Works, Part 2 · Treatise 2
THE SECOND TREATISE, BELONGING TO THE COMFORT OF AN AFFLICTED CONSCIENCE.
IN all afflictions Gods children must looke vntounto the end: they are to desire to profit by them, and in them to seekeIn afflictions euer looke to the end. …he way of sound comfort and consolation: which that they may finde, they must know that the afflictions of the godly last but a while, they serue them but for salues and medicines, the end of them is alwaies happie. In them they are not onelyonly preserued, and purified from many sinnes: but also much beautified with the image of Iesus Christ, who is the eldest sonne in the house of God. Againe, the crosse of true Christians is the sweete and amiable call of God vntounto repentance, in that he putteth vsus in minde therby to bethinke vsus of our debts: because we are giuen to thinke the day of payment is yet farre off: yea, we fall asleepe vntill our turne be ended, and whilest God lengtheneth our daies waiting for our repentance, we neuer thinke of our sinnes, vntill the houre come wherein we perish with shame. The best meeting then with the Lords visitation, is without delay, and in sinceritie to pray for our sinnes to be pardoned. For therefore doth the Lord oftentimes shackle vsus the more with the chaines of his chastisements, because we are more carefull to be vnburthened of our sicknesse, than to be freed from our sin: which we the rather are loath to confesse, because we would not be espied to be in the wrath of God. Others there be that hearing of their sinnes in the time of their afflictions, will acknowledge indeed their infirmities to be the motherSome hauehave but a confused conceit of their sinnes in their afflictions. of such a broode: yet they hauehave no true remorse to restraine themselues from sinne, because they hauehave but a confused conceite thereof: and though their ship be neuer so much tossed and turmoyled, yet thinke they not that God holdeth the sterne▪ These men, if God beare with them, doe as it were settle in their lees, and are as it were soked in their sinnes. For prosperitie is a drunkennesse, to cast our selues into a dead sleepe, and when the Lord letteth vsus alone, we cease not to soothe vp ourselues, bearing our selues in hand, that we are in Gods fauour, and that he loueth vsus, because he scourgeth vsus not. And thus retchles we are whilest we measure Gods louelove according to our sense and humour. Wherein we bewray our ignorance of the exercise of the crosse, in that affliction is the mother of humilitie, humilitie breedeth repentance, and repentance obtaineth merciemercy. Some also there are, who vsually whilest the fearefull iudgement of God is before their eyes, either in themselues or in others, hauehave a few glancing motions, and starting cogitations of their sinnes, and of Christ his passion: yet at all other times their minds are so clasped vp from thinking of temptations, and their hearts so locked vp from foreseeing or forethinking ofMockers and scorners of the afflicted. iudgements, that they feele no godly sorrow. They mocke the mourning dayes of the elect, as of them that be of melancholy nature; they make a sport of sinne, as little remembring the sting which will either pricke them to the heart blood most fearefully in the houre of death, or meete them with griping agonies in the day of their visitation more speedily. But happily they think they hauehave giuen good testimony & *Or warrāt.word of their repentance and remembrance of God, when they giuegive one deepe sigh and away, and passe ouer Gods heauie indignatiō as ouer burning coals. So that whilest the Lord in prosperitie affoordeth large peniworths of his louelove vntounto them, they dally with his Maiestie, & make a sport of his mercy. Al which imperfections may be better corrected, if in our deepest rest with a reuerent & humble feare of Gods iudgements, we did waite for the day of our trial, and prepare our selues to the Lords visitations: for the feeling of Gods merciemercy must come from the sight of our miserie by sinne; which being pardoned, we shall soone hauehave our infirmities healed. Wherefore let vsus first learne to cleanse our soules from sinne▪ & then to sustaine the sores of our bodie. Sure it is, that if we hauehave suffered our hearts to be harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements (as occasion from the Lord hath been giuen) that we are become soft and well exercised in the feare of God: we shall come to the feeling of our sinnes, the sense whereof, if it bring as it were a sicknesse to the body, and a corsey toThe feeling of our sinnes, an earnest of our regeneration. the soule, it is an vndoubted earnest of our regeneration, and happy are we if we finde our selues so diseased and troubled with our sinnes. True it is, that we can hardly (being in the skirmish and agonie) make any difference betweene the motions to any euill, and the consent vntounto the same: for oftentimes euil motions do so possesse the soules of Gods children sincking downe so deeply in them, that though they weepe, pray, and