Gods Love, Title page 1 – Preface
GODS LOVE-TOKENS, AND THE AFFLICTED Mans LESSONS: Brought to light, and layd before him in two fruitfull and ſeaſonable Diſcourſes upon Revel. 3.19. Comforting under, and directing unto a right uſe of our perſonall, and publike croſſes and calamities.
By JOHN TRAPP, M. A. and Preacher of Gods Word at Luddington in Warwick-Shire.
HEB. 12.6.
Whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth.
Aug. Confeſſ. li. 10 …4.
Amor ille paternus, ſive approbet …ne, ſive improbet me, diliget.
LONDON …nted by RICHARD BADGER. 1637.
TO THE RIGHT Honourable, and moſt vertuous Lady, the Lady ANNE, Counteſſe of Middleſex.
RIGHT HONOURABLE,
YOVR late Noble acceptance of theſe rude and raw Meditations, conceived at firſt for mine owne,Hebr. 12.9. but preacht for your Honours ſolace (when once the Father of ſpirits, by tranſplanting your darling-daughter*That hopefull young plant, the Lad, Suſann… Cranfield. into his heavenly Paradiſe, had aſſign'd you a ſhare in our common calamity) hath now occaſioned and encouraged me to this over-bold Dedication. You looke not, Madam, I beleeve, for courtſhip and complement from a man of my coate and quality: And to give ſlattering titles were (beſides the dint of the divine diſpleaſure) to deſpite you with ſeeming honours.Iob. 32.22. A downe-right truth takes far better with an honeſt heart, then a ſmooth ſupparaſitation. But were your Honour of their ſtraine that ſound a trumpet before them in the ſtreets, Matth 6.1.Matth. 23.7.and love long … lutations in the Markets, … might perhaps, as fitly and as fully as another, tell the world of your ſingular humility in height of honours, your heart-attracting Courteſie to thoſe of meaneſt ranke and quality, your exemplary readineſſe to relieve the poore Afflicted, your unceſſant paines in getting knowledge, and ſo ſutable a practiſe of that you know, as hath made my ſelfe, and many more judicious, to value your Honour not according to theſe outward vanities, but thoſe inward vertues which the very Heathens accounted the only true Nobility*Nobilitas ſola eſt at que unica virtus. Iuvenal. Nobilis genere, nobilior ſanctitate Auguſtin. epiſt. 179.. But I know well, both …ow hard it is for the beſt to profit by praiſes, and how little they deſire them that beſt deſerve them. I ſhall therfore turne praiſes unto prayers, beſeeching him who teacheth His to profit,Eſay 48.17 who giveth wiſdome liberally, and upbraids not,Iames 1.5. to give your Honour a right ſanctified uſe of former croſſes, and to crowne the Calendar of your life (for future) with many Feſtivalls. So prayeth He that is, and will be
Your Honours moſt humbly devoted in all duty, IOHN TRAPP.
The Preface to the Reader.
