Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

THE NURTURE OF CHILDREN. THE XLVII. SERMON.

APOC. 3.19.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.

Right Honourable, &c.

THat which Pliny writeth, and experience confirmeth concerning hony-combes, that the thinner and weaker ho∣ny runs out of them at the first, but the thickest and best is pressed & squeezed out of them at the last; we find for the most part in handling Texts of holy Scripture, com∣pared by the Propheta 1.1 David to hony-combs, the easier & more vulgar observations flow out of them upon the lightest touch, but we are to presse each phrase and circumstance before we can get out the thickest hony, the choicest and most usefull doctrines of in∣spired wisedome. The more we sucke these combes, the more we may, the hony proveth the sweeter, the combe the moister; and, which is nothing lesse to be admired, the spirituall taste is no way cloyed therewith. Where∣fore with your good liking and approbation, I will presse again and againe these mellifluous combes in our Saviours lips, dropping celestiall doctrine sweeter than hony, to delight the most distempered taste, and sharper than it, to cleanse the most putrefied sore. I rebuke and chasten; there is the sharpnesse, and as it were the searching vertue of hony: As many as I love, there is the sweetnesse.

Parallel Texts of Scripture, like glasses set one against another, cast a mu∣tuall light: such is this Text, and that Deut. 8.5. Thou shalt also consider in thy heart, that as a man chasteneth his sonne, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee: and, Job 5.17. Despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: and, Prov. 3.11, 12. My sonne, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither bee

weary of his correction: for whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, even as a father doth the sonne in whom he delighteth: and, Hebr. 12.7. If yee endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sonnes: for what sonne is he whom the father chasteneth not? As a Musician often toucheth upon the sweetest note in his song, Paven or Galliard; so doth the holy Spirit upon this: and there∣fore we ought more especially to listen to it. For,

1. It convinceth the Papists, who over-value crosses and afflictions, ac∣counting the bearing of them satisfactions for sinnes. For with a like pride, whereby they cry up their actions to be meritorious, they would improve their passions to be workes satisfactory (by satisfactory intending such as make amends unto the justice of God) wherein they as much over-reach, as they supererogate, or rather superarrogate in the former. Satis∣factions to our brethren for wrongs done unto them, by restitution, mulct or acknowledgement of our fault, with asking forgivenesse for it, we both teach and practise: but they shall never be able to satisfie us in this point, that any thing they can doe or suffer, can satisfie God. Neither can our actions satisfie his law, nor our penall sufferings his justice: none can satis∣fie for sinne, but he that was without sinne: nothing can recompence an in∣finite transgression, but an infinite submission, or to speake more properly, the submission and passion of him that was infinite. It cost more to redeem sinnes than the world is worth: and therefore they must let that alone for him, whof 1.2 trod the wine-presse alone. Before, I noted the difference between chastisement and punishment, in the one a compensation of wrong done to the person or law, is intended; in the other a testifying of love, and a care of amendment of the party chastened. Who would ever be so unreasona∣ble, as to thinke, that a few stripes given by a tender-hearted father to the childe whom he most dearly affecteth, were a satisfaction for the losse of a Diamond of great price? yet our sufferings hold not such a proportion. For what are our finite and momentary sufferings to the offence given to an infinite Majesty? Nothing can be set in the other scale against it to weigh it downe, but the manifold sufferings of an equall and infinite person, the e∣ternall Sonne of God. Neither will it help our adversaries any whit to say, that Christ satisfied for the eternall, but not for the temporall punishment of our sinnes. For this is all one as to say, that our Redeemer laid downe a talent of gold for us, yet not a brasse token: or payd many millions of pounds, yet not a piece. The Apostle said, hee gave himselfe ag 1.3 ransome for all: will they deny it to be a sufficient one? or was there any defect in his good intention? They have not rubbed their foreheads so hard, as to af∣firme any such thing. Well then, let them tell us how that man is perfect∣ly ransomed by another, who is still kept in prison till he have discharged part of his ransome himselfe. This very conceit, that they merit by their actions, or satisfie by their passions, taketh away not only all merit, but all worth from them both.

