31.9 and is to all within the pale of the visible Church but by Adoption that he hath by a speciall grace adopted us into the dignity of his children Which we may be assured of when once we have received that Spirit of Adoption which the Apostle speaketh of Rom. 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit of God regenerating of us and working effectually in us working in us a childe-like disposition filiall affections towards this our heavenly Father a filial fear a filial love a filial affiance causing us to fear him as a Father to love him as a Father to trust in him and depend upon him as a Father Finding such a disposition such affections in our hearts now may we be assured that God is our Father And being our Father let us now call him so Vse 3 Call God our Father This is that which the Lord saith of his servant David Psal 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father And it is that which he requireth from his people the Jewes Jer. 3.4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me My Father viz. from the time that he had admonished them of their duty and corrected them for their sins And so again vers 19. of the same Chapter I said thou shalt call me My Father that is so own and acknowledge me And this let all the Lords people do This is the language which the Spirit of Adoption teacheth all Gods children to call God their Father Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father saith Paul to his Romans Rom. 8.15 And the like to his Galathians Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And this do we call God our Father and that not only with our tongues but our hearts so looking upon him so owning and acknowledging of him Which do we at all times in all estates and conditions God to be looked upon by his Children as a Father in Adversity as well as Prosperity in whatever God doth to us or we to him still look upon him under the notion of a Father 1. As first in receiving of mercies and blessings from him In receiving of mercies take them as from the hand of a Father as pledges and tokens of his love therein acknowledging his Fatherly affection 2. So also in confessing of sins and begging pardon for them In confessing of sins come unto God as unto a Father So doth the Prodigall Son in the Parable Luk. 15.18 I will arise saith he and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee 3. So again in deploring of wants spirituall or temporall In deploring of Wants and making suit for a supply of them come unto God as a Father So our Saviour teacheth us to do in that Pattern and Form of Prayer which he hath left us When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven Luk. 11.6 directing Christians to make all their addresses unto God under that notion as a Father When thou pray st pray to thy Father Math. 6.6 4. And so again in Deprecations of evils feared when God seemeth to be coming against us In deprecating of evils feared yet call him Father So did David his Father-in-law King Saul when he was coming out against him hunting his soul to take it as he speaks yet even then he calls out to him My Father 1 Sam. 24.11 And the like do we to our heavenly Father Though he come against us as an enemy yet still call him Father So doth our blessed Saviour when he saw this bitter Cup coming towards him apprehended his Passion at hand He fell on his face saith the Text and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26.39 5. And the like also in Evils felt When the hand of God lyeth heavy upon us In present sufferings pressing us sore yet still call him Father So doth the Church in those Texts forecited when God hid himself from her dealt most severely with her yet still she challengeth her Relation calling him her Father Doubtlesse thou art our Father Isa 63.16 But now O Lord thou art our Father Cap. 64.7 And so doth our blessed Saviour in the Paroxisme of his Passion hanging upon the Crosse still he retains his former language calling God his Father Father forgive them Luk. 23.34 And when the pangs of death were upon him he breatheth out his soul with those words Father into thy hand I commend my Spirit vers 46. of that Chap. And the like do we stirring up our hearts to a holy imitation of this our heavenly Pattern In all our afflictions and sufferings of what knide soever they be yet still call God Father so look we upon him so apprehend and acknowledge him A good sign of a gracious spirit so to doe To call God Father when he frowns a sign of a gracious spirit I scarce know a better then to call God Father when he frowns upon us is angry with us hath a rod in his hand when he is correcting us An easie matter it is so to do whilest he is smiling upon us whilest we receive or expect blessings and favours from him Blesse me my Father saith Esau to Isaac Gen. 27.34 But when he hath as I said a rod in his hand and we feel the smart of it when his hand lyeth heavy upon us when he writeth bitter things against us when he is turned to be our enemy fighting against us by his Judgements then to call him Father so to look upon him so to apprehend and acknowledge him surely this is no other but a fruit of that Spirit the Spirit of Adoption And this let all Gods children stir up their hearts to doe To look upon God as a Father of great use in Afflictions thus to look upon God in all their afflictions A thing which will be of great use to us for the quieting and comforting and supporting our spirits under whatever sufferings So long as a man looketh upon God as an Enemy to him or as a severe Judge coming against him he can have no comfort being conscious to himself of his own demerits but when once he cometh to look upon him as a Father this sweetneth the bitterest Cup making a man drink it the more willingly whilest it giveth him a comfortable hope and assurance of a wise and mercifull moderation of his Affliction a gracious support under it and a seasonable issue out of it all which it doth Q. How this may be attained But how shall we attain to this thus to look upon God in our suffering condition A. Learn to live by faith For this learn to live by Faith So lives the Righteous person as the Prophet Habakuk tells us Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his Faith Live by it in all estates and
it is day Joh. 9.4 And the like do we whilest the day of life lasteth be we working the works of God that so we may have finished our work before the night of death cometh The labourer having wrought hard in the day and finished his work this maketh the night welcome to him and his rest sweet and comfortable And so will the night of death be to the soul that hath been working for God it will now be to it a quiet rest This made our blessed Saviour so willing now to dye he had finished his Fathers work I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.4 And this made the Apostle so confident as not to fear his departure when he apprehended it at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith 2 Tim 4.7 He had been faithful to his Lord and Mâ—ster in doing the work which he had committed unto him And thence he concludes that he should now receive his Crown that Crown of righteousnesse as he there cals it an ample reward which the righteous God would give him for all his service Whereupon he is not unwilling to think of his departure O that every of us may indeavour thus to approve our selves to God and Jesus Christ thus to work his work whilest our day lasteth Then when the evening of death cometh we shall be sure to have our Peny Which being assured of it will make us not unwilling