IT is, I muſt needs ſay, an over-juſt complaint of a Reverend writeraD. King Lect. upon Ionas Prof., that Preſſes are already oppreſt, the world abounding with bookes even to ſatiety, and ſurfeit. And of Another, that the untimely brats of mens braines fly thicke up and downe the world, in this ſcribbling Age bPaſſim circumvolitant in hoo feraci chartarum ſaeculo humani cerebelli Minervae. D. Prid. Lect.. And of a Third, that too many ſet forth in print, ſome, their owne wit, more, their owne folly cHezek. Rec…v.. Whileſt, with Dominio in St. Hierome they care not What, but Howmuch they utterdNon quid, ſed qua…um &c. Hier. in Ap…l. ad Domnionem.: with Alcibiades in the Moraliſt, they talke much, but ſpeake littleeforeign. plutar.: or with thoſe triflers in the Goſpell, they hope to be heard, for their much hablingfMatth. 6 7. confer Ec…leſ. 10.14.. Theſe forget, belike, that Writers ſhould ſet forth not Treatiſes, but Treaſuries gAmhores non debere libros, ſed theſauros componere. Domitius Piſo. Sic Pli…j Opus Eraſino theſaurus eſt, imò verè mundus rerum cognitu digniſſimatū: and that words (as monies) are valued by their matter, not by their multitudehIdem ſermoni congruit quod nummi… &c. S…hyox.: and (as ſuffrages) they paſſe not among wiſemen, by tale, but by weightiNon nume…arda ſuff…agia, ſed expen denda.. Great talkers, indeede, would be thought eminent: and ſome that publiſh much, affect to be publike; albeit they ſound, many times, from their emptineſſe onelyonlykVaſa quae magis continent, minus ſonant. Sen.. Whereas the deepeſt waters are le…ſt heardlLene fluit Nilus, ſed cunctis amnibus extat Vtilior, nullas confeſſus mutmure vires. Claudian.: and thoſe orient ſtarres, the higher they are ſet, the leſſe they are ſeene. The beſt and biggeſt of them, as they appeare not at all by day; ſo by night, they ſhew themſelves but ſmall in their hugeſt Orbes, and but ſlow in their ſwifteſt motionsmIn maxima ſui mole ſe minimùm oſtendunt ſtellae.: beſides many a goodly one, that becauſe of height comes not within our ken or account. I wot well, there's never a mothers child of us that is not too much the true child of our great grand-mother. We have each of us (ſaith our Engliſh Seneca) an Eues ſweet-tooth in our heads, and would be more than we are: Every man would be either (foreign) or (foreign) The man, or Some bodynB Hall. Epist.. The ſweeteſt hearing (however diſſembled) is ones owne commendationoforeign. Xonoph.: and he is a rare man that hath not ſome Babel, whereon he beſtowes paines and coſt, either to be pointed atpdigito monſtrari, &c., and talked of, as Demoſthenes qforeign, or to curry favour with the commonſort, as Herod rLegatur Bez An…t. in Ioh. 2.20.. For my ſelfe, truly, as I looke not to pleaſe all (mens fancies being as different as their facesſD. Haukw. Atol.) ſo, if I may approove my poore paines to Chriſt the Judge of all tHeb. 12., and to his Hidden ones uPſal 83.3. Equidem plutis ſecerim juſtam commendationem unius alicujus pij & boni viri quàm admirationem ſtultam totius multitudinis. Hoſt. in Ioh. 3.28., the godly judicious, I have enough, and ſhall well enough comfort my ſelfe with that white-ſtone, Rev. 2.17. againſt the blacke coales (if any ſuch be) of the more malevolentxMalis diſplicere, laudari eſt. Sen.. It was a ſweet and ſavoury ſaying of Occolampadius: I ſhould be loth to ſpeake, or write ought that Chriſt ſhould diſallowyNolui aliquid loqui vel ſcribere, quod improbaturum putem Chriſtum.. He (truly) is that maſter to whom every man ſtands or fallszRom. 