A counterpoyson, or Soverain antidote against all griefe as also, the benefit of affliction and how to husband it so that the weakest Christian (with blessing from above) may be able to support himself in his most miserable exigents : together with the victory of patience : extracted out of the choicest authors, ancient and modern, both holy and humane : necessary to be read of all that any way suffer tribulation.

CHAP. VII.

That it weanes them from the love of the world.

4. FOurthly, our sufferings weane us from the love of the world, yea, make us loath and contemne it, and contrary wise fix upon Hea∣ven, with a desire to be dissolved. S. Peter at Christs transfiguration, enjoying but a glimpse of hap∣pinesse here, was so ravished and transported with the love of his present estate, that hee breakes out into these words, Master, it is good for us to bee here; hee would faine have made it his dwelling place: and being loath to depart, Christ must make three Tabernacles, Mat. 17. 4. The love of this world so makes us forget the world to come, that like the Israelites we desire rather to live in the troubles of Aegypt, then in the land of pro∣mise. Whereas S. Paul having spoken of his bends in Christ, and of the spirituall combate, concludeth, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is best of all, Phil. 1. 22, 23. Yea, it transported him to heaven before hee came thither: as Mary was not where shee was, but where her desire was, and that was with Christ. Prosperity makes us drunke with the love of the world, like the Gadereans, who preferred their swine before their soules: or him in the parable, that would goe to see his farme, and lose heaven: or the Rich glutton, who never thought of heaven, till he was in hell: and

thousands more, who if they have but something to leave behinde them, 'tis no matter whether they have any thing to carry with them.

But as sleep composeth drunkennes, so the crosse will bring a man to himselfe againe: for when the staffe we so nourish to bare us, becom•• a cudgell to beat us: when we finde the world to serve us, as the Jewes did Christ, carry us up to the top of the hill, and then strive to throw us downe headlong: Luke 4. 29. When the minde is so invested with cares, molested with griefe, vex∣ed with paine, that which way soever we cast our eyes, wee finde cause of complaint: wee more loath the world then ever we loved it, as Amnon did his sister Tamor: yea, when life which is held a friend, becomes an enemy, then death which is an enemy becomes a friend, and is so accounted: as who having cast Ankor in a safe Road, would againe wish himselfe in the stormes of a trou∣blesome Sea?

Yea, in case wee have made some progresse in Reli∣gion, and found a good conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ, (the marrow of all comforts,) and re∣solved with Joseph to forsake our Coate rather than our Faith: yet if the world but make new offers of preferment, or some large improvement of profits and pleasures; we begin to drawback, or at least we know not whether to chuse: like a horse that would, and yet would not leap a ditch. And after a little conflict, ha∣ving halfe yeelded to forsake that with joy, which can∣not be kept but with danger; we resolve thus: The same God which hath made my crosses cheerefull, can aswell make my prosperity conscionable. Why then should I refuse so faire an offer: but alas, having made our obayce, it is not long ere these pleasures and honours, these ••icbes and abundance, prove as thornes, to choake the good

seed of Gods word formerly sow••e in our hearts: as it is Math. 13. 22. For prosperity to Religion, is as the Ivy to the Oake, it quickly eates out the heart of it: yea, as the Misselto and Ivy (sucking by their straight embra∣ces, the very sap, that onely giveth vigetation from the rootes of the Oake and Hawthorne,) will stourish when the Trees wither: so in this case, the corr••ption of the good is alwayes the generation of the evill: and so on the contrary, crosses in the estate, diseases of the body, malladies of the minde, are the medsons of the soule: the impayring of the one, is the repayring of the other.

When no man would harbour that unthrift Son in the Gospell, hee turned back againe to his Father, but never before. Lais of Corinth while she was young, doa∣ted upon her glasse, but when she grew old and withered, shee loathed it as much, which made her give it up to Venus. When Satan is let loose upon us to shew us our sinnes, and the danger wee are in, then farewell profit, farwell pleasure, treasure, and all, rather than I will endure such a racke, such a hell in my consci∣ence.

Whereas if wee should onely heare of misery, or reade what is threatned in the word: though it might a little fright us, it would never mend us. Birdes are frighted at first, with the husbandmans scar-crowes, but after a while, observing that they stir not, are bold to sit upon them, and defile them.

