the stroke and dint of calamities which are invading 2. Fear is a snare Prov. 29. 25. One that fears an arm of flesh will soon be hurried away from God and into almost any unlawful courses which by his carnal and disturbed mind are judged to have a tendency to his preservation Peter fears and denyes Christ and not only so but falls a cursing swearing that he did not know him How is he foiled through fear who before said Though all are offended and forsake thee yet will not I. Cranmer fears and against his Conscience subscribes to Popery and anathematizes the Heresie of Luther and Zuinglius those restorers of the Gospel and of pure and undefiled Religion which had a long time layâ— buryed by the prevailing of Antichrist Spira fears the loosing of his estate the beggering of his wife and children the hazarding of his life and renounces the Protestant Religion but presently was seiz'd upon by the Pangs of despair and to the terrour and astonishment of all about him spake as if he had been in Hell it self even while he was alive Oh therefore be afraid of being afraid if this passion prevail you may quickly fall so foully as to make you weep bitterly if not eternally USE III. I shall conclude with several Antidotes against this sinful and ensnaring fear of sufferings The Antidotes are these 1. One Antidote is a well grounded assurance of the love of God By this love fear will be cast out The Apostle was so far from being afraid that he gloryed in tribulation and the reason was because the love of God that is the sense and perswasion of it was shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which was given to him Rom. 5. 3 5. When we know that God is ours we may conclude that afflictions troubles and death are ours that evil men and evil Angels too are ours that is working out our good though contrary to their intentions The enemies of believers are but as so many Scullions to scour them and make them look the brighter The assured Christian concludes that greater is he that is in him than he that is in the World and therefore he is undaunted Heark how confidently the Saints of old spake who knew the God of Jacob was theirs and with them Psal 46. 1 2. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed though the mountains be carryed into the midst of the Seas Give diligence therefore to make your Calling and Election sure bring your Grace to the Touchstone of the Scripture that the truth thereof may be evident pray that the Lord would search you and lead you out of every evil way and that his Spirit may bear witness with your spirits that you are indeed his Children 2 A second Antidote against fear is a clear Conscience A pacified and purified Conscience will make the heart very couragious The Heathen Poet could say Hiâ— murus aâ—aenius esto Nil conscire sibi nulla pallescere culpa Horat. Epist 2. A Brazen Wall is not a greater security than an unspotted conscience And Solomon tells us that a righteous man is bold as a Lion The Apostle Paul when he was pressed out of measure by the weight of troubles above strength insomuch that he despaired even of life was he dismayed No so far from that that he rejoyced This was strange indeed What might be the cause of his gladness when sense being judg his condition was so exceeding doleful Our rejoycing is this sayes he even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1. 12. Make not therefore especially in troublous times any breach upon conscience by closing with temptations for at that breach fear will assault you 3. A third Antidote against fear is trusting in God David sayes What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal 56. 3. There 's the distemper fear and the remedy against it faith in God So Psal 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed What fixes the righteous mans heart Trusting in the Lord. Pray for the increase of faith be well acquainted with the promises wherein God hath said he will be a shield an hiding place a covert a strong Tower a Saviour and these promises will be as food for your faith to live upon and to grow strong by But be sure let your trusting in God be joyned with the doing of good Psal 37. 3. with a desire and design to please him else he will reject your confidence as presumption and you shall not prosper in it 4. A Fourth Antidote against fear iâ— calling upon God David when he was in danger cryes that he may be lead to the Rock that was higher than he when surrounded with enemies he gave himself unto prayer Psal 109. 4. and by this means he got above his fears and terrours He tells us how effectual prayer was Psal 34. 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears The Coneys are a feeble folk but have their dwelling among the Rocks You may learn a great deal of wisdome from those little creatures By Faith and Prayer you should be working your selves further into the Rock of Ages and that Rock you will find impregnable 5. A Fifth Antidote against fear is an heavenly Conversation They who are much above that have their Treasure in that place where neither moth corrupteth nor thief approacheth will not be afraid of prisons of being robb'd of being slain for the Testimony of Jesus Their souls cannot be touched their best riches are durable and out of their enemies reach their adversaries cannot by distraining take away their glory or grace from them and when this life is done they will enter upon that life which is infinitely better They who walk closely with God and whose hearts as an heave-offering are frequently given to him being lifted up in his wayes who every day do take several turns in the City that hath foundations who often think of the glorious prize and what it will be to be perfectly holy and most fully satisfied in the uninterrupted and never ending enjoyment of God such will be indifferent what on earth they meet with they will not be afraid of what man can do since when their enemies do their worst they do their best for when they take away their lives they do but send them thither where they long and groan earnestly to be received and to make their everlasting abode The Apostle informs us That they who mind earthly things are enemies to the Crosse of Christ Phil. 3. 18 19. They feel not its crucifying vertue they are afraid of it they are offended at it but as for himself whose conversation was in heaven and who perpetually from thence was looking for a
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
