Sermon Preached Several Times — Thomas Gataker

Sermon Preached Several Times · Thomas Gataker

DAVIDS Remembrancer.

PSAL. 13.1.

How long, O Lord? Wilt thou forget mee for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face away from me?

THIS Pſalme, Occaſion.as appeareth by the whole tenour of it, was compoſed by the Prophet DAVID during the time of ſome grievous and tedious temporall affliction; and that accompanied alſo (as may ſeeme) with ſome ſpirituall deſertion. And it may well for the ſubject matter Matter.of it bee tearmed

aforeign Sicut Pſal. 38. foreignDAVIDS Remembrancer;

As being penned by him for this end, to put God in minde of him, and of his preſent forlorne and diſtreſſed eſtate.

The Pſalme conſiſteth of three principall Parts. Part 3

Part 1 There is firſtbVerſ. 1, 2. a grievous complaint Complaint.of his preſent condition; propounded by way of expoſtulation;

1.cVerſ. 1. In regard of God; who ſeemed not to regard him.

2.dVerſ. 2. In regard of himſelfe, by meanes thereof driven to his ſhifts, and in a manner at his wits end.

3.eVerſ. 2. In regard of his adverſaries; who tooke occaſion thereby to triumph and inſult over him.

Part 2 There is ſecondlyfVerſ. 3, 4. an humble ſuit and requeſt commenced by him to God, and conceived in three diſtinct parts, anſwering the three branches of his former complaint. For 1.gVerſ. 3. Requeſt.He requeſteth God that he would*Respice, refertur ad, Vſque quo avertis faciem? Exaudi, ad, Vſque quo obliviſceris? Aug. in Pſal. 12. Behold and heare; that hee would vouchſafe to regard him, and turne his face againe towards him, and not ſend him away, inaudita querela, unheard and unanſwered.

2. He addeth ſome Reaſons why he deſireth and requireth God thus to heare and regard him. Reaſons 2

Reaſon 1 1.hVerſ. 3. In regard of himſelfe, that he ſleepe not in death: not meant, as ſome thinke, ofiDe ſomno peccati. Ruffin. in Pſal. 12. In peccato. Aug. in Pſal. 12. & contr. adverſ. leg. l. 1. c. 11. Caſſiod. & Remig. & ex utroque Lombard. De ſomno peccati qui ducit ad mortem. Acacius Caeſar. quaeſt. collect. 4. apud Hieron. epiſt. ad Miner. & Alex. ſleeping in ſinne; thoughk1 Theſſ. 5.6, 7. Epheſ. 5.14. 1 Cor. 15.34. ſinne in Scripture be oft compared to ſleepe; nor, as others,*Theodoret. & Euthym. of the death of griefe and deſpaire; though that be ſaid too to be a kinde of death; and†Gen. 27.46. Iob 3.20, 21. Eccleſ. 7.28. maketh a mans life oft no better, yea more bitter than death: nor yet as others,lCum in peccato, quod est ad mortem irrevocabiliter perſeveratur. Bern. in Cant. 52. Ne poenitentiam ad mortem d fferens, dormiam cum morte peccati in inferno, Hugo Card. in Pſal. 12. of dying eternally, of being everlaſtingly damned: butmIun. Calvin. &c. Vide Druſ. lib. 3. quaeſt. 27. & Hereſhach. in Pſal. of temporall death, (that is uſually tearmedn1 Cor. 15.6, 51. Iohn 11.11, 14. a ſleepe; and is nothing indeed butoforeign. Quid mors est? Somnus est conſueto longior. Chryſoſt. ad pop. Antioch. de imag. ſerm. 5. a ſleepe longer than uſuall; yea in ſome ſortpIer. 51.39. Nobis cum ſemel occidit brevis lux, Nox est perpetuauna dormienda. Catull. epig. 5. Quicunque naſcimur, brevi poſt lumin… Aeternus impedit ſopor. Ben. Lam. prid. a perpetuall ſleepe, becauſe to continueqIob 7.9, 10. & 14.1…. as long as the world laſteth:) thatrIob 10.20, 21. Pſal. 39.13. he might not die in this diſtreſſed and diſcomfortable eſtate.

Reaſon 2 2.ſVerſ. 4. In regard of his malicious and evill affected Adverſaries; *Pſal. 38.16.that they might not have longer or further cauſe of joy and triumph in his overthrow, as having now without all helpe or hope of recovery, gotten the upper hand of him.

Part 3 And there is thirdlytVerſ. 5. a cheerfull and a comfortable Concluſion, Concluſion.wherein as recollecting himſelfe, and controlling the voyce of ſenſe with the voyce of faith;

Branch 1 1.*Profitetur. He profeſſeth his truſt and confidence in God.

Branch 2 2.†Pollicetur. Hee promiſeth himſelfe aſſured helpe and deliverance from God.

Branch 3 And 3.*Paciſcitur. He prayſeth God for it, as if already he had received it:gforeign. Vides animum bene ſperantem? Petit, & priùs quam acceperit, tanquam qui accepiſſet, gratias agit. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 12. Contraquam Bern. in Cant. 10. Gratiarum actio beneficium non praecedit, ſed ſequitur. See the picture of an hopefull heart, ſaith Chryſostome, he craveth aid of God, and before he have it, he renders thanks for it, as if already he had it.

And thus have you the ſumme and ſubſtance of the Pſalme, with the ſeverall parts of it.

To returne to the firſt branch of his complaint, which I purpoſe onelyonly to inſiſt on.

Manner.Firſt, for the manner of it, or phraſe it is conceived in; there are Readings 4 foure ſeverall readings, though in effect for ſenſe and ſubſtance much the ſame.

Reading 1 For 1. Some read the words of the former part, without ſtop or ſtay, as one continued ſentence;aGraec. Sept. Lat. Vulgat. Aug. Genev. Reg. Bibl. Calvin. alii. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for ever? But they both neglect the pauſe in the Hebrew; and beſide make no very good ſenſe.

Reading 2 2. Others make a pauſe, but a pauſe miſplaced; and they thus reade them;bVſquequo, Domine, obliviſceris me? In finem? Remig. in Pſal. 12. Erit hoc uſque quo in aeternum? Hugo Card. Ibid. Sic Vatabl. & Leo Iudae. How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me? for ever? As elſewhere,*Pſal. 74.10. How long, O God, ſhall the Adverſary reproach? ſhall the enemy blaſpheme thy Name for ever? But the pauſe here in the Originall, is after Domine; not after Obliviſceris.

Reading 3 3. Others placing the pauſe aright, read the words as an Apoſiopeſis, that is, a broken or imperfect ſentence, not unfit to expreſſe paſſion.cQuouſque, Domine? ſubaudi, non intu…beris? Obliviſceris mei in aeternum? Iun. Quouſque, Domine? How long, O Lord? As if hee had ſaid; How long will it be ere thou minde me? In aeternum obliviſceris? Wilt thou never againe thinke on me? How long wilt thou hide thy face away from me? And the like we may finde in divers other places;dPſal 79.5. How long, O Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? Shall thy jealouſie burne like fire? And,ePſal. 89.46. How long, Lord? Wilt thou hide thy face for ever? Shall thy wrath burne like fire? Yea the very ſelfe-ſame Apoſiopeſis apparantly, where he ſaith;fPſal 6.3. But thou, O Lord, how long? AndgPſal 90.13. Returne O Lord: how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy ſervants: As alſo ofthIer. 13.2. Apoc. 6.10. elſewhere.

Reading 4 4. It may well be read by way of Reduplication, iPer epimonen repetendo ingeminat. Caſſiod.(a forme very fit alſo to expreſſe the vehement affection of a ſoule ſurcharged with ſorrow, and pincht in with paine;) encloſing the middle part of the verſe within a Parentheſis: How long, O Lord? (wilt thou never remember me?) how long, (I ſay) wilt thou hide thy face away from me? And the like Reduplication is found alſo elſewhere, where he ſaith,kPſal. 94 3. How long ſhall the wicked, O Lord? How long (I ſay) ſhall the wicked exult?

Either of the two latter may well ſtand with the Context of the words in the Originall.

Secondly, For the Matter and ſubſtance of it:Matter.

1. There are two things complained of:Subſtance.

1. That God had forgotten him.

2. That he had hid his face away from him. Both*Nec oblivio, nec averſio cadit in Deum. Remig. in hunc Pſal. Neutrum Deus reverâ facit, ſed more noſtro Scriptura loquitur. Auguſt. & Ruffin. in hunc locum. Per foreign de Deo perinde ac de homine loquitur. Humanum ſiquidem obliviſci, & faciem ab eo quem oderit avertere. Muſcul. humanitus dicta, ſpoken by way of reſemblance from the manner of men, and the one going a degree beyond the other.lGravius est averſionem faciei, quàm oblivionem ſentire. Muſcul. in hunc loc. It is more to hide his face from him, than not to remember him. mGeneſ. 40.23. & 41.9. Hinc quaeſtio apud Senecam, an obliti ingrati ſint dicendi. de benef. l 3. c. 4, 5.Wee may out of unmindfulneſſe ſometime forget one, whom wee wiſh otherwiſe well unto: but when we doe wittingly and willinglynEſa. 58.7. & 53.3. foreign; Dion. Chryſoſt orat. 38. turn, or hide our face away from him, it is a ſigne that either we hate and abhor him, or at leaſt deſire not to mind or remember him.“In oblivione remiſſio eſt benevolentiae & curae, in averſione faciei indignatio & odium. Muſcul. There is an implication of bare neglect in the one; an intimation of anger and indignation, of diſpleaſure and evill will in the other. For God therefore to forget DAVID, not to mind him, or looke after him, is much! If his eye be never ſo little once off us, the ſpirituall adverſarie is ready preſently to ſeize on us,oAeriae poteſtates tanquam milvi circumvolitant, ut pullum infirmum abripiant. Auguſt. in Pſal. 62. & in Pſal. 90. as the Kite on the Chicke, if the Hen looke not carefully after it. But for God, DAVIDSpPſal. 4.6, 7. & 18.18. & 73.2… foreign. Theophyl ep. 30. ex Homer. Odyſſ. …. onelyonly joy and ſtay, to turne his face away from him, that he may not mind him, as ifqPſal 27.9. in anger and evill-will towards him, he had caſt off all care of him, yea were reſolved to reject him, and were willing to expoſe him to the will of thoſe that would*Pſal. 38.16. rejoyce in his ruine: this is much more. There is an unmindfulneſſe of him implied in the former; an evill minde towards him implied in the latter. And ſurely, ifrPſal. 30.5. in the favour of God there be life; yeaſPſal. 63.3. his favour is better than life it ſelfe: then undoubtedly“foreign. Theophyl. epiſt. 37. ſuch apprehenſion of his disfavour and diſpleaſure muſt needs be as death, yea more bitter than death it ſelfe to the ſoule ſo deſerted.

Circumſtance.2. Both theſe are further aggravated by the circumstance of time; the long continuance of either.

1. For the time paſt; he had beene long in this eſtate already.

2. For the time to come; it was uncertaine how long it would laſt.

Now for GodtEſa 54.8. Pſal. 30.5. for an inſtant to be angry with ſome of his, and to hide his face from them, cannot bee but moſt†foreign. Theophyl. epiſt. 37. foreign. Idem ep. 24. Nam fruendis voluptatibus creſcit carendi dolor. Plin. epiſt. 5. lib. 8. Et, Tum eſt tormentum carere d vitiis, cùm illas jam ſenſeris. Sen. controv. 6. heavy to thoſe that have formerly enjoyed it, and beene before in his favour: (for*In carcere natus ac nutritus puer, de matris ſuae anxietate miratur. Bern de diverſ. 12. as for others; thoſe, we ſay, that were never out of hell, thinke there is no other Heaven.) The leaſt frowne of his face, or bending of his browes, is a very hell it ſelfe to ſuch:uPſal. 30.7. Thou turnedſt but thy face away, ſaith DAVID, and I was troubled. But to have it laſt and continue ſo for a long time together, what a daunting and diſmaying muſt it needs be to that ſoule, that ſhall eſteeme it ſelfe in a manner to lie ſo long in hell, and to have in ſome ſort an hell ſo long here out of hell, where it had a kinde of heaven before? And yet further againe, though this heavy and diſconſolate eſtate ſhould laſt long, and were yet to laſt farre longer; yet if there were ſome certaine ſtint of time ſet how long it ſhould laſt; the eye of the ſoule being fixed upon that terme, it would be ſome comfort to conſider how the time wore away. But where the eye of the minde meeteth with no object to ſtint it, but (as it is with perſons diſtreſſed at ſea in a thicke fog, that have rowed and wrought long till their hearts ake againe, and beaten to and fro, but can deſcry no ſhore; or as it is*Quibus cruciatu… & ad finem per tormenta properat, & ſine fine deficiens durat Ita ſit miſeris mors ſine morte, ſinis ſine fine, defectus ſine defectu: quia & mors vivit, & finis ſemper incipit, & deficere defectus neſcit. Greg mor. l 9. c. 47. with thoſe that are in hell, whoſe torments have no ſtint, but are boundleſſe and endleſſe) it is as farre from an end ſtill, for ought it can deſcry, as at firſt; it hath laſted thus long, and“Pſal. 74.9. it is uncertaine how long longer it may laſt: This is that that might breake an heart of ſtone or ſteele, that might enforce the forlorne ſoule to ſinke downe under the heavy burden and unſupportable weight of it, overwhelmed with horror, and ſwallowed up with deſpaire, were there not ſomewhat elſe (evenxPſal. 37.24. an hand of God himſelfe) to ſupport and uphold it. And yet was this, as we ſee here, DAVIDS eſtate at the preſent. He complaineth that God had forgotten him, yea hee had hid his face from him: this diſcomfortable eſtate had laſted long with him already, and it was uncertaine yet how long it would laſt.

Doctrine. Whence obſerve we this Inſtruction, that Gods Church and deareſt children are oft in that caſe, what for outward afflictions, what for inward deſertions, that both in the ſight of others, and to their owne ſenſe and feeling, God ſeemeth to have rejected them, and not to regard them.

*Aliorum judicio. Calvin. in Pſal. 13. Sic Eſa. 53.4.In the ſight, I ſay, of others: for ſo ſay the prophane proud, oppreſſing and purſuing the poore; aPſal. 10.11.God hath forgotten them; he hath hidden away his face, and will never more looke after them. And DAVIDS enemies of him, (if he were Author of that Pſalme;)bPſal. 71.11. God hath forſaken him; let us purſue him, and ſeize on him: for there is none to deliver him. Yea to*Ex ſenſu… proprie. Calvin. in Pſal. 13. their owne ſenſe and feeling. For ſo Sion cGalat. 4 26.the Mother of the faithfull complaineth;dEſa. 49.14. The Lord hath forſaken me, and my God hath forgotten me. So the children of the Church, and thoſe noeforeign. Matth. 12.39. bastardly brood neither, but ſuch as continued firme unto God, and faithfull with him, complaine alſo, ThatfPſal. 44.17, 18, 24. though they had not forgotten God, nor dealt diſloyally with him, yet God had forgotten them and hid his face away from them. So DAVID,g1 Sam. 13.14. a man after Gods owne heart, and (as his name ſoundeth) the Lords Darling, orhforeign amaſius vel amabilis. Vnde Dido Poenis. Inde & Salomon foreign 2 Sam. 12.25. the beloved of the Lord, yet maketh grievous complaints often-times unto God, and in holy manner debateth the matter, and expoſtulateth with God, both here and elſewhere:iPſal. 42.9. I will ſay to God my rocke; Why haſt thou forgotten me? And,kPſal. 88… 5.14. Lord, why rejecteſt thou my ſoule, and hideſt thy face away from me? I am like to the dead that lie ſlaine in the grave; that are cut off from thine hand, and thou remembreſt no more. Yea notlPſal. 22.1, 8. DAVID alone as a Type of him; but the onelyonly begotten of God himſelfe,mColoſſ. 1.13. Epheſ. 1.6. Matth. 3.17. his Sonne of Love, as he termeth him, his deareſt Darling, (thoughnRom. 8.32. O quantum dilectus, pra… quo filius ipſe, aut non dilectus, aut ſàltem neglectus? Bern. de temp. Vide & Salvian. de provid. l. 4. he thought him not too deare for us) when he was on the Croſſe, not in his enemies eyes and account onelyonly,oMatth. 27.43. that twitted him with his truſt in God, who ſeemed then not to regard him, but to his owne ſenſe and feeling too, ſeemed neglected and forgotten, as by that bitter and lamentable complaint that he then made, appeareth;pMatth. 27.46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? And if it were ſo with Chriſt, qPſal. 110.1. Matth. 21.45.DAVIDS Lord; no marvell if the like alſo ſometime befell DAVID: if this betided the head, no marvell if it betide the body too: If it were ſometime the ſtate of therPſal. 2.8. Iohn 1.14. native Sonne, that had never beene other; no marvell if it be the ſtate oft of adopted Sonnes, of ſuch as haveſGalat 4.6. of Servants beene made Sonnes, of ſuch as have from Bond-ſlaves beene advanced to that honour.

Which yet we are not ſo to underſtand,Explication. as if God could forget any man, or as if God could forget ought. tOblivio in Deum non cadit. Aug. in Pſal. 9. & in Pſal. 118. Conc. 15. Et Muſ…ul. in hunc loc. Nihil Deus ignorat, nihil obliviſcitur. Greg. Mor. l. 25. c. 4. Neque oblivio in Deum cadit, quia nullo modo mutatur, neque recordatio quia non obliviſcitur. Aug. in Pſal. 87.Oblivion is a defect, and cannot befall him, who is perfection it ſelfe. But as we are ſaid to forget things when wee doe no more regard them, or take notice of them, or looke after them, than if we had forgotten them:uPſal 45.11. Forget thy people and thy fathers houſe, ſaith the Pſalmiſt to Pharaohs daughter; And rich men are ſaid to forget their poore kindred and acquaintance: So*Tunc meminiſſe dicitur Deus, quando f…cit; tunc obliviſci, quando non facit. Auguſt. in Pſal. …7. & in ſentent. Prosper. 108. Obliviſci dicitur, cùm non miſeretur. Hugo Victor. de eſſent. divin. is God ſaid to forget men, when he doth not reſpect them, when he taketh no care of them, when for good he no more regardeth them than if he had cleane forgotten them.

