A Staff of Comfort to Stay the Weak, Title page – Dedication
A STAFFE OF COMFORT TO STAY THE weake from falling, very needfull for the afflicted.
By RICHARD BERNARD, Preacher of Gods Word, at Batcombe in Somerset-shire.
Art thou any way tempted, or troubled? reade, beleeue, and reioyce.
LONDON, Printed by Felix Kyngston, for John Budge, and are to be sold at his shop, at the South doore of St. Pauls Church. 1616.
TO THE WORSHIPFVLL HIS Christian good friends, Mr. Iames Bisse, and Mr. Edward Bisse, Esquires: with his very kinde welwisher, Mr. Robert Groue. TO HIS LOVING and assured friends, Master Iohn Bernard, and Mr. Edward Bernard, both of Downeside, louing brethren, constant in vnitie. All sauing graces, all spirituall comforts for soules safety: all corporall welfare, and outward prosperitie, for encouragement to all duties of godlinesse. Euen so, Amen.
WOrshipfull, and Gentlemen (my good friends) Cōforts, I well know, might seeme to be vnseasonably offered in a world of security; but that also I am not ignorant, that in a secure world, many sleepe not in the cradle of security. There is a righteous Noah, in a world of the vngodly, & a iust Lot among the Sodomites, vexed in heart with their vncleane conuersation. Where many (as one of the Prophets speaketh) eate the Lambs of the flocke, and Calues of the stalls, faring, as it is said of Diues, deliciously eueryevery day; there may bee some (like poore Lazarus) lying at their gates begging food, for preseruation of life. While some, perhaps, may bee chaunting the song, to the sound of the violl, and be singing merrily the tune of worldly contentment: Others, peraduenture, may be sad in heart, and set downe heauily mourning for their miseries. What if a Gallio relish not religion, nor doth care any thing at al, though Paul be smitten wrongfully; yet must we think, there be such as do not forget, but truely take to heart the affliction of Ioseph? While some are whole, not needing the Physician, as in their owne conceits they foolishly imagine; some other neuerthelesse may feele their spirituall maladies, yea and groane vnderunder their burthē, desiring to be eased. Albeit full stomackes tread vnderfoot the hony combe: yet the hungry soule is glad of the crummes which fall from the Lords Table. Indeede, the carnall libertine, if he may enioy worldly wealth, & earthly rest, he feeleth no want of spirituall comforts, nor taketh any notice of his spiritual bondage; but a holy Paul, a true conuert to God, though hee hauehave outward contentments, yea & inward peace; yet because he cannot doe the good hee would, but often the euill, which he would not, he crieth out; O miserable mā that I am, who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death!
Therefore to those that stand in need of cōfort, and desire the words of heauenly refreshment; to those that are troubled in mind, in spirit wounded and in their conscience afflicted: to those that are assaulted by Satan, vexed by ill men, disquieted in their outward estates, crossed in the honest course of their callings, or any waies tempted; to all those, and for their sakes hauehave I laboured in this worke of Comforts, that they may find (if God please) some solace hereby to their poor afflicted spirits. I send it not to gybing Ismaels, mocking at the children of the promise, but to obedient and faithfull Isaacs; not to prophane Esaus, but to religious Iacobs: to Ioseph in prison and bonds, not to his brethren at libertie at home, and vnhumbled: to the oppressed Israelites, and not to oppressing Egyptians. I offer it not to proud and hautie Hamans; but to humble and mournful Mordecayes clothed in sackcloth: to Ieremy and Amos the true dealing Prophets, and not to Amaziah and Pashur the flattering Priests: to Abedmelech a godlie Courtier, and not to Zibah the sycophant and cousiner: to a constant Ruth, not to a backe-sliding Orpha: to an Hannah, a womā troubled in spirit, pouring out her soule before the Lord, & not to a Peninah, a vexing and vpbrayding aduersary: not to a Michol mocking her Lord and husband; but to a contemned and despised Leah. In a word, it is to the heauie loaden that I wish refreshment, and to the sorrowfull glad tidings, health to the sicke, rest to the troubled; soundnes of comfort, to the broken in heart, strength to the weak and feeble soule, and full supply of whatsoeuer is wanting for true ioy to eueryevery one of the Lords elected people.
Oh (my worshipfull, and worthy good friends) I wish the spirit of the Lord God vponupon me, to publish powerfully good tidings to the meeke, to binde vp the broken hearted, to proclaime liberty to the captiues, the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to declare the acceptable yeere of the Lord, & to comfort all that mourne: this is my desire, this is the true intendment of this my labour. If God so blesse it, how ioyful & glad shall I be? and that it may be, I intreat the Lord, to appoint and giuegive vntounto them that mourne in Sion, beauty for ashes; the ioy of oyle, for mourning; the garment of praise, for the spirit of heauines, that they may bee called the trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord, that hee may bee glorified. This mercy I craue also of God for you, and doe desire that this my worke (which here I present to you) may bee both friendly accepted of, as I offer it for a testimony of my true and hearty affection, and also so diligently perused, as you may reape the ioyfull fruit thereof, & speake from experience the praises of God; and thus in my best well-wishes, not doubting of a kind acceptance, and your continuance of louelove, I heartily betake you to the protection and louing mercies of our heauenly Father.
Batcombe Decem. 29. Yours in all Christian duties, and seruices of my calling, RIC. BERNARD.