I wil raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lye with thy wives in the sight of this sun for thou didst this secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun And this accordingly was done by that wicked wretch Absalom 2. Sam. 16. vers 22. And because of the high holy and soveraigne hand which God had in this sore aâ—…iction He saith by Nathan the Prophet that He would do it 3. We finde in the Scriptures that the wicked Enemies in following prosecuting their malicious designes against the People of God are held forth and spoken of as God's Instruments in that work As Esai 10. vers 5. Where the Assyrian is called the rod of God's anger and the staff in their hand is said to be His indignation So Vers. 15. They are compared to an aâ—… in the hand of him that heweth therewith and to a saw to a rod and to a staff all which we know can do nothing but as moved and ordered by the principal Actor To the same sense are they compared to a rasour wherewith God will shave the head and the haire of the feet and the beard Esa. 7. vers 20. Thus is Babylon called a golden cup in the hand of the Lord Ier. 51. vers 7. Likewise the Enemies are compared to a net which God will spread over his people Hos. 7. v. 12. and to a snare Ezek. 12. vers 13. They are likewise called God's sword Psal. 17. vers 13. and His hand vers 14. All which and the like expressions show That God hath a principal hand in the afflictions which his people meet with at the hands of wicked Instruments and that the wicked are but as so many Instruments and Lixes imployed by him for that effect howbeit they minde no such thing but drive on their own designes to satisfie their own wicked lusts 4. The Scripture speaketh of the Lord as raising up these wicked Instruments as leavying them and sending them to execute his will So Esai 5. vers 26. And He will lift up an Ensigne to the Nations from far and will hisse unto them from the end of the earth and behold they shall come with speed swiftlâ—… So Esai 7. vers 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall hisse for the flie that is in the uttermost parts of the rivers of Aegypt and for the bee that is in the Land of Assyria By which we understand that as these Enemies cannot stir notwithstanding of all their malice rage and anger against the Lord's people till God send for them and hisse for them and as it were subscribe and seal their commission so they are wholly at his disposal as the armie is at the disposal of the General or of him who leavyeth them and employeth them In like manner we read 1 Chron. 5. vers 26. that the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul King of Assyria against the Reubenits the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh So it is said Psal. 105. vers 25. That God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people and to deal subtilly with his servants And 2 Cbron. 21. vers 16. that he stirred up against Iehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians that were neer the Ethiophians 5. We finde the Lord said frequently to deliver up his people into the hands of these Enemies and to sell them unto them as it were to give them wholly up to their devotion and disposal see Iudg. 3 8. and 4. vers 2. and 6. vers 1. and 10 7. Dan. 1 2. 2 King 17. vers 20. Thereby showing that these Enemies could do nothing against the people of God untill the Lord had permitted the same and given way thereto and had as it were withdrawn his protection and taken away his hedge of defence and so left them naked and exposed unto the rage and cruelty of their brutish Enemies 6. This is also manifest from the grand and noble Purposes and Designes which the Lord bringeth about by those meanes far diffâ—…rent from what these wicked Instruments intend as we see Gen 45. and 50 Ioseph's Brethren meaned evil against him but God meaned it for good So Esai 10. vers 7. The Assyrian meaneth not so as God doth neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few but the Lord hath another work upon mount Zion and on Ierusalem Vers. 12. to wit to punish them only by his smiting with a rod and lifting up his staff after the manner of Egypt V. 24. or as it is Esai 27 9. to purge away the iniquity of Jacob and to take away sin Wherefore seing the Lord hath such soveraigne ends as the chastisement and trial of his people the exercise of their graces c. to bring about He cannot but have a special hand in and about the meanes which serve to bring about these ends This being sufficient to cleare up what was first to be spoken to we come Secondly to speak a little of the manner and way how the hand of the Lord is to be observed in and about the sharpe afflictions of his people by the hand of wicked persons who are active therein And in speaking to this we shall wave all subtile debates concerning God's Decreeing the event of sin His Predetermination and His Concourse with second causes in those Actions which are sinful and shall onely pitch upon some particulars which are more plaine and undeniable and also more useful to the point in hand As 1 There is the Lord 's holy permission giving way to and not restraining the furie and rage of Enemies when He hath a mind to make use of them for a scourge He must loose as it were the chaine with which they are bound and restrained and take away the hedge of protection wherewith he guardeth and protecteth his people and all that belongs to them Satan could do nothing against Iob nor stirre so much as one lambs tail that belonged to him untill the Lord for holy and wise ends gave way thereunto therefore he said unto the Lord Iob 1. vers 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side This is also imported in the Lords giving up his people into the hands of Enemies and selling them and delivering them as a judge doth a Malefactor into the hand of the Executioner Yet we must not conceive of this Permission as if it were in all things like unto the bare naked permissions of men but as sutable to him who is a most pure and simple Act 2. There is herein considerable the Lord's Commission to speak so not that He will warrand and approve of them in their wickedness or give them any moral Authoritie or
