The Dejected Souls Cure, Sermon 10
SERMON X.
Pſal. 42. 11.
Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him—The health of my Countenance, and my God.
Particular. 1 I Now come to the Second Particular for which the people of God are caſt down, and that is becauſe of the calamitous condition of the Church, and people of God here in the World. However ſome would hold us in hand that the Church of God was never in a more glorious condition then it is at this day: Yet whatſoever they ſay, he that doth but rightly look at things and make but a diligent ſcrutiny into the Churches condition, may eaſily ſee and behold the Church of God to be very low, that the glory and the face of the Church of God was never ſo blurred as at this day, and in theſe times wherein we live; and we may ſay, where is our glory become? we may ſee our glory even ſtanding on the threſhold, and ready to take her wings and fly away as a Bird, and our eyes may behold it if God prevent it not; for do we not ſee a cloud of troubles and ſore afflictions hanging over our heads ready to fall upon us in theſe parts of the world, and will certainly fall, if God out of his infinite mercy do not prevent it? Do we not behold prophaneſs and wickedneſs, yea great wickedneſs to abound among us, and that to appear alſo in the Church? and that doth appear ſo much the more when the government of the Church which ſhould keep out hereſie and prophaneſs, is cryed down, and a toleration of all religions cryed up as if that were the true Church where moſt prophaneſs and errors abound? where ever theſe ſins abound, there we may judge that it is the Churches swouning, if not the Churches dying time, The erroneous doctrines, doctrines of Divels which do ſo much abound in our daies, who do caſt off the Aſſemblies of the true Church, and ſeduce the people to ſinful practices, labouring to corrupt their judgements by unbottoming them from the truth, and new principling them with falſe opinions, theſe are the things do moſt hurt us: This was that which troubled the Church of God of old, in Revel. 2. 15. this is called Satans ſeat where ſuch opinions are propagated, in verſe 13. and theſe Principles are thoſe which God hateth, and for which God hath a controverſie with the people where ever they are tolerated: theſe opinions, errors and hereſies are they that diſturbe the peace, and trouble the patience of the Church of God, not onelyonly when wicked men are in power and place in the ſtate, but when wicked and prophane erroneous, heretical and heterodox Opinions trouble the Church; and the Lord knows how ſoon this Land may be overſpread with them, that may make us to ſay, that the glory of the Church is departed and flown away; for theſe are the Churches reproach, and not her glory: For if things do go on as we ſee they begin, the Church of God may ſay they were never in a worſe condition.
But in the handling of this particular that the people of God may not be too much caſt down for ſeeing the calamity of the Church, I ſhall Firſt lay down ſome cautions.
2. I ſhall ſhew you that the people of God have been afflicted for the calamaties of the Church.
3. To ſhew you the difference between the ſympathizing with the Church in her troubles, and ſinful troubles of mind.
4. To lay down ſome Rules that notwithſtanding the troubles of the Church and people of God be many and great, yet it is the duty of the people of God not to be too much caſt down.
Firſt, When I ſay that the people of God are not to be too much troubled for the calamities of the Church, I do Cautions.not intend by that to preſs you to a Stoical inſenſibility, and ſottiſh ſtupidity of the Churches miſeries; as you are not to be like Stoicks, not to be troubled for the calamities of the Church at all, not to have any fellow-feeling in your brothers miſeries: you muſt not be of an indifferent Gallio like ſpirit, not to be caſt down, nor affected with the troubles of the Church; but I would have you to be affected with the afflicted for the troubles of the Church, in meaſure in a holy ſenſe, and a holy humbleneſs of heart for the troubles of the Church.
Secondly, When you do find ſuch a ſympathizing and ſenſible fellow-feeling of the Churches miſeries, you are to cheriſh and to ſtir up that in you, and that you are not to check your hearts for it; for this is your duty and not your ſin, 1 Cor. 12. 26. as it is with the body corporal and natural, ſo it is with the body myſtical and ſpiritual; as in the 1 Cor. 12. 26.body, if the head be in pain, all the body, every member of the body is ſenſible of it: ſo it is with the myſtical body, if one member be in pain and ſuffer, the reſt of the members are in trouble for it.
