390 . OfPrbfierttse 4ndaduerfitie. itur Theltral1 the brace it intronble,isof true loue, whichweemay trie,ifbeinginprofperitie weecánfeele ce ¡peü, themiferie ofothers : for ifvvc can reioyce inthe profperitie 'titheChurch,thoughweebe intniferie,ifwe canbe mooed andgrimedwith thenuferieof theChurch, though weebe inprofperitie; thisfheweth thatour hearts rare vpright, and that truezeale remainetli in them. g Inprofpericie,ifwevfeourgoodstoourowneeafe,andwaxecareleffc,thatisvnbe- seeuritie. leefe : but ifwegiueGodglorie,and waxemore carefull,this isan argument oftruefaith. Leevs then ltriueagainft tnfìdelitieboth inprofperitie and aduerfitie,and trie ourfaith by there means ; for ifGod worke invshumilitie,in theabundanceofhis mercie, itis a figne ofourfaith: ifin wantsweebe difquieted, itargoeth infidelitie : butifwee flay our fetus upon God,itis faith. Note. 4 Theythatcontinue fafe in profperitie, by Gods gracefhall perfeuerein aduerfitie: but Idare not warrantthem fafeinprofperiue,who hauebeen fate in aduerfitie. Whentofeare j The more profperitieencreafethto Gods children,the more theyfeare. melt 6 In profperitieit is good to vie the tongofSidman, and in aduerfitie the lamenta.. tionsofJeremiah. . .r 7 Godfufferech euill mentoprofperin this world fortwo caufes:firft,tbatcurrygood tombyfomuiü man flaming inhim fome fsnnes, might for hisfeweuill things baue hereateinporall pa. proffermore ni(hment: and eueryeuill manhautngloose goodthings,mightbe rewarded souls tempo_ (bandoe the z railbenefits. Secondly,God often chaftifethhis,and luffereth thewicked,that it might xodly. befeenethat good men leruenot God for the things ofthis world, asSathan reckoned by Kate. his accountwithlob,asalto for that the Lord maketh nothis bookes cleere in this life, but referueth the full and final! account onto the !aft dayof iudgement,wherein entry thing !hall be fully recompenced,whetheritbegoodoreuili. Thenicked 8 Wee mutt not marueile at wicked mens fuccclfe, it is no newthing. At fawit, and fómetime .Dattidcfpecially,Pfai.73.Zachar. 3.ehe followersoflehofua the High Prielt aremonitrous roJper, .perfons,Pauldoth expound itwell,calling thema gazingftock.AndthoughGod lay,hnrt nor mine annointed, yet arethey harmed : Elias for (peaking againfl Ahab,and JohnBaptiff for tellingHerodhis finne.IfPaulfpeakeagain(' theIdoliofDiana,he is afeditious fellow. It was fomething nodoubt, that madeMoles fo loath to got toPharaoh, when Godfent him. To confider the troublesof thegodly, it were enough to make Jeremiahwrite new me*mom bookes ofLamentations, to make David fit him downe by the rimers ofSabel : for the efthegedlyin tower ofBabel is higher than the hill of Sion. Poore little¡fainmultgoeto Ilaughter, life. while Ifmael fits athome.: good Jacobmutt bee fettokeepe fheepe, whiles myLord.Efate rides on hunting. If'you looke for Iofeph,you (hall findebun inprifon,Daniel in the Lions denne : and fo itis true ofall for themolt part,yet I know it !hall bewell with them that ferueGod. Offriefeanel g Ifwewage our ftrength,and fpend ourprayers,andarenot anfwered,we fuffer then, the tem.ptati. force griefein tvithftanding a fecretfollicitation tomiftruft.Griefe would fainehaueeafe, emencodent whereofitis,thatitlabourethalwaiestolayitfelfeopen,andtomouepitieit feared) no- teit. thin morethan to iuenmorehel pes $ g p Y this affeaionthananyother,ashemlines ofthecountenance, hanggingof theforebead,mouing ' ofthe eyes, ghesandgroanes. Itteachetheloquence, andmakethvstochangeourlpeeches, andfowee ¡carne to amplifie the caufes ofour woe. Hereofit commeth,why fallingopon the obieaofgriefe,we are loath todepart from fpeaking ofit, we double ourfpeeches on that theame. We know thematter ofEz,echias griefe, forced his tonguetotouch ittwice: The tongae,thetongueJhallpraife thee,&c.WhenChritt fpake words ofdobtrineand exhnr. tationfo Ierufalen,oncetoname it was enough : but whenher fpake in an argument of griefe,then hemuttneedes fay,lerufalem, Ierufalem.Doewe not feehowDaniam his lieu- uints dweltvpon thename ofAbfolon. Habacuck, chap.z.he ftrikes twice on one tiring, and fpeakesnoe onely tothewhis minde,but to fansnehisgriefe. ro Thisgriefe in it Idle it is indifferent, in vsgood orbad, accordingmacaukofit. IfGod wouldnotfranc vsgrieued at all,wliy did henotframe our heartsofbraffe? orwhy were weenot hewedout ofmarble2Indcede tobeforrowfull, wherewee !Gouldnot,orto laugh
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