with Joy in the midst of Troubles How is it possible me thinks for Souls to be dejected and cast down under Afflictions and to turn their backs of God in a day of Adversity if they did but seriously consider of these things For who is he that can harm you if you be followers of that which is Good 1 Pet. 3.13 See also that notable place 2 Cor. 4.16 17. where the Apostles themselves made this consideration a great support to their Souls under all their Troubles For which Cause sayes the Apostle we faint not but though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed Day by Day For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory So that you may see All our Temporal afflictions are but so many Soul Advantages and all our Earthly Lâ—sâ—es will be made up to us in Heavenly Treasure and all our Crosses will but make our Crown of Glory the greater therefore under this Consideration Let 's go forward with Boldness in the way of the Lord and never fear what Man can do unto us Gen. 50.20 Rea. 6. Because if we continue Faithful to God he will give us a Crown of Life and a Kingdom of Glory he will Eminently reward us with an unmoveable Kingdom and with an Incorruptible Inheritance which fadeth not away Though we may for a time be attended with a great many Troubles and Difficulties and may be exposed to many outward Calamities in this Life yet the time will come when we shall be wholly Freed from all Sorrow and Trouble of what Nature soever and shall be filled with unspeakable Joy in the Kingdom of Glory to all Eternity And this is that which may exceedingly Support us under Sufferings and Arm us against the Fear of Man to consider that we who are now Despised and Trampled under Foot and made as the off-scouring of the World shall one Day be Honoured and Dignified with a Crown of Glory and Exalted with Jesus Christ in his Throne and Kingdom Therefore saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.12 Compared with Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall also Reign with him and be Partners together with him in Glory Oh this may mightily encourage us to presevere with Boldness in the Work of the Lord and exceedingly Fortifie us against the Fear of Man and Ballance all Oppositions whatsoever and therefore you shall find our Saviour Christ makes this a grand Reason or Encouragement against Fear in the words of my Text Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock though you are but Little Mean and Contemptible in the Eyes of the World yet Fear not be not afraid of them which kill the Body and Endeavour like Wolves to destroy you Why what 's the matter that we must so little regard the Terrour of our Adversaries Why here 's the Business For it s your FATHERS good PLEASURE to give you the KINGDOM Therefore seeing we have such a glorious Portion to receive from the hands of our Heavenly Father let 's never be afraid of our Earthly Enemy See also that notable Text 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 certain Dayes yet notwithstanding Fear none of these things Though the Devil and his Instruments may prevail against thee for a season to Imprison and Persecute thee yet be not afraid but be thou faithful unto death and for thy Encouragement herein I will assure thee thou shalt lose nothing by it for thou shalt certainly receive a Crown of Life and be exalted with me in my Throne and Kingdom Therefore let us have respect unto this Recompence of Reward and chuse rather to suffer Afflictions with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season And let 's not be dejected nor cast down nor be afraid of our Adversaries when they reproach and imprison us and deprive us from our Callings and Relations and threaten us with Ruin and Desolation as to our outward man but let us be content and chearful if it be for Christ let them do their worst we shall have satisfaction enough at the day of Account when God makes up his Jewels and calls his People to their Crown and Kingdom For what man is there that would not be content and willing to lose a Penny or two Pence if he were sure to gain a Thousand Pounds by it How much more should we be content and willing to lose any thing of this World for Christ so long as we are sure we shall receive such an Eternal and unspeakable Portion in the World to come For every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Pather or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for Christ's sake shall receive an hundred fold at the Resurrection of the Just and in the World to come Everlasting Life Mat. 19.29 Therefore saith the Apostle James Chap. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive a Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to those that love him Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved Let us abound in the Work and Service of the Lord and never fear what man can do unto us I shall now come to make a little Use or Application of this Point and so proceed to a third and last Observation Use 1. Well then is it so That the Saints and People of God ought not to be Afraid of the worst that Man can do unto them Then in the first place by way of Caution Let us take heed of being fearful and faint-hearted in the VVork and Cause of God Let 's take heed of neglecting any part of our Duty towards God out of a slavish Fear towards the Threatnings of Man Oh! let us take heed now that we do not Dishonour the Lord and wrong our own Souls by a base fearful unbelieving spirit in this Day of Jacob's Troubles when the Lord shall call us forth to bear a Testimony for his Name and Cause which are so much Blasphemed and Trampled under foot as it is at this day Let us take heed that the Devil do not catch us in the snare of slavish Fear and so hinder us and stop us in our Proceedings for God and in our Resolutions for Christ and cause us to Comply with the Enemies of Godliness and joyn issue with the Workers of Iniquity to the great Dishonour of God and to the encouraging and gladning the hearts of our Enemies and to the wounding and sadning the Souls of those that are truly faithful I say let us take heed of these things lest we shamefully turn our backs of God in a day of Adversity out of a slavish Fear of Suffering from the hands of Men. Oh! we might here lament the Apostacy of abundance of Professors since the Lord hath been pleased
and GLORY Therefore he strictly charged them to walk worthy or sutable to that great Love of God which had graciously called them to such a GLORIOUS Kingdom And further saith he in another place Rom. 8.18 I Reckon that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the GLORY which shall be revealed There will be such Inestimable Glory revealed in and for the Saints when they enjoy this Kingdom as there is nothing comparable thereunto there is nothing here below worth the naming in comparison thereof Therefore sayes he in another place 2 Cor 4.17 Our Light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of GLORY So that this is also another thing which doth very much Demonstrate the Excellency of this Kingdom It is not onely a Heavenly Kingdom but a Heavenly Kingdom of GLORY And there is a Crown of Glory in it laid up for all the Little Flock of Christ 1 Pet. 5.1 3 4. verses 3. Lastly It is an unmoveable Kingdom or a Kingdom which cannot be moved It is such a Kingdom as can never be shaken nor moved by all the Powers on Earth nor it can never be thrown down nor destroyed by all the strength in the World All the Force and Violence that men and Devils can use against it can never shake nor move the Foundation of this Kingdom It far exceeds all the Kingdoms on Earth in this particular also For alas all the Kingdoms on Earth are Changeable and Mutable and are very subject to be subdued and destroyed by Power and strength But the Saints Kingdom is Unchangeable and Immutable an Inheritance which fadeth not away Alas the Kingdoms of this World are at no certainty they are often altering and changing in their affairs Sometimes to one thing and sometimes to another sometimes High and sometimes Low sometimes Rich and sometimes Poor sometimes Gaining and sometimes Losing sometimes Peace and sometimes War sometimes Prosperity and sometimes Adversity Alwayes Ebbing and Flowing Rising and Falling Changing and Turning from one thing to another Till many times Kings are even weary of their Kingdoms And again in the Kingdoms of this World things are so Mutable and subject to Change that it 's possible a man may be a King to day and a Beggar to morrow a man may be upon the Throne to day and upon the Dunghil to morrow a man may be in great Honour to day and in great Reproach to morrow yea a man may be a Ruler to day and over-ruled himself to morrow so variable and changable are even the best things of this life By which means all things here below are but vanity and vexation of spirit But now it is not so in the Saints Kingdom it 's altogether Unmovable and Unchangable there 's nothing can alter or change the Excellency of that Kingdom there 's nothing can stain the Glory nor diminish the Beauty of that Kingdom but as it is a Heavenly Kingdom now so it will be a Heavenly Kingdom for EVER and as it is a Glorious Kingdom now so it will be a Glorious Kingdom for Ever and as it is full of Beauty and Majesty now so it will be full of Beauty and Majesty for EVER So that this is also another thing which doth exceedingly proclaim the Excellency of this Kingdom Therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be MOVED let us hold fast Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear Mark not only a Kingdom but a Kingdom which CANNOT be MOVED not only a Building but an ETERNAL Building 2 Cor. 5.1 not only a City but a City which hath FOUNDATIONS whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11.10 not only an Inheritance but an INCORRUPTIBLE Inheritance which fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1.4 So that these three things seriously considered do exceedingly discover the unspeakable Excellency of that Kingdom which the Saints and People of God shall one day receive for their Reward and Portion First It is a HEAVENLY Kingdom Secondly It is a GLORIOUS Kingdom Thirdly It is an UNMOVABLE Kingdom Which being put together make a HEAVENLY GLORIOUS UNMOVABLE