〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports properly such a recumbency a resting of the soul upon Christ Which where it is though there be not Assurance for the present yet it is a true and a saving Faith As for Assurance pertinet ad bene esse non ad esse It belongeth to the well being to the perfection of faith And upon that account it is earnestly to be sought after and much set by but not to the being Sense and feeling may fail and yet faith hold out I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not saith Christ to Peter Luke 22.32 Not that thy Assurance might not fail which in the best of Gods Saints it is subject to but thy faith which where once it is truly begun it shall never utterly fail In the paroxisme of his passion Christs assurance his sense and feeling were gone Why hast thou forsaken me Yet his Faith held My God my God Consid 3 To these add in the third place the unchangeableness of Gods Affection towards his people The unchangeablenesse o◠Gods affection and of his Covenant with them His Covenant being the Covenant of grace it is a Covenant of salt an Everlasting Covenant Once their God and ever their God Once their Father and ever their Father In the midst of this spirituall desertion yet Christ calleth God his Father The Cup which my Father hath given me Though God did for a time hide his face from him yet did not this dissolve that Relation which was betwixt his Father and him noe nor yet make any alteration or change in his Affection towards him Even then when his wrath brake forth most hotly upon him yet his heart was towards him as much as ever And the like may all that are Christians be assured of Having once taken God for their Father this is an everlasting Relation which shall never be dissolved However God may represent himself unto them yet he is still a Father towards them Doubtlesse thou art our Father Isai 63.16 And such is his affection to them I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 Thus is God unchangeable we may change as to our apprehensions of him but he changeth not I am the Lord I change not Mat. 3.6 Even as it is with the Sun in an Ecclipse the moon interposing it self maketh a change of the face of it but the Sun it self is not changed which it soone sheweth by shining again as formerly Even so is it in these spirituall Ecclipses The light of Gods countenance through some dark cloud of temptation intervening is for a time intercepted so as we see it not as it may be at sometimes we have done but God is still the same And waiting upon him we shall by comfortable experience find him so Here are a few of those Meditations which among many other being applyed to the heart will be of great use for the bearing it up even under this greatest of tryals In the second place by way of Practise take only the like number of directions Help◠by way of practise because I am not willing to load your memories beyond their bearing 1. In this case make use of the judgments of others Make use of the Judgment of others A man is not looked upon as a competent judg in his own case And so is it here In soul conflicts men usually take part with sin and Satan against themselves And being parties they are no competent Judges And therefore submit rather to the Judgments of others Such as have had acquaintance with our Persons and conditions Specially herein lend an ear to the Ministers of Christ whose office it is under Christ to bind up the broken hearted Isai 61.1 To speak comfort to the afflicted Isai 40.1 To speak a word in season to him that is weary Isai 50 3. As Gods interpreters to shew unto man his uprightnesse Job 33.23 To acquaint him with the truth of his condition as also with his duty to shew him what state he is in and what course he is to take Thus are they Gods mouth to his people as the Lord telleth Jeremie Jer 15.19 And therefore as at other times so now specially to be hearkened to Thus the Lord sends Saul to Ananias that by him he might be restored to his sight and instructed what he should do Act. 9.6.12 And in the Chapter following he willeth Cornelius to send for Peter that he might tell him what he ought to doe Act. 10.6 Thus in matters of temporall Concernment men being in a straight they will not rely upon their own Judgment but will apply themselves to their Counsellours whose profession and practise gives them to be skilfull in the Law And the like let Christians do in their spirituall conflicts intrusting themselves hearken to the Ministers of Christ such as they judge to be able and faithfull and submit to their Judgment 2. In this case live upon former experience as upon the experience of others Live upon former experience so of our own Look back upon former times and remember what our condition hath been how it hath been with us as to our spirituall estate what we have seen and felt of God heretofore This was Davids practise if that Psalme be his which it is supposed to be Psal 77. Being in a most disconsolate condition so as his soul refused to be comforted as he saith v. 2. then saith he I considered the dayes of old the years of ancient time I call to remembrance my Songs in the night v. 5.6 I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high I will remember the works of the Lord Surely I will remember thy wonders of old v. 12 11. Now he cals to mind what God had done for himself and others and herewith he stayeth and comforteth himself being assured that God was still the same God And the like do we in the like case 3. But above all in the third place live upon the promises Live upon the Promises casting our selves upon them as a shipwrackt man doth upon the rast that is cast out to him Though for the present we find no comfort in them or from them yet lay hold upon them casting our souls upon them living by faith in them So did Abraham the Father of the faithfull Against hope he believed in or under hope Rom. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When naturall causes had left him hopeless as to any issue of his body yet grounding his faith upon the promise of God he still hoped And the like let all his Children doe When sense faileth live by Faith resolving come what will come not to let that hold goe That was Jobs resolution Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 A truly heroical Resolution which let al the Lords people take up However the Lord shall deal with them yet let them not let go their confidence Cast not away your Confidence Heb. 10.35 If this be gone
