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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61129	Of trust in God, or, A discourse concerning the duty of casting our care upon God in all our difficulties together with An exhortation to patient suffering for righteousness, in a sermon on 1 S. Pet. III. 14, 15 / by Nathaniel Spinckes ...	Spinckes, Nathaniel, 1654-1727.	1696 (1696)	Wing S4978; ESTC R1589	208,951	357

picturis ostroque rubenti Jactaris quàm si plebeia in veste cubandum'est Lucret. l. 2. will not reach to all Cases nor administer a Salve for all Sores a cure for all Maladies nor is it any kind of Relief against divers of the severest Afflictions whereto Mankind are liable The greatest Treasures cannot prevent a fit of the Gout or Stone or Cholick or Fever nor remove any other Distemper of the Body nor heal a wounded Conscience nor recover a lost Member nor deliver from Death nor profit in the day of Wrath. Riches are a great Blessing of God and for the most part tend considerably to facilitate the Owner's passage through this World and the greater share therefore any have of them the more cause they have to be thankfull for them But seeing there are great troubles of different kinds for which these afford no remedy it is a necessary piece of Prudence to look after some other more substantial Support that may stand us in stead where these fail 2. Where a Man's Wealth is most helpfull it is but a very uncertain Comfort because he knows not how soon he may possibly be deprived of it * Prov. 23.5 Riches make themselves wings and fly away as an eagle towards heaven They are a transient deceitfull Possession that like the Apples † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 4. c. 27. Duo ibi oppida Sodomum nominatum aiterum alterum Gomorrum apud quae pomum gignitur quod habeat speciem licet maturitatis mandi tamen non potest Solin Polyhist c. 48. Edit Basil of Sodom seem beautifull and enticing at a distance but being handled turn presently into Dust or Smoak and so do us many times little or no good ‖ Quicquid longa series multis laboribus multâ Deûm indulgentiâ struxit id unus dies spargit ac dissipat Senec. Epist 91. After a Man has undergone a course of hard labour for many years together has busied his Brain in designing and his Limbs in acting that if possible he might advance himself and perhaps has at length had the good fortune to obtain his aim he knows not how soon he may be reduced to his former or a worse condition If his Soul be not immediately required of him as the rich Man 's in * c. 12.16 c. S. Luke's Gospel was when he had been just now contriving to enlarge his Barns and take his ease and enjoy himself yet all his store upon which he so highly values himself may be taken away from him and he may have but little profit of all the labour that he hath taken under the sun Instances † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Max. Tyr. dissert 35. are numerous in all Ages of persons who from the greatest plenty whether by the immediate hand of God against them for their Sins or by the malice or treachery of other Men or by their own Luxury and Imprudence have been strangely reduced to a low state to the great amazement of the Beholders Fires losses at Sea or miscarriage at home the wickedness of a perjured Villain the rapine of an Enemy some flaw in a Title some part of an Estate unjusily detained or some extravagant Humour of his own is enough to impoverish a Man in a little time though at present he seem to be as far from it as any But * Nempe dat quodcunque libet fortuna rapito Irus est subito qui modo Croesus erat Ovid. Trist l. 3. cl 7. where these and other like Causes concurr as oftentimes many of them do though one had the Wealth of Croesus he could not prevent his own ruine Thus it pleases God † S Luk. 1.51 52 53. to shew strength with his arm and to scatter the proud who are pussed up at the thoughts of their large Estates in the imagination of their hearts putting down the mighty from their seats and exalting them of low degree filling the hurgry with good things and sending the rich in the mean time empty away 3. A plentifull Fortune is not only an imperfect and uncertain Comfort to the Owner but it is many times an apparent means of his Ruine ‖ Eccles 5.13 14 15 16 17. There is a sore evil saith Solomon that I have seen under the sun namely riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt but those riches perish