45. Bless them says Christ that curse you pray for them that despitely use you that ye may be the children of your Father c. Why were they not children before Yes but this declares it now God owns them for his children If we behave our selves thus we shall have the comfort of this that our reproaches come to us as to Gods people whereas others cannot have the comfort of this you cannot have any comfort from this argument unless you behave your selves under reproaches after this maner Now what a great evilis this to cut a man off from that comfort which hath been spoken of in this argument and if you do behave your selves christianly under reproaches God is more and more engaged to stand for your names and you are more prepared for glory As he is not fit to govern that is not fit to serve but he that is fit to serve is so much the fitter to govern so those that can bear disgrace are fit to be honored and the greater glory will be afterwards As the Sun that shines through the clouds shines the brightest so when honor shall come through dishonor it shall be the greatest honor And then you shall come to know that honor is sanctified to you and that it is in love and you shall be more able to rejoyce in the honor that God shall bring to your names then you would have done and so your reproachers shall be servants to you There is onely one place of Scripture that I shall adde and so I have done with this point Job 17. compare the 6. verse with the 8. and 9. verses ver 6. He hath made me also a by-word of the people Job was a godly man and yet he was made a by-word What then at the 8. verse Upright men shall be astonied at this How Two ways either they shall be astonished at the horrible wickedness of men that shall contemn so godly a man as Job was and say Lord what boldness is in the hearts of the wicked that shall presume to dare to contemn such a servant of thine or the upright shall be astonished they shall admire at the wonderful way of God towards his people that the Lord shall suffer wicked men so far to go on in wickedness as to reproach his people The innocent the godly man shall see those that are hypocrites for not onely gross prophane ones are reproachers often times but hypocrites The innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite he shall not be damped but stir up his thoughts against the hypocrite The righteous also shall hold on his way shall not decline and not onely so but he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger And so I pass to the next point CHAP. XXXIV The reproaches of Gods people are the reproaches of Christ. IF you take the reproaches either materially or formally materially that is when all the sufferings of Gods people for which they are meanly esteemed and looked upon as contemptible all their sufferings are the sufferings of Christ Formally and that is the very scorn that is cast upon them is the scorn of Christ I intend to handle this point in both these materially and formally So that the thing we have to handle is That all the sufferings and contempt and disesteem of Gods people are the sufferings and contempt and disesteem of Christ So that Gods people may turn the speech of Christ concerning his Father The reproaches of them that have reproached thee have fallen upon me But we may say Lord and blessed Savior the reproaches of them that have reproached us are fallen upon thee and mark therefore in Heb. 13. 13. the reproaches of Christs people are called the reproach of Christ Let us go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach And the sufferings of Gods servants are called the sufferings of Christ Colloss 1. 24. and fill up that which is behinde of the afflictions of CHIST they are the afflictions of Christ and every one must make account to fill them up not the satisfactory sufferings of Christ but the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body in his members And so every member is to fill up a share in his sufferings And so Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted The sufferings and troubles of Gods people are the sufferings and troubles of Christ he is sensible of them and therefore in Acts 9. 4. Christ cryes out Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Further compare two places together in one Psal 79. ver 4 12. at the 4. verse says the Text We are become a reproach to our neighbors a scorn and derision to those that are round about us And at the twelfth verse it is Render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach wherewith they have reproached thee O Lord He goes on in the same argument and first he calls them the reproach of the Church and then the reproach of God But is it said here the reproach of Christ It may be asked Why not the reproach of God the Father or the reproach of the Holy Ghost The reproaches of Gods people are the reproaches of Christ in a special maner because Christ is the head of the Church and it is from the fulness of Christ that they have that grace conveyed which is reproached and the union they have with God and with the Spirit is by Christ and therefore it is the reproach of Christ here named according to the several workings of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost so the three persons are reproached by mans sin There is a reproach unto God as God and unto Christ as Christ and unto the Spirit as the Spirit There is a reproach unto God as he is Creator the preserver of the world and governor of all things When the work of God the first Person of the Trinity is reproached then he is reproached Prov. 14. 31. He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his maker It is a work of the Father to order things so as to make one poor and one rich And you take an advantage to mock at the poor upon this difference which God hath made in the world when as you should honor the work of God in making any difference between you and others but in stead of honoring of it you cast an aspersion upon his work and despise others because God hath put them in a low condition you reproach your Creator in this And when the work of Redemption is despised when that is opposed and when the profession of the Gospel hath dishonor put upon it then Christ is reproached Heb. 6. 6. the Apostle says Those that fall off after they have tasted of the heavenly gift and the good word of God and the powers of the world to come they put the Son of God to an open shame And when enlightning and drawing and the quickening and comforting work of the Spirit is reproached and vilified then the Spirit
not see what were the ways of my providence towards my people Might you not have gathered from thence that there was another time a coming Fourthly Learn we hence to judge wisely of the poor of the afflicted and persecuted Psalm 41. 1. Far be it from us to think they are forsaken of God let us not be offended at Religion because troubles follow the profession of it the blessing that comes by profession of the truth consists not in such a peace as frees from trouble but in giving peace and rest to the soul in the middest of troubles Luther hath an excellent speech for this in one of his Epistles ad Tonitorem You seek and affect peace but preposterously such as the worlds peace not Christs who gives peace in the middest of troubles as he saith Rule thou in the middest of thine Enemies Now the cause of the Church calls for a wise judging How many carnal people are ready to think that Popery is rather the truth and that the Religion of Protestants is not right because God hath of late years so grievously afflicted his Church What would God suffer his own people say they his own truth thus to be beaten down As they formerly said of Christ Let him save him seeing he delighted in him so if God delighted in this way surely he would have saved it he would not have suffered opposition so far to have prevailed against the professors of it It is no argument that Christ is not in the ship because tempests and storms arise It is no argument that our cause is not Gods that Christ is not with us because of our afflictions it may be we have not awakened him by our prayers we are not yet fit to enjoy the sweetness of a calm Salvian was fain to write a whole Treatise above eleven hundred years ago to answer this argument that men had against the people of God and the profession of the Gospel Turks judge all things according to outward success and so did the heathens of old We read of Brutus being overcome by Anthony he cryes out Whatsoever things are disputed concerning vertue are but meer toys and fancies for fortune rules in all humane things but it beseems not Christians to judge by this rule Clemens Alexandrinus cites Plato expressing himself thus Although a righteous man be tormented although his eyes be digged out yet he remains a blessed man Let none judge worse of himself meerly because of afflictions before you were of the world it may be you prospered it shined upon you but now since you have given your name to Christ many troubles and afflictions follow you this is no other but that hath been is will be the estate of Gods people in this life we must not draw ill consequences from or make ill constructions of our afflictions for this is to charge God foolishly which Job did not Chap. 1. 22. There are some kinde of sufferings that a man meets with that have a kinde of sweet seal of God with them even in the time of suffering by which a man is more confirmed in his way to be from God then ever he was before Fifthly what shall become then of ungodly and wicked men Thus Saint Peter argues 1. Epist 4. 17 18. Iudgement must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear If it be done thus to the green tree what shall be done to the dry Behold they whose judgement was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken and art tbou he that shall go altogether unpunished thou shalt not go unpunished but thou shalt assuredly drink of it Ier. 49. 12. certainly there is shame and confusion for you there are tortures prepared for you You heard what the Martyrs have suffered but all that is nothing to the least spark of Gods revenging wrath when it is mingled with hatred That is a fearful expression that we have Psal 35. 