of Saints Yet besides that this is not the subject matter that the Apostle is here treating of let those that bring sin within the compass of this promise and make this to run into the sence of it that even all the sins of the Saints shall work for their good let such tell us how or in what way it 's imaginable that the sinful decayes of such who backslide from God and never recover to their former life and vigour but live and die in a languishing state of Soul let them tell us how such sins can be imagined to work for their good till then we must enter our dissent from this Interpretation This then is not the sence of the promise that all sins shall work together for good And yet if it were it would be but a poor argument to take the more liberty to sin because God will turn it to good this would be even as rational as for a man to tear his flesh break his bones pluck out his eyes burn his house c. because God will turn all his suffering to good he is little better than mad that would not conclude such a man out of his Wits Others restrain it to the evill things that befall the Saints not the turpia but the tristia their sufferings and afflications to that vanity and those vexations they are in bondage under and under which with the whole Creation they groan and travail in pain waiting for their redemption of which the Apostle had been treating in the former part of the Chapter And yet while they pitch the sence especially on such things as these they grant it may be extended to all other things sin only excepted ad omnes res creaturas eventus tum secundos tum adversos To all things and events whether prosperous or afflicting So Paraeus with others And these I take to have hit the right All heavy things all the sufferings and afflictions of the Saints and not only these but all things else whatsoever that in the whole course of Providence be their lot or portion all the dealings of God with them all the dispensations of Providence towards them shall all work for their good 2. What is that good which these things work to the Saints or in what sence all things may be said to work good to them The sence in generall is this They shall all work to their welfare they shall all happen to them for the better there shall nothing befall them but one time or other they shall have reason to say 'T was well for me that it was thus with me The wisdom and goodness of God did cut out suce portions continually for me did lead me thorow such a series and succession of cases and events which though I could not understand yet now I see that every condition every contingency and occurrence of my life through which Providence led me was useful and could not well have been wanted but it would have been the worse for me Thus in the generall Particularly for the fuller understanding what good it is that all things to consider That there is a Twofold good of the Saints Such as they obtain and enjoy whilest they are in via in their way or Course or such as they shall obtain when they are in termino when they are gotten to the end of their way when they are come to their place Or thus There is a Three-fold good of the Saints Temporall Spirituall Eternall 1. Temporall good or our bona corporis the outward good things of this life which may serve and please and delight us in these dayes of our pilgrimage which may abide with us and attend us to our graves but there will take their leave of us 2. Spirituall good or our bona animae and those are either 1. External as the Ordinances of God the Light Liberties and priviledges of the Gospel the Society and Communion of Saints and our peaceful and plentiful enjoying of them 2. Internal as spiritual Grace Faith Love Hope Patience c. 3. Eternal good or that glory and joy that everlasting rest and peace the possession of that Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that is reserved in Heaven for us Now here note these things 1. That our bona corporis our outward good things are only good for us as they are conducible ad bonum spirituale to the good of our Souls The bona viae are only good in the event when they tend to the bonum Patriae This World is but a Nursery for Eternity we are planted in this in order to our transplanting into the other World and whatever we have here is either good or evill according to the respect that it bears to hereafter As far forth as our immortal part is improved by these perishing things so far forth onely are they good for us He that hath this Worlds goods and is not hereby made more rich towards God he who prospers in this World and yet his Soul doth not prosper much more he whose worldly fulness becomes the emptiness and leanness of his Soul Are these good things good for him Is he in prosperity upon a true account whose Soul prospers not It is not ever good to prosper in the World it cannot be universally said It 's good to be rich it 's good to be in health it 's good to be in honour it 's good to be at liberty the contrary may sometimes be true it 's good to be poor to be sick to be in disgrace to be in bonds the necessity of our Souls doth not seldom require it Then alone is it good to be full and to abound when our outward abundance farthers our spiritual welfare Christians could we receive this truth That our outward good things are only good for us as far forth as they conduce to our spiritual good could we receive this truth and live under the power of it what a different judgment should we then have of all these worldly matters from what we have and how strangely would the course of this world be then changed Would there then be such violent and eager pursuing these carnal things Would there then be such whining and complaining and murmuring at every cross providence We would then say This may be good for me good for my Soul how sad soever it looks 2. That external spiritual good things the Ministry and Ordinances of the Gospel c. are so far good to us as they conduce to our internal spiritual good and they being ordinarily so it must be concluded That ordinarily it is good for us that we enjoy them and be not deprived of them God may see the cutting Christians short of those priviledges and Liberties to be sometimes needful for them and then even this also makes for their good Whereof more anon 3. That our inward spiritual good is good for us so far forth as it tends to our eternal good and therefore grace is ever good for us It 's ever
