they are willing to be reproved for sin to be instructed concerning duty they hear they keep the word as well as hear it Prov. 10. 17. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction So Prov. 6. 23. For the commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light and the reproofs of instruction is the way of life The word of God hath not only a convincing and a converting and an edifying power put 't will put the crown at last upon the head of the faithful therefore the Apostle affirms it able to give the inheritance Act. 20. 32. And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified 4. They who are Heirs to the Crown of Life do mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirits help they do it Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The Heirs of life are weary of the body of sin and death therefore they crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts of 〈◊〉 They mortifie their members on earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence covetousness which is idolatry Col. 3. 5. Every sin that they see they look upon with an eye of grief and hatred and strike at it 5. They who are heirs to the Crown of Life have their fruit unto holiness Rom. 6. 22. But now being made free from sin and become the servants of God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life The pure in heart shall see the Lord Mat. 5. 8. his back parts now his face in glory And truly the holy are only fit to behold the Holy One. Art thou an enemy to holiness Thou art an enemy to thy own life The heirs of life understand that Jerusalem above is an holy City therefore they apply plead the promise of sanctification they cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. 6. They who are heirs to the Crown of Life persevere to the end they are faithful to the death as the Texâ— speaks they hold fast what they have that none may take their Crown away they not only begin but finish their course and keep the faith and so they receive a Crown of righteousness at the hand of the Lord the righteous Judge USE III. Suffer I beseech you a few words of Exhortation and I shall conclude with them 1. Let the serious and believing consideration of this Crown of life enliven and quicken you to every duty Art thou hearing for a Crown and praying for a Crown and wilt thou hear carelesly and pray coldly Doth not such a Kingdom as heaven is deserve thou shouldst use an holy violence to take it what slothful and dead when such glory is in view Oh strive to enter in at the strait gate that when thou seekest to enter in at Heavens door and cryest Lord Lord open to me entrance may not be denyed 2. Let this Crown of life be made use of to silence Satan to fence thee against temptation When the Devil tells thee of â—ase and gain and pleasure which sin will afford reply Come O thou lying and deceitful spirit put thy â—ase and gain and pleasure into one Ballance of the Sanctuary and I will put the Crown of life and glory into the other and what is sinful â—ase to the Saints rest or the gain of gold to the Saints glory or pleasures for a moment to eternal rejoycing Satan will not know what to say to this but perceiving unlikelyhood of prevailing will flee from you 3. Let this crown of Life loosen your hearts from the world Do not defile and load your selves with thick clay do not stick fast therein when such glory is so certain and near at hand Be not desirous of or content with a portion in this life since you are just entring upon a better Live as strangers and pilgrims on earth declare plainly that you seek a better country then the world hath any 4. Let this crown of Life steel your hearts against sufferings Fear not what enemies can do since the keyes of heaven hang not at their girdle nor glory is given of their pleasure Our Lord set the joy before him so he endured the cross and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. and if you imitate him you shall at length sit down where he is at the right hand of the throne of God 5. Let this crown of life set you above the fear of dissolution it cannot be enjoyed till you are gone from hence you must dye before you can live the life above Let your death be natural or violent you must not be startled or amazed The Angels are ready to do their office to convey you to paradise Christs arms are open to receive you which are a part of his purchase and his redeemed ones Christ understands what 't is to dye 't is an unusual tryal which you can have experience of but once unusual strength shall be afforded If death were but lookt upon only as a dark passage into the glorious and lightsome inheritance it would be no longer terrible but desireable 6. let this crown of Life make you long for your Lords appearing Oh cry unto him to remove time and dayes out of the way and that the wheels of his chariot may make greater hast Long for the time when the heavens shall break asunder and the fairest of ten thousand shall shew his face through the clouds and sit upon his great white throne to judge the world in righteousness When he comes his reward will be with him Rev. 2 2. 12. Never a Saint shall be seen without a crown at that day And Oh what a spectacle will it be to behold the Head and all the members together every one having on a rich and sparkling diadem The Saints are described to be such as love their Lords appearing And there is reason they should wish for it For when Christ who is their life shall appear then shall they also appear with him in glory FINIS
