I. SCRIPTURE-LIGHT THE MOST SURE LIGHT In compare with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without the Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7. Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrologie Delivered in Three Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 II. CHRIST IN TRAVEL Wherein 1. The greatness of his Travel both in Soul and Body 2. The first and after Effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. His Satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in Three Sermons on Isai 53.11 III. A LIFTING UP for the DOWN-CAST In case of 1. Great Sins 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6. Temptation 7. Desertion 8. Vnserviceableness 9. Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in Thirteen Sermons on Psal 42.11 Four several Sermons concerning 1. The Sin against the Holy Ghost 2. Sins of Infirmity 3. The False Apostle tryed and discovered 4. The Good and Means of Establishment Preached by VVilliam Bridge somtimes Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg and now Pastor of the Church of Christ in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk Sine gratia sordet Natura London Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold in his Shop at the Sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. To the Worshipful Maurice Thompson Esquire George Thompson Esquire William Thompson Esquire Sheriff of London Robert Thompson Esq S R John Wittewrong Knight William Ofield Esquire Samuel Champnes Elias Roberts and William Hawkins Esquires With their Wives and Children Grace and Peace Honored and Beloved in our Lord Jesus IT is not want of respect that I seem thus to crowd your Names together I owe more than an Epistle to each of your Names but because God hath made you one though branched into several Habitations I take the boldness to present this work to you as unto one Family It is written of the Stork Ciconiae mos est unum è pullis relinquere Domui qua nidulata est Ludo Vives that she useth to leave one of her Young ones to the House where she made her nest and upon that account some of my labors do belong to your Family where I studyed and from whence I Preached them some of you and yours have often desired the Publishing of these Notes and being Printed whither should the Press send them but to your Door you are the Family with whom I have had the honor to converse much whilst living and now the Blossoms of the Grave are upon me I dedicate these Notes unto you that by them I may live and speak with you when my Head shal lie under the Clods you are a Family whom the Lord hath blessed and raysed not only to a great estate in the world but to the saving knowledg of his Son our dear Savior and whom should I serve and honor but those whom God honors and blesseth 1. That Family is not far from blessing which hath Godly Children Children trayned up and seasoned with the Grace of Christ from the Cradle The Lord blessed the House of Obed-edom and wherein did that blessing consist the Scripture tells us 1 Chron. 26. That some of his Children were Porters in the House of God others were mighty Men of Valor able Men for strength and service and the reason is given ver 5. For the Lord blessed him So that Children useful and serviceable both in Church and State are a great blessing unto a Family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia filius est aedificium patris The Hebrews say that Children are the Fathers building and indeed he builds wisely that doth lay the Foundations of his House in a Godly Seed Loe Children saith the Psalmist are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the Womb are his reward as Arrowes in the Hand of the mighty so are Children of the youth blessed is the Man that hath his Quiver ful of them Especially where these Arrowes are wel headed wel hearted too And upon this account it is good for great Families to have good Servants For corrupt Servants do debauch Children and debauched Children do scatter Brimstone upon the House of their Fathers 2. Neither is that Family an unblessed Family which is strict in the observation of the Sabbath or the Lords day God hath blessed that day that he might bless them who do keep that day hereby England hath been blessed with the power of godliness more than other Nations My Sabbath saith God shall be a sign between me and thee Servasti diem Daminicam Christianus sum ' intermittere non possum And in the Primitive times when a Christian was asked whether he had kept the Lords day his answer generally was I am a Christian I cannot neglect it as if the observation of the Lords day were the badg of a Christian this is the Girdle of al our Duties and in respect of this Girdle I may say Ungirt unblessed the vallies of the week day are blessed by the upper springs of this day and as the Commandement doth especially poynt at and look wishly upon the Master of the Family saying Neither thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. So doth the blessing also 3. Blessed is that Family which doth industriously seek to build the House of God and the House of the Poor David did but intend to build Gods House and the Lord promised him to build his House The Egiptian Midwives spared the Israelites Children whereby the Poor Families and Houses of the Israelites were built And the Lord dealt wel with the Midwives and made them Houses Exod. 1.20 4. Neither is that Family far from blessing which is a friend to the Ministry Receiving hiding and refreshing the paynful and faithful Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel The Lord give mercy saith Paul to the House of Onesiphorus for he hath refreshed me Not once and no more but he hath oft refreshed me nor did he do this because I followed him and sought him out but he sought me out very diligently and found me And in the day of my greatest affliction he was not ashamed of me for he was not ashamed of my Chains wherefore the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day and give mercy unto the House of Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 1.16.17.18 He that receiveth a Prophet saith our Savior in the Name of a Prophet shal receive a Prophets reward and what is the reward of a Prophet but to profit by the Prophet and to have a share in his Venture and in al that good which he doth by his Ministry 5. A praying Family also is a precious Family and blessed Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum frustra laborat quisquis eam aedificat Psal 127. Non enim dicit Dominus aedificat domum nomine scilicet laborante sed ita nisi Dominus aedisica verit frustra laborat perinde ac si diceret labore
this Work I wil admire and though I cannot reach it yet I wil not blaspheme and â—peak against it And if heretofore Christian thou hast found God breathing upon thy heart in any Ordinance publick or private Hinc discimus quantopere nobis ab odio fratrum câ—â—ndum est quandoquidem eo sit ut quandoque odio hominis in ipsam Dei vâ—ritatem feramur precipites Cartw. Harm â—ag 357. or in any Way of God take heed as for thy life that thou dost never speak evil or blaspheme that way of God wherein thou hast sound the Spirit of God breathing This Sin is alwaies accompanied with invidentia fratrum with the envy of the Saints and therefore some have thought the Sin against the Holy Ghost did consist in it in the envying of the Saints but though that be not it yet that accompanies it Canst thou not find thy own heart rise to those heights of Graces that others do take heed you never envy the Saints lest you fal from envying those that are good to oppose Goodness it self which is the proper Work of the Holy Ghost And if indeed you would be kept from this great Transgression then take heed of al declinings and the steps thereof There are three steps as in our Conversion to God so in our Apostacy declining and going out from God Three steps in our coming in to God First a mans Affection is taken with that which is good Then his Judgment is convinced And then his Wilstrikes in and he resolves with al his heart and soul to cleave to the Lord for ever So in a mans Declining and going out from God First a mans Affection declines Then his Judgment alters I thought so and so indeed before but now I am of another mind And then it comes to his Will and he wil go on and let Parents say and Ministers say and Friends say what they wil yet he wil go on and that because he wil. Now saith the Apostle If any man sin wilfully after he hath received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin therefore as you desire to be kept from this great Transgression doth your Affections decline take heed your Judgment do not alter Doth your Judgment alter take heed that your Wil be not perverse O! take heed of al Declinings and the stepâ— thereof But finally Forsake not the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some have been but as heretofore provoke one another to Love and good Works and so much the more as you see the day approaching and what I say to you I say to al and to mine own soul Let us breath after the Spirit and walk in the Spirit For there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit O! let us pray to God for his keeping Grace it is he alone that keeps us and the Lord keep al our souls from this great Transgression OF THE SIN OF INFIRMITY Wherein is shewed besides other things I. That a man may possibly fall into the same Sin again and again yet be a true Disciple II. That this Sin may be but a Sin of Infirmity III. That being so Christ will not leave him in it but will come again and not cast him off By William Bridge Preacher of the Gospel at Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. OF THE SIN OF INFIRMITY Matthew 26.43 Preached At Stepney And he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy IN the Verses next precedent and consequent you may see the difference between the true and the false Disciple both sin'd but they differ in their sin and in the issue of it The true Disciple sleeps when he should have prayed and he slept again and again that was his sin for our Savior commanded them to watch and pray but Christ wakened them and would not leave them sleeping he came to them with his wakening mercy and they were awakened that was the issue of their sin But the false Disciple Judas was awake and he watched unto what was evil the good Disciple slept unto what was good and the false Disciple watched unto what was evil that was his sin For while Christ yet spake ver 17. Lo Judas one of the Twelve came and with him a great multitude with Swords and Staves from the chief Priests and Elders of the People Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying Whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he hold him fast and forthwith he came to Jesus and said Hail Master and kissed him This was his Sin wherein our Savior leaves him and doth not awaken him but suffered him to go on leading him forth with the Workers of iniquity That was the issue of his Sin In this 43. verse you have the true Disciples Sin and his Lords Grace his dealing by Christ and Christs dealing by him First He slept when he should have been at Prayer which Sin is described by the Cause thereof and by the Repetition of it The Cause of it in these words For their Eyes were heavy this sin therefore was a Sin of Infirmity a Sin of Weakness and so our Savior cals it verse 41. for saith he The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak The Repetition of this Sin you have in these words He found them asleep again Christ had wakened them before and commanded them to pray but they slept again and again thus did they deal by Christ Secondly But how did Christ deal by them he did not leave them in their Sin not cast them off as he did deal by Judas but he came to them again and as they slept again so Christ came again his waking Grace and Mercy was as high as their slumbring Sin they sin again and he comes again So that the Doctrine from the whol verse is this Doct. Though a man do sin again and again yet if his sin be a Sin of Infirmity Christ will not leave him in it but will come again and not cast him off For the opening and cleering whereof Three things will fall under our Consideration 1. That a man may possibly fall into the same sin again and again yet be a true Disciple 2. That this Sin may be but a Sin of Infirmity 3. That being so Christ will not leave him in it but will come again and not cast him off First It is possible that a good man may fall into the same sin again and again I confess it is an Evil thing so to do and a great Evil In some respects it may be worser to fal into the same sin than to fall into others for this may more wast ones Peace and destroy the Assurance of Gods Love sins against Light do the most darken Now when we have repented
and Places The Duty is commanded and commended Ye do well that ye take heed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye do well or beautifully this is your Christian Beauty and Comliness in the Eyes of God Now this Duty is urged and amplified urged by divers Arguments some taken from the excellency of the Word it self First It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Word of Prophesie or a Prophetical Word written by Divine Inspiration the same that is spoken of in verse 20. called Prophesie of Scripture Secondly It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure Word Some think the Comparative is put for the Superlative as Acts 25.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou very wel or best knowest But I take it rather to be meant Comparatively for the Word of God written is surer than that Voyce which they heard in the Mount whereof he spake in the former Verse More sure is the Word written than that Voyce of Revelation not ratione veritatis not in regard of the Truth uttered for that Voyce was as true as any word in the Scripture but more sure ratione manifestationis more certain setled and established Secondly Some Arguments are taken from the usefulness of the Word to us for it is as a light shining in a dark place and therefore it is good for us to take heed thereunto But how long must we take heed to it even as long as we live and whilst we are in the dark especially even till the day dawn and the Sun shine in his ful strength and brightness in your hearts which is the Second thing whereby this Duty is amplified Some think that is to be understood of a Supernatural Revelation and Light which God doth set up in the Soul which when a man hath obtained then he is to take heed to the written Word no longer But that cannot be 1. Because the Apostle doth here prefer the written Word before a Revelation from Heaven Now if he do prefer it before a Divine Revelation then it is not to give place to the dawning of some special Light and Revelation in the Heart for then he should destroy in the latter part of the Verse what he had affirmed and built up in the former part 2. One Scripture is to be explained by another but Esai 3.20 the Lord saith To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light or morning in them If therefore any man do pretend Light or the shining of the morning Star in his Soul so as to lay by the Word written that Light is no true Light and so this Interpretation can be no true Interpretation of these words 3. This Interpretation doth suppose that this morning Star did not shine in the Apostles Time and that then the Apostles with the Saints of those Times had not this Light within them for the Apostle saith We have a more sure Word and ye do well that ye take heed thereunto Al the Saints and People of God then did walk by and take heed unto the written Word yet they had Light within them This Interpretation therefore is contrary to the sence of â—he Apostle here Others think that these Words are spoken to the beleeving Jews in reference to the Prophets of the Old Testament as if the Apostle should say The glorious Light of the Gospel hath not yet fully conquered your hearts and therefore til your Gospel-Light be more cleer you shal do wel to take heed to the Prophets of the Old Testament who do al testifie with us of Christ But this wil seem to argue That when Gospel-Light doth more fully rise upon us then we may lay by the Prophets of the Old Testament Others think that this day dawning and the Day-star arising doth note that ful and cleer Vision of God and Christ which is yet to come Now because the whol Earth shal be filled with the knowledg of the Lord in the latter daies in respect to which Time it 's promised Revel 2.28 I will give him the morning-star and in Chap. 22.16 Christ doth appear to the Saints under that Title saying I am the bright morning-star Therefore it is conceived by some That the Apostle here doth relate to that time and so the sence of the words should be this Though now ye be in the dark yet ye have the Light of the Scripture to walk by whereto ye shal do wel that ye take heed til ye be brought to and under a more glorious and cleer Dispensation But the word used for the morning-Star Revel 2.22 is not the same that is here used and translated the Day-Star The Scripture shal not be out of date in the daies of those glorious Times for the Wals of that City the New Jerusalem which shal come down from Heaven hath twelve Foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb Revel 21.14 This Interpretation doth suppose that the morning Star or the Sun for so the word may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suid. as Suidas saith doth not shine in our hearts now and that it hath not shined already whereas it is said Luk. 1. concerning Christs first coming verse 78. Whereby the Day-spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness c. And the Apostle Paul saith the day is far spent and ye are the Children of Light and of the day Surely therefore the day had then dawned in those Times and therefore these words cannot only relate to the glorious Times that are yet to come Others say these words do relate unto Heavenly Glory and so the meaning of the words should be That we are to take heed unto the written Word until we come into Heaven which thing is true But where do we find in Scripture that the Glory of Heaven is said thus to dawn or shine in our hearts Or that Christ is said thus to shine in our hearts in regard of Heavenly Glory Therefore I think the word Vntil is not to be taken exclusively but as in other Scriptures Psal 110. Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine Enemies thy foot-stool Shal Christ sit on Gods right hand no longer Shal he not sit there for ever Yea he shal sit there for ever after al Enemies are subdued But the words shew what Christ shal enjoy and do whilst the Enemies rage he shal sit in power judging on the right hand of God not that he shal not sit there when they are subdued So here Ye do well saith the Apostle that ye take heed to the Word till the day dawn and the Day-Star arise and shine in your hearts that is til ye have more cleer Light not that ye lay by the Word then but because ye are now in the dark I 'le tel you saies the Apostle what ye shal do whilst ye are in the dark even take heed to the Word written And so the Doctrine
from the whol Verse is this Doct. Scripture-Light is our great and most sure Light whereunto we shall do well that we take heed and that especially in our dark Times and Places For the opening and prosecuting whereof Four things wil fal under your Consideration 1. That a good man may be in the dark in a dark place state and condition 2. Though he be in the dark yet God hath not left him without Scripture-Light to walk by 3. This Scripture-Light is the most excellent safe and sure Light 4. It 's the Duty of all the Saints to take heed thereunto and to walk thereby and that especially in their dark times and places First It is possible that a good man may be in the dark on a dark ground and in a dark condition yea possibly a man may truly fear the Lord yet he may walk in the dark and see no light of Comfort Esai 50.10 doth not the Church complain in the Lamentat saying He hath set me in dark places Chap. 3.6 Was not David in the dark when he said The Lord will lighten my darkness 2 Sam. 22.29 Was not Job in the dark when he said The Lord hath set darkness in my paths Job 19.8 and when he said I waited for light and there came darkness Chap. 30.26 And was not Heman in the dark when he said Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness Psal 88.6 Yea was not Christ himself in the dark when the hour and power of darkness came upon him Luk. 22.53 Surely therefore it is possible that a good man may be in the dark upon dark ground and in a dark Condition and it must needs be so For A good man may live and dwel in a Place or Town where no means of Grace are in a poor dark and ignorant corner of the World Did not Job dwel in the Land of Vz And when David thirsted after Ordinances saying My soul thirsteth after thee O God to see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal 63.1 2. was he not then in such a dark corner as I now speak of The Title of the Psalm tels us that he was in the Wilderness of Judah and if ye look into 1 Sam. 26. ye shal find him complaining thus They have driven me out this day from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord saying Go serve other gods verse 10. Such a dark place was Capernaum and Galilee by the way of the Sea Galilee of the Gentiles where Matth. 4.16 it 's said The People sate in darkness and in the shadow of death yet here did Peter and Andrew dwel when our Savior called them to follow him there did James and John dwel likewise And as a wicked man may live under the means and the light shine on him though he comprehends it not so it may be the lot and portion of a good man to live and dwel and be in a Town or Place or Parish where there is no Means and no Light shining As he may live and dwel in such a place as this so he may be in some great Affliction and Persecution for the dark places of the Earth are ful of the habitations of Couelty Persecuting Times are dark Times When do Beasts go forth to their Prey but in the night And when are Theeves bold but in the night In times of Persecution the Enemies of Gods People are very bold and those Beasts do go forth to their Prey Surely therefore this Time is a dark time with the Saints If a good man may be in such streights as for the present he doth not see his way before him then he may be in the dark Thus it was with Joseph when Mary was first with Child he did not know what to do in the case til the Angel of the Lord appeared to him Thus it was with David often especially at Keilah when he went down to Achâ—sh feigned himself mad changing his behavior and at Ziklag when his Wives and Goods were taken from him and his men thought of stoning him John 12.35 He that waâ—keth in darkness knows not whither he goes saith our Savior And when a man is in such streights as that he doth not see his way then he is in the dark indeed A good man may be much offended Times of Offences are dark Times He that walketh in darkness stumbleth and so much as I do take offence and am stumbled so much I am in the dark Now possibly a good man may be much offended and stumbled though he be not offended at the good Way of God and Power of Godliness nor at al the Saints yet he may be under much offence All you shall be offended saith our Savior to his Disciples because of me And if a good man may be offended then he may be in the dark on a dark ground and in a dark Condition As a good man may be offended and stumbled so he may stumble into some mistakes and errors Erroneous times are dark times every Error is Darkness as Truth is Light Now a good man may err for though he doth see much when his eyes are opened in his first Conversion yet every man doth not see all things two or three or four may see and have their Eyes open yet one may see further than another God hath several Truths for several Ages and Generations As in a great House there are Hangings for every Room and the Hangings of this Room are not fit for that and the Hangings of that are not fit for another So God hath several Hangings of Truth to furnish several Generations and those that are fit for this are not fit for that Nonnulla video non visa beato Augustino saies Luther et rursum multa visuros scio quae ipse ego non video I see many things said he that were not seen to Austin and those that come after me shal see those things that I see not O! saith Austin There is such a depth in Scripture that I do multo plura nescire quam scire that I am ignorant of more things than I know Ye see how it is in a Room where there are many Pictures though ye see some of them presently yet others have a silken Curtain drawn before them which ye see not immediately So here though God do reveal much unto you yet there is a silken Curtain that is stil drawn before some Truths and therefore even a good man may be much mistaken The Lord hath hid this thing from me 2 Kings 4.27 said Elisha And when David told Nathan that it was in his heart to build an House unto God Go said Nathan to him and do all that is in thine heart for the Lord is with thee yet Nathan though a Prophet was mistaken and in an Error for the same night the Lord appeared to him and told that this Work was reserved for another not for David Possibly therefore a good man may mistake even
Light indeed As it is a safe and sure Light so it is a pleasant and satisfying Light Light is pleasant to the Eye and the Eye ordinarily is not satisfied with seeing but this is that light which doth bring men to rest for when a man knows what shal be his Portion for ever then his heart is at rest and not before Now it is only the Scripture and the Light thereof which under Christ doth discover and manifest that unto men Stand in the old and good way saith the Prophet and ye shall find rest That way is this Scripture way if a man once depart from the Scripture he runs from one Error to another and he rests not but here is rest to be found This is that satisfying Light which doth bring unto rest As it is a pleasant satisfying Light so it is a ful and sufficient Light able to make the man of God perfect unto Salvation The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal 19. and it makes perfect else it were no Rule of Life for as Austin speaks the Regula must be Regulato suo adaequata Surely therefore it is sufficient to administer help unto al Conditions It 's a Lanthorn to our seet whatever ground our feet are on or in what dark place soever this Light can find them out What state can you be in but the Scripture wil find a Commandement for your Rule and a Promise for your assistance and reward It is able to reach unto al cond tions for it is a ful and sufficient Light As it is a ful and sufficient Lighâ— so it is a cleâ—r Light a Light that shineth it hath no Thief in it as many Lights and Candles have not that there are no hard things therein and difficulties where is the man that ever was able to untie al the knots and difficulties of Scripture Passimur apertis exercemur obscutis illie fames pellitur hic fastidium Austin Pauls Epistles have their hard things to be understood even in the Eyes of Peter Epist 2. Chap. 3. Verse 16. Yet what Truth is in all the Scripture which is necessary to Salvation but doth he plain and cleer For this Commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it afar off It is not in Heaven c. Nor is it beyond the Sea c. But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Rom. 10.6 c. Vnto you it is given saith Christ to his Disciples to know the mysteries of the Kingdom If the Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish but we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 Surely therefore this Light is a cleer and a shining Light As it is a cleer Light so it is the best Light in the World the most excellent Light a Light beyond al other things which do pretend to Light Seven or eight things there are in these Times which men do cry up as great Lights whereby many do profess to walk And those are 1. Revelations or Visions 2. Dreams 3. Impressions made upon the heart with or without a Word 4. Experience 5. The Law and Light within 6. Providence 7. Reason 8. Judicial Astrology But now if you compare these Lights with Scripture Light ye shal find that this is that only Light which doth exceed them al and that there is no more Light in them than what they do borrow from it Quest Wherein doth this Scripture-Light exceed or go beyond Revelations or Visions and the Light thereof Instance I. Answ 1. This Scripture-Light as you have seen is a ful Light a Light which did â—hine forth at once in and by Jesus Christ Revelations and Visions are more particular though God did somtimes speak in that way and manner yet then he spake drop by drop guttatim but now he hath in these last daies spoken his ful mind by his Son These were but as the Apples which did fal from the Tree of Wisdom but in the Gospel and Scripture ye have the whol-Tree iâ— self Look therefore what difference there is between the Tree and some particular Apple that doth fal from it so great a difference there is between thâ—s and those Scripture-Light is the highest Light Scripture Dispensation the highest Dispensation The Dispensation of Visions and Revelations was of a lower rank When the People of God were in their Infancy they were lâ—d much by Visions and Revelations that being a Dispensation which did most suit with an Infant state And what is the reason that so many Christians now do desire Visions and Revelations but because they are weak and upon the return to the Law again The stronger any Christian is the more he doth walk by Faith and the more he doth live by Faith the more he doth chuse to walk by the Scripture the written Word of God the Object of Faith 'T is recorded of Luther That when he had fasted and prayed a whol day and then had a Vision of Christ he cried out and said Avoid avoid thou confounded Devil I know no Picture of Christ but the Scripture Therein is Christ livâ—ly pictured described and set forth before our Eyes 'T is not so in Revelations and Visions This Scripture-Light is a more sure and certain Light For if God should now speak unto you by Visions or Visional Revelations how would you know that this were the Voyce of God and not a delusion of Satan Would ye know it by the Truth that is spoken how do ye know the Truth but by Scripture Ditamus preterea quoniam non est humanitus regula generalis vel ars dabilis ad discernendum semper et infallibiliter quae verae sunt et quae falsae aut illusotiae revelationes Gersom Tract de distinctione verarum et falsar visionum Tom. 1. 175 176 c. And who doth not know that the Devil wil speak an hundred Truths that he may crowd in one Lye amongst them Or would ye know that it is a true Revelation and not an illusion by the high things that should be revealed What greater higher things than the things of the Gospel these are the mystery of the Kingdom called the deep things of God and saies the Apostle Paul I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ And how did Satan beguile Eve but by perswading her to high things that she should be like to God And thus I fear many are beguiled even at this day amongst us Or would ye know a Revelation of Gods from the delusion of Satan by the event in that some future thing is revealed to you which doth fal out accordingly then read what the Lord saies in Deut. 13.1 If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a sign Sancti autem viri inter
