Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Gods people, though dear to God, yet uſually have been in an afflicted eſtate.
FOr the firſt: Gods people, although dear and precious in his eyes, yet they have uſually been an afflicted people in all generations unto this day. When God was making his Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 15. 12. at the going down of the Sun a deep ſleep fell upon him: and lo, a horror of great darkneſs was on him, and ver. 17. a ſmoking furnace, and a burning lamp paſſed between his ſacrifice, and the Lord tells him of the bondage of his ſeed in Egypt. The afflicted condition of Gods people who were to come from Abraham, was ſhewn by the horror of darkneſs, and the ſmoking furnace: And this is obſervable, As at the firſt great Promiſe that was made for Gods chooſing of a people to himſelf out of Abrahams loyns, their afflicted eſtate was ſet out; ſo where we have the great promiſe of the Goſpel, the largeſt of any in the Goſpel, for the encouragement of thoſe who are willing to part with any thing for Chriſt, even there perfecution is annexed▪ for ſo the words are, Mark 10. 29, 30. There is no man that hath left houſe, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my ſake, and the Goſpels, but he ſhall receive a hundred fold now in this life, houſes, and brethren, and ſiſters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with perſecutions, and in the world to come eternal life; Perſecutions come in amongſt all thoſe great things that are there promiſed. Iſrael is a people afflicted from their youth, Pſal. 129. 1. When God appeared to Moſes, to ſend him a deliverer of his people, he appeared to him in a burning buſh, to ſet out the afflicted eſtate of his people.
If the people of God might have a Herald to give Arms to them, as ſome other Profeſſions and Societies have, the beſt and moſt ſutable, would be ſuch as Mr. Hooper that holy Martyr had, when he was made Biſhop of Worceſter, A Lamb in a flaming buſh, with rayes of the Sun from Heaven ſhining on it: a Lamb for meekneſs, in a buſh burning, amongſt wicked men, who are as brambles and thorns, burning with malice, and yet the ſweet influence and comfortable light of heaven let out upon it.
When Ignatius came to the wilde beaſts, to be devoured of them, and his bones cruſhed between their teeth; Now (ſays he) I begin to be a Chriſtian: Bleſſed Mr. Bradford writing to the Town of Walden, to encourage them to ſuffer, ſaith, that that Chriſtian hath not learned his A. B. C. in Chriſtianity, who hath not learned the leſſon of the Croſs. A. Chriſtian is a Croſs-bearer, ſays Luther. As God made the evening and the morning to be the firſt day, and ſo Chriſtianus Cructanus: Qui non eſt Crucianus, non eſt Chriſtianus. Luther in Gen. c. 29 Eccleſia cſt haeres Crucis.the ſecond, &c. So the day of Gods people, God hath made to be the evening of troubles here, and the everlaſting morning of glory and happineſs hereafter. It is an expreſſion of Mr. Calvin, The godly (ſays he) have their dark ſhadow of troubles before them, and their brightneſs of glory behinde to come hereafter, but the men of the world have their brightneſs before them.
Men uſe to bring out their beſt firſt, and reſerve the worſt till afterwards, but Gods dealing with his people is otherwiſe, their worſt is firſt with them. The way to Canaan is through the wilderneſs, even after a ſore and tedious bondage; yea, and when God brought his people into Canaan, he brought them into the worſt part of Canaan firſt, into the ſouthern part, which was the moſt dry and barren part of the land. The way to Zion is through the valley of Baca, Pſal. 84. 6. Many are the troubles of the righteous, ſaith David, Pſal. 34. 19. According to that of the Apoſtles, Acts 14. 22. Through much tribulation we muſt enter into the kingdom of God. Pſalm 22. is a prophetical Pſalm of Chriſts ſufferings, and the title is upon Aijeleth Shehar, which ſignifies the morning Hart or Stag, ſuch a one as the Huntſmen ſever out in the morning from the reſt, to hunt for that day. Such was Chriſt, and ſuch is his Church, as the morning Stag ſevered out to be hunted and worried by the world. In the world ye ſhall have tribulation, ſaith our Savior to his diſciples, John 16. 33. we cannot follow Chriſt, and be his Diſciples, but upon theſe terms, Mat. 16. 24. Others uſe to invite Followers with promiſes of honors and riches, but Chriſt tells the worſt at firſt, what we are like to finde; we muſt be content to take up our croſs, not to endure it by compulſion, and conſtraint, but to take it up willingly and cheerfully: Secondly, not what croſs we will, we muſt not chooſe our croſs, but what is appointed for us.