to go to receive it 4. Be frequent in casting up our accounts Dir. 4 Be frequent in casting up our accounts betwixt God and our souls The day of death is the reckoning day wherein every one must give up his account unto God Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward saith the Master ' in the parable to his Servant Luk. 16.2 In this life we are all Gods Stewards being betrusted by him with many Talents which we are to improve for him And hereof at the day of death we must give an account to him O that the thought of that day may not be terible to us make up our account aforehand And this do we often They who are frequent in casting up their accounts are not unwilling to be called to a general reckoning which they who have bin remiss careless herein would be Surely this is one thing which maketh men so unwilling to hear of death when it cometh they have then all their accounts to cast up Take heed it be not so with us Be we strict and constant observers of our own hearts and lives Often calling our selves to an account making it our daily work Every night reflecting upon the day past call we to mind according to that trite direction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wherein we have transgressed what evil we have committed what good we have done or left undone So making even betwixt God and our souls by suing forth our discharge in the name and upon the account of Jesus Christ This exercise being conscientiously performed it will be of speciall use to make this great reckoning day not unwelcome to us when it shall come 5. Dir. 5 That we may not be unwilling to depart hence Lay up a stock in heaven and to leave this world send somewhat afore us into that other world Laying up a stock in heaven 1. A stock for our selves That is our Saviours counsel For our selves a flock of good works Matth. 6.2 Laye up for your selves treasures in Heaven This do we by doing of good works as works of Piety so of Charity Sell that you have and give almes provide for your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not saith that parallel Text Luk. 12 33. A man that hath his chief estate in another Country which he hath made over by bils of exchange or put into the banck there he will not be unwilling upon a just occasion to follow it Now such are acts of charity and mercy being done for Gods sake they are as so many bils of exchange made over for heaven a stock put into the banck where he who hath so put it out shal at his coming thither receive it again with abundant increase He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given he will pay him again Prov. 19.17 O that rich men to whom God hath given abundance of this worlds goods and whose care it is to make the best improvement of what they have would but take this Course thus to make themselves friends of their Mammon as our Saviour adviseth them Luk. 16.9 that so when they fail when they dye they may receive them into everlasting habitations This would make them not so unwilling to dye as for the most part they are and that upon this account because they must leave what they have in this world and have no stock layed up in another 2. For others a stock of prayers And thus laying up a stock in heaven for our selves do the like also for others laying up a Stock a Stock of prayer for them Which whilest we do for all Gods people whom we leave behind us do it in a special manner for our near and dear Relations So did our heavenly pattern here The Lord Jesus whom in the Chapter before the text we find upon his knees putting up a devout prayer unto God his Father as for his Church in general so for his Apostles in speciall I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me Joh. 17.9 And the like let them do who are to leave near and dear Relations behind them Wives Husbands Children kinred friends lay up a stock of prayers for them in Heaven whereof they may reap the benefit when themselves have left them This will make them the lesse unwilling to leave those whom they have thus provided for In the sixth place Dir. 6 having thus laid up our best treasure in heaven Set the house in order now set we our houses in order upon earth That is the Counsel and charge which the Lord giveth to Hezekiah when he sent him those tidings that he must dye he bids him set his house in order Isai 38.2 Set thine house in order for thou must dye and not live A thing of great use as in reference to the living who shal be left behind so also to him who is to depart hence who having thus setled his temporal concernments in this world will be more ready for his removal into another when God shall call him to it And therefore let not this be neglected by those who have ought to dispose of Let them be careful to make their Wills and Testaments before hand So also did this our heavenly pattern the Lord Jesus who at his last Supper having ordered other things before he then finished his Will and Testament setting his Seal to it Of such use was that Sacrament then and there instituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being as a seal set by Christ to his Testament for the confirming of all his former grants and assuring of whatever he had promised Now what he did as to Spirituals let those who would be ready to dye when God will have them doe as to Temporals Setling them aforehand Not putting off this work as too many do to the death bed which as it is attended with many other inconveniences so it often proves no small disquietment to the spirit of the dying person making him loath to leave this world in so unsetled a condition as through this his former neglect in reference to his own relations and concernments he is like to do Set thy house in order Which being done Dir. 7 now in the last place to close up all what remains but to commit the Soul unto God Commit the soul to God Which that we may do quietly and comfortably in death as our blessed Saviour did who breathed out his Soul in those words Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 do we it before do it in Life So did David Psal 31.4 Into thy hands I commit my spirit So did the Apostle who making a confession of his faith to his Son Timothy 2 Tim 1.12 there tels him I know saith he whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day His precious soul this was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Depositum that which he had committed to the custody of God and Jesus Christ And the like do we that we may be willing to depart hence as he was commit we our souls unto God aforehand Which do we first by Faith believing on him which the Apostle there saith he did casting our selves into the armes of his free grace and mercy through Jesus Christ Then by obedience committing the keeping of our souls unto him in well doing as unto a faithful Creatour as St. Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 4. last indevouring carefully and conscientiously to walk before him in all wel-pleasing all the daies of our life So doing now as we shall have comfort in life so when death cometh we shall have no cause to be afraid of it And thus have I now through a gracious assistance preached this doctrine unto you which I look upon as the hardest lesson in Christs school Now what remaineth but that we all beg it of our great Lord Master that he would so effectually teach it us that as occasion is we may practise what we have heard shewing our selves conformable to this our heavenly Pattern as in his Active so in his Passive Obedience being obedient to our heavenly Father as in doing so in suffering his Will even Obedient to death For which let us now pray FINIS