Savior give this as a Reason why they did not beleeve because they were not of his Sheep 5. The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 10.14 How shal they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shal they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent But now al the particular men in the world have not heard of a crucified Christ by the preaching of the Gospel And if it be said Yes but the Sun Moon and Stars do preach Christ as the Apostle saith in the same Chapter Their sound and words is gone forth into all the Earth I answer It 's true indeed that the Apostle doth here allude to that 19. Psalm where it 's said that the Voyce of the Sun Moon and Stars is gone forth unto al the Earth but the Apostle doth not contradict himself for he saith How can they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how can they hear without a Preacher and a Preacher sent If men can hear of Christ by the Preaching of the Sun Moon and Stars then they can hear of Christ without the preaching of one sent which he denies ver 14 15. And if the Sun Moon and Stars do preach Christ crucified then is the Matter of the Gospel no Divine Revelation And then why might not Adam beleeve in Christ in the state of Innocency the Sun Moon and Stars preach the same Doctrine now that they preached then and then the same that they preach now if therefore they do preach Christ crucified now then also they preached him in the state of Innocency and so Adam in the state of Innocency had a power to beleeve on Christ which the Maintainers of this Opinion deny Neither can it be said That if al men have not a Power to beleeve Quando homo non potest si volit propter voluntatem impossibilitas non imputatur si autem non vult propter impossibilitatem voluntas non excusatur Hugo de St. vict L. 2. de Sacr. part 14. Cap. 6. Cornel. Jansen August lib. 3. de gratia Christi salvatoris then God should be unjust in punishing so many for Unbelief for besides that al had a Power in Adam God doth punish and damn men for their will not for their want of Power for as Hugo observes wel when a man cannot if he wil for the wil the impossibility is not imputed but if he wil not for impossibility the wil is not excused Eightly Some again do think that Christ died to obtain a Power Dominion Smalcius Cateches Racov. de officio Christi Regio Theses Francis Davidis Thes 5. and Lord-ship over al things especially a power to forgive sins which he had not before his Death and that the next Effect of his Death was the obtainment of this Power and Dominion But this cannot be for if Christ had this Dominion Power and Lordship over al by vertue of the Hypostatical Vnion then it was not meri ed by his Death but this he had by that mysterious Union and therefore as soon as he was born the Angel said unto the Shepheards For unto you is born this day in the City of David the Savior which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.11 2. Christ did not merit for himself as the Protestants speak against the Papists for if Christ should merit such a glory and Dominion for himself then the Love of Christ to man in his Death would be much lessened it 's said indeed Dio non causam sed ordinem et consequentiam notat Acts 20.26 Heb. 3.7 2 Pet. 1.10 sic Luc. 24 26. oportuit illum pati et sic intrare sic sancti per multos tribulationes debent regnum ingâ—odi quae tamen hujus non sunt Causae Quistorp Annot. Bibl. in Psal 110. that upon his Suffering as a Consequent thereof or by way of Declaration say some God gave him a Name above every Name c. Phil. 2. but that relates to the former words also Who thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet took on him the form of a Servant verse 7. which notes the Hypostatical Union 3. If Christ bought in this Power and Dominion by his Death then he purchased it with his blood but his blood iâ— propitiatory and satisfactory not procuring Lordship and Dominion 4. The Power Lordship and Dominion which Christ hath is either Essential or Dispensatory and â—ediatorian His Essential Power and Lordship was not merited by his Death for he hath that as he is God and he had it before his Incarnation for Esaiah saw his Glory and did see him chap. 6. verse 5. For mine Eyes saith he have seen the King what King Even the Lord of Hosts verse 5. the holy holy holy Lord of Hosts which the Evangelist John doth apply unto Christ and tels us plainly that this Lord whom Esaiah saw was Christ Chap. 12.41 These things said Isaiah when he saw his Glory and spake of him His Mediatorian Power and Lordship could not be merited by his death for he was Mediator before he died and therefore had his Mediatorian Power before his Death 5. We find him actually possessed of this Power and Lordship over al before his death witness his casting out of Devils commanding Winds and Seas which obeyed him and his answer to the Owner of the Ass which he sent for Say the Lord hath need of him And 6. As for his Power to forgive sins as if he would on purpose obviate the Doctrine of the Socinians he doth declare it in so many words But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on Earth to forgive sins c. Matth. 9. Now if he had this Power on Earth then the obtainment of it was not the great and next Effect of his Death no nor any thing which his Soul travelled for in his Death Quest If these things be not the next and immediate Effects and Fruits of Christs Death and Sufferings what are and what is that Issue of his Death which he did presently see and was possessed of Answ Affirmatively Look what the first Adam destroyed that the Second Adam did build up again for his Seed the Second Adam recovered and gained that in a better Edition for his Seed which the first Adam lost from his Seed Therefore First As the first Adam by his Sin and Disobedience did break the Law of God affront his Justice and provoked the Anger and Wrath of God against his Posterity so the Second Adam did by his Obedience and Death satisfie the Law and Justice of God for al his Seed whom he died for which Satisfaction he did perform immediately For 1. When he died our sins were imputed to him and laid and charged on him for he was made sin for us who knew no sin 1 Cor. 5.21 that is the guilt of our sin was imputed to him The meaning of the words is not He was made a Sacrifice for it 's said that he knew
what doth this argue but that they should delight in him as he doth delight in them And lastly Is it not a very great and high expression of his Love and delight in them that he carried al their names upon his heart into the presence of God the Father owning and Interceding for them When the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies he carried the Names of the Twelve Tribes upon his Breast-plate and with the Blood of the Sacrifice he sprinkled the Mercy Seat seven times and prayed for them So when our great High Priest went into Heaven he did carry the Names of al those whom he died for sprinkling the Mercy Seat seven times for them and doth yet pray and intercede for such of them as are not in Heaven and as if al this were not enough he did presently send the Comforter another Advocate to intercede within them Rom. 8. that aâ— he took their flesh upon him and was made one with them so they should take of his Spirit and be made one with him Now can â—his and al these things be without great contentment and delight in them Surely the delight and Satisfaction which Christ takes in his Seed is exceeding great and very ful Prov. 8. he saith his delights in the plural Number are in them and Psal 16. he saith all his delight is in them Quest But why and upon what account doth our Lord and Savior Christ take such delight and satisfaction in his Seed Answ He hath travelled for them saith this Doctrine and wil ye ask why a Woman takes so much delight in the Child which she hath had a sore Travel for without doubt this delight is not raised from any worth in themselves considered But They are his own and men do naturally delight in their own Now they are not his own only as a mans Goods are his own Pâ—oprietas delectationis causa but they are his own as his Wife is his own and his own Body They are given him of the Father a man loves and delights much in that which is given him by a most precious Friend such is the Father and saith Christ Thine they were and thou gavest them to me They are related to him with al the Relations of Love they are his Brethren He is not ashamed to call them Brethren Heb. 2. Unumquodque in quantuÌ„ amatur efficitur delectabile Aquin. They are his Children Behold I and the Children whom God hath given me saith he Heb. 2. They are his Spouse Ephes 5. A man loves and delights in him that is related to him but with one single Relation but if one person could be invested with all relations of Love he would be much delighted in Thus it is with the Seed of Christ when they beleeve for so I speak of them now they are related to him with al the Relations of Love If any man saith Christ hear my words and do them he is my Mother and Brother and Sister Yea They are one with him he with them and they with him one with the greatest oneness of mutual In-being I in you and you in me saith Christ And they are very like him too and suitable to him al delight arises from a conjunction of suitables Christ Omnis delectatio oritur ex conjunctione convenientis cum convenienti Aquin. and his beleeving Seed are not only joyned into one but in this Union there is a Conjunction of suitables Christ suiting with them and they with him again being of the same mind and affection Doth Christ say unto his Spouse Cant. 4.10 Thy Love is better than Wine so doth the Spouse say to him Cant. 1.2 Thy Love is better than Wine Doth he say to his Spouse Thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee Cant. 4.7 so doth she say of him He is altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 Doth he contemplate her Beauty Cant. 4. so doth she contemplate his Beauty Cant. 5. Only herein he doth exceed even as David exceeded Jonathan yet there is an answerableness of Affection between Christ and his Seed By them also I mean his beleeving Seed he liveth Da mihi filios quod si non morior ego Gen. 30. motior 1. è memoria mei plane emorietur et onliterabitur dum enim parentes post se relinqunt filios in illis quafi adhuc vivere et superesse viden ur untle vulgo apud Hebraeos jâ—ctata est sententia cui non sunt liberi perinde est ac si mortuus sit et Hebraei dicunt qui non habet filios non est aedificatus sed quasi d ssipatus Paulus Fag in Ch. Paraphr in Gen. 30. Psal 72.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filiabitur nomen ejus Ar. Montan. and his Name is continued and born up in the World unto al Generations He shal prolong his daies saith Iâ—aiah 53.10 But how so He shal see his Seed and so shal prolong his daies His Name shall continue for ever saith the Psal 72.17 But how so even by the continual filiation of his Seed and Name Now if he do yet live in them and they only do hear up his Name in the World then no wonder that our Lord and Savior Christ doth take so much delight contentment and satisfaction in them surely his delight in them is beyond al expression for saith he Cant. 7.6 How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights Secondly As for the Issue of Christ which he travelled for namely The Fruits and Effects of his Death his delight and satisfaction must needs be great in the sight thereof For Thereby he sees the good pleasure of God prosper in his hands Isa 53.10 He shall see his Seed and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands a good man delights to see the work of God prosper in his hands and the greater the work is and the more it prospers the more delight he hath and contentment and when doth the Work of God prosper in a mans hands but when it attaineth the ends and due effects thereof Now the work that Christ under took was the greatest work in the world and it was God the Fathers Work insomuch as Christ is called his Servant and saith Christ Lo I come to do thy Will Whenever therefore he sees the Travel of his Soul in the saving effects thereof then he sees the good pleasure of the Lord prospering in his hands and so his heart is at rest Thereby the reproach is rowled away from his Sufferings great was the Scandal of the Cross the greatest scandal that ever was and the greatest reproach cast upon it that ever was It was a reproach to a Woman to be barren but when she brought forth a Child her reproach was rowled away So when the Cross and Sufferings of Christ do bring forth then the reproach and scandal of the Cross is rowled away and therefore when Christ doth see the Travel of his Soul in the effects thereof
that came at the latter end he did not murmur nor say surely my penny is naught because I have a penny given me as wel as he that hath born the heat of the day If any should complain those that have born the heat of the day that have been so much troubled should in reason be the persons but hath the Lord taken you and given you a penny the same peace with him who bare the heat of the day and wil you complain and say surely my penny is falâ—e coyn and my peace naught because I have not born and indured so much trouble as another hath you know some children are born into the world with more pain than others some with less pain should the Child that is born with less pain say I am a Bastard because I was not born with so much pain as the other was When Christ is formed in the souls of men women some are regenerate and born again with more pain some are regenerate and born again with less pain should he that is born with less pain say I am a Bastard and not a true Son because there was not so much pain at my first regeneration as such a one had you know how it was with Zacheus Christ comes unto his house and the same day that he came he said to Zacheus This day it Salvation come to thy house He had assurance the first day But Paul is converted and he lyes troubled and is three dayes blind Should Zacheus now say Surely I am not Converted for I never lay three dayes blind nor was so much troubled as Paul was No surely no more may you say that your Peace is false because you have not such abundance of trouble as others have you are not to make anothers Measure your Rule God goes several waies with his People as well in regard of Peace as in regard of Grace This therefore I say unto you Look unto your Peace it self Have you peace and quietness of soul Then bless and praise the Lord for that peace of yours Yea do not only praise the Lord for your peace and quiet but praise the Lord that ye came so sweetly by it in a way of Free-grace and if for any thing you are to be troubled it is for this That you should nick-name the Grace of God and call it little or false Christ calls it free and you call it false O be humbled for this and praise the Lord for any measure of quiet and peace that he hath given unto thee Object But wil another say All this doth not come up to my case for I have no Peace nor Quiet in my soul to be thankful for Some there are that have Peace and Quiet indeed and they no question ought to be very thankful for it but my poor soul hath been long afflicted troublâ—d and I never yet had assurance of Gods Love in Christ I have not this Peace and Quiet within What shall I dâ— that I may attain unto it or what should a poor soul do to get and attain this Peace and Quiet within Answ Ye know what the Psalmist saies I will hear what the Lord will say for he will speak Peace unto his People Psal 85.8 It is not in my power or in the power of any poor Creature to speak Peace unto you but it is the Lord only that must speak Peace unto thy soul and the Lord speaks Peace in the way of an Ordinance Quest But what does the Lord say what does the Lord speak from his Word in the way of an Ordinance that I who was never yet setled may attain unto this inward Peace and Quietude of soul Answ 1 First He wills you to study and consider much the Death Sufferings and Fulness of the Satisfaction made by Jesus Christ Go down into the Grave of Christ Christs Blood is the Object of Faith and Faith brings Peace Unbelief is a painful sin and Faith is an easing and quieting Grace Being justified by Faith we have Peace c. Rom. 5.1 The more you see the free and infinite Love of God the more will your heart be at rest and quiet within you And where shall you see the Love of God but in the Death of Christ By seeing Christ on the Cross you see Divine Love in triumph All true Peace within arises from sight of Peace made without Where shall you read of that but in Christ's Death And therefore saies the Prophet The Chastisement of our Peace was upon him In Psal 41. ye have a Promise made of great Blessing unto him that considereth the Poor Blessed is he that considereth the poor Who is this poor Tarnovius tels us from the 10. verse That it is Christ in his Sufferings for as he observes this Psalm is a Psalm of Christ verse 9. Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me They are the words of Christ and Christ speaks this Psalm and this poor to be considered is Christ in his Sufferings Saies he I will not here debate the truth of this Interpretation but if true the Lord promised here a blessing to him that doth wisely consider the Death and Sufferings of Christ And wherein doth that blessing he and consist Pauper hic Christus est et beatos istos predicat qui dolores et cruciatus ipsius quos pro nobis sustinuit grato et fideli animo recte considerant Tarnovius in Psalmum 41. The Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the evil day or in the day of evil saith the Chaldee Paraphrase In the day of vexation saith Symmachus Now the day of Temptation Doubts and great Fears is an evil day and a day of vexation This Day will God deliver him from who doth wisely ponder on the death of Christ Could we see the heart of Christ we should doubt no more and in his death you may see his heart in his Blood you may see his heart Ye know what the Prophet Isaiah saies Lord wilt thou not ordain Peace who hast wrought all our works for us And where shall ye find that God hath wrought all our works for us but in Christs Grave and Death Secondly Ye must not only go unto the Grave of Christ and study his Death but you must go unto Christ Himself for Peace He is the great Peace-maker hath a Commission to take up all Differences without us and within us Ye know his words The Lord God hath given me the Tongue of the Learned saies he that I may speak a word in due season to him that is weary Go then to Christ and press this engagement and say Lord thou hast therefore received the Tongue of the Learned that thou mayest speak a word in due season to him that is weary And O Lord I am one of those wearied souls wearied with my Temptations wearied with inward trouble now Lord speak a word