6. Let their way be slippery and the angel of the Lord persecuting them It is a more fearful thing to have the Angel of the Lord persecute then to be persecuted by men but how fearful a thing is it when God himself that infinite Deity when he persecutes a man when Divine justice follows a man from one place to another and persecutes him You look upon those poor despised misused Servants of God and you think vilely of them let those spectacles strike terror into your hearts every time you see them O what is reserved for me then Sixthly if this be the usual estate of Gods people let us learn then to prepare for afflictions before they come although we have escaped many years yet we may be called to such an estate at last Polycarpus escaped till he was fourscore and six years old and then he was called to Martyrdom In the first ten persecutions in the primitive times the Christians in England escaped all the nine although the Gospel not many years after Christ was professed in England yet the tenth and last persecution fell heavy upon them Iulius Caesar escaped fifty several battels in which he was personally present and yet at last in the Senate house he was unexpectedly murthered Now all is well with you lay up for times of trouble this is a gathering time that will be a spending time know that that which will serve turn now will not serve turn then many are not able to hold out now what will they do then O what will you do in the day of your visitation Jer. 12. 5. If the footmen have wearied thee how canst thou contend with horses and if in the land of peace how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan We read of Polycarpus that as he lay in his bed he saw in a vision the bed set on fire under his head forewarning him of his Martyrdom we in our ease should seriously think of our sufferings now while Sun-shine days of peace continue we should consider of the days of darkness which may be many Oftentimes we are thinking of and seeking after great things when we should be preparing for suffering hard things as Mat. 20. 20. when Christ had been speaking to prepare for sufferings Zebedees children most unseasonably come seeking for the highest places in his kingdom This was the fault of Baruc Jer. 45. when God was bringing sore and grievous afflictions to his people he was seeking great things for himself CHAP. VIII Eleven Rules for preparation to suffer afflictions FIrst make account of them do not say I shall never be removed although you know not what particular afflictions shall befal you yet make an account that an afflicted condition will be your portion according to that of the Apostle Acts 20. 22 23. And now I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall
Lord is pleased to condescend to our weakness to express his especial presence with his Church and therefore it is good to be with them these are the expressions of it But wherein does the presence of God with his people appear more then with other people In these two things especially First because there God makes himself known reveals himself there and makes his beauty to appear Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple It is the glory of Heaven to see God in his beauty and this is one of the greatest promises of God to his Church that they shall see the King in his majesty We may see some glimmering light of God in the Heavens Sun Moon and Stars but in the Church there God shews his beauty there we may see the face of God and this is that which Moses did desire Lord-shew me thy glory It is much granted to us in the Church in enjoying his Ordinances and there is no way to see Gods face so clearly as this way Every childe of God that is in the Temple shall speak of Gods glory for they see God in his glory in a special maner Secondly the especial presence of God with his people is especially manifested in that he communicates to his people as namely First the choice mercies of God are communicated to his people If you would have any share in Gods choice mercies his peculiar mercies come amongst Gods people joyn with them as that place is observable in Psal 134. 3. The Lord that made Heaven and earth bless thee out of Sion He does not say the Lord that made Heaven and Earth bless thee out of Heaven and Earth but the Lord that made Heaven and Earth bless thee out of Sion as if he should say The blessings that come out of Sion are the choice blessings and the peculiar mercies of God even above any that come out of Heaven and Earth Secondly God communicates his mercies more fully then any where else Isa 25. 6. And in this mountain that is in the Church I will make a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow c. and Psal 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures In a private way there may be some drops of pleasure from God but there is not that full communication from God as with his people in his Ordinances there is in the world in the creature drops in private communion there are ponds but in a pulique Church-communion there are rivers of pleasure and that is the height of all Thirdly God communicates his mercies more powerfully in the Church then any where else Psal 133. 3. For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore God did not onely speak and said there should be a blessing but spake in a commanding way There Where is that There in the Church amongst his people there God commanded the blessing even life for evermore Lastly God blesseth more universally with all kinde of blessing and therefore he is more present there and in that respect the Psalmist says Psalm 87. 