a measure of mercy proportioning them to their strength that strength of grace which they have or which he giveth them And will you know why he dealeth with them after this manner Reas God correcteth his people this he doth in as much as he correcteth them in love for their profit 1. In love Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12.5 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten In love Rev. 3.19 Hence is it that naturall Parents correct their children not out of hatred but love And so doth the Lord his children Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as the Father the Son in whom he delighteth Prov. 3.12 And thus correcting them out of love and good will which he beareth them he dealeth with them in such a way of mercy proportioning their sufferings not to their desert but their strength 2. And doing it out of love he doth it for their profit For their profit In this the Apostle sheweth how the heavenly Father differs from some earthly Parents Heb. 12.10 They verily for a few dayes chasten us after their own pleasure but he for our profit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our spirituall advantage and benefit That we might be partakers of his holinesse Even as the Physician intending the health of his Patient he orders his Potions in that manner proportioning them to his strength But I shall no longer dwell upon Doctrinall illustration Bring we it home by way of Application Where let me in the first place serve in this Cup as a Cup of consolation Applic. A Cup of consolation to Gods people a ground of comfort to all the Saints and servants of God What doth God their heavenly Father thus measure out their sufferings unto them then let not them fear That is the use which the Lord himself maketh of it in that Text forenamed Jer. 46. last Fear not O Jacob my servant saith the Lord c. I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure And such use let all the Sons of Sion all true Israelites make of it However God may correct and punish them for their sins which he will do as soon or sooner then any other You only have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore you will I punish for all your iniquities saith the Lord to Israel Amos 3.2 I will not leave thee wholly unpunished saith the former Text yet here is the comfort he will not punish them as he punisheth others Hath he smitten them as he smote those that smote him Isa 27.8 He will correct them in measure with judgement with a wise and mercifull moderation Which let it serve to byace and bear up the hearts and spirits of the sons and daughters of Affliction under whatever sufferings Which be they never so many never so grievous of never so long continuance yet let them know it is but their Cup the portion which God in wisdome and mercy hach measured out unto them And O that all the Lords people were but fully perswaded of the truth hereof that all their afflictions are thus dispenced to them How patient how contented how chearfull how thankfull would it make them under whatever suffering What is the reason that the hearts of men are so subject to melt and faint under afflictions Surely one chief cause of this deliquium this soul-fainting is unbelief Men are not fully perswaded that there is such an over-ruling hand of Providence in the ordering and disposing of them that they are thus measured out for the breadth the length the greatness and the continuance of them they look upon them as happening to them by chance or fortune Which while they doe no wonder if they sink under their burden But so let not Gods children look upon their sufferings Whatever they be let them look upon them under this notion as their Cup their portion measured out unto them And that by a measure of mercy There is the consolation The punishments of wicked men are measured out too they also have their cup. But it is by a measure of justice proportioning them to their sins But the sufferings of Gods people are measured out by a measure of mercy proportioned to their strength And what a support may this be unto them if rightly considered under whatever afflictions Be they what they will they shall not exceed their strength the strength which they have or that which God will supply unto them For this the Apostle is bold to engage Gods Fidelity in that forecited Text 1 Cor. 10.13 God is Faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able And what an incouragement is here Of all discouragements there is none greater to a Christian in his suffering condition then the apprehension of his own weaknesse want of strength to undergoe what he feeleth or feareth What is my strength saith Job that I should hope Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brosse Job 6.11 12. O saith the poor soul had I but strength to bear my burden were it never so heavy I should be contented with it but my burden is great and my strength little How then shall I but faint in the day of adversity as the wise man hath it Prov. 24.10 But let not this discourage any true Believer Thou wantest strength alas who doth not When as such a tall Cedar as that blessed Apostle was should be pressed beyond strength with the apprehension of an imminent danger how should such Shrubs as thou and I ever look to hold up head if we look at our own strength I but remember to whose strength it is that God proportioneth the sufferings of his children it is not their strength but his own strength Christians are much deceived when they look upon themselves for strength either to do or suffer any thing No this is a condition on Gods part not ours A comfortable meditation Gods Covenant with his people to give them strength as to doe so to suffer his will When God entreth into Covenant with his people the Covenant of grace they covenant with him to be willing to doe and to suffer what he shall require and impose so to be at his ordering and disposing both as to their active and passive obedience This is the condition on their parts But on the other part God graciously covenanteth with them to give unto them strength to doe what he commandeth That is the condition on Gods part As when he sends Moses upon that Embassage to Pharaoh Moses yields his service but God covenanteth with him to inable him for it Certainly I will be with thee Exod. 3.12 as to protect so to direct and inable thee So is it in Passive Obedience So long as Gods people are willing to suffer what he shall impose he will be with them When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isai 43.2 so is God with his