of God more they are more against the Love and Grace and Favor of God than other mens sins are And the Lord doth see the sins of his own People yea so far he sees sin in them that he doth chastise and afflict them for it not only from their sin but for their sin and therefore saith the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.30 speaking of the unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper For this cause many are sick and weak among you And he doth not speak only of Saints in Appearance and in Church-Estate but of such also as were Saints indeed and therefore he saith We are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world He puts himself in We are judged that we may not be condemned with the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 3.19 Our Savior Christ saith Revel 3. As many aâ— I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent it seems then it was for sin committed else why should he say Repent and repent therefore Repentance is for sin committed already and these were such as he loved too whom he threatens thus to rebuke and chastise and doth any Father rebuke chastise or correct his Child only from sin and not for sin Was not Moses a gracious and an holy man and yet for his unbeleef and sin he lost the Land of Canaan Was not Sampson a good man and yet by his sin he lost his Eyes and his Life too Was not David a gracious and a holy man and yet for his sin the Lord said The Sword should never depart from his house and yet Christ had made satisfaction for his sin too as well then as for the Saints now But now though there be never so much evil in the sins of Gods People yet they have no reason no just cause or Scripture reason to be cast down and to be discouraged in that respect Quest But how may this appear That notwithstanding the sins of Gods own People do grieve the Spirit of God are a dishonor to Jesus Christ and do wound the Name of God and the Profession of Christ so much That yet the Saints have no reason to be discouraged or cast down Answ 1 First They know or they may know that they shall never be condemned for their sin whatever it be There is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus saith the Apostle Christ was made sin for them and if Christ be made sin for me then my sin shall never hurt me Luther is bold here Fateor me peccasse sed peccatum meum damnatum in Christo est qui est peccatum damnans est autem peccatum illud damnans fortius peccato damnato Luther for saith he Christ is made sin damning our sin is sin damned I confess indeed said he that I have sinned but sin damning is stronger than sin damned and Christ was made sin damning for me The thing is true though the expression be strange Christ was made sin for Saints therefore their sin shall not hurt them It stands not with the Justice of God to exact the payment of one debt twice Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath not only been arrested but in Goal for the debt of the Saints and People of God and he hath paid it to the utmost farthing he hath paid it better than they could have paid it themselves if they had gone to Hell for if a Godly man had gone to Hell and been damned for ever he would have been alwaies paying but the debt would never have been paid Christ paid it all down for the present And if you look into Scripture you will find That the Lord doth not condemn a man no not a wicked man barely for the act of his former sin but because he wil not turn from it Psal 7.11 The Lord is angry with the wicked every day verse 12. If he turn not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath prepared for him the Instruments of death he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutor The Lord hath prepared Instruments of Death against every wicked man but yet notwithstanding though a man be never so wicked if he turn unto the Lord God will not discharge those Instruments of Death upon him yea though his sins have been never so great but saith the Text If he turn not not because he hath sinned before only but because he turns not from his sin he will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready Now there is alwaies in the Saints and People of God a turning disposition although they do sin against God there is alwaies I say a turning disposition in them and therefore the Lord will not discharge the Instruments of death upon them surely then they have no reason to be quite discouraged in this respect Answ 2 Secondly As Godly men shall never be condemned for their sins so their sins shall never part God and them What is the sâ—eming Reason why some are so discouraged about their sins but because they think they shall not only lose the face and presence of God by their sins but that they shall lose God himself But now I say the sins of the Godly shall never part God and them their sins may hide Gods Face But as their sins did not hinder God and their coming together at first so their sins shall never part God and them their sins may cause a strangeness between God and them but shall never cause an Enmity their sins may hide Gods Face from them but shall never turn Gods back upon them those whom God Loves he loves unto the end I am the Lord that changeth not saith he And as the Prophet Isaiah speaks As the Covenant that the Lord made with Noah such is the Covenant that he makes with his People Now look into Genesis Chap. 8. and you shall see what the Covenant is that the Lord made there with Noah and with the World by Noah When Noah came out of the Ark he built an Altar and Sacrificed verse 21. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor and the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the Ground for mans sake Why For the Imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth You would think this were a reason why God should curse the Ground again for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth man is wicked therefore surely God will curse the Ground again nay saith the Lord but though you that are poor Creatures think so yet I that am the God of all Grace I make this Covenant with the World by Noah That I will not curse the Ground any more for mans sake Because the Imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth continually Sensus enim et cogitatio humani cordis c. Hierom. I confess indeed the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Quamvis Although as well as Quoniam
Gods Love in Christ some return upon you again in the day visibly some return in the night invisibly when you see them not there is a visible and there is an invisible return of Prayer What more usual with Gods People than to say and think thaâ— the Lord doth not hear their Prayer nor make return to them when indeed he doth and that visibly unto others also Luke 1. you read of Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were very righteous verse 6. They were both righteous before God And Zacharias and Elizabeth had no Children but Zacharias prayed for Children for at verse 13. the Angel said unto him Fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy Wife Elizabeth shall bear a Son and thou shalt call his name John The Lord heard his Prayer and sent an Angel to tel him his prayer was heaâ—d but Zachaâ—ias doubted thereof verse 18. Zacharias said unto the Angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in yeers Here he doubts and it was his sin thus to doubt as you may see by verse 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou beleevest not my words Here plainly now was a return of prayer yea here was a visible return of Prayer and yet Zacharias though a Godly and a Holy man doubâ—ed whether the Lord had heard his Prayer or no. So that I say this is no new thing with Gods own People and dearest Children to say and think somtimes That the Lord doth not answer their Pâ—ayer when the Lord indeed doth anâ—wer and thaâ— visibly too But Thirdly If the Lords not hearing granting and answering your Prayers presently be â—omtimes matter of great encouragement then it is not alwaies a matter of discouragement Now the Lords not hearing and granting your prayer preâ—eâ—tly is somtimes matter of great encouragement You have divers â—hildren at your Table some yonger and some elder some Babes and little ones some grown whâ—n you come to carve out your meat unto them you carve first to the little ones and you do noâ— carve first to the greater for say you these little ones will cry and they have not Patience to stay and thereâ—ore they shâ—â—l be first â—erved but those greater have more wiâ— and more patience and they will stay Beloved thus now it is between God and us The Lord hath two sorts of Children that come to him in Prayer and hâ— intends to serve them both but he looks upon those that are weak and serves them first as for thâ—â—â— that are strongâ—â— and have more faith and patience saith the Lord you are able to stay I see your faith and patience and therefore I wil serve the little ones first but as for you I wil serve you last Thus it was with Abraham after the Lord had made Abraham a Promise of a Seed he made him stay a great while Why Because he saw he had faith to stay So now thou hast not presently a return or answer to thy prayer Why Because the Lord it may be sees thou hast strength faith and patience to stay And is not this rather matter of encouragement than discouragement But Fourthly Who ever stayed and waited long upon God but he had more than he prayed for Either God answers your prayers presently or if he do not he will not only pay you the principal but he wil pay you forbearance money and you shal have good Security and a pledg for the principal too The desire is a pledg of the thing desired Prayer is a pledg of the thing prayed for a waiting heart is a pledg of the thing waited for and the longer you stay the more your hearts shal be weaned from the thing prayed for and the more you shal be taught to wait upon God and somtimes a waiting frame of heart is a greater mercy than the thing waited for By this means also you shal be weaned from your prayer so as not to rest on it A Child may so love the Nuâ—se as to forget the Mother and one may possibly so love Duty as to forget Christ but by Gods delaying to answer you are weaned from this Nurse and kept from resting on it Or it may be you came to Duty with too high esteem of your own performance and too low esteem of the Duty it self Hereby God teachech you to come to the Duty with high esteem of it and with low esteem of your own doing it Yea the longer you stay the more you shal be humbled and your self-despising thoughts because you cannot pray may please God more than your best prayer You see that when a man angles he throws his line into the Water and there is the hook and the bait those are heavy then there is the Cork and that is light and when the Fisher or the Angler sees that the light cork is drawn under water now the Fish bites saith he now there is hope now there is somthing coming So you go to prayer and there is somwhat heavy and weighty in your spirit but there is somthing that is of a corky and light Nature in your spirit the longer you stay the more your Cork shall be drawn under water that lightness of Spirit shal be drawn under water and so the more you shall be humble and humbled Thereby you are caught to fan your prayers There is much Chaff amongst the good Wheat of our Duties and Gods delaying time is our fanning time when the Fish doth not bite the Fisher mends his bait it may be saith he my hook is not well baited So should you do when you take nothing by prayer Gods delay cals for your amending Yea by this means you may remember how you delayed the Lord he spake often to you and it was long ere you heard him shal we think it long ere he hear us when it was so long ere we heard him it may be you have forgotten your delayes of God but by this forbearance he doth Graciously mind you thereof Yea by Gods forbearance to answer you the Lord teacheth you to forbear Gods forbearance doth teach us forbearance and is that nothing let al this be considered and you wil say indeed here is more matter of incouragement than discouragement Fiftly If you would be discouraged in case God should alwaies answer your prayer presently then you have no reason to be discouraged because he doth not answer you presently But now if the Lord should alwaies answer thy duty and prayer presently you would be discouraged why because you would say thus I look into the scripture and there I find that God doth not alwayes answer his children presently his children have prayed and then they have waited and this hath been the way that God hath taken with his children now God doth not take this way with me and therefore I fear I am none of Gods children and so you would
Threatening may be repealed then you have no cause to fear in this respect Now a Threatening is therefore given that it may not be fulfilled Joshuah knew this so well that he professeth to the Lord That therefore he fled to Tarshish because saith he O Lord I knew that thou art a merciful God As if he should say I knew O Lord thou art so merciful a God that though thou hast threatened Nineveh yet thou wilt reverse thy Threatening But a Promise once given unto a soul shal never be reversed or repealed It may rise up to an Oath as somtimes it doth for when God gives a Promise to a soul and opposition ariseth if then God gives out the same Promise again it amounts to an Oath As I live saith the Lord I will never reverse this Promise that I have made to thee But a Promise once given shal never be reversed or reâ—ealed Gal. 3. you have the case that is now before you Saith Paul at verse 15. I speak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereunto Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made And therefore saith the Apostle the Promise shall not be disanulled although the Law came after the Promise But if the Promise that the Lord gave to Abraham was not disanulled by the Law that came four hundred and thirty years after verse 17. Wherefore then serves the Law Verse 19 he tels you It was added because of transgression So now say you If that the Promise that God hath given heretofore be not disanulled and made void by the Threatening that follows after wherefore then was the Law or the Threatening given unto my soul It was added because of transgression God had some transgression of yours to discover unto you that you did not think of and therefore the Threatening and the Law came after But the Promise is quite out of sight and I have lost it And did not the Jews also lose the sight of the Promise which was given to Abraham When the Lord gave the Law and they stood quaking and trembling before Mount Sinai did not they then lose the sight of the Promise that was given to Abraham So say I although thou hast lost the sight of the Promise that once thou hadst and a threatening be come in the room of it the Promise that was once given thee it may be four hundred and thirty daies ago or many years ago shal never be disanulled or reversed And the reason is this Because God doth not repent in the matter of the Gospel Ye read in Scripture that God is said somtimes to repent It repented the Lord that he made man somtimes it is said that the Lord doth not repent I am not a man that I should repent How are these two reconciled God doth repent and God doth not repent Thus to our present Purpose God repents as to the matter of the Threatening but God never repents as to the matter of the Promise God repents as to the matter of the Threatening and therefore saith the Lord to Jeremiah I am weary of my repenting I have threatened and threatened and I am weary of threatening Here God repented as to the matter of the threatening but God never repents as to the matter of the Promise And therefore saith the Apostle in Rom. 