He muſt take up his croſs. But this croſs it may be ſhall be but now and then.
Yes, Luke 9. 23. He muſt take up his croſs daily.
But if every day, I hope it is an eaſie croſs.
Nay, it is a killing croſs; 1 Cor. 15. 31. I dye daily, ſaith St. Paul.
But yet I hope there may be refreſhings ſome part of the day.
Not ſo neither; Rom. 8. 36. For thy ſake are we killed all the day long; that is, in regard of the danger of death: Secondly, in regard of ſome beginnings that we ſuffer: Thirdly, in regard of our willingneſs to undergo it.
Since the days of John Baptiſt the Kingdom of Heaven ſuffers violence, and the violent take it by force, Mat. 11. 12. this is ordinarily taken for the greedineſs of the peoples embracing Johns Miniſtery, but it rather ſeems to be ſpoken of another kinde of violence, namely, the violence of oppoſition and perſecution, in which the enemies of the Goſpel ſeek to lay violent hands upon it; for he tells them preſently, Verſe 16, 17, 18. that the Jews were as wayward children, that nothing would pleaſe them, but ſaid that John had a Devil; they were therefore rather violent againſt his Miniſtery, then violent in embracing of his Miniſtery.
2 Tim. 3. 12. All that will live godly, muſt ſuffer perſecution: Firſt all] Every one muſt expect it, although 1.it is true, God calls not all to the like ſufferings, yet he exempts none from ſome degree or other, let him be as wiſe, and as diſcreet as he will, yet if godly, he ſhall not eſcape. Chriſt was the beſt Preacher that ever was, he lived the moſt inoffenſively that ever any did, and yet while he was preaching, the Phariſees blew their noſes at him in ſcorn and deriſion; foreign.for ſo the word ſignifies in the Original, Luke 16. 14. which is tranſlated, derided him. And at another time they would have broke his neck, by caſting him from a ſteep hill, after he had done his Sermon. Saint Paul the moſt famous Preacher next to Chriſt, that ever was, and yet he was accounted a babler, a peſtilent fellow, his Sermons were accounted factious and ſeditious.
Secondly, He that will live godly.] The Devil 2.will let a man have many wiſhes and deſires, theſe are not perſecuted; but he that will, if he be ſet upon it, abſolutely reſolved that he will, and nothing ſhall hinder, then he muſt make account to ſuffer: When the woman in the Revelations, Chap. 12. was ready to bring forth her Childe, the Dragon ſought to devour it, he medled not with her all the while ſhe was a breeding.
Thirdly, he that will live.] If he keep his 3.godlineſs in his heart, and not diſcover it in his life, he may go on well enough, but theſe ſhews of godlineſs the world cannot endure. Wickedneſs muſt appear with open face, but godlineſs muſt keep within doors: Wickedneſs trades openly, but godlineſs muſt keep in as a bankrupt, that dare not be ſeen.
Fourthly, he that will live godly.] Not civilly onelyonly, 4.for a man to live fairly, lovingly, juſtly amongſt men, to keep from crying ſins, and here to reſt, this man perhaps may eſcape ſufferings; but if he begins to live godly, to go beyond morality in his profeſſion, then he muſt expect to ſuffer.
Fifthly, he that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus: that is, in the vertue, ſtrength and power of Chriſt 5.Jeſus; The other may be done without knowledge of What it is to live godly in Chriſt.Chriſt, but this godlineſs in Chriſt Ieſus is that which is perſecuted in the world [godly in Chriſt Jeſus.]
That is, firſt real and true godlineſs, not the ſhadow 1.of godlineſs: A Wolf flies not upon a painted ſheep, we can look upon a painted toad with delight: There are ſome forms, and ſhadows of godlineſs entertained in the world, but the reality and truth of godlineſs is that which is hated, and oppoſed.
Secondly, godlineſs in Chriſt Jeſus, is exact godlineſs, 2.it carries a ſoul to a higher pitch then morality doth; now a man begins to live in a higher courſe of Religion, to be ſtrict in his ways, to tremble at the leaſt ſin, to devote himſelf wholly to God, this man muſt expect to ſuffer.