2. It instructeth the penitent: for if afflictions are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, discipline and nurture, then somewhat is to be learned by them. It is good for mee, saithh 1.4 David, that I was in trouble, that I might learne thy statutes. Blessed is he, saith Saint* 1.5 Gregory, who is chastened of the Lord, Quia eruditur ad beati∣tudinem; because he is set in the right way to blessednesse. The Greekes

say in their Proverb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Latines answer them both in the rime & reason, Nocumenta documenta, that is, we gain wit by our losses, and the rod imprinteth learning into us. What wee learne in particular by it, I shall God willing declare at large hereafter: this lesson shall suffice for the present, That as a loving father never beateth his child without a fault, so neither doth God chasten us without a cause: our sins are the cords which furnish his whip.* 1.6 It is true that sinne is not the adaequate or onely cause for which God striketh his children, yet is it alwayes causa sine quâ non, a cause without which hee never striketh them.i 1.7 Although neither the blind man his sinne, nor his fathers were the cause why hee was borne blind more than o∣ther men, but that through the miraculous cure of his blindnesse all might see the divine power of Christ; yet certaine it is that hee and his father for their sinnes deserved it or a greater punishment. Likewise Jobs sinnes were not the cause why the arrowes of the Almighty fell thicker upon him than any other, but it was to make him a rare mirrour of patience, and convince Satan of his false slander, and to take occasion of crowning him with greater blessings in this life, and everlastingly rewarding him hereafter; yet Job de∣nies not that those calamities fell justly upon him:k 1.8 I have sinned, saith he, O Lord, what shall I doe unto thee, O thou preserver of men?

3 It comforteth all that are afflicted: there are as many arguments of comfort in it, as words of arguments. Is any man either impoverished with losses, or visited with sicknesse, or strucken with soares, or oppressed with heavie burdens, or pined with famine, or grieved with death of friends, or affrighted with terrours of conscience? let him lay this text of holy writ to his heart, and it will presently asswage his paine, and in the end, if not cure his malady, yet make it sufferable, yea and comfortable also to him. Let him thus question with himselfe: Who afflicteth me? It is answered, God, I. How proceedeth hee to afflict? After warning, and upon convicti∣on, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, rebuke. What are afflictions? chastisements, and chasten. Whom doth he thus afflict? only some stubborn and obstinate sinners, or desperate cast-a-wayes? nay, but all his children, as many. Why afflicteth he? Because he loveth them. I. It is God that smiteth me, can I resist his power? must I not obey his will? Rebuke. Hee hath given me warning before, and I suffer but what I deserve:

Quae venit ex merito poena ferenda venit.

Chasten. Hee inflicteth with griefe, moderateth with love, guideth with fatherly providence what hee ordereth mee to suffer; shall I refuse nurture, and shew my selfe a bastard and no sonne? had I rather hee should leave me to my selfe, to follow my owne courses, according to the bent of my cor∣rupt nature, with a purpose to deprive mee of his glory, and dis-inherite me of his kingdome? As many. Hee disciplineth all his children, am I better than all the rest? As I love. His only motive herein is his love, and shal I take that ill which is sent to mee in love? shall I bee afraid of, and refuse love to∣kens? shall I bee grieved and dismaid because I have now more sensible ex∣perience of his care and love than ever before? To joyne all together, to make of them all a strong bulwarke against impatiency in all sorts of afflicti∣ons and tribulations: Shall wee either stubbornly refuse, or ungraciously

despise, or take unkindly after all faire meanes by us sleightened, the deser∣ved chastisement of our heavenly father, which with great moderation and greater griefe, he inflicteth upon all his deerest children in love? Can we just∣ly repine at any thing offered us upon these tearmes? is not this salve of the spirit alone of it selfe able to allay the most swelling tumour of the greatest hearts griefe? I rebuke and chasten as many as I love.

Rebuke and chasten. So doth the Translatour render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, tru∣ly and answerably to the main intent of the Spirit, but not fully and agreea∣bly to the nature of the letter: wee have no one English word capable of the whole contents of the two words in the originall.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 primarily signifieth to evict or convince, to give evidence of any thing or against any person, to lay his sinnes open before him, in such sort that hee cannot but see them, and bee ashamed of them; as in these passages,l 1.9 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,m 1.10 and, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,n 1.11 and, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Faith is the evidence of things not seene; and, I will rebuke thee, and set thy sinnes in order before thy face; and, Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse, but by the light of truth discover and openly rebuke them. Like∣wise 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a word much more pregnant than chasten; and, if you will have it in one word expressed, is, I nurture, or, I discipline: for the word implyeth as well instruction as correction. Now out of the nature of the phrase, which signifieth to rebuke upon conviction, or evidently convince by reproofe, and the order of the words, first rebuke, and then chasten, All Judges and Ministers of justice are lessoned to bee better instructed and in∣formed in the causes they sentence, than usually they are; to sift matters to the very bran, to weigh all circumstances together before they give judgement. For to reprove without cause deserveth reproofe, to censure without a fault deserveth censure, and to punish without conviction deserveth punishment.o 1.12 Punishing justice if it fall not upon a party legally convicted, is it selfe inju∣stice, and punishable in a Magistrate. Now that they who are in authority may not exercise injustice in stead of executing justice,

