heathen could say that we are then best in soule when we are weakest in body for then we are most in heavenly resolutions and seeking after God Yea then it appeares what good proficients we have beene in time of health Oh how happy were our conditions if we were as good when wee are well and in health as we usually are when we are sick and ill Even death it self which is the end of all though it be fearefull and irksome to nature yet it is to Gods servants a bed of Downe easing them of all their miseries and putting them in possession of an heavenly kingdome therefore saith Solomon the day of death is better than the day of birth God will be the God of his not only unto death but in death Death is the death of it selfe and not of us it is a disarmed and conquered enemy to all the faithfull for which cause S. Paul desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Death albeit it seemes terrible and dreadfull yet the sting thereof being taken away by the death of Christ it brings everlasting joy along with it and is only as a Groom-Porter to let us in to a stately Pallace Whether tend all the troubles we meet with in this world but only to fit us for a better condition hereafter and to assure the soule that when earth can hold it no longer Heaven shall Yea when friends forsake us and are false unto us God is a sure helpe in time of need he is our refuge from one generation to another do we not see that in the decay of worldly comforts God then manifests himselfe most comfortably to his people doth he not stile himselfe the Comforter of the comfortlesse and the helpe of them that are in distresses and doe not with him the fatherlesse finde mercy if men were more fatherlesse they would find more mercy at Gods hands As Christ makes us al to him so should we make him all in all to our selves If all comforts in the world were dead we have them still in the living Lord. How many friends have we in him alone who rather than we shall want friends can make our enemies our friends Thus it appeares that all miseries are a triall of us to God and to the world what we are they are a cure of sin past and a preparation to endure further crosses they have many excellent uses and ends and all for the best to Gods servants It is good we should be exercised with present crosses to put us in minde of the evils we have done long agoe that so we may repent of them Iosephs brethren being afflicted and imprisoned called to minde how hardly they had dealt with their brother long before It should be our wisdome while we remaine here to consider our warfaring condition how we are daily invironed with enemies and therefore ought to stand continually upon our guard against Satan and the Powers of darknesse and as Pilgrims and Strangers go on in our journey to Heaven not starting at the barking of every Dog nor intangling our selves in worldly things whereby we should be stopped in our way It is for our best not to bee condemned with the world Afflictions serve for this very end to make us more prize God deny the creature with all its excellencies are our crosses great here let us not be daunted but beare them patiently our comfort shall be the greater afterwards It is not only good for us that wee should have crosses but that they should be continued upon us that wee may the better know our selves If all were well with a man wounded and the sore clean healed the plaister would fall off it selfe So were wee thorowly cured of our spirituall wants and in a continuall resistance of every evill way These afflictions which are the plaisters of our soules would soone cease and leave us Furthermore Sathan himselfe and all his instruments when they most set themselves against Gods people and seek their overthrow then are they working their chief good The Devill when hee thought to make an end of Christ by putting him to death even then by that very thing was vanquished himselfe and the Church of God fully ransomed from hell and damnation God suffers many heretiques to be in the world but why not that the truth should be held in darknesse but that it might thereby bee more manifested and knowne It is Sathans continuall trade to seeke his rest in our disquiet When hee sees men will to heaven and that they have good title to it then he followes them with all tentations and discomforts that hee can Hee cannot endure that a creature of meaner rank than himselfe should enjoy a happinesse beyond him but our comfort is that Christ was tempted that hee might succour all poore soules in the like case Wee are kept by his power through faith unto salvation Now the causes why all things doe work together for the best to them that love God are these viz. 1. It is Gods Decree 2. It is Gods manner of working 3. It is Gods blessed Covenant 4. It is the foundation of the covenant Christ Iesus Gods decree and purpose is of bringing all his Elect unto eternall salvation and therefore all things in heaven and earth must conduce to bring his servants unto glory The reason is this God is infinitely wise and infinitely strong provident and good therefore by his infinite wisedome power providence and mercie hee turneth all things to the best for his whatsoever is in heaven earth or hell is ordered by God neither is there any thing without him therefore nothing can hinder his Decree Sathan himselfe with all his instruments yea the worst of creatures all must serve Gods purpose contrary to their natures for the good of his children The Prophet saith God hath commanded salvation and he hath commanded deliverance to Iacob When God hath determined to save any man all things must needs serve him that over-rules all things As it was said of Christ when he stilled the Seas Who is this that the very wind and Seas obey him God commanded the Whale to serve at his beck to save Ionah and it obeyed All creatures in the earth are at his disposing and serve to accomplish his pleasure The second cause why all works together for the best to beleevers Is the manner of God working in things which is by contraries he bringeth light out of darknesse glory out of shame and life out of death Wee fell by pride to hell and destruction and must be restored by humiliation to life and salvation Christ humbled himselfe being God to become man for us and by his death restored us to life When our sinnes had brought us to greatest extremities even then were we nearest to eternal happinesse Therefore saith the Apostle When wee are weak then are we strong in the Lord. When wee are abased then are wee readiest