14 4.: and one good look from him, is inſteed of all acclamations. For, not he that commendeth himſelf, ſaith that great Apoſtle; nor he whom the world cōmends, is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth. Wherefore, let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord, 2 Cor. 10.17, 18. There are, that glory in themſelves, as thoſe ancient Gnoſticks*Gnoſtici ſe ſolos fontem veritatie hauſiſſe, &c. Iren. lib. 1 cap. 24, and our moderne IeſuitesaIeſuita non poteſt eſſe haereticus: & Imperium literarum eſt penes Ieſuitas Caſaub. ex Apologiſta. They vaunt that the Church is the ſoule of the world, the clergy of the Church, and they of the Clergy. Sand. rela. of Weſt. relig.; ſacrifice to themſelves, as Sejanus bSeianus ſibi ſacra facere ſolebat. Dio in vita Tiber., and thoſe Babylonians, Hab. 1.16. ſet up, and ſerve themſelves of Chriſt and his ſervice, as Judas and his ſucceſſours; that rob him of his rent, and run away with his glory: dealing with his worke, as once Phydias the famous Carver, did with the Shield of Minerva, wherein hee ſo cunningly enchaſed his owne countenance, that it could not be defaced, but the Shield muſt be disfigured. Such were thoſe flaunting Preachers of Philippi, that to carry away the bell from a better mancPhilip. 1.16., ſought to ſet up themſelves in the hearts of their hearers. And ſuch are thoſe deceitful workers dforeign. 2 Cor. 11.13.now a daies, as pretending to be Chriſts ſpokeſmen, will needs bee his corrivalls (upon the matter) whiles they give out themſelves for ſome great ones eTeſtis eſt Iuſtinus, quod hi… ſtatuam habuerit inter pontes Tiberis cui inſculpebatur, Simoni Deo Sancto., with Simon Magus, Act. 8.9. and intereſt themſelves (as he, too far) in the peoples affections, ver. 10 11. Theſe cannot preface to their works, as thoſe ancients did foreign fCo…l. Rhodig. ex Pauſania.: but may juſtly betwitted, as that Pope was pithily; when he had engraven upō the gates of his new-built Colledge: Vtretent (where he was borne) planted mee; Lovain (where he was bred) watered mee; but, Caeſar (who had promoted him to the Popedom) gave increaſe: A merry Paſſenger underwrote; Here God did nothing gPapa Haàrtatus cum Lovanij collegium magno ſumptu ſtruxiſſet. &c. Hommis vanit item reda…gait alius ſubſ…ribens, Hic Deus ni h…l fecit. Pareus in 1 Cor. 3 6.. So, God is not in all the tho ghtshPſal. 10.4. of theſe ſelfeſeekers, that thus i…tervert one part of the price; with that ill couple, Acts 5.2. whiles they turne Gods glory into ſhame, loving vanity, ſeeking after lyes iPſal. 4.2. foreign. The word there uſed, ſignifieth ſuch a lye, as deceiveth mens expectations, Pſal. 89.35. Iſa. 58.11. 2 King. 4.16. Of wch ſort, by a ſpecialty, is that ſmoke of popular applauſe, which the higher it mounts, the ſooner it vaniſheth. Verely, ſaith our Saviour to ſuch, (and it is fearfull) they have their reward kMath. 6.: all they are over like to have; let them make them merry with it. But what ſpeake I of merriment? when the beſt that can come of ſuch mens wood, hay, ſtubble, laid upon the common foundation, is Repentance to ſalvationl2 Cor. 7., yet ſo as thorough the fire *Inferiore gradu gloriae quàm alij Paereus. quem conſule.: beſides the loſſe of their worke, if not of ſome part of their wages, when the day ſhall declare it m1 Cor. 3.12 13.: that is, when the light of the Truth, Rom. 13.12. or Time the father of Truth, or that Day of death, (when many recognize, and recant their errors) ſhal ſhew them their Sin. Good S. Auſtin cryed to God, to pardon the vanities of his youth, and eſpecially this, that hee had preached ut placeret, Confeſſ.non ut doceret, to delight the eare, more than to ſmite the heart. A faire glaſſe for ſuch to look in, a faire copie for ſuch to write by, as write nothing but as in a frame. Every word is ſo marſhalled, and every ſentence with its apt cadencie, lies in ſuch comely equipage.foreign. In