meditate (which be the last meanes & remedies to ease and cure them) though they feele them with irkesomenesse and loathsomenesse, as we feele sicknesse in our bodies: yet those motions will be continually in them without diminishing, the delight onelyonly excepted. Wherefore for ourNote. comfort herein, we are not to martyr our selues with disquietnes of minde, because we are so pestered and thronged with wicked motions and assaults, but rather let vsus quiet our selues, and not suffer our selues to be hindered with sicknesse either of body or minde: by meanes whereof we should become more vnprofitable to our selues & the whole Church of God. For the godly shall not be so freed from sinne, but that they shall be assaulted with euill motions, suspicions, delusions, vaine fantasies and imaginations; the body of sinne shall neuer be from vsus so long as we liue. For the scum thereof is almost continually boylingThe froth of sinne in the regenerate. and wallopping in vsus, foming out such filthly froth & stinking sauor into our minds, that it is not onelyonly detestable to the minde regenerate and renewed by the spirit of God, but also it would make abashed the very naturall man, to looke into so loathsome a stie of sinne, and sinkehole of iniquitie. Yea it maketh vsus often to quaile, and if it were possible, it would corrupt the very part regenerate. For mightie is the power, and raging is the strength of sinne: Neither for all this must we cease to sorrow for our sinnes, nor despaire on the other side, although our sorrow be but small. For if we be sorrowful for the hardnes of our hearts, if we can be grieued for that we are no more grieued for our sinnes, if we can but sigh & grone because we feele our iniquities; it is so much a greater comfort vntounto vsus, as it is a greater testimonie that our hearts are not altogether hardened: so that if we feele sorrow indeed, although we weepe not, yet we may gather comfort, considering that this sorrow is for sinne with a louelove and hunger after righteousnes: yea if our assaults be distrust, pride, arrogancie, ambition, enuie, concupiscence, as hote as the fire in the furnace all our daies, and though Sathan laieth out oyle in great measure and out of measure, that it is the wonderfull mercy of the Lord that we stand; and though our prayers be dull and full of wear…somnesse, if the striuing and straining of our selues to goodnesse be so hard, that we know not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for louelove of so good a Father: yetTo feele that we would faine louelove the Lord. if we feele this in our selues, that we would faine louelove the Lord, and be better, and being wearied and tyred with our sinnes, long gladly to enioy the peace of righteousnes, and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith; then let vsus comfort our selues; there is no time too late to repent in. For he commeth quickly to Christ (although in the houre of death) that commeth willingly, and in a desire of a better life: howsoeuer sinne and Sathan at that time would especially perswade him. For as the hūming Bee hauing lost her st…gSinne and Sathan hauehave lost the sting in Christ. in another, doth still notwithstanding make a fearefull and grieuous noyse by her often buzzing about vsus, but is nothing able to hurt vsus: so sinne & death, hauing lost their stings in Christ Iesus, doe not cease at all, euen in the height of the parching heate of our cōsciences, to make a murmuring: and with furious stormes of temptations to terrifie vsus and our consciences, albeit they neuer sting vsus. Wherefore if Sathan charge our consciences with sinne (if we can feele the things a little before mentioned in our consciences) let vsus bid him not tell vsus what we hauehave been, but what we would be. For such we are by imputation, as we be in affection, and he is now no sinner, who for the louelove he beareth to righteousnesse, would be no sinner. Such as we be in desire and purpose, such we be in reckoning and account with God, who Note.giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth. Neither vndoubtedly can the guiltines of sin breake the peace of our cōscience, seeing it is the worke of another who hath commended vsus as righteous before God, and saued vsus. It must indeed be confessed, that our owne workes will doe nothing in the matter of iustification, which from Christ, and in Christ is freely giuen vntounto vsus: it must be graunted, that in our selues we are weaker, than that we can resist the least sinne, so farre off is it, that we can encounter with the law, sin, death, hell, and Sathan: and yet in Christ we are more than conquerors ouer them all. When the law accuseth thee because thou hast not obserued it, send it to Christ, and say; there is a man that hath fulfilled the law: to him I cleaue, he hath fulfilled it for me, and hath giuen the fulfilling of it vntounto me; I hauehave nothing to do with thee, I hauehave another law which striketh thee downe, euen the law of libertie, which through Christ hath set me free. For my conscience