7. All my springs are in thee This whole Psalm is to set out the excellent condition of the Church and he concludes the Psalm with this All my springs are in thee Now this expression is very emphatical Spring is taken two or three ways in Scripture The Law of God the Doctrine of Gods Law is compared to a spring and heavenly knowledge is compared to a spring and then it is thus All my springs All the truths I have all the knowledge I come to be made partaker of are all in the Church Again All my springs all the comforts of my heart and that good and joy my spirit receives and all the graces of the Spirit that I have and all the quickning and strengthning I have is communicated to me this way And upon this ground the Church is called the very perfection of all beauty Psal 50. 2. Out of Zion the perfection of all beauty God hath shined Out of Zion there is his glory wonderfully apparent The word that is translated the perfection of beauty is translated by some the universality of beauty all kinde of beauty all kinde of excellency as if the Psalmist should say Put all excellencies together that possibly you can imagine to make a thing comely and lovely they are all in the Church Thus you see it is good being with Gods people when as God is thus present with them in a special maner Eighthly it is good being with Gods people because there is Gods special protection others are but as the wilderness the Church is as a garden enclosed Cant. 4. 12. A man regards his garden that he hath enclosed and bestowed cost about more then a wilde field the fields have hedges to keep out the beasts but gardens have brick wals or wood walls Isa 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day How full is this his care over it is such as he threatens those which shall but touch it Jer. 12. 14. to pluck them out of their land Zach. 2. 5. God promiseth he will be a wall of fire round about his people alluding to the custom of travellers in the wilderness who used to make fires round about them in the night for their safety because then none of the wilde beasts durst come near them such a defence is God to his people There is nothing in the Book of God wherein God is so full in his expression as when he comes to this argument to manifest his affection to his Church Christ is the Shepherd and when sheep are together they are under the protection of the Shepherd when the sheep are scattered the Shepherds eye is not so over them And therefore in Hosea 4. 16. God threatens his people he would feed them as a Lamb in a large place as a Lamb getting from the fold goes up and down bleating so when Gods people are scattered they are as a Lamb in a large place and when God would threaten the sorest judgement against his people Ezekiel 34. he says He will scatter them and they shall become to be meat to the beasts of the field And hence it is that the condition of the Church is so stable a condition and therefore in Isaiah 60. 15. the Church is called an eternal excellency because it is under the Lords protection and is it not good being there to be under the wing of God Ninthly to be amongst Gods people is a blessed thing because they have so many
Christs suffering for us I have shewn in eight particulars the riches of sufferings for Christ I might in as many particulars shew the riches of Christs sufferings for us First riches of the infinite deep wisdom of God Secondly the riches of the infinite love of God to mankinde Thirdly the rich patern of humility Fourthly there is riches of honor that is put upon the Children of men such a price is paid for them and such great things are done by the Lord for them Fifthly there is a rich fountain of mercy cleansing of all pollution and the healing of all souls in Christ Sixthly there are the riches of the springs of all graces Seventhly there are the riches of the rich treasure of all consolations Eighthly a rich purchase thus our sufferings for Christ are riches and Christs sufferings for us are riches Chrysostom speaking of Christs reproaches hath this expression These things which we suffered are most beautiful and glorious to me in these I do principally glory neither is my spirit less raised by the thousands that be raised from the dead then by the dolours that suffered How rich is a Christian in regard of sufferings as men use to look at their riches and be thinking of their riches so let us be viewing and looking at our riches the riches of our sufferings and Christ makes us to glory in our riches It is an expression of Chrysostom upon the Sermon in Matthew 26. speaking of the sufferings of Christ says he They are glorious things he glories more in them then in raising thousands from the dead Christ glories in them And that is observable in the ninth of the Acts where Christ appears to Saul says he Saul Saul why persecutest thou me says Paul Who art thou I am Jesus of Nazareth why does he say Jesus of Nazareth does any good come out of Nazareth he does not say I am the second person of the Trinity the Son of God the King of the Church no but I am Jesus of Nazareth that was a reproach that was cast upon Christ and Christ glories in that surely we should glory in it then Lastly if there be so many riches in suffering for Christ in reproaches what riches are there in the Crown in the reward of the reproaches and sufferings men do dig riches out of dark holes and mines in the Earth here is a hole though it be dark yet it is a mine where-out you may dig great riches if you have wherewithall to dig if you have a true Christian Spirit you see out of this deep dark pit you may dig riches CHAP. XXXIX There is glorious reward for the people of God BUt what was the ground that made Moses thus esteem reproaches He had respect unto the recompence of reward From whence the point of Doctrine is this That There is a glorious reward for the people of God the respect unto which is a great encouragement to Gods servants to go on in a way of suffering and hardship for him It was this that helped David in the midst of his sore temptation that did arise from his affliction in the way of God Psalm 37. 