1 They must indifferently heare both parties. Philip kept an eare alwayes for the defendant:p 1.13 Demosthenes in his famous oration for Ctesiphon, put∣teth the Athenian Judges in mind of this, which he calleth the first law of equity, to heare both the plaintiffe and defendant with indifferency. For asq 1.14 Seneca saith truely, Hee that giveth a right judgement without hearing both parties, is no righteous Judge: and thereforer 1.15 Suetonius justly chargeth Claudius with injustice, for precipitating his sentence before hee had gi∣ven a full hearing to both parties, nay sometimes to either.

2 They must lay all that they heare, and what is brought on both sides, in an even ballance, and poyse them together: Res cum re, causa cum causâ, ratio cum ratione concertet; by the collision of arguments on both sides the fire of truth is struck out. Protagoras his exception was good against them, who to prove the providence of their paynim gods, brought a number painted in a Table of them that calling upon them escaped shipwracke: At picti non sunt, inquit, qui naufragio perierunt; True, saith he, but none of those who notwithstanding their prayers to them suffered shipwracke, are any where painted, neither is there any register kept of them.

3 They must maturely advise, and seriously consider of the matter before they

passe sentence. The eye unlesse it bee fixed upon the object, cannot perfect∣ly discerne it, nor distinguish it from things that are neare and like unto it. And howsoever in a cleare water we may easily perceive any thing that is in the bottome, yet if it bee troubled wee cannot: and in every Court there are many troublers of the water, the Lawyers by their wrangling, and the witnesses by their varying, the Judges by their different opinions, (to speake nothing of Angels also troubling the cleere streame of justice at cer∣taine times.)

4 The eyes of their judgement must bee free from all mists of prejudice, and clouds of affection. For as that which a man looketh upon through red or greene glasse, seemeth to bee of that colour the glasse is of, though it bee of a far different, if not a contrary: so that which wee judge out of a forestal∣led conceit, or prejudicate opinion, seemeth to answer to our opinion of it, how contrary soever it bee. The Romane souldiers, ast 1.16 Lactantius noteth, thought verily that the goddesse worshipped at Syracuse, being demanded whether shee would bee carryed by them to Rome, answered, that shee would: not that the image spake any such word, but because they were before strongly perswaded that the goddesse would give such an answere. Unlesse those that sit in judgement observe these rules, they may easily take 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a fallacy for a demonstration, and a malitious ca∣lumniation for a legall conviction. If their eyes be either dimme with pri∣vate affection, or blinded with rewards, or wink through carelesnesse, or are shut through wilfulnesse; that will fall out which S.u 1.17 Cyprian so grievously complaineth of, Injustice sitteth in the place of justice, and even in the sight of the lawes, hanging about the judgement, seat the lawes are broken: the Judge who sitteth to revenge wrongs offered, offereth that which hee should revenge, and committeth that which hee should punish (and hath his conscience coloured with sinnes of a deeper dye than the scarlet of his robes.) The Empresse wisely advised her husband, when sitting at play, and minding (as it seemes) that more than the cause before him, hee rashly pronounced sentence; Non est vita hominum ludus talorum, The sitting upon life and death is not like the playing a game at Tables, where a Table-man of wood is taken up by a blot, and throwne aside without any great losse; the life of man is of more worth than so. Though all men detested Seianus, and that most deservedly, yet when they heard him adjudged to a most cruell and infamous death by no legall pro∣ceedings or course of justice, the hate of all men recoyled backe upon the Judges, and the people began to pity that great favourite, who before was most odious: Crepat ingens Seianus, great Seianus is drawn upon an hurdle, and hee suffereth for too much abusing his Princes favour.

* 1.18—Sed quo cecidit sub crimine? quisnam Delator? quibus indiciic? quo teste probavit? &c. Nil horum: Verbosa & grandis epistola venit A Capreis. Benè habet, nil plus interrogo.—

What crime was laid to his charge? what evidence was given in against him? what witnesses were sworne? I heare of none: onely I heare of a long letter sent from the Emperour, taking his pastime at the Capreae. Hush, not

a word more. Who doth not observe in our owne Chronicles how God met to Hastings his owne measure, who the same day that the Earle Rivers, Gray, and others, in the reigne of Edward the fourth, without triall of law, were by his advice executed at Pomfret, had his head strucken off in the same manner in the Tower of London? Such as Tiberius his Judges, or Edward the fourth's, are no fit Presidents for Christian Magistrates; this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in my text will evidently convince them at Christs tribunall in the clouds, for not looking better to their evidence when they sate on the bench here below: let them therefore take judi∣cii praefidem for a president in their judgements, even God himselfe; who, as weex 1.19 reade, though the sinne of Sodome were exceeding great, and the cry of it went up to heaven, yet came downe from heaven to see whether they had done according to that cry,* 1.20 before hee rained down fire and brimstone, to burn their bodies with unnaturall fire, whose soules burned with unnatu∣rall lust.