theſe mens diſcourſes, you cannot ſee matter for wordsoMelaneth. apud Laert. as in ſome mens againe, ſcarſe words for matter. Euripides, ſaith the Oratour, hath more ſentences than ſayingspPlu es ſententias quam verba. Cic.: and Thucydides, hath ſo ſtuft every ſyllable with ſubſtanceqforeign, that the one runs along paralell with the otherrAdeò plenus referruſ que rebus, ut prope verborum numerum numero rerum exaquet. Cic.. Lyſias his workes are ſo well coucht, that you cannot take out the least word, but you take away the whole ſenſe with itſS…ex Platonis oratione aliquid dema…, maneſ que de elegantia tantum detraxeris; ſi ex Lyſiae, de ſententia. Phaverinu… apud Gell.. And Phocion had a ſpeciall ſacultie of ſpeaking much in fewtforeign Plutarch.. Thoſe beſt of Greekes were the ſhort ſpoken partansuforeign.; and the …re…ans in Pla…ces time, (however degenerated in Saint Pauls xTit. 1.12.; were more waighty than wordyyforeign. Plat.. Timanthes is famous for this, that in his pictures more things were intended than decipheredzPlin. li. 35. cap. 10.: and Homer, that none could ever peere him for Poetrie, nor match him for matteraforeign. Xenophon.. How much more apt and appoſite are theſe high praiſes to the Booke of God, rightly called The Bible? as if it were (as indeed it is, both for fitneſſe of termes, and fulneſſe of truth) the onelyonly booke; to which, all other bookes in the world are but waſte paperbEgo odi meos libros, & ſaepé opto eo, interire, quod metuo ne morentur lectores à lectione ipſius Scriptura quae ſola namis ſaptentiae ſons eſt. Luther in Gen. 19.. Called it is alſo, The Word, (by an excellencie) becauſe it muſt be the But, and boundary of our words: and, The Scriptures, as the ſtandard of all humane writings. Yea, that princely Preacher ſtiles them Princes, or Leaders cProv. 8 6. foreignin one place, and Lords of Collections dEccl. 12.11. foreignin another, becauſe they are as Leaders, and Lords Paramount above all other words or writings of men, collected into volumes. Here we are bound to beſtow our day and night-ſtudieseIoſh. 1.8.: and hence wee may well gather flowers, and phraſes to poliſh our ſpeeches with; even thoſe ſound words f2 Tim. 1.13. foreign.in Saint Paul, that have a healing property in them, farre above all filed phraſes of humane elocution. To the Law therefore, and to the Teſtimonie (ſaith that rare Rhetorician) for, if any ſpeake not according to this Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them gIſa. 8.20.. This is the c rtaine Cynoſura, the Lampe and Lanterne, the Rule, and Rudder, the Wiſe-men, ſtarre, that leades men to Chriſt, and without which, all their learning and language doth but light them into utter darkneſſe. Good therefore, and worthy of all acceptation is the counſell of Saint James: So ſpeake yee, and ſo doe, as thoſe that ſhall be judg'd by the law of libertie hIam. 2.12.. And of Saint Paul: Let the word of Chriſt dwell richly in you, in all wiſedome, &c. that, whatever yee doe in word or deed, yee may doe all in the Name (that is, in the word and warrant) duplicate page duplicate page of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt iCol. 3.16, 17.. And of Saint Peter: If any man ſpeake, ſaith hee, let him ſpeake as the oracles of God k1 Pet. 1.11.: there's his patterne. Neither need wee feare, as ſome prophane miſcreants have done before uslLongolius, Pon p…n Laetus, Poli…unus Canonicus Florent: qui odas Pindaricas pſalmis Davidiers pratulit, auſit nelario. Spuinx Philoſ. p. q., leſt our ſmoother and purer ſtile ſhould be marred or bemired, by the interlacing of Scripture ſoleciſmeslLongolius, Pon p…n Laetus, Poli…unus Canonicus Florent: qui odas Pindaricas pſalmis Davidiers pratulit, auſit