11. The Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance And the Promise is a great Gift So then as to the matter of the Promise God doth never repent Wherefore poor soul hast thou a Promise given thee may be five years ago may be ten years ago may be twenty years ago and hast thou lost the sight of this Promise and instead of the Promise is there a Threatening come upon thy soul that makes thy heart quake and tremble I here tell thee from the Lord the Promise that was once given unto thee though now thou hast lost the sight of it shall never be repealed or recalled O! what matter of incouragement is here is here matter of discouragements nay rather here is matter of great incouragement Object O! but yet this is not my case I do not only want Assurance of Gods love but I have Assurance of Gods displeasure I do not only want Assurance of my Salvation but I have Assurance of my damnation I do not only want the testimony of the spirit bearing witness with my spirit that I am the child of God but I have another testimony within my soul beaâ—ing witness to me that I am a reprobate and have I not cause to be discouraged Answ 1 No not yet for it may be you look upon the back-side of Gods dispensation if we look upon the face of Gods dispensation we see his love and good pleasure but if we look on the backside thereof we conclude nothing but anger displeasure It may be it is so with you in this case But Answ 2 Secondly If you find no such testimony of reprobation as you speak of in al the scripture then you have no reason to fear or to be discouraged in this respect now search the scripture and you shal not find in al the word any ground for such a testimony of reprobation We read indeed of Francis Spira notorious for his despair when his friends came to comfort him having spake comfortable words unto him That he said why go ye about to comfort me comfort belongs not to me for I am a reprobate O! said one of his friends do not say so for none are able to say so yes said he as the elect of God have a spirit within them bearing witness that they are the children of God so reprobates have another spirit bearing witness with their spirits that they are not the children of God but the children of Satan and such a spirit of reprobation have I. But my beloved if there be such a spirit or a testimony of reprobation as this is either it must be from the spirit of God or from the spirit of Satan if from the spirit of Satan then he is a lyer not to be beleeved if it be from the spirit of God how doth it suit with the word for the spirit of God is called the Comforter can such a spirit of reprobation come from the comforter and if you have such a testimony as this is either you must have it from the word or from the spirit of God alone without the word if from the word then from the threatening for it is not from the promise nor from the command if from the threatening a threatening may be repealed a threatening may be reversed as you have heard and if you have it from the spirit of the Lord how can it be that the spirit should be called a Comforter surely therefore if you have such a spirit of reprobation in your bosom it is from Satan and he is a Lyer But my beloved I wil in this appeal to you
himself it is the darkening of the Sun which brings an universal darkness upon the soul and it imbitters al other Afflictions for as the presence of Christ sweetens all other Comforts so the absence or forsakings of Christ do imbitter al other Sufferings and cut off al our relief and remedy against them So long as the face of God shines upon a poor soul he may run to Christ and relieve and help himself against his Affliction true my Friends forsake me my Relations forsake me but Christ hath not forsaken me but if God and Christ forsake where shal a man relieve or refresh himself in this stormy day And as those sins are greatest that cut off our relief against other sins so those Afflictions are greatest that cut off our relief against other Afflictions Such is this of al Afflictions it looks the most like a Judgment to a Gracious Soul O Lord Psal 6.1 saith David Correct me not in thine Anger nor chasten me in thy hot Displeasure When God hides his face and forsakes the soul he seems to correct in Anger and in hot displeasure herein a Christian doth as it were combat with God himself he fights with men somtimes and then he is more than a Conquerer because Christ fighteth with him and in him he fights with Satan Principalities and Powers and then he doth overcome because Christ is with him but O! saith the soul in this Desertion God is mine Enemy here I must fight it out hand to hand with Divine Anger and what shal I do now how is it possible that I should now escape The truth is this Affliction above al others seems to draw a Curtain over al our Comforts and to put an end unto al our Spiritual joy What Birds sing in the Winter time some may but ordinarily they do not If you walk abroad in the Winter time and hear no Birds sing and one say to you What is the reason of this deep silence two or three months ago when we walked in the Fields every Wood had its several Musick how sweetly did the Birds sing then but now they are al silent what is the reason You wil easily answer I then indeed it was Summer time then the Sun shone upon them and â—o they sang â—ut now the warming and enlivening beams of the Sun are gone â—hey sing no more Beloved the Light of Gods Countenance is oâ—r Spring Desertion is our Winter show me that Sainâ— that is able to sing in this Winter time I confess it is possible for a man to â—o it and some there are Habakkuk was one that learned â—his song of Faith but â—ow few are able to sing and rejoyce when God hides himself No saith the soul two or three months ago the Lord shined upon me and then I could sing indeed but now God and Christ is gone and so al my songs are gone and joyes are gone and I fear I shal never see them again or rejoyce in Christ again It is said of Mary That when she went to Christs Sepulchre she wept and though the Angel came to her and said Why weepest thou yet she continued weeping the presence of an Angel could not comfort her Why O! saith she They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Would it not grieve a Prince to be dispossest of and to lose his Crown to be made like an ordinary man This Presence of Christ is the Crown of a Christian and therefore when God had forsaken the Church as we read in Lam. 5. she complained verse 16. The Crown is falâ—en from my Head Why ver 20. Wherefore doest thou forget us for evâ—r and forsake us so long a time Ver. 22. Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us Take away the presence of Christ and ye set a Christian among the ordinary rank of men and must he not needs be troubled when his Crown is thus taken from his Head I have read of a Religious Woman that having born Nine Children professed That she had rather endure all the pains of those Nine Travels at once than endure the Misery of the loss of Gods Presence And indeed this Affliction of Gods forsaking a man is so great that if a man feel it not I even fear it is because he is forsaken indeed But now though there be never so much Gal and Wormwood in this Cup yet the Children of God have no reason to faint at the drinking of it no just cause or reason yet to faint or be discouraged or cast down Quest How may that appear Answ 1 First For the cleering of this Truth to you ye must know That God or Christ is said to forsake a man either in regard of his Power Grace or Strength or in regard of the comfortable feelings of his Love either in reâ—â—rd of Union or in regard of Vision 1. In regard of Union He never forsakes his own People 2. In regard of his Power Grace and Strength he never forsakes them totally 3. And in regard of Vision or comfortable feelings though he do forsake for a time yet he wil return again and if al these be true have they any reason to be much discouraged For the first ye know what is said Those whom he loves John 13.1 he loves unto the end As for the Second ye know what he saith also I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the Power of God unto Salvation And as for the Third hath not the Lord promised Isay 54. that he wil return again with advantage ver 7. For a smal moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness wil I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer ver 8. Now ye know that Friends are not much troubled at such a parting which is but for a time It is said of the Church of Ephesus That when Paul â—ook leave of them they wept Because he said they should see his face no more The Saints cannot say so in regard of Christ though they see not his face for the present yet they cannot say I shal see his face no more for he wil return again yea and return with advantage for though he forsakes for a moment yet with great mercy and with everlasting kindness wil the Lord have mercy on them What then though you be forsaken for a moment have you any just cause and reason for your Discouragement Answ 2 Secondly If Christ do therefore forsake his People that he may not forsake them and hath a design of Love and nothing but of Love upon them in his forsaking then have they no just cause for their Discouragements Now I pray What is the reason why God doth forsake his People for a time or a moment hath he any deâ—â—gn but Love upon them Doth he
and quiet under the hand of God then he is called to that other work which his Affliction doth lead him to It may be your Affliction may hinder you from your former work which God hath call'd you from but it doth not hinder you from that work whereunto you are now called by your Affliction And what though my Affliction doth hinder me from my former work yet if God wil not fault me for the neglect of that have I any reason to be discouraged becaus I do not do it This is certain That if God cal me to a new work he wil never blame me if I lay by the former You wil not blame your Servants if they lay by their former work when you call them to a new and when God leads into a new Affliction then he doth cal to a new work Answ 3 And as for matter of Temptation and Sin this is certain That that Affliction doth never expose a man to a new sin which doth make him sensible of his former sin Now as you have heard the Afflictions of the Saints do both discover and heal their sins making them sensible of them which they were not before And if you look into Psal 125.3 you find a Promise to this purpose The Rod of the wicked shall not rest on the Lot of the Righteous lest the Righteous put forth their hand to iniquity As it is with a Master that sets his Servant to beat the dust out of his Garment though he cause the rod or stick to pass upon the Garment yet he will not suffer it to rest so long upon the Garment as it shal be torn thereby Your Affliction is Gods Rod and he suffers it to pass upon your Garment Why That he may fetch out your dust therewith but he wil not suffer this Rod to rest so long upon you as to tear your Garment Lest the Righteous put forth their hand unto iniquity saith the Text. Answ 4 And if this fear of yours be a good sign of your Grace then why should you be discouraged in this respect Now what better sign of Truth and Uprightness of heart have you than this That you are therefore troubled at your Affliction because it doth expose to Temptation and Sin and because it doth hinder you from what is good Do you not say so Lord thou knowest I am therefore afflicted under this Affliction not because of the burden of it so much but because thereby I am hindred from doing and receiving good and exposed to such Temptations as for the Affliction it self though it be great yet Lord thou knowest I should submit to it and be quiet under it were I not thereby exposed unto what is evil Here now is sincerity here is uprightness and will you then be discouraged nay rather have you not cause and reason to be much encouraged Object 6 This is not my fear or cause of my discouragement but I am under a great and sore Affliction so and so afflicted and I fear I have brought my self into this Affliction by my sin had not my sin been the cause of my Affliction I should not be troubled but O! my Affliction is great and long and I am perswaded that my own sin is the cause thereof yea and that which aggravateth the matter is I cannot find out what the sin is if God would but discover it to me I should be more at quiet but my sin is the cause of my affliction and I know not what the particular sin is that hath brought me into this affliction and have I not just cause and reason for my discouragement now Answ No For did not Jonah bring himself into his Affliction by his sin and yet when did God more fully appear to him than when he was in the Whales Belly Did not David bring himself into his Affliction by his sin he sinned in the matter of Vriah and the Lord said The Sword shall never depart from thy House and what was the Sword of Absolon but an Affliction which dropped out of that Threatening brought upon him by his sin and yet when was Davids heart in a better frame If saith he the Lord have any pleasure in me he will bring me back to the Ark again if not let him do with me what seemeth good in his Eyes And when did God more fully appear to David than under this Affliction for he prayed The Lord turn the Counsel of Achittophel into folly and God heard him presently And if ye look into Deut. 4. you shall find a standing Promise made for your Comfort in this matter verse 25. If you shall corrupt your selves and make a graven Image or the likeness of any thing and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you this day That you shall soon utterly perish from the Land ye shal not prolong your daies the Lord will scatter you among the Nations and you shall be left few in number among the Heathen and there you shall serve gods the work of mens hands But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thine heart and all thy soul 1. Here was a great Affliction to be driven out into another Country 2. This Affliction was caused by their great sins 3. Yet the Promise is That if from thence from this valley and bottom they did seek the Lord he would shew mercy to them And all this in the times of the Law and is not God as gracious now in the times of the Gospel as then in the times of the Law And what though you cannot find out what the particular sin is it is good to search but somtimes it is better for a poor soul that it is not discovered For if I be under an affliction for some particular sin and find it out then I am once humbled for it and go no further but if I find it not out I search and search and so am humbled continually for many sins and therefore I say it is somtimes better that the particular sin is not discovered Why then should a godly gracious soul be discouraged in this respect Surely he hath no reason for it Object 7 Yet there is one thing sticks with me in regard of personal Afflictions I fear that they do not come from Gods Love were I certain that this Affliction did proceed from Gods Love then I should never be troubled but I even see the visible Characters of Gods displeasure and anger engraven upon my Afflictions and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For if Affliction do rather argue Gods Love than Hatred then have you no reason to be discouraged Now though Affliction do not argue Gods Love yet I say it doth rather argue Love than Hatred A man may be no Father to a Child yet he may correct him But if two Children commit