holy violence towards him Ever be telling him what you need what you desire and be encouraged by the promise he hath made to satiate the weary and to replenish every sorrowful soul Jer. 31. 25. Fellowship with God will make solitude pleasant you will find though alone that you have the best company If you are continually almost speaking to God by supplication and thanksgiving and hearing what he speaks to you by his Word and Providences and Spirit you will have reason to profess that a Prison is one of the best places of abode next to the Sanctuary and the New Jerusalem 5. Let imprisonment be improved so as to further your progress in sanctification Ransack every corner of your hearts Deal much more severely with your lusts than men can deal with you cry out with violence against your fleshly and worldly inclinations 'T is sin that deads and imprisons your Spirits the more sanctified you are the more you will be at liberty Tell the Lord and speak it â—â—â—m your very hearts that sin is the worst of all your adversaries and that the remainders of the old man are worse than any fetters in the world Never let the Lord alâ—â—â— till you find the body of death pining and dying sensibly away the world as a contemptible thing more under your feet and your inward man encreasing strength and growing up a pace to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Epâ— 4. 13. USE II. Of Consolation to imprisoned believers Several things may be suggested as grounds of comfort and encouragement 1. God can come at his people through barr'd and bolted doors No dungeon can keep the Prisoner close from him We read that the Lord came to his Disciples the door being shut and said Peace be unto you And if he come into the Prison the Door being shut and by his Spirit say Peace be to thee the Prisoners heart will leap for joy he will say not how dreadful but how delightful is this place this is no other than the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven Our adversaries let them dispose of us where and how they please cannot keep God from us or us from God they cannot shut us up from his presence and where his gracious presence is vouch safed there is rest all inconveniences and miseries are so light that they are hardly worth the taking notice of 2. The heart may be enlarged where the body is confined The Soul may be brought out of Prison when the body is committed to it In the Mittimus the form of Law runs thus That the Goalet take the body of such an one Verily over the spirit they have no power What believer would not be content to be confined upon condition his heart might be made more free to duty more free in duty upon condition his desires might swell and overflow and his longings after the God of all grace might grow much stronger than the thirst of the most sensual after pleasures or of the most worldly minded after Gold and Silver 3. The Lord who will condimn those that visit not the Prisoners Mat. 25. will not fail to visit them himself And as they more need refreshments they shall surely enjoy them He will behold them wich a reconciled face and say to them I am your light and your salvation be not terrified with the darknesse of the calamitous day wherein you live The groaning of the prisoner doth pierce the Heavens and enters into the ear of the Lord of Sabaoth who will return an answer of peace and consolation 4. The Prisoners of Christ are Prisoners of Hope They are in but during the King of Saints his pleasure If Christ say Come forth even a Lazarus shall break out of a Grave And if he have the Key of the Grave surely the Keyes of prisons are at â—ommand they cannot hold any whom he hath a mind to set at liberty Prisons may soon grow sick of the Saints and vomit them out as the Whale did Jonah However it will not be long e're the day of glorious liberty and of full Redemption come and then the adversaries of the Saints will be bound hand and foot and thrown into outer darkness and the Saints will have liberty to enter into the Kingdome prepared for them to see God face to face without any lett from others or themselves and to live eternally in his presence where there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal 16. ult The Fourth Doctrine The Devil is the imprisoner of Believers Sayes the Text Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison The words may be referred more particularly to the Ministers or more generally to the Saints in Smyrna 1. More particularly to the Ministers As by One Candlestick the whole Body of the Congregation so by One Angel the whole company of the Pastours are 〈◊〉 understood Vnto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira Rev. 2. 24. That is unto you the Ministers and the rest of believers So here The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that is you who are the Shepherds that so against the flock he may have the greater advantage Faithful Ministers Satan never could neither can he now endure He endeavours if he can to corrupt them to puff them up with pride to draw them aside by filthy lucre to make them fall some way or other and he does it with this design that their doctrine may be the loss heeded and his Kingdome not so much weakned by them But if he be not able to corrupt he will be industrious to discourage them They trouble him will not let him alone they will not suffer the strong man armed to keep his house in peace but by warning exhorting reproving rebuking the secure and ungodly endeavour to dispossess him No wonder if the Devil wax angry at them and fling them out of their houses into places of confinement The Prince of darkness would not that these Stars should shine he would fain have these Candles put under Bushelsâ— for Light discovers what Satan is what a defiled hateful and hating spirit it discovers what his works be namely to pollute us and by polluting to fit us for perdition Light also discovers what sin is and the unconceivable needfulness and excellency of the Lord Jesus And hereupon the Devils Vassals several of them are made to bethink themselves and are delivered from the Power of darkness and translated into the Kingdome of the Son of God Gol. 1. 13. The joyful sound of mans salvation is harsh in Satans ears he imprisons therefore the Publishers of these glad-tydings and close somtimes that the flock may be edified neither in a publick nor more private way 2. The words may be referred more generally to the Saints in Smyrna Every member of Christ the Devil hates and would fain tear from him every sheep this roating Lion would make his prey therefore he raises persecution to dishearten them