nelario. Spuinx Philoſ. p. q.. The vulgar Tranſlation, I confeſſe, is ſo peſterd with Barbariſmes, that, not onelyonly Saint Hierome would diſavow it, but Priſcian himſelfe would call for his Ferula. But read, as it was written, or rightly rendered (beſides that, for the matter, it is that foreign, 2 Tim. 3.16. thatmforeign ut ille olim de Liblioth. A… …. Phyſick for the ſoule, that cryſtall brooke, out of which, nay out of that one booke of which, nay almoſt out of that one ſixth chapter of that one booke of Deuteronomy, Our heavenly David choſe all thoſe ſtones, wherewith he proſtrated the Goliah of hellnMatth. 4.) there is a divine majeſty (that character of the deity) ſhining through the humility and ſimplicity of the phraſe: And oh the happineſſe of that man, that can aptly utter his minde in pure Scripture! God himſelfe, I am ſure (the greateſt Maſter of ſpeech, and Maker of it too, Exod. 4.11.) when he ſpake from heaven, made uſe of three ſeverall texts in a breathoMatth. 17.5. This is my beloved Sonne, Pſal. 2.7. in whom I am well pleaſed, Eſay, 42.1. heare ye him. Deuteronomie, 18.15. Which you may note againſt the curious queaſineſſe of ſuch nice ones, as diſdaine at the ſlately plainneſſe of the Scriptures (ſaith onepCart. in locum.) And to ſhew of what authority Scripture phraſe is with God, ſaith another expoſitourqMalcolm. in Act. 3.. I yeeld, there is a latitude, and a liberty leſt here, wherein to expatiate. Neither am I of Spiridions ſpirit, that could not brooke it in a Biſhop of his time (more el…quent, haply, then himſelfe) that he ſhould vary the leaſt tittle in his text, though for another of ſelfe-ſame ſignificationrVoce foreign cum uſus eſſet in iſtius hiſtoriae enarratione. Mar. 2 4. Epiſcopus quidam diſcitio…, tam fuit offenſus Spi…dion, celob… & lortaſſe moroſior Epiſcopu…, ut in media concione in rexerit. Beza in l…. ex Niceph.. They that ſtumble at ſuch ſtrawes, muſt firſt get their cares healedſDemoſt. orat. de o…d. civ. (as the Oratour told his country-men) before they will be in caſ to beare with fruit, or reade with profit. Let men be ſo ingenious, ſaith a Father, as to favour that in others which they cannot finde in themſelves. Eloquence is certainely a ſingular gift of God, if not affected, abuſed, idolized: and becomes no man better then a Divine: whoſe part it is, by the tongue of the learned to time a word tEſay 50 4. foreign, and to ſet it upon its circumferences uProv. 25.11.: to declare unto Man his righteouſneſſe, when not one of a thouſandxIob 33.23. can doe it like him: to ſeeke to finde out pleaſant words yEccleſ. 12.10, 11. Verba deſiderata: Ca…e…. delectabilia. Tre…. expetibilia. Va…ab., and an upright writing: ſuch words as have goades, and nailes in them, being neither lecta nor neglecta, too curious, nor too careleſſe. Not this; for where hony is forbidden for ſacrifice, yet, there the firſt-fruits of hony are commanded, and call'd for. Leviticus, 2.11.12. Not that; becauſe Gods holy things muſt be handled ſanctè magis quàm ſcitè, with feare and reverence rather then with wit and dalliance, as he once told the wanton veſtall. Holy Moſes covers his gliſtering face with a vaile when he ſpeakes to the people: and hath more glory by his vaile then by his face. Thoſe profoundeſt Prophets accommodate themſelves to their hearers capacities, fetching diſcourſe from that the people were moſt acquainted with, and accuſtom'd to: as from fiſhes to the Egyptians, from droves of cattle to the Arabians, trade and traffique to the Tyrians, &c. So our bleſſed Saviour tells his fiſher-men they ſhall be fiſhers of men. And after many plaine parables to the people, cries out Marke 4.13. (as if the wiſedome of the Father, the eſſentiall word, had beene