THIRTEEN SERMONS UPON Several Useful Subjects Two of them Being Funeral Discourses occasioned by the Death of the Reverend Mr. Nathanael Mitchel Minister of the Gospel I. The Crown of Righteousness and for whom prepared Vpon 1 Tim. 4.7.1 2 Serm. II. The Influence of God upon getting wealth Vpon Deut. 8.18 1 Serm. III. The small influence that abundance hath upon mans life Vpon Luke 12.15 1 Serm. IV. The nature of that Testimony which Christians are bound to give to the Lord Jesus Christ Vpon 2 Tim. 1.8 4 Serm. V. The nature of Persecution for Righteousness sake and the blessedness of those so persecuted Vpon Matth. 5.10 3 Serm. VI. The Riddle of a persecuted Believers life Vpon 2 Cor. 4.9 1 Serm. VII How Persecution turneth to Believers for a Testimony From Luke 21.13 1 Serm. By John Collinges D. D. LONDON Printed by T. S. for Edward Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market place And sold at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard 1684. To my Dear Sister Mrs. Mary Mitchel Dearest Sister WHen I composed the following Discourses it was in the same streights of time which usually are allowed for Meditations of that nature nor did I ever think of a further Publication then to those that heard me nor do I see any thing in them worthy of a more publick remark unless the great President of Divine Grace which it pleased God to shew you in the Man of your Bosom by the Power of which Grace he was saved in a Battle wherein few escape I know not what particular fancy it is that some Persons have to Sermons made upon Funeral Occasions that hath obtained of me the Copy of these Notes I hope it is their desires of many remembrances of their latter end which we have all sufficient need of Our Prophets are gone Our Fathers where are they When once I had agreed the Publication of them I needed no deliberation to whom I should inscribe them You Dear Sister had the greatest share in him to whose memory they were designed you had the nearest view of his Conversation for more then twenty years you were the greatest sharer in his long trial of affliction These things considered with my Relation to you made me quickly determine that thing I shall think my labour not lost in transcribing these Papers if any thing in them as well as the Example of your late dear Husband may incourage you or be any ways helpful to you in fighting the good fight and finishing your course The decays we find in our selves the deaths of our Friends the dayly Bells we hear telling us that such or such Persons our Neighbours are removed to their long homes mind us of our mortality Our Bones are not of Brass nor our Sinews of Iron which yet if they were both the one and the other we see are daily diminishing by the influence of the ill air in which we breath Our very breath is no such inheritance as doth not corrupt and fade away Our dearest Friends that are dissolved have only got the start of us we are in the same race and must stop at the same post Death is the End of all It is more then forty years that he who was the common Father both to you and me left this world Some of whose last words to me were Dear Child Learn to die Fear God and keep his Commandments so shalt thou learn to die We have been since that more then forty years at School in the world to learn amongst others this one great thing to Die We have had many Friends many dear Relations since that time who have by their dying Examples been speaking over the same thing to us Learn to die This discourse is of that tendency to learn us this great Lesson That the Lord would bless it to my self to you to all that shall read it is the Prayer of Your most Affectionate Brother John Collinges TO THE Christian Reader Reader THou hast here put together Thirteen Sermons of very heterogeneous Subjects I desire thou shouldst understand that the Composition pleased the Bookseller not the Author who upon that account hath nothing to say to thee but that he hopes there is none of these discourses but may be useful to any Persons He that is Rich had need know and remember That it is the Lord that giveth to man a power to get wealth He that is Poor had need not only to know that but that a mans life lyeth not in the abundance of what any one possesseth Both Rich and Poor had need understand how to finish their course fight the good fight and keep the faith When men complain of Persecution they had need understand what it is when they speak of giving Testimony to Christ and his Gospel they had need know what kind of Testimony that should be that they may not suffer in vain Thou art Reader to expect nothing in these discourses but what was proper to discourse to a plain Country Auditory which came to hear out of love to Gods Word and the truths in it revealed at least I hope so not to hear a lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument If any thing in these discourses may do thee good I shall rejoice and be exceeding glad and that all in them may shall be the hearty prayer of one that wisheth well to every Soul and is Thy Friend J. C. An Account of the Crown of Righteousness SERMON I II. 2 Timothy 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Righteous Judge shall give unto me in that day and not unto me only but to all those also who love his appearance HE who speaketh these words is the great Apostle of the Gentiles one who had been in deaths often who had been for Christ's sake killed all the day long as he speaks Rom. 8.36 who died daily as he elsewhere tells us yet was not wearied out of his life and was willing to be dying still so that Christ might be magnified in his body by life or death Phil. 1.20 And though he desired to be dissolved yet it was upon better motives than the taedium or burden of his dying life that he might be with Christ which was best of all v. 23. Not that he might be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life as he speaks 2 Cor. 5.4 nor was he so fond of glory but he preferreth his service to Christ before a present entrance into it and was willing to wait God's time I am saith he in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you And having this confidence I know I shall abide and continue with you all But a time must come
Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God So also 1 Cor. 6.10 Nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God In the further prosecution of this use I shall do 2 things 1. I will open to you the true notion of Covetousness 2. I will shew you by what Arguments you shall arm your selves against it in particular shew you the force of this argument There are two words in the Greek which comprehend much of the nature of covetousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a love of mony a love of silver and a desire still of having and getting in the world Covetousness may be shortly described thus It is an immoderate desire of riches and the enjoying the things in this life a desire of riches duly moderated and regulated is not sinful riches are subsidia vitae they are the aids of this life as God hath allotted us a time to live in this world and hath subjected our life to many necessities and hath created the inferiour Creatures for the use and service of man to supply his necessities so for a man under due circumstances to desire a share in them is not sinful and cannot come under the name of Covetousness but when this desire exceedeth its due bounds then it becometh sinful and degenerateth into this vice of Covetousness in short this corrupt habit of Covetousness doth discover itself in our hearts by five things 1. It discovereth itself by immoderate cares thinking and contriving how a man should get the things of this life there is a covetous care and there is a pious care Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God There is a great difference betwixt carefulness and immoderate care we are bid in Scripture to cast all our care upon God 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you God alloweth us a provident care but he forbiddeth a distracting dividing care a Christian hath better things to take care for 1 Cor. 7.32 But I would have you without carefulness immoderate care argueth an immoderate desire 2. Covetousness discovereth itself by immoderate labour we ought to labour In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread it is a reproach to eat the bread of idleness and it is the Apostles precept that he who will not labour should not eat yet we are commanded not to labour John 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life So that it is only an excessive undue labour which God forbiddeth but now you will say what is that you call immoderate care and immoderate labour I answer in short both care and labour are immoderate when they turn to the prejudice of the body or to the prejudice of the Soul 1. When they turn to the prejudice of the body there is nothing so eateth a man up as care and solicitude they do as it were divide the man and what influence labour hath upon the body the same influence care hath upon the mind care is then immoderate and so is labour when it turneth to the prejudice of the Soul or Body for in reason the Soul is better then the Body and the life is better then rayment God hath commanded us in the first place to look after our Souls and we are bound to care for them 2. When they turn to the prejudice of the Soul by hindering its communion with God 1. Either in