and gazing at him whose glory should it but shine forth would overwhelm the most sanctified mortal here on earth And when the 〈◊〉 of God is seen the soul is all light all love All the excellencies and beauties in the creatures whereby affection is attracted in comparison of what is to be seen in God are not so much as the thousandth part of the least spark of fire compared with the Sun when it shines in its greatest strength and noon-tide glory The face of God will then be smooth not one frown to be seen not one look that will manifest the least displeasure Nothing but smiles and glorious aspects which will evidently shew the incomprehensible greatness of his love unto and joy that he takes in the perfectly purified vessels of glory 2. Another consequent of this union to God will be likeness to him But as for me sayes David I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17. 15. The sight of God will be transforming and that likeness will cause abundant satisfaction The beholding of the Lord in his ordinances does in a degree change us into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. ult and much more the beholding of him in his kingdom 1 Joh. 3. 2. Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Then the Image of God begun here will be compleated Here 't is but like a rude draught like a picture in dead colours but then the piece will have had Gods last hand upon it the work will be finished and Oh how exactly like will all the children be to their holy and heavenly Father Now they hunger and thirst after righteousness but then the promise of filling them will be fulfilled and performed to the uttermost 3. Another consequent of this union to God will be the full enjoyment of him The Saints paâ—t after the Lord now as the chased Hart after the water-brooks but in glory they shall have as much of God as they can desire or contain The holy Ghost tells us that God will be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 28. All that they can wish all sufficient to fill them to the brim The goodness and power and faithfulness and love of God have sometimes deep and sweet impressions on the Saints now But whot will the impressions then be how durable how transporting they shall lye as it were with their heads at the fountain of living waters perpetually no thirst no scantiness will be complained of These are the consequents of that near union and communion to God wherein this life above will consist 2. That life above will be most holy and unspotted Sin will be pardoned and quite and clean abolished Filia devâ—rabit Matrem Death the daughter will put an end to sin the mother Believers though alive by grace do carry a body of death about with them which makes the condition somewhat like theirs who fâ—ll into the hands of the Tyrant of old called Mezentins who Mortua jungebat corpora vivis Componenâ— manibusque manus atq oribus ora Virg. joyned the members of a living man to a dead carkass the hands and breast and face of the one to those of the other But when the Saints are come to glory the body of death will be â—illed though the natural body will be raised yet the body of sin will never have a resurrection Instead of Oh wretched who shall deliver us will be glory and everlasting praise to him who hath made us free from sin the worst of evils and from all the lesser miseries that attend it The Spouse of Christ will then be presented a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but 't will be holy and without blemish Eph. 5. 27. Then the blood of Christ will have had its perfect operation The Saints will be washed white as Snow they will look as white or whiter then Adam did in innocency All spots will be done off Every wrinkle wil be smoothed and the members every one of them like their head altogether lovely The Church is now fair as the Moon spots it hath with its fairness sometimes it waxes sometimes it wanes but when 't is translated to heaven 't will be clear as the Sun it self Canâ— 6. 10. 3. That life above will be most sweet and pleasant The Saints shall no longer cry out vanity and vexation of spirit as they did when under the Sun But God will wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things be past away Rev. 21. 4. When they come to live in the presence of God their Joy will be so full as to be un 〈…〉 able of any addition when they are at Gods right hand their pleasures will be for ever Even in this vail of tears there is a peace attended which passes all understanding a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory So that the Saints mouthes are songs in the house of their pilgrimage Oh then how short and unsuitable are out apprehensions of the pleasures dealt forth in the heavenly paradise 4. That life above will be most secure and safe Dangers will then be all gone thorow When we are entring into the gate of the New Jerusalem we shall shake hands with all the enemies that before molested us and not so much as one of them will be able to follow us The great gulph between us and them will keep them off at an everlasting distance There will be no danger either from within or from without No serpent in that paradise to tempt man again to fall from his restored innocency The heart will confired in goodness 't wil never have the least inclination to decline from God There will be no need of that vigilancy and standing upon our guard that now is necessary for our hearts will be perfectly cured of their deceitfulness and there will be no adversaries to lay snares for us 5. That life above will be most quiet and peaceable 'T is not improbable that in the latter dayes there will be a more peaceable Church state than as yet there hath been when that promise and others of the like nature will be more visibly accomplished Isa 11. 4 5 6 7 8 9. The Branch of Jesse with righteousness shall judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth he shall smite the earth with the Rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he sâ—â—y the wicked and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loyns and faithfulness the girdle of his reins The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the