Thirdly, the godlineſs that is in Chriſt Jeſus, is a 3.ſtirring godlineſs: if a man will be lukewarm, and as Gallio, not caring which way things go, then many will ſpeak well of him, he is no buſie-body, not ſo hot, and fierce as others are. We reade Exod. 8. 28. Pharaoh was content to let the people go, onelyonly he would not have them go far; ſo, many are content that men ſhould be Religious, ſo be it they do not go too far, Revel. 2. 2. Chriſt ſaith to the Angel of the Church of Epheſus, I know thy labor and thy patience; mark how theſe two are joyned: If the Angel had not labored ſo much, it is like he had not ſuffered ſo much: If Miniſters and Chriſtians will be idle and do little, they are not like to ſuffer much, a little patience will ſerve turn; but thoſe who put forth themſelves, who are ſtirring, active, who labor much, they muſt expect to ſuffer much. It is very obſervable that of the ſeven Churches we reade of in the Revelations, there are onelyonly two of whoſe troubles there are no mention; and which are they? the firſt is Sardis, of which it is ſaid, She had a name that ſhe lived, and was dead: the other was Laodicea, that was neither hot nor cold: Theſe two eſcaped troubles, but none of the other.
Fourthly, the godlineſs that is in Chriſt Ieſus, is a 4.powerful godlineſs, that will not yield and give in; ſuch as the Lord requires in Ieremy, Let them come in to you, do not you go to them: Let men ſay what they will, let them threaten, rail, flatter, perſwade, yet this yields not. Now the world judges this to be pride, ſtubbornneſs, not knowing what the power of godlineſs means: A reed that yields, is not ſhattered by the wind: So thoſe who will be time-ſervers, whoſe conſciences will bow any way, thoſe ſhall ſuffer no great matter; but if men be unyieldable, eſpecially in things that are counted ſmall, as many of the Chriſtians in the Primitive times, who would not caſt one grain of frankincenſe into the fire to ſave their lives, theſe are hated, contemned and perſecuted in the World: Antichriſt is content to let the name and profeſſion of Religion alone, but he perſecutes the power of godlineſs, it is that which witneſſeth againſt him, Revel. 11. 8. He ſlays the witneſſes, but he lets their carcaſſes lie openly; he cares not for the name and profeſſion, ſo be it the witneſſing power be ſlain.
Fifthly, Godlineſs in Christ Jeſus, is world-condemning 5.godlineſs; Noah condemned the world by that he did: Other men ſhould be accounted well of, were it not for theſe; but this darkens their light, and condemns their way, which they are not able to abide, 1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved, think it not ſtrange (ſaith the Apoſtle) concerning the fiery tryal, as though ſome ſtrange thing happened unto you; be not moved at it, as at the coming of a ſtranger unexpectedly, you muſt entertain troubles as ordinary daily gueſts.
It hath been, is, and will be the order of Gods providence towards his people, that they ſhall be in an afflicted condition, and that many times in great extremities; and hence, Chap. 5. 10. the Apoſtle prays, That the God of all grace would make them perfect, after they had ſuffered a while; as if prayer might not be made for perfection, until we have ſuffered a while. As ſoon as St. Paul was manifeſted to be a choſen veſſel for the honor of God, it was ſhewn unto him, what things he ſhould ſuffer for the name of Chriſt, as if that were a neceſſary concomitant to the profeſſion of godlineſs.
Look over the whole Book of God, and conſider the hiſtory of the lives of Gods people in all ages, both in Scripture, and in other records, and you ſhall finde them uſually in a poor afflicted condition; as ſoon as we hear of any work of Religion, we hear of the perſecution of Abel. Noahs Ark on the waters, was a type of the condition of the Church in afflictions. What hard things did Abraham, and the reſt of the Patriarchs endure in their generations? How ſore was the bondage of the Iſraelites in Egypt? Their paſſage through the Red ſea and the diſmall Wilderneſs into Canaan, was a type of the afflicted condition of Gods people in after ages, through which they were to paſs to Heaven: How was David hunted as a Partridge in the wilderneſs? What bitter and ſore complaints do we hear, of the grievous ſuffering he met withal? Pſal. 129. the Church there bemoans her condition, that from her youth up ſhe had been afflicted: What hard uſage did the bleſſed Prophets of the Lord finde? Eliah was perſecuted, and muſt flie for his life, while four hundred falſe Prophets were fed at Iezabels table: Micaiah muſt be fed with the bread of affliction, and the water of adverſity.
