The PRINTER to the READER.

THe Learned Author of these insuing Divine Poems, (The soules Solace in times of trou­ble,) having with great paines, care and in­dustrie, perused divers Authors for the furthe­rance of this his Worke, as thou maist perceive by the first printed sheet thereof; and leaving the same to my dispose, I finding the said quotations so far to exceed the place, against which they ought to stand, that according to di­vers printed Bookes, I resolved (for thy ease and benefit) with­out my Authors consent, to place them at the end of the said Poems in a faire Character, with reference to each page and line, marked with severall letters of the Alphabet: as thus (a) &c. where thou maist easilie find them. And so I commend them with the whole un­to thee, resting

To the indifferent Reader.

REaders, you I meane th [...]e are led by reason, not by affection, when this or any other Booke presents it selfe to your view or censure, read not to contradict, nor to be­lieve, but weigh and consider, despise not the matter for the meannesse of the stile; solid and sober natures have more of the ballast then of the saile; decaying Merchants have many tricks to uphold the credit of their wealth and ability, empty and barren braines fine glistering phrases and flourishes to m [...]intaine the credit of their sufficiency, discretion of speech is more then elo­quence, and to speake agreeably to those with whom we deale is more then to speak in learned words. Christ for the good of the towne where he was brought up (a patterne imi­table) went, nay [...], travelled from Galilee to Nazaret, from a Village to a Hamlet, from a great City to a small Village, Sic vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi: I, for the good and benefit as well of the rude and unlearned, as other­wise, have layd aside Poetical Additions, Allegories and Il­lusions, darke and obscure Parables, Phrases, and flourishes, (wherewith some mens writings are unreasonably stuft) and observ'd (though perhaps with more difficulty and paines) this plainnesse of writing, that so I might be un­derstood of the meanest capacity: Charge me not with arrogancie nor presumption, for as I know that facultie [Page] and ability ought to goe before practice, because the object cannot bee received without the instrument, so I also know that where these are bestowed they either are or should bee operative, because the object is ordained for the facultie, unumquodq, est propter operationem suam, I sp [...]ake not this to animate and encourage those, who only out of a diabo­licall spirit of pride, envie, or arrogancie, will undertake that funct [...]on which they are neither called to nor qualified for & here I cannot but admire at the abominable impuden­cie of many proud Iesabels in these times, who imitate their Grandmother Eve in usurping the office of teaching, and their sister Miriam, in grudging and murmuring against Moses and Aaron: None might presume to enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum but the high Priest; the Egyptians had their mysteries in Hyeroglyphick letters lest the vul­gar should dive into them, Sutor ne ultra crepidam, let not the Shoemaker goe beyond his last, let the Cobler attend his boote, the Water man his boat, the Fisherman his bait, and the Scholer his books, an hammer is for the Smith, a Homer for the Schoole.

We may justly take up that complaint which St. Hierom made against some in his time, Quod medicorum est promittant medici, tractant fabria fabri, sola scriptura­rum ars est quam sibi omnes vendicant, hanc garrula anus, hanc delirus senex, hanc sophista verbosus, hanc universi praesumunt & lacerant. But I will say to such, as Basil once did to an Emperors Co [...]k, who thought himself to be [...], and was foolishly and arrogantly prating about matters of faith and religion, tuum est pul­menta curare non divina eloqui à decoquere, it belongs to thee to mind thy cookeries, and not to meddle with points of divinity: O imprudent impudent men and women, put [Page] chaines and fetters upon your hands and feet, (your actions and affections) not those wherewith Venus Morpho was bound among the Lacedemonians, but fetters of reason and civilitie, put a ring upon your lips, not of brasse (according to the custome of the Egiptian women) but of prudence and modestie, but this by the way, I returne to the Reader. Out of an overweening opinion of your owne worthinesse and abi­lity, undervalue not another, the more ignorant many times the more impudent, if you have better parts you should have better manners; the most eloquent may learn humility, and he that thinks himself the wisest may discourse at large of his uowe folly: Censure not the plainnesse of my writing, nam haec animis non auribus scripsi, If any thing appeare childish, and upon further triall be so, impute [...]t the tender­nesse of my years, if not so, to the slendernesse of your judge­ments; If any thing may be variously taken, let charitie move you to make the best construction therof, if you say it is in the accusative case, I answer, it is also in the plurall num­ber, and therefore none needs be offended. Lastly, your fa­vourable acceptance of the first fruits of these my unvar­nished labours for the present, will not onely encourage but engage me to the like respective service to you for the future.