at a fault for a fit word, familiar and low enough for our ſlow and ſhallow apprehenſions) Whereunto ſhall we liken the Kingdome of God? or with what compariſon ſhall wee compare it? Yea, 'tis well obſerved, that th'Evangeliſts ſpeake vulgarly, many times for their Hearers ſakes, even to a manifeſt Incongruity, Joh. 17.2 zManifeſtum foreign. Sed Evangeliſtae multa di…endi genera è medio petierunt, ut …udi vulgò ſ…ſ… accommoda ent. B… in loc.. Rev. 1.4. &c. In after-ages (thoſe two great lights of the Church) S. Auſtin confeſſeth that hee was fain to uſe ſome words, ſometimes, to thoſe Roman Colonies in Africke, where hee preached, that were not Latine, to the end they might underſtand himaAs eſſum for os, d…lus for dolor, ſtor…et for ſ…rebit. Bice…voods enq…ties. p. 29.. And Saint Hierome is for this much commended, that remembring he was a Miniſter, hee ſtood not alwaies upon the pureneſſe of his ſtile, but was farre more ſolicitous of his matter, than of his wordsbL. Vives. lib 2. & 3. de t. ad. diſcip.. Children, wee ſee, uſe money to gingle with, and men uſe ſlowers onelyonly for ſight and ſcent: but Bees for hony and waxe; not to guild their wings, as the Butter-flie, but to fill their Combs, and feed their Yong. In like ſort, others ſtore their heads, and tip their tongues, ſome for ſhew, and ſome for delight: but, Divines have theſe talents in truſt, that therewith they may ſave themſelves, and them that heare them c1 Tim. 4.16.; whiles they become all things to all men, in Saint Pau… ſenſe, that they may win ſomed1 Cor. 9.22.. And this (to …y ſooth) is the juſt intent and indeavour of this tumultuary Treatiſe, hudled up, and ſcribled out in great haſte and heat of Paſſion, and Compaſsion (a paire of ill Speakers, as wee ſee in David, Pſal. 116.11. and Peter, Math. 16.22.) for mine own*foreign. Antonin., and ſome few others ſupport and ſolace, in the ſad loſſe of our deareſt friends, and ſweeteſt children by the laſt-yeares mortality. Since then, it fell (or ere I wiſt) into the hands of Authority, by meanes of ſuch as ever-ween'd it: Being got abroad, how it will take among the Many, I know not, feare not, force not*foreign. Hero…ot l. 7.. Thoſe that have a blemiſh in their eye, think the skie to be ever cloudy: and nothing's more common with weaker ſpirits, than to be criticizing, and contending. The matter (I conceive) is ſound and ſeaſonable; much of it borrow'd from the beſt Authors I have met with; and I ſhame not, yee ſee, to profeſſe by whom I have profitedfIngenuum eſt proſiteri per quos profeceris.. Neither need I, when I call to mind, how the Prophet Zachary (as ſome will have it) commits to writing that which the Prophet Ieremy had preachedgPareus in Math. 27.9.; Obadiah (I am ſure) that which the ſame Ieremy had penn'd, before them. St. Iude tranſcribes St. Peter in many things: St. Marke abbreviates the other Evangeliſts, but yet, ever with Vſury, as one ſpeakes*The bleſſed Virgin hath much of her Magnificat out of Eſay 29.. Clemens Alexandrinus is call'd Contextor hClem. Alex a Ca…iedoro appellatur Contexter. A…ſte…. Chronol. p. 434., and a latter man, Comeſtor, for their often allegations and authoritiesiIbid. p. 450.. I will indeavour (ſaith Gerſon, and I with him) out of other mens good Meditations and Collections, to frame to my ſelfe, with the buſie Bee, ſome ſweet Hony-comb of Truth, by mine owne art and induſtrie, in mine owne words and methodkEnicar ut ex bene inventis, & doctrinis altotum ego men verbis …coordine, ſavum aliquem veritatis, &c. De la…de ſc…ipt.: and then be bold to ſay with another, Omne meum, nihil meum lMacrob.; All's mine, though 'twere none of it m…e. But ſomething, I take it, I …ave learn'd by the things I have ſuffer'dmHeb. 