you to have taken it upon you I have Preached much to your incouragement Now I am taken off a sad silence is imposed on me Only my mouth is still open to the Lord for you that you may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God I could not have satisfied either you or my self unless in this my restraint and retirement I had written somthing that might be a furtherance to your faith joy in this hour of temptation The blessing of the Father of Spirits go along with this Book Oh that believers may be strengthened and refreshed by it And if enemies read it with an ill mind the Author wisheth that by reading it their minds may be changed and for their own sakes as well as his made better Nathanael Vincent ERRATA Before you read I pray correct these faults else the sense will be quite spoyled in some places PAge 37. Line 12. for confess read profess Page 43. line 14. for preservation read preservative Page 47. line 18. for doth uphold read do uphold Page 53. line 15. for offences read offenders Line 16. of the same page for heartily read presently Line 17. for very read many Line 18. for even read seven Page 77. line 10. for Goal house read Gatehouse Page 88. line 9. for ever read even Page 100. line 21. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Page 104. line 23. for religious enemies read enemies of Religion Page 107. line 3. for expressive read express Page 108. 116. for shal read should Page 109. line 1. for their read this Page 113. line 3. for loved read bestomed Page 119. line 12. blot out upon you Page 120. line 5. for but read best Page 121. line 27. for fear of God is seen read face of God is seen Page 123. line 27. for communion read coniunction Page 124 line 6. for fall read fâ—l Line 16. of the same Page for filled read killed Page 125. line 8. for unspeakable read uncapable Line 22. of the same Page for attended read attained Line 24. for mouths are songs read mouths are full of songs A COVERT FROM THE STORM Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life A Light is hung up at the porch of this Book which is so very mysterious the three first Chapters are more easy to be understood than those that follow Here the waters of the Sanctuary are but up to the head but presently they grow so deep as that the tallest must be fain to swim I am perswaded that one reason why the Holy Ghost speakes so sublimely is that man when he reads may sometimes lay aside the book and cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth and being the more humbly sensible of his own ignorance and weaknesses may pray with the greater earnestness that the Spirit who was the Inspirer would also be the Interpreter of the Revelation Seven Epistles or Letters dated from Heaven indited by the Son of God are sent to the seven Churches of Asia He who knew their works owns what is right taxes what was a miss and calls to repentance and amendmenâ— and charges them to hold fast those good things which they had received as being a treasure highly worth the keeping The Captain of their salvation encourages to quit themselves like men that overcoming they might in the end be crown'd The Text I have chosen lyes in the Epistle sent to the Church in Smyrna Poor they were in the World and yet rich towards God and it is not unlikely that for the securing of their spiritual riches as to worldly things they had been impoverished Christ knew their works and as their works so likewise their tribulation he knew also how to support them under the heaviest and most pressing burthens nay to render all their troubles advantagious by conducing to their more perfect purity and peace and therefore bids them in no wise to be afraid Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer c. Our Lord came to deliver not only from the sting of Death and from the curse of the Cross and affliction but from the fear of both The words may be analysed or resolved into three parts First Here 's a general encouragment against all kinds of suffering Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Secondly Among other sufferings imprisonment is specified and foretold where take notice 1. who is the procuring cause of imprisonment and he is the Devil 2. The persons imprisoned Some of you All the Saints shall not be in bonds together 3. The end of their imprisonment which their God aims at in permitting it 't is that they may be tryed 4. Although they have tribulation it shall not be long-liv'd it shall last but ten dayes that is a very short season Thirdly We have a strict charge given Be thou faithful and that even to the death Perseverance must run parallel with our lives Fourthly A sure and glorious promise perswading to this faithfulness and enduring to the end I will give thee a Crown of life Here 's a Crown a word that carries great dignity and advancement This Crown is a Crown of life or a living Crown The Garland that 's put upon the heads of triumphant Saints will never wither their Crown will never fade there will be no death to throw it off again when once they have received it This Crown shall be given to shew that what they do or can do bears no proportion to such a reward Neither their active nor passive obedience is meritorious Grace Grace must be written round the Crown of glory because freely bestowed I will give this Crown sayes Christ I who have purchased it by my death who have it in my keeping who am the Lord of glory and alive for evermore The text is very fruitful and affords several very excellent and useful points of Doctrine I shall raise these nine which flow naturally from the words and insist upon them all The first Doctrine is this He that will be a Saint shall be a sufferer The second this No sufferings should cause the Saints to be afraid The third this Among other troubles sâ—me Believers endure bonds and imprisonment The Fourth this The Devil is the imprisoner of Believers The Fifth this That Saints are imprisoned that they may be tryed The Sixth this The Tribulation of Believers will not last alwayes after ten dayes that is a short time a period will be put to it The Seventh Doctrine is this Whatsoever sufferings a Christian is exposed to he must be faithful The Eighth this A Christians faithfulness must run parallel with his life to the very death he must be stedfast The Ninth and last is this Vpon those who continue faithful to the death Christ