To all the afflicted.

Iob 5.6 7. Iob 7. usu (que) ad 6. vers. MAN and sorrow are like Hypocrates his twins, two inseparable ad­juncts, and his life may fitly be resembled to Ezekiels rool, full of lamentations; to the moones of A­prill, spent in continuall showers of griefe, ubi finis unius mali gra­dus futuri, where clouds of ad­versity are ever breeding, and the farewell of one sor­row, is but a welcome to another; yet the godly man, as if he were the sole-borne heire to sufferings, hath for the most part the largest possessions in this field of sor­row, in this vale of misery; so that the profession of Christ, Psal 79 4 5. in respect of outward calamities, which are ma­ny; the contrarieties between the Flesh and the Spirit, which are implacable; the assaults of the Divell, strong oppositions, and corrupt conversation of wicked men may seem a burthen insupportable; yet truth it self, and the testimonies of godly men sufficiently declare, That the waies of the Lord are not grievous, Psal. 119.40. and that his commandements are not burthensome: for frst, The regenerate are partakers of the divine nature of Christ, whereby they are inabled to doe and suffer all things, Credenti omnia sunt possibilia, Iohn 1.5. all things are posible to [Page] them that beleeve. Secondly, they have spirits well qualified, humble and meek minds, loving and tractable dispositions towards Christ, and love takes away diffi­culty, leve fit quod bene fertur onus, love makes a heavie burthen light. Thirdly, they have Christ the head of all the faithfull, as fellow-members to sympathize with them in their sufferings, & solamen miseris socios h [...]buisse doloris, they have the God of hosts within them, the hosts of the Lord without them, the God of hosts, and all the hosts of God for them; if men dare offend, God will and can defend: What need Mattheus care if an angry Peter cut off his eare, if Christ be by to cure it a­gaine? What need Iob feare the roaving Sabbeans, and robbing Chaldeans, if Gods protection uphold him? What need Lot feare to bee carried away cap­tive, if Abraham follow to redeem him? What need a Christian feare to sustaine trouble, sorrow, need, sick­nesse, or any other adversity, since Christ the Son of God will make his yoake easie, and God our tender Father will in his due time both ease & release us? Yea God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Ghost are ever ready to apply their helping hands, and wee commonly say, multorum manibus grande levatur onus, many hands make light worke: Yet in the holy Scrip­tures, we finde that many godly and Religious men (through the imbecility of the flesh, the extremity of paine, and strong assaults of the Divell thereupon) have been for a time so possessed with a spirit of heavinesse, th [...]t they have appeared to themselves and others, for a time, as men utterly lost and forsaken, and by this means have beene made unfit to serve God, and scandalized their Religion; to prevent this and such like evills [Page] which might hence arise, I have in this small Treatise proposed to your serious consideration: First, the bre­vity of affliction or difference between the Crosse and the Crowne. Secondly, the benefit that comes to the soule by affliction. Thirdly, what Christ hath suffered for us. Fourthly, the ends why God afflicts his people. Fifthly, the author of affliction. And these five thoughts, as Davids five smooth stones being rightly placed in the sling of the heart, and levelled by the steady hand of faith, will be sufficiently able to beat down the great Goliah of our soules despaire: first, consider the diffe­rence between the Crosse and the Crowne; the brevity of suffering, the perpetuity of reigning; afflictions are but for a short time, during the time of this present life, I count, Rom. 8.18. 2 Cor. 12. saith the Apostle. &c.