the more inward exercises of meditation faith and trusting in God 2. Or more outward exercises such as Prayer and those religious duties which God requireth of us that a man cannot find time to pray or hear the Word of God or to perform any religious duty which the Lord requireth of him 3. Covetousness discovereth itself by using of undue means when men will get riches by lying by cheating by defrauding by oppressing this is a great argument to a covetous mind for the desire must be immoderate which prompteth a man to such irregular and immoderate actions as these are 4. By an immoderate fear when we have them of losing them the Apostle speaketh of some who through fear of death were all their lives subject to bondage truly there are in the world men so covetous as through fear of poverty and through fear of want are all their life-time subject to bondage never enjoying any thing of what they have 5. A fifth thing which discovereth a covetous mind is a dissatisfaction in the midst of our enjoyments when the mind is not filled God hath given one man more then he hath given perhaps to some Families yet his mind is not filled he doth not say that he hath enough 6. A sixth and last thing which discovereth a covetous mind is an immoderate love and delight in what we have Soul take thine ease saith he thou hast goods laid up for thee for many years Now this immoderate joy and delight appears 1. In the excess of a mans delight when a mans heart is even melted into his bags and runs out into his gold and silver 2. When a man can by no means indure to part with his riches either when nature calleth for them or when God calleth for them 1. When nature calleth for our riches for our selves for food and rayment for our Children to dispose them in the world but this almost every one will acknowledge 2. When God calleth for our estate God calleth for it when your Brethren are in want poor and in prison when you cannot part with it when nature calleth for it or when God by his Word calleth for it it argueth a too great love delight in it consequently a too great desire of it I beseech you take heed and beware of this Covetousness there are many Arguments by which the Scripture presseth this upon you 1. The sinfulness of it Isa 57.17 For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth 2. The exceeding sinfulness of it the Apostle calls it Idolatry Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry The Apostle saith it is not to be named Ephe. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not once be named amongst you It is joined with the worst of sins Rom. 1.29 Such as those who are guilty of them shall never enter into the Kingdom of God Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness c. Thirdly Consider 3. What a root of evil it is 1 Tim. 6.10 For the love of mony is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows All neglect of duty lying cheating defrauding oppressing it is endless to reckon how many evils grow from this one root of
to an old Age and go down to their Graves in an external peace having no bands in their death Their sins shall follow after them after their lives to judgment for Jude assureth us that the Lord will come with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungoldly aâ—ongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him But if mens rage break out openly God ordinarily is more quick with them There are some of those blood-thirsty and deceitful men which he hath said shall not live out half their days It is seldom that God le ts pass acts of eminent injustice and cruelty But that he in this life meeteth with the actors of it and with the same measure which they mete unto others it is meted to them again But now persecution is the highest species of injustice for in it there is not only a wrong done to another that which is not due is given to him but God is immediately concerned in the case the wrong is done to him for Gods sake he is abused imprisoned his estate is taken from him he is imprisoned tormented put to death for Gods sake because he will own his truths walk in his ways do what he commandeth him It is the sin that fills up the measure of iniquity to and in a Soul Matth. 23.32 Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers Nay more then this see v. 35. there That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zecharias the Son of Barachias It draweth upon men the sins of the same kind committed by their forefathers and not reckoned for it sheweth that if they had lived in the days of their forefathers they would have done what they did they inherit their Spirit Hence you shall observe that although in ecclesiastical story we read of persecutions that lasted a long time yet we read of very few particular persons that were eminent persecutors that lasted long When this Cancer hath broke out they seldom live long Gods patience often extends to Drunkards and Whoremongers and Swearers and Cursers and they often die in the times of other men and after the manner of other men they do injury to few but themselves they shew indeed a contempt of God and a disobedience to God but they do not shew a rage and malice against God their sins do not tend to blot out the remembrance of Christ and to root out the name of God from the Earth But he is not so patient with this blackest sort of sinners they do harm to others yea to those of whom God hath said He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine Eye They are for rooting out the name and mention of God from the Earth God will not bear with these there shall be something remarkable in their death either they shall dye in their youth whiles yet their bones are full of marrow or they shall not dye the ordinary deaths of men They shall not come into the grave as a shock of corn in its season but be weeded out and cut up before the harvest If I durst wish evil to to him that hated me I would curse him in the name of the Lord I would say let him be a persecutor of others for Christs name sake Make but your own observation if you have known or do or shall know any such So that this sin where-ever the guilt of it doth stick is an evident token not only of eternal perdition to the adversaries of Christ and his Gospel but an ordinary token of a destruction in this life Thus I have shewed how the sufferings of Gods people turn unto them for a Testimony on Gods part let me shew you in the next place how they turn unto them for a Testimony on their part towards God I will open that in five particulars 1. They are a Testimony of their Discipleship This is a part of the sense that Stella giveth of it Eveniet vobis in signum attestationem quod vere discipuli mei fidelissimi estis All those that follow a teacher under a shew or pretence of learning from him are in common phrase and way of speaking called his disciples so it was with Christ while he was on Earth he had some that followed him for the lâ—â—ves some that believed on him but he committed not himself unto them because he knew all men Joh. 2.24 These were disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an outward appearance they looked like disciples but indeed were not He hath others who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his disciples indeed None is a Disciple indeed to another who doth not really and actually learn of him either from his words or from his example in his life and conversation What saith our Saviour Matth. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Observe it Take up his Cross It is a great Testimony that a man is Christs Disciple not in name and outward profession only but in reality when he can take up his Cross It is reported of Ignatius that after all his sufferings he said Now begin I to be a Disciple 2. It will be a Testimony of their Membership with Christ and conformity to him The Apostle tells us Rom. 8.29 That we are predestinated that we might be conformed to the Image of his Son There is the Image of a living Christ and the Image of a dying Christ The Image of a living Christ is in Holiness and Righteousness Ephes 4.23 Col. 3.10 Thus the holy man is conformed to the Image of Christ but then there is the Image of a dying Christ We are conformed to that Image of Christ only by suffering The Apostle prayeth Phil. 3.10 That he might know the fellowship of Christs sufferings and be made conformable unto his death It is true we are made conformable to the death of Christ in a measure when we die unto sin as he died for sin so we die to sin this is an inward spiritual conformity which we come to by mortification but there is also a more external obvious conformity to the death of Christ and that is as he suffered striving against sin and bearing a witness to the Truth so we also suffer bearing a Testimony to Truth and striving against sin this we never arrive at till we come to be sufferers and our suffering upon these single accounts turn to us for a Testimony of such our conformity to Christ Yea it is a Testimony of our Membership in and with Christ Christ is the Head of the Church which is the Body and we are said to be Members of Christ and Members also one of another You have a notable expression Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up