Now in this manner doth God indeed forget ſome;Diſtinction. ſome hee ſeemeth to forget, though indeed he doe not forget them. As Ambroſe ſaith, ThatxQuoſdam deſerit, quoſdam deſerere videtur. Ambr. in Pſal. 118. God doth wholly forſake ſome: as hee didyMatth. 27.5. Iudas andz2 Sam. 7.15. Saul, whom he utterly caſt off. Some he ſeemeth to forſake, but he forſaketh not indeed. As our Saviour Chriſt, albeitaEſa. 53.4. God ſeemed to have forſaken him, when not onelyonlybAct. 2.23. hee left him in his cruell enemies hands, andcLuke 22.53. ſuffered them to worke their wills upon him, but evend2 Cor. 5.21. Eſa. 53.6, 10. powred out his owne heavie wrath and indignation upon him; and he complained therefore as before, ThateMark. 15.34. his God had forſaken him; yet was hee not indeed then forſaken, but even thenfHeb. 5.7. heard and helpt; gIohn 16.32.nor was he ever left alone; but thoughhMatth. 26.56. his Diſciples all forſooke him, and fled from him; yet his Father forſooke him not, but abode ever with him: And DAVID, thoughiPſal. 22.1. he complain ſometime in the ſame termes that our Saviour did; yet elſewherekPſal. 31.22. he acknowledgeth that howſoever he had ſaid in his haſte, (in the heat of temptation,) that hee was caſt out of Gods ſight, yet even then did God heare him and grant his requests. In like manner, ſome God thus forgetteth indeed. (As*Hoſh 8.14. they forget him; ſo he forgetteth them.)lHoſh. 1.6. Call the childe Loruchamah, ſaith God to Hoſhea; for I will have no more mercy on the houſe of Iſrael; but (as the Vulgar Latine hath it)mOblivione obliviſcar. Vulg. tanquam eſſet à foreign dextra. quum ſit à foreign ſiniſtra. I will utterly forget them: or rather (after the Originall)nVt omninò condonem Iun & Livel. Sed prorſus tollam eos. Leo Iud. à facie ſcil. me…. Vatabl. I will never forgive them: butoHoſh. 4.6, 9. becauſe they have forgotten the Law of their God, I will forget them; when I have viſited their wayes on them, and rewarded them for their deeds. pMinatur & memoriam damnandorum, & oblivionem damnatorum. Ruffin. in Hoſe.God threatneth, (ſaith Ruffine) both to remember to damne them, and to forget ever to ſhew mercy upon them, when he hath once condemned them. Some hee ſeemeth to forget, when he doth not.qDeus bonos non negligit, cùm negligit. Nec obliviſcitur, ſed quaſi obliviſcitur. Ruffin. in Pſal. He neglecteth not the godly, no not when he neglecteth them: Yea,rObſcuris ſuper nos diſpoſitionibus Deus ſaepe undenos aeſtimatur deſerere, inde nos recipit; & unde nos recipere creditur, inde derelinquit: ut plarunque hoc fiat gratiâ quod ira dicitur; & hoc aliquando ira ſit, quod gratia putatur. Gregor. mor. l. 5. c. 5. hee remembreth them then beſt, when he ſeemeth leaſt to regard them, when hee ſeemeth moſt of all to forget them. Though the wicked, when hee hath his will on the poore, thinketh thatſPſal. 10.11. God hath forgotten them, and doth not at all minde them; yettPſal. 9.18. & 10.12. the poore, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, ſhall not alwayes bee forgotten; nor the hope of the afflicted periſh for ever. ButuPſal. 9.12. God when he maketh inquiſition for blood, will make it appeare then that he remembreth them, and that he doth not forget the poore mans complaint, nor will ever faile any of thoſe that xPſal. 9.10.ſeeke to him and truſt in him. AndyEſa. 49.14. though Zion complaine that her God had forgotten her; yet the Lord telleth her, and aſſureth her that even thenzEſa. 49.15, 16. he had her as freſh in minde, as if ſhe were *In manibus ſculpſi te. Humanitus dictum. Iun.written upon his hands, and her preſent estate was never out of his eye: yea that he could no more forget her, than a woman could her childe, or than the kindeſt and tendereſt“foreign. Greg Naz. orat. 31. Et ſi filius minus interdum quàm debeat filialem affectum exhibuit; mater tamen pro ſuù viſceribus maternum deſerere non debet, ſed nec valet, affectum. Bern. ep 300. mother that is the fruit of her owne wombe.

Queſtion. But why doth God, may ſome ſay, then deale thus ſtrangely with his deare ones, and by ſeeming not to regard them, yea by ſeeming to reject them, ſuffer them to be in ſo wofull and rufull an eſtate, that they are in a manner like perſons utterly forlorne for the preſent?

Anſwer. I anſwer: God doth this for divers ends; whereof theſe are ſome Reaſons 8 of the principall.

Reaſon 1 Firſt,aAd examen. to trie their ſinceritie, their confidence in God, their conſtancie with God, whether their hearts be ſincere toward him, and upright with him, or no; whether they will keepe conſtantly in Gods wayes, though God ſeeme to neglect them, or ſeeke to indirect courſes, becauſe God ſeemeth not to regard them.b2 Chron. 32.31. God left Hezekiah, ſaith the holy Ghoſt, to trie him and to know, that is,*Tentat Deus ut ſciat, i. ut ſcire nos faciat; non ut ſciatipſe, quem nil latet, ſine tentatione enim nemo ſatis probatus eſſe poteſt, ſive ſibi ipſi, ſive alii. Aug. in Gen. contr. Manich. l. 1. c. 22. & de Trinit. l. 1. c. 12. & ibid. l. 3. c. 11. & in Geneſ. quaeſt. 57. & 83. quaeſt. 60. & in Deut. quaest. 19. & in Pſal. 36. & in Pſal. 58. & in Pſal. 44. & de ſerm Dom. in mont. l. 2. to make knowne, what was in his heart. AndcDeu. 8.2. & 13.3. the Lord tempteth you, ſaith Moſes to the Iſraelites, to humble you, and to prove you, and to know what is in your heart, whether you love him heartily, and will conſtantly keepe his Commandements or no. As a Father will ſometimes croſſe his ſonne, to trie the childes diſpoſition, to ſee how hee will take it, whether he will mutter and grumble at it, and grow humorous and wayward, neglect his duty to his Father, becauſe his Father ſeemeth to neglect him, or make offer to runne away and withdraw himſelfe from his Fathers obedience, becauſe he ſeemeth to carry himſelfe harſhly and roughly toward him, and to provoke him thereunto: So doth God likewiſe oft-times croſſe his children, and ſeemeth to neglect them, to trie their diſpoſition, what metall they are made of, how they ſtand affected toward him: whether they will neglect God, becauſe God ſeemeth to neglect them, forbeare to ſerve him, becauſe he ſeemeth to forget them, ceaſe to depend upon him, becauſe he ſeemeth not to looke after them, to provide for them, or to protect them: like Iorams prophane Purſevant;d2 King. 6.33. This evill, ſaith he, is of God, and why ſhould I depend then on God any longer? Or whether they will ſtill conſtantly cleave to him, though he ſeeme not to regard them, nor to have any care of them; and ſay with Eſay; eEſa. 8.17. Nec ſit praebatus ab officio receſſit. Tu, inquit, avertis faciem tuam à me, ſed ego non ſum averſus à te. Ruffin. in Pſal. 29.Yet will I wait upon God, though hee have hid his face from us, and I will looke for him though he looke not on us; forfEſa. 30.18. they are all bleſſed that wait on him; and he will not faile in due time to ſhew mercy unto all them that doe ſo constantly wait on him. Asg1 Sam. 13.8, 10. Samuel dealt with Saul; he kept away till the laſt houre, to ſee what Saul would doe, when Samuel ſeemed not to keepe touch with him. So doth God with his Saints, and with thoſe that bee in league with him; he withdraweth himſelfe oft, andhPſal. 10.1. keepeth aloofe off for a long time together, to trie what they will do, and what courſes they will take, wheniPſal. 89.19, 38, 39, 49. God ſeemeth to breake with them, and to leave them in the ſuds, as we ſay, amids many difficulties much perplexed, as it was with DAVID at this time.

Thus was Sauls hypocriſie diſcovered. He would ſeeme to depend on God; andk1 Sam. 28 6, 7. ſought to him in his troubles and asked advice of him. But when God ſeemed to neglect him, and gave him no anſwer, neither by dreame, nor viſion, nor by Vrim and Thummim, neither by Prophet, nor by Prieſt, then left hee God and ſought to the Sorcereſſe, and by the Sorcereſſe to Satan.

Where a queſtion may be moved, Queſtion. how that is true that the holy Ghoſt ſaith elſe-where, thatl1 Chron. 10.14. Saul did not at all aske counſell of God.m1 Sam. 28.6. Saul asked counſell of God, ſaith one place; but the Lord gave him no anſwer: And,n1 Chron. 10.13, 14. Thus died Saul in his ſin, ſaith another place, which he ſinned, in that he asked counſell of a witch, and asked not of God; and therefore the Lord ſlew him.

Solution 1 But the anſwer is eaſie; and may be returned in two Rules of the Civill Law.

1.oFicta pro factis non habentur. Facta haud videntur, facta quae ſunt ſubdolè. That is not deemed done, that is not ſincerely done; orpNon videtur fieri quod non legitimè fit. Reg. Iur. that is not done ſo as it ſhould. God accounteth that as not done, that is not done in ſinceritie. Take it by the like: It is ſaid of the idolatrous Heathen that were placed in Samaria, thatq2 King. 32.33. they feared the Lord, and yet ſerved their owne idols too; and yet in the very next verſe againe it is ſaid of the very ſame perſons,r2. King. 17.34. Neither they, nor their children feare God to this day. ſNon colit rem ſanctam, qui non ſanctè colit. Salvian. de provid. l. 4.Their feare was no feare, becauſe no ſincere feare: and ſo Sauls ſeeking to God no ſeeking, becauſe no ſincere ſeeking. tPſal. 145 18.The Lord is neere to all that call on him, but that call on him in ſinceritie. AnduIohn 4.24., The true worſhippers are ſuch as worſhip in Spirit and Truth. ButxSapiens nummularius Deus est: Nummum nec fallum, nec fractum recipiet. Bern. de temp. 109. no counterfeit coine will goe for currant with him.

Solution 2 2.yFactum non dicitur quod non perſeverat. That is not done, that holdeth not out, that keepeth not firme. zNihil dicitur fuiſſe factum, quamdi… aliquid ſupereſt faciendum.There is nothing ſaid to be done, as long as ought is yet undone; Perſeverance is all in all.aMatth. 24.13. Apoc. 3.10. He is faithfull indeed that holdeth out to the laſt. bProv. 17.17. Verè amicus ſemper amat. Druſ. Prov. l. 2. cent. 1. pr. 16. Verus amor nullum novit habere modum. Propert. eleg 3He is a true lover, that loveth ever. Butcforeign. Eurip. Troad. Ariſtot. Rhetor. l. 2. c. 21. Amavit nunquam, jugiter qui non amat. Hee never loved truly, that loveth not continually: He was never a true friend, that ever ceaſeth to be a friend, that is not a friend alwayes, that loveth not in adverſitie, as well as in proſperitie, nor is content to take part with him, whom hee ſeemeth to love in either: So hee never truly truſted in God, that ever ceaſeth to depend upon him, that dareth not truſt God as well at ſea as on land, as well in adverſitie as in proſperitie, that is ready to leave and give over relying on God, ſo ſoone as God leaveth in outward ſhew at leaſt to looke after him.

On the other ſide, thus was I…bs ſinceritie approved.dIob 13.24. Why, ſaith he to God, doſt thou hide thy face away from me? and carrieſt thy ſelfe as an enemy towards me? Surely for no other end, Iob, but to trie thy ſincerity; and to make it manifeſt what thou art. The Devill ſlandered Iob, and traduced him, as if he had beene but an hireling,eIob 1.9, 10, 11. one that ſerved God onelyonly to ſerve his owne turne upon God; and would therefore ſoone leave God, if God ſhould ſeeme to leave him, yea would not ſticke to ourſe God, if he ſhould but a little anger him, to his face. But the Devill proved a lyer, like himſelfe: it was farre otherwiſe with Iob: As he was no hireling, ſo*—foreign. Eurip. He…ub. he proved no changeling. As the Heathen man ſaith of one,fNeciratum colere deſtitit numen. Senec. ad Marc. c. 13. He ceaſed not to worſhip even an angry God: gIob 13.15.Though he ſlay mee, ſaith Iob, yet I will truſt ſtill in him. And thus the Saints of God approve unto God their owne ſinceritie; in thathPſal. 44.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24. though God had forgotten them, yet they had not forgotten him; though iPercuſſiſti, i. percutiendo dejeciſti. Verba enim Hebraica ſaepe motum conſignificant. Sic Geneſ. 38.9. & Pſal 89.39.he had ſmitten them, (that is, by ſmiting throwne and thruſt them downe) to the very bottome of the Sea, the place where the kforeign cetus. prout Geneſ. 1.21. Pſal. 74.13. Ezech. 29.3. & 32.2. foreign. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 148.Whales lodge, and had overwhelmed them with the ſhadow of death; and ſuffered them to be butchered and maſſacred all the day long, as if they were no other than ſheepe ſent to the ſhambles, and ſet apart for the ſlaughter; yet for all this, they would not from him, nor ſeeke to any other but him: As Diogenes the Cynicke ſometime told his Maſter Antisthenes, lforeign. Diogen. Laert. Nullus tam durus erit baculus qui à tuo me obſequio ſeparet. Hieron. adv. Iovin. lib. 2.there was no cudgell ſo crabbed that could drive them way from him.

Reaſon 2 Secondly, God doth thismAd exercitium. to exerciſe the gifts and graces of his Spirit in them. For many graces of God, as patience, confidence in God, and the like, are like torches and tapers, that ſhew dimme in the light, but burne cleere in the darke; or like the Moone, and nStellae interdiu lat…nt nocta micant. Ita vera virtus non apparet in prospetis, eminet in adverſis. Bernard. in Cant. 27.the Starres, that are not ſeene in the day, but ſhine bright in the night.oPatientiae in prosperis nullus est uſus. Gregor. mor. l. 11. cap. 19. In malis quae quiſque patitur, non in bonis, quibu… fruitur opus est patientia. Aug. in Ioan. 124. There is no uſe of patience when all things goe well with us. pIam. 5.11.Yee have heard of Iobs patience, ſaith Iames. But we had never heard of it, had Iob never beene in trouble.qIbi fides non habet meritum, ubi ratio humana praebet experimentum Greg. in Evang. 2…. Haec est enim laus fidei, ſi id quod creditur non videtur. Nam quid magnum eſt, ſi id credimus, quod videm…? Aug in Ioan. 79. Ioh 20.29. Facilè enim credimus quod videmus. Ambr. in Luc. l. 10. There is no ſight of faith, when wee doe ſenſibly ſee and feele as it were the love and good will of God towards us in the pregnant and plentifull effects and fruits of his favor.rVirtus fidei credere quod non vides; merces fidei videre quod credis. Auguſt. in Pſal. 109. & de verb. Ap. 27. It is the efficacie of faith, ſaith Augustine, to beleeve what we ſee not; for it is the reward of faith for us to ſee what we beleeve. But whenſPutas, hîc est? non potest non eſſe, ſed latet. hyems est; intus est viriditas in radice. Aug in 1. Ioan. 9. it is winter time with us, and the ſ…p is all downe in the root, little ſigne or ſhew of it to be ſeene abroad, or above ground in the branches; when all outward, yea and inward ſignes of Gods love and favour towards us, and of his care and regard of us ſhall ſeeme to faile and be withdrawne from us; when we ſhall ſee and feele nothing, but arguments of his anger and wrath,u2 Cor. 7.5. troubles without and terrors within, Gods face turned from us, or his angry looke towards us; yet even then through theſe thicke and blacke clouds to deſcry and diſcerne the bright ſunne-ſhine of Gods favour; and contrary to ſenſe and reaſon, carnall ſenſe, and corrupt reaſon, to beleeve thatxHeb. 12.6. Apoc. 3.21. God loveth us, when he lowreth onus, and ſeemeth even to loath us, that we are in favour ſtill with him when hee knitteth the browes and frowneth on us, that hee remembreth us and thinketh on us when he ſeemeth to forget us, that he is a gratious God andyIob 13.16, 15. a ſure Saviour to us, when he ſeemeth bent to deſtroy us; this is the excellency of faith indeed. And for the exerciſe of this and other the like graces in his, doth God oft withdraw himſelfe from them, as the Nurſe doth from the childe, to teach it to exerciſe the feet, and learne to ſtand and goe of it ſelfe without helpe or hold. Or as the Eagle with her young ones, which when they are growne fledg, ſhee turneth out of the neſt, nor beareth them ever on her wing, though*Exod. 19.4. Deut. 32.11. Aquilae pullos ſuos in alis portant, alites reliqui inter pedes. Munſter. in Schol. ex R. Solomon. ſometimes ſhe ſo doe, but to enure them to flie,“foreign &c. foreign. Baſil. Sel homil. 21. flieth from them, and leaveth them ſometime to ſhift for themſelves. God led you along the wilderneſſe, ſaith Moſes to the Iſraelites, zDeut. 8.2, 3.to humble you, and to teach you, that man lives not by bread, but by Gods Word; to teach themaPueris, qui nare diſcunt, ſcirpea induitur ratis. Plaut. Aulul. 4.1.—aſt ubi jam duraverit aetas Membra, animumque tuum, diſces ſine cortice nare. Horat. ſerm. 1.4. to ſwimme without bladders, to goe without crutches, to depend upon the bare word of God, when bread and water ſhould faile; and to learne, as, with the Apoſtle,b2 Cor. 1.9. not to truſt in themſelves, ſo†foreign. Baſil. Sel. hom. 21. not to truſt to the means, but in him that worketh by them, and that can as well worke for us without them, when they faile.

Reaſon 3 Thirdly,cAd patientiam edocendam. to enure us to patience, and holy obedience, and ſubmiſſion of our wils to the good pleaſure of God. As a father ſometime will croſſe his childe in thoſe things that he hath a minde to, yea and it may be are not evill for him neither otherwiſe, and d…ny him ſome things that he doth moſt of all deſire, though they bee ſuch things as he is willing enough, yea and hath a purpoſe afterward to beſtow on him, onelyonly thereby to enure him to reſt contented with his will, and to ſubmit and referre his deſires to his pleaſure: So doth God oftentimes withdraw and with-hold long from his children outward joyes, inward comforts, the light of his countenance, the fruits of his favour, the things they moſt deſire, and that he purpoſeth one day to beſtow on them, though hee keepe them backe for the preſent, thereby to enure them to patience and childlike ſubmiſſion, that they may learne to practiſe whatdMatth. 6.10. foreign. Heraclit. apud Stob. c. 3. they dayly pray, and what our Saviour as well by practice as by precept, hath taught them to ſay,eMatth. 26.39, 42. foreign, Thymaridae quidam. Thymarides contra, foreign. Iamblych. in vita Pythag. Vide q…id aequius est, tenè divinae voluntati conformando ſubdere, an ut ipſa tuae ſubſerviat voluntati. Gerſon. conſol. Theol. l. 2. cap. 1. foreign; Epictet. Arian. lib. 2. c. 17 Deus quod vult qui vult, ſemper est foelix. Sic enim homo ab humanis in divina dirigitur, cùm voluntati humanae voluntas divina praefertur. Aug. in Ioan 52. Not my will, but thy will be done. For asfRom 5.4. patience maketh triall; ſogIam 1.3. triall breedeth patience. Ashforeign. Pind. Olymp. 4. Marcet ſinc adverſario virtus. Tunc apparet quanta ſit, quantum valeat polleatque, cùm quid poſſit patientia oſtendit. Sen. de provid c. 2. by patience, and by nothing more, is our ſincerity approved: (nothing putteth our piety to the proofe more than patience:) ſo ſuch trials as theſe doe enure to patience and obedience: (As it is ſaid of our Saviour, ThatiHeb 5.8. though hee were the Sonne, yet kforeign.hee learned obedience by thoſe things that he ſuffered:)*foreign. Eurip. Hecub. Quam malè inaſſueti veniunt ad aratra juvenci? a leſſon at the firſt not ſo eaſily learned of us, till by continuance of ſufferings we have beene enured to the yoake. By theſe and the like courſes therefore God enureth and inſtructeth his children to beare quietly ſuch burdens as hee pleaſeth to lay on them; as alſo to wait his leaſure, and abide his good pleaſure, who knoweth what is beſt for them, andlPſal. 34.9, 10. & 84.12. will deny nothingmPſal. 145.15. in his due ſeaſon unto them; butnProrſus tanquam aegretum reficiens medicus, & quod opus est hoc dat, & quando opus est, tunc dat. Aug. in Pſal. 144. as a wiſe Phyſitian, ſaith Auguſtine, dieting his patient, will both give them what is fit for them to have, and give it them then when it is fit for them to have it.