Thus as harmonious sounds are advanced by a silent darkenesse, so are the glad tydings of salvation. The Gos∣pell never sounds so sweet, as in the night of persecu∣tion, or of our private affliction.

When Virtue came downe from heaven (as the Poets faigne) rich men spurned at her, wicked men abhorred her, Courtyors scoft at her, Citizens hated her; and being

thrust out of doores in every place, she came at last to her sisters, poverty and affliction: and of them found entertainment. When it ceased to bee with Sarah after the manner of the world, shee conceived Isaac: so when it ceaseth to be with us after the manner of the worlds favorites, we conceive holy desires, quietnesse, and tranquil∣lity of minde, with such like spirituall contentments. Yea, we make faith our onely option: whereas before we kept open house for all vices, as the States are said to keepe open house for all Religions: or if not, it fares with piety as with holy water, every one praiseth it, and thinkes it hath some rare vertue in it; but offer to sprin∣kle them with the ••••me, they shut their eyes, and turne away their faces: and no marvell, for wee never taste this manna from heaven, untill we leave the leaven of this Aegypt.

Now better the body or estate perish, than the soule: though wee are too sensuall to consent unto it, Plus pa∣stor, in vulnere gregis, sui vulneratur. The losse of a gracelesse childe cannot but greive the father, though the father himselfe were in danger of mischiefe by that childe: as David mourned for Absolom that would have cut his throat. True prosperity is hearty meat, but not digestible by a weake stomack; strong wine, but naught for a weake braine: The prosperity of fooles de∣stroyeth them, Prov. 1. 32. So that all temporall bles∣sings, are as they hit: but if the minde doe not answer, they were better mist. The more any man hath, the more cause he hath to pray, Lord leade us not into temptation: for wee cannot so heartily thinke of our home above, whiles we are furnished with these earthly conten••ments below; but when God strips us of them, straitwayes our minde is homewards. Whiles Naomies husband and sonnes were alive, wee finde no motion of her re∣tiring

home to Judah; let her earthly stayes be remo∣ved, she thinkes presently of removing to her Courstry: a delicious life, when every thing about us is resplen∣dent and contentfull, makes us that we have no minde to goe to Heaven; wherefore as a loving mother, when shee would weane her childe from the dug, maketh it bitter with Wormewood or Aloes; so dealeth the Lord with us, he maketh this life bitter unto us by suffering our enemies to persecute and oppresse us; to the end wee may contemne the world, and transport our hopes from Earth to Heaven; he makes us weepe in this Vale of misery, that wee may the more eagerly long for that place of felicity, where all teares shall bee wip't from our eyes. Our wine (saith Gregory) hath some Gall put into it, that wee should not be so delighted with the way, as to forget wh••ther wee are going. And this is no small abatement to the bitternesse of adversities, that they teach us the way to Heaven: for the lesse comfort we finde on earth, the more we seeke above, and the more wee esteeme the best things: and wee are very ungratefull if we do not thanke him for that which so overcomes us, that it overcomes the love of the world in us.

Experience shewes, that in Countries where be the greatest plenty of fruits, they have the shortest lives, they doe so surfet on their aboundance. Sicily is so full of sweet flowers, if we beleeve Diodorus Siculus, that dogs cannot hunt there; and it is questionable whether the injoying of outward things, or the contemning of them be the greatest happinesse: for to be deprived of them is but to be deprived of a Dye, wherewith a man might either win or lose; yea, doth not a large portion of them many times prove to the Owner like a treacherout Dye indeed, which flatters an improvident Gantester

with his ow••e hand to thr••w away his wealth to ano∣ther? Or to yeeld it the uttermost, gold may make a man the richer, not the better; honour may make him the higher, not the happier: and all temporall delights are but as flowers, they onely have their moneth and are gone; this morning in the bosome, the next in the Besome.

The consideration whereof, made the very Heathen Philosophers hate this world, though they saw not where to finde a better. Yea, it made Themistocles so under∣value transitory thing•• in comparison of vertue, that see∣ing rich Brac••lots of previous stones, lie in his path, he ••ad his friend take them up, saying, Thou art not Themisto∣cles. And indeed in ••s Heaven onely that hath a founda∣tion, Earth hath none, God hath hanged it upon nothing: and the things therein are very nothing.

