Cap.6. their own confciences; yet when at any time they are in any serious mood, and their hearts grow into any better difpofition, then they are not fo fet against them as before; whereas if it were evil that they hate them for upon their fick beds, and death-beds, they would hate them moft of all, but we know it is not fo.

6.

Sixthly and lastly, the oppofition that comes from Antipathy, is an irreconcileable oppofition; it may be curbed and restrained a little, and for a time, but reconciliation can never be made, except one of the natures be changed, no arguments, no perfwafions, no means can do any good here, it is onely change of nature that can help. Now then feeing that there is fuch an antipathy between the people of God, and the men of the world, with whom they live, how is it poffible but that while they live with them, they must needs be afflicted by them?

CHAP. VI.

Many Reasons why God orders things in his providence fo, as his beloved fhould be under fore affli

Etions in this world.

B

Ut though it be true, that the Devil and world are malicious; yet, does not God rule over all? why then will God fuffer his beloved ones thus to be troubled and afflicted?

Anfw. Pfal. 97. 1. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoyce; it is well for us that the Lord reigneth, or elfe his people could never ftand before the rage of the world, and Devil; one or two wolves, were

.able

able to devour a flock of fheep, what then would Cap.6. many wolves do amongst sheep, if there were not an over-ruling hand? but as Pfal. 76. 10. Surely the wrath of man fhall praise thee, the remainder of wrath fhalt thou restrain; God fuffers, and orders this fo, that he might turn all to his own praife. For,

Firft, fometimes by this means, he fcatters his people abroad in the world to difperfe his truth,to spread his Gospel further then otherwise it would be; as Acts 8.3, 4. it is faid, Saul made havock of the Church, haling men and women, committing them to prison, therefore they that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the Word; according to the prophefie of Daniel, chap. 12.4. prophefying of the times of the troubles of the Church, he fays, Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Secondly, this God fuffers for the manifestation of his glorious power, and that four ways,

First, in the continuing of his Church, and the profeffion of his truth, notwithstanding all the rage of men and devils; Gods power was feen in preserving the bush from being confumed, though it were all on a light fire: to preferve a fpark of fire alive, in the midft of thewaves of the fea,and tokeep a light fet up, in the midst of storms and tempefts, is a great work; there appears as great a power of God, in preferving his Church in the midst of fo much oppofition, notwithstanding their grievous afflictions and perfecutions, as there did appear in the prefervation of the three Children in the fiery furnace. Eliah would have water poured upon the facrifice, he would have it covered with water, that the power of God might D 4

more

I.

2.

I.

Cap.6. more appear in the fire that came down from Heaven upon it; fo God will have afflictions, perfecutions, troubles, to befal his people, that he may manifeft his power fo much the more in their preservation.

2.

mus eft De

anorum.

Secondly, the power of God appears not onely in the upholding, but in the raifing the fpirits of his fervants in their afflictions, with what courage, holy magnanimity, heavenly chearfulness that appeareth in them: even weak women and children,triumphing over the moft forc afflictions, and grievous diftreffes, Vereg which made a. Heathen, one Calocerius beholding us Chrifti this, break forth with this acclamation, Of a truth, great is the God of the Chriftians! Bernard lays, Quam fu- Those whom God frees from troubles, have experimus, quam ence how fweet the Lord is; and those whom he exerfortis Do- cifes with many troubles,have experience how strong the Lord is. The glory of Gods power is as clear in the railing the fpirits of his fervants in fuffering, as if he should deliver them from fuffering by miracle. And therefore Rupertus faith, that God did. more gloriously triumph in St. Laurence his patience and conftancy when he was broiled on the Gridiron, then if he had faved his body from burning by a miracle.

avis Domi

minus Ber.

de confci

entica. 2.

