Seauen helpes to Heauen Shewing 1. How to auoid the curse. 2. How to beare the crosse. 3. How to build the conscience. 4. How with Moses to see Canaan. 5. Simeons dying song, directing to liue holily and dye happily. 6. Comforts for Christians against distresses in life, and feare of death. 7. Feruent prayers, to beare sicknesse patiently, and dye preparedly. The second edition: much enlarged by Steuen Ierome, late preacher at S. Brides. Seene and allowed.

Comforts against the vnkindenesse of mercilesse friends.

Obiection.

OH, but this addes griefe to thy paynes, that thy Friends are vnkinde vnto thee in this thy distresse; and thou art destitute of comforters, none compassionates thy extre∣mities.

Answ. 1. This must not seeme strange vnto thee: thy case is not singular in this kinde, but vsuall and ordinary. Friends, like Swallowes, sing and make merry vvith thee, lodge and lye with thee in the Summer of prosperitie: but take their sodaine and farre flight in the Winter of aduersitie: it made

the vvise Heathen exclayme, Oh friends, no friends.

2 The Saints haue had this measure. Did not good Iob finde his three friends miserable comforters in his greatest exigents? Was there any more comfort in them a 1.1, then wa∣ter in a stone, or oyle in a flint: they were as a brooke dried vp. Dauid had some experience in this case, when by reason of Sauls persecu∣tion, euen his Father, his Mother, and Brethren so farre forsooke him, his Companion that are meate with him, was so treacherous to him, that hee was lest as destitute of true friends, as the naked Bird of feathers: his friends few, his enemies many, Psal. 69. v. 8. ver. 21. Psal. 22.12. Psal. 25.17.18. Psal. 69.4.

3 Christ himselfe was reiected, not onely of Herod and his Courtiers, Luke 23. ver. 11.* 1.2 of the Scribes and Pharisies, &c. but euen maliced of his owne Brethren, Iohn 7. v. 3.4. yea, forsaken of many of his Disciples toge∣ther, Iohn 6.66. of all in his Passion, except Iohn, Mat. 14.50. denied of Peter b 1.3, betrayed of Iudas, &c. Mat. 26.49.

4 There is vsually hatred amongst the nearest friends by nature, euen in prosperous estate, much more in distresse: thus Caine hates his Brother Abel, Gen. 4.8. Ismael per∣secutes Isaack, Gen. 4.29. Esau, Iacob, Gen. 27. ver. 41. Cham mockes Noahc 1.4, when the old

man was ouer-seene in Wine; Michol* 1.5 mocks Dauid, ouer-spent in zeale; and Iobs breath did smell distastfully, euen to the Wife of his owne bosome.

5 Though the arme of flesh, and thy car∣nall friends forsake thee, yet GOD, will not reiect g 1.6 thee, hee careth for thy soule, his loue is more constant and continuall: the Lord vvill neuer despise thee, nor fayle thee, if thou beest of an humble and contrite heart; but Christ and his Father vvill come in vnto thee, and dwell with thee, if thou hearest his voyce: and openest the dore of thy heart, to entertaine and retaine them. Ponder these places and chew the cud vpon these Promises, Esay 66 2. & 57.15. Psal. 51.17. Reu. 3.••0. Iohn 14 23. yea, hee hath sworne that hee will neuer fayle thee, nor forsake thee h 1.7. Thus when Christs friends and fauouritesi 1.8, eyther sleepe or flye, or faint, an Angell comes to comfort him from heauen: so when hee was alone in the Wildernesse k 1.9. This is Dauids comfort, let it be thine, though Father and Mother forsake thee, yet the Lord taketh thee vp, Psal. 27.10. Hee is thy God and thy salua∣tion, Psal. 18.1. Therefore liue by faith, Hab. 2.4. Heb. 10.38.

6 If thy friends haue receiued kindnesse of thee before time, and now they forget thee, which grieues thee the more.

First, examine thine heart, vvhether thou hast not first beene by committing and conti∣nuing such and such sinnes: vnthankefull and vnkinde to thy GOD, after so many sinnes pardoned, so many mercies receiued, so many comforts renued, so many crosses remoued, &c.

Secondly, Gods dearest ones haue beene more stung vvith this viperous generation then euer thou wast, as Christ with Iudasl 1.10, a Disciple m 1.11, a Diuell, a Viper in his owne bo∣somen 1.12. Pharaohs Butler was vngratefull and vnmindefull of o 1.13 Ioseph and his affliction, euen after his restitution: the Israelites of Gideon, killing with Abimelech his seauentie sonnes, Iudg. 9.15.17.18.

Thirdly, what euer man doe God, is a faith∣full rewarder of all that are his; being not vn∣mindefull of the fruits of thy Faith, eyther in the workes of Pietie towards him, or of Cha∣ritie towards thy Brethren.

7 God hath elected thee and chosen thee, before all time, to life and glory, therefore care not though man reiect thee, 1 Iohn. 3.1.

8 Though thou canst not see thy friends here with comfort, yet ere long thou shalt see GOD as hee is, 1 Iohn 3.2.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Iob 5.13.14.15.16.17.26.27.
• * 1.2

  See Psal. 22.6.7.8.12.13.14. Psal. 69.21.22. applyed to Christ.
• b 1.3

  Luke 22.57.58.
• c 1.4

  Gen. 9.22
• * 1.5

  2 Sam. 6.20.
• g 1.6

  Psal. 9.10 Psal. 51.17
• h 1.7

  I••sh. 1.5. Heb. 13.6.
• i 1.8

  Luke 22.43.46.
• k 1.9

  Mat. 4.11
• l 1.10

  Iohn 18.5
• m 1.11

  Act. 1.16 & v. 25.
• n 1.12

  Psal. 41.9 Ioh. 13.18.
• o 1.13

  Gen. 40.23.