Therefore the time of affliction is sometime termed a day of triall, sometimes a night of sorrow: Heavinesse may endure for a night, saith the Psalmist, but joy comes in the morning; sometimes to an houre, of watching, as Christ said to his three Disciples, Matth 26.40. Can you not watch with me one houre? Besides this, the burthen of afflictions, 2. Tim. 2 12. 2 Cor. 1.2, 3, 4, 5. hath consolations qualifying; As the sufferings of Christ doe abound, so his consolati­ons much more: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake. Let Stephen have his eyes in prayer to see the heaven opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he shall nor be moved with the stones which the Jewes violently throw at him: Let Moses see him which is invisible, and he shall not feare Pharaoh, but rejoyce rather to suffer with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: Let Paul and Silas consider for whose sake they [Page] are imprisoned, and they will sing and rejoyce in the midst of their sufferings. Secondly, the power of the oppressor is limited, his daies are numbred; I have said you are Gods, but ye shall dye like men: the rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest on the backe of the godly, God will either cut off the oppressor in his fury, or take the oppressed to his mercy; Statutum est omni­bus semel mori, It is appointed for all men once to dye: Quicquid generatur corrumpitur, omne ortum interit: Here is our comfort then, if we dye, we shall live like An­gells; if we live, we shall see our enemies dye like men, & post hac ve [...]it judicium, and then commeth judgement. Christ our blessed Saviour, God and Man, will one day come to exercise a judiciall course against them, other­wise God should be unjust in rewarding, and the godly of all men most miserable. Secondly, Rom. 5.4. Luke 24 26. Rom. 8.17. Acts 14.21. Heb. 12.6 7. consider the be­nefit that comes by affliction, Via crucis, est via lucis, the crosse is the high way to the Crowne; we must goe through Rethshemesh, to Betheden, through many tribulations into the Kingdome of heaven.

Affliction to the soule, is as physicke to the body, more wholesome, then toothsome; for although sim­ply in it selfe it be not good, yet being prescribed, di­rected and ordered by the wise hand of God, it often­times proves very usefull and advantagious to the soul: David speakes upon his owne experience, Psal. 119.71. that it was good for him; and Paul affirmes the same, There is no affliction for the present joyous, but it brings forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse. Adam in the garden of pleasure, was overcome by the Serpent; when Iob up­on the dunghill of misery, was more then a conquerer: Affliction makes men mourne for their sins, & beati [Page] sunt qui l [...]gent, Blessed are they which mourn. Affliction makes men humble, and humility makes the soule hap­py, Deus resistit superbis dat gratiam h [...]nilibus, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble: Affli­ctions make men meek, & beati sunt mites Blessed are the meek, Psal. 3.25. for they shal inherit the earth: Dirigit mansue­tes injudicio, docebit mites in vias suas. Affliction makes men hunger and thirst after righteousnesse: Beati qui [...]surium, Blessed are they, which hunger, &c. Affliction doth purge and purifie the soule, & beati mundo corde, Blessed are the pure in heart, &c.