said vers 21. And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all And that shall be verified which is foretold Chap. 19. A great voice shall be heard of much people saying Allelujah Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God For true and righteous are His judgments for He hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the Earth with her fornications and hath avenged the Blood of His Servants at her hand vers 1 2. Next This Confideration may be improven by particular Beleevers in reference to their particular Exercises and Afflictions For hence they might inferre 1. That they have no cause to complean but reason rather to lay their hand upon their mouth what ever way the Lord be pleased to exercise them and what ever Affliction He lay upon their loines for this hath been the ordinary Lot of the Church and seing the Lord thinketh good to exercise her with sore and sharpe trials in all Ages Why may He not also exercise them in Particular 2. That they have yet less cause to compleane or be dissatisfied seing the Church their Common Mother hath met with sadder and sorer Crosses and Distresses than they have met with or can meet with It is a sadder sight to see the Mother put to the door and sitting in a Wilderness weeping and refusing to be comforted than to see a Child whipped 3. That they have reason to rejoice in their sad Lot upon this account that they are not in that solitary and lamentable Condition alone their Mother is suffering with them Are they in a Wilderness so is she are they sitting in the dust so is their Mother sitting with them 4. That by this they see they are no Bastards but Children of the House suffering with the Mother and no other wayes dealt with than the Mother is 5. That Crosses and a Course of Affliction are no evidence of the Lords not owning or looking upon them as His Children as corruption and unbeleefe would prompt them to inferre and conclude Afflictions can no more say that they are not the Children of God than Afflictions on the Church can say that she is not the Church of Christ nor His Spouse 6. That they may comfort themselves in their Troubles with the Mother her Consolations and as it were lye in her lap or bosome and partake of her cordials and feed with her upon the same promises until the night be over and the day dawn and the time of the singing of the birds come and the voice of the turtle be heard in the land and until the Beleever's God and the Church her Husband wipe all teares away from the face both of Mother and Child CONSIDERATION XIV Other precious Beleevers have been Afflicted so if not worse THough such as are ease in Zion think little of all the Trouble and Anguish that the Afflicted are put unto and not a few prove like Iobs Friends Iob. 6 v. 15. c. though to him that is afflicted Pity should be showne vers 14. Yet such as are under the Affliction can subscribe to the truth of that which the Wise Man hath Prov. 15 15. All the dayes of the afflicted are evil for so long as the Affliction endureth they are ready to think that their Condition groweth worse and worse daily Nay ordinarily Affliction so seazeth upon them that they cannot perceive the Grounds of Comfort though hard at hand and can make little use of Cordials though within their reach A time of Affliction is such a thoughtful time that they are as a Ship at Sea tossed with Tempests and contrary Tides Among other disturbing thoughts this is one How is this think they with themselves that the Lord hath pitched upon me and singled me out from all the rest or the most part of His Children at least whom I know and set me up for His mark at which He is shooting His Arrowes My case is not like the ordinary case of others there is something extraordinary in my case I know that His Followers have been in Affliction but their Affliction was nothing comparable to mine Were all things laid together my Affliction would be found to be of another kind Were my Affliction but such as others have had I should be able to bear it but there being something Odde and Uncouth in mine I cannot choose but be troubled Though He only who comforteth those that are cast down can comfort such 2 Cor. 6 vers 7. Yet he can do it by unlikely meanes and blesse a few words to this end We shall therefore only propose a few things that may serve to make a Diversion as to these perplexing and disturbing thoughts and reduce them to these few Heads First We shall propose a few Generals which such afflicted persons would take notice of Secondly Shew how possibly their case is not so singular as they conceive it to be Thirdly We shall show how little cause they would possibly befound to have to speak thus if all things were well considered Fourthly We shall show how that seing they will take notice of others and compare their case with theirs they may and should improve the example of others better than thus As to the First let these Particulars be considered 1. It is ordinary almost with every one to be accounting their own case and condition in Affliction singular and to say as much as those of whom we are now speaking Every one feeleth that best which is neerest to himself they are more sensible of their own paine than of the pain of others and paine felt is more touching than what is understood by the report of others only Hence every one is ready to conclude that their own case is worst And therefore this should be looked upon as no strange thing 2. Every bodies Temper and Disposition not being alike some may be obnoxious to distempers and diseases that others are not much acquainted with and some by their Folly and Intemperancy may bring peculiar diseases upon themselves and when such must have peculiar Physick adapted to their diseases should they complean of the Physician that he giveth them not such gentle and easie Medicines as he doth to others So the compleaner here may have brought upon himself some uncouth spiritual distemper which calleth for some Afflictions more than ordinary to cure the same Should they then be anxious to finde out a precedent or one that hath been so handled as they are Ought they not rather to reasone thus with themselves doth the Lord purge and afflict me more than ordinary then it is like my peccant humors my corruptions have been more than ordinary 3. Be it so that thy case is in some respects singular what knoweth thou if there shall be two found in all particulars or in all considerable circumstances every
Jesus the great Purchaser 5. The faith of this would give a check to that humore whereby some are ready to sacrifice to their own net and to burn incense to their own drag that is to be puffed up and vainly proud of their carriage when they have been helped to carry honestly in a day of trial as if they by their wit and courage had done it or as if it had not been given them in that houre what would such have to be proud of who beleeved that this grace was freely given to them and that in the behalfe of Christ And who saw that if it had not been so they had never been able to have endured the storme Would not they see cause to say Not unto us not unto us but unto God be Glory Secondly From these Truthes we may be informed of several things the knowledge of which may be useful in an evil day As 1. We may hence be convinced of the difficulty of Suffering Christianly for the Cause of Christ It is not Natural Courage Stoutness or Fear of Shame or the like that will be able to carry thorow No no A Divine purchased Grace and Gift must be had or there will be no standing Many in a calme day may think it no great matter to suffer upon Christ's account and may seem very resolute willing and ready to suffer but when the storme beginneth to blow to purpose and they are put to it they finde it some other thing than they imagined And what wonder It is not a thing that Nature can command nor Natural Strength and Courage can enable for but Divine Help is required thereunto It must be given and given in Christ and this saith there is no small difficulty in it 2. We may hence see a fundamental Reason why some are honoured with suffering for the Cause of Christ and others not It is the free gift of God