which henceforth serueth the law of grace, is a glorious Prince to triumph ouer thee. If sinne come and would hauehave thee by the throte,How to answere Sathā and sinne in temptations. send it to Christ, and say; as much as thou mayst doe against him, so much right thou shalt hauehave against me. For I am in him, and he in me: wherefore (O sin) I am righteous through my Christ, which is become sin, to free me which hauehave been a condemned sinner. If death creepe vponupon thee and attempt to deuoure thee, say vntounto it; Christ hath ouercome thee, and opened vntounto me the gates of euerlasting life: thou wouldest hauehave killed him with the sting of sin, but the same being of no force, thy purpose (O death) hath failed, and he being my life, is become thy death. If Sathan summon thee to answere for thy debts, send him also to Christ, and say; that the wife is not suable, but the husband: enter thine action against Christ mine husband, and he will make thee sufficient answere: who then shall condemne vsus? or what iudge shall daunt vsus? sith God is our Iudge and acquiteth vsus? and Christ was condemned, and iustifieth vsus? he is our iudge, that willeth not the death of a sinner; he is our man of law, who to excuse vsus, suffered himselfe to be accused for vsus. O gluttonous hell, where is thy defence? O cruell sin, where is thy tyrannous power? O rauening death, where is thy bloodie sting? O roring lion, why doest thou fret and fume? Christ my Law fighteth against thee, O law, & is my libertie; Christ fighteth against thee, O sin, and is my righteousnes: Christ fighteth against thee O diuel, & is my Sauiour: Christ fighteth against thee O death, and is my life. Thou didst desire to paue my way to the burning lake of the damned: but contrarie to thy will, thou art constrained to lift vp the ladder wherby I must ascend into the new Ierusalem. Wherefore if we shall finde our selues forsaken of God, so as we perceiue nothing but matter of despaire, let vsus still hold our owne, & in the certaintie of our faith stay our selues, sith Christ is giuen vsus of God, that he might extinguish sin, triumph ouer the law, vāquish death, ouercom the diuel, & destroy hel, for our only comfort and consolation. But peraduenture some will say, my faith is weake and cold, and myGood feare. conscience is as a flaming lampe and burning fornace: I feare the Lord will still pursue me with his wrathfull indignation: Thou doest well to feare; but feare and sinne not.
For feare which subdueth the securitie of the flesh is in all most requisite, in that the weaker we are in our selues, the stronger we are in God. But that feare is dangerous, which hindreth the certaintie of faith, in that it incourageth our enemie more fiercely to set vpō vsus; when we (comming into the campe) wil cast away our armour especially which should defend vsus. Comfort thy selfe, the Lord will not quench the smoking flaxe, nor breake the bruised reede, he looketh not on the quātitie, but on the quality of our faith. For as a good mother doth not reiect her childe because through some infirmitie it is weake, feeble, and not able to goe alone, but rather doth pitie and supporte it, least peraduenture it should fall, and recompenseth that with motherly affection, which in her childe is wantingGod as a father pitieth vsus. by occasion: in like manner the Lord God our most gracious father doth not cast vsus off, because through our imperfections we are vnable or afraid to draw neerer to the throne of grace; but rather pitieth vsus, and seeing vsus a farre off desirous to come vntounto him, meeteth vsus by the way, and by grace and strength of his owne hand, directeth our steppes vntounto his kingdome. And as he which freely purposeth to giuegive a wedge of gold, will not withdraweSimile. his gift because the hand of him that should receiue it, is weake, troubled with the gout, palsey, or leprosie, so that by any meanes, though in great weakenes, he be able to hold it; euen so the Lord purposing in free merciemercy to bestow on vsus an immortall weight of glory, will not depriue vsus of it, though many filthy blemishes hauehave polluted and weakened our faith, so that in any small measure we be able to take hold of his promises: neither are we to looke for the perfection of faith, because we neuer beleeue as we ought; but rather on that which the Gospell offereth and giueth, and on Gods merciemercy and peace in Christ: in whose lap if we can lay our heads with Saint Iohn, then we are in felicitie, securitie, and perfect quietnes. Contrariwise there be some, who (notwithstanding that a tormented conscience is a stinging Serpent, that it were much better that all the creatures rose vp against vsus, eueryevery one bringing their bane; then once to come before the dreadfull face of God) are so blockish that they are wholy resolued into hardnes. If they be pricked with sicknes,Some vtterly ignorant of the afflictions of minde. they crie alas; if they be pinched with pouertie, they can complaine: but as for the torment of minde they cannot skill of