sorrow prevail unto your discomposure but manifest to all the world that you have somthing of God in you by undergoing what bare nature would sink under Suffer not as wilful but as conscientious be able to give Scripture reasons for what you practice and for what you refuse Beg of the Lord to make your way plain and the way of duty being discovered though there be a Lion or a thorn hedge in that way go forward notwithstanding And among others let these encouraging arguments be pondered by you 1. God is glorified by your sufferings indeed on your adversaries part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 'T is a sign you really believe the Lords greatness and power when you had rather have the whole world your enemies than him to be your enemy 'T is a sign you indeed believe his goodness and his promises when you had rather part with all visible comforts than be cast away from his presence and favour And by thus believing you glorifie him exceedingly It argues also that the Lord hath your hearts in good earnest when no troubles no afflictions which for his sake you are assaulted with can alienate your affections from him Further you proclaim to all what a good Master you serve when your adversaries by all that they can do are not able to divert you from following him cannot compel you to forsake his service And who knows what convictions in the consciences of them that observe you may be the effect of your constancy Who knows but that by this means some may be brought to make tryal of your Lord and so to the liking and loving of him 2. By your suffering the Gospel is advanced The mighty power and efficacy of the Gospel is shewn forth when it makes and keeps the Disciples hearts undaunted though sufferings in the most fearful shapes and forms are objected to their view How is the Gospel magnified when believers are content to be the mark for an adulterous generation to shoot at rather than be ashamed of it 'T is evident that the Gospel is from God else it could not thus support and comfort The Apostle tells the Philippians Chap. 1. 12. that his bonds and confinement were to the Gospels furtherance and enlargment his Brethren grew bold to speak the word without fear and the word spoken was the more readily entertained being credited by sustaining Paul and other Saints in all their tribulation 3. By your sufferings your selves are dignified You are highly graced when called forth to be the Lords Witnesses The Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you The Lord singles you out to combate with the Powers of earth and darkness and he will encourage and help and give you victory The Apostles when they were beaten did not murmur but rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus Acts 5. 41. Shame is dignity reproach is glory loss is gain sorrow is joy pain is pleasure when endured for the sake of Christ Several of the Martyrs in the Marian Persecution when they went to the Stake gave thanks upon this very account that they died a death so noble as to dye Martyrs for the truth against Babels abominations and to ascend as it were â—n fiery Charots to the New Jerusalem 4. When you are suffering what a stock of prayers is going for you 'T is an happiness to be hardly dealt with so we are prayed harder for Our tribulation makes the bowels of mercy which are in our Brethren to yearâ— towards us they are bound with us in the same Bonds and sâ—mpathize in our sufferings this makes them the more instant and earnest with the Father of mercies on our behalf When James the brother of John had lost his life being killed by the Sword and Peâ—er had lost his liberty being apprehended and put in prison 't is said that Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church to God for him Acts 12. 5. And Prayer having entered into Heaven brought an Angel to his rescue it shook the chains off Peters hands and caused an iron gate of iâ—s own accord to open to him Behold the strength of believers prayers For my own particular I seriously confess that my imprisonment hath most happily in this regard befallen me I have no reason to be vexed with but rather to thank my adversaries for their kindnesse in thus confining of me The strictnesse and closenesse of my prison hath made my case sâ—mwhat peculiar and that also is turned unto good for hereby the spirits of hundreds both in City and Country were stirred up to pray for me with greater fervency and enlargment And to have so many prayers poured out for One particular person is an inestimable priviledge My Friends I thank you Gâ—d hath answered your requests I have had that in prison which is ten thousand times better than liberty than the world than life than ten thousand worlds and lives My Enemies I cannot but thank you too because you were the occasion of the mercies I have received though I really grieve to think that you did me good with so much harm to your selves 5. When you suffer the Lord himself suffers with you Not only your fellow Members but your Head doth sympathize and feel your burthens In all your afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63. 9. You have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of your infirmities and the effect of this sympathie must needs be a most tender regard to you and readiness to relieve you in due season Luther very well observes that when any member of the natural body is harmed the sense of pain appears in the head and face the brows are knit the forehead wrinkled and the tongue cryes Oh! the whole countenance is alter'd And in like manner 't is in the mystical Body when any member is wronged if the injurious wretches could but see the face of Christ the Head they might plainly perceive he feels the stroak and is wounded in the wounds of his faithful followers Therefore when Paul while a zealous son of the Jewish Church did persecute the Disciples of the Lord and being exceedingly mad against them did hale men and women and commit them to prison Christ out of heaven cries out to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou Me And since the great Physitian is himself wounded in your wounds you may confidently expect an healing balm from him 6. To encourage you consider Great is the power that rests upon you in your sufferings Such a power as shall not only make you strong as David but as the Angels of the Lord. A Saint strengthned by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob though shot at by the Archers his Bow shall abide in strength therefore in Scripture he is compared to an iron pillar to a brazen wall to a defenced City Jer. 1. 18. To shew that though he is assaulted and that with violence yet he stands firm