heightned by Satan who endeavours what he can to impresse fear upon them He represents their approaching sufferings in the most amazing forms to their imaginations He tells them it will be sad to be the scorn of all that look on them to be counted the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things Sâ—tan tells them it will be sad to have their goods spoyled their houses taken from them or leveld with the ground to see their Families undone and pined with extremity of wanâ— to feel in their own persons the hand of violence especially when sinful compliance may prevent it The Devil buzzes in their ears nothing but Dungeons shackles swords axes faggots stakes furious flames and thus endeavours to fright them out of the way of righteousness And 't is not unusual when such dreadful things are represented to their imaginations to assault their faith and to pester them with unbelieving and blasphemous injections against Christ and his word endeavouring to make them question the certainty and truth of that glorious life and immortality which is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. And if these thoughts of infidelity are not watched and prayed against they will dead and overwhelm the heart and prove of a very sinking nature The Lord therefore is to be intreated to rebuke Satan who by such blasphemies strikes at his honour as well as at our safety and peace 4. Add also That Grace in believers is imperfect and therefore fear is the more incident There is much of corrupted as well as renewed Nature and corrupted nature sides with Satan to affrighten them that so they may cast faith and a good conscience over board to keep the Vessel from drowning and secure themselves In the second place I am to shew The unreasonablenesse of this fear in the Saint Now the unreasonableness of it will be abundantly evinced by these arguments 1. Let us compare the mightiest enemies of the Saints with him who is their helper Their adversaries may be mighty but their Helper is Almighty If the everlasting strength of the Lord Jehovab were but considered fear would be ashamed of it self in those that belong to him and are protected by him Believers enemies take the very proudest and strongest of them in comparison of God are but Nothing less than nothing and vanity Isa 40. And is it not unreasonable to be afraid of nothing and more unreasonable to be afraid of less than nothing O ye Saints remember what a power is for you whose hands uphold you even the very same that doth uphold all things Your enemies themselves are in Gods hands they cannot live or move or act without him they are but weapons in his hand which cannot strike one blow more than he sees needful to be given you all the wounds which they make shall be healing and by all their instruments of death they shall but push you forward and hasten you along in Heavens way And if your mighty God rebuke these persecutors presently they must stoop and bow and fall down before him He can tye their hands nay take away their breath when he listeth and when their breath goeth forth and they return to their dust all their thoughts and designs against you will perish their envy and revenge will be come to an end when once the vengeance of God which is the vengeance of hell fire hath taken hold of them The Grave and Hell will keep them far from ever molesting of you more 2. Let a comparison be made between the craâ—tinesse of believers enemies and their Gods wisdome The Lord knows the thoughts of man that they are vanity He sees their projects and knows how to frustrate their designs That 's a notable place Job 5. 12 13. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise he taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the counsel of the froward is carryed headlong The Lord is wise enough not only to deliver us but also to take the Politicians in their own craftiness He looks and laughs at the plots of Rome and Hell to undermine his Kingdom and that which they intend as a support to the principality of darkness shall prove its downfall and Sion shall be built on Babylons ruines Solomon sayes there is no wisdome nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord Prov. 21. 30. And by very good consequence there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against his people why then should his people fear If one wise man were able to defend a little City having few men in it against a great King that came against it and besieged it Eccl. 9. 14 15. Surely in the wisdome of the Lord who is only wise whose understanding is infinite there may be strong confidence 3. Again Compare the hatred of the Saints enemies with the love which the Lord bears them Great is the hatred of the world greater is the hatred of the Devil but oh by infinite degrees greater than either than both is the Love of God The Love of God to believers is very tender draws out his care towards them 't is a love that is unchangeable and so vast as passes all dimensions and understanding Therefore they may be emboldened and conclude that this love will be ten thousand times more beneficial than the hatred of any creature can possibly be injurious In the loving kindness of God there is very great security Psal 5. 12. For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with favour wilt thou compasse him as with a Shield Our enemies indeed may be many and may hate us with cruel hatred but their hatred can no more equal the love of God than their strength can vie with his most glorious power 4. To shew the unreasonableness of the Saints fear let this be considered That this God whose power and wisdom and love are thus beyond compare is ever with them Fear thou not sayes God by the Prophet for I am with thee Isa 4. 10. He is not out of the way when his people want him he is a present help in the time of need The Saints need not go far to seek their God he fills the earth as well as heaven and is alwayes ready to shew himself strong in the â—ehalf of those that trust in him The Lord is alwayes within hearing his eye is upon the righteous and his ear is open to their cry Psal 34. 15. He besets his people behind and before and layes his hand upon them surely their faith may conclude since God is so near them and does beset and fence them that they are in safeguard 5. The Lord hath engaged by an everlasting Covenant to be their God What or why therefore should believers fear Be not dismayed for I am thy God in that forecited place Isa 41. 10. The Lord stands nearly related to the Saints now 't is certain that Relation though 't is minimae entitatis yet 't is efficaciae
Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ he knew how to be abased how to be hungry now to suffer need and learned in whatever state he was therewith to be contented Phil. 4. 11 12. compared with v. 20. of ch 3. 6. A sixth Antidote against fear is a due consideration who your enemies and troublers are Bring them into the Sanctuary and there take a view of them weigh them in the ballance and themselves with all their power will be found so light that you will conclude that to be a very vain fear which such vain and weak creatures as they are do raise in you 1. Your enemies are but men let them do their worst their most they can but kill the body Cease ye from man saith the Prophet whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of The hand of man as 't is not able to suppoâ—t us so neither to throw us down and consequently he doth no more deserve to be feared than to be trusted in by us 2. Your enemies are men whom the Lord hates and sets his face against He ordains his arrows against the persecutors Psal 7. 13. God shall shoot at them suddenly shall they be wounded He is more angry at them than they can be enraged against you and it will not be long ere he ease himself and you â—oo of thâ—se burthensome oppressours Isa 1. 24. Therefore saith the Lord the Lord of Hosts the mighty one of Israel Ah I will case me of my adversaries and avenge me of my enemies Fear becomes them that have such a mighty God their enemy not you that have him to be your Father and Defender The Third Doctrine Among other troubles some believers endure bonds and imprisonment In the Catalogue of sufferings imprisonment is reckoned by the Holy Ghost Heb. 11. 36. And others had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment And the Apostle speaks after this manner Acts 20. 22 23. And now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me The members of Christ though made free by their Head yet may have fetters put upon them by unreasonable men In the imprisonment of the Saints two things are to be considered 1. Their confinement and the restraint that is laid upon them Liberty is agreeable to Nature 't is therefore a great tryal to lose it and the closer the imprisonment is Nature accounts it the more irksome To have lovers and friends and acquaintance put far away may well be lookt upon as a great affliction To be within double doors and those doubly barr'd to look through Iron grates is a condition which needs soâ—thing from above to sweeten it 2. Their being numbred among evil doers is another part of the imprisoned believers tryal As the Lord himself was numbred among the transgressours Isa 53. 12. so are his Prisoners The same Gaol contains Thieves and Harlots and the Witnesses of Jesus their innocency is â—ullâ—ed and things that they know not are laid to their charge But the Lord hath promised that within a while their righteousnesse shall be brought forth as the light and their judgment as the Noon day Psal 37. 6. Now the Reason why the Saints are imprisoned by their enemies is twofold 1. That they may be punished If their enemies can go no further they will go thus far and hereby they think to take some revenge upon them though they little imagine what a sweet place they send the Saints to God turns their revenge into a kindnesse 2. That they may be hindred from doing good is another Reason why the Saints are confined They went about doing good while Liberty was enjoyed therefore they are restrained and their feet made fast that they may no longer be thus employed though it be as their Lord and Master himself was in the dayes of his flesh But it is the application of this Doctrine I principally intend USE I. Of Direction how the Saints should behave themselves when they are imprisoned Their carriage I shall direct in these particulars 1. They must carry themselves humbly before God Sin and the desert of it should be called to remembrance and how a worse place than a prison hath been justly merited You should lament your not improving of Liberty while you had it your unprofitableness your unusefulness that so little good was done when you had opportunities in your hands The Crosse indeed that 's laid upon you is a badge of honour and yet withall there is somewhat medicinal in it which argues remainders of spiritual distempers that should be matter of humiliation The more humble and contrite you are the more visits you are likely to have from the High and Lofty One who inhabiteth Eternity He dwells with the lowly that he may revive the spirit of the humble and that he may revive the heart of the contrite ones Isa 57. 15. 2. You must carry your selves meekly and modestly towards your enemies you must bless them that curse you and pâ—â—y for your despightful persecutors Mat. 5. 44. Call not the Wild-fire of your own passions by the name of zeal and ever remember that excellent and divine Maxime The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God Jam. 1. 20. Imitate the perfect Pattern who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffer'd he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Meekness and humility will be lovely and convincing too in the eyes of your adversaries and they may be brought to acknowledge if Christ hath any followers that you do most resemble him and are likely to be the persons 3 Be not daunted at imprisonment Look with another kind of countenance than those do that suffer for evil doing Let not your joyes be so low as to be in the power of creatures to rob you of them Shew by your chearfulness you have chosen that good part which men cannot take away from you Check your spirits when they begin to despond and say with David Psal 43. ult Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God And that you may be thus fortified beg that the Lord would strengthen you according to his glorious power with all might unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Col. 1. 11. 4. Since you are taken off from other business abound the more in duty Now the Throne of Grace should be often visited and the Word which strengthens in weakness which revives in heaviness should be more than ever searched into It is meet that Prisons should be Houses of Prayer Being sequestred from the World you should be the mâ—re with God Pull up all the Flood-gates and let the stream of your affections run with an