Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

To which I answer. That which is evil by accident doth not prejudice that which is Good in it self and by Gods ordination. Now the vexation which hath been spoken of is not an effect flowing naturally out of the condition of the creature, but ariseth merely by accident, upon the reason of its separation from God, who at first did appoint his own blessed communion to go along with his Creatures. Now things which are good in ⟨p. 85⟩themselves, but accidentally evil may justly be the object of our prayers and endeavours: And so on the other side, many things there are which in themselves alone are evil, yet by the providence and disposition of God they have a good issue, they work together for the best to them that love God. It was good for David that he had been afflicted: yet we may not lawfully pray for such evils on our selves or others, upon presumption of Gods goodness to turn them to the best. Who doubts that the calamities of the Church do at this time stir up the hearts of men to seek the Lord and his face, and to walk humbly and fearfully before him; yet that man should be a curse and prodigy in the eyes of God and men, who should still pray for the calamities of Zion, and to see the stones of Jerusalem still in the dust. Death is in it self an evil thing (for the Apostle calls it an enemy, 1. Cor. 15.) yet by the infinite power and mercy of God, who delights to bring good out of evil, and beauty out of ashes, it hath not only the sting taken away, but is made an entrance into Gods own presence, with reference unto which benefit, the Apostle desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ, Phil. 1. 23. Now notwithstanding this goodness which death by accident brings along with it, yet being in it self a Destructive thing, we may lawfully in the desires of our soul shrink from it and decline it. Example whereof we have in the death of Christ himself, which was of all as the most bitter, so the most precious: and yet by reason of that bitterness which was in it, he prays against it, presenting unto his Father the desires of his Soul for that life which he came to lay down: as his obedience to his Father, and love to his Church made him most willingly embrace death, so his love to the integrity of his humane nature, and fear of so heavy pressures as he was to feel, made him as seriously to decline it.