24. Thou shalt guide me mith thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory as if he should say Howsoever it be with the men of the world who enjoy their prosperity according to their desires and howsoever it be with me that I am afflicted and must endure hard things here yet this is that which upholds me through all Thou shalt afterward receive me to glory This is that which upheld the Spirit of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 4. 17. where he brings in a most notable and high expression of the glory that is to come for the upholding his spirit in his suffering For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory This is that which Saint Paul propounded unto Timothy to uphold his heart in all his sufferings 2 Timothy 2. 12. If we suffer we shall also reign with him This is that which strengthned the Spirits of the Christians that suffered in the times of the Maccabees Heb. 10. 34. As those clusters of Grapes that were brought from the land of Canaan that shewed to the people what the fruitfulness of that land was was an encouragement to them to pass through all difficulties that they were like to meet withalin the possession of the land to fight against the children of Anak so that which God hath revealed of Heaven is like those clusters of grapes those little things that we have made known to us in comparison of the glory that is to come are to that end revealed to encourage us in our way here In the handling of this point there are these five things we shall endeavor to do First to shew that there is a reward for the righteous Secondly how far a Christian may have an eye unto this reward Thirdly shew somewhat what this reward is Fourthly wherein lies the power of the believing of this to help us to endure any hardship Lastly make Application of all That there is a reward Certainly there is a more blessed condition for Gods people hereafter they have not received that which is prepared for them there are other maner of things to be revealed then those that you see Psal 58. 11. Verily there is a reward for the righteous surely it is so notwithstanding a carnal sensual heart doth not see it yet verily there is a reward though the ways of Gods providence do seem outwardly to work otherwise yet surely there is a reward notwithstanding our unbelieving hearts are ready to question it yet surely there is a reward verily there is a reward for the righteous There is a great deal of power in this one thing to raise up our hearts from the creature from grovelling here below to make us at least to look upward to know our happiness is not here to know that there are glorious things to be expected and that appears First God hath infinite riches of glory infinite treasures of happiness there are infinite great things in God and God takes infinite delight to communicate himself and let out himself unto the creature now if there be such infinite riches with God such glorious treasures of happiness and he delights to communicate himself certainly there are great things to be communicated then for wherefore is it that God hath such infinite riches in him but that in due time he will make them known and reveal them and communicate them it is but little that is revealed and communicated for the present therefore there are other things to be revealed and communicated from God Secondly God hath made mankinde to be of such a nature as to have a kinde of infinite capacity whereby it is made capable of happiness beyond that which any creature besides Angels is capable of Properly no creature but the rational creature is capable of
and Jesus Christ it seeing that the bottom and ground of all this glorious recompence of reward is in the free and eternal love of God in Jesus Christ that did work about this before the foundation of the world was laid this does mightily enflame the heart with love to God and therefore it wishes as that Martyr did O that I had as many lives as I have hairs on my head to lay down for Christ And it is sorry that it hath no other opportunity to testifie its love to God the soul says I have but this little time to testifie my love to God and I can but testifie little in doing O what a happiness is it that that which I want of testifying my love in doing I have it in testifying my love in suffering Shall a dog that hath but a few crums or bones from his Master be willing to venture his life in defence of his Master and shall not a gracious heart that expects not crums and bones but Crowns and unconceiveable glory in Heaven be willing to venture life for God in the cause of God Ninthly there is a great deal of power in having respect to the recompence of reward to carry on