world.

Pilgrimage you know is alwaies perillous, Gods children then who are but pilgrimes here, must not expect an immu­nity Observat. 1 from the crosse, nor must the righteous think to be free from afflictions: no, we must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God, as Acts 14. 22. yea and all that will live godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution, as 2 Tim 3. 12. Acts 14. 22. Dearly beloved thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall 2 Tim. 3. 12. which is among you, as though some strange thing were come un­to you, as 1 Pet. 4. 12. In the world ye shall have affliction for the servant is not better then his Lord, nor the disciple above his 2 Pet. 4 12, Master, as Math. 10. 24. If therefore they have done these things to the greene tree, what shall become of the dry? verily ve­rily Mat 10. 24. I say unto you, that ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow. Luke 23. 31.

The reason is evident, for ye are not of the world saith our Saviour, Io. 15. 19, in the world therefore ye shall have afflicti­on. Reason 1 There is no concord 'twixt Christ and Belial, nor is there Jo. 15. 19. 2 Cor: 6. 14. 15 any agreement 'twixt light and darknesse.

R. 2 Secondly ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow, because ye are by Christ the adopted children of God, it is meet therefore that ye become like unto him in affliction, who hath already trode this path of tribulation.

R. 3 Thirdly and lastly ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow, be­cause troubles are the surest tutors of goodnesse; before I was afflicted (saith David) I went astray, but now I keepe thy word. Psal. 119. 67. How many would have died ill, if they had liv­ed Psal. 119. 67. [Page 9] merrily without affliction? God hath severall waies to reduce his little flocke from the stragling by pathes of de­struction, yet I am perswaded none, (none I say) more pow­erfull then affliction, which sends the soule to meditation, whereby she sees the worlds follies in such true colours of va­nity, that no sound discretion can think them worth the doting on. Ideo enim Deus foelicitatibus terrenis amaritudi­nes misoet, ut illa quaeratur foelicitas cujus dulcedo non est fallax. Aug. super Mat. Serm. 29. For therefore doth God intermingle bitter in gredients with his best terrestriall blessings, that that blessing might be sought after whose sweetnesse is not counterfeit. so Saint Augustine. And indeed we should surfeit with the counterfeit sweetnesse of externall affluencies, were not our prosperities a little cor­rected with the bitter pills of atflictions: 'twas good for me saith the prophet David, that I was afflicted, that I might Psal. 119. 71. learne thy statutes. 'Tis noe small abatement to the bitter­nesse of adversities, that they teach us the way to heaven. Therefore it is that ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow, viz. because troubles are the best, the surest tutors of good­nesse.

Prosperity is not then an infallible token of Gods Church, Use. 1 nor is externall felicity the undoubted badge of a true Chri­stian; No, Praesentis vitae prosperitas innocentiae testis non est, quià multi ad perrennem vitam per flagella redeunt, & plerique ad infinita supplicia prrducendi, sine flagello moriuntur. so, Greg, in moral. Greg. in moral: that is, the prosperity of this present life is no e­vident witnesse of any mans innocency or integrity, because ma­ny by adversities whip do come to everlasting life, and most of all that dye without it, are led unto endlesse torments. The crosse, the crosse I say is the true character of Christs cho­sen, Math. 16. 24. Math. 10. 38. Mark. 8. 34. Luke. 9. 23. if any man will be my disciple (saith our Saviour) he must take up his crosse and follow me.

Judge not then of any man by his outward appearance, nor Use 2 doe you pronouce any man the happier for wallowing in worldly felicities; for difficile (saith Saint Hiero in one of his Epistles) imo impossibile est ut praesentibus & futuris [Page 10] quis fruatur bonis, ut & hic ventrem, & tibi mentem imple [...], Heiro in Epist. quadam. ut a deliciis ad delicias transeat, & in utroque saeculo primus [...] ut in terra & in caelo appareat gloriosus: "that is, 'tis very hard yea almost impossible that any man should enjoy both the good things of this life, and of that which is to come, that he should fill his belly or satiate his desires here, and his mind or will hereafter, that he should passe from delights unto delights, that he should be happy in both ages, that hee should appeare both glorious here on earth, and glorious hereafter in heaven." And Solomon renders us a reason hereof, For the Lord correcteth him whom hee loveth, even as a father doth the childe in whom hee de­lighteth, Provtrb. 3. 12. If therefore ye be without corre­ction, Prov. 3. 12. whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and [...] sonnes. 'Tis the Apostles expression Heb 12. 8. God indeed Heb. 12. 8. had one Son sine flagitio, but never any sine flagello, one with­out offence, but none without affliction. Hence is that of Saint Aug. in quodam Serm: Augustine. Nullus servus Christi sine tribulatione est; Si pa­tas te non habere persecutiones, nondum coepisti esse Christiann [...], that is, "None of Christes Servants are without tribulation if therefore thou thinkest thou thinkest thou hast no persecutions, thou hast not yet begun to be a Christian; for verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow."