Righteousness 1. He must manage his good fight against the World the men of it and the things of it Paul had fought this good fight 1 Cor. 15.32 he fought with Beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men and he telleth us 1 Cor. 11.24 he had had stripes above measure he had been in Prisons frequent in deaths often five times he had of the Jews received forty stripes save one thrice he was beaten with Rods once he was stoned all this in maintenance and defence of the Gospel Thus must every Christian duly of God called to it do in defence of the holy Truths and Waies of the Lord Jesus Christ The World the Men of the World were alwaies peevish to God's holy ones Our Saviour giveth us the reason Joh. 15.19 because they are not of the world but God hath chosen them out of the world Wisdom was never justified in the world of any more than her Children Now those who ever hope to come in the Kingdom of Heaven must look to manage this part of the good fight not fearing those who can kill the body and when they have done that can do no more but fearing him alone who can cast body and soul into Hell fire taking up their Cross and following of Christ bearing up against all the opposition the world can give or make against them walking according to the holy Commandment 2. But this good fight is not onely to be managed against the men of the world setting themselves in opposition to the Truths and Waies of God but also against the things of the world the deceitfulness of pleasures riches honours whatsoever may be to us a bait alluring us to sin against God Moses by Faith did fight the World in this manner refusing the pleasures of Pharaoh's Court and chusing rather to suffer with the People of God Heb. 11.25 26. than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt But indeed this rather belongs to the second piece of the good fight which is to be managed 2. Against our own Lusts By lusts we understand those motions and inclinations to sin which are from our fleshly part for Lusts are nothing but unlawful desires in our Souls Paul fought this part of the good fight he tells us Rom. 7.23 That he saw a law in his members warring against the law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to thâ— law of sin which is in his members Gal. 5.17 And again That the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh for those two are contrary Paul fought this part of the good fight 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it unto Subjection This is that Mortifying of our members mentioned Ccl. 3.5 Mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit mentioned Rom. 8.13 The Apostle Peter tells us that Fleshly lusts war against the Soul 1 Pet. 2.11 and James tells us that Lust war in our members James 4.1 Paul fought this part of the good fight and overcame I thank God saith he through Jesus Christ our Lord. Indeed this is the hardest battel that a Christian hath to fight the Enemy is within those of his own house and all the advantage which either the World or the Devil hath against us is from that party of lusts which are in our own hearts Though the Prince of the World came against Christ yet finding nothing of this nature in our blessed Lord he could do nothing against him 3. Our third great adversary is the Devil For we faith the Apostle Eph. 6.12 Do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against Principalities and powers and the Rulers of the darkness of this World The Devil is called the adversary and the Apostle telleth us that he goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour and calleth upon us to Resist him He fighteth us sometimes by his commanders and under-officers those are the sinful men of the World sometimes he fights us in person by his more immediate impressions and Suggestions 2 Cor. 12.7 Paul had a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him for which thing he prayed thrice v. 8. 4. A Christian hath yet a fourth Enemy That is Death I should not have called Death an Enemy but that I find the Apostle so calling it 1 Cor. 15.26 The last Enemy that is to be destroyed is Death And indeed our flesh saith both concerning death and Trials of afflictions leading to it All these things are against us There is a victorious Song which every good Christian must learn to sing O Death where is thy sting O hell where is thy Victory Thus now I have shewed you the Enemies to be fought in this good fight The word translated fight is a very Emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the same word which is used Luk. 13.24 strive to enter in at the straâ—t gate and Col. 4.12 Where we translate it Labouring fervently we translate it striving in Col. 1.29 fighting John 18.36 and 1 Tim. 6.12 The word seemeth to signify four things 1. A labouring against opposition A man cannot fight unless he hath an Enemy to fight against What these Enemies are I have shewed you 2. A strong vehement earnest labour where all the strength and power of a man is put out as is usual in all combates and fightings 3. An inward labour from this word comes our English word Agony which we use to signify the conflict of the mind and signifieth more then the Scuffling of the hands and more exterior members Thus it signifieth Col. 4.12 Labouring fervently for you in Prayer 4. It signifieth a strife for mastery such as were the strifes in the Roman games where the strife was who should overcome and have the Victory It is observed by Aquinas that the fight is called a good fight because it is for good things and in a good manner and because it is difficult and the Apostle telleth us that he who striveth is not crowned except he strive lawfully Thus I have opened the first thing requisite for him who would have the Crown of Righteousness he must fight the good fight 2. The Second condition required of those who expect this Crown of Righteousness to be given them is their finishing their course I have saith the Apostle finished my course or my race There is nothing more ordinary in Scripture then for a series or course of actions to be called a way Thus we read of the way of God the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous Holiness is called a way the way of God's Commandments and the exercises of Holiness are a Christian 's walking or running in this way in the language of holy Writ John fulfilled his course Acts. 13.25 Neither saith our Apostle do I count my life dear to me so that I may finish my course with joy It is the same with that
and preferment as some men are that they will go over hedge and ditch go through thick and thin for it had but faith as a grain of mustard seed to believe this notion of Heaven the Kingdom of Heaven would again suffer violence 1 Joh. 2.27 and the violent would storm it The head of the meanest Saint in the day of Judgment will be a Crowned Head They have an anointing now they will be crowned then when they dye they shall enter into rest but in the Resurrection they shall be crowned O the Love of God to the Sons Daughters of men There is love in the providing a reward so high so great so full a reward and there is love in the proposing of this reward under this notion as a bait to allure us who are tickled with honour and prone to seek great things for our selves to invite us first to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Who would labour for dust and pebles when he may labour for pearls and those of great price Who would sweat for a peny when he may for a little sweating have a crown How should this notion of our future blessed state send us all home this day with David to sit down in our houses before the Lord and say 2 Sam. 7.18 Who are we O Lord God that thou hast brought us hitherto And this was yet a small thing 1 John 2.2 Beloved saith the Apostle now we are the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be In this day the Saints are called with an holy calling they are justified adopted in that day they shall be crowned that the Lord should not only speak of a reward for us but of a Crown such so great so noble a reward nor is it an earthly Crown which is clogged with care incumbred with thorns but a Crown of life a Crown of glory Surely a less thing then a Crown might have been enough for the worms of the earth for all the homage they do or can pay all the duty they do or can do for all they can suffer for Christ This God must give as a King the reward is too great for us to conceive too great for us to receive only it is not too great for God to give which of us can think any more of merit when he heareth the reward of Heaven called a Crown The notion of a Crown sets it above the Proportion of merit 2. That the Lord should not only provide a Crown for us but also make it a Crown of Righteousness thereby giving us the greatest security imaginable for our receiving of it Had it been only a Crown of grace and favour we might have doubted concerning it whether it should have been ours or no. But it being a Crown of Righteousness we cannot doubt our one day wearing of it without calling the truth and Righteousness of God in question 3. It is a Crown laid up prepared for us saith our Saviour Math. 25. Laid up for us saith our Apostle a Crown not in our own keeping laid up in the inalterable Counsels of God laid up in the promises of the Gospel laid up in the hands of Christ Gods People are kept by faith through the power of God for this Crown and the Crown is in safe keeping for them John 10.27 28. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand God hath blessed them and they shall be blessed 4. And lastly to put us out of all doubt by reason of the disproportion of our works when we have done our most to this reward it is said The righteous judge shall give it After all our fighting the good fight running the race keeping the faith there is yet a room for a gift in the disposal of this Crown to the Saints where there is no purchase nor any natural claim what can give us a title to Heaven save only gift and Righteousness If it be righteous for God to give it because Christ hath purchased and God hath promised yet God was free as to the promise and free in giving to us the purchase of another It is a Crown of gift free gift though at the same time also it is but a Crown of Righteousness upon other considerations Use 2 Secondly this discourse will inform us How vain the expectations of this Crown of Righteousness a great many nourish nothing more discovereth a mans weakness then vain and ungrounded hopes and expectations building castles in the air as we say yet admitting the truth of the latter Proposition that the Crown of Righteousness shall be given to none but such as fight the good fight such as finish their course as keep the faith as love the appearance of Christ How vain must the hopes of the greatest number of expectants of this nature be Would the generality of men and women in our Parishes admit us to come so near them as to ask them sufficiently possessed of this that they must dye what they think will become of their Souls at death And of their bodies souls in the resurrection from the dead Their reasonable nature will not suffer them to think of an annihilation in death they cannot think that their souls melt into air abhor the thoughts of an eternal misery so as certainly their answer would be We hope to be saved we hope for a Crown of glory of life and immortality which God will give us but can a rush grow up without mire Or a flag without water saith Job He is a righteous judge that giveth out this Crown and the Crown it self must be a Crown of Righteousness as well as a Crown of life glory and immortality It is given out as a Crown of Christs Righteousness to those who are clothed with it what is this to Souls out of Christ To Souls that have not believed that so his Righteousness might be imputed to them for Righteousness to those who are not by faith united to Christ Admit it to be the Crown that is the free reward of mans Righteousness his holy and pure and sincere though not perfect conversation what claim can they lay to it that live impure unholy filthy and unrighteous conversations How shall the Crown which is the Crown of Righteousness be given to him that is unrighteous Admit it to be the Crown of Gods Righteousness that is his faithfulness to his word and promise how shall it be given to those to whom God hath in his whole book not made so much as one promise of any such thing nay against whom he hath denounced many threatnings as to the contrary as to the fulfilling of which his truth is as much concerned as it is as to his promises He hath promised it and his word is a sure word he cannot as to it lie he cannot repent but
who maketh Matches we have two Proverbs in this case which are very true we use to say God maketh Heirs and Matches are made in heaven both are true the Woman marrieth the Husband and the Husband marrieth that Wife which God hath created for him and that man inheriteth the estate which God had created for him Let us consider the influence the Lord hath upon Heirs and this will easily be confessed by whosoever acknowledgeth that the issues of life and death are from the Lord the fruit of the Womb is from the Lord and the issues of life and death are in the hand of the Lord you shall find an expression to this purpose Mic. 1.15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee Oh inhabitant of Mareshah Maresha was a City in Judah it is mentioned also Josh 15.44 Abraham told God Gen. 15.3 One born in his house was his heir God tells him v. 4. This shall not be thine heir one born of thy bowels shall be thy heir Psal 30.22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth Sometimes a handmaid is heir to her Mistress which is one of the three things for which the earth groaned and which it could not bear saith Solomon Prov. 34.23 One may be heir to his enemy by natural death oftentimes it so happeneth at what a distance doth God sometimes throw an estate both in a direct line and in a collateral line who would have said that Mephibosheth should have been heir to his Grandfather Saul as 2 Sam. 9.7 And David said unto him fear not for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy Fathers sake and will restore thee all the Land of Saul thy Father or who would have thought the Israelites should have been heirs unto the Canaanites It is the Lord that thus giveth a power to get wealth the influence of God upon conjugal affection is also as strange I know nothing wherein the strange power and providence of God is more seen then in uniting the affections of that man and woman together whom he hath ordained each for other a man or woman shall bestow their Estates upon persons whom they never knew never heard of nay possibly upon those against whom they were prejudiced who would have thought Esther a person of mean and obscure extraction should have been Ahasuerus his Queen or that Ruth should have Married Boaz. 2. It is the Lord who raiseth up friends this is another fountain head of riches he it was that gave the Israelites favour in the sight of the Aegyptians Exod. 11.3 And the Lord gave the People favour in the sight of the Aegyptians He gave Joseph favour in the sight of Pharaoh Acts 7.10 and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh King of Egypt Dan. 1.9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love whoso lightly observeth the course of the world will find this verified every day you may see friends raised up of strangers yea of enemies even to the amazement of them who behold them but there is yet another fountain of wealth and that is labour and industry Pro. 10.4 the hand of the diligent maketh rich But you must take in another Text. v. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and to this purpose let us consider what influence God hath upon that In the third place therefore 3. It is the Lord that enclineth our minds unto business and to that particular employment which bringeth in our estate I say it is the Lord that enclineth the mind to business and directeth the mind in business 1. I say he enclineth the mind to business you see some men are of dull sluggish and lazy spirits fit for no business nor do they mind any but others are men of activity they are never well but when their hands are full of employment who is it that hath made this difference in the spirits of men have they not all Souls of the same species have they not all bodies though not of the same strength yet of the same mould this is the Lord. 2. It is the Lord that directeth a mans mind and inclination to this or that particular imployment there are some ways of employment in the world that are of more gain advantage then others some trades that are poorer some richer some that bring in great some smaller returns whence cometh it that this man is directed to choose a meaner poorer trade that bringeth in little return another to a trade that bringeth in greater is it not from the Lord That hath this influence upon the heart of man and disposeth it which way soever he will 3. It is the Lord that giveth dexterity in business you observe in the world that some men are more dexterous and happy in their employment by far then others are they can do more in their business they can do it to better advantages whence is this see but one instance Exo. 31.2 See I have called by name Bezaleel the Son of Uri the Son of Hur of the tribe of Judah v. 3. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship v. 4. To Devise cunning works to work in Gold and Silver and in Brass So add v. 6. In the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom again Exod. 35.35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work Hence you may observe in almost all employments a fagacity given to one which he cannot communicate to another so that the power and influence of God is evidently seen you may observe that a power to get wealth doth very much depend not only upon the kind of the employment wherein a man is engaged but upon the wisdom and cunning of the man upon his dexterity and sagacity in his employment now all this is from the Lord. 4. It is the Lord who giveth success in business there is nothing more ordinary in the world then to find two men whose profession trade and way of living possibly is the same whose industry and diligence is as much as can be imagined equal whose wisdom and cunning also is not much unlike yet the one thriveth and groweth rich the other doth not the one vendeth his commodities and maketh safe and great returns the other cannot vend his commodities he cannot secure his return whence is this but from the Lord It is the Lord who maketh our way prosperous Deut. 2.7 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand It is God that blesseth in the city and blesseth in the field Deut. 28.3 Thou hast blessed the work of his hands saith the Devil to Job ch 1.10 Hence the Psalmist teacheth us to pray unto God to prosper the works of our hands unto us 5. Lastly It is the Lord who keepeth off those things from us which would make us poor Riches are subject to
