might be accomplished the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to proclaim liberty to that people to return to their own Countrey as we finde it 2 Chron. 36.21 22. So exact is God in measuring out the continuance of the sufferings of his people for a year nay for a dâ—y When the four hundred and thirty years were expâ—râ—d the self same day departed all the hoasts of the Lord â—ut of the Land of Egypt so that Text hath it Exod. 12.41 Thus doth God number the dayes of his peoples affliction Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes saith Christ to the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2.10 that is for a set time Even as it was with our Saviours resting in the Grave his lying under the power of death it was for a set time for so many dayes beyond which he could not be detained in that prison Thus hath God determined and set down the dayes of his peoples lying under an affliction with the day of their deliverance After two dayes he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up saith the Church Hos 6.2 In which Text the Prophet is by some conceived to have an eye to the Buriall and Resurrection of Christ shewing how God would raise up hi hua Grch and people out of the grave of affliction at the set and appointed time Even as he raised up Christ out of the Grave There he lay two dayes but the third day he was raised up So did God deal with the Head and so will he deal with his mysticall Body and all the members thereof his Church and people However for a time for two dayes as it were he may suffer them to lye buryed under an affliction yet when the third day cometh the time by himself appointed then will he raise them up nothing shall hinder their deliverance When the third day was come nothing could hinder the Resurrection of Christ Not the Stone rolled upon the Spulcher not the seal set upon it not the Watch set to guard it Maugre all these he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.4 And so shall it be with his Members the Saints and servants of God Let the Stone be never so great the pressure never so weighty that lyeth upon any of them let men and Devils conspire and use all wayes and means they can to keep them still in the grave under an affliction yet in despite of all the third day they shall rise again when the time by God prescribed and determined is come deliverance shall not be deferred Thus doth God exactly measure out all the sufferings of his people both for the quantity and continuance of them Q. But by what measure doth he thus measure them A. Christisements measured out by a measure of mercy to Gods people To this I have in part returned answer already This he doth by a measure not of justice but of mercy Such is that measure which the Prophet Isai there speaketh of in the Text forecited Isa 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it In measure by measure a measure of mercy moderatè as Tremellius renders it with moderation So doth God deal with his people in afflicting them not as with his and their Enemies Hath be smitten him as he smote those that smote him saith the verse foregoing God in debating with his Enemies in punishing them he proceeds in a way of justice not so in correcting his people with them he deals in a way of mercy Whereas he poureth out his wrath upon the one Poure thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not Jer. 10.25 he measureth out his anger unto the other and that by a measure of mercy dealing with them in a way of discretion and mercifull moderation So he tells his people the Jewes that he would deal with them Jer. 30.11 repeated cap. 46.11 I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished God being provoked by his people he spareth not to punish them but it is in measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In judicio Lammishpat saith the Originall by judgement so the former Translation there properly renders it and the like doth our new translation elsewhere as Jer. 10.24 where the Prophet speaking in the person of the people makes it his Request Correct me O Lord but with judgement whereas the word is the same Bemishphat Thus doth God deal with his people though he doth correct them and that sometimes sharply yet still it is in measure with judgement proportioning their sufferings not to their sins Proportioned to their strength but to their strength Even as the Physician as I told you in praescribing Pills and Potions he hath a respect as well to the strength and ability of his Patient as to the nature and quality of the disease So dealeth God in afflicting his people he doth not proportion his judgements to their sins their deserts He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Psal 103.10 But to their abilities and strength So the Psalmist there goeth on vers 13 14. of that Psalme Like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but dust Thus doth he deal with his people not as a Judge who proceeding according to the strict rule of justice regardeth not the person of the Offender but the nature and quality of the offence to which he proportioneth the penalty but as a Father with his children whom if they offend he correcteth but with a wise moderation and temper having a regard to their age and strength proportioning his strokes to their weaknesse So dealeth God with his children If they offend they shall feel the smart of his rod. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Psal 89.31 32. But herein he dealeth with them in a wise and mercifull way having a regard to their strength So much Paul assureth his Corinthians of 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull saith he who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will not himself afflict neither will he suffer Satan or his Instruments to oppresse his people beyond their strength Obj. Gods people how said to be pressed out of measure above strength Obj. No it may be said Doth God alwayes thus measure out afflictions to his people proportioning them to their strength what then means that information of the Apostle St. Paul himself 2 Cor. 1.8 where acquainting his Corinthians with some great afflictions which had happened unto him he tells them expressely that he was pressed out of measure beyond strength For brethren saith he we would not have you ignorant of our trouble or Affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which came to us in Asia that
persons and passages in all places upon earth But he hath a speciall Cognizance of his own people the eys of the Lord are upon the righteous Psa 34.15 Vpon them that fear him Ps 33.18 he taketh special notice of them as of their persons so of their concernments The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psa 1.6 Knoweth how it is with him what his condition is His eye is upon him as in prosperity so in adversity I know thy works and tribulation saith he to the Church of Smyrna Rev. 69. God taketh speciall notice of the sufferings of his people He seeth their tears putting them into his Bottle registring them in his Book as David saith Psal 56.8 And he heareth their sighing and groaning All our desires are before him and our groaning is not hid from him Ps 38.9 Be our griefs never so secret as to others they are not so to him The world it may be knoweth not where our shooe pincheth us but our God doth Thou hast known my soul in adversities saith David Psal 31.7 His presence with us Others may take notice of the ailements of our Bodies but God of our souls 2. His presence with us God doth not stand afar off from his people in their sufferings as Davids friends did to him My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore and my kinsmen stand afar off Psal 38.11 They would not own him in his distress But God as he taketh notice of the afflictions of his people so he is nigh unto them The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart Psal 34.18 The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon him Psal 145.18 Present with them God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Psal 46.1 And what an incouragement is this So it was to David who upon this ground resolves not to fear whatever evils should encounter him Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evill How so For thou Lord art with me Psal 23.4 Such a true friend is God to his people False friends are like Swallows which are with us in the summer but in winter they are gone Paul complaines when he was to answer for his life No man stood with him but all men for sooke him 2. Tim. 4.16 I but then saith he the Lord stood with me v. 15. Thus doth God stand by his people in all their distresses When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isai 43.2 Q. How God said to stand afar off from his people But doth not God sometimes stand afar off from his people in their troubles A. Yes in their sense and apprehension he may not shewing himself to them hiding himself from them Of this David complains Psal 10.1 Why standest thou afar off O Lord why hidest thou thy self in times of trouble God doth not alwaies wayes shew himself unto his people yet he is still present with them Behold he standeth behinde our Wall saith the Church of her well-beloved Cant. 2.9 Thus where sense doth not apprehend Gods presence yet Faith may In truth God is never far off from his people Though they see him not yet is he with them The Lord is with you whilest you are with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you 2 Chron. 15.2 3. His compassion towards us Afflictions doe not abate Gods affection towards his people His Affection towards us but rather increase it The sicknesse of the Childe stirs up bowels of compassion in the naturall Parent God is never more affectionate towards his people then when they are in a suffering condition Now he pitieth them Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 103.13 Now his soul is grieved for them His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel Judg. 10.16 He even sympathizeth with them In all their Afflictions he was afflicted Isa 63.9 My Bowels are troubled for Ephraim Jer. 31.20 Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together Hos 11.8 All Anthropopathies expressions of humane affection setting forth the truth and greatnesse of Gods affection to his people in their distresses which be they what they will yet as the Apostle assures us they shall not they cannot separate the true Believer from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8.35.39 4. His Providence over us As God is truely affectionate towards his people in their afflictions His Providence over us so he expresseth that affection by exercising of a gracious Providence towards and upon them God is not present with his people in their afflictions as Jobs Friends are said at their first coming to have been with him who however they were much affected with his condition at their first sight of him they lifted up their voice and wept and they rent every one his Mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven as we have it Job 2.12 Yet as it there followeth in the next Verse They sate down with him upon the ground seven dayes and seven nights and none spake a word unto him not ministring any comfort unto him So is it not with God God active in the sufferings of his people he is not a bare spectator in the sufferings of his people but active in them ready to speak to them and doe for them and that for their comfort 1. To speak to them if they will lend an ear to him to speak comfortable words Ready to speak to them to speak peace to them I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints saith David Psal 85.8 Outward peace when they are fit for it giving out the word for their deliverance however inward peace quieting their Consciences with the apprehensions of his love and favour in Christ 2. And thus speaking to them he doteth for them exercising his providence Acting for them his gracious providence towards them which he doth in divers acts of it As 1. Ordering their afflictions which he doth as for the kind so for the measure Giving to his children no Cups but what he seeth fit and proper for them And dispensing them as you have heard by measure Proportioning the Affliction to their strength God will not lay more upon man then is meet saith Elihu that he should enter into judgement with God have any just cause to complain of him Job 34.23 God is faithfull saith the Apostle who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able 1 Cor. 10.13 Thus he proportions affliction to the strength of his people 2. Supporting them under them And secondly he comforteth them in their sufferings Blessed be God who comforteth us in all our Tribulation 2 Cor. 1.4 Supplying strength to the inward man When Paul was brought before Nero and all men forsook him then as he tells us the Lord stood by him and