peace Luk. 2.29 And the like do we in a spirituall sense receive we the Lord Jesus being held forth unto us in the promise of the Gospell and take hold upon him clasping and imbracing him in the armes of our faith receiving him as our Saviour and Lord. As our Saviour believing on him for the pardon and remission of all our sins As our Lord yielding up our selves to be guided and governed by him by his word and Spirit Which whilest we do now shall we have no just cause to fear this Enemy which is by this Captain of our Salvation conquered and disarmed so as now it cannot hurt any of those that are his O then let every of us make sure our interest in him Upon which depends all our hope and comfort both in life and death Christ being once ours now we may hear the Apostle telling us that all things are ours 1 Cor. 3.21 All things among which he reckons Life and Death with things present and things to come All ours so is Life even temporall life so as it shall be continued to us whilest it is expedient And so is Death which when it comes shall not be hurtful but advantagious and beneficial To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Phil. 1.21 So are things present the concernments of this present life as Crosses so Comforts both serving for our good And things to come Eternal glory and happinesse Which whilest a Christian is assured of why should not he be as willing to dye as live 3. Only in the third place look out also for the seal of the Spirit Look out for the seal of the Spirit Thus are Assurances made among men by setting seals to writings to bonds and bils and other conveyances And such Assurance labour we for to get the promises sealed unto us and that by this seal the seal of the Spirit which the Apostle calleth the earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.13 14. An earnest confirms the bargain and assures the payment of the whole summe And so doth the earnest of the Spirit as he elswhere calleth it 2 Cor. 1.22 the work of Regeneration and Sanctification begun in the soul this is as Gods seal which confirmeth his promises to his people and giveth them assurance of their heavenly inheritance Which being assured off what should make them unwilling to depart hence when God calleth for them Having now another house to receive them when they are turned out of this and that infinitely better as the Apostle telleth them 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building not made with hands eternal in the heavens Now what man would be unwilling to leave a poor ruinous Cottage which he holdeth only at the pleasure of the Land-lord being subject to be turned out of it every day when as he may have posession of a Royal palace whereof also he shal have the fee-simple estate And such is that heavenly house that celestial glory and happinesse which Christ having purchased for those that are his is gone before to take posession of and to prepare for them I go to prepare a place for you Joh. 14.2 it infinitely excelleth all earthly glory far more then the most princely palace doth the meanest cottage O labour we but to make sure this our Inheritance in that other world this will make us not unwilling to leave this Here is a first Direction Seek after Assurance that we have an interest in God and Jesus Christ and so a right to eternal life And being thus assured of Life Dir. 2 now Prepare for death Prepare for death by dying daily So did the blessed Apostle who tels his Corinthians that he dyed daily 1 Cor. 15.31 I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I dye daily Apprehending death continually hanging over his head he was daily preparing for it And the like do we that we may be willing to dye once when God calleth us to it dye daily Q. But how shall we do this A. Take the answer in three or four particulars 1. Dye daily to sin This the Apostle telleth us Christ once did for us To sin In that he dyed he dyed unto sin once Rom. 6.10 This he did not for himself for he knew no sin but for us for the expiating of our sins the taking away the guilt of them And what he did once doe we daily daily dye to sin for the taking away the power of it in our selves A work which will not be done at once as that of our Saviour was True the Apostle speaking of believers saith they are dead to sin Rom. 6.2.11 in as much as they are not now under the power of it as sometimes they were But this is but an imperfect work not done at once Though sin hath received its mortal wound in them yet it is stil alive Though they be dead to it yet it liveth in them And therefore they must make this their daily their continual work to be dying to it mortifying the body of sin that it may dye before them The life of sin is the life of death So long as a man liveth in any one sin he will never be willing to dye And therefore set we upon the mortification of all our sinful Lusts Specially our beloved Lusts those which have been most near and dear to us most strong and prevalent in us Never resting until we find our hearts brought to an utter abhorrence and detestation of them and of all other sinful waies and courses so as we can say with the Psalmist that we hate every false way Psa 119.104 Thus Sin being dead death will not be so terrible As we get ground of the one we shal get strength against the other Secondly Dye daily to the world To the world So did the Apostle who telleth us of himself that he was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6.14 He had as little affection to the world as the world had to him he was dead to that and that to him And it is the counsel which he giveth to others 1 Cor. 7.31 that they should so use this world as not abusing it Not doting upon any thing here below whether riches oâ— pleasures or honours Not setting the heart upon them If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Psal 62.10 And so for the rest Not being inordinately affected with any contentments which this world can afford but looking overly upon them so using them as if they used them not So run those foregoing directions of the Apostle there 1 Cor. 7.29 30. This I say brethren the time is short It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not And this let every of us strive to