Hiſtories tell us, that Iſaiah was ſawn aſunder with a wooden ſaw; Ieremy was put into a dungeon, ſticking in the mire (as ſome ſtories ſay) even up to the ears, and after was ſtoned to death in Egypt; Ezekiel was ſlain in Babylon; Micah was thrown down a ſteep place, and his neck broke; Amos was ſmitten with a club, and ſo brained: The Story of the perſecutions of the Maccabees propheſied of, Dan. 11. 36. and recorded by the Apoſtle, Heb. 11. from the 35 Verſe to the end, is exceeding lamentable; the Texts ſays, That they were tortured, that they had the tryal of cruel mockings and ſcourgings, of bonds and impriſonment; they were ſtoned, were ſawn aſunder, ſlain with the ſword, wandred up and down in Sheep-skins and Goats-skins, being deſtitute, afflicted, tormented, they wandred in deſerts, and mountains, and dens, and caves in the earth.
And after, for the Chriſtian Church, we know what Chriſt himſelf, the great leader of his people ſuffered, what contradiction of ſinners? what contempts? miſeries? ſcorns? ſcourges? curſed, cruel, ſhameful death? When Stephen the firſt Chriſtian Martyr was ſtoned, Dorotheus witneſſeth, that two thouſand others which believed on Chriſt, were put to death the ſame day. All the twelve Apoſtles after many ſore and grievous afflictions endured, ſuffered many violent deaths, John onelyonly excepted: who yet, as the Scripture teſtifieth, was baniſhed into Patmos, and as ſome Hiſtories, that he was by Domitian thrown into a Tun of ſcalding lead, yet as they ſay, delivered by a miracle.
Peter was crucified with his heels upward, becauſe he would not be as Chriſt was, thinking himſelf unworthy of that honor: Andrew was crucified by Egeas King of Edeſſa: Iames was ſlain by the ſword of Herod, as we finde Acts: 12. the beginning: Philip was crucified, and ſtoned to death at Hieropolis, a City in Phrygia: Bartholomew, after divers perſecutions, was beaten down with ſtaves as he was preaching in a City of Armenia, and then crucified, and after his skin flead off, and beheaded: Thomas was ſlain with a Dart at Calamina in India: Matthew was run through with a ſword, or as ſome write, ſlain with a ſpear: Iames the ſon of Alpheus, who was called the juſt man, was ſet upon the pinacle of the Temple, and thrown down, and yet having ſome life left in him, he was brained with a Fullers club; ſome Hiſtories ſay, that Paul before his converſion, had a ſpecial hand in this: Lebbeus was ſlain by Agbarus King of Edeſſa: Simon the Canaanite was crucified in Egypt, or as others ſay, he and Iude was ſlain in a tumult of the people: Matthias that came into the number in ſtead of Iudas, was ſtoned, and then beheaded: Paul was beheaded at Rome, under Nero.
Thoſe ten fearful Perfecutions in the Primitive times, from the time of Domitius Nero, unto Conſtantine, doth ſet out fully unto us the truth of this argument: for three hundred years together, the name of a Chriſtian was death, except now and then, the Churches had ſome little breathings. Brightman ſpeaking of the ſtories of thoſe times, ſays, that every page, and leaf, is as it were all red, coloured in blood: the Covenant of grace is a bloody Covenant, both in regard of the blood of Chriſt, firſt ſealing it, and the blood of the bleſſed Martyrs, adding likewiſe their ſeals in confirming of it. In that Treatiſe that goes under the name of Cyprian, de duplici Martyrio; ſpeaking of that place, 1 Iohn 5. 8. Three bear witneſs on earth, the Spirit, water and blood; the third is applyed to the blood of the Martyrs in thoſe times.
