sufferings as they may turn to a good account praise God over your suffering and pray to God under your suffering I put these two together praise and pray This is a certain thing those sufferings shall turn to a good account that Christ blesses How shall I know whether Christ will bless my sufferings Why if I can bless God over my suffâ—rings God will bless my sufferings to me And then are you call'd at any time to suffer go away rejoycing that you aâ—e counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ Yet notwithstanding not onely bless and praise God over your sufferings but pray unto God under youâ— sufferingâ— And what should you pray for Pray unto the Lord that he would turn your sufferings unto a good account There is an old promise wrapt up in the Apostles prayer 1 Pâ—t 5 10. The God of all grace who hath called us unâ—o his eternal glory by Christ Jâ—sus afâ—er that ye have sâ—ffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen sâ—ttle you So then have you suffered a while you may go then to God as to the God of all grace and say Lord through thy providence I have now suffered a whilâ— thou art the God of all grace make me perfect confirm me stablish strengthen and comfort me and let all these sufferings turn to a good account Thus praise God under your sufferings and pray over your sufferings and so shall you manage and order all your sufferings as that they shall turn to a good account The way to obtain a sure and great Reward SERM. III. Matth. 19. 28. And Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Name sake shall receive an hundred-fold and shall inherit everlasting life IN this Scripture we have our Saviours answer unto Peters question propounded at ver 27. Behold Lord saith Peter we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore Our Saviour answers in the following verses and his answer is partly Comfortable and partly Cautional The Cautional part I have spoken to among some of you from vers 30. But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first The Comfortable part I spake unto the last Lords day in another Meeting And being now desired to speak the same things unto you considering that they are of present and universal concernment I shall do it as briefly and plainly as I can The Comfortable part of Christs answer you have in v. 28 29. wherein our Saviour Christ doth shew what great reward those shall have that do suffer or leave any worldly interest for him and for his Name-sake Which reward doth either relate unto the Apostles or unto others It relateth unto the Apostles in vers 28. Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration that is in the preaching of the Gospel Preaching of the Gospel is a regenerating work The preaching of the Law is convincing work the preaching of the Gospel is regenerating work Ye which have followed me in the regeneration in the great work of preaching the Gospel when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel That 's their reward peculiar and proper unto them The reward which is more large extending unto all v. 29. And every one not one of you shall be rewarded that are mine Apostles but EVERY ONE that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or land for my Name-sake shall receive an hundred-fold and shall inherit everlasting life From whence then I took up this Observation and you may observe from the whole thus much That whosoever shall leave any worldly interest for Christ and for his Name sake shall be sure to be well rewarded He shall be well rewarded for he shall have an hundred-fold in this life and everlasting life in the world to come And he shall be sure to be well rewarded for he hath put a verily upon it Verily I say unto you and every one that hath forsaken houses c. So then the Doctrine is clear That whosoever shall leave or forsake any worldly interest for Christ and for his Name-sake shall be sure to be well rewarded For the clearing of this first we must enquire what it is to leave any worldly interest for Christ and for his Name-sake Secondly what the reward is that such shall have that do so and wherein it consists And Thirdly what assurance we may have of such a reward And first of all if you do enquire what it is to leave any thing for Christ forsake any worldly interest for Christ I answer that a man may leave and forsake a worldly interest for Christ two ways Either by his own will or the wills of others We do leave and forsake a worldly interest by our own wills when we do voluntarily and freely deprive our selves of our commodity or satisfaction for Christ as the Apostles left their ships and nets to follow Christ We secondly do leave or forsake a worldly interest by the wills of others when through their oppression or persecution we are deprived of our own commodity and satisfaction for Christ and that is called suffering Our Saviour Christ here hath respect to both and in both these respects it's true That whosoever doth leave any worldly interest for Christ and his Name-sake shall be sure to be well rewarded But then still to clear it Quest What is it to leave any worldly interest for the Name of Christ Answ The Name of Christ is that whereby Christ is made known unto us as the name of a man is that whereby a man is made known unto us A man is made known unto us by his name so Christ is made known unto us by his Name That whereby Christ is made known unto us that 's his Name Now Christ is made known unto us by his Spirit and by the Gospel By his Spirit he is made known unto us for as God the Father is made known unto us by Christ his Son so Christ is made known unto us by the Spirit He shall take of mine and shew it unto you such Christ And upon this account therefore when a man doth suffer any thing for the Spirit or for any working of the Holy-ghost upon his heart or soul then he is said to suffer for the Name of Christ And upon this score it was that John the Baptist was accounted a Martyr of Christ and enroll'd among the Martyrs of Christ John the Baptist if you look into the story did not suffer for any Gospel-truth John the
