foran afj4iEIedconfctence. t47 proclaimeth warre with 'our fecure profperitie : which perfwadeth vsthae we fliall line for euer, anddriueth vs frombethinking vs ofour mifertesand frailties. Wherefore let vs rnprofperitie cut outour profperitie by the patterne ofhumilitie, and inour bell eflate, putdur (clues to meIb er in readines to fufferaducrfitie, and whenwe are well,to looke for worfe,and kecpe agood f watch whenGod handleth vsmoll gently, that in aboundingwenìay forefee our wants, in health ourfickenes, and in profperitieour calamitie: for concerning things of this life thefaithfall areto nand ina doubt, thatthat which they hold with one hand, may be ta- ken away with the other.We Snuff not thinke that we (hall ewer enjoy our libertie, and that wefhall fee no crófle: butwe mull lay open our ¡duesto receiueftripesfrom the Lord, knowing that our lean cryes wil flay his greaten fcourges.Letvs looke robe ailaahed,but not vnmeafitrably,becaufeGod willallì(l vs. Let vslooke tofall,but on our knees,hecaufe Gods handBothholdvs vp. Let vs looke tobehumbled, but inmercy,becaufetbeLord fuftaineth vs,and as weare affured where mercy hemmeth vs about oncucry fide, it is our part continually to confeffe before theLord, that wee euer giue newoccafions that ho fhould follow vs with newptínifhments, and thatourfins do oftenfhake offthe wings of Gods mercy,vnder thewhich wehaue been long comforted. ForGodschildren acknow- ledgethaeluei withoutceafing, thatGod bath rodsin a read ines(diough they feenopre- fent euill)to beate thetasfrom theirfins: andbend alltheir care,bowtheymay ratherliiffer aduerfity toGods glory,thento Ileepefecurely in profperityvnto theirown pleafare.Now when the Lord doth,as it were hold vs on theracke for tildecaufesbefore named,we mull prayunto him,that(howfoeuerhekeepethvs in thepreffe)we may bane abreathingwhile to confider our dayes fpent inpleafure,and toexamine our vnthankefulnes, which flint- tetIs V thsedoorè of Godsmercy from vs. And becauleour affliésons ore theforer when they came the neerertothe foule, we maywith our felues conclude tohold on theway of our thorough-faire : and thoughwe feenothing but thorncsof temptations, and briersof euill affeélions, fo aswemull be faine to leapeouer hedges, rockes and ditches ; yetmuff we notcrate to continueinGods feruice. For ifthat Werenot,whattriallandexamination ofour faith (hould therebe; werewe as in a faire medow that wemight run on a long by the water fide in a (bade, and that there might benothingbutpleafiire and ioy all ourlife time : who could vauntthat he had ferued Godwith goodaffection ? But when God Both The rra/fef at fendvs risings cleavecontrary toour delires, that we muff,be faille one while to enterin. toexerci¡e nut to a quagmire,and another while to marchvpon ragged rockesand 'nones; then ive (hall faith. hatiethevfe ofa wel exercifed mindc in prayer,in repentance,and in contempt of this life. And why cloththe Lord fometime fuffervs to pine away, and tolanguifli incontinuance ofgriefe, feeingthat licecould cleane rid vs atthe firll, doubtlelièto this ende, that wee might coddle his mercie more freely, and biteof his suffice more fharply. Let vs now learn to hold all the pailions ofimpatiencie in bondage, both by comparing oureuils with the wonderfulmercies ofGod,and ourfnall (-offerings with the intollerable cot-Alias of our forefathers. For there is no greater caufe ofour difparing under the cro(i., then when Satan perfwadethvs, that neuer anywere handled fò roughly : or elfe would beare vsinhand,thatalthoughGod affixedthefaithfull that hauebeen beforevs,yet they were not foweake aswe. But letvs remember thatGod liath fopinched his leruants,eueu them whom lie lotted; andwhole welfare was deareand precious in his fight, and bath often brought them to fuch extremities, astheywere notable to looke vp any snore, nor with howto fpeake nor how to hold their peace. Wherefore lean our infirmities fhouldoucr- mattervs, andwhen temptations are fiercevpon vs, we knownot whereto become: let vs call to mimic the Saints ofGod, who were connrained with fighes and groanes to ftoopevnder the hand ofGod; whore martyrs and tormented children ought to be our lookingglafles; to the ende that by themwe may learne, that according-as God dealeth forth the gifts ofthe fpirit, thereafter cloth he fend greater afflibtions, both to make them the moreeneetned, and altoto caufea more plentifull fruite oftheir faith. How did God deale with Abráham,not a commonman,but rather an Angell,the tenthpart of wholetut-Abraham firings: would makea trout heart to quaile? How was Dauid the feruant of God exer- nauid. cited in Gods fchoole, who felt all Gods darts, and liad all his arrowes fhotte at him? 0 a Thus
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