And must the Crosse thus goe before the Crowne? O the [...] Ʋse. 3 be ye patient all ye that mourne in Sion; say with holy [...] in your afflictions, shall we receive good at the hands of God and not evill? Iob 2. 10. and with David, submit your selves Job. 2. 10. to Gods good pleasure saying with him also, here am I, let him doe to mee as seemeth good unto him 2 Sam: 15. 26. Nei [...] 2 Sam. 15. 26. dignemini, si mali in hoc mundo floreant & vos patimini, qui [...] non est Christianae religionis in hoc mundo exaltari, sed deprimi [...] Mali nihil habent in coelo, vos nihil in mundo: sed spe illius be­ni ad quod tenditis, quicquid in via contigerit gaudere debet [...] so venerable Beda, that is, Doe you not disdaine nor repi [...] Beda. though wicked men do flourish in this world and you suffer, for [Page 11] 'tis not for Christian Religion to be in this world exalted, but de­prest, & kept under: wicked men haue nothing to do in heaven, you nothing in the world: But ye ought rather to reioyce and pati­ently indure whatsoever shall happen to you in the way, for the hope of that good unto which ye tend. Blessed are they that suf­fer persecution for righteousnesse sake, for theirs is the King­dome of Heaven, Matth: 5. 10. How should this animate, Math. 5. 10. how should this encourage all Gods children cheere­fully to undergoe all those miseries which here they suf­fer, though they seeme never so harsh, never so greivous? especially seeing they cannot be compared with the recom­pence, that shall be given us hereafter. If the threatning sur­ges of the raging sea are by Mariners sleighted, if the tempe­stuous stormes of frosty winter are by husbandmen negle­cted, if cruell wounds and truculent slaughters are by soldi­ers set at naught, (in a word) if heavy blowes and danger­ous stripes seeme as nothing, and are easily borne by stout and valiant champions, and that onely for the vaine hope of attai­ning some perishing pelfe, or atcheiving some temporall con­quest, Then how much more should the momentany, the light 2 Cor. 4. 17. afflictions of this present life, (for so they are stiled) be by us neglected, and not easily onely, but cheerefully endured, for whom is certainly prepared, not a temporall, but an eternall waight of glory in the heavens? Wherefore let us also, seing that we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, cast away e­very thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on so fast: let us run with patience the race that is set before us; loo­king unto Iesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the crosse, and despi­sed the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider therefore him that endured such contradiction of sin­ners, lest ye should be wearied and saint in your mindes; so the Apostle Heb: 12. 1, 2, 3. and this of my second particular, Heb. 12. 1, 2, 3. various accepti­ons of the world. the sad Lamentation, Ye shall weepe, lament, and sorrow. I passe on to the third which is the mad exultation conteined in these words, [...], but the world shall rejoyce.

The world shall reioyce; By world here is not meant the creatures, nor glorious fabricke of the universe; nor second­ly the beleivers, the righteous, or world of Elect; But in the third place, the unbeleivers, the ungodly, in a word, the world of wicked and unregenerate men, of which our blessed Saviour speakes Io. 15. 18. If the world hate you, ye know it hated Jo. 15. 18. mee before you.