Reaſon 4 Fourthly, God dealeth thus many times with his children,oAd majorem peccati deteſtationem. to work in them a greater hatred and detestation of ſin, whereof this hiding of his face from them, is oft a fruit and an effect.pEſa 1.15. When you ſtretch forth your hands, ſaith God by the Prophet, I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many prayers, I will not heare you, becauſe your hands are full of blood. And ſaith the ſame Prophet, ſpeaking in the perſon of Gods people;qEſa. 64.7. Thou haſt hid thy face from us, and haſt conſumed us becauſe of our iniquities. Yea in the Lamentations the people of God complaine, thatrLament. 3.24, 43, 44. God had overwhelmed them with his wrath, a…d covered himſelfe with a cloud, that their prayers might not paſſe, nor have acceſſe to his Highneſſe; becauſe they had ſinned and rebelled againſt him, and he therefore had not ſpared them. And certainly that is one principall cauſe, the ſinnes of Gods Church and Children, their rebellious courſes, their untoward cariage, their wickedneſſe, their wantonneſſe, their evill demeanure towards him, that maketh God to turne away his loving countenance from them, and that not onelyonly for a time to looke off them, till they humble themſelves before him, but†Multa cogitur homo tolerare etiam remiffis peccatis: quamvis ut in eam veniret miſeriam, primum ſuerit cauſa peccatum. Productior est enim poena quàm culpa, ne parva putaretur culpa, ſi cum illa ſiniretur & poena. Ac per hoc vel ad demonſtrationem debitae miſeriae, vel ad emendationem labilis vitae, vel ad exercitationem neceſſaria… patientiae, temporaliter hominem detinet poena, etiam quem jam ad damnationem ſempiternam reum non detinet culpa. Aug. in Ioan. 124. even for ſome ſpace of time after alſo, to looke ſtrangely upon them. He doth as a wiſe and diſcreet Father, who when his Sonne hath offended him, though upon his ſubmiſſion hee be reconciled unto him, and be inwardly as well affected againe towards him, as ever, yet will make ſome ſhew of anger ſtill, it may be, and lowre and frowne on him for a long time after, that he may not ſuddenly take heart to grace, as wee ſay, againe; but may by that means be drawne to be both more ſeriouſly ſory for his offence paſt, and more fearfull for the future of offending his Father. So dealeth God with his Children, when they have done amiſſe and runne riot, though upon their repentance he be at one againe with them, yet he concealeth it long many times; neither is his countenance oft the ſame for a long time after towards them, that formerly it had beene. Thus dealt DAVID with Abſolom; and thus God himſelfe with DAVID.ſ2 Sam. 13.38, 39. After that Abſolom by a traine had made away his brother Ammon, and was fled upon it to Geſhur; DAVID a Father but too indulgent, (t1 King. 1.6. 2 Sam. 18.5. that was his fault, and hee ſmarted ſhrewdly for it) after ſome ſpace of time, when the ſorrow for his ſonne Ammon was over, began to earne inwardly after Abſolom; and ſince that Ammon was gone, hee was loth to loſe the comfort of his Abſolom alſo, whom he loved but too well, and farre better than his Abſolom loved him. And though he ſtrove to conceale it, yetuSed malè diſſimulat: quis enim celaverit ignem, Lumine qui ſemper proditur ipſe ſuo? Ovid. ep. 12. Apparet facilè diſſimulatus amor. Ibid. he could not but diſcover it.x2 Sam. 14.1, 2, 3, 19, 20. Ioab wiſely diſcerned it, and uſed the woman of Tekoa as a Midwife, to deliver DAVIDS heart of that that*Ita Chriſtus foreign dicitur. Baſil. Sel. homil. 19. it went great with, and was full of paine withall; and to draw that from him as by conſtraint or importunity, which DAVID was of himſelfe over-willing unto already.y2 Sam. 14.21, 22. Thus Abſolom his exile muſt be called home at length, though with ſome difficultie: and the matter muſt proceed not as from DAVID, but from Ioab: DAVIDS affection to Abſolom muſt by all means bee concealed: Yea, after Abſolom was returned, though DAVID, no doubt, longed ſtill after him, and in ſome ſort doated on him, and was more ſeriouſly and ſincerely deſirous to ſee Abſolom, than Abſolom was to ſee DAVID; yet,z2 Sam. 14.24, 28. Let him turne, ſaith he, to his owne houſe, and not ſee my face. And ſo dwelt Abſolom, DAVIDS beſt beloved ſonne, (for he had not yet Solomon) for the ſpace of two yeeres in Ieruſalem, where the Court moſt was, and yet might not all that while ſo much as ſee the King his Fathers face, or have acceſſe once to his preſence. DAVID, no doubt, was perfectly reconciled in heart to him, and counted it no ſmall croſſe that he muſt thus be deprived of him; but knowing Abſoloms diſpoſition, how ſoone he might be returning to ſome ſuch like practice, if he were ſuddenly taken into grace again, was content to enforce himſelfe to this harſh and unpleaſing cariage towards him, (unpleaſing, I ſay, as well to DAVID himſelfe, as to Abſolom) to prevent ſome ſuch further miſchiefe (if it might have beene) that might otherwiſe both befall himſelfe and Abſolom, as upon the change of his countenance towards him ſhortly after enſued. Now looke how DAVID dealt with Abſolom, ſo dealt God himſelfe with DAVID. After that foule abuſe of Bathſheba, and the murther of Vriah, albeita2 Sam. 12.13. DAVID had to Nathan freely confeſſed his offence, and Nathan from God againe aſſured him of the free and full forgiveneſſe of it; The Lord hath taken away thy ſinne, thou ſhalt not die for it: Yet the Lord, the more throughly to humble him for it, and to make him the more wary for the time to come of ſhunning that that might produce againe ſuch fearfull effects,*Eſt quidam etiam tranquilli maris tremor, aut lacus qui ex tempeſtate requievit, Sen. de tranquill. c. 1. did not looke upon him ſo lovingly for a long time after, as before hee had wont to doe. Read but the Pſalme that hee made after Nathan had beene with him; and ſee how earneſtly and inſtantly he crieth and calleth upon God ſtill,bPſal. 51.1, 8, 9, 11, 12. to turne his face away from his ſinne, and to looke in mercy upon himſelfe, not to caſt him wholly out of his ſight, nor to take his good Spirit utterly away from him, to reſtore unto him againe thoſe inward comforts and joyes, whichcPſal. 4.6, 7. through the light of Gods countenance he had formerly injoyed, but had in a manner cleane loſt, and was wholly deprived of for the preſent. And in like manner doth God deale with many other of his deare ſervants, after ſome hainous and notorious crimes by them committed, hee withdraweth oft his face and favourable countenance away from them, not till they repent onelyonly, but even after they have repented of them, to make them wiſer and warier for the time to come, and to deteſt their owne folly the more for the preſent.

Reaſon 5 Fiftly, God oft thus withdraweth and eſtrangeth himſelfe from his,dAd crucis opus conſummandum. That the croſſe incumbent may have its full and perfect worke on them, which if it were ſooner removed, it would be the worſe for them, as when the corraſive plaiſter is pulled off ere the dead fleſh is eaten out: and indeed as it were to no end for the Surgeon to clap on a corraſive, if he ſhould pull it off againe inſtantly, before it have done ought; it were to no purpoſe for the Finer to put his gold into the fire, if he ſhould either pull it out againe, or put out his fire, before the ore he melted, and the droſſie matter ſevered: So it would be to ſmall purpoſe for God to lay croſſes on us, for the bettering and amending of us, if he ſhould preſently againe ſo ſoone as we feele the ſmart of them, and begin to whine under his hand, remove them away inſtantly, ere we be at all bettered by them, or have that effected on us that God intendeth in them.eIam. 1.2, 3, 4. Count it matter of much joy, my brethren, ſaith Iames, when you fall into many trials, or troubles. Since you know that the triall of your faith bringeth forth patience: And let patience have her perfect worke, that you may be ſound and entire. AndfOmnipotens Deus quid nobis profaturum ſit ſciens, dolentium exaudire vocem ſaepe diſſimulat, ut utilitatem augeat, dum per poenam vita penitius purgatur. Greg mor. l. 14 c. 18. Vota differens cruciat, crucians purgat, ut ad percipiendum quod deſiderant, ex dilatione melius convaleſcant. Idem ibid. l. 8. c. 17. for the furthering and conſummating of this worke, doth God oftentimes thus withdraw himſelfe, as it were, out of the way, and ſeemeth to keepe aloofe off, when he is yet neere at hand with us. He doth as the Phyſitian or Surgeon doth with his Patient, when he meeteth with a ſore feſtred or full of dead fleſh: He applieth ſome ſharpe corraſive to purge the wound, and to eat out the dead fleſh, that would elſe hinder the cure.gQuomodo cùm medicus epithema moleſtum & ardens impoſuit, aeger ubi medicamento cruciari ceperit, rogat medicum ut tollat emplaſtrum: Moleſtum est, inquit, mihi iſtud emplaſtrum; tollas, quaeſo. Rogat ut tollat, & non tollit. Ego, inquit, novi quem curo. Non mihi det qui aegrotat conſilium. Opus est diu ibi ſit, aliter enim nil proficiet. Aug. in Pſal 90. & in Pſal. 98. & in Pſal. 130. & in 1 Ioan. 6. Which being done, the Patient, it may be, impatient of paine, as ſoone as he feeleth the ſmart of it, crieth to have it removed. But hee telleth him, No, it muſt ſtay there till it have eaten to the quicke, and effected that throughly for which it is applied. And to this purpoſe having given charge to them that be about him, to ſee that nothing be ſtirred till he come againe to him, withdraweth and retireth himſelfe till it be full time to take it off againe. Meane while the Patient lying in paine, counteth every minute an houre till the Surgion come backe againe, and if he ſtay long, thinketh that ſure hee hath forgotten him, while he is taken up with other Patients, or is otherwiſe imployed, and will never in any time returne againe to him: when as the Surgion, it may bee, is all this while but in the very next roome to him, there by the houre-glaſſe, to that purpoſe ſet up, attending but the time, till the plaiſter have wrought that that it is to effect. And in the very ſelfe-ſame manner doth God deale oft with his deareſt ones. Thush2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9. Paul buffeted by Satan, (it was no ſmall corraſive and heart-ſore, you may bee well aſſured, that troubled ſo much ſo magnanimous a ſpirit as his was) was inſtant with God more than once or twice to be rid of that evill. ButiNon est ablatum, quod volebat auferri, ut infirmitas illa ſanaretur. Auguſt. in Ioan. 7. Ita Deus & denegans exaudit, & exaudiens denegat; tribuens aufert, non tribuens donat. Simon Caſſ. in Evang. l. 5. c. 24. the anſwer he had from God was, that he muſt patiently abide it: hee ſhould not want his grace that ſhould enable him to undergoe it. But it would bee worſe with him, if it were otherwiſe; hee would be in much perill of being puffed up with pride, if he were wholly freed from it. Yea thus DAVID, when Gods hand was ſomtime upon him, and he felt it harſh and heavy, hee crieth earneſtly unto God, to have it removed from him:kPſal. 39.10. Take, ſaith hee, thy plague away from me; I am even conſumed with the ſtroke of thine hand. And he pleadeth with God, as the Patient would doe with the Phyſitian, when he is full of paine with that that is applied, hee is ſure that the plaiſter hath done enough by this time: lPſal. 119.71, 67.It is good for mee that I have beene afflicted. This affliction ſurely hath done mee much good, I am very much amended by it. FormPſal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but ſince I have beene thus troubled, I am growne more carefull of my courſes; now I keepe thy Commandements. ButnNon ſe norat aegr… tus; ſed aegrotum norat medicus. Auguſt. in Pſal. 138. Inspecta vena quid intus ageretur in aegroto, medicus noverat, aegrotus non noverat. Idem in Pſal. 44. God ſaw that in DAVID, that he, it may be, ſaw not in himſelfe. He ſaw much dead fleſh, much corrupt matter behinde, that was yet to bee eaten out, or it would bee ready ſoone to breake forth into ſome outrage, as alſo afterward it did, when DAVID came to bee free from that harſh courſe of cure, and hard and ſtrict diet, that God had a long time before held him to.

True it is thatoEſa. 48.10. Conflabo te, non cum argento tamen, i. Non agam ſummo jure tecum: quia ſi ab omni ſcoriâ, ut argentum, expurgandus eſſes, totus diſperires. Iun. ibid. foreign. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 7. God dealeth not with us in this kinde, as the Finer doth with his oare, who never linneth melting it, and paſſing it thorow the fire againe and againe, as long as any droſſie matter remaineth mixt with it; or as thoſe that boile broths or curious confections for ſicke perſons, that never leave blowing and boyling ſo long as any ſcum at all ariſeth on them. If he ſhould ſo doe, wee ſhould never be any of us out of the furnace of affliction; even the very beſt of us ſhould bee ever either in, or over the fire, alwayes burning or boyling as long as we lived. For ſo long as we live here, wee ſhall retaine ſome of this droſſe ſtill:*Eradicari ſiquidem aut extirpari penitus è cordibus noſtris, dum hîc vivimus, non poteſt. Bern. de temp. 45. nor will our ſcum bee utterly purged out of us, while we abide here. But yet howſoever God doth not goe ſo exactly to worke with us, (the croſſe would ſooner eat our hearts out of our bodies, than worke all ſpirituall filth and droſſe out of our ſoules) yet he will have that he doth in this kinde, worke to ſome purpoſe with us, he will not have us come out of the fire as we went in, he will not endure we ſhould come off the fire as foule and as full of ſcum, as we were when hee ſet us on. And that the croſſe may have this effect indeed on us,pNon deſerit, etiamſi deſerat. Aug. in Pſal. 90. he doth in mercy to us, till it bee done, withdraw himſelfe from us, that his wonted manner of preſence may not hinder the worke of it.

Reaſon 6 Sixtly, God dealeth thus oft with them,qAd zelum accendendum. to ſtir up and kindle their zeale, to make them more fervent in prayer, and in ſeeking unto him, and to take away that coldneſſe and remiſneſſe that uſually groweth upon them, when they are free from ſuch afflictions. ThusrIudg. 20.21, 25, 26. Terga dederunt ſceleratis ultores ſceleris, & plures paucioribus. Bernard. de conſider. lib. 2. Sed recurrunt ad Dominum & Dominus ad eos. Ibid. he neglected the Iſraelites, though fighting in a juſt quarrell, and ſuffered them to fall before their brethren, the Benjamites, maintaining a bad cauſe, till they faſted and prayed more earneſtly, and by a kinde of holy and religious importunity wreſted aid and aſſiſtance from God. ThusſMatth. 15.22, 23. foreign. Baſil. Sel. homil. 19. he delayed and put off the poore woman of Canaan crying after him: hee would neither heare her, nor the Diſciples making ſuit for her: hee anſwered her at firſt with atMatth. 15.23. foreign. Baſil. Sel. ibid. ſeeming kinde of ſullen ſilence; then with a cutting anſwer, ſharper than his former ſilence;uVerſ. 24. I am not ſent, but to the loſt ſheepe of Iſrael: And,xVerſ. 26 foreign. Baſil. ibid. It is not fit to take the childrens bread, and caſt it to dogs. Butyforeign. Baſil. ibid. Beneficium diſtulit, ut deſiderium accenderet. Stell. in Luc. 24. Sic ignis flatu premitur ut creſcat. Greg. mor. l. 20. c. 15. thoſe ſpeeches were but as blaſts of the belowes, not to blow out, but to blow up the fire of her faith, and to make it ſo to blaze, as ſhould aſtoniſh thoſe that ſaw it. AndzCant. 3.1, 2, 3. & 5.6. Diſſimulatio eſt, non indignatio. Non est reverſus ſponſus ad votum & vocem revocantis; ut deſiderium creſcat, ut probetur affectus, ut amoris negotium exerceatur. Bern. in Cant. 75. Deſiderium differtur ut proficiat, & tarditatis ſuae ſinu nutritur ut creſcat. Abſcondit ſe ſponſus cùm quaeritur, ut non inventus ardentius quaeratur, & differtur quaerens ſponſa ne inveniat, ut tarditate ſua capacior reddita, multiplicius quandoque inveniat quod quaerit. Greg. mor. l. 5. c. 3. it is a diſſimulation, ſaith Bernard, not an indignation, a concealment of affection, no abatement of love, that Chriſt in the Canticles oft withdraweth and hideth himſelfe from his dearly beloved, and is not found of her, nor returneth to her, ſo ſoone as ſhee calleth; it is but to exerciſe her love, to inflame her affection, to make her more eager in ſeeking up and downe after him. He doth as a father that hath a ſonne at the Univerſity, who though he underſtand, by his Tutor or ſome other friends, of his wants, yet will not take notice of them, till from his ſonne himſelfe he heare of them, Let him write, ſaith hee, himſelfe for them; and it may be he ſhall write twice too before hee have what he deſireth, becauſe he will by ſuch means have him both to learne to know his duty, and to exerciſe his pen alſo for his owne good: So our heavenly Father, thoughaMatth. 6.32. he know well enough what we have need of, bMatth. 6.30. Pſal. 34.9, 10.nor will hee ſuffer us to want ought that ſhall bee needfull for us, yetcPhilip. 4.6. he will have our wants made knowne to him by ſuit and ſupplication, ere hee will take notice of them, yea hee will make us ſue long many times ere hee fulfill our deſires, becauſe hee will have us to exerciſe his*Zech. 12.10. Spirit of Prayer in us. Or as the Nurſe, who perceiving that the childe beginneth to neglect her, withdraweth her ſelfe aſide, and keepeth ſome while out of ſight, yea and letteth the childe, it may be, crie a good ere ſhee come againe to it, to make it grow more fond on her, when it hath beene afraid of loſing her: So DAVID, whendPſal. 30.6. in his proſperitie he began to preſume more than was meet on Gods favour, and to grow ſomewhat retchleſſe in that regard, as if God were now ſo firme to him, that he were ſure never to loſe him, nor to have the effects and fruits of it ever withdrawne from him, albeit hee were not altogether ſo carefull to uſe all good means to retaine it, as formerly he had been.ePſal. 30.7, 8. Thou turnedst, ſaith he, thy face from me: and then being ſore troubled, he ſought earneſtly with ſtrong cries and ſalt tears, to recover and regain againe the ſenſe of Gods favour, which by his owne neglect he thus had loſt. Or*D. Meriton Serm. on 1 Theſſ. 5.17. as a Father, ſaith one, that holding an Apple in his hand, which the childe would faine have, letteth him toile and tug at it, and with much adoe unlooſe finger after finger, yea, and it may be, whine and crie heartily ere he come by it: So doth God many times with us, to make usfforeign, Rom. 15.30. Certatim cremus. Aug epiſt. 121. Vt miſericordiam exigamus. Idem in Pſal. 39. wrestle with him, and asgGen. 32.24, 25, 26. Hoſh. 12.3, 4. Talibus Iacob funiculis Angelum detinebat, qualibus Moſes reſticulis Dominum ligaverat, Exod. 32.10, 11. Simon Caſſ. in Evang. l. 14. Iacob ſometime by intention and eagerneſſe of prayer wring favour away from him; and ashLuk. 18 4, 5, 7. the poore widow did by the unjuſt Iudge, even by our importunitie overcome him. Or asiLuk. 24.28, 29. Finxit ſelongius ire, cùm mallet cum diſcipulis remanere. Bern. de grad. humil. Longius iturum ſinxit, ut in deſiderium ſut diſcipuli magis excitarentur. Stella in Luc. our Saviour Chriſt dealt with the two Diſciples, when he made as though hee would goe further, though hee meant not to leave them, to make them the more inſtant on him, to preſſe him to ſtay with them: So doth†Idcircó recedit, ut avidius requiratur. Bern. in Cant. 17. God many times make as though hee were leaving, or had left us, to incite us to a more fervent and inſtant uſage of all holy meanes, whereby wee may either keepe his favour with us, while we yet have it, or fetch it againe when it is gone.