the more Fagots are cast on the greater is the flame And the more sins a man committeth here the greater without repentance shall his punishment be hereafter Applic. Applic. Wicked men deterred from going on in a course of sin The consideration whereof might be of use for the deterring of all wicked and ungodly men from daring to go on in a course of sin as too many do who adde drunkennesse to thirst as the Lord there speaketh Deut. 29.19 adde one sin to another drinking iniquity like water Job 15.16 multiplying their transgressions as if they could never have their fill of sin Alas what do they hereby but fill up this cup the cup of the wrath of God which at the last day that day of wrath and the Revelation of the righteous Judgement of God shall be poured out upon them But I shall not insist upon this The cup which we meet with in the Text we finde it held forth by the hand of a Father Chastisements inflicted on Gods own people The Cup which my Father hath given me And so points more directly at that later sort of punishments which I call castigatory such sufferings as Gods own children are here subject to Afflictions chastisements tryals these all these God dispenseth by measure Even as a Master of a Family for from thence as I told you the Metaphor is most fitly derived giveth to every childe and servant in his house their dimensum their portion of meat and drink what he thinketh fitting and convenient for them Admonemur hâc meraphorâ admensu rationem quandam esse in cruce quam suis imponit Caelestis Pater Muscul com inloc so doth the Lord dispense afflictions and tryals unto his people giving to every one their cup what he seeth fitting and convenient for them afflicting them by measure Mark it This is the point which my eye is here principally upon the manner of Gods dealing with his people in afflicting them This he doth by measure Doct. So dealt he with his people Israel in their Captivity Dispensed by measure So the Prophet Isai setteth it forth Isa 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it When it shooteth forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Margin in some of your Bibles hath it In emittendo eum Montan. Tremell according to the Originall When thou sendest forth viz. into Captivity then did God debate with that people calling their sins to remembrance he punished them for them But this he did in or by measure In measure when thou sendest it forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besuassaah In sato saith Montan. The same word with that which we finde 2 King 7.1 where the Prothet Elisha foretelling the incredible plenty of Victuals that should be in Samaria he tells the Elders of Israel To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine Flower be sold for a shekel and two measures of Barley for a shekel Thus doth God dispense afflictions unto his people not at randome but by measure even as men measure out Corn by the Peck or Bushel When he debateth and contendeth with them he doth it in by measure Measuring out their sufferings Which he doth both as to the quantity and continuance of them 1. For the quantity he weigheth them out Even as the Physician prescribing to his Patient he orders his Medicine as for the number and kindes of Ingredients so for the quantity of each As to the quantity so many Ounces Drams Scruples Grains and no more Thus doth God order the afflictions of his people as for the kinde what they shall be so for the measure how great they shall be so much and no more So was it in the sufferings of this his Son Every drop in this his Cup every grain of his passion was weighed and measured out unto him Insomuch that all his enemies could not adde one drop one grain more to it How came it to passe that not one bone of this Paschal Lamb was broken upon the Cross What was it the mercy of his enemies nothing lesse Such was their malice that they would not have omitted any thing that might have imbittered his cup made his death more grievous But it was the over-ruling providence of God which limited their rage and his sufferings This was done saith our Evangelist Joh. 19.36 that the Scripture should be fulfilled Not a bone of him shall be broken God had predetermined what they should doe and he should suffer as St. Peter tells the Jewes Act. 4.27 And to this they could not adde the least scruple more And thus doth God limit the sufferings of all his people So far shall they reach and no farther So great shall they be and no greater Even as he limited the fire of Nebuchadnezzars Furnace which though seven times hotter then usual yet it could reach no further then to the bands of those Martyrs which were cast into it Their bands were burnt but upon their bodies the fire had no power nor was a hair of their head singed neither were their cloaths changed nor the smell of the fire passed upon them Dan. 3.27 Thus hath God limited and bounded all the sufferings of his people Even as he hath bounded the waters of the Sea So far shall they go and no further It is not all the men upon earth that can adde a drop to their cup beyond what God himself hath appointed No nor yet all the Devils in Hell That one instance of Job may serve instead of many Satan could not touch his Body his Children his Estate untill he had still received a new Commission from God for every one of them He could not set a step but as God still let out another link of his Chain Thus doth God measure out the afflictions of his people for the quantity of them 2. And so in like manner for the continuance of them As to the continuance as it was said concerning Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.16 c. Let seven times passe over him that is seven Years or seven Weeks or seven Dayes as that Text is variously construed So dealeth God with his people he numbreth and determineth the Years the Weeks the Dayes as of their lives Mans days are determined the number of his moneths are with thee and thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass Job 14.5 so of their affliction So he did the four hundred years of Israels bondage in Egypt as he tells Abraham Gen. 15.13 And the seventy years Captivity of the Jewes in Babylon Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people that is 70 years Dan. 9.24 When this term was at an end so was their Affliction When the Land the land of Judea had enjoyed her Sabbaths lyen desolate to fulfill threescore and ten years the term foretold for their Captivity then in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah
There is one God Generally To all his Creatures to whom he is a Father and Father of all saith the Apostle Eph. 4.6 of all creatures Which he may be called upon a divers account 1. A Father by creation All things having their Originall their being from him By Creation Vnto us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things have their being from him as a Childe from the Father Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us saith that forecited Text Mat. 2.10 2. And secondly a Father by Providence By Providence as he giveth them their being so he taketh care of them providing for them as a Father doth for his children The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Psal 145.15 3. And thirdly a Father to them similitudine vestigii In regard of similitude in regard of some similitude and likeness betwixt him and them there being never a creature but hath some print and footstep of God imprinted upon it Quaelibet herba Deum Never a creature but whoso looketh upon it may see something of God in it Thus is God a Father to all Creatures universally 2. Among them he may be said to be a Father after a more special manner to Mankinde Specially to Mankinde In whom there is not only similitudo vestigii but imaginis not only some footsteps but even the Image of God So was Man at the first created Let us make man in our own image after our likenesse Gen. 1.26 So God created man in his own Image in the image of God created he him vers 27. resembling his Creator as a childe doth the Father like unto him as in divers other perfections so especially in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse 3. Peculiarly to true Believers Among men he is said to be a Father more peculiarly to all true Believers To them a Father by the grace of Adoption Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself Eph. 1.5 As also by the grace of Regeneration Bless d be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again 1 Pet. 1.3 Hereby he reneweth his Image in them making them partakers of the divine nature as St. Peter calleth it 2 Pet. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the Divine essenee or substance which is incommunicable to any creature but of divine qualities whereby they are made like unto God in grace here and glory hereafter And being thus related he performeth all the offices of a Father to them providing for them necessaries and conveniences both temporall and spirituall upon earth and laying up an Inheritance for them in heaven Behold a sea of matter which I might here lanch into and that without any wrong either to you or the Text. But I shall confine my self In the fourth and last place Properly unto Christ God is most properly a Father unto Christ Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.4 So we finde our blessed Saviour often calling him My Father worketh hitherto Joh. 5.17 and frequently elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so our Translations both old and new do here render the Text My Father And so God may be said to be the Father of Christ and that in a most peculiar way so his Father as he is not of any other His Father and that in reference to both natures God a Father to Christ in reference to both natures His Godhead His Manhood 1. In respect of his Godhead According to his Godhead so he was his naturall Father begetting him by an eternall wonderfull unexpresseable unconceiveable kind of generation communicating the whole divine essence and substance unto him as a natural Parent communicates his nature to his Son Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee saith God the Father to his Son Christ whom according to his divine nature he begat from all eternity Psal 2.7 Whence it is that he is called the only begotten Son of God Joh. 3.16 the only begotten of the Father Joh. 1.14 Not only Primogenitus but Vnigenitus not only the first born which he is also said to be The first-born of every creature Col. 1.15 The first-born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 in as much as he is the heir of all things Heb. 1.2 having the preeminence among all Gods children but the Onely begotten Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So he was according to his Godhead 2. According to his Manhood And secondly according to his Manhood So God may be called his Father And that 1. In regard of the wonderfull Conception of it In regard of that wonderfull and extraordinary operation of the Father in his conception which was effected by his sending of his holy Spirit to work it The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall over-shadow thee saith the Angell to the Virgin Luk. 1.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even as it was in the Creation where it is said that The Spirit of God moved upon the waters Gen. 1.2 putting forth a secret and immediate power in the production of those creatures so did it over-shadow the Virgin effecting this conception by an immediate and extraordinary power And upon that account though not only or chiefly that as Socinians would have it Christ is called the Son of God So it there followeth Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Thus was God the Father of Christ according to his Humane nature in respect of the conception of it 2. And secondly in regard of the Personal union In regard of the Personall Union which was and is betwixt the God-head and the Manhood The Manhood being as it were marryed unto the Godhead made one Person with it by an inseparable indissoluble union God who was the Father to the one by nature he becomes also a Father to the other And upon these accounts it is that Christ here as frequently elsewhere maketh claim to this Relation calling God his Father And to him it is that here he looketh in the businesse of his Passion Christ in his Passion looking unto God his Father as his Father Being now to drink this bitter cup which he saw coming towards him he looketh up unto God his Father and he looketh upon him as his Father Each of which will afford us somewhat for our Instruction 1. Obs Christians to eye God in all their sufferings In that Christ here looketh up unto God his Father see we whither it is that Gods people are to look in all their Grosses and Afflictions that befall them Look upwards see God in them So doth our heavenly Pattern here the Lord Jesus The High-priests with the Scribes and
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
In all the crosses and afflictions which befall us look upwards It was Eliphaz his speech to Job in that text forecited and it was a true one Job 5.6 Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground wherein he giveth him to know what he was not ignorant of that afflictions have a higher rise then men ordinarily look at They are not things which happen by chance neither do they depend meerly upon secondary causes they have God himself for their principal Efficient And therefore in all our Afflictions look upwards So must they doe who would finde out the Head of a River they must go upwards And the like course take we that we may finde out the head of every affliction look upwards look above and beyond all secondary causes Instruments means occasions look up unto God himself The thoughts of a Christian in his suffering concondition should never rest till they come at God Nay till then they will never rest The only way to quiet the spirit in Affliction to see God in it till they come to see God in every tryall take notice of his hand Whence is it that Impatiency so often surprizeth the hearts of Gods own people as it doth Surely from their looking so much at the Creature so little at the Creator as they doe When once a man cometh to see God in an affliction this quiets all Such effect it had upon David I was dumb saith he and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it Psal 39.9 In his affliction so long as he looked at secondary causes he could not be quiet No then as he tells us vers 3. his heart was hot within him while he was musing the fire burned and then he spake with his tongue venting his Passions in some unbecoming expressions But when once he came to see God in it seriously to consider that this was his doing this apprehension quieteth and silenceth him working in him that patience that quiet composure of Spirit which by all his reasoning he could not attain unto And the like effect it will have wherever it taketh place The soul coming to apprehend that it hath to deal with God that it is God who hath done what it feels this silenceth the Tongue So it did to Aaron Lev. 10.3 when his two sons were taken away by that strange and unheard of judgement devoured by fire from heaven Moses telling him what there he doth This is that which the Lord spake I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me it followeth And Aaron held his peace quietly and patiently submitting to the will of God And so it was with Job seeing God in all his Afflictions In all this saith the Text he sinned not in thought word or deed Job 1. last And such effect it will have upon a sanctified soul coming to see God seriously to consider that it hath to deal with him so as if it strive and contend it must contend with him the Pot-sheard with the Potter this silenceth the tongue and keepeth the heart in temper from rising up in inordinate Passion This it was which made our Blessed Saviour so patient in this his Passion insomuch that he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her Shearer is dumb so opened he not his mouth as the Prophet Isai describeth the manner of his suffering Isa 53.7 This it was that made him so willingly submit to the drinking of this Cup he saw his Fathers hand in it As for the Judas and the High-Priests and Souldiers c. they were but as the Apothecary by whom this Potion was brought and ministred unto him in the mean time he looked upon God his Father as the Physician who had prescribed and ordered it for him And herein looking upon God his Father he looketh upon him as a Father Christ looking upon God as his Father There is the second thing which I propounded here to be taken notice of The Cup which my Father hath given me Thus eying God in these his sufferings he looketh upon him under the notion of a Father And such is God to his people Obs God afflicting his people he is still their Father Signanter autem non dicit Deus aut Judex dedit sed Pater utsciamus Deum etiam quum flagellat Patrem esse Ferus Annot. in Text. even when he afflicts them he is still their Father Let that be a second Observation no lesse usefull then the former When God is most angry and dealeth most severely with his people yet even then they may call him Father So we finde the Church doing Isa 63.15 16. where expostulating with God about his alienating himself from her Where is thy zeal saith she thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained God did not manifest himself in such conspicuous signs and tokens of his affection towards his people as in former times he had done which she sadly bewails But mark what followes Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou O Lord art our Father And the like again we finde in the Chapt. following cap. 64.7 8. where the Church taking up the like complaint concerning Gods dealing with her Thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our Iniquites yet in the next verse she subjoyns But now O Lord thou art our Father Thus in her saddest condition even then when God hid his face from her and dealt most severely with her yet still she layeth claim to her Relation calling him her Father And the like may all true Believers doe whatever their state or condition be yet still they may call God their Father Reas Reas For so he still is this Relation being an everlasting Relation This Relation everlasting Such is the Covenant betwixt God and his people I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 When God taketh a people into Covenant with himself the Covenant of grace giving himself to be their God and taking them to be his people this Covenant is an everlasting Covenant a Covenant that shall never be broke Betrothing them unto himself he doth it for ever So runs that promise which God maketh to his Church Hos 2.19 I will betrothe or marry thee to me for ever Thus is he an everlasting husband and so an everlasting Father to his people That is one of the Titles given to the Messiah to Christ Isai 9.6 The everlasting Father And so is God to his people Once a Father and ever a Father As it is with natural Parents though they fall out with their children and fall upon them are angry with them and make them feel their displeasure yet this doth not dissolve the Relation that is betwixt them no more doth it betwixt God and his children Vse 1. Applic. A comfortable meditation and so let it
be to all the sons and daughters of Zion Comfort to true Believers even all true Believers who are sometimes oft times sons and daughters of Affliction lying under the correcting hand of God Such was Jobs condition whom we hear complaining to his friends that the hand of the Lord had touched him Job 19.21 And the like doth David Psal 38.2.3 where he sadly bemoans his condition unto God Thine arrowes saith he stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore So again Psal 32.4 Day and night thy hand was heavy upon me And in the like language we may hear the Church bewailing her calamity Lam. 3.2 Surely against me is he turned he turneth his hand against me all the day Thus doth Gods hand his afflicting and correcting hand often lie heavy upon his dearest Saints But let it not discourage them so long as it is the hand of their Father which it is even then when God reacheth forth unto his people the bitterest Cups that can be yet still he is their Father A Father when he frowns as well as when he smiles when he strikes as when he stroketh still retaining the same Relation Yea and the same Affection Gods affection to his people still the same As he is an Everlasting Father so his Love is an everlasting love I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 God sometimes oft times changeth his countenance towards his people but his Affection is not changed Sit licet in natos facies austera Parentum Mens tamen aequa manet Naturall Parents sometimes frown and bend their browes at their children there is nothing but anger and wrath in their countenance yet even then their affection towards them is the same that ever it was And so is it with God our heavenly Father being offended and displeased with his children he frowns upon them so as it may be there is nothing but wrath in his face yet even then there are bowels of fatherly compassion within So runs that known promise which the Lord maketh to the Seed of David Psal 89.31 32 33. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquities with stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from them c. God doth not take away his loving kindenesse from his people though for a time he may hide his face from them In a little wroth I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindenesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Isa 54.7 8. Josephs bowels never yearned more towards his Brethren then when he turned his face from them and dealt most rigorously with them binding Simeon before their eyes as you have the story Gen. 42.24 God is never more affectionately compassionate towards his children then when he dealeth most severely with them Is Ephraim my dear Son saith the Lord in that patheticall passage Jer. 31.20 is he a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him Ephraim the people of Israel one Tribe put for the whole Nation they had not behaved themselves so as that they deserved to be owned by God as a dear Son as a pleasant childe that he should so look upon them so acknowledge them no they had walked unanswerably and unsuitably to that high Dignity conferred upon them and given God just cause for ever to reject and cast them off whereupon he spake against them threatning them by his Prophets yea and proceeding against them in a way of judgement yet he still remembred them having still a fatherly affection towards them His Bowels were troubled for him A humane expression suited to vulgar apprehension When a man taketh a thing to heart and is deeply affected with it it maketh his bowels yearn and move within him sending forth deep sighs and groans even so was the Lord affected with the condition of that his people In all their affliction he was afflicted as he elsewhere expresseth it Isa 63.9 Even as every stroak which a tender Mother giveth unto her dear childe it goeth to her own heart even so is God affected towards his people when being provoked by their sins he taketh the Rod in hand and dealeth sharply with them this is so far from alienating his fatherly affection from them that it is hereby rather inflamed and increased A strong Consolation Gods heart toward his people when his hand is against them which being rightly applyed may be of great use for the bearing up of the hearts and spirits of all Gods Saints and servants in the saddest condition Even then when God seemeth to be turned their enemy so as they have no sense and feeling of his love and favour towards them but all things are against them his countenance is against them his hand is against them he writeth bitter things against them as Job saith of himself Job 13.26 proceeding against them in a way of Judgement yet even then his heart is towards them He is still the same that ever he was I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 Though he come against them as a Judge yet still is he the same tender and compassionate Father that ever he was At this time when Christ was to drink this bitter Cup to indure these bitter sufferings God the Father had now put upon himself the person of a Judge requiring and exacting from him a full satisfaction for all the sins which he as a Surety had undertaken so as his Fatherly affection seemed now to be layed aside yet even now doth he lay claim to this Relation calling him his Father still looking upon him under the same notion Now if he did so look upon him even then when he was powring out Vialls of wrath upon him inflicting upon him those satisfactory punishments how much more may his children so look upon him when he is inflicting upon them only castigatory punishments exercising them with afflictions and tryals for their good Which be they what they will never so sharp never so bitter yet let them rest assured that they cannot dissolve that Relation that Affection which is betwixt God and them so as to separate them from his love This is the matter of Pauls triumph in that known Text Rom. 8.35 Who or what shall separate us from the love of God in Christ This shall not whatever Tribulation or distresse doe as it there followeth God being once a Father he will be ever a Father to his Children Only then in the second place labour we every of us to make sure this Relation Vse 2 Make sure this Relation that God is our Father that God is once our Father Our Father and that not only by Creation which he is to all Creatures nor yet only in respect of an outward visible Covenant as he was to Israel I am a Father to Israel Jer.
31.9 and is to all within the pale of the visible Church but by Adoption that he hath by a speciall grace adopted us into the dignity of his children Which we may be assured of when once we have received that Spirit of Adoption which the Apostle speaketh of Rom. 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit of God regenerating of us and working effectually in us working in us a childe-like disposition filiall affections towards this our heavenly Father a filial fear a filial love a filial affiance causing us to fear him as a Father to love him as a Father to trust in him and depend upon him as a Father Finding such a disposition such affections in our hearts now may we be assured that God is our Father And being our Father let us now call him so Vse 3 Call God our Father This is that which the Lord saith of his servant David Psal 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father And it is that which he requireth from his people the Jewes Jer. 3.4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me My Father viz. from the time that he had admonished them of their duty and corrected them for their sins And so again vers 19. of the same Chapter I said thou shalt call me My Father that is so own and acknowledge me And this let all the Lords people do This is the language which the Spirit of Adoption teacheth all Gods children to call God their Father Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father saith Paul to his Romans Rom. 8.15 And the like to his Galathians Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And this do we call God our Father and that not only with our tongues but our hearts so looking upon him so owning and acknowledging of him Which do we at all times in all estates and conditions God to be looked upon by his Children as a Father in Adversity as well as Prosperity in whatever God doth to us or we to him still look upon him under the notion of a Father 1. As first in receiving of mercies and blessings from him In receiving of mercies take them as from the hand of a Father as pledges and tokens of his love therein acknowledging his Fatherly affection 2. So also in confessing of sins and begging pardon for them In confessing of sins come unto God as unto a Father So doth the Prodigall Son in the Parable Luk. 15.18 I will arise saith he and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee 3. So again in deploring of wants spirituall or temporall In deploring of Wants and making suit for a supply of them come unto God as a Father So our Saviour teacheth us to do in that Pattern and Form of Prayer which he hath left us When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven Luk. 11.6 directing Christians to make all their addresses unto God under that notion as a Father When thou pray st pray to thy Father Math. 6.6 4. And so again in Deprecations of evils feared when God seemeth to be coming against us In deprecating of evils feared yet call him Father So did David his Father-in-law King Saul when he was coming out against him hunting his soul to take it as he speaks yet even then he calls out to him My Father 1 Sam. 24.11 And the like do we to our heavenly Father Though he come against us as an enemy yet still call him Father So doth our blessed Saviour when he saw this bitter Cup coming towards him apprehended his Passion at hand He fell on his face saith the Text and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26.39 5. And the like also in Evils felt When the hand of God lyeth heavy upon us In present sufferings pressing us sore yet still call him Father So doth the Church in those Texts forecited when God hid himself from her dealt most severely with her yet still she challengeth her Relation calling him her Father Doubtlesse thou art our Father Isa 63.16 But now O Lord thou art our Father Cap. 64.7 And so doth our blessed Saviour in the Paroxisme of his Passion hanging upon the Crosse still he retains his former language calling God his Father Father forgive them Luk. 23.34 And when the pangs of death were upon him he breatheth out his soul with those words Father into thy hand I commend my Spirit vers 46. of that Chap. And the like do we stirring up our hearts to a holy imitation of this our heavenly Pattern In all our afflictions and sufferings of what knide soever they be yet still call God Father so look we upon him so apprehend and acknowledge him A good sign of a gracious spirit so to doe To call God Father when he frowns a sign of a gracious spirit I scarce know a better then to call God Father when he frowns upon us is angry with us hath a rod in his hand when he is correcting us An easie matter it is so to do whilest he is smiling upon us whilest we receive or expect blessings and favours from him Blesse me my Father saith Esau to Isaac Gen. 27.34 But when he hath as I said a rod in his hand and we feel the smart of it when his hand lyeth heavy upon us when he writeth bitter things against us when he is turned to be our enemy fighting against us by his Judgements then to call him Father so to look upon him so to apprehend and acknowledge him surely this is no other but a fruit of that Spirit the Spirit of Adoption And this let all Gods children stir up their hearts to doe To look upon God as a Father of great use in Afflictions thus to look upon God in all their afflictions A thing which will be of great use to us for the quieting and comforting and supporting our spirits under whatever sufferings So long as a man looketh upon God as an Enemy to him or as a severe Judge coming against him he can have no comfort being conscious to himself of his own demerits but when once he cometh to look upon him as a Father this sweetneth the bitterest Cup making a man drink it the more willingly whilest it giveth him a comfortable hope and assurance of a wise and mercifull moderation of his Affliction a gracious support under it and a seasonable issue out of it all which it doth Q. How this may be attained But how shall we attain to this thus to look upon God in our suffering condition A. Learn to live by faith For this learn to live by Faith So lives the Righteous person as the Prophet Habakuk tells us Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his Faith Live by it in all estates and
conditions This is the Anchor which he rideth by in whatever storms and tempests When sense and feeling fail he lives by Faith And thus let us learn to live So lived our blessed Saviour in his Passion upon the Crosse when sense and feeling failed him so as he did not finde those sweet influences and gracious communications from God his Father as formerly he had done as to his present apprehension he had even forsaken him of which he complains yet even then he lives by Faith setting that awork still calling God his God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Thus did he by this eye of Faith see one contrary in and through another Mercy in the midst of Judgement a tender Father in the habit of an angry Judge And thus learn we of him to live This is the proper life of a Christian to live here not by sense but by Faith The life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God saith Paul of himself Gal. 2.20 Whilest he lived in the Flesh in the body he lived by Faith Faith in Christ resting and relying upon Gods grace through him And thus let us live and that in all estates Whatever our condition be however the Lord be pleased to deal with us Suppose as Hezekiah complains Isa 38.13 he breaketh all our bones as a Lyon or that with Job we feel the Arrowes of the Almighty sticking in us the Poyson whereof drinketh up our spirits and the terrors of God set themselves in array against us as he speaks Job 6.4 or that with Paul we are troubled on every side having fightings without and terrors within as it was with him 2 Cor. 7.5 being exercised both with Temporall and Spirituall conflicts in the outward and inward man both which God 's dearest children are subject to in this life yet even in this condition set faith awork to look through all these clouds that so we may behold our Fathers face see the light of the countenance of a reconciled God and Father in Christ making discovery of his yet continued love and favour to us Q. But how shall Faith make this discovery A. Why by looking through the Glasse of the Promise which represents God as he is not as he seemeth to be And this let us have recourse unto hearkening what the Promise will say to us In our saddest extremities when sense and feeling represent God unto us as an Enemy now hear what the Promise saith That will give us assurance of what we have heard that being once our Father he will be ever our Father So as though he may be angry with us yet he will not utterly reject those whom he hath taken into Covenant with himself If they break my Statutes c. I will visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquities with stripes neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from him so runs that Promise forecited Now the word of Promise is a sure word a word of truth which God will not fail in the performance of I will not suffer my faithfulnesse to fail my Covenant will I not break so it there followeth And therefore whatever sense and feeling say hear what the Promise saith casting our Anchor upon that ground living by Faith in it It is the want of this that maketh Christians so dejected under their afflictions and troubles as often they are Living by Sense a cause of great dejections They live by sense and feeling apprehending God to be as they feel him Whereas if Faith were acted and set a work as it might be what a constant clear Sunshine day might the life of a Christian be Were a man aloft above the Clouds he should see the Sun shining clearly in the darkest gloomiest day of Winter and were the soul mounted as it might be by Faith upon the wings of the Promises what a constant apprehension of Gods love and favour might it injoy beholding God as a reconciled Father even then when there is nothing but wrath and anger in his face Which let all his Children endeavour to doe To close up this point Vse 3 in the last place Is God thus a Father when he strikes Christians to receive correct on from God as from a Father then receive we correction from him as from the hand of a Father So our blessed Saviour here taketh this Cup as from the hand of his Father And so take we all those Cups which he shall reach forth unto us all those Afflictions and Crosses wherewith he shall please to exercise us take them as from the hand of a Father Q. And how is that A. Why With a quiet and humble submission with a reverent and humble submission and subjection neither slighting of them nor fainting under them My Son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction saith the Wise man to his Son Prov. 3.11 But quietly and contentedly submit to his Dispensations Humbling our selves under his hand as St. Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 5.6 So do children if ingenuous well-natured and nurtured receive correction from the hands of their naturall Parents and in like manner receive we chastisements from the hand of our heavenly Father That is the Exhortation which the Apostle presseth and that upon this very ground Heb. 12.9 Moreover saith he we have had Fathers of our bodies which corrected us and we gave them reverence should we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits For within the next Verse he subjoyneth a Reason For they verily for a few dayes chastened us after their pleasure but he doth it for our profit that we might be partakers of his holynesse vers 11. Naturall Parents sometimes prove unnaturall to their children correcting them in passion it may be out of some mistake or out of a corrupt judgement so doing more hurt then good by their Corrections But so doth not our heavenly Father who being a wise and mercifull God never correcteth his children but where need is and then he doth it in such a manner as may be for their spiritual advantage so as they may be the better for it And therefore whatever the Rod be kisse it whatever the Cup be take it as from the hand of a Father drinking it not only patiently but willingly submitting our wills to his will So doth our heavenly Pattern our blessed Lord and Saviour However he could have wished that this Cup might have passed from him yet he submits his will to the will of his heavenly Father Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26.39 And this he doth willingly The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it But of this I shall have occasion to speak more hereafter Thus I have done with the Agent who it was that presented this Cup to our Saviour My Father Come we now in the next place to the Action it self
of his affection towards him Now I know saith he that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me Gen. 22.12 And from hence may all true Believers conclude the intirenesse of Gods affection towards them saying in like manner unto him Now Lord we know that thou lovest us seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from us but hast given him up to the death for our sakes giving this bitter Cup to him which otherwise we must have drunk laying the burden of our sins upon him which otherwise we must have lyen under unto all eternity Wonderfull unparallel'd love to be for ever admired and adored by all those who can evidence their interest in it But this I have touched upon before This by way of Information 2. By way of Terror Vse 2 Did the Lord thus deal by his Son his dear Son Terror to Gods Enemies to give such a bitter Cup to him what then may his Enemies expect and look for This is the Application which our Saviour himself maketh hereof Luk. 23.31 If they do these things in a green tree what shall be done in a drye Christ himself was as a green tree which having sap and moisture in it is not so combustible so apt to take fire the Jewes were as a drye tree fit Fuel for the fire Now if this green tree were thus used Christ himself who was a just and a righteous person having no guilt no just matter of condemnation in him save only as he stood in the place of sinners if he were thus left to suffer such things as he did from them what then had they cause to expect who in regard of their manifold impieties were fit fuel for the fire of Gods wrath to feed upon And let it in like manner be applyed to all wicked and ungodly persons who being no better then drye trees having no sap of grace in them voyd and destitute of all goodnesse and so no other but Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction as the Apostle calleth them Rom. 9.22 if it was thus done to this green tree this so just and righteous a person what do they think will become of them This use St. Peter makes of the sufferings of Gods Saints wherewith God is pleased sometimes to exercise them 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgement first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospell of God If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinners appear If the righteous such as being true Believers are justified by faith and endeavour to prove themselves righteous to God and Man if they scarcely be saved passe through so many difficulties meet with so many sufferings in their journey to Heaven where shall the wicked and ungodly appear Unbelievers such as live in a state of sin being wholly given up to it and as it were drowned in it what shall become of them when Christ shall come to judge the world in rightecusnesse and to give to every man according to his works And such use make we of this dealing of God with his own Son after this manner Did God his Father give such a Cup to him notwithstanding that he was in all things his obedient Son as the Apostle tells us Phil. 2.8 Oh what then may the children of Disobedience expect and look for Certainly there is a black Cloud which hangeth over their heads even the wrath of God which without repentance shall be poured out upon them Because of these things saith the Apostle speaking of wicked and ungodly courses and practises cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Eph. 5.6 And this let all such make account of taking notice that God hath a Cup for them and that a dreadfull one In the hand of the Lord there is a Cup saith the Psalmist and the wine is red it is full of mixture and he poureth out of the same but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them Psal 75.8 So it is God the Supreme Moderator and wise disposer of all things he hath appointed and measured out afflictions and sufferings to all the Sons of men so as his own people have their share in them they are made to drink of this Cup to taste of it I but the wicked and ungodly shall drink of it after another manner they shall wring out the dregs thereof and drink them God hath terrible Judgements in store for them such as shall end in endlesse despair and utter destruction Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstome and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup so the Psalmist sets it forth Psal 11.6 And O that this were but seriously thought of by all of this number that all profane and ungodly persons would but consider this that amidst their Oath Cups those Cups of abomination wherewith they are intoxicated they would but take notice of this Cup in the hand of the Lord this Cup of red wine his fierce wrath which is reserved for them to drink Certainly the very thought hereof being let into their souls it could not but fill them with horror and terror So did the apprehension of this Cup which our blessed Saviour saw coming towards him work upon him it put him into a strange and unheard of Agony as the story sets it forth And certainly such operation would the like apprehension have upon the most obdurate and obstinate sinner did he but seriously think of the fierceness of that wrath which one day without repentance he shall be sure to feel it could not but work horror and terror in his soul Now then suffer I beseech you this Meditation to take place with you What wicked men must expect you who lye in a state and go on in a course of sin daring to give allowance to your selves in any known evil what did God so severely punish those sins which were only imputed to his Son Christ and so were not properly his save only as he was a Surety for others how can you ever think that he should passe by those sins which you dare with so high a hand commit against him It is that which the Prophet Jeremie saith unto Edom the Edomites the Posterity of Esau Jer. 49.12 Behold they whose judgement was not to drink of the Cup have assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt goe altogether unpunished Thou shalt not goe unpunished but thou shalt surely drink of it Seeing God had not spared his own people his people Israel who in regard of the Covenant which was betwixt him and them might have expected more favour then others much lesse had those accursed Edomites who had no such Relation any reason to hope that they should be spared And so say I here concerning the sufferings of Jesus Christ Did he whose judgement was not to drink of this Cup drink it Did the
Lord Jesus who had so neer a Relation to God his Father and of himself had deserved nothing but well at his hands did he yet suffer what he did And are you you wicked and ungodly wretches they that shall go altogether unpunished No you shall not go unpunished you shall surely drink of this Cup the wrath of God sooner or later shall be poured out upon you However for a time he may spare you which he sometimes doth with much long-suffering he indureth the Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction as the Apostle there hath it Rom. 9.22 not presently executing his judgements upon ungodly sinners according to their deserts yet he will not ever so doe My spirit shall not alwayes strive mith man Gen. 6.3 No this Cup here given to Christ sheweth what all those who are out of Christ even all unbelieving and impenitent sinners who stand chargeable with their own sins must expect and make account of The Cup of the Lords wrath shall be reached forth unto them and they shall drink it yea so drink it as the Prophet Jeremy saith the Churches enemies should drink of that Cup which he brought unto them Jer. 25.27 They shall drink and be drunken and fall and rise no more This by way of Terror 3. By way of Consolation Vse 3 Did God the Father thus give this Cup to his Son his naturall sonne Consolation to Gods Children here is comfort for all his Adopted children who by this means are freed and delivered from those sufferings which otherwise they had deserved and must have undergone The justice of God being in this way satisfied they are discharged This Cup being given to Christ as standing in their room and stead they are hereby freed from the drinking of it viz. The Cup of satisfactory punishment True indeed as for the Cup of Affliction Fatherly chastisements and tryals this they must make account to taste of That which our Saviour said to the Sons of Zebedee Matth. 20.23 may be applyed to all the Sons and Daughters of God They shall indeed drink of Christs Cup and some of them drink deep of it being thus made conformable to him in his sufferings so filling up that which is behinde of the Afflictions of Christ in their flesh as the Apostle speaks of his own sufferings Col. 1.24 but as for satisfactory punishments issuing from the wrath of God and inflicted by the hand of Revenging Justice that was the portion of Christs Cup which being given to him and drunk by him there remaineth no more suffering of this kinde for them There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Who shall nâ—w lay any thing to the charge of Gods Chosen vers 33. who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed vers 34. This will not God himself do Nay with reverence may we speak it this in Justice he cannot doe Justice requireth satisfaction but once Now shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right Gen. 18.25 Satisfaction being and that by a mutual agreement betwixt the Father and the Son once made in the Person of Christ as a Surety for his Elect for all that shall believe on him God will no more require it from them This God the Father exacted from his Son and he Answered it So that Text before mentioned is most properly read Isa 53.7 It was exacted and he answered So the Originall hath it word for word a Text which as our late Annotator observes upon it being so rendred and rightly understood maketh much for the vindicating of the Doctrine of Christs satisfaction So it was satisfaction was required and exacted by God the Father for the sins of his Elect a full satisfaction and in this he was answered by his Son Christ and that to the full So then this debt being thus discharged it standeth no longer upon the account of those that are Christs for whom he undertook which he did for all those that should believe on him A ground of everlasting Consolation to all those who can evidence to themselves their Interest in this blessed Mediator their Interest in Jesus Christ being in him they satisfied in him This Cup as hath been shewn was given unto Christ not for himself not upon his own account not that either he had deserved to suffer or that 〈◊〉 designed to merit any thing for himself by suffering but it was upon the account of Gods Elect whose Iniquities were laid upon him as the sins of the people were upon the head of the Scape-goat Lev. 16.21 And being layed on him they were taken away by him as their sins were carryed by the Scape-goat into the Wildernesse taken away as to the Guilt of them So as justice being in this way satisfied all true Believers may now come and come with boldnesse to the throne of Grace looking upon God as a reconciled Father in Christ Thus is this bitter Cup which was given to Christ to drink a sweet Cup a Cup of Consolation to all those that are his Being given to him it shall not be given to them In the Fourth and last place Vse 4 Instruction by way of Instruction Did God thus give this Cup to his Son then let every of us take heed of giving any way unto sin through hopes of mercy Take heed of giving allowance unto sin He that did not spare sin in his naturall Son when it was only imputed to him will not spare it in his Adopted children if it shall be willingly committed by them However as hath been said this Cup was Christs peculiar portion and so belongeth not unto those that are Christs yet God hath other Cups even for them and those bitter Cups too Moses and Elie and David and many other of the Dear Saints of God have found the truth hereof in their own experience Let not any presume of better then what they found Shall we dare to give allowance to any known sin how sweet soever it may seeme to be for the present it will be bitternesse in the latter end As Abner told Joab when he was pursuing his brethren in such a revengefull way as he did Knowest thou not saith he that it will be buterâ—esse in the latter end 2 Sam. 2.26 So let it be said to all those who shall dare to pursue any sinfull way or course how pleasing soever for the present it may be to corrupted nature yet let them know it will be bitternesse in the latter end So were the sins of others unto Christ And so will the sins of all impenitent sinners be to themselves Give not allowance to any sinne Nor yet spare it Not sparing it This would not God doe in his own Son This let not us doe spare not sin wherever we meet with it Not in others In others Though the person be never so neer never so deer to us yet let not that plead a toleration for his sin Accursed is that affection which
the hand of a Father now may you conclude these to be tokens of your Adoption that God dealeth not with you as Enemies but as Children 2. What work have these afflictions in you what effect have they upon your soules By their effect do you find your selves bettered by them Hereby a sick patient may know that the Potion which he hath taken was not poysonable but medicinable when though for a time it wrought churlishly upon him he findeth himself the better for it he findeth nature disburdened of these ill humours which before distempered it and feeleth himself in some measure restored to former health And thus may a Christian judge of his afflictions If they have such a kindly working upon the soul as to purge out corruption and to strengthen the inwardman so as the soul is bettered by them made more bumble more watchfull more fearfull of offending God more carefull of walking before him in well pleasing hence may a Christian conclude that these are medicinable Cups fatherly chastisements intended for his good So doth David concerning his afflictions Psal 119.75 I know Lord saith he that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me that God had therein a gratious purpose towards him and that he intended his good But how did he know this why by the working of those afflictions upon him he found himself bettered by them Before I was afflicted saith he I went astray but now have I kept thy word v. 67. And again v. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Thus where afflictions have such a kindly work upon the soul where Nocumenta are Documenta where Chastening and Teaching go together this is a good and a sure sign that they are tokens of Love and not of Wrath Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest out of thy Law Psal 94.12 Doe we find this effect in our selves Doe we find such a kindly operation of our afflictions Doe we find them stirring up in us filial affections towards God not a servile and slavish but a filial a childlike fear of his Majesty a fear to offend to displease him a religious care of walking before him and approving our selves unto him with an utter hatred and detestation of all sin from hence conclude we our afflictions to be such not Punishments but Chastisements not tokens of Wrath but Love which being rightly apprehended and believed will be of great use to bear up the soul under them Here is the first thing considerable in Afflictions the Quality of them 2ly Consid 2 The Quantity Consider the quantity of them And here if rightly looked upon we shall find them not great not so great as they are commonly apprehended How ever some of them are heavier then others yet all light So Paul looked upon his sufferings and the sufferings of the Saints giving them this Epethite Our light affliction 2. Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levitas afflictionis Afflictions of Gods children light the lightnesse of our affliction Such are the afflictions of Gods children Light afflictions Q. Q. But how are they so what in themselves A. How said so to be Not so thus they may be and often are great and heavie none heavier But they may be so called 1. Comparatively being compared â—â—â—h Comparatively A Cup saith the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a drinking vessel of which though some be greater then others yet compared with other vessels none of them are great Thus is it with the afflictions of Gods Saints which they are exercised with however some of them are heavier then others yet all comparatively light Such they are being compared 1. With that weight of glory The weight of eternall glory which those afflictions through grace do work for them So the Apostle there explaines his meaning in that 2. Cor 4.17 Our light affliction c. worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Being put into the ballance against this they bear no proportion with it they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Apostle elsewhere tels us Rom. 8.18 I reckon saith he that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 2. And again Their deservings compare them with our deservings our sins here again we shall find them infinitely outweyed there being no proportion betwixt them 3. The sufferings of some others And 3ly Compare them with the sufferings of some other of the Saints of God and we shall find them it may be but drops to their Cups Thus though heavie in themselves yet comparatively they may be said to be light 2. Made light by Grace supporting Which also they are made to Gods people by the strength of grace supporting of them Even as the Gates of Azzah and Postes belonging to them were to Sampson though another would have sunk under the weight of them yet by the power of supernatural strength they were made light to him so as he taketh them upon his shouldierr and carrieth them up to the top of the mountain Judg 16.3 So have many of Gods Saints done being strengthened in the inward man by the spirit of Christ they have made light of those burdens which to others would have beene insupportable I can do all things saith Paul through Christ that strengthenest me Phil. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am able for all things as for Actions so for Passions for sufferings such as he there spake of in the verse foregoing to be abased to hunger to suffer neede And elsewhere speaking of the greatest sufferings Tribulation Disiress Persecution Famine Nakednesse Perill Sword In all these saith he We are more then Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.35.37 Thus are afflictions however heavie in themselves made light to the people of God through the power of the spirit of Christ dwelling in them and strengthening of them The consideration whereof may also serve to bear up their hearts and spirits so as that they should not faint under their burdens which be they what they will are comparatively so light and by the power of grace can be made light to them The 3 thing which I propound to consideration is the Duration Consid 3 The Duration which is but short the Continuance of them which being rightly measured will be found not to be long A Cup saith the Text which being but a draught is soone put over And such are the sufferings of Gods people but of a short continuance For a time a season Now for a season if need be ye are made heavie through manifold temptations 1. Pet. 1.6 Their winter doth not last all the year long their suffering time is but for a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the originall Paululum nunc for a while a little
thing no other then what others of their Brethren had felt of So it is Brethren in the flesh Brethren in the spirit all Brethren in affliction companions in tribulation Not the greatest not the best exempted from drinking of this Cup. And shall we then faint at the drinking of it We see or hear how those of the weaker Sex undergoe their pangs and throwes in Childe-bearing Though one of the bitterest Cups upon earth yet how contentedly do they pledge their great Grandmother Eve in it to whom it was first given to drink which they do upon the account of that Law which hath made it common to all of that Sex In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children Gen. 3.16 And so may we look upon all other Cups which God giveth us to drink they are no other but common Cups though not common to all individuals all particular persons as that is yet to all sorts all ranks and conditions of persons good and bad high and low rich and poor Prince and Peasant Which may serve somewhat to alleviate our burdens and mitigate our sorrowes Were it so that our case were singular that we could truely say what the Church in her Captivity maketh a Question of Lam. 1.12 that there were no sorrow like our sorrow no Cup like our Cup that we had no partners in our sufferings which was the case of our blessed Saviour here his Cup was as he here calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cup such a Cup as was never given to any other of the sons of men his sufferings peculiar to himself being more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane tentation wherein he had none to bear him company He trod the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with him saith the Prophet Isa 63. v. 3. which however intended may be as by many most of Expositors it is applyed to the Passion of Christ which was singular and peculiar to him then might we have the more colour for our despondency But loe here is Company Yea and good Company too Good company in suffering a comfort It is not all Company that will ease or comfort a man in his sufferings It is no ease to the damned in Hell that they have so many partners in their sufferings as they have Nor was it any abatement of our Saviours sufferings that he should be crucified as he was betwixt two thieves Such company rather aggravates then abates the sorrow of sufferings But good Company is a comfort And such company have all Gods Saints in their sufferings the same Afflictions are accomplished in their Brethren And therefore let none faint at the drinking of this Cup which is a common one Christ himself began it and all his Saints have or must pledge him in it being conformed to his Image as in other things so in his sufferings In the Fifth and last place look at the Issue Consid 5 The issue and fruiâ—s of sanctified Afflictions the fruit of Afflictions This it is that beareth up the spirit of the Childe-bearing woman in her travell even the fruit of the Womb the Issue which she expecteth and looketh for which when she is delivered of as our Saviour tells his Disciples she no more remembreth the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world Joh. 16.21 And this it was which made our blessed Saviour here so willing to drink this Cup to have his soul made an offering for sin even the assurance which he had of seeing his sâ—ed of seeing the travail of his soul as the Prophet Isai sets it forth Isa 53.10 11. the blessed fruit and issue of those his sufferings And like use let all the Lords people make of the same consideration for the bearing up of their spirits in their sufferings Being sanctified to them they shall see a blessed Issue of them they shall reap precious fruit from them receive great benefit by them Upon this account it is that a sick person continues his course of Physick taking Cup after Cup Potion after Potion he expects and hopes to receive some good and benefit by them Afflictions may be bitter but being sanctified they are profitable Though they have a rough stalk like the Rose-tree yet they bring forth pleasant fruit To go about to shew you all these fruits would be a long if not an endless work Single out some of the princâ—pall Reduced to two heads Which we may reduce to two heads They are either in this life Or in the life to come In this life Afflictions bring forth the fruit of righteousnesse In this life the frut of Righteousnesse So saith the Apostle in that Text before made use of Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous neverthelesse afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby This doth Chastisement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Corrections as wherewith God as a Father is pleased to exercise his Children for their good their amendment which that word properly signifieth being sanctified influenced by the spirit of Grace now it brings forth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This peaceable fruit of righteousnesse even that Righteousnesse which bringeth peace to the soul A blessed Fruit the fruit of righteousnesse Did ever Tree bring forth better fruit then this It was the highest commendation that the Divell could invent to give of that Tree of Knowledge that the fruit of it would make those that eat it like unto God himself they should be as Gods viz. in Knowledge knowing good and evill Gen. 3.5 What he spake falsly of that Tree is true of this of sanctifyed Afflictions they will make men like unto God bringing forth this fruit of righteousnesse and Holynesse which is a part yea a chief part of the Image of God as the Apostle tells us Eph. 4.24 Q. How Affliction bringeth forth this fruit But how doth Affliction bring forth this fruit A. Why this it doth by purging out Corruption and strengthning of Grace Even as it is with Physick it first evacuates and purgeth out those peccant humours which annoy the Body and then by the removall of them it strengthneth the naturall operations of it Even thus doth sanctified Affliction work upon the soul 1. By purging out corruption Purging out Corruption sinfull lusts whatever is contrary to Righteousnesse Hence it is that we finde it compared to Fire and to the Fining-pot Zach. 13. last I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined c. saith the Lord of the remnant of his people The fire the Fining-pot refine the Metall taking away the Drosse from the Silver and Gold Such are Afflictions to Gods people they lose nothing by them but their drosse their corruption By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin saith the Prophet Isai speaking of Gods
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
they cannot help upon the grounds aforesaid meerly out of the Principles of Reason See we that our Patience exceed theirs What our Saviour said to the Jewes concerning the Righteousnesse of she Scribes and Pharisees Maâ— 5.20 Except your righteousnesse exceed theirs ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven I may say the like concerning the Patience of meer Marall Civill men Except our Patience exceed theirs it shall never finde such acceptance with God so as to obtain the promised reward See we that ours be true Christian patience Q. But wherein doth Christian patience exceed theirs A. Wherein Christian Patience differs from morall Why as in some other particulars so principally in these two It is Obedientiall And Voluntary Thus doth the true Christian suffer obediently and willingly which the Morallist doth not And thus see that we suffer when God calleth us to it Which are the two other branches of this part of the Exhortation yet behinde Of which briefly Suffering Patiently suffer Obediently in obedience unto God Christians to suffer Obediently So did not those Heathens which knew not God No more do meer Civil men who regard him not But thus let us suffer So did our heavenly pattern here the Lord Jesus What he suffered it was in obedience to his Father The Cup which my Father hath given me He humbled himself and became obedient Phil. 2.8 He learned obedience by the things which he suffered Hâ—b 5.8 This was the principle which carried him on to and through that work And so let it be with us whatever we suffer looking upon it as a Cup coming from the hand of our heavenly Father drink it in obedience to him Thus are Christians to perform all duties both to God and Man As obedient Children as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Children of Obedience doing what they do in an obedientiall way to God their Father And thus also are they to suffer so approving themselves the children of God as by their Active so by their Passive Obedience And suffering obediently suffer also willingly Willingly So also did our blessed Saviour suffer as you have heard The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it He drinks this his Cup as patiently and obediently so willingly And so drink we these Cups which God our heavenly Father giveth unto us thus suffer we those afflictions which his Providence layeth out for us not only patiently and obediently but willingly Herein again true Christian patience differs from that of the meer Morall Civill man whose patience is patience per force he suffereth what he cannot help This being the Principle which he goeth upon Feras non culpes quod vitari non potest Sence What you cannot shift rather hear then quarrell with as that great Moralist hath it But such patience how commendable soever it may be with Man it is not so with God who accepteth no service but what is willingly performed That which St. Peter requires of Ministers in speciall that they should do their work their Ministerial service feeding the flock of God not by constraint but willingly 1 Pet. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God requireth it generally at the hands of all his people whatever service we do unto him doe it not by constraint but willingly And so in our sufferings be we willing to submit to his will This is their Reasonable service which St. Paul calls for Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a service not like that of the unreasonable creatures under the Law as Theodoret and Erasmus and some other Expositors interpret those words and that truely though not fully Those bruit Creatures Sheep and Oxen c. they came to the Altar but they were either drawn or driven thither And there they suffered the sacrificing Knife to be put to their throats but they were first tied and bound Binde the Sacrifice with Cords even unto the horns of the Altar Psal 118.27 Now in opposition to this the Christians sacrifice must be a reasonable service As his Active so his Passive Obedience must be not constrained and compelled but willing Which if it be not he cannot expect his reward If I do these things willingly I have a reward saith Paul speaking of his Ministerial service but if against my will this dispensation is committed unto me what is my reward then 1 Cor. 9.17 18. And what he saith of his acting Two questions resolved a Christian may say the like of his suffering submitting willingly to the hand of God he may expect a reward Q. 1 which otherwise he cannot look for Whether Christians may not pray against sufferings Q. But what then it may be said may not a Christian pray against these evils And may he not use means to be freed and delivered from them A. A. The latter of these Questions I started before and returned some answer to it let me now speak a little more fully to it and to the former 1. Pray against evils Temptations Tryals This they may doe we may For this we have our Saviours practise to warrant us who in the Garden as you have heard thrice put up this Request O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Which also he had done before Joh. 12.27 Father save me from this hour And what himself there did he hath taught us to doe the like putting in this for one of those six Petitions in that his form and pattern of Prayer which he hath left us Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill This a Christian may doe pray against temptations Evils as of Sin so of punishment that he may be either kept from them or delivered out of them But take it with this Proviso this Caution Not Absolutely but conditionally It must be not Absolutely but Conditionally with submission to the will of God So we finde it in our Pattern Christ prayeth that this Cup might passe from him but his request herein is not Absolute but Conditionall If it be possible let this Cup passe from me Math. 26.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If possible not simply and absolutely so for so all things are possible with God which he elsewhere taketh notice of Matth. 19.26 Mark 14.36 but if it were consistent with Gods decree Si tua decreta ferunt ut alio modo tuae gloriae homirum saluti aequè consulatur Grot. Annor ad loc and might not be prejudiciall to his Glory or the salvation of his Church and people as Grotius well explains it Or if it might stand with the will of God his Father So he there explains himself where to the aforesaid Petition he subjoyns this Retraction or rather Limitation Nevertheless not as I will but as
who preferred Barrabas before him Not this man but Barrabas now Barrabas saith the Text was a Robber Joh 18.41 Thus was he despised and rejected of men as the Prophet Isai foretold it Isai 53.3 Made a scorn and laughing stock having a scarlet or Purple Robe put upon him a Rod put into his hand instead of a Scepter a Crown of Thornes set upon his head instead of a Crown of Gold as the story sets it forth Mat. 27. v. 28.29 all to make him a scorn to the people who in defiance spit upon him as it there followeth Thus did he suffer in his Name And so in his Body being buffeâ—ed and caned as we find it Matth. 26 67. and 27.30 as also scourged v. 26. Now all these were ingredients in this Cup parts of his suffering But the two principals which made this his Cup so exceedingly bitter were these his suffering in Soule and his suffering of death Yet doth he thus submit to both these And the like are Christians to doe if ever God shall call them to the like tryals Christians to imitate him in suffering of both The latter of which they are all sure to meet with what man liveth and shall not see death Psal 89.48 And for the former none are sure of being exempted from it Now as to these two particulars being of so great importance and having so just an occasion offered from the Text give me leave to speak to them severally Begin with the former Suffering in Soul Thus did our blessed Saviour suffer Suffering in Soul not only in the outward man but also in the inward not only in his Body but in his Soul When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Isai 53.10 that is the whole person of Christ not bis body only but his soul also which suffered in this his passion And that not only by way of Sympathie and fellow feeling with the Body as Socinions would have it but immediately As man afflicted the one so did God the other It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief saith the Prophet in the text last named Afflicting him as in his Body so in his Soul Which he did by inflicting on him a double Punishment such as the damned in Hell lye under a Punishment of Losse and a Punishment of Sense Of Losse hiding and withdrawing himself from him as to his sense and feeling Which he did fully upon the Crosse where being left under a cloud of spirituall desertion he cryeth out in the anguish of his soul My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Of sense pouring a viall of wrath into his soul such as was due unto those sins which he had undertaken So as now even The sorrows of Hell compassed him about as David in another sense speaks of himself Psal 18.8 This Cup did he drink upon the Crosse a Cup of divine wrath Which he had before tasted of even here in the Garden Where we find him in a strange and unparrallelled agonie sweating as it were drops of bloud falling to the ground as before we heard And what could it be that should thus affect his Body but the anguish of his soul then conflicting with the apprehension of that wrath which he was now to feele the wrath of God due unto sinners in whose room he was now to stand as a surety and Redeemer Thus were these waters even come into his soul as David in a different sense speaks it of himself Psal 69.1 And that as I said in an Immediate way Hence is it that he complaines unto his Disciples that his soul was exceeding sorrowfull Matth. 26.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beset and surrounded with grief and anguish And St Mark reporting the same story tels us that he began to be sore amaz'd and very heavy Mark 14.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expavescere gravissime angâ— to be in great horrour and anguish Now what could it be that should thus affect him surely not barely the apprehension of those Corporall punishments which he was to suffer This were a thing very dishonourable to imagine that whereas many of the Martyrs have gone triumphing to the stake or gibbet going singing to the induring of far greater torments more cruell deaths then this was that he who was their Leader the Captain of their salvation should fall so far below them in resolution and courage as thus to tremble at the thought of his Crosse Surely there was somewhat more in this Cup which made it so bitter to him And what should that be But his suffering in soul And yet see how having recollected his spirits he here submitteth to the drinking of this Cup the suffering whatever his Father should please to inflict upon him The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it And thus are Gods Children to submit to the will of their heavenly Father if he shall call them to the tasting of this Cup. The tasting of it I say As for the drinking it off that they never shall Christ having drunk off this Cup hath freed those who are his from drinking in the like way that he did They being justified by his bloud shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.9 This Cup is reserved for wicked and ungodly men who being Children of disobedience are also Children of wrath as the Apostle calls them Ephes 2.23 having wrath for their Portion The wrath of God commeth upon the Children of disobedience Eph. 5.6 This shall be the portion of their Cup which they shall drink and drink it off even wringing out the dregs thereof But so shall not those that are Christs They being Gods Children and Children by Grace the Grace of Adoption they are freed and delivered from wrath Yet not so but that they also may taste of this Cup which sometimes some of them doe Even the best of Saints being subject to spirituall desertions soul sufferings wherein God hiding his face with-holding from them the sweet sense and feeling of his love and favour writes bitter things against them setting their sins in order before them and letting some drops of his wrath as it were fall upon their souls filling them with inward horrour and terrour A bitter Cup of all Cups the bitterest of all tryals the sharpest There being two things principally which make it so 1. Because it seizeth immediately upon the soul Suffering in soul the greatest suffering upon the spirit Those wounds in the body which come nearest the heart are looked upon as most deadly Reas 1 And so is it with those sufferings which come nearest the soul It seizeth upon the spirit The Sword reacheth unto the Soul saith Jeremy Jer. 4.10 It is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart saith the 18. v. there explaining the former And so doth this Tryall it seizeth upon the soul and that immediately As Hectick Feavers and some other diseases in the body which seize more immediately upon
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
is free from his Master so Job describes the state of the dead Job 3.17 18 19. Thus doth God our heavenly Father make use of this as his Handkerchief to wipe away all tears from the eyes of his Children as we have it Rev. 7. last After death there shall be to them no more death nor crying neither shall there be any more pain as that other Text hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ae chylus Rev. 21.4 Death lets out the Christian as it doth all men from the sense and fear of all temporall Evils 2. Yea it freeth him from what is far worse from Spiritual Evils Spirituall giving a Quietus est as to the Body so to the Soul Freeing him 1. From Sin He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. From sin 6.7 So it is indeed with a mortified soul a regenerate person that is spiritually dead dead to sin which the Apostle there chiefly aymeth at he is freed from it viz. from the guilt and power of it But this is but a partiall freedome which is compleated and perfected in and by naturall death by which the Believer obtaineth a perfect freedome Being hereby so freed from sin as in this life he cannot be Freed from the committing of it From the inbeing of it From the beholding of it From the committing of it 1. From the committing of it which while he is here he is not cannot be However as the Apostle hath it in the verse there foregoing Rom. 6.6 the old man being crucified with Christ the Body of sin is so far destroyed that henceforth the regenerate person doth not serve sin he having thus suffered in the flesh ceaseth from sin as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.1 Corruption being in measure mortified he doth not now sin as before he did so as to make a custome and practise of it yet through weaknesse he doth commit some acts of sin and that daily There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccl. 7.20 But Death giveth the Believer a perfect discharge so as thenceforth he sinneth no more He that hath entred into his rest saith the Apostle he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his Heb. 4.10 God upon the seventh day kept a Sabbath resting from his works of Creation such as he had wrought upon the six dayes before So doth the Believer in death he entereth into his rest that Eternall Sabbatisme where he ceaseth from his own works such works as he here wrought in the flesh specially from the works of the flesh sinfull works Opera nostra vocantur labores curas vocationis nostrae tùm opera carnis noturae vitiosae peccatae quae vere sunt nestra quia â nobis fiunt nec probantur Dec c. Pareus Com. ad loc which as Pareus there noteth upon it may most properly be called a mans own works inasmuch as he doth them of himself without any approbation or allowance from God From these works the Godly man after death wholly ceaseth Which the wicked man doth not who being in Hell ceaseth not to blaspheme God Like as the followers of the Beast are said to doe upon the powring out of the Vials They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains c. Rev. 16.9 11 21. so doe the damned in hell because of their torments they blaspheme God and commit other sins such as that their state is capable of Which whether they be formally and properly sins in them not lying under a Law as here they did I shall not dispute but Materially I am sure they are being the same sinfull acts which here they committed But from such acts shall the believer now cease so as never more to commit any sin Noe nor yet to be in any possibility of committing it Such a state doth death bring Gods Children to a state in this respect far more happy then that wherein our first Parents were in Paradise There they were free from sin but not from a possibility of sinning which the event shewed But Gods Saints by death are freed from this being hereby put into an impeccable state and so confirmed as that they shall never more have any will or inclination to that which is evill Thus are they freed from the acting the Committing of sin 2. From the inbeing of it And so Secondly from the Inbeing the Indwelling of it So it is that the best of Saints while they are here they have sin dwelling in them It is no more I that do it saith Paul but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby meaning Innolita illa pridem peccandi consuetndo Grot. Annot. ad loc not that Habit and Custome of sin which is in an unregenerate person as Grotius expounds it but that Naturall Corruption which still cleaveth to the Regenerate This he found still dwelling in him And so it will in the most sanctyfied soul upon earth And there dwelling it will also be warring seeming sometimes to Conquer So also that Apostle there out of his own experience complaines v. 23. I find another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members Such a conflict there is and will be in the best of Saints Corruption striving against Grace Yea and sometimes prevailing against it Even as a strong tide carrieth the ship against the stroke of the Rowers Which cannot but create a great deal of trouble to the Soul So it did to that blessed Apostle who upon this account looked upon himself as a miserable man crying out in the next verse verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from the Body of this death That Body of sin as he elswere calleth it Rom. 6.6 which he found living in him was to him a Body of death making his life miserable to him So would it be to a Child-bearing woman to have the Child lye dead within her rotting and putrifying in her womb whereof notwithstanding all indeavours used she cannot be delivered Or to a living man to be tyed to a dead karkesse Even so is it with a regenerate person whilest he is here the living and the dead are tyed together Grace and Gorruption And so tyed together as nothing can part them but death Like as it was with that fretting leprosie of which we read Lev. 14.45 which having eaten into the Wals there was no cure for it but by pulling down the house Even so is it with this Leprosie of sin having seized upon the soul and eaten into all the powers and faculties of Soul and Body there is no way to be freed from it but by death And this will do it The house being pulled down the Leprosie ceased And so doth sin in death The dissolution of the Body is the Absolution of the Soul freeing it from this