Kingdom An excellent Habitation an appointed Portion a precious Reward for the People of God So much shall suffice concerning the Excellency of this Kingdom it self I shall now come to speak something concerning the Priviledges of God's People in this Kingdom and endeavour to give you a glimpse or a Discovery of that Glory and Happiness which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this Heavenly Glorious Unmovable Kingdom The Happiness and Priviledges of God's People in this Kingdom consist in these two general Heads First A Freedome from all Evill Secondly An Enjoyment of all Good But more particularly First They shall be all Righteous and without Sin they shall be altogether pure and without spot they shall be altogether clean and without Corruption they shall be altogether Holy and without Pollution This is a glorious State and one excellent Priviledge that the Saints shall be made partakers of in this Heavenly Kingdom They shall be wholly freed from Sin and Iniquity and put out of a Capacity of ever Sinning more Oh! this is a blessed Priviledge indeed and much to be desired and longed after Oh! saith many a gracious Soul If I were but altogether free from Sin and Iniquity I should think my self in a happy Condition indeed Oh! If I were but in such a State as that I could never Sin against God what a blessed Condition should I be in But this is such a Condition as cannot be attained on this side the Grave this is such a Priviledge as cannot be found in an Earthly Pilgrimage for alas now we are subject to Sin every day and lyable to fall into Iniquity every hour and many Temptations offer themselves unto us and spread themselves before us and many times occasion us to Sin against the Lord and endanger the destruction of our Souls But now when the Saints enjoy this Kingdom they shall be altogether free from Sin and Iniquity and perfectly Pure and Undefiled before the Lord And all Temptations and all occasions of Sin shall be wholly removed and taken away and they shall never be in a Capacity to Sin any more against the Lord but they shall be all a Tree of Righteousness planted by the pure hand of the Lord And there shall be no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his Servants shall Reign and serve him for Ever and Ever Revel 22.3 5. See also Revel 14.5 And in their mouth was found no guile for they are WITHOUT FAULT before the Throne of God There 's nothing of GUILT to be laid to their Charge there 's nothing of BLAME to be found amongst them there 's none can accuse them of any FAULT But they are altogether RIGHTEOUS without SIN and they shall inherit the
City but we seek one to come that so in all things we may dignifie our Heavenly Profession and walk worthy of God who hath called us to his Kingdom and Glory alwayes remembring the counsel of the Apostle Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us hold fast Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Thus much for the second Use by way of Examination intermixt with a word of Caution But Thirdly by way of Encouragement 3. Use Is it so that the Lord is pleased to provide and prepare such a Glorious Kingdom for his People Oh then this may mightily encourage us to hold out in a time of Tryal and to continue faithful for God in a suffering day Oh! the consideration of this blessed Reward may exceedingly support us under Sufferings and make us valiant for God in a day of Trouble and ballance all oppositions whatsoever for whatever we suffer or undergo for Christ will be nothing in comparison of the Glory that shall be revealed for us in this Heavenly Kingdom whatever we lose for Christ shall be exceedingly rewarded with great advantage whatever difficulties we are exposed unto for God shall be wonderfully requited in this Kingdom of Glory Oh! how may this bear up our souls in Trouble and make us rejoyce under all our sufferings Oh! how may this greatly encourage us to run with patience the Race that is set before us and lightly esteem the storms and styles that lye in our way for consider What can we suffer here that is worth the naming if we compare it with this Recompence of Reward Art thou in Trouble well be content it is but for a while and this Kingdom will ease thee and thou shalt never be in Trouble any more Art thou in Sorrow well endeavour to be cheerful remember in thy Fathers Kingdom there is fulness of Joy and there thou shalt be eternally happy Art thou deprived of worldly possessions and so exposed to hunger and want well be of good cheer still thou art Heir to a Heavenly Kingdom and there thou shalt never hunger any more Art thou in danger of losing thy life for the sake of Christ well be it so part with it freely this Kingdom will make amends for all thou shalt be sure to find it again and be crowned with Life Eternal Oh! who then would part with this Heavenly Kingdom for a little outward ease and bodily advantage which may last but for a day who then would leave and forsake this Eternal Reward to avoid a little temporal Trouble and turn their backs upon a Glorious Kingdom to escape a few light afflictions Who then would change this infinite