There is one God Generally To all his Creatures to whom he is a Father and Father of all saith the Apostle Eph. 4.6 of all creatures Which he may be called upon a divers account 1. A Father by creation All things having their Originall their being from him By Creation Vnto us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things have their being from him as a Childe from the Father Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us saith that forecited Text Mat. 2.10 2. And secondly a Father by Providence By Providence as he giveth them their being so he taketh care of them providing for them as a Father doth for his children The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Psal 145.15 3. And thirdly a Father to them similitudine vestigii In regard of similitude in regard of some similitude and likeness betwixt him and them there being never a creature but hath some print and footstep of God imprinted upon it Quaelibet herba Deum Never a creature but whoso looketh upon it may see something of God in it Thus is God a Father to all Creatures universally 2. Among them he may be said to be a Father after a more special manner to Mankinde Specially to Mankinde In whom there is not only similitudo vestigii but imaginis not only some footsteps but even the Image of God So was Man at the first created Let us make man in our own image after our likenesse Gen. 1.26 So God created man in his own Image in the image of God created he him vers 27. resembling his Creator as a childe doth the Father like unto him as in divers other perfections so especially in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse 3. Peculiarly to true Believers Among men he is said to be a Father more peculiarly to all true Believers To them a Father by the grace of Adoption Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself Eph. 1.5 As also by the grace of Regeneration Bless d be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again 1 Pet. 1.3 Hereby he reneweth his Image in them making them partakers of the divine nature as St. Peter calleth it 2 Pet. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the Divine essenee or substance which is incommunicable to any creature but of divine qualities whereby they are made like unto God in grace here and glory hereafter And being thus related he performeth all the offices of a Father to them providing for them necessaries and conveniences both temporall and spirituall upon earth and laying up an Inheritance for them in heaven Behold a sea of matter which I might here lanch into and that without any wrong either to you or the Text. But I shall confine my self In the fourth and last place Properly unto Christ God is most properly a Father unto Christ Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.4 So we finde our blessed Saviour often calling him My Father worketh hitherto Joh. 5.17 and frequently elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so our Translations both old and new do here render the Text My Father And so God may be said to be the Father of Christ and that in a most peculiar way so his Father as he is not of any other His Father and that in reference to both natures God a Father to Christ in reference to both natures His Godhead His Manhood 1. In respect of his Godhead According to his Godhead so he was his naturall Father begetting him by an eternall wonderfull unexpresseable unconceiveable kind of generation communicating the whole divine essence and substance unto him as a natural Parent communicates his nature to his Son Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee saith God the Father to his Son Christ whom according to his divine nature he begat from all eternity Psal 2.7 Whence it is that he is called the only begotten Son of God Joh. 3.16 the only begotten of the Father Joh. 1.14 Not only Primogenitus but Vnigenitus not only the first born which he is also said to be The first-born of every creature Col. 1.15 The first-born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 in as much as he is the heir of all things Heb. 1.2 having the preeminence among all Gods children but the Onely begotten Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So he was according to his Godhead 2. According to his Manhood And secondly according to his Manhood So God may be called his Father And that 1. In regard of the wonderfull Conception of it In regard of that wonderfull and extraordinary operation of the Father in his conception which was effected by his sending of his holy Spirit to work it The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall over-shadow thee saith the Angell to the Virgin Luk. 1.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even as it was in the Creation where it is said that The Spirit of God moved upon the waters Gen. 1.2 putting forth a secret and immediate power in the production of those creatures so did it over-shadow the Virgin effecting this conception by an immediate and extraordinary power And upon that account though not only or chiefly that as Socinians would have it Christ is called the Son of God So it there followeth Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Thus was God the Father of Christ according to his Humane nature in respect of the conception of it 2. And secondly in regard of the Personal union In regard of the Personall Union which was and is betwixt the God-head and the Manhood The Manhood being as it were marryed unto the Godhead made one Person with it by an inseparable indissoluble union God who was the Father to the one by nature he becomes also a Father to the other And upon these accounts it is that Christ here as frequently elsewhere maketh claim to this Relation calling God his Father And to him it is that here he looketh in the businesse of his Passion Christ in his Passion looking unto God his Father as his Father Being now to drink this bitter cup which he saw coming towards him he looketh up unto God his Father and he looketh upon him as his Father Each of which will afford us somewhat for our Instruction 1. Obs Christians to eye God in all their sufferings In that Christ here looketh up unto God his Father see we whither it is that Gods people are to look in all their Grosses and Afflictions that befall them Look upwards see God in them So doth our heavenly Pattern here the Lord Jesus The High-priests with the Scribes and
conditions This is the Anchor which he rideth by in whatever storms and tempests When sense and feeling fail he lives by Faith And thus let us learn to live So lived our blessed Saviour in his Passion upon the Crosse when sense and feeling failed him so as he did not finde those sweet influences and gracious communications from God his Father as formerly he had done as to his present apprehension he had even forsaken him of which he complains yet even then he lives by Faith setting that awork still calling God his God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Thus did he by this eye of Faith see one contrary in and through another Mercy in the midst of Judgement a tender Father in the habit of an angry Judge And thus learn we of him to live This is the proper life of a Christian to live here not by sense but by Faith The life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God saith Paul of himself Gal. 2.20 Whilest he lived in the Flesh in the body he lived by Faith Faith in Christ resting and relying upon Gods grace through him And thus let us live and that in all estates Whatever our condition be however the Lord be pleased to deal with us Suppose as Hezekiah complains Isa 38.13 he breaketh all our bones as a Lyon or that with Job we feel the Arrowes of the Almighty sticking in us the Poyson whereof drinketh up our spirits and the terrors of God set themselves in array against us as he speaks Job 6.4 or that with Paul we are troubled on every side having fightings without and terrors within as it was with him 2 Cor. 7.5 being exercised both with Temporall and Spirituall conflicts in the outward and inward man both which God 's dearest children are subject to in this life yet even in this condition set faith awork to look through all these clouds that so we may behold our Fathers face see the light of the countenance of a reconciled God and Father in Christ making discovery of his yet continued love and favour to us Q. But how shall Faith make this discovery A. Why by looking through the Glasse of the Promise which represents God as he is not as he seemeth to be And this let us have recourse unto hearkening