the promises and assurances which we meet with in Scripture to this purpose The Lord preserveth the strangers he relieveth the fatherless and Widows Psal 146.9 A father of the Fatherless and a Judg of the Widow is God in his holy habitation Psal 68.5 Leave thy Fatherless children I will preserve them alive and let thy Widows trust in me Jer. 49.11 In thee the fatherless findeth Mercy Hos 14.3 Thus when Father and Mother forsake their Children as in death they do now as David speaketh it of himself Psal 27.10 The Lord taketh them up exercising a speciall providence over such This will he doe being left a God in Covenant with them And therefore no just ground why this consideration should so far prevaile with any that are in Covenant with God as to make them unwilling to dye upon this account which too often they are In this obey God and then trust in him As for that other part of this Allegation pâ—rting with friends and the loss of their society Friends upon earth not to be compared with those in heaven it cannot sway much Alas what are thy friends upon earth which thou art to leave in comparison of thy friends in heaven whom thou art to go to viz God and Jesus Christ his blessed Saints and Angels with whom thou shalt now have an everlasting Communion Besides thy friends and thou are not by this means for ever parted It is but for a time a little time Though thou shalt not return to them as David said of his Childe 2 Sam. 12.23 yet they shall come to thee meeting where you shall never part But saith another I am not unwilling to dye upon any such account Obj. 3 Dying without issue to continue the name but rather the contrary I have no issue to leave behind me which might succeed in my place inherit my estate or continue my name This was the thing which was conceived to have wrought so upon that good King Hezekiah that made the message which the Prophet brought him concerning his death so unwelcome unto him so as he wept when he heard it of which we heard before this he did as having yet no issue to succeede him to bear his name and sit upon his throne after him And the like consideration oft times after the like manner worketh upon others But was not this also the case of our blessed Saviour here A. The case of our blessed Saviour When as he was now to leave the world being a single person he had no issue of his Body none to succeed him to bear his name his naturall name after him True indeed as for his spiritual name he left enough to bear that viz. his Apostles and Ministers whose office it is to bear the name of Christ as he tels Ananias that Paul should doe Act. 9.15 By preaching and publishing of his Gospell But as for his natuâ—al name that dyed with him he leaving neither Child nor yet Brother to succeed him Yet was this consideration of no avail with him Notwithstanding this he knew that his name should be continued upon earth and withall that he should have a better name in heaven even that name above every name as it is called The good name of Gods Saints living when they are dead Phil. 2.9 And the like may all Gods Saints assure themselves of Having by their Godly and examplary life and conversation got them a good name whilest they were alive that shall be to them a precious ointment as the Preacher makes the comparison Eccl. 7.1 preserving and perfuming their memories when they are dead Such is the name of Jesus Christ Thy name is as ointment poured forth saith the Spouse of her well-beloved Cant. 1.3 And such shall the names of his Saints be When the name of the wicked shall rot rot above ground as their bodies do under it they having left nothing but a stinking savour behind them the memory of the just shal be blessed Prov. 10.7 But however They have in heaven a name better then of Sons and Daughters though they be forgotten upon earth yet they shall have a name in Heaven Yea and that a name above every name above whatever name upon earth A name better then of Sons and Daughters an everlasting name that shall not be cut off as the Lord promiseth his people Isai 56.5 As for the name of Sons and Daughters a name by issue continued it often faileth seldome lasteth to many generations But the name of Gods people is an everlasting name being a name written in heaven As for those names which are written in the earth which the names of worldlings are they are written in the dust and so shall perish But so shall not the names of Gods Saints which are written in heaven written in the book of life Having then assurance of such a name let not them be over ambitious of any other I but saith another Obj. I am not unwilling to dye but I would not dye yet And why not yet Why Being in the flower of age as yet I am in the flower of my age having lived but a little while upon earth so as to me death seemeth untimely A. A. Tâ—e case of our Saviour And was it not thus also with thy blessed Saviour was not he cut off in the flower of his age about the thirty third or thirty fourth year of his life And yet doth not he look upon his death as untimely now that the hour appointed by his Father was come Though thy time be not come yet if Gods be do not think it untimely I Obj. 5 But I might live to do God a great deal of service upon earth Desire of doing more service to God and upon that account I desire a longer date of daies And might not thy Saviour have done so too A. Yet when his Father calleth him from his work So might Christ have done he is not unwilling to leave off Repl Repl. I but he knew that his work was done I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do He knew that his work was finished saith he Joh. 17.4 And upon that account was he so willing to be gone But so cannot I say A. A. But this thou maiest say If God calleth thee hence So is ours when God calleth us from it the work which he hath given thee to do is finished though not the work which thou wouldest do to him And therefore be not averse to his call He who setteth thee to do his work knoweth how long it is fit for thee to be at it And if he cal thee off by that time thou hast wrought a few houres in his vineyard and giveth thee thy peny thou hast no cause to repine at it or be unwilling with it I Obj. 6 but saith another I know not how bitter how painfull The bitterness of Death my death may be As for death it self considering the miseries
of life and the gain that would come thereby I am not unwilling with it But the bitternesse of it which I fear deters me from imbracing it And was not thy Saviours such A. was not his Cup a bitter Cup Christs death a bitter death his death a painfull yea a shamefull and accursed death And this he knew that it would be And yet behold him not unwilling to drink it to submit to it But as for thee thou knowest not what thy death may be Happily it may be easie and gentle However The paines of death misapprehended not so bitter as thou apprehendest it Few there be but indure more and greater paines in their life then they shall do at their death Neither is it properly death it self which is so painfull but the forerunners of it But suppose it bitter yet shall this deter thee from the drinking of this Cup which is so profitable unto thee I Obj 7 but I know not what conflicts I may there meet with Fear of soul Conflicts in death I must expect that Satan will be then busie And was it not so with thy Saviour The prince of this world commeth Answ The Case of our Saviour saith he foretelling his death Joh. 14.30 What conflicts had he as in the Garden here so upon the Crosse And did not the powers of Hell then surround and assault him Now is your hour and the power of darknesse saith he to the Jewes Luke 22.53 Repl I Repl. but he had strength to grapple with this Enemy and to overcome him He had strength which others want but my strength is weaknesse A. Be it so A. yet is not his power made perfect in weaknesse as the Apostle telleth thee 2 Cor. He is able â—o strengthen others 12.9 He that was able to bear up himself in these conflicts is he not able to do the like for thee Thou being his one of his members his Spirit is thine in thee and with thee and will be ready to succour and strengthen thee in this combate Remember what Paul said of himself When all forsook me the Lord stood by me and strengthened me 2 Tim. 4.17 He that prayed for Peter hath done the like for thee that thy faith shall not fail I Obj. 8 But I want Assurance assurance of Gods love and favour to me Want of assurance of Gods Love and favour how then can I willingly submit to death Not being assured how it standeth with me in reference to my future state and condition Of all arguments I confess this is the strongest A. But stil was it not so also with thy blessed Saviour The case of our Saviour in the Garden and upon the Cross Did not he in his Passion as also before it lye under a spiritual desertion God his Father for a time hiding his face from him and seeming to have forsaken him Yet in obedience to him he submits to what his will was And the like do thou However it standeth with thee as to Assurance yet acting thy faith trusting in the mercies of God through the merits of this thy Saviour shew thy self obedient to the will of thy heavenly father even obedient to the death But in the mean time labour for Assurance Directions by way of practise Let that be the first of those directions by way of Practise which having met with those Anticonsiderations opposing the former Motives I shall now come to propound unto you In the first place Dir. 1 I say that we may not fear death Labour for Assurance but be willing to submit thereunto when God shall give this Cup to us labour for Assurance 1. Assurance First that God is our Father This it was which sweetned this bitter Cup to our blessed Saviour here That God is our Father by Regeneration and Adoption that it was given him by his Father The Cup which my Father hath given me And this it was which made him so willing to set upon this journey to walk through the valley of the shadow of death because he was to go to his Father as he tels his Apostles Joh. 14.12 and elswhere O let every of us labour to make sure to our selves this blessed Relation that God is our Father And that as before was said not only by Creation which he is to all his Creatures but by Regeneration and Adoption that he hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope which St. Peter saith all true believers are 1 Pet. 1.3 and that he hath Adopted us into the dignity of his Children Both which we may rest assured of when we find our selves made partakers of that divine nature of which St. Peter speakes 2 Pet. 1.4 transformed into the Image of God made like unto him in those divine qualities of Holinesse and Righteousnesse wherein as the Apostle telleth us his Image doth chiefly consist Eph. 4.24 And made partakers of that Spirit of Adoption whereof the same Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.15 Whereby we cry Abba Father Owning God for our Father and that not in word only but in deed and in truth As by making our addresses unto him upon all occasions flying to him as Children to their Father so by yielding unto him all such respects as are due to a Father loving him as a Father fearing him as a Father honouring him as a Father trusting in him and depending upon him as a Father and in all things obeying him as a Father Being thus affected towards him now may we lay claim to this Relation being assured that God is our Father Which whilest we are what is it that should make us afraid of death Which is but our Fathers Messenger sent by him to bring us into his presence So our blessed Saviour looked upon it who speaking of his death cals it as you heard a going to his Father And may we but once come so to look upon it that death is our Fathers Messenger Not a Serjeant to arrest us at the suit of an offended God and to bring us before him as a severe Judg to be sentenced by him and to receive according to our demerits Such is death to all wicked and ungodly men and so no wonder if the apprehension of it be terrible unto them as the Officer is to the guilty Malefactor But a messenger our Fathers messenger such as Joab was to Absalom 2 Sam. 14. to bring us to our Fathers house into his presence to see him and to be with him to all eternity this would make it not unwelcome to us Every of us then labour to make this sure to our selves that we have such an interest in God that he is our Father 2. To which end labour to make sure our interest in Christ That Christ is our Saviour that he is our Saviour never resting till we have got him in our armes This when Simeon had done in a literall sense then he cryeth out Now Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in
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