YEA and AMEN OR PRETIOUS PROMISES AND PRIVILEDGES Spiritually unfolded in their Nature and Vse Driving at the assurance and establishing of weak Beleevers By R. SIBBS D. D. Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and Preacher of Grayes Inne London Reviewed by himselfe in his life time and since perused by T. G. and P. N. LONDON Printed by R. Bishop for R Dawlman and are to be sold by Humphrey Mosley at the Princes Armes in Pauls Church-yard 1638. YEA and AMEN OR PRETIOVS PROMISES Layd open out of 2 COR. 1. 19 20 21 22 23. But as God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay for the Sonne of God Iesus Christ who was preached among you by us was not yea and nay but in him was yea For all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us THE blessed Apostle that he might have the better place in the hearts of his hearers endeavours here with all diligence to wipe off any imputation which they might have against him that so his doctrine might come home to their soules and have the freer accesse to worke upon their consciences We have therefore in these words S. Pauls Apologie for not comming unto the Chorinthians according to his promise Wherein hee alledgeth that it was not from any inconstancy in him but indeed from corruption in manners among them verse 23. I call God to record that to spare you I came not The Apostle as a man and as a holy man might promise many things common to this life and might lawfully vary afterwards upon the appearance of reall impediments But the things which he promiseth and speakes of as an Apostle they admit of no such uncertainty Therefore his care is to decline all thoughts of wavering therein and to maintaine the credit of the Gospell which hee had taught to the uttermost knowing well how ready false teachers would be to perswade the people that Paul was as light in his preaching as he was in keeping his word with them therefore our Word is true as God is true saith he There is the same ground of the certainty of Evangelicall truths as there is of God himselfe Iesus Christ whom I preached among you was not yea and nay saith the Apostle but yesterday and to day and the same for ever Whence may bee observed That the object of preaching now in the time of the Gospell is especially Iesus Christ. This is the Rock upon which the Church is built Christ should be the subject matter of our teaching in his Nature Offices and Benefits in the duties which we owe to him and the instrument whereby we receive all from him which is faith If wee preach the Law and discover mens corruption it is but to make way for the Gospels freer passage into their soules And if we presse holy duties it is to make you walke worthy of the Lord Jesus All teaching is reductive to the Gospell of Christ either to make way as Iohn Baptist did to levell all proud thoughts and make us stoop to him or to make us walk worthy of the grace wee receive from him The Bread of life must be broken the Sacrifice must bee anatomized and layed open the riches of Christ even his unsearchable riches must bee unfolded The Sonne of God must be preached to all and therefore God who hath appointed us to bee saved by Christ hath also ordained preaching to lay open the Lord Iesus with the heavenly treasures of his grace and glory But to go forward Iesus Christ who was preached among you by me and Sylvanus and Tymotheus was not yea and nay Here observe That the consent of Preachers in the mysteries of salvation is an excellent meanes to strengthen faith in their hearers not in regard of the truth it selfe but in regard of men So it pleaseth God to condescend to our weaknesse in adding Sacraments and Oath unto his promises thereby to shew the more stablenesse of his counsell towards us By yea here is meant Certaine Constant Vnvariable The times vary but not the faith of the times The same fundamentall truth is in all ages Sometimes indeed it is more explicated and unfolded as we have in the the New Testament divers truths more cleerely revealed than in the Old There is not a new faith but a larger explication of the old faith Divine truth is alwayes the same If there hath beene a Church alwayes there hath ever beene a Divine truth Now it is an Article of our faith in all times to beleeve a Catholike Church certainly then there must bee a Catholike truth to be the seed of this Church Therfore we should search out what was that yea that positive Doctrine in those Apostolicall times of the Churches purity before it was corrupted The Church was not long a Virgin yet some there were that held the truth of Christ in all ages Our present Church holds the same positive truths with the Apostles before us Therefore we say Our Church was before Luther because our Doctrine is Apostolicall as also is our Church that is continued thereby because it is built upon Apostolicall doctrine Put the case we cannot shew the men as they rediculously urge what is that to the purpose From an ignorance of particular men will they conclude us to be ignorant of the Church of Christ which hath ever beene Hence the true Church may easily be discerned the points of Religion wherein our adversaries differ from us be but patcheries of their owne they were not yea In the Apostles times their Purgatory Invocation of Saints and Sacraments of divers kindes were devised by themselves afterwards And indeed for a thousand yeeres after Christ many of the differences betwixt us and the Papists were never heard of neither were they ever established by any Counsell till the Counsell of Trent Our positive points are grounded upon the holy Scriptures we seek the Old way and the best way as Ieremy adviseth us There was no popish trash in Abrahams time among the blessed Patriarches nor in Christs time No nor many hundred yeares after they came in by little and little by humane invention for their owne advantage a meere policy to get money and abuse the people Indeed they hold many of our truths but they adde something of their owne to them they adde necessity of tradition to the Scriptures merits to faith they adde Saints to Christ in Divine Worship they have seven Sacraments to our two They may safelier therefore come to us than we to them we hold all that they should hold onely their owne additions wee hold not we leave them to themselves So much for that To touch only another point that borders a little upon it Divine truth is of an inflexible nature this crosseth another rule of theirs for they hold they may give what sense of Scripture they will and that the current of the present Church must judge of all former
but a little signe of grace in me Be not discouraged you know in wax though the stamp be almost out yet it is currant in Law notwithstanding Put the case the stamp of the Prince be an old Coyne is it not currant though it bee crackt Suppose the mark of the Spirit should bee dim and blurred scarce discernable in us this ought to bee our shame and griefe yet some evidences of grace are still remaining there are some sighes and groanes against corruption which may continually support us if we mourne in our spirits and doe not joyne with our lusts nor allow our selves in them this is a divine impression though it bee as it were almost worne out the more comfort wee desire the fresher she should keepe this seale of comfort And labour to grow in faith and obedience that we may reade our evidence cleerely that it be not over-growne with the dust of the world so as we cannot see it Sometimes Gods children have the graces of the Spirit in them yet they yeeld so much to feares and doubtings that they can read nothing but their corruption When we bid them puruse their evidences they can see nothing but worldlinesse nothing but pride and envie because they grieve the holy Spirit by their negligence and distrust Though there be a stamp in them yet God holds the soule from it and gives men up to mistake their estates for not stirring up the graces of his Spirit in them Honour God by beleeving and he will honour thee by stamping his Spirit more cleerely on thee what a comfort is it to have the evidence of a gratious soule at all