A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 5 · Sermon 49
THE OYLE OF THYME. THE XLIX. SERMON.
REV. 3.19.
As many as I love I rebuke and chaſten.
Right Honourable, &c.
PLutarch in his Treatiſe of theaPlut. de anim. tranquil. foreign, &c. tranquility of the mind, writeth, that though Thyme be a moſt dry and bitter herbe, yet that not only the Apothecaries draw an wholſome oyle out of it; but alſo that the Bees extract from thence ſweet hony. This dry and bitter herb is affliction to the taſte of moſt men; yet out of it we have drawne both a wholſome oyle to cure a wounded conſcience, and hony alſo to delight the ſpirituall taſte. Oyle out of the nature of afflictions, which are chaſtenings, and hony out of the cauſe, Gods love: As many as I love I rebuke and chaſten. In this Text the parts anſwer the number of the words, the arguments the parts, the comforts the arguments, as I have declared heretofore; yet they all (with much adoe) draw our aſſent to this concluſion, That we are not to riſe up at, nor to faint under Gods correcting hand. For the doctrine of enduring affliction is durus ſermo, quis poteſt ferre? a hard ſpeech, who can endure it? Albeit we know that God hath the chiefe ſtroake therein, and all his deareſt children have part with us, yet we grudge at them: though we are taught even by God himſelfe, that they are effects of his love, and cauſes of our good, yet we are diſmayed at them. So bladder-like is the ſoule of man, that being filled with earthly vanities, though but wind, it groweth great, and ſwelleth in pride; but if it be pricked with the leaſt pin or ſmalleſt needle of piercing griefe, it preſently ſhriveleth to nothing. Afflictions are pillulae lucis (pills made on purpoſe to cleare the eye-ſight) preſcribed by a moſt tender and skilfull Phyſician, gilt over with the names of chaſtenings and fatherly corrections, and ſugered with the love of God, yet they will not downe: nay it is well if it be not ſo ill with many of us, that we returne him bitter words for his bitter pills, and ſtorme againſt him, who hereby bringeth to us the quiet fruit of righteouſneſſe, inſani adverſus antidotum, quo fani eſſe poſsimus, growing mad againſt the remedy of our madneſſe. For are we not come to that paſſe, Ut nec morbos nec remedia ferre poſsimus, that we can neither endure our pain, nor abide the cure? bRom. 5.3.Tribulation (ſaith the Apoſtle) bringeth patience: It ſhould doe ſo indeed, and through the power of grace it doth ſo in perfect Chriſtians; but the contrary is verified in the greater part of men. Tribulation bringeth impatience, not of it ſelfe, but according to the diſpoſition of the patient; as wholſome potions given to generate good bloud, in a fowle ſtomach turne to choler. In this caſe the Phyſicians preſcribe purges. Purges are to bee given according to the nature of the humour to be purged; and therefore the cure of the malady begins at the knowledge of the cauſe, which in this will be found to be the reliques of originall corruption, nouriſhed by the ill dyet of the ſoule, immoderately glutting her ſelfe with ſenſuall delights, and much increaſed by falſe opinions.
To begin with the ſinke of originall ſinne, ſending up noiſome fumes and vapours, which diſtemper the inward man. Of other things, as peace of conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, we eaſlier ſpeake than conceive them, and eaſlier conceive them what they may be in others, than ſenſibly apprehend them in our ſelves; but wee feele rather than underſtand, and underſtand better than wee can expreſſe this hereditary diſeaſe and habituall depravation of our whole nature. It is that corrupt humour, or malignant quality drawne from the loynes of our firſt parents, which tainteth our bloud, ſurpriſeth our vitall faculties, ſtoppeth or much hindereth the motions of Gods Spirit, and the operations of this grace in us; ſo that wee neither can doe, nor ſuffer the will of God without regret and reluctancy. It is the prima materia of all diſeaſes, the tinder of naturall luſts, eaſily ſet on fire with hell: it diſpoſeth us to all evill, and breedeth in us an averſneſſe from all good: it is not ſubject to the cRom. 7.23.Law of God, neither can it be; it rebelleth againſt the law of our mind, and enthralleth us to ſin and Sathan, and even after we are freed from the dominion of ſinne, ſo fettereth our feet, that we cannot with any expedition run the wayes of Gods commandements. Though the proſperous gales of Gods Spirit drive us toward the haven where we would be; yet the main tide of our corruption runneth ſo ſtrong the contrary way, that we much float, and ſaile but flowly. Saint Peter, no doubt, after our Saviour acquainted him with the kind of death whereby he was to glorifie God, did his beſt to incline his will that way; yet he could not keep it to that bent, but that it ſlacked and bowed another way, as Chriſts words imply: Ducent te quo nolis, They ſhall dJohn 21.18lead thee whither thou wouldeſt not. He ſaith not they ſhall draw thee, but they ſhall lead thee. Peter therefore was in ſome ſort willing to goe with them that led him to the croſſe, yet hee ſomewhat ſhrinked at it: though the ſpirit was ſtrong in him, yet the fleſh was weake. Who ever did or ſuffered more for the Goſpel than Saint Paul? yet he profeſſeth that in regard of the law of ſinne in his members, theeRom. 7.19. good which he would doe he did not, and the evill which he would not doe, that he did. And being thus croſſed in all his godly deſires and endeavours, hee cryeth out, O *Rom. 7.24.wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver mee from this body of death?