covetous and self-ended may the wise and faithfull Physician will not hold his Patient in a course of physick longer then need is If he still prescribe potion after potion surely he seeth there is a cause for it And thus is it with our heavenly Physician if he do keep his people in a course of afflictions it is not that he taketh any delight in it No though earthly Parents may sometimes chasten their children for their pleasure as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.10 our heavenly Father doth it not He seeth that there is a cause for it Conâ—inuance of Afflictions sometimes needfull He seeth that they have need of it need of those afflictions wherewith he exerciseth them and under which he holdeth them Need either for the cure of some old Malady or for the prevention of some new one which he seeth them in danger of 1. For the cure of habituated lusts For the cure of some old Malady Possibly there may be some old habituated Lusts which through a long custome and continuance have taken a deep rooting in the soul Now these are not easily or suddainly wrought out There must be a course of physick to cure an inveterate disease M. Paul Bayne Christian Letters 33. It may be as I remember a reverend and holy man writes to a friend concerning himself the sweet wayes of youth have bred such a bed of Worms in our souls that our heavenly Father seeth it necessary for us to continue our Wormwood and Aloes Thus God doth this sometimes by way of cure 2. And sometimes by way of prevention Though for the present it may be the soul may be in a sound and healthfull plight For the preventing of spiritual maladies yet he foreseeth what infirmities it is subject to and in danger of and hereupon it is that he followeth his people with a succession of Afflictions Even as the Physician that purgeth his Patient every Spring and Fall that so by those seasonable Evacuations he may prevent the sicknesse which he is inclined to Thus doth God knowing the temper of his people he often followes them with afflictions and tryals to prevent those spiritual Maladies which otherwise he seeth would breed in their souls To which end he keepeth them it may be continually under his correcting hand holding them as I may say in a course of physick even all their life long And shall he be pleased so to deal with any of us let not us repine or murmur True it is Applic. 1 Repine not under long afflictions to be held long much more continually under affliction it is a wearisome thing to flesh and blood As we say of physick Qui medicè vivit miserè vivit To be alwayes in the Physicians hands it is a miserable course of life And truly so it is to be continually under Gods afflicting hand to nature it is a wearisome condition But here let Grace correct and help Nature by minding us that this is the condition which our heavenly Father seeth fit for us And therefore quietly and contentedly submit unto him to the drinking of whatever cup or cups he shall prescribe unto us Only labouring to finde the kindely working of every of them Labour to find a kindely working of them that we may be bettered by them as to our spirituall condition that we may finde all sinfull and inordinate lusts more and more purged out of our souls and the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse brought forth So shall we have cause to blesse God for this his dealing with us acknowledging with David that it is good for us that we have been afflicted that we might learn his statutes Psal 119.71 which is a sweet and blessed fruit Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest out of thy Law Psal 94.12 When Nocumenta thus prove Documenta when chastening and teaching go together this is a blessed thing But I am not come where I intend to fasten There is yet a third head a third rise of the Metaphor A third head of the Metaphor From Governours at Feasts which is looked upon as most genuine and proper which is to fetch it either from a custome among the Ancients who in their Banqueting and Feasting being wont to drink by measure they had one who was appointed to be the Moderator or Governour of the Feast Sumpta est Metaphora vel a more convivantium Veteres enim in convivâ— is singulis portionem suam per dispensatorem assignabant Latinis Modiperatores erant c. Aret. in loc as you shall finde it at that Marriage Feast in Cana of Galilee which our Saviour graced with his presence Joh. 2.8 9. Him the Greeks called as it is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so after them the Latines Modiperatores quasi modum imperantes Architriclinus or Symposiarcha whose Office it was to order all things at the Feast and in speciall to see a measure kept in drinking from whence he was called Modiperator to which end he appointed every one his cup which he must drink and no more Or from Masters of Families Or else more plainly and simply as others conceive of it from a Master of a Family Metaphora sumpta a more Veteri secunáum quem Pater-familias singulis domesticis ut certam cibi partionem edendam sic etiam certam poculi id est vini seu potus mensuram bibendam distribuebat c. P. Ravanell Thesaur Calvin Piscator c. ad loc whose manner anciently was to give to every one in the Family children and servants their severall portion as of Meat so of Drink to every one their cup. Even so doth God the great Moderator the wise Disposer and Governor of all things and the Father of all the Families in heaven and in earth distribute to every of the sons of men their portions as of mercies and blessings so of sufferings which in phrase of Scripture is called their cup. Whence it is that we finde these two sometimes put together as Psal 11.6 This shall be the portion of their cup And again Rectè à viris doctis annotatum est per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraeum cut respondet Hellenistarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significari sortem prosperam aut improsperam quae Deo inspectante ac moderante cuique obtingit Unde vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interdum adjuactam legimus Grot. Annot. in Math. 20. vers 22. Psal 16.5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup. So then by Cup understand we that portion of sufferings which God by his providence layeth out unto the sons of men which he doth not at randome but by measure Mark it This is the Doctrinall conclusion which I shall from hence take up Afflictions Doct. sufferings are dispensed by God unto men by measure Sufferings dispensed by God by measure Perindè ac Pacerfamilias cibum
potum filiis ac domesticis suis distriouit ità hoc juris in nos habet Deus ut singulos tractet prout visum est Calvin Cem. in Text. So were the sufferings of the Son of man the Lord Jesus and so are the sufferings of all the sons of men They do not fall upon them by chance or fortune but by a divine providence Neither are they poured out upon them without any regard of stint as I may say but by measure As for the former of these none but an Atheist will deny or question it It is that which Eliphaz willeth Job to take notice of Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground Job 5.6 Crosses afflictions sufferings of what kinde soever they do not happen by chance nor yet have they their Originall meerly from secondary causes There is a hand of Divine providence in every of them Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 This is Gods work And this he doth by measure God doth all things by weight and measure So he doth all things by weight and measure As Job saith of the Waters Job 28.25 He weigheth the waters by measure He so ordereth the waters of the Sea as that they keep within their banks as if they were weighed or measured And so may it be said of the waters of Affliction of sufferings God weigheth and measureth them out giving to every one his dimensum his proportion his Cup. For the prosecuting and clearing of which truth we may take notice of two sorts of sufferings Sufferings of two sorts satisfactory and castigatory two sorts of punishments which God inflicteth upon the sons of men There is Poena satisfactoria castigatoria There are some punishments which are satisfactory other castigatory Which two however for the matter of them they are one and the same the same Cup the same liquor as I may say yet they are differenced according to the subject the persons on whom they are inflicted The former are judgements or punishments properly so called which befall wicked men The latter corrections chastisements tryals wherewith Gods own people are exercised Both dispensed by mersure Now of both these it is alike true that God dispenseth them by measure Mark it Punishments and chastisements so call them for distinctions sake God dispenseth them both by measure though not by the same measure Though not by the same measure The one he measureth out by a measure of justice the other by a measure of mercy proportioning the one to the desert of the sinner the other to his strength which two we may with the Schools call the one an Arithmetical the other a Geometricall proportion Yet in both he dealeth by measure measuring out punishments unto wicked men and measuring out chastisments unto his own people I shall deal with them severally Begin with the former 1. Punishments properly so called satisfactory punishments inflicted for sin Punishments inflicted by measure a measure of justice The sufferings of Christ thus measured God poureth them out by measure By a measure of justice as I said proportioning the punishment to the sin Thus did God measure out the sufferings of Jesus Christ those satisfactory punishments inflicted upon him they were proportioned to the sins which he had undertaken This is that which the Prophet Isai setteth forth so clearly and fully Isa 53.6 where speaking of the Messiah of Christ he saith The Lord hath layd on him the iniquity of us all or as the Margin in our new Translation readeth it according to the Originall He hath made the iniquity of us all to meet on him inflicting on him whatever was requisite for the satisfying of his justice for the sins of his Elect people for whom Christ as their surety had undertaken So the next Verse explains it vers 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted or as the Originall hath it word for word It was exacted and he answered God the Father as a just Judge required full satisfaction from him and he therein answered by paying a full price and so discharging of the debt wherein his Elect were ingaged And after the same manner will he deal with all those who have not a share in that satisfaction even all wicked and ungodly men The sufferings of wicked men thus measured To them will God measure out punishments by the same measure a measure of justice proportioning them to their sins Temporall punishments sometimes Thus doth he oft times measure out unto them temporall plagues and punishments in this life therein dealing with them according to their sins This David prayeth for that God would so deal by his mischievous enemies Psal 28.4 Give them according to their deeds and according to the wickednesse of their indeavours give them after the work of their hands render to them their desert And this God often doth proportioning judgements to sins Thus is he said to deal with Mystical Babylon Babylon the Mother of Whoredomes spoken of Rev. 17.4 is there said to have a Golden Cup in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse There is the measure of her sins A full cup. And behold how her punishment answereth it To her God giveth the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath Rev. 16.19 And that a full Cup A Viall full of the wrath of God as those Vials are described Cap. 15 7. In the cup which she hath filled fill to her double Rev. 18.6 Thus a full cup of abomination meeteth sometimes oft times with a full cup an answerable proportion of temporall plagues and judgements wherein God rendreth unto men according to their demerits So he threatneth Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering Sword and my hand take hold of vengeance I will render vengeance to mine Enemies and will reward them that hate me However Eternal punishment this he will do hereafter at that great day of retributions when the Lord shall render to every man according to his deeds as the Apostle hath it Rom. 2.6 then shall he pour out wrath and vengeance upon all wicked and ungodly men which he shall do by a measure of justice proportioning their plagues to their sins To the nature and quality of them The greater the sin the greater the punishment Sins of ignorance shall meet with fewer stripes sins of knowledge with more so our Saviour tells the Jewes Luk. 12.47 48. And so for the number the more sins committed the oftner repeated the greater weight of Judgement Thence is that phrase used by the Apostle of heaping or treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 A heap a treasure is encreased by daily additions and so is that punishment which shall be inflicted upon wicked men at the last day it shall be increased by the multiplying of their sins Every sin being as it were a Faggot to feed that eternall fire withall Now
Pharises had conspired against him Judas his own servant had betrayed him Notandum hic est quod non dicit An non bibam poculum quod infundunt mihi Judai inimici hostes sed Quod dedit mihi Pater Admonemur hic ut in ferendâ cruce suspiciamus ad Putrem coelestem Muscul Com. in Text. the High-priests Officers with a band of Souldiers were ready at hand to apprehend him but he looketh beyond all these looketh up unto God his Father looking upon this Cup as prepared and presented by him The Cup which my Father hath given me Thus should Gods children in all their afflictions and distresses look through Instruments Hic docet nos in adversis non respicere in hominem aut Daemonem mala inferentem sed in Deum permittentem Ferus Annot. in Text. beyond secondary causes look through them unto God himself So did holy Job the story is well known when he heard what the Chaldeans and Sabeans had done to him how they had plundered him of his substance driven away his Heards and his Flocks what saith he to it Why The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken Job 1.21 Non Chaldaei non Sabaei saith one he doth not say the Chaldaeans the Sabaeans have done this but The Lord hath taken As for them they were