Reaſon 7 Seventhly, God doth thuskAd gratiam commendandam. Cùm dat tardius, commendat dona, non negat. Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 5. Scitè enim Senec. de benef. l. 1. c. 11. Lenocinium est muneri antecedens metus. Et, Metus muneri pondus imponit. to commend to us his mercy, to teach us to make more account of his favour, when by the want of it wee have felt what a bitter thing it is to bee without it, and after long miſſe of it, come to re-enjoy it againe.*foreign. Greg Naz. orat. 6. The preſent evill is ever the greateſt: and the fit we felt laſt ſeemeth uſually the ſharpeſt. But the preſent good is deemed commonly the leaſt; and†Malunt homines ſemper quae reliquerunt. Sen. ep. 115. Aliena nobis, noſtra plus aliis placent. P. Syr.—maior que videtur Et melior vicina ſeges. Iuven. ſat. 14. that that goeth from us better, than that that abideth by us: and albeit“foreign. Plut. conſol. ad uxor. foreign. Idem de tranq. the departure of ought from us, make it never a whit the better, yet any good thing ſeemeth better when it is going, and better yet when it is gone, than it did while either there was yet no feare of loſing it, or it had not yet left us.lDeſideria in manibus conſtituta neſcimus. Ennod. l. 7. ep. 17. Plus ſenſimus quod habuimus, poſtquam habere deſivimus. Hieron. Conſol. Pām. Tunc denique omnes noſtra intelligimus bona; Quum quae in poteſtate habuimus, ea amiſimus. Plaut. Capt. 1. 2. Diſcordiâ fit charior concordia. Neſciunt homines quantum boni fraternitas habeat, qui nunquam diſſederunt. Quintil. declam. 321. Amicitiae, conſuetudines, vicinitates quid habeant voluptatis, carendo magis intelligimus quàm fruendo. Cic. poſt redit. We never understand the worth of any thing ſo well, as by the want of it.*Homines neque proximè aſſita, neque longulè diſſita cernimus. Apul. apol. foreign. Baſil. Caeſ. hom. 5. The eye cannot ſo well judge of an object, if it be ſited too neere it; nor†foreign. Plut. de iracund. if it bee continually without any intermiſſion in the eye.mforeign. Ariſt. rhetor. l. 2. foreign. Syneſ. epiſt. 139. The continued and continuall enjoyment of the beſt things, yea and of thoſe that beſt pleaſe us, though not alwayes the beſt indeed, without intermiſſion or enter-change, is wont to breed, if not a ſurfet, yet a glut and a ſatiety, that ſo dulleth the ſoules appetite, that it maketh us as leſſe apprehenſive of, ſonforeign. Baſil. Caeſ. homil. 1. Ignoratur honorum ſapor in prosperis. Vix dignoſcitur qualitas beneficii …ntenetur. Poſt migrationem cupita dulceſcunt. Ennod. lib. 7. epiſt. 17. Voluptates commendat rarior uſus. Iuven: ſat. 11. leſſe affected with the benefit that we enjoy in them.oQuod boni habeat ſanitas, languor oſtendit. Hier. conſol. Pām. Health is never knowne what a jewell it is, till by ſickneſſe we have beene ſome time deprived of it. Nor doe Gods children know ſo well, what a bleſſing they have of the ſenſe of Gods favour, till by ſome ſpirituall deſertion they have beene a while bereft of it. But aspforeign. Heraclit. apud Stob. c. 3. Gratior est reddita quàm retenta ſanitas. Et feſſum quies plurimum juvat. health is better eſteemed when we have been ſicke ſome time: andq—poſt frigora dulcior ignis. Mantuan. eclog. 1. fire is more comfortable when wee have beene a while in the cold: andrforeign. Baſil. Caeſ. hom. 1. Prov. 27.7▪ Hinc Artaxerxes cum poſt inediam diuturniorem in ficus aridas panemque hordeaceum incidiſſet, foreign. Plut. apoph. Et Socrates cibi condimentum famem, potionis ſitim dixit. Cic. de fin. l. 2. our meat is then beſt reliſhed, when we have faſted longer than ordinary: and reſt is moſt delightfull, when wee have beene toyled and are tired: andſforeign. Herodian. Pertin. Acriores ſunt morſus intermiſſae libertatis quàm retentae. Cic. offic. l. 2. liberty is more welcome when we have beene ſome time reſtrained of it, than when without interruption wee have conſtantly retained it: So Gods favourable aſpect is much more acceptable and comfortable, whentforeign. Baſil. Caeſ. hom. 1. foreign. Greg. Naz. de Cypr. Poſt tempeſtatem dulcior eſt ſerenitas. Quintil. declam. 321. Et dulcior lux est, quod aliquando de ſinit, quàm ſi jugiter permaneret. Ennod. lib. 1. epiſt. 11. foreign. Plut. erotic. the ſun-ſhine of his favour beginneth to breake forth again, after ſome blacke and bitter tempeſts and ſtormes of his wrath; eſpecially when they have beene of long continuance, and much paines hath beene taken for the recovery of it againe.uDeſiderata magis grata. Diu deſiderata dulcius obtinentur. Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 5. Things long looked for are moſt welcome, when they come at the laſt: And that is commonly ſweeteſt, that is gotten with moſt ſweat. *1 Sam. 1.2, 11, 26, 27, 28.Samuel was the dearer to Anna, becauſe ſhe had ſtayed long for him, and by earneſt ſuit at length obtained him, when ſhee was almoſt out of hope of him. So wasxLuk. 1.7, 13, 14. Iohn Baptiſt to his Parents, who had long ſought him of God, and were vouchſafed him in their latter yeers.yGen. 35.18. & 44.20, 30. Iacob loved Benjamin, becauſe he paid ſo deare for him; he bought him with the life of his beloved Rachel that died of him: and both him andzGen. 37.3. foreign. Euſtath. in Iliad. foreign. Heſych. foreign. Suid. & Plut. de amic. Ioſeph, becauſe he had them in his old age; yea ſo full of joy was Iacob, when he ſaw Ioſeph againe, whom hee had long wanted, and had cleane given over for gone, that†Geneſ. 46.30. he deſired not to live a day longer. It is a good note of Ambroſes, froma2 Cor. 1.11. a ſpeech of the Apoſtles, thatbAmat Deus, ut pro uno rogent multi. Ambr. de poenit. lib. 2. cap. 10. God loveth to have many ſue to him for one, that hee may have thankes againe of the more. SocDare vult; & quod dare vult differt, ut amplius deſideres dilatum; ut deſideranti det, ne vileſcat quod dat. Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 29. Servat tibi Deus quod non vult citò dare, ut & tu diſcas magna magnè deſiderare Idem ibid. 5. Solent enim protracta deſideria amplius creſcere. Gilbert. in Cant. 6. God loveth to have his bleſſings and favours begged long ere he part with them, that we may learne the better to value them, and to make more account of them, and to be more thankfull to him for them, when we have them. For when they come unſued for, we are wont to make the leſſe of them.dMerx altronea putret. Hieron. ad Demetr. & in quaeſt. Hebr. Citò data vileſcunt. Aug. de verb. Dom. 5. Profered ware, for the moſt part, is but ſlightly esteemed of. Wee make light of the firſt and the latter raine, of the conſtant courſe of the Sunne, and the ſeaſons of the yeere, though on theſe things dependeth the ſtay and the ſtaffe of our life, becauſe they come commonly in a conſtant and an ordinary courſe: But when a little daſh of raine commeth after faſting and prayer upon a long drought, we are uſually as more affected with it, ſo more thankfull to God for it, than for all the ſweet dewes or the plentifull ſhowres that*Iob. 38.37. Gods flagons ſhed downe upon us the whole yeere before. Oh, ſaith DAVID, when hee had ſome ſpace of time found a reſtraint of Gods favour, that before hee had injoyed, now if God would vouchſafe to looke lovingly upon him, and reſtore him the wonted ſight and ſenſe of his favour againe,ePſal. 51.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. hee would teach ſinners Gods wayes, and his mouth ſhould ſet forth Gods praiſe; and hee would offer up to God any thing, that he ſhould deſire and would accept of. And for this cauſe, no doubt, among others, doth God make us many times ſue long for it, and cry with DAVID, How long, Lord? before it doe come; to make it more welcome to us, and us more thankfull for it when it doth come.

Reaſon 8 Laſtly, he doth ſo,fAd cautelam acriorem. to make us the more carefull to keep his favour, and the ſenſe of it, when we have it, and the more wary to ſhunne and avoid all ſuch courſes, whereby wee may either loſe it or hazard the loſſe of it:“Quàm cara ſint, ubi poſt carendo intelligunt; Quamque attinendi magni dominatus ſicut. Terent. apud Cicer. de Orat. perf. when wee ſhall finde by wofull experience, that being once gone, it is not uſually ſo eaſily recalled or recovered.gforeign. Greg. Naz. contr. Eunom 2. Diligentius cufloditur, quod difficulter acquiritur. Quod venit ex facili, faciles ſegneſque tenemus; Quod ſpe quodque metu torſit, habere juvat. Ovid. amor. That that is hardly earned, is wont, to be more carefully kept. A man will not in haſte or unadviſedly ſpend his penny, that he hath laboured hard and taken much paines for; eſpecially if he know not how to get ſo much again, but with the like difficulty when that is gone: But lightly come, we ſay, and lightly gone; young Gallants that never knew what the getting of money meant, are ready when they come to it, to let all flie abroad, as if they could have it againe with a wiſh or a word, when they would. If God, when (for juſt cauſes beſt knowne to himſelfe, and for the moſt part for evill deſert and bad demeanure on our part) he hath turned his face away from us, and carried himſelfe ſtrangely toward us, he ſhould by and by ſuddenly upon the firſt and leaſt bend of our hamme, or formall ſob, or ſuperficiall ſigh, or a forced teare or twaine, or ſome faint and heartleſſe prayer turne it againe toward us, and looke kindly againe on us;h—nocet indulgentia nobis. Ovid. amor. 1. 19. it is to be feared that even the beſt of us would bee overmuch careleſſe of retaining it when we had it. But now when wee ſhall finde by wofull and dreadfull experience in the bitterneſſe of our ſpirits, that Gods face being once clouded toward us, or turned from us, it muſt, or may at leaſt coſt us many a deepe ſigh, and a ſalt teare, long looking, and much longing, even*Pſal. 119.81, 82, 123. till our heart faint, and our eyes faile, much anguiſh of minde and perplexity of ſpirit, much ſtriving and ſtrugling with our owne corruption and weakneſſe, and much ſtraining and wreſtling by earneſt ſuit and ſupplication, by faſting and inſtancy of prayer, ere we can come to prevaile ſo farre with God, as to have thoſe thicke clouds of his wrath diſpelled, and that loving and amiable aſpect of his vouchſafed us againe; this cannot but make us (if we be not deſperately retchleſſe) exceeding carefull of all good courſes that may keepe and retaine it with us, when we have it, and no leſſe fearfull of ought that may againe eſtrange it away from us. The Spouſe in the Canticles, when after long ſearch, with much adoe, ſhee had at length lighted on her beloved,lCant. 5.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. & 3.1, 2, 3. whom by her neglect of him, ſhee had unadviſedly given occaſion to withdraw himſelfe from her:kCant. 3.4. Tenui, nec dimittam cum. I tooke hold on him, ſaith ſhee, and I will not let him goe againe. And,lPſal. …0.18, 19. Irae interveniunt, redeunt rurſum in gratiam. Verùm irae ſi quae fortè eveniunt hujuſmodi inter eos, rurſum ubi reventum in gratiam eſt, Bis tanto amici ſunt inter ſe quàm prius. Plaut. Amph. 3.2. Turne away from thy wrath, ſay the people of God to God in the Pſalme, and Let thy face ſhine forth once againe on us: and then will we never goe backe from thee againe, nor give thee the like cauſe to turne thy face againe from us.

And thus you ſee both in what ſenſe God is ſaid to hide his face from his, and for a long time oft (as both to themſelves and to others ſeemeth) to forget them; as alſo for what cauſes he is wont ſo to doe.

Vſes 8 Now hence let us learne then:

Vſe 1 Firſt, That we take heed how wee cenſure men as forth of Gods favour, in regard of any outward afflictions, yea or inward deſertions, though they be great and grievous, long and tedious, ſticking cloſe by them without removall or amendment, producing in them many hideous and fearfull effects, ſo that in the eyes of the world, as well themſelves as others, God may ſeeme to have caſt them off utterly, and to have forgotten them for ever. It hath beene the ſtate of Gods beſt Saints, of his deareſt Children, of his faithfulleſt Servants, yea of the onelyonly Sonne himſelfe,mDan 4.24. Sanctus Sanctorum. the Saint of Saints, when he bare the burden of our ſinnes. So that, as DAVID ſpeaketh,nPſal. 73.15. if wee ſhould ſo deeme, if wee ſhould goe by this rule, and thereby judge of mens eſtates, wee ſhould condemne, not Gods onelyonly Sonne onelyonly, whichoEſa 53.4. ſome ſometime did, as forth of Gods favour, but the whole progeny of Gods Children, the whole race of the righteous, whoſe lot and portion it hath oft beene to be in this wofull condition, andpMatth. 20.22, 23. to drinke of this bitter cup, thatqIohn 18.11. Amarum poculum prius bibit medicus, ne bibere timeret aegrotus. Aug. in Pſal. 98. & in Pſal. 48. & in Ioan. 3. & homil. 34. Chriſt their head began to them; and to paſſer1 Petr. 4.10. this ſharpe triall, this fiery and bloody ſMatth. 22.23. foreign. Origen. apud Euſeb hiſtor l. 6. c. 4. Secunda intinctura. Tertull. de patient. Martyrium enim qui tulit, ſanguine ſuo baptizatur. Cyprian. ep. 2.Baptiſme, thattLuk. 12.50. their Saviour paſt before them. If wee cannot ſee how ſuch courſes may ſtand with Gods love: wee muſt remember thatuRom 11.33. Gods wayes, and his workes, and dealings with his, are wonderfull and unſearchable, farre above our reach, and ſuch as we are not able to comprehend. ForxEſa. 55.8, 9. Et quomodo humana temeritas reprehendere audet, quod comprehend…re non valet? Bernard. de Conſid. lib. 2. Piè ergò ac modeſtè ex Epicteti ſententia Gell. noct. Attic. lib. 2. cap. 18. Non eſſe omnes Deo exoſo…, qui in hac vita cum aerumnarum varietate luctantur; ſed eſſe arcanas cauſſas, ad quas paucorum potuit pervenire curioſitas. my wayes, ſaith hee, are not as your wayes, nor my thoughts as your thoughts. But looke how farre the heaven is higher than the earth, ſo farre are my wayes above your wayes, and my thoughts above your thoughts. And yet may wee in ſome ſort even by humane courſes conceive, how ſuch things as theſe are, may well ſtand even with the greateſt love. ForyPaternum animum, maternum affectum. Aliter patres, aliter matres indulgent. Illi excitari jubent liberos, ad ſtudia obeunda mature, feriatis quoque diebus non patiuntur eſſe ocioſos, & ſudorem illis, & interdum lachrymas excutiunt. At matres fovere in ſinu, continere in umbrâ volunt, nunquam flere, nunquam triſtari, nunquam laborare. Patrium habet Deus adverſus bonos viros animum, & illos fortiter amat. Sen. de provid. c. 2. God, as the Heathen man well obſerveth, hath as well a fatherly diſcretion, as a motherly affection. His love is not a fooliſh and an undiſcreet love, ſuch as many fond mothers have, but a wiſe, a diſcreet, azSapiens vir judicio conjugem (ſed & liberos) amabit, non affectu Hieron. adverſ. Iovin. lib. 1. q 1. judicious love, ſuch as wiſe and prudent parents have. He ſo loveth his children, as hee hath a care of their good; and diſpoſeth and adminiſtreth all things ſo as may bee for it. A fond mother would have her ſonne alwayes by her good will at home with her, and never out of her ſight; would have him croſſed in nothing, but let him have his will in every thing, though it bee to his owne evill. But the wiſe parent driveth him out at doores, ſendeth him forth to ſchoole, bindeth him apprentice, it may bee, or boordeth him abroad, where he ſeeth him but ſeldome, breaketh him oft of his will, frowneth on him and correcteth him when he doth otherwiſe than well; and yetaQuis magis amat? pater an mater? mater ardentius, pater conſtantius. Gerſon modo viv. conjug. Illa te…erius, ille fortius & virilius. Miraris tu, ſi Deus ille bonorum amantiſſimus, quos optimos eſſe atque excellentiſſimos vult, fortunam illis, cum qua exerceantur, aſſignat? Sen. de prov. cap. 2. loveth he him no leſſe than the fond mother doth, yeabHeb. 12.6. Apoc. 3.19. Dilectîone, non odio flagellamur. Aug. epiſt. 48. Non ſtudio nocendi, ſed deſiderio ſanandi. Ibid. Non erudit pater niſi quem amat, non corripit niſi quem diligit. Hieron. ad Caſtrut. Moleſtus est & medicus furenti phrenetico, & pater filio indiſciplinato, ille ligando, ille caedendo, ſed uterque diligendo. Auguſt. epiſt. 50. Filius enim caſtigatione dignus, plus amatur, ſi ſaepius caſtigatur. Ambr. ſerm. 6. hee doth all that hee doth in this kinde out of love.

Againe, further it may ſtand well with ſuch a fathers love, not to correct his childe onelyonly for his faults, when he doth amiſſe, but, when ſome diſeaſe ſhall require it,cforeign. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 148. Medicum etiam urentem & ſecantem diligimus. Imò etiam ad urendum ſecandumque conducimus. to hire the Surgion to cut him, and to leave him faſt bound in his hands, and either to withdraw himſelfe, while the thing is a doing, or if hee be by, to refuſe to unbinde him, or to doe ought for him, when being in feare or in paine, he ſhall cry and call upon him to ſtay the Surgions hand, or to helpe to untie him.dforeign. Dion. Chryſoſt. orat. 78. Nor would the Surgion himſelfe, were he to cure or cut his owne childe, uſe a blunter launcet in the cutting of him, or not cut him ſo much, or ſo deepe, the diſeaſe requiring it, as he would doe with a meere ſtranger. And why may it not ſtand then with the love of God to deale thus harſhly and ſharply with his deareſt children, when either their outward evill courſes, or their inward corruptions, by way either of correction, or of cure, (and yet what iseforeign. Ariſtot. ethic. lib. 2. cap. 3. foreign. Idem rhetor. lib. 1. cap. 14. Et Aeneas Gaz. de animae immort. correction it ſelfe but a kinde of cure?) ſhall require it? Hee may love them no leſſe, though hee hide himſelfe from them, than the nurſe, or the mother doth her childe, when ſhe hideth her ſelfe a while from it, and yet to ſave her owne life, would be full loth to loſe or to leave it. Not to adde, that the courſes that God uſeth in this kinde, are oft-timesfforeign. Simplic. in Epictet. as well exerciſes for thoſe that bee in health and good plight for the preſent, as Phyſicke for thoſe that be craſie and ſicke, ſurpriſed with ſome deadly or dangerous diſeaſe.

Vſe 2 Secondly, This may be a warning to Gods children, to take heed how they take liberty to ſinne upon aſſurance of Gods favour, and preſumption of his goodneſſe and fatherly loving kindneſſe. For though God doe love us, yet hee doateth not on us.gPſal. 89.30, 31.32, 34. & 99.8. If wee carry our ſelves ſaucily or ſtubbornly towards him, hee will not beare it; if we take bad courſes, he will not endure it. Hee will not ſuffer us through his forbearance of us to bee hardned in evill: but by ſome means or other he will be ſure to bring us home againe, if at leaſt we belong to him and to his election of love. And though he caſt us not off utterly, though he damne us not eternally; yet he may ſo ſeeme to forget us, ſo eſtrange himſelfe from us, ſo with-draw and withhold from us the light of his countenance, that the bright beames of his favour may never ſhine forth againe on us, as formerly they have done, ſo long as we live, and …o may wee come to have not a purgatory, but a very hell in our ſoules while wee live here,hEſa. 38.15. goe drooping and dwindling, diſtreſſed, diſtracted and dejected all our life long, and bee in little better caſe for the time than the reprobate oft are, yea than the very devils and damned ſoules in hell themſelves. Though wee eſcape with our lives, yet the cure may be ſo coſtly, and the courſe of Phyſicke and Surgery that God ſhall take with us, may be ſo harſh and unpleaſant, may put us to thoſe bitter pangs, and unſupportable paines, that it may make us curſe the day that ever wee did wittingly and willingly that that might provoke ſuch a wrath, or require ſuch a cure, and wiſh a thouſand and a thouſand times that wee had beene, not faſt aſleepe in our beds, but dead and buried in our graves when we did it.