and purchased by Christ and so is bestowed onely on those for whom it is purchased and on whom free grace will bestow it As also whence it cometh to passe that of two who are both called to witness to the truth by suffering one is honourably helped thorow the other fainteth The one hath gote the free gift the other not It is true other provoking causes may come here into consideration as bringing this on but yet this is principally to be considered our sins may provoke the Lord to withold this gift and when it is not given there will be no suffering for the sake of Christ in a Christian manner 3. We may hence be informed concerning the ground of this honour being bestowed upon any It is not for their eminency of parts or worth or any such thing in them but purely of free grace and on the behalfe of Christ. Thirdly Upon the ground of these Truthes we may read several Duties called for at our hands in a day of Suffering As 1. In such a day when stormes are at hand we should not be troubled with perplexity and anxiety of Spirit nor disquiet or discourage ourselves with feares and apprehensions that we shall fainte in the day of Adversity and shall not be in case to stand stedfast in the storme For our strength and standing is not in our own hands It is in Gods Hand His gift must make us staâ—… and nothing else 2. We should be looking off ourselves and all that is within us and not think that any thing of that kind will be able to carry us thorow But fix our eye upon the gracious Giver and lay hold on Christ by faith and expect the thorow-bearing Gift and Grace in and through Him In such a day we would do well to renounce all within us that we may not lean to it and so betake ourselves alone to the fountaine of free grace and expect what is necessary in that day from Him who giveth freely and upbraideth not 3. And in order to this seing this gift is bestowed only in and through Christ we should study before hand to get our Interest in Christ made up that so we may have ground to expect a grant of this gift for His sake for none else can expect this but such as are reconciled to God through Christ. 3. We would also labour to be in good termes with God and to be keeping our Conscience void of offence both before God and Man lest He be provoked to with-hold this gift from us When we have been walking neer God and keeping carefully Communion with Him we may go to Him with the greater Confidence and Boldness and ask this gift through Christ. Fourthly We may hence see what Duties we are especially called to in the day when we are actually and particularly called to bear witness to the Truth and to suffer upon the account thereof As 1. We should make the Cross of Christ welcome because it is Gods send all that God sendeth should be welcome This is a special Gift and a purchased Gift and therefore it should be heartily embraced both because of the Giver and because of the Purchaser It is true flesh and bloud have no will of Suffering nature is averse from it yet Spiritual Reason and Grace should say God will give me nothing on the behalfe of Christ but what is good and necessary for me and seing Suffering for Christs sake is of that nature and is so excellent a Gift beyond faith it self in so many respects why should I storme Why should I quarrel upon that account Why should I not rather embrace it with love and give it an heartsome welcome 2. Not only upon this account should we accept of that favour heartily and cheerfully but also we should accept thereof with Joy and Gladness rejoicing that free grace would put that singular honour upon us As we had cause to rejoice when He was pleased to single us out from many others no worse than we were and bestow faith upon us so have we cause to rejoice in His pitching upon us and going by many others better than we are in the matter of Suffering Should we not count it all Joy when for Christs sake we fall into manifold temptations because the Lord is thereby honouring and enriching us with this rare and precious Gift Should we not upon this account Glory in Tribulations as in so many enriching gifts freely bestowed on us of God and purchased by Christ 3. Hereby should we learne to beware of fretting or repineing at the trouble that the Crosse and Testimony of Jesus bringeth with it and choose rather to be thankful for such an honourable gift as this Suffering for the sake of Christ is Nay the more our trouble and harassing be let us look upon ourselves as the more honoured of God and therefore called to be thankful and to bless seing we should blesse Him for all His Benefites and this is among the chiefe of His benefites 4. We should then be wholly dead to ourselves and to any stock of strength
His greatest Favourites in the behalf of a sinfâ—…l People against whom the Lord is coming in judgment I answere Though we may not be peremptour herein knowing that the Lord sometimes taketh pleasure to Act according to a Soveraignity of mercy for the glory of His rich Grace and Compassion and therefore must leave a latitude unto the Soveraignity of free Grace Yet if we consider the condition of this People of whom this is said and see what iniquities they were guilty of at this time we apprehend such a thing may be feared where the Lord is in the same or in the like manner provoked and when He is coming in judgment against a people chargable with the same evils it may be feared that no prayer no intercession of one or other shall availe to hold off the judgment Of these sins whereof this People for whom the Lord would hear no intercession we shall mention some few to the end we may be helped to understand better the language of Gods present Dispensations and to search and see whether there be cause or no to fear that judgment inevitable is to be the lo of this generation 1. When sins and rebellion against the Lord come to an exceeding great height and gross and palpable defection is begun and carried on by Court and Countrey then the Lord is engaged to vindicat His Name and Justice before the World that all may see He is no Patronizer of Wickedness even in a People called by His Name Thus it was in the dayes of Manasseh who with his Court committed such hainous wickedness as was never there before perpetrated as may be seen 2 Kings 21 v. 1 to 10. 2 Chron. 