But what? shall children be beaten with the rod, and shall slaves goe free? shall children serve at the table, and shall ser­vants sit downe? shall Gods deare children weepe, lament▪ and sorrow, and shall the wicked worldlings rejoyce? Ye [...] beloved, Truth it selfe hath spoken it, and David seing it ve­rified, ingeniously confessed his feet were almost gone and his tradings had well neere flipt. Psal. 73. 2. It hath indeed beene Psal. 73. 2. alwayes a great temptation to the godly, to see the wicked enemies of God in prosperity, and to behold his deare chil­dren in adversity; wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper▪ (saith Ieremy) and why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse? Ier: 12. 1. wherefore dothe wicked live (saith Iob) Jer. 12. 1 wax old, and grow in wealth? Iob. 21. 7. Certainely saith David I have clensed my heart in vaine and washed mine hands in in­nocency, Psal. 73. 13. for daily have I beene punished and chastened every morning. Psal. 37. 2. Psal. 73. 13.

Thus beloved (though God be just in all his works and holy in all his wayes yet) man is not able to give a reason of all his deeds: David himselfe saw not the end of these men till he went into the Sanctuary of God, namely, how they were set in slippery places, and though they seeme to flourish for a while like greene bay trees, yet are they soone cut downe like the grasse, and Psal. 37. 2. withered even as the greene herbe; O how soone doe they consume, perish, and come to a fearefull end! The righteous indeed shall be punished, but as for the seed of the ungodly it shall be rooted out at the last. Psal. 37. 29. Psal. 37. 29.

[...], mundus autem gaudebit, But the Observ. 2 world shall rejoyce. The vilest men upon earth (you see) may have a time of mirth in this world: The wickedest [Page 13] wretches under the cope and canopy of heaven may have a time of rejoyceing, a time of prosperity here. Loe, saith Da­vid,) These are the wicked, yet prosper they alway and increase in riches, Psal. 73. 12. The earth (saith Iob) is given into the hand of the wicked. Iob. 9. 24. Did not cursed Cham rejoyce a while? had not cruell Cain a time of prosperity here on earth? had not the filthy Sodomites a time of jollity in this world? Had not hard-hearted Pharaoh a time of mirth in Aegypt? breifely, had not hypocriticall Saul, had not wick­ed Haman, had not treacherous Iudas their severall times of rejoycing? And at this day with us, have not blasphemous swearers, debauched Drunkards, prophane Papists, and Neu­teralizing Atheist, have not these I say their severall times of delight and pleasure here? we cannot deny it, [...], mundus enim gaudebit, for the world shall rejoyce.

And is not this the Reason, namely because they have Reason 1 their portion here, because their heaven is upon earth, in a word, because they have all the joy here that ever they are like to have. Nam qui hic consolantur indigni tua consolatione habentur; so Aug. in Soliloque, for they that are comforted here Aug: in Soli­loq: with the worlds consolations are counted unworthy of thy hea­venly consolations hereafter. Sonne remember, saith Abraham to Dives, that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus his paines: now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented, Luke 16. 25. Luk. 16. 25.

Secondly, wicked men have a time of mirth, a time of Reason. 2 prosperity here; that they may be found without all colour of excuse at the dreadfull day of Judgement: for by it they are as it were fatted up against the day of slaughter. But I passe on to the objects of this worldly joy, and (as most pertinent to my purpose in hand,) I proceed to shew you, wherein Worldlings de­light in vvhat the godly la­ment. so. wicked men doe thus rejoyce.

Now the Object of the worlds Joy is fourefold: wicked men I say rejoyce especially in these foure things: First in their owne sinnes, Secondly in the sinnes of others, Thirdly in the miseries of others, and Fourthly and lastly in doing mis­cheife unto others.

They rejoyce first in their owne sinnes, Psal. 10. 3. The 1 Their owne sins, Psal. 10. 3. Moler. Com. in locum. Superbia (inquit) impios eousque prove­hit, ut non tan­tum pravis suis cupiditatibus securi indulge­ant, sed etiam spreto & con­tempto dei judi­cio de sua cupi­ditate, & scele­ribus glorien­tur, seque omni­reatu absolvant. wicked hath made boast of his owne hearts desire, and the cove­teous blesseth himselfe in his wickednesse, (that is saith Molerus commenting on the place, The wicked rejoyce in their sinnes, and contemning Gods Iudgements, glory in their wickednesse; Such rejoycers (as they are,) Solomon derides Ecclesiastes 11. 9. Rejoyce O goung man in thy youth, and let thy dayes cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes, but yet know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgement.

