A COVERT FROM THE STORM OR The Fearful encouraged in Times of SUFFERING FROM 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 ye shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life By Nathanael Vincent a Preacher and Prisoner of Jesus Christ and written during his close confinement when few could come at him but his God who yet abundantly made up the want of other company London Printed in the Year 1671. To Him that is Higher than the Highest and will shortly come to judge the world in righteousness Most Mighty Lord A Prisoner approaches to thy footstool and not without some confidence because he is confiâ—ed not for evil doing but for well doing That which men account his crime thou hast made his duty and by doing this he hath incurred their displeasure but he hopes he hath avoyded thine He was willing to cast the Net over a great many that the more might be taken and by being taken set indeed at liberty He was desirous that the Subjects of thy Kingdome might be multiplyed therefore he spake to such great multitudes and he verily thinks however men may censure it thou dost not call it Rashness or Zeal not according to knowledge Since thou hast commanded thy Messengers to go into the High-wayes and as many as they find to bid to the Marriage Since thou layest an injunction upon them to preach the Gospel to every creature surely thou 〈…〉 r didst intend their compassion and care should be confined to a very few Oh therefore that every Five of them that hear thy voyce and follow thee might be increased unto so many thousands Thin Congregations are a lamentable sight Let them therefore fly as a Cloud and as Doves to their windows Incline the hearts of Magistrates to pity and moderation let their Sword be drawn only against those that are Malefactors truly so called not against such as would fain be at work for thee and turning many unto righteousness Convince them that 't will be the design and desire of a godly Ministry to make their Hearers better Subjects to their earthly Rulers as well as to the King of Saints Thy Prisoner who is in this Gate-house during thy will and pleasure earnestly Petitions for his liberty He deserves to be laid aside but desires to be used he would fain have the Prison Dore open to let him out but is a great deal more earnest to have the Pulpit dore open to let him in that he might again be preaching of thy Gospel He longs to be warning the secure who see not the Sword drawn out against them to be stopping the madmen who are making such hast to eternal destruction to be inviting the miserable to mercy the lost unto a Saviour Where is thy zeal thy strength O Lord and the sounding of thy Bowels and thy mercies are they restrained Oh pity immortal Souls that are going to Hell by Droves and in some places the Pastours are so far from hindring that being exemplary for loosness and impiety they go before them to perdition Thy Prisoner blesses thee that ever he had the honour to be in bonds for thee The worse of thee even thy Cross is not at all to be disliked The enlargments of his heart have been greater then when he was at liberty his peace hath been more perfect Thy presence is so sweet that he would go to any place to have more of it Thou hast given in that grace which is glory begun he confidently believes this Gaol will make him more meet for the glorious liberty of thy Children and that he shall praise thee for ever for what he hath endured Thy Servant can say it with boldness before thee that he honours the Authority thou hast set over him he hath put others in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to be ready to every good work and remembers it is his own duty to be thus subject Only he hath preached contrary to the Magistrates Command because thy Command is so express for preaching and thou pressest it upon Pastours as they love thee to feed thy Lambs to feed thy Sheep Oh thou dreadful and heart-searching Judge cause the integrity of thy Noneonforming Servants to shine so bright as to break through all unreasonable prejudices Let their righteousness be brought forth as the Light and their judgment as the Noon day that that severity may be at length ashamed of it self that 's used towards them Oh hasten hasten thy second appearing that the secrets of hearts may be discovered and that it may be made manifest before men and Angels who have worshiped thee the rightest way who most have sought thee and least themselves Thy Servant being taken off from preaching was willing to be some way beneficial to thy Church therefore his Pen hath been going when his tongue could not And if souls are edified and encouraged if thy Kingdome and Name and Glory be any way by this Writing advanced then the highest end will be attained which is aimed at by him who is not who would not be his own but by millions of Obligations is engaged to be Thine Eternally Nathanael Vincent TO THE READERS Especially those that were wont to be his Hearers Readers NEed Arguments be used with the toss't in a tempest to put into an Haven or with the pursued by the avenger to fly to a Sanctuary Their danger is the best Rhetorick to perswade them to that which is for their own security And if your danger were more deeply and rightly apprehended you would hasten to the Lord whose Name is a strong Tower and who hath promised to be an hiding place from the wind a covert from the Tempest as Rivers of water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Isa 32. 2. The Devil hath great wrath because he knows he hath but a short time We in this latter age of the World must expect more furious assaults from him because the day of Judgment unto which he is reserved is hastning His instruments are enraged and drive on furiously But what is all their force and power to the strength of that Almighty Lord who if you leave to him and trust in him hath covenanted to uphold you How inconsiderable is their anger when your believing thoughts have dwelt a little upon his kindness and compassion Be not affrighted at the Cross of Christ 't will when felt and sweetned be found no more a burthen to you than wings are to the Bird flying in the air or Sails to the Ship cutting through the Sea 't will be a means to mend your pace and make you run swifter in your Race towards the Prize of the high Calling of God If your Lord had not known the easiness and usefulness of his yoak he would never have required
