their Corn Wine and Oyl Ther 's a spring in divine joy if Gods people want the Stars they shall have the light of the Sun and the enjoyment of God can make up for the want of the creature Fourthly another ground of joy is in respect of the assurance of deliverance from the greatest affliction they are under Who hath delivered us from so great a death 2 Cor. 1.10 and doth deliver in whom wee trust that he will yet deliver us Christ's deliverance is an assurance to Gods people of deliverance out of their tribulations for he that raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead 1 Cor. 6.14 by his own power will also raise up us And God hath rais'd up the Lord ' Christ and will also raise up us by his own power And therefore ye may finde that God encouraged his people under all their persecutions that when their brethren cast them out for his name sake he would take them up and make their enemies ashamed when his hand should be known to his servants Thirdly the exceeding great reward of glory propounded may administer ground of joy and rejoycing under all sufferings and afflictions Christ for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame and is now set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 12.2 Heb. 11.27 Moses haveing a veiw of God and of glory by the spectacles of faith is said to endure as seeing him that is invisible for this cause wee faint not but suffer reproach because wee judge that these light afflictions which are but for a moment worke for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory O Soul who ever thou art that sufferest for Christ's name though hell be behinde thee Heaven is still before Hell this was that Heb. 10.34 those primitive Christians comforted themselves with Knowing with in themselves they had experience in their own hearts assurance in their bosoms that in Heaven they had a better and more enduring substance 40 Mart. This comforted those fourty Martyrs when before they were to suffer they were cast in to water in cold weather now say they we shake for cold but by and by we shall be in Abrahams bosom men may kill the Saints but it is impossible that they should ever hurt them so that an opportunity to suffer for Christ is to be esteemed as a meecy By way of inference from hence Use 1 First take notice of the strength and power of divine grace that is able to make a man suffer contentedly and joyfully 't will make a Christian go through good report and evill report Use 2 Secondly from hence I may observe likewise the great abatement degeneracy and timerousness of spirit that is in Professors of Religion in these latter dayes the Saints in former tymes accounted it an honour to suffer Christ wee account it a burden wee are backward wee are ready to cry out undone if it comes to a little of our Estate liberty or name if ever God call us out to suffering surely he will grant us more grace else were shall shamefully dishonour him O thou spirit of Christianity where art thou become O thou holy joy in sufferings where art thou It is for a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation to think On these things Use 3 Thirdly hence observe the vast difference there is between Saints and sinners the Saints can rejoyced in sufferings so can't the wicked The heart knweth its own bitterness and a stranger doth not intermedle with his joy This is a joy no sgranger intermedles with Prov. 14.10 the world wonders how the Saints go so courageously through sufferings But the Martyrs answer may serve to answer this yee see the fewel that burns me but did yee feel the joy that I feel ye would not wonder The wayes of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord eternall life is sweet the assured expectation whereof makes men thus to suffer There is a great deal of difference between Saints and sinners upon this account Secondly from hence I might speak matter of just reproofe to the Saints and people of God that are so far from this frame and temper to rejoyce in suffering for Christs name You ought to be joyfull in tribulation but I fear many of you are not patient under the afflictions of the Gospel Were they joyfull under the burning coals of Juniper and shall not wee be patient at least under lesser sufferings Dispondency is a sin as well as murmuring and repineing What an dishonour is it to God to murmur under affliction First what an dishonour is this to Jesus Christ to be dedolent under sufferings when services and sufferings come of heavyly itmust needs be a dishonour to Christ It is a dishonour to a Chaptaine if his Souldiers march on heavyly 2 Sam. 19 2 4. I may allude to that 2 Sam. 19 2 4. where the King wept for his son and the victory that day was turned into mourning and the King covered his face and cryed with a loud voice O my son Absalom O Absolom my son NUm 14.2 my son wat an ugly sight was that of the Isralites digging their graves And all the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and against the whole congregation and said unto them would God that wee had died in the Land of Egypt or would God wee had died in this wilderness It is a great shame for Christians and it is a great dishonour to Christ for Christians to be so dastardly spirited Secondly consider what an unworthy returne is this to the Lord Jesus Christ that suffered so much and so willingly for us I am straitned with in me till this baptisme be accomplished saith Chrit It was no trouble to Christ that he was to die but raither that he died no sooner And shall wee thus returne evill to him for his good to us Shall wee think much to bear the prick of a pin for him that was peirced with a spear for us Thirdly what a discouragement does this offer to profession and Religion in the world it lay's a stumbling-block before many that would fall in with Religion but that they think there is but little in it else the Professors of it would suffer more for it If a standard-bearer in an Army his heart fail it offers a great discouragement to the common Souldier goe on therefore courageously in the profession of holyness The contrary God threatens to his Enemies to Assiria the rod of his anger when he breaks them in peice Isa 10.18 And they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth Isa 10.18 19. And then the rest of the trees of his forrest shall be few that a Child may write them When the hearts of the principall of God flock faile they offer discouragement to all the rest Fourthly it spoiles the acceptance of all your other