Thirdly, You are to check thoſe caſtings down and thoſe troubles of ſoul that doe diſanimate and diſcourage you, and lay you under ſuch ſorrow of ſpirit, and under ſuch trouble of mind as to lay you under a hopeleſs condition, and that in your ſorrrw you cannot retain any future hopes concerning the Churches future welfare: and thus having laid down the cautions;
2. I ſhall now lay down the Second particular to ſhew you that the people of God of old have been greatly ſenſible of and afflicted for the troubles of the Church of God; and under this Head there are two ſorts of perſons to be conſidered.
1. Thoſe that did foreſee the troubles of the Church, and they did fear it and were troubled for it.
2. Thoſe that did feel the troubles of the Church when it did come, and theſe were troubled alſo.
Firſt, Thoſe that did foreſee when the troubles of the Church would come, and they were troubled: the one was Eliſha, he did foreſee the troubles of the Church, and he fell a weeping; and when he was with Hazael, he asked, What doth trouble thee my Lord? And he anſwered and ſaid, Becauſe of the evil and the wickedneſs that thou wilt doe unto the children of Iſrael, to daſh them againſt the ſtories; and the ſtrong holds thou wilt ſet on fire, and then women thou wilt 2 Kings. 8. 12, 13.rip up with child: the ſtory you may read in 2 Kings 8. 12. 13. For ſaith he, thou ſhalt come to be King, and thou ſhalt do this great wickedneſſe; and the conſideration of what this man would doe to the Church of God made this good man ſo to weep. And ſo likewiſe we read of the Prophet Iſaiah, Therefore ſaid I, Look away from me, I will weep bitterly, (or I will be bitter in weeping) labour not to comfort me: Iſa. 22. 4.Why? what is the matter that this good man will be thus heavy and weep? becauſe of the ſpoiling of the daughters of my people. What ſhould the Prophet weep ſo for? there was nothing in his daies but quietneſſe, and peace, and plenty; and yet in theſe daies the Prophet wept bitterly and would not be conforted; the trouble was not now really come; for it came not a hundred years after his death: but the Prophet did foreſee that it would come certainly upon the people of God, and this conſideration made him to weep; and for this his heart was ſore troubled. Then you read of Daniel, Daniel 8. 27. And I Daniel fainted, and was ſick Dan. 8. 27.certain daies. Now what was the matter that this good Prophet ſhould be ſick and faint for many daies? It was trouble of mind onelyonly for this, That he by his Prophetical Spirit did foreſee the troubles that were comming upon the Church and people of God, and that the Church and people of God would deeply and ſadly ſuffer under the reigne of Antiochus; and for this cauſe he was ſick many daies: which trouble fell not upon the Church of God until many years after his death. And in Dan. 8. 11, 12. He magnified himſelf even to the Prince of the hoſt, and by him the daily ſacrifice was taken away, and the place of his ſanctuary was caſt Dan. 8. 11, 12.down: And an hoſt was given him againſt the daily ſacrifice by reaſon of tranſgreſſon, and it caſt down the truth to the ground, and it practiſed and proſpered: And this trouble and ſorrow he did foreſee ſhould come upon the Church two hundred years after, which made him ſick and faint, and was ſore troubled for many daies. and thus you have inſtances of good men that have been troubled for the Chruches calamities before it came.
Then Secondly, You have inſtances of good men how they have been troubled for the Churches calamities when it was come upon them, to ſee gray haires upon the head of the Church, ſorrows and trouble to overtake them: this did trouble their ſpirits. You read in 2 Sam. 1. 11. 12. when David had heard that the Philiſtins had given the people of God a defeat and overthrow, It is ſaid that David rent his cloths; and David took hold of his cloths and rent them, and likewiſe all the men that were with him: and they mourned and wept; and faſted until Even, for Saul and for Jonathan his ſon, and for the people of the Lord, and for the houſe of Iſrael, becauſe they were fallen by the ſword. So likewiſe a full Text to this purpoſe you have in Nehemiah 1. 2, 3, 4. when the ſad condition of the people of God was brought and told to good Neh. 1. 2, 3, 4.Nehemiah he wept. Hanani one of my brethren came, he and certain men of Judah, and I asked them concerning the Jews that had eſcaped, which were leſt of the Captivity, and concerning Jeruſalem. And they ſaid unto me, The remnant that are leſt of the captivity there in the Province, are in great affliction and reproach: the Wall of Jeruſalem alſo is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire. And it came to paſſe when I heard theſe words, that I ſate down and wept, and mourned many daies, and faſted and prayed before the God of Heaven, &c. Here you ſee how good men have mourned and been exceedingly caſt down with ſorrow when they have heard of the calamaties that have falne upon the Church and people of God.