times When a man carries about him the marke of the Spirit what in the world can discourage such a soule On the contrary if a man have not something above nature in him when death judgement comes how miserable is his condition If a man be a King or an Emperour of the World and have not an interest in Christs righteousnesse ere long he shall be stripped of all and adjudged to eternall torments Oh the excellency of mans soule a Jewell more to be prized then a Princes Diadem It is the solly of the times to set up curious Pictures but what a poore delight is this in comparison of the ambition of a true Christian to see the Image of Christ stamped in his soule to finde the joy of the Spirit and God speaking peace to his inner man The transforming of our selves into the image of Christ is the best Picture in the world therefore we should labour for the new creature that as we grow downeward one way we may grow up towards Heaven another that as the life of nature decayes so the spirituall life may bee more active and working It should be our daily study while we live in this world to attain that holinesse without which no man shall ever see God There is besides the common broad Seale of God his privie Seal What is the reason that many proud hearted persons are damned the truth is they are all for externall contentments and despise the ordinances of GOD for though they stand upon their admission into the Church upon the common seales and prerogatives which in themselves are excellent yet relying on these things overmuch betrayes many soules to the Devill in the time of distresse It is an other manner of seale than the outward seale in the Sacrament that must settle peace in the conscience When once the beginnings of faith are wrought in us then wee may with comfort thinke upon our receiving of the Communion but the speciall thing to be eyed is the hidden seale If the externall meanes work no inward sanctificatiō in our hearts we shall be the worse rather than the better for them yet we must not be so prophane as to think slightly of Gods Ordinances they are of great consequence For when Satan shakes the confidence of a Christian and saith Thou art an Hypocrite God doth not love thee these help us to hold out why saith the soule I can speak by experience that I have found the contrary the Lord hath removed my feares he hath pardoned my sinne and accepted my person he hath given me many Pretious Promises to support my spirit Here is the excellency of the Sacrament it comes more home to me it seales the generall Promises of God particularly to my selfe for finding the inward worke of the Spirit in my heart and God having strengthned my faith by the outward seale I can defie Satan with all his accusations and look death in the face with comfort We should labour therefore to observe Gods sealing dayes when he uses to manifest himselfe to his people which though it may be every day if wee be spiritually exercised yet it is in the Lords day more especially for then his ordinance and his Spirit go together Now there is a sealing of persons and of truths besides the sealing of our estates that we are the children of God there is a sealing of every particular truth to a Christian. For where there is grace to beleeve the truth God seales those truths firmely to that soule by the comforts of his Spirit For example this is a truth Whosoever beleeves in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life Now the same Spirit that stirs up the soule to beleeve this seales it fast upon the conscience even to death there is no promise but upon our beleeving the same it is sealed by God upon us for those truths only abide firme in the soule which the Holy Ghost sets on What is the reason that many forget their consolations the reason is they heare much but the Spirit settles nothing on their hearts What is the reason that lettered men many times stand out in their profession to blood whereas those that are more able and learned yeeld to any thing The reason is the knowledge of the one is set fast upon the soule the Spirit brings his seale and this mans knowledge close together whereas the learning and abilities of the other is only a discoursive thing swimming in the braine without any sollid foundation their knowledge of truths is not spiritual they see not heavenly things by heavenly but by a naturall light Those that would not apostatize must have a knowledge sutable to the things they know they must see spirituall things by the Spirit of GOD. Therefore when we come to heare the Word wee should not come with strong conceits of our owne to bring all to our wits but with reverent dispositions and dependance upon God that he would teach us together with his Ministers and close with his Ordinances so as to fasten truths upon our soules else shall wee never hold out for that which must stablish and quiet the soule must bee greater than the soule In time of tentations when the terrours of the Almighty encompasse us when God layes open our conscience and writes bitter things against us those
truths that most satisfie the soule at such a time must be above the naturall capacity of the soule therefore saith the Apostle It is God that establishes and God by his Spirit that seales us up unto the day of redemption because divine truths of themselves in the bare letter cannot stirre up the heart it is only the blessed Spirit which is above our spirits that must quiet the conscience in all perplexities the Lord can soone still the soule when he settles spirituall truths upon it therefore go to him in thy distresse and trouble of minde send up ejaculations to God that hee would seale the comfort revealed in his word to thy soule that as it is true in it selfe so it may be true to thee likewise This is a necessary observation for us all Oh we desire in the houre of death to finde some comforts that bee standing comforts that may uphold us against Hell and judgement Know that nothing will do this but spirituall truths spiritually knowne but holy truths set on by the Holy Ghost upon the soule Oft therfore enter into thine heart and examine upon what grounds and motives thou beleevest Consider well what it is thou beleevest and upon what evidences and withwhat light otherwise expect not to find sollid peace What course may a Christian generally take when hee wants comfort and inward refreshing There are in 1 Iohn 5. three witnesses in heaven three in earth to secure us of our estate in grace The three witnesses in heaven are the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost And the three witnesses in earth are the Spirit the Water and Bloud and these three on earth and those three in heaven agree in one Now by the Spirit here is meant the feelings and sweet motions thereof the water may well be the Laver of Sanctification by bloud is understood the sufferings of Christ for our justification When therefore wee find that extraordinarie seale I spake of before the joyes of the Spirit of God that it is not in us What shall we doe shall wee despaire then No then goe to the water when the witnesse of the Spirit is silent goe to the work of the Spirit see what gracious dispositions are found in thee I but what shall we do if the waters be troubled in the soule as some times there is such a confusion that we cannot see the Image of