but Instruments it was God that set them on work to doe what they did And therefore Job looketh beyond them unto him And the like did David when Shimei came like a mad Dog with open mouth foaming and barking against him for which Abishai would have had him have given him commission to take off his head what saith he Let him alone and let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him 2 Sam. 16.10 11. This had God done though not by any order or direction yet by a secret providence so ordering and disposing of Shimeies malice that he might be instrumentall for the further humbling of David And David taking notice hereof he disdains to look at that despicable Varlet but looketh higher unto God by whose permission yea secret commission he did what he did So it is In all mans sufferings God the principal Agent in whatever sufferings whoever be the Instruments God himself is the principal Agent What they do they doe it by Gods ordination and appointment It was one thing which Rabshakeh would have Hezekiahs servants to tell their Master concerning his coming up against Jerusalem Isa 36.10 Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it The Lord said unto me Goe against this place and destroy it This he spake falsely and yet truely falsely as pretending to a Commission and Warrant from the Lord for what he did yet so as there was a truth in what he said Though he had no word from God yet it was by his secret counsel and appointment that he came up thither So the same Prophet speaking from the Lord elsewhere asserts it Isa 10.5 O Assyrian the rod of mine anger the staffe in their hand is mine indignation So it is in what hand soever it be the Rod the staffe of Affliction and Suffering is Gods If the Assyrian come up against Jerusalem it is God that sendeth him I will send him against an hypocritical Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge so it there followeth vers 6. True it was he intended nothing lesse then the doing of Gods work the fulfilling of his will as the next verse hath it Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so vers 7. He came of his own head to doe what was in his own heart to satisfie his ambitious and cruel minde in conquering of Kingdomes and making havock of the people where he came That was his design Yet so as herein he had a secret Commission from God who sent him as a scourge against that people Thus is God the Orderer and Disposer of whatever evils befall his people Shall there be evil in a City and so in a Family and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 Evill of affliction and suffering is Gods work issuing out of his mouth That is the Churches acknowledgement in her captivity Lam. 3.37 38. Who is he that saith and it cometh to passe when the Lord commandeth it not Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evill and good As prosperous successes so crosse issues they are all of them by Gods determination and appointment I form the light and create darknesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord doe all these things Isa 45.7 So it was in the sufferings of our blessed Saviour as I have in part showen you already and shall God willing do it yet more fully it was God his heavenly Father that measured them out to him He it was that mixed that tempered that Cup for him his naturall Son and the like he doth for all his adopted children And if so then great reason there is why they as their blessed pattern here doth in all their afflictions and tryals should look up unto him taking notice of his hand in the ordering and disposing of them Without which they can neither have support under them nor yet a sanctified use of them Which let it be applyed by way of Reprehension Applic. Exhortation Vse 1. Vse 1 Reprehension of such as in their afflictions look only downwards By way of Reprehension Were the eyes of our blessed Saviour in his sufferings thus raised upwards what then mean our eyes to be cast altogether downwards as often they are In afflictions and sufferings whither is it that men ordinarily look Some they know not to what to Chance and Fortune things which are not others to Instruments and secondary causes So it is for the most part If men be plundered and spoyled of their goods whither doe they look To the Chaldaeans the Sabaeans the spoylers Robbers Enemies that did it If themselves or theirs be visited with sicknesse what is it that they pore upon The time and place when and where they got it how they came by it and by what means they may be rid of it And so for Slanders their inquiry only is after them that raised them This is the highest pitch that carnall spirits rise unto As for God he is not in all their thoughts as David saith of the wicked man Psal 10.4 And as for Gods own children they are oft times blame-worthy in this kinde for looking too much downward too little upward And thence is it that they are so impatient under their Crosses as too often they are like Horses champing upon the Bil not considering the hand that holdeth the Bridle biting the stone not taking notice of the hand that throweth it Vse 2 So did not our heavenly Pattern Exhort to follow Christs example in looking upwards unto God Vse 2. Whom be we who professe our selves his Scholars exhorted in this to imitate and follow
His unchangeable Counsels The unchangeablenesse of his purpose His counsels are immutable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The immutability of his Counsel Heb. 6.7 My Counsel shall stand saith the Lord and I will do all my pleasure Isa 46.10 The councel of the Lord standeth for ever Psal 33.11 Surely as I have thought shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand Isa 14.24 Such are all the counsels and purposes of God all like himself unchangeable What do we then by our murmurings and repinings against the pleasure of his will but even dash our selves against a Rock which may break us but we cannot move it To change or alter what he hath purposed and determined concerning us as a thing which we cannot doe 3. Consider the Irresistablenâ—sse of his power upon this account it is that the wise man saith that against a King there is no reising up His irresistable power Prov. 30.31 viz in regard of the prevalency of his power So he elsewhere explaineth himself Eccles 8.4 Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what dost thou It is not for a Subject to contest with his Soveraign who as he hath Authority over him so he is armed with power to execute his pleasure upon him Much less then for Man to contest with his God whom he cannot stop or hinder in his course Behold he taketh away saith Job who can hinder him who shall say unto him what doest thou Job 9.12 Never did man get any thing by striving and strugling with God Wâ— be