Particular. 3 The third Particular, Is to ſhew you the difference between a gracious ſympathizing with the troubles of the Church, and ſinful diſquiet becauſe of the calamities of the Church; for one is a duty, the other is a ſin.
Firſt, Gracious ſympathizing with the Church in trouble quickens prayer and ſupplication for the Churches good. You read of the Pſalmiſt when the people of God was in great trouble, he was in ſorrow; but his ſorrow did drive him to the Throne of grace, to pray for them, Pſal. 137. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. If I forget thee, O Jeruſalem: then let my right hand forget her cunning. Though the Churches ſufferings may make thee ſad in ſpirit, yet they muſt not make thee dead in prayer: As they had pity towards Gods Church in affliction; ſo they had alſo prayer in their hearts for them when they were in trouble, that they might have them to be removed; whereas they that have exceſſive ſorrow of mind for the troubles and calamities of the Church, they are apt to complain to men and to make mone to men of their ſorrows; but their ſorrow doth indiſpoſe their hearts to go to God by prayer & ſupplication to have their ſorrow removed. And thoſe that are ſo preſt down with ſorrow as to complain to men, and not to God, It is an argument that that ſorrow is inordinate and ſinful, becauſe moderate ſorrow doth put the ſoul to ſeek God at the Throne of grace, that ſo ſorrows and troubles might be taken off and removed from the Church.
Secondly, Thoſe men that mourn ordinately and moderately for the calamities of the Church, does retain within themſelves ſome good hopes of the Churches recovery. Therefore you read in Lament. 3. 31, 32, 33. The Lord will not caſt off for ever. For though he cauſeth grief, yet he will have compaſſion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, (or from his heart, for ſo 'tis in the Original) nor grieve the children of men. Here you ſee that though the Church was in great affliction; yet behold they could ſympathize with them, and mourn for them, yet ſo as to have hope in God for all this: they could ſee and know Gods heart towards them, though his hand was ſeemingly againſt them: he doth not afflict from his heart: As if they had ſaid, God doth not afflict indeed, but it is not willingly; it is for ſin which he hates in his own people, and he is as it were conſtrained to ſtrike his children; it is not his wonted work, it is a ſtrange work; it comes not from his heart, but Micah 7. 8.from his hand: therefore they could ſorrow in hope of deliverance out of trouble. But now ſinful dejections cut off hope; As you may read in 2 King. 7. 18, 19. Eliſha told the people when there was Famine in Samaria, and he told them of 2 Kings 7. 18▪ 19great evil that ſhould come upon them; & afterwards he told them that by to morrow this time there ſhould be ſold Two meaſures of Barley for a ſhekel in the gate of Samaria. Here was great plenty ſpoken of: And a Lord anſwered the man of God, and ſaid, Now Behold, if the Lord ſhould make windowes in Heaven, might ſuch a thing be? As if he had ſaid, we that are in ſo deep ſorrow, ſo great trouble to day, is it poſſible that we can have ſo great plenty to morrow? But he ſaid, Thou ſhalt ſee it with thy eyes, but thou ſhalt not eat thereof. So many men are like this man, ſo caſt down with exceſſive ſorrow for the ſufferings of the Church; and when the Church of God is low, and the enemies of the Church ſtrong, they are ready to think that they are ſo low, and their wounds are ſo great, and their enemies ſo ſtrong, that it is impoſſible to be reſtored: ſomewhat like the reaſonings of the Church at another time, Lam. 3. 18, 19. And I ſaid, my ſtrength and my hope is periſhed from the Lord: Remembring my affliction, the Wormwood and the Gall. When their ſorrow & ſuffering was ſo long in Babylon, and they did not ſee any likelihood to be delivered, no viſible means for their Reſtauration, and to be brought out of captivity, they were then overpreſt with ſorrow; they ſaid Our hopes are cut off from God. Ezek. 37. 11. When they were as dry bones in the valley, and they thought that it was impoſſible for dry bones to have fleſh and ſinews to be brought upon them: Again, they thought they were utterly loſt, and they thought that they ſhould never be brought out of troubles: and this cauſed bitter complaints to ariſe from their ſpirits.