Yee ſee now the root of bitterneſſe ſet ſo deep in our hearts, that it cannot be pluck't up till wee are tranſplanted: there is no hope in this life to purge out this matter of continuall diſeaſes, it is ſo mingled with our radicall moiſture, the balſamum of our lives; only wee may abate it by ſubtracting nouriſhment from it, and allay the force of it by ſtrengthening nature againſt it by prayers, godly inſtructions, and continuall exerciſes of religious duties.
A neerer cauſe of our ſo great diſtemper in afflictions wee owe to the delights of our proſperity, which, as the pleaſures of Capua did Hannibals ſouldiers, ſo weaken our mindes, and make us ſo choice and tender, that we cannot beare the weight of our owne armour, much leſſe the ſtroakes of an enraged enemy. The fHieron. ad Heliod. Corpus aſſuetum tunicis loricae onus non fert, caput opertum linteo galeam recuſat, mollem otio manum durus exaſperat capulus.body uſed to ſoft raiment, cannot beare the weight of an helmet, the head wrapped in ſilke night-caps, cannot endure an iron head-piece, the hard hilt hurteth the ſoft hand. It was wiſely obſerved by thegSenec. ſent. Res adverſae non frangunt, quos proſperae non corruperunt. Heathen Sage, that none are broken with adverſity, but ſuch as were weakened before, and made crazie by eaſe and proſperity. Sound trees are not blowne downe with the wind, but the rootes rather faſtened thereby; but corrupt trees eaten with wormes, engendered of ſuperfluous moiſture, are therefore throwne downe by the leaſt blaſt, becauſe they had no ſtrength to reſiſt. Why do loſſes of goods ſo vexe us, but becauſe we truſted in uncertaine riches? Why is diſgrace a Courtiers hell, but becauſe he deemed the favour of the Prince, & places of honourable employment his heaven? We are therefore aſtoniſhed at our fall, becauſe ſometimes with David in the height of our worldly felicity we ſaid, Wee ſhall never bee hPſal. 30.6.moved. If when we had the world at will, we had uſed the things of this life as if wee uſed them not: now in the change of our eſtate, our not uſing them would be all one as if we uſed them. The beſt meanes to aſſwage the paines of affliction when it ſhall befall us, will be in the time of our wealth to abate the pleaſures of proſperity: if we ſawce all our earthly joyes with godly ſorrow, all our worldly ſorrow ſhall be mixed with much ſpirituall joy and comfort. Let us not over-greedily ſeeke, nor highly eſteem, nor immoderately take, nor intemperately joy in the delights and comforts which wealth and proſperity afford, and the rod of Gods afflicting hand ſhall fall but lightly upon us. Let us not ſo fill our hearts with temporary pleaſures, but that wee leave ſome place for theſe and the like ſad and ſober thoughts: What are riches, honours, pleaſures, and all the contentments of this life, that becauſe I enjoy them for the preſent, I ſhould take ſo much upon mee? The Divell offereth them, the wicked have them, Gods deareſt children often want them: therefore they are not eagerly to be ſought. They are not good but in their uſe, nor things but for a moment, nor ours but upon truſt: therefore not greatly to be eſteemed. They, without ſtore of grace in our ſelves, and good counſels from others, ſtrengthen the fleſh, weaken the ſpirit, nouriſh carnall luſts, choake all good motions, cloy our bodily, and wholly ſtupifie our ghoſtly ſenſes, caſt us into a dead ſleep of ſecurity, but awake Gods judgements againſt us: therefore they are ſparingly to be taſted, not greedily to be devoured.