God upon it in sanctification Then goe to the bloud there is alwayes comfort goe to the fountaine set open for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in that is never dry If we find much sinne upon our consciences and no peace in our hearts apply the bloud of sprinkling that will give rest When thou findest nothing but corruption and filthinesse in thy soule when thou seest neither joy nor sanctification of Spirit goe to the Lord Jesus and hee will purge thee from all guilt and wash thee with clean water But to goe on Who hath sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts This is the third word borrowed from humane Contracts to set forth Gods gracious work in the soule Annointing wee had before sealing now here is earnest The variety of expression shewes there is a great remainder of unbeliefe in the soule of man which causeth the blessed Spirit to use so many words to manifest Gods mind and assure the soule of salvation stablishing annointing sealing and earnest And indeed so it is howsoever we in the time of prosperity when all things goe well with us are apt to presume our estate is good yet in the houre of death when conscience is awaked we are prone to nothing so much as to call all in question and beleeve the lies and doubts and feares of our owne deceitfull hearts more than the undoubted truth and promise of God Therefore the Lord takes all courses to establish us he gives us rich and pretious promises hee gives us the holy Spirit to confirme us in those promises he seales us with that Spirit and gives us a comfortable earnest thereof and all to settle these wretched unbeleeving hearts of ours So desirous is God that wee should be well conceited of him that hee loves us better than wee love our selves Hee prizeth our love so much that he labours by all meanes to secure us of our eternall welfare as knowing that except we apprehend his love to us wee can never love him againe nor delight in him as we ought to doe Now the Spirit is an earnest of our inheritance in heaven wee are sonnes here indeed but wee are not heires invested into the blessed estate we have title to God doth notkeep all our happinesse till another world but gives us somewhat to comfort us in our absence from our husband hee gives us the Holy Ghost in our hearts as a pledge of that glorious condition which wee shall one day have eternally with him this is the meaning of the words But to shew you more particularly In what regard the Spirit is called an earnest First of all you know an earnest is used for security of a Contract So the holy Spirit doth secure us of the blessed estate we shall have in heaven for ever Secondly an earnest is part of the bargaine a part of the whole which is secured though it be a very little part yet it is a part So it is with the Spirit of God in its gracious work upon our hearts the joy of the Spirit is a part of that full joy and happinesse which shall bee revealed hereafter to us Thirdly an earnest is little in comparison of the whole So the Spirit in the work and graces therof is little in regard of that fulnesse which wee shall have in heaven But though an earnest be smal in it selfe yet it is great in security A shilling secures a bargaine of a thousand pound we see Wee value an earnest not for its owne worth so much as for that which it is a pledge of for the excellent bargaine and rich possession which it doth interest us unto So the Spirit of God with its blessed effects in the soule the joy and peace of the Spirit chearing and reviving perplexed sinners this earnest I say though it be little in it selfe yet it is great to us in respect of the assurance that we have by it Againe it hath the terme of an earnest because an arnest is given rather for the security of the party that receives it than in regard of him that gives it So God gives us the earnest of his Spirit grace and comfort in this life not so much for God for hee meanes to give us heaven and happinesse when wee are dissolved As he hath passed his promise so hee will undoubtedly performe the same Hee is Lord and Master of his word Hee is Jehovah that gives a being to his word as well as to every other thing But notwithstanding having to doe with mistrustfull
to be exalted when we are poore then are we most rich and when we are dead then doe wee live For God worketh all by contraries hee lets men see his greatnesse and his goodnesse that so they may admire his works and give more glory to him he worketh without means and above meanes and against meanes out of misery hee bringeth happinesse and by hell bringeth men to heaven Which as it manifesteth Gods glory to his creatures so it serveth for the confusion of mans pride that hee may discern he is nothing in himselfe but is all that he is in the Lord. The third cause why all things work for the best to them that feare God Is Gods covenant with his Church when once this gracious covenant is made that hee will be their God and they shall be his people that he will bee their Father and Protectour must not all things then needs serve for their good When as God tells Abraham I am thy God All-sufficient only walk before me be thou perfect Doth not this engage him to set his power mercy his wisedome and providence all on work for the happy estate of Abraham When once God by his promise is become our God there is a covenant betwixt us and the creatures yea and the stones in the street that nothing shall wrong us but all conduce to our good The Angels are ours their service is for our protection safety welfare Heaven and earth is ours and all things in them for our behoofe Christ himselfe and together with him all things else are become ours in him we are heires of all What a wondrous comfort is this that God hath put himselfe over to be ours whom to enjoy is to possesse all things and to want is misery unexpressable Had we all the world without God it would prove a curse and no blessing to us whereas if we have nothing and enjoy God we have happinesse it selfe for our portion If we have no better portion here than these things wee are like to have hell for our portion hereafter Let God be in any condition though never so ill yet it is comfortable He is goodnesse it selfe And indeed nothing is so much a Christians as God is his because by his being ours in covenant all other things become ours and therefore they cannot but cooperate for our good When thou art in the fire and water I am with thee saith God And Thou art my Buckler my Glory and Shield therefore I will not be afraid though ten thousand of people shall be set me round about saith David for salvation belongeth unto the Lord. And if God be on our side who can bee against us If God justifie us who shall condemne us Can any thing hurt us when hee is become our loving Father Neither death nor life nor things present nor things to come nor principalities nor powers nor any thing whatsoever can separate us from his love toward us A fourth ground why all things fall out for the best to the Saints is The foundation of this covenant of God with his Church which is Christ Iesus who by his bloud hath purchased our peace hee being God became man and is the sole Author of all our comfort Without Christ God is a consuming fire but in him a most loving Father and ever well pleased God promiseth in Christ his Sonne to