It is a vaine thing therefore for any man to preſume ſo, as to ſay or thinke; God will never ſure deale ſo roughly with me, though I carry my ſelfe otherwiſe than I ought towards him. Yea it is moſt fearfull and dangerous upon ſuch impious imaginations to preſume to diſpleaſe and provoke him to wrath. For to omit thatiAn quia Deus bonus est, ideò tu malus? Ambr. de poenit. lib. 2. c. 11. Pravi cordis est, ideò malum eſſe, quiae Deus bonus est. Bern. in Cant. it is a note of a moſt ungracious diſpoſition, for a man therefore to bee evill, becauſe God is good; and to take libertie to himſelfe to wrong God, becauſe God loveth him. Art thou dearer to God than DAVID was? Art thou deeper in Gods bookes, or higher in his favour than hee? Yet how ſharply God dealt with him; how roughly, yea how rigorouſly (as might ſeeme to fleſhly reaſon) he handled him, having provoked him to wrath, and incurred his diſpleaſure, may appeare by thoſekPſal. 32.3, 4. & 38.2-8. & 51.3, 8, &c. Pſalmes wherein at large hee complaineth of it. And how long it was in theſe caſes ere hee could recover his former eſtate of inward comfort and ſenſe of grace with God againe, appeareth likewiſe by his earneſt ſuit, ſo oft and ſo inſtantly commenced for it, both here andlPſal. 51.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, &c. elſe-where.

Vſe 3 Thirdly, The conſideration hereof ſhould inſtruct us, not to bee utterly diſmaid and diſcouraged, if either we ſhall finde and feele our owne eſtate, or ſhall ſee and obſerve the ſtate of Gods Church and Children to bee ſuch as DAVIDS was at this preſent, and all Iſraels at other times. That wee be not daunted and diſheartned, though wee meet with many afflictions and diſtractions, as wellm2 Cor. 7.5. troubles without as terrours within, and ſhall ſee no ſigne of Gods aſſiſtance, but all ſhew rather of the contrary, the fruits of Gods favour and love being all with-drawne and with-held from us, and God ſeeming to carry himſelfe not as a friend, butnIob 13.24. as a foe towards us, writing bitter things againſt us, and ſuffering fearfull things to befall us. But learne as the Prophet Eſay ſpeaketh,oEſa. 50.10. when wee ſit in darkneſſe, and have no light, when wee can finde no light of joy without, nor ſparke of comfort within, yet even then to truſt in the Name of the Lord, and to ſtay our ſelves upon our God. We muſt remember that, as the Apoſtle ſaith,p2 Cor. 5.7. Wee walke by faith, and not by ſight: SoqHabbak. 2.4. Rom. 1.17. Gal. 3.11. Heb. 10.38. we live by faith, and not by ſenſe. Faith goeth not by feeling; nay it goeth oft againſt feeling. And this is the very pitch and height of faith, as for a man with Abraham, rRom. 4.18. foreign. Quod Heraclitus foreign, apud Clem. protrept. & Theodor. de Graecur. l. 1.above hope to beleeve under hope, ſo to beleeve all contrary to that that wee ſee and feele, to beleeve that God then loveth us, is a kinde Father, andſIob 13.15, 16. will be a ſure Saviour unto us, when wee feele his hand heavy on us, and he ſeemeth even bent to destroy us.

tRom. 8.24.We are ſaved by hope, ſaith the Apoſtle; but hope that is ſeene is no hope. And ſouEpheſ. 2.8. wee are ſaved by faith; and though thisxFides, vides. Iohn 8.56. 2 Cor. 4.18. Heb. 11.27. faith be a kinde of ſpirituall ſight, and that ſurer and certainer than bodily ſight; andyFides non est quod creditur, ſed qua creditur, & illud quod creditur illâ conſpicitur. Aug. de Trinit. l. 14. c. 9. Habet enim fides oculos ſuos, quibus & ea videt, quae nondum videt, quibus videt tamen, ſe nondum videre quae credit. Aug. ep. 222. Et cùm propterea credere jubemur, quia id quod credere jubemur, videre non poſſumus, ipſam tamen fidem quando inest in nobis, videmus in nobis, quia & rerum abſentium praeſens est fides, & rerum quae foris ſunt, intus est fides, & rerum quae non videntur, videtur fides. Idem de Trinit. l. 13. c. 1. thoſe things that are not ſeene by it, are *Melius videntur quae non videntur, quam quae videntur. Ambroſ. nomine de ſacram. l. 1. c. 2.better ſeene, than thoſe things that are ſeene; yetzEnervis eſt & debilis, ſed nec ſides dicenda, quae credit quod videt. Aug. de peccat…mē rit. lib. 2. c. 31. Quod videtur, ſciri potius quàm credi dicitur. Greg. in Evang. 32. the faith (to ſpeake properly) that is ſeene is no faith: foraHeb. 11.1. Faith is the evidence of things unſeene. For a man therefore to beleeve that hee is in grace with God, when he hath pregnant proofes of Gods favour, it is a matter of no maſtery. Butb1 Pet. 1.8. to beleeve then when he ſeeth not, yea to beleeve it then when he ſeeth and feeleth all to the contrary in the apprehenſion of carnall reaſon, this is the praiſe and commendation of faith indeed. We muſt conſider what is or ſhould bee the ground and ſtay of our faith: not theſe outward props, which wee are wont ſo much to leane on and to truſt to,*foreign. Chryſoſt. in Matth. hom. 82. not our owne ſight or ſenſe, that oft faileth and deludeth us, but Gods Word and his Truth, and the ſtability of his Promiſe, whichcMatth. 5.18. though Heaven and Earth ſhould paſſe away, and all things ſhould returne to their firſt Chaos againe, yet ſhall dIoſh. 23.14.never in ought faile any of thoſe that depend upon it.ePſal. 119.49, 50. Remember thy Word, ſaith DAVID, unto thy ſervant, wherein thou haſt made me to put my truſt: That is my comfort in my trouble; for thy Word putteth life into me. And,fPſal. 119.114. Thou art my ſhelter and my ſhield; and my truſt is in thy Word. And learne wee herein to imitate the earth that we tread on. Though being a maſſie body, it hangeth in the middeſt of the Aire, environed with the heavens, and yet keepeth his place ſteedily, and never ſtirreth an inch from it, having no props or ſhores to uphold it, no beames or bars to faſten it, nothing to ſtay or eſtabliſh it, but the bare Word of God alone. ForgHeb. 1.3. by his powerfull Word, ſaith the Apoſtle, he upholdeth all things. And, Thy Word, ſaith the*Pſal. 119.89, 90, 91. foreign; Baſil. hexam. 1. foreign. Gregor. Naz. ad Eunom 2. Quid est quod totam terrae molem ſuſtinet? & univerſus orbis cui innititur? ſi est aliquid quod ſuſtineat caetera, ipſum à quo ſuſtinetur? non invenitur niſi virtutis verbum omnia portans. Bern. in Pſal 90. Pſalmiſt, O Lord, abideth for ever. And, Thy Truth is from age to age: thou haſt laid the foundation of the earth, and it ſtandeth ſtill. It abideth by it to this day by vertue of thine Ordinance. And in like manner muſt we learne to depend upon the bare Word of God, when all other props and ſtayes ſhall be pulled away from us: to truſt him upon his bare promiſe without pledge or pawne. Elſe wee deale with him no otherwiſe than any Vſurer will with the verieſt begger or banckrout that is, when he commeth to borrow money of him. Though he dare not truſt him on his word, nor on his bond neither (it is nought worth; nothing better than his word;) yet on his pawne or his pledge he dare truſt either the pooreſt or the unfaithfulleſt man that is. But as Augustine ſaith well, ThathMeretricius amor, plus dona dantis quàm amantis affectum diligere. Auguſt. meditat. cap. 5. annulum magis qu…m ſponſum amare. it is but an harlotrie love for a woman to love the gift more than the giver; and ſo to love the giver no longer than he giveth: So it is but an harlotrie faith for a man to truſt Gods pledge or pawne more than God himſelfe, and ſo to truſt him no further than he ſeeth or feeleth what he doth. Yea the truth is, that in theſe caſes, when we dare truſt God no further, nor rely on him any longer than we have ſome pledge or pawne of his providence, we truſt not him, but we truſt his pledge, iCùm rogo te nummos ſine pignore, Non habeo, inquis: Idem ſi pro me ſpondet agellus, habes. Quod mihi non credis veteri fidoque ſodali, credis …oliculis arboribuſq▪ meis. Martial. epig. 25. l. 12.as he truſteth not the poore man, but truſteth onelyonly his pawne, that dare not lend him ought but upon his pawne. And hereby may we trie and examine the ſincerity and the ſoundneſſe of our faith, what it is indeed that we rely upon, what it is that we truſt to: If we can ſay, as DAVID here afterward in the ſhutting up of the Pſalme, ThatkPſal 13.5. we then truſt in Gods mercy, and expect ſafety from him, even when hee ſeemeth to have forgotten us, and to have hidden his face from us; if we can thenl1 Sam. 30.6. comfort our ſelves in the Lord our God, when all other aids and comforts have taken their leave of us. It is a feeble faith that cannot ſtand without ſtilts, a lame faith that cannot goe without crutches. Hereby will appeare whether a mans ſtilts beare him up or no, if hee bee able to ſtand, when they are taken away from him: if he can, it is a ſigne hee reſted not on them, though hee made uſe of them; if he cannot, it were they, not his legs that upheld him. And hereby may it appeare what our faith and confidence is founded on, whether on Gods word or his pledge, his pawne or his promiſe: If when the pledge or the pawne is gone, yet our faith abideth ſtill firme, it is a ſigne that it was fixed on God himſelfe, and not on it: But if when it is gone, our faith falleth to the ground, it is a ſigne that our faith was wholly founded on it, not on God or Gods Word, which abiding ſtill firme, our faith were it thereon founded would continue ſtedfaſt with it. FormPſal. 125.1. Thoſe that truſt in the Lord, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, are as mount Sion, that ſtandeth faſt, and never ſtirreth. And this is that that we ſhould by all means labour and ſtrive unto, that our faith mayn2 Chron. 14.11. & 16.8. Pſal 18.18. foreign reſt and rely on God himſelfe, and his infallible and unfaileable Word of promiſe, not upon the outward pledges and pawnes of his providence, nor on the ordinary effects and fruits of his favour, that ſo when theſe ſhall be withdrawne, yea and with-held long, it may be, from us, ſo that God mayoPſal. 27.9. in anger ſeeme to have hid his face from us, and to have forgotten us, which, as we ſee, hath beene oft-times the ſtate and condition of Gods children, yet we may not be diſheartned, but ſee*Pſal. 112.4. light even in darkneſſe, and bee able“foreign. Theophyl. epiſt. 30. to diſcerne the ſweet Sunne-ſhine of Gods favour even thorow the thickeſt clouds of his fierceſt wrath.

So likewiſe for the Church of God, when wee ſhall ſee it either in generall, or in ſome principall parts of it, ſo left unto the fury and rage of her malicious and miſchievous-minded adverſaries, that God ſeemeth not to regard it, or what becommeth of it, but even ſuffereth them to have their owne will upon it; in ſo much, that as Gregory Nazianzen ſaith of his time,pforeign. Greg. Naz. ad Nectar. Gods former providence and care of keeping his Church may ſeeme utterly to faile, and that he hath ceaſed and given over to doe for it in theſe dayes as he had wont to doe in former times: yea when wee ſhall ſee it left in ſuch plight, not for a ſhort ſpace onelyonly, but for ſo long a time together (her enemies might and maliceqPſal. 74.23. dayly growing more and more, and her means on the other ſide dayly more and more failing, and her might and power daily more and more impaired and impoveriſhed) that God may ſeeme cleane to have forgotten her, and to thinke no more of her, but evenrPſal. 73.1. & 77.7, 8, 9. to have caſt her off for ever: yetſforeign. Apollodor. muſt we not deſpaire even then of her preſervation, and of the raiſing of her up againe. But as Iehoſhaphat in his ſtraights,t2 Chron. 20.12. Pſal. 25.15. have the eyes of our faith fixed upon God, and his Word: who hath promiſed (anduPſal. 111.7, 8. his promiſe ſhall never faile, or prove falſe)xIoſh. 1.9. Heb. 13.5. Pſal. 94.14. 1 Sam. 12.22. never to leave or forſake his, though for a timeyIudg. 6.13. he may ſeeme ſo to doe.ſQui nil poteſt ſperare, desperet nihil. Senec. Med. 2.1. Magnae indolis ſignum est, ſperare ſemper. Flor. hiſt. lib. 4. c. 8. And wee muſt withall remember that this is no new matter, but the ſame that oft-times hath befallen the Church of God formerly. That mans extremitie is Gods opportunitie. zPſal. 119.126.It is now time for thee, ſaith DAVID, Lord, to put to thy hand, when men have even destroyed thy Law. So then is Gods time to helpe his Church, when it ſeemeth ready to bee deſtroyed and even utterly ſwallowed up for ever. Then is the fitteſt time foraGen. 22.10, 11. the Angell to call to Abraham to ſtay his hand, when the knife is even at Iſaaks throat, and hee given up now forbHeb. 11.19. dead. And then is the ſeaſonableſt time for God to ſet in foot for the reſcuing of his Church and Children, and the deliverance of his choſen ones,cPſal. 37.12, 13, 14, 15. when the enemies dagger is at their very heart, and they ſeeme now given up for gone. Asdforeign. Ex Ioſephi antiq. l. 18. Euſeb. hiſt. eccleſ. l. 2. c. 5. Philo ſometime told his people, That hee was verily perſwaded that God would now doe ſome thing for them, becauſe Caius was ſo earneſtly bent againſt them; yea that then Gods helpe is neareſt, when mans is furtheſt off. As it is commonly ſaid,eVbi deſinit Philoſophus, ibi incipit Medicus. Where the Philoſopher endeth, there the Phyſitian beginneth; andfVbi deſinit Medicus, ibi incipit Theologus. where the Phyſitian endeth, there the Divine beginneth: SogVbi deſinit humanum, ibi incipit divivum auxilium. where mans aid endeth, there Gods aid beginneth. Deliverance is oft neareſt, when deſtruction ſeemeth ſureſt. It is never fitter time for God to put to his helping hand, than when all humane helpes, that are wont to bee as vailes and curtains drawne betweene our eye and Gods hand, doe utterly faile.hEſa. 59.14-18. When Iudgement, ſaith the Prophet, was turned backe, and Iustice ſtood aloofe off, and Truth was fallen in the ſtreets, and Equity could not enter, and all true dealing failed; and iNon poteſt eſſe ſalvus, qui non vult eſſe malus. Salv. de provid. l. 5.by refraining from evill men made themſelves but a prey to the evill: and the Lord ſaw it, and wondred that no man would ſtand up or put forth himſelfe to ſtand for the Truth: Then did he himſelfe put in to ſave by his owne arme, and by his Iuſtice to ſupport thoſe that were ready to ſinke. Then put he on Iudgment as a Corſlet, and Salvation as an Helmet; and Vengeance as a Roabe, and Wrath as a Cloake: to repay the fury of his adverſaries, and to recompence his enemies. Then, ſaith the Prophet, God did thus: and why not till then? Surely (to omit all other ends) to get himſelfe the more glory.kEſa. 59.19. That they might feare the Name of the Lord from the West, and his Glory from the Sunne-riſing; when with a blaſt of his breath, he ſhould ſuddenly turne the tide againe, and the Spirit of the Lord ſhould drive back, yea & cary away the enemy, that brake in like a flood, had ſurrounded a great part, and was like to over-flow & over-whelme all. ThatlPſal. 76.10.6. mans furie, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, might turne to Gods glory, when by his bare rebuke with a word of his mouth, both horſe and chariot are caſt into a dead ſleepe, and *Pſal. 68.30. Increpa catervam armidiferam: i. ſagittis armatam, ut tun. caetum haſtatum, poſt D. Kimchi Leo Iud. lancearios vel jaculatores. Calvin.the troopes of archers are utterly diſcomfited, and the remnant of their rage is contrary to expectation restrained. ThatmPſal. 46.1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10. he may be knowne and magnified for a mighty God, and a powerfull Protector; when, though the nations rage, and the kingdomes are in ſuch a commotion, that the earth ſeemeth to ſhake withall, and the very mountaines to be removed, and ſwallowed up in the Sea; yet he ſuddenly ſtilleth all; breaketh their bowes, knappeth their ſpeares aſunder, and burneth up their chariots, and by a generall deſolation, and deſtruction of his enemies, ſetleth ſuch peace the whole world over, (for the behoofe of his Church, and the freer paſſage of his Truth) as wasnCuncta atque continua totius generis humani aut pax fuit aut pactio. Flor. hiſt. lib. 4. cap. 12. in Auguſtus time, whenoEſa. 9.6. the Prince of peace came into the world.

Vſe 4 Fourthly, Let us learne in theſe caſes to examine our ſelves where wee finde ſuch things to befall us, whether wee have not beene or growne careleſſe in endevouring to retaine the favour of God with us, and to maintaine the worke of his Spirit in us: and ſtrive therein to be more fervent, wherein formerly we have beene ſlacke. For that is one cauſe why God is wont ſo to eſtrange himſelfe from his children, to fetch them home to him, that are toopIerem. 2 31. Nihil est in nobis corde fugacius, quod à nobis (à Deo etiam) toties recedit, quoties per pravas cogitationes defluit. Greg. paſtor. cur. part. 3. c. 1. §. 15. prone to ſtray from him, when hee dealeth kindly with them; and to make them more earneſt and fervent in thoſe things, that they had waxed remiſſe and retchleſſe in before, when they were free from ſuch afflictions; that asqforeign. Greg Naz. orat. 31. foreign. Chryſ. contra Anomaeos 5. Humana mens, aquae more, & circumcluſa ad ſuperiora colligitur, quia illud repetit unde deſcendit; & relaxata deperit, quia ſe per infima inutiliter ſpargit. Greg. ubi ſup. water pent up in a pipe, ſhooteth up higher than it would otherwiſe, had it ſcope and ſpace to diſperſe it ſelfe; ſo our thoughts and deſires that would otherwiſe be ſtraying abroad and wandring in the ends of the world, being by affliction and anguiſh ſtraitned and reſtrained, might bee caried higher to heavenward, asrAqua diluvii arcam ad ſublimiora ſuſtulit. Auguſt de temp. 181. Noahs Arke was with the waters of the Deluge, and confined unto him, whom they were wandring from before, asſPulli à matre liberius divagantur, donec milvi ſupervolantis impetum formident. the Chicken from her damme, till ſhee be frighted with the Kite. And this is the uſe therefore that wee ſhould make of ſuch deſertions, that we be thereby incited to ſtrivetApoc. 3.2, 3. to hold that the faſter, that we ſeeme in danger to loſe; thatuEſa 64.7. wee ſtirre up our ſelves to take faster hold on God, as thoſe that looke downe from ſome ſteepe place, when they feele their heads beginne to ſwimme, or finde themſelves in danger of falling, are wont to take better hold of the raile that may ſtay them; cling cloſer about him,xFingit mater ſe filium quem in ulnis geſtat, in terram dejecturam, ut ipſe tenacius haereat. Simon Caſſ. in Evang l. 14. as the nurſe-childe hangeth on the nurſe or the mother, when ſhe ſeemeth about to leave it, or threatens to throw it downe; and as theyRota ab unda rejecta in amnem revolvitur. wheele of the water-mill, the more violently the flood driveth it away from it, the more violently doth it ſtill turne againe upon the ſtreame: So the more violently God with both hands ſeemeth to thruſt and ſhoove us away from him, the more inſtantly and eagerly ſhould wee enforce our ſelves to preſſe upon him. Since for that end he doth it,zNon deſerit, ut deſeratur. Simon Caſſ in Evang. lib. 8. cap. 37. Deſerit potius, ne deſeratur. Ideò videtur deſerere, quia non vult deſeri. not that hee deſireth to be rid of us, but that he may not loſe us, that we may come nearer home to him, abide firmer with him, and ſit cloſer by him than formerly we have done: like the father, that when his ſonne hath ſome way diſpleaſed him, biddeth him away out of his ſight, (though he would be loth he ſhould ſo doe,) not to drive him away indeed, but to make him draw nearer to him, and by humble ſubmiſſion more earneſtly endevour to pacifie and appeaſe his fathers wrath, and ſeeke to regain his favour and good will againe: or like as he did with Moſes, whenaExod. 32.10 Diſſimulat Dominus exaudire rogantem, & feriendi licentiam quaerit à Moſe, qui ſecit Moſem▪ Bernard. de temp. 83. Quid est ſervo, Dimitte me, dicere, niſi deprecandi anſam praebere? Greg. Mor. lib. 9. c. 12. Sine me, inquit, & diſpergam eos, ut ille poſtulando & ſemetipſum offerendo non ſineret. Tertull. contrá Marc. lib. 2. hee bade him let him alone, that hee might deſtroy that rebellious and idolatrous people; not that Moſes ſhould ſo let him alone indeed, but rather that hee might not leave him, but be the more earneſt in ſuit with him on his peoples behalfe, and not give over till he had obtained his ſuit for them.