33 1 to 11. and wherein the whole land was involved Wherefore the Lord threatned 2 Kings 21 v. 12 13 14 c. to stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the House of Ahab that is that He would do with Jerusalem as He hath done with Samaria and the House of Ahab and no more spare those than He did these And which is very remarkable this iniquity the Lord would not Pardon notwithstanding that Manasseh himself gote mercy reformed several things before his death and notwithstanding of a more universal and general Reformation that was in the dayes of his Grand-child Josiah that none-such King For it is said 2. Kings 23 v. 25 26 27. And like unto him i. e. Josiah was there no King before him that turned to the Lord withall his heart and with all his soul and withall his might according to the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Notwithstanding as it is added the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath wherewith His anger was kindled against Judah because of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked Him with all And the Lord said I will remove Judah also out of my sight c. And in this same place Jer. 15. after the Lord had said Vers 1. that though Moses and Samuel stood before Him his mind could not be towards them but that He would cast them out of His sight to the death to the sword to the Famine and to the Captivity Vers 2. to the Sword to Dogs to Fowls and to Beasts Vers 3. He saith Vers 4. And I will cause them to be removed into all Kingdomes of the Earth because of Manasseh the Son of Hezekiâ—…h King of Judah for that which he did in Jerusalem 2. When hainous iniquities and sins become common and epidemick in a land infecting all ranks of Persons young and old rich and poor Magistrat Minister and common People then an inevitable blow is to be feared for so was it with this people as we see Jer. 5 vers 1. c. hardly could there a man be found in Jerusalem to execute judgment and to seek the truth Neither was this scarcety to befound only among the poor and foolish people but even among the great men for they had altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Vers 5. therefore followeth Vers 7. How shall I pardon thee for this And againe Vers 9. Shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this So in the two last Verses of that Chapt. it is said A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bear rule by their meanes and my People love to have it so and what will ye do iâ—… the end thereof Such Priest such People were here and what else but ruine could be expected So Ierem. 6 vers 13. and 8 v. 10. it is said that from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness and from the Prophet even unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly Therefore is wrath threatned both upon old and young and upon all the inhabitants of the land Vers 11 12. See also Vers 28. They were all grievous revolters brasse and iron they were all corrupters So is this plainly charged upon them Chap. 7 v. 18. The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their dough to make â—…kes to the Queen of Heaven So that Man Wife and Children young and old were conspiring in one and with one shoulder carrying on this Defection and Apostasie from God So Jerem. 11 v. 13 14. For according to the number of thy cities were thy Gods O Judah and according to the number of the Streets of Jerusalem have they set up Altâ—…rs to that shamful thing Altars to burn inâ—…ense unto Baal Thus was this sin become universal through the whole City Jerusalem and through the whole Land of Judah And what followeth hereupon Therefore pray not thou for this People c. The like we finde Micah 3 vers 11. The Heads did judge for reward and the Priests did teach for hire and the Prophets did divine for Money And what followeth upon this Therefore Vers 12 shall Zion for your sakes be plowed as a field and Jerusalem become heaps and the mountaine of the house as â—…he high places of the forest that is Citie and Sanctuary shall be laid desolate This same was laid to the charge of this People by Zephaniah Ch. 3 ver 3 4. Her Princes within her are roaring lions her judges evening Wolves her Prophets light and treacherous Persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary So that both Church and State was corrupted therefore was woe denounced against her Vers 1. See also Micah 7 2 to 6. 3. When Corruption in the Worship and Ordinances of God is admitted fostered and continued in and Superstition or Idolatrie is brought-in then an inevitable stroke is to be feared for God is a jealous God and will not hold them guiltless that take His Name in vaine but will visite the iniquities of the Fathers unto the third and fourth Generation of those that
His Love did meet with they durst not suffer a quarrelling thought to lodge within their heart but all their frettings and repineings would be turned into wonderings and praises 3. The Afflicted Beleever would hence draw this Conclusion Seing Christ was put to suffer such and such evils before me I may inferre that the sting venome and curse of these evils are taken away Seing He hath passed thorow the straits of Affliction He hath made the passage easier and wider for His followers He hath sweatened the passage and taken the sting away so that now it cannot hurt or harme so much as otherwise it would Christ hath gone thorow Sorrow Shame Paines Wants Temptations Mockings Spittings Scourgings Yea and Death it self and thereby hath paved a Way for His Followers and hath strawed it with flowres of fragant Love His footsteps all alongs the way have dropped fatness O how sweet hath He made an hard bed now He became poor that we might become rich even while poor and so might sanctifie Poverty to us He became a man of Sorrowes and acquanted with griefe that He might sweeten that lot unto His Followers and keep them from the evil of it from the hurt and poison of it May not this Consideration encourage His Followers to embrace the Crosse with Love Complacency and Delight when it is thus sweetened to them and in a manner no Crosse May not a Prison become an heartsome Palace unto His People when they consider how the Prince of Life the Absolute Lord of all the Chiefe or Standard-bearer amongst Ten Thousand was taken from Prison Esai 53 8. How welcome should an unjust Sentence from men be when our blessed Lord was taken also from judgment and was wickedly condemned for a Traitour How sweet should the most shamful and painful Death be to us that the wicked can devise as the expression of their imbittered malice and rage when Noble Jesus was crucified and so put the most shamful and cursed Death that could be seing hereby Death hath lost its sting and the curse is taken away for he was made a curse Gal. 3 vers 13. 4. The Afflicted Beleever may hence Inferre That seing Christ hath thus been exercised himself He knoweth how to Pity and Sympathize with such as are so handled Was He Mocked Vilified Maligned Despised falsly Accused Condemned for a Traitour to Caesar Buffetted Spit upon Scourged and Hanged as a thiefe He knoweth what it is to be so exercised and what such a condition calleth for and what they in such a condition have need of He knoweth what word of consolation will be fittest for them And this is no small encouragment unto the Beleever as was shown above Consid. 2. 5. The suffering Beleever may draw this Conclusion Seing Christ was put to all these sharp and sad sufferings I may well lay my hand on my mouth I may put my mouth in the dust be silent let the Lord lay one me what He will and by this meanes he may quiet all the insurrections of his spirit against the Lord and put a check unto all the insolent thoughts that arise in his mind against the Lord's procedour with him upon whatsoever occasion as 1. Doth this trouble and vex his spirit that he is innocent as to what is laid to his charge and is persecuted without cause And will he not be quieted when he remembereth how the Innocent lamb of God was handled how He was mis-used and persecuted who did never man hurt who never did sinne nor was guile found in His mouth 1 Pet. 2. vers 22. They hated and persecuted Him without a cause Ioh. 15. vers 25. as they did David who was a typ of Him Psal. 35. vers 19. and 69. vers 4. See also Psal. 35. vers 7. and 109. vers 3. and 119. vers 78 161. 