been in the heart and hath proceeded out of the mouth of thy God that loves thee There is not a Messenger of Sathan that comes to buffet thee but is also a Messenger from-God that comes to thee for good They very thorns in thy flesh shall serve thee for Playsters thine eye-sores shall be thine eye-salve and thy very maladies thy Medicines 2. That this relative goodness of all the works of Providence is the reason of their being Therefore God doth what he doth that hereby he may do what he hath said and intended I do not say that the reason of Gods taking this or that meâ—ns is alwayes from any thing in it self or for its natural tendency to such an end above any thing else God hath his choice of means he can chuse here or there at pleasure can make use of what he will to serve his design but the reason why things are is this God in his Wisdom saw their ordinability to this good end and thereupon in his Providence he orders and brings them to passe So that now what ever befalls a Christian he hath this to allay and take off the grievousness and sharpness of it This had never been but for the good will and good word of the Lord to me The Lord God hath said he will bless me and do me good he will heal me and sanctifie and save me and now he is about it by this he is working that Salvation for me Christians you have no reason to say If the Lord be with me why am I thus why so poor why so pained why so persecuted so scorned and trampled upon sure if the Lord had meant my good it would have been better then 't is with me No no 't is because the Lord is with thee and means thee well that he deals in this manner with thee The Design of his Providence towards thee is the accomplishment of his Promise 3. The Providence of God shall never fail of accomplishing its end There is nothing wanting that might give us the fullest assurance hereof For 1. The Providence of God hath power with it He is the Almighty that hath promised he that ruleth in the Earth dwelleth in the Heaven and doth whatsoever he will Our God is in Heaven and doth whatsoever he will I will work and who shall let it Is 43. Who can stay his hand or say unto him What doest thou were it not for our unbelief our case would be still the same in greatest difficulties as when the Coasts are most clear We might say of difficulties as the Psalmist of darkness there is no darkness with thee to the the day and night are both alike Difficulties are no difficulties with thee nor is there difference betwixt hard and easie He can save with many or with few and with none is as well as with some We once read he had too many but never that he had too few to bring about his work Oh how do we disparage the power of God when our difficulties make us doubt Is he God and nor man Is he spirit and not flesh Wherefore then dost thou doubt Whatever God hath said he can do Believe he is a God and thou wilt never say How can these things be 2. The Providence of God hath Wisdom with it he is the onely wise he is the all wise God He knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 2 Pet. 2. 9. He knoweth what is good for his Saints and when 't will be in season he understandeth what is proper and pertinent to every case What 's proper to every purpose to every people to every person and for every season he knowes when 't is a season to abate and when to exalt when to afflict and when to deliver when to put on the yoak and when to take off the yoak When to pull down and when to build up every thing is beautiful in its season If mercies come out of season mercies would be no mercies and if troubles come in their season troubles should be no troubles He knowes the best method and means to his end the finest means he sees sometimes the unfittest to be the fittest the most unlikely unpromising means do often best serve Gods end Christians if you would receive every dispensation as coming from the hands of the wise God you would never quarrel with your lot nor say of any thing that befalls I might be happy but this stands in my way If you would give God leave to be wiser than you you would say where ever you are its good for me to be here this is my way to my rest 3. The Providence of God hath faithfulness with it Psâ—l 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal 111. 8. His Works are done in truth Gods Works may be said to be done in truth in a double sence In Reality In Fidelity 1. In Reality not in specie or in shew onely but indeed Gods Comforts are Comforts indeed Gods Salvation is Salvation indeed The Devil will come with his gifts with his comforts and deliverâ—nces but they are for the most part but spectra like himself shews and apparitions quite another thing than what they seem to be sinners comforts deliverances enjoyments wherewith the Devil feeds them do leave them in as poor a case and worse than they found them you will never thank the Devil for his kindness when you have prov'd them what they are If you do not find your selves as fast bound in the midst of all your liberties if you be not warp'd up in as many sorrows after all the joys he hath procured to you if the glittering glories the gloring pleasures he entices you by and entertains you with prove not trash and dirt and meer lies in the end then say the Devil hath forgotten his trade of lying the Devils works will be even like himself false and deceitful But God is true and all his works are done in truth 2. In Fidelity his Work are according to his Word 1 King 8. 24. Thou hast spoken with thy mouth and hast fulfilled with thinâ— hand in thy faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Psal 119. Not onely in thy faithfulness thou hast saved me in thy faithfulness thou hast comforted me in thy faithfulness thou hast succoured me but in thy faithfulness thou hast afflicted me in thy faithfulness thou hast humbled and broken me and cast me down The promise of God is that we shall want nothing we shall neither want his Staffe nor his Rod neither comforts nor crosses neither joys nor sorrows we cannot well want either and we shall want neither because God is faithful You may not onely write down with the Apostle God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear but you may write also God is faithful and will not suffer you to want a temptation When 't is seasonable