Seasonable Truths IN EVIL-TIMES IN Several Sermons lately preached in and about London viz. I. Of Grace growing and increasing II. The first and last in Suffering-work III. The way to obtain a sure and great Reward IV. The Two Witnesses their Testimony V. The uncertainty of the World VI. Mans Wrath against Gods people shall turn to Gods praise VII Comfort to Mourners for the loss of the Solemn Assemblies VIII The evil of Unbelief in departing from God IX A warning to Apostates By William Bridge late Preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Cross-Keys in Bishops-gate-street neer Leaden-hall 1668. Of Grace growing and increasing SERM. 1. 1 Thess 4. 1. That as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more THe Apostle having exhorted the Thessalonians in the former part of this Epistle to perseverance in grace as you read in the former Chapter vers 8. For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord and at vers 13. of the same Chapter To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father he doth here in this Chapter exhort them to Christian Progression growing and increasing in Grace So in this first Verse of this fourth Chapter In this Exhortation three things are considerable 1. The Matter which he exhorteth them unto in the later end of the verse That they would abound more and more in the work of the Lord. 2. The Manner of his Exhortation and that is with much earnestness We beseech you brethren and exhort you and We exhort you by the Lord Jesus 3. The Reason or Motive that he uses to press this Exhortation That as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God Ye cannot say that ye have not been taught for both I and others have taught you and ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God Now therefore seeing that ye have received this of us see that ye abound more and more That ye abound more and more Beza and others they have the words read thus So that ye excel more and more I will not dispute the Translation There is one great Truth which the words at first view do hold forth unto you and that is this It is the earnest desire of those that are faithful in the work of the Ministry and ought to be the care of all the Saints themselves to abound in the work of the Lord yet more and more We are not onely to have grace but to abound and grow So he exhorts them in vers 10. of the same Chapter But we beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more The Apostle is express in this Exhortation But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God In the Text it is called ABOVNDING more and more in vers 10. it 's call'd INCREASING more and more by the Apostle Peter it 's call'd GROWING in grace by the Apostle Paul it 's call'd PERFECTING of holiness Now this you will finde if you look into Ephes 4. the end of Christs ascension and the end of all our Ministry of all our preaching and your bearing that ye may abound in the work of the Lord more and more and that ye may be made perfect He that descended in the same alsâ— that ascended up far above all heavens and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Then in vers 15. But speaking the truth in love may grâ—w up into him in all things which is the head even Christ. So that you see this to be our great care that do preach the Word and the endeavour of all those that hear it that ye may abound in the work of the Lord yet more and more that you may increase that ye may grow in grace And this you will finde to be Paul's ONE thing Phil. 3. 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do so you read it forgetting those things that are behinde and reaching forth to those things which are before I press towards the mark c. This one thing I do so you read it but the words I do are not in the Greek but thus This one thing Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this is the one thing forgetting those things that are behinde and reaching forth to those things that are before Our Lord and Saviour Christ he had his one thing necessary and David had his one thing too One thing have I desired and here now Paul he hath his one thing one thing for the Saints and that is this We forget what is past and press on to that which is before labouring to increase and to grow in grace and perfecting holiness in the fear of God And this you shall finde to be the end of all those afflictions which we meet withal from God the Father God the Father is unwilling to afflict his children he would not do it unless it were necessary why the end of his affliction we finde to be this in Joh. 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit And this you shall find to be the end of Christs coming as you read in Joh. 10. 10. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly There lies a poor soul saith Christ dead in trespasses and sins I am not onely come to give life unto that soul spiritual life but that he may have it in more abundance So that it is not onely our duty to have grace but we must abound therein more and more we must grow therein And my Beloved It is not onely the duty of the Saints to do so but they will and they do do this So saith David I will praise thee yet more And if you look Revel 2. you shall finde that this was the commendation of the Church of Thyatira at vers 19. that her works were more at the last then at the first Pray minde it it is a great and a glorious commendation O that it were the commendation of all the Churches now being With some it is contrary their works are more at the first then at the last but saith he concerning the Church of Thyatira I know thy works and thy charity and the last to be more then the first Where there is a truth of grace