a fault and a man takes the one and correct him and let the other go it argues rather that he is his Father than not So though Chastisements do not alwaies argue God to be our Father yet it doth rather argue his Fatherly Love than not Answ 2 And is there any thing in God that is not a friend to all the Saints When a man is a friend to another not only his Purse is his Friend his Estate is his Friend his Staff is his Friend but his Sword is his Friend So if God be a Friend to a man then not only his Love is his Friend and his Mercy his Friend but his Sword is his Friend his Anger is his Friend Now God is a Friend to all the Saints and therefore his very Anger and Justice is a Friend too But Answ 3 In the third place What are those visible Characters of Love which are engraven upon an Affliction First If Affliction be a blessing to one then it doth come from Love and if a man can bless God under Affliction then it is a blessing to him Jobs Affliction was a blessing to him Why Because he blessed God under it The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be his Name c. Secondly If an Affliction do end in our Love to God then it comes from Gods Love to us for our Love is but a reflection of Gods Love and it doth flow from his and if I can say I love God never the worser for this Affliction then I may say God loves me never the lesser notwithstanding this Affliction Thirdly If an Affliction teacheth the mind of God then it doth come from Love As many as he loveth he chastiseth And blessed is the man whom thou chastiseth and teachest out of thy Law So that if Affliction be a teaching Affliction then it doth come from Love Fourthly If it be laid on in measure and imposed in due and seasonable time so as a man may grow thereby then it doth come from Love When a man intendeth to kill and destroy a Tree or to bring it unto the fire he cuts it at any time so as it shal grow no more but if he cut it in a due time it argueth that he intendeth it for growth So when God pruneth and cuts by Afflictions in such a time as men may grow in Grace it argues his Love Fifthly When God is especially present in Affliction and more present in an Affliction than at another time it argues that the Affliction doth come from Love Now whoever you are that make this Objection and fear the Affliction doth not come from Love are you not able to say Thus I find it indeed though I have been much afflicted yet through Grace I have bâ—en able to bless the Lord under my Affliction and to say The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away c. I love the Lord never the lesser for mine Affliction and the Lord hath taught me much in this mine Affliction I have gained more by my sickness than by many a Sermon yea and he hath cut me in due time for if I had not met with such an Affliction at such a time I did not know what evil I should have fallen into and this I must needs say I have had more of Gods Presence in my Affliction than ever I had before Well then be of good Comfort though your Affliction be very grievous yet it doth come from Love And thus it is with all the Saints and People of God and therefore why should they be discouraged whatever their Affliction be Object 8 But though a Christian have no reason to be discouraged in regard of his own private Affliction yet hath he not reason to be discouraged when it goes ill with the Publick And thus it is now with us we see how it is with this poor Nation Troubles and Calamities from every Part therefore I am thus discouraged and have I not cause to be cast down and to be much disquieted now Answ Indeed this is a sad thing and O! that we could weep day and night and pray too for this poor bleeding Nation If ever Gods People here in England had cause to be afflicted troubled and humbled under the hand of the Lord and to run together in Prayer surely they have reason now yet saith the Scripture Say to the Righteous in evil times it shall go well with him Did ever any Calamity come down like a storm upon a Kingdom but God did provide some hiding for his own Children Did he not provide an Ark for Noah in the time of the Flood and a Mountain for Lot in the time of the fire of Sodom The worst that man can do is but to kill his neighbor Death is the worst that can fall and what is death but an in-let to Eternal Life unto the People of God When the Saints in the Primitive Times came to bear witness by their deaths unto the Truth of Christ then they said Now we begin to be Christians indeed now we begin to be like to Christ There is a Three-fold Death Spiritual Death in sin Eternal Death for sin And Temporal Death which came in by sin If God spare me from the two former Deaths the Spirituâ—l Death and Eternal Death and only inflict the Temporal Death have I any cause to complain Thus it is with the Saints though they die Temporally yet they are free from the Spiritual and Eternal Death and what Godly man may not say I could not live long in Nature and shall I now bear witness unto the Truth with this little spot of time that remains Christ died for us the Just for the Unjust and shal not I that am unjust be willing to die for the just The worst of all is Death the worst of Death is gain When my Body is broken may I not say if Godly now a poor Pitcher is broken and shall go no more to the Well now a poor Prisoner my soul is delivered and I go home unto my Father But if you look into Rev. 7. you shal â—ind what a glorious issue God doth give unto al his People in the times of publick troubles ver 9. After this I beheld and so a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations Kindreds and People stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their hands A Robe is a Garment of Majesty Palms are an Ensign of Victory and saith he I saw them with Robes and Palmâ— The world looks upon my Servants as poor and of low spirits but saith Christ I look upon them as under a royal Princely Garment in Robes and of a Princely spirit And though the world look upon them as discomforted yet saith Christ here they shal overcome for they have Palms in their hands but who are these This Scripture tels ver 14. These are they which come out of great Tribulations and have washed their Robes and made them
So in honoring God a man honors himself yea and thereby God doth put hâ—nor on him for what is honor but Testimonium de alicujus excellentia Testifying of anothers Excellency and the more I testifie of any Excellency in a man the more I honor him Now when God doth betrust a man with his Work he testifies of an excellency in him The Lord hath counted me faithful and put me into his Work saith Paul yea the greatest greatness in this world is to wait upon the great God Therefore faith our Savior of John the Baptist Amâ—ngst them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than he Matth. 11.11 And if ye look into Gen. 1. ye shal find That the Moon is câ—lled one of the two great Lights ver 16. And God made two great Lights the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night But though the Moon is said to be lesser than the Sun yet it is said to be one of the two greaâ— Lights And why so are there not other Stars greater than the Moon Yes but because the Moon is the most influential and serviceable to the world therefore it is said to be greater than others So that in â—ods account the more service we do in the world the greater we are and the more honorable in Gods Eyes Answ 3 Thereby also we are kept from the dint of Temptations idleness breeds Temptation Our Vacation is the Devils Term Homines nihil agendo male discunt agere otium est vivi hominis sepultura Sen. when we are least at work for God then is Satan most at work about us By doing nothing men learn to do evil yea Idleness is the burying of a living man Answ 4 Great and good Employment is the Mercy promised That can hardly be a smal mercy which the great God doth promise promised Mercies are the sweeâ—est Mercies Now thâ— Lord promiseth Esay 58.18 That if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry c. The Lord shall guide thee continually and they that shall be of thee shal build the old wast places thou shalt raise up the Foundations of many Generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breaches the Restorer of Paths to dwell in Here is Employment and Betrustment promised Answ 5 The more useful and serviceable a man is to God the more apt and ready God wil be to pardon his failings not only the failings of his present employment but of the other part of his life also What a great failing was that in Rahab to say the Spyes were gone when she had hid them in the top of her house yet the Lord pardoned this failing to her Why Because she beleeved and was useful and serviceable unto Gods great design in that her day And if ye look into Numb 〈◊〉 ye shall find That though Aaron and Miriam were both engaged in the same sin and evil of envying and murmuring against Moses yet the Lord spaâ—ed Aaron when he strook Miriam with a Leprosie But why saith Abulensis was not Aaron smitten with the Leprosie as well as Miriam what because he was not so deeply in the Transgression as she was No for verse 1. it 's said Then spake Aaron and Miriam not as if she were put on by him Or because that Aaron confessed his sin as she did not No for so did Miriam also for she was a good woman Or because that God owed Aaron a punishment till afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom Hom. 3. ad Collos No for that appears not by the Text but he was the High-Priest and if he had been smitten with Leprosie it would have brought his Ministry under some contempt the Work of the Lord would have ceased for a time also and though he failed in this thing yet he was otherwise a very useful and serviceable man and God would shew his aptness and readiness to pardon such rather than others Answ 6 If a man be employed for God in any special Service and Work the Lord will not only pardon his failings but if he be faithful in his Work God will bless him and set a Character of Love and Favor upon him What a Character of Love did the Lord set on Caleb and Joshua Of all men in Scripture it 's said of Caleb that he followed the Lord fully and this Character God himself did set upon him Numb 15.24 But my Servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully c. But why did God own and dignifie Caleb thus Even because he was faithful in that Work Service and Employment which God did call him to Answ 7 Yea The Serviceable man is the only man who doth live and speak when he is dead I mean for God Some are very active and serviceable for the Devil whilst they live they write and print wanton filthy Books and they speak while they are dead but it is still for Satan Others are very active and serviceable for God while they live they write and print works of Faith and Holiness and they also speak when they are dead as it 's said of Abel Who being dead yet speaketh but how doth he speak now The Apostle tels us Heb. 11. by Faith By which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It relates unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Well but what cast of Faith did he do He offered a more excellent Sacrifice than his Elder Brother which was the work and Service of his day So that the Serviceable man is the only man who doth speak when hâ— is dead Surely therfore it is a very great Priviledg and Mercy to be used and employed for God in his Work and Service Yet if God will not use me why should I be discouraged or complain Is not God free and may not he employ whom he pleaseth Shall the poor Potsheard say unto him why doest thou lay me by What if God will cross hands and lay his right hand on anothers head and his left hand on mine Shall I think to direct and order the hands of Gods Providence as Joseph would have altered Jacobs Iâ— not his Work his own and may not he put it out unto whom he please and if I complain thereof is not this my pride Proud men scorn their own employment and envy at others It 's a mercy indeed to be employed for God yet if God will not trust me with his Service as I desire why should I be discouraged Yet I may be Gods Servant For First The Service of God is two-fold Somtimes it is taken for some special Employment which a man is called forth unto And somtimes it is taken for our ordinary Obedience unto Gods Commandements In the first sence it is used often in Numb 4. and frequently in the old Testament called The Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation So in the new Testament also Rom. 15.31 That my Service may be accepted In the second sence it is used
Rom. 12.1 Which is your reasonable Service So also Revel 2.19 I know thy work Charity and Service This latter Service is the saving Service that Service whereby in special manner we are called Gods Servants and in that respect we may be serviceable to God though not in the former Secondly As for the Service of special Employment that is also various Somtimes God doth cal a man to one kind of Service somtimes to another He hath several waies of employment he employed Moses one way in giving out the Law and hâ— employed Ezra another way in restoring of the Law Both were employed but their Employments were very different In 1 Sam. 30. we read that when David fought against the Amalekâ—tes to recover his Wives and substance some of his men stayed and tarriâ—d by the Stuff to preserve that and saith David verse 24. As his part is that goeth down to the Battel so shall his part be that tarryeth by the Stuff they shall part alike Now it may be you are one of those that stay by Christs Stuff being employed in some lower and meaner Service Christ hath a care of you and though you stay at home yet you even you shall have part in the Spoyl as well as those whose work and employment is more honorable Thirdly Yea though God do lay me by for the present yet he may use me afterward God did make use of Joseph but he first laid him by God did make use of Moses but he first laid him by God did make use of David but did he not first lay him by Quidam eundem putant Emman Sa. Alp. Salmeron in Acts 1. Vide Transl Syriac in Acts 15.22 And if Barnabas the Companion of Paul were the same person with Barsabas as some do verily beleeve though the Syriack Translation is plainly against it because the Name of boâ—h was Joses or Joseph as appears by comparing Acts 1.23 with Acts 4.36 And because this Joses was not called Barnabas from the beginning but named Barnabas by the Apostles Acts 4.46 If I say Barnabas were the same with Barsabas then it appears plainly that God doth not alwaies lay a man by to use him no more for what abundance of service Barnabas did the Book of the Acts doth declare yet he was first laid by in the choyce that was between him and Matthew for the lot fell on Matthew yet Barnabas is sent out afterwards by the Church Acts 11.22 and by God himself Acts 13.2 and much Service he did do for God So that though God do lay me by for the present yet he may use me afterwards Fourthly And if a man may be employed for God in some special Service yet may go to Hell when all is done and a man may not be employed and yet go to Heaven afterward then why should you be discouraged because you are not so employed Now what think ye of those which ye read of in Matth. 7. they say at the last day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name cast out Devils in thy Name and done many wonderful works in thy Name Works and great works and many and wonderful they did and all in the Name of Christ yet he wil say to them Depart from me for I never knew you or I know you not Yea did not our Savior Christ say concerning Judas I have chosen twelve and one of you is a Devil A Devil yet an Apostle what greater Work Service or Employment than the Work of an Apostle yet possibly a man may be an Apostle in regard of Employment and a very Devil in regard of Life On the other side how many good and gracious men are there in the world who were never used or called forth unto any special Service such as are now in Heaven and shal be so unto al Eternity What then though you be not employed or used as others are yet surely you have no just cause or reason to be discouraged in this respect Fiftly And if it be the property of a good man to rejoyce in the Service of others then why should you be discouraged because others are employed and you not A Godly man doth mourn for anothers sin as wel as for his own because he mourns for sin as sin and as a dishonor unto God So he rejoyces in the Service of another as wel as in his own becau e he rejoyces in the work it self and â—ecâ—use God is honored You would have Gods Cart to be driven through your Gate Why is it not because you may have some Toll thereby Paul said However Christ is preached and therefore I rejoyce and if Christs work be done whose hands â—oever the work comes through why should you not rejoyce And if it be our Duty to rejoyce then surely you have no Scripture ground and reason for your Discouragement in this regard Object 2 But I am not discouraged because I do want Employment or Service I have more work lies upon my Shop-board than I can turn my hand unto but I have a great deal of work to do and I have no skil to do it O! I want Abilities I want Sufficiencies I do want Endowments therefore I am thus discouraged and have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For Gods greatest Works are not alwaies done by the greatest Parts and most choyce Abilities Gâ—deon did a great Work for God in his Generation yet saith he Judg. 6.15 O my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel behold my Family is poor in Manasseth and I am least in my Fathers House As if he should say if this great work be done it must be done by some strong and potent Family or Pâ—rson but as for me I am the least in my Fathers House and my Fathers House is the least in Manasseh yet saith the Lord to him I will be with thee and thou shalt smite Midian as one man I have read in Scripture that the People have been too many and the means too strong for God to work by but I never read that it was too smal or weak for God to work by God saith Who hath despised the day of smal things And if he wil not have us to despise the day of his smal things surely he wil not despise the day of our smal things Did not the weakness of the Apostles overcome the strength of al the world Who doth not see what weighty Buildings God hath somtimes laid upon our Laths He is able to make as great a hole with his Needle as with our Bodkin Answ 2 Our best Abilities for Gods Work are from the breathings of the Spirit of God Water is weak in it self but when the Wind blows upon it how strong is it So if the Spirit of God breath upon us we are strong though in our selves as weak as water Not by might nor by strength but by the Spirit of the Lord saith Zachariah And if ye look upon that great Service of the re-building of the