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
Third Argument shall be drawâ— from the shortness of the Saints continuance iâ— this vale of tears Their tribulation cannâ—â— possibly be of any long duration The are but travellers through the world anâ— will quickly be at their journeyes enâ— A few years nay perhaps a few months will bring them to eternity and when time is no longer there will be no longer trouble The thoughts of death though terrible to the ungodly as putting a full stop to all their consolation may be refreshing to the Saints Death is their last Enemy after death no enemy can molest them Their dayes are swifter than a Weavers Shuttle they hast to an end as the Ships of desire to the Haven or the Eagle to the prey and as their dayes post away so their troubles and distresses make speed to a conclusion 4. A fourth Argument shall be drawn from the Saints immediate entrance into rest upon their dissolution The Apostle joyns being dissolved and being with Christ together and speaking of believers in the general he sayes 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have not we shall have but we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens The spirits of just men immediately upon their separation are made perfect perfectly free from sin and misery which while united to the body they were loaded with The Papists distinguish the Church into Triumphantem in caelis militantem in terra laborantem in purgatorio Triumphant in Heaven Militant on Earth Labouring in Purgatory The last member of the Division labouring in Purgatory the Scripture no where mentions but express affirms the contrary Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours Several miserably deluded souls argue for perfection here else say they how can the Saints be fitted for glory if they are defiled all their dayes It is easily answered that the work of grace is carryed on all their life time and at their dissolution their souls are perfected Death may be called a great change not only in regard of the body but in regard of the Soul too because the soul is perfectly purified and sin quite and clean abolished Neither let it seem absurd that such a change should be for if in the first moment of conversion there is an alteration or change from no grace to grace surely 't is not unreasonable to think that at the moment of dissolution there should be a change from imperfect grace to grace that is compleat Thus the penitent Thiefs soul was perfected at his expiring else he could not have been that day he dyed with Christ in Paradise It 's plain that the Saints upon their departure hence do enter into rest therefore it must be granted that their tribulation is but as they are short liv'd nay perhaps they may outlive their tribulation and behold a lightsome ever-tyde after a day of darkness and of gloominess They may live to see the Gospel in esteem after disgrace and peace upon Israel after trouble USE I. Is the tribulation of the Saints short then let not their faith fail let it hold out a little longer and its work will be at an end Let faith but keep up the Ship but a little while longer in the storm and it will be safely landed Leane a few dayes more upon the promises of support and shelter you will be past the pikes and beyond all peril When you are entred into the City of God the door will be shut and as you shall come out no more so no evil shall enter after you to molest or grieve you USE II. Is the tribulation of the Saints short then let not Patience grow weary Nâ—w Patience indeed is a needful grace but hereafter there will be no necessiâ—y or use of it because you shall never feel any more burthens The benefit of affliction and the nearness of your rest should induce you to bear all with cheerfulness When you see the end of the Lord you will confess they are happy that endure Jam. 5. 11. USE III. Is the tribulation of the Saints short Then let their expectation be raised Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37. Your Lord will be as an Hart or young Roe upon the mountains of separation and when he comes he will wipe away tears from all faces and for all your affliction and tribulation you shall have joy and triumph double treble nay ten thousand times ten thousand fold USE IV. Is the tribulations of the Saints short See the difference between the Saints and Sinners The Saints sufferings are like the sinners ease and prosperity both for a moment Let not the world imagine believers miserable their misery is no longer then the worlds happiness And as the men of the world cannot be counted happy because their happiness doâ—s so soon vanish so neither can believers justly be esteemed miserable because their misery is so transient What is it to have tribulation for ten dayes and then to triumph in the presence of God and of the Lamb for ever The Seventh Doctrine Whatsoever sufferings he is exposed to a Christian must be faithful All the children of Abraham should resemble their father of whom it is said that the Lord found his heart faithful before him Neh. 9. 8. This charge in the text is strict Be thou faithful And truly 't is but needful if these three things are considered 1. A Christians heart is treacherous and apt to start aside like a deceitful bow A besieged City when the besiegers have friends wâ—thin the walls that are ready to lay hold of any opportunity to betray it the Inhabitants had need to be the more circumspect and vigilant Such a City is the embleme of a believer though his heart be renewed yet 't is only in part it remains still in part corrupted and that corruption sides with the tempter and is ready to yield and open to him Faithfulness therefore to the Lord and to himself is often to be pressed upon the Christian 2. Shaking temptations are likely to be met with Mat. 7. 27. The rain will descend and the floods come and the winds blow and beat upon the house to try whether it is founded on a Rock or upon the sand onely 1. This charge to be faithful is very requisite if we consider that in time of shaking many will take offence and depart from Christ Christians in shew will then discover their want of faith and love in truth And when these fall off the Saints had need to be cautioned Do not you also leave me That so they may reply with Peter Joh. 6. 67 68. Lord to whom shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life and eternal life it self to bestow on us In the further handling of this Doctrine First I shall shew