2. Doth it vex him to think that he hath to do with unreasonable men worse than Heathens or Turks And will not this stop his mouth That they can be no more rude absurd cruel and unreasonable than those with whom Christ had to do What faire law or justice could Christ get They could not get so much as false witnesses to agree in any thing to accuse Him of yet they would persecute Him to the death Pilat was convinced of his Innocency and yet did deliver Him to be crucified What men more irrational than the brutish ignorant rabble set on by judicially-blinded and enraged Ring-leaders the Priests and Rulers 3. Doth it vex them to think that their own familiar friends and acquaintances turn their back upon them and refuse to comfort them And had not Christ this to wrestle against when all fled and forsook Him and His own Disciple betrayed Him Is it not said that He came unto His own and that His own received Hiâ—… not Ioh. 1 11. 4. Doth it trouble them to think that they are exercised with many troubles at once and which is worst of all when outward troubles are lying on the Lord is hiding His face And I pray was not this also Christ's lot was not He put to cry out even while on the cross and within a few minuts of expiring and of giving up the ghost My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And had He not a sadder inward exercise while in the garden where He was made to sweat drops of bloud than any that can befall them He had the weight of Law-wrath to bear that was due to all the Elect ones but the hidings which Beleevers can meet with are only fatherly with-drawings 5. If the duration and continuance of the trouble and affliction come into their mindes and vex them let them think that it cannot be worse with them than it was with the Lord Christ whose whole life was a life of suffering we read of His weeping but never of His laughing How oft was He in hazard of His life even from His Infancie How was He maligned slandered called a Devil a glutton and a wine-biber a profane Person How oft were snares laid for Him and how did Trouble follow Him to His grave 6. The afflicted Beleever may hence Inferre That it is his duty to study and to endeavour patience for in this did Christ leave us an example that we should follow His steps 1 Pet. 2. vers 21. In this passage of Peter we have some particulars which were evidences proofs or effects of Patience in Christ in all which we should labour to follow our Example as 1. As He was free of sin before He began to suffer His Enemies could lay no sin to His charge so while He was under their hands all the paine and trouble they put Him to caused Him not to sinne in thought word or deed So should the Sufferer labour strive against sin It is true we cannot be sinless and our corruptions will work yet it is our duty to wrestle against corruptions and to set a watch upon the door of our lips and to
of His chosen ones And what should make His people afraied who have little or nothing to meet with in comparison of what Christ did meet with they have nothing of Law-wrath and of pure Vindictive Iustice to meet with as Christ had to rancountre with in full measure Iustice is now satisfied in their behalfe and it is their mistake to think that in and by Afflictions God is pursueing them in wrath It is true there may be fatherly anger and displeasure in the Cup Which they get to drink but Christ drank-out the Curse and satisfied Vindictive Iustice and there is no payment to Iustice no not one farthing required of them in all their Sufferings So that Beleevers have not so great cause to fear as they suppose 2. Were this rightly considered the people of God would carry more like Saints under Afflictions than they do They are oftentimes when sore afflicted saying within themselves why doth the Lord deal so with me Are not many worse than I am more gentlie dealt with Oh! They consider not what Holy and Harmless Iesus was made to suffer Sure if they considered this they durst repine and fret in their mindes no more What though they have been innocent as to men and vvhat though they be sincere and upright as to God Yet they are sinners and Christ vvho never sinned vvas othervvayes handled both at the hands of God and Man than they are though their Afflictions and Sufferings vvere many vvayes multiplied 3. Right thoughts of this would teach them to carry the yoke with very great patience and submission of Soul Holy Jesus had another sort of yoke upon His blessed neck and yet he bore it with wonderful Patience yea with Holy Delight Why then should they be so impatient under their light and easie Yoke It is little they have to bear yea nothing in comparison of what Christ stood under 4. Seing Christ suffered so much and bore the Curse what have beleevers now to endure or lye under The height they can be reckoned to is but small remnants of what fell on Christ in a full floud and what they meet with is wholly free of Vindictive Wrath. They suffer but some little thing of that which is behinde of the Sufferings of Christ Col. 1 vers 24. Christ trode the Wine-press He hath gone thorow the sea and all the mighty waves thereof The shoure of Law-vengeance fell on His face in its full force and might and there is nothing of that left but small drops of the outward Affliction freed of the Curse left behinde for His Followers Have not His Followers then cause of Rejoiceing upon this account in the midst of all their Afflictions 5. Though trouble increase yet they ought to be quiet and possesse their Soul in Patience for it will never increase to that height that it will be equal to Christ's trouble Though their Afflictions come to the heighest that men can bring them to Yet will they be infinitly below the Afflictions that Christ suffered Have any then cause to complaine when they are so gentlie dealt vvith and vvhen all their Afflictions are in a manner no Afflictions in comparison of Christs 6. We are oft ready to look upon our Sufferings thorovv a magnifying glasse and take notice of all Considerations that may serve to heighten them and thus vve take a vvay to create much more trouble and vexation to ourselves and to make our life more sad and bitter But the right improvement of this Consideration vvould prevent all this for vvould vve take a right vievv of the inconceivably great and unparalleled Sufferings of Christ ours in comparison of these would soon evanish out of sight and disappear as nothing And thus would we be brought to bear our Affliction with full Subjection of Soul with silence yea and with thankful acknowledgment of Gods Graciousness and Tenderness who hath dealt so gently with us when He might have made the yoke more yea much more heavy and insupportable 7. Who taking a right View of what Christ suffered will not think themselves called to suffer for His sake with great willingness and cheerfulness May not every Beleever say did Christ undergo the heavy