should be pressed upon them at vers 15. Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance Oh therefore what a necessity is there that we should grow in grace Wherefore Brethren and Beloved in the Lord as you have been exhorted not onely by me at this time but by others of Gods servants so now labour to abound in all well pleasing to abound yet more and more And for me I shall say to you and concerning you as the Apostle in Philip. 1. This I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God The first and last in Suffering-work SERM. II. Matth. 29. ult But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first AT vers 27. Peter doth propound a question unto Christ saying Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore Jesus answered him in the following verse and his answer is partly comfortable and partly cautional In the comfortable part he doth declare what great reward his disciples or any other should have that did suffer or leave any worldly interest for his Name-sake The first part concerns the disciples onely in vers 28. I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory ye also shall fit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel This shâ—ll be your reward And as for others though you make the question I 'll give my answer so saith he as shall concern more then you my promâ—se shall be extended unto others also at vers 29. And EVERY ONE that hath forsaken houses or breâ—hren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake shall receive an hundred-fold Here 's their reward an hundred-fold It is a very great improvement We account Ten in the Hundred a great matter and if Merchants can venture to Sea and gain Twelve or Ten in the Hundred and be Insured of so great a gain they account it a great matter but here 's an hundred-fold not Ten or Twelve but an hundred for one and this insur'd too Verily I say unto you saith Christ every one that hath forsaken c. shall receive an hundred-fold And as for the cautional part that follows at vers 30. But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first Wherein he doth give a Caveat not onely unto his disciples but unto all those that should suffer and forsake any worldly interest upon his account As if he should say thus 'T is true you have indeed left all to follow me thereupon you ask me what you shall have and I lay before you very great rewards but I would have you for to walk warily and to take heed how you walk in the matter of your sufferings for though you suffer for my Name-sake and though those that do so in truth shall have very great rewards an hundred-fold in this life yet many that are very forward shall appear to be backward and many that are backward shall appear to be forward and many that stand behinde they shall stand before and many that stand before they shall be set behinde The first shall be last and the last shall be first Which being spoken in reference unto suffering and forsaking of our worldly interest for the Name of Christ the Doctrine then is this That many that are first shall be last and many that are last shall be first in suffering-work For the clearing whereof there were four things propounded 1. First what it is for a man to be first that is last and to be last that is first 2. Secondly how it may appear that many that are first shall be last and many that are last shall be first in suffering-work 3. Thirdly how and in what respect that is true 5. Fourthly what are the Reasons on 't And then the Application First what is it for one that is first to be last and one that is last to be first what 's this Some think this is to be understood in regard of the sameness of reward as if Christ had said thus The first shall be as the last and the last shall be as the first in matter of reward And for this they have the next Parable to shew where this same speech is brought in A certain housholder went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard and agreed with the labourers for a peny a day and be hired some at the first hour and some at the last and those that came in at the last received a peny as the first did Whereupon the first they grumbled The Master answered vers 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own is thine eye evil because I am good So the last shall be first and the first last Why because the last had the same peny As if the meaning of this therefore should be thus much That there should be the same reward given to the one as to the other But this cannot be the meaning on 't for it is not true for there shall not be the same reward given to all some shall have more then others some shall have greater degrees of glory then others If there be degrees of torments in hell then there are degrees of glory in heaven There are degrees of torment in hell for Christ hath said He that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with MANY stripes with more stripes then those that are ignorant and know it not Now if there be degrees of torment in hell there are degrees of glory in heaven and therefore the thing is not true That there shall be the same reward And here in chap. 19. we see that the Apostles are set higher in their reward When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory YE also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And our Saviour Christ here he doth not speak universally nor indefinitely he doth not say that ALL that are first shall be last and ALL that are last shall be first neither doth he speak definitely The first shall be last and the last first but he speaks thus That MANY that are first he doth not say ALL that are first shall be last neither doth he say indefinitely The first shall be last but MANY that are first shall be last and the last shall be first That 's the meaning then Others think â—herefore the meaning is this and the words are to be understood in reference to mens conceit and opinion as if he should say Be not conceited