As the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I rebuke, rebuketh the carelesnesse & rashnesse of Jud∣ges and Magistrates, in giving sentence upon the life or state of any in que∣stion before them: so the other word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I instruct by chastening, instru∣cteth fathers and mothers to performe that duty which they owe to God, and must performe to their children, viz. before them continually to re∣hearse the law of God,y 1.21 To talke of it when they are in their house, and when they walke abroad, when they lye down, and when they rise up. Above all things they must take care to season their young and tender years with pure and in∣corrupt religion, and bring them up in the feare of God: otherwise they are but halfe parents, if they have not as well a care of their soules as of their bodies; if they pamper the flesh in them, but starve the spirit; if they labour not to bee Gods instruments for their eternall, as they have beene for their temporall life. Doubtlessez 1.22 Solomon, who injoineth children to heare their fathers instruction, and not to forsake the law of their mother, because they shall be as an ornament of grace unto their head, and chaines about their necke, im∣plieth in the duty of children to receive, the duety of parents to give them such instructions and lawes. What yeares fitter to lay the ground colour of vertue and true religion,* 1.23 than those which are the more capable thereof, because as yet without any tincture at all? when better forming the mould of the heart and affections than when it is softest? and who rather to doe it than a father, whose workmanship next after God the child is? If it have a∣ny blemish or deformity of body, bee it a scar in the face, or stammering in the tongue, or wrinesse in the necke, or disproportion in any limbe, what will not a tender hearted parent doe to take away such a blemish, and rectifie such a distortion? All children are borne with worser defor∣mities in their soule than these imperfections are in their bodie, and yet how few parents take them to heart? Scarce one of an hundred attendeth up∣on Gods ordinance, and useth the meanes therein prescribed to cure the naturall blindnesse of ignorance, or to purge the dregges of con∣cupiscence in them, or to breake them of many ill customes and ha∣bites growing upon them. If children stammer out good words, or pronounce them lispingly, their fathers and mothers are offended at it, and rebuke them for it; but if they speake plainly and distinctly their

words, though they bee never so rotten and unsavoury, they make much of them for it: Verba ne Alexandrinis quidem permittenda de∣liciis, risu & osculo excipiunt. Hence it commeth to passe that they can speake ill before they can well speake, and drinke-in many vices with their mothers milke, and get such ill customes and habites, which after∣wards when, they would, they cannot leave; because, according to our true Proverbe, That will never out of the flesh which is bread in the bone. It would touch the quickest veines in the heart of a Christian Parent, to heare what a grievous complaint divers children made against their fathers & mothers ina 1.24 S. Cyprian his dayes. Alas, what have we done that wee are thus pitiful∣ly tormented? The negligence, or treachery, or misguided zeale of our parents hath brought all this misery upon us; wee perish through others default; our fa∣thers and mothers have proved our murderers; they that gave us our naturall life bereaved us of a better, by depriving us of the wholesome nourishment of the Word, and giving us a scorpion in stead of fish; they plunged us in the mire of all sensuall pleasures, when they should have dipped us in the sacred Laver of regeneration; they kept us from God our Father, and the Church our Mother.

But I will not longer insist upon this observation, because (as I conceive) the Spirit useth this speech not so much to set an edge upon our religious care & diligence, as give a backe to our patience; only I propose Monica the mo∣ther of S. Austin as a pattern to all parents:b 1.25 Shee endured, saith hee, grea∣ter sorrow, and was longer in travell for my second birth than my first, and much more rejoiced at it; shee continued her fervent prayers day and night, with sighes of griefe and teares of love, for my conversion. Sometimes shee sought to winne mee by sweet allurements, sometimes by sharpe threats, sometimes by force of argument, sometimes by vehemency of passion; she dealt with many learned Bishops to conferre with me, to convince me of my errors, whereof one sent her away with this comfort;* 1.26 Fieri non potest ut filius tantarum lachrymarum pereat; It is not possible that a child should miscarry, for whom the mother hath taken so much thought, and shed so many teares. This care of planting religion in the hearts of children, as ground new broken up, and watering the roots of grace in them by frequent admo∣nitons and instructions, is assigned for the chiefe cause of those extraordina∣ry blessings which God bestowed upon Abraham: for so wee read,c 1.27 Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I doe, seeing he shall be a mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall bee blessed in him? for I know him, that hee will command his sonnes, and his houshold after him, that they shall keepe the way of the Lord, to doe justice and judge∣ment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which hee hath spoken of him.