to him that striveth with his maker Let the Potsheard strive with the Potsheards of the earth saith the Prophet Isai 45.9 If frail man who is but like a Potsheard a peâ—ce of brittle earth will needs contend let him cope with his equall with man like himself but take heed of contesting with his maker how he entereth the lists with him who is infinitely stronger then himself able to consume him with the breath of his nostrils No striving with God To repine at murmure at him at his dealing with our selves is no less foolish then impious his Soveraignty being absolute his Decrees immutable his Power irresistable 2ly Dir. 2 From God reflect upon our selves Where consider Look upon our selves 1. What we are How base how vile how contemptible creatures in comparison of that God with whom we have to do What we are Poor wormes creeping and crawling upon earth Man that is a worme and the son of man which is a worm Job 25.6 And what are we then that we should lift up a hand a tongue a heart against the great God of Heaven and earth who is able as I said to consume us with a touch of his finger with the breath of his mouth 2ly What we have deserved Lay our sins and sufferings together What we deserve and see how infinitely the one weighteth down the other All the sufferings which here we meet with all are but temporall the punishment due unto the least sin is eternal Our Crosses may be many but our sins more So as looking upon our deservings we shall find that which may well stop our mouths and cause us quickly to submit to whatsoever chastisements God shall please to exercise us with I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him saith the Church Mic. 7.9 Whatever the affliction be yet murmure not at it taking notice of what the Church acknowledgeth Lam. 3.22 What at Mercies we do still injoy It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed And 3ly What mercies we do yet enjoy in the midst of all our miseries Be our sufferings what they will yet if we cast up our accounts aright we shal find cause of thanksgiving rather then of repining It is two usuall a thing with men to have their eys wholly fixed upon what they want and would have and that maketh them to overlook what they have Lord God saith Abraham what wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse Gen. 15.2 And so is it with others So long as they want some one mercy which they would have all others which they injoy are as nothing But this is no other but high ingratitude Whatever our condition be yet if we look about us we shall see some temporall mercies or others which we have cause to bless God for However the spiritual blessings wherewith he hath blessed us in Christ I speak it to believers these are of that worth and value that they may well weigh down all our temporall sufferings So they did in the Apostles ballance who had duely weighed them I reckon saith he that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 Thus looking upon our selves what we are what our deserts what our injoyments and hopes are we shall see that which may keep down all murmurings 3ly Look upon others Dir. 3 what ever our Cup be yet we shall find some others whose cups are far greater and bitterer whatever our affliction be Look upon others who deserve better but fare worse then our selves we shall see or hear of some others who though haply they deserve far better yet they fare worse having an equal nay a larger share of sufferings then our selves What is it that we complain of Is it a scantnesse in estate look upon Lazarus lying at Dives gate begging his bread whilst the dogs being more compassionate then their Master licked his sores Luk. 16. Is it the loss of a Child one or more Look upon Job who lost all at once Is it bodily sicknesse and weaknesse look upon David whom we may hear sadly bemoaning his condition unto God as elsewhere so Psal 38. Thyne arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore v. 2. There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin v. 3. My wounds stink and corrupt because of my foolishnesse v. 5. My loines are filled with a loathsome disease and there is no soundnesse in my flesh v. 7. And so upon others who are cast upon their beds of languishing lying it may be under most exquisite torments in the mean time wanting many of the creature comforts which we enjoy The like I may say in other cases Be our condition what it will still we shall find some or other with whom if we compare our selves we shall see little cause to repine and murmure An errour it is and a usuall one in comparing our selves with others If it be in spirituals then we are ready to look at them who are beneath us If in temporals then at those which are above us and so the former of these breedeth in us contentation where there should be a holy impatience and the latter breeds impatience where there should be a holy contentation
their sufferings upon earth For Affliction they shall have glory for light Affliction a weight of glory for momentany affliction an Eternall weight of glory infinitely exceeding the weight of all their sufferings here And this doth their Affliction work for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It worketh or worketh out for us not as a meritorious cause deserving any such thing but as a means preparing for it and bringing to it Thus are Afflictions usefull to both these ends furthering the work of grace here they fit us for glory hereafter Which with the Apostle we may take up and make use of as an Argument to induce us to bear whatever tryals God shall please here to exercise us with We have had Fathers of our flesh saith he which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Heb. 12.9 Live the life of grace here of which he speaks in the Verse following That we might be partakers of his holynesse and the life of Glory hereafter Which while a Christian hath an eye at it may well keep his heart from fainting So was it with our blessed Saviour of whom the Apostle there tells us vers 3. of that Chapter that For the joy that was set before him he indured the Crosse despising the shame And did Christians more think of the one they would be lesse affected with the other this would keep their hearts from fainting This it is which maketh the Husbandman so unwearied in all his hard winter labours in ploughing and sowing c. even the hope which he hath of reaping a crop in the summer which shall recompense all And upon the like account let Christians do the like by their sufferings being assured of what the Apostle tels them Gal. 6.9 In due season we shall reap if we faint not Thus you see a gathering of these fruits some few among many which afflictions being sanctified doe yeild All which with the former considerations are as meat comming out of the