The use The use * Note Let us learne that carnall bands can not tie men in spirituall matters neere in bloud but not in GOD can not have solide love Dan. 2.43 they are like the yron and myrie clay of the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image which could not cleave one to another By this let us know what it is of all sortes of friendship that is not grounded upon God Observe here againe The doctrine that Christ saith heere they shall cause some of you to be put to death some but not all where wee may learne that God calleth not all his servants to be Martyres * Note When Peter had heard of Christ that in his old dayes he should bee a martyre hee incontinent enquired what should become of John Lord said he Ioh. 21.21 and what shall this man doe as if he had said shall hee bee bound and led away also the Lords answere was what is that to thee * The Lord in his wisdome permitteth some of his servants to be all their dayes like Peter when hee was young having libertie to gird themselves and goe whether they would to bee free of fetters and prison Iohn 21.18 Sometimes hee will hide his servants from troubles Isa 26.20 Come my people said he enter into thy chambers and shut thy doores about thee hide thy self for a little moment untill the indignation be past Some of his servants he will laden with temporall blessings in aboundance Eze. 34.15 I said the Lord will feede my flock and I will cause them to lie downe all they that worship as upon fat leasures * Note All the true worshippers of God are not alwayes poore and leane no not the psalmest saith that they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship Psal 22.29 that is the rich and wealthy as well as the poore shall be servants to the Lord. Abraham was rich and Jacob was rich and Job was rich and the three wise men that came to worship Christ in the cratch were wealthy they opened their treasures and presented unto Christ gifts gold Mat. 2.11 frankincense and myrrhe All these and many moe were by God made fat upon the earth and they did eate and did truely worship the Lord in all sinceritie * Note Others againe by his divine dispensation he will appoint in a poore estate to wander about in sheepeskins and goatskins Heb. 11.37 being like Joshuah clothed with filthy garments Zech. 3.3 or like Gibionites going with old and clouted shooes Iosh 9.5 Others hee will put to a strict forme of life in a sober diet Ier. 35.9 like the Rechabites who had no houses to dwell in and did drink only water others as here he will suffer to be put to death of all these I will say this is the generation of them that seeke him Psal 24.6 The use * The use Note If the Lord permit our lot to be so that we like those of my text be put to death let us count it an honour to die for Christ is truely to die in the bed of honour How many Souldiours for a triffle by day will goe boldly and adventure their life upon the mouth of a Canon upon a breach or in the open field But O for a kingdome and for a kingdome in Heaven what should a man refuse either to do or suffer III. PART Hatred for his Names sake WE have heard how the Lord hath given his disciples warning of three particulars evils that were to come upon them the first was a betraying of them by their parents brethren kinsmen and friends the second was a causing of some of them to be put to death of those we have spoken Now the third followeth which is an universall hatred for Christs Names sake Ye said he shall be hated of all men for my Names sake In these words I shall consider these three things first there is a hatred against Gods servants foretold Yee shall be hated said Christ secondly hee declareth that this hatred shall be very great even universall Yee shall bee hated of all men thirdly he sheweth for what cause For my Names sake 1. Hatred against Gods Servants FIrst the Lord warneth his disciples heere of a great evill Yee said he shall be hated Hatred is the very dregges of wrath Ira odium generat for great wrath at last turneth into hatred He saith not unto his Disciples Men shall bee angrie at you but he saith Yee shall be hated this is an effect of hatred these that hate any desire neither to heare nor to see them Ammon after hee beganne to hate Tamar could not suffer her to tary any longer in his sight but caused thrust her out at doores 2 Sam. 13.17 1 King 22.8 King Ahab could not hear the preachings of Micajah his reason was I hate him Observe here that Gods servants have this among many other troubles The doctrine they are hated this is verie grievous to Gods children Jsaack compleined that Abimelechs servants had hated him and sent him away Gē 26.27 from this puddle of hatred issue out the streames of brawlings and debates Pro. 10.12 Hatred saith Salomon stirreth up strifes * Note The wicked can not