Ps 119.114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy word He made the word the man of his Counsels and so it was the man of his comforts Fifthly labour to get a right esteem of sufferings esteem them as a priviledge an honour as well as a duty that will make you suffer joyfully ye must not onely look to your innocency to take heed that you suffer not from God while you suffer for God but turne your afflictions into a right stream and channell to us it is given saith the Apostle not onely to beleive but also to suffer for his sake he looked upon it as a Largess Chrysost saith of Paul that he boasts most of this I Paul the prisoner of the Lord he does not boast of his high offices knowledge of arts and sciences great and glorious Revelations no but the glories in his sufferings as in his own narrative it appeares 2 Cor. 11.23 ad finem capitis 2 Cor. 11 23. in labours more aboundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in death oft c. Sixthly take heed of consulting with flesh and blood the flesh is a jade that will kick at sufferings when Peter grew carnal and fleshly his voice was no better then this Master save thy self which motion Christ rejected with a get thee behinde me Satan Looke not at the making of your own Interest but advance the Interest of Christ and the Gospel your endeavours to save your own selves will but make you stumble at the Cross of Christ Direct 7 Seaventhly labour for a double portion of the Spirit of grace of love and of a sound minde This is our victory whereby wee overcome the world even our faith love is as strong as death as powerfull as the grave the waters of affliction cannot quench but will enflame it 't will make you chose as Moses did rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin which are but for a season Eightly Direct 8. 1 Cor. 15.31 Heb. 13.13 1 Cor. 7.30 take heed of being overcome with love to the world I protest by your rejoyceing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die dayly Wee must goe forth unto Christ without the Camp bearing his reproach If wee would rejoyce in the world it must be as if wee rejoyced not and if wee buy as if wee possessed not Our rejoyceing should be in God not in the world for the fashion thereof passeth away in a day of prosperity wee are too apt to be fil'd with carnall joy Gal. 6.14 and oft tymes wee have the more heavenly joy in God in a day of Adversity God forbid I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I am crucified unto the world A holy contempt of the world will best lead you to a holy joy in God Direct 9 Ninthly be much in the consideration of Heaven that will make amends fot all your sufferings on earth thou shalt make me glad with the light of thy countenance thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fullness of joy at they right hand there are pleasures for ever more And in the Acts 2.25 26. it is said of David in the person of Christ Psal 16. ult that he foresaw the Lord alwayes before his face therefore did my heart rejoyce and my tongue was glad moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope O the blessed enjoyment of God reserved for the next world the glorious vision and fruition of God that is to be enjoy'd in heaven the communion that is to be enjoyed with the glorious Angels and Saints in Heaven will sweeten all Rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Luke 10.20 in the Lambs book of life if your names are written in blood or in water in the worlds Calander yet they are written in gold in the Lambs book of life with in a few dayes you shall enter into your Masters joy I reckon not the sufferings of this present tyme worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed in us Look upon sin and hell and then sufferings and heaven will appear the highest good I read of one that spent his tyme in reading of three leaves the black leafe of his own sins the red leafe of Christs blood and the white leafe of Heaven and Eternity Three leafes worth the reading of For this cause wee faint not while wee looke not at the things which are seen and temporall but at those things which are not seen but eternall Labour to make a right comparison between the horrour of hell and the happiness of Heaven get a greater assurance of Heaven 1 Pet. 1.3 that ye may rejoyce in the hope that is laid up for you in Heaven This was that those scattered Sants blessed God for Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his aboundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the resurrecton of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance incorruptable and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you This made them breake out into a triumphant doxology this made the Martyrs hearts leap for joy under their sufferings for Christ even the thoughts of Heaven and that blessed eternity to which they were going holy Ignatius triumphed going to suffer at Rome yea gloried and triumphed to think that the Lord would come to reckon for blood Tenthtly and lastly labour to get your hearts discharged of carnall and slavish fear perfect love casteth out fear be not affraid to die and you will not be affraid to suffer Yee may thresh the body of a poor man but yee cannot hurt the jewel of his soul Threaten saith the Emperour what yee will I fear nothing but sin fear not them that can kill the body and after that have no more that they can doe but I will forewarn you whom yee should fear fear him that when he hath kill'd hath power to destroy both body and soul in hell fire Why shoul'st thou fear a mortall man that hath his breath in his Nostrils or his bigg words or staring face doe men threaten imprisonment God threatens hell Doe they promise great rewards if ye will but comply with them Aske them as the Father did whether they can give that to you they would take from you The sixt Proposition is this That the Consideration of Christs name that is concern'd in the sufferings of the Saints is sufficient to encourage them under them Doct. 6 They rejoyced they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name sake not for their own name The great ground of joy under sufferings is Christs name 2 Cor. 4.11 For wee which live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh Christs
must be 1 1. What kind of joy yee must leave First spiritual not carnal in spiritual objects in things spiritual it must be a pure and refined joy Jesus rejoyced in spirit Luke 10.21 The joy of the Lord must be your strength your joy must be pure and spirituall Secondly a serious not a light frothy joy Hebr. 12.5 we must glory not sport it under afflictions and tribulations Wee must not dispond nor yet make light of afflictions if we make light of afflictions God will make them heavy true joy should be a serious thing Thirdly it must be a practicall joy Luke 6.23 puting the soul on to duty engageing the soul under all afflictions to manifest our joy by outward signes a leaping of heart and body it comes from and is an allusion to the danceing of the Galyard or leaping of young cattel that are wanton or as some carry it to the joy that a Bridegroom takes in his Bride upon their marriage day Fourthly it must not be a passionate and transient but a permanent and lasting joy they rejoyced in Christs light for a tyme but when persecution came they were offended Moses was faithfull over all his house as a servant but Christ as a son whose house wee are if wee hold fast the beginning of our confidence and the rejoyceing of hope firme to the end Heb. 3.6 Strengthened with all might to endure with patience and long suffering with joyfullness Our joy must be such as the Apostles was here they were constant that accompanied their joy A saint indeed may have some mixtures of sadness but though heavyness endure for a night joy comes in the morning A beleivers joy is not like that of a hypocrite that lasts but for a moment but constant like the conflict of winde and fire that encreaseth it the more so must afflictions That Apostle that failed before in his speeches and doctrine could now rejoyce in his stripes he that before trembled at the look of a silly damsel now could look upon the face of a great and learned Councel But you will say 10. Direct and Helps what shall wee doe to attaine such a blessed frame of spirit I will propound you some directions to help you herein Direct 1 First 1 Pet. 4.12 if yee would be joyfull under your sufferings for Christs sake Enure your selves to them count not the fiery tryall a strange thing wee entertaine strangers with dissatisfaction but friends with joy and delight receive not sufferings as strangers but friends and then yee will bid them welcome wee are like Ephraim unaccustomed to the yoak and that maks us to entertaine afflictions so unwillingly A suit at first puting on pinches but afterward becomes easie a Bird at first puting into the Cage is dampish but afterwards being satisfied sings sweetly Fox vol. 2. pag. 277. Mr. Bilney in prison divers times proved the fire by putting his finger near to the candle at the first touch of the candle his flesh resisting and he with drawing his finger did after chide his flesh in these words Quid unius membri inustionem ferre non potes quo pacto cras totius corporis conflagrationem tolerabis What said he canst thou not bear the burning of one member and how wilt thou endure to morrow the burning of the whole body I feel and have known it long by philosophy that fire is hot yet I know some recorded in Gods word even in the flame felt no heat and I believe that though my body will be wasted by it my soul shall be purged thereby Direct 2 Secondly be sure ye suffer upon good grounds suffer warrantably and innocently warrantably when you must either sin or suffer or when the Truth must suffer for want of your Testimony Innocently sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and make him your fear and your dread and be ready to give an answer to every one of the hope that is in you be sure ye suffer with a good conscience 't is the winde in the bowels of the earth that causeth the Earth-quake Innocency is an excellent Target under sufferings A Roman Lady being carried to prison when great with child when the tyme of her travail came cried out much sayes the Jaylor to her what ails you how will you burn or bear it to be pricked upon the point of a sword O! quoth she now I suffer as a malefactor then I shall suffer as a Martyr Look you have no sin in your sufferings if ye would have joy I have read of many that have for fear or love of the world turn'd back and apostatized yet their persecutors would make them suffer and they did it with great trouble Labour to be able to say Lord 't is not so much for mine as thy sake that I suffer Direct 3 Tirdly if so be ye would suffer for the name of Christ get a right understanding of the cross look on both sides of suffering observe the sharpness on the one and yet the sweetness on the other hand I have read of a picture that had the deformed shape of a Monster on the one side and the face of a beautifull virgin on the other so are sufferings black on one side and beautifull on the other when wee judge of the Bee by her sting wee can't bear with her but consider honey with it and she is acceptable Remember the joyfullness of afflictions as well as the grieviousness of them and you will be taken off all prejudices against it Tribulation works patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost God gives all out of love in proportion and in infinite wisdome which he will shew in due tyme. The ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their hands though now they have sorrow in their hearts Direct 4 Fourthly Rev. 2.2 comp with 3. if you would suffer joyfully for Christ then labour for joy in doing work this will make way for joy in suffering Rev. 2.2 3. compared I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted the soul that comes once to worke and labour will come to patience and will not faint if ye would bear Christs Cross joyfully 1 Tim. 4.8 9. labour to bear his yoak joyfully for bodily exercise profiteth little but godlyness is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation I count not my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have recived of the Lord Jesus Acts 20.24 to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God what follows but I am willing to die at Jerusalem for the name of Jesus
belike Christ not onely in the end and forme but in the means Sin resembles a man to the Devil but sufferings resembles a man to Christ From hence Con ∣ sidera ∣ tion 1 First consider ye had need look you be right in the way of your profession least while ye suffer for God ye also suffer from God It will be a sad thing to be cast out of earth for making a profession and to be cast out of heaven for making no more then a profession to suffer for Christ here on earth and to suffer from Christ hereafter in Hell to eternity Look that ye be right in your profession and ye will finde comfort in your affliction Con ∣ sid 2 Secondly if the saints must suffer from the world then let them not suffer from one another if the beasts of the forrest Psal 22.12 the bulls of Bashan push at them let not the Lambs push one at another Doe they suffer from the world That is no great matter but to suffer from familiar friends is too much If it had been mine enemy saith David I could have born it Psal 55.12 13. and 41.9 v. but it was thou my familiar friend who took sweet councel together c. It is said in a prophesie of Christ Zech. 13.6 v. He was wounded in the house of his friends that augmented the grief Con ∣ sid 3 Thirdly let every man then enter the lists of profession but with an expectation of sufferings and afflictions Object The bullet may miss you it 's an ill Battel were none ' scapes Ans But it may hit you as well it 's strange if a man will live godly in Christ Jesus if he don't suffer persecution either by the tongues or by the hands of wicked men It was an excellent speech of the Lord Brook that he that undertakes in the way of Christianity it is a vain thing for him to think of saving any thing but his soul ye may be call'd out to resist unto Blood striveing against sin and as Gods mercy towards the end of the Churches troubles will be sweetest so the Devil's rage will be greatest and though ye have had halcyon dayes of peace and have but the prick of a pin insteed of the point of a sword yee may yet meet with the tail of the storme the worst may be behinde Second proposition is this That reproach and shame is part of Gods peoples sufferings here in the world Doct. 2 It is their portion a peculiarity of the saints to suffer shame for Christs sake They that are highly esteemed with God are commonly cast out with men They lie here oft-tymes among the pots whom God intends for the fairest Cup-board of heavenly glory in the world to come They manifested open indignity to the Apostles two severall wayes by words and by blows reproach before Magistrats is a shame in the worlds Calender Those whom God doe honour one way or another the wicked will dishonour The wickeds spight is against god but Panther-like if they can't reach the person they 'l tear the picture though the consciences of Gods people compurgats them yet the world maks no conscience of condemning Psal 44.13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us A reproach to men on every side hedged in and compassed about with reproaches scandals and slanders Psal 79.4 so Psal 79. v. 4. wee are become a reproach to our neighbours ascorn and a derision to them that are round about us You see the church of God where-ever at one tyme or other were under reproaches Isaac the Son of the promise was scoffed at by Ishmael Gal. 4.29 this is called persecution But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit so it is now Thus it was with holy Job when he was made an out cast by his friends Job 16.8 9. that made of him no more then a Hypocrite He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me he gnasheth upon me with his teeth mine enemy sharpneth his eyes upon me They gaped upon me with their mouth they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully they have gathered themselves together againse me And will ye step a little farther and see David In my adversity they rejoyced c. this was the measure this holy man of God met with in his tyme and the Prophet Isa saith Isa 8.18 that the professers of his tyme were signs and wonders in Israel◠Zion is an out cast whom no man seeks after an out cast that no man seeks after Jer. 30.17 Lam. 1.7 21. So Jerusalem what she came to be in her distresses They have heard that I sight there is none to comfort me all mine enemies have heard of my trouble they are glad that thou hast done it And this Is common with all the saints for such as are guilty of oppression Lam. 2 15 16. are guilty likewise of Columnies so chap. 2. is this the city of solemnities All that pass by clap their hands at thee they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole earth All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee they hiss and gnash the teeth they say wee have swallow'd her up certainly this is the day that wee looked for wee have found wee have seen it Thus they please themselves with scoffing at the poor Church and people of God Psal 69.20 Lam. 3.30 Reproaches have broken my heart saith the Psalmist in the person of Christ so Lam The church there saith she gave her cheeks to him that smot her she was filled full i th reproaches Thus both the worship and worshippers of God have been made a reproach in the world The word of the Lord in the prophesie of Jer. 6.10 was a reproach unto that wicked generation Jer. 6.10 to whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear behold the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it Jer. 20. v. 18. and so chap. 20.18 he speaks again of the reproaches he met withall there he saith he came forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow that his dayes should be consumed with shame The spirit of God tells the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 33.30 concerning the children of the people not enemies onely but the children of the people are taking against thee by the wall 's and in the doors of the houses they snarld at the word of the Lord. Thus all the Prophets under the old and Christ and his Apostles under the New Testament have been accounted vilely off Paull call'd a seditious fellow Christ called the Carpenters Son no better title could they afford him And they thought they had hit the bird on the eye when they said have any of the Rulers beleived