Now because such is the wantonnesse and stubbornnesse of most chil∣dren, that they cannot be taught any thing without fear of the rod, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is in some sort appropriated to gentle corrections, such as are used by Masters and Fathers in the nurturing and teaching their scholars and chil∣dren. Wherein God taketh a cleane contrary course to the custome of most earthly parents: for they commonly beat those children whom they affect not, and lay stripes upon them often without cause or mercy; but they are

most indulgent unto, cocker up, and never leave embracing and kissing their darlings: God contrariwise scourgeth that childe most, whom he most delighteth in. Why? taketh hee any pleasure to see his dearest childrens eyes swolne with weeping, their cheekes blubbered with teares, their flesh torne with rods? Surely no: for they that are in such a plight, are rather ruefull spectacles of misery, than amiable objects of love: how then doth he that in love, which he loveth not to doe? Is not that elegant speech of Saint Austine a riddle, Castigat quos amat, non tamen amat Castigare; Hee chasteneth whom he loves, yet he loves not to chasten? None at all: for a Surgeon launceth the flesh of his dearest friend or brother in love, yet he taketh no pleasure in launcing, nor would doe it at all, but to prevent the festring of the sore.

The best answer to the former objection will be, to assigne the reasons why God in justice and in love cannot oftentimes withhold his rod from his dearest children. To speake nothing of the reliques of originall sin in us after Baptisme, which like cindars are still apt to set on fire Gods wrath, and like an aguish matter left after a fit, still cause new paroxysmes of Gods judgements: ease it selfe and rest casteth us into a dead sleep of security, which we are never thoroughly awaked of, till God smite us on the side, as thed 1.28 Angel did Peter. Prosperity, and a sequence of temporall blessings, like fatnesse in the soyle, breed in the mind a kind of ranknesse, which the sorrowes of afflictions eate out. Moreover, worldly pleasures distemper the taste of the soule, so that it cannot rellish wholsome food; which evill is cured by drinking deep in the cup of teares. Neither seemeth it to stand with the justice of God, that they who are to triumph in heaven, should performe no worthy service in his battels upon the earth. It is too great ambition for any Christian to desire two heavens; and to attaine greater happinesse than our Lord and King, who tooke his crosse in his way to his Kingdome, and was crowned with thornes before hee was crowned with glory.e 1.29 Lactantius rightly observeth, Bonis brevibus mala aeterna, & ma∣lis brevibus bona aeterna succedunt: that we are put to our choice, either to passe from momentary pleasures to everlasting paines, or to passe from momentary paines to everlasting pleasures; either to forgoe transitory de∣lights for eternall joyes, or to buy the pleasures of sinne for a season at the deare rate of everlasting torments. Were there no necessity of justice, that they who are to receive a superexcellent weight of glory, should beare hea∣vie crosses in this life; nor congruity of reason, that they who are to be sa∣tisfied with celestiall dainties, should fast here, and taste of bitter sorrowes, that they might better rellish their future banquet: yet it were an indeco∣rum at least, that the Captaine should beare all the brunt, and endure all the hardnesse, and the common souldier endure nothing; that the head should be crowned with thornes, and the members softly arrayed; that the head should be spit upon, and the members have sweet oyntments poured on them. Wherefore Saint Paul teacheth us, that all whom God fore-knew, he predestinated to be made conformable to thef 1.30 image of his Sonne, who was so disfigured with buffets, stripes, blowes, and wounds, that the Pro∣phet saith, he had nog 1.31 forme in him. What himselfe spake of the children of Zebedee, appertaines to us all, Ye shallh 1.32 drink of my cup, and be baptized with

the baptisme wherewith I am baptized withall. By baptisme he meaneth not to be dipped only in the waters of Marah, but to be plunged in them over head and eares, as the ancient manner of baptisme was. He who was nailed to the Crosse for us, will have us take up ouri 1.33 crosse and follow him. He that endured so much to shew his love to us, will have us in some sort to answer him in love: which as it is a passion, so it is tryed rather by passions than by actions; in which respect we must not only doe, but suffer for his sake, that our love may be compleat both in parts and degrees. To you it isk 1.34 gi∣ven, saith Saint Paul, not only to beleeve in him, but to suffer for his sake. For hel 1.35 suffered for us, giving us an example. Should he have suffered all for us, and as he tooke away all sinne, so all suffering from us, carrying away all crosses and tribulations with him; patience should not have had her worke among other divine vertues and graces, and thereby our crowne of glory should have wanted one most faire and rich jewell. Wherefore God, who is all goodnesse, desirous to make us partakers of all the goodnesse which our nature is capable of, by the misery of his distressed members giveth matter for our charity and compassion, by our continuall temptations mat∣ter for faith, by conflicts with heretickes and persecuters matter for con∣stancy, by the dangers of this life matter for wisedome, by our manifold infirmities and frailties matter for humility, by chastenings and afflictions matter for patience to worke upon.

