A sovereign antidote against all grief extracted out of the choisest authors, ancient and modern both holy and humane : necessary to be read of all that any way suffer tribulation / by R. Younge ...

Section 1.

2. WEe shall bear the cross with more patience and comfort. If wee consider, that all afflictions, from the least to the great∣est, do come to pass, not by accident, chance, or fortune, but by the speciall providence of God; who not onely decreeth and fore-ap∣pointeth every particular cross, Eccles. 3. 1. Rom. 8. 28. 29. but even effecteth them, and brings them into execution, as they are crosses, corrections, trialls, and chastisements: Isa. 45. 7. Amos 3. 6. and also ordereth and disposeth them; that is, limiteth and appointeth the beginning, the end, the measure, the quality, and the continuance thereof: yea, hee ordereth them to their right ends; namely, his own glory, the good of his servants, and the benefit of his Church: Jer. 30. 11. Gen. 50. 19, 20. 2 Sam. 16. 10. Psal. 39. 9. God useth them but as instruments, wherewith to Work his good pleasure upon us. As what are our enemies, but God's Axes to cut us down, not for the fire, but for the building: God's Masons to •…•…ew us here in the Mountain, that wee may bee as the pollished corner stones of the Temple, Psal. 144. 12. Or admit the Mason pulls down the House, it is not with an intent to destroy it, but to re-edifie it; and raise it up again in better form and fashion. Gods scullions to scowre up the vessell of his House, that they may bee meet for the Masters use.

If then they bee but as instruments, and tools in the hand of the work∣man; wee must not so much look to the instrument, as to the Author, Gen. 45. 5. and 50 20. Well may the Priests of the Philistims doubt whe∣ther their plague bee from God, or by fortune, 1 Sam. 6. 2, 9. but let a Jo∣seph bee sold into Egypt, he will say to his enemies, Yee sent not mee hither, but God; when yee thought evill against mee, God disposed it to good, that bee might bring to pass as it is this day; and save much people alive: Or let a David bee railed upon by any cursed Shimei, hee will answer, Let him alone, for hee curseth, even because the Lord hath bid him curse David: who dare then say, wherefore hast thou done so? 2 Sam 16. 10. Or let a Micha bee trodden upon, and insulted over by his enemie, his answer will bee no other than this. I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, untill he plead my cause, and execute judgment for mee: Mi∣cha 7. 9. The believer that is conversant in God's book, knows that his adversaries are in the hands of God, as a hammer, ax, or rod, in the hand of a smiter; and therefore as the hammer, ax, or rod, of it self can do nothing, any further than the force of the hand using it, gives strength 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to it: so no more can they do any thing at all unto him, further than it is given them from above; as our Saviour told Pilate: Job. 19. 11. See

this in some examples; you have Laban following Jacob with one troop, Esau meeting him with another, both with hostile intentions; both go on till the uttermost point of their execution, both are prevented ere the ex∣ecution: for stay but a while, and you shall see Laban leave him with a kiss, Esau meet him with a kiss; of the one hee hath an oath, tears of the other, peace with both. God makes fools of the enemies of his Church, hee lets them proceed that they may bee frustrate; and when they are gone to the uttermost reach of their teather, hee pulls them back to the stake with shame. Again, you have Senacherib let loose upon Hezekiah and his peo∣ple, who insults over them intolerably: 2 Kings 18. Oh! the lamenta∣ble and (in sight) desperate condition of distressed Jerusalem; wealth it had none, strength it had but a little, all the countrey round about was subdued unto the Assyrian: that proud victor hath begirt the walls of it with an innumerable army, scorning that such a shovell-full of earth should stand out but one day: yet poor Jerusalem stands alone, block'd up with a world of enemies, helpless, friendless, comfortless, looking for the worst of an hostile fury; and on a sudden, before an Arrow is shot into the City, a hundred fourscore and five thousand of their enemies were slain, and the rest run away, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Kings 19. 35, 36. God laughs in heaven at the plots of Tyrants, and befools them in their deepest projects. If hee undertake to protect a people, in vain shall earth, and hell conspire against them. Nothing can bee accomplished in the Lower House of this world, but first it is de∣creed in the Upper Court of heaven; as for example, what did the Jews ever do to our Saviour Christ, that was not first both decreed by the Fa∣ther of Spirits, and registred in the Scriptures for our notice and comfort? They could not so much as throw the Dice for his Coat, but it was pro∣phesied: Psal. 22. 18. and in Psal. 69. 21. It is fore-told that they should give him gall in his meat, and in his thirst, vinegar to drink; the very quality and kind of his drink is prophesied: yea, his face could not be spit upon without a prophesie; those filthy excrements of his enemies fell not upon his face, without God's decree, and the Prophets relation: Isa. 50. 6. Yea, let the Kings of the earth bee assembled, and the Rulers come together; Let Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, gather themselvs in one league against him, it is in vain; for they can do nothing, but what the hand of God and his Counsell hath before determined to bee done: as Peter and John affirmed to the rest of the Disciples, for their better confirmation and comfort: Act. 4. 26. to 29. No, notwithstanding the Devill raged, the Pharisees stormed, Herod and Pilate vexed, Caiaphas prophesied, all combined, and often sought to take him: yet no man-laid hands on him (untill his hour was come that God had appointed): so that by all their plots, they were never able to do him any more hurt, than onely to shew their teeth, Joh. 7. 30. If wee are in league with God, wee need not fear the greatest of men.