And in like manner ſhould we be affected alſo in regard of Gods Church, when we ſhall ſee it to bee in ſuch eſtate as was formerly obſerved. We ſhould make her caſe our owne; and take occaſion thereby, to bee the more inſtant with God, that his face may bee turned to it, that ſeemeth to bee turned from it, and that in mercy and goodneſſe he will remember and thinke upon her as his Spouſe, whom now, whenbLament. 1.1, 2. like a widow forlorne and deſolate, ſhee ſitteth weeping and wailing, he ſeemeth to have forgotten, and not at all to regard. Thus may we obſerve that DAVID concludeth divers of his Pſalmes made when hee was in ſuch eſtate himſelfe with ſuit and ſupplication for the Church of God in generall.cPſal. 51.18. Oh be favourable, for thy good pleaſures ſake, to Sion; and build up the walls of Ieruſalem. And,dPſal. 25.22. Deliver Iſrael, O Lord, out of all his troubles. His owne preſent condition was a meane to put him in minde of the afflicted and diſtreſſed eſtate of other of Gods ſervants. And the like uſe ſhould we all make, either of Gods hand on our ſelves, or of his dealings in this kinde with his Church and children abroad, albeit wee our ſelves remaine free:eEſa. 62.7, 8. You that are mindfull of the Lord, ſaith the Prophet, what ever you be, be not ſilent; be importunate with him, and give him no reſt till hee repaire Sions breaches, and ſet up Ieruſalem againe to be the glory of the world. For to this very end doth God oft as it were winke, and withdraw himſelfe from his people, that we may with ſtrong cries on all hands awake and fetch him againe. True it is indeed that God is not as Baal, of whom Elias ſometime ſaid to his Prieſts,f1 King. 18.27. Quid ſibi volunt excitationes illae, quas canitis matutine; collatis ad tibiam vocibus? obdormiſcunt enim ſuperi, remeare ut ad vigilias debeant. Quid domitiones illae, quibus benè ut valeant auspicabili ſalutatione mandatis? Somni enim quiete ſolvuntur, occupatique ut hoc poſſint, lenes audienda ſunt naniae. Arnob. contr. gent. l. 5. Sic Homer. Iliad. foreign. Et Iliad. foreign clamore bellico. Crie aloud; peradventure hee ſleepeth, and you muſt wake him. No:gPſal. 121.4. foreign. Baſil. Sel. hom. 21. he that hath the charge of Iſrael neither ſlumbereth nor ſleepeth. And yet he winketh, if I may ſo ſay, and ſeemeth ſometime to ſleepe, ashMatth. 8.24. our Saviour ſlept in the ſhip, when his Diſciples were like to have beene caſt away the whilſt, and he doth thus ſleepe to make us awake; he ſeemeth to ſleepe,iVt excitetur, quae dormit, fides noſtra. Aug. de temp. 245. foreign. Baſil. Sel. homil. 21. to make us awake out of our ſleepe, and crie the louder to wake him out of his ſeeming ſleepe.kPſal. 44.23, 24. Vp, Lord, ſay they, why ſleepeſt thou? Awake, we beſeech thee; and ſtand not aloofe off for ever. Why doſt thou hide thy face away from us? and forgetteſt what miſery and affliction we are in? As the Diſciples to our Saviour, when they awoke him out of ſleep;lMatth. 8.25. Save us, Master: mMark. 4.38.Careſt thou not that wee periſh? And againe,nPſal. 78.65. The Lord awaked, as one that had beene aſleepe. Thus at this very preſent doth God ſeeme to bee aſleepe, while the enemies of his Church dayly prevaile and get ground of her, and triumph over her. He ſeemeth, I ſay, to ſleepe, and hee would by our out-cries be awaked. And ſure it is to be doubted that we have not yet cried long enough or loud enough, that he ſeemeth to ſleep ſtill, and doth not yet rouſe and raiſe up himſelfe for the deliverance of his diſtreſſed ones.

Vſe 5 Fiftly, Is this oft the eſtate of Gods Children, that not in the ſight of others onelyonly, but to their owne ſenſe and feeling too, God ſeemeth to have left them, and to have caſt them cleane off? And may it therefore, for ought we know, prove the eſtate of each of us? ForoCuivis poteſt accidere, quod cuiquam potest. P. Syrus apud Sen. ad Marc. cap. 9. & de tranquill. c. 11. nothing in this kinde befalleth one, but what may befall any: whoſe eſtate may not that be, that was*foreign; Gregor. Naz. ad Naz. periclit. DAVIDS once? yea rather that was DAVIDS oft? The conſideration hereof then ſhould ſtirre us up every one to labour before hand to get good aſſurance of Gods favour while wee are free yet from ſuch afflictions, from ſuch ſpirituall deſertions. As Xenophon ſaith (and it was a good ſpeech though of a meere naturall man,) Thatpforeign. &c. Xenoph. Cyripaed. l. 1. Ad quem locum reſpiciens Plut. de tranquill. foreign. Et Mevand. foreign. Huc illud Ben-Syrae, Honora medicum dum non indiges ejus, i. juxta Schol. Ebr. Cole & precare Deum priuſquam ejus auxilio tibi opus ſit. Nam Iure venit cultes ad ſibi quiſque Deos. Ovid. Pont. 1. 3. Honora medicum dum ſanus es, ut in morbo tibi libentius adſit. Sirac. 38.1. foreign. Druſ. in Sir. & in Ben-Syr. foreign. it ſtood rich men upon to make God their friend in proſperity, that ſo they might be ſure to finde a friend of him in adverſitie. So it ſtandeth us upon to get good aſſurance of Gods favour and love towards us, while wee are free from afflictions, that when they ſhall befall us, wee may have comfort of that aſſurance which formerly we have gotten. For it is with Gods children commonly in this caſe, as it is with one that hath received ſuch a blow or wound on the head, as that though it be not deadly, nor depriveth him wholly of life, yet ſo aſtoniſheth him for the time, that albeit he have life in him withqActs 20.10. Eutychus, yet he hath no ſenſe of it: or as with one in a ſwoune, that diſcerneth not the light of the Sunne, though it ſhine full upon him, nor can ſee ought, or take notice of thoſe that ſtand about him and take paines with him. Or as it is with†foreign. Greg. Naz. de Pace 3. foreign. Idem pro pauper. foreign. Idem in Heron. thoſe that have beene Sea-ſicke, and are giddy when they come firſt aſhore, all ſeemeth to turne round with them, and the earth it ſelfe to reele and roll up and downe as the ſhip did. And even ſo is it uſually with them at ſuch times, though they have ſpirituall life of grace in them, yet“Accidit inter dum ut Chriſtum in nobis ſentiamus, qui ſenſus illicò nullus fit, Reſidet tamen in nobis, ut anima in corpore dormientis, licet nec ipſa, nec ulla ejus operatio ſentiatur. Spin. de juſtit. Chriſt. they feele it not; (rPſal. 51.10. Create in me, ſaith DAVID, O Lord, a new heart, as if all were to be begunne againe:) though they be in Gods favour, yet they ſee it not; they are not able to diſcerne (there is ſuch a miſt over their eyes) the beames of Gods love and favour toward them, though it ſhine out brightly even then full in their face, nor his provident eye over them, and care of them, though even them alſo it be working about them for their benefit, as effectually as ever.*foreign. Greg. Naz. de cathed. Conſtant. All ſeemeth to bee ſhaken with them, even Gods eternall love it ſelfe toward them, though more firme than the pillers of heaven and earth it ſelfe are. It is no time therefore then for a man to take triall of his owne eſtate, when his thoughts and affections are ſo diſturbed and diſtracted, asſPſal. 13 2. & 77.2, 3. DAVID confeſſeth that it was with him at this time. But it is a fit time for him to make uſe then of his former triall. For that man that hath before-time taken ſound triall of himſelfe, and upon due and diligent ſearch, hath found himſelfe to bee in the eſtate of grace, and conſequently in favour with God; he may then yet take notice therefore, and reape comfort thereby,tNon reputatione praeſentium, ſed recordatione praeteritorum. not regarding what then for the preſent he feeleth, but remembring what upon ſuch enquiry he hath formerly found; and aſſuring himſelfe, ſince thatuRom. 11.29. the gifts and graces of God are without repentance; and thatxSemel electus, ſemper dilectus. once elected, and ever beloved; foryIohn 13.1. Whom God loveth once, he loveth for ever; zMalach. 3.6.he is no changeling in his love; that therefore the grace that once he had is not utterly gone, though he cannot now diſcerne it; nor the grace that hee once was in with God is not utterly loſt, though it bee ſo concealed, that for the preſent he cannot now deſcry it. AndaMulier foetum conceptum non ſemper molitantem ſentit: ubi tamen ſemel & iterum ſenſit, pragnantem ſe eſſe non ambigit. Spin. de Iuſtit. Chriſt. & Taffin. Marks of Gods children. cap. 4. as women that goe with child, when they have ſometime felt the childe ſtirre in the wombe, doe thereby know that they have quickned, and have truly conceived, though they doe not alwayes ſo feele it. So if once wee have found upon due and ſound triall good aſſurance of Gods grace and favour by the effectuall and powerfull worke of his good Spirit upon our ſoules, and by the comfortable motions thereof in our hearts, though wee have not the like alwayes, (asbHeu, Domine Deus, rara hora, & brevis mora. Bern. in Cant. 23. Tenuis magis exhalatio, quam pinguis consperſio. Ibid. 14. Sapit quidem ſuaviſſimè, ſed guſtatur rariſſimè. Ibid. 8. Alas, ſaith religious Bernard, they come but ſeldome with many a one, and when they doe come, they are ſoone gone againe) yet we may be aſſured that wee have conceived and are quickned, and that ſpirituall life is not gone againe, though we find it not ſo ſenſibly to worke in us at all times, yea the rather here may we build upon it, as having farre better aſſurance, than women can in ſuch caſes have of the life of that they goe with; becauſe that that is conceived in them being bredcforeign. 1 Pet. 1.23. of mortall and corruptible ſeed, though it have beene quickned, yetdAliquis intra viſcera Materna letum praecocis fatitulit. Sen. Theb. Iob 3.16. Pſal. 58.8. may die and miſcarry, ere they bee delivered of it; whereas that that is by Gods Word and his Spirit bred and conceived in us, being bred eforeign. 1 Pet. 1.23.of immortall and incorruptible ſeed by the Word of God that liveth and lasteth for ever, if it bee once there conceaved,fRenatus non denaſcitur. Si de Deo conceperu, certus erit partus tuus, non erit aborſus. Aug. de verb. Dom. 20. can never die nor decay againe, butg1 Pet. 1.24, 25. foreign. Clem. Alex. protrept. Quod de virtute Iſocr. ad Demon. foreign, &c. endureth to eternity, as hee himſelfe doth, by whoſe Spirit it is begotten and bred in us. Or as one that hath at leaſure times caſt up and ballanced his accounts, and brought all to one entire ſumme, is at any time ready, if on a ſudden he bee called to a reckoning, though hee have not time or leiſure then amids many diſtractions otherwiſe to runne over his reckonings, or to caſt up the particulars, yet to tell how things ſtand with him;hforeign. it requireth no more but the bare reading, hee need not ſtand to recount it, being ſure that it was well & truly caſt up before: So he that hath before-time truly tried his owne eſtate, and made his reckonings up concerning the ſame with God and his Word, may thereby know then how it ſtandeth with him in regard of God, by calling to minde onelyonly the iſſue of his former examination, when by reaſon of diſturbance and diſtraction through the violence of temptation, hee ſhall have little leaſure or liberty to take any exact triall or proofe of it at the preſent.

Exceeding injurious therefore are they herein to themſelves, that deferre and put off the triall of their eſtate till ſuch times; and by reaſon that then either theiriNec litant, nec laetantur, qui non tempore ſuo ſacrificant. Viſe Druſ. proverb. claſſ. 1. ſacrifice affordeth no good ſignes, or they light on an evill Interpreter, that turneth all to the worſt, by ſuch their delay they miſſe then of much comfort, that otherwiſe they might have had, if they had taken triall of themſelves and their eſtates in due time, but by means of their neglect thereof they are then deprived of, when they have moſt need of it. And ſurely did men know before-hand what need they ſhould have, and what want they may finde of comfort in ſuch caſes, and how unfit and unapt they are like then to finde themſelves for ſuch imployments, they would be queſtionleſſe more carefull to ſift and examine themſelves before ſuch times of triall, and by good aſſurance of Gods grace and favour gained before-hand, treaſure up ſome ſtore of comfort that may then ſtand them in ſtead, when there ſhall beekExod. 16.25, 26, 27. no Manna found abroad in the fields, nor ſuch ſweetl1 King. 17.1. Aiunt cochleas, cùm ſitiunt aeris, atque illis de coelo nibil illiquitur, ſucco proprie victitare. Symmach. lib. 1. epiſt. 27. Quaſi cùm caletur, cochleae in occulto latent, Suo fibi ſucco vivunt, ros ſi non cadit. Plaut. Capt. 1. 1. dewes dropping downe upon their drie and thirſty ſoules, as there hath done formerly. It is a wiſe and prudent courſe,mProv. 6.6, 7, 8.— formicae farris acervos De populant, hyemis memores, tectoque reponunt. Virg. Aen l. 4. Ore trahit, quodcunque poteſt, atque addit acervo, Quem ſtruithaud ignara, ac non incauta futuri. Tum ſimul inverſum contriſtat aquarius annum, Non uſquam prorepit, & illis utitur ante Quaeſitis. Horat. ſat. 1. in ſummer to lay up againſt winter; nEpheſ. 6.11, 12, 13. foreign. Chryſoſt. in 1. Theſſ. hom. 3.in time of peace to provide for warre; andoforeign. Plut. de iracund. foreign. Socrat. apud Stob. c. 3. foreign; Plut. ibid. before ſtormes come, for men to furniſh themſelves with ſuch neceſſaries as they may then ſtand in need of. And it will bee our beſt wiſedome to get and lay up ſuch matter of comfort before-hand, that whenſoever ſuch times of trouble and triall ſhall come, we may have that at hand then, that may ſtand us in ſtead, and not bee driven to ſeeke for it, when we ſhould make uſe of it, and ſhall finde it hard to come by, if we were not furniſhed with it before.

Vſe 6 Sixtly, If God in ſuch our afflictions and deſertions doe not inſtantly anſwer us, if he ſend not comfort and deliverance ſo ſoone as wee call for it; if hee ſhall hide himſelfe from us, and ſeeme not willing to bee found of us ſo ſoone as ever wee ſeeke him; (that which we doe not yet oft, when we ſeeme to doe) let us take heed how wee grow thereupon impatient. Let us remember that God heareth us, even when pNe ſurdum agat. Pſal. 83.1.he ſeemeth to be deafe towards us; qNon exaudit ad voluntatem, ut exaudiat ad ſalutem. Aug. in Pſal. 80. & in 1 Ioan. 6.He heareth us to our profit, though not to our pleaſure; and to our behoofe, though not according to our rDeus & cùm differt adeſt; & id quod differi, adeſt; & in eo quod differt, adeſt. Idem alibi.deſire: He is preſent with us, even when he delayeth us; yea he is preſent with us, in that he doth delay us; and that is better then preſent with us, that for the preſent is denied us. ſforeign. Greg. Naz. adv. Eunom. 2.It is a point of mercy in him, that he is not ſo forward to ſhew mercy. There is no cauſe therefore for us to bee impatient, ſince thattHeb. 12.10. all is for our good; yea Patience it ſelfe is good for us; which hereby God doth notu1 Pet. 1.7. Apoc. 14.12. trie onelyonly and exerciſe, butxRom. 5.3. Iam. 1.3. worke in us, and enure us unto. AndyLament. 3.27, 28, 29. it is good for us to learne quietly to beare Gods yoake, to ſit downe by it, yea to lie downe under it, and thruſt our mouth in the duſt, aſſuring our ſelves that ſo doing we ſhall have a good iſſue of it, and ſhall doe well in the end.

aLuke 21.19. Pſal. 74.12. O ſervum illum beatum, cujus emendationi Dominus inſtat, cui dignatur iraſci, quem admonendi diſſimulatione non decipit. Tertull. de bn. patient.Patience, I ſay, is for our good: Butbforeign. Pindar. Pyth 2. foreign. Bion. Laert. Malum non poſſe ferre, nòn leve eſt malum. Perdidiſti tot mala, ſi nondum miſera eſſe didiciſti. Sen. ad Helv. c. 3. by impatiency there is no good to be gotten. It will bee but a meanescforeign. Euſeb. apud Stob. cap. 123. foreign. Aeſchyl. Prometh. to make God lay harder and heavier things on us, when we begin to grow impatient under his hand. As a diſcreet Father, when his ſonne ſhall take pet at ſome ſmall matter that his father hath croſſed him in, may well thereupon take occaſion, yea and many times doth, to give him ſome further and greater cauſe of diſcontent, to bring him thereby to know himſelfe and his duty, and to teach him to reſt content with that that his father will have: So when God ſendeth ſmaller and lighter croſſes, and men wax waſpiſh and wayward under them, God is wont to ſecond them with greater and weightier afflictions, to worke patience into them, and to enure them to the yoake; which beingqVnum est levamentum malorum ingentium, pati, & neceſſitatibus ſuis obſequi. Sen. de ira. lib. 3. cap. 16. Pati Durum: ſed levjus fit patientiâ, Quicquid corrigere eſt nefas. Horat. carm. 1. 24. Poſſè pati facile est, tibi ni patientia d…ſit. Ovid. remed. lib. 2. Nam Patiens quiſquis novit pati, pepulit vires, ponduſque mali. Sen. Her. Oet. patiently borne, will become lighter unto us, and may the ſooner in all likelihood be removed from us, having taken out that leſſon that God thereby would learne us. WhereasrIndignatio in tormentum ſuum proficit: & imperia graviora ſentit qui contumacius patitur. Sen. de ira. lib. 3. cap. 16. Nihil tam exasperat fervorem vulneris, quam ſerendi impatientia. Hegeſip. excid. Hier. lib. 2. cap. 9. Impatientes, dum mala pati nolunt, non efficiunt, ut à malis eruantur, ſed ut mala graviora patiantur. Patientes autem qui mala malunt non committendo ferre, quam non ferendo committere, & leviora faciunt quae per patientiam patiuntur, & pejora evadunt, quibus per impatientiam mergerentur, bona verò aeterna & magna non perdunt, dum malis temporatibus brevibus non cedunt. Hugo Vict. de patient. cap. 2. by impatience it will but grow more grievous unto us, as*Vtque ſuum laqueis, quos callidus abdidit auceps, Crus ubi commiſit volucris ſenſitque teneri, Plangitur, ac trepidans aſtringit vincula motu. Ovid. metam. lib. 11. Sic laqueos ſera dum jactat aſtringit: ſic aves viſcum, dum trepidantes excutiunt, plumis omnibus illinunt. Senec. de ira, lib. 3. cap. 16. Impenſius in ipſis agreſtibus feris arctiſſima vincula, ſi ſe excitent, imprimuntur; ſi quicſcant, relaxantur. Sixtus apud Hegeſip. lib. 2. cap. 9. the ſnare is to the fowle, that by fluttering and ſtraining makes the ſtring ſtraiter, to her greater torment, and yet is never the nearer getting out againe; as the yoake is to the beaſt, thatſforeign, ut Theophyl. ep. 41. Nullum tam arctum est jugum, quod non minus laedat ducentem quàm repugnantem. Sen. de ira. l. 3. c. 16. by ſtriving and ſtrugling with it, hath galled her necke, and yet is compelled to draw ſtill in it, with more paine then from her owne folly, than from the weight of it, or of that that ſhe draweth in it: And we ſhall but thereby procure to our ſelves the more evill; as“Gravis quoque febrium vis tolerando minuitur, inquietudine augetur. Idem ibid. the ſick man in a burning fever, while by toſſing and tumbling to and fro, he ſeeketh to finde eaſe, doth but exaſperate the diſeaſe, and increaſe his owne griefe.