and brave answer unto them saying wee ought to obey God raither then Man The commands of no inferiour power can supersede the commands of a superiour power and now orders were issued out against the Apostles to forbid their preaching yet having an injunction upon them from Christ they go on yea Peter goes on and preaches a Sermon before his enemies and did not onely preach what might serve the turne was not mealy mouthed but preached that which touched them to the quick V. 29 30. and 31. tells them that that Jesus that was now exalted whom they now preached that very Jesus they had crucified so he goes on to the 31 verse The God of our Fathers raised one Jesus whom yee slew and hanged on a Tree And now they begin to think not of in prisoning but of massacring them as if the land were not able to bear their persons and what they had said was the highest peice of wickedness in the world They go about to kill their bodies that would if posible save their souls And being cutt to the heart they now take councel together to slay them but one of the councel being more wise then the rest gives more sober advice which upon mature deliberation though not out of conscience but fear they took But yet they would give them some taste of their kindness They called the Apostles and beat them V. 40. and then let them go And doe but see the effects in the 41. and 42. vers And they departed from the presence of the Councel rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name And daily in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ 1. The words that I have read contain 1. an account of Gods dignation towards his people and their disposition towards him The saints condition to suffer the name or title of their sufferings shame 2. Secondly here is their disposition of spirit not with sorrow and hanging down their heads like a bulrush no they lift up their heads and exalt their horn in him 2 Sam. 12.20 It was a manlike act in David when the child was dead while it was alive he fasted and wept But when it was dead he arose from the earth washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped so it was with the Apostles notwithstanding all their evill usages yet they rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Six propositions containe the sum of this Text. 6 Propositions Prop. 1 First that the condition of Gods people in this world is a suffering condition To suffer Prop. 2 Secondly that shame is one great peece of and ingredient in their sufferings To suffer shame Prop. 3 Thirdly that the profession of Christs name is the great ground of the saints sufferings To suffer shame for his name Prop. 4 Fourthly it is a great dignation of God to call out his people to suffer for his name worthy to suffer shame for his name Prop. 5 Fifthly that an opportunity to suffer shame for the name of Christ ought to be esteemed and entertained not onely willingly but joy-fully rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Prop. 6 Sixthly the consideration of Christs name being in our sufferings is sufficient to quick en us up to joyfullness in them And they departed c. Doct. 1 First the saints condition in the world is a suffering condition the sufferings of the saints and people of God arise from the Devil and from the wicked world The dragon was wroth with the woman Rev. 12. v. last and went to make war with the remnant of her seed The dragon is the Devil the woman the church By his instruments he maks war with her the seed of the serpent makes war with the seed of the woman because they keep the commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ It was a right speech of Austin when those ten persecuting emperors were dead and those ten persecutions over and the people began to comfort themselves that persecution would now cease O but saith he the Devil is not dead and soe long as he hath instruments to stir up persecution will be raised So long as the wicked lust to envy the people of God must expect to suffer 1 1. Reason of our suffering They that cannot sin must expect to suffer because we have sined wee suffer justly from God because wee will not sin wee suffer unjustly from men Never a soul that ever set it's face towards heaven but the world turned their backs upon it The Church of Christ is as the Lylie among thorns such as are interested in the Love of God must expect to feel the wrath and anger of men John 16.33 in the world it was Christs own prediction ye shall have tribulation in the upper Region above is peace but in this under the moon is nothing but trouble Daniel Dan. 6.16 a man greatly beloved of God but as greatly persecuted by men The Apostle Paul a person eminent in grace and in favour with God yet notwithstanding as the raither extreamly persecuted he was in bonds for the word sake 2 Tim. 2.9 Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto bonds They that receive much mercy from God 2 Tim. 2.9 and performe much duty to God must expect to meet with little mercy from the world They shall put you out of the Synagogue yea out of the world too kill you and yet think they doe God good service this ariseth from the words wickedness they wound Christ through the Saints sides ungodly men conceive and contrive enmity against the people of God and when it is conceive it bringeth forth reproach and persecution of them Lord Isa 26.11 when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people yea the fire of thine enemies shall devour them The whole world lyeth in wickedness that is the two seeds are put in enmity the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman Secondly from Gods will and pleasure 2 2. Rea. of suffering God hath will'd sufferings to his people as his Livery it s a Legacy to his people to you it is given on the behalf of Christ not onely to beleive but also to suffer not onely to beleive but to blood also They that are called to grace are call'd to sufferings The tyme of grace at first is atyme of love the continuance of it a tyme of affliction For whom he did foreknow Rom. 8.29 he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his son that is his suffering Image in order to our conformity to his glorious Image God had one Son without sin but he hath none without a scourge It is the will of God wee should