It is a moſt heart-breaking meditation to conſider the ragings, madneſs and fury of the Heathens againſt the Chriſtians in thoſe times. Ierome in an Epiſtle to Cromatius, ſays, that there was no day in a whole year, unto which the number of five thouſand Martyrs cannot be aſcribed, except onelyonly the firſt day of Ianuary. Vincentius reports, that at Aquileia, the Emperor gave leave to every man that would, to kill the Chriſtians; All the policy, wit, ſtrength of invention, of men and devils, were exerciſed and ſtretched out to the utmoſt, for deviſing the moſt miſerable torments, and exquiſite tortures; as plates of Iron burning hot, laid upon their naked fleſh; pinſers red hot, pulling off the fleſh from the bones; bodkins, pricking and thruſting all over their bodies: caſting into lime kilns, and into caldrons of ſcalding lead: whippings until almoſt all the fleſh was torn off their bodies, and their bones and bowels appeared, and then laid flat upon ſharp ſhels and knives: their skins were flead off alive, and then their raw fleſh was rubbed with ſalt and vineger: their bodies were beaten all over with clubs, until their bones and joynts were beat aſunder: they were laid upon gridirons, roſted, and baſted with ſalt and vineger: one member was pulled from another; by faſtening them to the boughs of trees, they rent their bodies apieces: they were toſſed upon the horns of Bulls, with their bowels hanging out; they were caſt among dogs to be devoured; they were put under the Ice naked into Rivers; they were tortured on the rack, on the wheel, and on the gibbet, with flaming fire under them: they made it their ſports, to ſee them devoured by wilde beaſts; and in the night, in ſtead of torches, they burnt the bodies of the Saints, to give them light for their paſtimes.
To give you an inſtance or two, that you may ſee the miſerable extremities the Saints of God in former times paſſed through. I read of one Sanctus, upon whom when ſuch intolerable tortures were inflicted, as the Perſecuters thought, ſurely they ſhould have heard ſome words of blaſphemy coming from him, yet they could get nothing but this, Sum Chriſtianus, I am a Chriſtian; at which they being mad, they clapt on plates of braſs red hot, to the moſt tender parts of his body, wherewith although his Spirit ſhrunk not, but ſtill continued conſtant, yet his body was ſo drawn together, that it loſt the proper ſhape of a man; and after he lying in priſon a while, they brought him forth again to the common ſcaffold in the face of the people, and put him to all kinde of torments they could deviſe, as though he had been put to none before, as ſcourgings, tearings by wilde beaſts; his body being thus torn, they brought an iron chair red hot with fire, and ſet him in it, and ſo fryed and ſcorched him as upon a gridiron: Thus he being made the whole day a ſpectacle to the people, in ſtead of their games and ſights, they could get nothing from him, but his firt confeſſion, Chriſtianus ſum, I am a Chriſtian.
The example of Romanus, who was of noble birth, but more noble in his Martyrdom, is very famous; he was firſt whipped with knaps of lead at the ends of the cords; he deſired them not to ſpare him for his Nobility, Not the blood of my progenitors, ſays he, but Chriſtian profeſſion makes me noble: then they lanced him with knives, until the bones appeared white, his face was buffeted, his eye-lids torn with their nails, his hair pulled from his face; the Captain being aſtoniſhed at his conſtancy, commanded them to ceaſe from tortures; he was after brought forth and ſcourged again upon his old ſores; they plucked out his tongue by the roots: the Captain being yet more aſtoniſhed to ſee him continue conſtant, commanded him to be brought into priſon, and there be to ſtrangled.
The example of Vincentius is as remarkable as any; he was firſt wracked, all his joynts being ſtretched out of their place; then his body was indented with grievous and deadly wounds; then they tortured his fleſh, by ſaking upon it with iron combs ſharply filed; and then they laid his body upon a grate of iron, opening his fleſh with iron hooks, they ſeared it with fiery plates, ſprinkling it with hot burning ſalt; then they drew him into a dungeon, where the floor was ſpread with the ſharpeſt ſhells that could be gotten, they laid his body upon them, and ſo left him without all ſuccor.
Take an example of a woman or two; one Blandina was miſerably whipped, tortured by wilde beaſts, tormented, and ſcorched upon a gridiron, and then put into a net, and caſt unto the wilde Bulls to be gored, and ſo ſlain. We read of one Eulalila a yong Gentlewoman, famous for her godlineſs and conſtancy, who was pulled away from the ſeat of her Perſecuters by the hair of her head, then one joynt was pulled from another, and the fleſh from the bones by cuſhes and claws of wilde beaſts; then they harrowed her fleſh with an iron hurdle, they burnt her body on every ſide before and behinde with flaming torches, and at laſt caſt her into fire, and conſumed her body unto aſhes.