Let us beware therefore of impatience; But let us take heed Vſe 7 eſpecially, how any length of afflictions maketh us once thinke of leaving God, or of ſeeking with Saul to Satan, by putting our hands unto wickedneſſe, or uſing indirect courſes, for the ſalving and eaſing or releeving of our ſelves. It was the Devils policie that he uſed, but without ſucceſſe, with our Saviour;tMatth. 4.3, 4. to beare him in hand that his Father had caſt off all care of him, thereby to perſwade him to depend no longer upon his providence, who if he did love him or regard him, would not ſo ſuffer him to ſtarve. And it is one of the flights that even to this day he uſeth oft with Gods ſervants, thereby in time of affliction to withdraw them from relying on God, who ſeemeth not to looke after them, as if they were ſure to periſh, if they ſhifted not for themſelves, but truſted ſtill to him, that had no care at all of them. And howſoever by this engine he prevailed not with our Saviour, yet by it with many other, too many, too oft he prevailes, and maketh them commit much folly. For while*Eſa. 28.16. Non praefeſtinabit, i. ex impatientia & infidelitate non ad res praeſentes confugiet, nec feſtinatione praepropera Deum antevertet. Iun. through weakneſſe of faith, and want of patience, they are loth to wait Gods good leaſure, and deſirous to be rid, in all haſte, of the preſent affliction, they put their hand oft to ſuch courſes as produce fearfull effects, and uſe ſuch ſory ſhifts for the releeving of themſelves, as doe but plunge them further and deeper into ſuch a labyrinth of evils, as they are many times never able to get out of againe. So that it fareth with them, as withuNatare neſcii, ubi demergi ſe ſentiunt, temerè quicquid occurrit, vitae cupidi retinendae arripiunt. Cyrill. Alex. epiſt. 29. perſons unskilfull in ſwimming, that having ventured paſt their depth, and being in danger now of drowning, while haſtily and inconſiderately they catch at what commeth next hand, to ſave themſelves with, lay hold oft on weeds, that doe but entangle them, and draw them deeper under water, and there keepe them downe from ever getting up againe, till they be (that which by ſuch meanes they ſought to prevent) indeed drowned. This ſubtill ſlight of Satan we muſt be carefull in theſe caſes to diſcover, and ſay to our ſelves, when ſuch things ſhall be ſuggeſted unto us:xPſal. 77.10. This is but my weakneſſe, or Satans wickedneſſe: yLament. 3.31, 32. Non deſerit, etiamſi deſerere videatur. Aug. in Pſal. 44. & Gregor. Mor. l. 5. c. 5.God I know hath not left me, though he may ſeeme not to looke after me. zDeut. 8.2. & 13 3, 4.Hee now trieth me whether mine heart be upright with him or no, whether I will cleave constantly to him, though hee doe nothing but croſſe mee, and abide ſtill with him, though he ſeeme wholly to neglect mee; or whether I will leave him, and give over adhering unto him, if hee doe not uſe mee as I would that he ſhould. And therefore I will reſolve, that I may not prove unſound, to keepe constantly with him, and not hearken to Satan, nor yeeld to ſuch indirect courſes, as by him ſhall be ſuggested, for the procuring either of eaſe or of delivery, whatſoever ſhall come of it. Such conſtancie ſhall ſeale up unto us our ſinceritie; and ſhall not want with God a rich and a royall reward. For he that ſhall ſo continue depending upon God, when all humane helpes ſhall faile him, and all lawfull meanes of releef; chooſing rather to endure griefe and paine all his life long, and to live a life more bitter than death it ſelfe, than to make triall of any unlawfull courſe to procure eaſe and releefe; ſuch a man ſo dying, ſaith Chryſoſtome, aforeign. Chryſoſt. cont. Iud. orat. 5. Malè interpres, Proximo poſt martyres loco conſiſtet.ſhall have his place in heaven among the Martyrs; yea ſuch a one is no other thanbforeign. Idem ibid. foreign. Ibid. Non martyrium ſola ſanguinis effuſio conſummat; nec ſola dat palmam exuſtio illa flammarum. Aug. de Sanct. 46. Multi ducunt martyrium in lecto, &c. Idem de diverſ. 39. viſe & Chryſoſt. in 1 Theſſ. homil. 3. a Martyr indeed; he is as good a Martyr as he that leaveth his head on the block, or is burnt to aſhes at a ſtake for the teſtimonie of Gods truth, and the keeping of a good conſcience. All the difference betweene the one and the other is this; that to the one it is ſaid, Deny Chriſt, or thou ſhalt die; to the other it is ſaid, Doe evill, or thou ſhalt live wretchedly, thou ſhalt live a life little better, if not worſe, than death. He is once for all a Martyr, that will rather endure the one; he is oft, yea every day a Martyr, as Paul ſaith of himſelfe, thatc1 Cor. 15.31. foreign, Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 95. & cont. Iud. 5. he died daily, that chooſeth rather to undergoe the other. Too prone we are*Ier. 2.31. to ſtray from God, when he uſeth us well, when he dealeth lovingly with us: but a moſt bleſſed thing it is, when our hearts are ſo linked to him, that we will not ſtir an inch from him, though he ſeeme to carrie himſelfe never ſo harſhly towards us.

Vſe 8 Laſtly, Would we have God in theſe caſes to remember us? let us be carefull then to remember him; yea let us then learne to remember our ſelves. Let us take heed how wee forget him, if wee would not have him to forget us: fordDeut. 32.15, 18. Hoſh. 4.6. & 8.14. Zech. 12.7, 13. our forgetfulneſſe of him, and our dutie to him, is for the moſt part the cauſe that moveth him to forget us. As indeed†Quid eſt quod nos queramur de Deo, cum Deus magis queri de nobis omnibus poſſit? quae ratio eſt ut dolcamus nos non audiri à Deo, cum ipſi Deum non audiamus? & ſuſurremus non reſpici à Deo terras, cum ipſi non reſpiciamus ad coelum? & moleſtum ſit deſpici à Domino preces noſtras, cum praecepta ejus despiciantur à nobis? quid dignius? quid juſtius? non audivimus, non audimur: non reſpeximus, non respicimur. Salvian. de provid. lib. 3. what can bee more juſt, or what more equall, than for God to forget us, when we forget him, and to neglect us, when we regard not him; to refuſe to heare us, when wee refuſe to heare him? Or how can we with any colour complaine of the one, when we are guiltie of the other? Yea when God ſeemeth to have forgotten us, if wee would have him againe remember us,ePſal. 22.27. Apoc. 2.5, 4. Ezech. 36.31. Deut. 30.1, 2. Let not us then be backward to remember our ſelves: But let us apply our ſelves to make a right uſe of the croſſe; helpe to further the effect of it, doe not croſſe or hinder the worke of it. The more ſpeedie ſucceſſe Gods hand hath with us, the ſooner it is like to be removed away from us.fPſal. 32.3, 4. Define diſſimulare. Deus crudelius urit, Quos videt invitosſuccubuiſſe ſibi. Tibull. eleg. 1. 8. Cedam aculco, ne bis pungar. Bern. de diverſ. 20. DAVIDS ſtrugling with it, and hanging backe, and refuſing to yeeld to that that God thereby required of him, was a meane to continue it the longer upon him, and to put him to the more paine. And this undoubtedly is one maine cauſe of the long continuance of many evils, thatgMulti humiliantur, & humiles non ſunt. Bern. in Cant. 34. men are humbled, as Bernard ſpeaketh, and yet are not humble; *Plectimur à Deo, nec flectimur tamen: corripimur, ſed non corrigi…ur. Salvian. de provid. l. 5. Non ceſſant vitia civium uſque ad excidia civitatum. Prius eſt interire quam corrigi: Prius ipſos quam in ipſis vit ia non eſſe. Ibid. Multo facilius fregeris, quam flexeris. Buchan. Bapt.they will breake in ſunder, ere they will bow or bend under Gods hand. Let us apply our ſelves therefore to that which by the croſſe God requireth of us, if we deſire to have the croſſe removed againe away from us.

Now this that we may doe,

Meanes 1 Firſt, We muſt endevour to enquire and finde out the cauſe of the croſſe, and the ground of Gods averſion of his face away from us.hLanguorum nullus inveniet medelas, niſi prius morborum cognoverit cauſas. Origen. in Rom. lib. 1. Non poteſt ſcire quomodo morbos curare conveniat, qui unde hi ſint ignorat. Corn. Celſ. de remed. lib. 1. Abſque cauſarum obſervatione morbos nec praecavere, nec curare licet. Fernel. patholog. l. 7. cap. 11. A diſeaſe can never be well cured, till the cauſe of it be diſcovered: Nor can we take any right courſe for the removall of a croſſe, unleſſe that that hath procured it be in ſome ſort diſcovered.iMica c. 9. The voyce of the Lord, ſaith the Prophet Micah, crieth unto the Citie. God by his judgements preacheth not verball, but reall Sermons unto us.kforeign. Baſil. Sel. homil. 5. He preacheth even without preaching, as Baſil ſpeaketh. As hee is ſaid lPſal. 50.21. Eſa. 42.14. Quid eſt, Tacui? non judicavi, non vindicavi. Non tacet in verbo; tacet in vindicta, tacet in verbere. Aug. in Pſal. 74. & 93. & 100. & in Ioan. tr. 4. & homil. 2.to hold his peace, though he doe ſpeake, when hee doth not puniſh; ſo is he ſaid to preach, though hee ſpeake not, when he doth puniſh. mEſa. 26.9. & 28.19.His very judgements are reall Sermons of reformation and repentance. They have a voyce, ſaith the Prophet: But every one underſtandeth not this voyce.nQuomodo Bern. in Cant. 79. Graecè loquentem non intelligit, qui Graecam non novit, nec Latinè loquentem, qui Latinus non eſt. Sic lingua amoris ei qui non amat, barbara est, ſicut aes ſonans, aut cymbalum tinniens. They ſpake in a ſtrange language to many, to the moſt; asoAct. 9.7. cum 22.9. Ita conciliat poſt Calvinum Piſcator; melius, puto, quàm Chryſoſt. Theophyl. Oecum. Lyra, Hugo, Beza, alii, qui ad Pauli vocem coactius referunt. Pauls companions, when Chriſt ſpake to him, they heare a noyſe and no more.pPſal. 92.6. foreign. Heraclit. apud Clement. in protrept. & Theodor. de curand. Graec. l. 1. The fooliſh, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, conceive it not, and the brutiſh underſtand it not. ButqMica 6.9. a man of wiſedome, the wiſe man, ſaith the Prophet, knoweth what it meaneth. And as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh of Gods workes of merciemercy;rPſal. 107.43. Who ſo is wiſe to obſerve theſe things, ſuch ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſſe of the Lord: So of his workes of judgement ſaith Ieremie, ſIer. 9.12.Who ſo is wiſe to underſtand theſe things, to him the mouth of God ſpeaketh, and hee is able to declare what this Voice of God ſaith. And of both of them the Prophet Hoſhe, tHoſh. 4.10.Who ſo is wiſe, will underſtand theſe things: and who ſo is of underſtanding, will know that the Lords wayes are uEſa 26.7, 10. Ezech. 18.25.ſtrait and even, and the juſt ſhall walke in them, but the wicked ſhall fall in them. To uſe Chryſoſtomes compariſon, yea and Auguſtines too;xforeign, &c. Chryſoſt. in 1 Cor. hom. 7. Lay you a booke open before a childe, or one that cannot reade, he may gaze and ſtare on it, but he can make no uſe of it, becauſe he underſtandeth nothing at all in it. But bring it to one that can reade, and that underſtandeth the language it is written in, and he can reade you many ſtories or inſtructions out of it. It is as dumbe and ſilent to the one; it ſpeaketh to, and talketh with the other. In like manner is it withyDei opera admiranda qui non aspicit tantum, ſed & intelligit, quaſi legit. Aliter enim videtur pictura, aliter videntur literae. Picturam cùm videris, hoc eſt totum vidiſſe, laudaſſe. Literas cùm videris, commonerà eas & legere: quod ſi fortè non noſti, Quid putamus, inquis, eſſe, quod hîc ſcriptum est? Interrogas quid ſit, cùm jam videas aliquid. Sed aliud tibi demonſtraturus est, à quo quaeris agnoſcere quod vidisti. Alios ille oculos habet, alios tu. Apices ſimiliter videtis; non ſimiliter ſigna cognoviſtis. Tu vides & laudas; ille videt & laudat, legit & intelligit. Aug. in Ioan. 24. Gods judgements, as Auguſtine alſo well applieth it: all ſorts of men ſee them, but few are able aright to reade them▪ …r to underſtand them what they ſay.

But what is it that the wiſe man is by them admoniſhe…? Surely,aMica 6.9. to liſten to the Rod, ſaith Micah; and bQuis accerſat. Iun.who, or what it is that hath procured it: to enquire, ſaith Ieremie, what is the cauſe,cIer. 9.12. why the land is ſpoiled, and lieth burnt up like a wilde wilderneſſe, that no man paſſeth thorow; that is, to ſearch out the cauſe of the preſent croſſe. To which purpoſe alſo Gods people in the time of their captivitie,dLam. 3.40. Let us ſearch, ſay they, and ſift out our workes and our wayes. They had before entered into ſome diſcourſe and diſpute with themſelves, what might be the cauſe of that their calamitie. And firſt they lay downe this for an undoubted and undeniable poſition, ThateAmos 3.6. Quicquid malorum poenarumve perpetimur, cenſura est divinae manus. Salvian. de provid. l. 8. Quicquid patimur venit ex alto. Sen. Oed. 5.2. there is no evill that befalleth any, either perſon or people, but the Lord hath his hand in it. fLam. 3.37, 38.Dare any man, ſay they, ſay, that gMatth. 10.29.ought commeth to paſſe, and the Lord hath not appointed it? Doth not hforeign. Homer. Odyſſ…ó.both good and evill come out of his mouth? But what then? Doth God asiHeb. 12.10. earthly fathers doe, who in an idle humour ſometime correct their children without cauſe? OrkLam. 3.34. doth God take pleaſure in ſtamping upon his people, and in vexing and grieving of them? No:lLam. 3.33. he doth not willingly, or from the heart puniſh, and afflict the ſonnes of men. mEſt placidus faciliſque pater, veniaeque paratus; Et qui fulmineo ſaepè ſinè igne t…nat. Qui cùm triſte aliquid ſtatuit, fit triſtis & ipſe: Cuique fere poenam ſumere poena ſua eſt. Ovid. P…nt. 2.2. Eſt piger ad poenas Deus, eſt ad praemia velox. Quique dolet quoties cogitur eſſe ferox. Multa metu poena, poenâ qui pa…ca coercet: Et jacet invitâ fulmina rara manu. Ibid. 1.3. Torqueris ipſe, cùm tam lenis iraſceris. Plin. ep. 21. l 9.It is a griefe to him to be grievous unto us; it is a paine to him to be puniſhing of us. It goeth as much againſt the heart with him to afflict, as it goeth againſt the haire with us to be afflicted. Why but, what is the cauſe then that he dealeth ſo harſhly with us, that he carrieth himſelfe ſo auſterely towards us?*Lam. 3.39. Wherefore is the living man afflicted? Man ſuffereth for his ſinne. nLam. 3.42. Victa tamen vilio eſt hujus clementia noſtro: Et venit ad vires ira coacta ſuas. Ovid. Pont. 2.2. Ergò illum demens in me ſevire coegi, Mitius immenſus quo nihil orbis habet. Idem triſt. 4.8. Nunc quoque nil fecit, niſi quod facere ipſe coegi. Nec minus infeſtus, quàm fuit, eſſe poteſt. Idem de Pont. 1.3. Exacerbamus Deum impuritatibus noſtris, & ad puniendos nos trabimus invitum. Salvian. de provid. l. 4. c. 5.Wee have ſinned and rebelled againſt him: and he hath not ſpared us. oDeus bo…us de ſuo, ſaevus de noſtro. Tertull. de reſurr. foreign. Baſil. C…ſ. homil. 8. foreign, Greg. Naz. orat. 6.God is good of himſelfe; he hath his harſhneſſe from us; it is our corruption that requireth it.pCrudelem medicum intemperans ager facit. P. Syr. A diſordered patient maketh a cruell Phyſitian. By our diſordered courſes,qEſa. 27.4. Ier. 7.19. Cùm ejus naturae ſit meus Dei atque majeſtas ut nulla iracundiae paſſione moveatur; tanta tamen in nobis peccatorum exa…erbatio eſt, ut per nos cogatur iraſci. Vim, ut ita dixerim, facimus pietati ſuae, ac manus quodammodo afferimus miſericordiae ſuae. Cùm ejus benignitatis ſit, ut velit nobis jugiter parcere, cogitur maſis noſtris ſcelera quae admittimus vindi…re. Salvian. de provid. lib. 4. cap. 5. wee enforce him to anger, in whom anger is not; and even wreſt and wring that from him, that in ſome ſort is not in him.rIerem. 30.14. Therefore, ſaith he, have I ſmitten thee with the wounds of an enemie, for the multitude of thine iniquities, and becauſe thy tranſgreſſions are grievous. What theſe ſinnes of theirs therefore were, doe they deſire and purpoſe to makeſLam. 3.40. Search, that ſo comming to underſtand the true cauſe of their calamitie, they may ſet upon ſome courſe for meanes of recoverie. And in like manner ought we to doe upon the like occaſions, ſay as Iob doth;tIob 10.2. Non ſententiam cauſatur, ſed cauſam ſcrutatur, erudiri flagellis petens non erui. Bern in Cant. 33. Percuſſionis verbera acceperat, & cauſas verberum neſciebat. Greg. mor. l. 23. c. 17. Quamvis peccatorem ſe ſentiat & fateatur, non cognoſcit tamen pro qua ſpecialiter culpâ percutitur. Ibid. lib. 9. cap. 34. Viſe ſis eundem ibid. cap. 30. & Iſid…r. de ſum. bon. lib. 3. cap. 2. Shew me, O Lord, or make knowne to me, wherefore thou contendeſt with me: doe as DAVID did, when in Iſrael they had had a long time of dearth;u2 Sam. 21.1. Hee went to aske of God for what cauſe it might be: make a ſearch into, take ſurveigh of our hearts and our lives; labour, as Salomon ſpeaketh,x1 King 8.38. to finde out the plague, the cauſe of it at leaſt, in our hearts, and in our courſes.