what the Promise will say to us In our saddest extremities when sense and feeling represent God unto us as an Enemy now hear what the Promise saith That will give us assurance of what we have heard that being once our Father he will be ever our Father So as though he may be angry with us yet he will not utterly reject those whom he hath taken into Covenant with himself If they break my Statutes c. I will visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquities with stripes neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from him so runs that Promise forecited Now the word of Promise is a sure word a word of truth which God will not fail in the performance of I will not suffer my faithfulnesse to fail my Covenant will I not break so it there followeth And therefore whatever sense and feeling say hear what the Promise saith casting our Anchor upon that ground living by Faith in it It is the want of this that maketh Christians so dejected under their afflictions and troubles as often they are Living by Sense a cause of great dejections They live by sense and feeling apprehending God to be as they feel him Whereas if Faith were acted and set a work as it might be what a constant clear Sunshine day might the life of a Christian be Were a man aloft above the Clouds he should see the Sun shining clearly in the darkest gloomiest day of Winter and were the soul mounted as it might be by Faith upon the wings of the Promises what a constant apprehension of Gods love and favour might it injoy beholding God as a reconciled Father even then when there is nothing but wrath and anger in his face Which let all his Children endeavour to doe To close up this point Vse 3 in the last place Is God thus a Father when he strikes Christians to receive correct on from God as from a Father then receive we correction from him as from the hand of a Father So our blessed Saviour here taketh this Cup as from the hand of his Father And so take we all those Cups which he shall reach forth unto us all those Afflictions and Crosses wherewith he shall please to exercise us take them as from the hand of a Father Q. And how is that A. Why With a quiet and humble submission with a reverent and humble submission and subjection neither slighting of them nor fainting under them My Son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction saith the Wise man to his Son Prov. 3.11 But quietly and contentedly submit to his Dispensations Humbling our selves under his hand as St. Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 5.6 So do children if ingenuous well-natured and nurtured receive correction from the hands of their naturall Parents and in like manner receive we chastisements from the hand of our heavenly Father That is the Exhortation which the Apostle presseth and that upon this very ground Heb. 12.9 Moreover saith he we have had Fathers of our bodies which corrected us and we gave them reverence should we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits For within the next Verse he subjoyneth a Reason For they verily for a few dayes chastened us after their pleasure but he doth it for our profit that we might be partakers of his holynesse vers 11. Naturall Parents sometimes prove unnaturall to their children correcting them in passion it may be out of some mistake or out of a corrupt judgement so doing more hurt then good by their Corrections But so doth not our heavenly Father who being a wise and mercifull God never correcteth his children but where need is and then he doth it in such a manner as may be for their spiritual advantage so as they may be the better for it And therefore whatever the Rod be kisse it whatever the Cup be take it as from the hand of a Father drinking it not only patiently but willingly submitting our wills to his will So doth our heavenly Pattern our blessed Lord and Saviour However he could have wished that this Cup might have passed from him yet he submits his will to the will of his heavenly Father Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26.39 And this he doth willingly The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it But of this I shall have occasion to speak more hereafter Thus I have done with the Agent who it was that presented this Cup to our Saviour My Father Come we now in the next place to the Action it self
to day may befall us to morrow And therefore pardon me if I shall here take a little more then usuall liberty to dilate and inlarge my meditations upon so usefull and needfull a subject as this the Passive Obedience of a Christian it being that which was chiefly in my eye when I first took this Text in hand The Cup which my Father hath given me Obs An exemplary Resolution to be taken up by every Christian willing to suffer what God will have him shall I not drink it Behold here an exemplary resolution fit to be taken up by every Christian concerning whatever Cups God at the present doth or hereafter may present unto him whatever tryals afflictions sufferings he is or shall be pleased to exercise him with be it in body in soul in Relations in Estate in good Name in Liberty in life whatever they be still in the purpose and resolution of his heart to say of all and every of them in like manner The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it So submitting unto his will and pleasure and that not only patiently but willingly A duty held forth by Pattern For this we have a Pattern here in him whose practise for the most part is a Rule And it is no other then what we finde in some other of the Saints of God This is that which Saint James saith of the Prophets Jam. 5.10 whom he there propounds fot an ensample of suffering affliction In particular the holy man Job whom he there in the next verse instanceth in how patiently how willingly did he drink this Cup submit to the will of God in his many and great afflictions When his Wife gave him that pernicious counsell to make a speedy riddance of his trouble one way or other What saith he shall we receive good at the hands of God and not evill Job 2.10 A resolution not unlike unto this of our Saviours in the Text. Jobs Cup which he had tasted and drunk of already was a bitter Cup his sufferings many and those sharp In his Estate in his Children in his Body Behold him bleeding as I may say in every vein already And what greater tryals might be yet behinde he knew not Yet whatever for the present they were or for the future might be this is his resolution he will receive evil at Gods hand as well as good He had received blessings from him joyfully thankfully and he will with the same hand take Crosses from him not only patiently but willingly Thus should a Christian be ad utrumque paratus ready to take a bitter Cup from Gods hand as well as a sweet one Adversity as well as Prosperity Crosses as Blessings As he receiveth the one joyfully so the other willingly both thankfully By Precept And what we have thus held forth by Pattern we shall finde also seconded by Precept and that by our Saviour himself in that obvious Text Math. 16.24 where having given Peter that tart check for the counsell which he gave him to decline his sufferings he presently subjoyns as a Lesson for him and all other his Disciples to take notice of If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Crosse and follow me If any man will come after me that is take upon him to be a Disciple of mine a Professor of the Gospell or follow me to Heaven whither I am going Let him deny himself lay aside all carnall Interests all worldly respects as to any inordinate affection towards