great assurance of success having such a Mediator and Intercessor But our Saviour goes on Ver. 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name i. e. ye have not as yet made a trial how powerful a name mine is But for for the future he directs and encourages them Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full And presently afterwards he gives them great assurance that their Prayers shall now be heard upon his account Joh. 16.26 27. At that day ye shall ask in my name and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God III. I proceed now to shew you how what hath been said tends towards our support and comfort under the troubles of this life And that it does several ways 1. The exaltation of Christ to the right hand of God is much for our comfort as it gives us great hope that we shall also be received into heaven Our nature is advanced and this gives us hope that we shall also in due time be received into the same happy place For as Christs Resurrection is made an Argument which infers ours so our Lords being exalted into heaven speaks the great hopes that we have of coming thither And this Consideration does mightily tend to comfort us under the sorrows of this life Joh. 14.4 Let not your heart be troubled says our Lord. But then what follows tends greatly to support them I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Thanks be to God a door of hope is now opened by the Exaltation of our Saviour Heb. 6.19 20. Which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the Vail Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec None under the Law of Moses Heb. 9.7 8. might enter into the Holy of Holies but the High Priest only and that but once a year and not without bloud The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing There was a vail or partition between the Holy of Holies and the other part of the Temple And when our Saviour suffered death this Vail of the Temple was rent in twain after a most miraculous manner For though indeed there be mention made of an Earthquake at the same time yet that the Vail was not rent by the Earthquake appears from hence that the Text says it was rent from the top to the bottom Mat. 27.51 not from the bottom to the top as it would have been if it been the effect of an Earthquake Now it is no hard matter to explain the meaning of this The Holy of Holies was a Type of Heaven The rest of the Temple and Tabernacle of the rest of the world There was a Vail that shut up the way to Heaven but when our Lord suffered he opened the way that was shut up before and a while after he went himself within the Vail and took our nature with him and by doing so and sending us the Holy Spirit thence he hath given us assurance that where he is we shall likewise be He hath taken a pledge I mean our flesh which he hath carried into heaven as a Pledge that we shall enter thither Pignus totius Summae Tert. de res Carn 2 Thes 4.17 18. and given us the earnest of his Holy Spirit in token that we belong to him and that we shall ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words 2. What hath been said tends to our comfort as it gives us assurance of a Divine Assistance at hand for our succour and support and for the enabling us to do as well as suffer the whole will of God We have not the least cause to doubt either of the Power or readiness and Proneness of our Lord to help us and support us under all our conflicts and especially then when we are persecuted for righteousnes sake Our Saviour is not a mere Spectator he does not only see us fight but he helps us to overcome Whatever it is that troubles us we are not left without a Prince and a Saviour and one that is able to save to the uttermost And this must needs tend very greatly to the quieting of our minds under all the troubles and sorrows that we meet withal 3. This tends very much to our support and comfort as it encourages our Prayers and assures us that we shall succeed when we make our addresses to God and implore his Divine aid and assistance We have a merciful High Priest that was made like unto us and hath about him a sense of our infirmities Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh and having an High Priest over the House of God Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water CHAP. VIII ANother great comfort and support which the Christian is provided with under the sorrows of this life is that of the Holy Scripture The Psalmist expresses the great comfort he received from the Law of God in his affliction Psal 119.92 Vnless thy Law had been my delights I should then have perished in my affliction He doth elsewhere express his great esteem for and the great delight he had in the Law of God The Law of thy mouth is better unto me Ver. 72. than thousands of Gold and Silver He elsewhere tells us that the Statutes of the Lord are right Psal 19.8 rejoycing the heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes and speaking presently afterwards of the Judgments of the Lord he says of them Ver. 10. More to be desired are they than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than honey and the honey Comb. And now it is no wonder that we find him professing in these words Psal 119.127 128. I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right After this he adds Rivers of waters run down mine eyes Ver. 136. because they keep not thy Law Thus was the devout Psalmist affected towards the Law of God This was his comfort and his joy his riches and