Whether for these, or any better reasons, best knowne to himselfe, it is that our heavenly Father holdeth a heavie hand sometimes over his dearest children, certaine it is, that few or none of them escape his stroake: he cha∣steneth as many as hee loveth; or, as wee reade Hebr. 12.6. hee scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth: therefore all thatn 1.36 will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer affliction. Afflictions are in our way to heaven: for wee must through manyo 1.37 afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God. Before wee sing the song of Moses and the servants of God, we are to swimme through a sea of burning glasse: the sea is this present life, swelling with pride, wan with envie, boyling with wrath, deep with fraud and malice, foming with luxuriousnesse, ebbing and flowing with inconstancy; which is here said to be ofp 1.38 glasse, to signifie the brittle nature thereof; and burning, to represent the furnace of adversity, wherein the godly are still tryed and purified in this world. And that we may not thinke, that God his rod is for those on∣ly who are habes in Christ Jesus, let us set before us David and Jeremy: the former a man after Gods owne heart; the latter a Prophet sanctified from his mothers wombe: the former laid his heart a soaking in the brine of afflicti∣ons: Everyq 1.39 night (saith hee) wash I my bed, and water my couch with my teares: and,r 1.40 I have eaten ashes for bread, and teares have been my drinke day and night. The other cryeth out in the bitternesse of his soule, I am the man that have seen* 1.41 affliction in the rod of his indignation. Hee hath bent his bow, and made mee a marke for his arrowes, and hath filled mee with bitter∣nesse, and made mee drunke with wormwood. Verily Job sipped not of the cup of trembling, but tooke such a deep draught, that it bereft him in a man∣ner of all sense, and put him so far besides himselfe, that he curseth the very day of his birth, and would have it razed out of the calendar:s 1.42 Let that day be darkned, let the shadow of death obscure it, let it not be joyned to the dayes of the

yeer, nor let it come within the count of the moneths: why dyed I not in my birth? why dyed I not when I came out of the wombe? Yee heare the loud cryes of Gods children, whereby yee perceive they feele oftentimes the smart of their Fathers rod, and are sore beat by him.

* 1.431. Is it so? doth God chasten every sonne whom he receiveth? nay in whom he delighteth, not sparing his only beloved sonne, with whom he was ever well pleased? why then should we looke to be priviledged and exemp∣ted from the orders of Christs schoole? How nice and tenderly have wee been brought up, that we cannot endure the sight of our heavenly Fathers rod? We sticke to sip of that cup which was Davids diet-drinke; and Jere∣my and Job tooke it all off: are we better than these holy men? nay are we too good to pledge our Saviour in the cup of his passion? Doe we breathe out some sighes in our crosses? hee sighed out his last breath in torments upon the crosse: Nos suspiramus in cruciatibus, ille expiravit in cruce. Doe our troubles and vexations draw some watery teares from our eyes? his drew from him teares of bloud, yea clotted bloud from all parts of his body. Doth the burthen of our sinnes presse our soules? the burthen of the sinnes of the whole world lay upon him. Are wee pricked with cares? hee was crowned with thorns. Are we cruciated? he was crucified. Tacitus reporteth, that though the amber ring among the Romans were before of no value, yet after the Emperour began to weare it, it became to be in great esteem: so (mee thinkes) sith our Lord and Saviour both bore his crosse, and was borne upon it, we should make better reckoning of crosses; and it should be coun∣ted an honour for every Christian to take up his crosse and follow him.

2. Againe, doth God chasten as many as he loveth; and consequently, loveth them not at all whom he never chasteneth? how far then are most of us besides the matter in our judgement, and opinion of these things? If we see a man flourish in prosperity, we commonly say such a man is belo∣ved of God; for he thriveth in the world, and all things prosper with him: but if on the sudden all the fruits of his labours are blasted with some sharp wind of adversity, if wee see him never without some griefe or other, some crosse or other, we alter our opinion, and suppose him to be some wretch, whom God plagueth for his sinnes. If the Viper be upon Pauls hand, hee is presently at 1.44 murderer, whom vengeance would not suffer to live: whereas the verdict and sentence of the Holy Ghost, whereto our judgements should absolutely submit, is farre otherwise. Loe, these are the wicked, who have theiru 1.45 portion in this life, the rod of God is not upon them: they grow in wealth, and their seed is established in their sight. They come in no* 1.46 trouble like other folke, neither are they plagued like other men. Their eyes stand out with fatnesse, and they have more than heart can wish. Thou hast plantedx 1.47 them, and they have taken root, and bring forth fruit.