Lords work we tell the World that our Master is exceeding gracious and who knows but that by this means the number of his servants may be increased 2. The man that 's faithful proclaims his Lords power The power of Christ doth rest upon him else he would be unstable as water who through Christ strengthening of him is like the very Rock unshaken and the more weak the Believer is the more glorious is his power in whom he believes USE I. Of Reproof and I shall direct it to two sorts of persons 1. The fickle and unconstant are to be reproved Their spirit is unstedfast with the Lord if the World make proffer of its good things or threaten them with evil Vain hopes draw them away vain fears drive them away from Christ Somtimes they seem to be his humble Servants but this is only an hypocritical kind of complement Self they are resolved to serve to please and to secure whatever become of Christ his Honour and his Gospel 2. They are to be reproved that are in an ill sense faithful Faithful to their sins which are the worst masters unmoveable in their resolution to make provision for the flâ—sh to fulfil the lusts thereof There is a strange stouâ—ness of spirit and fixedness in evil that is to be found in thousands Their neck is like an iron sinew their brow like brass they make their faces harder then a rock they refuse to return Say what we will sin is their master and sin they will serve though they be told an hundred and an hundred times that death is its wages They aâ—e as unchangeable in evil as the spots of the Leopard â—or the blackness of the Ethiopian Oh that we would learn of sins vassals to be as faithful to the best as they are to the worst Lord. USE II. Of Exhortation Let me press you to be faithful 1. How many obligations lye upon you to be stedfast infinite millions of encouragements â—he gives you the more constant the more comfort and peace is found Great peace have they sayes David that love thy law and nothing shall offend them Every mercy of those many thousands you receive should be a cord to â—ye you faster unto God and what strange kind of hearts have you if so many cords are sâ—apt asunder and so many obligations are forgotten 2. Whom do you leave when you are unfaithful you forsake that Lord whose loving kindness is so excellent who is able to perform all things for you whose all-sufficiency can furnish you though never so indigent This God you leave and for what do you leave him 'T is for that which is not bread 'T is for that which can never satisfie Isa 55. 2. 3. By unfaithfulness you not only deprive your selves of the Lords goodness but engage him against you Ezra 8. 22. His hand is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against those that forsake him And wrath armed with such power is dreadful God greatly abhors the backslider when his ancient people turned back and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers 't is said When the Lord heard this he was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel Psal 78. 57 59. 4. If you are faithful with God you shall find by experience his wayes to be truth and mercy Psal 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies His promises you shall experience to be true his mercies will all in mercy be 〈…〉 oved Nay there will be mercy in every affliction in every distress mercy supporting mercy reviving mercy turning all things to the best As the Philosophers stone is said to turn all meâ—tals into gold USE III. Of direction how to be made faithful 1. Be sensible of the treachery of your own spirits and let this make you the more jealous of your selves all your dayes Watch ye stand fast sayes the Apostle If you would stand fast you must be exceeding vigilant Watch that nothing come in at the door of your senses which may prove a snare and that nothing go out of your heart which may defile you When first the heart begins to grow weary of well-doing or to hearken to the tempter observe it and being apprehensive of your danger cry to be quickned and established 2. Pray to be upheld by the spirit of the Lord. Thus did David Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty life holiness strength Grieve not the spirit but be obsequious to him and he will strengthen you with might in your inward man When Christ was about to go away and part with his Disciples he promises to send the spirit who should abide with them for ever and 't was by this spirit that they were born up and carried thorow all their work and the difficulties that attended it 3. Plead the Covenant one clause whereof is this I will not turn away â—from them to do them good and I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. Again he saith Jer. 3. 19. Thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not depart from me Prize these promises plead them believe them and as sure as God is faithful he will make you faithful whatever your sufferings or temptations be The Eighth Doctrine A Christians faithfulness must run parallel with his life to the death he must be stedfast This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the death may have a double interpretation 1. Be thou faithful to the death that is be thou unmovable though it cost thee thy life to be so Prefer not thy life before that Lord who laid down his life to redeem thee from death and who will recompence the loss of life temporal with that life that 's everlasting A Christian is to resist even unto blood striving against sin as the Apostle speaks he must choose rather to part with his blood than to lose his God 2. Be faithful to the death that is all thy dayes be faithful that when death comes and the Lord by death he may find thee doing his work doubling his talents standing up for his interest notwâ—thstanding all derision and opposition The Reasons why we should be faithful to the death are these 1. Much of the former part of our life hath been lost therefore all the remainder should be the more faithfully devoted to God The time past of our life may more than suffice to have dishonoured him therefore all the rest of our time in the flesh should be lived not to the lusts of men either our own lusts or the lusts of others but to the will of God 1 Pet. 4. 2 3. The whole was his due let him not be denyed that part which is behind 2. The longer we know our Lord and the closer we keep to him the better we shall like him therefore