maximâ— it hath small entity but great efficacy He is their God their Father their Husband and will he not be a Buckler and a Fortress to his children his Sons espoused ones Will he not take care of his Jewels of his portion of his peculiar treasure will he patiently suffer the apple of his eye to be touched Let the Covenant be studied and what 's implyed in that I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and fear will quickly give way to confidence 6. The Lord intends to glorifie himself in his peoples preservation They need not fear God will not miss of his glory he will be exalted and therefore his people shall be remembred Gods honour and the Saints safety are twisted together It was a strong argument which Joshua pleaded If Israel fly and the Canaanites prevail then what wilt thou do for thy great Name Josh 7. 9. That place in the Proverbs The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous fly unto it and are safe may not only thus be expounded That the power and faithfulness and mercy of God by which he hath made himself known as by his name are a safe shelter to the righteous but also thus the place may be applyed God for his Name sake will be a strong Tower to his children and when they plead his Name he will glorifie himself in their protection To secure his own honour he will secure those whom he hath taken the charge of they shall be saved either sub coelo or in coelo they shall either on earth find a Chamber in the day of calamity till the indignation be overpast or they shall be housed in the celestial Mansions beyond the fear or possibility of danger Thus have I demonstrated the unreasonableness of the Saints fear The Application of this Doctrine follows USE I. Although I would have you fearless of suffering yet some Cautions are very needful to be given you Rashness is not a Grace though Christian fortitude and courage is 1. Take heed of augmenting your sufferings needlesly by want of wisdom Died Abner as a fool dieth Do believers suffer as fools suffer When Christ tells his Disciples that he sent them forth as sheep among wolves He bids them to be wise as Serpents to beware of men and uses much what the same Language that one of his Prophets did before Jer. 9. 4 5. Take ye heed every one of his Neighbour trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walk with slanders and they will â—eceive every one his neighbour and will not speak the truth they have taught their tongue to speak lies and they weary themselves to commit iniquity Be wary what and to whom you speak In evil times the prudent keep silence when men are made offenders for a word Do not heartily credit every professour there are â—â—â—y false brethren who though they speak you fair have 〈◊〉 abominations in their heart Beg wisdom of God that he would guide you with his eye But let not a wily and selfish heart impose upon you and call cowardise by the name of discretion If thy heart be assured to the world and thou art loath to part with thy enjoyments that are earthly for the enjoyment of Christ and Glory if thou lookest upon earthly things as sutable and spiritual with a strange eye suspect thy wisdom to come not from above and that 't will be found folly in the end 2. Take heed of suffering as an evil doer You may in all likelihood have much evil spoken against you but if it be falsly 't is well enough That counsel and caution of the Apostle is much to be observed 1 Pet. 4. 15. But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thief or as a busie body in other mens matters You must indeed expect to go through evil report as well as good and dishonour as well as honour 2 Cor. 6. 8. But do not by any sinister aimes by any unwarrantable practice give conscience just cause to reproach you as well as your enemies If you are convinced and suffer as evil doers if covetousness lying injustice sedition rebellion be justly laid to your charge you will not suffer alone but the Gospel and your brethren who are innocent will be branded for your sakes Oh let there be nothing of a crime in your suffering purely let it be for the sake of purity in worship and purity of life then the greater comfort will redound to you and advantage to the Church of Christ 3. Take heed of vain glory in your sufferings That glory that is but vain is not worth â—he seeking much less the suffering to attain Though a sufferer be in a low condition yet he is in great danger of being puâ—t up with pride If you design the advancing of your own esteem and desire to be pointed at as those that are resolute and constant you are Self's and not Christs Martyrs How far may pride and vain glory carry an unsound professour He may give all his goods to feed the poor nay his body to be burned and yet in all this seek himself and be destitute of love to Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 13. 3. As the Apostle sayes Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done so may I say let nothing be suffered through strife or vain glory 'T is a poor thing to be admired and commended of men if the Lord does not commend you If you seek not his approbation and that honour which comes from him you may suffer here and eternally besides Aim not therefore at applause or any such carnal by and base end but let this be your design that Christ may be magnified by you whether it be by life or by death Phil. 1. 20. 4. Take heed of being Saints in shew and suffering in a good Cause with an evil conscience Hypocritical professors are in a very bad case because Professors the world hates them because hypocritical they are hated by the Lord They have a form of godliness therefore the world strikes at them they deny the power of godliness therefore God will not secure them Oh therefore beg an upright heart and be sure to walk in truth Cover noâ— with the vail of hypocrisie any lust that you judg pleasing or profitable but be Jewes inwardly Israelites indeed not contenting your selves with a name that you are alive this you may have and yet be dead in sin and at last damn'd for it USE II. Let me disswade you from fearing any thing that may befall you for following the Lord Jesus And let these two things be thought on that fear is both a Torment and a Snare 1. Fear is a torment The fearful heart is moved as the leaves are with the wind What anguish seizeth upon the timorous spirit at the report of evil tydings how doth it sink into an hopeless kind of dejection and so is made more bare and naked unto