Thirdly, Moderate ſorrow it doth differ from immoderate ſorrow in this; True ſorrow it doth ſtir up holy endeavours to act in thy place and calling for the deliverance of the Church. Thus you read in Jeremiah 51. 50. You that have eſcaped the ſword, go away, ſtand not ſtill: remember the Lord a far off: and let Jeruſalem come into your minds; As if the Jer. 51. 50.Prophet had ſaid, Jeruſalem is in trouble, and under great and ſore afflictions; do what you can for her, ſtand not ſtill, but improve all your intereſts you can in all places and conditions that it may be for her benefit.
Whereas a man that is poſſeſſed with a ſinful care, and a ſinful ſorrow, he is ſo far from improving all his intereſt for Gods people in trouble, that he is ready to ſit down, and ſay, will doe no more for Religion and for the Cauſe of God, and he is ready to think he hath done too much already, and repenteth of all he hath done: this is ſinful trouble, and ſinful ſorrow. When they ſhall be ready to reſolve to doe no more, lend no more, venture no more: but if it ſhall go well with the Church, then they will own the Church and people of God; but if the Church is brought into troubles, and if it lyeth under ſorrows, then they will deſert it, and will not improve any intereſt for it; neither will they doe any thing for God, and his Church, and people; but give all over as loſt and gone without any endeavours to relieve them.
Fourthly, Thoſe that do thus mourn graciouſly, they do mourn more for the Churches troubles, and the people of Gods ſorrows, then they doe for their own particular ſorrows and troubles: David's ſorrows and troubles that were to his own particular perſon, they were no more to him then a little prick in his fleſh; I but the ſorrows, and troubles, and ſufferings of the Church, they were to him as a ſword in his bones, Pſal. 42. As with a ſword in my bones the enemies reproach me, while they ſay unto me daily Where is thy God? So likewiſe you read of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. 4, 10. it is ſpoken 1 Kin. 19. 4, 10.concerning Elijah when he was ſitting under the Juniper tree, and he ſaid, O Lord, I beſeech thee, now I pray thee take away my life; for I am not better then my fathers. And he ſaid, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hoſts: For the children of Iſrael have for ſaken thy Covenant, thrown down thine Altars, and ſlain thy Prophets with the ſword: and I even I only am left, and they ſeek my life to take it away. Here you ſee that good man did mourn for Gods Church, they have ſlain thy Prophets, &c. and this doth puniſh him, and this doth greatly diſquiet him, and trouble his ſpirit. I but immoderate ſorrow is more let out after particular croſſes, and troubles, and perſonal loſſes; the loſs of relations, the loſs of thy eſtate or any perſonal affliction upon thy body, this doth more trouble thee then the great troubles that the Church of God are under; now this is a ſinful ſorrow. Now to allay this diſtemper that you may not ſinfully and immoderately mourn for the calamities of the Church and people of God, I ſhall name to you theſe five Conſiderations, which is the fourth thing propounded, as helps againſt dejected diſquietings and diſcouragements.