belike Christ not onely in the end and forme but in the means Sin resembles a man to the Devil but sufferings resembles a man to Christ From hence Con ∣ sidera ∣ tion 1 First consider ye had need look you be right in the way of your profession least while ye suffer for God ye also suffer from God It will be a sad thing to be cast out of earth for making a profession and to be cast out of heaven for making no more then a profession to suffer for Christ here on earth and to suffer from Christ hereafter in Hell to eternity Look that ye be right in your profession and ye will finde comfort in your affliction Con ∣ sid 2 Secondly if the saints must suffer from the world then let them not suffer from one another if the beasts of the forrest Psal 22.12 the bulls of Bashan push at them let not the Lambs push one at another Doe they suffer from the world That is no great matter but to suffer from familiar friends is too much If it had been mine enemy saith David I could have born it Psal 55.12 13. and 41.9 v. but it was thou my familiar friend who took sweet councel together c. It is said in a prophesie of Christ Zech. 13.6 v. He was wounded in the house of his friends that augmented the grief Con ∣ sid 3 Thirdly let every man then enter the lists of profession but with an expectation of sufferings and afflictions Object The bullet may miss you it 's an ill Battel were none ' scapes Ans But it may hit you as well it 's strange if a man will live godly in Christ Jesus if he don't suffer persecution either by the tongues or by the hands of wicked men It was an excellent speech of the Lord Brook that he that undertakes in the way of Christianity it is a vain thing for him to think of saving any thing but his soul ye may be call'd out to resist unto Blood striveing against sin and as Gods mercy towards the end of the Churches troubles will be sweetest so the Devil's rage will be greatest and though ye have had halcyon dayes of peace and have but the prick of a pin insteed of the point of a sword yee may yet meet with the tail of the storme the worst may be behinde Second proposition is this That reproach and shame is part of Gods peoples sufferings here in the world Doct. 2 It is their portion a peculiarity of the saints to suffer shame for Christs sake They that are highly esteemed with God are commonly cast out with men They lie here oft-tymes among the pots whom God intends for the fairest Cup-board of heavenly glory in the world to come They manifested open indignity to the Apostles two severall wayes by words and by blows reproach before Magistrats is a shame in the worlds Calender Those whom God doe honour one way or another the wicked will dishonour The wickeds spight is against god but Panther-like if they can't reach the person they 'l tear the picture though the consciences of Gods people compurgats them yet the world maks no conscience of condemning Psal 44.13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us A reproach to men on every side hedged in and compassed about with reproaches scandals and slanders Psal 79.4 so Psal 79. v. 4. wee are become a reproach to our neighbours ascorn and a derision to them that are round about us You see the church of God where-ever at one tyme or other were under reproaches Isaac the Son of the promise was scoffed at by Ishmael Gal. 4.29 this is called persecution But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit so it is now Thus it was with holy Job when he was made an out cast by his friends Job 16.8 9. that made of him no more then a Hypocrite He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me he gnasheth upon me with his teeth mine enemy sharpneth his eyes upon me They gaped upon me with their mouth they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully they have gathered themselves together againse me And will ye step a little farther and see David In my adversity they rejoyced c. this was the measure this holy man of God met with in his tyme and the Prophet Isa saith Isa 8.18 that the professers of his tyme were signs and wonders in Israel◠Zion is an out cast whom no man seeks after an out cast that no man seeks after Jer. 30.17 Lam. 1.7 21. So Jerusalem what she came to be in her distresses They have heard that I sight there is none to comfort me all mine enemies have heard of my trouble they are glad that thou hast done it And this Is common with all the saints for such as are guilty of oppression Lam. 2 15 16. are guilty likewise of Columnies so chap. 2. is this the city of solemnities All that pass by clap their hands at thee they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole earth All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee they hiss and gnash the teeth they say wee have swallow'd her up certainly this is the day that wee looked for wee have found wee have seen it Thus they please themselves with scoffing at the poor Church and people of God Psal 69.20 Lam. 3.30 Reproaches have broken my heart saith the Psalmist in the person of Christ so Lam The church there saith she gave her cheeks to him that smot her she was filled full i th reproaches Thus both the worship and worshippers of God have been made a reproach in the world The word of the Lord in the prophesie of Jer. 6.10 was a reproach unto that wicked generation Jer. 6.10 to whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear behold the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it Jer. 20. v. 18. and so chap. 20.18 he speaks again of the reproaches he met withall there he saith he came forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow that his dayes should be consumed with shame The spirit of God tells the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 33.30 concerning the children of the people not enemies onely but the children of the people are taking against thee by the wall 's and in the doors of the houses they snarld at the word of the Lord. Thus all the Prophets under the old and Christ and his Apostles under the New Testament have been accounted vilely off Paull call'd a seditious fellow Christ called the Carpenters Son no better title could they afford him And they thought they had hit the bird on the eye when they said have any of the Rulers beleived