desire of more than we have it is something strange but an old observation that the most of men the more they have the more greedy they are to have more the Apostle telleth us the love of mony is the root of all evil none are under greater temptations to love it then those that have the most considerable portions of it there is a kind of bewitching quality in the good things of this life and our heart naturally cleaveth to them and in regard that when we have a competent portion we have the better foundation and are at better advantages to get more commonly as our estates encrease so our love to things of this life doth more increase and covetousness is so great an evil that the Apostle calleth it Idolatry 4. Beware of Luxury Luxury is an excess in meat drink or apparel buildings houshold-stuff or any thing of that nature an affectation of an undue use of them the poor man hath no temptation to it being exercised sufficiently in getting his dayly bread they are only men of estates that are exposed to and ordinarily brought under the power of this temptation this is that which the Apostle often cautioneth us against that we should beware of Chambering and Wantonness that we should not mind high things c. Our Saviour pressing Christians duty to watch and pray expoundeth it by a taking heed we be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness 5 Beware of Cowardliness in the cause of God it is an usual Observation that Cities though never so populous yet if full of riches seldom make any good defence against an enemy their love of riches prevailing against the love of their liberties and they are very rarely men of great estates that will venture themselves in the cause of God though this be to prefer the love of riches before the love of Christ which whoso doth our Saviour saith is not worthy of him these are those ordinary temptations to sin to which men of great estates are exposed and by which many often fall I shall only say unto you let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 2. If you look upon your selves as Stewards of these good things and make use of them to the end for which God hath given them to you God hath betrusted him that is rich with many talents not to be hid up in a Napkin but to be laid out 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in incertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate This is the best acknowledgment that we can make unto God that by his power we have gotten our wealth when we are willing to lay it out at his command when we are ready to do good and distribute for with such sacrifice the Lord is well pleased and certainly if the Heathen who knew nothing of the mind and will of God yet thought themselves concerned to look upon their estates as given them for other uses then meerly their own Christians that have so many directions from God in the case should know much more SERMON IV. Luke 12.15 For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth THE words are the words of our Saviour brought by him as an argument against Covetousness you have the exhortation take heed and beware of Covetousness these words are the reason For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The whole discourse as you may see cometh in upon occasion of one that came to our Saviour desiring him to divide his inheritance as v. 13. Or to speak to his Brother to divide his inheritance with him which our Saviour refused v. 14. As having no call from God to be a Civil Magistrate a Ruler or a Judge from whence we may learn two things 1. That the business of meum and tuum of dividing and setling inheritances is the work of Rulers not of the Ministers of Christ they may have commission from men for such employments but they have no commission from God it is a work that belongeth unto the Ruler 2. That the Disciples of Christ should be afraid of medling with things out of their callings it hath pleased the Lord to establish an order in the world as an order in Creatures that they do not enter into one anothers station and works so an order amongst men appointing unto every man what his work is and he ought to keep to that and not to turn aside from it but this impertinent solliciting of our Saviour to this eccentrick work giveth him a fair opportunity to press a spiritual exhortation upon them and that is to beware of covetousness the reason is in the Text for a mans life lieth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth I shall need no other Doctrine then the words of the Text. Doct. A mans life doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth This Doctrine will need 1. Explication 2. Confirmation I will open it in two things 1. The continuance and preservation of a mans life doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth In this sense life is taken Gen. 45.5 For God did send me before you to preserve life Gen. 42.2 and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die And so often in Scripture life signifieth the preservation and continuance of life the continuance of the life of man doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth abundance is not necessary to preserve life the greatest abundance that we have will not lengthen out our lives beyond the bounds God hath set Natura paucis contenta we see the lives of those preserved to whom God hath not given such an abundance in this life and preserved to as great an advantage as they who have the most Daniel fareth as well with pulse as those that did eat of the Kings meat 2. Oftentimes we see it that those who have the greatest abundance of the things of this life do not only die as it is appointed for all men but also they die sooner and preserve their lives but a little while the continuance of this life doth not lie in the abundance of that which a man possesseth 2. Life sometimes signifieth happiness because the most of men count their great happiness to lie in this life therefore you shall find frequently in Scripture life is taken for a state of felicity Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 6.23 Reproofs and instruction are the way of life Prov. 16.15 In the light of the Kings countenance is life that Text is to be understood of happiness for to understand it strictly of life it is not true Prov. 18.21 Death and life are in the power of
ambitious of the Crown of Martyrdom but these things are miranda to be admired not imitanda to be imitated no man is bound to put his self upon suffering afflictions no not in defence of the Gospel of Christ we ought to see our call clear to suffering as well as doing in that sense therefore this precept must not be understood But 2. It speaketh unto every Christian to expect that his owning and professing of the Gospel should meet with afflictions and to be content to take a share in them Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel look that the Gospel should be afflicted and be contented to take thy share with the Gospel in its afflictions our Saviour telleth us That no Prince goeth out to war with another but he first sitteth down and considereth whether he with 10000 shall be able to meet with his enemy with 20000. Christians before men undertake the profession of the Gospel they ought to sit down and consider what the Gospel will cost them for the tempers of our spirits under divine providences are much according to our expectation if we expect nothing but good and meet with nothing but evil the evil sinketh us we did not look for it Mala inopinata graviora but this is not all to be content to take our part in afflictions with the Gospel if God calleth us to suffer for owning and professing the Gospel of Christ and not think it strange we should not murmure and repine against it or take any unlawful course to decline but to cast our lot with Professors and to take our share with them and to be content to suffer evil with them who suffer for the name of Christ or for the profession of any of his truths nay it may be there is something more our duty than this and that is to rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer any thing for the name of our Lord Jesus Acts 5.41 Singing in the prison into which we are thrown as Paul and Silas did taking the spoiling of our goods with joy 3. Nay there is something more in this phrase viz. a suffering together with others that suffer for the Gospel though we do not suffer at all and indeed this is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we ought to have a sympathy with the Gospel and the Professors of it it is that which the Apostle urgeth and thus it answereth that text Rom. 12.15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep both these are put together in that phrase in the Epistle to the Hebrews Heb. 10.34 For you had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods Both these are the duty of good Christians to suffer with them that suffer for the Gospel and to be content to suffer themselves if God calleth them to it in defence of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle had upon him the care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11.28 29. So he had upon him the sorrow and affliction of all the Church of Christ the Apostle in that Chap. v 23. telleth us what stripes what imprisonments what deaths he was in and then he telleth us that he did not thus only suffer with and for the Gospel but also he was afflicted and he burned with others and this is the duty of