a ditch It is the Crime not the kind of death that makes death dishonourable He falls well whatever hand pull him down that falls in a good cause Our Lord died upon a Cross His was a painful and the most shameful death It was the punishment of Slaves and the most infamous Criminals Now it is said of our Lord Heb. 12.2 that he endured the Cross despising the shame The pain was very afflictive to his flesh but yet such was his love that he endured that But then his death was as shameful as his Enemies could have devised but the shame our Lord despised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M. Antonin l. 7. 2.23 And sure if our Lord did this for us well may we do it for him Well may we glory in that Cross which our Lord hath born But then for the pain of a violent death we shall not need much to disquiet our selves we affright our selves without cause and we do disquiet our selves in vain We think of Racks and Wheels of fire and faggot when we think of our Enemies from whom we expect no mercy But it is certain that we often torment our selves with evils that shall never overtake us But yet we will suppose that we meet with great pain What then This pain will be tolerable or not If it be tolerable we may endure it if not we shall not be long troubled with it That will end or we shall We cannot last long under extreme pain Besides it is not unlikely but a disease may put us to sharper and longer pains than a Tyrant will ever do A Calenture may be more troublesom to us than fire and faggot and the flames of a Fever may scorch us more severely than other flames And they that have felt the extremity of the Gout and Stone will easily grant that it is a favour to die by the Sword of a Tyrant Quid refert in Equuleum an in lectulum torquendus ascenderis Petrarch Arrian Epictet l. 2. c. 6. We do not know but we may be tortured on our Beds and what great matter is it whether we be exercised upon a Bed or upon a Wheel It is very likely that a Tyrant will sooner release us than a disease What needest thou care says the heathen Philosopher what way thou goest into another World They are alike But yet if thou art willing to know the truth that is the shortest which a Tyrant sends Never was any Tyrant six months in killing any man A Fever hath often detained men a whole year What is it then that we fear Is it the Sword of an Enemy But are we sure we shall die an easier death Perhaps this Sword may may rescue us from greater pains and miseries Arrian l. 4. c. 7. When once I had learnt says the same Philosopher that he that is born must also die I am indifferent whether I die by a Fever or the fall of a Tile or I be killed by a Souldier But if I must compare I know that a Souldier will destroy me with the least pain It is very inconsiderable since we must die after what manner we do it And if there be any difference perhaps this way of dying by a Tyrant may be the gentler 4. That the life which we part with when we die for our Reliligion is not worth the keeping upon those terms upon which alone we have the liberty to preserve it Life I grant is a very valuable thing Especially the life of a man But let us consider a while what that is that makes it so It is not because it gives us the opportunity of eating and drinking and sporting our selves in the World This is the life of a Brute and not the life of a man much less of a worshipper of God But our life is desirable as it relates to a better life and it serves the purposes of Eternity They are the causes or ends of life which make it desirable So long as they continue life is not only a blessing but a most unspeakable one The great ends of life are the service of God and doing good to one another in order to a future glory and immortality It is here we lay a foundation for a future bliss and happiness This life is the Stage on which we act our parts well This is the state of trial and this life is very valuable considered with its reference and subordination to that glory which we expect hereafter We know there is a reward for the righteous and out of respect to that it is that we strive to abound in all the fruits of righteousness and perfect holiness in the fear of God Whiles our life serves so great an end it is worth the preserving but without this it is nothing worth For barely to live is not the happiness and perfection of a man If then it come to this that we must lose our life or prostitute our Consciences and deny the faith our life is not worth the keeping upon these hard terms For when the end of life is gone what is life it self but a burden and reproach to him that hath it In other things we judge thus We value things by their end and usefulness And when they are rendred unfit for their end we value them not any longer Who regards any thing any farther than as it answers its end Who regards an unfruitful and dry Vine or Fig-tree Who values adulterate Coin or useless Beasts It is the end and usefulness of things that sets a rate and price upon them We reject those things that are useless as we do Salt that hath lost its savour But nothing is more vile and contemptible than our life when it is deprived of its end A man that hath Shipwracked his Faith and prostituted his Conscience to save his goods and his life is of all Creatures in this lower world the most deplorably miserable He lives indeed but he is an uneasie burden to himself and a cumber to the Earth He lives but his life is nothing worth when he is bereft of his integrity and hath forfeited his future hopes Life is not worth any mans keeping upon such terms as these are Plat. Ap. Socr. Socrates told the Athenians that if they would offer him his life upon condition that he should no longer Philosophize he would thank them indeed but not accept of life upon those terms And adds that he would rather obey God than them Hence it was that the first Christians would rather die than do that which was evil And some of the honester Heathens did thus also Arrian Epictet l. 1. c. 8. Priscus Helvidius was a Senator of Rome and considered the duty of his place The Emperour sent to him and forbid him to come into the Senate Priscus told him It was in his power to remove him from being a Senator till that was done he would go into the Senate Then the Emperour commanded him if went into the Senate to