Indeed, it was Pilates brag to Christ, knowest thou not that I have pow∣er to crucifie thee? Joh. 19. 10. And Labans to Jacob, Gen. 31. 29. I am able to do you hurt; but they were vain cracks: for doth not Pha∣raohs

overthrow tell all boasting Champions, that an Host is nothing with∣out the God of Hosts. Yea, Satan himself was fain to say unto God in Job's case, stretch out now thine hand, &c. Job 1. 11. and 2. 5. True as Themistocles once said of his son; this boy can do more than any man in all Greece: for the Athenians command the Grecians, and I command the Athenians, and my wife commands, mee, and my son commands my wife: so the Churches adversaries in some places, may boast what their Father the Devill can do: for hee commands the Pope, and the Pope commands the Jesuites, and the Jesuites command such a King, or Emperour, Rev. 17. ver. 12. 13. and that Emperour, or King, commands his Officers of State; and they command the common people. And yet to speak rightly, even all these can do just nothing of themselvs, for hee that sits in the heavens laughing them to scorn, commands all.

Now it must needs comfort and support us exceedingly, if in all cases wee do but duly consider, that inequality is the ground of order, that superi∣our causes guide the subordinate, that this sublunary Globe depends on the celestiall; as the lesser wheels in a Clock do on the great one, which I finde thus expressed:

As in a Clock one motion doth convay, And carry diverse wheels a severall way; Yet altogether by the great wheels sarce, Direct the hand unto his proper course.

Who is hee that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lordcommandeth it not? Lamenta. 3. 37. Suppose the Legions of hell should combine with the Potentates of the earth to do their worst, they are all nothing without God: as in Arithmetick, put never so many Cyphers together, one be∣fore another, and they make nothing; but let one figure bee added, it makes them infinite. So is it with men and Devills; if God bee not with them, they are all but Cyphers: And yet for the praise of his glory, and the good of his Church, these enemies of his, whether they rise or sit still, shall by an insensible ordination performe that will of the Almighty, which they least think of, and most oppose: The inhabitants of Jerusalem, and their Rulers, (because they knew him not, nor yet the words of the Pro∣phets which are read every Sabbath day) have fulfilled them in condemning him, Act. 13. 27. so that as Saint Austin speaks, by resisting the will of God, they do fulfill it: and his will is done by and upon them, even in that they do against his will.

That even Satan himself is limited, and can go no further than his chain will reach, wee may see Rev. 20. 2. More particularly; hee could not touch so much as Job's body or substance, no not one of his servants, nor one limb of their bodies, nor one hair of their heads, nor one beast of their heards, but hee must first beg leave of God, Job 2. 6. Nay Satan is so far from having power over us living, that hee cannot touch our bodies being dead; yea, hee cannot find them when God will conceal them, (witness the body of Moses): and I doubt not, but as the Angells did wait at

the Sepu•…•…chre of their and our Lord: so for his sake, they also watch 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our graves: he could not seduce a false prophet, nor enter into a Hog with∣out licence; the whole Legion sue to Christ for a sufferance, not daring other than to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that without his permission they could not hurt a very Swine.

And when he hath leave from God, what can hee do? hee cannot go one hairs breadth beyond his commission: being permitted, hee could bring Christ himself, and set him on the Pinacle of the Tem∣ple, but hee could not throw him down; which even a little child might have done with permission. As the Lyon, 1 King. 13, killed the Pro∣phet, but neither touched the Ass whereon hee road, no•…•… yet the dead car∣kas contrary to his nature.

True Satan could boast even to Christ himself, that all the world was his, and all the Kingdoms thereof, but when it came to the push, he could not enter into a very Hog, without asking him leave, and having leave given him, hee presently carryed the whole heard headlong into the Sea: Why did hee not so to the man possessed? no thanks to him, hee had leave for the one, not so for the other, and therefore a whole Legion of them were not able to destroy one poor simple man, Matth. 8. ver. 31. 32.