every Christian they ought to partake joyfully and with satisfaction to take their share in those afflictions to which the preaching or owning the Gospel doth expose them and also to bear the burthens of others and to be content to suffer with them to bear some share in their sorrow in their trials and afflictions I come to the next question Qu. 4. Whence ariseth this obligation upon Christians and why are they thus to partake of the afflictions of the Gospel and not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord This Question hath two Branches Qu. 1. Whence ariseth this obligation upon them not to be ashamed to give this Testimony nor of it when given Qu. 2. Whence ariseth this obligation upon Christians to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel For the first of these whence this obligation doth arise upon Christians not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord I shall open it to you in seven or eight particulars 1. From the will of God This is the true and proper foundation of all duty the will of God and the duty of Christians are Correlates nothing can be our duty towards God but what is the will of God towards us and nothing can be the will of God towards us but it must become our duty this is the will of God it is the will of God that we should not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord neither our selves to give testimony unto Christ nor his Gospel nor yet of them who do give such testimony It is indeed the will of God concerning some more eminently then others but concerning all Christians it is the will of God it is spoken concerning all Rom. 10.9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Mat. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven The Apostle writeth to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3.3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto Col. 4.12 It is the duty of Christians to be compleat in all the will of God It is not only the will of God that men should pray that they hear the word and receive the Sacrament but they should give their testimony and not be ashamed of the testimony of Christ their Lord 2 Tim. 4.5 Watch thou in all things endure afflictions 2 Tim. 2.3 Thou therefore endure hardness as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ Ministers and good Christians are witnesses and they are Soldiers and therefore they ought to endure hardness and to be ready to give their testimony 2. It appeareth from the relation that every good Christian standeth in to Christ as his Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mark the words that thou be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord every subject is bound to give his testimony for the King because he is his Soveraign Lord every Servant is bound to give his testimony for his Master because he is his Lord Christ is our Lord and therefore there lieth an obligation upon us to give testimony for him would not your Prince take it ill if you should refuse being called to testify the truth for him would not your Master take it ill if you should refuse to give your temony for him Surely Christ who is our Lord must take it ill from us if we refuse a testimony to him If every man because that he is a debtor to the truth taketh himself obliged by the
law of Charity to give a testimony to the truth for his Neighbour when his estate or his life is concerned or any thing of his interest and every Subject taketh himself more highly concerned to give his testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Prince or on the behalf of his Master because there is a relation betwixt the Prince and the Subject and betwixt the Master and the Servant certainly there must needs lie an obligation upon every Christian who owneth Christ as his Soveraign Lord and Master to give a testimony unto Christ it is a testimony for the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth for him whom we call our Father whom we own as our Master every Testimony to the Gospel and the truth of the Gospel is a testimony to Christ every testimony for Christ is a testimony for him who is our Lord and whom we own and avow to be our Lord. 3. This obligation ariseth from that gratitude which we all owe to the Lord Jesus Christ every one looketh upon himself indebted unto him who hath done him good and there is nothing more usual in that case then to promise a requital and to express a trouble that we know not how to make him or her amends and to express our willingness to it the testimony of our Lord is the testimony of him who left his Fathers Throne and came down upon the Earth and clothed himself with our nature and died in our stead that we might not perish for ever ever he ascending up into Heaven hath left us in charge with his truth Philip. 1.27 striving together for the faith of the Gospel Jude v. 3. that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Now which of you if you had but an ordinary friend like your selves who had done you some great and eminent kindness and left you in charge but to give a testimony unto him and for him should not think your selves under an obligation to it Oh! how great is the obligation which lieth upon every Christian that liveth in the world to bear his testimony for Christ if he doth but consider what Jesus Christ hath done for him shall Christ come and die for us love not his life unto death and shall we be ashamed to give a testimony unto him or to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel of our dearest Lord this ought not to be if the kindness of a man layeth an obligation upon us to do what in us lieth to serve him surely the kindness of the Lord our Saviour layeth a much higher obligation upon us 4. Another thing from whence this obligation doth arise is from the duty incumbent upon us to be conformable unto the Lord Jesus Christ we ought to study a conformity to him in his life and in his death in his life he commandeth us to be holy as he is holy in his death thus the Apostle prayeth for a fellowship of his sufferings For this cause was I born and for this cause did I come into the world that I might bear witness unto the truth and it is particularly said of him that before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good confession 1 Tim. 6.13 He endured affliction in the first publication of the Gospel what was the testimony Christ gave but this that there were a people in the world who were very dear to him chosen unto eternal life for him though he was the eternal Son of God thought fit to cloath himself with flesh and to die upon the Cross that he might redeem this people unto himself now it is our duty to be conformable to Christ conformable to this testimony not being ashamed of this testimonony conformable also in not being ashamed of Affliction this yet is advantaged by another consideration that we are to fill up the Afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ The sufferings of Christ are either those things which he suffered in his own person Now concerning them he said all is finished the Papists vainly dream of the filling up of those sufferings or else those sufferings which every good Christian shall suffer in his Mystical Body to the end of the World and there is much behind of the sufferings of Christ which we are to fill up and filling them up we act both in a conformity unto Christ who is our Head and also unto the multitude of the Churches that have gone before us who have tasted of this Cup and drank a little of it but there is much more of these that is yet to be filled up 5. The Obligation ariseth upon Christians from the nature of the Gospel and the truths of it to which we give our Testimony I have told you before in this Discourse that every Man and Woman is a Debtor to truth no Man ought to decline a Testimony unto truth but now by how much any truths are of greater moment of greater weight and importance by so much we are the greater Debtors to them you have the substance of the Gospel in that one Text 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners He said true who said that Christians could better want the Sun in the Firmament than that one piece of the Gospel the truths of the Gospel are of that high importance that the comfort and peace of all the Souls of the People of God in this Life and the eternal Salvation of the Souls of all People in the Life to come doth depend upon the stability of them if the truths of the Gospel did not stand firm and fixed the Souls of Christians are undone to all eternity there is no foundation of peace for them in this Life there is no hope of an eternal Salvation for them in that Life which is to come We stand therefore highly concerned to give a Testimony to these truths and to be partakers of afflictions in giving a Testimony to those truths and to that Gospel upon which so much of our eternal interest and concern doth lye there is no truth but we owe a Testimony to it but there are some Propositions of Truth that are not of that moment that we should endure affliction for the justification of them but the truths of the Gospel are of that nature that no Testimony we can give to them can be too high no affliction we can suffer for them can be too great 6. A Sixth Obligation that lyeth upon Christians is from the station they take up in the World I shall here inlarge upon Three things 1. They are God's Witnesses 2. They are God's Soldiers 3. They are God's Children and Servants and Christ's Members 1. Every Christian is the Child of God the Servant of God the Member of Christ now should a Child be ashamed to attest the truth for