But what? doe wicked men rejoyce only in their owne sinnes? and doth their joy dilate it selfe noe further, then to delight in their owne wickednesse? O yes, beloved, as not content with their owne, they rejoyce in the sinnes of others too, which is the second object of the worlds Joy and wicked mens rejoycing. Thus cursed Cham rejoyced at his fathers 2 Others sins. nakednesse. Gen: 8, 22. and I would to God that this rejoy­cing Gen. 8. 22. were not so common amongst the carowsing Chams of these our dayes, who impudently boast not only of their owne immoderate quaffing and beastly uncleanenesse, but al­so shamelesly glory in the weakenesse and infirmities of o­thers, O how many doe by this meanes draw iniquity with Isaiah. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 5. 6. the coards of vanity, and sin as it were with cartropes? But their rejoycing is not good. so the Apostle 1 Cor: 5, 6.

Neither is the worlds joy confined onely to these two, nor 3 Others mise­ry? yet can these limits comprehend the latitude of wicked mens rejoycing: for as altogether void of compassionate humani­ty and quite destitute of humane compassion (worse then bruite beasts) they rejoyce in the miseries of others; which is the third object of the worlds joy, and wicked mens rejoy­cing. And thus did the bloudy souldiers rejoyce in our bles­sed Saviours misery a little before his passion, putting upon Math: 27. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, &c. him ascarlet robe, and platting a crowne of thornes on his head, bowing in derision before him, with a HAILE KING OF THE JEVVES, thus likewise the high Preists mocking him, with the Scribes & Elders, said, he saved others, himself he cannot save: [Page 15] in a word, thus they that stood by at the time of his extreame torment, on the crosse, when he cryed with a loud voyce, Eli, E­li lamasabacthani, mockt him, with a this man calleth for Elias, when alas they knew well enough what he meant; they al­luded to Elias name, not for want of understanding the tongue but out of a prophane, impudent, and sawcy mockery, thus rejoyced in his misery. Thus also was holy David in his wo­full calamities derided by wicked Caitiffs, Lord (saith he) how Psal: 94, 3. long shall the wicked, how long shall the ungodly triumph? all they that see me have me in derision, they make a mowe, and nod Psal. 22. 7, 8. the head saying, he trusted in God that he would deliver him, let him deliver him if he will have him. And again, I puton sack­cloth Psal 109. 24. also and they jested upon mee, they that sit in the gate speake against mee, and the drunkards make songs upon mee. But what Psal. 69. 11. 12. need I spend so much time in illustrating this third object of the worlds joy, & wicked mens rejoycing, when, alas, wofull experience daily demonstrates the same, in infinite examples at home amongst our selves. May not every true religious man, in his misery say with holy Job, there are none but moc­kers with mee. Job. 17. 2. Let any of Gods children be in mise­ry, Job. 17. 2. in any kind of calamity, and is there not instantly some in­sulting Shemei that in stead of a comfort returnes a curse? But let them know that the Lord will recompence them their wic­kednesse, and destroy them in their owne malice. as it is Psal. 94. Psal. 94. 23. at the last verse.

The fourth and last object of the worlds Joy, and wicked 4. Their owne private working of wickednesse. mens rejoycing, is in doing mischeife cunningly and secret­ly to others. And thus did wicked Doeg rejoyce in his malici­ous slandering of and mischeivous detracting from holy Da­vid. Ps: 52. 1, 2, 3, and 4 verses. Why boastest thou thy selfe thou Psal. 52, 1, 2, 3, 4. tyrant, that thou canst doe mischeife? Thy tongue imagineth mischeife, and is like a sharpe razor that cutteth deceitfully. Thou lovest all words that may doe hurt, O thou false tongue. In this doe all slandering Sycophants rejoyce, yea and this is the object of the deceitfull Tale-bearers Joy: How glad is the one if he can but prejudice his neighbour, though it be by [Page 16] putting in the paragoge, dicier for dici? And how merry is the other if he can but cunningly mischeife his brother, though it be by false & forged accusations? Particular instances in this case are but superfluous, when as the common course of the world is a continuall example. For Whence, I pray, proceed al­most all jarres? whence come so many heavy distastes, but frō fals accusers, & flattering Doegs? For without wood, saith Solo­mon, the fire is quenched, & without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth: The words of a Talebearer are as flatterings, and they goe down into the bowells of the belly. that is, they take deepe impressi­on, and are soone and easily beleived. Prov: 26. 20, and 22. verses. And thus much be spoken of the Objects of the Prov: 26. 20. and 22. verses. worlds joy wherein wicked men doe thus rejoyce: A word or two now of the qualities thereof or notes how to know it. Notes how to know the worldlings Joy. 1 False.