marry his people unto himselfe for ever Yea saith he I will marry thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in mercie and everlasting cōpassion Now upon this blessed contract made in Christ to his Church what followeth In that day saith the Lord I will heare the heavens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the Corne and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall heare Israel and I will have mercy upon her that was not pittied And I will say unto them which were not my people thou art my people And they shall say thou art my God Where wee see what is the reason of all their happinesse even this that God will marry them to himselfe So that this marriage worketh all our blisse our conjunction with Christ and reconciliation through his death is the cause of all our comfort in him wee have the adoption of Sonnes Hence it is that we are at peace with God and have freedom from all harmes Christ in his greatest reproach and deepest humiliation had his greatest triumph and exaltation In his death on the Crosse he vanquished Death and entred into eternall life When Christ came into the world and took upon him our nature even then the greatest Monarch in the world Augustus Caesar was at his command whom he so ordered as that by his causing all the world to bee taxed Christ was manifested to be borne at Bethlehem in Iury. How commeth it to passe that death which is fearefull in it selfe cannot hurt us The reason is Death is swallowed up in victory by his death It is Christ that sanctifieth all crosses afflictions and disgraces to the Saints advantage The evill of them all is taken away by him and turned to his peoples good How commeth it to passe that the Law cannot hurt us which pronounceth a curse against every one that abideth not in all things written therein to do them The reason is Christ was made a curse for us he was made under the Law that hee might redeeme us who were under the Law and thus is Christ a meritorious and deserving cause of procuring all good to us and removing all ill from us He doth not only overcome evill for us but also overcommeth evill in us and gives us his Spirit which unites us to himselfe whereby wee have ground to expect good out of every ill as knowing that whatsoever Christ wrought for the good of mankinde he did it for us in particular In Outward favours grace makes us acknowledge all the blessings wee have to be the free gifts of God and invites us to returne the glory to him Gods servants take all occasions and opportunities of doing good by those gifts and abilities wherewith they are endowed When Hester was advanced to great honor Mordechay told her that God had conferred that dignity upon her for his peoples welfare that she might be a means of their safety Whereas on the contrary a proud heart destitute of the Spirit of Christ ascribes all to it selfe waxeth more haughty and growes worse and worse the more good he enjoyes A gratious soule upon the sight of the evill of sin in it selfe is more deeply humbled before God and with S. Paul crieth out of his wretchednesse A heavenly minded man being smitten for his wickednesse laboureth for subjection under the hand of the Almighty and saith I will patiently abide and endure thy correction because thou Lord hast done it When the gracious man is held under the crosse and suffereth bitter things he saith It is good for me that I am afflicted for
and scandall the Saints on earth thirdly we sad the blessed Angels in Heaven and fourthly rejoyce the Devils and damned spirits in Hell putting Darts and deadly weapons into their hands to work our ruine and overthrow nay fifthly wee grieve the good Spirit of God who continually putteth us in minde of better things if wee would hearken to him and by whom wee are sealed up unto the day of redemption sixthly we slacken grace in our hearts and whereas we should grow forward in vertue and holinesse wee weaken the power of godlinesse exceedingly in us seventhly all willing sins do abate our affiance in God and the seeling of his favour towards us yea often times by so sinning many of his deere children have walked heavily without spirituall joy all the dayes of their lives for howsoever in regard the Lord hath elected us wee shall never finally fall away and perish yet wee may want the sweet sence of his favour and remaine afflicted in spirit all our life long And then wee shall know that the griefe and trouble which we here undergoe to avoid sinne and subdue it will be nothing so much as the mischiefe and sosrow That sin once committed and yeelded too will bring on the soule Yea there is no child of God but by experience shall one day feele that howsoever God by his wisedome and mercy can turne every sinne to our good yet it will prove bitter as Wormwood in the end the pleasure will never answer the smart and vexation that attends it The contrition and breaking of thy heart for thy sinnes committed if thou be Gods will more disquiet and trouble thee than possibly it can bee a trouble to resist and forsake sinne Nay oftentimes God doth punish the very want of reverence in his servants to him as also their slacknesse and unfitnesse in good duties so as they may easily discerne hee is offended with them for the same As we may see by the example of the Corinthians who comming unpreparedly to the Lords Supper for this very cause were so punished that some of them were sick and some weake and some were struck by Death Davids numbring of the people Hezekias shewing of his treasures to the Princes of Babell howsoever by some they may be thought small sinnes yet God scourged them for the same very sharply And it is good that Gods servants should a little know what it is to offend their Maker for if they will bee so negligent and carelesse in walking with him it is fit they should reape the fruit of their owne devices It causeth much relapsing and backsliding from God when men have never truly smarted for their sinne Having had knocks in our own wayes it establisheth us in Gods wayes For we love to wander from our selves and bite strangers at home till God by one crosse or other brings us to himselfe and then wee think of returning to him Nay it is better for them a thousand fold that God should so schoole them then that they should be let alone and so goe on without controulement from sin to sin till they come to desperation Howsoever therefore that God can and will turn the sinnes of his servants to their best advantage yet better it were for them they had never sinned at all Doe wee not think that David wished hee had never fallen into that sin of Adultery And would not Peter have bin glad that hee had never denied his Master The sin of David cost him many a cry for pardon Mercy Lord mercy against thee have I sinned forgive mee this haynous crime And it cost Peter many a bitter salt teare too Howsoever both David and Peter after their recovery by repentance were the better for it to their dying day As for all such as persist in sinne that God may turne all things to their best Let them know that all things shall work together for their bane and utter destruction for ever which I now come to shew First of all God himselfe and his blessed Angels are at enmity with them And therfore 2 All the creatures both in heaven and earth are against them In Pharaohs