by evil travail and he begetteth a son and there is nothing in his hand As he came forth of his mother's womb naked shall he return to go as he came and shall take nothing of his labour which he may carry away in his hand And this also is a sore evil that in all points as he came so shall he go and what profit hath he that he hath laboured for the wind All his days also he eateth in darkness and be hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness Where the Preacher not only declares that the rich Man's Wealth shall not accompany him into the other World but affirms moreover that in the mean time it frequently creates him a great deal of Care and Anxiety and Fear and Danger and * Nam illud praetereo quàm multi perierint possessionum aut opum gratiâ Lactant. de mort persecut c. 7. perhaps is the cause of his death at last exciting Thieves or his own Servants or it may be his Children or other his Relations to dispatch him out of the way to the end they may divide the Spoil amongst themselves Or else it exposes him to the Malice or Covetousness of some great Person whom he is in no capacity to withstand Which was the case of † 1 King 21.4 v. 9 c. Naiboth the fairness and convenience of whose Vineyard made Ahab uneasie for want of it and thereby put Jezebel upon contriving his death to obtain it So ‖ Jussuque Neronis Longinum magnos Senecae praedivitis hortos Clausit egregias Lateranorum obsidet aedes Tota cohors Juv. Sat. 10. Longinus's plentiful Revenues and Seneca's stately and pleasant Gardens cost each of them his life which they lost only by having so tempting a Bait for the greedy Tyrant And thus it often happens that an * Sed plures nimiâ congesta pecunia curâ Strangulat Ibid. overgrown Estate raises the Envy of some and works upon the Avarice of others and so the Possessor comes to pay dearly for it For in the conclusion either he is secretly murdered or which is worse is taken † Ubicunque cultiorem agrum viderat Dioclesianus aut ornatius aedificium jam parata Domino calumnia poena capitalis Lactant. de mort persec c. 7. Cum opus esset Maximiano Herc. non deerant locupletissimi senatores qui subornatis indiciis affectasse imperium dicerentur ita ut effoderentur assiduè lumina Senatus Ibid. c. 8. off by false Accusation and a pretence of Justice and so is

was raised up for this very cause that God might shew in him his power and by his Vengeance executed upon that wicked King might have his Justice admired and his Name spoken of throughout the Earth or for some scandalous Enormity which though repented of makes it necessary for vindicating God's Honour that he take the matter into his own Hands as * 2 Sam. 12.10 14. the Prophet Nathan was sent to King David to acquaint him that having by his barbarous usage of Vriah given occasion to the Enemies of God to blaspheme he should therefore be punished with the death of his Child that was to be born and that the Sword should never depart from his House Thus God may deal with others and when he doth the consideration of their Transgressions whereby they † Vim Deo facimus iniquitatibus nostris iram in nos Divinitatis armamus nolentem ulcisci cogimus parcere volentem non permittimus Salv. de Providentia l. 5. have provoked him to treat them after this manner if duly attended to will dispose them to reflect upon their own folly rather than murmur or be dissatisfy'd at God's Judgments so deservedly inflicted upon them and will teach them for their comfort how they may get themselves eased of their Burden and that it is not God's but their own doing if they continue to groan under its weight and moreover that it is an abundant happiness for them to be punished here rather than in the other World Or lastly It may be for the tryal of our Faith as it was with Job that singular Example of a quiet submission to God's Will and of a stedfast Fidelity to him under all his Visitations and with our Lord's first Disciples and Apostles that our Trust in him thus experimented ‖ 1 S. Pet. 1.7 may be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ to * Conflictatio cum adversis probatio est veritatis D. Cypr. de mortalit Cruciate torquete atterite damnate nos Probatio est innocentiae nostrae iniquitas vestra Tertul Apol. c. ult In tribulationibus quis sit fidelis agnoscitur Sext. Pythagor ex Vers Ruffim Apparet virtus arguiturque malis Ovid. de Trist l. 4. Eleg. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maxim Tyr. Dissert 35. prove our Sincerity in what we profess and to see whether we will immovably adhere to God and our Duty as well when he seems to frown upon us as when he follows us with his more favourable Dispensations These and many other like Reasons God may have for laying his Hand heavy upon us which when discovered will clearly vindicate his Proceedings And the consideration whereof should therefore banish all manner of Dissatisfaction at the harshest of his Corrections and should persuade us all that he always acts upon just and good grounds though possibly through the weakness of our Understanding we may not at present discern particularly what they are Medit. III. That whatsoever troubles are thus sent us by God they can never hurt us except through our own fault They would not be at all sent to us did not our selves give occasion for them by our Sins or want them in order to our improvement in Goodness here and our greater Happiness hereafter or unless we might be Instruments of promoting God's Glory by a due attendance to them And when they do come they can never make us miserable if we mind to improve them aright by endeavouring to answer the Ends for which they are sent If they befall us as a just punishment of out Sins our selves are very apparently the cause of them and must therefore seek for a redress from our selves by forsaking the Sins which called for them And if we do not this and when they are designed for our improvement in Patience Humility or whatsoever other Vertue if we do not enquire into God's purpose in inflicting them they may prove prejudicial in either of these cases But then all the blame of this lies at our own doors because we attend not to the reason of their befalling us and the use that ought to be made of them It is indeed a different case when our Sufferings are intended only for the trial of our Fidelity or that we may be Examples to others of an eminent Constancy under Afflictions that is to say when we are called to bear with hardships as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ and to endure griefs suffering wrongfully for conscience towards God when we do well and yet are called to suffer for it This is one of the Atheists commonest grounds of Exception against the Divine Providence and it is I confess a considerable difficulty to Flesh and Blood and which therefore gave occasion to our Blessed Saviour to caution his Followers so often to expect and prepare for it But yet besides that this is no more nay is incomparably less than our blessed Lord freely endured upon our account a sure Trust in God will wonderfully alleviate all the trouble hereof by the comfortable hope it sets before us either of a glorious and speedy Deliverance here or an inestimably valuable Reward hereafter This it was that so signally encouraged the three Children against all the Menaces of King * Dan. 3.18 Nebuchadnezzar whereupon Tertullian cries out † Scorpiac c. 8. O martyrium sine passione perfectum c. O Martyrdom even perfected without Suffering they had suffered enough and were burnt enough whom God therefore protected least he should seem to bely his own Power This made the first Professors of our Faith ‖ Rom 8.33 36. Act. 5.41 2 Cor. 4.10 11. so forward to undergo the utmost Cruelties for their Saviour's sake This made those numbers of Martyrs in the following Ages of the Church so willingly * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just M. Apol 2. Neque cruciatum neque mortem pro fide recusamus Lactant. Inst l. 7. c. 5. Qui se excruciandos excarnificandos pro Evangelio furentibus tradidissent ne Martyrii honorem merito perderent D. Cyprian Epist 30. Non praescripta exilia non destinata tormenta non rei familiaris damna non corporis supplicia terruerunt D. Cypr. de lapsis expose themselves to all the Insults and Outrages of their merciless Adversaries † Sic itaque nos ad Deum expansos ungulae fodiant cruces suspendant ignes lambant gladii guttura detruncent bestiae insiliant paratus est ad omne supplicium ipse habitus orantis Christiani Tertul. Apol c. 30. defying Banishments Tortures Losses Beasts Fires Swords or Crosses to make them miserable ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Martyr Polycarpi enduring the sharpest Severities with a wonderful composure of Mind * A defensione fidei majorum nulla vis depulit non minae non blandimenta non vita non mors non palatium non satellites non Imperator non imperium non homines non daemones Vin.

of the Devourer He takes care to create himself an Enemy that will easily turn all his wisest Counsels into Foolishness and render all his Undertakings successess and who on the other hand can as easily overwhelm him with all sorts of Plagues and Calamities 3. If God should be pleased to grant success to these Attempts beyond what there is any reason to hope for * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Rhetor. l. 2. c. 24. this possibly may be but to make way for some severer misery to overtake us Such as Philip of Macedon was afraid of when having received three joyfull Messages at the same time namely that his Chariot had come off Victor in the Olympick Games that his General had routed his Enemies and that his Wife had born him a Son cried out hereupon with hands lift up to Heaven † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch de Consolat ad Apollon Oh that after so much good news it might be only some common calamity that should befall him Or as befell Theramenes at Athens who having met with a wonderfull Deliverance when the House wherein he was with others at Supper had fallen and slain the rest of the Company without hurting him was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. shortly after put to a more cruel Death by his Collegues in the Tyranny God may please for the clearer manifestation of his Power † Consuesse enim Deos immortales quo gravius homines ex commutatione rerum doleant quos pro scelere eorum ulcisci velint his secundiores interdum res diuturniorem impunitatem concedere J. Caes de bello Gall. l. 1. Miseri in hoc altius tolluntur ut decidant altius hi enim ut victimae ad supplicium saginantur ut hostiae ad poenam coronantur Min. Fel. to exalt wicked Men and give them their fill of Wealth and Authority and Honour and to allow them the free enjoyment of all these only in order to their heavier fall As he did sinfull Pharaoh of whom the Scripture saith expresly ‖ Exod. 9.16 In very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout the earth meaning That God had not only * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.7 set him in an eminent station by by making him a potent King but had moreover † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud 72. Interp. preserved him alive after all the Plagues his Land had suffered for his Obstinacy and Disobedience had made him ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stand as it is in the Original to the intent he might become a lasting Monument of the Divine Vengeance upon incorrigible Offenders An Example well worthy the serious consideration of those that promise themselves Safety any other way than God has appointed For howsoever such flatter themselves in their Wickedness at present they know not how soon a Day of Reckoning may come and then they must look to pay dear for all their Abominations Sometimes God may permit Mens Ungodliness to succeed and to answer their Expectations for a while but withall may cause it to be attended with some other inconvenience that shall more than compensate for all the benefits arising from it As in the case of * 2 King 5.21 22 23. Gehazi who hoped to make an advantage of the lye with which he pursued Naaman the Syrian and so he did for the present but then upon his return into his Master's sight † v. 27. he was seized with a Leprosie that was never to leave him all the days of his life nor his Seed after him Sometimes he may cut them off before they come to tast the fruit of what they have unlawfully obtained as he did ‖ Faust Marcell libell precum Potamius Bishop of Lisbon This Bishop was first Orthodox but afterwards denied the Faith and turned Arian in hope of an Estate to be bestowed upon him by the Emperour Which though granted him proved a very poor Recompense for his Infidelity for as he was going to take possession of it a certain pain seized him in his Tongue wherewith he had blasphemed God and his Distemper encreasing upon him he died by the way * Nullos fructus fundi vel visione per●●piens Ibid. without the satisfaction of having seen what he so eagerly thirsted after Sometimes again he may let Men go on in their Wickedness and proceed from one degree of it to another and after a while may put a very remarkable stop to their career and perhaps not without the loss of their Life As it happened to Hosius Bishop of Corduba who after he had been zealous for the Orthodox Faith in the time of the Arian Persecution and had censured and rejected the forenamed Potamius for his Apostacy from it was yet wrought upon in his old Age * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat Hist P. l. 2. c. 31. by the threats and punishments of the Emperour Constantius to subscribe the Arian Confession and returned back from him into Spain with Commission to banish all that refused to join in a Communion with him But it came to pass that being about to pronounce the Sentence of Deposition upon Gregory of Eliberis in order to his Banishment he was struck by the Hand of God † De sessu in terram eliditur atque illic exspirat aut ut quidam volunt obmutuit Inde tamen effertur ut mortuus Libel prec Ibid. Fell from his Seat to the earth and there expired or at least had his speech taken away and was carried out for dead Or else when Men grow impetuous and excessively extravagant in their Impieties he may seem to connive at them for a time and when that is past may take them down in the height of their Pride and make them acknowledge his Hand visibly upon them for their Crimes Thus he avenged himself upon two notorious Adversaries to his Church Antiochus a profess'd Enemy to the Jewish and Julian a subtile underminer of the Christian Worship and Religion The former of whom having forbidden the Jews to Sacrifice as their Law requir'd of them having offer'd Swines-flesh upon their Altar to profane it having prohibited their initiatory rite of Circumcision and burnt their Scriptures yet before his death finding his illness very hard upon him he declared to his Friends about him ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josep Antiq l. 12. c. 13. that he endured all this for the Cruelties he had exercised upon the Jews and for his robbing their Temple and despising their God The latter had been educated from his Childhood in the Christian Religion and though as he grew up he began to have most Inclination for the Heathen Idolatries * Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 1. Am. Marcel l. 22. Theod. Hist l. 3. c. 2.