weight of the Wrath of God for me Did He lye under the Law-curse and bear the blowes of Vindictive Justice for me Stood He betwixt me and the pure Wrath of a sin-revenging God Did He drink the bitter Cup the Gall and the Worm-wood of Law-vengeance that I might be freed therefrom Did He bear that under which I should have lyen to all eternity that I might never come into that place of torment And what Affliction Persecution Tribulation Distress Sorrow Paine and Suffering should I think too much for Him and His sake Seing He endured for me the brunt of the battel and stood-out the sharpest of the storm and hail of Divine Wrath and Law-Indignation why should not I be content to bear a drop of mans Wrath or of the storme of mans Indignation which is free of the Curse and of pure Wrath for Him and for His Interest Hath He suffered so much for me and shall I think much to suffer such a small matter for Him Is there no proportion betwixt what He willingly endured to save me from Hell and from the Wrath of a Sin-revenging God and what I can be put to suffer for Him and His Testimonie And shall I notwithstanding be unwilling to undergo such a small inconsiderable bit of suffering for His Glory and for the Word of His Patience Drank he the Cup of pure Wrath for me and shall I think much to drink a drop of cold Water for Him O how willing and cheerful would the right apprehension of this Consideration make the Beleever to undergo all that men could devise for His Lord and Master CONSIDERATION XIII Suffering hath been the Lot of Christ's Church in all Ages ORdinarily when the Church and People of God meet with new trials and troubles they cry out as the Church did of old Lam. 1 v. 12. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow They presently conclude that their case hath not a parallel and that the Church in no age did meet with such a dispensation as they are under Hence proceedeth much sorrow But if it were considered that the Church in all Ages very few excepted hath met with the like or sorer trouble and hath drunk of that same cup that is now at theit Head they could not but see cause of laying their hand upon their mouth and sitting silent in the dust as being convinced that there were no new thing under the Sun Therefore seing this Consideration may be of use in order to a spiritual Life under Afflictions we shall speak a little to it and in order to the right improvement thereof lay down these following Particulars to be pondered 1. The only Wise God hath thought good for His own Holy ends that His Church should be a Militant
unto Him as one of His Enemies His Troups come together and raise up their way against me and encamp round about my Tabernacle He hath put my Brethren far from me and mine acquaintaince are verily estranged from me My Kinsfolk have failed and my familiar friends have forgotten me They that dwell in mine house and mine maidens account me for a stranger I am an alien in their sight I called my servant and he gave me no answere I intreated him with my mouth My breath is strange to my wife though I intreated for the Childrens sake of mine own body Yea young Children despised mâ—… I arose and they spoke against me All my inward friends abhorred me and they whom I loved are turned against me My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth Paul 2 Cor. 6 4 5 8 9 10. giveth us a catalogue of calamities of various kindes that he and others did meet with such as Afflictions Necessities Distresses Stripes Imprisonments Tumults Labours Watchings Fastings Dishonour Evil reports accounted Deceivers Vnknown Dying Chastned Sorrowful Poâ—…r and having nothing And againe he giveth us an account of what befell himself 2 Cor. 11. vers 23 24 25 26 27. In stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths oft of the jewes five times received I fourty stripes save one Thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stonned Thrice I suffered shipwrack a night and a daâ—… have I been in the depth in jurneying often in perrils of waters in perils of robbers in perils by mine own countrey-men in perrils by the Heathen in perils in the city in perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea in perils among false Brethren in weariness in painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness c. Who can say that his condition runneth parallel with this And if not have they any cause to complaine and cry out never man was so hardly dealt with as they are See also what hardships those did undergo of whom we read Hebr. 11. vers 36 37 38. They had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and Imprisonments they were sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute afflicted tormented c. Can they say that they are more hardly dealt with than these were If not is not their complaint very groundless 5. Some possibly will account their case singular in that afflictions attend them as the shadow doth the body where ever they be and whithersoever they go Crosses Troubles and Temptations are their constant Companions But do they verily think that none before them hath had as good cause to speak thus as they Sure the Catalogue of calamities that Paul reckoneth up as we heard lately saith he had such a lot before them He met with trouble both by sea and land in cities in wildernesses by his own countrey-men by strangers and by false Brethren in some places was he scourged in some places beaten with rods in some places stoned in some places imprisoned c. so that a short view of his life will put this beyond question And himself said Act. 20. 23. that in every citie bonds and afflictions did abide him 6. Some may possibly think that their sufferings are so much the sadder that they reach not their goods but their good name and credite and that without all coloure of ground Yet for as heavy as this appeareth to be it is no new or uncouth thing It is true it may prove sad to some who are tender of their name and credite and would glory thereof but how sad so ever it be to them they must not say that their case as to this is singular Wo to you said Christ to his Disciples and followers Luk. 6. vers 26 When all men speak well of you for so did their Fathers unto the false Prophets And againe Mat. 5. vers 11 22. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you And shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoice and be exceeding glade for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you So that this was the common lot of the Prophets was to be the lot of the Apostles accordingly Paul tels us 1 Cor. 4. vers 9 11 12 13. That they were made a spectacle unto the world and to Angels and to men and he addeth Even unto this present houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certaine dwelling place and labour working with our own hands being reviled we blesse being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we entreat we are made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things to this day Was not here a suffering of an high degree both in body and in name So 2 Cor. 6. vers 8. As deceivers and yet true So were they accounted the chiefe of Traitors such as turned the world upside down Act. 17. vers 6. He was accounted the man that taught all men every where against the People and the Law and the Temple Act. 21. vers 28. Elijah was called the Troubler of Israel 1 King 18. vers 17. We heard above how Christ himself suffered in His Name So that this must be no rare or uncouth thing 7. It may be an heavy affliction to some possibly to be persecuted by their own Countrey-men Neighbours and Relations But was not Christ so was not Paul so exercised 2 Cor. 11. vers 26. Were not the Thessalonians so afflicted 1 Thes. 2 vers 14 Knew not David this in experience Psal 55. vers 12 13. And Iob also when not only his Friends and domestick Servants neighbours carried so unfriendly and untenderly with him but even his own wife that lay in his bosome had no other consolatory counsel to give him but to take his leave or last good night as we say of God and so be destroyed out of hand for thus the sentence may be interpreted which in the Original is blesse God and die as we use to blesse or wish well to them of whom we are taking our leave and so this benedicere is as it were valedicere Her saying blesse was as much as if she had said Bid Him fare well 8. Some may think their crosse heavy upon this consideration that they have to do with men who know no Justice and walk not either by Law or Equity but do what they please But neither is this any strange thing for not to speak of our Lord Jesus Christ who was thus dealt with what Law or Justice did Iohn Baptist meet with when upon the desire of a light dancing Damsel his head was cut off in prison without so much as a forme of process What Law or equity acted the confused rabble that rofe up against Paul at Ephesus Act. 19
for the Name of Christ maketh way for a greater degree in Glory If we suffer with Him we shall also reigne with Him 2 Tim. 2 vers 12. If we suffer with Him we shall be glorified together Rom. 8 vers 17. There is a noble word to this purpose 2 Cor. 4 vers 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory The Glory that our momentany Affliction worketh for us is eternal and the Weight of that Crown is eternally Weighty that can never be fully weighed Nay It cannot be told by Hyperbolee's heaped upon Hyperbolee's all these will come short of expressing the Weight thereof We finde in the Book of the Revel Chap. 7 veâ—…s 13 14 15 16 17. that there were some discernable from others and more remarkable having on a distinguishing rob as a peculiar livery in Glory They are said to have had White Robs and who were these Such as came out of great Tribulation They were made to wear on earth a red livery of bloud but now in glory they are shineing in white And it is added Vers. 15 c. Therefore are they before â—…he Throne of God and serve Him day and night in his Temple and He that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them any more for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of Waters And shall wipe away all teares from their eyes We shall now come to speak something in order to the improvement of these Truthes which we have confirmed First The faith of these Truthes would give a check unto several evils that we are too ready to comply with in a day of trial and discover unto us several things for which we are to check and rebuke ourselves as 1. Do not some finde an Antipathy at the cross working and striving in them even when the Cross is yet far off Do they not finde some aversness of soul therefrom Now this evil would meet with a check if these Truthes were beleeved No beleever findeth any aversness from faith but he is still desaring more and more of it and praying Lord increase our faith for he knoweth how excellent and necessary it is And now seing the grace and gift of Suffering is as we have shown in several respects above and beyond faith should they be unwilling to receive it if God shall be pleased to honoure them with that Might not the beleever hence say to himself are there any of the Gifts of God to be refused or rejected Are not all His Graces and Gifts excellent and lovely Why doth my heart then so much stand out against this How is it that I am not more in love with the Glorious Cross of Christ Especially seing it is an honour that isnot conferred on every one and an honourable Gift purchased by the precious blood of Christ that hath purchased nothing that will harme us or nothing but what is excellent and desirable Why then am I so little in love with suffering for the sake of Christ Ought I not to be ashamed of and displeased with my self upon this account Ought I not to check this aversness 2. The faith of this would give a check unto our readiness to shift the Cross when we are called to make ready for it and when it seemeth to be at the door For would we say what Shall we devise meanes to shift suffering for the Cause of Christ when He is calling us to it What shall we meditate a way of shifting and putting away such an honourable Divine Gift more excellent than faith in several respects What unsutable unworthy carriage must this be Is it a gift of God and such a gift of God and a gift given in the behalfe of Christ as purchased by His Merites and Death and shall we thus sinfully basely and unworthily shift it by our door and rather sinne than embrace it and make it welcome What a shame were this 3. The faith of these things would give a check unto our fool-hardiness and too rash adventuring on sufferings without a due call and as if our strength were able to carry us thorow Too many are too confident and promise too much upon their own Ability Parts Resolution and Strength as if the stood in need of no more and as if this Suffering for the sake of Christ were not a pure gift of Grace that must come down from above from the Father of Lights through Jesus Christ. Now the faith of these Truthes would check these thoughts Any that know what true faith is would be dissatisfied with such as would talk of it as a thing in their power and which they could put in Act when they pleased because they would know that such boasted of what they had not and that faith was not in their Power but was the special and purchased gift of God So would the right thoughts of this put us from ever thinking to venture on suffering in our own strength put us to look to Him from whom every good gift and every perfect gift cometh through Jesus Christ and waite on Him for it 4. The faith of this would likewise rebuke our readiness to fainte when we aer called to suffer or engaged in it and put a check to our saying Alas we will never win thorow this Sea of Affliction one day or other we shall shamefully fall and betray the cause and so come off with disgrace and would put us to look off ourselves and to look up unto the giver who giveth freely and to the Purchaser who will receive all that He hath purchased Must we not thus carry in order to faith when we beginne to feare that it shall fail us Do we not comfort ourselves with this That faith is the free gift of God and is purchased by Christ and is not of ourselves And why should we not do so in order to suffering which is also the free gift of God and is purchased by Christ When we are like to be discouraged with the thoughts of our own weakness and unfitness to contend with Horsemen and with the swellings of Jordan should we not look upon it as the gift of God whereby He can make us strong even when we are weak to the Glory of His free Grace And when we are discouraged with the thoughts of our unworthiness and thereupon inferre that God will never honour us with bearing faithful Testimony unto His Truth should we not in humility and in the acknowledgment of our own Unworthiness and Provocations look to Him as the great and free giver who giveth nothing because of our merites He gave us faith freely notwithstanding of our former Provocations and great unworthiness and may He not also give us this gift when He calleth us to the duty freely through