Nothing feeds pride nor keepes off repentance so much as, prosperous advantage. Tis a wonder to see a Favou∣rite study for ought but additions to his Greatnesse; God shall have much adoe to make him know himselfe. The cloath that hath many staines must passe through many ••arders: no lesse than an odious leaprosie will humble Naaman; wherefore by it the onely wise God thought meet to sawc•• the valour, dignity, renowne, victories, of that famous Generall of the Syrians. If I could be so uncharitable as to wish an enemies soule lost, this were the onely way, let him live in the height of the worlds blandishments; for how can he love a second Mistresse that never saw but one beauty, and still continues deep∣ly inamoured on it? Why is the Lapwing made an Hieroglyphicke of infelicity? but because it hath a lit∣tle Corronet upon the head, and yet feeds upon the worst of excrements. The Peacock hath more painted Plumes, yet is the Eagle accounted the Queene of Birdes, be∣cause

she flyeth neerest he••ven. We often see, nothing carries us so far from God, as those favours he hath im∣ported to us. Tis the misery of the poore to be neglected of men; tis the misery of the rich to neglect their God: The B••dger being wounded with the prickles of the Hedghog his invited guest, whom at first hee welcomed and entertained in his Cabbi•• as an inward friend, man∣nerly desiring him to depart in kindnesse, as he came; could receive no other answer then that hee for his owne part found himselfe very well at ease, and they that were not, had reason to seeke out another seat that might like them better. It is but a fable, yet the morrall is true, perspicuous, profitable. Many shall one day repent that they were happy too soone. Many a man cryes out, O that I were so rich, so healthfull, so quiet, so happy, &c. Alas, though thou hadst thy wish for the present, thou shouldst (perhaps) be a loser in the sequoll. The Physi∣tian doth not heare his Patient in what he would, yet heareth him in taking occasion to doe another thing more conducible to his health. God loves to give us cooles and heats in our desires, and will so allay our joyes, that their fruition hurt us not: he knowes that as it is with the body touching meates, the greater plenty, the lesse dainty; and too long forbearance causes a Surfet, when wee come to full food: So it fares with the minde touching worldly contentments; therefore hee feeds us not with the dish, but with the spoone, and will have us neither cloyed nor famished. In this life, Mercy and mi∣sery, griefe and Grace, Good and bad, are blended one with the other; because if we should have nothing but comfort, Earth would be thought Heaven: besides, if Christ-tide lasted all the yeare, what would become of Lent? If every day were Good-friday, the world would be weary of F••sting. Secundus calls death a sleepe eter∣nall;

the wicked mans feare, the godly mans wish. Where the conscience is cleare, death is looked for without feare; yea, desired with delight, accepted with devotion: why, it is but the cessation of trouble, the extinction of sinne, the deliverance from enemies, a rescue from Satan, the quiet rest of the body, and infranchizement of the soule. The wo∣man great with childe, is ever musing upon the time of her delivery: and hath not hee the like cause, when Death is his Bridge from woe to glory? Though it bee the wicked mans shipwrack, tis the good mans putting into harbour: And hereupon finding himselfe hated, persecuted, afflicted, and tormented, by enemies of all sorts, he can as willingly leave the world, as others can for∣goe the Court: yea, as willingly dye as dine; yea, no woman with childe did ever more exactly count her time. No Jew did evermore earnestly wish for the Jubily, No servant so desires the end of his yeares, No stranger so longs to be at home: as he expects the pro∣mise of Christs comming. It is the strength of his hope, the sweet object of his faith, in the midst of all sor∣rowes the comfort of his heart; the heart of all his com∣forts, the incouragement of his wearied spirits, the common clasule, the continuall period and shutting up of his prayers, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Whereas the worlds favourites goe as unwillingly from hence, as boyes from the midst of a game. Neither hath the rich man so much advantage of the poore in injoying, as the poore hath of the rich, in leaving. True, rich men may also learne this slight: for the way to grieve lesse, is to love lesse. And indeed, what shouldst thou doe in case thou seest that the world runs not on thy side, but give over the world, and be on Gods side? Let us care little for the world, that cares so little for us; let us crosse saile, and turne another way; let us goe forth therefore

out of the Campe, bearing his reproach; for we have no con∣tinuing Citie, but we seeke one to come, Heb. 13. 13, 14.