And Elijah we know how he was fed with Ravens, and how he was fain to shift for his life from time to time, and run into the wilderness up and down, and so did Elisha, he was divers ⟨p. 192⟩times in a very low condition, the Prophets of God they were to be hid in a Cave by Obadiah, and there to be fed with bread and water, and the Prophet Jeremiah put into a Dungeon, and oh how was he used? and it were an endless thing to name the particulars of the great sufferings of the people of God. In former time we have sometimes made use of this Argument other ways, the great Instruments of God in the first Reformation they lived in great straights, in a very low condition, even Luther himself when he was to die (saith he) Lord (though he were a man of such public use, and was a great man in the Courts of Princes) Lord I have neither house nor lands, nor estate to leave any thing to wife or children, but I commit them to thee: and so Musculus that was a very choice Instrument of God in his time, though he were a man that was worth even a Kingdom for the excellency of his spirit, and learning, for he was one of the learnedst men of his time, yet sometimes he was put to dig in the common ditch to get bread for his family; what would we do if we were in such a condition as these men were? But above all set Christ before us, that professes that the birds of the air had nests, and the Foxes had holes, yet the Son of man had no place to hide his head in, that low condition he was in, the consideration of such things as these are very useful. It is likewise useful for men and women of estates to go to poor peoples houses and see how they live, to go to Hospitals, and to see the wounds of soldiers and others, and to see the lamentable condition that people live in that live in some Alms-houses, and what poor fare they have, and what straights they are put to, you hear sometimes of them, but if you went to see them it would not only stir up charity in your selves towards them, but stir up thankfulness in your hearts towards God, it would be a special means to help you against any discontent, you would go away and see cause to bless God, and say, if I were in such a condition as they are in what should I do? how could I bear it? and yet what reason is there that God doth so order and dispose of things that they should be so low in their estates and I so high:
And Elijah we know how he was fed with Ravens, and how he was fain to shift for his life from time to time, and run into the wildernesse up and down, and so did Elisha, he was divers ⟨p. 192⟩times in a very low condition, the Prophets of God they were to be hid in a Cave by Obadiah, and there to be fed with bread and water, and the Prophet Ieremiah put into a Dungeou, and oh how was he used? and it were an endlesse thing to name the particulars of the great sufferings of the people of God. In former time we have sometimes made use of this Argument other wayes, the great Instruments of God in the first Reformation they lived in great straights, in a very low condition, even Luther himself when he was to die (saith he) Lord (though he were a man of such publick use, and was a great man in the Courts of Princes) Lord I have neither house nor lands, nor estate to leave any thing to wife or children, but I commit them to thee: and so Musculus that was a very choise Instrument of God in his time, though he were a man that was worth even a Kingdom for the excellency of his spirit, and learning, for he was one of the learnedst men of his time, yet sometimes he was put to dig in the common ditch to get bread for his family; what would we doe if we were in such a condition as these men were? But above all set Christ before us, that professes that the birds of the ayr had nests, and the Foxes had holes, yet the Son of man had no place to hide his head in, that low condition he was in, the consideration of such things as these are very usefull. It is likewise usefull for men and women of estates to goe to poor peoples houses and see how they live, to go to Hospitals, and to see the wounds of souldiers and others, and to see the lamentable condition that people live in that live in some Alms-houses, and what poor fare they have, and what straights they are put to, you hear sometimes of them, but if you went to see them it would not only stir up charity in your selves towards them, but stir up thankfulnesse in your hearts towards God, it would be a speciall means to help you against any discontent, you would goe away and see cause to blesse God, and say, if I were in such a condition as they are in what should I doe? how could I bear it? and yet what reason is there that God doth so order and dispose of things that they should be so low in their estates and I so high:
