God for affording thee any help in so important an affair as this is Thou art not at all the nearer death for laying thy head voluntartly upon the Block God can provide himself another sacrifice and yet accept thy readiness to suffer for him as if thy blood had been actually shed This will reflect much honour upon Jesus Christ in the sight of the world to whom it will hereby appear that there is a reality in godliness and that you do indeed descry something beyond these present visible enjoyments that infinitely preponderates and excells them all And as Christ will be magnified so a double benefit will hence result to thy self Hereby thou wilt gain peace in thy spirit and a proof of thy spirit Peace of spirit in dayes of confusion and perplexity is no small mercy This is ordinarily the effect and reward of a wise and provident preparation for them I trembled in my seâ—â— that I might rest in the day of trouble Hab. 3.16 And this will also give thee a proof of thy spirit Upon this account Christian they may be the best days that ever thou sawest Now thou mayest discover not onely the truth but the strength of thy graces being called unto some high points of self-deniall for Christ For look as self-love is not onely a sin but the measure of all other sins so self-deniall is not onely a grace but the true measure and touch-stone of all thy graces Now in order to thy attainment of this blessed and choice frame of Spirit the eying of such examples as these cannot but be of singular use Here you have a Cloud of Witnesses And the Cloud encompasseth you round Turn which way you will you may find something in them parallel to your case Oh what cause have the Saints of this Age to bless the Lord for such rare Advantages We that live in the last Times have the best helps But certainly our applause and commendation of them is not all the use that God expects you should make use of them but that you should be followers of them who through Faith and patience inherits the Promises and that you take them for an example of suffering affliction and of patience Heb. 6.12 Jam. 5.10 It 's storied of great Tamberlain that he never went into the Field but he would carry the Lives of his Ancestors with him which he would always read e're he gave Battail to rouze his Courage that he might not stain their Noble Blood by his Cowardize And had you but the skill to improve such Examples as these you would find a singular advantage thereby when you come to be tryed in like manner I would have you look upon all these Worthies as so many Souldiers returning from the â—eld with Victory and Honour and the several Graces in which they excelled as so many Swords and Shields by which they atchieved their glorious Conquests but all taken from the Tower of David built for an Armory whereon there still hang a thousand Bucklers all Shields of mighty men Cant. 4.4 They have now put off their Armour of War and put on their Armour of Light not to fight but triumph in if ever you hope to be fetched off the Field in Triumph as they were and wear the Crown of Victory as they do then go to this Tower of David i. e. take from Christ these Shields of the Mighty and learn the use of your Spiritual Weapons as they did And see that you learn these Lessons from such glorious Paterns and Precedents 1. Learn by this to obviate the scandal of singularity which Satan and his Agents would fasten upon you and your sufferings Say not as Elijah I am left alone nor yet as the Church in Captivity Was ever sorrow like my sorrow Certainly you are not alone in your sufferings for Christ here is store of good company in the suffering way with you Oh think not strange of fiery Trials as though some strange thing had happened to you 1 Pet. 5.9 2. Learn by this to despise the shame that may attend your sufferings be not ashamed of the Chain and Cross of Christ See here how those that were the glory of the Ages they lived in suffering more vile and ignominious things than you do and yet reckoned it their glory So did the Apostles when they went from the presence of the Council rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were honoured to be dishonoured for Christ 3. Learn from hence to checque that nicence and unbecoming delicacy of spirit which effeminates melts and softens your spirits When Flesh reluctates at sufferings and saith How wilt thou be able to endure such hardships or suffer such Torments say as Elijah Am I better then my Fathers What better than such Saints as these who have patiently suffered as hard things as can befall me 4. Learn hence to shake off despondency and faintness of Spirit when the greatest sufferings approach you Say not they are invincible impassable See here how the Enemy with whom you are now to grapple and enter the Lists hath been beaten hand to hand how poor Women and Children have triumphed over him And why may not you be as victorious in the strength of Christ as they were They were men of like passions with you they had the same temptations and corruptions with you all troubled with a busie Devil and complaining of a busie Devil as well as you and you have the same Master Spirit Promises and Rewards with them Oh therefore rouze up your Courage and play the Men. 5. Lastly learn hence to scare your selves unto your Duty and tremble at the thoughts of Apostacy Fear least this Cloud of Witnesses should rise up to condemn thee in that great day if thou now follow them not O beloved it will be sad to have so many Witnesses as these are to give testimony against you before the Lord. Thus you see how these Examples may subserve the design and end of this Discourse of preparation for sufferings Now the good Lord give thee an heart to know what a price is in thy hand and to improve such choice helps as these that thou maist be able to stand in the evil day and hâ—ving done all to stand Farewel ACT. 21.13 Then Paul answered What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus THE several motions of the Apostles were guided by the special direction of the Holy Ghost They could not go where sometimes they had a mind to go but where the Spirit pleased to direct and carry them Act. 16.6 7. At this time Paul stood engaged by the special direction of the Spirit to go to Jerusalem Act. 20.22 And now behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there bound in the Spirit It 's an allusion as some conceive to a prisoner that is bound
anothers right 1 Cor. 6.19 and that he must neither live nor act ultimately for himself but for Christ Rom. 14.7 Heb. 13.7 8. Phil. 1.20 He is no more as a Proprietor but a Steward of all he hath and so holds out upon these terms to lay it out or lay it down as may best serve his Masters ends and glory All that he is or hath is by Grace subordinated to Christ and if once subordinated then no more opposed to him subordinata non pugnant This is it that makes him say I care not what becomes of me or mine so Christ may be glorified Let Christ be mâ—gnifiâ—d in my body whether it be by life or by death Phil. 1.20 By Conversion Christ enters the soul 2 Cor. 10.5 as an Army doth an Enemies Garrison by Storm and when he is possest of it by Grace he presently divides the whole spoil of Self betwixt himself and his Church This is the first thing that evinces the necessity of a Work of Grace to prepare the heart for Sufferings 2. And then in the next place It is as evident that a man can never be fit to suffer hard Things for Christ until his Spirit be enlarged raised and ennobled so that he be able to despise Dangers and look Difficulties in the face That low and private Spirit must be removed and a publick Spirit must possess him If a man be of a feeble and effeminate Spirit every petty Danger will daunt and sink him Delicacy and Tenderness is as unsuitable to a Christian as to a Souldier 2 Tim. 2.3 They that mean to enter into the Kingdome of God must resolve to make their way through that brake of Troubles betwixt them and it 2 Tim. 3.12 They that will be crowned with Victory must stand to it and play the men as that word imports 1 Cor. 16.13 Look over all the Sacred and Humane Histories and see if you can find a man that ever honoured Christ by Suffering that was not of a raised and noble Spirit and in some measure able to contemn both the allurements and threats of men So those three noble Jews Dan. 3.16 17. so Moses Heb. 11.27 and so our Apostle Acts 20.24 and the same heroick and brave Spirit was found in the succeeding Ages amongst the Witnesses of Christ When Valence the Empercur endeavoured to draw Basil from the Faith by Offers of Preferment Offer these things said he to Children when he threatned him with torments Threaten these things said he to your Purple Gallauts that live delicately And the same Basil relating the Story of the fourty Martyrs saith That when great Honours and Preferments were offered them to draw them from Christ their answer was Why offer you these small things of the world to us O Emperour when you know the whole world is contemned by us So Luther Money could not tempt him nor the fear of man daunt him Let me said he in his Letter to Staupicius be accounted proud covetous a murtherer guilty of all vices rather then of wicked silence and cowardize in the Cause of Christ Thus you see to to what an height and holy greatness the Spirits of suffering Saints in all Ages have â—een raised But now it is Grace that thus raises the Spirits of men above all the smiles and honours frowns and fears of men and no other principle but Grace can do it There is indeed a natural stoutness and generosity in some which may carry them far as it 's said of Alexander that when any great danger approached him his courage would rise and he would say Jam periculum par animo Alexandri here is a danger fit for Alexander to encounter so Pompey when disswaded from a dangerous Voyage answered Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam It 's necessary that I go not that I live But this being fed onely by a natural Spring can carry a man no higher then Nature and will flag at last If applause and the observation of the world supply it not it quickly ebbs and fails But as Grace raises men much higher so it maintains it even when there is nothing to encourage without when forsaken of all Creatures and visible supports 2 Tim. 4.10 and this it doth three wayes 1 By guiding him that hath a view of far greater things which shrinks up all temporary things and makes them appear but trifles and small matters Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.18 By Grace a man rises with Christ Col. 3.1 It sets him upon his high places and thence he looks down upon things below as very poor and inconsiderable The great Cities of Campania seem but little spots to them that stand on the top of the Alps. 2 By teaching him to value and measure all things by another Rule then he was wont to do He did once measure life liberty riches honours by sense and time and then they seemed great things and it was hard to deny them Or thus to slight them but now he values and measures all by Faith and Eternity and esteems nothing great and excellent but what hath a reference to the Glory of God and an influence into Eternity 3 Grace raises and ennobles the Spirit thus because it is the Divine nature 't is the Spirit of Christ infused into a poor Worm which makes a strange alteration on him transforms him into another manner of person as much difference betwixt hir Spirit now and what it was as betwixt the Spirit of a Child that is filled with small matters and taken up with toyes and of a grave States-man that is daily imployed about the grand affairs of a Kingdome 3. A man can never suffer as a Christian till his will be subjected to the Will of God He that suffers involuntarily and out of necessity not out of choice shall neither have acceptance nor reward from God Of necessity the will must be subjected a man can never say Thy will be done till he can first say Not my will But it is Grace onely that thus conquers and subjects the will of man to Gods Psal 110.3 This is it that exalts Gods Authority in the Soul and makes the heart to stoop and tremble at his Commands 'T is this which makes our will to write its fiat at the foot of every Command and its placet under every Order it receives from God No sooner was Grace entred into the soul of Paul but presently he cries out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 The Will is to the Soul what the Wheels are to the Chariot and Grace to is the Will what Oyl is to those Wheels When we receive the Spirit of Grace we are said to receive an Unction from the holy One 1 John 2.20 and then the Soul is made as the Chariots of Aminadab Cant. 6.12 Non tardat uncta rota it runs freely after the Lord and chearfully addresseth it self to every Service 4. A man can never suffer as a Christian untill his heart be
these things which increase the difficulty yet God hath afforded his people a sure Light and sufficient means in the diligent use and improvement whereof they may attain a certainty of the work of Grace in them And there is a threefold Light by which it may most clearly and infallibly be discovered 1. Scripture Light which is able to discover the secrets of a mans heart to him and is therefore compared to the Anatomizers Knife Heb. 4.12 2. The innate Light of Grace it self or if you will the Light of Experience 1 John 5.10 It hath some properties and operations which are as essential necessary and inseparable as heat is to the fire and may be sensibly felt and perceived by the Soul Psal 119.20 3. The Light of the Spirit superadded to both the former which is sometimes called its Earnest sometimes its Seal The Spirit doth both plant the habits excite and draw forth the acts and also shine upon his own work that the Soul may see it and that sometimes with such a degree of Light as onely begets peace and quiets the heart though it do not fully conquer all the doubts of it And at other times the heart is irradiated with so clear a Beam of Light that it 's able to draw forth the triumphant Conclusion and say Now I know the things that are freely given me of God I believe and am sure And so much briefly for the opening of the nature of this evidence 2. I shall shew you the necessity of it to a suffering Saint in order to the right management of a suffering condition And this will appear by the consideration of five things 1. Dem 1 You will readily grant that the Christians love to God hath a mighty influence into all his sufferings for God This Grace of love enables him victoriously to break through all difficulties and discouragements The Flood 's cannot drown it nor the Waters quench it Cant. 8.6 7. It facilitates the greatest hardships 1 John 5.3 And whatever a man suffer if it be not from this principle it is neither acceptable to God nor available to himself 1 Cor. 13.3 But now nothing more inflames and quickens the Christians love to God then the knowledge of his interest in him and the sensible perception and taste of his love to the Soul Our love to God is but a reflection of his own love And the more powerfull the stroke of the direct Beam is the more is the reflex Beam also Never doth that flame of Jah burn with a more vehement heat then when the Soul hath the most clear manifestations of its interest in Christ and his benefits Luke 7.47 It must needs be of singular use to a suffering Saint Dem. 2 because it takes out the sinking weight of affliction That which sinks and breaks the Spirit is the conjunction and meeting of inward and outward troubles together then if the Lord do not strangely and extraordinarily support the Soul it 's wrackt and overwhelmed as the Ship in which Paul sailed was when it fell into a place where two Seas met Acts 27.41 Oh how tempestuous a Sea doth that Soul sail in that hath fightings without and fears within How must that poor Christians heart tremble and meditate terrour that when he retires from troubles without for some comfort and support within shall find a sad addition to his troubles from whence he expected relief against them Hence it was that Jeremy so earnestly deprecates such a misery Be not thou a terrour to me thou art my hope in the day of evil Jer. 17.17 This is prevented by this means If a man have a clear breast and all be quiet within he is like one that hath a good Roof over his head when the Storm falls We glory in tribulation because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts Rom. 5.3 5. It is a fountain of joy and comfort in the darkest and saddest hour Dem. 3 Hence the glorious triumphs of Saints in their afflictions Rom. 5.5 and in the Christians joy in the Lord lies much of his strength for sufferings Neh. 8.10 If once the Spirit droop and sink the man is in a bad case to suffer holy joy it is the Oyl that makes the Chariot-wheels of the Soul free to follow the Lord Non tardat uncta rota To suffer with joyfullness for Christ is a qualification that Gods Eye is much upon in his suffering Servants Col. 1.11 How did these famous Worthies magnifie Christ and glorifie Religion by the holy triumphs of their faith and joy under tribulation One kiss'd the Apparator that brought him news of his Condemnation and was like a man transported with an excess of joy Another upon the pronouncing of the Sentence kneels down and with hands and eyes lifted up solemnly blesses God for such a day as that Oh how is Christ magnified by this And this can not be untill interest be cleared It 's true the faith of recumbency gives the Soul a secret support and enables the Christian to live but the faith of evidence keeps him lively and prevents all those uncomfortable and uncomely sinkings and despondencies of spirit 2 Cor. 4.16 17. and therefore cannot but be of singular use to a soul at such a time Lastly Dem. 4 It is of special use to a Christian under sufferings inasmuch as it enables him to repell the temptations that attend upon sufferings Nothing sets a keener edge upon his indignation against unworthy compliances then this Indeed a poor cloudy and dubious Christian will be apt to catch at deliverance though upon terms dishonourable to Christ but he that is clear in point of interest abhors compositions and capitulations upon unworthy terms and conditions Heb. 11.35 Heb. 10.34 He that sees the gain and reward of suffering will think he is offered to his loss when life and deliverance are set before him upon such hard terms as sin is And thus you see what influence it hath into a suffering condition 3. In the next place I promised to prescribe some Rules for the attaining of this Evidence and the dispelling of those Doubts by which it is usually clouded in the souls of Believers And oh that by the faithfull use of them you may attain it against a suffering day come upon you And the first Rule I shall give you is this Rule 1 Make it your business to improve Grace more for the more vigorous it is the more evidential it must needs be 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Oh how much time have many Christians spent in enquiring after the lowest signs of sincerity and what may consist with Grace which had they spent in the diligent improvement of the means of Grace for the increasing of it they would have found it a shorter cut to peace and comfort by much Mistake not the Rule by which you are to trie your selves Rule 2 least you gain a false judgement upon your selves Some are apt to make those things signs of
AN OFFER OF Farther Help TO SUFFERING SAINTS OR The best Work in the worst Times WHEREIN The necessity excellency and means of preparation for Sufferings are clearly evinced and prescribed 〈◊〉 which as in a Glass the people of God may see how 〈◊〉 to dress themselves for Death or any other Suffering 〈◊〉 to which the Lord shall call Added as an Appendix to the Sufferers Mirrour 〈◊〉 and therefore having your loynes girt about with Truth and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Ephes 6.14 15. â—â—hold I come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16.15 â—â—pienti meliora sunt in votis deteriora vero in expectatione Plut. de tranquil â—â—avius est vulnus quod non expectatur illa aegrius tollerantur quibus homo se non prius assuefacit Aug. London Printed for the Authour and are to be sold by Robert Boulter 1665. The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader TRuth is the proper object of the Understanding which when sanctified relishes Spiritual Truths with a strange delight and pleasure Job 12.11 The soul in all its laborious researcheâ— and disquisitions sometimes climbing up from the Effects to the Causes and sometimes descending from the Causes to the Effects is making enquiry after Truth It racks and tortures it self upon knotty Problems to find it out and with vehement anhelations and insatiable longings followes the pleasant though painfull chase of Truth All the objections doubts and scruples it meets with are but the pauses of a bivious and hesitateing soul which is at a stand not able to resolve whether Truth lie on this side or on that And as its desires are vehement in the pursuit of Truth so is its joy proportionate in the acquisition thereof For no sooner doth the Understanding discover it but the soul runs to it as it were with open arms to embrace hug and welcome it And though Truth be welcome in any dress to a soul that loves it for its native excellency yet it may be clothed with such taking circumstances and considerations as may commend it to the soul with greater advantage and be to a truth what health is to a good feature which enammels and sprinkles it over with a ravishing beauty Now amongst all those beautifying and endearing circumstances and considerations that of seasonableness is not the least If it be a present truth as the Apostle calls it 2 Pet. 1.12 it is for that the more gracefull and highly acceptable because it bears upon the souls present occasions and is of present use and service to it Prov. 15.23 A word spoken in due season how good it is Reader under this great advantage for I can bestow no other ornaments upon them do the truths of Jesus held forth in the following Treatise present and commend themselves to thine acceptance If therefore thou be an ingenuous soul that lovest the Truth as it is in Jesus thou wilt entertain these Truths in love which make as seasonable an offer to assist and relieve thy soul engaged in this hour of temptation as Joab once did to Abishai in the day of battel 1 Chron. 19.12 It may possibly prove a castly Truth to thee but be confident it will pay thee richly for its entertainment That great Truth which in the following discourse is commended to thee is the same which God is now preaching to all the world in a louder dialect by his present dreadfull dispensations Say Reader Do they not all with one mouth call upon us to prepare for fiery Trials Is there not a dreadfull sound of approaching judgements in thine ears and will they not be by so much the more sinking and intolerable as they come by way of surprize upon thee Expected evils are the more comportable For look as expectation deflowreth any temporal enjoyment and sucking out much of the sweetness of it beforehand we find so much the less when we come to enjoy it even so the expectation of evils abateth much of their dread and terrour They seem not new or strange to a person that hath often conversed with them before-hand in his thoughts and besides that hath had the advantage of fortifying and preparing his spirit for them When the Keepers Wife came running into Mr. Bradford's Chamber saying O Mr. Bradford I bring you heavy tidings for to morrow you must be burned your Chain is now buying and presently you must go to Newgate He put off his Hat and looking up to Heaven said O Lord I thank thee for it I have looked for this a long time it comes not suddenly to me the Lord make me worthy of it See in this example the rare advantage of preparation for sufferings Believe it Reader Sufferings are a very bitter Cup and thou hadst need to provide some sweething thing to drop into that Cup that thou mayest be able to receive it with thanksgiving And though it be true that God may immediately do that for thee when he delivers it into thine hand yet if thou neglect his calls to thy present duty thou hast no ground to expect such a mercy in thy future streights It is an excellent thing for a Christian to prepare for trials as if he expected no immediate assistance and then when the trial comes so entirely to depend upon immediate assistance as if he had made no preparation for it It grieves my heart to see how the generality of the Professours of this Age are seized by a Spirit of slumber and having got a soft Pillow of Creature-comforts under their heads are fallen asleep and * Mundus ersceus spatitur phantasias Gerson dream pleasant dreams of Halcyon golden dayes at hand not considering what storms or tempests must usher in the glory of that day nor making provision to grappâ—e with the intercurrent difficulties that so nearly approach them and are their next work That God will appear in his glory to build up Sion And that the New Jerusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride for her Husband is no dream but a most certain and comfortable truth but that therefore it is needless for the Expectants of that day to make themselves ready for the worst of Sufferings that they may ascend in a fiery Chariot into the glorious Kingdome above not knowing whether ever they may live to see this New Jerusalem come down to them this I say is a dream which will be of ill use to the Saints except the Lord seasonably awake them out of it If this spirit of slumber which our Lord hath fore-shewen shall fall even upon the Virgin Churches at the last dayes Mat. 25. have not invaded thee but thou standest with Habakkuk upon thy Watch-Tower expecting and fitting thy self for a day of greater temptation and trouble such a discourse cannot but be welcome to thee and thou wilt bless
with Cords and carryed away by a potent Conquerour Or as others to the Watery Vapours which are bound up in the Clouds and carrved by the Wind according to the motion of the Clouds Even so was the Spirit of this Holy Man effectually subdued and determined to his Duty notwithstanding the hazards attending it that he could no more keep himself back from his duty to which the Spirit so strongly impell'd him than a man that is wedged in with a Crowd can chuse but move as it moves So powerfully doth the Spirit of the Lord by his convictions and secret perswasions subdue and determine the Spirits of the Saints to the Work God hath to do by them Jer. 20.9 Act. 4.20 And it was well that the Will of God concerning this dangerous Journey to Jerusalem was so convincingly revealed unto Paul For shortly after he met with three strange Rubs in his way able to have stagger'd any man that had not an extraordinary degree of clearness and satisfaction in his own Spirit The first was from the Disciples at Tyre who pretending to speak to Paul by the Spirit said unto him that he should not go up to Jerusalem Act. 21.4 The Lord by this trying the Spirit of his Apostle much as he did the young Prophet coming from Judah to Bethel 1 King 13.18 Shortly after this he met with another great discouragement at Caesarea where Agabus whom Dorotheus saith was one of the 72 Disciples and had before prophesied of the Famine in the time of Claudius which accordingly came to pass he takes Paul's Girdle and binding his own hands and feet with it said Thus saith the Holy Ghost so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that oweth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles Act. 21.11 And he well enough knew what the rage and malice both of the one and other against him was and what he must expect if ever he fell into their hands And then lastly he meets with a greater discouragement and pull-back then any of the forme even that passionate storm of affection and love wherewith his Friends assault him begging him with tears to decline that Journey Oh they could not give up such a Minister as Paul was and therefore fell upon him with their pathetical Entreaties and multitudes of Tears which even melted him down and almost brake his heart Whence by the way you may note that we cannot judge our selves discharged from any service by God because we meet with strange hinderances and cross providences in our way Divine Precept not Providence is to rule out our way of Duty Never man met with sorer set-backs and remora's then Paul here did but notwithstanding all this being fully satisfied it was the Lords will he should accomplish that service at Jerusalem he resolutely breaks through all those intercurrent difficulties with this heroick and truly Christian Resolution in the Text I am ready not to be bound onely but to die at Jerusalem for Christ The words consist of two general parts 1. Paul's loving and gentle rebuke of the peoples inordinate and unseasonable sorrow for his departure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What do ye Or as it 's render'd What mean ye Pray forbear your tears restrain your unruly passion if you continue thus I shall not die at Jerusalem for Christ indeed you 'l break my heart here The words in the Greek are emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comminventes breaking it all to pieces crumbling it into dust Oh what a temptation was this but it moved him not from his purpose They had even broken but could not divert his heart from the Work of the Lord. 2. The Considerations or Argument he useth to quiet them For I am ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am in a ready posture fitted for the Work be it a Prison or be it Death Liberty is a dear thing the very Birds of the Air had rather be in the Woods with their liberty though lean and hungry than in a Golden Cage with the best attendance saith one But I am fitted for Bonds saith Paul Nay that 's not all but I am ready also to die at Jerusalem To part with life is the highest point of Self-denial because all lower Self-Interests in the World are as it were twisted with and wrapt up in this Interest of Life He that is ready to deny his life for Christ is also ready to sacrifice all other even his dearest enjoyments for him also because these are all wrapt up in Life Yet for this he professeth to them he was ready But what was in this to satisfie them whose trouble it was to see him so forward Why there are three things hereby suggested to them in order to the calming of their spirits 1. In this they might see a Divine Hand that had been at work upon his heart fitting it thus for that service for certainly flesh and blood could not produce this And if it were of God there was reason enough for them to be quiet and not strive against God For there is nothing in the World will sooner still and quiet a gracious Soul than this to shew him how God hath signified his Will in the thing 2. I am ready my heart stands fully bent to Jerusalem and therefore you had as good be quiet and satisfie your selves for I am fixt and resolved upon it my Will is subdued to the obedience of the Divine Will in this thing your Tears and Entreaties are all in vain 't will be but lost labour 3. As it would be in vain to them he resolving not to gratifie them in that so it would be of very ill use to him I am now ready saith he God hath fully satisfied my Soul in the thing and not onely am I clear in this that it is my duty but in a good measure I am fitted for it I have overcome the Contradictions and Reluctations of the Flesh and brought my heart to a quiet submission to the Will of God It is therefore as great a disservice as you can imagine to do me Now to unfix and disorder my heart again by casting such Temptations as these in my way and by your tempting Tears to make the flesh rebel and the Enemy that is within to renew its opposition Thus you see the equipage and preparation of Paul's Spirit for Christ's service at Jerusalem And as this was not a bravado before he saw the Enemy but real and in earnest appears by his acting full up to this his noble Resolution when it came to the tryal 2 Tim. 4.6 7. So that it was a very glorious and excellent Spirit by which he did exceedingly glorifie the Lord and this readiness of Spirit was of singular use also to himself for this enabled him to break his way through the many and strange hinderances and discouragements that he met withall in that Journey Now though the Text be pregnant with many excellent and useful Notes yet the main
we imagine the rage of Satan to be abated now that his Kingdome hastens to its period Revel 12.12 It 's confest God doth not call all his people to the same kinds or degrees of sufferings All have not a Martyrs faith and all shall not have a Martyrs fire The God that instructeth the Husbandman to beat outthe Fitches with a staffe Isa 28.27 and the Cummin with a rod and not to turn the Cart wheel upon the lesser and more tender Grain will exactly proportion his peoples trials to his peoples strength For he is a God of judgement Isa 30.18 but notwithstanding this it still remains a truth as much as ever that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer perfecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Augustine thinks that the bloody sweat which over-run the body of Christ in the Garden signified the sharp and grievous suffering which in his mystical body he should afterwards endure It is a truth that these are also called the sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 and there are yet remains of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his personal sufferings were compleated 〈◊〉 Resurrection and are fully full he poured 〈◊〉 blood enough to fill that Cup to the brim by the former the wrath of God was fully quenched and satisfied but the later cannot satisfie the wrath of man Notwithstanding the lives of millions of precious Saints have gone for it in his Cause and Quarrel whose souls are crying under the Altar How long Lord how long Yet there are many more coming on behind in the same Path of Persecution and much more of that bloody work is to be done before the mystery of God be finished And though the Church have sometimes its lucid intervals yet the Clouds return again after the Rain Cain's club as Bucholcer saith is still carried up and down the world stained with the blood of Abel Thus you see to what hard things God hath called his people Now God may be said to call forth his people to suffer How God calls to sufferings when he so hedgeth them in by providence that there is no way to escape it but by sin Whatsoever providence labours with such a dialemâ—â—a as this is a plain signification of Gods will to us in the case We may not now expect such an extraordinary call to suffering-work as some of me Saints had of old Gen. 22.2 Acts 9.16 but when we meet them in the way of our duty and there is no avoiding of them but by stepping over the hedge of the command God will have us to look upon that exigence as his call to suffer And the reasons why he doth so often hedge them in thus by his providence in a suffering path Why he calls his people to such grievous sufferings and bring them to these exigencies may be drawn partly from his own Glory which is thereby singulary illustrated and partly from his peoples good which is also thereby strangely promoted and carried on By these Sufferings albeit Satan and his Instruments think not so doth the most Wise God illustrate and advance his own glory For 1. Thereby he vindicates his Righteousness not onely in making good the Promises to his people under them and so silencing all their unbelieving fears and jealousies Micah 6.5 but he vindicates it also from the aspersions and false imputations of his enemies by this the world shall see that how well soever he loves his people yet he will not indulge or patronize their sins If they will be so disingenuous to sin against him he will be so just to make them suffer for their sin and in those sufferings will provide for his glory which by their sin was prejudiced in the eyes of the world Amos 3.2 Ezra 9.13 15. He hates not sin a jot the less because it is found in his own people and though for the magnifying of his mercy he will pardon their sin yet for the clearing of his Righteousness he will take vengeance upon their inventions Psal 99.8 2. And in these sufferings his glorious Power hath an opportunity to shine forth also and that both in their supportations under trouble and deliverances out of it It is one of the greatest wonders in the world how the Church subjects under such violent Assaults as are frequently made upon it I will turn aside said Moses and see this great fight why the Bush is not consumed Exod. 3.3 But especially in its marvellous deliverances which the power of God often effects so strangely that it over-matches the spirits of Gods â—own people and their souls like a Watch wound up above its height stands still with amazement and admiration Psal 126.7 When the Lord turned back the captivity of Zion we were-like them that dreamed 3. His Wisdome is triumphant in these dayes of Distress and trouble Now you may see the All-wise God going beyond a subtile Devil and in a moment frustrating the deepest and most desperate Designs of Hell and that at the very birth and article of Execution Hest 6.1 sometimes effecting their Deliverances immediately by his own hand Zech. 4.6 Exod. 15.6 Hos 1.7 to the end he may be exalted in his own Strength Psal 21.12 13. for he affects not Social Glory Sometimes by contemptible and improbable means out-witting an Ahithophel by a plain Hushai Haman by Hester Sisera by Jael Yea sometimes by dreadful means I mean such as rather threaten his peoples Ruine then seem to promise their Deliverance Psal 65.5 The fiery Furnace the Lions Den the Belly of a Whale are strange means of preservation And as Divine Wisdome is glorified in the way and manner of their deliverance out of trouble so in ordering those troubles to their singular benefit and advantage For 1. They are ordered to be the occasions of drawing out the magnificent Acts of your Faith and Patience which else could not shew themselves to the world as now they do There are the Ordinary and common Acts of Faith and there are its Magnificent and Heroick Acts that is its Resolute and High-raised Actings by which it triumphs over greatest Difficulties and enables the soul couragiously to break down all the Difficulties that lie before him in the way of his Duty Such were those of Hester Job and Daniel Hest 4.16 Job 13.15 Dan. 6.10 When this holy Gallantry of Spirit appears in Believers God is exceedingly glorified Poor timerous low-spirited Saints like young Swimmers are afraid to venture farther then they can feel Ground I mean some sensible Encouragement under their feet but these can cast themselves into the Sea of Troubles upon a naked Promise From these Trials of Faith God hath a great Revenue of Glory 1 Pet. 1.7 and these could not appear in the world were it not for such Troubles Revel 13.16 Here is the Faith and the Patience of the Saints 2. They are wisely ordered as means of severing and discriminating the Spirits of Professors By this means the Church is disburthened and rid of
to be cast to Eternity by it it were somewhat 5. There is a worth and excellency in the Reproaches of Christ as bad as they seem and such an excellency as is not to be matched by any Earthly Enjoyment Heb. 11.26 The Reproaches of Christ are of more worth than the Treasures of Egypt though Egypt then was the Magazeen of the World for Treasures The Apostles counted them their honours Acts 5.41 When Ludovicus Marsacus a Knight of France saw those that were to suffer with him in their Chains and that they put none upon him because of the Nobility of his Birth he said to the Executioner Cur me non queque torque donas illustris illius ordinis militem non creas Why do you not honour me with a Chain too and create me a Knight of that Noble Order 6. Lastly should Scoffs and Reproaches scar you from Christ and Duty then though you should escape the Reproaches of men yet shall you fall under the everlasting Contempt of God Angels and good Men. Therefore Fear ye not the Reproaches of men that shall die nor be afraid of their Revilings for the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Wâ—rm shall eat them like Wooll but my Righteousness shall be for ever and my Salvation from Generation to Generation Isa 51.7 8. 3. Mortifie your inordinate affectation of liberty pleasure and delicate living O let not a Prison seem so formidable to you It 's true as Christ told Peter Joh. 21.18 When thou wast young thou girledst thy self and walkedst whither thou wouldst but then thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands mother shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not You have now your liberty to go whither you will and it 's a precious mercy if well improved The Birds of the Air as one saith had rather be in the Woods at liberty though lean and hungry than in a Golden Cage with the richest fare But yet if God will call you to deny this also for Christ see that you be ready to be bound as Paul was and receive the Chain and Bonds of Christ with thanksgiving To which end consider 1. That the affliction in such cases of Restraint is more from within than from without you There 's no place but may be delectable to you if your heart be heavenly and the presence of God be engaged with you What a sweet Night had Jacob at Bethel Paul and Silas in the Stocks See that precious Letter of Pomponius Algerius Transtulit in caelum Christi praesentia claustrum Quid faciet caelo quae caelum jam creat antro It 's your own Unblelief and Impatiency that gives you more trouble than the Condition 2. No Keeper can keep the Comforter from you if you be the Lords Prisoners Act. 16. If they could bar out the Spirit from you it would be a dismal place indeed But ordinarily there the Saints have their clearest Visions of God and sweetest presence of the Spirit You are the Lords Free-men whilest Mens Prisoners All the World cannot devest you of the state of liberty Christ hath purchased for you John 8.36 3. Though a Prison look sad and dismal yet it is not Hell Oh blesse God for that that 's a sad Prison indeed Beloved Men have their Prisons and God hath his Gods Prison is a terrible Prison indeed Thousands are now there in Chains 1 Pet. 3.19 and there you deserved to have been sent long ago If God exchange an Hell for a Prison have you any cause to complain 4. How obdure and cruel soever men are to you yet the Lord Jesus is kind and tender-hearted to his Prisoners he puts the kindnesses that any shew them upon his own account Mat. 25.36 He looks down from Heaven to hear the sighings and groanings of his Prisoners Psal 102.20 He will tenderly sympathize with you in all your Prison-Straights and Troubles 5. A Prison hath been hansel'd and perfumed by the best and holiest of men in all Ages 1 Kings 22.27 Jer. 32.2 Mat. 4.12 Acts 5.18 Acts 26.10 God hath made it a setled School of Discipline to them 6. Should you to avoid a Prison commit a sin instead of being Man's Prisoner you shall be clapt up by God for he hath a Prison for your Souls even in this World Psal 142.7 and this is ten thousand times more dreadful than any Dungeon in the World Oh it 's a dark Prison not a Cranny to let in one Beam of Gods Countenance upon your poor Souls What a sad exchange have you made then 7. Consider what a ground of Comfort GOD hath laid in that Word Rev. 2.10 to obviate the Fears and Terrours incident to us in such a condition God hath limited Satan and his Instruments both for time number and all circumstances of the tryal 8. Lastly You do not know what a Mercy may be in it It may be a time of retirement from the World and the Clamours and Distractions that are abroad These days of Imprisonment may be your Holy-days as a Prisoner of Christ once called them 4. Get an Heart mortified to the excessive and â—ordinate love of life This I confess is the highest and hardest point of Self-denial because it wraps up â—ll other Self-Interests in it But yet consider First Though Life be very dear yet Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 ten thousand times dearer than thy Life If thou â—e a Saint he is the Life of thy Life and the length â—f thy days and in comparison of him and his gloâ—y Saints should and have despised and slighted their Lives Luke 14.26 Rev. 12.11 Secondly Die you must and if by shrinking from Christ you should protract a miserable Life â—or a few days longer in the mean time losing that â—hich is better than life Psal 63.3 Mat. 10.39 Oh â—hen you lie upon your Death-bed you will wish that you had obeyed Gods Call and so have departed in peace Thirdly If you have cordially covenanted with Christ as all sincere Believers have done then have you yielded up your lives to him to be disposed for his glory Rom. 14.7 So that look as Christ both lived and dyed for you so to you to live is Christ And all the excellency you see in life consists in that reference and subserviency it hath to his glory I say then if you have understandingly and cordially transacted in a Covenant-way with him your care will not be so much how to shun Death as by what Death you may most glorifie God John 21.19 And certainly you can never lay them down upon a more honourable or comfortable account than in his cause and for his sake It was a great trouble to Luther that he carryed his bloud to his Grave Fourthly To die for Christ is one of the highest Testifications of your love to Christ that you are capable of John 13.37 Yea 't is such a Testification of your Love to the Lord Jesus as Angels are not capable of making Fifthly Why
36.37 Jer. 29.11 12 13. All that comes from God to you or to you from God must come in this Channell Be convinced then of the need you have to improve your selves herein as ever you hope to stand in the evil day But how are these praying abilities capable of improvement in the people of God Quest Praying abilities are either externall and common or else internal and speciall Sol. The external and common ability is nothing else but that dexterity and skill men get to express themselves to God in Prayer which men have by nature or industry Thus many can put their meaning into apt and decent expressions to which the Spirit sometimes adds his common touches upon the affections And this Hypocrites rest and glory in Or else they are special and internal whereby men are enabled to pour out their souls to God in a saving manner And this may be considered either in the Habit or Act. The Habit is given by the Spirit when the principles of Grace are first infused into the soul Zech. 12.10 Acts 9.11 By being sanctified we are made near and by acting those principles in Prayer we are said to draw near Psal 10.17 Now in our actual drawing near to God the Spirit hath the chief and principal hand and his assistance therein is threefold 1. He excites the heart to the duty 't is he that whispers to the Soul to draw nigh to God Psal 27.8 2. He suggests the matter of our Prayers and furnisheth us with the Materials Rom. 8.26 guiding us as to the matter not onely to what is lawful but also to what is expedient for us 3. He stirreth up suitable Affections in Prayer Rom. 8.26 and hence those groans and tears those gaspings and vehement anhelations But notwithstanding all our Abilities both habitual and actual be from the Spirit and not from our selves yet are they capable of improvement by us For though in respect of acquirement there be a great difference betwixt natural and supernatural Habits yet their improvement is in the same way and manner and this improvement may be made divers wayes For First Though you have the Spirit and can pray yet you may learn to pray more humbly then before Though you rise no higher as to words yet you may learn to lay your selves lower before the Lord as Abraham and Ezra did Gen. 18.27 Ezra 9.6 Secondly You may learn to pray with more sincerity then formerly Ah! there is much Hypocrisie and Formality in our Prayers much of Custom c. Now you may learn to pour out more Cordial Prayers See Psal 17.1 Psal 119.10 Thirdly You may learn to pray with more zeal and earnestness then before Some Saints have excelled and been remarkable for this Dan. 9.19 Hos 12.4 James 5.16 Fourthly With more assiduity and readiness at all times for it Ephes 6.18 Praying alwayes with all Prayer Hence Christ gives that commendation to the Church Cant. 4.11 Thy Lips O my Spouse drop as the Honey Comb The Honey Comb often drops but always hangs full of Drops ready to fall Fifthly You may learn to pray with more Faith Oh the Qualms of Unbelief that go over our Hearts in a Duty Faith is the Soul of Prayer and according to the Faith God finds in them he accepts and values them Now in all these things you may improve your selves abundantly 1. By being more frequent in the Duty Job 22.21 acquaint thy self with the Almighty in the Hebrew it is accustom thy self Those that have been excellent have also been abundant in it Psal 55.17 2. By taking heed that you grieve not the Spirit on whose influences and assistances you so intirely depend Even as much as a Ship doth upon the Gales of Wind for its motion 3. By honouring the Spirit which enables you to pray and that especially two ways 1 By dependance on him go not forth in your own strength to the Duty trust not upon your own promptness or preparations 2 By returning and with thankfulness ascribing the praise of all to him Be humble under all Enlargements Say Not I but Grace 4. By searching your own Hearts and examining your Necessities and Wants when you draw nigh to God this will be a Fountain of Matter and give you a deep Resentment of the worth of Mercies pray'd for 5. Lastly By looking more at the exercise of Graces and less at the discovery of Parts by labouring for Impressions more and pumping for Expressions less And thus I have briefly shewed you how to furnish yourselves with this needfull Qualification also CHAP. XI Wherein is shewed the necessity of going out of our selves even when our habitual and actual Preparations are at the greatest height and depending as constantly and intirely upon the Spirit who is Lord of all gracious Influences as if we had done nothing Together with the means of working the Heart to such a frame THus you have seen your habitual and actuall readiness for Sufferings and blessed is the Soul that gives diligence to this work But now least all that I have said and you have wrought should be in vain I must let you know that all this will not secure you unless you can by Humility Faith and Self-denial go out of your selves to Christ and live upon him daily for supplies of Grace as much as if you had none of all this Furniture and Provision for Sufferings I confess Grace is a very beautiful and lovely Creature and it 's hard for a man to look upon his own Graces and not doat upon them But yet know that if you had all these excellent preparations that have been mentioned yea and all Angelical Perfections superadded yet are you not compleat without this dependance upon Christ Col. 2.10 When ever you go forth to suffer for Christ you should say in the Head of all your excellent Graces Duties and Preparations as Jehosaphat did when in the head of a puissant and mighty Army 2 Chron. 20.12 O Lord I have no might nor strength but my Eyes are unto thee This was one thing in which Paul excelled and was a special part of his readiness See 1 Cor. 15.10 What a poor Creature is the eminentest Saint left to himself in in hour of trial the Hop the Ivey and the Woodlind are taught by Nature to cling about stronger Props and Supporters What they do by Nature we should do by Grace The necessity and great advantage of this will appear upon divers Considerations 1. The Christians own imbecility and insufficiency even in the strength and beight of all his Acquirements and Preparations what are you to grapple with such an Adversary Certainly you are no Match for him that conquered Adam hand to hand in his state of integrity It is not your inâ—erent strength that enables you to stand but what â—ou receive and daily derive from Jesus Christ Joh. 15.5 Without me or never so little separated from me ye can do nothing all our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5
Psal 119.6 Do Christians use to enquire more what is cheap easie and safe for them or what is their duty Gal. 1.16 Speak Conscience for to thee I do appeal Art thou not conscious of some reserves limitations and exceptions Doth not the man like Naaman desire the Lord to excuse and pardon him in this or that thing 2 Kings 5.17 And thinkest thou that this is consistent with sincere obedience which excepts no duty nor quarrels with any command because they all flow equally from the sovereignty of God Jam. 2.11 and so doth what it doth intuitu voluntatis upon the sight of Gods will Say Conscience Are there not great struglings disputes and contests betwixt thee and fleshly interests in such cases and art thou not frequently over-born Oh search your hearts in this particular Yea secondly I appeal to you whether there be not many among you that choose sin rather then affliction This is alwayes the Hypocrites opinion and choice He judges sufferings the greatest evils and so orders himself in his election It was meerly to avoid persecution that those Hypocrites Gal. 6.12 constrained others to be circumcised onely to gratifie the Jews that so by a sinfull compliance with them the offence of the Cross might cease If Paul would have done so he might have avoided it too but he durst not whatever he suffered Gal. 5.11 Oh this is a shrewd sign of a false heart Jub 36.21 and the contrary disposition is always found in the upright heart Heb. 11.25 Nay are there not some that have and others that are ready to throw up their Profession when they see into what difficulties it involves them Whilest they could live upon the profession of Truth they entertained it but when Truth comes to live upon them they thrust it out and cry Away with this Profession it will beggar and undo us They then repent of their forwardness and secretly with they had never engaged in it O examine whether your hearts be not thus turned back and your steps declined If so it 's manifest you are hypocritical Professours and that it was some outward self-respect that first engaged you in your Profession but can never enable you to hold out when difficult dayes come I say it 's manifest by this departure from your Profession that some outward self-respect at first allured you to it As now when I behold the artificial motions of the Wheels in a Watch and see how regularly the Needle marks the journal hours of the Sun upon the flat of the Quadrant and see nothing that moves or guides it it would cause admiration if I had never seen it before or did not understand the cause of that motion but when I look upon the other side and there find Wheels Ressorts and Counterpoises and a Spring that causes all those motions I cease to wonder certainly some Lust or other was the spring of all thy religious motions stop or take off that and motion ceases And if it be so this Scab of Hypocrisie will at last break out into the Botch of Apostacy Thou canst never hold out long under Trials Matth. 13.21 Oh how many such sad sights may we live to see as Trials come Difficult times are coming on 2 Tim. 3.1 and woe to such then as want sincerity at the bottome of their Profession 2. And as these have no habitual readiness for sufferings and consequently must be ruin'd by them so there are others that may be truly godly and have the root of the matter in them who are yet far from an actual readiness and so continuing are like to be a reproach to Religion when their Trial comes For it is not a little Grace in the sleepy habit that will secure you from falling scandalously by the hand of temptation And although that Seed of God which is in you will recover you again and prevent total and final Apostacy yet oh consider what a sad thing it is to enter into and be conquered by temptation to be led away in triumph by the Tempter and made a reproach to Christ O it 's a sad consideration to think how many there be amongst the people of God that discover little or no actual preparation for sufferings As first 1. Upon how many of the Saints is the Spirit of slumber poured out Even the wise as well as foolish seem now to be asleep There is a twofold spiritual sleep the first is total upon wicked men and it 's one of Gods sorest and dreadfullest strokes upon their soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 29.10 The Hebrew word there is the same with that which is used of Adam when God cast him into a deep sleep whilst he took out his rib And in 2 Tim. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies such a sleep as that which is occasioned by drunkenness out of such a sleep doth the Lord awaken all that are saved and they never fall into it any more The other is partial Cant. 5.2 and is incident to the people of God Matth. 