suffer Gods children to live in peace because they hate them and they can not but hate them because light and darknesse can have no communion 2 Cor. 6.14 15. Christ can not have concord with Belial The use * The use Note Let Gods children heere learn what they have to look for in this world let them live like Angels they shall not faile to bee hated this must not seeme strange unto us when wee are abhorred by the men of the world Gods dearest ones have beene this dealt with Jacob was hated of Esau Gen. 27.41 and Ahab hated good Micajah yea 1 Kin. 22.8 and the world hated Christ himselfe If saith Christ the world hate you Ioh. 15.18 yee know that it hated me before it hated you wee must looke for no better and therefore resting upon the love of God we must contemne the hatred of the world * Note It is but a little matter to bee so hated of the world that a man bee called after the name of Isaacks second Well sitnah that is hatred Gen. 26.21 if so be that with Solomon he be Gods jedidiah beloved of the Lord. 2 Sam. 12.25 2. The universalitie of the hatred YEE have heard how Christ hath said to his servants Yee shall be hated Secondly it followeth that wee consider the Universalitie of this hatred Yee said he shall bee hated of all men Heere it may be objected how could that be If they were to be hated of all men they should bee hated of the godly also * Note To this I answere briefly By all men wee must understand all sort of men whether rich or poore noble or
Job said to his naughtie friends How long will yee vexe my soule and breake me in pieces with words * Note In my judgement Satan in this land hath a nest of cockatrices egges where for a time he sitteth very still and quyet untill he hath hatched a number of traitours divelish Doegs who being his chickens will anone come out of his nest and flie abroad for the delating and betraying of many * Note There bee in this land many professours they are not papists but what then Give them peace and plentie and let them see the rivers Job 20.17 the floods the brooks of honey and butter and little shall they care for any Religion all is one to them to be for God or for Baal they have a stomach of an Ostrich that will be able to digest a service book before they losse a ridge of their land before such take up Christs Crosse to suffer they will rather take up the Tabernacle of Moloch Act. 7.43 and the star of the god Remphan Such with all their faire outward profession in dayes of peace are but like a potsheard Pro. 23.23 covered with silver drosse Others are Judas like who first served Christ for the bagge Math. 27.3 and afterwards served his enemies for thirtie pieces of silver * Note Thousands if they once imagine that there is more profite by serving the queene of Heaven then the KING of Heaven will keepe all their incense and drink offerings for her who would have thought that ever Gods people would have spoken these words Jer. 44.18 Since wee left off to burne incense to the queene of Heaven that is to the Sunne or Moone we have beene consumed by the sword and by the famine * Note Thousands in this land who have subscribed with their hand unto the LORD Isa 44.5 and surnamed themselves Covenanters are this day readie like Ahola and Aholibah Ezek. 23.5 to play the harlot with idoles before that for Religion they put on the sheep-skins and the goat-skins Heb. 11.37 for to go wander up and down or for to dwell in caves * Note or to quite their dainties for like poor bodies to go in rags Job 30.4 and cut up mallowes by the bushes and juniper roots for their meate Alas the love of Christ constraineth few in this land to have but a resolution to suffer Wee of this nation for the most part are like the church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 wee have a name that wee live but are dead yea Eze. 24.6 we are like a pot whose scumme is not gone out of it there be few that regard that glorious Covenant of life and peace Mal. 2.5 to many may be said Mal. 2.8 Yee have corrupted the Covenant of Levi. * Note Fy fy upon the treachery of many fy upon our divisions Have we not all one Father Mal. 2.10 Hath not one God created us Are we not all men of one countrey Have we not of late beene all compassed with the common enemie papists atheists and Armenians Have we not all sworne one Covenant Have wee not abjured all divisive motions And now why do we deale treacherously every man against his brother Mal. 2.10 by profaining the Covenant of our Fathers And now why are we become treacherous to Christ our husband as women that breake wedlock Eze. 16.38 Our danger Gen. 4.7 like Cains sin lieth at the door our iniquities have highly provoked God to wrath He in a rage may justly say to this nation as in Hoseas time hee said to Israel Yee have transgressed my Covenant Hol. 8.1 