tenne Plagues wee see the creatures were all readie to execute the pleasure of the Almighty against him And the Beares out of the Forrest were armed by God to devour those scoffing children This is one part of the burthen under which the creatures of God do groane that they serve God against wicked men and are his Armies to punish the rebellious world 3. Even the good gifts of God are turned to the bane of the wicked Absoloms glory his goodly long locks were his halter to hang him up by Achitophels wit and policie brought him to that fearefull end of being his own hangman Hamans honor what good did it to him but only brought him to greater shame his greatnesse made him swell in pride and his pride had a suddaine fall What became of Herods high mind in taking to himselfe the glory of God which when foolish people ascribed it to him was hee not presently smitten so as the wormes consumed him and hee dyed a lothsome death What became of Dives his riches did not his abuse thereof plunge him deeper into hell Wicked men though they abound in this world yet not being in covenant with God they have nothing with a blessing The wicked are but as traytors before God And oft it is seene that great Traytors who are by the Prince kept in prison are nourished very liberally untill their time of Execution come So it is with all gracelesse persons how ever for the present they have great allowances yet as Traytors in the conclusion they shall have an hard account to make unto God for all those things they have sinfully enjoyed And not only so but they abuse the very truth of God as shall appeare in divers particulars First for the comfortable doctrine of justification by faith alone they pervert the same to their owne destruction saying Wee are justified by faith only what need wee then care for doing of good works Alas they profit us nothing to our salvation Therefore it is to no end to strive to do good Againe for the Doctrine of Christian liberty God having given us lawfull recreations and plentifull use of his creatures they turne all into licentiousnesse and in stead of moderate refreshment they make a daily occupation of sports and games In stead of a lawfull use of the creatures they runne into all excesse of ryot in meat drink apparell buildings and delights And for the Doctrine of mortality how do wicked men abuse it saying Let us eat drink and bee merry for to morrow wee shall die that which should put thē in mind of spending of their time well encreaseth their sin Whereas the long suffering of God should lead men to repentance the wicked by means of Gods patience runne more securely on in sinne treasuring up to themselves
his Church not only to defend and preserve it but to consume all the Adversaries thereof God doth great matters for his servants hee rebukes Kings and Princes and ruinates Empires for their fakes For the bringing home back againe of the Iewes hee translated the Babylonish Empire to the Persians and therefore the wicked must take heed of attempting any thing against Gods Church because the harme thereof will redound upon their owne heads God delights to take the oppressed parties part and serves himselfe of all his enemies for his peoples good They practise against the righteous and he laughes them to scorne Wicked men cannot do Gods children a greater pleasure than to oppose them for by this meanes they help exceedingly to advance them Sathan and all his instruments what get they by their cruelty to the Saints they doe but encrease their own torment and doe them the more good but this is both against their knowledge and wills Therefore if they be loath to doe them any good let them take hee how they attempt any evill against them And here let all such be admonished how they provoke Gods children to cry in their prayers against them For it is better for the wicked that they had all the creatures in heaven earth against them than the poore Saints for a few of these wil more prejudice them than all the world besides Come wee now to the grounds of practise hence to be observed Againe doth God order all for the best to them that love him Let us not then except against any evill that shall befall us for this our present crosse shall turne to our future comfort It is the Saints happinesse That their best is in working still till they be compleat in heaven But the wicked and men of the world their worst is alwayes in contriving their life is bad their death is worse and after death it is worst of all with them God himselfe and all under him work continually for the good of his children their best is last their light groweth on clearer and clearer as the light untill the noone day But the worldly grow worser and worser every moment To them that feare God sinne and sorrow their very worst is by Gods mercies best for them whereas all the best of the wicked by abuse turnes to their worst Observe here the excellencie of the Saints comfort above all other comforts whatsoever The nature of it is this It must be stronger than the grievance of which it is a cordiall And the reason of spirituall comfort must be more forcible than any carnall reason can bee to undermine it Now what stronger consolation can a man have than to be assured that all things without exception shall work together for his good but this is not all What a sweet refreshment is it when the soule can say God will either stop mee from falling into sin outwardly by afflictions or else subdue my corruptions inwardly by his Spirit that I shall not bee overthrown by them hee will never suffer mee to rot in my sinnes but when I do fall will raise me up again It beares up a Christians heart that rather than we shall continue in an evill way God will send some Nathan or other to rouse us out of our security Therefore to all thy comforts adde this That God will not onely save thee at last but turne all things to the best whilest thou art here This is the highest straine of consolation It is farre stronger to refresh and quicken us than any grievance can be to afflict us It maketh evill things in comparison to seeme good As Moses counted the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egipt he made more choice of affliction than he did of the worlds glory If God bee with us who can be against us If he be our Shepheard we are sure to lack nothing There is such a force of comfort in salvation that we will rather choose outward evills than to enjoy outward good things Moses by faith seeing that outward affliction and shame were knit to salvation chose these and refused dignity and ease How ought this to stay the soule under all its heavie pressures Why should not I be patient in sicknesse in poverty in dis graces or why should I despaire at the houre of death Am I not under the hand of my God working my good out of every evill It is the subtilty of our arch-enemie to drive us to a stand that we may doubt of our conditions and say with Gideon If the Lord be with mee and that I am his child why is it thus with me How is it that all this sorrow and misery hath befallen mee and lieth so heavie upon my soule But our comfort here is that God who turneth all things to our best is stronger than Sathan Againe considering all things conduce unto our good though in appearance never so opposite this comfort ariseth That if God doe so work this or that