Firſt, Do not immoderately grieve and mourn for the calamities 5 Conſiderations to allay ſinful ſorrow for the Churches miſery.of the Church of God, on this ground, becauſe the Church of God doth grow more numerous by troubles and perſecutions. The Saints bloud that is ſhed by perſecution, is the ſeed of the Church, and many encreaſe and grow from that ſeed. Cyprian ſuffered Martyrdome, many were converted by his Martyrdome, and by his ſufferings as well as by his preaching. Souls perſecuters that doe by the caſting one into priſon, and by the putting of another to death, and by baniſhment of another, they do there by think within themſelves to root out all the reſt, both Profeſſors and Religion too: but God by an over-ruling hand doth ſo order it, that it is a means for to encreaſe multitudes of the people of God. If a child comes into a Forreſt and in there he ſees a man cutting off, of the top of a tree, the child thereby thinks the man doth ſpoil the tree: but it is otherwiſe; for by that loping and pruning, the tree doth grow more. So wicked men may cut here one tree and there another, and lop off the branches; but God by this means doth make the Church of God to grow more in number, and to grow better then before, and the number of the people of God are more encreaſed as it was with the Church of the Jews, they went down into Egypt but a ſmall number; but their being in bonds and captivity, they did grow very great in number, and grew more in number and multiplied more in Egypt then ever they did in their own Land: For ſo you read in Exodus 1. 7. the Hebrews, that is the Jews, 'tis ſaid they filled the whole land of Egypt. Exodus 1. 7.And the children of Iſrael were fruitful; and multiplied, and encreaſed abundantly, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them. If you would find the Number that went down into Egypt they were Seventy ſouls; but there came out 600 thouſand. O how is the goodneſs of God in the way of his providence appearing for the good and benefit of his own people! that even in the times of perſecution he ſhould order it, that then it ſhould turn to the good of his own people to encreaſe and multiply them. The Jews had the good land of Canaan given to them; and afterward for their ſins and miſdoings, they were carried captive into Babylon, as you read in 2 Kings 24. 16. there you read of ſeven thouſand that were carried away captive. And in Zedechias reign, there were four thouſand ſix hundred, and in all not above two thouſand, and all theſe were carried away captive into Babylon: and one would think that in their captivity they ſhould not encreaſe, but decreaſe. But it was ſo ordered by the Lords over-ruling power, that they did exceedingly encreaſe, to four times their number, and they did return out of captivity forty two thouſand three hundred and sixty; thus they encreaſed in Seventy years: this is the great providence of God to make the perſecutions of his people to encreaſe their number. And not onelyonly in thoſe former times, but in theſe latter ages the perſecutions of the people of God have been ſo great, and ſo hot and violent, that they thought not to leave the Name of a Chriſtian on the earth but he ſhould be perſecuted; and yet the more that perſecution did ariſe, the more the people of God did encreaſe: therefore why ſhouldeſt thou be overmuch caſt down ſeeing that God doth make the ſufferings of his people to be for their encreaſe and advantage.
2ly, Conſider, if that the number of Gods people do not encreaſe; yet conſider (and be ſure of it) that the graces of Gods people ſhall encreaſe by perſecution. The children of Iſrael were better in the land of Egypt then they were in their own land; and better in a Wilderneſſe then in the land of Canaan: as it is ſaid of the Church of Rome in the Primitive times, Although they had wooden Chalices they had golden Prieſts; but now they have golden Chalices and wooden Prieſts. So when the Church of God is higheſt, and moſt in outward proſperity, when they have golden times in the World, yet even then are they moſt apt to be loweſt in their graces, and moſt apt to grow ſecure and ſleepy in the ways of God: In Cant. 4. 16. Awake, thou North wind, and come thou South wind, blow upon my garden, that the ſpices thereof may flow out, &c. Now you know that the North and the Cant. 4. 16.South winds are one againſt another, and yet theſe two oppoſites make the fruit of the garden to grow. This North and South wind are compared, and ſignifie the troubles and the proſperity of the Church: the North wind of affliction, and the South wind of proſperity. But it is the North wind, the cold and the ſharp perſecutions, and fiery trials that make the graces of the Church to grow moſt. The Church of God was better as to the growth of their graces under the Pagan Emperors then under Conſtantine the Christian Emperor, becauſe though Conſtantine was a Chriſtian Emperor and it was much for the comfort of the Church, and for the good of Religion; yet their ſecurity made them run into error and hereſie: when their bodies proſpered, their ſouls did not proſper. Whereas when they were under the Pagan Emperors, when they were under great and ſtrong perſecutions, though their bodies were in trouble, yet their graces did exceedingly proſper. So likewiſe when Popery did ſo prevail, though the people of God were expoſed to great trials, yet their graces did thrive, and grow green and freſh: As Mouliu ſaith, Men were burnt for reading the Bible; but we, ſpeaking of the French Proteſtants, burn with zeal to be reading. But now Bibles are like old Almanacks moulding in corners, while Play-books the Divels cathechiſms are worn out with often peruſal.