How lamentable is the hearing of theſe things unto nice and curious women? who now muſt not have the wind to blow on them, who are ready to dye if they be but croſſed a little of their wills. It was an excellent ſpeech of a woman Martyr, Iulitta by name, who being to be put into the fire, ſpake unto other women thus, Ceaſe to acouſe the fragility of the feminine ſex: What? are not we made of the ſame matter that men are? yea, after Gods image are we made as well as they; God did not uſe fleſh to make women of in token of infirmity, we are bone of his bone, in token we muſt be ſtrong in the living God. Theſe were the ſufferings of thoſe times; we ſhrink at every thing, at every ſcorn and frown.
As for after times, it pleaſed God to ſtir Conſtantine a Chriſtian Emperor, and then the Church had ſome reſt; to which ſome apply that place, Rev. 20. 2. Satan was bound a thouſand years, not to rage for a thouſand years after, ſo as he then did, until Antichriſt got ſtrength: but the Text will not bear this interpretation; we read Rev. 8. 1. at the opening the firſt ſeal, there was ſilence in Heaven half an hour; that is, a ſpace of intermiſſion, wherein the Church had ſome little breathing for a while, but yet continued not long; for Licinius, who firſt joyned in the maintenance of Chriſtian Religion, fell off and turned an outragious perſecuter. After that the Church endured infinite troubles by the hereſie of Arrianiſm, that ſpread it ſelf mightily abroad, ſo that the whole world almoſt was become an Arrian; at this time ſays Hilary, the Church was ſo obſcured, as it was not to be ſought in any external pomp in publique places, but in priſons and dens; Non in tect is, & exteriori pompa, ſed potius in carceribus & ſpeluncis. Arrius was a man of excellent parts, and forward in good, but through pride, being diſappointed of his expected preferment, fell off. Mr. Brightman upon Revelations 8. 11. thinks it was he, that was meant by that Star which fell, which was called wormwood, by which the third part of the maters were made bitter, and many dyed of the waters.
After that Antichriſt began to riſe more and more, and to bring a fearful darkneſs over the face of the Church; of which times the holy Ghoſt propheſies, Rev. 8. 12. The moon, ſun, and ſtars were ſmitten. The firſt open and bloody perſecution of Antichriſt, was that of the Waldenſes, in the year 1160. and 1260. and ſo on: there is a whole volumn written of the lamentable extremities that theſe poor people endured, the reading whereof might cauſe the hardeſt heart that lives to break. A ſpecial agent in this perſecution was one Dominick, father of the Dominicans, of whom his mother dreamed when ſhe was with childe with him, that ſhe had a Wolf flaming with fire out of his mouth in her body.
In after times we read of the moſt famous inſtruments of Gods glory, what hard things they endured: as Wickliff, Huſs, Ierame of Prague, and others. The firſt time that ever any Law was made for burning thoſe that oppoſed the Pope in England, was in Henry the Fourths time: ſo it went on to thoſe bloody Marian days; What impriſonments? what ſtarvings? ſtranglings? gibbets? fire? baniſhments were there then? What grievous miſeries did Gods people endure in France, eſpecially in that bloody ſavage Maſſacre in the year 1572? the Hiſtory of it tells us, that near the Archbiſhops Priſon in Lyons, the blood ran warm reeking in the ſtreets, into the River: in thirty days ſpace, there were an hundred thouſand poor orphans, widows, and ſuccorleſs creatures, wandring about without relief.
Thus both Scripture, and the Hiſtories of all times, hold forth unto us the truth of this point, that the eſtate of Gods people is an afflicted eſtate; they cry out aloud unto us, that through many tribulations we muſt enter into the kingdom of God. This hath been the way of God even towards thoſe who have been deareſt to him, and it is ſo at this day, but yet a great difference hath God made, between us, and thoſe in former times, in regard of the degree of afflictions; yea, between us and others of his Servants, in other places now: we feel but little of thoſe hard things that many of Gods people have felt, and ſtill do feel: we ſit under our vines, and fig-trees, in peace and plenty, not onelyonly under the ſhadows of them, but we taſte and eat plentifully of the fruit of them, they are not empty vines, nor empty fig-trees unto us.