them And let him take up his Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The phrase is emphaticall Attollat crucem suam i. e. Onere quantumvis duro gravi in humeros alacriter sublato c. Bez. Gr. Annot. ad loc not only bear the Crosse when it is layed upon him but take it up Not only suffer what he cannot shift as the beast beareth the burden which is layed upon it and it cannot shake off But willingly and chearfully submitting to Gods dispensations in suffering what he by his Providence shall call him to Thus we see the Duty held forth both by Pattern and Precept Christians must subject themselves to their heavenly Father in drinking whatever Cups he presents to them and that willingly chearfully Obj. Why but it may be said Obs Christ seemingly unwilling to drink this up did our Saviour so do we not finde him deprecating this Cup praying against it and that earnestly wishing that it might passe from him how then did he drink it willingly And do we not finde him telling Peter in that Text even now cited Joh. 21.18 that when he should goe to his Martyrdome another should carry him whither he would not And is it not so with the best of Gods Saints doe not they suffer without or against their wills A. A. For answer to this briefly There is a two-fold will A twofold will Natural and Spiritual A naturall and a spirituall will or two motions of the same will the one from Nature the other from Grace Now it is true the former of these is averse to suffering flyeth from death and all other like evils which are destructive to it self But the other in a regenerate person it over-rules this carrying the soul contrary to the inclinations of nature to yield obedience to the will of God and that willingly So it was with our blessed Saviour in whom we finde these two wills or two motions A natural motion inclining him to wish that this Cup might passe from him as there we have it But then a spiritual motion over-ruling that naturall will of his bringing it off to a willing obedience to the will of his heavenly Father Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And so it is with other of the Saints However the stream of nature runneth one way yet the winde of the Spirit carryeth them another Nature seeking the preservation of it self declines sufferings but Grace submits to them Reas 1 and that willingly This stone being thus removed To suffer is part of a Christians obedience to God which must be willing I might now go on and shew you why Christians are thus to suffer Great reason for it This is part of their Obedience unto God their suffering work which must be performed willingly without which it deserves not the name of Obedience If ye be willing and obedient saith the Lord to his people Isa 1.19 And it is part of their Conformity to Christ Reason 2 whom they are to imitate as in his Active Part of his conformity to Christ so in his Passive Obedience suffering as he suffered But it is not my purpose to insist upon the Doctrinall part That which I aim at is the working of this Duty upon the heart by way of Application That I shall direct only two wayes Applic. By way of Reprehension And Exhortation 1. By way of Reprehension Vse 1 Reprehension of 3 sorts under
thing no other then what others of their Brethren had felt of So it is Brethren in the flesh Brethren in the spirit all Brethren in affliction companions in tribulation Not the greatest not the best exempted from drinking of this Cup. And shall we then faint at the drinking of it We see or hear how those of the weaker Sex undergoe their pangs and throwes in Childe-bearing Though one of the bitterest Cups upon earth yet how contentedly do they pledge their great Grandmother Eve in it to whom it was first given to drink which they do upon the account of that Law which hath made it common to all of that Sex In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children Gen. 3.16 And so may we look upon all other Cups which God giveth us to drink they are no other but common Cups though not common to all individuals all particular persons as that is yet to all sorts all ranks and conditions of persons good and bad high and low rich and poor Prince and Peasant Which may serve somewhat to alleviate our burdens and mitigate our sorrowes Were it so that our case were singular that we could truely say what the Church in her Captivity maketh a Question of Lam. 1.12 that there were no sorrow like our sorrow no Cup like our Cup that we had no partners in our sufferings which was the case of our blessed Saviour here his Cup was as he here calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cup such a Cup as was never given to any other of the sons of men his sufferings peculiar to himself being more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane tentation wherein he had none to bear him company He trod the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with him saith the Prophet Isa 63. v. 3. which however intended may be as by many most of Expositors it is applyed to the Passion of Christ which was singular and peculiar to him then might we have the more colour for our despondency But loe here is Company Yea and good Company too Good company in suffering a comfort It is not all Company that will ease or comfort a man in his sufferings It is no ease to the damned in Hell that they have so many partners in their sufferings as they have Nor was it any abatement of our Saviours sufferings that he should be crucified as he was betwixt two thieves Such company rather aggravates then abates the sorrow of sufferings But good Company is a comfort And such company have all Gods Saints in their sufferings the same Afflictions are accomplished in their Brethren And therefore let none faint at the drinking of this Cup which is a common one Christ himself began it and all his Saints have or must pledge him in it being conformed to his Image as in other things so in his sufferings In the Fifth and last place look at the Issue Consid 5 The issue and fruiâ—s of sanctified Afflictions the fruit of Afflictions This it is that beareth up the spirit of the Childe-bearing woman in her travell even the fruit of the Womb the Issue which she expecteth and looketh for which when she is delivered of as our Saviour tells his Disciples she no more remembreth the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world Joh. 16.21 And this it was which made our blessed Saviour here so willing to drink this Cup to have his soul made an offering for sin even the assurance which he had of seeing his sâ—ed of seeing the travail of his soul as the Prophet Isai sets it forth Isa 53.10 11. the blessed fruit and issue of those his sufferings And like use let all the Lords people make of the same consideration for the bearing up of their spirits in their sufferings Being sanctified to them they shall see a blessed Issue of them they shall reap precious fruit from them receive great benefit by them Upon this account it is that a sick person continues his course of Physick taking Cup after Cup Potion after Potion he expects and hopes to receive some good and benefit by them Afflictions may be bitter but being sanctified they are profitable Though they have a rough stalk like the Rose-tree yet they bring forth pleasant fruit To go about to shew you all these fruits would be a long if not an endless work Single out some of the princâ—pall Reduced to two heads Which we may reduce to two heads They are either in this life Or in the life to come In this life Afflictions bring forth the fruit of righteousnesse In this life the frut of Righteousnesse So saith the Apostle in that Text before made use of Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous neverthelesse afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby This doth Chastisement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Corrections as wherewith God as a Father is pleased to exercise his Children for their good their amendment which that word properly signifieth being sanctified influenced by the spirit of Grace now it brings forth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This peaceable fruit of righteousnesse even that Righteousnesse which bringeth peace to the soul A blessed Fruit the fruit of righteousnesse Did ever Tree bring forth better fruit then this It was the highest commendation that the Divell could invent to give of that Tree of Knowledge that the fruit of it would make those that eat it like unto God himself they should be as Gods viz. in Knowledge knowing good and evill Gen. 3.5 What he spake falsly of that Tree is true of this of sanctifyed Afflictions they will make men like unto God bringing forth this fruit of righteousnesse and Holynesse which is a part yea a chief part of the Image of God as the Apostle tells us Eph. 4.24 Q. How Affliction bringeth forth this fruit But how doth Affliction bring forth this fruit A. Why this it doth by purging out Corruption and strengthning of Grace Even as it is with Physick it first evacuates and purgeth out those peccant humours which annoy the Body and then by the removall of them it strengthneth the naturall operations of it Even thus doth sanctified Affliction work upon the soul 1. By purging out corruption Purging out Corruption sinfull lusts whatever is contrary to Righteousnesse Hence it is that we finde it compared to Fire and to the Fining-pot Zach. 13. last I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined c. saith the Lord of the remnant of his people The fire the Fining-pot refine the Metall taking away the Drosse from the Silver and Gold Such are Afflictions to Gods people they lose nothing by them but their drosse their corruption By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin saith the Prophet Isai speaking of Gods
their sufferings upon earth For Affliction they shall have glory for light Affliction a weight of glory for momentany affliction an Eternall weight of glory infinitely exceeding the weight of all their sufferings here And this doth their Affliction work for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It worketh or worketh out for us not as a meritorious cause deserving any such thing but as a means preparing for it and bringing to it Thus are Afflictions usefull to both these ends furthering the work of grace here they fit us for glory hereafter Which with the Apostle we may take up and make use of as an Argument to induce us to bear whatever tryals God shall please here to exercise us with We have had Fathers of our flesh saith he which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Heb. 12.9 Live the life of grace here of which he speaks in the Verse following That we might be partakers of his holynesse and the life of Glory hereafter Which while a Christian hath an eye at it may well keep his heart from fainting So was it with our blessed Saviour of whom the Apostle there tells us vers 3. of that Chapter that For the joy that was set before him he indured the Crosse despising the shame And did Christians more think of the one they would be lesse affected with the other this would keep their hearts from fainting This it is which maketh the Husbandman so unwearied in all his hard winter labours in ploughing and sowing c. even the hope which he hath of reaping a crop in the summer which shall recompense all And upon the like account let Christians do the like by their sufferings being assured of what the Apostle tels them Gal. 6.9 In due season we shall reap if we faint not Thus you see a gathering of these fruits some few among many which afflictions being sanctified doe yeild All which with the former considerations are as meat comming out of the eater and sweetnesse comming forth of the strong as he said of the honey in the Lyons belly Judg. 14.14 usefull consolations extracted out of Afflictions themselves serving to bear up the heart from fainting under them I see the work swelleth in my hand I shall be as succinct as I may in that which remaines In the second place to keep the soul from fainting at the drinking of this Cup look upwards Dir. 2 In drinking this Cup look upwards This was Davids course in all his troubles to look upwards I will lift up mine eyes unto the hils from whence commeth my help Psal 121.1 To the Hils viz. Sion and Moriah where was Gods dwelling place his Sanctuary a figure of the heavens Thither will David look in all his distresses The like do we in all our afflictions look upwards heaven-wards The reason why the hearts of Christians so often fail them in the drinking of this Cup in suffering afflictions is because they look so much downwards either poring too much upon the Cup the Affliction it self or upon the hand that reacheth it the Instruments and secondary causes or else looking wholly at Creature succours which fayling their hearts also fayl Would we bear up under our sufferings look upwards heavenwards There shal we find that which we may cast anchor upon which may serve to stay our soules in what condition soever Where 1. At god our Father Look we at God our Father So doth our Saviour here as I have showen you The Cup which my Father hath given me And the like do we What ever befalleth us still have an eye at God our heavenly Father staying our hearts upon him and comforting our selves in him So did David in that great straight wherein he was at Ziglah when the Philistines in his absence had sacked and burnt the City slain the men Inhabitants and carried away the women and children for slaves among whom were both Davids Wives of which we read 1 Sam. 30. A great straight was this wherein David now was having nothing left wherein to comfort himself His wives his chiefest earthly comfort were gone and his friends and followers whom he might have expected comfort from they were so incensed and exasperated against him looking upon him as the chief cause of all their loss and misery that they think and speak of stoning him Now in this straight whither doth David look Now saith the sixth verse he comforted or incouraged himself in the Lord his God Being now like one cast into a deep pit he had no way to look but upwards heavenwards and thither doth he looke fixing his eye upon his God and comforting himself in him Though the enemy had carried away his earthly comforts yet they had not carried away his God And this comfort hath a Christian alwaies left him what ever befals him As for other things estate good name liberty near and dear Relations yea and life it self may be taken away but so cannot his God Were it so that Satan or his instruments could so deal with a Christian as Rachel did by her Father Laban Gen. 30. or the Danites did by Micah Judg. 18. take away their God from them then might they well complain as Micah there doth v. 24. Ye have taken away my Gods which I made and what have I more And what is this that ye say unto me what ayleth thee Then might they well look upon their condition as deplorable and altogether uncomfortable But so long as they have God for their God well may they comfort and incourage themselves in him Such is Habacucks resolution in that known Text. Heb. 3.17.18 Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shal fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shal yeild no meat c Yet will I rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Though all creature comforts should fail yet still he would not only stay himself upon his God but rejoice in him And truly there is that to be found in God which being ascertained that he is our God our Father our God by covenant is abundantly sufficient to bear up the heart in the midst of what ever distresses Not to insist here upon those attributes of his every of which is of soveraign use this way His Power Wisdome Mercy and Truth c. Only take we notice of these four particulars all relating to our afflictions 1. His Cognizance of us 2. His Presence with us 3. His Compassion towards us 4. His Providence over us each ministring some Comfort to the soul in its suffering condition In whom consider A word of each 1. His Cognizance of us The knowledge which he hath as of our persons so of our Conditions The eyes of the Lord are in every place His Cognizance of us beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15.3 Such a generall Cognizance hath God of al
be to all the sons and daughters of Zion Comfort to true Believers even all true Believers who are sometimes oft times sons and daughters of Affliction lying under the correcting hand of God Such was Jobs condition whom we hear complaining to his friends that the hand of the Lord had touched him Job 19.21 And the like doth David Psal 38.2.3 where he sadly bemoans his condition unto God Thine arrowes saith he stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore So again Psal 32.4 Day and night thy hand was heavy upon me And in the like language we may hear the Church bewailing her calamity Lam. 3.2 Surely against me is he turned he turneth his hand against me all the day Thus doth Gods hand his afflicting and correcting hand often lie heavy upon his dearest Saints But let it not discourage them so long as it is the hand of their Father which it is even then when God reacheth forth unto his people the bitterest Cups that can be yet still he is their Father A Father when he frowns as well as when he smiles when he strikes as when he stroketh still retaining the same Relation Yea and the same Affection Gods affection to his people still the same As he is an Everlasting Father so his Love is an everlasting love I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 God sometimes oft times changeth his countenance towards his people but his Affection is not changed Sit licet in natos facies austera Parentum Mens tamen aequa manet Naturall Parents sometimes frown and bend their browes at their children there is nothing but anger and wrath in their countenance yet even then their affection towards them is the same that ever it was And so is it with God our heavenly Father being offended and displeased with his children he frowns upon them so as it may be there is nothing but wrath in his face yet even then there are bowels of fatherly compassion within So runs that known promise which the Lord maketh to the Seed of David Psal 89.31 32 33. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquities with stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from them c. God doth not take away his loving kindenesse from his people though for a time he may hide his face from them In a little wroth I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindenesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Isa 54.7 8. Josephs bowels never yearned more towards his Brethren then when he turned his face from them and dealt most rigorously with them binding Simeon before their eyes as you have the story Gen. 42.24 God is never more affectionately compassionate towards his children then when he dealeth most severely with them Is Ephraim my dear Son saith the Lord in that patheticall passage Jer. 31.20 is he a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him Ephraim the people of Israel one Tribe put for the whole Nation they had not behaved themselves so as that they deserved to be owned by God as a dear Son as a pleasant childe that he should so look upon them so acknowledge them no they had walked unanswerably and unsuitably to that high Dignity conferred upon them and given God just cause for ever to reject and cast them off whereupon he spake against them threatning them by his Prophets yea and proceeding against them in a way of judgement yet he still remembred them having still a fatherly affection towards them His Bowels were troubled for him A humane expression suited to vulgar apprehension When a man taketh a thing to heart and is deeply affected with it it maketh his bowels yearn and move within him sending forth deep sighs and groans even so was the Lord affected with the condition of that his people In all their affliction he was afflicted as he elsewhere expresseth it Isa 63.9 Even as every stroak which a tender Mother giveth unto her dear childe it goeth to her own heart even so is God affected towards his people when being provoked by their sins he taketh the Rod in hand and dealeth sharply with them this is so far from alienating his fatherly affection from them that it is hereby rather inflamed and increased A strong Consolation Gods heart toward his people when his hand is against them which being rightly applyed may be of great use for the bearing up of the hearts and spirits of all Gods Saints and servants in the saddest condition Even then when God seemeth to be turned their enemy so as they have no sense and feeling of his love and favour towards them but all things are against them his countenance is against them his hand is against them he writeth bitter things against them as Job saith of himself Job 13.26 proceeding against them in a way of Judgement yet even then his heart is towards them He is still the same that ever he was I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 Though he come against them as a Judge yet still is he the same tender and compassionate Father that ever he was At this time when Christ was to drink this bitter Cup to indure these bitter sufferings God the Father had now put upon himself the person of a Judge requiring and exacting from him a full satisfaction for all the sins which he as a Surety had undertaken so as his Fatherly affection seemed now to be layed aside yet even now doth he lay claim to this Relation calling him his Father still looking upon him under the same notion Now if he did so look upon him even then when he was powring out Vialls of wrath upon him inflicting upon him those satisfactory punishments how much more may his children so look upon him when he is inflicting upon them only castigatory punishments exercising them with afflictions and tryals for their good Which be they what they will never so sharp never so bitter yet let them rest assured that they cannot dissolve that Relation that Affection which is betwixt God and them so as to separate them from his love This is the matter of Pauls triumph in that known Text Rom. 8.35 Who or what shall separate us from the love of God in Christ This shall not whatever Tribulation or distresse doe as it there followeth God being once a Father he will be ever a Father to his Children Only then in the second place labour we every of us to make sure this Relation Vse 2 Make sure this Relation that God is our Father that God is once our Father Our Father and that not only by Creation which he is to all Creatures nor yet only in respect of an outward visible Covenant as he was to Israel I am a Father to Israel Jer.