and trespassed against my Law If we repent not in time he in his furie shall joine the bloody sword with this threatned famine Ezek. 14.17 saying Sword goe through the land At such a time as this it was heard in Israel Thus saith the Lord Ezek. 21.9 Say a sword a sword is sharpened and also fourbished 10. It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter it is fourbished that it may glitter should we then make mirth Is this a time for laughter We are called to lamentations Zeph. 2.2 for the Decree is so far advanced against us that except with all haste wee returne to God wee shall be made a spectacle of amazement though these three men Noah Daniel Eze. 14.20 and Job were all three this day living in Scotland they should not be able to deliver us Who doth not see most fearfull breaking out of monstruous sins in all the quarters of the land Hos 4.2 We all may well say with Jeremiah Jer. 14.7 Our iniquities testifie against us and our backslidings are many * Note yea we have pressed God under us Amos 2.13 as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves and therefore we most justly deserve to bee abhoreed of all so that in our greatest trouble none should go aside for once to aske how wee doe Jer. 15.5 Seeing this land is so crammed with numbers of men who dayly by their divisive motions breake Gods Covenant let not a man either trust in his father or in his son or in his kinsmen or in his friends the world is full of treason Christ and his Servants are betrayed by many of too many in Scotland this day may God say to his Servants as he said to Ezekiel concerning Israel Son of man Eze. 22.18 the house of Israel is to me become drosse * Note Many are like Jeremiahs rotten linnen girdle Jer. 13.10 which was good for nothing II. PART Putting to Death After betraying the Lord heer speaketh to his disciples of putting some of them to death Some of you said he shall they cause to be put to death Observe heere how wicked men The doctrine Hos 4.8 who as the Prophet speaketh set their heart on iniquitie can not be tyed by any bonds of love they ever grow worse and worse behold heer how after they have betrayed Gods servants they can not rest untill they cause some of them to be put to death under colour of freindship they confer with them familiarly or come to heare them for to steal some wordes which they may so wrest as to make them treasonable and the speakers traitoures If any man should defend us and save our life it is a father a friend a brother or kinseman or friends a freind saith Solomon is borne for affliction Pro. 18.24 and there is a freind that sticketh closer then a brother * Note Worldly friends and kinsemen are often very sensible in wrongs done to their friends in earthly maters as carnall quarrels O then they will hive together like Bees and cluster like burres but if the cause of Christ be in question Satan draweth away unsanctified mens hearts and of freinds turneth them foes for to delate them and cause some of them to be put to death
ignoble men of all ranks such also are called all men because the most part of men hate GOD and his servants the most part of the world as yee may know walk in the broad way Mat. 7.13 and all such are poisoned with hatred against Christ and his servants according to this the Lord heere said to his disciples Yee shall be hated of all men In the words before Christ had spoken to his Disciples of parents brethren kinsmen and friends that would betray them heere hee speaketh of others of all rankes that would hate them Observe here The doctrine that the children of God have many adversaries they are so many that in this text they are called all men the enemies of the Saints heere below may take unto themselves the divels name Legion because they are many As they are many Mark 5.9 so are they most despightfull full of hatred most ready to oppresse Gods children in a most fearfull manner to to rob and to spoile them to banish and burne them to head and to hang them yea Heb. 11.37 and to sow them asunder yea and to sell them like beasts as did these enemies of Gods people in Joels dayes Joel 3.3 who gave a boy for a harlot and sold a girle for wine that they might drink wash their steps with butter The use Job 29.6 The use Let us not wonder to see many hornes in the sides of these that serve God if the like befall to our selves let us not fret shall not Christs words be true all men Againe The doctrine observe heere particularly what is the condition of Gods servants heere below they are the object of hatred to the most part of the world * Note If a child of God through infirmitie fall into any sin the discourse thereof shall empty many bowles of wine and many who are more modest have their secret joy for the fall of the Man which plainly declare hatred to be in the heart what words can better expresse the matter than the words of Christ in this text Yee shall be hated of all men The use The use When we finde it so towards our selves let it not seeme strange Christs words must bee true * Note It should be our comfort thus to be hated for by such means we may know whose we are Joh. 15.19 If said Christ yee were of the world the world would love his owne But yee are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you * Note Seeing it is so let us not care for the friendship of wicked men away with their love praise and commendation Woe unto you Luke 6.26 said Christ when all men shall speake well of you for so did their fathers unto the false prophets Againe The doctrine whereas the Lord here saith to his servants that they shall be hated of all men I observe that great is the folly yea the furie and madnesse of the wicked they hate the very men for whose sake their life is spared If the godly were all out of the world the world should go to an end if these pillars were away the very Heavens should passe away with a noise * 2 Pet. 3.10 As the wicked are fools so are they unthankfull for they hate the men whose cloathes they put on and whose meat they dayly eat for all the meat and cloaths in this world by right belong only to these that are godly to whom Gods word hath said 1 Cor. 3.21 all things are yours if all things be theirs the wicked have nothing but by usurpation Againe they are both fooles and unthankfull in that they hate the godly who hold Gods judgements off them Eze. 22.30 for only they make up the hedge and stand in the gap before God for the land Zeph. 3.3 that hee should not destroy it notwithstanding of all these benefites these evening wolves both hate and abhor them The use * The use Note Wonder not that wicked men goe to hell for they are all fooles they are like mad men who cutting the pillars of the house should cause the house fall down above their heads the godly are the pillars of the world As for us let us love all these that love God let them bee to us as all the godly are to Christ Our mother Luk. 8.21 our brother and our sister Again The doctrine whereas Christ here by way of prophesie fortelleth what hatred shall be in the hearts of wicked men against his servants I observe Christs knowledge and wisdome to be great Note we may with good reason say that he is wiser then Daniel Eze. 28.3 yea wiser then Solomon who was wiser then all men 1 King 4.31 then Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman and Chalcol and Darda the sons of Mahol all these by all their great wisedome could see no thing of all that is inclosed within the hearts of men mens hearts have no windowes for eyes of flesh but all is open to Gods eyes of fire * Revel 1.14 God in Ezekiel said to his people Ezek. 11.5 I know all the things that came into your minde yea every one of them The Lord heere saw a far off that great hatred that was to be in the hearts of all men against his dear servants * Note He said not unto them in this text that all men shall strike you with their hands or raile upon you with their tongues but he forwarneth them of a persecution inclosed in the hearts of the most part even the hatred of the heart Yee said he shall be hated of all men for my names sake The use * The use Note Yee who have the name of Christians learn heer not to think it enough if with your tongues yee raile not upon Gods servants or if yee strike them not Behold heere in Christs account it is a persecution if yee hate them in your heart See therefore yee take heed to your hearts and that yee love these whom God loveth As for your hatred spend it upon your sins raile on them with your tongues Luk. 18.13 strike upon your Breast with the Publicane and upon your thigh with Ephraim Jer. 31.19 and never take rest untill yee get that holy revenge which is required to bee in that godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 10. that worketh repentance never to be repented of 3. For what cause the godly are hated of the wicked WE have heard how Christ did foretell to his servants that they should be hated I also declarunto you the universalitie of the hatred Yee shall be hated of all men Now thirdly it followeth that we consider the ground and cause of all this hatred it is contained in these words For my names sake that is as much as if Christ had said to his servants yee shall be hated for my cause for
19. In your patience therefore possesse your souls MY wayes said God are not your wayes Isa 55.8 and my thoughts are not your thoughts For as the Heavens are higher then the earth 9. so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts The wayes of men for the most part have faire beginnings but end not so many like Joab first kisse and after kill first smile 2 Sam 20.9 but after smite the wayes of Satan with men at the beginning is to hide all dangers untill the last come when he would have allured Christ unto his service he spake to him of great gifts Mat. 4.8 even all the kingdomes of the world if he would but fall downe and worship him he spake not a word of hell unto him but only of preferments unto worldly honour The wayes of God are not such Hee at the first meeting speaketh to men of crosses but after that as in this text hee cherisheth them with comforts and directeth them with counsels According to this he speaketh heer to his disciples he had terrified them in the words preceeding with betraying putting to death and with the hatred of all men Now in these words he maketh his candie to shine upon their heads Iob. 29.3 hee manifesteth his love in a great measure of comfort But saith he there shall not a hair of your head perish In your patience possesse yee your soules here is a staffe of steele to leane on in great troubles I said David Psal 27.13 had fainted unlesse I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord c. The division of the Text. IN these Words there bee two parts In the first part there bee comforts But there shall not a hair of your head perish In the second part there be counsels In your patience possesse your soules I. PART Comforts IT was a very terrible speach which the Lord uttered unto his Disciples in the preceeding verses that they should be betrayed and that some of them should be put to death and that they should be hated of all men Behold heere how he giveth unto them a singular comforts Jer. 8.22 as Balme of Gilead for healing of their hearts that were wounded But said he there shall not a haire of your head perish Observe heere first what method the Lord keepeth in dealing with his servants The doctrine their worse things goe first and comforts come last their estate is like that wine in Cana John 2.10 the best came last Gods walking towards his owne is like his comming to Elijah at the cave of Horeb before God came in the calme a great and strong winde went before him which rent the mountaines and brake the rocks and after the winde came an earthquake 1 King 19.12 after the earthquake came a fire after these three were past the Lord came in a still small voice At the first Mary Christs mother got a hard answere from him John 2.4 woman what have I to doe with thee But a little after he did more then she required at the first he called the woman of Canaan a dog Mat. 15.27 but a little after he shew himself all love the childe of God beareth Gods yoke in his youth Lam. 3.27 his first dayes are hardest God casteth downe before he raiseth up 1 Sam. 1.7 many a sore heart had Hannah before her Samuel came Job suffered much before he could say God maketh my heart soft Job 23.16 * Note Zech. 1.19 The Prophet Zechariah saw first foure hornes scattering Judah but after anone came the comforts of the Carpenters that came to fray them The use * The use Note When troubles ly heavy upon us let us comfort our selves in this better is coming a foule Februar is a comfort to the labourer because he looketh for a dry March Sanctified afflictions in youth should be a comfort telling us that God is comming in the calme The way to the wealthy place is to passe through fire and water Psal 66.12 the Lord said to his two dissciples O fooles Luke 24.26 Behoved it not Christ to suffer all these things and so to enter into his glory Gaping of wounded men Isa 9.5 and tumbling of garments into blood goe before the songs of victory Christ himselfe was hanged on a crosse on earth before he was honoured on a throne in Heaven He was first cast down on his face upon the earth yea deseended into hell before hee was set at the right Hand of GOD in Heaven * Note The Gardener when hee setteth a tree at the first setting downe hee shaketh it to and fro and treadeth downe its roots with great force for to fasten it the more surely so doth GOD with his dearest servants that Hee may cause those that come of Jaakob to take root Jsa 27.6 It is for those that goe to hell to receive all their good things on earth Luk. 16.25 Job speaking of the Wicked said They have no changes wicked mens eyes stand out with fatnesse Psal 73.7 the portion of Kings meate is a defiling thing Dan. 1.8 beasts that goe in fattest pastures are neerest the slaughter The portion of Gods children is not heere their rest is in another place their last shall be best Psal 34.19 If many be the troubles of the righteous within a short space the Lord shall deliver him out of them all yea in the midst of the fierie tryall wee shall still bee in safetie though in some hours of temptation wee may bee as David like a bottell in the smoak Psal 119.83 Psal 23.4 Psal 119.109 Psal 68.1 Psal 37.37 or in deaths valley having our