it: And euen to talke of a brused, contrite and broken heart, is a strange language. For proofe whereof our cōsciences are rocked asleepe, so that not one amongst a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgemēts. But blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele this in their bodies, whilest sinne may be both punished and purged. For though God spare vsus for a time, yet we know what he keepeth for our ende. Wherefore it is the best for vsus to runne to the Lord in this life with a troubled minde, least we tarrie till the Lord hauehave locked vsus vp with the heauie fetters of desperation, when he shall summon vsus to the barre of his iudgementThe state of the wicked which sorrow not for sinne. in the sight of his Angels, and impanelling the great inquest of his Saints against vsus, shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of eternall condemnation; for we see many that hauehave beene carelesse & hauehave made good cheare all their life long, yea, and when men hauehave laboured to make them feele the iudgement of God, they hauehave turned all to mockery, but their iolity the Lord hath so abated when they draw towards death, that in stead of resting & sporting (whereunto they had been giuen) they hauehave felt the terror of death, hell, and damnation, and lapping vp their ioyes in finall desperation, hauehave forced out cursings against their filthie pleasures. Wherefore if we in the tempest of our temptations will saile a right course, neither shrinking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation, neither battering our barke against the rocke of presumption; let vsus in a contrite spirit crie vntounto the Lord: HaueHave merciemercy vponupon me, heale my soule, for I hauehave sinned against thee, forgiue all mine iniquities, and heale all mine infirmities. Thou healest those that are broken in heart, and bindest vp their soares▪ why art thou cast downe my soule, and why art thou disquieted within me, waite on God, for I will yet giuegive him thankes, he is my present helpe, and my God. Yet my soule keepe thou silence before God, of him commeth my saluation, he is my strength, therefore I shall not much be moued. His mightines is enough to giuegive me courage, yea and shall be euen when I am forlorne, I know that the diminishing of my body, goods, friends, or any other thing is a calling of me to that which neuer shall diminish nor decay, I beleeue that my Lord and my God allureth me daily thither; that I might not doubt that when my body is laid in the graue, and there consumed as it were to nothing, yet notwithstanding my soule resting in the bosome of the Lord, shall returne vntounto me and shall rise to glory: euen as it (resting in this life, in the mercies of Christ) did rise to grace: verily I see, & that with ioy, that my flesh must goe to decay: for looke what freshnes soeuer was in it, it diminishedHow to speak to our owne hearts in afflictions. day by day. And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death, for I feele not so small an infirmitie in my body, but the same is vntounto me a messenger of dissolution. Yet for all this I shall see my God, and when I am couered in the belly of the graue with mouldes, I am assured, that he will reach me his hand to lift me vp againe to the beautie of his inheritance: so that this small cottage and shed of leaues, being brought to the graue, shall be caried into an incorruptible tabernacle. Thus communing with our owne harts, and being still in the peace of a good conscience, concerning our outward sufferings, we shall finde that the Lord by his fatherly & louing chastisements, intendeth nothing more than to proue our obedience, as good reason it is that he should, and to confirme our faith, as also is most necessarie. How be it still as I said, he vseth a fatherly correction, that is, in mercy, measure, and iudgement. For as he striketh vsus downe in anger for our sinnes with the one hand, so he raiseth vsus vp againe in louelove for our saluation with the other hand. For albeit his corrections be wear…some wounds to flesh and blood, yet are they soueraigne medicines to the soule and conscience, especially when the Lord giueth vsus that priuiledge of his children, that by his holy spirit he doth ouermaster vsus, least that finally we should be his iudge, and he not ours. And for this cause the Lord is often times prouoked to put on (as it were) a contrary face, and to locke vsus vp in a prison of aduersitie, to restraine vsus from the libertie of our sins, which Sathan faine would make vsus violently to rush into. And surely thoughHow greatly to account of our afflictions. the wisedome of the flesh perswadeth vsus that nothing is better than to be spared, and not to be espied when the Lord calleth vsus to reckoning; yet the spirit shewing our desperate estate, without the sieue of affliction, and boulter of aduersitie, teacheth vsus that we cannot of all the blessings of God sufficiently esteeme this, being the mother of humilitie, and nurce of true repentance. Againe, the Lord often by