times afterwards we have very large accounts of the sufferings of the Apostles and Primitive Christians for a long time and a very particular account of the exemplary patience and meekness courage and undauntedness of them that suffered These are things very well known to them that have read the holy Scriptures and the ancient Writers of the Christian Church Besides the many examples we have upon record of those who have with great patience suffered for the truth in the later Ages of Christianity We have many examples of those who have chearfully gone into Goales and given their bodies to be burnt for the sake of the truth Thirdly I shall shew you the great usefulness of these great examples to us For when we are directed to reflect upon them it is supposed that it is for our advantage that we should do so For it cannot be denied but that the Church hath gained much by the exemplary sufferings of holy men The bloud of Martys hath been a fruitful Seed And the Church did then grow when it was persecuted Phil. 1.12 14. I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which hapned unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel And many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear Holy men have done great service to the Church by a resolute dying for the Truth Their death hath been like that of Samson's who destroyed more Philistins then than he had at any time before The Heathen could say of good men That if in their life they were profitable v. Arrian Epictet l. 4. c. 1. they were much more so in their death For by this means the Truth hath got ground and the Religion hath been spread in the world Men are very prone to favour the persecuted and afflicted side and where they see the afflicted support undauntedly they are very much inclined to judge favourably of their Cause Hence in the Primitive times men came into the Church when they saw the Christians suffer the greatest torments with the most invincible patience They began to enquire what this Religion was which did thus support its Followers And hence they were induced to the Profession of that Religion which did so powerfully support its Followers Plures efficimur quoties metimur à vobis Tert. Apol. c. 45 And thus when some were cut off others came in from the Heathen world But I shall particularly consider the usefulness of these examples to us I shall shew you what benefit we may receive from the patient sufferings of Martyrs and other holy men 1. We are by this means assured that the greatest torments may be endured and supported under We do very often fear that we should never be able to bear the scorching flames that we can never endure the torments of a Rack extremity of cold and hunger and other pains For we have been tenderly brought up and have been uneasie under small pains And have not known what hunger and thirst cold and nakedness mean Hence we conclude that we should never be able to endure great severities The truth is It were much to be feared that we should rather renounce our Religion than hold out under the sharpest perseution did we only look into our selves But when we consider the power of God and look upon the examples of holy Martyrs we have great cause to hope that we shall be able to submit to torments and to death for the sake of our Religion For if we are weak if we have been brought up tenderly if we are of a timerous nature c. so were many of those Martyrs who yet rejoyced afterwards in Prisons welcomed the Fire and Faggot and rejoyced that they were thought worthy to die for the name of Jesus And those have done this who did suspect themselves and were suspected by others also We are hereby encouraged to hope well when we see that men that were subject to the like passions with us have continued stedfast to the last 2. We are further hereby assured that God will not fail to give assistance in the time of need Which is a truth the belief whereof does much tend to quiet and comfort us amidst our many fears and distractions Hence we are encouraged to hope that God will stand by us and help us when our burden is heavy upon us and we can now come boldly unto the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need This is the use that we are called upon to make of the sufferings of our Lord Cha. 12.3 Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds Indeed God hath been pleased to assure us Heb. 13.5 that He will never leave us nor forsake us And the Apostle says 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able But will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it In which words we are assured that God will give us a good event if we call in and depend upon his help and assistance 2 Thes 3.3 The Lord is faithful who shall establish you and keep you from all evil And the same Apostle elsewhere speaks to the same purpose 1 Thes 5.22 23 24. saying Abstain from all appearance of evil And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it These are great promises and assurances which God hath been pleased to give us and we ought upon all occasions to consider them But so it is we are of little faith and very prone to fear But then seeing we are incompassed with so thick a cloud of Witnesses to whom these promises have been made good we are farther confirmed that he who hath done it will still perform the word which he hath spoken For these examples before our eyes have a great force towards the ridding us of those fears which are apt to solicite us For from them we learn what weak Creatures can do when they are assisted by a power from above 3. We are by this means farther confirmed in our Religion and consequently thereupon the more firmly obliged to continue stedfast in the Profession of it He that dies for his Religion and does it undauntedly does more than he that defends it by learned Discourses It is not every man can discern the force of Arguments He that lives well and that dies with courage for his Religion 't is he that defends his Faith and commends it to the Consciences of men This man does most effectually