soule in our hand but O tarry a little and God will arise and help his servants The end of that man is peace troubled David said to God with great boldnesse Psal 73.24 Afterward thou shalt receive mee to glory let this be like a staffe of steele for our faith to lean upon in a stormie day Gods children must be bold Job 18.14 not subjects to the King of terrours Let us now come to the particular comfort mentioned in my text the Lord here saith that there shall not a haire of your head perish * Note The wicked are mighty and cruell they as on horse back ride over the heads of the godly Psal 66.12 yet are they not able to carry a hair with them but by Gods permission not a hair of your head said Christ shall perish Observe heere that the LORD hath a singular regard to all those that love him The doctrine they are to him as the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 hee most carefully keepeth them * Note Hee is not like idoles that care not for their worshippers Hos 8.5 Thy Calfe O Samaria hath cast thee off but God will never cast off his servants Baal did not regard
hee hath still the best behind he possesseth his soul in patience Truely hee hath better reason for him then the wicked man * Note For the wicked man having lost his earthly possession hath no promise of any recompense of reward for all that he had whether corne wine oyle silver or gold were all prepared for Baal Hos 2.8 or rather for his belly which having no ears can no more heare or help him in the dayes of his trouble then Baal could hear the praiers of his priests Ioel 1.8 this having lost his gods like Micah he mourneth and lamenteth like a virgine girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth and will not be comforted like Rachal in Ramach weeping for her slaine sucklings Mat. 2.18 A worme hath smitten his gourd Iohn 4.7 and it is withered and he is out of patience because he never understood this counsel and direction of Christ given to his servants In your patience possesse your soules The use The use Let the consideration of all these things effectually move us to possesse our souls in patience when tribulations and calamities shall come upon the land let us resolve to suffer losse of earthly things that we may gaine the heavenly * Note If men had hearts to believe everie one wuld be readier then another to suffer for the name of Christ as men that have moneys strive to get a good hand or as Masters that have land strive to get good tennents that will pay well so should we all be glad when Christ calleth us to losse any thing for his names sake for by so lossing we shall profite much There is nothing that causeth our feares in troubles but either want or else weaknesse of faith flesh and blood understands not in worldlie losses to possesse their soules in patience I confesse that we are compassed about with many infirmities a little blast of winde terrified Peter in a miracle yea in a miracle of love in the very presence of Christ who like a loving master had commanded him to come unto him upon the sea there was no remedie for his fear Mat. 14.31 untill Christ tooke him by the hand and reproving him for his weak faith put him up into the ship we have all great need to pray that he would take us by the heart and pity our infirmities which are great and many O how hard a thing it is in time of wrongs to practise this precept In your patience possesse ye your souls It is to a carnal man like Shibboleth to an Ephramite Judg. 12.6 a word which he could not pronounce so is it a precept which he can not practise what shall we do then As long as we are heere troubles are fearfull to flesh but as soone as wee beginne to tremble let us cry to Christ for faith that in our patience wee may possesse our soules wee had never more need then in these most terrible dayes of most bloody wars wherein all men are exhorted to fasting and prayer from Dan even to Beershebah 2 Sam. 24. * And now to end this whole sermon in a word know ye all this day that the servants of the Lord upon their watch tower as like Elijahs servants upon the top of Carmel have at last spied a cloud not of comforts but of wrath arising like a mans hand 1 King 18.44 except the Lord avert it it is like that cloud ready to cover the whole heavens and to fall down upon his Majesties three dominions in showres of blood except that with all diligence wee returne unto the Lord all this evill shall surely come to passe Dearly beloved what I say unto you I say unto all Heb. 10 36 yee havâ— need of patience yea and in your patience to possesse your souls The Lord teach and enable us all to doe so for Christ his sons sake Amen To whom with our hearts this day Psal 119.54 Hos 14.2 in the house of our pilgrimage we humbly render the calves of our lips To him be glory for ever FINIS