then I must beleeve against beliefe I must stand firme against contraries my faith must answer his manner of working and beleeve that God can bring me to honour by shame and to Heaven by Hell gates for if it be his course of dealing first to cast downe and then to lift up by disgrace to bring his servants to glory then in all my extremities I must rest upon God who is never neerer unto his to succour them than when hee seemes to bee furthest off When â—hee meanes to give victory he suffer us to be foiled first and when hee intends to justifie a poore sinner he will condemne him first Let us therefore hope against hope and desire God in our distresses to open our eyes that wee may see our consolations Hagar had a Well by her when she was ready to perish for thrist and yet she saw it not and Elisha's man had Angels to defend him when the Aramites compassed him about but perceived not the same so the Angell of the Lord continually pitcheth his tent about the godly though they are not aware of it yea God is then neerest to us when we are in most straights Cordials are kept for faintings When Christ went to cast the Devill out of a child he then most raged and tare him So likewise Satan and wicked men most rage when they are neerest to their end and destruction In thy greatest danger never rest on thy friends but on the Lord who never standeth neerer and firmer to us than when we are most perplexed and know not what to doe A distressed soule seeth oft no comfort in outward things and therefore retireth unto God in whom it findes whatsoever may make it happy Our strength may faile and our heart may faile but God is our portion for ever When we are weake then wee are strong and when we are most cast downe in our selves we are neerest to Gods helping hand This carriage of the Almighty ought to establish our
faith In all cases of extremity we should have a double eye one to look upon our grievances and troubles and another to look upon the issue and event of them Why do men in time of dangerous sicknesse take bitter Physick which is almost death unto them Why doe they then undergo such things as they loath at other times Is it not because they rest upon the skill of the Physitian And shall we then in our distresses dist rust God for our souls when we will trust a weak and mortall man with our bodies If conceit be so strong in earthly things as indeed it is then faith is much stronger when it grounds it selfe upon the truth of the Word When God exercises us with poverty or other afflictions this should teach us submission to his providence in any condition saying Lord do with me what thou wilt only let this poore soule be pretious in thine eyes Thou hast promised that howsoever these afflictions lie heavie upon me yet in the end al shall turn to my good therefore dispose of thy servant at thine owne pleasure I resigne all to thee Here is the rejoycing of a Christian which makes him cheerefully passe through any affliction he knowes that good is intended in all that befals him with what alacrity did Ioseph say unto his brethren Ye sold me hither but God hath turned it to the best that I should preserve and nourish you all and save much people alive who otherwise were like to have perished with famine This made Iob so patiently to say The Lord giveth the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. This is the ground of all true contentation I have learned saith S. Paul in all estates to be content to be rich and to be poore to abound and to be in want and why so Whatsoever his estate and condition was God turned it to the best shall any man dare to mislike of Gods allowlowance Doth not hee know better what is good for us than we can possibly imagine what is good for our selves This likewise should teach us not to take offence at the reproach and disgrace which is cast upon Gods children for mark the righteous saith David and behold the upright the end of that man is peace The issue of their trouble is ever quietnesse take not one peece of a Christian mans life by it selfe but take it altogether and then thou shalt see the truth of this Doctrine To see Ioseph in the Dungeon and in his irons we haply may bee offended and call Gods providence in question but beholding him in his honour and advancement we cannot but conclude him a happy man So if we look on Iob sitting with sores on the Dunghill there is matter of offence but to see him restored againe and blessed with a greater estate than he had before this is matter of praising God If we consider of Christ abased hanging upon a Crosse so there will be scandall but looke on him exalted to glory far above all Dignities and Powers and then the scandall is soone taken away Let us theresore lay one thing to another when we eye Gods people and we shall see a blessing under their greatest curse Those things which are contrived by mans wit may argue great folly if one part be not annexed to the other therefore looke to the whole work towards his servants and then thou shalt never be offended at their condition This also is a ground of Christian boldnesse in holy courses when a man is fully resolved that come what will come God will turne all to his good it encourages him cheersully to go through any difficulty what is the reason of the fearesulnesse and dastardnesse of most men but only this that if wee doe this or that duty or abstaine not from this or that good action then this crosse and this displeasure by such and such a person will bee brought upon me The Wise man saith That the feare of man bringeth a snare but hee that trusteth in the Lord shall be exalted Let us not regarding the feare of man neglect our duty to God for he can turne the hearts of the Kings on the Earth to seek the welfare of his poorest creature and make thy very enemies to be thy friends He that for sinister ends will offend his Maker may well be excluded to the gods whom they have served Go to the Great men whose persons you have obeyed for advantage to your riches to your pleasures which you have loved more than God or goodnesse You would not lose a base custome a superfluity for me therefore I will not owne you now Such men are more impudent than the Devill himselfe that will claime acquaintance with God at last when they have carried themselves as his enemies all their dayes God wants not means to maintaine his without being beholding to the Devill He hath all helpe hid in himselfe and will then shew it when it shall make most for his owne glory He deserves not to live under the protection of a King that will displease him for feare of a Subject The three Children in Daniel said Know O King that our God can deliver us out of thy hands but if he will not yet neverthelesse we will not fall down and worship thine Image The righteous are bold as a Lion saith the Wise man the Lord is his strong Tower What need we feare any creature when wee have him on our side who hath both Men and Devils at his beck And if God turne all things whatsoever to our good should not wee through the whole carriage of our lives chiefly aime at his honour God writes our names in his Book he numbers our hairs and bottles up our teares he hath a speciall care of us every good deed wee doe he writeth downe to eternity yea if we give but a cup of cold water in his name he taketh notice of it and shall not wee then take speciall occasion to magnifie him in all things We pray daily Hallowed be thy name therfore ought accordingly to observe Gods dealing with us How is it possible that we should give him the glory of his mercies if we never observe them A wicked man considers this makes for my advantage and this for my profit this tends to my ease and wealth c. studying how to make friends and please persons in place above him not respecting Gods honour and glory in the least kind whereas the sincere Chri stian lookes on all things as they tend to his best happinesse and therfore fore-cast thus If I do this or that good then I shall grow in grace wisdom and knowledge but if I neglect it and be carelesse of well doing I shall hurt and wound my soule and break the peace of my conscience by this company and good acquaintance I shall be furthered in holinesse become wiser and better in heavenly understanding if I fall they may raise me