eater and sweetnesse comming forth of the strong as he said of the honey in the Lyons belly Judg. 14.14 usefull consolations extracted out of Afflictions themselves serving to bear up the heart from fainting under them I see the work swelleth in my hand I shall be as succinct as I may in that which remaines In the second place to keep the soul from fainting at the drinking of this Cup look upwards Dir. 2 In drinking this Cup look upwards This was Davids course in all his troubles to look upwards I will lift up mine eyes unto the hils from whence commeth my help Psal 121.1 To the Hils viz. Sion and Moriah where was Gods dwelling place his Sanctuary a figure of the heavens Thither will David look in all his distresses The like do we in all our afflictions look upwards heaven-wards The reason why the hearts of Christians so often fail them in the drinking of this Cup in suffering afflictions is because they look so much downwards either poring too much upon the Cup the Affliction it self or upon the hand that reacheth it the Instruments and secondary causes or else looking wholly at Creature succours which fayling their hearts also fayl Would we bear up under our sufferings look upwards heavenwards There shal we find that which we may cast anchor upon which may serve to stay our soules in what condition soever Where 1. At god our Father Look we at God our Father So doth our Saviour here as I have showen you The Cup which my Father hath given me And the like do we What ever befalleth us still have an eye at God our heavenly Father staying our hearts upon him and comforting our selves in him So did David in that great straight wherein he was at Ziglah when the Philistines in his absence had sacked and burnt the City slain the men Inhabitants and carried away the women and children for slaves among whom were both Davids Wives of which we read 1 Sam. 30. A great straight was this wherein David now was having nothing left wherein to comfort himself His wives his chiefest earthly comfort were gone and his friends and followers whom he might have expected comfort from they were so incensed and exasperated against him looking upon him as the chief cause of all their loss and misery that they think and speak of stoning him Now in this straight whither doth David look Now saith the sixth verse he comforted or incouraged himself in the Lord his God Being now like one cast into a deep pit he had no way to look but upwards heavenwards and thither doth he looke fixing his eye upon his God and comforting himself in him Though the enemy had carried away his earthly comforts yet they had not carried away his God And this comfort hath a Christian alwaies left him what ever befals him As for other things estate good name liberty near and dear Relations yea and life it self may be taken away but so cannot his God Were it so that Satan or his instruments could so deal with a Christian as Rachel did by her Father Laban Gen. 30. or the Danites did by Micah Judg. 18. take away their God from them then might they well complain as Micah there doth v. 24. Ye have taken away my Gods which I made and what have I more And what is this that ye say unto me what ayleth thee Then might they well look upon their condition as deplorable and altogether uncomfortable But so long as they have God for their God well may they comfort and incourage themselves in him Such is Habacucks resolution in that known Text. Heb. 3.17.18 Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shal fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shal yeild no meat c Yet will I rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Though all creature comforts should fail yet still he would not only stay himself upon his God but rejoice in him And truly there is that to be found in God which being ascertained that he is our God our Father our God by covenant is abundantly sufficient to bear up the heart in the midst of what ever distresses Not to insist here upon those attributes of his every of which is of soveraign use this way His Power Wisdome Mercy and Truth c. Only take we notice of these four particulars all relating to our afflictions 1. His Cognizance of us 2. His Presence with us 3. His Compassion towards us 4. His Providence over us each ministring some Comfort to the soul in its suffering condition In whom consider A word of each 1. His Cognizance of us The knowledge which he hath as of our persons so of our Conditions The eyes of the Lord are in every place His Cognizance of us beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15.3 Such a generall Cognizance hath God of al
it is day Joh. 9.4 And the like do we whilest the day of life lasteth be we working the works of God that so we may have finished our work before the night of death cometh The labourer having wrought hard in the day and finished his work this maketh the night welcome to him and his rest sweet and comfortable And so will the night of death be to the soul that hath been working for God it will now be to it a quiet rest This made our blessed Saviour so willing now to dye he had finished his Fathers work I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.4 And this made the Apostle so confident as not to fear his departure when he apprehended it at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith 2 Tim 4.7 He had been faithful to his Lord and Mâ—ster in doing the work which he had committed unto him And thence he concludes that he should now receive his Crown that Crown of righteousnesse as he there cals it an ample reward which the righteous God would give him for all his service Whereupon he is not unwilling to think of his departure O that every of us may indeavour thus to approve our selves to God and Jesus Christ thus to work his work whilest our day lasteth Then when the evening of death cometh we shall be sure to have our Peny Which being assured of it will make us not unwilling to go to receive it 4. Be frequent in casting up our accounts Dir. 4 Be frequent in casting up our accounts betwixt God and our souls The day of death is the reckoning day wherein every one must give up his account unto God Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward saith the Master ' in the parable to his Servant Luk. 16.2 In this life we are all Gods Stewards being betrusted by him with many Talents which we are to improve for him And hereof at the day of death we must give an account to him O that the thought of that day may not be terible to us make up our account aforehand And this do we often They who are frequent in casting up their accounts are not unwilling to be called to a general reckoning which they who have bin remiss careless herein would be Surely this is one thing which maketh men so unwilling to hear of death when it cometh they have then all their accounts to cast up Take heed it be not so with us Be we strict and constant observers of our own hearts and lives Often calling our selves to an account making it our daily work Every night reflecting upon the day past call we to mind according to that trite direction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wherein we have transgressed what evil we have committed what good we have done or left undone So making even betwixt God and our souls by suing forth our discharge in the name and upon the account of Jesus Christ This exercise being conscientiously performed it will be of speciall use to make this great reckoning day not unwelcome to us when it shall come 5. Dir. 5 That we may not be unwilling to depart hence Lay up a stock in heaven and to leave this world send somewhat afore us into that other world Laying up a stock in heaven 1. A stock for our selves That is our Saviours counsel For our selves a flock of good works Matth. 