I speake not this to detract from the bounty of our gracious God, who hath the blessings of this life and the life to come in store for his children, and he bestoweth them upon them, when he seeth it good for them; but to lessen somewhat our great opinion of them, and put us in a better conceit of afflictions, which are surer arguments of Gods love than the other. Had the Apostle said, We must through many pleasures enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, it is to be thought Heaven would have been full by this time: but

he saith not so, but the direct contrary; We must through manyy 1.48 afflictions enter into it. Wherefore, as passengers that have been told that their way lyeth over a steep hill, or downe a craggy rocke, or through a morish fen, or dirty vale, if they suddenly fall into some pleasant meddow enameled with beautifull flowers, or a goodly corne field, or a faire champian coun∣try, looke about them, and, bethinking themselves where they are, say,

Surely we are out of the way, we see no hills, nor rockes, nor fens, nor deep clay: this is too good to be the right way.

So in the course of our life, which is a pilgrimage upon earth, when we passe through fields of corne, or gar∣dens of flowers, and enjoy all worldly pleasures and contentments, let us cast with our selves:

Surely this is not the way the Scripture directeth us unto, here are not the tribulations we are to passe through, we see no foot∣steps of Gods Saints here, but only the print of Dives feet; somewhere we have mist our way, let us search and find out where and when we tur∣ned out of it.

This anxiety of mind, this carefull circumspection, this que∣stioning our selves, and suspecting our owne wayes, will bring us into the right way: for by thus afflicting our selves in prosperity, we shall make it the way to Heaven. As the Passeover was to be eaten with sowre herbes, so let us sawce all our worldly comforts with these sharp and sowre meditati∣ons, that we surfeit not of them.

We find no grievous crime laid to Dives his charge, only this is father Abrahams memento to him: Sonne, remember thou receivedst thy pleasure in this life. Continuallz 1.49 prosperity and worldly pleasures are like lusci∣ous fruit, more sweet than wholsome: they distemper the spirituall taste, they breed noxious humours in the body, and dangerous maladies in the soule. And if they end not in sorrow, we are the more to sorrow for them, according to that sweet speech of Saint* 1.50 Austine: The joyes and delights, or rather the toyes and vanities of this life, are by so much the lesse to be be∣wailed, by how much more we bewaile; and by so much the more to be bewai∣led, by how much the lesse we bewaile them, and for them. On the contrary, afflictions are usually tokens of Gods love, badges of his servants, argu∣ments of his care, remedies against most dangerous evills, and occasions of excellent vertues: and as the other have a sweet taste at the first, but are bitter afterwards; so these are bitter at the first, but sweet at the last. For in the end they bring the quiet fruit ofa 1.51 righteousnesse to them thot are ex∣ercised thereby.b 1.52 Yee shall mourne, saith Christ to his Disciples, but the world shall rejoyce; but be of good comfort, your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

What then? are we professedly to pray for afflictions? No, God requi∣reth no such thing; but only that we patiently endure them. May we not enjoy the blessings of this life? We may, but not over-joy in them. What Christ speaketh of riches, may be said of the rest: If honours, if promoti∣ons, if all sorts of worldly comforts abound to us, let us not set our hearts on them: let us neither accept the greatest preferments with his curse, nor repine at the greatest afflictions with his love. As Fabritius told Pyrrhus, who one day tempted him with gold, and the next day sought to terrefie him with an Elephant, which before he had never seen; Yesterday I was no whit moved with your gold, nor to day with your beast: So let neither abun¦dance

transport us, nor wants dismay us: neither prosperity exalt us, nor ad∣versity deject us; but both incite us to blesse God: In prosperity to praise his bounty, and in adversity his justice; and in both, his provident care over us.