Thirdly, Conſider this, that the perſecutions and troubles and trials of the Church of God at one time, and in one place, doth but make way for ſettlement and eſtabliſhment of Gods Church and people in another time, and another place; this ſhould comfort you, Unius Eccleſiae deſtructio multarum ſuit aedificatio, the deſtruction of one Church Scultetus Annal.is but the building up of many Churches. You may read for this purpoſe in Acts 8. 1. of great troubles and perſecutions of the Church which was at Jeruſalem, and they Acts 8. 1.were all ſcattered abroad: now what fruit was by all the troubles, and by all the perſecutions that fell upon the Church of Jeruſalem? this was the fruit and benefit, it ſet up a Church in Samaria; that perſecution cauſed the Goſpel to go into thoſe parts of the World, and Samaria received the Goſpel, as in verſe 4. They went abroad everywhere preaching the Goſpel. Many places which never before heard of the Goſpel, came to have it preached in their parts by reaſon of the hot perſecution that was at Jeruſalem. So likewiſe ſome Kingdoms of the World. The troubles and perſecutions of Gods people here by the Prelates, it was the great occaſion of the tranſplanting the Goſpel into other parts of the World; as into New-England and America, which places never heard of it before: ſo the Seven Aſian Churches were deſtroy'd by the Pogan perſecution; but by the deſtroying of them, it was tranſplanted into Africa and all Europe, and now ſince in America; ſo that if God ſhall let the Church to be perſecuted in one place, it ſtill doth gain by all troubles in going into another place; and though it be perſecuted in one Kingdome, yet it doth by its tranſplantation ſettle and gain in another. As Chriſt ſpeaketh in Matthew 21. 43. I will take the Goſpel from you, and give it to a People and Nation that ſhall bring forth better fruit; that is, Chriſt would take it from the Jews, and give it to the Gentiles; and therefore ſaid the Apoſtle, when they would not receive the Goſpel among them, Lo we turn to the Gentiles: this is the great wiſdome of God that the Churches troubles and perſecutions in one place ſhall by him be an occaſion to get good in another.
Fourthly, Conſider that there are ſuch infallible promiſes made to the Church of God for its preſervation that it ſhall never be deſtroyed by all the rage and fury, and perſecution, of wicked and ungodly men: They may be perſecuted as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, but they cannot be deſtroyed; they may be caſt down but not forſaken; they may be perplexed, but not in deſpair; the Church may be in ſorrow, but they cannot be annibillated. The Church of God ſhall never be ſo perſecuted as to be caſt off, and utterly forſaken; and deſtroyed by wicked men; but the Church of God ſhall continue to the end of the World: therefore you read what Chriſt ſpeaketh of Peter, Thou art Peter, and on this rock will I build my Church; (that is on Chriſt) and then obſerve what follows, The gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it; the powers of hell, and the policies of all the divels in hell, ſhall not prevail againſt the Church of God: then if hell cannot prevail againſt the Church, then the earth and men by perſecution ſhall not prevail to pull it down, and to deſtroy it, and to ſhake it off from the rock on which it is builded. It is reported that in the year 1620. when the Wars began in Germany, that a great braſs Image of the Apoſtle Peter (which had that pretended claim by which Rome would hold their Keys) fairly emboſſed upon a roll that hang down upon the Image in theſe words, [Iues Petrus & ſuper hanc Petram aedificabo Eccleſiam, & tibi dabo claves, &c.] Standing in St. Peter's Church at Rome, there was a great Maſſie ſtone fell upon it, and ſo ſhattered it to pieces, that not a letter of all that ſentence ſaving onelyonly theſe three words Aedificabo Eccleſiam meant, I will build my Church, which was left fair and entire. God hath not made any promiſes to any Kingdome or Nation of the World, nor to any Commonwealth that they ſhall abide and remain for ever, but they may be broken, and ſhall be broken; none can ſay that they ſtand ſo ſure, as to ſay that this Monarchy ſhall ſtand for ever, and this or that Commonwealth ſhall abide for ever: yet ſaid God concerning this Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, …auger the malice of all the Divels in hell, and power and policy of all men on earth it ſhall ſtand, and that becauſe it is the Word of God, and the promiſe of God to preſerve his Church and people, That on this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it: therefore be not overmuch troubled for the calamities of the Church.