may be called out to as nothing less than the richest stock of Promises the greatest treasure of Experiences the highest pitch of spiritual Graces your greatest conquest over Lust and the World your living under the fullest influences of Divine Power and the clearest Sense of Divine Love will furnish you with an enduring spirit nothing less will but this will do it Get Sin and the World under make God sure make the Promises sure live in a daily conflict with Sin contempt of the World and exercise of all Graces Live in the obedience vision and fruition of your God and then you are ready for the Enemy Let your Sufferings be what they will come when they will your Souls are at Anchor and shall have a continual Calm within how Tempestuous soever the Weather be As a farther Encouragement and Help to this great Duty consider that your patient suffering will be 1. Your witness to the Gospel 2. Gods witness to your Adoption 3. The cure of your Corruption 4. Your triumph over Temptation 5. The improvement of your Sanctification 6. The advance of your Glory 1. Your patient suffering will be your witnesse to the Gospel Who were that cloud of Witnesses mentioned Heb. 12. 1. but the suffering Saints that Army of Martyrs recorded Chap. 11. whose patience is set forth as a Pattern to those that should come after These are the Witnesses What was it by which they bare Witness but by their patient suffering To what did they bear Witness but to God and his Gospel What Witness did they bear Why That the Gospel is true The sufferings of the Saints are their Seal to the Gospel As he that believeth so much more he that suffereth in Faith hath set to his Seal that God is true In the Faith and patience of the Saints may be seen as the Seal in the Wax the prints and impressions of the Truth and Faithfulness of God God hath said He will uphold he will not forsake them and their patience shews he doth uphold he hath not forsaken them 2. That the Gospel is a Glorious Gospel That God is a good Master that it 's good being with Christ any where That they are no Losers by their Religion but that it's Wages are above it's Work and its pay above its pain It were not possible when they prove how much the Gospel costs them but they should be weary of it and repent of their Faith and renounce their profession if they did not find the Lord a good pay-master The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. 3. that Christians are the Epistles of Christ or his Letters of Commendation to the World in whom may be read his Excellencies and Glory and the incomparable advantages of his Service And as all Christians so especially suffering Christians The Character of Christ is never so visible and legible as when 't is written in Bloud The Bowels and Bounty and Kindness of God our Saviour never appear'd in more Glory than upon his Cross and there 's no such lively Transcript of them as upon our Cross On his Cross his Bloud on our Cross his Spirit and the precious grace and comforts of it are most plentifully shed forth 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached that is and endure it the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you The Spirit and influences of a Crucified Jesus do never shine forth to such advantage as in his Crucified Saints Upon the patience of a Saint under the sufferings of Christ he that runs may read this written I serve a good Master Our patient suffering is our witness to Christ and his Gospel Christian when God sends thee to Calvary he sends thee thither as a chosen vessel that thou should'st there bear his Name before the World Art thou impatient at this What canst thou not bear this honour thy God hath laid upon thee Hath God chosen thee thee amongst all they Brethren to do him this honour and wilt thou be angry that he did not raâ—her choose some other 'T was an unworthy Answer of a good Man Mâ—ses when God sent him to Egypt to appear for him before Pharaoh and to be the Deliverer of his People Exod. 4. 13. Send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send Send whom thou wilt any body but me By our sinful shifting our selves of Trouble or our Murmurings under them we say the like Send whom thou wilt to witness for thee but let me go free Let me have my ease and my quiet and my liberty and take this honour who will for me Unworthy Spirits Oh me thinks Christians we should rather step one before another and when our Lord demands Who will go with me Who will bear my Cross Me thinks we should readily answer I will go let me bear it Lord and not grudge as we do that he puts us to it Our Impatience bears false witness against God and his Gospel what 's the voice or the meaning of Impatience less than this Whatever is said in honour of the Gospel what a blessedness what an ineffable advantage 't is to all that heartily own it yet having prov'd it I find it even as much as nothing by that all the costs and charges of it are cast up The Comforts of it will never ballance them set one against any other the bad against the good the bitter against the sweet Set one against another and I have made but a bad Bargain by becoming a Christian This is the Voice of Impatience Christian Thou passest over thy Murmuring as a light Evil as if thy pain might excuse they pettishness As if it were because 't is so common a very small thing But is it nothing to bely God to bear false Witness against his Gospel Thy Repining at the Sufferings of Christ is next to Repenting that ever thou wert a Christian Brethren Let us do the Lord this Right by the patience of our Spirits to confess before the World That all the sufferings of this Life are not worthy to be compared to the Glory that shall be revealed And looking unto Jesus the Author and Fiâ—â—sher of our Faith Let us learn of him for the Joy that is set before us to indure the Cross and despise the Shame That we may sit down at his as he is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God Secondly Your patient suffering will be God's Witness to your Adoption Heb. 12. 7. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons The LORD doth not use to deal so with strangers Afflictions are Gods Family Discipline Yet mark 't is not if the suffering alone will not prove our Son-ship the Rod is for the fools back as well as the childs but patient suffering will for 1. Patient suffering is it self an evidence of our adoption it is the mark of the Lord Jesus upon us If thou hast both the same lot and the same spirit that was upon Christ there 's thy Lords mark