6.2 Laye up for your selves treasures in Heaven This do we by doing of good works as works of Piety so of Charity Sell that you have and give almes provide for your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not saith that parallel Text Luk. 12 33. A man that hath his chief estate in another Country which he hath made over by bils of exchange or put into the banck there he will not be unwilling upon a just occasion to follow it Now such are acts of charity and mercy being done for Gods sake they are as so many bils of exchange made over for heaven a stock put into the banck where he who hath so put it out shal at his coming thither receive it again with abundant increase He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given he will pay him again Prov. 19.17 O that rich men to whom God hath given abundance of this worlds goods and whose care it is to make the best improvement of what they have would but take this Course thus to make themselves friends of their Mammon as our Saviour adviseth them Luk. 16.9 that so when they fail when they dye they may receive them into everlasting habitations This would make them not so unwilling to dye as for the most part they are and that upon this account because they must leave what they have in this world and have no stock layed up in another 2. For others a stock of prayers And thus laying up a stock in heaven for our selves do the like also for others laying up a Stock a Stock of prayer for them Which whilest we do for all Gods people whom we leave behind us do it in a special manner for our near and dear Relations So did our heavenly pattern here The Lord Jesus whom in the Chapter before the text we find upon his knees putting up a devout prayer unto God his Father as for his Church in general so for his Apostles in speciall I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me Joh. 17.9 And the like let them do who are to leave near and dear Relations behind them Wives Husbands Children kinred friends lay up a stock of prayers for them in Heaven whereof they may reap the benefit when themselves have left them This will make them the lesse unwilling to leave those whom they have thus provided for In the sixth place Dir. 6 having thus laid up our best treasure in heaven Set the house in order now set we our houses in order upon earth That is the Counsel and charge which the Lord giveth to Hezekiah when he sent him those tidings that he must dye he bids him set his house in order Isai 38.2 Set thine house in order for thou must dye and not live A thing of great use as in reference to the living who shal be left behind so also to him who is to depart hence who having thus setled his temporal concernments in this world will be more ready for his removal into another when God shall call him to it And therefore let not this be neglected by those who have ought to dispose of Let them be careful to make their Wills and Testaments before hand So also did this our heavenly pattern the Lord Jesus who at his last Supper having ordered other things before he then finished his Will and Testament setting his Seal to it Of such use was that Sacrament then and there instituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being as a seal set by Christ to his Testament for the confirming of all his former grants and assuring of whatever he had promised Now what he did as to Spirituals let those who would be ready to dye when God will have them doe as to Temporals Setling them aforehand Not putting off this work as too many do to the death bed which as it is attended with many other inconveniences so it often proves no small disquietment to the spirit of the dying person making him loath to leave this world in so unsetled a condition as through this his former neglect in reference to his own relations and concernments he is like to do Set thy house in order Which being done Dir. 7 now in the last place to close up all what remains but to commit the Soul unto God Commit the soul to God Which that we may do quietly and comfortably in death as our blessed Saviour did who breathed out his Soul in those words Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 do we it before do it in Life So did David Psal 31.4 Into thy hands I commit my spirit So did the Apostle who making a confession of his faith to his Son Timothy 2 Tim 1.12 there tels him I know saith he whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day His precious soul this was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Depositum that which he had committed to the custody of God and Jesus Christ And the like do we that we may be willing to depart hence as he was commit we our souls unto God aforehand Which do we first by Faith believing on him which the Apostle there saith he did casting our selves into the armes of his free grace and mercy through Jesus Christ Then by obedience committing the keeping of our souls unto him in well doing as unto a faithful Creatour as St. Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 4. last indevouring carefully and conscientiously to walk before him in all wel-pleasing all the daies of our life So doing now as we shall have comfort in life so when death cometh we shall have no cause to be afraid of it And thus have I now through a gracious assistance preached this doctrine unto you which I look upon as the hardest lesson in Christs school Now what remaineth but that we all beg it of our great Lord Master that he would so effectually teach it us that as occasion is we may practise what we have heard shewing our selves conformable to this our heavenly Pattern as in his Active so in his Passive Obedience being obedient to our heavenly Father as in doing so in suffering his Will even Obedient to death For which let us now pray FINIS