EPIS'T. V. foules knowes what to doe with them, neither will make us ofcounfell : But ifwe A define'either way, the errors ofcharitieare inoffenfive. Vfe mufthonor goodmeans, and ufc them, and in their necelfary want depend upon h1m, who can work, beyond, without, again!~ meanes. Thus have I endevoored your Ladifhips f:itisfaClion in what you heard, not without fame fcruple. If any man !hall blame my choice in troubling ¥ou w~th a thor~y and fcholafticall difcourfe, let him know that I have learned thiS fafluon ofSa10r Himme rheOracleofAntiquity, who was wont roenrerraine his P•ulo and E.uJI.chlom MarceD• Principi•,HediMA,and other devour Ladies,with learned canvafesofrhe de;p points ~f Divinirie. This is nor fo perplexed, rhar ir need ro offena: nor faunnecelfary, thatir may be unknowne. B To Sir RIcH A R n LE A,fince deceafed. E p 1 s T. V. Dift~•rfing •fthewnfortAhlertmtditJ •f•O •fflil1ilns: vV 1re men reek remedies before their direare, renfible patients, wlien they begin to complaine: fools,roo late.Af!lictionsare the common maladies of Chriflians: Thefe you fecl,and upon the firft groanes feeke for eafe. Wherefore ferves the tongue of learned, butto !peakewords in feafon ~ I am a Schollar of rhofe that can comfort you: Ifyou !hall,wirh me,rake oarmy Ieffons, neither ofus !hall r<penrit. Youfmarr and 'compbine: take heed left too much. There is noaf!liCiion not grieC vous: the bone that was dif. joynred, cannot be fer right without paine. No potion can cure us, ifit worke not : it works not, u:cept it make us ficke: we are contented with that fickne!fe,which is the way ro health.Thereis a vexation without hurt: fuch is this: We areaffiicted, not over-prelfed;needy, not defperate; perfecuted, nor forfaken; caft downe,butperi!h not. How !hould we,when all the evill in a Citie comes fromthe providepce of a good God; which can neither be impotent, nor unmercifull ~It is the Lord :let him doewhat he will. Woe were usifevilscould come by chance1onverelet loofe to alight where they lift: now they are over-ruled, we are fafe. The defiioyofour forrowesis written in heaven by a wife and eternall decree: Behold, he that bath ordained, moderates them. A faithfull God, that gives an ilfue with the rentalion: An ilfue, both ofthdr end, and their fuccelfo. He chides nor a[; D wayes, much Idle firiketh. Our light aflliC!ions are but for a moment: not fa Iong,in refpeCI ofour vacancy, and reft. Ifwe weepe fometimes,our teares are precious; As they !hall never be dry in his bottle, fa they flull foone be dry upon our cheekes. He that wrings them from us, !hall wipe them off: how fweetly doth he interchange ourforrowcs, and joyes, that we may neither be vaine, oormiferable ~ It is true; To be firooke, once in anger, is fearfull : his difpleafure is more then his blow: In both, ourGod is a confuming fire. Feare not,thefc !tripes are the tokens ofhis love: he is no Son, that is not beaten 1 yea till hefmarr, and cry; if not till he bleed: no Parent comds anothers child; and he is no good Parent that corrects not his owne.Oh rmd worthy to be kiffed, thataffures us of his love,of our adoption! What fpeake I of no hur; ~!hart praifes d?e but di(commc~d ; I fay mo:e, t?efe evils are good: looke to E their effects. What IS good, 1f not pattence! aflltCl1on 1s the mother of it. rribula. tion bringeth forth patience. What can earth or heaven yceld, better then 'the alfuranceofGods Spirit~ AflliClions argue, yea fealethis to us. Wherein ftands perfect happindfe, ~f nor in ?•rncere refemblance of Ch~fi ~ Why was man created happy, bur becaufe mGods tmage! The glory of Parad1fc, the beanryofhis body, the dmy of the creatures, could nor give him felicity, withourrhelikenelfe ro his Crearor. Behold, what we loft in our height, we recover in our miferie 1 a conformirie to the image ofthe SonofGod: he tharis not like his elder brother, !hall never be coheirc with h_im. Loe, ~is fide, remples,ha~ds,feet,all bleeding: ~is face blubbred,ghaftly, and fpittcd on :Ius skm all pearled with a bloody fweat ; hts hcad drouping, his foule he~ vie to t~e death : fee you the worldl!ng m~r~y, fofr, delicate, perfumed, never wnnkled With forrow,ncver humbled with affiiC~hons!Whatrefemblance is here,yea what 335 ----
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