And the Lord of his infinite mercy informe us by his Word of the true estimate of the things of this life, that we neither over-value earthly blessings, nor under-value crosses and afflictions: that we be neither lifted up with the one, nor depressed with the other; but alwayes even ballanced with his love. And because the bitter cup of trembling cannot passe, but first or last we must all drinke it, let us beseech him to sweeten it unto us, and strengthen us with cordialls of comfort, that we faint not under his rod, but endure with patience what he inflicteth in love, and over∣come with courage what he suffered for love, that following his obedience, and bearing his crosse, we may enter his Kingdome, and weare his Crowne. Cui, &c.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Psal. 19.10.
• f 1.2

  Esay 63.3.
• g 1.3

  1 Tim. 2.6.
• h 1.4

  Psal. 119.71.
• * 1.5

  Greg. mor. in Job c. 5. v. 17.
• * 1.6

  Lam. 3.39. Man suffereth for his sinne.
• i 1.7

  Joh. 9.3.
• k 1.8

  Job 7.20.
• l 1.9

  Heb. 11.1.
• m 1.10

  Eph. 5.11.
• n 1.11

  Psal. 50.21. Bud 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• o 1.12

  Fulgent. ad Monimum. Ip∣sa justitia, si puniendum re∣um non inve∣nerit, sed fece∣rit, injusta est.
• p 1.13

  Orat. de co∣ron. in prooem. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• q 1.14

  Senec. in Trag. Qui ali∣quid statuerit parte inauditâ alterâ, aequum licet statuerit, haud aequus est.
• r 1.15

  Suet. in Claud. Pro∣nunciabat saepè alterâ parte auditâ, saepè neutrâ.
• t 1.16

  Div. instit. l. 1.
• u 1.17

  L. 2. ep. 2. In∣ter leges ipsas delinquitur, in∣ter jura pecca∣tur, innocentia nec illic ubi de∣fenditur reser∣vatur, qui sedet crimina vindi∣caturus, admit∣tit; & ut reus innocens pere∣at, sit nocens judex.
• * 1.18

  Juven. sat. 9.
• x 1.19

  Gen. 18.20.
• * 1.20

  Chrys. in Gen.
• y 1.21

  Deut. 11.19. & 4 10.
• z 1.22

  Pro. 1.8.
• * 1.23

  Quint. in∣stit. orat. l. 1. c. 1 Sapor quo no∣va imbuis diu∣tissimè durat. Horat. ep. Quo semel est imbu∣ta recens serva∣bit odotem testa diu. Naturâ tena∣cissimi sumus eorum quae ru∣dibus annis imbibimus, nec lanarum colo∣res quibus sim∣plex ille can∣dor mutatus est, elui pos∣sunt. Quint. il.
• a 1.24

  Cyp. ser. de lap. Nos nihil fecimus, nec derelicto cibo & poculo Dei, ad profanas contagiones sponte prope∣ravimus, perdi∣dit nos aliena perfidia, paren∣tes sensimus parricidas, illi nobis Deum patrem, & ec∣clesiam matrē abnegarunt.
• b 1.25

  Aug. confes. l. 1. c. 11. Illa magis satage∣bat ut tu mihi pater esses quam ille, & conturbata e∣rat propter baptismi dila∣tionem, quoni∣am sempiter∣nam salutem meam chariùs parturiebat.
• * 1.26

  Confes. l. 2. c. 12.
• c 1.27

  Gen. 18.17.
• d 1.28

  Acts 12.7.
• e 1.29

  Lact. div. instit.
• f 1.30

  Rom. 8.29.
• g 1.31

  Esa. 53.2.
• h 1.32

  Mat. 20.22.
• i 1.33

  Mat. 10.38.
• k 1.34

  Phil. 1.29.
• l 1.35

  1 Pet. 2.21.
• n 1.36

  2 Tim. 3.12.
• o 1.37

  Acts 14.22.
• p 1.38

  Apoc. 15.2. I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire.
• q 1.39

  Psal. 6.6.
• r 1.40

  Psal. 102.9.
• * 1.41

  Lam 3.12, 15.
• s 1.42

  Job 3 4, 5, 6, 7.
• * 1.43

  Applicat. Deus unum habuit filium sine flagitio, nullum sine flagello.
• t 1.44

  Act. 28.4.
• u 1.45

  Psal. 17.14.
• * 1.46

  Psal. 73.5, 6, 7.
• x 1.47

  Jerem. 12.2.
• y 1.48

  Acts 14.22.
• z 1.49

  Lact. divin. instit. l. 6. c. 21. Cavenda sunt oblectamenta ista tanquam laquei & pla∣gae, ne suavitu∣dinum mollitie capti, sub diti∣onem mortis cum ipso cor∣pore rediga∣mur cui man∣cipamur.
• * 1.50

  Aug. confes. l. 10. c. 1. Cae∣tera vitae hujus tantò minus flenda, quantò magis fletur in iis, &c.
• a 1.51

  Heb. 12.11.
• b 1.52

  John 16.20.