abide the tryal in the time of temptation your sandy foundations will deceive you your building will fall and great will be the fall of it Mat. 7. 27. You will fall away further from God more fâ—ully into sin more deep into hell and all these falls will be great and dreadful 1. You that are unsound in times of tryal wil fall away further from God Some of you though never brought quite home yet have been almost perswaded have been not far from the Kingdome of Heaven But all this common work if you rest in it will dye away when Christ puts you upon suffering you will forsake him Suffer is an hard word who can bear it And when you leave the Lord you bid farewel to the Father of mercies the God of love and of all grace the Fountain of living waters the Prince of peace the only Saviour Well may I cry out Oh how much folly is there in back-sliding 2. You will fall more foully into sin God may quickly throw the Reins out of his hands upon the neck of corrupted Nature and whither may you be carryed Apostatizing professors often turn most profane they out-run as to riot excess the wretchest hat never pretended to Religion The Conscience that was once awakened if it fall asleep again sleeps more soundly The heart that was once restrain'd from sin that restraint being gone is more eager to commit iniquity than before Nay 't is somtimes observed that backsliding professors 〈◊〉 become cruel persecutors of those wayes which once were forwardly owned by them If this be not the unpardonable sin I am sure it comes to the very brink of it 3. You will fall more deep into Hell at last Christ tells us that the last end of such is worse than their beginning Mat. 12. 45. and that both as to sin and as to punishment How large will be the Vial of wrath to be emptied upon Apostates heads how hot their place in the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone Those that as the Apostle speaks are twice dead pluckt up by the roots Jude 12. The second death will be more terrible to them they will be eternal fewel to a more furious flame The sufferings of the Saints whether imprisonment or death are not worthy to be named the same day with everlasting confinement to outer darkness and suffering in the highest degree and fullest measure eternal damnation Consider this ye hypocrites that are rotten at heart that have God in your mouthes but he is far from your Reins On how long will it be ere you attain to uprightness USE II. Of Encouragement to the Saints when they are exercised with Tryals 1. The Lord hath promised to keep you when you are tryed He may fan and winnow but not a grain of corn shall fall to the ground so as to be lost That Scripture is very observable Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth He will keep from the hour of temptation that is from the prevalency of and corruption by temptation in that hour But then you must be sure to keep his Word which is called the Word of his patience because it proposes Christ as an example of patience and layes an injunction upon you to be like him And if you look upon this word as your food as your physick as your treasure as your armour as your heritage I hope you will look upon it as well deserving to be kept by you 2. Your tryals will make you to grow in grace Grace is of that nature that it increases and gathers strength by exercise As the Widdowes Oyl by being drawn out did multiply so Grace is augmented not diminished by being used Hark to the Apostle Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Knowing that tribulation worketh patience not only tryeth patience but worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed The righteous by tryals and difficulties are not stopt as discouraged persons but hold on their way nay not only hold on but grow and go stronger and they that have clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. 3. After you have endured tryal you shall be own'd and crown'd Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him And that Crown when received will make all pains and disgrace and sufferings to be forgotten The Sixth Doctrine The tribulation of Believers will not last alwayes after ten dayes that is a short time a period will be put to it Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes The Holy Ghost reckons by dayes not years and according to the usual manner in Scripture a certain number is put for an uncertain ten dayes for a few dayes The Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 17. calls the troubles of Believers not only light afflictions but affirms they are but for a moment and because they are but for a moment surely much the lighter The Arguments to confirm this Doctrine are these 1. One shall be drawn from the desire in Christ the Head to have his members with him Therefore they shall not long be absent from him and when they are with him no troubles at all shall be their companions Christ in the dayes of his flesh prayed thus Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that those also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Christ is now gone to his father and he hath prepared Mansions for the Saints and those Mansions â—hall not be long empty Believers groan to â—e cloathed upon with their house which 〈◊〉 from Heaven to be absent from the boâ—y and to be present with the Lord. The Lord Jesus desires and hath prayed for their company Surely it will not be long before those who are so mutually desirous of each other do come together 2. A second Argument shall be drawn from the shortness of the triumph of the Saints adversaries God will quickly cut asunder the cords of the wicked that plow upon Sions back and make long their furrows I have seen saith David the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green Bay tree yet he passed away and loe he was not yea I sought him but he could not be found His great power which he abuses to oppress and trouble and himself too shall quickly pass away All the glory of the ungodly is as a dream and is chased away as a night vision And when they are laid in the dust and death is feeding on them they can devour the upright no longer And truly the more violent they are the shorter oftentimes is their triumph cruelty doth ripen them a pace for vengeance 3. A