The qualities of this wordly Joy, are two. First, it is a False joy. Secondly, it is a Short joy. First I say it is a false joy. for the heart is heavy, in the midst of it, even in laughing the heart is sorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heavinesse, as Prov. 14. 13. And like Belshazzars Mirth and Jollity, 'tis mixt with trembling terrour; as his at the hand writing on the wall, so theirs at the gastly checks of their guilty con­sciences. I appeale to every mans particular conscience here present, whether he findes not, or at least hath not found by his owne experience, this joy to be meerely an induction to greife. And therefore Solomon the wisest man that ever was gives it the name of Madnesse. Ecclesiastes. 2. 2. I have said Prov: 14. 13. Dan. 5. 5, 6. Eccles. 2. 2. of laughter thou art madnesse, and of joy what is this that thou doest? It is better saith Saint Gregory in the words of Solo­mon, to enter into the house of mourning, then the habitation of such rejoycing. If this beloved be not sufficient to bring wick­ed-men quite out of conceit with this their mirth, or rather indeed madnesse; nor enough to quaile their courage in the eager pursuit of such worldly joy, if yet it's venome lies hid under the garment of good likeing, Let them know in the second place, that it is as short as false; and though it may [Page 17] seeme to tickle our senses for a while, yet it quickly slideth and suddainly slippeth away, alwayes leaving behind it oc­casions rather of repentance, then of calling it againe to re­membrance. Knowest thou not this of old, and since God placed man upon the earth, That the rejoyceing of the wicked is short, and that the joy of Hypocrites is but for a moment? Though his 2 It's shortnes. Job. 20. 4. 5, 6, and 7, verses. Eccles. 7, 8. Excellency mount up to the heaven, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet shall he perish for ever like his dung, and they which have seene him shall say, where is he? He shall flee away as a dreame, and they shall not find him, and he shall passe away as a vision of the night: so Zophar to Job, Job 20. 4, 5, 6, and 7. verses. How little a time did Herod injoy his Herodias? Not unfitly therefore is the lasting of this joy likened to the crackling of thornes under a pot, no sooner flashing, but in­stantly fleeting. Ecclesiastes 7. 8.

Who then is there here present so deeply wedded to this Use. worldly joy, that will not now choose rather with Moses to suffer affliction with the children of God, then to enjoy the plea­sures of sinne for a season, for so little a time, so short a space? Heb. 11. 25. What prophane Esau will loose his birth-right Heb. 11. 25. for a messe of poore pottage? I meane, will hazard heavenly mansions, for a minute of earthly mirth? That will prefer one poore draught of the worlds transitory Nepenthe, before his owne endlesse drowning in eternall perdition? Choose O choose rather, my beloved to weepe, lament, and sorrow here with Gods children, then with the world to rejoyce; for then your sorrow shall be turned into joy, which is the fourth and the last particular of my text, The glad alteration, and comes now in order to be spoken of: of which but breifly because I would not be too tedious.

[...]. But your sorrow shall be turned into joy: This is good newes indeed; were it not for this, our hearts might have burst with greife, before the glasse had beene out, or the Sermon ended: For if in this life onely we have hope in Christ, we are then of all men the [Page 18] most miserable, witnesse Saint Paul. 1 Cor: 15. 19. Yea then 1 Cor: 15 19. with David might we justly say, Certainely we have clensed our hearts in vain, and washt our hands in Innocency; for daily have we beene punished and chastened every morning Psal: 73. 13. For what are we else, beloved, but as so many common Psal. 73 13. balls banded up and downe here on the racket of the world? Yet here is our comfort, here is our consolation, Our sorrow shall be turned into joy. A glad alteration indeed. 'Tis a good conclusion that makes the premises so to be esteemed of: a sweet relish at the leaving off makes that draught delight­full, which at the first did taste unpleasant. Exitus acta pro­bat: hence our English proverb, That's well that ends well. Better we know is a bad begining that concludes well, then a prosperous onset that ends in complaint. What then though our beginings here be bitter? Sorrowes overblowen are pleasant: Dulce est meminisse laborum, That which hath beene hard to suffer is sweet to remember: what therefore though we have here a wet and a watery Spring tyde, we shall be sure to have a cleere and a joyfull harvest; They that sow in teares shall reape in joy: Your sorrow shall be turned in­to Joy.