25.5 This is nothing else but that torpor and sluggishness of spirit which seizeth upon the Saints and never did it prevail I fear among them more then now For where is their activity for God Where is he that stirreth up himself to take hold of God Isa 64.7 Where is there such a generation as that Psal 24.6 we pray confer and hear for the most part but as men speak betwixt sleeping and waking Where can you find except here and there one that hath a quick and lively sense of Gods indignation upon him or that trembles at his judgements Is not that the very case of the most which God describes Isa 42. ult 2. How many are seized by a private and worldly spirit every man turning to his own house and eagerly pursuing the world Hag. 1.9 Jer. 45.4 5. Oh! how are we intangled in the Wilderness how doth the World eat up our time and eat out our Zeal cowardize and soften our spirits and render us utterly unfit for the Yoak and Burden of Christ You that see so much Beauty and taste so much sweetness in the Creature will have an hard Tugg when call'd to deny it You are not yet prepared to drink of the Cup or take up the Cross of Christ 3. How many poor Christians are of a low and timerous spirit ready to tremble at the shaking of a Leaf Ah poor hearts how unfit are you for Bonds or Death This passion of fear that so predominates in you is the very passion that Satan assaults and layes siege to in the hour of Temptation as was before noted and commonly it 's occasioned where it flowes not from the Natural Constitution from an excessive love to the world or from some guilt upon the spirit It 's true the Lord can so assist weak Faith and so subdue strong Fears as that you may be enabled to stand the shock when it comes for as I noted formerly our strength lies not
in any thing inherent in us but we are strong or weak according to the divine presence and assistances that we enjoy but yet if you labour not to mortifie this Evil and stir not up your selves in the use of all appointed means to rouze your Zeal and Courage for God I know no Warrant you have to expect such assistances Lastly how many poor Christians among us are to this day dark and cloudy in their Evidences for Heaven Had they walked closely with God been laborious in the disquisition and search of their own hearts they had long since obtained a clearness and satisfaction about the state of their own hearts But as the case stands with them how unfit are they for Bonds or Death Oh! 't is a sad case when inward and outward Troubles meet together as you may see Gen. 42.21 22. when there shall be fightings without and fears within When such a pang as that Lam. 3.17 18. shall come over thy heart what wilt thou do By all that hath been said it appears that the most of Professours are in a very unready posture for sufferings So that as Troubles come to an height we are like to see many sad Spectacles Many Offences will come Religion is like to be wounded in the house of it's friends Oh! What a day of Mercy have we enjoyed What helps and choice advantages above any precedent Age and yet unready How sad and inexcusable is this CHAP. XIII Containing another use of the Point by way of Exhortatation perswading all the People of God whilest the Lord respites and graciously delayes their trials to answer the end of God therein and prepare themselves for greater trials where several Motives are propounded to excite to the Duty UP then from your Beds of sloth awake from your security O ye Saints get upon your Watch-Towers tremble in your selves that ye may rest in the Day of Evil Hab. 2.1 3 16. Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand in the evil day and when you have done all to stand Eph. 6. O let it never be said of your Dwellings as it is of the Tabernacles of the wicked Job 21.9 Their Houses are safe from fear Augustus hearing of one that was deeply in debt who yet slept heartily sent for his Pillow supposing there was some strange vertue in that Pillow I wonder what Pillow you have gotten O ye drowsie Saints that you can sleep so quietly upon it now that all things about you are conspiring trouble and threatning danger Can you sleep like Jonah when Seas of wrath are tumbling and roaring round about you and threatning to entomb you and all your enjoyments Behold The Stork in the Heavens knows her appointed time Jer. 8.7 and hath not God made you wiser then the Fowls of the Air Job 35.11 It may be the sound of some present Judgement may a little startle you like a sudden clap of Thunder in the Aire but how soon doth Sloth and Security prevail and overcome you again They say Poyson by being habituated may be made innocent We are so used to or rather hardned under calamities that nothing moves or effectually awakens us Lord What will the end of these things be Wilt thou surprise thy people at unawares Shall thy judgements find them secure and leave them desperate O that God would perswade you to gather your selves together yea to gather together not in an unlawful and seditious way but in the way of duty before the decree bring forth and the day pass as the chaffe Zeph. 2.1 2. O prepare to meet your God Amos â—4 12 Prepare your faith love courage c. before God call you to the exercise of them And to excite you to this duty besides all the fore-mentioned benefits of a prepared Spirit consider these following particulars by way of motive The many calls which God hath given you to this work The Lord hath uttered his voice Motive 1 and called from Heaven unto you will you be deaf to his calls He hath called upon you 1 by the Word God would have it cry to you first because he would give the first honour to his Word He hath given all his Prophets one mouth Luke 1.70 and they have warned you faithfully 2 By the Rod This also hath a loud voice Micah 6.9 Psal 2.5 Men of understanding will hear this voice and those that will not hear it shall be lashed by it even till they are sick with smiting vers 13. 3 By prodigious and portentous signs in the Heavens and Earth such as no Age can parallel these have a loud voice to all that regard the works of the Lord or the operations of his hands Eusebius calls them Gods Sermons to the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist lib. 3. cap. 8. Oh that we were wise to consider what Gods ends are in these things One observes That as they are the plainest and most obvious to sense so they are commonly the last Sermons which God intends to preach to Nations before he inflicts his punishments on them if they repent not O let not God speaking in ordinary and extraordinary wayes to you still speak in vain Your preparation for sufferings Motive 2 is the most probable means of preventing your fall and ruine by those sufferings Sufferings prove fataâ— and destructive to some but it is to Secure and Careless ones Such as are diligent and faithful in the use of Gods means are secured from the danger Christ layes our constancy and perseverance very much upon our fore-casting the worst that may fall out Luke 14.28 Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand Ephes 6. He that hath first severed Christ in his thoughts from all worldly advantages and put the case thus to his own soul O my soul canst thou embrace or love a naked Christ Canst be content to be impoverished imprisoned and suffer the loss of all for him He is most likely to cleave faithfully to him when the case is really presented to him indeed And can it seem a light thing in your eyes to be enabled to stand in such an evil day If you fall away from Christ then all that you have wrought is lost Ezek. 33.13 Gideons one Bastard destroyed all his seventy Sons This act renders all former actions and professions vain If you fall you shall thereby be brought into a more perfect bondage to the Devil then ever Matth. 12.23 Yea ordinarily Apostates are judicially given up to be Persecutors Hos 5.12 1 Tim. 1.20 and are seldome or never recovered again by Grace Heb. 6.4 6. They that lick up their vomit seldome cast it up any more It is a fall within a little as low as the unpardonable sin whence never any rise again In some cases the Judge will not allow the Offender his Book And is it not then a choice and desirable mercy to escape and prevent such a fall as this is O good Souls