Theſe and the like meditations are not only good preſervatives in proſperity, but alſo lenitives in adverſity: as they helpe us to digeſt andiPind. od. 1. foreign. concoct felicity, ſo they ſtrengthen us to beare miſery. All that wee now poſſeſſe, and the world ſo much doteth upon, what are they in their nature and condition but things indifferent? therefore wee ought to bee indifferently affected to them, and the contrary: they are tranſitory, what ſtrange thing then is it, if they paſſe from us? they are farre inferiour to the immortall ſpirit that quickneth our bodies, therefore cannot the want of them deprive it of happineſſe: they are not our inheritance for ever, nor our donatives or legacies for life, but talents for a while committed to us, to employ them to our Maſters beſt advantage: therefore the reſtoring them back is no mulct, but a ſurrender; no loſſe, but a diſcharge. The more of this ſort wee are truſted with, the more liable we are to an account: how then are wee hurt or endammaged by the diminution of that which leſſens our accounts? Finally, they are often effects of Gods wrath, and their effects uſually are ſenſuality, ſecurity, and ſtupidity, againſt which afflictions are a ſpeciall remedy. To extract then the quinteſſence of the herbes and flowers of Paradiſe, and make of them a cordiall to comfort us in worldly loſſes. Nothing is abſolutely good but God, all other things reſpectively only; temporall bleſſings, as they proceed from his love, and may be imployed to his glory, in this reſpect only to be deſired and loved. If then wee affect God in them, and enjoy them in God, and it be made apparent unto us, that afflictions and loſſes are ſometimes more certaine tokens of Gods love, and that they miniſter unto us more matter and greater occaſion of teſtifying our love to him, and meanes of ſetting forth his glory, we ſhould be rather glad than ſorrowfull when God ſeeth it beſt for us, to exchange the former for the latter.
Yea but the forlorne Chriſtian (out of all heart, becauſe in his conceit out of Gods favour) will reply, Shew mee that the countenance of God is not changed towards mee, nor his affections eſtranged from mee, and it ſufficeth: ſurely kiſſings and embracings, not blowes and ſtroakes, are love complements; how may I be perſwaded that God layeth his heavie croſſe upon mee in love? Nay, how canſt thou not be perſwaded, ſith hee himſelfe hath ſaid it, I chaſten as many as I love? which words that thou maiſt take more hold of, he hath often repeated them in holy Scripture. Deſireſt thou greater aſſurance than his words, which is all that heaven and earth have to ſhew for their continuance? yet if thou deſire more, rather helpes of thine infirmity, than confirmations of this truth, obſerve who are ofteneſt & longeſt under Gods afflicting hand, who are fulleſt of his markes: if they are deepeſt in ſorrow, who are higheſt in his favour: if they mourne in Sion, who ſing Halelujah in the heavenly Jeruſalem: if they goe in blacke and ſables here, who are arrayed in long white robes there: if they lay their heart a ſoake in teares, who are men after Gods owne heart: if Benjamins portion be greateſt in afflictions, aſſuredly manifold tribulations and Gods favour may ſtand together. In the truth of which aſſertion all thoſe Texts of Scripture may eſtabliſh us, which ſet before us the ſweet fruits that are gathered from the croſſe: as,
1. Knowledge: It is good for mee that I have been kPſa. 119.71.afflicted, that I may learne thy ſtatutes.
2. Zeale: I will lHoſea 5.15.goe and returne to my place, till they acknowledge their offences, and ſeeke my face: in their affliction they will ſeeke mee diligently.
3. Repentance: I truly am mPſal. 38.17, 18.ſet in the plague, and my heavineſſe is ever in my ſight: I will confeſſe my wickedneſſe, and be ſorry for my ſinnes. When the people were ſtung with fiery ſerpents, they came to Moſes and ſaid, We have nNum. 21.7.ſinned: for wee have ſpoken againſt the Lord, and againſt thee. And againe, In their o2 Chro. 15.4.trouble they turned to the Lord God of Iſrael, and ſought him, and he was found of them. When the Prodigall was pinched with famine, he came to himſelfe and ſaid, How many hired pLuke 15.16, 17, 18.ſervants in my fathers houſe have meat enough, and I periſh with hunger? I will ariſe therefore and goe to my father, &c.