up and helpe maintaine a gratious frame within me Where true holinesse is the soule is sensible of all advantages and disadvantages of good An indifferency for any company or imployment shewes a dead heart This is a main difference to distinguish a childe of God from a prophane wretch that only lives to himselfe his heart is taken up wholy with the world and matters below wheras the godly are all for thriving in grace and increase of godlinesse The wicked man considers of things as they serve to satisfie his lust and if wee have better thoughts at any time it is but for a start But a godly mans aimes are alwayes holy and the strength of his soul is put forth that way He values himselfe as hee stands in relation to God and a better life and esteemes all other things more or lesse as they further or hinder his spiritual growth and bring peace and sorrow at the last unto him But I hasten to the second part of the Text The persons to whom this priviledge belongs that is to them that love God And why to them that love God because the Apostle speaketh of afflictions and wee know that the grace which is most conversant in the Saints sufferings is patience which floweth from love Also for that of all other graces is the first and sweetest it is the first for whom wee love wee are sorry to offend and hate whatsoever is contrary to that we affect we rejoyce in that we love grieve in the absence thereof It is the commanding affection of all others and setteth the whole man sweetly a work to attaine its defire Love makes us forward and zealous Christians all the inward worship of God is in the affections As thou shalt rejoyce in no God but me and feare no God but me All the Commandements of God are brought by Christ to this duty Againe love hath a speciall part in this priviledge of bringing all things to work for our good For when we love God wee will make the best use of every thing which we suffer or do If we love God and eye his glory therein Love makes any burthen easie it makes us studious of pleasing the party loved as we say in the Proverb Love me and doe with me what you will Love is full of inventions it studies complacencie and sets the soule a work to honour God in all things In that the Apostle saith To them that love God and not to the children or servants of God Wee may observe That Christianity is not a bare title but it requireth some qualification Therefore the Scriptures when they describe a Saint on earth doe not usually say the child of God but they set him forth by some holy affections or actions wrought in him As such as love God or feare God and walks in his wayes Hereby shewing that Religion is not a matter of complement but a reall and holy endeavour to please the Lord and although the Scriptures do name but some one particular affection yet it is all one as if they had named all for where one is in truth there all followes Again in that the Apostle here ascribes priviledges to those only that are thus qualified wee must take heed in applying the promises of God and these sweet consolations that we be such persons to whom of right they doe belong for all things work for the best not to every one but to such as love God We must not therefore preach comfort to all but must first labour to make men capable of it To this end 1. First wee will shew the Nature of this love 2. Secondly the exercises of it and directions unto it 3. Thirdly some incitements to this holy affection The ground of Love is a considering of God as our owne God in the covenant of Grace and an acknowledging of our selves to bee his peculiar children in Christ Jesus when wee can say as the Spouse in the Canticles I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine this is a loving of God not as the God of Nature only but as ours peculiar by Grace This union of love which knits us to Christ impileth another union by faith first which is a cleaving to God as my God and to Christ as my Christ whence issues a second conjunction or cleaving to him in love as my Saviour my Husband and my Head To come to the nature of this Grace and then to the working of it The Nature of Love is seene in foure things 1. In admiring of some secret good in the thing beloved which stirres up the soule to make out for it 2. In a studiousnesse of the contentation of the person beloved 3. In a desire of union and fellowship with the person we affect 4. In a resting and solacing of our selves in the thing wee love By these let us examine our selves whether we have the true love of God or no For it concernes us much to have this grace it will distinguish us from all others who feare him not First our love to Christ commeth from the high esteem of the good things wee see in him But how shall wee know whether that wee have this admiring of the good things we see in God and in his word and children Wee shal know it by our choice and our choice followes our judgement Would wee know whether our judgement be good See what do we choose especially when things of the world and God come together And here we want not examples to guide us The question was whether that Moses should still choose to live in Pharaohs Court and hee accounted his sonne in law or else depart and suffer adversity with Gods children Now Moses by sound judgement had an high esteeme of the excellencie and priviledges of the Saints And therfore chose rather to endure afflictions than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Let us then see whether wee can be contented to part with our preferment or pleasure for God or no. And whether we do esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world whether we can lay down our lives and liberties at Christs feet and gladly want all so we may enjoy him If it be so with us our estate is good Againe let us see whether wee have a right prizing of the good things in God Doe wee delight to speak much and often of Christ and the benefits we receive by him How was Saint Pauls heart enlarged and his tongue full of heavenly eloquence in setting sorth the unspeakable mercies of God which wee have by Christ Jesus our Lord If God be on our side who can be against us saith he What shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation shall anguish and affliction I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other thing can doe it Another signe to know whether we have a secret admiration of the good things