Heb. 12.1, 2, 4.Thirdly, Inspice vulnera pendentis Christi, sanguinem morientis, pretium redimentis, cicatrices resurgentis, cap [...]t habet inclinatum ad osculandum, cor aptum ad diligendum, brachia extenta ad amplexandum, & totum denique cor­pus expositum ad redimendum Aug. de pas. Christi. Con­sider what Christ hath done, and suffered for thee: Multa dixit, mira fecit durapassus est verba, durlora ver­bera, how he was incarned, and assumeth the nature, not of pure and immortall Angels, but of sinfull mortall men, how he came from Galilee, to Nazaret, from a Region to a hamlet, from Heaven to earth, from Joy to sorrow, from the Crowne to the crosse, from his Fathers house where were many Mansions, to lie in a manger, from a Hall to a stall, from eternall life, to dye a shamefull death, from glory to ignonimie; For he that thought it no robbery to bee equall with God, made himselfe of no reputation, and came downe from Hea­ven, and became man, pro servis Dominus pro gregepa­ster obit, propopulo Rex mactatur, pro milite ductor, and all this he hath done for us, yea when we were his utter enemies; He was wounded for our sins, and broken [Page] for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. Pharmaca sunt potius quam vulnera, vulnera Christi, Curat enim pla­gis vulnera nostra suit. The serious and right conside­ration of these things will make us truly submissive, humble and thankfull, and to cry out with the Prophet David. Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae tribuit mihi, primo nihil eram & fecit me, pererar quaesivit me, Psal. 116.11. quaerens invenit me, lapsum redemit, emptum liberavit we deserve fratrem fecit me, What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits, &c. he made me of no­thing, he sought me when I was lost, and seeking mee he found me, &c. O bone Iesu, quid tibi moris est nos de­buimus & tu solvis, nos peccavimus & tu luis, opus sine ex­emplo, gratia sine merito, charitas sine mo [...]o, Bernard de pas [...] Christi. O sweet Jesu, what dost thou mean? We owe, and thou paiest, we sinne, thou pardonest; a work without example, grace without merit, love without measure, & quid mirum erit si malus servus vitam depo­net pro bon [...] Domino, cum bonus Dominus vitam deposuit pro malo servo? What wonder is it, for an evill servant to lay downe his life for a good Master, when a good Master hath first laid downe his life for an evill ser­vant?

Fourthly, consider why God afflicts his people, as namely first, Iam. 1.2. that those excellent graces of his Spirit in their hearts might appeare more famous and illustrious in the eies of the world, Haector a quis noscet felix si troja fuisset: How had the faith of Abraham, the patience of Iob, the meeknesse of Moses, and fidelity of many of the Apostles been so illustrious, if God had not proved them? Stellae interdiu latent, nocte micant, virtus non ap­paret [Page] in prosper is micat in adversis, Torches and Tapers shew dimme when the Sunne shines, the Moone and Sta [...] appeare not at noone; our love, zeale, hope and fi­delity, is best seen in time of extremity. Secondly, that the edge of their affections might be taken off from the world, the pomps and vanities thereof. Thirdly, for the subduing and quelling of some lust yet unmortified. Zach. 13 9. Fourthly, that we might prize and value his favours, blessings and benefits at a higher rate; [...]ona magis ca­rendo quam fruendo sentimus bona à terga f [...]rmosissima, we never know the right worth of a thing, untill we are sensible of the want of it; meat is sweet to the hungry, rest to the weary, &c.

Fifthly, that they might not be condemned with the wicked of the world hereafter, the father suffers his childe to burne his finger in a candle to prevent the dan­ger of a greater fire.

Sixtly to try the disposition of their hearts, the father crosseth his child of his will, to see of what humour and disposition he is, to see whether he will grumble, mur­mure, or repine, or no.

Seventhly, to discover the hypocrisie of many, who in the time of peace and prosperity, will make great shew of Religion and Piety, when as indeed their chie­fest holinesse towards God, is to palliate and cover their foul injuries towards men, saepe latet vitium proximitate boni, it is the nature of hypocrisie to get as neare Religi­on as it can: And it is not easily discovered, the drosse can hardly bee distinguished from the silver till it come out of the furnace, the Player hardly knowne untill he be unmaskt; now times of trouble and perse­cution are Gods unmasking times, times of discovery; [Page] if the Player want his wonted auditory and applause, he presently growes out of heart, if these have not their wonted health, peace and plenty, they are ready to for­sake their God and Religion, and to say as Iorams pro­phane Pursevant did, This evill is of the Lord, 2 Kings 6.33. Esay 58.3. Mal. 3.14. 1 Sam. 28.6, 7. and why should we depend any longer on him? Whereas the godly then cleave nearest unto the Lord. Bels keep their tune whether they ring for funeralls or festivalls, they that are truly Religious, will bee Religious as well in want, as in wealth, in adversity, as well as in prosperity, in solitudine as well as in theatro, in private, as well as in publicke.