Portion for a little trifling vanity and sell this eternal Inheritance for that which profiteth not but rather let 's be encouraged to continue faithful in our Testimony for God whatever it may cost us and let 's lift up our heads with Joy and be exceeding cheerful under all our persecuting Troubles for whatever our condition is yet still our Kingdom-Portion remains firm and sure without corruption and can never be taken away from us unless we deprive our selves of it by our sinning against the Lord. You shall find that this very consideration did exceedingly encourage the primitive Christians in the Apostles dayes to hold out with joy under all their sufferings see that notable instance Heb. 10.32 33 34. where the Apostle is putting of them in mind of their former great and grievous sufferings and commending of them for their excellent behaviour under them But call to remembrance sayes the Apostle the former dayes in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions partly whilst ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used for ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoyling of your goods Here was a great storm of afflictions and abundance of sufferings that befel these poor primitive Christians in their journey towards Heaven Here were mockings and reproaches and many other afflictions together with plundering and spoyling of goods and yet they were so far from being discouraged at these things as that they did not only take them patiently but joyfully Why what was the matter that these Christians were so joyful under their sufferings and so much supported and encouraged under all their afflictions why this was the business They knew in themselves that in HEAVEN they had a BETTER and an ENDURING Substance They knew that though they were Losers now yet they should be great Gainers in the Kingdom of Heaven They knew that there was a Reward laid up for them in Heaven which would abundantly make them amends for all their losses and sufferings here They knew that their Portion in Heaven was unmoveable and nothing could spoyl that eternal Inheritance Therefore they did not value the loss of any thing here below so long as they had an interest in such a Heavenly-enduring Substance See also the example of Moses where it is notably laid down for our encouragement under this very consideration Heb. 11.24 25 26. Who when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Mark He left and forsook all the pleasures of Pharoah's Court and denyed the Princely promotion of Egypt and made a voluntary choice of a suffering path with despised People rather than a pleasant Pasture with honourable Society Esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt when he might have enjoyed great honour and dignity in the Court of a King he chused rather shame and reproach in a suffering Wilderness and accounted that the wisest choice and the greatest happiness Why what was the reason of all this what was the matter with Moses that he did so wilfully chuse to suffer afflictions when he might have enâ—oyed his pleasure and content himself with shame and reproach when he might have enjoyed great honour and dignity Why here was the busifiness FOR sayes the Text he had respect unto the RECOMPENCE of REWARD He had such a love to the Kingdom of Heaven that he did not value the Treasures of Egypt he had such an eye to the Reward in heaven that he did not matter the pleasures on earth for he knew and did believe that all things should work together for his good and great advantage and that he should be abundantly requited in this Heavenly Kingdom Therefore so long as he kept up his interest there he had more comfort in suffering afflictions than he could have had in the enjoyment of all the world without it for the least Branch of this Heavenly Happiness is better worth than all the pleasures under the Sun Therefore the consideration of this Heavenly Reward did make him deny
his earthly Glory and Dignity and did mightily bear up his soul in the midst of sufferings Yea further let me tell you this very Consideration was a great support even unto our Saviour Christ himself under all his afflictions and a great comfort to him in all his sufferings therefore we are exhorted to consider his example and to make him our pattern in this very particular Heb. 12.2 3. where the Apostle bids us Look unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the JOY that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame and is now set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Mark The JOY that was set before him and the Crown that was laid up for him was that which did exceedingly bear up his Soul to endure the Cross and carry him forth to despise the Shame for he knew that though he was attended with sorrows here on Earth yet there was joy enough in Heaven to make him amends for all And though he was now cloathed with shame and reproach yet he should shortly be cloathed with Glory and Majesty in his Fathers Kingdom and for his Cross he should receive a Heavenly Crown Therefore he willingly bore the Cross and patiently underwent the Reproach knowing that