a soul in suffering because according to the things that are apprehended there is the like impression left upon the spirit As a gracious heart apprehending holy things is made holy and apprehending spiritual things is made spiritual and apprehending great things is made great thee is a holy gracious magnanimity put into the heart A man that is lift up on high upon a high Tower or a high Mountain he looks upon things below as little things The apprehension of this glory lifts the soul on high and puts an impression of greatness and glory upon the heart and so causeth an heroical spirit in the heart to look upon all things below as small as the Martyrs though they were weak spirits by nature even women and children yet apprehending such great things they had heroical magnanimious spirits and looked upon their sufferings as small things because they had an impression of the object they beheld left upon their spirits and in some measure were made like it Lastly there is a mighty deal of power in looking to the recompence of reward to help in sufferings because it hath much power to cleanse the heart every one that hath this hope purgeth himself 1 Iohn 3. And hence the Christians in the Primitive times fering Those that write the stories of Egypt report that there is no country in which there are more venemous Creatures then in Egypt and also they write there is no Country hath so many Antidotes to help against poyson so godliness brings with it many troubles and sufferings but then godliness hath much in it to help against troubles and sufferings Thirdly hence we come to see the reason why so many are overcome in a way of suffering and do yield and so basely Apostatize rather then they will go on in a way of suffering for God they have not an eye to look up to Heaven and to see all the glory that is revealed they do not know within themselves that there are such things as it is said of those in Heb. 10. 34. They knew within themselves what they had in Heaven they look upon these things as conceits and imaginations In Phil. 3. 18. the Apostle speaks of some that were enemies to the Cross of Christ but what were they They were men that minded earthly things but says the Apostle Our conversation is in Heaven What was the reason that Demas forsook Paul It was for this present world he was not acquainted with the powers of the world to come and therefore he forsook Paul rather then he would suffer in the cause of God with Paul Certainly those that fall off in the time of suffering are such as never had a taste of the powers to come or have lost it this dew of Heaven hath not faln upon their hearts to moisten them and therefore every suffering does scorch up the root If the root be kept moist though scorching heat come it does not dry up the plant but it is green and flouwere so able to suffer because they had their hearts so purged by faith Acts 15. 9. Take a man that was strong if he have many ill humors in his body all his strength is gone but if the Phisitian gives him something to purge out his ill humors though hee have no Cordials given him to strengthen him yet he is strong and he is able to endure and to do more then before So those spirits that are full of distempered humors that are unsound they can bear nothing undergo no difficulty but when there is any thing to purge the heart and make it clean then it is able to do or suffer more sin lies rotting at the heart and by rotting does weaken a rotten rag hath no strength to bear any thing so those that have old sins lie rotting they can bear nothing The spirit of power and of a sound minde is put together 2 Tim. 1. 7. now the hope of this glorious reward purges the heart and makes it sound and so carries it on in power Now put all these together and no marvel that Moses by having an eye to the recompence of reward could suffer so much many are afraid of suffering hard things in the cause of Christ but you see what will enable you to endure all Now I should apply this in many particulars First If there be such power in this to help to suffering then surely there is power in this to help to service you that know what these things mean be ashamed to complain of any difficulty in any service Secondly hence we see cause much to bless God that reveals such things to us to carry us through sufferings though godliness brings much suffering yet it brings that which will strengthen against sufrishing still It is the dew of Heaven the hope of the glory of Heaven that keeps our root moist and so we shall hold out in the time of suffering It is given as the cause of the seed in the stony ground not come to perfection Luke 8. 6. Because it wanted moisture many froward people in Religion prove like the stony ground they have not moisture this dew of Heaven lies not at their hearts And the reason why many do not hold out is because they want the Anchor of hope In a tempest if there be not an Anchor well fastened the ship will be carried upon the rocks or the sands Now Hope is the Anchor that must hold the soul in all affliction if that hold let storms and winds be never so loud yet the heart will be kept from being split upon the rocks and swallowed up in the sands but many have but a paper Anchor a conceited hope not a strong hope fastned upon the infallibility of God in his word and promises and