't is but reason that to the last we should be stedfast Cardinal Wolsey indeed was weary of the service of King Henry the Eighth and said If he had served God so faithfully as he had done the King God would not have forsaken him in his gray hairs But Christ is another kind of Master than any other Potentate Old Polycarpus said he had served Christ for several Scores of years and knew nothing but good by him and therefore in his old age he chose to suffer any thing rather than deny him The harder we follow after Christ and the longer we continue his disciples we discover new beauties new pleasures new treasures and so we can never find just reason to exchange since 't will be so much for the worse but just reason to the contrary since Christs lovliness and fulness and libetality in communicating of that fulness doth daily more and more abundantly appear 3. If we are not faithful to the death all that we have done before will be lost we shall lose those things which we have wrought and miss of our reward That 's a full place Ezek. 18. 24. But when the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abâ—minations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousness that he hath â—one shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin which he hath sinned in them shall he dye By the righteous man we are to understand one that by profession is righteous and outwardly unblamable performing the duties required of him if he give out and turn aside all his duties will be lost all his hearing all his prayers all his deeds of justice and mercy will not be mention'd he continues not stedfast which shews he was never sincere however others were deceived in him and himself too USE The only Use of this Doctrine shall be to admonish all that profess the name of Christ to persevere to the end Depart from iniquity but never from your Lord. When first you give up your selves to Christ reckon upon this that you must ever abide with him Your closing with Christ is a marriage and this Husband never dies you must not give away your selves to another The Arguments to perswade you to be faithful till death are these 1. Many unfaithful ones at death tremble and are in horrour because of their Apostacy Conscience often awakes when the King of terrours is within view a dreadful sound is in the backsliders ears trouble and anguish make him afraid and prevail against him as a King ready to the Battel To have ones spirit wounded with anâ— tollerable stroke to have the Dâ—vils accusing the creatures all failing sins set in order before the eyes calamity as a storm ready to hurâ— one out of the would and God so far from piâ—ving as to laugh at ones destruction and to be comforted in the vengeance that is inflicted Ezek. 5. 13. must needs be very dreadful But this is the doleful case conclusion of many baâ—â— slâ—ders 2. Death is near at hand think net much of so short a time to be faithful If a Master should say Work hard to day and I will give thee an inheritance for thy life verily the most slothful would not think much of the heat and burthen Now God sayes abide in my service for a little while and then you shall rest from all your labours and sufferings and that rest shall be for ever Oh how should this encourage 3. Faithfulness to the death will take away the fear of death Death will be look upon a Messenger to tell you that your Lord can no longer brook your absence to tell you that your warfare is accomplished and that having been faithful in your Masters business you must enter into your Masters joy Be but faithful unto death and Christ will stand by you at death and after death he will receive you The Ninth Doctrine Vpon those that continue faithful unto death Christ will certainly bestow a Crown of Life and Immortality 〈◊〉 If the eye of Faith were but more open and strong-sighted how would this Crown glister and shine What a vehement inducement would it prove to perseverance In the handling of this Doctrine I shall first endeavour to shew what and what manner of life the text speakes of Secondly in what regard this life is called a Crown Thirdly lay down some arguments to prove the certainty of the certainty of the doctrine that the faithful shall be thus crown'd with immortality then close with the uses In the first place I am to shew what and what manner of life the text speakes of A subject I confess more fit for an Angels tongue then mine The soul while imprisoned in the body is of a narrow capacity and apprehends but little of that glory which is above The actual inhabitants of the new Jerusalem can bâ—â—t tell what kinde of habitation it is They that are but passing through the wilderness of this world know but little what manner of life is lead in the heavenly Cannaan yet since we have a Map of this blessed land of promise in the word let us take a view of it and let us view so long till we cry with Augustines mother Quid hic facimus What do we here and groan with pangs of desire to be gone from hence and possessed of our heavenly country Now what the word speaks of this life above in these particulars I shall declare 1. That life above will consist in the nearest union and conjunction to God Life natural is the result of union between the soul and body and life eternal of the union between the soul and God And truly to be banished and separated from the Lord for ever will be the second death The Apostle comforts the Thessalonians with this Chap. 4. Epist 2. v. 17. So shall we ever be with the Lord. How near their God will the Saints be admitted hereafter His dwelling in them is comparatively called an Absence in respect of that presence in the other world to be vouchsafed These three things will be consequent upon this union to God 1. One will be the vision or seeing of God sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then I shall know even as also I am known The Saints shall no longer complain of darkness of ignorance of those horribiles dubitationes as Melancthon calls them horrible doubtings concerning God with which they are sometimes haunted They shall see God immediately and what they behold how will it raise their love and joy and wonder The Lord said to Moses Thou canst not see my face and live q. d. Such a sight would be so glorious as that thy fraile nature would be overwhelmed by it But the perfected Saints are strengthened for such a felicity their life lies in looking