this Glorious Reward would largely requite him for all his Troubles Therefore sayes the Apostle Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds When we are surrounded with Sorrow and compassed about with Troubles let 's remember our Heavenly Portion where we shall have fulness of joy and pleasures for ever and when we are attended with crosses and several calamities then let 's remember our Crown of Glory reserved for us in our Fathers Kingdom Let us in all things consider the example of Jesus Christ and be sure to follow his steps and then we shall be sure to partake of the same encouragement and be in a better capacity to run with patience the Race that is set before us Thus much for the third Use by way of Encouragement But Fourthly by way of Exhortation this may serve to exhort us to three things First Seeing it is so That the Lord hath so much tender love and respect for his People as to provide and prepare a Kingdom for them Oh! then let us be exhorted to increase and abound in our love one towards another Let us be sure to continue stedfast in Brotherly Love and to abound in Christian charity one towards another as becomes the Elect of God for if the Lord himself have such Bowels of Love and Affection for them as to honour them with a Crown and Kingdom how much more should we have Bowels of Love and affection one towards another for whom this Kingdom is provided And if the Lord himself tender his People as the Apple of his Eye and count them worthy of Eternal Glory Oh! how may this engage us to be tender one towards another and count one another worthy of respect and love yea it may engage us to manifest abundance of tender love and cordial affection even to the meanest and poorest of the Lords People yea though they be never so contemptible in the eyes of the World and never so mean and low in their earthly stations yet let us be tender towards them and embrace them in love and let us account them honourable and esteem them lovely for they are all Heirs of a Glorious Kingdom and they are all the dearly Beloved of the Lord Therefore this may engage us to love one another and this may engage us to be exceeding careful of each others welfare Therefore sayes the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.11 Beloved if God so loved us how ought we to love one another If the Lord himself hath so much love for us as to make us heirs of life and glory how should this enjoyn us to endeavour to exceed in our love one towards another and to abound in our affections towards all Saints Oh! let us take heed of slighting and contemning one another and let us take heed of scorning and setting at nought even the very poorest and meanest of Gods Jewels But let all those that truly fear the Lord be dear and precious to us though they are never so vile and ridiculous in the account of the World for they are all lovely in the sight of God and they are all precious in the eyes of the Lord and we are all his Children by faith in Jesus Christ therefore let us live in unity and love like Brethren Let us get and maintain an affection suitable to our Spiritual Relation and be sure to discharge a tender duty one towards another for we are all Children of one Father and we are all fed from one Fountain and we all belong to one Family and we are all Heirs to one Kingdom Therefore let us take heed of dividing in our Love and of difference in Affection seeing we are all one in Spiritual Relation and all concern'd in one Portion and seeing we are all travelling towards one Country and all journying towards one Land Oh! let us take heed that we do not quarrel and fall out by the way but rather let us like honest Travellers love and pitty one another and comfort and encourage one another and bear one anothers burden and help one another forward in our progress towards Heaven that so we may manifest our selves to be the Children of God and the Disciples of Christ by our love and affection one towards another and that we may make it appear to the world that we are living Christians by our love to Christians and that we are Born of God by our love to his Begotten for sayes the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death Mark He that hath not love and affection towards his Christian Brethren it is an evident sign that he is in a state of Death and that he is very unfit to stand as a Member in the Church of Christ for he is of no more use there than a rotten Branch in a fruitful Tree or a wooden legg in a mans Body which stands only for an outward shew but hath no life in it to refresh the Body and if all the members of the Body should be afflicted with grief yet still that would feel no pain nor would not at all be sensible of the Bodies sufferings and the reason is because it 's a dead member and wants the life that maintains and feeds the Body even so it is with a professed Christian that wants love to his Brethren he can hear of the afflictions of his Brethren and not at all be troubled and he can understand that his Brethren are in great want and misery and have no sympathy nor fellow-feeling with them in their condition and the reason is because he is