what is said for that in 2 Cor. 1. saith the Apostle vers 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Why now is it not an hundred times better to be filled with inward consolations then to have a worldly interest by one certainâ—y it is Sixâ—hly is it noâ— a great matter for us to have an assuâ—ance of our salvation and of our election to be sealed to us Surely 't is a great matter Now look when a man doth suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ then comes the assurance thâ—n is the sealing time When we do bear our testimony unto Christ then Christ bears his testimony unâ—o uâ— that we are his children when we bear testâ—mony to the truth of Christ Christ bears testimony to the truth of grace in us See what is said Phil. 1 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an â—vidâ—nt token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God A token and of God it is Gods token But look into Acts 9. and you shall see what the Lord saith unto Ananâ—as concerning Paul The Lord said unto him Go thy way Ananias for he is a chosen vâ—ssel unto me to carry my Name before the Gentiles and kings and the Children of Israel Why For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my Name sake So that suffering for the Name of Christ seals up our assurance the assurance of our salvation the assurance of our election Now is it not an hundred times better to have the assurance of our election and of our salvation sealeâ— then to have some particular worldly interest lying by us certainly it is But seventhly is it not a great matter for us to reign with Christ a thousand years Such a thing there is promised in Revel 20. I will not now debate how and in what manner it shall be made good but this is certain there is such a thing promised as reigning with Christ a thousand years Who is that promised to vers 4. such as those that suffer for the Name of Christ And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Now is it not an hundred times better to live and reign with Christ a thousand years in the day of glory then to have some particular worldly interest together for the present Sure it is Now put all these seven things together why every â—ne of them is a great matter but put them all together and you cannot but say we shall have a thousand-fold in this life I but mark the Apostle tells us we shall have an hundred-fold in the fame kinde in this life how can that be Why if you look into Mark 10. you shall finde that Mark doth not say in so many words that we shall have an hundred-fold in this life in the same kinde but saith thus Jesus answered and said Verily I say unto you that there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sister or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with PERSECVTIONS But he do'nt say he shall have it in â—â—e same kinde An hundred-fold in this life and an hundred-fold in the same kinde When Peter left his nets and his fishing for Christ Christ made him a fisher of men now that was an â—â—ndred-fold in this life but not in the same kinde But to clear up this take these four or five considerations First consider this whatsoever God doth for us immediately that is an hundred times better then what he doth for us by means Now look when a man doth forsake a worldly interest for Christ and puts himself upon Christ Christ will provide immediately for him You may see it in Matth. 15. there were a company that had followed Christ and had followed him so long that they were faint Christ would not send them away fainting vers 32. Jesus called his disciples unto him and said I have compassion on the multitude because they have continued with me now three days and have nothing to eat They have nothing to eat they had left their houses they had left their own victuals and their own provisions and they had nothing to eat and saith he I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way Well what shall be done here Christ works a miracle And they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskâ—ts full Do you think now that ever these men made a better meal in all their lives I am perswaded it was an hundred-fold better to them then the best meal they had in all their lives And to shew that Christ will rather work a miracle then that those shall want which leave ought for him What Christ doth for us immeâ—â—â—â—ely that he doth fully and sweetly and is â—â— hundred times better then that he doth by â—eans Secondly look what the Lord doth for our children and our posterity that the Lord doth for us in Scripture-language In experience what God doth do for our children and for our posterity that God doth for us Now look whatsoever that is that you thaâ— aâ—e Pareâ—ts shall leave for the Name of Jâ—sus Christ Christ will give it in an hundred-â—oâ—d it may be to your posterity What shall we say to the second Commandment The second Commandment you know is this Thou shalt not make to thy sâ—lf any graven image â—haâ— iâ— â—hou shalt not worship God by any means but that which God himself hath appointed Here all the inventions of men are forbidden here all the institutions of God are commanded Well what doth Gâ—d promise upon the keeping of this I will shâ—w mâ—rcy to a thousand generations Stay a little before he saiâ—h he will punish them that break this Commandment to the third and fouâ—th generation I will punish them that hate me to the third and fourth generation Them that hate me pray why why are those that break the second Commandment said to hate God it is not said upon the breaking of any other Commandment that it is a hâ—ting of God but upon the breach of the second Commandment I conceive the reason essentially is this because Persecution grows upon the second Commandment Those that hate the people of God hatâ— God Nâ—w where doth the hatred and persecution grow Upon the keeping the second Commandment not conforming to mens inventions keeping close to the institutions of God here 's Persecution grows upon this Commandment well saith God I will visit thâ—
iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me But as for those that keep this Commandment And shâ—wing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments Why doth he say Commandments and not this Commandment The reason is this because in the second Commandment all institutions are commanded all the inventions of men are forbidden All the institutions of Christ come within the second Commandment and therefore saith he I will shew mercy to a thousand generations of those that lâ—ve me and keâ—p my commandments Now here 's an hundred-fold in that mercy is shâ—wn to a thousand generations Well what God gives to our children and to our posterity that he gives unto us A third consideration is this Look what that is which we have in effâ—ct that we have in truth though we have it not in the formality Now look whatsoever you do lay out for Christ whatsoever worldly interest you do part withal and forsake for Christ that you shall have in effect Why because the same affection doth still remain I will express it thus Suppose you have a Crab-stock and there you plant a Harvie or a Pearmain or a Pippin why the Pippin is an hundred times better then the Crab would have been Why 't is the same stock still under the Harvie or Pippin or Pearmain onely there 's an Apple planted that 's an hundred times better then the Crab was So now you have a delight in the things of the world well you leave this delight for Christ you leave not the affection but there 's a better object planted upon the affection and there being a better object planted upon the same delight thus you have the same thing you part withal for the Name of Christ in an hundred-fold Fourthly look what that is that we have in a way of substitution that we have in truth and in effect though we have it not in formality Now look what that is that you do leave for the Name of Christ that you shall have an hundred-fold in a way of substitution The Apostles they left their houses Peter left a house it may be or a fisher-boat for Christ why he had an hundred houses in a way of substitution he had an hundred mens houses open to receive him and happie was that Lydia that could receive the Apostle And this is that which you have Psal 45. vers 10. Hearken O daughter and consider incline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy fathers house What then Why then at vers 16. In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children whom thou mayst make Princes in all the earth Here now is the same in a way of substitution 'T is true 't is not the same in formality but in a way of substitution here 's that which is an hundred-fold Fifthly look what that is which we have in a way of satisfaction that we have in truth and in effect though not in formality Look what that is that you do leave or forsake for Christ that you shall have in satisfaction an hundred-fold more then you had before If you leave any thing for Christ you shall have an hundred-fold more satisfaction in what you have given for Christ then what you keep for your selves So that an hundred-fold in a way of substitution and an hundred-fold in a way of satisfaction And thus you see how we receive an hundred-fold in this life That whatsoever you do lay out for Christ here you shall be paid an hundred-fold and how and in what manner But then secondly what is that reward that we shall have in â—he life to come Suppose a man do leave a worldly interest for the Name of Christ or that he do suffer for the Name of Christ what is that reward that he shall have in the world to come Truly that reward is great and I am not able to speak it it requires the unwearied hand and arm of Eternity to tell over all the wealth of glory that the suffering people of God shall have in the world to come Onely thus much I 'll say and briefly First of all That reward that you that are suffering Saints shall have in the world to come it shall be an open reward for saith Christ he that confesseth me before men him will I confess also before my Father c. Secondly it shall be a comfortable reward for saith the book of the Revelations Then all tears shall be wiped out of your eyes He doth not say From your eyes or from your cheeks no but they shall be wiped out of your eyes So that the eyes shall be then such a womb as shall never breed a tear again All tears shall be wiped not from your eyes but out of your eyes So in Rev. 7. Thirdly as it shall be a comfortable reward so an honourable reward for saith our Saviour Christ Be faithful unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life And Fourthly as it shall be an honourable reward so a proportionable reward a reward proportionable to all your sufferings You know what the Apostle saith These light afflâ—ctions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Will you say I but our afflictions are exceeding heavie Nay saith the Apostle they are light But grant they be to balance the account you shall have a weight of glory Will you say They are long and tedious Nay saith the Apostle they are but light But grant they be long and tedious To balance the account you shall have an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory And then fifthly as it shall be a reward proportionable so it shall be a reward transcending over and beyond proportion over and beyond all expression beyond all our apprehensions or thoughts Who is able to think or apprehend what the inheritance of the Saints in light is that inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away Look into Rom. 8. If ye be children then are ye heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him See it hangs upon suffering If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Now if children then heirs All our children are not heirs well but all the children of God shall be heirs heirs of God What 's that Some think that's to be understood objectively that they shall inherit God and indeed they have all things that have him that hath all things Heirs of God But take it efficiently shall be Gods heirs and joynt-heirs with Christ He doth not say Joynt-purchasers with Christ but joynt-heirs joynt-heirs with Christ What shall Christ inherit Why Châ—ist is God the Fathers heir and he never dâ—spleased his Fathâ—r he will not disinherit him therefore Look what God the Father is worth that Christ shall be worth and look what Christ is worth that the suffering Saints