Magistrates and powers take no thought how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in that same hour what you ought to say It is a promise that some have applied to the assistance of God in the performance of other duties as Prayer Preaching c. and it may be there hath been but an ill use made of that promise the promise in the first place manifestly relateth to a time of testimony I do not say but there is a dabitur in hora which those who are much with God in Prayer and which the Ministers of the Gospel 〈◊〉 experience but that promise respectâ—â—â— not that so much as it respecteth men in confession and their Testimony for Christ in giving our Testimony for Christ the Spirit of God shall assist words shall be given us in that hour and courage and strength shall be given us in that hour you shall not give a Testimony for the Gospel you shall not suffer affliction for the Gospel in your own strength it shall be according to the power of God the Holy Ghost shall teach you what to say and what to do and you shall experience that it is not you that speak and act but the Spirit that dwelleth in you what you do in this case shall be according to the power of God you shall not spend meerly upon your own Stock you shall spend upon Christs Stock when you are upon Christs Service you shall spend upon the fulness of the Spirit of God and there have been many experiences of those that could never find the presence of God so strong in the consolation of their Spirits as in that hour be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord for not only the thing which you testify is the Testimony of the Lord but your action in testifying the testimony which you give shall be from the Lord the Holy Ghost speaking in you so that this is a great Argument it is a standing up for Christ and the Spirit of God shall use your tongue and your hand 2. Another Argument the Apostle useth is frâ—â— the nature of the truth to which you testify and the person for whom you testify You testify for the truth which bringeth eternal Salvation you testify for him who hath called you with an holy calling and he hath done this freely not according to your works but according to his own grace for him who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Apostle saith He was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation I told you before that every one is a debtor unto truth there is such a cognation betwixt a rational Soul and Truth that every rational Soul is a debtor to truth he is a debtor to own the truth as to himself and to own the truth as to another and I told you by how much a truth is of higher importance to our or anothers interest by so much a Man or Woman is a greater debtor a Man is a debtor to the truth when it concerneth but his honour and reputation and when it concerneth his estate but much more when it concerneth Life and so when it is for his Brother by how much his Brother is more concerned by so much he is more obliged and as the nature of the truth raiseth his obligation so the relation of the person increaseth it a Man is bound by the Law of charity to give testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Neighbour much more on the behalf of his Brother and higher yet on the behalf of his Father or Mother that begat him and brought him forth but yet his obligation riseth higher when it is for his Saviour for him who hath done him the greatest kindness that ever was done without which he had better never have been born such is the Testimony that we are bound to give unto Christ The truth is of highest import the person is of the highest concern Oh! be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God to your Salvation of the Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to light you testify for Christ who Witnessed a good confession before Pilate who hath done more for you than all the friends you ever had in the World could do for him who hath called you with an holy calling this is another Argument to enforce this Exhortation the consideration for whom and for what this Testimony is given 3. Another Argument which the Apostle bringeth here to perswade Timothy not to be ashamed of this Testimony is his own example v. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed The Apostle saith God is not ashamed to be called their God And he saith of Christ Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call us Brethnen Shall we be ashamed to testify his truth Shall we be ashamed of the name of his Witnesses And observe the reason why the Apostle saith he is not ashamed I am not ashamed for I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 4. Let me use one Argument further with you Blessed be God we yet can say as Heb. 12.4 You have not yet resisted unto Blood striving against sin There are divers Arguments in that Text to make a Christian valiant in his spiritual fight 1. That a Christians fight is against sin 2. That in this fight of Christians against sin we ought if called to it to resist unto Blood 3. By how much the lesser the Trial is that God calleth to us to undergo by so much the greater obligation is upon us to endure it all a Christians fight and striving is against sin He giveth a Testimony to the Doctrine of the Gospel it is against sin to prevent the coming in of damnable errors which would sink the Souls of people into eternal ruine and destruction he giveth a Testimony for the pure Worship of God it is to keep out Superstition and Idolatry he giveth a Testimony for the Government of Christ this is also against sin against those that say the Lord shall not rule over them or others but we will rule over you all our fight all the resistance that we make is against sin Now the fight against sin is so noble a fight that every good man ought to resist unto Blood rather to die than to sin against God or to suffer sin to prevail in the World but now when God doth not call us to lay down our Lives but only to bear a lower Testimony there our obligation riseth much higher if God had called us to lay down our Lives should we not do it How much more when the Lord only calleth us to give a Testimony St. John Rev. 6.9 saw them under the Altar that were slain for the Testimony that they
you 3. It is one thing for a Christian to rejoyce in persecution as it is a token of God's anger and displeasure another thing for to rejoyce in it as a means by which it pleaseth God to make the Soul of his Saints perfect unto glory The Apostle tells us that no affliction is joyous at present but grievous 3 Obj. The last Question which remains is What ground of solid joy and rejoycing hath a Christian under persecution I shall open this to you in several particulars I begin with those of the Text. 1. Because the Lord hath blessed them This is matter of joy Is it not matter of joy to a Christian that he is in such a condition as he is under a blessing yea not under a single blessing but under a treble blessing Is it nothing to you Sirs to be blessed of God to have him who knoweth the state of every Soul in whose hand are all blessings and cursings and whom he blesseth they shall be blessed and whom he curseth they shall be cursed Is it nothing for you to be in such a state that you are sure you are under the blessing of God that you are some of those he hath pronounced blessed thrice over blessed though you be here some of them who are hated reviled and persecuted and spoken evil of falsly for the Lords Name sake 2. Yours is the Kingdom of Heaven You have a phrase very like this which will come into consideration Great is your reward in Heaven I shall not at present consider it in that sense Our Saviour saith elsewhere The Kingdom of Heaven is within you The Kingdom of Heaven within us is the Throne of Christ set up in our hearts 1 Pet. 4.14 The Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you So this shall be an evidence unto you that the Kingdom of God is set up in your hearts Thus the words of our Saviour are made good It shall be unto you for a testimony The Kingdom of Christ is then set up in any Soul when Christ ruleth and other things truckle under him and his Law when a Christian overcometh in a good fight when he is too hard for the World that they cannot flatter him into a disobedience to Christ nor frown him into a disobedience of Christ it is a sign that Christ sitteth as Lord and as King in that Soul and the Kingdom of Heaven is within that man it is a testimony of grace and that the Spirit of God resteth upon that man and the Spirit of Glory resteth on that man On your part saith the Apostle he is glorified 3. Great is your reward in Heaven The Papists make a great stir about the term of a reward as if it must needs be a correlative to a work but as there is a reward of debt as you reward a man that hath laboured for you and done you some valuable service so there is also a reward of grace The Father saith to the Child if you will do such a thing I will give you a new Coat here is a reward given upon the Child's obedience but yet the Child's obedience doth not earn it There is a reward of grace as well as a reward of debt there is a reward of a work which is not always a just reward for a work life everlasting is promised as the reward of them that suffer persecution