inward temptations and outward crosses, draweth vsus from the stake of securitie and vntowardnes to good workes; least in time we should loose the experience of our knowledge and faith in Christ, and seeke some easier kinde of life for flesh and blood. Neither can we truely repent, vntill by some crosse we know this world to be a place of sorrow, and not of mirth and delight. For so long as we make our prosperitie a bulwarke to beate downe all harmes,Prosperitie how dangerous to some. we are to looke for aduersitie to beate downe the high saile of our proud hearts, whereby we gad after our owne lusts, and leaue the anchor of peace, which is our trust in God. Let vsus learne then, when the world beginneth to fauour vsus, and we hauehave as it were an hundreth thousand souldiers, to beare vsus vp, not to be secure; for there is nothing more easie for a man, than for to make himselfe beleeue that he shall alwaies continue in happieSecuritie. estate, and thinke he shall die in the nest. But we must be as birds on a bough, to remoue at Gods pleasure, and that without resistance when the Lord shall visite vsus. And because we are giuen too much to thinke that we hauehave the things in our owne right, which we hold of the free goodnes of God: we are taught in affliction how hainous vnthankefulnesse it were to binde the Lord continually to entertaine vsus in this life at so full charge and cost, without respect of his free and vndeserued gifts: or to hold plea against, and sue him, as it were, by an obligation, at whose hands we ought to begge daily; and at whose gate we receiue all our maintenance: or to make a rent charge of all that which he giueth of his free liberalitie. Thus in the ende we chalenge Gods gifts as our owne, and make account to hauehave their companie to the graue, whereby we prouoke the Lord often to proue to our faces, that all that we hauehave is but lent and borrowed. Let vsus then hauehave such an eye toPatience vnderunder the crosse eueryevery blow, that whensoeuer the Lord shall lay any crosse vponupon vsus, we be readie to receiue it, and to yeeld vp our bonds vntounto him, the condition whereof is, that we be readie to remoue whensoeuer he pleaseth, knowing that Gods prouidence forceth vsus alwaies to the best, and as most may make for the hastening of our soules to our euerlasting in heritance. Let vsus learne not to recken without our host, and that we hold our prosperitie of the Lord not in fee simple, but as tenants at will, that is, from day to day, resigning to God the soueraigntie of reuoking vsus when it pleaseth him. Thus it becommeth the Lord to change our estate, that we become not snared in the gifts of prosperitie, and become so foolish as not to keepe on our way to the heauenly life. Our naturall inclination is to forget that we are on earth as pilgrims; to leape vp into the clowdes, and to promise vntounto our selues the whole course of our liues to be in prosperitie: and so long as God letteth vsus alone at our case, we take our selues (as it were) to be pettie Gods. But when we see our selues shut vp, and know not what will be the ende of our miserie, finding our selues to be intertained in this life but as iourney men, waged for the present day, but not knowing what will become of vsus the day following: we desire to take our rest in the bosome of Gods prouidence, and so much we strike our sailes the lower, when the Lord proclaimeth warre with our secure prosperitie: which perswadeth vsus that we shall liue for euer, and driueth vsus from bethinking vsus of our miseries and frailties. Wherefore let vsus cut out our prosperitie by the patterne of humilitie, and in our best estate, put our seluesIn prosperitie to remember aduersitie. in readines to suffer aduersitie, and when we are well, to looke for worse, and keepe a good watch when God handleth vsus most gently, that in abounding we may foresee our wants, in health our sicknes, and in prosperitie our calamitie: for concerning things of this life the faithfull are to stand in a doubt, that that which they hold with one hand, may be taken away with the other. We must not thinke that we shall euer enioy our libertie, & that we shall see no crosse: but we must lay open our selues to receiue stripes from the Lord, knowing that our least cries will stay his greatest scourges. Let vsus looke to be assaulted, but not vnmeasurably, because God will assist vsus. Let vsus looke to fall, but on our knees, because Gods hand doth hold vsus vp Let vsus looke to be humbled, but in merciemercy, because the Lord sustaineth vsus, & as we are assured, where merciemercy hemmeth vsus about on eueryevery side, it is our part continually to confesse before the Lord, that we euer giuegive new occasions, that he should follow vsus with new punishments, and that our sinnes doe often shake off the wings of Gods merciemercy, vnderunder the which we hauehave bin long cōforted. For Gods children acknowledge themselues without ceasing, that God hath rods in a readinesse (though they see no present euill) to beate them from their sinnes: & bend all their care, how they may rather suffer aduersitie to Gods glorie, than to sleepe securely in prosperitie vntounto their own pleasure. Now when the Lord doth, as it were hold vsus on the racke for these causes before named, we must pray vntounto him, that howsoeuer he keepeth vsus in the presse) we may hauehave a breathing while to consider our daies spent in pleasure, and to examine our vnthankfulnes, which shutteth vp the doore of Gods merciemercy from vsus. And because our afflictions are the sorer when they come the neerer to the soule, we may with our selues cōclude to hold on the way of our thorough-faire: & though we see nothing but thornes of temptations, and briers of euill affections, so as we must be faine to leape ouer hedges, rocks & ditches; yet must we not cease to continue in Gods seruice. For if that were not, what triall & examination of our faith should there be, were we as in a faire medow, that we might run on along by the water side in a shade, and that there might be nothing but pleasure and ioy all our life time, who could vaunt that he had serued God with good affection? But when GodI he crosse sent to exercise our faith. doth send vsus things cleane contrarie to our desires, that we must be faine one while to enter into a quagmire, and another while to march vponupon ragged rockes and stones; then we shall hauehave the vse of a well exercised minde in prayer, in repentance, and in contempt of this life. And why doth the Lord sometime suffer vsus to pine away, and to languish in continuance of griefe, seeing that he could cleane rid vsus at the first? doubtlesse to this end, that we might confesse his merciemercy more freely, and bite of his iustice more sharply. Let vsus now learne to hold all the passions of impatiencie in bondage, both by comparing our euils with the wonderfull mercies of God, and our small sufferings with the intollerable conflicts of our forefathers. For there is no greater cause of our disparing vnderunder the crosse, thā when Satan perswadeth vsus, that neuer any were handled so roughly: or else would beare vsus in hād, that although God afflicted the faithfull that hauehave been before vsus, yet they were not so weake as we. But let vsus remember that God hath so pinched his seruants, euen them whom he loued, and whose welfare was deare and precious in his sight, and hath often brought them to such extremities, as they were not able to looke vp any more, nor wist how to speake, nor how to hold their peace. Wherefore least our infirmities should ouermaster vsus, and when temptations are fierce vponupon vsus, we know not where to become: let vsus call to minde the Saints of God, who were constrained with sighes and groanes to stoope vnderunder the hand of God; whose martyrs and tormented children ought to be our looking glasses, to the end that by them we may learne, that according as God dealeth foorth the gifts of the spirit, thereafter doth he send greater afflictions, both to make them the more esteemed, and also to cause a more plentifull fruite of their faith. How did God deale with Abraham, not a common man, but rather an Angell, the tenth part of whose sufferingsAbraham▪ Dauid. would make a stout heart to quaile? How was Dauid the seruant of God exercised in Gods schoole, who felt all Gods darts, and had all his arrowes shot at him? Thus it is requisite, that Gods graces should not be idle in his children, but set on worke by afflictions, whereby they may be knowne in due time and place. How did God play the Lion with Ezechias, who (as with pawes and teeth) bruised and crushed his bones; not that we mayEzechias. accuse God of crueltie, but that we may see with what anguish the Lord doth sometimes exercise his holy seruants, and with what patience he doth arme them: who notwithstanding his vehement trials, doe stay themselues vponupon God, accusing themselues, saying: I will beare the wrath of the Lord, because I hauehave sinned against him: and excusing the Lord with all humblenes with Dauid, Psal. 114. I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right, and that thou hast afflicted me iustly, &c▪ It is much auailable to mortification and Christian patience also, to occupie our hearts in the house of mourning, euen in our greatest banquetting, and to betake our selues vntounto some serious meditation of aduersitie, when present pleasures would most diuorce vsus from the remembrance thereof. So though we hauehave much in possession, we shall hauehave little in affection: and when God doth most aduance vsus, we shall feare our wants of humilitie: and then especially be ransacking our infirmities, when the Lord for our triall enricheth vsus most with his benefits. For if the Lord God by multiplying his mercies increaseth our account; we are often to suspect, to call to iudgement, and to arraigne our selues for the vsing of Gods creatures; who often giueth that in iudgement, which he might denie vsus in merciemercy: and often waineth vsus from some things in his louelove, which he might giuegive vntounto vsus in his anger.
FINIS.