4. Patience: Tribulation worketh qRom. 5.3, 4.patience, and patience experience, and experience hope.
5. Joy in the Holy Ghoſt: Receiving the Word with much affliction, with r1 Theſ. 1.6.joy in the Holy Ghoſt.
6. Triall of our faith, which likeſ1 Pet. 1.7. gold is purged by the fire of afflictions. Though he tJob 13.15.ſlay mee, yet will I truſt in him. Our uPſal. 44.18, 19, 20.heart is not turned backe, nor our ſteps gone out of the way, no not when thou haſt ſmitten us into the place of Dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of death.
7. Righteouſneſſe: No chaſtening for the preſent ſeemeth to be joyous, but *Heb. 12.11.grievous: nevertheleſſe, yet afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſſe to them that are exerciſed thereby.
8. Holineſſe: It xHeb. 2.10.became him, for whom were all things, in bringing many ſonnes unto glory, to conſecrate the Captaine of our ſalvation through afflictions. TheyHeb. 12.10. fathers of our fleſh for a few dayes chaſtened us after their owne pleaſure: but hee for our profit, that wee may bee partakers of his holineſſe.
9. Eſtranging our affections from the world and earthly deſires: Eliah requeſted that he might dye, It is z1 Kin. 19.4.enough, Lord, take away my life, I am no better than my fathers. We that are in this tabernacle doe *2 Cor. 5.4.groane, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be ſwallowed up of life.
11. Humility: The a2 Cor. 12.7.meſſenger of Sathan was ſent to buffet mee; and that I ſhould not be exalted above meaſure, there was given mee a thorne in my fleſh.
11. Renovation and ghoſtly ſtrength: Therefore I b2 Cor. 12.10.take pleaſure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſsities, in perſecutions, in diſtreſſes: for when I am weake, then am I ſtrong, and though our outward man decay, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
12. Freedome from everlaſting torments: When c1 Cor. 11.32.wee are judged, wee are chastened of the Lord, that wee ſhould not bee condemned with the world.
13. Encreaſe of celeſtiall glory: For our d2 Cor. 4.17.light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory.
The Heathen that never taſted the leaſt part of theſe fruits, yet feeling by experience, that the mind cloyed with continuall felicity grew a burden to it ſelfe, was deprived hereby of matter and occaſion of excellent vertues; and not ſo onelyonly, but infatuated and wholly corrupt thereby, maintained this memorable Paradoxe,eDemet. apud Sen. Nihil eo infelicius cui nihil intelix contigit. That none was ſo unhappy as bee who knew no miſhap nor adverſity at any time. Nay they went farther in that their conceit, and thereby came nearer to my text, affirming that ſtore of wealth, large poſſeſſions, high places, and great honours, were not alwaies ſignes and tokens of the love of God. God, ſaith the wiſe Poet (and the beſt Philoſopher taketh it out of him)fAriſtot Rhet. l. 2 foreign ſendeth many men great proſperity, not out of love and good will, but to the end that they may bee capable of greater miſery, and that the calamities which they are after to endure may bee more g…uven ſit. Numeroſa parabat excelſae turris tabulata, unde altior eſſet caſus, & impulſae praeceps immane rumae.eminent and ſignall:
—Tolluntur in altum
Ut lapſu graviore ruant.