But our afflictions are saith the Apostle but light and momentany afflictions though they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory James 1.12 Is not this matter of rejoycing that the reward of a man is great in Heaven 2 Thes 1.7 It is a token to you of rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed 4. They persecuted the Prophets that were before you There is a great cause of rejoycing in this 1. It is no new thing to you it is but what hath been the Lot of the people of God formerly 2. As it is no new thing to men so particularly not to the most eminent Servants of God Such were the Prophets nay the more eminent they were in their Generation the more they have been brought under this Rod. 3. This administreth further comfort to Christians in suffering that those who have professed to the same Religion yet have persecuted those born after the Spirit The Jews owned the same God and the same Religion that the Prophets did yet they persecuted the Prophets Lastly 4. It speaketh you the true Members of the Church You partake of the common afflictions of the Members of it that our Lord might let them know that it was no new thing he saith They persecuted the Prophets which were before you that our Lord might let them know they were not too good for persecution he says So persecuted they the Prophets who yet were the best of the Servants of God lest it should be a trouble to them that persons owning the same Religion were their Enemies he saith So persecuted they the Prophets that he might shew them with whom they had communion in their sufferings namely with the Antient Church of God he saith For so persecuted they the Prophets 5. I must yet rise one note higher you are partakers of the afflictions of Jesus Christ this is a ground of rejoycing Rejoyce saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.13 in as much as you are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed you may be glad also with exceeding joy Phil. 1.20 Christ shall be magnified in my body Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh St. Paul Phil. 3.10 desired to know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death If saith the Apostle we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Rom. 8.17 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Thus far I have discoursed the duty of God s people relating to an hour of persecution whether imminent or already come upon them but in all persecution there must be an Agent as well as a Patient Last Vse Must this be the Lot of the Servants of God of all those that will live godly in Christ Jesus to suffer persecution take heed your hand be not upon them Offences must come saith our Saviour Luke 17.1 2. but woe unto him through whom they come It were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the Sea The will of God concerning an event will not justifie the proximate cause or agent in an action undoubtedly of all sins there is no sin that is greater in its kind than this 1. Consider with your selves by way of comparison if it be a great sin for a man to do hurt to those that are innocent how
that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodys sake which is the Church That which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ Is there any thing behind of Christs sufferings Hath he not suffered and entred into his glory where he is impassible living with and unto God where he can suffer and die no more The sufferings of Christ are to be considered in a double notion either as Expiatory or Exemplary If we consider them as Expiatory there is nothing of them behind nothing of them to be filled up He said upon the Cross All is finished And he trod the Wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone there was none of the people with him But if you consider them as they were Exemplary as he suffered setting us an example so there is much of the Afflictions of Christ to be filled up and they are to be filled up in the bodies of his Saints Or else thus Christ is taken personally or mystically Christ mystically is the Church he the Head Believers Members both making but one body and that his body which is the Church Now of Christ taken in this sense much of his Afflictions are to be filled up And Christians suffering in conformity to Christ is a Testimony to them that they are Members of an afflicted Christ yea and also that they are Members of that body of which Christ is the Head for in all Ages it hath been the Lot of those who would live godly in Christ Jesus to suffer persecution 3. It turns unto a Testimony to them both of the truth and of the strength of their Faith The Apostle describing Faith Heb. 11.1 calleth it the evidence of things not seen the substance of things hoped for For saith the Apostle What a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Many talk of Faith few understand it The work of Faith lies in a being persuaded of God and depending upon God for the things which we do not see Now it is the want of this Faith which makes men shrink in a day of Trial. The Apostle Heb. 10.34 ch 11.13 14 16. concludes from the Servants of God of whom he there speaks taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods that they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and an enduring substance And from their confessing that they were Strangers and Pilgrims upon the Earth that they plainly declared that they sought a Country and desired a better Country that is an heavenly Mens unwillingness to suffer the loss of any thing that shall be made up with so great advantage speaketh them at least weak in Faith and but faintly persuaded of that better state and that they find a difficulty to depend upon God's Word for it But when men can freely for the Name of Christ leave their Country and go into Banishment part with their Estates and be content to be stript of all they have part with their Liberty and be content with a Prison part with their Lives and bid Death even a violent and most ignominious Death welcom it argueth that they both truly and strongly believe what God hath revealed concerning a better Country a more enduring Substance the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God a life everlasting and full of glory and not only that they are persuaded of the truth of the things but they depend and rely upon God and by hope patiently wait upon God for the bestowing these things upon them and making them their portion Now what would not many a good Christian give for an Evidence of the truth and reality of his Faith How many doubts how many fears hath he oft times about it An ability to suffer for the Name of Christ mightily tends to their confirmation The Apostle therefore putteth them together Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Suffering a freedom to suffer is a great confirmation of our Faith both to our selves and also to others 4. It will be a Testimony to the people of God of their Love to him True Faith worketh by Love Love to another is discerned in nothing more than in suffering for them and indeed this is the heighth of Love It speaks a Soul to have discerned a great excellency in Christ and in heart to cleave to him that rather than part with him will suffer the loss of any thing Upon this account among the Heathens is celebrated the Love of Pilades and Orestes Theseus and Pirithous c. But see it in Paul Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ The Soul that may have had its doubts and fears whether it loveth Christ or no measuring its affections to this spiritual invisible Object by the motions of its affections to Objects more sensible which indeed is not a true and just measure can doubt no longer when once the Lord hath enabled the Soul to suffer for his Name sake it speaks a Soul to love Christ more than all sensible things when to serve and enioy him it hath freely parted with whatever it had of sensible enjoyments and satisfaction Nothing speaks Love like a deep suffering for the Object beloved Gen. 22.12 Now saith God to Abraham I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me That term of fear and fearing God in the Old Testament hath often a larger sense than as signifying that passion which we call fear God then knows that a Soul loveth him and the Soul it self may know that it loveth God when it can readily and chearfully suffer for his Names sake 5. Lastly It will be to a Soul not only a Testimony of Faith and Love and Patience and Perseverance and Constancy Steadiness and Unmoveableness in the work of the Lord but it will be also a Testimony of the Soul's Zeal for God Zeal is rather the intention of all the affections than a particular affection of it self A small degree of Love will not carry a Soul thorough sufferings That Love must be at a great degree of warmth which shall carry a Soul thorough great difficulties great trials great losses 6. To these I may add one thing more Suffering for the Name of Christ is a Testimony of the presence of God with the Soul The Three Childrens induring the fiery Furnace was a Testimony of a fourth persons being with them Dan. 3.15 Daniel's being in the Den of Lions and induring that danger turned to him for a Testimony of God's special presence with him and sending his Angels to stop the mouths of the Lions Paul's couragious suffering was a Testimony to him that the Lord stood by him and strengthened him 2 Tim. 4.17 A Christian needs desire no more than a