into it after I have been admonished of the evil of it Answ To that I say no more but desire you to consider the Instance that is here before you The Disciples slept our Lord and Savior Christ comes and wakens them yea and he chides them too what saith he cannot ye watch with me one hour watch and pray and yet they slept again and he comes and wakens them again and admonisheâ—h them again and yet they slept again Possibly therefore a man may fal into the same Sin again and again yea even after Admonition and yet it may be a Sin of Infirmity Yet how many poor souls are there that are mistaken here on the right hand and do think that their Sins are no Sins of Infirmity when indeed they are Quest But if there be such mistakes how shall we then know whether our Sins be Sins of Infirmity Answ 1 First Negatively That is no Sin of Infirmity which is a gross foul scandalous Sin committed with deliberation and consultation It is said of David that he turned not aside to the right hand or to the left save only in the matter of Vriah It seems then that in this matter he did turn aside but why is it said that he turned aside here and not in other things did he not Sin at other times Yes very often but there is a difference between missing ones way and turning aside out of ones way a man may ignorantly miss his way or unadvisedly but he that turns aside out of his way doth it voluntarily and deliberately and so did David here in this case and not in others this act was a foul fact which he was able and had strength to avoid committed with much deliberation and therefore it was no Sin of Infirmity So that if a mans Sin committed be a gross foul scandalous Sin committed with deliberation and consultation this is no Sin of Infirmity Answ 2 Secondly If the Sin be a Ring-leader unto other foul Sins it is no Sin of Infirmity the Ring-leading Sin is the most hainous Sin you shal observe therefore that when Samuel was raised up whether it was true Samuel or false I wil not now debate when he was raised up by the Witch of Endor in 1 Sam. 28. the only Sin that Samuel laies to the charge of Saul is this at verse 18. That he obeyed not the Voyce of the Lord in executing his fierce wrath upon Amalek Because thou obeyed'st not the voyce of the Lord nor executed'st his fierce wrath upon Amalek saith Samuel therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day Moreover the Lord wil also deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistims If you read this story you shal find that this only Sin Samuel doth instance in Saul had committed other Sins Saul had persecuted David and out of malice and had committed great Sins why doth Samuel instance in this Sin above al other Sins but because this Sin was the Ring-leading Sin unto al the Sins that Saul did commit and therefore this is charged upon him especially as a great and a hainous Sin And you see how it is amongst men if there be a rebellion or insurrection they take the Ring-leader and hang up him for say they this is the great Transgressor for he is the Ring-leader So amongst Sins the great Sin is the Ring-leader and therefore if your Sin be a Ring-leader unto other soul Sins it is not a Sin of Infirmity That 's the Second Answ 3 Thirdly A Sin of Presumption is not a Sin of Infirmity Sins of Presumption and Sins of Infirmity are set in opposition one to the other in Numbers 15. and Psalm 19. Now I pray when doth a man sin out of Presumption but when he sinneth because God is merciful when he sinneth because his Sin can and may stand with Grace when he sinneth because the Sin is but an infirmity when he sinneth because he shal repent afterwards Now this is ordinary I have read of a certain yong man who being admonished of the evil of his way and course and pressed to leave his wickedness by the consideration of Judgment Eternity and Death a coming that he said Why tel ye me of these things I wil do wel enough for when Death comes I wil speak but three words and wil help al and so he went on in the way of his Sin but in the end coming to a Bridg on Hors-back to go over a deep Water the Horse stumbling and he laboring to recover his Horse could not but at last he let go the Bridle and gave up himself and Horse to the Waters and was heard to say these three words Devil take all Here was three words indeed Diabolus capiat omnia and an Example for all men who think to repent with a three-word Repentance at last viz. Lord have mercy to take heed by Miserere mei Deus Such is the end of Presumption and when a man doth therefore sin the rather because God is merciful or because the Sin is but a Sin of Infirmity or because he hopes to repent afterward or because his Sin may and can stand with Grace this is a Sin of Presumption and is no Sin of Infirmity Sins of Presumption are no Sins of Infirmity Answ 4 Fourthly If the Sin be a reigning Sin Potest autem dici infirmitas in anima ad similitudinem infirmitatis corporis dicitur autem corpus esse infirmum quando debilitatur vel impeditur in executione propriae operationis propter aliquam inordinationem partium corporis ita Scil. quod humores et membra hominis non subdantur virtuti regitivae et motivae corporis unde et membrum dicitur infirmum esse quando non pòtest perficere operationem membri sani unde et infirmitas animae dicitur quando impeditur anima in propria operatione propter inordinationem partium ipsius partes autem corporis dicuntur esse inordinatae quâ—ndo non sequuntur ordinem naturae ita et partes animae dicâ—ntur esse inordinata quando non subduntur ordini rationis c. Tho. Aquin. 12. Quest 77 Art 3. then it is no Sin of Infirmity for when Sin reigns Grace doth not therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 6. Let not Sin have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace and when Sin reigns it is in its ful strength Now a Sin of Infirmity is not therefore called infirmity because as the School-men would it doth make a man infirm by impeding and hindering the vital operations of the Soul for then al Sins and especially the greatest should be Sins of Infirmity But it is said to be a Sin of Infirmity because it doth arise from weakness the strength thereof being taken out and mortified and therefore a reigning Sin can be no Sin of Infirmity Now Sin reigneth in a man 1. When it hath the command of his Duties his Spiritual Duties When a Master commands a
a dispersed People Be it so yet your Sufferings are but a Modicum a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in regard of measure and time and after you have thus suffered a little and a little while the God of al Grace wil restore stablish strengthen and settle you This have I prayed for you So that the Doctrine from the Verse is this DOCT. It is a great Blessing of God and worthy of all our Prayer to be Established and Setled in the Truth and Good Waies of God Setling Grace and Mercy in opposition both to outward and inward trouble is a great Mercy and well worth praying for It is a great Mercy and Blessing to be outwardly setled The Apostle speaks here in reference to that opposition and hatred which they met with from the world in scattering them as a People and as a Church for saith he verse 9. Be stedfast in the Faith knowing that the same Afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world As also in reference to those Temptations of Satan which they labored under for saith he verse 5. Your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour So that I say 1 It is a great Mercy for a Nation and State to be setled 2 A Mercy and great Blessing for a Church to be setled 3 A great Blessing and Mercy for a Particular Soul to be setled in the good VVaies of God First It is a great Mercy and Blessing for a Nation or Kingdom to be in a setled Estate and Condition outwardly for it is the Mercy promised and promised Mercies are no smal Mercies Now the Lord promiseth to his People when he deals with them in a way of Mercy to settle and establish them Jer. 24.6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good and I will bring them again to this land and I will build them and not pull them down and I wil plant them and not pluck them up So chap. 32. verse 37. And I will cause them to dwel safely yea verse 41. I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whol heart and with my whol soul This also was that Mercy which the Lord Promised to David 2 Sam. 7.16 But thine House and thy Kingdom shall be established for ever before thee and thy Throne shal be established for ever And if ye look into 2 Chron. 9.8 ye shal find that this establishing of a Nation or Kingdom is both a sign and a fruit of Gods Love Blessed be the Lord thy God said the Queen of Sheba to Solomon which delighteth in thee to set thee on his Throne to be King for the Lord thy God because thy God loved Israel to establish them for ever therefore made he thee King over them c. On the other side when God is angry with a People then he pours a Spirit of Giddiness and Perversness on them that they run to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are as the Leaf shaken with every wind 1 Kings 14.15 The Lord threatens Israel to smite them as a reed is shaken in the water because they had made them Groves provoking the Lord to anger A great Judgment then it is to be shaken like a reed in the Water This also is a Fruit of Gods Anger and when a People are in this posture it argues that God hath smitten them in his Anger But when may a People be said to be thus smitten as a Reed shaken in the Water Even then when they are driven to and fro with every wind when they are easily moved and put by their Station Sicut solet moveri arundo in aqua Scilicet quia arundines faciliter moventur in aqua quocunque vento impellente aut levi aquarum decursu ita Israell incideret ìn magnas calamitates et Deus faceret cum tam passibilem ut à quocunque insurgente contra eum posset percuti Abulens in Loc. so that any one that rises up against them may afflict them and lay them low And if this unsetled shaking Condition be a great Judgment upon a Nation or People then surely the contrary is a great Mercy it is a great Blessing indeed for any Kingdom or Nation to be in a setled Estate and Condition Secondly As it is a Mercy and Blessing for a Nation to be settled and established so for the Church of God For when the Church hath this rest then it is edified walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 Establishment is the Mercy promised to the Church also Esai 2.2 It shall come to pass in the last daies that the Mountain of the Lords House shall be established in the top of the Mountains What is more setled on Earth than a Mountain The House of the Lord shal be as a Mountain upon the Mountains in the last daies great shal be the glory of the latter Daies As the Sins and Apostacies of the latter Daies shal be the greatest Sins and Apostacies so the Glory of the Churches shal be the greatest in the last daies And the Establishment of the Churches is not only promised but promised as part of the Glory of the latter Times It is that Mercy and Blessing which the Apostles labored for continually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fâ—rst they took a great deal of pains to convert and bring men home to God being converted the Apostles then formed them into several Churches and Churches being planted then their great work and business was to Establish them Acts 14.21 And when they had preached the Gospel to that City or had Gospellized that City and had taught many or had Discipled many or those that were sit and worthy they returned again to Lystra to Iconium and Antioch confirming the souls of the Disciples and exhorting them to continue in the Faith c. This they also prayed for and therefore as the Apostle Peter shuts up his Epistle with this Prayer for the dispersed Christian-Jews so the Apostle Paul doth close up his Epistle to the Corinths with the same desire and Prayer for them 2 Cor. 13. And this also we wish even your perfection verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Rom. 16.25 he concludes thus Now to him that is of power to establish you c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Apostle Paul useth two of these four words that are used by Peter The closing wish doth alwaies fal upon some precious mercy And as it is the Mercy prayed for so somtimes it is made the Signal Mercy whereby the Church is declared to be the Church of Christ Whose House ye are saith the Apostle to the Hebrews if you hold fast the Confidence of your rejoycing stedfast to the end An House is setled fixed and established a Tent is removable but an House is not so unworthy are those of the Name of the House
the time of his Liberty he was loose in the time of his Imprisonment he was sullen and when he was at the Stake he was mad with horror of Conscience mad O! but true saving Faith wil not flinch and give in at last The three Children did not only come to the Fire but rid out the storm But I say no more in this only thus Seventhly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion yet he doth not bring forth the quiet fruit of Righteousness but true saving Faith doth it suffers and brings forth the quiet fruit of Righteousness So that now you see by al this that it is Faith alone it is true saving Faith and Faith alone that wil carry a man through Sufferings But then Quest Thirdly You wil say How and by what means can Faith do this What is there in Faith to do it to carry a man through hard things and through all Sufferings although they be never so great Answ 1 First It is the work of Faith to make a man resign and give up his wil to the wil of God and when a man can do so what may he not suffer Answ 2 Secondly It is the work of Faith the proper work of Faith to cleave close unto the Commandement of God True Satan I am an unworthy Creature but God hath commanded me to beleeve True I am a great Sinner but God hath commanded me to beleeve Faith doth peremptorily stick unto the Commandement and it leaves God to answer unto the Objections and Inconveniences that follow upon his Obedience to the Commandement it leaves that to God By Faith Abraham when he was called to go out obeyed not knowing whether he should go Now when a man can do this what may he not suffer Answ 3 Thirdly It is the proper Work of Faith to close with the Gospel whereby the Soul doth receive the fulness of the Spirit the Promise of the Father Now when a mans heart is filled with the Spirit of God what may he not suffer Pray do but consider the Apostles after that the Spirit came upon them you know they would suffer any thing though it were never so great before the Spirit came upon them though they had the Personal presence of Christ they could not suffer any thing though it was never so smal Now Faith doth close with the Promise of the Gospel whereby the Soul doth receive the Spirit of God the Promise of the Father Answ 4 Fourthly It is the proper Work of Faith to look upon the recompence of Reward By Faith Moses had an Eye to the recompence of Reward and so chose Affliction with the People of God Saith our Savior to his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled How so Lord Saith he I go to prepare a place for you In my Fathers House there are many Mansions Faith shews one the Glory and the Joyes of Heaven and when a man sees those things what may he not suffer Answ 5 Fiftly The more that a man can see the hand of God as a Father upon the Rod the more able he wil be to suffer and the more cheerful Ye bring a Child to School and he sees the School hung with Rods in every corner a Rod and the Child is afraid but if his Fathers House be set with Rods the Child is not afraid in his Fathers House Now Faith true savâ—ng Faith wil shew one the hand of a Father upon the Rod. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away saith Faith I was dumb and opened not my mouth for thou Lord hast done it saith Faith Answ 6 Sixtly The more a man can see to the end of his Affliction and Suffering the more able he wil be to go through it Now Faith tels a man that there is an end No temptation saith the word of Faith hath befallen you but what is common and with the Temptation there is an out-let there is a door a door in the Ark although the door may be under water and the out-let may be under water Faith doth not only tel a man that there is an end but that the end shal be good and al shal work together for his good yea it tels a man that his affliction shall be but for a moment and that moment shal be recompenced with abundance of Comfort Psal 30. ver 5. For his Anger endureth but a moment in his Favor is Life Weeping may endure for a night but Joy cometh in the morning So also in Isa 54. verse 7. For a smal moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Faith tels us this Now when a man knows and considers this what may he not suffer Answ 7 Seventhly It is the proper work of Faith to look on both sides of the Dispensation there is a dark side and there is a light side in Affliction and Suffering Sence and Reason looks only on the dark side but Faith looks to both sides of the Dispensation It is written of Mr. Latimer the blessed Martyr that when he was to go to the Stake taking leave of his fellow Prisoners saith he Be of good Comfort O my Friends and Brethren for though we go to the Stake to day and be burnt to Fire we shal light such a Candle in England as shal never be put out we shal make such a Fire in England to day as shal never be quenched he saw both sides of the Dispensation because he beleeved Faith wil shew one both sides of the Dispensation Answ 8 Eightly It is the proper Work of Faith to see one contrary in another or through another it wil see the Smiles of God in the midst of Frowns it wil see Love in the midst of Anger it will see Order in the midst of Confusion it wil see Mercy in the midst oâ— Misery it wil see a door of Hope in the Valley of Achor Faith it looks upon things with the Prospective of the Promise and the Promise speaks on this wise in Deut. 32. verse 36. saith the Lord there The Lord shall judg his People and repent himself for his Servants when he sees that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Faith I say sees one contrary in another or beyond another and when a man can do so what may he not suffer And Answ 9 Ninthly and lastly If God do engage to help and succor in afflictions and if the Lord do count himself engaged to succor deliver and help in Affliction because men trust in the Lord surely Faith can do very much in the day of Affliction Now I pray look into Scripture and you shal see that the Lord is engaged upon this account in Psal 37. last And the Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the
unto the special Protection of God though not to free yet to sanctifie and sweeten your Affliction That day you were converted and brought home to God you had a Right and Title given you unto al the Ordinances Jus ad rem though not in re they are your Fathers Plate and as a Child you may drink out of your Fathers Plate That day thou wert converted and brought home to God thou hadst a special Right and Title given thee unto al the Creatures you may look up to Heaven and see the Stars and say these are my Fathers Candles and when you hear the Thunder you may say this is my Fathers Voyce and when you see the Sea you may say this is my Fathers Fish-pond and when you see the Godly men of the World you may say these are my Fathers Children and when you see wicked men you may say these are my Fathers Dish-clouts to make his Children clean and when you consider of the Devils you may say these are my Fathers Hang-men his Executioners and when you see the Gold and Riches and Wealth of the World you may say this is my Fathers Dung-hil I say that day thou art converted and brought home to God God doth great things for you in that moment Now the more that you consider what great things God hath done for you the more your heart is engaged to God and the more your heart is engaged the more willing and able you wil be to suffer Secondly If you would strengthen your Faith to suffer great and hard things study much the Book of the Revelation which is a standing Cordial for the relief of the Saints in suffering in Anti-christian times and study and read and commend to your Children the Book of Martyrs where you have Examples to the Life of the People of God dying for the Faith but above al things study much the Sufferings of Christ Faith true saving Faith it loves to dwel in the Wounds of Christ and beleeve it the sight of a suffering Christ wil teach one to suffer nothing like it the example of Christ especially the sight of Christs Sufferings wil not only teach you to suffer but wil sanctifie your heart by the Suffering and wil provoke you to suffer What! shal the Lord Christ suffer such great things for me and shal I suffer nothing for him Study the Sufferings of Christ Thirdly If you would so strengthen your Faith as you may be able to suffer hard things consider much and frequently the great gains of Suffering possess your heart therewithal Beloved Suffering times are gaining times and if your heart and mind were but possest with that Truth it would not be a hard thing to suffer hard things and that by Faith I shal therefore spend a little time to make out this for the strengthening of your Faith that suffering times are gaining times Suffering times are Teaching times Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest correctest and teachest out of thy Law Schola Crucis Schola Lucis The Cross is Gods free School where we learn much Suffering times are teaching times As Suffering times are teaching times so suffering times are sin-discovering times Afflictions recal sins past and prevent sin to come Afflictions shew us the emptiness of the Creature the fulness of God the vileness of sin When Adonibezek had his Thumbs and Toes cut off he could remember his own sin You see how it is in Winter when the Leaves are off the Hedges you can see where the Birds Nests were when the Leaves were on in Summer time you could not see those Nests And so in prosperous times men do not see the Nests of their hearts and lives but when their Leaves are off then their Nests are seen Suffering times are sin-discovering times As Suffering times are sin-discovering times so Suffering times are Self-bethinking times You see many a man run on in the day of his Prosperity and never bethinks himself When the Prodigal was pinched then he bethought himself and Manasses in Prison then he bethought himself and saith Solomon praying for the People in Adversity If then they shal bethink themselves There is many a man that I may say doth owe his Convertion to his Affliction and can say If I had not been afflicted I had never been converted Suffering times are Self-bethinking times As Suffering times are Self-bethinking times so Suffering times are fruitful and growing times Every Branch in me he pruneth that it may bring forth more Fruit. Suffering times then are growing times As Suffering times are growing times so Suffering times are Truth-advancing times In the time of Prosperity we lose Truth in time of Adversity we find Truth and bear our Testimony for Truth then Truth is advanced It is a good Observation that Marloret hath upon Dan. 8. to shew that Truths were advanced by Suffering verse 11. it is said of the little Horn He hath magnified himself even to the Prince of the Host and by him the dayly sacrifice was taken away and the place of the Sanctuary was cast down And an Host was given him against the dayly Sacrifice by reason of Transgression it cast down the Truth to the ground and it practiced prospered That is saith he not the Horn as it is ordinarily carried for it is in the Feminine Gender which only can relate to the word Truth not to the Horn he cast down the Tru h and the Truth practiced and prevailed So that Suffering times are Truth-advancing Times As Suffering times are Truth-advancing Times so Suffering times are uniting times In times of Prosperity Professors they wrangle fal out divide but when the Shepheards Dog comes then the Sheep run together Suffering times are uniting times As Suffering times are uniting times so Suffering times are Praying times He that wil pray we say let him go to Sea there he wil be sick and that wil make him pray that is the meaning In their affliction they will seek me early Suffering times are praying times As Suffering times are praying times so Suffering times are Soul-assuring times There is many a man or woman goes up and down many years doubâ—ing and hath no assurance and when they grow sick God doth send in his Evidence for Heaven by the hand of that sickness and he hath Assurance for Heaven that never had it before according to that in Hos 2.14 I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak to her heart Comfort ye comfort ye my People saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem because her Iniquity is pardoned When In the day of her Warfare for her Warfare is accomplished her Iniquity is pardoned for she hath received double from the hand of the Lord. Suffering times are Soul-assuring times As Suffering times are Soul-assuring times so Suffering times are Weaning times when this Mustard is laid upon the Breast of the World then are we Weaned Suffering times are Weaning times Lastly Suffering times are Heavenly times and
glorious times when the World is most bitter Heaven tasts most sweet and glorious for saith the Apostle Then shal the Spirit of God and of Glory rest upon you When In Suffering times When the People of the Lord doth Suffer the Spirit of Glory shal rest upon them Suffering times are Glorious times And if al thâ—se things be true then surely you wil say with me Suffering times are gaining times And if you would but think of this and possess your heart with it you would be more willing and able to suffer Christians they boggle at Sufferings and they startle at Sufferings what is the reason they do not know the Gains of Suffering But is this true That Suffering times are garning times that Suffering times are teaching times that Suffering times are Sin-discovering times that Suffering times are Self-bethinking times that Suffering times are growing times that Suffering times are Truth-advancing times that suffering times are Uniting times that Suffering times are praying times that Suffering times are Soul-assuring times that Suffering times are Weaning times that Suffering times are Glorious times then surely Suffering times are Gaining times And if thou would'st strengthen thy Faith Christian so as thou maiest be able to endure hard things think upon this much and press it upon thy own Soul carry this away with thee if no more Suffering times are gaining times O my Soul Suffering times are gaining times and thus you shal be able to hold out and suffer And thus I have done with the main Doctrine There are two or three Observations that lie about the words I wil only give you them and so conclude First you may consider here what the Persons were that suffered hard things the Text saith they were such of whom the World was not worthy then greatness of Sufferings and Affliction are no sufficient reason why you should doubt of Gods Love or of your own everlasting Condition Here were very hard things that these Beleevers suffered and yet they were such of whom the World was not worthy Shal I then doubt of my Condition or question Gods Love because my Afflictions are great I must not But you wil say My Afflictions are very strange and none like mine one cannot hear of such an Affliction as mine is not in an Age. And I pray in your Age have you heard of a Man or Woman sawn asunder thus were these of whom the World was not worthy But my Afflictions are thick they come very thick And so did theirs here But my Afflictions are filled with Temptations I am not only afflicted but I am tempted and Temptations grow upon mine Afflictions So it was with these here they were tempted not only afflicted but tempted and yet such of whom the World was not worthy But my Afflictions are such as make me Unserviceable So in the eye of Reason these Afflictions made these Beleevers they were whipped up and down like Rogues and I pray you tel me who would ever have thought in the eye of Reason that Pauls Ministry should have done any great good after he had been whipped up and down like a Rogue yet Pauls Ministry was blessed and though you think your Afflictions make you unserviceable if God cal you to them he wil take care for your Service But my Afflictions are such as find me al alone I am afflicted and afflicted a man or woman of Affliction and I have none to pity me So it was here with some of these they wandred in the Wilderness and they were in the Caves and Dens of the Earth and such of whom the World was not worthy Possibly then thy Afflictions man or woman may be very great and yet thou maiest be precious in the Eyes of God and such a one of whom the world is not worthy And therefore now if there be ever a man or woman here in al this Congregation that labors under any great burden I say to that Person question not thy Condition doubt not concerning Gods Love because of the greatness of thy Affliction thy Affliction may be very great and yet thou maist be a Person of whom the World is not worthy in Gods account I wil give you this Parable apply it your self Suppose you see a company of children playing together one while and may be afterwards fighting and then you see a man come and carry away one of these Children and he strikes him but he lets the other alone and he strikes them not which of these Children wil you say this man is a Father unto wil ye not say in al likelyhood he is a Father unto that Child that he carries away and strikes I leave you to apply it Secondly You may observe upon what accompt they suffer these hard and grievous things upon the accompt saith the Text of a better Resurrection Then what shal we say to those that would steal away from you the Doctrine of the Resurrection It may be men wil not speak out here with you but they have done it with us and nibble at this Doctrine What shal we say to them they are Enemies to your Faith they are Enemies to your great relief in Suffering times they are Enemies to your good Conscience a good Conscience is a great matter in Suffering times I remember a Speech of a good Minister when he was silenced in the Bishops time and had his Living taken from him Wel saith he I praise the Lord though I have lost my Living I have saved my Conscience and this Conscience is a great matter in Suffering times Now by their having an expectance of a better Resurrection they refused the present Deliverance and so kept their Conscience Do there therefore come in men among you to steal away this great Doctrine of our Resurrection avoid them avoid them that they may be ashamed hold close to this Doctrine As you desire Christians to have Comfort in a rainy day and a bottom for your Faith in Suffering times hold fast this Doctrine of the Resurrection and this Doctrine that you have been instructed in from the Word Thirdly and so to end Ye may observe here by what means they suffered these hard things and that is as you have heard by Faith surely then it is no easie thing to beleeve with this true saving Faith a hard thing to beleeve This true saving Faith can do great things and it can suffer hard things true saving Faith wil make it easie to do great things and easie to suffer hard things But it is hard to get this true saving Faith You wil say If a man were in the Sun he might go round the World in a day but it is hard to get into the Sun So this true saving Faith wil make a man to do great things and to suffer hard things but it is a hard thing to get it and few there be that have it We read of Elias that when the Lord had given him a power to shut Heaven that it rained not for three