Miſery is alwayes querulous, and even weake objections often ruine them who are already caſt downe with griefe: ſuch as are theſe; Doth not God threaten to powre out his plagues upon the wicked? Doe wee not read in SainthRom. 2.9. Paul, Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoule that ſinneth, of the Jew first, and alſo of the Gentile? Are not loſſes, infamy, captivity, baniſhment, tortures and torments, judgements of wrath? how then can they bee arguments of love? I anſwer, that originally all the evils of this life came in with ſinne, and were puniſhments of it; and they retaine their nature ſtill in the wicked: but in the godly, by the mercy of God, and merits of Chriſt, they are changed from judgements of wrath, into chaſtiſements of love; from ſtings of ſinne, to remedies againſt ſinne; from executions of vengeance, to exerciſes of excellent vertues: and the inflicting of them ſo little prejudiceth Gods love to his choſen, that hee no way more ſheweth it to them than by thus awaking them out of their ſleepe, and by this meanes pulling them out of hell fire. And therefore the Prophets threaten it after all other judgements, as the greateſt of all, that for their obſtinacy and impenitency God would puniſh them no more:kIſa. 1.5. Why ſhould yee bee ſtricken any more, ſaith the Lord? which is as if a Phyſician ſhould ſay concerning his deſperate Patient, I will miniſter no more phyſicke to him, give him what hee hath a minde unto, becauſe there is no hope of life in him. As it is a loving part in a Tutour to correct his Scholar privately for a miſdemeanour, to ſave him from the heavier ſtroak of the Magiſtrate, or the Jaile: ſo it is a ſingular favour of God to chaſten his children here, that they may not bee condemned with the world hereafter. I end the ſolution of this doubt with the peremptory reſolution of Saint Bernard: lIn Cant. Si Deus non eſt recum per gratiam, adetit pre… vindictam: ſed vae tibi ſi ita recum adeſt, imo vae ibi ſi ita tecum non diſt.If God be not with thee, O Chriſtian, by grace, he will be with thee by vengeance or judgement here; and woe bee to thee if hee bee ſo with thee, nay woe bee unto thee if hee bee not ſo with thee, or not ſo even with thee: for if thou art preſerved from temporall chaſtiſements, thou art reſerved to eternall puniſhments.
The laſt doubt that riſeth in the minde of the broken hearted Chriſtian, to bee aſſoyled at this time, is drawne from the words of the wiſe man;mEccl. 9.2. All things fall alike unto all men, the ſame net taketh cleane and uncleane fowles, and enwrappeth them in a like danger. In famine what difference betweene the Elect and Reprobate? both pine away: In peſtilence what diſtinction of the righteous and the ſinner? both are alike ſtrucke by the Angel: In captivity what priviledge hath hee that feareth God more than hee that feareth him not? both beare the ſame yoake: In hoſtile invaſion how can wee diſcerne who is the childe of God, and who is not; when all are ſlaughtered like ſheep, and their blood like water ſpilt upon the ground?
Sol. 1 Here not to referre all to Gods ſecret judgement, who onelyonly knoweth who are his intruth and ſincerity; Sol. 2 nor to rely wholly upon his extraordinary providence, whereby hee miraculouſly ſaveth his ſervants, and preſerveth them in common calamities, even above hope, as hee did Noah from the deluge of water which drowned the old world; as hee did Lot from the deluge of fire, which overwhelmed and burnt Sodome and Gomorrah; as hee did the children of Iſrael in Goſhen from the plagues of Egypt; as hee did Moſes from the maſſacre of the infants by Pharaoh; as hee did Elias from the ſword of Jezebel drunke with the blood of the Prophets; as hee did all thoſe Chriſtians among the Romans, that fled to the Sepulchres of the Martyres, when the city was ſacked by thenAug. l. 1. de civ. Dei. c. 1. Gothes; as hee did thoſe pious children, who carried their fathers and mothers upon their backes through the midſt of the fire in the Townes neare Aetna, whereofoC 6. foreign. Ariſtotle religiouſly diſcourſeth in his Booke De mundo: When, ſaith hee, from the hill Aetna there ranne downe a torrent of fire that conſumed all the houſes thereabout, in the midſt of thoſe fearefull flames Gods ſpeciall care of the godly ſhined moſt brightly: for the river of fire parted it ſelfe on this ſide and that ſide, and made a kinde of lane for thoſe who ventured to reſcue their aged parents, and plucke them out of the jawes of death. To make an evident diſtinction betweene the godly and the wicked wee ſee here the fire divided it ſelfe, as the waters before had done in thepExod. 