5.8.. Affliction is a good helpe to experimen…ll knowledgenZox practica. Pareus. as Job fo…nd it chap. 42.5. And there ſhall be onelyonly feare, ſaith the Prophet, to make you underſtand the hearing. Iſay, 28.19. *foreign. Nonn.Vnderſtand yee theſe things? ſaith our Saviour: yes. Therefore every Scribe that is inſtructed to the kingdome of God is like unto a houſholder that thruſteth forth oforeign. Math. 13.51, 52. foreign.(that is freely and fully imparteth) out of his ſtorehouſe (called here a treaſury, becauſe we caſt pearles afore menpMath. 7.6., if they be but as ready to take them as we to tender them) things both new and old: that is, not onelyonly out of the New and Old teſtament (as ſonne would reſtraine it) but new for the nice, and old for the ſtronger ſtomacke. A good ſtomacke, we ſee, falls to the ſame diſh oft and afreſh, againe and againe, to day and to morrow, and feeles no ſatiety, nor cries out, he is cloyed: No more doth a good Chriſtian. And this meetes with thoſe that demaund, what neede this waſte after ſo much written already of the ſame ſubject*Quaſi poſt Homerum Iliada.? The Heathen anſwers: What forbids to ſay the ſame good things over once and againe qforeign;? Our Saviour, I am ſure, (in whoſe one example is a globe of precepts) preacht the ſame thing himſelfe, and bad his diſciples doe the like, that Iohn Baptiſt had done before himrQuod utinam …j perpenderent quib… ade… foreign placent, neq…id ab alijs didiciſle videantur. Mutheſ. So he twice over, taught his Apoſtles the Lords prayer; nay, that whole ſermon, as ſome probably gather by the circumſtances, as they are ſeverally ſet downe by the two EvangeliſtsſMath. 6. Luke 6. And when at twice, he drove thoſe mony-merchants out of the temple, he both times made uſe of the ſelfe-ſame allegations, and argumentstIoh. 2.16. Marke 11.17.. Moſt ſure it is, that that can never be too much taught, that's never ſufficiently learn'd*Nunquam ſatis dicitur quod nungaā ſatis diſcitur. Sen.. And how others have profited in Afflictions SchooleuSchola crucis, ſchola …icis., they can beſt tell: but for mine owne part; though I feare not leſt while I preach to others, my ſelfe ſhould be a caſtaway x1 Cor. 9. ult.; Yet I have cauſe to feare leſt ſome man ſay unto me, Phyſitian heale thy ſelfe: or twit me in earneſt (as one did Eraſmus in jeſt, touching his Enchiridion) that there's more good ſound in my booke, then in my boſomyPlus ſanctin onix conſpici in ipſo libello quam in l…belli authore. Eraſ. The comfort is, I am chiefly to approve my ſelfe (and ſo art thou, Reader) to him that takes goates-haire from ſome hands as well as Iewells; and two mites from a meane bodyzforeign. …uc. 19 2. id eſt, irquit Sy…us, duas octavas …e licet, oboli. in as good part, as two millions from thoſe that are more able. A female was allowed in peace offerings: to note, that a ready heart ſets an high price with …od upon a low p eſent. Araunah was but a ſu…ject, yet becauſe of that little he had, he gave like a King, 2 Sam. 24.23. his piety is renowned, and regiſtred to all poſterity, Zach. 9.7. Ekron (that is the barbarous people of Paleſtina) ſhall be as the Iebuſite: that is, as this famous proſelyte Araunah, as Iunius interprets it. Saul had but five pence in his purſe to give the Seer: the Seer, after much good cheare, gives him the kingdomea1 Sam. 9 8. & 10.1.. Loe ſuch is Gods dealing with the ſonnes of men. Doth Iob ſerve God for nought? chap. 1.9. doth any ſo much as ſhut the doore or kindle a fire upon his altar for nought? Mal. 1.10. I trow not. God is a liberall paymaſter, and all his retributions are more then bountifull. Nebuchadnezzar the tyrant going upon Gods errand, ſhall have Egypt as his pay, for his paines at Tyr… bEzek. 