Fifthly, and lastly, consider who corrects thee, thou art under the hand of a wise God, and pitifull Father, who both can, and will order all things for thy good, prosperity, adversity, sicknesse, health, life, death, Rom. 8 28. & omnia cooperantur, and all things else shall worke toge­ther for the good of such as love the Lord, for nothing happens to the godly by chance or fortune (as many ignorantly suppose) there's not a sparrow falls to the ground without the providence of God, there is not a haire upon our heads but it is numbred. Eccles. 2. us (que) 14. Esay 55.9. Rom. 11.33.34. Repine not then at the hand of God, neither let thy heart be trou­bled at the continuance of trouble, His waies are not as our waies, he is infinitely wise, & knows what will make most for his glory, & our good, our extremity is often­times his fittest opportunity, In monte videbitur Deus, In the mount will the Lord be seen, and God usually affords the greatest comforts in greatest troubles; first, that we might bid his comforts more hartily welcome. Secondly, that his power, providence, wisdome, and goodnes might be more evidently seen in the delivery.

Grudge not at the prosperity of the wicked, wealth is not the badge, but the baggage of vertue, and according to the Roman word, Impedimentum, for it is as advan­tagious to him that travells towards heaven, as a long cloak is to him that is to run a race, therefore saith Christ, it is a hard matter for a rich man to enter into the King­dome of Heaven. Secondly, riches are but res mediae good or bad, as they are used, therefore true happinesse cannot consist in abundance, they cannot deliver the soul from the power of death, nor pains of hell, the rich man died, Luke 16. and was carried to hell. Thirdly, they are un­certain, hodie Craesus cras Crodus, he that is a King today may be a beggar to morrow; and therefore no solid ground of felicity, Stulte hàc nocte eripient animam tu [...]m, Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule. 4. Hab. 2.5. They cannot give content to the appetite of man, much lesse able are they to satisfie the soule. Lastly, there must be a redde rationem villicationis tuae, rich men must answer their receits, thy must be called to account how they have used the talent given them.

In things transitorie and mutable keepe as neere as thou canst a just decorum and temper in thy soule, miles Christi non divitiis tumet nec contrabitur paupertate, sol non urit per diem ne (que) luna per noctem. Ambr. sup beat immaculat. winde not up the pinnes of thy affections too high, not let them downe too low, In secundis nemo con­fidat, in adversis nemo deficiat, alterna sunt vices r [...]rum, Sence. in Thyeste lib. 30. nat. quaest; let not peace and prosperity make thee so merry as to forget thy God, nor adversity so sorrowfull as to forget thy selfe, in seeking power some have lost libertie, in obteining power over others, many have lost power over themselves, prospe­rity [Page] oftentimes slaies, adversity somtime saves the soule, riches and pleasure cast Dives into hell, misery and af­fliction exalted Lazarus into heaven: If thou art in po­verty, or any other calamity, looke as well upon such as want what thou injoyest, as on those which have what thou wantest.