14.22. paſſage of the children of Iſrael through the red Sea. Howbeit theſe exemptions and ſpeciall protections in common calamities, are neither neceſſary nor ordinary. Sol. 3 I anſwer therefore farther, that two things are to be conſidered in the good or evill caſualties (as they are called) of this life: the nature and ſubſtance of them, which is in it ſelfe indifferent; and the accidentary quality, which maketh them good or bad. Now ſo it is ordered by divine providence, that the wicked poſſeſſe oft times the ſubſtance of theſe things; I meane, houſes, lands, treaſure, and wealth: but they have not them with that quality which maketh them good; I meane, the right uſe of them, and contentation of minde in them. On the contrary, the godly often lacke the ſubſtance of theſe things, yet not that for which they are to bee deſired, and which maketh them good, contentment of minde, with ſupply of all things needfull: in which regard the indigencie of the godly is to bee preferred before the plenty and abundance of the wicked; according to that of the Pſalmiſt,qPſal. 37.16. A ſmall thing that the righteous hath is better than great riches of the ungodly. And doubtleſſe that large promiſe of our Saviour,rMar. 10.29. There is no man that hath left houſe, or brethren, or ſiſters, or lands for my ſake and the Goſpels, but he ſhall receive an hundred fold in this time, is to bee underſtood (according to the former diſtinction) thus; Hee ſhall receive an hundred fold, either in the kinde, or in the value; either in the ſubstance of the things themſelves, or in the inward contentation, and the heavenly wealth I now ſpake of. In like manner death, and all calamities, which are as it were ſundry kindes of death, or ſteppes unto it, have a ſting and venomous quality, which putteth the ſoule to moſt unſufferable paine, and rankles, as it were, about the heart: I meane Gods curſe, the ſenſe of his wrath, the worme of conſcience, diſcontent, impatience, deſpaire, and the like:ſ1 Cor. 15.55. O death (ſaith Saint Paul) where is thy ſting? In like manner wee may inſult upon all other evils; O poverty, O baniſhment, O impriſonment, O loſſes, O croſſes, O perſecutions, Where is your ſting? it is plucked out of the afflictions of the godly, but a worſe left in the proſperity of the wicked: In which regard the ſeeming miſery of the godly is happy, but the ſeeming proſperity of the wicked is miſerable. Albeit God ſometim s giveth them both a drinke of deadly Wine, yet hee tempereth the ſharpe Ingredients of judgement, with corrective Spices of mercy, and ſweetneth it with comforts in the Cup of the godly.t2 Cor. 1.5. As their ſufferings for Christ abound, ſo their conſolations alſo abound by Chriſt. And this evidently appeareth by the different working of the Cup of trembling in both: the wicked preſently after their draught rave, and grow franticke, but the godly are then in their beſt temper; the wickeduApoc. 16.10. gnaw their tongues for ſorrow, but the godly employ them in prayer and praiſes; the wicked bite Gods iron rod, and thereby breake their owne teeth, but the godly kiſſe it; the wicked are moſt impatient in afflictions, the godly learne patience even by afflictions. In a word, the one in extremity of paine are ſwallowed up with deſparation, the other are raviſhed with*Jam. 1.2. exceeding joy, they arexRom. 8.37. more than conquerors in all theſe things through him that loveth them; and therefore they more than rejoice.yRom. 5 3, 4, 5 For they glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe the love of God is ſhed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghoſt, which is given unto them. Upon this anſwer, after much agitation, Saint Auſtine ſettled his judgement, when hee ſaw much Chriſtian bloud mingled with the heathen in divers parts of Italy, ſpilt by the Gothes:zL. 1. c. 8. de Civ D i. Man… diſſimilitudo p…ſiotum in ſimilitudine p…ſſionum, & licet ſub tormento non eſt idem virtus & vitium. Nam ſicut ſub uno ign… aurum rutil…t, p…l…a tumat; & ſub eadem tribulà ſtipulae comminuuntur, frumenta purgan…ur; nec id…o oleum cum amnicâ conſunditur, quia eodem … pondere …xprimitur, &c. Tantum inter…ſt non qu…li…, ſed qu…lis quoque patiatur. Notwithstanding the likeneſſe of the ſufferings of both, there remaines yet a great diſsimilitude in the ſufferers: and even in the ſame torments vertue and vice may bee diſtinguiſhed; in the ſame fire the gold ſhineth, the chaffe ſmoaketh; under the ſame fla…le the corne is purged, the ſtubble bruiſed; under the ſame preſſe the oyle is powred into veſſels, the foame ſpilt. By all which we ſee that perpetuall felicity with ſecurity is a moſt fearfull judgement of God; and that ſeaſonable afflictions with comforts to ſweeten them, grace to beare them, ſtrength to overcome them, wiſdome to make uſe of them, are ſpeciall favours of Gods choſen. Now the Lord of his infinite mercy, who ſcourgeth every ſonne whom he receiveth, receive us whom he ſcourgeth; he who chaſteneth whom he loveth, love us whom he chaſteneth; he who correcteth us for our profit, teach us to profit by his corrections, ſanctifie all croſſes and afflictions unto us, uphold us in them, carry us through them, purge us by them, and crowne us after them. Cui, &c.