29.18, 19.. And Simon of Cyrene, Ezra 9.8.with his two ſonnes Alexander and Rufus, have a naile and a name in Gods ho…ſe better then of ſonnes and of daughtersdIſa 56.5., for that involuntary ſervice he did our Saviour, in carrying his croſſe, Mar. 15.21 *Lege Bez…n ad locū. & ad Act. 20 4. Nec illum tantùm ſed filios ejus Rufum, & Alexandrum ad Eccleſiam aggregatos & inter diſcipulos probe notos. Luc. 23.26.. How much more then will he graciouſly accept, and liberally reward the ſmall offerings of his weake ſervants, when he ſeeth them to proceede from great love? 'Tis of his owne alas that we give him, as David gladly acknowledgeth when the people had given their beſte1 Chron. 29.14.. And what are we Miniſters, but the voice of another that criethfMath. 3.3., as Iohn Baptiſt: the pen in Gods hand as Moſes, and the prophets, 2 Pet. 1.2. veſſels to beare Gods name, as Paul, Act. 9.15. Brethren (ſaid hee, Act. 13.15.) if there be in you (as in ſo many veſſels of honour, 2 Cor. 4.7.) any word of exhortation, ſay on. Spirituall niceneſſe is the next degree to unfaithfulneſſe. If thou have not fine Manchet (ſaid Bucer to Bradford) yet give the poore people Barly-bread, or whatſoever elſe the Lord hath put into thy handgFox Martyrolog.. Hee hath concredited unto us theſe precious talents, not to hide them, but to trade with them*Agricol… è ſterco…ibus quaeſtum faciunt, quantò magis in precioſis de… donis nihil non exercendum?: which if wee doe faithfully, aſcribing all the gaine and glory to God, as thoſe good Servants did, Luke 19.16. when they ſaid; Not we, but thy talents have gained other five, and other two, &c. (which is parallell to that of Saint Paul, Howbeit, not I, but the grace of God that was in mee, 1 Cor. 15.…0.) hee will ſurely reward our labour of love,*Secundum labor…m, non ſecu…dum proventum. Bern. foreign, not according to our acceptance with the world which is …fiea little enough) but according to our honeſt indeavour of ſerving the Lord Chriſt. Who will in that name▪ put upon us the inheritance, Coloſſ. 4.24. and in that day meet us with an Euge bone ſerve, Well done good ſervant, thou haſt beene faith…ull in a little, (ſo hee calls the largeſt meaſure here, even ten talents, in compariſon of that ſarre more exceeding and eternall waighthforeign. 2 Cor. 4.17. Alludit ad Heb…u… & Chal leu… nomen gloriae foreign & foreign came ro…. hereafter) be thou maſter of much; whether five, or ten, or two Cities according to thy proportion, and capacitie; beſides, a largeſſe of joy to boot; Enter into thy maſters joy iMath 25.21 Non ita mortales, Luc 17.7. A…raba…us cum oeconomum fideliſſ: haberet, …g…e tamen tulit illum ſibi h… re lem, liberotum o…bitate, conſeribendum. Salomon, Ieroboamum, &c.. A joy more like the joy of God than of Man, a joy more meet for the maſter than for the ſervant; yet, ſuch a maſter doe wee ſerve, as will crowne us with ſuch a joy. Oh how ſhould the ſerious conſideration hereof, fire up our hearts, and force open our eyes, to ſee with all Saints, what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and heighth; And to know the love of Chriſt, that paſſeth knowledge, that wee might be filled with all the fulneſſe of GodkEph. 3.18, 19.! But I muſt contract, for if a great booke be a great vill*foreign. Callimachus apud Athenaum. (as he ſaid once) how much more a long Preface to a little book? I ſhall therfore ſuddenly ſhut up with the ſame Apoſtle, in the words next following thoſe afore cited: Now, unto him that is able to doe exceeding abundantly, above all that wee aske or thinke, according to the power that worketh in us; VntoUnto him be glory in the Church, by Chriſt Jeſus, throughout all ages, world without end lver. 20.21.. Amen.