And for our better furtherance herein we may conſider, Conſider. 6

Conſid. 1 1. What ſinnes eſpecially God hath in his Word threatned ſuch judgements againſt, as are preſent on us, or any part of his Church. For if ſuch ſinnes be now found rife or reigning among us, there is juſt cauſe to ſuſpect thataFidem verbis verbera ſaciunt. Gregor. in Evang. 37. God by ſuch judgements doth make good his word; bIob 33.16. Ezech. 12.22, 24, 25, 28. & 5.13. & 6.10.ſealeth up the truth of it; and thereby ſheweth, thatcDeut. 32.47. Non ſunt vanae minae dominicae. Polan. in Malac. 1. His menaces are not vaine, or uneffectuall; thatdIerem. 5.12, 13, 14. his Prophets words, as the prophane people ſometime ſpake, are noteforeign. Plut. de aud. Tranſlatum ab evis irritis, ex quibus nihil gignitur, quae foreign Graeci vocant. Plin. hiſt. nat. l. 10. c. 58. quidam & ventò ea putant genetari, qua de cauſa etiam foreign appellantur. Ibid. c. 60. Sed & foreign. Plato in Theaet. windy.

Conſider. 2 2. What ſinnes God hath formerly inflicted the like plagues for on others: which if theſe times be found to imitate thoſe in, it may well be deemed, thatfIer. 7.14. Quid miramur, ſi paria perpetimur, qui paria perpetramus? Bern. de conſid. l. 2. God in juſtice, as he findeth us like them in practice, ſo he maketh us like them in puniſhment; as hee findeth the like ſinnes among us, ſo he powreth the like plagues upon us; as he findeth us ſicke of the ſame ſores, ſo hee plieth us with the ſame plaiſters.

Conſider. 3 3. How wee have abuſed thoſe things, or our ſelves in thoſe things, wherein or whereby God doth puniſh us. For there is oft an analogie and a proportion betweene mens practices and Gods puniſhments, betweene their tranſgreſſions and his judgements. LookegWiſd. 11.13. In quib…s peccamus, in eiſdem plectimur. foreign. Dion. Chryſoſt. orat. 55. wherein men offend, therein uſually are they puniſhed. And bleſſings abuſed are turned oft into curſes, as“Exod. 4.3. the ſtaffe ſometime into a Serpent, *foreign. Greg. Naz. orat. 6.that men may be croſſed and plagued in thoſe things, which they were not thankfull for, or uſed not well, when they were bleſſed in them.h1 King. 1.6. 2 Sam 18 5. DAVID was too indulgent a father to his children, and he ſmarted ſhrewdly for it ini2 Sam 13 14. Ammons rape of Tamar, k2 Sam. 13.28, 29.Abſoloms murther of Ammon, and bothl2 Sam. 15.10, 12. Abſoloms, and afterwardsm1 King. 1.5, 9, 11. Adoniaes rebellion. nH…ſh. 2.8, 9.When Gods people abuſed thoſe temporall bleſſings of gold and ſilver, corne and wine, wooll and flax, that hee had beſtowed on them, God threatneth to returne, and take them againe away from them. And in like manner he threatneth them, when they obſerved not his Sabbaths, thatoLevit. 26.35. their land, during their captivitie, ſhould reſt and lye waſte untilled and untoiled, becauſe it reſted not on their Sabbaths, when they dwelt in it: As alſo that becauſe they ſet light by the word of God when they had it, he wouldpAmos 8.5, 11. ſend a famine of hearing it, when they ſhould be conſtrained to ſeeke farre and neere for, and yet not finde that, which they then refuſed when they might have had it, or made no reckoning of, when in great plentie they had it: AndqDeut. 28.47, 48. becauſe they did not ſerve the Lord their God with a good will, and with a cheerefull heart in the abundance of all things; they ſhould therefore ſerve their enemies, which he ſhould ſend upon them, in hunger, and thirſt, and nakedneſſe, and want of all things: AndrIer 5.19. as they had ſerved ſtrange gods in their own land, ſo they ſhould ſerve ſtrangers in a land that was not their owne.

Conſider. 4 4. How wee may have beene faultie towards others, in thoſe things that we now ſuffer our ſelves. ForſEſa. 33.1. Ier. 30.16 Quod quiſque fecit, patitur: autorem ſcelus Repetit; ſuoque premitur exemplo nice…s. Senec. Herc. fur. 3.2. Quae ſcelere parta est, ſcelere linquetur domus. Idem Med. 1. ferox Theſeus qualem Minoidi luctum, Obtulerat mente immemori, talem ipſe recepit. Catull. nupt. Pel. & Thet. there is a juſt retaliation oft in ſuch caſes with God. AndtDeut. 19 19, 21. Iam. 2.13. foreign. Pindar. Nem. 4. foreign. Euripid. Oreſt. Non eſt injuria pati, quod prior feceris. Sen. de ira, l. 2. c. 30. Qui praedo vult eſſe, meritò fit praeda. Aug. in Pſal. 38.—ne que enim lex juſtior ulla, Quam necis artifices arte perire ſua. Ovid art. 1. foreign. Pythagor. an Rhadamanth. Ariſtot. Ethic. l. 5. c. 5. there is nothing more equall than ſuch requitals. u2 Sam 12.10, 11.DAVID abuſeth the wife of Vriah; andx2 Sam. 16.22. his owne ſonne abuſeth his in the ſame ſort.y2 Sam. 12.9, 10. He ſlayeth Vriah himſelfe with the ſword; and for the ſlaughter of Vriah the ſword haunteth his houſe. aIudg. 1.6, 7.Adoni-bezeks cruelty on thoſe that he had conquered, was requited with the like, executed through Gods juſt judgement on him by thoſe into whoſe hands he fell: and even hee himſelfe acknowledgeth the equitie of it. AndbExod. 22.22.24. Tolerabilius est ſiquis patiatur quod fecerit. Miramur ſi nos barbari capiunt, cùm ſratres noſtros nos faciamus captivos? Diu id oppreſſione plurimorum elaboravimus, ut captivando alios etiam ipſi incipiamus eſſe captivi. Sentimus enim quae fecimus; ac labores manuum noſtrarum manducamus; & juſto judice Deo ſolvimus quae debemus. Miſerti exulum non ſumus; ecce ipſi ſumus exules. Peregrinos fraude cepimus; …ecce ipſi peregrinamur▪ Praejudiciis alios circumvenimus; ipſi praejudicia nunc timemus. Salvian de provid. lib. 5. God threatneth ſuch as oppreſſe poore widowes and orphans, That their wives ſhall be widowes, and their children orphans.

Conſider. 5 5. What neglects or evill acts being faultie in them, wee have beene admoniſhed of, or checked for, either publikely in the miniſtery of the Word, or privately by good offices of friends or others, yea or inwardly by the voice of our owne heart, or the motions and ſuggeſtions of Gods Spirit, and yet we have not regarded to amend and reforme. For it is an uſuall thing with God, when his Word taketh not place, nor prevaileth with us, cA verbis ad verbera progreditur. Eſa. 50.1.2. Ier. 26.3, 4, 5.to ſecond it with the Rod, as therebydVt fidem verbis verbera faciant, dum corporis plagae teſtes ſunt veritatis & culpae. Gregor. in Evan. 37. to ſeale up and confirme the truth of it; ſoeEſa. 28.19. Vexatio intellectum dat auditui, quia tunc peccator intelligit quod audivit, cùm ſe jam pro contemptu vexari doluerit. Greg. mor. l. 15. c. 22. to make us the more attentive unto it. He doth as Abſolom did with Ioab, f2 Sam. 14.30, 31.when he would not come at him, having ſent once or twice for him, he cauſed his ſervants to ſet his corne on fire, and then commeth Ioab to him without further ſending for, to know what he would with him, and why he had ſo ſerved him. And ſo, ſaith Elihu, doth God;gIob 33.14-22. he calleth upon men many times to breake off their bad courſes, either by outward admonitions, or by inward ſuggeſtions;*foreign. Baſil. Caeſ. homil. 12. which when men regard not, he layeth ſome affliction upon them, that continueth with them, and ſticketh by them, till it havehAures poena aperit, quas voluptas clauſcrat. opened their eares that were ſtopt before, and pulled down their pride, or taken downe their ſtomack, and made them to ſay with Saul ſtrucken downe to the ground,iDomine, q…id vis faciam? Act. 9.6. Lord, what is it that thou wouldeſt have me to doe?

Conſiderat. 6 6. How we have abuſed, as well Gods judgements, as his Mercies; how we have either refuſed or neglected to hearken as well to the ſound of Gods rod as to the voice of his Word; what afflictions have formerly beene inflicted on us, whereof little or no uſe at all hath beene made by us. For that is alſo uſually Gods manner, when men profit not by ſuch croſſes as he hath formerly exerciſed them with,kIer. 5.3, 6. Eſa. 9.17-20. Hoſh. 5.12, 13, 14. Amos 4.6-12. to proceed from ſhorter to ſome of longer continuance, from milder to ſharper courſes. He dealeth with the ſonnes of men, as the Phyſitian doth with his patient;lSi malum morbi fortius creverit, majorae remedia quaeruntur, & pro ſalute hominis ſolicita fortiùs ſe medicina opponit: aſperi cibi, potus ingeruntur amari: Et ſi convaluerit malum, & ignis adhibetur & ferrum. Firmic. de error. Gentil. who when he findeth that the potion which he hath given his patient will not worke with him, he ſecondeth it with ſome ſtronger purge; when he perceiveth the diſeaſe to be ſo ſetled, that ſudden courſes will not ſerve, he preſcribeth him a courſe of ſome longer continuance. So our Saviour fore-warned the poore man, whom he had healed, ThatmIohn 5.14. if he ſinned againe, ſome worſe matter would befall him: his not profiting by the former, would procure unto him ſome further, ſome farre heavier croſſe. AndnLevit. 26.18, 27, 28, &c. foreign. Greg. Naz. orat. 6. foreign. Ibid. God threatneth his people, that if lighter matters would not amend them, he would lay harſher and heavier things on them, till they were even in a manner waſted and conſumed withall.

Meanes 2 Secondly, what we finde our ſelves thus faulty in, we ſhould endevour to reforme. As we muſt labour to finde out the cauſe of the evill, and what hath turned Gods face from us; ſo ſhould we withall labour to remove the ſame,oforeign. Gregor. Naz. orat. 22. Vt ſublata cauſſa tollatur effectus. that the cauſe being taken away, the effect alſo may ceaſe; and that Gods face that is now turned from us, may be turned againe towards us. For this ſhould be the end of our ſearch, to diſcover what is amiſſe; and this the end of our diſcoverie, to amend and remove the evill diſcovered, either in our hearts or in our lives.pDolosè quaerit, qui timet invenire quod quaerit. Sunt enim qui iniquitatem ſuam quaſi conantur quaerere & timent invenire. Qui quia dolosè agebant ut invenirent, ubi invenerint, non oderunt. Si enim non dolosè ſed ſincerè agerent, quod invenerunt odiſſent. Aug. in Pſal 35. Otherwiſe our ſearch is but vaine and frivolous, and our inquirie unſincere. Yea, better were it for us never to have beene ſo forward to ſearch, if wee be not as forward to redreſſe, what upon ſearch we have found to be otherwiſe than well with us. It muſt needs aggravate wrath, when we are ſhewed, or ſee what is amiſſe, and are not carefull to amend.qLam 3.40. Let us ſearch and trie our wayes, ſay they, and returne unto the Lord: (as DAVID of himſelfe,rPſal. 119.59. I conſidered my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy paths, where upon ſuch conſideration, I found that I had ſwarved from them:) And thenſLam 3.41. Explorandum, Deplorandum, Implorandum. Alſted. Syſtem. Theol. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto the Lord our God in heaven. As if it were to no end for them to ſeeke unto God by prayer, till they had pulled downetEſa. 59.2. Peccata ſola ſeparant inter homines & Deum. Aug. de pecc. mor. l. 1. c. 20. Tollatur ergò de medio quod intereſt, & pax eſt. Bern. in Cant. 4. the partition wall that ſevered betweene them and him; and hindred their ſuits from getting acceſſe to him, or obtaining ſucceſſe with him: untill they had, as ſearched out, ſo reformed and removed ſuch evils, as upon their ſearch had preſented themſelves to their ſight, and as came to view upon this their ſurveigh. And indeed till this courſe bee taken,uOrans & non operans, iram non placat, ſed provocat. Gregor. mor. l. 18. c. 3. it is to ſmall purpoſe to pray. It is*Sicut nullum proficit medicamentum, ſi adhuc ferrum in eo ſit; ita nihil proficit oratio illius, cujus adhuc dolus in mente, vel odium manet in pectore. Iſidor. de ſum. bon. l. 3. c. 7. as if the perſon pricked or wounded ſhould crie and call upon the Surgion to have ſome eaſe of his paine, but would not endure to have the ſplinter or the arrow-head pulled out that ſticketh faſt in his fleſh, and cauſeth his griefe: or as if people ſhould pray to God to ſtay the rage and furie of the burning, when an houſe or towne is on fire, and themſelves the meane while powre on oyle, or throw on fuell to the fire. This God himſelfe noteth, as the maine cauſe of the continuance of his heavie hand upon his people,xIerem. 3.4, 5. Thou criedſt, ſaith he, unto me; O my Father, and the Guide of my youth, yNon ſic abibunt odio? vivaces aget Violentus iras animus? & ſaevus dolor Aeterna bella pace ſublatâ geret? Sen. Herc. fur. 1.1.Wilt thou retaine thy wrath alwayes? wilt thou be angrie for ever? This thou ſayedſt; but thou diddeſt evill more and more ſtill. And,zHoſh. 7.14. They houle to mee on their beds for their corne and their wine: but they rebell againſt me ſtill. And againe;aEſa 9.12, 13. Therefore is not the wrath of God yet turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill; becauſe the people turne not to him that ſmiteth them; nor are turned away from their ſinnes. And ſurely ſo long indeed there is no hope of prevailing with God;bPſal. …6.18. If I ſee iniquitie in mine heart, ſaith DAVID, (andcIob 20.12, 13. be loth to leave it;) or, If with my heart dAſpicitur in corde iniquitas, cum mentu oculis placet. Quae enim diligimus, libenter aspicere ſolemus. Ruffin. in Pſal. 65. Quid est videre, niſi ind…ſinenter intueri? non videre per judicium, ſed videre per appetitum. Gregor. mor. l. 22. c. 3. Conſpicere ut acceptetur, quod despici dignum est ut calcetur. Aug. in Pſal. 65.I looke after it, (as wee are wont to looke after ſuch things as wee love and delight in, and are not willing to forgoe;) the Lord will never heare any prayer of mine that I make to him. AseOlim offenſum ſentimus, nec placamus Deum; nec amputamus cauſas morbi, ut morbus pariter auferatur. Hieron. epit. Nepot. Medicus quando aegritudinem diſcutit, ſi curet quod per aliquam cauſam factum est, & ipſam cauſam per quam factum eſt non c…ret, ad tempus videtur mederi, ſed cauſa manente morbus repetitur. Aug. in Ioan 25. Purget humorem, detrahat cauſam, & non erunt ulcera. Ibid. the cauſe therefore of the diſeaſe muſt be removed, (and it can be dealt with till it be diſcovered) ere there can be any ſound cure of the diſeaſe, or ſuch as ſhall conſtantly continue: So our ſinnes muſt be removed that turne Gods face and favour from us, and withdraw his regard of us, ere we can hope to have his carriage towards us altered for the better, or any end of our preſent evils.fPoenas peccaterum ſuorum plurimi perferunt; & intelligere cauſas poenarum nemo dignatur. Cauſa est, quia & ſi jam aliqua patiamur, nondum tamen patimur, qualiae meremur. Agnoſcere nos Deus peccata noſtra mavult quam ſuſtinere, & oſtendere potius quid mereamur, quàm infligere quod meremur. Ille invitat ad veniam: nos cumulanus offenſam. Vim Deo facimus iniquitatibus noſtris: iram in nos divinitatis armamus: Nolentem ulciſci cogimus; par…e volentem non permittimus. Salv de provid. lib. 5. We enforce him to continue his hard dealing with us while we doe otherwiſe, we reſtraine him from doing that, that of himſelfe otherwiſe he would doe, and is of himſelfe in his owne nature moſt ready and willing unto, did not we our ſelves withhold him from it. So that while we continue ſtill in our ſinnes and exceſſes, our owne practice croſſeth and hindreth the effect and fruit of our prayers; and we are like thoſe heathen, of whom the Cynicke obſerved, thatgforeign. Diogen. apud Laert. lib. 6. Quod & Democrit. apud Stob. cap. 18. foreign. they prayed indeed to their Gods for health; but at the very ſame time when they ſo did, they uſed ſuch exceſſe as could not but greatly impaire health, and ſo wilfully deprived themſelves of that that they prayed for.

Meanes 3 Thirdly, that wee may thus doe; becauſehProv. 21.1. our heart is not in our owne hands, iIerem. 10.23.nor is it in mans power to direct his owne paths, kPſal. 90.11. Ier. 5.3. & 2.30.nor are afflictions able of themſelves to effect grace in us, or to worke good on us without the aid of Gods Spirit working together with them; we ſhould be earneſt with God by prayer, that he will be pleaſed,lPſal. 25.4, 5. & 86.11. & 94.12. as he doth correct us, ſo withall to inſtruct us;mPſal. 90.7, 8, 9, 12. as he ſendeth croſſes, ſo that he would vouchſafe grace, whereby we may make a good uſe of them, andnEſa. 48.17. learne to profit by them; asoIob 10.2. Ier. 31.19. to ſhew and make knowne to us what he aimeth at in them, ſo to enable us in ſome meaſure to doe that which he requireth of us;pIer. 31.18. to turne us unto him, that he may returne unto us.

Meanes 4 And laſtly, when we have thus done, then may we with the more comfort and confidencerPſal. 25.4, 5, 7, 11, 16, 18, 20, 21. & 39.8, 10. & 41.4, 10. deale with the Lord for the removall of the evill it ſelfe, be it outward or inward.ſIer. 29.12, 13, 14. Then may we ſeeke to him with good aſſurance of ſucceſſe, becauſe wee ſeeke him as wee ſhould; tEſa. 58.9.wee may then praying hope indeed to bee heard, thoſeuLam. 3.44. clouds of our iniquities being diſperſed and diſpelled, that before hindred the paſſage of our prayers. In a word, thus wexIer. 18.8. repenting of, andyIon. 3.10. turning from our ſinnes, that have turned God away from us, andzIer. 3.1.22. returning to him that hath hid his face from us, he willaPſal. 86.16. turne againe in merciemercy and goodneſſe unto us, andbPſal. 80.19. make the light of his countenance againe to ſhine forth upon us; weecPſal. 22.27. remembring our ſelves, dPſal. 9.18.hee will ceaſe longer to forget us; Yea, he will beginneePſal. 25.7. in merciemercy againe to remember us, whofEſa. 54.8. Lam. 5.20. in wrath ſeemed to have forgotten us; and ſhew that he ſo doth to our comfort, and the confuſion of our foes, bygPſal. 41.10. raiſing of us, andhPſal. 3.3. lifting up our heads againe, andiPſal. 41.11. not ſuffering them to triumph over us, as formerly they have done.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Gataker, Sermon Preached Several Times (1637)

Sermon Preached Several Times, Sermon 7

p. 311DAVIDS Remembrancer.

DAVIDS Remembrancer.