out and enabled to withstand temptations unto a sideing with the workers of Iniquity 6. It would help also unto Christian cheerfulness under the Crosse when we know that it will be but a blast soon over and gone our Countenance will not fall nor our courage fail but when we represent the trouble to ourselves as of long continuance and we beginne to doubt if ever it shall have an end then we become discouraged and our countenances are cast down and we appear no more couragious and cheerful How do our hearts faint and our hands fail us The Consideration of the short and momentany Affliction keeped-up Pauls heart and made him say For this cause we fainte not 2 Cor. 4 16 17. 7. The faith of this would free us from many feares that ordinarily attend such a Condition we are while under Affliction saying what if this or that fall out But the faith of this would hush these troublesome feares and questions to the door The Tribulation being but to continue ten dayes we would fear none of these things Revelat. 2 v. 10. CONSIDERATION XIX Remember Peter's fall Mat. 26. vers 33 34 35. IN a time of trials and temptations as it is of advantage to be calling to minde and presenting to ourselves the Christian and commendable Carriage of such as have been helped of the Lord to witness a good Confession for Him and for His Cause and Interest before men to the end we may thereby be encouraged to follow their example and to adventure on the Promises with them and not to fear the faces of men in Christ's Cause so it may be of use for us also to present before our eyes and to take notice of the faintings of others in the day of Trial that thereby we may learn to walk in fear and not to trust to ourselves or to any thing within us and to watch lest we enter into temptation when we are not in case to wrestle against it We have here before us a sad and an alarming Instance viz. the foule fall of an Eminent man in the houre of Temptation which may be Improven to advantage After Christ and His Disciples had been supping together at that Instituted Feast He tels them some sad and wakening newes vers 31 32. to Teach us 1. That we are never more ready to grow secure and to think that our mountain stands so strong that it shall never be moved than when we have had greatest Enjoyments of and Communications from the Lord and nighest Access unto him 2. That there is never less cause of security than at that time for the higher we have come in our attainments the Devil is the nigher with his storme 3 That we should never be secure but even when we win neerest God we should resolve upon and prepare for new assaults and temptations But withal it is remarkable that the Lord delayed the signification of the sad things that were to fall out until the feast was ended and they had sung a hymne knowing that they would then be best in case to bear the sad report and not loving to marre their mirth at that feast of Love Though Christ had told them that they should all be offended because of Him that night yet Peter out of a piece of manly courage as would appear promising too much upon his own head would not beleeve but would rather make his Master a false Prophet than suspect his own weakness Therefore Christ tels him that he should be more offended than any of the rest and that he should deny Him thrice ere the next morning came vers 34 But all this would not lay the high conceite that Petâ—…r had of himself for he resolved rather to die than do that and this he avowed openly little knowing this own strength In this carriage and in these Answers of Peter there are some things good and some things bad and the noticeing of both may be of use to us As for such things as are good here and may yeeld us some Instruction we shall mention these three First It was good that Peter was convinced did acknowledge that it was his duty and the duty of all Christ's Disciples to avow their Master and not to be offended in Him whatever came And this is an undeniable truth That upon all hazards Christ should be owned and avowed by all that would not have Him to be ashamed of them one day And yet how little is this beleeved beleevingly practised Secondly It was good that he was convinced and that he confessed that it was his duty though all the rest should have left alone yet notwithstanding to owne and avow his Master and not deny him For Christ and His truth and cause is worthy to be owned and avowed how small so ever our encouragment from others be And as we should not follow a multitude to do evil so neither will the defection of many justifie our defection and lessen our fault if we depart from the faith Thirdly It was good that he saw and acknowledged that he was obliged to owne his Master and stand at his back be the hazard never so great and that the very fear of death should not cause him deny his Master Thouâ—…h saith he I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee And indeed all that would be faithful Disciples to Christ must not think their life dear to the death for Him but must be dead to life and all that is dear to them But that which we would chiefly here take notice of is that which was amisse in him and which will ground some sad Truths for our use As First He had too great a conceite of himself and thought too much of what he had of what he was Hence obs That Christians are too ready to be puft up with thoughts of themselves and are in hazard to be carryed away with this evil of self conceite and vaine thoughts of their owne worth and excellency And this ariseth from these evils 1. Unmortified Corruption This is alwayes working against God one way or other and is as ready to work this way as any other way 2. Little self searching and self examination whereby we become strangers to the evil of our hearts and know not what enemies are lurking there and what wickedness aboundeth and when we know not what is within it is little wonder we be readily puft up with swelling thoughts of vanity 3. Little real acquaintance with the treachery deceitfulness and double dealing of our false hearts If we saw that and saw its activity for evil we would see more cause of humiliation than of pride and self conceite 4. Little mindeing considering aright the failings and falls of others who seemed to be as fast at the root as we If we thought upon this we might have cause to feare that we should also not be able to ride out a storme 5. Trusting too much unto our own present good disposition and frame