Fifthly, Conſider the end and the iſſues of the Church of Gods ſufferings: if we ſhould look to the beginning and not to the end of the people of Gods ſufferings we might be caſt down for it; I but, do but look to the end of ſufferings, and ſee what the iſſue will be, and then tell me if thou haſt need to be too much caſt down. When we ſee a Father and a Mother beat their child, the reaſon is, becauſe they would make him better; ſo when we ſee God a beating of his Church by a rod of correction as ſweet ſpices in a Mortar, the end of God herein is not to deſtroy his Church, but for to make them for to ſmell the more ſweet, and to ſend forth the more fragrant ſmell. God is doing a great work in the World, but Gods ends are for to make his people to be the more ſweet, and to make them as conſerves, and preſerve them for longer times, and to make them to be more laſting in the world; therefore be not ſo overmuch troubled at the calamities of the Church. Non eſt judicandum de operibus Dei ante quintum actum, we muſt not judge of the works of God before the fifth act; that is, before all the work be done. Had we been alive at the firſt creation, and had ſeen nothing but a Chaos, we could ſee no beauty; but what will you judge of the World, and of Adam at the laſt when we ſee all the World in beauty as it is now? and when all was finiſhed and done, What a glorious Fabrick was there? So if you look to the beginnings of the Churches troubles when they ſet firſt into perſecutions, you cannot judge of them; but if you look to the Church in the ends of their perſecution when their troubles are done, then you may ſee it full of glory, and full of beauty. In Jeremiah 31. 16. Thus ſaid the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy works ſhall be rewarded, ſaith the Lord, and they ſhall come Jer. 31. 16.again from the land of the enemy; but there is hope in the end, ſaith the Lord. The beginning is bad for the people of God by reaſon of troubles and perſecution. I but the end is good: As the Martyrs ſaid when they were going to ſuffer, come ſaid they, we ſhall have a bad Break-faſt, but we ſhall have a good Supper; for our end will be good, and our reward great, for we ſhall go to Jeſus Chriſt: as Joſeph ſaid to his Blethren, You did intend me hurt, but God did intend me good. So I may ſay concerning wicked and ungodly men who do perſecute the Church of God, you do intend evil againſt the Church and people of God; I but God doth intend his people good; you intend to perſecute, and to deſtroy, and to root out the Church and people of God from under Heaven: but God doth intend to preſerve, and to keep, and to continue his Church on the earth (notwithſtanding all perſecutors) to the end of the World; though wicked men may plow upon your backs, and make long furrows upon you, yet Gods ends are grace, and mercy, and peace, to doe you good in your latter end. Gods ends and wicked mens ends do never fall out alike; for Gods ends are one thing, and wicked mens are another. A Phyſician lets a man bloud and taketh bloud from him, and the Leech ſucketh bloud from him; but the Phyſicians ends are one thing, and the Leeches ends are another: the Leech draweth bloud from the man onelyonly to ſatisfie it ſelf, but the Phyſician letteth the man bloud to cure his diſtemper; ſo it is between Gods ends and wicked mens ends in perſecuting his own people; God by ſuffering his own Church and people to be perſecuted, it is for to purge away their evil diſtempers of ſin and ſecuritie, or whatever it is that may offend, that thereby God may make his people better by their afflictions: but wicked men, and ungodly men by troubling the Church, it is for to deſtroy them, and root them out, and to ſatisfie their rage and malice upon them in their ruine, and to accompliſh their own wicked deſigns; but though this be their ends, yet God hath other ends, namely, to doe them good in their latter end; and therefore you have no cauſe for to be too much troubled for the calamities of the Church.