In prosperity flatter not thy selfe with any certaine perpetuitie, riches have wings in adversity; Psal. 27.16. promise not thy selfe a sudden delivery, for this is as dangerous to the soule, as predigestion is to the body; Esay 28.16. sanctus non prafestinabit, i. e. ex impatientia & infedilitate non ad res praesontes confugiet nec festinatione praepostera Deum ante­vertet: Iuven. God will deliver his people from their troubles and calamities whatsoever, in his [...] though not in our [...], let the waters of Mara be never so bitter, God hath a tree to sweeten them, Exod. 15.25, let the rivers of Iericho be never so unsavorie, God hath a salt to season them, let the sorrows of this life be never so sower, God both can and will in his good time sweeten them. When thou entrest into the way of christianity, promise not thy selfe too much ease and securitie, worldly honour, and heavenly wisedome, like the oake and the olive de­light not to grow together, and to seeke ease and tran­quilitie in this world, is to seeke Christ in Golgatha, the living among the dead; mandere qui panem jubet in sudo­re diurnum, Non dabit aeternas abs (que) labore dapes, we must worke out our salvation with feare and trembling: If Ionathan will surprise the garisons of the Philistines, he must climbe up with hand and foot betweene two rocks, if David will be sonne in law to King Saul, 2 Sam. 14. hee must bring a hundred foreskins of the Philistines for a dowrie; 1 Sam. 18. if Iacob wil have Rachel he must serve fourteene [Page] yeares; if any man will be the Disciple of Christ, hee must deny himselfe; take up his crosse and follow him; there must be no cyphers in Gods Arithmeticke, no mures in his Grammer, no dumbe shews on his Stage, no loiterers in his Vineyard; there is alwaies in Chri­stianity a [...], a furthermore, and the motto of Charles the fifth, plus ultra; our life must not bee like Nero his five first yeares, full of peace and hope, For we must worke out our salvation with feare and trem­bling: Regard not the malicious oppositions of wicked men, it was the case and condition of thy Saviour, and therefore it may well be thine, The disciple is not above his Master.

Secondly, it is a signe that thou art of another world, simile, simili gaudet, if ye were of the world, saith Christ, the world would love you: Contraria se mutuo expellunt, light and darknesse, Christ and Beliall cannot agree to­gether: Non bene conveniunt nec in una sede morantur, Sheep and Wolves cannot feed quietly together.

Lastly, feare not the tyranny of men, nor divells, it is the advice of thy Saviour, Be not afraid of him that can kill the body, this is the worst they can doe, nay they cannot doe this without divine permission: Wild. 3.1, 2, 3, 4. Quis ei de saeculo metus est cui in saeculo Deus tutor est, non labefaciat mentem humana infestatio sed corroboret fidem divina pro­tectio, Cyp. de orat. Dom. the Divell is chained up & can­not reach thee, the power and policy of his agents is li­mited and cannot hurt thee, 1 Chron. 29 11, 12, 13. Balaam cannot curse, the fire cannot burne, the Lions cannot prey, the Divells cannot enter into filthy swine, without leave and per­mission: Omne sub regno graviore regnum est, Senec. Wicked instruments may happly being the nearer and [Page] soorner to thy Saviour: but they shall never separate thee from him: I am perswaded, saith Saint Paul, Rom. 8 38. that nei­ther principalities nor powers, &c. All creatures both in heaven and earth are at the command of God, Psal. 97 9. the Stars shall fight against Sisera, the Sun shall stand still in Gideon, and the Moon in the valley of Ailon; Iudg. 5.20. Iosh. 10.13. if Io­shua fight against the Amorites, 2 K ng. 19. If Zenacherib come with an innumerable host against the people of Israel, the Angels in heaven shall fight against them; the red sea shall overwhelme Pharaoh, and all his Host, the sea, and the fish in the sea, fought against the superstitious Spaniard, Anno 1588. enemie to God, and his true Re­ligion, the winde and the water I say overcame that un­vincible army prepared for our destruction; the earth at the command of God opened her mouth and swal­lowed Corah, Dathan and Abiram, Numb. 16 30. an army of frogs or lice, sent from God is able to dismay Pharaoh and his host: God is omnipotent and hath a liberty in the use of his creatures, praeter naturam, for of him, and through him, and for him, are all things; inferiour Magistrates have their authority from superiours, God hath being primo, & quod primum est suo genere causa reliquorum, all things are of him as maker or efficient cause, all things are through him; through his care, providence, power and goodnesse, all things are maintained, gover­ned and ordered; all things are for him, for his use and service, for the effecting of his good will and pleasure; Rom. 11 35. and to him who is Lord over all, God blessed for ever, be glory and praise world without end, Amen, Amen.