kimur

quo

3. The power of God is glorious, not onely in preferving his Church, in raifing the fpirits of his fervants in their greatest afflictions, but in increasing his Plures ffi- Church by them: if it be a wonder to be upheld in ties meti them, it is much more to be encreased by them; the more we are cut down, the more ftill we are, faith Tertullian. The Church never grew so fast, as when it was under most affliction. Sulpitius fays of the Chriftians in the primitive times, that they then were

mur..

as

tum mun

as greedy of Martyrdom, as in his time men were Cap.6. greedy of Bishopricks. The blood of Martyrs was the feed of the Church. Pliny reports of the lilly, that it is increased by its own juyce that drops from it:fo the Church which is the lilly that grows among the thorns, the very blood that falls from them, multiplies them, the fufferings of one begets many to the love of the truth. Mr. Knox in his History of Scotland, reports of a Gentleman one John Lindfay, familiar to Bishop James Bettoun, that he faid to the Bishop upon the occafion of the burning of Mr. Patrick Hamilton, My Lord, if you burn any more, you will deftroy your felves; if you will burn them, let them be burnt in hallow cellars, for the fmoak of Mr. Patrick Hamilton hath infected as many as it blew upon. It is a report of one Cecilia a Ecclefia to Virgin, that by her conftancy and exhortations, be- dum (an.. fore and at her Martyrdom,was the means to convert guine,& four hundred people. By blood and prayer the Church converts the whole world, fays Luther. Fourthly, God fhews the glory of his power,in doing fuch great things as he doth, by a few afficted, diftreffed,perfecuted,contemptible people: The greateft things that ever God hath done in the world,have been by thefe: the more afflicted, the more mean and defpifed they have been, the more hath the arm of the Lord appeared in them. Gods power is made perfe in weakness, 2 Cor. 12. What great things hath God done by a few afflicted, perfecuted fishermen, the Apostles? What great things by St. Paul? who many times had not rags to cover his nakednefs; who was whipped up and down, and put into ftocks, and counted the bafest and vileft of men,

the

oratione

convertit.

Lutb. T.2.

ubi Pytha

turba? Sed

tiles illu

triffimi,

tocles ille,

the 10. of

Cap.6. the very off-fcouring of men, and the filth of the ubi Plato, earth: and yet never were fuch great things done in goras,ut the world, by those who had the greatest learning, Stoicorum the most power, the most valor, the most glory in fucrunt the world, as was done by thefe; they did even fubapud Gen- due the world unto them, and that by preaching the Gospel, a Doctrine fo above nature, fo contrary unluces qua- to nature. Chryfoftom in a Sermon upon upon the Lis Themi- Matthew, fpeaking concerning this argument, calls qualis Pe forth Plato, and Pythagoras, and the reft of the Phyricles: puc- lofophers, and challenges them to fhew what they rorum, lu- had done in comparison of these. But because some prorum might fay that amongst the Heathens there have tudra res been moft famous Captains, who have done great things,as Themistocles and Pericles: If you compare, fays he, what they have done, with what hath been done by these poor fishermen, all their bravest acts will appear but childes plays, and the enterprizes of fimple men.

dos, & in

geftas ju

icabis, fi

cum bis, qua Pica

cores gefc

runt con

ferre volu

eris.

3.

Apparet

virtus arguiturque

malie,

Ovid.

II.

Thirdly, that which God ayms at, is the tryal of the graces of his people: an afflicting condition is a trying condition: Hence, Dan. 11. 35. Some shall fall and be tryed: This is a prophefie of the times of the Maccabees under Antiochus Epiphanes in the 11. Heb. we have the Hiftory of this, where verfe 36. we have the like expreffion: others had tryals of cruel mockings and fcourgings: We read of Queen Elizabeth in her fifter Queen Maries days, when she was locked up close in the prifon, at firft the was much daunted,but after the brake forth into this fpeech, The skill of a Pilot is unknown, but in a tempeft; the valor of a Captain is unfeen, but in battel; and the worth of a Chriftian does not appear, but in