So that all our enemies are curbed and restrained by the divine pro∣vidence of our heavenly Father: Satan may bee his Executioner, but God is the Judge, and the Executioner cannot lay on a stroke more than the Judge appoints,

I confess Satan is so strong comparatively, and withall so crafty and malicious, that wee may with reverence and love, wonder at the mercy of God in our delivery: But this is our comfort, first, that Spirit (as wee have shewn) can do nothing without the God of Spirits. Secondly, wee have the Angells aid, as the Prophet Elisha against that bloody King, 2 King. 6. 17. Lot against the Sodomites, Gen. 19. 10. Jacob against the fear of Esau, Gen. 32. ver. 24. 28. Hezekiah against Senacherib, Isa. 37. 36. and England against that invicible Navie of the Spaniards in Eighty eight. True, they appear not ordinarily, what then? no more do the evill Angels, but the Word of God assures us it is so, the Angel of the Lord pitch∣eth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them, Psal. 34. 7. And do but thou get spirituall eyes, whereby thou mai'st see, as with Moses, the invisible God, so the invisible Angels: do but pray as Elisha for his servant, that thine eyes may bee opened, and then thou shalt see more with thee, than against thee 2 King. 6. 16. 17.

Yea, had wicked men their eyes opened, as Ba•…•…aam once had, they would at every torn see an Angel stand in their way, ready to resist what they go about, as hee did: for this is one of the noble imploiments of those▪ glorious spi•…•…its, to give a strong, though invisible opposition to lewd enterprises: Many a treacherous act have they hindred, without the knowledge of the Traytor. Yea, O! God, many are the dangers which wee see, and fear; innumerable, those wee neither see nor fear,

Therefore to take away all attribution to our selvs, even when wee know not thou do'st deliver us.

Now if it bee fearfull to think how great things evill spirits can do with permission; it is comfortable to think how they can do nothing without permission: for if God must give him leave, hee will never give him leave to do any harm to his chosen, bee will never give him leave to do the least hurt to our souls. Now as by way of concession, every greater includes the less, hee that can lift a Talent, can easily lift a Pound; so by way of de∣nyall, every greater excludes the less. If Satan himself cannot hurt •…•…s, much less his instruments, weak men: but for proof of this, see also an in∣stance or two: that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our hea∣venly Father; and that without leave from him, our enemies cannot di∣minish one hair of our heads; wee have our Saviour's express testimony, Matth. 10. 29. 30. Let the Powder-Traytors plot and contrive the •…•…u∣ine of our state never so cunningly and closey, let them go on to the utmost, (as there wanted nothing but an actor to bring on that Catholick dooms∣day) yet before the match could bee brought to the Powder, their artifi∣ciall fire-works were discovered, their projection, prodition, deperdition, all disclosed, and seasonably returned on their own heads: And the like of their invincible Navie. And of Pope Alexander the sixth, who prepared a feast for diverse Cardinalls and Senators, purposing to poyson them: but by the providence of God, they escaped; and hee alone was poysoned. Let Jezabel fret her heart out, and swear by her gods, that Eliah shall die, yet shee shall bee frustrate; Eliah shall bee safe. Let the red Dragon spout forth floods of venom against the Church, the Church shall have wings given her to flie away, she shal be delivered, Rev. 12. Let the Scribes and Pharisces, with their many false witnesses accuse Christ never so, yet in spite of malice, innocency shall find abbottors: and rather than hee shall want witnesses, the mouth of Pi•…•…ate shall bee opened to his justification. Yea, let Jo•…•…as through frailty run away from the execution and embassage of God's charge, and thereupon bee cast into the Sea, though the waves require him of the Ship, and the Fish require him of the waves, yet the Lord will require him of the Fish: even the Sea, and the Fish, had as great a charge for the Prophet, as the Prophet had a charge for Niniveh: for this is a sure rule, if in case God gives any of the creatures leave to afflict us, yet hee will be sure to lay no more upon us than we are able, or he will make •…•…s able to bear: yea, than shall make for our good, and his glory. Hee hath a provident care over all the Creatures, even Beasts and Plants: and certainly wee are more precious than Fowls and Flowers; yet the Lord cares for them. Will the House-holder take care to water the herbs of his Garden, or to fodder his Cattell, and suffer his Men and Maids to famish through hunger and thirst? Or wil hee provide for his Men and Maids, and let his own children starve? Surely, if a man provide not for his own, Hee hath denyed the faith, and is worse than an Infidell: 1 Tim. 5. 8. Far bee it then from the great Hous-holder, and Judge of allthe earth, not to provide for his dear Children and Servants, what shall bee most necessary

for them: indeed wee may fear our own flesh, as Saint Paul did; but God is faithfull, and will not suffer us to bee tempted above our strength, but will even give the issue with the temptation, and in the mean time support us with his grace, 2 Cor. 12. 9. You have an excellent place to this pur∣pose, Jer. 15. 20, 21.