The kinds of this joy of verity (for so Saint Augustine stile [...] it) into which our sorrow shall be turned, I finde to be three▪ 3 Sorts of joy. viz: in gaudium fidei, in gaudium charitatis, in gaudium aeter­nitatis. First into the joy of Faith, secondly into the joy of Charity, and thirdly and lastly into the joy of Eternity. First into the joy of Faith and of this joy we read Luke, 1. 1 Of Faith. Luk. 1. 46. 47. 46, 47. Where the blessed virgin breakes out into her Magnificat, My soule (saith she) doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoyceth in God my saviour. Secondly into the joy of 2 Of Charity. Charity and love one with another; And such was Saint Pauls joy in Philemon, love, Philem: 7. and in the Corinthians to [...] Philem. 7. 2 Cor: 7. 4. 2 Cor: 7. 4. The Lord of his mercy in his good time turne all our sorrowes into this joy, This joy of brotherly Love, and true Christian Charity one towards another; that soon we may againe see how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Psal. 133. 1. [Page 19] brethren to dwell together in unity. Thirdly and lastly our sor­row 3 Of Eternity shall be turned into the joy of Eternity, and of this joy we read, Isay. 51, 11. Therefore the redeemed of the Lord Isaiah. 51. 11. shall returne and come with joy unto Sion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: They shall obteine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flee away; This joy is perma­nent, and by Christ promised to all Gods faithfull servants: Math. 25. 21. Eugè bone serve, well done good and faithfull servant, enter in­to thy Masters ioy: where are things which neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor ever entred into the heart of man to conceive. as 1 Cor: 2. 9. Saint Aug: meditating on this joy, 1 Cor. 2. 9. breakes out into an O gaudium vitale, gaudium sempiternum & sempiternè beatum, gaudium sine moerore, gaudium super gaudium, gaudium vinceus omne gaudium, extra quod non est gaudium &c. That is, O living Joy, Joy eternall and eternal­ly blessed, Joy without sorrow, Joy above Joy, Joy excelling all [...]oy, without which there is noe Joy &c.

And now beloved choose ye one of these two, either by Applic: prosecuting still (with wicked worldlings) the vaine plea­ [...]ures and delights of this life, with them to weepe, and la­ment eternally in the life to come, or else by participating with the righteous in their sorrowes, with them also to par­take in this ioy of eternity, into which their sorrowes shall be turned: Ʋbi erit omne bonum, & non erit aliquod malum; [...]i erit quicquid voles, & non erit quicquid noles; ubi non e­ [...]t Aug. in Soliloq. host is impugnans, nec ulla illecebra, sed summa & certa se­ [...]ritas, secura tranquillitas, tranquilla jucunditas, jucunda [...]elicitas, foelix aeternitas, aeterna beatitudo, beata Trinitas, Trinitatis unitas, Ʋnitatis Deitas, & Deitatis beata visio. so Saint Aug: in Soliloq. That is, where there shall be all good and noe evill, where there shall be whatsoever thou wouldst have, and nothing that thou wouldst not have. Where there shall be noe enemy to resist, nor any allurement to intise, but sure and [...]fe security, secure tranquillity, tranquilliucundity, pleasant [...]appinesse, happy eternity, eternall blessednesse, The Blessed Tri­ [...]ty, the Ʋnity of the Trinity the deity of that Ʋnity, and the [Page 20] blessed vision of the deity; unto which mountain of joifull hap­pinesse, and happy ioyfullnesse, he in his good time translate us out of this vale of miserable sorrowes, and sorrowfull mi­series; even he who hath so deerely bought us, Iesus Christ the righteous, To whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed all honour, and glory, power and domini­on, might, and maiesty, both now and for evermore, Amen.